A JPEG is Worth A Thousand Words Part III

Since Madame is not doing any book signing today, I thought I would post another installment of A JPEG is worth a thousand words.

Madame's Idea of Drill, Baby, Drill

The Great Opologizer's Idea of Drill, Baby, Drill











Madame Carrying A Magazine with Her Face on a Magazine :)

The Great Opologizer Carrying a GQ Magazine with His Face on the Cover

Madame's Economic Theorist, Adam Smith

The Great Opologizer's Economic Theorist, John Maynard Keynes

Madame's Goal for the Afghan War



The LOTUS' Prediction on the Great
Opologizer's Afghan War Strategy

IT IS CLOSER THEN YOU THINK!

The time is fast approaching when each of us will have to prove just where we stand. Do we stand on the side of freedom or slavery? Do we stand with our founding fathers and those who fought and died for our Constitutional Rights? Do we stand on the side of righteousness, on the side of light and all that is Godly, or do we stand on the side of corrupt, immoral and Godless political leaders who care nothing for those whom elected them? Are we going to stand up-right with courage to fight the evil surrounding us or will we lie down and roll over in fear like a whipped dog?

The cashless society and the tracking chip are now closer than you think. Watch the following and then ask yourselves; "IS THIS WHY OBAMA AND THE LEFT ARE SO DEAD SET ON GETTING THEIR OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE PASSED?"

There Will Be Blood

I'm not one to rain on anyone's parade, but the image to the left is a pretty good representation of Steve Tambellini's version of the Edmonton Oilers. Tambellini put a few more eggs into his basket than he should have, and now there seems to be a serious problem in The City of Champions. After a 3-10 November, the Oilers sit 14th in the Western Conference, head coach Pat Quinn has no answers, and the Oilers have a rotating shift for players who are injured or sick. I can't fault Tambellini for trying to bring in as much talent as he can, but he has serious cap issues facing him combined with a lottery pick if things don't turn around quickly. And as of right now, the entire season is going up in flames right before their eyes. I believe this is due to one reason.

Some still think that Edmonton has a shot at the playoffs. There's nothing wrong with holding out hope that big-name players like Khabibulin, Souray, Penner, and Comrie can turn the ship around, but the worn-out path to the injured reserve is proving to be the Achilles' heel of this team. And at this point, that hope is nothing more than stubborn fan-ism.

I, for one, believe there is a completely different reason for the Oilers' woes, and it has nothing to do with who isn't playing. This comes about after watching them get hammered in Vancouver on Saturday, and it goes back to what Kelly Hrudey was saying on the November 17th broadcast of Coast to Coast on Hockey Night In Canada.

This is a team that plays ridiculously soft. And not soft in their own zone, but soft everywhere. Ray Ferraro, a columnist for TSN, wrote in his column/blog that Pat Quinn had told him "in the pre-season that small people can win puck battles, but they have to be willing, and he pointed out Igor Larionov as a great example of a small man who used body position and intelligence to win more than his share". I dare you to watch a game and point out the players who truly want the puck. As it stands, and as Mike Milbury pointed out with Patrick O'Sullivan, this is a team that is bailing out on everything right now.

The only two players who I have seen go hard into high-traffic areas and come away with pucks routinely at this point in the Oilers' season are Dustin Penner and Ryan Potulny. Penner leads the team with 15 goals and 15 assists - a full eight points ahead of the now-injured Ales Hemsky, and 13 points ahead of the next healthy Oiler in Gilbert Brule. Potulny has played a mere eleven games this season, but has five goals and two assists while logging time on the third line. Penner is a larger player, but Potulny is exhibiting exactly what Quinn was talking about: a smaller player with the willingness to go win a puck battle. His reward? Seven points in eleven games thus far.

There's no doubt that having a number of bonafide stars missing for extended periods of time will affect your overall standing. To miss Nikolai Khabibulin, Sheldon Souray, Ales Hemsky, Mike Comrie, Denis Grebeshkov, and Steve Staios for periods of time this early in the season will certainly undermine your overall talent level. However, the willingness to do the dirty work - muck it up in the corners, dig for pucks along the boards, take a hit to make a play - has been missing all season long thus far for the Oilers. It was apparent in that 5-2 loss to Chicago featured on HNIC on November 17, and it was clear to see on November 28 when the Canucks hammered the Oilers by a 7-3 score.

When the Oilers do play hard, however, success comes to them. They battled the Phoenix Coyotes hard all night long on November 23, and came away with a 4-0 win. The Oilers went into the corners hard, they chased after pucks with reckless abandon, and they got their noses dirty in scrums along the boards. An "A for Effort" translates into a "W For Win".

Edmonton needs to realize that they aren't the San Jose Sharks, the Detroit Red Wings, the Pittsburgh Penguins, or even the New York Islanders. If they take a shift off, they get scored on. It's that simple. They don't have the talent that some of their opponents do when it comes to coasting through a shift. If they don't work hard, they're fishing the puck out of their net. I've seen it over and over again this season with the Oilers, and it's not going to stop until every player wearing the Oilers' colours realizes that effort can trump talent every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Until that message gets through, the Oilers might as well get their draft party ready because they're looking at a top-five pick.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Margaret Taylor First Spouse Gold Coins

The 2009 Margaret Taylor First Spouse Gold Coins will go on sale at the US Mint on Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 12:00 Noon ET. This will represent the fifth and final release of the year for the 24-karat gold coin series.

The obverse of the coin features a portrait of Margaret Taylor designed by Phebe Hemphill and sculpted by Charles Vickers. Inscriptions indicate the order of the Presidency "12th" and the years of the term "1849-1850". The reverse of the coin depicts the First Lady helping an injured soldier during the Seminole War, as designed by Mary Beth Zeitz and sculpted by Jim Licaretz.

