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Long-distance marriages may actually be better for you
My personal experience with long-distance relationships was never great. They'd always start out strong, but over time, the distance would wear on us, and someone would get unnecessarily jealous or frustrated. Eventually the relationship would fall to pieces, and I was left with the understanding that long-distance trysts inevitably fail. But perhaps that's only because none of those relationships were marriages.
According to a new study from Northwestern University, married couples in long-distance relationships do just as well if not better than those who see each other every day. How does one measure such a thing, you may ask? Well, they decided to do what science usually does when it tries to take something qualitative and make it quantitative — they monitored the couples' health over time.
More: 4 Good things about long-distance love
Researchers looked at 296 couples who are either in "proximal marriages" (meaning they see each other pretty much every day) or "long-distance marriages." For the purpose of this study, "long-distance" was qualified by a couple who spends most of the week more than 50 miles apart. Their findings were pretty surprising — overall, the couples in long-distance relationships were healthier than those in proximal marriages.
Image: Giphy
And that doesn't just mean they did better in their physicals. Based on several surveys, they found couples who were doing long-distance marriages exercised more, had better diets and far fewer cases of emotional distress (aka depression and anxiety) than those who came home to each other every night. This makes a lot of sense to me, considering my boyfriend and I spend most nights lounging on the couch watching Modern Family reruns, rather than doing evening workouts.
More: Why long-distance relationships aren't as bad as we thought
Steve Du Bois, the study's coauthor (and also my human sexuality teacher from when I attended Northwestern), says couples in long-distance relationships get to experience life as a single and married person simultaneously. He told the The Boston Globe that they have "more independence to do things such as work out, socialize with friends and sleep uninterruptedly, which are important to maintaining their mental and physical well-being." You're preaching to the choir, Professor Du Bois. While I love my guy, he is a major snorer, so I relish the stretches of time when he's out of town.
Image: Giphy
However, it's not all fun, games and snore-less nights. The study's surveys showed that LDMs (long-distance marriages) are not without their emotional difficulties. Because they have less actual time together, communication gets cut down significantly and little problems often get swept under the rug, only to erupt at inopportune times. Also, not surprisingly, couples in LDMs have sex less frequently, since they're not usually in the same place.
All this contributes to higher levels of stress, which Du Bois finds particularly interesting, since these same couples seem overall physically healthier despite this fact. He does however believe these findings will help pinpoint the major stressors that get in the way of a happy marriage medium between distance and proximity. Perhaps as the idea of conventional marriage continues to evolve, these findings will help couples deal with other difficulties that arise, both at home and on the go.
More: Kissenger: A device that lets you kiss him from across the globe


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Haha, yeah, it's very different from Sweden. *Cough*Lotsofchurches*Cough*


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What Are Your All-Time Favorite xoVain Articles?
It's gonna get sappy up in here.
As far as eyebrows are concerned, Groucho = good, Marlene = bad (I'll take her cheekbones though, ta)
Last week, I went on holiday and forgot to pack my tweezers. Please understand, for someone who has been plucking their eyebrows since they were 11, this was, quite frankly, terrifying. Then I realised that I was holidaying in the Lake District, where the average age is about 150 and everyone wears Gore-tex, so I stopped fretting and decided to treat the week as a hardcore attack phase, if you like, in my ongoing quest to Grow My Eyebrows Back.
It's raining, I'm wearing an anorak and I forgot my tweezers. FUNNN.
In recent months, I have become obsessed with eyebrows; when I flip through magazines I barely notice the clothes or make-up; it's the brows I'm scrutinising. The likes of Arizona Muse and Cara Delevingne with their sweeping, heavy, bushy brows make me particularly jealous.
Look at those caterpillars! Want want waaant...
Other eyebrow icons include: xoJane's very own Hannah (and I know lots of you agree with me), Louise Lombard of seminal costume drama The House of Eliott (the '90s Downton Abbey), Audrey Hepburn, Keira Knightley and Lily Collins. Big, bold brows are dramatic, confident, witty; imagine Elizabeth Taylor elegantly arching hers in Cleopatra, or Audrey's gamine fringe sitting neatly above her inky beauties. There's something masculine about them that enhances the delicacy of the other features -- it's that contrast which is unexpected and pleasing to the eye. I want them.
Basically I want her face, but I'll settle for the brows
But what is at the root of all this eyebrow envy? Are my own brows so pitiful? Sadly, yes, although I do my best to fill them in and generally big them up with the artistic application of Rimmel's Dark Brown Eye Brow Pencil -- I'm a freaking Picasso with that stuff. I'm pretty relaxed about make-up -- I could happily leave the house with a bare face (slight lie), but you would have to prize my eyebrow pencil from my cold, dead hands. My brows are weak, thin and patchy. And most gallingly, this is all my own stupid fault, because like so many women, I didn't listen to my mum.
Pluck, pencil, pluck, pencil - it's a never ending circle of shame
It all dates back to the early '90s, when I zoomed in on my eyebrows in a perfectly harmless school photo and my 11-year-old brain decided that the best thing, probably, would be to just get rid of them all together. So I started pulling them out, ruthlessly, with my fingers. Luckily, my horrified mum noticed before they became completely bald and made me cease and desist, but still I sullenly persisted, sneaking tweezers from her dressing table to inexpertly yank the skin, leaving angry red welts and ingrown hairs. Fool.My eyebrows became the (albeit pretty tame) battleground on which our mother-daughter power struggles were played out. Clearly, it could have been a lot worse, but I still really wish I'd listened to my mum, who has always been the proud owner of strong, elegant eyebrows that frame her face beautifully, and left mine the hell alone.
My beautiful mother with her amazing eyebrows
During my teenage years, I sported those hideous spermy eyebrows (fat at the front, skinny at the ends) that were inexplicably popular during the '90s, and it was only in my 20s that I started to realise that my "strong" features (polite euphemism for big eyes, nose and teeth) would make more sense, be better balanced, by thicker brows.
Baaaad spermy eyebrows and disturbing mid-90s fashion. All in all, not a good look
However, it seems hair never grows back where you want it to, only where you don't. So after a week of cold tweezer turkey, hairs were tentatively emerging practically down on my eyelids, and none filling out the middles or edges. And sorry, there is no stubbly photographic evidence -- I tried, but tragically the camera phone couldn't zoom in enough. Shame. Rebecca insisted on pulling rank as Ed-in-Chief of xoJane UK and took this picture of my brows as they are post-holiday-pluck when I was reunited with my beloved Tweezermans, so that will have to do.
What can I do to boost these babies?
So I'm going to carry on the struggle and resist viciously over-plucking to see if they can be persuaded to grow back. Like a desperate balding man, I'm willing to try any product or treatment to coax those timid little hairs out of their follicles. I'm currently slathering them in Peter Thomas Roth's Lashes To Die For Platinum serum which is meant to encourage re-growth of eyelashes and eyebrows. I'm also intrigued by the TouchBack brow marker that Julie (another one I have brow-envy for) used in her Camilla Belle make-up tutorial -- will have to see if I can find an equivalent in the UK.Is there anything else I should try? Can I get little eyebrow-merkins (the Internet must have that, surely?) Do you have any beauty-related regrets or mother-knows-best stories to make me feel better?
Find me tweeting about beauty, books and all sorts of random London-related jazz at @PhoebeFrangoul and @xoJaneUK


