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Mondays With Bob Greene: For me Roger is the greatest player ever who played the tennis game
Caroline Wozniacki beat Virginie Razzano 7-6 (5) 7-5 to win the AEGON International women's singles in Eastbourne, Great Britain
Dmitry Tursunov beat Frank Dancovic 6-3 7-6 (5) to win the AEGON International men's singles in Eastbourne
Tamarine Tanasugarn beat Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 7-5 to successfully defend her Ordina Open women's crown in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Benjamin Becker beat Raemon Sluiter 7-5 6-3 to win the Ordina Open men's singles in 's-Hertogenbosch
"When I start a tournament like Wimbledon, it is to try to win, and my feeling right now is I'm not ready to play to win." – Rafael Nadal, withdrawing from Wimbledon and becoming only the fourth man in the Open Era to not defend his Wimbledon singles title.
"I love playing here." – Tamarine Tanasugarn, after winning her second straight Ordina Open singles title at 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.
"That loss exhausted me mentally. I am still trying to recover." – Novak Djokovic, on his three-set, four-hour loss to Rafael Nadal in Madrid, Spain, in mid-May.
"No girl likes to be compared to another. Ultimately, what we have in common is that we play tennis. I feel flattered that people like the way I look, but it doesn't help you win points." – Ana Ivanovic, who is constantly being compared to Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova.
"For me Roger is the greatest player ever who played the tennis game. It's always good to see him play and win and we are going to see so much more of Federer in the future, he is going to win more grand slam tournaments." – Bjorn Borg, picking Federer to win Wimbledon this year.
"The body of work is phenomenal and now he has got that French Open and I think he can just go on and sip Margaritas for the rest of his life." – Martina Navratilova, on Roger Federer winning in Paris.
"I can play on grass. I just need time." – Jelena Jankovic, after losing a first-round match at Eastbourne.
"It's my first title on grass so that means a lot to me. I wish I could have closed it off a little bit earlier but it doesn't matter how I won, so that is the main thing and I am happy." – Caroline Wozniacki, after winning at Eastbourne.
"I am definitely going to try to come out, unless I am going to be on crutches. Even then I will try to come out." – Dmitry Tursunov, on whether his ankle injury will prevent him from playing Wimbledon.
"On this surface, everything is opposite. For me, it's too much to change in three days." – Svetlana Kuznetsova, losing her first match on grass after winning the French Open, a clay court tournament.
"It's been a very surprising week for us because before this tournament we had only won four matches in our whole career on grass. So we've managed to double that this week." – Marcin Matkowski, after teaming with Mariusz Fyrstenberg to win the men's doubles at Eastbourne.
"We managed to beat the number one seeds and French Open champions in the first round, and then we played better and better as the week progressed." – Mariusz Fyrstenberg.
"It's Ralph Lauren, it has a bit of a tuxedo feel but it's flattering. I'm having a good time with it." – Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, about the outfit she wore to a pre-Wimbledon player party.
Because of his aching knees, Rafael Nadal became just the fourth player in the Open Era to not defend his Wimbledon singles title. Nadal announced his withdrawal after playing two exhibition matches on grass. He lost both, the first to Lleyton Hewitt, the second to Stanislas Wawrinka. "I didn't feel terrible, but not close to my best," the Spaniard said. "I'm just not 100 percent. I'm better than I was a couple of weeks ago, but I just don't feel ready." Nadal joins John Newcombe (1972), Stan Smith (1973) and Goran Ivanisevic (2002) as the only players who did not defend their Wimbledon titles in the Open Era; in 1973, Smith joined a player's boycott against the tennis establishment. Nadal has complained about his knees since a fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling at the French Open on May 31 ended his streak of four consecutive championships at Roland Garros. "It's not chronic," Nadal said of his knee problems. "I can recover, for sure."
Frenchman Gael Monfils pulled out of Wimbledon because of a wrist injury. A week earlier, he had pulled out of his scheduled match against Steve Darcis at Queen's Club.
Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to a knee injury. An Australian Open finalist in 2006, Baghdatis was carried off the court on a stretcher for the second time in nine months after injuring his knee during a match at 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. He also was carried off the court on a stretcher last fall at the Open de Moselle in Metz, France, when he hurt his back.
Roger Federer could reclaim the number one ranking by winning his sixth Wimbledon title. The Swiss star held the top spot in the rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks until Rafael Nadal pushed him down to number two last August. Nadal has withdrawn from Wimbledon because of his injured knees. But anything short of a sixth Wimbledon title won't be enough for Federer, who could actually be passed in the rankings by Andy Murray. If he became the first Brit to win the men's singles since Fred Perry in 1936, Murray would move up to number two in the rankings behind Nadal, but no higher.
Ivan Ljubicic fell heavily in his match at the Eastbourne International, injuring his ankle. Racing to the net to reach a delicate shot by his opponent, Fabrice Santoro, Ljubicic skidded on the grass, fell and cried out while clutching his left ankle. Santoro dropped his racquet and ran to the court-side freezer to get bags of ice, which he then applied to Ljubicic's ankle while officials summoned the trainer. Ljubicic had won the first set 6-3 but was 2-4 down when he fell.
Marion Bartoli is still in the Wimbledon women's singles despite suffering a leg injury in the semifinals at the AEGON International tournament in Eastbourne. Bartoli had lost the first set to Virginie Razzano when she asked for a trainer. Her thigh was treated and strapped, but, after losing the first game of the second set to love, she retired from the match.
Although he lost the title match, Raemon Sluiter made history by becoming the lowest-ranked player to reach an ATP World Tour final. Ranked number 866 in the world, Sluiter gained entry into the grass-court tournament in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, via a wild card. It was the fourth final for the Dutchman in his career, all coming on his home soil. And when he fell to Germany's Benjamin Becker 7-5 6-3, Sluiter still was left seeking his first ATP World Tour title. Becker was only the second qualifier to reach a final this season and the first qualifier to win the Ordina Open.
There's something about Tamarine Tanasugarn when she plays the Ordina Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Just ask top-ranked Dinara Safina. Tanasugarn upset Safina for the second straight year at the grass-court warm-up to Wimbledon. A year ago the veteran Thai player beat Safina in the final. This year, the 32-year-old Tanasugarn stopped Safina in the semis 7-5 7-5 before beating 19-year-old Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 7-5 to retain her championship.
Aces, a one-hour radio show dedicated to tennis, has begun broadcasting in Toronto, Canada, and on the Internet just in time for Wimbledon. Listeners in t4he Toronto area can tune into FAN 590 AM on the radio, while tennis fans around the world can listen online at www.fan590.com. Rogie Lajoie and Olympic tennis broadcaster Michael Cvitkovic will host Aces, which began by interviewing 10-time Grand Slam tournament singles champion Serena Williams, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour president Stacey Allaster and Toronto Globe and Mail tennis columnist Tom Tebbutt. Aces is currently scheduled for broadcast August 6 and 13.
The Ralph Lauren presents the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Pre-Wimbledon Player Party brought out the stars, and not just the tennis variety. Among the players in attendance at the Kensington Roof Gardens were Venus and Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, Ana Ivanovic, Anne Keothavong, Jelena Jankovic, Victoria Azarenka, Dominika Cibulkova, Alize Cornet, Anna Chakvetadze, Alisa Kleybanova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Sabine Lisicki and Gisela Dulko. Besides the host, Sir Richard Branson, other celebrities in attendance included Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child fame, as well as Branson's son, Sam Branson. There was even a royal presence, with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, attending with her two daughters, the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Three former champions, including two-time defending king Fabrice Santoro, will compete in this year's Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. Also in the field will be Robby Ginepri, the 2003 winner, and 2002 champion Taylor Dent. The ATP World Tour event is the only professional grass-court tournament played in the United States and begins the day after the Wimbledon men's final.
Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier and Michael Chang, three former champions of the LA Tennis Open, will play in featured legends matches at the 83rd annual Los Angeles tournament that begins July 27. Edberg won a gold medal during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics on the same UCLA courts that now stage the LA Tennis Open. He also won the tournament in 1990. Chang captured titles in 1996 and 2000, while Courier won in 1997.
Brydan Klein of Australia has been fined USD $13,920 and suspended by Tennis Australia for using a racial slur against his South African opponent, Raven Klaasan, during their qualifying match at the AEGON International in Eastbourne, Great Britain. The ATP tour said in a statement that the 19-year-old Klein has been given the maximum penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and added that it is carrying out a fuller investigation which could result in an additional penalty for aggravated behavior. Tennis Australia said it has suspended Klein from the Australian Institute of Sport Pro Tour Program and could impose further sanctions after an investigation. Klein, the 2007 Australian Open junior champion, called Klaasan a "kaffir" and spat in the direction of Klaasan's coach and another South African player. Use of the term "kaffir" is illegal in South Africa and is regarded as a gross racial insult, especially to black South Africans. Klassen is one of South Africa's few black players and has represented his country in Davis Cup. Klein beat Klassen 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 7-6 (4) before losing in the second round of the main draw to Janko Tipsarevic.
Bjorn Borg won five consecutive Wimbledons. Now he's trying to pick the men's singles champion at Wimbledon for the second straight year. A year ago, Borg picked Rafael Nadal to win the grass-court major, which the Spaniard did. This year, Borg is picking Roger Federer. And he did it before Nadal withdrew from the tournament. "Coming into Wimbledon I think he is relieved in a way that he won Paris, because that was one of his main ambitions, goals to try and win Paris," said Borg. "So coming into Wimbledon he feels very confident, he has equaled (Pete) Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slams."
