San Jose commit regecide and slay the Kings in game one of the Western Conference Quarterfinals

Wow! The San Jose Sharks came out to play last night at the SAP Center. When the horn sounded at the end of the third period, the Sharks were up 6-3, taking the critical first game. Wearing the alternate Black sweaters, the Sharks hit hard in the first period getting goals by Captain Joe Thornton, rookie Tomas Hertl, and fan favorite & alternate Captain Patrick Marleau. As expected, the game was very physical with both sides putting hits on the other. After the third goal, LA Coach Darryl Sutter had the most frustrating expression on his face. Once the fifth goal was scored, the entire LA bench had a hangdog look about them.

Tribute To A Best Friend

Sunlight streams through window pane
unto a spot on the floor....
then I remember,
it's where you used to lie,
but now you are no more.
Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,
and muted echoes sound....
then I remember,
It's where your paws would joyously abound.
A voice is heard along the road,
and up beyond the hill,
then I remember it can't be yours....
your golden voice is still.
But I'll take that vacant spot of floor
and empty muted hall
and lay them with the absent voice
and unused dish along the wall.
I'll wrap these treasured memorials
in a blanket of my love
and keep them for my best friend
until we meet above.

Author Unknown

On April 11, I lost my companion and friend, Moshuh of 13 1/2 years. Those readers of the blog may recall “Moshuh’s Adventures’. Moshuh and I explored the County parks in western Nevada, primarily Washoe and Carson City counties together. It allowed us to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather while checking out the many dog-friendly areas available to Northern Nevada residents. I had to halt the trips when he just couldn’t handle the excursions.

It's time for the National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week again

The annual Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is almost here: April 13-19. It’s time to let your dispatchers know how much you appreciate them.

Why?

Spend a full day (or evening) shadowing a Public Safety Telecommunicator (also known as a dispatcher) and see what their job is really like. But before I get in to the in’s and out’s of a dispatcher’s job, how did the National Week come to pass?

The Red King: King William Rufus of England

"Here stood the oak tree, on which an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrell at a stag, glanced and struck King William the Second, surnamed Rufus, on the breast, of which he instantly died, on the second day of August, anno 1100. King William the Second, surnamed Rufus, being slain, as before related, was laid in a cart, belonging to one Purkis, and drawn from hence, to Winchester, and buried in the Cathedral Church, of that city."

The inscription on the Rufus Stone which supposedly marks the spot where William Rufus was felled by the arrow.

If one thing is certain, it is being born with Royal blood doesn’t make one safe from harm. Case in point: William, second son of William Guillaume le Batard – more commonly known as William the Bastard or King William the Conqueror (of England). The young son of the Conqueror had reddish hair and a ruddy complexion which landed him the nickname of William Rufus. The King had decided to bequeath Normandy to William’s older brother, Robert Curthose and England to William. A fourth son, Henry wasn’t due to get any land at all. Poor Henry would end up with a pouch of silver, about $5,000. Pounds, once his father kicked the bucket.

The division of the lands wasn’t acceptable by the family. Robert and his father were known to argue over it. In fact, Robert fought his father at the Vexin, in combat. Robert felt he should be heir for all of the lands, not just part of them. It was written by some historians that Robert and William never truly reconciled after the fight and that Robert’s lack of presence at his father’ deathbed was a result of the rift.

King William II also known as William Rufus

San Jose Sharks update

It’s long past time for an update on the San Jose Sharks, and wow are the guys kicking some ice hockey butt this season! What is amazing about the team’s success this year is how it has been done with many key players on the injured reserve list. Thankfully, the Olympic break allowed hurts to heal.

The Gold-medal winning Canadian team included Patrick Marleau and Marc-Eduoard Vlasic, who both returned with a boosted enthusiasm while Antti Niemi was a member of the bronze medal winning team Finland. Team USA didn’t win a medal, but Joe Pavelski gave a good performance.