The coins will be available in proof or uncirculated version with a maximum combined mintage of 40,000 across both options. This same maximum level has been set for each release of the series, although no coins have reached the maximum since 2007. An ordering limit of 10 coins per household will be in place for the first week of sales, after which the limit will be extended, adjusted, or removed.

The prices for the Margaret Taylor First Spouse Coin will be determined based on the US Mint's new pricing policy. If the average London Fix price of gold from the prior Thursday through this Wednesday remains within the current range of $1,150 to $1,199.99, then the proof version of the coin will be priced at $754 and the uncirculated version will be priced at $741. This will be the highest initial offering price for a First Spouse Gold Coin to date.

On December 3, 2009, sales of Martin Van Buren's Liberty Gold Coins are scheduled to end. These coins have been available from the US Mint since November 25, 2008 and have sold 7,384 proof coins and 4,266 uncirculated coins as of the last weekly sales report.

In closing, I wanted to provide the results of a survey from a few weeks ago. The survey was included in a post where I went over some of the arguments in favor and against the long term prospects for the series in terms of potential price appreciation. Readers were split almost exactly equally amongst the three options.

How will First Spouse Gold Coins Perform in the Future?

Prices will remain around gold value.
102 votes (33%)

Small premiums will develop for low mintage coins.
103 votes (34%)

Big premiums will develop for low mintage coins.
102 votes (33%)

Going Extra Rogue

Madame and Trig Go Extra Rogue in Washington

Madame was back on the book tour today, stopping in the Tri-City area of Washington. Madame even went a little bit extra rogue today by stopping outside to greet supporters waiting in line outside prior to going inside to sign books.

Tonight, Madame posted a note on Facebook about the Great Opologizer's upcoming TV appearance (press conference) about his decision on Afghanistan. I have a feeling that the softy southpaws aren't going to like this one. Madame used the "c" word and the "w" word: Christmas and win. I'm not sure if the softy southpaws even really understand the word "win" in the context of war, so let me help them out: win (verb)-to be the victor. Get it? Madame also used the phrase "war on terror". The softy southpaws like to call this "war" an overseas contingency operation, so I hope they actually understand what Madame is saying.

Washington is known for its apples. Being an Apple myself, it was very homey to be here, even if I was amongst the edible kind of Apples. We are heading to Arizona and New Mexico on Tuesday! Woohoo!

TBC: Off The Crossbar

Teebz's Book Club is working feverishly to bring to you the best books for readers of all ages. So it surprised me when I was asked via email why there were no books specifically for young readers. I responded by saying that I had covered several books for children. I received a second email from this reader, and it became clear that I was missing an entire demographic. Children who are in middle school or slightly younger are normally a little too advanced for the books I've reviewed for children, but may not be advanced enough for some of the books geared towards adults. In saying this, I have started on a series of books intended for the adolescent crowd, and Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Off The Crossbar, written by David Skuy and published by Scholastic.

From the Charlie Joyce website, "David Skuy is a lawyer, recreational hockey player, and author of the Charlie Joyce Hockey Series. A popular speaker and advocate for the reading and writing skills of school-age children, he has crafted a series of books designed to capture the imagery, the sounds, the conflicts, and the achievements that typify a young boy’s life, be it in the school yard or in the hockey rink".

Now, you might be wondering who this "Charlie Joyce" character is. Charlie is the protagonist in the stories written by Mr. Skuy. Charlie's story begins in Off The Crossbar as we find Charlie, his mother, and his sister getting used to a new town as they have just moved to Terrance Falls. Charlie is a little nervous about starting Grade Nine in a new school where he knows nobody, but he's a pretty decent hockey player so there's a chance to make new friends.

However, his first pickup game doesn't go so well as "the new guy". Charlie runs into a few players who don't take lightly to the new guy showing them up, and Charlie soon learns that these players don't like Charlie one bit. Jake, Liam, Matt, and Thomas were a pretty tight group of kids who had grown up together, including playing hockey together. Pudge, a stocky fellow, was not part of their group, but they tolerated his presence. Charlie found himself at the scrutiny of these players for the first few weeks of school.

Mr. Hilton, Charlie's homeroom teacher, announced that the school tournament would be taking place soon, and Charlie decided that he should try out. Mr. Hilton would be coaching, and Charlie wanted to show Jake and his crew that he wasn't going to be intimidated. Through the tryouts, Charlie meets some guys who share his animosity towards Jake: Scott, Nick, and Zachary. These four players would form the majority of a good second line for Terrance Falls, playing behind Jake's line.

I'm not going to tell the story of what happens here, but this story was written extremely well by Mr. Skuy. He takes into account everything that kids go through at school: bullying, teasing from friends, trying out for teams, dealing with conflict, and the constant pressure of homework and family. Overshadowing all of these small storylines are the hockey tryouts and the tournament. All of it comes together very nicely through Mr. Skuy's writing, and that makes for a very enjoyable story and reading experience.

One of the neat things in the story is that several of the drills and systems that Charlie's team use are illustrated in the book very well. There's an excellent explanation of the neutral zone trap and how teams beat it, and this is something that everyone should know if they are interested in the systematic side of hockey. Mr. Skuy's descriptive examinations of these systems and drills shows that he not only knows the game, but understands how to teach the game as well. This is something that comes through in his writing often: he knows the game of hockey very well.

