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newMacgadgets announces their new iPhone 5 Display & Security Base. Designed to match the look and feel of other Apple store displays, newMacgadgets has delivered a stylish solution for retailers, conventioneers and others looking to display the iPhone 5 in an open environment.
The Display & Security Base is constructed from 1 3/4″ wedge shaped and circular clear acrylic that can attach to counter-tops with mounting screws or optically clear double-sided adhesive (just like the Apple store displays). The iPhone 5 sits in a specially designed pocket designed to hold the Lighting charging cable to keep the iPhone 5 continuously charged. This unit will also work with the new iPod Touch 5.
When out of the Base, the iPhone 5 is secured with light-weight steel brackets and a thin 12″ security cable. This allows for full-motion of the iPhone 5 enabling users access to all the device features. Priced at $79.95 each. For additional details visit newMacgadgets.
For availability and order requirements please email us at Contact Us


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innovationXchange is DFAT's development innovation hub.
A celebration of Australia delivered in a country or region of strategic significance.
Ensuring Australia continues to build soft power and exercise influence effectively.
To help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, we maintain travel advisories for more than 170 destinations.
The Australian Passport Office and its agents are committed to providing a secure, efficient and responsive passport service for Australia.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) must comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).
This Policy contains information about DFAT's collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal information, including sensitive information, and how individuals may access and correct personal information that we hold.
We take your privacy seriously and make all efforts to protect your personal information from misuse, interference and loss; and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. If you wish to make a complaint about the Department's handling of your personal information, please refer to the Complaints section of this Policy.
This Policy is relevant to people whose personal information is collected, stored, used or disclosed by DFAT including:
You have the option of not identifying yourself, or using a pseudonym, when dealing with the Department, for example, to make an enquiry or complaint. However, in circumstances where we are required or authorised to deal with an identified individual by or under law, or where it is impracticable for us to deal with you anonymously or pseudonymously (such as when you apply for a passport, scholarship or employment) this option will not be available to you.
Personal information held by the Department includes, but is not limited to, personal contact details such as names and addresses, information about citizenship, dates and places of birth, photographs of people, financial information provided by contractors and consultants, employment history details of staff and contractors and details provided by individuals registering on www.smartraveller.gov.au.
Sensitive information held by the Department includes, but is not limited to: photographs used for biometric matching purposes to confirm identity on passport applications (biometric information); health information provided by individuals, for example when seeking consular assistance or applying for a scholarship; political opinions or membership of political associations, for example when provided by individuals in correspondence; and religious or philosophical beliefs, for example when provided by staff as part of a security assessment process.
In this policy, personal information and sensitive information has the meaning given to these terms in the Privacy Act.
The Department's role is to advance the interests of Australia and Australians internationally. Personal information is collected where it is necessary for, or directly related to, the performance of our functions and activities. These include:
Some examples of why we might collect your personal information include:
Information collected for a primary purpose may sometimes be used or disclosed for a related secondary purpose. For example, information collected from contractors during a tender process may be used as part of an evaluation or review of a particular aid project delivered by that contractor. Personal information collected from scholarship recipients may be used to invite those recipients to alumni events. Employee information collected to administer an individual's employment may be used or disclosed during a workplace investigation initiated by that individual.
The Department collects personal information only by lawful and fair means. It is our usual practice to collect personal information directly from you or your authorised representative when you deal with us by telephone, letter, email, face-to-face or online. In particular, when you use one of the websites maintained by the Department, including dfat.gov.au, www.passports.gov.au, smartraveller.gov.au, foreignminister.gov.au, trademinister.gov.au and embassy.gov.au and their sub-domains, we may collect the personal information provided to us via online forms on these websites including when you subscribe to a list, register your travel details or purchase a publication. We do not collect your personal information when you only browse our website.
We may collect personal information from another source including a third party where you consent, where it is unreasonable or impractical to collect the information only from you or where we are required or authorised to do so by law. For example, we collect the name and contact detail of guarantors provided by passport applicants on their passport application forms as it is unreasonable or impractical to collect this information directly from a guarantor. We may collect personal information from third parties or publicly available sources in the course of assessing competitive tender and grant applications.
The Department may collect 'sensitive information' about you where you have consented, where the collection is required or authorised by law or where the Department is otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act including where we reasonably believe that the collection is necessary for our diplomatic or consular functions or activities.
We take steps to protect the personal information we hold against misuse, interference and loss; and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include password protection for electronic files, securing paper files in locked cabinets and physical access restrictions.
Personal information held by the Department in Commonwealth records is managed securely through our recordkeeping system. Staff members across the Department have access to personal information on a need to know basis only. When no longer required to be retained as part of a Commonwealth record, personal information is destroyed in accordance with the Archives Act 1983.
Your personal information will only be used and disclosed for the purpose for which it was collected, or otherwise in accordance with the Privacy Act. For example, we use and disclose personal information collected to provide those who seek it with Consular assistance, to assess an application, respond to enquiries or to make referrals. Sometimes, we will pass your personal information to other government agencies or organisations, including overseas governments or organisations, for the purpose of assisting with your enquiry or application. We only use and disclose personal information (for example, to another Australian government agency) for the purpose for which it was collected (the primary purpose) unless one or more of the following applies:
The following are some examples of how we may use and disclose personal information:
The Department's core functions include the provision of consular assistance to Australian citizens and the administration of the Australian aid program. In order to fulfil these functions, it is likely that some personal information will be disclosed to overseas recipients. For example, we may disclose your name and travel details to a foreign emergency service so that they may locate or assist you in the event of a crisis or emergency in that country. We operate a network of offices via our overseas posts in order to deliver our services globally.
We do not disclose your personal information to any overseas recipient unless one of the following applies:
If you wish to access personal information we hold about you, or to correct that personal information, please email or write to us at the contact details listed below outlining your request. The Department will allow access or make the changes unless we are required or authorised under the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 or other relevant law to refuse access or correction.
If you receive emails via a subscription to one of our mailing lists you are able to manage your subscription or opt-out (unsubscribe) from further emails using the links provided in the message. If you are unable to find opt-out instructions or you continue receiving messages after opting out, please send an email to email@example.com for assistance.
We take your privacy seriously and make all efforts to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, and loss; and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. If you are concerned about the Department's handling of your personal information, contact the Department's central privacy area, and send your complaint in writing to either the mail or email address listed below
If you make a complaint we will gather as much relevant background information as possible in the circumstances. In order to assist the Department in its consideration of your complaint please provide as much information as possible in describing how you think your privacy has been interfered with, including:
If the alleged privacy breach involves personal information which does not belong to you we will ask you for evidence that you have authority to act on behalf of the person whose information is in issue before proceeding any further. Your complaint will be considered by a departmental officer who has not been involved in the conduct about which you are complaining.
We will provide a written response to your complaint. If a breach of the APPs has been identified as a result of your complaint, we will advise you of the findings and proposed follow up action which may include, for example, an apology, targeted staff training, revised security or storage arrangements, or amendment of forms to prevent similar situations arising.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner in Sydney:
Telephone: 1300 363 992
Email: email@example.com
Director of Privacy Case Management
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
You may also complain directly to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) rather than to the Department. If you make a complaint directly to the OAIC the OAIC may recommend that you try to resolve the complaint directly with the Department in the first instance.
Telephone: 61 2 6261 1111
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Freedom of Information and Privacy Law Section
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
RG Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
From time to time, we will review and revise this Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to amend this policy at any time and any amendments will be notified by posting an updated version on our website.
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Register
Last updated 19 September 2018.

subset: commoncrawl


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Group Bookings
A day at Australia Zoo provides wonderful memories for young and old, and those memories are even better when shared with a group.
- Laugh at the antics of our playful tigers with your company's social club
- Reminisce about feeding the cute baby animals in the Kids Zoo with your school class
- Swap stories with a senior's group about the close calls at the crocodile shows
Any group of ten or more people receives a 10% discount. It helps if the groups are booked in advance, so our friendly staff can be on the lookout to make sure that our groups have the best possible day. All booked groups receive a personal welcome to the Zoo, and don't have to wait in line at Admissions!
Claire, Julie & Jodee work together so that there is always someone available to answer enquiries, make bookings and ensure that everything runs smoothly on arrival. Groups can be as small as ten people, up to several hundred or even more (the more people the greater the discount!). The role of group bookings is to make sure that as many groups as possible visit the Zoo, and that they all have a great time!
If you would like to book a group to visit Australia 's Best Major Tourist Attraction, please do not hesitate to contact the Group Bookings department.
E-mail: Contact Form
Phone: 07 5436 2025
The Departments
With thousands of visitors from all over the world passing through the gates daily, all team members understand the importance of making a lasting impression to our patrons. A job at Australia Zoo is more than a vocation, it's a lifestyle - just ask any of our team members. Australia Zoo employees love animals and conservation, have an exceptional self-drive attitude towards work and of course, wear the world famous khaki uniforms with pride! You just have to walk around the Zoo to feel the electricity in the air. The atmosphere creates an exciting experience for all visitors and a dream workplace environment for all employees.
