text:
The day after Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year! And definitely not because of the after Christmas sales. I'm not brave enough (or crazy enough:) to go out in the wee hours of the morning and jab some elbows into other mommas on a mission for the latest toys. We continued our family tradition of going to WalMart to "cut" our tree. I don't know if it was because we went to the newer (nicer!) store that was recently opened near us, but WalMart was much busier this year than it was in years past. It wasn't horribly busy, but the past two years the store was practically dead so it was a little bit of a shocker.
Anyway, we got our tree, along with a few tree-decorating essentials (sugar cookies and egg nog). While we were picking out the tree, I saw a pile of limb clippings off in the corner. They had some trees on display to show the different sizes, so I'm assuming the clippings were from those few trees. Jared laughed at me, but I snatched those things up! There was no one out there for me to ask if it was okay for me to take them, but the way they were just haphazardly tossed to the side, I can only imagine they were going to be thrown away. I didn't want those beauties bio-degrading in a landfill without serving some purpose for greater beauty, so I'm giving them a home throughout our home. On the mantel. Maybe a wreath. Who knows :)
We got home and thus began the decorating. Except not till the next day. Actually, the day after that. Sunday. That's when we decorated. On Friday we were too tired. On Saturday we went over to Lake City to have our third and final Thanksgiving meal. This time with some of the local Rollins family. Charlotte had a blast playing with James, and has since not stopped asking about him, Toto, Pop, and Mel ("May-el" as Charlotte says, with a little Southern accent). On the drive home, Charlotte started screaming for no reason. She's not the best travel companion. We stopped in Baldwin to let her get out of her car seat and go to the bathroom, hoping that she might just have to poop. No poop, but she did calm down, until we tried to put her back in her car seat. She started freaking out again. We asked if she wanted the baby's seat to ride beside her. It was just tossed in the backseat, but after we snapped it in the seat beside her she calmed down. Strange child.
So, Sunday afternoon we finally began the decorating of the tree. And here come the pictures...
Charlotte glitterfied. All of this glitter was previously on a Mickey Mouse ornament. I am expecting to find some glitter in the toilet in the next day or two.
You might notice the red puffy eye in the above picture. She got into a fight with another mosquito. The mosquito won. This is what it looked like this morning.
Please disregard the fact that she was wearing the same outfit this morning as she was last night. I may or may not have been too lazy to put pajamas on her before bedtime. And this may or may not be the first time this has happened.
I'm sure you can't even tell, but her favorite ornaments were the blue, glittery balls.
She saw the topper, recognized it as a star, and from then on has been calling it a hat
Hanging an ornament other than a blue, glittery ball
We ended the evening by reading a musical book, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" to her
This time of year is special to begin with, but having a child to share in the excitement makes it all the more fun and special. She gets excited about seeing the decorations, lighted trees, and all the hooplah of the season. I know that's not what it's all about (it's really the hokey-pokey, right? haha:), and we're doing our best to teach her what the true meaning is, but it's so much more fun for me now that I have a family of my own who I can enjoy it with (or "with who/whom I can enjoy it", since you're not supposed to use a preposition to end a sentence with :)... I know that's the rule, but dadgummit, sometimes it just sounds better with a preposition at the end. And do you really expect someone who uses a word like "dadgummit" to follow all the rules of grammar?)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Christmas Traditions
The day after Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year! And definitely not because of the after Christmas sales. I'm not brave enough (or crazy enough:) to go out in the wee hours of the morning and jab some elbows into other mommas on a mission for the latest toys. We continued our family tradition of going to WalMart to "cut" our tree. I don't know if it was because we went to the newer (nicer!) store that was recently opened near us, but WalMart was much busier this year than it was in years past. It wasn't horribly busy, but the past two years the store was practically dead so it was a little bit of a shocker.
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 7:22 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Friday, November 27, 2009
Funny Book
Now that we are officially in the holiday season, which is heavily based on family traditions, I thought I would share with everyone one of our family traditions. It's not something specific to this time of year, but a fun tradition nonetheless.
While Jared, his brothers and sister were growing up, his parents kept a "Funny Book" for their family. They wrote down all of the funny things the kids said or did to make sure they wouldn't forget them and be able to recall them to their prom dates :) It's something that we've started for our family as well, and now that Charlotte has started talking, we've been adding to it more frequently. A lot of the stories aren't as funny when written out, but it at least helps us remember each story, and we can remember how funny it was at the time. Even if it was a "You had to be there..." sort of thing.
Here are a few stories from our Rollins Funny Book...
Prior to Brittany's Lingerie Shower, Jared asked…"Do women try on the lingerie for each other at a lingerie shower?"
On the Honeymoon, leaning back in his kayak off the coast of Maui while gently rocking back in forth in the swell, Jared mused…"This is just like lying in a hammock, only uncomfortable."
One night in September of 2007 we were going over our family verse (Col 3:17-20) and Jared asked Brittany if she thought she was submissive. Of course she said she was, so he asked her to give him an example of how/when she was submissive. She said "No, I don't wanna!"
While working together in the nursery at Grace Community Church, Brittany was watching one of the children, Zack, play with a ball. It was inflatable and clear and had two smaller balls inside of it. Brittany asked him, "Are you having fun with that ball, Zack?" Jared replied, "I don't know that I would call it that…" because he thought she had said, "Are you having fun with that ball sac?"
While watching the pre-game activities of a Florida State football game, Charlotte saw the flame lit on the spear and ran up to the TV and began trying to blow it out. (Approximately 22 months old)
While loading up the van to go visit family, Jared and Brittany were making several trips in and out of the garage. Charlotte could tell we were all going somewhere and grew tired of the in and out (and the let-down of when we would come back inside), so she looked to her Daddy and asked, "Hey! Wanna go?!" (2 years old)**
**A prime example of something that you just can't explain how funny it was in words. But just having this story written down will help us remember her expression and the tiresome sound in her voice as she was asking if we would like to go already.
And in full disclosure, I must admit that I have the most entries in our Funny Book. Apparently, I say more dumb things than Jared. Or at least the dumb things I say are funnier or more memorable. Such a good thing to be the best at, right?
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 8:00 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope everyone has as many things to be thankful for as we do. I could list them all, but I don't want to make ya'll jealous and start coveting my life. My life sure isn't perfect, but seriously, I have it so good and am grateful to the Lord for His blessings.
We started off the morning by watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving while eating homemade bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits. I remember seeing the Great Pumpkin and A Charlie Brown Christmas as a child, but I think this may have been the first time I saw A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It's hilarious, folks. Jared and I were cracking up throughout the whole thing. "A must-see family movie," says Brittany.
We had planned to have Thanksgiving lunch with my stepmom's family today, but because of her stepdad's health, the lunch at his place ended up being canceled. So plans changed sort of last minute to spend the day with my dad's family over in Hampton instead. My Dad is the oldest of 11 kids. Nope, not a typo. 11. As in eleven. They grew up on a farm so I guess needed the extra help for milking cows :) Anyway, I suppose when you have 11 kids and an umpteen number of grandkids (in the upwards of 25... plus those who've married... plus the great-grandbabies), you get used to last minute guests. And like every Southern family, there's always way more food than can be eaten. So we spent the afternoon visiting with the few who were there (only 25 or so. A very small crowd for a Meng gathering.). Charlotte enjoyed chasing Pop's dog around the house. Pop's dog endured being chased around the house by Charlotte.
Like all grandparents, Grandma and Pop have lots of pictures of their grandkids around the house. Jared was holding Charlotte and pointed to the picture below and asked her who it was.
Charlotte, very confidentely, answered, "Charlotte!"
Can you say "Mini-Me"?!
Seriously, how cute is that picture of Aaron and I? Our arms around each other and everything. I'm pretty sure candy or ice cream was involved to get that pose :)
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 8:03 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
ABCs and 123s
No comments about my awful singing, the unmade bed, or clothes hangers scattered on the floor. I was going to get the mess cleaned up, but just decided to keep it real for you :)
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 8:08 AM 4 comments Links to this post
Monday, November 23, 2009
Naomi's Middle Name
Naomi still does not have a middle name. Poor thing. But we now have a list of names that we like! Baby steps, right? ("Baby steps", how appropriate...)
Naomi Anne Rollins
Naomi Kate Rollins
Naomi Lynn Rollins
I've put a poll up on the right hand side of the page. Please vote for your favorite! The only rule is that you can't be offended if we don't pick the one you chose or whichever one wins. As the ones who contributed DNA to this child, we reserve the right to pick the least popular, the one you didn't vote for, or one that isn't even on the list. Contributing DNA makes one pretty powerful in these situations.
Picking a name this time around has been quite the challenge. With Charlotte, the name Charlotte popped into my head, I asked Jared how he liked it, he said it was a winner. A couple days later, he asked how I liked Michelle for a middle name. Thus was Charlotte Michelle. Naomi, on the other hand, was not quite as simple. We had a list of names we liked but none that we really loved. Actually, Naomi was never actually on the list. We had seen it several times on baby name websites and books, but it never popped out to us enough to put it on the list. Then one day, Ta-Da! There it was, suggested to me by Nymbler, a website that you can enter up to six names that you like and it will give a list of an infinite number of names that it thinks you might like as well. I seriously spent hours on that site. I saw Naomi, fell in love, e-mailed it to Jared, he like it, that was that. Whew! I never understood the parents who made lists of names and couldn't decide. You hear a name, you like it, that's your kid's name! Unfortunately, not always.
Funny story. Not super funny. Just sort of, huh, that's kind of funny...
The one name that Jared and I both really liked was Olivia. But there is a little girl in our church a few months younger than Charlotte named Olivia and we didn't want to be the copy-cat couple, especially since they would be so close in age. So Olivia wasn't an option.
A name that I liked from the beginning was Claire. But I didn't like the sound of Claire Rollins. The "r" sound at the end of Claire and beginning of Rollins was too hard to say. So that wasn't an option.
The other name that I really liked that Jared never got on board with was Vanessa. His reason? It made him think of the character on the Cosby Show and he didn't want someone else to come to mind when he heard his daughter's name. Okay, I can respect that.
But once he said that I realized that three of my favorite names were all characters from the Cosby Show. How funny is that?! I know, not super funny, but sort of, huh, that's kind of funny... Right? Humor me, folks.
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 10:29 AM 2 comments Links to this post
Sunday, November 22, 2009
No, I'm Not Having Twins
Throughout the pregnancy with Charlotte and Naomi (yes, I'm still pregnant with Naomi...), I have been quite amazed and appalled by some of the things people choose to say to a pregnant woman. I will grant you that I am in a slightly more hormonal state (if you speak with Jared, he will likely exaggerate this condition of mine. Please feel free to ignore his opinion:), so I might be a tad more sensitive to some comments received, but I do strongly believe people need a filter between their minds and their mouths. What you say to a pregnant woman is likely to be translated differently than what you said or how you intended it. And you do not want to make a pregnant woman angry. Or cry. So for anyone who has not been pregnant or been around a pregnant woman to know how she thinks, here are some things to put on your "What Not To Say" list.
"Are you sure you're not having twins?" or "Are there two in there?"
No, kind sir or madam, but thank you for implying that I am large enough to have two beings inside of me.
"Wow, you're huge!"
Umm, thanks. No one likes being told this when they aren't pregnant. Why would being pregnant change this fact at all? C'mon, folks!
"Are you pregnant or just fat/gaining weight?"
Don't mention the words "fat" or "gaining weight" to a pregnant woman. At one of my appointments during Charlotte's pregnancy, a doctor told me that my weight gain was a little high. While I know it is his job to be concerned and keep me informed of the progress of the pregnancy, if even a doctor's comment about weight is translated in a pregnant woman's mind as, "You're fat and you have a chunky butt," the layperson commenting on the subject doesn't stand a chance of getting out of that conversation without great offense to her. And to be on the safe side, just never ask this question. One day you will ask it of someone who is not pregnant and you'll be in an "open mouth-insert foot" situation.
"Are the doctors concerned about your weight gain?"
Seriously? Did you seriously just ask that?
"You'll never make it to your due date"!
Thank you for implying that I am that large. Much appreciated.
"This is your second? No wonder you're showing so early." or "... No wonder you're so big."
For the most part, unless you're telling her that she looks great or is "all baby", it's best not to comment on her size. Ask her how she's feeling or how much longer till she's due. But comments about her size are generally going to be taken badly.
And about the stomach-touching... It's always a good idea to ask if this is okay. Especially if you don't know the person. If I were to approach a non-pregnant stranger and begin patting and rubbing their belly, they would likely look at me like I was insane. Please do not be surprised if I give you, dear stranger, the same look when you touch my baby belly. I don't so much mind the touching from people I know, but for some women, the belly is completely off-limits for everyone. Ask before you touch.
Now, I do understand that there are some women who have gone through their pregnancy feeling beautiful, love being told how large they are getting, and love having people touch all over their baby bellies. They are an anomaly. A rare breed. Not the average pregnant woman. For the sake of not having your head bitten off, assume that all pregnant women have a crazy case of raging hormones not to be reckoned with. Play it on the safe side. Tell her she's beautiful. If she's in the latter part of her pregnancy, she likely doesn't feel it. And even if she may not look beautiful on the outside, she is carrying a precious gift from God and that is a beautiful thing. And just typing that thought made me tear up. My hormones are fine, I swear :)
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 1:12 PM 5 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Happy Birthday, Charlotte!
I can barely believe it, but two years ago at this time, we were holding our precious newborn, "ooh"ing and "aww"ing over how cute she was, and "oh.my.goodness"ing over the fact that she came three weeks early. She has brought so much joy and so many smiles to our lives. It really is hard to remember what life was like before she was here, even though it was only a two short years ago.
We had a small, family party for her this past Saturday and she had a blast!
Apparently, she was not a fan of our singing
Much more content after blowing out the candles
Ready to tear into all the presents
A little mommy
And here are just a few of my favorite pictures from her first two years...
On her birth day, in the arms of her proud Daddy
As if she wasn't gift enough, she gave us her first smiles on Christmas day
How I coped with things when she was two months old :)
The day of her Dedication
Seriously, this smile melts my heart
Just over one year old at her Aunt Shannon's wedding
Looking so cute in her Christmas dress!
Taking care of business in her Daddy's office
Happy Birthday, Charlotte Michelle!
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 2:24 PM 6 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Last week we down to Disney with some of Jared's family and we had a blast! It was the first time Charlotte and her cousins, Anson & Ella, had been there. Like any excited parent, I took a ton of pictures and will just give you a recap of the day in photographs...
Charlotte and Ella in their limousine
I thought I would be smart and take a picture of the sign for the parking lot we were in... You can see how well that worked out...
Riding the "Choo-Choo"
Anson riding down a slide in Toon Town... I can't believe how tall and skinny he's getting!
Pop and his girls
I've never even thought of doing it that way before!
Riding the Winnie the Pooh ride
Waiting to fly on Dumbo!
Ella and her Prince Charming
Not a great picture of the two of us but it's better than the three previous we took
Ready for Mickey's PhilharMagic show. Charlotte giggled and squealled through the entire thing! It was so much fun just to watch her!
Little Minnie Mouse
Family photo op on the Jungle Cruise
The kids "steering" the boats
All three of the kids were so good throughout the day, despite this being the only nap taken (and it was only 40 minutes)!
And my favorite picture from the day: Charlotte on her Prince Charming's shoulders when she saw Mickey Mouse for the first time!
The postcard-worthiness of this photo with the castle in the background, combined with how excited she was to see Mickey (with a few pregnant hormones thrown in for good measure), I was fighting a few tears. Charlotte loves watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (the first thing she asks for when waking up is "Mickey"), so she was thrilled to see him in the parade.
We could not have asked for a more perfect day. The weather was fantastic, the crowds and lines weren't too bad, and the kids behaved themselves all day long. I know Charlotte won't remember this trip, but she had so much fun and seeing her face light up at seeing Mickey was so worth the trip down there. Plus, kids under 3 get in for free! And this was only the first part of our long weekend- I'll try to share the rest of the photos tomorrow (try to contain the excitement, folks!)
Arin will be blogging about the trip soon, too, and as soon as she does, I'll likely
steal borrow some of her pictures :)
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 9:36 PM 3 comments Links to this post
We're So Corny
Last week, Charlotte and I met some friends from church, my mom, Aunts Darleen and Diane, and Amber & James at Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres in Hilliard. What's Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres, you ask? It's a corn maze on a farm. What's a corn maze? It's a maze of corn. Paths were mowed (or harvested?) in the fields of corn and we had to find our way through it. Great country fun! Along with the corn maze, they had a hay ride, a little train for the kids to ride, a playground area, and a barn where you could pet the animals. The kids seemed to really enjoy it and it was fun to visit with some family and friends.
Charlotte and her cousin, Farmer James :)
At the end of the maze, the kids could pick their own strawberries.
No swings were harmed by the huge pregnant lady in the taking of this photograph (Photo stolen from my friend, Lynn, via facebook)
Charlotte claiming her pumpkin (This was about 0.4 seconds before she saw ants crawling all around her and took off running)
We wrapped up the day by playing in the corn box. Like a sand box, but instead of sand... corn!
Amber and James
James did not appreciate being taken out of the corn box. Who knew corn could be so much fun!
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 9:03 PM 0 comments Links to this post


