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Royal Brunei & Empire Country Club [Review & Digress]
Modified version available from online review forum:ciao.co.uk
• Cheap £600 per person (£200 cheaper than best available alternative)
• Spacious seats (34-inch seat pitch?)
• Pre-book decent seats for free (British airways charge outside of 24-hours)
• Free Brunei tour (transits five-plus hours)
• Chance to book a day-room at the Empire (independently)
• Lovely cabin crew
• The three flight sectors broken up nicely into seven/eight/seven hours
• Breaks in Dubai & Bandar mean leg stretches and relief for smokers
• Asian & Indian Cinema
• No laptop sockets in economy-class (Despite newish aircraft)
• Touchdown and disembark in Dubai enroute
• Long outbound connection in Bandar (Twelve-hours)
• Travel visa for Australians, even for transit (available on arrival)
• No UK or Australia online check-in available
• Dry (no alcohol)
• Duty Free booze bother in Brunei
• Difficult to obtain quality information on travel visas; stopover tour; seats
I would fly Royal Brunei again.
ROYAL BRUNEI may not be for you if: you can't live without alcohol; travel on an Australia passport; are in a rush; and have a low laptop battery-life.
Alternatively, If you can: live without a drink; but can't go 14-hours without a ciggie; don't hold a Australia passport; are not in a rush; have a decent laptop battery-life; love a bargain; and roomy seats; and look for an airline to get you to your destination when they say they will – then Royal Brunei should be right up your alley.
A few inches make a big difference. It is the ability to: open a laptop much more than 90-degrees; to cross one leg over the other; or to squeeze past a seated passenger without passing second base. Another bonus is there is room to sleep between the seats on the floor.
AN ECONOMY-CLASS round-trip ticket cost £600 from London to Melbourne. This was £200 less than the next cheapest airline. The outbound travel-date was 14 April 2011 and the ticket was booked in December. The low-price was perhaps due to the fact that this was a new route. The Brunei – Melbourne flights started only three-weeks-prior. That, and perhaps because the tiny Sultanate still has oil coming out of its arse.
As always, a travel visa check is required for all en route transits/stops and destination. This bit goes on. And on. Skip if not relevant.
DUBAI TRANSIT United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand (NZ), United States (US) & Australia (AU) passport-holders do not require a visa to transit the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
DUBAI STOPOVER UK, NZ, US & AU passport-holders require a visa to stop in the UAE. This is: issued on arrival; free-of-charge; and is valid for 30-days.
• Emirates | Visa Information UAE
BRUNEI TRANSIT UK, NZ, US passport-holders do not require a visa to transit Brunei.
AU passport-holders require a transit visa. This is: issued on arrival; costs BND5.00 or SGD5.00; and is valid for 72-hours. Only Brunei or Singapore Dollars are accepted #.
BRUNEI STOPOVER UK, NZ, US passport-holders require a visa to stop in Brunei. This is issued on arrival; is free-of-charge; and valid for 30-days (UK, NZ) & 90-days (US).
AU passport-holders also require a stopover visa. This is issued on arrival; costs BN$ 20.00 or SG$ 20.00; and is valid for 30-days. Only Brunei or Singapore Dollars are accepted #.
Local currency can be obtained through a nearby currency exchange desk at unfavourable rates. One Brunei or Singapore Dollar is roughly £ 2.00.
# It was difficult to get authoritative information about Brunei visas for Australia passport holders. The Royal Brunei website points to the The Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade which does not give procedure information or cost. The Australian Government was more helpful, but the information was still incomplete. So I asked passport control directly in Brunei.
AUSTRALIA TRANSIT AND STOPOVER UK and US passport-holders require a visa to transit or stop in Australia. These must be obtained prior to arrival. US passport holders require an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). Europe passport holders (incl UK) An eVisitor visa. Both are issued electronically; are free-of-charge (although a service charge of A$20.00 applies to the 'free' ETA); and are valid for twelve months. There is a maximum stay of three-months for any one visit. AU and NZ passport-holders do not require a visa.
• Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) – Online Applications
• eVisitor – Online Applications
For up-to-date travel-visa requirements for all countries, see: uk.cibt.com, the travel visa specialists travel agents use (although here they do not provide additional useful information on Australia passports in Brunei).
In all cases, to be safe, a passport should have: a blank page; six-months validity beyond intended departure date. A traveller should also have: sufficient funds for the entire stay; and an onward ticket copy.
Duty Free Alcohol and Brunei have a complicated relationship. There's a good chance the relationship becomes complicated after customs take your alcohol.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns that Brunei does not recognise dual nationality. Entry may be refused if found to hold two passports. It recommends Brunei entry on the passport which you exited your last country. This advice may be overly cautions. We travelled with dual passports without bother (although no-one checked). In addition, my wife exited Australia with an Australian passport and entered Brunei on a UK passport. This was to avoid the need for a travel visa.
