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Who's the real challenger to Scotland in Europe?
It is not often, in truth, that one hears a leading Conservative voice sympathy for anyone connected with the European Union, far less the president of the European Commission.
It was a Tory government which took Britain into Europe. But these days, the Tories - particularly with UKIP at their heels - tend to appear far less communautaire than might have been the case in that Heathite past.
However, Annabel Goldie was definitely fretting about Jose Manuel Barroso, the Euro gent whose intervention this week in a BBC interview has caused such a fuss. Mr Barroso had said that a territory departing from a member state had to apply to the EU afresh.
It appeared to Ms Goldie that the Scottish government's strategy in response to this initiative was to send the redoubtable Nicola Sturgeon out to Brussels to put the president right. "Poor man," she declared.
It was, of course, a mischievous caricature. But Ms Sturgeon was in no mood for light comedy.
Came out fighting
The SNP are only too well aware of the extent of the confrontation posed by the EU issue. Taken to the max, it challenges a portion of the reassurance that they offer with regard to independence - which is that Scotland would retain key existing structures such as the monarchy, sterling - and the EU.
So she went for it. The Tories, she said, presented the real challenge to Scotland in Europe - because they appeared intent on taking the UK out of the EU. (David Cameron is under pressure from a portion of his party to hold an in/out referendum.)
As for the position of an independent Scotland, was Ms Goldie or anyone else seriously suggesting that Scotland would be kicked out? If so, then perhaps they might oblige the chamber by saying so. Put up or shut up, in short.
It was a bold, confident and combative performance by Ms Sturgeon - reflecting, in sum, her character, her ability - and the extent of the political challenge to the SNP implicit in this controversy.
Potentially cornered, she came out fighting. But, in so doing, she deftly modulated the Scottish government's position, as Alex Salmond had done earlier when facing his weekly session of questions.
Ms Sturgeon stressed that the SG had repeatedly said that there would have to be negotiations - talks which, she argued, prove successful and in Scotland's interests. She further repeated her belief that the commission President was wrong, in law.
The change was that the emphasis was much, much more upon the former statement than the latter. In the past, there had been talk of "automatic" Scottish membership of the EU. This particular word was excised from Ms Sturgeon's discourse.
While not in any way conceding the legal point, she relied upon "common sense and realism". Scotland wanted to stay in the EU - and the EU would want "oil rich, renewables rich and fishing rich" Scotland. The talks would be about terms, not principle.
Aye, there's the rub, argued Willie Rennie for the Liberal Democrats. What might those terms be? Would they be favourable? The Euro? Schengen? The Thatcher rebate? What would have to be surrendered?
'Sent to bed'
Ms Sturgeon argued that Scotland would strike a good bargain. In essence, again, her argument was founded upon the goodies which Scotland would bring to the EU table. That, together with the intrinsic impetus of the EU to be inclusive, not exclusive.
At First Minister's Questions, Labour's Johann Lamont took things further. The FM, she implied, was serially guilty of making assertions which turned out to be less than substantive. Instead of leading, he was misleading.
Perhaps it was because she comes second in the question order, but Ruth Davidson seemed to feel the need to go further still. Both Mr Salmond (over the EU) and John Swinney (over the Bank of England) had been "spanked and sent to bed."
As the chamber paused momentarily to let that image subside, Mr Salmond rose. There had been exchanges of information with the Bank, primarily through the SG's Fiscal Commission. On the EU, Scotland was in and staying in.


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Welcome to Wyken Hall Garden
5 comments:
If I close my eyes I can see myself wandering around those gardens, seeing, touching and smelling, thanks for sharing, Lucey xReplyDelete
Wow these pics are so lush and splendid! Thanks for providing some visual relief over here.ReplyDelete
You take such gorgeous photographs of flowers. Such amazing detail. I feel as if I can touch and smell them.ReplyDelete
I had the pleasure of visiting this garden in June this year. It was like entering a secret little world. The rose garden was beautiful and there were two enormous philadelphus shrubs with a bench strategically placed so that visitors could enjoy their wonderful scent. It was also blissfully quiet. I am sure the owners realise the taste of paradise they are giving to people who visit their enchanting garden. A hidden gem.ReplyDelete
Wow, This is the great garden.ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


text:
HydrogenOS 3.0 Download For OnePlus 3/3T [Nougat]
Follow the steps correctly otherwise you may brick your device. We are not responsible for any damage to your phone.
It may erase all your data, so we advise you first to take a complete backup of your phone and then proceed.
Ensure that your phone has at least 50-60% charged to prevent the accidental shutdown in-between the process.
OnePlus 3 HydrogenOS 3.0 Full ROM – Download
OnePlus 3T HydrogenOS 3.0 Full ROM – Download
How to Install HydrogenOS 3.0 on OnePlus 3/3T
For Non-Rooted Users
1) Download the H2OS 3.0 Zip file from above and save it in your Internal Storage.
2) Turn off your device and Boot into the Recovery mode by press and hold "Volume Down+Power Button"
3) Now Wipe data and cache if you want a clean installation otherwise skip this step.
4) Now in Recovery select your preferred language and select Install from Local.
5) Now select the Zip and Click on Install to start the process.
6) Now wait until the installation complete and then Reboot your device.
7) Done.
Rooted Users
1) First make sure you have TWRP Recovery installed.
2) Download the HydrogenOS 3.0 full ROM from above and save it on your phone internal memory.
3) Now Reboot your phone into Recovery Mode (TWRP) & Take a Nandroid backup (Recommended).
4) Go to Wipe -> Advance Wipe -> Select Dalvik and Cache & Swipe to Wipe.
5) Now go back and click on Install Menu and Select HydrogenOS Rom Zip file.
6) Swipe to Flash the ROM and Wipe Dalvik & Cache again.
7) To maintain root Flash SuperSU.
8) Done.


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Was könntest Du denn von Deinem defekten PC noch verwenden?
Quoted...Mir ist vor ein paar Tagen mein Rechner "kaputt gegangen"
...bzw. selbst zusammenbauen! Mein Geldbeutel lässt leider nicht viel Spielraum zu!...
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Moderator: Kingdoms at War
Toast wrote:So basically what you're saying is that me not growing for 4 years is finally paying off? I picked a good time to reactivate. I expect to be there.
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I know it is Thursday and time for What I have learned, but I am going to postpone it until tomorrow. I wanted to share what we are making for our Valentines this year. I wanted to post it in enough time to leave you with some good ideas to get rolling with your own Valentines.
Every year, I make the kids Valentines with a photo card. It makes it fun and personal. So let's start with Jex:
I found the original idea for Jex here on Pinterest.
Here is Jex's card:
Once we print the photos, I find that it is easy to mat them on mat stacks.
They work perfect with 4x6 photos and can be bought at Hobby Lobby.
I printed this little number out to go on the back.
That way the kids can personalize and address each one.
You are welcome to use this little printable as well.
Go here to find it.
As a treat to go with Jex's Valentine:
A mustache attached to a fun straw, a water bottle, and a drink mix.
We placed them in these fun bags, and then tied them all up and added the Valentine.
Stella's card:
I came up with this little idea on my own.
To go along with the card:
Hot chocolate and heart marshmallows, all dolled up in a cute polka dot bag.
It was easy to place these inside, and then just staple the card on.
Isaac's card looks a little something like this:
For his treat, I get to make the class something. His preschool allows that which is so fun.
So I am using these items to make some really cute mini cupcakes.
I haven't made them yet, because I want them to be fresh for the big day.
I plan to make cupcakes in mini ice cream cones with a little pink icing on the top. I hope these will look just like mini ice cream cones, which happen to be one of Isaac's "favorite" treats.
I plan to place them in these cute boxes and wrap them up in these fun clear bags. Then attach the Valentine.
…and because I couldn't leave out the little miss, here is her Valentine:
Well a couple for her…
I couldn't resist.
Thanks for checking out our Valentines. I plan to share what Isaac's treat looks like on the big day.
P.S. don't forget to check out my giveaway for a great digital scrapbook software from www.mymemories.com.
Or use the special code to buy it at a great deal. Go Here for more details.


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Ominous Black - Repressed memories of the collective subconscious EP (2010)
How many more fantastic bands in the further months? Iit's a real paradise time for hell's music lovers as I am (for 20 years now, quite a part of my life actually). Here again an ear orgasm with this US band and this 3 tracks EP. All the Sleep heritage mixed with the Neurosis one in a sapid and terrific mixture with something of Khanate in the vocal's approach. There's even something of the best math-rock (old Don Caballero, not the boring descendants). You see it's not the usual "let's doom as others did before us" style (so many, and often congratulated by unexplainable positive critics by specialized blogs and webzines). Nothing to add that this is a necessary EP to have. Go on their bandcamp page to hear it and support them. Meanwhile enjoy it here.
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Volkswagen has added a GT Black Edition and R-Line Black Edition to its Scirocco range.
The special editions get black painted alloy wheels, a black painted contrast roof, door mirrors and rear spoiler, and 90 per cent tinted rear windows as standard.
The Scirocco GT Black Edition includes 18-inch Black Lisbon alloy wheels, while the R-Line Black Edition receives arch-filling 19-inch Black Lugano alloy wheels. Priced from £23,135 OTR for the GT Scirocco Black Edition 1.4-litre TSI BlueMotion Technology - a premium of £550 over the equivalent GT and R-Line trims - the new models 'offer great value for money' says VW. As an example, the 18-inch Lisbon alloy wheels alone would otherwise be a £610 option on the GT trim, while the cars' 90 per cent tinted windows are a £70 option.
In new GT Black Edition and R-Line Black Edition guise the petrol range comprises a 1.4-litre 125 PS or a 2.0-litre 180 PS unit while two diesel engines, both 2.0-litre, offer either 150 PS or 184 PS. The 1.4-litre TSI comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, while all other engines are fitted with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or the option of a six-speed DSG gearbox.
Performance over the 0-62 mph sprint ranges from 9.3 seconds to 5.5 seconds, depending on engine and transmission choice, while top speeds range from 126 mph to 155 mph (limited).
The Scirocco GT includes, in addition to the standard features, a Composition Media system, dynamic navigation based on TMC+, preloaded European navigation data and Fast, Short and Eco route options as well as 2Zone climate control; front and rear parking sensors; the 'chequered flag' dash inserts and aluminium-look pedals and cloth and part Alcantara-trimmed upholstery.
The R-Line model comes with R-Line-specific bumpers and side skirts; R-Line scuff plates; an R-Line-specific steering wheel, handbrake and gear lever; 'carbon-look' dash inserts; and heated, electrically adjustable 'Vienna' leather sports seats.
Top-of-the-range Scirocco R models adds Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC); lowered 'R' sports suspension; Bi-xenon headlights with dynamic curve lighting, static cornering function; black brake calipers with 'R' logo; LED daytime running lights set into the front bumper; a bespoke 'R' styling pack; leather trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel Vienna leather upholstery and front sports seats with embossed 'R' logo.
The Volkswagen Scirocco GT Black Edition and R-Line Black Edition models are available to order now, with first deliveries due in January 2016.


