Etc...

Sir, that lady is here again

Are you the parent of a child in school? Ever had reason to confront a teacher over some disservice done to little Emily or Jonathan? Then perhaps you can relate to the case of a mother in the Netherlands who was unhappy with the quality of the education her "highly gifted" daughter was receiving and said so - in nine personal visits, 20 letters to the principal, 29 more to the school board, and 50 e-mails. And that doesn't count the missives she fired off to the National Complaint Commission, the Educational Inspection Service, Queen Beatrix, and the news media. Did she get any satisfaction ? Well, her efforts did bring one change - just not the sort she had in mind. A local court has forbid her from having any contact with teachers, administrators, or the board for a year - except what she can write on a single sheet of paper once a month.

Looking for a trivia question that just might stump a serious sports fan? Try this: Which National Hockey League team won the most recent Stanley Cup championship? Since a labor dispute between the players' union and team owners wiped out all of last season, even some devotees may be hard-pressed to remember that the Tampa Bay Lightning (yes, from that ice hockey hotbed, Florida) are the defending champions. By defeating the Calgary Flames in a seven-game series, Tampa Bay became the first team from the Sunshine State to win the sport's Holy Grail. With the NHL back in action as of last week, how about a quick review of its recent history? The last 10 Stanley Cup champions, with the year each triumphed:
1995 New Jersey Devils
1996 Colorado Rockies
1997 Detroit Red Wings
1998 Detroit Red Wings
1999 Dallas Stars
2000 New Jersey Devils
2001 Colorado Rockies
2002 Detroit Red Wings
2003 New Jersey Devils
2004 Tampa Bay Lightning
2005 Season canceled
- 2005 ESPN Sports Almanac