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I like to have nice refreshing aroma in the car and must admit, I have been looking for a new car air freshener for a while (I kept forgetting to pick one up) however when I got reminded by my husband that fishing season is about to start soon, I didn't hesitate and literary run to my local Sainsbury's to pick one up as a precaution. My hubby is keen fishermen and takes car on his days out which wouldn't be so bad, but imagine having fish in the car boot, not talking about his fishing kit which leaves behind rather disgusting smell. I was very pleased to find selection of Jelly Belly car air fresheners and didn't hesitate to pick one. There were few different "flavours" to choose from I was torn between blueberry and tangerine, at the end I decided to try tangerine which is bright orange in colour.
***What is it? ***
As name suggests, it's a car air freshener which comes in a shape of oversized 3D jelly bean. They are made by Jelly Belly Company which is very famous for their lovely tasty jelly beans and other snacks. They are made in many different "flavours" most of them being fruity and are about 10cm long.
Jelly Belly air freshener is packaged in cardboard/plastic packaging. Cardboard is white in colour with multi-coloured jelly beans printed all over. You are able to size the colour of the air freshener which is packaged in a transparent plastic. Packaging is quite attractive and certainly stands out in the aisle from all the rest of car accessories. Air freshener has plastic hook attached to it should you want to hand it somewhere in the car, I hand it down from my review mirror.
***My thoughts***
I have chosen tangerine "flavour" as I love refreshing citrusy smell and couldn't wait to unwrap it. I didn't hesitate and opened it up whilst still in the shop car park. Product is really pleasing to look at, very simple in shape of giant jelly bean with Jelly Belly written in the middle of it with white writing. Lovely citrusy smell hit me and I was really pleased with it at the time. I love the fact that it wasn't too overpowering and headachy smell, just nice and refreshing. I had this air freshener for about 3-4 weeks now and I must say though, I am disappointed with its performance. Other than on first couple of days, this air freshener simply fails to refresh inside of my car. I would expect my car to be filled with the sweet tangerine smell the morning when I first get into the car or at the end of the day when I finish work, but really haven't been able to detect that lovely tangerine smell I was so happy with on the day of purchase.
***Price, availability, varieties***
I brought mine from Sainsbury's supermarket for around £3 mark. Widely available in other supermarkets or online roughly at around the same price. Even though tangerine "flavour" failed to meet my expectations, I will purchase it again, I have read some positive reviews about blueberry one so this will be my next purchase I think. I would be quite intrigued to try pear, lemon or cherry flavours too. I will see how my next purchase goes, hope it performs better than tangerine.
*** Additional Info you might want to know***
Jelly Belly car air freshener has following safety warnings:
Toxic to aquatic organisms
Harmful in contact with skin
Harmful if swallowed
I will give this product
I am only giving 2/5 stars. Thank you for reading :)
***Otrivine Adult Nasal Spray***
I have recently caught the cold or I should say my daughter kindly shared her bug and whilst she recovered pretty much in the day and overnight, I suffered for over a week. I suffer really badly with blocked nose whenever I have cold and normally purchase Otrivine Adult Nasal spray to help me to relieve my blocked nose. I have used this product few times before whenever I suffered from blocked nose and found it really effective.
This product can be purchase at any pharmacy or big supermarket with medicine counter I believe even my local Tesco Express has it in stock too. Product comes packaged in the box with information and dosage leaflet included. Please read the leaflet before using the product to make yourself familiar with the dosage and also to make sure it is suitable for you to use. Inside the box, small white plastic bottle can be found containing 10ml of decongestant liquid. Bottle has ordinary screw top lid (not child safe).
Using Otrivine is very simple, I normally just dispense 1 spray into each nostrils. I mainly use it before bed, I simply cannot sleep with blocked nose, thankfully Otrivine works really fast and provide me with good night sleep keeping my nose unblocked for a good 8 hours at least. I occasionally use it during the day especially at work if I suffer with terrible cold which keeps spreading the germs under control as it stops my nose running.
I purchased Otrivine from Sainsburys during my weekly shop and paid £2.50 for it which I feel is very reasonable. I would definitely recommend this product for effective relief from blocked nose and would purchase it again (hopefully won't need to for very long time).
Contains active ingredient Xylometazoline Hydrochloride 0.1%.
5/5 from me.
***Soap and Glory Foam Call Shower and Bath Body Wash***
I am fan of Soap and Glory product so was very pleased to receive a gift set containing Foam Call Body was and Body Butter which I will review separately. The gift set also contained a shower sponge which I now use with a Foam Call Body wash. The gift set came in retro looking cardboard box pink in colour which I found very useful and now use for my daughter's hair clips, brushes and other accessories.
Foam Call body wash came in 500ml round bottle with flip top lid. Bottle is baby pink in colour and has very recognisable Soap and Glory label on it. I like the retro yet girly look of Soap and Glory products I think they really stand out. Body wash itself has nice creamy consistency and is white in colour.
This was a first time I used Soap and Glory body wash and to be quite honest I was not overly impressed by the smell to start with but I also didn't hate it. It definitely smells fruity and upon looking at the label I am informed that it has notes of orange oil, green fig, frozen yuzu and pomelo essence. By quickly searching Google I had learned that both yuzu and pomelo are actually type of citrus fruit originating from different part of Asia. I normally like to use 2 or 3 different shower gels but since I had been given this one, I have been solely using it. The more I used it more I like the smell and now I actually really love it.
***Use of the product***
The first time I used the product I put a generous blob on the shower sponge which was part of my gift set. I was quite overwhelmed by the very generous amount of the lather the body wash produces. It was quite obvious I have used to much product also since then I have actually read the label advising that I could also rub the product onto damp skin, massage until it bubbles up and rinse. I have tried this technique but prefer to use it with my shower sponge.
Body wash lathers very easily and fruity smell quickly fills the bathroom. It doesn't dry my skin out and leaves it feeling rather soft. Definite bonus for me is that the smell lingers on my skin afterwards.
***Price and availability***
Available from Boots or Boots on-line at the price of £6.50 if brought separately. Soap and Glory products can be brought quite frequently on offer which makes them better value for money.
***My verdict is***
I like this product due to reasons described above. I would recommend this product but probably wouldn't buy it for myself simply because it is a bit pricey in my opinion for a body wash and I personally think that it is no more special than other body washes I have tried in the past and can buy from supermarket for a pound or two. I would be happy to receive it as a gift though in future as I think it makes a nice present.
Awarding 4/5 stars for a high price tag.
Thank you for reading :)
***Nomination Charm Bracelet***
I have first been introduced to nomination bracelet by a friend who has received one for her birthday. I haven't heard of them before this time but liked the idea of them so did some further research on the net and subsequently put it on my Christmas wish list. I was pleased to see that my hubby actually paid attention to it and was happy to receive the nomination charm bracelet for Christmas this year including 4 charms. When received, bracelet was neatly gift wrapped in a little black pocket with "Nomination" written on it and placed in a little card box bag again with the logo on it.
***So what is Nomination Charm Bracelet?***
It is bracelet made of links that join together by spring mechanism and which are then replaced by charms of your own choice to create and personalise the bracelet to your taste. Bracelet made out rust-free stainless steel and after some research, I was actually surprised to discover that nomination bracelets has been first "invented" back in 1980's in Tuscany, Italy by a clever man who wanted to design affordable jewellery for everybody to put their own personality to.
Nomination bracelets are available in 4 different link sizes - classic, big, tiny and smarty. I have received the classic link bracelet which I was more than happy with. Because I have classic link bracelet, I can only buy classic charms. I would actually be happy with any link size apart from tiny, in my opinion is it too small for charms to really stand out and whilst some people might prefer it, I would rather wear something that I can see properly.
Nomination bracelets that are mostly sold are made out of between 13 -18 links (depending how long you want it) with each link having "Nomination" engraved onto it. I believe you can buy extra links if you need your bracelet to be bigger. I received 18 link bracelets and initially took 2 links off it however it was getting uncomfortable at night and with it pinching my skin I added 1 link back on to it make it bit looser and more comfortable.
***What do I like about it?***
Well, to start, the fact that I can personalise it according to my own taste. There are thousands of charms widely available to choose from and with the new designs coming out, you never get bored. For instance some of the charms available are: zodiac signs, letters, animal, nature, nations flags (I have now even found Slovakian flag which I plan to buy), blood types, daily life including occupations, foods, sports, fun, good luck, geometric, birth stones or even seasonal ones and this is just to name some from what is available. Add to this elegance charms collection, Cubic zirconia charms, Silver and Gold charms, you really are spoiled for choice, there really is something for everybody to choose from. Recently I discovered that options don't stop here and also more personalised charms are available such as having your favourite photograph made into a charm.
I like the way the bracelet can be put on/taken off just by stretching; no fiddling with openings etc. I do not need to worry that I will accidentally loose it which would be very hard unless the bracelet is too long for the wrist and slips off.
Bracelet is durable but very comfortable to wear (when not too tight), I have now won it for a week and whilst many of you might think this is not long enough, it is like lifetime for me and so far a have no complaints. Bracelet is still looking like new without any scratches. I do not like bracelets with things dangling of it as it catches on my clothes or really annoys me when typing at work so this bracelet is really ideal for me. Although you can buy charms which have thinks dangling of it, I will not be buying any of those for my bracelets due to reason above.
Another advantage of this bracelet is that you only need to buy one (unless you like me and would like another one different size) to create more than one bracelet. Each time you add a charm onto you bracelet, you going to have to take one blank nomination link off otherwise you will end up with very long bracelet. Once you fill your bracelet with nomination charms, you will end up with blank link bracelet ready to create new one.
Only slight complaint I would have about the bracelet is how fiddly is to put the charms on. To replace a link with a charm or simply just remove a charm, you going to have to stretch the bracelet and unhook the charm/link you wish to remove. This is not such a problem; each link/charm can be stretched and has a little hook on one side. To put the link/charm on, you need to stretch your bracelet and link/charm at the same time, this can be very fiddly due to charm being quite small and may result in getting blisters on your thumb which happened to me on Christmas day as I would not stop messing around with links and re-ordering charms. This is not a massive issue though as once you get used to doing it, you will find your way getting link/charms on and off without any problems. OR another solution to this is to purchase nomination charm tool for just £6.50 (I definitely I will) which helps getting charms on/off and saves your thumbs.
***Is there anything else?***
Yes of course. In addition to range of charms, base bracelet can be also purchase in classic gold (not real gold just gold plated assuming by the price), bronze (again just plated) or titanium base. And not to let men to feel left out, Soho collection for men is also available.
***Let's talk prices!***
18 link stainless steel base bracelet only cost in region of £10. If you choose bracelet with less links price goes down, 13 link bracelet (I believe this is the smallest one) cost around £7.50. For other base bracelets such as gold, bronze or titanium you will be looking at paying around £30.
Charms cost between £16 - £40 again depending at what you get. On average though, most charms cost around £22 which is affordable enough should you want to treat yourself, other people as a gift or even to receive as a gift.
