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Explore AdvantaClean of Oklahoma City
AdvantaClean of Oklahoma City
Joe Gillikin
Joe Gillikin is the owner and operator of AdvantaClean in Oklahoma City, among his many other fruitful ventures. He is a passionate business owner, a successful entrepreneur, and a former minor league player for the Chicago White Sox.
From 1995 to 1997, Gillikin attended Redlands Community College where he received an Associates Degree in Business and participated in several regional and world championships. He continued his business education and impressive sports prowess until 2006 when he received his degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma College of Business. Between March of 2000 and February of 2004, Gillikin played in the minor league system for the Chicago White Sox, where he enjoyed a varied and successful career.
Despite his love for baseball, Gillikin soon moved on to become a Loan Officer with Progressive Lending, LLC in OKC. He stayed with the company for three and a half years before making his way to back to the family business of General Contracting & Restoration in the OKC metro, where he now resides with his fiance and two children.
Gillikin graduated from AdvantaClean's Executive and Technical Training Class in September 2016. Aside from his already successful and well-reviewed AdvantaClean franchise, Gillikin has continued a relationship with REDBUD Construction, Inc. for more than twenty-one years. Coming from a small, family-owned business, Gillikin is especially fond of the close-knit support system that AdvantaClean is proud to provide! He remains loyal to his love for business, love for family, and love for sports and is now a committed fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team.
Justin Crotts
Justin has been in the restoration industry for 20 years with a solid background in management and customer service. He relocated to Oklahoma City area from Dallas with his wife and 4 children. He enjoys spending time with his family and has a passion for the car industry.
At AdvantaClean of Oklahoma City we provide the best services backed by our certifications and training.
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AdvantaClean of Oklahoma City Achievements!
We provide the residents of Oklahoma City, with the warm customer care of a local business and the skilled service of a national franchise. AdvantaClean has been improving its work continuously throughout its more than 20-year history.
Our greatest achievement is positively impacting our local community and helping our business partners to achieve their goals. We have provided a service that many people in our area are in need of. Most importantly, we've always put our customer above all else!
Oklahoma City OK
joe.gillikin@advantaclean.com
Edmond, Newcastle, Norman, Oklahoma City
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text:
Daily: 21st January 2009
21 January, 2009 at 09:17 (GMT)
Yesterday seems to have been a pretty important day, all things considered. Not because of the BMW launch, either. Thankfully, there are no more launches this week, as I think we can only take so much ugly at a time. Now we need to concentrate on the testing going on, albeit completely useless as a tool for comparison. Elsewhere in F1:
Bernie has put his foot down and said "No more revenue" to the teams. In fact, he went so far as to say they should probably have less. Not sure how his logic has worked that out, but I'm thinking this will not make FOTA particularly happy.
Yesterday we had Renault being all melodramatic and telling us that KERS was dangerous and expensive. With the BMW launch, Mario Theissen says this criticism is unfounded, but they join the growing list that might not run it in Australia. Will we ever see this technology or was it doomed from the start?
With the wet conditions as they are in Portugal, Trulli was frustrated with his first day in the new car. He took over from Kobayashi but couldn't get much from the car due to a lack of grip. Is this the first signs of the 2009 Trulliometer? Where will it be when the season begins?
That'll do for now. It's fair to say that live commenting the inauguration of a new US President proves you can pretty much talk about anything round these parts. Please do, and I'll see you in the comments.
Gavin Brown (RubberGoat) 21/01/2009 at 09:35
Interesting, if speculative article on the finances of FIF1
Possibly it's not the modest and solvent little F1 team the management keeps claiming.
I can't believe Vijay Mallya already wants out of F1 though?
Dank 21/01/2009 at 09:54
I don't think McForce India are particularly good when it comes to numbers and money. It was reported recently that 99% of their bills were being paid up to 75 days late.
I certainly wouldn't want to do any business with them!
me 21/01/2009 at 10:23
I certainly wouldn't want to do any business with them!
i swear that team are jinxed. or is it that bernie keeps twisting the arms of rich boys, pretending f1 is the place to be. when quite clearly, he's the only one making any profit?
Andy Taylor 21/01/2009 at 10:39
i swear that team are jinxed. or is it that bernie keeps twisting the arms of rich boys, pretending f1 is the place to be. when quite clearly, he's the only one making any profit?
Is F1 the ultimate Pyramid Scheme?
i made me a pie:
http://tinyurl.com/f1profit
it is :D
Scott Woodwiss 21/01/2009 at 10:46
First cupcakes and now pies. What's next - lunch? :P
Bernie in non-Autosport reader shocka! :-D
Bernie in non-Autosport reader shocka!
wow, pitpass really shoehorned that last quote in there didn't they?
Flibster 21/01/2009 at 10:54
First cupcakes and now pies. What's next - lunch?
Mmmm... pie....
And now I'm hungry. :(
wow, lovely testing pictures in drop.io this morning:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast
wow, pitpass really shoehorned that last quote in there didn't they?
Just a little bit! Had really no relevance at all.
Christine 21/01/2009 at 11:02
Have stumbled across this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/middlesbrough_motor_club/3152802823/
I can honestly say, it's just not the same without the red.
stumbled?
Sort of stumbled... on purpose.
Sort of stumbled… on purpose.
testing news from the renault blog:
"After 48 hours of near constant rain, I'm pleased to report that we have clear skies and sunshine this morning at the Algarve Motor Park"
"At the moment the track is a still a little damp from the overnight rain, but it's windy and the sun is out so it should dry out soon."
fernando's in the car today.
http://my.ing-renaultf1.com/en/blog/914-Algarve-Testing-Day-3-21-01-2009.html
Kathi 21/01/2009 at 11:10
TS says Ferrari tried KERS Monday afternoon and the whole day on Tuesday and Kimi said "it works"
TS says Ferrari tried KERS Monday afternoon and the whole day on Tuesday and Kimi said "it works"
Nice description from Kimi there...
Nice description from Kimi there…
Thought so too :)
Alianora La Canta 21/01/2009 at 11:40
Possibly it's not the modest and solvent little F1 team the management keeps claiming. {Gavin Brown - 19 comments ago}
I think it is. Whether it was is another matter - but now it's on solid financial ground, it can get away with revealing the trouble it was in before.
I think the German company payment may pre-date Spyker. It wouldn't make sense for Kolles' company to suddenly get payments in at the point when Midland switched to Spyker.
It would explain why Kolles is no longer at the team though. If the boss thinks you're getting money you shouldn't be getting, you won't last long.
i swear that team are jinxed. or is it that bernie keeps twisting the arms of rich boys, pretending f1 is the place to be. when quite clearly, he's the only one making any profit? {me - 18 comments ago}
I suspect both in equally strong measure.
I think it is. Whether it was is another matter - but now it's on solid financial ground, it can get away with revealing the trouble it was in before.
True - but for ages Colin Kolles has been claiming that the team is strong financially, when that clearly wasn't always the case :-(
Kimi said "it works" {Kathi - 5 comments ago}
Very Kimi. As long as it does work though, that's good :)
but for ages Colin Kolles has been claiming that the team is strong financially, when that clearly wasn't always the case {Gavin Brown - 2 comments ago}
He would do. After all, if it wasn't, he could have easily been replaced, since he was never the full owner, only the employee who did the negotiating and other complicated stuff while his bosses did mostly non-F1-related stuff. Also, if people don't believe a team is financially strong, they tend to withdraw support and thus make the team financially weaker. The key for Force India was to wait until the team was in a position to withstand financial revelations before giving them out.
The key for Force India was to wait until the team was in a position to withstand financial revelations before giving them out.
And therefore not appear to be underhanded or cooking the books I guess. ;-)
how long as heidfeld had a website for then?
http://www.nickheidfeld.com/
back in may we complained he didn't have his own domain. like the new site though.
since today. It was still under construction yesterday.
wow! go me :)
...and err, go nick :)
It has video and everything.
really good stuff. have to create an account to leave a comment, but aside from that, the man's done a great job.
wow! go me
…and err, go nick
Does it have a blog section on 'Beard grooming and facial hair adventures' ? ;-)
Hahahaha...blurb from the website:
With his amazing sunglasses, beard and tousled hair, Nick certainly stands out in the paddock.
http://www.nickheidfeld.com/?3001A0A1
No, but a lifestyle section.
hehe. have left a couple of comments. let's see if he responds?
On the calendar section, he's got some testing dates but no GPs. Can I start a rumour, please?
On the calendar section, he's got some testing dates but no GPs. Can I start a rumour, please?
great title for a calendar too.
On the calendar section
Nick happens???
Edit: I am just too slow today :)
Apparently he does :)
Edit: I am just too slow today
hehe!
...As the 'Paddock Tramp' :-D
live(ish) f1 test times:
http://www.f1today.nl/live-update/2009/01/21/autdromo-internacional-do-algarve/
so far:
N. Rosberg 1:37.883
L. Hamilton +1.079
F. Alonso +1.428
S. Buemi +2.662
T. Glock +4.040
N. Rosberg 1:37.883 L. Hamilton +1.079 F. Alonso +1.428 S. Buemi +2.662 T. Glock +4.040
Wow, new Williams outperforming the McLaren. Interesting.
hmm, bad formatting, try a pic instead:
i think the track is drying out quickly. times they are a falling at the moment and lewis is in the pits.
I still love the fact that Buemi in a 2008 car is owning the 2009 cars :D
Come on, it's testing. Take all times between now and qualifying in Melbourne with a pinch-of-salt :-)
Come on, it's testing. Take all times between now and qualifying in Melbourne with a pinch-of-salt
More like a catering-sized sack of salt :-D
i think this post is saying bmw have also lost dell as a sponsor:
http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/splitter/2009/01/BMW_Sauber_F1_Team_verliert_weiteren_Sponsor_09012103.html
Dell are no longer on the sponsors list or mentioned in BMW Sauber's press kit. Dell's three year contract expired recently so they didn't re-new.
