Junior's Reading And Viewing List: January 24 - 25, 2010

Last Update - January 25, 2010 at 11:58 PM EST

Here's just a small sample of the things that were posted to the web over the last couple days. It's the 'Reading And Viewing List' for January 24 through January 25, 2010.


January 25, 2010

Social Media Revolution in #caps108
By Chasta Piatakovas at Love the Game, Don't Like Puck Bunnies

Social media is changing the way we relate to each other.

#caps108 is a remarkable and enjoyable resource for any Washington Capitals fans and Twitter users to move the tweetversation from Twitter and connect in real space during the first intermission at every Capitals home game on the concourse outside Section 108...

AC/DC Confirmed As Headliner For Download 2010
By gbarton at Classic Rock

Other bands on the bill to include Them Crooked Vultures, Stone Temple Pilots, Deftones, Megadeth and Motörhead. Come inside for ticket details.

Download festival organisers have today confirmed that AC/DC will be one of the headliners for this year’s festival, taking place at Donington Park 11-13 June...

Photo Gallery from Caps Win over Phoenix
Posted by Dave Nichols at CAPITALS NEWS NETWORK

Here are a few shots from Saturday night's 4-2 win over the Coyotes. Apparently, the Coyotes went out for a few shots themselves the next day.

Anyway, hope you enjoy these from staff photographer Cheryl...
*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: "Flip Cup" is a disgusting
drinking game.

If Men Have All The Power How Come Women Make All The Rules?
By Kameron at I May Have Been Born Yesterday
But I Stayed Up All Night

Cognitive dissonance is the unpleasant mental state people often experience when trying to accept two incompatible ideas at once. Cognitive dissonance is uncomfortable: we feel anxious, disoriented, ashamed, angry, deeply confused. Commonly, people try to reduce the dissonance by rationalizing: that is, by attempting to minimize or discredit one of the two ideas...

EXCLUSIVE: Martin Campbell Explains How Much Of
'Green Lantern' Will Occur In Space
By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

Much of the current "Green Lantern" speculation focuses on whether Hector Hammond or Sinestro will be the first film's central villain, but there's another question fans are asking these days, too: how much of the movie is set in space?...

'Journeyman' Creator Co-Writing Brian Bendis' 'Powers' TV Pilot
By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

Last week, it was revealed that Brian Michael Bendis had help from a new collaborator in bringing "Powers" to the small screen on the FX Network, though the writer's identity remained unnamed at the time...

January 24, 2010

Alexander Semin: "In Principle, I Could Even Do More"
Posted by tuvanhillbilly at Japers' Rink

Following the Capitals' win at home over Phoenix, four-point-wonder Alexander Semin talked with Sovetsky Sport reporters Pavel Lysenkov and Dmitry Chesnokov...

And you thought the Caps were hot...
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

On December 11th, the Albany River Rats shut out the Hershey Bears, 3-0.

The Bears seem to have taken the matter rather personally. Since suffering that insult, the Bears have won 17 of 18 games to hit the 70 point mark (in 45 games, five games quicker than did the Caps)...

Ryan Reynolds Says 'Green Lantern' Co-Star Blake Lively
Will Be 'Flawless' As Carol Ferris
By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

The cast for "Green Lantern" is starting to fill out. Over the last several weeks, the previously cast Ryan Reynolds has been joined by "Gossip Girl" leading lady Blake Lively as Hal Jordan's love interest Carol Ferris, "An Education" star Peter Sarsgaard as the villainous Hector Hammond and "Sherlock Holmes" bad guy Mark Strong as Sinestro, Hal's mentor turned nemesis...

The Week That Was...
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

Six days - four wins - 18 goals for - 10 goals against - three games at home - all sell outs. Real sell outs.

We won against the Flyers, the Red Wings, the Penguins and the Coyotes...

Six in a row for Caps
By tj at Alex Ovetjkin

Alex Semin had a goal and three assists, Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin each had a goal and an assist. This was sixth in a row Caps's victory...
*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Includes video of pre-game skate, opening faceoff and first goal celebration.

Caps 4 - Coyotes 2, A Two Point Night at Verizon Center
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings

The Caps hosted the Phoenix Coyotes tonight at Verizon Center, I watched the game on Comcast Sportsnet as Tom had the tickets to our perches in Section 103...

...The win over Phoenix was the finale to a "perfect" week for the Capitals who went 4-0-0 against a group of teams with who have a combined 111-77-17 record. In short this past week the Caps earned eight points against a set of quality opponents...

Alex Ovechkin Compares (but mostly contrasts) Vancouver and Turin[o] Olympics
Posted by tuvanhillbilly at Japers' Rink

A few days ago, Pavel Lysenkov from Sovetsky Sport had an enormous three-page interview with Alex Ovechkin. As usual, Pavel gets Alex to open up and share personal insights that you will never read in English language interviews, and our good buddy TJ over at Alex Ovetjkin jumped in and performed the yeoman's work of translating the majority of the article, so be sure and check that out. Once you've read that, here for your viewing pleasure is my translation of the remainder of the article...