text:
Date of Birth:17 July 1992, Los Angeles, California, USA
Height:5' 1" (1.55 m)
Having taken her first steps into a larger world, Rey continues her epic journey with Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker in the next chapter of the saga.
On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- 1 Java
- 1.1 Best of breed free software Java implementation
- 1.2 Handling Java Applets and Web Start Applications
- 1.3 New integration with other Fedora technologies
- 1.4 Fedora and JPackage
- 1.5 Note on upgrading from Fedora 8 - OpenJDK Replaces IcedTea
Best of breed free software Java implementation
Fedora includes multiple best of breed free software Java(TM) implementations, obtained through active adoption of innovative technology integrations produced by Fedora and others within upstream projects. The implementations integrated into Fedora are based on OpenJDK (http://openjdk.java.net/) and the IcedTea GNU/Linux distribution integration project (http://icedtea.classpath.org/), or based on alternatives such as the GNU Compiler for Java (GCJ - http://gcc.gnu.org/java) and the GNU Classpath core class libraries (http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/). All Fedora innovations are pushed upstream to get the widest possible integration of the technologies in general Java implementations.
The implementation of OpenJDK 6 included in Fedora 10 uses the HotSpot virtual machine runtime compiler on x86, x86_64, and SPARC. On PowerPC (PPC) it uses the zero interpreter, which is slower. On all architectures an alternative implementation based on GCJ and GNU Classpath is included that includes an ahead-of-time compiler to produce native binaries.
Fedora binaries for selected architectures (currently only x86 and x86_64 based on OpenJDK) are tested against the Java Compatibility Kit (JCK) by Red Hat to guarantee 100% compatibility with the Java Specification (JDK 1.6 at this time).
Handling Java Applets and Web Start Applications
In Fedora 10
gcjwebplugin has been replaced by
IcedTeaPlugin that runs untrusted applets safely in a Web browser and works on any architecture. You can see which Applet Plugin is installed by typing
about:plugins in Firefox. The new plugin adds support for the JavaScript bridge (LiveConnect) that was missing from earlier versions. For more details on "bytecode-to-JavaScript bridge (LiveConnect)", refer to the bug report:
Feedback on the security policy is very appreciated. If you suspect the security policy may be too restrictive to enable restricted applets, run the
firefox -g command in a terminal window to see what is being restricted, then grant the restricted permission in the
/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.6.0-openjdk-188.8.131.52/jre/lib/security/java.policy file. If you then file a bug report, your exception could end up in the packaged security policy and you won't have to hack the policy file in the future.
Experimental Web Start (
javaws) support via NetX has been added to the IcedTea repository. When a Java Network Launching Protocol (
.jnlp) file is embedded on a web page you can open it with the IcedTea Web Start (
http://jnlp.sourceforge.net/ -- NetX
New integration with other Fedora technologies
Through the IcedTea project OpenJDK has been integrated with several new technologies that are also part of Fedora 10.
VisualVM integration through the NetBeans framework
VisualVM (
jvisualvm) provides a graphical overview of any local or remotely running Java application, letting you monitor all running threads, classes, and objects allocated by the application by taking thread dumps, heap dumps, and other lightweight profiling tools.
PulseAudio integration for javax.sound
PulseAudio integrations provides all the benefits of PulseAudio to any java application using the
javax.sound package.
Integration of Mozilla Rhino (JavaScript)
Rhino is a pure-Java JavaScript implementation from Mozilla providing an easy mixing of Java and JavaScript for developers using the
javax.script package.
Other improvements
Also in Fedora 10 Java cryptography (
javax.crypto) is fully supported without any (regional) restrictions.
Fedora and JPackage
Fedora 10 includes many packages derived from the JPackage Project.
Some of these packages are modified in Fedora to remove proprietary software dependencies, and to make use of GCJ's ahead-of-time compilation feature. Use the Fedora repositories to update these packages, or use the JPackage repository for packages not provided by Fedora. Refer to the JPackage website for more information about the project and the software it provides.
Admonition("warning", "Mixing Packages from Fedora and JPackage", "Research package compatibility before you install software from both the Fedora and JPackage repositories on the same system. Incompatible packages may cause complex issues.")
Note on upgrading from Fedora 8 - OpenJDK Replaces IcedTea
Since Fedora 9 the packages called
java-1.7.0-icedtea* in Fedora 8 have been renamed to
java-1.6.0-openjdk*. The Fedora 8 IcedTea packages tracked the unstable OpenJDK 7 branch, whereas the
java-1.6.0-openjdk* packages track the stable OpenJDK 6 branch. All the upstream IcedTea sources are included in the
java-1.6.0-openjdk SRPM.
If you are upgrading from a system based on Fedora 8 that still has IcedTea installed, the package changeover does not happen automatically. The packages related to IcedTea based on OpenJDK 7 must first be erased, then the new OpenJDK 6 packages installed.
su -c 'yum erase java-1.7.0-icedtea{,-plugin}' su -c 'yum install java-1.6.0-openjdk{,-plugin}'
Upgrading from Fedora 9 does not require special action.


