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Welding and industrial, medical and specialty gases distributor General Distributing Company of Great Falls, Montana has evolved since it incorporated in 1948. A "can do spirit" reflected by three generations all named Glenn Bliss have guided the company's growth. Each of the three generations has exhibited an obsessive commitment to the company's employees and to its customers.
Shortly after the company's inception, Glenn Earl Bliss joined General Distributing Company, then a distributor of batteries and tires, as an employee. Located in space of less than 1,500 square feet, Glenn Earl purchased the company in 1957 and immediately added welding equipment and supplies to the company's product offering.
Montana, The Treasure State
To gain a true picture of the success General Distributing Company enjoys, one must consider the geographical territory served. Montana, the fourth largest state in the United States, has a population of only 900,000, largely supported by an agricultural-based economy. Consider the fact that General Distributing Company's ten outside salespeople drive nearly a half-million miles annually to serve their customers. In a more urban location, a distributor of gases and welding products may make 75-80 deliveries, all within a 15-20 mile radius. People come to Montana because of the big open spaces and the big sky. They are not necessarily seeking urban sprawl and a skyline dotted with smokestacks.
Strategic Locations Support Stable Growth
By the time Glenn Earl's son, Glenn F. Bliss joined the company in 1971, welding supplies and equipment had grown to be an important niche market. The company's total sales were a respectable $200,000 annually. Fortunately, Glenn F. Bliss had acquired previous knowledge and experience working in the industry in eastern Washington.
To simplify the logistics of transporting gases from a Linde fill plant located in Butte, Montana (150 miles south of the company headquarters), General Distributing opened a branch next door to Linde's plant in 1971. To accommodate future growth and an expanded line of welding products, supplies and gases, the company also moved its headquarters to a 3,000 square foot facility, doubling its space. As the company grew, it made sense to add additional branches, locating product and personnel closer to its growing roster of customers. By the mid 1980s, the company had added a branch store in Bozeman, Montana and a fourth location in Helena, Montana.
In 1981, General Distributing Company added medical gases to its product offering and moved the company's headquarters to its current 20,000 square foot location on four acres. An additional 2,000 square foot facility is dedicated to performing warranty repair and service work on all welding and plasma equipment. A more recently opened Billings, Montana branch has helped General Distributing dominate the state of Montana.
According to Glenn W. Bliss (G.W.), appointed president by General Distributing Company's board of directors in 1999, the company's growth has been consistent. In 1996, company sales were slightly less than $5 million. 2002 sales are projected to top out at approximately $7.5 million. G.W. says, "I am most proud of the fact that our earnings have averaged double-digit growth since 1996. Neither the State of Montana nor my company experienced the great economic boon of 1997-1999. By the same token we have not been as severely impacted by the economic downturn of 2000-2001. The economy in Montana typically grows at the rate of 1 to 1-1/2 % annually, regardless of what the rest of the country does."
Diversification: A Key to Success
General Distributing Company's business is evenly split between gases and welding equipment. The company caters to a mix of industry, agriculture and the medical community which includes many of Montana's key hospitals. Many laboratories, universities and industrial customers rely on the company's bulk tanks for the storage of liquid nitrogen and oxygen. A significant part of the company's growth has been in the area of cryogenics and the sale, installation and service of manifold systems.
Additionally, General Distributing became the first company in the state to own a dedicated beverage CO2 truck over ten years ago. One employee is assigned to the filling and servicing of bulk beverage systems for customers, which include bars, casinos, convenience stores, and some of Montana's breweries.
Like many small companies, General Distributing prides itself on its ability to be flexible, adjusting to the needs of its customers, responding quickly and efficiently. G.W. Bliss cites the example of the customer who called at 4:00 on a Friday afternoon needing nitrogen on site—that evening. Responding quickly, a nitrogen tanker was loaded and General Distributing's plant manager and branch manager were on the customer's site a few hours later, finally leaving the site at 7:30 the next morning.
Welding and Gases: It's in the Blood
To successfully pass the reins of management to a second generation is no small feat. For a third generation to successfully manage a family-owned company is an even bigger achievement. The third generation business owner must mirror the previous generations' work ethic and business sense, and most challenging of all, he is charged with growing an already successful company.
Like many others, G.W. worked for the family business as a youngster. He painted and filled cylinders, loaded and unloaded trucks, made deliveries and performed hard manual labor. Attending college on an academic and athletic scholarship, G.W. graduated in 1991from Carroll College in Helena, Montana with two degrees: business and economics. For the next four years, he worked in Seattle, gaining valuable business experience at a regional bank.
His dad, then 48 years old, invited him to return to the company as vice president of operations. G.W. admits, "I grew up in the business, but I had no knowledge of sales or the business side of the industry. My dad made it clear that I would not be collecting a paycheck just because of my last name. Instead, he hand-wrote a job description on a piece of paper, folded it, and told me to grow the business, learn it, and work on a couple of key accounts."
G.W. approached his job description methodically. Traveling to each branch, he says, "I spent one or two days with each of the company's 30 employees. I focused on understanding each employee's job. I knew that if I was going to coach, lead or manage employees, I needed to understand what they did for a living. As a small company, each employee's job was and remains critical to the company's success. Every employee has an impact on our success, whether the person is a cylinder filler or an accounts receivable person or an inside salesperson. To gain a better understanding of our products, I met with each of our key suppliers. I also spent time with our customers, the people who pay our bills."
As the current president of General Distributing Company, G.W. makes it clear that he is not a clone of his father or his grandfather. He explains, "My grandfather's business philosophy was very simple. He was dedicated to his customers and to his employees. Long-retired employees will stop in and tell me stories about my grandfather's generosity. One of our customers has told me that he continues to do business with us today, 40 years later, partly because when he was 18 years old my grandfather extended him credit on a handshake. My father's greatest talent was firmly rooted in his industry knowledge and in his ability to relate to our customers. Customers routinely ask about him, on an almost daily basis."
G.W. explains, "They were both great leaders, but I did not join the company to be just like them. I've explained to veteran employees (some of whom have worked for this company almost as long as I have been on the face of the earth), that whatever you expected out of my dad, don't necessarily expect me to do the same thing. I don't necessarily believe in change for change's sake, but I do believe in thinking about the process of meeting a specific objective and creating improvements when there is an opportunity for one."
Still, the legacy developed by his father and grandfather is one that can keep any third generation owner awake at night. "I think about what I can do to help make this a better place tomorrow. That concerns me. I always want to be better tomorrow than I was yesterday. I want next year to be better than last year. That's a lot of pressure."
Fortunately, G.W. doesn't stand alone. He expects his employees to actively participate in creating change when it's needed. "I expect employees to contribute three or four new ideas each year, in order to enhance company operations." He is also hopeful for the future contributions of another sibling. Of G.W.'s three brothers, one other has joined the family business. Eric Bliss, 28, currently the branch manager of the Great Falls store, has begun placing his stamp on the company's operations. During his three-year tenure, he has streamlined the company's purchasing department and is directing the company's technology effort. Says G.W., "When I joined the company in 1995, we did not own a single personal computer. Eric has been responsible for not only acquiring the necessary hardware and software, but also networking each branch. He has also played a major role in developing and overseeing our Internet presence."
The Customer Is at the Center of Everything We Do
Considering the fact that the total population in Montana is smaller than in some cities, every single customer counts. General Distributing Company remains focused, concentrating its efforts on maintaining close ties with each prospective and existing customer. Says G.W., "We cherish the customers we already have. We concentrate on providing each customer with more of the products and services they need. That's the only way we can continue to grow. When visiting a customer, our salespeople have their eyes open and offer the customer our expertise, not just in gases but in abrasives, safety products, maintenance and repair products. It's not just a matter of offering to sell a widget for five cents less."
To better serve its vast territory, General Distributing has explored the use of the Internet. The company hopes to make greater use of the Internet as an enhancement to the existing business model of face-to-face contact with customers. A survey of customers indicated that many customers frown upon the loss of face-to-face contact with the salesperson who calls on them every Monday at 2:00 p.m., and has been doing so for the past 15 years. With training, employees will learn to use the Internet to enhance their relationships. While salespeople will never be replaced and face-to-face contact with the customer will continue, technology can in fact bring General Distributing closer to its growing base of customers.
General Distributing Company's mission is to be the best welding supply distributor in the markets they serve, as determined by their customers. In order to consistently be the best, G.W. believes that it is necessary to communicate constantly with the company's customers. The company is in the process of establishing a customer council in order to elicit formal feedback regarding the company's products and services. "The customer is at the center of everything we do," says G.W. When talking about his customers, he relies on powerful words, peppering his conversation with words like obsessive and passionate. He says, "By using words like passionate and obsessive, we accurately reflect the importance we place on our customer."
Still, according to G.W., words are only as good as the paper they are printed on. You must practice what you preach. "I think it is absolutely critical that our employees understand and are acutely aware of who their boss is. It's not me. I am the company's president, but everybody at this company works for our customers. They are the ones who sign our paychecks every other Friday. And our customers can hire and fire us, at will."
Customer satisfaction is reflected by General Distributing Company's growth and retention of quality, qualified employees. The company currently employs 44 individuals, all passionate about earning their customer's business. G.W. says, "I've never had to fire a salesperson or accept a salesperson's resignation." While less than 0.5% of employees leave the company annually (other than through retirement), the company has added 13 individuals during the past year. In other words, the company has expanded its workforce by 33% during the past year.
Customer Feedback
How do you communicate with hundreds of customers spanning a region, measuring several thousand square miles? One tool utilized by General Distributing is a professionally crafted survey. Says G.W., "Our purpose was to not only determine what we were doing right, but also to determine what other products and services we could offer our customers. We learned that our customers' needs have changed during the past ten years. Customers want us to provide them with solutions. Our customers expect us to understand their business and their customers. We must help them to be more efficient, effective, productive and profitable. We need to resolve the issues that keep our customers awake at night." Again, like the Internet, the written survey will never replace the more informal surveys that take place each week as General Distributing personnel dialog with the company's customers.
General Distributing Company employees receive an average of 32-56 hours of training annually. Employees receive training that is focused on serving both external and internal customers. The company is currently developing a strategic planning process, establishing 2003 targets. One such target is a minimum of 40 hours spent training annually. G.W. says, "Training is not an expense. It's an investment." G.W., together with a human resources manager, is responsible for the company's training efforts. G.W. continues, "Prior to attending a training school, each employee provides me with a list of his or her goals and objectives. Upon returning from the class, he or she will provide a report detailing a list of what was accomplished, what they learned, and their plans for implementation of what they learned. The report is then signed by the employee. We then discuss these implementation goals during an annual review or on a more informal basis."
The Future
The third generation of General Distributing Company's management loves what they are doing. G.W says, "My grandfather and father provided an incredible legacy. As a third generation owner, I must prove to them that they left their legacy in good hands. A lot is expected, and there is no such thing as a free lunch. We have been presented with an unbelievable opportunity. I think this industry is a phenomenal industry and I love the people I work with."
As a motivator and as a coach, Glenn W. Bliss is a consistent performer. He's also slightly boastful when he describes his employees. They are the chief contributors to his company's success. His mission, begun just six years ago to discover what each employee did for a living in order to be a better coach, leader and motivator, is on track. Together, the third generation, along with a group of dedicated achievers, is proving, indeed, that the legacy of this welding and industrial, medical and specialty gases distribution company is in good hands.


