I said I'd try to find something to post on the weekend, right? Well, it's not hockey, though I guess we do have the news that Morley Scott has left CHED and is being replaced by Bob Stauffer. No, what I'm putting up today is a review that, according to the Last Modified entry on the text file, was completed May 9, 2005. Yes, that's a five on the end of that date. I've had a perfectly good¹ review of The Salmon of Doubt sitting on my hard drive for three years that I completely forgot to post. You may note that this is hardly the first time I've had completed works sit unloved for extended periods of time, but this has got to be some kind of record.

So anyway, enjoy, and I'll see you in September.

¹ Your actual mileage may vary.

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I'm not here to say much. What I am here to say is that if, like me, you got an HDTV but don't want to spend the money for cable (if you basically just watch DVDs, Blu-Ray, or play video games), you can pick up HDTV over the air. Well, at least a few channels. As I write this, I'm watching the Olympics on CBC HD. I also get Global HD. In theory, I should be able to get CTV HD, but my signal isn't strong enough. I haven't bothered to set up a reflector dish or anything, so it might still be doable. The bottom line is I built a makeshift antenna with an old hanger and an F-adapter (Total cost: $0.98 - Well, plus the solder and soldering iron), and I now have 2 HD channels. Instructions can be found here.

At the end of the day, I get HD Hockey Night in Canada, the Olympics, and a handful of TV shows that I may or may not watch. And now you know.

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Without fail, as soon as I say something unequivocal, fate has a way of making me look like a dunce. While it was a bit of a foregone conclusion, it is nonetheless significant news that Glenn Anderson will be having #9 retired by the Oilers this coming season, at a January 18 game against Phoenix. The announcement was made during a press conference for the Oilers Community Foundation's ongoing efforts with the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, which Anderson has been heavily involved in over the years; today's story of being reunited with a young patient he first met with the Stanley Cup (left) nearly 25 years ago was particularly touching. As an aside, I've noticed the Oilers have done a lot of these retirement things with Phoenix here, lately (four of the five since Gretzky: I assume it's so that Wayne and Grant don't have any scheduling complications, and can be there for another buddy getting his number up.

I have to anticipate this is the final sweater retirement the Oilers do from the Boys on the Bus, unless Kevin Lowe or Charlie Huddy somehow get elected into the Hall. It's been suggested in the past that the next number to go up will be #94, and while it'd be a nice story (and would've been nicer if he'd stayed), I think you have to consider context. For a number of teams, their Smyth would probably warrant a retirement. When you have guys like Gretzky, Kurri, and Messier up there already, it becomes really hard to argue that the king of garbagemen quite belongs in the same pantheon. It's the same reason #11 will not be retired by the Canadiens anytime soon: it's a nice thought, but given the history of the franchise, the barrier to entry is just too high for someone like Saku Koivu, regardless of his contributions, both on and off the ice, for the Habs over the last decade. I could be proven wrong (again) someday down the line, but I think the Hall is probably going to be considered the minimum, and Ryan Smyth is not a Hall of Famer.

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That's not our Matt. Just saying.

Also, this reformed Warcrack addict gives a big-ass thumbs up to The Guild. We had at least half those people in our guild at one point or another¹.

¹ Needless to say, I don't mean literally those people. I mean those characters. That would be weird if it was really them. And awesome.

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