text:
Tribal Colleges and Universities are a category of minority-serving higher education institutions in the United States.
Most Tribal Colleges are located on or near Indian reservations and Native American communities, providing access to post-secondary education, accredited degrees, and vocational training for both Native American and non-Native American students.
In many instances, cultures and traditions of the local Native American tribes are a part of the Tribal College curriculum.
Funding an Education at a Tribal Colleges:
One of the smallest minority populations that is recognized in the United States is the Native American community. Most Native Americans today have interracial backgrounds, but their ancestory dates back far before European explorers stepped foot in North America. Since the Native American population is limited in number, so too are the opportunities for education and scholarships.
Tribal colleges offer the opportunity for Native Americans to pursue an education in a friendly environemtn with like-minded students. Native Americans can apply for most federal and state scholarship programs to fund an education at such a tribal college, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
Recent News about Tribal Colleges:
The Native American Leadership in Education (NALE) group provides scholarship money to a handful of Native American students nationwide each year. In addition, the Osage Tribal Education Committee Scholarship and the Tribal Business Management Program offer support for Native American students attending tribal colleges. The former provides minimal scholarship money, which is only $200-$400 each year, but its recipients total to 150 to 250 students. The latter awards $500-$5,000 to 35 Native American students. For Native American students that live in the state of Minnesota, you can be awarded with $3,300-$6,600 in scholarship money by the Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program.


text:
more driving
husband shuffling papers and bending metal
and then collapsing at home after six.
It's in these moments that I keep my eyes fixed on the weekend.
When date nights happen.
Like this weekend when we put the kids to bed
popped corn and fizzed root beer floats
then cuddled on to couch to watch Zorro II on the big screen.
It's really such a lovely life. And I love the quiet moments to remember it.
Psst! Weekend. Please hurry up and get here.


text:
Established in 1976, Midland Food Group is the leading chilled foods wholesaler to wholesaler and supplier to the UK foodservice sector.
When Peter Shirley founded the business in 1976, it originally serviced wholesalers and small catering businesses in the West Midlands from our base in Willenhall. Since then, the business has steadily expanded and grown considerably, enabling us to offer a nationwide service to wholesalers and the foodservice industry.
Now, we have a portfolio of, and supply over 3,500 different products, sourced from around the world and across the UK to over 2,500 individual customers from our two sites – Willenhall in the West Midlands and Basingstoke in the South.
We have our own production facilities at Willenhall where we produce an extensive range of popular pies, pasties, sandwich fillings and meat products. Our facilities also include a dedicated area for slicing cooked meats for our charcuterie range.
The future will see us continuing to broaden our product range and continued expansion of our service, but we will never forget that the Company exists because of our customers.


text:
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A gift voucher will be sent you electronically free of charge. Printed voucher by mail in the Czech Republic for 90 CZK (approx. 4€). Delivery abroad will be charged according to the current Czech Post Price List.
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EA BENEFIT program rewards clients of EuroAgentur Hotels & Travel for their loyalty to EA Hotels.


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I don't claim to be a kitchen goddess, but I can make a mean Sinigang (anything with tamarind soup). My cooking abilities are limited but my husband is surprised that I know what I'm doing. When we moved in, hubby agreed to buy stuff for the kitchen (except for the oven, haha!). My kitchen is almost complete, well at least with the basic stuff. I used to spend most of my time there during the first few months into getting married, so much so that hubby even agreed to put his old tv in the kitchen so I can get entertained. The space is small though that we had to attach it on the wall using a tv mount. Anyway, the past few months (well at least since we got back) were spent either outside or at the brothers' apartment. Or if we're here, we only sleep (late!), then wake up early the next day and leave again. Our time at home is just a small fraction of our weekly schedule. Oh well, the point is I miss my kitchen and I miss cooking stuff and I miss our dinners at home.
I miss my kitchen
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Posted by Kaje at 00:30
Labels: married life
0 comments:
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text:
As I mentioned in my last post, I just built out a dedicated server at home, and I'm migrating a bunch of services to it. One reason I build this server in the first place was so that I could set up roaming home directories for all my Linux PCs in the house.
I tried a few configurations before landing on the one described here. I had problems where Ubuntu 12.04 would fail to boot if the system failed to mount the network drive properly when the mount was in the
fstab. Ubuntu 10.04 would error on boot, but give you the opportunity to skip the mount and continue booting. However, if the share was mounted to
/home on the client machine, logging into a desktop environment would fail on account of none of the config files being available. Even when the mount worked properly, having it mounted at
/home caused performance problems. Relying on the network for processes like booting and logging into a desktop ended up being a deal-breaker for me having automounted network home directories.
But I did settle on a solution that works well. In brief, I servicized the mounting and unmounting of the network drive, and the control script I wrote for it also places
netdrive symbolic links in each non-system user's home directory if a directory on the share exists in their name. Here's how it's done.
There are two parts to this configuration - a server and some clients. Let's set up the server.
My server is running Debian Squeeze, but these instructions should translate well to other distributions. First, install the NFS server:
sudo apt-get install nfs-kernel-server
Then set the config to share the
/home directory over the network. Add this to the end of
/home 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw,sync,fsid=0,no_subtree_check)
You should modify that to suit your specific needs.
/home is the directory on the server to share.
192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0 means that the only systems who are allowed to access it will be on the
192.168.0.x subnet, which, for me, means everything behind my router. This share won't be accessible to anyone on the public side of my router. Finally, the
(rw,sync,fsid=0,no_subtree_check) part are options that say, respectively, "Mount it read/write so users can save files here," "Write files to disk synchronously so there aren't sudden unmounting problems," "If the NFS server is NFS4, treat this directory as the root of all shared directories," and "Speed things up by allowing all subdirectories of the share to be accessed."
Restart the NFS server:
sudo service nfs-kernel-server restart
If you encounter problems, check
/var/log/daemon.log for something to Google with.
I had firewall problems here. Mounting an NFS share on a remote server uses lots of different ports, and I was unable to identify them all. I ended up adding a rule to my firewall to let anything behind my router (that
192.168.0.x subnet) access any ports on the server. For me, this isn't a security issue. You should consider your situation and make that decision for yourself. At any rate, here's my command to make that firewall rule:
sudo ufw allow from 192.168.0.0/24 to any
Now get onto a client machine and try to mount it manually just to be sure it works:
sudo mount -t nfs -o proto=tcp,port=2049 192.168.0.100:/home /mnt
If you get no errors, try...
ls /mnt
...and check if what you see is what you expect. If so, unmount it:
sudo umount /mnt
Assuming that everything works, it's time to set up a control script. The script below is hardcoded to mount the NFS share to
/mnt/netdrive. You should probably read through it and understand it before running it to be sure it won't interfere with things on your system. If it's going to work for you, paste it into
/etc/init.d/netdrive or wherever else you decide.
safe_start () {
if [ ! -d /mnt/netdrive ]; then
mkdir /mnt/netdrive
if grep -qs '/mnt/netdrive' /proc/mounts; then
echo "Something is already mounted at /mnt/netdrive [ FAIL ]"
exit 1
mount -t nfs -o proto=tcp,port=2049 192.168.0.100:/home /mnt/netdrive
for u in `grep '/home' /etc/passwd | cut -d: -f1`; do
if [ -d /mnt/netdrive/$u ]; then
HOME=`grep "$u" /etc/passwd | cut -d: -f6`
if [ -e $HOME/netdrive ]; then
rm $HOME/netdrive
ln -s /mnt/netdrive/$u $HOME/netdrive
safe_unmount () {
FILES_IN_USE=`lsof | grep '/mnt/netdrive' | awk '{print $9}'`
if [ ! "$FILES_IN_USE" = "" ]; then
echo "The following files are located on the netdrive and are still in use:"
echo $FILES_IN_USE
exit 1
unmount () {
umount /mnt/netdrive
for u in `ls /home`; do
if [ -d /home/$u/netdrive ]; then
rm $u/netdrive;
show_status () {
if grep -qs '/mnt/netdrive' /proc/mounts; then
echo "Netdrive is mounted."
echo "Netdrive is not mounted."
show_help () {
echo "This script accepts the following commands: start, stop, forcestop, status, help"
case $1 in
"start" )
safe_start ;;
"stop" )
safe_unmount ;;
"forcestop" )
unmount ;;
"status" )
show_status ;;
* )
show_help ;;
exit 0
Apply permissions:
sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/netdrive
Now you can run...
sudo /etc/init.d/netdrive start
...to mount it, or give it
stop instead to stop it safely. The script will refuse to unmount the drive if it has files open still. If you want to override that check, use
status will tell you if the network drive is mounted or not.
help will give you a basic usage message. When mounting, this script will also place the
netdrive symlink in users' home directories, so, for example,
/home/ryan/netdrive is mapped to
Now, I still wanted my drive to mount on boot. So I threw a symlink in the startup:
sudo ln -s /etc/init.d/netdrive /etc/rc2.d/S10netdrive
That's my Ubuntu 12.04 machine. I can't remember at what point in the startup procedure I placed in on my Ubuntu 10.04 box, but it's somewhat discretionary anyway.
So reboot your client and make sure you boot with a working
netdrive symlink in your home directory. And done!


