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Sunday, June 29, 2008
The Brutal Sport of Boxing - Or why I am not thrilled by Pacquiao's Victory
I watched a replay of the Pacquiao-Diaz match this evening. I only watched up to the fifth round, I found it too brutal, especially after seeing the bloodied face of Diaz. I didn't stay around and watch Manny knock Diaz down in the 9th round.
I know millions of Filipinos are filled with joy and pride after seeing Manny Pacquiao win the WBC flyweight championship. Many hail him as a national hero. Many claim that he is the only one that can unite the Filipino people. The President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo congratulated him and called his victory a masterpiece. "Once again he showed the sterling quality of excellence of a Filipino at his best," she said after watching the fight on TV while awaiting her flight back to Manila.The President said the whole country is rejoicing over the Filipino icon's new feat.
I am probably one of the few who is not rejoicing over Pacquiao's victory. I am appalled at the sight of two boxers trying to hurt each other and knock each other down. I cannot stomach nor can I glorify violence. I am never impress by anyone who proves to be a better or more butal fighter in the ring.
Boxing is the modern day equivalent of the gladiatorial combat in ancient Rome. These fights among slaves were organized by the Emperors to entertain the masses so that they can forget their problems. Of course, boxers don't try to kill each other, but many have been maimed or have even died.
I believe that brutal sports such boxing has no place in civilized society. We should stop considering boxers as heroes. If the only thing we can be proud of is our boxers like Manny Pacquiao - shame on us. The kind of heroes we are looking for are the ones who are capable of fighting corruption, injustice, environmental destruction and poverty in our land. We do not want violent or blood-thirsty heroes, but those capable of working for peace.
There is more to national unity than Filipinos watching at the same time Manny Pacquiao fight his opponents on TV.
28 comments:
- xzellenz said...
shame on you, instead, for being a cynic...in a time when we, Filipinos, have very little to rejoice about, such small victories by our countrymen, whether in boxing or in other fields should be celebrated without cynicism or even criticism..
comparing boxing to gladiatorial combat is, to say the least, baseless, misinformed, and unjust (stupid, if i may add).. boxing is a sport, a test of skills, wills, and talent.. is it brutal? sometimes, it is.. but it is part and parcel of the sport..no one forces boxers to to what they do..boxers choose to do what they do, and we should respect them for doing so, not castigate them
obviously, boxing would benefit from more stricter regulations and safety nets to protect fighters, and that's the reason why boxing experts are constantly trying to implement stricter measures and regulations..
I love the fact that you are voicing out your opinions, but here is what i think--i think before you criticize the sport of boxing, you should first clean your own backyard..the "sins" of boxing are far less than the sins of the catholic church.. why not blog about those things, eh?
why not blog about the corruption of the church, or the sexual abuse cases that plague priests, or the questions on the intergrity of priests? those are the issues you should first address; boxing should be the least of your concerns, father picardal.
- Arnie said...
FYI, the catholic church is going down. it is based on false teachings 2000 years ago and no longer applicable. get out while you still can...
- rag said...
comments like yours are really uncalled for. and coming from a priest.. geesh! yeah I know it's a free world but sometimes we have to be responsible on what we post.
crab mentatility talaga. KSP amp!
- Gener said...
father, kulang lang kayo sa pansin, kaya marami nang katolikong hindi bilib sa mga pari. tsk. tsk. tsk.
- kenshinflyer said...
Father, may I ask you a question: Were you bullied before as a kid?
If yes, well, there's no doubt why you weren't thrilled by Pacquiao's victory.
Okay, okay: you want heroes capable of peacemaking. Simulan mo na, susunod ako. Talk is cheap. Manny has done just that many times. When Manny fights, there's no crime--all eyes glued to TV sets. Can you do that?
- laruku said...
In this time we see how naive filipinos can be... i agree with your opinion father picardal.. i am not a fan of boxing neither do i want it not to be part of society. But in reality we need heroes but not the likes of pacquiao. We need heroes who can make a change in our country. People who are taking the argument on "The church have done more sins than pacquiao" just have little or no known understanding of reality. What can pacquiao do for this country? When everyone wants to live and work abroad? Where there are hungry people on the streets, rebellion in our own soil, graft and corruption in our government. And for the record boxing or other forms of contact sport are all brutal and can be and will always be compared to gladiatorial combat.How? First of all gladitorial combat is a sport in the roman time with a different set of rules. Second, Well people will never get out of that reality because it is in our genes. We are all genetically born with the innate thirst to kill. That is why we are on top of the food chain. We are not herbivores or carnivores, we are omnivores. Just a little science 101 before people reading this blog gets again on the argument "why compare gladiatorial combat to boxing". We are all entitled to have our own opinion, and Father picardal's opinion is something we can praise not criticize. At least We can say that there are still filipinos who are aware on what is happening in this country. Those are the filipinos that are worth calling heroes. Why call Father Picardal "papansin, stupid, KSP, crab mentality and those stuffs", havent your parents teach you how to show respect, and for God's sake it is a priest that you people are talking to. If Father Picardal's opinion is not aligned with what you see on pacquiao's win. At least show some respect, you can still voice out your criticism in a very constructive way. Havent you guys even thought that all this publicity all falls down to profit and popularity. Ratings and Politics. Call this pathetic patriotism or whatever you may call it. But please read between the lines and show some respect.
- Vincent Adam said...
I respect your views, Fr. Picardal, but I don't think it's nice to denigrate a person's accomplishments just because you don't like the field he accomplished it in. (Unless that field happens to be mass-murder or the like)
Pacquiao is not a hero because he wins in boxing.
Your definition of what a hero is is very narrow. A hero is not just someone who brings peace. A hero can also be someone who brings HOPE. Pacquao has done just that. He has shown people that, even with limited credentials, a person can still rise above his limitations, conquer adversity, and succeed in life.
That's what Pacquiao has given to the world - especially filipinos. Hope. And in that context, he is a hero to many.
- onald said...
What is you problem FATHER! Are you so damn absorbed in your self righteousness that you can not even be happy for a fellow Filipino's achievement.. in that case why do you still remain a priest when you are looking for heroes who fight corruption. look no further FATHER, its in your backyard. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is part of the corruption you despise. For centuries the church grew in actrocties.. the INQUISITION! the HOLOCOUST! the church turn a deaf ear and blind eye on these! and plese FATHER dont even deny you get a BONER once in a while or MASTURBATE even!
- bermuda grass said...
indeed, how could something as brutal and as bloody as boxing be called a "sport"? when does it become enough? i read somewhere that even Roach (the coach of Pacquiao, who's an ex-boxer) already has the parkinson's disease (same as Ali's). so does he intend for manny to have the same fate? boxing has become all about money and gambling. how about our Filipino athletes in track and field and other sports who continue to train hard despite a tight budget, and try their best to win the medals despite formidable opponents? i think they are the real heroes in sports.
- Jairus said...
Father, you are not alone. hindi rin po ako ganung kamangha sa pagkapanalo ni pacquiao.
sa lhat ng nagagalit kay father, bahala na nga kayo sana mapagisip isip niyo kung ano ipinopost niyo.
- Fallen Scholar said...
Father, i will pray for you. I know you can endure all those negative comments. Many have suffered because they told the truth. May the Mother of Perpetual Help bless you. Go Father!
Ok, there's no crime DURING the fight, but have you noticed fans are killing one another AFTER the fight? And during the fight, it is noticeable that many have disrespected the Filipino flag. Isn't that a crime?
I dont admire Manny. I admire those disabled persons striving hard to give honor to our country. I admire Father Picardal.
- Istik said...
I respect your opinion but don't put down the opinions of others by not posting their comments. You should be manly enough to accept all the criticism that would be the result of this posting of yours.
It is kind of unfair that you censor some of the comments but you use freedom of expression by posting what you have in mind.
- SEEKER OF THE RIGHT said...
To say Pacquiao is a hero, is just like saying that the biblical character is a hero. A hero is one who lives in misery or even died after a heroic act, not one who lives in extravagance and gallivanting after a barbaric undertaking. Pacquiao perhaps a superstar not a hero. To claim that he is a hero would prostitute the meaning of hero is.
- Matrix Resources said...
Pacquiao is an ugly pitbull!!!
- petite said...
Suma-inyo ang kapayapaan!
Hindi bayani si Manny, siya'y bahagi lamang ng kasaysayan ng boxing, ng ating bayan na siya'y naging kampeon sa kasalukuyang panahon sa larangan ng isport, at nakapagbigay ng muling pagkilala sa kapilipinuhan sa saklaw na pangdaigdigan, at higit sa kasiyahan ng mamamayang Pilipino.
