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It's a common scenario: you decide it's time to do something about your health and fitness and head to the nearest gym, keen to change some bad habits. The sales people are charming, the gym looks good, and before you know it you're sitting down with the paperwork and a salesperson who can't wait to lock you – and your bank details – in. But should you decide to quit, the gym's sense of urgency suddenly evaporates. You're forced to jump through the most outlandish hoops just to cancel a membership you should have every right to terminate over the phone. Yet despite an avalanche of complaints about aggressive sales tactics, elastic pricing, confusing contracts and overcrowded classes, gyms are big business in Australia. To get an insight into what a typical consumer might encounter when they front up to a gym, CHOICE sent out two shadow shoppers to the major chains, posing as potential customers. Their experiences confirmed what the grapevine has been telling us – that emotive sales techniques, complicated contracts and unclear pricing structures abound.
Please note: this information was current as of April 2009 but is still a useful guide today.
In Australia, although there are many smaller gyms, the industry is dominated by a handful of big chains.
The best protection you can have against pressure sales tactics is to know your rights and be aware of the psychology that drives gym tactics. Don't sign up until you've taken the time to fully understand the price, terms of your contract and conditions. If you choose to end your gym membership once your contract has expired, you don't need to explain why. Similarly, you – and not the gym – hold the right to authorise your bank to cancel your direct debit arrangements at any time as long as you are no longer under a contract. See CHOICE can help, to find out how.
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CHOICE has received complaints about the aggressive sales tactics used by gyms to recruit new members – feeling pressured to sign up on the spot is all too common. While you can't silence the gung-ho sales talk, consumers who are prepared stand a much better chance of making an informed decision, rather than buckling under pressure and regretting it later. Most gyms insist on a sit-down interview with potential customers to gauge their goals and expectations. Dr Paul Harrison, a consumer behaviour specialist and senior lecturer at Deakin University, cautions customers to see these sessions for what they are. "Gyms want to develop a personal relationship with you – you are emotionally vulnerable and by sharing goals and aspirations it can feel like a relationship. Don't be fooled into thinking it's anything but fiscal." The British media reported more than 80% of gym members who sign up in the New Year stop going after six months, which goes a long way to explaining why many gyms are keen to lock their customers into 12-month contracts with a monthly direct debit.
In a recent survey by the Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC) in Victoria looking at direct debit issues across several industries, gyms came out on top for consumer complaints. CALC's Carolyn Bond advises consumers to be on the lookout for cases where the gym membership has been cancelled, but direct debits continue. "We've had people who have had debits coming out of their accounts for months or even a year after they think they are no longer a member of the gym," she warns. Under the Code of Banking Practice, consumers hold the right to cancel any direct debit arrangements by contacting their bank directly. If you want to terminate your membership once you are out of the contracted period, Bond suggests cancelling the direct debit with the bank immediately – no argy-bargy with the gym required. However, if you are still under contract and looking to get out, cancelling your direct debit could be seen as a breach of contract, so it's best to deal with the gym directly – but the sooner the better. As the experts we spoke to point out, it's not in the gyms' interests to solve your problems quickly while they are still receiving your payments every month.
By far the most common complaint about gyms is the tortuous exit rules they impose. Many gyms capitalise on the sense of shame that so often hangs over a "quitter". While it should be possible to cancel membership over the phone or in writing, many people told us their gym insists they make an appointment to come in to cancel. According to Harrison, these appointments give the gym a window of opportunity to retain their customer, as well as the strategic advantage of drawing out direct-debit payments as long as possible. "It's an emotional marketing tactic," he says. "If you have to say you don't want to be a member anymore it's much more difficult face to face, as we have to admit in person that we aren't consistent." Fitness First is notorious for this tactic, according to the vast body of anecdotal evidence CHOICE gathered, but is certainly not alone. Fernwood's Jo Stagg says her company encourages customers to come into the gym to cancel because they want to check their customers' health and wellbeing, but it isn't a requirement. She does concede, however, that a face-to-face meeting is an opportunity to "remotivate" customers who might be considering breaking their contract to avoid the cost of cancellation and to help them achieve their original goals. National Operations Manager Michele Harding told CHOICE Fitness First amended its policy at the beginning of 2008, allowing members to cancel their membership over the phone as long as they confirm the request in writing. Despite her assurances, however, we have received plenty of anecdotal evidence that Fitness First members are being made to jump through the same old hoops. Harding conceded from time to time requests are mismanaged and any members who are told they must come in person to cancel their contract can assert their right to cancel by phone and written confirmation. If the customer experiences any opposition they should contact their club general manager to resolve the issue. Failing that, she says, they should contact Harding herself or Rebecca Davies at head office, who "will assist with the resolution immediately". While it is heartening that Fitness First has taken steps to address criticisms and amend its policy, it's disappointing the new rules are obviously not rigorously enforced and the onus remains on consumers to know their rights.
Making it difficult for consumers to end a gym membership after the initial contract period is unfair. New federal unfair contracts legislation, due to be in place for 2010, may help where the problem is a harsh cancellation clause, otherwise it's unlikely that these laws will stop unfair practices designed to prey on consumers' ignorance of their rights and other problems endemic to the industry – namely, pressured sales tactics and arbitrary pricing. The NSW Department of Fair Trading has received 344 complaints in the last 12 months from unhappy gym goers, 149 of which related to cancellations and cooling-off periods. It is this controversial area of gym contracts – the onerous terms around cancelling that often favour the gym – that new legislation may go some way to addressing. At present, only Victoria has unfair contract laws. Carolyn Bond says it may take time for the new laws to effect change. "Gyms have been a problem for years," she says. "Unfair contract terms should prevent some of the problems we see, but some problems are due to a bad culture within some of the industry. Some businesses appear prepared to do whatever it takes to keep consumers trapped in their contracts." For more information on how to spot unfair contract terms, visit the Consumer Affairs Victoria website, and follow the links.
Our two shadow shoppers each visited nine Sydney gyms separately – two gyms each from Fitness First, Contours, Fernwood and Curves in two different socioeconomic areas, as well as the new Virgin Active gym. A total of 18 gym visits. Neither shadow shopper who visited the Virgin Active gym or the two Fernwood gyms felt any pressure to sign up immediately. While one reported slight pressure to sign on the spot at one of the Contours and one of the Curves gyms, our shadow shoppers were unanimous that nothing rivalled the heavy sales tactics encountered at Fitness First.
Of the two Fitness First gyms visited by our shadow shoppers, one in particular stood out for the salesperson's intensity. "He couldn't believe I didn't want to sign," reported one of our shoppers. "When I said I needed to speak with my husband, he said, 'I thought you said he was supportive of you being here'. He said it was only $35 today and if I go it may not be available when I call back." Our second shadow shopper said: "He just kept asking me what the problem was." At two of the four visits to Fitness First outlets, our shadow shoppers reported difficulty in ending the consultation – something they did not experience at any of the other gyms.
One thing most of the gyms had in common was a creative approach to pricing. Some had printed prices, others handwritten only, but ultimately all seemed to have flexibility in the discounts and incentives they offered. Costs such as joining and administration fees were magically waived or halved as an incentive for our shadow shoppers to sign up. One Curves consultant and one at each Fitness First outlet even asked leading questions to ascertain how much our shadow shoppers could afford to pay. In the case of one Curves outlet, one shopper was told she couldn't take the handwritten prices away with her, as a matter of "company policy". Fitness First National Operations Manager, Michele Harding, concedes the pricing structure varies from club to club, depending on customer demographics and location. Fernwood Sales Manager, Jo Stagg, says prices across the Fernwood network also differ depending on location, as franchise owners set their own prices. Our shadow shop revealed that while both Curves and Contours had consistent pricing across their outlets, there were variations in what was waived or charged in terms of joining and administration fees. One Curves outlet quoted a joining fee of $30, while at another it was $199 but a $99 discount was offered. At a Contours gym, one of our shadow shoppers was quoted a "set-up" fee of $195 for a 12-month contract which was reduced to $95, then an "admin fee" further reduced to $45 during the consultation. At the same gym, our other shopper was told this joining fee would be waived totally if she joined before a certain date. At the second Contours gym, a set-up or administration fee was not mentioned to either shopper and they were both told that the "joining fee" would be waived if they signed a 12-month contract.
Few of the sales assistants at the gyms volunteered information about to how to cancel or put membership on hold. Of the five chains, Virgin Active, followed closely by Fernwood, were the most thorough in providing cancellation information, with one of the two Virgin Active consultants covering every aspect of cancellation or placing membership on hold. Curves and Contours addressed holds or cancellations to some degree, while neither Fitness First gym volunteered any hold or cancellation information.
Take time to shop around and carefully consider the memberships on offer at each gym.
Read your contract carefully and be fully aware of your rights and responsibilities. Don't be afraid to question anything in the contract that you don't like and/or understand.
Can you get out of it if you move house, get sick, lose your job or simply decide to give up? Don't assume your contract finishes at the end of 12 months Check your contract to see how to cancel your membership (and direct debit) if you no longer want to attend.
If you have any doubts, contact your bank directly and request an immediate cancellation of the direct debit. Although, if you have any outstanding debt you will need to arrange to pay this by cash or cheque.
"I could hardly ever get on equipment because it was so overcrowded and spent a lot of my time just waiting to go on machines. I don't actually recall getting a locker, so I'm sure one was never available. When I wanted to break my contract, they wouldn't let me do it over the phone. They charged me $100 to cancel and were very reluctant to do it."
Rejinder – Fitness First
"Towards the end of my pregnancy I wanted to cancel my gym membership as I was giving up work and wouldn't be in the area any longer. Their response was, 'we'll suspend your membership for six weeks only; you'll need the gym even more once you've had the baby'. I didn't have the energy to argue that the last thing I would want to do with a newborn baby is travel halfway across town to use their gym, so I ended up paying the contract out."
Kerry – Fernwood
"When I read the fine print on my contract I discovered I could only cancel my contract if I had a doctor's certificate or moved 30km from the closest outlet. I moved suburbs and I don't drive; did they really expect me to ride my bike almost 30km just to get to the gym? Two months ago when I tried to cancel I was told it would be faster to come into the gym to cancel in person. The girl at the front desk said that while I was welcome to write a letter to cancel, the process was slow – she showed me some of the cancellation requests on her desk, some of which were up to three months old."
Victoria – Fitness First
If you've decided to "break up" with your gym but you're finding it difficult to get the message through to your club, you're probably not alone. Our investigation has found that some gyms use tricky tactics to keep you locked into contracts, even after the minimum term has expired (see, Tales from the Fitness Frontlines). CHOICE has checked out Fitness First's customer contract. At our request the Consumer Action Law Centre has provided a cancellation letter that allows you to end your relationship with Fitness First legally, and with no fuss. If you've decided you want to leave, here's what to do: Step 1. Check if your minimum term has expired. You would have signed a contract with either a 1 month or 12 month minimum period. Breaking the contract before the minimum period ends can land you with hefty penalties. If you have exceptional circumstances, such as illness, contact Fitness First. Step 2. Complete the Fitness First Cancellation Letter.
Download the contact details of all Fitness First gyms (PDF). Step 3. Cancel your direct debit arrangement. The standard letter requests that Fitness First terminates your authorisation to direct debit your account. However, it's also a good idea to contact your bank, credit union or credit card scheme directly to cancel the direct debit yourself.