Dell are no longer on the sponsors list or mentioned in BMW Sauber's press kit. Dell's three year contract expired recently so they didn't re-new.
was this news already? sorry, not keeping up proper :(
was this news already? sorry, not keeping up proper
Not seen it mentioned anywhere really. The departure of Credit-Suisse made all the headlines, but Dell's didn't.
me neither - from the same site: http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news/2009/01/Der_Einheitsmotor_ist_vom_Tisch_09012104.html
There won't be any standard engine?
There won't be any standard engine?
depends. it requires teams to stick to an agreement to supply cheap engines to anyone who wants one.
if they fail, the fia bring the cossy back.
i can't tell, but is this an engine failure from toyota:
i can't tell, but is this an engine failure from toyota:
And they were targeting perfect reliability. Yeah, nice one Toyota...
And they were targeting perfect reliability. Yeah, nice one Toyota…
not 100% certain it is them, but glock is in the pits.
jolly 21/01/2009 at 13:05
I'm thinking this will not make FOTA particularly happy.
lol :-)
Interesting pie you made there - is there a source for the ingredients?
only inside my head :)
It was the Toyota.
oh dear. and on a dry, fine day too.
forgot to quote
They only have 4 engines for testing, right?
erm. didn't know that? does that have to last them until melbourne?
is lewis running last year's rear wing?
http://www.f1today.nl/fotos/i9pshafj3.jpg
is lewis running last year's rear wing?
Yes he is, unsure why but just as we get used to 2009 cars, they throw us a visual curveball :-(
does that have to last them until melbourne?
I think so, but I don't know if it's 4 engines per driver or per team.
Yes he is, unsure why
They are using the old wing because the track is wet and the tyres warm up faster with the old wing.
And they know everything they need to know about the new wing from the simulations and wind tunnel, right? ;)
Mclaren stopped as well with an engine problem. The engine was shut down by the computer system and now they are trying to find out why.
wow. didn't know that. wonder if drivers will have a problem behind the safety car this year?
update about Toyota. It wasn't the engine. Some oil leaked and caught fire.
wow. didn't know that. wonder if drivers will have a problem behind the safety car this year?
Trulli seems to think so...
another picture of Lewis with the old wing on itv
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=44990
update about Toyota. It wasn't the engine. Some oil leaked and caught fire.
ahh, good news. thanksyou.
Trullis seems to think so…
good to see f1 moving forward in the safety department.
i thought these two were getting on better again:
The Ecclestone divorce could become the largest divorce settlement in history with Mr Ecclestone believed to be worth an estimated £2.4bn.
more: http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=136396
We hear this everytime there is a rule change. The drivers need to 'harden up'. They get paid millions because they're the best. Either deal with it, or get out of the sport!
We hear this everytime there is a rule change. The drivers need to 'harden up'. They get paid millions because they're the best. Either deal with it, or get out of the sport!
true. i agree.
however, there was a huge fuss about the banning of tyre warmers, it's gonna kick off again isn't it?
however, there was a huge fuss about the banning of tyre warmers, it's gonna kick off again isn't it?
Yep. Totally. but we need low-grip cars as it makes for better racing. All of last years' great races were in the wet or damp, therefore nullifying the grip advantage.
So it can only be a good thing...
Danny 21/01/2009 at 13:57
Computer says No...
Sorry - first and last Little Britain reference from me.
*grabs jacket and heads for the door*
Was it running Windows Vista or the new Windows 7? :-D
Was it running Windows Vista or the new Windows 7?
Because of the new engine regulation some/all/most of the teams have come up with a prewarn-system that shuts down the engine at the first sign of trouble to avoid loosing an engine during testing.
I really can't see anything going wrong with that.
I didn't know Keith the Marshall was on Facebook, but he is! He just sent me a message asking for a link to my new blog :)
I really can't see anything going wrong with that.
...Especially with restricted engines in testing.
http://jalopnik.com/5135675/where-are-automakers-stashing-unsold-cars
This is scary!
me: 21/01/2009 at 13:22
Yup. Mentioned that yesterday when the testing times were revealed.
It's due to the weather - they didn't want to risk the car with the 09 rear wing at this time.
Christine: 21/01/2009 at 14:23
You should pay a visit to the Cold War Jets *or the Vulcan, or the Lightnings* at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome - they's thousands of cars there - mainly ex-lease cars.
wet weather testing vid from yesterday:
http://axisofoversteer.blogspot.com/2009/01/winter-testing-video-algarve-january.html
McLaren discovered that the shut-down of the engine was due to a sensor failure. Lewis is back on track and, when the track is dryer, will test the new rear wing.
just saw a pic of alonso facing across the track. appeared to be a harmless spin though.
There really should be better testing coverage.
Rishi 21/01/2009 at 15:11
What do people make of the recent reports claiming that Ferrari's exhaust housing and design etc breaches the new 09 regulations..?
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090119.045/new-ferrari-f60-illegal---report
f1 today are doing a pretty good job.
times: http://www.f1today.nl/live-update/2009/01/21/autdromo-internacional-do-algarve/
pics: http://www.f1today.nl/fotos/testsessies/testsessie-algarve-21-januari-2009/
maybe there's a gap in the market for comprehensive english coverage?
What do people make of the recent reports claiming that Ferrari's exhaust housing and design etc breaches the new 09 regulations..?
we thrashed it out and came to these conclusions rishi:
http://www.sidepodcast.com/2009/01/20/daily-20th-january-2009/#comment-178947
I really like this one.
Steven Roy 21/01/2009 at 16:08
I think Bernie's memory is playing tricks in his old age. The transfer system was not vetoed by Enzo Ferrari. A clause giving teams effective ownership of drivers was the cause of the Kyalami driver strike and the person who was responsible for that was Niki Lauda.
That Renault is really nose heavy. It's not so long ago that when a car was being craned a marshal had to sit on the nose to balance it.
True - but for ages Colin Kolles has been claiming that the team is strong financially, when that clearly wasn't always the case
He needed to find a buyer as it was the only way he would get paid.
I still love the fact that Buemi in a 2008 car is owning the 2009 cars
There would be something severely wrong if the 2008 car wasn't faster.
Two days testing, one blown engine. So by the time we reach Monaco they should start stacking up grid penalties.
Bernie is stalling till the stock market recovers
not sure i follow, how would that help?
maybe there's a gap in the market for comprehensive english coverage?
sidepodtest?
god no.
i'd pay autosport.com extra if they covered them properly though.
His wife owns a lot of his shares and according to my law expert -Alianora- standard practise is for the spouse who owns the shares to pay the other spouse 50% of their value. So if they divorce now Slavica's half will be worth a lot more than Bernie's half in a couple of years. It is so good to see him getting screwed over in a deal.
lou 21/01/2009 at 16:38
yay i qualified 4th in Batracer :)
yay i qualified 4th in Batracer
Wll done.
I managed 10th as a result of and I quote "vehicle damaged after off-track caper". Caper? What on earth is an of track caper?
Technically R.G 21/01/2009 at 16:41
Evnin all.
Survived my French Resit, as well as Science and French today, and can only look forward to Media homework. Yay!
I can honestly say, it's just not the same without the red.
Ah, still looks good.
That's what happens when you do your set up 5 minutes before the qually session, 16th
I managed 10th as a result of and I quote "vehicle damaged after off-track caper". Caper? What on earth is an of track caper?
you been dressing up in a gorilla suit?
What is the H symbol on a yellow background that a few people have on BAT racer?
well done r.g.
it means it's that drivers home race
I thought it meant I had stopped for pizza ingredients
yay :) well done
it means it's that drivers home race
Thanks Lou. So 8 drivers have chosen this as their home race.
yay well done
Cheers guys, all done till the summer.
So 8 drivers have chosen this as their home race.
yep :)
Selidor 21/01/2009 at 17:19
Im satisfied in my standard no.2 grid slot :P
That gives some sort of advantage, right?
Alex Andronov 21/01/2009 at 17:28
I was out of loop all day today but just had a thought. Isn't there a danger with hiring Sato because if you need to fire him later you might need to make a whole other formula one team just to stop his fans from dumping your cafinated soft drink into the sea?
Kris 21/01/2009 at 17:42
I was out of loop all day today but just had a thought. Isn't there a danger with hiring Sato because if you need to fire him later you might need to make a whole other formula one team just to stop his fans from dumping your cafinated soft drink into the sea?
...if they don't hire him, then God only knows what they'll do with it
…if they don't hire him, then God only knows what they'll do with it
sell it to me. if they re-hire le seb, i swear i'll drink more cans of energy drink than ever before.
Dom 21/01/2009 at 17:55
Should be competitive! :)
Isn't there a danger with hiring Sato because if you need to fire him later you might need to make a whole other formula one team just to stop his fans from dumping your cafinated soft drink into the sea?
They've already gone this far with Sato though. Even dumping him at this point could be damaging. Not as damaging as it'd be for Red Bull to own another F1 team, mind you. ;)
Trulli seems to think so…
The real question is - how long will that opinion last?
needs no introduction:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090121/twl-ted-kennedy-out-of-hospital-41f21e0.html
Ted Kennedy has left hospital following his collapse yesterday.
Great pics. I love number 33. Not because it is a great pic but because of what it represents. I love that someone thought to get a pic of those two men on that day.
For anyone who has no idea what I am on about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommie_Smith
I have been moderated again
All those people! *shudders*
I read something last night where they estimated that there were 2 million people. The previous best was 1.2 million for Johnson who was the vice president who took over when JFK was shot.
Spotify.
Have we mentioned Spotify on here before? It's like Lastfm only a bit better: https://www.spotify.com/en/ and Wikipedia's take on it.
It's a freeware program which you install and stream music to your PC. Unfortunately you don't get to keep a copy of whatever it is you're listening to, but it's still pretty damn good and has loads of artists to listen to. The free version only interrupts you with a 30 second advert every 5/7 songs you play as well.
It's on an invite only basis at the moment and I have seven invites remaining if anyone wants one?