text:
What you need to know before you go
A population boom made Montpellier, formerly Monspessulanus, the eighth-largest city in France and the third-largest city along the Mediterranean coast behind Nice and Marseille. Students, attracted to the mild winters and hot, dry summers, make up one-third of the city's population. People-watch at Place de la Comédie, the city square, or get your culture fix at Musée Fabre, which the French Ministry of Culture classified as a Musée de France due to its extensive collection of paintings and sculptures.
Nature lovers will enjoy Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier, a botanical garden featuring ferns, orchids, palm trees and medicinal plants.
Trending now in MontpellierFeatured stories & fun stuff
11 Best Things to Do in Montpellier
Montpellier is a lively university city in southern France. Located a dozen kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, it has an average of about 300 days of sunshine a year, so it's considered to be one of the sunniest cities in France. Established since the Middle Ages, Montpellier spreads around a quaint Old Town named l'Écusson, in which you'll find a vibrant scene of bars, restaurants and shopping opportunities.
From the cathedral to the covered market and from the nearby beaches to the exciting Camarguaise Bull Races, Montpellier offers a wide choice of things to do and see, always in the warm and cordial atmosphere of southern France.
What are the best things to do in Montpellier?Read more


text:
Biggest Agent In Aisa
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As a agency giant in Asia, we are boast of high popularity among customers,
with our products being exported to over 130 countries.
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We can also source nearly any bearing etc not listed on our site on any make all at market leading prices.
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Each order can be delivered to our customers in the world within 7 days through DHL and AirFlight.


text:
How Carrotmob came to Estonia via Cape Town
Triin Sakermaa tells us how and why she brought Carrotmob from South Africa to Estonia last year with the help of fellow organizers Maarit Cimolonskas, Minni Triin Kasemets, Rille Pihlak, and Mirjam Sutrop.
Q:How did you first learn about Carrotmob?
A: We first learned about Carrotmob during a seminar we all attended for the Global Education Network for Young Europeans conference. There were many Germans attending, and as you know Germany is a Carrotmob country! They were very excited to tell us about the Carrotmob model.
Q: What drew you to Carrotmob?
A: It's an awesome grassroots movement that can change the world for the better! I worked with Julia Karl in Cape Town and helped her organise the first ever Carrotmob in Africa. I saw how this idea appeals to people all over the world, how it makes everybody involved more positive and optimistic and you can actually see results after the Carrotmob.
Q: Why do you Carrotmob?
A: I Carrotmob because I believe that within this generation we can change the world for the better. We can change ourselves and people around us to live more sustainably, to care more about the world and each other, and to more effectively combat global issues such as climate change and intolerance. With the help of Carrotmob we can start to change businesses and consumers today instead of waiting for a policy that would regulate businesses or consumption!


text:
We've been in India for a month now and have taught 10 plastic bag crochet workshops!
Pics and details are here:
We have also visited several organizations dedicated to recycling and improving the lives of low-income communities. One especially innovative company we visited is Daman Ganga in Vapi, Gujarat. Daman Ganga recycles used Tetra Paks into paper products and roofing sheets. We took a tour of the factory, witnessed the recycling process, and learned all about Daman Ganga's efforts to provide low-income communities with cheap, durable building materials made from 100% recycled material.
I'll be writing more about this visit soon, but for now…you can visit Daman Ganga's website and check out our pictures of the factory.


text:
This site is the archived OWASP Foundation Wiki and is no longer accepting Account Requests.
To view the new OWASP Foundation website, please visit https://owasp.org
OWASP Israel 2012
Location and Time
The 2012 annual OWASP Israel conference was held at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC) on September 5th in the Efi Arazi school of computer science.
Thanks for all those that participated, presented and sponsored!
The conference is sponsored by:
For further details contact Ofer Maor (ofer.maor at owasp.org)
|Registration, Gathering, Socializing & Networking
| Opening Words
Ofer Maor - Chairman, OWASP Israel; Global Membership Committee, OWASP
| OWASP Top 10 Hebrew Edition
Or Katz, OWASP Israel Board
|Breakers (Track #1)
|Defenders (Track #2)
| The Diviner – Digital Clairvoyance: Getting an Insight
Into Server Code & Memory Using Blackbox Techniques
Shay Chen, CTO, Hacktics ASC, Ernst & Young
| Case Study:
Providing Secure SDLC in an Agile Environment Using ESAPI
Yair Rovek, Security Specialist, Liveperson
|Coffee Break
| FYI: You've Got LFI
Tal Beery, Web Security Research Team Leader, Imperva
| I>S+D! – Integrated Application Security Testing (IAST),
Beyond SAST/DAST
Ofer Maor, CTO, Quotium
| Zip It! – Owning Archived File Uploads
Alex Landa, Security Researcher, IBM
| Secure Development Lifecycle – Lessons Learned
Boaz Shunami, Founder, Komodo Consulting
|Lunch Break
| Advanced Pen-Testing of iPhone Applications
Chilik Tamir, Chief Scientist, AppSec Labs
| Positive Logic XSS Detection & Prevention
using Generalized JavaScript Assembly
Tsvi Cherny, Interdisciplinary Center
| Attacking Android Mobile Applications
Erez Metula, Founder, AppSec Labs
| Application Counter Attack
Ziv Gadot, SOC Team Leader, Radware
|Coffee Break
| The Dark World of Mobile Payments
Nir Valtman, CSO, Retalix
| Identifying Maladvertisements
Maty Siman, CTO, Checkmarx
| Stylish XSS: Fonts Name Injection
Adi Cohen, Security Researcher, IBM
| My Authentication Album:
Adaptive Image-Based Login Mechanism
Ronen Margulis, Bar Ilan University
| Guest Lecture
The New art of WAR & PEACE- a REAL FANTASY
A drill down to the "money time": Was Iran Stuxnet's main target? how economy is a battle zone?
Guy Phillip Goldstein (Author of "Babel Minute Zero")
| End Notes
Ofer Maor - Chairman, OWASP Israel; Global Membership Committee, OWASP
The people behind the conference
OWASP Israel is made by the people who contribute their time and brain to its success. The following people are working to ensure that OWASP Israel 2012 is a success. If you feel that you also can contribute or have interesting ideas regarding the conference, don't hesitate to contact me.


