Sunday is supposed to be their day-off but some Filipino maids have worked “overtime” to make extra income.

The maids were found to be working at night entertainment outlets in Kuala Lumpur as guests relations officers (GROs).

This was discovered by enforcement officers from the Immigration Department during a raid at a disco in Bukit Bintang on Sunday.

They arrested 13 Filipino GROs, aged between 30 and 40, and were shocked to find out these women had weekday jobs as domestic workers.

The women were among 47 people detained in a series of operations at entertainment outlets and massage centres in the city.

Also arrested were 32 China nationals including three men who worked at three massage parlours in Kepong.

The others picked up were a Bangladeshi waiter and a 30-year-old massage parlour operator.

The foreigners were being investigated for misusing the work permit and would be deported if found to have violated the work permit conditions.

I read a Facebook post today from my friend Jamey Ice, a member of the band Green River Ordinance (and if you haven’t heard of them… you need to get to iTunes and pick up their new ablum Out of My Hands).  Anyway… he was headed on an American Airlines flight to FL and was lamenting that it wasn’t Southwest Airlines.  So… what does Southwest do that others don’t?

I was fortunate enough to attend the Center for Services Leadership’s annual Compete through Service Symposium a few weeks ago and Dave Ridley, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Revenue Management, at Southwest Airlines, was a featured speaker.

Dave summed up the motto of Southwest Airlines in three words… “cheap and cheerful”.  It’s really all you need to know… (well, assuming safety is a given!).  But in my vast experience traveling on Southwest, their motto is consistent with their actions (they walk the talk).  Have you ever encountered a Southwest team member who was rude or grumpy?  I haven’t.

Dave also talked about the company culture… all employees have a sphere of influence. They are all empowered to deliver superior service.   But Dave…” how do you get employees who do this? “

Three ways… Southwest:

1. Hire great people
2. Put people first
3. Lead them well and no BS  (meaning “Big Shot” leadership)

He also emphasised three things that all Southwest employees need to have:

• A warrior spirit (being innovative and creative)
• A servant’s heart
• A fun-loving attitude

I think Southwest has it right… and I try to embody these last 3 principals in my everyday life.  Do you?  I think any company who does has a huge wing up on their competition!

Check out this new video from one of my most favorite bands… Green River Ordinance. They are HOT and on the rise… and their album Out of My Hands is a must-buy! Click here: http://www.mtvu.com/video/?vid=457048

Service helps businesses grow online and offline relationships

London, UK – 24 November 2009: WeCanDo.BIZ Limited, the online sales leads and business referrals network, has launched a Social CRM addition to its established website to assist small business owners to turn their social networking contacts into customers.  Called WeCanDoCRM, the service is free to all businesses at www.wecando.biz.

Social CRM is the merging of social networks with Customer Relationship Management to help businesses manage and build customer relationships using the information that customers freely share through their online profiles.  Social CRM also includes using social networking resources to help improve customer dialogue.

Focused towards small business owner/managers looking to use social media to help grow their businesses, the new features announced with WeCanDoCRM enable:

-          Consolidation of contacts from website enquiry forms, Microsoft Outlook, Google Mail, Yahoo Mail, Twitter, LinkedIn, Ecademy and existing customer databases to one location, making contacts and customers easier to manage and communicate with

-          Improved data currency and accuracy through linking CRM records with public social networking profiles

-          Access to further rich data collected from public social networking profiles to supplement customer information already held

-          Advanced Customer Relationship Management features such as lead & sales management workflow, HTML email & mobile SMS (Short Message Service) campaign marketing, customer surveys and rich reporting as an upgrade option

-          Integration to online accounts systems, such as Kashflow, providing full sales workflow from leads through to invoicing.

These new Social CRM features are in addition to the many business networking features of WeCanDo.BIZ, including Biz Need business sales leads; and an endorsement system to share customer endorsements on your social networking profile, blog or website.  The WeCanDo.BIZ website has over 12,500 registered users.

“As I build contacts online WeCanDoCRM captures customer data straight into the system  – that’s fantastic, as I can be straight onto potential opportunities with fundamentally no delay or need for administration,” says Will Hawkins of Healthy Business Ltd., a WeCanDo.BIZ user and early adopter of WeCanDoCRM.  “I have access to information about my customers that many large businesses can only dream about!”

“A lot of business owners are scratching their heads, trying to work out what social networks can do for them, how they build their contacts and then how they convert them into customers,” says Ian Hendry, founder and Chief Executive of WeCanDo.BIZ.  “The fact is, there are opportunities being presented all the time through social network connections, but unless you record them they’re quickly lost amongst the noise.  WeCanDoCRM assists in building rich customer profiles of your online and offline contacts; then provides tools to help advance the relationship to the point where business gets done — quickly and easily.”

WeCanDoCRM Social CRM is powered by the InTouch CRM platform and is available immediately, free to all businesses from www.wecando.biz.  WeCanDo.BIZ Pro Networker membership is an optional upgrade enabling small businesses to use social media to grow even faster from £19.95 + VAT per month with no contract.

About WeCanDo.BIZ

WeCanDo.BIZ is an online new business network for sales leads and referrals. Using social networking methods to broker valuable new business relationships, it provides simple tools to members which help generate sales leads, leverage customer referrals and win new business.  The web-based service is available to all businesses at www.wecando.biz.

Media contact:
Ian Hendry
WeCanDo.BIZ
@wecandobiz
+44 (0)7767 657977

Images:

WeCanDoCRM email campaign reporting (click to enlarge)

WeCanDoCRM sales leads (click to enlarge)

Tweets showing in WeCanDoCRM (click to enlarge)

Import your Twitter contacts to WeCanDoCRM (click to enlarge)

Raising a KashFlow invoice from with WeCanDoCRM (click to enlarge)

Will Hawkins

Ian Hendry

From GRO’s site:

Gracie is the newest GRO Team Rider. She is young, but full of spirit and potential. Check out Gracie’s Team Page.

