Notes · from · Peter

"How the Beatles Rocked the Eastern Bloc"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8232235.stm

For the next six weeks, I will be in Russia.

Because I do not anticipate any future alteration to this declaration, these are my three favorite songs from the Beatles:
1. In My Life
2. A Day in the Life
3. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

I am interested to know which other songs people hold dearly. From one enthusiast of music to another, please feel free to comment.

A few nights ago, my friends treated me to a wonderful experience at a Turkish restaurant in the Old City section, nearly beneath the Ben Franklin Bridge, of Philadelphia. We enjoyed lavish ethnic food, reveled under authentic Near Eastern ambience, and witnessed a fantastic display of entertainment that was provided by skilled musicians and a captivating belly dancer. It was, perhaps, my finest meal.

Yesterday, I made the following purchase of vinyl LP's for exactly $20:
The Beatles Rubber Soul
The Beatles The Beatles (White Album)
The Beatles Love Songs (Compilation)
Led Zeppelin I
Led Zeppelin Coda

I am continuously amazed.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 2008-09 Philadelphia Flyers! Here is my annual forecast of the team, accompanied by some bold predictions.

LW____________C_______________RW
Gagne______________Richards__________Briere
Hartnell_____________Carter____________Lupul
Upshall_____________Metropolit__________Knuble
Cote_______________Downie____________Asham

Scratches / AHL / Short-Term Prospects
Lukacevic (LW)____________Dowd ? (C)__________Giroux (RW)
______________________Powe (C)______________Nodl (RW)
_________________________________________Raduns (RW)

Long-Term Prospects
van Riemsdyk (C/LW)

Defense
Timonen__________Coburn
R. Jones__________Vaananen
Eminger__________Parent

Scratches / AHL / Short-Term Prospects
Hatcher? [IR]________Berard
Kukkonen__________Syrvet
Ramholt__________Bartulis
Ratchuk__________Hersley
Curry__________Guenin
Rathje ? [LTI]

Long-Term Prospects
Spisa__________Marshall
Bodrov__________Bourdon

(Rookies and prospects are denoted by italicized font.)


Bold predictions:
- The evolution of Braydon Coburn will continue to unfold in front of our eyes. This guy oozes with talent in almost every aspect of his game; he has speed, strength, a sharp pass, a developing shot, and leadership capabilities. Eventually he will be a franchise defenseman. The better he gets, the more stupid Atlanta GM Don Waddell looks for when he traded Coburn for Alexei Zhitnik (!). Coburn has two more years as a Flyer ahead of him. Let's hope that Holmgren offers him a nice extension (a la Joffrey Lupul).
- Speaking of the Saskatchewan native, this will be Joffrey Lupul's break-out season. He may hit 35 goals! I expect a full season without health issues. Furthermore, this is the first time in his short career that he doesn't have to worry about trades or contracts, which may be one less burden on his mind.
- Keep notice of Ryan Parent. As a defensive specialist, this will be his first complete season with the Flyers. His maturity and leadership will make him a valuable asset in years to come.
- Claude Giroux, the best Flyers prospect ready for the NHL, will start the season with the Phantoms. This is not a surprise to me. He had a quiet training camp through preseason. In the AHL, he will be a Flyers' injury away from a call-up. Coach Stevens even said that when Giroux plays it won't be with the fourth line, it will be among the top nine forwards. Claude Giroux will be just fine, and he will be exciting to watch this upcoming year. Tamper your short-term expectations however, as there is a logjam of talent ahead of him on the roster.
- How about Luca Sbisa? This draft pick from a few months ago looks so good that he may be in the NHL next year!
- Now that Jeff Carter is slated to anchor the second line, expect his point total to plateau at least around the 70 range.
- Derian Hatcher has already played his last game as a Flyer. I expect his retirement within a few weeks. I haven't exactly praised him in the past, but he is an experienced leader that had an illustrious career in the NHL. He will be missed.
- Do not be surprised if Paul Holmgren makes a trade before the deadline. Jay Bouwmeester is currently the best young defenseman you never heard of, and many teams around the NHL will make a push to trade for him. Is it possible that Holmgren will deal away an overpaid Randy Jones, among other trade chips (Knuble)?
- The goalie situation will seem placated with Biron as the starter. I expect another solid season out of him, especially since the defense corps in front of him has improved. However, his contract is up after this year. I expect him to re-sign with the organization, but I wouldn't be surprised if Paul Holmgren goes after a hot goalie prospect. Jaroslav Halak from Montreal, anyone?
- This is not a prediction, but I will state the obvious: the Flyers are a better team than they were last year.
- The Flyers will at least make a return to the Conference Finals. Possibly a visit to the Stanley Cup Finals, to face the Detroit Red Wings? I wouldn't rule it out.

