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Recreation Commission fights for Whitmore Pool
A feisty and sometimes cranky Recreation Commission got to its regular meeting on Tuesday and immediately cut to the chase. To close, or not to close, the Whitmore Pool.
"I think this is a travesty," said commissioner Sean Turner, opening a series of salvos from other commissioners as well as audience members.
"It should not be closed."
Commission chair Bill Sauser was even more blunt. He took on the Town Council and any others who may wish to close the pool as part of the town's austerity plan in the wake of the $29.5 million judgment against the town in the MLLA case.
"The Town Council has told this community on many occasions that recreation is the engine that drives our bus. Yet we have been hit harder than anyone else.
"This is the second time town management has come to those of you on the swim team and told you that with no Measure R money, the pool can't be run. We dug our heels in and said that the Town Council has to figure this out. I think it's time we have to dig our heels in again and find some other way."
Straying afield from the direct issue Park facilities, such as the ball fields, Sauser took on the council head on.
"This is politically incorrect," he said, "but you can triple your bang for your buck and keep this open and just get rid of one of the town's top three administrators."
The council proposed the closing of the pool and park last week as part of a wide-ranging austerity program, which also would eliminate seven sworn police officers.
But this week was all about recreation and the pool.
The über-question, as it were, is if the town is going to change its policies on Measure R (and Measure U) tax funding. Measure R language currently is strict, stipulating that the money is for new recreation projects only, not for "supplanting" old projects or for propping up those facilities currently funded through the town's general fund.
But now, in the wake of the $2 million-a-year-payment on the judgment and with the general fund all but gutted, all bets are off, including Measure R language.
The Town Council will meet again on Thursday, Oct. 18, to further discuss austerity proposals. On Wednesday, the town put a survey online to help gather feedback from the community. (The survey is on the town's website.)
To the Recreation Commission, though, losing the Whitmore Pool would be a crusher.
"I am a champion of any recreation program," said Commissioner Pat Agnitch, "and I think we should do everything we can to ensure our programs continue. I would encourage the Town Council to eliminate that (Measure R) language because of Whitmore Pool.
"If we eliminate the supplanting language, it would make it possible for some of our programs to continue. This gives us a fresh opportunity to look at these things."
To cap it all off, citizen activist Sandy Hogan proposed re-thinking Measure R funding entirely, producing email evidence from town attorney Andrew Ross that seemed to support her idea of a drastic Measure R overhaul.
Hogan, a member of the Mobility Commission, said her reading of the Measure R language has not so much to do with facilities, per se, but in the funding of those facilities. That's a razor-thin distinction, to be sure, but crucial, she said.
She said if her reading of the Measure R language is correct, then it might be possible for Measure R to fund the entire recreation department, thereby easing the budget strain for recreation, whether it is current or new.
Whitmore supporters brought plenty of ammunition to the meeting, both in terms of policy suggestions as well as sometimes highly personal stories.
Jim Lynch, whose father-in-law, the late Roy Saari, was a gold and silver medal winner in swimming at the 1964 Olympics, delivered an emotional speech on behalf of his family and his two children.
"It's tough," he said afterward. "I've lived here for 26 years. They're tearing apart the community and making decisions early, before we can really discuss it, and I just don't think that's right."
Lynch brought along a 1964 Olympics T-shirt as a poignant prop, saying it was among many shirts given to the swim team by then-coach Lindsay Barksdale, in a small effort to cheer Saari during his remarkable medal run in the Tokyo Games.


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The American Soybean Association is urging USDA to more rapidly undertake development of a national strategy for controlling and mitigating the potential for an Asian soybean rust infestation in the continental United States. Rust is a devastating disease with the potential to cause enormous losses in annual U.S. soybean production, resulting in serious consequences for domestic industry, including the livestock sector.
"Much more aggressive and coordinated action is needed from the administration to prevent potentially adverse consequences to the U.S. soybean industry," said ASA President Ron Heck, a soybean producer from Perry, Iowa. "ASA has asked Secretary (Ann) Veneman to take immediate steps to insure that U.S. agriculture is fully prepared to respond to and mitigate the outbreak of rust, and requested a meeting to more fully discuss these plans."
According to a computer model developed by University of Illinois researchers, in cooperation with USDA scientists, "the disease has most likely spread to soybean-growing areas in Brazil and Venezuela located north of the equator, making it inevitable that rust will reach the United States in a relatively short time… If it's already established there, we could even see rust in the United States as soon as the current growing season and certainly no later than a year or two down the road."
ASA, a membership organization representing 25,000 soybean producers, believes the United States is unprepared at the present time to deal with the imminent threat of a soybean rust outbreak, and that there are a number of actions USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies must take that are critical to mitigate the impact of the rust fungus upon arrival.
Key among these is approval of effective fungicides for use on soybean rust, and insuring that sufficient quantities be available in advance of a rust infestation. To facilitate local fungicide supplies, ASA is calling for the development of a strategy to insure adequate supplies will be available.
ASA, in cooperation with USDA, state soybean associations, and others in the soybean industry, has begun a campaign designed to educate soybean farmers about soybean rust. Nevertheless, ASA believes USDA needs to undertake additional educational efforts to insure producers, Extension agents, crop consultants and others involved in the field are able to identify rust as early as possible. Information and education also must be provided on fungicide application timing, application equipment recommendations, and other practical information that is essential to successful efforts to mitigate and prevent billions of dollars in losses to the U.S. soybean industry.
"The reality today is that an effective soybean rust surveillance program is not yet in place, adequate supplies of cost-effective fungicides approved for use on soybeans do not exist, and programs to provide widespread training and education to farmers, crop consultants, and others have not been implemented," Heck said.
Research is being carried out by the Agricultural Research Service to develop rust-resistant or rust-tolerant soybean varieties. The soybean checkoff has provided more than $1.1 million in soybean producer checkoff funds to support soybean rust research, and ASA is working with Congress to increase appropriations to fund additional work by ARS scientists.
"Research to identify rust-resistant or -tolerant soybean varieties must be greatly expanded," Heck said.
Over the course of the last two years, ASA has worked closely with USDA Undersecretary Bill Hawks and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to establish protocols for imports of soybean planting seed and soybean meal from rust-infested countries that, properly enforced, can effectively eliminate the risk of contamination. ASA is now seeking to insure that any protocol developed for importing whole soybeans from these countries will be equally effective.
"ASA appreciates the ongoing efforts by the USDA to prevent the introduction of rust in the United States as the result of imports," Heck said. "However, until key scientific questions are answered and spore viability studies are completed, ASA believes imports of whole commodity soybeans from rust-infected countries should not be contemplated."

subset: commoncrawl


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Shifting Passages has still not appeared for me. But Yet, I did unlock JJ.
And Thanks I shall look everywhere in the South
Lujo wrote:I wonder why noone posted this (maybe EM wasn't around at the time), but I beat the level on the first try with the following strat. Orc Monk, quick Tiki Tooki for the edge and 50 piety (I might have taken dodge as well),
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Welcome to the homepage of the REDcert certification system
REDcert was founded on 26 February 2010 by leading associations and organizations in the German agricultural and biofuel sector and approved as a certification system on 20 July 2010, by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung – BLE) to fulfil the requirements of the German Biomass Sustainability Ordinances (BioSt-NachV and Biokraft-NachV) . The certification system can be applied to all of the steps involved in the process starting with production and collection of input materials through to processing in oil mills and the production of biofuel and liquid biofuel. At the beginning, the focus of REDcert's activities with the new certification system will be in Germany and Europe.
In the meantime REDcert was recognized by the European Commission as a system for the certification of sustainable biomass.
Whether you are a producer, manufacturer or certification body, you can find information about the tasks and goals of REDcert, the system requirements, inspection system, training dates and much more here. We would also be pleased to send you our REDcert corporate broschure.
The REDcert system is a newly approved certification system which means that this website will undergo continuous change and optimisation. We would be happy to receive any suggestions or comments about our website via contact form.
We will provide regular information on current developments and relevant issues in the REDcert Newsletter (see "Newsletter").


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Cosplay of the Day: This Spawn Is Almost a Little Too Realistic
Remember the '90s when we all thought Spawn was so cool? This cosplayer shows us that the hellacious hero still is.
The man in the mask is goes by Michael Knightmage Wilson, and the artist responsible for the elaborate airbrush work is Reddit user Jcshaull77, who works for Airtistix Airbrush in Niles, Ohio. According to the original Reddit thread on which these photos were posted, the costume itself was made with a cardboard and wire skeleton in the upper section for flexibility, and a Paasche VL airbrush was used with an aqua flow paint. While the mask itself was purchased from a Mexico-based company that sells Lucha Libre masks, the artist applied the brush for added dimension.
Spawn is no easy cosplay to pull off and he isn't your average bright and colorful comic book character -- his story is dark and his morals are complex, and that tone is echoed in the style of the illustrations and the design of his costume. Kudos to this cosplayer and his airbrushing accomplice for pulling it off beautifully.
Also, we really love that Spawn is hanging out in front of a jewelry store in these photos. Spawn loves his bling.
Do you have cosplay photos you would like to submit for consideration? E-mail to staff [at] screencrush.com!


text: Herringbone Scarf DUNHILL € 295 Please select size Select size Size Size Guide The size shown for this item is the size indicated by the designer on the label. Add to Bag Description Details Shipping & Returns Tassel-edged scarf with a grey herringbone pattern. DU18FQSV1ZT030 Logo Composition 40% Silk, 40% Cashmere, 20% Wool Width 176.0 cm Height 31.0 cm We offer a speedy Express shipping service for any address. We also provide an easy return service: just ship your items back to us with a shipping service of your choice within 30 days from delivery. Read more on Returns & Refunds. Color: Color DU18FQSV1ZT030 Add to Wish List Share Facebook Google Plus Twitter Print Email


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SNOWBOARDER is bringing you a series of how-to snowboard videos to help fill up that bag of tricks, and help you learn how to ride that snowboard a little better.
Watch pro rider and Head Coach of Mt. Hood's Windells camp, Pat Milbery, as he shows you how to tackle a Miller Flip.
1. Approach the obstacle as straight as you can and with a little bit more speed than you think you need—you want a lot of pop so you can make sure your arm is straight when you plant your hand.
2. Ride up as if you're doing a frontside 360. Drop your front shoulder, straighten your leading arm, and plant it on the obstacle.
3. Grab wherever you want. Pat usually grabs indy, but you can grab tail, stale, or whatever your little heart desires.
4. Try to get your legs and your planting arm as straight as you can, because it looks a lot sweeter and the pop feels better.
5. Bring it around and land your trick flat-based on the other side.
What tips helped you dial a Miller Flip? Let's hear 'em in the comments below!