Update(from GRO):

Gracie has picked up Mad Cow Skateboards as her board sponsor alongside being on the GRO and JPSkateshop teams.

Previously:
Gracie Bails 9 Year Old Skater

Blondie was the most commercially successful band to emerge from the much vaunted punk/new wave movement of the late ’70s. The group was formed in New York City in August 1974 by singer Deborah Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami), formerly of Wind in the Willows, and guitarist Chris Stein (b. Jan. 5, 1950, Brooklyn) out of the remnants of Harry’s previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup fluctuated over the next year. Drummer Clement Burke (b. Nov. 24, 1955, New York) joined in May 1975. Bassist Gary Valentine joined in August. In October, keyboard player James Destri (b. Apr. 13, 1954) joined, to complete the initial permanent lineup. They released their first album, Blondie, on Private Stock Records in December 1976. In July 1977, Valentine was replaced by Frank Infante.

In August, Chrysalis Records bought their contract from Private Stock and in October reissued Blondie and released the second album, Plastic Letters. Blondie expanded to a sextet in November with the addition of bassist Nigel Harrison (born Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England), as Infante switched to guitar. Blondie broke commercially in the U.K. in March 1978, when their cover of Randy and the Rainbows’ 1963 hit “Denise,” renamed “Denis,” became a Top Ten hit, as did Plastic Letters, followed by a second U.K. Top Ten, “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear.” Blondie turned to U.K. producer/songwriter Mike Chapman for their third album, Parallel Lines, which was released in September 1978 and eventually broke them worldwide. “Picture This” became a U.K. Top 40 hit, and “Hanging on the Telephone” made the U.K. Top Ten, but it was the album’s third single, the disco-influenced “Heart of Glass,” that took Blondie to #1 in both the U.K. and the U.S. “Sunday Girl” hit #1 in the U.K. in May, and “One Way or Another” hit the U.S. Top 40 in August. Blondie followed with their fourth album, Eat to the Beat, in October. Its first single, “Dreaming,” went Top Ten in the U.K., Top 40 in the U.S. The second U.K. single, “Union City Blue,” went Top 40. In March 1980, the third U.K. single from Eat to the Beat, “Atomic,” became the group’s third British #1. (It later made the U.S. Top 40.)

Meanwhile, Harry was collaborating with German disco producer Giorgio Moroder on “Call Me,” the theme from the movie American Gigolo. It became Blondie’s second transatlantic chart topper. Blondie’s fifth album, Autoamerican, was released in November 1980, and its first single was the reggaeish tune “The Tide Is High,” which went to #1 in the U.S. and U.K. The second single was the rap-oriented “Rapture,” which topped the U.S. pop charts and went Top Ten in the U.K. But the band’s eclectic style reflected a diminished participation by its members – Infante sued, charging that he wasn’t being used on the records, though he settled and stayed in the lineup. But in 1981, the members of Blondie worked on individual projects, notably Harry’s gold-selling solo album, KooKoo. The Best of Blondie was released in the fall of the year. The Hunter, Blondie’s sixth and last new album, was released in July 1982, preceded by the single “Island of Lost Souls,” a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and U.K. “War Child” also became a Top 40 hit in the U.K., but The Hunter was a commercial disappointment. At the same time, Stein became seriously ill with the genetic disease pemphigus. As a result, Blondie broke up in October 1982, with Deborah Harry launching a part-time solo career while caring for Stein, who eventually recovered. In 1998, the original line-up of Harry, Stein, Destri and Burke reunited to tour Europe, their first series of dates in 16 years; a new LP, No Exit, followed early the next year.

Blondie All Music Guide Biography

Blondie was the most commercially successful band to emerge from the much-vaunted punk/new wave movement of the late ’70s. The group was formed in New York City in August 1974 by singer Deborah Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami), formerly of Wind in the Willows, and guitarist Chris Stein (b. January 5, 1950, Brooklyn) out of the remnants of Harry’s previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup fluctuated over the next year. Drummer Clement Burke (b. November 24, 1955, New York) joined in May 1975. Bassist Gary Valentine joined in August. In October, keyboard player James Destri (b. April 13, 1954) joined, to complete the initial permanent lineup. They released their first album, Blondie, on Private Stock Records in December 1976. In July 1977, Valentine was replaced by Frank Infante.

In August, Chrysalis Records bought their contract from Private Stock and in October reissued Blondie and released the second album, Plastic Letters. Blondie expanded to a sextet in November with the addition of bassist Nigel Harrison (born in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England), as Infante switched to guitar. Blondie broke commercially in the U.K. in March 1978, when their cover of Randy and the Rainbows’ 1963 hit “Denise,” renamed “Denis,” became a Top Ten hit, as did Plastic Letters, followed by a second U.K. Top Ten, “(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear.” Blondie turned to U.K. producer/songwriter Mike Chapman for their third album, Parallel Lines, which was released in September 1978 and eventually broke them worldwide. “Picture This” became a U.K. Top 40 hit, and “Hanging on the Telephone” made the U.K. Top Ten, but it was the album’s third single, the disco-influenced “Heart of Glass,” that took Blondie to number one in both the U.K. and the U.S. “Sunday Girl” hit number one in the U.K. in May, and “One Way or Another” hit the U.S. Top 40 in August. Blondie followed with their fourth album, Eat to the Beat, in October. Its first single, “Dreaming,” went Top Ten in the U.K., Top 40 in the U.S. The second U.K. single, “Union City Blue,” went Top 40. In March 1980, the third U.K. single from Eat to the Beat, “Atomic,” became the group’s third British number one. (It later made the U.S. Top 40.)