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It's the time of year, as they say, when spring is in the air. Mower engines rattle off their winter slumber. The garden store feels like Macy's at Christmastime. Gardeners plot their strategies. And spring acts like therapy for this office-bound professional. Seeding grass and spreading mulch enliven me, but 'tis the grand oaks and aspiring saplings I love the most. Trees: The lions of the vegetative kingdom.
I can't recollect when I discovered my inner-arborist. But, I quickly learned that planting a tree is not easy work, especially in Colorado's clay soil. Some experts (or at least a few "old wives") instruct us to stake our new trees into the ground, protecting them from strong winds and the dangerous world beyond the warm embrace of the nursery. But if you want a strong tree, you're wise to ignore that advice, no matter the depth of your sympathies.
In her dissident research paper, The Myth of Staking, Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott took on powerbrokers and entrenched tree stake interest groups, saying:
Tree staking is done with the best of intentions but without regard to long-term tree health. Rather than helping a tree develop root and trunk growth that allow it to stand independently, improper tree staking replaces a supportive trunk and root system. This artificial support causes the tree to put its resources into growing taller but not growing wider. When the stakes are removed (if they ever are), the lack of trunk and root development makes these trees prime candidates for breakage or blow-down.
While Chalker-Scott allows staking in some instances—namely for exceptionally top-heavy trees—she never permits it for longer than one growing season. Wait longer, and any short-term benefits will be awash in long-term issues because of the stunted root system. Fine Gardener, the moral authority on all flora matters, goes even farther and warns that, "Staking a tree…can do more harm than good."
When the wind howls and the rain falls, the young tree's roots react and push deeper into the soil. The winds make it stronger. In contrast, staked trees do not fully mature, despite their stability. What saplings need more than protection is the opportunity to grow. To stand on their own roots. Provide your tree that chance along with healthy doses of sunshine and water and watch it thrive.
If our Creator embedded the anatomy and ability in trees to flourish, certainly He has created all people with the innate capacity to do the same. It prompts us to examine how we stake versus how we water. With our kids, friends, needy neighbors and the poor around the world: Are we staking or watering? The costs are too high to avoid the question. Let's call a stake a stake and get into the business of helping people grow as their Creator designed.


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Course Description:
Covers microbiological hazards, allergens and allergen validation. Including Listeria and Salmonella mapping and sampling selection.
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Introducing the Miller Heiman Group Be Ready platform, a powerful combination of years of data, expertise and research brought together to help organisations be ready to face their sales and service challenges.
Lessons from Barry. In this episode, Barry explains the importance of making your numbers consistently.
Lessons from Barry. When you can control the sales environment, you can predict results.
Lessons from Barry. What the buyer does to advance the sale during each step of the sales process is a much better indicator of where you're at in regards to closing the deal.
Lessons from Barry. The shame of losing a deal is taking a long time to do it. The later you go in the process, the more heavily you're invested. If you're going to lose a deal, lose it early.
Lessons from Barry. As you move up the SRP Matrix, trust, access, knowledge of the customer's business, referrals and repeat business rise, and you're competing against few vendors.
Lessons from Barry. Move from a transactional relationship to an interaction relationship with your clients. The payoff is higher job security.
Lessons from Barry. When you reach the Dynamic level of the sales process, you will be seen as a partner that anticipates change.
Lessons from Barry. How you sell is more important and a more sustainable differentiator than what you sell.


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As you can see there is still more trimming to go but I will get there probably not before clue 3 is released but that is ok with me.
You can find all the instructions here just in case you want to join in.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
We specialise in needlecrafts, patchwork, quilting, cross stitch, tapestry, felting and so much more. As we attend different events, launch new products, learn new techniques and who knows what else might takes our fancy, we will share our adventures with you.


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Quite the heartwarming tale…
The Rev. Hamilton Coe Throckmorton shivered with anticipation as he gazed at the loot — wads of $50 bills piled high beside boxes of crayons in a Sunday school classroom…
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Almost 90% of digital and design agencies believe their clients now expect more work for less money, according to a new survey.
The Design Industry Voices report, which interviewed 500 agency staff, found that 80% said client budgets have been reduced and more than two-thirds (70%) said clients expect more work in pitches for free.
The survey by Fairley & Associates, Gabriele Skelton and On Pointe Marketing is now in its fourth year and suggests that digital and design agencies are feeling the squeeze as a result of the economic downturn.
This is despite the fact that the Econsultancy and Experian Marketing Budgets 2012 Report showed increasing levels of investment across a range of digital channels and disciplines.
According to the Econsultancy research, based on a survey of more than 500 companies and agencies, more than two-thirds (68%) planned to increase their digital budgets for 2012, compared to 45% of companies increasing overall marketing budgets.
Three-quarters (74%) of companies were investing more in digital marketing technology in 2012, up from 67% who expressed similar intent in 2011.
The Design Industry Voices report also suggests that agencies are experiencing a huge turnover in staff and relying heavily on freelancers.
Almost two thirds of respondents said they are employing fewer permanent staff (61%), using more freelancers (66%) and more than two fifths are using more unpaid interns (41%).
Furthermore, more than half (59%) of staff intend to change job in the next twelve months, while more than a third (34%) have been with their agency less than a year.
But the reliance on freelancers isn't necessarily bad news for the workforce. Separate research from Boox shows that the average wage for freelancers is £50,820 per year; almost double the national average wage of £26,093.
Just over one in five (22%) freelancers earn less than £20,000 per annum and one in three (31%) earn £50,000 or more per year.
However, across the board earnings for freelancers are mostly staying the same or decreasing, with marketing, PR and advertising proving to be among the most polarised industries in terms of pay.
The report shows that while around 40% of marketers saw their pay decrease in 2012, just under a third (31%) saw their wages rise. This suggests it is an industry undergoing a number of changes, which is why fewer freelancers have seen their wages remain static compared to other sectors.
The report also asked what motivated respondents to go freelance. Overall 4% said it was because they were struggling to find work, but this jumps more than fivefold to 22% for PR/marketing/advertising practitioners.
ICM's data comes from a survey of 1,000 UK freelancers and contractors between 25 and 27 September 2012.
So, does this fit with your experience of working at an agency or as a freelancer? Let us know in the comments section.
Comments (6)
Thanks for the post - & the report makes an interesting read too.
I'd mentioned on Twitter, but worth pointing out just how 'design' centric the survey is (despite them highlighting 'digital').
o). 51% of respondents were designers
o). 9.2% strategists
o). 18.1% account managers
o). 7.2% production
o). 5.4% new business
o). 1.3% HR
o). 7.6% 'other'
Here's the screengrab from the report: https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/288251978675539970
ie. the numbers & opinions should all be read in a 'design' context rather than 'digital'.
Just to clarify, because the research for Design Industry Voices was anonymous, I'm afraid it's impossible to know how many respondents were from digital agencies versus design agencies. The role of 'designers' (and every other role) could have been from either type.
"90% of agencies say clients expect more work for less money"
isn't that the game plan for all industries?
I agree Jacob, everyone wants more work for less in a recession but 70% of clients expecting more for free in the pitch is definitely something I am seeing in digital.
I think clients accept there is a high propensity for digital to fail their expectations. This results in more detail and more assets being requested at the pitch stage such as detailed Functional Specifications, Rapid Prototypes, Design Compositions etc.
At this point, clients can put pressure on the budgets in the knowledge that they haven't missed anything too critical.
It's painful, but it's the reality.
The issue is that many clients cannot see a viable return on their digital marketing. Especially the larger clients. Having been on the client side and had agencies trying to justify themselves for their extortionate fees, I can totally understand this. This is the inherent problem with digital their is not always return that is clearly defined at the end of it being the nature that it is. I do think many agencies get far too complacent and need to up their game, this industry is becoming more and more difficult so it only stands to reason that they should be doing more.