ROYAL BRUNEI'S FREQUENT-FLIER PROGRAMME is called Royal Skies. Miles can be accrued on Royal Brunei and Cathay Pacific flights only. (Whereas frequent-flier programmes with many other airlines allow for mileage accrual on scores of partner airlines). My first attempt to enrol with Royal Skies was almost successful. Almost. A membership number did not generate after a long screen-hang. An effort to re-register was blocked. My details were on file. An email to the service centre generated an automatic reply. It included the statement: we apologise for being unable to accept any requests received via email at this stage. I registered again with a different email address and altered personal details without bother. A day later I received an email to tell me the fare type used was not eligible for miles (designated 'S' class). Miles can only be accrued in: B, H, K, L, N, T, V, Y, D, C and J classes. There is an additional caveat: no miles can be accrued where local government laws prohibit the accumulation of miles. It's a sad totalitarian state that prohibits punters from freebie flights.
So, in a nut shell, if you get a cheap-cheap ticket, don't bother to enrol, otherwise:
• Royal Skies | Online Enrolment
ONLINE CHECK-IN is only available from Brunei at present.
PREBOOK SEATS are possible on Royal Brunei. Not all airlines allow this. Others like British Airways charge a fee outside of 24-hours. Although the very best seats are blocked (bulkheads and exit-rows) – everywhere else is available. We nabbed two-seats together on the side at the back where the plane tapers to a two-three-two configuration -rows 58 and 59 (near the Galley). In addition row 47 (near the toilets) has a two-three-two config.
• Seat Guru | Royal Brunei Boeing 777-200 (777).
THE HAND BAGGAGE weight limit is 7-kg. We took about 10-kg without bother. In addition the combined dimensions should not exceed 115-cm (e.g. 56 x 36 x 23 cm) in economy-class. Royal Brunei specifically ban umbrellas and helium filled balloons as part of carry-on luggage. No clown conventions in Brunei then. For a full list of stuff you never considered taking on holiday with you until now (unless you are FSB or CIA or Charlton Heston) see:
• Royal Brunei | Hand Luggage Policy.
HOLD BAGGAGE allowance is 20 kg for Economy Class Passengers. We took 25-kg in one suitcase with no bother.
• Royal Brunei | Baggage Allowance
• Royal Brunei | Excess Baggage
CHECK-IN at Heathrow was relatively painless – a 15-minute queue 90-minutes prior to departure. It was about 30-minutes at Melbourne. Check-in opens three-hours prior and closes one-hour prior to departure. These days, check-in at the airport is often quicker than online check-in because of the long bag drop queues.
• Royal Brunei | General Travel Information
DUTY FREE ALCOHOL – Duty Free Alcohol and Brunei have a complicated relationship. There's a good chance the relationship becomes complicated after customs take your alcohol. The Australia government is complicit in this situation. So says a leaflet given out by Royal Brunei. Get your head around the below rules.
Duty free alcohol purchases made in the UK or United Arab Emirates (or nearly everywhere else for that matter) will be confiscated in Brunei. Even when in transit. Even if the goods are in a sealed tamper-proof evidence bag.
Duty free alcohol purchases made in Australia can be taken into (subject to allowances) or through Brunei. Should Brunei be a transit point, then duty-free alcohol must be in an sealed tamper-proof evidence bag. If not, it may be confiscated.
It might be easier to buy duty free on arrival at your destination. Duty free on arrival in Australia is OK.
FLIGHT TIME – Each leg is broken up nicely in to seven/eight/seven hours. Twenty-two flying hours in total. About two hours more than a 'direct' Qantas flight (although there is more ground time on Royal Brunei).
EACH FLIGHT WAS BLESSED in a prerecorded message before each take-off. As a secular-humanist it was a curiosity. A travel experience in that it was to observe an ancient ritual in a thoroughly twenty-first century context. However, I must admit, were British Airways to evoke Christ before each flight – It would make me uncomfortable. I'm yet to reconcile these contrasting attitudes on like facts. Familiarity breeds contempt perhaps?
This way for Mecca
DEPARTURES from Heathrow and Melbourne were about 30-minutes late. On one occasion, apologies came from a Kiwi accent un the cock-putt.
SEATS on the B777-200ER are spacious. It's difficult to say how spacious. The Royal Brunei in-flight magazine says the seat-pitch is 32″. The website says 33″. While Seat-Guru says 32-34″. My best guess is 33-34″ (based on previous travel with a confirmed 34″ on a Air New Zealand B747). At best, this is three-inches more than British Airways. A few inches make a big difference. It is the ability to: open a laptop much more than 90-degrees; to cross one leg over the other; or to squeeze past a seated passenger without passing second base. Another bonus is there is room to sleep between the seats on the floor. In addition, the Royal Brunei seat-width is 18″ Good for generous girth. This is half-an-inch more than British Airways B777.