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The first blue LED was created by Shuji Nakamura in 1993. It was a technical triumph, and Nakamura eventually managed to win a $9M bonus (after suing his employer). Before then LEDs ranged from red to a slightly yellowish green, and nobody could figure out how to get the wavelengths any shorter. Nakamura's LED was not merely slightly blue; it could go right up into the UV, and was amazingly bright. Today I am typing this in a room illuminated by white LEDs that are made using this technology. Slim, low powered LED-illuminated screens have been created, and blu-ray players use lasers with the same basic semiconductor combination to give us high definition movies on a disk. Science and technology march on, hand in hand.
But that's not what I want to write about.
On Wednesday I plugged in a new cable modem, enabling faster broadband. On the front panel are two LEDs. One is green and shows that the modem has locked on to a signal. The other is blue and flashes. So now I have this bright blue flashing light near me. The coax cable comes into my office near my desk, so I can't move it far. Fortunately I've been able to tuck it into a cubby-hole next to the bookshelf, so its not in my line of sight. Without that I'd probably have had to put it inside a box or something just to hide the LED.
I was not too surprised by the appearance of blue LEDs as an alternative to the old red and green back at the turn of the century; they were novel and eye-catching, which is what manufacturers need if they are to sell stuff. But the trouble is that they are too eye catching; the piercing blue light is actually unpleasant to look at directly, and is far more intrusive than the quiet red and green.
Some manufacturers seem to have got the idea. I have a couple of USB hubs with blue LEDs, but they don't flash and they are sufficiently buried inside that you don't have the piercing gleam. But this cable modem (its a Netgear SuperHub, by the way) doesn't follow that rule. We also bought a moderately expensive audio system a few months ago, and that also has a piercingly bright blue LED on the front. So when we watch TV we have this shining in our eyes just below. We've got some relief by sticking some white tape over the LED, but we shouldn't have to do that.
So could anyone reading this who works for a consumer electronics company please point the design department at this posting. Remember guys; shining bright flashing lights in your customers' eyes may get their attention, but it won't get you repeat business.
I wrote about this before, in 2008. I'm disappointed to have the same problem three years later.


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In all my years of chasing clues to my family's history, I've tried to keep a close eye on expenses. I grant you, it is sometimes necessary to fork over a few dollars for that critical document, or to join an organization with emphasis on your research area. Or even to save up for a trip to the home turf. But still … this enthusiasm of ours does not have to break the bank.
I did tentatively accept a subscription to a major for-profit genealogy firm once, but trying to cancel at the end of my "trial" period was a real headache (no phone number! no address!). Sometimes membership offers are so confusing you think you're getting one "tier" of records and really you're into more money for another group you don't even need. Then too, some outfits appear on the horizon for a few years (or months) and then disappear, leaving their members in the lurch, completely out of luck or tacked onto the subscriber list of some other irrelevant service.
By now the big players are pretty well established, and if you are so inclined, fee-based memberships can provide quick and easy access to certain types of documents. (As well as some rather questionable "family trees.") On the other hand, there are many free and low-cost ways to find much of what you are seeking.
I live in a California county with a library system that provides home access to Heritage Quest for its card-carrying patrons. That means indexes and images for many (though not all) US census records, a way to search over 28,000 family and local histories, access to the PERSI index to articles in many genealogical publications, and more. On site at any of the library branches, I can also log onto the "Library Edition" of Ancestry.
Another resource I use almost daily is the FamilySearch website, that well-known Mormon entity. Their religious emphasis on posthumous baptism has inspired the creation of the world's largest collection of genealogical materials. And their Family History Library in Salt Lake City is a genealogist's dream -- open to all, no strings, no subtle pressures or proselytizing. They are presently underway on a mammoth project to place online their millions (literally) of microfilmed records from all over the world. With the help of an army of trained and supervised volunteers, they are making new material available over the Internet just about every day -- and their indexing is of the highest quality.
One of the features that really helps me is their indexing of virtually all census records, in a "fuzzy" way that brings up "sound-alike" surnames -- something you don't get with Heritage Quest. So I am always sure to check both indexes when a family member is eluding me.
I strongly suggest joining genealogical and/or historical societies in the states or counties of interest, too. That will often put you in touch with individuals who can help with your specific issue. Another place to look is local public libraries in your research area. They often have local history collections and may have old newspapers in their holdings. Go online first, and see what their catalog shows. Then send a note or email to the reference department. I've had good results from queries about old obituaries, land records, and other local information. Costs are usually quite low, or non-existent (but send them something anyway! They need it!).
There are far too may free and low-cost sites to name here, but I'd like to remind you of one more: Find a Grave. In their words, it is "a resource for finding the final resting place of family, friends, and 'famous' individuals. With millions of names and photos, it is an invaluable tool for the genealogist and family history buff." I've had considerable luck finding names there and even photos of family gravestones, and after registering (free) was able to provide additional information and an image for one Civil War solder's resting place.
So the next time someone tells you she thinks "doing genealogy" is too expensive, just smile -- the same way you do when people say their family history is "complete."