- Accounts
- Admissions
- Africa
- Artists
- Audio Visual
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors
- Australiana Shop
- Big Cats
- Birds
- Building Services
- Cleaners
- Croc Lair
- Crocoseum Boutique
- Education/Volunteers
- Elephantasia Shop
- First Aid
- Food & Beverage
- Graphic Design
- Grounds and Landscaping
- Group Bookings
- Human Resources
- Kids Zoo
- Koalas
- Leafcutters
- Management
- Marketing
- Native Mammals
- Photography
- Properties
- Reptiles
- Rescue Team
- Retail Management
- Retail Warehouse
- Roving Entertainment
- School Based Trainees
- Steve's Safari Shuttle
- Technical
- Tour Desk
- Website Team
- Zoo Vets & Vet Nurse
Check out our Hall of Fame and Zoo Crew Legends


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As much as it sucks and even though I didn't give birth this time around, I am finding myself a good 25 pounds overweight 6 weeks post baby.
How in the world did this happen?! There really is no reason to gain weight through the adoption process, but I swear it happens to just about every person I know that has gone through it. You go to that physical they require for the homestudy and get on the scale. You think you're doing okay. Then somehow, 9 months later, shazam! There you are with a big ol' gut hanging out and no inflated uterus to blame it on! At least this time, I don't have that big dark brown line down the middle of my stomach. Really! What the hell is that thing pregnant women get? It's just weird.
In December I did the Jillian Michaels' 30 day shred. Only in my case it was the Jillian Michaels' 12 or 13 day shred because after that I had had it. Maybe I could pick it up again. But probably not. I am not proud to admit it, but I am a fad dieter. I try them all. I kind of get a kick out of trying them. My problem, though, is that I rarely do them correctly. When Adkins was the big thing, my college roommate and I decided we were going to jump on the bandwagon and do it. We thought that if we ate fried chicken every day, we were totally following it and couldn't for the life of us figure out why we didn't drop the pounds.
I've done the grapefruit thing, the 7 day soup thing, the Weight Watcher's thing, blah, blah, blah. I've done the eating right and exercising thing too, and I swear, it doesn't work any better than anything else. Right after I had Noah I trained for a half marathon. I was running about 3 billion miles a day and somehow managed to gain 7 pounds. And don't try to tell me that muscle weighs more than fat, because hot Bob Harper from the biggest loser says that is just crap. And anybody that hot, just has to know what they're talking about, right? While I am on my celebs and fitness kick- let me just say this: Who do these twiggy celebrity women think they are fooling when they say, "Well, I just chase after my toddlers all day and it keeps me fit!" Seriously. I chase my kids around all day and my fat trails right along with me. Does. Not. Work.
My bestie is doing this crazy thing where she is injecting herself with the HCG pregnancy hormones everyday and is losing an insane amount of weight. Go figure. But I am not ready to go that extreme. Seems a little scary to me.
So here I am, once again trying to figure out exactly what I am going to do to smooth out the dimples on my bootie. I put on some self tanner, thinking that tan cellulite looks way better than pale cellulite, but *surprise* the cellulite is still there. (Only now it's kinda orangey and streaky) I think I need your help. What have you done to drop the pounds that actually worked? And if you say- eat right and exercise I will jump through the screen and bite your fingers. Seriously- I am drawn to the crazy like a fat kid is to cake- so lay it on me. Fill up the comments so I have lots to choose from. I'll pick my fave and start it next Tuesday (cause nobody in their right mind starts a diet on Monday!) Thanks, loves!
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Oh shoot me – I am excited about Christmas this year! Maybe it's because there's a baby – albeit he's too young to realise it's a special day – but I still want to make it a memorable one this year!
So I've taken a new new interest in Innisfree nail polishes – this one no. 71 subtly called Merry Christmas I had to buy for Christmas! It's a clear base with red, green and gold glitters – the official colours of the season!
Do you think you could ever wear red, green and gold and not look like a Christmas tree?
The glitters in this nail polish are CHUNKY and bold so they would probably look best on a base or seriously layered up – it looks a bit crappy- I mean sparse with 1-2 coats. Here is 2 coats:
Yah it's kind basic and juvenile really, if only it had some base colour or micro sparkle to make it more interesting. It's a bit like a turkey with no condiments.
I paid around £4 for this from eBay.
What do you think of this Christmas polish?


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The legendary media tycoon William Randolph Hearst believed America needed a strongman and that Franklin D. Roosevelt would fit the bill. He ordered his newspapers to support FDR and the New Deal. At his direction, Hearst's political allies rallied around Roosevelt at the Democratic convention, which some believe sealed the deal for Roosevelt's nomination.
But all that wasn't enough. Hearst also believed the voters had to be made to see what could be gained from a president with a free hand. So he financed the film "Gabriel Over the White House," starring Walter Huston. The film depicts an FDR look-alike president who, after a coma-inducing car accident, is transformed from a passive Warren Harding type into a hands-on dictator. The reborn commander in chief suspends the Constitution, violently wipes out corruption and revives the economy through a national socialist agenda. When Congress tries to impeach him, he dissolves Congress.
The Library of Congress summarizes the film nicely. "The good news: He reduces unemployment, lifts the country out of the Depression, battles gangsters and Congress and brings about world peace. The bad news: He's Mussolini."
Hearst wanted to make sure the script got it right, so he sent it to what today might be called a script doctor, namely Roosevelt. FDR loved it, but he did have some changes, which Hearst eagerly accepted. A month into his first term, FDR sent Hearst a thank-you note. "I want to send you this line to tell you how pleased I am with the changes you made in 'Gabriel Over the White House,'" Roosevelt wrote. "I think it is an intensely interesting picture and should do much to help."
I bring up this tale to note that Hollywood has never been opposed to propaganda. When Hollywood's self-declared auteurs and artistes denounce propaganda as the enemy of art, almost invariably what they really mean is "propaganda we don't like."
Consider the film "Lone Survivor," which tells the true story of heroic Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. The film has been denounced by some critics; a "jingoistic, pornographic work of war propaganda," in the words of one reviewer. Richard Corliss of Time chimed in: "That these events actually happened doesn't necessarily make it plausible or powerful in a movie, or keep it from seeming like convenient propaganda." Similar complaints (from non-conservatives, at least) about antiwar films made during the George W. Bush years are much harder to find.
Similarly, if Demi Moore proclaimed, "I pledge to be a servant to our president," at the dawn of the Bush presidency, it would have created a career-ending firestorm.
When it was owned by GE -- a company with billions of dollars invested in subsidy-dependent alternative energy technologies -- NBC began its "Green Week," seven days of sitcoms, sports shows and even news programs doing their part for the cause. There was nary a word of protest from TV critics or supposedly independent writers and producers about the corruption of art. I wonder, if Fox announced a "pro-life week," whether the same crowd would yawn as conspicuously.
In the book, "Primetime Propaganda," author Ben Shapiro quotes many TV producers boasting about blacklisting conservative actors and shilling for liberal issues. As Shapiro notes, perhaps no figure was more upfront -- or successful -- at yoking art to political proselytizing than Norman Lear, the creator of "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons" and other shows.
Which is fitting. Last fall, the California Endowment, which is spending millions to promote the Affordable Care Act, gave $500,000 to the Norman Lear Center at USC to work on ways to get Hollywood to do its part. In February, the center will cosponsor with the Writer's Guild of America an event in New York titled "The Affordable Care Act: Comedy, Drama & Reality," about portraying Obamacare in TV and film. The Obama administration, naturally, will be sending an emissary to help.
It's doubtful this will have any significant effect. The rollout has made its impression, and the changes wrought by Obamacare in the individual lives of millions of Americans won't be erased by a very special episode of "The Big Bang Theory." But it's a useful reminder that Hollywood is always eager to lend its services -- for the right president.


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January 26, 2011
Arrabiata Sauce with Shrimp & Linguine | Recipe | Quick Dinner Ideas
Arrabiata Sauce with Shrimp & Linguine
This pasta with arrabiata sauce is one of those dinners that takes 10 minutes to prepare - literally. The simple tomato sauce is made from canned whole tomatoes with a little bit of red pepper flakes added for heat. It can be made with or without shrimp - add mushrooms, chicken or just parmesan cheese if you'd like! If you have some white wine around the house, add a 1/2 of a cup to the sauce for extra depth and interest, but it is not necessary.
1 pound of Linquine
3 tablespoons of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 - 14.5 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 pound of shrimp, uncooked, peeled
Start by boiling a large pot of water for the pasta. Add sea salt to the water to help flavor the pasta (about 2 tablespoons).
In a saute pan, cook garlic in the olive oil for 30 seconds. Add the juice from the cans of tomatoes. Add the whole tomatoes one at a time, squeezing them into the pan to break them up. Add the salt & red pepper flakes. Cook the sauce over medium-high for 5 minutes. **This is a good time to put the pasta in the boiling water. It should cook for 5 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and cook on medium high for 2 minutes, until the shrimp have cooked, then remove it from the heat. When the pasta has cooked for 5 minutes total (or until al dente) remove it from the water and add it directly to the sauce. Toss to coat.
Budget Friendly Dinner :
pasta - $1.00
tomatoes - $1.50
shrimp - $6.00-$8.00 **
total : $8.50 - $10.50
**I buy frozen shrimp at Costco in 2 pound bags for about $12. It is really easy to grab a couple of pieces out of the freezer for a quick dinner.
