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Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Oddometer: 2,160
Yerranderie Ghost Town, Australia, July08
A little bit of background on this trip....
My Dad rides a '98 specially imported (Italy --> Australia) Transalp XLV600. He has been riding for a million years, and loves to get out when he can. He runs a specialist gym (fitness centre) in Newcastle, on the east coast of Australia. He has only started it, and been operating it for the last year, so times have been stressful. So I suggested that we set aside a three day weekend, and go for a ride. The date had been set for the last three months (amongst my busy schedule in my own new position at work!!).....
My new flatmate had also decided (partly due to my influence) to take up motortbike riding. He got his learner's permit, and we went halves in a KLX400.....
It turned out that the planned weekend with Dad was perfect timing for Craig's first adventure ride also!!
Well..... this was the plan, until I went out and did some of this with it..... and broke it!!
(details witheld!!)
So anyway.....
I was left in a situation where I didn't want to let anyone down, so I had to find me a bike..... I would ride a borrowed bike, and my flatmate Craig would ride my KLR.
I tentatively put a post up on the Australian section of ADV, asking if anyone would be gracious enough to lend me their bike. It turns out that I have more friends than I thought, and I had several generous offers!! Through whatever reasons, I ended up with Deano's blue V-strom. What a lovely bike!!
It had heated grips, cruise control, a big adjustable aftermarket screen, side bags, 45L Givi top box, complete with a roof rack!!
I really enjoyed riding the Strom.... it is more of a road bike than dirt, but I was very surprised that even with road tyres, I could hang the tail out on the gravel with confidence. I think the engine makes the bike.... I reckon one of these engines in Dad's Transalp chassis, and you'd have the perfect tourer!!
So now that I had a bike secured, we were all ready to roll. It is the middle of winter here in Australia, however it is still ok riding weather. We had minus 7 degrees C during the night in the area that I was planning on riding. Even on the coast where I live, it was cold enough to need inner liners and neck warmer to ride at night.
We set off at 9am....
That's Craig standing by the KLR, Dad warming his Tranny up ( ) and my bike for the weekend, the Strom to the right.
We headed out through the north-west of Sydney, via Annangrove, Windsor, and Freeman's Reach, and stopped for a coffee at Bilpin.....
It was cold..... we didn't even take our jackets off....
We continued on to Bell, and Mount Victoria, via Hampton to Oberon. Although Craig was only doing 80kph on his Learner's Permit, it didn't really make that much of difference to the travel time. For example, I split from Mount Vic, and sped on ahead. I stopped at Hampton to take a photo, and by the time I got the camera out, Dad and Craig had caught up!!
We had lunch at Oberon, and then made out way towards the mountains. We had already ridden past snow on the side of the road on our way into town. As we got further into the hills (Shooters Hill 1250m ASL) we saw heavier and heavier white stuff from two nights before!! Needless to say, it was cold riding.
God bless Deano, and heated grips!! Mercy upon Craig, and my KLR!! He should be grateful that he at least has a screen, of which the KLX had nothing if it had made it along!!
Caig having a ball on his first Adventure ride, upon the BEAST!!
Me, looking like Michelin Man in all my winter layers!!
From here it was 60km of not-so-fast dirt to our camp site. On the KLR I would have knocked the distance over in DAKAR time, but aboard the STROM with road tyres, I had to be careful!! Being uber cautious not to bin Deano's bike on the slushy ice/mud, I set the pace for "learner" Craig, who took everything in his stride!! Dad being the Veteran of the pack (not too excited, yet not so slow) kept the pace up without a worry......
(to be honest, he mentioned later in the night that he used to ride his GS850 Suzuki road bike into rallies on worse roads than this..... at faster pace!!)
RIP a fantastic camp site and riding track.... AS IF they are ever going to open it......
(referring to Limeburners:)
Finally after a few creek crossings and tight twisty dirt roads, we arrived at Yerranderie, which is an historic Silver Mining town, which is now privately owned. Its history dates back to the 1880's. We camped at the "free camping" which is owned by the Water Board, on the edge of the private area.....
There's surely a flat spot somewhere around here to put the tent!!
Dad sporting a new head-torch, Craig showing off his new R-Jays pants....
I was trying my best to be fancy with the Auto point-and-press camera!!
Alright..... time for bed now.... have to be up early in the morning, so stay tuned for the next installment tomorrow night!!
Cheers, Dan
DANNOj screwed with this post 07-14-2008 at 05:34 AM
All round nice guy
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Not Gunnedah
Oddometer: 8,456
Nice work Danno!!
Nice artistic photos!!
Trust me its this way
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Bathurst, home of motor racing
Oddometer: 131
Looks like another great ride in our great part of the state.
Some good pics there thanks Danno
Growing old is inevitable. Growing up is optional.
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Redwood Valley Nelson NZ
Oddometer: 91
Pleased to see you had a successfull trip after all the stuffing around Danno.
$182.50 and a bottle of locktight later and all is good
cheers John
Team 250
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Wollongong,N.S.W.
Oddometer: 5,304
Did you have to remind me of Limeburners Danno,I'd almost forgotten about it.Nice report there mate.
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: Dubvegas in the NSW Central West
Oddometer: 588
Nice report that Dannoj and trust me when I say that I am sure that the Strom would handle anything you threw at it (I mean, if it can handle the way Deano rides it ).
Nah good stuff all up and that snow did make me kinda cold and I don't like cold (yes, I am a woose)
Good stuff to Craig as well, hope he had a blast.
Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Oddometer: 2,160
Thanks for all your replies guys!!
Alright.... time for some more....
The next morning, after a cold night in thermals and sleeping bags (cold outside, warm in!!) we had a relaxing day around the Yerranderie area.
Hmmm.... how would I like to be travelling around.... two and half tonne of metal, glass and plastic, or......
This shaft had a walkway over the top. Hard to imagine the engineering tasks back in the day, but they seamed to manage!!
There was good fencing around the mine shafts. Most of them have been filled, or blocked.
Provided you didn't disturd anything, you are allowed to get up close to all of the old relics. Don't touch Dad!!
There was plenty of signage around to help and direct the tourists....
We spent a good three or fours hours looking around the mine sites. The place is actually privately owned by a lady who lives in Sydney (I think). She has two blokes who manager it for her. We were told that she actaully runs it as a loss, which is kind of sad.
After our self guided tour we headed back to camp for some lunch, collected some fire wood, and had a look around at the cemetary and a few other places.
The Transalp logging truck.....
Not to be outdone, I went and loaded twice as much onto the KLR!!
The old cemetary was actually quite interesting. A lot of young people, including three or four 18 year olds killed in mining accidents.
Craig had a bit of a boo-boo on the way out the next morning. Coming up out of the one of the creeks, he missed 2nd gear and layed it down. The crash bars did their job (as they always do!!). Not sure if he bent them out of shape, or bent them more back INTO shape!! Here dad and I are doing a quick repair to a sheared footpeg bolt. Craig commented that the exterior shoulder and elbow pads on his brand new Dririder jacket did the trick. ATGATT!!
We had a fantastic ride out. The weather was perfect, and the tracks not too dusty. Craig's pace was picking up as he got more confident on the bike. We were all having a ball!!
We took Range Road, and Langs Road out to Wombeyon Caves Road. All of this has been recently graded, and is now a super highway!! It was good not having to contend with the massive pot-holes for a change, but otherwise it made it a bit less interesting!! However it did allow us to appreciate the awesome views of the Blue Mountains as we rode along.
Mandatory tunnel photo!!
From here Craig split off and visted some friends who live at Joadja (also an old mining town). Dad and I headed into Mittagong for some late lunch, and then hit the Hume towards Home. I left Dad at Pennant Hills, where he continued on to Newcastle. The V-strom was awesome on the freeway. Very comfortable sitting in behind that big screen!
Thanks again to Dean for the lend of his bike, which made this weekend possible. Thanks also to Dad and Craig for the good company. We all had a fantastic time, and can't wait to get out and do it all again soon!!
Cheers, Dan
Studly Adventurer
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Wagga Wagga Australia
Oddometer: 581
Great report, going via Shooters hill and Jenolan Caves on the way to my folks place in Springwood. Should be good. I'll be on my own but I will be interested to see what it will be like that way. The snow will be interesting .
Thanks for sharing!
KLR250 (retired), DR250 (retired), KE175 (retired)
My Bike Trips http://picasaweb.google.com.au/detlefinoz
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Lake Macquarie, Australia
Oddometer: 17
Nice report Dan and brilliant clear pics.
Firewood collecting on bikes really should be an Olympic sport. It never fails to bring out the competitve streak in ADV Riders. More timber . . . heavier loads . . . bigger logs.
Spelt with 2 ffs
Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Melbourne Australia
Oddometer: 14,689
Very nicely done there young fella...
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In anticipation of the coming year, I polished my crystal ball, hoping for a clear picture of what 2011 would bring personally and professionally. Unfortunately, the picture was a bit blurry, clouded by a stagnant economy and cautiousness among forecasters regarding the year ahead. While most agreed the economy would grow, few completely ruled out the possibility of a "double-dip" recession. While they said total construction starts would rise, they also cited a number of variables that could affect those predictions. Overall, I got the distinct impression that everyone was hedging their bets in regards to 2011. It seemed the only sure thing was that recovery would be slow, for the economy, the construction market and, consequently, our industry.
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First, the good news. For the construction industry, "the worst is over," according to Keith Fox, president, McGraw-Hill Construction, New York. Following four years of decline, total construction starts are expected to move in a positive direction in 2011, increasing eight percent over 2010 to $446 billion. See "The slow climb."
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The good news: For retailers, the remodeling market shows potential in 2011, with homeowner spending expected to increase 12.8 percent this year, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The recovery began in fourth quarter 2010 and should pick up steam going into 2011, buoyed by low financing costs and a wave of previously foreclosed homes coming back on the market and in need of renovation, according to Kermit Baker, director of the JCHS Remodeling Futures Program. See "Delayed reaction."
The bad news: For those offering window replacement services, tax credits—or the lack thereof— could affect business this year. On Dec. 4, 2010, the U.S. Senate rejected a proposal by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that sought to extend and modify the existing home retrofit tax credit for windows that qualify toward energy-efficient home improvements, according to a release from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.
The good news: Fabricators are taking advantage of slow market conditions to reevaluate their business plans and product mix, according to Glass Magazine's informal survey. Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said future expansion plans included adding new products. That said, a significant percentage of fabricators are taking a "wait and see" approach to 2011, with 25 percent of those surveyed reporting they had no expansion plans in place.