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Thomas Jefferson's Notes on a Conversation with Nathaniel H. Hooe, 6 January 1812
Notes on a Conversation with Nathaniel H. Hooe
1812. Jan. 6. memm. mr Hooe offd me Tom for 450. D I offered him that sum paiable at 2. annual instalments, which he declined. I told him that at half cash & half on 12. mo. credit I would give but 400.D.
MS (MHi); entirely in TJ's hand; on address leaf of Hooe to TJ, 10 Sept. 1811.

subset: commoncrawl


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Contact Us
Our reservation staff are available between Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 5.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.
At Coral Expeditions we understand that high-quality dining is a key ingredient of any memorable holiday experience. When you join us aboard our small ships you will savour modern-Australian cuisine created by our talented chefs using fresh, locally sourced produce.
Start the day with your choice of a continental breakfast, complete with cereals, fresh fruits and yoghurts or enjoy a fully-cooked breakfast – we offer a buffet complemented by daily made-to-order specialities.
Our lunch buffet showcases a variety of hot and cold dishes; from salads and cold cuts to lighter soups and fresh local seafood and tropical fruits.
Reflect on each exciting day of discovery and savour the table service and hospitality of our Dining Room staff over a delicious three-course dinner from our table d'hôte menu. There is always a choice of main course options. Vegetarian and other dietary requirements can be catered for.
Most of our expeditions feature a barbeque or dinner on a deserted beach or picturesque island. When local regulations allow, we make impromptu stops for sunset drinks and canapés.
Lunches and dinners are accompanied by a carefully curated wine list featuring artisanal Australian and New Zealand wines. Table wines and beer during meal service are included on some of our longer cruises.
Throughout our fleet, we offer open-seat dining without the need to reserve a table, allowing you to dine with old or new friends on each occasion.
A perfect place to relax as the sun dips below the horizon, our cocktail bars and lounges are stocked with a curated selection of Australian and New Zealand wines, beers and a variety of artisan spirits, soft drinks and juices. Complimentary tea and coffee are available at all hours.


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Sydney has long been famous for its eccentrics - like serial taxi-jumper Bea Miles and wandering 'Eternity Man' Arthur Stace. And then there was Rose Shaw, Sydney's singing flower girl, pictured at left offering a bouquet of song and blooms for the passing trade.
Rosie sold flowers from her stall in Martin Place for nearly 40 years. With her voluminous layers of street clothes, her gumboots and her luridly red hair, she sang aria's as she sold her flowers. Her inner-city customers loved her for her operatic trills, her brash and unstoppable good humour.
She died in 1971, though many Sydneysiders still vividly remember her.
She came to Australia in 1927 after a childhood in the East End of London. Her father was a displaced Russian Jew; her mother a cockney. Rosie had dreams of singing opera and dancing ballet at Covent Garden. A Sydney florist was hardly what she planned to be.
A street trader by day, Rosie led quite a different sort of life at night. She attended all the best first nights dressed up to the nines, and her Kings Cross flat in the 40s, 50s and 60s was a notorious magnet for bohemians, gays and assorted Sydney drop-outs. She often described herself as 'Mother of All the Queens'.


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Infographic: Projects boost truck fluidity at NY-NJ port JOC_Updates https://t.co/1MxSzNLR57 via @JOC_Updates
Great to be at the NY&NJ Maritime Industry Good Scout awards to see the Honorable Annette Quijano receive the James E West award. @AnnetteQuijano https://t.co/DoJ5k92UpB
New York gets 90% of its freight by truck. The city wants to change that by investing $100 million in maritime and rail infrastructure. https://t.co/7DlC7Vl4QH via @WSJ


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When I started this blog, I said I intended the share tales of the boundless generosity of my friends, but nothing prepared me for the extraordinary gift I received this past week from my old college pal, Bill Norton.
It turns out, that while I wasn't paying attention, Bill became an astounding and renowned pit master, charming his many friends in Charlottesville and beyond with the sumptuous bounty from his smoker. I've looked on, positively drooling, to photos on Facebook of his backyard exploits until I could take it no longer. When he showed pictures of the tasso ham he'd produced, I could no longer stifle my longings and just let out a resounding, "I want some!"Read More


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When there is something we are churning over, it has an ability to harm us physically as well as mentally. That is why it is better to just confront whatever it is and you shall find Peace. That is not to say the problem will go away or it will be any easier, but you would be amazed at the weight that is lifted from upon your shoulders.
I understand this is not, per se, what you would expect to find on a milblog. I do believe that many military persons who have difficulty moving forward could benefit from someone who is a civilian yet has lived through hell and came back.
I will never know what or how you managed to survive what you have lived throught. At the same time, many people could not live the life I had and made it through. In a way, I am more alone in my experiences than you are in yours. At least you can talk to your brothers about what you've been through. After all, you were together. I traveled my road alone.
What many of you may already know is that most answers are quite simple and quite difficult. Sometimes the hard part is realizing the question. Let's try a few symptoms:
1. Lonliness. An overwhelming sense of emptiness fills the air and you find yourself not knowing why (many things).
2. Depression. It feels like the world is crushing in all around you and you can't even move to do anything about it, not that it matters.
3. Fear. No matter how many prayers you say, no matter how many times your friends tell you it's going to be okay, it just isn't. You can't walk down that street or you can't leave your house or on the other hand go into any buildings.
These are the big three that come to my mind. Many things can cause these feelings and each one is different, but they all have a basic theme. Something happened, something changed, and now something isn't right. If you don't mind, I will share with you (vaguely) what is happening in my life. This way maybe you can better understand what I am trying to share with you.
I am living sinfully, and it is eating me up alive. It has paralyzed me. I'm afraid to confront it, but my fear is unreasonable. It consumes me, yet I know I have to do this. Also, my past prevents me from running for any political office. What is the simple answer? Confront my sin, repent, turn away from it, and trust God to lead me in His plan for my life. What is the difficult thing I have to do? Confronting my sin. Doing the unknown. Leaving behind the only people who've taken care of me during all these years. I can no longer bear the weight of this sin.
I wish I had a magic wand to take away the sorrows of the world, but I don't. I do, however, know Who does. His name is Jesus Christ. If you do not have any desire to discuss Him, fine. Don't. I will not allow you to deny me my right to do so.
I shall continue to pray for all of you and if you could find a moment here or there, please pray for His strength for me to overcome my sin. Thank you.
PS. I had to write about this because it is holding me back from writing, from leaving the house, from living, from getting a lot of things done. Thanks for letting me bend your 'ear'. God bless you all.
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Please feel free to share your best posts with my readers on a daily basis. Just remember to add my permalink to the bottom of your post, then trackpost to me. Thank you. You don't have trackbacks available? Why not use Wizbang Stand Alone Trackback? Everyone have a nice day.
Here are some friends with their awesome posts (I am not responsible for other people's opinions!): Blog @ MoreWhat.com: Open Trackback Linkfest Haven Friday, Political Bylines: Blogads is an Anti-Conservative Owned Business, Woman Honor Thyself: Abortion, Muzlim Style, Adam's Blog: Question of the Day: What's The Best Thing That Happened To You This Weekend, The World According To Carl: A Blast From The Past: "Four Interesting Books Of A Regional Nature" (March 12, 2007), DragonLady's World: OTA Monday 118, The Pink Flamingo: The Real Bill Richardson, Leaning Straight Up: Inauguration Thoughts, Democrat=Socialist: A Very Obama Day, and Right Voices: Obamanomics: $193,750 For Each Job "Saved or Created" Instead Of Just North Of $258,000, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Here are some articles my friends would like to share with you. They're pretty good! Enjoy.
1. Rosemary's News and Ideas: Make It Right With Him. (My WP site.)
2. The World According To Carl: I'm Glad I Don't Live In Or Near Fargo, North Dakota.
3. third world county: Blogeeky Traffic Stuff.
4. Woman Honor Thyself: Atheists want to remove "So Help me GoD".
Cross-posted @ Talon and Rosemary's News and Ideas. Digg!


text: Cape Town - Mamelodi Sundowns chairperson Patrice Motsepe has confirmed the club will parade the CAF Champions League trophy on Monday, October 31.According to Soccer Laduma, Motsepe revealed that a parade will take place in Tshwane to celebrate the Chloorkop sides achievement.Sundowns defeated Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate in order to claim their first Champions League trophy"We have to show the appreciation to the whole country by parading the trophy," Motsepe said."We will parade the trophy on Monday but we will reveal the details in due course."Everyone in South Africa deserves to see the trophy and that's why we will parade it to as many parts as possible," Motsepe concluded.Meanwhile, Pitso Mosimane will have to shift his charges attention to the Telkom Knockout on Thursday when they face Polokwane City.Kick-off is at 18:30.