GAME 51 REVIEW: PK Strong Again As Caps Hold Off Pheonix 4-2
By Dave Nichols at CAPITALS NEWS NETWORK

When your undisputed leader and captain is Alexander Ovechkin, your team is going to be known for its offensive prowess. And rightly so. For the ninth time in 10 games the Washington Capitals scored at least four goals, beating the upstart Phoenix Coyotes 4-2 at sold-out and loud Verizon Center...

Today's Tune: "Telephone Line" By ELO

On this day (January 25) in the year 1915, Scottish inventor Alexander Graham Bell inaugurated the first US transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York, NY to fellow inventor and American assistant Thomas Augustus Watson in San Francisco, CA.

Taking the obvious route for this one, I've picked "Telephone Line" (1976, released as single 1977) as the 'Today's Tune'. Cued up, are the original music video and a fairly recent looking live performance, both by the UK's pop band Electric Light Orchestra.

Electric Light Orchestra - "Telephone Line" music video (1977)



Electric Light Orchestra - "Telephone Line" Live

Junior's Reading And Viewing List: January 20 - 23, 2010

Last Update - January 23, 2010 at 11:53 PM EST

As we head toward the last week of January 2010, here are some good things to check out from the last few days. It's the 'Reading And Viewing List' for January 20 through January 23, 2010.


January 23, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 4, Coyotes 2
Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

A Sixer – Washington closed out a perfect week and extended its winning streak to six games with a hard-fought 4-2 win over the scrappy Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night. The Caps have had three winning streaks of half a dozen games in length this season, a claim no other NHL team can make...


Caps365: Capitals Coach Boudreau speaks to media after win
over Coyotes

CSN: Phoenix Coyotes at Washington Capitals game highlights

Right click on video to choose full screen option.

Watching Hershey Hockey with Mr. Hockey
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

Keeping stats for a hockey team may not seem like much of a glamor job, but it has its perks. For instance, being in the Giant Center press box when Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, makes an unexpected visit. That’s precisely what happened for Hershey Bears’ stats helper Jess Mikula late last month, one Sunday evening before the Bears hosted the Norfolk Admirals...

The Wit And Wisdom Of Ted Nugent
By mdome at Classic Rock

To ‘celebrate’ The Motor City Motormouth’s recent outburst, calling US president Obama a ‘commie’, we thought it was time to put together 10 choice quotes from the man (The Nuge, that is, not Barack). So, here they are...

The Caps Go For A "Perfect Week" Tonight At Verizon Center
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings

I didn't post a recap of the Caps 6-3 Win On Thursday at "The Igloo" in Pittsburgh over the rival flightless birds, however unless for some bizarre reason this is the only place you get your NHL news you know it was a close, good game through 40 minutes...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: This is a must read for Washington Capitals fans. Another great blog post by Mark
- a.k.a. Usually Frustrated Caps Fan.

Ovechkin is a Soldier, Semin Wants to Play Against Backstrom, and Malkin Has a Hankering for Some Borscht and Goals
Posted by tuvanhillbilly at Japers' Rink

After the Capitals/Penguins game, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Evgeni Malkin all talked with Sovetsky Sport reporter Pavel Lysenkov. Before the Caps left Mellon arena, the trio had a friendly meeting,...

Caps Seek Six-Pack
Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...Two nights after punishing the Penguins in Pittsburgh, the triumphant Capitals come home to host another formidable foe. Washington entertains the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night at Verizon Center in the lone meeting between the two teams this season...

January 22, 2010

Pittsburgh fans and Ovechkin
By Dan Steinberg at D.C. Sports Bog

I think it's pretty well-documented that Caps fans have a certain fascination with Sidney Crosby, from the Pacifier handouts to the signs and jerseys to the photoshopped posters to the urinal-cake art to even more t-shirts, etc...

Sittin' at the End of the Bar
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...-- There is a widely-accepted narrative that the Caps lack the defense and goaltending to go deep into the playoffs. The Caps are currently allowing 2.78 goals per game. Last year’s Stanley Cup champions? 2.84 for the season...

Washington Was All About Hockey on This January Thursday Night
By The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog

In somewhat unexpected fashion, hockey sure seemed to blow up around town yesterday. Late Thursday morning Dan Steinberg began generating a great volume of great dispatches from Pittsburgh. You should read every single one of them. His Post colleague Tarik via Twitter reported never before encountering so massive a media following for a regular season hockey game. Corey Masisak was on site in the Igloo helping out Comcast...

January 21, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 6, Penguins 3
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Seventy in Fifty – It was just another regular season game in mid-January. But it was also against the defending Stanley Cup champions. And it was against the team that ousted Washington from the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring.

The Caps came to play tonight, and it showed. They came out hard and strong, and worked their way past a few speed bumps on their way to an impressive 6-3 win over the Penguins...

Conan O'Brien And Jay Leno 'Tonight Show' Feud Goes Superhero
By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

Freshly ousted "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien's connection to comic books by way of a certain Cimmerian warrior is rather obvious, but did you know that he also...

Della Rovere: "You have to play on the edge,
but you can't go over it"
By Stephen Pepper at Japers' Rink

Selected by the Washington Capitals at the tail end of the 2008 draft in Ottawa (204th overall to be exact), and developing into a real agitator with leadership qualities, and a bit of a scoring touch, winger Stefan Della Rovere may have been the last of the unplucked gems that summer,...

