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Input Devices
Video Cards
Input Devices
Asus GTX 660Ti DirectCU II TOP Graphics Card Review @ eTeknix
The TOP line of graphics cards is not a marketing trick to think you're getting a product that can talk-the-talk but not walk-the-walk, in-fact that is far from the truth. Whilst a TOP marked card and a standard DirectCU II card look identical and in most cases the cards are identical to look at, right down to the PCB, the difference comes in the GPU selection with a more stringent set of tests and a higher level of certification and validation. Any card that doesn't pass any stage of testing gets passed onto the non-TOP model lines.
ASRock 990FX Extreme9 Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
Not many motherboard manufacturers are releasing new motherboards for AMD CPUs lately, since AMD hasn't come out with a new chipset since 2011. Breaking this trend, ASRock released the 990FX Extreme9, a high-end socket AM3+ motherboard. Let's take a look at the features of ASRock's latest high-end motherboard for the socket AM3+ platform, the 990FX Extreme9.
Gigabyte Z77X UD4H Motherboard Review @ Ninjalane
In this review we will be looking at an excellent example of what a well rounded motherboard should look like the Gigabyte Z77X UD4H. For those familiar with the Gigabyte line up you'll realize the UD4 is a mainstream motherboard designed for power users who want a little more from their system.
Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP & Sport VLP 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ Legit Reviews
The Crucial Ballistic Sport VLP module stands just 18.75mm tall and the Crucial Ballistix Tatical LP is 25.50mm in height. A normal DDR3 memory module module with a heatspreader on it is around 32mm in height, so these are substantially lower. Super high-end performance memory like the Kingston HyperX T1 module stands 60.95mm tall, but the Corsair Dominator GTX module tops them all at 64.30mm tall!
Kingston DataTraveler HyperX Predator 512GB Flash Drive Review @ Techgage
For years, there's been a constant battle in the flash drive market where companies have tried to build the smallest drive possible but boast the most amount of space. In this regard, it has to be said that Kingston is the current winner. Its DT HyperX Predator isn't much larger than a regular performance thumb drive, but its storage starts out at 512GB.
Silverstone Redline Series RL04 Chassis Review @ Pro-Clockers
Each case is designed to house a full ATX motherboard and most of the longer gaming video cards on the market. The external styling is the Redline chassis is one that resembles the ancient royal times of Europe. The RL02 and RL03 both look like the mask of a knight, while the latest, RL04 looks like that of a jouster.
MSI R7970 Lightning Review @ Vortez
Released 3 months after the reference HD7970, the MSI R7970 Lightning is touted as the cream of the crop, the headline act with a huge factory overclock of 1070MHz on the core and 1400MHz for the memory. Bearing in mind that the reference HD7970 had a 925/1375MHz on the core and memory respectively you can't be anything but impressed with MSI's overclock.
NZXT Phantom 630 Modular Ultra Case Review @ Pro-Clockers
Now, there is a sibling to the two cases mentioned and that is the new Phantom 630. The Phantom is not your typical Phantom series case as it was re-designed from the ground up. NZXT task with the 630 was to offer the enthusiast all the comforts one would need in a great case. And looking at it there are features and tweaks that you wouldn't even realize that are there.
ASUS VivoBook X202E 11.6-inch Notebook Review @ Techgage
It might not be an Ultrabook, but for what ASUS' VivoBook X202E offers, that might not matter. Instead of focusing on performance, ASUS has concentrated on the feature-set, overall design and the aesthetics. Then it piled on a touchscreen for good measure. Sounds good for a $500 notebook, so it's time to see if it impresses.
Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB SSD Review @ Techgage
Looking for an affordable SSD but demand a high-performance controller? Kingston's SSDNow V300 is shaping up to be just that. Powered by a SandForce SF-2281 controller and paired with Toshiba's 19nm Toggle-based NAND, it's an aggressive entrant for its price-point.
Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB SSD Review @ eTeknix
The V300 is the latest edition to the V family and over its predecessor, the V200, we find a new set of flash IC's and a new level of performance to suit. Similar to the older drives we do get the same extensive range of bundle options including vanilla packaging with the drive only, but also desktop, notebook and combo kits that both include a USB enclosure. Other new features include a lowered 7mm profile, ideal for installation into the latest generation of ultrabooks and a customised SandForce controller specifically for Kingston.
ASRock Z77 OC Formula Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps
The Z77 OC Formula is one of the high performance motherboards from ASRock, was built in cooperation with the well-known overclocker Nick Shih and features a 12 + 4 VRM design covered by a massive waterblock/heatsink, an 8-layer PCB, measuring points, plenty of thermal sensors and more. What we also like about this board is the fact that they have removed the legacy components like Floppy/IDE interfaces along with the PCI slots, in order to have a clean motherboard PCB design in the end.
ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 External Drive @ Benchmark Reviews
The Adata DashDrive Elite HE720 promises a sleek and light weight method of moving hundreds of gigabytes of data from point A to point B. Imagine showing up at your friends' door with four seasons of their favorite TV show in your pocket. Although USB memory devices currently offer the lightest and smallest way to move data, the cost per gigabyte becomes quite high as capacity increases. In this article, Benchmark Reviews looks at the features and performance for the lightweight, portable and overall good-looking ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 USB 3.0 External Hard Drive.
ECS NM70-I2 (V1.0) Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps
The NM70-I2 motherboard from ECS comes equipped with either the Intel Celeron 847 1.1GHz dual-core or the Intel Celeron 807 1.5GHz single core CPU, has Intel HD Graphics for video output, supports installation of two DDR3 memory modules and also comes with 4 SATA ports, one of them supporting the 6Gbps standard.
BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
Based on AMD A85X Chipset, the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W motherboard supports the latest Socket FM2 'Trinity' APUs and is priced under $100. Biostar also optimized this particular board for high quality sound reproduction, so audiophiles are in luck! Read on to see how the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W motherboard does when we put it to the test with an AMD A10-5800K APU!
Gigabyte Z77X-UP7 (Z77) Motherboard Review @ eTeknix
Gigabyte's top level motherboards have always stood out from the rest of their motherboard offerings, not just on paper with the best specifications that they have to offer, but they also physically stand out with striking designs and colour schemes to suit. To accompany the new UP7, dubbed as "A New Legend Is Born", we find Intel's ever popular Z77 chipset, and this combination is set to make this one of Gigabyte's most powerful consumer boards on the market. On top of the highly extensive overclocking features within the BIOS, the UP7 offers a large array of physical overclocking benefits including an industry leading 32+3+2 power phase design and high capacity ferrite chokes. But this is not all that we find, to steer the board in the right direction of the modern environment we find other included features such as WiFi and Bluetooth showing the board is right up to date and Gigabyte are giving the customer exactly what they want.
Fractal Design Node 304 Review @ Vortez
Today it is the turn of Fractal Design to show us their worth in the Mini-ITX arena with the Node 304. Node 304 has typical Fractal Designing styling; minimalist, sleek and elegant and its design is compact yet still accommodates three cooling fans.
Kingston DataTraveler HyperX PREDATOR 512GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review @ NikKTech
Although during this year's CES many manufacturers presented impressive and innovative products there's no doubt that the most impressive storage product unveiled was the DataTraveler HyperX Predator 512GB USB 3.0 flash drive by Kingston. Now this was not only because Kingston managed to squeeze 512GB in a flash drive (was bound to happen sooner or later since 256GB units have been around for some time) but mainly due to the fact that the Predator is pretty much the first USB flash drive of its kind since it's basically an SSD in flash drive format. And like if 512GB were not enough Kingston announced that they will release a 1TB version in the following months. After all of the above no one can really wonder as to why we just had to check the latest DataTraveler HyperX Predator 512GB USB 3.0 flash drive out right?
Samsung 840 500GB SSD Review @ RWLabs
The Samsung 840 is the first consumer drive of its kind. What makes the Samsung 840 different than any other drive that has been launched to date is the type of NAND utilized. The 840 series is equipped with Triple Level Cell (TLC) NAND. Samsung is the first to bring to market a drive featuring TLC NAND Flash Memory.
SilverStone PP06B Individual-Sleeved PSU Cables Review @ Pro-Clockers
If this last route seems the best avenue for you and if you already own a SilverStone power supply that was manufacturer after 2009, they have some for you to look at. SilverStone has gone the route similar to Corsair and is offering sleeved cables. For a few weeks only black were available but red and white have recently showed up on their site. So, it is some to clean of the interior of one of our test rigs.
Edifier Esiena Bluetooth Review – A Universal Audio Dock @ Techgage
Edifier's Esiena is a rare beast in a market filled with various docks at many price points, all hoping to appeal to some niche. Esiena's party trick is a diverse set of input sources, including SD cards and USB. With a recent model revision, Edifier introduced Bluetooth into it's repertoire, while dropping the CD player. Read on to find out how it fares.