subset: commoncrawl


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Originally written on Fox Soccer | Last updated 7/15/13
Robbie Rogers hopes gay players in the UK can follow his lead in coming out - but he knows the fervor of fans could make that difficult. Former Leeds winger Rogers publicly revealed his sexuality shortly after leaving Elland Road in February following little over a year in English football. The 26-year-old also announced his retirement from the game, but is now back playing with the Los Angeles Galaxy . Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 Live, Rogers said: "For whatever reason, I don't think fans in England or fans in the UK are homophobic at all. "They are just so passionate they will do anything to help their team get a little bit of an edge. "The things they will say in a stadium does not reflect their character. But they take it just a little bit overboard sometimes. I learned that while I was in England. "It's a little bit sad. Fans need to realise what you're saying to players, especially when you are on that level. You need to think it through before you sta...
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Australian club target English striker Emile Heskey
Published on Sep 19, 2012 10:04 AM
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian club Newcastle Jets are hoping to sign former England and Aston Villa star Emile Heskey for the upcoming domestic season, encouraged by Sydney FC's luring of Italian great Alessandro Del Piero.
The Australian newspaper said Jets manager Robbie Middleby was in England to meet the 34-year-old, who is without a club after being released by Villa at the end of last season.
But Middleby could face stiff competition for the powerfully built striker, with reported interest also coming from English Premier League club Stoke and Championship sides Blackpool and Ipswich.
The Jets already boast one former Premier League player in Michael Bridges, who used to play for Sunderland.
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Created in this Craftsy class
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Need to know: CV cliches Why you can`t find a jobHF interviews
Champ Private Equity has completed the 186 million Australian dollar (US$192 million) take-private of Gerard Lighting Group, meaning the 2009 A$1.5 billion CHAMP III Fund is more than 50% invested.
"We're happy with the pace and way we're investing," Champ Managing Director John Haddock told Deal Journal Australia.
He explained that Gerard Lighting — a distributor-manufacturer with operations in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, the U.K. and Asia — was attractive to Champ due to its market-leading position and proven management team. The Gerard family founded Clipsal Electric, which was acquired by Paris-based Schneider Electric in 2003.
Australia's CHAMP Private Equity has bought a 33.2% stake in service vessel provider Miclyn Express Offshore Ltd. from Macquarie Capital, the company said Wednesday.
CHAMP spent A$199 million or A$2.15 a share on the investment, and could pay another A$9.24 million if certain milestones are achieved. Macquarie Capital–the investment banking arm of Macquarie Group Ltd.–has owned the stake since Miclyn listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in March 2010 at $1.90 a share. The purchase price matched Miclyn's closing share price on Wednesday at A$2.15.
Champ Private Equity has appointed Goldman Sachs New Zealand to sell communications group Blue Star, a person familiar with the matter said.
Blue Star, whose bonds are listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange at 1.4 cents to the dollar, announced the sale of its label manufacturer Rapid Labels to Tiri Group on July 6 for an undisclosed sum.
"Sale proceeds have been applied principally to reduce Blue Star's bank debt," the company said in a statement.
Earlier, on June 29, the group announced it had the support of senior lenders for a review focusing on the sale of all or parts of the business.
Ten Network is poised to announce the sale of its outdoor advertising division Eye Corp. to Australia's Champ Private Equity, a person familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia.
The sale will fetch Ten 139 million Australian dollars (US$144.6 million), representing a multiple of around eight times fiscal 2011 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, or Ebtida, the person said.
A$114 million will be paid in cash with another A$25 million payable in three years, interest-free, the person said.
The Gerard family are preparing to flick the switch on their equity interest in Gerard Lighting Group by voting in favor of a 186 million Australian dollar (US$191.6 million) cash offer by private equity firm Champ.
A sale to Champ comes nearly a century after Alfred Gerard started an electricals business under the trade name Clipsal, and later branched into making other products such as the lights that now shine in Adelaide Airport and Melbourne's Commonwealth Games Village.
Members of the Gerard family, who together control 52% of ASX-listed Gerard Lighting, plan to support Champ's cash offer unless the deal is trumped by a rival party offering a higher price.
Ten Network Holdings has begun exclusive talks to sell its EYE Corp outdoor advertising division to Champ Private Equity-owned oOh!media Group, a person familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia.
RedBridge Grant Samuel and Clayton Utz are advising Champ and oOh!media, while UBS and Gilbert + Tobin are giving advice to Ten.
In a statement earlier Friday, Ten confirmed that it has given an unnamed bidder exclusive access to carry out detailed due diligence.
McAleese Transport has purchased the option to buy Brisbane-headquartered LCR Group from CHAMP Private Equity, people familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia Thursday.
The option — which can be exercised any time before its expiry in mid-2013 — includes a price mechanism dependent on the performance of LCR, a bulk materials handling, transport and mining services provider.
CHAMP bought a greater than 90% stake in LCR Group – which stands for Lifting Customers Reputations — in September 2008. At the time, LCR's revenue was in excess of A$120 million and tied to mining projects in the Bowen Basin as well as infrastructure throughout Australia. LCR's forecast 2012 revenue is around A$200 million, one of the people said.
Australia's McAleese Transport has driven off with transport logistics provider International Energy Services, or IES, after striking a deal with Champ Private Equity.
The purchase of IES was concluded late last week and continues the trend of private equity favoring trade sales for assets rather than initial public offerings, mainly due to subdued equity markets in Australia and the disappointing post-IPO performance of Myer Holdings and Collins Foods.
The value of the deal for IES hasn't been disclosed. But a person familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia last month that IES is valued at around 300 million Australian dollars (US$309 million).
Former Asciano chief executive Mark Rowsthorn is the driving force behind McAleese Transport's interest in CHAMP Private Equity's transport and logistics company International Energy Services, people familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia.
Deal Journal Australia Thursday reported that McAleese is the frontrunner to buy IES for around 300 million Australian dollars (US$314 million) in an agreement that could be reached as early as next week.
Australia's McAleese Transport is the frontrunner to buy transport logistics provider International Energy Services, or IES, from CHAMP Private Equity in a deal that's valued at around 300 million Australian dollars (US$314 million), a person familiar with the matter told Deal Journal Australia Thursday.
IES services the resources, energy, aviation and chemicals industries in Australia, Singapore and the U.S. The asset has been a sale candidate on and off over the past few years.
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text: The Bo wiki last edited by fables87 on 06/10/15 03:42AM View full history " Life's hard when you don't know who you are. It's harder if you don't know what you are. My love carries a death sentence. I was lost for years, searching while hiding, only to find I belonged to a world hidden by humans. I won't hide anymore! I will live the life I chose!" - BoBackground InformationBo is the main protagonist of The Lost Girl. She Is a Succubuss who was raised by human parents, and had no idea what she was at the beginning of the series. All Bo seemed to know was the fact that in order to quench her appitite and survive she needed to feed from humans for their sexual chi, which always led to her killing them and left her guilt-ridden and alone.


