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73 easy World Book Day costume ideas
It's never too early to start planning World Book Day, right? Avoid the panicked scrambles in the fancy dress box and frantic internet searches for 'easy World Book Day costumes' and get ahead of the game with this bumper crop of simple costume ideas
Book characters that wear normal clothes
It's an absolute godsend (and definitely not a cop-out) to find some book characters look just like your average child. Simply add appropriate accessories to these "costumes" for a fuss-free World Book Day morning.
Harry – Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow
Charlie Bucket – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Sophie – Sophie's Adventures by Dick King-Smith
Book characters that wear pyjamas
Another easy trick for the smoothest bed-to-school transition in history.
Tom – Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillippa Pearce
Sophie – BFG by Roald Dahl
'Boy' – The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Grandmother – Little Red Riding Hood
Ben – Penguin by Polly Dunbar
Wendy – Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Repurposed costumes
Let's face it – very few of us have the time, energy or inclination to conjure up a new outfit every year, so why not try repurposing something from another fancy dress party, or last year's Halloween costume? It's eco-friendly too!
Charlotte the Spider – Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Turn a pumpkin into a Giant Peach – James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Monster – Not Now Bernard (aka the saddest book ever) by David McKee
Skeleton – Funnybones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Book characters that wear a red and white stripy top
Already sent your kids to school as Wally or Wenda? Try these stripy alternatives.
'Boy' – Lost & Found by Oliver Jeffers
Grace – Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch
Dave – Dogger by Shirley Hughes
'Girl' – Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett
Book characters that wear a blue or black and white stripy top
Burglar Bill – Burglar Bill by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Father Christmas – Father Christmas Goes on Holiday by Raymond Briggs
Julius Zebra – Julius Zebra by Gary Northfield
Grandma Swagg – Cops and Robbers by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Book characters that wear a fairy or winged costume
The Fairy Godmother – Cinderella by Charles Perrault and Brothers Grimm
Puck – A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare
Angelina Ballerina – Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig
Holly Short – Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Skellig – Skellig by David Almond
Tinkerbell – Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Book characters that wear a knight costume
Tom – Beast Quest by Adam Blade
Arthur – King Arthur by Rodger Lancelyn Green
Book characters that wear a Victorian costume
Oliver – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
William Beech – Goodnight, Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian
Mary – The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Anne – Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Book characters that wear football kit
Got a kid who's refusing to wear anything but their football kit? Fear not – there are plenty of fictional footballers out there. We're also strong supporters of children reading football annuals – reading is reading!
Football Academy by Tom Palmer
Girls FC by Helena Pielichaty
Willy – Willy the Wizard by Anthony Browne
Famous witches and wizards in books
Mildred Hubble – The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Harry Potter/Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger/Cho Chang – Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Meg - Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski
Merlin – King Arthur
Gandalf – Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Dumbledore – Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
The Witch – Room on a Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Winnie – Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul
Costumes by colour
Because sometimes, you've just gotta work with what you've got.
Book characters that wear red
Violet Baudelaire – An Unfortunate Series of Events by Lemony Snicket
Things 1 and 2 – The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Lyra Belacqua – Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
Book characters that wear orange
The Boy in the Dress – The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams
Charlie, Lola or Lotta – Charlie and Lola by Lauren Child
Book characters that wear yellow
Fantastic Mrs Fox – Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
Man in the Yellow Hat – Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey
Coraline (in the film) – Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Pete - Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin and James Dean
Book characters that wear green
Peter Pan and Tinkerbell – Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Barbar – Barbar the Elephant by Laurent de Brunhoff
The Little Prince – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Book characters that wear blue
Mr Bump – Mr Men series by Roger Hargreaves
Dorothy – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum
Peter Rabbit – The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Madeline – Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Book characters that wear purple
Sophie – The Tiger who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
Violet Beauregarde – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Lavender – Matilda by Roald Dahl
Book characters that wear pink
Sophie – The BFG by Roald Dahl
Handa – Handa's Surprise by Eileen Browne
Annie Rose – Alfie and Annie Rose by Shirley Hughes
Book characters that wear white
The Little Princess – I Want My Potty by Tony Ross
Wimpy Kid – Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Max – Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Book characters that wear brown
Katniss Everdeen – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Stick Man – Stick Man by Julia Donaldson
The Paper Bag Princess – The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Still need more World Book Day ideas?
If none of these take your child's fancy, don't despair – there's still time to dress them to impress. Check out our no-sew last-minute costumes if you're not feeling crafty, or if you fancy trying your hand at something a little more sophisticated, check out our handy video instructable.
Check out these DIY World Book Day costumes
Happy reading!


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Though Wikipedia describes the "Black bloc" as a protesting tactic, I disagree. This group is mainly socialist anarchists, who dress in all black from head to toe, violently protest by blowing up cars and breaking windows, which ironically protest against the fascist views they often support or practice through their own actions. Yes, they protest against banks, multi-national corporations, and other Leftist views, yet they dictate to others in the streets by their violent, street-fighting presence the very tyranny in which they protest against.
The most recent flare-up of the Black Block was during May 2012:

subset: commoncrawl


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My dad went to London a little bit ago and there isn't a lush nearby so my dad kindly bought me a few things while he was there. I love love love lush lip scrubs and last time I got one I ate it all, oops! I got two lush lip scrubs! Bubblegum and Popcorn. I've tried bubblegum before but I've never tried popcorn. First time using it and I love it. It's not as good as Bubblegum but it's close. It smells kinda like melted butter which is what most popcorn is slathered in so.
Then I also got this powder. It doesn't look like there's a lot of product but trust me, a little goes a long way. I can't remember it's name but I'm pretty sure it's in the photo above that I will add in later. Whilst I'm here I thought I'd ask, do you guys like my new "theme". I've been struggling to keep on top off everything lately as I have to do lots of school work and my options are coming up. Then getting the photos from my camera is hard to transfer across. And by the time I'm back from school it's too dark to take photos :( I've sorted out a new system now so everything should be running smoothly aha. I'm going to schedule a couple of posts for the next couple of weeks so be ready because I might add some cheeky extras!
Thank you for reading,
Marissa xo


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Spirit First announces 2017 Poetry Contest Winners
We are pleased to announce the winning entries for our eighth annual Spirit First Meditation Poetry Contest. We received many wonderful poems from 48 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 25 foreign nations. Thank you to all who participated - please know that we appreciate every poet, every poem. Your writing on the themes of meditation and mindfulness is important to the world, and what a great work it was to select winners from so many beautiful words. Very special thanks to our team of judges for all of your efforts to select the winners. Congratulations to our winning poets!
First-Place Winner: At the Middle School Concert by Jennifer L. Freed
Jennifer L. Freed's work has appeared or is forthcoming in literary journals and anthologies including Amsterdam Quarterly, the Common Ground Review, The Worcester Review, and Forgotten Women: A Tribute in Poetry; in the medical journals JAMA and Chest; and in a chapbook, These Hands Still Holding, a finalist for the 2013 New Woman's Voices prize. Years ago (before husband, before children), she taught English in China and in then - Czechoslovakia. She now lives with husband and children in Massachusetts. Her website is jfreed.weebly.com.
At the Middle School Concert
by Jennifer L. Freed
The seventh grade band squeaks
through its festive repertoire,
and the harried day is still wound tight
along my spine.
I am checking the time,
thinking about the sixth grade chorus
and the eighth grade strings
still waiting to play,
thinking about the list of To-Do
I have not yet done,
when, from the stage,
or the air, or the whisper
of another mother passing near,
comes the sense
of being
All at once I see
how the small boy beating the drums
How the boy on trombone wears neon
green socks beneath his khaki slacks.
How the girl with gold satin shoes
and sparkling pink tulle
waves as she raises her flute.
Another girl clicks her high heels like Dorothy.
The band teacher waves his baton
and bounces with verve.
Every note is brimming
with gorgeous imperfection.
We are held, all
of us, in the light
of this
Second-Place Winner: Healing by Lawrence Kessenich
Lawrence Kessenich, who has practiced Transcendental Meditation almost continuously since 1971, won the Strokestown International Poetry Prize in 2010. His poetry has been published in Sewanee Review, Atlanta Review, Poetry Ireland Review, and many other magazines. He has a poetry chapbook, Strange News, and two full-length poetry books, Before Whose Glory and Age of Wonders. Kessenich has also published essays; he had short plays produced at festivals in Boston, New York and Durango, Colorado; and his first novel, Cinnamon Girl, was published in September 2016. His website is www.lawrence-writer.com.
by Lawrence Kessenich
Tasting stillness and knowing that it was medicine.
- Roshi Joan Halifax
What we call stillness may be composed of
sea bird calls, waves shushing across sand,
the almost audible sparks of light dancing
on water. Even in the deepest stillness,
the heart beats, blood whooshes through the ears,
joints click as the limbs make small movements.
The still are steady as the earth on its axis,
their stillness a way of being, of interacting
with the world. Like a gyroscope balanced
on a string, a dervish spinning on a mountaintop,
an angel dancing on the head of a pin.
And what is healing but the restoration
of balance, that which is out of sorts sorting
itself out? When one tastes stillness, like warm
sweet milk settling the stomach, all that has
been troubling, disturbing, all that has made
one feel sick gently dissipates, and all
that's left is being.
Third-Place Winner: If by Pat Wadsworth
Pat Wadsworth has been writing poems and stories, and keeping journals, since she learned to read and write. Writing about the joy, sorrow, beauty, and wonder of life is her way of staying balanced in good times and sane in bad ones. After retiring from a twenty-four year career working with high-risk youth and their families, Pat enrolled in writing classes at her local community college. Encouraged by teachers, friends, and family members to submit her work for publication, she took the plunge. Her poetry has appeared in Mind Magazine, The Voices Project, The Blue Heron Review, and Sliver of Stone.
by Pat Wadsworth
if we look closely
into each other's eyes
we will see tiny magic mirrors
if we listen closely to other voices
with open hearts
we will hear echoes
and, if we reach out
with loving hands
we will touch ourselves
with holiness
Editor's Choice Award: The Humble Do Not Fear Failure by Liz Dolan
Liz Dolan's first poetry collection, They Abide, was nominated for The Robert McGovern Prize, Ashland University. Her second, A Secret of Long Life, nominated for a Pushcart, has been published by Cave Moon Press. A nine-time Pushcart nominee and winner of Best of the Web, she was a finalist for Best of the Net 2014. She won The Nassau Prize for Nonfiction, 2011, and the same prize for fiction, 2015.
The Humble Do Not Fear Failure
by Liz Dolan
and I'm still
waiting for the amaryllis
on the sill to bloom
as it did last winter.
Another slender green stem
sprouts. Lovely so!
But not the golden goblet
of last year's frosty gloom.
I've sprinkled stardust,
chanted psalms,
danced fandangos.
I've entreated
whoever/whatever will listen.
I've even worshiped turtles, frogs, lit candles to tarantulas.
But the red-winged seraphs guffaw
clutch their sides
laugh at my pleas. "Stay on your knees," they say.
What I force always fails.
Too late I've learned
to wait.
Special Category Award -- Haiku: paper lanterns a haiku by David Monteith
David Monteith is a former high school teacher - he lived and taught in San Antonio for nearly 20 years. Now he lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he is a journalist, a dog sitter, a facilitator, an Iyengar yoga practitioner, and a writer. He also runs an Etsy shop (Ex Libris Novum) where he sells earrings he makes out of comic book word bubbles. He loves playing with words. He's written three children's stories that haven't yet found a home. Last year he won a Banned Book Week writing contest with a story written in the style of 1001 Arabian Nights. "Paper Lanterns" is his first published poem.
paper lanterns
a haiku by David Monteith
Breathe, then place your thoughts
like paper lanterns on the
river of your breath
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Japanese starchitect Kengo Kuma was commissioned to design a space for the 2016 Venice Biennale "Kitchen Home Project". To celebrate traditional foods and cooking paraphernalia, Kuma filled his "Floating Kitchen" with all sorts of containers. Various ceramic bowls, plates, vases, baskets, pots and pans help support the shelving structure, disrupting the kitchen order in a playful and unusual way.
Beijing Centre for the Arts' founder Weng Ling commissioned Kuma to create a unique kitchen design. So he came up with an assorted range of kitchenware supporting the kitchen's shelving structure, instead of the other way around. The Floating Kitchen includes ceramic bowls and plates, wooden boxes, vases, woks, wicker baskets, pots are pans, all from Chengdu in China.
All these elements are used to create kitchen worktops and shelves at different heights to form the self-standing structure. Kuma described the installation as an assemblage of "structuralism objects – a primitive condition where objects come in indirect contact with people, and only the intensive aggregation and flow of those objects stand out in relief."
The Kitchen Home Project also includes works by Dutch studio MVRDV and media artist Au Yeung Ying Chai and is on show at the Ca' Tron palazzo until the September 30, 2016.
Via Dezeen
Photos by Julien Lanoo