"Ang pagiging bayani ay hindi hinuhubog sa sandaling panahon at ninumang mamamayan, tanging kasaysayan pa rin ang magdidikta at susukat kung ang isang mamamayan ay isang bayani ng bayan - bayani sa iba't-ibang larangan, at bayaning nagsakrispisyo para sa Diyos, at para sa Bayan"
Ang mga negatibong kritisismo kay Padre Picardal, ay larawan ng kawalan ng malalimang kabatiran/kamalayan kung ano nga ba ang esensiya ng "kabayanihang para sa bayan", manapa'y ang mamamayang Pilipino nabubulagan sa komersyalisadong kabayanihan, tulad ng boxing, basketball at iba pa...
Nawa'y magkaroon ng buhay at malawak na kapanonotan ang bawat mamamayang Pilipino, sa kanyang pakikipag-kapwa-tao at pagiging Pilipino, at tunguhin ang bagong yugto sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa antas ng pangdaigdigan. Ang pangdaigdigan pakikipag-ugnayan ay isang "di lantad na kabayanihan", ito ang inakong gampanin ng 10% populasyon/ mamamayan ng Pilipinas, na kung tawagin ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan ay "mga bagong bayani ng bayan" - ang natatanging sektor ng paggawa, ang OFW. Ang bawat OFW ay nagsisilbing SUGO ng bansang Pilipinas sa iba't-ibang panig ng mundo, kapalit nito'y laksa-laksang hinagpis, kalungkutan, at pangungulilala niya at ng kanyang pamilyang naiwan sa sariling-bayan, at kung minsan at talagang nagaganap sa tunay na buhay, na ang istraktura ng kanyang pamilya'y nabubuwag.
Sa katotohanan, ang mga "di lantad na bayani" o mga OFW ang siyang nagbibigay lakas at nagsasalba sa bagsak na ekonomiya, sa kanilang bilyong USD na remitanses kada tao, subalit sa mahigit-kumulang na 3 dekada, ang pamahalaan ay di seryoso at walang nalikhang konkretong programa para sa re-integrasyon, bagkus higit nitong pinararami ang bilang ng OFW at mas hinihikayat ang mga manggagawang pilipino na mangibang-bansa at magpa-alipin sa ibayong-dagat. Imbes na produktong yamang-likas ang dapat na i-eksport, tao ang pangunahing produktong pang-eksport ng bansang Pilipinas.
Sa katotohanan, ang mga mamamayang Pilipino ay manhid na sa "tunay na diwa ng patriotismo", at nalihis ang kanilang damdamin sa katumpakan ng depinisyon ng terminolohiyang "bayani"; bagkus mas hinahangad niya na pag-usapan, talakayin at damahin ang mga kabayanihan sa showbiz, sa boxing, sa billard... at ang mundo ng pagkukunwari, makasarili't kataksilan.
Para kay Manny, mabuhay ka!
Padre, pagpalain po kayo ng Dakilang Lumikha.
Maraming salamat po.
- vanillae said...
No question about that, one just need to open his eyes and he will see the truth. You may watch boxing and be entertained by the fists that pour more blood from the opponents face, but never call them heroes because being boxer alone is way beyond the qualifications.
Related topic can be found here: http://expressingmind.blogspot.com entitled Why Heroes.
- donturyuk said...
Manny Pacquiao rag to riches story is common to all people whos been very succesful in their respective field,,
but what seperate Manny is he bring the whole nation into one.during the time a country is suffering government turmoil,corruption,economy meltdown,cudeta etc.one Man stand alone and bring glory to the bad image
of Philippines,....
Manny Pacquiao makes everyone in the Philippines watch everytime he enter the ring,,thus makes the result of,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
1.zero crime rate for at least 6 to 7 hours in one day.
2.almost nobody in the street.that like in the movie everybody is freeze, STOP the whole nation
3.CEASEFIRE between military and rebel during the time of his fight
- Wilbert said...
I agree on Fr. Picardal. I'm a fan of pacman as well. I'm trilled every time he fights on the right. And i'm one of those millions of filipinos who rejoice every time he wins a fight. I can consider him to be a legend because of his great skills in boxing. But to consider him a hero? I don't think so. In USA, they have Michael Jordan. In Philippines, we have Manny Pacman. But did they ever consider Michael Jordan a hero in USA? I don't think so! But no one can argue that manny is the great boxer right now. And I'm a fan of him since his blow by blow days. =)
- Danilo said...
Good morning father, I was able to glance your dairy how you work for the mission and for the formation of the priests. I thank God for your blog to let us know the picture of the mission of Christ. I also understand that there are only few sports lovers who reacted too much with your comments on the recent fight of Pacquiao and the boxing sports as it is.
While they gave negative understanding on your opinion, It came to my mind how those fans of Diaz reacted when they saw Manny hitting their idol. I remember that one mexican who hated pacquiao for destroying their boxing icons (Barrera, Morales, Marquez etc) became an instant fan of him after Manny offered a help to Diaz after the fall.
Your comments on the true concept of a hero is not just an opinion, but the true meaning of what hero is. I believe of what you said father since you are far more dedicated to your calling as a missionary priest.
Those who reacted too much might have some unresolved personal issues. They might be non-catholics or catholics in name who did not practice their faiths. Or they might be the fans of Manny so to say.
If they only knew the meaning of "Cynic, shame on u, etc" they would not have spoken those words. Why ?
1. They did not indicate who they are, their real names, etc, which is the sign of a coward. Can the unkown be credited to what he says or speaks against a living person?
2. The dead can never speak to the living. They dont have names father, therefore, they are not real, nor there commentaries are real. I challenge them to say first who they are for them to be responsible for their words. I guess, they are also educated since they used words from dictionaries, bibles, history books, etc.
The only credible statements or comments are those that are fully accounted for.
Hope that those who spoke ill words against you be judge by what they said, for them to learn that freedom of speech is not just saying anything what one likes to speak, even if the words are already hurting.
Thank you for reading this message of mind father. May you include me in your prayers too for I also need God's blessings as a government employee, and for me to continue working for the greater glory of God.
Thank you father,
Danilo Gabia
- ferdie said...
I think we are all wrong in our opinion making regarding Manny Pacquiao.
1. Pacman must not be considered a hero as long as he is still alive,living person still make sin. Just like Flash Elorde, he became a hero in our heart and mind because his clean and honest living.
2. Pacman is an inspiration to all filipino,who bring honor to our country and give hopes to our poor country man the stairway to elevate thier lives from poverty.
3. Boxing is a decent way to earn a living. KFR, Holduppers, Bank robbers,terrorist and corrupt government and religous official is more brutal than the art of boxing.
Shame on all that are against boxing,you are all hypocrite!!!!!
- eric santillan said...
The famous German poet Bertolt Brecht once said, "Unhappy the land that is in need of heroes."
This whole discussion on Manny Pacquiao, I think, really shows how desperate we have become in looking for heroes in the country.
I watch Manny Pacquiao. I respect and I glory in his wins. And I for one believe that he has brought glory to the country. My Sunday stops as well when there is a Manny Pacquiao fight.
But this post by Fr. Picardal also made me think at the very least.
I think it is really just a problem of "definitions". What is hero for you?
And people will have different definitions and equally different understanding/s of that word. Now, to fight about definitions is to lose the whole point.
With respect to everyone here, and as with everything in life, we have things we are very passionate about and we'll even kill for and there are things we just let go. Knowing (and discerning) which ones are worth dying for and which ones are not is what separates the men from the boys.
Ang Peregrino
- Lexusxtreme said...
Why do we call those soldiers a hero? as one had said prior, heroes are the one's who sacrifice himself even in death for the nation and for the people? how about boxing? many have died, many had been bed ridden, they played boxing as if theyre playing with death. one dont even know if he gets hit, it'll be his last hour/minute/sec? hmmm. For Pacman? we all know that its money right? but at least prior to his fights he kept on saying that this fight is for the FILIPINO People.. and to think, it may be his last night alive... hmm.. so? you do the math.. Considered as HERO he is? i beleived so.. he may not be that typical hero like the others, thats the only thing that he knows and think that can benefit the filipino people. so Come on people.. ganun rin yun, better not critisize a man na nag bubuwis nang buhay para sa pamilya at sa buong pilino.. SABAYAN NYO NALANG, GUMAWA RIN KAU NANG SARILI NINYONG PAMAMARAAN!!!
- jerky said...
People have different views. I agree with the post though that Pacquiao gives hope. With millions of our countrymen having a hard life not being able to afford anything, I think hope is the only thing that keeps them going. I agree that the ones helping to fight corruption and the like can be called a hero, question is, where are they? Are you saying that we should be calling you the hero instead? People have different ways of helping and lucky you, you were educated. Manny never had the luxury of a good education but he used his "God given talent" to find a way and make his life better including the lives of some countless people he's helped along the way.
Maybe we should just leave Manny along just like how the government leaves the church alone by not making it pay taxes.
God bless.
- rufguy said...