Decent seat-pitch
However all this said, there is little that can be done for comfort when faced with a rabid-recliner. Traits are 90-to-135 degrees in a split-second without a cursory backwards glance or warning. The particularly virulent variety don't bother to wait until meals are finished before they launch backwards. This gives a fright as food trays and drinks threaten to and do fly. Another trait is they abuse the unwritten travellers' code of conduct when the recline is not used for the designated purpose – sleep. Especially galling if the passenger in front of them remains erect. Seat-wise that is. The result is to force the passenger behind to accept cramped conditions or recline too. This sets a chain effect in motion. The final straw is to sit behind a rabid recliner who is a wriggler and a shouter (shout so they can hear themselves over the headphones max volume).
The seat-pitch and width range for all airlines when aircraft type is not taken into account is: 29-36″ & 16.2-19″.
This means Royal Brunei with 33/34″ pitch and 18″ width may have the most spacious long-haul economy seat in its class – and be well above average when all aircraft types are considered. It is odd that this feature is not highlighted or promoted in its literature or website.
Other comfort features include: footrests; adjustable headrests (vertical for neck placement and movable lateral wings); centre arm-rests that rise; and adjustable fold-down tables (back-and-forth). The entertainment system console is near-flush on the inside arm. Better than the armrest top, where the buttons are frequently inadvertently knocked.
However, there are a few comfort cons. The headphones-socket is inside-arm (The ideal position is armrest front); the centre armrest rise stops at 90 degrees. This means couple cannot snuggle shoulder-to-shoulder. The side arm-rests are fixed (some times there is a latch underneath); there are no individual air-con nozzles.
AIRCRAFT TYPE was a Boeing 777-200ER with a seat configuration 3-3-3 that reduces to 2-3-2 for the last few rows where the plane tapers at the back. Best place to pre-book seats.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT was small personal seat back screens with plenty of on demand programmes. Examples were: Science and Technology (err…Top Gear… OK I get it); History and Documentary (err…Kate and William: A Modern Royal Romance… Fuck-sake, they are not even married yet) and Drama (err… Glee…Not quite LA Law is it…).
Movies included New Releases like: Tron; Little Fockers; The Tourist. Favourites included: Harry Potter; Mr. & Mrs Smith and Miss Congeniality. A Classic was the original Oceans Eleven.
Best of all were the International films. Movies you would never see on a Western Airline. Like a Hindi singing dancing fighting robot who gets an emotion upgrade (Robot); the story of Indonesia's fight for freedom from Dutch Imperialists (Laskar Pemimpi); or Japanese science fiction where a WWII battleship becomes space-worthy (Space Battleship Yamato). Not to neglect the blasts from the past in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Will for Prez anyone?). Games include ten-pin bowling, tennis and golf. Then there was Tetris with multi-player functionality. Fierce.
Watch the world fly by…
One grievance is that the controls are counter-intuitive. For example, two-sets of control buttons (one for films one for games). In addition the console changes orientation when each set of buttons is in use. There is no single enter button, rather forward and back arrows share this function.
Tetris: tête-à-tête
It's not just the in-flight entertainment that whiles away the time. In fact, the most memorable moments are the world. It's so good I'm sure airlines will soon charge extra for window seats. The views are like you would see in a National Geographic Magazine. Minus the scratched and fogged windows. For example: the flat scarred Australian outback plains. Wavy stripes of tan, ochre-red, and olive – as far as the eye can see. The beautiful monotony is broken by teal lakes, salt basins and clouds shaped like fern-leaves. A different scene can be seen over Borneo. A mocha river splits verdant virgin rain-forest as it snakes its way into a murky estuary where it meets the emerald South China Sea. All the while the plane passes enormous cumulus nimbus the size of city blocks. Then at night you are eye-level with the stars. Below, city constellations sprawl like the milky way. Then there are the man-made miracles like the Burj Khalifa – the world's tallest building. At nearly 900m, it stands prouder than a dog's dick. Candy floss clouds. Snow capped peaks. Patchwork paddocks with unsound green hues. You can watch the world fly by. Literally.
Or really watch the world go by…
Or, with a camera – you can get busy inside the plane.
THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE, muhibah, had feature articles on: Adventure Auckland; Marvellous Melbourne; Royal London; and Chiang Mai. The magazine was mostly content with little advertising.
TOILETS have full-length mirrors and moisturiser. There are no toilets at the back of the plane. Perfect if that's where you are located. No queues past your seat. Air Stewardesses loiter outside the loos with perfume in a can. I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or offended.
MEALS AND DRINKS The meals were nice. Not too heavy. Neither was the cutlery. It was plastic. Meals were the old favourites: beef, chicken or fish. Some with rice, others with mashed potato. These were generally accompanied by cheese + crackers. Then there was pasta or potato side salad. Deserts were chocolate mousse or ice cream. One brand was Serendipity: Death by Chocolate. Perhaps literally. There was an algorithm worth of E numbers: 407, 410, 412, 433, 466, 471. Breakfast was an egg croissant. Frequent refreshments were offered. At least every two-hours. Juices, water and fizzy-pop. No alcohol mind. There are no nuts anymore. Much to one customer's dismay (who also happened to be a rabid recliner and a wriggler).