The 218-page story is perfectly suited for adolescents, including everyone from age nine to fourteen. The story really moves well, and was easy to read with its upbeat story and everything that Charlie faces. The characters are well-defined, and you gain empathy for Charlie as he works his way through each situation. Mr. Skuy's story was entirely a pleasure to read, and I am already looking forward to the second book in the series, Rebel Power Play. Because of this, Off The Crossbar deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval, and I can't wait to start on the next book to follow Charlie's adventure!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Going Rogue is a Bestseller!

The New York Slimes is reporting that Madame's book has hit number one on their non-fiction bestsellers' list! Occasionally, one of the softy southpaws' books will hit number one, but I think those are miscategorized. They should be listed under fiction instead. Madame also became the first Republican politician to occupy the top of the USA Today's bestsellers' list! Madame, I tip my screen to you! Congratulations!

We're going to get back on the book tour tomorrow here in Washington. I can't wait!

Black And Blue = Smashville

The "Black and Blue Hockey" era started in Nashville last night with the team renaming the city "Smashville" as they donned their new jerseys for the first time. If you kindly recall, the Predators used to have an alternate jersey that was the colour of mustard at best and the colour of puke at worst. With the announcement that they would wear brand new alternates this season, there was hope that improvements would be made. After a few leaks of the new alternate jerseys in action, we finally saw them in action against the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.

Honestly, when the Predators first debuted these new uniforms, I was blown away. The Predators, for the first time, actually looked respectable in terms of having a traditional hockey look. Gone was the ridiculous piping off the front. The addition of some traditional hem striping made the "apron look" a thing of the past. Honestly, these might be the best Predators jerseys to date in my view.

Again, we see another team going with a lace-up collar. If you're keeping track at home, that's 17 teams that feature at least one uniform with a lace-up collar. We need to find a new detail for teams to exploit. It might be the only thing that detracts from the overall aesthetic of this jersey.

The Predators went with an altered colour scheme, eliminating the yellow off these new alternate uniforms entirely. While I disagree with the idea of removing a primary colour, the fact that they didn't introduce a colour that wasn't in their scheme originally actually scores them marks. The silver and navy blue were always there, and black was a contrast colour just as before. Because of this, they changed the colours on their logo, and I have to say that this newly-coloured logo looks fabulous. The sabre-toothed tiger actually looks fiercer in the darker colour scheme.

The shoulder logo remains the same in terms of the design, but the Predators added a circular outline and a checkerboard pattern to the background. The new shoulder logo has an old-time hockey look, and the checkerboard pattern is subtle enough that it doesn't draw your attention away from the secondary logo. That is good design, kids, and the Predators should be recognized for it.

Just as an aside, head coach Barry Trotz has stated that the fossil logo worn on the shoulder on past jerseys was actually supposed to be the primary logo on the old alternate jerseys instead of the cartoonish cat's head. The NHL felt that the fossil logo was a little extreme as a primary logo, and asked the Predators to change it on their old alternate jerseys. Trotz talks about it below at the 1:14 mark.

Pretty cool story, right?

Anyway, carrying on with the new alternates, those hem stripes that I said were "traditional" are actually a combination of old-style stripes with a modern twist. The navy blue between the white stripes are actually more of that checkerboard pattern. Reportedly, that checkerboard pattern is a tribute to Nashville's rich motorsports and NASCAR community, but it is an element that hasn't been seen before in terms of its subtlety. If you notice, it is practically invisible unless you're looking at the jersey up close. Unfortunately for the Predators, I have to say this is a poor design element. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist.

The Predators moved away from their traditional font, opting for a more basic block font. The Predators also move away from the two-colour numbering on the jersey to the one-colour white numbers. In theory, this should represent a savings for fans who want to customize their new alternate jerseys, but that's totally up to the retailer. Overall, no complaints with keeping the font simple. It's clearly legible and easy to read, and that's good for the fans. While I don't necessarily believe that their traditional font wouldn't work, keeping it simple does work.

The one thing that really stuck out on this new uniform was actually not on the jersey, but on the breezers. The Predators have a new "NP" logo on their breezers that I have never seen used before. I don't really think it works all that well, and it is a little difficult to decipher when one quickly glances at it. The "NP" don't really jump out as those two letters. I'd lose this lettered logo if I were given the option.

Overall, I like these new jerseys. While I'm not particularly fond of the number of navy blue jerseys I'm seeing this season, the Predators' navy blue alternates work for them. They have traditional elements mixed with some modern additions, and the design comes together very well.

Just as a note for the teams who are unveiling alternate jerseys next season: November is a bad month in the standings for new jerseys. So far, teams that have debuted their new alternate jerseys this season are a combined 0-3 on their debut nights, and are now 0-5 in games wearing their new alternates. Colorado got thumped by the Canucks and lost to the Predators, the Panthers lost to the Penguins and Maple Leafs, and the St. Louis Blues ruined the Predators' big night last night.

Black and Blue Hockey is alive and well in Smashville. And they look good playing that brand of hockey while wearing these new uniforms.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

2010 Native American Dollar Design Released

The United States Mint has announced the reverse design for the upcoming 2010 Native American Dollar. The design is based on the theme "Government - The Great Tree of Peace."
The reverse depicts the Hiawatha Belt, which is a visual record of the creation of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy. The central figure on the belt is the Great White Pine, representing the Onondaga Nation. The four squares represent the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga and Seneca Nations. A bundle of arrows encircled by the belt symbolizes strength in unity for the Iroquois Confederacy. Inscriptions include "Haudenosaunee", "Great Law of Peace", "United States of America", and the denomination "$1". The reverse was designed by Thomas Cleveland.

The obverse of the coin will feature the familiar portrait of Sacagawea designed by Glenna Goodacre. This design was used on the obverse of the prior Sacagawea Dollar series from 2000 to 2008 and is used (with removal of some of the inscriptions) for the Native American Dollar series.