Just email me a dan[at]red[hypen]bullog[dot]com and I'll send one your way.
Thanks for those pics me :-)
Thanks for those pics me
any time :)
It's on an invite only basis at the moment and I have seven invites remaining if anyone wants one?
also, whilst on the subject, another one of those "we're on there but have no idea how" sites:
http://blip.fm/sidepodcast
searching for "f1" brings up a bunch of archived podcasts, plus you can listen to free music too. if you're already hip, let us know.
Dirty Scarab 21/01/2009 at 19:23
My wife was there. I was going to go but I had to work :(
I only live about a half an hour drive from DC as well...
I did go in 2000 though when Bush was sworn in (I went to boo and heckle of course, not to cheer) ;)
I only live about a half an hour drive from DC as well…
You live near Monaco? :-D
You live near Monaco?
Steven Roy said:
Geez, thank God for that - I thought you meant the annoying football guy off ESPN for a second there ;-)
bernie says teams should be writing the regulations, not the fia:
"The FIA has been writing the regulations because the teams haven't opposed it."
this can only end well.
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=36888
we need one of these for max / fia:
"PolitiFact has compiled about 500 promises that Barack Obama made during the campaign and is tracking their progress on our Obameter. We rate their status as No Action, In the Works or Stalled. Once we find action is completed, we rate them Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
Jon Waldock 21/01/2009 at 21:23
somebody has a little too much time on his hands!! :P
Most read story on BBC News today is Newsbeat's take on the unmasking of the Stig..
Non-F1 related scream now.
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I think I've just broke my wrist as well.
Most read story on BBC News today is Newsbeat's take on the unmasking of the Stig..
its now changed...
i like the way top gear have handled it :) brilliant - http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/ :D
Technically R.G: 21/01/2009 at 21:33
I think I've just broke my wrist as well.
:( oh dear.
And that, non-football fans, is the benefit of not watching football.
i'm going to risk posting a link... seeing as i've just been moderated for posting a link to the top gear site this may not got well ;)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_7842000/7842682.stm
Lukeh 21/01/2009 at 21:58
Hello everyone, been out of the loop with f1 news all day, 2 of my 3 my assignments have gone really badly as i hended them in today and i feel quite rubbish if im honest.
did I miss anything f1 wise?
Sad to hear sir.
Nothing massive, BMW released the car, not bad looking, aside from that, Buemi dominating testing, no biggie though
the renault is so heavy at the front it might have to go up eau rouge backwards.
microsoft ecu shut down the mclaren. we think it's a vista issue.
i like the way top gear have handled it brilliant - http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/
Classic, although a bit too Viz like.
the renault is so heavy a the front it might have to go up eau rouge backwards.
microsoft ecu shut down the mclaren. we think it's a vista issue.
:D I'd have thought McLaren would be Mac users..
haha, love it. it's ironic and coincidental really because vista got blamed for problems with something in one of my assignments ;)
R.G (R.G Tip : Don't watch footba … 21/01/2009 at 22:14
YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
haha, love it. it's ironic and coincidental really because vista got blamed for problems with something in one of my assignments
May I ask, how does that fit in?
part of our assignment involved coding various java-based stuff things using a certain program. The program constantly conflicted with various Vista-related errors and constantly made either the operating system crash or the program freeze up, yet it worked perfectly fine on an xp alternative. Very frustrating :P
part of our assignment involved coding various java-based stuff things using a certain program. The program constantly conflicted with various Vista-related errors and constantly made either the operating system crash or the program freeze up, yet it worked perfectly fine on an xp alternative. Very frustrating
That's why M$ have just announced their compatibility software, so you can run legacy code on Vista machines. It's a sort of virtual machine I think.
I have absolutly no idea what that required, but i take it was frustrating
It must have been if it involved Vista
As it proved momentarily after when it froze.
I'd have thought McLaren would be Mac users..
Ron Dennis is definitely a 'PC' though :-D
Ron Dennis is definitely a 'PC' though
Ouch. :)
There won't be any standard engine? {Kathi}
There hasn't been going to be a standard engine for a couple of weeks. The FIA is still offering the Cosworths as a deal for teams that request it, though the headline price of €5m will only apply if at least four teams sign up for it.
i can't tell, but is this an engine failure from toyota: {me}
That's got to hurt. Teams only get four engines for their entire testing time in 2009, by negotiated (but not formally recorded) agreement.
Testing footage from Portimao courtesy of yossidlr anyone?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vs-rKJuesao
lovely stuff. cheers.
Caper? What on earth is an of track caper? {Steven Roy}
You had a little adventure involving a run-off area, an escape road or possibly and/or a brush with a wall. During this adventure, you sustained car damage and you needed to get it repaired.
Survived my French Resit, as well as Science and French today, and can only look forward to Media homework. Yay! {Technically R.G.}
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WyuNYuM9OCc
that is a smoking toyota :)
Another ingredient for me's pie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Bidemi Daniel Olumide (BD) is a legal and tax practitioner with over a decade experience in advising and representing organisations, individuals and governments in different areas of law, especially taxation, finance, trusts, insolvency, white collar crimes and legal projects management.
– Partner, Commercial Law Group of AO2 Law (www.ao2law.com), a full-service law firm; – CEO, Taxaide Professional Services Ltd (www.taxaide.com.ng), a tax management business; and – CEO, Taxaide Technologies Ltd (www.taxtech.com.ng), a tax technologies development business.
He has his first and second degrees in law from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and the University of Lagos, Akoka respectively. He is a Member of the Nigerian Bar Association and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He is a lover of history, music and technology.


Took the boat out again for another great session at Puerto Sandino. Consistent overhead high sets pumping through all morning. Plenty of waves to go around for the gang. After our morning session we enjoyed some omelets and relaxed before we went to the point down the beach. Fun, head high lefts coming through out there. A lot of west in the swell making for short rides but fun drops. Enjoyed fresh lobster and fish for lunch and spent the rest of the day hanging around the camp playing ping pong, reading, and running around with the animals. Keep on checking us out!
Puerto Sandino is Doing it's Thing!


New Works Dance Allsorts: Raven Spirit Dance "Earth Song"
Two visionary choreographers bring their diverse voices to the act of connection. Moving from Spirit to form through currents of spatial tension, these are the songs of the land and body, deeply rooted and ever reaching. Starr Muranko's Spine of the Mother and Michelle Olson's Northern Journey traverse territories of impulse, memory, and landscape. Additionally, the program includes the solo, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, choreographed by Michelle Olson; this piece follows the breath, instinct & impulse of a woman on her northern trap line.


Others will hide till they blowdry their hair.
For others a kiss, or a drink or a toke.
Others check Facebook for advice that is sage.
But I'm not really there till I've had my first sneeze.
But sneezing is "de riguer" 'ere I get out of bed.


Tad Carpenter is an illustrator and designer living in sunny, snowy and forever changing Kansas City, Missouri. He has worked with clients such as Chronicle Books, Target, Atlantic Records, Sunrise Greetings, Simon & Schuster, Hallmark Cards, Kidrobot, and Family Circle. He is the author and illustrator of I Say, You Say Opposites!, I Say, You Say Animal Sounds!, and I Say, You Say Colors!


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J. R. R. Tolkien is the best-selling author of "The Fall of Gondolin" and "Beren and Lúthien". Other books written by J. R. R. Tolkien include "The Lord of the Rings", "A Middle English Vocabulary (Classic Reprint)", "Seigneur des Anneaux" and "The Two Towers".
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Two Centuries of Irish History 1691-1870: Being a Series of Papers
Af William Kirby Sullivan
1710] COMPLETION OF THE PENAL CODE
39 penal code. A Bill to explain and amend an Act intituled "An Act to prevent the further growth of Popery" was passed without delay. This Act was heralded by a proclamation ordering all registered priests to take the Abjuration Oath before March 25, 1710, under pain of præmunire. The penal code was now practically complete, and was, as Edmund Burke described it, "A machine of wise and elaborate contrivance, and as well fitted for the oppression, impoverishment, and degradation of a people and the debasement in them of human nature itself, as ever proceeded from the perverted ingenuity of man." 1
While the Irish Catholics as the common enemy" were the chief objects of penal legislation, the Dissenters, who constituted perhaps two-thirds of the whole colonial interest, suffered from many disabilities inflicted upon them by their brethren, the dominant minority of the Established Church. The Dissenters had acted the part of the "mean whites" in America—they helped to oppress the Catholic slaves and support a system of government of which the Established Church planters alone got the profit. When the Popery Bill was before the House of Commons, the ten Presbyterian members all voted for the sections against the growth of Popery, and the Dissenters generally were clamorous for the stringent application of the penal code. They were rewarded for this zeal against the "common enemy" by the insertion in the Bill, when before the English Privy Council, of a section imposing the Sacramental Test upon themselves. The Irish Parliament could not alter a Bill sent from England; they could only reject it as a whole. Bishop Burnet tells us that the section referred to was inserted for the purpose of wrecking the Bill. This plea has been often used whenever it was desired to shift the responsibility for some questionable Acts from English ministers to the Irish Parliament. The "English interest" knew they had nothing to fear from the opposition of the insignificant minority of Dissenters in the Irish House of Commons, while, on the other hand, the House of Lords would not
· Letter to Sir Hercules Langrishe.
reject a Bill which gave them the Sacramental Test. They reasoned rightly; the Dissenters made a feeble resistance in the House of Commons, and so the "mean whites" were now in the grip of the bishops, who put the laws in force against them. They very soon cleared out the Presbyterian magistrates of Ulster, and put in their place "men of little estate, youths, new-comers, and clergymen," the sole qualification being regular attendance at church. Out of twelve Aldermen in Derry, ten were Nonconformists, and these were deprived of their offices. The entire corporation of Belfast were superseded. The most objectionable rite of the Presbyterians in the eyes of the bishops was their marriage, which they regarded simply as a licence to sin. It was even announced in some dioceses that the children of all Protestants not married in the parish church would be regarded as bastards. Nay, even some bishops are said to have gone so far as to prosecute in their courts many persons of reputation as fornicators for cohabiting with their own wives.1
Wharton's Government connived at the non-enforcement of the laws against the Presbyterians. But they soon realised that connivance was not liberty, for, on venturing in a missionary spirit to occupy the field left by Church pluralists, they roused the anger of the bishops, especially at Drogheda, where they addressed a congregation composed of "base persons, coopers, shoemakers, and tailors," who were threatened with the stocks; the preachers were arrested and bound over by the mayor to take their trial at the assizes. The Lord-Lieutenant ordered a nolle prosequi to be entered. Jonathan Swift entered the field against the Dissenters, and argued that they were the only real political danger to which Ireland was exposed. The Catholics he considered " harmless as women and children, powerless to hurt, and doomed to certain disappearance in one two generations." The House of Lords complained to the queen that the Presbyterians were the cause of all the disorders in Ireland, and that Lord Wharton was standing by them. The
i Froude, op. cit., vol. i. p. 319.