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is considering an appeal from India, which is seeking a heavier penalty against Australia for forfeiting last month's Davis Cup competition. The ITF said the appeal from the All India Tennis Association (AITA) will be discussed at a board meeting on July 15. Australia was fined USD $10,000 after refusing to travel to Chennai, India, for the zonal tie for safety reasons, but the ITF's Davis Cup Committee decided not to ban Australia from the 2010 competition. India also wants the ITF to rule that the next two ties between the two nations should be played in India. Security for sports teams in the sub-continent had been questioned after the Sri Lanka cricket team's bus was ambushed in Lahore, Pakistan, in March. That followed militant attacks in Mumbai, India, last November that killed 166 people.
The global credit crunch hasn't affected Wimbledon. The 2,500 Centre Court debentures that were offered last month were snapped up at USD $43,830 each. Each debenture holder will receive one Centre Court ticket for every day of the two-week long Championships from 2011 through 2015. "We were heavily over-subscribed," said All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie. "We were very pleasantly delighted with the response. With a new roof over Centre Court, play is guaranteed there regardless of the weather.
It is a tournament Amelie Mauresmo would just as soon forget. The former Wimbledon champion squandered five set points in each tiebreak as she lost a quarterfinal match to Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (8) 7-6 (13) at the Eastbourne International. "It was a very cruel match," said Mauresmo, who received a warning from the umpire when she vented her frustration by hitting a ball high over a line of trees and into the street. "This one wasn't for me, I guess."
Could it be that Andy Murray is hoping his clothes will help him duplicate Fred Perry's success at Wimbledon? Murray will play in a retro outfit at this year's grass court Grand Slam tournament. The new clothes were designed specifically for Wimbledon by clothing maker Fred Perry. The company said the clothes were inspired by the shirts that Perry designed for clients and friends such as John F. Kennedy and Billie Jean King. Perry, who died in 1995, was the last Briton to win at Wimbledon, capturing three consecutive titles in 1934-36 and completing a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 1935. A week ago, Murray became the first Briton to win the grass-court tournament at Queen's Club since Bunny Austin in 1938.
It is no surprise that Italy has decided to play November's Fed Cup final against the United States on clay courts in Reggio Calabria, a city on the southern tip of Italy's boot-shaped outline. The outdoor event will be held at the Rocco Polimeni club on November 7-8. Even on clay, the Americans are favorites since both Venus and Serena Williams said they hope to play in the final after missing the previous rounds.
When Russia takes on Israel in a Davis Cup quarterfinal next month, Russia's top player, Nikolay Davydenko, will be missing. Russian team captain Shamil Tarpishchev said he had allowed Davydenko to skip Russia's first two ties in this year's competition. The top-ranked Russians will still have Marat Safin, Igor Andreev, Dmitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny for the July 10-12 encounter in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A 20-year-old UCLA tennis player was in a coma after being punched following a country music concert in Dallas, Texas, USA. Jeffrey Fleming was attending a Rascal Flatts concert with friends when a man hit him. Fleming's family says he was sucker-punched as he was about to catch a taxi after the concert. The blow knocked Fleming to the ground where his head hit the concrete pavement. The attacker and others ran away.
The new men's tennis coach at the University of Oklahoma is Andy Roddick's brother. John Roddick was hired to take over the Sooners team that had been coached for the past 22 years by John Lockwood. Athletic director Joe Castiglione says Roddick has the ability to recruit top players and a reputation for being able to develop them. For the past seven years he has been operating a performance boarding academy for tennis players in Austin, Texas. John also helped coach his brother Andy, who is still ranked in the top 10 in the world.
The 83rd annual LA Tennis Open in Los Angeles, California, USA, has a new sponsor. The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies has reached an agreement with the Southern California Tennis Association to become the presenting sponsor of the ATP World Tour 250 and Olympus US Open Series men's event. French Open semifinalist Fernando Gonzalez leads a group of early entrants to the 28-player field. Also entering the tournament are Tommy Hass, Radek Stapanek, Marat Safin, Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey. In addition, a special exhibition match will pit Pete Sampras against Safin in a rematch of the 2000 US Open won by the Russian.
Eastbourne (women): Akgul Amanmuradova and Ai Sugiyama beat Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs 6-4 6-3
Eastbourne (men): Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski beat Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek 6-4 6-4
s-Hertogenbosch (men): Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman beat Johan Brunstrom and Jean-Julien Rojer 7-6 (3) 6-7 (8) 10-5 (match tiebreak)
s-Hertogenbosch (women): Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta beat Michaella Krajicek and Yanina Wickmayer 6-4 5-7 13-11 (match tiebreak)
Wimbledon: www.wimbledon.org
Cuneo: www.countrycuneo.com
(All money in USD)
ATP and WTA
The Championships (first week), Wimbledon, Great Britain, grass
ATP and WTA
The Championships (second week), Wimbledon, Great Britain, grass
$100,000 Cuneo ITF Tournament, Cuneo, Italy, clay
Federer Book Documents Battles with Roddick
Swiss journalist and author Rene Stauffer chronicles in detail three of the most important matches between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick in his highly-regarded book THE ROGER FEDERER STORY, QUEST FOR PERFECTION (New Chapter Press, $24.95, www.rogerfedererbook.com) as the two tennis titans meet in the semifinals of the 2009 Australian Open. In the 2004 Wimbledon final, a coach-less Federer sustained a Roddick surge to win his second Wimbledon title – and his third major tournament title. At Wimbledon in 2005, Federer dominated Roddick to win his third Wimbledon title and his first major title with his father Robert Federer in attendance. In the 2007 Australian Open semifinals, Federer played one of the greatest matches of his career to throttle Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 en route to his third Australian Open. Entering their 2009 Australian Open semifinal match, Federer leads his series with Roddick 15-2, with Roddick winning the most recent match by a 7-6(4) 4-6 6-3 margin in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. The book excerpts that chronicle these matches are featured below.
2004 Wimbledon Final – Federer def. Roddick 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-4
On a rainy, bitterly cold Fourth of July, Federer played Roddick, who not only was in his first Wimbledon final on his country's Independence Day, but on the birthday of his older brother John. Roddick clearly emerged as a solid No. 2 in the rankings behind Federer and took the identity of Federer's primary challenger, especially on grass. The head-to-head between the two stood at 5-1 in the favor of Federer, who unlike the year before in his semifinal match with Roddick, was now considered the heavy favorite.
But Roddick and his coach Brad Gilbert both did their homework. Roddick played with an intensity that was palpable all the way to the top rows of Centre Court. Roddick's power game dominated the early stages of the match as his brutal groundstrokes and lighting serve gave him the first set 6-4. The second set turned into a inexplicable rollercoaster ride-Federer took a 4-0 lead and had a point for 5-0, but lost two service games in a row and allowed Roddick to square the set at 4-4. But the tennis gods were in Federer's favor. At 6-5, a let court winner gave him a set point. A gorgeously played running cross court forehand winner on the next point gave Federer the set.
The defending champion, however, was still unable to seize complete control of the match. In the third set, he trailed 2-4 when the heavens intervened as rain forced a temporary suspension in the action. The delay lasted 40 minutes and-as strange as it may sound-proved to be a pivotal moment in the match.
The rain stoppage also provided the Australian Pat Cash enough time on the BBC TV coverage of the match to make another false prediction-he wouldn't bet any money on Federer winning the match. But Federer returned to the court as a man transformed and with a new tactic. As Cash used to do with much success, Federer rushed the net with greater frequency and began to win more and more points in that position. He won the third set in a tiebreak and was able to fend off six break points in the fourth set, before he broke Roddick's serve at 4-3 without losing a point. In just a matter of minutes, Federer was again the Wimbledon champion.
It was 5:55 pm local time in Great Britain when Federer sank to his knees and rolled onto his back having once again won the greatest title in tennis. The sun, meanwhile, came out from the clouds, and like the year before, showered the award ceremony in sunshine. As with the ceremony in 2003, the tears flowed. "At least this time I managed to hold them back a bit during the award ceremony," he remarked. "I'm even happier than last year."
He admitted how surprised he was at Roddick's aggressive and solid play. Federer said he himself made the decision during the rain delay in the third set to change tactics and to play more serve and volley. Of this, he said, he was proud. "Coach Federer is satisfied with Federer the tennis player," he quipped.
2005 Wimbledon Final – Federer def. Roddick 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-4
Federer unleashed a storm against Roddick at the start of the match-winning the first set in 22 minutes-a glaring difference to the previous year when the American dominated him from the start. In the second set, after the two players exchanged early breaks, Federer dominated the tie-break, taking it 7-2 to take a two-sets-to-love lead.
Although it was barely drizzling, Wimbledon officials ordered a suspension of play after the second set. Most of the spectators stayed in their seats, including Robert Federer, who watched his son play live in a Grand Slam final for the first time. While wife Lynette sat in the players' box alongside Roche and Mirka Vavrinec, Robert sat on the complete opposite side of Centre Court.
Robert Federer didn't have good memories of Wimbledon and it required courage for him to even venture to Centre Court to watch his son. His memories from his last visit to the All England Club in 2002 were still vivid-when he sat in the Players' Box and expected to see his son roll through an easy first-round win over Croatia's Mario Ancic. Instead, he witnessed "Rotschi" suffer one of the most bitter defeats of his career. Robert considered himself to be bad luck since then. His son finally convinced him to come. "Forget it! If I lose, then it certainly won't be because of you," Roger told him.
