Proud Mari marigold varieties forge a noble display with fully double flowers that bloom uniformly across the series. The dwarf compact plants branch nicely. Thick sturdy stems provide extra support for the large blooms. Proud Mari Marigold plants continue to hold up beautifully in gardens and containers.
Seed (Film Coat) Untreated 250 Seeds: On backorder. Pending ETA from Supplier.


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Tag: Central America
Central America, Nicaragua
February 3, 2018 February 17, 2018 veganwanderwoman
The monster is alive, a molten red beast of fire that spurts and belches out of the deep, its searing redorangeyellowredlight turning, twisting, and changing in front of us, mesmerising in the total darkness. Bats swoop into the belly of the beast, daring each other to get closer, before swishing back into the night, laughing, chirruping to each other. I am standing on the edge of a live volcano.
It was one of those moments where you realise just how small, just how utterly insignificant you are, in the history and vastness and power of the earth. Where you feel high on just looking at the power of nature, sucked in by it, at war and at one at the same time.
Nicaragua is born out of its geography and has been blessed and devastated by it in equal measure. It is home to nineteen active volcanoes, which could erupt at any moment, and its people have suffered from earthquakes and tsunamis in very recent history. It is also home to lush jungle, wild sloths and monkeys, rare turtles, and the most mind-blowing sunsets you will ever see.
Living in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua was not fun in the way that a lot of my time travelling in Latin America was. I would honestly admit that at times it was a bit of a challenge. It is very sketchy in places, with taxi drivers casually dropping into conversation about the time that police commander was shot in the head at those traffic lights, robbery on busses widespread, and sexual harassment and abuse of women at an all-time high. In the otherwise lovely little house I shared in a local barrio, there was no water for most of the day, the washing machine was a drum outside you filled with a hose, and there was an infestation of cockroaches. I volunteered during the week with the fantastic organisation CANTERA, a Nicaraguan NGO which works in empowering communities through loads of amazing programs: workshops on gender-based violence, sustainable agriculture, supporting the education and development of children and youth, and so much more, and met some amazing, interesting, and lovely people. But at the weekend, I was very keen to escape the chaos, the smell, the filth, and the sardine-tin busses, and explore the rest of the country.
The Laguna Apoyo is a bus ride out of the city, a vast lake where you can cool off from the searing heat with a swim, a paddle, or just enjoying a cold beer or fresh mojito in a hammock on a perfect lazy weekend. Go a bit further and you get to the tourist hot-spot of Granada. Sure, this is gringo-ville, but it's popular for a reason- attractive in every way Managua is not; the iconic, butter yellow church, the colourful houses on pebbled streets, the horse and carts, the volcano omnipresent on the horizon. If you rent kayaks on Laguna Nicaragua you can glide through las isletas and the isla de los monos- monkey island in particular- which lives up to its name- as you paddle up, the monkeys descend slowly by their tails to greet you, hoping for food. In the Reserva Mombacho we also spotted a sloth momma and baby hanging lazily from the branches of a tree.
If you make it out to Isla Ometepe you can hike volcanoes, swim in natural mineral pools, kayak with crocodiles, or just watch the most fantastic sunset over the lake and the undulating landscape. You can either get the ferry over, which was easy, fun, and not that slow, or you can get a tiny plane onto the most precarious looking airport I've ever seen- a slim strip of concrete between the sea and a volcano. Your pick.
Though you should come to Nicaragua primarily for the nature, the cities are pretty interesting too- particularly Leon, la ciudad de la revolucion, where you can learn about Nicaragua's history of oppressive dictatorships, war, revolution, and the huge death toll suffered by the people in the name of freedom. In the museum, the guides are survivors who will tell you how they were personally affected- about their mothers, brothers, friends, and lovers, who were all killed. The current political party situation seems to an outsider to resemble a so called 'benevolent' dictatorship; somehow seemingly less threatening because of the party-sponsored rainbow coloured playgrounds and benches, and yet undeniably corrupt and worryingly, increasingly censorious. However, when you look at the past, you can understand better the loyalty of the people to the Sandinista party, or FSLN, given the brutality of the Somoza regime, and appreciate the progress it did make possible in the early days for improving the lives of the people through universal literacy programmes and healthcare.
You can also ramble over the rooftops of the iconic white cathedral, the building materials of which bizarrely include eggs and milk (unless I BADLY misunderstood the guide). You will also see las gigantonas – giant parody puppets of Spanish women from colonial times- lurching around the city at up to thirty feet high- pretty scary to bump into on the way back to your hostel.
From Leon you can catch one of the crazy 'chicken busses' to Las Penitas, a very tranquilo beachside town which is approximately a thousand degrees, but popular because these beaches are home to some very rare breeds of turtle, including, as I was lucky enough to see, leatherbacks. People in Nicaragua have historically eaten turtle eggs, so in order to protect them, when the mother has laid they are collected and kept secure until hatching time, when they are released into the sea. In comparison to how respectful of nature turtle guides were in Costa Rica, I was kind of shocked that they encouraged us to pick up and hold the babies and to release them ourselves into the sea. I felt uncomfortable about this but since they were all being roughly manhandled by others anyway, thought it would be better to let some of them go free gently, but as much as it was amazing to see them so close, in retrospect I wish we hadn't touched them. It can't do them any good. Watching them scramble towards the lapping waves and finally being washed away while the sun beat pink down across the water, though, was a very special moment.
To escape the heat, Matagalpa is an otherwise average-looking city that is surrounded on all sides by a phenomenal landscape of green mountains, and is blissfully, wonderfully, cool. You can hike up to the mirador, explore the reserve, or catch a bus down to the waterfalls. It's also far less touristy- we saw only two other chelas during our time there.
In the north of the country is the Somoto Canyon, where, between two chasms of rock, you can scramble, swim, and jump into the depths of the water at the bottom. This was my last weekend, and the most fun. Being carried on my back, like a human pooh-stick, with Nicaragua on one side of the rock face, and El Salvador on the other, and watching the world rush by, I couldn't help reflecting happily on how many amazing things I had seen in the last few months, and couldn't imagine returning to grey and cold London the next week.
I learned so much from my three months in Nicaragua, meeting people and having experiences I will never forget. At times I found it frustrating and sad; life is difficult and many people live in severe poverty. Nothing runs properly, everything is broken, everything is late, or doesn't exist at all. But it is also a country has also achieved so much in the face of all of the things it has overcome, when it could rightfully have been wrecked by the natural disasters, dictators, and war. The people are positive and loving, and with more than half the population being youth, there is a lot of potential for positive growth the future, in spite of the challenges that lie ahead. I will remember it with fondness forever. Hasta luego Nicaragua, and Latin America. Until next time.
Tagged adventure travel, backpacking, Central America, Granada, laguna, Managua, Matagalpa, Mombacho, nature, Nicaragua, Ometepe, sloth, Somoto, Travel, turtles, volcano1 Comment
November 9, 2017 February 3, 2018 veganwanderwoman
On my first day in Nicaragua, the door of my taxi fell off while we were driving. The driver, seeming irritable, got out, forcefully kind-of reattached it, then said grumpily to me 'you need to hold it'.
Obviously.
Welcome to Nicaragua.
No doubt about it, Nicaragua is the most chaotic country I've been to on this trip. Every day seems to have brought new and unexpected challenges, perhaps more so in reality because this time I wasn't just here as a tourist, I came to stay for three or four months and volunteer, live in a local barrio and try to understand the culture better. It's a country which has made me feel inspired, bemused, and sometimes just frustrated in turns, as I've tried to adjust to living in a very different culture, and always standing out as an extranjero, or as the locals call white girls, a chela.
I started living in the small town of Ticuantepe, which is on the outskirts of Managua. I was lucky to have been given a home for the first few weeks with a lady who has now become a close friend, and her four cats. I spent three weeks trying to improve my Spanish at the fantastic La Mariposa school in La Concha, a very tiny pueblo which seemed worlds apart from the capital city of Managua I now call home. Every day I caught the local interlocale microbus for the 20 minute terrifying break-neck journey up through the green hills and valleys to get to La Concha on narrow, winding roads. Locally, the busses are referred to intermortales- literally, 'between deaths', or as I came to think of it, 'the death bus'. You hailed it down wherever you were, and it would barely slow to a stop as you launched yourself through the doors, desperately trying to reach a seat before falling into your neighbours lap, and if not, trying to stand up with nothing to hold onto in a bus so small even I, at the height of 5ft5, had to crouch. Sometimes people would have whole vats of produce, mechanic tools, live animals with them- you name it. (In a later adventure with a friend, we brought her two cats on the microbus- and tuk-tuk- and regretted it.) What was nice was the way people would help each other- they would hold my bag for me if they got a seat and I didn't- or even hold each other's babies or children, and pass them forward when it was time to get off. That would never happen at home. When it was my stop, you had to yell out bajar aqui or grab the attention of the guy hanging out of the window, who took the money, to get it to stop, before being somewhat bodily thrown out again.
Bringing a cat on a tuk-tuk- NOT recommended.
The school was fantastic; sustainable tourism at its best. It was also an eco-hostel, built sustainably into the green tropical valleys, but which uses its proceeds to fund a huge array of community development projects: an animal rescue shelter (these things don't generally exist in Nicaragua), a school for disabled children, a kids 'breakfast club' to help make sure children received adequate nourishment, extracurricular activities for children, solar power initiatives, clean cookstoves for people who lacked adequate technology for cooking, reforestation, and were also building a medical centre in a very rural region which lacked one. Apart from that, they had an impressive cultural and political program through which I got to go on trips to get to know the surrounding area, and got a thorough history of Nicaraguan politics. Phew.