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Detail of the item you selected:
|Great Britain - One Penny Black - 1840 - Very Fine quality
Item number: ST-403
Overall Stamp Condition/Quality: Very Fine
Used/Unused: Used
Plate Number: 1b
Corner Letters: [H,K]
Watermark: Small Crown
Margins: 4 Complete / Superb
Cancellation: Black Maltese Cross
Certificate numbers: TS 300240/64 - TSC 200/64
Retail Price: $420.00
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Video provided by: BareTwinks
Video description: Twink lovers Danny and Jason know what to do to get their cum splashing out in this kinky hardcore bareback fuck! Foot fun and a rough slamming is in store, with gorgeous Jason plowing his raw dick into his lover and pulling out just in time to douse his wanton hole with his cum! Collecting some juice to jack himself to a finish, Danny pumps his jizz out over a sock and the boys share a taste.
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Download as: MP4 (53 MB)
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Do you have a child who loves to fish or is keen to get started? The RMYC Port Hacking has the perfect activity for your budding anglers!
Kids Fishing is a FREE event, hosted by the RMYC Port Hacking and sponsored by BCF Taren Point and SWF Constructions, held on the second Sunday of every month (excl. June due to the long weekend) over Winter.
From 11:00am – 12noon, kids can cast their rods and reels, learn how to fish safely and responsibly, and about marine life and the environment around them. The RMYC Port Hacking Club will be open and serving hot Hennessy Coffee from 11am, why not grab a cuppa and come join us on the Marina for a great morning activity the whole family can enjoy (away from computer screens and devices ? ).
There's a presentation and prizes for for the biggest fish, most fish and first fish caught and a free sausage sizzle for all participants.
Anyone can join in the fun but all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Bookings are essential for bait and catering purposes. To book, call our friendly reception team on 9523 9300. Kids just need to bring a hat, bucket and fishing rod.
"Just wanted to say a big thank you to Stuart Fraser and the RMYC for the kids fishing club last Friday night. My husband and I went along with my two kids and great fun was had by all! Although the kids only managed to hook a small bream and a puffer fish (both returned to the ocean for a future kids fishing club, no doubt) the kids loved it. Great opportunity for the adults to enjoy some refreshments and a meal afterwards too! Great initiative. We intend to be back next month"


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First things first, before I start talking about the book itself: (1) I've ruined myself for any other Jostein Gaarder's books by reading Vita Brevis first. Anything and everything pales in comparison to Floria Aemilia's fictional letter to Augustinus Aurelius. (2) I'm not really a fan of stories told by teenage boys. I read them, I like some of them but I'm less forgiving to a book as a whole when I don't like the main character when it's a boy.
That said, this might contain more or less spoilery spoilers.
About The Orange Girl.
The Orange Girl is a good book. It's the second one I've read by Jostein Gaarder and I already feel he's a master of storytelling, he's very good at writing different voices (a woman that've been through a lot like Floria Aemilia in Vita Brevis, teenage boy who's father died when he was very young like Georg and long dead father speaking to his son through a letter like Jan Olav) and, oh god, the letters. I love letters, letters are my vital like. I have moments when I want to read nothing else but epistolary novels (the ones that are written in letters, or emails, or diary entries...).
But... And there is a but with The Orange Girl. Every story is a journey of sorts that we as readers decide to visit and go along with the character. This is a journey of Jan Olav and the Orange Girl (told via eleven years old letter). And it's also a journey of Georg. And that is the problem. I don't like Georg. It might be because he's a teenage boy (and I'm no longer teen age and I'm definitely not a boy) and it also might be because his voice is, to me, in a way more annoying than Holden Caufield's. Because his "descriptions" of his family were more than unnecessary. Because more than half of the back story he provides disturbs the beautiful search for love and reflection of life and death his father was sending him.
So here, Georg was my problem. And yes, it's probably just because he's a teenage boy and the way of thinking of a teenage boy makes me wanna... do things. Like cross all of the lines he has "written" off of the book. With think black marker. And I suppose that's why it was so easy to put the book down for couple of months after just forty pages and than pick it up again and put it down again (and than finish it while commuting to and from work).
There. But I still like the book very much so maybe I'm not that much unforgiving as I like to think I am


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The Amazon tablet rumor mill starts to turn.
Jeff Bezos confirmed that there is an Amazon tablet coming in an interview a couple days ago. On the same day a rumor appeared that Amazon is not only launching one tablet. It will be a whole family of Android devices, even including a smartphone.
BGR has gotten some additional details and the code-names of two Amazon tablets. The Amazon tablet Coyote will be based on the Tegra 2 platform as many of the current tablets including the Motorola Xoom. The Amazon Hollywood tablet will though adopt the still vague Nvidia Kal-El Quad-core Tegra (NVIDIA T30). Kal-El promises stunning performance increase and is supposed to be ready in Q4.
Besides the new iPhone 5 and a possible new iPad, the Amazon tablet(s) are going to be the hottest new product releases this year. The rumor mill for the Amazon Tablet has just started to digg up interesting information about what Amazon is up to. Until recently we only knew that Amazon is working on a tablet. Now it looks likely that there will be several devices.
As said before Amazon has the content eco-system and cloud services in place to effectively compete with Apple. Amazon also has collected tremendous experience with the Kindle device. I am pretty sure they know how to do a tablet right that can rattle the domination of the iPad.


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Sturridge still not fully fit
The striker has not featured for his club since the 3-0 win at Tottenham last month after sustaining a thigh injury during a training session while on international duty with England.
Liverpool had hoped Sturridge would return for Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton in the Premier League, but the former Chelsea man was ruled out once again.
Manager Brendan Rodgers stated that the influential 25-year-old will be assessed ahead of Liverpool's second Champions League Group B clash in Switzerland next week.
"Dan was given every chance to make the game [on Saturday], but [on Friday] he wasn't able to train. We'll see how he goes over the next couple of days." Rodgers told BT Sport ahead of Saturday's derby at Anfield.
Mario Balotelli will once again lead the line against Everton in the absence of Sturridge.


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HTC One X10 leaked with specs and availability information
Evan Blass has always been most reliable when it comes to the leaks that emanates from his account, and he is letting us know that HTC would release a new device at the end of this month. They would love to call this unit the HTC One X10, poised to be the successor to the HTC One X9 from last year.
We have truly been expecting this unit for a while as it had been certified in Russia. We also got to know via a rumour that asides from the 5.5 inches of screen the unit would be powered by MediaTek Helio P10 chipset. Going further deep, we get to see 3GB of RAM and a rear camera sensor of 13MP rating.
Going by the leaked list that started to make internet rounds today, most of the specs have really panned out. However, the previous rumours were wrong in a few places. For example, the camera in the back would be a 16.3MP sensor instead and the selfie camera stands at 7.9MP. Looking at the spec sheet of the old One X9 and comparing to this newbie, the only improvements seem to be in the camera department.
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Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus have been confirmed for Germany, but you cant have it yet


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text:
Hicks Yew
Hicks Yew
Taxus x media 'Hicksii'Item #7233 USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 - 7
AvailabilityPre-Order Now Add to Favorites
Plant Description
An excellent evergreen shrub for tall hedges and privacy screens. The long, upright-growing branches with dense, glossy, dark green foliage naturally form a narrow, columnar habit that works well as a foundation plant, or placed in pairs at entries or doorways.
- OverviewLight Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.Average Landscape Size:Slowly reaches 10 to 12 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide.Key Feature:Narrow Hedge PlantBlooms:Conifer; prized for foliage and berry-like cones.Landscape Uses:
- DetailBotanical Pronunciation:TAKS-us x MEE-di-aPlant type:ConiferDeciduous/evergreen:EvergreenGrowth habit:Columnar, NarrowGrowth rate:SlowAverage landscape size:Slowly reaches 10 to 12 ft. tall, 3 to 4 ft. wide.Special features:Easy Care, Ornamental Berries, Tolerates Road Salt, Waterwise, Year-round InterestFoliage color:GreenBlooms:Conifer; prized for foliage and berry-like cones.Garden styleAsian/Zen, Contemporary, CottageDesign IdeasThis yew is a traditional hedge plant, useful for its narrow, upright growth that take to shearing well. It also works well as a single, columnar accent in the landscape or on either side of a doorway.Companion PlantsLilac (Syringa); Weigela (Weigela); Potentilla (Potentilla); Spirea (Spiraea); Periwinkle (Vinca)
- CareCare InformationProvide evenly moist, well-drained soil with protection from harsh, drying winds. Water deeply, regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system; reduce frequency, once established. Fertilize before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, prune annually to shape.Pruning time: summer.Light Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.
- History & LoreLore:All species of this genus are poisonous. One American species is the source of the cancer drug, Taxol. In England yew trees were restricted to church yards where they were not subject to livestock grazing, which caused many animal deaths in the past. Interestingly, deer may graze on them, unaffected. Birds are also attracted to the fruit, which they eat without consequence, as the flesh is not toxic to most, and the seed passes through intact.


