Skinner was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks 68th overall in the 3rd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Brett was a member of the Trail Smoke Eaters in the BCHL in 2000–01, the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL in 2001–02, and then the University of Denver from 2002–2005. As a Denver Pioneer, he was a member of two NCAA national championship winning teams, was named an All-American in 2004–05. He was named team captain for what would have been his senior year at Denver (2005–06) but signed his first professional contract with the Canucks on August 30, 2005, and made his pro debut with affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, in the 2005–06 season. At the trade deadline, Skinner was traded by the Canucks, along with a 2nd round pick to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Keith Carney and Juha Alen on March 9, 2006. Despite being dealt, Skinner remained on loan with the Moose until the end of the season.
Brett spent the 2006–07 season, playing with the Augusta Lynx, Portland Pirates and the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights. He was traded by the Ducks, along with Nathan Saunders, to the Boston Bruins for Mark Mowers just prior to the 2007–08 season on September 24, 2007. Skinner enjoyed a break out year with the Providence Bruins recording 47 points in 68 games and playing in the AHL All-Star game.
On July 3, 2008, Skinner was signed to a one-year contract by the New York Islanders. Brett was assigned to affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL, to start the 2008–09 season. When a rash of injuries hit the Islanders, Skinner was recalled and made his NHL debut in a 4-2 defeat against the New York Rangers on October 27, 2008. Skinner played 11 games with the Isles before he was returned to the Sound Tigers. On January 13, 2009, Brett was traded by the Islanders to the Atlanta Thrashers for Junior Lessard. He was then assigned to affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, where he remained for the rest of the season.
On July 8, 2009, Skinner signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche. He was assigned to the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, for 2009–10. Skinner scored 28 points in 73 games for the Monsters. During the season on January 22, 2010, Skinner was re-called but did not debut with the Avalanche.
Skinner left North America as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with Russian team, Amur Khabarovsk, of the KHL on August 12, 2010.
Alex Smart
Alexander Smart (May 29, 1918 – April 18, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey forward. He played one season for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League and spent the majority of his career in the Quebec Senior Hockey League.
Born in Brandon, Manitoba, Smart played junior hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Portage Terriers for two seasons. In 1937–38, joined the senior ranks with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association and scored 23 points in 12 games at a goal-per-game pace. The following season, he began a three-year stint in the Montreal City Hockey League (MCHL) with the Verdun Maple Leafs and Montreal Sr. Canadiens.
In 1941–42, Smart moved with the Sr. Canadiens to the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). Affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League, Smart was called up to the NHL in 1943 and, on January 14, became the first player in league history to score a hat trick in his NHL debut (this feat was later matched by Réal Cloutier of the Quebec Nordiques in 1979, Fabian Brunnström of the Dallas Stars in 2008, and Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers in 2010). He completed the season with 5 goals and 2 assists in 8 games – the lone NHL stint of his career.
Smart spent the remainder of his career in the QSHL with the Montreal Royals and Ottawa Senators with the exception of one more season in the MCHL with the Montreal Vickers and the final season of his career in the OVHL with Eastview St. Charles. He recorded a career-high 66 points in 47 games with the Senators in 1947–48, then helped the club to an Allan Cup in 1949 as Canada's senior amateur champions. Smart retired after the 1950–51 season spent with Eastview.
After retiring from the QSHL, Smart became a scout for the Los Angeles Kings and worked with Goodyear Tire for forty years.
Brock Trotter
Brock Trotter (born January 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League. He played two games in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2009-10 NHL season.
On April 15, 2008, he was recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. He was expected to play his first NHL game on April 19, 2008, against the Boston Bruins but was a late scratch. In the 2009–10 season on February 5, 2010 Brock was again recalled from Hamilton Bulldogs to Montreal. He finally made his NHL debut on February 6, 2010 against the Pittsbugh Penguins in a 5-3 victory. Playing with familiar Bulldogs teammates with Ryan White and David Desharnais, Trotter went scoreless in two games before returning to the Bulldogs to lead the team with 36 goals and place second to Desharnais with 77 points.
On July 28, 2010, Trotter left the Canadiens organization and North America to sign a two-year contract as a free agent with Latvian team Dinamo Riga of the KHL.
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or "firth" of Scotland's River Forth. It flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south.
Geologically, the Firth of Forth is a fjord, formed by the Forth Glacier in the last glacial period. The river is tidal as far inland as Stirling.
Traffic is carried across the Firth on the Kincardine Bridge, the Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Rail Bridge. In the 21st century, the Clackmannanshire Bridge has been built close to the Kincardine Bridge and the Queensferry Crossing has been built close to the Forth Road Bridge to handle increased road traffic.
In July 2007, a hovercraft passenger service completed a two week trial between Portobello, Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy, Fife. The trial of the service (marketed as "Forthfast") was hailed as a major operational success, with an average passenger load of 85%. It was predicted to cut congestion for commuters on the Forth road and rail bridges by carrying about 870,000 passengers a year. The service was canceled in 2011.
Don't Download This Song
"Don't Download This Song" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a style parody of charity songs like "We Are the World".
White &amp; Nerdy
"White & Nerdy" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "Ridin' Dirty'" by Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone. It is about him who is a nerd who wants to join a gang, but cannot because he is too "white and nerdy".
Canadian Idiot
"Canadian Idiot" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "American Idiot" by Green Day.
EBay (song)
"eBay" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. It is about a man who buys strange and unnecessary things on eBay.
Northern Isles
The Northern Isles are a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland.
The group includes Shetland, Fair Isle and Orkney. Sometimes Stroma is included, which is part of Caithness.
The Northern Isles are usually separated for political purposes, but they come under the Orkney and Shetland parliamentary constituency in Westminster.
Due to their history, the islands have a Norse, rather than a Gaelic flavour, and have historic links with the Faroes, Iceland, and Norway.
Orkney and Shetland were given to Scotland as a deposit on the dowry of Margaret of Denmark when she married James III of Scotland in 1469.
Michele Bachmann
Michele Marie (née Amble) Bachmann (born April 6, 1956) is a Republican politician and activist. Since 2007 she has been a United States Congresswoman from Minnesota.