So I Heard There Was a Hockey Game Tonight?
By Hockey Mom at Musings Of A Hockey Mom

Yep, only one of the biggest, most-hyped regular season match ups between two of the most bitter rivals in the NHL. The Capitals visit Mellon Arena and the much-disliked Pittsburgh Penguins tonight for the first meeting of the season...

The Bluechip Options in Net Are Numerous
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

Though unable to track down John Carlson in Hershey last weekend I managed to see Braden Holtby start both weekend home games in the Bears’ net. I’d never seen Holtby perform in person, and I was well aware of the mega-buzz he’d been generating the last two hockey seasons, and so I was thrilled at the chance to get to see him...

Thursday Caps Clips: Caps @ Penguins Game Day
Posted by J.P. at Japers' Rink

...● For those of you in town, we expect to see you at the Japers' Rink/Puck Daddy viewing party at Bailey's tonight. For those of you who aren't, make sure to stop by CSN Washington's online chat - hosted by Corey Masisak - during the game...

Todd Rundgren: A Wizard Reborn In London
By mdome at Classic Rock

Todd Rundgren will make a dozen costume changes when he showcases the celebrated album A Wizard, A True Star in London next month – and he’ll do them all on stage!...

Caps Finally Face Penguins
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Washington heads to Western Pennsylvania for its first meeting of the season with the Penguins on Thursday at the Igloo. Last spring, the Capitals and Pittsburgh hooked up in one of the most memorable playoff series in recent memory. The first six games of that series gave fans some of the most dramatic postseason hockey in Washington’s franchise history,...

January 20, 2010

An epic Lysenkov's interview with Ovechkin
Posted by tj at Alex Ovetjkin

Great Pavel Lysenkov is at his best again, a humongous interview with Ovechkin at SovSport.ru.

If you don't know yet, he did "Alex Ovechkin's love Story", about Sasha and Katja, the most read post about Ovechkin on this blog...

Name Dropping - My Whereabouts
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

I am not gate crashing. I have an invite and will be at the White House today with the President and First Lady...

January Prospects Update: Forwards
Posted by David M. Getz at Japers' Rink

Yesterday we provided you with a mid-season look at how some of the Capitals' goaltending and defense prospect were faring; today we give you an update on their forwards. The pedigree here isn't quite as high - you won't find a forward who can match the pedigree or buzz surrounding...

Theo Saves the Day as Caps Squeak Past Red Wings
By Hockey Mom at Musings Of A Hockey Mom

For the better part of last night's hockey game, the Washington Capitals got schooled by the former Stanley Cup champion Red Wings. They were outshot and outhustled, missing too many opportunities to crash the net and to clear the puck out of Jose Theodore's grill. But luckily for the home team, Theo...

Frampton’s Churchillian Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

Peter Frampton – the man who accidentally ruined rock with Frampton Comes Alive – is to release an autobiographical album at the end of April.

The new album is called Thank You Mr. Churchill...

High Voltage Festival Update
By gbarton at Classic Rock

Bachman & Turner, Uriah Heep and Pendragon have all been added to the bill of Classic Rock’s High Voltage Festival...

Sabbath Master Tapes Up For Auction
By mdome at Classic Rock

An original set of master tapes for the third Black Sabbath album Master Of Reality is currently being auctioned on eBay...

Gabriel, Slash Donate Songs For Haiti Relief
By mdome at Classic Rock

Peter Gabriel and Slash have both contributed previously unreleased music to help raise funds for Haiti, following the recent earthquake devastation...

Quo Vadis, Varlamov?
By tuvanhillbilly at Japers' Rink

The twitter world was, for lack of a better word, all atwitter last night when, following a rousing Caps win over Detroit, local CSN announcer Lisa Hillary reported that Washington goaltender Semyon Varlamov would not be participating in the Vancouver Olympics due to...

A TWO-point night: Caps 3 - Red Wings 2
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Can you give all three stars to one guy?

Well, even if you can’t, no star in this game shined more brightly than Jose Theodore, who almost single-handedly pilfered a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings tonight that the Caps, frankly, had no business winning...

Today's Tune: "Junior's Eyes" By Black Sabbath

The 'Today's Tune' for this day is "Junior's Eyes" (1978), by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. There are some very big reasons for picking this song today.

I'm not going to link this song to anything of great historical importance. Posting it on this date has nothing to do with anybody's birth date. It's not because someone I admired or was interested in died on this date.

So, just what are my reasons for picking "Junior's Eyes"? Well, it's nothing Earth shattering, really.

The song title matches my blog title, and there's a good reason why. I named my blog after it. After considering many original name ideas, conjured up from words involved in my many different interests, I picked a song title that wouldn't tie me down into any one particular area of subject matter.

Also, after hunting for a good video (live action, audio only, etc.) of the track off and on since I began this blog on December 1, 2007, somebody finally posted one on YouTube recently. Yeah, I know, I should've uploaded the music myself. But, I didn't.

I've got another very good reason for picking today to feature this brilliant Sabbath tune. There wasn't enough time in my day for finding another song, with a quality linking reason for posting it.

Finally, I Love It! It's very different from earlier Black Sabbath records. It actually goes back toward their blues and jazz like roots, from before they started recording albums to be released to the masses.