Most importantly, I learned to understand better the reality of people's lives in developing countries. I'm not going to go all patronising/ Barbie Saviour on you, but even though I've seen some of this before through travelling, actually living somewhere which lacks those amenities I take for granted at home has given me a whole new appreciation of privilege, and what a lack of it means. According to one of my teachers, most of the people in La Concha did not have access to running water. Instead they collected water from a municipal source for 'bucket showers', and used a latrine-style toilet where waste was collected from underneath (rather than a plumbed system where you can simply flush your- er- deposits- away). Even now where I live in the centre of the capital city, we only have proper running water in the evenings- in the morning it's just a dribble, and during the day nothing at all. That's what a lack of infrastructure means in reality- and my experience is relatively plush compared to others. Power cuts were frequent, sometimes lasting twelve hours at a time. Sometimes the water goes completely: you always have to have some stored in case. Cars are too expensive for a lot of people, and it's not uncommon to see people using horse and carts as a main method of transport.
One day, relatively early on in my time here, I was sitting in the living room doing my homework when I glanced up and nearly jumped out of my skin. There was a chicken on the coffee table. A real, live chicken, looking right at me.
Where have you come from? I implored her. As I slowly got up, the cats awoke from their slumber and clocked her. Oh boy.
Then began a frantic chase to see who would get the chicken first- as I and the cats literally ran in circles, cartoon style, around the poor bird while it hopped back and forth out of our way, until I was eventually able to cover it in a bucket (to the utter confusion and uproar of the cats), scoop it up, and deposit her somewhat unceremoniously outside, where I assumed she had wondered in from one of the neighbour's back yards.
Another time, not thinking about the fact a second-hand clothes pop-up in Nicaragua might be less substantially built than a regular clothing shop at home, in the changing room I leaned against the wall for balance while trying to wriggle out of my trousers, only to discover the walls are made of cardboard when I crashed sideways through three stalls, ending up a sweaty beetroot mess, half undressed on the floor with my ankles still tangled while a gaggle of Nica women pissed themselves laughing and pointing at me. I laughed with them as they helped me up, trying to act as though I wasn't dying inside from humiliation as well as from the pain.
The pace of life in Ticuantepe seemed very tranquilo and for that reason I felt very safe there, but perhaps this was naive and I was still far removed, because I was completely shocked when an incident occurred which I only found out the true nature of later. Coming back from eating out one night, my friend Judy and I encountered a police blockade in the road. It was unusual to see police at all. There was a woman crying, with blood on her face, and two legs sticking out from a motito (tuk-tuk). We didn't know what was going on so got out of the way. I've since learned that we had stumbled into a murder scene. After a minor collision, an argument had spiralled out of control, and another very young motito driver, who was not even involved, was shot and killed by a drug-dealer. The legs I had seen poking out were the legs of a young man who had been murdered during the time we'd been eating dinner.
In this way, the first few weeks were a good introduction to life in Nicaragua; a place which is full of warmth and fun, but also one in which people's lives are shaped by the harsh realities of a country which has come out of revolution, civil war, natural disasters, and for many, poverty.
After living in Ticuantepe, I moved to the capital city of Managua, to volunteer with a fantastic local organisation called CANTERA and continue to learn more about Nicaraguan life.
With thanks to everyone who made me feel happy and welcome when I first arrived here.
Tagged Central America, Latin America, Managua, Nicaragua, Nicaraguan, poverty, sustainable tourism, Ticuantepe, TravelLeave a comment
Central America, Panama
Imagine the perfect paradise island: soft white beaches shaded by palm trees, cool, crystal clear water lapping the shore, starfish bejewelling the ocean floor, and literally no one for miles around…. except the Panamanian 'pirate' that has just cracked open a fresh coconut with his machete for you to pour your rum into.
You spend your days lying in the sand, drinking, chatting, reading, taking dips in the sea to cool off. You scuba-dive for an hour or two and see what the ocean is hiding: a beautiful array of corral, and millions of brightly coloured fish. In the evenings you share food and cold beers with people from around the world, and spend your nights sleeping in hammocks. This is how I spent four days meandering by boat from Colombia to Panama with San Blas Adventures.
Panama was another surprise for me. I nearly didn't even bother going, because I'd heard how the culture was totally Amercicanised, how expensive it was, and how uninteresting Panama City is (except the canal).
However, I needed to get from Colombia to Central America somehow. I didn't want to fly, and it's impossible to take a bus because the Darién Gap is too dangerous: if the gangsters and drug traffickers don't get you, you'll probably just get killed by something in the vast jungle.
It was way out of my budget, but I have no regrets, because sailing through the San Blas Islands was my second-favourite experience travelling in Latin America, honestly just because it was another chance to be completely secluded from civilisation and be absorbed in totally natural beauty without distractions.
It wasn't all idyllic: being that remote, there's obviously no plumbing, and so it was several days of latrines over the sea. The first island wasn't too bad, I just felt sorry for the fish you could see darting about below the drop hole, and wondered what they must think of the impending shit bombs crashing into their tranquil homes out of nowhere. Later days were worse: when the wind was strong, sometimes the sea water washed people's… deposits back up at you when you perched on the edge of the seat. Mmm. We also had bucket showers, which I find actually kind of refreshing in the heat, but nevertheless after four days of island life there was a part of me that was glad to return to a proper bed and a decent shower in Panama City. I also never wanted to drink rum again in my life. If you've ever been horrifically hungover on a speedboat in tropical heat you'll know what I mean.
In Panama City, the canal museum is far too expensive to visit (at least for me) but if you get a free ticket for the restaurant (also absurdly expensive) you can just buy a drink and watch the boats come through. It's worth doing but not life-changing. But after one day of recovery from island life I was desperate to get back to it, and so took the worst night bus of my life to get to Bocas del Toro.
It was worth it. Bocas Del Toro is an archipalego of the most stunning Caribbean islands on the north-east coast of Panama. The vibe is muy tranquilo and the islands, which you can visit by water taxi from Bocas town on Isla Colon, are further secluded little paradises tucked away from reality. Opportunities for scuba diving and snorkelling are abundant, and there is even a 'sloth island'. Red Frog beach would have been the most perfect beach I've experienced, had I not just experienced a week living in paradise.
So, on Panama: don't miss it. Skip the cities and get down with island life. It doe s mean adapting to 'island time' where anything can occur within a couple of hours of when it's supposed to, and if you order lunch prepare to waste your whole afternoon waiting for it to show up: but a slower pace of life was exactly what I needed to recover as I was just over the halfway point of my travel, and it prepared me for the culture of pura vida when I crossed over the border to my next highly anticipated destination: Costa Rica!
Tagged boat trip, Bocas del Toro, Central America, Colombia, islandlife, islands, Latin America, Panama, Panama City, paradise, San Blas Islands, TravelLeave a comment

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


TOLEDO (13abc Action News) - With 2018 here, the race for Ohio's top job is in full gear. But with each passing day, the list of gubernatorial candidates is getting smaller.
Current Ohio Governor John Kasich is term limited, and at its height, there were nine people running (6 Democrats, 3 Republicans) to fill his seat.
Each election cycle, 13abc Action News is pleased to welcome Melissa Miller, Ph.D., from Bowling Green State University, to discuss the trend in politics and what's ahead.
This week, we talked with Dr. Miller about not only Ohio's gubernatorial race, but also what we should expect in the President's first official State of the Union Address, and we covered the speculation that media mogul Oprah Winfrey could run for President.


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May 15th, 2021Ford: Councillor, horticulturalist, artist
THE Clunes Town Hall and Courthouse is a striking municipal building designed by Percy Oakden. Built in 1872, the distinctive building reflected the prosperity of a gold mining town in its heyday. But this is not a story about the Clunes Town Hall as such, though it is worth mentioning that the grand building has recently had a substantial makeover, returning it to its original glory.
Instead the subject here is Richard Ford, arguably one of the town's most well known and revered artists. He was born in 1875 and died in 1961 and over the course of a long life he was a council foreman, horticulturist and park curator and later taught woodwork at the Clunes Higher Elementary School. In addition to these many talents he was a prolific painter. Where Ford received his artistic training is unknown but his skills were considerable.
He executed numerous works of Clunes and its surroundings very much in the tradition of English landscape painting, casting the town in a soft bucolic light. An interpretation in great contrast to the many photographs of the period featuring rickety shacks, industrial-scale mining operations and denuded hills. Nonetheless, over the years many people wound up owning a Richard Ford work and there was even one found at the Senior Citizens Centre during its recent revamp which has since been donated to the Clunes Museum.
However, it is the aforementioned Clunes Town Hall which was the recipient of some of his most substantial creations. They came about in the form of a detailed stage proscenium and a war memorial painting, both of which can still be viewed today in the large public meeting room.
A century ago town halls were one of the main social spaces for regional dwellers. There people would gather to dance, listen to music and watch plays. And the proscenium bracketing the stage was as essential as chairs and lights. Generally they featured a painted backdrop, movable wings and a physical proscenium arch. The entire installation then served as the frame into which the audience observed a theatrical performance. By 1916 the time had come to replace the old proscenium and as council foreman, Ford was uniquely placed to offer his skills in the creation of a new one.
The result was spectacular. The backdrop depicted a paved patio bracketed by neo-classical balustrades looking out over a sumptuous lake and dramatic mountains. Four rectangular wings around three metres high featured sturdy oak trees thick with foliage. On their reverse side were framed vignettes of subjects such as native flowers and swaggies by water holes. With the flick of a latch, the stage could go from a European to Australian theme in moments.