Stop, dinner time…
THE CABIN CREW were attentive, polite and had genuine smiles and eye contact. They were also beautiful and petite. They were impeccably smart in uniforms that included head-scarves. However the slap was caked on. Red and blue face paint.
you WILL eat your ho-fun or else!
EXTRAS Before take-off, mostly steaming hot towels (although tepid ones made an appearance) were provided. Before the plane lands, the flight attendants go the cabin and spray what smells like mosquito repellent. Just in case some bugs boarded I guess.
Passengers must disembark. Hand-luggage can remain on the plane, although best left in the overhead compartments. Common sense dictates that valuables should be taken. Boarding-passes are exchanged for transit-passes. This is done through a single-file bottle-neck for about 300 people. Once through security (metal detector and hand-luggage x-ray – off comes the belt again) passengers are air-side. Here there is access to shops and duty-free. The whole process takes about half-an-hour. Time spent mostly in queues. The rest spent in a 500m loop-walk back to the plane. There were no immigration controls. Some gratitude for small mercies.
There isn't much time left for an airport tour. It is a transit after all. There were about 20-minutes free. Enough time to queue for a Costa Coffee latte. At 19 Dirhams (£3.50) a pop. Ouch. A little extra juice for the laptop came from one of the abundant sockets (accepts UK plugs). Is this (Electricity) theft? The airport is modern – all glass and metal full of travelators and palm trees.
Royal Brunei use Terminal one. Gates 111/113 were used for our trip. The Dubai terminal one map shows nearby smoking rooms at gate 110 & 109.
• Dubai Airport | Terminal Maps
Further information can be found at:
• Dubai Airport | Passenger Transfers
The completion of landing card is required for stopovers but not transits. It comes with the sombre statement: Death for drug traffickers under Brunei law. Bandar Seri Begawan airport is small but modern. It has five air-gates each with an air-bridge. A few extra gates are on the side. Small is good. No need for hiking boots to get air-side to kerb-side. At immigration the Australian passport holders were directed elsewhere to acquire visas. Inside the terminal there are about a dozen shops restaurants and stalls. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has free Internet with purchases. An access code is given. It also has UK sockets for laptop battery recharge. A large latte costs B$6.50. (£3.25). For meals there is a restaurant called the Coffee Garden. It serves rice straight from the cooker and meat portions from the microwave. Despite this I can recommend the potion-shy beef randang with pickles (B$8). My wife ate the Vietnamese Poh Boh. Mee hoon noodles in broth with beef brisket and sweet basil (B$12.50). She said it tasted like 35p instant noodles. The restaurant has a UK socket in the far left corner. No Internet access. The call to prayer is observed in the airport. Over the tannoy. Loudly. There are a couple of duty-free shops with limited stock range. Chocolate and perfume. That's pretty much it. Small stalls sell nick-naks; postcards; plates; tacky t-shirts; jewelery; watches; stuffed monkeys; fridge magnets etc. Not much to excite really. Although a foot massage might be nice. For smokers desperate for a fag, Royal Brunei might be perfect. There is a designated sealed glass cubicle under the Coffee Bean.
It seems a small airport can also be bad. Especially if there is a twelve-hour wait for a flight connection. However, here it is easy to make the best of a bad situation.
A FREE CITY TOUR is available for transit-passengers with waits more than five-hours. Alternative paid tours too are available. (city tour, water village, rain-forest tour). After twenty-plus-hours without sleep – we had different desires.
We booked a day-room and transfers at The Empire Hotel and County Club. A driver met us in arrivals with a sign. It's about 20-minutes drive to the resort from the airport. The day-room was available from 8am-8pm. The cost was B$178 for the room and B$70 for the transfers.
THE EMPIRE is grand. Ridiculously so. It sits next to the South China Sea, amidst 180 hectares of manicured gardens and lawns. Former guests include Heads-of-state and royalty. Slick Willy, Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and the Malaysian Prime Minister (Zoolander anyone?) to name a few. Curiously, Chris Tarrant also makes-the-cut on the fame photo-wall. It's not the wall I would put him against. The charge: crimes against humanity with his faux bonhomie.
It is not who has been there that makes the hotel spectacular. It is why they go there. My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw the lobby atrium. It's over fifty-meters high. For scale, a comparison could be made with Heathrow terminal-five. For style, it's a different league. The roof here is supported by enormous marble pillars. The sort you might see Nile-side. The size-shock means you may miss the 'small' details like the intricate floor-mosaics, wall-artwork or ceiling-chandeliers, custom-made with Swarovski-crystal. The glass walls allow the best of the outdoors indoors – light and views, not bugs and heat. From the lobby the levels unfold and cascade like hill-side rice-paddy terraces down to the first-floor. Each connected by stairs or escalators.