OCZ Vector 256GB SSD Review @ Vortez
In the spotlight today is OCZ's new Vector Series SSD. Available in three sizes; 128GB, 256GB and 512GB – we will be taking a look at the 256GB model which boasts 550MB/s read and 530MB/s write transfer rates. Vector seeks to deliver a ground-breaking all-round performance at affordable pricing and with an impressive 5 years warranty.
Spire Air Force 120 and Air Force 120 LED Cooling Fans Review @ Pro-Clockers
Our friends are Spire has sent us over two of their newest additions to your fan assortment. They are the new Air Force models. Two fans that look very similar but offer several differences that will appeal to different users. Regardless of the features these fans do look good and we would not hesitate to use them in our own systems.
OCZ Vector 256GB SSD Review @ Techgage
Vector is OCZ's first SSD release since the ushering in of a new CEO and fresh perspective on its direction. It's also the first SSD to come equipped with both in-house firmware and controller. In effect, OCZ has built its Vector SSD from the ground up with its rich internal resources – has it paid off?
Tt eSports Level 10 M Mouse Review @ Hardware Secrets
There's a slogan printed on the Level 10 M's box: "born to be seen." That's true; the gaming-grade peripheral from Thermaltake's gaming division, Tt eSports, is really eye-catching. The design, created by German car manufacturer BMW, looks like a concept car from an auto show. The mouse has a see-through aluminum chassis to stimulate air flow with 11 configurable buttons and reaches 8,200 dpi of resolution. We'll first describe these impressive features, and then see how well the mouse performed in action.
EVGA Z77 Stinger Motherboard Review @ RWLabs
More and more companies are jumping on the mITX bandwagon with the Z77 platform, but the majority of these miniature boards lack the type of features found in their larger counterparts. The latest mITX board on the market, the EVGA Z77 Stinger, however is an entirely different beast, as it is a pint sized motherboard with enthusiast grade features such as native PCIe 3.0, SATA 6G and USB 3.0.


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- This event has passed.
2018 Five Civilized Tribes Museum Student Art Show
March 12, 2018 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Saturday, repeating until March 24, 2018
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, repeating until March 30, 2018
Join us in celebrating our student Native Artists in this year's Five Civilized Tribes Museum Student Art Show and Sale. Five Tribe artists 7th – 12th grade from all over the state compete in this annual exhibit. There will be a variety of categories, including drawing, painting, pottery, beadwork, sculpture and cultural. Help support these potential future Master Artists by attending, viewing and purchasing their work.
Mon – Fri 10 am – 5 pm
Sat 10 am – 2 pm
Sun Closed

subset: commoncrawl


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DUDLEY — Seventy voters at a special town meeting Thursday unanimously amended the town operating budget to add the $410,722 in new tax revenue made available through the June override election.
The meeting opened and closed within minutes, when the one question put to voters was unanimously approved without discussion or comment.
Selectman John J. Marsi, board chairman, said a quorum of 51 was needed to open the meeting and he was grateful for the turnout.
"People know this is such a big deal to actually get an override passed — it's historic even — so I think this was the core group of people who always show up, plus a few new faces," he said.
Voters at the May town meeting approved this year's department budgets based on the projected revenue known at that time.
Less than a month later, voters at the June 16 town election agreed to override the limits of Proposition 2 � and raise an additional $410,722 in annual tax revenue for education and public safety budgets.
Mr. Marsi said selectmen thought the override process was complete with the June election, but learned differently when new Town Administrator Greg L. Balukonis came on board in early July.
Mr. Balukonis, he said, informed the board a town meeting vote was needed to add the $410,722 override to the department budgets as specified on the June election ballot.
From the override, $67,942 was allotted to the Police Department to hire one full-time officer.
Moments before the special town meeting, selectmen met and appointed the officer, thereby raising the department staff to 13.
Reserve police officer Shane DiDonato was promoted to the full-time slot and is scheduled to be sworn in today.
Officer DiDonato is the grandson of the late Anthony B. DiDonato Sr., who with more than 39 years on the board, was Dudley's longest seated selectman when he died in 2011.
Officer DiDonato's wife, Rachel, and 5-month-old son, Luca, were present for his appointment.
The other override allotments added to this year's budget Thursday are $87,696 for the Fire Department to add in-house paramedic coverage from midnight to 6 a.m.; $91,100 for the highway department toward road maintenance, paving and storm supplies, and $163,984 toward the town's contribution to the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District.


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Daily Archives: April 3, 2012
Who are you—between the ridicule and the compliments?
We all go through life experiencing moments of ridicule and moments of praise. What usually goes unnoticed during this spectrum of life-experiences is the question of who we really are. Are we subject to the changing winds of an idiosyncratic … Continue reading
Posted in god, Inner growth, Life after death, love, psychology, Reality, religion, spirituality, unity Tagged egoism, Emanuel Swedenborg, false individuality, humility, identity, permanence, trance 6 Comments


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In Hanoi, soup is a way of life — the connective tissue of Vietnamese culture. With noodles, herbs and sinew, it strings together twisting streets and varied lifestyles. Here the bones, crumpled napkins and squeezed limes that litter the ground beneath tiny plastic tables are symbols of a good meal and a life well lived.
I came here in early December largely because of Hanoi's growing reputation as a culinary capital. In 2010, the website Sherman's Travel (www.shermanstravel.com) ranked Hanoi, Vietnam's second-largest city after Ho Chi Minh City, as the No. 2 foodie destination in the world, behind Barcelona, Spain, and ahead of Rome and Tokyo.
Pho — rice noodles in savory broth with a variety of meat and herbs — is Vietnam's national dish, and bun cha — a combination of grilled pork, sweet and savory broth with fish sauce, sliced green papaya, rice noodles and fresh herbs — is the signature dish of Hanoi. Besides these belly-warming staples, you can satisfy your appetite with all manner of noodle soups for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The abundance of options makes looking for the perfect bowl of noodles in Hanoi a tricky one. It's a quest that will lead you through the city's back alleys, grand French-influenced boulevards and tucked-away neighborhoods. In searching for sustenance, you'll find religion, history, art and the theater of everyday life as it plays out on the scooter-packed streets.
I decided to stick to the city's ubiquitous street stalls, and I vowed to eat whatever was set before me, no matter how mysterious. I did, however, sample some upscale noodles aboard an overnight junk cruise on stunning Halong Bay. The UNESCO world heritage site is a three-hour drive from the city and home to an otherworldly web of limestone islands, caves and emerald waters. And I dumped an entire bowl of soup in an alley when the old woman who served me wasn't looking because I thought I spotted an eyeball staring up at me from the broth.
A bowl of soup on the street in Hanoi usually sells for 15,000 to 25,000 Vietnamese dong — 72 cents to about $1.20 — so eating this way here is a steal. By contrast, a bowl of simple and comparatively bland pho ga (chicken pho) or pho bo (beef pho) at the elegant French colonial Hotel Metropole goes for about $12.50 and comes with a side of wealthy tourists chatting on their cellphones.
To help me gauge which street stalls were superior, I enlisted the help of Mai Thi Thu Trang, a young woman who manages the Arriba Mexican Restaurant & Grill, one of Hanoi's few (and maybe only) Mexican restaurants. Over puffy fried chips and tamarind-based salsa, Trang gave me a bit of advice that guided my quest.
"Places that are good are normally places that old people come to eat," Trang said. "Because they believe in the quality."
Early the next morning, she took me to a stall that she said served some of the best breakfast noodles in the city. It was deep in the Old Quarter, a collection of 36 tightly knit streets that retain the layout and much of the architecture of early 20th century Hanoi, with roots stretching as far back as the 11th century when the city was established by King Ly Thai To.
Historically, each street in the Old Quarter attracted and was named for a type of artisan or merchant, such as silk traders, jewelry makers or blacksmiths, and many of the streets retain these clusters, although commercialism and a thriving tourist trade now define much of the quaint area. Still, strolling the Old Quarter is one of the great joys of Hanoi.
I was particulary taken with the warren-like streets surrounding the Dong Xuan Market, where I ducked into stalls to gawk at buckets of writhing fish, chicken claws and exotic herbs and spices. I bought a puffed sesame baguette and munched on it as I roamed, ending in the cold quiet of the Bach Ma temple, said to be the oldest place of worship in Hanoi.
Trang led me through the chaos of these streets, turning off Hang Buom into tiny Ta Hien Street. There she pointed out a small shop (No. 2C) — about the size of a walk-in closet in Beverly Hills — where a wizened old woman in traditional dress and a conical straw hat sat eating on the high stoop (a good sign). She beckoned me to sit on a knee-high plastic blue stool at a similarly doll-sized table beneath a small framed picture of Ho Chi Minh. A younger woman sat on another stool above two steaming pots.
