Travel and Leisure

**What is the World of Warcraft?**

World of Warcraft is the single most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) on the Internet today. It all started on September 2, 2001, when software giant Blizzard Entertainment released World of Warcraft. It was one of the first role-playing video games to allow players to connect to the Internet to join an entire virtual world of gameplay with other gamers. The concept took the world of gaming by storm, and by 2008 the World of Warcraft now holds the lion's share of the MMOG market with 10 million subscribers.

**The World of Pets on Warcraft**

The World of Warcraft has become such a realistic virtual world for many people that they've started searching for virtual luxuries for their online character to enjoy. Now pet lovers who play WoW are able to choose from an entire world of pets to select their own unique animal.

While you can have a small pet and a "combat" pet. Small pets are only there for companionship for your character. These are luxury items that people enjoy having, but really serve no real purpose. On the other hand, you can also have combat pets which serve a very useful purpose depending on the animal that you choose. And if your character is a hunter you have the potential to choose a non-combat pet that may compliment your combat pet.

**Categories of World of Warcraft Pets**

In this virtual world of pets, there are more than enough choices to select the animal that suits your needs. If you are selecting a combat pet, you'll want to choose very carefully because the pet's abilities will serve you well if you are very selective. There are various families of pets with particular abilities. These are mostly considered "hunter pets" which fight, level up, and have special skills alongside the hunter.

- Ferocity Pets: These pets cause damage more quickly. This category has several families, including the carrion bird, hyena, tall strider, cat, raptor, and wolf.

- Tenacity Pets: These animals will strike harder and with more protection, but a little more slowly than the ferocity pets. These are considered the "defensive" pets. These families include the bear, boar, crab, crocolisk, gorilla, scorpid, turtle, and the warpstalker.

- Cunning Pets: These animals are considered more "balanced", with the same hitpoints and a little less armor than ferocity pets, but with a little more speed than tenacity pets. The families in this category include the bat, dragon hawk, ravager, spider, wind serpent, bird of prey, nether ray, serpent, or the sporebat.

**Collecting Pets**

While many people spend hours on WoW completing quests, gaining experience, and leveling, another segment of the player population is there for the social experience. There are so many people playing WoW that it's near impossible not to strike up a conversation with fellow players, or to meet new people you come across during your travels.

One of the important things people like to do when they taking part in such social environments is to make a unique impression on other people they meet. Nothing makes quite an impression as a large pet collection. You can typically only have one pet out at a time, however they can switch, or "summon" whichever pet they like.

Some of the creatures or truly a work of art on the part of the game creators, and other animals are perfect attack animals that aid a hunter in all aspects of their quests. With the introduction of leisure pets and hunter pets, the World of Warcraft creators introduce a whole new aspect to the gaming experience, a unique connection between person and animal, between the avatar and the beast.

**Top World of Warcraft Pets**

In a place where there is a world of pets to choose from, it's important that new players can recognize which pets are actually useful. According to some of the top WoW players, the following are the top best hunter pets of Warcraft.

1. The Cat: By far the most popular Hunter pets on WoW are cats. Preferable qualities of the cat include its multitude of skills and variety.

2. Ravager: The Ravager is preferred by many players because they achieve very high damage and have good armor in a fight. Some skills Ravagers can learn can give them a 50% chance to achieve double damage.

3. The Bat: While it is an unlikely choice for one of the top pets, Bats are actually very popular among players because they have good health and armor, and can achieve high damage in a fight. Secondly, many players love the look of a vicious bat on the attack.

4. The Owl: On WoW, just as in real life, Owls can achieve high damage against foes, and they also have good health and armor. Targeting can be somewhat difficult with owls, however they have so many skills that hunters love to use them often.

5. Spider: An unlikely pet, spiders are actually one of the more popular pets the World of Warcraft. They achieve a very high damage rating, and also have one of the highest net bonus totals of the entire world of pets on Warcraft.

6. Wind Serpent: This bird is essentially a snake with wings. It has high damage and average health and armor. This serpent has the unique skill of lightning breath and offers the highest damage of any pets against unshielded enemies.

7. Gorilla: Who would want to fight alongside a gorilla? While they can be difficult to feed, have a low health bonus and average health, the gorilla is not always a very common pick among WoW players.

8. Crocolisk: This creature is a strange green lizard with yellow fangs and six short legs. They have no unique skills and have very low health. They do offer high armor however.

9. Wolf: While most people would consider the wolf to be one of the most vicious fighters in combat, in this world of pets, the wolf actually achieves only average damage and has average health. The also have very few skills.

10 Nether Ray: Probably one of the strangest pets on Wow, this pet has stingray body with feathers and brightly colored stripes along the body. They do achieve large health bonus and small damage bonus, they have very low armor. They look cool, but they aren't good for much else.

Would you like to plan a holiday around your love of wine? But wait, you really want to be on the water as well? No problem. All over the world, wine enthusiasts are cottoning on to the idea of indulging in their wine tasting hobby whilst cruising the world's most spectacular canals on barge holidays. France is an idyllic location for one of these wine inspired holidays, with many opportunities to visit world-renowned vineyards and partake in wine tastings.

Wine Inspired Cruises

In order to have a well-rounded experience, specialised wine cruises should include a professional wine guide and wine itinerary. The vessels can be booked by groups looking to charter the entire barge or simply by the cabin.

The 300-year-old sun-drenched Canal du Midi is the perfect backdrop for a wine holiday. Two of the best vessels used to cruise the historic canal include the Anjodi and the Enchanté, used frequently for these kinds of barge holidays. France is known worldwide for its delectable wines, and operators of these cruises ensure that the vessel and the service live up to even the toughest expectations.

Anjodi

The Anjodi was specifically designed to navigate the waters of the Canal du Midi and was constructed following a classic Dutch design. The stunning vessel has been completely re-furbished and can fit up to eight passengers comfortably.

Whilst aboard the Anjodi, typical cruises include travelling to the Château Gasparets, where you will have the privilege of enjoying a private tasting of Corbières and Minervois wine. From there, you will also see the magnificent Pyrenees mountains across the vineyards and a guide will speak to you about Cathar history.

Other highlights of your cruise on the Anjodi will include touring Carcassone (the most complete medieval fortified city in existence), experiencing Lezignan's colourful market, and visiting Béziers cathedral. Seeing some of France's most spectacular sights is another wonderful aspect of barge holidays. France is certainly the best place for a wine inspired tour and your cruise will include a great deal of wine tastings, however stopping off to enjoy the country's breath-taking monuments and historical sites is an added bonus.

For the true aficionados, you will be impressed to know that aboard the vessel the inclusive wine cellar will be stocked with Domain de Guéry, Château de Nouvelles, La Clape and Château la Condamine Bertrand for your drinking pleasure.

Enchanté

The Enchanté is a double-decker hotel-barge that provides luxurious accommodation for up to eight guests. It has a welcoming contemporary interior, providing guests with a bright art deco atmosphere.

If you decide to take a cruise on the Enchanté along the Canal du Midi your itinerary will include travelling to the beautiful city of Corbières to visit the Minervois winery. Here, you will enjoy a winery tour and private tastings.

Enchanté's wine cellar includes an impressive variety of wines such as Domaine de Nalys, Châteauneuf du Pape, Château Haut Gléon, Corbières, Domaine Corsin, Pouilly Fuissé, Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre, Château Les Ollieux Romanis, Corbières, Domaine Alquier, Faugères, Château de Gourgazaud and Minervois La Livinière. If that's not enough to make your tastebuds tingle you don't know your wines!

When planning barge holidays, France is one of the top choices for wine enthusiasts. With vineyards spread throughout the country, picturesque canals and waterways, and fabulous historical sites at every turn, this country is a wine and water lovers paradise.

Get ready for your trip to Ukraine to adopt! Lots to plan and prepare to make your trip less stressful and your stay more comfortable:

• Go online and familiarize yourself with Ukrainian currency. The look of the different denominations and exchange rate. (Currently $1 USD is about 8 Ukrainian Hryvnia) Practice converting prices to dollars.

• Make a list of places you want to see in Kyiv while you are there. You want to make it memorable. This can be before you meet your child, or fun things you can do together. Kyiv has lots of cultural activities and things to do. Where your child's orphanage will determine where you will spend most of your time, but you will not know that until after your referral meeting!

• Your clothing needs will vary depending on when you travel to Ukraine. Make sure you break in all your footwear and plan to travel light. You will be traveling around the country!

• Start pricing flights to Ukraine and determine the best routes and time options for flying to and from Kyiv. Remember you will need to have an open ticket as you don't know your exact return date. Speak to agents of the airlines and discuss if it is best to buy a closed ticket and pay a change fee or buy and open date ticket. There can be a big difference in price. Remember you will have a child flying back with you so you will also need a one way ticket! If you are considering using frequent flyer points or miles, find out what you need to do so there are no surprises.

• Go over your travel budget with your adoption agency or adoption facilitator. Think about what type of accommodation you want: hotel or apartment for example, and what your budget will be. Will you eat out or prepare your meals? Depending where you will be staying in Ukraine, less options may be available.