Nomination bracelets are getting very popular nowadays and many even small local jewellers now stock good range of charms and bracelets however I have found that I can find better variety on-line.
***So would I recommend?***
Oh yes, definatelly!!!! With those prices, you cannot really go wrong. Bracelet is very stylish in my opinion even when not fully completed with personalised charms. And with thousands of charms available on the market, this is ideal affordable jewellery or even a gift.
My favourite website to browse charms is http://www.joshuajamesjewellery.co.uk but there are plenty others available.
Thank you for reading.
Straighteners are one of my essentials that I cannot image to be without now. I only have short hair but first thing in the morning before it is straightened, it really looks like a natural disaster happened on my head, it is not a pleasant sight at all. When I was visiting my parents in October I left my hair straighteners behind and whilst I do have full size straighteners at home (used in the past when I had long hair), it is very difficult to use them on a short hair. Since my parents live 1200 miles away I have asked for mini straighteners for Christmas. Imagine my surprise about 3 weeks ago when my hubby presented me with these mini straighteners that he brought for me as a little early Christmas treat to use now.
***Packaging & Straighteners***
I was happy to be presented with little cardboard box with a small window which revealed cute little straighteners. I was pleased to see that the straighteners were nice shiny girly deep pink - purple in colour. I also noticed that they are really small, possibly smaller than my last mini straighteners. Talking about the size, these straighteners are only 15cm long with the plates itself being only 6cm long. Considering how small the straighteners are, the cord is 180cm which in my opinion is decent length. Instructions that came with the straighteners just contain some safety information, the point to notice thought is that this product claims 3 year guarantee.
***All the performance - half the size . . .***
The straighteners are easy to use, I just plug them in and glide the on/off button on the side to "I" position to turn them on. There is no other buttons for the temperature control or anything like that which may find with more expensive hair straighteners. This suits me well though and as long as the product does what it should we haven't got a problem. They get hot quickly though, as soon as I plug them in I can feel the plates getting warm and within less than 30 seconds, plates get too hot to hold on to.
So are these straighteners any good? Babyliss claims you get "all the performance in half a size". This is true only if you are using them on short hair like I do or for small touch up and fringes (as manufactures recommends) then you will have no problem. Should you want to use them for bigger jobs, even for slightly longer hair, you may struggle due to how small the plates are. It will take you ages to straighten even medium size hair and unless you want to spend hours doing your hair in the morning I reconsider getting different hair straighteners. Using them so far, I have managed to achieve excellent results i.e straight hair and as a bonus, straighteners even leave them looking shiny. The plates are smooth and glide through my hair with minimal effort.
Slight niggle for me is that straighteners get very very hot on the outside. There are a rubber grips provided to use when straightening hair to avoid burning your fingers but this didn't stop me burning myself few times now. This morning I caught my scalp as the straighteners touched it accidentally. I have short hair so sometimes it is difficult to straighten my hair without touching my scalp. I have also burned my fingers as forgotten that straighteners get hot and moved my hand down the handle away from protective grip. Ouch.!! I guess I just need to remember to keep my fingers on the grips, however my previous straighteners I used didn't have the problem of getting really hot on the outside so I find this really annoying especially knowing that I am likely to burn my scalp again.
Other than this, I cannot fault these hair straighteners, especially for the price my husband paid for it. I believe he paid only £9.99 (reduced from £14.99) at Boots which is really cheap even at full price. They retails at £4.99 at Amazon.co.uk (December 2012). Available in other colours if you do not like pink one.
Watching my daughter (Sofia) play with this particular toy the other day made me really want to write a review on dooyoo to share mine and Sofia's experience. This purchase was an impulse buy what now seems like ages ago. We were in Toys r us buying present for my friend little boy's 1st birthday when my hubby spotted this toy which was part of buy 1 get 1 half price deal and since we picked the present which was part of this deal, we decided to purchase this puppy toy for Sofia who at the time was only 3 months old. So obviously she was far too young for it but my hubby insisted that she would love it when she is older, and he was quite right.
Sit 'n' walk puppy came packaged in the window cardboard box so you can clearly see what's in the box. He represents beagle puppy on blue wheels with its tong sticking out. Sit 'n' walk puppy or "doggy" as we call him in our household has red collar around the neck with green string attached to it which is used to pull him along. In my opinion, he has a friendly smiley face which would appeal to children. Doggy is around 30cm tall and is made of hard plastic. Doggy requires 2xAA batteries which came already inserted and to date, we have only changed them once which is brilliant bearing in mind Sofia has been playing with this toy for around 16 months. Doggy has on/off button and the volume setting button which can be set either to medium or loud. Doggy barks continuously when pulled along (which does get annoying after a while and this is why I appreciate volume setting), whines when he is sitting down and also pants now and again when in the sitting down position. Maybe I should also mention that he moves around smoothly, we have carpets and Sofia has not problems pulling him along and I would imagine you'd have no problems on wooden or laminate flooring.
***Sofia's opinion***
I am speaking on behalf of Sofia as well when I say that this is one of her favourite toys. She has been playing with it for the past 16 months and is now at the stage when she can nicely pull him along and pretend she is taking him for a walk. It is such a joy to watch Sofia play with this toy especially the other day, when she was pulling him along stopping midway stroking his head and next minute telling him off putting him to the naughty corner. It was really funny. She uses him for all sorts of imaginative play, she tied him up to her buggy pretended she is taking her dolly for walk with doggy. I really like that she is using her imagination creating different situations, this toy keep her entertained for ages. Sofia loves dogs and I am sure she would rather have a real doggy but it is not happening (at least not yet) so for now, she is happy with this one.
***My opinion***
I must be honest, my first impression of this toy I must say was that is probably quite boring as it is just a plastic dog. But seeing Sofia playing with it I know I was wrong. I actually cannot fault this toy. It is of very good quality, it had been dragged and bashed around no end of time and yet I cannot see any signs of wear and tear on it which is very impressive. Manufacture recommend this toy from 10 months onwards which I think it very accurate, however Sofia has been playing with it since she was around 6 months old when she could comfortably sit unaided. Of course very young children need to be watched carefully because of the string. I would not hesitate to recommend this toy to anyone; it is proved to be a hit with Sofia's friends too providing she lets them play with him :)
Sit 'n' walk puppy is currently (Dec 2012) available on Amazon for just under £20, we purchased it from Toys r us.
5/5 stars
Thank you for reading
***Reason for purchase***
When I first became a mother nearly two years ago, I started going to the baby group my friend took me to, just to socialise with other mothers and maybe make new friends who lived locally to me. The place I went to was newly built and provided rather nice facilities including very nice selection of different toys for kids of different age. And this is where I first saw Sneeze the activity dragon. My daughter seemed quite interested in it, even though she was just a baby, she kept looking at it, all the bright colours and crinkles attracted her attention. To be quite honest, I was more excited about this toy than my daughter and all I was thinking about is that I really want to buy it for her. And thank goodness for the internet. Typing dragon activity toy into the search engine promptly provided me with the results I wanted. Couple of clicks away and Sneezy was mine!! Well Sofia's.
Sneezy the activity dragon or Dee Dee the dragon as we call it in our household lives now in my daughter's bedroom.
***So what is it?***
Dee Dee the dragon is bright, multi-coloured, soft toy with many activities and textures for baby to explore and keep them entertained. The dragon is about 30cm, quite chunky with its main colour being bright green. I like this green actually I think any other shade of green would really spoil the overall look of the dragon. This also means that dragon is suitable for boy or a girl. The toys activities include - from "head to toes":
Crinkly ears and wings
Squeaky nose
Squeaky right hand
Rattle left hand
Crinkly back
Daisy flower that pops out in and out of the pocket on the right foot
Peek-a-boo mirror on the other foot
Little butterfly attached to the dragons chest
Bell inside dragon's tail
We had Dee Dee since my daughter (Sofia) was about 10 weeks old and she actively played with Dee Dee until she was around 7 months old. When she was around 5 months, Dee Dee was perfect size to sit next to her so she could easily reach each part of the dragon, she use to chew/such on its ears when she was teething and loved the crinkly sound. Other favourite parts of dragon used to be daisy flower, butterfly and mirror. She used to love looking at herself in the mirror and giggle which kept her amused. It was really funny to watch it too.
Having said all this, to be totally honest, Dee Dee was never Sofia's favourite toy even though I used to make sure she can reach him all the time. Maybe it was me who wanted her to have Dee Dee as her favourite toy as I really like it but it never happened. When Sofia started crawling at 6.5 months old she lost interest in it as she could move around and explore the rest of the house.
***From my point of view. . . . .
I do not regret this purchase!! Dee Dee made Sofia laugh out loud for the first time when she was roughly around 4 months old. I still have a video of Sofia in door bouncer, I just kept making silly noises with Dee Dee when she started laughing out loud and it was just brilliant. Dee Dee is an excellent toy, very well made and of an excellent quality. He is soft to touch and with loads of on offer, it will keep baby occupied for hours.
Yes, my daughter eventually moved on as kids do, but Dee Dee has a special place in my daughter's cotbed and this is not my choice to put it there, she want him there so that shows she still likes this toy even though she is not actively playing with it.
Sneezy the dragon by TOLO is available from Amazon, currently retails at around £35 mark but I am aware that it can be purchased from various shops although I haven't seen it in any shop other than on-line.
I would definitely recommend this toy to anyone and personally I think it's well worth buying or it would make perfect gift for a baby. Can't give any less than 5 stars.
Thank you for reading :)
My Christmas Wish list
What would you like for Christmas??? Can you write it down for me? He orders!!! So I wrote a wish list for him and his family to follow, it had less than 10 things on it though, but this list has is a bit different as it has things on it my husband cannot give me. So in no particular order (apart from number 1 which really is number 1 wish), here goes my Christmas wish list . . .
1. Spend Christmas with my family
I would love to spend Christmas with my family. Unfortunately yet again this is not possible this year. My parents live abroad and with my mum working at hospital, she has to work this year so they can come to us. My hubby has no annual leave left and I would not want to spend Christmas without my him, so we can't go and see them. This year will be the 5th year in the row that I haven't seen my family at Christmas, we are going over next year not matter what. I still have my husband, my lovely daughter and hubby's family with me so I am happy but really miss my family especially during Christmas time.
2. New job
Three months ago I left my job I absolutely loved because it is re-locating and it would mean travelling 40 miles each way every day which I didn't want to do. I started new job which I absolutely hate and wish I never left my old job. I have had interview recently and another one coming up (hopefully) so fingers crossed I managed to get a new job, would make my Christmas that little bit nicer.
3. Nomination bracelet
I have asked for the nomination bracelet this year, I think this is one of the present I will actually get as my hubby has been casually asking what I like and tried to "secretly" get some ideas out of me.
4. My daughter to call me "mummy" instead of daddy
My daughter bless her call me and my husband both Daddy. She called my Mummy before but only when we are visiting my parent or when they visit us which is really strange, otherwise I am called daddy. Not that I mind too much, but would be lovely if she called me mummy, we are getting confused whether she is calling my husband or me :)