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Surgical Faculty
S. Terry Canale, MD
S. Terry Canale, MD is Chair of the University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic Department of Orthopaedics and President of Campbell Foundation. Dr. Canale is a former president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and holds the Harold B. Boyd, MD Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery. Specializing in Pediatric Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Canale joined the Campbell Clinic staff in 1974 and was Chief of Staff from 1993 until 2001. He is Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at LeBonheur Children's Medical Center and serves on the Board of Directors of the Regional Medical Center. Dr. Canale is Co-Director of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship at UT-Campbell Clinic, Editor of Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics, and Co-Editor of Operative Pediatric Orthopaedics. He completed his orthopaedic residency at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and was selected as a Berg-Sloat Traveling Fellow. Dr. Canale graduated from UT Medical School and earned a BS from the University of Virginia.
Physicians List
- Albers, William E., M.D.
- Azar, Frederick M., M.D.
- Beard, Nahum M., M.D.
- Beaty, James H., M.D.
- Calandruccio, James H., M.D.
- Camillo, Francis X., M.D.
- Canale, S. Terry, M.D.
- Cannon, David L., M.D.
- Cleveland, Kevin B., M.D.
- Crenshaw, Andrew H., M.D.
- Crockarell, John R., Jr., M.D.
- Dabov, Gregory D., M.D.
- Dockery, J. Dee, M.D.
- Gardocki, Raymond J., M.D.
- Guyton, James L., M.D.
- Harkess, James W., M.D.
- Heck, Robert K., Jr., M.D.
- Hyden, John C., M.D.
- Ishikawa, Susan N., M.D.
- Jobe, Mark T., M.D.
- Kelly, Derek M., M.D.
- LaVelle, David G., M.D.
- Martinez, Santos F., M.D.
- Mascioli, Anthony A., M.D.
- Mauck, Benjamin M., M.D.
- Mihalko, Marc J., M.D.
- Mihalko, William M., M.D., Ph.D.
- Miller, Robert H., M.D.
- Murphy, G. Andrew, M.D.
- Park, Ashley Lewis, M.D.
- Perez, Edward A., M.D.
- Phillips, Barry B., M.D.
- Richardson, David R., M.D.
- Rivera, Carlos E., M.D.
- Rudloff, Matthew I., M.D.
- Sawyer, Jeffrey R., M.D.
- Spence, David D., M.D.
- Throckmorton, Quin, M.D.
- Toy, Patrick C., M.D.
- Warner, William C., Jr., M.D.
- Weinlein, John C., M.D.
- Whittle, A. Paige, M.D.
- Williams, Keith D., M.D.
- Wood, George W. II, M.D.
Contact Us
Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
1211 Union Ave. Suite 520
Memphis, TN 38104
Becky Adams
Phone: 901-448-5880
Fax: 901-448-3208
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Campbell Foundation
Education Office
1211 Union Ave Suite 510
Memphis, TN 38104
Resident Program
Susan Coffill
Education Coordinator
Phone: 901-759-3275
Email: email@example.com
Fellowship Program
Rosemary Graham
Education Coordinator
Phone: 901-759-3274
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Chris Brown wears Vintage Georgetown Hoyas Starter Jersey and Air Jordan Sneakers & Rihanna in Brian Lichtenberg "Homies" Sweatshirt
Chris Brown was spotted leaving with Rihanna after a night of partying at the popular night spot Supper Club in Hollywood, California. The singer wore a blue pinstriped Vintage Georgetown Hoyas starter jersey ($60), camo print pants, and Air Jordan 13 Retro sneakers ($170). Rihanna styled in a black snapback hat and a black Brian Lichtenberg "Homies" sweatshirt ($95). What do you think of the couples look?


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Host a holiday gathering at Orchards Restaurant
Live it up: Celebrate in style at Orchards Restaurant in Aurora. | Supplied photo
Get festive and celebrate in style by hosting your holiday party at Orchards Restaurant, where first-class amenities and first-rate service await you.
From the moment you enter, you will experience and enjoy the lavish charm and friendly hospitality that only Orchards can provide. With the ability to host events up to 160 guests, Orchards plans and delivers outstanding events.
Set amidst the serene backdrop of the beautiful 18-hole Orchard Valley Golf Course, Orchards provides you and your guests with an extraordinary setting for your special event. Whether for a wedding reception, ceremony, party, banquet, corporate seminar, golf event, or your upcoming holiday party, we guarantee a wonderful, well-organized, and memorable event.
Orchards Restaurant offers a variety of packages, and the experienced staff will assist you in planning and customizing a menu and celebration that is both affordable and unique. If you are seeking an attractive and memorable venue, you will find it at Orchards Restaurant.
Conveniently located in Aurora, Orchards Restaurant offers a wide range of classic American dishes, including appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, steaks, chicken, pasta and seafood served in an inviting atmosphere. Perfect for a family dinner out or a romantic evening for two complete with a menu that rivals Aurora's finest dining experiences, Orchards is open Tuesday through Saturday for both lunch and dinner. Visit www.orchardvalleygolf.com for more details, a full menu and specific hours.
Provided by Orchards Restaurant


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"Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011," Activision said in its financial statement. The statement goes on to confirm the cancellation of True Crime. "The company also will stop development on True Crime: Hong Kong. These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences."
Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg went into a bit more detail on today's investor call:
"Despite a remarkable 92 rating on DJ Hero 2, a widely well-regarded Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, as well as a 90-plus rated release from our most direct competitor [Rock Band 3], demand for peripheral-based music games declined at a dramatic pace. Given the considerable licensing and manufacturing costs associated with this genre, we simply cannot make these games profitably based on current economics and demand. Instead, what we'll do is focus our time and energies on marketing and supporting our strong catalog of titles and downloadable content, especially to new consumers as the installed base for hardware continues to grow."Hirshberg continued, saying that True Crime's development, "was't going to lead to a title at or near the top of the competitive open-world genre." To put things more directly, Hirshberg added, "To be blunt, it just wasn't going to be good enough."
If that weren't enough bad news, Eurogamer also reports that DJ Hero developer Freestyle Games has suffered "severe layoffs," though it's unclear whether the rhythm series has been affected by the alleged redundancies. We'll update this post as we learn more.
[Update: An earlier version of this post was based solely on Eurogamer's report, which has since been partially confirmed by Activision.]
[Update 2: United Front Games has commented on the cancellation of True Crime]
We are sorry we did not get a chance to complete this project with Activision, but we understand why. We are both committed to doing quality games and nothing less. Maybe we will have a chance to work together in the future, but in the meantime we are setting our creative sights on a different horizon.


