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Her grandfather's expressive poetry readings seemed to echo down the decades in her exuberant address at the restaurant. His style, which she called "proclaiming poetry," incorporated singing and music to heighten the experience. Lindsay scholar Larry W. Moore, who traveled to the event from Kentucky where he is publisher of Broadstone Books, said Vachel Lindsay was the first performance artist and a forerunner of today's rap and spoken word artists.
Following a speaker who recited a Vachel Lindsay poem, Lindsay-Sprouse told the group, "What a wonderful gift to hear my grandfather's poetry and remember how much I like the guy. And it's a pleasure to meet other people who preach the gospel of beauty in community."
Lindsay coined the phrase "preaching the gospel of beauty," she explained in an interview with IT, because "he wanted us to keep in mind what it was to make a beautiful place to live as we build our towns, our cities and our lives." He believed it could be done in any small town, not just New York or other big cities. She said he loved Springfield and considered it the center of his universe.
A founder of the Young Writers Association in Eugene, Lindsay-Sprouse is preaching her own gospel of beauty in her community's schools. "I think it is so important for our young people to meet professionals working in arts disciplines and to have the space to experiment in those disciplines," she said. "We're all artists. We all have that dimension to us."
During her visit she spent a day in each of three Springfield schools, including the Vachel Lindsay Elementary School, working with various classes to spark their creativity in writing poems. As part of the program, she recited her grandfather's poetry.
Her father, Nicholas Lindsay was four years old when Vachel died in Springfield on Dec. 5, 1931. Afterward his widow moved with their two children to California, and Nicholas eventually settled with his wife in South Carolina, where he wrote poetry and built boats. They had 10 children – seven daughters in a row followed by three boys. Louisa, the sixth daughter, said their father read and sang to them after dinner for two hours. "Every evening it was an amazing ritual," she recalled. "We'd all clamber into bed. There was a big chair upstairs and he would come up with his old battered guitar and whatever book he was reading to us." It might be Mark Twain or the Iliad or his father's poems.
In their "books alive" home, Lindsay-Sprouse said, "all the walls were bookcases." Today all 10 children are involved in the arts in some way. One sister in Australia is a tightrope walker, a flamenco dancer and a writer. "None of us are interested in being a big face anywhere, but we stir it up where we are."
When Louisa was in third grade, the family stopped at the Lindsay home in Springfield on their way to San Francisco. She especially liked seeing Vachel's bedroom because her father had fond memories of going in with his older sister in the early morning and pulling down books from the shelves behind his parents in bed to wake them up, with all of them laughing. After showing them through the house, the curator noticed Nick Lindsay's signature in the guest book, Lindsay-Sprouse said, and "sparks flew from her eyes," as she realized she'd been talking to Vachel's son. The guide then "opened everything up and took out the treasures and showed us inside the dark places."
Lindsay-Sprouse said she is impressed with the Lindsay association's work in preserving her grandfather's home and legacy. "I always leave Illinois with very busy dreams," she said. In one dream, she noticed a trunk under her bed that she hadn't realized was there. When she pulled it out, it opened, "and there was grandfather, unfolding himself and stretching!"
Karen Fitzgerald of Pleasant Plains is a freelance writer who can be reached at email@example.com.


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Found 4 results
Filters: Author is Tracy, James [Clear All Filters]
"An Agent-based Approach to Inference Prevention in Distributed Database Systems", International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools, vol. 12, issue 3, pp. 297-314, 2003. Tracy etal2003.pdf (220.93 KB),
"An Agent-based Approach to Inference Prevention in Distributed Database Systems", 14th IEEE International Conference on Tools with Artificial Intelligence, Washington, D.C., pp. 413-422, 2002. Tracy etal2002.pdf (220.93 KB),
"An Infrastructure for Secure Interoperability of Agents", Sixth World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics, Orlando, Florida, 2002. Bharadwaj etal2002.pdf (32.11 KB),
"Multi-Dimensional Inference and Confidential Data Protection with Decision Tree Methods", ICDM02 Workshop: The Foundation of Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Maebashi, Japan, pp. 195-200, 2002. ChangTracy2002.pdf (204 KB),

subset: commoncrawl


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OnderLaw, LLC - Stryker Hip Recall Lawyers
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
Disclaimer: The accident, injury, personal injury, and/or other legal information offered herein by The Onder Law firm, is not formal legal advice, nor is it the formation of an attorney client relationship. In order for our firm to be considered your attorney there must be a signed agreement between the client and the firm. Any results set forth herein are based solely upon the circumstances of that particular case and offer no promise or guarantee on the outcome of any other case.
The Onder Law Firm also handles complex pharmaceutical litigation such as South Carolina DePuy Hip Recall Lawsuits.
The Onder Law Firm is a National Law Firm based in St. Louis, Missouri representing clients throughout the United States in national MDL products liability litigation.


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Yolo CountyHome Sitemap Contact
Planning Services
The following services are provided by the Planning Division of the Yolo County Planning & Public Works Department
Counter Hours: 8 am to 12 pm & 1 pm to 4 pm Monday through Friday
Phones are answered 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday
Closed for lunch 12pm to 1pm
Counter Hours: 8 am to 12 pm & 1 pm to 4 pm Monday through Friday
Phones are answered 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday
Closed for lunch 12pm to 1pm
|Type of Permit
|Activities for Which Permit is Required
|Agricultural Contract
|Placing agricultural and open space land into a Williamson Act contract, or changing the boundaries of an existing contract.
|Building Permit
|New construction, including additions, alterations, repairs, and changes of use of existing buildings.
|Business License
|Generally includes businesses that sell products, provide services, and/or have employees.
|Certificate of Compliance
|Parcels that have been created illegally.
|Code Interpretation
|Special situations that are not specifically covered in the Zoning Ordinance.
|Flood Development Permit
|Building, grading, filling, excavation or other construction within the 100-year floodplain.
|General Plan Amendment
|Changes, additions, or deletions to the policies and/or land use designations in the General Plan.
|General Plan Consistency
|Special situations that are not specifically covered in the General Plan.
|Historic Landmark Permit
|Remodeling, moving, or demolishing a designated historic landmark.
|Lot Line Adjustment
|Changing the boundaries of an existing parcel(s), or merging two or more existing parcels into a single parcel.
|Mining/Reclamation Plan
|Removing dirt, sand, gravel, or other materials from a property for commercial purposes.
|Parcel Map
|Dividing a single parcel of land into five or fewer parcels.
|Road Naming
|Creating a private road that serves four or more homes and/or businesses, or changing the name of an existing County road.
|Site Plan Review
|New construction including swimming pools, signs, roadside stands, parking, accessory buildings, and minor changes in land use.
|Subdivision Map
|Dividing a single parcel of land into more than five parcels.
|Use Permit
|Land uses which may affect public safety unless additional restrictions are required. Activities that require use permits vary from one zone designation to another. Please call the Planning & Public Works Department for use permit requirements within a specific zone.
|Use Permit Modification
|Includes changing the conditions of approval to an existing use permit, abandoning all or a portion of a County road, or creating a new private road.
|Structures that differ from the requirements of the Zoning Code due to special situations.
|Zone Change
|Changing a parcel to a different zone designation.
|Zone Change Amendment
|Changing or adding regulations to the Zoning Code.


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Beginning on July 1, Illinois will join California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Hawaii, Maine and Washington, D.C. in banning tobacco sales to those under 21.
The grandmother of a boy who went missing in 2011 from Illinois said she believes her grandson is still alive and hopes publicity surrounding a hoax will generate new leads.
The company said starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in two deadly crashes.
A Connecticut-based opioid pharmaceutical manufacturer used deceptive marketing practices to increase prescriptions for its painkillers, according to a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Posing as an escort online, a suburban man convinced underage boys to send him pornographic images of themselves, then used those images to blackmail some of his victims into having sex with him.
Fearsome choreography, dazzling dancers and innovative sound and music marked the Chicago debut of Gauthier Dance in a stunning program at the Harris Theater.
Longtime Chicago sportswriter Fred Mitchell tells us about his new book as we look back at the Loyola Ramblers' magical season – just one year ago – when they went all the way to the Final Four.
From the murder of Fred Hampton to the Jon Burge torture ring, a new book by attorney Flint Taylor recounts the fight for justice in the face of racism and police misconduct in Chicago.
A story from the Wrigley Field bleachers, where one fan's love for a beer vendor turned her into a baseball artist.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot cut a deal on Lincoln Yards, confusing aldermen who were set to make a key vote Monday.
With Gov. J.B. Pritzker seeking a state graduated income tax and Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot rethinking tax subsidies for controversial city projects, two economists offer their take on the local and national economy.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer is counting on Illinois to legalize recreational marijuana as part of his proposed spending plan. The latest in the ongoing debate over legalization.
Watch the April 8, 2019 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."


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Paxton integrated access control solutions are some of the best in the security industry today. Paxton based in Brighton, they are now the market leader for access control in the UK.
Their leading product is the PC based NET 2 system. The access control software that is at the heart of this solution is… Continue reading


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City of GlendoraHome Menu
Glendora Skate Park
With skateboarding's surge in popularity comes an unprecedented push for places to pop Ollies, grind rails, and practice kick-flips. One of the places to practice such tricks is at the Glendora Skate Park, located at Finkbiner Park and available for skaters of all ages. This modern, FREE skate park is open during the school year Monday-Friday from 3:00 p.m. until dusk and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to dusk. During the summer, the skate park is open Sunday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-dusk.
Skate Park's Rules & Regulations
- All users are required to wear the appropriate safety gear, including a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads.
- No use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.
- No graffiti, stickers, or littering.
- Bicycles and scooters are not allowed in the skate park.
- Skating around the park is prohibited.
- Skating is a hazardous activity; skate at your own risk.
The Glendora Police Department strictly enforces these safety requirements. Those who do not abide by these rules will be cited per City of Glendora Municipal Code Section 10.17.060.