5. New hair straighteners
Recently, when I was visiting my parents, I left my straighteners behind so I have to use my old ones. I have short hair and find it difficult to straighten my hair with the old straighteners so asked for the mini straighteners. My hubby brought some for me already and gave them to me but I am still not using them until after Christmas.
6. New tattoo
I have a few tattoos and I would like a new addition for Christmas. I know this is not going to happen but if I had unlimited cash available I would have one done. Never mind, it is my birthday in March so maybe then. But yes this one is on my Christmas list still; I might win the lottery haha
7. Dior/Lancome mascara
I have put Dior/Lancome mascara on my Christmas wishlist (husband asked me to write one a while ago). Since having my daughter and having to pay childcare I cannot afford luxury make-up but would not mind getting it for Christmas, if I will, I will write the review on Dooyoo :)
8. Parfume
I think this one is classic. Every woman loves parfumes, I absolutely love Dior - Jadore or Marc Jacobs - Daisy. They are not cheap and since I ran out of both now, it would be nice to get a new bottle.
9. Furry hat from Next
I have seen this lovely furry hat in Next, it is sort of ginger/brown in colour and has ears on it - it looks better than I described it. I tried it on and really liked it (even though I looked daft wearing it).
10. And finally . . . Love, health, happiness and peace to all
I will not be upset if I don't get a perfume for Christmas or if I don't get a hat. What matters to me is seeing my daughter face when she opens her presents and sees her new dolly pram and other exciting toys she is getting.
Hope you all have lovely Christmas!!!
Thanks for reading
Bratislava Airport - M. R. Stefánik Airport
***Little bit of history***
In Slovakia this airport is commonly known as M.R. Stefánik Airport (to you all just Bratislava Airport). It was named after Milan Rastislav Stefánik, who was a diplomat, politician, astronomer and even a general in French Army during WW1. He tragically died in a plane crash near Bratislava in 1919 when he was returning home to see his family. Apparently Bratislava airport is well know for its extraordinary good climatic conditions, this is great but this was not the case when I went to see my parents in October and our plane had to be diverted to Czech Republic due to very thick fog which made us unable to land.
Bratislava Airport first flight was in 1923 and is now the main international airport of Slovakia. The airport has 3 terminals (A,B,C). Over the years, there has been loads of development and reconstruction going on. The most recent reconstruction of terminal B has been completed and opened in June 2012. By completion of the terminal, the capacity of passengers almost doubled to 5 million per year.
***Transport to/from***
Airport is very conveniently located only 5 miles from the Bratislava City Centre making it excellent location to get to the city. Should you wish to get the taxi to/from the airport, journey would not take more than 15 minutes during the night or calm period, during the rush hour, expect around 30 minutes to get there. Taxi charges vary, taxi drivers' tent to put the prices up for the foreigners (I know this is rip off!!!). The average taxi charge should not exceed 10 euros, don't get cheated into paying 20 euros. Taxis waiting at the airport will charge a lot more than taxi which is called over the phone to come and collect. You can reserve your taxi transport in advance directly to your hotel/place you want to go to for 13 euros. If you would rather have your own transport but not booked anything yet, don't panic, there are few car hire companies in the terminal building.
Should you fancy taking public transport, the bus station is located directly outside of the airport and would be hard to miss it. The bus service number 61 is available regularly from the airport to Bratislava City Centre (with few stops in between). The journey takes around half an hour and tickets must be purchased before you get on the bus from the machine located at the airport. Ticket cost 70 cent.
Short and long term parking is available at the airport, there are around 1 000 spaces available including disable parking spaces. I know this doesn't sound like a lot, but please bear in mind that Slovakia only has 5.5 million population (half a London). First 15 minutes parking is free of charge, drop of/pick up point is available too and will take you directly in front of the departure terminal. I believe parking charges are around 2 Euros for an hour which seems very little comparing to the charges at the UK airports. Parking lot is located in front of the airport, there is no need for you to get further transport to the terminal.
***Departure Terminal***
Upon entering the departure terminal, you will find yourself in a big(ish) hall, not much different from any other airport other than it is smaller than the UK Airports I have been to (Birmingham, Luton even East Mids lands) departure terminals. Straight in front of you on the top, there is a notice board with scheduled departures/arrivals times, flight numbers and check-in desk. The boards are in Slovakian and English as well which is very useful. The boards are also randomly placed all around the departure hall.
Last time I flew from Bratislava Airport (October 2012) the hall was looking nice and clean and I could see that it is cleaned regularly. The check-in desks are located in the middle of the hall, from my memory there are only around 10 check-in desks. Toilettes are located on the both sides of the departure hall as; this includes baby changing/feeding area and disabled toilets. They are being cleaned regularly which is noticeable really, every time I used them toilets have been nice and cleaned. I have used baby changing facility too, again this has been cleaned every time I used it, there are couple of changing units available and even a shower head over the big sink should you need to wash your little one.
To access departure gates, you will need to go upstairs through the security control. Lifts, escalators and normal stairs are all available to use to get to the passport control. There are also ladies/gents toilettes upstairs.
***Amenities and facilities***
There are various facilities available at the Airport as you might expected such as Bureaux de change, first aid, left luggage, baggage wrapping (in the departure terminal, charge of 4 euros per luggage), lost baggage, free hotspot (Wi-Fi) restaurant, bars, cafés, VIP lounge, airport business club, duty-free shop, smaller shops, post office, news agents and as already mentioned car rental facilities. For 50 cent charge, you can even have your luggage weight.
From my memory, there is only 1 coffee bar in the actual departure hall which is located downstairs in the corner of the hall. Shops, restaurants and more bars are available in the departure hall, after you get pass the security control.
Bear in mind that this is a tiny airport compared to some UK Airports and if you fly late at night, restaurants/bars will be closed. In October, our flight was at 10pm and I noticed at least couples of newsagents were still opened to get water/magazine as well as café in the departure hall as well as near the departure gates.
***Departure lounge***
Departure lounge offers restaurants, duty-free shop or small news agents. If you are getting excited to do loads of duty free shopping, then you will be disappointed, there is one big(ish) shop available mostly selling tobacco or sweets. There is a small café shop at the departure lounge area where you can smoke so it was packed the last time we flew. In Slovakia, restriction to smoking in the public places such as pubs or restaurants doesn't apply and you will find that many restaurants (if not all) actually allow smoking whilst you eat your food!!!
There was a kids play area located at the departure gates which I was relieved to see. Travelling on my own with my 21 month old has been really hard especially at 9pm when she is really tired and unco-operative. Kids area was located in the corner (close to gate A14) and included colorful flooring with tables, chairs, wooden puzzles and bean bags. There was also a soft play area with the slide and ball pit and couple of obstacles. My daughter loved it and as mentioned earlier I was very grateful and pleased for this.
***Final words***
I have good experience with this airport so far. The staff at the airport are reasonably polite, overall look and even the navigation around the airport has improved massively with the reconstructions that was undertaken to improve it over the years.
After the 20 weeks scan, we were over the moon to find that we were going to have a girl who is perfectly healthy. My first pregnancy didn't have happy ending and so to celebrate this good news, my mother in law wanted to take us shopping to be the first one to buy something for the baby (she didn't know what yet) We have decided to head over to Peterborough to the Kiddicare store. I was really excited to browse through baby staff and whilst we were looking through the nursery furniture my mother in law decided that she wanted to purchase a cot bed of my choice for our baby.
It was not easy to decide as we really were spoilt for choice but at the end we chose the Cosatto Hogarth cot bed in light natural pine colour. The first thing that impressed me about it was how solid, safe and stylish it looked. In addition we were helping the planet by buying this cot. Cosatto in partnership with Carbon Clear supports small groups of farmers around the world in planting trees with a wide variety of nutritional, medicinal and argricultural uses. So every time they sell a piece of wooden furniture, they will plant one tree!!!!
Cot bed was delivered (free of charge) 2 days after we ordered it which I thought was outstanding, I didn't really care then though as I was not going to need it for another 17 weeks. It came packaged in two massive boxes. It took my husband around an hour to assemble it for the first time, when he was doing it his 4th time (due to moving cot bed to our bedroom and then back to the nursery), it only took him half an hour. Easy to follow instructions were also included, even I was able to figure out by looking at it, how would I put it together.
Cot bed itself is made out of wood and in my opinion is very stylish looking. Its external dimensions are L148 x W89 x H103cm and internal dimensions are L140 x W70cm and so you would need to purchase the mattress of this size to fit in it. This cot bed ticks all the boxes in terms of what we needed. It's suitable from birth (to approx. 6 years), has 3 position adjustable base and one handed drop side. In addition, both sides of the cot bed have teething rails. With it being a cot bed, we can eventually convert it to junior bed or a sofa (as advertised) which basically means just removing one of the two rails. Due to its size, the cot bed doesn't fit through the standard door so I suggest you assemble it in the room you want it to stay in.
My daughter (Sofia) hated moses basket so she slept in this cot bed since she was 1 week old and first night she was in it, she slept for 6 hours straight!!! And she continues to have good night sleep in it. I really love it too and honestly cannot find single fault about it. We have got it in natural brown colour just like on the picture above however they do white and dark brown/black versions too. At the time of choosing this cot, I actually was torn between white and the natural brown, at the end we thought that it will go better with the nursery theme we chose.
Sofia is now 21 months old and still sleeps in this cot bed (in cot bed mode). It is still going strong as a matter of fact; I failed to find any signs of wear on it. Sofia has not used the teething rails but she does use the cot as a trampoline every morning. This doesn't affect the cot bed at all, we might need to buy new mattress eventually though.
The rail can be dropped down very easily and just by using one hand only. All you need to do is lift the rail a little, push it in at the bottom using your leg and slide down. Anyone who has back problems will love this feature which makes putting baby to bed so much easier. It also prevents you from getting back problems too however I do not use it and just keep it up all the time.
Overall I am very happy with our choice of cot bed and would be happy to recommend it to anyone. It is very sturdy and very well made, stylish and I can definitely see it lasting for years. Sofia has got loads of room in it to sleep comfortably and she even has room for panda, tiger and Dee Dee dragon to sleep with her too.
Cosatto Hogarth cot bed can be purchased at Argos, Kiddicare or Amazon and few others. Current price is around £230 without the mattress. Also matching nursery furniture is available at extra cost.
My daughter is really going to be really spoiled this Christmas (she is the only grandchild on both mine and my husband's side so both grandmas really spoil her) and with her birthday then coming up at the beginning of February she is likely to get more stuff. In a panic preparation to make some room in the house, I have decided to go through her toys that are taking up far too much space in our dining room, living and basically all around the house. A lot of them she doesn't play with anymore and whilst I was going through packing it away, I came across this cute Fisher Price Seahorse. I have completely forgotten that we have it actually.
My daughter was given it as a present when she was born by her uncle. It has since been 21 months but from what i remember, the seahorse came packadged in an open window box with instructions included with it.
