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Japan’s Mainland: Kagoshima to Nagasaki

Before I begin, I should note that immediately after the events of my previous post, things fell nicely into place. We spent two more nights in and around Motobu (one night camping in a park filled with cats; the other at a hostel), and took leisurely day trips to various island beaches and the impressive Churaumi Aquarium. This incredible aquarium was home not only to deep sea animals which they’d somehow fished up without the poor little bastards vomiting their guts out, but it also housed a tank of giant Manta rays and, unbelievably, Whale Sharks.

After all this excitement, we took a 24-hour ferry ride from Okinawa to the mainland, stopping at Kagoshima. It was a comfortable ride; the beds were arranged so that your head was in a small private bubble, but your legs were free to attack the legs of the people lying either side of you.

So here are some photos of that, then the cycle diary will begin:

Churaumi Aquarium

Whale shark at Churaumi Aquarium

Churaumi Aquarium

Garden eels

agu pork

Okinawan pork chopped from the Agu pig. So very tender.

ferry okinawa kagoshima

ferry okinawa kagoshima

Not so private, but comfortable.

Day 1 – Software Pastor (Kagoshima to Satsumasendai)

The ferry dropped us off early in Kagoshima. It was too early for the city to be open, so we didn’t hang around to check it out, instead opting to begin our cycle towards the cluster of islands beneath Nagasaki. Here on the mainland, it was all too clear that we had arrived in Japan proper. Everything seemed manicured, and the hilly green world we drove through appeared to be straight out of an anime: towering bamboo forests and triangular fir trees; rice fields and houses with ornate rooftops; cutely beeping pedestrian crossings and disembodied speakers playing Japanese music at strategic times throughout the day; Golden Orb Spiders, smaller than their Okinawan counterparts, had webs slung up messily between every roadside railing – it all felt very neat, and compact, and safe. If you looked beyond the cars roaring down the highways, the pace of life seemed very slow and relaxed here in the south.

The entrance to a kiln.

Caroline spied a field worthy of our tent (ie. a patch of flat grass in close proximity to an oddly American-style takoyaki diner). It was connected to a church, and so we decided to knock on the door and ask their permission. I pressed the doorbell, and it was a very fortuitous press indeed.

“Konnichiwa?” asked the surprised the woman who answered.

“Eigo ga wakarimasu ka?” I think we both said in awkward unison (do you understand English?)

She motioned for us to wait, and then ran off to find a man who did.

“Come in, please,” he said, and offered us suripa (say that aloud to know what it is. Add an ‘s’ to the end if you’re stuck). “What happened?” he asked.

“Well, nothing,” I replied.

“Please sit,” he said, motioning to a table. The woman had scuttled off to prepare nashi pear, Japanese grapes, and glasses of water. “So what happened?” he asked again.

“We wanted to know if we can camp in your field.”

“Oh, it’s not really our field. But you can stay in here if you like.”

We didn’t have to look around the comfortable, carpeted, air-conditioned church hall to immediately agree.

The couple were Mr. And Mrs. Matsumoto, and ten years ago they had decided to leave their church in the neighbouring Kumamoto Prefecture and set up a new one in the Kagoshima Prefecture. The venture hadn’t quite gone as expected. Mr Matsumoto initially claimed to his friends he would bring 10,000 new followers to Christ, but so far his parish was sitting at around 20 souls.

“After we moved here and built this church, I very quickly didn’t have any money. So I prayed, ‘How can I get more money, God’, and I did not get an answer. So I fasted for forty days – I still took water, and juice, but no food. On day 27, God gave me an idea. I had never made software before but God told me to learn how to write software. So I read many books about writing databases.

“My friend runs a construction site in Kagoshima, and they have no idea how much money they are spending each day – they simply write expenses on a bit of paper. I spoke to my friend about how I was learning to write software, and he asked me if I could write a database to keep his company expenses together. So I did, and when I showed him, he said, ‘This is good! Let’s sell the idea!’, and he called up all the other construction companies and sold it to them, and now there are hundreds of companies using this software to keep track of expenses.

“It is very simple and very cheap to buy, so we made it downloadable and now there are companies all over Japan using it and paying an annual subscription.”

I asked, “So now you can focus on growing the church?”

“Soon,” he replied, “But right now I’m working on an upgrade.”

As if giving us their house to sleep in wasn’t enough, Mr. And Mrs. Matsumoto insisted on taking us out for dinner. They also insisted that we order anything we liked, and made several recommendations from the menu. I imagine that it was about as Japanese as a Japanese meal can get; we sat on tatami mats and ate various sushi and sashimi, there was a lot of bowing and smiling from the staff (“They are happy to see foreigners,” explained Mr. Matsumoto), and we chatted about Japan’s history, the future of our host’s church, and our plans for the next few weeks of cycling.

After dinner, they told us it was the final day of Obon, which meant a 2-hour fireworks spectacular in Satsumasendai city.

“Two hours?” we exclaimed.

“Yes. How long do fireworks normally last?”

“In New Zealand? 20 minutes if we’re lucky.”

And so we drove into the city and caught the last forty-five minutes of explosions erupting and echoing off the surrounding mountains. Many young people had turned out to witness the spectacle, and we were delighted to find that many of them were wearing the traditional yukata, or summer kimono. Our already very Japanese night was amplified.

We had a fantastic night’s sleep on the floor of the church, slowly nodding off to the sounds of Mr. Matsumoto’s eldest son’s album – he was a professional jazz pianist in Kagoshima.

Day 2 – Hawks at Dusk (Satsumasendai to Shimoshima Island)

As of late, Caroline has been crocheting fat little cats to give to people as gifts. She left two of these plump felines and a thank you note to our generous hosts, and then we stepped out into the damp, dew set morning. Utterly refreshed and satisfied, we powered on towards Nagasaki.

Dumpling kittys

Dumpling kittys

The route we decided to take led through a cluster of islands with either bridges or cheap ferries between them. Mr. Matsumoto had shown us a map of the area, and told us which route would be good to travel. It was a day of many hills and drink breaks – especially on the small island on Nagashima, and our focus was broken often by the intense heat and humidity.

pokemon go

This was something about Pokemon Go, but we’re not sure what. It was at a train station, so no doubt it was a warning not to play.

The island was covered in these cute bottle windmills.

The island was covered in these cute bottle windmills.

The ferry from Nagashima Island to Shimoshima Island couldn’t have been easier. Men with flags waved us into a park at the front of the queue near the ticket counter, and after paying 1600 yen for four tickets (2 humans + 2 bikes) we sat in the air-conditioned waiting room. The ferry took half a hour to cross, and we had a comfortable lounge in which to recline.

ferry nagashima

ferry nagashima

comfy ferry

The sleepy port town of Ushibuka was our arrival point. The streets were narrow and twisting, and were lined with various closed stores. As we had seen before in Japan, there were also a lot of cats roaming about, glaring warily at us. A series of small bays held fishing and leisure boats, and the many homes were almost touching the edge of the water. An oddly out-of-place highway towered over the village and harbour, creating the oceanic equivalent of a canopy walk; its edges dropped back down to sea-level at either end of town. Perhaps the village officials were given a large infrastructure budget and were unsure of what to spend it on.

We found a beautiful site to camp, high on a cliff overlooking the western horizon. We sat and ate bento box rice as the sun set, and witnessed dozens of hawks searching for cicadas while the crows screamed at them. There was a bathroom at the park, which meant there was an evening ‘shower’.

Ushibuka town

A shrine in Ushibuka

Day 3 – Getting Nude with the Elderly (Shimoshima Island to Unzen)

We hadn’t had a morning shower, and asked at a local convenience store where we might find an onsen. Onsen means ‘hot spring’, and these communal baths are dotted all over Japan – although we never found one in Okinawa. The store owner beamed and gave us a map to follow, and we followed that out of town to a structure bearing two cone-shaped wooden towers. We had found an onsen, now we just needed to figure out what the hell to do in an onsen. There would no doubt be some sort of protocol to follow. The last thing we wanted to do was cause great offence with some trivial error.