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Once you obtain your Canadian citizenship, you will be entitled to all of the rights and freedoms afforded to Canadian citizens.
These rights include:
- Legal rights
- Equality rights
- Mobility rights
- Aboriginal Peoples' rights
- The right to peaceful assembly
- The right to vote
- Freedom of thought
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom to practice religion
Canadian Citizenship Calculator
Recent changes mean that you may be able to apply for Canadian citizenship sooner than previously.
It is important to recognize that these rights and freedoms come with responsibility. These responsibilities include:
- To obey Canadian law.
- To express ones opinions freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others.
- To help those in your community, for example, through volunteering.
- To take responsibility to protect our environment and preserve our heritage.
- To eliminate discrimination and injustice.


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I went to Langkawi too, was an unplanned trip, day trip je... more on that in later post people. Saya hutang Zied satu tag.. here goes
1) Bed shaking/movement while I'm sleeping - Poor hubby had to wear socks on the sofa rather than sitting on the bed so as not to wake me up. I normally woke up to the slightest sound of opening door, toilet flush, cupboard door sound etc. I will get cranky after that especially when I was about to fall asleep. Tapi kalau dah penat sangat, lena je...I didn't even noticed he came back from work and had joined me in bed.
2) People who jump queues and dgn tak malu mengorder apa dia nak dgn muka innocent
3) At ATM machines, when the person before me after withdrawing money, took another card and start another transaction...always, always happened to me. Tak suka nya!!
4) Lack of common courtesy - Put the phone on silent mode when you're in cinema. I just hate it when although you have put your phone on silent mode,when the phone vibrates to indicate there is a call coming, you went ahead and answer the phone. Kalau urgent call dari family member pun, tak bleh ke ko lari kuar jap jawab call tu instead of yakking away during the movie. Bukan sekali plak tu, every half an hour! Apakah?
5) People who smoke in air conditioned room/area/restaurant. Common sense la weh tempat aircond ko nak smoking plak. Bila kena tegur, bleh cakap plak 'Takde pun signage kata tak boleh merokok' ..aiyOohh, mana sekolah daaaa?
6) Rude customer service personnel - if you can't even smile, or talk nicely, I suggest you find other job
7) People yg so-called cooking pro who make remarks to me like "Alah, kenapa pakai *tut*tut* buat kuah spaghetti, senang je buat sauce sendiri" or "Kenapa nak pakai instant base for pizza, kan senang buat sendiri"... boleh shut up dak? Boleh tak ko urus keluarga ko sendiri and let me manage mine? Barang2 instant di dunia ni dicipta untuk menyenangkan kaum wanita yg sibuk dgn kerjaya (huhuhu)..kalau aku tak support product diaorg, saper lagi nak support? muahhaha. The funny part is bila dia nak masak gulai ke tumis sambal ke, pakai plak rempah Adabi ke Baba's ke, Alagappa's ke... kenapa tak giling je cili sendiri, rempah sendiri kak oi kalau dah terror sangat semua nak buat sendiri? Hmphhhh..
8) People who like to talk about themselves..please!
9) Inconsiderate drivers
10) People who like to stare - it's rude you know.
11) Loud/high pitched music/voice while I'm concentrating on work.
12) Orang yg suka tumpang kereta tapi tak tepati masa, pastu suka minta singgah sana sini. Ingat aku taxi driver ko?? Get your own car la!
13) People who cannot make decision what they want to order although they have been in the queue for 10 minutes.
14) So-called 'friends' who still didn't get the hint that I want nothing to do with them anymore but still call me at odd hours. Sms boleh dak cakap amende yg ko nak sebenornya.
15) I hate ironing clothes...hate it, hate it. But I hate wrinkled clothes too..so I hate when I'm in the dilemma of ironing clothes just for the sake of hating wrinkled clothes. Faham dak? Hahhaaha..I just wish there is a washing machine that after it's done, it's wrinkle free and ready to be wear...yeah, rite.
There you go Zied. My 15 pet peeves. Now I wanna tag these people - Kodeng, Juliah (so that dia update blog dia!), Kak Dilla (same reason!), Konot (same reason!) & Nomee.
Isk, aku tak siram pokok lagi...mama balik japgi matila gua dia tengok pokok dia dah kuning2 kering...
Kalau la aku dok rumah aku sendiri nanti, aku nak tanam pokok bunga plastik je kat laman boleh dak? Tak payah sirammm-siramm (pemalass!)


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CES 2017: Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom Announced, Featuring Dual Camera With Optical Zoom: As per the expectations, Asus has today unveiled variety of products and among those products here is the official successor to the ZenFone Zoom i.e Zenfone 3 Zoom. Since the name already reveals it all about having featured with an Optical Zoom with the camera. Also, the phone features a Dual-Camera configuration which delivers approx 2.3X magnification on one of the lenses & the other offers a 12MP wide angle setup with f/1.7 aperture.
Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom Announced, Featuring Dual Camera With Optical Zoom:
This is a uniquely featured device this time from Asus that has offered the two lens configuration so as to provide a Bokeh Effect. As the feature is new to us we just have to spend some time with the phone before saying anything much about the camera setup, but definitely, it would be a great option in case of an optical zoom requirement.
The ZenFone 3 Zoom is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 & have a 5.5 inches of display offering a 1080p resolution. The battery bank is also quite good enough particularly for Photo mania group of users, providing a 5000 mAh battery power. Overall the Optical Zooming feature is a boon for a particular group of users & if it's your thing, you can surely go for it. Although the phone's other configuration & pricing are not yet very clear but it is more likely to be made available in the market by this February. This product from Asus is definitely going to be in your favorites list very soon if you are going for it as the device is specially built for Photography.


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Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.
An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was so unique, so well written and it just grabbed you. I have never read anything of Sedgwick before but he is now on my radar:
Originality: 9. I am a hater of short stories, but love a good companion novel- this book combines there two elements into 7 stories which move backwards in time revealing more and more as we travel backwards. Intrigue abounds.
Absurdity: 2. Read that first sentence again in the book description: An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking", a little absurd, yes, but the way the author writes the stories they flow together in a way I never could have imagined!
Level of Paranormal Romance: 8. This is a story about love across time and form.
Level of Harry Potter-ness. 10. This was a fabulous short book. compelling, different, and just plain great. As NP so nicely put it:
Seven intense story lines stretch from the near future to the distant past, together forming a labyrinthine story of love, sacrifice and blood. Over and over again, a cast of vampires, Vikings and high priests encounter one another in various forms — with dire consequences for both their past and future incarnations. viaThis book highly deserves the Printz honor and I hope that you all go out there and enjoy a copy yourself!


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Irwin Schiff was the ultimate political prisoner for his work in educating the American people on their legal rights regarding the unlawful taxation practices of the United States government. And after spending 10 years in prison simply because he refused to stop talking about the Constitution and people's rights, on Oct. 19 the father of well known financier Peter Schiff died while being shackled to a prison hospital bed.
Schiff had done nothing to harm the American people, nor did he commit any crime that was detrimental to the nation, but instead was imprisoned because he became a threat to the fascist state the U.S. had become, and threatened the illegal financial schemes of a government that relied upon the fleecing of its citizens to protect its own power.
My father had a life-long love affair with our nation's founding principals and proudly served his country during the Korean War, for a while even having the less then honorable distinction of being the lowest ranking American soldier in Europe. While in college he became exposed to the principles of Austrian economics through the writings of Henry Hazlitt and Frederick Hayek. He first became active in politics during Barry Goldwater's failed 1964 presidential bid. His activism intensified during the Vietnam Era when he led local grass root efforts to resist Yale University's plans to conduct aid shipments to North Vietnam at a time when that nation was actively fighting U.S. forces in the south. Later in life he staged an unsuccessful write in campaign for governor of Connecticut, then eventually lost the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination to Harry Brown in 1996.
In 1976 his beliefs in free market economics, limited government, and strict interpretation of the Constitution led him to write his first book The Biggest Con: How the Government is Fleecing You, a blistering indictment of the post New Deal expansion of government in the United States. The book achieved accolades in the mainstream conservative world, receiving a stellar review in the Wall Street Journal, among other mainstream publications.
But my father was most known for his staunch opposition to the Federal Income Tax, for which the Federal Government labeled him a "tax protester." But he had no objection to lawful, reasonable taxation. He was not an anarchist and believed that the state had an important, but limited role to play in market based economy. He opposed the Federal Government's illegal and unconstitutional enforcement and collection of the income tax. His first book on this topic (he authored six books in total) How Anyone Can Stop Paying Income Taxes, published in 1982 became a New York Times best seller. His last, The Federal Mafia; How the Government Illegally Imposes and Unlawfully collects Income Taxes, the first of three editions published in 1992, became the only non-fiction, and second and last book to be banned in America. The only other book being Fanny Hill; Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, banned for obscenity in 1821 and 1963.
His crusade to force the government to obey the law earned him three prison sentences, the final one being a fourteen-year sentence that he began serving ten years ago, at the age of 77. That sentence turned into a life sentence, as my father failed to survive until his planned 2017 release date. However in actuality the life sentence amounted to a death sentence. My father died from skin cancer that went undiagnosed and untreated while he was in federal custody. The skin cancer then led to a virulent outbreak of lung cancer that took his life just more than two months after his initial diagnosis. – Peter Schiff
The story of Irwin Schiff is now seen daily in many forms in how the government treats Constitutional loving Americans, with notables like Edward Snowden being excoriated for simply daring to educate and make aware the illegal actions of their government. And for anyone who today tries to take on 'City Hall', there are few sanctuary's available, and even fewer men and women who are willing to stand with them against the State.
Few people in America have ever heard of Irwin Schiff, and even fewer have the courage to do what he did and be willing to pay the price his legacy will remember him for. But if there is any memory of Schiff's life that is of vital relevance, it is that doing the right thing today will require one to become a martyr, and even then the American people seem no longer to be worthy of that type of sacrifice.
Kenneth Schortgen Jr is a writer for Secretsofthefed.com, Examiner.com, Roguemoney.net, and To the Death Media, and hosts the popular web blog, The Daily Economist. Ken can also be heard Wednesday afternoons giving an weekly economic report on the Angel Clark radio show.


