Here at Layer 7, we’ve been really excited about Amazon’s Relational Data Service (RDS) ever since they announced it last month. RDS is basically a managed mySQL v5.1 instance running in the Amazon infrastructure. The point of RDS to provide another basic service that we all need all of the time, managed within the AWS ecosystem. It offers some great scaling options (in terms of instance sizing), but best of all, it provides automatic snapshoting of  database instances. This revolutionizes EC2 because it solves the nagging persistence problem that we all face when we terminate instances. We’ve all come up with clever ways of dealing with this using S3 and EBS,  but now it’s gotten much easier.

Since RDS is really mySQL under the covers, I had been hearing that it’s pretty easy to port to. We’ve been itching to play with it here, using Layer 7’s SecureSpan Gateway AMI that’s runs in EC2. Unfortunately, this Fall has been really busy, so none of us have had an opportunity to play with it until now.

The inimitable Jay Thorne, who is a musician first but holds down a day job here as Director of Development for the Tactical group, finally cleared an afternoon to put RDS through it’s paces. I had to step out for coffee with another of our execs, which turned into a longer-than-expected discussion. But by the time I got back, Jay was done: SecureSpan using persistent Amazon RDS storage. Hello, cloud registry/repository…

Here’s Jay’s summary, which I think speaks for itself:

Total elapsed time: 1.25 hours
Number of pdf documents read: 1
Number of web pages read: 3
Number of command copy/pastes from doc: 6
Number of dbs created by mistake until I got the zoning right: 2
Number of mistyped credentials until I learned to use a creds file: 7
Number of dumpfiles created source side: 1
Number of times I had to import to get it right: 1
Number of characters in the hostname of the db: 50
Number of hosts I put in the db firewall allow list: 1
Number of sets of user credentials I created: 1
Number of lines in our internal wiki article I wrote about this: 35
Number of bangs on the keyboard in frustration: 0

De ceva vreme sunt un mare amator de oferte. Urmaresc sa imi minimizez costurile dar sa imi sporesc serviciile. Cu alte cuvinte, vreau sa platesc mai putin dar sa am mai mult.

Asa se face ca si la internet am vanat acelasi lucru. Pana mai ieri am fost abonat la internet la iLink. Sa fie vreo 4 ani. Am crescut odata cu reteaua de cartier care mai tarziu a fost inghitita de iLink. Am avut abonamentul Gold (45 lei) cu 15Mbps extern si 100 Mbps metropolitan.

Tanjeam si dupa FiberLink care, o buna perioada de timp, nu a fost disponibila la mine in zona. Acum este! Si au si oferta:

FiberLink2 – 39 lei
100 mbps extern
100 mbps metropolitan

Sunt constient ca nu voi prinde niciodata vitezele scrise acolo dar totusi este o oferta mai buna decat cea de la iLink.

Ce m-a surprins neplacut a fost dezinteresul celor de la iLink al caror client am fost atata timp. M-am dus sa imi reziliez contractul zilele trecute si am facut-o intr-un timp record. Nu m-a intrebat nimeni NIMIC despre motivele pentru care vreau sa renunt la contract. Mi s-a dat o cerere, am completat-o si PA, PA, PA! Frumos! Halal suport pentru clienti!

Anyway sper ca nu am facut o greseala ca am trecut la RDS cu toate ca am citit o gramada de povesti despre serviciile defectuoase si despre vitezele slabe.

Fonte:  TOP List Aziende 2.0 – Social Media Marketing

sexton

The Irish back line to face Fiji on Saturday will have a very familiar feel with all bar Keith Earls playing for Leinster. It also sees a much anticipated (and predicted) debut for Jonny Sexton. Let’s hope home comforts lead to a great Test debut for the Leinster 10.

I am happy that Kidney has picked a strong side as it would have been disrespectful to Fiji but also it is very difficult for a debutant to come into a side that has been riddled with changes. Fluidity tends to be low and therefore we do not see how the player would realistically cope in Test match circumstances.

Prior to this season it would have been difficult for anyone to oust ROG from the Irish 10 jersey but a combination of loss of form from the Munsterman and the sensational past 6 months from Sexton has really narrowed the gap.

According to Sexton, “It was nice to hear my name (called out). I feel I’m probably a bit old to be making my debut when you look at the likes of Luke, Rob, Keith Earls and Cian…but it’s a very proud moment for my family and me. We’ve played five or six games together (with Eoin) and there will be a lot of other Leinster backs outside me.