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His brow is deeply lined with thought
My grandfather finally came out of hospital on Wednesday, tired from his ten day stay, but basically given a clean bill of health. The last few days have been strange for me, spending so much time with my grandparents has forced me to confront old age, a concept/reality that at times actually terrifies me.
On my fathers side my grandmother lived until her early nineties, though suffered from at least two forms of cancer. My grandfather lived until his mid-nineties and was playing nine holes of golf every day until his last year; On my mother's side my great-grandmother lived to her late-eighties before suffering a fatal fall, and both my grandparents are still alive in their mid-eighties.
My grandmother reads voraciously, visiting the library once a week and going though about three books between each visit, as well as doing the Irish Times Simplex crossword every morning. My grandfather follows the Irish, US and UK political scene religiously, and between television and the radio absorbs at least three hours of news coverage over the course of the day.
I have never smoked, am an occasional drinker, have a reasonably healthy BMI, and apart from a manageable genetic predisposition to high-cholesterol there is very little that my doctor has ever been concerned about. Barring the unforeseen health risks from near constant exposure to mobile phone radiation and wifi networks that will no doubt be the "asbestos/nicotine/mercury" scares for our generation, I have always assumed that I will enjoy a similar longevity.
I am not sure though if "enjoy" is the correct word to use. What shocked me over the last few days is the sheer amount of medication required to allow my grandparents to continue functioning, a pharmacological cornucopia of stimulants and depressants, controllers and regulators that operate in a fine balance, with changes to any single part of their regime capable of drastically altering their alertness, cognition, and even their entire personality. My grandfather was supposed to leave the hospital on Monday, however as he had been proscribed an iron supplement, they had to keep him in longer than expected as they had to slowly readjust the levels of all the other medication he was on to accommodate this new element being thrown into the mix.
I was present for a number of visits by the specialists who were treating him, each visit lasting no more than 2-3 minutes, and again was shocked by lack of information he received about what course of treatment he was receiving, and why that particular course of action was being proscribed. Little detail was given on the numerous procedures that had been performed on him, and there was no attempt at offering after-care advice on what he should do when he got home, such as life-style or dietary changes. The only outcome of his ten days in hospital seems to have been a longer list of prescription medications to be taken throughout the day, every day, for the rest of his life.
My grandparents' house, the house that I grew up in, is perched on top of hill. It took my grandfather ten minutes to walk up the garden path, with numerous stops at each corner of the steeply inclined path. Their bedroom is at the top of a double flight of stairs, the bathroom halfway up, with more stairs between the kitchen and drawing room. And yet they manage it all as they have done so every day for the last fifty years that they have lived there. But the question in all of our minds is how long can they continue to do so.
The simple fact is that humans are not designed to live as long as we currently do, and the sheer technological, pharmaceutical and environmental effort required to support this increased longevity at times terrifies me. So much effort each day is spent on just ensuing that you get to the next day, to begin the process all over again that I wonder when (and if) I reach an age that such an effort is required, will there be enough joy and happiness in my life to justify that effort?
Pictured above is one of our family cats, born two years before I started my Leaving Certificate exams. That makes him twenty years old this year, or approximately 96 in human years. Although he sleeps more than he used to and is a bit thinner, he still runs, purrs and hops up onto chairs, following me about throughout the house in the hope that I will throw him a bit of food when no-one else is looking. He seems happy and content, has no regime of pills or tablets, an still manages to convey the same sense of scorn and sarcasm as he did aged two.
When I am old, I think I want to be a cat.
Labels: BeingTweet


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|Craig Stadler was famously penalised here for building a stance (Rule 13-3).
- In a four-ball better ball, if your partner picks-up your ball, because they mistakenly think that you are out of the hole, it is you that is penalised one stroke (Rule 18-2a(i)).
- A fellow competitor, who has volunteered to attend the flagstick while you attempt a long putt, gets distracted and does not remove the flagstick before your ball hits it. You are penalised two strokes (Rule 17-3).
- A fellow competitor plays your ball from the rough thinking that it was their ball. You obviously cannot find your ball in the area where you thought that it had come to rest, so after 5 minutes search you must consider the ball lost, incurring the stroke and distance penalty (Rule 27-1). The penalty applies even if an apologetic golfer brings your ball back to you after the 5 minutes has expired.
- If you start your stroke play round before the time established by the Committee, without their authority, you incur a penalty of 2 strokes if it is within 5 minutes of the start time, or disqualification if it is more than five minutes (Decision 6-3a/5).
- As you approach your ball on the fairway a crow picks up your ball, dropping it a few inches away as it tries to fly off with it. You drop your ball at the spot where it was at rest when the bird moved it and the ball settles in a deep divot hole. You shrug your shoulders and try to make the most of the difficult shot. Unfortunately, you incur a penalty of two strokes in stroke play, or loss of hole in match play, for playing from the wrong place, as you should have replaced the ball (Rule 20-7), but there is no additional penalty in stroke play for dropping the ball when the Rules required it to be placed (Rule 18-1).
- If you helpfully stop a fellow competitor from teeing up a second ball when they have hit their first ball into the middle of a water hazard by saying, "You will be much better off walking down to the hazard and playing from there", you incur a penalty of two strokes for giving advice (Rule 8-1a). You are permitted to give information on the Rules, but not to make a suggestion that could influence a player in determining their play.
- You decide to take relief from an area marked as ground under repair (GUR), though there is no Local Rule making it mandatory, and you correctly drop your ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. Your ball rolls back a few inches so that your heels are just touching the white line defining GUR when you take your stance. If you continue with your stroke with this stance you incur a penalty of two strokes in stroke play, or loss of hole in match play, for not taking complete relief from the GUR, even though the Rules did not require you to take relief in the first place (Rule 20-2c(v)).
- A 9-handicapper enters a 12-hole winter competition and thinks that they will assist the Committee by working out that 12/18ths of their handicap is 6 and entering this in the handicap section of their score card. This is a breach of Rule 6-2b There is no penalty, but the Committee must calculate the player's score as though they had a full 18 holes handicap of 6, i.e. a handicap of 4 for the 12 holes (Decision 6-2b/0.5).
The above content is strictly copyright to Barry Rhodes © 2013 and may not be copied without permission.


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|uCoz Community » Archives » Locked » Eshop (Building my ecommerce site...)
Message # 1 | 8:32 PM 2014-06-07
Hello everyone. I recently started building my ecommerce store here at ucoz. However I am running into a problem. When I type the website address into the url the page does come up but my e-shop does not. I am not sure what I have done wrong. I have 35 products in the eshop but nothing can be seen on the actual website other than my headings. What have I done wrong. Am I only suppose to use the eshop? Is there a tutorial for building an ecommerce site? I have played around with this thing for over a month and feel defeated. I may be making this much more than what it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Message # 2 | 9:17 AM 2014-06-08
Nina3547, can you please provide a site URL. I'll be able to provide far more assistance then.
Web Applications Developer
Been here for 8 years and counting.
Visit me at alexmoloney.me.