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I grew up skateboarding. We built launch ramps, quarter pipes and threw ourselves against the pavement. While skating around town we'd see people trying tricks and go try them ourselves. Another way we learned about new tricks was the Bones Brigade videos from Powell Peralta.
The cool thing about these videos at the time was that they showed more than skateboarding. I was watching a documentary by Stacy Peralta about the videos and he quoted Craig Stecyk about their ads at the time, which reflected the soul of the videos and everything they did,
"Let the magazines show skateboarding, we show ideas and images."
This is directly relevant to today's world of "community management," or creating and sustaining online communities on behalf of a brand. The core of what Craig did was show what was interesting to the people interested in their product. They showed cool things being done with their products in interesting ways, i.e. new tricks, but didn't spend all their time saying "BUY THE NEW TONY HAWK SKATEBOARD."
So, if you are trying to keep people around, or connect with people about your products, show them things they will find interesting, and you'll find that you don't have to sell them quite so hard.


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Aberdeen Celtic Dundee Hamilton Academical Hearts Hibernian Kilmarnock Motherwell Partick Thistle Rangers St Johnstone St Mirren
Aston Villa Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Brentford Bristol City Derby County Hull City Ipswich Town Leeds United Middlesbrough Millwall Norwich City Nottingham Forest Preston North End Queens Park Rangers Reading Rotherham United Sheffield United Sheffield Wednesday Stoke City Swansea City West Bromwich Albion Wigan Athletic
Nottingham Forest 0 Blackburn 0: Paul Robinson saves Eric Black
PAUL ROBINSON gave Eric Black's Blackburn job prospects a boost with a string of saves to keep Nottingham Forest at bay.
The Rovers goalkeeper was in fine form at the City Ground as caretaker boss Black was given another chance to stake his claim to replace Steve Kean
Black claimed a draw at Charlton on Saturday, 24 hours after Kean quit and Rovers' global adviser Shebby Singh has insisted they won't rush an appointment.
But Black faces stiff competition from TimSherwood, Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer among others.
Solskjaer, the Molde coach, last night denied he has made contact with Rovers, but the ex-Manchester United player did not rule himself out.
"It's the same as always, speculation," he said. "I have not spoken to Blackburn as yet. I cannot say any more about Blackburn now."
Forest threatened when Daniel Ayala diverted a Lewis McGugan delivery agonisingly past the post.
Two minutes later Lee Camp, who has opened talks over a new Forest deal, did his chances of a pay rise no harm.
Forest's No.1 pulled off a fine stop to keep out a Nuno Gomes low shot.
After a blood and thunder battle with bitter rivals Derby on Sunday, the tempo at the City Ground this time could not have been more different.
Robinson showed great agility to get down in time to turn McGugan's low shot around his post.
And from the resulting corner Scott Dann bravely blocked Henri Lansbury's volley.
Lansbury, a £1m summer signing from Arsenal, impressed and it took another fine stop by Robinson to deny him a first Forest goal on 59 minutes.
There was a hero's welcome for Jermaine Jenas midway through the second half when he was brought on for his first appearance since returning to Forest on loan from Tottenham.


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Planning Commission considers two site plans
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on November 27, 2008 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro Planning Commission considered two site plans Monday, approving one while rejecting the other.
The first plan approved, 601 E. Elm St., was for a new building with several modifications. No use was specified by the owner in the request, but with planning staff describing it as a likely retail location, the commission agreed to allow the owner to have seven parking spaces instead of the standard 12 and to pay a fee in lieu of sidewalks.
It did not approve a request to cut the drive-out width -- the space from the parking lot to the street that is used for patrons to back out onto Slocumb Street -- from 16 feet to 14 feet.
"I'd love to see something be done there because it'd be a heck of an improvement, but I hate to give away the farm," Commission Chairman Chris Boyette said.
The second site plan up before the commission was for the Isler House on South Franklin Street, a group home facility that would serve children.
Commission members denied the plan for the facility, though, on the grounds that it would be too close to another of the same type -- one on Ben Brewington Court. The spacing requirement is 1,320 feet between such facilities. Under the current plan, the Isler House is 550 feet away from meeting that requirement.
The commission's third and final item of business was to set a public hearing date for a sign ordinance amendment that would allow illumination of signs in the office-residence zoning district.
The commission's public hearing was set for Jan. 20, 2009.
Currently, businesses in that type of zoning district, mostly along Ash Street that border residential neighborhoods, are not able to have a backlit or internally lit sign.
Signs are required to be lit by ground lighting in a way that does not detract from traffic.
Planning staff said that the amendment was created at the request of a business owner in that area who asked for a free-standing, illuminated sign.
The amended ordinance would allow for business owners to have illuminated signs, but ones with changeable copy will not be allowed.
If approved, it would be the second recent amendment to the ordinance after the City Council approved an increase in the maximum sign size in that zone from 10 square feet to 32 square feet.
In December, the planning commission will only meet once, at the second City Council meeting on Dec. 15.
Other Local News
- Care in the sky: Members of the aeromedical evacuation crew fight to get injured troops back to their families