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Rusty Gregory takes the hot seat over June Mountain closure
Rusty Gregory may as well have been wearing a bullseye on his back.
About three hundred June Mountain residents and friends poured into the June Lake Community Center Tuesday night to protest the proposed closing of June Mountain Ski Area.
The target was Gregory, CEO of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, and an owner of June Mountain Ski Area. Gregory took the shots for several hours, as everyone from schoolchildren to former—and first—June Mountain manager Bud Hayward took the microphone.
"Dave McCoy would never have done this," Hayward said. "My father told me once to get the hell out of June Mountain. I told him I just can't do that.
"I know Dave McCoy and I know Dave McCoy would not be doing this today," he said to applause.
"Shame on you, Rusty Gregory," said Jill Stark, a member of the June Lake Citizens Advisory Committee, which sponsored the Tuesday meeting (in conjunction with the Mono County Board of Supervisors). "Shame on you for putting our community through this turmoil."
A group of Lee Vining Elementary students, led by their teacher, Anna Strathman, told Gregory how important keeping June Mountain open was.
"We hope that sending our profits from the first lemonade stand to Mammoth Mountain and Rusty Gregory will show that we're doing the very best we can and hopefully inspire others to do so, too," said Caelen McQuilken, a 10-year-old.
Then the students walked over to Gregory and handed him an envelope containing about $150 they had raised doing lemonade stand sales during the past two weeks, drawing an ovation from the audience.
The "Keep It Open" group will hold more sales in the next few weeks, they said.
Then Gregory took the stand.
"I'm here to stand before you and take full responsibility for my actions," he said. "And I am sorry I was not here to face you the day it was announced."
He handed out a pile of papers on June Mountain's financials to some of the public officials and advisory committee members.
"It's not the annual losses. I'm happy to continue to operate at these losses … but it's the purpose of these losses. My question is, what the hell is [your vision] for June Mountain? We need a clearly defined future," he said.
He said that for June Mountain to be successful, he believes two main things are needed (along with a clear vision for long term sustainability)—year-round air service and adding another 1,000 beds to the June Lake bed base, or "at least the option that they could be added in the future."
For the ski area to open again this year, he said, there needs to be a way to "break even" this year—and there needs to be a clear vision for the future. The break even issue could be solved with between $1 million and $2 million, he said—the current annual losses at June Mountain.
Gregory implied there was no such vision in place.
Many community members, including June Lake's County Supervisor Vikki Bauer, said the community had worked for the past six years on a vision and that it was ready to go.
"We've been here before six years ago, Rusty. We did what you asked then," Bauer said, referring to a June Lake community plan that was put in place after Gregory shut June Mountain down to four days a week several years ago. That plan, she said, included a significant increase in density in the community—a minimum of 500 more units.
"To say that this is on us is really disingenuous."
Other community members challenged Gregory's numbers, saying the 1,000 units is too high. After the meeting, Gregory told the Mammoth Times there was a reason for the 1,000 beds number—it's what it will take to make the resort sustainable in the long run.
"I don't believe this is negotiable," he said.
Air service challenge meets resistance
Gregory's challenge regarding air service was made specifically to the Mono County Board of Supervisors and he was blunt.
"You need to get off your asses and get off your wallets now," he said. He asked the board to increase an already controversial $85,000 county air-service subsidy to ensure year-round air service to $100,000 a year.
"I'm just telling you the truth," he said. "We have a bigger problem now than we have ever had—the drought, the tight budget for the county government, the bankruptcy, the global recession. I really believe air service is critical. Fifty-thousand visitors a year (to June) isn't enough."
But the county supervisors did not buy his argument. The air service subsidy has been very controversial, especially outside of Mammoth, and the supervisors said they will have a tough time selling an even larger subsidy.
And the money wasn't the only issue.
Mono County Supervisor Byng Hunt spoke about the loss of trust.
"I'm so appalled that we didn't find out about this in advance," he said. "I found out about it in the paper, the next day," he said. "This is an issue of trust. There is no longer trust. This is about transparency, too. Maybe you can rebuild it. But there is very little trust left."
Why did community find out at last minute?
Gregory said the reason he made the decision to close June Mountain in the first place, and the reason why it was so abrupt, was due to intense pressure from MMSA's banks and lenders.
"When you do a bank deal, you agree to pay them and to stay healthy enough to pay them back in the future," he said. But last year, MMSA brought in about 40 percent less than a good year.
"We breached our covenant," he said. In the end, one week before Gregory announced June was to close, "all the banks (except Wells Fargo) railed against Wells Fargo and said, 'No, we aren't going to go with this deal unless you cut more expenses,'" he said.
"If we had not agreed, we would have been in default, which would have been far worse to this region."
Inyo National Forest weighs in
June Mountain is operated on public land, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. As such, the Inyo National Forest holds the special use permit that MMSA operates under.
"We have let them know they are not in compliance and we have issued a letter on non-compliance, "said Ed Armenta, the forest supervisor for the Inyo National Forest.
He said he had spoken to Gregory for the first time that day and that the two parties were at the very beginning of the discussion.
They "discussed an audit, to be sure we are getting a straight story," he said about the Mountain's financials.
Beyond that, Armenta gave few specifics other than to say he had an obligation to both the public good and to treat MMSA the same as any other ski area special use permit holder would be treated.
Although MMSA's special-use permit with the forest is clear about many things, it leaves details about time constraints, deadlines, and penalties to the forest supervisor—meaning Armenta will have the final say on how much pressure the forest service will put on Gregory.
"We will not make them run in the red," Armenta said.
Rodeo Grounds—deal breaker or not?
When asked if MMSA wanted to or would buy the Rodeo Grounds, Gregory said no.
"It's not what we do, we're not real estate developers," he said, but he added that MMSA would "frontload it [and] get it going to attract buyers."
He did say MMSA retained the "first right of refusal" to the property.
Gregory challenged June Lake or the county to "entitle" the property for future development, noting that it would help to show potential investors that the community supported a project at the site so it would be ready "when the market came back."
Intrawest was in the process of entitling the Rodeo Grounds for development when it withdrew its application in January. After the meeting, Bauer said this was one idea she would be willing to take to the county supervisors.
A rumor that the Rodeo Grounds had sold just hours before the meeting was not true, Bauer said.
The parcel is for sale for $2.9 million.
What does the future hold?
Gregory admitted that MMSA did not put enough money into June, mostly because MMSA got a better return from investing there and that was more important in the short term, as MMSA tried to bring more people to the region.
"I told you, you wouldn't like the answer," he said.
Gregory said he was willing to work with a group of community leaders, led by Double Eagle Resort and Spa owner Connie Black, in a series of intensive meetings over the next two weeks to see what options were available to prevent closing June down for the coming winter.
When asked if he would be willing to sell June Mountain if another buyer could be found, he said he would be open to the option.
"Have you had an offer?" someone asked.
"No," he said.
He also declined to promise that June Mountain would reopen.
"I can't promise you that," he said, when asked to stick with the community for one more year while they figured things out. "If I did, I'd be placating you. I can only promise to keep communicating about this and work with you."


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It's obvious the Mets' offense is in trouble, with once again last night demonstrating an appalling lack of ability to hit with runners in scoring position.
Jerry Manuel talks about "getting things going,'' and that includes putting the players in the right position for success.
Clearly, they are not.
It's time to re-juggle the lineup, which means put Jose Reyes back at leadoff. There are some who will argue he's still stealing bases now, but that's more attributable to his legs getting stronger than his spot in the order.
All too often I see Reyes swinging out of his shoes with little attempt at selectivity.
Reyes has the potential to be the game's premier leadoff hitter. Put him there and leave him there.
The following order is thinking out loud with the hope of generating something until the next need to shake things up.
I like David Wright best hitting third, but his two hits last night notwithstanding, he's still mired in some bad habits. It has worked before for Wright has struggled and it could work again, and that is to move him to second. Hitting second, where he'd have to protect the runner would help shorten Wright's swing and hopefully lifting him out of his bad habits.
Because he's been driving the ball and has the speed element, I'd put Angel Pagan third. And, yes, I fear the mentality of hitting third might do for him what it has done for Reyes. But, unlike Reyes, Pagan has hit all over the order so perhaps the transition would be a little less.
The guy who is really killing the Mets has been Jason Bay. He needs a day off and maybe he'll get one with the promotion of Chris Carter from Triple-A Buffalo and the DFA of Frank Catalanotto. It makes no sense to bring up Carter unless they intend to play him, but who sits?
Give Bay a rest, time to collect his thoughts, and maybe he'll be fresher. With that being said, because there are no other alternatives Bay would have to stay cleanup when he plays.
Next I'd elevate Ike Davis to fifth. Davis is one of the few Mets who seems to have an idea at the plate. I would be tempted to bat him fourth, but fear it might put too much pressure on him.
Sixth would be Jeff Francoeur, whose hot start is a memory. He's another who might benefit from having a day off.
Seventh would be Rod Barajas, but with his slugging percentage it might not be a bad idea to elevate him past Francoeur. At one time I thought clean-up would be a temporary spot, but know the Mets would never go for it.
Eighth, unfortunately, will be Luis Castillo, who is taken out of his spot because the others aren't doing their jobs. Castillo has been playing well and is the ideal No. 2 hitter, but getting Wright going is crucial.
There are no doubt flaws in this thinking, which, of course, I'm sure you will point out. This is not a permanent solution, but something temporary to jumpstart things.
If you've got other lineup suggestions, let's hear them.


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Weekly Genealogy Blogging Prompt #5-Another generation of Cheeks comes to Mangum
Prompt: Talk about your genealogy adventures while on vacation. Doesn't everyone plan a little genealogy visit during vacation? Take your readers along for the ride.
I haven't gotten to do as many of these as I intended. In fact this is the first one of the weekly prompts that I've had time to post. So much for good intentions. A couple of years ago, my older brother who lives in SC came back to Oklahoma for Christmas along with his wife and two grandchildren. He doesn't get back this way very often so we tried to do as much as possible in the few days he was here. One of the thing he really wanted to do was visit our father's hometown, Mangum (Capitol of Greer County), OK. The "Capitol" thing is something I will have to explain later. So two days after Christmas in 2007, we set out. Our party consisted of my brother, my two sisters, myself, our four spouses, a daughter of one sister, and the two grandchildren.
Just north of town is the farm where our great grandfather Cheek homesteaded before 1903. We have never been able to do more than see it from the road. One of these days I will find out who owns it and get permission to go out to the farm house.
If you are in Mangum at lunch time there is only one option-the Hamburger Inn- right on the Square.
We were a little late for lunch and they were going to close soon so we had to chose from a limited menu. But we had a great time and enjoyed examining the antiques? collectables? memorabilia? junk? on the floor, the walls, the ceiling, the tables, etc.
One of the group went exploring and came back saying, "You all have got to see this." Most of the tables had old copies of the Mangum Star covered with plastic along with other items from the past. And one of the papers from World War 2 had a front page story about officers from Mangum in the 45th Infantry Division. Among the officers was our father, Captain James Edmon Cheek.
Dad is the second from the left. That find was certainly worth the price of gas for the trip.
Our next stop was the Old Greer County Museum.
This is one of the truly unique, local museums in the country. It is housed in the old hospital building, staffed totally by volunteers, and filled with the treasured artifacts of hundreds of families and communities. Each of the old patient rooms is sponsored by a different family, community, or organization. For more information about the museum go to their website at http://www.oldgreercountymuseum.com/index.html
The picture at the top of the article was taken on the stairs at the museum by one of the friendly staff. The real find at the museum was in a back room where they had hundreds of old photographs and negatives from the Fike Studio, an regular part of Mangum life for many years. During one of our stays we lived next door to the Fikes and my brother and I spent many hours playing with their daughter, Susan. To tell the whole story of the museum is way outside the scope of this article, but I promise a follow-up not too far in the future.
Of course no visit to Mangum is complete without going to the cemetery. We no longer have any relatives living in Mangum but we do have a lot of them in Riverside Cemetery.
Our great grandparents, Robert Bruce and Carrie Savannah Cheek who are in the blog's header picture.
Notice that the stone includes not only Robert and Carrie, but also Robert's sister, Columbia Cheek.
Our grandparents, Marion and Anna Cheek.
There are many more Cheeks in the cemetery but I don't want to neglect our mother's family, some of whom also lived in Mangum. But only her mother and one of our uncles is buried there.
Her name was originally Paralee Tennessee Lancaster. She married an Orand, then a Bex, and then a Smith and decided she liked Pauline better than Paralee.
If you are ever in Mangum when the lake is down it is obligatory on your way out of town to stop and see the remains of the town of Lugert which was covered when they built the lake. But this being Southwestern Oklahoma, the town reappears from time to time like Brigadoon.
Look carefully and you can see the foundation and floor of one of the houses. When we got down to it we discovered it had a cellar but after a little digging, we decided we were just not equipped to do a "dig."
It was a great trip which give my brother and I the chance to relive a lot of old memories. Our sisters are both much younger and never lived in Mangum or knew very many of our relatives who lived there. But it is a very important part of our family history and I was glad to be able to share it with another generation of Cheeks and with you.