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On Monday morning following the rains and the flood, the HAS managers of the UN Cash-for-Work project allocated more than 100 workers, who had been cleaning local canals or fixing roads, to the flooded areas. Using wheelbarrows, shovels, and other tools from the project, they joined the people in the mud filled courtyards to clear out the piles of trees and branches, and to clear the mud from the house floors.
The physical, visible, effects of the flood have started to disappear, but the sense of loss and having been invaded by a powerful force will remain for a long time. The HAS team of psychologists, who have been supporting the needs of the earthquake victims who live in this region, will go to the flood areas tomorrow to conduct group therapy sessions, and to try to help them to deal with the sense of insecurity which comes from such a powerful event and it losses.
While the force of the flood was greatest as it passed by the narrow channel behind the market, it gained strength from a web of small watersheds, each of which contributed a rapid flow of water, mud and debris into the main channel. This morning, one of our security guards, who had volunteered to help other families the day before, shared with me that he cannot get into or out of his house, because one of the upstream feeder channels, which is usually a small stream, had flooded and swerved, washing away the gentle slope to his front door. Now there is a steep ravine in front of his gate. Later today he will cut a new gate in the back fence, and negotiate with his neighbor the rights to pass through his courtyard to get to his house."
As always in Haiti, volunteers came from all over the community, to assist the people in the flooded zones, and to show solidarity with them, in the face of a tragedy which might have affected any of them.
Weather forecasters have been predicting for months that a punishing hurricane season is on the horizon. We are watchful and hoping for the best for all of the people of Haiti.
Ian Rawson
Managing Director
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
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The first acquaintance with Yip Man
Ving Tsun, at that time was relatively unknown style of kung fu and as Yip Man was the only known teacher, Wong had never had an opportunity to witness a real Ving Tsun fighter. However one day his cousin introduced him to Ao Yuing Ming, one of Yip's junior students. Ao was about to have a match with a southern praying mantis stylist named Law Bing. Although Ao was much younger, weaker, and less experienced than Law, it became evident to everyone present that Ao's martial art was technically much superior. Convinced by this Law decided to learn Ving Tsun. The match ended peacefully and Yip Man had a new student.
Wong, however, was still quite sceptical of this new kung fu system until he by chance observed one of Yip's senior student, Lok Yiu, toy with a northern praying mantis stylist named Lam. Lok Yiu was so skilled that he seemed to be making a joke out of the whole event. This impressed Wong enough to incite his curiosity further; he wanted to meet Yip Man. During the day of the lunar new year celebration when most of Hong Kong remains at home, Wong, then only 17 years old, went in search of his next door neighbour, who was none other than Law Bing, at Yip Man's studio. Law was absent, but there were a few junior student practicing Chi Sau (sticky hands). Wong's first impression of this method of training was far from flattering. To him it was an impractical form of movement that limited a fighter's capability to withstand any attack that didn't come head-on, face-to-face. He made the ultimate error in any martial art circle by scoffing at the style itself, comparing it unfavourably to the sophistication of Western boxing.
Yip Man was quietly observing all this. As could well expected, one of the students challenged Wong. It turned out to be a short but sweet encounter. Wong's opponent hit the deck in matter of seconds. Yip, becoming somewhat upset, asked if Wong would like to try one of his more senior students-his own nephew for instance. Wong agreed.
This time his opponent was a much more serious fighter, but Wong still managed to throw him around the gym like a rag doll. Yip, by now raging inside with all the insult Wong had afforded him, suggested that perhaps Wong might consider trying him on for size.
Recollecting the last incident with his own boxing coach and noticing that Yip appeared pretty much over the hill in comparison (Yip was 56 years old), Wong decided that this watch was going to be real "pushover." Even though Yip had very large hands and strong forearms, Wong felt that he could easily tire out this thin old man by using some fancy footwork and moving around him.
Yip was by far the greater strategist. He carefully manoeuvred his opponent into a corner and just when Wong was halfway through a kick to the midsection, Yip pushed him on the chest knocking him, off balance, into the wall. Yip quickly closed the gap and executed a rapid-fire six to seven blows into Wong's body just hard enough to let him know that he could have done real damage if he had wanted to.
Wong was amazed at Yip's speed and control. He knew he had found a master at last and asked permission to study with Yip. Yip, however, felt that Wong was not really sincere in his request and was just about to refuse him when a much senior student, by the name of Yip Bo Ching, arrived. Bo Ching was in his mid-30s, five-foot, ten-inches tall, and strong as an ox. Everyone had named him "Big Scrub-brush" (dai chat) because he was so proud of himself that they felt he could wear down an opponent with his boasting alone. (in Chinese: exaggerating = scrub brushing).
Here was a newcomer for him to test his skills upon; so he decided to square off with Wong. This time Wong was going to get run through the washing machine. Bo Ching punched and kicked the daylights out of him. Not one to be discouraged however, Wong, on the eighth day of that same lunar new year, formally submitted himself as one of Yip Man's students. Yip Man gave Wong the nickname "little scrub-brush" (sai chat), because Wong was obviously smaller and younger than Yip Bo Ching and also in the habit of exaggerating.


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You're having a heart attack in the middle of a busy city street. You're laying on the ground, chest pounding and look up and see two men standing above you. One is wearing a nice business suit, Rolex watch, smells good, hair well groomed… the second man is dressed in baggy jeans, lower than his waist, sneakers, t-shirt, scruffy cut. They both yell at the same time, "I'm a doctor", then stare at each other and then at you. Who are you going to let save your life?
That split second decision is just as serious at the choice to fully prepare yourself to put your business out there for the world to see without fully investing in the presentation of your new business.
Now, I didn't want to lay this out there in this way, but there's just no better way to say it than to hit hard and be real. Why is it that two hair salon/ barbershop owners of two different nationalities will do things entirely differently and get different desired results? Both have the same intention- to open a successful business. What makes me sad is when the Caucasian business owner plans well and prepares to open their business and it succeeds and the Black or Hispanic business owner takes the ghetto- fab route and they fail!
I hate stereotypes, but when there is truth to them it burns my skin, because this one can be prevented, but the mentality has to change! As a designer, I see this all the time! I've had a front row seat to it, over and over again…The Caucasian business owner is on point! They do the demographics on the area, they have their business plan. They research and procure the best space for their salon or shop. They hire me or another designer to design their space. They secure the proper amount of funding or have been saving on their own to open this business with enough money to do it all well. What I mean by that is that they have considered all needs to open that brand new business. They've taken extra care to ensure their new look brands them, so they are investing $30,000 in their build out of their space. They know exactly how much equipment they need and invest in that. They understand that marketing will take them places, so they get great signage for their new space and the right advertising in place to promote their business.
Meanwhile, I meet a minority business owner looking to open up that same shop or salon. They have big dreams but either don't want to spend the money to make them happen, or think they can get Moet on a Mad Dog 20/20 budget. They don't care about establishing a cohesive look in branding their business and think they can half ass the look of their space. They focus on "being real in the hood" and catering to their people, which is great and all, but will your location bring you the best R.O.I (return on investment)? I find that most minorities flat out don't think things through when planning to open their new space. They seem to feel that, outside of rent, they can open up a new spot for $6,000- $10,000. That's just not possible! NOT AT ALL! What happens as a result? They run out of money in the midst of renovations. They get "hood favors" to do their remodels, paint done by the guy down the street and you can tell, used chairs that don't match and mirrors from Ikea everywhere. What they fail to understand is that that first impression in a potential new customer's mind is framed in the first thirty seconds upon entering your space. That quick glance over your new establishment let's me know whether your fees are worth it and whether or not I feel like you are qualified and I want to sit in your salon for the next two hours.
It drives me crazy to patron a potential gold mine like a Puerto Rican restaurant in Phoenix or Mesa and see that they haven't put the proper investment into their business that makes it look like somewhere you'd want to sit and eat for a few hours versus order take out. The customer who dines in will spend far more money that the one taking it to go! You get that idea to open that business and you just can't wait, you don't have the patience and preparedness to do it right but never realize how important that start is. Then you see business decline and wonder why you're failing. Why not plan to succeed from day one?
I'm not just speaking out of turn. I've been witness to dozens of minority owned businesses over the years who have come to me to help design their dream, yet some didn't even want to pay to help them develop that space from the gate. Others got the grand total and decided to go it alone or find Tyrone down the road to help them do what they could. I've had a major ball player come to me talkin big talk about his new salon and when it came time to create that space, he cheaped out on it and it went out of business in less than a year. Yet, around the same time a Black owned barbershop in Mesa named Clippers was celebrating their second year in business, after investing the proper amount of money to create the brand they envisioned. Six years later and that business is doing amazing! He planned to succeed.
It can all be so simple and yet we make it so complicated because we think there's an easy way to success, and there is…it's called The Right Way! The Right Way garners big business. The Wrong Way brings a short-lived business. The Right Way requires planning. The Wrong Way is quick to react. The Right Way is conscious that the presentation of your business IS the MAIN reason for it's success or failure, followed by excellent customer service. That's sad to say, but it's true. If you don't look like you will do good work, I won't even spend the money with you to see if your services are good in the first place. It all goes back to the two doctors in the beginning of the story. They may have both been trained in Harvard, but when your life is at stake, will you trust that the ghetto scrub can save your life or do you go for the guy that looks like he's successful? Don't kill your business going with the ghetto guy! Plan to succeed! Perception is reality, whether you like it or not. There is a system in place that already works. Don't hate on those who have successfully done what you're failing at and blame it on your skin color. Instead, play the game the same way and achieve the same success. Need help in making that business dream a reality? Call me and let's discuss the many ways we can crush the competition and take your business to the top!


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Braid Out on My 4c Texlaxed Hair
The final video in the Summer Hair Series, is a "natural hair" tutorial.
There was some commotion in the comment section under the video on YouTube that my hair is relaxed and blah blah blah blah... but my hair, just like many, is texlaxed. A texlax differs from a relaxer in the fact that while I do use a relaxer, (regular strength Profectiv Mega Growth), I wash out the chemical right after application. So it is only in my hair long enough to soften my new growth without it being bone straight. Now the ends of my hair are bone straight from when I used to do a relaxer and I will do the "big chop" when I find a stylist that I trust with scissors in my hair.
Now on to the video, because you guys know I never type this much for a video post...