Earlier in the year, the United States Mint had released five separate design candidates for the 2010 Native American Dollar. Four of the designs featured the "Great Tree of Peace." This is a white pine tree topped by an eagle. A Native American leader buried weapons here to symbolize the peace treaty formed between the five nations. The fifth design, which was ultimately selected, featured the Hiawatha Belt. Both the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) had favored the Hiawatha Belt design.

The United States Mint will issue the new coins beginning in January 2010 and continuing throughout the year. The Native American Dollar series began in 2009 to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of Native Americans. By law, at least twenty percent of all dollar coins produced by the United States Mint are required to be Native American Dollars.

2009 Proof Platinum Eagle

Separately, I wanted to provide some additional information about the reverse design selected for the 2009 Proof Platinum Eagle, which had generated a great deal of response from readers. The new design features four faces to represent the diversity of the Nation with intertwined hair and clothing symbolizing the principle "To Form a More Perfect Nation."
This design will be the first in a multi year series of designs which represent the core concepts of American democracy by featuring the six principles of the Preamble of the US Constitution. The theme of the current and subsequent reverse designs of the series are inspired by narratives prepared by Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., at the request of the United States Mint.

I believe that the narrative "To Form a More Perfect Union" had been provided to the artists who prepared candidate designs and the CFA and CCAC when they reviewed designs, but I have not seen it published publicly. I requested and obtained a copy of the narrative. On my latest article for Coin Update News, you can read the full narrative "To Form a More Perfect Union" which inspired the 2009 Proof Platinum Eagle design.

Honouring The Past

During this holiday season in the United States, we should be reminded as to the meaning of Thanksgiving. The pilgrims that traveled to the new world traded and bartered with the indigenous people in order to survive in this new environment. It should be noted that there were skirmishes, but Thanksgiving dinner represents the success of two foreign communities - the Native Americans and the English pilgrims - in establishing a relationship. With that being said, we honour this tradition every year with our grand feasts. In saying this, it is nice to see one long-standing NHL team honouring their traditions by paying homage to its past.

The Chicago Blackhawks unveiled their new alternate jerseys today, and you might say that they aren't new at all. I'd be inclined to agree with you, but there are some subtle difference to note, and we'll look at those. I'll have my sentiments at the end about these jerseys, but you should already have an idea of which way I'm leaning.

First off, the Blackhawks have gone to a lace-up collar - yet another team who has used this feature. However, this one gets a pass for using a retro feature on an old-time jersey. I like the lace-up collar on here because lace-up collars were distinctly an old-fashioned way to tighten the sweater on a player. The lace on the jerseys for the Winter Classic was black, making it almost invisible. I do like the off-white lace here, though, as it gives the jersey more of an old-time feel.

The Blackhawks introduced a shoulder logo that appears old-fashioned as well. Normally, the cross-tomahawk logo is much more modern, but this new logo has that distinct old-time feeling. This shoulder logo wasn't seen at the Winter Classic, so this is a new addition to the alternate jersey.

Overall, everything else is pretty much the same. The style of jersey is the same; the font used on the back is identical; the captaincy lettering is the same; and, the logo has the old-time "Black Hawks" name on it, appropriate for the period-specific timeframe of the jersey.

Overall, I thoroughly appreciate the work that the Blackhawks put into this jersey. It looks excellent, especially with the subtle changes that they made, and there hasn't been any extraneous junk added to it. Huge thumbs-up from me as this alternate jersey is something of which Blackhawks fans can be proud.

In terms of when and where they will wear the new threads, the schedule has been posted on their website. Some are home games while others will see the Blackhawks travel with their new duds (thanks, JTH!), so here's when you'll catch the Blackhawks in their alternate jerseys:

• December 1 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
• December 22 vs. San Jose Sharks
• January 5 vs. Minnesota Wild
• February 9 vs. Dallas Stars
• February 14 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
• March 2 vs. New York Islanders
• March 13 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
• March 23 vs. Phoenix Coyotes
• March 28 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
• March 30 vs. St. Louis Blues
• March 31 vs. Minnesota Wild
• April 6 vs. Dallas Stars

I'm not sure how the Columbus Blue Jackets got three dates against the Blackhawks in their new threads, but I'm not the schedule maker. Dallas and Minnesota also get two dates against the Blackhawks in their new alternate jerseys, so there appears to be some sort of repetitiveness going on here.

In any case, I am a fan of these new jerseys, and the Blackhawks have done an excellent job by improving upon an already appreciated design.

Just as a footnote to the alternate jersey discussion, the Nashville Predators will be playing in their new alternate jerseys tonight as they square off against the St. Louis Blues. I'll have a full write-up on them tomorrow after I see them in action. There are some interesting concepts at work in the Predators' new design.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Northern Mariana Islands Quarter Bags and Rolls

The US Mint will begin sales of the Northern Mariana Islands Quarters bags and rolls on Monday, November 30, 2009 at 12:00 Noon ET. This will represent the final release for the 2009 District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarters Program.

The reverse design of the 2009 Northern Mariana Islands Quarter depicts the natural resources of the islands in the land, air, and sea. Design elements include a Latte stone, coconut trees, wild plants, nature birds, and a sailing vessel. A head lei composed of native plants and flowers borders the bottom. The reverse was designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

The US Mint will offer 1000-coin bags from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint priced at $309.95 each, and 100-coin bags from either mint priced at $32.95 each. A Two Roll Set containing one 40-coin roll from the Philadelphia and one 40-coin roll from the Denver Mint will also be available priced at $32.95.