Labels: arrabiata sauce, Budget, Dinner, dinner ideas, Italian, Pasta, Recipes, shirmp
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Chancellor Merkel has hosted five integration summits over the past six years. Daniel Bax feels that the time has now come for the German state to stop behaving towards migrants as a father does towards a child and to work instead on breaking down structures and prejudices that hamper the genuine equality and participation of immigrants
At the media conference concluding Germany's fifth Integration Summit, it was Christine Lieberknecht, the head of government of the state of Thuringia, who was the first to mention the series of racist murders committed by rightwing terrorists in her state. In this context, Lieberknecht, who is a member of the centre-right Christian Democrats, called for more "tolerance" and a new "culture of welcome" in Germany.
Many migrants have been left shocked by the murders of a number of tradesmen of Turkish origin committed over a period of several years by a clandestine trio of neo-Nazis who succeeded in operating undiscovered for many years. Although the story broke just three months ago, the case was barely mentioned at the fifth Integration Summit at the Chancellery.
Monologue instead of dialogue
This year's meeting has once again exposed the imbalance that has always characterised the debate between immigrants and majority society on questions of integration. While as far as the German government is concerned, integration puts the onus on migrants to make more of an effort to fit in, most migrants hope that the process will afford them real equality and protection against discrimination, or, in this particular case, against racist violence. And as a consequence, either both sides end up talking at cross purposes, or the government delivers a monologue.
For the fifth time, Chancellor Angela Merkel invited 120 guests from the worlds of business, politics, sport and associations to attend a summit at the Chancellery on the last day of January to discuss how immigrants might be better integrated. Central issues at this year's meeting were the promotion of the German language and the civil participation of migrants as well as attracting more immigrants to jobs in the media and public service.
Delegates also agreed on a "national action plan" that was hammered out in recent months by the government, the federal states, local authorities and migrant organisations. This action plan does however bear all the hallmarks of the federal government, which means that the goals and voluntary commitments are few in number and non-binding.
Low number of migrants in public service
So what is the key focus of this plan? One of the government's primary aims is to improve the proportion of migrants in public service so that "the diversity of our nation is also reflected in its institutions" as Angela Merkel formulated it at the post-summit press conference.
But this is a goal that she already set five years ago, and there is not much evidence that anything has really changed in the institutions of the republic in the intervening period. The number of immigrants in public service has languished for years at the same low level (9.9 per cent); the only clear increase has been in the education sector, with the number of teachers and educators with a migrant background on the rise – and this although the state should "set an example" for other employers, as the government's commissioner for integration Maria Böhmer admitted.
Now there is also an advertising campaign aimed at motivating young people with a migrant background to pursue a career in the civil service as a teacher, police officer or in an administrative function. Whether this will be enough is another story. After all, there are many reasons why so little has changed in this regard in recent years.
The government also attaches particular importance to making it easier for migrant children to learn German. To this end, it has freed up €400 million for targeted language learning in nursery schools and day-care centres until 2014. In addition, it hopes to win more migrants for volunteer positions and membership in clubs.
Sports clubs, for example, will only receive financial support if they make an effort to foster integration. The federal states have in turn set themselves the goal of halving the number of immigrant children dropping out of school early by 2015. Originally, this goal was supposed to have been reached this year.
There was harsh criticism of the Integration Summit in advance from the opposition, trade unions and migrants' associations. Three dozen associations issued a joint statement calling for a greater commitment to measures against racism.
Following the series of murders of tradesmen of Turkish origin "latent racist structures in investigating authorities" must be scrutinised, said the statement. Signatories also demanded an "action plan against racism" and beefed-up victim protection programmes. They are also calling for an independent body to monitor racism and rightwing extremism.
Gaping holes in the action plan
The German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) also sees what it calls "gaping holes" in the government's action plan. In a position paper, it sets out its most important points of criticism, among them the fact that it is specifically foreign nationals who are most often sidelined into poorly paid jobs of an irregular nature.
Additionally, the DGB claims that young migrants on the vocational training market continue to be disadvantaged even if they have the same qualifications as their German counterparts. The statement also criticises what is known as the "priority review", which gives German candidates priority over foreign applicants on the jobs market.
Opposition parties are also calling for changes to citizenship laws. Three political parties, the SPD, the Greens and The Left, are calling for non-EU foreign nationals to be allowed to acquire dual citizenship and the right to vote in local elections. They also say that the hurdles to obtaining German citizenship are too high. But with a conservative government in office at federal level, these demands are falling on deaf ears.
Almost six years have passed since Angela Merkel convened her first integration summit at the Chancellery. This represented a major step at the time because it constituted an about-turn from the idea that Germany is not a country of immigration. Today, although Angela Merkel says that Germany is indeed a "country of integration", the vision behind the claim has long been rendered obsolete.
When it talks about "integration", this government still apparently believes that this means taking migrants "by the hand" so that they find a connection with German society. Its integration policy therefore expends most of its clout in efforts to make it easier for migrants and their children to learn German. And that's why it is proud of its small measure of success in early childhood language teaching and of its "integration courses", which enable adult immigrants to improve their knowledge of German.
Time for a change of policy
It is time to take leave of this paternalism. So much more would be gained if the structures and prejudices that hamper the genuine equality and participation of immigrants were eroded – in the education system, on the jobs market and before the law.
The demands raised by the unions, associations and opposition on the fringes of the Integration Summit are motivated by nothing less than a desire to see this happen. Because no one in the federal government would listen to it, the Turkish Community in Germany (TGD) now plans to join forces with other associations to hold a "summit against racism", scheduled to take place this spring.
"We don't want to talk about integration any more, but about the battle against racism and about more social participation," said Kenan Kolat, chairman of the TGD, by way of explanation. This new summit could end up being real competition for the Integration Summit. And that would be no bad thing and not before its time either.
Daniel Bax
© Qantara.de 2012
Editor: Aingeal Flanagan/Qantara.de


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PORTLAND – Real Salt Lake (15-10-8, 53 points, West #2) clinched its sixth-straight MLS Cup Playoff berth on Saturday night, tying the Portland Timbers (13-5-15, 54 points, West #1) 0-0 at JELD-WEN Field to lock up a spot in the postseason.
Real Salt Lake can still finish anywhere from first to fifth in the tightly-packed Western Conference. The Claret-and-Cobalt's six-year run of postseason qualification is the longest active streak in the league and tied for the second-longest such streak in MLS history with the New York Red Bulls (2003-2008), trailing only the New England Revolution's eight-year run (2002-2009).
While it ended scoreless, Saturday's match was an up-and-down affair, with both teams playing high-quality soccer in front of a raucous Portland crowd. RSL GK Nick Rimando came up huge throughout, making several tremendous saves to help the Claret-and-Cobalt earn a point.
Portland had the match's first opportunity in the 28th minute. The play started with an RSL attack, with Captain Kyle Beckerman lobbing a long ball over the top to FW Robbie Findley. Findley got behind the Timbers defense, but Portland GK Donovan Ricketts came out of the area to field the ball, taking a touch and curling a long pass down the right wing for FW Jose Adolfo Valencia. The Colombian attacker smacked a low cross into the middle, with MF Diego Valeri running onto it at the back post and hitting his 10-yard shot over the bar.
The Timbers had an incredible chance in the 43rd minute. Valencia collected a ball on the right flank, magnificently weaving his way past several RSL defenders before hitting a ball across the face of goal from the right edge of the six. Thankfully for RSL, Portland FW Kalif Alhassan couldn't quite connect for what would've been a tap-in goal at the back post, the chance ending with the pass rolling out for a goal kick.
Rimando made his first huge save in the 65th minute. RSL DF Chris Wingert and Valencia collided on the left side, clearing room for Timbers DF Jack Jewsbury to collect a ball and carry into space. Jewsbury quickly whipped a low cross into the middle, with the ball deflecting off of several players at the top of the six before falling to an open Alhassan on the right side. Rimando stoned Alhassan's ensuing eight-yard shot, reaching behind his body to paw the ball away from the goal line and preserve the shutout.
Rimando came up big again in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Former RSL MF and current Timbers Captain Will Johnson laced a 20-yard free kick on goal, forcing Rimando into a brilliant reaction save. Rimando's work wasn't done with Johnson's effort, however, with the veteran 'keeper using his cat-like reflexes to swat away a Portland player's follow-up header.
Saturday's result keeps Real Salt Lake in second-place in the Western Conference, one point behind Portland in the Conference table. The Claret-and-Cobalt and the Timbers will both play Chivas USA in their final match, with RSL hosting the Southern California side at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday and Portland traveling to take on the Goats at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.
RSL is now tied for third-place in the race for the Supporters' Shield, trailing league leaders Sporting Kansas City (55 points) and Portland (54 points) and sitting in a tie with the New York Red Bulls, who play on Sunday at the Houston Dynamo.
A limited amount of tickets are still available for Wednesday's RSL-Chivas USA contest and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
Click here to access video highlights and the RealSaltLake.com MATCHCENTER for RSL 0-0 POR
Real Salt Lake Match Notes – RSL 0-0 POR
- With a draw at JELD-WEN Field, Real Salt Lake has clinched a playoff berth for the sixth-consecutive year, the second-longest such streak in MLS history. RSL currently sits in second-place in the Western Conference with 53 points, one point behind first-place Portland Timbers. With the final MLS regular season matches pitting the LA Galaxy against San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders FC, there is no mathematical way for all three teams to catch RSL.
