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Difference between revisions of "Spain"
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Spain [8] (Spanish: España) is a diverse country sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the country with the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy, and the largest number of World Heritage Cities.
Spain is considered an exotic country in Europe due to its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities. Among many places worth visiting are Spain's thriving capital Madrid, the vibrant coastal city of Barcelona, the famous "Running of the Bulls" at Pamplona, major Andalucian cities with Moorish architecture, like Seville, Granada and Córdoba, the Way of St. James and the idyllic Balearic and Canary Islands.
With great beaches, fun nightlife, many cultural regions and historic cities, Spain makes a great destination for any kind of trip. A country of large geographic and cultural diversity, Spain is a surprise to those who only know its reputation for great beach holidays. There is everything from lush meadows and snowy mountains to huge marshes and deserts in the south east.
Once the center of a global empire with territories in North, Central and South America, Africa (e.g. Equatorial Guinea), and Asia (e.g. the Philippines), contemporary Spain has overcome civil war and fascism in the 20th century to stand proud and centered in itself.
Spain holds a historical attachment to its neighbors within the Iberian Peninsula, Andorra and Portugal, to its former colonies, to former citizens and their descendants, and to a special category of former citizens, namely Sephardic Jews.
Individuals from these categories may acquire Spanish citizenship in an accelerated fashion which may or may not require that the individuals reside in Spain, and residency requirements are as short as one to three years depending on the category. Citizens of countries in the European Union may acquire citizenship after living in Spain for five years. Citizens of any other country may acquire citizenship after residing in Spain for ten years.
The population of Spain is growing in large part due to migration from relatively poor or politically unstable areas of South America, such as Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador or Peru, Europe, mostly Eastern Europe, that have a historical or linguistic attachment to Spain, Africa and Asia.
Spain is divided into autonomías or autonomous regions, plus two independent cities. Some of the autonomías - notably the ones which have other official languages alongside Spanish - are regions with their own unique historical tradition. These include the Basque Country or Euskadi (Basque), Galicia (Galician), Catalonia or Catalunya, the Valencian region or País Valencià, and the Balearic Islands or Illes Balears (Catalan), but also Andalucía. Travelers to these parts of the Iberian Peninsula should respect their history and language. The Canary Islands lie off the coast of Morocco and are geographically part of Africa, as are the two cities of Ceuta and Melilla.
For ease of reference, Spain's many regions can be grouped as follows:
Spain has hundreds of interesting cities, here are nine of the most popular:
Other destinations
Get in
Spain is a member of the Schengen Agreement.
There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented this treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members have signed the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This means that there may be spot customs checks but no immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but to/from a non-EU country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs (travelling within the EU but to/from a non-Schengen country).
Please see the article Travel in the Schengen Zone for more information about how the scheme works and what entry requirements are.
When entering by air from a non Shengen country, you will be expected to fill out a brief form which includes an address in Spain, such as a hotel or hostel. This does not appear to be stringently checked, but you will not be allowed in unless an address has been entered.
There are a number of ways to get into Spain. From neighboring European countries, a drive with the car or a train ride is feasible; visitors from further away will probably be using air travel.
By plane
Spain's national carrier is Iberia.
The busiest airports are Madrid, A Coruña, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Murcia, Barcelona, Jerez de la Frontera, Seville, Valencia, Bilbao, Alicante, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and Gran Canaria. All are listed on the official airport governing body website: [9]
Madrid and Bilbao have the most beautiful airports, designed by famous architects.
Low cost carriers operating to Spain include: Vueling [10], easyJet [11], Ryanair [12], Blue Air [13], and Jet2.com [14].
Warning: If you buy an e-ticket from Iberia over the internet with a credit card, you may have to show the original credit card upon check-in. If you fail to do so, you will have to purchase another ticket for the same fare, and the original ticket will be refunded many weeks or even months later.
By train
Train system in Spain is modern and reliable, most of the trains are brand new and the punctuality rate is one of the highest in Europe, the only problem is that not all the populated areas have a train station; sometimes small towns don't have one, in those cases you need to take a bus. Another issue with the Spanish Rail network is that the lines are disposed in a radial way so almost all the lines head to Madrid. That's why sometimes traveling from one city to another geographically close to it might take longer by train than by bus if they are not in the same line. Always check whether the bus or the train is more convenient.
By bus
Bus travel in Spain is increasingly an attractive option for people traveling on a tight budget. Thanks largely to European Union funding, Spain's road network has vastly improved over the past twenty years, so bus journeys don't take nearly as long as they used to.
There are lots of private bus companies offering routes to all major Spanish cities. If you want to travel around Spain by bus, the best idea is to go to your local bus station (Apart from Madrid and Barcelona, most towns and cities have just one) and see what is available.
Traveling by bus in Spain is usually reliable (except on peak holiday days when roads can be very crowded and you should expect long delays on popular routes), coaches are modern and comfortable. You can expect to pay about €8 per 100km.
By boat
From the UK, Brittany Ferries offers services from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander and from Portsmouth to Bilbao. The journey time from Portsmouth to Santander is approximately 12 hours.
Ferry services were once run by P&O from Portsmouth to Bilbao and from Plymouth and Southampton to Santander. However, P&O no longer operates these routes.
As well as the UK, Spain is also well connected by Ferry to Northern Africa (particularly Tunisia and Morocco) and the Canary Islands which are owned by Spain. Routes are also naturally available to the Spanish Balearic islands of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Another popular route is from Barcelona to Genoa.
Ferries to Spain and within Spain with AFerry.co.uk
Spain is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, which governs its visa policies. No visa is required for citizens of other EU member states, and those of nations with whom the European Union has special treaties. There are no border controls between Spain and other Schengen Agreement nations, making travel less complicated.
As of May 2004 citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for entry into Spain. Note that citizens of these countries (except EU nationals) must not stay longer than three months in any 180 day period in any country covered by the Schengen Agreement and they and must not work in Spain: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.
For Latin American people, especially those from Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, and in some cases Venezuela, Chile and Argentina you need to have a hotel reservation confirmed, and international insurance for at least 30.000 EURO; if your trip is from 1-9 days you need €514, for each additional day €57 and a return air ticket.
Venezuelan credit cards are not accepted like funds for immigration due to the currency exchange control in this country.
Get around
By train
By bus
The easiest way to get around most parts of Spain is by bus. Most major routes are point to point, and very high frequency. There is a different operator for each route, but usually just one operator per route. At the bus station, each operator has its own ticket. The staff at any of them is usually happy to tell you who operates which route, however.
By boat
Wherever you are in Spain, from your private yacht you can enjoy gorgeous scenery and distance yourself from the inevitable crowds of tourists that flock to these destinations. May is a particularly pleasant time to charter in the regions of Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and the Balearic Islands as the weather is good and the crowds have yet to descend. The summer months of July and August are the hottest and tend to have lighter winds. There is no low season for the Canary Islands, as the weather resembles springtime all year round. If you would like to bareboat anywhere in Spain, including the Balearic or Canary Islands, a US Coast Guard License is the only acceptable certification needed by Americans to bareboat. For everyone else, a RYA Yacht Master Certification or International Certificate of Competence will normally do. Although a skipper may be required, a hostess/chef may or may not be necessary. Dining out is strong part of Spanish custom and tradition. If you are planning on docking in a port and exploring fabulous bars and restaurants a hostess/cook may just be useful for serving drinks and making beds. Extra crew can take up valuable room on a tight ship.
By car
In major cities like Barcelona and in mid-sized like San Sebastian, moving around by car is both expensive and nerve-wracking. Fines for improper parking are uncompromising (€85 and up).
Having a driving map is essential - many streets are one-way; left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable).
Getting around by car makes sense if you plan to move from one city to another every other day, ideally if you don't plan to park overnight in large cities. It also doesn't hurt that the scenery is beautiful and well worth a drive.
There are two types of highway in Spain: autopistas, or motorways, and autovías, which are more akin to expressways. Most autopistas are toll roads while autovías are generally free of charge. Speed limits range from 50 km/h in towns to 90 km/h on rural roads, 100 km/h on roads and 120 km/h on autopistas and autovías.
Intersections of two highways typically have a roundabout under the higher one--so you can both choose any turn and to start driving in an opposite direction there.
Green light for cars about to turn is frequently on at the same time as green light for pedestrians: every time you turn, check if the pedestrians pass you cross doesn't also have green light for them.
Between cities, drivers are required to have some rest every 2 hours they drive--there's a fine if you don't follow. It's unclear how it's enforced, however.
Filling procedure for gas stations varies from brand to brand. At Agip, you first fill the tank yourself, and then pay inside the shop. Gasoline is relatively inexpensive compared to other countries in the EU and Japan, but still more expensive than in the U.S.
By thumb
Spain isn't a good country for hitchhiking. Sometimes you can wait many hours. Try to speak with people at gas stations, parking lots etc. They are scared and suspicious, but when you show them that they shouldn't be afraid, they gladly accept you and mostly also show their generosity. In the South of Spain, in and around the Alpujarras, hitchhiking is very common and it is also very easy to get a ride. As long as you can speak a bit of spanish and don't look too dirty/frightening, you should be able to get a ride moderately easily.
Renting a car
If you plan to move around large cities or explore further afield you will find many companies that offer car hire at affordable prices because of the high competition between car rental agencies, consider renting a car with GPS navigation--it will be even easier to drive than having an automobile map.
Consider having full-coverage insurance instead of franchise: other drivers are not always careful parking near other cars, especially when parking space on a street is limited.
Spanish drivers can be unpredictable and some of the roads on the Southern area of Malaga and the Costa Del Sol are notoriously dangerous.
Therefore you will want a car with a fully comprehensive insurance package with includes a collision damage waiver (CDW) and a vehicle theft waiver, as well as liability cover. Many of the car hire companies offer an insurance option where you can choose to reduce your vehicle excess. This means that if you are in an accident you would not be financially liable for the whole excess fee.
Child seats are also available with all vehicles so that any children in your party can travel safely and in comfort.
Air conditioning is a must in the hot Spanish summer months. Nevertheless you should make sure to take water with you at all times.
If you break down while on holiday you will want a car hire company that gives you the free roadside assistance of trained mechanics. Cars often overheat in Spain while the tires are vulnerable on the hot roads.
Avis accepts payment in US dollars when you pay by a credit card. If you need to pay when you return rented car, payment is made from deposit you provided by credit card in the beginning--so you don't pay extra money upon return, waiting for weeks for deposit to be unblocked.
By bicycle
Spain is heaven for cycling, judging by how many cyclists you can see in the cities. Cycling lanes are available in mid-sized and large cities. It must be taken into account that Spain is the second most mountainous country in Europe, and the mountains and hills are from coast to coast. For example, Madrid is between 600 and 700 meters above sea, so if you travel through it by bicycle you have to be in a good shape.
By taxi