Seahorse is aimed to soothe the baby to sleep by playing gentle lullabies with the sea/ocean sound in the background. I must admit, this toy is very cute and very simple. It has got cute smiley face and it's made of really soft material. Music is played by gently pressing seahorse's belly which then plays for 5 minutes continuously. During this time baby can nicely doze off by listening to 8 gentle lullabies and sea sound and whilst playing, seahorse's belly glows in yellow. Music then stops on its own after 5 minutes or can be stopped by pressing the belly down again and holding until the music stops and light goes off.
I haven't actually used this toy until my daughter was around 4 months old. She was used to going to sleep on her own in the dark so she didn't need music etc to soothe her to sleep. She did have the seahorse around though in the day and I tried to use it few time to soothe her sleep in the day and it didn't quite work. I found that it had opposite effect on my daughter and that music and light made her wanted to play rather than sleep and glowing belly really distracted her. I was not too bothered, i stopped using it to soothe her but I did leave it around though for her to play with if she wants. To be honest she has maybe grabbed it couple of times thats all. From my point of view, as mentioned above this toy is cute looking I have one negative from me which is that I did find the music to be rather annoying and if this was not a gift, i would not have purchased it at all.
Seahorse can be brought in either pink or blue colour, we have a pink version. Available in many places such as Argos, Toys r us, Mothercare, Amazon, Ebay etc. Currently on Amazon it sells at £18.99 it might be worth to look around though for cheaper price.
Could I recommend it? I would certainly advise anyone to give this toy a go but would mention that it didn't work for my daughter this of course doesn't meant that it would not work for other child. I do like Fisher Price toys, they are great and this one is not an exception. It just wasn't one for my daughter really.
As you all know, rubber gloves are very handy to use around the house for cleaning to protect your hands. Well this is the reason I buy them and I am sure that I am not the only one. With raising costs of everything, I try to get cheaper option wherever possible but also make sure it is good value for money and will last so I don't always buy the cheaper product if I know that I am going to just waste my money because the product is bad. This is however not the case with these Sainsbury's Basics rubber gloves I have purchased few times now costing just 47p for two pairs.
Gloves are packed in very basic transparent plastic bag with the red writing on it. In my opinion, packaging is appropriate for the price I paid. There are two pairs of yellow rubber gloves in the pack which also states that the gloves are thinner but still handy. To be honest, first time I brought them, I expected them to be thinner than Marigolds or more expensive gloves. My gloves are size 7-7.5, the size is not clearly stated on the pack and you would have to have a look on the actual gloves to see the size which is engraved on there. I have only just noticed it, I thought they do just one size when I was in the shop as I couldn't see size printed on the pack as I would expect. These size gloves fit me perfectly but I do not think they would fit my husband.
As mentioned earlier, I used those gloves mainly for cleaning jobs around the house mostly when cleaning my bathroom, toilette or working with bleach to protect my hands. I sometimes use them to do washing up although if I only have few things to wash up I don't tend to bother with the gloves.
So what do I think of them? Well, as it says on the packaging, they really are thinner but certainly still handy!!! They do what they are supposed to do, they protect my hand and although they are thinner, I find that they still are quite durable. I get loads of uses out of them before they need to be replaced, they have little rubbery prints on the palms of the gloves to prevent things slipping from your hands or to help you to get good grip of things especially when doing washing up this is very helpful.
I have long nails, but gloves are strong enough not to get damaged by them. I have managed to pierce the hole through them before if I caught them on something but I did that previously with more expensive gloves.
In my opinion these gloves are excellent value for money to use around the house for small cleaning jobs which is what I use them for and so I don't see the point buying more expensive product if this one does the job well. I will continue using these and would certainly recommend them.
Gloves contain rubber latex and will not be suitable for people sensitive/allergic to latex.
~~~Loreal voluminious mascara~~~
I like L'oreal products and have been generally satisfied with them in the past so decided when shopping for my next mascara few weeks back to purchase one from L'oreal. It has been a while since I have brought anything from L'oreal due to massive choice of make-up and different brands and I was really spoiled for choice. I picked Voluminious one, the look of this mascara was definitely a selling point for me as well as promise of extra volume with no clumps. Perfect!!!!!
Eyes are my best facial feature, I have big eyes and I love using mascara (and make-up) to make them really stand out. I have olive skin and blond eyelashes and appear very dull looking without mascara or make-up.
Mascara is presented in a rather nice bronze/gold looking tube with black writing on it. In my opinion this is very classy look for mascara, well I have seen worse. My mascara is slightly different from picture here on Dooyoo, when I was buying it, there was couple of mascaras that were black with bronze/gold lid on it however they are both called the same and after my comparison of the two, I have not noticed any difference between them.
~~~The brush~~~
I like my brush to be thick with loads of bristles to those plasticy brushes with short bristles. I actually didn't know what the brush may look like with this one as there was not picture/tester available but I still decided to purchase it. When I eventually managed to opened it (it came wrapped in the transparent foil which took me and my hubby good few minutes to get rid of, what a palava) I was pleasantly surprised to see the thick brush with very slightly curved bristles on one side for better application.
This mascara is promising an extra volume with no clumps. I am not sure whether they have just given it a wrong name; my mascara actually gives my lashes extra length. Don't take me wrong, I am not complaining, I love the way this mascara makes my lashes look lovely and long, however if someone is buying this mascara for extra volume only they may be disappointed. I have noticed some volume in my lashes but not awful lot. I apply few applications; I like my eyes to stand out. Too many applications can leave clumps but I find that the same happens with other mascaras I have used before.
I think I paid around 9 pounds mark for this mascara in Boots few weeks ago but is available on line or other stores selling make-up.
I am quite happy with this mascara; my friend actually commented yesterday on how lovely and long my lashes look. I would recommend it however must point out that it gives extra length rather than volume so if you buying mascara just for the volume, I would buy different product.
I am awarding 4 points for mascara because I havent noticed any extra volume on my lashes. I like it because it makes my lashes super long.
As it is half term at the moment and my childminder has a week off, i had to take annual leave to stay with my daughter so i have decided to go and see my parents for few days. They live abroad so we needed to book a flight to go over. I have only booked a standard baggage which has a restriction of maximum 15kg and needed to be careful of what i take with me as not to go over my limit.
I wanted to take some medicine just in case my daughter has temprature, i always like to have some on me if i go somewhere just in case as Calpol is not available over here then over in the UK. I also have some in my hand luggage in case i need it. Calpol sachet seemed like a pretty good option for me instead of buying Calpol in the bottle which is heavier.
---What it is for?---
Calpol suspension contains paracetamol and is ussed to releive pain and or bring down fever in conditions such as post-immunisation fever, teething, headache, cold and flu, sore throat and so on. Calpol is suitable for babies from 2 months +.
---Calpol sachets---
Sachets came in the cardboard box with a very well known Calpol design on it. Inside the box, we have 12 individuals sachet of 5ml of Calpol, plastic spon and instruction leaflet. There is also very informative dosage table at the back of the box should. Each individual Calpol sachet again has Calpol logo on it and is purple in colour again with the dosage infomation on it.
Each 5ml sachet contains: 120mg paracetamol, E420, E218, E216, E214 and 122and maltitol.
Calpol can not be used with other medication containing paracetamol.
---Using sachet---
I personally think sachets are such a briliant idea. They are very easy to use and ideal for travelling or for going out and about with having to fuff with the bottle. I use Calpol in the bottle at home as it is better value for money but for travelling briliant.
All you do is tear the sachet as the top as indicated either using scissors or not, i havent used scissors before and managed to open sachet without any problems or spillage. Pour Calpol into the plastic spoon provided and give it to your child.
So far i have found Calpol quite effective actually when my daughter was teething or had temprature. It relieved her symptoms quite quickly.
---Availability and variety---
Calpol sachet are available in the supermarkets or pharmacists. I brought mine in Sainsburys and paid 3.50 pounds (sorry no pounds sign on my dads computer keyboard). Taking into consideration amount you get, it is better value for money to buy it in the bottle but in this case I have paid for convenience. Calpol sachets are also available in the box of 20 for about the same price. Calpol is also available in Sugar Free option which is the one I have.
I am very happy with this product and would recommend it without hesitation. Very handy which I like especially for travelling or going on holiday or weekend breaks.
I love make-up and actually wear it on a daily basis including weekend. I am actually lucky that I have quite good smooth skin however I have few imperfections, especially really dark circles under my eyes and not matter what miracle eye cream I use, and nothing seems to get rid of them. Thanks to the dark circles under my eyes, I look like I haven't slept for week and so concealer has become a part of my make-up bag and I always make sure that have some available. I have previously used concealer by Maybeline from the minerals range but not been able to find it in the shops recently and so decided to try the Dream Lumi Touch concealer.
A concealer is a type of makeup used to mask dark circles and other small blemishes visible on the skin. The product is presented in 5inch long slim pen looking like tube made out of plastic. After some on-line research i found out, that ther is 9g of product in the tube (i failed to find this info on the actual product). In my opinion it is not looking particularly special, I have seen concealers from other make-up brand in similar packaging. This one of course states name of the product on it in golden writing. The tube doesn't appear transparent however, after you have used the product for few days you may notice that actually you can see how much product you will have left.
To use the concealer, you need to remove transparent plastic lid which is placed over the small brush. Concealer is then dispensed by turning the bottom of the concealer to the right and watch the concealer appear from the brush. Now, when you first use this product, you might need to turn it few times before concealer appears, after that it is just once or twice depending or how much you wish to use. This product lasts me a month this is with using it every day and due to its size, it is handy for even the smallest make-up bag or on the go.
I use my concealer for the dark circles under my eyes. I also found that this concealer does a good job of hiding blemishes by blending the other skin imperfection into the surrounding skin tone. I often use it around my nose as well as in between my eyebrow where I have a small scar which is not very visible but I know it's there and like to cover it. I normally make couple of turns to dispense the concealer and apply initially under my eyes and use my finger to blend it into my skin. Concealer the right consistency for my, not too thick or thin and I find it very easy to apply just by using my finger. Concealer blends in nicely with my skin tone and I also find that I get no "creases" under my eyes which I have previously experienced using different concealers. Product delivers very well, i am happy with it as I am left with good even coverage and bright looking eyes.
Product is available in three different shades. You get to choose from Ivory, Nude or Sand. I already use Dream Creamy make-up by Maybeline in Sand shade and so wanted to buy concealer in the same colour however it was not available on the day of my purchase and after conducting a quick test using tester available, I decide Nude shade should do for me.
I have purchased it from Boots, at the time of my purchase, they had 2 for £10 offer on however the full price of the product is £6.99 in Boots but price may vary in different shops.
I am happy to recommend this product especially if you want to mask dark circles.
5/5 stars