“It ranks right up there. The Heineken Cup is a team thing, but getting picked for Ireland is such a proud personal moment since you were a young child. Ireland have had some great success over the last few years and it has made the younger lads hungry to be involved with Triple Crown and Grand Slam winning sides.

“At the beginning of last year there was a lot of talk about me being back up (with Ireland) but it didn’t happen for me. So I just concentrated on playing well for Leinster and if something were to happen from there, then all the better. I know the ground quite well and it’s probably going to be windy, which is not unusual there, so it will be nice to play in the RDS.”

Congrats also to Sean O’Brien who will potentially make his debut.

15: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14: Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
13: Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) CAPTAIN
12: Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11: Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10: Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)*
9: Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

1: Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
2: Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
3: John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4: Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
5: Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6: Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7: Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
8: Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
17: Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18: Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19: Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)*
20: Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
21: Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
22: Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

*Denotes Uncapped Player

Michael Cheika

It appears Michael Cheika is favourite to take charge of the new Super 15 side from Melbourne following this, his final season, as coach at Leinster.

The new club will have a big annual budget of AUS$4million and will be looking for a successful coach to lead what could become the Galacticos of the Southern Hemisphere with the likes of Dan Carter and Berrick Barnes being mooted as recruits.

It is becoming increasingly inevitable that this will be Cheika’s last year at the RDS. Let’s hope the Leinster top brass have put together a good strategic plan for his successor if, or more likely, when he departs.

The Green Party held a special convention at the RDS Concert hall in Dublin’s Ballsbridge to decide  if the party had a future in Government with Fianna Fail and the vote on whether to accept the NAMA proposals put forward by its partner in Government.

Around 800 members of the approximately 2000+ strong party membership turned up to hear the proposals and cast their ballot.

The Party leadership were successful on both fronts, with 523 members voting Yes to the revised programme for Government between Fianna Fail and the Greens. Had they failed to get a two-thirds majority it would have led to the collapse of the current  Fianna Fail/Green Party Government and the country would have had a general election to look forward to.

The second vote centered around the motion to reject the creation of National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). 415 delegates voted against the motion and this in turn meant the party would not obstruct the establishment of NAMA.

Photographically the conference was more of the usual talking heads and protestors. As with all political events that take place in Ireland at the moment, the Green Party Convention attracted a wide band of protesters, all with their specific issues to highlight.

The guy who imaginatively dressed as banana, declined to give his name as he didnt want his name in the papers as he “came from a small town and dont want to be mortified”. 

One group did catch my eye early in the morning as they stood outside the gates of the vast RDS complex. The McDonagh family from Dun Laoghaire in Dublin, held placards with the slogan “I want to go to school”.  I asked them could I take a few shots and didnt think too much more about it until later when they would become the main story of the entire convention.

Photographers and TV cameras were allowed into the main convention hall for the opening ten minutes of the conference to capture the arrival of Green Leader John Gormley and to get some general shots of Green members.

As I was leaving the hall, the double doors burst open in front of me, as James McDonagh attempted to gain access to the main hall. He had his daugher Angel with him, struggling with a number of people blocking his way and as the Gardai realised what had happened they tried to quickly remove him. Mr  McDonagh was trying to highlight the fact that Angel (aged 11) had not been in school for over a year, as she had special needs and no school would accept her as a pupil. The scene quickly turned ugly as a press scrum of photographers, radio and TV all crowded around the father and daughter with the Gardai thrown into the mix for good measure.

Raccogliere fondi per costruire una residenza sanitaria attrezzata all’accoglienza di persone con grave disabilità: è questo lo scopo del “Sorriso della Solidarietà IV”, serata organizzata dalla RSD Sorriso Onlus per sabato 9 gennaio 2010 ore 20,30 ad Albano Laziale, in provincia di Roma (Teatro Alba Radians), patrocinato dal Comune di Albano Laziale e dalla Protezione Civile, che prevede la partecipazione di cantanti, poeti, un illusionista, un cabarettista e altri artisti ancora.

Tutto lo staff RSD Sorriso ONLUS è già impegnato a far sì che l’evento di sabato 9 gennaio 2010 si riveli un successo, tutto per condurre un progetto ambizioso e degno di nota, rivolto al sostegno di chi soffre.