• Bring 2 cameras you know how to use well. I suggest one for each spouse. You want to document everything. This is a once in a lifetime experience, just like the birth of a child. You will always look back on it and wish you took more photos of your adoption journey. Each spouse should have a camera so there are photos of both adoptive parents with your newly adopted child.

• Consider bringing a camera for your newly adopted child so she or he can take photos and capture the adoption experience through their eyes.

• Go over and over the adoption process, steps and timeline with your adoption agency or adoption facilitator. Traveling and adopting will be stressful and very emotional, the more you can understand and better prepared you are, the better.

• Check that your health insurance will cover medical emergencies if you are outside the US. Consider buying supplemental travel medical insurance. Book with an insurance company that offers policies on a per-trip basis. Premiums are generally nominal for coverage up to $50,000. Cost depends on the age of the traveler and length and cost of the trip. If you are an American Express cardholder, call them first.

• Work on your Russian for traveling!

As of June 1st, 2010 the landscape of the Medicare Supplement market changed significantly with the advent of Medicare Plan N (and M). At that time, the US Government required all companies who were marketing and selling Medicare Supplement plans to abide by the newly modernized and upgraded Medigap chart. Supplement Plans M and N were a part of this modernization process and promised to be better choices for both existing and new Medicare beneficiaries. Now the only question was, are these plans right for you?"

What Medicare Supplement Plan N Covers

Although it is similar to Medicare Plans D and F, Medicare Plan N utilizes a system for sharing costs in order to keep a person's premiums down. Unlike Plans D and F, it will cover all or a portion of the deductibles incurred in Medicare Parts A and B. A new co-pay structure was implemented in exchange for insurance premiums that could be up to 30% lower than what they were. Under Plan N, doctor visit co-pays are $20 and emergency room visit co-pays are $50.

In addition to the change in the co-pay structure, if a hospital admission is required because of the visit to the ER, the $50 co-pay will be waived. In addition to the above, Medicare supplement Plan N provides 100% coverage for deductibles under Part A but no coverage for Part B deductibles. The Medicare basic core benefits are not covered under Plan N including:

• all expenses after Medicare benefits run out for in-patient hospital care
• coverage for in-patient hospitalization charges under Part A
• emergency benefits when traveling internationally
• initial 3 pints of blood
• Part A co-insurance for palliative medication in hospice care
• Part B co-insurance expenses

It is estimated that the premiums incurred under Medicare Plan N will cost about 77% of Plan D and 70% of Plan F premiums. For individuals with budget concerns, Plan N will most likely be better than any of the Medicare Part C Advantage plans.

Additional Considerations

Many individuals claim that Medicare supplement Plan N was the better option for them because the out-of-pocket expenses are considerably lower and there are no restrictions where networks are concerned. Additionally, not every healthcare insurance provider offers Plan N so you will need to search for those companies who do offer it should you want this coverage. Be sure that you spend time researching to this before committing to any insurance provider.

"If you like it put a ring on it... " Beyonce certainly knew what she was singing about, seeing as how she now wears the most expensive engagement ring known to man. Getting engaged is one of the major events in a woman's life and it is no surprise that she looks forward to it very much like a soldier looks forward to crushing the enemy at battle, intensity-wise at least.

Engagement rings go back a long way, which means women have practically been lusting after diamond engagement rings for so long it's become part of our makeup. We all know the story of how Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to his lady love Mary of Burgundy with a ring set with flat pieces of diamond in the shape of an "M" in the 1800s but engagement rings actually go further back.

During the pre-historic era, a caveman got engaged when he tied cords made of braided grass around his chosen mate's wrists, ankles and waist to be able to control her spirit. While it may not be true that he hit her over the head with a club, bondage was certainly something they were big on those days.

Fast forward to circa 2800 BC at which time Egyptians wore engagement rings of solid gold and silver wires on the third finger of their left hand, believing it to contain a vein connected directly to the heart, known as the vena amoris. During the 1st Century BC, puzzle rings were invented and started circulating around Asia, quite popular with sultans and sheiks who used them to tag their multiple spouses. During the 2nd Century BC, men gave their wives two rings - a golden one to wear during the wedding ceremony and special events and an iron ring to wear at home to signify her binding agreement to his ownership of her.

While the engagement ring certainly seemed to be more of a symbol of binding commitment than a loving one in the beginning, it has certainly evolved to something better as time passed, particularly with the advent of the many engagement ring trends that often did away with what was traditional and instead, encouraged individuality in styles and designs. To be able to choose the ideal betrothal bauble for your beloved, you must first familiarize yourself with the different cuts and shapes as the little details on each one is what makes your ring a cut above the rest, no pun intended.

First off you have the marquise cut, which is oval, with pointed ends. Then there's the cushion cut, which is also known as the "antique cut" because of its vintage quality and one that is easily distinguished by its pillow shape. There's also the emerald cut with its rectangular corners and long, stair-like facets and its cousin the asscher cut and so square it looks almost octagonal.

Of course, let's not forget the most popular of them all, the princess cut which is a brilliant square stone and the second most popular, the round cut which has 58 facets, making it the most sparkling of the bunch. For the ultra-romantic at heart, there is the heart-shaped that is literally a diamond in the shape of a heart and last and certainly not the least, the pear cut, which has the added bonus of making your finger look long and slender when you wear it with the point facing away from your body.

The next thing to consider when choosing your diamond rings is the four Cs - cut, clarity, color and carat. Contrary to popular belief, a diamond's cut doesn't just refer to the shape of the stone, but to the diamond's reflective qualities. Ideally, the light that travels through the diamond should be reflected upwards to create the most brilliant sparkle. Deep-cut diamonds are not what you should choose if sparkle is what you want because these cuts don't allow the light to reach back and up to the top and reflect back to the eye which means it has the least sparkle.

Clarity on the other hand, refers to the blemishes (flaws on the stone) and inclusions (flaws within the stone). Each diamond is given a clarity grade by the GIA, from FL (Flawless) to Imperfect Included (I1, I2 and I3). While you can opt for flawless diamonds, they are incredibly rare and small inclusions can actually be a good thing because it helps identify your stone and makes it unique. Stones in the I range, however, should be avoided altogether.

Carat is of course, the diamond's weight and not its size. This is only a minor consideration as there are other more important attributes of the diamond that you should consider like color. Color is the actually the absence of tints in the diamonds, enabling more light to pass through the stone, making it sparkle more. It is important to remember that carat weight, along with a low color grade is not a direct reflection of cost. If you are shopping on a budget, you can opt to downgrade in quality especially if size is a concern. Buying a 95-point diamond will cost you less than buying a full carat but when the stone is set, you won't be able to tell the difference. The same goes for when you buy a large stone with a low color grade. It's all basically just a matter of personal preference.

And last but not the least, you will need to choose the perfect setting for your ring. Traditionally, many go for the classic solitaire, which is a single diamond set in plain mounting, usually with four or six prongs. Most women prefer this setting because it shows off the diamond prominently, without too much distractions. In addition, there is the bezel setting, where gemstones are surrounded by a thin metal band, the pave setting, which is where a central stone is surrounded by smaller gems set very close to each other and the prong setting which raises the stone to allow more light in.

Other newer settings include the cluster setting, where the central diamond is flanked by smaller ones, the gypsy setting where the stones are sunk into holes so they are flush with the ring's surface, the bar setting, where each stone is separated by metal bars and the shared prong, where the adjacent diamonds share prongs.

The most important things to remember when choosing your engagement rings is that one, you don't have to limit yourself to brick and mortar jewelry stores, you can opt to design your own ring and third, your major consideration should be what your lady love likes. The good news is that you can do all these online, which not only offers you the widest range of options to choose from, it also encourages your creativity the point that you will be able to create unique, engagement rings that not only promise to give you the best memories, but will also last a lifetime and more.

The whole point after all, is to give her something that will make her remember you and how much you love her and want to spend the rest of your life with her.

Weddings can take place indoors or outdoors, but the important thing is that the couple feels as though it is an expression of what they'd imagined and the experience that they want to share with their loved ones. The wedding venue that a couple selects is one of the most important places they will ever be together. That day will be emblazoned in their memories and photographs for the rest of their lives. They want and deserve for it to be exactly as they see it and long for it to be.

First, the church of the couple's faith usually makes the short list of places they would like to say I do. Regardless of whether someone has to convert or not or whether both are particularly religious, this is still an option for many couples. The beauty and sanctity of the space is indicative of the vows they are making and the covenant they enter on that special day.

Second, there are still those unconventional couples who still idolize the beach setting, the forest, the barn, and all of the taste-specific locations that allow them to be barefoot, in cowboy boots, or wading in a stream at sunrise or sunset with a small group of onlookers when they finally say I do. Third, there are the destination wedding venues that can be as simple as someone's home out of the country, a rented mansion, castle, museum, or beautiful library that has some significance to the couple.

Fourth, wedding venues will always include the coveted hotel with the grand rooms and outdoor patios made for nuptials. These spaces are so sought after that they are the subjects and settings of movies. And, in reality, they take place every week of the year all around the world. Most of the five and four star popular chains are booked within an inch of their spread sheets and annual calendars with receptions of one kind or another.