PERSECUTION OF DISSENTERS
Presbyterian synod, in their defence, charged the bishops with "having placed an odious mark of infamy upon at least half the Protestants of Ireland." The complaint of the Lords coincided with the ministerial crisis by which the ministry of Godolphin and Sunderland fell and Bolingbroke and the Tories came in, so Wharton was recalled. The Tories having for the time a majority in the English House of Commons, an address of both Houses to the queen was voted on November 7, 1711, complaining of Wharton in reference to the Drogheda affair, and also charging the Presbyterians with " tyranny in threatening and ruining members who left them; in denying them the common offices of Christianity; in printing and publishing that the Sacramental Test is only an engine to advance State faction, and to debase religion to serve mean and unworthy purposes." They prayed her Majesty to withhold the Regium Donum.
The last days of the Parliament of the penal laws were spent in a characteristic quarrel between the Lords and Commons, arising out of a vote of £5000 to Trinity College, Dublin, for building a library as a reward for the zeal of the Provost and Fellows in having expelled a Fellow named Forbes because he "aspersed the memory of King William." In this quarrel the Presbyterians got some hard knocks, and the miserable alms of £1200, called the Regium Donum, was withdrawn in compliance with the wish of the House of Lords.
The native Irish were assumed to be so completely outside the constitution at this time that there was no need even to abuse them. So anxious were the colonists to shut out the Irish people from the faint reflection of freedom which a knowledge of even the debates of Parliament would give them, that an order of the House of Commons was made in 1713, " that the sergeant-at-arms should take into custody all Papists that were in, or should presume to come into, the galleries." ?
A new feud had arisen before the end of the session, between the Government of the Duke of Shrewsbury and the corporation of Dublin, by which the city was left without municipal government for nearly two years, and the courts of law brought to a standstill. As a sequel to this dispute the Commons addressed the queen to remove Sir Constantine Phipps, an English Jacobite, who was Lord Chancellor, and whom they accused of favouring Popery—that is, of not deciding causes as they wished — and threatened to impeach him.
1 A grant to the Presbyterians, as to which see Part III., post. ? Commons Journals, vol. iii.
The House of Commons passed the money Bill, but appended to it a list of grievances which was in reality an indictment of the Government. The Lord-Lieutenant refused to accept the supplies under such conditions. As no arrangement could be made between the parties, the Government dispensed with the supplies, and the Parliament was prorogued until the autumn, never to meet again. The Bill to prevent the growth of schism was then before the English Parliament. Bolingbroke himself moved in the House of Lords that the provisions of the Bill should be extended to Ireland. The Bill passed, but on the day the Act was to come into operation Queen Anne died, and with her the Parliament of the penal laws.
George I. came peaceably to the throne, and the Parliament which he summoned continued the policy of its predecessors. Ireland was so far out of English politics that the dominance of Whigs or Tories in the larger island made little difference to the wretchedness of the smaller, or to the oppression inflicted on Catholics and Nonconformists. Scarcely any considerable event 2 marks the period which elapsed between the death of Anne and the beginning of the rule of Primate Boulter, to be described in the next chapter.
1 "A Long History," etc. ? The Irish took no part in the Jacobite movements of 1715.
PERIOD OF DESOLATION; GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND BY
AN ENGLISH ADMINISTRATION AND A PARLIAMENT
AND MAGISTRACY OF COLONIAL LANDLORDS
THE penal code was in full force at the opening of the Hanoverian period. At the close of each session of Parliament a resolution was passed declaring "That it is the indispensable duty of all magistrates and officers to put the laws made to prevent the growth of Popery in Ireland in due execution." In his speech proroguing Parliament in 1721, the Lord-Lieutenant, the Duke of Grafton, recommended both Houses to keep a watchful eye on the Papists, as he had reason to believe that the number of Popish priests was daily increasing; and, when Parliament reassembled in 1723, he recommended fresh legislation against them.
On this occasion a series of resolutions was reported by the Commons, chiefly relating to priests, but also including the status of Nonconformists. When lawyers began to conform in considerable numbers, consternation seized the Protestant interest. Primate Boulter expressed his alarm in several letters, and exaggerated the number of conformists. A Bill was prepared to enact that a Catholic who conformed to the Established Church could not hold any office or practise as a solicitor or attorney until seven years had elapsed, and then only on producing a certificate of having taken the Sacrament thrice in each year of his probationership, and on having duly enrolled his certificate in the proper office. This Bill appears to have been based on an abortive Bill introduced in the Parliament of 1719, which included a clause for the branding with a hot iron on the face of all unregistered priests and friars arrested.


One story home with 3 bedrooms plus office/study room and 2 full baths. Large covered patio. No carpet! All bedrooms with wood floors including formal dining and family room. Walking distance to Shirley Dill Brothers Elementary School.


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In tune. Informed. Indispensable.
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DCMS Committee to examine the future of UK music festivals
11 November 2020 - Press release
How to ensure the survival of UK music festivals is the subject of a new inquiry launched by the DCMS Committee.
COVID-19 restrictions have meant the majority of festivals this year have been cancelled with revenues down by 90%. 4.9 million people attended a festival in the UK in 2018, with festivals estimated to have generated £1.76 billion in GVA last year.
The inquiry will consider Government policy to support music festivals due to take place in 2021 in the face of immediate pressures, and consider the economic and cultural contribution that music festivals make to the UK.
Festivals can take place if they are COVID-19 secure and comply with all relevant legislation; however, social distancing requirements will determine the financial and logistical viability of an event. There are also questions about how audiences will respond to a socially distanced festival experience. The uncertainty of the public health situation and legal requirements next summer presents further risk for festival organisers.
DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said:
"The collapse of the vibrant music festival sector this year is a real cause for concern. The majority of festivals have been cancelled with the money they generate down by 90% and real risks surrounding their future viability.
"We have so many legendary festivals that have given the UK a worldwide reputation – it would be devastating if they were unable to come back with a bang, or if smaller festivals that underpin the talent pipeline disappear entirely. We want to hear from festival staff as they face huge pressures, fans who've missed out, as well as musicians on the contribution that festivals make to our culture and economy.
"It's crucial that support to enable music festivals to go ahead in 2021 and beyond is put in place. We'll be assessing what's been done so far and what more needs to be done to safeguard the future of festivals."
Terms of Reference:
The DCMS Committee is inviting written submissions to be submitted by Wednesday 9 December addressing the following areas:
What is the economic and cultural contribution of the UK's festival industry?
What has been the impact of cancellations on local economies and those who derive income from festivals during 2020?
What are the risks to festivals taking place in 2021 and beyond, and how can these be mitigated?
What measures are needed for audiences to attend festivals without social distancing, and how realistic are they?
What has been the impact of the temporary VAT cut and Culture Recovery Fund on festivals and their supply chains, and what else can the Government do to secure their futures?
How has the structure of the UK festivals market evolved over recent years, and what has this meant for consumers, artists and the wider industry? What further changes might be anticipated?
How can festivals be supported to reduce their environmental impact and tackle the dangers of illegal drug use?
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In Recent Years I have had the privilege of working with some Israeli companies who market worldwide to B2B companies in different verticals including medical devices, professional hardware, and IT.
Although the advertising and marketing tools and platforms are similar, there are several principles that are different for companies that market to other companies. In this article, I would like to focus on the rules that, from my experience, can lead to the success of B2B advertising campaigns.
This article will refer to B2B High touch marketing – characterized by long sales processes that require many points of contact with the customer, and support throughout the process, in order to establish a relationship of trust with the customer. This type of marketing is required for a company that wants to make sales to customers who are large companies in the world, and that often require specific product adjustments.
We Israelis have a tendency to "just do it". Jump into the water, then see how to improve. Although this tendency has advantages in certain areas, in competitive areas in the global arena, it simply can not work. The advertising costs involved, the variety of platforms & advertising channels, and the multitude of competitors interested in exactly the same audience as you, require a clear definition of goals, target audiences, and the ways in which we reach them.
The high update frequency for the tools and platforms we use leaves much room for spontaneity while on the move, but it must be based on fixed definitions. On strategy.
Purchase managers or business decision makers usually do not wake up and decide they need a new solution for their business. There are some who do, but they are not the majority. Most decision-makers are busy working, and when they encounter a new field, difficulty or challenge, they seek answers or information on the subject, and that is where you have to get their attention – during their ongoing work.
Even after you have caught their attention and brought them to send you their details, they will not be ready to become a hot lead, someone who wants to move on to the deal. To bring them to this place – you have to work. Wrap them in your brand and messages by all available means, all with the aim of creating a situation in which they want to work with you. Where they are waiting for a moment when they can meet you at a professional conference, or even better – in which they ask to receive a demo of the product.
The fact that B2B advertising clicks are very expensive, makes the length of the process the user takes super-important. Since the goal of high-touch B2B advertising is to create the contact points with the customer and put them in a communication process with you, we want to shorten and optimize the route between the exposure and click – to the actual "lead" – the situation where the customer left you details and started communicating with you.