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Apple denies reported NSA 'backdoor' iPhone access
Tech giant Apple has responded to newly released documents claiming the National Security Agency has a method for gaining backdoor access to its iPhones. According to All Things D, Apple said it never worked with the agency and is unaware of the software program known as "DROPOUTJEEP," which the German news magazine Der Spiegel made public Monday.
The software can reportedly be implanted into phones to push and pull files, retrieve text messages, contact lists, voice mail messages, locations and other information. According to The Daily Dot, the documents showed the NSA needs physical access to the phones to install the program, which it gained by rerouting shipments of online purchases.
Here's Apple's statement, via All things D:
"Apple has never worked with the NSA to create a backdoor in any of our products, including iPhone. Additionally, we have been unaware of this alleged NSA program targeting our products. We care deeply about our customers' privacy and security. Our team is continuously working to make our products even more secure, and we make it easy for customers to keep their software up to date with the latest advancements. Whenever we hear about attempts to undermine Apple's industry-leading security, we thoroughly investigate and take appropriate steps to protect our customers. We will continue to use our resources to stay ahead of malicious hackers and defend our customers from security attacks, regardless of who's behind them."

subset: commoncrawl


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Multifaceted Andrea Jeremiah has crooned a special song for the forthcoming Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF). She recorded the song recently for the event, which is scheduled to be held from December 12-19.
It is an anthem song of CIFF and the number will be released soon. Andrea Jeremiah sung the song for the lyrics penned by actress Rohini. Sources say that the song has come out very well.
According to E Thangaraj, festival director, CIFF, the track will be used for the film festival's promotions. The organisers have plans to release the song a few days before the start of the 11th edition of CIFF.
In the 11th edition, 180 films will be screened from 58 countries. This year's CIFF event is expected to be attended by actor-filmmaker Kamal Hassan and Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi.
Which Is The Best Tamil Movie Of 2013? Cast Your Vote
The organisers have introduced 'Amitabh Bachchan Youth Icon Award' from this year as a token of respect to the Bollywood Megastar. "One young talent from the industry will be presented with this award. We will be bringing a special guest to give away this award," E Thangaraj claims.
The spotlight of this year will be on contemporary films from Turkey, Iran and Taiwan.


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About Schmidt (2002)
Opening sequence of Woodman Building meant to resemble opening shots of Xanadu.
Scene of Nicholson and waitress meant to echo diner scene but it was cut after previews.
Scene of Nicolson in bedroom with Bates meant to echo earlier film,
Passes by movie theatre with "Sideways" playing, Payne's next film
Referenced in
mentioned once
Video case is shown in a video store.
DVD is shown in a store.
Mentioned by Stan
DVD is shown.
Onscreen crawl of movies edited by Cleanflix
mentioned by Luke while talking to Yoda
Referenced in dialogue.
Talked about
Christy mentions that Alexander Payne directed the film
Poster is shown in Matt's room.
also written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor
Peter is Kathy Bates' butt double and gets in a tub
Poster of the movie was shown as an example of another movie that explores self identity.
Movie poster shown
Similar narrative style, genre
On TV in Warrn's bedroom
Scene with Bob hope broadcast on Warren's television
Featured in
Roeper's #8 pick.
Clips are featured.
clips are featured to illustrate the best movie wedding scenes
clips featured to illustrate the best road movies
A fragment featuring Jack Nicholson is shown.
the Critic groans in disgust at Kathy Bates' topless scene and says "at least you weren't cast in About Schmidt."
a clip is included in a montage of Kathy Bates films
Clip shown in montage of Kathy Bates films
Spoofed in
when Stewie takes a bath with Kathy Bates