And lastly, there are also banquet halls that are built to accommodate large crowds, live music, dancing, dining, and yes, the ceremony itself. A bride and groom can choose to exchange vows and have the reception all in one space or they can have them in separate rooms if they'd like. Just shy of running to Las Vegas or having the nuptials take place at their home, the banquet hall option is one of the most cost-effective options for budget conscious brides and grooms out there.

People considering Cala Galdana villas on Menorca as their holiday choice for the first time understandably tend to raise a few questions. If you are thinking about giving this delightful location a try, these answers may help you confirm that Cala Galdana villas are, indeed, all they're cracked up to be!

Is Menorca like Mallorca and Ibiza?

No. Apart from the fact they are all part of the same island group, Menorca shares little in common with the two other islands. It is smaller, less developed, and more intimate and has always set out to attract more discerning holidaymakers. That tends to make it popular with younger couples, families and more mature visitors. It is typically regarded as being less popular with groups of young people looking for mass partying and a disco culture.

What is Cala Galdana like?

This is a modestly sized resort by the standards of Mallorca or Ibiza, though most resorts on Menorca could easily make the same claim! There are a few larger hotels, but much accommodation is small in size and set around a horseshoe-shaped, beautifully sandy beach and cliffs. The bathing is normally regarded as being safe due to shallow and sheltered waters, though it is imperative to check local safety information and advice on the day itself.

Cala Galdana villas are popular with people looking for a quiet, relaxing and natural type of holiday. Nightlife in the town is relaxed rather than electric and there are some quality dining establishments and numerous small and intimate bars.

Where is the nearest major shopping and entertainment?

Ciutadella - the ancient capital and a fascinating town of old buildings, shops and a more extensive nightlife if you're seeking it. By road, it's about 30 minutes away.

How far is the resort from the airport?

Transfer times by coach to the Cala Galdana villas are around 30-45 minutes and perhaps a little less by taxi or hire car.

What are the main local activities?

The stunning beach and beautiful sea obviously play a key role providing things such as fishing, swimming, water sports, boating and so on. Locally, horse riding is available and there are numerous ancient villages and towns to explore such as Ciutadella and Mahon (the capital). There are plenty of local shops and markets to try local delicacies, and walking around the coast on a specially prepared trail is also very popular, as it will allow you to find untouched beaches and unspoilt flora and fauna. People rarely, if ever, complain of being bored!

How crowded does it get?

For more than half a century, the island's authorities have strictly controlled and regulated development, and they in fact opted for 'sustainable tourism' long before it became a widely known and fashionable concept elsewhere. As a result, the island always maintains a feeling of space to breathe in, even during the high season, compared to many other Mediterranean destinations.

Of course, inevitably some popular beaches may get busy at peak times during the high season but if you have a hire car or are prepared to walk a little way, you'll typically be able to escape and find some quiet coastal spots. In terms of exploring other parts of the island and entirely undeveloped beaches, Cala Galdana villas are superbly located.

Based on your unique situation, the Palestinian dialect is the Arabic you desire to learn. Your maternal grandmother is Palestinian and you want to travel to the old country to explore your roots. But where to begin? What's the next move? The biggest determiner, of course, is money. Nothing is free! Well, not so fast! Due to the Internet and modern technology, there's been a phenomenal rise in free or reasonably priced resources tailored to language learners on a budget. For now, lets focus on traditional "IRL" options like the classroom, tutoring, and textbooks, and figure out how to keep these costs down.

If you have the funds - or are currently enrolled as a student - you can take Arabic courses at a local college or university. The bigger the college, the more likely their foreign language department offers Arabic; and because of the increasing demand and relevancy of this language, more and more community colleges are starting to offer it. A cheaper classroom option is the non-credit "continuing education" or "community education" courses offered to the wider community by many community colleges. For example, Portland Community College offers a six-week Arabic course for under a hundred bucks! Even more incredible, they offer both MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) and the Egyptian dialect.

Non-credit community education classes are a fine introduction to the language, but they will only take you so far. This leaves many folks in a pinch because they can't afford to keep the momentum going by attending courses at the university level. And believe me, they are no small expense. With fees factored in, a single five credit course at Portland State University cost almost $1,000! A third option is attending an independent language institute like Berlitz. Ironically, language institutes are more accessible abroad because they are cheaper. If you have the freedom to do so, I highly recommend studying abroad in an Arabic speaking country where you'll find no shortage of affordable private language institutes and happy people willing to help you learn.

If you don't have the good fortune of gallivanting around the globe, don't be deterred! You can seek out help closer to home and find a native (or non-native) speaker to tutor you. And the best part? You can often swap English lessons for Arabic lessons as payment if your tutor is still struggling to achieve that perfect English. You'll be surprised how easy it is to find an interested native speaker who is just as enthusiastic to share their language as you are to learn it. Start asking around! Surely someone you know has an Arabic speaking friend, colleague or acquaintance. This is also a great way to further intercultural understanding and strengthen bonds between communities. It's really a win-win situation.

If that seems too intimidating or simply not feasible for your particular situation, just pick up a book and start hammering away! There's a large assortment of high quality texts on the market geared to the autodidactic learner. My best advice is to read the consumer reviews to get a feel for how the book actually works in the hands of the learner. These assessments can be very helpful and have served me well in the past.

Remember though: MSA or a dialect? That is the question I can't emphasis enough; your answer will change the parameters of your search entirely. There's an excess of books out there teaching MSA, in contrast to a general shortage for the dialects. But the more popularized and widely spoken a dialect is, the easier it is to locate the right text. For instance, Egyptian Arabic is relatively easy to find books for. There's a great series put out by The American University in Cairo Press called Kallimni 'Arabi, by Samia Louis. In regard to MSA, the most well-known and oft-used classroom text is the Al-Kitaab fii Ta'allum al-'Arabiyya series, by Kristen Brustad, Abbas Al-Tonsi and Mahmoud Al-Batal.

There's just one problem: both these texts are written in the Arabic script, which means you must already possess a solid grasp of the script in order to utilize them (the Al-Kitaab MSA series does include an "introduction to Arabic letters and sounds" that could successfully instruct a beginner on the script without the aid of a teacher). The truth is, if MSA is your focus it helps to have guidance in learning the script before working independently. Because mastering the script is so central, you'll want to build a firm foundation. Having a mentor will help you build confidence when confronting what is arguably the most difficult aspect of the language.

On the other hand, if your passion is the dialects - what's spoken by natives in everyday life - then you have the option of dispensing with the script altogether and diving straight into transliterated textbooks. Transliterated means that the Arabic script has been converted into the Latin script, a process resulting in an endless variety of spellings (something you'll have to see to believe but we'll save that for another day!). With a transliterated text you will be able to read what you see: qul-li, il-maktabe maftuha yom s-sabt?, even if you don't know what it means.

Two examples of transliterated texts that come to mind are Kullu Tamam, An Introduction to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and Spoken Arabic for Foreigners, An Introduction to the Palestinian Dialect. A few differences between the two: the first text is grammatically intricate, can be easily ordered online from Amazon, and includes an audio CD, while the second text keeps grammatical explanations to a minimum, must be ordered from the author in Palestine, and does not include an audio CD -- a major drawback that I advise against if you are learning without guidance from an expert. Hearing the language is key to successful acquisition.

Bottom line, explore your options. Really read those product bios and consumer reviews and buy used! And if you are focusing on MSA, purchase a good dictionary like The Concise Oxford English-Arabic Dictionary or The Hans Wehr Arabic-English Dictionary. Notice that the first dictionary is translated from English to Arabic, while the second is Arabic to English.

Next week we'll explore some affordable and innovative digital tools that perfectly supplement the options outlined above. And remember, the traditional classroom setting is just one way to go. With the right tools and a little perseverance you'll be learning Arabic in no time!

Augusta is a city in the state of Georgia in the United States. According to history, it has been a place named in honor of Augusta, Princess of Wales by James Oglethorpe when he was planning to cross Savannah River and decided to build a settlement against the Spanish and French armies. The city is known for famous companies such as Nutrasweet and many others.

Augusta is partly earning its fame from hosting many major golf tournaments. The hotel industry is at its peak during this season.

Hampton Inn & Suites Augusta West Hotel
Hampton Inn & Suites Augusta West Hotel is a four story building made of block and stucco. It has surveillance cameras inside and in the parking lot for monitoring and security purposes. Breakfast area and a big meeting room can be found in its huge lobby.

This hotel is ideal for people traveling on business and also for leisure because it has a business center with fax machine, copier, computer, and colored printer. High-speed Internet access is also provided. Ice vending and soda machines are found in every floor.

Laundry units are coin-operated and are found on the main floor. Exercise room is located at the ground floor equipped with treadmill, stationary bicycle, stepper, weight machine, and cable TV.

The hotel has 83 spacious guest rooms in which 32 are suites having king or double beds. Room amenities include cordless and dual-line telephone, cable and satellite TV, refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, hairdryer, in-room safe, iron and ironing board, working desk and chair, air conditioning system, maid service, and whirlpool tub. All rooms are non-smoking areas.