Alcuni membri del Direttivo vivono sulla propria pelle una situazione difficile, ma nonostante ciò lottano ogni giorno per ottenere quello che, ancora oggi, in molti casi è più simile a un’utopia che alla realtà. Infatti, varie strutture attive sul territorio nazionale non sono in grado di coprire ogni esigenza degli ospiti, né di garantire, in qualsiasi situazione, il pieno rispetto di tutti i diritti umani. RSD Sorriso, quindi, si propone lo scopo di attivare un percorso articolato in cui la costruzione di una struttura adeguata ad assicurare l’intimità degli ospiti è solo l’aspetto più evidente e oneroso (il progetto prevede camere singole). La qualità di vita, infatti, necessita di molti altri elementi per diventare effettiva.

La residenza che sogniamo, presta quindi attenzione anche ai “particolari”, vale a dire corsi e attività, sia singole che collettive, in grado di valorizzare le capacità residue di ciascun ospite, insieme a intrattenimenti, alla possibilità di ricevere visite in ambienti adeguati, al rispetto di orari consoni alle esigenze delle persone, qualunque sia l’attività da loro svolta, oltre che alla concreta e professionale presenza di assistenza infermieristica, fisioterapica e socio-sanitaria. Solo così, infatti, ogni ospite della residenza che si vuole creare potrà sentirsi veramente realizzato e vivere nel pieno rispetto dei diritti inviolabili sanciti dalla nostra Carta Costituzionale.

Per info e prenotazioni:

Massimo Lorusso cell. 346 2105554
Silvia Pili cell. 340.2406148
Nicla Frau cell. 349.6473221
Katya Perci cell. 335.7666245

www.rsdsorriso.org

Lo Staff RSD Sorriso ONLUS

Cum mi-am început eu ziua? Bine. Amuzat.

La o adică, ce poate fi mai mişto decât să stai în tramvai şi să asişti la o discuţie telefonică purtată de o domniţă cu o altă domniţă – să nu se înţeţeagă că-s un indiscret, dar vorbea atât de tare, încât nu aveam cum să nu aud, şi mai şi eram cu urechea cu beteşug spre ea.

Deci, ce-am învăţat io azi dimineaţă:

1. Că routerele se împart în două categorii: “rutăre cu uaiărles” şi “rutăre d-ălea naşpa, fără uaiărless”. Aparent, toate rutărele fără uaiărless îs la fel, indiferent de producător/firmware, şi bineînţeles, toate rutărele alea bengoase, cu uaiărles, îs, iară, toate la fel.
2. Cablurile de internet îs de-un singur fel. Albe şi cu două mufe. Să vezi ce surpriză o să aibă când o să trebuiască să lege două compuri pe direct.
3. Duduia din capătul celălalt “nu trebuie să cheme un “specialist” pentru atâta lucru“. Citez: “Las’ că ajung io diseară acasă, mă uit la rutărul meu, şi-ţi zic eu în ce gaură să-ţi bagi mufa”. Deja am emoţii pentru duduia ailaltă. Într-adevăr, pentru atâta lucru, nu trebuie să chemi un “specialist”. Dar măcar un pic, selectează-ţi informatorii.

Şi uite-aşa vor fi interneţii mai săraci cu un user, încă cel puţin 24 de ore. Că probabil diseara o s-o mai ţină “specialista” din tramvai la telefon, instructând-o despre cum şi unde tre să-şi bage mufa, şi apoi să se mire că nu puşcă ceva.

Îmi şi imaginez discuţia:

- Dragă, deci, unde s-o bag?

- Deci, în spate acolo ai 5 gauri, da?

- Nu. Şasă. // din care două frumoasă

- Nu, tuu… 5. Că io mă refer numa’ la alea pătrate. Las-o pe aia rotundă, că aia-i pentru curent. // aparent, duduia ştia de mufa pentru alimentare.

- A… da. 5.

- Ei, una din ele e oleacă mai depărtată, da?

- Da.

- Bun. Acolo bagi cablul ăla gros, care iese din cutia aia neagră, cu beculeţe. Ăla în care intră cablul de vine de-afară.

[pauză 2-3 minute. Se aud cotrobăieli, foşnete, pantofi aruncaţi şi o pisică mieunând amarnic]

- Cum tu? Că la mine cablul care vine de afară intră într-o cutiuţă albă. Şi din ea ies două cabluri, unu mai subţire şi unul mai gros. (A, da, uitasem. Duduia informatoare e pe iu’pi’si – aşa o zis ea – şi aia cu probleme e pe er’de’es)

- Fată, tu eşti proastă? Ce cutiuţă albă? În fine, albă-neagră, tot un drac. Cablul ăla gros care iese in cutiuţă, îl bagi în rutăr, în gaura aia care-i mai crăcănată.