We entered together. A lady waited behind a counter and bowed slightly, probably sensing our confusion. We explained that we couldn’t speak Japanese, but she understood perfectly when we said ‘onsen’, and she pointed out a ticket machine. This particular onsen was 500 yen each, and we so slipped in a 1000 yen note. The machine spat out two tickets, which we straight away gave to the lady. She led us to the bathing area, and showed us which door was for male, and which was for female.

From here, for better or worse, you are stuck following me.

I walked into a very tidy changing room and had the option of lockers (100 yen) or baskets (free) to place my belongings. As I was disrobing, the door to the hot spring area swung open and I witnessed an old naked man helping to walk a very old naked man out. I entered the steamy bath room and was met with a row of showers, four different baths with different labels (written in Japanese, of course), and plenty of nude elderly men. I knew I was supposed to shower first, so I approached the assortment of shower heads and plastic stools. Men seemed to be sitting down to shower, and so I copied them. There was a bounty of nourishing soups and facial washes to choose from, so I happily cleaned off the grime in my awkward, seated pose.

I chose a hot spring at random and luxuriated. I was fairly certain that the different labels described different life-enhancing minerals contained within the steamy water, but there was no way for me to be sure. My strained shoulder muscles (cycling is killer on the shoulders) gave up complaining, and my hundreds of mosquito bites eased to a point where they could be ignored.

I didn’t last long in the hot spring – maybe 10 minutes, but the discovery that one of the baths contained cold water was welcome. I’m not sure if I was supposed to climb all the way into the cold bath – nobody else was – but there I sat, cooling off on this particularly scorching south Japanese day. As I got up to leave, an old naked man offered me the bucket he’d been washing himself down with. I accepted.

Then, if memory serves me correctly, we cycled all the way to the northern tip of Shimoshima Island, took another short ferry over to Unzen, then found an area to set up our tent. Our strategic camping location was in a quiet spot right by the beach in close proximity to a hose. After dark we went swimming in the sea and enjoyed the bioluminescence near the surface, then we showered using the hose. It was a great success.

Day 4 – The Warmth of Obama (Unzen to Nagasaki)

We had a choice on this day. We could either cycle up to the top of Mount Unzen, an active volcano, or not do that. We chose to not do that, and when we finally arrived in Nagasaki after climbing far too many hills to be acceptable, we believe we made the correct choice. Had we added the volcano into this already punishing day of cycling, I think we may have, at some point near 6.00 p.m., simply fallen off our bikes into foetal positions and alternated between shrieking and sobbing as we hugged our legs to our chests. The sobs, of course, would be void of tears due to the lack of salvageable water left in our bodies.

But let us rewind. Our first stop was the small, seaside town of Obama.

Obama was gushing with farty mist; plumes of sulphur from Obama’s inner core sprayed upwards and evaporated into a foul-smelling assortment of hot springs. The nearby active volcano Mount Unzen, which famously enjoys killing people (14,524 people in 1792 and 42 people in 1991), is responsible for Obama’s gaseous eruptions. Unapologetic for the frequent discharges, Obama welcomes people to enjoy soaking their feet in the flowing mineral waters, and bathing in the many onsen. We took full advantage of both these opportunities; our onsen was a much less expensive and simple version of the previous day’s. A single stream of water came from exposed pipes, and there were no luxurious bottles of hair treatment available. This last issue was resolved nicely when a friendly naked man offered me his shampoo.

A strange rock caused by lava flow

A strange rock caused by lava flow

Onsen. It certainly wouldn’t be appropriate to take photos inside, so this will have to do.

As I alluded to above, the remainder of the day was difficult. The sun was very hot in the blue sky (there had been no sign of rain since our first two days in Okinawa, two weeks ago), and there were many hills and ridges to climb. Nagasaki city is spread out down a valley that leads to the ocean. Rather than a flat plain, the valley is a series of bumpy hills nestled among mountains. This rugged layout is the reason that when the US dropped their second (and final) nuclear bomb, the devastation wasn’t as widespread as Hiroshima.

We found a couple willing to host us on the website Warm Showers, which is like couchsurfing for cyclists. They lived by a bay in the south western part of Nagasaki in a lockwood-style home. The house was relatively new and thoroughly modern. The toilet was entirely operated by wireless remote control, from the lifting of the seat to the flushing, and a magical box of light and colour sat in the kitchen acting as a microwave, oven and steamer in one. We ooh’d and aah’d and enjoyed our two nights under a real roof.

We only got to spend one full day in Nagasaki, and we spent nearly all of that day at the war museum and Peace Park. Needless to say, it was harrowing. The museum did an excellent job describing the history around the bombing, including matter-of-factly stating atrocities committed by the Japanese too, rather than skewing the facts or observing it from a single angle. There’s no point in me writing too much about it here, suffice to say that it was a horrific event to have happened, and it was probably not entirely necessary.

nagasaki hypocentre

The hypocentre, or spot 500m directly below the bomb as it exploded.

The spiders, like the locals, now thrive in the once-decimated city.

The spiders, like the locals, now thrive in the once-decimated city.

peace park nagasaki

This buff fellow is the centerpiece of the peace park. His right hand points to the sky (for obvious reasons); his left hand is to symbolise ‘no more’; his right leg is meditative; his left is ready for action.

The memorial hall for the victims. Thousands of names are encased at the rear.

The memorial hall for the victims. Thousands of names are encased at the rear.

And on that note, I’ll leave you here.

Just an ordinary train


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Rantings of a Sandmonkey

Be forewarned: The writer of this blog is an extremely cynical, snarky, pro-US, secular, libertarian, disgruntled sandmonkey. If this is your cup of tea, please enjoy your stay here. If not, please sod off

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Israel hits the right nerve in Lebanon

After striking inside of Lebanon in retalliation to a Hezballah attack-which the latter used- mortars and rockets toward the Israeli-Lebanese border andwounding 11 Israeli soldiers- Israel planes went all the way to Beirut and dropped leaflets denouncing Hezballah. Earlier in the day, Israeli planes dropped thousands of leaflets over Beirut and its suburbs denouncing Hezbollah guerrillas. Lebanese security officials said the roar of jets was heard over the city before dawn, followed by thousands of leaflets falling from the sky. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters. "To the Lebanese citizens, who protects Lebanon?" read the small leaflet written in Arabic. "Who is lying to you? Who is sending your children to a battle they are not ready for? Who wishes the return of destruction? Who is the tool in the hands of his Syrian and Iranian masters?" Then in bold letters, it said: "Hezbollah is causing enormous harm to Lebanon," and added that Israel was determined to protect its citizens. The note was signed "The State of Israel." Here is what the leaflet looks like:

Hezballah of course denounced the leaflets: Hezbollah dismissed the leaflets as "an expression of Israeli failures in facing Hezbollah," the group's media chief, Mohammed Afif, said in a statement. But that was expected. What I wanted to know was what the lebanese bloggers thought of all of this, since they are the Beirut dwellers who Israel targeted with those leaflets. They, as expected, have hit a nerve, but one that interestingly was in agreement with Israel's point of view. Here is what Raja from Lebanese bloggers had to say of the israeli leaflets:

It is a thought that most Lebanese have in their minds. Israeli propagandists hit the bull's eye.

Mutapha from Beirut spring also agrees and starts lamenting that the lebanese government is losing the propagnda war and should've had a tougher anti-Hezballa rhetoric before Israel's leaflets.

