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Home - 2020 The Simpsons – Bart Simpson 1oz .9999 Silver Coin in Black Card
2020 The Simpsons – Bart Simpson 1oz .9999 Silver Coin in Black Card
SKU: 20G33AAD Categories: 1 OZ Silver Coins, Silver, Silver Coins Brand: The Perth Mint
The Simpsons premiered as a half hour-series in 1989 and instantly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon, now seen across 60 countries in 20 languages. In 2018, The Simpsons reached an incredible milestone becoming the longest-running primetime scripted show in television history.
Struck by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.99% pure silver, the coin is issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of Tuvalu.
The Perth Mint will release no more than 1,000 of the Bart Simpson 2020 1oz Silver Coin in card packaging, from a maximum mintage of 25,000.
The reverse of the coin depicts a representation of Bart Simpson riding his skateboard in front of the Simpson's family house. The design also includes Matt Groening's signature and The Perth Mint's 'P' mintmark.
The Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the 2020 year-date, the coin's weight and fineness and the monetary denomination are depicted on the coin's obverse.
The Bart Simpson 2020 1oz Silver Coin is housed in a presentation card.
Year Date 2020
Silver Content (Troy oz) 1
Monetary Denomination (TVD) 1
Maximum Mintage 25,000 (1,000 in card presentation)
Legal Tender Tuvalu Legal Tender
Effigy Ian Rank-Broadley design of H.M Queen Elizabeth II
* Image 1 is not to scale *
2023 Australian Kangaroo 1oz .9999 Silver Bullion Coin


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Last week I posted about the first ever vintage dress that I made for Mabel. And I felt that I had been successful so I decided to have another go at it.
I purchased this pattern a few weeks ago on Etsy and decided to go with the version on the left. But you'll see that I ended up omitting the pockets and I also added a sash. When the dress was finished, I felt that it was a tad boxy…so by adding the sash, it took up the extra room/will allow Mabel to grow into the dress in the meantime.
Okay…so ignore the green bricks, a good old power-washing is long overdue.
I couldn't be more thrilled with how it all turned out…but I will tell you there were about 5 or 6 times where I almost threw the dress and my sewing machine out the window. The biggest headache was sewing the ruffles onto the sleeves…kids' clothing is tiny to begin with and when you have lots of thick ruffles…it's hard to get them onto your sewing machine properly.
But try, try, try and you will succeed! I'll have to remind myself of that on my next project when I'm ready to throw that one out the window too, lol!
I couldn't resist taking up-close shots here. I had to hand sew the navy bias tape you see around the neck so that the seam was hidden. Took forever but I did it!
And there is another hidden button that you can't see under the top ruffle. 😉 I'm thinking this will be Mabel's picture day dress at school.
Oh it is DARLING! I love the fabrics you chose. I LOVE seeing with vintage patterns, but they take some getting use to.
This dress is BEAUTIFUL. You should be very proud of your sewing skills.


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Barroca
Emerson String Quartet
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Borodin: String Quartet № 2—I. Allegro moderato.
Emerson Quartet-Art of the Fugue 9
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Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet No. 12, Op. 127
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Reproducido 861 veces
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Zimbabwe's COVID-19 Cases Rise To Seven As Two More Test Positive
By Leopold Munhende
ZIMBABWE'S confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to seven Friday after two more people tested positive for the pandemic.
The two cases were traced to the country's third reported victim of the virus, a top health ministry official said.
In her daily coronavirus update, Agnes Mahomva, the permanent secretary in the health ministry said the latest two victims had not travelled outside Zimbabwe, but contracted the virus through someone who recently returned from Dubai.
"Of the cases confirmed to date, three are due to contact with an infected individual locally. Our teams are currently seized with enhanced surveillance through contact tracing by following up all known contacts of these cases," she said.
"Therefore, the ministry would like to remind everyone of the need to maintain social distancing, by avoiding close contact with anyone who is unwell, coughing or sneezing," said Mahomva.
One of the seven reported cases, journalist Zororo Makamba died Monday at Harare's Wilkins Hospital and was buried the next day.
However, according to Mahomva, the other six patients were all in a stable, mild disease clinical condition.


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It was the scene of any Sunday. The lord of the house at the head of the table receiving the careful attention of his children who began to serve, filling each plate with food while he gave orders and put order in the bustling group of children scattered along the table .
Jorge was the most restless, the most talkative and the one who was most scolded because of the accusations of his brothers. Jorge dreamed big, he dreamed about going to the United States to make money, so that his mother could stop cooking in those exhausting working days in the restaurant owned by the family.
Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez was born on September 30, 1950 in Medellín, Colombia. He was one of the main leaders of the Medellín Cartel with his brothers Juan David and Fabio.
He was imprisoned a total of three times, the first time in Spain and the next two in Colombia.
After serving a five-year sentence, he was released on July 5, 1996. He is currently free and owes nothing to justice.
1 Jorge Luis Ochoa Family
2 Early Life of Jorge Luis Ochoa
3 How did Jorge Luis Ochoa Start in Drug Trafficking?
4 Jorge Ochoa is Involved in the Coca-gate
5 AKA Popeye Accuses Him of Various Crimes
6 ¿How many times was Jorge Luis Ochoa arrested?
7 ¿What is Jorge Luis Ochoa doing Nowadays?
8 Jorge Luis Ochoa AKA Pedro Motoa
Jorge Luis Ochoa Family
The character came from an illustrious family. His great-grandfather, Abelardo Ochoa, was honored in 1932 by Darío Echandia with the "Cruz of Boyacá" for his collaboration in the organization of the first cattle fair in Medellín.
A great-uncle, Fidel Ochoa Vélez, founded the School of Veterinary Medicine of Bogota and Antioquia of which he was appointed Lifetime Dean.
From left to right, Martha Ochoa, Jorge Luis Ochoa and Juan David Ochoa
His grandfather, Tulio Ochoa, followed the family tradition of breeding paso fino horses that later passed to his son, Fabio Ochoa, Jorge's father who dedicated himself to raising paso fino horses while crossing both the country where he was born and its neighbors Ecuador and Venezuela besides the very United States, carrying extraordinary individuals born in his properties and trained by him personally.
With this ascendancy of eminent persons, recognized by the community, dedicated to education, entrepreneurship and the art of training paso fino horses; everybody in Medellín wondered how it was possible for Jorge Luis Ochoa to follow a career where he broke the law.
Early Life of Jorge Luis Ochoa
Jorge made his first trip to the country in the North in his scarce 14 years old and the experience was shocking to him. It was superior than what he imagined, reason why he decided that one day he would live in that country, concretely in Texas, the State of the Solitary Star.
He succeeded and in an extreme way, to the point of being requested by the justice of that country that he came to admire so much, to be accountable for his achievements in the service of organized crime and to spend a few years under his shelter.
Fabio, Jorge y Juan David Ochoa
Jorge Luis worked in Texas as a paso fino horse rider, then he moved to Miami, where he manages to see a new opportunity for a more profitable activity. From there, he begins his spectacular criminal career in the sector that would make him famous internationally: Drug trafficking.
How did Jorge Luis Ochoa Start in Drug Trafficking?
Jorge was a pioneer in this activity. By the time he was in Miami, marijuana was the one that dominated the market, hardly anyone trafficked with cocaine.
Jorge begins to traffic with the white powder by chance, thanks to a friend who was already doing it, and together they start a small business that step by step was growing due to the high demand that there was. The first shipment he sent to the United States was about 20 kilograms.
According to the business magazine, Forbes, he amassed a fortune not less than 2 billion dollars with the collaboration of his brother Fabio, based on the dominance of 80% of the United States market.
Jorge Ochoa is Involved in the Coca-gate
When the cocagate was uncovered, his name came from the lips of the then US Senator John Kerry, who in an investigation opened by the Congress mentioned it, affirming that the CIA sent armament to the irregular army that from Honduras attacked Nicaragua, that was governed by the Sandinista Front of National Liberation and when the plane returned, it carried cargoes of cocaine owned by Jorge Luis Ochoa.
All this was denied by Ochoa himself in an interview.
AKA Popeye Accuses Him of Various Crimes
In addition to being the creator of the distribution network of the alkaloid, he is pointed out by a protected witness of the Colombian justice, named John Jairo Velásquez aka Popeye, to be the master mind of the import to Colombia of ETA members, with the purpose of learning and adopting their techniques for the placement of remote-controlled explosives that were the main instrument of Pablo Escobar Gaviria in the war he declared to the Colombian state.
John Jairo Velásquez
The accuser also attributed him the participation in the assassination of the Director of "El Espectador" Guillermo Cano, presidential candidate by the Liberal party Luis Carlos Galán, kidnapping of the candidate for mayor of Bogotá, Andrés Pastrana Arango, the bombing of Avianca flight 203 and the murder of more than 500 policemen at the service of the city of Medellín.
¿How many times was Jorge Luis Ochoa arrested?
Jorge Ochoa was behind bars three times.
The first time he fell into the hands of justice, it was in November 1984, he was with another drug lord, Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela. He was arrested by the Spanish authorities at the request of the DEA, who suspected that the narcos were in the European country.
Ochoa had fled to Madrid with his wife María Lía Posada Echeverri in June of the same year, seeking peace after the pressure exerted by the Colombian state against him and the other members of the Medellín Cartel for the death of the Minister of Justice Lara Bonilla.
The United States, having evidence against both, they ask to the Spanish government to extradite them, however, both cartels the Medellín and Cali gather 30 million dollars to pay bribes and so, after 18 months the two drug lords are sent back to Colombia.
Already in Colombia, Ochoa was accused of smuggling bullfighting. He was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, of which he did not pay a single day since he was released on bail on condition that he would appear every 15 days in court. For obvious reasons he never showed up.
Escene from Escobar, The Drug Lord, when Jorge Ochoa or Pedro Motoa in the series is arrested
The Second One
The second one occurred also in November, but in 1987, in a place in the "Valle del Cauca" when authorities in the service of the Medellin Cartel detained him. The Cali lords also had the help of an old and spiteful partner of the Medellin Cartel called Rafael Cardona Salazar, who would not survive long after his betrayal.
The request for extradition to the United States could not be prosecuted for the absence of a legal arrest warrant and the commission of other crimes in Colombia that complicated that possibility, in addition to the real threat of the loyal Pablo Escobar, who lobbied very actively to avoid the traumatic process to his beloved boss, reason why Mr. Ochoa spent hardly 27 days behind the bars.
The Third One
The third one occurred on January 15, 1991, but this time of his own free will after he surrender himslef, after a process of negotiation that included the issuance of a presidential decree, prohibiting his extradition to the feared United States.
A criminal court sentenced him to jail for a period of 8 years and 4 months which was reduced substantially to 5 years, 5 months and 21 days for a series of procedural benefits that were awarded to him.
¿What is Jorge Luis Ochoa doing Nowadays?
At present, Jorge is dedicated to the purchase and sale of cattle and he is the only one of the Medellin Cartel leaders that is neither prisoner nor dead.
Jorge Luis Ochoa AKA Pedro Motoa
Jorge Ochoa does not escape being represented in television series:
In the series Narcos of Netflix, his personage is carried out by André Mattos.
In Escobar, The Drug Lord, he appears under the aka Pedro Motoa and the actor who plays him, it is Joavany Álvarez.