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WHILE Channel Nine insists there won't be a shake-up, an injection of fresh faces means life in its commentary box could become a tight squeeze if it secures a new agreement with Cricket Australia.
Nine insiders are confident it will fend off a challenge from Channel Seven to retain the rights to the three forms of the game - Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20.
Nine's seven-year deal, worth between $315 million and $350 million, expires at the end of this summer. There has been speculation Nine would also seek a slice of the Big Bash League, possibly a prime-time Friday night match, but that could affect CA in terms of diluting what Fox Sports, which has exclusive rights to the BBL, would offer.
Channel Ten, in need of an injection of major sport to lift its ratings, has also expressed interest in the BBL.
''It's no surprise Seven is interested in cricket. Cricket is a great game and a great television game,'' a Nine source said. ''We have got a great relationship with CA and talks will follow due course.''
Nine is aware Seven has money to spend on cricket, having missed out on securing the rights to the NRL. But Nine has the right to first and last refusal, meaning it can match and better any deal put forward by a rival.
CA has been in discussions with the networks, including Ten and Fox Sports, for two years, but these will intensify from November. ''It would be a big thing to take it off Nine,'' the Nine source said.
Channel Seven sources told The Age last month it was considering seriously a bid as this was the first time since Kerry Packer won the rights in 1979 that they had ''seriously gone to market''.
''This has been a closed negotiation for more than 30 years. The relationship with Seven and CA has probably never been as active,'' the source said.
Seven has also said it is open to bidding for a slice of cricket, which could mean it would only broadcast the one-day series.
If, as expected, Nine retains the rights, there could be changes in the commentary box, with the contracts of several callers, including Richie Benaud, expiring next year.
But Nine is mindful of the history several of its commentators have with the network and will not ''sack'' anyone. Rather, any changes would be delicately ''managed''.
When he retires, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting will be asked about his interest in joining Nine. Ponting wants to play on for another year and even take part in the 2013-14 home Ashes campaign, but if the veteran has a poor summer his grand career could come to an end. He also has business and charity interests but is considered a prospective commentator because he speaks his mind.
Nine once had a ''captains or vice-captains'' policy but that has changed in recent years, particularly since the advent of Twenty20 and its focus on a younger generation.
Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Tom Moody had stints on Nine last summer, and the network was particularly buoyed by the insights given by current players who were used when they were injured or rested. One to impress was fast bowler James Pattinson.
Nine has had a healthier relationship with current players since a meeting with Ponting, Hayden and Gilchrist several years ago and will tap more and more into this talent, adding to the squeeze in the commentary box.
Benaud has shifted into a slightly different role in recent seasons, with less focus on ball-by-ball play.
He turns 82 next month but is set to remain part of the team, perhaps in an infrequent role, should he wish.
Fellow veteran callers Ian Chappell, 69 this month, Tony Greig, 66 next month, and Bill Lawry, 75, are also expected to remain a part of the Test team, although this could be in a reduced capacity.
Lawry, for instance, could be used exclusively for matches in his home state of Victoria.


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Contact Information
Northern Lights Railroad Museum219 20th St NE
P.O. Box 654
East Grand Forks, MN 56721-0654
(218) 773-1726 (Phone)
(218) 773-6668 (Phone 2)
Region: Northwest
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- Admission is a $1 donation per person.
Casey Holt Junction resembles a train depot 92 x 24 feet and features a digitized HO Scale model railroad and two digitized N Scale model railroads. It also includes meeting rooms, a telegraph office, a public viewing hall and a museum addition featuring historical memorabilia from the glory days of railroading. Outside there is 800 feet of standard gauge railroad track under construction, featuring a restored Great Northern caboose, an operating block signal, motor car and other equipment.
More Information
- 1 mile East of the ND Border on U.S. Hwy 2 to its intersection with MN State Hwy 220 N, then N on 220 to 20th St NE and then East to the big RED CABOOSE and CASEY HOLT JUNCTION.
Other Date Information
- Saturday's from 9 AM to 3 PM or by appointment.Monthly Business Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7 PM at the Casey Holt Junction Depot.
Green Practices
- Desc of Green Practices in Place: Operation LifeSaver provided by the BNSF Railway for special events. Open for Heritage Days in August. Tours for prior approved large groups require a negotiable entrance fee of up to $100 depending upon group size.
- Waste Reduction/Reuse/Recycling
- Water Conservation/Wastewater Mgmt Plan
- Energy Efficiency/Conservation
- Air Quality Improvements
- Eco-Friendly Landscape/Facility Design
- Transportation-Related Policies or Programs
- Eco-Friendly Purchasing Practices
Attraction Attributes
- Accessible to Disabled
- Can Accommodate Groups of 45 or more
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Autodesk Inventor 2010 Units
Any 2D drawing or 3D CAD model must be specifed in some units, say Inches or Millimeters, In this article we shall see more about Autodesk Inventor 2010 Units
Autodesk Inventor, by default during installation takes Inches as its default units, untill you specify the units of your choice say Millimeters.
Note: Every part, assembly, and drawing has a default units system. Values that you enter in dialog boxes are assumed to be in the default units unless you specify a unit name.
When creating a new file, default units are set. However, you can change the units at any time you want.
When you create a part or assembly, the units of measurement in the template sets the default units of measurement for the model. You can change the default units for the active document.
- Click on tools Tab > Option Panel > Document Settings to open the dialog box.
- Click the Units tab to open it.
To change the setting for any of the measurement types or precision, click the arrow next to the edit box. Select the setting from the list.
After you made the necessary changes, click on Apply.
You can also select a unit when starting a drawing by choosing from the template file which contain English and Metric units, see figure below


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Kellogg's has teamed up with, y'know, some soda people, to bring the world two new flavors of Pop Tarts – Crush Orange and A&W Root Beer.
Pop-Tarts Frosted A&W Root Beer are bubbling with root beer-flavored filling, wrapped inside a golden crust, and are topped with sweet white frosting and brown, red and orange crunchlets. Pop-Tarts Frosted Crush Orange citrus-flavored filling will tingle your taste buds with its sweet white frosting and orange string icing.
This prompts us to ask the question: Is this it? Are we done? Is the apocalypse nigh? Are two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse really into Pop-Tarts? And if so, which ones? I suspect Famine is a fan. Maybe Death? It's probably Death.
"We're always trying to surprise our fans with flavors they'll love," said Angela Gusse, director of marketing for Pop-Tarts, presumably while donning a robe made from a material that seemed blacker than black, as though light did not hit the surface whatsoever, and sacrificing a confused and malnourished goat to her eldritch toaster gods.
The new flavors will be available in stores across the US starting in May.
Check out more images below.
(Editor's note: This post was submitted to us as an audio recording of Ben screaming, an unending howl of fear and doubt and dread about the world in which we live. We have transcribed the content of that recording as best we could to produce this post.)


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Keystone Montessori School in Ahwatukee recently received an unexpected surprise: a large, musical donation was delivered to the school. Included in the donation was a pallet full of ukuleles.
Gerry DeLaTorre, music specialist at Keystone and the Phoenix coordinator and instructor of Guitars In The Classroom (GITC), was contacted by Jessica Baron, founder and director of GITC, to let him know about the donation.
The ukuleles were donated to the Phoenix GITC program from Kala Brand Musical Instruments, one of GITC's many sponsors. Now that the delivery was made, the instruments will be delivered to various teachers in the local GITC program for their classroom use, so they may continue to bring music and song-based instruction to their students.
Many of the teachers at Keystone have gone through the Phoenix GITC program with DeLaTorre, or are currently in the program, which meets on Saturday mornings at Bookman's Exchange in Phoenix.
DeLaTorre uses ukuleles, as well as an assortment of other contemporary instruments, in his music program at Keystone. For more information about GITC, visit www.guitarsintheclassroom.org.


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$User_Name has won the 2008 Lulzmanship award of teh internets and will go down in history along with all the other creators of lulz.
by weylin42189723 May 17, 2008
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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Xolile Mngeni, accused of murdering honeymooner Anni Dewani, is not psychologically fit to stand trial because of a brain tumour, the Western Cape High Court heard on Friday.
Defence counsel Matthews Dayimani requested that Mngeni be referred for observation in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act to see whether he was able to understand court proceedings.
He told Judge Robert Henney that an oncologist had warned against Mngeni appearing in court at all.
"His condition, my lord, is that his immune system is very low and that he should not be out and about, or out of hospital, for fear of infection."
Mngeni also apparently suffered from attacks in which he would get headaches, double vision, and extreme exhaustion.
Henney asked if there was any report to this effect.
Dayimani replied that it was not only difficult to arrange someone to see his client in prison but also very expensive to commission a report from a specialist.
"I'm sitting with a client who is incarcerated. These updated reports, in my view, are costly."
Henney referred to the last medical report entered into the court file detailing Mngeni's health.
He read the last paragraph out, which stated that although the accused suffered from headaches and trembling, he was completely orientated, able to understand proceedings, and fit to attend court.
"You have to bring a substantive application. You must base it on something," Henney told the defence.
"That is what I intend to do," Dayimani replied.
Prosecutor Shareen Riley said the State was informed of the referral request but intended to oppose the application.
"Should he provide the State with a more updated report... we'll reconsider our application."
Dayimani was ordered to approach Judge President John Hlophe with the request.
He would report back to Henney on May 11 when the pre-trial conference was set to resume.
Both Mngeni and his co-accused Mziwamadoda Qwabe stood quietly before the judge, although a few minutes into proceedings Mngeni was told to sit as he was trembling.
The two face charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, and two counts relating to the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The matter was postponed to next month as Qwabe could no longer afford his advocate Thabo Nogemane, and would need time to apply for Legal Aid.
Henney said it was only fair that the new legal representative be given time to get the docket, all the statements, and instructions from his clients.
The trial was set down for July 30.
Anni, 28, was shot dead in an apparent car hijacking while she and her husband were on honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
South Africa is trying to extradite Anni's husband, businessman Shrien Dewani, from the United Kingdom to stand trial for her murder.
An order for his extradition was signed by the UK secretary of state in September, but Britain's High Court temporarily halted the extradition on mental health grounds, saying it would be "unjust and oppressive".
He would be extradited to South Africa as soon as he was fit.
Dewani is being treated in a mental health hospital in his hometown of Bristol, western England. - Sapa


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A Fabolous Outfit. Levi denim jacket, jbrand leather skinnies, Givenchy croc clutch, shirt LPD New York, & Shoes (simliar Gianvito Rossi.
I am 70 yrs and was taking this product. I find it is great! Viagra online without prescription? Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name product.