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Westway 8, Maghull, Liverpool
To Let ~ 805 sqft (74.8 sqm) / £17,000 per annum *UNDER OFFER*
Maghull is a busy town located approximately 8 miles north east of Liverpool City Centre. The premises form part of The Central Square Shopping Centre, Maghull and is situated on Westway which is just off the A59. The subject property is arranged on ground floor only and forms part of a parade of shops on Westway. Nearby occupiers include Costa Coffee,
O2, B&M Bargains, Superdrug and Home Bargains.
Click on the link for more information - Westway 8, Maghull
Maghull Central Square Jan 2019
Contact Chris Michael


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135 days, since we left home, our family, friends and pets. Our extended wardrobes, our own bed, blanket and pillows. 135 days.
But are we homesick?
Hell no! Another 8 weeks at the University of Life or UoF, before we get our Bachelor degree in Travelling and Life Experience, yes our Bachelor, we need to travel way more befor you get your Master degree. You need to be in at least 6 of 7 continents. (This is indeed a subliminal message that we're planning on travelling way more after we're back)
In our half year fieldtrip at the UoF we left the Elephants behind and went to the south of Cambodia. We went in 12 hours by bus from Kratie via Phnom Penh to the city of Kampot. Kampot is a nice village where a lot of western people came to find a home and happiness. They mostly run a restaurant or a hotel in the citycenter.
We've found us a nice room, a restaurant with Jacked Potato's with cheese & butter. After a good night of sleep we went for a walk in the city and checked out the old French bridge.
In the evening we went for a sunset boottrip to look for fireflies. The boattrip was great. A lot of people, some beers and a red sky with a big warm sun going down. The fireflies on the other end… We saw 7 lights going on and off in a tree besides the river… Not that impressive haha.
The next day it was time for some scooter madness. In Bali it was my first time on a scooter and now i'm addicted! Not really but it's loads of fun to drive through the mountains, jungles and share the road with the crazy driving skills (or the lack of skills) of the locals! (Except for the outside of Hoi An, Vietnam, that was just a suicide mission to drive there).
I drove our scooter towards Bokor National Park. In an hour we arrived at the top to see the abandoned French colonial ghost town. With it's glorious spooky Royal Casino. It was weird to see such big abandoned buildings in contrast to the poor villages around Bokor.
In the afternoon we drove to the saltfields, where the big plains with a layer of seawater on them, wait in the sun 'till the water is evaporated and the seasalt remains.
The next day we went to Kep, a small town where they've 2 things. Well actually 3 things.
1: crabs, for dinner. 2: A national park with wildlife!
And 3?
A bungalow with a swimming pool with a view upon the national park.
We spend 1 full day at the swimming pool, relaxing and rebronze a bit. To do a really warm walk through the national park the next morning. Where we followed the trail passing by beautifull jungle trees and scenery.
We heard there suppost to be hornbills in the park, but sadly enough we didn't see them.
Back at the pool in the afternoon we looked towards the trees of the park and saw 3 hornbills fly over. We felt extremely lucky! Too bad we didn't had our camera ready…
We had a great fresh fried crab dinner and went to bed to leave to Phnom Penh airport in the morning.
So far we wanted to go to Laos next. But in Sen Monorom we decided to go to Borneo and West Malaysia instead. So we flew to Kuala Lumpur International Airport to spend 2 days in the center of Kuala Lumpur.
We arrived at 23:30hr and went to our hotel, the Royal Palm Lodge… At the reception we found out that they don't take bookings via Booking.com serious so they where fully booked, but they had another hotel a street further away…
So tired as we where, we went with the guy from the other hotel to find the nastiest, dirtiest, godawefull hotelroom you can imagine. We tried to get another room but it all sucked and it was already 01:00 in the morning. So we decided to sleep there and leave as early as possible to find a better place to stay. The room was so moist we were both afraid that we were going to suffocatr in our sleep. But hey we woke up alive and well.
The next day after a great Indian breakfast, we found the Comfort Lodge which was indeed very comfortable!
We packet our daily needs and went on a city trip by foot, visiting the Petronas Towers aka. the Twin Towers. And had a lovely and cheap sushi lunch. All of a sudden, there it was: the guitar store!!! Fenders, Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith, Gibson and even some weird japanese custom shop boutique guitars. I grabbed the new Ibanez RG "Dark Series" with EMG pickups and ofcourse a killswitch and started shredding for the first time in 4 months. Me was a very happy person.
In the afternoon we went to Central Market to do the first round of souvenir shopping. And finished off with some souvenir stalls in China Town.
The next day was a special one, because we had a meeting with 2 old classmates from the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague where we studied together. Melissa and Ejin are both living in KL and they wanted to show us around!
Sadly enough Melissa was hold up by some stuff so she couldn't be there. But Ejin surely showed us around. We started with the national mosque and afterwards we went for some mixed cuisine of Malay and Indian food and ofcourse fries with Mayonaise and Ketchup. Ejin also took us to a hipster coffee shop near china town. Problably the best coffee we had so far 🙂
It was time to say goodbye for now. But we'll be back in KL in 7 weeks before the flight back ……… But first: getting up at 4 in the morning to get to our airplane towards the wild jungles, endangeroured wildlife, tropical beaches of Borneo.
556 totaal aantal vertoningen, 1 aantal vertoningen vandaag


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Jennifer Gordon
3 days in the woods? With no showers? And no real toilets? Some kids (and let's face it, some adults) would run screaming in the other direction when faced with a proposition like that. Not our Adventure Club kids! After going through a year of trips, 4 students were nominated for and joined us on our Advanced Backpacking trip : Karon (our very first returning graduate), Jazlyn, Joshua, and Sebastian.
These 4 students arrived early on Thursday morning and were ready to go! Ms. Juengst (that's Ms. Hanagriff's married name!) got all the students checked in and packed up while Ms. Gordon and Mr. Best went to pick up the van. We got all our gear into our giant backpacks and put everything we'd need for the trip in the van. Only, there was one problem…Sebastian's boots didn't fit. On a regular hiking day, this wouldn't matter, but for Mt. Cardigan, we knew that he'd need something more sturdy and waterproof. A quick call to Ian at YOP gave us an answer : we stopped off at another YOP gear shed at Harold Parker State Forest and grabbed a pair of boots that fit!
And then we were on our way! Once we arrived at Cardigan Lodge, we loaded our gear into wheelbarrows and headed up to our campsite. We were in a very secluded area this year and our site came with some perks : our own privy (outhouse) and a potable water spigot! After a quick lunch, we started putting up our tents. Ms. Juengst and Ms. Gordon were VERY proud to have finally mastered the Tautline Hitch knot! Camp was set up relatively quickly and we set out for a hike to Welton Falls. Sebastian took the lead, keeping an eye on blazes and trail signs. We checked the map a few times to verify where we were. Welton Falls was, as usual, gorgeous. We loved getting a chance to stick our feet in the water before heading back to camp for dinner. On our way, Ms. Juengst spotted a baby bear! Thankfully it went across the river in the opposite direction!
Chef Best started in on dinner : burrito bowls! The rest of the crew got ready for the evening (we like to dress in our next day's clothes so that we're ready in the morning). We packed all our extra food and toiletries into the Bear Box (keeping anything that smells unnatural in nature safe and away from us). Dinner was delicious! We love when Chef Best cooks. Ms. Juengst and Ms. Gordon did the dishes while Mr. Best and the kids got a fire going. It was nice to be able to sit around a campfire while we did a debrief activity called "ABC News". Once everyone had shared, we did a quick privy trip and then brushed teeth and it was off to bed!
We woke up early on Saturday to….rain (or sad cloud tears). It had rained most of the night and much of the campsite was wet. We started dismantling the tents and hanging them up so they could hopefully dry out. The sun was starting to shine, so we were hopeful that the day would be a dry one. Mr. Best started cooking breakfast while everyone else packed up and got ready for the day. After our egg sandwiches, we trekked all of our gear back to the van. We were lucky to have the opportunity to store much of our unnecessary gear there! We divvied up group gear, made sure we had only what we needed, and we were ready to go!
Day 2 is a big one on this trip! Our 1st goal is to reach the High Cabin (a cabin on the side of Mt. Cardigan that's about a half mile away from the summit). Our 2nd goal is to reach the summit of the mountain. We had some great landmarks to use as a way to break up the 2 mile hike to the cabin : the Croo Bridge, Grand Junction, and PJ Ledge. Sebastian led for most of the way (trading off with Jazlyn, Joshua, and Karon a few times) keeping us going at a good pace. We reached our last landmark (PJ Ledge) and knew that the cabin was just a little way up the Hurricane Gap trail! Arriving at the cabin is such a great feeling : we know this will be our home for the evening and it's so much fun picking out which bunk we want and exploring the whole place. We lightened our packs and headed back down to the Ledge for lunch.
Bellies full, it was time to tackle that last half mile : off to the summit we went! Hiking to the summit of Mt. Cardigan is not easy : most of this last half mile is just bare granite slabs. Cardigan is a "bald" mountain – after a fire in 1855 much of the top of the mountain was left bare. Our group was ready to tackle it, though! We reached the summit and whoa it was windy up there! Everyone had their summit poses ready and we had some fun taking pictures before settling in to explore! We found giant puddles, patches of grass, some cool rocks, and many places to relax. Our students found a stick that was perfect for playing the stick game! After a few rounds of that, we decided to play Hide and Seek for a bit (which, by the way, is NOT easy to do on top of a bald mountain!). Before we knew it, it was time to head back down.
Evening at the High Cabin is a busy time! While Chef Best started making dinner, the rest of the group headed down to a small creek to filter water. There is no potable water at the cabin, so our only source of hydration is the creek. Mr. P let us borrow his water filter and everyone got a chance to try it out. That thing worked our arm muscles! Everyone's water bottles were filled up relatively quickly and we were ready for dinner! Chef Best had made us a chicken teriyaki stir-fry…and we loved it so much we had seconds and then licked the bowls clean! We were losing daylight, so we all took turns getting into our clothes for the next day and then settled in for some debriefing. Ms. Gordon had prepared a new debrief for us : Metaphor Cards. We had a bunch of cards that had pictures on them and we used these pictures to describe how we felt about different things during the day. All too soon it was time for bed.
Day 3 came EARLY! We had a 10 am appointment at the Audubon Society…which meant that we had to get up at 5 am! Although that was super early, it was worth it. We got to see the sunrise from the cabin! We packed up, cleaned up the cabin, and headed down the trail. We made great time hiking down and arrived right on time at Newfound Lake. Today we were going to go canoeing! We couldn't have asked for a better canoe day : sunshine, calm water, nice breezes…it was perfect. And to make it even more perfect : there was an eagle nesting in a tree close to the shore and we got to see it! After checking out the eagle, we paddled to an area of the lake that was very shallow. We looked for turtles and fish, explored the plant life, and discovered the really cool feeling silt at the bottom! Some of us were enjoying the sunshine and the calm water so much that we fell asleep! One of our favorite parts of our canoe trip on Newfound Lake is that we get to do something called a T-Rescue. We jump out of our canoes, purposefully tipping them upside down, and then teach the students how to empty them of water and get everyone back in them. After 3 days of not showering, jumping in that water is SO refreshing! T-rescues are hard work, but they're really fun. While the t-rescues were happening, the eagle was flying around the lake. It was so cool to watch.
All too soon our time on the lake was done. We returned our gear, changed into our dry clothes, had lunch, and then headed towards home. Our group arrived at BBCPS, returned our borrowed gear and then parted ways. These 3 days always go by so quickly – it's such a wonderful trip for both the students and the chaperones.
-Ms. Gordon