- In the Supporters' Shield race, RSL is currently tied with the New York Red Bulls for third-place, both clubs with 53 points. Sporting Kansas City jumped into first-place with a total of 55 points with its win over D.C. United on Friday.
- Tonight's match was the third MLS regular season meeting between Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers. RSL is now 1-0-2 against Portland in regular season play and 2-0-2 against the Timbers across all competitions this year. RSL drew the Timbers 3-3 on Aug. 21 at Jeld-Wen Field and then won 4-2 on Aug. 30 at Rio Tinto Stadium. The teams also played in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Aug. 7 at Rio Tinto Stadium, a 2-1 RSL victory.
- Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers have now met in eight league meetings all-time, with the Claret-and-Cobalt posting a 4-1-3 record against the Cascadia club. In all MLS league meetings between the clubs, the Timbers have only won once—a 1-0 win in the first encounter between the clubs, April 30, 2011 in Portland. The Portland Timbers are now unbeaten in 17 straight conference games at JELD-WEN Field (11-0-6) dating back to 2012, including a 9-0-3 mark in 2013.
- RSL now owns 22 of its 53 points this season courtesy a 6-7-4 road record through 17 away games, matching the club's 6-7-4 (22 point) mark on the road in MLS play last year which set a new club record for road points.
- Tonight's match in Portland marked RSL GK Nick Rimando's 200th career MLS regular-season appearance for the Claret-and-Cobalt. He is the first RSL player to reach the bicentennial mark in the club's nine MLS seasons.
- RSL DF Chris Schuler made his third-consecutive league start after a nearly five-month layoff because of injury, partnering with Nat Borchers in central defense. RSL is now 1-0-2 with Schuler in the lineup since his return.
- Tonight's match marked the return of three RSL players from international duty: MF Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), GK Nick Rimando (U.S.) and FW Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica). Beckerman played 90 minutes for the U.S. in its 3-2 win at Panama on Tuesday while Saborio came off the bench early in the second half and scored a goal in Costa Rica's 2-1 win over Mexico on the same night.
- RSL playmaker Javier Morales was missing from tonight's lineup due to suspension from yellow card accumulation.
- Tonight's match was RSL's first MLS action following a two-week layoff from game play, after the 1-1 draw vs. FC Dallas on Oct. 5. Real Salt Lake has yet to record a win since the Claret-and-Cobalt's 1-0 win over Vancouver at BC Place on Sept. 28. RSL will finish off the MLS regular season on Wed. Oct. 23 when it hosts Chivas USA in its home finale at Rio Tinto Stadium.
- Tonight's result was Real Salt Lake's first scoreless draw of 2013.
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
Portland Timbers 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
No Goals
Misconduct Summary:
RSL - Yordany Alvarez (Yellow; Dissent) – 74'
POR – Diego Chara (Yellow; Foul) – 85'
Real Salt Lake (4-1-2-1-2): Nick Rimando; Lovel Palmer, Chris Schuler, Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert; Yordany Alvarez; Ned Grabavoy, Kyle Beckerman (C); Luis Gil; Alvaro Saborio, Robbie Findley (Joao Plata, 72')
Substitutes not used: Jeff Attinella, Tony Beltran, Carlos Salcedo, Cole Grossman, Khari Stephenson, Devon Sandoval
Portland Timbers (4-3-3): Donovan Rickets; Jack Jewsbury, Mamadou Danso, Pa Modou Kah, Michael Harrington; Diego Chara, Diego Valeri (Rodney Wallace, 64'), Will Johnson; Kalif Alhassan (Sal Zizzo, 88'); Jose Valencia (Frederic Piquionne, 68'), Darlington Nagbe
Substitutes not used: Milos Kocic, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Ben Zemanski, Ryan Johnson
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Adam Wienckowski, Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Drew Fischer
Attendance: 20,674
Weather: Clear and 55 degrees


text:
Google recently denied, vehemently, a gossipy conspiracy theory that suggested the search engine was stealing money from web publishers to fatten its own profit margins. The theory is fake — we'll explain why below — but three sources who have done business with Google's AdSense advertising program for years told Business Insider they sympathize with the theory even if they don't believe it.
The theory contains one giant flaw that spoils it. But it also references a few events that did actually happen at Google. That's why the "Google AdSense Leak" (as it came to be known) electrified Google's search marketing partners earlier this month — and why a few of them regard the theory as a fancifully embroidered version of a more mundane truth. They don't believe the theory is real, but they can see why some people might believe it.
That's a problem for Google: Many of its own customers are so frustrated with the way Google sometimes deals with them that they're willing to sympathize with the devil. Even Google has admitted in an official blog post that the actions it takes against publishers it doesn't like can be "scary":
… we've also heard the stories: publishers finding their accounts suspended or even disabled for "invalid activity" without a clear understanding of why or how to fix it. We know this can be an intensely frustrating, even scary experience.
The conspiracy theory.
Here's the background on the conspiracy theory: An alleged former Google employee claimed anonymously in two separate posts on the Pastebin site that the company systematically banned hundreds of Web publishers from its AdSense advertising system simply because they were making too much money. Any publisher that made $US5,000 or more per month by running Google ads on its website was banned from the system right before its monthly check was paid, and the earnings were reversed back to Google, the leaker claims. This supposedly occurred several times through 2012. Ultimately, larger corporate publishers were left alone but small or one-person publishers got hurt the most, the theory says.
Google offered a speedy denial:
This description of our AdSense policy enforcement process is a complete fiction. The … programs the author describes don't exist. Our teams and automated systems work around the clock to stop bad actors and protect our publishers, advertisers and users.
Business Insider contacted three sources who have done business with Google in the past to get their opinions. We were expecting them to brush off the story like lint from a suit collar. To our surprise, they all said that while they did not believe the "leaker" was genuine, some parts of the story felt familiar. The sources were a search ad agency CEO, a search marketing consultant, and a successful web publisher who had been banned from Google's AdSense program but did not know why.
All three sources noted the same issue with the conspiracy theory: In 2012, Google did begin shutting down a huge number of websites and refusing to pay them for the ads they ran. You can see examples of publishers complaining about being banned from AdSense here, here and here.
Google did in fact begin a big program of banning sites from using AdSense in 2012, an act that likely reduces its revenue and would do little to increase margins. The company wrote a blog post about it here. It did so to combat click fraud (when computer programs pretend to be people clicking on ads) and to weed out bad actors who were engaging in click fraud or otherwise unfairly gaming the system — for instance, by buying low quality traffic rather than earning readers organically.
One web publisher who got caught up in the purge told BI this:
We had a website running with Google "Adsense for Domains" that was doing really well in 2011/12. Nobody here did anything to try to drive the clicks up, and yet Google did exactly what the writer says — they threw us out of the program right before a decent payout was supposed to be made in April of 2012. That matches his [the leaker's] story precisely — here's a screen shot of the lovely email they sent us:
The search ad agency chief agreed:
This is absolutely true. … they were banning AdSense partners to raise the quality of the network. … they were taking a short term hit to partner ad revenues from the display network in order to ensure the long term quality of the display ad network.
Google has over 2 million publishers in their display [network] and so they don't manually investigate every one — rather, they lean on computer algorithms and automation. It's the same in AdWords where you have millions of advertisers, and Google needs to shut down accounts that are abusing the system (eg: selling illegal products, or whatever) so they have these algos that shut down suspicious accounts, but they're not 100% accurate. For example, my own AdWords account even got shut down once due to some weird glitch (even though we're a Google Partner) and it also happens periodically to our various advertiser clients, even though they're not violating any AdWords terms of services. It can be difficult to get a wrongly banned account to be re-instated.
The crucial point here is that the purge of sites from AdSense happened because Google was trying to clean out bad actors and increase the quality of web sites where its search ads were running. So yes, a massive amount of websites were suddenly banned in 2012 just as the conspiracy theory alleges — but the purge was intended to improve the quality of Google's offerings, not because Google needed the money. (As we've noted before, Google does not need money — it's currently adding revenue at a rate of 19% per quarter.)
Google wrote blog posts about this program here and here.
One of the problems with the program, however, is that Google cannot explain to publishers why it believes a site has low quality or fake traffic without revealing how it detects click fraud. If it revealed how it detects fraud the fraudsters would change their tactics to compensate. So the bans feel mysterious to those who are affected by them. Publishers are often baffled because they may not know that their site is being used as a source or pivot point for fake clicks. (Here's an explanation of just how complicated the fake click ecosystem can get.)
In 2013, Google conducted a further purge of ad clients, mostly to get rid of abusive "search toolbar" products. These are free software downloads that come bundled with a search toolbar. The software is often useless, and the toolbar shows users ads — the revenue was being split with Google until Google realised that the user experience was awful. Google published another official blog post about this here.
Finally, Google does indeed have two tiers of publishers, as the leaker claims. Bigger advertisers get Google ad sales staff to manage their accounts. Smaller publishers just get the AdSense interface. Google has been doing this a long time, as this old web page shows. Some people believe having a "premium" or managed Google account lets publishers skirt the rules.
Of course, Google's enemies are loving all of this speculation. Microsoft, TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Oracle are among the companies that believe Google discriminates in favour of its own search results and against their offerings. They have funded FairSearch, an organisation devoted to needling Google over its practices. In a blog, post the group said:
These recent allegations are another sign that Google's thirst for profits comes at the expense of meeting its legal obligations and commitments to business partners it says benefit from its own dominance. In the past few years, the company settled for $500 million with the Department of Justice for assisting in the illegal sale of prescription drugs online, and several state Attorneys General have voiced concern over Google's revenue from ads placed with YouTube videos that depict or promote illegal and other activities harmful to consumers and even children.