The room had wow-factor. Amy went wow. I used stronger language. And that was just for the bathroom. It was bigger than our home bedroom. It had: marble-slabs; his-and-her-basins; and a sunken bath with beach views. The room was in the sea-view wing. It had: high ceilings; neutral decor; and a terrace that too looked over beach golden crescent. The bed was king. I felt like an emperor. The lush padded white duvet was a siren to tempt immediate slumber. That and a bed-bomb.
High-tea is available in the vast expanse that is the lobby-lounge. A tiered tray comes complete with savouries, sandwiches, scones and cakes. It is complemented with cream, jam, and coffee. B$35 for two.
A walk along the beach-front at sunset was as memorable as I have ever seen. Layers of gentle white fluffy clouds meandered while simultaneously dark wind-torn ragged types churned. They both framed an ever intense sun as it slowly sank in to the South China Sea. I would have sank a beer were Brunei, like the airline, not dry.
At dusk, we heard the cicada cacophony; saw the distant light-flashes on the horizon; felt the muggy-heat on our skin; and half-tasted-smelled the damp-sweetness in the air. The simultaneous sensory overload can only mean that you are in Asia. That, or just experienced a flash-bang grenade.
The Empire has a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. It also has nine swimming pools. The hotel that is. Not the golf course. The Thor-pedo could dodge golf-balls en route to a new world record were that the case. Now that would be something to write about. The resort also has a three-screen cinema.
We flew to Australia for a wedding. Our travel experience was a dream compared to some guests. All those who flew Qantas or its subsidiary Jetstar had bother.
The groom's family were taken off a direct flight to Sydney in Singapore (a party of eight seated together on a A380) and made to wait 14-hours for the next flight (then spread all over a B747). Qantas did not offer earlier alternative flights (although they did provide accommodation and transfers). Qantas have since spent months denying they owe compensation for which they are clearly liable under EU regulations (* update: Qantas has promised to pay 600€ per person after consultation with their lawyers in Sydney). The bride and groom had their baggage delayed by half-a-day in Saigon, sorry Hoochie Man (Their Honeymoon). Later, they were bumped off Qantas and put on British Airways between Bangkok and London. Although the time difference was minor, it meant they lost seat assignments booked six-months in advance. In addition Their Frequent flier numbers were not transferred. This meant they had to manually claim missing miles that should have been credited automatically. The bridesmaid and her boyfriend missed their Lufthansa connection in Asia because Qantas left Melbourne two-hours late. It meant an overnight stay in Singapore. Qantas were unable/unprepared to liaise with Lufthansa to prearrange accommodation. They were told to approach the Lufthansa desk on arrival – at 2am – to be looked after. The Qantas delay meant it took them over 40-hours instead of 24 to get home to Hamburg.
Royal Brunei might not be for everyone – but it fit the bill for us. The fact it is a dry airline made no difference. The twelve-hour layover was a chance to rest and catch some beach time. In addition, as we did not travel on Australian passports – there was no need for a travel visa. The transit in Dubai was an acceptable trade-off for the cheap airfare. I also had enough laptop battery-life to last the trip duration. Finally Royal Brunei arrived in Melbourne on time, so I had plenty of time to make my two-hour connection onwards to New Zealand.
The moral of the story is that there is something to be said for small businesses. In particular – small airlines.
Comments Off | 01 TRAVEL, 01... Brunei Darussalam, 01... United Arab Emirates, 01... United Kingdom, 02 AIRLINES, 02... Royal Brunei, 03 AIRPORTS, 03... Bandar, 03... Dubai, 05 ACCOMMODATIONS, 05... Bandar, PHOTOGRAPHS, REVIEWS


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From their colors to their coasts, the Devils and Kings couldn't be more different, yet in other areas, these teams have quite a bit in common, especially their underdog status.
Nobody expected the No. 6 seed Devils, or worse, the No. 8 seed Kings to be around in June playing for the Stanley Cup, but alas, here we are, with Jersey and L.A. as the last teams standing.
Historically speaking, the edge goes to the Devils who are gunning for a fourth championship (they won it all in 1995, 2000 and 2003) as they have now made the Final five times since 1995. Not too shabby. In fact, the 1995 Devils, as a No. 5 seed, are etched in the history books as being the lowest seed to ever win the Cup. One way or the other, a new group of men will take that title within the next two weeks.
The Kings record books are barren in comparison as the Gretzky-led Kings' loss to the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 marks the only Final appearance for L.A.
Both teams have players with Cup Final experience on their resumes, but the Kings young nucleus of Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar and team captain Dustin Brown is completely lacking in that department while the Devils' on-ice and locker room leader Martin Brodeur, is one of the most experienced players in the history of professional hockey.
The Kings' inexperience has been nearly invisible since their unexpected playoff run began as L.A. ripped through the Western Conference with a 12-2 record after beating Vancouver Canucks in five games, sweeping the St. Louis Blues and disposing of the Phoenix Coyotes in five games as well. All three of L.A.'s series-winning games came on the road as the Kings are 8-0 away from home.
