BP 14 - Iginlas Return

We are one day away from one of the most anticipated hockey games of the 2013-14 NHL season. Tomorrow night the Boston Bruins along with former Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla will make there way into the Pengrowth Saddledome. This meeting will be the first of the 2013-14 season and it is the first time Jarome Iginla will play in the Saddledome not wearing the flaming "C" over his chest. Iginla is the 3rd former captain to return to their old club building, other captains include Daniel Alfredsson who played for the Ottawa Senators and signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings for the 2013-14 season and the other captain was Vincent Lecavalier who was a former captain of the Tampa Bay Lighting and is now playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. Both Lecavalier and Alfredsson have made their returns to their former teams, and I am looking forward to Iginla's return. Tomorrow night I will be attending the game and I cannot wait until game time. It is going to be one of the craziest atmospheres the saddledome has seen since the 2003-04 Stanley Cup run. Go Flames Go!

BP 13 - Flames Top Coyotes

Last night the Calgary Flames took on the Phoenix Coyotes at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The Coyotes have been a very hot team this season and many believed the Flames would be unable to stop the Coyotes. The Flames have been missing their team captain Mark Giordano for the past 18 games. The Flames started off the 2013/14 season with a 4-2-2 record, while Giordano was healthy. But he broke his foot just after their fourth win and the Flames went on a 5-11-2 slump without their captain. Giordano did not waste much time last night, he was blocking shots, making great plays and it looked as if he had never been injured. Giordano managed to put 2 points onto the board last night, one goal and one assist. The Flames played some of there best hockey I have seen this season, they managed to beat the Coyotes with a score of 4-1. Early in the 3rd period the Flames scored a spectacular short handed goal thanks to a great outlet pass from Giordano to Matt Stajan, Stajan then waited for the right opportunity and made a quick tape to tape pass to Lee Stempniak who buried the puck in the back of the net. It was a great game to watch, and it was a great way for the Flames captain to make his return to the lineup. Next Calgary Flames home game is Friday December 6th. Go Flames Go!

BP 12 - Ramo Steals The Spotlight in LA

The Flames just finished a two game round trip in California this weekend. They played the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, but were unable to pull off the win. The Flames have not won a game in Anaheim since the 2003-04 season, they have lost 18 straight games against the Ducks on the road. Saturday night the Flames took on the LA Kings who have been a big rival in the western conference for the last couple of years. The LA Kings have been a very dominant team in the NHL the past few seasons and they just recently won the Stanley Cup two years ago. The Flames have already played one game in LA  this year and they secured a win on their first visit. On saturday night the Calgary Flames new netminder Karri Ramo stole the spotlight in the Staples Center and earned the first star of the game. Ramo made 21 saves and allowed the flames to secure a 2-1 win over the Kings. Ramo was 4 minutes away from recording his first NHL career shutout but the Kings managed to break the shutout and tie the game 1-1 with minutes remaining. With 23 seconds remaining in the game Mike Cammalleri of the Calgary Flames made a nifty back hand move to get the puck past Kings backup goalie Ben Scrivens and secure a 2-1 win. It was a big win for the Flames to end their small road trip. The Flames next game will be Wednesday December 4th in Calgary when they host the Phoenix Coyotes.

BP 11 - Start of a New Era

Last season was the breaking point for the Calgary Flames. They finally decided it was time for a team rebuild. They decided to trade away Jay Bouwmeester and Jarome Iginla to acquire a few prospects and two first round draft picks. Calgary finished last season in 25th place giving them the 6th overall draft pick. Calgary also got a first round 30th draft pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins and a first round 22nd draft pick from the St. Louis Blues. Calgary's 6th draft pick was Sean Monahan from Ontario. Monahan surprised the Calgary Flames management during training camp, he was in the best shape out of the whole Flames roster. Monahan managed to clinch a spot onto the 2013-14 Calgary Flames starting lineup and he has impressed the entire city. Monahan is currently second in scoring for the Flames, and is also in second for scoring amongst all of the NHL rookies. Unfortunately last week Monahan took a puck to the foot in practice and has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his foot. Monahan will be sitting out for the next two Flames games until further notice.

BP 10 - How I Became a Flames Fan

I wanted to share to all of you the connection between me and the Calgary Flames. As a kid I never really got into hockey. I played basketball my whole life but in 2003-04 my feelings changed about the sport of hockey. The Calgary Flames managed to clinch a spot into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in years. They were the underdogs and no one thought they would have any chance at winning the cup. But surprisingly enough the Calgary Flames had a run to the finals and lost by a score of 3-2 in game 7. This was a heartbreaking moment for the entire city of Calgary including myself. Ever since that Stanley cup run I have followed the Calgary Flames just waiting for that moment when the Flames make another push to try and raise the Stanley Cup. The past couple seasons have been pretty hard to watch, and last season Jarome Iginla was traded away after serving 16 long years in Calgary to pursue his dream of raising the Stanley Cup. I hope this season is the year Iginla finally gets to raise the Stanley Cup, he deserves it more then anyone else in the NHL.

