GZ Expat, Part II

links for 2008-04-30

• The Hockey News: Rumor Roundup: Rumor Roundup: Canuck conundrums
  Gillis could be mulling a change in the Canucks’ style of play from their defensive system to a more offensive style, which could result in replacing Vigneault.
  (tags: canucks hockey nhl)
• China says speeding caused train collision that killed 70 - International Herald Tribune
  To maintain its tight control over media coverage of the accident, authorities repeatedly blocked foreign journalists from speaking to survivors.
  (tags: china news)

links for 2008-04-25

• Arms shipment meant for Zimbabwe to return to China - International Herald Tribune
  China's strategic retreat in delivering the weapons could help mollify critics of its human rights record before it holds the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.
  (tags: china africa military)
• New rules for expats in China - International Herald Tribune
  The rules, which were introduced last week with no warning and little explanation, limit new visas to 30 days, making it difficult, if not impossible, for long-term residents to hold down jobs and maintain uncomplicated lives.
  (tags: expat china olympics)

links for 2008-04-24

• NHL
  VANCOUVER - New Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis says he isn't sure what changes he will make to the NHL team.
  (tags: nhl hockey canucks)

links for 2008-04-19

• FT.com / In depth - Beijing imposes tariffs on fertiliser
  Chinese policymakers have been sensitive to any increases in farm costs, both because of the impact on farmers’ incomes and the potential flow on to already high levels of inflation.
  (tags: china economics)
• FT.com / Asia-Pacific / China - Executives caught by China visa changes
  “People flows are at the heart of the success in this area and to have that restricted sends a bad message.”
  (tags: china hongkong politics)
• The Weekly Standard
  The Iraqi Army outperformed their American betters on that day. Isn’t that worth a headline as well?
  (tags: iraq waronterror military)
• lgf: Most Disgraceful Former President Ever
  GZE2 - The headline says it all...
  (tags: waronterror news)
• Spezza for Luongo deal among rumors surrounding Sens - Sports Rumors - NHL - Yahoo! Sports
  GZE2 - Uhhhhh...put the crack pipe down folks. Spezza is a disappearing act...remember last years finals? Of course you don't, because Spezza was nowhere to be found...same for this year.
  (tags: hockey nhl canucks)

links for 2008-04-18

• Chinese Class Clown Executed | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
  classroom jokester Wei Xiang, 11, was put to death by the Chinese government for drawing a mustache on an image of Education Minister Zhou Ji in one of his textbooks, sources reported Monday.
  (tags: humor)
• Channelnewsasia.com: China reportedly cancels May 1 plan to reopen Tibet
  Asked whether the reopening for foreign and domestic tourists had been postponed, a Tibet Tourism Bureau official told AFP by phone: "Yes, because conditions are not ripe for it."
  (tags: china tibet protests)
• Pub Philosopher: Chinese troops reported in Zimbabwe
  There are reports from Zimbabwe of Chinese troops attacking MDC supporters in the eastern province of Manicaland and of ten armed Chinese military officers appearing with Zimbabwean army colleagues in a hotel in the provincial capital, Mutare.
  (tags: china africa)
• Torch passes quietly through empty Delhi streets - International Herald Tribune
  The Olympic torch made a strange and lonely procession through central Delhi on Thursday, with the event so comprehensively overshadowed by fears of the anti-Chinese protests that no members of the public were allowed close enough to witness it.
  (tags: china olympics tibet protests)
• Michael J. Totten: Now They Have Turned to the Tribes
  (tags: iraq military waronterror)
• FOXNews.com - PetSmart Sued for Hamster Blamed in Deaths of Three People
  (tags: news)

links for 2008-04-16

• Users fight to save Windows XP - Yahoo! News
  Others used the comments section to rail against the very idea that Microsoft has the power to enforce the phase-out from a stable, decent product to one that many consider worse, while profiting from the move.
  (tags: tech news microsoft)
• KuklasKorner : Canucks and Beyond : Fallout of Nonis Firing
  Nonis must really be a nice guy, because I can’t remember a time in Canucks history where so much hockey media actually thought a Canucks GM should not be fired.
  (tags: hockey canucks)
• The Hockey News: Headlines: Nonis fired because Canucks needed new leadership, owner says
  One of the first decisions for the new general manager is whether or not to keep head coach Alain Vigneault. Vigneault was named coach of the year last season but his trait of criticizing some players in the media ruffled some players this year.
  (tags: canucks hockey)
• FT.com / In depth - China defends torch security ‘volunteers’
  It was still unclear on Tuesday whether China’s “security runners” would be issued visas to enter Japan.
  (tags: china olympics japan)
• Too Many Daves - the 'Nucks need a new Dave as Nonis cut loose | Hockey Northwest - Home of the Canucks Outsider Podcast
  Pat Quinn is more likely (Is Quinn back IN? by Ian Bell), nevertheless i am leery of going back in time to attempt to recreate lost magic.
  (tags: hockey canucks)