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Murs - Mo$ Def (Prod. By Curtiss King)
Mo$ Def Murs Produced by Curtiss King
Murs goes in on "Mo$ Def."Give Mo$ Def (Prod. By Curtiss King) a spin - it's the latest release from Murs, having dropped on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014.
Give Mo$ Def (Prod. By Curtiss King) a spin - it's a new offering from Murs. It was dropped on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014. Murs's rap artistry continues to improve with every release, something which is most definitely evidenced on Mo$ Def (Prod. By Curtiss King). His ever-expanding catalogue is definitely better for it, and we're looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle - aren't you?
After you finish listening, hit up our news section and check out what Murs has been up to lately. If you're down, make sure to visit Murs's profile page for the newest info, news, songs, and mixtapes.
What do y'all think of this joint?
Murs or should we say Mur$ dipped his toe into the trap waters with a new mixtape entirely produced by Curtiss King, $hut Your Trap. It's definitely a different look for the rapper, who is usually on the more conscious side. Here we see his more ignant side. Are you feeling it?
Download the full mixtape here.
Quotable Lyrics
"She got a fat booty / It's black and tanned / Comin' straight out of Brazil / Now I'm a travellin' man / Selfies in the mirror / Lookin' healthy from the rear / She the type that got me on a flight twice a year"


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I join the whole team of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in committing to better serve the housing needs of the Filipino people. HUDCC wishes to reach out more effectively to its stakeholders with the launch of the new interactive website of HUDCC. This new website brings the Council closer to our stakeholders by utilizing information technology and social media to bring relevant and timely information to our stakeholders and the public about HUDCC policies, recent developments and the latest news about the housing sector. With this new platform, HUDCC hopes to engage more of its partners and stakeholders in the drive to provide more affordable and sustainable housing to the Filipino people. This interactive website will provide not only information but also opportunities for exchanging ideas and information that will strengthen the collaboration of HUDCC with the housing sector partners and the public in general. I hope that you will all participate actively in helping HUDCC provide you with better housing options and services. By engaging with HUDCC through this website, the Council will develop greater confidence that HUDCC is delivering appropriate housing solutions that meet the needs of the Filipino people. At HUDCC, we dream of housing Filipino families in a way that will secure them a happy, progressive and sustainable future. |
As head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, the Vice President has directed all key shelter agencies to continue their efforts to address the housing backlog. As of October 2014, the housing sector has already provided homes to 222,789 low-income families. This is 63% higher than its target of 136,859 families for the year 2014. Read more |
LATEST NEWS Read more
VP BINAY AWARDS 1,186 CELAS TO NUEVA ECIJA FOLK Published: February 04, 2015 Vice President Jejomar C Binay led the distribution of Certificates of Lot Allocation (CeLAs) to over 1,000 housing beneficiaries in Nueva Ecija over the weekend. Binay, Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDDC), awarded CeLAs to 800 employees of the Central Luzon State University |
VP BINAY SAYS 120,000 HOUSING UNITS FOR YOLANDA VICTIMS TO BE FINISHED BY 2015 Published: January 11, 2015 Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said the government housing agencies are targeting to complete 120,000 housing units in 2015 for families displaced by Typhoon Yolanda. Binay, who is the chair of theHousing and Urban Development Coordinating... |
PAG-IBIG FUND CEO: VP BINAY 'CATEGORICALLY' REFUSED TO APPEAR IN ADS Published: January 08, 2015 Vice President Jejomar C. Binay categorically refused to appear in any advertisements of the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), the agency's president and chief executive officer said Thursday, as she refuted Sen. Alan Cayetano's claims that the Vice President lobbied Pag-IBIG Fund to come up with a political advertisement. |


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How to Keep Market Data in Perspective
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Since we find ourselves at all-time highs, as measured by the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500, it may be useful to take a step back and survey our situation.
We've certainly come a long way since the dark days of March 2009, but are these sensational -- and very much sensationalized -- data points clouding your vision of what the future may hold?
Everyone knows the stock market has more than doubled over the past five years. That fact gets a lot of attention in the financial media. Depending on how that information is delivered, though, it can be seen as a harbinger that the only direction to go from here must be down -- and quickly. However, I'm not convinced. I think we go higher still from here.
But first, the data. The market has more than doubled over the past five years, got it. But what perspective can really be gleaned by measuring from the bottom? What if we measure from both previous troughs and peaks?
Most notably, let's look at how the market has fared since the previous two cycles -- we had a peak in 2000, a trough in 2002; another peak in 2007, and the aforementioned trough in 2009. How much do you think the market has returned, annually, since its previous peak in 2007?
^SPX data by YCharts
About 3% annually for both the Dow and S&P 500.
Now let's measure from the prior peak in 2000 for a trailing 14-year look.
^SPX data by YCharts
The above chart reflects a 3.64% annual gain for the Dow and just 1.98% for the S&P 500.
You might be thinking it's not completely relevant to measure from a high-point to high-point, as these data points represent prices that are undeniably extended and therefore "unfair." Is it more fair to measure from the other extreme?
Here are the figures going back 12 years to the bottom in 2002:
^SPX data by YCharts
On average, each year since the market trough of 2002, the Dow has returned 8.6% and the S&P 500 has returned almost exactly 10%. Historically speaking, these are not particularly extraordinary numbers. In fact, they are pretty much right in line with average returns going back over 100 years.
So What Is the Point?
The point is that you shouldn't be shocked when the market hits an all-time high. Nor should you be shocked when your portfolio hits an all-time high.
Generally speaking, the stock market goes up over time. The S&P 500 is made up of companies whose job it is to stay in business and constantly invent new ways to maintain and increase their profitability, and their stock price. If they don't make money and retain shareholder interest, they go out of business -- this is not a goal of the companies' executives or employees, and certainly not its owners (shareholders).
If you are investing well, you should be making money over time.
But the stock market crash that relented exactly five years ago today is still very fresh in most investors' minds. The idea that one can make money investing in the stock market was all-but abandoned five years ago. It was just too scary.
Information means very little without context.
Take the sentence, "we went all the way down to 40 degrees last night!" for instance. I live in Los Angeles and it's March, so that statement adds very little value. If I tell you the market is up 100% the past five years, the fact that the rally in question was preceded by a 50% correction suddenly becomes quite relevant.
Market returns have been average -- just average -- since the bottom formed in 2002. And we are in the early to middle stages of an economic recovery. Earnings multiples and P/E ratios are completely within 'normal' ranges. I would argue that the caution flags you are seeing are based on the premise that "the last five years have been so good, it can't go on."
Why not? Europe is two years behind us and their newfound sea legs can only help us. I think we go higher still from here.
Treat the stock market like a 3D stereogram -- take a step back and "unfocus" your eyes once, in a while to get a clearer picture.
By Adam B. Scott, founder of Argyle Capital Partners, in Los Angeles.
This article represents the opinion of a contributor and not necessarily that of TheStreet or its editorial staff.
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newsletter Anmeldung
Akshay Gajjar
User title
- Newbie
I'm a fan (and you should be too) because...First i Hate Pit But inside of my mind i like him very much.I don't listen their songs.I like his style and attitude.And i listen their first song in 2010 Maldito alcohol.It's very fantastic song.Then i download more songs of pitbull. I download the album Planet Pit and listen the first song Rain Over Me you know the song.....how it feels DALE!!!. When i saw the video of Rain Over Me i like his dressing sense and his eye wear very fantastic ay mi madre!!!. The i connected to facebook like pages of pitbull and share,comment and like pit's photos and status.
I make many fan friends in my account.And I wanna say at last 305 Till I Die....DALE!!!
pitbull is my love, my life, my attitude, my style, my everyday, is pitbull...DALE!!!
- Mitglied seit
- 1 Jahr 40 Wochen


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Winter Wedding Decoration Ideas for elegant wedding
Do you want to get marriage in the winter? I think this is good idea. Many people hold their wedding on this season because several factors. One of the factors is in consideration of decoration. Winter wedding decoration ideas offers cinematic, magical and glamor decorations. I am sure that you want to make your wedding become one of remember able event in your live with amazing decorations.
In this article, you will find sample winter wedding decoration ideas that usually use in the winter. With the hope, you can take it or you can redesign as your main concept on the wedding. Please take a look pictures above.
As I mention above that winter wedding decorations ideas offer glamor and elegant color with the shimmering colors. I am very sure that your guest who visits your wedding party will be amazed with the concept of your wedding.
Lighting will take important role in winter decorations. You can use small lamp and candle for lighting. With the good lighting, it will make your wedding party has warm atmosphere and romantic. You can use lighting on the flowers or wedding centerpieces.
If you want to hold your wedding in the winter, it is good idea. You can take this season for your remember able event in your live, with beautiful and elegant winter decorations. If you are still looking for another Winter Wedding Decoration Ideas, you can check my gallery in the bottom of post.