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(Image courtesy of Stan the Man Banos at Reciprocity Failure.)
Who are the Magnificent Seven?
Granted, it's a little early to be speculating as to who will be the standard bearer for either party in the presidential election of 2012, especially as the midterms aren't until November. But it's always tempting to prognosticate on such matters just to see how accurate our predictions were when the moment comes.
So I got to wondering this morning who's likeliest to be the GOP's man or woman in 2012 when all the other psychopaths have gone by the wayside. Thus far, it seems that, depending on what straw polls you read, there isn't a single Republican in the land that seems to have any mainstream appeal. In a way, they're in the same quandary that they were in 2008.
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The GOP's Ross Perot or Lyndon Larouche, Gingrich seems to revel more in the attention of being a quadrennial candidate for president than in advancing any new ideas for the conservative movement. In fact, Sensico likens Gingrich's angling and wrangling for support as so much attention whoring. An exploratory committee put together by Gingrich a few years ago showed that he couldn't fit the people who'd vote for him into Scott Brown's little pickup truck.
Tea Party Candidate Zero. Clueless in Wasilla. Call her what you will, Sarah Palin's main appeal seems to be less as a potential presidential candidate and more in giving Tea Baggers an excuse to vent their racism and unfocused fury in their corporately-sponsored Two Minute Hates. Giving a brief bump to the McCain campaign in early September 2008, the Palin/McCain ticket quickly went more flaccid than Bob Dole's de-Viagra'd dick when more pragmatic conservatives heard Palin actually speak and were gradually more and more terrified at the prospect of having at the helm of the nation a person who was utterly incapable of constructing a grammatically correct or coherent sentence and thought foreign policy experience could be gleaned through osmosis by dint of sheer proximity. I mean, faced time and again by William Shatner? William Shatner???
Undaunted, Palin then resigned the only nationally visible office she'd ever hold halfway through her first term with the intention of "fighting" for Alaska's... well, something that Alaska seems to hold dear. Another attention whore, she's captured the tabloid imagination far more than any politician/ex politician/wouldbe politician. Yet, poll after poll shows her with far less support than she would need to justify running for Grand Marshall of the Iditarod.
The former MA governor, who at least finished his gubernatorial term, exudes a vinyl vampiricism that may go over well with the plastic zombies of Wall Street and the US Chamber of Commerce. But outside of the financial district, Romney's Mormon religion will forever keep him from becoming president, which would be a shame if Romney's religion wasn't a thoroughly bogus, Marvel Comics megacult that didn't require believing in galactic heroes and super villains.
Oh, and the Black Jesus vs White Jesus thing doesn't help, either.
Whether or not Rand Paul makes it into the Senate on a tide of red tea, one doesn't have to squint too hard to see that Ron Paul's ophthalmologist offspring has gotten a taste for national politics since winning the Kentucky GOP senate primary. Paul is best known for being intellectually eviscerated by Rachel Maddow for his tacit support for lunch counter managers' refusal to serve black people, surely the biggest hot button issue south of the Mason Dixon line.
Maybe if Rudy stays in drag 24/7, people will forget that he's male and he may get the nomination by beating Palin at being the first female GOP presidential candidate to break the bulletproof glass ceiling. Lord knows Rudy didn't fare too well two years ago after briefly leading the rat pack of Republican presidential candidates.
Rudy thought it was a good campaign strategy to Super Glu himself to 9/11, the day of the first and most colossal failure of the Bush administration. It was the day when a lame duck mayor became our president for a day because our so-called President was being flown here there and everywhere like a lost piece of luggage while Dick Cheney was doing his job for him. Maybe in time voters will also forget about Hizzoner's rock solid association with his police chief, convicted felon and future jailbird Bernie Kerik. But those of us on the left side of the tracks will not forget his antiquated radios getting hundreds of policemen and firefighters killed on the day with which he loves to associate himself.