Sales of this year's quarter bags and rolls started off slow for the first release, but then jumped for the second release. This was probably motivated by the jump in secondary market prices for the sold out District of Columbia Quarter bags and rolls. Sales have trailed off since then, as subsequent releases failed to show similar price appreciation.

The last reported sales figures for all of the 2009 Quarter bags and rolls are shown below. The U.S. Virgin Islands Quarter bags and rolls still remain available for sale at the US Mint.

	1000 (P)	1000 (D)	100 (P)	100 (D)	2 Roll Set
D.C.	653	704	8,304	10,394	31,021
Puerto Rico	1,047	953	20,000	17,295	41,669
Guam	1,487	1,334	13,012	12,337	38,231
American Samoa	1,499	1,434	7,325	7,185	33,865
U.S. Virgin Islands	1,206	1,168	7,019	6,856	31,234

Happy US Turkey Day!

Hockey Blog In Canada wants to wish all of its United States-based readers a Happy Thanksgiving tonight. Of course, tomorrow is the dreaded "Black Friday" where shoppers go absolutely insane while trying to find that rare gem for half-price. I've been through a Black Friday or two in my time, and they are the definition of insanity. In knowing this, please have yourself a wonderful feast tonight, and take care tomorrow if you're brave enough to venture out near a mall. Let's take a look at a few stories from around the hockey world.

• One game in the AHL today, and the Binghamton Senators thumped the Adirondack Phantoms by a 7-0 score. Goaltender Andy Chiodo gave thanks for a solid defensive game in front of him as he posted his first shutout since March 11, 2006 when he was a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Josh Hennessy and Denis Hamel had a pair of goals each, pacing the B-Sens to the win.
• If you have tickets to Friday's ECHL game between the Alaska Aces and the hometown Utah Grizzlies, make sure you pick up a teddy bear on Black Friday. The Grizzlies are holding their "Teddy Bear Toss" on Friday, and encourage fans to toss a new or gently-used teddy bear on to the ice after their first goal. All teddy bears will be donated to patients at the Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City.
• Nice little story from Steve Silver of the Las Vegas Sun about foreign players and their experience celebrating American Thanksgiving. Personally, I prefer ham over turkey, so I liked Sweden's Joel Gistedt's view on Thanksgiving and Christmas: "Last year was my first time. I like the ham more than turkey. Christmas in Sweden is the best. Great food — sausage and Swedish meatballs. I miss it."
• Brayden Schenn found himself traveling today as the Los Angeles Kings signed their highly-touted draft pick to a One-Day NHL Regular Season Amateur Tryout Agreement. With rookie Andrei Loktionov suffering an upper-body injury last night in Edmonton, the LOs Angeles Kings needed an emergency replacement in Vancouver, so they called on the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings for Schenn. Congratulations to Brayden Schenn, and here's hoping he lights it up in Vancouver tonight!
• As some of you may be aware, I'm working with the AHL's Manitoba Moose in terms of providing them a fan's view on their website via the Antler Banter articles. Well, thanks to the opportunity they gave me, I was approached by the parent club as well. You can find me cross-posting the Antler Banter articles to the Vancouver Canucks' website as one of their "featured bloggers"! I thought that was pretty cool.
• The Ottawa Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight by a 2-1 score, and there were some interesting notes in this game. First, referee Dave Jackson was injured after getting crunched by Rick Nash, and he didn't return after leaving the ice. Secondly, Jason Spezza opened the scoring for the Senators with just his second goal of the season, and his first even-strength marker of the season. That's right: November 26, and Ottawa's first-line centerman just scored his first even-strength goal. Ouch. Senators do win, however, on a Nick Foligno powerplay goal in the third period.

That's all for tonight, kids! For Captain Canuck and JTH, the mail is going out tomorrow, so I'll be contacting you guys for some info on your packages. For everyone else, enjoy the busiest shopping day in the USA tomorrow, and stay safe! Turkey sammiches for everyone!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you all are enjoying time with your family and friends and have been able to stuff yourself with all the goodies: turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, etc. I'm so jealous! I don't have much choice in what I consume. It's all AC adapter or battery powered energy all of the time for me. No tasty caloric intake!

Madame wanted to be the first to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving so she posted a Facebook note last night!

Madame, always the running lady,participated in a 5K this morning with some of the family in Washington:




Happy Thanksgiving, friends! If you venture out of the house on black Friday, keep your eyes out for a good deal at Best Buy, Wal-mart or elsewhere, you may just find a good deal on your very own LOTUS!

HONORING and GIVING THANKS:

HOW TO HONOR B.O.

After much thought and sleepless nights (not to mention all the days of complete mental and spiritual anguish) of trying to figure out the best way to honor Barack Hussein Obama, it finally dawned on me.

George Washington, our nation's first president and leader of the American Revolution is honored on the One Dollar Bill!

Abe Lincoln, honorable leader pulled our nation through its darkest time is honored on the Five Dollar Bill!

Alexander Hamilton, founding father, first secretary of the treasure and leader of the constitutional convention is honored on the Ten Dollar Bill!

Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory " fought the British in New Orleans is honored on the Twenty Dollar Bill!

Ulysses Grant, Union army general, lead the North through the Civil War is proudly placed on the Fifty Dollar Bill!

Ben Franklin, Genius inventor, political theorist and leading author of the constitution graces the One Hundred Dollar Bill!

So, it is only fitting that we honor Obama by placing him proudly on the one thing that truly epitomizes his greatest achievment of putting so many Americans out of work and sending our national debt well beyond the stratosphere.

The FOOD STAMP where more Americans will see him then any where else!

NOW FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL:


TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.

THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED -
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.

I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES....
HAPPY EATING TO ALL - PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.

MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES 'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!

NOW CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING IMAGE FOR A SPECIAL THANKSGIVING MESSAGE:

Gold and Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Sales Suspended

News is currently circulating that the US Mint has suspended sales of American Gold Eagle and American Silver Eagle bullion coins. The suspension comes amidst an extraordinary rise in the price of gold, which has posted gains for seventeen out of the last eighteen trading days.

The suspension of American Eagle coins was caused by strong demand which depleted the Mint's inventory. The US Mint reportedly continues to strike the coins and expects to resume sales in early December. Fractional American Gold Eagle bullion coins are also expected to be available for sale starting on December 3. These 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, and 1/10 oz gold coins have not been offered so far during 2009.

The Mint previously suspended sales of Gold and Silver Eagles during 2008, only to resume sales under a rationing program, which remained in place until June 2009.

In the month of November, the US Mint has sold 124,000 one ounce Gold Eagle bullion coins. This compares to 115,500 coins sold in the prior month. Earlier in the year the US Mint had sold as many as 147,500 coins in a single month.

The number of one ounce Silver Eagle bullion coins sold so far during November is 2,586,500. This compares to 2,939,000 coins sold in the prior month. The highest monthly sales for the year were achieved in March when 3,132,000 coins were sold.

Total sales to date for US Mint gold and silver bullion coins are shown below. Sales of the Silver Eagle are already at an all time annual high. Gold Eagle and Gold Buffalo coins have recorded higher annual totals in past years.

US Mint Bullion Coin Sales Year to Date
2009 Silver Eagle	25,993,000
2009 Gold Eagle (1 oz)	1,193,500
2009 Gold Buffalo	171,500

New Coins TV Episode: Lincoln Cent Coin Video

Antler Banter: Volume 4

Antler Banter returns as the Moose begin to slow down in terms of the number of games they're playing. The Moose entertained the Hamilton Bulldogs for a couple of nights this past week, and they won't see action again until tonight as they head to Rockford, Illinois on a roadtrip. We'll look at the games against the Bulldogs, preview the upcoming three-game roadtrip, check out the injury ward again, and look at the multiple player moves in this edition of Antler Banter. As always, for all of your Manitoba Moose news and information, don't forget to check out the Moose website. If you're interested in attending a Manitoba Moose game, please click here for seating information, ticket pricing, and availability. Without further adieu, let's get to the Hardcore Hockey!

Down To The Wire

The Hamilton Bulldogs, sporting a 10-4-1-3 record, visited MTS Centre for a Friday-Saturday set against the hometown Moose. The Moose, having played four more games that the Bulldogs by the time Friday rolled around, needed to earn the majority of points in these weekend games in order to try to close the gap between them and the second-place Bulldogs.

The game started at an intense pace, going up and down the ice with scoring chances at either end. However, it seemed that the Moose were slightly off as a number of their shots rattled off the endboards. At the 13:46 mark, the visitors struck as Blake Trotter snuck a low shot under Cory Schneider's right pad to the far corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season, and the Bulldogs were out to a 1-0 lead. That lead, however, was short-lived as Sergei Shirokov's team-leading eighth goal of the season just 54 seconds later drew the Moose even again. Shirokov literally has a ridiculous arsenal of moves, and his backhander past Curtis Sanford's pad and the post was a big league move.

Newly-arrived Erik Christensen, here on a conditioning stint from the Anaheim Ducks, put the Moose ahead at 4:02 of the second period with his first goal of the season. Evan Oberg's point shot was stopped by Sanford, but Christensen won a battle for the loose puck and netted the rebound. Mario Bliznak, on a solid rush displaying his speed, broke into the Hamilton zone and wristed his third of the season past Sanford at the 8:23 mark. While Sanford would have liked that one back, he found himself on the bench after Bliznak's unassisted marker as Cedric Desjardins took over in the Bulldogs' crease. The Moose went into the second intermission with a 3-1 lead.

The third period saw some craziness in the last two minutes of action. With Brian Salcido sitting in the penalty box, Hamilton pulled Desjardins for a 6-on-4 advantage. Mike Keane, whose hard work did not go unnoticed tonight, was rewarded with 91 seconds to play as he scored his fifth of the season into the yawning cage. Hamilton, not willing to go away quietly, responded with two goals in 38 seconds. Andrew Conboy fired a laser past Schneider for his second of the season at the 18:48 mark, and PK Subban added his second goal of the season at the 19:19 mark to close the gap to 4-3. However, Mike Keane iced the game, this time for good, by scoring his second empty-net goal of the night twenty seconds later. With the win, the Moose improve to 11-9-2-0 on the season.

Kind of a neat statistic, but Mike Keane's empty-net goals are the first time in his professional career that he has netted two empty-netters in the same game in his illustrious career.

Good, But Not Enough

Saturday night's game saw the Moose play to their largest crowd of the season as 13,582 people passed through the turnstiles to see the Moose tangle with the Bulldogs. And some of them, admittedly, were also there just to see Jason Earles, aka Jackson Stewart, from Disney's Hannah Montana. Luckily for those fans, they got to see a great AHL game between these two rivals.

Despite Manitoba mounting early pressure in the first period, it was Hamilton who struck first. With Hamilton pressuring the Moose by the midway point of the first period, out-shooting them 10-3, Mathieu Carle's point shot off an offensive zone face-off win eluded Cory Schneider and found the back of the net for his second goal of the season. The first stanza closed with the Bulldogs leading 1-0 on the scoreboard, and leading 10-9 in shots.