Robert Federer followed his son's first two Wimbledon victories at home in Switzerland. When British reporters caught up with him afterwards, he explained that somebody had to look after the family cat. In 2005, he decided to come to Wimbledon from the beginning as a test. Most British reporters sitting only a few meters away from him in the Centre Court stands did not recognize him behind his sun glasses. The Sun actually ran a story about him, but the man in the photo associated with the story was not even him, but Federer's physiotherapist Pavel Kovac.
Robert Federer was still nervous during the rain delay, even if his son's two-sets-to-love lead calmed his nerves. "Even the points that Roger loses he plays well," he said during the intermission. "I've always told him that he has to play aggressively and follow through with his strokes-anything else won't work."
Neither the short break-nor the supposed "jinx" presence of his father-could prevent Federer from winning his third Wimbledon title. After 101 minutes of play, an ace sealed his 6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory. He fell to the ground and, as before, the tears flowed. Federer became the eighth man in history-and only the third player since World War II-to win three-straight Wimbledon singles titles. The other two to turn the "hat trick" in the last 50 years were Björn Borg and Pete Sampras, but Federer resisted the comparisons. After all, the Swede won Wimbledon five straight years and Sampras won seven times in eight years. What Federer didn't say and perhaps wasn't even aware of was the fact that his achievement in winning his three Wimbledon titles was, in fact, more dominant than the first three titles won by both Borg and Sampras. Borg gave up nine sets in the process while Sampras surrendered 11 sets. Federer, by contrast, lost only four sets.
Federer was at a loss for words for his near perfect performance in the final. "I really played a fantastic match-one of my best in my life," he said. "I was playing flawless. Everything was working."
Of the 35 grass court tennis matches Andy Roddick played over the last three years, he only lost on three occasions. All three losses were to Roger Federer. "His performance this year was clearly better than last year's," said Roddick after his third-straight Wimbledon loss to Federer. "If I had played as well as today last year I probably would have won."
For a third year in a row Federer was the indeed the answer to the question "Guess Who is Coming To Dinner?" His guests for the Wimbledon Champions Dinner were Tony Roche and Robert Federer. Both men beamed with pride. The Wimbledon victory was very important to them as well.
"To me, Wimbledon is the greatest tournament in the world," said Roche, happy that he stayed in Europe with Federer for the grass season. "Playing against such a great opponent as Roddick in a Wimbledon final and playing at the level that he did-it can't get any better than that. On a scale from one to 10, that was a 10."
The Wimbledon champion was glad that his father was able to be with him at this special moment.
"He still gets upset if I miss a backhand or a forehand," he said to journalists the morning after his victory. "But I've learned to deal with this in the meantime because I know that he doesn't know as much about tennis as I used to think."
2007 Australian Open – Federer def. Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-2
Spurred by new coach Jimmy Connors, Roddick's career was back on the up-swing. In addition to his runner-up showing at the US Open, Roddick won the Tennis Masters Series event in Cincinnati and after his strong performances against Federer in the US Open final and Shanghai, as well as his exhibition victory over the Swiss at the Kooyong Classic, many speculated that Roddick was on Federer's heels. The hype increased when the two faced each other again in the Australian Open semifinals. Roddick lost 12 of the 13 encounters with Federer but the longer this losing streak continued, the greater the likelihood that Federer would eventually stumble and lose to Roddick. In what many people predicted would be an upset victory for Roddick turned into one of the bitterest days of the American's tennis career. Federer pulled off a masterpiece-one of the best matches of his career. He trailed 3-4 in the first set and then rolled off 15 of the next 17 games and won the semifinal match 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 in 83 minutes. "It was almost surreal," Federer said. "I'm shocked myself at how well I played." The statistics were incredibly lopsided as Federer hit as many winners in the match as Roddick won points.
Federer hit 45 winners to Roddick's 11, while he won 83 points to Roddick's 45. Federer also out-aced Roddick 10 to four, never lost his serve, and converted all seven break-point chances on Roddick's serve. At one point, Federer won 12 straight games to take a 3-0 lead in the third set. The signature shot in the match came on the opening point of the fourth game of the second set. Roddick unleashed a fierce forehand from short range that landed close to the baseline. Rather than getting out of the way of the rocket forehand, Federer leaned left into the ball and hit a reflex backhand half-volley that traveled cross-court for a winner.
"Darling, you are a maniac," Mirka told Federer after returning from his day's work to the locker room. Two-time Grand Slam winner Rod Laver, who witnessed the flawless display of tennis, also showed up in the locker room and congratulated the victor. "Roger played fantastic," said Laver. "He used all the strokes there were and Andy was a little frustrated. The only thing you could do is go to the net, shake hands and say, 'That was too good.'"
Roddick's post-match press conference was one of the most difficult of his career, but the American took the defeat like a man and was at least able to treat the humbling defeat with some humor. "It was frustrating. You know, it was miserable. It sucked. It was terrible. Besides that, it was fine," he said. Federer, he said, deserved all the praise that was being bestowed on him.
Mondays With Bob Greene: Ana Ivanovic May Even Be Better Than Maria Sharapova
Nikolay Davydenko won The Hypo Group Tennis International 2008 in Poertschach, Austria, defeating Juan Monaco 6-2 2-6 6-2
Sweden captured the ARAG World Team Cup in Duesseldorf, Germany, edging Russia 2-1 when Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling took the decisive doubles, downing Dimitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny 4-6 7-6 (5) 11-9
Gilles Simon defeated Julien Benneteau 7-5 6-2 to win the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, Morocco
Anabel Medina Garrigues successfully defended Internationaux de Strasbourg title by beating Katarina Srebotnik 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-0 in Strasbourg, France
Agnieszka Radwanska beat Elena Demetieva 6-3 6-2 to win the Istanbul Cup in Istanbul, Turkey
"I don't think I will ever come back. I think that it's important just to move on." – Justine Henin, confirming her retirement from tennis is for good.
"What better way could there be for me to say goodbye?" – Gustavo Kuerten, three-time French Open champion who retired after losing his first-round match at Roland Garros 6-3 6-4 6-2 to Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.
"I've never been this nervous in my whole life and maybe never been this glad in my whole life either. It's a great feeling." – Robin Soderling, after teaming with Robert Lindstedt to win the decisive doubles and lead Sweden to the ARAG World Team Cup title.
"Even though I was a qualifier this week, I knew that in theory I was number two of the tournament. I came here to win the tournament. I knew that I had my chances and it was a great week for me." – Gilles Simon, after winning the Grand Prix Hassan II.
'I had a couple of funny finals, but I would say this was the toughest. It stopped and started. I don't even know how long we were out there." – Katarina Srebotnik, who led 6-4 6-5 before losing at Strasbourg, France, to Anabel Medina Garrigues.
"I am very happy to win here and I have a lot of confidence going into Paris." – Nikolay Davydenko after winning The Hypo Group Tennis International 2008.
"In the warm-up I couldn't put the ball in the court because I was so nervous. So the first few games were more like my warm-up." – Agnieszka Radwanska, who won the Istanbul Cup
"The doctor did not give me the green light to serve at 100 percent. I prefer to focus on the grass-court season." – Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, pulling out of the French Open.
"I have had the best preparation I've had since 2002. I fell like I have played so many clay-court tournaments. I feel like I'm a clay-court player. I'm comfortable out there, which is great." – Serena Williams, saying she's one of the favorites to win at Roland Garros.
"I am probably more relaxed. I am now capable of saying the objective is just the next match." – Amelie Mauresmo, admitting the pressure to win the French Open has affected her game in the past.
"You have to concentrate. You just have to survive all the problems that come at you. It's like tennis' equivalent of a marathon." – Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, on playing at Roland Garros.
"If he's as good as he looks right now … and stays away from injuries and be motivated, it's going to be tough to beat him at the French." – Bjorn Borg, picking Rafael Nadal to win his fourth straight French Open.
"I don't think it's going to be anything that's terribly long and I would be surprised if he was not ready to go for Queen's. But as for now he needs to take a good 10 days, 12 days, just rest." – John Roddick, Andy's brother and coach, on the sixth-ranked American's right shoulder injury.
"There is sufficient cause for concern about the integrity of some players and those outside tennis who seek to corrupt them." – Report by an independent panel that concluded that 45 professional tennis matches in the past five years had suspicious betting patterns.
"James Blake is a great ambassador for his sport on and off the court. He is always friendly, courteous and lives the idea of Fair Play." – Dietloff von Arnim, tournament director of the ARAG World Team Cup while giving Blake the Fair Play Trophy for the second time.
"You taught me everything important in this sport." – James Blake, thanking his coach Brian Baker after receiving the Fair Play Trophy in Duesseldorf, Germany.
The ARAG ATP World Team Championships went into overtime before Sweden finally edged Russia 3-2 to collect the trophy. The two nations split the singles – Sweden's Robin Soderling beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-1 in the opener before Russia's Igor Andreev eclipsed Thomas Johansson 2-6 6-3 6-4, ensuring that the doubles would be decisive. Soderling and Robert Lindstedt, who were undefeated during the week, rallied from behind to nip Dimitry Tursunov and Youzhny 4-6, 7-6 (5) 11-9.
A host of French players and two former world number ones – Americans Lindsay Davenport and Andy Roddick – are among the growing crowd skipping the French Open for various reasons, including retirement, injuries and fatigue. Another former number one, three-time defending women's champion Justine Henin, shocked tennis when she announcement her retirement last week. Others who have pulled out of Roland Garros include French players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who will undergo right knee surgery, Sebastiab Grosjean and Tatiana Golovin; Americans Meilen Tu and Meghann Shaugnessy; India's Sania Mirza; Romania's Andrei Pavel, and Austria's Stefan Koubek.