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SOURCE: Advantest
March 09, 2016 03:05 ET
Leading Supplier of Test Solutions Will Display Products and Services in Its Booth and Sponsor Two Events at the Show
Leading Supplier of Test Solutions Will Display Products and Services in Its Booth and Sponsor Two Events at the Show
TOKYO, JAPAN--(Marketwired - Mar 9, 2016) - Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) (NYSE: ATE) will showcase its test solutions for measuring the connected world -- and everything in it -- at the SEMICON China trade show, coming March 15-17 to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. In addition to exhibiting, this year Advantest is sponsoring two events at SEMICON China: the Build China IC Manufacturing Ecosystem Forum and the China Semiconductor Technology International Conference (CSTIC).
Advantest's booth #4431 in Hall N4 will feature the newest test technologies enabling everything from handheld mobile devices to entire smart cities. Equipment on display will include the new AVI64 universal analog pin module that extends the V93000 platform's test capabilities to encompass all power and analog smart ICs. The 64-channel module, which has begun shipping to customers, gives the V93000 single scalable platform the broadest application coverage on today's market. When equipped with the new module, the tester can handle all system-on-chip (SoC) devices for such burgeoning markets as mobile computing and automobiles. A live product demonstration will be given in the booth.
Also at the show will be the highly flexible T2000 SoC tester for device characterization along with a 28G OPM (28-gigabit Optical Port Module), designed to enable highly efficient testing of optical transceivers. Application module on-board (AMO) units, which can be used on both the T2000 and V93000 platforms for testing radio-frequency power amplifiers (RFPA) and radio-frequency switches (RFSW), will also be featured.
Another major product on display will be the EVA100 Digital Solution. This measurement system, available in both production and engineering models, is designed to perform design evaluation, front-end and back-end measurements, fault analysis, package verification and acceptance inspection for all types of cost-sensitive digital devices used in smart electronics of the Internet of Things (IoT) era. The EVA100 Digital Solution is 40 percent smaller than the original EVA100 measurement system, saving time and money by simplifying operation and maintenance.
In addition, the company's exhibit will feature a T6391 system for cost-efficient testing of LCD drivers, a T5833 engineering system for DRAMs and NAND flash memories, a TS9000 MTA system designed to perform non-destructive measurements and analyses of mold thicknesses, and displays on Advantest's handlers, burn-in test capabilities, nanotechnology and field services.
Get the latest updates on all of Advantest's global market activities by following the company on Twitter @Advantest_ATE.
About Advantest Corporation
A world-class technology company, Advantest is a leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has introduced multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing as well as groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tools. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at www.advantest.com.
Judy Davies
VP of Global Marketing Communications
+1 408-456-3717 Email Contact
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Quick Reference
497 U.S. 261 (1990), argued 6 Dec. 1989, decided 25 June 1990 by vote of 5 to 4; Rehnquist for the Court, Brennan, joined by Marshall, Blackmun, and Stevens, in dissent. In June 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its first pronouncement concerning the constitutional interests of dying medical patients. The case dealt with the fate of Nancy Cruzan, a woman mired in a permanently unconscious state in the wake of an automobile accident in which she sustained severe brain injuries. Her parents sought judicial authorization to act on their daughter's behalf to end the artificial nutrition maintaining Nancy's existence. Nancy had previously made informal oral declarations indicating she would not have wished to be maintained in a permanently vegetative state. The Missouri Supreme Court had ruled, however, that there was inadequate evidence to establish the now-incompetent patient's preferences. In the absence of "clear and convincing" evidence of the patient's will, the Missouri court refused to permit a guardian's determination to withdraw life-preserving medical treatment. The parents appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, contending that Nancy's constitutional right to reject unwanted medical treatment had been violated.
By a 5-to-4 margin, the Supreme Court rejected this challenge. Chief Justice William Rehnquist's majority opinion ruled both that a state may confine terminal decisions on behalf of incompetent patients to instances when the patient has previously expressed such a preference and that the state may demand clear evidence of the patient's wishes. These precautions were reasonable, the majority declared, in order to safeguard against potential abuses. Missouri could legitimately be concerned about subjective, "quality of life" decisions being made on behalf of incompetent patients. The Court was dubious that family members—in the absence of clear prior expressions—would make precisely the decision the patient would want.
While the Supreme Court rejected the constitutional challenge, the Cruzan decision contains much encouragement for the advancement of patient rights to shape medical intervention in natural dying processes. The majority was willing to assume that a competent patient has a constitutionally based liberty right to reject life-preserving medical treatment. Moreover, the Court did not draw any distinction between artificial nutrition and other forms of medical technology. Likewise, no distinction was drawn between a patient facing unavoidable, imminent death and one whose life might be preserved for years. Finally, the Court appears to have endorsed giving full recognition to a patient's prior expressions even after the patient has lost competence. This increases the incentive for people to make advance directives governing their medical handling in the event of later incompetence.
The Cruzan decision does nothing to disrupt the policies regarding incompetent medical patients that prevail in most states. Most states allow guardians to make medical decisions—including rejection of life-preserving intervention—on behalf of incompetent patients even without clear prior expressions. Some states authorize a "substituted judgment" standard, which allows consideration of informal patient declarations as well as other indices of the patient's preferences. Some states allow guardians to secure withdrawal of life-preserving care where such a decision promotes the "best interests" of the patient. A "best interests" determination includes consideration of a patient's previous informal declarations. Cruzan makes clear that nothing in the Constitution prevents states from continuing to use such standards.
From: Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health in The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions »
Subjects: Law.
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Detectives attempt to identify women caught on camera wrestling with clerk to steal liquor/
SARASOTA, Fla. – Jan. 23, 2015 – 9:30 a.m.
Detectives with the Sarasota Police Department are attempting to identify three women who were caught on camera trying to steal several bottles of liquor. Two of the three women are seen on camera wrestling with the clerk before threatening her and spitting on her. The clerk is seen on camera jumping the counter with a wooden bat in an attempt to get the women out of the store. Surveillance video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/0sYdhdtrVtQ
The attempted robbery occurred on January 11, 2015 at North Trail Liquors, 3428 North Tamiami Trial, Sarasota. The first woman, who detectives believe is a lookout, is seen on video on her cell phone coming up to the counter and demanding to look at different bottles behind the counter.
Shortly afterwards, the next two women enter the store. The clerk told detectives she observed one of the women take and conceal a bottle of liquor in her purse. The clerk told detectives she believed the other woman also concealed a bottle of liquor in her purse. The clerk locked the front exit door prohibiting the two women from leaving the store.
The clerk attempted to stop the women at the front exit door and asked to look inside their purses. The clerk told the women she was calling the police. One of the women placed her purse on the counter and the clerk observed a bottle of vodka in plain view. The clerk attempted to remove the bottle of vodka and the two women started to fight with the clerk.
When the clerk went to call 911, one of the women picked up another bottle of vodka and threatened to hit her with it. At this point, the clerk grabbed a wooden bat from behind the counter and took the bottle from the woman's hands. The clerk followed the two women out of an unlocked door on the other side of the store and one of the women spit on the clerk as they were exiting.
The women were last seen leaving the store in a gray, older model minivan with front end damage. The vehicle was last seen going northbound on North Tamaimi Trail in Sarasota.
The lookout suspect is described as: Suspect 1) Black female, 25-30 years old, 5'3", heavy set, long black braided hair and last seen wearing a green t-shirt and white shorts.
The two suspects are described as: Suspect 2) Black female, 25-30 years old, 5'3", slender build, medium length blonde hair and last seen wearing a pink tank top and black and white striped pants. Suspect 3) Black female, 25-30 years old, 5'5", black hair with a bun on top and last seen wearing black leopard pants.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Dan Riley at 941-954-7062 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477) or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com


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|In demand: Serge Gnabry (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Bayern Munich want to sign Serge Gnabry from Arsenal on a permanent deal.
They are expected to make a late move for the 21-year-old and plan to immediately loan him out to Werder Bremen.
But Arsene Wenger is reluctant to sell and the player, who had an unsuccessful loan spell with West Brom last season, would have to force through a move.
Gnabry has made only 19 first-team appearances for Arsenal and has just returned from the Rio 2016 Olympics, where he won a silver medal with Germany.
Sky in Germany: Bayern Munich signing Serge Gnabry from Arsenal and sending him on loan to Werder Bremen— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 30, 2016
Earlier this month, Wenger said: "I want to keep Serge Gnabry and extend his contract,' Wenger said at his press conference on Thursday.
"I think we stood by him. He went to West Brom, didn't play, we had to rebuild his confidence. I allowed him to go to the Olympics to help Germany."