Meanwhile, Harry was collaborating with German disco producer Giorgio Moroder on “Call Me,” the theme from the movie American Gigolo. It became Blondie’s second transatlantic chart-topper. Blondie’s fifth album, Autoamerican, was released in November 1980, and its first single was the reggae-ish tune “The Tide Is High,” which went to number one in the U.S. and U.K. The second single was the rap-oriented “Rapture,” which topped the U.S. pop charts and went Top Ten in the U.K. But the band’s eclectic style reflected a diminished participation by its members — Infante sued, charging that he wasn’t being used on the records, though he settled and stayed in the lineup. But in 1981, the members of Blondie worked on individual projects, notably Harry’s gold-selling solo album, KooKoo. The Best of Blondie was released in the fall of the year. The Hunter, Blondie’s sixth album, was released in May 1982, preceded by the single “Island of Lost Souls,” a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and U.K. “War Child” also became a Top 40 hit in the U.K., but The Hunter was a commercial disappointment.

At the same time, Stein became seriously ill with the genetic disease pemphigus. As a result, Blondie broke up in October 1982, with Deborah Harry launching a part-time solo career while caring for Stein, who eventually recovered. In 1998, the original lineup of Harry, Stein, Destri, and Burke reunited to tour Europe, their first series of dates in 16 years; a new LP, No Exit, followed early the next year. After more touring, this was followed by another studio set, The Curse of Blondie, in 2003, and a DVD of the Live by Request program from A&E was released in 2004. In 2006, Blondie celebrated their 30th anniversary with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the release of Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision, a best-of collection that contained all their classic videos as well.

• Battle for the Heart and Mind of the People
• PM Tours / Referundum / Merger / against 3Cs (Communist, Communalist, Chauvinist) anti-national elements
• Bridge between people and government
• National Campaigns
• GROs (CCC, CCMC, RC/NC etc), CDCs (Institutionalise them)
• Mass mobilisation of people in early 1960s for many national projects. For example attending openings of CCs, clinics, schools, factories, and public housing estates as well as gotong-royong (self-help) for village roads/ drains.
• Confrontasi (VC), Racial Riots (Goodwill Committee / IRCC) NS Send-off parties and Defence Fund.
• Bukit Ho Swee Big Fire, Potong-Pasir / Geylang – Kampong Wak Tanjong Big Floods in early 1960s.

My Thoughts and Reflections

Proudly involved in all these community projects and nation building tasks. Very much enriched my life and health / happy living in past years despite various hardships.

I find that late at night, I tend to contemplate life. Or at least what I can comprehend of life. I’ve always liked the poem, The Road Less Traveled, and I often wonder what would happen if I had taken a different road where I would be. Would I be at the same place? Or would my life be drastically different?

*Side Note: Last Friday I was at Tisane with Amy, Ryan & Arielle (thankfully we weren’t by any smokers this time!) and I heard “Come On” by Green River Ordinance!! I almost jumped out of my seat in excitement. Then proceeded to text Caity and Sarah that they were on. haha. Made me happy!

Then on Saturday, I went to Boston’s with Mary. I love my MCC music friends. We had a Venetian pizza – pepperoni, smoked ham, green peppers, and mozzerella. Yum. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of pepperoni or ham…but it just called to me from the menu…and boy was it good! After dinner, we went to Home Depot (I have a strange infatuation with that place) so that I could grab some paint samples to repaint parts of my room. [I think I mentioned that before.] After that we went to Pazzo’s in Rocky Hill with Matt to see Kelly. Almost brought me back to the MCC days. Except there was no Dan.   And I had to pay for my Sprite.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend, is worship. Honestly, if worship service was an hour long, I’d be fine with it. Which is one reason why I love being the worship leader in Student iMpact…but sometimes it’s just so hectic! Once I’m focused in worship, I’m good…but the hours before hand are C.R.A.Z.Y. Not even joking.

Love ‘n Hugs

Agenda available here [PDF].

1. Consent Agenda. The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) got $864.95 for a benefit concert – $700 for audio/visual equipment, and $164.95 for “police security.”

More importantly for the author, the consent agenda also included a petition from a Young Americans for Liberty chapter. Unfortunately, they missed the meeting, and had their hearing for start-up funds tabled until they show up. It’s great to see that there’s a nascent YAL group on campus, but it be even better to see an active one.

2. Undergraduate Council. A year and a month ago, Professor George Gehrels came to the ASUA Senate to discuss course availability, GROs, class standing, and general education. Today, Gehrels came to discuss … course availability, GROs, class standing, and general education. Send in the snakes!

Anyways, Gehrels cited a few changes in his presentation [PDF] that have been implemented since then: the new class standing policy, the $25 drop fee after seven days, and extending WebReg through the eighth day of the semester.

Impact is “uncertain” for all these policies except for the class standing policy, which has boosted average semester enrollment for full-time students from 13.1 to 13.4 units – a fairly significant boost. It’s unfortunate, though, that Gehrels continues to sell the measure as a revenue-increasing one. Perhaps more units are being taken per semester, but, assuming that this policy does what it is supposed to, these students will stay in school for a shorter average duration. If the school really wanted to boost state funds, it could increase the total number of credit

Yet while this class standing policy encourages students to take 15 units per semester (rather than 12), another policy being implemented this spring will cap pre-registration enrollment at 16 units (Honors students get 19). Both policies are admirable by themselves, but together they serve to put students in a vise. Students taking a language class (i.e. 4 units) will be trapped into their schedule – anything outside of the most basic class shifts will become perilous.

Course shopping often gets demonized, but it ignores how useful it is as a hedge against uncertainty. The Senate rightly emphasized that this would become less and less of a problem as syllabi and book lists are made available online, but that’s hardly the only reason for a drop. Perhaps the professor rubs you the wrong way, or the 10-10:50 is too far away from your 11-12:15, or the class you really wanted just opened up.