The Devils' road to the Cup Final has been tougher, needing a full seven games to take care of the Florida Panthers in the first round, followed by the Philadelphia Flyers in five games and the top-seed New York Rangers in six games. Of course, Brodeur - who turned 40-years-old during the Conference Semifinals - has been outstanding in net for the Devil while rookie Adam Henrique has impressed, scoring two series-winning goals, both coming in overtime periods.
The Devils won the regular season series beating the Kings in both games, the first, by a score of 3-0 (both teams played with backup goaltenders) and the second by a final score of 2-1 in a shootout. Both teams use size and aggression when battling for the puck and on the forecheck. It should be interesting to watch these two go against each other considering their similar style in that respect.
Perhaps the most interesting match up isn't even a true match up at all, as Brodeur and Jonathan Quick are the brightest-shining stars of the bunch. Old Man Marty has a 2.04 GAA in the playoffs while Quick's stat line looks outstanding with a 1.54 GAA. While neither guy has the flash or looks of a Henrik Lundqvist, both men have had their fair share of exquisite, body-bending saves throughout the playoffs. In fact, the Kings players themselves will admit that they wouldn't have made the playoffs if it weren't for the consistency of Quick throughout the regular season, especially in that last month.
Both goalies have had plenty of help in the playoffs as the Devils are averaging 11.27 blocked shots per game while the Kings are keeping the crease clear for Quick at a rate of 14.07 blocked shots per contest. Drew Doughty and Willie Mitchell are playing with brutal physicality on the blue line for L.A. and Anton Volchenkov and Marek Zidlicky are doing the same for New Jersey.
As for the offense, the Devils are lucky, boasting four solid lines and guys like Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise who have played big-time in these playoffs. As for the Kings, most agree that the team's top six forwards are the ones to worry about, but L.A. has had 15 different players score at least one goal and another 15 log at least one assist in the playoffs. That's ridonkulous.
Special teams has been interesting for both teams in the post season. The Devils are scoring on the man advantage 18.2% of the time while the Kings are at a measly 8.1% on the PP. Perhaps the more important number comes on the flip side of the coin. The Devils are 74.2% on the penalty kill while L.A. is a whopping 91.2% on the PK. Jersey has logged two shorthanded goals while the Kings have scored five while killing penalties. The Devils can really do some damage if they can poke holes in the Kings special teams play.
At the end of the day, my heart says Kings. Then again, I've picked against the Devils in every series, and they've made a liar out of me each time. I think the extra rest for the Kings, as well as their special teams unit and the play of Dustin Penner might just put L.A. over the top and crown the Kings Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in franchise history.
- May 27
- , 2012

subset: commoncrawl


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The two things which stand out here are the brilliantly kitted out large kitchen with gas hobs, and the thin walls between rooms (we were woken by neighbours talking in the morning). There is a lovely large area for dining and chilling out, and there is access to a patio area to eat outside. The rooms were clean and the... More
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Being aware of prospect theory can prevent individuals engaged in active investing from making poor financial choices.
A lot of ground gets covered in this interview with Jim Lonergan of the Connors Group, including the high degree of correlation between asset classes, and why cash is an effective tool for preserving capital in poor market conditions.
Tags: cash, correlation, risk management


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Search Tags: Senate Intelligence Committe
China considers easing tensions with Taiwan
Chinese leaders may be willing to realign some of their weapons and ease tensions with Taiwan. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, who visited China and Taiwan earlier made the comments during a Senate hearing. The move may have been coated with hopes that the U.S. suspend or abandon future weapons sales to Taiwan. China broke of military to military talks with the U.S. after the Obama administration announced plans to sell Taiwan up to $6.4 billion in arms.
Tags: Pentagon & Beyond , Pentagon , China , Taiwan , Barack Obama , Dianne Feinstein , J.J. Green
Thursday - 06/17/2010, 11:37am EDT


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A beautiful Red Evil Eye Bracelet with blue Evil Eye charm. The trimmings and settings are all 925 Sterling Silver. The bracelet includes a Blue Evil Eye charm and silver Hamsa charm with the watching eye design. This Red Silk String Kabbalah bracelet is part of the unique Kabbalah Jewelry collection by MIZZE - Made for Luck.


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Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 50
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Bipin58 Excelent Service 5 Star
Thank you for a great stay, your staff was always ready in providing answers to our Questions and also recommending sightseeing locations.
Oliver was Awesome along with the other Staff who went above and beyond the call of duty!
The Quality of the room was excellent, along with great Housekeeping.
The Restaurant had a good choice of menu also and well décor.
Thank you
12 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Hind Excellent Staff
Very good hotel also the staff are very nice and very helpful.
07 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by ibrahim5 interesting
Of hotels that heard in the residence and found comfort and safety and good reception and cooperation of everyone and the location of the hotel is excellent too ..Recommend to everyone possible and thank you and salute you for your cooperation ..And certainly in the coming visit to Paris would be my priorities hotel accommodation at hotel .