If Mr. Seniora had been saying all these things since the beginning, Israel wouldn’t have dared to write that leaflet. But because our government ignored the propaganda war, many Lebanese are now put in an awkward position of finding their opinions voiced in a piece of paper thrown on us like dogs by Israel. Talk about adding insult to injury.

There will be negative consequences to that fact he believes:

Hezbollah has pre-empted us , no matter what we now say, they'll say that we're talking like Israel!

And no one wants that.

But the Truth is Hezballah is Iran and Syria's puppy no matter how many times they claim otherwise and the majority of the lebanese people have grown weary of them. The lebanese have grown angry at the fact that their own independence day was marred by hezballah's attack on Israel and the fact that it was politically motivated.

It is indeed hard not to make that connection, as it's so consistent with the Party's rhetoric and positions since the March independence movement. Nasrallah and HA have been singing (solo) the tune that the "real" enemy and occupier is Israel, not Syria. Meanwhile, the focus of the rest of the Lebanese scene has been, naturally, on Syria. It was also obvious that the speeches in the celebrations of Independence Day were going to be focused on Lebanon's independence from Syrian occupation, and the recently restored sovereignty and freedom. Indeed, PM Seniora delcared that "Syria has to get used to the fact that Lebanon is an independent sovereign country." Furthermore, as I noted in my post yesterday, Walid Jumblat again emphasized the need for border demarcation with Syria, and its official recognition of the Lebanese ownership of the Shebaa Farms (which it still has not done, and the Farms remain officially Syrian territory. More on that below.)

So it was expected that HA would refocus attention on itself and its agenda, in order to try and dictate domestic discourse: independence is from Israel, not Syria. The Farms are Lebanese. The "Resistance" will continue. The UN and Seniora (with emphasis on Seniora), should never forget who has the final say and who has the weapons. It also falls in line with HA's campaign against Seniora, and its pressuring him to reject UNR 1559.

Basically they are pressuring their own people for their benefactor's sake: Syria. Lebanon be damned.

But hey, maybe I am being too harsh on Hezballah. Maybe they are patriotically motivated and have no business/financial reasons whatsoever to support Syria. But how would we find out? Oh, I know, they should let us see their sources of income, as this blogger suggested:

If Hezbollah claims it defends all of Lebanon, then all of Lebanon should have the right to see Hezbollah's sources of income.

This would not compromise their capability to defend the nation. It will reassure all of the other questioning Lebanese of Hezbollah's sincerity, and it will prove to us that we should be more appreciative of Syria and Iran who only have Lebanon's interests at heart. It will reassure us that Hezbollah has the means to resist an advanced army with access to nuclear weapons.

The Lebanese Army's budget is publicly known. Israel's budget is publicly known, and the world knows which countries support the Israeli military. It does no harm to Israel for it to be publicly known that the United States gives it billions of dollars in military aid. It does no harm to the Lebanese Army that the public knows that the United States is the single largest defense donor to Lebanon.

Hezbollah must come clean. They are asking us to trust them, but we cannot. They are asking us to trust Syria and Iran, but we cannot. Perhaps our minds have been warped by the conspiring Western nations and Zionists, as President Lahoud told us today in his Independence Day speech. The best way to bring us back into the fold of the fully aware and competent is to show us the evidence that the United States is wrong, rather than berate us for being patsies. That merely insults us. Prove to us, Hezbollah, Iran, and Syria, that you are the true defenders of Lebanon; that we need you.

Hezbollah claims it has nothing to hide, and yet it lurks in the shadows. Hezbollah claims that it is fighting a righteous fight for eternal peace, and yet they kidnap innocent civilians. Hezbollah claims that the party does not hate Jews, only Israeli actions, and yet they denigrate other Lebanese using Rabbi as an epithet. Being a man in the service of God cannot be a bad thing to a bearded cleric, so what does the insult Rabbi mean?Hezbollah has not stood up in support of freeing Lebanese prisoners from Syrian prisons. Hezbollah has not asked Syria to return Lebanese fishermen Syria unlawfully detained. Hezbollah has not offered to dialogue with other Lebanese parties about the election law.

If they want to continue speaking for Lebanon, then they must be accountable to the Lebanese people. We will gladly use their free services if we think they are needed. Hezbollah hospitals do great things for poor people. But we are not convinced that their military service is to our benefit. In fact, we worry that it is to our detriment. Therefore, they must come clean.

At 11/23/2005 08:24:00 AM, Blogger Mustapha said...

Just to clarify something. Israel's leaftlet was in Arabic.

The one you're using from my blog is the english version I personally made and shouldn't be confused for the real thing

The Beirut Spring

At 11/23/2005 10:40:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

you're right SAM, let the truth be said

At 11/23/2005 03:42:00 PM, Blogger programmer craig said...

Hezbollah is attempting to do exactly what has worked so well for them in the past. Provoke and attack (or an invasion!) by Israel. That's what catapulted them to prominence before and it's what they expect will keep them in power. It's odd? that Iran takes the same line with provoking an attack from the US.

What the hell kind of mentality is it where "leaders" think their best shot at staying in power is to get attacked another nation? Where does that come from?

At 11/23/2005 05:10:00 PM, Anonymous Charbel said...

The only Lebanese blogger you mention actually in Lebanon is the Lebanese Political Journal.

Mustapha and Raja are not in Lebanon. Mustapha is in Africa. Raja is in the United States. Anton Efendi is in the United States.

They all have good blogs, but their reaction does not mean as much as Lebanese opinion on the ground. Lebanese Political Journal, even if it is here, remains aloof to what people actually feel.

You should listen to the speeches given by Lebanese politicians. You should look to what Michel Aoun had to say, or even dare I say Walid Jumblatt.

At 11/23/2005 06:57:00 PM, Blogger Scorekeeper said...

I think Charbel is Anonymous at the "AngryArab" blog where sewer dwellers of like minded hate and "intelligence" dwell. This might be the correct links but I'm not sure?
then scroll down to my reply.

At 11/24/2005 04:29:00 AM, Anonymous Jeff said...

Sources tell me that the main blogger at Lebanese Political Journal is an American of Lebanese heritage who's lived there for a couple of years now.

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Never a Dull Moment: Kansan Dorothy Dull, World War II Women's Army Corps

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Join us for a light lunch as Jeff Nelson, Eisenhower Presidential Museum curatorial staff, tells about the experiences of Dorothy Dull from Clifton, Kansas, who served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II on General MacArthur's clerical staff. Her story sheds light on the challenges faced by women stationed near the front lines. The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was a branch of the United States Army, created during World War II when the U.S. was faced with fighting a two-front war while continuing to support the Allies. Women supplied the additional resources so desperately needed in the military and industrial sectors. Members of the WAC were the first women other than nurses to serve within the ranks of the United States Army. Over 150,000 American women served in the WAC during the war, challenging perceptions of the traditional role of women in the workplace and in the military.


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ERCP & spyglass

ERCP is short for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. It is a procedure that looks at the bile ducts. It is done through an endoscope.

Bile ducts are the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine. ERCP is used to treat stones, tumors, or narrowed areas of the bile ducts.

A thin tube (catheter) is passed through the endoscope and inserted into the tubes (ducts) that lead to the pancreas and gallbladder. A special dye is injected into these ducts, and x-rays are taken. This helps the doctor see stones, tumors, and any areas that have become narrowed.

Special instruments can be placed through the endoscope and into the ducts.

Why the Procedure is Performed

The procedure is used mostly to treat problems of the pancreas or bile ducts that can cause abdominal pain (usually in the right upper or middle stomach area) and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

ERCP may be used to:
  • Open the entry of the ducts into the bowel (sphincterotomy)
  • Stretch out narrow segments (bile duct strictures)
  • Remove or crush gallstones
  • Diagnose conditions such as biliary cirrhosis or sclerosing cholangitis
  • Take tissue samples to diagnose a tumor of the pancreas, bile ducts, or gallbladder
  • Drain blocked areas
Endoscopy may also be done to:
  • Bleeding from diverticula or other lesions can be treated by injecting medicine around them or by applying heat to cauterize -- or seal -- them.
  • Polyps, some of which may be cancerous, can be removed using a lasso-like device through the colonoscope.
  • Narrowed areas or strictures can often be dilated using a balloon.