Needless to say the council and town loved the final result and many spoke in, "most eulogistic terms of the fine painting executed by Mr Ford," as reported by the Clunes Guardian and Gazette. In response: "Ford said he could hardly express his feelings. He had done the work to the best of his ability and he was pleased to know that his efforts had been appreciated."
Six years later a memorial was created in the same space featuring photos of soldiers and nurses who served in the Great War and Ford was able to contribute once again. "In the centre is the representation of a rising sun," reports the Clunes Guardian and Gazette, "brilliantly and artistically painted by Mr Ford to whom much praise is due for the skill and care which he has bestowed upon the whole work". A century later, his works remain in good condition. And with the Town Hall refurbishment and restoration works now complete, a new generation of Clunes residents and visitors will have the chance to experience them again in all their glory.
Thanks to James Curzon-Siggers and the Clunes Museum for their assistance with this article.
Images: one of Ford's paintings of Clunes, featuring the corner of Fraser and Templeton streets circa 1920. Image: Courtesy of Victorian Collections and the Clunes Museum, the proscenium in the main meeting room of the Clunes Town Hall and Courthouse. Image: Tony Sawrey, the rising sun war memorial designed by Richard Ford in the Clunes Town Hall. Image: Tony Sawrey, Richard Ford in his garden 1941. Image: Courtesy of Victorian Collections and the Clunes Museum
Words: Tony Sawrey


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HTC had a terrible 2019
Manish Singh
HTC can't seem to catch a break.
The once-king-of-the-hill smartphone vendor, which had a terrible 2018, continued to bleed last year, according to financial disclosures it made on Monday.
HTC reported revenue of 10,015 million TWD ($333 million) in 2019, down 57.8% from 23,741 million TWD ($789 million) it posted the year before, and a whopping 87% below the more than $2 billion it grossed in 2017. As Bloomberg columnist Tim Culpan pointed out, Apple now generates more from selling AirPods in a fortnight than HTC clocks from selling each of its offering in a year.
The drop in revenue comes as the Taiwanese firm scales back its smartphone business -- a sizeable portion of which it sold to Google two years ago -- and focuses on virtual reality headsets and accessories.
HTC has yet to disclose how much money it lost in the quarter that ended in December, but in the other three quarters last year, it lost 7.05 billion TWD ($234.4 million).
Last year, HTC made significant changes to its smartphone strategy in many nations, including India, the world's second largest smartphone market. HTC no longer sells flagship and other high-end smartphones in India, and instead focuses on mid-range handsets.
In September, HTC appointed a longtime telecom vet, Yves Maitre, as its new chief executive officer. In an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt last year, Maitre candidly opened about the once-iconic firm's recent performance, saying HTC had "stopped innovating in the hardware of the smartphone."
"And people like Apple, like Samsung and, most recently, Huawei, have done an incredible job investing in their hardware. We didn't, because we have been investing in innovation on virtual reality," he said.
Maitre has said that in the future the company will focus on virtual reality headsets and many of its applications, such as training and education. In recent quarters, HTC has launched Vive Pro Eye headset for enterprises, revamped its consumer-facing VR headset to better compete with Facebook's offering, and produced VR works at the Venice Film Festival. It has not disclosed how many VR headsets it has sold.
The company has also launched a 5G-enabled mobile hotspot for users who don't want to commit to a 5G smartphone just yet to enjoy the faster download speed (provided their local carrier supports it). It also refreshed its blockchain handset lineup in October last year, adding a cheaper variant to the mix.


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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Condemns ISIL Attacks in Egypt
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has condemned the terrorist attacks of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, in Egypt.
Saudi Arabia Announces Formation of a 34-State Islamic Military Coalition to Fight Terrorism
Saudi Arabia has announced a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism.
Ted Cruz to Continue Former President Bush's War on Terrorism?: 2016 Presidential Candidate Swears to 'Utterly Destroy' ISIL By Carpet Bombing Them 'Into Oblivion'
The Republican hopeful likened the recent San Bernardino shootings to the Islamic terrorism across the globe.
Turkey-Russian Feud Worsens As the Middle Eastern Country Refuses to Grant US Proposal to Close the Syrian Border
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu refuses to concede to proposals made by the United States to close its border with Syria.


The past two years have been amazing here at For The Rise. I plan on posting occasionally here in the future but I've started a new site. I hope you will continue following my adventures and writing at www.sleepwhenyouredead.com. There you will find stories about not just fly fishing but hunting and other outdoor activities as well.
A few months ago a trip was planned by www.azflyandtie.com. We rented out an entire lake in hopes of incredible dry fly fishing for Arizona's own, the Apache Trout. This fish, found nowhere else on earth, looks like a cross between a Brown Trout and a Bonneville Cutthroat. Imagine a Bonneville Cutt as far as markings and size go, but yellow/gold in color similar to a Brown. Our destination was Hurricane Lake on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. This lake is managed only for Apache Trout and produced the world record Apache weighing almost six pounds. I've been excited about this trip for months.
Unfortunately, on May 29th, an enormous forest fire ignited in the beautiful White Mountains. Due to high winds, hot temps, and a dry winter, this fire has burned for nearly a month. As of three hours ago this fire had consumed over 500,000 acres of the worlds largest Ponderosa Pine forest making it the largest fire in Arizona history.
Hurricane Lake was directly effected and the forest service has closed it for at least the next 90 days. The trip was called off… then rescheduled for Hawley Lake. I almost canceled, knowing that Hawley is mostly a put and take with a slim chance of a big Brown. I did some research and found Earl Park was close by, and that it held nice Apaches on occasion. Game on!
I left work at 3:00 on Friday. The temperature in my car read 111* as I drove to meet Jason Jones. The mountains were calling in a big way. After a three hour drive we arrived to beautiful Hawley Lake. We found a good spot for the tents, set up camp and got out the camp chairs. I was short on a few flies so broke out the vise and tied half a dozen midges for the next morning.
My bench for the evening.
At 4:15 we arose and made the short, 1/2 mile drive to Earl Park. In the early light we could see several fish rising. We set up the toons and I snapped a quick pic of the pretty little lake.
Neither of us had fished it so I spent most of the early morning paddling around its 47 acres.
I set out of surprise then cast back to the same spot hoping the fish would hit on the fall. Nothing… I worked the area some more and five casts later my indicator tanked and I was fast to a fish. The fish went nuts, the 3wt VXP bent deeply and the click pawl reel sang as line flew off of it. As I got the fish closer I realized it wasn't a Brown but a HUGE Apache Trout. I netted the fish a minute later then lifted 20″ of Apache from the water!
Talk about being spoiled! The world record is 24″. Pics were hard by myself but I got a few.
This was my only fish of the morning. We called it and headed in after that. As we were pulling the boats out we notice a few nice fish cruising near shore. Jason made a good cast and the fish took! He fought it to the net which measured the fish at 18″ but when he took it out of the net it squirmed free and swam off. I was next and put a blood worm in front of one of the cruisers. The fish tipped up and sucked the fly in not 10 feet from me. Oh yeah!!
It was a clone of Jasons and much more colored up than my first.
I was in heaven and more than satisfied with the trip already. We headed back to camp to eat and get ready for the afternoon. Our afternoon target was a nearby stream with more Apache's. The stream did not disappoint. Perfect pocket water everywhere.
On the first drift an Apache came up and hit the size 10 Stimulator! I missed the take but put it right back where I had cast. The fish came back from under the rock and hit it again. I missed again, threw it back and it came back again! haha I finally connected and brought the little gem to hand.
The next two hours were fish after fish. Most of the fish came on the SOS nymph but several smashed the dry as well.
Jason scored the best looking fish of the day. I was floored by the color. I'll be back to this stream.
I actually yelled, "they do exist!". Meaning Brookies in AZ. There are not too many Brookies South of where I was until WAY past the equator.
Dinner last night was a pot luck. I ate entirely too much of all of this and lots more I didnt take pics of.
After all that food I two Aleve and crashed after one incredible day. I never imagined i'd have a day like that my first time in the White Mountains. I'm so glad I didnt bail out and look forward to many more adventures in Arizonas high country.
Alaska's costal waters play host to millions of Pacific Salmon every year. Over the years i've been very fortunate, taking several trips to Southeast Alaska and landing four of the five species. Silver, Pink, Chum, and Sockeye are all great and special. The Kings are the largest and have avoided my lines on all previous trips.
Last year my dad called and invited me to join him on a trip in late May. I jumped at the chance to head back up to Alaska, even more excited knowing that this time of the year means lots of kings out on the coast. Last Saturday I left the valley of the sun and headed to the last frontier. All of this fit in a medium checked bag and a carry on.
We always spend a day in Juneau and check out the local attractions. Juneau is the only capital city in the US with a glacier in the city.
Icebergs from the glacier slowly melt in Mendenhall Lake.
And good food at "The Hanger" bar and grill.
After a day of sight seeing we took a '64 Cesna from Juneau to Gustavus. Its a short 20 minute ride over snow capped coastal mountains.
We arose early on the first day, dressed quickly and drove the short distance to the dock. Our guide/captain was Greg Taylor. He is originally from Orem and has been up in Gustavus for the summers for the last 10 years. Greg has become a close friend over the years and we spent a good amount of time this trip talking about fishing in Utah and Idaho.
We ran out to the open ocean, about 30 miles from the inside passage that shelters the glacier bay area. We put the riggers down to 109 feet. Right off the bat my dad hit a nice King. Then my uncle Jay got one. Then my little Brother. Then my uncle Ryan.
Finally the line popped off the rigger I was watching and the fight was on! My first King salmon was fighting well, I got him close to the surface and then this happened.
Pretty disappointing but it happens. We ended up loosing two halibut later in the trip to the buzzards of the sea. Shortly after the Sea Lion encounter the wind came up and the Gulf of Alaska went from lumpy to down right dangerous. We battled waves for a half hour and got back a little ways inside to more calm water.