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Q: How to access superglobals in correct way? I'm discovering secrets of PHP. I've found one thing that I don't have answer to. I would like to access variables from super-global $_SESSION in class. Everything works but PHPMD engine to check mess in code is showing me issue.
I'm getting value from $_SESSION super-global this way
$value = $_SESSION["value"];

And I'm editting values of $_SESSION super-global this way
$_SESSION['value'] = "newValue";

PHPMD is showing me issue:

accesses the super-global variable $_SESSION.

So I'm finding another way how to edit and get values of super-global $_SESSION correctly.
I've tried to use filter_input, problem is that when I use INPUT_POST as type(argument 1), PHP shows me warning:

INPUT_SESSION is not yet implemented

Thanks for future answers :)
EDIT (Quotes from phpmd documentation)

Superglobals
  Since: PHPMD 0.2.
  Accessing a super-global variable directly is considered a bad practice. These variables should be encapsulated in objects that are provided by a framework, for instance.

A: As the hint says, accessing the superglobals violates the encapsulation principle
A really basic approach would be:
class SessionObject
{
    public $vars;

    public function __construct() {
        $this->vars = &$_SESSION; //this will still trigger a phpmd warning
    }
}

$session = new SessionObject();
$session->vars['value'] = "newValue";

You can also have a look to the Symfony HttpFoundation Component for a full-fledged implementation

A: It's only a "bad pratice", you can still access to superglobals directly, if you are a fan on "best pratices", create a small class like that:
class Session{

    public static function put($key, $value){
        $_SESSION[$key] = $value;
    }

    public static function get($key){
        return (isset($_SESSION[$key]) ? $_SESSION[$key] : null);
    }

    public static function forget($key){
        unset($_SESSION[$key]);
    }
}

And use in that way:
Session::put('foo', 'bar');
$bar = Session::get('foo');
Session::forget('foo');

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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van cleef and arpels "chinois" pins | dkf
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van cleef and arpels "chinois" pins
A wonderful example of exoticism that was integrated into the Van Cleef repertoire, these whimsical "chinois" VCA pins (sold as a group of three) are from the 1950s. Signed Van Cleef and Arpels France, they represent a growing international clientele for Van Cleef as well as increased international travel after the war. The "en tremblant" hair on each is 18k gold and accents are emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. Fun, collectible Van Cleef. Each pin is 2 inches long and one wide.
Category: archive of sold pieces
Want the look but it's already sold?
Please contact our dkf personal assistant. Sometimes, if it's not a one-of-a-kind piece, similar rare items do present themselves for sale. We know where to look. Please don't hesitate to reach out. Monday – Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm EST
About Van Cleef & Arpels
Founded in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his brothers-in-law Charles and Julien Arpels on the Place Vendome in Paris, Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the world's most exquisite jewelers. The immediate success of the House prompted the founders to expand to important seaside resorts in France as well as abroad. New York City became the first location in the United States for Van Cleef & Arpels in 1939 and the House has since opened boutiques in five more U.S. cities. Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its innovative designs and techniques such as the Mysterious Setting, in which the prongs are hidden underneath the gemstone. The designs include only the highest quality gemstones and pieces are often interchangeable – brooches can become pendants or hairclips, earrings detachable drops and bracelets can be linked together to create necklaces. Van Cleef & Arpels is currently part of the Richemont group.
elsa peretti red lacquer cuff
angela cummings jaguar earrings
van cleef / georges l'enfant gold and diamond earrings
Tantalizing. And tailored. A sublime combination.
Compelling. Cartier. In these uncertain times, wha
Cool. Crisp, Cartier. The Sputnik design that Cart
Exciting. That's what Nicholas Varney's design
Cunning. Cummings truly is, with her mastery of in
JAR.Known by his sought after initials, and seen b
Dynamic. Diamonds usually are. But Schlumberger us
Knocked.Politely. And with diamonds.What a way to
Sophisticated. And Schlumberger.The dynamic duo th
Copyright © 2020 – dkf | estate jewelry


