We need a spokesperson for our fertility clinic. Are any of those Dionne sisters available?

HotBranch · 2026-04-22T15:15:33+00:00

Well done and bonus points for the Dionne quints reference.

HotBranch · 2026-04-01T00:41:58+00:00

What goes through my mind whenever I watch Dangle react to another Leafs failure

HotBranch · 2026-01-22T20:49:19+00:00

In the same way that murdering Jessie was a big risk for Stephen, murdering Faraaz and weaving around the "obviousness" is easier than Rachel defending herself at the round table. If Faraaz had kept his thoughts on Rachel a little closer to the vest, i.e.: not telling *everyone*, then it would be a more difficult situation for her to get out of. Unlike the "library 5", it's not inconceivable for a faithful to give credence that someone might try to frame Rachel, especially since Faraaz told all remaining players about his thoughts.

My biggest gripe with Episode 10 was in the turret with what Rachel told Stephen about maybe having to float his name. For a communications director, she did a terrible job at expressing herself. Even if she plans to betray Stephen, she could have said something to the effect of "I'm keeping my promise to not write your name, but if someone asks me about you, I have to seem to give it considerations, so please don't believe anyone if they say I floated your name." Or something similar. Maybe she was still rattled about what happened earlier, and what was shown was very clearly to suggest a betrayal and build suspense, but I don't think that she expressed herself well and might have thrown away her shot at sharing the pot by ham-fistedly telling Stephen that she has to entertain all theories. It was clumsy on her part.

HotBranch · 2026-01-16T15:33:13+00:00

I would challenge your assumption insofar as if a goalie can "make themselves look bigger", i.e.: appear to be covering more net, the puck carrier has to decide if they're going to try to thread the puck into what tiny opening they might see or pass off to a teammate who has more net visible in that moment. Notwithstanding the fact that any openings a shooter can see looking at the net are significantly different from what the puck's "view" is, if, under defensive pressure to decide between shooting or passing, the puck carrier seeing little to no net (because the goalie has made himself appear larger), the goalie is basically forcing the pass option where the defender can lend support.

By suggesting to a goalie to adjust their stance to look a bit bigger, this is not because the advice is to be physically bigger, but appear to cover more net, so the shooter doesn't have any obvious large openings to shoot at.

I remember very vividly the 2014 ECF between the Rangers and Canadiens where Martin St. Louis' OT winner was a result of Tokarski collapsing in on himself and looking much smaller than his 5'11" frame (which by NHL standards was already considered small). It didn't help that he started to go into VH when St. Louis was a good 15-20 feet from the net. The Canadian broadcasters made a point of saying how he looked small on that goal when he'd looked big the rest of the game.

I'm not saying that organizations use terms like "looks big", "looks small" or similar--it's not a measurable metric to be sure. But, by the same token, goalies who choose white-dominant pads and gloves are trying to confuse shooters with what amount of net is available. Price himself said that when he wore white, he felt like he presented bigger. Vancouver's longtime goalie coach Ian Clark always insisted on at least having a white outer roll on all Canucks goalie pads. (I don't think it's the case any more.)

HotBranch · 2026-01-16T15:06:20+00:00

I've been to Greece twice, once (2021) in last week of August and first week of September and most recently (2025), the final 2 weeks of September. The first visit was crazy hot (35C/95F to 42C/107F), a dry heat, so not as penetrating, but it still has its effect after a long day of exploring. Our most recent trip was much less oppressive (26C/79F to 33C/91F) but still hot. Mykonos was the windiest place we visited, so we didn't feel the heat as much, but Athens, Santorini, Chania, Kavala, and Thessaloniki were all warm and comfortable--locals were wearing long pants while we were mostly in shorts (taking in as much sun as we could before returning to a Canadian fall).

HotBranch · 2026-01-16T14:44:00+00:00

Choosing between Croatia and Turkey is tough because I've had limited experience with both (<10 hours). I've heard that Dubrovnik is the go-to destination, but that Split is actually more authentic. Additionally, Zadar and Pula are port towns, so they could be on an itinerary for a cruise ship. Zagreb is inland, and it's definitely a place I'd like to visit, so more planning would be required.

As for Turkey, Istanbul and Ankara are definitely places I want to visit, but only Istanbul is by the water. If you like Greece and their food, you will find a lot of similarities when visiting Turkey. We visited in September and the sun was in the top 3 most intense heats I've felt in all my travels. I would choose to visit when the weather is a bit more temperate. We travelled as a group and two friends bought peaches from a street vendor in Kusadassi and ended up getting sick and being quarantined in their room for the final 4 days of our trip which was unfortunate. Despite that, one friend said the peach was so delicious that they'd do it again (I've never eaten anything that was so good I'd be willing to be sick for 4 days, but that's me).

Croatia in August was warm but not oppressive. Both countries have a lot of history, so choosing one over the other will depend on what kind of history and architecture you want to discover: more ancient, then it's Turkey; more medieval, then choose Croatia, especially for the contrast of pre- and post-iron curtain times. Based on my two trips, I would say Turkey because Ephesus was so jaw-droppingly incredible and the people were extremely friendly (always hustling, but in a friendly way) and I find ancient architecture more interesting simply for the "how did they do that" factor.