- Gata, l-am băgat. Acu?

- Acu, cablul ăla de l-ai cumpărat, îl bagi în altă gaură de la rutăr, şi după aia în calculator.

[pauză]

- Aha. Am băgat. Acu’ ce urmează?

- Păi acu nu urmează nimic. Tre’ să meargă.

- Păi nu merge.

- Tu vacă, tre’ să meargă, n-auzi?

- Băi animalo, nu merge!

- Sigur ai făcut ceva greşit. La cât eşti de proastă. Ştii ce? Cheamă-ţi un “specialist” d-ăla la care să-i dai o căruţă de bani, să facă exact ce ţi-am zis eu, şi numa’ bine poate-ţi dai şi tu seama unde ai greşit. Aştept să mă suni să-ţi ceri scuze. [biip-biip-biip-biip-biip]

Şi aşa-i cu “specialiştii” ăştia care fac de toate, ca Husqvarna în 4 operaţii.

Şi a chemat un “specialist”, care, în schimbul unei sume modice de bani, i-a setat şi PPPOE-ul. Pentru că, nu-i aşa, dacă avem amândoi rutăr cu uaiărles, ce contează că unul are net de la UPC şi unul de la RDS? Tre’ să meargă.

Learnt something new today!

I didn’t know that if you went to Administrative Tools | Powershell Modules that it loaded a Powershell window and a whole bunch of pre-defined modules that you can use to interface with Server Manager, Remote Desktop Services, etc. I’m wondering if this is new to R2/Powershell v2.0.

Means I can do cool stuff now like cd rds:RemoteApp\RemoteAppPrograms and get access to RDS Remote Applications via Powershell. Cool.

Oil and gas companies have closed or winding down many US Gulf operations ahead of a very late in the year Hurricane Ida.  The weekend reports had this one dissipating then the reports early this morning had this making landfall as a tropical storm with [a possibility of it being hurricane.  This morning Ida became a tropical storm again at the National Hurricane Center.  In order to not have to out-guess ahead of time which companies will be least or most impacted had this been a full hurricane at the time it met rigs and the coast, we looked at the Oil Services HOLDRs (NYSE: OIH), the United States Oil (NYSE: USO) ETF and the iPath S&P GSCI Crude Oil Total Return Index ETN (NYSE: OIL) reactions based upon the supply data.  While the infrastructure is now not as likely to be hit as hard and while a tropical storm is far less of a threat than a hurricane, NYMEX WTI Crude is actually still up $1.78 at $79.21 as of 10:13 AM EST.

Oil Services HOLDRs (NYSE: OIH) is up 3% at $124.53, the United States Oil (NYSE: USO) ETF is up 2.1% at $40.53 and the iPath S&P GSCI Crude Oil Total Return Index ETN (NYSE: OIL) is up 2.15% at $26.80.

We have already seen a note come out of Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR) that it has shut its Thunder Hawk and Medusa platforms due to the storm.  Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) shut its Ewing Bank platform and gulf production ahead of the storm.  Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS) and Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) had shut production and evacuated staff, and Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) was preparing to evacuate staff in or near the hurricane (ergo tropical storm) path.  There are other oil and gas companies with notes out on the issue as well, but you can bet that whether this is a tropical storm or if it becomes a hurricane again that there will be announcements from companies throughout the morning.

Jon C. Ogg
November 9, 2009

MOLTI disabili fanno con le mani quello che non possono fare con i piedi. Un tipo di comando manuale è particolarmente utile. Si tratta di una leva che sporge dalla colonna dello sterzo e sta comodamente sotto il volante. Un’asta di acciaio collega questa leva al pedale del freno. Spingendola in avanti si aziona il freno.
Sempre dalla stessa leva parte un cavo che viene fissato all’acceleratore. La leva si muove in due direzioni: in avanti per frenare e in su per accelerare. Richiede poca forza. Un grande vantaggio di questo comando manuale è che non impedisce di guidare il veicolo in modo normale. Inoltre questo dispositivo si può facilmente trasferire in altre automobili.
Per coloro che hanno poca forza nelle mani, è disponibile una variante di questo comando manuale. Funziona in modo simile, in avanti per frenare, ma in giù per accelerare in modo che l’acceleratore viene azionato semplicemente dal peso della mano.

