text:
- Report: #275762
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: David Stanley Chevrolet
David Stanley Chevrolet614 S.W. 74th Oklahoma City, Oklahoma U.S.A.
David Stanley Chevrolet uses deceptive business practices and changed the figures after the deal was complete Oklahoma City Oklahoma
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We negotiated for a sales price of $13000 for the car. NADA and Blue Book both listed avg. retail for veh. in fair condition at $14800. The dealer then offered $9500 for my trade. NADA and Blue Book listed avg. trade-in for my veh. at $11500 in fair condition. My veh. had minor hail damage, so I advised I would accept $10500 for trade-in. The used car mgr. agreed. Pay off on my veh. was $13125 which ment that I would have to carry $2625 neg. equity on the new loan. During negotiations this neg. equity was rounded to $3000 and I did not quibble over the difference. The loan was to be for $13000 purchase plus $3000 totaling $16000. I signed the papers. I then told them that I would buy an extended warranty but that I wanted to pay cash. I did not want that financed.
They advised that was acceptable but that they would have to reprint the papers to show the warranty but that it would not be tied to the loan. I resigned the papers and it was agreed that I would return the vehicle to DSC on monday to be sent for repairs. The car was sent for repairs and was gone for approx 2 weeks. When it was returned the brake lights did not work, the sun visor was installed but not wired up, and the warning lights came on as I was driving from the lot. They took the veh. back to complete the repairs. Approx. 1 week later they called me and advised the car was ready. When I got there they advised that all repairs had been made but the the warning lights were due to the previous owners installation of an after market exhaust system and that there was an exhaust leak. They told me that the problem was minor and that I should just take the car like it was because they were not going to replace the exhaust system. They said that my only other option was to take my old car back and forget the deal. I chose my old car but was then advised that they had sold my car and that this would not be an option.
They suggested that I find another car on the lot of comparable value and that they would swap cars with me. They showed me another car and I agreed. They then advised that the other car would increase my payment by $30-35 per month. This was not acceptable to me so the used car mgr. advised me to keep the car I had bought and be happy because he was going to do no more repairs. If this was not acceptable he advised me to contact an attorney. I then went to finance and cancelled the extended warranty and they advised that the refund would be mailed to me. The next day I contacted the gen. sales mgr. and told him my situation. He said he would check into it and contact me. I was called later and told to bring the car back for repairs. When I took the car back I was told that the time was running out on the loan and that they still did not have a clear title on the veh. and that I would need to resign the loan papers. I did so at that time. They sent the car to a muffler shop (non factory) for repairs. I got the car back 1 week later, and the next day the warning lights came back on.I called the dealer and could get nobody to return my calls. I contacted the bank that was to fund the loan and advised them of the situation and they advised that they would not fund the loan until the repairs were made. I attempted to contact the dealer several times over the next weeks but nobody would return my calls. I called GM to check on the status of my warranty refund and was told that the cancellatiion had not been received and that the warranty was shown to be on the loan. I called the dealers accounting dept. and they verified that the warranty should not be on the loan and they then called and cancelled it and cleared it off the loan. They then noticed that the loan was not yet funded. When they sent papers to the bank the bank declined to fund the loan until the repairs were made.
The finance mgr. then called me and advised that he had just learned of the problem and had talked to the gen. mgr. who had told him to make me happy. He advised that they would fix the car properly or if I was no longer comfortable with that car they would swap it for another at the same price. I went to the dealership and we decided that the best way to resolve the situation was to swap for a new "07" Cobalt which now had $500 rebates. I was told to pick out the one I wanted and he would write it up. I picked one out but he advised that the base model was the only one he could swap for. When I didn't like that one he advised that to make me happy he would do it on the other car. When I went fo financing to resign the papers the loan was now $2000 higher and extended for an additional 6 mos. with the payment increasing by $16. This was not acceptable and I left. I thought about it and decided that the cheaper Cobalt would probably by the best way to resolve the situation and called to see if he would still do the deal. He advised yes and I went in. Upon arrival I met the new car mgr. who advised that the rebates had increased today to $2000 and that on the cheaper car my loan would only be $2000 higher. (Yes this is the same price they had quoted for the more expensive car. The new loan was for $18100 and would be for an addl. 6 mos. and the payment would increase. He advised that the problem was the $4600 neg. equity that I was carrying.
I questioned him and found that the used car mgr. had changed the figures to show an $8500 trade in value and a sales price of the orig. car at $11400. He would not listen to me or the orig.salesman about the descrepancy. Naturally I left. When I arrived home I saw an ad from David Stanley Chevrolet offering the car I had just tried to buy for $10900. David Stanley Chevrolet has not seriously attempted to resolve this situation. They have decided to fund the loan in-house. I have no confidence that they will do the necessary repairs on the veh. During this ordeal I have talked with many people who have told me their horror stories from David Stanley. I now know of his sorry reputation. I checked them out with the BBB and they show 55 complaints over the last 36 months. The avg. complaints for other dealerships in the area are in the single digits. 55 is an astounding number when you consider the low number of people who actually pursue issues with the BBB. I have not yet contacted an attorney but I am certain that that time will arrive. I am presently attempting to resolve the situation through the BBB.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/23/2007 12:50 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/David-Stanley-Chevrolet/Oklahoma-City-Oklahoma-73139/David-Stanley-Chevrolet-uses-deceptive-business-practices-and-changed-the-figures-after-th-275762. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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- Report: #578271
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Attorney Sheryl Burke's Office
Attorney Sheryl Burke's Office3340 Peachtree Road, N.E. Suite 1940, Atlanta, GA atlanta, Georgia United States of America
Attorney Sheryl Burke's Office Robin Coggswell, Attorney Robin Coggswell, Attorney Sheryl Burke, the law offices of Sheryl L. Burke, Rehab Diagnostics Services Associates with Scam Artists, Ambulance Chasers, Rips off Clients, Lies About Settlements, Incompetent, Will Screw Up Your Case atlanta, Georgia
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They are two of the most incompetent personal injury lawyers ever witnessed. They will screw you out of money, make sure this unethical chiropractor gets his and leave you with pennies after being in pain, never getting the proper treatment and missing time from work. Don't believe their lies. After you sign with their firm to handle your case, they forget about you even exists until its time to settle. They will not take your calls, they will not return your calls. They will lie to you with a straight face promising you big settlements and full recovery of your lost wages.
We had to gather up our own medical records, make phone calls in our case, make several visits to their office because they are simply to ignorant to return a phone call in a timely matter. They make excuses for their incompetence but still expect to be paid 33.33% of your settlement for doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. In fact I settled my own auto damages with no help from them whatsoever. I ended up with more money for my property damage than they got for my personal injury. It's an outrage. And if you are self-employed or own a business, they will screw you royally out of your lost wages so run for cover.
We finally decided to go to a different doctors outside of their group of medical scammers they recommended. Both Sheryl Burke & Robin Coggswell (her so called litigator) did not cooperate with the new reputable doctors by totally ignoring their phone calls and bills leaving you holding the bag. Don't trust your case with these people if you don't want to end up in more pain medically than you started with. And if you truly expect them to work on your case and get you a really fair settlement....stay far away from the Law Offices of Sheryl Burke.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/04/2010 05:24 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Attorney-Sheryl-Burkes-Office/atlanta-Georgia-30326/Attorney-Sheryl-Burkes-Office-Robin-Coggswell-Attorney-Robin-Coggswell-Attorney-Sheryl-578271. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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Date: 1908
Description: Watercolor painting of a canoe and sailboat on Lake Mendota. In the background is the city skyline on the far shoreline.
Date: date unknown
Description: Watercolor painting of Lake Monona from asylum grounds or Governor's Island. On the far shoreline is Madison and the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Date: 1997
Description: A watercolor of a shelter made of bark with child inside of it.
Date: 1905
Description: Watercolor painting of boats and sailboats on Lake Mendota, looking towards Maple Bluff, perhaps from Governor's Island or Rocky Roost.
Description: Watercolor painting of Mill Bluff, now part of Mill Bluff State Park. Trees surround and grow upon the bluff.
Description: A watercolor of a person flintknapping, a process used to make prehistoric stone tools.
Date: 1850 ca.
Description: Quarter plate daguerreotype of a painting of Bland Ballard (1761-1853). Ballard was a noted Kentucky pioneer, and also served as a scout for General George...
Date: 1892-03
Description: Three men drag their canoe through a strong current.
Date: 1906
Description: Watercolor painting of a sailboat on Lake Mendota.
Description: An Ojibwa Indian man splits cedar wood to make ribs for the canoe he's constructing.
Date: 1836
Description: A detail of a full-length portrait of Henry Dodge.
Description: Oneota pottery and shell spoon with assorted vegetables, including corn, beans, and a gourd.
Description: Quarter plate daguerreotype of a painting of General George Rogers Clark, as an older man. Clark is most well known for his role in the defense of the Nort...
Description: Portrait of Henry Dodge, first governor of the Wisconsin Territory.
Date: 1961
Description: Pencil, ink, gouache, and watercolor design for a white terry cloth pea jacket over a tight black above-the-knee dress for Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at...
Description: Watercolor painting of the Yahara River north of Lake Mendota. Trees are on the banks to the left with foliage throughout. A meadow is on the right.
