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In 2009, Rhode Island accepted a block grant from the Bush administration that capped the amount of federal Medicaid funding it could receive for five years, in return for increased flexibility over the program. Now, as Republicans in Congress look to lower federal Medicaid expenditures, they're pointing to the state as an example of what block grants can accomplish.
During a February 15th Senate Finance Committee hearing, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) announced that the 2009 block grant has lowered health care spending and suggested that its success could be duplicated elsewhere. "Well, my question for you is if Rhode Island can save 15.8 percent, why don't we just block grant every State and let them, and take the rules off and let them do these strategies that you're outlining rather than spending money in Washington telling them what to do," Coburn asked Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, who was testifying before the committee.
The answer to Coburn's question is simple: if every state received a Rhode Island-type grant, Medicaid expenditures would increase dramatically. That's because the Bush administration established a cap that was "above what the federal government otherwise was expected to spend" and gave Rhode Island additional federal Medicaid funding to help pay for services it had previously self-financed.
Most states won't be so lucky. A recent block grant proposal introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Alice Rivlin would reduce federal Medicaid spending by $180 billion and establish caps below what the government would otherwise spend. States would receive an annual federal appropriation that would be less than current projected growth of the program and would be forced to, as the CBO put it in examining the Ryan/Rivlin Medicaid proposal, "provide less extensive coverage, or to pay a larger share of the program's total costs, than would be the case under current law." The proposal, in other words, shifts a greater burden of funding Medicaid to the states, which would either have to spend more on their Medicaid programs or cut services and eligibility.
Rhode Island's alleged cost savings, meanwhile, are partly the the result of the Recovery Act and lower than expected enrollment, not block grant funding. From a recent Center on Policy and Budget Priorities (CBPP) report:
The state has received $400 million in additional federal Medicaid funds as a consequence, a level that will reach about $470 million by June 30, when this temporary federal aid ends. These additional federal matching funds — not any savings attributable to the waiver — are the reason that Rhode Island's state-funded Medicaid expenditures declined in 2009. Rhode Island would have benefited from these savings whether it had a global waiver or not. [...] Rhode Island's Medicaid expenditures grew more slowly than other states before as well as after the global waiver went into effect, because enrollment in the program has not increased. In the five years preceding the start of the global waiver, combined federal and state spending on Rhode Island's Medicaid program grew at an average annual rate of only 2.2 percent… In federal fiscal year 2009, which includes the first three quarters that the waiver was in effect, Rhode Island's spending increased by 3.3 percent over the prior year.
An analysis of how states would have fared under a previous GOP block grant proposal from 1995 concluded that the one-year reduction in federal funding under the block grant would have been so great, that it would have "exceeded federal Medicaid spending on prescription drugs or home and community-based services and would have equaled half of all Medicaid spending on nursing homes." As a result, "more than 6 million people would have lost Medicaid coverage in 2002″ if states did not make up the difference.


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Motorized Rehabilitation Shoes Put Elderly on Shaky Ground to Improve Balance
By Quick, Darren; Gizmag,Publication Date: March 27, 2011
Article describes a therapeutic tool for improving balance in seniors and people with brain injuries. The Re-Step system consists of a pair of training shoes that incorporates 4 motors on the bottom of each shoe to make it more difficult for the wearer to walk. The system alters the angle and inclination of the sole of the shoes in a random way, which causes the brain to work harder to maintain balance. This in turn results in an improvement in function in the parts of the brain responsible. In addition to the motorized soles, the Re-Step shoes also measure and record the parameters of the wearer's gait, which can be analyzed by specialized software when the shoes are connected to a computer. This software tracks the wearer's progress and makes recommendations via a user interface that is easy enough for elderly patients to use at home. The shoes are programmed to match the requirements of each user and the training program changes as training progresses. The Re-Step system is the product of the Self Mobility Improvement in the Elderly by Counteracting Falls (SMILING) project at Scotland's University of Strathclyde in collaboration with the Israeli company Step of Mind Ltd (SoM). SoM initiated the system following research showing that a healthy brain functions with a certain lack of order and that damaged brains are actually too orderly, causing difficulty in walking. The article includes a link to a video demonstrating the Re-Step system.
Published by: Gizmag Pty Ltd (Website:http://www.gizmag.com/)
Link to text: http://www.gizmag.com/re-step-motorized-training-shoes/18240/
Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9QmhU-ZYOk&feature=player_embedded

subset: commoncrawl


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Mga Uod At Rosas |
Sadly, the film reinforces some conventional and questionable notions about art. An artist as a solitary figure, an artist as a wretched-angst filled soul, an artist's space as a room-of-one's one and an artist as a middle class male. Socorro's role is also conventional as a woman. Taking care of the house, preparing the food, doing the laundry and washing the dishes. Mga Uod At Rosas also suffers from excess. Ingenious at first was the musical score but eventually becomes unbearable. The dialogue is uneven, sometimes witty turning cheesy at some point and the symbolisms were contrived. In spite of these excesses, the film's sweeping panorama of cityscapes captures its transitory nature with almost painterly quality, the attention to detail in indoor spaces transforming the frames into hand-painted paintings and the evocative use of chiaroscuro, the play of shadows and light to create mood. Danny Dalena's paintings are also vital components to the film's overall theme. Socorro is brought to life through Nora Aunor, the sterling performer. She emanates an inner beauty on screen and is unpretentious in her role. But it is Johnny Delgado's portrayal of Ding who stands out in the film as he turns in an understated, yet nuanced performance that shifts from haughty to endearing and from desperate to hopeful. Lorna Tolentino's exuberance as an actor is a contrapunto to Aunor's restraint. The critical scene and the episode that renders the film thoroughly cinematic is when Ding leaves Socorro. At this point, melodrama flirts with melancholy, an uncanny liaison that takes us to the most fraught of ties, the most alienating of emotions and an emergent tone and terrain of affection. Ultimately, as Mga Uod At Rosas shows, there's still life for Ding and Socorro even after art.
Directed By: Romy V. Suzara
Screenplay: Edgardo M. Reyes
Director Of Photography: Romeo Vitug
Musical Director: George Canseco
Film Editor: Ike Jarlego, Jr.
Production Design: Manny Morfe And Danny Dalena
Produced By: IAN Film Productions
Release Date: May 21, 1982
In Memory of Edgardo M. Reyes September 20, 1936 - May 15, 2012


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PRINCETON (WVVA) - The Princeton Police Department has appointed a new chief as the previous chief is under investigation for "improper protocol." Lt. J.W. Howell tells WVVA News he was appointed to acting More>>
BLUEFIELD (WVVA) - The City of Bluefield broke ground on the first step of an ambitious downtown redevelopment plan Friday. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at 11 a.m. for the Rail and Coal Heritage More>>
SCARBRO (WVVA) - Two people have been arrested on drug charges in Fayette County after undercover officers purchase pills from a home in Scarbro. After making controlled purchases of prescription medication More>>
PRINCETON (WVVA) - A Mercer County man has pleaded guilty to murdering his wife and kidnapping their daughter. Tracy Lee Atwell pleaded guilty in Mercer County Court Thursday afternoon to charges of first-degree More>>
WAYNESBORO Va. (WVVA) - A bear cub that was saved from a dog attack in the Abbs Valley area of Tazewell County has arrived at his temporary home -- a Virginia wildlife center. Amanda Nicholson of the More>>
The trucker was hauling a load of drilling equipment when his load bumped against the steel framework over an Interstate 5 bridge. He looked in his rearview mirror and watched in horror as the span collapsed into the water... More>>
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A man seen with bloody hands wielding a butcher knife after the killing of a British soldier on the streets of London was described as a convert to Islam who took part in demonstrations with a banned radical group, two... More>>
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SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. (AP) -- A man charged with killing two adults and two children in Nicholas County is scheduled to stand trial in August. James Roy Belknap is being held without bond in the Central More>>
BECKLEY (WVVA) - The Division of Corrections says Joshua Greenwood was apprehended on Wednesday. Further details of his capture are unavailable at this time. Greenwood had been missing since going unaccounted More>>
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Gurudeva Unveiled
On the day of Mahasivaratri, Gurudeva's bronze was unveiled at the monastery. A short puja was performed by Natyam Nandinatha after an introduction by Sadasivanathaswami. Gurudeva was then uncovered with the help of Holly Young, the wax sculptor and the statue's creator. Three guests were then honored. Martin Mosko whom is helping with the Iriavan landscaping, Ava Waits who is a sister to one of the monks, visiting the Monastery for the first time, and then Holly.
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March 12th, 2013 at 9:26 pmOmana Raman liked this on Facebook.
AlohaJackie Hester says:
March 12th, 2013 at 9:41 pmit looks exactly like him! amazing!
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Devi Tandavan says:
March 12th, 2013 at 11:06 pmMy eyes welled up and my heart jumped with joy when I saw Gurudeva's bronze in context and garlanded and standing tall next to the familiar portrait. He came to life for us who weren't there even through the computer, as He would like. Thank you, Holly and thank you to the Monks who envisioned this.
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March 13th, 2013 at 9:01 amReally great work! Jai Gurudeva!
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Mahandransivam Supramanium says:
March 13th, 2013 at 8:58 pmfirst glimse of gurudev at batu caves kuala lumpur 15 yrs ago , creates an un forgetable memory to me , he shining divine face the positive aura , vibration around the area , no words to say. may his legacy continue forever guiding world hindus to the great path of hinduism , great job guru Bodhinata and all the enlightent monks in iravain temple.
Thillaiampalam Sivayogapathy, Toronto. says:
March 13th, 2013 at 9:16 pmLegendary, Natural Look, with Blessings, to the Saiva World!
Aum Shanthi!
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From Our Gurus' Teachings
- Gurudeva's Master Course Lesson of the Day
Bodhinatha's Latest Upadesha: "Detachment from Experiences; Importance of Daily Vigil" (May 5, 2013)
All experiences are good experiences, necessary to get us here. Awareness of aspects of ourselves that are constantly changing is a liberating perception, breaking our chains to mundane areas, detaching from instinctive and intellectual to go into superconscious. The greatest challenge facing youth today is the lack of relating to the devotional side of Hinduism. Daily practice, daily vigil, moves us forward spiritually. Commentary on Merging with Siva, The Master Course, Lesson 21.
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Take some time to view and explore our website. We have currently have 4 projects, namely Golden River Village, Golden Ville Subdivision, Villamonte Townhouse, Villa Angeles Subdivision.
We aim to be a real estate developer that creates communities in different market categories, and provides sustainable employment and livelihood opportunities.
Please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com, we will be glad to hear from you.
Have a great day.