All the major cities in Spain are served by taxis, which are a convenient, if somewhat expensive way to get around. Most taxi drivers do not speak English or any other foreign languages, so it would be necessary to have the names and/or addresses of your destinations written in Spanish to show your taxi driver. Likewise, get your hotel's business cardto show your taxi driver in case you get lost.
Unsurprisingly, the official and universal language used in Spain is Spanish (español, castellano), but it's more complicated than that, as it differs from the Latin American varieties in pronunciation and other details. It is part of the Romance family of languages (others include Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, Italian, Occitan, French, and Romanian) and is one of the main branches of that family. It is more properly called Castilian (castellano).
However, there are a number of languages — Catalan, Basque, Galician, Asturian, etc — spoken in various parts of Spain. Some of these languages are dominant in their respective regions, and following their legalization in the 1978 constitution, they are co-official with Castilian. Apart from Basque (whose origins are still debated) the languages of the Iberian Peninsula are part of the Romance family and are fairly easy to pick up if you know Castilian well. Learning a few words in the local languages where you are traveling will help endear you to the locals.
In addition to the native languages, English and French are commonly studied in school. While most younger Spaniards have studied English in school, due to a lack of practice and exposure, proficiency is generally poor. If lost, your best bet would generally be young urban people. To improve your chances of being understood, stick to simple words and avoid long sentences. That being said, major hotels and popular tourist destinations usually have staff members who speak an acceptable level of English, and particularly in popular beach resorts such as those in the Costa del Sol, you will find people who are fluent in several languages. As Portuguese and Italian are closely related to Spanish, if you speak either of these languages, locals would be able to puzzle you out with some difficulty, and as long as you speak slowly, you won't need an interpreter for the most part.
French is the most widely understood language in the north-east of Spain, like Alquezar and Cap de Creus (at times even better than English), as the majority of travelers there come from France.
Locals will appreciate any attempts you make to speak their language. For example, "Good morning" (Buenos días) and "Thank you" (Gracias).
If you are interested in learning Spanish, there are several options available. LSI (Language Studies International) offers quality Spanish courses in Spain [19].
Spain is the country with the 2nd largest number of UNESCO Heritage Sites in the world. The most popular beaches are the ones in the Mediterranean coasts and the Canary Islands. Meanwhile, for hiking, the mountains of Sierra Nevada in the south, the Central Cordillera and the northern Pyrenees are the best places.
Spain has a lot of local festivals that are worth going to.
Outdoor activities
Skiing in the northen region of Spain
Scuba Diving
For a treat, try Costa Brava and the world renowned Canary Islands.
Spain has the euro (€) as its sole currency along with 24 other countries that use this common European money. These 24 countries are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain (official euro members which are all European Union member states) as well as Andorra, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and the Vatican which use it without having a say in eurozone affairs and without being European Union members. Together, these countries have a population of more than 330 million.
One euro is divided into 100 cents. While each official euro member (as well as Monaco, San Marino and Vatican) issues its own coins with a unique obverse, the reverse, as well as all bank notes, look the same throughout the eurozone. Every coin is legal tender in any of the eurozone countries.
Cash euro: €500 banknotes are not accepted in many stores--always have alternative banknotes.
Other currencies: Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange currency. Exceptions are shops and restaurants at airports. These will generally accept at least US Dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate.
If you wish to exchange money, you can do so at any bank (some may require that you have an account there before they will exchange your money), where you can also cash in your traveller's cheques. Currency exchanges, once a common sight, have all but disappeared since the introduction of the Euro. Again, international airports are an exception to this rule; other exception is tourist districts in the large cities (Barcelona, Madrid).
Credit cards: Credit cards are well accepted: even in a stall at La Boqueria market in Barcelona, on an average highway gas station in the middle of the country, or in small towns like Alquezar. It's more difficult to find a place where credit card is not accepted in Spain.
Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that. Most Spanish stores will ask for ID before accepting your credit card. Some stores may not accept a foreign driving license or ID card and you will need to show your passport. This measure is designed to help avoid credit card fraud.
Business hours
Most businesses (including most shops, but not restaurants) close in the afternoons around 13:30/14:00 and reopen for the evening around 16:30/17:00. Exceptions are large malls or major chain stores.
For most Spaniards, lunch is the main meal of the day and you will find bars and restaurants open during this time. On Saturdays, businesses often do not reopen in the evening and almost everywhere is closed on Sundays. Also, many public offices and banks do not reopen in the evenings even on weekdays, so if you have any important business to take care of, be sure to check hours of operation.
If you plan to spend whole day shopping in small shops, the following rule of thumb can work. A closed shop should remind it's also time for your own lunch. And when you finish your lunch, some shops will be likely open again.
Clothes and shoes
Designer brands
Besides well-known mass brands which are known around the world (Zara, Mango, Bershka, Camper), Spain has many designer brands which are more hard to find outside Spain--and may be worth looking for if you shop for designer wear while travelling. Some of these brands include:
Department stores
Apart from classical tourist souvenirs, here are some things that are hard to find elsewhere, or even unique.
For children
The Spanish are very passionate about their food and wine and Spanish cuisine. Spanish food can be described as quite light with a lot of vegetables and a huge variety of meat and fish. The Spanish cuisine does not use many spices; it relies only on the use of high quality ingredients to give a good taste. As such, you may find Spanish food bland at times but there are usually a variety of restaurants in most cities (Italian, Chinese, American fast food) if you would like to experience a variety of flavors.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner times
Spaniards have a different eating timetable than many people are used to.
The key thing to remember for a traveler is:
Normally, restaurants in big cities don't close until midnight during the week and 2-3AM during the weekend.
Breakfast is eaten by most Spaniards. Traditional Spanish breakfast includes coffee or orange juice, and pastries or a small sandwich. In Madrid, it is also common to have hot chocolate with "churros" or "porras". In cafes, you can expect varieties of tortilla de patatas (see the Spanish dishes section), sometimes tapas (either breakfast variety or same kind as served in the evenings with alcohol).
The entry level to Spanish food is found in bars as tapas, which are a bit like "starters" or "appetizers", but are instead considered side orders to accompany your drink. Some bars will offer a wide variety of different tapas; others specialize on a specific kind (like seafood-based). A Spanish custom is to have one tapa and one small drink at a bar, then go to the next bar and do the same. A group of two or more individuals may order two or more tapas or order raciones instead, which are a bit larger in order to share.
Fast food
Fast food has not yet established a strong grip on the Spaniards and you will find McDonalds and Burger King only in bigger towns in the usual places. The menu can be a surprise since it has been customized to appeal to the locals and beer, salads, yogurt primarily Danone, and wine are prominent. Pizza is increasingly popular and you will find some outlets in bigger towns but it can be their own homegrown franchise such as TelePizza.
Seafood: on a seacoast, fresh seafood is widely available and quite affordable. In the inner regions, frozen (and poor quality) seafood can be frequently encountered outside few highly reputed (and expensive) restaurants. In coastal areas seafood deserves some attention, especially on the north Atlantic coast.
Quality seafood in Spain comes from Spain's northwestern region of Galicia. So restaurants with the words Gallego (Galician) will generally specialize in seafood. If you are feeling adventurous, you might want to try the Galician regional specialty Pulpo a la Gallega, which is boiled octopus served with paprika, rock salt and olive oil. Another adventurous option is Sepia which is cuttlefish, a relative of squid, or the various forms of Calamares (squid) that you can find in most seafood restaurants. If that isn't your style you can always order Gambas Ajillo (garlic shrimp), Pescado Frito (fried fish), Buñuelos de Bacalao (breaded and deep fried cod) or the ever-present Paella dishes.
Ordering beef steaks is highly recommended, since most comes from free range cows from the mountains north of the city.
Pork cuts which are also highly coveted are those known as Presa Iberica and Secreto Iberico, an absolute must if found in the menu of any restaurant.
Soups: choice of soups beyond gazpacho is very limited in Spanish restaurants.
Water is frequently served without a specific request, and is normally charged for--unless it's included in your menu del dia. If you would like free tap water instead of bottled water, request "agua del grifo" (water from the tap). However, not all restaurants will offer this and you may be forced to order bottled water.
Appetizers such as bread, cheese, and other items may be brought to your table even if you didn't order them. You will be charged for them. If you do not want these appetizers, politely inform the waiter that you do not want them.
Tipping is not observed in Spain so don't tip (unless there was something absolutely exceptional about the service). As a result, you may find that waiters are not as attentive or courteous as you may be used to since they don't work for tips. This is less true in major resorts and cities where tipping is common. Look around at other diners to assess if tipping is appropriate.
World-level restaurants: There are several restaurants in Spain which are destinations in itself, becoming a sole reason to travel to a specific city. One of them is El Bulli in Roses.
Tipping and VAT
No service charges are included in the bill. A little extra tip is common and you are free to increase that if you are very pleased. Obviously you don't have to tip a lousy waiter. You would typically leave the small change after paying with a note.
VAT is-not-included is a common trick for mid-range and splurge restaurants: always check in menu whether VAT (8%, IVA in Spanish) is included in menu prices.
Menú del día
Many restaurants offer a complete lunch meal for a fixed price – "menú del día" – and this often works out as a bargain. Water or wine is commonly included in the price.
Touristy places
Typical Spanish food can be found all over the country, however top tourist destinations such as Costa Brava and Costa del Sol have turned all existing traditions upside down. Meaning that drinks are generally more expensive (about double) and quality is at its lowest. It is difficult to find proper Spanish food in the tourist centers.
However you will get Schnitzel, original English breakfast, Pizza, Donner, and frozen fish. However, if you are prepared to look a little harder, then even in the busiest tourist towns, you can find some exceptional traditional Spanish restaurants. If you are on the coast then think fish and seafood and you won't be disappointed.
Non-Spanish cuisine
In most cities you can also find international cuisine such as Italian, Chinese, French, Thai, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Argentinian, etc. The bigger the city, the more variety you can find.
For the past decade there has been a surge in the number of Irish pubs and Japanese restaurants to be found in most cities.
Specialties to buy
Spanish dishes
Typical dishes are:
Tea and Coffee
Spanish people are very passionate about the quality, intensity and taste of their coffee and good freshly brewed coffee is available almost everywhere.
The usual choices are solo, the milk-less espresso version; cortado, solo with a dash of milk; con leche, solo with milk added; and manchado, coffee with lots of milk (sort of like the French cafe au lait). Asking for caffee latte will likely result in less milk then you are used to--it's always OK to ask for adding extra milk.
Starbucks [20] is the only national chain operating in Spain. Locals argue that it can't compete with small local cafes in quality of coffee and only visited by tourists. Can be found only in larger cities: Barcelona (18 outlets), Madrid (20 outlets), Sevilla (7 outlets) and Valencia (3 outlets)--as of Oct 2007. It is not present in smaller cities.
If you eat for €20 per dinner, you will never be served a good tea; expect Pompadour or Lipton. It takes some effort to find a good tea if you spend most time of the day in touristy places.
The drinking age in Spain is 18. People under this age are forbidden to drink and buy alcoholic drinks, although enforcement in tourist and clubbing areas is lax. Drinking in the streets has recently been banned (although it is still a common practice in most nightlife areas).
Try an absinthe cocktail (the fabled liquor was never outlawed here).
Probably one of the best places to meet people in Spain is in bars. Everyone visits them and they are always busy and sometimes bursting with people. There is no age restriction imposed to enter these premises although children and teenagers often will not be served alcoholic drinks. Age restrictions for the consumption of alcohol are clearly posted at bars but are enforced only intermittently. It is not uncommon to see an entire family at a bar.