One pot was filled with broth into which she put noodles plucked from inside a glass case that held bowls of brown eggs, salt, chopped green onions, plates of pig's feet, sliced pork and raw meatballs. I didn't order; she just made a bowl of noodles, broth, a dash of salt, a sprinkling of herbs, pickled garlic, meatballs and slices of soft pork and handed it to me.
The dish, called bun doc mung, was a revelation: The broth was rich and fragrant, the meatballs light and redolent of spices. The soup sustained me well past lunch as I wandered south to Hoan Kiem Lake and stopped at Ngoc Son temple, which is on a little island. I sat for a while, staring at the murky water and hoping to catch a glimpse of a giant lake turtle — a sign of good luck.
With a renewed sense of Zen, I headed to the French Quarter, where the air suddenly felt cooler, thanks to the many trees that shaded the wide boulevards flanked by stately villas and mansions, legacies of an earlier era when Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina.
I splurged on a poolside Henry Graham Greene daiquiri and a one-hour $75 massage at the luxurious Hotel Metropole, which was built in 1901 and is among the most historic hotels in the country. As limp as one of the noodles I'd eaten earlier, I walked to the Hanoi Opera House, which is near the famous "Hanoi Hilton" (Hoa Lo prison) whereSen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was imprisoned during the Vietnam War.
The gorgeous 900-seat French Colonial-style opera house was built in 1911 and has been lovingly restored after years of neglect. I ate my second-favorite bowl of soup at a stall marked No. 9 in a little alley called Ngo Trang Tien, across from the opera house. Called bun dau, it was a lovely, light noodle soup with a tomato-based broth, dry red chili paste, crunchy greens and tender little pillows of fried tofu that exploded with curd when I bit into them.
Full to bursting, I hopped a motorbike taxi for the 15-minute ride northeast to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, where a severe-looking building houses historic information about Vietnam's beloved leader. In the nearby mausoleum, if you arrive early and are willing to wait in a long line, you can lay your eyes on Ho Chi Minh's embalmed corpse.
As the sun set, I wandered back to the Old Quarter to catch a show at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, where skilled puppeteers in rubber boots perform their art in a small pool decorated like a lake. When I emerged I was hungry again, but this time I decided to take a chance. At the busy corner of Hang Bo and Hang Can, I happened on a bustling stall where teenagers snaked in a line down the street, waiting to eat fried chicken feet, dipped in salt and lime juice, and a noodle-based soup in a blood-black broth in which small pieces of chicken and liver floated.
The soup went well with a bottle of lukewarm 333 beer, but it didn't rival the bowl of breakfast noodles I'd eaten that morning on Ta Hien Street, where the wise old woman had beckoned to me with the promise of the glorious day to come.


text: The world's cheapest stocks are located in its fastest-growing economies. By Steven Goldberg, Contributing Columnist October 19, 2011 The recent stock market selloff inflicted pain almost everywhere. But, in a surprise to many on Wall Street, it caused the most suffering among investors in emerging markets -- arguably the healthiest part of the global economy.SEE ALSO: Our Special Report on Emerging Markets Look at the numbers. From April 29 through October 3, Standard & Poor's 500-stock index of mainly large U.S. companies lost 18.6%. Over the same period, the MSCI Emerging Markets index tumbled 28.1% So far this year through October 18, the S&P 500 has dipped 1.0% while the emerging markets index has plunged 17.8% What happened? Investors opened their eyes to a host of problems that they had previously overlooked. Among them: The economic slump in the developed world has weakened demand for exports from developing nations. Many emerging markets, notably China, are battling rising inflation, a process that's slowing growth. Most emerging countries are rife with corruption. Corporate accounting is often opaque at best, fraudulent at worst. Governments own huge stakes in many companies; Russia, in particular, has a long history of hostility toward capitalism. Advertisement When will the bear market in emerging markets end? Count on emerging markets to continue to move in much the same direction as developed markets -- but to be much more volatile. That's how they've behaved, with few exceptions, for decades. At any rate, now is a great time to invest in emerging-markets stocks. Here are five reasons: 1. Emerging-markets stocks are cheap. Buying stocks when they're inexpensive doesn't guarantee you'll make money, but it sure boosts your odds. The MSCI Emerging Markets index currently trades at 10 times analysts' forecast earnings for the next 12 months. By contrast, the S&P trades at 12 times estimated earnings. Emerging-markets stocks aren't just cheap based on earnings estimates. The MSCI index trades at just 1.5 times book value (assets minus liabilities) and 0.9 times revenues for the past 12 months. The index yields 3.3%. These are table-pounding numbers. 2. Emerging markets are still the fastest-growing part of the global economy. Emerging economies will grow 6.4% this year, compared with 1.6% for advanced economies, the International Monetary Fund forecasts. Since the start of 2008, emerging nations have been responsible for fully 85% of all global growth. Advertisement Rapid growth, moreover, is turbo-charging corporate profits. Analysts expect the MSCI Emerging Markets index to show a 16.5% gain in earnings per share this year and a 12% increase in 2012. And companies in developing nations are expected to raise dividends by 10%, on average, each year. What's more, emerging nations are, as a group, in far better fiscal shape than the developed world, the IMF says. Government debt in emerging countries averages 35% of gross domestic product. In developed nations, the average debt-to-GDP ratio is about three times higher. Being fiscally sound should help emerging markets continue to grow and is also likely to boost the value of their currencies versus the dollar -- a plus for U.S. investors in emerging-markets stocks (when the greenback weakens against a currency, money invested in that currency gets translated into more bucks). 3. Demographics favor emerging nations. As the U.S. population ages, more people are relying on government benefits, and fewer people are entering the workforce and starting to pay taxes. It's the same story in Japan and Western Europe. But the opposite is true in emerging markets. In most of those countries, the population, on average, is young and just entering the workforce. 4. Globalization isn't going to slow down. Attempting to stop international trade is economically foolish and ultimately impossible. It's akin to fighting gravity. Continued advances in technology make it good business to move more work to developing countries, where wages are lower than they are in the U.S. and other established nations. Advertisement 5. It's not all about exports. Consider China, which Standard & Poor's estimates will grow 8.8% this year. Exports last year amounted to 27% of China's GDP -- down from 35% in 2007. Falling exports, caused by a slowdown in demand from overseas, will likely reduce China's GDP growth by just one percentage point in 2012, UBS predicts. The point is this: A vast new middle class is emerging in emerging nations, and those aspiring citizens are eager for the goods and services that once only the wealthy in those countries could afford. As this middle class grows, emerging markets will increasingly become less dependent on exports to the developed world. But for years to come, emerging-markets stocks will move in tandem with those in the developed world -- only with more volatility. That doesn't mean you should avoid these stocks -- just be prepared for big selloffs along with rapid growth. As far as investing, I can't find a single no-load emerging-markets fund to strongly recommend. Stick with a broad-based index fund. My favorite is Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (symbol VWO), with an expense ratio of just 0.22% annually. (T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock -- PRMSX -- is a member of the Kiplinger 25, a list of Kiplinger's favorite no-load mutual funds.) Steven T. Goldberg (bio) is an investment adviser in the Washington, D.C. area.


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Particle Physics Windchime
From Matt Bellis
The Particle Physics Windchime (PPW) project grew out of a first-order version developed at the Science Hack Day SF in 2010. The PPW is being developed and maintained by Matt Bellis and David Harris.
Join the Google discussion group on this work!
The PPW is written using the processing programming language. One very nice feature, is that it can create a transferable application (using Java) for different platforms.
'The 2D version is now deprecated. No further development will be done with that version.
- When you have downloaded the .zip file, uncompress it using the tool of your choice (unzip, StuffIt).
- This creates a directory called
app_ppw_3D_<OS>, where OS is the operating system (linux, macosx or windows).
- Running the app is slightly different, depending on your Operating System (OS).
- Linux
- Go into this directory and run the executable.
- Linux
cd app_ppw_2D_linux ./ppw_2D
- Mac OSX
- Go into the app_ppw_2D_macosx/app_ppw_3D_macosx directory.
- In here, you should see an Application (actually it's directory) called ppw_2D.app (or ppw_3D.app) Double click on the icon/name to run the program.
- Windows
- Go into the app_ppw_2D_windows/app_ppw_2D_windows directory.
- In here, you should see an executable called ppw_2D (or ppw_3D). Double click on the icon/name to run the program.
- Mac OSX
Using the Particle Physics Windchime
Run it!
- Select a file using the Select a File dropdown menu at the top.
- Note that these files represent simulations of different particle physics processes.
- Press Play.
Change it!
- Try different files (physics processes). Do they look/sound different?
- Try different Mappings using the Mapping drop down menu at the top.