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BMGF, What Are Your Favourite Leaders?
by, 5th February 2012 at 09:31 AM (414 Views)
And I really don't feel like going out in it. All snow's good for is the satisfying feeling when you take the first step on a fresh patch and snow days.
But anyway, I've been asking this on tumblr, but because tumblr people are nocturnal I'm going to ask here, too; I need to get a top ten of Pokémon Gym Leaders for reasons I'm not explaining, so I need to get a general consensus of what everyone's favorites are. And forget making threads on it because it's been done before.
So, just tell me what your favorite leaders are. Do your own top ten if you want, because that would be even more helpful.
I think Brock, Misty and Sabrina have 2 votes...
... and Morty, Giovanni, Winona, Norman and Brawly (they spelled it wrong as Broly), all have 1 vote. I need ten leaders, that's eight, so... yeah.
Bee out.
changing all my British spellings to American spellings because I don't want someone calling me sanctimonious or whatever due to that Broly thing
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Delivery by Interlink Express
On the day before delivery you will receive either a text or email (a text if you provide a mobile number during checkout) confirming that you will receive a delivery from Interlink. You can change your delivery at this stage if the day in question isn't suitable. On the day of delivery you will receive a further text or email from Interlink giving you a one hour slot during which time you can expect the package to be delivered. Customers have been really pleased to receive their orders so quickly and to not have to wait in all day.
Please note that all of the couriers we use will not leave a parcel without obtaining a signature. They will happily leave parcels with neighbours or deliver to a workplace so please think about this before placing your order.
What happens if I haven't been at home when Interlink have tried to deliver my order?
Interlink will attempt to deliver twice. On both occasions on the day of delivery they will have sent an email or text with the estimated one hour delivery slot. If this isn't convenient the day can be changed and again, another email or text is sent on this alternative day with a one hour delivery slot. If the parcel is then returned to us due to non delivery, we will book the parcel in for re-delivery but there is a £10 rebooking fee for this service.
Delivery Charges for the Irish Republic and the Channel Islands
Postal charges are based on the weight of a parcel. Smaller orders are sent by First Class Post or Airmail and cost £3.99, and larger orders too large for the post are sent by courier. For Ireland this costs £16 and the Channel Islands £18.
Please select the Irish Republic or Channel Islands as the correct Delivery Zone during checkout.
Delivery - International
To find out if we deliver to your country, add something to your shopping basket. You will then see that there is a drop down box for you to select your country, which may happen automatically. If your country is included in the list we can easily send something to you and prices for shipping for what you have added to your shopping basket will appear automatically. We are sorry if your country isn't yet included but we are adding new countries all the time. Please let us know if you would like us to deliver to yours!
If we dont deliver to your country, please let us know exactly what you would like to order and we will let you know how much shipping will be. It is inadvisable to order heavy wooden dolls furniture and prams due to the size and weight, and they will be very expensive to ship.
How much does shipping cost?
For every Delivery Zone there is a sliding scale of prices which will change depending on what you order. All of our products have been weighed and the website will add up the weight of the products in your basket and charge Postage and Packing accordingly. Prices are based on the most economical shipping method available to us and we use several different companies.
How long does delivery take?
The reason why we can offer such reasonable prices for International delivery is because the company we are using do not offer an express service. They aim to deliver parcels in the following time scales. However, these are aims and not guarantees so please allow up to 4 weeks for delivery.
Europe Up to 1 week
Rest of World Up to 2 weeks
However, if you require delivery of an item in just a few days, this can also be arranged using express international couriers. As a guide these tend to cost twice the price of our standard shipping but take just 2-4 days to reach almost anywhere in the world. Please let us know by email if you would prefer express shipping, or just request it when placing your order online. You will be sent a Paypal invoice for the extra cost incurred.
Can I track my order?
After your order has been dispatched you will be sent an email containing tracking information. Tracking is possible all round the world with the exception of small parcels in Australia.
Payment of Value Added Tax (VAT)
If you reside in the European Economic Community (EEC) you will be charged 20% Value Added Tax (VAT) on the total cost of your order including the delivery charge.
If you reside outside the EEC you will not be charged VAT.
The Petalina website will display prices either including or excluding VAT based on two factors. Firstly, it will use the IP address of your device to decide which prices to display. IP addresses are registered by different countries and the website will use this information to determine whether to show VAT inclusive prices or not. The second factor is determined by the customer using the website and selecting their correct Delivery Zone. All of the zones are set so that the prices displayed are correct. Therefore, when a customer purchases and selects their delivery zone, they will be shown the correct prices to be paid for their country. A confirmation email showing the prices paid will also be sent to the customer after purchase.
If Petalina does not deliver to your country and you would like to calculate the cost of our products without VAT, just divide the price shown by 1.2 to give the price without VAT.
If you are buying from outside the EEC but the goods are to be sent to an address within the EEC, you will be charged 20% VAT at the time of purchase as the goods will be used within the EEC and therefore VAT must be paid.
Russia - we are unable to ship to Russia and Belarus due to restrictions put in place by Russian Customs.
International Returns - our returns policy still stands for all purchases wherever in the world they are coming from. However, it is the responsibility of the customer to pay for the cost of returning the item to us. We still require the goods to be returned in pristine condition in their original packaging so that the goods can be resold.
If a product arrives faulty or damaged then Petalina will do it's best to rectify the situation and replace goods as required. However, we ask that our customers help us by returning the faulty goods to us by the most cost effective method available which we will then refund.
In order to help conserve the planet we recycle boxes and packing where possible and also use some packaging materials that are made from recycled material. We try to use packaging materials that can be easily reused or recycled, so please do so if you can.
Returns Policy
Petalina hopes that you will really love your purchase. However, if for any reason you do not, then simply return it to us. All we ask is that you return your purchase to us in perfect condition in its original display box/packaging within 14 days of receipt. Please ensure that the item is well protected and wrapped carefully to avoid damage in the post. Finally, you just need to include a copy of your receipt with your return, together with a brief reason for the return.
We will be happy to exchange the item for you or provide you with a full refund.
Please let us know of your intention to return something before doing so, just to make sure there is someone available to take in the parcel. May we suggest that you keep your postal receipt as proof of posting, and maybe consider returning more expensive items via registered post, as Petalina cannot be held responsible for any returns lost or damaged in the post.
For boxes over 2kg Royal Mail is now very expensive. As an alternative there are several websites where you can book a collection by a courier, such as P4D.co.uk, and pay using Paypal. More insurance is also included in the cost compared to Royal Mail.
We will let you know by email when we have received your parcel and that a refund or exchange has been processed for you.
Customers are required to pay for their own postage when returning items to us, unless the items are faulty, and in which case we would refund the cost of the return postage. Customers returning goods within the EU are protected by the Distance Selling Regulations and we will therefore refund the cost of the original postage and packing should the customer return the complete original order to us. If only part of the order is returned we will not refund the cost of return postage.
Please send your returns to:? Petalina, 55 Ashley Road, Epsom, Surrey KT18 5BN.
Non-delivered/Missing Orders
If you are concerned that your order has not arrived and may be lost please let us know and we will confirm how the order was sent to you.
First Class Post
Orders sent by first class post should normally reach you within 1 to 2 days of posting but sometimes may take longer. Generally Royal Mail First Class is fantastically reliable but occasionally things do go wrong. The severe weather during 2010 severely interrupted Royal Mail deliveries.
If your order hasn't arrived, the first thing you will be asked to do is confirm that the address you provided is correct. Then we will ask you to check at your local sorting office to see if your order is being held there for you. Sometimes cards arent left by postmen or are mislaid and very often missing parcels can be found here. However, dont leave it too long before visiting the sorting office as uncollected parcels will be returned to us. Unfortunately, we we are unable to replace goods that have been posted to an incorrect address provided during the checkout process.
If your parcel still hasnt arrived after 16 working days from the date of posting, Petalina will send a replacement package or provide a refund if you would prefer. You will also be refunded accordingly if any of the items originally ordered are not available.
Delivery by Courier
Delivery by courier is very reliable. However, if your order doesnt arrive you will be asked to confirm that the address you provided us with is correct and we will then do our best to trace your order for you. If it cannot be traced we will send out a replacement order for you or process a refund, if that is what you would prefer. You will also be refunded accordingly should any part of the original order no longer be available.
Faulty or Damaged Goods
Whilst we do our utmost to ensure that your goods reach you in perfect condition, if you do find a problem with your order on receipt, please let us know immediately. It is helpful to send us a photograph of the problem. In this situation we will arrange for a replacement to be sent to you as soon as possible. You will be asked to return the damaged item to us and of course we will refund all postage costs incurred. You should send faulty items to us at:
Petalina Ltd, 55 Ashley Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5BN
Out of Stock Items
The stock control system is automated and stock is allocated to orders on a first come first served basis. If a product in your basket is unavailable at the time of check out you will not be able to purchase it. If you would like us to let you know when the item is available again, please send an email to that effect.
Customer Collection
Customers living in the local Epsom area are very welcome to come and collect their orders from our premises. However, collection is by appointment only so please pre-arrange with us when you would like to visit. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings are good for us but if you cannot collect at these times we will do our best to accommodate you.
During checkout you need to select 'Collection' under Delivery Zone and no postage will be charged. Write a note in the Delivery Instructions box giving an indication of the day and time you would like to come and we will be in touch shortly.