I agree to Father Picardal, Pacquiao should not called a hero dahil maraming bahid na alanganin para syay'y isang bayani. Unang una andaming nakapaligid na mga pulitikong buwaya gaya ng narinig ko sa coverage ng laban nya and i caught " please lng manny patumbahin mna para magkabyaran na" nakakahiya pumunta cla dun para lang pumusta kay manny buti nanalo cla, kng natalo kawawa n nman ang mga pilipino kc pera ng taong bayan ang mga ginagastos nla nakakahiya kayo!!.Pangalawa, bkit indi dapat tawaging bayani c manny, ngsasakripisyo sya para lng sa knyang sarili hindi para buong bayan bakit? tingnan nyo anlaki n nman ng premyo nya, pra sa bayan b yun hindi para sa sarili lng nya. Kaya magisip isip tau mga kababayan akoy isang fan ni manny lahat ng laban nya napanood ko idol k sya sa larangan ng boxing,pero nt to the extend na sya ikonsidera nating pambansang bayani. mabuhay ka Father Picardal!!!!!
- jexo said...
i respect your opinion father... kanya kanya po tayo ng pananaw... request ko lang po sana, mag open din kayo ng topic tungkol sa mga paring nambubuntis para naman malinis ang ating pong simbahan at para mawala ang mga anay sa simbahang katoliko.... pakigising na rin ang mga katolikong nagsisimba ng mi mga kasuotang di angkop sa pagsisimba... wala pa akong nakitang pari na nagsasalita laban sa malalswang kasuotan ng mga nagsisimba... walng paring matapang o bulag lamang sa ganito
- Francis said...
Why can't we just be proud of our fellow Filipino's achievements?
For your information, here is HERO as defined by the Miriam-Webster dictionary:
"c: a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities"
Isn't Paquiao not qualified to be such?
Sure, boxing is not your thing, it isn't mine too, but to see people uniting as one because of Manny is something that will never be seen in other countries. I'd bet you there were more Filipinos who watched Manny's fights than there will be Filipinos who will be watching the 08 Beijing Olympics.
Also, doesn't it bring a smile to your face as your country's national anthem is sung before each fight in front of the world,you would hold your head high and be proud that you're a Filipino?
Like you, I am a patriot who loves this country, but I am sad to say that little do you know, this blog just tries to belittle the things most Filipinos take pride in. Unlike what you believe in, Filipinos do not look on to Manny and someday want to be a boxer as good as him... NO. They look on to Manny and see him as a sign of HOPE; that despite all the troubles plaguing our country, there is someone still willing to excel in what he does. People see that in Manny, and hence strive to be the best they can be in whatever they are doing.
I request you to please take back what you said. Thanks.
PS. If boxing as you say, is brutal and uncivilized, then maybe we should also ban American Football for its brutally of people smashing into each other and taking each other down? Or maybe even Basketball for it being just a couple of guys going back and forth shoot a ball into a basket....sounds primitive?
Also, didn't Jesus tell us not to judge other people? Go figure...
- rodrigo said...
Father, if you don't like boxing. pls. ignore it. Me, I really love boxing. Why not "expanding/sharpening" your teaching or peaching like what Bro. Bo Sanchez is doing. Pls visit http://www.preacherinbluejeans.com
- manlalakbay said...
Bayani Ba si Manny?
Ang una kong tanong ay bakit itinuturing na bayani sa Manny Pacquiao? Lahat ba ng magagaling na boksingero sa Pilipinas ay tinatanghal na bayani? May mga nagsasabing bayani si Manny dahil sa karangalang ibinibigay niya sa bansa. Mayroon naman na dahil daw napagbubuklod niya ang mga Filipino. Mabuting halimbawa din daw siya ng pagsusumikap dahil mula sa pagiging mahirap ay umasenso siya sa aspetong pinansyal. Kinakatawan din daw niya ang pagiging Filipino -- malakas, mapanalangin, mapagmahal sa pamilya,at masikap. Higit sa lahat, nagpapasok siya ng malaking pera sa bansa at natutulungan niya rin daw ang iba niyang mga kababayan. Maaring hindi sopistikada ang gagawin kong pagtatanong pero ito ay sinserong paghahanap ng katanggap-tanggap na sagot: Kung si Jose Rizal ang tatanungin, sang-ayon kaya siya na tanghaling bayani at huwaran ng pagiging makabayan ang mga taong ipinagmamapuri ng ating mga kababayan at gobyerno ngayon? Hindi niya kaya isasaalang-alang ang kakatwang pagkalibang natin sa panonood ng mga taong nagsusuntukan, nagbabasagan ng mukha, at nagkakabalian ng ilong, panga, at kung ano-ano pang bahagi ng katawan? Hindi kaya siya mababagabag sa makikita niyang mga bata sa lansangan na nagsusuntukan dahil ginagaya nila ang mga hinahangaang boksingero? Hindi kaya siya malulungkot na malamang ang perang panggastos na sana ng mga pamilya ay napupunta pa sa pustahan? Matutuwa kaya siyang makita na ang mayayamang tumutulong dapat sa mahihirap ay ipinangsusugal ang kayamanang ipinagkatiwala sa kanila? Maituturing niya kayang bayani ang kababayan niyang nagtatapon ng milyon-milyong piso para sa mga bahay, mga sasakyan, at mga alahas habang nananatiling milyon pa rin ang bilang ng mga Filipinong halos walang pambili ng pagkain sa araw-araw? Sa tingin ko ay mas maraming simpleng tao ang higit na dapat mabigyang karangalan at maitaas bilang huwaran ng lahat kaysa isang tao na hinahangaan lang ng mga mahilig manood ng suntukan, at pinakikinabangan lang ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng pera.


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Use of Knowledge. A info controller need to limit entry to collected personalized facts to the minimum extent required. Knowledge subjects have the proper to entry info and to rectify incorrect or incomplete info, the proper to erasure and to info portability, as effectively as the proper of account cancellation
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If a info controller wants to share or transfer personalized facts, it need to to start with conduct a safety evaluation, use productive steps to safeguard info subjects, inform info subjects of the reason and the receiver of the info transfer and acquire prior consent (a individual consent in addition to the initial consent to accumulating and processing info). If a info controller is acquired by or merged with other entities, it need to notify the info subjects of this reality and its successor shall continue on to perform the initial info controller's duties and obligations.
Knowledge Breach Incidents. Knowledge controllers need to have safety incident reaction ideas in location, present periodic training and perform emergency drills at minimum per year. When a info breach happens, the info controller need to history the incident, assess probable impression and just take remedial steps. It shall also notify affected info subjects of the incident by electronic mail, mail, telephone, drive notification, or other acceptable and productive method when specific discover is not nearly feasible.


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I am free!
I choose to use my freedom to experience something wonderful and life-affirming, rather than something I consider negative. I affirm what is true: I was created out of the life, love and intelligence of God. I was created to live a full and fulfilling life. I speak my affirmations of truth aloud or hold them silently in mind; then I act with confidence and faith.
There is no need to blame others or myself for mistakes or missteps. I am not held back by any past condition or circumstance. I let go of all ideas that restrict my free expression and embrace each new day as another opportunity to give expression to my spiritual nature. The indwelling Spirit is the source of my freedom to be all that I want to be. I am free!
You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.--John 8:32


text:
Friday, December 01, 2006
Going to the dogs
We need more nurturing, creative ideas like this. I did a double-take when I first saw this poster in the doorway of my local branch of the Madison Public Library -- and then it made perfect sense. I asked a librarian about it, and she said the program was started by a woman with a dog that likes children and enjoys being read to. Parents of children who want to practice reading aloud but are shy about doing it in public can schedule time with the woman and her dog. The canine listener makes a perfect, attentive and non-judgmental audience. Live outside Madison and want to call for more information? The area code that goes with that number is 608.
1 comment:
- Kim said...
Hey, love your idea of reading to your dogs! Of course, they won't understand the content, but it's a great bonding idea between the dog and owner!
Check out my new blog: Top Dog Blog!
It's still pretty new, but I'll be adding new content and pictures daily.
Visit http://topdogblog1.blogspot.com
See you there!
- May 12, 2009, 9:58:00 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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I know we're moving on and bathing in Adam Scott's incredible victory, but I was flipping through and for obvious reasons feel the need to post a Decision of the Day:
6-6d/5 - Spectators Allege Competitor's Score Incorrect
"Q. All strokes played by A at the 18th hole were observed by spectators, but when the card was returned the recorded score for that hole was lower than that which the spectators alleged had been taken. What should the Committee do?
A. If any doubt arises as to the correctness of a card, the Committee should consult with the competitor and marker and also take into account the testimony of other witnesses.
If the evidence indicates that the recorded score for the 18th hole was lower than actually taken, the Committee should disqualify A (Rule 6-6d). Otherwise, no penalty should be applied." (Emphasis added)
And that's my final word on that subject...


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Equities First Holdings A Leader in Alternative Financing
To obtain a loan from a financial institution, one has to fill a lot of paperwork and offer collateral that is of equivalent or exceeding value to the money one is borrowing. The financial institutions also require the borrower to pay the loan with a fixed interest. It's a lengthy and a complex process that may end up with negative outcomes.