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text:
- Report: #572331
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: National Health Net NHS
National Health Net NHS1521 Action Rd #842 Miami Beach, Florida United States of America
National Health Net NHS Acai Berry Pure Acai Berry Pure/Advanced Cleanse fraud Miami Beach, Florida
*UPDATE Employee: CS
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Do not get dooped by this scam. I have already filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida and the Carribbean (www.bbbsoutheastflorida.org) as well as the Florida Attorney General (myfloridalegal.com). I will be contacting my bank on Monday as well to dispute the charges as fraudulent based on the company's failure to uphold their end of the terms and conditions.
If you are a victim please take the time to add your complaint to this post and file formal complaints with the Better Business Bureau and Florida Attorney General. You should also dispute the charges with your bank since they're more likely to work for you, their customer, than lose your account to another bank.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/20/2010 11:23 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/National-Health-Net-NHS/Miami-Beach-Florida-33139/National-Health-Net-NHS-Acai-Berry-Pure-Acai-Berry-PureAdvanced-Cleanse-fraud-Miami-Beac-572331. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 UPDATE Employee
AUTHOR: kmedia - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, March 02, 2010POSTED: Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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text:
Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim
MP for Marine Parade GRC
Mrs Gan Lai Chui
E2 Cluster Superintendent
Mr Chin Lai Fook
Vice Chairman, School Advisory Committee
Mr Mohd Khairunan Bin Ali
Principal, Bedok View Secondary School
Distinguished guests
Teachers and Students
1. I am pleased to be here at Bedok View Secondary School's 28th Speech and Prize Giving Day. It is indeed heartening to see so many parents and students here this afternoon as we celebrate this important and happy occasion.
2. Bedok View Secondary School has come a long way since it first started in 1977. On the first year of its inception, it was housed in a holding school called Siglap Malay School. Now Bedok View is a modern school with excellent infrastructure and facilities. I heard that many organizations such as PERTAPIS, SIA and even the nearby private Residents' Committees have used Bedok View's facilities to conduct their programmes and activities. I was also told that former students have used the school premises to take their wedding photographs. I am glad to see that the school continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Bedok View students past and present.
3. This goes to show that it is not the building that makes the school. It is the relationships forged within the school portals, and the memories you hold dear that have a special meaning for you many years down the road. While up-to-date facilities provide a conducive environment for our students' learning, what matters most are the people who make up the school community. I am happy to see that Bedok View has provided opportunities for members to deepen links with one another through various programmes committed to the holistic education of our students.
Making a difference to the community
4. I note that the theme for this year's Speech Day is "Making A Difference". The theme aptly sums up Bedok View's commitment to provide opportunities to make a difference not just in the lives of its students, but also in the lives of others outside of the school community. As such, Bedok View has constantly embarked on initiatives and programmes that go beyond academic achievements. These programmes encourage students to care for the environment and reach out to the community.
5. Some of these programmes include partnerships with Residents' Committees, self help groups like Mendaki, voluntary welfare organizations like Food from the Heart, as well as other educational institutions. Moving beyond our shores, I am glad to know that a group of NCC students and officers embarked on a goodwill mission to an orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last December, to participate in a community programme there. They helped to paint classrooms, build pavements, teach basic English Language and assisted in other activities that helped to improve the living conditions there. Their actions certainly made a huge difference to the lives of the occupants there, not only in terms of material comfort but also in bringing happiness and joy.
6. Community Involvement Projects like these expose students to the needs of the less advantaged in society, both at home and abroad. We want our students to develop empathy, and also a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate, and those at the fringes of society. I am heartened to see that Bedok View has been providing students with opportunities to effect positive changes in the larger community, and see beyond their own immediate needs. I am sure that for the students who went on the overseas CIP trip to Cambodia, their experience has broadened their perspectives and made them more aware of the needs of others.
Holistic education: Participation in sports and games
7. Another aspect that is integral to holistic education is participation in sports and games. To further support a broad-based education, MOE will provide all schools with an indoor sports hall starting from this year. Bedok View has been earmarked for the initial phase of this project. By the end of this year, staff and students can look forward to having a brand new indoor sports hall. With an indoor sports hall, you would be able to schedule Physical Education (PE) lessons at any time of the day. Inclement weather will no longer be an issue and the school will thus be able to provide more opportunities for its students to participate in sports, games and the performing arts.
School Staff Developer
8. While excellent facilities are necessary to enable pupils to learn better, it is the dedicated teachers that make the difference in providing the guidance and impetus to help each child realise his potential. That is why MOE recognises the need to ensure that the training and professional development needs of our teachers are well taken care of.
9. As part of the GROW package unveiled in September last year, every school will eventually have a School Staff Developer (SSD), to help to look at the professional development of teachers proactively. The School Staff Developer is a coach, a designer and facilitator of training, and a resource person for good teaching practices. He helps to ensure that training and professional development programmes are customised to staff needs and support the school's goals. He also works collaboratively with the senior teachers and Heads of Departments to mentor teachers and guide them in developing their careers.
10. As the School-based Staff Developer is a new role, it is prototyped in 25 schools this year, and Bedok View is one of the schools selected. The school will receive training, consultancy support and funds for school-based professional development initiatives.
11. I am pleased to note that Mr Syed Alwi Alattas, the School Staff Developer-designate, together with his team from the People Development and Staff Mentoring Committees, has set comprehensive goals for the school's staff development plan. The team has a lot on its plate, for it has committed to creating a culture that encourages reflection and innovation, supporting teachers in developing learner-centred instruction and assessment, promoting staff wellbeing, and, creating and driving systems and processes that enhance staff development practices. They will also work with the Training and Development Division of MOE to streamline and optimize the role of the School Staff Developer by giving their feedback as a prototype school.
12. The achievements and progress of the school today can only be possible with dedication and efforts of the school's staff and pupils together with your stakeholders, such as the School Advisory Committee, the Parent Support Group and various community partners. I urge Bedok View Secondary to continue to forge ahead, charting its own path towards excellence but holding true to its core values and principles.
13. I would also like to congratulate all prize winners and award recipients for your excellent academic achievements and contributions. You have done your school and parents proud.
14. On this note, I offer my very best wishes to Bedok View Secondary School on your 28th Speech and Prize Giving Day.
15. Thank you.
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text:
- Report: #812751
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Greyhound
Greyhound408 Fannin Street Shreveport, Louisiana United States of America
Greyhound Baggage Carriers Are Theives Shreveport, Louisiana
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A black luggage carrier, who told me his name was Richie (or perhaps Rick), offered to take my baggage in the back while I waited inside the terminal for the next bus to arrive. I complied and gave my suitcases to him. When I arrive in Houston, TX, I noticed that my television set (a Sanyo 18.5'' LCD HDTV) and my video game consoled and five games (A Nintendo Wii and five games including Super Mario Galaxy 1/2, Sonic Colors, Metroid: Other M, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword) were stolen.
I called the Shreveport, LA branch that night to complain and although I was upset (and rightfully so) I could get no where with the representative who picked up the phone (that's usually the case with Greyhound it seems). Since that night, I've been calling that Greyhound back, but no one picks up the phone.
I've contacted the Greyhound HQ located in Dallas, TX, but at most all they did was offer to file a complaint. One of the representatives told me to file an inspection report at a local Greyhound. I went down to the Greyhound just to find out that there is no such thing as an inspection report (that or the employees at the Houston, TX location did not know of the form). I got the runaround by them and the employees were very hostile (again, that's to be expected of Greyhound's employees).
I've contacted the HQ again, but this time demanding another means of getting a resolution. This time they told me to file a claim report, which I thought was only for lost or stolen goods. But I've heard of another person who had a $1600 laptop stolen by Greyhound employees, and if his story is any indication, then filing a claim report is another waste of time and another runaround scheme by Greyhound.
I have gotten fed up with Greyhound's nonsense. I will take matters into my own hands. Rather than filing reports and wasting time, I am contacting the attorney general's office. Moreover, I have reported Greyhound to the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. It's time we, the people that support Greyhound, stand up to this monopoly and remind them who are paying the owner's dividends.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 12/22/2011 05:17 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Greyhound/Shreveport-Louisiana-71101/Greyhound-Baggage-Carriers-Are-Theives-Shreveport-Louisiana-812751. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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Product Reviews For: Genie in the Lamp Costume - Mens
2 Reviews
Overall Rating:
Sort By: Newest First | Highest Rating | Lowest Rating
Reviewer: Mike (this user has purchased this item)
November 4, 2010
Quality: 8
Cool Factor: 10
Costume Purchasing Experience: 5+
Your Age: 18-25
No problem with the hat and the vest, worked out great. The lamp would hardly stay up, but just some tissue paper would probably hold its form without weighing it down. The wrist cuffs were too big and weird shaped to stay on my bare arms, but wearing a long sleeve or something else underneath will keep them in place. Overall a good costume and definitely gets some attention at a party.
Reviewer: Anonymous
November 2, 2009
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Jailbait - trailers & videos - rotten tomatoes, View hd trailers and videos for jailbait on rotten tomatoes, then check our tomatometer to find out what the critics say.. Jailbait images - wikipedia, free encyclopedia, Jailbait images are sexualized but non-pornographic images of minors who are perceived to meet the definition of jailbait. the online distribution of jailbait images. Jailbait (2004 film) - wikipedia, free encyclopedia, Jailbait is a 2004 psychodrama film written and directed by brett c. leonard. it stars stephen adly guirgis and michael pitt and is set in an unnamed prison in california.
