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In his latest book, Choate (Hot Property) takes up cudgels against Thomas Friedman and proponents of globalization, blaming Republicans and Democrats for creating a system in which "corporate money, both domestic and foreign, dominates U.S. governance." Whereas Friedman sees "flatteners," such as the Internet and outsourcing, Choate sees "rounders," the pitfalls of globalization that include nationalism, militarism and cultural rivalries. Choate denounces what he sees as the current litany of economic abuses, including a global corporate culture in which "today's economic concentration... is so large scale and so far-flung that regulation is beyond the capacity of any individual government." Choate provides advice for reining in the ravages of globalization, including reforming (and potentially leaving) the World Trade Organization, redressing campaign finance law and curbing illegal immigration. However, his prescriptions seem victim to the very problem they seek to remedy: global interdependence and untamed corporate power have already curtailed the ability of individual nations to pursue isolationist policies. While his solutions may fall flat, his book is accessible, well-written and wisely inserts itself into the upcoming U.S. election, which has re-energized the debate on NAFTA and globalization. (Aug.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Dangerous Business: The Risks of Globalization for Americaby Pat Choate
From one of the most respected and vigorous economic thinkers in Washington, a wake-up call about the perils of unfettered globalization. In this impassioned, prescient book, Pat Choate shows us that while increased worldwide economic integration has some benefits for our fiscal efficiency, it also creates dependencies, vulnerabilities, national security risks, and social costs that now outweigh its advantages. He takes the long view of developments such as technology-driven progress, the offshoring of jobs, and open trade, arguing that current U.S. policies are leading to worldwide economic and political instability, in much the same way as before the Great Depression.
Choate writes convincingly about the Defense Department's growing dependence on foreign sources for its technologies, the leasing of parts of our interstate highway system to overseas investors, China's economic mercantilism, and international currency manipulation that damages the dollar. We have been borrowing heavily from foreign lenders, who by 2009 will own more than half of the Treasury debt, a third of U.S. corporate bonds, and a sixth of U.S. corporate assets—all of which, if handled improperly, could trigger a global economic collapse.
But our economic forecast need not be dire. Choate sees a way out of these dilemmas and presents politically viable steps the United States can take to remain sovereign, prosperous, and secure. He presents bold new research that identifies the special interests and structural corruption that have overtaken our democracy—and shows how they can be corrected. He illustrates how our policy-making and legislative process, currently beholden to the highest bidder, can be transformed from one of corporatism and elitism into one of greater transparency. Clear-eyed and persuasive, this is sure to be one of the most widely discussed books of the year.
Editorial Reviews
Economist Choate (Hot Property: The Stealing of Ideas in an Age of Globalization), who was Ross Perot's vice presidential running mate in 1996, exposes the dark side of globalization with well-argued points on the dangers Americans face in lowered safety standards for imported food and pharmaceuticals, underemployment, the loss of national sovereignty, and elites with divided loyalties. Our supposed military might, he says, has been undermined by dependence on foreign suppliers for vital military components. He denounces the current revolving-door system of officials leaving U.S. public service to become well-paid representatives of foreign interests and then often returning to government office. He also claims that the Bush and Clinton administrations conceded too many points to foreign interests in negotiating trade agreements like NAFTA. Choate devotes separate chapters to challenging the pro-globalization ideas of both economist Milton Friedman and author Thomas Friedman (The World Is Flat). In conclusion, he recommends numerous public policy changes to strengthen America in areas such as trade, public finance, and pensions. Complementing Gabor Steingart's The War for Wealth, a superb criticism of the broad effects of globalization, this articulate assessment of America's position in the global economy should be in every public and academic library. [See Prepub Alert, LJ4/1/08.]
Lawrence R. Maxted
Product Details
- 9780307269331
- Publisher:
- Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
- Publication date:
- 08/12/2008
- Sold by:
- Random House
- Format:
- NOOK Book
- Pages:
- 256
- File size:
Read an Excerpt
Chapter One
Modern Mercantilism
In 1989, Alan M. Webber, then the managing editor of the Harvard Business Review, returned from a trip to Japan and wrote to his readers:
The world is changing, and Japan is different. On both sides of the Pacific, the old, entrenched interests are hard at work denying these conclusions, pretending that business as usual will do, and silencing the observers and analysts who call attention to the new situation. Japan's motives are not hard to fathom; after all, every day the country gains in wealth, economic power, and global momentum. The longer Japan successfully confounds U.S. leaders into thinking that all the old rules still apply, the longer the transfer of wealth and power can continue unimpeded. It is not Japan's job to inform us of our blind stupidity.
What Webber found in Japan was a nation actively pursuing a mercantile trade policy, the approach to global commerce where the government and industry work together to build national wealth through increased exports while maintaining an economic moat around their country to stop direct foreign investment, sharply limit imports, and build up huge financial reserves. Adam Smith would have immediately recognized this Japanese policy as mercantilism; however, even after more than a quarter century of engagement, U.S. leaders still do not.
If we fast-forward in time about twenty years, what Webber found in Japan in 1989 is happening all over Asia and in parts of South America today. And, as then, U.S. leaders and opinion elites do not recognize that they are witnessing a new rise of mercantilism, particularly in China. Rather, they view China's economic and trade activities as a steady march from socialism to market-oriented capitalism like that of the United States, though a bit more exotic.
China is actively creating a hybrid economy that the Chinese define as a "socialist market system" (SMS). While to many outsiders that system appears to be market-oriented and largely controlled by the private sector, it is neither. China is well along in creating an economy where the government owns and controls the strategic industries while secondary and service industries are left to private ownership, which the government also controls.
The giant enterprise called China, which accrued a historic global trade surplus of $262 billion in 2007, is pursuing export-driven, beggar-thy-neighbor trade policies that are so blatantly nationalistic they are undermining the World Trade Organization and putting the entire global trading system at risk. To understand China's approach to global economics, we must examine its basic elements.
Mercantilism In the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries, the dominant economic theory in Europe, mercantilism, held that national prosperity depended on a nation's supply of capital, which at the time was gold. The fastest way to acquire capital was to run a trade surplus with other nations by exporting more goods than were imported. To facilitate this economic dynamic, governments subsidized production and exports, at the same time imposing barriers on foreign imports. The idea was simple: to make exports so inexpensive that foreign consumers would prefer them over domestically made goods and conversely make imports so expensive that local consumers would prefer domestic goods over foreign-made ones.
England, under the intellectual influence of the economists Adam Smith and David Ricardo, gradually abandoned mercantilist policies in the nineteenth century and replaced them with an ideology of free trade and comparative advantage. The United States continued to pursue a mercantilist economic agenda until the early 1930s, when Roosevelt's secretary of state, Cordell Hull, began a move to a free- trade regime, which also promoted FDR's foreign policy objectives.
China is taking the mercantilist path abandoned by England and once used by the United States. The principal differences are that the United States did not own the major enterprises on which its economy depended, as the Chinese government does, and the U.S. government operated under a two-party, democratic system, while China is governed by one-party rule.
The ownership and democratic differences between the United States and China are fundamental. The Chinese government announced in December 2006 that seven industries were critical to the nation's economic security and would remain under strict government control. They are defense, power, oil, telecommunications, mineral resources, civil aviation, and shipping industries. This list, moreover, is not exclusive; Chinese officials noted that the government intended to expand the volume and structure of those industries so that they would become leading world businesses.
One-Party Rule by the Techno-Elite In a nation of 1.3 billion people, about 63 million Chinese are members of the Communist Party. Its principal national body is the Party Congress, which has about 3,000 delegates and meets every five years. The real control of the government resides in the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), which since 2002 has consisted of nine persons drawn from the twenty-two- member Politburo. One of these nine serves as head of state (president) and another as head of government (premier). The number is kept uneven to prevent deadlocks.
All of the nine members of the Sixteenth Politburo Standing Committee (2002–2007) are trained engineers, experienced in various national development disciplines. One is a civil engineer, another is a geological engineer, three are electrical engineers, and four are mechanical engineers. All have extensive development experience in which they began at the bottom of organizations and worked their way up.
Unlike when Mao Tse-tung and political ideologues governed the nation, China's development planning now reflects leadership by a techno-elite. Major projects are phased. Industries are clustered to gain the efficiencies of colocation. Transport systems, from local industrial areas to seaports, are entwined. Basic infrastructure, such as electric generating power, is being given priority in planning and allocation of resources. Foreigners are involved when they can bring something China lacks, but their actions are controlled. The nation is developing along the lines set forth in Five-Year Plans, which set strategic directions and overall priorities. All of this is precisely the type of order that trained engineers would impose.
The point is that competent and experienced people lead China's government. For instance, Minister Wu Yi, a senior petroleum engineer who has represented China in trade discussions since 1991, is what U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson calls a "force of nature." Beyond having talented negotiators, China's leaders are systematically strengthening their nation's public infrastructure and consolidating and modernizing their industries so the enterprises can compete globally against those of Europe, Japan, and the United States.
Restructuring to Compete When the Communist Party seized control in 1949, it nationalized the economy. For the next thirty years, China's economic enterprises had little contact with the outside world and were considered by most Western observers to be quite backward. As recently as the late 1970s, most of China's industries were remnants of nineteenth-century investments or mirrors of those of the Soviet Union. Since 1979, however, China has been rapidly modernizing its economy, bringing to its production many of the world's most advanced technologies along with the leading management tools of major Western corporations.
To close the gap with other nations, China began reconstituting its state-owned industries in the 1980s. In the process, the government has encouraged foreign direct investment, joint ventures, the elimination of redundant production, the transformation of state industries into joint-stock ventures, the outright sale of some operations, and the liquidation of tens of thousands of failing ventures.
The magnitude of this challenge is daunting. In 2002, China's central government placed the responsibility for overseeing almost 200,000 state-owned enterprises in the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). Imagine SASAC as the world's largest equity fund, whose sole owner is the Chinese government. The chairman is Li Rongrong, born in 1944 and trained as an engineer, who began his career in 1963 as a factory worker in a plant he eventually came to manage. In 1986, he was appointed vice chairman of the Wuxi Municipal Economic Commission in Jiangsu province, and from that position he took on increasingly important responsibilities, including secretary general and then vice chairman of the State Economic and Trade Commission.
At the first SASAC working conference in August 2003, Li Rongrong identified five priority sectors for future development: (1) national security, (2) monopolies for natural resources, (3) provision of key public goods and services, (4) critical resources, and (5) core enterprises and high-tech industries.
Within those five divisions there were originally 196 central enterprises, many of which controlled dozens of subsidiaries. In 2003, the 196 central industries were consolidated to 191, and in 2007 they were further reduced to 161. At the 2003 conference, Li Rongrong also announced that China would create 30 to 50 large corporations with international competitive power before 2010. These will be companies on the scale of Microsoft, Motorola, GE, General Motors, and Pfizer.