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Adult coloring books are all the buzz of late. It is clear that it revolves around colored pencils or crayons and coloring pages. But, it is just coloring, right? How can something like staying within the lines be a benefit to me?
I grew up during the time of doodle art – remember those? You got a pack of felt markers and elaborate black line drawings on a number of themes. I would spend hours coloring these in! Little did I know then that coloring pages were a benefit to my well-being.
Well, apparently they were back then and still are today for people of all ages.
People are making the adult coloring books bestsellers on Amazon! At the time of this writing, eight of the top twenty books on the bestsellers list, are coloring books for adults. There must be something behind this recent growth in interest.
The themes of adult coloring books are usually intricate and centered more around adult images, not your childhood counterparts that included bunnies, super heroes, and farm animals. You would expect to see geometric patterns, psychedelic patterns reminiscent of doodle art type pages, fantasy images including angels, dragons, goddesses and mermaids, and ancient designs of religious and spiritual nature.
So why the fascination, and how can they help you?
In the most basic sense, the act of applying colored media to intricate line drawings is a benefit to relaxation and stress reduction. You are able to put the outside world aside for the moment and focus on the art of coloring singularly.
Studies have shows that anxiety levels dropped in adults that colored. They did note that simple doodling had no affect on anxiety. The focus on coloring and switching off the brain allows that blocking of anxiety in the moment. Coloring does not have a need for complicated thought processes and like listening to calming music, you are able to get within yourself, isolated from external anxiety, commotion, and distractions.
The repetitive, low-stress, and "no brainer" act of color lends itself to relaxation. The calming effects not only helps to reduce stress levels, but also can help to bring you back to your youth.
The awesome part is that anyone can do it will no skill set required! Grab a crayon and you are good to go. You can make it even more enjoyable and have your kids or grandkids color with you. Depending on the age of the young ones they may be interested in the adult coloring books, others still wanting to color a cow, astronaut, or pretty flower arrangement.


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OAKLAND, Calif. — Dwight Howard has admired Wilt Chamberlain for years.
The Orlando Magic superstar watches old film of Chamberlain's game. Howard reads books about him. Howard even has spoken with some of Wilt the Stilt's former teammates.
On Thursday night, Howard outdid his idol by breaking a record that stood for almost half a century.
Howard shattered Chamberlain's mark for most free throws attempted in an NBA regular-season game. Howard made 21 of his 39 attempts and carried the Magic to a 117-109 win over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.
"I just tried to be aggressive and get to the line," Howard said. "I didn't care if I missed 30. I was still going to go up there and just shoot the next one with confidence."
With the Warriors purposely hacking, clutching and tugging at him, Howard scored 45 points, tying a career high, and collected 23 rebounds.
The Magic completed their West Coast road trip with a 3-0 record and, perhaps just as important, showed some grit and some resilience.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Orlando looked lifeless early on and trailed by as many as 13 points midway through the second quarter. The Magic also overcame the loss of starting shooting guard Jason Richardson, who sprained his left knee early in the third period and did not return to the game.
"I think in this league it's tough to win on the road, so certainly we can hang our hats on that," Magic guard J.J. Redick said. "This league is a lot about momentum and confidence, so this gave us a little bit of momentum going into next week."
The Warriors were without injured backup center Kwame Brown, and with Brown unavailable, coach Mark Jackson decided his team needed to foul Howard at every opportunity. A notoriously bad free-throw shooter, Howard entered the night having made 43 percent of his attempts from the line this season.
Jackson employed the Hack-a-Howard strategy, asking rookie Klay Thompson to foul Howard even before he crossed the midcourt stripe on Orlando offensive possessions. Ultimately, two Warriors players, Andris Biedrins and David Lee, fouled out. Thompson and Ekpe Udoh had five fouls apiece.
"The guy missed 18 free throws," Jackson said afterward.
"I can understand people thinking, 'Why?' But don't get caught up in the free throws. Think about when we didn't foul him. Dunks, hooks at the rim — he's a great player and a bad free-throw shooter."
Lee said: "That's a chance you take."
It was almost comical.
One of Howard's teammates likened it to a videogame.
Magic assistant coaches Ahmad Ajami, Bob Beyer, Steve Clifford, Patrick Ewing and Brendan Malone would recommend plays to Stan Van Gundy. But Van Gundy eventually turned to them and said something like, "What's the point of calling a play? The Warriors are just going to foul Dwight anyway."
The game lasted 2 hours, 39 minutes from start to finish.
"Once in a while, a game's a little different," Van Gundy told reporters afterward, laughing.
"My sophomore year in college, as a small-college player, for the season I shot 33 free throws. I don't know, it was an interesting game. A long game. I'm sure a great national TV game for the NBA. I'm sure everybody there loved it. You get to turn on TNT and watch Dwight Howard shoot free throws."
Van Gundy's voice dripped with sarcasm, of course.
Just how weird was it?
Magic players started talking about that as the night wore on.
"It's amazing that he made 21," Redick joked.
What made the situation even stranger was that this was supposed to be the season Howard improved at the line and solved his shooting woes. During the lockout, he hired a personal shooting coach, and they have worked regularly at Rollins College in Winter Park to hone Howard's mechanics.
Some within the Magic organization believe Howard is putting too much pressure on himself. For all his strengths, he doesn't like criticism, and he's heard plenty about his free-throw shooting.
But Howard improved as Thursday's game entered its latter stages. He made eight of his 10 tries in the fourth quarter and helped the Magic outscore the Warriors 37-27 in the period.
Howard provided the crucial basket and foul shot with 1:21 left in regulation and the score tied 109-109.
He collected an offensive rebound off a missed 3-pointer by Hedo Turkoglu and made a layup as Lee fouled him. Howard made the ensuing foul shot to put his team up 112-109.
Monta Ellis missed a 3 on Golden State's next possession, and Von Wafer provided the backbreaker with 36.9 seconds to play when he swished a trey from the right corner.
Game over.
Orlando (8-3) has some momentum heading into its only back-to-back-to-back, which begins Monday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. After a home game Tuesday against the Charlotte Bobcats and another home game Wednesday versus the San Antonio Spurs, the Magic will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
Golden State (3-7) will begin a four-game road trip Saturday.
The Warriors were the first of three franchises that Chamberlain played for.
Chamberlain's jersey number has been retired by the club, and a sign that reads "13 WILT CHAMBERLAIN" has been hung at midcourt between the second row of Oracle Arena's luxury boxes and the upper deck.
On Feb. 22, 1962, Chamberlain attempted 34 foul shots for the Philadelphia Warriors against the St. Louis Hawks. The record wasn't the most well-known of The Big Dipper's accomplishments, but it had stood for almost five full decades.
"He played a long time ago," Howard said, chuckling.
"I don't think nobody's going to catch the 100-points record. But he's my favorite player. Every night, I just picture myself playing against those guys, because that's what I want to be when I finish playing."
On Thursday, Howard did something no one else has ever done.
Not even Chamberlain.
firstname.lastname@example.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.


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Kickboxing is a perfect fitness routine for just about everyone no matter their gender, age or fitness level. A kickboxing fitness routine works out your entire body, which helps you burn fat quickly and tone your entire body. You will leave your workout feeling empowered, confident and a little less stressed. Your mind, body and heart will all be thanking you for it afterward. Here is a list of some of my favorite benefits of kickboxing.
A good fit for all. Kickboxing is a great fitness routine for everyone. It does not discriminate. You can be old or young, a man or woman, an experienced athlete or a fitness newbie; it does not matter. Everyone can easily benefit from this workout, and all are encouraged to try it.
Easily adaptable. A kickboxing fitness routine can be easily adapted to fit your needs and fitness level. You start with a trainer to learn the basic moves and finally progress into easily flowing with these movements. Eventually, you will add more complex moves at a higher speed and adding in some extra weight. This makes it easy to start your kickboxing routine and then progress to different levels.
Excellent at burning calories and melting fat. Most people burn an average of 500 calories per hour performing this intense fitness routine, and the more effort you put into your routine the higher that number could be. This all adds up to quickly shedding that excess fat and achieving your weight loss goals in no time.
Tones your entire body. You workout your entire body during a normal kickboxing fitness routine. You will work on your arms, shoulders, legs and core simultaneously giving you the best results you have ever seen. This workout will give you an evenly toned and sculpted body that you feel proud to flaunt.
Relieves stress. Not only does kickboxing release endorphins, like every other form of exercise, it also gives you the chance to release some extra frustration in a healthy way. You can kick and punch your way to releasing that pent up aggression you may be experiencing. How many other workouts give you the chance to imagine beating up your archenemy?
Improves balance and coordination. All of those supposedly impossible moves that you thought were impossible to do, well guess what after a while of practicing them over and over you have finally mastered them. This hard work will give you an improved sense of balance and coordination that can easily benefit you in your everyday routine. You may begin to notice that you are not as clumsy and move a little more gracefully.
Improves endurance. All those intense workout sessions at the gym are starting to pay off. You notice that you are not as tired as you were before or as out of breath as you usually are. You may have even started adding some extra time to your workout. These little things will let you know that you have improved your endurance.
Builds confidence. Kickboxing will teach you moves that will have you feeling more confident, but there are many more aspects of kickboxing that can build your confidence, such as having a healthy and toned body you are proud of, achieving your fitness goals and having a healthier lifestyle.
Fun. Kickboxing is fun and fast paced. You get to learn something new and work on your body at the same time. You can crank up the music and start attacking those heavy bags, practice with a partner and throw some medicine balls and kettle bells around. The best thing is that you do not have to do the same old routine everyday. You can switch up your movements in kickboxing making it easy to stave off boredom and remain more engaged in your workout.
With all of these amazing benefits, it is easy to see why kickboxing has become one of the most popular fitness routines out there today. So, why not find a local 9Round near you and try out their fitness routine? You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain, so stop by our website and find a gym near you.
– See more at: http://www.9round.com/blog/why-you-should-try-kickboxing/