text:
How to Keep Your Honda Alive Remember when you finally shoved your beard and got a straight job, how the old Bug was ready to die and you were tired of ... Following a manual on VW Rabbits (NWtC p. ... Dick Fugett ac How often should you change your oil? ... Ita#39;s true that so-called synthetic oils wear out much slower than the ordinary oils that break down after 10, 000 miles or so. ... Inserting plugs does not have to be a painstaking or time-consuming chore if you use your noodle.
|The Coevolution Quarterly
|William S. Burroughs
|- 1984
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Launchpad Pro is the professional grid performance instrument. Create dynamic, expressive performances in Ableton Live or any other music software. Use the enhanced 8x8 grid of RGB velocity and pressure-sensitive pads to trigger and combine clips, play dynamic beats and melodies, and even control external MIDI hardware. Novation understand the pres... Click To Read More About This Product
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Launchpad Pro is the professional grid performance instrument. Create dynamic, expressive performances in Ableton Live or any other music software. Use the enhanced 8x8 grid of RGB velocity and pressure-sensitive pads to trigger and combine clips, play dynamic beats and melodies, and even control external MIDI hardware. Novation understand the pressures of performing live. That's why they have made it as easy as possible to control Ableton Live, by building four simple modes into Launchpad Pro, which streamline everything for you:
Session Mode: immediately trigger and combine your clips
Note Mode: create dynamic beats and play the grid just like an instrument
Device Mode: easily apply effects to your performance
User Mode: create unique custom performances and layouts
The whole instrument is designed to keep you focused on your performance. It lets you easily and immediately apply effects (Device Mode), while dipping in and out of specific mixer controls at the touch of a button. Of course, if you want to get really creative, download a growing library of Max for Live devices, and control them using your Launchpad Pro.It's sleek, lightweight and tough enough that you can throw it in your bag and know it will survive even the roughest gigs. It also comes with everything you need to get started (cables and software): just plug it in and start making music.
Never hit a wrong note again! With the Scale function, simply press Launchpad Pro's Shift and Note buttons, then choose from a roster of 32 keys and modes, from major and minor, through phrygian, whole tone and more. Once selected, Launchpad Pro's 64 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads will assign themselves contiguously to only the notes of the selected scale, removing all the rest. Launchpad Pro is turned into a deeply expressive instrument that lets you focus on the music, rather than precise finger positions.
Scale mode isn't just for Ableton Live – you can use it to play virtual instruments in any other DAW, as well as your hardware synths. Launchpad Pro does not require connection to a computer; it can send MIDI via its 1/8th-inch output (and an included 5-pin Din adapter), so you can play external synths without a keyboard controller. Comes with 4GB of Loopmasters samples. Launchpad Pro also comes with a choice from 1 of 4 XLN Audio Addictive Keys VST.
Guitar Center's Pro Coverage
Pro Coverage gives you added warranty protection for your gear. Stepping in where the manufacturer's "normal wear and tear" coverage ends, our Pro Coverage program offers you upgraded coverage if your product ever fails Click To Read More About This Product.
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Best Uses
Reviewed by 8 customers
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
Size and layout are perfect. Drum pads have a good feel and performance is tight w/Ableton Live 9. Build is solid and it sits firmly on a flat surface. Near zero setup and user friendly layout = instant gratification plus tons of intelligent features for future uses. I think Novation has delivered a great product.
Best Uses
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
Right out of the box, the LaunchPad Pro is an awesome device. It's extremely user friendly and is basically plug-and-play. When using with Ableton, it has the capabilities of controlling almost the entire DAW from the pad and can enter a variety of modes to use with drums and melodic instruments. The pads are touch sensitive and are realistic enough with the sensitivity; in all honestly, I don't think an electronic instrument will ever truly match that of real instruments nuances, but it is close enough.
My only real issues are with the construction of it. Though it plays nicely, I do think the pads will start to wear out sooner rather than later... I also had an issue with the provided USB cable: when inputting the cable into the pad itself, there was a lot of push back and was tough to get in. Additionally, when trying to remove the cable I felt like I was breaking the USB input because of how much resistance/force needed to take out the cable. I'm curious to see if other users are having this problem, or if it is specific just to my device. With that said, I can see this being a problem later on after repeated use.
Overall, I love the LaunchPad. This paired with the LaunchControl and other midi keyboards make for a great workstation where I can record almost any idea that comes in to my head.Eventually, I would like to apply this in a live setting and see how it stacks up against other similar interfaces.
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
I havent even played it and my minds eye has told me this is the right buy! At first it looked a bit pricy, but when I saw that it had purple and blue lights now i just had to add it to my collection. I am ready to see those lights light my world up into oblivion!! WOW!! MUCH PURPLE!! SUCH BRIGHT!!
Best Uses
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
I'm more than happy with this purchase. Could not afford Push 2 but this is next best thing if your an Abelton 9 user. I got rid of my midi keyboard and just use the Pro and the Novation XL controller. All my needs are met. The new note feature makes playing melodies and bass lines a whole lot easier. I love the new touch sensitivity and the layout is simple. Big improvement from the S version. If Push 2 is too expensive this is a great alternative.
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
Probably the best controller for a performing singer/songwriter who wants to use something more than a synth and a mic during live performances. It has no faders / knobs BUT there is a workaround and you can control the volume super smoothly using just pads (I like it even better than the fader control now). And of course pads are velocity sensitive which was the key factor for me when I was having hard time choosing between Launchpad and APC. Love it!
Best Uses
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
Overall an amazing product. The Ableton software takes some getting used to but they provide lots of tutorials. This is probably one of the best purchases I have made.
Best Uses
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
I bought the product for my pre-teen son who likes to live DJ and perform electronic music. We started with the LaunchPad Mini, which did a whole range of live Midi duties in a small package. We upgraded to the Pro version, which has multiple additional features, including velocity touch pads and a larger surface area/interface size. Once attached to an iPad (you need a lighting/camera/USB connector to use, not included, be warned), this pad truly launches your electronic music into the next level. I am a DJ-novice, but my son absolutely loves this product and has watched tons of videos online in order to learn the ins-and-outs of it.
Best Uses
Comments about Novation Launchpad Pro:
Use launch pad to create loops in 4 bars or 8 and in turn record my arrangements live and edit afterwards.
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The Western Rift Valley in January
The Western branch of the Great African Rift Valley, also called Albertine Rift, is a large breach in the earth crust located in the center of the African continent. Several large lakes can be found in the rift, from background to foreground lake Albert, lake Edward, lake Kivu and the northern part of lake Tanganyika. Between lake Albert and lake Edward the Rwenzori Mountains raise to more than 5000m altitude, containing some of Africas last glaciers. Between lake Edward and lake Kivu the Virunga volcanos can be seen.
|The Western Rift Valley in January
|Lon 30.226°
Lat -8.788°
|229 km
|Camera Angle:
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The Nipomo High girls volleyball team dealt Santa Ynez its third league loss in seven years, sweeping the visiting Pirates 25-15, 25-16, 25-14 on Tuesday evening.
Christina Ozzimo led the Titans (14-1, 7-1 Los Padres League) with 34 assists, three kills, and two aces, and Paige Waymire had a team-high 22 kills.
Kiana Worth had nine aces and five kills, Sarah Stahl had 24 digs, and Taylor Nevitt had four aces and five kills for Nipomo.
Titans coach David Cassidy said his team "came out hard and didn't let up" to beat Santa Ynez for the second time this season.
Arroyo Grande 3, St. Joseph 0
The visiting Eagles (16-5, 7-0 PAC 7) continued to control the PAC 7 with a 25-18, 25-16, 25-13 sweep over the Knights.
Alyssa Koenig had 14 kills and three aces, Millisa Morrow had nine kills and four aces, Alaina Hogeboom had 26 assists and four kills and Megan McGuigan had six blocks and four kills for Arroyo Grande.
San Luis Obispo 3, Pioneer Valley 0
The Tigers (7-2-7, 5-2 PAC 7) dominated the Panthers, winning 25-13, 25-13, 25-13.
Molly Maguire had seven kills, Erin Good had nine digs, and Maggie Eppright had 30 assists for San Luis Obispo.
Righetti 3, Paso Robles 1
The Bearcats lost 25-17, 25-23, 17-25, 25-14 to the Warriors.
Molly Donovan had eight kills, three blocks and one ace, and Maddi Chace had six kills and five blocks for Paso Robles (7-10, 2-5 PAC 7).
Templeton 3, Lompoc 0
The Eagles (10-1, 7-0 LPL) downed the Braves 25-3, 25-23, 25-20.
Carly Roth had 10 kills and three aces, Autumn Stewart had nine kills accompanied by seven aces, and Sydney Roth had 24 assists with eight aces. Lindsey Wyatt had a team-high nine digs.
Coast Union 3, Shandon 0
The Broncos (7-5, 6-1 Coast Valley League) won 25-10, 25-9, 25-16.
Coast Union's Roxy Mertens had seven kills, Karla Soto had four kills and six aces and Rocio Mendoza had seven aces and Sage Radecki had 25 assists.
Coastal Christian 3, Maricopa 0
The Conquerors (10-0, 7-0 CVL) won 25-7, 25-6, 25-6 against the Indians.
Leslie Henry had eight kills and seven aces for Coastal Christian, Korla Wright had 14 digs and JoAnn Lindstaedt had 14 assists for the Conquerors.
Orcutt Academy 3, North County Christian 0
The Crusaders (1-17) lost to Orcutt Academy 25-18, 25-17, 25-20.
Aliyah Morrison had five kills, and Kelsey McRoy had six assists for North County Christian.
San Luis Obispo 214, Pioneer Valley 255
The Tigers (7-2, 4-1 PAC 7) broke their school record for the lowest score for nine holes for the second straight day and qualified as a team for the CIF-Southern Section Team Qualifier for the first time in school history at Blacklake Golf Course on the Oaks Course.
San Luis Obispo's Neha Sikand was the medalist with a 3-over 37. Teammate Nora Zakaria fired a 38, Bee Soll shot a 43, Sam Lopez shot a 47 and Sam Tsau shot a 49.
Paso Robles 272, Atascadero incomplete
Carly McCall and Micaela Howard both shot nine-hole 51s to lead Paso Robles at Paso Robles Golf Course.
Miranda Roetker led Atascadero with a 59.
San Luis Obispo 11, Paso Robles 10
The Tigers (12-5, 4-0 PAC 7) trailed 10-9 in the last minute before Nick Eaton stole a Bearcats pass and scored the equalizer with 49 seconds to go.
With the score tied, Nick Bea netted his third goal of the game with 13 seconds remaining to win it for San Luis Obispo.
Dan Crozier also had three goals for the Tigers. Kyle Sweasey, Chase Andersen and Emerson Trout also scored. Kent Murphy made 17 saves in the win.
Daniel Maloney and Morgan Moore both scored four goals for the Bearcats (9-9, 2-3).
Righetti 21, Atascadero 3
Andrew Sedley had two goals, and Dylan Linnenkamp scored, but the Warriors outmatched the Greyhounds (2-13, 0-3 PAC 7).
Arroyo Grande 18, Pioneer Valley 0
The Eagles (12-1, 9-0 PAC 7) dominated the Panthers.
Elizabeth Mero swept singles 7-5, 6-0, 6-1 for Arroyo Grande. The Eagles' doubles teams of Melina Rodgers and Angleica Gangliano, and Christa Osumi and Mekayla Landers swept their their sets.
Paso Robles 11, Atascadero 7
The Bearcats (9-3, 6-3 PAC 7) won with the doubles team of Laura Callahan and Kylie Pugh sweeping 6-1, 6-2, 7-6.
Maria Petiy won two of three singles sets for Paso Robles.
Nipomo 10, Templeton 8
The Titans (2-9, 1-7 LPL) earned their first league win of the season.
Kelly Springford won 7-5, 6-0, 4-6 in singles for Nipomo.
The Nipomo doubles teams of Mady Slaven and Kelly Barrett, Gianna Abatti and Bekah Archambeault, and Monica Guerrero and Devan Newberry all won two of their three sets.
Morro Bay 10, Lompoc 8
The Pirates (5-7, 4-5 LPL) swept doubles to beat the visiting Braves.
Morro Bay's doubles team of Skye Schwellenbach and Claire Vogle won 7-5, 6-2, 6-1, and the team of Sarah Keas and June Janzen won 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.