Under SASAC, it is clear that China's economy is being transformed in a way that will form a pattern of development for the next generation or so. A cluster of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) will remain under the tight control of the central government. They include what the Chinese call the "lifeline" sectors: oil, coal, petrochemicals, metallurgy, power, telecommunications, defense, ocean shipping, air transport, defense, coal, scientific instruments, and related industries. In these industries the government maintains absolute control.
In 2003, China also announced that foreign investment would be permitted in banking, telecommunications, education, medical services, auto industries, civilian satellites, large-equipment manufacturing, and large-scale integrated circuits. While foreigners can own a minority position, the Chinese make the major decisions. In this way, the foreigners get a toehold in China and China gets their capital and expert help in becoming world-class competitors.
Under Li Rongrong's direction, these state-owned industries are making sharp gains in productivity and overall production. In mid- December 2006, Li reported that their sales were up 21 percent over the same period in 2005 and profits were up 19 percent. They paid 23 percent more taxes to the central government. Thirteen of China's top state-owned enterprises were on the Forbes 500 list of the world's top companies in 2006, versus five in 2003. The average return on SOE assets in 2006 was 10 percent. Without a doubt, China's socialist corporations are becoming efficient and globally competitive.
Equally interesting and important, Li also reported that the overall number and strength of Party members in the SOE were improving and building membership in the Party was being strengthened. Systems were being deployed to educate Party members constantly. The Communist Party is not planning to wither away in China's new economy.
A reality of China's economic transformation, however, is that hundreds of thousands of small and secondary Chinese businesses are now privately owned and operated. This gives the impression to outsiders that China is privatizing its economy. It also masks the growing competence and efficiency of the state-owned enterprises, which control the nation's lifeline industries as they are being shaped into national champions, much as Japan did with many of its core industries in the early and middle 1960s.
Currently, foreign-invested companies account for more than 50 percent of China's exports and 60 percent of its imports. But that will change as China's national champions grow and become more technologically sophisticated and many of the existing foreign firms are purchased for their distribution networks or forced aside. There will come a time when China will no longer need them.
China's Price Advantage China's economy has developed to the point that it has a price advantage over foreign competitors in virtually every product it makes in almost every market in the world. In 2006, the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California– Irvine released an important study titled A Report of "The China Price Project." Professor Peter Navarro identified eight factors that gave China a price advantage in global competition and calculated their relative contributions to that advantage.
1. Low wages for high-quality work: Chinese wages are not the lowest in the world, but the country's workers are very productive and do high-quality work. Adjusting China's wages to account for the productivity of Chinese workers, Navarro found that the cost of an hour's work by a Chinese employee is about 18 percent that of a comparable American worker. What this means, of course, is that a company can hire five Chinese workers for the same price as one American. In all, low wages constituted 39.4 percent of China's price advantage.
2. Piracy and Counterfeiting: China is the center of world piracy and counterfeiting. As I documented in my book Hot Property (2005), almost every commercial item for sale in the world, including patented, trademarked, and copyrighted materials, has been copied and sold by Chinese pirates and counterfeiters. The government regularly promises to stop such activities but makes only a token effort. Since its accession to the World Trade Organization, China has created an elaborate judicial system to deal with violations of intellectual property rights and model laws. But the system does not work well, if at all. Sophisticated Western investors realize that if they take their technology to China it will be ripped off. Japan has asked its leading technology corporations to keep their most advanced work inside Japan and not even patent it out of fear that the patent applications themselves might give away that nation's most vital technological secrets. Navarro calculates that more than 8.6 percent of the Chinese price advantage can be attributed to the piracy and counterfeiting factor.
3. Minimal worker health and safety regulations: The World Health Organization and International Labor Organization jointly report a growth of workplace accidents in China. Their most recent data show that more than 90,000 Chinese workers died in 2001 because of work-related accidents and 69 million were so badly injured they were absent from work for three or more days. One of the attractions to foreign investors is the fact that they can eliminate investments in occupational safety equipment and training in Chinese factories and escape virtually any obligation when workers are killed or injured. Laws exist but are not enforced. Silicosis, brown-lung disease, cancer, and toxic poisoning are common sicknesses among Chinese workers. Navarro estimates that factory owners in China spend a third of what their counterparts in the United States do on health and safety. This contributes 2.4 percent to the China price advantage.
4. Lax environmental regulations and enforcement: China is the world's top polluter. More than 70 percent of its rivers are badly contaminated. Two thirds of its cities fail to meet even the minimal standards for air quality. More than 400,000 Chinese die annually because of air pollution–related diseases. At the same time, more than 25 percent of the Chinese population is drinking unclean water. Companies that operate in China are not required to meet the environmental obligations they are in Japan and the West. Navarro calculates the absence of environmental regulations makes up 2.4 percent of the price advantage.
5. Export subsidies: The government, as well as provincial and local regimes, heavily subsidizes both domestic and foreign-based corporations in a variety of ways. The China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China provide Chinese enterprises massive credit lines for global expansion.
The Export-Import Bank, for instance, provided TCL, now the world's largest television set maker, funds it needed to take over and operate the TV production of Thomson and the mobile phone business of Alcatel. It also finances the export operations of Huawei Technology, a telecom network equipment maker, and the Haier Group, which makes a variety of technology goods.
6. Industrial network clustering: Think of River Rouge, where between 1917 and 1928 Henry Ford built an automobile factory in Dearborn, Michigan, on a thousand-acre site that grew to contain ninetythree buildings, docks, a hundred miles of internal railroads, an electricity plant, a glass factory, and a steel mill. Raw materials arrived on the docks, and ultimately finished automobiles were driven out of the factory. By the 1930s, more than 100,000 people worked on this large, integrated site, which contained most of its supply chain inside the complex or close by. China has built similar complexes that specialize in the production of specific items. Huizon makes DVDs and laser diodes. Ingrid produces computers. Leila turns out bicycles. Yanbun manufactures underwear. Dozens of these clusters, involving millions of workers, now exist, and great efficiencies are achieved. Navarro estimates that such clustering adds 16 points to the China price advantage, almost as much as government subsidies do.
7. Foreign direct investment: China is the world's principal destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). Unlike foreign investment in the United States, where almost 96 percent of such funds are used to buy existing assets such as stocks, almost all the foreign money going into China is invested in new production facilities. Foreign technology, managerial expertise, and global distribution networks accompany these funds. Navarro concludes that FDI adds a bit more than 3 points to China's price advantage.
8. Undervalued currency: In The Trap, Sir James Goldsmith illustrated how the value of a nation's money can be manipulated to make its products cheaper in the global market and thus create an economic advantage. In 1981, he wrote, one U.S. dollar was worth 4.25 French francs; but by 1985, the dollar had risen sharply and was worth 10 francs. Consider a product, such as a chair, that in 1981 cost the same to make in either nation. By 1985, it was twice as expensive in America as in France, simply because of the value of the currency. Then, in 1992, the dollar's value fell again to 4.8 francs, making the price of the same chair once again competitive on open markets. In 1994, China pegged the value of its currency at eight yuan to one dollar, where it has stayed ever since. By keeping the yuan at roughly eight to one, the Chinese government makes that nation's exports far less expensive and imports far more expensive than they otherwise would be. Ironically, if China suddenly allowed the yuan to trade at five to one, the U.S. cost of living would soar with a jump in prices of the Chinese imports upon which the nation now depends. Making a trip to Wal-Mart would be like going to Neiman Marcus now. Congress and many trade associations have been concerned since the early years of this decade about the undervaluation of the Chinese currency. Navarro, taking a very conservative approach in his calculations, estimates that the Chinese currency is undervalued by only 20 percent. Even then, the currency factor contributes 11.4 percent to the China price advantage. A quick way to understand how China's price advantage has changed.
From the Hardcover edition.
Meet the Author
Pat Choate is the author of Hot Property, Agents of Influence, The High-Flex Society, America in Ruins, and coauthor with Ross Perot of Save Your Job, Save Our Country. In 1996, he was Ross Perot's vice presidential running mate. He lives with his wife outside Washington, D.C.
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Residents in the Villages happy with new access gate; Outside community now boycotting
SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. - A controversy in the Villages of Country Club Hills that started with a block wall is now a fight over an access gate.
Over the summer, residents got angry when the developer put up a permanent wall to stop golf carts from traveling on a popular path into and out of the Villages.
Residents protested and the wall was eventually taken down, but a new gate is going up in its place, which will allow Village residents access with special key cards.
Now it's residents of a neighboring community who are unhappy, saying the gate is designed to keep them out of the Villages.
Richard Buck is convinced the gate is designed to keep out him and fellow residents of the neighboring Stonecrest
"Everybody I talked to in the area I live in are going to boycott," Buck said.
Shortly after the permanent wall went up in August, residents on both sides vandalized it with spray-paint, some saying they might even sneak in and tear it down overnight.
Now the new gate is going up, which is fine with Villages resident Bob Harvey, who said Stonecrest won't let him in.
"I've tried to get into Stonecrest and they've got a gate up there with golf carts, and they won't let us in," Harvey said.
Stonecrest residents can still drive their cars to Villages shops and restaurants, but some residents there said they plan to skip out on visiting the Villages.
"The traffic is heavy. The parking would be worse. It's just going to be a problem, so why bother?" said Buck.
Villages residents, however, said they aren't concerned.
"It doesn't make any difference to me. This is our property," said one resident who asked to not be identified.
The gate will be completed in a few days, officials said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Shaken Baby Syndrome
Until you experience it, you can never know just how crazy uncontrollable crying can make you. When you have a distressed newborn on your sleep-deprived hands, and nothing you do seems to make any difference, it's hard to imagine a worse place to be.
However, no matter how frustrated and exhausted you might be, never shake your baby. Babies heads are large and heavy and forcible shaking can cause irrevocable neurological damage.
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a severe form of head injury that occurs when a baby is shaken forcibly enough to cause his brain to reverberate (bounce) against his skull. It may cause bruising, swelling and bleeding of the brain, which may lead to permanent, severe brain damage or death.
Symptoms of SBS may include:
- changes in behaviour
- irritability
- lethargy
- vomiting
- convulsions
- loss of consciousness
- pale or blue-ish skin
There may be no outward physical signs of trauma, but bones may be broken, injured or dislocated, and there may be injuries to the neck and spine.
Immediate emergency treatment is necessary -
If you or someone you know has shaken your baby, call 111 immediately. Don't be ashamed or scared to take responsibility – your child's life may be on the line.
If you feel overwhelmed by your crying baby:
- Put your baby safely in his cot and walk away.
- Take a deep breath and count to 10, scream into a pillow, have a cup of tea – whatever it takes to help you calm down x Ask someone else to come and take over if that's possible, or call someone who will help you through your feelings (see list of contacts below)
- Do not pick up the baby again until you've calmed down
- If you are finding yourself feeling like this regularly, get some help. Have a chat to your doctor, child health nurse or counselor about how you're feeling.
Always ask for help, contact your Dr or your nearest Plunket branch.
Related articles:
Post Natal Depression
You and your baby after birth
Signs of infant illness
This article was written for Kidspot, New Zealands leading pregnancy and parenting resource from sources including
The Ministerial Advisory Council on Child Protection, The University of New South Wales .