Ted nugent' jailbait problem*|*larry womack, Two years recording "jailbait," ted nugent idea legal guardian 17-year- girl, sex . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-womack/ted-nugents-jailbait-problem_b_4840060.html Reddit' pedophilia posse return jailbait, Reddit' "jailbait" section, users posted pictures (clothed) young girls, shut month moderator dispute. pervs rejoice, . http://jezebel.com/5842172/reddits-pedophilia-defenders-and-the-return-of-jailbait Reddit closes 'jailbait' pic site, remain, Conde nast' reddit site closed subsite devoted calls "jailbait," prompting controversy site' users. , reddit maintains. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391317,00.asp


text:
Salt dome bill approved
Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 9:03 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 9:03 p.m.
Two measures aimed at regulating the operations of salt domes, prompted by a 13-acre sinkhole in Assumption Parish, made it out of a House committee and could be debated on the House floor next week.
The bills (House Bills 493 and 494) by Rep. Karen St. Germain, D-Pierre Part, were approved without objection by the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee.
St. Germain represents a district that includes the sinkhole near Bayou Corne that officials say was caused by a collapsed underground salt cavern. The sinkhole was discovered in August and has resulted in an on-going evacuation order for 150 residents.
The proposals would require stricter guidelines for monitoring and assessing areas around salt domes. One measure calls for surveying salt dome formations every five years, and the other requires legal notification of the location of underground caverns to prospective property owners.
A salt dome is a large, naturally occurring underground salt deposit. Companies drill on the dome's outskirts and inject water to extract brine that is used in petrochemical refining, creating caverns that can be used to store such things as hydrocarbons.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
Well hello.
It's me again. You may not remember, as it's been forever since I posted. Which is my fault....just been too busy enjoying every second of my life here in New Zealand. :) (which is the nice way of saying I have been too lazy to write)
So anyhow, now that I have something that I should actually be doing instead of writing, I have decided to post. Not sure how long I'll go for, but let's give it a shot. :) I REALLY have no motivation to get any work done in the near future.
Since I last posted, so much has happened, though my travels slowed down for a bit until recently. I spent a weekend not long after we returned from the South Island out in Opotiki, in the Bay of Plenty area, at my friend Maria's house. Kelsey Pelton and Hana Wellington went along with us, making it a half Kiwi, half American trip out east :) Maria lives in a small town, on a kiwifruit orchard right across from the ocean. So yeah.... that pretty much means she lives in one of the coolest places on earth! To have hills, farm land, grass, trees, and the country just across the road from a lovely, quiet, and private beach? That sounds like a dream! Lucky for us, it was real :) The four of us watched the rugby, ate a picnic lunch, wandered about the town, had a bonfire on the beach (with as close to American s'mores as we could get), played many, many rounds of "Never Have I Ever" and generally had a blast on the sand under the stars :) Also, Maria's mum cooked us some great as food during the week. It was certainly one of my favourite weekends!
Also, in the time since the South Island, I've atteneded another Chiefs rugby game (who are still top of the table!! Go Chiefs!), gotten very involved with the Hamilton Women's Volleyall Club and played in two tournaments, one here in Hamilton, and another in Rotorua, taken a trip up to Auckland and visited a friend from home who is studying there, made and strengthened heaps of friendships with the amazing people from the church here on campus, and of course, visited Hobbiton (and GEEKED OUT quite a bit, I might add!).
Hahaha okay... so when I list it all like that, it does seem like I did quite a bit :) Let me expand...
Rugby: Now that I have lived in New Zealand for four months, I must admit that I have become quite fond of this game. I will miss cheering the Chiefs on and screaming with the crowd as they fly around the field working hard for a try!
Volleyball: Man, am I gonna miss these girls! One of the women who plays on the team was the one who took me to my second rugby game. She got a free ticket through work or a friend or something, and invited me along. :) They are so kind, and very willing to let me play with them, even though I am only here for a short time. And, they are quite talented as well. It has been a privlige to get to keep traning here, and to spend time with them all. I wish them all the BEST for the New Zealand national tournament they have in a month or so. :)
Auckland: Definietly not my favourite city, but it's nice. Bigger than Hamilton by far, (which isn't hard at all, mind you) and it's by the waterfront, which is nice too. Good to get into a bustling city for a bit, but certainly not where I'd like to live. Much more comfortable here in Hamilton :) However, I spent the day walking about the city and catching up with my best friend from home's cousin Amanda, who I've known since I was little. It was actually great to have that taste of home here in another country :) And it was also quite interesting to see how our experiences were much the same, but also very different, as we have studied in very different cities.
Hobbiton: Wow....words. There are just none. Haha, this was certainly a HIGHLIGHT of my trip here!!! It was something I said I wanted to do ever since I found out I'd be headed here to NZ. And it lived up to every expectation! It was a bit surprising, because I don't think I quite expected the set to feel so fake and real at the same time....hard to explain, but it was weird feeling like I was on a set for a play or something, cause you could see the fake props, see how it wasn't real.......but at the same time, the plants in the garden were real. The hobbit holes just looked EXACTLY like they do in the movie, especiallly from far away. And the whole little town just felt so magical. I didn't ever want to leave, and I surely want to visit sometime again. Such a lovely place. Oh, and seeing pieces of set that will appear in the new Hobbit movie coming out in the fall - yeah. Haha, THAT was sweet as too! Definetly WELL worth the money, and something I will remember forever :)
....And as for friends? Golly. I have SO many here now, that I reckon I could live off their hospitality and house-hop for about two months or more when I return for a visit :) Tears are already threatening to fall when we talk about the fact that I only have about 10 or so more days until I say so long to New Zealand for now. And that just seems like too soon :( So, for now, I am holding on to each and every moment with all I have, and cherishing all times I have with these friends until my feet leave the ground.
For example, today I was meant to be studying for finals.... Haha, but, if you know me at all, you know it didn't last long ;) Especially when you know that I was studying with my great friend Patrice, who I actually only met about a month and a half or so ago. However, I feel I have known her for ages, and I know we will be friends for a long time. Our study turned into eating lollies, watching youtube videos, and drinking heaps of Just Juice. (for Americans, that's pretty much the best juice you can get over here. So yum)
And now, my procrastination that started this morning and has continued through this afternoon and into this evening (meaning the fact that I'm writing all of this right now when I'm meant to be studying), will continue into this evening as Patrice is coming to pick me up in just a moment to head to a friend's flat for a movie night. Then, of course, I'm headed to her flat for a sleepover. Naturally. ;)
Oh, and really cool thing: this afternoon I FaceTimed on my iPod with two of my best friends from home, and they were chatting with me and Patrice for a good half hour or more. I love how technology can shorten the thousands of miles separating good friends, and bring them together. :) Seriously miss my friends at home, but to get them back, I'll have to exchange it for then seriously missing the AMAZING kiwis here.
....ahh!! Patrice just texted me :) gotta go friends! Hope all is well. Not long now till I return to the US of A.
Stay tuned for my update of my trip to Oz this past week! (Australia, for those who don't know the nickname).
Oh my.. I am SO sorry that it has been so long since I have blogged here last! Life has been flying by so quickly here, and I've hardly had a free moment to update. I shall attempt to recount all that I've done this past month in the next couple of entries and hopefully bring us back up to date!
To finish off the South Island trip blogs:
After visiting Christchurch, Kelly, Jackie, and I traveled west towards Fox Glacier. We stayed overnight at Arthur's Pass, in the midst of a mountain range. It was so beautiful waking up to mist and clouds hanging low over the mountains that surrounded us. :) The South Island is a truly gorgeous place.
Once we reached Fox Glacier, we parked and walked along the trail to the glacier. There were huge cliffs along the way that reminded me much of the "Cliffs of Insanity" from The Princess Bride. Had many movie quotes running through my head at that moment. ;) Then we finally reached the glacier. Having never seen one before, and not even knowing what a glacier really was, I was in for a surprise. It was essentially a huge frozen "river" of ice in the mountains, settled between two peaks. I learned that a glacier acually recedes and procedes up and down the mountain based on the weather from five years before! It takes that long to affect the glacier. Having expected somehthing more like an ice burg (no idea why that was in my head...I have the strangest expectations sometimes!), seeing this giant cylinder of ice was amazing. It was bigger than I was expecting, but we were gutted that we couldn't get closer. We didn't pay for a tour that would take us on the glacier, so we were stuck at the barrier about 100-200 yards from it. However, as we were standing there, a couple jumped the barrier, walked down the rocks, and climbed up to a mound of dirt and stones about 50 or so yards from the glacier. Kelly, Jackie, and I looked at each other, grinned, and hopped the barrier too, completely disregarding the signs that were posted about tourists who had been killed by getting too close. We were safe, we were mindful of how close we were (well out of the way of the falling ice, don't worry!!) and yet we had a much better experience than if we hadn't gotten closer. I'd do it again in a heartbeat :) ....the only downside were the parents with young children who glared at us for being bad influences :P
Once we left there, we traveled south to Wanaka, another lovely little town. I just love how so many places in the South Island are surrounded by amazing mountains and hills and lakes. The night before we arrived in Wanaka, we stayed at a campsite and slept in our car once again. That night, by the lake, I'd never seen so many stars in my life. The sky was filled with them, and I think I stared at the sky for ages before I finally was able to force my eyes closed and fall asleep :)
Once in Wanaka, we explored the town a bit and settled into our hostel at The Base (an awesome, student-oriented backpackers hostel). While exploring the town, I managed to purchase a "Captain America" poster for my room for only $1. Probably the happiest (and nerdiest) purchase I made that week. :) That day we also went on a walk up mountain in the town, and got to look out over the town, the lake and everything. That has to be one of my favorite things about New Zealand: almost anywhere there is a bush walk you can go on, up a mountain or hill and look out over everything. So beautiful :) The next day we noticed there was a Gypsy fair in town, so we wandered about that for a bit as well. Obviously, we avoided the dodgy as stalls that offered piercings and tattoos, but other than that it was really neat. Reminded me a lot of the Renaissance Faire back home.