Guests can enjoy taking a refreshing dip in their heated indoor pool aside from the whirlpool tubs in their rooms.

The hotel uses modern electronic key locking in every room for greater security and privacy. There are also meeting facilities, a common area, gift shop, laundry room, and concierge service.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Augusta
Homewood Suites by Hilton Augusta can be found 5 miles from downtown Augusta. This hotel has been fully-renovated including the lobby, lodge and all the remaining suites. Their goal is to give a feeling of home away from home by providing unique and spacious rooms, and giving the standard room amenities. It is near the businesses, shops, schools, hospitals, and factories.

Guests can also enjoy keeping in shape equipped with modern cardio facilities and weights. Guest suites feature air conditioning system, full kitchen with refrigerator, stove (double burner), microwave, dishwasher, wireless Internet access, cable and satellite TV, complimentary newspaper, iron, telephone, coffeemaker and daily housekeeping.

The hotel also offers complimentary breakfast and light meal and beverages in specified days. It has a smoke alarm, common area, is wheelchair accessible, has a business center, lighted parking area, health club, and outdoor pool.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Augusta is located a mile from the Augusta National Golf Course.

Perrin Guest House Inn
This bed-and-breakfast hotel was before a cotton plantation covering 3 acres, conveniently located near the business center. It has a rocking chair on the shaded front porch. It has 10 elegant guest rooms with antique furnishings, fireplaces, and bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs.

Guests are served with complimentary breakfast, afternoon wine, and tea in the comfort of their own rooms.

Country Suites Augusta Riverwalk
This hotel built in 2001, is found in downtown Augusta near to shopping areas, restaurants, and local tourist attractions. They feature 136 elegant suites, all having coffeemakers, hairdryers, and microwave ovens. Guests can continue to keep in shape in the fitness center.

Hotel and room amenities include air conditioning, refrigerator, iron, telephone, cable and satellite TV, and maid service. Rooms are non-smoking. There is also an indoor pool, compliments of the hotel.

There are so many things that are written about one`s holiday time and where to take the all important annual vacation. I am quite sure every year each people plans their holidays with meticulous detail. As it this time when one dreams about having a wonderful time away from work, office, ordinary life and the other monotonous daily chores. OK, so where do we go Europe, further afield perhaps? Well often the answer here will depend on your interests and preferences as well as the all important factor of the monetary budget. After thinking and debating on such a task you eventually will decide as to what the budget can afforded, then the question will switch to where and what is the best place for your vacation this year? We know already there are many places where you can have a great rest and relaxation so the choice is wide.

However, with the budget we have we may well be looking this year to stay in the UK and perhaps visit some of the famous seaside resorts, as much talked about as the kind of holidays by our forefathers used to go on. Such things as sharabangs and a week at Butlins, memories of days at the seaside with their buckets and spades. However, it does not mean that this particular style of holiday or resort will suit you down to the ground or even if you would like it? But we have in our own minds and we should go and see such places for ourselves and see what al the fuss was about.

As when you think about it, you can often spend a great deal of time traveling mile after mile and never actually realize that paradise is nearer than you think. So let`s be wise and appreciate that this year it will not be necessary to go that far away in order to find joy and happiness. Just look around locally and see what UK wonders are really on your own doorstep. To begin with, you will need to make a deep and extensive research on the topic in question. Examining the family requirements is a good place to start. If one person prefers a passive leisure time like drinking a pleasant pint of beer, attending an exciting festival or having a wonderful time at the disco, and the other is fond of a more strenuous pastime like quiet walk for the odd 12 miles followed by an interesting book...Then their tastes differ, but help is at hand. As we don`t have to go that far away and we are very glad enlighten you as to one UK destination that will fit all of the requirements just muted. The Isle of Wight offers not only an answer to your questions but much more as well.

There are many areas where you can have a great time dotted all over the Island thus having a wonderful vacation. What can you not enjoy about the Isle of Wight? It has splendid natural beauty surrounded by nature and a great many evening entertainments and hot nightlife for those more enthusiastic youngsters among the party. All of which will be at your disposal when visiting the IOW. If you are fit and wish to partake in a walking adventure, again the Island has many signed and well documented walks throughout the whole island where you can explore each town and village of this beautiful isle. And believe me there are many places worth seeing along the trails. It is a good opportunity for the British people to discover their own culture and feel free to embellish and contemplate why our forefathers made such a song and dance about our own wonderful Islands.

A conference center is important for big businesses. If your business is one that promotes other businesses, then you might often have expos to facilitate your work.

An expo is a major undertaking, but if it is done in the right place, you can pull it off. An expo is usually a conglomeration of a number of businesses with booths to advertise their products. It is a great place for guests to come and learn about a variety of companies in the area. Your company will profit from ticket sales and likely from the vendors who register their companies. In order to have your expo work, you will need a large area that will fit a number of vendors.

If you live in a bigger city, it is likely that there is at least one conference center near you. If you live in a smaller town, you might need to travel a little further, or you may have to rent an area hotel to accommodate.

Before renting a conference center, it is important to have a number figured out to some degree as to how large the event is going to be. You should also have in mind what amenities will be necessary. You may or may not want the staff for the building to decorate.

Most places would do this as a part of the cost for rental. Catering is another option that you might want to consider. You may want to have some sort of booth setup where guests can grab lunch on the go while going from booth to booth.

Since an expo is probably your major event of the year, you will definitely want to plan everything out as well as you can. It might take some time, so you should start at least six months in advance. It might even be better to start right after the expo from the year before takes place. You should call the conference center you are considering to find out details and whether you can reserve a day in advance. These places probably schedule fairly far in advance.

Once you do an expo for a few years in a row, it should get easier. You may even decide that the conference center you have used a few times works well. This will take away a lot of the research that you have done yearly. If anything changes with management or the price suddenly goes up, you may need to check around again, but until then, it should continue to work for your business.

Malawi is a diverse and beautiful country with some of the most varied landscapes in all of Africa. From the lowest points just above sea level to the highest peaks of 3,000m, Malawi boasts many natural attractions, including the jewel in the country's crown, Lake Malawi. On the whole the country is green and lush with highlands, forests and mountains offering visitors plenty to see and do at all times of the year. Tourists can take in the natural beauty and get to know about local culture and tradition when they visit Malawi.

Rift Valley

The Rift Valley is the country's most dominant feature and it is in its vast chasm that Lake Malawi is found. The lake drains to the south into the Shire River. Flatter parts of the valley in the south of Malawi are home to wetlands including Elephant Marsh and these damp conditions are the ideal habitat for a wide range of wildlife.

Central African Plateau

The Central African Plateau is characterised with dramatic escarpments like the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, which is a protected area of unspoilt wilderness. The plateau has undulating terrain that features lakes, dramatic hills and forest land and is a must-see for anyone visiting the country.

Highlands

The highlands are widespread throughout Malawi and provide much of the country's spectacular scenery. In the heights the fresh, cool air breathes life into mountain streams, grasslands and forests. In the south, Mulanje Massif and Zomba Plateau are two of the best known highlands, with high peaks and plateaus that are beautifully scenic. The Dedza-Kirk Highlands are marked in the north by the Dedza-Salima and Thuma forest reserves, as well as the Dzalanyama reserve that borders Mozambique. The Viphya Highlands are undulating hills swathed in evergreen forests, and the Nyika Plateau is an extensive grassland plateau.

Climate

Malawi has a hot climate in the lower southern parts, but is more temperate in the northern highlands. It is the altitude that helps to moderate the climate, which would otherwise be equatorial. November to April brings warm weather with rains and thunderstorms. These diminish after March and May to September see almost no rainfall.

People and culture

The beauty of Malawi also lies in its people and culture. Indigenous ethnic groups have rich traditions, including basketry and mask carving. These crafts have a central role in many traditional ceremonies. Wood carving and oil painting are popular in the more urban areas where people will sell their work to tourists.

The National Dance Troupe of Malawi was formed in 1987 by the government as dance forms a strong part of the country's culture. Traditional music and dances are used in initiation rites, marriages and all sorts of celebrations and ceremonies.

Where to stay

Lake Malawi is a popular attraction and there are lodges along the length of its shores. The stretch between Mangochi and Monkey Bay, a town port, has many beautiful beaches with good accommodation nearby. Senga Bay is another area with many hotels.

Let's face it, the world of wedding-based entertainment is filled with a ton of options, some might actually say that there are too many. They range from DJs and bands to dance instructors and audio/video specialists. The only thing that seems to be consistent among these many options is their hefty prices.

In the last 5+ years, wedding budgets have begun to drop when it comes to your typical wedding. Income limitations or the current economic environment had made it difficult to realize the dream wedding outside of a reality show script. Because of this fact, brides and grooms have started realizing one important aspect of their special day: creativity. If they can't book their favorite band, load in the perfect DJ or serve the fresh lobster, they have opted to add in certain style elements and personalization that have turned out not only making the event even that much more unique, but also keeping the overall costs well within reason.