Black Sabbath - "Junior's Eyes"


Band Members - Original 1978 Recording:

Ozzy Osbourne – Lead Vocals
Tony Iommi – Guitar
Bill Ward – Drums
Geezer Butler – Bass Guitar

Today's Tune: "Zoom Club" By Budgie

On January 21, 1976, the supersonic Concorde jet was put into service by both Great Britain and France. London, England to Bahrain and Paris, France to Rio De Jineiro, Brazil were the first routes for the speedy metal bird.

This bit of flight history makes for an easy connection to our 'Today's Tune' on this day. Welsh rock band Budgie makes an appearance with the well wishing motivator track, "Zoom Club", off the 'In For The Kill' (1974) album.

Budgie - "Zoom Club" (1974)

Band Members:

Burke Shelley - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Tony Bourge - Guitar
Pete Boot - Drums

Today's Tune: "Who Are You?" By Black Sabbath

Happy Birthday Tom Baker! Today, January 20, 2010, is English stage, film and television actor Tom Baker's 76th birthday.

Baker is most remembered for his 7 year (1974 - 1981) run as the fourth incarnation of the Doctor, in the classic BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. More recently, he worked on both the BBC Radio (2001 - 2003?) and BBC Television (2003 - 2006) as the narrator on the naughty comedy sketch series, Little Britain (and Little Britain USA in 2008). He has also authored two books, 'Who On Earth Is Tom Baker?' (1997) and 'The Boy Who Kicked Pigs' (1999).

I wish I had been able to find the time to do a more detailed separate post on Tom for his birthday, but sadly that wasn't the case. Some time in the future then. While you anxiously await that blog entry, you can visit the Wikipedia page on Tom Baker. However, I suggest you head over to Tom's official web site. There, you will find an almost limitless amount of information on Mr. Baker. His full and accurate biography, excerpts from his books, video clips and photos, and the lists of all his movie and television appearances. He even does a monthly news letter (or blog).

When I think of Tom Baker, my thoughts are drawn to the time he spent as Doctor Who. So, for the 'Today's Tune', I picked the song "Who Are You?" by England's heavy metal pioneers, Black Sabbath. It was first released on the 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' album in December of 1973. The album tour began in January of 1974, the same year Tom Baker began his tour as the Doctor.

Black Sabbath - "Who Are You?" (1973)

Junior's Reading And Viewing List: January 17 - 19, 2010

Last Update - January 20, 2010 at 1:29 PM EST

A few more days crossed off the January 2010 calender. The following is the 'Reading And Viewing List' for January 17 through January 19, 2010.


January 19, 2010

CSN videos from after Capitals home win over Red Wings

Lisa Hillary speaks to winning goaltender Jose Theodore.
Right click on video to choose full screen option.



Bruce Boudreau post game press conference.
Right click on video to choose full screen option.

Caps 3, Red Wings 2
By Tarik El-Bashir at Capitals Insider

...This time last month, Jose Theodore was sitting on the bench pondering his future. Tonight, he was standing tall between the pipes, putting together one of the finest goaltending performances this building has seen all season...

Postgame video: Leonsis hugs Theodore
By Lindsay Applebaum at Capitals Insider

After the Caps' 3-2 win against Detroit tonight, owner Ted Leonsis entered the locker room and made a beeline for Jose Theodore. Here's a video of Leonsis congratulating the veteran goalie on a 44-save performance:...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: Also includes Matt Bradley interview video.

Nevermore? Mystery Visitor Misses Poe's Birthday
By Andrea Fujii at WJZ.com

BALTIMORE (WJZ) - A mysterious guest never showed for Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. For the first time in 61 years, the cloak-shrouded visitor to Poe's grave didn't come...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: Includes video, links and videos to related reports.

Cody Eakin: "I gotta keep pushing my game"
By Stephen Pepper at Japers' Rink

On the heels of this morning's prospect post, we have a prospect interview, with the Washington Capitals' third round (#85) selection in last summer's draft, center (and occasional winger) Cody Eakin...

Jeff Beck To Release 'Emotion & Commotion', First Studio Album In Seven Years, April 13
By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

RollingStone.com is reporting that two months after Jeff Beck performs at Madison Square Garden along with Eric Clapton, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist will release...

January Prospects Update: Goalies and Defensemen
Posted by David M. Getz at Japers' Rink

Back in November we took a look at how the Capitals' prospects had started their respective seasons (defensemen and goalie post here and forwards post here), and with the season a little more than halfway done and potential trades being discussed more and more every day, we thought...

Ronnie Wood: Ready For Solo Action
By mdome at Classic Rock

It would appear that Ronnie Wood intends to go on the road for a series of solo gigs...

Iommi Pens Autobiography
By mdome at Classic Rock

Guitarist Tony Iommi is writing his memoirs.

The Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell legend is to title the book Iron Man. It’s due to be published later in the year...

Maiden’s Charity Auction
By mdome at Classic Rock

Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood is aiming to raise over £150,000 for the charities Childline and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy via a...

Team Camaraderie at an All-Time High for Capitals
By Justin Creech at CapCentre.net

Washington, DC—The Washington Capitals have become one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NHL the last several season’s for several reasons. They have the game’s best player in two-time reigning league MVP Alex Ovechkin...