Shortening and optimizing the way between click and lead can be most effective with the lead-generation ads available on Facebook and LinkedIn. On Google – because there is no such leads-gen media, it is important to make sure all your advertisements lead to landing pages whose goal is to produce the leads with minimum leakage. So – even if your company is a market leader with a site full of great content you want to show the customer – you must maintain focus and offer the customer pages with no navigation, but only a lead/details form and an explanation of the content that the customer will receive in exchange for his details.
Many times I have heard sentences like "IT managers do not hang around on Facebook" / "Doctors have no time for Facebook". My answer to these assertions is that everyone is on Facebook and Instagram, and especially decision-makers aged 30-40-50. They're not always on Facebook / Instagram to do business, but it doesn't really matter if they want to see pictures of their kids in college or post photos from their latest ski vacation in Aspen. They're there.
Online advertising is a growing field in motion, and so – in order to achieve success in B2B advertising and advertising in general, there is a need for trial and error. If you want to maintain such a process, budgets must be allocated monthly to new channels of advertising that we have not yet tried. Some of the new channels will produce nothing and we will have to abandon them, but if we maintain a good learning process, occasionally we will reach a "gold vein" that will provide us with plenty of leads and inquiries at good prices.
Moreover, the higher the average cost per transaction, the greater the advertising budget required to reach customers.
Thus, there is a critical mass of advertising budgets that must be allocated over time to sustain a successful advertising move. The critical mass varies from client to client depending on the rate at which the client wants to grow, but the starting point is a few thousand dollars of advertising budget a month.
The three most powerful advertising platforms for B2B businesses are Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn. In this section, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each, in relation to B2B advertising.
The problem with Facebook is that the targeting options for professional audiences are deficient, especially when compared to LinkedIn's targeting options, so Facebook's most popular use of B2B advertising is for retargeting and account-based marketing (ABM) with lists of specific people's emails that the advertiser wants to reach.
The advantage of Facebook versus LinkedIn and Google is that the clicks are relatively cheap, which makes it possible to maintain a good presence with a relatively low budget.
The biggest advantage of LinkedIn for businesses, of course, is its excellent targeting capability for professional audiences. In addition to the geographic targeting (which is available on all platforms), LinkedIn can target audiences by job title, education, seniority in the profession, membership in a particular group and more, or the combination of them.
The drawback of LinkedIn advertising is that the clicks are very expensive. Well, the clicks on LinkedIn do cost a lot, but since LinkedIn's lead-generation ads letting customers leave details within LinkedIn, CPC has become irrelevant, and LinkedIn's media has become a gold mine for B2B advertisers.
The Google search network clicks on strong keywords in B2B are very expensive, so the best practice for Google is to go for long tail terms that handle the client's "pain" and then show the user a landing page requesting information in return for information.
Of course, in order to do this, it is necessary to have a good strategy that is supported by an abundance of good content that is targeted precisely to the relevant target audiences.
If a customer has a good B2B content strategy, the assets that can be published are already existing, and you only need to know which keywords are relevant and which ads to use.
One way that I found very useful in finding the relevant long tail terms in the case of a customer with a good strategy and structured content is to create a dynamic search campaign that targets all the pages of the site, and from the dynamic campaign to extract the words that produced converting searchers.
The advantage of a dynamic search campaign is that it provides very broad exposure and relatively cheap clicks, its disadvantage is that it is necessary to watch the campaign constantly and add irrelevant search terms as negative keywords. After a few weeks of running a dynamic campaign – all opportunities will float, and you can open long tail campaigns only for converting searches that have suitable properties on your site. Since the new long-tail campaign will have more relevant ads, your quality score and performance will improve after moving the keywords to a new dedicated campaign.
At this stage, you will probably want to know how much to allocate to each media out of the total budget, but here too the answer is complex and varies along the way and according to performance.
A customer can start at 100% Google – because he thinks that only there are the hot leads, and find himself very fast at 50% LinkedIn, 40% Google and 10% Facebook.
The same is true for all platforms and media, and the situation will continue to be so long as the platforms continue to change and update, which is forever.
And these are my friends, my 2 cents on B2B advertising in the global arena.
Michal Moreno is CEO for Moreno's – an online advertising agency based in Israel. Michal has more than 17 years' online marketing experience and is the manager of a thriving PPC proffessionals group on Facebook in Hebrew.


A SCHOOL's trampoline appeal has been successful after two thirds of the money required was raised through donations and fundraisers.
Haslingden High School Headteacher Mark Jackson agreed to plug the funding shortfall and now the school is awaiting delivery of two new trampolines.
PE teacher Erika Wilson said: "When we held freshers' day for the new Year 7s and they selected after school clubs we had 86 wanting to join the trampoline club.
"I took a photograph and showed the headteacher how popular it was, but we still only had two trampolines at that stage. He would look at the funding again if we raised half of the money needed.
"We had a Year 10 student Lois Hilton and her mother who took part in a half-marathon and raised £500, on our charity day the students raised £300 and we had some further donations come in.
Mrs Wilson said she was delighted with how popular the trampoline club was and not just with girls, as last year the school's boys' team won second place at the national Schools' Trampoline Championships in Wigan.
On behalf of the school she thanked everyone who has contributed towards the appeal.


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Fire Log July 17
HANOVER July 16 11:50 a.m. Responded to a trash fire in the 200 block of High Street; 7:40 p.m. Responded to a...
Fire Log July 17 HANOVER July 16 11:50 a.m. Responded to a trash fire in the 200 block of High Street; 7:40 p.m. Responded to a... Check out this story on eveningsun.com: https://www.eveningsun.com/story/news/crime/2015/07/17/fire-log-july-17/32466793/
The Evening Sun Published 9:40 a.m. ET July 17, 2015
HANOVER July 16
11:50 a.m. Responded to a trash fire in the 200 block of High Street; 7:40 p.m. Responded to a chimney fire in 200 block of East Middle Street.
ADAMS COUNTY July 16
11:07 a.m. AREMS, Biglerville, Bonneauville, Gettysburg and SAVES fire companies responded to a commercial fire in the first block of Cavalry Field Road in Straban Township at Battlefield Harley-Davidson; 12:52 p.m. York Springs fire company responded to a traffic accident with entrapment in the first block of Mountain Road in Carroll Township; 6:52 p.m. Gettysburg fire responded to a miscellaneous fire in the first block of York Street in Gettysburg Borough.
Read or Share this story: https://www.eveningsun.com/story/news/crime/2015/07/17/fire-log-july-17/32466793/


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Oscar nominated Ruth Negga refuses to "normalize" Trump
Debbie McGoldrick
Irish-Ethiopian actor, Ruth Negga, has said "We can't normalize Trump and the people around him, or what they say and do. Racism is not normal. Hatred is not normal."
Add Ruth Negga to the long list of celebrities who are disgusted with Donald Trump.
The Irish-Ethiopian star, Oscar nominated for Loving, told The Sunday Business Post in Ireland that "normalizing" Trump would be a disaster for society. She was in Britain for the vote on Brexit last June, and in the U.S. for last November's election, and doesn't like the way the world is moving.
"We can't normalize Trump and the people around him, or what they say and do. Racism is not normal. Hatred is not normal," Negga said.
"I happened to be in Britain for the Brexit vote and I was in the U.S. for the Trump election and there was a really potent sense, in both places, of being on the edge of something terrifying."
Negga, born in Ethiopia and raised in Co. Limerick from the age of four by her Irish mother – her father died in an accident before joining them – says the struggle for equal rights will never end, particularly with Trump in office.
"We have this notion that we're on this linear progression and that society is always moving forward, that everyone believes in equality and togetherness," she said.
"That's just not realistic. We can never be complacent about hard-fought rights and freedoms."
Negga's fellow Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was in her designer shoes this time last year when she was doing the awards rounds for Brooklyn. Ronan is taking some down time in Dublin these days, and told the Irish Independent that Negga is the real deal.
"I know how much work goes into campaigning after going through it at last year's [awards season] She deserves it," Ronan said.
"She's one of our best exports, she has been working so hard for so long and for her to finally get the recognition she deserves is great. She's a lovely, lovely girl and she's very talented. It's a real success story."
Related: Movies, US Politics


On the road at nine, heading north. We've never been north of San Francisco. We crossed the Golden Gate bridge first, and passed the town of Sausalito that looked fancy and nice. they also had a lot of nice looking houseboats.
We drove north on the 101 and the villages all stayed nice and fancy. soon we entered winearea. All the villages had Spanish sounding names and harbours (marinas?) and there were wineries everywhere with fancy names. the landscape went from brownish hills to more scandinavic looking hills with trees.
we mde some observations on the highway. of the cars we've seen so far in California. 50% of the cars are pick ups or other big cars, 25% are Prius-es 23% all kinds, 1% with Texan numberplates and 1% policecars. We see so many of them! and now even within 100 meter FIVE highwaypatrols/Sherrifs/Motorpolice that stopped a driver on the side of the road. we see so many pulled over cars with police every day, but this was a bit bizar.
after 1,5 hr we had to leave the 101 to highway 128 to Mendocino. When preparing the trip, I noticed it was a small road, but I wasnt prepared for what would follow.
First of all, the first 10 miles were build by a rollarcoaster designer. I'm glad I did this road with Robert as driver and not anyone else, I would have gotten really sick. Robert was very carefull.
The first part of the road consisted of hills with trees and some forest. it felt a bit desolated and we enjoyed the ride. Some small villages showed up, some as big as 30 inhabitants. Boonville looked really pretty with it's bars and shops with wooden porches. Philo followed, but smaller. Sometimes there were just some wooden houses along the road.
As it was a small road, there were several "turn outs" made, places where slower traffic (us) could pull over and let the faster traffic (locals) pass. very well made, esp on the way back, in the dark, we used everyone of them.
after a while we entered a MASSIVE forrest. The trees were HUGE. we've never seen something like it. The trees were not only skyhigh, also very wide. it was the Navarro Redwood State Park. The trees were redwoods. We dont have them at home and they're very impressive. They took away almost all the daylight!