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|592 sq. ft.
|Property type
license: HUTB-000955
This beautiful, completely reformed apartment is perfectly equipped to guarantee guests a worry-free stay in the city.
The most noteworthy feature is the fabulous views over the city of Barcelona and the little terrace that offers the perfect spot for really pleasant outdoor dining and to enjoy the good Spanish climate. The terrace is accessed from the lounge. The apartment faces the mountains and offers a fabulous amount of natural light all day.
The flat includes a lounge with comfortable double sofa bed, a large TV and table seating four people. The double bedroom is spacious and the kitchen is fully-equipped with everything guests might need to prepare all their meals.
The bathroom has a full shower and completes the cozy apartment that is perfectly designed for any kinds of visitors.
There is also air conditioning, a free cot on request and high quality WIFI internet connection available.
Check-in from 16:00.
Check-out between 06:00 and 12:00.
Cot available free of charge on request.
Reservations are not accepted from people younger than 25.
Payment for the rental and the refundable deposit can be made by credit card (only Visa or Mastercard) or in cash.
Lovely modern apartment, comfortable and good facilities. It was in a perfect location for us as a family,to have a good time in Barcelona.
great neighbourhood, boulangerie and mini supermarket on the street, fresh produce market 2 streets away, quiet residential area, spacious apartment...the terrace was great for meals, shady and breezy. would have been nice to have at least some salt and pepper in the kitchen...we had to buy 1kg of salt...hope next guests enjoy it for the next 20 years
owner very fast to respond to our questions and issues
Die Wohnung war sehr schön, sauber und hatte eine gute Lage. Der Aufenthalt hat uns sehr viel Spaß gemacht.
Die Kontaktperson war pünktlich, immer erreichbar und sehr freundlich.
Appartement très propre, idéalement situé ( malgré une petite montée qi parrait interminable après une longue journée de marche ).
Acceuil super chaleureux.
Seul bémol au niveau de la vaisselle, pas assez de bols et verres !
*Plus compulsory or optional charges based on actual occupancy or consumption. The payment has to be made in the currency offered by the property manager, before use of conversion tool. Payments in other currencies have to be negotiated beforehand with the property manager. The currency conversion tool is provided for your convenience only and is non-binding.