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UB EAP seminar
Planning Your Future: Start Now! Answering Your Retirement Questions
What is my risk? Are there types of risk, and how can I determine my tolerance? What is asset allocation, when should it change and when should it be kept the same? How much money will I need to retire? How much do I need to save today, to get there? What if my income stops tomorrow, due to a disability or death? What are my options for saving for my children's education?


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1. | blow jay | ||
The act of giving/trying to give a man a blow job while being extremely fuckin shit faced. So shit faced that you cannot even say it as blow job or even a bj. Which results as calling it a 'blow jay'. 'I am going to give you the best blow jay EVER!...With my mouth!'--Superbad
2. | Blow Jay | ||
The Canadian way of saying blow job Kevin: I will never get a blow jay. NSH: A WHAT??!??!?! Kevin: I meant blow job?? NSH: sure you did, you just don't know what a blow job is!! HEHEHHE


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Campsie Sponsorship
Filed Under: Letters to Parents
Nick Devonport
01753 410 711
Campsie's vision is based on an organisation that is inspirational to work for, that innovates change and 'enhances people's lives'.
Campsie Managing Director, Nick Devonport, felt that Campsie should take this vision into the community by sponsoring a local school. St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School (Slough) was chosen due to their long-standing culture of welcoming pupils from a large catchment area. By working directly with the school, Campsie has been able to enhance their pupil's lives through provision of sponsored sports kits.
Campsie have arranged new sports kits for St Bernard's Football, Netball, Basketball, Cricket, Hockey and Athletics Teams. And to celebrate this partnership, Campsie and St Bernard's will be hosting a launch event of the new sports kits on:
20th October 2008
St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School 4pm – 7pm
The launch will include a Football Match between:
ST BERNARDS 1st TEAM
Additionally, medals will be presented by Nick Devonport to St Bernard's pupils.
For additional information on the partnership between Campsie and St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School please contact Nick Devonport or visit campsie.com
About Campsie:
Campsie was established in Windsor in 1971 and during this time we have developed and maintained trusting relationships with our customers. We have become long-term partners, advising our customers on a comprehensive range of professional services.
Now operating from Windsor, Staines, West Drayton and Slough, Campsie see initial lets or sales as only the beginning of a journey; we aspire to be the natural choice of agents whenever you think about property services in and around the areas we trade in and beyond.


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ALM Properties, Inc.
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Would-be Florida law school still looking for a homeThe National Law Journal 12-05-2012 Efforts to establish a law school in Daytona Beach, Fla., hit a snag when backers learned that their intended location isn't large enough. |