This past weekend I have made one of my greatest material purchases. Somehow I managed to stumble upon six different Beatles LP's that were for sale (!). I proceeded to buy all of the vinyl for $21 plus tax. They include:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Yellow Submarine
Abbey Road
Hey Jude (The Beatles Again)
1962-1966
1967-1970
I still cannot believe that they were available. And it was quite a bargain!

The Philadelphia Flyers had an excellent hockey season in 2007-08. The team was one of the last four remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, only one year after being the worst in the whole league. GM Paul Holmgren did a masterful job of assembling this unit. The core of the Flyers is young and there is a massive upside. John Stevens deserves credit for his role as the coach in this transformation. The Flyers have a lot of work to do this offseason. This article describes my own personal agenda if I was General Manager. With the salary cap in the NHL expected to rise to around $55 million next year, there is a limited amount of space for Philly to address its needs.

Jeff Carter must remain a Flyer for years to come. I wouldn't expect the length or average per year as Richards (12 years for $5.5 mil each), but around 6-7 years for $4 mil each. Maybe offer more than 6 years or as high as $4.5 million; do whatever it takes to sign this guy. Carter has all the makings of a stud centerman. He owns a lethal wristshot, is hard to knock off the puck, and he plays tight defense. He has improved gradually each year so far. Carter is coveted by most of the NHL, so if the Flyers don't sign him before he becomes a free agent, there is no doubt another team will offer big numbers. Holmgren has said that he will do whatever it takes to sign Carter. Go, Homer, Go!

I would love to see R.J. Umberger continue to sport the orange and black, but this situation will be dicey. Umberger had an impressive postseason and that will increase his value to a degree. His 10 goals powered the Flyers all the way to the Conference Finals. However, R.J. isn't the top-flight goal scorer this postseason may have depicted. In reality he is a gritty forward that is great at creating chances for his linemates. He almost tallied 40 assists this past season. A few years ago I laughed when I heard comparisons to Keith Primeau, but I recognize that is now more accurate than ever. In the case of R.J. Umberger, I hope to sign him to a deal of around 4 years, $3 mil each. Unfortunately, Umberger may think he deserves more.

Randy Jones had a year that exceeded all expectations. His hockey style doesn't have one particular strength, but he is a lightly balanced defenseman. He fits into the second or third pairing of defensemen and he can do a serviceable job if he's called up to the top unit. I would approach him with a 2 year, $2.5 million deal.

In smaller transactions, the Flyers should easily retain Riley Cote, Jim Dowd, Patrick Thoresen, Ryan Potulny. Maybe Stefan Ruzicka.

In order to retain maneuverability under the salary cap, some players would not return to the Flyers next year. Jason Smith will not get an offer. Don't count on Jaroslav Modry either. Vinny Prospal won't be needed to help Briere anymore, as we must depend on a concussed Simon Gagne next year. Perhaps the most painful move, I would buy out the last year in the contract of Sami Kapanen. He has been a commendable Flyer and he will be missed. His best days are long past, and $1.25 million is a high salary for a fourth-line winger. Thoresen can do the same thing and his salary is nearly half. Furthermore, don't count on ever seeing Jesse Boulerice again.

Remember that top prospect Claude Giroux (RW) will probably make his way into the lineup this season. Ryan Parent and Steve Downie will assume starting roles after gaining valuable experience this past year. The third major prospect, James vanRiemsdyk (LW), is still another year away. The Flyers' future looks very bright.

The Flyers long-term future looks certain to improve with the exception of the goalie position. Marty Biron had an above-average season and in some stretches he was excellent. He was the predominant reason why Philadelphia eliminated the Canadiens in the second round. I like him as the starter in 2008-09. However, I feel that Biron is playing at his peak and it is difficult to depend on him to produce at the same level in the future. Niittymaki is a good back-up, but he is not the answer either. The goalies in the system, Martin Houle and Scott Munroe, don't appear to be starting quality in the NHL. At this point I would try to trade for a young goalie who may be able to start in 2009-2010. Jaroslav Halak of Montreal is a name I would pursue.