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Giving your child a nice big cuddle is one of the many perks of parenthood – it instantly makes up for all the sleepless nights and dirty nappies. Baby carriers are a great way to get some extra cuddles from your little one, as well as being hugely convenient for when you need to get out and about. That's why Canstar Blue is delighted to be giving mums and dads the chance to win a top of the range baby carrier from Ergobaby, which recently topped our customer satisfaction ratings for baby carriers.
To be in with a chance of winning this three-position baby carrier, valued at $219, simply do the following:
- Like the Canstar Blue Facebook page
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- Subscribe to our consumer newsletter via the tool below
The promotion closes at midnight AEST on Wednesday 7 September, with the winner randomly drawn from a list of eligible entrants on Friday 9 September. Click here for full terms and conditions.
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And give your little one a cuddle from us.


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By Neyat, Radical Parenting teen intern
Parents, looking for an affordable daycation trip to take your kids on? With the summer simmering down and back to school time quickly approaching, what better way to end the summer than by making a huge splash? Recently, I visited Raging Waters as well as Wild Rivers, and my family had a great time at both parks. I can surely say they each provided us with a positive (not to mention, wet) experience.
When it comes to the older crowd, Raging Waters is probably best fit; offering attractions such as the new one, Dr. Von Dark's Tunnel of Terror, a ride consisting of total darkness and a heart-dropping forty-foot plunge. However, there are attractions for the younger set, including Kid's Kingdom, Splash Island, and The Little Dipper.
Wild Rivers is the more family-oriented of the two parks, offering various options for the youngsters. The Kiddie Congo and Kiddie Bombay are just a few of the many child-friendly rides and attractions at Wild Rivers. But don't fret; they do have a nice selection for the teens in your life as well.
Both parks offer a range of food, and they each ask that guests leave food items from home or bought outside of the park behind. Also, both parks have lockers available for personal belongings, and as a side note, both sites are smoke-free environments and prohibit smoking. Raging Waters is open to the public at 10:00am, but has several closing times for certain days, so it's best to check ahead of time. Wild Rivers is open daily from 10:00am-8:00pm, but again, it's best to make certain of park hours ahead of time due to holidays and other special circumstances.
Each park is recession-friendly and offers pretty affordable prices and package options. Also, for the summer, participating sites and various retail locations are offering $5 off coupons for Wild Rivers and coupons for Raging Waters that range from $5-$7 off. Before heading to either park, be sure to check their sites or call in for hours, park rules and regulations, group options, special needs options, and more. I had a blast at both parks, and parents, I guarantee you will with your kids! Go now while the summer sun is still in the sky and the coupons are still valid. Have fun and remember, there's no such thing as too much sun screen!


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Audie Award, Science Fiction, 2016
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind's most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.
Until something goes wrong....
In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller.
©1990 Michael Crichton and © 2014 by Dinosaur Holdings LLC. (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.
"Frighteningly real...compelling.... It'll keep you riveted." (The Detroit News)
"Crichton's dinosaurs are genuinely frightening." (Chicago Sun-Times)
"Full of suspense." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Scott Brick brings a chilling calm to the complex story with his deep, even tone and clear enunciation.... He does a particularly fine portrayal of John Hammond, the creator of the controversial park, giving the character a raspy edge that suits the dark agenda beneath his grandfatherly facade." (AudioFile)
My taste differs from kid books to gory horror books.
Crichton was a genius. He was a rare kind of genius that could explain complex scientific concepts in an entertaining fun way to us laymen. I have compared him to Arthur C. Clarke, which is high praise indeed. Crichton has probably launched many careers in science with his ability to show the wonder and magic of science.
The first half of this book is full of all that wonder I mentioned above. Several different sciences were beautifully explained. Crichton also has a scene of tremendous suspense, involving a little girl and a dinosaur. If Crichton had no science in his writing, he still would be a popular writer with his abilities to build suspense, not just say this happened and than that happened. It is my own personal quirk, but I am not a fan of overly long chase scenes, shoot-em ups or things that explode. I know I am rare in that. Had this book ended at the halfway point (about 7 and a half hours), it would have got a glowing review from me. The last half of the book is mostly being chased, eaten, and thrown around by dinosaurs. There is still some science thrown in, but it reads mostly like it was written for the movie. This much running around lost its appeal for me and my mind kept wondering. I got impatient for it to get over with. The whole frog thing was disappointing also. He kept making it sound like some big deal and big secret no one knew about. Anybody with any minor interest in science knew the answer from the beginning. I still gave the book four stars, as the first half was so wonderful.
Slap her please
I would also like to ask from those who read the book, did you want to slap the crap out of that little girl as much as I did. I was hoping they would throw her to the dinosaurs before it was over.
Scott Brick is one of the most prolific narrators around. He is hard to ignore, but I actually did for about two years. He used to have a tendency to read every sentence tremendous dramatic flair, even if it was some mundane chore like drinking a glass of water. In this book I was amazed by his performance. He already had the voice, but now his inflections fit the mood of each and every sentence. If you have been avoiding his narration, rest assured that you will love him in this reading.
I've listened to John Heard's Abridged version of this book for YEARS. I've listened to it about 100 times. It's a CLASSIC. Now we have the FULL VERSION!
GET THIS RIGHT AWAY! It's a million times better than the amazing movie.
"Thank you, Scott Brick"
The story isn't new, but Scott Brick brings new life into this great story. Whether hearing this story for the first time or revising a classic, this presentation is top notch.
Too many great moments, however one of my favorites is Malcolm revealing to the operators that their system is flawed and there are far more dinosaurs than they expected.
The raptors and the visitor center.
Yes, but at a welcomed 15hr run time it just wasn't practical.
If you have listened to the previous recording that sounded like a virtual home real estate salesperson recounted the events of Jurassic Park, you will be thankful for Scott Brick. If you've listened to The Lost World or any of the Ender's series you already know of Brick and how he really brings a story to life.
I love Audible because of the peace of mind it brings me. It is the only way I can finish a book before it is shredded by the Basenjis.
"The movie is Great - the Book is BETTER!"
Dear Readers - Try to put the movie out of your head and prepare yourself for a far richer, more exciting and "Run for your Life" adventure into Jurassic Park!
I love love love the Movie "Jurassic Park" And like most, Jurassic movie fans, found myself, perhaps "instinctually" comparing the plot of the movie with that of the book….
Fortunately, having read many books, gone movie - I knew to "clear the slate" and begin anew, discovering a story even more exciting.
Naturally, the book covers in greater details the scientific and technical details and there are more characters and greater character development. All of which, fans of Michael Crichton will know to expect.
I have not, but Mr. Bricks is wonderful and believe him to be the perfect choice in Narrator for "Jurassic Park".
Yes and No. I fell asleep while listening to the book and dreamt I was being chased by dinosaurs! …..Aaaaggghhh! I would not recommend that to anyone.
Final note: I read the book prior to seeing the movie when I was in my 20s. Having seen the movie numerous times, earned a BA, a JD and a few grey hairs, I can tell you I enjoy the story just as much today as I did 20 years ago. - In my book, Jurassic Park is the ultimate summer read.
Besides incessant listening to audiobooks, I also read on my Kindle at night, birdwatch, garden (roses, daylilies), and do genealogy.
"A Good Listen With Only a Few Minor Quibbles"
I really enjoyed the movie more than the book. I thought the special effects really brought the dinosaurs to life realistically--so much so that I even had a dream about that brontosaurus, the one that was peacefully munching leaves high up in the trees.
Perhaps it is an effect of time or failing memory, but I really didn't think the book was THAT dramatically different from the movie. If you loved the movie, you will certainly love the audiobook. But if I was forced to pick between either seeing the movie or listening to the book, I'd pick the movie. Again, this is NOT to say that there is any reason at all you should not purchase this audiobook.
My minor quibbles? The girl, Lex, was endlessly annoying. Her whining was too repetitive and drove me crazy to the point of wanting to swat her. And Malcolm's philosophizings went on for too long and came a bit too often for my tastes. Did these things ruin the listening experience for me? Not at all.
And then, dare I say this? Putting on my helmet for protection . . . Scott Brick has become my least favorite narrator, to the point of not even considering a book narrated by him. It is due to his over emoting. But the reviews of this particular narration bordered on an almost unanimous adoration of the man, so I opted for getting the audiobook, due to the pull of nostalgia. I would say he gave the best possible narration for my ears, and yet that silky, sweet tone of voice at times made me cringe (as it IS a relatively long listen at 15 hours.) If you are a Brick fan, you will most likely be very impressed by this narration. If you are not, you will still love the book.
So there it is.
Tangential, eclectic, avid listener... favorite book is the one currently in ear.
"What a fun listen..."
I've never seen the movie or read the book (hard to believe but true) but sure had lots of fun listening to Scott Brick tell me this certainly written to be an action movie book. I am sure the action and dinosaurs were more fun to watch... but I have enjoyed all the information which wouldn't have made it into a movie. What an imagination Mr. Crichton and amazing reading Mr. Brick together you make a brilliant team.
I don't think this is one I will read over and over, but it was sure fun on this first read.
I listen to something educational on my way to work to wake myself up, and listen to a page-turner on my way home to stay alert on the road!
"Surprising but true: Movie way better than book!"
Hmm. No. Only benefitted from some of the more thoughtful and all-encompassing Chaos Theory lectures from Ian Malcolm. The rest was--despite the dinosaurs--surprisingly dull and dry.
Dry and dull like the rest of the book! And a little bit opaque. Why exactly must Dr. Grant remain in Costa Rica forever?
Liked: Narrator's voice. He has very clear articulation. Disliked: his rate of speech, which is way too slow!
Please, no.
Note to aspiring authors: think about ways to ensure your readers really CARE about your characters! The movie version very wisely inserts a love relationship between Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, as well as the tension inherent in a relationship in which one partner wants children and one does not. The filmmakers also had the good sense to give John Hammond some actual affection for his grandchildren, and reciprocated love from them for their dear old Grandpa. Without any of these elements, the book feels dry as dust, and the reader/listener doesnt much care WHO gets eaten!
"Bogged down and became irritating"
The story started out interesting, and Scott Brick's fine narration made it a delight to the ear. Eventually, though, the story devolved into one chase scene after another. I was thinking, "don't these animals ever get satiated? And why don't they eat those herds of herbivorous dinosaurs instead of relentlessly pursuing scrawny humans?"
Hunt and chase scenes are exciting on the big screen, but become tedious in an audiobook.
But what really turned me off was the kids. Or more specifically, the girl. Incredibly irritating. I was hoping the T-Rex would devour that bratty little girl, who was constantly whining about how tired, hungry or bored she was, asking stupid questions, and yelling "I hate him!" at the T-Rex. She was like fingernails on a blackboard, and I ultimately started fast-forwarding to get past her.
I would have given this a 5-star review at the end of Part 1, but by halfway through Part 2, it was an effort to keep listening.
Science Nerd, Army Veteran, Small Business Owner, Happy Wife, Dog Mommy, Horrible Rugby Player. Zombie lit is my guilty pleasure
Loved this book as much as the first time I read it! Happy to see audible finally get it. Really solid story and great reading. .
This book was so thrilling! I love the film and had no idea how much more intense and exciting the book was. Scott Brick is a phenomenal reader as well. One of my favorite audiobooks without question!
"Jurassic Park!"
An excellent novel, fast paced, exciting, thrilling add in the huge frigging dinosaurs and what else could you ask for?
I used to have an old abridged version of this on cassette when I was a kid and I listen to it so much it eventually wore out so I was extremely excited to see that this unabridged version was coming out.
Scott Brick was an perfect choice of narrator because he is a master at building up tension when needed in a story telling.
I think I saw the film 5 times at the cinema when it came out and loved it, (I was twelve back then so who can blame me!) but the book is so very much better and that is saying something. CGI effects in film can date with time but your imagination's special effects never do. I absolutely love this Audiobook.
"Even if you've seen the film you will enjoy this"
I most like fiction, history and fantasy and never really listen to horror suspense books, but i'm glad i did. it is a good book .
don'l really listen to many in this genre so i cant really.
Hammond as he is very different in this to how he was portrayed in the film.
there were definite gasp moments.
I would highly recommend this book to people. I gave it a five star as I'm a huge JP fan but peeps i tell thee its entertaining and tense as hell.
"Exciting but flawed"
Often when reading a book after having seen a film adaptation of it, you'll find that the book tells the superior story due to the extra depth given to the characters and the extra time afforded to explaining the various plot twists and turns. With Jurassic Park however, the book made me realise how cleverly Spielberg et al had been in their interpretation. The book is exciting and provides a similar sense of wonder, however some of the characters, dialogue and pacing are simply not very well done at times. For example, I spent large parts of the story wishing that one of the younger characters would hurry up and get eaten, they were that irritating. Other characters seem present only so they can spout long philosophising monologues that rarely make much sense. Still, overall it is exciting and fans of the film and the genre will certainly enjoy it.
"Just great"
Having grown up with the film, the book delivers even more joy as an adult.
"Better than the film."
Really enjoyed this book, far better than the film. I would recommend this to everyone
"Loved it!!!"
The story was very gripping, of course I had expected it to be different from the film but not as much as it was and I really enjoyed it.
"Loved it."
Jurassic park is a classic book and Scott Brick does it justice with his narration.
If you enjoyed the films you'll enjoy this even more and amazing read couldn't put the book down
"Great book, doesn't detract from the film at all"
This book was great, I'm a big fan of the franchise and I was worried that this book would make the films seem week… I was wrong. If anything, this book strengthened the story even better.it's great to hear what the characters are thinking and their ration now behaving the way they do, it really gives more dimension to this story. Also Scott bricks narration is as always utterly fantastic… You can't go wrong with Scott brick
"Excellent book, better than the film."
Having seen the great Jurassic Park movie (and less great sequels) this audiobook adds much. I can't help but visualise the actors from the movie but this helps.
Set up now for the new Jurassic World movie in June.
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– danica