Il guidatore disabile ha un altro problema: cosa fare con la sedia a rotelle. I guidatori più giovani acquistano in genere un coupé, che permette loro di sollevare la sedia a rotelle e metterla nel vano dietro il sedile del guidatore. Questo, naturalmente, richiede una discreta forza nelle braccia e nelle spalle. Chi non è abbastanza forte deve aspettare che un passante amichevole sollevi la sedia e la metta nel veicolo.
Un’alternativa è un caricatore per sedie a rotelle, una grossa scatola in fibra di vetro montata sul tetto della vettura. Premendo un bottone, un motorino ribalta lentamente la scatola così che mediante pulegge si può caricare la sedia a rotelle. Una volta caricata la sedia, la scatola si raddrizza. Un caricatore del genere disponibile in Australia si collega comodamente all’accendisigari dell’automobile.

Uno svantaggio del caricatore per sedie a rotelle è che aumenta la resistenza aerodinamica dell’automobile e fa salire il consumo di carburante del 15-20per cento. Inoltre il costo del caricatore stesso potrebbe scoraggiare. Ad ogni modo molti ritengono che valga la pena procurarsi un dispositivo del genere per l’indipendenza che offre. Una disabile ha osservato: “Adesso posso andare dappertutto da sola senza che qualcuno debba venire con me o trovarsi a destinazione per aiutarmi a scaricare la sedia a rotelle”.

Massimo: http://www.rsdsorriso.org/

So myself and Jono got up at 6am yesterday to get the train to Dublin. Luckily they re-opened the track between Sligo and Dromod so we didn’t have to get a bus this time.

We got to the RDS just after 10am and our tickets that we won from boards.ie were waiting for us.
As we walked in we had a close encounter with several Stormtroopers! Later in the day Darth Vader (David Prowse) was there signing autographs but at twenty euro a go we gave it a miss.

There was loads to see including Militery Vehicles, a ‘Dream pad’ kitted out with designer furniture, robots (including a dalek), cars, bikes, boats, disco lights and all kinds of things. What was missing were games consoles, computers and mobile phones.

Upstairs was a ‘pamper zone’ for the girls with different stalls selling anything from nail art to palm reading. There was also a fashion show. If I was organising it I would have had a wine bar for the girls, with soft lighting, girly films and chocolates so they could really relax.

The best part of the exhibition for us was the ‘Smoke ‘n’ Rubber show in the Live action arena. This featured:
•Abseilers
•Dancers
•Chain gang
•Quad Bike Stunt Show featuring Niall O’Hanlon
•Trialstar Motorcycle Trials featuring Andy Perry
•Rallycars
•Autotest
•Drifting
•Mini Motos
•Opposite Lock Live Action Display Team
I’ve done a short bit of video of the show.
The smell of burning rubber was mad. I’m so glad I don’t have to buy tyres for their cars.

Outside the main halls there was a wall of death (which we didn’t try!), a rally car simulator and a big inflatable ball which you got into and ran along a bit like a hamster. Jono had a go in this but he forgot to stand up and landed on his head! He was OK though and actually enjoyed it.

All in all it was a great day out and we really enjoyed it. I took loads of photos which I’m am going though and will put up on flickr and pix.ie

THURIFÉRAIRE, n.m. : Encenseur, flatteur, laudateur. Flagorneur. Ils étaient « d’aussi intrépides thuriféraires que quiconque; – leur manière de louer a même quelque chose d’effrontément naïf » (Gautier).
Le Nouveau Petit Robert de la langue française 2009 (en ligne).

En principe, les membres des médias sont supposés conserver un certain recul par rapport aux faits et aux personnes qu’ils jugent et analysent. Personne ne peut se prétendre totalement impartial, certes, puisque nous sommes tous influencés par nos préférences et nos convictions; il importe toutefois, lorsqu’on se pose en commentateur public, de tendre le mieux possible vers l’objectivité.

Cependant, il arrive aux commentateurs, qu’ils soient éditorialistes, chroniqueurs ou analystes, de se laisser éblouir par une personnalité publique au point d’épancher leur admiration, voire leur adoration pour la personne ainsi élevée sur un piédestal. Parfois, le jupon dépasse tellement que le flatteur en vient malheureusement à se discréditer lui-même.