And there was Mendocino. There you go, Doug Sahm.
we're not even that big doug sahm fans, but after finding out where it was I thought it would be nice to go there. We now had the time, and it looked like a nice village (only 1100 inhabitants!) and I also found out about the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse just outside the town.
We went to the lighthouse (vuurtoren) first. It was a nice walk towards the shoreline, after being in the car for 3 hrs, and after a few turns the light house showed up. It looks like a tiny church standing on a cliff. There s a welcome center inside and we were welcomed by an enthousiastic volunteer who told us all about the lighthouse. According to the pictures hanging there, it was in real bad shape before it was rescued! They depended on donations and they had some souvenirs so we bought a bunch of postcards and a magnet (yay) etc. Another volunteer arrived and said we just missed the whales. they were nice dedicated people and where stunned when we said we came from Belgium.
we walked around outside a bit and looked at the lightkeeper houses. The light of the lighthouse was working and it looked kinda funny. Robert went down the "death threatning" cliff :-S but I stayed up there, and we walked back to the car. Glad we did this! Also glad that there are people out there caring for projects like this.
we drove back to Mendocino looking for food and gas. Downtown looked like it came from a movie, old buildings, cute cafés and shops. First thing we noticed was that strange churchtower. Was it a church? What are they doing??
second thing we noticed was that everything said "organic". we looked around a bit and picked out a pizza joint. Robert ordered something we call "pizza hawaii" at home and he was happy :-D For me the falafel. Both were organic, mine was also vegan. Robert orderd a coke "we only have Blue Sky" okay, but his face when he noticed that was organic too, was priceless.
Got some coffee, also good, the coffee hasnt been that bad this trip.
Quick bathroom stop, and there was a sign that said "our well has dried up we have to buy water now dont spill it" I stared at it for a while and thought it was just some way to say to not spoil water, (city girl talking here) but later we saw something funny in the town.
we asked directions where to get gas, she said we'd best go to Fort Bragg 9 miles north, because here it would be expensive. We remembered a gasstation before we entered Mendocino, so we decided to drive there, we still had a bit left good for a few miles. If it was closed we would be doomed though.
walking around the big street we saw... Mendocino Chocolate Company! Aha! I ran in and looked at the chocolates, sweets and gift, for a souvenir. When Robert found me, he pointed out the fun t-shirts, saying Mendocino Chocolate Company; double win. They were inexpensive but we had to search for one without lightstains on it (like it has been hanging in the sun) all the red ones were stained so I ended up with a blue one. And one chocolate, called Mendocino Macho. It was really good but a bit too much. I should stop trying local stuff RIGHT HERE (I'm not doing that bad, but still)Their neighbours were a shop for medicinal use cannabis :-D We saw a lot of them in SF too allready.
We tried to reach the beach/shoreline and just started walking in one direction. The cute little streets were filled with beautifull wooden houses, art galleries and ... watertowers! They all had their own watertower! in all shapes and sizes, some really old and some really nice. it was a bit weird to see.
we reached the edge of the town, and walked towards the cliffs. We heard lots of frogs hidden in the grass, looked around a bit, but it wasnt posible to go down on the beach from here, so we went back into town. First we saw some kind shop with recycled art and stuff. They sold cool numberplate-art, like the huge mural piece, a map of America made with numberplates of each state, cut in the shape of that state. It was a reall hippie shop and the "win a Prius!" poster on the door just completed it.
outside it started to get dark and cold, and there was even some rain. We walked in some random streets again, and then back to our car. For some reason, even in Mendocino there was quite a group of drunks and weirdos on teh street. some of them were yelling after a local old lady and we didnt feel very well about that. he came even after her a few meters but then he went back.
we had a long drive ahead and we left. Mendocino, you're a cute little coastal town. Doug Sahm; thank you for taking us there.
There was a Chevron, but we went to the one we saw outside the village. It appeared quicker than we thought, and we werent sure, but didnt have the guts to keep driving to the next one. You're really in the middle of absolutely nowhere there. No GPS and cellphone reach or nothing, so we only had one option... put gas in the tank that costs 5 DOLLAR A GALLON!!!
So we didnt fill it up ofcourse! But as a bonus, the woman inside was very friendly. She even ran outside when she saw us messing around because we didnt see there was this handle you had to pull.
(we're working on "getting gas in the United States for dummies" right now :-D ) and she sold nice postcards AND normal sized bags of salt& pepper chips, so I got one for Robert.
a few spectacular views on the rocky coast and we drove into the forrest again.
the 100km road back to the big highway through the dark was a bit of a challenge with all those speeding locals showing up behind us. It was difficult to find the "turn out" curve where they could pass you, in the dark, but no one was annoying about the fact we were in their way. the part through the Redwoods was scary and exciting at the same time.
Bit of a boring trip back on the 101. We needed a break and took the gas/food exit in...Petaluma. Nice clean restrooms (AGAIN) but I saw a streetsign that said "historical downtown"
I went "okay!" and poured it in my mouth, no problem.
then I had to get rid of it and drank two bottles of water, and we allmost had to stop because I was sure i was going to throw up. yeah, real smart people here.
I looked it up in the motel, it IS very pretty and charming!
Back to SF. Some toll stress to get back on the Golden Gate bridge, but it turned out you dont have to stop and they charge you automaticly. Then we took the wrong exit and ended up... somewere on the wrong place. We ended up driving down California (street, blvd, something) and... we passed the Whole Foods where I wanted to get dinner!! as it was quite a walk from the hotel, Robert tried to find a parking spot but it was impossible and we drove ahead. I said I would walk back, but we were now on Franklinstreet and that was a very steep upgoing street.
In the end I decided to use my brains for once and we walked up to the Safeway a few blocks from the motel. I think its a nice shop during daytime, but late in the evening all shelfs are empty and the deli section is closed. It also smells horrible. But we got a nice discount with our Safeway clubcard :-) Robert didnt feel like a challenge and I picked out some Cadbury chocolate for him. They also have imported dutch cheese!


Antioch University Los Angeles MFA teaching faculty and poet, Victoria Chang, has been awarded a Pushcart Prize for her poem, "Barbie Chang Wants to Be Someone." The poem is from her most recent book of poems, Barbie Chang, and was nominated by Copper Canyon Press, the book's publisher. Chang has long known that the Pushcart Prize existed "but always thought it was that prize that other people won or an anthology that other people were published in," she said.
The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize published by Pushcart Press, which honors works of poetry, short fiction, and essays that have been published by small presses the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to submit up to six works they have published. The winning pieces are then published in the Pushcart Anthology. Some founding editors of the prize were Anais Nin, Bucky Fuller, Ralph Ellison, and Joyce Carol Oates. Many writers who went on to have successful writing careers received early recognition through the prize, including Tim O'Brien, and Kay Ryan.


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text:
The PM's woes started earlier than you think
Illustration: Simon Letch Knights and dames don't topple a Prime Minister; the story goes back much further. Photo: Rohan Thomson
Liberals weigh leadership optionsAndrew Bolt attacks PM over 'pathetically stupid' Prince Philip knighthoodComment: PM in danger of being replaced by Turnbull
Of all the conclusions to draw from the Abbott government's current predicament, perhaps the most erroneous would be that it is simply a product of Tony Abbott's idiosyncrasies. Sure, it's hard to resist amid the cosmic weirdness of this Prince Philip saga. But there's a difference between a trigger and a cause. Knights and Dames – even ones as bizarre as Sir Phil – don't topple Prime Ministers. That sort of thing only matters when your government has torched every last bit of its political capital. That happened around budget time last year, but in truth, the story goes back even further. This process was set in motion before Abbott was even Prime Minister, and was visible from his very first day in office.
You tend not to see such things when you're guzzling victory champagne, but the 2013 election was an underwhelming one for the Coalition. The nation had just evicted an unelectable mess; a government whose supporters were disillusioned and whose opponents hated it viscerally. Yet, in an election where Labor and the Greens together lost nearly 8 per cent of the vote, the Coalition – the only major alternative – gained a mere 2 per cent. A win, sure. But more of the Steven Bradbury variety. The country never truly voted for an Abbott government, so much as against the debacle they'd been enduring.
That matters because it makes the governing bit much harder. It means Abbott never had much capital to begin with. His clearest mandate was to be someone other than Rudd or Gillard. Once that was fulfilled, Abbott had nowhere to go: nothing to do with his power.
Consider the rules he laid out as non-negotiable tests of government legitimacy: no broken promises, no leadership changes, no new or increased taxes, no budgetary blowouts, and no policies (like, say, a carbon price) that would increase the punters' cost of living. Oh, and no cuts to anything somebody likes – health, education, public broadcasting, defence. We'll cut government spending (which is wasteful), but when asked we'll quarantine just about everything from those cuts. This is a mass of populist contradictions.
That made Abbott a devastating opposition leader. But as he destroyed Rudd and Gillard, he was also destroying himself. Abbott's rhetoric in opposition simply turned the budget into a time bomb. When your promises are contradictory, you very quickly find yourself having to break them. Lots of times. And when you pledge to fix the budget but start by abolishing the taxes that will help you get there, you have no choice but to go for cuts you shouldn't and frequently said you wouldn't.
Abbott would eventually be forced to commit every sin he had elevated to being cardinal. Now his allies are rounding on him, and look likely to oust him eventually. If so, he'll have driven his own party to commit the only grave sin left: to change its leader. And they would do this with no guarantee of reward. Whoever takes the job would draw instant comparisons to Gillard, and they would enter the role with nothing like the popularity Gillard had – briefly as it turned out.
Abbott's problems begin, then, with his impossible template for government. What he offered instead was a template for gut-driven rage. And hereabouts is the bigger concern: what if that's just the most effective approach? What if Abbott's opposition style worked, not just because it played to his personal strengths, but because it was so perfectly suited to the age?