It's important to know the difference between a pub (which closes at 3-3:30AM) and a club (which opens until 6-8AM but is usually deserted early in the night).
On weekends, the time to go out for copas (drinks) usually starts at about 11PM-1AM which is somewhat later than in North and Central Europe. Before that, people usually do any number of things, have some tapas (raciones, algo para picar), eat a "real" dinner in a restaurant, stay at home with family, or go to cultural events. If you want to go dancing you will find that most of the clubs in Madrid are relatively empty before midnight (some do not even open until 1AM) and most won't get crowded until 3AM. People usually go to pubs, then go to the clubs until 6-8AM.
For a true Spanish experience, after a night of dancing and drinking it is not unusual to have a breakfast of chocolate con churros with your friends before going home. (CcC is a small cup of thick, melted chocolate served with freshly fried sweet fritters used for dipping in the chocolate, yum)
Size and price of tapas changes a lot throughout Spain. For instance, it's almost impossible to get free tapas in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona while you can eat for free (just paying for the drinks), with huge tapas at cities like Granada or Badajoz.
The tapa, and the related pincho, trace their existence in Spain to both acting as a cover ("Tapa") on top of a cup of wine to prevent flies from accessing it, and as a requirement of law when serving wine at an establishment during the middle ages.
The Spanish beer is not too bad and well worth a try. Most popular local brands include San Miguel, Cruzcampo, Mahou, Ambar, Estrella Galicia, Keller and many others, including local brands at most cities; import beers are also available. A great beer is 'Mezquita' (Cervezas Alhambra), try to find it! Also "Legado de Yuste" is one of the best beer made in Spain, and is quite extended, but more expensive than a normal 'caña'. In Spain, beer is often served from a tap in 25 cl ("caña") or 33 cl ("tubo") tube glasses. Bigger servings are rare, but you can also ask for a "corto", "zurito" (round the Basque country) or simply "una cerveza" or "tanque" (south of the country) to get a half size beer, perfect to drink in one go and get quickly to the next bar while having tapas.
If you're in Zaragoza (or Aragon, in general), the Pilsner-type Ambar (5.2% alc.) and the stronger Export (double malt, 7.0% alc.) are available. Ambar 1900: Its production began in 1996. The system of fermentation to room temperature is used. Marlen is a beer of traditional manufacture using malted barley and hops.
Locals in Aragon often add lemon juice to their beer. Particularly on hot summer days people will drink a refreshing "clara" which is a light beer mixed with lemon/lemonade.
Cava is Spanish sparkling wine and the name went from Spanish Champagne to Cava was after a long lasting dispute with the French. The Spanish called it for a long time champan, but the French argued that champagne can be made only from grapes grown in the Champagne region in France. Nevertheless, Cava is a quite successful sparkling wine and 99% of the production comes from the area around Barcelona.
Can be found in the Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria.
A milky non-alcoholic drink made of tigernuts and sugar. Alboraia, a small town close to Valencia, is regarded as a best place where horchata is produced.
Sangria is drink made of wine and fruits and usually is made from simple wines. You will find sangria in areas frequented by tourists. Spanish prepare sangria for fiestas and hot summer, and not every day as seen in touristic regions like Mallorca.
Sangria in restaurants aimed for foreigners are best avoided, but it is a very good drink to try if a Spaniard prepares it for a fiesta!
Sherry (Fino)
The pale sherry wine around Jerez called "fino" is fortified with alcohol to 15 percent. If you would like to have one in a bar you have to order a fino. Manzanilla is bit salty, good as an appetizer. Amontillado and Oloroso are a different types of sherry were the oxidative aging process has taken the lead.
Spain is a country with great wine-making and drinking traditions: 22% of Europe's wine growing area is in Spain, however the production is about half of what the French produce.
Regions: The most famous wines come from Rioja region, less known but also important comes from Ribera del Duero, Priorato, Toro and Jumilla . The latter are becoming more and more popular and are slightly less expensive than Rioja wines. White, rose and red wines are produced, but the red wines are certainly the most important ones.
Wine bars: they are more and more popular. In short, a wine bar is a sophisticated tapas bar where you can order wine by the glass. You will immediatily see a blackboard with the wines that are available and the price per glass. In Madrid, the Hapsburg neighborhood has become Madrid's wine bar heaven. To enjoy a food & wine tour of this area you can join the Old Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour.
Grapes: The main red grapes are Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell and Mencia. The primary white grape used is Albarino, and the grapes used in Jerez are: 'Pedro Ximenez and Palomino.
Specific names: Valdepenas is good value for money. Whites: Belondrade Y Lurton regarded as greatest white wine in Spain. Vina Sol is good as a mass product, with fruity taste.
Grades: Spanish quality wines are produced using an aging process and they have been in a oak barrel for at least one year before they can be labeled Crianza and then spend another two years in a bottle before been sold. Reservas are aged for five years and Gran Reservas are aged for 10 years.
Prices: Spain has seen a tremendous rise in wine prices over the last decade and Spanish wines are not as much of a bargain as they were a decade ago. However you will still find 5, 10 and 20 year old wines at affordable prices especially when compared with similar quality wines from Australia, Chile, France, and the US.
In a bar: For red wine in a bar, ask "un tinto por favor", for white wine "un blanco por favor", for rose: "un rosado por favor".
Wine-based drinks: Young people in Spain have developed their own way to have wine. When having botellones (big outdoor parties with drink and lots of people), most of them will be mixing some red wine with Coke and drink such mix straight from the Coke bottle. The name of this drink is calimocho or kalimotxo (in the Basque Country and Navarre) and is really very popular... But don't ask for it while in an upper class bar, or among adults, since they will most certainly not approve of the idea! As a general rule, any wine that comes in a glass bottle is considered "too good" to make kalimotxo.
"7% VAT is not included" is a common trick for mid-range guesthouses and hotels: always check the small print when you choose your place to stay. VAT is IVA in Spanish.
Small villages
Besides the coasts, Spain is rich in small tourist-friendly inland villages, like Alquezar: with narrow medieval streets, charming silence and isolation, still good selection of affordable restaurants and accommodation.
Casa rural, the bed and breakfasts of Spain
For a more homely sort of accommodation consider the casa rural. A casa rural is the rough equivalent to a bed and breakfast or a gîte. Not all houses are situated in the countryside, as the name implies. Some are situated in the smaller towns, and they are in virtually every province.
Casas rurales vary in quality and price throughout Spain. In some regions, like Galicia, they are strictly controlled and inspected. Other regions are not so thorough in applying their regulations.
Many foreign visitors stay in hotels that have been organised by tour operators who offer package holidays to the popular resorts on the costas and islands. However, for the independent traveller, there are hotels all over the country in all categories and to suit every budget. In fact, due to the well developed internal and foreign tourism markets Spain may well be one of the best served European countries in terms of numbers and quality of hotels.
A parador (inn) [21] is a state-owned hotel in Spain (rating from 3 to 5 stars). These are a chain of hotels founded in 1928 by the Spanish King Alfonso XIII. The unique aspects of paradores are their location and their history. Found mostly in historical buildings, such as convents, Moorish castles (like La Alhambra), or haciendas, paradores are the exact opposite of the uncontrolled development found in coastal regions like the Costa del Sol. Hospitality has been harmoniously integrated with the restoration of castles, palaces and convents, rescuing from ruin and abandonment monuments representative of Spain's historical and cultural heritage.
For example the parador in Santiago de Compostela is located next to the Cathedral in a former royal hospital built in the year 1499. Rooms are decorated in an old-fashioned way, but nevertheless have modern facilities. Other notable paradores are in Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, Santillana del Mar (Altamira cave) as well as more than 100 other destination all over Spain.
Paradores serve breakfast (about €10) and often have very good local cuisine typical of their region (about €25).
Accommodation prices are good value, when you consider that the hotels are often found in the heart of scenic areas, varying from €85 for a double room to €245 for a twin room (like in Granada). Two of the most beautiful paradors are in Léon and Santiago de Compostela.
There are some promotions available:
The promotions do not always apply, especially in August they are not valid, and may require advance bookings.
There are plenty of hostels, mostly in Madrid. Prices vary from €15 to €25 per night.
Apartment rental
Short-term, self-catering apartment rental is an option for travellers who want to stay in one place for a week or more. Accommodations range from small apartments to villas.
The number of holiday rentals available depends on the area of Spain you are planning to visit. Although they are common in coastal areas, big capitals and other popular tourist cities, if you plan to visit small inland towns, you will find casas rurales more easily.
Camping is the least expensive lodging option.
Stay safe
There are four kinds of police:
All kinds of police also wear high-visibility clothing ("reflective" jackets) while directing traffic, or in the road.
Spain is a safe country, but you should take some basic precautions encouraged in the entire world:
Some people could try to take advantage of your ignorance of local customs.
Other things you should know
In Spain possession and consumption of illegal drugs at private places is not prosecuted. Taking drugs in public and possession, for personal use, will be fined from €300 to €3000 depending of the drug and the quantity that you carry on, you will not get arrested unless you have large quantities destined for street sale.
Stay healthy
On 21 December 2010, the Spanish Parliament approved a law prohibiting smoking in all indoor public and work places and near hospitals and in playgrounds, becoming effective on 2 January 2011. Smoking is now banned in all enclosed public spaces and places of work, in public transportation, and in outdoor public places near hospitals and in playgrounds. Smoking is also banned in outdoor sections of bars and restaurants. Smoking is banned on television broadcasts as well.
Culture and Identity
Eating and Drinking
Among Spaniards, lunch time is usually between 13 and 14:30, while dinner time is around 21. However, in special celebrations, lunch can be delayed up until 15 in some cases, while dinners can even be as late as 22. Almost all businesses close between 14:30 and 17:00, so plan your shopping and sight-seeing accordingly.
Spanish cities can be noisy in some areas. Be warned.
Some brands you may be used to in the US are not available in Spain: Blend-a-Med toothpaste or Dirol (Stimorol chewing gum has been available for years) Bring in enough for your whole trip if you can't live without it. But Spanish and other European brands are of good quality. Brands like Colgate and Orbit are very extended.
When using a laptop in an outdoor location, always be aware of your surroundings and the location of your belongings. Also be aware that even though it is not yet illegal to use unsecured wi-fi signals, there is work being done on the relevant laws and it may become illegal very soon.
"Locutorios" (Call Shops) are widely spread in bigger cities and touristy locations. In Madrid or Toledo it's very easy to find one. Making calls from "Locutorios" tend to be much cheaper, especially international calls (usually made through VoIP). They are usually a good pick for calling home.
Cheap mobile phones (less than €50) with some pre-paid minutes are sold at FNAC (Plaza Callao if you're staying in Madrid, or El Triangle if you're staying in Barcelona) or any phone operator's shop (Vodafone, Movistar, Orange) and can be purchased without many formalities (ID is usually required). Topping-up is then done by buying scratch cards from the small stores "Frutos Secos," supermarkets, vending points (often found in tobacco shops) or kiosks -- recharging via the internet or via an ATM does not work with foreign credit cards.
To call home cheap you may opt to buy prepaid calling cards which are widely available in newspapers or grocery stores around the city. Simply ask for a "tarjeta telefonica".
Another convenient alternative is to use call-through services such as Chollofon [23] or Reducitel [24]. By simply dialing an access number before the number you wish to call you will enjoy pretty cheap international calls. For example you can call US and most European countries for only 2ct/min by dialing 901 888 020. You can use it directly from any landline or payphone. Please note that these are different companies so their prices could differ.
If choose to get a mobile while you are in Spain, calling these access numbers can often prove more expensive than advertised as the rates are usually based on landline calls. Services such as Localphone [25] use landline access numbers to get around this issue, though prepayment online is required. Before travelling you can also use Localphone to call Spain from your home country when to organise your visit.


