Two down, 14 to go

That was a strange kind of game. It was kind of a donut--all Red Wings except for a hole in the middle. Not that Dom could have been blamed for the freaky off-the-boards bounce that resulted in Nashville's first goal, but that followed by Lilja's giveaway shortly thereafter (he gets one of those per playoff, but this time it didn't cost them the series) had the boys looking down a bit.

Fortunately, Babcock took my advice and used his time-out at just the right moment, after which it was all Wings.

Next game is Monday in Nashville. If they win that one, it's all over but the shouting.

One down, 15 to go

The Wings secured their first victory of the playoffs this evening, defeating Nashville 3-1. Nashville put forth a decent effort, even controlling play from time to time, but in the third period the Wings dominated.

It's a good start, but we've still got two months before the Cup final, and the eventual champions will have to win 16 games to hoist Stanley. So, for the Wings, it's one down, 15 to go.

After that, it's the long, dark tea-time of the soul, until the teams return to the ice in early October.

Are You In?

"Are You In?" is the Detroit Red Wings' tagline for this year's playoffs. As I am a Red Wings fan (in much the same sense as Bill Gates runs a software company), I am definitely "in."

So, for the next couple of months I'll be spending a lot of time glued to my new 40-inch LCD, following the Wings to what will hopefully be another championship.

The competition will be tougher than ever. The Wings start Thursday against Nashville, a team they have owned in the playoffs but which can inflict significant physical damage. (I'm not accusing them of thuggishness, but hey, if the shoe fits...)

After Nashville, who knows? It looks like San Jose is a good bet to be there all the way to the Western Conference final, and they're a team with which the Wings have had playoff troubles in the past. If there's a team that has a chance to dash the Wings' hopes, it's San Jose.

But, this being hockey, there might be a big surprise in store. Which Western Conference team could be this year's sleeper?

One thing's certain: playoff hockey is intense like no other sport can be, and it's a lot of fun to watch, so I'm looking forward to seeing as much of it as possible.

Go Wings!

UPDATE: Looks like San Jose got surpised by the Flames last night. Like I said...this being hockey, there might be a big surprise in store...

Is college "worth it?"

Via Instapundit, this rather interesting article on Inside Higher Ed:

College Isn't Worth a Million Dollars

Miller is particularly troubled by the financial situation in higher education, especially a financial aid system that he considers to be a byzantine mess that, especially as tuitions continue to soar, is ultimately failing to fulfill its primary purpose: expanding access to a college education to those who need it most. And not only do college officials show no serious signs of trying to fix the system’s flaws, he says, but Congress and others keep passing laws that just pour more money into it and even add to the complexity.

Part of the reason they do that, Miller argues, is because they believe college is such a valuable asset for individuals and for society. And they think that, in part, because of the widely embraced assertion that college is worth a million dollars in the bank. If a degree has that much value, how can we as a society not do everything possible to make sure everyone has a shot at the golden ring?

But what if the college premium doesn’t exist, or is greatly exaggerated?

I'll be the first to say college is damn expensive. Unless one has the GI Bill (as I do) or a really good scholarship (as my daughter does), one pays a lot of money for a very long time.

There are also jobs out there that do not require a college degree but pay quite well--for example, in my own field (telecommunications) there are many people earning well into six figures based on their training and certifications, regardless of whether or not they hold a college degree.

The main point this Miller fellow makes is that the often-repeated canard "a college graduate earns $1 million more over his/her career than someone with only a high school diploma" is incorrect. His calculations say the real figure is only about $280,000. ("Only" $280,000?!) Not a million dollars, certainly, but still not chump-change.

I didn't really need to go back to school. I've got a very well-paying job that I'd have gotten anyway, no need for a Master of Science degree. I went back to achieve a goal I set for myself a long time ago. For me, the "worth it" isn't measured in dollars.

Anyway, it's an interesting article, and raises some issues that hit close to home for anyone who has to pay for college.

Now THIS is funny!

Anyone who started using the Internet in the mid-1990s can relate to this amusing little clip. It's well worth the five minutes.

24: The Lost Pilot (Dateline: 1994)

Added Links

I've added a couple of new links into the Link List.

First is The Blue Lobster, by my friend David. He writes on various topics, always interesting.