text:
What Do You Call A Drink That's Kind Of A Manhattan, But Not Really - A Roosevelt Island Of Course
From the Roosevelt Island Twitterverse:
Made a drink that was kind of a Manhattan, but not really. Thinking of calling it a "Roosevelt Island."Cocktail anyone?
— Kevin Sheldon (@kevsheldon) October 24, 2014


text:
Spending cuts are the theme of the Senate's compromise draft of legislation meant to inject cash into a flagging economy. Those include a $2 billion reduction in money for rural broadband deployment, bringing the total down to $7 billion—though that's still more than the $6 billion allocated for broadband in the House version of the bill.
There's also disagreement about who will control whatever funds are allocated: the original Senate language puts the money in the hands of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, but some Senators prefer the House bill's strategy of splitting the cash between NTIA and the Department of Agriculture. All of this leaves the prospects for this spending, which still faces a House-Senate reconciliation, very uncertain.
The prospect of an unprecedented federal outlay on broadband deployment, politically unimaginable a year ago, has brought together some strange bedfellows in recent months. For the first time, it seemed as though advocacy groups like Free Press and Public Knowledge, corporations normally on frosty terms (such as AT&T and Google), and techie academics were all singing from the same hymnal. With the total spending package expected to top $820 billion, and President Obama pledging to invest in high-tech infrastructure, some groups dared to hope for a broadband windfall as large as $44 billion
It didn't take long for the serpents to emerge in Eden, of course. Telecoms—and Republicans—have balked at the "open access" strings on those federal dollars; these are vague in terms of practical significance, but seen by many as a backdoor imposition of net neutrality regulation. An untimely Pew survey appeared to show that two-thirds of putatively "underserved" Americans without broadband simply don't want it.
Meanwhile, the value of broadband spending as "stimulus" has come into question. Robert Crandall, the Brookings Institution scholar whose research has been used to justify ambitious claims about broadband's ability to produce jobs, has complained that his findings have been misused, and called assertions that each percentage point increase in broadband adoption could generate 300,000 jobs a "gross overstatement." A recent editorial in The Economist argued that money is better spent on other projects if the goal is to create near-term job growth—in part because government dollars may simply displace private funding.
There's also, of course, disagreement about how "stimulus" money would be managed. Already, a Minnesota task force has removed several municipal broadband efforts—frowned upon by some private telecoms as unwelcome competition—from a list of "shovel-ready" projects, in part because "state officials will have less control over how the federal money is spent than was previously thought."
Which federal agencies will have a say in the outlays is also a bone of contention; both the telecoms and advocacy groups like Free Press would prefer control of the money to be centralized under the supervision of the NTIA, rather than split between Commerce and Agriculture. But the telecoms are less sanguine about giving the Federal Communications Commission a role—for more or less the same reason that the advocacy groups favor it: it's likely to mean more regulatory strings.
A cloture vote on the final stimulus bill—expected to be razor thin, with only a few Republicans crossing the aisle to join Democrats, who need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster threat—is slated for Monday. Assuming that passes, a vote on the bill itself will likely come Tuesday.


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"Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker" Stand-Up Special Premieres Tuesday, December 20 At 10 pm Et/Pt
NEW YORK - December 15, 2011 - Bravo wraps up 2011 in hilarious fashion with Kathy Griffin's unprecedented fourth hour-long special of the year, "Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker" airing on Tuesday, December 20 at 10p.m. et/pt. Before a live, sold-out crowd at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ, the two-time Emmy(R) Award-winner taps into the latest pop culture craze and offers her own perspective on celebrity divorces including Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries and Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, Nancy Grace's wardrobe malfunction on Dancing with the Stars and a new fashion alternative Pajama Jeans. For a sneak peak: http://www.bravotv.com/kathy-griffin-my-life-on-the-d-list/season-6/videos/wolverine-to-old-timey-broadway
Since 2005, Kathy has performed 12 successful and award nominated stand-up specials for the network including "Kathy Griffin Is... Not Nicole Kidman," "Kathy Griffin: Strong Black Woman," "Kathy Griffin: Allegedly," "Kathy Griffin: Everybody Can Suck It," "Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell," "Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steal," "Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch," "Kathy Griffin Does the Bible Belt," "Kathy Griffin: Whores on Crutches, " "Kathy Griffin: 50 and not Pregnant," "Kathy Griffin: Gurrl Down!" and most recently, "Kathy Griffin: Pants Off." Bravo's Emmy(R) Award-winning reality series, "Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List," completed its sixth and final season last summer.
Airing this Sunday, December 18 at 9p.m. et/pt, on a supersized episode of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Kim and her newly expanded family move into a mansion of their dreams. Sheree and Phaedra's relationship gets rocky as they deal with the aftermath of their court battle against Sheree's ex-husband. Meanwhile, Kandi decides to steer her music career in a surprising new direction. Cynthia throws a grand-opening bash at her modeling school, the Bailey Agency, where Kim and NeNe rub elbows for the first time since Cynthia's wedding.
On an all-new "Chef Roblé and Co." airing Sunday, December 18 at 10:30p.m. et/pt, Chef Roblé discovers the challenge of catering to Upper Eastside moms and a 4-year-old birthday boy with a sophisticated palate. Then he must conquer authentic Indian cuisine for an upscale dance party. When a server bails at the last minute, Roblé asks his girlfriend to come to the rescue.
The drama continues on Monday, December 19 at 9p.m. et/pt on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" when Taylor's husband threatens a lawsuit against Camille, the women worry they could be next. Through tears, concern and anger, they debate turning Taylor away from Kyle's annual white party. For a sneak peek: http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/season-2/videos/kim-has-had-enough
On the season finale of "Watch What Happens: Live" on Monday, December 19 at 11p.m. et/pt, Andy Cohen ends the season on a high note in the Clubhouse with gleeks Lea Michele and Chris Colfer from the hit show "Glee."
The final three contestants face-off on Wednesday, December 21 at 9p.m. et/pt, during the season finale of "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist" where they have been preparing for a full solo exhibition. Climaxing in a large-scale gala opening at Phillips de Pury, the finalists present their collections to the judging panel, complete with guest judge KAWS, to determine who will be "The Next Great Artist." For a sneak peek: http://www.bravotv.com/work-of-art/season-2/videos/must-blow-the-art-world-away
Immediately following at 10p.m. et/pt on "Top Chef: Texas," the Quickfire challenge will reach out to its fans via twitter as they follow instructions tweeted live by fans and create a dish based on what they want the chefs to do. Whenever Tom sees an idea he likes, he will call it out in the room. No matter which direction the chefs thought they were taking their dish, they will have to switch it up based on the latest tweet. For the elimination challenge, the chefs have a chance to reflect and pay homage to the person who taught them how to cook by making a "tribute dish" in their honor. Legendary singer and cookbook author Patti Labelle serves as guest judge. For a sneak peek: http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/season-9/videos/legendary-icon-ms-patti-labelle
Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.


text:
Miley Cyrus doesn't mind being single these days … because music is her sweetheart.
"I need to treat my music like a relationship – give it my time and all the attention it deserves – that's my main love right now," the singer, 20, tells December's Cosmopolitan, on sale Nov. 5.
"This is the best time of my life. I'm not going to look back on it and be like, 'I wish I hadn't been dwelling over a breakup,' you know?" she says of her split with Liam Hemsworth.
And Cyrus is finding support from fellow musicians Kanye West and Katy Perry, whom she says can understand her experience when very few can.
"The support of other artists is important because there are not many people who can relate to what I'm going through right now. Kanye West is one of those people, and even Katy Perry has been so cool," she says.
"It's easy for Kanye to support me because we're totally separate lanes of competition, but for Katy to say that she appreciates what I'm really doing for the pop industry, that keeps you going. And I mean, who cares what the media buzz is if Kanye West is telling you that you're the s—?
"Even people who want to hate on me, they can't even shut down the fact that I'm literally what everyone is talking about," Cyrus says.
RELATED: Miley Cyrus Opens Up About Her Split with Liam Hemsworth


text:
Business Outline
Next Generation Products Leading the Future Automotive Field.
IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) System / Cloud Service for VehicleIn June 2012, Clarion launched "Smart Access", a new cloud service for vehicle, based on the idea of "smartphone conectivity" which enables the massive number of smartphone applications to be used in in-car environments. Our latest AV Navigation System supports "Smart Access". Apps for Internet radio reception, for news, and for SNS, are all available optimized for in-car use. Clarion will be providing new value to users all over the world by expanding "Smart Access" service on a global scale, and continuously releasing in-vehicle terminals that support it.
In-Vehicle Audio SystemsOver the years, Clarion has persistently polished its audio and acoustic technologies, and sought to create the ideal sound environment within the car. In addition to seamless connectivity with portable audio players and smartphones, our unique audio technologies are also a major advantage of Clarion audio systems as they allow creation of an ideal sound field in the car interior, an environment that suffers from much unwanted reflection and absorption of sound. Furthermore, the "Full-Digital Speaker" which balances eco-friendliness with premium sound was a world's first development for the automotive field, and was launched in the Japanese market starting December 2012. Through this technology, we will be promoting the commercialization of car audio systems that are ideal for next-generation eco cars.
Safe Driving Support System (Vision System)Recent years have seen a rise in demand for car cameras that provide drivers with a sense of safety and security. In addition to conventional rear-vision cameras, Clarion is developing and marketing the Overhead View Monitor that provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle, as well as sensing systems to alert the driver of approaching pedestrians and cars, and various other applications. Clarion will continue to actively develop cutting-edge technologies and support safe driving by promoting the Vision System.
In-Vehicle Systems for Commercial UseClarion holds top market share for bus equipment. Our digital signage system uses an in-bus monitor to display not only bus stops along the route but also video and still imagebased commercial messages, as well as news and weather information utilizing Hitachi's digital signage solution "SignChannel". We believe that in-bus signage offers higher promotional efficiency compared to conventional digital signage seen on the street, and will continue to formulate and introduce services with high user demand.
OEM Business with Excellent Achievements in the Global Market
With its superb technology and flexible production systems, Clarion is highly appreciated by the global market, and in OEM∗ market, in particular, it has built up secure and long lasting relationship of trust with major car manufacturers with deliveries of genuine parts programs. Our business in the OEM market started already in 1951, when we delivered our first genuine parts radios to Hino-Renault. Currently, we deliver various in-vehicle devices to customers all over the world. This segment can be stated as the back bone of our business. In the coming years, the advanced market will require more evolution in vehicle mounted devices as EVs (Electric Vehicles) and HVs (Hybrid Vehicles) become more popular. On the other hand, in the emerging markets, products matching to the diverse needs of each market are required. Clarion strives to expand its OEM business in a global scale with its long cherished vehicle adaptation technologies and ability to propose products to meet customer needs one step ahead of the times.
∗ OEM:Original Equipment Manufacturing/Manufacturer
Support to EVs with Car Navigation Systems and Telematics Units
"Leaf", EVs (Electric Vehicles) from Nissan released in 2010 in the US, Europe and Japan are equipped with Clarion's car navigation systems. These first in the world navigation systems specifically developed and dedicated for EVs, feature multiple special functions in addition to those in conventional systems, to let drivers feel comfortable in driving an EV, such as estimated reachable distance calculated from the battery conditions, warning for expedited charging of the battery, easy search of charging stations, display of electricity consumption status and others. Clarion also delivers telematics units of own development to enable data communication with the data center and signal processing for the functions of remote control of air-conditioner and checking of battery status from outside the vehicle as well as transmission of probe information, by making use of telematics.∗
∗ Telematics units are delivered only in Japan.
Dedicated Navigation System for EVs
Management Award (Fiscal 2012)