- These are presets that take different particle physics/detector properties and map them onto the sonic characteristics.
- Change the speed using the Tempo slider in the lower-left.
- In the 3D version, you can change the view using the mouse and the mouse buttons (PeasyCam libraray in processing).
- Left button: rotate
- Middle button: translate
- Right button: zoom
Coming soon!
- The purple dropdown menus will be enabled in a future release so that you can select your own sonic mappings.
Known bugs
- The purple dropdown menus don't do anything right now. They're just placeholders.
- The text is blurry on the GUI in the 3D app. This is a known issue related to my using the P3D renderer. The problem goes away if I use the OPENGL renderer, but with that, I get some crashes. It could be related to my Linux/Java installation.
This project makes use of the following tools:
- The processing language
- Some extra processing libraries.
- Soundcipher, for the sound.
- controlP5, for the GUI.
- PeasyCam, for the camera control on the 3D version.
Thanks to everyone who helped on this project during the Science Hack Day SF. Not just our group of developers, but the organizers of the event itself.


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Q: How do I get started on researching my Family?
A: Getting Started
Q: Can you tell me about Poland's History?
A: GenPoland can provide you with an historical overview
Q: Does the Polish Archives have records for my town?
A: SEZAM allows you to search the holdings of the Polish Archives
Q: I need help with Polish translations. Can you help?
A: PolishRoots has a handy Translation guide availableQ
Q: What if I need some research assistance?
A: Check out our research services
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I recently installed MiKTeX (x64) on WIndows 8 and fully upgraded it. In multiple occasions, such as invoking xetex, it prompts an error
Qt: Untested Windows version 6.2 detected!
Also the GUI of Texworks and auto-install dialog all revert back to old style theme.
What is this problem and how to fix it?


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No. 13 – ALANA Conference
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the ALANA (African, Latino, Asian and Native American) Student Leadership Conference is a centerpiece of Oswego's academic life each September. Featuring an acclaimed author, music, dance, food, film, workshops and speakers, the ALANA conference promotes unity while celebrating the contributions of many cultures. Traditionally, students from more than 20 colleges around New York state attend. During the past decade, the conference has featured such diverse guests as writer Esmeralda Santiago; poet Sonia Sanchez; Jeffrey Johnson of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network; Native American singer-songwriter Joanne Shenandoah; performance artist, actor and poet Caridad de la Luz; Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company and a lecture/demonstration and master class with Biboti Ouikahilo, an expert in West African dance and drumming. Perennial campus favorites include the ALANA Fashion Show and dance troupe El Ritmo Latino.
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Witch's Broomstick Bread
No one can resist the aroma or flavor of homemade bread. We fashioned the dough into a witch's broomstick to accompany a Halloween meal. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Total TimePrep: 40 min. + rising Bake: 30 min.
Makes16 servings
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 jar (24 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce, optional
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the olive oil, sugar, salt and 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
- Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Remove a third of the dough; cover and set aside. Roll remaining dough into a 10-in. circle. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Brush 1 tablespoon butter over bottom half of circle to within 1/4 in. of edges. Sprinkle with Italian cheese blend, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, poppy seeds, garlic powder, oregano and pepper flakes. Fold dough over filling. Using scissors or a pizza cutter, cut dough into 1/2-in.-wide strips to within 1/2 in. of fold; twist and curl strips into a brush.
- Shape remaining dough into an 12-in. rope. Twist dough and place above brush for a handle. Brush remaining butter over dough. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired.
Nutrition Facts1 each: 198 calories, 6g fat (3g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 587mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.
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Reon Bell Bell
Buchanan High Troy, MO Class of 1976
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In an attempt to clear up the misconception that Scritti Politti were just another group of fey hair-sprayed pretty boys making shallow and shiny soul pop, there's been a paradoxical tendency to exaggerate the notion of Scritti as collective of art school Marxists and disjointed post-punk squatters who had a mid-career epiphany and decided to infiltrate the mainstream. The truth is that Scritti didn't exist in their original form for very long at all and they've covered more ground than synthetic soul since then, another misconception which Absolute, this new 'career spanning' compilation does a decent job of putting to rest.
There's a reason for those inverted commas, however, and that reason is the complete absence of anything from Scritti Politti's most recent album, 2006's Mercury-nominated White Bread, Black Beer. However, as is the norm with such compilations there is the addition of two new tracks; aside from the harmonious opening incantations of "Bump-badumpah-dum" 'A Day Late & A Dollar Short' is a fairly modern-pop offering, with a Goldfrapp-esque buzzing synths and vocodered backing vocals. It's much more vibrant than the occasionally dozy-sounding White Bread, Black Beer material. Meanwhile the low key melodies and clicking beats of 'A Place We Both Belong' have the laptop intimacy of Gartside's most recent offerings, but it makes for too innocuous a closer given the uniformly high quality material that precedes.
Showing scant regard for chronology, the singles from Cupid and Psyche 85 rightly take their place upfront as the crystallisation of Gartside's 'deconstruction' pop vision (and it was solely his having shorn the group of its other members), but more importantly as fantastic pop songs bearing a contemporary American R'n'B influence. It's all very much the sound of the studio-as-an-instrument, music that sounds like it couldn't exist in any organic form prior to recording and the sheer busyness of the interlocking drum patterns, squelching bass, sampler hits and titular backing vocals on 'Hypnotise' sound thrillingly unpredictable. It's easy to see why the likes of Max Tundra and Cornelius cite Scritti Politti as a major influence. Compilation opener 'Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)' excels with the same elements, but has a gorgeous soft focus chorus with Gartside's vocals ascending on clouds of vaporous synth strings. Gartside's bottomless well of melody prevents him repeating himself on 'Absolute' and 'Perfect Way', which would later be covered by Miles Davis. 'The Word Girl (Flesh and Blood)' meanwhile is a glossy update of the white reggae lope which had been a component of Scritti's sound since their inception.
For all that Gartside saw these songs as part of his 'deconstruction' philosophy it's very doubtful that many listeners would realise this. Nonetheless, even without Simon Reynolds to tell us all about the thought process behind these hits, they remain excellent, if rather of their time, pop songs.
1988's Provision was very much a continuation of Cupid and Psyche 85's sound, but with a decline in songwriting quality. 'Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)' is ultra cloying, with verses that wouldn't sound out of place in a Disney animation where as the much better 'Boom! There She Was' is a more svelte relation of 'Hypnotise', with less disruptive beats, but superficially at least as much of a sugar-coated treat. The 11 year wait for follow-up Anomie and Bonhomie resulted in a big musical leap with a heavy hip-hop influence. 'Tinsletown To The Boogiedown' comes across as Mos Def and Lee Majors featuring Green Gartside, such is his marginal vocal input, but musically it's still Scritti Politti. Given their past use of samplers and programmed beats, hip-hop is actually a pretty natural step and it works to ominous effect here. The same goes for the dub-like 'Die Alone', whereas 'Umm' and 'Brushed With Oil, Dusted With Powder' see Scritti utilise guitar again, between rap passages on the former and in blissful nocturnal balladry on the latter.
Scritti Politti displayed a knowledge and aptitude for soul and even hip-hop as early as their debut Songs To Remember, three tracks from which are nestled towards the back end of this compilation. The delightful brisk strum of 'Jacques Derrida' culminates in a rhythmic breakdown and some rudimentary rapping from Gartside himself, where as the irresistibly phat and funky clavinet of 'Asylums In Jerusalem' is cribbed directly from Stevie Wonder. The defining track from that record, and turning point for Scritti was the single 'The "Sweetest Girl";' its keyboard and crisp beat are sensuously gleaming as the reborn Gartside's honeyed pipes sing their paean to the impossible picture of female perfection over guest Robert Wyatt's rhythmic piano playing. Here its sleek sugary pulse is preceded by the metallic downstroke guitars and awkward bass lope of 'Skank Bloc Bologna' in order to emphasise their stark change of direction.Both songs are thrilling for different reasons, yet there's a similarity in their rhythmic underpinning, the difference being the transition from instability to mechanical precision.
The dispersal, in two clusters, of the career high-points provided by Songs To Remember and Cupid and Psyche 85 ultimately makes for a slightly distorted picture of Scritti Politti's career, but also makes Absolute a more even listen, even though the slightly weaker moments in between are far from terrible and are more often than not fascinating (a pointless cover of 'She's A Woman' with Shabba Ranks aside). Absolute works as an overview of one the UK's most bold, daring, intelligent and unique pop groups as opposed to that of bold, daring, intelligent and unique post-punk pioneers and taken at a purely superficial level it remains a collection of mostly immaculate pop music.