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Written for RAF News Jan 2021
Created in its entirety by one person, Away is an animated feature that follows a young boy as he crash lands on an exotic island, chased through a dreamlike oasis by a giant creature.
Gints Zilbalodis has the sole credit on the film, a 26 year old Latvian prodigy with no formal training in animation, working with little to no budget. Writing and directing as well as providing the score, which is pivotal in imparting the tone and sense of unfolding wonder, he put together this minimal but dazzling film over the course of three years.
The story is simple, and unfolds more as a series of obstacles, as the young boy finds ways to evade this ominous dark spirit and push onward. The pace is gentle, working with the score to put you in a sort of trance, allowing you to experience the scale and spectacle despite the style of animation. Made without dialogue, it is the combination of music and sound design that plunges you into the world, finding moments of reflection in the boys' interactions with different animals.
The visuals can be quite crude, like a video game from decades past, notable particularly in rigid, unnatural movement. In some places though, the ripple of a waterfall, or licking flames from a fire, there is an elegance to be found in its abstract simplicity. For the most part though it's hard to look past the style, even whilst appreciating it, I felt unable to forget about its presentation.
It is some feat then, that with this reminder at the forefront of the experience, you are still able to be transported and care about the boy or the the small bird that he befriends along the way. Considering its humble beginnings, this is a remarkable achievement.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on January 22, 2021 by samcooney. Leave a comment
Written for RAF News November 2020
Ground down by a job he hates, in a loveless relationship, Simon seeks a change in lifestyle from a local gym – instead finding Terry.
A schlubby wet lettuce working in telesales, Simon (Cavan Clerkin) is left bitterly lethargic, not keen to just 'get some coke' as a colleague suggests. That's when he walks into Atlantics Gym and pays for 6 months up front despite the intimidating jeers of the beefy clientele. Shot in black and white, with a droning synth score by The The, there is an artistic edge to this testosterone soaked thriller. The focus on the overly ripped men and their bulging physique creates a church of masculinity for Simon to refocus his ideals, if he fixes this everything else might just fall into place.
Ex-military Terry sniffs out his desperation and in a cruel twist of fate imparts his own sales technique, becoming Simon's personal trainer. Seeming to be both scared of, and enamoured by, his new training partner, their relationship becomes increasingly more entangled as Terry's grip over him tightens; so when his girlfriend leaves, of course Terry moves in.
Craig Fairbrass' menace as Terry is obvious, but the manner in which he ingratiates himself, the levels of manipulation and contradiction (hilariously labelled 'Terry Logic') make him uncomfortably entrancing. A person for whom prison was a place with a good gym, good friends and good routine, he has machismo bravado and yet shows moments of vulnerability – and there's nothing more frightening than being unpredictable.
The transformation of Simon, shown in a collapsed stylised montage, allows writer/ director Gerard Johnson to really use the cinematic form to mark a change, not only physical but cemented by his physicality. The scenes that replace sound with the isolating score effectively elevate the performances and dial up the paranoia.
Although it fails to pay off the tension in the end, Muscle is able to dig into a parasitic psychology that reminds us that the scariest home invasion films follow an invitation.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on November 27, 2020 by samcooney. Leave a comment
The Ringmaster (2018)
Two women working a night shift at a deathly quiet petrol station become the unwitting participants of a gruesome dark-web gameshow.
The Ringmaster opens with a warning: a riff on the original Frankenstein, but with the burlesque dialled up, as a stout bow-tied host emerges from behind red curtains, speaking through a face of make-up, telling us to proceed with caution.
Out of the gate it appears derivative but with a playful spin. It goes further to tell us the deeper themes of morbid curiosity and boundaries of entertainment, needless perhaps, but a sign that it holds itself with high regard for a 'torture porn' film.
Agnes (Anne Bergfeld) arrives for her last shift to find directionless employee Belinda (Karin Michelsen) bored, spending most of her time on the phone to her boyfriend Kenny. This is hardly her fault as customers are few and far between in this desolate location (Denmark close to the German Border) and the people that do drift in appear rather unhinged – including Kenny.
The film cuts between strange occurrences in the gas station, to Agnes in the near future, tied to a chair in a basement: the star of a cramped underground circus. Jumping between these two timelines makes us certain that the paranoia felt by Agnes earlier in the night is most definitely warranted.
Their abduction becomes inevitable as the night goes on and outside threats resurface. Meanwhile we are introduced to the host of this perverse game, a sadistic clown with a taste for the theatrical, talking with proper enunciation, projecting to an unseen audience. Watching through cameras, they send instructions as to how this Ringmaster should torture his subjects.
Exploring the sadistic nature of human beings, evidenced by a painting of a Roman gladiator in the bunker, this isn't a particularly new idea but it has fun with its style of presentation and provocation, especially through the Ringmaster himself. Like a Rob Zombie character dropped into the Hostel universe, Damon Younger has a lot of fun with this performance.
Including some low-fi gore involving staples, and some obligatory exploitation involving piercings, Bergfeld and Michelson commit to showing realistic levels of agony.
Impressively both locations are used to bring out different kinds of horror – from the claustrophobic intensity of the circus, to the cold isolation of the petrol station, which keeps the film varied from scene to scene. But by jumping ahead and rushing to the showcase, it ultimately steals tension from the final act and prevents a grand reveal, which it feels like it deserves.
Finding Steve McQueen (2019)
A team of unpracticed criminals catch wind of where President Nixon might be stashing some illegal funds and plan a bank heist to seize what they believe deserves to be stolen.
This comedy caper is inoffensive and unremarkable, which is some feat considering it's based on the United California Bank Robbery and set around the Watergate scandal. The choice to be light and frothy was intentional but it's weightlessness and lack of story leave it without character, relying on it's cast to keep us involved.
Unfortunately there lies another disappointment – Travis Fimmel's Harry Barber is apparently infatuated with Steve McQueen, Bullitt poster on his wall and Mustang in his driveway. A few references are made now and again, some directly to camera, but they are a confusing distraction. With his blond coiffed hair, Harry does bare some physical semblance to the cinematic icon, though he is painted a dim-wit. This is a funny idea half executed: his idiocy is played as a punchline, but he often provides the 'smarts' that keep the story going. Fimmel lands in this limbo where he's not fully able to commit to the slapstick required to pull attention from the underwhelming script.
Told in the form of flashbacks, Harry sits with girlfriend Molly Murphy (Rachael Taylor) in a diner confessing to his exploits – giving us a run down of the job, though we also see the side of the FBI detectives in pursuit, played by Forest Whitaker and Lily Rabe. The police procedural element is another wasted effort, seemingly included for the sake of it: never really adding threat or even comedy, padding out the story so that it looks, on the surface, to be a cat-and-mouse heist film.
By no means awful, Finding Steve McQueen ends up a pretty simple and shallow story, short of gags and imitating something like nostalgia but without the emotion.
Rialto (2019)
Written for RAF News October 2020
Dublin's portside town provides no escape for a middle-aged man in the thick of an existential crisis.
From the first moment that we see Colm (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), he looks pained, carrying the weight of an unseen burden. Against the scale of the freight cargo that surrounds him at work, and the sea beyond, he looks insignificant – and perhaps this is why he keeps his troubles to himself and suffers in silence.
Emasculated as a father and emotionally detached from his wife (Monica Dolan), we learn that he has recently lost his own father and is soon to lose his job of 30 years. Too young to retire, but too settled to start anew, 46 year old Colm's only escape is in the brief meetings that he has with teenager Jay (Tom Glynn-Carney) whom he pays for sex.
Set in the titular port town of Dublin, Rialto is shot with a focus on realism. The exchanges between characters are minimal, with Colm so cagey and closed off from those around him that his words are often grumbled – in a dialect that is hard enough to discern when he's sober. Closeted for so long that he sees no other way, Colm ponders aloud at one point: 'if we told people what was really in our heads, if we admitted to ourselves even, what would happen?'
There is no joy or respite to be found in the film, moments of pleasure are fraught and serve to highlight the misery that has enveloped Colm's compromised life. Awash in a grey setting that could well have been 10 or 20 years in the past, it is haunting in it's existential bleakness. Repressed in almost every way, Colm takes abuse from his son and his young lover (whose meet-cute takes the form of a mugging) only to later lash out at his grieving mother. The abuse is cyclical and misery inescapable.
Adapted for the screen from Mark O'Halloran's own play Trade, the intimacy remains, and the smaller idiosyncrasies of the phenomenal cast fill the screen with authenticity, but one could hardly call the experience of watching Rialto enjoyable.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on October 14, 2020 by samcooney. Leave a comment
A Perfectly Normal Family (2020)
Written for RAF News September 2020
Set in 90s Denmark, we watch the titular idyllic family through a shaky hand-held videocamera – mum, dad and two young girls – as they complete the picture and bring home a puppy. Of course this happiness can't last and there is the sudden announcement of divorce, set in motion by the father wanting to change gender.
From this point the films jumps forward in time to various intervals of Thomas (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard) during his transition but from the point of view of the children, and in particular his tomboyish daughter Emma (Kaya Toft Loholt).
At first we view a group therapy session in which everyone appears to be in denial except Thomas, for the first time perhaps, as he asks to be called Agnete. This scene is the most telling in the way that it frames it's characters. Obscuring Agnete from view and focussing on Emma who has a scarf wrapped around her head in protest, we hear the rise in emotion as people storm in and out of the room, all whilst watching this faceless solitary figure, clearly struggling to process any of this.
Each segment in time is chaptered by the same VHS-grain home video of the perfect family from the beginning, when the advent of recording meant capturing moments of joy and celebration. We see Emma and Thomas playing football in the garden, and then jump back to her unwrapping her first football at Christmas, giving us some sense of the bond that is at stake.
Aside from these vignettes the style is naturalistic, and though it never loses sight of the conflict driving the film, it is the direct but gentle approach to the drama that makes it effective and feel less contrived. Based on the filmmakers' experience of her own father transitioning when she was young, it is the contained drama that grounds the film and makes it feel personal.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on September 25, 2020 by samcooney. Leave a comment
The Painted Bird (2019)
Life is suffering – never has this adage been truer than in Václav Marhoul's The Painted Bird. A young boy is left without a guardian in war-torn Eastern Europe and so finds himself falling through the care and clutches of various people – most harbouring such a cruel sadism that it makes the occupying Nazi's look simply more orderly in their approach to torture.
Passed from an old crone, who believes him to be a vampire, to a jealous miller (Udo Kier), from an elderly priest (Harvey Keitel) sold to a lecherous loner (Julian Sands), from a Nazi soldier (Stellan Skarsgård) to a twisted kind of milk-maiden. The film weaves a tapestry of malevolence that is so ubiquitous that it's crossover with the second world war appears incidental.
Shot in crisp black and white, there is a stunning beauty to the horror on screen, which makes it that much stranger to endure. It reminded me of the phantasmagoric Russian film Hard to Be A God, but rather than a sprawling Boschian hellscape, this one is more pointed and concise, and without the respite of humour.
It's a gruelling watch, and as you stay longer in the company of the tortured and tormented young boy, played phenomenally by Petr Kotlar, you become cynical of any offered kindness. You watch as he interacts with different animals, each carrying symbolic significance, none moreso than the titular bird, which is painted by an elderly man who demonstrates the plight of this young boy and indeed the Jewish people: we watch the now segregated bird return to it's flock unrecognised, pecked to death in a flurried murmuration before it falls from the sky.
The Painted Bird is unrelenting, and you might wonder why the film was even made, adapted from Jerzy Kosiński's controversial 1965 novel of the same name. I have found few answers, but the images and ideas live long in the memory, though there are many you'd much rather forget.
The Ground Beneath My Feet (2020)
Written for RAF News June 2020
An Austrian thriller that sees the downward spiral of a corporate consultant as she becomes paranoid to the point of delusion, keeping secrets that will eat away at her sanity and might just jeopardise the career and relationship into which she has invested everything.
Lola Wegenstein is one of a small team of hatchet-men: though most are women in fact, including her boss with whom she is having an affair. An invasive job that can involve working 48 hours without sleep, living out of a suitcase in a hotel, she is pushed to breaking point when her sister is committed to an institution after another suicide attempt. For fear of bringing personal issues into an already fraught workplace, Lola discreetly flies between the ward and the job to spin these plates.
Valerie Pachner's performance as the isolated Lola is riveting in its restraint, establishing a steely veneer that is quickly chipped away. Receiving calls from her sister who insists she is being abused, only to find out that she has no access to phones, Lola begins to question her own reality. With a shared history of paranoid schizophrenia, it dawns on Lola that she might be experiencing the same symptoms of her sister.
The horrification of mental illness is an antiquated idea that can be problematic but the film is able to sidestep these tropes by adding a degree of nuance and subtlety. The thriller elements of the film are grounded in a real sense of fear and urgency, and the quality of filmmaking prevents it from feeling exploitative.
The genre elements seeded in the beginning are dropped in the second half however, leaving a much more restrained and ordinary drama. Though it dodges the pitfalls of psychotic women in the workplace and mental illness as a source of horror, unfortunately the beats stay the same and it becomes blander as a result.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on June 19, 2020 by samcooney. Leave a comment
The Ascent (2020)
An elite squad known as 'Hell's Bastards' are sent into a vaguely described civil conflict to retrieve intel, but make a decision that will come back to haunt them, over and over, until they can find a way back to change it.
Ordered to clear a campsite, merciless leader Will Stanton (Shayne Ward) insists that they leave no survivors. Even when they discover a prisoner (Julia Szamalek), he demands that she be killed, forcing Kia Clarke (Samantha Schnitzler) to carry out the execution at gunpoint.
Upon their return to HQ the lifts aren't working and so they begin to scale the concrete stairs, but after sometime it becomes clear that they are no closer to the top. The handy work of MC Escher these stairs form the perfect purgatorial metaphor. A never-ending climb punctuated by sirens and red light, and members of the team being picked off by an apparent evil presence following after them.
Through this shrewd and straight-forward effect, the filmmakers are able to make one location last infinitely, reminding of the simple ingenuity of high-concept cult horror Cube.
The squad will discover one exit along the stairway, but this leads them back in time to when they began the mission, a portal through which they can view their own sin perhaps, and maybe find a way out of the cycle.
An ambitious blend of science fiction, horror and action, the tone is set by the the interactions of the group. Initially there is some dark humour reminiscent of another cult classic featuring soldiers versus the supernatural in Dog Soldiers. Unfortunately this fades into self-serious monologues that drift towards the generic.
Cursed by design, set in a time-loop, the repetition becomes tiring and gets a little lost, but is brought around by the end of the film in some impressive and inventive ways. The Ascent is an ambitious project that takes chances and makes the most of its resources.
Camino Skies (2020)
Written for RAF News May 2020
A group of six New Zealanders and Australians come together to make the famous pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago, united not only through the physical journey but the hardships that have led them here.
This documentary follows these individuals, delving into their often heartbreaking motivation, joining them as they come to know each other and find some form of reward in the trials ahead. For some this seems to be a personal challenge, for others an escape or quest for meaning.
For over a thousand years many people have made this journey across northwestern Spain to the shrine of Saint James in search of spiritual growth. The filmmakers here are gifted beautiful backdrops for conversations with these largely senior travellers, who talk very frankly about the tragedies they have suffered and continue to shoulder. Whilst it could feel exploitative, the subjects often seem to be taking great motivation or catharsis from their heartfelt interviews. Inserted throughout, we are given more insight and more reason to be impressed by their perseverance.
A large part of the group appear to be mourning the death of a loved one, in some cases their own children. Perhaps this journey to the other side of the world will afford them some sense of closure before they head back home. Sue Morris is an 80 year old who has recently separated from her husband and is determined to walk the 800km distance, despite having severe arthritis and suffering incredible pain.
In the same manner in which these strangers come to form bonds simply by treading the same path and sharing their stories, walking alongside them you can't help but take inspiration.
Posted in 2020, Reviews on May 1, 2020 by samcooney. Leave a comment