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Perspective: Educating Innovators
By Dean Joseph J. Helble
Until recently, most discussions of innovation and entrepreneurship on university campuses were largely confined to schools of business. Although engineers have always contributed to making the discoveries and inventing the core technologies that led to the establishment of commercial enterprises, the process of building a team and converting these ideas into business opportunities was not something engineering students were generally taught.
Things have certainly changed.
Innovation and entrepreneurship, concepts that have long been part of Dartmouth's undergraduate program in ENGS 21: "Introduction to Engineering" and other courses, are now embraced as core elements of an engineering education at most leading universities. Students are taught to work in teams, identify a need, brainstorm possible solutions, evaluate and rank all possible approaches, design, prototype, build, test, evaluate, assess societal benefit, and assess potential commercial value. I am convinced that embracing the creative process of discovery, invention, and commercialization as a natural part of an engineering education is helping to transform student perceptions of what an engineering education is all about. I am also convinced that it is a major reason for the nationwide surge in interest in engineering.
Early data from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) tell us that B.S. degree totals increased by nearly 10,000 in 2012 to their highest total in three decades. Growth was certainly evident at Dartmouth, where we graduated the largest A.B. and B.E. engineering classes in our nearly 150-year history this past June. Engineering, in fact, was the largest science major at Dartmouth in the class of 2013, and the third largest major overall. Looking at the number of declared engineering majors in the sophomore and junior classes, I see continued growth, a story repeated by many engineering deans across the country.
While the Thayer community has long understood the connection between engineering and technology entrepreneurship, for years we mainly provided this education for our undergraduate students. Recognizing that a comparable need existed at the doctoral level—where engineering students are helping develop advanced solutions to challenges in medicine, energy, the environment, and communications—Thayer School undertook an experiment in 2008: We founded the nation's first doctoral-level program in engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Our Ph.D. Innovation Program students receive advanced academic training in engineering and business, undertake an internship to develop their own technology or gain experience working in a startup, and receive funding independent of faculty research grants to help them pursue the development of their own ideas. Admission to this selective program is capped at five students per year.
During the first five years of the Ph.D. Innovation Program, two successful startups have already emerged, an entrepreneur who is a member of the National Academy of Engineering has assumed leadership of the program, and a growing number of students have learned to ask a different set of questions, build a team, assess risk, and develop a different set of solutions. Several students have noted how participation in this program has given them the knowledge and confidence to transform research discoveries into viable enterprises. All signs indicate that this experiment has been a success, and that this program is here to stay.
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Bee Lovely Hand Cream 1.69 fl.oz
- Code 2391
- Price
Discover beautifully scented, soft hands with this naturally moisturizing, bee-friendly hand cream. Made with fair trade organic honey from Mexico and uplifting, sun ripened Italian and Mexican oranges, it conditions skin and lifts the spirits.
- Gentle enough for the whole family, aged 3 years and over
- Moisturizing and skin conditioning
- 3% of sales goes to charities that help Save the Bees
Bee Lovely and help Save the Bees
You support the bees every time you choose our Bee Lovely collection, as 3% of sales from our Bee Lovely range goes to charities that help protect this humble, vital insect. To discover exactly how this hand cream supports the bees, see our Save the Bees campaign.
How to use:
Apply a small amount to hands after washing or as desired, paying special attention to the nails and the back of your hands.
Good to know:
Good for the bees, good for Ghana
The main charity that we support with sales of our Bee Lovely range is Bees for Development, which has introduced bee colonies into cashew orchards in Ghana to boost yields, after low yields were found to be a result of poor pollination.
This unique project benefits both bee populations and farmers and the results are staggering, with yields proven to have more than doubled. Bees for Development identify and support cashew growers who are most vulnerable and most in need.
Last year we donated $11,400 to the project, providing training, support and five hives each for 50 cashew farmers. This year we want to reach our goal of $19,460, through sales of our Bee Lovely collection, to continue supporting these cashew farmers and to fund five more hives for each farmer.
Aqua/Water, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Olivate, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil*, Mel/ Honey*, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed*, Alcohol*, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopherol, Levulinic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Sodium Levulinate, Propolis Extract*, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Farnesol, Geraniol.
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Made with 76% organic ingredients.
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Canadian GP 2013
Friday Team Quotes
Red Bull-Renault
Mark Webber (4th, 1:15.212): "Today was pretty good. It's a tricky circuit, especially when it's a bit green and there's not much rubber on track. The first session was wet, but we got some information on all of the tyres at the end there in FP2. The new tyre compound was ok, it wasn't expected to be hugely different, but it ran well. It would have been nice to do some more work on it, we got five laps " but it's better than nothing. We seemed pretty strong in both conditions today."
Sebastian Vettel (7th, 1:15.280): "It was tricky this morning with the wet weather, but fortunately in the afternoon we had some dry conditions. It was quite slippery, with low grip at the end. The dominating factor was the weather today and we're not sure what's going to tomorrow, but we're happy with where we are."
Fernando Alonso (1st, 1:14.818): "It was an untypical Friday, affected by the extremely changeable weather. We didn't manage to complete our programme because the track was wet in the morning and so only tomorrow will we find out if the updates we tested here produce a real performance evolution. It was very important that we try them just as it was also important to try the new Pirelli tyres. Felipe and I made different choices for the long runs and this is another reason why we will have to wait for the outcome of qualifying to understand more. The only certainty is that we must ensure we make the right decisions, because today we saw how getting a clean lap depends a lot on the time you make the decision and what track conditions are like at that moment. We can expect a very complicated weekend, because the weather is due to remain changeable right up to Sunday and judging the grip level will be difficult, both in qualifying and in the race."
Felipe Massa (6th, 1:15.254): "Today, it was a case of working for just half a day, because in the morning, the rain meant we could only do a small number of laps. Therefore, the bulk of the work, given over to evaluating the tyres and new parts brought for this race, had all to be squeezed into the afternoon session. Now we will have a busy time analysing all the data we gathered to try and understand which of the updates could be used in the next couple of days. If it does not rain tomorrow, then the track conditions will be completely different and that means we must be ready to tackle whatever situation could arise."
Pat Fry: "As every Friday, today too we had a particularly busy day's work in prospect, as it is now a tradition on the first day to reconcile working on developing the car with the usual race weekend programme of comparing tyres and finding the best set-up. Given the forecast, we were ready for any eventuality the rain could have thrown at us. At one point in FP1, it wasn't wet enough to use the Intermediate, nor dry enough for the Medium and at that moment we therefore preferred to wait for conditions to improve: in the final minutes we managed to go out on the experimental tyres Pirelli brought here in preparation for the British Grand Prix and we also ended the session with a few laps on the Medium. We knew we wouldn't get a clear enough comparison in terms of pure performance and therefore we worked mainly on different aerodynamic configurations. Making the most of the time available we did a comparison for the two nominated tyres for this race, the Medium and the Supersoft, and gathered important data which we will now use to find the best balance on the car for Sunday's race."
Jenson Button (9th, 1:15.422): "I think we're a little nearer to the front than we've been in the past " the times are very close " but it'll be the usual front-running cars who set the pace this weekend. We needed everything to be reliable today, but I only managed three laps on my high-fuel run before I had a problem with the gearbox. That was a pity because it meant we didn't get the long-run information we were after. In fact, we had a similar issue last year, when I also had a gearbox problem on the Friday. In 2012, I had a difficult race with rear graining. Nonetheless, the positive from today is that each car was running a very different set-up, so at least we gathered lots of good information. We'll go away and study that tonight ahead of tomorrow's sessions. I'm hoping the conditions will stay mixed for tomorrow " if they do, I think we'll be able to make the best of it."
Sergio Perez (12th, 1:15.661): "We encountered some very tricky conditions out there today. This morning's session, when it started damp and slowly dried, was particularly difficult. The rain that fell during this afternoon's long-run didn't help, either. We're still lacking overall performance to the frontrunners; but anything can happen here, especially in the conditions we saw today, which were extremely varied. If tomorrow is as wet as today, everyone will go into Sunday without any proper long-running under their belts " that could make the race a big surprise for everybody."
Martin Whitmarsh, Team Principal: "It's been a tricky day. It was a little bit frustrating for both the drivers and the engineers that they weren't able to perform all the tests they wanted today. We had a lot of work, and a variety of tests, to do, but the conditions made that difficult. We got as much done as possible, but we've still only got a limited dataset to analyse ahead of tomorrow. Still, the weather equally disadvantaged everyone hoping to get some meaningful running on a dry track. We're not as strong as we want to be " we've got bits and pieces of data to study " but we'll still do the best job we can."
Romain Grosjean (3rd, 1:15.083): "It was more or less a normal Friday for us. This morning was obviously a wet session so we worked on setup for those conditions, then in the afternoon we tested the prototype tyres and completed some long runs. It's quite hard to get the tyres switched on in these conditions as the surface here is very smooth, so with low temperatures it's a bit more tricky to build up the energy in the rubber; more so with the mediums but even with the super softs. It's meant to be quite warm on Sunday which is always a good thing for us, so we'll try to get the maximum from the car in qualifying tomorrow and go from there."
Kimi Raikkonen (11th, 1:15.599): "We improved the car through the day and by the end of the session it was ok; not ideal but certainly not a disaster either. It wasn't easy to get the tyres up to temperature today, but it's pretty cold at the circuit so that's not too much of a surprise. If we can get the tyres working better it will be an improvement for sure, but it's not going to change the world. We'll be looking at how to get them a bit warmer for qualifying tomorrow and then see what the weather does. After that, we'll do the best we can."
Alan Permane, Chief Race Engineer: "We're fairly happy with our single lap pace, but we weren't as comfortable as we usually are on high fuel levels. Both drivers also complained about a lack of tyre temperature, but with warmer temperatures forecast for Sunday this shouldn't be too much to worry about. We didn't learn too much in the morning in the damp conditions, other than getting some worthwhile laps on the intermediate tyres to ensure we're happy in case of a wet qualifying session. In the afternoon we ran all three types of dry tyre " including the developmental spec " so we've got a good amount of data to collate overnight. Kimi's session ended early as we made a precautionary stop related to the rear brakes, but it's nothing of concern for the rest of the weekend."
Mercedes GP
Lewis Hamilton (2nd, 1:14.830): "Today has gone pretty well for us and I'm pleased that it dried out this afternoon so we could get some decent running in. The track is definitely not at its full potential yet but we were able to start analysing the tyres over longer runs and work on getting them up to speed for the first lap. The car felt pretty good today and I tried a couple of different things over the two sessions which made me feel a little more comfortable so that's positive. Hopefully it will be dry for qualifying tomorrow and we can have a strong day."
Nico Rosberg (5th, 1:15.249): "The first session was interesting and we learned a lot when the track was drying out. This afternoon, we wanted to learn how the new development tyre works: I had some problems warning up the fronts and also flat-spotted them on my run. All in all, it was a decent day, although I need to see how the long-run pace compared to the others. The track was very cool today and pretty challenging, but I felt very comfortable in both conditions. So hopefully this will be a good weekend for us again."
Ross Brawn, Team Principal: "It was nice to get back to racing today and we had a good session this afternoon in particular, completing the work we wanted to do. Fortunately, the circuit dried out this afternoon which allowed everybody to run the development tyres, and our first impressions were positive. We ran our normal programme when the conditions allowed, although it was somewhat abbreviated because we had to pack our work into a single session, and like our rivals we got some good high-fuel running done towards the end of the afternoon. Of course, today's running was not entirely representative because the conditions were cool and the track green, so that makes it an added challenge to extrapolate what we will need in terms of set-up for Sunday. That will be a nice engineering challenge, especially if it turns out wet tomorrow, as predicted. "
Toto Wolff, Mercedes Motorsport Director: "We showed a solid level of performance today on both the short and long runs. The first indications are good for the weekend, although we should also be realistic that the cool temperatures probably suited us, too. A positive first day overall, which we need to build on overnight to ensure we are competitive in both qualifying and the race."
Esteban Gutierrez (17th, 1:16.475): "All in all we tested a lot of different set-ups today so we could find the right balance. But it's quite evident we need to find a lot more speed. We are definitely not where we want to be and we need to work as a team to improve and have a better overall speed. The track is really fun to dive on in a Formula One car - I like it a lot. You can attack the kerbs, you have the high-speed braking and it's a good challenge overall. The change of weather conditions has actually been good. It was important to gain experience on the intermediate tyres. The forecast is still unsettled, and I think we are more competitive in the wet."
Nico Hulkenberg (18th, 1:16.929): "It was a difficult Friday. The rain this morning didn't allow us to run through our programme as planned. It's extremely difficult to test new parts, especially the new tyre compound, in these conditions. Despite the rain that was forecast, FP2 was dry. The afternoon, however, was also difficult. The car felt undriveable and mid-session we found a set-up error. But even after we corrected that, we still had difficulties. I am not happy with the current set-up, we have to improve that and have quite a bit of work to do before tomorrow."
Tom McCullough, Head of Track Engineering: "The wet free practice one session was not ideal but we elected to give the drivers as much experience as possible in those conditions, as the forecast is still unsettled for the rest of the weekend. FP2 was difficult for us as a session. We had some build problems with Nico's car at the start, which took a while to get sorted. The high fuel run performance was stronger, but there is still a lot of work to do. For the first time here in a Formula 1 car, Esteban did a good job getting lots of experience on a challenging track. There is a lot of work to do before qualifying tomorrow."
Force India-Mercedes
Adrian Sutil (8th, 1:15.396): "We had lots of different track conditions today, but the car was quick in both sessions. The wet morning gave us a chance to improve our performance on the intermediates and the car felt good. In the dry this afternoon the main issue was warming up the front tyres, especially the medium tyres. On the supersofts there was much better grip and the long runs seemed quite competitive so it feels as though we are at our usual level here. Tonight we just need to work on making the car more consistent."
Paul di Resta (13th, 1:15.855): "We were quite cautious with the wet weather this morning and we only fitted the dry tyres for the last few minutes of the session. Before that I had a good run on the intermediates and felt happy with the performance " probably the most comfortable I've felt on the intermediates this year. So overall we didn't look too bad in the damp conditions. The afternoon was a case of getting through the dry tyre programme and trying to find the right car balance. Unfortunately things were cut short with the electrical issue, so I didn't do the long runs we had planned for the final part of the session."
Jakob Andreasen, Chief Engineer: "Despite the mixed conditions we've come through today pretty well. The wet weather programmes this morning were productive and both drivers feel we've made progress with our performance on the intermediate tyre. The dry afternoon gave us a chance to fit the new prototype medium tyre before we switched to the regular compounds for the majority of the session. An electrical issue for Paul interrupted the afternoon and cost him the final half hour of running, but Adrian was able to get the long run data we needed. In terms of performance, the car is working well whatever the conditions, so it's just a case of seeing what the weather delivers for tomorrow and Sunday."
Pastor Maldonado (14th, 1:16.319): "The conditions were tough this morning. There was a dry line towards the end of FP1 but on cold tyres I put a wheel off-line and I crashed. This afternoon was better as we completed our full programme, however, we still need to work to get a better feeling in the car and we need to focus on getting the tyres working quicker. Despite the changeable conditions we managed to get a lot of data today which we can assess ahead of tomorrow's qualifying."
Valtteri Bottas (16th, 1:16.374): "The first session was quite tricky for everyone and difficult to test anything even as the track was drying out towards the end. This afternoon was good for us though as we did a number of both short and long runs gathering a lot of data. Nevertheless it's difficult to see where we are from today's sessions. It's the first time I've driven here in Montreal and it was good to get the mileage in and I certainly enjoy the layout. Overall I'm feeling positive after today, but we still need to look through the data before we decide which parts and set-up options to run for the rest of the weekend."
Mike Coughlan, Technical Director: "We couldn't complete our full test programme during FP1 due to the wet weather, so we just did some limited running to get a feel for the car. We had an incident towards the end of the session with Pastor hitting the wall after running off line on a drying track and damaging the nose and front wing. He didn't damage any of the parts we were planning to carry through to qualifying though so it didn't compromise us too much. In FP2 we got straight to work with both cars on different rear wing configurations with Valtteri also doing some front wing comparisons while Pastor completed some tyre work. Our main limitation in the conditions today was getting the tyres up to temperature quickly enough. Once everything was up to temperature the car looked better so that is something we will be looking at tonight."
Toro Rosso-Ferrari
Daniel Ricciardo (10th, 1:15.566): "In the wet this morning, we didn't look too bad, even if you always feel you could be quicker. We seemed to be where we should in the mid field and I was pleased with the way the car went straight out of the box, so that's always good when you don't have the feeling you are going to need to create a whole new race car to be on the pace. In the dry in the afternoon, after my first couple of runs on the prototype and the Prime, I felt we could get more out of the car, so we made a fairly big change which I think worked in our favour. I was quite pleased with my Option run but we still have some work to do, as there is more to come. Overall, a good Friday, a good start to the weekend."
Jean-Eric Vergne (15th, 1:16.351): "The morning session was useful in terms of learning how the extremes and intermediates behave, as we might have more wet weather in the next two days. The car responded well in the wet. In the afternoon, we did the usual Friday job of evaluating tyres and so on. I was not so happy with the way my car was behaving, so we need to look at the data now and fix it. We seem to be roughly where we should be, so as long as we can make progress tomorrow, we can have a good weekend."
Laurent Mekies, Head of Vehicle Performance: "We actually ended up with more dry running than we had expected today and that was a bit of a bonus. In the rain in the morning, we were able to get a good impression of running in these conditions, which is important given that the forecast is for more rain over the weekend. In the afternoon, we ran our usual tyre comparison, while evaluating different set-ups across both cars. I think overall, we are reasonably happy with our day, having got through our programme, with both cars running trouble-free. As usual, there is a big pack of cars in the midfield, but we have started the weekend on a good footing and, if we put everything together tonight, we can move forward tomorrow and be fully in the fight with our competitors."
Charles Pic (20th, 1:17.236): "I'm reasonably pleased with how FP2 went. On my first run the car had too much understeer so we tried a couple of aero and mechanical changes for the next runs and by run four, on the supersofts, we'd found a good balance, one I could start to push with. We might have gone a little too far on the front as the car was turning in well by the last run, but we lost a bit of mid-corner stability so we'll have to look at that tonight and see where we can improve tomorrow. On the long runs the deg levels and pace looked ok on both compounds but Sunday's going to be hotter than either Friday or Saturday, which will suit us more, so even if we don't find another good step before Sunday, I think we can maintain the race pace we've shown since Bahrain."
Giedo van der Garde (22nd, 1:18.392): "FP1 was a bit like being back in Monaco! Wet to start with, then onto inters and then slicks and I have to say it was pretty good to be driving out there in conditions that kept changing. Both sessions for me were dominated by understeer, but towards the end of FP2 we'd found a really good setup on the long runs. I didn't have a clean go at the performance run, but on both compounds on heavy fuel I was really enjoying driving the car. There was a bit of power understeer coming in but it wasn't really damaging the tyres too much so it looks like we've found a good direction for Sunday. We also tried our new traffic light pitstop system for the first time today and that's another good sign of how the whole team keeps making progress. In the last couple of races I've been able to show how much more confidence I have in the car and my own performance, and, as a rookie, when you see the team investing in something like the traffic light system, something that will help us perform even better in the races, it all adds to the confidence levels. Bearing in mind it's the first time we've ever used it the system worked really well, and talking to the boys, it's clear they're pumped about having something that can help them perform better on race day " it all makes this a good place to be working right now!"
Alexander Rossi: "It was great to get back into F1 action and to do so in Canada, at a track I've raced and won at in the past in Formula BMW, was a good feeling. We've been keeping an eye on the weather forecasts for the last week, so we knew it was going to be wet, but it was still good experience to run on wets, inters and slicks, giving me the chance to try out the full range of tyres that I haven't driven before in F1. After the installation lap I wanted to go straight back out again as, for me, moving up from GP2 grip levels to F1, even though the track was wet to start with, there was still so much more grip than I'm used to that I wanted to get on with it, but the main thing today was working to the plan and that's exactly what we did. Now it's straight back to Europe for the next 'first' for me this year, Le Mans. The plan is all focused on F1 but I'm excited about adding endurance racing to my CV and I'm with an experienced team, with a number of people from Caterham who I know and have already worked with, so I know we can put in a good performance. It's another learning curve, but, like today in the wet / dry conditions, I know how to adapt to what's in front of me and that'll come in very handy for my Le Mans experience."
Jules Bianchi (19th, 1:17.070): "The track conditions were very tricky at the start of FP1 and unfortunately I got caught out on a damp section of the track. I had completed just 8 laps, which was very frustrating because this is a new circuit for me and we also had a busy aero programme to get through this morning. I'm pleased that I have been able to recover the ground we lost and happy with how we end this first day of running. I really like my first taste of this track, so it's a shame that it wasn't such a smooth start but I think we are back in a good place for the rest of the weekend."
Max Chilton (21st, 1:17.888): "So far so good on my first outing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It's a great track; I love it. This morning our running was subject to the steadily improving conditions. We had some aero work to do on the prototype tyres so that we could press on with preparing for the race this afternoon. We managed to condense that so that we achieved everything we needed to and we end the day's running with plenty of data to look over this evening. These are never the best conditions to get your first taste of a new track but I'm comfortable with where we are so far and looking forward to the rest of the weekend."
John Booth, Team Principal: "We came to Canada with a number of mechanical updates to try on the car in FP1, along with a desire to understand as much as possible about the prototype tyres which Pirelli have brought here. Unfortunately, the weather conditions in FP1 curtailed a lot of this work, including some of the evaluations of the revised exhaust parts we have introduced. This means that much of this work has now been delayed until Silverstone, owing to the fact that the dry running in FP2 needed to be devoted to evaluating the tyres and brakes for this event. Jules obviously missed a significant proportion of running in FP1, which was far from ideal. His crew worked well to change his gearbox in time for FP2 and he had a very productive session. Max had a great Friday, covering the majority of his programme and he seems to be fairly happy with the balance of his car. With both cars we are pleased with our progress so far. As is always the case in Canada, brakes will form an important part of our data analysis work tonight and decisions on what specifications we will run going forwards, however we feel relatively confident that in all areas we seem to be on top of things."