The cover of Sports Illustrated's South Africa edition shows a topless Ana Ivanovic with her arms strategically wrapped around her body. The edition is headlined "Beauties of Sport Special Issue," while the cover line says, "Author Paul Fein wrote of Ivanovic: "Breathtakingly beautiful and very talented, the Serbian tennis star has blazed up the WTA Tour rankings. We never … ever … thought we'd say this, but she may even better than Maria."
American Ashley Harkleroad revealed that she posed for the August edition of Playboy magazine. The 23-year-old Harkleroad, who is ranked 61st in the world, noted other athletes who have appeared in the magazine include Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard and former volleyball player Gabrielle Reese. "I'll be the first tennis player ever. That's kind of cool," Harkleroad said.
Anabel Medina Garrigues is very comfortable at Strasbourg, France. For the second straight year and the third time in her career, the Spaniard won the Internationaux de Strasbourgh, this time rallying from a 6-4 6-5 deficit to beat Katarina Srebotnik 4-6 7-6 (4) 6-0 in a title match plagued by rain delays. Besides her three titles in Strasbourg, Medina Garrigues has won at Palermo, Italy, four times in her eight career titles.
When Agnieszka Radwanska knocked off top-seeded and defending champion Elena Dementieva 6-3 6-2 to win the Istanbul Cup, she became the first Polish woman to surpass USD $1 million in career earnings on the WTA Tour. It was the third career title for Radwanska, who won at Stockholm, Sweden, last year and Pattaya City, Thailand, earlier this season. The loss was Dementieva's first in eight matches in Istanbul.
Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling not only outlasted their Russian opponents to lift Sweden to the title of the 2008 ARAG World Team Cup, the pair also won the tournament's doubles ranking. Lindstedt and Soderling captured all three of their round-robin matches in straight sets, then capped the week with a 4-6 7-6 (5) 11-9 win over Mikhail Youzhny and Dimitry Tursunov in the decisive match. Their victory in the final was enough to earn the pair an additional $15,700 along with the Rheinische Post Doubles Cup. Soderling won all eight matches he played – four singles and four doubles – during the week, joining John McEnroe and Fernando Gonzalez as the only players in the 31-year history of the tournament to achieve the feat.
James Blake was awarded the Fair Play Trophy at the ARAG World Team Cup for the second time. The honor was voted on by the media representatives and the eight team captains.
Maria Sharapova will have extra sparkle when she takes to the court at Roland Garros. The world number one will be wearing earrings designed by Tiffany's Elsa Peretti, part of a two-year partnership between the tennis star and the jeweler. Sharapova also will be wearing a "Paris dress" by Nike which will have a luminous Tiffany pearl button closure.
Tennis will take closer look at 45 matches played over the past five years that produced unusual better patterns. An independent panel recommended a closer investigation be made along with creating both an anti-corruption program and an integrity unit in tennis. The four Grand Slam tournaments, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), APT and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour accepted all 15 recommendations of the Environmental Review of Integrity in Professional Tennis, which concluded that "professional tennis is neither systematically nor institutionally corrupt."
The Barnard Medal of Distinction – Barnard College's highest honor – was bestowed on Billie Jean King at the school's 116th commencement ceremony in New York City. King was honored for her being a pioneering athlete and champion for social equality.
United States Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe is one of nine new members of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men's Hall of Fame. Inducted in ceremonies at Tulsa, Oklahoma, were McEnroe, who played at Stanford, Steve Denton of Texas, David DiLucia of Notre Dame, Donald Johnson of North Carolina, Jim Pugh of UCLA, Robbie Weiss of Pepperdine and Chris Woodruff of Tennessee. Also inducted were Tom Jacobs, honored for his longtime contributions while at the NCAA, and Minnesota coach Jerry Noyce. The ITA Men's Hall of Fame has inducted more than 170 players, coaches and contributors, including the late Arthur Ashe (UCLA), Jimmy Connors (UCLA), John McEnroe (Stanford) and Stan Smith (Southern California).
Stefan Edberg, a six-time Grand Slam champion, including two Wimbledons, will join the BlackRock Tour of Champions later this year. The 42-year-old Swede, who retired from the ATP circuit 12 years ago, will compete in Paris, France, in September and in London, England, in December. Also joining the senior circuit are former French Open champions Michael Chang and Yevgeny Kafelnikov along with 1996 Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington.
Bangalore is the next stop for the ATP tournament that has been held in Mumbai the last two years. Located in southern India, Bangalore was host to the ATP World Doubles Championships in 2000. The Bangalore Open, which will begin play on Sept. 29, is being promoted by a company owned by Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi.
The first chief executive officer of the ATP Tour, Hamilton Jordan, is dead. The political strategist behind Jimmy Carters successful 1976 run to the White House, Jordan led the formation of the ATP Tour when it began in 1990. Jordan, who died at his home in Atlanta, Georgia, was 63.
Doubles Champions
Poertschach: Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa beat Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer 7-5 6-7 (3) 13-11
Casablanca: Albert Montanes and Santiago Ventura beat James Cerretani and Todd Perry 6-1 6-2
Istanbul: Jill Craybas and Olga Govortsova beat Marina Erakovic and Polona Hercog 6-1 6-2
Strasbourg: Yan Zi and Tatiana Perebiynis beat Chan Yung-Jan and Chuang Chia-Jung 6-4 6-7 (3) 10-6 (tiebreak)
French Open (Roland Garros): www.rolandgarros.com/
French Tennis Federation: www.fft.fr/portail/
Ana Ivanovic: www.anaivanovic.com/
Anna Kournikova: http://clubs.sportsmates.com/kournikova/
Rafael Nadal: www.rafaelnadal.com
$11,034,805 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$10,891,368 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$11,034,805 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$150,000 Prostejov Challenger, Prostejov, Czech Republic, clay
$10,891,368 Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay
$100,000 Tiro A Volo, Rome, Italy, clay


text:
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.
I know it's football season, my husband knows it's football season, and my tv certainly knows it.
But I'm not the biggest sports fan…. you know what I can get behind?
Football Food!
Yep, having a bunch of friends over, eating tasty apps with all the kids running around?
That's my idea of good time.
I don't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen, but it's fun to come up a tasty spin on something classic, like a frozen pizza.
DiGiorno Pizzas are currently on Rollback at Walmart… which fits perfectly into my party budget.
$4.50 a pizza? Yes, please!
So here's how it went down- I wanted to give my pizzas a certain something extra.
First up, a five-cheese pizza with arugula salad topping.
I love how fancy restaurants serve salad on top of pizza. Makes it look so festive. Plus, you can have a salad and pizza, which makes it the perfect meal!
The arugula salad was so simple… didn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen.
Simple Arugula Salad:
3 cups arugula salad, washed
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
handful of blue cheese crumbles (or whichever crumbled cheese you prefer)
good swig of lemon juice (add to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Toss & top pizza!
Next up, one of all-time favorite flavors: Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese
Such a classic game time flavor, right?
Dice up some cooked chicken breast, brown, and top with hot sauce.
Add to pizza, and top with blue cheese crumbles and dried parsley.
Now that pizza is dressed to impress! My party people loved it and so will yours!
Do you guys like to upgrade classic football food? Maybe put a twist on something easy to prepare? I'd love to hear your ideas!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Saki Mizushima
Jump to navigation Jump to search
|Saki Mizushima
水嶋 咲
|"Ehehe♪ I'll give you my papi-est smile☆"
|Member of
|SideM Character Data
The moodmaker of Café Parade who values being himself above all else!
|Card Data (Mobage)
|Card Data (LOS)
Saki Mizushima is one of the Idols available to produce at 315 Productions. He was a former crossdressing maid before forming the Idol Unit, Café Parade with Soichiro Shinonome, Asselin BB II, Makio Uzuki, and Yukihiro Kamiya.
Profile[edit | edit source]
Saki is a former café waitress. Though he looks like a girl, he's a boy through and through. At any rate, he loves cute things, and felt that being an idol, a job where he can wear whatever cute clothes and accessories he likes, was his calling. His bright, positive personality makes him beloved by all, and a perfect choice for getting concert goers pumped up.
(From 2nd Anniversary Book)
Resume[edit | edit source]
- Reasons for Becoming an Idol
- So I can live my life the way I want to!...
Do I sound too much like a show-off saying that? Ehehe~
- Personal Motto
- I love the word "Love"!
- Comments for the Future
- I've been searching for a place where I can belong for so long, and at last I was finally able to find it! I'm gonna treasure this place, but I wanna try seeing other worlds too! I'm gonna give it all I've got, and do my papi-est in all things idol!
- Comments about Unit Members
- Roll is my PFF: Papi-est friend forever! Kamiya is your average Mr. Nice Guy. Listening to Asselin talk is fun, so I miiight like him☆ There's just one teensy thing I have against Soichiro though~ He gets sooo scary when he's angry!
Discography[edit | edit source]
Event and Gacha History[edit | edit source]
Events[edit | edit source]
- Action! Little Red Riding Hood
- Baile of Love and Passion
- Cosmetic Tonight
- Long Night ~Hotel of Nightmares~
- Meet, See, and Pet! Animal Safari Park
- ORIGIN@L PIECES LIVE in Kobe
- Parade of Glowing Flower
- Retro Coffee Shop
- Take a Breath☆Coffee Break
- The Autumn Demons that Dance Amongst the Crimson Leaves
- The Desert Kings Live
- Valkyries of Guidance Live
- Xmas Live 2016 -Side:Amuse-
Gacha[edit | edit source]
- 3rd Anniversary Live ~6 Person Banquet~
- Arabian Night Live
- Dancing Swan of the Rink
- Frogs that Color the Rainy Season Live
- Green Parade
- Halloween Night Party 2016
- Hidden Power! Alchemy Live
- Milky Way Live 2015
- New Year! Great Prayer Festival Live
- Underwater Aquarium! The Paradise of Goldfish
- Welcome Cafe Parade!