Thank you and greeting with wishes for success and conciliation
06 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by MegaTraveler My eighth stay in this lovely hotel
This was my eighth stay in this wonderful Intercontinental property. It is difference as it is a boutique (smaller property) that is far more personable that the typical larger property of this group. I am in Intercontinental Royal Ambassador. Thus, I have stayed at many of this Group's properties globally and have always been well pleased.
But to me, the Avenue Marceau property is quite unique due to the warmness of its staff. It is truly a hospitable place for the mega traveler. The restaurant is top notch, even for Paris, and frequently booked. So I would recommend that you contact the concierge in advance of your stay and book dinner your first night as the hotel restaurant is heavily booked by outside guests... a great wine list by the glass too!.
The location of the property is superb in one of the nicest areas of Paris and convenient to just about everything.
Highly recommended.
06 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by FRED1308 wonderful !!!!
Wonderful Stay. This hotel is a really 5 stars hotel with luxuary, service and very strong Relationship with the guest.
It was simply perfect !!
06 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by TORRIS a romantic week end in PARIS
My Wife and I were very impressed by the quality of the Hotel and staff, we felt like stars fort a long week end and would like to share this valuable adress with all potential visitors to PARIS.
04 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by ChrisSingapore Fantastic Staff
This hotel's staff were absolutely amazing! From the moment we arrived to the time we left every single member of staff gave the impression that they were completely dedicated to ensuring that we enjoyed our stay. To be honest I was worried about taking my wife to Paris because my recollection of Paris was that the people were less than welcoming. The staff at this hotel has proved that this is no longer the case.
04 November 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Mounir Wowww employers and very nice welcoming
Best service ever , they are so nice and great with welcoming . The room are so clean and the stuf are always smiling and happy .
1000000 times thank u
31 October 2013
Paris - Avenue Marceau
- 64 Marceau
- Paris , 75008
- France
- Front Desk +33-1-44433636
Languages spoken by staff
Pet Policy
Small pets under five kilograms are allowed. Guide dogs or service animals are also welcome at the hotel.
Pet Fee €30.00 per night
Pet Fee €30.00 per night


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- 1951hornethardtop February 13
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Brake shoes for my 54
Are the shoes on the back the same size as on the front? Are they available?Brownie
The fronts are 2-1/4' wide, and the rears are 1-3/4' wide. a guy on eBay sells both sets. You can also have your current set relined, if the shoes are not damaged.
You can go to any auto store and get #55 for the rears, only fronts available are 263 but must have the anchor pin adjusted using Walt's way to fit them. Walt.
Walt, the front and back seem to be the same size, so what is different about them that makes them so they will not work, and what would I need to do to get the 263's to work--how do I adjust the anchor pin?Brownie
Didnt the short wheel base cars have the same on front and back?? (119")
The car in question is a LWB Hornet Special Club Coupe, thus it has the 2-1/4" X 11 " drums in front and the 1-3/4" X 11 drums in the rear. What makes you think they are the same size front and rear? You need to measure them to be sure. The difference is that the drums in the back are 1/2" narrower than the fronts and thus the shoe and lining are 1/2" narrower than the fronts. Is it clear now? Also the wheel cylinders in the rear are 15/16" diameter bore, whereas the fronts are 1-1/8" bore.....this is because their is more weight on the front end than the rear, especially during braking when the weight transfers to the front. If the rear brakes were the same size as the fronts, they would lock up prematurely in hard braking, making the car skid sideways.
The 1950-1952 Pacemaker had the 1-3/4" shoes and drums on both the front and rear. The 1952 Wasp and the 1953 Super Wasp had the same 2-1/4" X 11" drums on the front as the Hornets. The 1953 & 1954 Wasp also had the 1-3/4" X 11 drums front and rear.
It is possible that someone put the 1-3/4" shoes on the front of your 6D Hornet Special, but the 2-1/4" front shoes definitely will not work on the back drums. -
@Ken: Thanks for the infos. Just to be sure, when you talk about 53-54 Wasp having the same size drums front and rear, does this include the 54 Super Wasp? Michel
Browniepetersen, the anchoring point is larger at the top, while Hudson shoes are narrow at the top. So the anchor point has to be moved down. If you have my tech tip books go to Volume two (2) to page 15 and read how to move the anchor pin. Walt.
OK guys, this is what I did this morning. I took the original rear shoes and set them on a QMS and ran the dimentions on them. I had the machine draw out a blueprint of the original shoe. I then set up the new shoes (same as front) and machined them to the dimensions of the blueprint. The quality of the new shoes with respect to hole location, all the holes were there but the new shoes hole locations with respect to true position was as far as + - .030. This also included changing the width of the shoe to the 1/34" size. It was intresting that the bonded on pad was far from what we would call a good bonding job. Next we rounded up the drums and matched each one to the shoe set that was mounted. We rebuilt the wheel units including machining all of the mating surfaces, reassembled everything and run some friction tests. I think we are good to go... Thanks for all your input....Brownie


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Latest update: 17/09/2012
- Angela Merkel - Barack Obama - China - Germany - Islam - Islamist militants - Mitt Romney
The World This Week - September 14th, 2012 (part 2)
A Friday of rage across the Muslim world follows the September 11th killing of the US ambassador to Libya, but how significant are the protests and how much of an impact will they have on the US presidential race? Also, the Germans buy more time for the euro and China's heir apparent goes missing.