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The Forestry F*ckup
I've been scrolling through some photos and fondly recalling how much I appreciated the local architecture whilst in Chile. Simple and beautifully executed carpentry appeared in abundance along the coast, and as a woodworking enthusiast it set my froth gauge on high.
Looking at these photos now however, I realise my opinions have gained some depth. Whilst the creative in me really enjoyed the craft involved, the environmentalist in me was (and still is) frankly horrified by what we saw in rural Chile.
You may recall from my posts at the time; the entire country is DOMINATED by pine plantations. More often than not, grid upon grid of monocultured trees extend literally as far as the eye can see in every direction. The forestry is absolutely off chops.
And whilst technically still a 'forest', these plantations provide virtually none of the associated environmental benefits that an equivalent area of native bushland would provide. Critical pillars of natural ecology like water regulation, soil fertility and habitat provision for countless species of fauna become totally absent as their achievement relies on biodiversity.
This being the case, it added a reasonably spooky element to the exploration process within these massive tracts of 'wilderness'. Whilst of course satiating to be out of an urban environment, the air between the pines seemed a bit... dead. Silent. Eerie.Perfectly manicured rows of enormous trees, no other flora or fauna to be seen, save the occasional horse slowly plodding its way through the perfectly polka-dotted landscape. For my brain, the sensory weirdness betrayed every tactile sensibility I had at my disposal to understand 'sustainability'.
In the wake of the fire it all became quite sinister as we began to hear a lot of murmurs about foul play.
Word on the grapevine was that arsonists had lit fires in a number of separate locations, all lying in the path of a strong and well-predicted wind. This deadly forecast saw the wind quickly link them all together as soon as it arrived.
It was allegedly this process that gave birth to one absolute mega-blaze, a fire that would go down in history as the worst Chile had ever seen.
Shit, I was so shocked seeing it up front. Of course I knew the answer must be yes, but I was still asking myself is such movie-level evil genius possible? Could someone out there actually orchestrate this and justify it as a "protest"?
Hushed conversations passed through the streets in low voices with raised eyebrows. No one seemed truly willing to credit such a terrifying potentiality.
It is this prospect that I still contend with today.
Is this is where 'democracy' has arrived? A time where disgruntled environmental activists believe they will enact change for the better by setting fire to the government's 'warehouse' and literally burning its largest stockpile? People who insist on making themselves heard at any expense, who consider death and destruction simple and justified 'collateral' of an acceptable standard. Scary shit huh?!
Anyway probably time to cease this dark tangent. It's just a train of thought I automatically find myself on when I look at photos from the time. The message I'm choosing to promote here is that if everyone does their bit and the global environmental situation improves, such widespread and disasatrous 'protests' like this can't be viewed by anyone as a necessity.
It's taken me a while to unpack this conclusion though! Much thinking indeed for someone who began as just another happy gringo admiring the architecture and thinking "isn't it great that they use locally sourced building materials" bla bla bla.
Hmm, not quite that simple Rolls.
Nice woodwork but!


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We are going to talk about our smartphones this week. Maybe you are reading this from your smartphone….that's okay. We have to get everyone's attention somehow!
Have you ever noticed how culture glorifies multi-tasking and busyness? Lately, it seems we're trying to accomplish more than ever in shorter and shorter periods of time. We buy faster and more efficient technology and install apps on our phones in the hopes of getting ahead.
In fact, I bet some will even admit to a rush that comes from simultaneously answering emails, talking on the phone and scanning Facebook while sitting in the car!
But what happens when we do all of this from the kitchen countertop as we serve our children their morning cereal? How is this constant multi-tasking lifestyle impacting our kids? How is it impacting our marriages?
A study from the University of Essex which revealed that people who engaged in personal conversations when a cell phone was close-by, even if neither person was on the phone, reported less trust in their partners and less relationship quality overall.
WIRED magazine recently explored this question. The piece describes how mobile users check their smartphones an average of 150 times a day. That's once every six-and-a-half minutes!
The honest person will admit that, sadly, our kids and spouse must often compete for our time and for undivided eye contact, empathy and attention. We probably don't want to acknowledge it, but most of our kids and spouse have tried to tell us a story only to hear a mindless, "Mm-hmm" because we were also trying to read an email or text message.
Consider taking a temporary "phone fast" to break any bad habits that you might have fallen into. Maybe one or two days a week. Maybe your family vacation. Connect with your children and your spouse?
Trust me….the rest of the world will survive without you for a couple of days! You will too!
Be Strong. Act Like Men.


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Virat Kohli's unbeaten 56 off 47 balls, Yuvraj Singh's explosive 35 off 18 and a clinical bowling performance helped India beat Sri Lanka by five wickets and storm into the final of Asia Cup.
Kohli also equalled the record of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum for the most number of fifties in T20 cricket.
Statistician Rajneesh Gupta has interesting numbers from the match. Check them out.
2 Number of wicketkeepers to effect 50 dismissals in Twenty20 Internationals. Mahendra Singh Dhoni joined Pakistan's Kamran Akmal, who effected 60 dismissals in 54 matches. Dhoni now has 52 in 61.
3 Number of Twenty20 Internationals played by Virat Kohli against Sri Lanka. He scored a fifty in all of them -- 68 at Pallekele in 2012, 77 at Mirpur in 2014 and 56 not out in this match.
47 Runs scored by Sri Lanka in the first 10 overs -- the least they have scored at this stage against India. This was also their fourth lowest score against any side after 10 overs.
7 Number of man of the match awards Kohli has won -- the most by an Indian, with Yuvraj Singh. Four of these awards have come this year only!
51.03 Kohli's average in Twenty20 Internationals -- the highest for any batsman having played 10 or more matches in this format.
13 Number of fifties scored by Kohli in Twenty20 Internationals -- most by any batsman, with Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle.
5 Number of Twenty20 Internationals won by India on the trot. Only once have India had a longer winning streak -- of seven matches -- between 2012 and 2014. They also won five consecutive matches in 2007.
8 Number of Twenty20 Internationals won by India in 2016 -- the most they have won in a calendar year (and we are just in to second month of 2016!). India also won eight games in 2012 (out of 14 matches).


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Bruce Comba
Practice Areas
Admitted To BarAlberta, 1983
1982 LL.B. (University of Alberta)
1979 B. Comm. (University of Alberta)
Bruce has practiced his whole legal career at Emery Jamieson, having joined the firm in 1982 and been admitted to the bar in 1983.
Member, Law Society of Alberta
Member, Edmonton Bar Association
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
Member, Salvation Army Edmonton Citizens' Advisory Board 1990 - 2009, Chairman 1999 - 2009
Member, Salvation Army National Advisory Board 2002 - 2004


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For over 30 years Wallis and Matilda have moved the emotions of Australians with their inspired musical interpretations of the works of A.B. (Banjo) Paterson.
They released their first album in 1980 and had a top 40 hit that same year with "Clancy of the Overflow".
Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American country singer and songwriter, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds, and penning many of his own songs.
Dwight David Yoakam (born October 23, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actor, known for his pioneering style of country music. First becoming popular in the mid-1980s, Yoakam has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and sold more than 25 million records.
An Ebook containing 53 old bush songs that are worth remembering.
Sargon Press, inspired articles, fine fiction, and some intriguing plays...
Thousands of years ago on an island called Pentecost, in the nation of Vanuatu...


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Children's Party Room Deposit
Children's Party Room Deposit
Thanks for booking a children's party at Bam Bam Italian!
Once you have phoned us to confirm your booking, please process your $50 deposit right here online to finalise your booking. This deposit will be deducted from your final bill on the day of your party. Bills need to be settled at the end of the party.
If you haven't yet chosen your party menu, please get in touch with us a week before your event to confirm numbers and your menu.
Don't forget to download your FREE birthday invitations here.
Thanks for booking a party with us and we look forward to hosting you!
* Cancellation Policy: Deposits will be refunded anytime up until 7 days prior to your booking. If your party is cancelled within a week of your booking the deposit will be retained. Thank you!