That's not the case with Equities First Holdings. Just like the name suggests, the financial institution accepts equities as collateral for the loan. Equities First Holding has been a leader in alternative financing to high-net-worth individuals who seek non-purpose capital.
The borrower chooses to enter into a contract with Equities First Holdings if he/she holds shares of a particular company and believes that the stocks will appreciate in value in the near future. Rather than liquidating the shares, the borrower transfers the shares to Equities First Holdings to be held as collateral.
What makes Equities First Holdings stand out from the rest is because of the security that the client receives. When the stock held as collateral appreciates during the loan period, the borrower will retain the full market value of the stock at maturity. The borrower also enjoys lower interest rates on loan, compared to other lending services.
The fact that the capital offered is a non-purpose capital the client has the flexibility of using and investing the money in what he or she sees fit. Equities First Holdings has succeeded in providing an alternative financing that is attractive and affordable to their clients.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-lender-equities-first-holdings-124500530.html for more .
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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David Wilcock, was one of the people I synchronicity on when I started my Awakening. He is awesome! I love him. Check out his new book, and join the Revolution of taking back ALL that was stolen from us.
REMEMBER: Diamonds Forever 30min world news update, tomorrow Thurs august 22 7pm central 209-255-1000 pin 883267# or if you can't make it, listen to the recording 209-255-1099 pin 883267# reference 67#. Love Peace and laughter turning to Blissssssssssss!! Elizabeth Diamond
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If this book makes it on the New York Times best-seller list for its debut, it will be a force to be reckoned with.
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The best-seller list is about credibility. The mainstream media will be forced to pay closer attention to this book once it debuts on the list.
We need your help to make this possible. Our numbers are already close to the mark, even before tonight's Coast appearance -- but that is no excuse for complacency.
If you haven't already locked in your lower pre-order price, there's still time to do it now. If you've already ordered a copy, please consider picking one up for a friend!
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Available in hardcover, audiobook and ebook formats as of August 20, 2013!
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Brandon Gilbert: You did a perfect job on this you tube. Thankyou
Now you can enjoy this video for yourself! Check it out:
What if the Universe is alive -- and is trying to communicate with you through synchronicity and the Law of Karma? What if life on earth is not random, but is guided by mysterious forces that are written into the orbital paths of the stars and planets themselves?
What if all space, time, matter and energy is composed of a Source Field that is alive and intelligent? What if there is a celestial "personality" that affects how we think and feel as we drift through different regions of space, in repeating cycles of time?
What if the Cabal, New World Order and / or Illuminati are programmed to collapse at this time in our history -- by cycles vastly older than human life on earth?
What if they inherited a variety of powerful symbols and teachings that were originally positive, and have since been horribly contorted into something negative?
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This short video reveals some of the many mysteries in David's epic new book, The Synchronicity Key -- available now for you to order and enjoy in hardcover, Ebook or audio form, dictated by David Wilcock.
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Get your copy of The Synchronicity Key today -- and join the revolution!


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William 'Gui' Aucoin (also known as Bill Aucoin) is a band manager that has managed several successful bands during the course of his career. He is known to have discovered KISS and he then worked with them for the next 9 years; even owning a merchandising company, Niocua, which sold KISS fan products. He left as the band management due to creative and directional differences in 1981. One of the factors often quoted was his vast unruly and expensive business organization which was eating up huge sums of money KISS were not making after the Unmasked / Elder debacles. He has now started to work alongside KISS on new DVD projects relating to unseen concert video and unpublished photos.
He is now back in the management business and has formed an entertainment company called Aucoin Globe Entertainment. He also has the distinction of passing to sign Van Halen because he saw no commercial potential in them.
Bill Aucoin 2008
Bill Aucoin, Peter Criss, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Joyce, Neil Bogart
KISS manager 1973–1982
Piper manager 1975–1977
Spider manager 197?–197? (featured Anton Fig on drums)
Manowar manager for a brief time circa. 1981
Billy Idol manager 1982–1984
Rising Star mentor 1989-1990
Flipp manager 1998?–2003
Starz manager 1977–1979
Crossbreed manager 2003–present
Lordi manager 2006–present
Nothing Rhymes with Orange manager 2007-present
Bill Aucoin originally produced a television show called "Supermarket Sweep" in the early (Pre-1973) 1970s.


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Personal Possession
The Dolce Collection by Sartoro exemplifies effortless everyday luxury. Revealing fresh, one-design-fit-all-aura, Dolce is what you would wear for the social gathering, for work, for the high society soiree and for the Sunday family outing. Comfortable, timeless and very personal fine jewelry collection with a must have proposition.


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|December 8, 2017, 09:38 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
Old Trainer - New Tips?
I am a 52 year old former military person. When in the military I was often called on to be a trainer and I felt I was a good one. Bear in mind this was when the M9 was brand new and most of the training I did (both giving an receiving) was with the M1911. Most people enjoy how I train, whether it be with weapons or with technology.
Recently I have begin to teach weapons again - a whole slew of people at work who have never fired a pistol before asked me to "show them a few things." For me this starts with safety, then familiarization, then a range session where they can try a few different types of handguns to see what they may like (assuming they have no prejudice entering the session.) This is an investment of several hours of my time, and I don't do it for the money. About all I ever ask for is that they pay for the ammo and range fees.
I don't think I'm being unsafe not having upgraded my own skills and training methods (safety has not changed), but I might be selling them short by not teaching the best/latest grip or stance for instance. I was wondering what some folks here think about how I could freshen my skills (and therefore freshen what I teach) without throwing the baby out with the bathwater? Keep in mind I'm talking the civilian equivalent of basic pistol marksmanship. I'm not in a position to teach defense or combat tactics - I'll leave that to the people who train and teach regularly.
I learn in a variety of ways - even a good book or video would be fine. I don't need to pay someone to watch me practice if it comes to that. What does the collective wisdom here think?
-- Lee
Bad decisions make good stories.
|December 8, 2017, 12:17 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 4, 1999
Location: Rebel South USA
Posts: 1,684
Brother.. I am from the same era in time as you. Certainly things have changed but lets be honest, there are not that many ways to fight with a firearm and it sure aint rocket science. No matter what Kwan someone decides to adopt, what really matters in that they are proficient in its application and safe.
I still use the low ready stance
I still use a 3 point draw
I still grip the magwell of an AR
I don't square off but rather get small behind a rifle
Armed SD methodology seems to have ventured into the overly articulated seemingly robotic style which celebrates chamber checks, press checks, marketing mantras and one form of kabuki dance or another. I guess it can be made to work but I would not consider it measurably more effective than what you may have learned in the 80s.
If you instruct from a "this is one way" as opposed to this "is this only way" kind of mindset, I am sure that the students will certainly benefit from what you can share with them.
I say all this while assuming that these people are interested in actual self defense and not Gun Games. If they want to be a gun game GURU, that is an entirely different thing altogether.
Good luck Bro
Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...
|December 8, 2017, 02:15 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
I know there's a lot of very active folks (a lot here too) that are older than me. I just wish I had taken care of myself. If I knew I would get this old ...
A gentleman I taught last week has gone on to purchase a nice P320 and sign up for additional classes at the range (I told him I was not interested in more advanced training and recommended the classes at the range if he wanted to keep going.) It's almost like seeing kids grow up and leave home.
I have thought about taking a gun trainer's course just to get the latest but this is not really something I want as a job. I love to teach, but when your avocation becomes your vocation you get no vacation as Mike Rowe used to say.
-- Lee
Bad decisions make good stories.
|December 8, 2017, 03:07 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: September 12, 2002
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 4,185
Last time I asked for advice on weapons techniques I was told to get a running start if possible and to shift my weight to my left foot as I threw my spear---left handed folk just do it the opposite...
|December 8, 2017, 03:29 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 4, 1999
Location: Rebel South USA
Posts: 1,684
I look at it like this.. I would rather learn something from someone who has done it, has experience in it and has put skin in the game. I wouldn't worry too much about taking a "trainers" course if you already have a catalog of knowledge to draw upon. I think the term "trainer" has been used far too loosely over the past several decades and has now come to mean someone who has watched youtube and read some magazine articles.
If you personally want to learn new things.. take a reputable tactical class from a well know outfit.
I would rather learn from someone who has a realistic frame of reference regarding the material and not just some guy who was taught xyz from some other guy last week and now expects to train me. ...eh, I would pass on that.
If you want to share some elements of what you learned in the military as well as what you have learned over your lifetime... go for it. I wouldn't worry about trying to drag anything new and shiny into game at this point.
and yeah.... the bronze age sounds about right. I passed my first quals with a Smith66. I still have that rig but my sam browne belt is about 6 inches shrunk LOLOL
Life is a web woven by necessity and chance...