Also, what should the Flyers do about Simon Gagne? Let him skate, I say. He'll be ready share a line with Briere again. Gagne has immense talent and still has yet to reach his prime. But there are major questions about his health. Will he be out for even more time if he suffers another concussion? Isn't that highly risky and hard to avoid? Yes to both, however, I think you have to let your superstar play. If you choose to let him go, 29 other teams would rush to sign him.

There is chatter that the Flyers should go after Brian Campbell, one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the league. I would welcome this but I doubt its chances of happening. Campbell is a stud and will probably demand at least $5 million a year on his next contract. The only way I foresee him as a Flyer is if the Flyers are unable to resign Umberger and they choose to buy out the rest of Hatcher's contract (that or Hatcher may retire). I wouldn't rule out signing Brian Campbell, but don't count on it. There are other golden possibilities in this position that would be less costly, such as Mark Streit, Shea Weber, and Ryan Suter.

Here is how I envision the Flyers starting lineup for the 08-09 hockey season, by position:
LW - C - RW
Gagne _______ Briere ______ Knuble
Hartnell _____ Richards _____ Lupul
Umberger? ____ Carter _____ Upshall
Thoresen _____ Dowd ______ Downie

Defense
Timonen _____ Coburn
R. Jones _____ Hatcher?
Parent ______ Kukkonen

Goalie- Marty Biron

If I had my way
I'd eat omelettes each day
Ham and cheese, egg whites please

    The Flyers have been busy the past few months and I’ve become very excited for hockey season.  GM Paul Holmgren has done a superb job of rebuilding the team from inside-out.  This is a very different Philadelphia Flyers from one year ago.  This is how I envision the lineup:

LW - C - RW
Gagne               Briere               Knuble
Hartnell             Carter               Lupul
Umberger          Richards           Upshall
Eager                Potulny             Kapanen

Defense
Timonen            J. Smith
Coburn              Hatcher
Kukkonen           Gauthier 

Goalies
1 – Martin Biron
2 – Antero Niittymaki

    There are some top prospects that I am anticipating: Steve Downie (C), Claude Giroux (RW), and Ryan Parent (D).  That's the order they will probably be called up pending any injuries on the Flyers squad.  Also worth mentioning in the minors: Alexandre Picard (D), Stefan Ruzicka (RW), Lars Jonsson (D), Oskars Bartulis (D).  And don’t forget that they just drafted James vanRiemsdyk with the 2nd overall pick!

Here are some bold predictions:
- Bulked-up Jeff Carter will have a breakout year.
- Joffrey Lupul can be a 30-goal scorer, or even better.
- Forget about Joni Pitkanen- Braydon Coburn will be the franchise defenseman.
- Antero Niittymaki may just reclaim the #1 goalie spot.
- Gauthier or Hatcher will be gone in a year, or before the trade deadline.
- The Flyers will be in the playoffs!

More random facts about myself:

- I have yet to pump my own gas.
- When I was a boy, people frequently chanted "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" to me.
- Although I'm not Italian, I eat like one!
- I will visit Armenia sometime in my life.
- I take a lot of notes, outside of school too.
- Once upon a time, I aspired to major in French.
- Organization is a trait I practice.
- One of my first favorite groups was Boyz II Men.
- I'm nice.

Summer break is nearly half through. Much has been accomplished up to this point, and I still have personal plans for the second half. I'm in the midst of a summer class, US History 2. I am on the search for bartending jobs. Once I settle, I will purchase my own car. There is really nothing exciting here.

I don't have anything interesting to say. It's official. In an effort to add a little spice to this journal, allow me to provide some random facts about myself. Maybe these will make the entry worth it:

- My favorite Chinese food is shrimp lo mein.
- Because of family heritage, I have a unique attachment to the New York Yankees.
- I like Philadelphia, but to me NYC is "the city."
- If I was an athlete, my number would be 15.
- Once I ate 7 slices of pizza in one sitting.
- I have been on an airplane only for one round trip.
- I have never been pulled over by the police. (Seriously knock on some wood.)

Let's face it, to be single has a bad reputation. Some look down upon it. Some are afraid to ever experience it. Some look at it as a form of defeat. It does not deserve this unfair connotation.