Then we traveled from Wakaka to Arrowtown, which was one of my most favorite places. :) Arrowtown is a small mining town that housed a lot of Chinese immigrants years ago during the New Zealand gold rush (which happened just around the same time as the US gold rush), and many of the buildings and houses have been preserved or rebuilt for tourists to walk through. Since it's Autumn here, the trees were all changing color and falling and the colors made this small town simply amazing to look at. There were small shops lining the main street, bush walks through the woods, and a cute open picnic area where we ate our lunch. Honestly, it reminded me of Pennsylvania so much. This little town could have fit right in back home (aside from the huge, NZ mountains that is) and the history of it all reminded me of all the field trips I would take as a young homeschooler. Could definitely have seen my mom taking us there had I been born and raised in New Zealand and not in the US.
On our way out of Arrowtown, we also luckily saw something really, really neat. There was a beautiful asian woman taking her wedding photos amoung all the reds, greens, yellows, and browns of Arrowtown's trees and woods. Her white dress standing out from all of that was simply amazing. She kept smiling shyly at us cause we kept staring. I couldn't imagine a better place to have wedding photos taken :)
Then finally we were off, back to Queenstown. Ah, I love that place. Can't wait to visit it again sometime in my life :) We took a long walk around the lake, stopping to sit on some large boulders along the shore. Thankfully, it wasn't a disaster that arvo, because my camera fell out of my pocket while we were sitting on the rock, and slid down right to the edge, a foot from falling off into the water. Would have been SO gutted if I'd lost it! God was good and kept it from falling in, and I was extremely relieved, and then laughed for quite awhile about it with Kelly and Jackie, amazed I hadn't lost it. Later, we partook of the famous Fergburgers (definitely a must have!) and had four wonderful Cookie Time cookies while we were there :) Two as dessert one night, and two for dinner with ice cream the next. It was a lovly way to end our South Island experience :)
It was very sad to enter that plane and fly off back to Auckland. However, we were all exhausted by this point, and ready to get back to the halls and have our food made for us and a warm bed to sleep in every night :) But after being on our own for a week, roadtripping the South Island, in a country we'd never been to before a few months ago, I feel so strange staying in one place. I know going home will not be the same after all of this. So much more I want to see and do here that I know I won't be able to in the short amount of time left. But this fact makes me happy rather than sad: it means I need to come back. :)
So, there's the first post in awhile!! I'll have more up later today, and hopefully get all caught up here soon! Thanks for hanging in there with me :)
We have made it to Christchurch now! :)
Yesterday we were in Dunedin, having driven there from Queenstown. Let me tell you friends, the sights were GORGEOUS along the way! New Zealand is SO beautiful down here on the South Island, and I loved driving through the mountains, along the rolling hills and rocky valleys. Ah, I could live down here :) Also, we found all the sheep! Haha they have been hiding down here the whole time ;)
Anyhow, our drive was lovely. Four hours or so behind the wheel is fantastic. I drove for the first two hours or so, and honestly, I'm going to be so confused when I get back to the states: it's starting to feel natural driving on the left side of the road! But it was an easy drive. The main highways are literally just like backroads at home. Lovely :)
Then Kelly drove for the last two hours or so, while Jackie and I continued to oohh and ahhh and take photos. We arrived in Dunedin around 8ish on the 11th, and spent the night in our cute little car. It was quite the adventure, however it had to be the COLDEST night I've ever experienced :P But not altogether uncomfortable :)
Yesterday, we did the Cadbury World tour (more expensive than Chocolate World, but you get HEAPS more free chocolate!) and that was great, except we had to do the shortened tour because the factory was closed in parts for the holiday. But it was still really neat, cause you actually get to walk around through the factory with a tour guide (or you usually do, when the factory isn't closed) and that's a lot cooler than jumping on a ride and listening to singing cows :P
After that, we lunched in Dunedin, walked around to some shops, and then hit the road again. The drive was once again gorgeous, but this time we got to drive along the coast by the ocean nearly the whole time :) We even stopped and stood on the beach for awhile, which was fantastic. Haven't been to the beach in ages. Kelly and I split the driving again, and this time we drove through more open country with mountains in the distance.
We arrived in Christchurch in the evening agian, looking to stay in a hostel. We did not want to have to sleep in the car again :P After striking out at the first place we checked out, we called a second hostel and could book a double room for fairly cheap, and they were willing to put a third mattress in the room for us, but only if we could get there in 15 min! Needless to say, we got quite lost, what with Christchurch being confusing to navigate to begin with, and then with all the construction and closed roads from the earthquake. So we called the receptionist back and she very kindly talked us through directions to the hostel, and we safely made it to our warm beds last night :)
And now today we're wandering around this beautiful, but sad city. I can't believe the earthquake was over a year ago now! There's still so much damage, and many aftershocks happening. Still haven't felt one ourselves, but maybe before we go ;)
And anyhow, we've now been in the library here in Christchurch for awhile now, and we're ready to head off again! We've been chatting about directions and places to stay and places to get cheap petrol with a nice New Zealand man sitting right next to me, so I think we're finally sussed and ready to go! :)
Thanks again for reading, and I'll update again when I can! And of course, I'll add pictures when I can too :)
Well, we made it to the South Island! ....and it's FREEZING! :P
Haha, okay, it's not that bad, but after feeling like summer up in Hamilton, Queenstown is certainly a chilly change.
Anyhow, today is our second day of our trip to the South Island for fall break. Yesterday we traveled at a terribly early hour (3am) to the Auckland airport. Jackie, Kelly, Josephine (who was hitching a ride with us to visit family) and I were given a ride to the airport thanks to our good friend Chris who generously offered to drive us that early in the morning :P Upon arriving in Auckland, we found that our flight had been delayed an hour and a half, which apparently isn't surprising for JetStar, the airline we used. But, this gave me an hour and a half to sleep in the airport, which was fabulous :)
The flight was great, very quick, and we landed in the cutest little airport! Queenstown is litterally a small village in the middle of mountains. It is gorgeous :D We then went to travel around the town a bit, then while Jackie and Kelly went skydiving, I toured the town on my own, which was fantastic :) Then we met back up, ate dinner (some amazing leftover Subway) and then checked into our hostel, and toured the town again at night.
Since we were exhausted, we crashed early, and then woke up to eat a nice continental breakfast, pack up our stuff, and take it back to our rental car. (Speaking of the rental, it's the cutest little vehicle ever, and the girls are actually letting me drive! Haha I LOVE it :D Can't wait to hit the open road this afternoon!) Today Kelly went bungy jumping while Jackie and I spent the afternoon in town again. (Kelly is alive, by the way ;) and apparently she had a blast!) In a few hours, we're gonna hit the road again and head to Dunedin, where we'll spend the night and then hit up the Cadbury chocolate factory in the morning! Going to be another great day :)
Already, the South Island is amazing! Pictures are being uploaded to facebook as I write this, and there are more to come! :) I'll update again when I can!
Kia Ora again!
Whew, this week has flown by and I totally forgot to update again! Unfortunately, with the holidays finally here it meant getting a LOT of homework finished while trying to plan our South Island trip and get class selections for next semester sorted out all at once. Talk about stressful!
Anyhow, I'm in the middle of finished homework in the middle of the night, but I just can't focus and thought updating this would be better use of my time :) So, last weekend....
Last Saturday was the Balloons over Waikato festival, and that was great. It was pretty much a huge town fair, with thousands of people in attendance, a band playing American oldies (complete with dancers in poodle skirts), chips, ice cream, amusement park rides, and, of course, hot air balloons! When it finally got dark enough, the band stopped playing and a soundtrack replaced them. Huge stacks of fire blew into the air around the balloons at the same time as the balloons were being inflated, and then allowed to glow by the light of the fire inside them. With the music playing, the balloons glowing, and the fireworks display right afterwards, it was easily one of the prettiest evenings I've had here in Hamilton so far. Plus, I got free chips afterwards while hanging with the RA's outside College Hall, and that, along with the continuation of our Star Wars movie marathon, just made the evening even better :)
Then during the week it was work, work, work. I am the copyeditor for the Valley Humanites Review at LVC, and finishing up the editing of those papers, along with needing to write three of my own for different classes, all while trying to do everything else I wanted (movie nights, volleyball practice, getting my ears pierced again, and various other exciting outings) proved to be fairly tricky. Needless to say, I can't WAIT for my history paper to be finished, so then I can finally breathe again!
April Fool's day was also this week, but I found it quite anticlimactic here. In New Zealand, April Fool's only lasts until noon anyway, and nobody really pranks each other. Coming from a family of corny, crazy, pranksters, it was strange to not have to worry about anything jumping out at you or falling for any jokes or tall tales my friends might tell me. But overall, it was still a good day, even if I didn't get to prank anyone :)
And other than that, this week has been pretty mellow. Volleyball practice here is going great still, and I enjoy playing with the team a lot. The girls are quite good, and of course, they are all very nice. Keeps me in good shape for the season back home!