The second period saw the scoring happen early and often. Hamilton made it a two-goal advantage at the 2:04 mark when Mathieu Carle slapped home his second of the night off a rebound on a David Desharnais shot that had found the goalpost. Sergei Kostitsyn scored his fourth goal of the season at 7:35 of the middle frame as he one-timed a wrist shot to the top of the net over Schneider from the face-off circle. With the Bulldogs leading 3-0, things looked a little bleak.

Manitoba came back to life seconds later. Erik Christensen scored his second goal in a Moose uniform as he redirected a Sergei Shirokov pass under Curtis Sanford to put Manitoba on the board at 8:13. 1:07 later, Marty Murray slapped home a backhander as Sanford kicked out an Evan Oberg shot to the slot. Murray's fifth goal of the season narrowed the gap to 3-2. David Desharnais restored the two-goal lead for Hamilton at the 13:06 mark when he converted Sergei Kostitsyn feed in the slot for his fourth goal of the season. And finally, Sergei Shirokov showed a little moxie with 13 seconds left. Eric Walsky fed a lead pass to the streaking Russian at the blueline after a scramble in the Moose zone, and the shifty playmaker used a headfake in combination with a forehand-backhand-forehand to freeze Sanford, allowing Shirokov to record his ninth goal of the season. Again, another big league move from the young Russian.

The third period saw the Moose trailing 4-3, so the pressure was on the home team to equal the score. The Bulldogs rang a couple of shots off posts, but it took a powerplay for the Moose to respond. From the top of the face-off circle, Marco Rosa hammered a slapshot past Sanford for his sixth goal of the season at the 10:39 mark. Both teams battled down the stretch, but neither goaltender would allow another goal as the horn sounded.

In overtime, the extra ice benefited the Hamilton Bulldogs. Their defense jumped into plays and pressured the Moose. With 1:07 left in overtime, PK Subban used the extra room to find himself a lane where he wristed home the game-winner just inside the post from the face-off circle. Subban's third goal of the season gave Hamilton the 5-4 overtime victory. With the loss in the extra frame, the Moose drop to 11-9-3-0 on the season.

Continuing with the neat statistics, goaltender Cory Schneider picked up his first professional point as he earned the second assist on Shirokov's breakaway goal at the end of the second period.

Like A Junkyard Dog

Manitoba did themselves a huge favour by capturing three of four points against the Bulldogs. While it may seem small now, winning these weekend series could prove huge down the stretch. As it stands today, Manitoba remains one point ahead of the surging Grand Rapids Griffins and Abbotsford Heat, one point back of the Hamilton Bulldogs, and six points back of the division-leading Rochester Americans.

Manitoba Moose Intensive Care Unit

There are still a lot of bodies in the intensive care unit this week.

• Michael Funk - concussion. No return date set as he is still suffering from symptoms.
• Lawrence Nycholat - foot and shoulder problems. Just had his knee scoped, so he's out another month. Let's set this return tentatively for January 2010.
• Matt Pope - high ankle sprain. Looks like late December.
• Pierre-Cedric Labrie - shoulder separation. Potentially this roadtrip if all things continue well.
• Guillaume Desbiens - foot injury. Has been skating, but an early December return is most likely.
• Michael Grabner - ankle injury. According to his blog, he gets his cast off in two weeks. Let's put this return at mid-December.
• Alex Bolduc - shoulder injury. Early to mid-December at this point.
• Matt McCue - concussion. No return date set as he is still suffering from symptoms.
  

Player Movement

Centre Erik Christensen made his Moose debut after being assigned to Manitoba by the Anaheim Ducks on a reconditioning stint. After two games, he has two goals and a +3 rating. Honestly, Christensen was one of the better players this past weekend for the Moose in their games against Hamilton.

The Ducks also assigned ECHL scoring star Dan Sexton to the Moose. Sexton comes to Manitoba from the Bakersfield Condors. The right-winger has put up an impressive 13 goals and 13 assists in 18 games at the AA level. He's fourth overall in ECHL scoring, and second in goal-scoring. Keep an eye on this 22 year-old.

Matt Pettinger returned to the Moose after Daniel Sedin was cleared to play in Vancouver. Pettinger will be in the lineup tonight as the Moose begin a three-game road trip through the state of Illinois. The downside to Pettinger returning is that he could be recalled at any time as his salary in the AHL allows him to avoid re-entry waivers if Vancouver finds themselves down a player again.

John Lammers was released from his professional tryout contract (PTO). Lammers appeared in 11 games with the Moose, but recorded no points and had two penalty minutes. The one stat that jumps off the page at you is the -7 rating. Those numbers won't keep you around for long.

The Moose also recalled defenceman Taylor Ellington from the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL. Ellington has one goals and four assists in 13 games with Victoria. The 33rd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft should hopefully see some action on the Moose's three-game roadtrip.

Finally, centerman Derek Leblanc was assigned to the Rapid City Rush of the CHL. With the myriad of centermen in Manitoba right now, Leblanc wasn't seeing much playing time. In order to maximize his ice-time, the Moose assigned him to the Rush where he played last season. Here's hoping that Leblanc can get back with the Moose before the season's end.

Name In Lights

Moose forward Sergei Shirokov got back on track this week after being paired with Erik Christensen. He was named the AHL Player of the Week, and Shirokov showed off some serious talent and speed in the two games against the Bulldogs, proving that if teams don't keep a shadow on him, he'll do some damage. Goaltenders in the AHL haven't been able to solve him in the shootout or on breakaways, and that's a great sign from a young player. Over the long term, Shirokov appears to be headed for a long career in Vancouver if he continues to develop at his current pace.

Moose Outlook

The Moose head into Rockford, Illinois tonight to play the IceHogs. The IceHogs sit sixth in the West Division with a 9-10-2-1 record. Led by former Moose Mark Cullen's 19 points, the IceHogs only have three players in double-digits for points. Goaltender Corey Crawford should provide a formidable test for the Moose, though.