People constantly bash being single. "He/She is single? Aw, that surprises me." Apparently the single comprises a group that is not capable of graduating to some higher level? "She has been single for how long? I can't understand why that is so." People that are single are not handicapped, believe it or not. They are people like you and me. The constitution protects these citizens. Are they any less of a human being? Or let's put this in reverse. When was the last time you heard someone ask "why is ___ rarely ever single?" Clearly the bias favors people in relationships. That's how our society was built.

To be single can be a beautiful thing. It allows a person to be absolute in their own eyes without the egocentrism. For example, the single person: (1) saves a lot of money (2) doesn't divide and multiply everything by two, and most importantly, (3) can solely focus on their own needs. You can be exactly what you want to be and nobody will prevent you from thinking twice about it. Life is yours to make.

All I ask of you is to realize that there is nothing pitiful about being single. There are ups and downs of being single, as there are the highs and lows with being in a relationship. It all equals out. All you have to do is decide... which do you prefer?

This past year has been difficult for Philadelphia sports fans. I am one of these tortured people. Our hopes are built up and then smashed down time after time. Some of us become miserable, pessimistic, or belligerent. Yet I consistently remain loyal.

The Eagles. Always some sort of drama with the birds. Andy Reid's sons get into major trouble with the law. Management chose not to pursue Donte Stallworth and Jeff Garcia, and then they brought in Kevin Curtis and Takeo Spikes. At the draft they selected a QB, Kevin Kolb, with their 1st pick. This sent shockwaves throughout the entire Delaware Valley region! I have supported Donovan McNabb over the years, but it's time for him to take off his diaper and lead this team to a Super Bowl.

It was a bad year for the Flyers. In fact it was the worst season in their history. At least they have an intriguing offseason to look forward to. Well under the salary cap, they have LOTS of money to spend and I think they'll use most of it. I believe that they will sign Daniel Briere (C) and Kimmo Timonen (D). I would also like to see them acquire Scott Gomez or Andrei Markov. The Lightning are rumored to be shopping Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Richards- I would be satisfied with any! Chris Drury would be sweet but I think it'll be either him or Briere, not both. Less popular defensemen such as Vitali Vishnevski or Danny Markov would be nice fits as well. Let's face it, money talks. The Flyers already have a very good core of young talent and prospects. Biron is a solid goaltender. If they make those major transactions, especially with a better d-man or two, the Flyers should be a playoff team again.

And those Fightin' Phillies. Perhaps the most painful team to endure. Their lineup has the same flaws as they've had for years now- they strike out way too much and they're not clutch. Their bullpen sucks. Their bench sucks too. They have zero batting prospects in the minor leagues, although there are some decent pitchers in AAA. Charlie Manuel is a lousy manager. Pat Burrell needs to go, but nobody wants him! Trade him for a bucket of balls. Trade Rowand for a decent relief pitcher. Move Victorino to center. Jayson Werth, as bad as he is, is better than Burrell. Michael Bourn, maybe he isn't ready for the majors yet, is better than Burrell. Pat Gillick has a lot of work to do.

My 2007 spring semester is officially complete. 100%. Le fin. Конец. It was a personal success across the board. It felt like part of me was weakened by my poor sleep patterns, but I should regain those lost hours. I will miss some aspects of this semester however:

- Professor DiCicco's acute sense of humor, I haven't laughed so hard in years! Just ask my sister. Not bad for Health.
- Dr. Hurley's borderline senile state. Nothing special in Macroeconomics.
- My classmates in French-- language classes bring people together. But I can't believe that I once intended to major in this!
- I overcame my fears in Public Speaking. The commemorative speech to pizza was a smash hit.
- No fond non-learning memories in US History 1, I apologize.

It's not that easy being uninteresting. It seems like I blend in with so many other ordinary things. People tend to pass me over because I'm not standing out. I am boring and it'll do fine, it's beautiful. And I think it's what I want to be.

So it's already the month of March? I wouldn't have believed it if you told me. 2007 has been bustling to this point and I haven't been able to stop and look around. I see that I'm inching closer to achieve my short-term goals. My friends and family are all healthy and in tact. Everything is organized and I'm fortunate for this.

Phillies baseball is only 1 month away! The Delaware Valley has a mad case of the "Phever" and I am personally pumped to see the Fightins. The lineup and starting pitching are among the best in the National League. The only weakness is in the back end of the bullpen, which is surrounded by 2 major questions. Can Tom Gordon stay healthy all year? Will Antonio Alfonseca return to his previous form? I feel that Ryan Madsen and Geoff Geary are solid. Young guns Matt Smith and Fabio Castro are going to turn some heads, too.