My Writing Experience

Reading and writing are two huge key parts of a child’s education. Children are introduced to reading and writing as early as the first grade. I remember writing my first “story” in grade one. Students were taught how to read and write through visualization exercises.  Most elementary school classrooms have posters of the alphabet on the walls. Which is a great way for children to start learning the alphabet. A song that children can sing to memorize the alphabet is another teaching method. These methods are a great way to teach children, but not all children can benefit from them. Helen Keller is a perfect example. Helen Keller was born in 1880, and at the age of 19 months Keller lost her eyesight and hearing due to a severe fever. (Helen Keller International, 2013)

            Helen’s education and learning exercises were very different from mine. Over time I was not only learning how to read and write in school. I was also learning by observing my surroundings. My parents were educating me each and everyday just by speaking to me. This was a disadvantage for Keller because she could only learn new words by working with her tutor, Anne Sullivan, using touch and feel methods to learn new words. (Helen Keller International, 2013)

            Learning new vocabulary was not only just about physically writing and reading for Keller, she also had to learn to understand what the word actually meant. I could not imagine what it would be like trying to link a word to something you have never physically seen. When teachers in my elementary would introduce new vocabulary, they would also show a picture to help the students understand what the word meant. Helen Keller’s first break through was in 1887. Keller and her tutor, Anne Sullivan, were sitting outside at the water pump. Sullivan would go back and forth from pouring water on Keller’s hand, and spelling the word W-A-T-E-R onto Keller’s palm with the touch of her finger. After numerous repetitions Keller finally realized the link between the mysterious liquid on her hand and the word water. (Daniels, 2013)

            It is simply amazing that an individual who was robbed of her eye site and hearing could accomplish so much. Not only did Keller learn how to read, write and speak. She learned all of these skills at the same rate as some children who did not have any type of disability. After Keller’s break through in 1887, Keller managed to learn more then 600 words over that same summer. (Daniels, 2013)

            Every individual that has ever stepped foot on earth has had their ups and downs through life. It is impossible for anyone to live a perfect life. Helen Keller was stripped of her eye site and hearing at such an early stage of her life, but she did not give up, she managed to push through it. She had the willpower to overcome her disabilities, with the help of her loving family and friends. Keller proved to thousands of people that anything is possible.

Daniels, P. (2013). Helen Keller. Both Deaf and Blind became a writer and        activist.  About.com. Retrieved on October 14, 2013 from http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/a/Helen-Keller.htm

Helen Keller International. (2013) Helen Keller’s Life. Retrieved on October 14, 2013, from

http://www.hki.org/about-helen-keller/helen-kellers-life/

Anonymity Over The Internet

The Internet has become one of the most popular resources in the modern world. The Internet allows anyone to post anything that they choose without having any consequences. For example, people can post their thoughts on religion, race, or gender completely anonymously over the web and allow thousands of people to read their post. These posts can sometimes be beneficial and educational, but they can also be very disrespectful to people who have different beliefs then the writer.

Being anonymous allows bloggers and writers to have a freedom of speech without having to worry about others knowing who they are. People can be more open about their thoughts on religion, race or gender related disputes. Being anonymous allows people to be themselves. It allows individuals to feel safe when expressing their opinions. The negative aspect of an individual only sharing their beliefs and opinions anonymously makes it hard for the “real people” in an individual’s life to know they really are and how they really feel. (Trahan, 2011)

Everyone in the world has different beliefs and opinions about certain topics. For example when two individuals are having a conversation about their thoughts on religion, they may not physically say what they are truly thinking. But as soon as they hide behind a computer screen they become a new person and write things that they would never say to anyone face to face.

           

The Internet is changing. Anonymity is starting to become harder to come across. Websites like Facebook or twitter are starting to connect them selves to every online tool there is. Making it harder for individuals to stay anonymous while roaming the Internet. A recent article stated that the Internet is transitioning into a new era where anonymity will no longer be as easy as it once was. (Manfred, 2012)

Manfred (2012) also stated that in logic, once anonymity isn’t as safe as it once was, the only people who will be racist online will be those who are openly racist in the real world and dumb teenagers.

The Internet has opened many doors for a number of people. It’s a way that people can express their feelings and opinions freely. But people should be more respectful when sharing their opinions. Everyone has the right to post what they believe, but there is no reason for anyone to criticize a religion just because they do not like what kind of clothes they wear, or what kind of food they eat. There is no need to disrespect a religion with threatening and discriminating statements. If you cannot express how you feel openly with the public, then there is no reason for you to be sharing it on the Internet.

Citations:

Manfred, T. 2012. Why is the Internet so Racist?. Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-racism-2012-5

Trahan, D. 2011.  The Pros and Cons of Anonymity Online. Engage Teens. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/148008/#axzz2h60ARVmD