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All together now? Arguments for a big-bang solution to Eurozone problems
Daniel Gros 05 December 2010
Muddling through isn't working. This column argues that troubled Eurozone nations should simultaneously open restructuring talks while continuing to service their debts normally. Germany, France, and other core Eurozone nations would have to stand ready to recapitalise the banks most exposed to the restructured debt. The ECB would then stabilise the banking system and the EFSF would stabilise sovereign debt. This big bang could be prepared in a weekend; the market already seems to be pricing it in.
I hope that everything I write in this column turns out to be irrelevant; I very much hope that it will not be necessary to resort to such drastic actions. Economic logic, however, suggests that it might soon represent the least bad solution to a crisis which keeps getting worse. That said…
The horses have left the stable. Europe's leaders have announced officially that there might be sovereign defaults in the Eurozone. Now they have no good options left. Governments want markets to believe that defaults will happen only after 2013, but what investor is going to wait patiently to be fleeced in a couple of years? The buyers' strike of peripheral Eurozone debt is thus likely to continue, thus raising the cost of the further rescue operations which are clearly on the horizon. The cost of muddling through is increasing by the day.
It would, of course, also be a mistake to let policy be dictated by short-term gyrations in the bond markets. But one recent development has increased the urgency of acting soon. This is the recent announcement of the Eurogroup of November 28th that the loans of the future "European Stability Mechanism" (ESM) would be senior to private creditors.[1]
As I argue at length in a companion column (Gros 2010), this implies that large bailout programs might actually lead to higher risk premiums because large official bailout programmes would imply that any eventual restructuring loses will be shifted to long-term creditors; short-term creditors will have already been paid off in full.
Moreover, the punitive interest rate (5.8%) imposed on Ireland now by the EFSF implies that a large official loan makes actually default more likely becausethe growth rate one can now expect for the next years (1-2% only) is clearly below the interest rate. When the numerator (debt service) rises faster than the denominator (GDP, i.e. ability to pay), a snowball effect occurs whereby it is ever more difficult for the country to service its debt (which in the case of Ireland would amount to 75% of GNP; see Eichengreen 2010).
The problem: Vicious circles
This creates the risk of a vicious circle under which a country that has only a manageable problem might be forced into an EFSF (ESM) programme, which would then make debt service more onerous because of the punitive interest rates. This is likely to induce investors to sell the longer-term debt of the country, which would in turn increase the pressure on the country to accept an EFSF programme. The larger the program, the less would be available in the end for bondholders should the programme not work. This is likely to lead to a further increase in the risk premium. The present strategy of "muddling through" on a case by case basis, but insisting that the future mechanism will be senior to private creditors (and that the latter must expect losses), thus carries a strong risk that more and more countries will be forced into a deadly spiral of increasing risk premiums and ever-increasing financing needs.
The only way out seems to be a big bang; to deal with all the problem cases in one go. The argument against a restructuring of, say, Greek public debt has always been that this would lead to contagion. But contagion is already a fact of life, and it focuses on countries with real problems. Portugal with its combination of high external debt and poor growth prospects looks like Greece. Spain has the "Irish disease"; a real estate bust that leads to huge losses in the banking system. Every country is different, and some countries (Spain, for example) would under normal circumstances not need a bail out. But these are not normal circumstance, and it is not possible to deal with each country in sequence because each bailout lead the markets to expect the next one. Only a big bang can resolve the impasse.
How should this "big bang" look like? A sudden collective default would of course constitute a "mega Lehman" and would have catastrophic consequences. However, it is entirely possible for the countries in question to make investors an exchange offer while continuing to service their payment obligations. There should thus be no technical default, but simply an offer to bondholders to engage in discussions about debt restructuring accompanied by a concrete exchange offer.
Everybody is different
All countries should thus move at the same time, but every country has different problems, and would make a different offer to creditors. Greece and Spain illustrate the two polar cases:
In the Greek case, the problem is clearly the sovereign. Holders of Greek public debt could be offered a par bond (100% of the nominal, but with a low interest rate and a long maturity). This would ensure that banks (and the ECB) would not have to book immediately huge losses on their accounts.
In addition to the par bond, creditors would be offered GDP warrants under which the government of Greece would offer to allocate a certain percentage of any increment in nominal GDP (after the trough expected for 2010/11) to additional payments to foreign creditors, pro rata their present holdings.[2] If Greece were to pay to foreign creditors about 4-5% of any increment in nominal GDP substantial payments could built up over time, with full (even if late) payment possible if Greece returns to a decent growth path. The annex provides some crude model calculations to this effect. For Portugal, a simple rescheduling might be sufficient.
In the Spanish case, the problem stems from the banks. Nobody can know with certainty how large their losses will be in the end. But this uncertainty drags down the entire country. The banks must thus be sacrificed if the sovereign wants to stay afloat. Holders of bonds of the banks most exposed to the real estate bust would thus be offered a debt for equity swap. The Spanish government would then be free of further large contingent liabilities, and should have no problems servicing its present debt of around 60% of GDP.
The accounting losses for the holders of Spanish bank bonds might again be limited if the bonds are transformed into subordinated debt with the same face value of the bonds. For holders of the bonds which do not mark to market the accounting losses could then be taken over a longer period. Spanish banks would not be forced into fire sales, and patient investors might limit their losses if the Spanish real-estate sector does recover.
The same should have been done in Ireland. But at this point it would require first the (new) Irish government to renege on the guarantee given by the old one. This will lead to legal problems and would formally be equivalent to a default, but it would restore the solvency of the Irish government, so that no haircut would be needed on Irish government debt. The debt-for-equity swap (as with GDP warrants) allows investors to participate in the upside that would materialise if the assets of the Irish banks and Spanish cajas are really worth as much as the banks and their regulators maintain.
Core governments would of course have to stand ready to recapitalise those of their banks with the highest exposure to the peripheral debt to be restructured.
Quick preparation
All this could be prepared during a special weekend meeting of the European Council (followed by a Eurogroup and probably also an EcoFin meeting).
What about the day after? Although this package should restore the solvency of those governments currently under market pressure there might still be initially turmoil in the markets. However, at this point the ECB would be justified in providing abundant liquidity to the interbank market which should then be free of "zombies". Governments and the ECB would thus agree on a division of a labour:
The ECB stabilises the banking system, and
The EFSF/ESM (the fiscal authorities) take care of the financing needs of governments.
The funding of the EFSF should then be sufficient to cover the (reduced) financing needs of all four GIPS (Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain) countries for quite some time.
Patient execution
The big-bang approach is not without risks. It could be prepared in a weekend, but it would require months of patient negotiations to get bondholders to agree.
This is actually very likely to happen because the offer would be close to current market prices and because a large part – maybe even a majority – of the bonds are in the hands of institutions that should respond to political pressures to accept the deal.
Could a "hold out" by a minority of bondholders who refuse to accept a deal created endless legal problems? There is a solution to this problem suggested by Buchheit and Guti (2010). Greece and other countries could just pass a "mopping up" law which stipulates that any agreement by a super-majority of bondholders (say two-thirds) is binding on the remainder. This would create immediately a statuary "collective-action clause". The absence of "collective-action clauses" thus does not constitute an insurmountable obstacle to reaching an agreement with creditors, as argued recently also in Nouriel Roubini in the Financial Times.
Muddling through is more attractive in the short run, but it does not lead anywhere when doubts about debt sustainability persist and the market has been destabilised by the announcement that the loans of the new permanent crisis mechanism would be senior to private creditors.
Restructuring will become virtually impossible once the Greek and Irish programs have run their course. At the end of these programmes the major part of the debt of these countries will be owed towards creditors which regard themselves a senior (IMF and ESM), but still impose interest rates far above growth rates.
At that point the haircut for the remaining private creditors would have to be enormous should the debt sustainability assessment announced by the Eurogroup come to a negative result. Even a low probability of such a result can destabilise markets today making procrastination expensive.
Borensztein, Eduardo and Paolo Mauro (2002). "Reviving the Case for GDP-Indexed Bonds", IMF Policy Discussion Paper, PDP/02/10, Washington, International Monetary Fund, September.
Buchheit, Lee and Mitu Guti (2010). "How to Restructure Greek Debt", mimeo.
Eichengreen, Barry (2010). "Ireland's rescue package: Disaster for Ireland, bad omen for the Eurozone," VoxEU.org, 3 December.
Gros, Daniel (2010). "The seniority conundrum: Bail out countries but bail in private, short-term creditors?" VoxEU.org.
Miyamajima, Ken (2006) "Hot to Evaluate GD-Linked Warrants: Price and Repayment Capacity", Working Paper, WP/06/85, Washington, International Monetary Fund, March.
Technical appendix: What value in GDP warrants?
Simple model calculations show that the value of the GDP bonds (or warrants) could be quite substantial. For a much more detailed approach see Miyamajima (2006).
The basic mechanism would be quite simple: each year Greece would dedicate a certain percentage, called τ, of the increment in GDP over the basis year (2010) to foreign debt service (as no interest would be payable on the discount bonds). This percentage might be fixed at 4% (in the case of Iceland the cap was set at 6%). Given that government revenues amount to about 40% of GDP this implies that about 10% of the higher government revenues generated automatically by GDP growth would have to be diverted to foreign creditors.
The annual payments would then be given by τ (Yt - Y0).
If nominal GDP grows with a constant rate, g, (and starting from 2010 GDP level of Y0) the payments (on the GDP bonds only) would evolve over time following: τ (Y0(1+g)t - Y0) = τY0 ( (1+g)t - 1).
Discounting these flows over time at the interest rate i yields the present value of future payments:
Present value of annual payment (until infinity) = Σt { τY0 [ (1+g)t – 1]/(1+i)t}.
This reduces to: Present value = τY0 (1+i)[ 1/(i-g) – 1/i].
If Greece were to dedicate 4% of the growth in nominal GDP to foreign creditors and the "market" interest rate is 10% the present value (as a ratio of starting GDP) would be given by: 0.04* (1.1)[ 1/(0.1-g) – 10].
For a nominal growth rate of 5% (g =0.05) this would amount to 44% of GDP, enough to make up for a haircut of over 30% on the entire stock of Greek debt (now close to 130% of GDP).
[1] Moreover it appears that the loans extended to Greece and Ireland in the context of the existing programs would ex post be transformed into ESM program loans and would thus also become senior.
[2] The case of Iceland provides a recent precedent for GDP linked payments. In this case the governments of England and the Netherlands agreed that Iceland should have paid (at most) 6% of any increment in GDP. However, this deal was not approved in a referendum. Argentina constitutes another precedent, however, in this case this might be rather an example of how to mis-use this concept in the sense that the GDP warrants were not intended to give the investors the potential to recoup their investment fully even in case the Argentine economy recovered fully.
This idea to link payments to capacity to service debt, called Besserungschein in German, is widely used in private transactions. Robert Schiller has called for GDP related financial instruments which would allow borrowers and investors to hedge against shocks to growth. See also Borensztein and Mauro (2002).
Topics: Global crisis
Tags: ECB, Eurozone crisis, sovereign restructuring
Daniel Gros
Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies, Brussels