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Yoga! Pretty Fall Leaves!
Oh dear, will it ever stop raining? The ground is all soggy and sqooshy. I squished over to yoga today and for the last few Wednesdays because of a deal I got on Groupon (which I am a recent convert to). To spice up this boring post I have stolen an awesome fall picture from my dear friend Eleanor. Isn't she talented?
OK – yoga: This studio does some kind of lightly heated (80 degree) high energy Ashtanga knock-off, with rocking dance-pop music (Including that horrible Black Eyed Peas version of "Time of my life" where they say "you-ou-ou-ou" and "dirty bit" a lot. (I don't get it!)). I actually like most pop music and went back and forth between whether thumping bass and Ke$ha singing about glitter raining down made Downward Dog oddly stressful or exciting and energetic. Thoughts?
The instructor is incredibly loud, and talks a lot, but rarely anything too useful, mostly "BREATHE-BREATHE-BREATHE" and it's like, are we doing yoga, or having a panic attack? Or both! I don't know!
But during Upward Dog, she said, "Make sure the tops of your feet are flat on the floor, if you curl your toes under, you'll stress out your back." And I have done a lot of yoga with a lot of instructors and read about yoga for years and never heard that. She's totally right! Awesome! I was doing it wrong, all this time! I think I picked up the habit of curling under my toes from watching another student at some point and thinking they were doing it right. This is why you shouldn't sit at the back of the class.
I like yoga and I like the quiet place my mind goes to during the repetitive movements; feeling my arms move smoothly into the next position without instruction from me or the yelling lady. Maybe the loud chaos of this studio even helps drown out the random anxieties that pop up in the middle of poses (a former instructor calls it "monkey mind").
Ok, tomorrow I will have a bunch of crafts to show off. I have been hand-sewing lately and today my goal has been to actually finish some of the 20 or so projects I started last week.


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Because finding a good and reliable travel app to find cheap flights can be a hard task.
Not many years ago, you would need an appointment with your travel agent to book a flight.
We booked flights with rigid dates and destinations and it was simply a matter of finding the best deal.
Today, you can book flights yourself in the comfort of your own home. Heck, you can even use your phone!
The thing is: just because it's more accessible it does not mean is necessary simpler, specially if you are very price-sensitive. Finding a cheap flight online is a very useful skill to have nowadays and one of my favorite travel tips ever.
The whole online flight booking paradigm is changing.
The best mobile apps to find cheap flights
I tend to feel lost in the sea of numerous mobile apps out there. There's just so many travel resources that promise you to save time and money! Finding the more appropriate for your travels can be a trial and error exercise which translates into many hours wasted.
So, I came up with a selection of the best travel apps to find cheap flights to get you started with.
There's no particular order to it.
Best mobile apps to find cheap flights
- Skyscanner
- Kiwi
- Momondo
- Kayak
- Hipmunk
Let's go into more detail for each one of these. I will score all of them using 4 different criteria: usability, design, uniqueness (presence of distinctive features) and reliability in finding the absolute cheapest flights.
1. Skyscanner
Alongside with the good speed and usability of their app, I find 2 of the features of Skyscanner particularly interesting.
One is the price chart: you can see your search results per day in a intuitive and interactive monthly bar chart. This is great in so many ways and it means it can help you decide immediately which is the cheapest date to book the flight within a time period.
Number 2 is that you don't even need to know where you want to go. Based solely on your fixed dates or a broad time period, the Explore option shows you where is cheapest to fly, which is a perfect tool for the early stages of your trips. I use it this feature a lot when planning a trip itinerary or choosing which hub city should I adopt in a multi-city trip.
SkyScanner's iPhone app has a smooth interface and I even prefer it to the web version. Since it's free I would say this is an amazing life-saver app and a must-have for any traveller looking for cheap flights.
The only drawback I see is that not all airlines show up on their searches (e.g. Ryanair in Europe).
Design: ★★★★☆
Reliability: ★★★☆☆
Available for free
2. Kiwi
A recent player in the market, this Czech startup has gained popularity due to its seamless usability and powerful search engine. Overall I'm kind of obsessed with them and predict they will be huge over the next few years.
One of the coolest features about Kiwi is that unlike it will look at ALL the cheapest possibilities, even if it means putting you on 2 totally separate flights. Other flight search engines will try to book the entire route on either the same airline or airlines with codeshares. It might not always be the fastest or more convenient, but great for anyone on a budget.
But for me the best thing about Kiwi is the guarantee they offer covering cases of flight delays, cancellations, and schedule changes. It's a real game changer and adds extra peace of mind when you're booking separate flights.
Design: ★★★★☆
Reliability: ★★★★★
Available for free
Make sure you check out this article on how to find a cheap flight ANYWHERE in the world!
3. Momondo
One thing is for sure: Momondo wins the award for the the most colorful app out there.
The start screen presents the departure and arrival airports are visually identified through its IATA code, although it is also possible to choose a city. The visual identity is strengthened in the loading screen, where you can find an image of your destination city.
Within Momondo's flight results, there are tabs across the top of the screen that let you move between the cheapest flight, quickest flight time as well as options for 'early out' and 'late in'. The results are extremely easy to read and feature all the information you need at a quick glance, including the carrier logo and total transit time. When you click on one of the them, you are quickly forwarded to the airline's website.
Perhaps there are too many colors in the screen, which makes it feel a little bit busy sometimes. But overall, it is a very nice looking app delivering solid results.
Design: ★★★★☆
Reliability: ★★★★☆
Available for free
4. Kayak
I was a heavy user of Kayak a few years ago. The simplicity of its design, the excellent filter and sorting interface and the speed at which you can get the information you need were its major differentiators. I can literally book a flight in less than 5 minutes!
The app also contains a flight tracker, airport gate information and price alerts for any changes. Nowadays, it is even possible to actually finish the booking process within Kayak, without the need to forward for external websites.
However in recent years, they've redesigned the interface and now is looking too clumsy for me. What it was a quick and efficient search now it's looking a bit clumsy. Good luck if you forget to untick the "Compare with eDreams and Expedia" boxes, beware with the amount of pop-ups.
I still think it's a decent choice, but the way I see it they are quickly losing ground to other competitors.
Design: ★★★☆☆
Reliability: ★★★★☆
Available for free
5. Hipmunk
Hipmunk is definitely more popular in the U.S. than in Europe, but this app is an interesting choice for comparing and selecting flights. At least in the iOS version, the interface is clean and choosing the date of the flight – which I feel is the trickiest of the actions in search engines design-wise – is wonderfully simple.
The results can be easily sorted by departure time, price and agony (amount of stops you'll have to make to get to your final destination). Fare alerts can also be set in an option the lower menu.
A couple of things bother me though. First, the little hyperactive chipmunk is annoying at times. Then, the information on the graphic results is not immediately comprehended. Only after clicking around the screen, I could decipher the different symbols and colors that identified the flights. There is definitely a learning curve to take advantage of all the features in this app which I don't think it should exist.
Design: ★★★☆☆
Reliability: ★★★☆☆
Available for free
Booking cheap flights elsewhere
Pretty much anything that Google does introduces disruption in usability and simplicity at some level. Google Flights is not an exception. It's quick, effective and simple to use. Right now is my favorite flight search engine but sadly they don't have an app yet. What are you waiting Google?
There are much more options out there. I could also mention Expedia or Rumbo, but from my experience, I don't think these have particularly groundbreaking features nor return more reliable results.
While not being a flight search engine per se, Hopper can be extremely useful in finding the best timing to buy a flight.
My process to buy flights online:
If it helps, the order of the apps are presented in this article is exactly my personal order or preference. I also add Google Flights to the mix when I'm on my computer. For me, booking a flight nowadays looks like this:
- 1. Start off exploring when and where want to go using Skyscanner. Potentially use email alerts to track the price of some destination/date combinations.
- 2. Double check the fares using Kiwi.
- 3. Choose final date and destination.
- 4. Final price check using the airline's app or website.
- 5. Book the flight through the most affordable channel.
- 6. Fly!
Tips to find cheap flights
Seek your own process of booking a flight, finding out what works and what doesn't for your most common trips. Read my guide about when to book flights online to get you started and my ultimate cheap flight guide.
Also note the price of the airfare fluctuates considerably depending on the airline, airport, time of the day, day of the week and time of the year, amongst many other factors.
In the end it all comes down to a process of finding the travel app(s) that not only best suit your needs, but also the ones that feel better to use. These are the ones that in the end, will most likely improve your travel experience!
Tip: Don't let expanded U.S / UK. laptop-ban on flights hit your work while travelling, With the help of Cloud solutions from CloudDesktopOnline.com and CloudAppsPortal.com access your Desktop and online files from anywhere with your favorite mobile device.
Make sure you check out this article on how to find a cheap flight ANYWHERE in the world!
Apps to find cheap flights: Other useful reads
- My List of Online Resources For A Smart Travel
- How To Find Cheap Flights Anywhere
- The Best Timings to Buy Flights
Which apps do you use to find cheap flights?
And which ones you don't recommend?


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Edridge-Green lamp
Ed·ridge-Green lamp(ed'rij grēn),
a lantern used to test recognition of colored signals; it displays a single light with color filters in rotating discs that can be modified to simulate conditions of weather and atmosphere. This test for color blindness was officially adopted in Great Britain in 1915 in place of the Holmgren wool test, but is now seldom used.
Edridge-Green,Frederick W., English ophthalmologist, 1863-1953.
Edridge-Green lamp - a test for color blindness, now seldom used.