The search consultant told us that he would actually welcome some sort of legal inquiry into the theory:
In order for the truth to come out a formal inquiry by an independent body SHOULD be held, and Google should produce clear reasons for shutting down accounts and prove that the money that they held was rebated to advertisers not kept / retained.
(Google's official policy is actually to return all money to advertisers when sites are banned for infringments.)
This is all gossip, of course. But it's important gossip, because Google cares deeply about its corporate reputation. Here's the only thing we know for sure right now. Everyone agrees the theory is fake and the leaker is not a real Google employee — he or she got key details wrong, apparently. The smart money says this is a website publisher who got banned and is now seeking revenge. But the leak got enough right to get a conversation going.
Here's why the theory is wrong.
More importantly, the theory must be wrong because, by definition, the more publishers and fake clicks that get axed from the system, the fewer ads Google serves, and the fewer paid clicks it generates. Its revenues would decline in the process. And as Google takes a fixed cut of AdSense revenues, it wouldn't affect the profit margin percentage anyway.
For the record, here's Google's denial in full:
This description of our AdSense policy enforcement process is a complete fiction. The colour-coding and "extreme quality control" programs the author describes don't exist. Our teams and automated systems work around the clock to stop bad actors and protect our publishers, advertisers and users.
All publishers that sign up for AdSense agree to the Terms and Conditions of the service and a set of policies designed to ensure the quality of the network for users, advertisers and other publishers. When we discover violations of these policies, we take quick action, which in some cases includes disabling the publisher's account and refunding affected advertisers.
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在GoWabi网上预订 - Oasis Spa Royal Thai Spa
Oasis Spa Royal Thai SpaCash, credit card $$$ THB
128 Moo 3 Rimhad Rd. Kamala, Kathu, Phuket
Nestled among perfect sunsets, the Andaman Ocean and Kamala's tropical beaches, you will discover relaxation at Oasis Royal Thai Spa Phuket. Located at the foot of cascading mountains you will find the modern Oasis Spa in Kamala, Phuket. Book your next Thai Herbal Steam, Traditional Thai Massage, Spa Packages and Thai Herbal Foot Treatment at Oasis Spa Royal Thai Spa Phuket. Oasis Royal Thai Spa Phuket is located by Kamala Beach and is just a few minutes walk from the Tsunami Memorial Park. Booking has never been easier, customers can book online through GoWabi's application or website and enjoy the soothing massages and relaxing atmosphere offered at Oasis Royal Thai Spa located in Kamala, Phuket. Free round trip transportation is available from Patong, Surin and Kamala to Oasis Spa Royal Thai Spa in Kamala Phuket.
Book Oasis Spa (Royal Thai Spa) online now to get special discounts on spa package, thai traditional massage, aromatherapy massage, body massage, foot massage and other services. Read about Oasis Spa (Sukhumvit 31) review from other customers who have left a review. Full menu and prices with promotion and special discount.
Oasis Journey Package (for 2 people)
180 min
180 min
7,990 泰珠
9,999 泰珠
✅ Earn up to 400 泰珠 Cashback!
Your Oasis Journey awaits. Choose from…
OCEAN KING – includes a Thai Herbal Steam, King of Oasis Signature massage, Thai Herbal Hot Compress, Thai Aromatherapy Massage, Head, Back and Shoulder Massage.
OCEAN QUEEN – includes a Thai Herbal Steam, Queen of Oasis Signature Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Head, Back and Shoulder Massage.
JOURNEY OF AYURVEDA – includes a Thai Herbal Steam, Shirodha, Ayurvedic Body Massage, Head, Back and Shoulder Massage.
PARADISE OF OASIS – includes a Thai Herbal Steam, Body Scrub, Body Wrap, Royal Thai Facial, Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage, Head, Back and Shoulder Massage.
Indulge yourself and someone else in a "Golden Sensation" treatment and enjoy a Buy-1-Get-1-Free DEAL.
First, a body scrub exfoliates your skin while scents of Sandalwood, Frankincense and Jasmine delight the senses. Then, a Thai massage elevates your wellbeing. Finally, an Aromatherapy Massage with gold flakes in essential oils makes you glitter. After 3 hours you look and feel amazing. Available in Phuket and Pattaya only.
Signature Treatment
This treatment uses the synergy created when two people and four hands work together. Imagine duet therapists working in harmony massaging fragrant oil all over your body in blissful, synchronized waves. At times, during this multi-hand massage, therapists intertwine their hands to produce rubbing motions that cause the body to resonate with multiple sensations. This treatment produces more than double results, in fact, there is nothing like it!
Our traditional Thai Massage is both deeply refreshing and extremely revitalizing. It is performed with slow movements and covers the entire body and offers the deepest possible relaxation. 'Sen' energy lines are pressed and kneaded, the therapy continues with passive stretching followed by a soothing head, neck and shoulder massage. This treatment energizes, rejuvenates and increases blood and oxygen circulation.
You haven't experienced everything Thai massage has to offer until you try Tok Sen. Tok means "tapping" and Sen refers to the Meridian Lines. Deep vibrations produced by tapping wooden instruments along the meridian lines are transforming. When combined with stretching, Thai herbal balm, and aromatherapy techniques, you experience relaxation and amazing therapeutic benefits.
A red clay and grapefruit essential oil body mask combines with a purifying body wrap to draw out toxins and deliver essential vitamins and minerals to the skin. Grapefruits and geranium elevate your senses. Ideal for dry or sensitive skin.
This treatment makes skin radiant with health and soft to the touch. A coconut butter body wrap provides nourishment for restoring and rehydrating skin while making it silky and smooth. Additional ingredients - coconut oil, honey and jojoba oil - replenish dry skin and give it new life.
Enjoy the treatment that purifies and restores tone and vitality to the skin. White clay, Coconut oil, Ylang Ylang and Lavender essential oils combine to penetrate deeply and draw out toxins, while moisturizing and softening the skin. Great for dry or sensitive skin.
Aloe Vera gel infused with Lavender essential oils penetrates deeply to replenish and restore the skin's natural balance and vitality. Lavender and chamomile oils calm and relax the spirit while balancing the body. This body wrap treatment is soothing and great for sunburned skin.
Head, Back, Shoulder & Foot Massage
120 min
120 min
1,801 泰珠
2,001 泰珠
✅ Earn up to 90 泰珠 Cashback!
This massage benefits you from head to toe. First, a Thai Herbal foot scrub renews the skin followed by an Oriental Foot Reflexology Massage. Next, a neck and shoulder massage eliminates tension-causing stress and chronic pain. Finally, a head massage stimulates scalp circulation, soothes and restores energy flow to the temples. The benefits are marvelous and immediate – total relaxation, release of tension, relief from fatigue and increased alertness and concentration.
This is an add on service and must be booked with a main spa package
It is no secret that a warm bath calms the mind and improves circulation. Our Aromatherapy Milk Bath is a warm milky bath featuring the heavenly essential oils of Citrus, Lavender and the Thai herb, "Prai." This bath provides relief from stress and anxiety and helps to treat muscular pain.
This is an add on service and must be booked with a main spa package
This popular hydrotherapy treatment is created from a combination of aromatic Thai herbs including: Turmeric, Prai, Lemongrass, Camphor and Kaffir lime. It awakens the senses while soothing, relaxing and reducing stress. Toxins are removed, circulation and respiratory functions are improved and the skin becomes softer and suppler.
This sweet and savory treat(ment) is your pathway to tropical bliss. First, Mango Sticky Rice Body Scrub of Coconut butter, Shea Butter and Mango uncovers more youthful-looking skin. Then, you will delight in a Body Wrap Cocoon that rehydrates dry skin while its fragrance enchants the senses. Next, a Guinot® Purifying Facial Treatment improves your complexion. Finally, a warm Coconut Oil Body Massage makes you feel delightful and look delicious!
The pampering "experience of a lifetime" begins with a Thai Herbal Steam, a vitality booster that is followed by a Body Scrub (your choice of products*) to exfoliate your skin. Then a Morocco Red Clay Body Wrap extracts the toxins common to modern life. After a healing Aromatherapy Bath, a Four-hand Massage brings complete relaxation. Finally, you enjoy the ultimate Thai Facial. Four-hours later, you will be radiant and serene.
It begins with a Natural Coconut Body Scrub that removes dry skin using finely ground coconut husks and shells. This stimulates blood flow and encourages new skin growth. Then a Coconut Hot Compress Massage relieves pain, stiffness and backache. Finally, a Coconut Hot Oil Massage Therapy unlocks tense muscles, improves circulation and moisturizes sensitive and dry skin while the fresh coconut scent works to alleviates stress and anxiety.
This treatment protects and enriches hair and takes it to new levels of health and beauty. The formula of KIN Secret Charms Silky Hair Treatment (made from Shea Butter, Sal Butter and Silk Protein) deeply moisturizes and restores hair to a more youthful splendor. Next, you will tingle as a KIN Secret Charms Rich Body Scrub is applied to be followed by the magic of an Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage.