Further, as Sen. D. Wallace pointed out, some kids are perfectly capable of taking more than 16 units. 18 units in particular is a fairly common enrollment trend. In fact, this new policy works against graduating kids in three – so basically, kids will graduate in four if nothing interrupts their “plan”; otherwise, they’ll be on the same five-year track that is the norm.

The UGC acts as a sort of de facto on-campus think tank, so it’d be nice for them to look at historical enrollment trends and drop rates across the university. With the right data, it seems that registration capacity could be inflated beyond enrollment capacity, allowing students a bit of flexibility as they perfect their schedule.

The other possibility, if the 16 unit restriction isn’t going away, would be to permit the buying/selling/trading of class seats. Of course, this effectively gives Honors students a 3-unit trading subsidy.

Gehrels “couldn’t believe” that he was discussing GROs again before the Senate, a surprising statement for a 24 veteran at the UA. The Senate deserves credit for pointing out – and this is the only time, I suspect – that there needs to be more “awareness” of the fact that GROs change nothing when it comes to graduate/professional school. Sen. Weingartner proposed putting an informational box on the GRO form, perhaps cutting down on unnecessary retakes.

Some other random, but very bad, ideas:

-A “general studies degree,” reflecting on the “interdisciplinary world we live in.” (/vomit) It wasn’t at all made clear how this would differ from the Interdisciplinary Majors that are currently offered. Sen. Weingartner offered the best hypothesis, contrasting the effective combining of three minors (ID) with course-by-course selection (GS). Yet Gehrels couldn’t say, saying that it was still in the works. Why this is deemed so necessary remains a mystery.

-Gehrels wondered openly whether the GenEd program should “do away with the writing requirement, and not have a writing component in the GenEd program at all.” One must wonder, if this holds, why we have general education in the first place.

-”Success Courses,” such as ‘how to find a major’ and ‘find a grad school for you’, presumably to be offered for credit.

Random notes:

-President Nagata will start discussions with President Talenfeld next week about the Get REAL initiative. Baseless speculation sez, “Get excited?”

-Without irony, we had back-to-back reports urging us to (a) vote for the homecoming royalty online, and (b) to go to a “mixer” with student regent finalists Friday after next, and then fill out a “survey” to indicate one’s preferences. Which is to say: UA students have a greater say over their homecoming court than they do over their representative on the Board of Regents. Can’t you feel the empowerment?

I have just ordered the marriage certificate for Henry SHORNDEN and Sarah LAY. I decided that it would be far easier and quicker to sit and wait for the certificate to come to me, than go out trying to find a copy of the entry in the parish register.

I am hoping that this certificate will confirm that the Henry SHORNDEN I found in the Ospringe, Kent baptism register, son of William and Ann SHORNDEN, is the same one that ended up in Alton, Hampshire.

More importantly I should give me the name of Sarah’s father, which may just be enough to enable me to find her baptism, and then both of her parents. I really have no idea where Sarah came from, as most census entries for her give a different place of birth.

Now I just need to sit back and wait, I can’t really do much more on that part of my tree without that certificate. I can’t help but wonder what further surprises it is going to turn up!

Having just discovered the maiden name of Henry SHORNDEN’s wife, the next step was to use this information to try and find a marriage for Henry SHORNDEN and Sarah LAY.

It didn’t take long to find a likely marriage in the GRO BMD marriage index, the problem is that it shouldn’t have been in the marriage index.

Both Henry SHORNDEN and Sarah LAY were amongst those individuals married in Q4 1840 in the Gravesend Registration District. The International Genealogical Index has an entry for the marriage, which confirms that they were married to each other on the 25th December 1840 at Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Milton by Gravesend, Kent.

The problem is that according to the 1851 census there were two children born before the 25th December 1840, including my 2x great grandmother Harriet.

This raises several questions, such as it this the correct marriage? If it is then were the two children’s parents Henry and Sarah, or was one of them married previously? There are many possibilities, the two children may even be adopted.

The next step will be to check the marriage details, and see if I confirm that this is the correct marriage. Probably the easiest way to do this will be to order the marriage certificate, but I could also try and get hold of a copy of the marriage register entry.

It’s Tuesday again. It’s raining again. Boo. I’m always amazed at how music affects your attitude. Seriously. When I’m mad or grumpy, I tend to listen to more screamo-type music. When I’m doing homework (well I did when I was in school and actually had homework) I listen to instrumental music. When it’s raining I listen to more melancholy music. When I’m at the gym I want to listen to something with a strong, fast beat. Then there’s the music that I can listen to at any point in time and it will make me happy. That’s my morning music. lol. Some of that bands that fall into that category are: Needtobreathe, Green River Ordinance (pictured right), Jon McLaughlin, Leeland, Matt Nathanson, and my new favorite: Kevin Hammond. Check ‘em out. I love ‘em, y’all should love ‘em too!! ♥

So moving on [to the sounds of Rascal Flatts], I just got a good laugh out of this. Who’s says Christian’s don’t prank each other? lol.

Yesterday, I went to the gym with Court and Anne again. Dude, I am so tired. A good tired, but tired nonetheless. And you want to know one of the most awkward things? Seeing people from church at the gym. Honest to goodness, it’s just so weird! Normally they see you all well and put together, then you go to the gym and they get to see you all nasty and sweaty.

So I’m off to do some work. Enjoy the day!

Love ‘n hugs!

Last night I ordered two birth certificates from the GRO as part of my Christmas Tree Project. Both were in an attempt to find the maiden names of two of my 4x great grandmothers.

The first was for William GEERING, my 3x great grandfather (who may or may not have married Ellen NICHOLLS). His birth was registered in the Lewes Registration District in Q3 1843. I am sure it is the right William GEERING because I have his baptism in Lewes around the same time.