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Find Alumni Listed in Bothell, Washington
Listed below are alumni from schools in Bothell, Washington. Click on any of the schools below to view those alumni currently listed and to search for others not yet listed. Find out what alumni from Bothell are doing now.
Alumni Search
All Schools Listed in Bothell, Washington
507Bothell High School
130Bothell Senior High School
28Canyon Park Junior High School
15Cedar Park Christian School
11Chrysalis High School
4Heritage Christian School


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As a professionally qualified coach and a yoga teacher herself, Mira brings the know-how and personal experience needed to understand and support yoga teachers in their career.
Mira co-creates a safe and confidential space for teachers to reflect on and overcome personal and professional challenges. She has helped experienced teachers go 'that step further' professionally; supported newly qualified yoga teachers set up successful businesses; enabled part-time teachers transition to full time work; and been a thought partner for many to-be-teachers embarking on teacher training.
Common mentoring areas include:
- Finding an authentic voice and style
- Teaching with confidence and holding space
- Increasing personal impact
- Hands-on adjustments and assists
- Understanding functional anatomy
- 3-6 month face-to-face apprenticeship*
* apprenticeship includes weekly teaching observations and mentoring on verbal instruction, use of body language, voice tone, and adjustments.


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When the Hotel Rigopiano in Italy was buried by an avalanche on January 18th, it took rescuers hours to get on scene. The mountain resort is located in central Italy, approximately 80 miles to the northeast of Rome. When a series of earthquakes struck the area and caused an avalanche, the little hotel was buried with most of the quests inside.
A massive rescue effort got underway to find and save survivors. Five days later the digging continued. It seemed like time was running out. Suddenly the unexpected happened. Hope was restored for finding more survivors when three sheepdog puppies emerged …
Emergency workers on Monday rescued three puppies from a destroyed Italian hotel that was buried under tons of snow by an avalanche, bringing joy to searchers who've had little reason to hold on to hope.
Italy's fire brigade found the three white sheepdog pups five days after an avalanche triggered by a series of earthquakes buried the Rigopiano Hotel in Farindola, Italy, last Wednesday.
The puppies were found in an air pocket in the hotel's boiler room, the brigade said.
Article and Photo Source: NBC News
Here's What You Can Do Today For Less Stress & More Joy
Discover a simple way to dissolve stress and start enjoying a life that is filled with more ease, energy, and fulfillment!
Your Deserving Fur-Kid Will LOVE This!
Grizzly Salmon Oil is a best-selling, all natural dog food supplement that contains MANY benefits for your best friend. This 100-percent pure salmon oil is derived from wild Alaskan Salmon and supports a healthy coat, heart, and immune system.


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Sussex Police are warning residents in Hove about a fraudster who has been knocking on doors in Walsingham Road claiming to have lost his phone and wallet and needing to 'borrow' £10 to get home. As collateral for the loan he offers to leave a passport, which is fake, and a gives a phone number that doesn't work.
He is described as a white male between 1.75m and 1.85m in height of medium build, with thinning hair, stubbly beard, striking eyes and dark eye lashes, and wearing jeans and a hooded top.