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FrontlineSMS let users send, receive and manage SMS over a mobile network.
Laxmy is from Thudi village, Srikakulam district,AndhraPradesh. She is confirmed Hiv positive.
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text: Latest News Home > Jul 13, 2013 Expecting an Upward Swing in Demand for Serviced Offices – Jakarta Expat features The Executive Centre's market forecast Print The Executive Centre, Asia Pacific's leading premium serviced office provider, expected an upward swing in the demand for serviced offices in Jakarta. In a recent market forecast featured in Jakarta Expat, Stephen Chatham, Director of Expansion of The Executive Centre, commented, "Rather than investing long term in expensive office space with all the set-up costs and overheads, companies are turning to serviced offices like The Executive Centre, for a cost-effective, efficient and flexible solution." With its third Jakarta location recently opened at the prestigious One Pacific Place, The Executive Centre is confident in benefiting from Indonesian's growing economy and rising demand for serviced offices stimulated by increasing number of new start-ups. About The Executive Centre The Executive Centre is the leading premium serviced office provider in Asia Pacific with over 80 centres in 21 cities. Founded in 1994, it operates in Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau, Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangalore, Chennai,Pune, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. The Executive Centre provides serviced offices, virtual office representation services, meeting and conference facilities, and business concierge services to multinational corporations, small and medium enterprises, and start-ups locally, regionally and internationally. Please visit our Web site at www.executivecentre.com BACK Latest Post Standing Revolution TBR AND The Executive Centre announce new partnership in Asia The Executive Centre's Asia-Pacific Business Outlook Survey The Executive Centre Introduces TRIBE by TEC in Singapore The First Dedicated Coworking Centre in the Vibrant Neighbourhood of Circular Road The Executive Centre expands footprint in Beijing by opening its 8th centre at China World Tower B Previous Post Show All 2017-6 2017-3 2017-2 2016-11 2016-10 2016-9 2016-8 2016-7 2016-6 2016-5 2016-4 2016-3 2016-2 2016-1 2015-11 2015-10 2015-9 2015-8 2015-7 2015-6 2015-5 2015-4 2015-3 2015-2 2015-1 2014-12 2014-11 2014-10 2014-9 2014-8 2014-7 2014-6 2014-5 2014-4 2014-3 2014-2 2014-1 2013-12 2013-11 2013-10 2013-9 2013-8 2013-7 2013-6 2013-5 2013-4 2013-3 2013-2 2013-1 2012-12 2012-11 2012-10 2012-9 Category Show All Video Press Article


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A BLACKBURN-based charity has donated a specialist cardiac machine to a hospital in India.
Last May, Al-Imdaad Foundation UK launched an appeal to raise money for the heart machine in a hospital in the Gujarat state of India, providing medical assistance to thousands of people in surrounding villages and cities, including rural poor areas.
The current machine was more than ten years old with limited facilities to diagnose heart-related symptoms.
The charity launched used online appeals, radio adverts and door-to-door marketing.
The response was overwhelming, as donations came in from all over the UK.
The charity Muslim Aid Australia also chipped in, and a total amount of £20,000 was raised to buy heart machine.
The new machine provides optimum resolution scanning and performance, and can take vivid colour images in 2D, 3D and 4D to assist heart patients and is the first of its kind in the state of Gujarat. The machine will now help doctors to diagnose better results for patients having heart problems.
Last month a team from Al-Imdaad Foundation UK flew out to India to deliver the heart machine to Alipore Hospital.
International projects co-ordinator Zubair Valimulla said "This is a remarkable achievement for Al-Imdaad Foundation UK.
"Again we have delivered as we promised and this heart machine will support between 100 and 125 patients each month enabling medical professionals to diagnose patients with high quality images in detail.
"We would like to thank all who took part in this fantastic appeal."
Blackburn with Darwen Mayor Salim Mulla said: "I'm really pleased. I have supported this hospital for a long time, and I know this machine will be very valuable to the people there.
"I'm really happy that this Blackburn charity is doing such great work."
To view the delivery and reaction from the hospital visit www.alimdaad.co.uk


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1950s Halterneck Red MED White Spot Dress
3 Recommendations
vivienofholloway's recommendation
These wonderful 1950s halterneck Polka Dot dresses are made of 100% Cotton. These stunning 1950s Polka Dot dresses hit the Press over and over this year sported first by Kate Nash followed by Nigella Lawson then Charlotte Church. They have been selling like wildfire. Is it any surprise. Can you really beat those cheeky spots. We just can't make them fast enough. Vivien of Holloway is the chosen designer of many burlesque performers and party goers alike. This 1950s style dress is amazing the bodices are boned and lined to give you that great pin-up bullet shape. It lifts your bust while nipping in your waist to accentuate those curves. You can look the bell of the ball or the wonder at any wedding in this beautifully flattering style. Vivien of Holloway is a London Based company and all our dresses are made locally.
Tastyone's recommendation
Very cute 50s dress!
any cheaper?
- buzzybee
Mae_Ann's recommendation
Added to my Shopping Guide Wish List


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Print this article | Close this window
Living with the legacy of catastrophic oil spillsLesley Russell
Published: March 27 2014 - 3:00AM
March 24 marked the 25th anniversary of the environmental disaster caused when the Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground in the pristine waters of Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska, dumping 35,000 tonnes of crude oil and fouling about 1900 kilometres of coast line.
A quarter of a century later it is apparent that the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem is permanently damaged. Oil is still visible on the beaches and persists beneath rocks and sand where it is slow to decay. Sea otter populations in the area are finally recovering, but many species are still listed as "not recovering". A pod of orcas that lost 15 of its 22 members after the spill has not produced a calf since. Pacific herring, once the source of a vibrant commercial industry and food for bald eagles, brown bears, seals, humpback whales and puffins, are also on this list.
The April 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill was the largest in US history, involving up to 600,000 tonnes of oil, so its likely impact will be larger and last longer. A study sponsored by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration highlights the damage and the grim implications for the yellowfin and bluefin tuna and amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers found a variety of heart abnormalities among fish exposed to low levels of crude-oil chemicals. Given the spill occurred during the tuna spawning season, those fish that were then embryos, larvae or juveniles have likely developed heart defects due to exposure to chemical toxins.
These fish, still several years from maturity, will be increasingly unable to catch food and will gradually be lost from the adult spawning population.
As in Alaska, the oil lingers in the gulf on the ocean floor and in the wetlands. The full extent of its impact will not be seen for many years. But studies show sick dolphin populations, sea turtles stranding at five times normal rates, decreasing fish populations and an unbalanced food web.
More worrying and less obvious are the potential effects on human health. There have been shockingly few studies done on the human health impacts of major oil spills. Exxon has consistently maintained there is no evidence workers in Alaska experienced any adverse health effects as a result of the clean-up, but in fact neither Exxon nor the US government has done any long-term research - a fact that only emerged at the time of the gulf oil spill. Now most of those itinerant or imported workers are lost to follow-up.
People living in gulf coast communities have reported a suite of illnesses involving headaches, nausea, respiratory problems and skin lesions. But the damage is likely to be more significant. Clinical investigations of more than 170,000 people who worked in some capacity to clean up the 2010 disaster show they have significantly increased risks of developing liver cancer, leukaemia and blood disorders. Some researchers are predicting increased rates of early-term miscarriages and cancers, along with liver, kidney and nervous system damage.
If these issues seem remote in Australia, that is only because the nation has escaped such environmental crises to date, but the potential for devastating oil spills sits just off the coast. The 2009 spill from the Montara Wellhead Platform, which lasted from August to November, was located 260 kilometres offshore in the Timor Sea and apparently caused little damage. However, given the spill involved conservatively 3600 tonnes of oil and 200,000 litres of dispersant were used in the clean-up, reassurances about long-term environmental impacts may be premature as much of that oil is still in the environment.
Meanwhile, BP is planning to drill in the Great Australian Bight, BHP Billiton wants to explore for oil near Ningaloo, off the north-west of Western Australia, and Woodside, in co-operation with Shell, has formally lodged plans to drill near Rowley Shoal, west of Broome. These are all environmentally sensitive areas. About one third of the total southern right whales in Australian coastal waters have been born in the sandy bays of the bight; Ningaloo is home to endangered sea turtles, and whales and dolphins swim around Rowley Shoal.
Environmental protection of these sites is made more precarious because Prime Minister Tony Abbott has followed through on his pre-election threat to Australia's national network of marine parks by suspending the management plans for 33 new marine parks, including parks in the Coral Sea, the Kimberley and the Great Australia Bight.
The marine environment is already under serious threat. Offshore oil drilling adds to that threat, especially when the government favours less rather than more environmental protections.
Dr Lesley Russell is a research associate at the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney.
This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/living-with-the-legacy-of-catastrophic-oil-spills-20140326-35ibc.html