Éditorialiste de La Presse, André Pratte est l’une des rares voix journalistiques du Québec réellement capables de nuance et de modération. Quel que soit son sujet, Pratte tente du mieux qu’il peut de faire la part des choses et d’exposer les deux côtés de la médaille. Surtout, contrairement à nombre de ses collègues, il résiste généralement à la tentation de railler la personne à qui il adresse ses critiques. La moquerie, le mot d’esprit, la réplique qui tue sont aussi populaires au Québec du XXI^e siècle qu’à la cour du roi de France du XVIII^e siècle. Là où les journalistes semblent se faire un point d’honneur de ridiculiser les personnalités publiques, Pratte se contente de les rappeler à l’ordre.

Pourtant, lorsqu’il s’agit du premier ministre du Québec Jean Charest, André Pratte a, par le passé, souvent abandonné toute réserve et tout jugement. Certes, à titre d’éditorialiste en chef de La Presse, fleuron de l’empire Desmarais, Pratte se doit d’appuyer le camp fédéraliste en général et le Parti libéral du Québec en particulier. Ce rôle ingrat lui vaut l’exécration implacable des « purs et durs » du mouvement souverainiste, qui l’agonisent d’injures en privé et parfois même en public; un de ces « brillants esprits », Patrick Bourgeois, a même publié un livre complet dans le seul but de déverser son fiel sur lui.

Les observateurs de la scène politique ne s’étonnent même plus de voir André Pratte, dans la page éditoriale de La Presse, applaudir sans retenue les idées présentées au congrès du Parti libéral pendant les deux jours précédents, sans oublier d’envoyer quelques fleurs à Jean Charest. Durant les campagnes électorales, il chantait sans cesse les louanges du premier ministre. Cette idolâtrie a atteint son paroxysme en mars 2008, alors que Charest, à l’ouverture du congrès de son parti, a lu le fameux poème Si, de Rudyard Kipling (« Si tu peux rencontrer Triomphe après Défaite/Et recevoir ces deux menteurs d’un même front… »). Deux jours après, Pratte a repris ce poème, mot pour mot, en tête de son éditorial dithyrambique pour le premier ministre! À part les plus féroces des partisans souverainistes, qui se réveillent la nuit pour haïr Pratte, la plupart de ses éditoriaux en faveur de Jean Charest ne sont probablement plus accueillis qu’avec un bâillement d’ennui.

Dans le monde du hockey, Benoît Brunet et Pierre Houde, les commentateurs de RDS, se bâtissent eux aussi une solide réputation d’adulateurs, cette fois-ci aux dépens du gardien de but Carey Price. Lorsque Price est devant le filet, impossible de ne pas entendre l’un ou l’autre s’exclamer régulièrement : « Quel arrêt de Carey Price! » Sur Internet, certains « drinking games » conçus pour les parties du Canadien vous invitent même à boire une gorgée chaque fois que vous entendez cette phrase.
Un arrêt de routine? « Un autre incroyable arrêt de Carey Price! »
Un but douteux? « Carey Price n’avait aucune chance! »
Il capte la rondelle avec son gant? « Carey Price décide d’arrêter le jeu! »
On voit, à la reprise vidéo d’un jeu, la rondelle glisser devant la jambière de Price sans que celui-ci n’y touche une seul fois? « Un arrêt clé de Carey Price! »
Carey Price accorde un but où, sans avoir été brillant, il n’a pas été faible non plus? Pierre Houde passe pas moins d’une minute à expliquer en long, en large et en travers pourquoi le pauvre Carey n’était absolument, mais absolument pas à blâmer. Le tout, bien entendu, en oubliant de décrire la partie qui continue de se dérouler sous nos yeux. Même la propre mère de Price ne peut pas avoir un tel parti pris pour son fiston.

Notez, d’ailleurs, que les commentateurs n’omettent que très rarement le prénom du jeune portier, comme s’ils craignaient que nous puissions l’oublier. Merci, Messieurs, de me rappeler que son prénom est Carey, je croyais qu’il s’appelait Gustave. Par ailleurs, quels compliments reçoit Jaroslav Halák, l’autre gardien? « Halák aurait dû faire cette arrêt… » « J’aurais aimé qu’Halák arrête deux des quatre rondelles, mais bon… » « Halák fait le travail… » « Bel arrêt de Halák… » Sans être carrément injustes avec lui, ils ne mettent clairement pas la même chaleur dans leurs commentaires.