Jaundice is one of the most common gastro problems caused from benign hepatitis to stone or tumours. So far the stones and tumors blocking the bile passage (obstructive jaundice) were treated by indirect methods.

Now the next era in this field is DIRECT VISUALISATION SYSTEM called as SPY GLASS ENDOSCOPE by which the tumors inside the bile and pancreatic passage are taken biopsies under vision and offers the specific treatment according to the histopathologies so that unnecessary major surgeries can be avoided. Next to chennai and vellore coimbatore is the third city in Tamilnadu in acquiring this spy glass visualisation technique through ELCE Cinics.

Dr. P.S.Rajan, Chairman of ELCE Clinics, is an expert in SpyGlass Direct Visualization System and recognized faculty for South Tamil Nadu.

Dr P S Rajan said ?We are proud to announce that ELCE Clinics is the first hospital in South Tamilnadu which has equipped itself with the innovative technology of spy glass endoscopy. By adapting this innovative technology we have taken a step ahead in providing advanced healthcare service to patients with biliary and pancreatic pathologies.

"SpyGlass direct visualization system" has opened up blind spots in the treatment of disorders of biliary system of the human body. It provides unprecedented, direct visualization of all bile-duct quadrants, enabling lifesaving treatment of patients ailing with HPB disorders.

Life threatening diseases involving the liver, pancreas and gall bladder can now be diagnosed and treated under direct vision, which were earlier diagnosed using a 2D X-Ray image. ? He demonstrated the equipment and shared his experience with spy glass scopy by his videos of cases done.

The SpyGlass Direct Visualization System is a single-operator cholangioscope that is used by experienced, skilled physicians to either remove difficult bile duct and/or pancreatic duct stones or evaluate indeterminate strictures within the bile ducts or pancreatic duct.

Cholangioscopy is an advanced endoscopic technique whereby a small-caliber endoscope is advanced through a larger endoscope into the bile duct or pancreatic duct for direct endoscopic visualization of the anatomy and potential pathology.

SpyGlass has enabled early detection and treatment of indeterminate diseases, large impacted stones, etc., decreased patient discomfort, reduced hospital visits and brought back patients to normal life sooner than with conventional techniques.

It is a minimally invasive procedure for treatment of diseases which were earlier treated by surgery, hence, reducing mortality and morbidity.


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Monday, March 5, 2012

Day 457

so i was in madrid last week and i didnt have time to do emails so i just told mom i was alive so that you all wouldnt worry. so i got to go to the temple and it was so amazing. it was just what i needed right now i miss the temple so much. i did it all in spanish and the person i had to talk to was french haha so... not going into details it was hard and frustrating haha. i feel like its been WAY TOO LONG since ive gone. . . dont let yourselves get that way.
we had to go to madrid cause mendoza had some paperworks to get done. spain is weird. when you have a kid you have to look in their dictionary of names to put the name. sooo his name is jhonny and in the dictionary they have johnny so he had to change it so he didnt have any more problems. kind of frustrating but its ok anyways.
i have some news for everyone. im ... leaving cartagena. i dont know how i feel about it. i love this place so much . buttttt such is life i guess. im going to a pueblo or a little city in the "state" if you can call it that .. the region of sevilla. its called alcalá de .... something. i dont know haha president told me alcalá but everyone around here says something else so ill get more info next week . lets see.
thats about all the exciting stuff. it was a suprise to me to be leaving buttt like i said . oh well. im going on wednesday i leave at 915 in the morning i get there at 630 at night. a long bus ride im not too excited. but oh well.
my new companion is the first on that i know before im with him he is a cool dude so im not worried im actually really really excited to be with him and i have only heard good things about hte area. president told me im going to a house not an apartment and its pretty much a mansion. its the biggest house in the mission for the missionaries so its about time a get treated like a king haha. anyways life is good im happy its weird that its march already time is flying by cartagena feels like a dream haha but anyways im good. ill talk to you guys next weeek! love you!

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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Week 58: November 6, 2016

Happy happy Monday from me to you,

            So it's Monday again somehow, and it's November!  Crazy time flies when your having fun spreading the saving words of Christ. This past week have been incredible and hopefully I will be able to share a good amount of them in this email.

            To start off I have to mention the weather, it is incredible.  Not hot, actually kinda brisk at times.  There has been a nice wind coming off the coast recently and it has made the weather really nice.  Then there is day light saving, nice instant gratification by getting an extra hour of sleep.  But it was not lasting joy, now its dark at 6 and people are a little more less nice when we knock on there door and it's pitch black.  So that will be fun the months to come.

           Also so here's an awesome miracle from this past week.  So we went to follow up with a lady named Joyce at we met about 3 weeks ago.  When we showed up she immediately asked what the word was for today.  So we began to share the restoration with her.  How Christ has called another prophet to the earth, how he has brought back the authority to baptize.  When we shared these things with her she was in awe.  She said that no other religion has taught her something new, and something that felt right.  She was so excited to be able to read from the Book of Mormon.  She truly was prepared to receive this message and to learn about it.  I just can't wait to see the gospel continue to change her and to see her grow and get closer to God.

          Another thing we were able to do this week was service.  We helped someone move in.  That was awesome, plus they made us really good barbecue ribs and chicken.  Ahh so good, I love good barbecue.  Then we did habitat for humanity, we help the, build houses so that's awesome.  Plus the workers there know us really well and we got habitat tshirts this last week so we are super excited to wear them in the future as we go.  I'll send photos of it in the future.

          So here's my big aha moment from this past week, I was pondering the word joy.  President Nelson of the quorum of the twelve gave a talk about a month ago about joy.  As I have read it and studied it I had a thought come to mind.  In the world now society has deemed joy as being instant gratification.  That's why when people sin and break commandments of God they think they are happy but that happiness doesn't last.  But when we keep the commandments and do the will of God it can bring happiness to us for eternity.  I know this is a true principle.  I'm so grateful for this wonderful gospel and the ability to to feel joy.  It might not be the "hip" and "trendy" thing to do, but I know god blesses those who follow him.  As we keep our standards high and do his will we can keep our head held high and have eternal joy.

Well that's all for now, hope y'all have a great week!

Elder Guinup

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Posted By Patrick Codo on Sep 19, 2017 |

If people need to find a parking spot for El Greco then they can park behind the place. The parking behind the place is free so people who come into Carbondale and want to try El Greco but don’t want to pay for any parking then just park behind the place. We don’t want people to park in spots where they have to pay. These images right here are the spots in Carbondale where people can park for free to get El Greco. The image with maroon car is the parking spot next to El Greco. It is an open area where all of the El Greco visitors can park for free.


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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Book Review: The Stone Traveler by Kathi Oram Peterson, LDS author

Look at this cover. It's gorgeous. A promise of adventure in the South American jungle.

Does it deliver?

Yes, it does.

Sixteen-year-old Tag is tired. Tired of the way things are. The best way to break away is to be how he likes to be. Though he is fair with a spread of many freckles, he loves his hair black. Along with the spiked dog collar.

After a particular unsavory incident at school, his cousin rats him out and now he is facing his consequence: spending the entire summer with old Grandpa who chats with his wife's ghost.

Well, not exactly. He decides to sneak away when everyone's asleep. That's when he stumbles across the stone. Unable to resist the temptation to take it, he is whisked headlong into the past. Far into the past. When scripture heroes (and villains) roamed the southern part of North America.