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Mike Slive pushes Southeastern Conference to get tough
More NCAA tourney bids is goal
DESTIN, Fla. -- In one of Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive's many past lives, he was an attorney.
But even if Slive, who ended his two-year stint in March as chairman of the NCAA men's basketball tournament selection committee, had been allowed to make a case for his league's teams getting bids, he wouldn't have had any basis for a winning argument.
Because when the SEC received just three bids to the tournament with lousy seeding for each -- regular-season league champion LSU, Tennessee and league tourney champion Mississippi State (which got the automatic NCAA tourney invitation) -- Slive understood.
"The (selection) committee looks at the entire body of work, November and December isn't exhibition season," Slive said here on Tuesday during the first day of the SEC business meetings at the Sandestin Beach Hilton.
"Playing a strong nonconference schedule gives the selection committee a chance to see how teams would compete against teams in the NCAA field, because many of those teams usually are in the field. There's a perception of who you play, how you play and where you play."
Slive saw the teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament and the teams that didn't. And it was clear why the SEC didn't earn much respect from the committee. The SEC's nonconference scheduling last season was atrocious.
Using RPI expert Jerry Palm's end of regular-season RPI rankings of the 343 Division 1-A teams, 55.3 percent of the SEC's nonconference wins (68 of 123) came against teams with an RPI of 201 or worse, including a 54-0 record against teams with an RPI of 251 or worse.
Tennessee went against the norm -- it had the third-toughest schedule in the nation, according to Palm. The Vols went 9-5 in nonconference play, including 2-5 vs. Top 50 RPI opponents. They got an at-large NCAA tourney bid on their schedule strength and a loss in the finals of the SEC Tournament to Mississippi State.
Still, Vols' coach Bruce Pearl thought his team's No. 9 seed was a bit unfair.
"I think sometimes the selection committee uses the strength of schedule and sometimes they don't," Pearl said. "A No. 9 seed means you're in the top 36 of the country, and I didn't think we were any better than that.
"But I thought if strength of schedule is what it's supposed to be, if that's why our conference didn't get more teams in the NCAA Tournament, then why weren't we a lower seed? I don't think we were rewarded as well as we should have."
So will the coaches change their nonconference scheduling philosophy?
The first step may be for athletic directors, who are heavily involved in football scheduling, to do the same for basketball. Currently, most athletic directors leave basketball scheduling to their coaches.
"You start to see the shift of more athletic directors taking charge of basketball scheduling," Mississippi State athletic director Greg Byrne said. "There's pressure from the conference to pay more attention to who you play.
"I also think you need to make your nonconference games more attractive for your season ticket base. Secondly from a travel standpoint, maybe there are some schools that make sense for us to schedule. The Big 12 and ACC have teams that are easy for us to get to, and it is easy for those teams to come to us."
Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said coaches aren't always to blame for weak nonconference schedules.
"The reality is that when you sometimes schedule games the opponent is supposed to be better than they actually are, maybe that team has a bunch of injuries like we did last year," Kennedy said. "But our coaches all need to keep in mind scheduling games that prepare you for the reality of SEC play."
Florida coach Billy Donovan, two years removed from winning back-to-back national championships, said he understands Slive's message to improve schedules.
But at the same time, Donovan said he walks a fine line on scheduling annually, trying to put together a schedule based on the experience level of his upcoming team.
"Every coach has to do what's best for his team," said Donovan, who admitted his nonconference schedule was weak last season and would improve this year. "I talked to (Michigan State coach) Tom Izzo one year, and he scheduled six powerful teams. He lost all six games, and it totally destroyed the morale of his team the rest of that season.
"You want to be somewhat mentally fresh when you get to the NCAA Tournament, and I think people forget that. You don't want to be a one-and-out, drained team going into the tournament, and I've had worn-out teams like that."
Slive, noting John Calipari's hire as Kentucky coach and the signing of some key recruits at various schools, feels SEC basketball should be back on track this season. And he expects schools to improve their nonconference schedules accordingly, especially with increased TV exposure from the new ESPN contract that calls for six nonconference games to be televised, as well as three conference games (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) per week.
"Our coaches understand what we're trying to get done," Slive said. "Our goal is to elevate basketball to the point where it is expected and anticipated that the SEC will be a significant player in the postseason."
Season on the blink
How SEC basketball teams stacked up last season against the rest of the nation:
RPI rankings: 25. Tennessee; 37. LSU; 54. Florida; 58. South Carolina; 63. Mississippi State; 64. Auburn; 79. Kentucky; 82. Ole Miss; 95. Vanderbilt; 108. Alabama; 149. Arkansas; 192. Georgia.
Strength of schedule rankings: 3. Tennessee; 36. Ole Miss; 53. Mississippi State; 62. Auburn; 64. Kentucky; 65. Alabama; 71. Arkansas; 75. Georgia; 81. LSU; 87. Florida; 94. South Carolina; 107 Vanderbilt.
A recipe for NIT bids:
Auburn, which finished 24-12 overall after losing at home in the NIT quarterfinals, played just four teams in the top 150 RPI and went 1-3.
Florida, 25-11 after losing at home in the NIT quarterfinals, got seven of its 12 non-conference wins against teams with an RPI of 251 or worse.
South Carolina, 21-10 after losing in the first round of the NIT, played just three top 150 teams and went 1-2.
Kentucky, which finished 22-14 and lost in the NIT quarters, had 11 non-conference wins and nine were against teams with an RPI of 201 or worse.
-- Ron Higgins: 529-2525
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In the next posting I will provide an update on the China business dynamics in the last couple of years and near future. There are many analysts that consider China's economics to be primarily dependent on the political climate in the country. I believe that is not the case. All you have to do is spent time in the country and you will recognize the fact that China's middle class is I believe the primary driver in the country's market.
China Forecast – What Will 2015 Bring…
Last month I posted a brief summary of changes in minimum wages in China — something not many in the West realize is a significant trend in the country. In my experience in discussions with professionals in the US and Europe, the prevailing opinion is that China is still the "low-cost" country where you can find everything CHEAP… The reality is that nowadays, this is far from being true.
With that in mind, in this posting I wanted to share my views on what is coming next (in 2015) across the various aspects on doing business in China. What are the specific areas you need to pay attention and understand next:
- China is driving focus on efficiencies in many business sectors. You are seeing greater adoption of technologies in the transportation industries. Airlines, taxi services, trains are all adopting impressive new tools to streamline various aspects of booking tickets / rides and improving via those tools the companies' profitability.
- Many jobs in various industries are disappearing or will disappear. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I remember observing hotels in various big Chinese cities installing automatic opening front doors (by deploying sensors) — those actions at the time did not eliminate the doorman jobs. Today e-ticketing and similar technologies are eliminating jobs across companies
- China is undergoing tremendous change in its rail system. High-speed trains are linking more and more cities. As a result, all of us will benefit from more convenient travel — I have been taking interchangeably train and plane between Beijing and Nanjing for example over the last 2 years – the train is ultimately a winner in my opinion given its convenience. In parallel, the boom in high-speed rail, will create new business opportunities as Chinese companies develop as major global players in train related technologies and products.
- Consumer confidence in China will most likely decrease. Why? Beause of lower job growth and lower wage growth going forward. As mentioned earlier, wages are already high in China and given the slow down in its economy we should expect further decrease in job growth — therefore higher level of anxiety across the Chinese consumer. This in turn will be a factor in adjustments across many consumer segments.
- However, expect ever increasing stream of Chinese tourists to the US. One may ask, Why? If consumer confidence is going lower, why would outbound tourism increase? The reasons are several:
- The Chinese consumer continues to look (as always) for great deals! Prices for a large number of easily transportable consumer goods are just much lower in the US. No matter whether shoping for ultra luxury brands or well known labels – the US retail offers great deals for the Chinese consumer.
- The Chinese consumer continues to trust the international brands a lot more when it comes to quality, safety, and value.
Given the trends above, it is up to you to figure out how to leverage, but that leverage is out there — you can capture it and bring new opportunities for your business. Eventhough, China is becoming a more challenging market to advance into, it is still a huge market and big opportunity, so dive in (if you have not done so already) and look for business opportunities on both sides of the ocean – States-side as well as in China.
China Wages Increasing
I have been stating in several blog posts over time that the cost of doing business in China is steadliy going up. I am sure this is no news to you anyway. The process of cost increase has been expected and has been underway for a number of years. So in this posting I wanted to highlight some 2014 statistics – as we are getting closer to the end of the year, it is good to take inventory of that data and make up conclusions important for your business.
Here we go…
- Earlier in 2014, the Chinese government announced increases in the minimum wage across multiple Chinese cities. Here is a tabe summary for several big metro areas
from Chinanews.com
The table above shows seven Chinese cities with Shanghai being the city with the highest minimum wage at 1820RMB per month (approximately US$292/month); The cities included in order on the table are Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Beijing, Shandong, Shaanxi, Chongqing. It is important to note that the annual increase (from 2013 to 2014 is approximately 12.5% — a big figure)
Also VERY important to note that the Shanghai and Beijing shown wages are NET — i.e. they exclude the contributions to pensions, unemployment insurance, medical insurance, social insurance, housing funds. Hence the overall wage costs are significantly higher when those are accounted for.
- Another data point – gathered through collection of information, the labor costs in mannufacturing cities like Dongguan and Shenzhen is on the rise even for basic labor – ie. workers with only elementary education. In those cases the wages are still in the range of the 1800 RMB plus on top of that employers provide food and dorm housing
Thus when you are planning your next venture or business expansion in China consider these data points and if you feel please reach out to gain some additional insight into the current business climate
Denza – China Renews Effort for Electric Cars
Pollution is really a problem in China – especially in Beijing. Throughout the last 10-years or so there have been constant articles and efforts by the Beijing Gov't to enforce tough rules in an effort to limit the sources of pollution in and around the city. The results are mixed…! You can see here…
However, I think the development work by companies like BYD and Daimler are providing a potential resolution to the problem. Enters the new electric vehicle – DENZA
Why am I excited about this new vehicle ? Well, I think it can be a solution to one very big problem – it could address both local (in China) and global pollution challenges
Real Estate Purchases as Inflation Controllers