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On Thursday, Heineken (hinkf, +1.66%) said it acquired the remaining stake in Lagunitas in a deal that has been closed. Terms of the transaction weren't made public.
The brewer bought the first 50% stake in September 2015 amid a wave of craft beer acquisitions by large brewers including Anheuser-Busch InBev (bud, +5.69%) and Constellation Brands (stz.b). That pace of dealmaking remains steady, as AB InBev announced the Big Beer company's 10th U.S. craft beer deal on Wednesday when it said it acquired North Carolina-based Wicked Weed Brewing.
Founded in 1993, Lagunitas grew to become one of America's top-selling national craft brands. It was the sixth-largest craft brewer in the U.S. before the initial Heineken deal in 2015, which resulted in the brewer being removed from the Brewers Association's annual top 50 list. The trade group requires that Big Beer producers own no more than 25% of a craft brewer for it to still be considered "craft."
Big beer companies have been scooping up smaller craft rivals as that sub-segment of the $108 billion U.S. beer business has been outperforming the overall category. Consumers have expressed interest in fuller flavor beers and local brands, trends that craft brewers play up in their beer innovation and marketing. Deals like the Heineken-Lagunitas transaction can at times upset craft beer enthusiasts, though mostly, consumers don't care about the tie-ups (or aren't even aware they occurred).
Heineken said that to retain the culture at Lagunitas, it would remain a separate business entity within the broader Americas region group. Founder Tony Magee will remain active as chairman and the current management team will also stay the same. Magee will also be tapped to help Heineken develop the company's global and local craft strategy. While AB InBev and Molson Coors have both inked a handful of craft deals, Heineken and Corona owner Constellation Brands have each only done one. (Constellation bought Ballast Point.) Most observers expect more craft beer M&A will occur in the years to come.
"Over the last 19 months, we've had the privilege of getting to know the Lagunitas team and learning from each other's experiences," Heineken said in a statement. "We will continue to find even more ways to collaborate with their team where it makes sense."
Well hopefully they will keep the plant open and not move it. If they keep it in Petaluma they should have the million dollars easily.
More importantly they will have the legal staff to put the hammer on not-so-smart about closing off an existing spur.
Other than somewhere between $500K and $1 million.
Latest report is that the owner and all staff of Lagunitas Brewery are staying on and operations will not change at all. The word is that the big brewing companies are buying up the small craft breweries just like the big alcoholic beverage companies bought up a lot of the wineries years ago. This is how the rich get richer. Take note... in case you ever get rich!
While I agree that the super beers companies are buying up the craft beer startups because they market horses and sports and not drinkable product, they see their market share dwindling. But attempting to buy up the competition is a fools pursuit. I was a brewer before becoming a vintner and there are thousands of good brewers out there who want to go big. Just go to Healdsburg Bear Republic brew pub for wonderful ales and you will see. BTW the Bear Republic brewing facility is in Cloverdale area and needs good Canadian grain in rail car volume.
I expect that Lagunitas will just get bigger and still make wonderful IPAs as Heineken fades in the North American market. Means the demand for more Canadian grain in rail cars.
Found this story funny...and sad.
Lagunitas, one of the original "stick it to the man" breweries, accepts buyout from "the man."