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North Carolina police say 5 died when SUV hit tree
SPENCER, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina say the death toll has risen to five after an SUV carrying nine people crashed into a tree. Four children also were hurt.
Police in the Rowan County town of Spencer said Saturday the driver of the GMC Envoy and four passengers were killed in the wreck Friday night. Spencer is about 50 miles northeast of Charlotte.
Authorities identified the driver as 28-year-old Angela Monique Dunlap of Spencer. Also killed were 25-year-old Sean Jacobs and 4-year-old Karizma Sexton, who shared the same Salisbury address; and 10-year-old Daja Cathcart and 45-year-old Vincent McNeal of Salisbury.
Three other children were being treated at a Winston-Salem hospital. A 10-year-old boy suffered minor injuries.
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Social scientists comment on Iran's post-election conflict
"On Miscalculating an Election," by Farideh Farhi
- Middle East & North Africa
Several days after the June 12 election, Iran is still reeling in shock, anger, and turmoil with no end seemingly in sight. The conviction of a significant part of the electorate that the election was stolen, whether it was or not by any objective measures, has led to protests and demonstrations in the streets while the harsh response and clampdown on the part of riot police and vigilante forces, particularly against university students, have created an atmosphere reminiscent of revolutionary days.
At this point, the confrontation that has ensued must be seen as an event with uncertain and ultimately improvised outcome. No one, including the players confronting each other, can know in advance what the outcome will be. It is not merely a question of the relative strength of the state against the protestors. Other questions have come to the fore and are being contemplated in public, including the extent of divisions within the Iranian elite, government, and repressive forces; where the divisions run, how deep they are, and whether they will prevent the all out repression of the popular protests. Added to this complexity, as most students of social movements and protest will attest, is the reality that although these divisions were preexisting, they are also developing and changing shape in response to actions taken by multiple players.
Confrontations are occurring not only in public. Behind closed doors, for those who made the decision to claim a hasty victory for Ahmadinejad, calculations are being made about whether their rule and authority will be strengthened or undermined by standing steadfast with him. What level of force is tolerable and even possible in trying to tamp down popular protest? Is more repression in the offing, or are the fissures among the ruling elites of the Islamic republic about to crack the state open?
No matter which direction events take us though, there is no doubt that this election has been mishandled by some of the highest authorities of the Islamic Republic, and because of this they will have to pay, either by losing their legitimacy despite their staying in power, or by actually not staying in power. This election was not only widely perceived as stolen or flawed; it also generated such outrage and resentment that people seem to be willing to bear at least some costs of protest.
Interestingly, the perception of massive fraud was not necessarily the dominant explanation shared by all outside observers of Iran after the election, as various pundits and analysts began to debate whether Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had really won the election.[1] Perhaps, it was said, Ahmadinejad's opponents and the world had been wrongly led to believe by the focus on the enthusiasm and the carnival-like atmosphere in large cities in the last twenty days leading up to the election, particularly in the streets of affluent northern Tehran, that challenger Mir-Hossein Mussavi was going to win. Ahmadinejad after all was a populist and his strength was among the poor, in the provinces, in rural areas, and in small cities - precisely the places that are routinely ignored by those who visit Iran and are able to dispatch reports.
Such a perception would have probably remained a powerful contending narrative for outsiders had it not been so insistently rejected by those inside Iran. This narrative has been a very important component of Ahmadinejad's campaign and presidency. He has marketed himself as the man of the people who made repeated provincial trips the hallmark of his presidency. Because of this, prior to the election, it almost turned into a truism that he would do better in smaller provincial cities and rural areas in the light of his redistributionist policies and his attention to those areas. Indeed, the contested election data released by the Interior Ministry does show that Ahmadinejad has significantly improved his vote-getting in smaller cities and rural areas in comparison with the 2005 election. Ahmadinejad supporters say that these numbers reflect the realities on the ground while his opponents see the data as made up to reflect a preconceived idea already sold.
Yet, this is where those who backed Ahmadinejad and designed his 2009 campaign as a repetition of his 2005 campaign may have miscalculated. In 2005, Ahmadinejad ran a campaign that in its second round counter-posed a presumably honest, simple and justice-oriented man against the opulent, powerful figure of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the current head of the Expediency Discernment Council and of the Council of Experts.
Ahmadinejad's 2005 platform worked beautifully because he was the outsider running against the establishment. In 2009 he tried to do the same by arguing that all three candidates running against him were effectively Hashemi Rafsanjani's proxies in the race, intent on bringing back to power the old guard that had lost its grip on power during his presidency.
The 2009 election turned out differently because a combination of competition between the two reformist candidates and increased outrage at Ahmadinejad's blatant (and much discussed) misrepresentations of the state of the Iranian economy, of his own record, and of past declarations during television debates had energized the electorate in the last couple of weeks of the campaign in ways not foreseen by either candidates or pundits. The animus against Ahmadinejad and savvy campaigns run by his two main candidates – Mussavi and Mehdi Karrubi – did the unthinkable and, if the total number of votes announced by the Interior Ministry is to be accepted, brought into the electoral process at least an additional 11 million voters out of the announced total eligible electorate of 46.2 million.
In retrospect, it was precisely this extensive mobilization that must have frightened the hard-line sectors of the Iranian elite in general and the office of leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in particular. It was enough to elicit their nod for what is now perceived to be the most blatant election fraud in the Islamic Republic's history, leading to the hasty announcement of Ahmadinejad's landslide victory by an unbelievable 63 percent of the vote.
Electoral manipulation – or engineering as it is sometimes called in the country – is not uncommon in Iran. It is part and parcel of a competitive process and has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years in order to prevent a repeat of the 1997 election, when reformist Mohammad Khatami won by a landslide. At that time, the unprecedented number of people participating in the election (79%) effectively prevented large-scale fiddling with the ballots.
Prior to that election, the two most prominent leaders of Iran – then president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and leader Ali Khamenei – had been informed of the political mood in the country by the security and intelligence apparatus and came out to assure the public that its preference on Election Day would be respected. Undoubtedly, concern about possible riots was what brought the two leaders together.
Since then, stricter vetting by the Guardian Council – intended to demoralize voters about the choices available to them - has been used to keep voter turnout in both parliamentary and presidential elections somewhere in the 50 to 60 percent range. Such turnout has proven manageable to conservatives who can always rely on a loyal political base turning out at the polls and on friendly institutions to win such elections with minimal tinkering.
This election was different and uncontrollable. The decision to manipulate election results in a brazen fashion seems to have been taken in advance, as evidenced by the ransacking of the offices of reformist candidates even before the polls were closed and by the concerted effort to inhibit the communication system of the country, which gives prominence to text messaging and use of mobile phones. The wholesale arrest of reformist leaders and the immediate presence of security forces and vigilantes in the streets all suggest a prior decision.
This also suggests another major difference with 1997: a clear parting of the two major icons of the post-Khomeini Islamic republic. Hashemi Rafsanjani, who had chosen to support the candidate most likely to successfully challenge Ahmadinejad, warned against the possibility of fraud prior to the election and questioned Ahmadinejad attacks against him in an unprecedented public letter, while Khamenei chose to endorse the results, calling it in a written statement a "divine miracle," in an unusually speedy fashion even before the Guardian Council had the chance to certify the results as required by law.
Khamenei's decision to ignore Hashemi Rafsanjani's warning will be assessed in the coming days as a marker for his ability to use "correct political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, management of sufficient power" to lead the country; characteristics specified as qualifications for leadership by Section 3 of Article 109 of the Iran's Constitution.
It will probably be a while before we know whose idea it was to manipulate the election results in such a brazen way. Those who planned and implemented it in all likelihood thought the large turnout made a subtle manipulation of the results impossible and decided to go for broke. Such brazenness was probably deemed necessary as a show of force, meant to make sure that the chunk of the electorate that is usually silent in Iran but had turned vocal in this election would again become silent, apolitical, and cynical in future elections. The assumption was that even if the electorate objected, it could be cowed into accepting the results with minimal use of violence.
This was a miscalculation of major proportions because it did not foresee the shock and anger many felt when the results were announced hastily and their willingness to take risks in a sustained fashion, and because significant players of the Iranian politics such as Hashemi Rafsanjani – who has been conspicuously absent from public view since the election – have effectively been forced to fight behind the scenes for their political lives by drawing from the pool of resources they have developed during their years in politics.
As the head of the Assembly of Experts, Hashemi Rafsanjani still retains the power to call into question the leader's management of the crisis. As a leading cleric, he also has close ties to Iran's major sources of religious emulation, none of which have so far congratulated Ahmadinejad for his election.
The decision by all of Ahmadinejad's opponents to lodge complaints against the results and, most importantly, Mussavi and Karrubi's decision not to back down and to continue to call for people's peaceful presence in the streets have also raised the sakes for everyone involved. All three opponents of Ahmadinejad seem genuinely shocked by the extent to which Khamenei was willing to act to crush them by orchestrating an overwhelming electoral victory for Ahmadinejad. This has strengthened their resolve to see this confrontation through and to keep up pressure to save Iran from what they see now as a more threatening and aggressive conservative cabal. Meanwhile there is no guarantee that Ahmadinejad or Khamenei will be willing to back down either.
Elections have been at the core of Islamic Republic's claim to legitimacy as a political system. There is no doubt that some individuals will have to pay for this miscalculation and the systemic inability to manage a critical election. The issue at hand is who. The answer lies in the outcome of the power conflict that is not only being played out on the streets of Tehran and several other large cities but also at the highest levels of Iran's political structure.
[1] Glen Kessler and Jon Cohen, "Signs of Fraud Abound, But Not Hard Evidence." Washington Post, June 16, 2009. Also see Ken Ballen and Patrick Doherty, "Iranian People Speak." Washington Post, June 15, 2009.


text: Electrocardiography (ECG) - Pets have an array of cardiac diseases such as valvular deformities cardiomyopathy, stenosis, and arrythmias. Electrocardiography is used to access and screen for cardiac abnormalities. Blood Pressure - A noninvasive indirect blood pressure instrument is used to measure blood pressure and pulse irregularities for glaucoma screening. |


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Sheniqua W.
Houston, TX, 77071
Subjects Taught Singing, Music Performance, Music Recording, Songwriting
About Me
"Niqui" is more than just a pretty face, She has been singing since the age of 4 in the church choir. So its no wonder that sometime later she would show up as a support vocalist for Artists such as Micah Stampley, Kim Burell, Kurt Carr, Juanita Bynum and so many more award winning artists. Self-taught vocalists of her caliber don't come around too often which has afforded her the opportunity to travel around the world doing what she loves best being a vocalist.


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Poor Spelling Dooms Attempt to Pass Stolen Check, Police Say
A Milwaukee man tries to cash a check stolen from a Wauwatosa woman, criminal complaint says; however, a teller notices the name of the account owner is spelled wrong.
A 21-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of trying to cash a forged check written from a Wauwatosa woman's bank account after police say the check had the victim's name misspelled. Lashannon Blackmer was charged Friday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with one count of uttering a forgery. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison and $10,000 in fines. According to the criminal complaint: On Aug. 17, the victim contacted the Wauwatosa Police Department after she learned someone tried cashing a check from her bank account at an M&I Bank location in the 8300 block of West Silver Spring Road. The woman told officers he checkbook had been stolen two days before while she was shopping at Pick 'n Save. An employee at the bank said Blackmer…
In this Article:
Gregory Kluck
4:25 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
I guess Little Bunny Fufu did not learn his lesson from the Fairy Godmother.   more ›