One of the most debated aspects of your typical wedding is the dreaded wedding slideshow. Why do I call it dreaded? One word: boring. Nothing stops a party dead cold than the typical couples slideshow. A string of 100+ pictures of the bride and groom dating, traveling or frolicking. That's right I said frolicking. Now there is definitely something to be said of the short string of childhood pictures towards the beginning These pictures usually border on entertaining, but they never end up lasting long enough. The main body of the presentation in one star wipe and one dissolve into another forcing that much needed extra trip to the bar by your average wedding guest. And we wonder why Aunt Sylvia is already two shots to the wind just minutes before the tossing of the bouquet.

The good news is for those out there ready and willing to make just one extra step in producing something quite memorable, there are now options. Thanks to the ease of current technology and some simple digital know-how even the most basic creative type can sit and create a masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come. In fact, some people out there already have some of the digital skills necessary for what needs to happen.

STEP ONE: Figure out your style

Figure out what you think you want. It could be a series of clips from your favorite TV show, a clip from a live concert or footage from your home movies. Take a moment and decipher what successfully describes you and your future spouse.

STEP TWO: Go out and get it

There are currently a ton of software applications out there that can successfully copy anything on the internet. Anything. From that video montage on YouTube to the DVD in your closet. I specifically like ishowuhd, an app that rips any DVD or even YouTube clips right off the playback from your desktop.

STEP THREE: Arrange the story

Create your story. Start with youth clips from kids movies, grab some boy meets girl scenes, then just line up some clips of actual famous weddings from feature length films. Don't worry there a ton of those.

STEP FOUR: Put it together

All you have to do is use the basic software you already have on your computer. It could be wondershare, iMovie or camtasia. It's easier than you think and if you don't have the time just let that nifty nephew make your wedding gift something useful.

If you don't have the time or energy to take anything like this on just tap into some website services that have it already done for you. My favorite: gigflixstudio.com.

Whatever you decide, just know one thing, people like to be entertained and people like to have fun so make it happen with a little creativity and some good old fashioned elbow grease.

Balanced Diet: A Key For Diabetes Management
Diabetes is a medical condition caused by a lack of or insufficient use of insulin. Either body produces NO insulin or it is unable to use the insulin it makes.

It is shown that an estimated 25.8 million Americans suffer from diabetes. On average, a person with diabetes expends nearly four times as much money on healthcare as someone who does not have diabetes. Unfortunately diabetes is not curable and, hence diabetes management is extremely important.

Signs and Symptoms
A typical sign of diabetes is high blood sugar. After food gets digested, some of it ends up as glucose in our blood. The glucose is an energy source for several activities. Our body cells cannot use glucose unless there is insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by pancreas. The hormone insulin is like a key that unlocks the door to your cells so that glucose can enter in to the cells. Insufficient amount of insulin, results in elevated blood glucose which makes one tired and dehydrated, may make eyesight blurry, and one may have wounds that do not heal.

The most common forms of diabetes are:

• Type 1 diabetes is usually gets diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can occur at any time. To survive, people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every single day.


• Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in adulthood, although it is now occurring frequently in young adults and even children. It is the most common form of diabetes. Several studies have shown that initial stages of Type 2 diabetes can be managed with diet, life style modifications and regular exercise. Weight management is also an integral part of the controlling diabetes.


• Gestational diabetes is typically diagnosed during pregnancy in 2-10% of pregnant women. Research has revealed that about 50% of the women who have had gestational diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes within 15-20 years.

Management
The most challenging piece of Diabetes Management is making smart food choices. This includes knowing which foods to eat, and how much to eat. It also includes knowing how to adjust food intake when blood glucose is high or low and before or after physically activity.

Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is a crucial component of any comprehensive diabetes management program, and it should be individualized for each person, which is best provided by a Registered Dietitian (RD). An RD is a nutrition expert and can help you recognize the relationship between food and diabetes to have a healthy lifestyle.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) states that factors to take into consideration while developing a right nutrition plan include food intake/preferences, lifestyle, medication schedule, metabolic control, blood sugar values and anthropometric measurements. The Academy further notes that nutrition counseling should be customized per person's needs, and readiness to change.

Meal Planning Basics
A diabetes meal plan is basically a healthy, all-around eating plan that helps you meet your diabetes nutrition goals. It is based on the foods you like to eat and your preferred daily schedule. Keeping a food diary is a good place to start. The food diary helps you understand how your body responds to certain foods and review your blood glucose records and monitor decisions about how to alter your diabetes management to better control your blood glucose.

Carbohydrate counting is a meal planning tool that can help you to make superior food choices. When you have diabetes, eating too much carbohydrates can raise your blood glucose too high. Carbohydrate counting is an easy way to keep track of the carbohydrate you eat and drink at all meals and snacks. Whether you are traveling, or eating at home or dining out, you can use carb counting to help you manage your blood sugar and diabetes.

Reading food labels is another essential tool for diabetes meal planning. It is important for people with diabetes to be able to interpret food labels to estimate how much quantity of food will be allowed to fit within a carbohydrate budget for a particular meal.

During one on one nutrition counseling, a registered dietitian can teach you what information to look for when reading a food label.

The Academy also recommends a minimum 30 minutes per day (5 days/week) of physical activity for individuals with diabetes to improve glycemic control, as well as resistance/strength training three times per week.

Overall, exercise and weight loss (if you are overweight) can help control your diabetes and can help you achieve your diabetes goals.

Guidelines for planning diabetic meals:

• Eat meals/snacks every 3-4 hours
• Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day.
• Eat about the same amount of food each day.
• Do not fast (No skipping meals) and Do not feast.
• Eat a wide variety of foods each day by trying new foods.
• Read food labels and make healthy food choices.

Conclusion
To achieve an excellent blood sugar control with healthy diabetic diet requires thorough understanding and knowledge of the disease and patient motivation, supported by a diabetes care team. Registered Dietitian is one of the members of diabetes care team who can help you feel comfortable with many foods and diabetes decisions.

Many times, when people budget for a vacation they spend ample time trying to figure out whether or not they have enough money for travel expenses, lodging and even food. This isn't to say that there's anything wrong with this. In fact, that is actually very responsible and necessary. However, sometimes, people don't put a lot of thought and effort into saving for family things to do. There are several reasons why it's important to allocate enough money to this particular aspect of a vacation.

First of all, it helps to ensure that the children actually enjoy the trip. For the most part, younger kids aren't as worried about things such as how wonderful a hotel is and whether or not it has a spa. In most cases, children are happy if the place has a swimming pool. In other words, a nice hotel isn't really going to ensure that children will be satisfied with a trip. Even in instances where some children are interested in the amenities that a hotel offers, they will eventually get bored and want to leave the room to have fun. That's why it's important to have family things to do on the agenda.

Another reason why it's important to have family things to do during vacation is, because it's a way for families to bond. Many times, during regular home life, people don't really get a chance to connect with their children. That's especially true these days when the use of technology is at an all time high. For some parents, it's extremely difficult for them to get their children's attention most days, because they are always on the computer or playing video games. There's not much time spent together as a unit. So, going on vacation is a great way to help solve this issue.

Lastly, allocating money and time to ensure that there are family things to do, enhances the overall trip. As previously mentioned, most children don't want to stay cooped up in a hotel room all day. The same thing can be said for most adults. What's the use in going to another city and not being able to experience it? That's why it's good to get out and enjoy some of the activities a place has to offer.

So, when people are planning their vacation, it's important that they also try to think of fun family things to do. Not only will this ensure that the children enjoy themselves, but it will also enhance the trip overall, by creating a family bond.

So, you've decided that you would like to get married abroad - how do you decide where would be best? We recommend drawing up a shortlist of your favourite destinations and then asking yourselves these key questions to determine which would be the ideal place for you both and your families, as appropriate:

1. How easy and economic is the destination going to be to get to? Crete, for example, is under four hours away from both the UK and Oslo. Return lights can be found for less than 100 Euros low season, making it a feasible destination for all your guests.

2. Would you like to have visited your destination before the wedding so that you have a good idea of what to expect? In which case, you need to factor in the costs and ease of doing this. Crete, for example, is now easier than ever to visit, with flights available not only from major charter companies, but also from the budget airlines, including Easyjet and Ryanair, who both fly into both Heraklion and Chania airports, from a selection of airports across the UK.

1. How many guests are you inviting and are they of all ages? When inviting family and friends to what - for them - is essentially a holiday abroad couples often find that they have all kinds of tastes and additional requirements to meet- from younger guests who might want to 'party' all night; friends with children who want a relaxing holiday with lots of amenities for children, and older guests who are not so keen on sunbathing all day and want other more cultural (or just more quiet) entertainment. Crete is, in fact, the perfect place for meeting all these groups, as it is a large island with a fantastic history. There is a wide choice of accommodation types and lots to do and see for those who want more than its clear blue sea and sand. Your wedding planner can advise you of the best place to choose, once she knows who you are inviting!

2. If you are looking for sunshine, how hot do you want it to be? Depending on the time of year, for example, Crete can offer a range of temperatures and conditions. As a very fertile island, Crete is actually at its most beautiful in early spring - March and April - masses of wild flowers bloom everywhere and the olive groves are adorned with bright yellow flowers... so for those couples looking for a great spring destination Crete is perfect, not too hot but with sunny days.