8Neil Ashman's Score


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If I went ahead and made a tutorial on a sleeping cat, I might as well make one on "how to draw a sleeping dog", step by step. As you may or may not tell from the image, the dog breed I chose to draw is a German Shepherd. I have two of them and my female is a true bi-color. My male is all black, but when they sit together in the back part of the truck with the cab open, they look like two black shepherds. Anyways, this dog is in a pose that my dog was in when she was sleeping last night. I glanced over at here and went from there. The lesson should be pretty simple since the canine is in a laying pose. Since this is a large dog breed, I had to make sure that the body was drawn in a robust manner. Anyways, this is going to be fun, so carry on as you begin drawing a sleeping dog of your own. Peace out people!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Cruise Itinerary
|Ports of call
|Stay in Port
|Sun, May 31 2020 14:30
|Mon, Jun 1 2020 09:00
|Mon, Jun 1 2020 17:00
|St. Petersburg
|Tue, Jun 2 2020 07:30
|Tue, Jun 2 2020 07:30
|St. Petersburg
|Wed, Jun 3 2020 00:00
|Wed, Jun 3 2020 18:00
|Thu, Jun 4 2020 08:00
|Thu, Jun 4 2020 21:00
|At Sea
|Fri, Jun 5 2020 21:00
|Gdansk (gdynia)
|Sat, Jun 6 2020 06:00
|Sat, Jun 6 2020 13:00
|Berlin (warnemunde)
|Sun, Jun 7 2020 07:30
|Sun, Jun 7 2020 21:00
|Mon, Jun 8 2020 07:30
|Mon, Jun 8 2020 21:00
|Tue, Jun 9 2020 08:00
|Tue, Jun 9 2020 13:30
|Wed, Jun 10 2020 10:00
|Wed, Jun 10 2020 18:00
|Thu, Jun 11 2020 07:00
|Thu, Jun 11 2020 19:00
|Fri, Jun 12 2020 08:00
|Fri, Jun 12 2020 08:00
|Sat, Jun 13 2020 00:00
|Sat, Jun 13 2020 00:00
|Sun, Jun 14 2020 00:00
|Sun, Jun 14 2020 18:00
|Mon, Jun 15 2020 08:00
|Mon, Jun 15 2020 18:00
|At Sea
|Tue, Jun 16 2020 18:00
|Lofoten (leknes)
|Wed, Jun 17 2020 08:00
|Wed, Jun 17 2020 18:00
|Thu, Jun 18 2020 08:00
|Thu, Jun 18 2020 18:00
|Fri, Jun 19 2020 08:00
|Fri, Jun 19 2020 18:00
|Cruise The Norwegian Sea
|Sat, Jun 20 2020 00:00
|Sat, Jun 20 2020 00:00
|Cruise The Norwegian Sea
|Sun, Jun 21 2020 00:00
|Sun, Jun 21 2020 00:00
|Lerwick (shetland Islands)
|Mon, Jun 22 2020 08:00
|Mon, Jun 22 2020 18:00
|Kirkwall (orkney Islands)
|Tue, Jun 23 2020 08:00
|Tue, Jun 23 2020 16:00
|Wed, Jun 24 2020 08:00
|Wed, Jun 24 2020 18:00
|Cruise The North Sea
|Thu, Jun 25 2020 00:00
|Thu, Jun 25 2020 00:00
|London (greenwich)
|Fri, Jun 26 2020 05:15
|Stay in Port
|Total length of cruise: 28 - nights
Baltic Jewels & the Midnight Sun
- One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call
- Unlimited free Wi-Fi
- Alternative restaurant dining at no extra charge
- 24-hour room service
- Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner
- 24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water
- Access to top-rated spa & state-of-the-art fitness center
- Self-service launderettes
- Port taxes & fees
- Ground transfers with Viking Air purchase
If you need flights to get to this cruise, talk to us. We have teamed up with JetAbroad to offer you a huge range of flights at the lowest prices. You can search flights by calling us today on our contact number above.
If you require accommodation the night(s) before or after your cruise, please let us know. Our sister website HotelSaleFinder.com offers a huge range of hotel options at the lowest web rates. You can search hotels by calling our contact number above.
|Vessel: Viking Sun
|Onboard Currency: USD
|24-hour room service
|42" flat-screen LCD TV
|All meals included
|All Staterooms have a veranda
|Bars and Lounges
|Drinks Included in fares
|Free Wifi Onboard
|King-size Luxury Beds
|One included shore excursion in every port of call
ABOUT Viking Ocean Cruises
Deluxe Veranda
- Size including veranda: 270 sq. ft.
- 11:00 a.m. embarkation
- 2:00 p.m. stateroom access
- 1 guaranteed priority reservations at each specialty restaurant: 60 days prior
- Priority shore excursion reservations: 67 days prior
- Priority booking of spa treatments: 60 days prior
- Mini-bar with soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily
- In-suite binoculars, coffee maker & cashmere blanket
- Purified water refilled daily
- King-size Viking Explorer bed with luxury linens
- 24-hour room service
- Luxury robes, slippers & toiletries
- 42" flat-screen LCD TV
- Interactive TV & movies-on-demand
- Security safe, hair dryer, 110/220 volt outlets
- Direct dial satellite phone & cell service
- Wi-Fi
Explorer Suite
- Size including veranda: 757+ sq. ft.
- 11:00 a.m. embarkation
- 11:00 a.m. priority stateroom access
- 3 guaranteed priority reservations at each specialty restaurant: 90 days prior
- Priority shore excursion reservations: 97 days prior
- Priority booking of spa treatments: 90 days prior
- Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily
- Welcome Bottle of Champagne
- Premium in-suite binoculars, coffee maker & cashmere blanket
- Complimentary laundry, dry cleaning, shoe shine & pressing
- Purified water refilled daily
- King-size Viking Explorer bed with luxury linens
- 24-hour room service
- Luxury robes, slippers & toiletries
- 42" flat-screen LCD TV
- Interactive TV & movies-on-demand
- Security safe, hair dryer, 110/220 volt outlets
- Direct dial satellite phone & cell service
- Wi-Fi
Owner's Suite
- Everything a standard veranda room includes, plus the following:
- Largest suite on board: 1,448 sq. ft. including expansive veranda (multi-room suite)
- 4 guaranteed priority reservations at each alternative restaurant: 107 days prior
- First priority shore excursion reservations: 107 days prior
- Priority booking of spa treatments: 107 days prior
- Large master bathroom featuring oversize glass-enclosed walk-in shower, full-size tub, double-sink vanity, heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirrors, plus two guest bathrooms
- 24-hour room service (including service from any restaurant during open hours)
- Generously proportioned walk-in closets & ample drawer storage
- Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne
- Spacious, well-appointed living room
- Separate dining area that seats 6 guests
- Private library, wine & music collections curated by Chairman Torstein Hagen
- Ocean-view dry sauna
- Boardroom (seats 12) for business meetings & catered dinner parties with first oceangoing vapor light fireplace
- Pantry for room service & hosted events
- Complimentary shore excursion with private car & driver (up to 4 guests) in destination of your choice
- Daily personalized tea or pre-dinner cocktail & canapés by request
- Dinner & guided tour with ship officers (subject to availability)
Penthouse Junior Suite
- Size including veranda: 405 sq. ft.
- 11:00 a.m. embarkation
- 11:00 a.m. priority stateroom access
- 3 guaranteed priority reservations at each specialty restaurant: 80 days prior
- Priority shore excursion reservations: 87 days prior
- Priority booking of spa treatments: 80 days prior
- Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily
- Welcome Bottle of Champagne
- Premium in-suite binoculars, coffee maker & cashmere blanket
- Complimentary laundry, dry cleaning, shoe shine & pressing
- Purified water refilled daily
- King-size Viking Explorer bed with luxury linens
- 24-hour room service
- Luxury robes, slippers & toiletries
- 42" flat-screen LCD TV
- Interactive TV & movies-on-demand
- Security safe, hair dryer, 110/220 volt outlets
- Direct dial satellite phone & cell service
- Wi-Fi
Penthouse Veranda
- Size including veranda: 338 sq. ft.
- 11:00 a.m. embarkation
- 1:00 p.m. stateroom access
- 2 guaranteed priority reservations at each specialty restaurant: 70 days prior
- Priority shore excursion reservations: 77 days prior
- Priority booking of spa treatments: 70 days prior
- Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily
- Welcome Bottle of Champagne
- In-suite binoculars, coffee maker & cashmere blanket
- Complimentary shoe shine & pressing service
- Purified water refilled daily
- King-size Viking Explorer bed with luxury linens
- 24-hour room service
- Luxury robes, slippers & toiletries
- 42" flat-screen LCD TV
- Interactive TV & movies-on-demand
- Security safe, hair dryer, 110/220 volt outlets
- Direct dial satellite phone & cell service
- Wi-Fi
- Size including veranda: 270 sq. ft.