text: African diplomat Former United States Ambassador never win any election in Anambra sued a businesswoman (EFCC) 10 14 17 23 24 25 and Peter Nwachukwu 4 40 and his wife 41 77 a native of Ondo State A Septuagenarian a.k.a. Dr. Orlando Owoh a.k.a. Pyrates Confraternity a.k.a. Rev. King Abiola Adebayo Agboyi-Ketu Ahmadu Giade Akin Bayepade Alhaji Abubakar Bello Masaba Alhaji Asari Dokubo Alhaji Taoreed Alli Alhaji Yussuf Haruna Alimosho Local Government Aliratu Badejo Street Ambassador to Nigeria Anambra AE 311 AGU and her lover and her younger sister and Rasheed Lawal Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Ayogu Eze Beatrice Captain Dele Ore CEO Channels TV Nigeria Chief Gani Adams Chief Olabode George Christmas and New Year celebrations Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chairman Director of Pharmaceutical Services Dr. Ibrahim Tahir Dr. Jide Idris Dr. Kadri Hamzat Dr. Orlando Owoh Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Edo state Ekpoma father of slain NYSC member Federal High Court fell at the 3rd Mainland Bridge former media aide of Chief Olufemi Pedro FRSC Sector Commander Giwa Mufutau Oseni has declared that the state is poised to reclaim its lost glory in the National Sports Festival coming up in Kaduna later in the year. Head consultant of Heartlink Ventures limited His Royal Highness Home in Exile Ibukun Oluwatosin Akinjogbin international fraudster international support for Acting President Jonathan Goodluck IYDA Justice Lawal Akapo Kayode Opeifa Lagos Lagos Command Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Lagos-Badary Expressway left and her daughter Leyman Brothers Lucy & Mimi Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Mike Okiro Ministry of Health Miss Tosin Olorunsola Monsurat Masaba Bello Mr Ope Fatinikun Mr. Andrew Olatunji Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) Mr. David Omhoudu Mr. Durotimi Adeboye Mr. Francisco Abosede Mr. Mike Mbama Okiro Mr. Mike Okiro Mr. Nuhu Ribadu Mr. Stanley Atabor Mrs Bridget Larry-Izamoje Mrs. Omolara Kolawole Mrs. Seun Oni Ms. Robin Sanders NAFDAC NAFDAC National Agency for Food and Drug Administration NBC NDLEA New Oko-Oba Nigeria Oba Shamusideen Amoo Mojeed Ogun State. Ojo Oke-Odo near Abule Egba Olusola Adekunle Otunba Niyi Raheem Otunba Olowojofe T.S.M (JP) Panti Pastor Enoch Adeboye Paulette Chambers Peoples Democratic Party Pleasure bus stop Police Commissioner Abubakar Tsav political injuries popularly called Molue president of the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMBS) President Umaru Yar'Adua Prince Adebisi Yusuf Prince Billy Harry Prof. Bamidele Badejo Prof. Chukwuma Soludo Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke Prof. Tolu Odugbemi Professor Dora Akunyili professor of theology Reloaded Rotimi Amaechi RRS SAN Sango –Senator Eze Senator Rasheed Ladoja Senator Rashidi Ladoja Stanley Mbablis strikes out Sunday Mordi the Alaye-Ode of Ode-Remo the gay pastor Wale Adedayo When The Heart Lies with registration number Yaba yesterday. Zenith Bank MD Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service "Keke Marwa" 2008 World Teachers' Day and The President's Teachers 25-year-old trader A member of the board Lagos State Sports Council Abayomi Ogundeji Abelusi Tope Abiola Bookshop Ltd Abudulwahabi Zongoima accident Action Congress Action Congress Action Congress (AC) Action Congress (AC) chairmanship candidate for Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA Action Congress (AC) stalwart Ade Ipaye Adeola Adegoke Adewole Emmanuel Eniola Adolphus Udemezue Afeez Odulami African Kennery exponent Afromedia area of Okokomaiko Agege Ajao Estate Alabi Mulikat Alhaja Adijat Shittu Alhaji Abdul Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa Alhaji Abiodun Mafe Alhaji Abubakar Tsav Alhaji Ayodele Adeyemi Alhaji Babatunde Ajose Alhaji Babatunde Jose Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Masaba Alhaji Mohammed Masaba Bello Alhaji Mufutau Kadiku's Alhaji Shehu Musa Alhaji Suraju Folarin Azeez Alhaji Turkur Alhaji Zayeed Abiola Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos state All Action Congress (AC) All Round Success Ministries International alleged rapists Ambrozine Heron Amuwo Odofin Anita Joseph Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie Arik Air Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Association For Peace and Justice (APJ) Augustus Olakunle Macaulay Austin Oriabor Austine Mordi Aviation Round Table Ayodele Adele Babatunde Fashola Babatunde Fashola (SAN) Babatunde Raji Fashola Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) Barack Obama Bariu Ayoola Thanni Barrister Femi Falana Behold Nigerians who live in luxury Benjamin Olusegun Bitter leaf soup Bode Abraham Bolaji Alege brain gain British immigration officials Brown Evbrin and Matthew Noah Anuwakeni Bruce Strachan Calista Ukaegbu Central Bank of Nigeria Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Channels Television Chibuzor Patrick Chidube Olisa Chief (Mrs.) Sandra Duru Chief Babatunde Adewunmi Chief Balogun Asemudara Chief Emmanuel Nwude Chief Olabode George Chief Olu Falae Chief Reuben Fasoranti Chief Superintendent of Police Chieftains of the Action Congress (AC) Child Rights Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI) Chioma Ajunwa Chioma Okoye Chris Deger Chris Obinna Anokuru Chukwuemeka Ezeugo Coalition of Opposition Political Parties (CPP) Colleagues of Abayomi Ogundeji Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Francisco Abosede Commissioner for Transportation Commissioner of Science and Technology Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) Comrade Abdul Fatai Omogbolahan Comrade Ayodele Adewale Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Daniel Uchechukwu Eze Danjuma Ibrahim Dele Agbaje Democratic Governance Monitoring Group Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) derive joy working Diejawon Owafasa Dominical House of Grace Dr Jeff Okeke Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Dubem Uzoka Dunlop Nigeria Plc Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Edwin Orji Effiong Paul Ejigbo Magistrate's Court Ejike Asiegbu Ejiro Okurame Eko Bridge elections in Nigeria Emeka Johnson Emmanuel Ifeanyi Uba Emmanuel Olayiwola Enebeli Elebuwa Engr. Ganiyu Johnson Eniola Badmus Enoch Adejare Adeboye Evangelist Femi Opalemo Evangelist Timothy Adewale Adetona false report of President Umaru Yar'Adua's Farida Waziri Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Federal Operations Unit Fela Anikulapo-Kuti Felix Liberty Femi Falana Fidelis Ifeanyi Onwuka Financial Times of London Fitch and Standard and Poor rating Forest of a Thousand Daemons former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South) Former Lagos Police boss Fourth Mainland Bridge Francis Ogadah Gbenga Oduwaiye and Hon. Festus Adegoke Gen. Victor Malu General Andrew Owoye Azazi and Lieutenant-General Luka Nyeh Yusuf General Victor Malu Genevieve Nnaji Goddey John Itseki Governor Babatunde Fashola Governor Babatunde Fashola Governor Babatunde Raji Fashla on Transportation Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) governor of Oyo State Governor Raji Fashola Grace Amah Hakeem Abdul Lateef Health Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) Hilda Dokubo-Mrakpor Hon Alaba Ojomo Hon Ganiyu Olukolu Hon. Jokotola Pelumi Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu Hon. Razak Babatunde Adewusi House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church Hyacinth Nwabueze Ohazulike Ibrahim Aliyu Ijaw Youth Development Association Ijegun Ikeja General Hospital Ikeja Local Government Ikosi Ejinrin Local Council Development Area Ikotun Igando Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Ileya Inspector General of Police Inspector General of Police (IGP) Iperu Divisional Police Station Island General Hospital Issac Umokoro Itire/Ikate Local Council Development Area Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello Iyana Ipaja Jacobson Chibuzor Jake O. Akor Jim Ovia Joe Igbokwe John Ekenne Ojike John Momoh John Osido's Johnson Omoniyi Bamidele Jonathan Elendu Joseph Erico Josephine Oguamanam journalism juju Justice Fatima Nyako Justice Joseph Oyewole's Justice O.A. Dabiri High Court Kabiru Oyewole and Aliu Ramoni Kadaria Ahmed-Adesida KAI Brigade Kate Henshaw-Nuttal Kay Ganesh Kayode Opeifa Kehinde Abimbola Kemi Otegbaye kerosene Kidney Consultants International (KCI) King Olutanmole King Sunny Ade(KSA) lack of access to Yar'Adua Ladi Williams LAGOS Lagos and River State Police Command Lagos councils donates to police Lagos Schools Online (LSO) Lagos state Action Congress (AC) Lagos State Commissioner for Health Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) Lagos State government Lagos State Government Lagos State Governor Lagos State High Court Lagos State Physical Planning and Urban Development Authority Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Lagos State University (LASU) Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA). Lagos State Waste Management Authority Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen Larry Izamoje late General Sanni Abacha Lekan Ifonlaja Letter written by Senator Obama Lolo Uwazuruike Majek Fashek Majek Fashek Malam Nuhu Ribadu Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) marriage Martins Olusola Olowonihi Marvel Akpoyibo Mary Egah Maurice Iwu Mayowa Akinlabi Minaj Broadcast International (MBI) Minister of Internal Affairs in the Second Republic Miss Ajibade Temitope Miss Blessing Olorunsola Miss Kafaya Dauda Miss Onyemachi Onwuloro MMA2 Mohammed Lasisi Ajayi Monday Oboyibo Mopelola Ogunlusi motorcycle (Okada) Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) Mr Bates Sarki Sule Mr Walter Carrington Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji Mr. Akintola Akinjogbin Mr. Ayodele Fayose Mr. Babatunde Fashola Mr. Eddy Ademosu Mr. Joseph Fakunle Mr. Joseph Omotosho Adeyemi-Bero Mr. Kayode Olagunju Mr. Michael Aondoakaa Mr. Musbau Oni and his estranged wife Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele Mr. Richard Abayomi Mr. Tajudeen Muraina Mr. Victor Lamai Mr.Jomo Gbomo Mrs Lucy Sunday Mrs. Abosede Ojo Mrs. Eniola Yonwuren Mrs. Florence Appiah Mrs. L.A.M Folami Mrs. Titi Atiku Abubakar Mrs. Yetunde Morenikeji Faluyi (Nee Adesanoye) Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA) Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Murtala Muhammed International Airport Musibau Oloyede Muyiwa Adedeji Naija Navigator National Agency for Food and Drug Admnistration and Control National Drug Law Enforcement Agency National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NAFDAC) National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Oshodi National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] Ndi Okereke-Onyuike New Aviation Minister Babatunde Omotoba Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force Niger State-based Islamic cleric Nigeria Airways Nigeria Customs Service Nigeria Inter-Bank Foreign Exchange Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (NAHCo) Nigerian Broadcasting Commission Nigerian naira Nigerian police and troops Nigerian Ports Authority Nigerian Stock Exchange Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). No fewer than 17 people were seriously injured when a yellow-coloured Mercedes Benz 911 commuter bus Nollywood Nonso Mabuchi Nonye Iwuagwu Nuhu Ribadu Nwani Chinyere Oba Funso Adeolu Ocean Blue Nite Club Ogun River at Kara Bus Stop Ogun State Oinu Enoch Mohammed Ojide John Ekene Okereke-Onyiuke Okon Akaninyene Oladipupo Owomoyela Olayinka Oluwakorede Craig Oliver Okem Olowora Isheri Oluwatosin Akinjogbin Onabanjo Tunbosu Oniseri of Oseri -Osun Orlando Owoh Osunbor Otunba Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye a.k.a. King Sunny Ade Owode-Onirin Oyingbo-Costain-Mile 2-Okokomaiko Oyo State Papa Nurudeen Pastor Kris Okotie Pastor Nike Adeyemi Patricia Williams Edaferemu People Congress (OPC) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN) Physical Planning and Urban Development Physical Planning and Urban Development Authority (LASPPDA) Planning Regulation and Building Control Police Zone II Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce post-University Matriculation Examination (UME) President Umar Yar'Adua President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua President Umaru Yar'Adua Prince Eze Mathias Princess Sarah Sosan Prisons Public Relations Officer Prof Pat Utomi Prof. Ambrose Ali University (AAU) Prof. Bamidele Badejo Prof. Idowu Sobowale Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke Professor Augustus Olakunle Macaulay Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe Prosper Ikechukwu Igboeli P-Square Public Service Office (PSO) Quadri Babajide Sulaiman Rapid Response Squad Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Rev. Christopher Oghenebrorie Okotie Reverend Jide Rowland Macaulay Richard Charles Nicholas Branson Ritualists Rivers State governor robbers Robbers shoot 4 dead in Nigerian bank raid Ron Kenoly Sabo Police station Saheed Bamilagbon Adedeji Sam Edem same-sex relationship Samson Adeyemi Samson Siasia Segun Ogundeji Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello SEXIEST NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS 2008 Sheila Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Agip Shina Peters Shola Fashakin State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Supreme Court T.O. Kehinde Tagbo Ukachukwu tanker drivers Taofeek Ahmed Tejuoso Marker traders The Action Congress (AC) The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) Third Mainland Bridge Timilehin Adewunmi Toll Gate Toyota Camry car Tunde Bakare Tunde Davis Street UCHE JOMBO Uchenna Ijike Udoh Paul Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Umaru Yar'Adua Union Bank of Nigeria United States Ambassador to Nigeria United States of America (USA) Uzoma Okere Vice Chancellor of the institution Virgin Atlantic Limited (VAL) Virgin Nigeria Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) World Evangelical Bible Church (WOBIC) Yetunde Ogunlola Yinka Craig Yoruba home video industry