China's development and growth has reached sort of a plateu — which requires new action from the government in this still relatively centrally managed economy. Over the last 15 years the Chinese government has used successfully real estate as the main driver for regulating Money Supply. In the West the banking and money supply policies are driven and managed by a central bank (in most cases) — in China it looks like the real estate market is the main pressure valve. Why? Well think about it this way:
China's econnomy has been growing steadily with high percentage rates over these last 15-20 years. As a result, so have been the incomes across the population of the country. Admitedly, the number of wealthy (really wealthy) Chinese has been growing and the individual wealth of those Chinese has been growing much faster — but a middle class has emerged nevertheless. That middle class has started consumption — fancy food, cars, motorcycles, electronics, high fashion!!! Really – over the years it looks like the world's fashion labels have all opened shop in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen….on and on…
So the question is how, does China control inflation? There is certainly a very rapid growth in the spending power of the Chinese consumer…
The answer is (in my opinion) real estate. During the period of our discussion, real estate has experienced a huge growth in base prices. It has become the storage of value and the pressure valve of capturing the disposable income of the middle class and taking cash from the economy — as a result the real estate value growth and its strong pull of cash has taken that same cash away from chasing commodities like food, clothing, etc.
If you look back in the period you will see that food prices have not risen as much as the other parts of the economy like salarries , disposable income and prices for apartments and vilas. So there you go — thanks to the desire of the Chinese consumer to own real estate, the economy has naturally regulated itself and kept inflation in relative check.
Do You Know the Leadership in China ?
New Leadership in China
Well folks – it is time to get more information on the new leaders in China — after all they are going to be presiding over one fo the largest economies in the world and hold the power to really impact the world economy based on their actions. With that in mind I turned to the Chinese Internet resources and tried to find as many possible articles and background information on Mr. Xi Jinping — with a great article from OffBeatChina.com
The Xi Jinping that you don't know
Alia | December 26th, 2012 – 5:10 pm
In the past few days, Xinhua News, the official voice of the Chinese government, has published a series of profile reports of the members of China's new Politburo, the highest decision-making body in the country. The move is seen by many as another indication that Xi and China's new leadership may have a very different management style from their predecessors: the robotic Hu and the "grandpa" Wen who almost never appeared in public with his wife.
Xi, his father in wheelchair, his daughter and his celebrity singer wife
These reports are very similar in formality – they playback the life stories of the Politburo members to showcase that they, too, like any other ordinary Chinese people, went through hardship, made sacrifices and worked hard for their dreams. This is not the first time when the Chinese media tried to give the country's officials a human touch. But seldom before did China's official media openly discuss the "human side" of its leaders – photos of top officials in work settings are everywhere but ones in family settings are rare, if any at all. The personal lives of China's top leaders, especially after they take power, have always been hidden behind a veil of secrecy. The recent reports of Xinhua , however, made many people believe that a new era has come. The difference? A handful photos of Xi Jinping, China's new leader, in his early years, solo and with family, including his celebrity singer wife Peng Liyuan. In a Weibo post titled "The Xi Jinping that you don't know," People's Daily thus summarized the life of the country's new boss:
Following special profile reports take a similar route and present "the Li Keqiang (new Politburo member) that you don't know," "the Liu Yunshan (new Politburo member) that you don't know," and so on so forth. But those reports failed to make waves as big as the first one on Xi. After all, what can possibly beat a picture of young Xi riding a bike with his daughter sitting on the back, or a smiling Xi posing with his celebrity singer wife in front of a tourist site.
Xi: a husband and father
If the objective was to tell the Chinese people that their new leaders are "from the people and for the people," these reports are no doubt successful. Judging from netizens' responses, the release of Xi's family-life photos is definitely a smart move. 五岳散人, popular liberal intellectual and social critic in China, commented: "To be honest, the latest special reports from the official media on the new Politburo must be planned by public relation experts, from idea to execution. Of course, such reports won't be possible without the cooperation of these officials. The human touch is precious."
Many others even went further and concluded that such special profile reports may be the start of a new era in China's political life. Netizen 青衣刀笔吏 commented: "No more blind worship, officials are back on earth. This is an indication that China is shifting from one-man rule to elite rule." 幽嗅迷迭香 was even more optimistic: "I see the dawn of China's freedom and democracy."
Of course, it's not all rosy. 车海刚, vice chief editor of China Ecomonic Times, saw the move as a start and a start only: "For China to transform into a modern nation-state, China's officials have to evolve, from Gods, to saints, to human beings, and then to human beings with constraints. These special profile reports have positive effects by making the images of officials transparent. But this is far from enough. We are still at the first two stages and the transition is still top-down. We need to allow free bottom-up discussions." 中青报曹林 from China Youth Daily shared similar thoughts: "On the surface, Xinhua is singing a song of praise by presenting Xi's personal life. But it is also to disclose the situations of his family and his child to the public. It's a noteworthy sign of reform. China's top decision makers are taking actions [to reform]." 王冉, CEO of China eCapital, pointed out the key next step: "A reform is not a true reform until it is built into the system."
More pictures of younger Xi
Significant Events in China
I decided to post on some really significant events in China – events that have had or are having an impact on a huge number of people – i.e. on most Chinese. So what are those events you would ask? Well, here we go
Number 1: The famous Volkswagen SANTANA that all of us China hands have seen on the streets of various Chinese cities and villages, ridden in by ways of a taxi ride, is having a new look – after 29 years of production !!! Can you imagine this? a car model that has survived as a selling vehicle for 29 YEARS!
I looked hard through my photo database and could not find an image — big surprise — sometimes I feel the ubiquitous taxi is in each of my photos from Beijing or Shanghai….. At any rate, since I could not find one quickly I found an image of an old one on the web, and here it is:
And here it is (below) the new look of the next generation SANTANA:
Number 2: China and the US are in trade talks again. Now that the new Chinese leadership is in power, one can wonder what impact that will have on the next iteration of China-US trade relations…
Here are some commentaries from the BBC:
These talks are happening at the same time that China is searching for ways to reduce its reliance on exports for the foundation of its economic growth and the country's focus on propping up the middle class — the growing set of people capable of becoming solid consumers and drivers of economic growth for the country.
This is also a time when China is focusing increasing effort on improving its urban planning — based on statistics I have seen in the Chinese media, the urban population of the country is finally exceeding the rural one — with this change over occuring in 2012. By some predictions China will have 70% of its population living in major urban areas by year 2030 — this is a very big deal as the country has to figure out how to build cities with stable and functioning infrastructre (think about the floods and drownings that happened in Beijing just a few months ago) to support such urban growth.
Oh, well, I think the Chinese government will come up with a solution — not sure it will be the most "elegant" one but it will be there… Thoughts?
Austin Now Official Site of Formula 1 Racing – CoTA Starts Successfully
Well folks Austin, a town my family and I have called home for over 10 years (apart from living in Asia and Europe) is now the official site of a FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ races. The races are certainly bringing another set of exciting events to Austin, but even more importantly, they are adding significant economic activity to the city. Here are some stats (from CoTA's own estimates / documents):
"…CoTA-hosted events are projected to generate an annual economic impact of $400 million to $500 million, equating to $4 billion to $5 billion over 10 years for Texas. The CoTA-hosted FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will attract as many as 300,000 people each Grand Prix weekend, with an estimated 80 percent of attendees coming from outside Texas." (Source: http://circuitoftheamericas.com/economic-impact)
The venue is pretty amazing — here are links to information you may need (from CoTA's web site):
And here are some pretty good videos to give you a view of CoTA
Amazingly the F1 race in Austin over this weekend was broadcasted to a huge number of worldwide viewers. Here is a YouTube video from one of those international viewers:
Well, if you are interested in more info, drop us a line — will give you the insider view — the Austinite view of the topic
Another Apple Competitor Emerges – Have you Heard of the Xiaomi?
Earlier in August this new smartphone — the Xiaomi — was launched in China. Why is this news? Well because the Xiaomi is built as a competitor to the Apple iPhone! The Xiaomi's new model is the MI2 (which comes after a successful Mi1 which has been on sale since October 2011)
In speaking with friends of mine in Shanghai, the Xiaomi has certainly caught attention – even among the expat community. This smartphone is going to be sold at RMB1999 which is about one half of the price of the iPhone!
Here is a link to the company and phone
China Picks Up Steam in Overseas Direct Investment – Why Would One Ask?
There have been a number of reports in the last several months about the fact that 2012 will be a record year for China's Overseas Direct Investment. Per Zhang Yansheng, secretary-general of the Academic Committee of China's National Development and Reform Commission, China's overseas direct investment (ODI) has grown at a rate of 40+% annually between 2006 and 2010. Here are some of the main points that Xinhua News agency summarized from recent Chinese Government directives:
|Overseas investment from Chinese companies will see "explosive growth" over the next decade, as the government has reaffirmed a strategy to encourage enterprises to invest overseas, experts said.
The strategy to grow ODI was reiterated in the country's official 12th Five-year Plan (2011-2015), which was endorsed by China's top legislature in March 2011.
|In Q1'2012 China invested $16.55B overseas (as non-financial investments) with $6.2B being M&A activities per report from China's Ministry of Commerce; The Q1'12 results represented a growth of 95% in comparison to Q1'2011;
At the same time there are reports showing that the ODI is not all smooth sailing for the Chinese investors. Per report published by People's Daily, "By the end of last year, China suffered a net loss of $26.8 billion in overseas investments," said Zhou Zhongshu, vice president of the China International Council for the Promotion of Multinational Corporations, at a Beijing conference in late June 2012.
One example of this is the investment Geely Automotive made in Manganese Bronze – the manufacturer of London's well known taxi cab vehicles…..Now you can see those on the streets of Beijing…Here is one (courtesy of Shanghai List)
Now, the key question is "Why the strong growth of investments?" In my view this is very heavily driven by the strategy of the Chinese companies and Chinese Government to build up its Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio — no better way to do so. The ODI and M&A activites are adding significant access for the Chinese entities to both European market and IP rights which in the future will provide nice platform for expansion into the global market.