This was a fun page-turner for me. I empathized with Tag, though he hated everyone and everything. A hidden darkness haunts him and he doesn't realize it until the purpose of his journey into the past unfolds. I feel as if Tag lost a bit of his voice when he sailed into time, but maybe it is because he is surrounded with others who don't speak slang? I cried when Tag finally finds peace in his heart. And forgiveness.

This is a beautiful, heartwarming story. It left me with much to think about.

Kathi Oram Peterson has created a wonderful, rich world that will have you neglecting your homework!

Add this wonderful read to your library!

The trailer gave me chills!

The Stone Traveler - Blog Tour Contest!
When: Weekdays in September
Important rule: Leave a comment on "every" site on the tour.

Monday through Friday commenter names will be collected from the blog tour. On Saturday, a name will be drawn to win a prize that includes a very cuddly toy jaguar; a stone necklace, and chocolates with the flavor of South America--real cacao and chili. The winner will be announced on the following Monday.

The GRAND prize for The Stone Traveler blog tour will be a (drumroll, please) Kindle.

The cutoff to be eligible is midnight on September 30. The winner will be announced October 4th. If you find the tour midway through and want to participate, you can still go back and comment on every blog simply by going to Starting in September, the sidebar will list each stop on the tour as they are posted, making it very easy to click to any of the sites and leave a comment. AND even if you've already won one of the weekly drawings, your name will still go in the jar for the Kindle.

Good luck and have fun! ;)

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Begin to Let Grow

“Mormonad,” New Era, Aug. 1991, 7

Photography by Craig Dimond

Nurture your creative nature. After all, you take after your Father and He was the ultimate Creator. (See 2 Ne. 2:14.)

I'm thinking, how far can you go with God's help when you write?

Have a splendiferous week!!

(I decided to repost this today, I had accidentally posted twice on the 15 and it got lost with the other post--shame on me!!!) Thanks for your patience. :D

Friday, September 24, 2010

Writing Compelling Characters Blogfest!

Elana Johnson, Jennifer Daiker and Alex Cavanaugh are hosting this awesome blogfest!

Their purpose is to see how differently every one of us thinks about a single thing. Writing a compelling character. (Yeah, right, they just want to hear our secrets!)

Okay, I believe this will be one fun day. Or two . . . As of now, there are 152 participants. It'll take me a few days, but I promise to visit everyone and leave a comment. I hope you won't mind me jotting notes--this will be one AWESOME writer's conference on how to write a compelling character!

here it goes, my SECRET:

My Word processor's definition for compelling says "holding attention: attracting strong interest and attention."

First of all, I would like to think that I can write compelling characters. It's always good to have a 2nd opinion, though! ;)

Can a story be compelling without compelling characters? Or can a character be compelling without a compelling story?

Like actors in a movie, I believe that they can make or break the show. Same with books. Our MCs can make or break the book.

My formula:

When I write, I'm by the seat-of-my-pants kinda person. My characters are born well-rounded. They are alive the moment I spell out their names. I endow them with strong passions--whether for want of love or writhing in hatred. I love to delve into their minds and make the reader experience their anguish or sorrow or anger.

If my character can make my readers cry, angry or joyful--I've written a compelling character.

The character will refuse to die long after the book has been closed.

What are your beliefs in writing a compelling character?

Let's see how other blogfesters feel about writing compelling characters!

photos found at bing images

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

I'm Back!

Hi everyone! I'm glad to be back, I've missed my bloggie friends! It's been an uplifting month for me. I appreciate those who left comments and followed me during my absence--thank you!

This is what I've been up to the past month:

The first day of school was stressful. My teengirl slipped down three steps, made it to 2 different classrooms before the tardy bell and realized that they weren't the right ones. She was in tears when she told me how it went and begged me to home school her. I cried with her and hugged her and had a heartfelt talk. Now she's enjoying it. Whew . . .

My other kidlets embraced their new teachers and friends, though it isn't their beloved old school. They're loving it now. :)

It's amazing the work that they bring home from school--it's so intense that it sometimes leaves me frazzled by dinnertime.

I've submitted my resume as an illustrator to a few publishers. I've heard back from one and they said they'd contact me when they need me. I'm so excited!

I've applied for the New Testament Project by LDS Motion Picture Studio. I believe any one can sign up--seasoned actor or no experience, even if you are of a different faith! They start filming Spring of 2011. Wish me luck!

I came a cross a blog that discussed the usage of ing words. I scrambled to my WIP and discovered I have too many of them! Rockstar has 3,898. EEP! So far, in 3 chapters alone, I've cut out 115! Small in scale, but I'm slowly combing through and when I'm done, it'll be much better for it.

I also pulled out an old MS and decided to cut out 40 pages because one character was ruining the plot line. Now I can see it open up before me. Now I can finish, yippee! Has this happened to you? Where you decided to pull out a character that is taking over like a choking weed to your flower garden? Oh, and how many ing words do you have in your WIP?

It's great to be back!

Image found here


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The island of Crete

The island of Crete is located in the centre of the eastern Mediterranean. It is the crossroad that links three cultures, Africa, Asia and Europe.Aristotle is still timely, referring to Crete he said, ''Crete has the best climate to live. It is neither too cold neither too hot''.

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Holidays in Greece

There is a Grecian holiday diamond just right for you and of course, a welcome that is as warm as the climate. With stunning beaches, traditional tavernas, ancient ruins, and vibrant routes.You can be certain that there is a holiday greek island with a character and atmosphere that suits to you as a sweet stain at your heart.

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Elounda Holidays

Elounda is ideal for people who want a seaside holiday in a place which is neither too busy nor too isolated.The earliest recorded settlement at Elounda was the ancient Greek city of Olous.The archaeological site of Olous is submerged near Elounda's salt flats and can still be seen today.

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Super User

Super User

Unique sea view holiday houses in the greek island of Crete!

Magic swimming pool villas at Elounda at Mirabello bay!

Vacations of style to remember!

Elounda holiday Villa, the 'Almond Tree Villa', is overflowing of positive energy! This villa is located at Eastern Crete at Elounda, at the slopes of Mirabello gulf, on the Greek gem, the isle of Crete. Crete, known as Kreta, Creta, Kriti, from the ancient times was considered to have the best climate of the ''known world''. According to Aristotle , the geographical position of Kreta is perfect.

Island Chrisi | Best Exotic Beach of Europe | Top 10 Greece Crete

Chrissi Island or Gaidouronisi situated eight miles south of Ierapetra , in off the Libyan ocean. it's a flat island noted for its tropical waters of exhausting the whole color palette of blue and inexperienced ,  the protected forest of enormous cedars and juniper the thousands of broken shells that create the pink sand .

Crete is a lot of sort of a tiny country than another Greek island. It’s not simply Greece’s largest island, however arguably its most fascinating and numerous. Its outstanding history is obvious across the island, from the ruins of the Minoan palace of Knossos to the Venetian fortresses of Rethymo;

The island of Spinalonga

Spinalonga (in Greek: Σπιναλόγκα), officially known as Kalydon (Καλυδών), is located in the Gulf of Elounda in north-eastern Crete, in Lasithi prefecture, next to the town of Elounda. It is near the Spinalonga peninsula ("large Spinalonga") - which often causes confusion as the same name is used for both. The official Greek name of the island today is Kalydon

Agios Nikolaos Island of Crete

(or Aghios Nikolaos, Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος) is a coastal town on the Greek island of Crete, lying east of the island's capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia. In the years 2000, the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, including the surrounding villages, consists of around 19,000 inhabitants. The town is a municipality of Crete region, and sits partially upon the ruins of the ancient city of Lato to Kamara

Elounda village and the Island of Crete

Elounda (in Greek: Ελούντα), alternative transliterations (Elounta or Elouda), is a small fishing town on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece. It is part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. Elounda is located in east Crete, north of Agios Nikolaos and south of the seaside resort of Plaka. Elounda was once a picturesque fishing village in the lovely Mirabello Bay. The inhabitants lived from farming, fishing, salt extraction from the Venetian saltpans, and emery mining

Copy of Chania

Published in Crete
Wednesday, 13 November 2013 21:43

Chania lies on the north coast of west Crete and is the capital of Chania Prefecture.