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Tahiti resort to have special labour laws
The French Polynesian government is planning to declare the proposed Mahana Beach Resort a "special zone" with different labour laws than the rest of the territory.
The French Polynesian government is planning to declare the proposed Mahana Beach Resort in Tahiti a 'special zone' with different labour laws than the rest of the territory.
It will mean those working at the site will earn 20 percent below the minimum wage.
The publisher of Tahiti Pacifique magazine, Alex du Prel, has told Mary Baines the plan is receiving a mixed reaction.
ALEX DU PREL: The president wants to boost the economy. They've decided there will be an area of about 200 hectares where they are going to build, you know, a new Waikiki. And of course the investors, they say well it's going to be very difficult to something that's viable because wages and labour laws, our labour laps, cop it from France. It's too expensive, so Mr Flosse has decided he will create a duty free zone in a certain way and the people who will work there, that means construction people to build the hotels and all the facilities, the minimum wage will be 20 percent lower than it is in the rest of the territory and also for higher paying jobs than minimum wage their wage scale would be reduced by 20 percent. But he has also said that this is only the beginning.
MARY BAINES: In what way?
AP: Well we have a problem in French Polynesia. We are known for being an expensive destination. Part of this problem is that we have, compared to Fiji or Cook Islands or Vanuatu or whatever competition we have, our wages are much, much higher.
MB: So this decline in the minimum wage being proposed, how is it being received by potential workers and the public?
AP: Well right now we are just starting. One of the many unions we have has been saying this is not acceptable, while on the other side the federation of construction bosses and everything, they say well it's a good idea but let's put it throughout French Polynesia, not only the zone. So this is where we stand right now. The debate is just starting.
MB: So what's the minimum wage in French Polynesia now?
AP: Right now it is 150,000 francs a month, which amounts to about 1,600 New Zealand dollars a month.
MB: Comparing that to the cost of living, is that enough for people to get by?
AP: Actually, no. The problem is if they would pay those wages in the duty free area and there were shops where people could buy duty free food and clothing then it might be viable. But, no, I think people will not accept it.
MB: Is there quite a high unemployment rate?
AP: Yes, as Mr Flosse said himself during the press conference. Over 50 percent of the young people who are in working age are jobless. In all age groups it is 30 percent. We don't have a doll, we don't have any unemployment benefits whatsoever like that.
MB: So is this Mahana Beach resort being floated as solution to unemployment?
AP: No, no. Well basically what is amounts to is that we've lost our main resource which used to be the nuclear test. We need to create a new resource that will feed the economy. Mr Flosse bets on tourism.
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Can't decide whether to stay home or fly to visit family this holiday season? If the price of airfare is influencing your decision, this might be the perfect year to take a trip.
Thanks to the dropping cost of jet fuel, flights in 2016 have been an average of 20% cheaper than they were just two years ago—and are at the lowest point in almost a decade.
While you could just log onto your favorite flight booking website and shoot from the hip, knowing the exact dates that are best for booking holiday travel can help you save a bit.
We share our tried and true steps for finding the best airline ticket prices, along with exact dates that are projected to offer the greatest savings when shopping for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve travel.
When Is the Best Time to Book Thanksgiving Flights?
Buying your Thanksgiving travel tickets on October 31st is projected to yield the largest discount, saving you an average of 7.73%.
Can't wait that long? Buying your Thanksgiving airfare on October 17th is expected to save you 5.10%. Finally, waiting until November 21st is projected to save you 1.98% on the cost of flights over Thanksgiving.
These potential savings are based on dates of travel set to arrive between November 20th and 26th, and returning between the 27th and 29th. You'll likely see even cheaper airfare if you travel a day or two outside of the projected range.
Cheapest days to book your Thanksgiving flight:
- October 31st (save 7.73%)
- October 17th (save 5.10%)
- November 21st (save 1.98%)
What's the Best Date to Book Christmas Flights?
Flying home for Christmas is notoriously pricey. However, if you book your Christmas travel on November 21st, you can save up to 6.41% on the cost of airfare.
Waiting until December 5th has a projected savings of 4.93% while booking your ticket on November 28th offers the chance to save 2.17%.
These dates are assuming that you're traveling to a destination sometime between December 19th to 25th, and returning December 26th or 27th. Again, you might find even better deals by shifting your travel outside of popular dates.
Cheapest days to book your Christmas flight:
- November 21st (save 6.41%)
- December 5th (save 4.93%)
- November 28th (save 2.17%)
What's the Best Date to Book Flights for New Year's Travel?
Traveling for New Year's Eve is tricky since you're bound to pay more due to the holiday's proximity to Christmas. Nonetheless, waiting to book your New Year's Eve travel until December 5th can result in a savings of 10.57%.
The next best time to book New Year's Eve tickets is apparently December 26th, offering a potential savings of 6.72%.
However, that might be cutting it a little too close, considering that these dates are analyzed on a projected departure on December 26th or 27th, and a return between January 1st and 3rd.
The third-best savings, projected at 6.67%, can be had by booking on December 19th. Finally, travelers who book their New Year's Eve tickets on November 21st can save 4.14% on airfare.
How did we get this data? The dates with the highest potential savings when booking holiday flights are courtesy of Skyscanner—which also happens to be one of my favorite flight booking websites, due to the option to search flight prices for the best deals over a week, month, or even a year.
Cheapest days to book your New Year's Eve flight:
- December 5th (save 10.57%)
- December 26th (save 6.72%)
- December 19th (save 6.67%)
- November 21st (save 4.14%)
Flying Internationally? You've Barely Enough Time to Book Christmas Travel
Note that these predictions are based on domestic travel. Those hoping to hop over the pond and holiday in the UK, Europe, or beyond can still hope to see some savings as international flight prices have dropped an average of 13%.
However, the best time to book your international flight remains between 54 to 57 days before your trip.
Now that you know the best days to shop, here's our 4 step strategy to help you find the lowest ticket prices:
1. Search for Flights on Two or More Sites to Compare Costs
Travel + Leisure reports that the average person visits 15 websites does seven research sessions and takes three weeks to book a single flight.
Our advice? Search smarter, not harder, by knowing which booking sites are best to aid in different aspects of your search. Here are my favorites:
Kayak.com: All around best for cheap airfares, multiple destinations, and flexible dates.
Skyscanner.com: Still unsure if you want to travel over Thanksgiving, Christmas, or both? Skyscanner is best for super-flexible searches including "whole month," "whole year," and even "everywhere" for those who are open to any destination.
Google Flights: Are you torn between two or more destinations, but have set dates of travel? Google Flights is best for discovering where you want to go by using the site's map function. It shows prices for multiple destinations on the same date.
Expedia.com – If you're looking to make the most out of your holiday time off by fitting in some sun, sand, and sea or a far-flung destination, check Expedia for the best deals on vacation packages.
Pro Tip: We'd previously reported that the best time to shop for flights was Tuesday mornings, and recently had that tip confirmed by Cheryl Rosner, frequent flyer, CEO of Stayful.com, and former President of Expedia Corporate Travel.
This is because airlines often release their sales on Monday. These sales are matched by other carriers on Tuesday and are often gone by Wednesday.
Additional Tips for Finding the Cheapest Holiday Flights
When shopping for flights, use the flexible search option when possible, which allows you to compare the price of surrounding dates.
In general, the best days to fly are usually Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday. On the flip side, Thursday and Friday are the most expensive days to fly.
If you're comparing prices on more than one booking website, be sure to delete your browser's cookies (or shop using an incognito tab).
That's because some airfare booking sites have been known to track user activity.
When a website recognizes that you came back to compare the same trip multiple times, it's possible that it'll raise the price of the ticket on your specific dates.
Finished your research? Take note of the best prices, routes, and flights. If they're good fares, go ahead buy them and forget about the rest of this post.
However, if you want to keep searching then go to the next step.
2. Check These Two Additional Booking Sites for Sales
The above websites should return all current sales, but sometimes they miss a seat sale put on by a particular airline for a short window of dates.
The following websites work best when you have a destination in mind but are flexible on the dates you travel.
Go to Airfarewatchdog.com and Travelzoo.com to look for flights cheaper than what you found in step one.
Know That these booking sites tend to have more general listings than searches for exact dates and destinations, but they're still worth a look.
3. Check the Official Airline Website Before You Buy
Once you've decided on the best flight based on price, route, and dates, be sure to visit the website of the actual airline (e.g. United.com). They'll sometimes be selling the same ticket you found on Travelocity or Google Flights for a lower price.
While you're on their site, check for upcoming sales. There's little worse than spending for a ticket the last day of October, only to learn that an airline's flights go on sale November first.
4. Finally, Know What You Want to Pay for a Flight
The risks of holding out too much time while hoping for the best deal, which is especially risky when your family is hoping for you to show up for the holidays.
Start your holiday airfare shopping with a realistic price you're willing to pay already in mind: What's the flight worth to you and how much are you prepared to pay?
When you find airfare that's close to the ticket price you're ready to pay, hop on it—lest you be forced to channel Steve Martin in a montage of cross-country misery in an attempt to make Christmas dinner.
Do You Come Bearing Gifts? How to Fly With Extra Baggage Over Christmas
If you're celebrating the holidays away from home, you may be wrestling with how to get gifts to your destination and back again.
In determining whether to pack, ship, check, or carry on, each of us has a different set of costs and inconveniences to weigh, depending on:
- Your airline's fees for additional or oversized checked luggage.
- Your exemption from such fees (thanks to the right credit card or elite frequent-flier status).
- The size and weight of the gifts, and whether it would be more or less expensive to ship them.
Since everyone's luggage situation is slightly different, we can't give you hard and fast rules. Instead, we try to answer common questions to guide your decision:
1. Can I Bring Wrapped Gifts on a Flight?
You can—but TSA might need to unwrap them during a security check. If you can wait until you arrive at your destination to wrap them, you'll save yourself the potential disappointment.
Not an option? Wrapped gifts in checked luggage are much less likely to be unwrapped than those in carry-on bags. Just be sure not to check anything that's irreplaceable.
2. Is It Cheaper to Pack Gifts in Luggage or Ship Them in Advance?
First, you'll need to check your airline's luggage fees. Most major domestic airlines have fees that are:
- About $50 for the first checked bag that weighs 50 lbs or less.
- About $70 for the second checked bag that weighs 50 lbs or less.
- About $200 – $400 for oversized/ overweight bags.
Say you've got 50 pounds worth of gifts—the cost to take them as checked luggage will likely by $50 – $70.
Alternately, shipping them ahead of time via FedEx Ground will probably cost a similar amount, about $70. That's if you send them early enough (before December 15th) to avoid the high cost of shipping by air.
Is it a draw? Not quite. If your gift-laden bag is over 50 lbs, then it'll have to be checked. In that case, shipping saves you the nuisance of dragging an extra bag around the airport.
FedEx is also less likely to lose your luggage and offers better insurance and compensation if something does go awry.
What if the gift is particularly large or heavy? Checking an oversized bag can cost you $200 to $400 roundtrip.
Our best advice is if your gift is oversized—say, a bicycle for your child—and you're having Christmas at Grandma's, leave the gift at home.
On Christmas morning let your kid unwrap a photo of the bicycle and tell him he'll get the real thing as soon as he gets home.
3. Where's the Best Place for Valuable Gifts?
Do not put it in your larger carry-on, since you might be forced to gate-check that larger carry-on if the overhead bins are full.
Either carry it onto the plane in the small carry-on that you will place beneath the seat in front of you or ship it via a shipping service that includes insurance and tracking.
The only way to ensure your items are not damaged, stolen, or lost is to carry them yourself so that it's you who is in control of them at all times.
Final Tip: Protect Yourself Against Flight Delays
Passengers who've booked themselves a connecting flight often forget to leave enough time in between, should their first flight leave late.
Protect yourself from potential delays and get on the very first flight of the day.
Not only is 5 am to 7 am the cheapest time to fly, but airline delays have a ripple effect that gets harder to recover from as the day goes on.
If there is a snag in your scheduled flight, you'll have more options while everyone else is just getting to the airport.