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Lynn tosses Cards over Dodgers
Los Angeles, CA – Lance Lynn tossed six scoreless frames to guide the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game set.
Lynn (7-1) gave up just two hits and struck out nine to pick up the win.
"Lance had a good fastball, and that set the tone. He was sharp tonight, he had good movement and good location. He kept them off balance," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny.
David Freese went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and three RBI and Allen Craig added a pair of hits, including a solo homer, and drove in three for the Cardinals, winners in four of their last five games.
Freese returned to the lineup following a brief three-game absence after receiving stitches to close a cut on his right hand earlier in the week.
Chris Capuano (1-3) was tagged for six runs -- five earned -- on six hits over five-plus innings to absorb the loss.
The Cards scored one run in the second and two in the third to go up 3-0.
In the second, Jon Jay reached first on an Adrian Gonzalez throwing error before Freese roped a double off the wall in left field. Carl Crawford fired the ball to shortstop Nick Punto, who turned and delivered a strike to A.J. Ellis at the plate. Jay, though, bulldozed over Ellis as the ball arrived and touched the plate safely to give the Cards the early lead.
Despite the brutal collision, Ellis remained in the game.
Craig's two-run double in the third scored Matt Carpenter and Carlos Beltran to give St. Louis a three-run edge. Carpenter singled and Beltran walked to set the table for Craig, who smoked a double to left-center wall.
Craig's solo blast in the fifth made it 4-0, and Freese gave the Cards a six- run lead with a two-run shot in the sixth.
Yadier Molina added a sacrifice fly in the seventh accounted for the final margin.
"Craig and Freese hurt us. It was a tough matchup for Capuano. Lance had good stuff, we just didn't do anything tonight. We didn't have good chances, and they piled it on," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.
Game Notes
Lynn allowed just three base runners ... St. Louis improved to 17-8 on the road this season ... Friday's contest marked the first in a stretch of 20 games in 20 days for the Dodgers ... Crawford has hit safely in six of his last seven games.


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7 Days Turkey Tour starts from Istanbul Airport and finish at Istanbul Airport, we organise all transportations, Accomadations, Full Guided City Tours in Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, 7 Days Turkey Tour programme proıvides you to explore most historical sites in Turkey .
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11 Days Speacial Turkey Package Tours Itinerary Day 1 Arrive in Istanbul, Transfer to Hotel. Overnight in Istanbul Day 2 Breakfast, Full Day Byzantine and Ottoman Relics Tour. Overnight in Istanbul Day 3 Breakfast, Full Day Bosphorus and Two Continents Tour. Overnight in Istanbul Day 4 Fly to Izmir, Full Day Ephesus Ancient City Tour. Overnight in Kusadasi Day 5 Breakfast, Pamukkale (Hierapolis Ancient City) Tour. Overnight in Kusadasi Day 6 Breakfast, Free Day in Kusadasi, Fly to Kayseri Day 7 Breakfast, Cappadocia Tour I Day 8 Breakfast, Cappadocia Tour II Day 9 Breakfast, Princess Island Tour Day 10 Breakfast, Free Day in Istanbul Day 11 Breakfast, Free Day and Transfer to Airport to finalize your trip in Istanbul.
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UnityIntegrative needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 29 designs submitted by 11 freelance designers.
Unity Integrative Medicine and Ayurveda
I am a doctor starting a medial practice which will combine Western medicine with Ayurveda, which is traditional Eastern medicine from India.
An idea I have is to have the logo be a pair of hands as if to represent an offering, since I will offer western medicine and eastern medicine, and maybe eventually accupunture, etc. The hands could offer a stethoscope to represent western, maybe curled up or draped over the hands or wrists, and a lotus flower to represent Ayurveda. The lotus flower is typically depicted with 8 petals, for the 8 fold path. Also, the color of the lotus affects the symbolism. White is purity of the mind, pink purity of the heart, blue knowledge and wisdom. Some of them are pink and white together. The logo could be on the left and then the name of the business across the middle, so that this could also become stationary letterhead. Or the name could surround the logo, like an emblem. Some friends have liked the idea, but mentioned that it should not imitate the Allstate Insurance company logo with hands. I am not sure. I think we could try the hands reaching out like an offering as if holding a bowl of soup. But maybe the hands could be in a different position like with the fingers up as if holding a small globe or something.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Bob Tabor needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 44 designs submitted by 11 freelance designers.
This contest is for the header (I already have a logo) and the navigation toolbar area (need 6 custom toolbar icons in both roll-over and non-roll-over states) for a browser-based casual strategy game called Aetris, currently in development. The contest is JUST the header and nav area, and NOT an entire webpage layout. It is a science-fiction game set in a distant galaxy (think: Star Wars) that is similar to Travian or TribalWars. This contest is to replace a design that was left unfinished by another designer. Please follow this link for a full description of what I need, with sample images: http://aetris.backpackit.com/pub/1576061
What I need is simple (see this page for the details) but does require some custom icon work for the toolbar. The final delivery will be just a few small files. I'm looking for a winning entry with a high design sensibility.
Regarding payment ... sorry, I do not have a Western Union account and as I've mentioned in previous contests, I'm not going to use it. I've had tens of thousands of successful PayPal transactions and I'm staying with what I know. I apologize if it is not available in your country, however Western Union is not an option at this time.
- See this: http://aetris.backpackit.com/pub/1576061
- You'll be judged on YOUR VERSION of Image #1 and Image #2 on that page
- What I need from you after you've won is YOUR VERSION of Images #3 and Image #4 on that page.
- ALSO, after you've won, I'll need any additional images required for YOUR VERSION of the DIV menu (see the red dashed area on Image #2 on that page).
- Professional, original artwork
- Must look cool / compelling
- I don't need an entire page mocked up ... all I need to see is the header / toolbar / drop down menu area as mentioned previously
- I do not need any HTML or CSS or anything like that. Just the PSD, AI or layered PNG files for the files described in the contest description here: http://aetris.backpackit.com/pub/1576061.
- We don't want pastel or cheery colors ... our version of space is not a happy place. :)
- Unnecessarily busy ... although you could probably sway me on this one, depending on the coolness of the implementation
- Childish ... cutesy


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The Poolhouse Experiment
by Chris Olicevitz
It's all American wakeskate dream: to have your own private winch spot in your backyard that you can do what you want and shred year round. Most of us have the dream, but few of us ever have the means. Thus the winching experiment known as "The Pool House" began when the opportunity was given to me. It started my senior year of high school when my (now ex) girlfriend's mom told me about a stretch of their property behind their pool house that she thought might work for something similar to the Liquid Force Slideshow. I did some research and started making this dream a living and breathing reality.
Building a backyard winch spot with a cold during a chilly Northern California winter isn't the best way to make it happen. There's nothing like trying to dig a 2-4' deep hole that's 40 feet long and 6 feet wide while the rain drizzles on you at 40 degrees. Needless to say, there were a lot of trips to Panera for warm soup. In the end it paid off, and it wasn't too long before Mitch Lemos, Scott Alexander, and I were all shredding the pool. Literally.
We quickly learned that wakeskates crashing into the pool would tear up the plastic liner. I came up with the bright idea to build a pump system that pumped water from a creek below the property and filled the pool. It was worth the money, but as winter ended so did the free water. We then began running up my ex's water bill, so we all threw down "water money." I went ahead and took gas of the $5 gas bill. Don't worry, I made sure I ran premium. Shortly after we invited another Nor-Cal ripper Josh Rossi out to partake in the festivities. The poolside BBQ never happened, but we sure made up for it in feasts of Doritios and Lays (followed by a dinner of Zachary's pizza…mmm).
Overall we had a great time riding and shooting at our own private winch spot. Scott would do what he does best, as he got really creative with his photos and killed it riding too. Josh brought the Yay Area music and true west coast style to the table. Meanwhile, Mitch and I pushed each other not only into the cold pools, but also to progress A LOT! We both learned new tricks everyday, including different presses using epoxy filled ping-pong balls. If you're considering building your own winch pool setup, go for it! Just make sure to turn off the hose when you're done.