Published in Offers
Sunday, 10 November 2013 19:59

Traditional villas in Elounda

The villas are situated in the settlement of Mavrikiano - Elounda 70 km from Iraklion International Airport , while the villas are to be found within the village of Vrouhas 80 klm from the Airport and/ or 10 km from the town of Elounda.

Dorana hotel Karpathos

Dorana Studios are located at Diafani which is at the Northern part of Karpathos. According to most people this area is the most ideal place for relaxation and walks.

nights = 6 nights + 1 Free night |Pay for 6 - stay for 7 nights|  depending on availability.

14 nights = 12 nights + 2 Free nights |Pay for 12 - stay for 14 nights and enjoy the Island of Crete.

10% OFF the official rates | Valid reservations received until 30/04/2014

Chania is the capital of Chania Prefecture. The town lies on the north coast of west Crete, the most interesting and beautiful greek island of Crete.

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About Us

We would like to thank you for your preference in spending your holidays at the Traditional Villas of Crete , Elounda, Greece.

Mavrikiano , Elounda, Crete Island

+0030 697 289O O9O

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The backwash effect (also known as the washback effect) is the influence that a test has on the way students are taught (e.g. the teaching mirrors the test because teachers want their students to pass).

The washback effect is the outcome of a test or an examination which results either in positive or in a negative way. There are two basic terms of the washback effect, which are the Positive and the Negative washback effect. Positive washback occurs when there is harmony between the teaching and the students' examination or a class test performance. The Negative washback effect occurs when there is no sync between what is taught and what is performed (such as narrowing down the content). Both of these types of washback influence the teaching as well as the learning process.


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Am I wrong in hating React JS?

I recall a few years back I hated Ember JS and kept trying to get into it and hating it then for some reason the 3rd time I did, it stuck and I LOVED IT. I mean really LOVED it. I have never been happier writing code in 20+ years of programming – that is something.  So yes, I am a HUGE FAN of Ember.

I also felt the same way about VIM and it took 3 times to stick, now I want VIM everywhere.

React JS – for some reason I just f***ing hate it. I hate html in javascript. I hate JSX.  I hate the lack of CLI. I hate the lack of conventions – every project I look at looks different, every blog post looks different.  I hate the ridiculous amount of shit I have to do to simply get a project started. I hate the sheer amount of boilerplate code and the verbosity.

The problem is that I see many very SMART people, way smarter than myself that are praising React and using it. What am I missing? I mean, I am an expert dev and have been doing this for a while. What am I missing?

PS: I am a big fan of developer productivity and happiness and don’t give a shit if React is 5% faster than Ember. That might mean something for a website like facebook or twitter but it means nothing to me or any of my clients that will be lucky if they hit 1000 concurrent connections. I don’t want to optimize for a 1% use case at the cost of sacrificing happiness and dev productivity.

So, am I wrong?  Is React a fad?  Is it here to stay?  Should I get into it?

Also published on Medium.


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Resolve The Year To Create A Culture Of Ethical Communicating – By David Cheatham, Transform Communications, LLC

 Part 1 of 2

resolve-bubbleThe World Economic Forum calls the ‘rapid spread of misinformation’ one of the top 10 challenges facing our planet. According to the Pew Research Center, 10 of the 12 most-read stories on the 2016 Presidential election were ‘fake news.’ And after months of criticism, Facebook announced steps to police ‘fake news’ with third-party fact-checkers.  What does our national climate of anxiety and mistrust have to do with your employees? Plenty.  More than ever, your employees need to know that their workplace promotes a truth-telling culture.

Embed an ethical culture in your organization

HR leaders are increasingly conscious of the link between the perceived ethical “health” of their organization and the engagement of employees. Trust and respect for leaders, confidence to speak up without fearing the consequences, pride in working for the company, and a vested interest in the job are all drivers of engagement.

Key to evaluating whether your enterprise is on the right track:
• Ethical leadership (the tone at the top) — the consistent reinforcement of an organization’s ethical standards by supervisors and managers.
• Consistent and clear messaging about values.
• Employees openly supporting each other to do the right thing.
• A culture of openness and speaking up.
• Consistent and transparent decision-making.

Promote a healthier enterprise

One of your personal resolutions for 2017 may be to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Remember to promote the health of your enterprise, too.promote-a-healthier-enterprise

HR practitioners are starting 2017 under a cloud of change and uncertainty. Adjusting to the realities of political developments can lead to an unsettled mood that needs to be countered in the workplace.

For HR teams, this atmosphere presents an opportunity to add out-sized value.

The spotlight will be on you to foster positivity and engagement among employees, particularly among the rising number of ‘free agents’. To do so means focusing on three areas: building trust and transparency; getting the right tools for the job; and knowing what is and isn’t working.

In my webinar, “Building Employee Loyalty from the Inside Out,” we discuss the importance of corporate story-telling to a healthy organization.

Develop a pipeline of employee-generated stories

Meaningful, real-life employee stories will be the major trend in internal communication in 2017. Employee-generated content humanizes important messages, and reinforce an open communications climate with the power to inspire employees in an authentic way.

Expect to see more employee-produced videos, short stories delivered via screensavers, and newsletter interviews with staff. These “they-are-just-like-me” tales are great for co-workers adapting to change, learning new processes and applying brand values to their roles.

At a time when loss of confidence and trust in senior leaders remain at depressingly low levels (roughly one in three employees in the U.S. feel their organization isn’t always honest and truthful), it’s easy to see how peer-to-peer content strikes the right chord.

letLet employees do the talking for external branding, too

Companies are also realizing that instead of courting external experts to tweet, blog and promote their brands externally they should be turning their attention internally to their existing brand experts, their employees.

Your employees live and breathe your brand and products every day. One of the first questions they get asked at conferences or even at weekend social events is, “where do you work?” Employees are your untapped spokespeople. If provided with the correct information they can also answer the tricky questions around company ethics or the sustainability and responsibility agenda.

Companies are afraid that if they allow their employees to talk about them on social media, things could get messy. The reality is, most employees do anyway. Where you work is a significant part of your personal brand, people talk about it all the time. Rather than pushing your employees to talk about it in the dark corners of Facebook, provide them with the training and resources to do it confidently in the open.

Treat internal messaging as external

What you present to your employees should be what you present to the outside world. Every employee message should be considered as external-facing. It is now common to see leaked CEO letters and staff emails in the media, or posted to WikiLeaks or ‘fake news’ outlets. Just ask Hillary Clinton and Kathleen Kane.

If you advertise your company as having one set of values, ensure those values are taken seriously inside the organization also.

Cheatham headshot (2)Next time: Part 2 of “Resolve this year to create a culture of ethical communicating”

David Cheatham is the founder of Transform Communications, LLC, a communications consultancy specializing in aligning employees and implementing change across the enterprise. The company’s tagline sums up David’s approach to the workplace: Inform, Engage, Inspire. ® David also teaches in the School of Business at Rutgers University. Contact: © 2017 David Cheatham


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I am working on it.

It will come in the next few weeks. It is meant for my KING students, but it will subsequently be open to all interested in trading e-mini futures, the trading instruments I happen to have mastered quite well, if I may say so.

For more including updates, please check out the forum page on my main website.