Second is Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide. Mr. Cowen is a professor at George Mason University, close to my home. He's put together a great collection of mini reviews of restaurants in the D.C. metro area.

Enjoy!

Hollywood doesn't know when to stop

Lately, it seems a Hollywood fad to re-make classic films of the past (as if the addition of lots of flashy CGI could improve on already-great films, even with today's often sub-par scripts and actors). So what if the apes were more "realistic" in the 2001 version of "The Planet of the Apes?" It still sucked in comparison to the original. Hell, even Tom Cruise couldn't rescue the "War of the Worlds" remake. But, they keep trying, and perhaps one day they'll get it right.

However, it won't happen with the upcoming remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still." This is one of my all-time favorite films, and Hollywood is getting ready to rape it.

First, they've cast Keanu Reeves as Klaatu. Are you kidding me? Is there any possible way that guy could begin to approach the poise and gravity Michael Rennie brought to that role?

Second, they've decided on a little plot change.

From the MTV Movies blog:

Fifty years later and Klaatu has a new message for humanity, but one with equally dire consequences should we choose to ignore it, Keanu Reeves, who is playing the alien in Scott Derrickson’s upcoming remake, told MTV News.

“The first one was borne out of the cold war and nuclear détente. Klaatu came and was saying cease and desist with your violence. If you can’t do it yourselves we’re going to do it. That was the film of that day,” Reeves explained. “The version I was just working on, instead of being man against man, it’s more about man against nature. My Klaatu says that if the Earth dies, you die. If you die, the earth survives. I’m a friend to the earth.”

While humanity still engages in a staggering number of international conflicts, the environmental message is one that, not only encompasses wars, and fights, and terrorism, but one that goes beyond constrictions to become a millennial message of “what we are doing and who we are as a species,” Reeves insisted. “We’re trying to reach beyond the idea of [just] environmentalism.”

Again, are you kidding me? Klaatu comes all the way to Earth to fight global warming?

From a commenter on the MTV Movies blog, with whom I wholly agree:

It’s amazing that someone is willing to take one of the first pioneering science-fiction movies and turn it, in the cheapest pornographic way, into a propaganda tool of the dumbest ideological fad of this decade. If I were a kid of the original creators, I would demand the execution of those who are humiliating the work of my parent in such a dramatic way.

Hear, hear. Sometimes the classics should be left alone.

Keanu Reeves Brings Different Message With Him In ‘Day The Earth Stood Still’

How sad

I grew up in the Detroit area and have many fond memories of trips to Detroit's "Greektown" neighborhood. For those not familiar, Greektown is a collection of good Greek restaurants (and a casino, now) in downtown Detroit. It was there that I first tasted saganaki, the Kasseri cheese flambe' (always accompanied by a lusty "Opa!" from the waiter as he set it afire).

Sadly, Greektown's 107-year-old flagship restaurant, the New Hellas, will be closing its doors. From the Detroit News:

On Sunday night, the last glass of wine at New Hellas Café in Greektown will be poured and sipped. The final "Opa!" will be shouted. And then the doors will close for the last time.

After 107 years in Detroit, New Hellas, the city's oldest Greek restaurant, will be only a memory.

Owner Gus Anton, 80, of Grosse Pointe said he can't keep up with the busy life of a restaurateur anymore and will shut down the popular business his father opened in 1901.

"I'm very sad, naturally," he said. "But at my age, what can you do? I'm old. I need the rest."

Hopefully, someone will come along to buy the restaurant, but who knows in Michigan's current weak economy?

Anyway, I and many other native Detroiters will still have fond memories of Pastitsio and Spanakopita at the New Hellas.

Here's the entire story: Detroit's Oldest Greek Restaurant to Shut Doors

Could be European

OK, when I was living in Europe I noticed the folks over there are concerned the environment, and the efficient use of space.

Well, via Instapundit, here is an apparent attempt to address both concerns...

Combination Washing Machine and Toilet

It might work in Europe, but are Americans ready for something like this? What if someone gets drunk and confuses the two...

Spring Break

Ah, spring break...the phrase conjures images of sunny beaches, drunkenness, and "Girls Gone Wild."

Not, however, for the 41-year-old married online graduate student. For me, it just means I don't have regular class assignments for a week. I've still got the two research papers and two group case studies to do.

So, I'll be taking advantage of the "down time" to catch up on those other four things. So much for sunny beaches...