Les partisans notent ce traitement de faveur et font entendre leur mécontentement un peu partout de façon anonyme. Voici un échantillon des commentaires sévères glanés sur divers réseaux sociaux (l’orthographe d’origine a été conservée)  :

« À Chaque fois qu’il est là, il vante toujours Carey que ce soit sur une bonne ou mauvaise performance. »
« Ben oui, notre ami Benoit Brunet qui connait tellement le hockey, qui arrête pas de vanter Carey Price [...] »
« On le sait depuis longtemps que Price est le meilleur de tous les temps ! Pour ceux qui en doute encore un peu, vous n’avez qu’à écouter Pierre Houde sur RDS ainsi que son mulet de service. » (Note : au moment où ce commentaire a été écrit, le « mulet » en question était Yvon Pedneault.)
« Ça n’enlève toutefois rien à son talent, mais j’ai peur qu’un moment donné Price éternue et qu’on entende Pierre Houde commenter: “Avez-vous remarqué avec quel calme il a atchoumé!?!? Incroyable!” »
« Personne n’a remarqué qu’il est continuellement sur ses genoux….sûrement pas Pierre Houde qui s’époumonne et s’extase ”OH quel arrêt de Price” alors que la rondelle ne se rend même pas à lui !!??!! Coudonc yé-tu payé par Price ? »

À long terme, un tel appui de la part du tandem peut se révéler aussi nocif pour Price que les critiques de ses détracteurs. Contrairement à La Presse, qui n’a pas le monopole de la presse écrite, RDS détient l’exclusivité de la diffusion télévisée en français des parties du Tricolore. Autrement dit, les téléspectateurs sont captifs, à moins d’écouter le hockey en anglais ou à la radio. À force d’entendre les éloges de Price, les amateurs pourraient se rebiffer et prendre le jeune cerbère en grippe, ce que certains ont déjà fait. Comme si ce n’était pas assez, certains membres des médias, en particulier Jack Todd, de la Gazette, semblent s’être fixé comme mission de faire contrepoids au duo Houde-Brunet, en descendant Price en flammes à la moindre occasion (voir des exemples ici et ici). Des deux maux, lequel est le pire?

À la conférence de presse qui a conclu la dernière saison, Carey Price se montrait dépassé par un tel traitement : « Parfois, j’ai l’impression soit d’être placé sur un piédestal ou de me faire jeter sous un autobus. » Dans les louanges comme dans les critiques, la modération aurait bien meilleur goût. De toute façon, si j’étais Carey Price et que je croisais l’un des deux commentateurs de RDS dans un bar avec un bouquet de fleurs à la main, je disparaîtrais par tous les moyens. Quitte à passer par la fenêtre des toilettes.

Twitter n’est pas votre ami : et il n’est pas non plus celui d’Allan Walsh, l’agent de Jaroslav Halák. Après la défaite contre le Lightning, M. Walsh a réagi en affichant sur Twitter : [traduction] « Statistique intéressante de la soirée… Price est à 10 victoires et à 32 défaites à ses 42 derniers départs. Mmmm. » Heureusement qu’Halák est un excellent diplomate, parce qu’il aura besoin de tout son tact, face aux journalistes, pour se sortir de la délicate position où l’a fourré son agent. Avec qui il aura peut-être une intéressante conversation par la suite.

Cei de la RDS s-au dat dinnou in stamba: netu nu-mi merge de 3 zile nici in ruptul capului. Am crezut ca e vreo problema tehnica dar se pare ca nu a fost asa doar ca netul meu a fost retrogradat peste noapte. Dintr-un caine mare, rau si agresiv a devenit brusc o biata jigodie fara dinti in gura – din Lan de mare viteza a trecut la Dial-Up bleg.  Problema ar fi ca eu dau tot atatia bani pe luna si ca cei de la RDS au uitat sa ma anunte ca va urma o schimbare contractuala. In plus au uitat sa-mi transmita informatiile de configurare… Ei bine pe scurt dinnou sunt fara net iar cei de la relatii cu clientii sunt niste idioti murati cum au fost din totdeauna.

Pe de alta parte tot tehnologia mi-a descretit fruntea. Ieri dimineata primesc un sms de la un numar necunoscut:

+4073508****

Magda…am nevoie de ajutorul tau…Ce sa mai fac cu Matei pana la urma? E asa prost la pat Sa-i dau cu flit si sa-mi gasesc unul care stie meserie?