text:
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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/11/2010 07:52 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/get-gone-movers-llc/alpharetta-georgia-/get-gone-movers-llc-cc-get-gone-movers-should-be-called-be-gone-movers-llc-alpharetta-g-568300. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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#1 Consumer Comment
SUBMITTED: Thursday, January 24, 2013POSTED: Thursday, January 24, 2013
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
#2 Consumer Comment
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, February 16, 2010POSTED: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Well My name is Torrey
I live in Acworth,Cobb County and I used Get Gone Movers LLC.Services. I scheudled the move January 15,2010. The Gentlemen worked for me and was 15 minutes late. But they did an Awsome Job. Infact they were a third cheaper than the Companies that I called.they did the job for a $175 Dollars! Other than companies that I called. Yes they Took there time and did the job and I will be using this service again. I called 404-254-7827. But the company helped me when It was a time of urgency and did not rip me off. Infact by the discount , I feel I made a good Choice.
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40 CFR 147.2928 - Permit termination.
(a) Permits may be terminated for the following causes only:
(1) Noncompliance with any permit condition.
(2) Misrepresentation or failure to fully disclose any relevant facts.
(3) Determination that the permitted activity endangers human health or the environment.
(4) Interested person requests in writing that a permit be terminated and the Regional Administrator determines that request is valid.
(b)Termination procedures.
(1) The Regional Administrator shall issue notice of intent to terminate (which is a type of draft permit).
(2) Notice of intent to terminate shall follow the general permitting procedures (i.e., public comment period, etc.) before a final decision is made.
Title 40 published on 2015-08-22
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to 40 CFR Part 147 after this date.


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Losing Another Child
At the end of the day I was exhausted but successful. The three new rebel fighters had been extremely hard to convince especially Wren, but I felt like after talking to them I understood them a little better. My family was distressed. For the past few days I had a very uneven schedule, and none of them had any idea what I was doing, so when I got home that night Mama was not too pleased. "Where have you been little bird!" she cried throwing off my scarves and sniffing the air around me suspiciously. "I smell whiskey! Have you been drinking?" she said gawking at me. "Holden come down here! Your daughter has been drinking something fowl!" she sceamed and Papa stomped down the stairs. "My little bird did what?" he yelled and I huddled against Mama who quickly brushed me away. "I'm not sure Holden, but she reeks of alcohol." Mama whispered. "Will you just let me talk!" I said and they both looked at me tiredly. "Yes Katlynn. I can't think of any possible way you can talk your way around this." Papa said. "I'm sorry Papa. I promise I wasn't drinking. I guess I have a lot to explain." I said and Mama nodded. "You sure do little bird." she said. I told them everything. I told them about the rebels, the letters, Taylor, and Bec. I told them about Claudius and the tavern and how I wanted to join their army, but for Jenna's sake I didn't tell them about who I found in the tavern. "Katlynn you can't leave Eden to join this army of children!" Papa shouted angrily while Mama cried. "This is about Kyle isn't it!" Mama wailed and I almost screamed. "No!" I shouted, "I will do this! I'm not going to sit back and do nothing!" "Dammit that's exactly what you'll be doing Katlynn. I'm not losing another child!" Papa boomed. "I don't care if I have your consent! I'm leaving!" I said storming up the stairs and into my room. I could hear Mama sobbing as I shoved some clothes and food in a bag. I took a small bag of things to remember my family by and sprinted out the door.