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Even if your family missed out on watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas on November 30, there's still plenty of upcoming cartoons and family films to share with your twins or multiples.
TV Guide has released a holiday programming calendar online that can help busy Boise parents set aside some time to watch a holiday fave with their family.
Tonight at 8:00 PM you can watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer on CBS with your own Dasher and Dancer (and Prancer and Vixen and Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.) Children struggling to get along or express their individuality might find it especially meaningful.
Here are some other holiday classics that you and your children have to look forward to:
- A Christmas Carol on TCM at 8:00 on Thursday, December 3
- Twas the Night Before Christmas on ABC Family at 7:00 PM on Monday, December 7
- Charlie Brown Christmas on ABC at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, December 8
- Frosty the Snowman on CBS at 8:00 PM on Friday, December 18
- Miracle on 34th Street on ABC Family at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, December 23
- It's a Wonderful Life on NBC at 8:00 on Thursday, December 24
And, as always, TBS will be airing their 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story on Christmas day for those of you with older twins or multiples.


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Enroll on myHR
Enrolling for CVS Caremark benefits is quick and easy!
During your enrollment period:
- Go to myHR to enroll for CVS Caremark health and welfare benefits.
- Also consider enrolling for voluntary benefits, such as Aflac Supplemental Plans, Legal Services Plan and Long Term Care. See Enrolling for Voluntary Benefits.


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East Texas infant in critical condition
TYLER- Smith County Officials now say the boy's father admits to hitting the child in the head out of frustration while under the influence of alcohol.
23-year-old Saul Lino is now behind bars charged with injury to a child.
Lino's bail is set at $500,000.
TYLER - What started off to be a nose bleed for a two month old has turned into something far worse.
Authorities say the incident happened on County Road 328 in Smith County. The child, authorities say had a bloody nose and a cut lip.
Child Protection Services made the call to Deputies after the child was taken to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler and later transferred to Children's Hospital in Dallas.
The child's father told Deputies the baby's sibling a 13 month old girl was jumping on the infant while they were in their crib. After the father picked up the child, he told deputies he accidently dropped the baby on the floor.
Deputies tell us the father of the child has a history of assault.
The case is still under investigation and no arrest have yet been made but, they do believe alcohol could have contributed to the child's injuries.


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Parting the Shadows: Understanding the Twilight
To date, there have been many theories and hypothesis regarding the
relatively new magical term Twilight. Although coined to generalize the
concepts of the darker planes of existence, such as the Christian Hell
or the Jewish Abyss, it has come to be considered a specific plane in
and of itself. The following is an attempt to clarify what Twilight is
and is not, for those interested in its use. Be forewarned, this is
neither a "how-to-get-there" nor a "this-is-what-to-do-when-you-get-there"
To understand the current views of Twilight, a brief history of the
concept itself must be understood. As stated above, it was originally
presented as a generalization of the darker planes of existence. If one
were to accept this definition, there is an abundance of sub-Twilights
that one may end up working in. This, obviously, makes it quite hard to
compare notes, experiences, or theories between individuals, as no one
is sure exactly what sub-Twilight they have been using. Fortunately for
sorcerers everywhere, the meaning of Twilight, as with all words and
concepts, has changed over time. What it means to be in Twilight has
evolved substantially as the definition of the Sorcery caste itself has
become more clear.
The Twilight of the modern sorcerer is often described as a twisted
wonderland filled with things both strange and magnificent, and rightly
so. In fact, Twilight is both characterized and recognized by its
unearthly distortion. This phenomenon can manifest itself in two major
ways. First, the realm can appear literally blurred, the outlines of
objects merging almost seamlessly with the rest of the realm and
wavering constantly from one position to another, much like looking at
things under rippling water. However, the distortive powers of Twilight
can manifest themselves in another way as well. Scenes can, and
frequently do, take on decidedly absurd characteristics. Mind numbing
sights like immense fields of blood red grass, grown ten feet tall, or
morphing objects such as a model airplane that turns into a winged
clock, then a snarling demonic figure, and then back again, are
commonplace. (Please note that both the field and the plane are merely
examples of what may occur, and as such, will most likely never happen
to the reader.)
The most currently accepted theory that attempts to explain the nature
of Twilight states that the realm is nothing more than a perceptual
distortion of the Astral Plane caused by the emotionally unstable nature
of the Sorcerer. To give an appropriate analogy, this school of
thought says that Twilight is the Astral viewed through a dirty window.
On the surface, this theory has numerous points of credibility. For
one, the Astral Plane is, like Twilight, reactive to both thought and
emotion. Also, the distortion of Twilight is, under this theory,
attributed to emotionality. Since people generally see things through a
very narrow and colored perspective when highly emotional, this seems
quite logical.
However, when one probes deeper, the currently accepted theory
degenerates. For example, one technique quite commonly used in Sorcery,
especially in conjunction with the use of Twilight, is emotional
fueling. Emotional fueling is a way in which one dramatically boosts
the power of a specific spell through high emotion. This technique
requires a substantial amount of control over one's emotions for it to
be even remotely successful. If the current theory endorses emotional
instability as an explanation for the distortive nature of Twilight, how
can one conceivably use emotional fueling when casting any spell?
Another flaw in the accepted theory of Twilight's nature is found when
one examines the Astral Plane in conjunction with the supposed dirty
window. If the Astral is sensitive to both thought and emotion, then
everyone is looking through their own dirty window when exploring the
Astral, thus eliminating the distinction between the Astral and the
realm of Twilight altogether. A few have tried to draw a boundary
between the two based on the level of distortion. As this distortion is
an entirely subjective occurrence, there is no conceivable way to place
such a boundary. Thus, the need arises for a new and improved theory
of the nature of Twilight.
This explanation is provided in the Theory of Multiplanar Trance. This
newest theory describes Twilight as being a trance state similar to
those in which one can explore the Astral or the Ethereal planes of
existence. What makes this state unique is that the person in the
trance receives information from numerous planes at the same time. In
this sense, Twilight is more like trying to watch and understand a room
full of television sets all tuned to different channels. To provide an
example, while in Twilight one could be receiving informational input
from the Astral, the Ethereal, and the Physical planes of existence all
at once. The informational incongruities that arise from such a state
explain both the distortion of Twilight and the variable nature of that
distortion. However, practitioners are not limited to merely receving
information. Twilight can be used to manipulate reality, much in the
same manner the Astral can be used to cause change in the physical world.
However, a large problem arises when trying to manipulate the fabric
of existence in such a manner. Your spells have less effect upon the
physical world. Since one is receiving information from various planes,
causing a change from Twilight requires intense concentration and
immense willpower because the desired effect is dispersed throughout the
various planes that the practitioner is linked to. This is where the
emotional fueling technique becomes useful, and in truth, almost vital.
As stated above, it is my hope that this little essay will help
magicians young and old understand the elusive Twilight. To date, the
Theory of Multiplanar Trance is the most complete and accurate
description of Twilight available. In the event that this is found to
be flawed and a new idea emerges, expect another essay. Thanks to
Pharaon for being there to help compile my thoughts. This work would
not be the same without him.. See you in Twilight.
By NightCloak
- Affirmations
- Candle Colors
- Casting the Circle
- Covens & Teachers
- Faery Names A
- List of Goddesses & Gods
- Magickal Powders
- Ointments
- Pagan Holidays – The Sabbats
- Spells
- Art of Casting Spells
- Banishing Grief Spell
- Basic Spell Construction
- Bath Spells
- Binding Spell
- BoS Protection Spell
- Bottle Spells
- Cleansing Yourself of Negative Energy
- Communication With a Reply
- Confidence Spell
- Get a Raise Spell
- Good Luck Herb Jar
- Happiness Knot Spell
- Healing Mint Spell
- Healing Spiritual Illness
- Home Blessing
- Incense Spells
- Invisibility Spell
- Job Spell
- Knot Magick
- Lavender Wish Spell
- Love Sachet
- Luck Spell
- Magickal Water to Bring Peace to a Troubled Home
- New Moon Love Spell / Wish Spell
- Safe Travel Spell
- Solstice Dream Pillows
- Spell for Depression
- Spell to Communicate With Animals
- Spell to Get Someone Out of Your Life
- Spell to Reflect Negativity
- Spell To Restore Balance
- Success And Prosperity Talisman
- Success Spell
- Wiccan Protection Ball
- Wish Sachet
- Witches Flying Ointment Recipe
- Tarot
- 1. Divination for Beginners
- 2. How the Tarot Works
- 3. Basic Celtic Cross Spread
- 4. History of the Tarot
- 5. Tarot Reading: Misunderstandings & FAQ
- Death
- Judgement
- Justice
- Strength
- Temperance
- The Chariot
- The Devil
- The Emperor
- The Empress
- The Fool
- The Hanged Man
- The Hermit
- The Hierophant
- The High Priestess
- The Lovers
- The Magician
- The Moon
- The Star
- The Sun
- The Tower
- The Wheel of Fortune
- The World
- x. Cups – Ace of Cups
- xx. Pentacles – Ace of Pentacles
- xxx. Swords – Ace of Swords
- xxxx. Wands – Ace of Wands