D-Town in DC
Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...Washington seeks to run the table on a three-game homestand when the Detroit Red Wings make their lone visit of the season to Verizon Center on Tuesday night.

The Caps took down Toronto on Friday and flattened the Flyers on Sunday in the first two games of the homestand. Washington is 16-3-3 on District ice this season and it has won four straight and nine of its last 10 at home in 2009-10...

January 18, 2010

Paul McCartney Turned Down For Slot In Them Crooked Vultures
By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Sir Paul McCartney wanted a place in Dave Grohl's supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, but was turned down in favor of...

Carlson sent down, Ovechkin named first star
By Tarik El-Bashir at Capitals Insider

Today's practice was optional and several players, including Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Tomas Fleischmann, exercised that option. Still, there was plenty going on...

Kenneth Branagh Offers 'Thor' Update: One Week Into Filming And 'So Far, So Good'
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page

With all this talk about the "Spider-Man" reboot and "Green Lantern" casting, it's easy to forget that another big comic book movie, Kenneth Branagh's "Thor," just kicked off production.

We caught up with Branagh at the Golden Globe Awards red carpet to get an update on how the live-action adventures of Marvel's god of thunder are going thus far...

Scenes from a Practice
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

It's a holiday here in the States (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) and the Caps held a practice before a near-SRO crowd at Kettler this morning. All seemed to be in good spirits -- what happens on the day after a win one supposes. Here are some images...

Dynamic Branding
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

This weekend, the Caps played two hockey games – wins on Friday and Sunday over the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers. The events were duly reported in the Washington Post and in local television and radio outlets...

What’s In A Name: The Origins Of 10 Band Titles
By mdome at Classic Rock

Inspired by the thought that Iranian band Ahoora – a recent Track Of The Day – might have gotten their name from the character played by Nichelle Nichols in the original Star Trek series...

Uriah Heep Confirm First U.S. Live Dates Since 2002
By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

British hard rock legends Uriah Heep have confirmed their first North American live dates since 2002...

January 17, 2010

Caps 5 - Flyers 3; A Two Point Afternoon At Verizon Center
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings

This afternoon's Caps-Flyers regular season finale at Verizon Center was an exciting game to watch for sure. The Caps played a full sixty minutes of hockey and it's a good thing...

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 5, Flyers 3
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...April in January – From the opening face-off, today’s Caps-Flyers tilt had the feel of a playoff contest. The pace was quick, the intensity was high and the fans were engaged. Washington was better at going to the net and making things happen, and it prevailed 5-3 in an exciting contest...

A Defense Pair’s Conflict of Colors
By pucksandbooks, and posted by The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog

The best-laid plans . . .

At the start of this week I had ahead of me the prospect of one of the more appealing visits to Hershey, Pennsylvania, I believed I’d ever make. It was the return home to Hershey weekend for American hockey hero John Carlson. But as Joe Murphy’s law would have it, the Capitals on Friday recalled Carlson, and so as my Jeep was making its way North...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: Includes video interview of Karl Alzner.

Don't Look Now ....
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings

Don't Look Now .... But Guess Who Has The Best Record In the NHL East Through The Last 10 Games...

Backstrom: I will be a specialist on team Russia
Posted by tj at Alex Ovetjkin

Slava Malamud of Sport-Express interviews Nicklas Backstrom (Jan. 15, 2009):

Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin share a whole lot of history, as they say in America. It started at NHL draft of 2006, when the owner of Washington Capitals Ted Leonsis, the jolly PR genius, brought to this event his new megastar. Ovechkin was given the responsibility to...

Hockey makes for some of the most interesting stories
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...and sometimes, they even happen in Pittsburgh. Well, Vancouver, but...oh, you get the point (courtesy of Shelly Anderson at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)...

The Scene for Saturday Night Rivalry Hockey in Hershey
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

I got red carpet treatment at Giant Center Saturday night for the Hershey Bears’ in-state showdown with Wilkes Barre-Scranton. The Bears placed me in the television broadcast booth and seated me next to the team’s communications associate, Jess Mikula. Jess keeps track of...

Caps Face Flyers for Final Time in '09-10
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...Washington started a three-game homestand in style on Friday night, putting a 6-1 pasting on the Toronto Maple Leafs. On Sunday afternoon the Philadelphia Flyers hit town to close out the regular season series between...

Today's Tune: "Last Horizon" By Brian May

Brian May at Brixton Academy in Brixton, S. London, England March 28, 2005.

New Horizons, an unmanned NASA robotic spacecraft, was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA on January 19, 2006. The mission of the probe is mainly to study the dwarf planet Pluto and it's three moons, Charon, Nix, and Hydra.

The New Horizons craft, last mission in NASA's New Frontiers mission category, was built primarily by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, MD. Final testing before sending it to Cape Canaveral was completed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD.

New Horizons was launched directly into an Earth-and-solar-escape trajectory. The probe was rocketed away from Earth at a relative velocity of about 10.10 miles per second (16.26 km / second), which equals about 36,373 miles per hour (58,536 km / hour), after its last engine was shut down. That means it left at the fastest speed ever recorded for a man-made object. Still, it won't reach Pluto, which is situated in this side of the Kuiper Belt, until July of 2015.