This unique spa package begins with the dripping of warm oil on the forehead which is believed to invigorate and sooth the senses and the mind. It is followed by a thorough scalp massage. Next, a traditional East Indian Style warm-oil massage reduces tension, swelling and helps improve sleep. Many find this two-hour treatment helps prevents illness and promotes healing and wellness by balancing the body, mind and spirit.
We start with your choice of hydrotherapy, Thai Herbal Steam or Foot Bath. Then your skin will be exfoliated with KIN Ocean Breeze body scrub. Following is a deeply cleansing Aloe Vera Lavender Body Wrap, then a muscle-melting Ayurvedic Body Massage and a Head, Back and Shoulder Massage removes all stress. Finally, your serenity is completed by a cooling After Sun Facial Treatment. Hey, you owe your body this.
After the sun and heat of a tropical day restore and protect your skin. The treatment begins with your choice of KIN Ocean Breeze (Aloe Vera) Body Scrub or a soothing Aloe Vera & Lavender Body Wrap. This is followed by an Aromatherapy Oil Massage with refreshing aromatic scents that restore your body and uplift your senses and finishes with a luxurious and After Sun Facial Treatment. Get your summer glow!
Take a stepping-stone to a better you. First, an Aromatherapy and Swedish Massage applied with smooth, round, heated basalt stones relieve tired and sore muscle. Then Sabai Stones are positioned at strategic locations on the body to melt away muscle knots and tension and to relieve stress. Additional stones are applied to massage away pain and improve the flow of life energy. Results are dramatic: you walk away feeling reborn.
This spa experience takes your body, mind, and spirit to an incredible place. It begins with a Thai Herbal Steam to cleanse underlying stress and prepare you for the purifying Body Scrub (your choice of products*) that extracts toxins. Then a King of Oasis Signature Massage revitalizes the body's matrix and energy lines. Following a Thai facial treatment, you will be amazed at how relaxed and energetic you feel.
This therapy combines our seaside spas' most popular treatments. First, enjoy a healthful Thai Herbal Steam then take a quick dip in our Cool Pool. Next, receive a cleansing Aloe Vera & Lavender Body Scrub and the Aloe Vera & Lavender Body Wrap. Your seaside pampering sensation is complete with a two-hour King of Oasis Signature Massage and a Detoxifying Facial. Many call this their, "Best spa therapy eeeveer!"
First, a body scrub exfoliates your skin while scents of Sandalwood, Frankincense and Jasmine delight the senses. Then, a Thai massage elevates your wellbeing. Finally, an Aromatherapy Massage with gold flakes in essential oils makes you glitter. After 3 hours you look and feel amazing. Available in Phuket and Pattaya only.
Touch of nature
You will love this personalized treatment that renews and revitalizes - head-to-toe! First an organic Coconut Body Scrub creates more youthful looking skin. Then a Coconut Oil Body Massage soothes the mind and body. Next, a Facial Treatment and Facial Massage using organic oils makes you look and feel younger. Finally, it's time for your Personalized Massage Therapy. YOU tell the therapist where to work!
During this therapy, ancient time-honored techniques of Northern Thailand reopen blocked energy pathways which cause fatigue and weariness. Relief begins when acupressure is applied during a Traditional Thai Massage followed by Thai Herbal Hot Compresses which dissolve soreness and further releases energy. Finally, an Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage completes the relief as powerful herbal essential oils fuse with massage therapy to bring you to the next level of relaxation.
Perhaps our most transformational experience, this treatment begins with Oriental Foot Reflexology and a KIN Secret Charm Silky Hair Treatment given at the same time. Then you encounter the luxurious Oasis Four Hand Massage, a signature treatment. During this choreographed tandem massage, two therapists delicately work with all four hands in synchronization to produce waves of enjoyment. Your whole body will feel lighter and bursting with life after this over-the-top-experience.
This is your one-way ticket to paradise. Stress evaporates during the Thai Herbal Steam treatment, then a Body Scrub (your choice of products*) expels the toxins of modern living. Next, a Thai Herbal Clay Body Wrap draws out years of accumulated pollutants. Then an Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage erases tension and finally you are refreshed and beautified with a Thai Facial. After four-hours of matchless pampering you emerge completely transformed!
This one-of-a-kind treatment makes use of the ancient Northern Thailand massage stick to stimulate energy lines. It begins with hot herbal compresses and traditional Thai massage followed by a blend of Swedish massage, Aromatherapy oils and the massage wand. Our original and uncommon Exotic Oasis Massage leaves you restored to well-being, pain-free, and energized.
You will love this personalized treatment that renews and revitalizes - head-to-toe! First an organic Coconut Body Scrub creates more youthful looking skin. Then a Coconut Oil Body Massage soothes the mind and body. Next, a Facial Treatment and Facial Massage uses organic oils makes you look and feel younger. Finally, it's time for your Personalized Massage Therapy. YOU tell the therapist where to work!
Healing inside and out with this fantastic 2½ hr. treatment! First, a Body Scrub that suits your skin type exfoliates and rejuvenates skin. Then you receive a hot oil massage combing the techniques of Thai, Swedish and Aromatherapy together. It's topped off with a Thai Facial using natural products, you emerge feeling refreshed and renewed.
This treatment starts with Cool Ocean Breeze Body Scrub on the feet and then destressed feet are soothed by Thai Herbal White Clay Body Wrap. When oriental foot massage is applied to points on the underside of the foot, a reflex action occurs in another part of the body that stimulates self-healing. Foot massage applied with herbal aromatic oils.
Hot herbal compresses are applied in combination with a Thai traditional massage. This soothing treatment increases energy flow, improves circulation, relaxes deep muscle tissue, treats energy lines that are otherwise unreachable and stimulates nerve ending to promote the body's natural healing process. The aromatic herbs used in hot compresses stimulate the senses and aid deep relaxation; they include Kaffir Lime, Prai, and Camphor.
This treatment used for thousands of years has been combined with contemporary knowledge to promote relaxation and wellness. It uses deep stretching, rubbing and kneading to stimulate acupressure points to balance the body and allow its life force to flow freely. Thai herbal massage balm and Thai Herbal Hot Compresses are applied during the treatment to enhance its effectiveness. The result is a new vitality, improved circulation and stress relief.
KIN Secret Charms Silky Hair Treatment
60 min
60 min
1,907 泰珠
2,119 泰珠
✅ Earn up to 96 泰珠 Cashback!
The formula of KIN Secret Charms Silky Hair Treatment (made from Shea Butter, Sal Butter and Silk Protein) deeply moisturizes and restores hair to a more youthful splendor.
For problem skin due to pollution and stress. Using celebrated Guinot® products to remove dead cells from the skin's surface while encouraging cell renewal, this facial cleanses, exfoliates and hydrates while a facial massage relaxes facial features and energizes the skin. Great for all skin types.
Shirodhara is an Ayurveda practice that uses the gentle dripping of herbal oils onto the forehead to induce a deep state of serenity and relaxation. It is followed by an Indian head and scalp massage. Shirodhara is believed to improve memory and is used treat many conditions including migraine headaches, insomnia, tension, stress and strain. The herbal oil used also keeps the hair shiny and in good condition.
This facial treatment uses natural products and Thai herbs to tone and firm facial skin. The combination of Thanaka, Honey and Black Sesame purifies, smoothes and moisturizes the skin. The treatment ends with a fresh cucumber mask, then moisturizer for a more radiant complexion. This rids the skin of toxins and promotes relaxation and improved energy flow.
This soothing treatment uses renowned Guinot® skin care products. The treatment is formulated for very delicate or sensitive skin, it soothes irritation and repairs the skin providing visible and lasting results. The treatment includes cleansing, toning, a gentle facial scrub, mask and massage to remove dead skin cells and give you healthier and brighter skin.
A treatment designed to soothe a sunburned face, restore freshness, correct uneven skin tone, comfort, calm redness and prolong the tan. The treatment uses renowned Guinot® products and includes: cleansing, toning, a gentle scrub, mask, and massage to revitalize, rehydrate and boost facial skin recovery.
This treatment perfectly combines the three most effective spa therapies: Swedish massage, Thai massage and Aromatherapy. The kneading and rubbing of Swedish massage brings relaxation and healing; pressure-point therapy of the Thai massage stimulates the acupressure points along energy lines which can deplete muscular stress and dissolve blockages. Aromatic therapy can help to fight depression, relieve aches, manage pain, improve blood pressure, and much more.
You will feel majestic by the end of this two-hour massage that is fit for a king. This stress-buster treatment combines Thai massage techniques with Aromatherapy massage. It begins with a Thai Herbal Hot Compress placed along the strong muscle lines. Then a Hot Oil Massage stretches the muscles to reopen the body's energy pathways, enhance circulation, increase energy levels and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Hot Stone, Swedish and Aromatherapy massages are combined in this two-hour therapy to make a woman feel like a queen. The ancient oriental massage focusing on the Meridian Lines improves the body's functions and promotes self-healing. Swedish and Aromatherapy massages further restore and enhance vitality and the heat of the Hot Stone therapy relaxes deep muscle layers for a more effective massage and realignment of life-energy.