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This Lessons Learned is based on Reliability Practice No. PD-ED-1109; from NASA Technical Memorandum 4322A, NASA Reliability Preferred Practices for Design and Test.
Nickel-Hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries will significantly deteriorate, principally due to capacity fading, if the proper storage and handling procedures are not followed in a number of stages in the cell/battery lifetime. A set of proven guidelines is followed by flight projects in the preparation and utilization of project unique handling and storage procedures in order to minimize these deterioration effects and ensure the reliable performance of Ni-H2 batteries.
Implementation Method:
A sealed Ni-H2 secondary cell is a hybrid, combining battery and fuel-cell technologies. The nickel positive electrode comes from the nickel-cadmium cell and the negative platinum electrode from the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell. The cell is contained in a pressure vessel designed to operate up to 1,200 p.s.i. of hydrogen gas when the cell is fully charged. Pressure measurements can be used to determine the "state of charge" of batteries in flight. Salient features of the Ni-H2 battery are a long cycle life that exceeds any other maintenance-free secondary battery system, high specific energy (gravimetic energy density), high power density (pulse or peak power capability), and a tolerance to overcharge and reversal. It is these features that make the Ni-H2 battery system the prime candidate for the energy storage subsystem in many aerospace applications, such as geosychronous-earth-orbit (GEO), commercial communications satellites, and low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. The GEO and the LEO applications have two different requirements for batteries. The LEO applications require charge/discharge cycles of 18,000 to 30,000 cycles with depth of discharges (DOD) up to 40% and up to a 5 year lifetime in orbit. The GEO applications require lifetimes in orbit of 5 to 10 years and about 100 cycles per year with maximum DODs of 60% for a total of 500 to 1,000 cycles. To meet these mission requirements, a number of different design approaches are used by a variety of Ni-H2 battery manufacturers.
Generally, two or more batteries are used per spacecraft to meet the power requirements. The major advantage of using multiple batteries is reliability. If one battery fails, the other battery or batteries can maintain all or at least the most significant functions of the spacecraft.
The storage and handling of Ni-H2 cells and batteries can significantly alter performance during both prelaunch and mission lifetimes. The development of a low-voltage plateau in the discharge mode or capacity fading (loss of capacity to 1.0 volts) is the major concern. Under most circumstances, capacity can be recovered. However, if a cell or battery is overheated, it can be permanently damaged. The following storage and handling procedures cover the three stages in the cell/battery lifetime:
The following additional general guidelines and procedures are used in the handling and operation of Ni-H2 batteries.
Since Ni-H2 batteries are perishable, their ability to satisfactorily complete their mission life is directly related to their storage, their ground use, and handling. Historical performance information is required to ensure their flight worthiness at launch time.
Technical Rationale:
Ni-H2 batteries can deteriorate due to improper storage and handling. This practice which avoids this deterioration is based on a long period of battery development, testing, and flight experience.
The impact of not following this practice is that batteries may be damaged during handling and storage and may exhibit degraded performance during the mission including early life failure. Additionally, batteries may not be properly charged prior to launch and therefore may not meet their mission performance requirements or may require a lengthy recharging procedure before the satellite can be fully activated.
Develop and implement handling and storage procedures to ensure reliable operation, minimize deterioration, and prevent irreversible effects on the flight performance of Ni-H2 flight batteries due to improper handling and storage.
This practice has been used on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (NASA's first flight use of Ni-H2 batteries in a low Earth orbit application); Earth Observing System AM, (EOS AM), LANDSAT


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Product Description
Available while supplies last.
Pretty petals! Cut metal forms the perfect painted rose. A sage stem with leaves creates the perfect hook. The backside features a one-hole hanger.
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Youre looking pretty danged good! Is that what a vacation does for folks??!!!!! http://savannahnow.com/files/favorites/favorite-166472.jpg
07/26/08 - 1:47am | 21 Comments
When are you and McMuffin gonna start campaigning? I have not seen a sign for you or him. I wanna watch a debate between you two or are yall just playing knowing Pete will win in the long run? Seriously, the campaigns are nonexistant and make me believe neither candidate cares.
06/22/08 - 7:32pm | 10 Comments
He stated he lives on Hilton Head. He stated knowledge of an affair between a Commissioner and a former Commissioner. But....he loves his kitties from his website: " Mr. Dewberry claims three kitty cats, Mr. Snowball, Black Kat, and the new owner, the "Girl Kat", Little Miss Pooh Pooh. "
03/23/08 - 12:24am | 15 Comments


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Monthly Loop Happy Hour - February '10ΑΦΩ Chicagoland Area Alumni AssociationThursday, February 18, 2010 at 5:45 PM (CST) |
Event Details
Join other APO alumni monthly at Jak's Tap at 901 W. Jackson Blvd - just west of the loop. Happy hour starts at 5:45 PM. More information about Jak's is available at http://jakstap.com/
Feel free to bring along other people that you know, both alumni and others.
Have questions about Monthly Loop Happy Hour - February '10?
Contact ΑΦΩ Chicagoland Area Alumni Association
When & Where
Jaks Tap
901 W. Jackson Blvd
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 5:45 PM (CST)
Add to my calendar
ΑΦΩ Chicagoland Area Alumni Association
The Chicagoland Area Alumni Association is open to alumni of Alpha Phi Omega Chapters located in the greater Chicagoland Area/Northern Illinois or alumni of other Alpha Phi Omega Chapters who currently reside in this area.


text:
Lyrics Depot | |
Lyrics » Webb Pierce Webb Lyrics |
Lyrics Depot is your source of lyrics to Webb Pierce Webb songs. Please check back for new Webb Pierce Webb music lyrics. |
Webb Pierce Webb LyricsWebb Songs: After The Boy Gets The Girl Lyrics Crazy Arms Lyrics Falling Back To You Lyrics I Owe It To My Heart Lyrics Life To Go Lyrics My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You Lyrics Pick Me Up On Your Way Down Lyrics Violet And A Rose Lyrics You Make Me Live Again Lyrics Artist Page: |
All lyrics are the property of their respective authors, artists and labels. |


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Contacting Us
Before you contact us, we need to clarify what we can and cannot tell you when you call.
What is FERPA?
The United States Congress passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in 1974 to afford certain rights to students concerning their education records.
Brigham Young University-Idaho may not disclose information contained in education records without the student's written consent except under certain limited conditions.
What we cannot tell you:
Final grades, grades on exams, and other information about academic progress are examples of the confidential information that makes up part of a student's educational record. This information is protected under FERPA and parents do not have access to it unless the student has provided express, written authorization. For example, we cannot tell you:
- What classes your student has taken
- What remaining classes your student needs to take in order to graduate
- Their GPA
- Their degree progress
- Planned graduation dates
What we can tell you:
We can give you general information, and information that is readily available to the public. For example, we can:
- Tell you what classes are offered to certain majors
- Refer you to the BYU-Idaho catalog for class planning and courses available
- Direct you to BYU-Idaho and Academic Discovery web pages that discuss academic polices
We hope that we are able to help you with your general questions and concerns when you contact us, but understand that the FERPA guidelines are designed to protect BYU-Idaho students.
If you have questions or concerns, please click this link for more information, or contact the BYU-Idaho Student Records & Registration office at (208) 496-1000, or email@example.com


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Happy Monday — I hope you all had a great Easter/Passover this past weekend. Jason was working, so I went home Saturday night to spend Easter with my family. I started the day with old traditions and ended my day starting a new tradition. Let me back up and start at the beginning.
Mom, Dan and I woke up early to make it to the 6:45 Easter Sunrise Service — we have been going to this for years and years and it is one of my favorite parts of Easter. The full moon was out when we got there, and then we were able to see the sunrise — what neat opportunity.
Second tradition of the day was to go to Cracker Barrel for breakfast — yum-yum. I love Cracker Barrel's breakfast, and after waking up early it is just a fun tradition. After breakfast, we went home to shower and get ready for church. After a lovely message and music at church, our family went to Ruby Tuesdays to have lunch and a surprise birthday party for Dad. I love surprises like that! Sadly after the sunrise service, I forgot to bring out my camera, so no pics of the birthday party. :( Happy Birthday Dad!!
My new tradition for the day was an Easter dinner with friends. I love old traditions that have been done for years, but I also love to start new traditions. A friend of mine and her boyfriend decided to have a few couples over for dinner. Dinner was amazing — with a nice salad, ribs, jalapeno foccacia bread, and fabulous company. All in all, yesterday was a near perfect day.
How was your Easter/Passover?


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User talk:Stretch 135
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Hand is German. hand is English. In English, only proper nouns are capitalized. Here is our standard welcome. SemperBlotto 06:56, 17 June 2006 (UTC)
Hello, and welcome to Wiktionary. Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:
- Wiktionary Tutorial
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I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wiktionarian! By the way, you can sign your name on Talk (discussion) and vote pages using four tildes, like this: ~~~~, which automatically produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, see the help pages, add a question to the beer parlour or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome!


