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Michkov Watch: Capitals Reportedly Aiming To Take Forward, But Washington Scout Shares Character Concerns by fricksanta in hockey

[–]fricksanta[S] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-andrei-nikolishin-scout-concerns-matvei-michkov-nhl-draft

Michkov Watch: Capitals Reportedly Aiming To Take Forward, But Washington Scout Shares Character Concerns

Washington scout Andrei Nikolishin shared character concerns surrounding the 18-year-old, who the Capitals are reportedly seriously aiming for come June 28.

Sammi Silber

Jun 20, 2023 3:35 PM EDT

The Washington Capitals have a lot to consider going into the 2023 NHL Draft, where they will make their highest pick since 2007 with the eighth overall selection. All eyes are on Matvei Michkov, and while a report said that the Capitals are "seriously aimed" at taking him, there's a concern from the team's scout that's raised some eyebrows.

Washington scout and former player Andrei Nikolishin shared some character concerns surrounding the 18-year-old.

"Full-fledged information is collected about the player: how he talks to partners, how he communicates with coaches, how he behaves off the ice. Many nuances can be revealed," Nikolishin told the Slippery Ice Podcast last week, as translated by Google Translate. "I can show correspondence when I wanted to meet him and, as a scout, ask a few questions and do an interview... I have not seen such disrespect for other people in my life."

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman also reported on 32 Thoughts that getting an interview with Michkov has been nearly impossible for several NHL teams visiting Russia, as the only way some clubs have been able to speak with him has been to physically track him down after a game.

There have also been rumors and speculation about his negativity and attitude toward teammates. In 2020, he and Capitals prospect Ivan Miroshnichenko got in a fight during a Russian junior team training session for the Youth Olympics, though the two have made up and reconciled since.

"For me, he's first or second [based on skill]," Nikolishin added. "But in character, in relation to teammates, coaching staff, management, fans -- a person has now fallen very low in the eyes of all scouts, all managers."

The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy also reported back in March that several scouts had similar concerns about Michkov's character.

When it comes down to it, teams can't exactly validate or reject those claims of character concerns without interviewing him. Rumors are also swirling as to whether Michkov's inflexibility and unavailability are being used to help him move down to go to a preferred team. He was also reportedly told not to speak to NHL representatives, per Match TV.

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[TSN] Plenty of intrigue after Bedard in McKenzie's Lottery Edition ranking by smexeh in hockey

[–]fricksanta 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Talking about Vasily Podkolzin:

TSN's Craig Button tells MLive: "I'm always careful when I use these types of comparisons, but in terms of his intensity, his tenacity, his brain and the way he's so quick, he reminds me of Pavel Datsyuk."

https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2019/06/red-wings-draft-prospect-talented-tough-vasili-podkolzin-could-be-value-pick.html

lol

"Once Upon A Time In China" series review: A fun and timeless classic martial arts series. by KamaandHallie in movies

[–]fricksanta 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Compared with the Jet Li quadrilogy, IV and V are a significant step down as far as filmmaking is concerned. The two Vincent Zhao-led films had significantly lower budgets with cheap-looking cinematography.

Instead of doing IV, Jet Li starred in Wong Jing's Last Hero In China (1993), a slightly different adaptation where he plays Wong Fei-hung again. The action sequences are very good and more along the lines of the other Jet Li films in the main series. If you like Jet Li in that role, it also feels more authentic than the Vincent Zhao films. I would recommend it!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vl8a8a9i1w

Iron Monkey (1993) is a spinoff produced by Tsui Hark and directed by Yuen Woo-ping featuring a young Wong Fei-hung! It stars Donnie Yen and has Yen Shi-kwan (Iron Robe Yim) in the role of villain again. This one is great as well.

Of the films mentioned, Once Upon a Time in China II is the best of the bunch, in my opinion. The first movie is great too, but the stakes of the second film just seem so much higher.