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Hey Beauties!
So I decided to write this post kind of at the last minute as a great new sale has just been brought to my attention!
At this stage, I'm sure a lot of you will have heard about Romwe.Com, the amazing fashion website that is taking the blogging world by storm these days.
Among one of the most talked about fashion websites on Youtube, Romwe are dedicated to providing you with high-quality items at a reasonable price and with Worldwide Free Shipping, there really is nothing stopping you from treating yourself :)
The exciting part of this article is that Romwe is putting their White + Black Fluid Striped Shirt on sale!
On April 3rd only, this blouse will be only $9.99, that's 75% off!!
Don't miss out girls, there's only 400 pieces!!
Feast your eyes girls!!
Click here to check out the sale!
What do you think?
Will you be checking out Romwe?
Stay Beautiful! xoxo


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The New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame is extremely proud of its fourth class of inductees to the New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame. This class will be honored at the fourth dinner gala to be held at the beautiful La Quinta Inns & Suites on December 4, 2015.
On December 4th, Larry Cureton will be inducted for his Kickboxing.
At the age of 55, Larry *Thunderfoot* Cureton has accomplished a lot. From Jersey City, he got in involved in martial arts when he was 14 years old. In the 41 years since he has earned a 7th degree black belt and has studied a number of styles.(Go Kai Ju ,Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu)
Thunderfoot has fought in numerous kickboxing bouts and holds a record of 28-7 with 25 KO*s. He holds titles of WPKO World Hvy.Wt. PKF World Super Hvy Wt. FFKA North American Super Hvy. Wt, USKBA US Super Hvy. Wt. WPKO US Super Hvy.Wt, and the PKF International Super Hvy. Wt.(2 titles were after last photo shoot).
Thunderfoot even tried his hand at MMA fighting. He fought in the early UFC's #5 & #7. That's before they started wearing gloves. It was bare knuckle and no holds barred. I asked Larry about the experience and he said. "It's just another form of fighting. But it lacks the discipline and the Bushido Way of the Warrior."
In 1988 Larry joined the forces of the Jersey City Fire Department were he continued to fight in several charity shows on behalf of the Jersey City Fire Department, Benefiting fire victims and widows of firefighters. Thunderfoot, when he's not fighting in the ring, has been fighting fires and served the City of Jersey City for 28 years. (He retired in 2012). But this 6'1", 280 pound giant turns gentle when he takes off his gear. He enjoys touring the public schools of Jersey City lecturing kids on the evils of the streets, drugs and crime.
Thunderfoot is a RETIRED veteran firefighter with the Jersey City Fire Department, the town where he grew up with his mother and three sisters.
Thunderfoot also possesses talent in front of a camera and has modeled for sportswear and trade shows. He is interested in acting and his current aim is to land a movie deal. He has read a few scripts, but has not yet found one that fits his goal. He's an extra in the Block Buster Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. With his past track record in persistence, it will probably be just a matter of time.
He is also a personal trainer, bodyguard, a poet, a photographer, a writer and an artist with eye on acting.When asked why a firefighter. Larry said I didn't chose the job. The job chose me. "I never thought about being a firefighter. I would see them running into burning buildings and say. Those guys are crazy. I took the test when some friends told me about the obstacle course. I took the test just to see how I would do. They called me three years later. I had forgot I took the test. But it was a great opportunity so I took it. And I've been loving it until I felt that it was time to move on. I retired July 1st, 2012.
Now I'm enjoying life doing what I want. When I want. It's a great feeling"………
Larry "Thunderfoot" Cureton motivational speaking and poetry recitals at High Schools and Colleges across the country have carried a powerful and positive hip hop message.
Larry has spoken to audiences ranging from primary school children to board-level directors of some of the world's largest corporations, and speaks with honesty, humility and passion about goal setting, teamwork, success, failure, risk-taking, overcoming adversity and achieving what we set out to achieve, no matter how steep the odds. His reputation has grown into one of the best motivational speakers on the east coast.
Upon meeting Thunderfoot, you are impressed by his physical stature: 6 ft. 1in., 280 lbs of massive rock solid muscle. There is more here than meets the eye: holder of an impressive list of achievements as a boxer and kick boxer:
Thunderfoot is an individual who chooses to evolve while still being true by what the martial arts have taught him. He is driven by a boundless spirit to create from everyday experiences. His intensity is infectious, poignant and inspiring. Did I forget to mention he is extremely funny?
We asked Larry how did you get the nickname "Thunderfoot"?
Larry said: "When I began working out I would train in the basement of a church. One day I was kicking the bag very hard. The instructor came in and asked, "What is that?"
Some of the guys training answered, "That's Larry in the back kicking the bag. It sounds like Thunder!" That was it. The church was located at the corner of Ocean and Linden in Jersey City. Classes taught by the late Grand Master Ron Jeter oos………."
We hope you will join us on December 4, 2015. Mark your calendars now and purchase your tickets early so you can be sure to be a part of New Jersey martial arts history. Call 201-538-4843 or visit www.njmmaawards.com and get your ticket and join us in a historic night for New Jersey and for martial arts. It is certain to be a terrific night with family, friends, fun, and music.
Here is the complete list of award winners:
Felix Martinez - MMA Promoter
Dave Mastrogiovanni - MMA Promoter
Carl Mascarenhas - Amateur MMA Promoter
Mark Shopp - Pioneer Fighter
Dave Sholler - Public Relations
Larry Cureton - Kickboxing
Paul Querido - Trainer / Cutman
Brett Hlavacek - Muay Thai Fighter
Dave Weinberg - Media
Sam Marji - Amateur MMA Trainer
Tom DeBlass - Grappling
Gary Gudzak - Inspector
Brian Blue - Conditioning
Steve Rivera - Wrestling Coach
Derek Riddick - Kickboxing Promoter
Mike Massenzio - MMA Fighter
Rico Rodriguez - Pioneer MMA Fighter
Frank Savahna - Boxing
Lyman Good - MMA Fighter
Kevin Thompson - Kickboxing


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The Dr. Pat Show: Talk Radio to Thrive By!: Living With Intention - Designing a wildly fulfilling and remarkably successful life
04/04/2008 12:00 am PST
Dr. Pat Baccili
Dr. Pat Baccili helps individuals and organizations break through their limiting Crust so they can reach their unlimited potential. Her specialty is assisting people face t...Find out more »
Dr. Deanna Davis
Deanna Davis is the author of three books: The Law of Attraction in Action, the bestselling Living With Intention, and the forthcoming Manifest This. She thinks the best rou...Find out more »


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by Jim Black
Because the blackberry outage leaves millions without email, could this be the day that some break their crackberry habit? I am not saying you will break the habitual email and net habit, I'm suggesting you make the move away from the Blackberry. I am addicted to my PDA's, but I don't use a crackberry.
First lets put into perspective of how addicted I am. I carry a Motorola Q on Sprint AND an 8525 on ATT. Why do I carry two devices? Because I liked the voice plans on Cingular but the data is better on Sprint. (I have now changed to voice on Sprint because the dropped calls got out of hand). I realize that I check my email and call page way too much, but I'm trying to cut back.
To be honest, I sometimes feel left out because I don't have the cool games that other crackberry users have. For example, all I have is bubble breaker and I don't think it's the same. That being said, I find Windows Mobile more reliable and it can be used with various Pocket PCs, Smartphones, and Portable Media Centers. In addition, Windows Mobile does not rely on a lone email provider like blackberry.
Given the recent outage, my questions are:
- How much productivity will be lost on this business day?
- Will this be the end of RIMM?
- Will Motorola Q and the Samsung BlackJack be more popular now?
- Will there be less accidents on the road today because people are not typing and driving?
For those of you who rely on their handheld device, this is a catastrophic event. I'm not saying kick the habit, but kick the crackberry — problem solved!


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Clothing brand, Milkcrate NYC, threw a launch party in late May in celebration of their official mixtape, as well as their limited collaboration with Beats By Dre.
At the VIP release party, the brand offered a first look at their Milkcrate Edition Beats Studio headphones, while attendees enjoyed cocktails, a performance by ScHoolboy Q, as well as music by DJ Premier and Aaron Lacrate.
The party drew the likes of Slick Rick, Yandy Smith (of Love and Hip Hop New York), and many others.
For more info, visit MilkCrateNYC.com.


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Rmr necesitaba un nuevo diseño de botón o icono y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 39 diseños de 19 diseñadores freelance.
FuelLogix Mobile Connect or MobileConnect
We are a commercial software company that designs web based solutions for the petroleum / convenience store retail market.
large regional chains of convenience stores that want to provide their customers with a branded mobile application to help increase customer loyalty.
This icon is intended to brand our product which is a mobile application for locating gas stations, soliciting feedback, and pushing promotions directly to end users mobile devices. We want an icon to use on our demo system as the clients branded version of our mobile app will have their own custom logo which may or may not incorporate aspects of our demo logo. This demo logo will be used to attract our customers which are chains of gas stations and should help portray the functional goals of the application we are offering to rebrand for them.
The product name we are selling to our customers is Mobile Connect or MobileConnect and our company name is FuelLogix. Our existing logo can be found at http://www.fuellogix.com along with more information about our other products and services.
The logo should be consistent with our FuelLogix branding and portray "Mobile" feelings.