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Sandoval, Belt lift Giants past A's
San Francisco, CA – Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Belt each had two RBI during a four-run sixth inning that lifted the San Francisco Giants to a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics, a result that ended a six-game win streak for their Bay Area rivals.
Sandoval finished 2-for-4 and delivered a go-ahead two-run single during the big inning, while Barry Zito (4-3) worked around a season-high six walks to limit the A's to one run on three hits over six frames to halt a six-start winless drought.
The Giants had dropped the first three meetings of the four-game home-and-home Bay Bridge Series and dealt the resurgent Athletics only their second loss in their last 13 outings.
"Ideally you want to win a few more games in a four-game series, but it's going to help our momentum as we go into St. Louis (on Friday) and play a tough team," Belt remarked.
A.J. Griffin (5-4) spun five shutout innings for Oakland, but faltered in the sixth and was charged with four runs allowed over 5 2/3 frames.
Coco Crisp accounted for three of Oakland's five hits, including an RBI single.
Griffin was virtually untouchable over the game's opening five innings, retiring 10-of-11 San Francisco hitters out of the gate before yielding his first hit of the afternoon, a Sandoval single with one out in the fourth.
It all fell apart for the young right-hander in the sixth, however.
With the Giants trailing 1-0, Brett Pill stroked a leadoff single pinch- hitting for Zito and Brandon Crawford laced a double two batters later to put two men in scoring position. Sandoval then brought both home and sent his team in front with a base hit up the middle.
Griffin exited after giving up a two-out single to Hunter Pence, with Belt greeting reliever Hideki Okajima with a double into the gap in left-center that extended the lead to 4-1.
"To be doing so well like that and then let them put together hits like that is pretty frustrating," Griffin said afterward. "They capitalized on their opportunities and that's how it goes sometimes."
The A's got a run back in the seventh, when pinch-hitter John Jaso drew a leadoff walk against Ramon Ramirez and later scored on Yoenis Cespedes' single off George Kontos, but failed to get a runner past first against Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo over the final two innings.
San Francisco tacked on some insurance in its half of the seventh. Nick Noonan reached on a bunt single, advanced a base on a Gregor Blanco hit, then came around on Oakland shortstop Adam Rosales' throwing error on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder.
While Griffin was cruising at the outset, Zito labored through the early innings. The veteran pitched his way in and out of trouble in the first, stranding Crisp, who doubled, at third and Jed Lowrie, who walked, at second by recording three straight outs.
A costly walk to Griffin with two outs in the second kept that inning alive, and Crisp made Zito pay with a slap single to left that plated Derek Norris for a 1-0 edge.
Zito issued two more free passes in the third, but was again able to elude damage, then settled down by yielding just one hit over his last three innings of work.
Game Notes
The Giants improved to 7-0 at home when Zito starts this season. Including Game 1 of last year's World Series, the club has won 14 consecutive times when he has taken the mound at AT&T Park, with the last loss occurring on Aug. 2 against the New York Mets ... Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro was held out of the game due to flu-like symptoms ... Cespedes' RBI single extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games, while Lowrie is batting .367 (11- for-30) during an eight-game tear after going 1-for-4 on Thursday ... The Athletics have now lost in 12 of their last 14 visits to AT&T Park.


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Thursday, December 29, 2011
The end of the year as we know it
This has been another fast moving year at Blue Dragon.
2012 will be the Year of the Dragon. Symbolically, this is exciting for us: this is our year. And we do have a few big announcements coming, but I fear saying anything too soon. So instead I'll make the prediction that this will be a huge year for Blue Dragon in Vietnam. Huge, I tells ya.
Having said that, 2011 has been a big year too.
We started on a terrible note, with the sudden death of one of our kids: a 10 year old boy named Toby Hai. At our coming Annual Tet Awards ceremony, we'll be marking a year since Toby Hai left us, but he certainly remains in our thoughts. From that awful low, things could only improve.
2011 was the year that 3 Blue Dragon teens headed to New Zealand to study; 2 of the boys studied English over 6 months, while the third joined a Business Diploma course, and did so well that the college offered him a second year of study.
Our fight against human trafficking landed some powerful punches this year. We reached the milestone of having rescued 100 kids early in the year, and since then have rescued a further 42. This included our biggest ever rescue: 23 children and youth from ethnic minority villages in the mountains. Although I don't get too hung up on the numbers, these figures are significant. Each young person we get out of a factory or a brothel is a life changed, and another blow to the filthy industry feeding off their vulnerability.
In Hue, a province of central Vietnam, we have set our sights on ending the trafficking of children to garment factories altogether. And in doing so, we want to ensure that the factories don't just start getting kids from other areas; and also that the kids from Hue don't end up getting trafficked to other industries. We plan to do this properly.
Of the kids we've rescued so far, a growing number include teenage Vietnamese girls we've rescued out of brothels in China. Earlier this month we brought back 4 more girls and young women who were tricked and kidnapped, to be sold to brothels. Whereas with the garment factory trafficking we believe we can put a permanent end to the trade, we are still just starting to get involved in this cross-border crime. All we know is that we've had some good success so far; not only in getting girls back, but in cooperating with both the Vietnamese and Chinese police, and then in helping the girls to resettle in Vietnam.
So we face the question now: What does this mean for Blue Dragon? Should we get more involved in this issue? When so many other agencies have anti-trafficking programs, is there a need for us to have one too? This is a question we need to wrestle with in coming weeks and months.
We've also been really pleased with the development of our Outreach work to street kids. Late in 2010 we were talking to a big funding agency from Singapore, which cooperates with a Hong Kong foundation, about securing funding to expand our services to reach runaway kids and others living on the streets. We went through the bizarre experience of being asked to submit proposals and conduct a survey and then finally be told that they wouldn't help because I am not famous enough - or as the woman put it, "Nobody knows who you are." (I couldn't help but wonder what she thought when CNN named me as one of their Heroes of 2011).
So instead we asked our supporters around the world to help, through a major appeal in June. Our donors dug deep and ended up giving 3 times the amount that the "major foundation" was ever prepared to consider. The result is that our Outreach work has grown from a single staff member to 3, and we're close to doubling the number of kids we meet every week. Many of the stories of these kids are incredibly moving; these are the children who nobody else is looking out for, but they're good kids and deserve a chance.
Personally, I am proud of each and every child we reach on the streets, and I am equally proud that our friends around the world have made this possible. Thank you.
Another part of our Outreach work is our soccer team, Blue Dragon United. Originally the soccer was a way to reach street kids, but as things have developed over the years the team has been embraced by youth living in a slum area close to Hanoi's Red River. Rather than street kids, the majority of the 50-60 kids who turn up each week are living in an area riddle with heroin, crime, and gangs. These, too, are a group of kids who need a helping hand. A highlight of the year was definitely our 1000th game of soccer... that's a lot of football!
The year is ending well, with news of a wedding and quite a few reunions between Blue Dragon and kids we've helped in years past. In fact, 3 of the 4 stories I wrote in November were of catching up with 'old friends'. Christmas has been great, and now for a long weekend.
Come Tuesday, it's 2012 but not quite a new year. That doesn't come until January 23, when the Lunar New Year (Tet) is celebrated throughout Vietnam. As always, the end of a year is a good time for reflection... on successes and failures, achievements and regrets, and on the road we've traveled as well as the path ahead.
It's been a good year for Blue Dragon because we've created real, lasting change for so many kids. We have over 1300 girls and boys in our care now.
But the great news is that we can hope for an even better year to come.
6 comments:
- Lô said...
Great job, man! Go on!
- Van SW said...
A little tears in my heart when i read this blog...you all have made the world a better place and i know you all would continue this . Chuc mung nam moi , Rong Xanh nhe .
- Unknown said...
I'm constantly impressed with the great job you guys are doing. All the best in 2012!
Felt so touched when reading about your post Michael. Congrats to you and your team for the amazing achievement. You are all definitely heroes in my eyes :)
- Nhát nhưởi said...
You don't just give them a chance, you give them a family, a real family. I can't help but smiling when thinking about that. Wishing you and the kids a 2012 full of joy and fun(d) :)
Well done, team! I am so pleased to have been a part of the past year. I am so proud of you all!
All the very best for 2012, and have an extra banh chung for me?


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|Virtual-magazin, Виртуал-Магазин, Virtual-magazin
|Words it is reserved for five bank days. If you will not pay off, the word becomes free. In case of payment of a word it is activated within two days and you will be its owner 2 years.
|<< back
|To order the word chosen by you it is necessary to note color, a kind, the size of the font in following fields and to bring data about your enterprise / organization. All information given by you will be placed on our site.


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Nice work! Enjoy the show!
Link Copied!
OPEC's Trump rebuff sets oil prices soaring
Opening Sequence
Mueller sends Russia probe report to DOJ
Congress gears up for Mueller report
How Mueller kept a lid on Trump-Russia probe
Exclusive: UPS to test home vaccination service
What Trump's move means for the Golan Heights
Trump to withdraw some N. Korea sanctions
Boeing races to reassure airlines over safety
Cardi B files for 'Okurrr' trademark
Closing Sequence