Then comes hot summer from May to September, perfect for those who love sunbathing, swimming and knowing for sure that the sun will shine tomorrow! October and even November are mild months compared to the Northern cold - lots of sun although the evenings are cooler and the rains come to rejuvenate all the dried up land..

3. Would you like a beach wedding without crowds of onlookers in bikinis and Speedos? Crete is an island over 260 km long, with many sandy beaches all around the island, so although many do have sunloungers and swimmers all day, if you are prepared to travel a bit you can find an amazing beach, practically private to you and your guests

4. Perhaps you would like to look at other wedding venues? How about a Venetian fort with a view onto the sea? Or in the garden of your villa? Or a part of your hotel? Crete can offer you all of these options, all over the island...

If you have been alive for the last decade then you have noticed. The HD television has come around to reign supreme and will do so until the 3D television replaces it. TVs used to be this huge box that was heavy and difficult to move. The screen was convex and the picture was grainy. If you were too close to the screen you wouldn't be able to see a clear image. Now, the television is thin and flat. It has a crystal clear picture. You feel let down with the old technology. You judge a hotel's efficacy on the quality of its television screen when you check into your room. It is not just the television that has evolved. The cord, in this case the HDMI cable, has evolved too.

Each of these HDMI cables is amazing in itself. Yes, they can be expensive, but that little cord carries a wealth of information. Just look into the female end of the HDMI cable and see all the little male pins. You'll notice at least 19 pins around the mouth and each of these individual pins carries different types of information, simultaneously, to the television, monitor or projector. Many of the pins carry a complex amount of data but a few of them are remarkable. One of them is an Ethernet cable that is capable of carrying information from the web to the display. Another pin is just a clock to keep track of the time and yet another is something called a data shield. All of these pins are integral in delivering a sharp HD image from your capable device to the appropriate display.

An HDMI cable can come in many different sizes and formats. These different types of cords are usually made to accommodate the device rather than the display. The display usually accepts the standard sized end of the cord, while the device can have different size male ends. You are most likely going to see a smaller end for something like an HD digital video camera. Although, the most popular device, a DVD or Blu Ray player, will most likely have a standard sized end. Either way, the HDMI cable will deliver all the information needed to display a crisp HD image on the display. Even the smaller end of the cord will be capable of carrying that information. The pins are just compressed into a smaller space.

What is a Guido? This is a question that has occupied some of the finest minds of our generation. Although some have come remarkably close to capturing the zeitgeist of the Guido, none have completely wrapped their mind around the profundity of this question. Rather than attempt at what others have failed, we thought it better to lay down the agreed upon facts and our own individual findings and let you come to your own conclusions. After all, the Guido has a slightly different place in all of our hearts.

The Guido is primarily indigenous to StrongLong Island, however, researchers note that the New Jersey shore, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, also enjoy thriving Guido populations. Whether the Guido came about in a Lazarus-like autogenesis or started as a few blue-collared boys led astray, no one quite knows. What we do know is that with the advent of dance music, mainstream steroid use and the reality tv show "Growing up Gotti," the population of this species has swelled and looks poised to continue healthy and sustained growth-rate into the future.

The StrongLong Island Guido resides almost entirely in Nassau County and the Five Towns. The preponderance of World Gym franchises, fake tanning salons and barbers willing to give a man a "blowout" haircut, make these locations a desirable habitat for the Guido. The importance of the Guido bouffant cannot be overlooked. Guidos don't like sideburns, they frequently sport negative sideburns and a shaved neckline ("blowout") in combination with a thin chin-strap of facial hair. Hair product use is common as is bird-shit -like coloring. The Guido's mindset usually maintains that the shorter your hair, the tougher you are, however, many Guidos prefer a spiked dew, and in that case they generally apply a gallon of spluge and spike the front, top, side and rear of their head, creating a sonic-the-hedgehog or spiked helmet look.

In the summertime these creatures often migrate further east, and can be found lurking in the dark recesses of the Hamptons, such as the hamlets of East Quogue, HarlemHampton Bays and any mattress they can find north of montauk highway. The Guido's mode of transportation is always leased and usually overcrowded. Due to their life prioritization structures of hard-partying first, it is difficult for them to obtain gainful employment and acquire meaningful assets. They are known for traveling light; men sporting only a fannypack for assorted stimulants, and women even less, a toothbrush and occasionally a tube of toothpaste.

The Guido's diet consists mainly of Red Bull, Stacker 2 and a variety of other Met-Rx Supplements (which makes them very gassy). Their leisure time includes flexing, posing, going to the gym to work on their barstool bodies (i.e. blasting their bis and tris) and doing "loser laps" in their cars down mainstreets and cat-calling at girls.

Appearance is a religion for the Guido. Male forms often wax eyebrows, fake tan, and are often looking for any excuse to take off their shirts. The men are known to regularly try on two or three different outfits before going out, and the women about one or two. Fake boobs, butt implants, synthetic bodies and tatoos are expected. Bandanas, dew-rags, earrings, gum-chewing and sky-diving glasses during the night or day, are almost more common on men than women.

Having said all this, the best way to try defining the Guido is by understanding how the Guido defines himself...and that is how he parties. Some of their favorite watering holes in the summer include Neptunes in East Quogue, Canoe Place Inn, Foggey Goggle and of course Boardy Barn Sundays in Hampton Bays. At these mating grounds, you will see the Guido and the Guidette engaging in dance-offs, grunting, flexing and cackling discordantly. Much of what they learn in aerobics class and from pole-dancing, they bring to their recreational dancing. It is very athletic, and can best be described as an ecstasy-driven Dionysian release.

Be on the lookout for these creatures this summer. Although their temperament outside dancing can be moderate, they are prone to bouts of roid-rage and can be territorial, especially should the male Guidos come into contact with males of different species, namely the WASP, the Euro, and the Hipster. So don't say we didn't warn you, and enjoy!

What Five Things Should You Contemplate When Searching for a Meeting Venue?

Selecting the perfect meeting venue for your conference, event or convention can be a tricky task. There is a lot to contemplate from general services and facilities, the look and layout of a space and even accommodation opportunities. Here are five top factors to consider when researching possible locations.

Technology

Is your meeting venue IT friendly? When looking for the perfect location host a work conference you want to be assured all aspects of your day are set and ready to go, including web access. Delegates and professionals will more than likely own smart phones, having Wi-Fi access for emails, apps, social networking sites and web browsing maybe essential to sections of their day. You will also want to clarify whether the venue has the space, access and facilities for big screens, camera set-ups, audio equipment and any other technology essential to the running of your event, conference, meeting or convention.

Standard of Service

Browsing online reviews of prospective meeting venues to get an idea of past customers satisfaction rates can give you a good insight. A well recommended venue with a top notch standard of service and facilities will be a great asset to you day. Any number of problems could occur during the organising of your event. Having a venue with friendly, helpful staff to help you work on solutions, will take a weight off of your shoulders and help to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible on the day.

Overall Look and Feel

The staging of a meeting venues interior space has a lot to do with the type of event itself. A large conference would benefit from a theatre style set up with vast rows of seats split by aisles. A stage is also useful to ensure speakers can be seen around the room. Smaller more intimate meetings may benefit from a more condensed space with classroom style seating or even a square table arrangement, positioned in the centre of the room.

An Interesting Space

You might one to look for a meeting venue that is a bit different to make a statement for your conference or meeting. Think about using meeting facilities available in hotels, country estates or arenas.

Accommodation

Is your event over the space of a couple of days? Check out meeting venues with their own accommodation facilities for your delegates or professionals. Many large city hotels will have conference rooms for hire. Having attendees stay on location will save on the hassle and extra budget of travel to and from sessions.

An absolute gem of a city in the rolling west country hills you would be missing out if you didn't have a good look at Bath for your Stag or Hen weekend.

A short hop off the M4 and with a central railway station getting there is quick and easy. Whichever way you choose to arrive, the city immediately appears friendly and welcoming. The locals are of a laid back nature, well versed in caring for the needs of tourists and those looking to make the very most of a weekend break.

So now you're interested what is there to do apart from look at the pretty buildings so often used in TV and Films? Being so well located means it's only a short hop to the countryside to take part in the usual activities involving weapons, motors, mud, fields, water and fabulous fresh air!

If that's all a bit too active sounding there are plenty of opportunities to relax and be pampered. Spend a day of sheer indulgence at the luxurious spa, with its roof top pool, or maybe mooch around checking the sights and sounds of the city. There are plenty of opportunities for a bit of celebrity spotting as the area is home to a number of rather well-known actors, musicians and sports stars.

Taking a short bus ride up the hill can see you spend a day at the races. Have a flutter and maybe win a few pounds or sweat off a few as the nag you backed staggers in last, but who cares, it's the atmosphere and the company making it fun!

What of the night-life, isn't this a quiet place? In a word, no. There is a buzzing night scene and best of all, being a small city, it's all within easy reach. You can check out live music, comedy and theatre at a number of venues and then there are the pubs. Oh the pubs! There are plenty to choose from, but why choose when you can do them all before moving on to the clubs? A little ambitious perhaps but then it is all about making the most of the one last hurrah!