- Werewolf GAME x Dark Night Party


text:
Hello it's been a while, so here's some biscuits!
« previous entry | next entry »
Jun. 30th, 2011 | 10:04 pm
Hey, it's been like....... ages. I've been mega busy with life and stuff, but not too busy to put up a couple of comics up on ye olde Klank! website and to start work on another little project I've had in mind for a while.......allow me to introduce the Finger Biscuits.
Here's the family.
And here's the first strip to feature these chaps, I hope they'll become your biscuity chums?
If I told you that the whole idea for these guys came from a conversation I had with my kids about Power Rangers, you'd think I was mad but it's true I tell you - TRUE.
Leave a comment below if you are so inclined, the biscuits would find this pleasing.
Oh and follow me on twitter, I'm @rickeadescomics


text:
1 's
Check out now. Fast, Easy, Secure Checkout.
Primary Material: Genuine Real Leather. Silky Thread
Size: 15 inches(Height) x 18 inches(Diameter) ? // 35cm(Height) x 50cm
Pattern: Round / Embroidered
Color: Black
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU NEED ANY INFORMATION OR HAVE ANY INQUIRIES. Thank you very much for shopping with KechLifestyle, Have a great time !
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:
Tired of waiting?
Click here to disable ads!
**wow! front page and 160k views! thats unreal! - I'd sure appreciate anyone who likes my stuff to check out my youtube channel!**
**Thanks for daily 3rd! i feel like its been so long since i've submitted a short comedic toon - i really do appreciate it - much more to come**
how goes it everyone!
Here's just a quick short I worked on - so I hope you like it!
Starring the wonderful Morgan Lea - -Check out this awesome
project she is working on - based on Dr. Who
http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=o7GG4loOPmY
visit my new channel:
http://www.youtube.com/us er/LewToons
also here is the original commercial that this is kind of inspired from: http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=uEpBYKOs3ys
see you on the flip flop!
**Edit: Seems a common question here and on youtube is: "why would zelda be doing this" or "why zelda" - - this toon is based off of those old GI JOE style psa's that they used to have after the cartoons..where the characters would appear in some situation they had no business in, and offer advice to some random children. it's an 80s cartoon thing...did captain planet do those too? haha **
Newgrounds accounts are free and registered users see fewer ads!
haha nice!
HAHA XD pretty funny parody nice job!
that bench is involved in homosexulaity.
the ending was gay
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text:
Phone Numbers
Contact Info
Customer Service
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Get the App
© GetHuman Inc.
Virgin Mobile: I keep getting a message sent to me "could'nt s...
A Virgin Mobile customer review by GetHuman user ~RAD from November 18th, 2017
Background on ~RAD's case
~RAD - can you tell our other Virgin Mobile customers when your case took place?
Yup. It was morning, on November 13th.
Did you reach out to Virgin Mobile, and if so, how?
I used the 888-322-1122 number I found for on the GetHuman Virgin Mobile customer phone number page I was on:
Virgin Mobile Customer Service Phone Number
And which of these common Virgin Mobile customer issues best describes the reason you wanted to talk to them?
Shows ~RAD a list of common Virgin Mobile problems
"Change plan" was why I was trying to call.
~RAD's review of Virgin Mobile customer service
So how would you sum up your experience for GetHuman's Virgin Mobile customer community? We'll censor any IDs, numbers, or codes and any inappropriate words here out of respect to the millions of other customers using this resource.
I keep getting a message sent to me "could'nt sign in to your yahoo account-do you want to update your username & password?" I'm playing a game, not even trying to login. Is someone trying to hack or phish my account? please help!
Let's quantify your experience contacting Virgin Mobile. On a scale of 1 to 5, how easy is it go get help on a Virgin Mobile problem?
I'd give them a three out of five for ease of finding your way to help.
What about quality of communication. How would you rate that on a 1 to 5 scale?
I'd give them a two out of five on communication.
And what about Virgin Mobile's ability to quickly and effectively address your problem?
For that I would say three out of five.
And finally- any advice for other Virgin Mobile customers?
Call them early in the day or late. Don't forget any personal or account information you might need for Virgin Mobile to know who you are.
Well there you have it. Some useful feedback and words from ~RAD taken from his Virgin Mobile customer service problem that occurred on November 13th, 2017.
Virgin Mobile
3.38 of 5 stars | 235 reviews
Virgin Mobile Reviews
Virgin Mobile's Phone Number
All Virgin Mobile contact info
General Virgin Mobile customer service info
~RAD's Virgin Mobile Review
Difficulty of finding help
3 out of 5 stars
Quality of communication
2 out of 5 stars
Timeliness and professionalism
3 out of 5 stars
Overall customer service rating
3 out of 5 stars
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Virgin Mobile Review: I keep getting a message sent to me "could'nt s... | ~RAD


text:
【Weekly Report】2019W13
1.Analysis of Bancor Equations Supporting REX
In this document, we describe the Bancor equations supporting REX and the reasoning behind setting the REX initial state and any possible constraints on the system.
For a full list of updates made in this release, please refer to the Summary of Changes in REX Implementation. in detail on Github.
2.EOSIO.contracts Version 1.6.0
This release provides an example of a system contract that provides the resource exchange (REX) functionality for the community to review, adapt, and build on. The contract functionality is provided within the eosio.system contract while the corresponding user interfaces, deployment choices, etc. are not provided. As designed, REX is a CPU and Network resource rental market in which holders of the core token of the blockchain can lend portions of their existing resource allocations by buying and selling REX tokens into the REX pool. Core token holders are allowed to participate in the REX pool only after having voted for at least 21 Block Producers or have delegated their votes to one proxy. Refer to the Summary of Changes in EOSIO.contracts v1.6.0 in detail on Github
3.Connecting Ethereum, EOS, and Tron: Making Blockchain Interoperability a Reality
Over the coming weeks, Loom Network will be releasing integrations for Tron and EOS into PlasmaChain — effectively allowing DApp developers to offer their DApps to users on all three chains simultaneously.
Last week, Loom Network announced the integration of the top 100 ERC20 tokens into PlasmaChain.
1. Sense.Chat – The First Provably Secure Video Messenger App
(BUSINESS WIRE)–Available now on iOS and Android, Sense.Chat allows you to safely chat and transact with your friends, family, and even strangers in the global messenger community. The Sense.Chat Encryption Protocol uses advanced cryptography combined with the EOS Blockchain to deliver messages so that users will be able to "Trust No One" and maintain their privacy in an unparalleled, highly secure application. Within seconds, you can create an account then start chatting and sharing cryptocurrencies with the built-in digital wallet.
2.LiquidApps Introduces vAccounts: Free Virtual Accounts As a Service
vAccounts can hold any number of 3rd party tokens at any given time, by keeping the balance rows of those tokens in the vRAM System. This enables vAccount users to interact with many other contracts in a seamless way.
Additionally, dApps could offer users who have a sufficient balance of the dApp-specific tokens the option of converting them to EOS and creating a native account on the EOS mainnet. With time, vAccounts for a specific dApp could potentially interact directly with any 3rd party dApp which supports vAccounts.
3.DEXEOS: CUSD Market Introduction
CarbonUSD is a price-stable cryptocurrency that is one-to-one backed with USD; being independently audited and easily redeemable. Furthermore, CarbonUSD provides a secure, adaptable, stable, transparent, and borderless stable crypto coin.
Now, DEXEOS is taking the step of integrating the CUSD Market into the trading platform. Users have the freedom today to directly trade CUSD between various tokens operating in the EOS ecosystem.
4.USDE, a decentralized stable-coin on EOS
USDEOS is an EOS based two-token stablecoin system. The system uses smart contracts to generate USDE stablecoin. With conservative Collateralization Ratios, the system neutralizes the potential crisis of confidence and allows the stablecoin to 1:1 peg to USD.
Decentralized issuers, transparent and flexible, high performance and real-time settlements: this is a collateral backed stablecoin ecosystem with real multi-layer financial use cases.
1. WordPress for EOS, the Wordproof plugin
WordPress is a textbook example of a community which is stronger than any other commercial company. With more than 100 million sites and thousands of Open Source developers, it dominates 32,5% of the worldwide Content Management System market.
The purpose of WordProof is to generate the go-to WordPress to Blockchain bridge, bringing the benefits of Blockchain and EOSIO to the WordPress community in a user-friendly way, without any middle layer solutions. It is 100% accessible and forever free.
2.Decentralized Porn Community on EOS and IPFS
HashBaby adopts a completely new design on EOS and IPFS, decouples business logic, computing and data storage, and implements a low-cost, high-efficiency and flexible system on the basis of decentralization
The "HBP + HBS" dual token structure helps protect users from suffering the high fluctuation of the token price.
3.KARMA Releases Update: Version 1.5
Easy Sign Up with Facebook
This was designed with non-crypto users in mind. People now can easily sign up with a Facebook account and create a free EOS account.
Condensed App To One Version
This was done to make design improvements and updates faster for future releases.