text:
A friend tells a story about growing up in Chicago in the '60s. A neighbor boy he played with was Italian. The entire family was Italian. They spoke Italian, ate Italian and yelled Italian.
fireworksThe Italian boy asked our friend what he was and he said Swedish. By the way, he's the most Middle Eastern-looking Swede you'll ever meet – dark hair, dark eyes, dark complexion. Our friend, knowing full well the Italian kid was Italian, asked him what he was.
"American!" the kid shouted.
"No, you're not; you're Italian!"
"No, I'm American! American!"
There's no better time than the Fourth of July to reflect on what it means to be an American. There's been a move in recent years to encourage people to read the Declaration at Fourth of July celebrations, cookouts and gatherings.
If you've found yourself staring in disbelief at headlines about million dollar government conferences and dance videos, abuse of individuals at the hands of the IRS, a rush to make new laws when we don't enforce the laws we have, and you feel a knot in your gut over diminishing liberties and mushrooming bureaucracies, take a page from history.
If you find yourself wondering if the American dream was just that, a dream, and you question whether the next generation will find jobs that can support them, own homes or be able to experience mobility in employment, it's time to sit back. Find a copy of the Declaration of Independence, pop the tab on your beverage of choice and start reading. Don't just read to the familiar, the part about the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; read the whole thing, start to finish.
No other charter of freedom in the entire world is so beautifully written, powerful and inspiring. There is nothing stuffy and staid about the Declaration; it is a document of sweeping passion. It begins nearly apologetic in tone, noting that long established government should not be changed for light and transient causes. Then the crescendo begins. It starts with an acknowledgment that rights come from God, then shifts to a defense of freedom, grows louder denouncing tyranny and, with barely contained rage, enumerates the ways the colonists have suffered.
The grievances come rapid fire: the King has established arbitrary government; forbidden governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance; abolished valuable laws and fundamentally altered the forms of government.
No people lose freedom overnight. Loss of freedom happens incrementally, slowly and silently, like fog slipping in at night. Freedom requires vigilance and voice.
When you hold a copy of the Declaration, you hold your birthright. You hold the very words, the fervor and the commitment to sacrifice that secured your freedom as an American. You hold something else, too—your heritage, your children's heritage and your grandchildren's heritage.
Read the Declaration aloud this Fourth. Read it the way it was written—with passion. Read it like your lives, your fortunes and your sacred honor depended on it.
Read it in a group and it's a guarantee you'll be talking about more than the weather, ball scores and fireworks.


