Toronto IAM: Maple Leafs Take to the Road for Seven Games, LIFT Honours Local Filmmaker Through Memorial Award

This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from TorontoIAM where you will find the best blogs from Toronto, Ontario as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring

Long Holiday Haul for Maple Leafs

Howared Burger, blogging on HockeyBuzz, says we’ll soon find out “whether the Maple Leafs' notable run the past two weeks is a true indication of where the club is heading,” or if it’s just an “intermittent spurt” common among “middling teams in an 82-game schedule.” The Leafs 5-1-1 record in the last seven games has fans “busting at the stitches.” This streak must continue tonight, though, and “the hockey club must rise at virtually the same rate during the next seven games,” as they need a minimum of 10 points during their trip “to convince any rational observer that there is legitimacy in the recent upturn.”

All of the Leaf’s next seven games are away from home, according to the post, which “matches the longest such journey for the Maple Leafs in the past 40 years.” But Berger insists it really isn't “all that grueling,” as it’s broken into three segments and includes a three-day break over Christmas. It's at the end of the trip, after the holiday hiatus, that “the Leafs will show what they are truly made of” when they will play “consecutive-night road games against the New York Islanders and Philadelphia.” Toronto begins their trip with 32 points in 31 games and “must come home with a minimum 42 points in 38 games” for skeptics to take notice.

Injury Updates for Raptor Players

From Raptors Talk, our blogger gives us an update regarding the injuries recently plaguing the Toronto Raptors. After TJ Ford’s serious injury Tuesday night, “he walked out of the locker room to a standing ovation” on Wednesday night when his team took on Mavericks. It is reported that Ford will be out “for a week before he returns to practice.”

Additional injuries include a “left wrist injury in Mondays win against the Hawks” to Jason Kapono, who returned to the line up Wednesday, scoring 10 points in 22 minutes. The post also reports that Jorge Garbajosa “underwent surgery on his left leg in Baltimore on Tuesday.” Garbajosa will not likely return this season as he “won’t be able to put weight on his leg for 10 weeks.”

The Multiple Personalities of Local Drummer Randy James

Norm Nelson, who profiles upcoming Toronto musical artists for Music Notes Blog, features East York drummer Randy James in his latest post. James and his bandmates (Rexdale vocalist Todd Sharman; Mississauga bass player Paul Whiteside; and originally from Windsor, guitarists Stephen Ruppert and Mark Higginbottom) play with “multiple personalities.” Their band is locally known as the Wheat Kings, “a Tragically Hip tribute band that has been around since the mid-1990s.” But sometimes another “personality” appears, and they become Full Moon Fever, a Tom Petty tribute band, or the Cat House Dogs, under which they will record and perform original music.

James and crew recently “gained good publicity by being part of a documentary on tribute bands that has aired on the E!-Channel.” James, a native Toronto resident who is also a free-lance graphic designer, said that after participating in the tribute band documentary, “the show producers set them up with a big label record executive who came out to both a recording session and one live performance.” Nelson announces in his post that tonight (Friday, Dec 14) at the Hollywood, the band will perform as the Cat House Dogs and officially release their new 10-song CD called That was Now, This is Then.

Memorial Award Honours Filmmaker Roberto Ariganello

Matt over at Blog TO announces the LIFT (Liaison of Independent Filmmakers Toronto) annual holiday party and silent auction tonight (Friday, Dec 14). The event is a “fundraiser for LIFT's operating endowment,” and the many Toronto filmmakers who have “leaned on LIFT's invaluable assistance in production and post-production can testify to the importance of keeping the funds flowing.”

The Roberto Award, a new cash award “presented to an individual who demonstrates outstanding commitment to Toronto's film community, through volunteering, mentorship, or new initiatives,” will also be presented at the event according to the post. The Roberto Award was created in the memory of Roberto Ariganello, who passed away last year “after serving as LIFT's executive director for three years.” Ariganello's short film Shelter will be screened at the event. The party takes place at the TRANSAC starting at 7 pm. Music will be provided by Isabelle Noel and DJ Satan Macnuggit.



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