The only problem with this one was reading the page reference, it looks like 383 to me, but that middle number is not clear. I am expecting that it will show his mother’s maiden name as RICHARDSON, as that is the closest match I can find for a marriage between Richard GEERING and Eliza.

The marriage took place in Brighton on the 7th June 1829. To be honest if the marriage was in Lewes, Sussex I would probably have accepted it, but Brighton is just that bit further away so I want to be certain.

The second certificate is for Alfred George MITCHELL, he was the younger brother of my 3x great grandmother Harriet MITCHELL. His birth was registered in the Cuckfield Registration District in Q1 1841.

I wouldn’t normally bother with getting the birth certificates for siblings of my ancestors, unless I was doing an in depth study of the family, but Harriet was born three or four years before the start of civil registration in 1837. Annoyingly I already have the birth date for Alfred George MITCHELL from his baptism record, but he was the easiest of Harriet’s brothers and sisters to locate in the indexes.

I am expecting this one to show that his mother’s maiden name was SMITH. My heart sank when I was searching for possible marriages and found the most likely one was between George MITCHELL and Mary SMITH in Cuckfield, Sussex on the 29th September 1828.

I suppose it inevitable that I would come across a SMITH in my direct ancestry eventually, I just hope there weren’t too many SMITHs in that part of Sussex at that time.

Great excitement usually accompanies the arrival of certificate from the GRO (well at least for me anyway) and today was no exception. The envelope contained the birth certificate for William GEERING my 2x great grandfather.

William was born in Lewes, Sussex in 1868 that much I knew already, more precisely it was on the 24th August 1868 in Sun Street, Lewes. Sun Street is an address I hadn’t come across before in my research, but apart from the exact date and place the reason I wanted this certificate was to find out his mother’s name/maiden name.

I had previously been unable to locate a marriage in the GRO Indexes for William’s parents, and with a name like GEERING it should have been easy. I hoped that having his mother’s maiden name would help in the search, but so far it hasn’t.

In the space for the mother’s name it says Ellen Geering formerly Nicholls. I am pretty certain it says NICHOLLS, it would take quite a stretch of the imagination to make it anything else. So this implies that William’s father (also William) had married Ellen NICHOLLS, but still no entry in the marriage index is forthcoming.

I switched to the census, perhaps I could find Ellen NICHOLLS in the 1861 census (her future husband was unmarried in 1861) but nothing obvious stands out. There is one possible hit in 1851, but that is not really in the right area.

I tried the GRO Birth Index, and again no Ellen NICHOLLS in the right place or time frame, this really is starting to look very mysterious. The 1871, 1881 and 1891 census all give her place of birth as Chiddingstone, Kent and her age is pretty consistent, giving her year of birth around 1848.

So what has gone wrong here? Why is Ellen causing me such a problem? At least I have a maiden name now, but it is a maiden name that I don’t feel I can trust, at least not until I see it in writing somewhere else.

So what next? I need to widen all my searches on both the census and the GRO Indexes, in case one of the pieces of information is wrong and try some different census indexes. I need to visit the East Sussex Record Office and search the parish registers for a marriage entry (maybe it missed the GRO Indexes) and also for any sign of banns for the husband because I am sure he would have been in Lewes.

Such a disappointment to not have all the pieces fit into place, this looks like it could be a major obstacle to finding all my 4x great grandparents. Then again I wouldn’t want things too easy, would I?

Napanood nyo na ba yung “The Hangover” na movie? Kung hindi pa, panuorin nyo, especially kung lasinggero’t lasinggera kayo, makakarelate kayo pangako.

Anong kinalaman? Ganito kasi yun:

Nasa Laguna ako nun, Sabado, payday nang magkayayaan ng High School tropa na uminom sa Taguig. Dahil kaladkarin ako, sure! Dumating kami sa bahay alas diyes na nang gabi. Eh nung bandang alas singko pa lang pala nagsimula na silang mag-red whores. Sunday ng umaga pupunta dapat ako kay Gerlps, sa Sucat pero nilipasan ako ng Linggo nang walang kamalay malay. Bumalik lang ako sa ulirat nung Linggo na ng gabi, alas sais. Pakinshet! Patay ako kay Gerlps!

Edi yun, away away away na nga!

Tapos ganito, dahil nga gabi na, ayoko nang umuwi pa ng Laguna kaya sabi ko dun sa isa, makikitulog na lang sa kanila sa Marikina. Daan muna kaming Cubao, magwiwithdraw daw muna yung isa pang kasama namin. Lima na lang kami nung nakarating kami sa Gateway, ako, si Tropa1, Tropa2, Tropa3 at Tropa4. Dumaan muna kami sa kakilala naming na nagtatrabahong waiter sa isang gay bar, plano naming mamakla nun eh. Pero dahil maaga pa, nakapagpahinga kami kahit papano. Nung magbubukas na ang bar, umalis na kami at lumipat sa katabing beerhouse. Wapaaak! Babay pera uli!

GRO: “Anong hitsura ko sa stage? Mataba ba ako? Pantay ba ang boobs ko?”