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Typhoon Phanfone: lights, lives, and livelihoods blown out for Christmas
Pinabacdao, Samar, Philippines 26 December 2019: Typhoon Phanfone has left devastation in its wake. Photo credit: Jhie Durana/Oxfam
Tackling the climate crisis
From Christmas Eve to Christmas Day Typhoon Phanfone hit the Philippines seven times. It is the 21st Typhoon to wreak havoc in the Philippines this year and many of the affected communities were still struggling to get back on their feet in the wake of Typhoon Kammuri which hit earlier in the same month.
Ursula carved the same path as Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Although weaker, its devastating impacts are widely felt, especially here in Leyte, where houses have been damaged and electric posts toppled. We spent Christmas Day in total darkness.
Leah Payud, working for Oxfam in Leyte, Philippines
Lives and livelihoods destroyed
Initial reports say that almost 200,000 people have been affected, mostly in coastal areas where communities already have limited access to resources and basic services. The storm has triggered heavy flooding, destroyed housing and infrastructure, knocked out power lines and mobile service, and left large numbers of people without access to clean water. For the many who rely on farming and fishing for their livelihoods, the typhoon has been particularly devastating with boats and equipment destroyed.
So far, 28 deaths and 12 missing people have been reported. A State of Calamity has been declared in at least four provinces: Leyte, Capiz, Aklan and Occidental Mindoro; and the municipalities of Medellin and Daanbantayan in Cebu.
Water, food, shelter
Oxfam and its partners are on the ground assessing both immediate needs and potential problems for the longer term. Early indications are that many coastal villages are in urgent need of emergency shelter, bedding, drinkable water, and food. Damage to power lines, schools, housing, and other infrastructure loom as serious problems for disaster recovery.
We have been working with local partners to provide immediate cash assistance to three coastal villages badly affected by the typhoon, and continue to monitor the situation to determine the most essential needs.
Oxfam in the Philippines
In the Philippines, 17 million people live below the poverty line. It is also one of the most highly at-risk countries from disasters, with pockets of fragility that threaten its stability and development. Oxfam has been working in the Philippines for 30 years to address the underlying causes of poverty through programs on economic justice, conflict transformation, gender justice, and rights in crisis.
Help Oxfam respond in times of crisis by donating to our Global Emergency Fund.
emergency relief Storms Philippines typhoon