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Sunday 7th July sees the broadcast of the 1987 Sylvester McCoy story, Paradise Towers on Australian and New Zealand television. The story is presented as part of the 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who on the UKTV channel.
The story screens at 4:20pm in Australia, and 4:45pm in New Zealand. The latter country has an additional screening on Monday 8th July at 4:15am.
The UKTV billing describes Paradise Towers as follows:
The Doctor visits Paradise Towers only to find it ruined. It is inhabited by Rezzies, Kangs, Pex & Caretakers led by a Chief whose job is to keep the apartment complex in order.Paradise Towers was first broadcast in Australia in 1988. New Zealand did not get to see it until 1990.
UKTV is showing stories throughout the year in the lead-up to the anniversary in November. In July the focus is on Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor. The rest of the month's schedule includes: Remembrance of the Daleks (14 July); The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (21 July); The Curse of Fenric and Survival (both 28 July).
Up-and-coming broadcasts from both 20th and 21st Century series of Doctor Who can be found via UKTV's Doctor Who sections for Australia and New Zealand.

subset: commoncrawl


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I don't think I've told you yet about the humans complicated cooking at the moment. WELL, our oven on Nocturne has never worked since we've had the boat. It needs a new part from America to be fixed, but the humans have never managed to actually get the part. (Dad was refusing to get a new oven since he assured us the current one's fantastic, mum and I refuse to believe it though since it's never worked!) The broken oven was never a huge problem, however, since there's three gas rings to cook on as well. That was… until two of them broke too! They can't be fixed because they have literally rusted to death.
They now only have one ring to cook on and I constantly hear mum complaining about what a convoluted pain in the furry bum it is! Dad has promised they can buy a new one, he actually said after Christmas they could order one…so far I've not seen any evidence of this though. Now I know he's busy varnishing still, but if I have to hear mum whining for much longer about the single ring I think I might burst. She sounds like a cat digging in a litter tray continuously and we all know how annoying that is!
So I hope that by expressing my distress it will finally prompt my dad to sort out the complicated cooking situation and save my ears for endless torment. In the meantime I've kindly offered to share my cat food with them.
Please keep your paws crossed this situation is resolved quickly.
Bisous, Bailey


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Jeff Melnick doesn't have any movies playing in theaters.
If you feel like heading out, check out other movies in theaters.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch
Psycho Beach Party
All Jeff Melnick films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2020 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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[1]Lexington, KY – Tickets for the 2013 UK Alumni Charity Game, which will be held Sept. 9th at Rupp Arena, are on sale now. Members of UK's 2010 Elite Eight and 2012 National Championship John Calipari-coached teams are set to square off in the alumni charity event.
All seats are reserved and priced at $50 (premium lower level), $20 (lower level), $10 and $5 (upper level). Tickets can only be purchased at the Rupp Arena box office, online at Ticketmaster.com [2], at any Ticketmaster Outlet or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. There is an eight-ticket limit per person. All orders will have additional fees attached. All proceeds from the game will go to charity.
You must be 16 or older to purchase tickets and children under 2 get in for free with a paying adult.Doors to Rupp Arena will open at 5:00p.m. ET
Set to tip off Sept. 9th at 7:00p.m. ET, the game will only feature Wildcats currently or formerly playing professionally. The Big Blue Nation will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the top talent to come through the UK men's basketball program since the 2009-10 season.
Per NBA rules, the University of Kentucky cannot confirm individual players participating in the exhibition game.