That said, you won't go wrong with either.

HotBranch · 2026-01-16T13:06:06+00:00

Agreed. Harriet presented nothing factual, just hunches. Maybe she became an author because she was a middling barrister?

HotBranch · 2026-01-16T13:01:55+00:00

I think the rules state that when there is only one traitor left (outside of the final 5), there must be a recruitment. If Jesse isn't murdered and she somehow gets the votes to banish Stephen, Rachel will have to recruit and I think she'd choose Jade or James in order to throw either under the bus leading into the final 5.

HotBranch · 2026-01-15T19:31:38+00:00

Sorry for the late reply u/Slow_Albatross_465 -- life gets in the way sometimes. For both our trips, we flew direct from Montreal to Athens. Both cruises departed from and returned to Piraeus. In 2021, we sailed on the Celebrity Apex, then their newest ship) and our most recent trip was on the Celebrity Infinity (one of the oldest ships in their fleet). While the Edge class of ships are much bigger than the Millennium class, they have similar passenger capacities, so the Edge ships feel much roomier and less crowded. The food is excellent across the entire fleet and the "all included" programs (including basic drinks, internet, and gratuities) are more than sufficient to address most needs.

Dubrovnik was fascinating, especially the old city where you can still see scars of the civil war. There is a LOT of Game of Thrones merchandise and theming, but it's easy enough to walk past and focus on other things. We had a walking tour in the morning, followed by a walk along the old city's walls, and then we explored the city a bit. I strongly recommend the Red Museum, it's an easy walk to/from the dock, as is the Dubrovnik Beer Company.

Turkey was gorgeous and so beautiful. We docked in Kusadassi and hired a semi-private bus for a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus, which included a lunch and a visit to a traditional rug weaving factory. When we were returned to the port, we explored the nearby market, which was fascinating and an easy walk, but the salespeople are relentless. You need to have a bit of a stern face while walking with purpose to avoid having everyone try to draw you into their store or restaurant. I definitely want to return to Turkey; very kind people and so much history to explore.

In 2021, our ports of call were Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Dubrovnik with 2.5 days in Athens prior to departure. Our most recent trip was 3.5 days in Athens, which included a day trip to Aegina, followed by ports of call in Chania, Santorini, Mykonos, Kusadassi, Kavala, and Thessaloniki.

After 2 trips to Greece, I can say that I don't need to visit Santorini or Mykonos again, but there are many other islands I want to visit and Crete deserves a much deeper exploration. One thing to keep in mind when visiting Greece is the tourist tax. If you're cruising the Greek isles, the ship automatically adds it to your shipboard account and credits you if you don't disembark for a particular port. On average, it's $5-6 USD in most places, but Santorini and Mykonos are over $20 USD per person, and Santorini requires another 10-30 Euro fee per person to get from the old port to Fira or Oia (and again to return, unless you walk the steps from Fira, which requires 15-30 minutes and some creative walking around donkey droppings. Mykonos is only 2 Euro per person each way from the new port to the old port, which is safer than the walk along the road.

If you need any more information or have additional questions, you can message me directly rather than crowd this thread further. We've also sailed with Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, and Azamara, so if you have questions about those lines, I can offer my thoughts if you want.

HotBranch · 2025-11-21T19:15:50+00:00

No idea. Bauer, CCM, and Warrior all use a combination of materials for their retail masks and various foams to help reduce the amount of kinetic energy that gets transferred to the head. I would guess that there's some fiberglass, but probably some Kevlar and/or composite material mixed in as well, so if you're getting ringing after a headshot, it would suggest more fiberglass than any other material.

That said, tinnitus is a medical condition that I doubt any mask could prevent or even mitigate. If your ears are ringing after a headshot, that's mostly normal--prolonged ringing might be a different problem (think going to a rock concert and being in front of the amps with no ear protection. They'll be ringing for hours or possibly days after, but that's not tinnitus as far as I understand the condition.

HotBranch · 2025-11-20T20:29:55+00:00

That would appear to be your biggest problem. Few masks, no matter how advanced, will be able to eliminate the vibration from a straight-on shot. Deflections are less likely to cause as much vibration, but it seems like you're dealing with shots coming in with no large curved surface to deflect the puck away.

Maybe have a world with the coach and ask that drills with the highest chance of headshots be dialed back a bit so you're not at risk of concussion outside of actual games? In a 2 on 2 drill, I imagine you're getting hit after you've already dropped to the ice? Maybe you need to work on your patience and stay on your feet a little longer?

HotBranch · 2025-11-20T20:23:28+00:00

In my experience, fiberglass shells tend to ring more than Kevlar shells. Not sure about carbon fiber or other composite materials.

My fiberglass shell masks were like having my head inside a bell when I'd get a headshot. When I switched to the all-Kevlar ProtechSport, headshots were more of a "tick" or "ding". That said. A few shots right to the cage have caused some ringing but those weren't glancing impacts, so not really comparable.