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How to create a User Group
As was written many times a successful User Group is a great benefit not only for the company which provides products but and mainly for the users who use those products for their business, jobs or fun, and who are looking for support or just would like to share their experience and feedback. Below you can find a couple of advices of how to create a successful MySQL User Group as well as good tips for running and keeping this User Group alive and active! Please feel free to provide feedback to the information below in order we to keep here as much useful information as possible.
Guidelines for creating a MySQL User Group
- First of all check whether any existing MySQL User Group has already been set in your region. If so, you can easily join or help to refresh that. The list of active MySQL Groups is here.
- If there is no existing, you can create a new one in your region. Based on our experience it is great to have more initiators than just one, but it is up to you!
- To start your local MySQL group, you should decide which networking service you would like to use.
- You can use either meetup.com, LinkedIn, Facebook or Xing (most of MySQL User Groups are on meetup, but it costs small amount of money. FB does not seem to be a good choice since not all users have fb account...):
- These sites provide a number of facilities to organize your group, like a calendar, invitation system etc. Some also provide discussion boards and photo galleries and many other things that ease the promotion and organization of your meetings.
- Most of them provide these services for free, others (like meetup.com) require you to pay.
- Make sure that the service allows you to schedule meetings and send out invitations and reminders.
- People interested in attending should be able to register, so you get an overview about how many people to expect.
- The other way is to make your own user group place in your own server. If you are wondering about the procedure, just take a look of this sample steps:
- The easiest way is to download a community software called MediaWiki.
- Unzip it into your webserver. The requirements are PHP > 4.3 and MySQL database.
- Follow the install wizard.
- You have MySQL UG software installed in 4 minutes.
- Of course, any other Content Management System or Groupware would work, too.
- You can use either meetup.com, LinkedIn, Facebook or Xing (most of MySQL User Groups are on meetup, but it costs small amount of money. FB does not seem to be a good choice since not all users have fb account...):
- Once you registered your group on any of these sites, you can invite your friends to join your group and start promoting it (see under point 1 below).
- Make sure to notify the MySQL Community Relation Team and they will update the
How to run a User Group
So you successfully founded a local user group and wonder how you can attract and reach out to interested people? Here are some hints on how to get started:
- Choose your target audience for sending out invitations:
- Research local user groups (Linux/BSD/Windows, Perl/PHP/.Net/Java/Ruby). Hint: try a web search for "User Group" and your city name.
- Universities (e.g. Computer Science Students)
- Local associations of SMBs in the IT Industry (most of them have web sites and mailing lists)
- Social Network sites (e.g. FaceBook, LinkedIn or Xing)
- Blogs (e.g. via PlanetMySQL) and MySQL mailing lists/forums
- Also check out Meetup.com for other people interested in a Meetup
- You can also contact the MySQL Community Relation Team for more advice and also promotion of your new group via MySQL SC team, themselves or at MySQL web pages, planet.mysql etc.!
- Advance Preparations
- Set up a mailing list for sending out updates and announcements. MySQL provides the infrastructure for hosting mailing lists for User Groups, please contact the MySQL Community Relations Team about creating one for your group!
- Use one of the following sites for sending out invitations and tracking RSVPs (reservations):
- Start planning for the first real User Group meeting:
- Meeting date: Set a reasonable date enough in advance in order to allow users to plan their attendance. Good choice is to align your User Group meeting with some of other events or actions like upcoming technical conference or MySQL Tech Tours (check the MySQL events page for upcoming events, Upcoming MySQL Events on wikis or contact the MySQL Community Relations Team). That allows you to get more attendees as well as ease to find appropriate speaker.
- Meeting speakers and topics: There are several ways of how to get a qualified speaker to your meeting. You can always contact your MySQL contact person in your region if you know any or ask for help the MySQL Community Relations Team.
- Meeting place: Using conference room in Oracle office is of course doable, a lot of first User Group meetings took advantage of this option. For ensuring it is possible in your region, contact either the MySQL Community Relations Team or any of your local Oracle contact person.
- Invitation & Registration: Once you have gathered your list of potential candidates to invite, send out your invitation. Start inviting early and set a deadline for the confirmations (A "No" helps, too!). Also post a note to event notification sites like Upcoming.org. Keep people posted about how many people have registered, eventual changes, etc. Shortly before the event it is always good to send out a reminder note to all registered participants.
- Promoting your User Group meeting: possible via all the options in the point 1. above.
- MySQL support and materials: MySQL Community Relations Team can provide your User Group meeting with following support:
- Can connect you with others successful MySQL User Group leaders to share experience with leading the User Groups;
- Help to find speakers from SC team, engineering team or PM;
- Help with the meeting place in Oracle's premises;
- Help with promoting your event at planet.mysql; MySQL blogs; MySQL events page; MySQL List of User Groups...etc.
- Sponsoring with marketing material, discount for MySQL books and more.. (that depends whether and what is the actual offer or on the stock);
- Funding a "pizza" for the meeting...
- When you have the date set, please inform the MySQL Community Relations Team in order they to update the List of MySQL User Groups.