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For 5A PM& Perf. Add to sbm and global. CRM. Marketing online. JEP and Erhard questionnaire. Brands. Whatz New. Product management specialization. Quotes. AACSB. Club of notes. Comm digital. Luxe. Champagne.
Research papers. Infographic & Flowchart. Country of original Branding COB. Sensory marketing. Métiers. Global Marketing. Rentree amphi 4A and 5A 2016. Update classes rentrée 2016.
Veille. Advanced digital 2016.
Segmentation. Benchmark. Mobile. Cosmetics & Care. Sustainable marketing. Back to the future 30 years after ... Hybridity. Design. 2A. Research tools. Challenge 2015-2016. Innovation. TED. Reverse engineering. Coding. Personalitytest.ama. Fair use / intellectual property. Sustainable marketing. Recipes. Pure Wow. Memoirs. Perception. 5a rentrée 2015. 4A rentrée 2015. 2a rentrée 2015.
Who is On Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat and Other Networks? [Infographic] It's important to know your audience if you're going to be an effective marketer in any medium.
For social media marketers, knowing who the core users are on each social network could be invaluable in helping decide which platforms to focus on. Social media marketing software provider Sprout Social dug into the demographic data and pulled it all together in one handy infographic. Overall, the data supports what we already know, that women dominate social media. Learn how to code.
Teaching aids. Cleaning tips. Creativity and presentations. Self publishing. Big data. Social. GAMING. Strategy. Quotes. CLASSES. Consumer behavior. Retail. Neuromarketing and Brain. Trends. Videos/ documentaries. Happiness. Springwise brands.
Rentrée 2014. Customer experience. Leaureate online Liverpool. 5 ways startups can use design to boost brand equity. Content. Online. WOM. Marketing. Programs : digital marketing.


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Carson City Walmart clerk jailed on suspicion of embezzling $1,900
Nevada Appeal Staff Report
A clerk at Walmart on Market Street was arrested at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of felony embezzlement.
According to the arrest report, a Walmart district manager called the Carson City Sheriff's Office about 9:30 a.m., saying clerk Amy Gladish had lost nearly $1,900 from her cash register drawer since May. He added that she had admitted taking the money.
Gladish was being held at the Carson City Jail with bail set at $20,000.


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A southwest Ohio day care worker has been charged with assault for allegedly biting a 5-year-old boy to teach him not to bite others.
Court records show 56-year-old Robin Mullins of Cincinnati was arrested Thursday. Police say a visible bite mark was left on the boy's arm in the suburban Cincinnati day care.
Police say the boy had been brought to the office of Andrew's Friends Pre-School & Day Care for biting another child. A police report says Mullins bit the victim on the arm, leaving a mark, "to teach him a `lesson.'"
A telephone message was left at the home of Mullins, who was freed without bail.
Another day care worker said Friday the case is under investigation and that the day care had no comment.


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Whether we care more about the environment or animal rights, most conscientious consumers can agree that today's factory farming practices are unhealthy for humans, animals and the planet alike. While animal rights activists often choose to forgo meat entirely, others, known by the term flexitarians, eat meat, but only if it's produced on farms where animals have the chance to live outside the confines of a small pen. Flexitarians often opt to eat frequent vegetarian meals to free up their dietary budget to buy healthier, well-raised meat (read more about flexitarianism). Lucky for them (and anyone interested in joining their ranks), tons of vegetarian recipes are every bit as satisfying and delicious as meat-centric ones, and there are hundreds of resources available to find amazing vegetarian recipes. Among them are a number of veggie blogs where veg-enthusiasts share their most fabulous recipes. Here are just a few of my favorites. Check in with them for inspiration as you plan meatless meals.
1. Herbivoracious
Written by longtime vegetarian and father of two Michael Natkin, Herbivoracious' incredibly varied recipes have been featured by everyone from Saveur magazine to The New York Times. Natkin's adventurous recipes span the globe and will leave even the most meat-loving palate missing nothing when it comes to bold flavor. If you're looking for a variety of recipes that promise never to bore, visit this site frequently (or subscribe to the e-newsletter).
What I want to eat RIGHT NOW:
Maybe I am craving an island getaway. I will settle for this Coconut Rice with Black Beans, Plantains and Mango Salsa.
2. Vegan Yum Yum
I'm not a vegan (I just love cheese way too much), but Vegan Yum Yum always leaves my tastebuds watering. Written by home cook (and now cookbook author) Lauren Ulm (Lolo), Vegan Yum Yum gives helpful pointers on cooking techniques, a slew of traditional recipes-turned-vegan and a healthy serving of desserts and pastries along with tons of recipes for just plain amazing-looking food. Visit Lolo if you're on the hunt for just-as-good-as-regular (try them!) vegan versions of classic dishes such as cinnamon rolls, pancakes and mac 'n' cheese.
What I want to eat RIGHT NOW:
If you're a big meat eater, maybe you just don't get tofu. I happen to love it. And I LOVE Lolo's tips for cooking it here, which can be a challenge. With satisfying noodles and supernutritious kale, Pan Fried Tofu, Kale and Stir-Fried Noodles sounds like dinner tonight.
3. The Chubby Vegetarian
Memphis-based photojournalist Justin Fox Burks and his wife, Amy Lawrence, team up to bring us vegetarian versions of soul-food classics at The Chubby Vegetarian and in their upcoming book, The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook (March, 2013). The Chubby Vegetarian doesn't focus on whole foods and extreme health like many veggie sites, but it gives you a mix of guilty pleasures (I'm looking at you Southern-Style Cheese Dip and Miracle Mushroom Gravy over 3-2-1 Drop Biscuits) and dinner mainstays like Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Eggplant and Simple and Easy Porcini Mushroom Veggie Burgers. I like the site because it feels down-to-earth and homey, and I always feel welcome here.
What I want to eat RIGHT NOW:
Justin tells us that in Sicily, simple chickpea fritters are called panelle and are served as street food on a bun with a scoop of ricotta (um, yum!). But in this Fried Chickpea Sandwich + Blue Cheese & Tomato, he uses them as a stand-in for fried chicken, then dresses the sandwich with spinach, tomato, blue cheese and shallots (also, yum!). As he says the recipe makes enough fritters for about six sandwiches, I would probably have to just try them both ways.


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Travis Scott doesn't mess around when it comes to his family's safety.
According to TMZ, when his "wifey" Kylie Jenner and daughter Stormi join him on the road for his Astroworld Tour, the "SICKO MODE" rapper doesn't just up his security detail, he changes all of his security protocol.
Travis' first step in making sure his number one ladies are safe at all of his concert stops is bringing on about five or six additional security guards "to run a batter of Secret Service-style maneuvers," sources told the gossip site. He "has them conduct thorough sweeps of dressing rooms and backstage areas for more than an hour." Not only that, but the security team prepares emergency exit routes in case the family has to make a quick exit. And to ensure that no one who is not in their circle of trust knows where Kylie and Stormi are at any given moment, their itineraries are kept under lock and key — known only to the family's bodyguards and management team, insiders confirmed.
While the increase in security is a world of difference from when Travis is alone on tour, causing "more work and effort" for staff, his team reportedly looks forward to Kylie and Stormi's visits because the "STARGAZING" rapper is said to be in a better mood when they're around.
Kylie recently returned to their home in Calabasas after hitting the road with her and Travis' daughter Stormi for the first few weeks of Travis' Astroworld Tour.
During one of the tour stops, Kylie shared an adorable video of Stormi sitting atop her father's shoulders onstage during rehearsals. The Astroworld rapper also shared cute moments of the family of three on tour. Just last month, he posted two videos his little one dancing while watching his New York City concert at Madison Square Garden. "MSG ALL RAGERS INCLUDED," Travis captioned the series of videos posted to his Instagram that showed his ten-month-old daughter cutting lose — bouncing up and down and giggling — as she watched her dad perform from a monitor backstage.
Photo: Getty Images


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labor law
labor law, legislation dealing with human beings in their capacity as workers or wage earners. The Industrial Revolution, by introducing the machine and factory production, greatly expanded the class of workers dependent on wages as their source of income. The terms of the labor contract, working conditions, and the relations between workers and employers early became matters of public concern.
Sections in this article:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Labor


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Have been using NOF since about 2004, starting with NOF8, upgraded to NOF9 and updated to v9.10.0000.5039, which is current.
After a hard drive failure a few years ago, I reloaded NOF9 onto a new drive (Win XP), put my backup 'site folder' into the NOF User Sites folder and carried on.
Similar thing has happened again so loaded NOF9 onto my laptop drive (Win 10), put my backup 'site folder' into NOF User Site folder, but now find that site will not open..........saying 'site made with a later version of NOF'. I don't understand this, as I have never had or used a later version than I now have! If anyone can help please, without getting too technical, I'll be very grateful.
Thanks a lot,