Never Run Out Of CPU
Users running out of CPU was an obvious issue for DAPPS to scale to millions of users. Now, whenever a user runs out of CPU, they can click a button and get EOS delegated to them for the next 8 hours. If they need more after that, they can just click the button again.
Supported Languages For Korea & China
This is important as KARMA grows to support more and more languages around the world.
Fixed Performance Bugs
There were several bugs fixed that improve speed, navigation and other pesky bugs.


text:
Roofing Services
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text:
Framed Enlargements
Product Details:
- Our frames are made from 100% sustainably-produced wood, painted black, and the mattes we use are 4ply.
- We print on professional Kodak paper with a luster finish.
- All frames come with a sawtooth hanger on the reverse for hanging. This is installed according to the orientation of the photo you have selected for printing so you can hang it perfectly!
- If you have something a bit more abstract that you are worried will be hung in the wrong orientation, please e-mail us at email@example.com with your photo attached in the proper orientation so we can pass a note on to production.
For each frame, the individual image sizes are as follows:
- 4x4 Frame: Matte window is 4x4" (10.16x10.16cm)
- Black frames are 9.25 x 9.25in (23.46x23.46cm)
- White frames are 10.125x10.125in (25.72x25.72cm)
- 8x10 Frame: Matte window is 8x10" (20.32x25.4cm)
- Black frames are 12.25 x 15.25in (31.1x38.7cm)
- White frames are 13.125 x 16.125in (33.337x40.957cm)
- 11x14 Frame: Matte window is 11x14" (27.94x35.56cm)
- Black frames are 16.25 x 19.25in (41.28x48.9cm)
- White frames are 17.125 x 20.125in (43.497x51.117cm)
- 16x20 Frame: Matte window is 16x20" (40.64x50.8 cm)
- Black frames are 21.25in x 25.25in (53.98x64.13 cm)
- White frames are 22.125 x 26.125in (56.197x66.357cm)
Order Framed Enlargements here!
Ordering Tips:
For the rectangular sizes you may lose some of your image to cropping if the aspect ratio is not correct in your original file. To fit your entire photo, please follow the guidelines below:
- 8x10 print, crop your photo to a ratio of 4:5
- 11x14 print, crop your photo to a ratio of 11:14
- 16x20 print, crop your photo to a ratio of 4:5
We do have minimum sizes for these larger framed prints. Minimum sizes are below:
- 8x10 print: 800x1000 px
- 11x14 print: 1100x1400 px
- 16x20 print: 1600x200 px
These framed prints are matted, and matting can crop the images ever so slightly. We recommend leaving a 1/4" of space between any subject and the crop line to ensure all crucial parts of your photo are visible.
Printing in Landscape?
To rotate your images so that they will be printed landscape, upload the images then click "Crop" in the uploader screen. You'll see a window pop-up that will allow you to "Rotate Selection". Click that and adjust the crop according to your wishes. Boom: landscape prints!


text:
Seasonal Specialties
Seasonal Specialties - Winter
This is an educational interview with Dangene who will share her expert knowledge on how to care for your skin throughout the winter season.
Q: How does cold weather affect the skin?
The skin doesn't stand a chance without a little TLC! The skin becomes dry, cracked, burnt or gray looking because of the mixture of ice, snow and dry heat. The absolute best thing to do is drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and remember that after every face washing to moisturize while the skin is still dewy and warm to allow for better absorption. Using a dab of the dangene moisturizer to lock it all in isn't a bad idea either!
Q: What is a good way to prevent chapped lips?
Wear lip balm 24/7. Make sure to have one handy!
Q: Is there a good way to get rid of redness that plagues everyone's noses in the winter?
Keep your nose covered when it's icy cold outside and don't use any paper tissue - cloth only. Carry an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on you at all times and apply a dab when necessary.
Q: What is a good way to remedy dry, flaky, dull 'winter' skin?
A weekly dangene Team SRT (Skin Rejuvenation Treatment) is the best thing! But remember to drink tons of water and moisturize on your own too.
Q: Are there any treatments/products you recommend for dry/chapped hands?
We love L'Occitane hand cream for dry/chapped/sensitive hands.
Q: Is it just as important to wear sunscreen in the winter?
We love zinc based physical sun blocks if you're going to be out in the sun, but please - no chemical blocks! It clogs pores and makes you look dull.
Q: What is the best way to winter-proof your skin?
Be sure to keep your skin covered when outdoors and also don't sleep in a room with the heater on. By all means leave the heater on in another room while you sleep. Sleeping in the same room as your heater will only dry your skin out and give you a burnt and rosy complexion.
Q: What do you recommend for those who have rosacea that seems to get worse in the winter?
If you have Rosacea, you must keep your skin covered in the cold and apply a tiny dab of hydrocortisone cream both in the morning and night.
Q: Should exfoliation be done more in the winter?
The same exfoliating rules apply all year round so no need to overdo it. Letting the team exfoliate your dry skin and staying hydrated is your golden ticket during the winter months.
Q: Can you recommend any good products that will keep your skin nice and moisturized throughout the cold winter days?
We love the dangene, Obagi, Circ-Cell, and Ayur-Medic products but please remember that every product prescription is customized. A Skinovator will recommend the perfect products for your winter skin!


text:
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text: Courage: Total Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius July 26, 2018 As we release the trauma associated with Aquarius, its gifts can be harnessed: Aquarius-Leo asks us not to choose either mind or body; head or heart, but to integrate the two. To keep the logic and refined intellect that humanity has developed, in part as a response to pain, and to merge that with the spontaneous and natural life and love that arise as we inhabit our bodies once again. Read More


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Collins Dauda charged for abetment
Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Alhaji Collins Dauda, has been charged with abetment of crime.
General Secretary of National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu disclosed this to reporters yesterday.
Mr Nketia said he accompanied the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asutifi South on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 to the Police Headquarters where they were kept for more than three hours before he was charged and later granted bail.
According to him, the manner in which armed policemen, he believed are members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante group, Delta Forces, stormed the Accra and Ahafo homes of the former Minister, leaves much to be desired.
On Tuesday dawn, some police officers stormed the residence of the Asutifi South MP both at the constituency and in Accra to arrest him.
The officers claimed they had order from above but Collins Dauda was not home when the incident occurred.
The NDC General Secretary said after waiting for long hours at the police headquarters, the MP was charged with abetment of assault.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has maintained that its personnel adopted lawful procedure in inviting MP for Asutifi South, to the police headquarters for questioning.
This is contrary to claims by the Minority in Parliament that the police did not follow due process in inviting the MP for questioning.
The speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye and the Minority described as unacceptable the attempted arrest of the Asutifi South MP after armed police men allegedly invaded his residences.
Story: News DESK


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Buy this collection of optimum quality Ceiling Speaker in different specifications, designs and shapes. It find its application in various departmental stores, sports halls, public address applications, restaurants, hotels etc. for music or speech. Besides this, our offered device ensures power handling capacity up to 6watts, high sound pressure level, excellent frequency response, wide opening angle and more. Ceiling Speaker has in-build 100V line matching transformer, compact design, high performance efficiency and dimensional accuracy. In addition to this, the said range can be easily mounted on the wall and requires low maintenance. It is widely known for its maximum volume, hassle free functioning and robust construction.


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Here's my solo sketch reel made up of some highlights from my review at Toronto Sketchfest in 2019 that got 4 N's from Now Magazine, and resulted in my addition to the Best of the Fest showcase at the end of the festival.
Here's my acting reel. Clips from projects ranging from webseries, to festival promo, to cable TV.


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24: Murphy Brown Has a Gay Co-Worker
"Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are" (March 9, 1992)
Just when you think Murphy Brown's take on a gay episode is overstuffed with heteros sharing bad information about alternative lifestyles, the last scene gives the one-off gay character some earnest, heartfelt lines. In the end, Murphy Brown did the gay character good. Queer culture impresario Matt Baume joins Glen and Drew to talk Candice Bergen, Faith Ford and gunge. (Look it up.)
Check out A Love Bizarre, downtown Los Angeles' new queer art space
The Queen's Vernacular, the vintage dictionary of gay slang mentioned by Matt
The Allusionist's episode all about Polari, Britain's gay secret language
Queens of Adventure, Matt's drag queen Dungeons & Dragons podcast
Culture Cruise, Matt's YouTube series about gay pop culture
Sewers of Paris, Matt's gay pop culture podcast but also Drew's episode of Sewers of Paris
Also below is Drew's supercut of Invitation to Hell, the Susan Lucci movie that also stars Frank Fontana. (Drew likes his custom supercuts.)


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Soursop is a fruit, also known as graviola, it is used as a source of fiber and vitamins, and its consumption is recommended in cases of constipation, diabetes and obesity.
This fruit has an oval shape, with a dark green peel, that is covered with "thorns". The inner part is made up of a white pulp with slightly sweet and slightly acidic flavor, being used in the preparation of vitamins and desserts.
The scientific name of graviola is Annona muricata L. and can be found in markets, fairs and natural products stores.
Health benefits os soursop
Soursop can be used in various situations because of it's unique proprieties, such as:
- Decreases insomnia, because it's composition compounds can promote relaxation and drowsiness;
- Hydrates the body, since the fruit pulp consists mainly of water;
- Decreases blood pressure, because it is a fruit with diuretic properties and so can help regulate blood pressure;
- Treatment of stomach diseases, such as gastritis and ulcer, since it has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing pain;
- Prevention of osteoporosis and anemia, as it is a fruit very rich in calcium, phosphorus and iron;
- Treatment of diabetes, because it has fibers that prevent sugar from increasing rapidly in the blood;
- Delay of aging, since it has antioxidant properties, which can fight free radicals;
- Relief of rheumatism pain, because it has antirheumatic properties, reducing inflammation and pain.