Being massively popular with tourists from the UK and overseas, accommodation in the city is easy to find with a huge range of hotels and Bed & Breakfasts. There is a great choice from the compact and cosy to the wallet bashing splendour of The Royal Crescent, where the wealthy and famous stay.

Whatever you choose to do and wherever you stay you can be guaranteed a weekend in Bath you'll cherish.

It's hard to run any successful business with more than a handful of employees without the aid of a software designed to handle the endless amount of information that is required. A business management system like Infor/Lawson does this very well, as anyone who uses it can attest.

The system can manage everything from payroll to taxes to procurement to inventory control to invoicing and information management. The system is highly complex and flexible. It's easily adaptable to the needs of any company. But because of this complexity, the system does require frequent maintenance, patches and updates.

The problem with this is that these tasks, while important, do consume a great deal of time and human capital that could otherwise be utilized elsewhere. Going directly to Lawson is at best problematic because they only have so many people to help, and the wait time is often months. And even if you can get help directly from the parent company, it can often be cost prohibitive.

While independent consulting firms exist that can solve your issues in a variety of ways, this may or may not be a cost issue also. And sometimes, you may have minor things that really don't require a person to come out and fix them, which means expenses for travel, lodging, food and time. Though a consultant is arguably the best solution to most problems, he or she may not be the best answer for the budget.

So what then does a company do that needs help but cannot afford a consultant or Lawson tech support? Well, there is something that can be a good fit for these needs. It's what we call the Lawson Virtual System Administrator. Thanks to the internet and the speed at which it can be accessed, as well as Lawson's online capabilities, many of the tasks required in the maintenance and upgrading of the system can be done remotely. Here are some advantages to utilizing this new and innovative method:

Advantage 1 - No ancillary costs

By using the Lawson Virtual System Administrator solution, you can get all the common tasks of installing fixes and patches, adding modules, reviewing and updating documentation, improving process flow and so forth done remotely. This means that you don't' have to pay for someone to fly or drive to you, their hotel and daily food, and any other associated costs. You simply create a service contract that deals with the work at hand.

Advantage 2 - Immediate solutions

With the Lawson Virtual System Administrator you can get almost instantaneous responses to issues that may crop up. These types of emergencies never happen when it is convenient and more often than not need immediate action to correct. With a Virtual System Administrator, the solution and troubleshooting is only a phone call or email away when they have direct access to your system.

Advantage 3 - Constant monitoring

When you set up your virtual administrator contract, your system is now monitored at all times. The great advantage of this is that your Virtual System Administrator can often see upcoming maintenance and issues and problems even before they happen. They can get a long-term picture of how your system is functioning and where it might be improved. This form of preventative maintenance can save a great deal of time and money and lost productivity.

Advantage 4 - You are not limited

We want to make it clear that the Lawson Virtual System Administrator is not the end all be all solution. It does have some limits. But none of these limits are on you. In other words, even with the solution in place, you can still hire a consultant, you can still get a great deal out of having them come in and physically inspect or repair your system, or do some hands on upgrading based on the monitoring that has been done. And best of all, a good consulting firm can offer in-house training that is far superior to the remote training that is the standard. The virtual solution just gives you the ability to have the day to day maintenance and upgrading issues monitored and handled by a skilled professional. This frees you and your staff to do those jobs that you need to do for your business.

Whatever your needs, there is a solution for you and your company. We wanted to present this short dissertation on the Lawson Virtual System Administrator as a way to show that no matter how large or small your company, no matter what you do, there is a cost-effective and viable solution to the care and maintenance of your all-important Lawson ERP system.

The service of parking lifts are becoming essential in the cities as there is a rising scarcity of the space for parking cars. Auto parking lifts are the perfect solution to the space management issue as far as the problem of car parking is concerned. As more and more people are migrating to the cities, the space provided for car parking is becoming sparse. That is why if you happen to move into new flat in the city, you might find that the space provided for you to park your car is not satisfactory or maybe you have been given space to park only one car, but if you posses two cars, then where will you keep the second one?

The same parking problem is encountered by the big hotels, offices and shopping malls. Car parking lifts provide the apt and most suitable option for all the car parking related issues. They come in varied sizes, mechanics and capacities. They are available in various types that would suit all the situations, whether private, commercial, domestic or public. They can accommodate a lot of cars within a very limited space and hence, considered to be a very good option for parking cars.

There are some lifts which are suitable for use in the domestic context; in this case the lift will be installed at the driveway of any property, allowing the provision for only one car to be parked. The first car will be parked on the lift and will be hoisted upwards, making space for another car to be parked beneath it. Another option is where cars will be put on the lift and instead of raising it, the lift will be lowered to the level of underground, allowing space not only for more cars but also facilitating more security. To explain it in brief, a car parking lift facilitates the parking of a number of cars without allowing the cars to occupy too much space.

The biggest benefit that can be availed through the use of such lifts is obviously the fact that it saves space. It allows the cars to be parked in the form of being stacked one after another without causing any damage to the car that is parked underneath. Parking lifts also ensure additional safety for the cars to be hidden under the ground. These parking lifts come with the privilege of being custom- made and can be installed according to preference of the proprietor.

So if you are an owner of a car and you are shifting to the big city, you need to worry, as you can be sure that your apartment will have the facility of car parking lifts that will allow you ample space for parking your car when the vehicle is not in use. But the last piece of information is that when you put the car on a lift, keep the brake activated and also keep your car properly positioned.

Have you ever been traveling from one city to another, and you're in the airport at the gate, waiting for your flight to load? You look out the wall of glass at the workers moving around on the ramp, unloading and loading baggage while the plane disgorges its complement of arriving passengers. You may have noticed one of the pilots descending the metal stairway from the jetway onto the tarmac and then taking a leisurely stroll around the body of the aircraft. It's the flight's first officer, and he's doing a preflight visual inspection of the fuselage to make sure that everything is properly secured and that there's no visible damage. It's all part of the extensive preflight checklist that all pilots must complete before both takeoffs and landings. Those checklists are there to make sure that no one leaves anything to chance when lives and property are at stake.

Pilots would be crazy to fly on assumptions. There's an old saying that says, "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." I'd like to take this occasion to remind you that you are the pilot-in-command of your own life, even when it doesn't feel like it. You'd think that, with your own life and property at stake as you face the prospect of turbulence during your midlife 'flight,' you'd want to be at least as careful piloting your daily existence as the fellows who have command of that jet you're about to take. Yet, I think that most guys take action - especially during the midlife transition - based on assumptions rather than on research, introspection, and careful deliberation. Chances are that those pilots that are prepping their plane for your trip know more about the condition of their aircraft than they do about their own lives.

One of the biggest assumptions that men cling to, and that can get them into the most trouble at midlife, is that they are what they do. It's extremely difficult for a man to separate himself in his own mind from his career, and the more responsible, sophisticated and high-paying that career is, the more that this is true: "Jane, let me introduce you to my friend Bill. He's a pilot." Men realize that they are free to change careers, especially when they see prospects for advancement coming along. So long as the guy's in the driver's seat, 'change' looks like 'challenge' and 'opportunity.' These prospects get the old adrenaline pumping and they stimulate the inner hunter-gatherer instincts. Meeting challenges and conquering adversaries to provide for himself and his family bring reassurance of the quality of his masculinity. And therein lies his Achilles' heel.

What happens when there's an economic downturn and he's laid off and unable to find work in his chosen field? How does he feel when, instead of surrendering his career for the sake of something better, he's driven out of it without a viable alternative? Just because he's no longer competitive, that doesn't mean that the inner hunter-gatherer is no longer alive and will within. When the hunter-gatherer can no longer protect and provide for his family, what value has he left? If you live by the assumption that you are what you do, and that your value as a man and as a human being rests entirely on how successful you are in your assumed role, when that's taken away from you, what's left? In fact, it's the unconscious maintenance of that false assumption that drives many men from midlife transition to midlife crisis. The way many men live their lives is less like a pilot who fails to do a walk-around because he assumes that everything is OK, and more like a pilot who takes off without fuel in his tanks because he assumes their filled.

The basic assumptions that underlie much of male attitudes and behaviors are just plain backwards. Somehow, women seem to 'get' this, and setbacks like layoffs and financial insecurity may upset them but they don't destroy their self-respect the way that very often happens with men. The truth of the matter remains that what a man does gains its value from who the man is, and not the other way around. This is the 21st Century, yet, for scores of centuries men have allowed their masculinity to be defined by their roles. For the first time in human history, that's changing. The transformation from hunter-gatherer to agrarian simply transferred the 'protect and provide' paradigm from one economy to another. The exact same thing happened during the industrial revolution: 'protect and provide' remained the male paradigm. Now, in the shift to a post-industrial global economy, the very roots of that ancient paradigm are crumbling. Clinging to an outdated 'protect and provide' paradigm is a sure route to eventual extinction.