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In yet another attempt by Congress to stymie the Department of Labor's effort to release its fiduciary reproposal, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, introduced legislation on Tuesday that would return oversight of IRAs to the Treasury Department—stripping that oversight from DOL.
DOL has received significant pushback regarding its plan to include IRAs in its rule to amend the definition of fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), with the most notable complaint being that advisors would lose their ability to earn commissions on IRA advice.
The provision to nix DOL oversight of IRAs is included in a bill, the Securities Annuities for Employee (SAFE) Retirement Act of 2013, which would create a new public retirement plan in which insurance companies pay benefits through annuity contracts. The measure includes wide-ranging modifications to 401(k)s, including expanding employers' ability to offer annuities in defined contribution plans and making target-date fund disclosure more effective.
The last title of the bill states that jurisdiction of IRA fiduciary regulation oversight should be returned to Treasury. "Prior to the issuance of a 1978 executive order, Treasury had jurisdiction over the fiduciary duty rules applicable to IRAs and those rules are still part of the Internal Revenue Code," the bill states. That jurisdiction "will be returned to Treasury from the Department of Labor."
Barbara Roper (left), director of investor protection for the Consumer Federation of America, says that under the bill, Treasury would be required "to start from scratch on a rule proposal," which "would delay, and could derail entirely, final completion of these badly needed protections for workers and retirees."
In addition, the bill says that Treasury will have to "consult with the Securities and Exchange Commission in prescribing rules relating to the professional standard of care owed by brokers and investment advisors to IRA owners."
CFA, Roper says, "strongly supports allowing the DOL to move forward with strengthened fiduciary rules, and we believe application of those rules to IRAs is essential to protect the millions of middle-income workers who need to make every penny count in their efforts to fund a modest retirement."
Hatch—who said his bill "takes action to stop the DOL from unilaterally over-regulating 401(k) plans and IRAs"—is not the first lawmaker to push legislation to stop the DOL's fiduciary reproposal from being released in the fall.
On June 19, Rep. Anne Wagner's bill, the Retail Investor Protection Act, that would require DOL to wait to repropose its fiduciary rule until 60 days after the SEC issues its fiduciary proposal was reported out of the House Financial Services Committee and referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee for consideration.
Check out Industry Groups Fear Wagner Bill Will Stop SEC, DOL Fiduciary Rules in Their Tracks.


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NOTES from the UNDERGROUND No. 211 | January 10, 2011
Norbert Blei
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."—Mark Twain
If he's not our greatest American writer, he's certainly our most beloved. His legacy to American letters runs deep. Old Hem drew the line in the sand in his beautiful book, GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA (1935) when he stated in chapter one: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. If you read it you must stop where the Nigger Jim is stolen from the boys. That is the real end. The rest is cheating. But it's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There's been nothing as good since."
Enter the academics of today, the 'politically correct' to revise our literary history. Make it safe. Twain dealt with enough stupidity of this sort in his own time and made a career of mocking it in talks and print, in a style uniquely his own. Tell it as it is (and have fun telling it).
Midwestern. American. Real.
(No bullshit.)
His defense rests—in all his works.
On the plus side of this new, revised edition of "Huckleberry Finn" that substitutes the word "slave" for "nigger" (edited by Prof. Alan Gribben for NewSouth Books, to be released in February) is that no school yet has expressed an interest in teaching it. On the minus side, the publisher's comment that Barnes & Noble, Borders, and other bookstores have registered advanced orders—and that she was expecting orders from schools and libraries.
Here's hoping the book bombs. Here's hoping schools and libraries, especially, see the light of day: the truth of Twain.
Here's hoping Prof. Gribben finds work editing romance novels.
If academia deems it necessary to protect our culture from Mark Twain, just imagine who? what? next.
And if a high school English teacher (who admires Twain) declines to teach "Huckleberry Finn"… "because it is too long" I suggest she relieve herself from the serious work of educating our youth.
Mr. Twain, I leave you the last word:
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.,"—Mark Twain
A recent, short, and best biography of Twain in a long time. Packed with pertinent information, reads like a novel. From: The Library of American Biography. Author, David W. Levy, Prentice Hall, 2010.
Julie Bosman (with Tamar Lewin)
A new edition of "Adven¬tures of Huckleberry Finn" is missing something: the n-word.
In its place, 219 times throughout the book, is the word "slave," a substitution that was made by NewSouth Books, a publisher based in Alabama, which plans to release the edition in February.
Alan Gribben, a professor of English at Auburn University at Montgomery, approached the publisher with the idea in July. Mr. Gribben said Tuesday that he had been teaching Mark Twain for decades and always hesitated before reading aloud the common racial epithet, which is used liberally throughout the book, a reflection of social attitudes in the mid-19th century.
"I found myself right out of graduate school at Berkeley not wanting to pronounce that word when I was teaching either 'Huckleberry Finn' or 'Tom Sawyer' " he said. "And I don't think I'm alone."
Mr. Gribben, who combined "Huckleberry Finn" with "Tom Sawyer" in a single volume and also supplied an introduction, said he worried that "Huckleberry Finn" had fallen off reading lists, and wanted to offer an edition that is not for scholars, but for younger people and general readers.
"I'm by no means sanitizing Mark Twain," Mr. Gribben said. "The sharp social critiques are in there. The humor is intact. I just had the idea to get us away from obsessing about this one word, and just let the stories stand alone." (The book also substitutes "Indian" for "injun.")
Since the publisher discussed plans for the book this week with Publishers Weekly, it has been "assaulted" with negative e-mails and phone calls, said Suzanne La Rosa, the co-founder and publisher of NewSouth Books.
"We didn't undertake this lightly," Ms. La Rosa said. "If our publication fosters good discussion about how language affects learning and certainly the nature of censorship, then difficult as it is likely to be, it's a good thing."
The news set off a storm of angry online commentary, scolding the publisher for "censorship" and "political correctness," or simply for the perceived sin of altering the words of a literary icon. Twain admirers have turned his hefty "Autobiography of Mark Twain," published last year, into a best seller.
An initial print run of 7,500 copies has been planned for the revised "Huckleberry Finn." The print edition is scheduled for publication in February, and a digital edition could go on sale as early as next week.
Mr. Gribben said no schools had expressed interest yet in teaching the book — nor did he say what ages he thought the edition appropriate for. In his introduction, however, he writes that "even at the level of college and graduate school, students are capable of resenting textual encounters with this racial appellative."
Ms. La Rosa said the publisher has had advance orders from Barnes & Noble, Borders and other bookstores, and she expected more orders from schools and libraries.
Some English teachers were less than thrilled about the idea of cleaning up a classic.
"I'm not offended by anything in 'Huck Finn" said Elizabeth Absher, an English teacher at South Mountain High School in Arizona. "I am a big fan of Mark Twain, and I hear a lot worse in the hallway in front of my class."
Ms. Absher teaches Twain short stories and makes "Huck Finn" available but does not teach it because it is too long — not because of the language.
"I think authors' language should be left alone," she said. "If it's too offensive, it doesn't belong in school, but if it expresses the way people felt about race or slavery in the context of their time, that's something I'd talk about in teaching it."
[from THE NEW YORK TIMES Jan. 5, 2011]
Next month, you will be able to buy the single-volume NewSouth Edition of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," edited by Professor Alan Gribben of Auburn University at Montgomery. It differs from other editions o those books because Mr. Gribben has turned the word "nigger" — as used by Tom and Huck — into "slave." Mr. Gribben has also changed "Injun" to Indian, Mr. Gribben says he wants to make these American classics readable again — for young readers and for anyone who is hurt by the use of an epithet that would have been ubiquitous in Missouri in the 1830s and 1840s, which is when both books are set. He says he discovered how much Twain's language offended readers when he began giving talks about "Tom Sawyer" all across Alabama in 2009. He has also acknowledged that what he calls "textual purists" will be horrified by his sanitized versions of the two classics.
We are horrified, and we think most readers, textual purists or not, will be horrified too. The trouble isn't merely adulterating Twain's text. It's also adulterating social, economic and linguistic history. Substituting the word "slave" makes it sound as though all the offense lies in the "n-word" and has nothing to do with the institution of slavery. Worse, it suggests that understanding the truth of the past corrupts modern readers, when, in fact, this new edition is busy corrupting the past.
When "Huckleberry Finn" was published, Mark Twain appended a note on his effort to reproduce "painstakingly" the dialects in the book, including several backwoods dialects and "the Missouri negro dialect." What makes "Huckleberry Finn" so important in American literature isn't just the story, it's the richness, the detail, the unprecedented accuracy of its spoken language. There is no way to "clean up" Twain without doing irreparable harm to the truth of his work. I
[from: The editorial page of The New York Times, January 6, 2011]


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probrake EDITION brake and clutch lever for Ducati (Monster 1100 Evo Anniversary) M5
probrake EDITION brake and clutch lever for Ducati (Monster 1100 Evo Anniversary) M5probrake EDITION brake & clutch lever. Distinctive design, perfect handling and best quality! Our brand new CNC milled probrake EDITION lever. Best functionality and ideal length. The levers are available only now in limited quantity!
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These courses present a rigorous treatment of modern algebra. The writing of proofs is emphasized. Modern applications of abstract algebra to problems in chemistry, art, and computer science show this is a contemporary field in which important contributions are currently being made. Topics include groups, rings, integral domains, field theory, and the study of homomorphisms. Applications such as coding theory, public-key cryptography, crystallographic groups, and frieze groups may be covered. These are proof-based courses.
Prerequisites: MATH 290 with a grade of C- or higher, or permission of instructor.