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Reset My Password
This will send a password reset to your email address on file. A reminder that your email address on your account must be valid and working to receive the reset request.
This is more of an electrical question. But does anyone know how to wire a potentiometer? I am running my heater blower straight from the battery to toggle switches. It works how it is now but it only blows on high. The potentiometer will allow me to adjust how much air blows so its not 200 degrees all the time. Im just trying to figure out if they are able to be wired power in from the battery to the blower or if it wont work. I can get the part for $3.99 at radio shack. Just dont know if itll work. Anyone know more than me?


text:
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The Miami Dolphins signed a total of three defensive linemen as they announced their undrafted rookie free agent class of nine players today.
The Dolphins also signed two wide receivers and two tight ends.
Here's the entire list of undrafted rookies: defensive end Ryan Baker (Purdue), nose guard Louis Ellis (Shaw), defensive end Orion Martin (Virginia Tech), tight ends Jared Bronson (Central Washington) and Sir'Vincent Rogers (Houston), wide receivers Brennan Martin (Tulsa) and Chris Williams (New Mexico State), offensive guard Mark Lewis (Oregon), and running back Anthony Kimble (Stanford).
Dolphins Round Up Rookie Class
The Miami Dolphins signed a total of three defensive linemen as they announced their undrafted rookie free agent class of nine players today.
FillyFinatic says: Apr 30, 2009 9:21 PM
We have alot of Tight Ends, and Wide Receivers vying for a spot on the roster. Should be interesting.
eagletuff says: Apr 30, 2009 9:48 PM
Sir'Vincent Rogers …..I wonder what this guy did to get knighted at such a young age?
Darth Ringo says: Apr 30, 2009 10:26 PM
Chris Williams (New Mexico State)!
ChrisJNelson says: Apr 30, 2009 11:14 PM
Actually it's two defensive linemen. Orion Martin is an OLB in the 3-4.
ChrisJNelson says: Apr 30, 2009 11:17 PM
There's also no apostrophe in SirVincent's name. It's just one word.
gorilla_monsoon says: Apr 30, 2009 11:19 PM
Wow and I will now be naming my firstborn sir'Gorilla. Goddamn somebody knight that guy's parents for bestowing upon him the greatest name in history. Take that Jermajesty Jackson!
VinceDrooley says: Apr 30, 2009 11:37 PM
It's Brennan "Marion" – as in Brock Marion's cousin
phinphan23 says: Apr 30, 2009 11:50 PM
is it really necessary to have that many tight ends? i understand the WR pickups but it seems a little much with the TE's
FillyFinatic says: May 1, 2009 12:29 AM
phinphan23: I believe Martin and Fasano's contracts are up for renewal at the end of the year. So yes.


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Popular property highlights
Abba Centrum Alicante Hotel places you within a 10-minute stroll of El Corte Ingles Shopping Center and Dinopetrea. This 148-room, 4-star hotel has a restaurant, free in-room WiFi, and a fitness center. Centrally located in Alicante, the hotel is also a short walk from Panoramis Shopping Center and Bulevar Plaza.
Sit down for a leisurely bite to eat at the onsite restaurant, or enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service, or get a quick energy boost at the coffee shop/café. Start each morning with breakfast, available for a fee.
The 148 rooms are air-conditioned and have an array of amenities, including minibars, safes, and phones. 32-inch flat-screen TVs come with digital channels, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi and wired Internet. Other standard amenities include hair dryers and desks.
At abba Centrum Alicante Hotel, guests have access to a fitness center, a sauna, and free WiFi in public areas. Self parking is available for EUR 14 per day. The 24-hour front desk has multilingual staff ready to assist with dry cleaning/laundry and luggage storage. Additional amenities include conference space, a business center, and a library.
Property features
- Free WiFi and wired Internet in rooms and public areas
- Onsite dining
- Fitness center
- Business center
abba Centrum Alicante Hotel
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Abba Centrum Alicante Hotel features a sauna and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wired and wireless Internet access.
Business-related amenities at this 4-star property consist of a business center and a meeting room. 12 meeting rooms are available. This business-friendly hotel also offers a library, a terrace, and multilingual staff. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge. The property may provide extended parking privileges to guests after check-out (surcharge).
- Number of meeting rooms - 12
- Conference space
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Terrace
- Business center
- Number of floors - 8
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 148
- Bar/lounge
- Elevator/lift
- Fitness facilities
- Laundry facilities
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Luggage storage
- One meeting room
- Multilingual staff
- Restaurant
- RV, bus, truck parking (surcharge)
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Sauna
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Turkish bath/Hammam
- Library
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Self parking (surcharge), RV, bus, truck parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
Abba Centrum Alicante Hotel offers 148 air-conditioned accommodations with minibars and safes. 32-inch flat-screen televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations and hair dryers.
This Alicante hotel provides complimentary wired and wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Housekeeping is provided daily.
- Digital TV service
- Daily housekeeping
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Flat-panel TV
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Room service (limited hours)
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Restaurante Centrum - This restaurant specializes in Spanish cuisine.
Breakfast is available for a surcharge each morning.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna and a fitness center.
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for EUR 35 per night.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No cribs (infant beds) available
Parking height restrictions apply
Optional extras
- Breakfast fee: EUR 11.50 for adults and EUR 7 for children (approximately)
- Self parking fee: EUR 14 per day
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 35 per night
Hotel Name
- abba Centrum
- abba Centrum Alicante
- abba Centrum Alicante Hotel
- abba Centrum Hotel
- Alicante abba Centrum
- Alicante Centrum
- Alicante Hotel abba
- Centrum Alicante
- Hotel abba Alicante
- Hotel abba Centrum Alicante
- Hotel Abba Centrum
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2500, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. Reservations are required for massage services. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.


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Full Court Press: Show 6 (Feb 14)
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It's the final night of the high school boys basketball regular season. Big 5 Champion Fortuna was looking to finish undefeated in league play. Eureka meanwhile was trying to hold on to second place in the standings. From the Little 4, South Fork hosted St. Bernard's. Humboldt State was on the road at San Francisco and College of the Redwoods makes its final home appearance. First place is on the line with the CR women's basketball team taking on Siskiyous.


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Nothing Says Christmas Like A New Pair of Socks
3,690pages onAdd New Page
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this wiki
Nothing Says Christmas Like A Pair of Socks is the song from A Very Minty Christmas and is sunged by Minty while she could be Santa for giving all of her socks to the ponies.
- They can be plain or fancy
- They can be short or long
- The simple white kind
- The glow-by-night kind
- With socks you can't go wrong
- A gift as good as candy
- A big balloon or blocks
- They always come in handy
- And nothin' says Christmas
- Like a pair of socks
- When winter
- Is turning your nose-y
- A little bit froze-y
- Socks'll make you feel
- Comfy-cozy
- Who doesn't love to wear them?
- No one at all, that's who
- The sparkly red kind
- The wear-to-bed kind
- It's nice to have a few
- (I know I do)
- Some folks enjoy new mittens
- Or a teddy bear that talks
- Or a picture books of kittens
- But nothin' says Christmas
- Merry, Merry Christmas
- Nothin' says Christmas
- Like a pair of socks


text:
"I was really pleased, and really impressed, with the service that we got. It was a personal service, we weren't treated as just a client… When you switch to another company to use your name in providing those [collection] services, it's important to have that support. It's important to have that good customer service on a one-on-one basis, and Archon delivered"
Richard "Ricky" EdwardsSheriff – Jefferson Davis Parish
Archon Information Systems, a leading provider of delinquent property auction and tax collection software, was recently recognized for its substantial growth by being named to Inc. Magazine's 500|5000 list of "America's Fastest Growing Companies." Because of a three-year
growth rate of 525 percent, they ranked 681st out of 5,000 nationally, and were the 4th fastest growing company in Louisiana.
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text:
Walnut Hills Baptist Church, 1014 Jamestown Road, honored Rev. Linda Ward on her retirement after 20 years service as Minister of Education. Shown in the picture at right are Rev. Ward, center, with Marsha McAlister, personnel committee chair, and Dr. Jerry Haywood, Pastor Emeritus, who brought the message on discipleship. Rev. Ward was honored with a reception and presented with a friendship quilt made by member, Ann Fulford, and signed by members of the congregation.
(For publication on the Sat. "church page") Thank You!
This item was posted by a community contributor.