Last edited by FireForged; December 8, 2017 at 03:34 PM.
|December 9, 2017, 12:43 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 13, 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 10,576
The military does everything entirely differently from how any civilian instructor would. Handguns do not serve the same purpose in the military either. Mind you, not many ranges are as safe as a military range. Despite the stories all current and former military RSO's/small arms instructors can tell.
The military teaches differently too. A troopie is actually expected to know what he's doing and be doing it safely when the course is finished. Teach what you know how you know to teach it.
"...as I threw my spear..." Spears are not for throwing. They're for stabbing from a distance. Pilum are for throwing. Geezuz! snicker.
Spelling and grammar count!
|December 9, 2017, 02:05 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: December 23, 2009
Posts: 1,426
I would stick with teaching the basic safety and marksmanship. The fundamentals of those don't change much. If they can place all of their rounds on a practically sized target within a reasonable amount of time without hurting themselves or others then you have done your job. Even professional trainers will have a wide variety of opinions on how to do things. Let them seek out their own professional instruction once they've got the basics down.
|December 9, 2017, 05:18 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 14, 2004
Location: NY State
Posts: 6,572
No mantra stuff for me .I tell them to try at least two and pick the one that works best for speed and accuracy. For ME it was the straight arm system. Then one day things happened and I could no longer completely straighten or bend my right arm !!
Back to the drawing board ! Now I'm half way between the two systems ! And the best I can do for speed and accuracy and comfortable with it !
I once read a study of 6 Olympic shot gunners each with strange styles. Those styles were each developed due to physical problems. Many shooters picked and copied one of the styles Without knowing why they were developed !
Pick what works best for YOU !
And Watson , bring your revolver !
|December 9, 2017, 05:53 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
Thanks gents for your support and your ideas. I'll stick with what I know and am familiar with. If they don't like it they can have double their money back.
I have now converted three former non-gun owner to regular (safe) practitioners and gun owners.
-- Lee
Bad decisions make good stories.
|December 9, 2017, 09:37 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
I agree with the idea of training with what works best for you. There are few bad methods, and no perfect ones. But choose based on valid ideas (not movie or internet nonsense!) and then stick with it. One of the worst ideas that crops up again and again is that of "rotating" guns, carrying varying guns depending on the day of the week or matching the suit color. (I call this the "if it's Tuesday, I must have a Glock" thinking.)
Advocates of this idea always inform critics, with a smug sneer, that THEY are so wise and smart that they would never make a mistake. (Makes a great motto for a tombstone, though.
Jim K
|December 12, 2017, 10:33 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,033
I guess I could be considered an old guy, taking my first formal instructors course 40 years ago (FBI LE Firearms Instructors Course) and many more since then.
Not everyone teaches like I do, some have other ideas. No matter how long we've been doing it, we can still always learn from others.
Not only from other instructors but we can learn from our students as well.
A critical point I learned along time ago that its not only about knowing what to teach, but knowing the students and how to get through to them.
Not only are instructors different, but so are the students.
Kraig Stuart
CPT USAR Ret
USAMU Sniper School Oct '78
Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071
|December 12, 2017, 01:34 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: June 22, 2017
Posts: 971
Apart from what I got during basic training in the 1970's, all of my firearms instruction came from my grandfather who had been an instructor at the Infantry School at Ft. Benning from the 1920's until the early part of World War II when he decided he wanted to be an officer. There didn't seem to be much difference. And they have been well practiced over the intervening four decades and have served me well the few times I have had to use them.
As with anything else, the techniques used in handling a firearm evolve and improve over time. But I do find myself wondering whether how much of an advantage I would gain by abandoning techniques I have practiced consistently for forty years that are now second-nature and attempting to substitute new techniques that will take years to become second-nature.
|December 14, 2017, 01:28 AM
Join Date: November 27, 2017
Posts: 16
Since all of the home made, make shift and store bought body armor used these days. Shoot for the face. Just my two cents.
|December 14, 2017, 02:55 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: September 15, 2004
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 684
recommended books
three books you'd find useful and enjoy:
The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning by John. S. Farnam
Tactical Pistol Shooting by Erik Lawrence and Mike Pannone
Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
(I've taken a bunch of classes from John Farnam in years past, and I took a class with Mike Pannone last summer. I've read a bunch of Dave Spaulding's magazine articles over the years but have never yet trained with him)
You can only learn from experience if you pay attention!
|December 14, 2017, 07:16 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 2, 2010
Posts: 6,501
"Trainers" must be constantly presenting "something new and better" to maintain their business. IMHO "new and different" does not equate to BETTER.
|December 14, 2017, 07:28 AM
Join Date: December 25, 2014
Posts: 27
OP , I was , am ..a lot like you and your experience. I love to learn new or ,old things taught a different way. Lots of people have come to me over the years to teach them gun skills. Mostly beginners. I have learned and trained so many different ways that I got to thinking , I need to go back to the basics. I decided to take an NRA pistol instructor certification course. It was the best thing I could have done. Learning to be a better teacher and remembering that not everyone is going to be a combative shooter. Going back to the basics and learning different ways of teaching has been an eye opener so to speak. Hope this make sense and helps. Good luck !
|December 14, 2017, 09:31 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
It's just old hat - to fall back on the military training. As some folks have said here, the military has not changed it's basic marksmanship a whole lot over the years so it must work. I manage people for a living so learning what makes people tick is part of my day to day grind - transferring that to how to teach them is effective for me.
I will take a look at a couple of those books. If nothing else I'll know what people are talking about it if asked.
-- Lee
Bad decisions make good stories.
|December 14, 2017, 04:49 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: September 7, 2016
Posts: 109
I am an NRA certified Basic Pistol Instructor and Range Safety Officer. I volunteer as an RSO at the club where I shoot, so I end up meeting a lot of new shooters.
When I work with beginning shooters, my focus is on safety and on the basic fundamentals of shooting. I don't discuss defensive skills or tactics. In fact, I don't allow anyone to do anything quickly until they have the basics down solidly. This does not happen on the first day.
My first goals with a new shooter are to teach them how to pick up a firearm and check that it is clear without touching the trigger in the process. This may be boring, but it is key for safety. "Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire" is the central point of the first lesson.
A while ago, I read an interesting article from an expert trainer who said "If you only had 30 minutes to instruct a total beginner, and he would need to defend his home based on your training, what would you teach him?" His point was that if you spend training time on things that don't meet this need, then you are making poor use of training time. This trainer has a valid point, but I disagree with it. If you spend the first hour on basics of defense, then your students will not have the skills to safely go to a range and train.
My focus is on making sure everyone I work with is safe on the range. We start with safety practices and marksmanship fundamentals. There are many other skills that a developing shooter will need, but they come after the basic fundamentals. Mastering more advanced skills will require significant training time, and that is just the way it is.
I wrote a couple of articles with guidance for people who want to mentor new shooters. These articles include a general lesson plan for new shooters and give a good overview of my philosophy on this subject. You will certainly find other qualified people with differing views on this subject, but I do have some experience in this area.
The articles are available on my blog.
Bringing New Shooters to the Range
Making a Lesson Plan for New Shooters
My blog: http://straightshooterjake.blogspot.com/
|December 15, 2017, 08:33 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 296
Thanks @straightshooterjake
I always like learning how other instructors teach.
-- Lee
Bad decisions make good stories.
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Cecret Lake
3 months ago
So, what's up with facebook? Why is that so popular? How does it connect you to friends/family?
I don't know. All I know is it looks through my email address book and finds people I know/am related to, and then once I connect to them I look at their contacts to find MORE people I'm related to/know, and then there's this compulsion to mark them all as your friends and post little things on each others' walls. And suddenly I'm easily in contact with like 3 times as many people as I saw before, and it's so much easier to make little notes to each other, that suddenly I feel more connected than before. i dunno. it's weird.


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Sleep, Totum Health Insights
Lisa Liberatore, MD FACS on Spring Allergies via CBS
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Spring is less than two weeks away, but temperatures are already spring like, and this weekend we will spring forward by turning our clocks ahead one hour.
As CBS2's Elise Finch reported, experts say the change of season makes some people sick, but there are things you can do to protect yourself.
With longer days, warmer temperatures, and budding plants spring is the season that some people wait all year for.
Totum Health Founder, Lisa A. Liberatore, MD discusses the big consequence the small loss of sleep may have and how you can take action to prevent it!
Next Sunday March 13 is Spring Daylight Savings Time. We put our clocks one hour ahead at 2:00 AM on the second Sunday in March. Introduced in 1918, as an effort to conserve energy and to give us more sunlit hours when the weather is warmest. This one hour shift in our sleep patterns doesn't sound like a lot but it does pose some health risks due to added stress of not having enough sleep and traffics accidents from driving while tired. Children may be more cranky as well and school performance may be affected in the short term.
You can take steps to lessen the affects of loss of one hour of sleep.
- Start going to bed a little earlier the Friday before DSL , March 11.
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- Take a warm bath or shower one hour before your desired sleep time.