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The French Salon
Originally designed by Arnstein Arneberg in 1924, the National Gallery's charming café, the French Salon, was restyled by interior designer Kristin Jarmund in 2002.
The café serves a range of appetising dishes based on fresh seasonal ingredients. Read the menu here.
The interior of the French Salon
With its polished marbled stucco and gilded ornamentation, the French Salon is one of the National Gallery's most sumptuous rooms. Opened in 1924, the room's name and design reflect its original purpose, which was to house a rich collection of plaster copies of French 17th and 18th century sculptures, a gift from the French state. The originals are in the Louvre, and the copies were made in the Louvre's own casting workshop.
The architect Arnstein Arneberg was entrusted with the design of the room, which he decorated with marbled stucco, hand-crafted, gilded radiator screens featuring fleurs-de-lis, and solid oak floors. The stucco walls, which are made, not of marble, but of polished and painted plaster, were the work of the craftsman Giovanni De Paolis.
In the early 1960s, the room was converted into an exhibition hall for antique sculpture, and later still, to an office. In 2002, it was restored to its original glory, but with new furnishings. Responsible for the restyling was the designer Kristin Jarmund.
The reliefs in the wall panels were part of the original French gift. The female figures are taken from La fontaine des Innocents by Jean Goujon, which was constructed in Paris in 1547, and later transferred to the Louvre. The busts in the windows are of (from the left): the painter and museum director Pierre Mignard, by Desjardins, Marie Antoinette, by Lecomte, and Le Grand Conde, by Coysevox.
The National Gallery
Universitetsgata 13, Oslo
Opening hours
|Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday:
|Saturday and Sunday:
Closed September 9, 2017
The French Salon closes its doors 1 hour before museum closing time. Food is served all days until 16:00.
Contact information
|(+47) 21 98 22 70


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Apple just jumped over Walmart and occupies the third place, only a few 'pennies' behind Microsoft. I have predicted that Apple would take over Microsoft by the end of 2012 but I'm afraid I'll prove wrong again. I reckon, they are about to land on second place within the next 12 months now, or even less, by end of this year possibly.
Between you and I, had Microsoft been led by a real testicled manager and not that monkey jumping bonehead, there'd be no snowball's chance in hell that Apple could ever get above Microsoft, in my lifetime.
Go Apple go! Show them good, them basterds!
Go Apple go! Show them good, them basterds!