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"Artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transforma- tional technology of our digital age—and its practical application throughout the economy is growing apace. For this briefing (…), we mapped both traditional ana- lytics and newer "deep learning" techniques and the problems they can solve to more than 400 specific use cases in companies and organizations. Drawing on McKinsey Global Institute research and the applied ex- perience with AI of McKinsey Analytics, we assess both the practical applications and the economic potential of advanced AI techniques across industries and business functions. Our findings highlight the substantial poten- tial of applying deep learning techniques to use cases across the economy, but we also see some continuing limitations and obstacles—along with future opportu- nities as the technologies continue their advance. Ul- timately, the value of AI is not to be found in the mo- dels themselves, but in companies' abilities to harness them.(…) We estimate that the AI techniques we cite in this briefing together have the potential to create between $3.5 trillion and $5.8 trillion in value annually across nine business functions in 19 industries. This constitu- tes about 40 percent of the overall $9.5 trillion to $15.4 trillion annual impact that could potentially be enabled by all analytical techniques.
(…)In retail, marketing and sales is the area with the most significant potential value from AI, and within that function, pricing and promotion and customer service management are the main value areas. Our use cases show that using customer data to personalize promo- tions, for example, including tailoring individual offers every day, can lead to a one to two percent increase in incremental sales for brick-and-mortar retailers alone. In consumer goods, supply-chain management is the key function that could benefit from AI deployment. Among the examples in our use cases, we see how fore- casting based on underlying causal drivers of demand rather than prior outcomes can improve forecasting accuracy by 10 to 20 percent, which translates into a potential five percent reduction in inventory costs and revenue increases of two to three percent. In banking, particularly retail banking, AI has signi- ficant value potential in marketing and sales, much as it does in retail. However, because of the importance of assessing and managing risk in banking, for example for loan underwriting and fraud detection, AI has much higher value potential to improve performance in risk in the banking sector than in many other industries."
Artificial intelligence's impact is likely to be most substantial in marketing and sales as well asl supply-chain management and manufacturing, based on our use cases.


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The large side glass panes in Varde Bolton allow you to see the fire from different angles around the room and the round form makes for a harmonious expression. There is room for firewood of up to 35 cm in length. The fire chamber is ergonomically correctly placed, allowing easy access to operation and cleaning.
7 kW ≈ 60-160 m2
Combustion efficiency: 80%
Energy category: A+
Flue gas data: 335°C at 20°C, 12 Pa.
External dimensions (HxWxD): 100×51×45 cm
Fire chamber (H×W×D): 44×44×36 cm
Firewood length: 35 cm
Weight: 104 kg
Smoke outlet diameter: Ø15 cm.
Rear edge to centre of smoke outlet: 19.7 cm
Installation height top: 99 cm
Installation height rear: 88 cm
Distance to non-combustible: 5-10 cm (recommended)
Distance to combustible: Rear = 20 cm. Sides = 103 cm
Varde Ovne reserves the right to alter dimensions etc., which may affect installation.
Colour: Black
Extra accessories:
Steel top cover Ø19.5 cm – for use in rearward installations
Tube set for external air supply Ø8 cm, length 200-250 cm – aluminium flex tube
Staffordshire - Glasgow - Essex - Norfolk - Norwich - Nottingham - Oxfordshire - Dorset


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Chateau de Chantilly
Visit Chantilly Castle in Picardy
Chateau de Chantilly date of construction: 1560 and 1870
The castle at Chantilly is just 40 kilometres north of Paris, and a popular day trip from the capital. It has two main parts - the 16th century Small Castle and the 19th century Large Castle, which is a substantial rebuild of an earlier chateau that stood here before the Revolution.
Don't let that 'newness' deter you however, because the castle is a very impressive site, especially when seen reflected in the substantial moat that surrounds it. The richly decorated and furnished interior of the castle is much as you might expect - grand salons and chambers, ornate carvings and great chandeliers.
Other reasons that visitors are attracted here include:
- the stable block at the chateau, all 180 metres of it, is another impressive sight and contains an extensive museum dedicated to horse racing in France
- the gardens that surround Chantilly Castle are extensive, meticulously maintained and recognised to be an important French style garden, and are a lovely place to explore and enjoy. They make great use of water to enhance the atmosphere, above all with the canal, fountains and waterfalls (and the moat itself of course), and ponds in the 'English garden' section.
- the art gallery at the chateau (Musée Condé) contains an extraordinarily wide selection of important historic paintings
More recently, Chateau Chantilly featured in the James Bond film 'A View to a Kill'
Location of Chantilly Castle
Places to visit near Chateau de Chantilly
From our parent site, France This Way...


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as i mentioned in this previous post
fruit bubbles, donut bubbles, chocolate banana bubbles,
out of different colors of vellum.
i added a small bead to the end.
Oh my gosh! If I had a little one I would totally steal this idea! SO CUTE! I am your newest follower and would love it if you followed me back! Have a great day!
SO fun! I love the details like the bubble art and the bubble solution station. What a blessed little 2 year old! I shared your beautiful party on my Friday Favorites today. Thank you for all the inspiration. Have a wonderful weekend!
My daughter loves Bubble Guppies too. Every detail of your party looks amazing!
The fondant bubbkes look like pearls- how fun! Thanks for linking to WorkShop Wednesday! Hope to see you this week!
What a great party!Your ideas were great!
This is GREAT! So much attention to detail. What a great party! Thanks for linking up with Lemon Tree Creations!
LOVE THIS!!! We have a bubble party planned for Sept. Did you do the printables?
What a great party!
I love all of your details..especially the ornaments filled with treats!!
I would love to know where you found the invitations! I am planning a bubble guppies party for my Two year old. He can't get enough of them! Thanks!!!!!
njefcoat--i make the invites!
contact me through my etsy shop if you are interested:
I am just blown away by your parties!! You are so creative!! WAY TO GO! I'm a teacher and do an under the sea theme in my classroom and would LOVE to know the name of the font you used for this party package.
thank you so much! the font with the bubbles is called "cocktail bubbly".
Love the invites! What program did you use to make the actual invitation? I am looking to make my own as well.
thanks! i use adobe illustrator for all my designs.
I hope you don't mind me stealing some of your ideas! I absolutely love it! My son is turning two in a few months, and his favorite show is "Bubble Guppies" as well. Your designs were spot on!
I hope you don't mind me stealing some of your ideas! I absolutely love it! My son is turning two in a few months, and his favorite show is "Bubble Guppies" as well. Your designs were spot on!
OMG my little girl is turning 2 in a few months, and her favorite show, since she was about 11 months, is Bubble guppies! I am definitely going to have to steal a few of your ideas! Thanks so much!!!
what was the water to soap ratio for the colored bubble artwork?
Success is a choice not a dream. So, work hard for it and always be open-minded. Visit my site for more information. Have a good day and keep on moving forward for that success.
I'm really impressed with your blog article, such great & useful knowledge you mentioned here
Bubble toy Bubble Boat Battery Operated Toy Submarine w/ Lights & Music (White Color) …


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PP Assistant, the team behind the iOS 8.1.x jailbreak tool for Mac, has released a post reporting on the participation of Pangu Team in the Black Hat USA 2015 that we talked yesterday. Despite of the reckless criticism from Stefan Esser (a.k.a. @i0n1c), PP, in the 2nd to 3rd paragraphs of this particular post, praised the achievement made to iOS 7 and 8 jailbreaks which made them be nominated to the security award in Black Hat 2014, as well as their progress made on iOS 8.3 jailbreak which said to be demonstrated in MOSEC earlier this month.
More interestingly, despite the fact that Pangu team has dismissed the rumor on ETA of iOS 8.3 jailbreak, they speculated the release date in the last paragraph and especially the last sentence highlighted in red in their original article.
After iOS 8.1.2 jailbreak, Apple took further steps to kill the jailbreak. This made hundred the iOS 8 jailbreak to move forward. However, with the successful demo by the Pangu Team on iOS 8.3 jailbreak, which is meaning that this firmware has been "conquered". Although the Pangu Team did not clearly indicate when they will release the tool, from what can be seen at this moment, Apple is likely releasing the final build of iOS 8.4 on 30th June. Hence, the untethered jailbreak for iOS 8.3 wil probably be released in July.
On another hand, TaiG and another team called Keen Team seems to be more interested in looking to put effort in jailbreaking iOS 9. So what's your take on this? Are you expecting a jailbreak for iOS 8.3 or 8.4? Or you will stay with the latest possible version of iOS without a jailbreak. Let me know in the comments.