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Life is Like a Box of Glory: The Leafs' New Bench Statue
August 15, 2014 · by samepageteam	· in Hockey, Sports, Urban Affairs.	·
By: Dan Grant
In 2017-18, the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise née The St. Pats née The Arenas, will turn 100 years old. In preparation for this anniversary, MLSE management has announced the installation of a 30 foot long granite bench outside the Air Canada Centre. Before each season until the anniversary, they will announce the names of past Leaf greats that will be honoured with commemorative statues on 'Legends Row', destined to forever do their best Forrest Gump, waiting on the bench outside the arena.
Several caveats were made public before any selections were announced. Three statues would be announced this first year, and while this is unconfirmed, it seems that three per year is the plan, for a total of twelve statues on the final bench. It's also possible that other statues could be added behind or around the bench, and there is speculation that former owner/coach Conn Smythe and broadcaster Foster Hewitt are the prime candidates for these ancillary statues. One would think former coach/GM Punch Imlach and coaches Pat Burns and Hap Day might be candidates to be similarly honoured. A statue of Roger Neilson holding a paper bag would be righteous. For today, let's stick with the players.
The legendary Conn Smythe.
It was also made known that the players would come from four specific eras – the first days of the Gardens, the Cup Dynasty of the late 1940's and early 1950's, the dynasty of the 1960's and finally, the modern era, covering the 1970's to present day.
Thursday, the Leafs announced the first selection: former captain Ted 'Teeder' Kennedy, from the 40's/50's dynasty. This selection has been (mostly) universally hailed. Kennedy, a career Leaf, was the first NHL player to win five Stanley Cups, the youngest to score a Stanley Cup winning goal, and he won the Hart trophy as the league's MVP in 1955, the last Maple Leaf to do so. He was also a team captain for eight seasons and his #9 jersey already hangs in the rafters of the ACC.
The 'honoured' jerseys are a good place to start when considering candidates for the bench. The Leafs only have two retired numbers: Bill Barilko's #5 and Ace Bailey's #6. Beyond that, they have 15 players 'honoured'; 12 of these players share six numbers (1, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 27), two per number. There are also three unique numbers (17, 21 and 93). This leaves us with 16 (plus one surprise!) candidates for the final 11 spots. With one notable exception, each player is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So lets try and figure it out! All stats listed are the player's stats as a Maple Leaf.
The No Brainers
These are listed in order of their no-brainerness. (What? It is SO a word! Get your own column!)
Johnny 'The China Wall' Bower, G, #1. 1958-59 – 1969-70
12 seasons, 475 games, 219-160-79, 32 shutouts and a 2.49 GAA.
Won four Stanley Cups, two Vezina trophies, finished 2nd in Hart voting in 1960-61.
The owner of one of the more unique careers in NHL history, Bower played most of his 20's in the AHL. He broke through as the Leafs starting goaltender at age 34 and played for them until age 45, hence his nickname. Bower was later an assistant coach for the team and is still a fixture in the Leaf organization, often appearing at special functions and events. I wouldn't be surprised if he was announced as one of the other two statues to be installed this September, the first from the 60's dynasty era.
Syl Apps, C, #10. 1936-37 – 1947-48
10 seasons, 423 games, 201 goals, 231 assists and (only!) 56 penalty minutes for his career.
Won four Stanley Cups, the 1936-37 Calder Trophy and the 1941-42 Lady Byng Trophy. Team Captain for eight seasons, from 1940-43 and 1945-48.
The first 'great' Leaf, Apps was a dominant player that bridged the early days of the Gardens to the 1940's dynasty. He would have had an even greater career, had it not been interrupted by his service in World War II. I think he'll be grouped with the former era in terms of where he'll land on the bench (there is speculation the statues themselves will be grouped by era) but there's no question he'll be included somewhere.
No, YOU tell Armstrong he doesn't make the bench statue.
George Armstrong, C, #10. 1949-50 – 1970-71
21 seasons, 1188 games, 296 goals, 417 assists. 110 playoff games, 60 points. Seven time All-Star. Fifth in all time team scoring.
Won four Stanley Cups. Team Captain for 12 seasons from 1958-69.
The Chief, Armstrong was a fixture of the Leafs for two decades. He owns franchise records for games played and seasons as captain. His mixture of toughness and skill was the Leafs answer for players like the Red Wings Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe and the Canadiens Maurice Richard. The 50's and 60's Leafs drew their identity from Armstrong; he'll be on the bench, the second from the 60's dynasty era.
Mats Sundin, C, #13. 1994-95- 2007-08
13 seasons, 981 games, 420 goals, 567 assists. 70 points in 77 playoff games. Nine time All-Star. First all time in team goals and points. Second in assists. Second all-time in NHL history with 15 sudden death overtime goals (first when he retired).
Made two Conference Finals. Team captain for 11 seasons from 1997-2008.
Of the 'modern era' selections, Sundin is the easiest for me. Many will criticize him because he never 'won' anything, but accolades for modern Maple Leafs are few and far between. He was the face of the franchise for nearly his entire tenure, quickly taking the reigns after being acquired from Quebec. The first European player ever selected first overall in the NHL draft, Sundin played with a physical toughness and tenacity that endeared him to Leafs fans. He wasn't a big hitter by any means, but his sheer combination of size, speed and skill made him a nightmare for opposing defences. Surrounded by also-rans and past-their-prime veterans for much of his career, Sundin often turned chicken shit into chicken salad. He deserves to be remembered as what he was; one of the all-time great Leafs.
Darryl Sittler, C, # 27. 1970-71 – 1981-82
12 seasons, 844 games, 389 goals, 527 assists. 65 points in 64 playoff games. Second in all time goals and points. Third in assists.
Made one Conference Finals. Team captain from 1975-79, 1980-82.
Sittler was basically Sundin before Sundin, except that he was drafted by the team. He was the most talented Leafs player until Mats came along, held the same records Mats held, etc. He had the same incredible size/speed/skill combination. He should have been a career Leaf, except that he clashed with former Maple Leafs owner (and notorious bastard) Harold Ballard and was shipped to Philadelphia. He then spent the last four years of his career in Philly and Detroit. He is beloved in the city of Toronto. I saw him at the airport recently and he looks like he could still play. He also holds the NHL record with ten points in one game. TEN! I just had to mention that. That gets us to two players from the 'modern' era, though I think Sittler is a lock to be honoured first.
Turk Broda, G, #1 1937-1952
14 seasons, 629 games. 302-224-101 career record. 62 shutouts and a 2.53 goals against average.
Won six Stanley Cups. Played his entire career with the Maple Leafs.
Broda's resume speaks for itself. Along with Bower, he's the greatest goalie in Leafs history. He'll be the second player from the 40's dynasty to be honoured, joining Kennedy.
Whoa! Now we're already past the halfway point; we have 7 players on the bench. This is where things start to get dicey. With only 5 more spots to go, how do we decide? Arbitrarily of course!
The Pretty Likelys
Dave Keon. C, # 14. 1960-61- 1974-75
15 seasons, 1062 games, 365 goals, 493 assists. 92 playoff games, 68 points. Third in goals, assists and points.
Won four Stanley Cups. Won the 1960-61 Calder Trophy, the 1962-63 Lady Byng trophies and the 1967 Conn Smythe trophy. Team captain from 1967-1975.
Here's the surprise, mainly because Keon's post-hockey relationship with the Maple Leafs has been rocky at best. Like Sittler, he feuded with Harold Ballard before his exit from the team to the WHA in the mid 70's. Unlike Sittler, he really never made up with the team. He refused a jersey honouring ceremony and declined to participate in any team functions for many years. However, in 2007, he appeared at a dual ceremony honouring the 80th anniversary of the 'Maple Leafs' team name and the 40th anniverary of the 1967 Stanley Cup. He appeared again in 2013 to honour the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Stanley Cup team. One hopes that the hatchet is sufficiently buried and Keon will accept the honour and appear in Maple Leafs Square for all time. The feud is the only reason he's not included in the 'No Brainer's' section, joining Bower and Armstrong as the third player from the 60's dynasty.
Charlie 'The Big Bomber' Conacher. RW, #9. 1930-38
Nine seasons, 326 games, 200 goals, 124 assists. 49 playoff games, 35 points.
Won 1932 Stanley Cup. Won NHL scoring title (later called Art Ross trophy) in 1933-34 and 1934-35. Led NHL in goals five times in six seasons.
Conacher had a truncated NHL career, retiring at age 30 due to chronic injuries, particularly a bad shoulder. But when he was good, he was among the best in the NHL. The All-Star game didn't exist during his career, but he was named to two first All-NHL teams and three second teams. By all accounts the first 'power forward' to play the game, Conacher was the star of the team that won the 1932 Cup in the teams first season at Maple Leaf Gardens. He's likely to join Apps as a representative of the early years.
Charlie Conacher: man of the people.
The 'On the Bubble' section is where the fun discussion comes in. Three spots left. The above names might be debated by some people but honestly, I think they're going to wind up on the bench regardless. They're icons. This section is where the heated discussions come up. Lets take a look at some of the names.
– Wendel Clark, LW, #17
– Doug Gilmour, C, #93
– Frank Mahovlich, C, #27
– Ace Bailey, C, # 6
– Bill Barilko, D, # 5
– Borje Salming, D, #21
– Tim Horton, D, #7
– Red Kelly, C/D, #4
– King Clancy, F/D, #7
Yikes! That's nine guys. However, I can make some cuts pretty quickly. First up: Bailey and Barilko. You have to have love for both of them – Bailey was the Leafs' best player in the late 20's and early 30's and Barilko scored the overtime winning goal in the 1951 Cup Finals. However, each player had their jersey retired because their careers ended early. Bailey suffered an on ice skull fracture and Barilko tragically passed away in a plane crash. The fact that they're the only two Leafs with retired jersey's is a special honour, one that is fitting for them alone. Of the two, I could see Bailey getting a statue but he wouldn't be my personal choice.
Things are getting tougher. I'm personally a huge fan of Red Kelly, but he played the first two thirds of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. He was a member of the 60's dynasty but that era is already well represented, so I don't think he makes it. Unfortunately, the same goes for Frank Mahovlich, who is in the conversation for most talented Leaf ever. He played a huge portion of his career with the Red Wings and the hated Canadiens, and again, comes from that celebrated 60's era, so he's probably out of luck.
Ok, we're down to five players for three spots!
I think Tim Horton makes it. In fact:
Tim Horton, D. #7, 1949-50 – 1968-69
20 seasons, 1185 games, 458 points. 1389 penalty minutes. 97 playoff games, 50 points.
Won four Stanley Cups. 6 time All-Star.
Horton was a punishingly physical defenceman and the backbone of the team during that 60's dynasty. Playing almost 1200 games and 20 seasons for the team gets him on the bench in my opinion. And isn't what this is all about? My opinion? I thought so.
Two more spots to go.
King Clancy almost has to make the cut, if they're insisting on including players from the 'early days of the Gardens era'. However, I think he'll be included with an ancillary statue, like Hewitt and Smythe. Clancy played several seasons for the Leafs and was a part of the 1932 Cup team but he played the majority of his career for the original Ottawa Senators. After an 11 year post-playing career as a referee, he spent the next 40 years as a coach, assistant general manager and vice president with the Maple Leafs, giving him a special place in Leafs history.
That leaves us with Clark, Salming and Gilmour for the final two spots. The first choice is easy.
Borje Salming, #21, D. 1973-74- 1988-89
16 seasons, 1099 games, 148 goals, 620 assists. 81 playoff games, 49 points. Fourth in all time team scoring. First in assists. First in goals by a defenceman. Plus 155 for his career, first in Maple Leafs history (Sundin second at plus 99).
Salming paved the way for the Swedish invasion of the NHL, along with future Leafs scout Anders Hedberg. Salming, unlike other more timid European players, was bullish and brash on the ice, a smooth skating power play general who comparatively quickly adjusted to the rougher NHL game, racking up 1292 penalty minutes for his career, a total that trails only Tie Domi, Tiger Williams, Wendel Clark and Tim Horton in Leafs history. Not bad company. However, it was Salming's ability with the puck that made him special, as his rankings among the team scoring leaders make evident. Borje will have a spot outside the ACC.
You knew it was coming: Clark or Gilmour?
And now, to ruin my childhood. I have to choose between Wendel and Dougie.
It's tough. Dougie is a Hall of Famer, the record holder for points and assists in a season, team Captain from 1994-97 and my first favourite player. Won the Frank J. Selke trophy as a member of the Leafs and was robbed of the Hart trophy by Sergei Fedorov in 1992-93. Victim of the Gretzky high stick. How can you not love Dougie?
But Wendel. Well… the only non-Hall of Famer on the list is here for a reason. He's Wendel! First overall pick in 1985. One of the most explosive combinations of toughness and skill in NHL history. Sadly couldn't stay healthy. Three tours of duty with the Leafs. Captain from 1988-1994.
OK fine. In for a penny…
Wendel Clark, LW…
You know what? I can't do it. It's too hard. Wendel is more beloved but Dougie soared higher. They were both great captains. I can't handle this.
It will probably be Wendel but I'm not going to be the one who takes that plunge! Put them both out there, riding a tandem bike! Don't make me choose!
I guess the point is, there are an abundance of Leaf greats that deserve spots. Great players not even mentioned include Hap Day, Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau, Bobbie Baun, Bob Pulford, Rick Vaive, Lanny McDonald, Tiger Williams, Ian Turnbull and Ron Ellis. Unfortunately, none of them have played for the team for 20 years, Sundin excepted.
'Legends Row' is an excellent addition to the new and improved Maple Leaf Square. It's a fun thing to honour the team's great history and to foster an environment that recalls it. I recently attended a baseball game at San Francisco's AT&T Park, home of the Giants. The statues of Mays, Cepeda and McCovey weren't just fantastic- they were awe inspiring.
Hopefully this season the Phil Kessel's, JVR's and Morgan Rielly's of the world can start making their own history, inspiring their own awe. Here's hoping that one day, they'll have to build a second bench.
Tags: Air Canada Centre, Borje Salming, Charlie Conacher, Darryl Sittler, George Armstrong, Johnny Bower, Maple Leaf Square, Mats Sundin, Tim Horton, Toronto Maple Leafs, Wendel Clark
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Incredible Sestina Anthology goes on the road!
If you've been checking out the events page here, you might know this already, but we've added some tour dates for early next year! Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Seattle: you are in luck. Sestina luck!
Details below. Stay tuned here for launch readings and other incredible events!
Ernest Hilbert and others read from The Incredible Sestina Anthology!
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LED Jacobs Ladder with sound and realistic LED arc tube. Each unit is hand built and unique, with genuine vintage volt meters, vacuum tubes, and electrical devices.
Custom units can be made to order with arc tubes up to 40" tall, and can be built in a variety of themes, including Steampunk, laboratory, or futuristic themes.