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Elmerf123456: I'm sorry folks I was not here last night I was where there was no Internet … Read More
Tag: U.S. dollar
Iobey777: Highlights from the CC! I strongly encourage everyone to LISTEN to the recorded CC! A few … Read More
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Oil prices rose Thursday, offsetting some of the losses of the previous session, supported by a decline
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Exports of tra fish to the United States have remained stable after it imposed a demand that … Read More
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/1/2014 (1304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
MOON ALERT We have the all clear to do business (whether $10 or $10 million) and make important decisions. The moon is in Scorpio.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
You will be in excellent form talking to others in groups. (Classes, small meetings or large conferences.) That's because you will express yourself clearly and directly. You will mean what you say and say what you mean, but nicely. Feel free to rally your troops!
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
This is a good day to approach bosses, parents, teachers and VIPs with your suggestions, projects or requests for approval. They will be impressed with your communicating style because you sound like you know what you're talking about. (That's half the battle because people don't really listen.)
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
You'll enjoy studying or researching topics. This is also a good day to make headway with publishing, the media, medicine and the law because you will defend your best interests and make a good case for yourself.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
This is an excellent day to discuss how to divide something or share an inheritance because you will be strong about defending yourself and defending the interests of others as well. You will make sure things are done fairly so that the crops shall not fail and there will be peace in the NHL.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Discussions with friends and partners will be lively. You will learn something new from them and vice versa, plus you will not hesitate to dispense your wisdom. In fact, you are hungry for some scintillating, sizzling, stimulating conversation with others.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Make a to-do list at work and get busy. Not only will you be hands-on and productive, you won't hesitate to delegate to others as well. Your aim is to accomplish things and strike them off your list. It's a good day to focus on improving your health as well.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
A playful, creative day for you. Enjoy hobbies or working with arts and crafts. This is a good day for writers and artists who work with their hands. Romantic discussions will be dynamic and lively. This is also an active day for sports and teaching children.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Aggressive family discussions might take place. If not aggressive, they will be active and dynamic. Whatever the case, this is good day to sit down with others and strategize home repairs as well as make plans for the family down the road.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Because your urge to communicate is strong, you will be successful in sales, marketing, teaching, acting, writing and talking to others. You feel mentally alert and energetic and ready to impart your views to anyone.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Share your money-making ideas with others. This is good day to discuss anything about earnings, your work, or how you choose to spend your money. You're willing to roll up your sleeves and get involved at a hands-on level.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
You feel mentally sharp and alert. This is why you will have strong opinions about things and won't hesitate to share them with anyone. Naturally, this is a great day for those of you who teach, give public talks, sell or need to market your ideas. Blah blah blah.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Research will go well because you are mentally alert and eager to find answers and solutions to old problems. Nothing will be too much trouble. In fact, you will love the chase because victory will be that much sweeter. Get as much done as possible.
Actress Kristen Schaal (1978) shares your birthday. You enjoy being in the social buzz because you are admired. People find you attractive. Sometimes, as a response to this, you adopt an aloof attitude as a defence. Your challenge is to enjoy your magnetic personality and yet simply be who you are without fear or apology. This year a major change will take place, perhaps as significant as what occurred around 2005.


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Trespass America Festival is Coming to Oklahoma City! [VIDEO]
The 2012 Summer concert series continues at the Zoo Amp! Coming to Oklahoma City to the Zoo Amphitheatre on Friday, August 24th (08-24-12) Metal Hammer Magazine presents the Trespass America Festival!
The line up includes: Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Pop Evil, God Forbid, Emmure and Battle Cross.
Keep it tuned to Z94 the 'Concert Connection' for your shot at scoring FREE TICKETS to the Trespass America Festival, thanks to D.C.F. Concerts and the Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre! We'll have your shot at winning soon so keep listening.
You could also win a pair of tickets online if you're a member of the loyal, royal Z94 Army! Membership has it's benefits so if you haven't signed up yet Enlist today! It's quick, easy and free! Once you get signed up you'll qualify for all kinds of exclusive 'member's only' products, items, discounts, offers and more!
If you can't wait to win advance tickets are on sale now! Call 1-(866)-977-6849 to charge by phone or order online at www.zooamp.com
Check out the official trailer for the 'Trespass America Festival' and what you can expect from this year's tour! You'll also what to take our poll on which artist you're most wanting to see.
Subscribe to KZCD-FM on


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Room-temperature, all-solid-state, broadly tunable laser operation of -doped CdSe has been demonstrated. Pumping with a -switched Tm, Ho:YLF laser running at a 1-kHz repetition rate achieved broadband output of 500 mW at with 48% absorbed power slope efficiency. With reduced efficiency, as much as 815 mW of power was obtained. With a diffraction grating, the laser was tuned from 2.3 to with 10-nm bandwidth (FWHM) and output power up to 350 mW.
© 1999 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
Gregory J. Wagner, Timothy J. Carrig, Ralph H. Page, Kathleen I. Schaffers, Jean-Oliver Ndap, Xiaoyan Ma, and Arnold Burger
Opt. Lett. 24(1) 19-21 (1999)
Toomas H. Allik, Suresh Chandra, David M. Rines, Peter G. Schunemann, J. Andrew Hutchinson, and Richard Utano
Opt. Lett. 22(9) 597-599 (1997)
Irina T. Sorokina, Evgeni Sorokin, Sergey Mirov, Vladimir Fedorov, Valery Badikov, Vladimir Panyutin, and Kathleen I. Schaffers
Opt. Lett. 27(12) 1040-1042 (2002)


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So on the writing front, I have sent off the first two books in the McDare trilogy and am writing the third. I'm working on the follow up to Reunited By Murder, yes still working on it. I'm stuck on some parts and it's taking time to get my head around it.
I'm also writing a sequel to Scotch on the Rocks. This book is Paul's story. I've started two other paranormals and as of yet, do not have titles for them.
So I'm trying folks. I was discouraged with writing a few months back and completely gave up even trying to write. But I'm getting back on track now I promise.


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When Less Is LessBy
The TwitterPeek, a little blue device that looks like a pocket calculator with too many buttons, does nothing but manage your twitter streams. It belongs to an electronic breed that rarely succeeds but never quite disappears: single-purpose devices. From the days of the Apple (AAPL) II on, general-purpose computers have mostly sent more specialized products like these packing. Versatile smartphones, likewise, have demolished the market for Palm's (PALM) and other nonphone PDAs.
Yet some single-purpose devices survive and—in the case of Amazon.com's (AMZN) Kindle and other electronic book readers—even thrive in a multipurpose world.
Reflecting on the TwitterPeek, a seriously flawed device, helped me figure out the secret of specialized success, and it's really quite simple. To have a chance, a specialist must do whatever it does much better than the same function on a more versatile product. Being cheaper won't do it, and neither will simplicity. The key is being better.
Startup company Peek began by offering low-cost wireless devices that provided minimal wireless e-mail for $19.95 a month. I could make a case for an e-mail-only handheld, but a product that does only Twitter is much harder to justify, even if it costs just $200 with lifetime wireless service (or $99 with six months of service, then $7.95 a month). Furthermore, TwitterPeek is far worse at Twitter than Tweetie on the iPhone, ÜberTwitter on BlackBerry (RIMM), or any other Twitter app I've tried. To me, the real value of Twitter is in the links included in tweets, but TwitterPeek's text-only browser leaves many Web pages unreadable.
WikiReader is an even odder single-purpose product. It's a $100 handheld that holds a subset of Wikipedia. It has no Internet connection, so the content loaded onto the device is what you get. There are no illustrations, and links are difficult to navigate. In other words, it's a pale shadow of the real Wikipedia on a PC or even a smartphone.
Some of the single-purpose devices, however, do make sense. My iPhone and BlackBerry take decent enough pictures, but I still own both point-and-shoot and single-lens-reflex cameras. They do nothing but take pictures—video, too, on the point-and-shoot—but they do it vastly better than any phone. I care about pictures, so I carry an extra device.
I can read Kindle books on an iPhone and now on a laptop, but I much prefer the Kindle reader. Simply put, the laptop is too big, the iPhone too small. The Kindle is easy on the eyes, comfortable to use anywhere, and if I turn off the wireless function when I don't need it to download books, the battery can last for weeks.
Flip video cameras from Cisco Systems (CSCO) are an interesting tweener case. Even the humblest model takes better pictures than a phone camera and is easier to use. But the gap is narrowing, and it's not clear to me that the elegant Flip is so superior to smartphones that it can survive.
Aside from the iPhone-like Touch, iPods are another example of specialized devices whose era may be ending because they cannot maintain their edge of excellence. Many smartphones now equal the iPod as music players and are better at showing photos and videos. Adding a mediocre video camera to the iPod Nano just isn't enough.
The lesson is that for a specialized device to cut it against more versatile competition, it must hit a high bar for excellence. A decade ago, the PalmPilot crushed the Apple Newton: While it did less, it did it much better. Eventually the Palm, too, was vanquished as smartphones subsumed its functions. Someday e-book readers and cameras may go the way of the PDA and the dedicated word processor. But at least for now, they can depend on the loyalty of delighted users.
For past columns and online-only reviews, go to businessweek.com/go/techmaven/