Fishing for rock fish off of the humps that come up out in the open ocean is pretty exciting. We jig for them with 16 ounce jig heads and 14 inch plasic skirts.
to my favorite, the Ling Cod.
It was a great first day. We were tired and my Bro was pretty sea sick so we ran back in to the dock.
Day two called for a pretty big tide with some wind. We decided not to risk the ocean and stayed in the protected water of the inside passage. More rock fishing was in order to fill our limits.
Quite a workout for the Loomis rods.
On the way back we stopped at the sleepy harbor called Elfin Cove.
Its a quirky place and the people there think they are pretty funny… haha I laughed.
Day three we went after some halibut. We picked up a few but the bite was really slow.
It was too nice of a day for the fish to bite well so we went around to see wildlife.
As we passed a shoreline Greg noticed a pair of Bald Eagles and we stopped to have some fun with them. We tossed some bait in the water we had for the Halibut and watched the show. I'm sure glad Ben Franklin didnt get his way with our national bird.
Day 4 we fished the beautiful Bartlett River. The eight mile hike wasnt too bad. It was however a barren waste-land compared to what it looks like in early August when thousands of salmon fill the river and Dolly Varden follow close behind. We still managed some pretty little Coastal Cutthroat and I dutifully snapped the tip off my Winston.
Some bear sign.. we were carrying spray.
The last day the weather was right and the tide was perfect. We cruised at full speed out to the Salmon grounds. I was ready to get that Kind and complete the slam! The water and conditions were perfect and as soon as we were down the line popped off the rigger. I was fast on the rod and caught up to the piggy Salmon. After a few runs I got it to the net and was pleased beyond words with the fat King.
Then later an even longer fish came to the boat at the hands of my Dad.
We finished the morning with five Kings for the five anglers and rushed back to make our flight. After some quick packing we were off. A little heavier than on the way in.
The week flew by way too fast but all good trips do. My quest for a King was fulfilled. A huge thanks to my Dad for making the trip happen. It was so great to spend time with family again. Now its time for an Apache Trout.
I'm sitting here on my friends computer on a total fishing high. If you have never experience one, it feels like a sun/wind burned face, sore legs from wading rivers and kicking against wind on a stillwater, burning eyes from lack of sleep, and a permanent smile with memories that have just been made replaying in your head. The last three days have been incredible. I flew up from Gilbert on Friday morning. When I landed in Idaho Falls my friend Everet and other friend Brandon were waiting with the car loaded. We were ready to fish.
We headed to a backwater of the Snake River in search of 20-30lb Carp that would be willing to take streamers put right in front of their giant heads. When we got there the carp were in the shallow water and looked like slow cruising tanks over the light colored sandy bottom. With some practice, Brandon and I got proficient casting the seven weight rods and large streamers into the never ending wind of the area. Everet guided us to some brutes, Brandon struck first with a 20lb freight train that went deep into his backing as the drag sang.
The fish swam off strongly and we were back at it for more.
From there it was fish after fish for the next two hours… our arms were burning but there were more fish to catch.
Day two found us 150 miles to the North at Clark Canyon. It was the first trip for any of us to this stillwater but with some help from friends before the trip we found a good area. Its a beautiful lake and the fish cooperated. Loaded for battle.
The Madison between the lakes is one of the most scenic rivers i've ever fished. It was also loaded with guys when we arrived so the three of us made the treacherous wade across the high river to the far bank away from the crowds. This proved to be worth it as we landed lots of Bows in front of skunked and not so happy anglers on the other side of the river. Hot flies where big rubberlegs and Higas SOS.
What an amazing tailwater. Bows were all strong and had beautiful colors.
Day three we headed the opposite direction and fished Chesterfield in the morning. Wind was our nemesis this trip. It blew about 50 mph all day at Chesterfield. We lasted about three hours and managed a few fish. Flies being moved by some surface chop is usually a good think while indicator fishing, however when there are three foot rollers it has the opposite effect. Not fun but the fish we did catch were healthy and seem to have wintered very well.
That capped off a great few days of fishing with some of my best friends. A huge thanks to Everet who drove us around and guided us while sacrificing his own fishing most of the trip. I'm sure he would have put us to shame if we would have been throwing rods more instead of helping us out. Cant wait for the next adventure.
My family and I spent the weekend in beautiful Sedona.
Woke up at 445 and cruised up the canyon to one of the many campgrounds. It was 45* and felt cold after being in 90-100* for weeks.
Too cold and early for hatches, I chose to nymph with a small PT and a Higas SOS. The SOS did it, bringing 4 small Bows to hand and a Brown.
Finished up before the sun hit the water and was back for blueberry pancakes with the fam.
I should be fishing a bunch this month. Stay tuned for more reports.
I'll try to make this as interesting as possible. Be warned, this post will not contain pics of twenty something inch trout and all photos are from a phone. I know, i've been slacking on reports.
In January I moved my family down to GIlbert AZ. Its definetly different from Utah but we like it. I actually like everything about it besides missing my family and the fishing. Having been suffering from trout withdrawals, I was trying to get up to Becker Reservoir today but waited too long to plan it. I couldnt find anyone to go with and with gas at $3.75 I couldnt justify the cost to go by myself.
I bought a Sage 3200 reel and had to try it out so I loaded up the family and we headed to nearby Saguaro Lake. The drive up along the Salt River is really pretty.
Its wasn't too hot today, mid 80s, so we packed a BBQ. When we got there we unloaded the car then headed down to the lake. With my wife and baby on the shore I couldnt fish long. Our daughter watched with great anticipation.
The wind was blowing and the Sage I was tossing is just a 4wt. I made about 20 casts, caught 3 Bluegills, wet waded in the warm water, and broke in a new reel. Felt good to be casting again.
We made our way back to the shade and ate grilled honey cajun chicken, chips and pink lemonade.
All in all a good day. I really like the 3200. Its really light, pretty, and I dont miss the drag at all. I'll try to get out after some trout in the next two weeks. Apache Trout pics to come!
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Here's a juicy topic today –> The ethics of entering giveaways!
Which we're constantly featuring here on this blog, as well as hundreds of others!
Check out the following email I just received and see if any of it resonates with you… There are some excellent points in it, and it's never bad to stop and reflect on things whether you end up agreeing with them or not.
I enjoy your blog as the ideas of others challenge me regularly.
My husband and I enjoy the benefits of hard work, saving and wise investing. We are debt-free and my husband has retired. I continue to work at my profession for health insurance and contributions to my 401K. We buy what we want, go where we want and give generously.
My comment is an ethical one. I want to provide background. Years ago when I was freshly out of college, single and just getting on my feet in a small town in the Midwest where I felt called to be, I appreciated every helping hand that came my way – no matter the form. I lived frugally and kept an eye open for opportunities. A local grocery store was celebrating National Beef Month and offered registration for a free beef bundle – burger, roasts, and steaks. I entered according to the rules and said a prayer that my name would be drawn. It was not. The winner was the wife of a prominent business man who, from appearances, didn't have a money care in the world.
Now that I have progressed well beyond the financial status of my youth I do not enter my name into drawings of this kind. I can buy all the burger, roasts and steaks I want. I much prefer that someone who needs a helping hand receive the goodies.
If I come across a limited number of something offered, I don't buy. I don't shop on Black Friday as there is nothing offered that I can't buy at full price. I leave those deals to those who don't have the resources I do. I don't take the free t-shirt at the ballgame offered to the first 1000 fans. I don't need another t-shirt and someone else might.
This email was prompted by an event in my hometown recently. A local fast food restaurant had an event where the first 50 people in the drive-thru early one morning would get a free meal each week for a year. A university professor, his wife and two adult sons were among the first 50 people. They waited over an hour before the opening time. Perhaps it was the thrill of the hunt, but I wondered how many single mothers could have used that meal each week – maybe splitting it with her child. Or dividing it for her two children while she ate ramen noodles.
Please know that I only mean to bring forth another perspective and challenge you with my thoughts.
And what a fresh perspective indeed, boy… Anytime you can put yourself in front of others is a beautiful thing, whether having to do with giveaways or anything else!
That being said, do I think it's unethical to enter them if you already have more than enough in life??? Not necessarily, but perhaps it's more of a "nice thing to do" type thing here vs an "ethical" one? Like when people hold the door open for you or pay you a compliment? They're not exactly a-holes for not doing those, but it sure is refreshing when they do!
I also wonder if the *item itself* being given away matters in situations like this too? If you're entering for a small thing like a finance book or video game, would that be less unethical than, say, going after the free year of food or anything else that falls under the "needs" vs "wants" category? And what about extreme wants like world-wide cruises or HGTV mansion giveaways that even those of us with solid finances can't come close to affording? Would those be "okay" for anyone to enter?
And now I'll be thinking about this EVERY TIME I COME ACROSS A NEW GIVEAWAY!!!
But what about you? Do you think it's okay to enter giveaways regardless of circumstances, or should they only be reserved for those less fortunate than you? Are there cut offs of things that are okay to enter vs those which aren't?
No right or wrong answers here, of course, just good things to think about on the constant pursuit of trying to live our best lives.
And having run giveaways here on this site for over 10 years now, as well as giveaway-specific projects like GivewaysAreSexy.com (remember that one?!), I already know some of you are living this "people first" mentality and I love it every time I see it. There's always a handful of you who will comment that you love the item but don't want to enter for it, and will then go on to buy it yourself so others can have a shot at winning it instead!
So yeah, good food for thought today, and regardless of where you land I'd love to hear why so it helps us come to better conclusions ourselves.