Cover of December 1993 "Last Horizon" Live single.

That doesn't mean nine years of non-productive inactivity for the spacecraft. It passed the half way point in late December of 2009. Before that, New Horizons passed the orbit of the planet Mars and then tested it's tracking capabilities on a small asteroid (132524 APL) successfully, while flying directly through the asteroid belt within our solar system. It's Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) took photographs of Jupiter and Pluto in September of 2006. While New Horizons temporarily regained some speed, with a gravity assist from our largest planet in early 2007, it also collected and confirmed data on Jupiter, it's inner moons and Galilean moons. The probe flew by Saturn in June of 2008.

New Horizons will pass by the planets Uranus and Neptune, before greeting Pluto and it's moons. After that, there are hopes of studying a few more objects in the Kuiper Belt, before leaving the solar system.

With New Horizons in mind, I picked the solo instrumental track "Last Horizon" by English musician and astrophysicist Brian May (Queen, Queen + Paul Rogers) for the 'Today's Tune'. The original studio recording was included on the album 'Back To The Light', which was released in the UK on September 28, 1992 and North America February 2, 1993. The first live recording to be released, came out as a single in December of 1993. This video shows the March 28, 2005 Brixton Academy performance in Brixton, South London, England, included on the 'Return Of The Champions' DVD (2005), by Queen + Paul Rogers.

Brian May - "Last Horizon"
Queen + Paul Rogers' 'Return Of The Champions' DVD (2005)

The Latest Updates On Singer Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk on January 17, 2007.

In case you missed them, I just wanted to share with you the latest updates posted by singer Ronnie James Dio (Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Heaven & Hell) and his wife Wendy on his web site.

It was reported in late November of 2009 that Ronnie had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, after having taken ill earlier that month. Fans were advised to send get well cards and letters to the fan club. Wendy then wrote about the beginning of his treatment in last update I posted here. Here we go now, with one from Ronnie just before Christmas, and the last one from Wendy came this past Wednesday.


Holiday message from Ronnie
12/21/2009 at 1:46:54 PM

Happy holidays everyone,

I'd like to take the time to thank everyone for the most wonderful gifts I have ever received. The list includes your good wishes, your prayers, your support, your tears and laughter, your anger and rejoicing, and most of all the unwavering love you've bestowed upon me. I guess I've always felt that we were one person and that you've allowed me to be our spokesman, but until this time of my greatest peril the truth was perhaps slightly hidden. It is hidden no more. Together we' shall face the foe and live on to climb higher mountains and explore greater magic. Together we cannot fail. Please accept my never ending love and dedication to you all. So it is written, and so it shall be.

MAGIC,
FROM RONNIE JAMES DIO


An Update on Ronnie from Wendy
01/13/2010 at 6:57:50 PM

After a few hiccups between Christmas and New Year’s, such as a blood clot, a trip to the emergency room, and a three day stay at the hospital, we had a quiet holiday spent with family and close friends. Ronnie and I just returned from Houston, where Ronnie had his third chemo treatment, and all seems to be going well. Ronnie and Simon Wright went to see Avatar, which he thought was amazing! He has also been writing more chapters for his book.

While at M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre on his second trip, he met a DIO fan named Carmen who has been having treatment every other day for a year, and is eagerly awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Ronnie and Carmen have become fast friends. Carmen is a very positive happy person whose existence, like Ronnie’s, depends heavily on music and sports. On the third trip, we also met his mom and sister, whose total support is so important to all cancer patients. They have become part of our family as well.

The support we get from all of our friends and fans is such a blessing to Ronnie and I.

Ronnie, Geezer [Butler], Tony [Iommi] and Vinny [Appice] will be doing some interviews in the upcoming weeks to be included in the new 30th anniversary Heaven and Hell DVD due out sometime this year.

We would like to thank Simon Wright, who has been such a help with everything and a good, good friend, of course our doctor at MD Anderson, Dr. Ajani, and especially our family doctor, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, without whose quick diagnosis and help with all the nurses and hospitals, we would be lost. His care and compassion is unwavering.

Thanks again to all of Ronnie’s friends and fans, and --- by the way ---- Ronnie has not lost any hair yet!

------ Wendy Dio

January 2010 Concerts In Maryland And Washington, DC

Here is a current list of some of the music concerts and comedy performances scheduled to take place during the rest of January 2010, at venues in Maryland and Washington, DC.

By the way, even though you haven't missed very much, sorry I'm so late with this reminder list. I've been pretty busy lately. About the biggest show that's already passed was comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood at The Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, MD last night. There's just not that much going on around here, right now.

Jeff Dunham - January 21st at Verizon Center in Washington, DC

Kathy Griffin - January 22nd and 23rd at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC

Cheech And Chong - January 23rd at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, MD

Cheap Trick - January 23rd at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD
Dan, Jr.: Glad these guys are going to make it to the area after all.
I didn't want to see Def Leppard again anyway.

The Marshall Tucker Band - January 24th Sold Out at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

*All details are subject to change!

Junior's Reading And Viewing List: January 14 - 16, 2010

Last Update - January 17, 2009 at 2:17 AM EST

The month of January is half way over with. Here are your links for the last few days.