text:
" A place where scratching an itch is seen as highly rude.The problem is, it's full of biting insects."
" The Hierophant of Greenmarch is a lycanthrope. Rather than seeking a cure, or hiding his condition, he considers it a blessing from the Goddess of the moon, and requires that all of the Druids and loyal Rangers of Greenmarch to share in his gift."
" On route from Geli to Nekrass the characters meet a peasant boy on the road. He's wandering in the direction from which they've just come. If this seems a little bit incongruous, they may wish to ask him a few questions. He's perfectly willing to talk: he's called Lamish and he's run away because he knows he is the heir to the throne of Geli and his parents didn't believe him. How far is his home? About five weeks walk from here. How much has he eaten? Nothing. Has he drunk? Only from the filthy roadside ditches. In short, it's a wonder he is still alive. And yet he seems perfectly healthy. Is he a thief, waiting for travellers to trick? Is he lying because there's something more sinister under all of this? Is he telling the truth? And anyway, what should the characters do? Do you take him to Geli? Do you try to find his parents? Or leave him to make his own way?"


text:
In the entire six years prior to 2013 when Family Tree was introduced, there were approximately 60,000 sources attached to ancestors in new.FamilySearch.org. However, in the six short months since the release of the enhanced patron experience that added Photos, Stories, Fan Chart, and a world-class Family Tree, over eight million (yes that's right, 8,000,000) additional sources have been attached to ancestors in FamilySearch Family Tree!I think any questions about the viability or usefulness of the FamilySearch.org Family Tree are laid to rest with these numbers. Family Tree may shortly become the "go-to" place to see what has and has not been done on any ancestral line. This amount of documentation cannot be ignored. Dennis went on to say:
And I'm excited to tell you that sometime before the end of 2013, the 10-millionth source will be added to FamilySearch. We'll be watching closely to see who that user will be who submits that 10-millionth source. In fact, I'm excited to announce the launch of the "10-Millionth Source Challenge." We want to acknowledge and reward one lucky family historian who will add the 10,000,000th source! What's in it for you if you're that lucky family historian? The lucky submitter will receive 10 hours of free FamilySearch research by a certified genealogical research expert who currently works in the world-renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
We'll soon be adding a countdown clock to the website. We'll be watching to verify sources (the winning source has to be legit after all), and then we'll all celebrate together for reaching this amazing milestone.Nice idea. It will be pure luck for whoever gets the prize. I have tried to hit the exact number of updates on the FamilySearch Research Wiki and it is not predictable because you cannot tell what other people are doing. But I really like the incentive to try.