Friday night sees the Moose in Peoria, Illinois to battle the Rivermen. Peoria sits fourth in the West Division with a 9-7-1-2 record. Jonas Junland leads the team with 16 points, while Nicholas Drazenovic and Chris Porter have seven goals apiece. Ben Bishop and Hannu Toivonen have split the goaltending duties down the middle, and both have GAAs above 3.00.

The third game of the three-game roadtrip will be another meeting with the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night. The Wolves sit third in the West Division with a 10-8-0-1 record. Former Moose Jason Krog leads the way with 18 points while Tim Stapleton has dented the twine 10 times thus far this season. Former Moose goaltender Drew MacIntyre should draw the assignment against the Moose, and his 2.36 GAA is showing how effective this defensive unit can be.

These three games can go a long way in helping the Moose climb in the standings. While all three teams will be a test, the Moose should be aiming for a minimum of four points while spending some time in Illinois.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

2008 Proof Gold Buffalo Updated Mintages

Revised sales figures for the collectible 2008-W Proof Gold Buffalo Coins have been released by the United States Mint. This follows the previous release of revised figures for the 2008 Gold, Platinum, and Silver Eagles and the 2008-W Uncirculated Gold Buffalo coins. The revised numbers are surprising and result in overall mintage increases for all Proof Gold Buffalo coins.

Below is a table presenting the revised sales figures for the collectible 2008 Gold Buffalo coins by product option. A total column is added to compute the total mintage for coins across all product options. I am also reproducing the numbers for the collectible uncirculated Gold Buffalo coins, which were previously released.

2008 Gold Buffalo	Per Option	Total
1 oz. Uncircualted	3,025	9,074
1/2 oz. Uncirculated	3,237	16,908
1/4 oz. Uncirculated	3,900	9,949
1/10 oz. Uncirculated	11,380	17,429
4 Coin Uncirculated Set	6,049
Double Prosperity Set	7,622
1 oz. Proof	11,060	25,496
1/2 oz. Proof	2,184	16,620
1/4 oz. Proof	1,331	15,767
1/10 oz. Proof	11,080	25,516
4 Coin Proof Set	14,436

The revised figures for the proof coins show a huge drop for sales of the individual 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz coins. These were previously reported as 4,638 (1/2 oz) and 5,972 (1/4 oz). This was offset by an increase in the number of reported sales for the 4 Coin Set, which changed from 7,931 to 14,436. The net result is increased mintages for all of the 2008 Proof Gold Buffalo coins. Find the full comparison on Numismatic News.

After the recent updates, the mintages for the 2008-W Uncirculated Gold Buffalo coins are now well below the mintages for the corresponding proof coins (except the 1/2 oz). Until now the proof versions seem to have brought higher premiums on the secondary market. It will be interesting to see if the revised numbers cause this to change.

The big changes have made some people justifiably skeptical of the new numbers, and sales figures reported by the US Mint in general. I don't have a good explanation for the huge shifts in the numbers, but the unique confluence of events in late 2008 might have created an environment for flawed sales reports or large subsequent adjustments.

For the majority of 2008, collectible gold coins available from the US Mint had been priced at excessive premiums. The coins were released at a time when the price of gold was high and prices were not adjusted after the price of gold moved lower. The collectible platinum coins were also priced at high premiums and were completely unavailable for several weeks at a time while the price of platinum fell precipitously. Starting in 2009, the US Mint began a new pricing policy which made coin prices more responsive to changes in precious metals prices and also eliminated the need to lengthy sales suspensions.

Late in the year, the US Mint announced sweeping product discontinuations which would eliminate nearly all Gold Buffalo offerings, nearly all Platinum Eagle offerings, and all fractional uncirculated Gold Eagle offerings. Just a few days later, the remaining 2008 gold and platinum coin products had their prices slashed to bring premiums into line with precious metals prices.

The combination of the discontinuation announcement and lower prices set off a rapid pace of sales into the end of the year. Products quickly sold out or entered backorder status, with some backorders extending for months. Products previously purchased at higher prices might have been returned or customers may have canceled orders not yet delivered. This chaotic environment may have caused flaws with the sales reporting for this period.

Typing on Sunshine...ohh ohh..

Since Madame mentioned me, the BOTUS, on Greta tonight, the LOTUS said that I could fill in for her with tonight's post. Check out the clip above.

We've been traveling through Florida tonight, and the LOTUS and I have been excited to see more of our fruit friends. I am a blackberry, and the LOTUS is an Apple. It was nice to be amongst the citrus fruit today. Madame made stops in Jacksonville, The Villages, and Orlando today to sign books. Madame has been having a blast, but she is losing her voice a bit. Madame also had an interview with Fox and Friends that will air tomorrow.

We did some Facebook work today, posting some pictures from the tour and calling out the Softy Southpaws for wanting to create a war tax rather than choosing to spend money more prudently. Madame also gave me the job of tweeting throughout the day. It's been so much fun!

We're taking a break from the book tour for a few days and heading to Washington to see some of Madame's family for Thanksgiving.

To close, I have some amusing news to share. Apparently, Martha Stewpid is not a big fan of Madame:



Very boring? Even the craziest of the softy southpaws wouldn't call her boring! Dangerous, well, some of the softy southpaws and the RINOs see her as a political threat, so perhaps that is an accurate description in some cases. I'd like to see Madame show Martha Stewpid how to kill, field dress, prepare, and cook moose. I bet all of her friends in the Hamptons would love that. Martha would squirm, and that's a good thing.