text:
Simpler, more flexible visa rules02 April 2014
by eub2 -- last modified 02 April 2014
Many non-EU nationals wishing to travel to the EU are often faced with cumbersome, lengthy and costly visa procedures. The proposals presented today will seriously shorten and simplify the procedures for those wanting to come to the EU for short stays, and induce more cost savings and less bureaucracy, whilst maintaining the level of security. Making the access to the Schengen area easier for legitimate travellers will facilitate visiting friends and relatives and doing business. It will boost economic activity and job creation in, for instance, the tourism sector as well as in related activities such as restaurant and transport industries. A recent study shows that in 2012 a total number of 6.6 million potential travellers from six of the countries with the most travellers were 'lost' due to cumbersome visa procedures. It also showed that more flexible and accessible visa rules could lead to an increase in trips to the Schengen area of between 30% and up to 60%, only from these six countries. This could mean as much as EUR 130 billion in total direct spending over five years (in accommodation, food and drink, transports, entertainment, shopping, etc.), and could translate into some 1.3 million jobs in tourism and related sectors.
What are the existing rules?
A central element of the common visa policy is the Visa Code that sets out the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for the purpose of short stays and airport transit.
Since it entered into force on 5 April 2010, the Visa Code has contributed to facilitate legitimate travel and tackle irregular immigration, by: - improving consular organisation and cooperation; - strengthening procedural guarantees, and; - reinforcing equal treatment of visa applicants through harmonised application of the rules.
The implementation of all the provisions is however not always optimal and more should be done to address more effectively the challenges faced by visa applicants and Member States' consulates.
In addition, a 2012 Commission Communication highlighted the need for the common visa policy to also address potential for generating economic growth and new job.
What could be the benefit of improved visa rules and practices?
While contacts between people and cultures promote mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue, it is also in the EU's interests to be 'open' to visitors, as travellers contribute to economic growth.
Indeed, tourism has a considerable impact on the economy as a whole, through spending in accommodation, food and drink, transport, entertainment, shopping, etc.
A 2013 study on the economic impact of short stay visa facilitations on the tourism industry gives an idea of their potential economic benefit2.
The findings show that, by introducing various procedural facilitations, an increase in trips to the Schengen area of up to 60 % could be expected, from the six target markets of the study.
Different facilitation scenarios could lead to a total of 13 to 14 million travellers, leading to between EUR 22 to 25 billion in total direct spending per year.
Over five years, this could mean as much as between EUR 120 and 130 billion in total direct spending, translating into between 1.2 and 1.3 million jobs in tourism and related sectors.
What problems need to be addressed?
The Commission proposals address four main problem areas, which are also illustrated by the results of a public consultation carried out in June 2013.
(1) The overall length and cost as well as the cumbersome nature of the procedure. This relates in particular to the fact that the same procedures are applied to all applicants, irrespective of their country of origin or of their individual situation. Currently, Schengen States do not sufficiently distinguish in their practices between unknown applicants and applicants who have a positive visa record, e.g. when issuing multiple entry visas (MEV).
Excerpt from a complaint letter received by the Commission:
"As an example, below is a listing of my Schengen Visas over the past 10 years:
Ten visas over a period of ten years are far too many. […] I fail to see the logic and value of issuing short term visas, if one repeatedly demonstrates that he/she has a stable life in his/her home country, has the means to cover travel expenses, has returned home within the stipulated duration, and in no way poses a security risk. […] I also applied to UK and USA visas in 2006 and 2010 respectively; and in both cases was issued 10 year multiple entry visas, as apparently I was able to satisfy whatever criteria these two countries were looking for. So I don't have to worry about applying again for 10 years and this is what I would also expect in the case of Schengen States."
(2) The lack of access to consulates (or external service providers) to lodge the visa application because the competent Schengen visa issuing authority is not present in the applicant's country of residence. This proves costly and time-consuming for visa applicants having to travel abroad to apply for a Schengen visa.
Excerpt from a response to the public consultation:
"Me and my relatives find very complicated and bureaucratic process to apply for Schengen visa to Denmark. So, some of my relatives reside in Uzbekistan and some reside in Denmark. There is no way to apply for Schengen visa for them in Uzbekistan, there is no any embassies in Uzbekistan responsible for DK. Yes, it was possible 3 years ago, via German embassy in Tashkent. But now, all have to travel first to Moscow, apply there for Schengen visa in Danish embassy, wait for couple of weeks there."
(3) The need to facilitate family visits of family members of EU citizens irrespective of where the EU citizen resides
The Visa Code applies to visa applications lodged by all third-country nationals, including family members of Union citizens. There are currently no specific procedures that would facilitate family visits for third-country nationals visiting close relatives who are Union citizens residing in the Member State of which they are nationals and for close relatives of Union citizens residing in a third country and wishing to visit together the Member State of which the Union citizen has the nationality.
While the recently concluded Visa Facilitation Agreements provide certain procedural facilitations (e.g. simplification of the requirements regarding supporting documents, visa fee waiver, mandatory issuing of MEVs), those only apply to the nationals of the third country concerned by the VFA.
To ensure a level playing field, procedural facilitations should be granted, as a rule, to all those who are in either of the two situations described above.
At the same time, the Directive on the right of EU citizens and their families to move and reside freely within the EU (Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 5(2)) provides particular facilitations in general terms to the beneficiaries of that Directive. The Commission however receives many complaints and requests for clarification on the relationship between this Directive and the Visa Code, as facilitations provided to family members of Union citizens on the basis of the Directive are apparently implemented differently in different Member States.
(4) The lack of authorisation for non-EU nationals – whether visa requiring or visa exempted - who have a legitimate interest in, and need for, travelling in the Schengen area for more than 90 days in any 180-day period without being considered as 'immigrants'. The current legal framework does not provide an authorisation that would correspond to their needs/itinerary.
Excerpt from a complaint letter received by the Commission:
"We have worked and saved a lifetime to travel Europe when we retired in a motorhome. Now we find out we only have 90 days, then have to leave for 90 days because of the Schengen laws, hardly enough time to begin to see the Continent. We have our own finances, health and travel insurance, etc. Is there any exception or special visa for people like us who just want to travel, pumping money into the local economies?"
Why making a distinction between first-time applicants and well-known applicants?
Current procedural facilitations for applicants known to the consulates are not used systematically: the same procedures are often applied to all applicants and multiple entry visas (MEV) with long validity are not issued as often as they should.
This is unfortunate, as a MEV is the most important and most tangible facilitation that travellers can get, allowing them to travel more spontaneously. Issuing more MEVs would also ease the administrative burden for both applicants and consulates.
That is why the Commission proposes mandatory rules, on the basis of clearly defined and objective criteria, to enable a clear distinction to be made between categories of applicants.
This distinction is also made with regards to the lodging of the application. Under the current rules a visa application must always be lodged in person. This can be not only time consuming but also rather excessive for persons with a positive visa record. Therefore, the Commission proposes to abolish this general requirement. All first time applicants must present themselves in person when lodging the application because their fingerprints are to be collected (and stored in the VIS). Fingerprints are stored for 59 months and then they must be collected again.
How will such distinction be made?
The Visa Information System (VIS), which is expected to be fully operational worldwide in 2015, will give Member States access to all data related to applicant's previous visa applications.
It will therefore be easy to distinguish between the first-time, 'unknown' applicant not yet registered in the VIS with no 'visa history', and the applicant whose data are already registered.
What will be the rules for issuing multiple entry visas to 'VIS registered regular travellers'?
Specific procedural facilitations are proposed for 'VIS registered regular travellers' (those who have obtained and lawfully used two visa in the 12 months prior to their application). Such facilitations would include waiving of the requirement to submit certain supporting documents and the issuing of MEVs with a long period of validity.
Concretely, such applicants should only have to submit supporting documents proving the travel purpose and should be granted a MEV valid for three years.
Applicants who previously obtained and lawfully used such a three-year MEV should, for their next application receive a MEV with a validity of five years.
Will there be improvements only for 'VIS registered regular travellers'?
No. Overall procedural facilitations will be introduced for all visa applicants (including someone who has not applied for a visa before):
In terms of deadlines.
- The maximum deadline for lodging an application has been increased to allow travellers to plan ahead and avoid peak seasons (all applicants will be able to lodge their applications up to 6 months ahead of the intended trip, instead of only 3 months currently);
- A shorter deadline for the examination of applications has been set (10 days instead of 15). Concerning the examination of applications from family members or close relatives of EU citizens this deadline is set to be 5 days.
In terms of documents.
- The visa application form has been simplified;
- The list of supporting documents (to be provided with each application) is no longer a "non-exhaustive list" (thereby ensuring more consistency in the requirements by Member States' consulates) and equal treatment of applicants;
- The need to provide a travel medical insurance (TMI) has been abolished.
In terms of information to the public.
- A common Schengen visa internet website is to be created by the Commission (with information on the general rules of procedures and direct access to Member States' own websites with specific relevant information);
- A template for the information to be given to visa applicants is to be developed by the Commission.
Will all these procedural facilitations have a negative impact on security and public order in the Schengen States?
No. There will not be any negative impact. While benefiting from general procedural facilitations, first-time applicants would still need thorough screening. This is necessary to preserve the security of the system and will ensure that they enjoy significant facilitations if they apply again (i.e. they will benefit from 'VIS registered regular traveller' status, with accompanying facilitations, if they apply for a third visa within 12 months of their lawfully used first visas).
What is expected in terms of access to lodge visa applications?
The introduction of the concept of 'mandatory representation' will considerably increase the visa issuing presence in third countries.
Concretely, consular coverage will be secured for all applicants irrespective of their destination in the Schengen area in any third country where there is at least one consulate processing visa applications: visa applicants would be entitled to lodge their application at any consulate which will then process their application.
Mandatory representation would therefore have a positive impact for applicants who would be able to lodge the application in their country of residence instead of having to travel long distances to a neighbouring country where the competent Schengen State is present/represented.
The legal framework regarding the forms of consular cooperation has been simplified in order to boost the establishment of common visa centres, co-locations, etc. In principle, cooperation among Member States could take any form adapted to local circumstances.
What are the changes for family members of Union citizens?
The Commission proposes to further ease mobility for close relatives of Union citizens. Procedural facilitations (shorter deadlines, visa fee waiver, exemption from providing certain supporting documents) would be provided for third-country nationals visiting close relatives who are Union citizens residing in the Member State of which they are nationals and for close relatives of Union citizens residing in a third country and wishing to visit together the Member State of which the Union citizen has the nationality. Currently there are no facilitations provided for these situations.
In addition, the same facilitations should as a minimum apply to family members of EU citizens benefiting from Directive 2004/38/EC (on the right of EU citizens and their families to move and reside freely within the EU).
Why allowing the temporary issuing of visas at the external borders?
This is quite important to boost short term tourism. Generally, visas can only exceptionally (e.g. emergency situations and humanitarian cases) be applied for and issued at the external border. The Commission now proposes to allow Member States to issue visas at the external borders on a temporary basis, in order to promote short term tourism.
This proposal has been very much inspired by a Greek pilot project, which was aimed at facilitating short trips to the Greek islands for tourists spending their holiday on the Turkish coast.
Such temporary schemes should be notified to the Commission in advance and the categories of beneficiaries and the geographical scope should be clearly defined. The visas issued under such temporary schemes would only allow access to the territory of the issuing Member State for a stay of maximum 15 days.
Who could apply for the new 'Touring-Visa'?
Any non EU-national who has an interest in, and need for, travelling in the EU for more than 90 days per 180 days but does not want to reside in any of the EU countries for a period beyond 90 days (and is therefore not eligible for a national long-stay visa or a residence permit).
Typically it concerns live performing artists who tour the Schengen area for a prolonged period, but also individual travellers, such as students, researchers, trainees, young people participating in youth exchanges, artists and culture professionals, pensioners, business people.
With this new specific visa they would no longer have to leave the Schengen area after the expiry of their Schengen visa or at the end of their 90 days visa-free stay. Instead they would be able to come and stay in two or more Schengen States for up to a year, with the possibility of extension up to two years (without staying in any one Member State for more than 90 days in any 180-day period).
Report 'A smarter Visa Policy for economic growth'
Proposal for a Regulation on the Union Code on Visas (Visa Code)
Proposal for a Regulation establishing a touring visa