We're in an era of perpetual opposition, where everything from policies to celebrity sound bites no sooner appear than they are savaged in the most unreflective way. The anger is incoherent and fragmented. It comes from all directions and therefore follows no consistent vision or reason. In each moment there seems to be a majority against everything and for nothing. And that, in miniature, was Abbott's approach. He gleefully led the savaging, abandoning all consistency in the process. This week he was piercingly correct to describe social media as electronic graffiti. What's unsaid is that it very much resembles the verbal graffiti of his opposition.
We're in some danger here. If things continue as they are, Bill Shorten has every chance of becoming the most anonymous man ever to be elected prime minister. His opposition is nowhere near as destructive as Abbott's, but it can be similarly opportunistic. Take the tax cuts Labor introduced as compensation for the carbon tax. It deferred some of these on the basis that they should only become active when the carbon price reaches $25.40 a tonne, which it had failed to do. Now, with the carbon price gone, and this compensation clearly redundant, it is refusing to abolish the tax cuts that, according to its own policy, have no reason for being there. Labor is so into this opposition thing, it's now opposing itself. And it's costing the budget over $2 billion.
Meanwhile, Shorten outlines no policy when asked, and funnels every piece of news into an overarching narrative about Abbott's broken promises and war on Australia's financial battlers. Conventional wisdom suggests that at some stage Shorten will have to define himself and his policies. But the same was said of Abbott, and it was plainly wrong. Shorten must know that any policy clarity will pull focus, shed some level of support and open the door to his foe. If he decides to reveal a vision it will be a voluntary act, because the shortest path to the Lodge has no such scenery.
If not, we might swing wildly from one government without a mandate for much to another. And if we find ourselves in the same sort of territory as this year – and 2013, and 2012, and 2011, and 2010 – then we will surely have reached a point where even Prince Philip can't be blamed.
Waleed Aly is a Fairfax columnist and winner of the 2014 Walkley award for best columnist. He co-hosts Network Ten's The Project and lectures in politics at Monash University.
How to pick your perfect exercise
When it comes to exercise, there's something for everyone.
And although your exercise program should be enjoyable, there are some rules that ought to be followed.
A new article, by Jean Claude-Vacassin published in The Telegraph, London, shares a five-point plan on how to pick your perfect exercise, keeping in mind that any program should focus on safety, effectiveness and progress.
Exercise should benefit a certain goal
If an exercise won't help you achieve your goals then why do it?
Choosing an exercise because you enjoy it is important but as Claude-Vacassin points out, "If you're trying to increase single leg stability for example, standing bow-legged on a balance board is probably not what you should be doing, no matter how much fun it might be."
Consider your body
People come in all shapes and sizes and for this reason some exercises are better to suited to some than others.
Limitations and injuries should also be considered, listen to your body and choose an exercise you can perform safely.
For example, squats are a great strength-building exercise for the lower body, but if you lack the "mobility and stability" needed to execute a squat the chance of injury becomes higher.
Manage your time effectively
When there aren't enough hours in the day, exercise is usually the first to go.
Limit your excuses and make your program as time efficient as possible. Claude-Vacassin says, "For general fitness and fat loss, you can get a lot done in a relatively small amount of time."
Effective and time-efficient exercises include: squats, lunges, deadlifts, chins ups and interval style training.
Be wary of extreme fitness
Thankfully, extreme exercising has run its course.
And while developing muscle strength is extremely beneficial, "very few of us should be performing Olympic lifting movements, and fewer of us still should be pairing these with sprints for example," says Claude-Vacassin.
Sure, calories will be burned but at what cost?
Be clever
Plan a program that will help you achieve your goals. When it comes to the gym, exercises should be "mix and matched sensibly".
Choose a complementary program that will improve your performance, rather than hinder it.
For example, runners should spend time in the gym focusing on strengthening their cores, hips and back and give their knees a break.
Find a fitness family
Community plays a big part in fitness.
When joining a fitness group, look for attitudes that match your own.
Ignore the latest fads and ultimately focus on finding an exercise that will help you achieve your goals.
There's nothing in that Michael Clarke story: I've heard that one before
Oh cricket. It's a funny game.
In early 2009, this journalist was told of an incident in the dressing rooms at the SCG after a Test match. According to several sources, Australian opener Simon Katich had grabbed Michael Clarke by the throat following a major misunderstanding about the singing of the team song and Clarke's desire to be with then-fiancee Lara Bingle.
That story was initially denied, and then confirmed, but then played down. Move on, nothing to see here. In the end, it exposed a major division in the Australian side that has only really been healed in the last year or so.
Fairfax Media this week shone a light on the fact that Clarke is on a collision course with Cricket Australia officials over his selection in the World Cup. We also highlighted the fact that the team is more than settled under Steve Smith.
The aftermath? Not one soul from Cricket Australia or the Clarke camp has denied any of it.
There is much more to this episode, with division between some WAGs (wives and girlfriends) of certain players also affecting team relations. We won't go into those details at this stage, but it smacks of history repeating, does it not?
Some rate Clarke an "even money" chance of passing a fitness test on February 21 to make the World Cup squad, of which he will be captain. Those closer to him aren't so sure because the benchmarks already set for those tests mean he must be fitter than he was as a 23-year-old. In other words, Cricket Australia has set him up to fail. Extraordinary.
Until then, will we see images of Clarke batting and running every day as we have all summer, as he wages a very public campaign to play in the World Cup? Probably.
There is no disputing Clarke's courage, nor his standing as arguably the world's best batsman when he's fit. In terms of tactical nous, is there a better captain on the international scene?
No, as always, the issue comes down to a clash of personalities. Some of it is justified, some of it is not. I really don't know the guy well enough.
There are many stakeholders in the game who just want all the relevant parties, from Clarke to high performance manager Pat Howard, chairman of selectors Rod Marsh and coach Darren Lehmann, to sit down and hug it out.
From there, surely the ideal situation would be for Clarke to give up on the World Cup, really concentrate on rehabbing his hamstrings and lower back, and then make an avalanche of runs as Australia retains the Ashes.
He could finish his career in style, with his standing in the lofty place it deserves to be, and we never have to discuss this ugly mess ever again.
Plane speaking
Jarryd who? Hayne Plane what?
Legendary wide receiver Terrell Owens has no idea who former Parramatta fullback Jarryd Hayne is or about his dream of playing in the NFL, but he says he can make it.
"Who?" asked the charismatic Owens, who was the special guest at an intimate lunch at the SCG on Thursday ahead of next week's Super Bowl. "What position does he play?"
Told that Hayne wants to make it as a running back or fullback, the former San Francisco superstar said: "Number one, I wish him the best of luck. If he's a guy with a lot of confidence, if he makes it, he'll be a trendsetter. Playing football is a physical sport. You look at what rugby does, it's very tough. The position he's going for, running back and fullback, that's one of those positions where you have to be tough, you have to be gritty and hit some guys."
What about the fact that Hayne has never played the game?
"It's easy to understand, in terms of the fullback and what they do," Owens said. "If he can grasp that concept of running your plays, blocking the right people, and really protecting the quarterback, he can make it."
Owens was made an honorary member of the Sydney Roosters, with a special tri-colours jersey presented to him by retired captain Anthony Minichiello.
Secrets in Seattle
Rumours have run strong all summer about a confrontation between Parramatta teammates Darcy Lussick and Corey Norman on the first night of their study trip of Seattle last year. It allegedly occurred during a night out to celebrate Melbourne Cup day.
Eels coach Brad Arthur "categorically" denied anything untoward happened when contacted. But the speculation has buzzed around the club for months – and now on social media – that something went down.
Whatever it was, it was seemingly inconsequential. More like boys just being boys.
The ugly and drawn-out battle for broadcast rights between TAB Corp – which owns Sky Channel – and TVN is expected to be over by March. That is likely to see TVN dissolved, and one of the hottest topics in racing is where that will leave host Richard Callander.
The big fella has been a harsh critic of Sky Channel's coverage and presenters for many years. There is much hand-wringing behind the scenes about whether Callander should now get a gig there.
It's difficult to see TAB Corp wanting him given the animosity he's directed at Sky. The ATC, who is a part owner of TVN, wants him to have a role. Stay tuned, as they say.
(Disclaimer: this reporter is contracted to TAB Corp's Sky Sports Radio).
No salary caps here
Club bosses are relatively pleased about Shane Richardson's elevation to mahogany row at the NRL, because they know he has skin in the game and will actually make a decision. What they are angry about is the amount of cash being splashed around by NRL chief executive Dave Smith on executive appointments.
They are wondering how head of football Todd Greenberg keeps his job, on more than $700,000 a year, now that the former South Sydney boss has come in.
Still on Richardson, he flies out this weekend for a self-funded study trip to the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks in Arizona. He'll then meet with NFL suits in New York.
The height of summer
Finally, a quick recap of the standout moments in sport during the past five weeks since we last met …
The sound of rugby league's "Phantom Siren" – a close friend of the late Phillip Hughes – reverberating around the SCG on the fourth day of the Sydney Test showed that all is good in the world.
Stop the fight. This is the quote of the year, from Oregon coach Mark Helfrich about quarterback Marcus Mariota, despite the loss to Ohio State in the US college championship: "Around our neck of the woods, it's like Madonna or Cher. It's 'Marcus'. His name is an adjective."
It's safe to assume that Robert Allenby hit his head on something during a night out in Hawaii. After that, choose your own adventure. Robert says he wants the truth to come out. If our PGA Tour sources are right, he might not want it to.
A-League farewell still on the cards, but not yet for Cahill
It seems like yesterday that FFA chief executive David Gallop pulled the trigger and fired Holger Osieck after the Socceroos suffered a 6-0 flogging against France in Paris.
That was October 2013. Now the Socceroos and Osieck's replacement, Ange Postecolgou, are on the verge of claiming the Asian Cup, the biggest piece of international silverware they've ever been so close to securing.
Front and centre of the campaign has been Tim Cahill.
After the World Cup in Brazil, there was some nagging doubt about whether he'd play in the tournament. Then he goes and produces a stunning goal from an overhead scissor kick against China, which was equally as spectacular as his screaming left-foot volley against the Netherlands in Brazil.