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I have had a lovely time making and designing for the Silhouette UK blog, so I thought as my penultimate blog post I would make our readers a free file. A winner's rosette seemed like a good item to make as they can be used for so many occasions - birthdays, hen nights, parties and graduations, and I have felt like a winner all year long as part of the fabulously friendly, and talented Silhouette UK Design Team. Mwah!
Silhouette CAMEO®
Cutting mat
Various card
Safety pin
LW Bubble Letter by Lori Whitlock #47853
I have done most of the work for you, and all you need to do after downloading the file is cut out the pieces, and make a name for the front of your rosette, or use the general "Happy Birthday" I have provided. I made the words using LW Bubble Letter by Lori Whitlock from the Silhouette Design store. The link is in the Equipment list above. I made the rosette for my grand-daughter's birthday party using glitter and mirror card. Once the layers have been glued, you can attach a safety pin to the back, or make it into a card. Let me know if you have any problems with getting the file. Have fun!


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Top 10 Travel Destinations For 2013
Where is Hot in 2013?
With Christmas out of the way and a new year just beginning it is that time of year to start thinking of the annual vacation. In the past few years the reccesion has hit us all hard and to save our hard earned pennies we have chosen holiday destinations that have been easier on the pocket but just as good as the most expensive destinations.
2013 is already seeing more of the same, money is tight for almost everyone and those who have already booked their annual holiday abroad the less expensive destinations are topping the list again.
Sourced from several major travel companies the list below is where more people are heading on vacation in 2013.
Top 10 Holidays for 2013
Destinations in Eastern Europe have massively increased in popularity with today's travellers, and features quite a bit in the top ten list this year, starting at number 10 with the Dalmation coast in Croatia.
10 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik has something for everyone from sun kissed beaches to a sightseers paradise, you can choose to lay on the beach all day soaking up the rays or you can explore the city which has a rich history and a plethora of architectural styles to choose from.
After a hard day at the beach or a long day of exploring the city, you can choose from the many different restaurants around the city. After dinner you can choose to either have a quiet dtink in one of the many bars that can be found in the city or you can go clubbing in one of the big nightclubs.
Dubrovnik welcomes every traveller from those camping in tents to those living it up in 5 star hotels.
Dominican Republic
9 Dominican Republic
In 2012 there was a massive increase in the amount of visitors to the Dominican Republic and with good reason. This island in the Caribbean is surrounded by beauty.
Hundreds of miles of white sandy beaches lined with palm trees, desert scrub lands and the colonial architecture from times gone by.
The perfect getaway for those in need of a relaxing break, the Dominican Republic has everything that you need from sunbathing on one of the many beaches to Whale watching tours in Samaná.
Go white water rafting in the Dominican Republic's adventure-sport center in Jarabacoa or snorkeling at Isla Saona national park.
Have a relaxing round of golf on one of the many courses on the island or just relax and have your cares massaged away at one of the many spa hotels.
Vilnius Lithuania
8 Vilnius, Lithuania
Our second Eastern European destination on the top ten list is Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.
Taking a trip to Vilnius is like taking a trip back in time with cobbled streets and an eclectic mix of architecture which has German Russian and even Scandinavian influences.
A perfect Mixture of the old with the new Vilnius is the perfect getaway plenty of sights for those who like to explore the history of the city and shopping galore for those who just have to shop.
Eating and drinking in Vilnius again is suited to all tastes with restaurants and bars that cater for an international market.
The city awakens at night with many pubs and clubs dotted around the city.
Fancy a quiet drink or would you rather dance the night away? Vilnius has it all.
7 Scotland, Great Britain
Scotland is the must visit destination this year for fans of James Bond after watching him racing through the countryside and seeking solace in the Highlands in the movie Skyfall.
Scotland has a long bloodthirsty history, from the Romans the Vikings to fighting their close neighbors the English and even fighting between themselves.
A country dotted with castles and ruins of old castles Scotland is a history buffs wet dream.
Take a trip to Edinburgh the nations capital city and home of its most famous castle, a trip to Glasgow is a must a city built around the shipyards of the river Clyde. Try out the Ayrshire coast and visit the birthplace of Rabbie Burns the national poet.
Take a trip to the Highlands and basque in the glorious scenery or visit the Mull of Kintyre where you may find Paul McCartney hiding out.
Scotland has something to suit everyone just a pity the weather can let you down.
6 Phuket, Thailand
Phuket is the largest island of Thailand and is joined to the mainland by two bridges, famed for its beaches, water sports and nightlife Phucket is a favorite destination for tourists all year round.
Phucket town is the largest town in Phuket and favorite haunt of most travellers not only for its beautiful beaches and water sports but for the sightseers there are temples, museums and some beautiful Chinese carved buildings to explore.
A visit to Phuket would not be complete without taking a trip to Patong beach, home of the Simon Cabaret where you will find the world famous Thai lady boys performing in their glamorous and stunning stage show.
If you are looking for a quiet getaway Phuket may just not be the place for you.
5 Varna, Bulgaria
Varna tops the list of Eastern European destinations on this years top ten this year and with good reason.
This Black sea resort has every thing on offer for all types of visitor, beautiful sandy beaches for the sun worshippers.
An abundance of museums, ancient remains and roman baths for the sightseers.
Shopping galore for those who like to spend a little money.
Throw in a plethora of restaurants pubs and night clubs and you will find that there is something in this city for everyone and the best thing is that at Eastern European prices you will most probably have some of your planned spending money to take home with you.
Las Vegas
4 Las Vegas, USA
Home to over 2 million people Las Vegas is the brightest and most spectacular city on earth and plays host to over 37 million tourists every year.
Take a walk through the famous Las Vegas Strip, where you can almost travel around the world in a few hours, with mock ups of many world land marks such as the pyramids of Egypt, New York, Venice, Paris or even a trip back in time to see the Romans.
Many couples take a trip to Las Vegas to get married in one of the many wedding chapels around the city and it is even possible to be married by an Elvis impersonator if you know where to look.
Take a trip to see the impressive Hover dam or the Grand Canyon where you can fly over in a helicopter if you choose to do so.
There is so much to do and see in Las Vegas that you will probably need another vacation to get over this one.
London, England
3 London, Great Britain
In the aftermath of hosting the Olympic Games in 2012, London has seen a massive increase in visitors from all around the world.
One of Europe's largest cities London boasts a population of over 8 million included in those is the British royal family who have opened up the doors of Buckingham Palace for passing visitors.
Take in the sights dotted around the city, see a show in the famous West end or see the whole of the city from the London eye.
Take a trip to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament or even pay a visit to the Prime Minister himself at Downing street.
For those who love to shop all of the big names are there and for exclusive shopping pay a visit to Harrods the worlds most famous department store.
Pubs restaurants and nightclubs are plentiful in London and you will be sure to find something to suit your taste.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai a man made Island with seven star hotels, the worlds tallest tower, an under water hotel and shopping galore. This haunt of the rich and famous is becoming more and more popular with visitors every year.
Dubai is seen by most people as a vacation place for the super rich but if you go a little off centre there are hotels and stores that almost anyone can afford and live like a celebrity for a week or two.
Even if you don't like shopping the Malls of Dubai are an experience worth seeing, The Souk Madinat mall has a waterway and you travel from store to store by boat, Mall of the Emirates has an indoor ski slope for those who prefer winter sports and the Mall of Arabia is the largest shopping mall in the world.
You can soak up the rays on the golden sandy beaches or you can go on a search for some local culture there is plenty of both to be found.
Hong Kong
1 Hong Kong, China
East meets west, until 1997 Hong Kong was a British territory leased to them by the Chinese 1898 under the Nanking Treaty.
Although largely westernised there is a massive Chinese influence in the city, where high rise buildings meet chinese temples and live in harmony with each other.
Take tram up to the top of Victoria peak and view the city in all of its glory, then spend some time visiting the ornate chinese temples that are dotted all around, go shopping at the many street markets or in the centre of town where you will recognise most of the high street names.
If all of that fails to please you why not take a trip to something that you already know, Hong Kong Disney Land, even the Chinese have their favorite cartoon characters too.
Thanks for the hub. Been to Scottland Edinburgh castle it is a must see for sure. Supprise Paris is not on your list. Hong Kong is on my list to go in the future so thank for the quick instroduction.
Useful hub Jimmy. I saw a programme last week about the rise of Croatia in the holiday destinations this year, looks gorgeous and has everything but I like guaranteed sunshine so a bit closer to home for me - Spain!
Nice presentation, must see places! I would first visit Scotland and Thailand if I had the chance!
Thanks for the hub. Vote up and shared.
Thanks for publishing this great travel article. I've already been to four of the destinations you've discussed...Scotland (#7), Las Vegas (#4), London (#3), and Hong Kong (#1).
I'm glad you mentioned Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. The view is terrific!
I've been to Varna, Bulgaria way back 2002. It was the whole month of May that we, seafarers, spent our European summer at this cool city during the drydock operations of the container ship where I was the assistant cook. People are friendly and we easily mingled with the families in one the villages near the drydock area.
Can you include Boracay, Philippines on your second set of list? There are many possibilities you can explore.
How about 1,000 islands between US and Canada? It's cool to be there during summer. I've been there way back 2009.
Anyways, great suggestions. Only logistics hinder my desire to travel a lot. :)
I think you forgot to include Cape Town in your list. Lol, I'm just being biased. But, it is a great city. If I had to choose among those you mentioned, I'd have to pick Scotland. Would love to see the castles! Thanks for sharing this!