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Here's a printable shopping list for the school supply deals that start on Sunday! We'll add more deals to the list on Monday, but for now Staples has free pens and pencils after easy rebate, plus note cards and erasers for a penny (view their ad preview here) and Office Max has free crayons, rulers, or pencils sharpeners, as well as cheap pens, pencils, and filler paper (view their ad preview here).
Remember that these deals start on Sunday, and sometimes sell out quickly! You can usually pricematch at Walmart, as long as it's a name brand (and sometimes they'll match offbrand, too).
Update: we've now added the deals for Target, Walgreens, and Toys R Us.
These deals are valid July 22-28-21, 2012.


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Terrorism Index
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) ranks 158 countries worldwide according to the impact of terrorism.
(PDF – 6.6 Mb)
Download the report
2012 key findings
Download the media release (English)
Key Findings
- From 2002 to 2011, North America was the region least likely to suffer from terrorism
- While more terrorist attacks are being recorded, the number of fatalities has declined by 25% since 2007.
- Only 31 out of 158 countries ranked have not experienced a terrorist attack since 2002
- Most terrorist attacks occur in the context of a wider conflict situation
- Since the start of the Iraq invasion the number of terrorist incidents occurring each year has increased fourfold, globally
- In 2011 Iraq was the country that was most impacted by terrorism, followed by Pakistan and Afghanistan
"I welcome the launch of the Global Terrorism Index. It promises to be a useful tool for policy makers in their efforts to track and tackle terrorism."
Khalid Mahmood, Chair of the UK-All Party Parliamentary Group on Tackling Terrorism, UK
Released December 04, 2012
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is the first index to systematically rank and compare 158 countries according to the impact of terrorism. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the GTI maps and analyses trends in terrorism over the last 10 years. The index is based on data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland.
Methodology overview
The GTI uses four indicators to measure the impact of terrorism: the number of terrorist incidents, the number of deaths, the number of casualties and the level of property damage. These indicators are used to create a weighted five year average for each country, which takes into account the lasting effects of terrorism.
The score given to each country therefore indicates the impact of a terrorist attack on a society in terms of the fear and subsequent security response. For more on the methodology, download the GTI report and skip to page 9.
Global Terrorism Index interactive map
Overview of the Global Terrorism Index
Download the Global Terrorism Index Report
Media Releases for the Global Terrorism Index


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The Benefits of Scanning
Feb 07
Lot Numbers, Order Fulfillment, Scanning Bar Codes, FIFO, Inventory Management, Locations, Lot Numbers, Order Fulfillment, Scanning, UPC Codes, Warehousing No Comments
In fulfilling orders the difference between picking an order manually and scanning the same order via a computer system is huge and should never be taken for granted. The error rate between using your eyes to check that an item in your hand is the same as an item on the page is much much higher than letting a computer do the work. Even though fulfillment companies do their best to accurately pick, pack and ship their client's orders via a manual process it is still to everyone's benefit to ensure that products are bar coded and scanned out of inventory.
At ProPack was have traditionally picked orders manually. Over the past 20 years we've developed manual double-check systems to ensure that the correct product is placed in the correct box. This entails having one person (the picker) pick the orders into a box or bin and another person (the packer) double-check that the items are correct. This takes extra time and resources as well as slows down our response time for getting orders out the door for out clients.
Six years ago we began developing custom software to facilitate scanning orders whose items all contain bar codes (or UPC Codes). This quickly improved our own performance by removing the need to have a second person double-check the order. We made a rule that the picker remove the items from the shelf one at a time and scan each in midair before placing the item in the box. The scanning system would notify the picker if the item was incorrect. This improved our accuracy from around 97% to 99.9%.
In addition, since our software was custom-built we've been able to enhance the system to allow for the scanning of lot numbers and locations. Lot numbers are assigned to food products and are allocated to orders in a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) fashion. Getting the correct lot number in the right order is as important as getting the correct item. Locations allow us to electronically manage the physical layout of our client's inventory and quickly locate and pick their product. By added both these elements to our scanning process we ensure that the exact right product is picked from the correct location 100% of the time.
Scanning benefits fulfillment warehouses, clients and customers. At ProPack we're more efficient (and thus more profitable) by using scanning. Our clients are ensured of accurate inventory, quick order processing and minimal customer service issues. Finally, the end customer receives their package quickly and with right items included.
Scanning is a win-win for all parties involved and at ProPack we continue to use our custom technology to implement scanning into all areas of our operation.
For more information please visit our website at www.propack.com.