January 16, 2010

On-Air Fun with John Walton
By The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog

It was an in-state rivalry Saturday night between the Bears and Mini Penguins at Giant Center that didn’t amount to much of battle — the Bears blasted Wilkes Barre-Scranton 7-2. In the middle of his broadcast Bears’ radio play-by-play voice John Walton...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: Post includes mp3 audio.

Yeah, yeah... we know
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Plus-minus is the Devil's spawn of statistics. Still...

Knuble and TSN: Ovechkin is the best player in the world
By tj at Alex Ovetjkin

...TSN commentators also got into it last night, they've asked Pierre McGuire if he thought that Ovechkin was the best hockey player in the World right now and McGuire said, "I think he is". How things have changed! Not a single mentioning of Crosby! And that was Canadian National TV. By the way, they said Ovechkin was fully aware that he was on National [Canadian] TV...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: This post includes 3 videos.

Random Photo by CNN
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

CNN - The Case News Network that is. Steve Case clicked this photo last night at the Caps game of me and Pat Sajak as I opened a carton of my books as provided to me as a surprise by our publisher...

Ground Control to Major Tom
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

The Capstronaut landed in the owner’s box last night with his glowing multimedia fan blowing full speed inside his suit to keep cool...

Beatles’ recruited For Yellow Submarine Remake
By mdome at Classic Rock

The new 3D version of the animated Beatles movie Yellow Submarine is taking shape- for better or for worse.

Director Robert Zemeckis has recruited the following actors to voice the Beatles’ characters: Cary Elwes (George Harrison), Dean Lennox Kelly (John Lennon), Peter Serafinowicz (Paul McCartney) and Adam Campbell (Ringo Starr)...

Caps Beat Maple Leafs 6-1
By Cheryl Nichols at CAPITALS NEWS NETWORK

Washington, DC -- The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in front of a Red Rockin' Caps crowd. The weather may have felt like winter, however, it was fall in DC tonight -- The Maple Leafs fell. Caps dominated entire game and won 6-1...

EXCLUSIVE: James Cameron Not Interested In 'Spider-Man' Reboot, Considers It 'Sloppy Seconds'
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page

You can cross one name off the list of potential "Spider-Man" directors, because James Cameron isn't interested.

Speaking with MTV News at the Critics Choice Awards red carpet, the "Avatar" director denied rumors that...

Happy Birthday Sade! You sexy thing!
*Link to YouTube videos from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes

Sade has a New album due out in February 2010.

January 15, 2010

CSN: Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals Game Highlights

Right click on video to choose full screen option.

Quick-Starting Capitals Blow Away Leafs
By Ted Starkey at CapCentre.net

With a chance to finally play an extended stretch of their schedule at home, the Capitals opened up a three-game homestand by blowing out the Maple Leafs, thanks to a five-point night by Alexander Ovechkin and a pair of goals by Mike Knuble...


CSN's Al Koken speaks with John Carlson between periods during Toronto Maple Leafs vs Washington Capitals game

Right click on video to choose full screen option.

He's not paid $124 million to use his knuckles
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

In the midst of all this Kovalchuk contract talk and the amazing, unprecedented, awe-inducing spectacle of Sidney Crosby hitting the 30-goal plateau, there is a lingering story gliding beneath the radar...

Bibliomania 2009: Non-fiction
By Kameron at I May Have Been Born Yesterday
But I Stayed Up All Night

Here's part one of a review of some of the most memorable non-fiction I read last year. Another group of books deserved their own entry, so stay tuned...

January 2010: Update on the Local Media Revolution
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

Even by the perennially sour standards of the Bullets/Wizards, the hoops news here at week’s end is numbing. The city’s star hoopster, a gangster, will be sentenced in D.C. Superior Court today on a felony firearms charge. The star may go to prison, for five years. At least Gilbert Arenas is alive...

Morning roundup: Goalies, Leafs and a Capstronaut
By Lindsay Applebaum at Capitals Insider

In case you missed it yesterday, Gene Wang chatted with Bruce Boudreau about injured goaltender Semyon Varlamov, whom the coach said is "getting better" every day after...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: This post includes links to
3 podcasts - Bruce Boudreau on 106.7 The Fan, George McPhee on ESPN 980's The Sports Fix and Brooks Laich on Puck Tracks at Puck Daddy.

January 14, 2010

Stecks Speaks
By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki) at On Frozen Blog

It was a solid turnout this evening for David Steckel’s appearance in Caps on the Fly. The lobby and bar of the Hilton Garden Inn (14th & H NW) was chock full of Washington Capitals supporters, and many Steckel partisans...
*Note from Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes: This post includes nice pictures and video.

Caps Open Homestand vs. Toronto
By Ted Starkey at CapCentre.net

After playing just 20 of their first 46 games at Verizon Center, Washington gets a chance to get comfortable at home in the next few weeks, playing seven of their next nine at home, kicking off with a three-game homestand that begins Friday when the Leafs come to town to close out the season series...

Joe Johnston Says 'Captain America' Will Be 'Something Different'
By Blair Marnell at MTV's Splash Page

With the predominance of “Spider-Man 4” and “Thor” news over the last few weeks, “The First Avenger: Captain America” has been relatively quiet by comparison. However, as “Captain America” gears up to begin filming in June, director Joe Johnston has indicated that the film may take Cap in unexpected directions...