You will feel majestic by the end of this two-hour massage that is fit for a king. This stress-buster treatment combines Thai massage techniques with Aromatherapy massage. It begins with a Thai Herbal Hot Compress placed along the strong muscle lines. Then a Hot Oil Massage stretches the muscles to reopen the body's energy pathways, enhance circulation, increase energy levels and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Reflexology is the ancient healing art that believes applying pressure to specific points on the feet produces beneficial results. The body is believed to be divided into ten zones with energy lines linking all parts of the body and when pressure is applied to a specific point on the foot, a reflex action of self-healing is stimulated in another part of the body. Therapists use only their hands, fingers, and sometimes a wooden stick dipped in apply with fragrant massage oil.
This rich natural scrub was specially formulated to nourish and refresh very dry skin. Dead skin cells are removed, pores shrink and the skin is moisturized. Your newer and brighter skin emerges after a scrub with this fusion of soft-textured of natural Thai Coconut, Loofah, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil and Witch Hazel.
The Secrets of Lanna Beauties inspire this Body Scrub. It uses a combination of golden silk cocoons and satin sugar to pleasure your skin and stimulate new growth. Golden glitter is infused into sal butter to moisturize and restore your skin while your senses are indulged with the heady scent of jasmine. Nourishing and regenerating for all types of skin.
This refreshing body scrub uses nutrients extracted from plankton and aloe vera to repair damaged skin and protect it from the harsh environment. These nutrients, combined with sweet almond oil which is rich in protein and vitamin emollients, leave your skin soothed and nourished. The clean, crisp fragrances of rosemary and peppermint essential oils will lift your mood and promote calm and relaxation.
Awaken your senses with this delightful scrub for normal skin. We use fine Himalayan Salt beads with Luffa and Mulberry Leaves to stimulate the skin's blood flow and Rice Bran Oil and Shea Butter to naturally hydrate the skin. This scrub protects and nourishes your skin to help it look and feel softer and smoother.
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The Zapp Clinic
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Oasis Spa Royal Thai Spa
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The Zapp Clinic
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Nusalise Nail (Samrong Branch)
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Tim Morehouse is a two-time Olympic fencer who won the silver medal in team sabre at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
A Truly Special Closing Ceremony for Team USA 2012
September 17, 2012
While the Closing Ceremony at the Olympic Games is special, nothing beats coming back to the USA and going to the White House to meet the President!
The visit is special in a number of ways, first it is also the only time the entire TEAM USA Olympic and Paralympic teams are together and to be able to talk with the Paralympians who are just returning back from London was really great. A number of them are wounded warriors who have turned their injuries into inspiration by becoming Paralympians and representing all that is great about our nation on a new stage. Couldn't be prouder to stand beside them.
Second, and this is bitter sweet one, but the White House visit represents the last time all of the London 2012 Olympians will be assembled together. It has been a month since we were all together at Closing Ceremony in London and you can tell that everyone is already shifting gears to prepare for the upcoming season or to retirement mode and figuring out their next adventures.
On to the visit!
We boarded buses around 7am and headed to the White House. We got some very cool Nike Team USA "Letterman" jackets to wear for the visit. We arrived at the White House and went through security and then assembled on rafters set up on the front lawn. President Obama, the First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden soon came out and shook hands with a few folks as they headed to the podium. The first lady spoke and thanked us and so did President Obama. It means a lot that they took the time to thank us and they genuinely seemed like HUGE fans of the Games. Following President Obama's remarks, he was presented with the flag we used at Opening and Closing Ceremony by Mariel Zagunis, our flag bearer for Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Games, and Brad Snyder, our flag bearer for Closing Ceremony at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Then things got really special, when the President announced that despite his busy schedule he would stay and shake everyone's hand!!! That's 400+ athletes and let me tell you that is no easy task! For the next hour, President Obama, the First Lady and VP Biden shook hands, gave hugs and congratulations. How often do you get a hug from the First Lady of the United States?!?!
I feel very proud that I get to represent the U.S. at the Olympics and getting the chance to go to the White House and spend one last moment basking in the Olympic gleam of London with our President is something I will never forget. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Obama and also to the U.S. Olympic Committee staff for setting this all up!
Onwards to Rio? :-)
Olympians Invade Capitol Hill to Support the Olympic Movement!
September 13, 2012
|Meeting with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
Being an Olympian is about much more than competing. Part of our role is to be an ambassador for our sports, especially in the smaller ones, and advocates for the Olympic movement. People paved the way for us to have our Olympic opportunity and it is up to us to make sure that future Olympic dreamers have the same -- if not more -- support than we had to pursue our dreams.
That role of advocate and ambassador took a few of us to Capitol Hill today, where along with USOC staff members we met with Senators and Representatives including Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Representative Peter King (R-NY), Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Representative Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
It is amazing how universally loved the Olympic movement is across both parties. We were greeted warmly by everyone and it is fun to see that even our politicians get excited to see Olympic medals and to meet us. We each told our stories, many of which included stories of struggle and perseverance and stressed to the legislators that their support makes a difference.
Speaking of support, here is our official "THANK YOU, AMERICA" Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huEV3bUIgoE with a cameo by yours truly! So excited for President Obama tomorrow!
Feeling Grateful to America and Excited for the White House
September 12, 2012
The last time I was with President Obama at the White House was in 2009 when I participated in an event to promote our bid for the Chicago 2016 Games. Unfortunately for the U.S. we lost the bid to Rio, but what happened that day was one of the most amazing experiences of my life when I got to teach President Obama to fence!
The picture of him trying to stab me with a light saber during our time together went around the world and when I left the White House that day I had a new motivation to make the 2012 Games because I wanted to come back to the White House with that picture and get him to sign it. (P.S. the picture is printed and in my bag!)
It has been a month since I left London after the Closing Ceremony and I can't believe how time has flown! Four years of training, focus and preparation all for that moment, it comes, it is AMAZING and then it passes leaving you with memories for a lifetime…
Olympic swag I received upon arriving in DC - I can't get enough!
And finally a moment to exhale and to step back from the bubble of focused training and appreciate how lucky we are to be Olympians. How lucky we are to represent the United States of America!
Tomorrow I'll be joining my U.S. Olympic teammates as we visit the White House and meet President Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama. It is a tradition that after the Games the Olympic team goes to meet the President. I don't know when this started, but this will be my fifth (pinching myself!) trip to the White House and third post-Olympics visit. It is all amazing beyond my wildest dreams when I stop to think about it.
While the President will be thanking us, I think more importantly, we will be thanking YOU! I wouldn't have made the Olympics without a ton of support from friends, family, coaches and teachers. The support we received while over in London was tremendous from so many corners of the country.
So, from me and my teammates, THANK YOU AMERICA! I hope we made you proud in London and see you soon Mr. President Obama!


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At RHA, we don't think or operate within the status quo. We advance earphone technology, using pioneering techniques and new materials to improve performance; we are meticulous in our approach and we don't compromise.
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This board is a place to read about important developments here on the reenactor.Net Living History and Reenacting Forums. New features, new rules, problems ? read about it here! And yeah, if you do see that something has been posted in this area, you should make the effort to read it!! We post stuff here for a reason!
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delpino needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 111 designs submitted by 25 freelance designers.
The logo is required for a website where you can learn Chinese online with flashcards. Please visit our website http://www.chinese-course.com to get a feel for the website. There are no restrictions, you could use a Chinese woman, Chinese symbols, etc. Also if you have an idea for a tagline feel free to add one.
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Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png); Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai); Layered Formats (.psd or .tiff)
Preferred Payment by Paypal, but others also possible like Western Union.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Skip to comments.Is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization a Military Confederacy?
Posted on 09/26/2005 1:44:26 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
The members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will recognize the organizations fifth anniversary in June 2006 with a much anticipated celebration, Everyone agrees this first jubilee date must be celebrated accordingly, said Vitally Vorobyev, Russias coordinator in the SCO. Washington, however, will not be joining in the festivities.
The reason for Washingtons sour mood? Growing anxiety surrounding the ultimate mission of the SCO and its impact on Central Asia and the Middle East. Pictures taken by journalists of Russian President Vladimir Putin during the recent Peace Mission 2005 military exercises, showing the president in full military attire and holding a large model warplane were not reassuring. His subsequent flight in a supersonic bomber specifically designed to deliver a nuclear payload did not help either.
This raises an important question: With SCO leaders such as Russias Vladimir Putin, Chinas Hu Jintao and Irans Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly embracing military modernization and improved synergies, is the organization destined to become a military confederacy with the U.S. as its main target?
For the SCO to be turned into a military and political bloc or alliance, the present-day SCO would need to be dissolved. The legislation of some of the SCO member-countries makes this [military confederacy] impossible, said Vitally Vorobyov. He immediately followed these comments with a contradictory statement, Cooperation between defense agencies within the SCO framework can and should develop. The SCO makes provision for this, its nothing new.
Statements of this type from high-level Russian and SCO officials continue to perplex western intelligence officials; leading some to speculate that it may be only a matter of time before the SCO begins to exert its collective military influence in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Peace Mission 2005
In August, Peace Mission 2005, a joint eight-day military exercise involving 10,000 Russian and Chinese troops, was held in Russias Far East and Chinas Shandong Peninsula. The exercises were led by Russian General Makhmut Gareyev, a veteran of World War II who fought against both Germany and Japan. Requests by Washington to reduce the scope of the exercises were rejected by both Russia and China.
The joint exercises involved beach landings, airborne assaults, naval blockades, anti-ship missiles and precision bombing from strategic bombers. To the surprise of western intelligence officials, Russian Tu-95MS Bear and Tu-22M3 Backfire strategic bombers designed to carry nuclear-tipped cruise missiles were deployed during the exercises. The exercises reportedly involved a mock intervention to stabilize an imaginary country driven by ethnic strife.