Finally I guess, today is my birthday. First birthday I've ever had out of the States, and it's my 21st. :) My friends here in NZ are actually fantastic, and they are throwing me a birthday party. Didn't expect one here one bit, and what with us leaving for the South Island early Tuesday morning, I was surprised anyone thought of throwing me one at all! But I'm looking forward to it quite a lot :) A REAL homecooked breakfast, movies, ultimate frisbee, and who knows what other kinds of fun await me and my friends tomorrow. Can't wait :) (...now if only my homework would finish itself!) :P
And yes, I did mention that we are leaving for Queenstown on Tuesday! We'll drive up to Auckland at 4:30am on Tuesday, arriving there by 6. Flight at 7 or 8ish, and we'll arrive down south by 10am :) (times are very tentative as I don't remember off the top of my head, but it's something like that!!) Then we'll travel to Dunedin, Christchurch, the Fox Glacier, and hit up the Cadbury Chocolate Factory somewhere in there too :) Going to be 8 days of amazing fun :) ....but yeah, haha, of course I still need to pack. I'm not worried though. It'll get done ;)
So yeah, that's about what's going on with me! I'll try and update as often as I can while we're away, even just to say where we are and how much we're loving it :) And again, pictures to be posted on Facebook soon, with hundreds more coming after this trip, I'm sure :) Have a GREAT Easter everyone! Mine here was wonderful. First time having it out of the country, and first time experiencing Easter in the Fall. Very strange, but good at the same time :) So, have a great rest of the weekend and of break, and we'll chat again when I'm back from our second big adventure abroad!
Hey everyone!
Sorry once again for my delayed post: life has become quite busy with assignments and such becoming due. Finally starting to feel like I'm actually here for school and not for vacation. :P
So anyhow, here's what I've been up to over the past month...
Last weekend the eight of us (Kelly, Jackie, Lacy, Kelsey, Oliva, Kara, Morgan, and I) all went blackwater rafting at the Waitomo Caves. It was a fantastic afternoon! We left at around 10am with the most fantastic bus driver ever :) His name was Murry, and he's probably one of the coolest people I've met here so far. (Though pretty much every New Zealander is pretty cool, so he's one of very many) :) Murry chatted with us the whole way and even stopped at a small tourist area since we had extra time and gave us a bit of history on Kiwi culture over the years as we walked along and saw all the displays. (Pictures are on Facebook for anyone who wants to see...I unfortunately don't have free wifi at the moment or I'd totally upload a few to here) :(
Anyways, we finished there and headed for the caves. After we filled out the paperwork saying we understood the risks of going caving, we were sussed. A half hour or so passed until our tour guide was ready, and then we were off to get our wet suits!
AK, our tour guide with the sweetest name ever on her boots, AK-47, took us down to where the suits were and the first thing she told us was "Do NOT pee in your wet suit. It will stay there and stink and NOT be cool for anyone!" Haha, so after that awkward moment, she set us off to find the right size socks for our feet and then set us up with the rest of our suits. It was just a bit gross to be putting on a suit that quite likely someone had worn just a few hours before, but we got over it. But getting the wet suits on was quite another story. Haha I think we spent about 15 minutes in the bathroom yanking and tugging on these things, trying to get them to fit nicely. It was more than comical :)
So once we had that all figured out, we hopped on the bus and drove out to where the caves were. We first were instructed to grab inner tubes that were just the right size for us, and after much laughter, joking, and picture taking, we practiced jumping backwards off a small ledge into the water so our tour guides could make sure we knew what we were doing once we made it into the caves.
After our little practice, we walked down a long path through the woods to where a small stream flowed into the ground. At first I thought we were going to keep walking, until I realized everyone had stopped and were waiting for the small group of people that were climbing out of the ground to move along up the trail! And once we saw them climbing out of the ground, we realized that that was our entrance into the caves. :)
Seriously, one of the coolest moments in my life happened just a few minutes later: I rolled my inner tube down into the crevace and then climbed down myself into a cave full of stalactites, stalagmites, boulders and water. It was amazing as :) Literally gasped when I walked in and sat down with the rest of my group.
Again, we took many pictures and then prepared to venture through the caves. Jackie, Kelsey and I volunteered to go first right off the bat, and eagerly grabbed our tubes and practically ran to the opening of the tunnel leading through the caves. About 5 minutes in, the tour guides stopped us and had us sit around the wall of the tunnel and turn out the lights on our helmets. Looking up, we saw specks of green glowing all across the top of the cave: these were the thousands of glow worms, little maggots that give off light as they grow. Gross, I know, but it was super cool! Later as we floated down a small river undergroud, we all leaned back and just stared at the glowing ceilings. It looked like a starry night sky hidden deep in the earth. :)
Throughout our trip we jumped off of two small waterfalls, watched our tour guide fall into a massive hole (which he knew was there, he just tried to freak us out a bit.... And it worked), and ate chocolate fish :) All with tons of pictures, laughter, freezing water, and of course, singing at the top of our lungs. What else is there to do in a long dark tunnel with no one around to hear you except glowing maggots and a handful of your closest friends? :)
Afterwards, we were treated to some toasted bagels and hot tomato soup to warm us up. And once we returned to the bus we found that Murry had gone to the grocery store while we were under the ground and had purchased snacks and drinks for us all. Let's just say we had quite the party on the way home. ;) Best ending to a fantastic morning!
And that was about it for last weekend. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and then Sunday was church and more stuyding. Classes have started to really take their toll and working on assignments is actually becoming a necessity :P However, I've found I'm just as good at procrastinating in New Zealand as I am in the States! Some things just won't ever change, I guess :)
Well, this weekend there was a hot air balloon festival at Uni, called "Balloons over Waikato," but I don't have enough time to write about that here. Hopefully tomorrow or by the weekend I'll post again telling all about the lovely evening it was. Reminded me so much of my town fair back home, just about 4 times bigger. Also, in that post I'll certainly mention April Fool's day. It's quite a different tradition over here than back at home.
And then of COURSE I'll prepare you all for our South Island trip coming up in one week! We (Kelly, Jackie, and I) have already booked our tickets to fly to Queenstown, we've booked our hostel, looked at prices for skydiving, and tentatively planned out our time there! It's gonna be amazing as, and I can't wait! But first I have my 21st birthday here in New Zealand, and that promises to be a great day as well. So much to look forward to in this coming week. Just gotta finish two papers and I'm sussed for awhile :)
So again, sorry that's all I have for you right now! But I do have to go: I have lectures tomorrow friends! I hope to write again very, very soon. Thanks again for reading, and I miss you all! :) Take care!
Sorry to keep you all waiting for the update about this weekend, but it has been a crazy couple of days after an amazing weekend! :) And just because of how amazing this weekend was, I'll be uploading some photos on here to show just how epic it was. However, to save my internet, I'll be uploading the hundred or so other pictures I took to Facebook when I head into town and get free wi-fi, so check them out there soon!
The Departure:
We were scheduled to leave on Friday morning early, 9:00am, to catch our bus. There were eight of us going: Kelly, Jackie, Olivia, Morgan, Kelsey, Lacy, Kara, and I. The Fellowship of College Hall. We had prepared the night before, packing all of our stuff, making our food, packing our water and other beverages, and attempting to get sleep. (Which of course didn't happen for me, but then again, I don't ever go to bed early anyhow) When we woke, we all met at breakfast early, made extra sandwiches to take along, gathered ourselves and our strength, and headed off to the bus stop early, waiting patiently for 10 minutes for our bus to arrive.....
...Yeah, right. I wish this was how the story started! :) However, the real beginning is a lot more exciting ;) In reality, we tried to get as prepared the night before as we could, but people were still pulling things together in the morning. And we did make sandwiches that morning for the next day; signing up for cut lunches so we can take them along for an extra meal was Kelly's fantastic idea :) However, we were NOT all ready ten minutes before we had to leave, and our little Fellowship was all out of sorts. Eventually, about 7 minutes before the bus was to come, Kelly, Jackie, and I began to walk to the bus stop by ourselves in order to hold it for the others until we all arrived. However, we thought the bus left at 9:05am, but it was actually due to arrive at 9:00. Big oversight on our part. So, instead of making it to the bus and holding it for the others, we actually saw our bus drive to the stop while we were still about 50 yards away and then watched it pull out and drive away.
Without us.
The the rest of the girls arrived about two minutes after that, and we all began freaking out a bit, wondering whether that was our bus for sure or if another was coming. It was technically a minute or two early, and it didn't really wait longer than 15 seconds at the stop, which was annoying and we felt quite ripped off. But after a few minutes of deliberaton, Kelsey quited us and said, "Well, that was our bus. We can keep talking about it or we can figure out what to do now." And figure something out we did. We literally sprinted to the bus stop at the Uni and took a bus into Hamilton city where our connecting bus was to be picked up. But of course, the bus driver was on the phone and didn't leave for about 5 minutes after we had boarded, and we only had 25 minutes to make it into town and catch our connection. There was so much nervous chatter on that bus as we started at the clock and called two of our friends to find out the number for the Naked Bus, the bus company that was to take us to Tongariro. We did NOT want to miss out on this weekend!