And if this question bores you too much, maybe try this one out instead –> Should Only Poor People Shop at Thrift Stores?
Going a little off piste here but, in the quest for a slightly more minimal lifestyle and the endless quest to lose "the last 5lb"!, I don't take anything free that I wouldn't buy.
I don't take a free t-shirt or travel coffee mug or tote bag because, to quote myself with my sailor mouth, "I don't want that crap in my house!".
That's my more natural reasoning too :) Comes into play in other areas of finance too, like major sales or discounts! 50% off junk is still junk!
I think this is the better argument rather than ethical vs unethical. Is it actually something that you would use?
I get the point, but you're not going to eliminate poverty by doing this. And this taking away something from someone else who needed concept can be taken as far as you want to take it. Every time you buy food at the grocery store, you're taking food out of the store that someone else may have needed. Does that mean you shouldn't eat? Truth is, we've all got it better than most of the world in America so we should all give back in some way. If you just really love giveaways and you're donating money each month to a cause you care about, I don't see the harm in doing them.
I definitely understand and support your guest writer's perspective. However, I think appearances can be deceiving. Just because someone has a job that says he should have a certain lifestyle does not mean that it is so. That person could be overwhelmed in obligations (aka d_ _ t) and struggling to repay.
Only that family really knows if they need to be in that line for the free meal.
There is a part of me that says it does matter what is being given away, especially if it's basic necessities like food/shelter.
There are also some people who may be in need and do not know how to humble themselves to go get the assistance being freely offered.
Then I wonder what if people who need the food or donated items are too proud to go get some? Is it okay then for someone like that university professor and his family to get some freebies?
For me it's based on need and the honor system. I think it also depends on one's upbringing. Some folks just find it easier to accept help than others.
And, this might be an area in which one needs to evolve.
Although we still sometimes find it challenging to accept gifts from others who are struggling that reminder has helped us to keep things in perspective.
So, if that university professor and family are experiencing some financial challenges and someone else is offering free food I see nothing wrong with them accepting that gift. When things improve for them they can pay it forward.
Another thing with accepting gifts is that it makes the GIVER feel good too!! There's nothing better than knowing you're helping out someone you love, which you can only do if that person somehow brings it up (or you're good at figuring things out!).
I am so grateful to our friend for sharing such an important viewpoint about keeping the energy flowing, which we have since shared with others. Because I have seen how it's transformed at least one other person who probably found it more difficult to accept gifts than we did.
Like you, I have read and appreciate many of the responses and ways of viewing this article. One that sticks out the most to me is: It's okay, if it feels right to accept some free stuff that you might not necessarily need, because you like the positive feelings that come with the process. I really had not thought of this before. And, if you win, you could easily make a donation to some worthy cause….
I also like that you pointed out that the author sent her thoughts to you and you shared it with us. But, regardless of how it came out there is enough being shared that most of us can read and improve in some way or the other.
Thanks to you and the author and all who choose to share their thoughts.
It's interesting way to look at it I guess. But it's a slippery slope. You could make the same arguments buying something used or discounted. Honestly I try to remember the odds of a poor person being displaced by me in a giveaway is next to none. After all giveaway enterants come from all walks of life. Conversely the odds of me donating in some way that helps someone who is poor is 100 percent. So if it's a large enough giveaway I'd donate something at the same time. The giveaway enables the donation. Then again part of my lottery fantasy (I didn't even buy a ticket) was what charity would get 100 million and how would I do it annonymously.
"the odds of me donating in some way that helps someone who is poor is 100 percent." – very well said, hadn't thought about it that way before but you're right!
I wonder about something similar every time I buy clothes at Goodwill. I can afford $50 for a Polo brand polo shirt, but I'll never buy it. But a nearly new Polo at Goodwill for $5 will find its way to my closet every time. So far I justify taking from the poor (haha!) by noting that our local Goodwill is never, ever low on inventory.
I agree that it depends on the item and the circumstance. I'm not wealthy enough to just go out and buy whatever I want but I do have my more than my basic needs met. However, I never pass up the free breakfasts offered at hotels since not taking it wouldn't mean that some poor person would get it.
I think being charitable in giving and helping others is more important than not taking a free t shirt, if that brings you some joy.
And no, I don't feel guilty in winning those coin books which, though I could afford to buy them, I probably wouldn't have. I'm sure your giving them and my reading them brought joy to the both of us and isn't that what it's all about?
I'd like to point out that a university professor, depending on the level of their position, whether they have tenure, etc, could actually be greatly in need of free food. Some of those professors get paid peanuts!
I actually have a very similar thought every time I take free food left out after meetings at work. I am one of the highest paid people in my company working with a lot of entry-level young people making half or less as much as me. A free meal is much more likely to make a significant difference in their budget for the month. For me it's just more tasty food that I didn't really need in the first place because I probably packed a lunch that day or even already ate it.
I think one of the problems with living frugally and automating savings so much is that without conscience thought, it can feel like you're poor even when you're not. We don't have a lot in the budget to spend on fun things like eating out. We could eat out three times a week for dinner and grab something for lunch everyday if we wanted to. But we're choosing to do more important things with that money.
What I'm loving about all these comments so far is that this whole mentality stretches wayyyy beyond just giveaways here. I hadn't thought about half the stuff you guys have been mentioning and it's so fascinating!!
If it makes you feel like you're doing the right thing than don't enter. I enjoy playing the game. I also got into a frugal state of mind by entering giveaways and doing other money saving things. If I stop and become satisfied with not being frugal, I may fall back into debt and become that person who has no money again. Now that I am in a comfortable position with money I donate a lot of items to people in need. That's how I learned the lesson of accept when you need and give when you don't.
Not entering a give away or not shopping on BF because poorer people than you might want to waste only 50% of their money…. idk, it sounds very elitist. In fact the whole guest post sounds like a humble brag.
The question I have is that since you acknowledge people enter these things that don't have a need, why would you also not enter to attempt to control the narrative. I mean whats stopping you from turning right around and giving away to someone you deem worthy?
Bottom line is we are all human and deserving of living an enjoyable life. More so than anything, people should learn to listen to that little whispering voice or feeling in their gut to tell them if what they are doing is greedy. I shouldn't feel bad for getting a "free" hamburger because I sacrificed year over year and clawed my way up inch by inch to get where I am at. I'm not FI yet but what the hell is all this sacrificing for if you can never enjoy anything. Someone will always be better and worse off than you so you might as well just live it up.
Really all I am saying is that everyone deserves a break sometimes, regardless of need.
I really just wanted to start a conversation that didn't blindly follow the acceptance + one interesting fact comments that usually follow a post.
If I take only the quoted section into context. I guess the question I have is what is the motive, is it truly benevolence, or is it to make yourself feel less bad about not being poor? In that respect the reason to abstain from giveaways, may not be altruistic at all. Rather, the reason may be so that you can obtain something intangible that money can not buy at all, a lasting positive feeling. If that is the reason, I would say there exists a possibility that motivations could be less than pure?
I think I need more coffee to fully grasp all that, haha… But I do like that this has generated a lot of good comments so far – my inbox has blown up!
Hopefully you don't mind me being the comment section's antagonist from time to time. I really wasn't trying to make anyone feel bad. Just wanted to open up some alternative view points.
100% man. It would be pretty boring in here if everyone agreed all the time!!
Interesting topic! On NPR the other day they were talking about a fella who gamed the lotto in SC – purchasing some $7 million worth of lotto tickets and eventually won the $20 million jackpot because he (being a math genius) knew the # combos he needed to purchase to win. Crazy. He'd done this like 12+ other times. I think its just greed playing out and when there is money available / giveaways available, the sly / greedy will find a way to take advantage and (often) robbing those who could use it more.
WOWWWWW!!! That takes immense balls too, jeez….
I rarely enter any giveaways now. It's not because I'm more considerate. It's just that I don't want to give my contact info out. I have enough robocalls already and don't need anymore.
Also, I don't have time to wait an hour in line.
The reason I can 'afford whatever I like' is because I take advantage of discounts and live on a budget. My income is good (not great), but we live a nice life. I can recognize that, but I also admit that I don't splurge often. Freebies and giveaways allow us to 'splurge' in our lifestyle. If I bought tickets for my family to go to a baseball game (easily $50 for a family of 10), then the t-shirt is a bonus we can enjoy. I doubt many homeless people even knew about the restaurant giveaway – they could have slept there all night to be first in line. Now, the university professor has the opportunity to be generous with others – something he may not had a chance to do otherwise.
I don't think that unethical buying on sale or second hand, I don't take away others chance to do it. I often play on giveaways, and won a few prizes, but if I would enough money to buy these items, I would pass them. But sometimes there are some good opportunities, like travel somewhere and meet someone famous or a package of unique adventures that a common person couldn't buy, maybe I would still enter those ones.
Yup, true! That falls under my "extreme" giveaways where it's so much $$$ or a unique experience/item that everyone in that case would be considered "less off" than the giver of 'em and thus all is welcome to enter :) I'll play those every now and then when the barrier to enter is super low.
Interesting. I enter the occasional giveaway. I'm not one of those to enter sweepstakes, but if there is a jar to put my name in at some local venue, sure. I won a little car safety kit in a very cool tote bag at a work giveaway a couple of years ago. Could I have afforded the items in it? Sure. Might one of my coworkers needed it more and been less able to afford it? Yes. But EVERY TIME I see that tool kit in my car, I feel lucky, fortunate, happy. I also remember with joy the two bags full of groceries that I won once, back when I did need them. Winning something is not just a matter of getting a material good. It gives you something you can't buy–the feeling of being lucky, the reminder that good things sometimes come to you even if you are not particularly deserving or needy.
love love LOVE this… such a great way to think of it!!