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Sell some Teespring T-shirts
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by Brett Larner
While most of the rest of the racing world kicks back for the holidays in the lull between seasons, Japan's distance runners from junior high to pro are hitting the peak of their year with the month-long championship ekiden season. The biggest race of the weekend is the National High School Ekiden Championships, lovingly broadcast live nationwide and commercial-free for 4 and 1/2 hours this Sunday from Kyoto on NHK starting at 10:05 a.m. JRN will cover both the girls' and boys' races live on @JRNLive.
The top 12-ranked teams at Sunday's National High School Girls Ekiden Championships. Click to enlarge.
In its 26th running the girls' race covers 21.0975 km in five stages, with 47 teams representing each of Japan's prefectures. Defending champion Toyokawa H.S. of Aichi returns ranked #1 with a 5-runner 3000 m average of 9:13 led by senior Azusa Sumi in 9:00.89. But it's going to be a very closely-matched race, with 4 other teams averaging within 4 seconds of Toyokawa. Osaka Kunei Joshi Gakuin H.S. is the media favorite with 2014 Youth Olympics 3000 m gold medalist Nozomi Musembi Takamatsu and a 9:14.70 average ranking it #2. Junior Harumi Okamoto leads #3-ranked Tokiwa H.S. from Gunma with her 9:00.91 best, and, while they lack the star runners of the top 3 Yamanashi Gakuin Prep H.S. and 2012 winner Ritsumeikan Uji H.S. of Kyoto are close behind with averages of 9:16 and 9:17. Both Osaka Kunei and Ritsumeikan Uji have 7 girls with bests under 9:30, giving them an advantage on depth that will come into play if any of Toyokawa's 4 main runners is not fit.
The top 12 individuals in the National High School Girls Ekiden Championships. Look for most to run the First Stage.
Altogether 11 girls from 8 schools have bests under 9:12 led by Kenyan senior Monica Margaret of Samuel Wanjiru's alma mater Sendai Ikuei H.S. in 8:59.60, just of Toyokawa's Sumi, Okamoto of Tokiwa and Youth Olympics gold medalist Takamatsu of Osaka Kunei. As at the team level, any of the top 11 girls would be star runners at the university level in the NCAA. Watch out for the best racing and the inevitable falls on the track on the First Stage and for a close finish back on the track on the anchor Fifth Stage.
The top 12-ranked teams at Sunday's National High School Boys Ekiden Championships. Click to enlarge.
The boys' race, celebrating its 65th running, features an expanded field of 61 schools competing with 7-member teams over a total of 42.195 km. Most of last year's champion Yamanashi Gakuin Prep H.S. has graduated and moved on to form the core of this year's Yamanashi Gakuin University team. In its absence, 2011 winner Sera H.S. of Hiroshima, alma mater of sub-27 Kenyan Bedan Karoki (DeNA RC) and recent 27:38 runner Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Team Asahi Kasei), is the heavy favorite, its 7-runner 5000 m average of 14:08 putting it way ahead of the competition if not quite in range of the 2:01:32 course record set in 2004 by the Wanjiru-led Sendai Ikuei H.S. or 2014 NCAA D1 XC winner University of Colorado.
The top 12 individuals in the National High School Boys Ekiden Championships. Look for the Japanese athletes to run the First Stage with the Kenyans restricted to the shorter Third Stage.
11 boys, 7 Japanese and 4 Kenyan, from 10 schools come into this year's race with sub-14 bests over 5000 m led by senior Charles Ndungu of Hokkaido's Sapporo Yamanote H.S. in 13:35.54. Junior Takuya Hanyu, 1 of 2 sub-14 high schoolers from Chiba's Yachiyo Shoin H.S., is the fastest Japanese runner at 13:52.98, while 2014 World Junior Championships team member Shota Onizuka leads Fukuoka's Omuta H.S. in 13:58.43 just ahead of a brand-new headline-making sub-14 addition, 16-year-old Hyuga Endo of Gakuho Ishikawa H.S. in 13:58.93.
With the mass popularity of the Hakone Ekiden ahead of them in university there is almost no chance any of the top ranks of this year's field would ever consider the NCAA, but imagine what an impact they could make if some lucky American school could somehow pull off a recruiting coup. Regardless, the National High School Ekiden offers the chance to see future stars like Wanjiru and Karoki along with many of the contenders for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics team for the first time.
(c) 2014 Brett Larner
all rights reserved


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Just about everyone has had to deal with a stripped screw at one point and depending on how bad it's stripped, the process can be pretty simple or infuriating. Fortunately, thanks to Instructables, now you can try five m...http://www.neatorama.com/2017/03/04/How-to-Remove-a-Stripped-Screw/
The periodic table is a work of art in itself, but putting a generic poster of the elements on your wall is a little uninspired. If you're looking for a particularly attractive way to display the elements, this Instructa...http://www.neatorama.com/2016/12/01/You-Need-This-3D-Periodic-Table-Lamp/
Dear 2016: I made you this ornament. It is a Dumpster fire. pic.twitter.com/XjbM18bC9i— Jennifer Brooks (@stribrooks) November 20, 2016 The term we've used to describe the year 2016 more than any other is "dumpste...http://www.neatorama.com/2016/11/26/Dumpster-Fire-Christmas-Ornament/
(Facebook link)We've shown you neat effects with ferrofluid and magnetic putty. Did you know you can make your own iron putty? This video makes it looks quite easy. Don't forget the magnets -that's where the fun beg...http://www.neatorama.com/2016/11/06/DIY-Magnetic-Putty/
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The 22-year-old was involved in a horrific car accident on Friday, and members of the worldwide soccer community have been quick to wish the player a speedy recovery.
The 22-year-old was involved in a collision with a truck near the club's training ground and suffered serious head injuries, with the player having to be airlifted from the site of the accident, which took place on the road between Hoffenheim and Heidelberg. The club also issued a statement, prior to the 0-0 draw with Augsburg on Saturday, confirming the life-threatening injuries that the player suffered.
The news has since shaken the footballing community in Germany, with messages of support coming from across Europe, led by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
"My thoughts are with him and his family. I hope that he will be well soon," the head of football's governing body wrote on Twitter.
"All the best and a speedy recovery, Boris Vukcevic! All the best and get well soon," tweeted Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski following the game against Chelsea.
"I wish you a speedy recovery Boris Vukcevic! [Keep your] head up, and you can do it," Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus added.
"Dear people, pray and hope that my friend and teammate of [the Germany] Under-21s, Boris Vukcevic, is healthy again. My thoughts are with him and his family," Schalke star Lewis Holtby wrote on his official Facebook page.
Vukcevic's former Hoffenheim teammate Edson Braafheid also tweeted: "My thoughts are with you. I hope that with God's help, you get better soon!"
Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw against Augsburg on Saturday was played following the request of Vukcevic's parents, with the 22-year-old still in a critical condition as of Sunday.