Eventually, we made it into the city with a few minutes to spare. Someone called out, "There's our bus!" before we realized there were actually four Naked Buses lined up along the road. As soon as the bus parked, we were off and sprinting. We inquired at the first bus, but that wasn't us. Nervously, we walked up to the second, and Morgan showed the driver our ticket, asking if this was our bus. The cheery man smiled and said that it was indeed! He welcomed us abord, took our bags, and said we should take our seats. As I climbed into that bus, I have never felt more happy, excited, and relived in my life. And I wouldn't have changed that morning for anything! It was such an adrenalin rush booking it to our connecting bus and made the whole trip that much more worth it. Plus we were very proud of our quick thinking ;)
The rest of the trip went by pretty calmly in comparison. We had four more connecting buses to catch then and an hour layover in Rotorua and other towns along the way. But, it was my first real trip through the New Zealand countryside, and that was gorgeous. So many rolling hills and I was continually imagining hobbit holes built into every one :)
The Arrival:
After the long trip, we finally arrived at our hostel. It was fantastic because we got two bedrooms to ourselves with three beds in each, (two single, one double), our own bathrooms and a little kitchen sink. Bedding was provided, and so was complimentary hot tea, coffee, and hot chocolate :) And on the way to our rooms, we came accross the most EPIC thing I had ever seen in my life (because I hadn't gotten close to Mt. Doom yet). Bolted to the wall was the backup staff of Gandalf the Grey for the LotR films! I had a serious geek moment while looking and, yes, touching this staff :)
What a beautious thing :)
The Journey:
Early the next morning, we all awoke excited and jittery. We were about to embark on the most wonderful hike of our lives. Needless to say, we all got up and ate breakfast (mine a healthy mix of chocolate-flavored breakfast drink and strawberry frosted Pop-tarts. Breakfast of champions right there) and none of us missed this bus. We were ten minutes early, and by the time we were rattling down the road in the van with about seven other hikers, we couldn't wait to get started. Believe me when I say that I STARED at Mt. Doom the entire ride there. The mountain (or volcano, I guess) is so gorgeous in a very sinister and evil way. One look at it and you'll never doubt why Peter Jackson used it.
After being dropped off and taking the usual touristy pictures, we started off around 7:30am. The trek was to take us most of the day, and we were eager to begin. At first it was cake. Just like a normal hike (or tramp, as they say here in NZ), only a LOT more beautiful. We probably took about 30 photos just in the first 45 minutes :) But as the going started to get more difficult with more of an uphill climb, our little fellowship began to get split up. Some could move faster than others up the rocks, and with Kelly's knee being sore (she jammed it during our first week here), she needed to just keep going at her own pace and not stop for fear it would stiffen up. But Olivia, my dear friend, had a much slower and more casual pace, and so I decided to stay with her and we ventured the crossing together. Again, pictures will not be able to adequately show how simply AMAZING and breathtaking this tramp was, but I'll share a few to try and help you see :) For most of the afternoon, it was Oliva and I, working hard to make it up to the top of the crossing (being passed by 75 year old women trampers who were much more fit than us), and while we were tramping we pretended (of course) that we were Samwise and Frodo, helping and encouraging one another to the top and the end of our journey :) I'm sure you guessed, but the LotR quotes were flying :)
Finally, Olivia and I made it to the top! We were so proud of ourselves and I'm especially proud of her. Best tramping partner ever :)
And then of course, there was seeing Mt. Doom in person. This changed my life :) If you like tramping and ever have the chance to go to New Zealand, do the Tongariro Crossing! You will NOT be disappointed :)
The Denumont:
While this day was fantastic, and the tramp up was fantastic, the way down was just as beautiful. Sliding down a mountain of ash and sand, past glittering blue pools of water, small lakes, winding through a wooded mountainside and finally down a wooded trail to the bottom the mountains and the crossing. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. However, by this time, my knee was killing me and I was so exhausted and tired that all I wanted was to be done and lying on the grass waiting for our bus back to the hostel. And soon enough we were there, ending our long day around 3:45pm. But every minute was well worth it :)
That night in our hostel we crashed, eating as much as we could and watching American Idol before falling asleep by 9:30pm. We slept in the next morning, packed up our bags, and hung out in the game room until the bus came to collect us. And to make what was an amazing game room to begin with even better, there was a plain as wardrobe in the room, smallish and undecorated. But once you opened the door, you were greated by Aslan's face welcoming you into Narnia and the hidden DVD room, complete with surround sound and a huge projector screen, that was behind the wardrobe. So natrually, Kelly, Jackie, Olivia, and I sprawled out in the room and watched the Dark Knight. An epic end to a completely epic weekend :)
The ride home was then uneventful. We made every bus and slept most of the way. It was lovely and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
...So there you have it friends! Sorry it took so long for this update, but I hope it was well worth the wait. And now I can add that since it's taken so long to post this, I can say that the midnight showing of The Hunger Games is FANTASTIC. Actually quite good and while still not as good as the book, it did a very fine job of capturing the essence of the novel. If you haven't seen it, go watch it now. In New Zealand. Cause they have WAY better theaters than we do in the States. We don't get awesome plush chairs all to ourselves with a giant screen far enough away that even front row seats are great. What an experience :)
Well, that's all for now! I'll update soon and more often, I promise! Black water rafting this weekend, and I'm so pumped for it. Gonna be another great day :)
Just realized with the crazyness of this week that I haven's updated this blog for a few days! And I don't really have much time right now, but I feel this momentous occasion deserves a quick post!
Friends, this weekend the girls from LVC and I are hiking the Tongariro Crossing, otherwise known as the home of Mount Doom! :) This is an experience I've been waiting for since the Lord of the Rings films came out, and I can't BELIEVE I am finally headed there! We're leaving early tomorrow morning, about 9am, and we'll arrive at our hostel at about 4:30pm. Then we'll stay overnight and start out bright and early in the morning up the mountain. It'll be about 8 hours of hiking, which is pretty intense, but I have faith in our little group. We can do it!
And we're prepared: lots of food and snacks and water, and we've saved quite a bit as well! No cost to tramp the mountain, just had to pay for the bus to shuttle us to the hostel and pay for two nights out there. Overall, a pretty cheep weekend for how amazingly memorable and awesome as it will be :D
So, tonight I'm finishing up packing for this epic trip! I honestly can't wait to get going! Pictures will be all over my facebook when I return, so look out for them! And I'm sure there will be a lengthy post as to how the trip went as well :)
Have a great night everyone!
It's been a few days since I've updated you all on what's been happening here in Hamilton, and let me tell you, there's been a LOT going on!
Last week was mostly all orientation and moving in, so not a lot happened. I've become very good friends with most everyone on our floor, to the extent that I want to steal some of these lovely Kiwis and bring them home with me! :D But besides orientation and such, the only other exciting details of last week was realizing how crazy Thirsty Thursday can get here. It's just a much different culture in New Zealand than America, and I'm not just yet quite used to the fact that 18-year-olds are legal to drink. This makes a HUGE difference over here, making drinking more of a socially acceptable form of hanging out and having fun, which I'll admit has kind of thrown me for a loop. Being an RA back at LVC, it's hard to remember that drinking with your friends with the door open before 10pm in the halls is acceptable, because hardly anyone is underage here. However, this has made me appreciate my non-alcohol floor that much more: when we want to just study on the weekend, we don't have to worry about any parties going on, which is very nice :)
Anyhow, to go on about last week, Friday night was the BOCS party, a night where each of the halls (Bryant Hall, Orchard Park, College Hall, and Student Village) dressed up like something starting with the first letter of their hall and were then bussed to a club in town for a night of dancing. In College Hall, there were many cowgirls, cops, cupids, and cheerleaders; the best, however, were the Chinese students who went as Chinese (love that one! Haha), and two of our RAs who went as Catdog :)
My costume, I will admit, was pretty awesome as well. I dressed up like one of our RAs, a guy named Cameron, who sports the very popular style of having a rat tail down the back of his neck, a style that you might well know has not been popular since the 90s back home. :P So, I barrowed one of the other RA's polos, bought shoes exactly like his, and then pulled my hair up and had Jayde, my RA wrap a strand of my hair so it looked exactly like his. And I've got to admit, it was quite a success!!
Then we spent the rest of the weekend exploring the campus some more, watching Despicable Me with our floor full of Kiwis, and then attending church on Sunday (which was very different from home, but still good. I'm excited to see how next week turns out as well!) And then Sunday afternoon most of us LVC students and some Kiwis from College hall went to the Hamilton gardens. They were beautiful, and we loved every minute of it! There were Japanese Gardens, British Gardens, the Itialian Garden was AMAZING, and there was even an American garden…..which looked more like a pool with a picture of Marilyn Monroe in the background. Not exactly an east coast garden…. Anyhow, the best part of the trip was that we all got free flowers at the end, and some of them were kinds I have never even seen before. It was fantastic :)
And now I've just finished my first day of lectures. I only had one, History of New Zealand: Fresh Perspectives, but it was good. I'm pretty sure I'm going to enjoy it a lot, I'll just have to get used to the different grading system…and the fact that my final exam is worth 50% of my grade!! Tomorrow I'll have my three other lectures, so I'll probably update then and let everyone know how all of them are.
Also, sometime in the near future, (as in within the next three weekends) we want to head to Mt. Doom and tramp that lovely mountain. Apparently it's on the north island and only an hour or so away from us! I can't wait :D
Finally, I can't wait until things get settled in for the semester around here. It will make blogging a lot less fact-based and I'll be able to get back to blogging about my musings on the differences between life in NZ and in America, because there are many things that aren't the same, and still so many more that are. It's certainly gotten me thinking, and I know I'm not going to view this place or the world the same again. Already I know I won't want to leave when the time comes, and that forever I'll want to come back and visit, and visit so many other places in this world as well. America isn't all that's out there folks, and I want to experience every last bit of this amazing world.