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Remember we will be enjoying another hour of sunlight which makes our after work hours more pleasurable!
If you or a loved one are looking for serious solutions to untreated sleep apnea, please give our office a call at 212-288-2222 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com, today!


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Items where Author is "Anda, Dóra"
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Anda, Dóra and Büki, Gabriella and Krett, Gergely and Makk, Judit and Márialigeti, Károly and Erőss, Anita and Mádl-Szőnyi, Judit and Borsodi, Andrea (2014) Diversity and morphological structure of bacterial communities inhabiting the Diana-Hygieia Thermal Spring (Budapest, Hungary). Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica, 61 (3). pp. 329-346. ISSN 1217-8950


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I would again ask those South Sudanese with no deficit in their English comprehension to re-read this so-called ARCISS document https://unmiss.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/final_proposed_compromise_agreement_for_south_sudan_conflict.pdf line by line & word by word & tell us exactly if the if this piece of sh*t was anything to do with South Sudanese people's peace!>>>
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After a weekend on Zakynthos town quay I finally departed on the Monday morning after watering ship and victualling from the local supermarket. Before leaving Zakynthos I thought it prudent to refuel as well but the only fuelling point is a garage on the landward side of the seafront road. A brief visit confirmed that they had a tank on wheels into which they decant the fuel from the ordinary forecourt pump and then dispense it under gravity to the boat concerned. On arrival alongside, or almost, it was obvious that I was aground, 5 metres from the jetty. Back off and try again, this time 50 metres along the jetty; at least it was not me who would have to push the tank! My request for 40 litres was initially interpreted as 400 followed by a look of disappointment! I suspect they do not fuel many sailing yachts!
|The Abbey at Strofhades Islands
That done it was off and the "where next" question arose. The choices were follow the mainland coast or head out and visit the Strofadhes Islands. My liking for out the way places got the better of me and off to the Strofadhes it was. There are two main islands and according to the pilot one inhabitant, a lone monk who inhabits the abbey on the major island. During my visit the abbey and its environs looked well cared for so, although I saw no one, the lone monk is either an assiduous worker or the numbers on the island have increased. I anchored overnight in Ornos Taverna on Nisis Arpia (the smaller island) with the intention of landing on Nisis Stamfani the next day and visiting the abbey. This was not to be, the next day dawned with an easterly wind blowing making the Nisis Stefani anchorage too risky to leave the boat in unattended, hence my visit to the abbey will have to wait another opportunity.
|Self at Methoni with fortifications in background
From the Strofadhes Islands it was a 45 mile passage south eastwards, in a fickle wind, to Methoni; the leg was part sailed but with a frustrating number of sail changes. Methoni is a fantastic landfall with enormous Turkish and Venetian fortifications guarding its harbour. Along the way I passed the entrance to Navarino Bay, scene of Admiral Codringtons (26 ships, 1270 guns) victory over the combined Turkish and Egyptian fleets (89 ships, 2450 guns) which effectively gave the Greeks victory in their war for independence from Turkish rule.Methoni is a very well preserved town with much good quality restoration work still going on, unlike the concrete monstrosities being constructed along the coastlines of the Ionian Islands. The harbour is dominated by the Turkish Tower and the Venetian fortifications. Next morning a quick shopping trip ashore followed by a stop for a morning coffee left a lasting, favourable, impression. The harbour is reasonably well protected (southerly swell can roll in) with good holding. From here I set off to investigate the island to the south of Methoni, Nisis Sapientya, where I spent a very pleasant afternoon anchored in Port Longos, a deserted bay, with only a fish farm for company! As the evening drew in I moved back to Methoni to achieve an internet connection (very slow) and do some admin. Thereafter bed!
|Cape Matapan
Next day it was off eastwards to continue the passage round the southern tip of the Greek mainland. I awoke to an eerie calm, not a breath of wind, hence we set off under motor for the first part of the day. After two hours there were ominous rumbles of thunder in a grey overcast sky and the occasional heavy shower but none of them lasted more than a few minutes. We rounded Cape Akritas the most westerly of the three fingers of the Peloponnese and headed for Cape Tainaron (better known but its English name Cape Matapan, scene of another famous Naval battle in March 1941 when the RN Mediterranean fleet sank five Italian ships ) which is the most southerly point of mainland Greece. This started as a much better leg with enough wind to do 5 knots on a broad reach, good sailing at last but it was not to last! As the afternoon drew on the wind went astern and fluctuated between 20deg off the port quarter and 20deg off the stbd, How many times can you gybe a poled out genoa in an afternoon? I think I have the record! Finally a mile short of Cape Matapan the wind suddenly appeared on the nose at 30kts, fortunately I saw it coming and had handed the genoa and reefed the main before it hit. The final three miles to the anchorage at Kayio, on the eastern side of Cape Matapan, were a bit of a roller-coaster ride but ended well. The anchorage was crowded but with boats all heading east but I managed to find a space, tight though it was.
|Crowded anchorage at Kayio
If the wind holds we will all swing clear of each other but if it falls to nothing tonight there will be mayhem! Next entry tomorrow morning!
Over the night the wind died and all the boats made at least two pirouettes, fortunately without any incidents, that is that I know of. A disturbed night with constant checking of position. Not one to be repeated; it is going to be an open, spacious, anchorage tonight! Today dawned grey and with the residual swell still rolling in, consequently I left it until midday before I decided to set off. No wind, swell on the nose, grey sky, grey sea, and cold! Just like the English Channel, even the shipping is similar, I currently have nine large freighters in view all lining up to round Cape Maleas. The first hour or so was an uncomfortable passage under motor but the wind then roused itself to provide a fast close fetch for a pair of hours before dying away again but leaving behind sunshine! Rather like yesterday the wind came up on the nose at 20kts just one hour before arrival at Elafonisos, my chosen overnight anchorage! The fickle winds of the Mediterranean! Nevertheless I needed to make progress towards Spetses in order to pick up my next crew; hence, the uncomfortable first part was worth it.
|Anchorage at Ornos Frangos, Elafonisos
The anchorages at Nisos Elafanisos are many but I chose the smaller of two on the south coast, this offered the better protection from the prevailing wind. Safely anchored in 3m on pure white sand and in crystal clear water I immediately fell in love with the place. Given the forecast for light, contrary, winds after Maleas I took little persuading to stay for two nights and enjoy the swimming and beaches, plus a climb to the top of the headland separating the two anchorages. After 36 hours in paradise I set off again to round Maleas and head for the protected harbour at Ieraka.
|Cape Maleas with hermitage and bell house
|Waterfront at Ieraka
Ieraka was a fascinating place, almost cut off from the rest of the world. Having anchored off the village,in the middle of the small channel which leads into a very shallow, enclosed, lake, I rowed ashore to have a walk around and to get some fresh bread. I set off first to visit the "extensive ruined acropolis, probably of the Mycenaean period" referred to in the pilot. My request for directions from a taverna owner was greeted with a slightly surprised look and then a brief nod of the head, up the hill. I set off, only later was I to realise that the slightly surprised look was brought about by my wearing shorts and flip-flops. As I found to my cost the path was well overgrown with that thorny grass which abounds in Greece! This, combined with the lecture I had received from Stephanos the week previous, when he had warned me how many poisonous snakes are to be found in Greece, had me looking very carefully where I was treading! The acropolis was barely discernible as such, extensive ruins but little left standing, but was worth the visit and the path down, following the slightly more established route, was easier to negotiate. Next came the search for bread; my request of another taverna owner, by chance a Danish lady, married to a Greek, elicited the information that bread arrived here on Fridays. The local shop holds a stock but it was probably more stale than that which I already had onboard. At this point she took pity on me and offered to sell me a loaf from her freezer! A pasta supper onboard and an early night followed.The morning broke with wind but not necessarily from the right direction. From the shelter of Ieraka it was difficult to tell. Not to waste it I weighed anchor and set forth for the entrance and yes there was wind, 15kts of it, from the north! I put Kurukulla on the wind, port tack, and went below for breakfast. Three hours and three tacks later the wind died to nothing and I had my first open sea swim of the season, the boat was going nowhere! This being the case I motored into Kiparissi bay and dropped anchor. Either I could stay the night or if the wind came up it was an easy place to set off from. Two hours later at 1630 the onshore started and provided a splendid 5kt reach northwards for the final 20 miles to Spetses.
|Sunset over Spetses
This final photograph was taken just as I arrived. Kurukulla is now berthed in the outer harbour at Spetses and will be here for a pair of days. At last I have an internet connection fast enough to publish a Blog!


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Thread: Tomales Bay Today 5/15
Re: Tomales Bay Today 5/15
Good stuff. Ill be up there soon since i got a few weeks away from work.
- Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 1 Likes, 0 DislikesBret1972 liked this post05-16-2018, 04:16 PM #1
Tomales Bay Today 5/15
Went with my cousin to Tomales Bay today. Launched out of Nicks Cove at 5:30am to beat the low tide and lines in the water by 6am. Did the same thing I did last time that worked.... frozen anchovy behind an 8 pro-troll flasher. My cousin got the only fish, 25. He had a second but we lost it at the boat... he probably thought it was my fault for bumping it with the net, but it was actually his fault cause would wouldnt stand up to get the fish to the surface... so I had to try and bet a fish that was 2ft underwater. Anyway, he was still happy, and he even let me keep the remaining anchovies... maybe I should get pizza tonight and use em on it...
21919A04-41E9-49A8-AA7C-624769E257DA.jpgIts better to be fishing and thinking about God then to be in church thinking about fishing.
Post Thanks / Like - 0 Thanks, 5 Likes, 0 Dislikessalmonid, WhopperStopper, nayr, dennis l, smurf358 liked this post


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Can any first be too trivial?
July 24, 2010 | This afternoon I tried out my new washer and dryer for the first time. Blinking lights, chimes, and good design, oh me!
Of course the machine would require "high efficiency" laundry soap instead of ordinary detergent, so there was an obligatory visit to the store to shop for soap.
The instrument panel looks intimidating, but once you think about it, you see that it asks you to make pretty simple choices in just a few categories, and then push go. In fact, if you're satisfied with "normal" there's really nothing to do except push On then Start.
The washer begins by doing a lot of nothing. It goes through little spasms of activity, turning this way and then back again, and eventually spritzes in a little water. After a few times of to-and-fro it adds a little more water.
And I do mean a little bit of water. Some of the front-loading washing machines you see at the laundromat seem to get half-full of water. The Samsung is very miserly with water; the clothes were thoroughly wet, but there was very little extra water sloshing around.
The other very noticeable thing about the Samsung is what you don't notice — noise. This is the quietest washing machine I've ever seen. The only time it made even a little noise was during the spin cycles, and even that wasn't all that loud, since there was very little vibration.
The washer spun so much of the water out that the clothes were practically dry going into the dryer. And it left them all fluffy.
So far, so fine!
Last updated on Apr 13, 2018


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It seems that some health risks related to the surrounding indoor pollution are unavoidable these days as an average working person spends over 90% of his or her lifetime indoors. Even though most people
Have you seen some technical people hanging around your office with hand-held equipment, taking down notes as they go about? We always get the strange look from office occupants as we carry out indoor
Even though mold can be removed by cleaning the infested surfaces, re-occurrence of the problem is a bigger nuisance especially if the mold infestation happens at hard-to-reach places such as the ceiling or the
Have you ever wake up in the morning, getting ready for a productive day with a good mood, but ending up in the office feeling tired and under the weather? Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
Bisphenol A (commonly known as BPA) is a substance widely used in the production of plastics with a huge global demand. It is often detected in the wastewater produced by households and factories and
With high economic growth and rapid urbanization like many Southeast Asian countries, energy consumption in cities had raised tremendously in Malaysia as much as fivefold as stated in the National Energy Balance 2003 Malaysia


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Picking Sony over Microsoft Next-Gen
Posted by thegamerpad
(Updated 2/27/2013) Every time a new generation of systems arrives, I tend to have my decisions already made on what order I will be buying each companies systems. Nintendo's systems are a certainty for me, even if it is the unpopular decision. Mario, Metroid, Zelda and almost every other Nintendo franchise is something I can't pass up. However choosing my other system isn't as much of a simple must-have, it becomes "which one first". The last generation I picked up a Playstation 2 a while before I ever got a XBox, PS2 had a huge library of games and the XBox had fun online, when online wasn't common. In this current generation I picked the Wii at launch, and then about 7 months later I became more interested in playing some HD games on my new TV. I quickly picked the 360 over the PS3 and never regretted it, I still don't. Most of my friends had a 360, very few of them had a PS3 and this was pretty important for any online gaming, borrowing/trading games, co-op, etc. The 360 had a bigger library at the time (due to being out longer) and the 360 was significantly cheaper (I believe about $200). I didn't buy a PS3 until 4 years later in 2011, and I primarily bought it to play NFL Sunday Ticket without having a full DirecTV subscription.
The next generation is quickly approaching and before anything official has even been announced, I'm pretty sure my mind is made up…I'm going with Sony. Now this doesn't mean I'm never going to get Microsoft's next system, and this doesn't even mean I'm going to pick up a Playstation 4 at launch, but right now Sony is winning the war and I don't see how Microsoft can change that. Below is my breakdown of some of the most important factors and reasons for my decisions.
Exclusive Games: – It seems that 3rd Party Exclusives are almost a thing of the past at this point so it isn't likely Sony or Microsoft will be grabbing any big "Grand Theft Auto" size exclusives for their consoles. This means it will mainly come down to the 1st & 2nd party software, where I think Sony crushes Microsoft. With all of Microsoft's success' with the XBox360 this generation, I feel they began to focus more on the TV entertainment apps and casual/Kinect instead of successfully building more franchises/series.
Microsoft has a few huge franchises, Halo and Gears of War being probably the biggest, but from there it tends to drop off. Forza, Alan Wake, Crackdown and some Rare franchises are about the only others I would think Microsoft might brag about. First off, Halo is just a franchise I have never been able to enjoy, I never liked the characters, weapons, lore, etc, it just has never been fun in my opinion. Gears of War, I loved this series when it first came out, I bought the original when I got my 360. Gears of War was a must-have, however we're about to get our 4th Gears of War on 360 and I already feel I've had enough Gears of War until well into the next-next generation. Forza is a great racing sim from what I understand, but it doesn't interest me, racing sims don't. I've never even been curious to play Forza or Gran Turismo, and I probably never will, I'm more into arcade racers if any racer (outside kart racing) at all. Alan Wake was a game that I thought was good, but not great, and I'm not even sure how exclusive that game really is. Crackdown was fun, but is nothing ground breaking, and I doubt many are really demanding a 3rd one. Last but not least, is Rare, and I'm not saying anything new here, but they are not the same Rare we have fond memories of from the SNES/N64 era, this is pretty much Rare in name only. I haven't been remotely interested in anything by Rare in a very long time, and I doubt I ever will care again. Feel free to look at the list of franchises Microsoft Studio's owns and tell me what I'm really missing out on here.
From looking at my own personal collection of 360 games, out of 86 games, I see 12 exclusives. Some of them (Battlefield 2: Modern Combat & Gun) were able to get exclusive status because they were outdated by the time PS3 came out and were spruced up XBox/PS2 port in the first place. A couple other titles on there (Big Bumpin & Sneak King) are just junk titles that were sold for under $5 as a promotion from Burger King, already spent too much time talking about them. Beautiful Katamari is a weird exclusive too, because Playstation 3 got it's own exclusive Katamari game too (Katamari Forever) so this isn't really that exclusive. Left 4 Dead is by far the best 3rd Party XBox Exclusive I have, and if a L4D3 came out, I'd be pretty interested in it. As I mentioned in the paragraph above how I feel about Crackdown & Gears of War, and Perfect Dark Zero is a game I'd rather pretend didn't even exist.
On the Playstation 3 side of my collection I only have 13 games, and 12 of them are exclusives, that lopsided ratio has to show something. Sony has built a pretty sizable list of exclusive franchises, so many that you almost have to look at them when buying a Sony system just like when you buy a Nintendo system. Uncharted is probably my favorite franchise to come out of this current generation, and I know I'll be dying to get my hands on a next-gen Uncharted 4 (I still need to finish Uncharted 3). A lot of these other Sony franchises I need to catch up on, but how could you not be interested in the rest of them. God of War, The Last of Us, Shadow of The Colossus, Twisted Metal, SOCOM, Infamous, Ape Escape, Sly Cooper, Parappa The Rapper, Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Killzone Little Big Planet, Mod Nation Racers and even more. Sony has so much depth in their line-up of exclusives that they're able to cater those that want "hardcore" action games, first person shooters, platformers and beyond. Also due to the depth of Sony's franchises, they aren't forced to milk the same series/sequel every year, and at the same time they can suddenly revive an older franchise, like Jet Moto or Syphon Filter.
In my opinion, there is no comparison in the line-ups of franchises between Microsoft and Sony, and when it comes to buying a system, games will always be the number one decision maker for me. Another advantage Sony will have over Microsoft for me personally is Sony's strength with Japanese developers. This of course is due to the XBox's poor sales in Japan and Sony being a Japanese company itself, but it means the quirky-niche-Japanese titles are more likely to hit the PS4 before the next XBox.
2/27/13 Follow-Up: Infamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadow Fall & Knack have been announced by Sony for the PS4. Knack is a new platforming franchise while Infamous & Killzone are a familiar series. Most likely Sony will continue the majority of franchises listed above, while still creating new ones. This continues to favor my opinion from earlier.