In response, the U.S. launched a week long Joint Air Sea Exercise 2005 in Okinawa and Guam which included 10,000 troops and 100 warplanes from the USS Kitty Hawk strike group. In addition, the U.S. and South Korea participated in a twelve day Ulchi Focus Lens 2005 military exercise. Taiwan has already announced that it has scheduled its own invasion defense exercise code named Yama Sakura for 2006. Taken collectively, the military exercises send a clear message to Moscow and Beijing that the U.S. is prepared to respond to any collaborative military threat.
Recent Military Exchanges
In September, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov announced his country had agreed to supply China with a total of 40 IL-76 transport and IL-78 refueling planes at a cost of about $1 billion. Later this month, Ivanov is expected to sign contracts to deliver Russian military vehicles to China.
The recent plane and vehicle sales continue a trend of Russian military hardware transfers to China which have included; 200 fourth-generation fighter aircraft, several S-300 air defense batteries, guided missile destroyers and sophisticated submarines worth a combined $15 billion over the past ten years. In 2004 alone, Russian arms exports to China totaled $2.3 billion.
According to Konstantin Makiyenko, the deputy director of the Center for Strategic and Technological Analysis, a Moscow-based think tank, China is also interested in purchasing Russian made A-50 Mainstay AWACS planes and a manufacturing license for the Su-30MK2 multi-role fighter. Moreover, Beijing has made it clear that wants to accelerate the purchase of advanced Russian fighters, unmanned aircraft and long and short-range missiles as part of its ongoing modernization program.
Not surprisingly, Russian Defense Minister Ivanov announced this month that Russian servicemen would travel to China for training stating, Russia needs more experts who can speak Chinese. More than 500 Chinese students already study at Russian military universities. But why the sudden urgency for improved communication between the two militaries?
Washington has begun to take notice of the evolving relationship. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack commented in August, We would hope that anything that they [China and Russia] do is not something that would be disruptive to the current atmosphere in the [Central Asia] region. Unfortunately, Mr. McCormack may be disappointed.
Future Military Exercises
Immediately after the completion of their historic joint military exercises, Russia and China announced plans to hold additional joint exercises in 2006. Both countries anticipate expanding the exercises to include SCO member states Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as observer states India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan. It is possible by the time we decide to hold such exercises with China; other SCO countries would be willing to join, like India, one Russian official said. Russian Defense Minister Ivanov concurred, I think that future Russia-China military exercises will be held and other members of the SCO will probably take part in them.
Russia and India are scheduled to hold their first joint army drill next month, with mock raids on terrorist facilities taking place in the Indian province of Rajastahn, on the boarder with Pakistan. Andrei Kokoshin, a former secretary of the Russian Security Council and a member of parliament said the impending follow-up to the Peace Mission 2005 exercises could be part of a Russia-China-India triangle which supports the increased activity of the SCO. The exercise might focus on maintaining stability in Central Asia and ensuring the security of oil supplies via sea routes, Kokoshin said.
Chinese, Indian and Russian naval assets working in unison to protect oil supplies in the Persian Gulf? This comment shows another disturbing aspect of the emerging confederacy, an increased willingness to use its combined military strength to secure strategic energy reserves located in the Middle East. The mere thought of the Persian Gulf clogged with warships enforcing multilateral allegiances and interests is enough to make any analyst stay up all night.
General Yury Baluyevskiy, Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, further elaborated on the topic of SCO military cooperation, I do not rule out that, if a decision is made by the SCO, of which Russian and China are members, the armed forces of our countries may be involved in performing certain tasks. General Baluyevskiy failed to elaborate on what those certain tasks would include.
Observer country Pakistan is also becoming more active in the military aspects of the SCO. In September, Chinese General Liang Guanglie, a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), met with Pakistani General Ehsan Ul Haq, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to strengthen military-to-military ties. During the meeting in Beijing, the two generals exchanged views on issues of common global and regional interest, as well as army building.
The most troubling development of the past month related to the SCO is the growing prospect of a nuclear-obsessed Iran joining the organization as a permanent member. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the newly elected conservative President of Iran, is a proven U.S. antagonist and a firm believer in spreading revolutionary Islamist ideology throughout the Muslim world. His recent comments at the U.N. concerning the U.S. show a preparation for confrontation with the U.S. Making matters worse; Iran is planning to build up its military forces. Iran had planned to double its military budget by 2010, but thanks to record oil revenues, that timetable has been adjusted to 2008.
New Thinking Needed
The SCO is a menacing confederacy of powerful nations arising out of the shadows of the Cold War that could cause tremendous global instability and even lead to world war. Geopolitics aside, the SCO has the potential to become the most powerful alliance on earth, combining Russias energy, military and technology expertise; China and Indias economic and human capital; and Irans enormous energy resources and growing military capabilities. This unique combination makes the SCO a formidable adversary for the U.S.
In February, Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) chief of staff General Liang Guanglie said the Peace Mission 2005 exercises would, protect the peace and stability in our region and the world. The world? The world has been led to believe that the SCO is a regional alliance designed to address issues of mutual concern such as terrorism, separatism and extremism -- whatever they may mean at the moment for the members of the SCO. With military operations scheduled for 2006 and an expanded list of participating nations, the military threat posed by the SCO is starting to take shape.
At this time, what steps need to be taken by the U.S. to prepare for a possible SCO military threat? First, the U.S. Congress, Department of Defense and U.S. intelligence community must recognize that the continued military modernization and integration involving Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Iran will directly threaten the U.S. and its allies within the next several years. This is an uncomfortable reality, but one which is taking shape right before our eyes.
Second, calls by the SCO and others in the international community for an immediate withdraw of U.S. troops from the Middle East and Central Asia should be disregarded, due to the horrific consequences that the inevitable power vacuum would cause. Instead, strategic alliances should be strengthened with countries such as Georgia and the Ukraine to counter any regional threat.
Third, recent calls by Iran for a Muslim seat on the UN Security Council should be viewed for what they are; an effort by Tehran to weaken U.S. legitimacy in the international community and diminish its influence in Central Asia and the Middle East. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads announcement that his country will sell peaceful nuclear technology to other Islamic countries is too chilling to contemplate.
In short, the SCO is an immature, but potentially dangerous confederacy of countries with a mutual interest to dethrone the U.S. and if necessary, confront it militarily. Under the guise of economic partnership, regional alliances and friendship, China, Russia and the other members of the SCO are rapidly increasing their collective power. Recent Pentagon reports identifying China as a growing threat are indeed accurate, but dont go far enough.
The reports are deficient in that they base their analysis and predictions on countries such as China acting unilaterally. As a result, compulsory discussions concerning the rise of regional and global alliances that threaten the U.S. are not taking place. This could be a fatal mistake, since the SCO has become the perfect vehicle for coordinated military action in the future.
Anybody remember the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere"?
SCO = 21st century axis power.
Be on the look out for airborne Ebola virus.
We repeat, time to take the oil weapon away from Vladimir and the Ayatollahs.
I bet the Chinese do.
And I don't think they've forgiven the Japanese for it yet, either.
India will have no role to play in any anti-American conspiracy. Russia seems to be positioning SCO differently to India in order to get us on board. Asking us to join SCO to 'counter' the Chinese influence. But lets consider the geopolitical significance of this organization from an Indian perspective.
1) India has only 2 natural adversaries, Pakistan and China. Both these countries are (or will soon be) members of SCO. We know fully well that Pakistan is not committed to ending terrorism anywhere in the world. They just butter the american bread whenever Bush or someone else is on a visit, with staged arrests of Jihadis. So SCO is another useless organization on the anti-terrorism front.
2) Why would India join an organization called "Shanghai" Cooperative Organization to counter Chinese influence in it as Russia would want us to? The significance is too heavy in the name itself.
3) India s more to gain from trade with the USA than trade with China. China might be growing much faster as a trade partner but being a trade partner is both buying and selling. Indians aren't happy to sell their raw materials to the Chinese who dump cheap stuff on us after.
4) So why does India not reject the organization outright?
- OIL - Central Asian countries have reasonably good relations with India. We don't want the Chinese to monopolise central-asian oil. This will happen if India doesn't play ball with these dictators. The fact that it was Murli Deora, the Indian oil minister who visited Shanghai for the SCO meet, supports my point.
- Russian Arms - We must admit that Russian arms are important to us. We don't care for much else from the Russians. But they have stood by us through a lot of sanctions that the Americans had placed against us. When America can come through as a more dependable supplier of Arms, we might want to align ourselves more openly against America's enemies.
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ENGM 184: Introduction to Optimization Methods
Cannot be used to satisfy any A.B. degree requirements
An introduction to various methods of optimization and their use in problem solving. Students will learn to formulate and analyze optimization problems and apply optimization techniques in addition to learning the basic mathematical principles on which these techniques are based. Topic coverage includes linear, nonlinear, and dynamic programming, and combinatorial optimization.


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Curious as to how all those plastic cups, trash cans and containers you get at Ikea are made? Random Good Stuff takes a tour of the Koziol plastics factory in Germany, where many of those household items are designed.
The process is the same as the one used in the Lego factory, but instead of Lego, these guys make things you touch pretty much all throughout your day. [RGS]