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Saturday, January 2, 2010
2010, be my best friend
7 comments:
- Jen said...
aw your new year's eve sounds like a lot of fun( and i love your tights) happy new year! :)
p.s. can't wait to see your thrifted brooch! - January 2, 2010 at 12:45 AM
- Fashion Therapist said...
Sounds like the perfect way to ring in the new year! You and your sis in law look so cute. I swear I've been seeing more of Miley Cyrus' stuff and I'll be honest, I'm not hating it.
- January 2, 2010 at 9:15 AM
- myedit said...
I love the deep pockets (are they or is it the photo?) of that LBD.
And seriously, I am creeping closer and closer to buying coloured tights... these look cute! - January 2, 2010 at 1:23 PM
- Viktoria with a K said...
A girl can never have enough LBDs... especially when it looks so great on you!
- January 2, 2010 at 3:48 PM
- 52 Faces said...
What an adorable blog! Found you through your comment at Dishevelled Stars. Happy New year!
- January 2, 2010 at 10:54 PM
- What Would a Nerd Wear said...
love the belted dress-gorgeous!!
- January 3, 2010 at 1:56 PM
- caffeinerd said...
Love your NYE outfit! The bright tights, the belt, the dress---all great :)
- January 6, 2010 at 9:27 PM


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Hungry Mr.Gator is wonderful counting book that features animals found in the low country of South Carolina. As Mr. Gator slips through the water he finds a number of groups wonderful animals to eat. If only they didn't try to get away or weren't too high in trees or weren't on his list of food interests.
JDaniel loved learning about animals that live in our state. He wasn't familiar with egret and the anhinga. I wasn't really either. It was fun to learn about them togehter. I also love this book's wonderful illustrations by Ann Marie McKay. We had a book time trying to find Mr. Gator in each of them.
Both the words and pictures in this book draw you in and make you feel like you are visiting South Carolina.
Exploring the Hungry Mr. Gator
Painting a Mr. Gator
First we worked on creating a Mr. Gator painting. I drew and cut out the gator and JDaniel painted it. I tried to help with the painting, but it ended up being a one man show.Mr. Gator Snack
JDaniel chomped this snack down and wanted me to make another one.
Would you like to read posts from other blogs about other states? Here is a list of the other blogs that are participating in the Booking Across the U.S.A. event.
Alaska: Little Wonders' Days Arizona: Simply Kinder and Think, Wonder, & Teach Arkansas: Homeschooling in Arkansas California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now Connecticut: The Teacher Park Delaware: Mama Miss Florida: Teaching Stars Georgia: Fabulously First Hawaii: Teaching With Style Idaho: True Aim Education Illinois: Growing Book by Book Indiana: Teach Preschool Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary Kansas: KCEdventures Kentucky: Chicken Babies Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog Maine: Maine Adventure Mom and Country Fun Child Care Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes Massachusetts: Mama Smiles Michigan: Play DrMom Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory Mississippi: Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk Missouri- Ready. Set. Read! Montana: The Honey Bunch Nebraska: The Good Long Road Nevada: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts New Hampshire: Growing Book by Book New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom New York: What Do We Do All Day North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog North Dakota: ND HealthWorks Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher's Blog Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4's Mom South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory Tennessee: No Monkey Business Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen Utah: Teach Beside Me Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog Virgina: Once Upon a Story, and The Freckled Homeschooler Washington: Home Learning Journey and Boy Mama Teacher Mama West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me Wisconsin: Reading Confetti Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle USA: The Corner on Character
Disclaimer: Links to Amazon in this post are affiliate links.


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Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
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Travel Blogs from Las Vegas
Vegas part 2
We returned to vegas for one night to get the flight to Hawaii. This time we stayed in the Monte Carlo Hotel which, although not as luxurious as the Venetian, was a lot easier to find your way round in. We visited a few of the hotels we had missed on our first trip, namely the Luxor, the Mandalay and New York New York. The Luxor is set in a giant …
Monte Carlo and Lance Burton Magic Show Review
The Plan: Lance Burton Magic Show Review Location: Monte Carlo Time: 7:00pm Seats: Mezzanine Row L Seats 10,12 Reality: Our arrival at Monte Carlo We walked past Diablo's on the way into the Casino and you could smell the grilled chicken and steak they use in all their food! Mmm it smelled good... like most everything else we passed on the way. We …
Vegas, Baby!!!
Vi k�rte torsdag (8/7), og selvom turen var lang (4 timer) n�d vi turen gennem det skiftende �rkenlandskab. Vi stoppede i Barstow p� In-N-Out hvor Brian fik mad fra den hemmelige menu, osse kaldet "Animal Style" (se foto). Vi checkede ind p� Flamingo, et af Las Vegas �ldste hoteller (1946) sammen med Sara og Russell, om aftenen m�dtes vi med Brian …
Vegas, baby – Grand Canyon i solnedgang
Tirsdag den 13. blev vi hentet af en limosine, som k�rte os til Viatours, hvor der ventede en helikopter p� os. S� gik turen fra Vegas og til Grand Canyon med den mest fantastiske udsigt fra luften.
Vi landede i bunden af Grand Canyon og fik et glas champagne og en bid at spise. Derefter gik turen tilbage til Vegas igen, mens solen gik ned bag …
Water for one Dollar, Dollar for one Water...?!?!
Was f�r ein Tag... nach einer erholsamen Nacht besuchten wir erst einmal das im Mandalay Bay gelegene "Bayside Buffet", mit der Absicht uns f�r 15 Dollar pro Nase ordentlich durchs gro�e Fr�hst�cksbuffet zu schlagen. Neben typisch britischen Dingen wie Scrambled Eggs, Bacon und Toast gab es auch viel eindeutig amerikanisches zu entdecken - …
- Restaurant
- Swimming pool
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TravelPod Member ReviewsMonte Carlo Resort & Casino Las Vegas
First time staying at the Monte Carlo! so far so good :)
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
We have vacationed in Vegas each year since 2001. We have stayed in plenty of hotels and The Monte Carlo is DEFINTELY the best in this price range! Very clean, awesome wave pool, wonderful dining opportunities, and close access to strip transportation.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
it is big, it smokey, it is Vegas! Great food , Great restaurants, great pool...but Vegas is not smoke free yet..and that smell....ugh! But that is like it is with every place in Las Vegas.
I have stayed at the MGM before and would rather return there again. It is centrally located on the strip and the steak house is fantastic. I even enjoyed the Mexican patio bar Diablos. great mojitos and people watching. I can only give it a 3 star rating however as the pool is much smaller than MGM and the casino is just so dark and smokey. The breakfast buffet is Awesome!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
excellent location, everything we wanted
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
Upon arriving, our room with king bed wasn't ready but we accepted one with two queen beds. Although the room wasn't facing The Strip, it wasn't a big issue for us. The beds happened to be very comfortable. The hotel is well located on the strip, near NYNY, MGM and not far from Aria. There's also a tram that operates between Monte Carlo and Aria that takes passengers on a short trip to Bellagio. The gambling was ok in the Monte Carlo. It had a nice fitness center which was included in the resort charges. The complimentary drink service was satisfactory although we didn't eat in the hotel. The in hotel restaurants seemed nice though! The elevators were quick. The check in and check out were relatively quick and efficient. The complimentary computers in lobby for boarding pass printing was nice to have. And it's relatively close to the airport. Only cost a $13 taxi fare. Overall, we would stay here again!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
1st class place
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
Historical Traveler Reviews Monte Carlo Resort & Casino Las Vegas
Best of the best
I went to vegas for the fourth of july and stayed at the monte carlo, that ws one of the best experiences I have ever had, i have been to vegas before and after but never got the service I recived from the monte carlo. the price was low that month so I was able to afford to stay there, they made me feel like I was at home, they paid attention to me and never forgot I was there, and when I needed something they were quick to help and never made me feel like I was bothering them, the hotel was so pretty and the rooms were clean and homely. I recommend staying here at least once in your life!!!
This is the best hotel on the strip!!!
We go to Vegas two or three times a year and prefer to stay here over any other hotel. The rooms are very nice. the casino is not too big or overwhelming. The pools are excellent and open years round. The buffet is excellent, as is the 24 hour "Cafe" restaurant. The Dragoon Noodle's black pepper chicken is awesome. Nice food court selection and The micro brewery/nightclub with walk up service is great. Has a store(Hypermart) open till 12am with snacks , wine, beer etc. And check out their web site for excellent rates compared to some of the other strip hotels!! There is no better value.
Excellecnt Stay @ Monte Carlo!!
I recently did a lot of research on the internet about what hotel I should stay at in Las Vegas for a business convention. I decided to stay at the Monte Carlo because it had the cheapest rates. When I checked in I asked for a upgrade and for only $50 more I got a Deluxe room on the 32nd floor and also a key to the VIP Lounge on the 32nd floor with a view of the strip. The lounge served FREE snacks till midnight and they had chocolat covered strawberries at night. They also had a nice turn-down service with bed mints and the most comfortable bed in the world. The curtains in the room were really thick which made it easy to sleep-in and a nice food court in the casino for quick to-go food, along with 24 hour room service. The pool was nice but it was too windy when I was there. They have a wave pool and a small lazy river. I work in a hotel in Los Angeles and I plan on recommending this hotel to any one that is planning a trip to Las Vegas.
Very Satisfied with Monte Carlo
Just came back from a five night stay at the Monte Carlo-- We had stayed there before, and were satisfied. Price was right- there is a noise factor, as discussed in other reviews, however I found this to be true at most hotels in Las Vegas. Casino is quiet and friendly--- Even at night five dollar tables were to be found. Easy in and out parking if you have a car--- I would definitely stay here again.. Check out their website for "bargain" rates-- lowest price available is guaranteed..
Loved the Pools... fun place..
I just recently returned from staying at the Monte Carlo, and had a great time. The hotel is in a good location, not really "center strip" but not as far as the stratosphere or the Mandalay bay from all the action. The staff there were all very nice, and accomodating. The rooms weren't too bad.. nothing too spectacular, but nice.
My boyfriend's favorite part of the Monte Carlo were their pools, they have several. They have a wave pool, pool which is supposed to resemble a river w/current and innertubes you can rent, and 2 regular pools. Only problem w/the pools is they were always crowded, but its Vegas at over 100 degrees... pools are always crowded.
Nice place, people, and price
It is true that you get what you pay for. Monte Carlo is just that. I liked the whole package except for the noisy rooms. Please advise, if you like quiet, stay elsewhere. You can hear the plumbling, door slamming and even conversation level noise in the hallways. Other than that, I really enjoyed staying here. All around, great.
Loved the Monte Carlo
My wife and I just returned from a week at the Monte Carlo in a standard room. We were delighted with our accommodations and the prices; the location on the strip; the monorail to the Belaggio; the friendly and attentive service; the pool complex; etc. etc. We haven't visited Las Vegas for at least 30 years, and were a bit uncertain what we'd find there. We visited most of the hotel/casinos on the strip, and found each to be a new and exciting experience (if a bit overwhelming). But at day's end we were delighted to go "home" to the Monte Carlo. We've read other whining personal reviews of several of the larger venues. Every hotel is picked at for "thin walls", loud toilets, small towels,bad elevator service. We found nothing to complain about at the Monte Carlo. THis was the most fun and satisfying short vacation we've had in years. We will surely return.
Location, Amenties & Value
We spent 3 nights in May 2002 and had a blast. Rooms were well appointed, clean and comfortable. The hotel is beautiful with everything you'd expect from a great Las Vegas resort. We particularly enjoyed the pool area, microbrew, shopping and restaurants. An excellent vacation or weekend getaway spot. Highly recommended and we'll definitely be back!
Good value
For those people who want the best of both worlds stay here. You get a good lower to middle strip position. A tram can take you back and forth to the Bellagio, without paying the Bellagio room prices..face it you won't be using your room much! Also check out the brewery, get a sample of their beers..good stuff.
One of My Favorites
I have stayed at a good number of the hotels on the stip including The Bellagio. (Had to put that in so you know I'm not some slob) But for some reason I find myself staying at the Monte Carlo more often then any of the others. You can't beat the price, and the hotel is in a prime location. The casino is bright and airy, not congested and dark. You know what I mean if you have been to New York New York. The restruants I have not been overly impressed with, they seem on par with other Vegas hotels, but for some reason my tastes have never drawn me to them.
All is all I really have enjoyed my stays at Monte Carlo, and have just booked reservations for next week.
Have fun!