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LONDON, July 7 — Óscar Pereiro's dream was to win the Tour de France. He still does not know if it has come true.
Pereiro, a 29-year-old Spaniard who rides for the Caisse d'Epargne team, finished second in last year's Tour to Floyd Landis. Days after the race, Tour officials revealed that Landis had failed a drug test. If the test results were upheld through Landis's expected appeals, the officials said, Pereiro would be named the winner.
And that is where Pereiro has spent the past year, in a sort of yellow-jersey limbo. While Spanish cycling fans hailed him as the real winner of the Tour and turned him into a sporting star, with all of the attendant demands on his time, Pereiro said, the combination of the attention and the absence of resolution drove him into a despairing state from which he has only recently emerged.
"Of course it changed my life completely," Pereiro said Friday when asked about the effect of the events of the last year. "Before, I was quite an unknown rider, and from one minute to another I became a very famous rider."Continue reading the main story
Interview requests poured in, dinner invitations were extended, and talk shows and autograph seekers and other stars of Spanish popular culture came calling to bask in the glow of Pereiro's achievements.
"And that is why the first part of my season was not so good and was not what was expected of me," Pereiro said. In addition to the lack of training, "I was mentally blocked, I think, by that situation, because I was not used to such pressure in everyday life."
In some ways, he appears to have adapted. While many cyclists show up for pre-Tour news conferences looking as if they had just rolled out of bed — and they often have — Pereiro's hair was well-gelled and he wore a fashion-forward pair of white-rimmed sunglasses Friday.
Yet Pereiro has not let the recognition go to his head. His teammate Alejandro Valverde left the news conference without answering follow-up questions, but Pereiro stayed for nearly a half hour extra giving television and radio interviews in Spanish, French and English.
For all the acclaim, Pereiro seems to be still unsure what it means. For the first time, Tour officials decided not to let any rider this year wear the No. 1 on his jersey, an honor reserved for the winner of the previous year's race.
Pereiro was given the lowest number, No. 11, and he was the last rider to start Saturday's prologue time trial as the Tour de France began here. He finished 21st Saturday, 37 seconds behind first-place Fabian Cancellara.
The final starting position is reserved for the previous year's winner, so it is only natural that Pereiro, as the highest-ranked returning rider, was awarded that spot.
"But as for me," he said, "I cannot consider myself the winner of the Tour de France yet, because we have to wait until all of the affair is finished," referring to Landis's arbitration hearing and the expected appeal.
Pereiro grew up racing bicycles in the Galicia region of northwest Spain. In his youth he was primarily a cyclocross rider, racing road-style bikes on dirt tracks. After winning the national cyclocross championship, and while working as a plumber's helper, he turned to road racing and was an immediate success.
In 1999, he won a youth race known as the Vuelta a Portugal do Futuro, despite having only one teammate to help him. Soon, Pereiro attracted offers from professional teams, landing after a few years at Phonak, where he was Landis's teammate.
Pereiro's performance in last year's Tour de France did not exactly come out of nowhere. In 2002, in his first Tour of Italy, another of the three-week "grand tours," Pereiro finished 11th. Two years later, he finished 10th in his first Tour de France, and he did the same the next year, while also winning a stage and the prize for most aggressive rider.
In 2006, he jumped to Caisse d'Epargne, which expected him to help Valverde, the team leader, in the Tour de France. But when Valverde crashed early in the Tour and dropped out, the door was left open for Pereiro.
When people talk about a big comeback at the 2006 Tour de France, they are usually referring to Landis's epic ride in Stage 17. On that day, Landis regained most of the time he lost the previous day, when he ran out of energy on the climb of La Toussuire in the Alps and relinquished the overall lead.
But there was another huge comeback in the Tour a few days earlier. In Stage 11, Pereiro all but collapsed on the climbs of the Col du Portillon and Pla-de-Beret, losing more than 26 minutes to the race leaders. Two days later, Landis, who had taken the yellow jersey in Stage 11, had his team allow a breakaway to gain more than 29 minutes on the peloton, or main pack of racers. That vaulted Pereiro into the yellow jersey.
Cycling fans and journalists have debated ever since whether Pereiro would have even been close to the top of the standings had Landis, his former teammate and friend, not let him escape. Last year, Landis defended Pereiro's riding ability, noting his previous Tour success as validating his wearing the yellow jersey.
This year, Pereiro again started the race as an assistant to Valverde, raising the question of whether he will have a chance to truly defend the race title that is not yet his.
"What is most important for me is that I will be the last one starting the prologue," Pereiro said. "And the fact is that I have No. 11, which is two times No. 1, and so more important."Continue reading the main story


text: What's the proper process for installing Tivo Desktop plus on a new PC. I installed 2.8.3 on an HP Win7 laptop wirelessly and 'connected' it to my account. It said that it had been attached to my old PC and would I like to replace it with the new one, I did that. But, my new install can't see either of my Tivo's (series 2's, wireless). Old install (Dell XP laptop hardwired) still works, laptop can see Tivo's and Tivo's can see old XP machine. Do I have to uninstall Desktop from old machine? Will that 'fix' it? Or, are the other steps that I need to do? hard reboot everything? Anything else? TIA, Curtis


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Pulao is usually my go-to dish when I am running short of time or I cannot think of what to make for dinner. Rice is always comforting and a smattering of vegetables added to it, makes it reasonably healthy. Paired with plain yogurt or a raita, it makes a fairly balanced vegetarian meal.
When my client Pure and Sure sent me their special Organic Pulav Masala, I wanted to try something special with it. So when we were to have friends over for dinner, I jumped on the idea of making a paneer pulao, where paneer is not only added to the pulao when it's cooking but also pieces of marinated shallow fried paneer as a topping over the pulao.
The special Pulav Masala contains cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, bay leaf, chilli powder, cardamom, turmeric, clove and mace. It is quite possible for such a spice mix to get overwhelming, but this masala has a fine balance of spices, taking care of the proportion of the more intense ones.
Do ensure that the quality of paneer used is fresh and soft, otherwise, the pieces can stand out as rubbery knobs in a bed of rice, and that doesn't make for a pleasant dining experience. I speak out of personal experience 🙂
I have used the Jeera rice variety, also called Ambemohar rice, as it has a lovely fragrance and this rice is much suited to making pulaos. Use basmati rice if you like though. Try making this paneer pulao / pulav for your next dinner party, paired with a simple cucumber and mint raita for the main course.
This recipe serves 6-8 people for a dinner party, typically 8, if you have more dishes on the menu.
|Cook Time
|30 minutes
- 2 cups Jeera rice
- 2 tbsps Ghee
- 2 Bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks pieces
- 1 cardamom black
- 3 cardamom green
- 2 tsps Jeera cumin seeds /
- 1 onion large
- 2 carrots medium
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 potato
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 400 grams paneer
- 2.5 tsps salt
- 3 tbsps Masala Pure and Sure Pulav
- 1 tsp + 2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsps yogurt
- 2 tsps gram flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsps coriander leaves
- Wash and soak the jeera / ambemohar rice in plenty of water for 20 minutes.
- Finely slice onions. Peel and dice carrots. Deseed and chop the bell pepper into squares. Peel and dice potato into cubes. Dice 200 grams paneer into cubes.
- Chop the remaining 200 grams paneer into cubes and marinate in a large bowl with oil, red chilli powder, turmeric, yogurt, 1/2 tsp salt, gram flour. Keep aside.
- In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat the ghee. Add all the whole spices.
- Once the spices puff up / crackle, add the sliced onions, diced carrots, potatoes and bell peppers. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the diced (plain) paneer. Stir well. Add the green peas, pulav masala, salt (2.5 tsp) and stir to mix.
- Add 4 cups of water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Add the rice, stir well, cover and cook on a low flame for 10-12 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp oil in pan. Remove the marinated paneer pieces with a slotted spoon. Drain off excess marinade and shallow fry the pieces on medium flame until golden brown on all sides. Do not fry for too long, or they will turn rubbery.
- Remove the cooked pulao in a large platter. Arrange golden paneer pieces over the top. Garnish with fresh coriander.
The pulav turns out incredibly fragrant and the vegetables in red and green stand out like jewels. The paneer pieces inside the pulao are succulent, while the shallow fried ones provide a crispy element to the dish. You can also use baked / fried bread cubes as a substitute to the shallow fried paneer pieces.
This post is in collaboration with Pure and Sure - using their Organic Pulav Masala.The Pulav Masala can be ordered here. You can find them on Facebook. You can shop their products from Pureandsure.in
The only good paneer brands in Bangalore are Milky Mist and Mother Dairy (when available). I have experimented with lots of brands that they are all poor in flavour and turn rubbery on cooking, so best to stick to a trusted brand of paneer.