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The Mature Traveler's book of deals: the very best discounts around the world for travelers over 50
Gem Pub Group, Jan 1, 1997 - Travel - 144 pages
Travel more for less--discover the world at a discount.
From inside the book
15 pages matching Visitors 55 in this book
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-3 of 15
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Common terms and phrases
$6 admission airfare airlines Alaska American Amtrak Bally's Las Vegas bargains BritRail Senior Canada Center Choice Hotels companions condo consolidator Contact coupons Cross-country ski cruiselines cruiseship deals discounts for mature downtown Econo Lodges Elderhostel escorted tour Eurostar favorite flights gentleman hosts gives 49ers+ gives AARP members gives guests 55 gives seniors gives travelers 55 gives visitors 65 golf guests 55 guests 60 half half-off half-price Hilton inns listed lodging lsland Mature Outlook mature travelers membership motel Mountain Museum newsletter night offer P.O. Box Park passengers 62 passes Passport posted fares Princess Mod 50 rail regular regularly cost rental reservations Resort room discounts room rates rooms that regularly round-trip Royal S'gl Sagafjord Seattle senior discounts senior skiers senior-friendly single supplements single-share solo travelers tickets trail trains travel agent travelers 60 trips Valley Vegas Visitors 65 Waikiki


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Weiner Roast: Rep. Anthony Weiner jokes
Here are some of the one-liners hitting the late-night talk shows and Twitter regarding the Rep. Anthony Weiner sexting scandal.
Image 1 of 30
Weiner joke:
"Anthony Weiner admitted to sending inappropriate messages to several women via Twitter, text, email, and Facebook. I think the lesson here is that if you're going to send explicit pictures of yourself, send them through MySpace, where no one will notice." -Jimmy Kimmel


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Ordering for a Team?
Let our Team Division Help!
Item has a Minimum Qty
Whether you're shopping or taking the kids to the beach, this large cooler tote will fulfill all your needs.
• Stylish, insulated, with waterproof PEVA lining.
• Perfect for picnics, outdoor events, and trips to the market.
• Zippered main compartment.
• Shoulder straps for easy carrying.
• 600D Polycanvas.
• 14.75" height x 20" width x 6" depth.
• Lifetime warranty.
Made in USA.
Get an alert when we add new styles of Picnic at Ascot! Simply sign up and we'll notify you.
For over a decade, Picnic at Ascot brings the proud British tradition of elegant picnics to the United States. They are devoted to creating superior products that capture the essence of traditional picnics while providing the convenience of today's lifestyle.
Maintaining a high standard on quality, expert craftsmanship and innovative designs are just a few things associated with their products. Picnic at Ascot's merchandise provides unforgettable moments to enhance the enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Whether you're looking for a picnic backpack or a lunch cooler, chances are Picnic at Ascot has something to suit your needs.


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Most Popular in:
New in Acquisitions (page 17 of 20)
Apr 14, 2009 | 09:32 AM CDT
Unilever Completes TIGI Acquisition
Acquisition in line with Unilever's stated strategic priorities, including a focus on personal care and higher growth areas.
Apr 10, 2009 | 12:49 PM CDT
P&G Sells Johnson Products Business
Brand targeted toward African-Americans, built on a core of hair relaxers, sold to allow P&G to focus on core categories.
Apr 02, 2009 | 03:12 PM CDT
Helen of Troy Announces Closing of Global Infusium Brand Acquisition From P&G
Companies worked to ensure smooth transition for retail customers and consumers.
Mar 24, 2009 | 02:43 PM CDT
Grand Brands Purchases Lander
Grand Brands LLC, a brand licensing company, has purchased the Lander product line.
Mar 04, 2009 | 01:23 PM CST
Helen of Troy Announces Acquisition of Hair Care Brand from P&G
Infusium 23 to be integrated into Idelle Labs division of skin and hair care products; company estimates the line will generate approximately $40 million in sales on an annualized basis.
Jan 26, 2009 | 03:41 PM CST
Unilever to Acquire TIGI
Company states acquisition of professional hair product business in line with its stated strategic priorities, including a focus on personal care and higher growth areas.
Dec 04, 2008 | 11:13 AM CST
Unilever Sells Oil Business; Acquires Soap Business
West African activity intended to strengthen consumer business in the region.
Dec 01, 2008 | 09:24 AM CST
Zorbit and Maesa Merge
Alliance to facilitate "beauty on demand."
Nov 25, 2008 | 10:12 AM CST
Beiersdorf Continues Re-focus on Beauty Care
Sale of non-beauty brand to 3M part of Beiersdorf's strategy to focus on core business of skin and beauty care.
Oct 30, 2008 | 10:51 AM CDT
AQL Acquires Operational Assets of Radial Images
The New Jersey-based decorating company will add Radial's services to its roster.


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Mastercard vs Visa for using abroad - which wins?
Specialist overseas credit cards give you the best deal when you're spending abroad, but are they all the same?
MSE Guides: Credit Cards and Loans
Keep forgetting your PIN? Fingerprint recognition cards on the way
Shoppers will be able to use fingerprint authenticated bank cards to pay for shopping from next year
MSE Guides: Credit Cards and Loans
Barclaycard revamps its cashback credit cards: Will customers lose out?
700,000 Barclaycard customers with a cashback credit card will be moved to a new deal in May
MSE Guides: Credit Cards and Loans
Suggest A Story
Got a money-related news story that affects you? Let us know.
Don't miss out on the latest news!
Older News Stories
Comet administration latest: What are your rights?
Thousands have been left worried where they stand after the store went into administration, but you've got legal rights
Comet crashes into administration: what it means for you
Stores will remain open but it is unclear what happens to customers with gift cards and undelivered orders
Holidaymakers to be given Atol certificates
Certificates will tell travellers if their holiday is financially protected by the Atol scheme from next week
'Mobile wallets' plan outlined
Plans for a new payment system allowing people to use their mobile phone as a "digital wallet" were outlined today
Ryanair's new card charges come into effect
Passengers booking a Ryanair flight can only avoid an admin fee by getting the airline's own card from today
Ryanair 'sticks two fingers up at passengers' with new card fees
Ryanair will make it even harder to avoid fees by only waiving the £12 charge for passengers with the airline's plastic
Habitat, Moben and others collapse: your rights
Consumers may face losing their cash if they have unfulfilled orders with brands that have gone into administration
Missing cash fears after Focus DIY administration
Customers who have unfulfilled orders with Focus DIY could face losing their cash due to the group's financial woes
Tesco moves to fairer foreign exchange credit card fees
The supermarket giant will stop levying its own, expensive exchange rate, which can add close to 2% to costs
Windfall for new Nectar credit card holders
American Express has fired the latest shot in the reward card war, following Lloyds TSB's Airmiles bonus last week
London 2012 Olympics tickets not available on Mastercard
Sports fans can register an interest from today to buy tickets for the London 2012 games
Mystery new debit card charges revealed
RBS/Natwest and Clydesdale/Yorkshire bank customers are being hit with fees when using their new plastic


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University of Redlands > Prospective Students >
Graduate Students >
School of Business >
2014-15 Tuition & Fee Schedule
The University of Redlands has a long standing commitment to maintain tuition costs below the national average for private institutions. Whether in the private or public sector, we all face the challenge of providing quality goods and services while keeping costs under control. The tuition and fees recently approved by the University's Board of Trustees are below.
2015-16 School of Business Tuition & Fee Schedule
2015-16 School of Education Tuition & Fee Schedule
2014-15 School of Business Tuition & Fee Schedule
2014-15 School of Education Tuition & Fee Schedule
Visit Financial Aid for details on scholarships, discounts and other financing options.
All as part of our time-honored tradition of putting their passion, knowledge and heart to work for the betterment of the world.
© 2015 University of Redlands. All Rights Reserved.