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200 Percale Solid Pintuck Sheets-Desert Khaki
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Want some action points today that can change your financial situation pretty rapidly? Willing to make a few big changes to your life?
Here are four things you can do starting right now to make a radical shift in your finances and set you on a better track.
1. Cancel your cable or satellite service.
Cancel it. Pay the termination fee if you have to. Get a small antenna and a converter box (if you need one) and just watch what you can get over the air.
The average cable/satellite bill, last I heard, was around $86 a month. That's a pretty sizeable chunk of an average American family budget, adding up to above $1,000 a year. There's energy savings here, too – if you're not powering up a cable box, your energy bill will drop a bit.
The average American watches 2.8 hours of television a day. Without television to constantly watch, you'll suddenly find that you have more time to do all of the things that you've been meaning to do but somehow haven't had the time for.
2. Pull everything out of your pantry.
Pull every single foodstuff you have in your pantry out on the table. You'll probably need the floor, too. Empty out your cupboards as well, and even your refrigerator and freezer.
The goal is to get a real look at all of the food you already have on hand in your home. For most Americans, it's a lot of food.
Now, start planning meals and finding recipes that use all of this stuff. If you have tons of spices and flour and canned vegetables and soups and other things, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with ways to use all of this food for meals. Whenever you come up with a recipe for a meal, set all of the ingredients for that meal aside with a sticky note that indicates what the meal you're going to make with it actually is. If you're splitting ingredients, note that on your sticky notes.
You'll probably be able to come up with dozens and dozens of meals by doing this. After that, come up with a meal plan using all of those meals. Make a long list of all of the meals you have stuff for, then put the ingredients back in your pantry with the ingredients for the meals you plan to make soon near the front and the other ingredients further back.
Then, just follow that meal plan list. On a given day, look at the top few, choose one, make it, and cross it off the list.
You should be able to go a very long time without having to go to the grocery store for anything other than a handful of perishable staples, like milk or eggs or fresh fruit and veggies. For the next few months, you just slashed your grocery bill by more than half. Now, let's slash it some more.
3. Drink water.
Stop drinking all of the non-water beverages that you consume on a daily basis and stick to water. Water is basically free, it's good for you, and it quenches your thirst. It doesn't add calories to your system, either.
When you finish up your current batch of soda or sports drinks or coffee or tea, don't just go out there and buy some more. Just drink water. Whenever you're thirsty, get a cup of water instead of the beverage you might crave.
Sure, you might get a few caffeine withdrawal headaches. Don't worry – they'll go away soon enough.
In the short term, you'll have a smaller grocery bill. In the long term, you'll have improved health, too.
4. Turn off your climate control and open the windows.
If the temperature outside is between 50 F and 90 F, we turn off all climate control, open up the windows, and let the breeze blow through our house. For us, this covers all of the year except for a couple months during the winter and perhaps a week or two at the peak of summertime.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to toss open the windows right now. Even if that's not your situation, I'm willing to bet that you'll be able to do this at some point in the very near future.
I've found that if you do this for a day, it becomes very tempting to do it the next day… and the next day… and the next day. The fresh air and the breeze flowing through your home makes everything seem lighter and more enjoyable.
These changes sound hard, but each of them has significant upside. They each trim your monthly spending in a significant fashion and they each bring other benefits to your life – better health, more time, more fresh air, and so on. Give one of these challenges a shot today.


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I have a whole lot of college basketball preview and picks to get out there, and I will do that soon.
But first, North Dakota States basketball team will be highlighted on the four hour broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN2.
"Other schools being featured are Connecticut, Duke, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and Washington. ESPNU anchor Lowell Galindo will host the show with Jim Barbar providing on-site commentary at NDSU." taken from the Fargo Forum article.
Should be a good time to start the season.


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[email protected]
March 30, 2017
Your carpet gets a lot of wear, especially during the winter. Don't you wish you could make all those spots magically disappear? Before you reveal your steam cleaner and carpet foam, check out these tips from our friends at Zaarly:
If you're going to clean your own carpets, be sure to follow the instructions on the detergent and on the steam cleaner first. If you don't, you could void your carpet's warranty. Not to mention cause some fading or unraveling.
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The reason so many homeowners seek professional carpet cleaning services is that most rental carpet cleaning machines don't have an extractor with the right suction power to get the job done well. A weak extractor leaves soap deep in your carpet fibers, which collects dirt and makes your carpet dirtier, faster. Look for a two-stage or three-stage motor. Three-stage has more suction power.
Your reward for doing it right? A longer-lasting carpet. If you don't have time, you can always count on a professional with commercial-grade equipment to make the magic happen.
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Text-to-speech functionality
Cheap but capable handset with pleasant design
Innovative features
'very good GSM signal reception'
Free voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation
OLED-powered contrast ratio
Impressively robust frame
'The Nokia C6-01 is one of the most capable Nokia smartphones. '
'More worrying is that the top half of the phone sits a bit high on the bottom half, with the result that it feels a little wobbly when closed.'
'A good mid-range smartphone with promising hardware features and rich set of connectivity options. '
'Heavy and thick'
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews
covering over 29,474 products.
© 2020 ReviewGist.com. All Rights Reserved.


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Tips on how to deal with Batteries
Safety instructions:
- do not short battery
- do not deform or damage mechanically
- do not leave unattended
- do not heat up or throw into fire
- do not dry on a radiator or in microwave oven
- do not store in the car at extreme heat
- protect from frost
- use an appropriate charger
- follow all safety instructions of the manufacturer
- do not mix different batteries in a pack
- if you want to store unused NiCd-/NiMH batteries a for a longer time, they should be discharged prior to storing, ideally until a deep discharge protecting circuit between batterie and load switches off
- note: NiCd-/NiMH batteries after prolonged storage may require some charging and discharging cycles until they reach their full capacity again
- Chargers for NiCd-/NiMH batteries should be able to charge a pack within 1-3h. Too low charge currents, especially in multi-cell NiMH packs, can cause a failure in the Minus-Delta-V end of charging detection and thus damage the pack from overcharging
- do not use a charger that is designed for NiCd cells for NiMH cells
- Lithium-ion batteries start ageing at the factory and have a lifespan of 3-5 years. To avoid buying of old cells, you should contact a trusted source with a high volume.
- Lithium-ion cells have to be balanced prior to assembly - if the protection circuit does not include this function


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Today, digital is a key enabler in oil and gas to reduce costs, make faster and better decisions, and to increase workforce productivity. For the vast majority of oil and gas companies, however, it remains difficult to translate digital efficiency into better, financial performance and new business growth.
Digital is not yet delivering where it truly counts—in improved financial performance for oil and gas companies. In contrast, disrupters in other industries have used digital to unlock greater value in core businesses, value chains, and through new business models within and across sectors. They master the layer of complexity digital brings and leverage it extensively. Find out how oil and gas organizations can shift business models to pave new digital routes to growth.
Learning from innovative disruptors, here are five ways to avoid being left behind in the race to digital transformation.
Look well beyond efficiency
Innovation is the springboard to greater value
Deliver an improved customer experience
Grasp the full potential for growth
Integrate for improved safety, efficiency and growth
Accenture's Digital Performance Index analysis, based on a study of 343 leading global companies across eight industries, including oil and gas, reveals that most are capable of using digital technologies to create business efficiencies. Few, however, are exploiting them to substantially improve performance for the long run.
Our results indicate that the Digital Disrupters have a clear advantage over the energy companies in the survey sample. Explore how a comprehensive approach to digital can enable companies to become Digital High Performers.


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Senator Inhofe admits his views on climate science based on money
But first, a dose of climate reality:
In a recent study, scientists found that climate change will decrease the number of seasonal flowers, leading to an overall decrease in the number of butterflies, who rely on flowers for a sustainable source of energy - no destruction required. Another recent study found that climate change will increase the number of Lyme disease infected ticks, parasites that drill into their prey and extract their blood, leaving sickness and suffering in their wake.
It's almost poetic that continued reliance on puncturing the earth and sucking out the oil will lead to more parasites puncturing and sucking us in return…
Speaking of bothersome pests - Senator James Inhofe, staunch global warming denier and human prune, went on the Rachel Maddow Show to discuss his new book, "The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future."
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
During the interview, the good Senator from Oklahoma repeated his belief that a global conspiracy of environmentalists and scientists (and global temperature readings) are colluding to create the illusion of a changing climate, just to justify taxes.
See the left portion of this graphic for a summation of Inhofe's climate views:
Though Inhofe has said ludicrous things about climate science many times before, he rarely mentions why he initially became such a zealous climate denier.
As he revealed in the interview, Inhofe became skeptical of climate science once he found out solving the looming climate crisis might cost money. In the interview he said "I thought it must be true until I found out what it cost."
So, if Inhofe lets money dictate his policies, what does it mean that the top three contributors to his campaign are dirty energy companies (Koch industries being #1), or that he has taken well over $1 million from the fossil fuel industry since 1999?
Come on Inhofe, dont be such a tick.