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The Mini Seat & O-Bar set is used with a Mini Micro scooter that enables children as young as 1 to feel the fun of scooting while helping them to develop and even learn to walk.
The Mini Seat & O-Bar set is for attaching to any Mini Micro and can be used in 3 stages :-
1) the first with the seat in a low position as a ride on;
2) as your child grows, the seat can be moved to a higher position;
3) finally, remove the seat altogether for scooting with the shorter O-bar handle.
You'll be amazed how young they can scoot! The O-Bar can be easily swap out for the standard T-bar so that the scooter can be used as a regular Mini Micro for many more years.
The Mini Seat & O-Bar set has won the "Best Toy Award" at the Nuremburg Toy Fair in Germany in 2012.
Suitable for ages 1-2.
We recommend that protective gear such as helmets, elbow and knee pads be worn when using the Mini Micro. Be sure to read the enclosed safety guidelines with your Micro Scooter before you begin scooting.


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Want a better return on your rental investments?
Landlords need to understand how to tactfully and effectively raise rents, without losing their tenants. Turnovers can be costlier than a Kardashian's wardrobe, so if you want to maximize ROI you need to minimize turnovers while keeping rents on the rise.
But no one wants to hear that their rent is going up. So how can you deliver this bad news without alienating your best tenants?
1. Raise the rent every year, even if only slightly.
Every year, like clockwork, you should raise the rent. Even if it's only by $15-20.
Why? Isn't that just spiteful with no real income bump?
No, it actually has nothing to do with the money. The point is to set expectations – you are reinforcing the notion that the rent goes up every year, no exceptions. Don't worry, none of your renters will go through the hassle of moving over $15/month.
Maybe neighborhood demand is stable this year, so you're only raising the rent to keep pace with inflation. Or maybe demand in the area has skyrocketed, and you need to boost the rent significantly to keep pace with the market. Regardless, you're sending a message: grass is green, the sky is blue, and rent goes up every year.
2. Never raise the rent more than 10%.
No matter how much your tenants like the rental unit and get along with you, they will balk if you raise the rent by more than 10%.
Most people's budgets can't handle their rent going up by $400/month. If your rent is dramatically below market value, don't just hit your tenants with a massive rent hike all at once. Raise it gradually, in manageable increments over the course of several years.
This is yet another reason to raise the rent every year: don't put yourself and your renters in a situation where the rent is so far below market pricing it requires a huge hike.
3. Pave the way with good relations.
Long before you ever need to raise the rent, you'll be signing the initial lease agreement with the tenants and probably contacting them by phone a few times over the course of the first year. You'll already know their children's names from the rental application, and you've probably met their children at least once.
A simple way to warm parents to you is to ask about their children by name. You don't need to actually remember their names; just pull out the rental application before you call them and ask how Little Bobby is doing. If they moved from another school district, you can always ask how the kids are doing in the new school.
If the tenants don't have kids, you can always ask about their job, or a quirky hobby of theirs.
Keep a few notes each time you talk to your tenants, so you can reference them the next time you call them. It will take you thirty seconds to keep and reference these notes, but even this basic level of human contact will warm your relationship with them from "This landlord just wants a rent check" to "She's a nice woman."
(article continues below)
Free Mini-Course: Passive Income from Small Multifamily Properties
4. Deliver the news by phone, but still send a written notice.
By law, you need to send written notice of rent increases, usually 30-60 days in advance. In some states, it's as high as 90 days' written notice.
By the laws of common courtesy, you should deliver bad news gently, by phone. No one likes to open a piece of mail that says "Surprise! You owe me an extra $150/month starting next month."
Be warm, polite, firm and add the slightest hint of remorse (don't overdo this last). Explain that you know it's bad news, but rent for the new lease period will be higher than the last. If they ask why, simply tell them the rent rises every year alongside neighborhood rents and inflation.
Tell them that you would like to keep them as tenants, and that you hope they continue to rent with you. You're now positioned to offer them an alternative.
5. Offer a reduced rent hike, if they sign a long-term lease renewal.
"Pay more" or "leave" don't have to be the only two options. What if you could offer a third option that allays their worries and keeps your rental unit occupied for years to come?
One option you can give them is to sign a multi-year lease agreement, and have the rent only rise by $X instead of $Y.
Or you don't have to offer any discount on the rent hike this year, but you can offer to let them avoid next year's rent hike by locking in this rent for two years (or even three!).
Long-term tenants are where landlords make high returns. Turnovers are expensive, between lost rent, new paint, new carpets, advertising, screening tenants, and possibly paying a leasing agent or property manager.
6. Ask tenants about desired upgrades, and consider them.
Talking to tenants about upgrades is a little tricky, because you don't want the tenant to tie the idea of upgrades to the idea of rent hikes. Over the course of the year, ask the tenant what property upgrades would make the most difference to them, if they could wave a magic wand. If you manage a large building, consider a formal survey; if it's just a few tenants, ask around verbally.
Consider which desired upgrades would have the biggest impact on your long-term asking rents. If you could spend $1,500 and be able to charge another $75 in rent, then in under two years that upgrade will have paid for itself. Property upgrades also incentivize tenants to renew their lease and stay long-term.
If possible, make the upgrades after raising the rent, instead of just before. You can offer it as an inducement to renew long-term: "By the way, I took to heart your suggestion of installing new countertops. I've put down a deposit and the workers will be coming next month."
It's a delicate dance, raising the rent. It takes tact, professionalism, friendliness and firmness, but if handled right, your tenants will all renew their lease agreements. Higher rents and longer-term lease contracts? A recipe for higher ROI.♦
Have any tips for raising the rent? Any bad experiences? Tenants ever chase you out with a pitchfork? We love stories… share in the Comments section below!


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Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
Actors: Susan Berman, Richard Hell, Brad Rijn, Nada Despotovich, Roger Jett
Genres: Indie & Art House, Drama
R 2004 1hr 29min
From SUSAN SEIDELMAN Director of DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN and SEX AND THE CITY Filmmaker Susan Seidelman rocked the movie industry with this daring and quirky story of Wren (Susan Berman), a self-promoting Jersey girl d... more »
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Pain, longing, romance and dirt: Ah! exquisite nostalgia!
Lisa M. Guest | Allentown, PA USA | 02/12/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Besides capturing the gritty reality of New York City and eighties punk nihilism (unlike Times Square, which makes NYC seem like the innocuous Disneyland it now sadly is), Smithereens captures both the intimacy and estrangement of the punk experience to the jangling beat of such notables as the Feelies, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and Television. Susan Berman delivers a stellar performance as a vulnerable, [angry], terminal misfit/victim/enfant terrible ambiguously coveting celebrity status and the affections of Richard Hell, who also shines as a punk icon and sexy-but-worthless cad. Fun, edgy and disturbing, with a harrowing conclusion and a heartfelt sympathy for its desperate characters. Includes Kitty, my fave cameo, as a sultry, manic-depressive downtown Bardot. If you weren't there, this film will make you feel like you were."
Punky sleeper
D. Hartley | Seattle, WA USA | 11/19/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Long before "Party Monster" or "Slaves Of New York" explored the underbelly of the NYC downtown arts scene, there was "Smithereens". A young woman hustles her way through the early 80's NYC punk scene in an attempt to grab her "15 minutes" any way she can. Basically a more nihilist, East Coast version of the standard "Bumpkin Getting Off The Bus In Hollywood With Stars In Her Eyes" tale. This gritty little independent feature was the debut for then unknown director Susan Seidelman, who is perhaps best known these days for her involvement with "Sex In The City". Good performances from the mostly unknown cast. Music fans are sure to recognize Richard Hell (of the Voidoids, who penned the memorable punk anthem "Blank Generation") playing an arrogant,self-absorbed musician (wow what a stretch!) "Sex In The City" fans will get a hoot spotting the future 'Mr. Big', Chris Noth, in a (very) small part as a transvestite. "Smithereens" was undoubtedly a blueprint for Seidelman's next film, the much more slickly produced "Desperately Seeking Susan", which I would go so far as to call "Smithereens" with a higher budget! I am hoping that the release of this little "skinny tie era" gem means we will see "Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains" and "Starstruck" available on DVD sometime before they put us in the home?!"
Low Budget Masterpiece
thomas angelo zunich | long beach, ca USA | 10/18/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This film is a classic! It has a raw street like feel to it, and a sense of urgency and desperation that runs rampant throughout the film. Susan Berman plays a pathetic groupie-type set out to become famous. She will step on anyone's toes and stab anyone's back and burn all her bridges along the way in order to achieve this goal. She meets a boy along the way willing to help her and love her and shelter her even though he hasn't got a pot to pee in himself. But she is hell bent on getting her way and in turn becomes a mean, self absorbed street weasel. She pushes away the people who love her most and ends up walking down that dreadful path of self destruction. Amazing to watch the transformation nonetheless, all set to early-eighties street rhythms and a pinch of the punk scene thrown in for good measure."
So Much to Offer - So Little to Give
khense | Los Angeles, CA | 05/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can watch this film over & over. It is about the heart at the end of the rainbow - the million miles between what we want and what we get. Wren(Susan Berman)shows us the difference between charming and nice - so much to offer - so little to give. When a nice-guy-boy-next-door who really loves her invites Wren to Maine, she says, "I don't even LIKE trees." Powerful music in the film glues these smithereens of people's existence together. Wren reminds me of another great own worst enemy: Jane Fonda's Gloria in "They Shoot Horses - Don't They.""