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CASA celebrates the commitment of CASA volunteers to helping victims of child abuse and neglect heal, ensuring all children feel safe and loved.
Read the full article here.
Head on over to our Volunteer Spotlight - Kay Pavlick's CASA Volunteer Testimonial and read Kay's experience as a CASA advocate!
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATESYou have just inquired about the most rewarding and empowering volunteer opportunity to make a difference in a child's life. As Court Appointed Special Advocates, CASA of the Southern Tier, Inc. advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children in Family Court within Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben Counties of New York. When an abused or neglected child becomes caught up in the complexities of the court system, the CASA Volunteer is there to tell the child's story. The CASA Program recruits, screens, trains and supervises community volunteers to provide this advocacy role - and also to ensure they do not get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system. And even so - languish in inappropriate group or foster homes. For many abused children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence in their lives. Independent research has demonstrated that children with a CASA volunteer are substantially less likely to spend time in long-term foster care and less likely to reenter care. We know that a child who is represented by a CASA volunteer stands a better chance of living in a safe, permanent home. Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home.
To advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in Family Court by recruiting and training community volunteers.
CASA's are the only volunteers that are appointed by a judge and empowered to stand up for an abused or neglected child in court. We invite you to learn more about becoming a CASA in your community. We hope you decide to join our family of volunteers, everyday people, who are committed to improving children's lives.
Learn more how an advocate makes a difference in the life of a child.
Your contribution to CASA of the Southern Tier, no matter the size, can help us change a child's life. Your donation will support the work we do as advocates to give children the voice they need
in court. Make a donation today.
See who supports our
"I Am for the Child" Campaign.
Copyright @ 2014 CASA Southern Tier, Inc. P.O. Box 778, Corning, NY 14830 Phone: (607) 936-2272 Fax: (607) 391-2004


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Up To 50% Off Top Beauty & Fragrance In Our Summer Sale - Ends Monday. Save now
Arrived quickly, well packaged.
Love the scent
Very quick
Great smell and not too drying on the skin
Always prompt and well packed
I have several Korres showergels, and the fig is one of my favourites. All the fragrances are fresh, clean smelling, and one of the most important things is that they don't make my skin itch like many others I've used. Great products. Would highly recommend.
Prompt service, thank you
Always fast delivery and great prices.
Simple, easy transaction. Item well-wrapped!
Ratings Guide Read about our product rating system


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Joe Namath signed New York Jets Throwback Mini Helmet. Comes with a sticker COA, and a matching paper COA from Gridiron Authentics.
Player - Joe Namath
Pro Teams - New York Jets 1965-76, LA Rams 1977
Pro Football Hall of Fame - 1985
Awards - 5x AFL All Star, 1x Pro Bowl Selection, 1x Super Bowl Champ, 2x AFL MVP, 1974 Comeback Player of the Year


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DIY: Upload your own blood test results to InsideTracker
InsideTracker allows users to upload blood test data provided by your doctor, life insurance company, employer, or other sources. For just $49, you will receive an InsideTracker profile based on your blood test data. You can enter up to 10 sets of results.
InsideTracker will generate the analysis and nutrition, lifestyle, and exercise recommendations for the most recent set of results that you enter, and will chart the change in your markers over time. Your results will also be used to learn more about you and to refine your personalized recommendations.
◄ Return to other plans


text:
Higher Education Audio & podcast
July 2, 2015
Don't get scared, but the threat of ticks is growing. In today's Academic Minute, Indiana University's Keith Clay details the increasing presence of these insects.
Higher Education WebinarsRegister for our upcoming conference, or purchase recordings of past conferences.
This WeekAn audio newscast that goes behind and beyond the headlines
Academic MinuteThe Academic Minute features professors from top institutions around the country, delving into topics from the serious to the light-hearted, keeping listeners abreast of what's new and exciting in the academy.
The PulseThe Pulse, hosted by Rodney B. Murray of University of the Sciences, is Inside Higher Ed's monthly technology podcast
The Exhibit Hall -- content from our advertisersFree webinars from our advertisers
March 12, 2015
The ubiquity of cell phone cameras makes everybody a photographer – or so they think. Today on the Academic Minute, the University of Surrey's Radu Sporea teaches us how to improve our photography skills through a scientific profile of aperture.
March 11, 2015
A holistic approach to wellness examines all influencing factors. In today's Academic Minute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Karen Bonuck explains the relationship shared by sleep and childhood obesity.
March 10, 2015
Inside Higher Ed editors Scott Jaschik and Doug Lederman for a discuss student success at community colleges.
March 10, 2015
Hear From Lone Star College and Oral Roberts University on How They Achieved Double-Digit Improvements with an LMS that Improves Learning and Engagement.
March 10, 2015
Academic research sometimes takes scientists into unforeseen places. In today's Academic Minute, Jon Pierce-Shimomura of the University of Texas at Austin discusses his research aimed at treating alcoholism through the intoxication of worms.
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The Blog
The Speech that Drove Them Crazy
11:22 AM, Jul 13, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
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McKay Coppins of BuzzFeed has found audio of Condoleezza Rice's "speech she delivered at the candidate's closed-door June fundraising retreat in Park City." It is believed that this is the speech that propelled the Romney campaign to consider selecting Rice to be Romney's running mate:
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Other conservative groups weighed in on the debate with hefty ad buys.
If Royce has his way, it may well come with a hefty price tag attached to it.
The Making Work Pay tax credit amounted to a hefty $100 billion.
A stout or obese person: While other hefties count their calories, he counts the dollars (1871+)


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View the original article at: http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/kid-rock-sentenced
Hard rockin' rapper Kid Rock has been sentenced for his notorious waffle house brawl last year.
The incident took place at a local Atlanta branch chain of the Waffle House chain. Rock and his entourage had been performing and worked up a mighty appetite for pancakes and fisticuffs!
In the wee hours of the morning, they got into a free-for-all with another customer in the fast food emporium
Kid Rock a.k.a. Robert J. Richie, 37, and five of his posse were arrested.
Richie pleaded no contest to one charge of battery and the assault charges were dropped. The rocker received 80 hours of community service and six whole hours of anger management counseling.
He later held a charity event in March 2008 at the scene of the crime.
At the time of the waffle conflagration, Kid Rock had just hit number one on the music charts with "Rock 'N' Roll Jesus."
[1] http://www.nationalenquirer.com/javascript:;
[2] http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/brit-mom-tragic-secret
[3] http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/mind-blowingly-inappropriate


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Calling all artists for Mystery Art Fest
Would you like to be involved in a mystery? The Kemp Center for the Arts is inviting all artists to participate in the seventh annual Mystery Art Fest Oct. 26. At the heart of the event is an exhibit featuring 8x10-inch pieces of art created by local and regional artists. All of the donated art will be sold during a silent auction.
So what's the mystery? When visitors to the exhibit bid on their favorite artwork, they have no idea who created it!
Artists of all levels are invited to submit a limit of two 8x10 pieces. The artwork may consist of media ranging from oil and watercolor to acrylic. Works of glass, jewelry, mosaics and mixed media will also be accepted. The artwork will be on display from Oct. 4 through Oct. 26 at the Kemp's NorthLight Gallery.
Artists must be at least 14 years old. There will be a special exhibit area for artwork from artists younger than 13.
During the Mystery Art Fest on Oct. 26, those in attendance will be able to bid on all the donated artwork. Only after the auction has been completed will the artist be revealed to the bidder.
All art pieces must be registered and submitted at the Kemp by Sept. 4. Artists may pick up a free 8x10 canvas and list of guidelines at the Kemp. All canvases will be framed by the Kemp. The judge for this year's event is Jim Hutchinson, the program director of communications at Dallas Baptist University.
For more information, call Carol Sales at the Kemp at 767-2787.
Hearing the heart
Susan Rogers will offer the seminar "Understanding the Hearts and Personalities of Children" from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday at Fain Presbyterian Church, 2201 Speedway Avenue.
To register, send contact information to McQueen Inc., 4302 Wynnwood Drive, Wichita Falls, TX 76308. For questions, email Rogers at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Wish list
Rathgeber Hospitality House provides a "home away from home" for families of patients at United Regional. It's a safe, secure, affordable and caring environment during a trying time.
The home is always in need of a long list of items ranging from kitchen and laundry items to office supplies and gift cards.
Some of the wish list items include: regular and decaf coffee, Styrofoam cups, plastic ware, paper goods, Ziplock bags, individual snack foods, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, Clorox bleach, Forever postage stamps, copy paper, Post-it notes, Kleenex, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, DVD movies, window cleaner, light bulbs and trial size toothpaste, deodorant and shaving cream.
Rathgeber Hospitality House also provides "survival kits" to each house guest, which include Smartie candies, candy kisses, miniature Snickers, Tootsie Rolls, Starbursts and tea candles.
The home is located at 1615 12th Street. For more information, call 764-2400.
Gun, knives, collectibles
The Wichita Falls Gun and Knife Show comes to the Multi-Purpose Events Center Saturday and Aug. 12. For the 32nd year, the event offers the public a chance to buy, sell and trade guns and knives. The 20,000-square-foot hall will be filled with guns, knives, ammunition, antiques, jewelry, books, coins, outdoor gear, leather goods and other interesting collections.
This year's show will feature the new Daisy BB gun shooting gallery under the supervision of the Northwest Texas Field & Stream Association. The gallery will be free for all children.
Show hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 12. Admission is $5 for adults. Children 13 and under will be admitted free.
Follow the trail
Just as the dust settled on the 2012 Cowboy True art exhibit, artists have been rounded up for the Trails In exhibit at the Kemp Center for the Arts through Aug. 18 in the NorthLight Gallery.
The artists for Trails In were selected because of their exquisite and varied artwork as they highlighted the cowboy life with spurs, bits, jewelry, photography, sculptures, paintings and pencil drawings.
For more information, call the Kemp at 767-2787.
Send suggestions for features in Around the Town to Sarah Johnson at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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