Graviola can also be used for the treatment of obesity, constipation, liver disease, migraine, flu, verms and depression, since it is a great mood modulator.
Can soursop cure cancer?
The relationship between graviola consumption and cancer cure has not yet been scientifically proven, however several studies have been conducted with the aim of studying the components of soursop and its effect on cancer cells.
Recent studies have shown that soursop is rich in acetogenins, which is a group of metabolic products that have a cytotoxic effect and are capable of acting directly on cancer cells. In addition, it has been seen in the studies that the long-term consumption of soursop has a preventive effect and therapeutic potential for several types of cancer.
Nevertheless, more specific studies are needed involving graviola and its components to verify the true effect of this fruit on cancer, since its effect may vary according to the mode of cultivation of the fruit and concentration of its bioactive components.
How to consume
Graviola can be consumed in several ways: natural, as a supplement in capsules, in desserts, teas and juices. Everything from graviola can be harnessed, from the root to the flowers.
- Graviola tea: It is made with 10 g of dried graviola leaves, which should be placed in 1 liter of boiling water. After 10 minutes, you should strain and consume 2 to 3 cups after meals;
- Graviola juice: To make the juice just put in the blender 1 soursop, 3 pears, 1 orange and 1 papaya, along with water and sugar to taste. Once beaten, you can consume.
When not to eat soursop
The consumption of soursop is not indicated for pregnant women, people with mumps, canker sores or mouth injuries, since the acidity of the fruit can cause pain, and people with hypotension, because one of the side effects of this fruit is the decrease in blood pressure.
In addition, hypertensive individuals should be advised by the cardiologist about the consumption of soursop, as the fruit may interact with the medicines used or even reduce the pressure very much, which may lead to hypotension.


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Description of ARC-VC LOMA in OJAI, CA
Number of Beds : 6
Arc Vc Loma, located in Ojai, California provides the following services: Assisted Living and Micro-Community. Arc Vc Loma has an average hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, located nearby, which scored a 80 out of 100 in its most recent Medicare review. The Arc Vc Loma's nearest hospital is 1 miles away. The zipcode (93023) in California, where Arc Vc Loma is located, has an above average safety rating based on recent crime statistics.
ARC-VC LOMA is an assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities are an apartment-style habitat designed to focus on providing assistance with daily living activities. They provide a higher level of service for the elderly which can include preparing meals, housekeeping, medication assistance, laundry, and also do regular check-in's on the residents. Basically, they are designed to bridge the gap between independent living and nursing home facilities. When thinking about how to pay for care, assisted living facilities are generally less expensive than nursing homes, if assisted living is a viable option for your loved one.
Also, ARC-VC LOMA is a Micro community, which means it is a smaller senior community. Some people prefer it for its smaller less institutional setting.
Source: SNAPforSeniors, Inc.
Demographic Profile for OJAI, CA, 93023
Cost Of Living
Compared to the National Average
Provided By EPA; Closer to 100 is better
Annual Crime
Nearby Hospitals
Ojai Valley Community Hospital1306 Maricopa Hwy
Ojai CA 93023
Nearby Drug Stores
Thrifty Payless Inc11496 North Ventura Avenue
Distance: 2.0 miles
(805) 646-6697
National Health Care Pharmacy Inc960 E Ojai Ave
Distance: 2.0 miles
(805) 646-0106
Haleivo Inc202 E Ojai Ave
Distance: 2.0 miles
(805) 646-7272
Nearby Churches
Ojai Valley Baptist Church11642 N Ventura Ave
Ojai, CA
Distance: 0.4 miles
Ojai Valley Community Church907 El Centro St
Ojai, CA
Distance: 0.6 miles
Ojai Presbyterian Church304 Foothill Rd
Ojai, CA
Distance: 2.1 miles


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It is easy to be smitten by chameleons. From their colors, horns, tongue, color change, and….just all of what they are, they are truly other-worldly and have a quick charm about them. Their popularity continues to grow through movie appearances and social media exposure. In addition, a growing community of breeders has made robust, captive bred chameleons easily available. But do they make good pets? Today we will discuss what kind of pets chameleons are.
Transcript (more or less):
I just got back from one of the west coast's largest reptile shows. And I saw some examples of how our reptile community is improving when it comes to chameleons and how we still have far to go. But there is one trend that is greatly encouraging. In my time at the show talking to people about chameleons, I ran into a much higher number of people there doing research for a future purchase. This is wonderful! Not only are they researching chameleons, but they are researching who they should talk to and who will give the best advice! They are willing to spend the money for the right equipment upfront. All you experienced chameleon keepers know the truth – chameleon keeping is almost – dare I say, easy – when you set yourself up right from the beginning. Just think of most of the problems we spend our days solving on social media. Wrong husbandry advice. Inadequate equipment. Missing equipment. How many problems do we have to solve with someone who has a proper cage, lighting system, misting system, and supplementation? Not much at all! This show, though, I did much more discussion with people who were taking their research to a step before that. They were wondering if a chameleon was right for them in the first place. Wow. Now there is some insight. When you step outside of what you want and consider what is best for the animal you are bringing into your life you are doing it right. You need to make sure you are able to properly care of this creature and that your expectations are something a chameleon can fulfill.
Now many of you listening are long time listeners and are already passed this question. But once people learn you have a chameleon you are likely going to run into this question from them so let's put our experience into words. I will be directing this podcast to speak to the ones that have been linked here and are asking this question for the first time.
So let's dive in and ask the question – do chameleons make good pets? I am going to start off by saying that that depends on what we want with bringing another living being into our homes. There are many reasons why we bring animals close to us. Some are for companionship such as dogs and cats, some are for helping with work such as protection or herding sheep, and you could go on and on. Each animal has a certain personality make up that makes them suited for certain roles, and, by the same token, unsuited for other roles. Today's discussion will focus on what is the personality make up of chameleons, what role can they play, and what role can't they play.
I'd like to start by stepping back and exploring expectations surrounding any sort of pet. We usually think of a pet as form of companionship.
As you have heard on this podcast before, the best pets for companionship, and this means touch, cuddling, and sharing excitement and sorrow are the animals that feel those same emotions and have the same understanding of what touch means. Dogs are man's best friend because they form social groups that are structured in both respect for authority and affection for pack mates. They play with each other. They feel excitement and they feel sorrow. It isn't much work for them to accept that we are just ugly dogs with less fur and hands that can open containers with treats in them. Cats have a looser take on social structure and respect for authority, but it is still well within the circle of what we understand. Parrots are further out, but have such strong bonds with their flock members that they can imprint that on humans and become incredibly affectionate family members. Although it is interesting to note that much of the problems with parrots is they have a very strong bond with their flock mates and being kept in a cage with alone time is depressing for them. If you get a parrot you better have done your research into what a parrot needs for emotional health from you as their flock and be prepared for an endless need for attention – especially if you fall in love with a cockatoo. They will self-mutilate if isolated. So even though they have plenty of social structure elements that we do, we still have to acknowledge the differences. The further we get into the animal world the more foreign the social structure. And if we are going to take an animal out of its natural environment and make them part of ours, it is incumbent upon us to adjust to their social structure instead of assuming they will adjust to ours. So let's review what a chameleon is and if we bring one into our home, what role in the social structure do we play?
Let's start at the beginning. Upon birth, chameleons scatter. Whether digging their way out of the ground or being birthed live, the baby's first instinct is to disperse and do their best to eat and not be eaten so they can grow up and reproduce. The significance with this is that they have no family concept. There is no benevolent being bringing food and offering protection. So the concepts we humans have as far as love and nurturing when we are children is completely foreign and non-existent to them. They grow up aware of other chameleons as family members or teammates. Other chameleons are competition and only have interaction value when it comes to mating later in life. Until then, others are just more mouths to share resources with. During all of this there is no such thing as nurturing or bonding with other chameleons. So we need to realize that our idea of touch equating to affection has no equivalent in a chameleon's life. Except when fighting for territory or mates, they spend their lives hunting for food and hiding from predators. This is important because they still do that when we bring them into our homes. In one of my videos I said "if you want to make your chameleon happy, walk by his cage and pretend you didn't see him." This is the kind of pet a chameleon is!
So, can we really consider them pets? By the strict definition of the word, yes, but not if your definition of a pet expects they will have a concept or expression of love or bonding. There is comfort and trust, but beyond that is only delusional humans projecting emotions onto them.
Our biggest miscommunication is in touch. We use touch to explore the world and we hold what we love. Chameleons view touch with soon being a meal. When you touch or pet a chameleon the usual response is for the chameleon to rear back and lift its forearm in defense. Touch is a comfort to many animals – especially ones that nurture and raise up their young. The only thing that touches a chameleon as they grow up are animals trying to eat them or other chameleons chasing them away with a bite. So we have to be understanding of where our chameleons are coming from and recognize that we are the ones that will have to adjust to their needs, not them adjusting to our wants.
Okay, enough of this listing what a chameleon isn't and warning us that we won't get a cuddle toy or wise sage whispering in our ear. What kind of pet IS a chameleon and if they aren't going to fetch the newspaper, why are there so many people enthralled with this creature?
What Kind of Pet is a Chameleon?
I think the best way to think about a chameleon is like a fish. We create a world that they live in, we maintain the world, and then we enjoy having this slice of nature in our homes.