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Merry Christmas, or -- if you prefer -- Season's Greetings or even Happy Nondenominational Holiday. To be honest, my Christmas spirit just kicked in on Monday.
I know to many this may seem bad as it is December and we are all supposed to be filled with joy and glee. Well, that is what the Hallmark commercial said, anyway. This year has been rough for my family and me. Though by the good graces of God, family and friends, we made it through the year.
The Christmas spirit can be brought on by many things, like hearing those traditional Christmas songs, egg nog and decorating the tree and house. For some, the spirit is brought on by being around family, as reuniting with loved ones always seems to warm the heart and soul. For me it was a Christmas card I got in the mail.
However, last night I saw something which made even me think, "Wow, that was a little much." Now to those of you who know me, that might make your eyebrow raise, as I am well known for saying and doing things others would not dare.
If you have not seen it on YouTube or on Monday night's News Channel 10 broadcast, a religious group executed a Santa pinata for heinous crimes against Jesus Christ.
The leader of this group read a proclamation listing the crimes which included "lying to children that you exist and turning Christmas into a festival of gluttony and greed with rampant commercialism." The list of offenses being read, I suppose, was meant to look like a scroll from ancient times held together by large red and green crayons, which if you are going to execute Santa for the commercialism of Christmas, you may not want to choose two colors synonymous with a commercialized Christmas.
Now I am one who tires from Christmas being commercialized right after Halloween. The decorations and trees and ornaments are all being sold and the Christmas songs are being played overhead. However, I would not in a million years think to execute Santa. Oh sure, I might capture him and maybe interrogate him to find out where my G.I. Joe snow fortress with detachable snow mobile and actual firing missiles is at, though I do not think I'd be the type of person to waterboard Santa.
Before the firing squad took aim and fired, the leader of the group made a statement which bothered me further. He said, "We would ask the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy on your soul but you have no soul as you exist only as a lie and nothing more. Do you have any last words? Of course not, because you do not exist."
Santa Claus, or Jolly Ol' Saint Nick, actually has some factual basis. Now the reindeer, Rudolph, North Pole, elves and workshop are a different story, which we may or may not touch on next year.
The story of Santa Claus was adapted from the stories of the life of St. Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara, which is now on the southern coast of Turkey.
His parents died when he was a young man, leaving him well off. He used his inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering.
He dedicated his life to serving God and was later made the Bishop of Myra, now Demre, Turkey, in the fourth century.
Bishop Nicholas was known throughout the land for his generosity. One of the stories describing his generosity was that of a poor man with three daughters. In those days, a young woman's father had to offer a dowry. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. On three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in the man's home providing the dowries needed for his daughters to be married.
The bags of gold were said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas.
Santa, I know I have been bad from time to time this year. However, if I ever top the naughty list for the thought of executing you, I'll understand if Rudolph is sent to snuff me out.
Thomas Garcia is a reporter for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at:
St. Nick actually existed
Published: Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
Click Here To See More Stories Like This


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We spend one night in the Oubaai Hyatt Recency while attending a wedding. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and the food were great! However, our experience at the hotel itself was not as great. Even though the staff was really friendly, they are not properly trained. being our first time at the Oubaai Hyatt, we did not exactly know how... More
- Also Known As:
- Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Hotel George
- Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Hotel
- Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort And Spa
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- The hotel is part of the picturesque Oubaai Golf and Lifestyle Centre, a 316-acre upscale residential and golf development on the Garden Route that extends along the Western Cape from Mosselbaai to Port Elizabeth. ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, Expedia, Travelocity, Agoda, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Tingo and Venere so you can book your Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


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Education for the mind & soul
Purification of the Heart
with Ustadh Hisham Mahmoud
Based on Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's translation of the famous classical treatise on the Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart. This exploration of Islamic spirituality delves into the psychological diseases and cures of the heart. Diseases examined include miserliness, envy, hatred, treachery, rancor, malice, ostentation, arrogance, covetousness, lust, and other afflictions that assail people and often control them. The causes and practical cures of these diseases are discussed, offering a penetrating glimpse into how Islam deals with spiritual and psychological problems and demonstrating how all people can benefit from these teachings.
Wednesdays, 7.30 - 9 PM | Murray-Dodge, 2nd floor
Kalaam Cafe : Meeting of the Minds
Engage in wide-ranging conversations on contemporary religious and cultural issues affecting Muslims in America and abroad over dinner and tea. Topic and presenters will change from week-to-week. If you would like to present or have a topic in mind, please let us know!
Fridays, 6.30 - 8 pm | Murray-Dodge Cafe
Qur'anic Reflections with Imam Sohaib Sultan
A regular study circle in which we will explore major themes and passages in the Qur'an together, using Abdul Haleem's English translation. Please sign-up for this group study by e-mailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
Spiritual Wisdom & Meditation
Periodically we will host a reading of poetry, stories, and other reflections found in the Islamic tradition over a halal catered lunch. Attendees are encouraged to lead, share, and participate. We will begin and end with a relaxing meditation.
Hisham Mahmoud is an Arabic Lecturer at Princeton University , where he teaches all levels of Modern and Classical Arabic. He has studied Arabic and its ancillary sciences with scholars in Egypt, Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania, where he pursued the disciplines of grammar, morphology, and rhetoric. He has held positions in Arabic at UCLA, Middlebury, and Yale University . He has translated and edited several classical Islamic works on issues pertaining to ethics, jurisprudence, and legal theory, and has also lectured at dozens of universities nationwide on subjects pertaining to comparative religion. Mr. Mahmoud is an advisory board member of al-Madina Institute and the Executive Editor for the Zaytuna Curriculum Series, which serves the four-year Bachelors Degree program for Zaytuna College , the first Muslim Seminary in North America .
Sohaib Sultan is the Muslim Chaplain at Princeton University. (More)