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Aberbach - it means little river mouth - is a relatively narrow cove with a steeply shelving pebble bank facing due west towards the Irish Sea.
It is reached by road from Mathry, just off the St Davids to Goodwick A487 road, by way of a winding, high-hedged, leafy road via Granston and Tregwynt. It's a pretty road but a narrow one where the motorist needs to drive slowly and carefully, and be prepared to meet the occasional tractor or combine harvester.
There is limited parking near the little cove which is accessible via a lane leading off the road about 100 yards distant.
On the way can be seen the remains of a submarine telegraph office which acted as a terminal for the trans-Atlantic cable laid across the ocean by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's massive steam paddleship Great Eastern linking Britain with the USA via Newfoundland. One of the early cables was broken when excessive voltage was sent through it to enhance the signal. It was thanks to Brunel's ingenuity and engineering skills that the Great Estern 'fished' for the broken cable and it was reconnected. The first official telegram message to pass through it was a letter of congratulation from Queen Victoria to President Buchanan of the United States on Augst 16th 1858. She said she hoped the cable would prove "an additional link between the nations whose friendship is founded on their common interest and reciprocal esteem." The President responded that "it is a triumph more glorious because far more useful to mankind than was ever won by conqueror on the field of battle." The Queen's message took 16 hours to send, but it would have taken 10 days at least to travel as mail by ship; even longer if the vessels were delayed by storms. The Great Eastern's huge hull was fitted with three massive iron tanks to accommodate the 2,300 nautical miles of cable and her decks were fitted with complex paying-out gear.
The Times newspaper in a leading article, praised the feat as "a great work, a glory to our age and nation, and the men who have achieved it deserve to be honoured among the benefactors of their race."
It is difficult to imagine an isolated and picturesque spot llike Aberbach taking part in such momentous historic events.
That was not Brunel's only association with this quiet little beach.. Twenty years earlier he had planned to make Aberbach and its larger companion to the south, Abermawr, into the terminus for his new railway linking the British mainland with Ireland. But the Irish potato famine of 1846 put paid to that idea and all that remains of Brunel's proposed railway are some embankments and cuttings through roadside woods, eight miles away beside the A40 near Treffgarne. In the 1960s a local historian found some drainage pipes, which were unearthed during roadworks at Aberbach, and he identified them as lengths of 'atmospheric' rail, like those Brunel used unsuccessfully on his Devon railway system.


text:
For the past year, I've put off finishing the proposal for what I hope will become my third, commercially published non-fiction book.
I had a gazillion quite legitimate
reasons excuses:
— I'm getting my hip replaced (which crippled my hands?)
— I'm recovering from hip surgery (and too busy playing Ipad Scrabble)
— I have to go to physical therapy three times a week (which of course consumes 24 hours of the day)
— I need to make money first (actually true)
But the deeper, tougher, sighing truth is…
I'm scared.
Every creative venture for which you seek external interest, validation or sales — your Etsy site, your play, your poetry, your drawings or music or pottery or stained glass — must find its audience at some point.
If you need people to pay for it, let alone pay you well and buy more and more of it, maybe to pay for your food and shelter and your kids' new shoes, the stakes are even higher. No pressure.
Like anyone with a creative idea, I want it to find favor. I also want, and need, for my ideas to sell for some serious money, for once. To finally get the editors with very deep pockets to call me for a change.
What if it were a game-changer? (What if it's a total failure and no one wants it?)
(Which likely explains the voyeuristic pleasure of watching all those reality TV shows where people have to be reallycreativereallyfast, like Design on A Dime or Cake Wars or my favorite [yes] Project Runway. "Make it work" is a great motto for life!)
I'm also ambivalent:
I love writing books.
I hate the endless time-suck and income-drain (paying for assistants and PR help and finding every possible way to get people to read/review/love the damn thing) that comes with its eventual publication.
I love the thrill of an agent, then an editor saying "Yes! We're in."
I hate the crazy-making and ever-tougher contracts they send later.
I love getting enthusiastic emails from readers.
I hate getting shredded by anonymous trolls on amazon.com.
I went away for the month of June, spending two weeks alone with no television or company to distract me, telling everyone (hah!) I'd be working on my book proposal. I took all the notes I'd made, and the latest draft and my sources…and didn't even take them out of my suitcase.
But I started working on it in earnest last week — (which suggests the vacation had the desired effect) — and, reading through my source material, found some things I'd forgotten. I started getting excited about this again and stopped doing everything else but that. Hours flew by and I kept cranking.
Then I cold-called a source whose resume and background, (being appointed to various committees by a few Presidents), were terrifyingly august, which I began the conversation by telling him.
I know that one of the best ways to up your game, when possible, is to get some Big Names on-side, people whose opinion carries weight and whose interest in a project can help you discern what larger interest exists in your iteration. It's also really intimidating!
(The bad news is that it makes your stomach hurt with anxiety. The good news, if you're smart, genuine and persuasive, you'll find a few allies. Hey, all they can do is say "No.")
But he took my call, and immediately got the idea. He's as passionate about the subject as I am and knows this stuff inside out. So I asked (gulp) if he'd read the proposal. And he agreed.
I asked another wise source, and she promised to read it it this weekend. While it's scary to show an idea-in-progress to people who know about 10,000 times more about the issues than I do, I'm also really grateful for fresh eyes and smart input.
Much as I fear criticism, knowing I'm on the right track will also help me pitch it with greater passion and conviction. (I realize as I write this, that within academia, for better or worse, you have a thesis advisor; I never went beyond my B.A., so I have to scout out these mentors when and where I can find them.)
After re-working the same material for months — probably like many of you — I need fresh eyes. I lose all perspective on it.
Do you find yourself dicking around and postponing work on your creative projects?
Do you find others to help you with them?
What successfully gets you — and keeps you — moving ahead on them?


text:
Jimmy Haslam wrote a letter to you. Here is our quick note to him.
This isn't just me talking to Jimmy Haslam.
It's some of you, including former season ticket holders.
It's a caution against doing business on the basis of "you know somebody" or "you heard it from a friend" ... a warning against "the buddy system" of hiring.
Specifically, it's a warning to Jimmy Haslam against getting too carried away with Tennessee Volunteerism, so to speak.
One of the perks of being a wealthy benefactor of one's favorite college football team is relationships with the icons of the program.
There is no bigger benefactor to University of Tennessee football than the Haslam family, and no alumnus close to the stature of Peyton Manning. Manning's coordinator in Denver is Browns candidate Adam Gase.
It would be a heady thing for an owner to be in the confidence of one of the all-time greats.
We're guessing Manning is one of the chief salesmen promoting Adam Gase. We're warning about the weight of the endorsement.
Haslam's decision on Gase should be based on an array of experts able to share a dispassionate view of the 35-year-old, first-year coordinator.
Maybe they'll all think he has a chance. Maybe they'll worry about bringing so little experience to such big authority. Can he coach? Yes, in the limited forums to which he has been subjected.
• • •
Can Gase be a great head coach? I wouldn't be relying on Peyton Manning, who would succeed with any decent coach, for that call.
I would encourage Haslam to learn what season-ticket holders think of Gase. Perhaps he will find that his customers have an open mind on the young man. If he finds that a large percentage of customers are dead-set against Gase, it should be factor in the hire.
Sure, one must trust one's own conclusions. Insofar as last year's conclusions were faulty, the conclusions of others had best not be ignored.
Coaches, newly hired or otherwise, have to block out the noise. Easier said than done if the noise is real loud.
• • •
Our previous Fresh Brownies post itemizes when other NFL head coaches have been hired. The moral of that story: It's getting late. No one else who has a head coach now hired him in February.
• • •
Here's Mr. Halsam's letter that was posted within the hour on the team website's front page:
"I thought it was important to take a little bit of time to update you on our head-coach search. We have had the opportunity to speak to a number of outstanding candidates. We have purposefully been very methodical in our approach. We believe it is very important to stay disciplined to this process and to interview all of the candidates on our list. We are strongly committed to finding the right person to coach the Cleveland Browns.
"We understood from the beginning that if we wanted to speak to all of the coaches on our list that we may need to wait until they have completed their participation in the playoffs. We are prepared to wait as long as necessary because this is a very important decision. Everyone in our organization is committed to finding the right leader for our team.
"We believe the head coach of the Cleveland Browns to be a very attractive position. We have one of the youngest teams in the League, a roster that includes five Pro Bowlers. In addition, we have more salary-cap room than all but one NFL team. We also have three of the top 35 picks in the upcoming draft and five of the top 83 selections.
"We are very much looking forward to adding a strong coach to our football team. On behalf of the Cleveland Browns, I cannot thank you enough for your valuable support and passion that you show for our team."
"We look forward to communicating with you again after the search process in complete. Thank you again for your phenomenal support and loyalty."
• • •
The letter is signed at the bottom. The signature is hard to read, but it looks appears to say "James A. Haslam."
• • •


text:
Sad news in New York this morning. Nora Ephron died yesterday. She was only 71.
Over at New York magazine–where Ephron wrote for years–Noreen Malone offers a nice tribute (also included a links to several of Ephron's pieces).
I was no fan of Ephron's work in the movies and don't know enough about her writing to comment with any clarity. However, this piece, first written for the New York Times, and later featured in "Nora Ephron Collected" is worth reading:
Plus, she also once said: "I don't think any day is worth living without thinking about what you're going to eat next at all times."
I can dig it.
[Illustration by Simon Pemberton and Larry Roibal]


text:
Thank you so much! My hearts are gorgeous! I have wanted to purchase these Forever! I am so glad that I finally did! Thanks again! XOXO
Gorgeous scarf! Custom color combo really made this item super special! Love it!
Great studio! The pictures are great, but the items are even more impressive in person! Very happy with my purchases and great communication by Sherri! Thanks so much!
The candle smells wonderful, and the bracelet is beautiful! Fits perfectly, too. Thank you!
IndigoEarth is commited to offering quality jewelry in unique colors,styles,textures and combinations to offer beautiful one of a kind pieces...
After 2 weeks your items will automatically renewed for another 60 days and $0.23 per item will be added to your billing ledger.
While you were away our TOU was updated,
read the terms of use here.
*No action is required on your part.