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zondag, maart 25, 2012

she was waiting to be finished
and so alone
so I made here some friends

even on here back is a friend
you see now she is never alone again

and if you are following my blog ,,
this one is also made a doll
have a nice Sunday evening to you all

2 opmerkingen:

deanna7trees zei

oh so sweet. i love the one with the fingers.

woman with wings zei

These sweeties are fabulous. I just love them!


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CORE Education Breakfast 2016: Derek Wenmoth

Being Educated in 2050?

Early start in Tāmaki Makaurau

Looking back to understand OUR future

As Derek looked back at the 1950s; traditional curriculum, and an industrial model of education, we were then able to consider what it will mean to be educated, 34 years from now.

CORE Education's Jo Wilson welcoming Derek Wenmoth
Derek Wenmoth - CORE Breakfast 2016

Backdrop - 2050?

We start wondering about: How we will live? How we'll play? Interact? Our Travel? Move over Uber - 2 -3 years - no driver! Driverless trucks - not bound by 12 hour rule - likewise Google cars, coming to an office near you - automation, The Economist. 14 companies - 25 billionaires eg: Dropbox, Uber, Pinterest. Did you know there are 1,810 billionaires in the world (Forbes, March 2016)
18/25 are under 30 - a culture of: spawning of an idea, social networks, crowd sourcing - fix fast, fail fast.

The future?

New skill sets - NZC addresses these, but are they embedded into our schools enough to ensure that we are preparing our learners for their future?

Alfie Kohn examines the purpose of education rather than defining what it means to be educated. In Leaving to Learn - Ten Expectations - are we asking the learners?

Two faces of Education

On one side, there is an academic focus. The other, the necessary soft skills of empathy etc.
One way of addressing this is the global project: New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL). Michael Fullan will feature at this year's ULearn16.

So what?

1. Knowledge Creation - a process not product, collaboration, acquiring knowledge as a series of truths is obsolete
2. Working with abstractions - eg: How might we use infographics to work collectively - what is the science behind it?
3. Systems thinking - complex, more variables, intuition - hunches
4. Cognitve Persistence  eg - digital distraction. Following extended lines of thought, creative effort. It's not just black and white. Check out
5. Collective Cognitive responsibility - beyond collaboration, giving ownership to students

And finally, a Call to action.

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see" Neil Postman


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Friday, April 6, 2012

Day 23: Sentenced to Write

To take the step from words to sentences requires more than a comma to signal a pause or a period to end an idea. It takes a certain courage to pen or type a stretch of letters that may take forever to craft on days when we cannot accept the inevitability of the climb we face to reach the next level.

We only have to commit (every pun intended) to take some pleasure from this process. Playing with words means taking the time to map the journey. In connecting the dots of words to sentences, without worrying about the perfection of either, writers write.

Although short, this post recognizes the need we have as writers to communicate in the best way we know how. Face it, it has been a long time since many of us have considered the basic building blocks of writing. We take for granted this ability to leap from words to sentences. So pause for a few minutes just to acknowledge how you became a writer through an appreciation of its finer points.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

To Quit or not to Quit

a) You have:
-A chilled out boss
-A laissez faire manager
-Flexible Timing
-A decent pay
-Great benefits like, car, phone, fuel
- No harsh deadlines

b) But you don't have:
-Opportunities to grow
-Team spirit
-A hierarchy that encourages you to grow
-Job opportunities with all of a) AND all of b)

kiki said...

now might not be the best time to quit though and isn't the grass usually greener on the other side?

Jason, as himself said...

Hmmm. Right now I wouldn't be quitting any job.

But I sure like the idea of peeing whenever I want!

mo.stoneskin said...

Ah, if only we could have a) and b).

Asphodel said...

Ahhh Kiki I know! And not that much greener even you know, just two big patches of green in an otherwise equally brown field!

I think I'm staying and passing the offers up to someone else I knwo who needs it.... I like the ride my company provided me just too much to quit I think!

Ah temme about it Mo! and while we're at it, there's a list of things I'd add to it. Ugh, I envy the guy who won that Australian island keeper job! Drat!


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• Out of Bounds

Get your eye back on the ball, Rory

ESPN staff
June 20, 2012

To listen to Rory McIlroy before the US Open, you were given the distinct impression that no player - not even Tiger Woods - had prepared as thoroughly as the Northern Irishman for the test that awaited at Olympic Club.

"I flew to San Francisco on Saturday morning," McIlroy revealed two weeks ago, when asked to recount his movements after missing the cut at the BMW PGA Championship at the end of May. "I went out and played a little at Olympic Saturday evening, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

"So I got three good days there, three full days. So it was good. It was good to play a couple of rounds there and get a feel for the golf course."

Yet, to listen to the defending champion talk after his defence at the tournament ended with a missed cut - his fourth in five tournaments - you were fed the thesis that his disappointing performance was as a result of an unfamiliarity with the conditions.

"I think the thing is that we're just not used to playing this sort of golf course week in, week out," McIlroy said. "You have to, of course you have to adapt and you have to adjust. We're not used to having to land balls before the edge of the greens to let them run on.

"And it's just something that you just have to adjust to in this tournament, and I wasn't able to do that very well this week."

McIlroy can't have it both ways - was he prepared or not? He obviously saw enough of the course in the build-up to get his head around the challenges it would pose, so his later analysis seems to ring a little hollow.

Playing the course isn't the be-all and end-all, of course - Lee Westwood, who could well have won if his ball hadn't remained up a tree at the fifth during his final round, did not play many practice rounds before the tournament, preferring to keep himself fresh.

"You learn golf courses quickly and I've only played a few holes on this one but I feel like I'm getting to know it already," he said early on Wednesday.

McIlroy then, whether intentionally or not, was misleading the public with his interview answers on Friday. Preparation wasn't the problem - it was the quality of his swing.

It wasn't that he didn't know where he needed to put his ball, but rather that he couldn't put his ball in those spots.

The 23-year-old has faced some uncomfortable questions about his work ethic in recent weeks, as the quality of his tournament results increasingly corrolates inversely with the amount of time he spends with his girlfriend, female tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.

McIlroy was with Wozniacki again on Tuesday, watching her crash out of the AEGON International at Eastbourne against American Christina McHale.

USGA have right man in their corner

Mike Davis intervenes at the 18th © Getty Images
  • The US Open has had its misfires in the recent past - Shinecock Hills springs to mind - but, under the management of USGA executive director Mike Davis, has really hit its stride in recent years.
  • Everyone knows the US Open is supposed to be the hardest test in golf, and in recent years that has proven true - without being unfair. At Pebble Beach in 2010 and Olympic Club this year, good shots were rewarded and bad shots were penalised - with no real overlap. What is more, almost every shot in the bag was prodded and probed - players could not get by simply on their accurate drives, their pinpoint approaches or their chipping - they had to execute all three.
  • For that, Davis has to take much of the credit. And, unwittingly, he did get his moment in the spotlight - running onto the 18th green to tackle the buffoon who interrupted Webb Simpson's presentation ceremony. Good on ya, Mike.

Wozniacki, who has acquired something of an Irish accent when speaking in English, noted: "I would have liked to have won that match, but at least I got some points in. I'm just trying to work on a few things before Wimbledon."

The Dane's results have also suffered since she started spending more time with McIlroy. When they met she was the world No. 1 (as she delighted in joking with him, then golf's world No. 2, about) - now she is seventh and slipping.

It's hard to be too critical of two young sportspeople clearly trying to enjoy a life outside of their profession, but you do wonder what effect it is having on their respective games. McIlroy did not fail in San Francisco because the course layout was unfamiliar, he failed because he couldn't hit the ball in the places it needed to be.

That is a failure of technique, not preparation.

That is a failure of practice.

McIlroy is supremely gifted as a golfer, but that isn't enough to coast by in the extremely competitive world of professional golf. If he wants to continue to be a great player, he needs to put in the hard yards. He was making the right noises last week, but his appearance in Eastbourne on Monday (honestly, what rich person ever wants to go to Eastbourne?!) strikes a different tone.