Well, this week has already been extremely busy for us! We've finally gotten internet, signed up for our papers (classes) and are in the middle of being "oriented" this week. We've also participated in heaps of activities and meetings with our floors and halls, and seem to meet new Kiwis and Americans every day. :)
…However, I left the last blog post at our departure from the airport into Hamilton and the University. There was one thing that I forgot to mention: on the way, we passed the most amazing-looking graveyard I have ever seen. It was tucked into this hill (which looked quite like Hobbiton), and was just unlike anything I've known! One day, I want to walk through here. (I have a kind of obsession with walking through graveyards…. My friend Lydia will understand about that) ;) I've attached a photo at the end of this post :)
Anyhow, after the hour and a half drive, we made it to the University of Waikato, and after dropping off three other American students (two we met are from Penn State, the other from Michigan State), we traveled to College Hall on campus, and were informed that all 11 of us from LVC would be staying there together! This is apparently very unusual, especially since students from just last year were split up between three different halls. Hearing that we would all be together was a big relief, especially since we didn't have any way of contacting each other that first afternoon. And to make things even better… Kelly, Jackie and I were all placed on the same floor in College Hall B block!
Here's some info about how dorms are set up here at the Uni: there are different halls (College Hall, Bryant Hall, Student Village, etc) and in each hall there are three "dorm buildings" that make it up. For us, there's B block, C block, and D block, but D is being renovated at the moment so no students are living in it. There's also an E then, which is a self-catered upperclassmen building, kind of like a mini Dellinger or Marquette. All of these buildings then share an A block, which is the lounge, RA offices, "leisure center" (with pool table, kitchen, another lounge, TV room, DVD room) and a dining hall that only residents of College Hall use to eat. So this was another reason it was great we are all placed together. If some of us were in, say, Student Village, then we'd never get to have meals at the same place, unless we went to one of the cafés on campus and paid for it. The only students from College Hall who don't eat in the dining hall are those from E block, because they don't have a meal plan.
So, back to the arrival….. Kelly, Jackie, and I immediately ran upstairs to our rooms, were given our keys, and signed our room assessment agreements (pretty much their versions of RCRs), and then we were left to unpack! (pictures and video to come to facebook and here soon. I need to go to the public library and access the free wi-fi there first) ;)
And after all of that, we've pretty much just been getting oriented and settled in for the past few days. We've managed to sign up for all of our papers without a problem, we've survived about three different international student orientation sessions, and now all of us have cell phones and internet! And after exploring the campus for a couple of hours on Sunday, we're feeling pretty well settled in. We have our Waikato ID cards, we know where the library is, we have an idea of where our classes will be, we've walked to the Warehouse (New Zealand's version of Wal*Mart), and we've even played Frisbee on the fields in the center of campus! (Video of that to come soon as well)
Also, so far the food in the cafeteria has been pretty great. I've enjoyed every meal so far, so that's got to be a good sign. They also told me that a common breakfast here is baked beans on toast, which I have NEVER heard of before. However, since I love baked beans (my family and friends from home are probably nodding quite intensely and laughing right about now) I'm quite excited to try it. It's just hilarious when I tell the Kiwi's that I have never heard of this dish before. They look at me confused and say, "When else would you eat baked beans??" For them, it's not a lunch side dish. (Also, they eat spaghetti on toast for breakfast, which is equally as strange, but something I feel my Dad would quite enjoy).
On top of all this, we've been having a grand old time comparing accents with our fellow students here (they love hearing us talk and try to mimic them—however, we're doing a terrible job. :P But it's just as funny to hear them try it. One of my neighbors boasts, "I have a great American accent! It's cause I watch waaaaaaayy too much TV" :) She's too cute). And I've also been spending a lot of time talking with the RAs here and comparing how we do things the same and differently at our schools. It's been heaps of fun and very interesting. I definitely wasn't expecting things to be so similar at a school on the opposite side of the world. :)
Finally, now we're gearing up for a "meet 'n greet" on the village green by the shops (and one of the ponds) tomorrow morning, to visit tables set up by all the offices on campus, as well as all the club teams. I'm hoping to join both the Volleyball club and the Ultimate Frisbee club if I can. It will be nice to get back on the court and the field again!
Then later tomorrow we'll be participating in something called "Top Town," where all the halls compete in different outdoor games (tug of war, things like that) in order to see who has the best hall. What makes this even better is we all got free t-shirts for the event, and I love me some free t-shirts! :) So, I'll update soon about how all that goes tomorrow! Then we have the BOCS party on Friday night, a costume party that I'm quite excited about, because I have the best costume ever. But more about that later…..
On a final note, today Kelly, Jackie, and I went to the house of one of Jayde, our RA's, friends, where we participated in a "Life Group," or small Bible study group. It was fantastic, and I'm extremely happy that we were able to get plugged in with other Christians here in New Zealand so fast. Their church on Sunday sounds like it will be great, and the three of us are so ready to jump in and get involved here on the other side of the world :)
Well, that's all for now! Sorry again that this post is so long. Now that I've gotten us all caught up though they should be much shorter in the future. Thanks for reading if you made it the whole way here to the bottom! I'll update again soon, and facebook will have pictures up as soon as possible, I promise!
Bye for now!
(The graveyard in the hill)
(Our epic first day of Frisbee in NZ)
Ally is a Junior English Communications major headed to Hamilton, New Zealand this Spring semester to study at the University of Waikato.This will be her first adventure out of the country.


text:
The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Time will tell if the Cubs just lucked out by not acquiring Brian Roberts. His strength wouldn't have been in the field as we already have a solid second baseman in Mark DeRosa. Roberts would have given the Cubs a leadoff switch-hitter with a track record of well above average OBP and basestealing ability. Not making the trade keeps the Cubs farm system talent pool of near MLB ready talent available for the future, whether it be a different transaction or if those prospects develop further, maybe a spot on the roster if an injury occurs. Could Sean Gallagher replace one of our 5 starters if more than one breaks down? Will Eric Patterson become a bona-fide mlb leadoff hitter? Can Jose Ceda or lefty Donald Veal become the power arm that teams drool over with just a little more seasoning? Will Roberts back spasms limit his playing time this year devaluing his baserunning skills and therefore his trade value on a team which needed to completely rebuild with young talent?
I tried to think of deals that were rumored but never happened, but ultimately worked out better than if the trade had occurred. Last year Jacques Jones was almost dealt to the Marlins while being nearly useless to the club the first half of 2007. After that "almost trade" he started hitting again and some would say that was the difference the team needed to make the playoffs.
I'm sure Cubs history is full of rumored deals that never happened giving credence to the cliche that "not making that trade was the best thing that could have happened". So here's a chance for TCR readers to chime in on trades that almost happened (but never did) and the historical hindsight that goes with it.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
One of the Best Trades We NEVER Made was definitely when Mary Rowengartner blocked the trade of her son and cubs star pitcher Henry Rowengartner to the Yankees. Henry was a 12 years old star prospect known for his 103 mph fast ball, great locker room personality and historic hidden ball trick. Without Henry Rowengartner we never would have taken the mets for that divisional championship.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Here's one that I remembered. Dateline June 2000.
Sosa to the Yankees (rumored for Soriano). Now I'd consider that oddly ironic more than anything.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Not sure I agree with you on this one, Cubster. Despite all of his home runs, the Cubs might have been better off after 2000 without Sammy Selfish.
Also, the irony is there on a number of levels. That "the Cubs insisted on five players" for Sosa sure sounds like MacPhail's handiwork. It's what he tried to get for Roberts the last couple of months.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I agree it's not the ideal example of being better off for not making the trade. Unloading Sosa's contract at that point would have saved the Cubs a ton of aggravation. Still, with what they are paying Soriano it's ultimately a wash (or maybe worse). Also the outfield in 2003 might have been Soriano in LF and Alou in RF (very ugly), assuming they could have gotten Soriano to move from 2B. Or Soriano at 2B might have affected the move of unloading Todd Hundley for Grudzielanek (and Karros).
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Still, with what they are paying Soriano it's ultimately a wash
But we wouldn't have been paying Soriano what we are paying him now. That doesn't make much sense.
Soriano's current salary has little relevance to this discussion.
I would also say that it is probably safe to assume that Soriano would have stayed at 2b, at least in 2000.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
So this doesn't exactly fit since it wasn't a trade, but I think we can all agree the original 3/44 was a great signing that never happened.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Excellent call...getting stuck Jason Schmidt would have been very ugly. It also might have made Hendry pass on Ted Lilly.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
All right, I'm not playing by the rules again, but here's an interesting one:
Not signing Jim Thome a few years ago when he stated he would like to play for the Cubs. At the time, the Cubs were still clinging to Hee Seop Choi, but then he turned into D-Lee. I could be getting my years mixed up, but Thome might have made the difference for us in 2004 when we just missed the playoffs; however, he'd be an albatross now compared to Lee.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Thome was before the 2003 season, he might have helped a bit.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
"he might have helped a bit."
2003: .266/.385/.573/.958 w/ 47 HR and 131 RBI
2004: .274/.396/.581/.977 w/ 42 HR and 105 RBI
2005: hurt
2006: .288/.416/.598/1.014 w/ 42 HR and 109 RBI
2007: .275/.410/.563/.973 w/ 35 HR and 96 RBI
Yeah with those numbers, he might have helped a smidge. :)
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Based on what we know now of Palmiero, I'd put Jim Frey's not trading Mark Grace -- and trading Palmiero instead -- on this list.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Didn't he trade Palmeiro because he slept with Cindy Sandberg? That's one possible Mariotti column I might actually want to read.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I always thought it was Grace who slept with Cindy Sandberg.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Who hasn't slept with Cindy "Slutty" Sandberg?