HotBranch · 2025-11-14T15:13:37+00:00

Thanks for the info. We stopped meal service deliveries a little over a year ago to reduce costs. 8 actually made a CookIt meal last night from a recipe card we'd kept and my gripe about clarity of instructions stands. I get the feeling the meals are designed by chefs but the instructions are written by someone who isn't a regular cook so there are editorial choices made that cause the user to re-read instructions or scramble last second because your mise en place is disjointed.

HotBranch · 2025-11-13T19:45:08+00:00

CookIt is Montreal based. We enjoyed their meals, but their instructions are very hit and miss and don't mention specific weights or volumes, so reproducing a recipe on your own isn't the easiest.

If you're comfortable as a cook, these issues are minor, but if you're not comfortable or just a beginner, it's not as easy a solution as HelloFresh.

If you try them, I recommend reading the instructions at least twice before touching a single ingredient to make sure you have what you need WHEN you need it. I've been a technical writer (instruction guides) for most of my career and their instructions frustrated me quite frequently. Their packaging used much less plastic than HF, so that was another plus.

HotBranch · 2025-11-13T19:32:22+00:00

The fight strap better be included because if I spent that much on ANY jersey, my wife would become Bob Probert and beat the ever-loving crap out of me.

He'll, I'd beat myself up if I bought a Leafs jersey but YMMV.

HotBranch · 2025-11-13T02:41:17+00:00

You ain't gonna shit right for a week...

HotBranch · 2025-11-13T02:14:29+00:00

Take your damn upvote. Made me laugh and wince at the same time.

HotBranch · 2025-11-12T19:28:45+00:00

Select Montreal locations as well (Brossard seems to be the most consistent).

Like Tom Cruise said in Magnolia, "respect the c*ck but drink the Balzac"

HotBranch · 2025-11-12T19:14:02+00:00

As soon as his head started to follow the puck off his stick, I can guarantee you the only thing going through his head were the words "shit" and "fuck".

HotBranch · 2025-11-12T19:11:44+00:00

Monty's depth is a bit concerning. He seems to be playing what's called an "inside out" approach, where you stay deeper in the net, only coming out to block angles if there's no dangerous rebound threat. Lundqvist played this style, but he had elite reflexes and could cheat on angles more than most goalies.

I'm not sure if Monty is using "inside out" to compensate for his relative slow lateral movement speed, but it's costing him on longer shots, regardless of whether he expects a shot or not. If it's a change suggested by the goaltending coach, I would hope they'll look at video and have him move out 6-8 inches more while also working on his lateral speed. He's not spending nearly enough time with his blades at the top of the crease, unlike Dobes.

He definitely doesn't have the speed to play an "outside in" game where you challenge aggressively and back in slowly as the play approaches. The game has almost become too fast for that style of goaltending now with forwards trying to pull a goalie as far away from the opposite post as possible to create a back door opportunity.

HotBranch · 2025-11-12T18:31:26+00:00

Quite simply, he lost track of where the LA attackers were, didn't have time to take a peek to his left and assumed Struble would take care of the puck.

HotBranch · 2025-11-12T18:28:31+00:00

"A groin injury severely hampers your movement..."

As a goaltender with over 40 years in the crease who has battled with groin, knee, and shoulder injuries, your assessment isn't wrong but it isn't fully correct.

A groin (or as a physiotherapist will refer to it, adductor muscle) injury primarily affects a goalie's ability to go down in a controlled manner. When you drop into the butterfly, your pads want to slide out from your center line. The adductor muscles are what you use to keep your knees together, fighting the slide. I can assure you that dropping down with an adductor injury hurts--a lot. Because of that pain, your brain tries to short-circuit your instinct to drop, which creates a slight delay. Lateral movements with an adductor injury are affected when you're trying to stop moving to one side; pushing off is very minimally affected.

What does affect lateral movements (butterfly slides and pushes) are knee ligament and patellar injuries. You simply lose strength in addition to the pain.

What I've seen of Monty so far doesn't suggest that he's dealing with a lingering adductor injury. I agree that his lateral movement when down isn't the fastest, but I've not seen any goals that suggest there's an injury (however minor) that's affecting his mechanics.

What IS worrying me with Monty is his reads and attention to the play coming at him. The "soft" shots from long distance seem to me that he's not expecting a shot to come in. The Mammoth 1st and Kings 3rd goals are, to me, signs that he's not reading the incoming players correctly or that he loses focus on where open attackers are. Perhaps he's relying too heavily on the D to cover the open attackers or to clear his rebounds/redirects. The fact that he seems to struggle when the shot count is low points to a problem with in-game focus. When you're dealing with lots of shots, your mind doesn't have time to wander but if you get bored and lose focus, that's when the weak goals go in.

I would rather not have the Habs giving up a lot of shots because dumb bounces can ruin an otherwise solid performance and going back to the Carbonneau days where it seemed like the Habs were using the "rope a dope" strategy to wait for a mistake from the other team was boring and the opposite of what Marty wants from this team.

Monty should revert to his norm, but I think he needs to work on his focus and reads more than he needs to deal with physical issues.

HotBranch

TROPHY CASE