"I just realised that you just got to keep working hard and it doesn't come easy to you all the time," McIlroy said on Friday. "It hasn't been the greatest run over the last sort of six weeks or whatever it is; but as I said, I still see enough good stuff in the rounds that it does give me hope that it's not very far away."

If it's not far away then go find it, Rory.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.


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Malvern College Hong Kong Completes Superstructure As Headmaster Takes Up Post

2017-09-21 17:01

HONG KONG, Sept. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

  • Prestigious British independent school completes campus structure on time
  • Construction scheduled for completion in April 2018
  • Dr. Robin Lister, Founding Headmaster, officially takes up post a year ahead of opening

Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) has completed the superstructure of the state of the art new campus next to the Science Park. The school's foundation stone was laid in April 2016 in a ceremony attended by Hong Kong's current Chief Executive, Carrie Lam.

Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) has completed the superstructure of the state of the art new campus on time, Founding Headmaster, Dr. Robin Lister is officially on board.
Malvern College Hong Kong (MCHK) has completed the superstructure of the state of the art new campus on time, Founding Headmaster, Dr. Robin Lister is officially on board.

The construction of the superstructure took a fast-track approach and completed in six months. The 24,000 square-metre school building was built with reinforced concrete, while the exterior will be finished in high quality painting, tiles and metal cladding which create different functions and characteristics of the school.

The school building is now equipping different trade works and installations, including internal fit-out, window walls, MEP services completed with a building management system, and purpose-designed specialist systems such as the audio and visual system, IT system, swimming pool and green wall.

As construction continues, Malvern College Hong Kong's Founding Headmaster, Dr. Robin Lister, has moved permanently to Hong Kong, exactly a year ahead of the school's official opening in September 2018. He will use the next 12 months to oversee the final elements of the school's construction, continue to recruit a world class faculty, and manage developments around the curriculum and admissions.

Having inspected the superstructure, Dr. Lister commented:

"It is tremendously exciting to see the physical building taking shape …Once complete, the school will be magnificent, and a true testament to the rich tradition of Malvern College in the UK.  Like the building itself, the facilities will be cutting edge as we strive to provide the best experiences that a modern and holistic education has to offer.

"I am delighted to now be permanently based in Hong Kong, a year ahead of Malvern College Hong Kong's opening. Notwithstanding the magnificent building and facilities, it is the quality of the teaching staff which is going to be the biggest asset of the school; recruitment has already started and we have several recruitment trips planned in the coming months.

"I am very proud to be a part of the next step in the expanding the Malvern College family, and to be able to offer such a well-rounded educational experience to our pupils."

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Founded in 1865, Malvern College is a leading co-educational boarding and day school based in Malvern, Worcestershire, U.K., and is a member of the Rugby Group of Independent Schools. Together with its associated preparatory school, The Downs Malvern, it provides education for 900 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18.

Located adjacent to the Hong Kong Science Park, Malvern College Hong Kong is set to be one of the leading international schools in Hong Kong, inheriting its ethos from Malvern College UK. Offering 960 places for primary and secondary students, and with an overall teacher to student ratio of 1:10, the school will officially open its doors in September 2018.

Malvern College Pre-school Hong Kong (MCPSHK) has an international setting that welcomes and celebrates diversity and each child's unique background, nurturing students in a bilingual environment.

MCPSHK will also be the first school in Hong Kong to run the Forest School programme with Forest School Association certified Forest School leaders and will introduce a structured parenting programme which actively engages parents and key carers in the well-being of the children.

MCPSHK opened its doors at its brand-new site in the Coronation Circle earlier in end August.

After attending Hymers' College in Yorkshire Robin Lister studied for a BA in Theology and a post-graduate teaching qualification at Hull University. He was then awarded scholarships to attend Harvard University where he read for a Master's degree after which he became the Gifford Fellow at St Andrews University where he took his Ph.D and undertook some part-time lecturing. In between degrees he worked for the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Cambridge Massachusetts where he remained as a consultant for some years. He arrived at Malvern College in 1989 as the Head of Religious Studies and was then appointed Housemaster of Roslin House in 1998, Deputy Head in 2007 and Senior Deputy Head in 2012.  In what little spare time he has, Robin has a passion for the Highlands of Scotland where he tries to spend a few weeks each year, walking and cycling.  He is a great admirer of J. S. Bach, enjoys modern art and architecture and has a particularly keen interest in international relations.

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Source: Malvern College Hong Kong

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Drinking in Paris: Discovering Burnt Wine

I met Emma Bentley, from the fantastic food blog Burnt Cream after doing a guest post on her site about some of my favorite Paris markets. We met for a drink (okay, a few drinks) and Emma told me about starting her blog in 2011 and how writing had segued into hosting events at her home, such as the Burnt Food supper club and her Burnt Wine tasting series.

Intrigued by these events and Emma’s evident knowledge of natural wines, I was eager to attend a Burnt bash as soon as I had the opportunity. I was therefore pleased to join Emma’s Eastern wine themed Burnt Wine event on a snowy evening in January, which not only provided me with the chance to participate in one of Emma’s tastings, but also proved the perfect primer for another Georgian wine tasting I had later that month.

Emma, who studied at West London Wine School before moving to Paris two years ago, is drawn to natural wines because she appreciates the transparency and authenticity of the process of natural winemaking, as opposed to mass-produced alternatives.

“I like to know where my wine comes from and how it was made” Emma told me, adding that she gets interested in wines that she knows were harvested by hand and pressed by foot.

The selection of wines our small group (events usually have a maximum of 8 people, keeping it intimate and fun) tasted certainly rose up to those standards. Georgian wines, we learned, have been made for over 5,000 years and the region has a rich history of winemaking that has hardly changed over the years (later at the Georgian wine tasting at Le Chateaubriand I would learn that this is in part due to the fact that winemaking is not taught in schools, but passed on through the generations, observing the ancient tradition of growing and vinification).

The Georgians ferment their wine in clay pots called “amphorae”, which are buried underground. The wines ferment in these pots from anywhere from a few months to a year. The underground aging mixed with the fact that many of the wines (including the whites) are fermented with their skins and stems, makes for some surprising and delightful discoveries.

These eye-opening moments don’t happen par hasard they are exactly what Emma aims for when organizing her Burnt Wine events. “The idea of Burnt Wine is to give the floor over to some of the most exciting discoveries I have made in my professional context and share them with anyone who’ll listen” Emma expalined.

A knowledgeable and totally accessible resource, Emma runs the events like an easy-going Wine 101 class, where concrete examples and demonstrations are provided in response to questions asked in a comfortable and non-judgemental setting. This, too, is intentional. “The wine world can be very introverted and snobbish” Emma admitted, “it’s difficult to ask what you think is a silly question, like ‘what do people mean when they use words like legs, body, tannins, strawberries…”

Emma clearly and effectively explained to our group the affects that tannins and acidity have on wines and how we taste them (tannins dry your mouth out, acidity brings the moisture back). She also answered my question about shaking wines, which I had been advised to do by a caviste upon purchasing a bottle of natural wine. “It’s to break up the proteins” Emma told me, while agitating a bottle of white.

Burnt Wine provides not only the opportunity to enjoy Emma’s taste for adventures in wine, but also her stellar cooking skills. Apparently people were getting a little too tipsy at earlier incarnations of the event, where light tapas were served with the wine, so Emma decided to include a meal in the event- so we can thank past drunkards for that!

The Eastern wine event was accompanied by cheesy bread, Georgian pierogis, a hearty meat stew and a gorgeous dish that included kidney beans, garlic, and walnuts which paired perfectly with the reds on hand.

© parispaysanne.com

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February 2018