Happy New Year everyone. I suppose I'm a little late on that, but I'm sure you've been managing just fine.

Today, as some of you know, was the World Junior hockey semifinal game between Canada and the USA. I watched it at home with some friends, completing the experience with a Bubba of beer (see below). The plucky (and thuggy) Canadian kids managed to pull off a 3-2 win in a close game. Good stuff. And we all got to feel that particular glee that Canadians derive from a hockey victory over the Americans.

As any Canadian knows by now (thanks to an exhaustive marketing campaign), the Bubba is a 5L mini-keg of Molson Canadian beer. I'm not really a fan of the stuff, but I guess I am a fan of their promotional campaigns. That Bubba commercial has a certain charm (and even includes a guy taking a ball hockey ball to the crotch), and I've had an "I am Canadian" t-shirt for years. Gifts from this Christmas added a pair of boxers to my collection. Now if only I could stomach a reasonable quantity of their beer . . .

Speaking of which, we followed up the game with a trip to one of the local pubs that has a bunch of imported beer. Tonight's selection for me included a big Scottish beer named Lia Fair, the Jamaican Red Stripe, and some Super Bock concoction from Portugal. I am now several beer closer to sampling the whole menu (though I'm probably only at about 20 out of 50 or so beers).