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What do we do?
School governors make important collective decisions and the governing body is answerable to parents and the community. As such, individual members are unable to act as a representative for anyone in an individual case.
The responsibilities of the governing body can be summarised as providing strategic management, acting as a critical friend and ensuring accountability.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Planning the school's long-term future and decide the aims and objectives for the school
- Setting the school's strategic aims and values and reinforcing the ethos
- Monitoring the provision of high standards of education and achievement
- Reviewing the staffing structure and appointment of staff
- Approving the Budget and ensuring proper budgetary management and control
- Review and agree policies and practice which allow the Headteacher the necessary tools to carry out his responsibilities
- Ensure the national curriculum and religious education is taught
- Agree pupil progress and set targets for improvement;
- Keep parents informed
- Make sure children with special needs have access to the curriculum
- Ensure the school is well maintained
- Ensure Health and Safety requirements are met and promote the well being of pupils and staff
- Receive and discuss reports on the resulting practice and conduct of the school;
- Promote links with the community
- Review our own working practices and standard


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PRTG Manual: Failover Cluster Step by Step
This section guides you through a step-by-step process to set up a failover cluster. Follow these instructions carefully to successfully integrate two or more PRTG installations into one failover cluster.
Before getting started, make sure that you consider the information in section Failover Cluster Configuration.
This feature is not available in PRTG hosted by Paessler.
First, you need to set up a single failover cluster consisting of two PRTG core server installations, each running on an individual server. Use your license key twice to install the PRTG core server on two different computers.
If you already run an installation of PRTG, this is your future Master Node. In this case, install a second PRTG core server on another computer. Make sure you use the same license key for both installations.
Before you start to set up a cluster, make sure you run exactly the same PRTG version (build number) on all (future) nodes. Install updates for existing installations, if necessary.
Once the cluster is established, any updates you install on one node are automatically deployed to all other cluster nodes.
For details about the installation process, see section Install a PRTG Core Server.
Decide which of your PRTG core server installations is your future Master Node. If you already have an installation of PRTG in your network running for some time, this should be your master, so your existing monitoring configuration is kept.
On the Master Node, from the Windows start menu, open the PRTG Administration Tool. On the Cluster tab, click the following button:
Create a PRTG Cluster
- Click this button to start creating a cluster. The current PRTG core server is then the Master Node of your cluster.
- Click Yes to confirm the conversion of this installation into a cluster master node.
- A new dialog box appears.
- Enter a Cluster Port. This is the port on which the internal communication between the different cluster nodes is sent. Make sure connections between cluster nodes are possible on the selected port.
- Enter or paste a Cluster Access Key. This is a unique access key. All nodes in a cluster have to be configured with the same cluster access key to join the cluster. Connection attempts with the wrong access key are rejected.
- We recommend that you use the default value.
- Save the Cluster Access Key so you have it at hand when configuring your Failover Nodes.
- After confirming your settings, you are asked to restart Windows services. Please do so for your changes to take effect.
Step 3: Configure Failover Node
On the server that is your failover node, open the PRTG Administration Tool. On the Cluster tab, click the following button:
Join a PRTG Cluster
- Click this button to add this installation to an existing cluster that already has a master node. The current PRTG core server is then a failover node in the cluster.
- This button is also available if you are currently running your PRTG installation in Cluster Mode: Master Node. This option then changes your master node to a failover node.
- Click Yes to confirm the conversion of this installation into a failover node.
- A dialog box appears.
- Enter a Master IP address/DNS name for your cluster. It must be reachable from the machine running the failover node.
- Enter the other settings as defined in the settings of your master node. Make sure you use the same settings on all nodes in your cluster.
- Enter a Cluster Port. This is the port on which the internal communication between the different cluster nodes is sent. Make sure connections between cluster nodes are possible on the selected port.
- Enter or paste a Cluster Access Key. This is a unique access key. All nodes in a cluster have to be configured with the same cluster access key to join the cluster. Connection attempts with the wrong access key are rejected.
After confirming your settings, you are asked to restart Windows services. Please do so for your changes to take effect.
Now you need to confirm the new failover node by setting it to Active in the master node's settings.
In a browser window, log in to the PRTG web interface of the master node.
In the System Administration—Cluster settings, you see your master node in the first line of the cluster list and your failover node below.
If you use remote probes outside your local network, for each PRTG core server in the cluster, use a Domain Name System (DNS) name or IP address that the probes can reach from the outside. Enter the entries in the Cluster Node Setup table accordingly (see below). The addresses must be valid for both cluster nodes to reach each other and for remote probes to individually reach all cluster nodes. Remote probes outside your LAN cannot reach private IP addresses or DNS names.
For the failover node, set the radio button for Node State to Active and Save the changes. The nodes now connect and exchange configuration data. This may take a few minutes.
Step 5: Check Cluster Connection
In two browser windows, log in to the PRTG web interfaces of both of your PRTG installations. Open the cluster status page in both windows by clicking on the narrow cluster information bars at the top of each window. You should see a cluster status with your two nodes in a Connected state after a few minutes.
If your nodes cannot connect, see
- the cluster log entries on the PRTG Status—Cluster Status page of the web interface
- the PRTG core server logfile, a text file in the logs directory of your PRTG data folder (see section Data Storage).
In the latest entries of these logs, you can see messages about any errors that might have occurred. These give you hints on where to find a solution.
If you have connection issues with the two cluster nodes, make sure that no software or hardware firewall is blocking communication on the cluster port defined during cluster setup. Communication between the nodes must be possible in both directions for the cluster to work properly.
Step 7: Move Sensors to the Cluster Probe Now
You have successfully set up your failover cluster. All devices that you create or move under the Cluster Probe are monitored by both servers.
To monitor your existing configuration via all cluster nodes, on your master node, move your groups, devices, and sensors from the local probe to the cluster probe. Objects, including their settings, are then automatically transferred to all cluster nodes.
Step 8: Move Custom Content to Failover Nodes
On startup of the cluster master node, maps and custom lookups are automatically transmitted to the failover nodes. While changes to maps are automatically synchronized, you have to manually (re)load lookups on all nodes. Other custom content has to be manually copied from the according folders on the master node to the same folders on the failover nodes:
- Device templates: \devicetemplates subfolder of PRTG
- Custom sensors: \Custom Sensors subfolder of PRTG
- MIB files: \MIB subfolder of PRTG
- SNMP libraries: \snmplibs subfolder of PRTG
- Notifications: \Notifications subfolder of PRTG
If you want to add an additional failover node to your cluster, you need an additional license key for two and three failover nodes, and two additional license keys to run four failover nodes.
In a cluster, only core servers running on the same license type can be combined. To add another failover node to your cluster, set up a new PRTG core server installation on a new server, using an additional license key. Then proceed with step 3 and following. Use a second license key to set up both your second and third failover node, and use a third license key to set up your fourth failover node. Each failover cluster is technically limited to five cluster nodes: as a maximum, you can run one master node and four failover nodes in one cluster.
Stay below 2,500 sensors per cluster for best performance in a single failover. Clusters with more than 5,000 sensors are not supported. For each additional failover node, divide the number of sensors by two.
Knowledge Base: My PRTG Cluster is messed up. How can I start over?
Paessler Website: How to connect PRTG through a firewall in 4 steps
- Active Directory Integration
- Application Programming Interface (API) Definition
- Filter Rules for xFlow, IPFIX, and Packet Sniffer Sensors
- Channel Definitions for xFlow, IPFIX, and Packet Sniffer Sensors
- Define IP Ranges
- Define Lookups
- Regular Expressions
- Calculating Percentiles
- Add Remote Probe
- Failover Cluster Configuration
- Data Storage
- PRTG Housekeeping
- Using Your Own SSL Certificate


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Ruben Studdard!
- American Idols!
- Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for American Idol and a shot at stardom. Hopeful singers from every genre pour their musical hearts out for the show's judges ... more »
- Ruben Studdard
- American Idol Season 2 Winner! Partway through the second American Idol in early 2003, guest judge Gladys Knight christened corpulent crooner Ruben Studdard a "velvet teddy bear," a nod to his smooth, Luther Vandross-styled voice and ... more »