links for 2008-04-15

• Satellite dish clampdown in Shanghai
  In many Chinese cities, it costs a few thousand yuan to have a satellite dish and hacked decoder installed in an apartment. As long as Chinese TV continues to be so vanilla, the government will not be able to get rid of these 'illegal' satellite dishes.
  (tags: china television)
• Instapundit.com - Hurricane Expert Reassesses Link to Warming
  some of the public spokescientists have gotten ahead of the science, and others at least have muted any criticism of, say, Al Gore's stretching of the truth. When you allow your work to be politicized, politics follow.
  (tags: weather globalwarming)
• Beijing takes sweeping measures to combat pollution ahead of Olympics - International Herald Tribune
  they represent the most concrete scenario for how Beijing will reach its long-standing pledge to stage a "green games" (GZE2 - and after the games are over...everything goes back to the way they were...a charade)
  (tags: china environment olympics pollution)

Canucks fire GM Nonis - NHL - Yahoo! Sports

Canucks fire GM Nonis - NHL - Yahoo! Sports.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) - The Vancouver Canucks on Monday fired Dave Nonis after three seasons as the team’s general manager.

Nonis was promoted from the position of senior vice president and director of hockey operations to general manager, replacing Brian Burke in May 2004.

Vancouver struggled under Nonis’ watch, failing to secure a postseason berth in two of the last three seasons.

After enjoy their best regular season in franchise history in 2006-07 by recording 105 points and clinching the Northwest Division title, the Canucks finished with 88 points this campaign and failed to qualify for the postseason.

“The decision to relieve Dave of his duties was difficult,” Canucks chairman Francesco Aquilini said. “We want to thank Dave for the many contributions he has made helping to build our organization during his tenure. However, I think this important change in leadership is critical to the future of the team and the direction we need to take. It’s not acceptable to our fans or to us as owners that our team isn’t in the playoffs.

“As owners we made a commitment to deliver the kind of hockey our fans deserve. At the same time, with leadership comes responsibility. So, our search begins today for a new general manager, and our focus going forward is on a winning season in 2008-09.”

Wow...very unexpected.  Of all the people taking the blame in the past couple weeks, most pundits felt Nonis was safe, as he had played the purse strings fairly tight during his reign.  I'm floored...

But, I am wondering how far Vigneault is behind him??  GM's and coaches usually go hand in hand and Viggy was Nonis' guy. 

Let's see...Linden as GM?????   That may not be too far of a stretch...but, I'd much prefer him behind the bench.

 

links for 2008-04-14

• Chinese president hints at improved ties with Taiwan - International Herald Tribune
  GZE2 - Or...how to save the Olympics by making nice with Taiwan, part I
  (tags: china taiwan politics)
• Anwar capping a comeback in Malaysia - International Herald Tribune
  The opposition's gains have thrown the United Malays National Organization, which has governed Malaysia since its independence in 1957, into disarray.
  (tags: malaysia election politics)
• FT.com / Companies / Aerospace & defence - Delta and Northwest merger imminent
  Delta and Northwest have agreed to stick with many elements of the tentative pact they reached more than a month ago, including the location of the combined companys headquarters - Delta’s hometown of Atlanta - and its leader - Delta CEO Richard Anderso
  (tags: business)

links for 2008-04-13

• FT.com / Asia-Pacific / China - China and Taiwan hold historic talks
  The People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan. The island was a Japanese colony until 1945 and then came under control of the Republic of China government which was defeated on the mainland in the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
  (tags: china taiwan politics)
• J.K. Rowling⊘s The Tales of Beedle the Bard
  The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself.
  (tags: books)
• FOXNews.com - Alicia Keys: 'Gangsta Rap' Created to Convince Black People to Kill Each Other - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment
  "'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist." (GZE2 - along with AIDS, Sickle Cell Anemia, Terrorism, etc...these people are nuts!)
  (tags: music political)