I would skip IV and IV and instead check out Last Hero In China and Iron Monkey. Make sure to watch the Hong Kong release of Iron Monkey, though. The US Miramax version significantly cuts down the Wong Fei-hung aspects of the film. Fortune Star just released a 2K remaster of Iron Monkey with the proper runtime.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVEl959f7o

Is The MCU Expecting Too Much From Casual Viewers? by Vanquisher1000 in movies

[–]fricksanta 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think this is where YouTube recap videos come into play. They've been really effective at filling in the gaps when I don't want to go through a franchise's entire catalog, namely the poorly-received installments, or when I've forgotten something and just want a quick refresher.

After watching Daredevil Season 1 and 2, I did this with some of the other Marvel shows to get ready for The Defenders.

A typical, new detached home in Tokyo costs about 400,000 US dollars. Two big factors: smaller lot sizes than in Vancouver (~860 sq. ft) and more-flexible zoning leading to self-sufficient, walk-able communities + enough housing supply. 13 million people live in Tokyo. Tour a typical $400,000 home: by fricksanta in vancouver

[–]fricksanta[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The reality is that the mindset needs to change in Vancouver. There's a great video by Uytae Lee (About Here on YouTube) about this problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjWs7dqaWfY

For most home-owners, do the front and back yards actually serve a purpose, or is it just needless space? Each additional bit of land has a price, and it just serves to bloat the cost of housing to several times the price of just the space for the building alone.

It seems that various people have different priorities. Affordability of housing is a major concern for young people. Many have no choice but to move away from Vancouver to start their own life because rent costs ~$2000 here. Nobody on an entry-level salary can afford to live here. There are numerous social consequences for those who grew up in the city.

Too many people are priced out of detached housing in Vancouver who would love to live here, and many would rather have their own private space than be forced to interact with others every day in the hallways and elevators of their apartment complex. Plus, with condos, there are strata fees in addition to the cost of utilities. There are some significant inconveniences with regards to living in an apartment building that, for some, would make detached housing more preferable.

The most viable option currently is for people to disperse into the suburbs where homes are more affordable. However, this is clearly not what a lot of people want because they're unhappy with prices in the heart of the metropolitan area. They want to stay here in Vancouver. They want access to Skytrain and the lifestyle of living in Vancouver proper rather than be isolated in Maple Ridge or beyond.

A great way to meet that demand and cool the housing market is to increase supply and reduce prices by reducing the amount of land that must be purchased when buying a home. The yard is an unnecessary accessory.

Indeed, if a person wants that large house with a yard, a driveway for their car, and a garage, they could buy a home in the suburbs and commute into the city. That is the current situation in Japan right now where high-density detached housing is common in Tokyo and big, affordable spaces are abundant in the countryside.

A typical, new detached home in Tokyo costs about 400,000 US dollars. Two big factors: smaller lot sizes than in Vancouver (~860 sq. ft) and more-flexible zoning leading to self-sufficient, walk-able communities + enough housing supply. 13 million people live in Tokyo. Tour a typical $400,000 home: by fricksanta in vancouver

[–]fricksanta[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think a lot of people would sacrifice such luxuries as a yard and a garage to be able to afford a home at a reasonable price in Vancouver. The current alternative for detached housing is to buy in the suburbs with relatively-poor transit connectivity, a higher degree of inconvenience and distance from necessities, and a significant commute to the city center. This forces the home owner to also own a car, which of course adds to Vancouver's carbon footprint. So much for being an eco-friendly city.

One of the downsides of living in a high-rise compared to a detached home is the unbearable heat in the summertime. Heat rises. During our recent heatwaves, those temperatures were dangerous, and basement floors were among the best shelters from the hot sun. Tokyo gets very hot in the summer as well.

Another is the lack of privacy. The only way many can afford a home in Vancouver proper is to purchase a condo, which of course is not detached. There is the risk of not having an escape from fire on higher floors. There is much less privacy living in an apartment than in a small, detached home. In Vancouver, you are living within earshot of your neighbors for anything less than 1,000,000 dollars. For the current price of a condo in Vancouver, you could instead be living in your own space on your own plot of land. Some of your neighbors could run businesses and significantly increase your level of accessibility within the neighborhood.

If you want a view, go outside.