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The Giltner Hornets' season came to an end Tuesday night after a 60-54 loss to Heartland Lutheran in the first game of the D2-6 subdistricts in Wood River. Coach Matt Drew's team (13-10) didn't play... + continue reading
Latest News
Hamilton County area farmers were invited to join a lawsuit against Syngenta Seeds last week in the first of at least two Aurora meetings scheduled by lawfirms hoping to sign up producers who they allege lost between 11 and 50 cents per bushel during the last two years after China closed its markets to U.S.-grown corn.Larry Demerath, an Omaha... + continue reading
County commissioners and Hamilton Manor board members agreed on one thing Thursday -- no one wants to close the Manor.In the first of many joint meetings to come, the boards started a conversation about long-term plans for the facility, with no real expectation of making any immediate decisions.To read more, see this week's print or e-editions. + continue reading
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Hampton senior Chantal Lawson has taken the reigns as the Future Farmers of America (FFA) president for the Hampton chapter and has made some new changes to the organization and how it does business.Lawson, who has been president of the Hampton chapter since last March, was first introduced to agriculture and FFA in junior high, where Hampton... + continue reading
Aurora High School senior Bethany Wilson already knows that art will be a part of her future, which is probably a good thing because it is something that comes naturally."I feel like not everyone appreciates art," she said. "Art is just a really cool way for me to communicate what I am feeling or just things that I really like. It lets me be... + continue reading
Hampton's Lady Hawks jumped out to a 10-0 lead Thursday in the D2-2 Sub-district final at Sandy Creek, and sustained a late surge by Meridian to win 59-42. Hampton advances to play in next week's district final against Falls City Sacred Heart, with the winner to earn an automatic ticket to the state tournament in Lincoln. + continue reading
28 today
The Giltner Hornets' season came to an end Tuesday night after a 60-54 loss to Heartland Lutheran in the first game of the D2-6 subdistricts in Wood River. Coach Matt Drew's team (13-10) didn't play... + continue reading
192 today
The concept of renovating and adding on to the Hamilton County Law Enforcement Center appears headed for public bid again, only this time with a realistic expectation that the much-needed upgrade... + continue reading
Ag Life
17 today
Aurora senior Jared Sullivan didn't grow up on a farm, but that has not stopped him from being heavily involved with agriculture for the majority of his life.Sullivan, who serves as the Future... + continue reading


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What's New
Crash bug fixApp Description
Define two letter shortcut that expands to full sentences with QuicKEY, works in any iOS apps!This app lets you easily enable shortcuts in iOS and enhance your experience with app's custom Emoji (emoticons) keyboard!
** Once defined, the shortcut feature works in any iOS app! **
Define shortcut like these :
-- Examples --
Type 'ly' expands to '❤ I Love You ❤'
Type 'bu' expands to '😓 I'm busy right now..'
Type 'sr' expands to '🏃 Sorry, Running late! 🚕'
Type 'sg' expands to '👍 Sounds good! 👍'
Type 'io' expands to '👌 I'm OK! 👌'
Type 'gz' expands to 'Let's go to the Zoo 🐱🐶🐭🐹🐰🐺🐴🐫🐘🐍🐳🐬🐚'
Type 'ng' expands to '👎 Not good 👎'
Type 'aw' expands to '👍👍👍 Awesome 👍👍👍'
...and many many more, You can define any phrase
Or simply assign replacement like these:
-- Example --
Type ':)' auto replaced with '☺'
Type ':D' auto replaced with '😃'
Type 'xp' auto replaced with '😝'
Type 'sn' auto replaced with '☀'
Type 'cf' auto replaced with '☕'
** With iOS's 460+ Emoji icons combined with shortcut by this app,
** you can express yourself easier and faster.
Or define your own email/login id's so that you log on faster with out hassle of auto-correction etc.
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'hml' expands to 'firstname.lastname@example.com'
Anything you can imagine!
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App Changes
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August 08, 2012 Initial Release


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House subcommittee unanimous in approving folding Douglas County sewer district
ST. PAUL -- A half-dozen years of fighting appears near an end for Douglas County's Central Lakes Region Sanitary District.
A bill that got its start Monday night would disband the district after disputes over its cost and structure.
A House subcommittee unanimously approved the measure, with no one speaking against it.
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Provide coordinated and holistic services to the human service providers within the County.
> Human Services Development Fund >
Children & Youth Services
Children and Youth Services
Service Definitions
Eligibility Criteria
A person who is under the age of 18 who is not the head of an independent household
A resident of Berks County
The person's family monthly gross income must not exceed 250% of the federal poverty income guidelines
These service definitions must be used for Children and Youth Services funded through the HSDF.
1. Counseling/Intervention Services
is supportive and therapeutic activities provided to a child or a child's family and directed at preventing or alleviating conditions, including crisis conditions, which present a risk to the safety or well-being of the child, by improving problem solving and coping skills, interpersonal functioning, the stability of the family, or the capacity of the family to function independently.
2. Day Care Services
are out-of-home care for part of a 24 hour day to children provided in day care centers, group day care homes, and family day care homes as part of a family service plan required to prevent removal of a child from his parents' custody or as part of the process of re-establishing a child with his family following an out of home placement.
3. Day Treatment Service
is intensive services provided to a child for part of a day. These activities are designed to provide supervision and counseling of the child and coordination of the range of related human services necessary to establish consistent developmental relationships and skills to enable the child to function in the community. They do not include the cost of juvenile probation services, education programs, primary health care programs, and programs designed to treat the mental disabilities of a child.
4. Emergency Placement
is the provision of emergency shelter care of a child in the home of a relative, in a foster family home, or in a community residential facility. This is residential care and supervision in a non-secure setting, not to exceed 30 consecutive days, for a child whose immediate safety, protection, and well-being requires removal from the child's home or who would present a danger to himself or others or who would abscond if he were living at home.
5. Foster Family Care
(except room and board ) is 24 hour per day residential care and supervision of a child in a foster family home, including a foster family home operated by a court or county juvenile probation service if the home was operational on 1/1/78.
6. Homemaker Services
refers to home help, home care skills, instructions and child care and supervision provided to a child and the child's family in the child's home by a trained homemaker or caretaker.
7. Life Skill Education
is the practical education and training to the child and other family members, either in or outside of their own home, in skills needed to perform the activities of daily living, including but not limited to child care and parenting education, home management and related functions.
8. Information and Referral Service
is the provision to an individual or requested information about needed services and referral to appropriate providers.
9. Service Planning
is agency staff activities provided to determine what services are needed to develop a service plan and to arrange for provision of needed services.
10. Protective Services
are activities and services to protect the health and safety of children who are without proper parental supervision or who have been neglected, exploited, or injured by the parents to an extent not sufficient to be covered by 23 Pa. C.S. Chapter 63.
Non-Allowable Cost Centers
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Secure Residential


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Gann Valley is located in scenic Buffalo County, near the towns of Kimball, Chamberlain, Miller and Wessington Springs. Rolling prairies, native grasses and farm fields create ideal habitat and hunting in the Gann Valley area.
Hunters will find an abundance of wildlife including pheasants, grouse, geese and deer.
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Pajaro Dunes . . . Home | Reservations | Terms & Conditions | Pajaro Dunes Area Contact Roger Montgomery... email@example.com or Tel (831) 234-8970 Pajaro Dunes Destinations - 101 Shell Drive - Watsonville, California 95076 USA All Text & Images (c) 2003-2014 Pajaro Dunes Destinations. All Rights Reserved, more... |


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its the beginning of week 3, and things are starting to get serious at uni. its so much work!!! god im studying this arvo, but it scraes me how much work i have to do for my media contexts class, when i dont have that good a grasp on the content. its just getting daunting, thats all. i need to set up a study group this week.
i miss A so badly. i need to be with him. last night we started talking about sex. not only our own, but in general. we talked about what turns us on, what we may explore when we come to having sex, etc he told me that the idea of being dominated is a turn on; and that works for me, i can do that lol
Avoid talking about sex in any sort of LD/online relationships, it usually taints your offline thing, taints expectations, and honestly, discovery is a lot of the fun.
You'll start to live a projected sexual relationship mentally that doesn't exist physically, and anything along those lines can plant seeds of future breakups, all because you're with the person you make him up to be in your head more than you're with the person he is in the flesh, so he actually isn't measuring up to your fantasy... sounds silly, but I've seen it again and again...
"Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there." -- Josh Billings.
Add me on MySpace!
umm... unless i read the comment wrong.. we arent an online couple... this is a real life thing. he's a boy ive met at uni, and we've been going out a little while. last night we were on the phone, talking about sex things, not on msn or anything....