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Scientific Ethics and the Signs of Voodoo Science
Published on
Until recently, the issue of research ethics had not been a subject of explicit discussion within the Physics community. Over the past ten years, however, documented cases of scientific fraud have brought this issue to center stage. Looking at case studies, this talk explores examples ranging from poor scientific practice to deliberate manipulation and fabrication of data.
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Physics, room 237


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Eric Schmidt says he wants more stimulus spending. A former Google executive, now voluntarily unemployed, asks Obama to raise his taxes. One more example of a Google bigwig using his prominence to prop up the president's partisan proposals and I'd begin to wonder whether these Google employees even know how to conduct basic research. The slightest bit of study should give the lie to The One's proposed policies, after all.
That's why I was enormously refreshed when I happened upon this tidbit from Heritage Vice President of Communications, Mike Gonzalez.
"It pains me as a Republican to see a former employee asking for more taxes," Google lobbyist Lee Dunn said today at The Heritage Bloggers Briefing, according to a tweet from Gonzalez.
Dunn also addressed the company's painfully obvious need to connect with conservatives and Republicans.
"You can't put all your eggs in one basket," she said, promising the audience that the search engine giant is, indeed, "reaching out to Republicans."
Dunn should know. A former top telecom aide to Sen. John McCain, she joined Google earlier this year to … lobby Senate Republicans.
P.S. It also just happens to be Google's 13th birthday today! How did people find answers to their most pressing questions 14 years ago? I was just 10, so I don't remember. (I'll have to Google it.) And don't you just love the search engine's changing logo? Such a fun creative element!


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And that would be a run-in of the literal kind.
Oklahoma defensive back Kass Everett (pictured, No. 23), the Daily Oklahoman reported, was cited after colliding with a motorcycle police officer Friday afternoon in Norman. The officer was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, although there's no word on the extent of his injuries.
"Was anyone out there to witness that today?: Everett wrote on his Twitter account. "I hope that officer is okay. I'll be leaving the ER soon. I'm okay."
Everett was ultimately cited for failure to yield while making a left turn.
In 2012, his first season with the Sooners after transferring in from the JUCO level last February, Everett appeared in 11 games.


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Legionaries Begin First General Chapter to Revise Constitutions
The meeting will also elect a new governing body for the religious order.
VATICAN CITY — Earlier this morning, the Legionaries of Christ began their first meeting to draft and approve their new constitutions, after which they will elect their new leadership.
Opening with a Jan. 8 Mass celebrated by Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, the chapter, which will be held behind closed doors throughout its duration, began its official meetings the morning of Jan. 9 and is slated to last roughly 20 days.
The general chapter was mandated by Benedict XVI in the wake of the revelation of the double life led by the congregation's founder, Father Marcial Maciel, who is since deceased.
An official investigation into the life and conduct of Father Maciel was launched by the Vatican, and in 2006, Benedict XVI stripped him of his duties and role of leadership within the congregation, ordering him to a life of prayer and penance.
After his death in 2008, it was disclosed that he had fathered at least one child as a result of a sexual relationship with a woman.
In his homily for the opening Mass, Cardinal De Paolis, papal delegate to the Legion of Christ, stated that, after three and a half years of preparation, the chapter is "an event of faith," which can only be undergone with "the guidance of the Holy Spirit."
"It has been repeatedly stressed," stated the cardinal, "that the revision of the constitutions cannot simply be considered a technical effort, but should be accompanied by a process of examination of life, of review and of spiritual renewal for the institute."
Highlighting how the constitutions which will be drafted are not "simply a code of laws" for external discipline, he explained that they "will be an expression of a common vocation, a common ideal, a common mission."
"The heart of the constitutions," Cardinal De Paolis continued, "is the charism, or spiritual patrimony, of the institute," which "should be examined in depth."
"The constitutions must contain the vocation and identity of the institute."
Electing Leaders
Shifting to the second task of the chapter, the cardinal noted the importance of electing a governing body whose superiors will "preserve and promote" the institution's charism, which "is only guaranteed when authority is exercised as service, in the spirit of the Gospel and in fidelity to the norms of the Church."
"It is a point which should always be given special attention, especially for you, who have a history of suffering in this regard," he added.
Emphasizing that although "well-made laws are important," the cardinal stated that they are "not enough" if they do not also have "a new spirit."
"It is this new spirit that you are called to foster and cultivate inside of you when you are called upon to give yourselves new superiors," continued the cardinal, explaining that they must also "have a new heart, both on the part of those electing and those elected."
"To the degree that it depends on you," he said, "have present only God and the good of the Church and the Legion and choose those whom you deem most worthy and suitable for the ministry of authority."
Although there has been suffering, "both internally and externally" in the past few years, Cardinal De Paolis observed that the future of the Legion "looks rather calm and hopeful."
Highlighting how this suffering has purified and matured the members of the congregation, the cardinal stated the time of preparation for the meeting "is like the memory to which you are called to return, so as to regain confidence, serenity and hope."
"Hope in the Lord, who has preserved your vocation; hope in the Legion, which, thanks to you, presents itself to this chapter with new strength and new horizons; and hope in the Church, which has accompanied you."
Cardinal De Paolis concluded his homily by offering special thanks to all those who have worked for the "salvation" of the Legionaries and encouraging the "participation, solidarity and love that enters into sin and sorrow, so as to redeem them from the inside," of all attending the general chapter.
Regnum Christi Representatives
In addition to the 61 priests from varying nations who are participating in the meetings, representatives of the consecrated men, women and laity of the associated Regnum Christi movement have also been invited.
The Legionaries have 950 priest-members and close to 1,000 seminarians at various levels of formation. With the help of their once 30,000-strong lay organization, Regnum Christi, the Legion operates schools and other works of social and charitable service in more than 20 countries around the world.
Once the Legionaries approve their new constitutions and elect a new government during this first phase of the chapter, a second phase will address various issues in regard to the life of the congregation.


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Unemployment rates fall in 7 US swing states
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Unemployment rates fell or held steady last month in nine key swing states at the center of this year's presidential election.
Rates dropped in Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and North Carolina. They were unchanged in New Hampshire and Virginia.
The declines could help President Barack Obama at a critical time. With just 18 days until Election Day, polls show GOP challenger Mitt Romney gaining momentum with voters.
Overall, the Labor Department says rates fell in 41 states last month, rose in six and were unchanged in three. The national unemployment rate dropped in September to 7.8 percent, the lowest level since Obama's first month in office.
Still, many key states are facing high unemployment. The rate was 11.8 percent in Nevada and 9.6 percent in North Carolina.


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What If You Were the Leading Source?
The Gallup World Poll has become an indispensable tool for global thought leaders and decision-makers.
Use data to make a difference.
The Importance of Financial Inclusion Around the World
The World Bank asked us to gather data for the Global Findex, the world's most comprehensive database on financial inclusion. As of our 2017 study, 69% of the world's adult population had bank accounts.
The more people with bank accounts, the better the world's citizens can safely store their money, manage risks and access credit when needed.
The Level of Happiness Around the Globe
Gallup works with Sustainable Development Solutions Network to share the stats on the world's happiness.
By uncovering how factors such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and corruption levels affect an individuals' happiness levels and which countries are the happiest, we are helping SDSN meet their goal of accelerating joint learning and promoting approaches that address the economic, social and environmental challenges confronting the world.
"Happiness can change, and does change, according to the quality of the society in which people live."
The Hidden Nature of Modern Slavery
Gallup works with Walk Free Organization to gather and share information about modern slavery.
By uncovering the number of people across the globe who are affected by modern slavery, we are helping Walk Free meet their goal of ending modern slavery in our generation.
Within one month of the 2018 release, the index achieved over 100,000 Twitter impressions.
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We partner with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to gather and share information about food insecurity.
By measuring the amount of people worldwide who suffer from hunger, their goal is to progress toward the human right to adequate food.
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By revealing global perceptions about financial security and control, we help MetLife Foundation and their partners help millions of people take meaningful steps forward to more financially healthy futures.
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Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918
Source: Extract from interview with Hugh Smith, C707/393/1-2, Thompson, P. and Lummis, T., Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918, 1870-1973 [computer file]. 7th Edition. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], May 2009. SN: 2000, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-2000-1 Text: Q. Did you … Continue reading


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In celebration of Mother's Day, we at FaithfulReader.com have compiled an assortment of titles commemorating some of the most important people in our lives. Our selections include books full of wisdom for new and old mothers alike who wish to nurture their children with God's grace and love. For mothers raising daughters, we have included titles such as TIES THAT BIND, a devotional that will deepen not only faith but also the relationship between mother and daughter. For a dose of romance, try ONE PERFECT SPRING, or learn about one grandmother's capacity for forgiveness with the heartwrenching NOW YOU SEE ME. Whether you would like to show your mom just how much she means to you or are a mother looking for inspiration, you are sure to be pleased with this year's roundup.
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