A six-member congressional delegation today is scheduled to embark on a nine-day trip to Africa to meet with government and public health officials to discuss strategies for fighting HIV/AIDS, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (Webb, St. Paul Pioneer Press , 8/19). The delegation, led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and including Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and John Warner (R-Va.), is scheduled to travel to South Africa today; they plan to visit Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia before returning to the United States on Aug. 29. The delegation plans to meet with government and public health officials, physicians, HIV-positive people and their families. The delegation also will visit clinics and testing and treatment facilities, including the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa; the Salvation Army HIV orphanage in Soweto; the Bernard Noordkamp Catholic AIDS Action Center in Windhoek, Namibia; and the St. Mary's Hospital Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission and VCT facility in Windhoek ( Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report , 8/18). Coleman, whose sister and brother-in-law died from AIDS-related causes and who will be joined by his wife, Laurie, on the trip, said, "[AIDS] is not a disease that affects one group of people," adding, "It affects men, it affects women, it affects gays, it affects straights, it affects young and old, and Africa is a case study of that. ... I see myself as having an opportunity to fight this plague, and this is part of it" ( St. Paul Pioneer Press , 8/19).


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Support Catholic Charities by dining at V|ice and N|eat
By ccadminApril 16, 2021June 15th, 2021Fundraising & Support
Home » News » Support Catholic Charities by dining at V|ice and N|eat
To provide hope to Western New York neighbors in need, local restaurants V|ice in Buffalo and N|eat in Williamsville have launched a new initiative to support Catholic Charities through Appeal 2021, which helps to fund programs and services administered by Catholic Charities.
Now through June 30, V|ice and N|eat will donate $1 from every wood-fired pizza sold at each restaurant to the Appeal. In addition, customers are also encouraged to make their own donation. Utilizing a special QR code available at either restaurant to donate any amount, customers will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 gift card to V|ice and N|eat. One winner will be chosen per restaurant every month through June.
"Catholic Charities does so much for our community; we wanted to help in any way possible," said KC Mullett, operating partner of V|ice and N|eat. "This past year has been extremely difficult, but I believe in giving back and our business is able to do so thanks to the support of Western New York restaurant patrons. Our staff of just over 200 people are excited to help raise money that directly impacts our community. Our ownership and management focus heavily on being a team player and simply being a good person, I am happy to involve my staff in such a great initiative."
Catholic Charities' programs and services, which include food pantries, mental health and substance abuse treatment, youth and family support services and others, helped more than 149,000 people in 2020. To date, more than $6 million of the $10 million Appeal 2021 goal has been raised. For more details on Catholic Charities and Appeal 2021, please visit ccwny.org/appeal.
"We are so grateful for this new partnership with V|ice and N|eat to provide a unique way to help raise much needed funds to give hope to individuals, children and families in need across the eight counties of Western New York," said Deacon Steve Schumer, president & CEO, Catholic Charities. "When you dine at V|ice and N|eat, not only are you helping to support our services, you are also championing two of our local restaurants hit hard by the pandemic."
V|ice, located at 500 Pearl in downtown Buffalo's Theatre District, and N|eat, located at 5175 Transit Road, Williamsville, are wood-fired oven inspired restaurants and whiskey bars. Visit vicebuffalo.com or neatbuffalo.com for more details.


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