A pet chameleon is very much a natural piece of art. They are more something to be watched than something to be held and played with. This is the first thing a new keeper must accept. You will always see some keepers bragging about how tame their chameleons are and how they love to be out. There are some exceptional chameleons that seem to have no problem with humans. This is on the normal scale of personality variation. But you can't expect this or else you will most likely be disappointed.
Even captive hatched and raised chameleons retain much of their wild instincts that say that anything bigger than they are (that would be you) will probably eat them. Chameleons are intelligent and we can tame them down. But the most we can hope for when we say "tame" is that they tolerate us and will eat out of our hands. As I said, exceptional chameleons are out there that are just plain friendly, but they are rare and you don't want to set yourself for disappointment by expecting your chameleon to "love" you.
A chameleon really doesn't do much. They are content to sit and watch the world go by. They will move to their heat lamp in the morning then to their breakfast bowl for the morning meal. They then slink into their foliage to wait until something else happens. Though this life sounds incredibly boring to us remember that chameleons consider their day a win if they did not get eaten! Do not worry about your chameleon getting bored!
You may now be wondering why there are so many dedicated chameleon keepers for a pet that is, at best, tolerant of our presence. The answer is that we are fascinated with the world of the chameleon. The chameleon world is not for everyone and there are definitely reptiles that are much better at human interaction! If you are looking for a fun pet reptile then a chameleon may not be the right choice. If you are looking for a chameleon and nothing else will do then you are among friends here. If someone asks if they should get a chameleon I usually say no and see if they press. Considering the amount of work and expense that goes into keeping a chameleon I am waiting for the person that is so enthralled with chameleons that they cannot imagine not having one. And this is not an elitist test for those worthy to join the secret fraternity. This is a recognition that the only person that will enjoy what a chameleon is is one that is motivated, through fascination, to research deeply into what a chameleon is and how to create an environment that that chameleon will thrive in. It is not that keeping a chameleon is hard. Quite the contrary – there is so much good information, qualified mentors, and top notch products available that anyone who is motivated will have all the elements necessary to be successful. Heck, just a couple weeks listening to previous episodes of this podcast during your commute to work will give you more than enough information to make it work. But you have to be willing to put in that effort for research. The bottom line is that recreating a forest edge environment to mimic a tree 6 feet off the ground in a living room cage is not intuitive. So there isn't a short cut.
Wait a minute, you say. The guy at the reptile show said all I needed was this little screen cage and a branch inside with this real cool dual bulb light fixture. That doesn't sound like a whole lot of research! Nope, doesn't take a whole lot of research for them to take your money and hope your chameleon lives past whatever warranty they may or probably do not offer. There are now 119 podcast episodes on chameleons in just this podcast. I have the rest of season four blocked out and season five is almost filled. You do not need to know everything that is in these podcasts to be successful with your chameleon, but you do need a great deal of it. If you want to bring a chameleon into your life you will become a researcher. You will be introduced to a completely different world view and you will be growing every month as you begin to better understand it. If you are just now considering whether you want a chameleon or not then the question stands – are you fascinated enough to enjoy learning new things? If you have already bought a chameleon based on advice that implied this all was simple then the question is– are you willing to essentially start over and relearn quickly?
A chameleon is the kind of pet that becomes a research project very quickly as you learn about UVB lights, supplementation, feeder insects, hydration strategies, and the list goes on and on…
In summary, a chameleon is more of a pet to watch and care for rather than one to interact with. The successful keepers are researchers that are looking for ways they can better provide a natural environment. The ones that fail are forcing their chameleon to come out and play and adjust to the human life.
Initial Set-up Costs
Your initial set-up costs are important. You must be prepared to spend the money upfront to get the right set-up. This will include a cage, misting system, UVB lighting system, and a captive born chameleon. (Notice I am not even considering a wild caught chameleon for you). You can budget anything from $300 to $1500 depending on your desires for function vs. quality and species. But work it out ahead of time and be ready with the costs. In next week's podcast I will dive into initial set-up costs for a chameleon and apply real numbers to real products and we will hammer this out together.
How Life Changes
Let's get on to how your life will change with a chameleon. Not only do we have to ensure our mind is in the right place, but that our lifestyle works.
Live Insects as Chameleon Food
Food first. Chameleons eat live insects so are you up for crickets that jump and chirp, superworms that may nip you, encouraging flies to come around, and keeping anything that has the name "roach"? Make sure that live insects will fit into your life. These insects must not only be alive, but nutritious. This means that you are not just dumping bugs from the pet store in the cage, but that you are keeping insects for 48 hours. Not only are you keeping insects, but you are feeding them and making sure they have the best care. You will have to be comfortable around insects.
This means you personally, your family members – especially if someone else is paying the mortgage or rent, and the owners of the property.
If you are the type that is fascinated by a chameleon, chances are that you will soon develop a fascination for the insect world. It turns out they are just as amazing as your chameleon and many of us end up breeding them under the guise of saving money on buying feeder insects. But, somehow, they never make it to the chameleon cage!
My wife went from screeching every time a cricket jumped or superworm pinched her finger to now being a insect breeder. She also went from just tolerating all these chameleons hanging out to building her own gecko breeding group for fun. So change does happen! But be aware that it doesn't happen immediately and make sure you have a plan for the insects soon to be in your life. Take stock of the situation around you and make sure live insects will work.
And, of course, you need to make sure you have the time and money for maintenance. Maintenance for a chameleon consists of cleaning the cage, caring for the feeders, and keeping the hydration source filled. How long this takes depends on your initial set-up. Mostly in the hydration. Buying an automatic misting system is the one biggest time saver. Other than that, taking care of the insects requires more time than the chameleon! You have spot cleaning of picking up a non-smelling poop that probably has dried out around every other day. You make sure the water reservoir is filled and the automatic light and misting systems are functioning. Then it is just watching chameleon body language to see if they need anything more.
Costs can add up. You are buying feeder insects and supplements, saving up for a vet visit if necessary, and replacing UVB lights every 6 to 12 months depending on manufacturer. The insects are really the biggest monetary expenditure. If you get them shipped the shipping is not kind.
I want you to also consider your house environment. Many homes do not have air conditioning. How will you keep your home in the proper temperature range during the summer? Heating is more simple as a basking bulb is effective. But cooling is another matter. Most common chameleon species are comfortable in the 70s F. Low 80s will be okay, but get into the high 80s and 90s and there is no escape. Do you live in a house where you are forbidden to use the air conditioning or set it in the 70s? Because that would be trouble that you need to consider!
Other Pets
Speaking of trouble. – other pets! If you already have other pets you'll need to do some planning as to where your chameleon cage will be. Chameleons will not like the animals we humans often keep around us. Dogs, cats, Parrots, and little kids are all potential predators and will stress your chameleon if they are in visual range.
You will need to arrange things so that cats cannot climb onto the cage and nap there. Dogs are easier as they usually are just running back and forth on the ground. Chameleons may be able to totally ignore these fur things rummaging about if the chameleon's cage and highest perch are paced far above the action. Birds are a natural chameleon predator so the chameleon should not be able to see any pet bird larger than itself. The simplest approach is to ensure that current pets are not able to be seen by your chameleon.
A special note is that chameleons will not get lonely. Putting two chameleons together in a cage is not a good idea. Pet stores and reptile show vendors often try to sell chameleons as pairs and say they can be kept together. This is simply not true.
I am sure that many people listening to this are parents deciding whether it is a good idea to give in to their kid's request to get a chameleon. And that is an individual decision based on what you know about your child. My universal answer to this question that has stood the test of time for many years is that chameleons are a great pet for parents with children who will learn responsibility by watching how their parents take care of the chameleon. Chameleons are a horrible pet for a child to take care of. Don't get your kid a chameleon. Get yourself a chameleon so you and your kid can enjoy bonding while learning about it. Chameleons are not forgiving of neglect.
Who would be the perfect chameleon keeping candidate?
Chameleons are a link back to nature. The perfect chameleon keeping candidate will be one that is wanting to recreate a chameleon environment so they can bring out as many natural chameleon behaviors as possible rather than force a chameleon to adjust to the human world. Chameleons do best with keepers that are content to keep a distance and watch. Chameleons will require a great deal of attention, but none of it will be appreciated! You need to be okay with that! You will spend much time learning about this gentle mini tree dragon. Your reward will be an amazing insight into this world. Everything is connected. To understand chameleons we must understand the world we share with them.
So, what are chameleons like as pets? They are a window to another world. And that is more the necessary mindset than it is poetry. They have to be seen as something alien that we are getting to know. They sit in their cage hoping that no one finds them, but still feeds them. So they really aren't that great as an emotional pet to be cuddled. But as an intellectual pet that is meant to stimulate your mind and imagination they are, in my opinion, unmatched.
Where do we go from here? You have some thinking to do. Chameleons are a more demanding reptile than others. It is expensive to set them up and they require a great deal of attention to detail. If you are looking just for a cool reptile I suggest you avoid chameleons. Although certainly cool, they are not for the casual interest. Get a chameleon if only a chameleon will do. That is how I got into chameleons. There just was no other option in my mind and I was willing to do what it took to have them around me. If you still are not sure, listen to some other podcast episodes that sound interesting and you'll get a better feel for what this chameleon thing entails. Lurk on some social media sites dedicated to chameleons. I have been known to frequent a Facebook group called "The Chameleon Enthusiasts". Check out www.chameleonforums.com and just look around at the conversations. If this all seems like it is too much then it is probably best to pass this one up. If what you hear and read excites you even more then it sounds like you are a good candidate to care for a chameleon!