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Chemical Suffixes
Name: Abby C. Status: student Age: 14 Location: N/A Country: N/A Date: 2000
How, when ,why are is the root change in naming different elemnts in a formula. For the second element in a binary you are to ad "ide", explain how, when, why is "ite" and "ate" added to the root?
These are some accidents of history, which if it were possible, most chemists would like to retract, because when the suffixes were applied to various substances the chemistry in many cases was not well understood. But we are stuck with them so here goes:
-ide usually means that the element is in its elemental anionic form. So we have chloride, bromide, ... , oxide, sulfide,..., nitride, phosphide... And there are no oxygens attached to the "-ide" element.
-ate usually means the element in to which the largest possible number of oxygen atoms are attached. So we have chlorate [ClO3^-1], sulfate, phosphate and so on. However, some elements were found that contained more oxygens than was first thought possible so the naming system had to be patched up the take into account. So we have PER-chlorate [ClO4^-1].
-ite refers to the oxygenated anion of an element that contains some intermediate number of oxygen atoms. So we have sulfite [SO3^-2] and chlorite [ClO2^-1], but then comes along [ClO^-1]. What to do? Invent a new prefix, so we get HYPOchlorite.
There are of course the corresponding -ic, and -ous acids, too!!
Vince Calder
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Update: June 2012


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So I'm sorry its been a while, though I haven't forgotten about you, Oasis.
First, let me say this. And I'm not supposed to say this, but I'm anxious about one of my relatives, whose name shall remain unsaid. I don't know what to think about what's going on. But she was in the ER earlier and now she's been admitted to the hospital. And maybe you'll know her, so I won't say too much or else you'll figure out how to connect the dots and I don't want that happening. Anyway, she was hospitalized because her heart was beating really fast, apparently. That's just about all I know. So I have no way of assessing the severity or anything of the sort.
Uni is going well. Third week of classes just ended. The classes are pretty good for the most part I guess. I'm having a lot of trouble with the outside the class stuff. And by that, I mean that my health is not so good and it's really starting to get to me. I'm still seeing my therapist once a week and am seeing my disability coach once a week, too. So that's helpful. My doctor, I see her every 3 months. But she doesn't listen to me. Because apparently I "haven't gotten bad enough yet" for her to change the way in which she tries to treat me. It's annoying.
I submitted five poems for submission the other day, hopefully that goes well!! Sounds as though I won't find out for a bit, however. Maybe submitting some other poems for submission elsewhere, but haven't decided for sure.
Transition-stuff is going well, and people have been very considerate, and even so much as asking me what pronouns I'd prefer they use for me. All of my profs are calling me by the right name, thank goodness, except yesterday, a prof emailed me and even though he's called me Eli and I signed my email with the name Eli, he addressed the email to my girl name which is starting to seem more and more foreign by the day I think.
Everyone in my Poetry class knows I'm trans*. I haven't officially come out in any of my other classes yet, but in one class, we've been in groups for group presentations and so last group I was in, I told all of them. Then, I'll meet with my new group this Sunday, and at that point I'll come out to them. Because I need people to use the right pronouns for me (which are MALE). I have an urge to apologize for making things complicated for others because I know I don't look like your ordinary guy, but you know what? It is perfectly legit and I have every right to tell people how to treat me right. Eli is my name and I go by male pronouns. It's not up for debate, yknow. It is what it is.
Was going to write more, but can't remember what, specifically at the moment.
Questions/comments/suggestions, etc...feel free to write below or inbox me :)
Why are you not meant to say you're anxious about someone in the hospital? Seems a reasonable reaction.
When someone calls you anything other than Eli, correct them. Or call him a girl's name, or something to steer them back on track. He probably has the other name in his records, so might just need a reminder.
If these are new people, you don't need to do too much coming out. Since, they have little to no previous knowledge of you, so just say you're "Eli, a boy who loves to express his thoughts through poetry," and most people will get it, I would imagine. I think adding all this other drama to it gets you nowhere.
When I moved to San Francisco, I met a guy and he told me his name was Blue. So, I called him Blue. I didn't really care why he was Blue, or what his name used to be. You're Blue? OK, fine by me...
"You don't know you're beautiful." - Harry Styles
I don't know. I mean, I guess just because I don't know what's going on and I feel like its supposed to be a secret for some reason. Turns out, she apparently had a mild heart attack.
Then, I wrote back to the prof to send him a draft of my paper, again signing the email with "Eli." He (THANKFULLY!) wrote "Eli" when he was addressing me in his reply email.
That's true. :). I just need to figure out a way to nonchalantly tell them that I go by male pronouns and that I'm a boy.
That's awesome. And yes, I've learned that the more chill I am about my coming out, the more receptive people are and the less likely they are to freak out about it being a big deal.
Thanks, as always, Jeff.
*Uh... Bosemaster42: I suspect you just might appreciate this one! A bit too subtle... no? :)
The songs ruined by that beep.
Back when this came out, they didn't release clean and explicit versions, so there are far more beeped versions in existence. I think a recent anniversary reissue did finally release an unbeeped version, though.
"You don't know you're beautiful." - Harry Styles


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Come take a tour of the Historic Pritchard House. This house is located at 424 S. Washington Avenue in the heart of Historic Downtown Titusville, Florida. The Pritchard house was …More
The North Brevard Historical Museum 301 South Washington Avenue P.O. Box 5265 Titusville, FL 32783 (321) 269-3658 Operated by the North Brevard Historical Society, this museum offers a …More
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You are here: Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / Honolulu News Releases 2004 / City Lights Display Application Deadline Is August 27 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 13, 2004
Non-profit organizations interested in creating a display on the Civic Center grounds during Honolulu City Lights are invited to submit applications to the Department of Customer Services (CSD) by August 27. CSD will be issuing permits for five display sites via a lottery scheduled for September 13. The lottery will be held at 9 a.m. in the City Hall Annex Conference Room, 550 S. King Street. Applicants are welcome to attend the lottery, but need not be present to be selected. The annual lottery was started several years ago in response to a request from private groups interested in erecting displays at the same time as the Christmas event. Last year, a dozen groups submitted applications. Displays chosen through the lottery process will be on view during the same period as Honolulu City Lights. Each organization that is issued a permit will be responsible for the set-up, maintenance and takedown of their display. Applicants must be bona fide non-profit organizations formed under HRS Chapter 415B or any charitable organization formed pursuant to HRS Chapter 467B or under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code. Proof of this designation must be submitted with the application by Aug. 27 to be eligible for the lottery. Interested groups should contact Eric Kimura of the Department of Customer Services at 532-7790 to arrange for a copy of the application and the rules governing the use of the grounds during Honolulu City Lights. -30- |
Wednesday, August 18, 2004 |