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Once upon a time there was a handsome knight and a golden-robed princess. The knight was in hospital after he ran into trouble, and then the princess got into more trouble while she was waiting for him to recover. This is their story.
Chapter 1: The Knight
A long, long, long, long time ago there was a handsome knight. The knight was chased by a tornado. The tornado had thunder and lightning and trees.
The knight ran away, but the tornado sucked him up.
A year later, the knight was in a hospital. He didn't know anything. He didn't remember anything. But he was alive.
The end of the knight's story.
But WAIT! This is not the end of the book, there's more! So, please turn the page.
Chapter 2: The Lost Princess
As you know, the knight was gone in the tornado for one whole year, and then he was recovering in hospital. So now, I will tell you about the princess.
A long, long, long, long time ago there was a golden-robed princess. The princess was walking by the hospital, hoping that the knight would return to full strength. She was hoping he would help her be happy, by sharing lots of good things with her.
The princess thought the knight would be out of the hospital in ten more days. She was right!
But, by the time the knight got out of the hospital, the princess had become lost. She had heard a sound, a spooky sound. The princess did what the sound told her to do: she went into the Forest of Doom. The Forest was dark with evil all the time. But the princess did not know that.
The knight did know about the evil, dark forest, but he did not know that the princess was in there. He knew that there was a curse. He also knew that the dark forest had a dark hole, dripping with evil made by the curse.
Chapter 3: The Dark Curse
Ten days later, the golden-robed princess was caught by cursed vines. They wrapped around her until she couldn't struggle. Then the cursed vines pulled her to a cottage deep in the forest, which had also been made by the curse. The vines let the princess go when she was tied up to a stake.
There was a witch waiting in the cottage. But the princess didn't know about the witch.
The witch came out of the cottage with four potions. She went near the princess and put three potions down. She was mixing them together. The four colours of the potions were blue, green, yellow and blood-coloured red.
The princess kicked over two of the potions on the ground.
Then the witch told her with a very, very scary voice, "Do not touch my potions again, or else I will turn you into the very creature the knight hates most to fight: the Dragon of Doom, my pet!"
The princess screamed, "Aaaaaah!"
Then the witch was angry and she said to her baby dragon, "Mingo, I want you to scare her out of the dark forest!"
Chapter 4: The Dark Hole
Mingo did one thing that the witch didn't tell him to do. Mingo put the princess near the dark hole. The princess thought that it was very deep. She was right. Mingo had scared her like the witch said, but he had not taken her out of the forest.
Then Mingo jumped very quickly for a little dragon. He jumped to the cottage, leaving the princess by the hole. Then, the princess slipped into the dark hole.
Chapter 5: The Most Deadly Sword
The knight realised the princess was in the dark forest. He thought, "She might be in the dark hole! I hope she won't be turned into my arch-enemy, the Dragon of Doom, by the witch."
So he got his golden armour and his most deadly sword and his trustworthy horse. The knight went to find his lovely golden-robed princess.
The knight rode his trustworthy horse to the dark forest. He rode his horse as fast and far as it would dare. He stopped when he got to the witch's cottage. When he got off his horse, the horse ran away to its stable, because it was frightened by the dark hole!
Then the knight kicked as hard as he could on the door of the witch's cottage.
The witch came out very angrily and asked, "Who are you? Oh! You are my arch-enemy."
The knight pulled his most deadly sword out from its scabbard and put its tip near the throat of the witch. But the witch disappeared from his sight, and reappeared behind his back.
Then the knight slashed his sword backwards at the witch. But every time the knight slashed his sword, the witch disappeared and reappeared somewhere else.
Mingo was watching the fight. He dashed in to hurt the knight, but the knight chopped Mingo's head off!
Then the witch began to cry. And she didn't disappear. The knight slashed his sword one more time. This time the witch did not disappear. The sword stabbed her in the heart, where all the dark magic came from.
The knight realised he had killed the witch, but he still had not saved his beloved golden-robed princess.
Chapter 6: The Princess and the Knight
When the knight killed the witch, all the dark magic from her evil heart became a mist that blew to the dark hole. The knight followed the cloud of dark magic.
When the knight arrived at the dark hole, he heard a tune of the princess's lovely singing. Then he looked and saw the princess rising up out of the hole to hug him.
Everything the dark witch had done was coming undone, now that her heart had been stabbed and the dark magic had escaped.
Chapter 7: The Happy King
When the princess and the knight came back to the kingdom, the king had died. The princess was the new queen. The knight married the new queen. Then, the knight became the new king.
The knight was a very, very, very happy king. Also, he was good. Very, very good, to be precise.
And they lived happily ever after. Very happily.
The end. But wait! I want to tell you something! This story could actually be a bedtime story. Now for the proper end… this is
The End of the Book.
Monday, 2 December 2013
The Princess and the Knight, by Samuel
Once upon a time there was a handsome knight and a golden-robed princess. The knight was in hospital after he ran into trouble, and then the princess got into more trouble while she was waiting for him to recover. This is their story.
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Before you say, "I'm bored. What can I do?" READ THIS LIST
A list for the holidays.
What you can do outdoors:
Talk to the chickens. Check if they have laid any eggs.
Jump on the trampoline. Climb the tree and swing onto the trampoline.
Take a ball from the outdoor toy box and play catch.
Take a bat and ball from the outdoor toy box and play baseball or cricket.
Climb on the straw bales in the back yard and pretend you are king of the mountain. Jump off!
Take a piece of fruit from the kitchen bench and eat it. Feed the scraps to the chickens.
If it's sunny, ask Mum or Dad if you can go to the skate park to ride your bike or scooter.
If it's wet, ask Mum or Dad if you can put on your boots and raincoat and go puddle jumping.
Ask Dad if you can help him with his building projects.
What you can do indoors:
Ask Mum if she has any chores with which you can help.
Ask Joshua if you can battle Pokemon against him.
Ask Anna if you can listen to her play her guitar.
Ask Abigail if you can play Sylvanian Families with her.
Ask Samuel if you can read a story to him.
Read a book. Then read another book.
Do a puzzle or two or three: do dot-to-dots, or mazes, or cross-words, or find-a-words.
Draw a picture. Write a story about the picture.
Draw a map. Make a legend to explain what the symbols on the map represent.
Play with Lego. Then, tidy up the Lego before you play with something else.
Play a board game. Play a card game. Play a puzzle game.
Put on some music and dance and sing.
Put on dress ups and pretend to be someone else.
Ask Mum to read aloud to you or cook with you.
What you can do during afternoon Quiet Time:
Listen to a book-on-CD in the lounge room. Put the CD away in the CD case when you're finished.
Read books on your bed. Put them away on the bookshelf when you're finished.
Play with your teddies or dolls in your bedroom. Pack them away when you're finished.
What you CANNOT do:
Use the computer or wii or iPad or iPod or TV, between 8am and sunset.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Motherhood is a Calling, Not a Hobby
I was browsing and found this post on DesiringGod.org. I think I might need to come back to it often, to encourage myself. Here's a tid-bit:
"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.If you're a mother, be encouraged in your calling to demonstrate the gospel through your motherhood.
Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike. You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy. You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel."
Saturday, 14 September 2013
My Own Little Swallows
I've been reading Swallowdale by Arthur Ransome aloud to the kids recently, and this morning they went off as shipwrecked sailors and explorers to the open scrub up the road from our house, on the edge of our town.
They carried the necessary rations in "knapsacks":
"pemmican" (twiggy sticks)
"grog" (cans of ginger beer)
bread and "bun loaf" (homemade bread)
"marmalade" (since there is a general disinclination to digest marmalade among our children, they settled on a jar with butter)
"apples all round" (apples - duh)
"chocolate rations (real chocolate, individual bars so there was no arguing)
and some cheese.
They also carried their own supplies. Anna, as Ship's Mate and Cook, carried the bulk of the rations as well as two plastic knives. Joshua, as Ship's Captain and leader of the expedition, carried the Ship's Knife on a belt, and also carried the Ship's Compass and Whistle for rallying the crew. Abigail was the Able Seaman, and she carried the digital camera for the Ship's Log (although she didn't do a very good job at taking photos, unfortunately) and Samuel, the Ship's Boy, carried the tarpaulin and octopus straps for shelter. Everyone wore gumboots and warm jumpers.
Here they are, ready to proceed up the "beck" (the little seasonal creek that goes under the road into town).
Monday, 9 September 2013
A Mathematical Mind
The first words that Samuel spoke this morning, still hazy with dream-sleep, were "four ... teen ... times by one hundred ... equals one thousand four hundred." What six year old child dreams of multiplication equations with answers into the thousands? And gets them correct?
This is not the first time Samuel has woken with mathematics on his mind. A week ago he woke and rolled over (he often comes into our bed in the wee hours of the morning) to ask me a series of doubling questions, such as "what is twice one hundred and twenty eight?" and "what is twice two hundred and fifty six?"
Samuel loves numbers. Last week we walked to school calculating halves of various numbers. He wasn't just interested in half of one whole, although that is where he started. Then he wanted to know, among others, what was half of five and a half, and what was half of one hundred and one and a half.
We use number sequences as a distractor to calm him down, especially when we are walking somewhere, such as to school or church, and can't stop for a cuddle and a back rub. Once when we were shopping for shoes for his sisters, Samuel got fed up and we helped him to calm down by instructing him to count the silver studs on a leather belt for sale in the store.
This isn't a recent interest. Samuel could rote count to ten (echolalia-like) well before he could string two words together to make a sentence. He loved to count to three and then, once he'd learnt, to ten, before jumping from the coffee table into my waiting arms as I sat on the couch. He loved to count as Jeff and I walked along, swinging him between us holding his hands.
Well before the age of two, I knew my son had a mathematical mind.
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Faction Athletics Carnival
I was genuinely pleased with my kids' great attitudes for sports day this year. There were no tears or grumpy comments about doing events that weren't their favourite. They exhibited patience between events and good sportsmanship during and after events. Success!
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Dress Up Days
Our school had two dress up days in the last week. The first was a Crazy Hair and Pyjamas day. With the cold weather we've been having lately, this necessitated track pants under the pjs and dressing gowns over them:
The second dress up day was space-themed to celebrate the end of Book Week. Anna was the only one who deliberately chose to dress up as a book character, perhaps because she's the only one who has yet read any science fiction. In the last month she has read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (equal tie for my all time favourite SciFi book with Anne McCaffrey's Killashandra) and the Ender's Shadow series that follow after. She made her own costume and went as Ender Wiggin in his flash suit, with a Dragon Army logo on her shoulder and his transfer orders in her pocket. Abigail went as a "green headed alien", which Anna and I reinterpreted as a Formic/Bugger from Ender's Game. Samuel went as Darth Vader, along with approximately one fifth of the primary school population.
Monday, 12 August 2013
Bushwalking in the Great Southern
With our friend Gerard visiting, we decided to drive out to the Stirling Ranges and check out the Mt Trio hike. It is definitely not for the faint hearted, withe the trail heading straight up to begin with. The view was spectacular, but we didn't have the time (or the energy!) to complete the whole hike. This is the view back down the trail from our turn-around point:
Back at the bottom we spent some time allowing the kids to clamber over some boulders while we followed at a rather slower pace:
From the top of these boulders Jeff spied the endemic, elusive, Cranbrook Bell:
Later that day we headed further south to Albany and wandered over the granite slabs around the top of Mt Clarence to admire views of Albany township, Lake Seppings and Middleton Beach, Emu Point and Oyster Harbour.
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Inventing Ice-cream
Samuel came up with a new flavour for ice-cream a few days ago. I thought it a good idea since one of the flavours is a favourite with Jeff and the other is a favourite with the kids. Unfortunately neither appeal particularly to me. I made some the next day and the kids and Jeff pronounced it "Delicious!"
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Five holidays in one
Over the last two weeks Jeff and I have enjoyed five mini-holidays:
1. We had a friend Ros come to visit.
2. Jeff took the kids to Granny & Gramps's farm while I went to Perth for a weekend to scrapbook.
3. We met up in Perth and drove to Southern Cross for a holiday staying three nights with another friend, Naomi. While there, we explored the site where gold was first found in WA.
On the way back we stopped off at Merredin to visit the historical water tower.
4. After a brief spell at home for a sleepover birthday party for Anna,
we drove via the Tin Horse Highway
to Wave Rock and Hyden.
"Where a man can see for miles
Still get lost, still be free.
At home in the bush
Where the heart wants to be."
Then it was on to Kalgoorlie for another three-night holiday, this time with my brother and his family.
We returned home via Perth again, this time spending a night in a caravan park where Granny and Gramps were also, purely by coincidence, staying.
5. We had more friends visit, Tim & Helen and their baby Nathanael, so their music team could bless our church with a Sunday morning special.
Now we are back home, without visitors, and the kids are back at school. Loving life.
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Anna's new desk and the Waldseemüller map
We gave Anna a new desk, complete with hutch bookshelf and chair, for her birthday. It's already getting lots of use.
(It's the fruit of the first time I've enjoyed a visit to yIKesEA ever: we were in and out in 10 minutes, thanks to checking the product availability section of their website before we arrived, avoiding the display floor area entirely, heading straight to the correct warehouse shelves to pick and then pay for the goods before leaving immediately. "Do not pass GO, do not collect $200": But we did get to enjoy a couple's night out together afterwards with the time we'd saved.)
This evening we had a family DVD night and watched the first episode of The Map Makers series, on the Waldseemüller Map, now named after its cartographer, Martin Waldseemüller. Originally called the Universalis Cosmographica, it was the first map to illustrate a fourth continent with an ocean separating it from Asia. Its publication was the first time the name "America" was used in printed form. 1000 copies of the map were produced in 1507, but there is now only one extant copy known. Found in 1901 and purchased in 2003 from a German prince's family library for a cool US$10 million, the Waldseemüller Map now resides in the US Library of Congress.
[Image source: http://www.uhmc.sunysb.edu/surgery/waldseemuller-loc-big.jpg]
An accompanying book, the Cosmographiae Introductio, written by Waldseemüller's co-worker Matthias Ringmann, states that the fourth continent has been named after Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci:
"from Amerigo the discoverer ... as if it were the land of Americus, thus America"
"There is a fourth quarter of the world which Amerigo Vespucci has discovered and which for this reason we can call 'America' or the land of Americo. We do not see why the name of the man of genius, Amerigo, who has discovered them, should not be given to these lands, as Europa and Asia have adopted the names of women."
This last part shows why America wasn't named Amerigo: Waldseemüller and Ringmann feminised the explorer's name in line with the names of the three previously known continents, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Amerigo Vespucci originally worked with Christopher Columbus, who discovered the West Indies, islands off the coast of the American continents. Columbus thought he had reached the eastern expanses of Asia. Vespucci later sailed in his own ship, reporting in letters his discoveries of a continent-sized land mass which he determined and demonstrated not to be the same Asia as earlier described by Claudius Ptolemy and Marco Polo. Vespucci's letters indicate he realised the true nature of the newly-discovered lands, but they may not even have been written by Vespucci himself. Some were possibly partially or even wholly fabricated by their publishers. After Vespucci's death, his name was besmirched by Columbus's supporters, who wanted Columbus proclaimed as the discoverer of the newly-identified continent. However, the name "America" stuck.
This is Anna's take on the episode, which she drew/wrote on her desk's magnetic whiteboard immediately after watching it.
"CC [Captain Columbus] discovered islands that were part of America but didn't really discover America.
FOCC [Friend of Captain Columbus] discovered America for real unlike CC but didn't get the credit he deserved."
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Quarter Time weigh in
A few days into the new year, I wrote that Jeff and I had begun juicing again and I was also exercising daily. This is all in aid of achieving a goal I set myself six months to reach: to lose at least 5.5kg each month over six months, to bring my weight down to within my healthy BMI range.
Today marks the first quarter point to meeting my six month goal. So how have I been doing?
Jeff and I were initially planning to do a juice-only fast but we realised it is better for the kids to see us making sustainable healthy eating choices, rather than doing a fairly radical diet. So we have 3-4 juices each day and eat a large salad for dinner each night. Jeff's salads include cheese, which is absent from most of mine, and we both include smoked salmon, tinned tuna, or an egg from our backyard chickens a few times each week. If I feel the need or desire for an extra snack in the afternoon I eat nuts or have a piece of the wonderful summer stone fruit that is available at the moment.
My typical breakfast juice consists of:
2 oranges
2 large carrots
1 yellow capsicum
1/2 pumpkin or 1 med sweet potato or 1 grapefruit
4 stalks of celery
My typical morning tea and lunch juices consist of half the following recipe, which does both meals:
2 granny smith apples
1 small or 1/2 large cucumber
1 green capsicum
1 plant coriander
1 lime or 1/2 lemon
1/2 inch ginger
6 leaves kale or 1 bag baby spinach on stems or 4 bok choy or 4 stems English spinach
My typical afternoon tea juice consists of:
2 oranges
1 beetroot, peeled
2 large carrots (purple carrots if available)
1 red capsicum
4 stalks of celery
Exercise-wise, during January I was awarded my Bronze Medallion swimming/lifesaving award, and I completed Jillian Michael's "30 Day Shred" DVD, with ten days of exercise at each of the three levels on the DVD. I have now moved on to Jillian Michael's "Burn Fat Boost Metabolism" DVD, which contains a longer workout as well as longer warm up and cool down circuits. I am improving already with this DVD. While I could only complete 6 of the 7 circuits (each 6min) initially, I can now do the entire workout of 7x6min circuits each morning.
My fitness has greatly improved. Here is a list of some of the things I can do now that I could not do at the beginning of January:
I can now do full sit ups (flat back, arms straight behind/above my head, knees bent, feet stay still on the floor without assistance as I do a complete sit up, not a crunch). I can do 10+ of these at a time, where previously I struggled to do one sit up with straight arms pointing forward to my knees.
I can now do 38 full (male) push ups in 60 sec. Previously, I couldn't do as many push ups on my knees (female-style) as I can now do with my legs straight.
I can now touch my forehead to my knees in a wide legs (almost) splits position, with my hands wrapped around my foot. Before, I could only just touch my toes in this position.
I can now run 1km without stopping, having cut about 1 min off my time from the beginning of January.
As for my weight, in January I met my monthly target of 5.5kg and a smidgen extra, losing 5.8kg (12.8lbs). At my quarter time weigh in this morning, I had lost a total of 10.1kg (22.3lbs), which is a drop of 3.5BMI points. So I am now 30% of the way to my target!!
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Friday, 18 January 2013
Ender's Game the movie!!!
Of all the books I read as a teen, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card has to be my favourite for so many reasons, not least the kick-ass twist to the ending. And now it's being made into a movie starring Harrison Ford as Lieutenant Graff and Asa Butterfield as Andrew Wiggin aka saviour-of-the-world-as-they-know-it Ender.
For more on the making of Ender's Game the movie, see the official blog.
I know where I'll be on 1/11/13.
(Umm, unless that other Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, comes back first.)
Friday, 11 January 2013
Sam Juices Up
|Sam Juices Up
1 red apple
1 green apple
1 carrot
It made just enough juice for one Sam-size cup.
(That's our juicer in the background, a Breville Juice Fountain.)
|First Taste
|My afternoon juice: Grape, Beetroot, Purple and Orange Carrots, Ginger, Kale & Capsicum
Anna reclines to read
|Anna reclines to read
Abigail from Tree to Trampoline
|Abigail from tree to trampoline
|Preparing to make the leap
|Gravity takes effect
|"How'd I do, Mummy?"