People may think I'm crazy, but I'm betting that Pat Burrell will improve over his woeful 2006. I wouldn't trade John Lieber just yet, either. There are rumors that Alex Rios (Toronto) may be involved in some sort of trade to Philadelphia, which would probably exit Aaron Rowand. You've gotta believe that Pat Gillick has something up his sleeve.

The Fightins haven't had a postseason appearance since 1993. My prediction is 96 wins and the NL East division crown! "That ball is OUTTA HERE!"

The winds of winter are blowing bitterly. The same events unfold this season like they do every year. Some hearts grow cold, and as a result other hearts become broken. I experienced being on the second half almost one year ago. Unfortunately, this year it is happening to people close to me. There's nothing I hate more than to see my friends in emotional torment. If any of you are reading this, you ought to know that I support you.

Now that the semester is 26% through, it's time for a little evaluation. Let's look at my grades and how I think I'll faire in the near future.
Public Speaking (Sokoloff) - I have a low A at the moment. Quizzes are easy, and the only serious matters are the speeches themselves (just look at the name of the class). I expect for my grade to stay the same.
Health & Wellness (DiCicco) - I think I have an A, but I don't even know what we've been graded on. Test this week. The only worries are 2 major assignments due later in the semester. It's nice to share a class with my sister. The professor is hilarious!
US History 1 (Morrill) - A. This is your typical history class, plenty of reading. The homework and studying is the same thing each week. The professor is an excellent orator.
French 2 (Krishnamurthy) - A. Most of the work is a review of material I learned 3-4 years ago. The only problem is, my French is extremely rusty! Because it is a language class, there is always work to do.
Macroeconomics (Hurley) - I don't know yet. I underestimated a quiz last week and I disappointed myself, to be truthful. If I study more, I should be able to bring myself to "A" territory. The professor has a nice technique.

If you aren't from the South Jersey area, there is a strong winter storm going on at the moment. Weathermen predict that there will be more of a wintry-mix expected on Valentine's Day. Finally, it seems like there is a female who is showing interest in me. Yes, that would be Mother Nature! She knows exactly what I like! Watch out folks!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6323887.stm

Do you want to be famous? In Turkey, you can murder an Armenian and be treated like a hero. This is disgusting. This is proof that nationalism, in whichever country you may find it, is a serious threat to international peace.

Quite a number of things have developed since I last updated you. Most obviously, the spring semester has come into full effect. I realized that at the start of each semester, for the first week, I become soooo stressed out over just about everything. Today felt like the first day in which I was without any worries. Let's take a look into my classes.

Public Speaking (Sokoloff) - The professor seems to be nice, honest, and tough. Surprisingly it will be a lot of work. PS isn't a strength of mine, but I've already started with good grades on my first presentation. I hope this will continue.

Health & Wellness (DiCicco) - Contrary to what you believe, this won't be an easy A. The work seems few and far between, but the assignments are rather large. However I share this class with my sister, which is nice.

US History 1 (Morrill) - I think this will be easy. Like all history classes, there is a lot of reading. The testing is favorable and the professor is extremely kind. A bit boring in this one.

Elementary French 2 (Krishnamurthy) - My first experience in this course was very interesting. I haven't been in a French class in over 3 years. Before then, I had French for 5.25 years straight. For the first 10 minutes, I was a little lost in my listening comprehension. Then it all came back to me. Unfortunately, my absence from the French language brought me to lose some vocabulary. The other classmates are a lot of fun to be with. We meet once per week. This should be sweet.

Macroeconomics (Hurley) - I registered for this class later than usual, without missing anything. This professor is a retired businessman who apparently is a genius when it comes to money. The assignments and projects seem rather standard, and we meet once per week. This shouldn't be much of a challenge.

I dropped Chemistry & Society. Professor Argentine was very unorganized, and I think this was his first semester teaching. From the two classes I was in, I saw a teacher who was improvising his curriculum constantly. Also, I'm not sure he realized that this is a lab science for Liberal Arts students. Heh, people in Physics probably will get less work. Because of all of these factors, I decided to drop this class. A lab science is required for me, so I will register for one in the summer.

Since my classes have settled down, I know the rest of my 2007 schedule. I would like to take my lab science over the summer. In the fall, I'll have 12 credits left at CCC. In December, I'll earn my Associates degree and will be ready to move on to (probably) either Rutgers or Rowan.