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Jess Scrimgeour releases a bat
Image: Ben Goldfarb ©
It's just as well Jess Scrimgeour is based in Taupo. It puts her at the heart of her work from the northern Waikato and as far south as the Tararua Ranges working on a wide variety of species from whio to kiwi and giant Powelliphanta snails.
"I've even been working on a few new and interesting projects with black-billed gulls and Mahoenui giant weta recently but bats are especially close to my heart".
Jess works 'hands-on' with short-tailed bats at several sites in the North Island (Pureora, Southern Ruapehu and Tararua Ranges). She monitors the bats to ensure they are still doing well in the presence of predator control.
One of only two species of bat left in New Zealand, short-tailed bats are found nowhere else in the world. Short tailed bats forage on the ground, making them even more vulnerable to predators. They are communal roosting bats, restricted to old-growth forest with hollow trees for roosting.
Counting and tagging bats
Jess picks up the story. "We catch bats in mist-nets, attach transmitters and follow them to roosts. Then, we count the rate at which they come and go from the roost. A few years ago we counted about 6,000 bats emerging from one roost tree in Southern Ruapehu. They were flying out at such a rate, that even when we slowed the video footage down, it was difficult to count them!"
"Counting bats gives us more information on the use of historical versus unknown roosts and bat movements within the forest. Just as important, it gives us a population trend over the long-term in the presence of stoat control."
At Pureora Jess and the team tag the bats at the roost to monitor survival of adults and juveniles where ground-based toxins are used to reduce predator numbers. This also helps us understand the movement patterns of the bats between monitored roosts, including the timing of formation of large, communal roosts.
Bat close-up
Image: Tertia Thurley | DOC
Bats are caught in mist nets as they leave their roost
Image: Korty Wilson ©
Bats are vulnerable
Bats are not in the spotlight like kiwi, kokako or whio. We have to look at the whole ecosystem. Bats, like much of the native wildlife, are vulnerable to rats, stoats, possums and cats.
By controlling these pests, the bugs, birds and plants get a chance to recover. If there is pest control to protect the better known species, bats will benefit from that control too.
The communal roosting habit makes them extraordinarily vulnerable to predation if a stoat finds the roost.
Jess Scrimgeour weighs a bat
Image: Ben Goldfarb ©
Releasing a bat at night
Image: DOC


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I have made the claim several times in this blog that there is a crisis in publishing book reviews in New World archaeology. I devoted a post to this in 2008. (for more posts on the topic, check the index at the right under "book reviews"). Here I limit the scope to Latin American archaeology, where there are two major journals in English: Latin American Antiquity and Ancient Mesoamerica. Frustrated by the presence of only 5 book reviews in the last 2 issues of Latin American Antiquity combined, I tallied the number of reviews per year for the journal, starting in 2007. Here are the data:
Now, here are the counts for book reviews in the other major journal in Latin American archaeology, Ancient Mesoamerica:
Oops, I forgot, AM does not publish book reviews.
Book reviews are important for social science and humanities disciplines for a number of reasons:
(1) They publicize new books and let readers know what they are about.
(2) The positive and negative evaluations in book reviews are a crucial part of quality control.
(3) Book reviews can provide insight into the current status of the discipline, not only through their themes and topics, but by the contextualization provided in a good review. (What do I mean by a good review? Click here)
I hope the book review situation is better for areas outside of Latin American archaeology, but I don't have any data. In my mind, the shortage of book reviews in Latin American archaeology constitutes a crisis in scholarly publishing, and it is harmful to the advancement of the discipline.


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|Happy Halloween, fellow Sigmians!!
We had an exciting spirit week here at Thomas Middle School!
Here we are on Team Tuesday!
Give me a "J" for jersey!
|Wacky Wednesday, the wackiest day of the year!
|Orange is orange; Sigma is Sigma. It's team color day!
|It's Fancy Friday. We are never this dressed up!
In literature we read a science fiction story called "All Summer in a Day" about summer on Venus. We chose three quotes and drew a picture of the setting to represent the mood of the story. Here are three of our best examples:
|By Hannah
|By Max
|By Gina
In science, we also did an experiment with chromatography and the different colors that make up a black marker. Here are Lauren and Elton with some colorful samples.
Last week we also discussed the differences between a solar and a lunar eclipse. Here Lucas and Nick explain what a solar exclipse is.


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With all the skyscrapers and modern structures in Makati City, it's hard to imagine that a church almost 400 years old lies hidden in this business capital of the Philippines. If you're from the north, passing through the Guadalupe bridge along take Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) towards Makati City, the first thing you'll notice are the huge billboards right before the San Carlos Seminary. Behind the seminary is the Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church (to be precise, it's located in 7440 Bernardino Street, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City; 896-8444, 895-9141; see map and directions).
According to the marker placed in 1937 by the Historical Research and Markers Committee (Church and Monastery of Guadalupe):
"The foundations of this church and monastery of the Augustinian Order were laid in 1601 and construction work was finished in 1629. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was chosen titular patroness in 1803. After the Chinese uprising of 1839 this sanctuary served as a seat of devotion for the Chinese. The buildings withstood the earthquakes of 1645, 1658, 1754 and 1863. The masonry roof of the church collapsed in the earthquakes of 1880 and the structure was rebuilt in 1882 by Rev. Jose Corujedo, O.S.A. Site of an orphan asylum and trade school administered by the Augustinian Order for the benefit of the children of the victims of the cholera of 1882. Both church and monastery were gutted by fire in February 1898, during the early skirmishes between Americans and Filipinos."
Very historic, I must say. Now, if only I could add something to that marker, I'd add that this is the church where I got married the first time (which is also the last time, of course).
The history and architecture of the church add to the solemnity of the wedding. The church is not huge like the Manila Cathedral, but that makes it perfect for intimate weddings, limited only for family and very close friends.
But you don't have to get married just to visit this church, which I suggest you should do. (See map and directions.)
22 thoughts on "Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church (Makati City)"
Anyone who needs an event coordinator/planner you can contact me at 09228050107 or email me email@example.com…. tnx
hi,can u send me requirement of wedding in this church. I am a Catholic and my husband is a Christian.We already married in abroad but we decided to be married in church.We are planning to get married in last of October or 1st week of November this year 2012.thanks for help
ask ko lang po sana mga rate for wedding packages.. all in flowers,carpet and etc..


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Last night the American Freedom Alliance held their 9th Annual Heroes of Conscience Dinner at the beautiful Riviera Country Club. It was a wonderfully successful evening, as evidenced by the club having to blink the lights an hour after the end of the event to get us to leave.
During cocktails I was so happy to learn of "The Enemies Within" author, Trevor Loudon's recent marriage and meet his delightful new wife, Victoria. She is as witty and clever as Trevor.
The event began with Cantor Rachel Goldman beautifully singing the national anthem. AFA President, Avi Davis spoke about coming to America from Australia thirty years ago. He used the analogy of the various ingredients in a Jelly Bean coming from multiple countries to join to make a delicious treat, to demonstrate how exceptional America truly is. He then introduced, The Sage of South Central, Larry Elder, as master of ceremonies. Larry received a standing ovation even before Avi could finish his introduction. After the dinner, I asked Larry why he wasn't running for the Senate seat Barbara Boxer is leaving. He said his last experience with the RNC (they endorsed Carly Fiorina after telling him he'd be a great candidate) soured him on the idea. I asked him to reconsider.
Jesse Lee Peterson, last year's Heroes of Conscience honoree, gave the invocation. This was followed by a video about American Freedom Alliance. AFA Conference participants such as President Klaus of the Czech Republic, Geert Wilders of the Netherlands, Ambassador Bolton, among others, spoke about the importance of the work American Freedom Alliance is doing.
A video tribute to Honorees James and Marta Enstrom was shown. Jim had been a highly respected researcher and instructor at UCLA for more than thirty years. When he uncovered a fraudulent study used to ban diesel engines from California, rather than being praised by UCLA for exposing the fraud, they fired him. Undaunted, Jim waged a seven year battle for wrongful dismissal and was vindicated this year.
Marta, immigrating from Cuba, was educated here. Earning numerous degrees she became a judge. Marta stood by Jim in his battle to restore his work and reputation.
Next, a video tribute to Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer showed clips from their documentaries, "Mine Your Own Business", "Not Evil, Just Wrong" and "Fracknation". It also covered Phelim's verbatim play, "Ferguson" that used the actual testimony from the Grand Jury. The play caused a great deal of controversy when most of the actors quit because it vindicated Officer Wilson. The video also covered Ann and Phelim's current project, a feature film, "Gosnell" about Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who ran an abortion clinic that aborted hundreds, if not thousands, of full term babies. Ann and Phelim are fearless in confronting the lies used to cover the evil that is harming this great country.
Both couples honored this night received numerous, well deserved, standing ovations.
The speaker for the evening was George Gilder, an economic thought leader, technology pundit and best selling author of, "The Israel Test", and "Knowledge and Power". He spoke about California's man-made draught. He pointed out that Israel has a similar climate and that although their population has grown faster than expected, they have no such problem. He spoke about unleashing the free market and reminded us that Capitalism is the most successful system in the world.
Avi Davis thanked the Riviera Country Club and it's staff, Larry Elder and the AFA staff. He thanked everyone for coming and lending their support and ended with, "May God Bless you and may God Bless America".
Cantor Rachel Goldman then inspired us her beautiful interpretation of "God Bless America".
When the event concluded, the guests were anxious to speak to James and Marta, Ann and Phelim, Larry and George as well as some of the many notable guests in the audience.