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Heidi Klum & Lou Sulola: Pitti Pair
Heidi Klum leaves Bar Pitti restaurant with her 8-month-old daughter Lou Sulola in New York City on Tuesday (June 29).
The 37-year-old Project Runway host was also joined by her two boys, Johan and Henry.
On July 29th, Project Runway returns for its eighth season in a new 90 minute format.
"We did get always a few complaints from people that they wanted to see a little bit more, which we were obviously very excited about," Heidi told People. "So now we have half an hour more."
10+ pictures inside of Heidi Klum spending time with her kids in New York City…


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Sportwise Holiday Club
Children from school Year 1 aged between 5*-11 years old can stay active throughout the school holidays with our fun filled, action packed Sportwise Holiday Club scheme. Each day offers a selection of games, sports and art and crafts activities. Full day and Half day options available. A packed lunch, snacks and refreshments required for full days. A junior consent form must be completed prior to each school holiday. To book spaces simply choose the sessions you wish to attend and call the Centre to book and pay.
Unfortunately due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel our Easter Holiday club
£20.00 per child (Full Day- 8.45am-5.00pm) £12.00 (Half Day- 8.45am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-5.00pm)
For full Terms and Conditions Click Here
*Children must be 5 years of age before 1st September 2019.
Opening Hours
|4:30pm - 9:30pm
|4:30pm - 9:30pm
|4:30pm - 9:30pm
|4:30pm - 9:30pm
|4:30pm - 9:30pm
|8:30pm - 5:00pm
|9:00am - 5:00pm
The Centre is open to the public during the times stated above. The fitness suite and weights room are open throughout our opening hours. Between 09.00-15.30 during term time weekdays, other facilities are subject to availability.


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In this article
What is uterine rupture?Uterine rupture is when the scar from your previous caesarean section tears open. Though it's uncommon, you should be aware of this risk, particularly if you are thinking about giving birth vaginally next time.
It's possible for your scar to gape slightly while you're pregnant (scar dehiscence). This is unlikely to cause serious problems for you or your baby, because the edges of the scar stay healed (MIDIRS 2008; Chippington Derrick et al 2004).
Uterine rupture, however, can be life-threatening for your baby. Though the risk of it happening and causing serious complications is very small (Guise et al 2010, RCOG 2007, 2008), only happening in two to three in every 10,000 cases.
How often does uterine rupture happen?Uterine rupture is uncommon (Guise et al 2010). However, factors that increase your risk of uterine rupture include:
- Trying a vaginal birth after a caesarean (VBAC). About one in 200 women who have a VBAC have a rupture, compared with about one in 4,000 women who have a repeat caesarean.
- How your previous caesarean was carried out, as different surgical techniques carry lower or higher risks of uterine rupture in the next pregnancy.
- If you have a body mass index of more than 30 at the start of your pregnancy.
- If you are induced when trying for a VBAC, though it depends on how many weeks pregnant you are, and the method of induction used (Guise et al 2010).
Talk to your consultant about the risks to you of a VBAC compared with a repeat caesarean.
What are the signs of uterine rupture during labour?The most common sign of uterine rupture during labour is if your baby has an abnormal heart rate (Guise et al 2010). So if you have a VBAC, you'll be offered continuous fetal monitoring, so your baby can be checked at all times.
Other signs that there may be a problem with your scar include:
- vaginal bleeding
- pain that lasts between contractions
- irregular contractions (Guise et al 2010)
What happens if my scar starts to tear?If your scar starts to tear when you're in labour, you will need an immediate caesarean section. This is why it's recommended that you go for a VBAC at a hospital that has an operating theatre and an on-site blood transfusion service (NCCWCH 2011).
Your doctor will be checking you closely during labour, ideally using continuous monitoring, if there is a risk of uterine rupture (NCCWCH 2011). So if there are worrying signs, an emergency caesarean can be arranged in good time.
Will uterine rupture harm my baby and me?Uterine rupture is very unlikely to be life-threatening for you. Though you would need an emergency caesarean and a blood transfusion if you have heavy bleeding (Guise et al 2010, NCCWCH 2011). If the tear is large and causes a lot of bleeding, you may need to have a hysterectomy.
The consequences for your baby, however, can be very serious. Uterine rupture puts your baby at risk of oxygen deprivation and, potentially, dying.
However, this risk to your baby is very small, being about two in every 1,000 babies who are born by VBAC (RCOG 2008). This is about the same risk as for a mum who's in labour for the first time, but higher than if you had a planned repeat caesarean (RCOG 2007, 2008). But a planned repeat caesarean has its own potential risks, which need to be considered.
Can uterine rupture be predicted in pregnancy?The strength of your scar may be assessed in later pregnancy using ultrasound to measure the thickness of the wall of your uterus (womb) (Jastrow et al 2011). This may predict uterine scar weakness. However more research is needed before it becomes standard practice (Jastrow et al 2011).
Try to be reassured that it's uncommon for a VBAC or planned repeat caesarean to result in serious consequences for mums or babies (NCCWCH 2011). They are both safe ways for you to have your baby, they just carry different risks (Guise et al 2010, RCOG 2008).
Cheung VY. 2008. Sonographic measurement of the lower uterine segment thickness: is it truly predictive of uterine rupture? J Obstet Gynaecol Can 30(2):148-51.
Chippington Derrick D, Lowdon G, Barlow F. 2004. Caesarean birth: your questions answered. London: The National Childbirth Trust.
Guise JM, McDonagh MS, Osterweil P et al. 2004. Systematic review of the incidence and consequences of uterine rupture in women with previous caesarean section. BMJ 329 (7456):19. www.bmj.com [Accessed September 2009]
Ofili-Yebovi D, Ben-Nagi J, Sawyer E et al. 2008. Deficient lower-segment cesarean section scars: prevalence and risk factors. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 31(1):72-7.
MIDIRS. 2008. Caesarean section and VBAC (Vaginal birth after caesarean). MIDIRS Informed Choice - for professionals 17
RCOG. 2007. Birth after previous caesarean birth. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Green-Top Guideline, 45. London: RCOG press. www.rcog.org.uk [Accessed September 2009]