Ako: lamas, hipo, hawak, lamas, dakma, halik, hipo

Note: I tried to engage her in a normal, healthy and intellectual (o kahit anong matino) conversation but she was all too concerned with her body so I felt that it was proper to concentrate on her body too. =)

Pagkaubos ng treinta minutos na pagmamasa ng monay at pagkaubos ng beer, hindi na kami nagtangkang mag-round two pa.  Tumalilis na rin ng takbo pauwi sa South si Tropa4. Tawid kaming mga pogi sa footbridge pauwi na, aba aba nagkalat ang mga maning buhay! Eh wala na kaming budget. halos isanglibo na lang ang natira sa sweldo ko, good luck sa two weeks ko pang ipagtitiis di ba? Ayun, sa tinagal tagal ng pakikipag bargain namin sa mga bugaw at maning buhay (live nuts! =)) natalisod kami sa isang bading na pumayag na bigyan kami ng dalawang babae, kumbaga threesome daw. Ako, si Tropa1 at si ManingBuhay1 tsaka si Tropa2, Tropa3 at si ManingBuhay2 ang kukuha ng dalawang kwarto! Edi bayad naman kaming apat na hinayupak. Tawag ng laman eh, di mapigilan. Magkahiwalay na kami ng kwarto, pero andaming sinisingil ng bugaw! nakakatunog na kami na parang pineperahan na kami, eh pucha nakahubo nako nun kaya si Tropa1 na lang ang kumausap sa mga tropa sa kabilang kwarto. Ayun, nakatulog ako. Nagising lang ako kasi ginigising ako ni Tropa1. Anaknampating o! Tinakasan kami! Ayus lang sana kung yung tropa ko ang nakatira eh kasi antok na antok na ko. But NO! Wala naka-ngenge. Pinuntahan namin sila sa kabilang kwarto, sarado. Sabi ng receptionist umalis na daw. Lumabas naman kami at susunod na lang sa Marikina. Pero naalala namin na may usapan nga pala na walang iwanan. Pakshet wala pala akong load, buti may pera pa ko, punta kami ngayon sa E-load Station. Pagdikit ko sa bintana:

Ako: “Ate, pabili nga pong tiket.” (tunog lasing na bagong gising)

Ate Load: “Huh?”

Ako: “Tiket poooo!” (asar na)

Tropa1: gumugulong kakatawa at nakalimutan na na nawawala ang mga kasama namin.

Ako: “Bat ba?” (naaasar na talaga)

Ate Load: “Load ang binebenta ko ‘to.”

Ako: “ehehe, paload nga pong sikwenta.” (sabay ngiting pakyut, leche)

Yan. Matapos ang nakakahiyang eksenang yan, bumalik pa rin kami sa motel dahil di naming macontact yung dalawa. Pagdating naming dun, nakita naming bukas ang kwarto nila at nandun yung dalawa nakabulagta. Pakshet, nakatulog din pala sila at tinakasan rin ni ManingBuhay2! Hay mga kawawang nilalang.

Nung pauwi na kami, sabi naming sa mga sarili naming wag na tong ikwento sa iba dahil napakalaking kahihiyan.

Kinabukasan naman, inatake ako ng giyera. Away away away kami ni Gerlps. Syempre ininjan ko sya eh. Kala ko nga magbebreak na kami eh. Buti na lang hindi. Lunes ng hapon na ako nakauwing Laguna, syempre absent sa tarbaho. Nakakahiya pa sa bus kasi naaamoy ko ang sarili ko. Kawawa yung katabi ko, biruin mo Sabado pa ng hapon nung huling naligo ako. Haha

Masaya. Sobrang saya. Kaso may kapalit palagi.

Unfair talaga ang buhay. Di pwedeng masaya lang. Laging may opposite na reaction. Oh well.

This Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th, 2009 in Orange County, Wicked Wahine Double-D West Coast Girls Only Skateboard Event will be held.

Since The last Wicked Wahine event in May 2006, we have seen a significant surge of talented female skaters popping out of nowhere. Due to the bad economy and the loss of sponsorships for female skaters, we simply were not able to continue financing events from our own pockets. While it is a struggle, we realize that we need to keep supporting the new breed of girls in skateboarding and give them the same opportunity to learn, enjoy and succeed like the boys. With that said, we are proud to bring back our “grass roots” style of contests that, no matter how much money or prizes we can award, in the end everyone is sure to have a great time with positive and long lasting memories.

Thanks to the support of Courtney from Girls Rider Organization (GRO), Wicked Wahine will have a two-day contest along with GRO skateboard workshops for girl skateboarders of all ages and skill levels. Split into two days, the first for street skating and the second for bowl riding. Before each contest, GRO will hold skateboard workshops for “girls only” which will be instructed by highly skilled female skaters. The Double-D event will consist of two divisions, Pro/AM sponsored and non-sponsored. The Pro/Am sponsored division winner will take home all excess proceeds from the entry fee money while non-sponsored winners will take home as much swag as we can squeeze from sponsors who are generous enough and willing to support female skaters even during rough times.

We have secured two amazing locations for these no-holds-barred, all out street and bowl contests. Saturday, September 19th the street contest will be at Etnies skatepark’s amazing street course. Sunday, September 20th we will move on to the much hailed and highly respected Burger Bowl’s backyard skate haven. While girls’ only competitions are the norm for Wicked Wahine, this long-awaited two-day event is sure to be something exciting and fun for all.

We want to give a huge “THANK YOU!” to GRO, Etnies and the Lint family. Without their support, we would not have been able to revive Wicked Wahine and bring back the Double-D west coast event.

If you would like to participate in, volunteer or support this event in any way, please contact Wicked Wahine as soon as possible.

Please Contact: Tammy “BamBam” Tangalin
Phone:310-408-8558
Email:bambam@wahineskate.com

I’ll admit it, I have a secret weakness for country music. Not the honky-tonk she-thinks-my-tractors-sexy music my sister likes, but the almost melodramatic stuff. haha. : )

I have another weakness…online shopping. I’ve gotten so many books recently it’s not even funny. And I’m definitely making my way through all of them.  I have mini library…and definitely don’t have enough room for all my books!!!