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- Details
- Specs
- Reviews
- What's Included
Protect yourself and your family from electrical shock with this ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) built into a 20-amp duplex receptacle. This safety device is equipped with convenient feed-through wiring that not only protects the outlet it's built into, but ALL of the outlets on the same circuit. Its advanced electronic design offers superior resistance to surges and over-voltages, and its LED power indicator light helps diagnose improper wiring and, when illuminated, offers visual confirmation that power is available.
This Smartlock Pro GFCI Tamper Resistant Receptacle is also Cheetah enabled allowing it work with the ultra fast Cheetah line of products. The patented Cheetah Speed System enables electrical devices, switches, receptacles, and wallplates to be installed without screws using a revolutionary speed anchor, snap & lock system, researched and developed with and by electricians. The Cheetah Speed System increases the speed of installation by up to 40% to 50%, and at the same time, offers the elegance, style, and designer look of screwless wallplates, at a very affordable price.
Features and Benefits
- Automatically test the GFCI every time the RESET button is pushed in
- The GFCI will not reset if the GFCI circuit is not functioning properly
- A line-load reversal diagnostic feature is provided which prevents the GFCI from being reset
- A green LED indicator on the GFCI's face also illuminates to alert the installer to the line-load wiring reversal
- The trip latch mechanism in SmartLockPro GFCIs is a one piece "T" design for efficient operation
- There are 4 sets of contacts for load terminals and face
- SmartLockPRO GFCIs use a patented bifurcated bridge contact for efficient operation
- Trip threshold meets or exceeds UL requirements for tripping time
- Improved immunity to high-frequency noise reduces nuisance tripping
- Advanced electronics design provides superior resistance to electrical surges and over-voltages
- Expanded wiring options with nine back-wire holes. Two for each line and load connection plus one for ground
- Silver alloy contacts
- By blocking reset of the GFCI if protection has been compromised, SmartLockPRO reduces the possibility of end-users incorrectly assuming that a reset GFCI outlet is providing ground fault protection when it is not
The Leviton Cheetah 20A GFCI Tamper Resistant Receptacle is also available in the following colors, each sold separately.
Light Almond
CHEETAH SPEED DEVICES - Cheetah devices (switches, receptacles, dimmers, GFCI, etc.) are pre-assembled with Cheetah Speed Anchors fastened with standard 6/32 screw (for easy removal or adjustment after installation). After you wire the Cheetah speed device (quickwire or side wire terminals), just push it in! The Cheetah Speed anchors zip-tie into the patented Cheetah Speed wallboxes - always centered and flush with the wall - requiring no screws for installation or finish!
CHEETAH SCREWLESS WALLPLATE - After the device is pushed (zip-tie) into the box, the Cheetah device is flush to the wall. Each Cheetah device has 4 holes which the Cheetah screwless wallplates simply snap into, flush with the wall. Cheetah matte finish wallplates are made from high strength thermoplastic. Each wallplate has eight (8) tabs to ensure a tight snug fit always flush with wall.
CHEETAH SPEED BOXES - Cheetah Speed Boxes (1 - 4 gang boxes) are made from high strength thermoplastic composites with specially designed speed anchor slots. Each slot has teeth molded to receive Cheetah Speed Anchors. As the speed anchor is pushed into the speed anchor slot, the teeth on the box and speed anchor engage in a zip-tie fashion to securely hold the anchor.
- Automatically test the GFCI every time the RESET button is pushed in
Specifications Manufacturer Leviton Manufacturer Product No T7899-C0E UPC 078477478776 Device Type GFCI Duplex Receptacle Grounding GFCI Ground Fault Amperage 20 Amp Voltage 125 Volt NEMA 5-20R Color Black Pole Two Poles Wires Three Wire Trip Level 5mA plus or minus 1mA Dielectric Voltage Withstands 1500V per UL498 Flammability Rated V-2 per UL94 Face Material Thermoplastic Nylon Body Material Polycarbonate Strap Material Steel Standards and Certifications UL/CSA Manufacturer Warranty 2 Year Limited
- 1x - Leviton Cheetah 20A Smartlock Pro GFCI Tamper Resistant Receptacle, Black
- 1x - Mounting Hardware
- 1x - Leviton Cheetah 20A Smartlock Pro GFCI Tamper Resistant Receptacle, Black


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Tucson International Airport's (TUS) crosswind Runway 3-21 has reopened after being closed since October for resurfacing. This secondary runway is used mainly by GA aircraft when the wind is blowing perpendicular to the orientation of the main runway.
The $8.6 million project, funded by federal and state grants, included removal and replacement of the top 3 inches of asphaltic concrete, as well as restriping, drainage improvements and adjustments to edge lighting and lighted signage.
The Tucson firm of Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. provided design and construction administration services for the project. Granite Construction Company was the contractor.
Work will continue through the end of the year at the airport to complete the reconstruction of portions of several taxiways, the air freight entrance and U.S. Customs apron.
For more information: TucsonAirport.org


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Raise model to 1st position
By clicking the button, you will be raising Absinthia to the first position on the main page for 60 seconds. During this time the model's chat room will become much more visible and incredibly popular! A notification about your action will appear in the chat, visible to the model and the other chat users. Absinthia will be sure to appreciate this gesture and be immeasurably grateful to you!
Only premium users can take advantage of this feature:
VIP – 1 time every 10 days.
DIAMOND – 1 time every 24 hours.
EXCLUSIVE – 3 times every 24 hours.
Important details of Absinthia
|Sexual Preference
|5' - 5'3" [150cm - 160cm]
|100 - 120 lbs [46 - 55 kg]
|Pubic Hair
What We do on webcam
1) Anyone that makes rude, disrespectful, or insulting comments will be banned!
2) Please be polite and say hello when you enter my room
3) Please do not make requests without tipping first (this is my job)
4) Please do not ask to meet me. I am not an escort.
1 token = view your webcam
5 tokens = show my bare feet or shake my tits
10 tokens = flash my tits
15 tokens = show my ass
20 tokens = dance
25 tokens = show my ass and twerk
30 tokens = show my pussy
35 tokens = take off my top
40 tokens = spank myself for 2 minutes
45 tokens = rub my nipples
50 tokens = use anal toy
55 tokens = finger my pussy or rub my clitoris
60 tokens = suck on my vibrator
65 tokens = insert my vibrator
70 tokens = suck on my nipples
75 tokens = smoke a cigarette
80 tokens = if you love me
85 tokens = suck on a large penis shaped lollipop
Genres of Music: Gothic, Metal, Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Death Metal, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Hardcore, Alternative, Industrial, Classical, Celtic, Ancient, Medieval, New Age, Middle Eastern, Asian
Bands: Lacuna Coil, Type O Negative, Evanescence, Nine Inch Nails, Amorphis, Myrath , Apocalyptica, Rammstein, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Eluveitie, Nox Arcana, Midnight Syndicate
Gemstones: garnet, black onyx, emerald, bloodstone
Flowers: black roses, red roses
Animals: bats, cats, wolves, snakes, horses, goats, sea creatures
Colors: black, dark red, dark green, dark purple
Incense: dragon's blood, vampire blood, Egyptian musk, rose, patchouli, nag champa, ambrosia, cedarwood, sandalwood, clove, sage
Video Games: Castlevania Symphony of The Night, American Mcgee's Alice
Mythological Creatures: vampires, werewolves, dragons, mermaids, unicorns, fairies
Types of Fiction Stories: horror, dark fantasy, fantasy, mythology, fairy tales, folk tales, legends
Genres of Movies: horror, fantasy, suspense, science fiction
Cuisines: Indian, Thai, Greek, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Latin American, German
Drinks: absinthe, red wine, black spiced rum, herbal tea
Types of Smokes: clove cigarettes, cigarillos


text:
Apple has annoyed a lot of people by updating its third generation iPad to the fourth generation model at yesterday's new product packed event, despite the only real differences being a new processor and the Lightning connector.
The word "obsolete" — which means out-of-date or an old-fashioned design and/or features — has been laughably attached to the iPad 3, particularly by those who've just purchased one, however it must be grating to find out a newer model will hit the shelves very soon.
A browse through Apple's discussion boards reveals many threads on the subject, with titles like "I want a refund," "iPad 3 upgrade," and even "Apple makes me sad." The general feeling is that Apple has been too quick to update the iPad, and customers have been left feeling "cheated," "annoyed," and in one particular heated conversation, "screwed" too. Some members of the tech press feel the same way, with Mashable.com's Christina Warren writing a lengthy piece on the subject where she expresses much the same emotion.
However, help could be at hand, as there are a few ways you may be able to swap your new iPad for an even newer iPad, or the iPad Mini if you're so inclined. Apple operates a 14-day return system in most countries, so if your tablet is less than two-weeks old, head back to Apple for a refund or an exchange. This shouldn't be a problem provided the tablet's in as-new condition, you've got the receipt, and that it originally came from an Apple Store.
CNET is also reporting that some Apple Stores are extending this grace period to 30-days, opening the scheme up to a great many more people. It's stressed that this is store specific, and the rule hasn't been enacted by Apple, so it's probably worth a telephone call before heading out with a 27-day old iPad 3.
In the UK, the iPad and iPad Mini's newly updated 4G radio could help too, as both tablets will now work with EE's 4G network. Considering the problems Apple had when it tried to advertise the iPad 3 as 4G in the UK, it may have some sympathy now it actually can provide those speeds. Again though, don't expect anything over the 14-days, but this spec change could help you get 30-days if you try hard.
If your new iPad is over 30-days old, then it's eBay or Craigslist for you. Just remember though, the iPad 5 will probably be along in less than six months time.


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Additional Ducks Designs/
The Anaheim Ducks logo and uniform designs I posted on Wednesday were mostly well-received though a handful of you were wary. So I came across a couple more I thought might be worth considering.
These concepts are in keeping with the current color scheme with some minor alterations. What about using the duck logo from that original design in the new colors and making it a secondary or converting the current logo to secondary.
That's one possibility. Another is more nostalgic, keeping the old Disney logo. It mixes the new colors with the old logo.
Would you buy any of those jerseys or should we just leave well enough alone and stop messing with it?