The ethical thing to do is to enter the giveaway and then, if you win, give the steaks to a charity.
But it depends on the product. If it's not a charity, the marketers have giveaways so that people who can afford it go, like it, and go again. A European cruise giveaway isn't meant for someone who can't afford to take time off from work or who can't afford to travel to Europe for the cruise. So enjoy your fancy person giveaways. On the other hand, I would never take money earmarked to help lower income people, like scholarships to attend events. I thought the Fincon scholarship was interesting to enter but I never would have taken the money (I mean, not that I won =P) because that was specifically to help people who couldn't afford it. To me, that's like stealing from charity.
My view is that, by taking advantage of discounts and trying to win giveaways, I have more expendable income for giving to others. I'm not trying to say I give ALL my money away but if I were to win fast food for a month (not my style but going with the story), then that's money I'm not spending on groceries, so it goes back to my budget and I have the margin to give to hurricane relief or whatever needs I see pop up. You're just speculating that by not entering, someone less fortunate gets your chance, when you actually have the right to control your money if you are smart with it (using discounts in this example since you can't control giveaways).
"I think I'll be sick for the month of November so others can be well." Sounds silly, right? Our health and wealth both depend on our personal beliefs and higher vibrations, not what others have "given up" for us. Those interested in this viewpoint can check out Abraham-Hicks on YouTube.
The only financial situation you truly know is your own; someone that seemingly makes "plenty" of money or has "enough" might be paying for elderly parents in a nursing home, a child in college (or rehab), or some other obligation. if it makes you feel better to not enter contests and take freebies then don't, but that doesn't make you any more virtuous than those that enter to win and don't "need" the prizes.
If you're comfortable and you also win a contest I think the best strategy is to pay it forward in some fashion along the way. Say you win the steaks. Then with the money you saved by reduced grocery shopping, increase your offering to the collection basket or donate to a food bank.
For many, it's the act of 'winning' than the actual prize itself. Sort of like people that go to fish, and throw every fish they catch back, regardless of size.
This is an interesting question. I suppose my two cents are this: If you want to leave out of a contest because you don't want/need the item, that's perfectly understandable, but I don't think it necessarily makes you "ethical" or good. There's an implied assumption here that giveaways should somehow go to the most deserving–the beef giveaway should go to the person most in need of beef.But that's not the point or even what the organization giving away the product wants. They want all people, perhaps especially the wealthy businesswoman, to be excited about their product. If it helps someone in need, that's an added bonus. Random giveaways are, fundamentally, by design, not a meritocracy. If the intention was something otherwise, there would be some sort of sorting criteria or qualification activities. Now is THAT wrong–should giveaways instead have qualifiers to ensure the resources are best used? At that point, you're fundamentally questioning the capitalist model, which is a much larger question.
To respond to the Black Friday argument, I recently wrote about how we cut back on Black Friday shopping ourselves, because of ethical concerns about Amazon. I think that's legitimate, but it's not about "leaving" resources for others (which I think is completely unreliable and makes no impact–hot take, I know) but instead about ensuring I am using my resources in the most ethical way possible. Since there's not really a resource output in the case of a giveaway… at best the person could win it and then ensure that it goes to someone deserving? So win the beef and donate it to a community organization? That's how you ensure something good comes of it. Before that, it's not yours to have any ownership of/determine.
A somewhat jumbled book, but money ethical concerns are my jam!
I actually meant to include that in my post – that the companies giving stuff away are 99% of the time in it for marketing and more business vs helping others ;) Otherwise they could just give the items/money away right to charity anytime they want! It's an interesting set of variables on both sides of the equation.
Having pondered it most of the day, I think the part of what I object to most is related to the final sentence of your comment response to me. I know you care about your readers, and I love seeing your giveaways. You deserve mad props for being one of the "good" giveaway folk, which is directly related to what irks me a little bit. Until the item is given away, it is the giver's (your) possession to do something with, and it's the giver's (your) ethical quandary to deal with the terms of. I can recuse myself from even being considered by you for any number of reasons, and that's fine. But the undergirding principle I read in the original e-mail that the item SHOULD go to x or y rubs me the wrong way because it presumes to tell the owner of the item (you) what to do with your property, when it's not mine to decide anything about until I win it. I feel like the point about point is very clouded by the (very minute in comparison) emphasis on the person whose possession it isn't to somehow guide the giveaway, and removes both culpability and praise for the person/org hosting the giveaway to start with.
I don't enter contests where I could easily afford the prize myself. I didn't apply for free FinCon or PositiveCents registrations for that reason.
Not because I'm so virtuous but I wouldn't value the free thing enough. My hope is the person who wins values it the most. That brings the highest utility to the situation.
Now, if they held a drawing for a private plane trip, I'd enter a million times. Oh, and I bought Mega Millions tickets because I thought I could do some good and have some fun with all that ca$h!
But wouldn't that have been fun! A bunch of frugalish bloggers being unfrugal together???
I agree with the commenter who said they frequently don't take the free giveaways because they don't want that crap in their house. That's honestly the biggest motivator for me. I don't want a year's worth of free fast food – yuck!! But for trips or shopping sprees that I normally couldn't afford, yes! Mostly because they're so luxurious that a normal person can't afford than anyway. I think those are fair game.
I've written often about how I pick up stray coins (and occasionally greenbacks). My partner and my great-nephews have also gotten into the act. At the end of the year I count our collective finds, round them up a bit and donate the finds to a local food bank.
1. The next person who happens along might not be "truly needy" but will pick it up anyway.
2. The folks who visit the food bank are almost certainly in need.
As for giveaways, I don't enter unless I or someone I know can actually USE the prize. For example, I don't need another T-shirt. But recently I attended a community festival and won a $25 gift card to Red Robin. Happy to accept — I can take someone I know out to lunch!
I've honestly never really thought about this, and I'm not really sure what I think. I'll definitely be thinking about this whenever I see a giveaway now.
Didn't you get some hate years ago for winning something big? Or am I imagining that?
As others have said, looks can be deceiving! If that university professor is an adjunct, the family may be in need of some free food. We can never know someone else's financial situation and assumptions are dangererous. I would not hesitate to take something if I can use it. (As far as my financial situation goes, I don't look poor and I don't feel poor, but technically I am.) I would take a giveaway, but I also give, so it all balances out.
This is an interesting perspective. When my sons and I were bike racing, we were involved in a raffle at the end of the season. The more points you earned in the year, the more raffle tickets you had. My kids finished #1 and #2 for the years. They had the most tickets in the raffle. The two big items were new bikes. They each won a bike! Then as the raffle continued, they were excited to win more. I pulled them aside and told them they had won the most already, let's not claim any more prizes and let the other kids feel good about winning something also. They were a bit disappointed, after all, they worked hard to win so many points and finish at the top of the leader board. But they understood. It was someone else's turn. Then they felt happy to see the other kid's faces when they won something also. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
I love that you did that :) If you can receive AND give at the same time that's the best of both worlds!
This is right up my alley! Entering contests and sweepstakes is kind of a hobby of mine. Last year I won almost $2500 in cash and prizes, this year only $700 so far.
I do have a full-time job – and kids and a husband who works 60 hrs a week and a house and other interests – so I can't enter everything even if I wanted to. When deciding whether to enter, I ask myself if I would be excited about winning the grand prize because I could use it or give it to someone I know who would be psyched about the gift. $500 cash? Yeah! A boat? I'd become my dad's favorite kid for sure, and probably also my brother's favorite sibling. A sewing machine? Uh, not my area and don't know anyone who does that stuff, so no. The thrill of winning would be overshadowed by the thought of "what am I going to do with this thing?" Plus, there's someone who would have been excited to win it while I'm… not. I think of the Friends episode where Joey is disappointed to not win a soapie and then accepts one for an actress who is all "pfft. whatever" when he tells her she won. I don't want to be Joey Tribiani or Alison Sweeney.
I also sometimes buy raffle tickets using the same logic, but because I'm spending money, I additionally must feel that if I don't win anything that I've made a donation to a worthy cause. So I might spend $100 on tickets to win a new car, but only if I would feel good donating $100 to the local high school band.
Now, just because I'd be super excited to win a new car does not mean I need a new car. In fact, I just bought a new car. Would I feel bad if I won and someone else is still driving a beater with 300k miles? No. I don't begrudge the people who won cars instead of me when I was driving a beater. Like someone else said above, it's not a meritocracy. It's meant to get people excited. As long as I'm excited about winning, I'm good with it.
The most important part for me is that when I win, I feel more generous. I want to pay it forward. My family, friends, coworkers, and sometimes strangers benefit from my luck. 3rd prize of 10 coupons for a free dozen donuts means I treat the entire office for the next 2 Monday mornings. My 6yo loves the taco hat I will never wear. After winning in 2 separate $500 radio contests, I extended our water park vacation by 2 days, bought my mom the $75 fleece she would never buy for herself, bought myself a purse I would never normally buy for myself, and bought lunch for a random woman at Arbys who seemed to be having a really crappy day. The baking supplies I won were donated to a silent auction for a cause I believe in, but I used the accompanying $500 Williams Sonoma gift card to buy fancy dishes that I would never justify spending regular money on. And it all felt AWESOME, more so than the actual winning.
Holy comments already! I'm just on a quick break at work so don't have time to read them all (but I'll be back to read them at some point–your readers always bring additional perspective that gets me thinking outside of what my blinders allow me to see).
One blogger (ahem) was giving away some personal finance books awhile back, and each day there were several in a bundle. The first bundle was a collection that I had never heard of/thought of or otherwise hadn't read but they sounded fascinating, so I entered. The next day, all but 1 of the books were ones that I already had, so I didn't enter.