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Moscow Mule
Our favorite summer cocktail is now available is wax form! Sparkling lime and ginger make this top shelf candle incredibly refreshing! Just add vodka!
Each Ebony & Ivory candle is a unique scent created for fragrancing the home. The candles are hand crafted in Canada using phthalate free fragrance oils, 100% soy wax and crackling wood wicks.
For a better burning experience trim your wood wick before each burn by gently tapping off any excess charcoal bits from the wick.
8 oz Candles - 40-50 hour approximate burn time.
16 oz Candles - 80-100 hour approximate burn time.


text: Parthus Technology PRTH, -2.17% said it would discontinue investments in radio frequency and hardware-based security, resulting in a third quarter charge of roughly $3 million. The Ireland-based Internet protocol communications company said there would be layoffs as a result of the actions, but did not specify the number. The stock closed Thursday up 10 cents at $3.15.


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We mentioned employee motivation recently, but arguably, the main way to motivate yourself is by doing a job that you enjoy, with people that you don't want to batter to death with the office stationery. We spend about a third of our life in the workplace, which is a lot of time; but it only feels that way when you're not having fun, so it makes sense to find that place that you click with. We're advertising for a few roles at UKFast at the moment, so why not find out if you've got the UKFast gene?
At UKFast we talk about doing things differently, and that begins on a granular level with the people that we employ. This idea comes from our CEO, Lawrence Jones, who says: "I would rather look at somebody's personality than someone's CV and all of their qualifications and where they went to university.
"Really, I want to know are they sporty? What sort of circumstances have they grown up in? What's the toughest situation they've ever encountered and how did they get around it?"
There are some amazing opportunities available here, and from the training available, to the facilities, to the autonomy that we have over our roles, it's like no other environment. As Lawrence says: "UKFast is about empowering people and giving them a chance to do something amazing. You can grow, you can develop, you can learn things, you can change departments, and you can choose where you want to go and how you want to do it."
Outside of your role, there are lots of great reasons to come and be part of the team: the awesome office (complete with gym, sauna, ping pong tables and chillout areas), the trips to Snowdon and Switzerland; and pub quizzes, fancy dress days and nights out.
At the moment we've got some great opportunities, from marketing executive, to PHP developer, to data centre engineer; we just need to find people whose DNA fits with ours – but think less crazy mad-scientist and more family-feel! If someone's down, their team will be there for them. If someone does well, everyone celebrates. The Communications team practically threw a 'Welcome to the North' party the first time I tried chips and gravy.
So, if you're bored, miserable, or starting to edge closer to the office stationery, then maybe it's time to come and see if you could be part of the UKFast Family.
Take a look at our careers page to find out where you could fit in!


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Peacemaker Reviews - "Bridge of Spies"
JJ Mortimer
There are good movies, there are well-crafted films, and then there are great Steven Spielberg films. Bridge of Spies, inspired by true events, is one of the more solid pieces of work from The Beard in many years, building tension, suspense, humor, and political intrigue without the assistance of any form of rip-roaring action, while displaying flawless performances from both Tom Hanks and the superb Mark Rylance.
The script, written by Joel & Ethan Coen and Matt Charman, does a fine job of not telling the audience who the bad guys or good guys are in this particular Cold War skirmish, but instead allows the story to unfold from the points-of-view of a few noted characters from both the American and Soviet sides. Bridge of Spies is a character film, not an action film, and the narrative expands upon how we feel about Rudolf Abel (the captured and purported Soviet spy, played by Mark Rylance, that Tom Hanks' lawyer James B. Donovan is given the unfortunate task of defending in an American court), and how strongly we as a nation uphold the Constitution of the United States.
The story has two defining purposes - the first is a discussion about the mindset of the American people and the paranoia of the 50s, surrounding the fears of atomic war and international espionage; the second is in building a tense drama revolving the release and trade of a Soviet spy for a captured American pilot. This kind of story, and the power of its themes, are the hallmarks of Steven Spielberg's film making. While the first part of the film has some of the thematic elements of courtroom drama found in a film like Amistad, Spielberg's Bridge of Spies really takes off in the second half with a more demanding approach (much akin to Munich) as Hanks' Donovan is hired by the CIA to negotiate the pilot's release, given his credentials as a non-government agent working for the United States. The drama in the latter half of the film is more powerful, and defines the power of the film, yet Spielberg still finds his way to insert his particular brand of humor and whimsy in a few scenes to alleviate the mood.
What really drew me to this film was how captivating it was despite being what many impatient people would call a "talky movie." The acting is powerful, as is the Oscar-winning team behind the scenes: Michael Kahn's editing is on-point as always (even at 79-years old), and the cinematography from Spielberg staple Janusz Kaminski has that new-age, crisp and bright Spielberg look to it (Kaminski has shot every Spielberg film since 1993s Schindler's List). This is also the first Spielberg film since The Color Purple that composer John Williams hasn't scored (the talents of ten-time Oscar nominee Thomas Newman were hired this time around - smartly he did not try to emulate a Williams score, and focused more on what made him uniquely great in his Road to Perdition days).
Bridge of Spies starts as a courtroom period piece, but progresses into a minor espionage thriller. While this film is not one of the greatest films Spielberg has directed, it IS one of the best he's made in the past fifteen years. Not as darkly-dramatic as Munich, not as whimsical and often light-hearted as War Horse, and also not as deliberately slow-paced as Lincoln, Bridge of Spies is nontheless a very entertaining, captivating, and often educational motion picture on the Cold War era and how there aren't always clear-cut bad guys and good guys on either side. There are, usually, only people with different accents striving to a similar goal.
Bridge of Spies is sure to be nominated for a few Oscars. If I had a say, this film should easily be in the top ten for Best Picture, as would its screenplay. But, the real surprise is the authentic and flawless performance by stage actor Mark Rylance as Rudolf Abel. My only wish is that he had a little more screen time, because his character was so charismatic and likable that any time away from him was a shame (even amidst the great Tom Hanks).