text:
DescriptionDelicious and hearty multigrain bread with over 50% whole grains including wheat, rye, soy, oat, millet, sesame and poppy seeds, seasoned with an aromatic blend of herbs. It's great for stuffing and savory bread pudding. (from Olivia's Croutons)Claims
- No Sugar Added
- No Preservatives
- Non GMO
- No Hydrogenated Oils
- No Artificial Color
- Nutrition
- Contains Soy
- Contains Wheat
Multigrain Bread (Unbleached White, Whole Wheat, Oats, Soy And Rye Flours, Yeast, Sea Salt, Millet, Poppy And Sesame Seeds), Certified Non-GMO Canola Oil, Garlic, Thyme, Pepper And Rosemary.
Olivia's Croutons Multigrain with Garlic Croutons


text:
Rihanna Got a Restraining Order Against That Dude Who Tried Breaking Into Her House
Rihanna is terrified of a stalker who tried breaking into her home -- so she's taking appropriate actions to keep him the heck away from her.
TMZ reports that the singer got a rih-straining order against Steveland Barrow, a macadamia of a fan who tried breaking into her home last Thursday (Feb. 21).
Problem for Barrow was that he actually broke into her neighbor's house instead, sleeping in the bed he presumed to be hers, stealing property and saying he was invited in.
Barrow was released from custody and is nowhere to be found, which is likely a big reason that Rihanna's attorneys demanded the protective order. Barrow has to stay at least 100 yards away from all things RiRi at all times.
It's a little ironic that Rihanna is so concerned with her safety that she takes legal precautions to avoid a potential danger -- yet sleeps with a proven one all the time.
Maybe Barrow would have a better shot if he could dance.


text: Monday , Sep , 16 , 2013 Andrew Flint Top 20 Vertical Leapers in NBA History Do you believe Dominique Wilkins and Julius Erving aren't in the Top 10? HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The number of no-name players on this list demonstrates how leaping is only one part of the game. Read More


text:
Blogging used to be my ritual. The one thing I had to fit in every day. My release. Now it's my writing the book and blogging seems a little foreign. I forgot what it felt like when I first started sending my thoughts out into the internet abyss – like I am sharing a part of my soul for the world to read and judge. Happily, it turned out most people out there are supportive and encouraging, or are genuinely interested in an intelligent debate. But it's still more difficult every week now than it was once blogging became a habit. By the end of the year I just wrote, whereas now I'm constantly questioning what I'm sending out there.
Around this time last year, at the start of the Toronto Football Club season (because my pub gets very busy for the games), I read some of my posts and think of how I managed to post something despite working twelve-hour shifts at the pub running around like crazy. I figure if I can do it then, I can do it now. When you're passionate about something, you make it happen I guess.
Speaking of passionate, because I'm writing about my experiences extreme couponing right now, I'm starting to see coupons everywhere I go again. There was a time last March when I would see anything to do with a grocery store and instantly think "coupon" in flashing lights in my head, like what I'd picture a Las Vegas wedding chapel to have. (As a side note, friends of mine from Australia just had their second wedding at one of those. The average number of weddings per day in Las Vegas is 300+, with the cost of a Nevada marriage license only $35.00. It's still a very popular wedding destination. Although how much electricity those neon signs must take I'm sure is ridiculous!) I still keep the occasional coupon in my wallet, but I'm now remembering the advantages of using coupons.
Since I wrote my posts last year, TLC has aired an Extreme Couponing All-Stars, pitting two couponers in each episode against each other with the person having the highest percentage of savings named the winner of the round. The three couponers with the all-around top percentage of savings advanced to the finale. It really is a sport now!
And an extra little photo of my vegan baking yesterday before I head off to serve beer to soccer hooligans:
Recipe from ohsheglows.com. So delicious (and yes, I couldn't wait and ate one before I took this photo)!


text:
customer service
I ordered some pants for a Christmas gift for my husband on December 8th from a company that shall go unnamed. I'd been getting their catalogs for some time but hadn't ordered and I decided to take advantage of their free shipping offer. I received a confirmation email that my order was processed and then nothing. I waited a week and a half and called them. The item was in stock but they were busy and it hadn't shipped yet. The person I spoke to was nice enough but clearly didn't care. I waited some more. Finally, four days before Christmas I got an email that the order had shipped. And it arrived on Christmas Eve. I was steaming mad by this point and thought really hard about just refusing the package. I'm sorry but there's just no excuse for waiting three weeks to ship an order. If you're that busy, maybe you should hire some extra help for the holidays—it's not like there aren't people who need jobs. Lesson 1: Ship in a timely manner and, if you can't, let the customer know.
The second order was from a company that sells fabrics for cross stitch. I have a custom order scheduled and I wanted some nice linen to work with. Again, I got a confirmation e-mail but then no communication at all for a week. Last Friday I got the email that the package had shipped and it arrived today. But, when I opened it there was only one of the three items I ordered and that one was the wrong size (larger than I ordered so that worked in my favor). I called, they were very apologetic, but now it will be another week before I get my stuff. Lesson 2: Check and double check every order before it leaves your premises. I print out an extra copy of every invoice to include in the package and I check off every item as it goes into the box. And I pack one box at a time or keep them far enough apart that there's no confusion.
I seriously doubt if I'll ever shop with either of these companies again. There are other clothing companies and other shops that sell embroidery materials; shops that will ship orders on time and include the right things in the package. I have lots of choices. Lesson 3: (the old standard) You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you have a business you want people to shop with you again. It's much easier to get past customers to return than to attract new ones, so why screw that up. And, if you do make a mistake, make it right as quickly as you can.
Just some advice in case you're thinking of starting a business of your own.
Update: I received the second package from the embroidery supply company and guess what? It only contained one of the two missing items. So, I called again and was told that the third item was backordered. And how exactly was I supposed to know this? The person I spoke to didn't seem all that concerned when I told her I wouldn't be shopping with them in the future. Now, that's a poorly run business!
12 comments:
So true! I had the same experience over the holidays and walked away even more committed to providing the best customer service possible.
- January 12, 2009 4:25 PM
- Alberta Art Classes said...
I have been very frustrated by the quality of customer service lately. Instead of going around grumpy all of the time, I decided I would just be sure to tell retailers when they have great customer service. If I don't have a good experience, I say so and try not to patronize the establishment in the future. It is disheartening that customer service is becoming a lost art. Glad to know I am not alone!
- January 12, 2009 5:09 PM
- Vicki W said...
I am so with you! I have decided that you can be successful in ANY business if you will just focus on the customer service. Companies get one chance with me too and that's it. it's one reason that I order constantly from dharma trading even though they are on the opposite coast. Their service is awesome!
- January 12, 2009 5:18 PM
- Unknown said...
Ugh. I've had horrible customer service lately, too. I did want you to know that I received my buttons a few days ago and they are so nice. Your customer service was excellent and I'll be back to shop again.
- January 12, 2009 9:35 PM
Know how you feel. Here at the flower shop we have always confirmed deliveries of all orders leaving the shop. We give time recip signed for flowers, break down of flower arrangement and price. We've done that for local deliveries and incoming wire orders to be delivered for 37 years. It really helps the customer when reconciling credit card and bank statements and it stops claims of non-delivery or item wasn't what was ordered. We just refer back to original order and the subsequent confirmation of delivery. Customers are greatful for the service.
- January 13, 2009 8:21 AM
It is scary ordering online...I was really disappointed about an Etsy thing I purchased and it never arrived. I didn't think to insure (I usually always rememeber for everything else) and the crafter said she never had problems with the mail...bottom line is that I lost out - how do I know she was even telling the truth? She could have at least offered a replacement and probably automatically have everything sent insured.
Recently I ordered quilt fabrics from one of the online shops...they sent the wrong items and so I had to then send it back...hopefully they will reimburse my postage like they said.
As you can see I'm not a total fan of online shopping...I really do like to see/feel what I am buying...I've been disappointed with what was great description/photos and the thing arrives and is not as great. :(
- January 13, 2009 12:30 PM
Oh, how I agree! I've had my share of not-so-great experiences myself lately, and plenty over the years. Last year I sent fabric back to an online shop who confirmed that they'd reimburse, but I never got the reimbursement from them. They got my payment and their returned fabric, but I got nothing back. I DO still get e-mail from them several times a week offering me great deals on fabric, but I don't even open their e-mail. I need to just unsubscribe because they won't be selling me anything.
Last week I ordered from an online shop and got a notice when things were processed, but I noticed that my amount was half of what it should have been. They didn't have over half of what I'd ordered in stock any more, but decided not to inform me before shipping. I'd ordered patterns with the fabric and lace I wanted to use for those patterns, so I would have liked for them to have told me that things were out of stock so that I could have ordered something to replace what I needed. I e-mailed the lady and she said she just didn't have time to let me know what wasn't in stock because she was so busy. She was very nice in her return e-mail, so I'll likely give her another try, but not with a lot of confidence about what I'll actually be receiving in my order! If I can find it somewhere else, "somewhere else" will likely get my order first!
I did have someone forget to include fabric in a shipment lately, and it happened to be a piece that I needed right away. I e-mailed them and not only were they very nice in their return e-mail, but they also sent me a $15 gift certificate. I'll definitely continue buying from them! People make mistakes -- we all do -- but the best people admit it and try to make up for it. I check their store before anyone else's now when ordering because their prices beat everyone else, and because they went out of their way to make things right.
Yep, customer service makes ALL the difference! There are just too many online stores to choose from for some of them not to care!
- January 13, 2009 10:31 PM
- KR said...
Customer service is what makes or breaks a company in my opinion!! Good for you for taking your bad experience and using that to purposefully give your customers the best service they can get. :)
- January 14, 2009 12:29 AM
- Niesz Vintage Home said...
So sorry to hear about your bad experiences.
I agree totally! Customer service is the number one reason why I will continue (or discontinue) doing business with a particular company.
As was said by another poster, mistakes can and will happen occassionally...but how those problems are dealt with goes a looong way!
Kimberly :)
- January 14, 2009 10:40 AM
- annasoc said...
I have to say that the little independent companies like yours, Janet, or many of the sellers on Etsy, are the ones that truly care about their customers. Most of the time I've had lightning fast shipping and many of the indie sellers even carefully wrap and decorate each package, and sometimes include little extras like a few pieces of hard candy or a small card. It makes just getting the package a special event and a visual treat. You are never going to get that from a big retailer. As you said, often they don't care about the timing, the packaging or the item. Of course the items aren't lovingly made in someone's studio either, but a factory overseas.
- January 14, 2009 12:47 PM
- Terry said...
I'm so with you on this one! I've been dealing with a company where I order by phone and I never EVER get a call to tell me about a back order. I always have to call to check on the things. I'm still waiting and getting excuses which looks to happen again next week. I finally got fed up today and spoke to a supervisor. That was a big waste of time. No apology; just a "well so and so usually does a great job" and "we've got a lot of orders to fill". Okay but how about a little feed back to your customers? What's a phone call or an e-mail to let someone know about back orders? If it's not your sales person causing the problem then get to the bottom of the communication problem within the company. I'm going to request a different company be used with next year's funds. Not worth all the hassle!
- January 16, 2009 12:57 PM
- Mia said...
Customer service can make or break a company regardless of size. And customer service seems to be disappearing. Right now I am involved in the non-delivery of a club shipment from an indie yarn dyer. Let's just say that it has reached the point where I am finding out how to file mail fraud charges against this person.
So far everyone I have dealt with on Etsy has been super great to deal with. I placed an order for something on Christmas Eve and the vendor had it ready to ship out that day. I don't mind back orders so long as I know when I place the order.
- January 22, 2009 3:53 PM