He has deflected all the praise directed at his 35-year-old bones in the last few weeks, but there's no disputing his significance to the growth of the game here as much as the Socceroos brand – even those close to him say they've no idea if he'll ever play in the A-League. "Keeps his cards close to his chest on that stuff," is the universal line whenever you ask the question.
But we can already envision FFA godfather Frank Lowy – who arrived just after kick-off for the semi-final against UAE in Newcastle via helicopter – opening the purse strings to ensure a final fling from Cahill.
The Socceroos camp believe reports on the day of the semi that Cahill was set to leave the New York Red Bulls and transfer to a United Arab Emirates club were solely designed to disrupt the Australians.
It seems more likely that Cahill will soak up some more mega dollars overseas before a farewell tour in the A-League – a fitting end for our greatest Socceroo.
Q & A: Ken Nagas
The 41-year-old Canberra Raiders legend will turn back the clock when he takes the field in the Auckland Nines this weekend.
When I think about your career back in the day, I think of length-of-the-field tries and nobody laying a finger on you. How many can we expect?
Honestly, you won't get any.
It might be hard. I'm not too nervous. I might be on Saturday morning. I feel like I've covered enough training over the last four months to get me through enough minutes each half. The idea was flagged after the Nines last year. I made a decision after the season finished. I'm an assistant with the 20s, but I've been doing a lot of training on my own. Surprisingly, the knees are OK.
Have you spoken to Brad Fittler at all after he played last year?
I haven't, but watching him and Beaver [Steve Menzies] play last year gave me some incentive.
Which forward will you be trying to avoid out there?
I'll be doing as much as I can not to get tackled, or to make a tackle! Freddy scored last year so I have to at least score a try.
Now, I vividly recall your spectacular try in the 1994 grand final from a Paul Osborne round-the-corner pass.
Ozzie reminds me of that every time I speak to him. He still says he should've got the Clive Churchill [Medal] that day. My god: that was 20 years ago.
What about the famous try against St George?
What happened was it was around Origin time and I was filling in for Brett Mullins at fullback. They kicked it down to our tryline, someone came through to make a tackle and they ripped the cord on my pants. I ran 10 metres before they started to fall down. I had to hold them up as I ran down field.
What do you do these days?
I'm in the victim's liaison team with the Australian Federal Police. I see a lot of domestic violence stuff. Some of the stuff we hear and put up with is not nice. But you always want to help someone in that position.
"Get out of the bar." – So said one elderly female autograph hunter to Robert Allenby as he showed his slightly improved but still bruised face at the TPC Scottsdale tournament. "I wasn't in a bar," he shot back.
Twenty20 cricket leaves some of us feeling cheap and used, and not in the good way. But this instalment of the Big Bash has been dynamite, all the way up to the Scorchers winning the title on the last ball of the final, with Sixers' veteran Brett Lee sitting on a hat-trick on the final ball of his career. Fabulous stuff.
If Australian tennis wasn't so starved of success in the men's game, would we be so accepting of the schoolyard antics of Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open? Bagging linespeople, abusing fans, dropping the F-bomb to worldwide TV audiences? Yes, he's 19. Yes, he's a showman. But let's hope the right people get in his ear soon.
It's a big weekend for … NRL coaches as they watch their precious playing talent prance about Eden Park in the Auckland Nines, knowing a season-ending injury is just a mistimed sidestep away.
It's an even bigger weekend for … Rod Laver Arena, the roof of which might just blow right off when Novak Djokovic meets defending champion Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open semi-final on Friday night. Unless the roof is open, of course. Then it can't blow off.
Australian Open 2015: Andy Murray kicks down the wall against Tomas Berdych
Australian Open 2015: Full coverage
Let us get a feel for the thickness of the wall Andy Murray was up against.
There was the back injury that invalided him out of the final third of last year and momentarily out of the top 10, and was ginger still. There was his co-opting of Amelie Mauresmo, a woman no less, as his coach; Murray felt that had attracted unfair criticism. There was the fact that his former coach, Dani Vallverdu, was now in the employ of his opponent this semi-final night, Tomas Berdych. This also had drawn what Murray felt was undue attention. They had been friends from childhood, and mere sport would not drive them apart.
Most of all, there was the fact that for almost the first hour of this encounter, Berdych had all but blown him off the court, and although Murray somehow had forced the epic first set to a tie-break, he had lost it. Berdych then still had not lost a set for the tournament.
Adversity, lovely adversity, the way the Scot seems to like it. There was one more goad to Murray's general indignation. As he and Berdych took their chairs at the end of that set, Berdych appeared to mutter an imprecation in Murray's direction. Murray said he did not hear what Berdych said, but knew that he said something. Having sown this breeze, Berdych reaped the whirlwind. Half an hour later, Murray had won the second set to love, yielding merely 10 points to the Czech. An hour-and-a-half later, Murray had won the next two sets, and the match, and a place in his fourth Australian Open final.
Instantly, Murray pointed at Mauresmo, as if to hold up her arm. "She's been very important to me for the last few months," he explained. "The end of last year was very difficult for me. I also feel she has taken a lot of unfair criticism as well. She's a fantastic person. We're completely on the same page. It was a brave choice by her. Hopefully I can repay her in a few days."
Then there was Vallverdu. "A lot has been made of Dani working with him," Murray said. "I felt that was a bit unfair. We've been friends since we were 15. This is just sport. There is more to life than sport."
In a way, this whole match was an exercise in redress. Berdych won the first five points of the match and for an hour ruled it. His courtcraft stretched Murray as surely as if on a medieval rack. The always lugubrious Scot was reduced to mooching around the court between points and glaring occasionally at linesmen. Wordlessly, he looked towards both boxes, and why not: his coach was in one, his former coach in the other. One must have had answers.
At the other end, Berdych was a ball dispenser, but with the marque and trim of a classic car, metronomically distributing winners left and right, barely even bothering to reach for his towel betweeen points. Until he served for the set, he had lost only two points on serve.
But Murray began to scramble like a man clambering up a crumbling riverbank. It would remain a feature of his game all night. He was broken, broke back, lugged the contest into a tie-break, but lost it. It had taken 77 minutes, enough time for Serena Williams to win one match and at least the first set of next.
Then Berdych crossed the line, as plainly as if on Hawkeye. "I don't know what he said, but he said something," Murray said. "He was also sometimes staring at me across the net at the change of ends. I wasn't into it. I was concentrating on my game. I respect him as a tennis player. I hope he feels the same about me. But that did fire me up a bit."
As turning points go, this was hairpin. Murray now had found his range and Berdych's measure. A criticism of the Czech is that he is a beautiful ball-striker, but predictable, especially in his serve strategy. His ball toss is extravagantly high, and Murray appeared to have time to study each one over a cup of tea and the paper. Suddenly, he was there, waiting to cut off Berdych at every pass. Everyone blinked, and set flew by.
The match found its equilibrium in the third set, but for Berdych, three dozy minutes undid three-quarters of an hour of equal battle. Forty-love up on his serve, he hit two double faults, and two other loose shots, and suddenly was broken. Now it was Murray who could do no wrong, Berdych who was left flat-footed and flailing. Murray now was as the stockhorse in Banjo Patterson's Man From Snowy River, "snuffing the battle with delight".
Berdych's mute protest at his collapse was to belt a ball clean out of Rod Laver arena, then pull a towel over his head, like a shroud. Two winning Murray sets had taken less time than one for Berdych.
Murray's defensive mastery was now the controlling dynamic in the match. No matter what angle he tried, Berdych could not find a way past him. Momentarily in the fourth set, Murray's game came off its improbable high and an opening appeared for the Czech. But he hesitated, and Murray, from nearly his worst position on the night, hit nearly his best shot to wriggle away. The end came quickly after that.
In one way, Murray has had charmed run through this tournament. Others cleared Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal out of his path before they could get to Murray. Now, though, he awaits either the world's No 1, Novak Djokovic, or the defending champion, Stan Wawrinka, in a final he has played in three times, but never won. It has all the makings of another damned beautiful wall.
Redland City Council looks to put the bite on barking dogs
Current laws allow a Redlands dog to bark for six minutes per hour. But that could be halved. Photo: Mark CliffordA South East Queensland council wants to tighten the leash on noisy pets, with a plan to impose a strict regime for animals that are declared a "nuisance".
Under a new proposal, Redland City pet owners could face fines if their dog barks for more than three minutes in a 30-minute window at any time in the day.
If imposed, it is believed the laws will be the strictest in South East Queensland. The proposal has been put out for public consultation before the council votes on the issue later this year.
The city's current laws permit a dog to bark for six minutes an hour between 7am and 10pm. During other hours, dogs are allowed three minutes of barking per 30 minutes.
There were 3335 complaints for noisy dogs during the last three years, a council spokesman said.
Mayor Karen Williams said the proposed changes were suggested after a local councillor received numerous complaints from shift workers who were disturbed while sleeping during the day.
"Having noise nuisance from a dog then can be as unsettling as it is in night time for others," she said.
However Cr Williams stressed that she would prefer neighbours to sort things out between themselves.
"I'm not a big believer in legislating absolutely everything. I'm happy for people to give feedback on this issue. I'm one of those councillors who would prefer the community talk to each other than us create laws."
Brisbane and Ipswich city councils have the same laws for noisy pets as Redlands' current rules.
On the Gold Coast, a dog can be declared a nuisance by council officers it disrupts neighbours from "an activity ordinarily carried out on residential premises". This can include watching television, sleeping, or holding a conversation.
Similar rules exist in Logan, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Somerset, Bundaberg, Noosa and Toowoomba council areas.
While dogs have traditionally been the source of animal noise complaints around the state, birds have also been culprits.
A notable 2011 case in Townsville pitted senior citizen Jack Hutton against the local council, who said his 16 roosters crowed up to 922 times an hour.
The matter went to court and the complaint against Mr Hutton was dismissed.