- 11:00 a.m. embarkation
- 3:00 p.m. stateroom access
- Shore excursion reservations: 60 days prior
- Luxury robes, slippers & premium Freyja® toiletries
- Large bathroom with oversize glass-enclosed walk-in shower, heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirrors
- Spacious closet & drawer storage
- 42" flat-screen LCD TV
- King-size Viking Explorer Bed with luxury linens
- Security safe, hair dryer, 110/220 volt outlets & ample USB ports
- Direct dial satellite phone & cell service
- Mini-bar with soft drinks, water & snacks
- Purified water refilled daily
- 24-hour room service
- Wi-Fi
Viking Sun
Deck E
Viking Ocean Cruises offer many exciting dining choices, each with breathtaking views. From sophisticated regional dishes and chef's selections with wine pairings to rustic Italian cuisine and global fare.
- The Restaurant. The main dining venue, The Restaurant offers the highest onboard dining experience amid a clean and streamlined Scandinavian design. In an open and inviting atmosphere, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served with sweeping exterior views through all-glass walls—so your destination will always be close by. The menu includes regional cuisine and always available American classics enhanced with locally sourced ingredients, so you can explore new cultures through food.
- Manfredi's Italian Restaurant. Manfredi's offers the best of Italian cuisine, whether the farm-inspired heartiness of Tuscany or the famed flavors from the heart of Rome. Subdued, ambient lighting creates a warm and welcoming air in this traditional restaurant, recalling Italy's beloved trattorias and a rich European heritage. Chianti by the carafe, freshly prepared pastas and generous antipasto are accompanied by fresh seafood and a true spirit of abbondanza. This restaurant's private dining room provides an opportunity to have an intimate meal with family, business colleagues or newfound friends.
- The Chef's Table. The sommeliers and culinary masters at The Chef's Table create the perfect pairing of food and wine. During a multicourse tasting, they pour select vintages and serve thoughtfully prepared dishes made for each other. Drawing on the grapes and spices that have been enhancing gastronomic pleasures for centuries, your expert hosts will enlighten every sip and forkful with fascinating commentary as you experience a thrilling synergy of aromas and flavors. This restaurant's private dining room provides an opportunity to have an intimate meal with family, business colleagues or newfound friends.
- World Café. With live cooking, open kitchens and buffet-style meal service, the World Café provides a vibrant interactive experience and a wide range of international flavors in a casual environment. Guests can choose their favorite foods—from the deli, the pasta or wok station, sushi bar or dessert station—prepared and presented in a stylish setting. Dine indoors or al fresco at shaded wood tables on the Aquavit Terrace, both offering stunning panoramic views.
- Aquavit Terrace. In the spirit of the revolutionary outdoor settings of Viking's award-winning river ships, Viking Ocean Cruises have created the Aquavit Terrace, providing more al fresco dining experiences than on any ship at sea. Located outside the World Café at the stern of the ship, the inviting terrace is transformed by night into a magical space where your destination is your dining room. By day, it's a great place to dine and relax in the lounge area around the Infinity Pool.
- Mamsen's. Located in the Explorers' Lounge and named for "Mamsen," the Hagen family matriarch, this venue offers Norwegian specialties for breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack or evening treat. The array of menu items includes Scandinavian pastries and cakes; waffles, according to Mamsen's recipes, served with either Norwegian goat cheese or jam; salmon gravlax and other open-faced sandwiches; and late-night split pea soup to warm the heart and soothe the soul.
- Wintergarden. Late afternoon tea—that hallmark of English civility—is served in the Wintergarden. Freshly made finger sandwiches, richly textured scones and decadent desserts are presented on bountiful tiered carts, all from the kitchen of Viking's masterful pastry chef. In this elegant space under a canopy of Scandinavian trellised wood, you can participate in a calming tea ceremony or indulge in an afternoon tea service while enjoying the soft strains of a string quartet. With a park-like setting and panoramic views, it's an inspiring respite after a day of exploration.
- Pool Grill. For a relaxed lunch or an afternoon snack, the Pool Grill serves casual fare prepared to order. Or for a lighter meal, a small salad bar is available. A condiment bar lets you customize your meal to suit your tastes with sides from grilled mushrooms to savory red-cabbage slaw. The poolside atmosphere welcomes lounging and leisurely dips in the water; the nearby Pool Bar offers regional cocktails.
- Room Service. Care to enjoy a quiet dinner in the comfort of your stateroom? A midnight snack? Or perhaps breakfast in bed? For your convenience, Viking Ocean Cruises offer 24-hour room service, 7 days a week, with many of Viking's signature dishes to choose from, such as the Chairman's favorite Norwegian poached salmon with cucumber salad or Viking's classic Caesar salad.
- The Kitchen Table. Immerse yourself in local culture and cuisine on an interactive culinary journey. At Viking's onboard cooking school, experience firsthand how Viking Ocean Cruises ships' world-class chefs bring distinct, local flavors from market to table. On sea days, you'll learn to cook dishes highlighting an upcoming destination and take home recipes so you can savor the flavors at home. On port days, you'll handpick ingredients at a local market then learn how to prepare regional dishes and create elegant presentations for three courses. The Kitchen Table is a one-of-a-kind optional opportunity to shop, cook and eat with the masters.
Bars and Lounges
Inspired by the trade routes of Vikings, the Explorers' Lounge is the ideal place for guests to share their discoveries over an aquavit or a craft beer while sampling fine Scandinavian fare. Central to the Explorers' Lounge is Mamsen's, a casual gourmet deli inspired by Norwegian cuisine, from smoked salmon to open-faced sandwiches and locally sourced charcuterie and cheeses. The daily "Waffle Hour" provides mouth-watering samples of the beloved treat.
- The ideal setting for relaxation and conversation, The Viking Living Room draws guests together. Spacious seating, melodic piano tunes, live entertainment and planned activities foster rich camaraderie. And its well-curated Viking Library informs even the best-read traveler. Adorned with nautical touches from Viking days, including the clinker-built bar inspired by ancient longships, it is the most inspired living room at sea.
Enjoy a cocktail in the Viking Bar, which is located on the ground floor of the atrium.
When you yearn for serenity, there is no better place on ship than a visit to the Wintergarden. This charming, airy space around the main pool is perfect for relaxing in clean, uncluttered Scandinavian-designed environment. Even here, our focus is on enrichment, as this is the place to witness a tea ceremony, or indulge in an afternoon tea service, complete with hand-selected teas, finger sandwiches and pastries.
The heated Main Pool and hot tub provide a calming oasis in any weather. The retractable roof allows for any-time swims and soaks.
A haven for relaxation, it's a fun spot to socialize during a day at sea. It's been thoughtfully designed for lap swims, leisurely wading or enjoying a drink poolside.
By night, it's a magical setting for star gazing and for viewing our "Movies under the Stars."
The Infinity Pool, one of the first of its kind at sea, gives you a sense of swimming in the heart of your destination. Its glass backing is infused with the spirit of exploration.
This relaxing setting also offers an inviting hot tub. Relax on the teak deck, which transforms into the Aquavit Terrace in the evening.
The pool's shimmering surface lends a peaceful backdrop to this al fresco dining option.
Relax in the soaring atrium and mingle with like-minded guests as you enjoy a cocktail from the Viking Bar.
Viking Cruises also reinvented the spa experience; drawing upon the holistic wellness philosophy of Nordic culture. To stimulate your circulatory system visit our snow grotto where snowflakes gently descend from the ceiling through chilled air, then invigorate yourself in the sauna, following a centuries-old Nordic tradition.
The Theater, features live performances that bring you closer to the culture of our destinations. Sometimes, the destination connects you to exists solely in the realm of an otherworldly theatrical journey, as is the case with beautifully themed shows.
The curtains of destinations with cinema in two movie theaters, which show first-run films you have not yet seen as well as destination-driven cinema such as "Room with A View," "Roman Holiday," or "Skyfall." And because the intellect also needs to be stimulated, our theaters will always be buzzing with fresh, new insights from our port talks and onboard lectures that feature the history, art, and culture of our destinations. And to explore the world in comfort, Viking Cruises are in favor of soft and spacious sofa seating.
Viking Sun Photos
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From time to time cruise lines may advertise lower promotional cruise fares; these fares are not always available to existing bookings, however Cruise Republic will endeavour to accommodate any request to change to the lower fare. Please note this request is at the discretion of the cruise lines so is not always possible. New promotional fares may affect your current booking, resulting in reduced on-board credit.
If we are able to transfer you at the lower promotional fare a fee of $100 will be applied to your booking. Once final payment has been made for your cruise we are unable to lower the fare.
If you choose to transfer your cruise deposit to an alternative cruise departure this will also incur a fee of $100.