What alternatives do the men of the 21st Century have? I believe that we're experiencing not only the midlife transition of the 'boomer generation, but also the midlife transition of humanity itself as a species. It's overdue for men to take out the checklist and do some serious (and fearless) introspection. We need to take stock of who we are, what we are capable of, and where we want to take it. We have to make room for the nurturer beside the protector and provider. We have to stop assuming that vulnerability is a threat to our existence as men. In point of fact, like so many other minorities in our world today, we men have to step away from our own proudly-proclaimed and reinforced stereotypes.

Here's the great irony that infuses the whole question of the redefinition of what it means to be a man: the essence of the hunter-gatherer mentality consists in a man's proving his courage in face of adversity. That has always worked so long as the adversary was on the exterior. When we men are faced with confronting the adversary within, we most often show a remarkable cowardice. Our survival depends on harnessing our masculine courage and turning it within, transforming our inner world with the same boldness and inventiveness with which we've transformed the outer world. And, we'll find, that when we properly care for ourselves, we'll also experience the need to take better care of our world, as well. The 'green' man begins with attention to detail in his own soulscape.

Giving care to another person can be exhausting and overwhelming and those who are giving care to others often forget to pay attention to their own needs. This survey offers you an opportunity to assess your own level of stress and point out areas that may need attention. After you have thought about each item on the checklist, figure out which areas need more self care and build a care plan for yourself.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

1. I get 7-9 uninterrupted hours of sleep each night.

2. I can fall asleep most nights without worry about my patient or my job.

3. Most people would describe me as a healthy eater.

4. I am able to get in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, 4-6 days/week.

5. I do not have an unusual number of headaches.

6. I drink alcohol only in moderation, less than one drink/day.

7. My doctor is aware and approves of all of my medication, both prescribed and over-the-counter.

MENTAL HEALTH

8. I am able to see the glass as half-full.

9. I rarely feel exhausted and drained of emotional energy.

10. I know how to drain stress away with healthy activities.

11. I know how to calm myself when I feel overwhelmed.

12. I am able to laugh at things and keep a healthy sense of humor.

13. I talk out loud when I am bothered by something rather than keeping it all inside.

14. I have a good support system with friends and family.

15. I have a good balance of leisure (play, fun, hobbies, travel, recreation) and work in my life.

16. Spirituality (art, beauty, music, nature, religion) nurture, support and replenish me.

17. Most of my relationships are healthy and supportive ones.

18. My work does not keep me from being a loving and appropriately giving partner, parent and/or friend.

19. I can be flexible with others' needs and ideas and do not think that my way is the only way.

20. I can manage with what I have to do and rarely feel overwhelmed.

JOB ATTITUDE

21. I am able to be empathetic and supportive of the people that I work with.

22. I do not find myself becoming cynical or judgmental of my patients and coworkers.

23. My co-workers respect and appreciate me.

24. Generally, I am able to complete all of my work; when there is more than I can accomplish, I can prioritize or ask for help.

25. I know that I am in the right job and working in the right place.

26. I can leave work at work.

27. When I am faced with a crisis at work, I generally remain calm and can think clearly.

28. Family members would say that I have learned how to leave work at work and not bring the stress home.

29. I am good at staying on task, even when there are distractions.

30. I know when I need help and I ask for it when I need it.

31. I am pretty good at breaking tasks down and problem-solving.

Scoring: This assessment is for you to use to determine how effective you are at managing your own stress. Any "no" answer indicates a closer look at yourself and your self care.

Talk this over with someone else in your life who is willing to hold you accountable for caring for yourself. Find ways to make sure that you do not let others needs supersede your own care.

Working as a subcontractor for a well-known company in the film industry, I've come to realize that some inexpensive cameras offer the same functions and capabilities as do the expensive cameras. It was a cameraman from another studio who told me about GoPro. He swore that the GoPro Hero 3 was the best 1080p camera that he ever owned for the price. He then mentioned the GoPro 3d Hero camera and said that it was next on the list.

I found out that this camera is the world's smallest 1080p 3d camera on the market. It's also mountable, so that's when I began to look at the gopro camera mounts. That's when I thought to myself that I need to get myself a GoPro Hero 3.

Not only are these cameras unbelievable, and the GoPro camera mounts very reliable, but these GoPro replacement lenses are so "budget friendly" you can easily afford a few back-ups.

GoPro Camera Mounts

I do spend a lot of my time traveling throughout the country trying to find that perfect shot, dragging my gear around with me takes a toll on not only on me, but my gear as well. I trust the makers of GoPro and I am a firm believer that the GoPro camera mounts are the BEST ever. These camera mounts have the firmest grasp I have ever worked with (trust me; I've worked with a lot).

GoPro has some of the highest quality equipment you will ever work with. You're going to need gear you can trust to firmly hold on to the equipment that has just captured your perfect image, and that it will deliver exactly what is in your vision.

Never settle. Never take "the next best thing".

Enjoy what you Do and be the Best at It

Of course we all would love to get paid to do what we LOVE to do, but some of us are only so lucky. As a subcontractor for a well-known company in the film industry, I have found that I am truly blessed. In order for me to bring the same quality pictures that I get on the set, I depend on the GoPro 3d hero camera. It gives me everything I need that I would have got from those expensive 3d cameras. Why pay more... it's all here!
I enjoy a challenge, in fact I haven't found an assignment that I was not able to conquer, especially with all the different GoPro replacement lenses they have to offer, I always have what I need when I need it.

Whether I'm in a forest taking wedding shots, or on a beach photographing surfers, even in the mountains that are covered in snow and taking pictures of professional snow skiers, GoPro has exactly what I need. A great shot every time and that is very important in my line of work.

I'm a professional cameraman, and I know a good camera when I see one... and this is a GREAT camera.

Before the internet became our main media for communication, you listed your business in the Yellow Pages. Now the internet is used to search for things we need and local services can be found much faster.

When you're in business, you are in marketing. That is just a fact. You therefore need to look at the best ways to market your business where the most customers can find you. Online is the way to go as most of your customers can be found there.

Here are six good reasons to list your business in an online business directory:

1. It will save you money.

You can list your business for free on most online directories. This is great as you can then save money instead of spending. You can still upgrade to get a prominent listing, or you can use the money from your marketing budget elsewhere.

2. It will save you time.

Online business directories allow you to be available to a wider audience. This helps you save time in having to advertise everywhere and daily. Of course you can still advertise which will give you an even wider exposure, but generally it is enough to list your business in the main directories.

3. It will give you more exposure.

With mobile devices, one can now access the internet from anywhere. At home, work, in a local café or travelling. If your business is listed in an online directory you can be found anywhere by anyone who is searching for you or your services, whether it is local, national or international.

4. Be found in search results online.

Online business directories are usually more optimised for the search engines and allow your listing to be found near the top when people search for you. People usually look no further than page two of a search engine's results and many will find what they want on page one and look no further. This is why it is essential to get your business listed on an online business directory.

5. Your customers can reach you faster

With offline listings, you usually only get a phone number, which may cause your customer to struggle to reach you. With an online directory, you have a link which takes your customer straight to your website, where there are many ways to contact you.

If your customer is on a mobile device they can just tap on their preferred method of communication and it will take them straight there: dialing, emailing or texting you or any of the social media websites.

6. Higher SEO rank and increased traffic to your website

As a result of the business directory being ranked high, your website ranking will increase as well. You will then receive more free traffic from the search engines. You will have more prospective customers seeing your website and getting to know about your service.

A good online business directory will also be able to offer you advertising in the form of a featured listing, a classified ad or a banner ad. This will help your marketing efforts even more.

With the travel season coming up you may be looking for something that is off the tourist beaten path. If you have the time you should visit Dehradun which is a stones throw from the Himalayan mountains. Prior to planning your itinerary of activities you should look for hotels in Dehradun to meet your needs and budget.

The first rule of thumb when looking at a hotel in a foreign country is to look at reviews posted online by a variety of 3rd party websites that have a reputation of being unbiased. With a large number of "sponsored reviews" being posted online about hotels you really need to be on your guard.

Start off by looking at sites that have been in operation for a few years and have a large number of different hotels listed on their site. These listings should allow guests to post reviews about their experiences and in the spirit of fairness allow the hotel owner to respond to the feedback.

Now that you know which dehradun hotels are popular with the tourists you can start looking at the various sights and sounds to take in. Tapkeshwar Temple is a religious site that has garnered some really positive reviews by people who are interested in temples that are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Something that makes this particular temple distinct from the rest out there is this one is located right inside a cave. You do not have to follow the religion to visit the temple but proper decorum is expected.

If temples are not something that appeals to you then perhaps your family will enjoy visiting Malsi Deer Park. This is a small zoo like setting where your children can interact with small animals and see local deer. Be sure to follow all posted notices and try not to get the deer human food, there is no way of knowing whether what we eat will impact the well being of the animal.

Some of the hotels in Dehradun will provide excursions for you and your family. What makes these excursions a great degree of fun is you do not have to plan anything, the hotel will take care of everything for you.

The majority of us only get 2-4 weeks off per year so we really need to make the most of it by starting to plan for the vacation as soon as possible. When you book your hotel a few months in advance you are going to get much lower prices and have a greater variety of options. Make sure you use your credit card when booking the hotel, with your card you not only earn points but your money is never at risk like cash.