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Top 10 Twitter Tips
December 12th, 2008 | by Leila Davies |Seeing as how Twitter is becoming more and more popular amongst businesses (even Walmart uses it!) we have decided to give you a quick over view of some Twitter best practises.
Top 10 Twitter Tips:
1) Make objectives about what you want to achieve by using Twitter, and stick to them. You need to know what you want to achieve with Twitter. If there are too many things, create more than one account – each one should have its own agenda and credibility. Think about your user name. If you want to build up awareness for your own name brand, use your name, but if you want to build up your company name, you could try a mix of your name and the company name or just the company – depending on the length of your company name. E.G Leila_Interleado. You don't want to use a name like superstar69 because it gives absolutely nothing away about you or your company and it doesn't inspire any kind of credibility.
2) When you add your avatar try not to add a picture of you wearing a giant silly hat, or you sitting in a boardroom. You want to be a human as well as professional. You also want to inspire confidence in your business capabilities and not look like a joker. Keep it simply you –and enforce your brand (whether it's a personal brand, company brand, or your voice in the company brand).
3) Add your URL and a small bio to your profile. People will have an online reference to learn about what you are offering them or what else there is to learn about you. Your profile reflects your brand.
4) Twitter is like micro blogging. Your messages have a limit of 140 characters. Make them count.
5) Twitter is no longer there just to tell people that your dog had 5 adorable puppies and you have decided to name them all Bob and Trudy. Now is the time to use Twitter to tell people about your business goals, your professional interests, to spread knowledge and offer customer support. Use your own ideas to spread the messages – be unique!
6) That said, by no means is it deemed acceptable to spam your followers with "Tweets"* only concerning your company and how great it is. This is a sure fire way to either lose follower or not gain any. Add a human touch by passing on the link to an article you found funny or interesting. Tweet about issues you have online, things you found on your way to work, ask questions and reply to what other "Twits (or Tweeps)"** say. Offer customer support for example. Be useful but keep a balance.
7) Add followers who you think you can learn from. Hopefully they will think the same of you and follow you in return. It's about building up a network here, the more useful all the connections are the better for you and everyone who networks with you. This means not automatically following people who follow you too. Depending on what you want to achieve, it seems logical that you would only follow people who have things to say that you find useful or interesting in any way. This is a chance to gain new blog readers, newsletter subscribers or software users. Again, this depends on what you want to achieve with Twitter.
8) If you like what one of your followers contributed, say so! By "Retweeting"*** what one of your followers or someone you are following says, you let them know that you found what they said interesting and that you are willing to share it with others . You could also reply to them or send a direct message and let them know. To retweet something, users typically type in "Retweeting" and the user name with an @ in front of it to show who posted it originally e.g. "Retweeting @LeilaPan" then paste the Tweet here. To reply to someone you type in the user name with an @ before it e.g. "@LeilaPan nice article!". Users can be notified when they get these replies so they will know you replied to them or retweeted their message and may be more inclined to return the favour. Try to keep a balance though, people can see when you are Tweeting your own messages or when you are replying or Retweeting – make sure you have your own voice.
9) Use Twitter regularly. The more you use it, the more interaction people see. The more use people see in following you and the more followers you will receive!
10) Twitter can give you insight you may not have had before. It can form part of your online reputation management. Track what people say about you or your company, or both! See if people are Tweeting your articles. By responding to what people say about your brand you build up your network and credibility.
Of course there are many Twitter tools and resources out there to help you use the application as best you can. It's all about using it and finding out what works for you. You might also want to brush up on your Twitter lingo (you could even make up your own Twords! Twitter words…that one's all mine.) Twittering can be fun, and keeps the communication lines with your target audience wide open.
The most important thing to remember is that this takes time, but it is becoming more and more widely accepted as a way to interact with existing and potential customers or even your niche heroes.
If you would like to follow some Interleado employees, you can follow me or our CEO, Peter Cullen.
*Twitter posts
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***Reposting a Tweet
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Teagan recalls Emmanuel calling her from Houton's home. "My husband and I had arranged to spend the day with each other," she says. "I take the kids one day, and Doug takes them another day, so we have that kind of private time. Emmanuel was throwing a fit, telling me that he wanted to come home, and I almost caved. But Doug told me to just allow him to get over it, and he did. The rest of the day was fine."
Mostly unaware of how the ban on gay adoption came to be, Teagan continues, "Telling someone like Doug that he can't parent Oscar is so offensive to me. He's already a parent. He's more than earned the right to be that wonderful boy's father in full. And it upsets me very much that I live in a state that refuses to see that."
Both Houton and the Teagans were living elsewhere on the East Coast more than a quarter century ago when a former beauty queen arrived in Florida, took up residence in Miami, and began preaching that gays were going to hell.
Today, Anita Bryant appears on her Website as a small-time Branson, Missouri, performer decked out in bedazzled denim and pancake makeup. She performs every week in the wannabe Vegas map speck, belting tunes that only your grandparents remember. But in the late 1970s, Bryant was a force. Using the fame she acquired by entertaining the World War II troops and as the pitchwoman for Florida orange juice, Bryant made use of her fundamentalist Baptist upbringing by persuading the state's conservative masses to form Save the Children. The now-defunct organization was the beginning of the religious right.
Bryant delivered her message across the state. "What these people really want, hidden behind obscure legal phrases, is the legal right to propose to our children that there is an acceptable alternate way of life," she said. "I will lead such a crusade to stop it as this country has not seen before."
Holding rallies and mobilizing the faithful, Bryant convinced many that homosexuals wanted not simply to adopt children but to recruit them to their sinful lifestyle. Bryant is credited with creating the momentum that caused the Dade County Commission to overturn an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexuality. It snowed for the first time in Miami the night the ordinance was passed in 1977, an eerie sign to her followers that evil was about.
And the issue continues to be controversial today. Although the Miami-Dade Commission in 1998 passed an antidiscrimination measure, voters will be asked September 10 whether they want to repeal it. Commissioners agreed, although reluctantly, to include the issue on the ballot out of necessity. This past December, a group called Take Back Miami-Dade secured enough signatures (51,026) to request the repeal of the amendment to the county's Human Rights Ordinance.
As for Bryant, her glory days seem long gone. Reporters have tried to contact her, as New Times did, but she's kept mum about what she thinks of her former state's ban and the ACLU lawsuit. Her Website doesn't mention anything about her antigay crusades. It celebrates the past, focusing primarily on the entertainment she provided for World War II soldiers.
And some of the legislators who originally passed the ban have changed their minds about it. Eight current and former lawmakers, mostly Democrats, released a formal statement this month saying they were wrong. Former legislator Elaine Bloom, who voted for the ban long ago, made it to the Miami Beach mayoral runoff this past November at least partly by courting the gay vote. She told reporters two weeks ago that the ban was "fueled by ignorance."
That's a long way from the rationale of the 1977 bill's sponsor. "We're really tired of you," the late state Sen. Curtis Petersen told Florida's gays. "We wish you'd go back into the closet."
Regardless of how past lawmakers feel about the statute, it's the current legislature that could make a difference. But with no openly gay legislators in office and Democrats in the minority, the drama surrounding the issue could shift to Florida's gubernatorial race. Former U.S. attorney general and Democratic ticket hopeful Janet Reno has been wooing the gay vote since announcing last November that she wanted to take the Tallahassee throne from Jeb Bush. On March 2, she announced that she supports revoking the ban during a visit to St. Petersburg's Suncoast Resort, which advertises itself as the "world's largest all-gay resort and entertainment complex." Another Democratic candidate, Tampa attorney Bill McBride, would also like the law dissolved. Governor Bush has stated that he remains in favor of it.
"Obviously, it's much harder for us to change the law if Bush is sitting as governor," says ACLU attorney Schwartz, who is openly lesbian. "And I don't think a lot of Floridians, from my experience, even know a gay person, so we seem like all leather daddies and drag queens. I'll continue to have dozens of clients worthy of becoming parents choose to either leave the state or try other methods to get around the law."
Schwartz says she knows that many gays and lesbians don't disclose their sexual preference or present themselves as straight when adopting. Some get attorneys to falsify papers, while others turn to artificial insemination rather than face the dilemma.


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Introduction to Thailand (8 Days) Bangkok, Chiang Mai Highlights of Thailand (10 Days) Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket or Koh Samui Essence of Northern Thailand (11 Days) Bangkok, Golden Triangle, Chiang Mai Thailand for Families (12 Days) Bangkok, Golden Triangle, Chiang Mai, Phuket or Koh Samui Thailand for Foodies (9 Days) Bangkok, Chiang Mai Romantic Thailand (13 Days) Bangkok, Golden Triangle, Chiang Mai, Phuket Luxury Spas of Thailand (10 Days) Bangkok, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai Family Tour of Southeast Asia (13 Days) Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, Hong Kong Highlights of Thailand & Burma (14 Days) Bangkok, Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake, Chiang Mai Best of Thailand & Angkor (13 Days) Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Siem Reap Southeast Asia in Style (21 Days) Hong Kong, Hanoi, Hoi An, Saigon, Siem Reap, Chiang Mai, Golden Triangle, Bangkok Luxuries of Japan & Thailand (11 Days) Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Bangkok, Chiang Mai Flavors of Southeast Asia (16 Days) Singapore, Saigon, Hoi An, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Bangkok Highlights of Thailand & Laos (10 Days) Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai Perfect Days in Bali & Thailand (13 Days) Bali, Bangkok, Chiang Mai Discover Thailand & Bhutan (12 Days) Bangkok, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Chiang Mai
This tour features the best of Thailand's cities, rural countryside, and beautiful beaches, with an emphasis on regional culture, history, arts and cuisine. Accommodation is at Thailand's most highly regarded luxury resorts and hotels, and private touring is with expert local guides who provide exceptional insight and connection to the local people and culture.
Begin with comprehensive touring in Bangkok. With your own private guide, enjoy a fascinating, private long-tail boat tour through Bangkok's canals. Visit the most important temples. Learn about Buddhist practices and influences on daily life. Hear monks chanting at a morning ceremony. Explore colorful markets selling textiles, flowers, food and crafts. Visit small museums and interesting local neighborhoods. When not sightseeing, enjoy time at the world's leading spa, swim, play tennis, shop for exquisite Thai silks and art work, and dine on some of Southeast Asia's best cuisine.
Spend several days in rural Chiang Mai in northern Thailand at one of Asia's most luxurious and atmospheric resorts, surrounded by mountains and lush fields of terraced rice paddies. Browse craft districts specializing in celadon ceramics, silver, teak furniture, paper umbrellas, and beautiful silk weavings. Visit revered mountaintop temples, the royal family's Winter Palace, an elephant camp, and local hill tribe villages. A day will be at leisure to enjoy the resort's spa, cooking school, golf, or pool. Additional cultural excursions are also available.
Next, fly to one of the islands of the south (Phuket or Koh Samui) and enjoy several days at one of Thailand's leading luxury resorts. Spend your days relaxing on pristine beaches, indulging at the spa, swimming, playing tennis or golf, taking cooking classes or yoga lessons, diving, or exploring nearby islands by luxury boat.
Return to Bangkok for some last minute shopping or touring before departing Thailand.
VIP airport assistance on arrival. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 2 nights
Half-day private city tour, including private longtail boat ride
Private transfer to airport for flight to Chiang Mai. Private arrival transfer to resort for 3 nights, with touring en route
Option for sunrise alms-giving. Half-day excursion to elephant camp or cultural touring. Private round-trip transfer to night market
Morning market visit and Thai cooking lesson. Afternoon at leisure
Private transfer to airport for flight to Phuket or Koh Samui. Private arrival transfer to resort for 3 nights
Half-day yacht cruise to surrounding islands (Phuket) or sunset cruise (Koh Samui)
At leisure at resort
Private transfer to airport for flight to Bangkok. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 1 night. Afternoon flexible private touring or shopping
Private airport transfer