Now that I’ve graduated, I feel like I have too much time (but at the same moment, not enough…quite the paradox I know.) Moving on, I’m in the process of redoing my room. I got rid of this big ‘ole desk I had (it was my parents…it’s since migrated downstairs to Jake’s room), and replaced it with a smaller one I found on the side of the road. This opened up my room in ways I would not have believed! Plus I now have more wall space. : ) So I put up some more autographed posters (conveniently gotten at the last NTB/Greenriver Ordinance concert I went to), and bought a new wall clock (except mine were only $3.99!). I’ve happy with it! : ) I also put up a few more license plates that were previously lying under my bed. While on an excursion to get Phoenix a new outfit, I also got those cool wall block (except mine were only $7.99!) things that are the “cool new thing.” Seriously, they aren’t new…just packaged different and put under the college header. lol. I love them. : )

Seriously, if you feel unimaginative…redo your room. It does wonders! ; )

source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com.my/index.php/features/26490-craigslist-promises-no-more-whores

An erotic dancer in a file photo. Pictures like this frequently accompany prostitution ads masquerading as ‘exotic services’ on Craigslist —Reuters pic

 An erotic dancer in a file photo. Pictures like this frequently accompany prostitution ads masquerading as ‘exotic services’ on Craigslist —Reuters pic

BOSTON, May 14 — Online classified site Craigslist will replace its “erotic services” ads with a new adult category following pressure by state authorities after the murder of a masseuse who advertised on the site.

The “erotic services” section will end within seven days and be replaced by an “adult services” category where advertisements will be individually screened by Craigslist staff, Craigslist said in a statement yesterday.

The measures could set a precedent for similar sites, said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who led a 40-state task-force on Craigslist and campaigned publicly for tighter controls on the San Francisco-based service.

“Closing the erotic services section, a blatant Internet brothel, should lead to other blocking and screening measures, and set a model for other sites, if Craigslist keeps its word,” he said.

Craigslist’s sex-service listings have faced intense scrutiny since the April 14 murder of 25-year-old masseuse Julissa Brisman, who advertised on Craigslist in Boston.

Philip Markoff, a 23-year-old Boston University medical student, was charged with killing Brisman and with attacks on two other women he met through Craigslist ads.

Craigslist, a 14-year-old online bazaar that generates more than 20 billion page views per month in 50 countries with a staff of just 28 people, is partially owned by online auctioneer eBay, which bought 25 per cent in 2004.

Along with free listings for everything from apartments and furniture to jobs and cars, Craigslist.com carries one of the largest and most controversial sex-service listings. Its rapid growth and low-cost business model have hurt newspapers by siphoning away advertising revenue.

Craigslist had already made some changes to curb illegal activity on its site. Under pressure from 40 US attorneys general, the site agreed in November to charge people posting erotic ads US$5-US$10 (RM17.75-RM35.50) by credit card and require them to submit a working phone number to use the site.
‘HALF BAKED’

Beginning yesterday, postings to the “erotic services” section will no longer be accepted, Craigslist said. Postings to the new section, which opened immediately, cost US$10. Once they are approved, they will be eligible for reposting at US$5.

Not every state was satisfied. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has pressed Craigslist to go further by tracking computer IP addresses of suspected prostitution rings and take other safeguards.

“Several weeks ago, we informed Craigslist of an impending criminal case that implicated its website. Rather than work with this office to prevent further abuses, in the middle of the night, Craigslist took unilateral action which we suspect will prove to be half-baked,” Cuomo said in a statement.

His office declined to elaborate on the criminal case.

In April, Blumenthal asked Craigslist officials to eliminate photographs in the “erotic services” and similar sections of the site, hire staff to screen ads that violate Craigslist rules and offer incentives for people who flag and report prostitution advertisements.

“We will be monitoring closely to make sure that this measure is more than a name change from erotic to adult and that the manual blocking is tough and effective to scrub prostitution and pornography,” Blumenthal said.

Tabloids dubbed Markoff “the Craigslist killer.”

The murder followed the killing of George Weber, a New York reporter knifed to death after responding to a personal ad he placed on Craigslist in March, and the early-April sentencing of Michael Anderson, a Minnesota man convicted of killing a woman who responded to a babysitting ad. —Reuters

Caros amigos,

passei o último fim de semana no Paraná, onde comemoramos o aniversário de minha esposa. Como de costume, reunimos nossas famílias em momentos de profunda alegria e júbilo que seguramente ficarão para sempre gravados em minha memória. Durante a viagem de volta a Brasília, refletindo sobre toda a felicidade que experimentamos ao longo de nossa estada junto aos nossos familiares, lembrei-me da pergunta basilar da disciplina de GRO – Gestão de Relacionamentos nas Organizações, a qual nos questiona de forma bem incisiva: “O que é ser humano nas organizações?”

Depois de ter participado da viagem de GRO, tenho plena convicção de que as organizações mencionadas na questão acima não se restringem apenas às empresas ou instituições sociais das quais fazemos parte, mas também incluem nossa família, que podemos considerar como a primeira organização da qual temos a oportunidade de participar.

Seguindo em minha reflexão e à luz dos maravilhosos momentos que vivenciamos em nossa viagem, penso que uma possível resposta para a questão base de GRO seja a seguinte: ser humano nas organizações é celebrar o encontro com outros seres humanos, é aproveitar a oportunidade de estarmos juntos para compartilharmos ideias, emoções e experiências. É enxergar o outro como um ser humano tão legítimo e merecedor de respeito quanto eu e dedicar a ele nossas melhores ações e toda a nossa solicitude. Ser humano, seja na organização familiar, profissional ou de qualquer outra natureza, é colaborar de forma intensa e sincera na construção do futuro que todos desejam ver acontecer, mas é, sobretudo, reconhecer que somos um constante “vir a ser”, um processo e não um produto acabado, e que por isso, a cada dia, temos a oportunidade de questionarmos nossas crenças e pressupostos e nos tornarmos mais e mais HUMANOS.