Once a deposit is made towards your cruise holiday it is deemed that you have accepted our terms and conditions, so are subject to any cancellation fees. Bookings cancelled after the deposit is paid, will incur a cancellation fee of $200 per cabin plus any additional cancellation fees set out by the cruise line. There are no cool down periods. Please see the Cruise Company's terms and conditions for cancellation and amendment policy. All cancellations are required to be sent in writing by the lead passenger in the booking. Due to the issuing of refunds via Cheque by the cruiselines, refunds can take 4-6 weeks to reach us should you be entitled to any refund.
Payments towards your cruise holiday made by credit cards are subject to a transaction fee of 1.5% for Visa and Mastercard payments and 0.5% for Debit Cards. We also accept PayPal with a 1% transaction fee and AMEX which incur a 2.8% credit card fee. Payments made by domestic bank deposit do not incur any transaction fees nor do payments made using the BPAY payment system. Please be aware payments made via bank deposit or BPAY within 24 hours of your booking expiring will require a legitimate receipt/screen shot of payment emailed through.
We strongly recommend you purchase appropriate international travel insurance at the time you pay your deposit. If you do not purchase travel insurance, you may not be able to recover cancellation charges, medical costs, repatriation and other expenses that may arise if things do not go according to plan. Please note: medical care on board the ship is not covered by the Australian government or Medicare.
Some countries, such as New Caledonia, require proof of Insurance to be able to travel & cruise there. Lack of insurance may result in you being denied boarding.
Documentation/Cruise Tickets
After you have paid your deposit, we will give you instructions to complete an online check-in via the appropriate cruiselines system (note: not all cruiselines require a pre check-in). You will be required to enter in your passport information for International sailings and other information as required. Once this is completed, you can print your boarding pass and luggage labels.
Should you require your boarding pass, cruise information and luggage labels to be printed and posted there is a $25 per booking charge for this service
Flights and Hotels
Flights and Accommodation cancellation fees and amendment fees will apply as set out by the airlines and hotels. An additional $50 per person cancellation fee applies to all hotel cancellations and flight cancellations. All fly/cruise packages are based on the best available flight and hotel at time of pricing and while we may not be able to get the exact airline or hotel we will book a similar acceptable option. Flight packages will all include a free checked baggage allowance and meals.
Onboard Credits
On selected departures we will offer you onboard credits & these may not be combinable with all cabin categories and promotions. We will send you through a confirmation which will confirm if the onboard credit is available against your booking. Making changes to your reservation could result in any onboard credits being removed. Once you have embarked the ship, the onboard credit will be applied to your onboard account to use towards any onboard purchases. Any unused portion of the Onboard Credit will expire at midnight on the last night of your cruise and is not redeemable for cash at any time.
Guaranteed (GTY) Bookings
From time to time, we may offer you the option of making what we call a Guarantee (GTY) booking. This means you may book a stateroom of a guaranteed category type (Inside, Outside, Balcony) on your chosen ship and cruise. However, the exact grade, number and location of the stateroom on the ship will be allocated at the cruise lines discretion and at any time until checking in at the Port. Once your GTY stateroom has been allocated to you, we are unable to accept any changes requested by you. The benefits of a GTY stateroom are that after your booking has been confirmed, the cruise line may (at their discretion) upgrade your stateroom to a higher classed category to that originally booked at no extra charge to you. In any event, you are guaranteed the minimum category you decide to book at the time of the cruise including obstructed view cabins.
If travelling with Family and Friends where you require cabins to be near one another we strongly recommend for you not to book on a Guarantee.
We cannot guarantee your cabins will be assigned near one another, on the same deck, same side or forward/aft on the ship nor accept any requests.
Complimentary Upgrades
Depending on any last minute availability the cruise lines will automatically upgrade cabins to higher categories. The upgrades can place you towards the front of the ship, midships or at the back of the ship and not necessarily on a higher deck level (i.e.: Insides Deck 10 may be upgraded to Ocean view Deck 5). As the cruise lines cannot upgrade every booking, you should book a category in which you are happy to sail.
Once the upgrade has been assigned, should you dislike the cabin location we are unable to accept any changes or requests and cannot be reversed.
If travelling with family and friends where you require cabins to be near one another we strongly recommend for you to decline the upgrades. The cruise line do not guarantee all of the cabins will be upgraded, or that they will be upgraded near one another.
Future Cruise Credits
While we are happy to apply your Future Cruise Credits from the cruiselines to your booking with us, this may affect your online discounted pricing. We will still do our best to provide competitive pricing based on the discount we can offer on the new cruise fare once the future cruise credits have been applied to your booking. Please note if Future Cruise Credits are applied after your deposit has been paid may affect your final balance.
Passport & Visa Requirements.
or all international cruises all passengers will require to be in possession of a valid passport. The passport must have 6 months validity on your return date back home.
Visa's may also be required and at the sole responsibility of the passenger. Please check with the relevant embassies or a Visa Services company for assistance.
Cruise Republic will not take any responsibility for passport or visa requirements.
Please visit the following websites for assistance -
- Passports: https://www.passports.gov.au
- Visas: Visa Link http://au.visacentral.com/?login=300041
New Zealand:
- Passports: http://www.passports.govt.nz
- Visas: Visa Direct www.visadirect.co.nz
Privacy of your information is an absolute priority to us. When you book we request whether you are interested in receiving further offers from us. If you decline, we will not email you with such offers. We also always give you the opportunity to unsubscribe and opt out of receiving these emails. We treat your details as confidential and we NEVER disclose your information to third parties other than the supplier who is fulfilling your cruise holiday.
All amendments and any cancellations must be approved through the first person named on the booking. In the case of any in-cabin disputes our contract is with the first person named on the booking and we will only follow instructions given by them.
Viking Ocean Cruises – Terms and Conditions
Please note the terms and conditions listed below is a shortened version. To view the full version (which you are bound by) please click here - http://www.vikingcruises.com.au/terms-conditions/index.html
From Prices
On certain cruise lines our website will display "From" prices. These are based on the twin share lead in categories on each ship, i.e. lead-in interior, lead-in oceanview and lead-in balcony. Should you wish to enquire about alternative cabin types/occupancies please enquire with us. These prices do not display live prices or availability therefore we will need to check if they are still available and come back to you with a detailed quote.
Reservations and Payments
A non-refundable cruise/tour deposit of $500 per person (cruise only) or $1,500 (cruise & air) is required to secure a confirmed reservation within 3 days of making the cruise/tour reservation or your reservation will automatically cancel. An additional Online Republic deposit of $50 per person is also payable.
When more than one cruise is booked, deposit and payment policies apply per cruise.
Full payment is due no later than 120 days prior to your cruise/tour departure date.
Notice: Promotions or offers may have different payment terms, please refer to the offer conditions specified when making the booking.
Shipboard gratuities for shipboard personnel are included in your cruise fare on Viking Cruises Europe cruise programs. Additional tipping is at the guest's discretion.
Cancellation Policy
For any cruise booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full, the following situations are considered cancellations and cancellation charges will apply as noted below:
- Changes to departure date;
- Substitutions of itinerary
- Substitution of another person for original booked guest(s)
- or/ changing to a promotional fare.
All cancellations must be in writing. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure.
Days of notice prior to Date of Departure
Cancellation charge (per person)
121 days or more
Loss of Deposit
120 – 60 days
50% of the Full Fare ^*
59 – 0 days
100% of the Fare ^*
Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise/tour, land or air component purchased from Viking.
Please note: Promotional fares may have different cancellation policies. Please ensure you check the conditions at the time of booking.
* An additional Online Republic cancellation fee of $200.00 per cabin will apply.
We will not consider a cancellation until we have received, during office hours, a written cancellation notice signed by you.
Once a cruise booking has been accepted and a deposit paid, all changes are subject to a $30 charge per change. See prior section under Cancellation Policy for additional details on situations which are classified as cancellations rather than changes.
Online Republic may choose to apply additional fees.
Documents will be issued approximately 3 weeks prior to departure. All early document requests will be charged a $25 early processing fee. All guests are required to fill out a Passenger Information Form (PIF) within seven (7) days of making the booking. PIF can be found online at www.vikingrivercruises.com.au/pif/index.aspx
Online Republic may choose to apply additional fees.
When you purchase international airfares from Viking Cruises, airport transfers are included in your air cost if air arrival and departure dates coincide with the first and the last day and destination of the cruise/tour itinerary. If guests arrive and depart on different dates to these or have independently arranged flights, then airport transfers are not included. There is no cash refund for unused airport transfers. Guests who are not arriving or departing the destination on the first and/or the last date of the cruise/tour itinerary or who have independently arranged flights will have to make their own way to the hotel/vessel at their own expense.