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Photos by Steven Kovich
After a long day of barefooting in the warm sand and frolicking in the cool ocean surf, what could taste better than a thick, juicy burger and an ice-cold brew? We did the work of finding the hottest burgers on the beach for you, and believe us, if you're not from around here you may never have found them. We asked the locals what they thought and they told us. We're not judging because we think they are all spectacular in their own way!
Willy's Burger and Booze
Nestled behind a wall of palms sits a kooky little beach shack that serves the cheesiest of burgers and the coldest bottled brew around. Willy's Burger and Booze(click to see menu), St. Pete Beach's hidden gem, is putting the goo back in cheeseburgers and the crunch back in tater tots.
Menu prices are small and portion sizes are big at Willy's. If you stop by to have a burger here, be sure to wear your finest pair of sweatpants. Willy's Big One is a 10-ounce belly buster. Flavorful, yet simplistic and once you start the munching, you won't want to stop; which is why those loose-fitting pants come in handy. The Big One's eccentric cousin is The Big Blue, a blue cheeseburger that has certainly earned its share of praise with Willy's patrons.
The Big Gooey, the most famous of Willy's burgers, is as messy as it sounds. Keep that roll of paper towels on the table close because this is one heck of a cheesy burger. It's melt-in-your-mouth heaven on a plate good. Simply put, The Big Gooey is overindulgence at its finest. Order up a side of tater tots generously heaped on the plate, and you will be amply satisfied.
Willy's burgers are beautifully constructed with the freshest of toppings- crisp lettuce, perfectly ripened tomatoes and juicy onions. Each one is made from certified Angus beef and is hand patted with a secret blend of herbs and spices. Now, the keyword here is secret, so don't bother asking any of the staff for the burger recipe. Bartender Lynda insists the burgers at Willy's are so good because of a certain method the cooks use while grilling. "They like to slam down shots of tequila." She then added, "Or maybe it's because the burgers are made the same way my grandma used to make her meatballs." Lynda's straight face and matter-of-fact tone could have probably fooled anyone at first, but she quickly gave way to a smirk and a chuckle.
Willy's Burgers and Booze is the epitome of a classic beach bar with deliciously good grub, specifically those well-seasoned meat patties that have become so famous. It's where Jimmy Buffet meets Lynyrd Skynyrd, flip-flops pair perfectly with sunburned toes, and beef and gooey cheese become beach burger bliss.
Sand Bar Bill's Bar and Grille/Bon-Aire Resort Motel
As the deep orange sun melts into the warm waters of the Gulf and a lone seagull scurries across the sand, a handful of beach-goers pull out the last few remaining chairs at Sand Bar Bill's Bar and Grille waiting to toast St. Pete Beach's most beautiful time of day.
Located just behind the legendary Bon-Aire Resort Motel, Sand Bar Bill's serves up the beach's best Rum Runners and juiciest burgers. The tiki bar is a local favorite and ranks high in Old Florida seaside charm. After all, it's part of the Bon-Aire, a beachfront beauty dating back to the 1950s. Vactioners and staycationers alike have been visiting the boutique hotel and returning for generations. The Bon-Aire has kept much of its original character; in fact, walking through its courtyard is like taking a step back in time. Surrounded by tropical foliage, room doors painted turquoise face the hotel's shuffleboard courts and two heated pools.
As the sun sets and the steel drum band plays, Mai Tai in hand, the smell of a freshly grilled burger fragrantly fills the air. Ah, Sand Bar Bill's burgers are just about as famous as the sunsets are at the beach. It's quite unexpected though. I was more than surprised to think a hotel tiki bar could boast best burger around town. In fact, some locals claim that Sand Bar Bill's burgers are the best in the state. This hidden gem is confident when it comes to its famous dish and knows exactly why it stands above the rest. According to one of Sand Bar Bill's bartenders, Jackie, it's because the burgers are made with IBP beef, are hand patted and made with the freshest of ingredients. The tomatoes are perfectly sliced and richly red, while the onion and lettuce are so crisp they taste as though they have just been hand-picked right out of the garden. The meat patty is hearty and easily could be shared with a friend. But, what really makes this burger is its immensely flavorful chargrilled taste. It's not every day a burger is cooked "just right," with each bite chock-full of savory goodness.
So, if you are looking for a little romance, perhaps a dose of nostalgia and have a hankering for a really good burger, then get on over to Sand Bar Bill's this evening and find out for yourself why this "cheeseburger in paradise" is creating such a stir along the beaches, and quite possibly, all of Florida.
Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish Restaurant
They may be famous for their smoked fish, but surprisingly Ted Peters' burger is one of the most requested items off the menu.
Now, don't get us wrong. The restaurant's smoked fish is like heaven on a plate, and their fish spread served with crackers is an absolute must try, but locals swear Ted Peters' meat patties are by far the best in all of St. Petersburg. "I love that one of the finest burgers I ever had came via a fish restaurant," raves a Ted Peters patron.
For over 50 years, the Florida-style roadside shack with its rustic picnic table seating and nostalgic charm has been serving up one heck of a tasty burger. In fact, it's so good, some people will travel from a few hours away to eat it.
But here's the deal, folks. If you're looking for a long list of hip and trendy burgers, Ted Peters is not the place for you. Their no frills menu offers up only a hamburger and cheeseburger. Perhaps that may not seem particularly exciting to some, but to those who have tried the old-fashioned burgers know simple is better. Who needs all the fancy extras when the meat is so delicious and full of flavor? The jumbo 1/3 fresh ground beef patty is served with just the basics- lettuce, tomato and onion. As for sides, be sure to try their famous German potato salad (you'll know why it's famous after just one bite), and a serving of yummy, crisp coleslaw or a cold, crunchy dill pickle. Of course you'll want to wash it all down with a frosty mug of beer, whether it be root or draft.
Ted Peters is a definite favorite among both locals and out-of-towners alike. It's a must stop if visiting, and a promise to return if a resident. Upon dining you may often hear customers fondly recall, "This tastes just as good today as it did back when my grandpa brought me here as a kid."
And if you have only tried Ted Peters' fish, then perhaps it's time to move outside your cuisine comfort zone because once you sink your teeth into this delectable burger dish you may have a hard time going back to the fish.
*Closed Tuesdays, cash only
RumFish Grill at Guy Harvey Outpost
When it comes to the RumFish Grill at Guy Harvey Outpost, situated in the heart of St. Pete Beach, there is a little something for everyone, such as the beautiful assortment of Guy Harvey paintings for art lovers and marine life appreciators alike, and the well stocked gift shop for your best "shop til you drop" friend. Of course, we must consider the elaborate 33,500-gallon aquarium for all those stressed out souls to dreamily stare at after the end of a grueling workday.
There is nothing quite like the RumFish Grill at Guy Harvey Outpost, which is part of the Trade Winds Island Resorts, because even though the food is top notch, the grill is more like a tourist attraction and less of a restaurant. Overall, it's a pretty amazing place to visit, especially as an out-of-stater. Beautifully polished wood and deep blue hues throughout create a very classy and elegant beach feel. The enormous aquarium is definitely the restaurant's focal point, taking up an entire wall of the dining area. It creates a serene backdrop while eating, with its vibrant array of brightly colored fish and coral; much like a Guy Harvey painting that has been brought to life. The aquarium is actually quite famous, and not just because people from all over the world come to see it or that wide-eyed children beg their parents to grab a table next to it. After all, Wayde King and Brett Raymer of Animal Planet's hit series, "Tanked" built it, and that's pretty darn impressive.
With its two bars- one large, indoor and the other, outside and a bit more informal- there is no surprise that the RumFish Grill at Guy Harvey Outpost has an extensive drink menu featuring a lengthy list of specialty cocktails and beer.
And though the grill is best known for being a seafood restaurant, they also happen to have one of the best burgers in town. The Angus burger is a mouth-watering masterpiece. It's, by far, one of the prettiest burgers I have ever laid eyes on, or teeth in. This burger may not have a fancy title, but it definitely is gourmet and can stand on its own in a restaurant recognized primarily for its fish and Caribbean cuisine. The Angus comes with caramelized onions, aged Vermont cheddar cheese and is topped with a delicious horseradish aioli on a brioche bun. This is one hefty-sized burger, so be sure to bring your appetite. Each bite is just as flavorful as the last, so even though you may think you can't possibly store another bite, your taste buds will beg you to reconsider. At $15 some may argue that the price is too steep for a burger, but then again, this isn't any 'ol, average burger. For this one to be served alongside Guy Harvey paintings, it has to be a work of art and taste just as amazing. And indeed, the Angus burger has accomplished that and then some.
Boulevard Burgers and Tap House
At Boulevard Burgers and Tap House, you'll get just that. This Gulf Boulevard newcomer is just a stone's throw from the beach and offers up a variety of decadent, mouth-watering burgers that are sure to entice even the most discerning of palates.
Boulevard's burgers are eight hearty ounces of blended brisket, Angus chuck and short rib meat. Choose from their list of traditionally prepared burgers or the ever-so-indulgent stuffed burgers.
The Chili Burger does not disappoint and is perfect for a Florida "sweater weather" kind of day. The homemade chili is deeply flavorful and richly aromatic. And be sure to slather on the sunscreen for the Sunny-Side Up Burger topped with Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese and a sunny-side up egg. The generously sized Bleu Moon Burger, stuffed full of blue cheese and bacon, satisfies not just in portion but also largely in taste. Feeling gangster? The Godfather may be just the burger for you.
As if fresh mozzarella and sautéed mushrooms stuffed inside a perfectly grilled meat patty wasn't delicious enough, it is then finished off with marinara sauce and creamy ricotta cheese. Leave the cannoli. Take the burger (shown in photo)
All burger selections are topped with your choice of brioche, potato or sesame buns and served with Boulevard's "soon to be famous" sidewinder fries, a potato lovers dream-come-true.
Be sure to pair your delectable dish with a frosty beer (the restaurant offers an impressive selection) or a sinfully sweet hand-spun shake for a most divine dining experience.


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While betches are naturally gorgeous, makeup is a necessary tool in bringing out our God-given beauty and exuding a certain impression. The art of wearing makeup involves a certain level of manipulation and skill, so it's no surprise that betches love it.
You don't need to be Van Gogh to make yourself look good, but there are definitely some guidelines to follow for applying makeup for every occasion. Let's look at the appropriate ways to leave your house without looking like Taylor Momsen or that guy from Green Day.
To class or work:
The betch who perfects this look makes it seem like she's not wearing any makeup but of course, this just means she's particularly good at doing it. You want this look to scream "I don't care how I look when I leave the house, but yes I'm naturally this fucking beautiful."
Do: Apply some simple eyeliner, one coat of mascara, and a small amount of bronzer to avoid looking deathly pale from doing drugs and drinking all weekend.
Don't: Wear bright unnatural shades of eyeshadow in the day, unless you work at the Spearmint Rhino.
When going out:
We all know that girl who thinks it's socially acceptable/she's hot enough to go to the bars without any makeup on. What we're all dying to tell her is honey, you're not even close to pretty enough to pull that off but instead we cringe at her decision of going out as a washed out loser whose face is a horrifying shade of ass.
Do: The smokey eye is the betchiest. It shows others that you're dark and intimidating. However if you don't know how to do this consult your bestie who does, because despite how see-through your lace crop top is, do it yourself and you'll go out looking like a chimney cleaner. And we've all seen The Little Princess.
Make sure to put on multiple coats of mascara.* Every betch knows that the thickness of her lashes is directly correlated to the fuck-off vibe she exudes.
* Skip the black shadow and do intense or colored lashes, but only if you can pull this off and don't go out looking like a Bratz doll. If you look stupid, it's not our fault.
Don't: Wear your concealer as your lipstick or match your eye shadow to your dress or lipstick. Clowns chill at a circus for a reason.
For all other occasions:
Going to a wedding or prom? Don't get your make up done, that's like paying to look like Zac Efron.
Chilling at someone's house with friends? Who the fuck cares? They're your friends! (Read: a little eyeliner and bronzer. See "class or work.")
Oh and don't get your shit at CVS. Just because your eyeliner doesn't say Chanel when it's on your face, everyone can tell you're a cheap drug-store slut.
So, whoever said beauty is in the eye of the beholder was like definitely blind or stupid. Everyone knows that beauty is only skin deep. Remember, if the depth of your pores runs deeper than the love in your heart, you are not a fucking betch.