um grande e fraternal abraço,

Marcelo Mello

What I’m Reading:

• Return of the “Carry Trade”
• Comstock Homebuilding Companies, Inc. Eliminates $17.8 Million of Debt Through Friendly Foreclosure Agreement With Wachovia Bank
• Analyst raises rating on battery maker Exide Tech
• Wireless Ronin Technologies Develops Strategic Partnership with NEC
• Metals, Stocks Advance as Bernanke, Trichet Bolster Confidence

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Market:

• 9:36 AM B CHCI @ .68
• 9:41 AM B RPRX @ 1.09 (changed my mind on support, it’s hopping)
• 9:44 Limit Buy standing order for CHCI @ .62
  
• 9:52 B XIDE @ 7.38
• 10:05 B XIDE @ 7.31
• 10:15 AM Alert sounded on GRO, above 2.06, major fib support/resistance and consider for swing trade
• RPRX reached its low late today, at 10:38. Got in too high. It should peak between 11:30 and 1:30 -2:30. Will hold to try for profit or breakeven.
  
• BZ has broken the upper channel of its flag, and prospects for a swing trade are increasing.
• 11:57 B GRO @ 2.10.
• 11:57 Cancelled Limit Buy standing order for CHCI @ .62
• 1:45 PM B NVAX @ 5.01; Breakout Swing
• 2:32 B CHCI @ .57
• 4:00 PM. Sell-off day. My stocks “Faded”, just like in my study. CHCI had a very strong close, I am holding — should sell at .72 in AM for 11 % gain.  If you don’t like volatility, don’t follow me — look what CHCI did in one minute +20%:

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• NVAX finished 5.28, up 5.3 % from my buy at 5.01. I’m holding this as a swing, since $5.00 is a pennant breakout price (see my prior chart posted on this.
• GRO, down, I paid a little much, but I am holding as swing. May put stop in the AM, as this is a wild one.
• Biggest mistake I made today was buying RPRX — I should have stuck with my initial advice and not bought a flag pattern in a down trend. Got caught in a quick flurry moment and made a bad decision. Will hang onto and try to minimize losses. However, it is printing up big (+6.7%) after hours; so maybe there’s hope. If I can pull out PRPX with a win, I think I am still batting close to 100 % wins on this high and tight flag methodology:

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• XIDE is going to do fine. This could even be a swing trade. XIDE is also up after hours:

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• Remember, these plays (High and tight flags), have the lowest failure rate of all patterns. They tend to hold a floor and come back in the flag channel (unless, the pattern has a complete breakdown). That’s why I don’t barf when I see a stock decline 10 to 15 %. CHCI was down 18% and I finished the day for CHCI at almost at break-even. Averaging down also helped….

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Pre-market:

9:11 AM:

Pre-market Level II indicates CHCI turning down. Good, this is what I want. In search of good buy point.

8:35 AM:

Futures up all over the world. Hope I can get some good gains today. My only concern with a few picks are that some of them may get away from me while I am looking for a bottom. CHCI may go up fast, just not sure. I’ll make all my buy moves most likely in the first 30 minutes, I’ll be watching price action, Stochastics, Momentum (TRIX), and Bollinger Bands. The idea is to buy on an initial pullback, not chase, but it’s not always the way it works. Will probably go with larger positions since I am only going to work only a few trades.

Sunday PM:

These are the HTF flag day trades I’m considering for Monday. Closer to market, I will have a clearer idea of which ones I’ll day trade. Will not play BZ, a swing (would buy as a swing on the flag breakout). Right now, XIDE and CHCI are goes for me. RNIN I would consider if high volume exists, and RPRX I would consider if it falls back closer to support.

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RPRX

• Closed below pivot on Friday, but up 2.9 % after hours to raise it above pivot.
• There is a lot of negative news about this company, potential bankruptcy, class action shareholder lawsuits pending.
• I have a hard time reading a High and Tight flag on a downtrend. Could be weak.
• If I bought this for day trade, I would wait for bottom in price (could go to support at .70 or so). Need to verify clear turn-up in price action.

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• On the daily, RPRX faded in the afternoon, and looks overbought at close. look for a good drop Monday  AM.
  

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CHCI

• Positive financial relationship with Wachovia reduces 17.8 Million in debt obligations (see article above)

• Up 8+% after hours Friday. S1=.35, Pivot=.58; C1=1.08, c2=1.29 (Candlestick price forecasts based upon candlestick patterns)

• My target entry for this is pivot @ .58. Will watch Monday action for pullback. This one may run up, and not fall back on Monday AM — not sure.

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• After ringing a high of .80 around 11 AM, CHCI faded to an intermediate low at around 2:30 PM, then steadily gained to close. Cannot get a reading on trend for Monday open as TRIX on centerline, Stochastics right at 50 (not overbought or oversold), and OBV is flat.

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BZ

• C1 forecast, 5.28, C2 forecast, 5.96. Pivot, 4.55.  This looks like a swing trade to me. Would buy as a swing on Flag Channel Breakout.

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XIDE

• C1, 8.39, c2, 8.88, pivot, 7.34. Excellent volume pattern in chart, only 5.59 % from pivot to breakout high, but candlestick forecasts offer great profit potential.

• Analyst upgrade Friday. Look for pullback on Monday before buying.

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• Down after hours on Friday, looks to bottom on Monday. Watch for bottom early and then buy on turn up. Target buy price: pivot.

• Friday’s late action (see chart below) indicates to me a bottom should be reached early Monday (maybe around pivot). I’ll buy as soon as I see price action start to turn up (probably before 10 AM).

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RNIN

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• This is another Analyst upgrade. Volume is extremely thin on this one.

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• Steady sell off Friday afternoon. I’m being cautious with this one. The lack of average volume and the downtrend prior to flag bothers me. If volume is healthy, I would consider.

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