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Backpacking Africa Tips
Backpacking Africa is not for everyone, simple as that. You can have bad experiences in Asia, uncomfortable bus rides in South America and plain awful experiences in just about any other part of the world but when you come to backpack Africa, you really need to start managing any expectations you may have had prior to arriving there.
For many years I worked as an overland tour leader in Africa (I still do on occasion) and I cannot recall the number of times things went wrong while operating these tours. In fact, most of my job as a leader was to stop things going wrong ahead of time but ultimately, it was usually unavoidable. Things go wrong and it's just not going to be super comfortable, I just have to point this out.
But wait…..
That being said, Backpacking Africa will be the single most memorable travel experience you will ever have, from trekking the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia and sleeping wild in the Serengeti, to meeting nomadic tribes in Namibia and watching as a herd of elephants cross the road in Botswana. There are so many unique experiences, incredible wildlife encounters, unforgettable landscapes and truly memorable locals. They say that the warm heart of the continent is in Malawi but honestly, backpacking Africa will show you that a warm heart is beating no matter what part of the continent you visit.
Whether you encounter disaster, delays or annoying circumstances on your trip to the 'Dark continent', backpacking Africa will never cease to offer new experiences and genuinely unique destinations in one of the most primitive parts of the world.
MOST POPULAR PLACES for backpacking africa
Kenya – Most popular for being home to the Masaai Mara National Park but there are also some great places to in Kenya such as Lake Naivasha and the white sands of Mombassa.
Malawi – Warm locals, stunning resorts, many villages to explore, horse riding, scuba diving and volunteering.
Mozambique – Less infrastructure and less information for getting around, the sandy shore of Mozambique are to die for but it can be difficult organizing a trip here without your own transport.
Namibia – Awesome if you have your own car while backpacking Africa but there is very little in between each destination in Namibia making it more popular for overland tours rather than independent travel.
Rwanda – The land of a thousand hills is best known for the sad event of the 90's when an awful genocide took place. However, today you can find a welcoming sea of faces all eager to greet the new arrival. Also a great place to see the Mountain Gorillas.
South Africa – Well, for me this is not really the Africa you might expect. The game parks are mostly private reserves and aside from Cape Town, I would recommend checking out countries further north rather than spending too much time here.
Tanzania – Climb Kilimanjaro, safari into the Serengeti, relax on Zanzibar or volunteer in a local community. Tanzania is the most popular tourist destination in Africa for good reason.
Uganda – So much less visited and primitive than neighbouring Kenya, Uganda is extremely friendly while also being popular for visiting the Mountain Gorillas and white water rafting the Nile in Jinja.
Zambia – Extremely popular for volunteering, I find most people backpacking Africa will stick to Livingstone and Lusaka before staying in a remote village somewhere toward the interior. South Luangwa is expensive but home to one of the most amazing safaris in Africa.
Zimbabwe – Again much less visited than nearby countries but it is also very expensive here. If you are backpacking Africa on a budget then it's best to stay in Vic Falls for a few days and move on before you spend too much.
I need to be honest with you here, getting around Africa is not easy and this comes from someone who has cycled the length of the continent. As mentioned before, sometimes the bus doesn't even arrive and you can forget customer service entirely. Am I trying to put you off? Absolutely not, I'm trying to prepare you for an adventure.
Taking the local bus in Africa – Okay, if I had a child I would just hate them to be travelling long distances by local bus in Africa. The drivers are reckless, the buses are falling apart and the speed at which they move is outrageous. If you're still up for it, they are cheap and despite having to change buses so often, this will certainly keep the budget down.
Overland tour in Africa – I work as a tour leader for an overland tour in Africa and this is without doubt the most popular way of 'Backpacking Africa" even though it will feel like cheating a bit. You leader organizes everything, they are comfortable, budget friendly and all you need to prepare for are the early mornings.
Self Drive Africa– It won't be cheap, your vehicle is going to break down and there are always headaches with the carnet at borders. Except this is probably the best way to really immerse yourself and make your own itinerary.
Africa Bicycle Cycle – In 2013 I decided to cycle across Africa and I cannot tell you what that experience did for my life, attitude and general happiness. It will not be easy but you will certainly see the real Africa and have time to witness the landscapes changing in slow motion.
Backpacking Malawi is not the easiest but if you can stomach the changing of buses, the waiting around and the cramped conditions, you'll make it there eventually.
Check out more on each destination by clicking the link above.
Typical costs Backpacking Africa
Africa is not cheap and most especially if you stay in hotels along the way. Expect to pay top dollar for branded hotels and$40 per night for a room in a guesthouse with western standards. However, hostels are starting to pop up in certain places and if you know the right people (like me) you can often stay in clean guesthouses for as little as $7 – $10. In saying that, my biggest tip for backpacking Africa is to bring a lightweight tent and stay in campsites as much as possible. There are some awesome campsites in Africa and besides, it's one of the best places to pitch a tent to listen to the surroundings.
A long distance journey by coach (where possible) in Easy Africa will rarely cost more than $10 one way but when you get further south past Zimbabwe you can expect western prices. And then there are the extremely cheap matatus (Just a few dollars) which are small minibuses, except you sometimes need to change from one to another when travelling long distances. Taxi's are always expensive and not far off Western pricing even in East Africa but it beats flying because flights cost a fortune.
Ps. The Intercape bus running in Southern Africa is very luxurious albeit more expensive than up north.
Eating in a local restaurant in Africa can take some getting used to but once you stop feeling so self aware, you will find the food is decent and so cheap. If you eat locally for the duration of the trip and avoid booze, you will cut your spending in half. As for shopping, enjoy the markets and the great offers they have on offer. Electronics are cheaper than Asia in places and sometimes the clothes are second hand, but who cares, this is Africa!
Most Popular attractions in Africa
Places to see in Tanzania
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania – The Big Five are here in the world's most famous National Park. Expensive to visit? Yes, a little but nothing next to the value you will find on a two night safari into the wild.
Ngorongoro National Park, Tanzania – Situated right next to the Serengeti, this is the choice for a backpacker who cannot afford the Serengeti. Sleep on the rim of the 8th largest caldera in the world and descend the next morning inside in a 4 x 4 to see all the wildlife. Giraffe are probably the only notable absentees compared to the Serengeti.
Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania – Tallest free standing mountain in the world and for $1,500 you can spend 6 days climbing to the roof of Africa. Incredible experience but would I pay it? I already have.
Zanzibar, Tanzania – Pristine blue waters, white powdered beaches, rustic stone town and fine seafood. Sit down, lie on the beach and drift away to paradise.
Places to see in Kenya
Masaai Mara National Park, Kenya – North of the Serengeti in neighboring Kenya, the Mara can be better for viewing wildlife than the Serengeti depending on the time of year but in all honesty, it's not quite the same.
Lake Naivasha, Kenya – One of the worlds largest populations of bird species, hundreds of hippo, colobus monkeys and more. Camping next to Lake Naivasha is one of my favourite things to do in Africa.
Mt Longonot Crater, Kenya – Another spectacular volcanic crater but this time you can hike 360 all the way around the rim or if you are brave enough, try camping down inside it.
Places to see in Uganda
Jinja, Uganda – Source of the white Nile and one of the number one destination in the world for white water rafting and more.
Lake Bunyoni, Uganda – Winston Churchill called it the Switzerland of Africa and it would be hard to disagree. Green terraces, rolling conical mountains and a spectacular lake in between.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda – Home to what is possibly the best River Cruise in Africa, you can see many crocodiles, hippo and more up close with the most amazing guides for as little as $40pp. Park is not great for game drives but very exciting at night when animals come to camp.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda – Home to the infamous mountain gorilla, trek up into the rain forests to witness this majestic mystery in all it's glory.