My own personal meter of when to enter and when not to is based on a few questions: Do I need it? Will I buy it if I don't win it? Is it something that I will use? Is it something that I can gift to another that will benefit? If so, then yes, I will enter.
However, if it is something that will collect dust, not be used, not bring any value to me, etc., then I will pass. I have enough tote bags for my groceries, don't wear logo'd T-shirts, etc. I know that there are people out there that will thrill at getting a freebie, so I leave the ones that don't appeal to me to others. And honestly, that's true most of the freebies/drawings/etc. that come along! I just don't want/need that stuff. If something free lands on my desk unbeckoned, I have a homeless group that I work with that gets all the goodies that I don't use, and they often appreciate new.
Hmm… Somehow I hit submit without completing my thought.
Ethics can be a touchy subject, but in the case of a promotional giveaway, I don't think it's ethically wrong to enter giveaways for things that you don't need or could otherwise afford. However, if I were to go into the homeless group that I'm in and ask for a gas card so that I can get to work, that would be morally wrong. There's a difference between moral issues and ethical issues, and we each have our own moral compass.
Thanks for chiming in! And for volunteering with the homeless group – we need more angels like you in this world!!
Interesting question, with a lot of ramifications.
I'll enter a giveaway, especially a blog giveaway, if the item is something I need or could use. I feel like most bloggers want to engage their readers, and I'm more than willing to be engaged. If I win, I probably won't enter for a few months or so, just to give others a chance.
I can see the point of taking yourself out of the running if there are others entered who could possibly use the prize more, but: 1) There's no guarantee a needy person will win the item, and 2) You can't really judge another person's need by outward circumstances.
Devil's advocate argument, though: If not enough people enter, the offerer may decide there's not enough interest and stop offering further giveaways. Then no one can win.
Hah – true on that last one!
I enter giveaways all the time I can honestly say that I've never thought about giving someone else the chance to win something that I could otherwise win myself. To be honest I just love the thrill of winning and feeling lucky. It's the same feeling we all get when we win a board game like Yahtzee or Risk. You roll those dice and hope the right numbers land right side up. This feels a lot like an issue of need-based versus non-need based scholarships. Sometimes you receive a scholarship based on need, other times you earn it for getting good grades or playing a sport. Should the non-need based scholarships not exist because more people could use the need-based ones? It's all a slippery slope. I know one thing for sure. I'll still sign up for giveaways, but I'll think about this post every time I enter. Thanks for writing about it!
And that's all I want, my friend!! For us to think about stuff more even if it doesn't change our answers or actions at all :) Thanks for participating and being honest with your feelings!
It's hard for me to define needy. Just random thoughts here. I see people needing many things but spend what money they have unwisely. 150.00 for one cell phone and the same for a satellite dish. They frequent food banks for their groceries. I enter if it is something I need or want and can't afford. But I utilize every tip you suggest.
Although it's a little off-topic, this post made me think about other ways in which spending more might be the right (or nice) thinks to do. Buying ethically sourced food, for example. Or supporting artists by buying their art/ music/ audiobooks/ tutorials even though it may be available for free. If you have enough, why not spread your good fortune around?
YES!!! Love that line of thought!! And you know those artists/friends are going to be much more impacted by your generosity than larger corporations/etc! I catch myself doing more of this now too as my money increases… And REALLY admire those who do it even when they don't have much to give up at all!
I definitely do not think it is unethical but it is definitely unnecessary. When you were giving away some stuff, I only entered into the drawings for things I was truly interested in acquiring. I would never wait in line for over an hour to get a free drive thru meal once a week for year. Waiting in line for over an hour early in the morning for 52 $5 meals does not sound appealing to me. I would rather spend that time sleeping, getting ready for work, seeing my child before he goes to school, and being prepared for my work day. As a minimal minimalist, I'm not really interested in accumulating more stuff I don't want or need. If it is something I actually want or need, I check the complexity of entering. I will not spend 20 minutes filling out entries, following, and commenting on something to be entered if I can just buy it for $5 or $10. As they say, time is money.
Not saying it works for everything (and especially waiting in long lines!), but now she only enters giveaways that require some sort of *skill* since she knows if she takes the time she'll have better odds of winning since most people don't put in the effort… And of course similar to you and others, only enters for those things she *really* wants.
Being a minimal minimalist means I do it minimally. I hate extra crap and buying things I don't really need but I don't even want to attempt to live scorched earth style. I have a 5-year old so we have toys and hockey gear but I HATE knick knacks and useless items.
I get the thing where your wife spent time to win a freaking sleep number bed. Those things are expensive and that is an awesome giveaway. Most giveaways are junk you wouldn't have bought with real money anyway. Or they're cheap enough that you could just save your time and buy whatever it is at a minimal cost. Most (not all) giveaways aren't worth the time.
I enter giveaways if I really want or can use the item. And there's not much that I want anymore.
As for the mega millions lottery, a guy at work had 37 of us pitch in to win. We didn't, obviously, but to me, we all share in something like that. Most of us can use the $, if not all of us. We have mortgages, kids, car issues and struggles.
I also took the pool idea and when I buy tickets, I copy them and mail them to friends/family. That way, we can all share if we win.
Even if I won a smaller amount of money, say, $5,000. I'd share it with my sisters. My big sister sent me and my other sister something like $300 or something. She said she "fell into some money" and wanted to share. I will pay her back one day. I never forgot that.
Awwww — you guys seem pretty close! Love to hear that!
Another ex-poor person who doesn't enter giveaways because others might need it more. Everyone knows their own situation best, and I know mine – and I can buy whatever I need or truly want to prioritize.
Passing on the giveaways reminds me that I am grateful for having that, though, so giveaways still bring me joy.
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All of the Pressalit MATRIX sinks have been designed for easy cleaning. Each sink is a single piece with no crevices, greatly reducing bacteria growth. All surfaces have a high-gloss sanitary coating, making it simple to clean.


We're Learning to Play Guitar!
I've always been interested in playing the guitar but never stuck to it. I don't really know why but I suspect three reasons; motivation, learning system and most of all a decent guitar. I am now "older", settled down and a bit more self-motivated and I found, ripe for learning guitar. This past Christmas my father-in-law, who has been playing guitar all his life, purchased a new and very impressive 12 string guitar. Although I hadn't taken up the guitar reins yet, I started to feel the warm fuzzy of wanting to learn. Then around the end of January what should show up on my doorstep, but his old 12 string, a 1968 EKO. I strummed it once and that was enough, I wanted to learn! This was my first revaluation as to why I had not learned in the past.
I forgot to mention earlier in the article one item, I did already have a 6 string acoustic guitar. The 6 string sounded muted, was very difficult to play and basically turned me off from learning. With that said, having a decent beginner guitar in the $200-400 range will make a huge difference in not only sound but playability. The basic things to look for in a beginner guitar are action, intonation, sound quality and most of all reviews. The action which is the open distance between the frets and the stings will make a big difference in how far you have to push the string down to create the note. Thusly, the lower the action the easier it is to get a clean note and the less your fingers will hurt. Then again no matter what the action is, your fingers will hurt in the beginning. The intonation is the "pitch accuracy" of the guitar, the note precision and if you get a cheap guitar you might find yourself having to constantly tune your guitar.
With my new "old" 12 sting in hand I decided to take up the guitar. I started searching on the web and well let's just say that guitar lessons have not only become readily available but free too! I began to check out lesson videos, learn guitar guides, download chord pdfs and read up on reviews of learning guitar systems. I was surprised that after watching a few "how to" play this and that song videos, that I was able to actually play a little bit of them. However that was not enough. I needed to find a "real" online learning guitar system. If you do a quick search, you will find there is a ton! You'll also find that testing and trying to find the one that fits you and your needs can be daunting. But most of the good ones offer trials, "free" lessons, and you can easily find reviews about them. So, after many days of sifting the Internet, I came across a learning system that not only fit my needs but fit my 10 year old daughter's needs too. It is called "Gibson's Learn and Master Guitar". After I looked up some reviews, tried some free lessons, and checked out the forum, I found it fit me just right. I purchased it and began to learn.
As I started to get into learning and playing, many hours each night, my 10 year old daughter started hanging out and listening. She has always loved music, especially singing and dancing. So, I found some simple songs and I played and she sang. She started asking me how I played the songs and I began to show her. Once she was actually able to both play and sing, that was it, she was hooked too! I can tell you this, I know I was motivated to learn, but when my daughter decided she wanted to learn with me, that sealed the deal. Leaning to play guitar with my daughter is and will be one of the best experiences in my life and I look forward to each and every lesson!


Summer is finally here and has brought the heat for sure! The housing market here in Roanoke, Virginia is bringing the heat as well. Here is a clip from the Roanoke Valley Association of Realtors.
Our team is proud and blessed to be a part of this quaint local housing market that we have here in the Valley. We've been able to sell exactly 100 homes so far this year and are looking forward to the second half of the year being just as strong.
If you're thinking of buying or selling give us a call and we'll help you get successfully from one door to the next!


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Feature / Latest
Is Cycling More Dangerous than… Walking, Football, Tennis, Gardening!?
by Pete Reynolds · February 11, 2021
Like almost everything we do in life, cycling – to a certain extent – contains an element of risk.
Even if you choose to sit "safely" on the sofa and avoid all danger, you're actually taking the biggest risk. After all, heart disease is the leading cause of death in humans (around 9 million people died from this in 2019) and too much sitting has been shown to significantly increase this likelihood.
That said, there's certainly been a case for making cycling safer, particularly since COVID-19 struck and simultaneously seemed to trigger a global bike boom.