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Spellbinding PNB premieres by Jiri Kylian and Crystal Pite join Kylian's sensual Petite Mort and the raucous Sechs Tänze (Six Dances) in an inspired program of contemporary work.
The soulful and kinetic Forgotten Land (PNB premiere) expands the Kylian repertory with scenery inspired by Edvard Munch and a haunting score by Benjamin Britten. Sensational Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite delivers PNB's first Pite work in the riveting power-house ensemble piece,Emergence.
Petite Mort
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Choreography: Jiri Kylian
Scenic Design: Jiri Kylian
Costume Design: Joke Visser
Lighting Design: Joop Caboort
Sechs Tänze (Six Dances)
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Choreography: Jiri Kylian
Scenic and Costume Design: Jiri Kylian
Lighting Design: Joop Caboort
Forgotten Land
Music: Benjamin Britten
Choreography: Jiri Kylian
Lighting Design: Joop Caboort
Lighting Re-Design: Kees Tjebbes
Music: Owen Belton
Choreography: Crystal Pite
Original Costume Design: Linda Chow
Original Scenic Design: Jay Gower Taylor
Lighting Design: Alan Brodie


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Freelancing Diaries: Part 5 — New Year Resolutions and Clients!
January 3, 2017 in Blogging, Freelance, Japan, Misc, On Writing, Travel by pacejmiller
Wow. So here we are, 2017. I feel like I've been neglecting this blog. Looking back, I realise I only posted 3 times in 2016! Three times! But it's all about quality, not quantity. Right?
2016 was just a crazy year. One of the most important, rewarding and challenging years of my life. I jumped ship from my employer late last year to embark on my freelancing journey, full of anticipation, excitement and trepidation. What I ended up experiencing was unlike anything I had expected.
For starters, I thought I was going to struggle some months finding work, being a new freelancer and all. As it turned out, the exact opposite came to fruition, as I was bombarded with shitloads of work pretty much from straight after Chinese New Year in February, all the way until…well, it's still going. In a year of 365 days, I'm fairly certain I worked close to 350 days, and that's including this week I just had off vacationing in Japan (from where I type this post). I actually had to turn down about half a dozen projects in the lead-up to this vacation just so I could keep this week free, and I still have a bunch of stuff waiting for me as soon as I get back. There was literally one week (in September) where I didn't have anything on my plate, but on every other day of the year there was something hanging around on my "to do" list. In fairness, on some of these days I worked for maybe only 20 to 30 minutes, but always having something to do feels so different to having a completely "free" day.
On the other hand, I was dead wrong in thinking that freelancing meant sitting around in a cafe for a couple of hours a day and doing whatever else I wanted the rest of the time. Yes, I did sit around in cafes quite regularly, but I had ZERO time to do any of my own stuff. Work and money took precedence, and this meant less time writing (on my blogs and on my projects) and less time with my family. After working out intensely for the better part of two years, I did virtually no exercise at all this year. I didn't gain much weight but the waistline doesn't lie. A good measuring stick for how free I am is how up-to-date I am with my movie reviews — right now I've got around 60 reviews outstanding. It also meant my wife had to shoulder a heavier burden with the housework and looking after the kids, even though I was pretty much at home most of the time.
In all, it was a year of unchartered waters where I learned a lot and tested my limits. I was better off financially than I thought I would ever be from taking the plunge into freelancing, and it was indeed very rewarding to be appreciated and valued for work that I took personal responsibility for. It's just so different to working for someone and getting a pat on the back. However, I hated that I had no time for myself and how my health deteriorated throughout the year.
I'm currently battling topical steroid withdrawal, which is the toughest thing I've ever done in my life. In short, I've had eczema since childhood and gradually and unwittingly developed an addiction to topical steroids, which artificially suppress inflammation and mask your underlying health problems, whether it be your gut, intestines, liver or kidneys. And they also suppresses your adrenal glands so much that they stop producing cortisol. While it is still not accepted by the general medical community, there are now doctors who believe adult eczema is actually an iatrogenic condition caused by topical steroid use (check out the ITSAN website to find out more). The only cure, unfortunately, is to go cold turkey and suffer through a long and traumatising process in which you allow your body to heal naturally over time. My entire body flared up almost immediately as expected, and the intense, deep itching and flaking skin is unlike anything I've ever experienced (sleeping well is an impossibility). I'm doing everything I can to speed up the process, such as following a strict diet (no wheat and other grains, dairy, eggs or sugar) and taking supplements and Chinese herbal medicine to heal my gut and improve my general well-being, doing acupuncture, light exercise and even meditation and deep breathing exercises. For most people, the withdrawal process can take a year or even several years, but I'm hoping to buck the trend. I go through good days and bad days like everyone else, though it seems I'm not as serious as a lot of other cases I've seen and I've already made remarkable progress in just 6 weeks. Hoping to kick this debilitating condition in 6 months, but it will require a lasting change in lifestyle to keep it at from ever coming back.
Anyway, so my New Year's resolutions for 2017 are simple. First, work on my health — both physical and mental. When you go through something as harrowing as TSW, it makes you appreciate a healthy body and mind so much more. Secondly, I need to find time for my own writings. Whether it is getting up earlier in the morning, watching less TV at night or spending less time on my smartphone, I need to make some sacrifices to get shit done. This year is really now or never.
Both of these hinge on the main topic I want to talk about in this post: Clients. I've dealt with more clients than I can count over the past year.Clients can make a project enjoyable or a nightmare. Some can be great, and some can make me facepalm just about every time. The thing is, you never know what you're going to get, and often initial impressions can be deceiving.
I've learned a lot about how to deal with clients since becoming a freelancer. The most important thing is to always be professional, even when you feel like you have established a connection and have become friends. That means being friendly, responding to emails and calls, maintaining open channels of communication, and always adhering to deadlines. I've found that, if you simply act professionally, clients will really appreciate you and will keep giving you more work. They may even recommend you to others. I've frankly been a little shocked at how much clients appreciate it if you just do the job you're paid for and do it on time. Apparently a lot of freelancers aren't like that, which is pretty shocking if you consider that's what they're supposed to do for a living.
There are so many things that go into a client relationship. It's more than just them giving you work and you sending it back. Sometimes they require invoices or there are forms and agreements you have to sign. Sometimes you have questions to ask them and vice versa. Sometimes they give you feedback and you have to amend your work accordingly. It can be surprising just how much back and forth there is for a single project.
The key is to be your own boss and be disciplined. Set yourself realistic deadlines and get started early so you never leave anything to the last minute. It's always better to give yourself a little more leeway because things you haven't planned for always have a way of inevitably popping up. Maintain good files and archives so you can find your shit when you need it. Ask questions whenever you're not sure. In fact, always ask a bunch of questions to clarify anything you're not sure about right at the beginning. There's nothing worse than a money dispute when you're halfway through the work or at the very end. You need to be very clear on exactly what work you're doing. I can't believe how many times I've been duped by clients and friends into doing things I should not have done or accepting cases for much less money than I ought to have been paid. When someone says it's a "proofreading" job, make sure it's not actually "extensive editing" and "fact checking every line". When someone says "editing", make sure it's not "completely rewriting everything". I find the best course of action is (unless it's someone you've worked with before and really trust) to always ask to see the work before you agree to do it or at least a sample. If they can't show you anything in advance, make sure you give yourself some wriggle room in case you want to say no or extend the deadline later. Negotiating and dealing with clients a nuanced skill that develops over time with experience.
Up until recently, turning down work was always a problem for me. As most of my clients are relatively new, it's hard for me to say no to them regardless of how busy I may be with other work. In this line of business, unless it's a long-term client, if you say no once, chances are you will lose that client because they'll just go with someone else and stick with that person thereafter. As a result, I would always end up with a full slate and then accept more work on top of that, leading to late nights and added stress, further compounding my health problems. Next year I will endeavour to take on no more than I can take. If I have to lose money because of that, then so be it. Health has to come first in 2017.
Some clients, no matter how good you are on your end, will always be hopeless. One of my oldest clients is a publication that is very famous but has not been relevant for quite some time. I've dealt with numerous people from that company, and with the exception of one responsible individual, all of them have been pathetic. Once, apart from an editor jumping in at the very end and butchering my work without any dialogue, they also published my name wrong on the freaking article. It would usually take 2 months to receive any money from them, but sometimes they would "forget" or send the wrong amount, and I would have to email and call them a bunch of times, create spreadsheets and graphs and all sorts of shit to explain to them what they did wrong and what they still owe me. The amount of time I spent on all the extracurricular stuff was probably more time than I spent on the actual work. And their employees are the type that would bombard you with emails and calls whenever they need something from you, but whenever you need something from them, they would ignore all calls and emails. I don't mean temporarily, either. If you don't chase them up, they'll pretend you don't exist. One time there was a particular employee who kept sending me the wrong files with unprofessional, incoherent emails, and laugh things off when I ended up wasting my time on work that didn't need to be done or work I would have to rush to finish because she forgot to send it.
On the other hand, one of the best clients I've ever dealt with is a church in the US. I was a little wary of them at the start because they genuinely seem like a cult and are annoyingly polite, but once I got to know them a little better it was all smooth sailing. Apart from paying great, they outline clearly the work you have to do for them in an agreement and pay you half upfront. They respond to questions almost immediately and are flexible when you need to be. I love working with them. And they pray for me and bless me a lot.
Sometimes, however, things can turn sour with a client fairly quickly. Until last month, I kind of had a falling out with an old client, which happened early in the year. I undertook a tiring interpretation gig from them at a fixed price. It ran for five days on a set schedule, but when the sessions kept running over time, my contact person told me to jot down the actual session times and she will help me ask for more money if it gets excessive. Of course, it did get excessive in the end and I informed them as such, but it seemed my contact had made a promise before checking with her boss or they backed off their initial promise of paying more. Either way, it got a little awkward as they started making excuses and even suggested issues with my performance, though I had received nothing but praises up until the dispute arose. I didn't push it in the end and was happy to put it behind us, but it was obvious my contact felt embarrassed by the incident and shied away from asking me to do more work for them. I did do work for their other departments, but for eight months (from March until November) I didn't hear anything from my contact at all.
I still have a million more stories to tell about clients I've heard about, such as ones whose companies go bust or those who literally run off and hide. But I've got to go pack for my return flight. I've already got plenty of work waiting for me when I get back.