Ohh da! Ce sa-ti zic sunt curios: numai Magda te poate ajuta in aceasta privinta?!? Oricum carpe diem!!! Si apropos, Magdo, da-i fata fetei sfatul mai repede ca trece tineretea pe langa ea ) nu vezi ca-i la ananghie?!? A friend in need is a friend indeed!

P.S. am ras in hohote cand am citit mesajul, ce mod fain de a incepe dimineata!

P.S. 2 Recomandarea muzicala a redactiei:

Little me (the one of the right!), originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

I can’t remember if I posted this already. Wasn’t I cute? I wonder what went wrong!?

Not much news. Just organising myself for our trip to Dublin tomorrow for the Toys 4 Big Boys exhibition. We’ve never been to the RDS so it should be fun.

I’m hoping to take lots of photos.

Hello flower, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

Today was fairly busy and the weather was awful again.

Both kids had appointments in town and then Lucy had an eye test at Specsavers. She is short sighted so has to get glasses, she tried on a couple of pairs but she thinks she either looks like a man or Harry Potter! So we will go back again another day to see if there are any more she likes. I think she looks very intelligent in them and much older.

I also got Jono a coat from Elverys which was half price. I’m delighted to see HMV is coming to Sligo. They are going where Zavvi was in Johnston Court and are meant to be opening over the weekend.

I entered a competition yesterday on www.boards.ie to win two tickets to the ‘ toys for big boys’ exhibition which is on in Dublin this weekend. I was delighted to get an email today so say I won. So myself and Jono and going up on Saturday. I tried to talk Lucy and Andy into coming with us but they are going to stay at home. I’m really looking forward to it. I love gadgets and there is also a dalek, cars and even a pamper zone for girls so all in all it should be a good day.

The hospital didn’t phone me yesterday but they called today. They are saying the surgery wasn’t cancelled because it wasn’t an ‘official’ date. I said the consultant gave us the date so I considered that official and therefore considered it cancelled.

Anyway they were on about swine flu and emergencys and said they hoped to fit Jono in before Christmas and will be in touch in about 3 weeks to let us know if there is any date! So we will wait and see.

There were no real scares for Leinster during a relatively easy victory over Cardiff at the RDS on Halloween night. This was inevitable following Cardiff’s announcement of a weakened team on Friday. The poor weather meant that most of the swashbuckling was left to the contingent of fans dressed as the Pirates of the Caribbean.  The 200 free pints of Bulmers obviously encouraged a small handful of people to get into the spirit of the day and throw on a costume. Our costumes were a mulleted homage to Shane Byrne.

Fans were slow to enter the ground early on and subsequently most of them missed a fine warm up catching display from Mal as Sexton practiced his restarts. O’Kelly followed up a nice catching display with some fantastic spirals straight back to the Leinster no.10. The prematch entertainment was provided by a young band that i didn’t catch the name of but once again they managed to perform at almost CD quality despite having no wires whatsoever linking them to the PA system!

Leinster started the game brightly and followed up an early Sexton penalty with a fantastic try that started within their own 22. Luke made a strong break down the blind side. He slipped the ball inside to O’Brien who kept it moving by popping to D’Arcy.  Quick ball from the ensuing ruck allowed Sexton to caress a grubber into the corner where Shaggy duly converted. Sexton converted then added a further penalty.

Ben Blair, who was having a horrible day with the boot, finally slotted over to get Cardiff off the mark. They then doubled their score with another penalty following a harsh yellow card for Heaslip. Blair could have closed the gap to 4 points but again missed a kickable penalty. Sexton had no such trouble as he extended the Leinster lead with the help of the post.

Leinster would have liked to secure a bonus point victory from the game but had to settle with only one further try which came from a strong break by Sean O’Brien. It must be said that the Cardiff defence treated the Leinster substitute to an easy run in. O’Driscoll nearly intercepted a telegraphed Cardiff pass which brought most of the 16,000 fans’ minds briefly back to that great day at Croke Park last May.

The only concern for Leinster will be the sight of Gordon D’Arcy limping off at half time but he should be ok to play some part in the Autumn Internationals.

Leinster go into the international break at the summit of the Magners League. So far so good. Let’s just hope there are no injuries to key players over the next few weeks and we have a full strength squad available for the trip to Rodney Parade in early December.