Ease of Development: This is pretty important, and I honestly don't feel comfortable saying this is an advantage to Sony as it is pure rumor at this point. But current rumors are that developers are claiming that the PS4 is easier to develop for than the next XBox, and this was the complete opposite between the 360 and PS3. So many multi-platform games performed better on the 360 due to the 360 being much easier to develop for than the PS3 (for multiple reasons), also developers tended to focus on the more popular platform (360) first, and then cater to the other systems and ports. If game development on the Playstation 4 is just as easy, or easier than Microsoft's system, then Sony will have really evened the playing field this generation for multi-platform games.
2/27/13 Follow-Up: A few articles (Joystiq, Kotaku) have gone up stating that Sony used feedback from different developers on how to design their system architecture and what kind of features/specs they would like to see. This gives me the impression the system will be very developer-friendly and should not run into the same hurdles the Playstation 3 did. Sounds like Sony is trying to give the developers what they want, instead of attempting to design it themselves and dump it on the developers…smart move.
Online: I can't believe I'm picking Playstation Network over XBox Live, it sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Let me explain. I currently use the online features for the following: Downloading games from the store, watching TV apps like ESPN/Netflix/HBO Go, and playing online games. Whenever you want to download games from the store they do not require a PSN+ or XBox Live account, however you do get some pretty good discounts by having either membership, but paying for a subscription to XBox Live will probably be more than the savings. Playstation Network Plus allows users to download free games, real retail games like Batman Arkham City, and the user has access to them and can play these full games as long as they have a PSN+ subscription. That seems to justify the PSN+ purchase when it comes to dealing with buying games from the online store.
Most of the apps on the XBox 360 require a XBox Live Gold account, so when I want to watch ESPN/Netflix/HBO etc I will need to purchase a XBox Live Gold subscription. Playstation Network doesn't currently have ESPN or HBO Go, but Netflix is available and it does not require a PSN+ account. It's only a matter of time before all the apps will be available on all 3 consoles, and as of now Microsoft will be the only company charging you to use them (in addition to an app like Netflix's own subscription). This is also an area that I expect to fade out somewhat next-gen too. My main TV is a Smart TV and already includes Netflix/HBO Go/Hulu/MLB Pass/ESPN etc, so I no longer need my consoles as an all-in-one box, I just need it to play games.
Online gaming is going to be Microsoft's strong point, especially since XBox Live already boasts so many users with Gamer Tags they don't want to give up, achievements they want to still show off and don't see a reason to change online service. One of the main reasons I bought XBox 360 over PS3 was the fact my friends all had XBox 360's, so I knew we could play online together. The crazy thing is, I almost never played online games with any of my friends, and I really don't enjoy playing with strangers. Getting together a group of friends to consistently play Gears of War 3, Borderlands 2 or other co-op games was almost near impossible. Especially outside of the first few weeks of release, and everyone wants to play at their own pace. Crackdown, Left 4 Dead and the original Gears of War are the only co-op games I can remember completing online with a friend. For the most part, when it came to co-op gaming it didn't even matter if my friends had it on the same system or not since I primarily played the single player with co-op AI.
Outside of Battlefield 3, I remember having the same difficulties getting friends together online to play multiplayer games too. The fact that I'm not a Call of Duty fan, and I hardly ever get too deep into a games multiplayer doesn't make it any easier on me either. Max Payne 3, Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3, Crysis 2, Madden and a few other games I own, multiple friends also own. I just rarely was able to find friends to play with, that were able to get online at the same time, and interested in playing in the same mode, and even then it was just for a quick couple rounds. Plenty of times I'll sign-on and see friends playing the same game online, and I don't even bother to see if they want to play together. I tend to either stick to the single player, or assume my friends are already involved and maybe play with strangers until I level up or get a new unlock. I can't remember ever playing online multiplayer for hours with a group of friends besides Battlefield 3 when it first came out. What I guess this says about me is that I'm not much of a online multiplayer gamer, I usually jump around from game to game too much to sink enough time into a game's multiplayer.
Since the online multiplayer and co-op are both parts of the game I don't even take full advantage of, should I really spend extra money to access it? In my scenario, I'm probably better off using Playstation Network and playing free online against strangers (or friends if they get PS4's) in the future Crysis, Battlefield, or Maddens. Why pay for the XBox Live Gold subscription, when you get these features I rarely use for free on Playstation?
2/27/13 Follow-Up: Some big moves are coming to the Playstation Network with streaming games, digital downloads, a social community and other features. None of them really impress me, but they don't disappoint me either. I don't see the purpose in signing into your Playstation 4 and watching someone else play, but I think it's the way I am. Maybe I'm self-centered, but if I'm on the Playstation 4, I want to play it myself. But yeah, I can see myself streaming my gaming to those that enjoy watching, but it's not really beneficial to the player is it? Since I would be the player, I'm not too interested/excited about the feature. The download shop seems like it will be expanded, and now all retail games will also be available digitally, like on Wii U. I'm a collector, and I like the physical copies, so as long as they exist, I will get them over digital, again this isn't a big deal. The social community could be cool, but I only want to interact/game with a select few, I never use Miiverse (there hasn't been a real good reason yet) and I rarely wear a headset on XBox Live, I doubt I'll get deep into whatever PS4 has. Hopefully these new features don't eliminate a free PSN.
PSVita: To this point, for the most part the PSVita has been a failure to most. At least that is the way it is portrayed, to be honest I haven't followed the handheld very closely, I just know some of the difficulties Sony has had with it so far. I'm not really dying to get a PS Vita even though I have a feeling I will purchase one by the end of the year. I just like what I'm seeing out of Sony with the Cross-Play between Playstation 3 right now, and I'm sure this will continue into the Playstation 4. When buying certain Playstation 3 games you receive the Playstation Vita version for free, and it's the same game/save allowing you to continue your progress on the go. Ideally, this is what the Wii U would've been like, but Sony already has it in place (which is significantly more expensive just with PS3 + Vita). But to a Sony console owner (PS3 or PS4), the Vita has more purpose and is feasible. The Vita can potentially open up many more possibilities for the Playstation 4 than the Wii U, and with better hardware (actual "next-gen"). While Microsoft's best option here might be the connectivity of a regular tablet (surface) to the Next XBox.
2/27/13 Follow-Up: I didn't really look much into what Sony officially announced about the PSVita/PS4 connectivity, but it was about what I expected. The remote play on the PSVita seems pretty cool but it brings up a lot of questions that I don't think have been answered. Does this work only within a limited distance of the PS4, similar to the Wii U and the Gamepad? The PSVita has 2 less shoulder buttons than the DualShock4, what is going to happen to those controls when playing on PSVita? I'm not really getting into this until all the information is available on it. As of now, I'm having the expectations of it just being a "next-gen" version of the Wii U, similar to the way the "Move" was a next-gen version of the Wii. This requires spending at least an additional $250 when purchasing a Playstation4, so I'm perfectly fine waiting for all the facts to get straightened out on what is basically a "bonus" to those that own both systems.
Other Factors: The problem with such an early pick of Sony over Microsoft is that all the information and facts aren't even out on the future consoles. Sony is unveiling/announcing the Playstation 4 next week, and I'm sure Microsoft won't wait too long after that to announce their new console, I will follow-up this piece when more concrete information is available. There are big deciding factors that could change my preference of which system to buy first, but as of now it's looking like a Playstation 4 Christmas this year.
The rumored/leaked specs of both future consoles seem to be very similar, so I'd imagine that price will be in the same range. If Sony is over $500 and Microsoft is about $400, then I might end up going with the new XBox, anything over $500 is too much. When I purchase a new system I like to get a couple of games and an extra controller which end up tacking on a couple hundred more, so $500 really is the limit. If it turns out that the next XBox is actually easier to develop for than the Playstation 4, that could also push me back towards XBox since that means multiplatform games will be better on XBox. If Sony comes out with some sort of odd, crazy control scheme that just doesn't seem right/natural, that might also make me lose interest in a Sony system. I'm pretty sure both systems will launch in the same time-frame, have mostly the same 3rd party launch games, and require constant internet connection/lock out used games, it is all the factors above that will boil down to which suites me better.
Posted on February 14, 2013, in Featured Opinion and tagged Alan Wake, Ape Escape, Batman Arkham City, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, Battlefield 3, Beautiful Katamari, Co-Op, Crackdown, Crysis 2, Durango, Exclusives, Forza, Free games, Gears of War, God of War, Gun, Halo, Infamous: Second Son, Jak & Daxter, Jet Moto, Katamari Forever, Killzone: Shadow Fal, Knack, Left 4 Dead, Little Big Planet, Madden, Max Payne 3, Microsoft, Mod Nation Racers, Multiplayer, Next Xbox, Parappa The Rapper, Perfect Dark Zero, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Network Plus, PS4, PS4 vs XBox, PSN, Rare, Ratchet & Clank, Remote Play, Shadow of The Collossus, Sly Cooper, SOCOM, Sony, Syphon Filter, The Last of Us, Twisted Metal, Wii U, XBLA, XBox, XBox 360, XBox Live Gold, Xenon. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.