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"What's your favourite movie of all time?" It's a question which routinely has the respondent casting their mind back to classically "great" films; relegating their oft-watched, rarely-admitted choices to the "guilty pleasures" bin for a later, tacit confession. While there are any number of titles I love which fall under the umbrella of more conventional cinematic greatness, the simple truth is the same now as it was when I first saw it in 1997: Romy & Michele's High School Reunion.
It's the story of two inseparable best friends who, confronted with the prospect of returning to their hometown and facing their high school tormentors, craft an elaborate lie (wherein they invented Post-its) to finally gain the respect and envy of their peers. Typically, this doesn't go to plan, but – like Dorothy before them – the ladies ultimately learn that they had what they needed all along in their humble, pre-Post-it life: happiness, and each other. The two are played to perfection by Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow; who seem to so enjoy playing these women that it's impossible not to find their fondness and humour infectious (and both of whom deserve credit for crafting two entirely new characters in the "dumb blonde" mould that could easily have veered into their more recognisable performances in Mighty Aphrodite and Friends respectively). At its heart, Romy and Michele is a film which – like its characters – doesn't take itself too seriously and offers no apology for being exactly what it is: a hilarious, often ridiculous paean to friendship, individuality and self-acceptance.
In my early teens, and positioned squarely parallel to the titular characters on the high school popularity ladder (to wit: somewhere around the bottom rung), the story of two outsiders who escape their small town and learn that life is best lived on your own terms resonated with me as a beacon of hope. As an adult, and having long-since entered triple digits in my viewings of the movie, it's a 90-minute capsule of pure joy that's guaranteed to lift my mood regardless of anything going on around it; but has also served as a two-decade reminder to reject the notion of guilty pleasures entirely – at least as far as pop culture and media is concerned. (If your vice of choice is burning down orphanages, we maybe need to talk.) The self-consciousness we feel in attributing "guilt" to these pleasures arises solely from a concern for what other people will think of us for admitting it: where perceived artistic merit is at odds with actual, honest enjoyment. When I first met John, I asked him his favourite movie and he answered "Supergirl" without hesitation or any desire to impress me. It's no coincidence that this is also the man I plan to marry.
But, for a premise as shallow as its protagonists, Romy and Michele is – in its own, unapologetically ridiculous way – a great movie; arguably because of its very eschewal of any staid ideas of "greatness". Indeed, the point at which these women's erstwhile carefree lives veer off course is the moment they begin to feel the need to justify them to the very people who made them miserable to begin with. Their decision to show up as "sophisticated, educated, successful career women" is one rooted in a modality of success that's completely at odds with anything they would actually wish for themselves. Even Michele's nightmare scenario of working at a discount outlet ("How am I gonna impress anyone by selling Ban-Lon smocks at Bargain Mart?!") is closer to their actual dreams of self-expression through fashion and allowing others to do the same. The role of businesswomen is exactly that: an outfit they try on which turns out to as ill-fitting as the underwear riding up Michele's butt crack.
It's a sentiment compounded when former class nerd Sandy Frink shows up to the reunion and, having invented "some kind of special rubber or something" ("Like, for condoms?") is universally declared the "most successful person in our entire graduation class." "Well," replies a delightfully dorky Alan Cumming, "I guess that depends on how you define 'success'. If, to you, success means having a house in Aspen, one in Acapulco, penthouse in New York, mansion in Malibu, a 60-foot yacht, an 8-seat Windstar, a Bell Jet Ranger, a Bentley, a personal trainer, a full-time chef, a live in masseuse and a staff of 24 then, yeah…I guess I am successful." Crucially, however, Sandy isn't presented as an object of envy, and the only sycophant trying to ingratiate themselves upon the revelation of his newfound wealth is the girls' chief aggressor, Christie Masters; fawning, "You looks so rich! …I mean great." Sandy's narrative is the typical model through which high school outcast revenge scenarios are enacted: rubbing your success in your bullies' faces to show them the error of their past cruelties. But what the film makes clear is that this particular version of success is still rooted in an outer veneer of prosperity that hasn't equated to lasting happiness. "No matter how much I accumulate, there's still one thing I just don't have. […] I don't have you Michele." Sandy is at his happiest when he's finally allowed the one, simple thing denied to him at prom: a dance. The opportunity to embrace his inner (and outer) weirdness alongside Romy and Michele is the real triumph.
The moment where an adult Romy finds herself once again humiliated at the hands of Christie Masters is the one wherein she has the most important realisation of all. Christie, clinging to her marriage with Romy's one-time crush as a trump card in her lifelong game of oneupmanship, is visibly nettled by Romy's lack of reverence for her marital bliss (her husband's philandering notwithstanding): "Three kids?" deadpans Romy, "God, you must feel really tied down." When Romy is unwittingly caught out in her big lie about Post-its, therefore, Christie seizes the opportunity for a highly public exposure in front of all their gathered peers. Arguably the greater victim of Christie's mistreatments in their youth (if for no other reason than Michele was too oblivious to notice), Romy is momentarily broken by this return to loserdom; that is until Michele – in a rare moment of wisdom on par with her dream self knowing the formula for glue – stresses what the audience has known along, "I never knew we weren't that great in high school. I mean we always had so much fun together. I thought high school was a blast. And until you told me that our lives weren't good enough? I thought everything since high school was a blast. I think we should go back out there as ourselves and just have fun like we always do. The hell with everyone else." Presumably Shakespeare was responding to his own bitchy prom queen persecutor when he had Polonius announce "This above all: to thine own self be true."
This wake-up call proves the catalyst for the girls to take charge and return to the reunion dressed as the one thing they've successfully been from the start: themselves. It's also the lead up to what is, for my money, the most satisfying clap back in cinematic history, when Romy finally confronts her nemesis in front of the assembled masses and asks: "What the hell is your problem, Christie? Why are you always such a nasty bitch? You get some kind of sick pleasure from torturing other people? I mean, yeah, okay: so Michele and I did make up some lame story. We only did it because we wanted you to treat us like human beings. But you know what I finally realised? I don't care if you like us. Because we don't like you. You're a bad person with an ugly heart, and we don't give a flying fuck what you think."
And that moment – tattooed forever on my person – is the film's take-home message. Success can be defined in one of two ways: how we're perceived by others, or how we choose to think of ourselves. It's not to be found in the accumulated millions of a special rubber empire, or the fawning adoration of our peers – it's living your best, most authentic self with the funnest person you know. It's the same sentiment expressed by that other well-known fashionista Carrie Bradshaw, who told us to find someone to love the you you love. The real victory isn't putting Christie in her place – it's overcoming any remaining self doubts and returning to their home in LA where the girls can get back to doing what they do best: looking cute and having a blast with their best friend in the world. Let's fold scarves!