Another good non-trade was the Tampa Bay Rays' Aubrey Huff. They were asking for as much as MacPhail been asking for Roberts and Huff has turned out to be a huge bust.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Allegedly they both did. Along with Dave Martinez and Tuffy Rhodes. Allegedly
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
NO that was the slump buster Grace slept with.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I always thought Don Zimmer was the guy who slept with Cindy Sandberg?
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Cue: Interpol, "There's No 'I' in Threesome"
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Cue: Interpol, "There's No 'I' in Threesome"
I really like that song, tune-wise. But man, the title and lyrics almost ruin it.
Not a trade, but I'm glad Mike Hampton was greedy and liked Colorado's schools so much.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
From what I heard when I lived in Chandler, AZ who didn't sleep with Cindy Sandberg?
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Hey, I live in Chandler, now... you got an address? LOL
Home Run Pool Contest
I posted this in the previous thread but was hoping to get some more exposure in the new thread:
I've been running a Home Run Pool for the last 5 years. You pick 11 players from 4 groups of players. But, you also get to write in 4 players that aren't on lists - a lot of people really like this strategic aspect. There is a total of 15 players selected plus 1 tiebreaker. It costs $20 per entry and all money is returned to the pot. Last year there were 80 participants. The 4 highest HR totals payout. I expect the same level of participation this year but am always hoping for more! If you're interested send me an email at [email protected] and I'll send you an entry form. The deadline to submit picks is March 30th at 11:59 PM CST so act quickly!
Re: Home Run Pool Contest
We get it dude.
Enoght with the recruiting postings.
Re: Home Run Pool Contest
Ignore E-man, I'll try and give it a mention in TCR Friday Notes...
Re: Cool Rob.
I prefer not, especially if you're trying to profit off of it...
Re: What about Face Value?
What if I wish to post for face value only?
If people can recruit to "profit" from a gambling pool, and the top four winners share a pot of $20 per participant, where is the line here, ROB G?
Re: What about Face Value?
you know what? good point...
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
P.S. - it was Davey Martinez who was traded for sleeping with Sandberg's wife.
But, didn't Duane Kuiper claim Mrs. Sandberg was actually his 2nd MLB HR?
Re: Cindy Sandberg
Yikes, she must have been a slumpbuster.
Re: Cindy Sandberg
No way.
You must not know the definition of a slumpbuster.
please see def. 3
Re: Cindy Sandberg
Wrong, a slumpbuster, mustn't be fat. That is a myth. She just has to be ugly. Cindy, ain't got the pretty.
Re: Cindy Sandberg
Fat is the heart of what makes a slumpbuster.
With an ugly chick, you can close your eyes and you'll never know the difference.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
She was more like the wife that William H. Macy blew away in Boogie Nights.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Nina Hartley???
Ryno comes around back from his house with a BBQ and Cindy is getting nailed in the driveway by Mitch Webster.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Prior for Tejada?
nope....that's probably the opposite of what you're thinking....
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Prior for some diamond dry and a used infield rake? Oh, ditto on the opposite.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I could really use a good used infield rake right about now.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Cubs placed LHP Scott Eyre on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, with a sore left elbow.
Eligible to come off around 4-7, so he misses at least the opening two series.
Does anyone know?
Does anyone know where I might be able to get into a HR Pool of some sort?
Tony Thomas interview
says he spent the offseason working on his range, and is pleased so far with the results...
Cubs wanted him to work on his hands this offseason which he did as well...
OFF TOPIC: Today's Starting Pitchers
Mark DiFelice vs Cory Bailey!??
Someone go tell the Trib we exist
Re: Someone go tell the Trib we exist
Re: Someone go tell the Trib we exist
my response:
One of the best Cubs blog period (along with VFTB), end of story. The fact that it was not included makes me think that y'all fear "The Cub Reporter." TCR is one of my 1st choices for Cubs news.
i am guessing the trib is jealous of TCR, i mean lets face it, rob does incredible work, azphil is the roster/minors god, we got the doctor explaining all things doctory, cubnut, well is cubnut, the godfather ruz, manny is the typical idiotic troll and trans likes DS9...
Re: Someone go tell the Trib we exist
And all the Phil Rogers bashing.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Not really a trade, and, actually, in the opposite spirit of the thread, but:
I really think the Cubs made a mistake when they signed Piniella instead of Girardi.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I wish the Fred McGriff acquisition didn't happen. Was he traded to us? I remember he resisted coming here and then when he did, it was too late to make a difference.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
we got him in a trade from TB. All we gave up was Jason Smith and Manny Aybar though. Probably the best talent for talent trade that McFail ever made.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
OK Thanks.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Back on topic...
I don't think the Cubs ever actually tried to trade him, but keeping Aramis at the 2006 trade deadline was wise...
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
However trading Type A free agent to be Greg Maddux for the ghost of Cesar Izturis....... Not so much
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
still harping on this one? Cubs weren't going to offer Maddux arbitration and risk having to give him a raise.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
They gave Jason [email protected] Marquis a 3/21 contract. Why wouldnt they offer arbitration to Maddux?
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
because Maddux wanted to play for a contender down the stretch and wanted to go to the West Coast.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
Well... if that is true, then they definitely should have offered him arbitration, as he probably would have turned it down.
But I don't think the Maddux/Izturis trade was a bad one.
They took a flier on a guy who had been (slightly) better, and it didn't work out. But Maddux wanted to be traded, and they did it for him.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
What about the Mark Grace and prospects for Don Mattingly rumor...did I dream this?
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
It was a long time ago, but Leo Durocher recounted in his book ("Nice Guys Finish Last") that he attempted to trade Billy Williams to Baltimore at one point.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I should add that the player in question from Baltimore was not anyone good - no Frank Robinson or Jim Palmer in the mix.
Re: The Best Trades We NEVER Made
I remember last year at some point the White Sox wanted to trade for Marmol...yeah, right...
Recent comments
Certainly might be the hottest pitcher right now, but he's behind a few pitchers by most objective full season standards.
Well noted. You may also note that Lester's Career Playoff ERA is almost a full point lower, and he has a lower WHIP as well.
Can't have everything, I guess.
i'm happy enough with the Lester signing, but Scherzer has more than earned the extra money so far. If he was in the rotation instead of Lester, this team would feel practically bulletproof to me.
Blaspheme maybe, but I think Scherzer is the best pitcher in the NL right now.
Maddon was pimping Russell for Gold Glove honors recently as a manager should do...
Here's some defensive numbers:
- Crawford (22.2)
- Seager (16.9)
- Cozart (14.2)
- Hechavarria (13.5)
- Russell (12.4)
Baseball Reference
- B. Crawford 2.3
- Russell 2.0
- Hechavarria 1.7
- N. Ahmed 1.6
- Z. Cozart 1.5
13.C. Seager 0.7
Traditional stats
.978 FP, 11 E, 333 A, 162 PO, 562 Chances, 4.27 RF, 72 DP Turned
Let me guess: Land of Contusion? Puppet Prez Reagan mistakenly blows the world up due to a bum thumb?
Favorite Genesis video
Twitterverse reporting that Almora's examination by a hand specialist went okay, it's still just a hand contusion.
Attaboy, Eloy! Jimenez named Midwest League MVP and Best Prospect.
FYI, formatting of the web page is weird.
Now who can argue with that? I think we're all indebted to Gabby Johnson for clearly stating what needed to be said. I'm particularly glad that these lovely children were here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age.
White Sox new stadium name w apropos logo
it was between that and "more like the CRUNCH REALLY EARLY AM REPORTER because i'm gonna c.r.e.am all over this place."
i chose the classy route.
This picture is everything.
that was the 2nd greatest piece of performance art since Donald Trump's campaign
👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀 good shit go౦ԁ sHit👌 thats ✔ some good👌👌shit right👌👌there👌👌👌 right✔there ✔✔if i do ƽaү so my self 💯 i say so 💯 thats what im talking about right there right there (chorus: ʳᶦᵍʰᵗ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ) mMMMMᎷМ💯 👌👌 👌НO0ОଠOOOOOОଠଠOoooᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ👌 👌👌 👌 💯 👌👌🎩👓🎩👍🎩👓🎩👍🎩 euphoric logic !euphoric loGic👌 thats ✔ some euphoric👌💻 logic right👌💻there👌👍👌 Carl 🔭 Sagan🌌💫if i do ƽaү so gentlemen 💯 i say so 💯 thats euPhoric logic right there Richard 📒 Dawkins🎩 (chorus: socrates died for this shit) mMMMMᎷМ💯 👌👓👌НO0ОଠOOOOOОଠଠOoooᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒᵒ👌 👌🎩 👌 💯 👌 👓🎩🎩🎩 👍👌euphoric logic slam me the FUCK uP 👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀👌👀 john cena JOhN cEna


text:
I just noticed in iTunes, that my podcast-description is very old with a copyright date from 2012.
I checked my feed under http://www.literaturcafe.de/feed/podcast/ and noticed, that the description in fact is out of date.
That was a bit strange, because I thought I have changed and updated this lately.
I looked into the general setting, I looked into the default podcast channel description (itunes tab). Everything is updated and has a new text!
I really have no idea, where this old description comes from. I checked every setting. Nowhere I can find text with the date 2012 in it. Is this a bug? I'm using Powerpress 5.0.5.