A TWO-point night: Caps 5 - Panthers 4 (OT/Gimmick)
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticater

Well, they certainly don’t lack for excitement.

The Capitals sleepwalked through 46 minutes of a 60-minute hockey game, looking rather disinterested as the Florida Panthers built a 4-1 lead...

Today's Tune: "Stone Cold Crazy" By Queen

While working on my previous post, where I wished Irish actor and humanitarian James Nesbitt a happy birthday, a very cool song popped into my head. Two of my favorite television performances by Nesbitt are the five year comedy series Cold Feet (1997 Pilot, 1998 - 2003) and the deliciously frightening horror drama miniseries 'Jekyll' (2007). Loving both so much drove me to picking a track for our 'Today's Tune' that kind of combines the two, somewhat in it's title, and very much in it's content. For your musical pleasure today, I've chosen "Stone Cold Crazy" (1974) by Queen.

Queen - "Stone Cold Crazy" Music Video
(Album Audio plus Live Footage)

Happy 45th Birthday James Nesbitt

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of Ireland's greatest actors. At 45 years old, James Nesbitt has a surprisingly long list of successful efforts in his body of work. He has created many memorable performances in high quality productions of comedy, drama, etc. via stage, television and film. Nesbitt has also been invovled with some very valuable charitable work.


Here's the Wikipedia introduction to James Nesbitt (Full article link):

James Nesbitt (born 15 January 1965) is an actor from Northern Ireland. Born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Nesbitt grew up in Broughshane and Coleraine, County Londonderry. He wanted to become a teacher, like his father, so began a degree in French at the University of Ulster. He dropped out after a year when he decided to become an actor, and transferred to the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating in 1987, he spent seven years performing in plays that varied from the musical Up on the Roof (1987, 1989) to the political drama Paddywack (1994). He made his feature film debut playing talent agent Fintan O'Donnell in Hear My Song (1991).

Nesbitt got his breakthrough television role playing Adam Williams in the romantic comedy-drama Cold Feet (ITV, 1998–2003), which won him a British Comedy Award, a Television and Radio Industries Club Award, and a National Television Award. His first significant film role came when he appeared as pig farmer "Pig" Finn in Waking Ned ['Waking Ned Devine' in North America] (1998). With the rest of the starring cast, Nesbitt was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. In Lucky Break (2001), he made his debut as a film lead playing prisoner Jimmy Hands. The next year, he played Ivan Cooper in the television film Bloody Sunday, about the 1972 shootings in Derry. A departure from his previous "cheeky chappie" roles, the film was a turning point in his career. He won a British Independent Film Award and was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.

Nesbitt has also starred in Murphy's Law (BBC One, 2003–2007) as undercover detective Tommy Murphy—a role that was created for him by writer Colin Bateman. The role twice gained Nesbitt Best Actor nominations at the Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA). In 2004, he starred in the fact-based drama Wall of Silence as the father of a murdered boy, a role that gained him another IFTA nomination. In 2007, he starred in the dual role of Tom Jackman and Mr Hyde in Steven Moffat's Jekyll, which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination in 2008. Nesbitt has since appeared in several more dramatic roles; he starred alongside Liam Neeson in Five Minutes of Heaven (2009), was one of three lead actors in the television miniseries Occupation (2009), and is due to star in his first horror film Outcast (2010).

Nesbitt is married to former actress Sonia Forbes-Adam, with whom he has two daughters, and he is a patron of numerous charities.


I wanted to include some video of my favorite television and film work by James Nesbitt. It's sometimes frustrating trying to find good clips of the bits you'd think would definitely be available, but just aren't there. I just could not find a single one of the BBC America previews or trailer clips for the Jekyll TV miniseries, even though they were shown thousands of times before and during the airing of the Stephen Moffatt masterpiece. BBC Worldwide's YouTube channel has 12 clips available, but they aren't quite as good as the ones originally shown on US television. Very little of Cold Feet was available as well, and it ran for five series.

Cold Feet - End of Pilot Episode (1997 TV)
Adam (James Nesbitt) serenades Rachel (Helen Baxendale)
and Jenny (Fay_Ripley) has surprise for Pete (John Thompson).



Cold Feet - Clip from Episode 1 of Series 1 (1998 TV)
Pete plays golf with Karen's (Hermione Norris) husband
David (Robert Bathurst), while Jenny goes into labor.



Cold Feet - Clip from Episode 1 of Series 1 (1998 TV)
Adam helps Jenny, while Pete races to the hospital.



Cold Feet - Ending Episode 1 of Season 1 (1998 TV)
Pete arrives, baby is born and eveyone visits baby at home.



Cold Feet - Clip from Episode 3 (Next to last) of Series 5 (2003 TV)
Adam buys a house at auction, and Rachel has an accident.

Watch Cold Feet Pilot, Episode 1 of Season 1
and Episode 3 (Next to last episode) in Season 5.



Jekyll - Clip from Episode One (2007) a.k.a. "He's Coming"

Watch all 12 Jekyll Clips from BBC Worldwide.



James Nesbitt, Liam Neeseon - 'Five Minutes Of Heaven' (2009 Film)