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No, no, that press conference won't be held until AFTER it is complete. It's now in progress, here's how it works… start by infesting the globe with money that can only come into being when it's backed by debt. Then add in a massive heaping of skanky derivatives and shaky debts, stir up the pot and begin creating one crisis after the other. Then step in like this:
IMF Gets $600 Billion Credit Line to Help in Financial Crises
By Sandrine Rastello
Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- The International Monetary Fund said it will have access to a credit line of up to $600 billion to make loans during financial crises after contributing countries agreed to fold commitments into one pool.
The agreement, yet to be approved by the IMF board, adds as many as 13 members from the current 26 to the so-called New Arrangements to Borrow, including emerging nations China, Russia, Brazil and India, the IMF said in an e-mailed statement.
The decision "marks an important moment for multilateralism and the fund, which will help the IMF's effectiveness in its response to crises," Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in yesterday's statement.
The deal goes beyond a pledge by leaders of the Group of 20 nations to contribute up to $500 billion to a credit arrangement that's currently worth $54 billion, the IMF said. The worst financial crisis since the Great Depression prompted more nations to seek aid from the fund, created after World War II to help ensure the stability of the global monetary system.
The agreement, which merges existing commitments into one facility, makes it easier for the IMF to tap into its supplemental resources. The credit line will be "an effective tool of crisis management as a backstop for the international monetary system," the IMF statement said.
While a general agreement on the NAB was reached at the G- 20 meeting in Pittsburgh in September, talks on the specifics stalled over divisions between some emerging and developed nations over voting rights relating to the credit facility.
Borrowed From Members
The IMF has estimated that its current credit line was insufficient when the financial crisis boosted demand for loans. It then started to borrow from individual members, such as Japan, to continue lending to countries in difficulty.
To ensure the institution would continue shoring up economies around the world, G-20 leaders in April pledged to add $500 billion to the IMF's resources.
Some of these contributions were bilateral loans, while China agreed to participate by buying the first IMF notes. Some countries, like the U.S., made theirs directly to the NAB.
When the new credit-line agreement is activated, all the bilateral loans will fall into it, Andrew Tweedie, who heads the IMF Finance Department, said in a Nov. 20 interview. It won't come into effect before next year, he said.
So, the IMF who comprise the world's central bankers go the individual central bankers and get money… of course this is just for show and to confuse the world… they could just as easily just create their own IMF money, and I'm sure will, but instead they pretend that they are "borrowing" money from countries around the world. Well, were did that money come from? The same central bankers!
Then, they take the money at the IMF level and do this with it…
Serbia Gets 3 Billion Euros From IMF to Counter Global Crisis
By Aleksandra Nenadovic
March 25 (Bloomberg) -- Serbia and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a 3 billion-euro ($4.1 billion) bailout to help the country repair the damage to its economy by the global financial crisis, Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic said.
The accord will last two years, he told reporters in Belgrade today.
Last year, Serbia opened a $516 million credit line with the IMF, joining countries including Hungary, Ukraine and Latvia in seeking outside help to cope with the effects of the crisis. Like other emerging markets, Serbia is grappling with a lack of credit and a plunging currency as the economy contracts for the first time in a decade.
Serbia is also hoping for additional commercial loans from the World Bank and the European Union that will be negotiated on March 27 in Vienna. Serbia already has received a $600 million aid package from the World Bank.
On March 24 central bank Governor Radovan Jelasic said Serbia's economy may contract 2 percent this year. There is a "downside risk" to this forecast because the government doesn't have enough funds to spur the economy through spending, he added.
Finance Ministry spokeswoman Kristina Radovic said on March 17 that Serbia didn't draw any funds from the original credit signed in November.
BINGO! Ding, Ding… Johnny, we have a sucker on the line! And in this way Serbia now must conform to the conditions of the loan or they will be cut off. What did the central bankers do to "earn" this money? What and who gave them the right to mint money on the global stage and to indebt entire nations? I think you know the answer to that… they gave themselves the power to do so, no one would stop them as the politicians and the judges are bought off along the way.
And because all their "money" is debt, this is the end result…
Dubai Debt Delay Rattles Confidence in Gulf Borrowers
By Laura Cochrane and Tal Barak Harif
Nov. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Dubai shook investor confidence across the Persian Gulf after its proposal to delay debt payments risked triggering the biggest sovereign default since Argentina in 2001.
The cost of protecting government notes from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain rose, extending the steepest increase since February as Dubai World, with $59 billion of liabilities, sought a "standstill" agreement from creditors. Its debt includes $3.52 billion of bonds due Dec. 14 from property unit Nakheel PJSC. Dubai credit-default swaps climbed 90 basis points to 530 after yesterday increasing the most since they began trading in January, CMA Datavision prices showed.
"There is nothing investors dislike more than this kind of event," said Norval Loftus, the head of convertible bonds and Islamic debt at Matrix Group Ltd. in London, which manages $2.5 billion of assets including Dubai credits. "The worst-case scenario will, of course, be involuntary restructuring on the Nakheel security that brings into question the entire nature of the sovereign support for various borrowers in the region."
Dubai World's assets range from stakes in Las Vegas casino company MGM Mirage to London-traded bank Standard Chartered Plc and luxury retailer Barneys New York through asset-management firm Istithmar PJSC. The Dubai government's attempt to reschedule debt triggered declines in stocks worldwide that had been rebounding from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
'Debt Burden'
"We understand the concerns of the market and the creditors in particular," said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al- Maktoum, who chairs the Supreme Fiscal Committee in charge of apportioning financial support to ailing companies, in the first statement to come out of the Dubai government since the announcement about debt rescheduling. "However, we have had to intervene because of the need to take decisive action to address its particular debt burden."
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index of stocks had the biggest decline in four weeks, falling 2.2 percent, led by Russia and China. Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index lost 3.3 percent in London, the biggest decline since April 20. South Africa's rand and the Turkish lira weakened 2.1 percent against the dollar. Hungary's forint lost 1.7 percent per euro. Credit-default swaps on Russia increased to 205 basis points from 192.
The MSCI World Index of 23 developed markets has risen 26 percent this year after banks worldwide recorded more than $1.7 trillion in writedowns and losses and governments committed about $12 trillion to shore up economies.
'Shock' Announcement
"The announcement was a shock," said Beat Siegenthaler, chief emerging-market strategist at TD Securities Ltd. in London. "It is strongly affecting European markets."
Dubai, ruled by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, borrowed $80 billion in a four-year construction boom to transform the economy into a regional tourism and financial hub. The emirate suffered the world's steepest property slump in the global recession, with home prices dropping 50 percent from their 2008 peak, according to Deutsche Bank AG.
Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's cut the ratings on Dubai state companies yesterday, saying they may consider Dubai World's plan to delay debt payments a default.
Gulf region default swaps jumped, with contracts linked to Bahrain adding 29 basis points today to 223.5, the biggest increase since Feb. 18. Contracts linked to Abu Dhabi added the most since February yesterday, climbing 36 basis points to 136.5 and were another 23 basis points higher at 159.5 today, according to London-based CMA. Qatar default swaps rose 13 basis points to 117, adding to yesterday's 11 basis-point increase.
'Further Defaults'
"Dubai is the most indicative of the huge global liquidity boom and now in the aftermath there will be further defaults to come in emerging markets and globally," said Nick Chamie, head of emerging-market research at Toronto-based RBC Capital Markets.
Saudi Arabia default swaps climbed the most since February, adding 18 basis points to 108. The British Bankers' Association asked the U.K. government to intervene with Saudi authorities over debts of at least $20 billion owed to as many as 100 banks by Saad Group and Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Co., two family holding companies based in the oil city of Al-Khobar, according to a letter dated Nov. 20.
Default swaps on Dubai World unit DP World Ltd., the Middle East's biggest port operator, jumped by a record 181 basis points to 540.5 yesterday and were priced another 72 basis points higher today at 612, according to CMA data.
Manmade islands and gleaming new cities in the middle of the desert all devoid of people and real commerce. Of course the people who provided the financing deserve to lose their money and this will ripple around the globe, just one of several problems interrupting our markets (DOW futures are down more than 200 points this Thanksgiving even though the markets are closed). Amazing how news like this occurs when the U.S. markets are closed.
The people of the world need to wake up. Their futures and their natural resources are being robbed. There is a much, much better way, details coming soon. Meanwhile the Central bankers are already enacting their plan as they sing to Serbia, "Got you where I want you…"
The Fly's - Got you where I want you:
Outstanding artwork done by AZRainman