Let's take a look at how safe cycling should be in 2021, and compare it to a number of other physical activities – some of which may shock you by being statistically more dangerous than riding a bike?
Skip Ahead:
Is Cycling More Dangerous than…
… Walking?
… Running?
… Football?
… Tennis?
… Horse Riding?
… Gardening?
… Driving?
Is Cycling Dangerous?
Nowadays, cycling is probably a lot safer than you think. The advent of cycle paths and pop-up bike lanes, for instance, during the coronavirus pandemic has given cyclists their own designated space and should keep any brushes with cars or other vehicles to a minimum.
The safety in cycling is backed up by the stats, too. Numbers from the National Travel Survey showed that a cycling fatality occurred once every nine million bike rides, and that the risk of any injury while riding was just five per cent for 1,000 hours of cycling.
So yes, it can be dangerous, but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing. The benefits, not just for your physical health but your mental wellbeing, should hugely outweigh your fears, added to the fact it's probably never been safer to cycle in your area than it is now.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Walking?
Funnily enough, no it isn't.
Government statistics have shown that, for every year from 2010 to 2019 in Britain, there have been more pedestrians reported killed or seriously injured in road accidents than pedal cyclists (e.g. 2019: 3,653 pedestrians, 3,089 cyclists).
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Running?
Runners are categorised along with walkers as 'pedestrians', so it's safe to assume here that, again, cycling is less dangerous than running.
In terms of injury, this is also the case; according to Men's Health, cycling causes six injuries every 1,000 hours, compared to 11 running-related injuries during the same time frame.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Football?
No – figures show that, in the UK, the fatality rates per participant are 4.9 times greater in football than they are in cycling.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Horse Riding?
Those same figures for football found that, in the UK, horse riding fatality rates are 29 times bigger per participant than in cycling.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Tennis?
Those same figures for football and horse riding also found that, in the UK, tennis fatality rates are four times larger per participant than in cycling.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Gardening!?
Maybe not. There's certainly evidence, if a little outdated, to suggest as much, anyway.
In 1998, researchers asked 5,238 people if they had done a number of activities (including cycling or gardening) in the last 30 days. Those who answered 'yes' for any of them were asked further questions, including whether they were injured 'severely enough that you went for medical care or missed one half-day or more of work, housework, or school'. The results showed 0.9 per cent for cycling, and 1.6 per cent for gardening.
In addition, a January 2003 study by Central Queensland University in Australia found that, of 1,337 surveyed, five per cent of gardeners had required medical attention due to injuries sustained, compared to just 3.9 per cent of cyclists.
Is Cycling More Dangerous Than… Driving?
No. Going off those same figures which compared UK pedestrian deaths and injuries to cyclists between 2010 and 2019, those numbers are even higher for drivers.
In 2019, for instance, 3,089 cyclists were reported to have been either killed or injured, compared to 4,545 car drivers. Indeed, the number of car driver deaths or injuries never dropped below 3,679 in this decade, and exceeded the respective number of cyclists every year.
Plus, in comparing census records in England and Wales and data from the Office for National Statistics, a study by the National Institute for Health Research showed a 20 per cent decrease in all causes of death for those who cycle to work, compared to those who commute using personal vehicles like cars or motorbikes.
Cycling Health Benefits
To summarise, here's a few key advantages to your health, both mental and physical, from regular cycling:
Reduced risk of cancer (up to 11 per cent in some cases)
Increases your cardiovascular fitness, leg strength and muscle tone
Improves your breathing
Burns more body fat
Improves your mental health and reduces stress
Longer life expectancy
Strengthens your bones and immune system
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Half of adults aged 55 and over have experienced common mental health problems, say Age UK
The charity is joining forces with NHS England to encourage older people to seek help and is calling on GPs to spot the warning signs.
Nearly half of adults (7.7million) aged 55+ say they have experienced depression and around the same number (7.3 million) have suffered with anxiety, according to new YouGov research for the charity Age UK – revealing the scale of the mental health challenge facing older people in the UK today.
The death of loved ones (36 per cent) ill health of themselves (24%) and financial worries (27 per cent) are the most common triggers for mental health problems, yet worryingly more than a third (35%) say they did not know where to go for help and support. This comes as NHS England has published new guidance – 'Mental health in older people' – to help GPs spot the tell-tale signs of anxiety and depression, and identify a range of mental health problems including those which specifically affect older people.
One in 5 (21 per cent) of the people who reported suffering from anxiety or depression said that their symptoms had in fact worsened as they'd got older.
Research indicates feelings of loneliness and isolation could play a major role in the problems older people are facing. Nearly three-quarters of older people (72 per cent) think that having more opportunities to connect with other people (e.g. joining local activity groups) would be the best way to help people who are experiencing mental health problems.
As well as having opportunities to connect with other people, more than a third (35 per cent) felt that talking therapy such as counselling would best help older people with anxiety and depression. Research has found older people respond extremely well to talking therapies; the recovery rates for patients aged over 65 years of age who completed a course of talking therapy through the Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) were shown to be positive.
One in 4 older people (25 per cent) said they felt it was more difficult for older people to discuss mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, compared to younger people. The top reasons given were:
When older people were growing up, society didn't recognise depression or anxiety as a health condition
Depression and anxiety used to be seen as a weakness, so it's not something the older generation are comfortable discussing
The older generation were taught to approach life with a "stiff upper lip"
Age UK and NHS England are hoping to encourage older people to seek help and are calling on GPs to spot the warning signs.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK Director, said: "In recent years there's been nothing short of a cultural revolution in our willingness to be open about mental ill health, which is an essential pre-condition to people getting help, but it's one that may well have left many older people behind. They grew up in an era when there was a real stigma associated with mental illness so for many these attitudes are deeply engrained and still driving their behaviour today.
"A further barrier to seeking support is that there is a widespread lack of awareness about effective treatments, beyond 'taking pills', which many older people feel they do quite enough of already. And finally, it is understandable if a lot of older people, having seen so much and having experienced so many ups and downs through life, take the view that feeling depressed or anxious is just something they have to put up with, not illnesses that are just as deserving of a proper medical response as a physical problem like a chest infection or a leg ulcer. For some they will indeed be recurrent problems that they have long since given up any hope of defeating."
Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia, NHS England, said: "This is further evidence to show why the NHS is putting mental health front and centre of patient care. As part of what has been independently described as 'the world's most ambitious effort to treat depression, anxiety and other common mental illnesses', we are helping doctors to recognise and respond to mental ill-health in later life.
"Depression and anxiety affect nearly eight million people over 55, but can often go unnoticed and untreated. Older people mustn't miss out on help and treatment because of a 'stiff upper lip' approach to dealing with problems, or because they aren't offered or don't know where to go for help. GPs are the first port of call for many older people, so we are equipping doctors and their teams to better spot and tackle mental ill health in older adults."
Age UK runs a range of services to help support older people with mental health problems from Men in Sheds clubs to dedicated counselling services. There is also a free guide called Your Mind Matters focusing on improving mental wellbeing which is available on the Age UK website and via the Advice Line on 0800 169 6565.


This is the heartstopping moment motorists on a busy road almost collided - with an hot air balloon.
In unbelievable scenes, the balloon has a close shave with cars as it crosses both lanes and tries to aim for a neighbouring field.
A hot air balloon gave drivers a scare.
A hot air balloon gave drivers a scare as it landed on a field next to a coastal road.
Thankfully, no lorries or large vehicles were on the road at the time and oncoming traffic slowed down to allow the balloon to land safely.
Paul Ellis captured the moment on his car's dashboard camera as the huge red balloon came into view and ended up hovering above.
He uploaded the 47-second clip to YouTube on Saturday, where it's since had over 4,000 views.


The sting of the game 6, 1 point defeat in the first round of last season's playoffs still hurts. What hurt even more was the embarrassment of blowouts in games 3 and 4. What makes the pain go away? Maybe watching the Raptors win a playoff series? Well, yes, of course. But I need something to hold me over.
Enter November 2, 2007. The Raps visit New Jersey, and in front of 20-30 die-hard Jersey-maniacs, completely dismantle the Nets. Oh, revenge is so petty ... but it felt so satisfying. I still watched all 48 minutes, despite the fact that the Nets never led at any point after the first quarter. My friend Chin had company over too, and to my credit, I did attempt to be social, but when the game was on I wasn't about any of that.
The Raps beating up on Vince Carter always brings a smile to my face.
Toronto defense was absolutely disgusting. Our perimiter defense, closing out on shooters, staying above the screens, they were all on point. The Nets had their shots bothered or blocked, a lot of them courtesy of Chris Bosh. NJ only shot 36.8% from the floor.
Roc-a-wear ads were displayed full-time on either end of the scorer's table. It's the ROC!
Jason Kidd's back is bothering him. Mental note: Never pick him for ESPN Fastbreak.
Darrell Armstrong did not look good at all. TJ Ford had no respect for his shot, and came under any picks that were set for DA. Oh punk!
Speaking of Ford, his one-dribble-plant-and-fade shot was a blistering 4-4 tonight.
Andrea Bargnani must have taken basketball Kumon, because he already looks like a polished NBA pro. Against the Nets, he put up 21 points, 6 rebounds, on 7 of 11 shooting. Pump fake, one dribble: money. Three point range: money. Three point range, quickly identifying that Darrell Armstrong can't block your shot: money. I'm loving his game.
Play of the night: Stifling Raptor defense ends in a CB4 block. TJ Ford receives the pass and quickly outlets a touchdown reception to Anthony Parker, who completes the layup.
Jon's Play of the night: Bosh steals a pass, and sinks a 70 foot buzzer-beating heave.
I'm all about Carlos Delfino. And no, Beth, I wasn't talking about his looks.