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Secretary of State Grayson Reappoints Former Secretary Ken Harper to Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
(Frankfort, KY) Secretary of State Trey Grayson announced today that he has reappointed former Secretary of State Ken Harper to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. Harper, a resident of Crestview Hills in Northern Kentucky, will be serving his second term on the Registry.
"I am delighted that Secretary Harper will continue his service in this important role," stated Secretary Grayson. "Through his past service as Secretary of State, he gained knowledge about Kentucky elections that has been invaluable to the Registry during his previous term. Kentuckians will only benefit from this experience as he continues to serve the Commonwealth in this important role."
Harper, who attended the University of Kentucky and later served in the United States Air Force, has dedicated much of his life to public service. He served in the legislature for over 16 years, including a number of years in leadership roles, as well as service on the House Elections and Constitutional Amendments committee. In 1971, he was tapped by the late Governor Louie Nunn to serve as Secretary of State after the death of Secretary Elmer Begley.
"I am honored that Secretary Grayson has asked that I remain on the Registry for another term," commented Secretary Harper after his re-appointment. "The work of the Registry is very important in Kentucky's elections. I am committed to ensuring that the financing of campaigns in Kentucky is disclosed in a timely and accurate fashion so that the public has access to meaningful disclosure."
In recent years, Harper served actively in the Northern Kentucky Community. Most notably, he led the Northern Kentucky University Foundation as its chairman from 1997-2002, a time when the Foundation and University began to see unprecedented growth.
Harper is currently a licensed real estate broker in Northern Kentucky. He is a member of the Northern Kentucky, Kentucky, and National Association of Realtors.
"The dedication that Ken has shown to the Commonwealth and to our Northern Kentucky community are a testament to the integrity, commitment, and expertise that he will bring to the Registry," Grayson commented.
The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance is an independent seven-member board appointed to serve as the regulatory body for the administration, regulation, and enforcement of Kentucky's campaign finance laws. The agency receives, compiles, and maintains Financial Disclosure Reports of elected officials and candidates for specified offices.
A total of seven members are appointed to the Registry by the Governor, the Auditor of Public Accounts, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State. The board members serve four year terms, and their appointments are staggered.
Harper and his wife, Eileen, have five children and seven grandchildren. Harper's term expires August 15, 2013.


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I love this website, but I despise most of the users.
Reviews are great, but people are a lot more likely to review something with a negative review than an honest or a balanced review.
It's great to find restaurants, hotels and activities, and I base every hotel I go to on the trip advisor rating.
I use Tripadvisor regularly. I never book any hotel without checking it on Tripadvisor. I also post reviews of any hotel that I stayed in to help future travelers. Their forums are helpful and I found recommended drivers and guides in many places, that we traveled.
We were ripped off by Trip Advisor. The photos of the hotel turned out to be fake. When we told Trip Advisor (3 times) - they failed to take any action and STILL let people book.
See the reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187147-d233800-Reviews-Tonic_Hotel_Louvre-Paris_Ile_de_France.html
We booked Paris Hotel Tonic Du Louvre. When we arrived we noticed the reception/rooms were NOT the same as the picture. The rooms were filthy and run down with obnoxious staff.
Trip Advisor ARE STILL allowing people to book based on this wrong info. You can find reviews from unhappy customers all over the web.
Dave Naylor found this review useful
Get some great and up to date travel and hotel reviews, also reviews on interesting things to do and, restaurants as well as many other things. Well worth a visit if you're planning a day out or a vacation.
Whenever i travel business or pleasure i always check out Trip Advisor. As reviews are from actual guest they are for the most part reliable - However, you do need to read several reviews to make your own mind up. We recently saw one poor review amongst a lot of good ones and you could tell that the people leaving it clearly had their own agenda and it was simply untrue or embellished far beyond the actual problem. We booked the cottage regardless and the other reviews turned out to be true. Maybe trip advisor needs more moderation but it is very good regardless.
Used couple of times earlier in the year and always check when planning a trip.
Always recommend that people look on there.
I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, but I was visiting uni friends in Manchester recently and had to use a hotel with a very poor TripAdvisor rating. It was excellent! I honestly can't say I had a problem at all - all the comments about rudeness seemed misplaced (the owner was a little hard of hearing - but there was no intent to ignore). The other comment about noise from other rooms was physical impossible due to the layout of the hotel - Not great as far as TripAdvisor goes!
Tobias Malmo found this review useful
I always refer to Tripadvisor prior to booking holiday accommodation. The site has taken a lot of worry from the online booking experience - before, it was impossible to know if a B&B/guesthouse or hotel was all it purported to be in its own advertising gumph. Naturally, reviews are written from a personal perspective, and therefore readers should take from them an overall picture, but I believe that the contributors generally give honest descriptions and opinions. When accompanied by photographic evidence, reviews can be invaluable and remove much of the risk from booking a holiday online.
I thoroughly enjoy visiting different places/restaurants and give my truthful views of the places I've visited.. It's a brilliant read.. Love to read the reviews of places I've visited myself previously but more importantly I like to see if it's worth going to from other peoples opinions...
What is the point of a review site? No, I really mean that, what is the point?
Is it to help people make a decision over something? It sounds like a grand idea, get everyone who travels, stays at hotels and take holidays to rate them. That way we all get an honest point of view about that product or service before we make a disasterous uninformed decision of our own.
Tripadvisor have taken a good idea and piled it upon piles of other ideas, like a mountain of dead donkey's rotting and steaming and stinking of yesteryears fashions they have missed the fundemental requirement for a review site and that's relevancy. Good and useful reviews pushed aside in favour of the interloper or paid promotion.
It wouldn't matter if the results were good but they're not. It would be better if it was easy to use, but they the bubble searches funnel you toward their paying customers and highlight the bad reviews for businesses that refuse to engage or advertise with them.
As a potential user it annoys me that the scope of my horizon is limited by a short sighted group of editors vying for their next pay-packet by targeting the highest bidder and whose each new article is better than the next.
Tripadvisor is a hideous embarrassment to the travel and leisure industry and the aetiology of Internet success. The better they do the harder it becomes for users to benefit.
If you venture to Tripadvisor then this is my advice: Remember to take sunscreen and be careful whose advice you buy.
Best way to find a decent restuarant abroad, just check the highest rated and track it down. Worked a treat in Italy.
Extensive coverage of resorts,hotels,restaurants with flights and booking options.Good to get the inside stories from reviewers before you go. Zero tolerance on false reviews and these get removed quickly.
I always look on here before I book anywhere, some people just moan for the sake of it but you generally can see who these are, real reviews from people who dont have a hidden agenda
Lots of info, helpful customer reviews, great variety of photos. Make sure you dont assume first shown prices are correct for you though.
I used to use Trip Advisor to help plan holidays, but after seeing their "Reviews" on TV I don't think I could use the site in good conscious again. It seems to be mainly for pathetic little Hitlers to run about on a power trip moaning about anything and everything they see. "Oh, the curtains aren't my favourite colour", "The door mat was the wrong shade of brown", "The owner smiled too much", "The owner didn't smile enough"…People, get a life!
Given the distress it causes to so many hard working people I'd be pleased if they closed down the site altogether!
This site is great for up to date info on hotels, restaurants. I do reviews on this site and I read loads of reviews of places to go, great all round site A+
The best site for holiday lovers, so much information ensuring you make the right choice when booking accommodation.
Without Tripadvisor the last 3 holidays would not have been as great. I love this site. Such great, balanced reviews from people and so easy to use. Given the great things I have learned on this site, I am now giving back and have submitted something like 90 reviews. I hope these guys are around forever!
Have used this site before booking hols. Useful to see what other people say about a hotel and area before you book it. Mind you, you always get a few grumpy people who expect 5 star hotel for 3 star prices.
am a great fan of Tripadvisor and always review trips made!
I do worry that people can be 'overpicky'. They want 5* places at 1* prices...doesnt work that way.
Appears to be a good site with excellent reviews, but you can't be sure that they are all genuine.
Excellent website, easy use and effective search engines. Saved a lot of money on what the travel agents were offering.
Tripadvisor saved me a bunch of times from booking bad resorts, etc. However, you really do need to look at the review date, as a lot of places change management, etc. Take all the reviews with a grain of salt as well. But overall it's a good resource site that I use to help me place trips/vacations.
Always check out the place before booking.
Dont take everything to heart though as sometimes there are people on there that wont be pleased with anything. Look for reviews that give detail and then go with an open mind.
Anyone can write anything that they wish about a business from slanderous remarks to lies. This could potentially ruin businesses. It is a website that is biased towards the reviewer, leaving little, or no, control to the business owner. Should be banned. They should be sued, fined heavily, and removed from the internet.
Love this site. It gives real life reviews from people who have actually been to the hotel you are looking at. Some of the reviews do have to be taken with a pinch of salt as it is impossible to please everyone, but you get a much more accurate picture of what to expect than you get from a travel site or the hotel direct. Booking anywhere without checking here first would be daft.
I have used this service for several years now. It is always worth checking here bofre booking, as the people who actually stay in the hotel/resort are the best people to tell you how it really is. there are always the odd one or two who just moan about anything, so it is worth reading a lot of reviews to get the true general feeling, but if you travel without checking here first, its like going on a blind date.
Get to know your customers. Simply claim your company now. Get real customer insight and respond to your reviews. It's free.