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Forgive Guided Meditation
Forgive Guided Meditation
When you hold a grudge against someone, it causes more harm to you than it does to the person who hurt you. Releasing the emotional wound and finally forgiving is a powerful way to restore your mind, body, and spirit to health, happiness, and love.
This powerful guided meditation makes the difficult process of forgiveness an enjoyable and rewarding one - you will begin to feel better after the first time you use this!
Add To Cart


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Breastfeeding Isn't Always Easy
Breastfeeding is natural, so that means it'll be easy right? Wrong... Breastfeeding is not always easy.
For some they simply say " we are going to breastfeed" and they do with no issues. Baby latches well, nurses well, there is no extensive nipple soreness for mom and they nurse until baby or mom is ready to wean.
Some say " we are going to breastfeed" and they do with minimal issues that they are able to work through to make nursing doable for mom and baby.
Some say " we are going to breastfeed" and they have a difficult time, be that baby latching, extensive issues for mom such as mastitis, cracked and sore nipples, milk production issues, baby struggles to sufficiently suck, the list goes on. For what ever reason, be that it has challenges or it is not working and baby needs fed and mom needs rest, breastfeeding becomes something that is too difficult to continue.
Here are some words of encouragement. Breastfeeding isn't always easy, but you are an amazing mother. The simple phrase of "fed is best" rings true. When you encounter an issue in your breastfeeding journey and seek out help or a solution remember, you must do what works for you and your baby.
If your goals are to breastfeed here are some amazing resources for you.
- In home visits by an IBCLC to help you figure out what your next steps can be
- Postpartum Doula support to support you through the suggestions of the IBCLC, one-on-one support throughout the day and night with breastfeeding/pumping
- A local La Leche League meeting to meet local moms who are breastfeeding/pumping
- Donated milk for supply issues or when discontinuing breastfeeding, but still wanting to feed the baby with breastmilk
- Attending our Postpartum Support Group, which is open to mothers and partners, moms who are bottle feeding, breastfeeding, pumping or a mix of all three. Watch the video below to learn about our Postpartum Support Group
Sometimes when our breastfeeding plans do not go as we wanted, it can be hard to process, accept or talk about, and that is okay. Remember that there are resources out there for you, support is all around you and fed is best. Be proud of the amazing mother that you are to your baby.


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Betting tips for NBA playoffs
EACH of the 30 NBA teams might spend 82 games grinding through the regular season, but it's the NBA playoffs where the betting really hots up.
Commonly known as the post season, the playoffs involve 16 teams – the top eight from the Western Conference and the top eight from the Eastern Conference.
There are three conference rounds in the playoffs, which are followed by the NBA Finals, which feature the team that makes it out of the playoffs from each conference, playing off for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
And it's great fun to have a punt on. Apart from the typical head-to-head markets, you can take a chance on what the result will be in the series, players who lead the series in statistical categories and even turn the series winners into multi bets, or parlays/accumulators. And don't forget, you get the usual markets on each and every game throughout each series.
We've broken down all the information you need for betting on the NBA playoffs and compiled it below:
How the NBA playoffs work
Each team is seeded by using their record in the regular season.
The team that has the best record in each of the three divisions (Atlantic, Central and Southeast in the Eastern Conference and Northwest, Pacific and Southwest in the Western Conference) in each conference is declared division champion.
The three division champions, and then the team with the best record of the remainder, are seeded one through four by their records.
It means that division champions can actually qualify higher than teams in other divisions with better records.
The rest are then sorted by record, before they take on each other in the first round of the playoffs, or the conference quarter finals.
A little like this:
1 v 8
2 v 7
3 v 6
4 v 5
Each of those match ups play a seven game series, with the goal being to win four games. So a team can win 4-0, 4-1, 4-2 or 4-3.
The four winners of the seven game series' then advance to the second round of the playoffs, or conference semi finals.
There are two conference semi finals match ups in the East and two in the West.
Two winners of those seven game series' will then proceed to the conference finals.
These, again, are played over seven games and pits two teams in each conference against each other, for a chance at safe passage to the NBA Finals.
Home court advantaged in each series is decided on record, and the series is played using a 2–2–1–1–1, which means the team with home court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6.
Betting head-to-head on the NBA playoffs
Head-to-head betting is the quickest and easiest way to bet on the NBA playoffs.
All you need to happen for your head-to-head bet to get up is for the team you've placed your bet on to win the series.
A 4-0 whitewash is obviously the preferred method of achievement here. It leaves nothing to chance, gives your team safe passage to the next round of the playoffs and puts money in your wallet.
Often, in the first round, some lowly teams can nick a game or two from their more fancied opponents, but 4-1 or 4-2 is still ok.
It's when it's tied at 3-3 and you need your team to take out a do or die game seven that really puts your heart in your throat. It can be both agonising and exhilarating, with your money riding on every moment. These clashes often happen closer to the finals, usually in the conference finals, where teams are far more evenly matched and often trade wins on their home floors.
An example of a head to head bet is:
Oklahoma City ($1.79) vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($2.05)
This was the match up from the first round of the Western Conference quarter finals in 2014, pitting the second seeded Thunder up against the seventh-placed Memphis Grizzlies. With the Thunder losing gun point guard Russell Westbrook to a knee injury in the first game of the series, it was left to MVP Kevin Durant to take over and, while he just did enough, it was a closely fought series that ended in a 4-3 result, the Thunder riding home court advantage to the next round. So if you'd backed the Thunder, you'd have collected.
NBA playoffs exact series result betting
This is where it gets interesting.
Here's where you need to predict not only who will win the series, but also how many games each team will win during the series.
Here's an example of an exact series result bet:
Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trailblazers: Portland to win the series, four games to two.
The Rockets enjoyed home court advantage in this first round series of 2014 and were favoured to win, but star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and point guard Damian Lillard proved too much for Dwight Howard and James Harden. The Trailblazers upset Houston by winning the two opening games on the road, before the Rockets hit back at the Rose Garden to make it 2-1. But Portland was good enough to make it 3-1 in the next game, before Houston won on its home floor and then the Blazers closed it out in the sixth game, giving them a 4-2 series win.
NBA playoff series number of games betting
This bet takes the head-to-head factor out of the bet.
So all you need to do is predict how many games will be played in the series, between four and seven.
For a four game series bet to get up, one team has to win every game, five games would have to be 4-1, six games, 4-2, and seven games, 4-3.
What is a player props bet on the NBA playoffs?
Player props bets give you the chance to focus in on your favourite player and ride him to financial gain.
Usually they are centred around what player will lead a particular statistical category for the series, particularly points, assists and rebounds.
An example of a player props bet on the NBA playoffs is:
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers most series rebounds
DeAndre Jordan $1.93
With big Aussie Andrew Bogut on the sidelines with injury, this might have been the bet of the playoffs in 2014. Jordan, a giant, high leaping 7 foot centre had his way with the Bogut-less Warriors, finishing with an incredible 106 rebounds across the 4-3 series, in favour of the Clipps. His effort would have provided a return to punters, with the series' next best rebounder getting nowhere near his huge total.
The NBA playoffs: where magic happens
It's one of the world's great sports and the NBA playoffs put the world's best basketballers on the big stage.
When that happens, great things are bound to follow. Here are some amazing stories and statistics about the NBA playoffs that will amaze you:
The wonderful San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have appeared in every playoff series since 1998. That's an amazing 17-year stretch. Dallas had done it 11 times in a row, but they dipped out in 2013.
Bizarrely, the Syracuse Nationals, who became the Philadelphia 76ers, had a 22-year run where they never missed the playoffs from 1949-71.
Those invincible Spurs of 1998-99 won a ridiculous 12 straight games in the playoffs, giving them the longest streak in NBA history, before ultimately taking the title with a brilliant 15-2 finish. Shaq and Kobe's 2001 Lakers went 15-1, giving them the best record ever.
It took until the 1994 season for an eighth-seeded team to knock over the top seed in the first round of the NBA playoffs. That year, the Denver Nuggets caused a massive boilover, knocking over the highly fancied Seattle SuperSonics 3–2.
Since then, it has happened only four other times.
The 1999 New York Knicks rolled the Miami Heat 3–2, on their way to the NBA Finals, The 'We Believe' Golden State Warriors, led by Baron Davis, got past the Dallas Mavericks 4–2 in 2007, Memphis beat San Antonio in 2011, 4–2, and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers took advantage of Derrick Rose's injury to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 4–2.


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Meridian Refinery on Billings County Commission Agenda: June 7, 2016
Here we go again!!
The Meridian application for a proposed oil refinery near Theodore Roosevelt National Park is again on the Billings County Commission agenda. This time for Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at 9 am MT at the Billings County Courthouse in Medora.
The application was tabled at the Commission's May 3rd meeting with a request by Commissioner Arthaud for further detailed information from Meridian.
The ND Department of Health has been invited and is expected to present about air quality permitting, especially as it impacts the Class 1 air quality standard for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. As of today, Meridian has not yet submitted their DoH application.
It is of further interest that Meridian has submitted two variance applications to the Billings County Planning and Zoning Commission that will not be heard until their June 16th meeting: http://www.billingscountynd.gov/documents/2016_6_16_BC_zoning_notice_001.pdf
BCA opposes this location at the gateway to our National Park and finds unacceptable Meridian's selling point that further expansion of an associated industrial park is sure to follow.
For a look at former ND Tourism Director Jim Fuglie's take on the issue and the value of our National Park, read "North Dakota's Best Place: Can We Keep It That Way?" on The Prairie Blog.


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6500kg laddu offered in Surat
Apr 12, 2017 18:14 IST
about the video
It is said devotion and faith know no bound and true it is. A 6500kg laddu was offered to Lord Hanuman on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Tuesday in Gujarat's Atal Ashram in Surat. Hanuman Jayanti 2017 was celebrated on April 11 and if priests and other astrologers were to be believed yesterday's Hanuman Jayanti held far greater significance than others. According to certain calculations, the special significance took place after a gap of 120 years.
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ARGOMENTI: Seminars
Giovedì 29 Giugno 2017 alle ore 10:00 in Aula 1BC45, Simone Giovannini (Dottorando del DM) terrà un seminario dal titolo "n-representation infinite algebras from skew group algebras of metacyclic groups".
n-representation infinite algebras were introduced by Herschend, Iyama and Oppermann in the context of higher dimensional Auslander-Reiten theory, in order to generalize the classical hereditary representation infinite algebras. Using the fact that these algebras are in bijection with bimodule (n+1)-Calabi-Yau algebras of Gorenstein parameter 1, we will show that examples of them can be obtained from skew group algebras of finite subgroups of SL(n+1,C). In particular we will show the existence of two families of n-RI algebras using respectively some abelian and metacyclic groups. These can be thought as a generalization of the classical type A and D cases.