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Regretfully Just Add Sharks Ltd has closed at the end of September 2017. Over the last year Just Add Sharks Ltd has faced challenges with the vanillabox crowdfunded Open Source laser cutter project and with leads times from their suppliers. Demand for low cost laser cutters has outstriped the supply. Lack of timely supply causes delays and disappointments to customers. This is further exasperated by the drop and fluctuating value of pounds sterling. Just Add Sharks Ltd will honour all customers manufacturers warranties.
Customers should continue to email their requests for technical support, software support, spare parts and warranty enquiries to email@example.com or using the contact form below.
The Whitetooth A1 Laser Cutter increases cutting area and power making it capable of cutting through 12mm thick materials. The large cutting area and powerful 80W laser mean that the Whitetooth A1 A1 Laser Cutter is a highly capable machine suitable for any small industrial unit, large workshop, school, R&D facility or university.
This product includes a CW5200 chiller for tube cooling.
This machine uses a 80W laser tube, replacements are available for £500
This machine comes with an extractor fan for venting externally, we are also able to supply BOFA filtration unit at cost, should they be required. BOFA recommends the AD 500 IQ for use with this laser cutter.Purchase Enquiry
|Laser power:
|Maximum cutting area:
|900 x 600mm
|Body dimensions:
|1,420mm x 1,100mm x 1,070mm
|± 0.05mm
|Power source:
|AC 110 – 220V ± 10%, 50 – 60Hz
|Total power:
|Operating temperature:
|5 – 95%


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4 Easy Entrepreneur Ex-Con Business Ideas
The number one issue for newly released inmates is surviving financially. It's extremely difficult to find a job and/or housing with a criminal record because of employer discrimination. While there are multiple organizations that help inmates re-enter society and find jobs and housing, sometimes starting your own business is the quickest way to make a … Read more4 Easy Entrepreneur Ex-Con Business Ideas


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A few quick tips if you find yourself having to access a network drive from Apache and Tomcat on a Windows Server. This is all pretty much old hat but since I still get questions about this fairly regularly and was just setting up some things on some servers this weekend, I figured I'd write this up.
In my situation we're running an application on three VMs behind a load balancer, and users can upload files from the application. Since I didn't want to set up a process behind the scenes that copied uploaded files between all three servers (though it would have given me a chance to take another run at using Unison), we have an uploads directory living on a SAN. This way no matter which VM the user is on, the uploads all go to and are served from a single file system.
On Windows Server, by default services run under the Local System Account, which doesn't have access to network resources. So if you install Apache and Tomcat as services and expect to be able to point them to a UNC path for some of your content, that won't work out of the box. You need to be running Apache and Tomcat under an account that has network access. In most environments in which I've worked this type of account is typically called a "service account," because you'll end up getting a domain account just like your typical Active Directory user account, but of course it won't be associated with a human being.
Once you have that account in place, you go into your services panel, right click on the service, click on "Properties," and then click the "Log On" tab. You'll see by default the Local System Account radio button will be checked. Click the radio button next to "This Account," enter your service account information, click "OK," and then restart the service. At this point your service will be running under the service account and will have access to network resources. Note that you'll have to do this for each service that needs access to the network drive, which in my case meant doing this for both Apache and Tomcat.
That takes care of the web server and things at the Tomcat level in terms of basic access, but you'll likely be configuring an alias of some sort to point to the network drive. In my case I wanted /uploads to point to \serversharenameuploads, which meant setting up an alias in Apache, a Context in Tomcat, and a mapping in OpenBD. This is where a lot of people get confused, so I'll go through each of these settings one by one.
The necessity for a web server alias is probably pretty obvious. If you're serving an image directly from your web server, e.g. http://server/uploads/image.gif, if /uploads doesn't exist under your virtual host's docroot, then Apache will throw a 404.
Allowing Apache to access the network drive involves (depending on how you have Apache configured) using a Directory directive to give Apache permission to access the directory, and then an Alias directive so Apache knows where to go when someone requests something under /uploads. So the following goes in your virtual host configuration file:
<Directory "\serversharenameuploads">
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
Alias /uploads "\serversharenameuploads"
You may have other stuff in your Directory directive as well but that's the basics of what will allow Apache to see /uploads as the appropriate location on your SAN.
The next layer down will be your CFML engine. Remember that if in your CFML code you want to read or write files to /uploads, even though Apache knows what that is now, your CFML engine will not. I'm emphasizing that point because it's such a common source of confusion for people. If things are happening in your CFML code, it won't be interacting with Apache at all, so it won't know about the Alias you set up in Apache. Simple enough to solve with a mapping; just go into your CFML engine's admin console and create a mapping that points /uploads to \serversharenameuploads and that handles things at the CFML level.
Lastly comes Tomcat. Depending on how you're serving files, you may be proxying from Apache to Tomcat, so if Tomcat needs to know where /uploads lives, since it's not in the webapp's base directory Tomcat will throw a 404 unless you tell it where /uploads is located.
Tomcat doesn't have Aliases in the same way Apache does, but what you can do in Tomcat is configure multiple Contexts under a single host. So in Tomcat's server.xml (or in a separate host config file if you prefer), you simply add a Context that points /uploads to the network location:
<Host name="myapp">
<Context path="" docBase="C:/location/of/my/app" />
<Context path="/uploads" docBase="\serversharenameuploads" />
So now you have things set up in such a way that Apache, your CFML engine, and Tomcat all know where /uploads really lives.
Another point of confusion for people on Windows is the concept of "mapped drive" letters. A lot of people think that if you map \serversharename to a drive letter of let's say D:, than in your code you can then access the uploads directory we've been using as our example via D:uploads.
The simplest way to explain why this doesn't work is to point out that mapped drive letters are associated with a Windows user account. They don't exist at the operating system level. While you may remote into the server using your credentials, map to a network location, and assign that to drive letter D:, another user logging in won't see that mapping, and services running on the server under various user accounts definitely won't know anything about mapped drives.
This is why in all the examples above you see the full UNC path to the network resource being used. You have to use the UNC path in order to get this all to work correctly because that's the only way services running under a service account will be able to address the network resource.
Hope this helps eliminate some of the persistent confusion I see around this issue.


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29 Center StreetRutland, VT 05701ph: 802-775-2573fax: 802-773-3876alt: email@example.com
Located in Historic Downtown Rutland, Vermont, we specialize in floral arrangements for weddings, events, and special occasions of all kinds. We provide flowers for the historic Paramount Theatre and for weddings in the resort areas of Killington, Chittenden, Okemo/Ludlow, and Plymouth.
Bonnie Hawley and Heidi Hanson have spent many years creating beautiful weddings for the spectacular Vermont weddings in this beautiful state. With many local growers and such natural beauty to work with, Bonnie and Heidi can create that memorable day just for you!
The natural country feel of bright, colorful flowers suit the bride who wants the "Vermont" wedding.
Copyright 2010 Hawleys Florist Weddings. All rights reserved.
Web Hosting by Yahoo!


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At Grenon's of Newport each special piece of jewelry is custom made around your diamond or gemstone of choice. This insures that your design is of the highest quality and craftsmanship and will continue to be cherished for many years to come. We welcome you to stop by if you are in the area and browse our beautiful jewelry cases for inspiration for your future custom design.
We pride ourselves on having the latest jewelry technology for creating your next piece of heirloom jewelry. Whether you would like to incorporate diamonds or gemstones that you currently have in another piece of jewelry, or you would like us to start from scratch and hand pick your new gemstones or diamonds, we have the expertise to make this happen.
Custom Jewelry Design:
3D CAD DESIGN: We specialize in 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) which allows us to build your design in a virtual world before it is custom made in platinum, white gold, yellow or rose gold. This has enabled us to reach our international customers with ease allowing them to view their creation before it arrives at their doorstep.
HAND ENGRAVING: We also have the ability to custom make hand engraved filigree rings which are built around your favorite diamond or gemstone. This is a meticulous process which can take weeks, but the detail of the finished product is unforgettable. With such talented hand engravers we also do many pieces which incorporate family crests or company logos. From cufflinks, to signet rings that can be used as a family seal, pendants, and much more!
WAX CARVING/HAND MADE CUSTOM: We also use the art of wax carving if that is the route to take depending on the goal of your design. Or we also hand make your new piece of jewelry forming it from platinum or gold, whichever you prefer.
Jewelry is a very special item and you should know exactly where your ring is made and feel confident knowing that it is proudly made in the USA! If you have any other questions please let us know and we will be happy to help!
Please call us 401-846-0598 or email email@example.com to schedule a consultation with our jewelry experts. Or visit us and we can quickly show you how we can change and update designs right before your eyes. If you already have stones that you would like to incorporate in your new design bring those with you and we can use these sentimental stones in your new design. Your only limit is your imagination!


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Towards a New Internationalism
This book should have chimed loudly with the world view of the New Internationalist and its readership. The author, the son of Chinese refugees, has built a glittering career in international relations and academia. His book is a re-examination of world politics which explicitly rejects a Western-centric mindset and sets out to rebut reactionary thinkers such as Francis Fukuyama and Samuel Huntington. Chan's central premise is that traditional philosophical thinking on world events and trends is an inadequate tool when it comes to understanding an increasingly complex and fractured planet.
In what is described as 'a magical realist book on world politics' the author pulls in strands of Western and Eastern philosophical and religious thinking in an attempt to synthesize a unified theory to comprehend the diversity of human cultural and social development. To expound his thesis, Chan draws upon a dizzying range of sources, from Classical Greek philosophy to Zen Buddhism, online gaming to the Persian epic The Shahnameh. Chan deserves praise for his ambition; to set oneself such a daunting task is admirable. Even an honourable failure entirely to fuse such disparate material into a cohesive whole would be worthwhile.
Unfortunately, The End of Certainty is a poorly written, windy exercise in which name-dropping of 'public intellectuals' jostles with uncritical repetition of mystical religiosity. No coherent case is made and we certainly do not end with any clearer notion of a 'new internationalism'. This book, which promises much and delivers next to nothing, is a huge missed opportunity. Chan has correctly identified a problem and signally failed to offer a solution.
This article is from
the July-August 2010 issue
of New Internationalist.
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Using my maxi dress and knit tops from kings that so insanely comfortable. You can mix this tops with pants or dress, or whatever you like cuz it'll absolutely perfect. It'll give you feminine look or casual or even boyish depends of what clothes u would paired with. I choose maxi dress cuz this clothes was hanging on my closet quite long and I miss wearing it.
Oh and btw, out of topic, these question keep whistling on my mind after observing so much fashion blogger. Do U think that brand-famous clothes are so important to you? cuz honestly, what makes them so important if you can find anything more cool, cute, or maybe similar but in an affordable price? Give me your thoughts.