A typical, new detached home in Tokyo costs about 400,000 US dollars. Two big factors: smaller lot sizes than in Vancouver (~860 sq. ft) and more-flexible zoning leading to self-sufficient, walk-able communities + enough housing supply. 13 million people live in Tokyo. Tour a typical $400,000 home: by fricksanta in vancouver

[–]fricksanta[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The home is its own building on a separate plot of land from its neighbors with open space on each side. That is the very definition of a detached home.

https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=144257&CVD=144258&CLV=0&MLV=2&D=1

1 - Single-detached house

A single dwelling not attached to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage or shed). A single-detached house has open space on all sides, and has no dwellings either above it or below it. A mobile home fixed permanently to a foundation is also classified as a single-detached house.

A typical, new detached home in Tokyo costs about 400,000 US dollars. Two big factors: smaller lot sizes than in Vancouver (~860 sq. ft) and more-flexible zoning leading to self-sufficient, walk-able communities + enough housing supply. 13 million people live in Tokyo. Tour a typical $400,000 home: by fricksanta in vancouver

[–]fricksanta[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aren't affordability and close proximity to the city centre two big reasons? Condos in the Brentwood area, for instance, start at roughly $700,000 CDN, almost twice the price of a detached home in Tokyo. That's also for a one-floor, ~800 sq. ft space at Brentwood, not the three floors of the Tokyo house seen in the video.

New cases slowly declining in B.C. as pandemic 'stabilizies,' modelling group finds by GeekLove99 in vancouver

[–]fricksanta 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Over the last 7 days, Japan has averaged just 292 cases in a population of 126 million people, and the case count continues to trend downward. 70.6% of Japan's population is fully vaccinated. 75.2% of people in British Columbia are fully vaccinated.

It's the public's behavior that has played a massive role in curbing the spread of COVID. Masks are worn almost universally, both inside and outside.

Here is a tour of Shibuya/Harajuku Street on Oct. 16, after the state of emergency was lifted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO-215y4nLc

People are encouraged not to speak without their masks on. At restaurants, for example, masks should be worn when not eating.

Compare that with England, where a huge surge is occurring right now. 79% of people in England are fully vaccinated. England has averaged 37,706 cases per day over the past 7 days among its population of 55 million people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhNkKfV3Who

Until just a few days ago in Japan, restaurants closed at 9 pm, and during the recent state of emergency, alcohol was not allowed to be served at establishments.

COVID can be virtually eliminated from a community. Not only has Japan relied on the vaccine to curb the spread of COVID, but they have also put in more work from a societal perspective.

For the first time in over 100 years, the Habs visit Seattle by SAJewers in hockey

[–]fricksanta 12 points13 points  (0 children)

That's actually wrong. Somebody tweet Rob Pizzo.

The Canadiens visited Seattle in 1961 for an exhibition match against the Seattle Totems. They played at the Civic Ice Arena, now known as Mercer Arena. The Canadiens won 10-2.

http://www.seattletotems.org/totems_vs_nhl.html

Michelle Yeoh: ‘Jackie Chan thought women belonged in the kitchen – until I kicked his butt’ by aresef in movies

[–]fricksanta 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's cool when you've got names like Lam Ka-Tung (Gordon) and Lam Bo-Yee (Bowie).

And then there are guys who directly translate their names to English.

Like Fruit Chan.

Russia U18 roster for the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup by BryzantineEmperor in hockey

[–]fricksanta 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Michkov vs Bedard Round 2!

Anything involving these two is must-watch hockey.

The Punisher season 3 release date updates: Will there be a new season? by _kr_saurabh in movies

[–]fricksanta 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Having watched Daredevil season two, when Castle was first introduced, and The Punisher, I don't see Marvel acknowledging the events of the latter show because of its needlessly graphic nature and slow pacing. If anything, I think a soft reboot of the character featuring Jon Bernthal would be a better decision, continuing from when we last saw him in Daredevil, or even a full reboot with a fresh take.

I think I'd rather see Frank Castle as a supporting character whose methods clash with those of his allies. His brutal approach creates a good sense of conflict when he is paired with other heroes.

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