Travel Documentation/Visas
Passports, visas, vaccinations and any other travel documentation are your sole responsibility. All guests must have passports valid for six months following disembarkation and necessary visas when boarding. Guests are advised to check with their travel agent or the Australian or New Zealand Consulate Service to determine which documents they must obtain. If incorrect documents are obtained, guests will be unable to participate in particular shore excursions and may be denied boarding and/or entry into certain countries. Note: Due to airline security measures, your passport name must match your airline ticket name or you may be denied boarding. Viking Cruises accepts no responsibility for obtaining required visas or for advising guests of passport, visa or other immigration requirements.
Travel Insurance
Viking Cruises strongly recommends that you obtain the appropriate travel insurance when you pay the deposit on your booking to cover any unforeseen circumstances that may occur before or during any cruise or associated travel. If you do not purchase travel insurance you may not be able to recover any charges associated with the cancellation or unforeseen circumstances.
You must ensure you are aware of any health requirements for your travel and ensure that you carry all necessary vaccination documentation. Guests are advised to check with their doctor or travel agent to determine if any vaccinations or health documents are required.
Due to the nature of our cruise itineraries, Viking Cruises does not maintain facilities or services for children aboard river cruise vessels. On all cruises and cruise journeys, minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied and share a stateroom with a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult over the age of 21. We reserve the right to limit the number of minors under the age of 18 years on board.
Disabled Guests
You must report any disability requiring special attention while on your Viking Cruises itinerary to Viking at the time the reservation is made. All vessels and motorcoaches are equipped to European standards. Most transportation services, including the vessels and motorcoaches, are not equipped with elevators or wheelchair ramps. Viking will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled travelers, but is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so nor is it responsible for any denial of services by vessel operators, air carriers, hotels, restaurants or other independent suppliers. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a holiday participant for walking, dining, getting on and off vessels, motorcoaches and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance and must assume full responsibility for their well-being. The guest assumes the full risk of use and of any prohibitions imposed by vendors. Motorized scooters are not typically suited on international cruises and cannot be accommodated.
Please advise the Uniworld reservation agent of specific dietary considerations and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Please also indicate your needs when you complete the Passenger Information Form.
Acts of God, Strike or other Conditions beyond control
either Viking Cruises, Inc., Viking River Cruises Australia Pty Ltd trading as Viking Cruises nor the owners or operators of the vessels identified in this brochure shall be liable for delay or inability to perform any condition in this brochure or any part thereof caused by or arising out of strikes, lockout or labour difficulties or shortages whether or not the carrier is party thereto, or explosion, fire, collision, standing or foundering of the vessel or breakdown or failure of or damage to the vessel or its hull or machinery or fittings howsoever and wheresoever any or the same may arise or be caused, or civil commotion, riot, insurrection, war, government restraint, requisitioning of the vessel, political disturbance, acts or threats of terrorism, inability to secure or failure of supplies including fuel, Acts of God, or other circumstances beyond their control.
Itineraries, Prices/Increases and Omissions
Itineraries are subject to change and may need to be altered or cancelled specifically because of water levels or wind factors. Prices advertised are subject to change with or without notice. Adjustments for currency and/or fuel fluctuations may apply. Optional shore excursions/tours/concerts, excess baggage charges, drinks, beverages and meals not included in the package are additional costs to the guest. Viking River Cruises Australia Pty Ltd trading as Viking Cruises is not responsible for omissions, printing and/or presentation errors and reserves the right to make corrections as required. Check www.vikingcruises.com.au for the most up-to-date prices, terms and conditions.
Cancellation Policy
For any cruise booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full, the following situations are considered cancellations and cancellation charges will apply as noted below:
- Changes to departure date;
- Substitutions of itinerary
- Substitution of another person for original booked guest(s)
- or/ changing to a promotional fare.
All cancellations must be in writing. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure.
Days of notice prior to Date of Departure
Cancellation charge (per person)
121 days or more
Loss of Deposit
120 – 60 days
50% of the Full Fare ^*
59 – 0 days
100% of the Fare ^*
Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise/tour, land or air component purchased from Viking.
Please note: Promotional fares may have different cancellation policies. Please ensure you check the conditions at the time of booking.
* An additional Online Republic cancellation fee of $200.00 per cabin will apply.
Find the exact price of your cabin in two simple steps:
No credit card is required to make a 'no obligations' reservation and we can hold a cabin for up to 5 days.
Twin Cabin price: 2 x Adult.
If this is not correct for you please repeat step 1
Special internet offer:
|Cabin Type
|Cabin Code
Single Cabin
Twin Cabin
Triple Cabin
Quad Cabin
|Deck 4 view
|Deluxe Veranda view
|Enquire Now
|Deck 5 view
|Deluxe Veranda view
|Enquire Now
| Deck 6 view
Deck 5 view
|Deluxe Veranda view
|Enquire Now
| Deck 8 view
Deck 7 view
Deck 4 view
Deck 3 view
|Deluxe Veranda view
|Enquire Now
| Deck 6 view
Deck 5 view
|Penthouse Veranda view
|Enquire Now
|Deck 6 view
|Penthouse Junior Suite view
|Enquire Now
|Deck 7 view
|Penthouse Junior Suite view
|Enquire Now
|Deck 3 view
|Explorer Suite view
|Enquire Now
*Please note: All prices featured are in AUD (unless otherwise stated), and include port taxes, government taxes and fees. Prices and availability are subject to change due to changes made by the Cruise Companies.


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Samir Mane is a successful Albanian businessman. Mane went to Austria in the early 90s in search of a better life. He arrived in the refugee camp in Traiskirchen but was able to move to better accommodation in Altenmarkt soon afterwards. After working as a translator he set up his own business in 1992. Starting with only 2 employees he now runs a multinational enterprise with 904 employees, including 22 foreign managers.
"I went there for a reason, to have a better life. This better life I created. Now I can have the same standard of life in Albania. What I am missing in Albania is hospitals. The other things I have in Albania, just as I did in Vienna: a good life, good schools, almost everything, I'm not missing anything. The reason why I came back is that I can be with my family; I can be with my parents. I feel comfortable here, I have better possibilities to grow my business, and anyway I have the office in Austria, which is running very well. So I am very often in Austria actually, but I came back, as I told you, for the better life which I looked for at that time, it has already come."
Today, Mane is the president of the Mane TCI Group, which includes Euromax, one of Albania's biggest retailers.
"I have a rule that I want to be number one in my business, if not, I sell, I close or I try to be number one. In all the business categories that I am now working in I am number 1 actually. In different fields: in consumer electronics, in grocery, in commercial estate"
In 2005 Mane's company opened Univers Shopping Centre in Tirana. Covering 21,500 sq meters with a 4000 sq meter hypermarket and more than 30 shops, the mall is the largest in the country:
"Until a few years ago I never thought that I was going to have a shopping mall. The idea came three or four years ago, when I saw a lot of development going on in the southeast European shopping malls business. I decided to build this. Now I see it as a small baby that's growing up fast, and I'm definitely feeling very happy and comfortable that I was able to create this shopping mall."
He has confidence in the development of Albania's economy and aims to make Univers Shopping Centre the first in a chain of malls across Albania. Mane sees tourism as the most promising sectors in a new Albanian economy but the loss of skilled workers is impeding development:
"The best people in this industry are for the moment not in the country. Almost 40.000 Albanians are living in Greece, all of them, or I can say 50 percent of them are working in tourism. They are professionals in the tourism industry."
May 2008


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At a recent workshop, I gave a talk titled "Other Kinds of Innovation," based on this Prezi
In it, I described three sources of innovation that tend to get short schrift in the whirlwind of books, talks and seminars abot innovation: social innovation, dark innovation and innovations by (not for) the poor.
The first of these, social innovation, is getting more attention thanks to books like The Wisdom of Crowds and Crowdsourcing, even though our culture seems to idolize the lone inventor. Fortunately, recent books like Steven Johnson's Where Good Ideas Come From are tackling the myth of the lone inventor, but in our individualistic society, it's a hard myth to shake. (In the Prezi above, this section is intentionally the least developed.)
The second kind of innovation that we often ignore is the category of innovations that are a net negative to society, which I'm calling dark innovations. These include defensive innovations by incumbents trying to postpone their doom, the unintended negative consequences of innovations created with good intent, and general overconfidence.
The third category is a subtle one in several ways. First, it's not innovations for the poor, but rather by. Second, these innovations don't always occur at the frenetic modern pace of innovation, so their pace can hide them. And third, some of these innovations are actually old, excellent ideas that have been buried for a few centuries and are now being rediscovered or reinvented, such as the methods of natural farming.
I intend to do a screencast of this Prezi, or perhaps several, but I'm posting now for a different reason.
Among the attendees as I presented was Peter Denning, who besides writing about innovation is the editor of the ACM's Ubiquity Magazine. Peter liked the perspective on dark innovation in particular, so we proceded to do an email interview, the results of which you can read here.
What do you think?