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Enjoy the give-and-take of early "conversations" with your seven-month-old. Because those coos and babbles are not only adorable, they're really important for language development.
He rocks on his hands and knees and may creep on his tummy
She responds to her name, recognizes voices and different tunes
With full color vision, he enjoys looking at complex objects—and might even move for a better view
Her eyes help her explore, and she uses them as a gauge when reaching out for objects
He starts cupping his hand around toys and can push them into his hand with his thumb
Your turn, my turn. Start with an interactive game between you and baby, maybe just rolling the toy back and forth. Set up pillow bumpers for boundaries so the toy can't roll too far. And put words with actions as you play: "back and forth," "your turn, my turn."
Ready, set, crawl. Boost baby toward crawling by picking a target and encouraging her to roll the toy to it, then retrieve it. As the toy rolls, she's likely to move toward it to start the fun all over again!
Where is it? Help baby learn to locate things by listening: show him the toy, then put it behind your back and activate the sounds. Do this several times to see if he'll crawl to you to find the source of the sound.
Talk about things as baby makes them happen—you'll help him understand the idea of action/reaction: "You made the music play! Listen … do you hear it? Let's spin the ball again."
Color me fun. Use a toy's features to introduce your baby to various colors, saying each color name clearly as you point to it. This is the time when babies are building their receptive language skills, so the more words they hear, the more they'll become familiar with.
You did it! Use descriptive language as your baby activates a toy: "Hear the sound the dino makes? … Look what happens when you bop the bug!"
One, two, three… Sit on the floor with baby and playfully point out a toy's features, colors and surprises. Say color names out loud as you touch each one: "This is a blue bead, this one's green and this one's purple. One, two, three beads."
Talk about things As baby makes them happen—you'll help him understand the idea of action/reaction: "You made the music play! Listen … do you hear it? Let's spin the ball again."
Let's get physical. Encourage your baby to get physically involved with the toy to strengthen muscles and confidence. That could mean pushing it, rolling it back and forth, crawling through it or using it to pull up to a stand.
In and out. This is a great time to focus on concepts like "in and out" and "on and off." Encourage your baby to put a hand or a shape inside the shape sorter toy … what will happen? If he's greeted with a funny sound or musical surprise, you can bet baby will like playing the "in and out" game over and over!
One at a time. When you progress to introducing shapes, start with just one: identify it and let baby get the hang of sorting that shape before you move on to a new one. Name the shape as your child picks it up and tries to figure out where it fits.
Many babies learn how to crawl at the same time they learn to sit on their own. Crawling, however, takes longer to perfect than does sitting without assistance.
Babies can have lots of fun with simple toys. Look for toys that provide different responses to different actions, such as a squeak toy that rewards baby's squeeze, or a musical toy that responds when baby presses a button.


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Diving & Marine Conservation Volunteering in Thailand - Monthly Updates
- Project Overview
- Additional Project Info
- Divemaster Course Add-on
- Monthly Updates
- Management Plan, Data & Reports
Conservation in Thailand - Monthly Update November 2012
November has been a busy month for the conservation team here in Thailand. Despite the unpredictable weather and sporadic rain we have managed to squeeze in plenty of conservation work as well as have some fun.
Not only have we been busy with our own dive work, but our volunteers were also invited by the Local Government to attend a big clean-up day, so our volunteers along with around 50 other divers set out to Koh Hong and began what was one of the biggest clean-up days this region has ever seen.
They managed to pull up plenty of nets that were draped along the walls of this beautiful area. All in all the amount of debris collected was astounding, however, it was probably less than twenty percent of all the debris still tangled out there.
Our volunteers were also kept busy and fit as they hacked through jungles making nature trails and doing some sustainable farming with children in schools in the area of Khlong Thom. Not to mention the hard work of scrubbing the turtle tanks.
We also had a chance to celebrate Loy Krathong this month which was a visual feast for anyone whom hasn't experience this before.
Our highlight of the month would have had to be the Elephant Hospital visit. Never have I seen such excited volunteers eager to help and get involved. It was a very special day.
Diving Based Projects:
Reef Check Survey
A total of eight reef check surveys were conducted by our volunteers in November. The species spotted the most by our divers was the blue green chromis, almost 600 were spotted. Out of that more than 450 were from just three of the dive days. The other species that made plenty of appearances was the long spine black urchin; our divers spotted over 130 urchins in one dive day. There were also a high number of corals being spotted; this was mainly the flower soft coral and the plate coral.
We also had encounters with some of the not so usual sightings, this ranged from the pink fish sea cucumber, yellow blue backed fusilier, and also 4 rather large lobsters all resting in the same area.
Project AWARE – Dive Against Debris Survey
For the month of November our volunteers cleaned up debris from an area of over 2,300 meter squared. This resulted in over 60kg of loose debris but not including some of the big cages. Most of the debris, as usual, was ropes and fishing lines. At Viking Bay most of the rubbish was polystyrene. A lot of rubbish was also collected from the surface where it has been piled up inside the bay. We also found massive nets along walls and also many entangled animals and coral, this included 5 different fish and 6 crabs. We also found nets tangled up against plate corals that had to be salvaged.
In November we also had two big clean-up days with the local government. The conservation team was invited to Koh Hong on the 22nd and the 23rd where they took part in a massive clean-up with close to 70 divers. There were also 200 people cleaning up along the beach of Khlong Muang.
During the two days our volunteers attended an opening ceremony, took part in diving against debris and also were given certificates of appreciation from the local government. Some of our volunteers were also interviewed on television. All in all it was a great event and the hosts were very impressed with our work and mentioned that they will most definitely be inviting us to any other massive cleaning projects.
Endangered Species Work
Unfortunately the only endangered species that was sighted by our volunteers was the one green turtle; this was around Koh Thalu area.
Land Based Projects:
Forest Regeneration
For the month of November our volunteers had four visits out at Khlong Thom where we worked with FORRU in our reforestation program. One of the main tasks that they carried out was the sustainable farming with Chiang Peng School. The work day consisted of volunteers working with the children preparing the plots to grow vegetables; these vegetables would be used in the school as ingredients for their lunches. They grew lettuce, morning glory, galangal, lemongrass, and other herbs. After two weeks we were invited back to the school to work on more on these plots and it was nice to see that most of the vegetables had grown and the work was successful.
The volunteers also had a chance to join FORRU out to a previously planted location; over here the volunteers worked together fertilizing the countless amounts of planted trees. On another occasion the volunteers worked with another school in the area to help build a nature trail to encourage the children to have a better appreciation for the forest.
Beach Clean Ups
During the month of November our volunteers took part in two beach clean-up sessions. The location for these beaches cleans were Ao Nammao and Ao Nang.
Ao Nammao, which is our back yard, the volunteers managed to pick up a total of 107 kg of rubbish, from this we noticed that the most unusual items that were picked up were tires, sitting mats, fireworks, fake flowers, candles and plastic water guns. The most items picked up were food wrappers and plastic bags, a lot of rope and fishing lines were also picked up.
Ao Nang, a rather busy touristic beach, was our other beach cleaning session. Here we only managed to pick up over 25kg of rubbish, this is mainly due to the fact that the bigger rubbish usually gets cleaned up leaving many small items that don't weigh up to much. The most item cleaned from that beach has to be cigarette butts, over a thousand was picked up.
In November our volunteers also went out to Rai Ley beach for our trash awareness campaign, they went out via long tail boat and went to all the popular climbing sites and popular beaches setting up posters asking people to take their trash back with them or to dispose of it correctly in the provided bins.
Turtle Rehabilitation Work
Our volunteers were taken to Phuket Marine Biology Research Center where they were split into groups; each group had to scrub the tanks that the younger turtles were kept before they reached their release size. The volunteers loved getting the tanks with the turtles and enjoy the hands on experience that would most probably be a once in a life time chance. Some volunteers whom had issues with cuts on their feet went and worked in the larger tanks, scrubbing from the outside with long handle scrubbers.
As usual after the work the volunteers were taken into the aquarium with Linnea, this gave them the opportunity to observe the marine life and ask Linnea any questions they might have been interested in.
Community Outreach Day
November was one of our most popular out reaches we have done yet, all the volunteers were taken to the elephant hospital, they were given a chance to see how the hospital operates and also so they would have a better understanding of the effects of elephant tourist industry on Thai elephants.
The volunteers were first given an introduction by the head veterinarian, and then the volunteers were introduced to the elephants and their mahoots. We started off by feeding the elephants with bananas and pineapples, getting close to them and seeing what was wrong with each of the individual elephants.
The volunteers took turns in bathing the elephants and scrubbing them, while some were stuffing medication into bananas to feed them. Other volunteers were sweeping up the pen and also scooping up elephant dung. The volunteers also had a chance to work on the wounds of the elephants by applying antiseptic and bandaging wounds. The volunteers then took the elephants for a walk through the jungle leading them to their sights where they can graze freely.
Other Stuff
This month we also celebrated Loy Krathong, volunteers attended a workshop during the day where they put together a biodegradable Krathong. This was fun work as they sat around learning how to fold leaves and stick them on to a banana stump base, the expert showing us all what to do was Phi Sa (resort Manager).
Later that evening we went to Longtail Boat restaurant, where volunteers and staff ate together. After dinner we had a small prize for the most unique and pretty Krathongs, and after we all went down to the beach and floated off our Krathongs.
Vishal Pawa
Conservation Project Manager, Thailand