- Christopher Dickey, Newsweek/The Daily Beast;
- Vivienne Walt, Time magazine;
- A. Craig Copetas, Quartz/The Atlantic Group;
- Ulrike Koltermann, Former DPA correspondent.
Produced by Paul Maakad, Mary Colombel, Anelise Borges


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FCS Diversity and Inclusion - PROPOSED RULE - MARCH 2011
Dear Mr. Van Meter,
I appreciate this chance to submit my comment on the importance of the Farm Credit Administration in helping restore/rebuild strong local food economies in our nation through better service to small and mid-sized, local and regional food producers.
-Please diversify the FCS loan portfolio and include in FCS marketing plans the requirement that each FCS institution begin by creating a baseline analysis of producers who meet the Farm Bill definition of local and regional food producers by number of borrowers, by loan volume, and other key characteristics.
-Create a plan to reach out to local and regional food producers and require that the plan be made public, along with quarterly progress reports, also publicly available.
-Have an investment goal for local and regional food producers of not less than 10% of each institution's capital within 5 years.
-Add local and regional food producers to the FCS board. Provide staff development training for FCS personnel on lending, accounting, farm transition, and business planning services to fit the needs of local and regional food producers.
-Conduct an inventory of the strengths and weaknesses of financing for local and regional food infrastructure, including aggregation, processing, distributing, and marketing.
-Develop lending and business support products with terms and benefits suitable for local and regional food producers.
The changes you make can help create needed jobs, revitalize urban and rural communities, and improve public health. Let's assist local and regional producers so they can have the infrastructure and financing necessary to provide local consumers with fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, dairy, and meat products. A new generation of farmers is needed to grow food in ways that save energy, protect land and water resources, and connect people to the land and to each other, by brining back taste and
restoring regional uniqueness.
Susan Lannin
Chicago, IL 60626


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Seahawks Weekly Report
Entering his third season as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, expectations will be much higher for Pete Carroll and his players this time around. The Seahawks learned very quickly that a 7-9 record wouldn't be good enough to win the division for a second consecutive season when the San Francisco 49ers won 13 games a year ago, and even the Arizona Cardinals finished with a better record at 8-8.
Carroll and general manager John Schneider continued to revamp the roster this past offseason and while there were plenty of changes, one in particular could be the difference that helps Seattle clinch its first winning season since 2007. Rookie third-round pick quarterback Russell Wilson has been named the starter for week one, and could be the leader that helps this team finally break through to the next online sportsbook level.
Wilson would have been a top-10 pick if it wasn't for his lack of ideal size, but as he showed at Wisconsin he has plenty of talent to help compensate for his 5'11'' frame. The 23-year old has plenty of arm strength and his sports betting numbers a year ago were better than any other college passer taken ahead of him in the NFL draft.
Wilson has already shown how his talents transcend at the professional level with a strong preseason, and more important than his physical traits is his ability as a leader.
Reports out of Seattle are that Wilson showed up to the team's facility at 6:30 am every morning and learned the playbook faster than free agent signing Matt Flynn, and that incredible work ethic won't dim anytime soon.
In addition to Wilson at quarterback, the Seahawks also upgraded the receiver core with the addition of Braylon Edwards and a healthy Sidney Rice.
Golden Tate is still learning and Ben Obamanu has a history of injuries, but each will provide solid depth behind Rice and Edwards.
Carroll and his staff felt confident enough in tight end Zach Miller to release Kellen Winslow despite the solid preseason numbers the latter put up, and with running back Marshawn Lynch joining Wilson in the backfield there are tons of weapons to spread the ball around with.
The Seahawks' offensive line is also very improved, and it's not unreasonable to think this online betting group will break in to the top half of the NFL in scoring. Seattle's defense ranked in the top-10 a year ago, and is more than capable to hold its own.
With the 49ers continuing to roll, the Seahawks will still be in tough to challenge for a division title even if Wilson performs at a high level.
However, there are major 5Dimes question marks in both St. Louis and Arizona, and four wins against those two teams should put Seattle in a great position to challenge for an NFC Wild Card spot.
Expectations are much higher heading in to Carroll's third season as coach of the Seahawks, and while the entire roster has been upgraded over that span, it is Wilson's potential that will be the difference if this team finally gets to the next level this season.
For all of the latest NFL odds, make sure to check out the best sports betting sites.


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Yes, bareMinerals is written correctly! It's the mineral based makeup developed by Bare Escentuals.
I purchased the Quick Change Brush Cleaner, and here's why I recommend it:
Assuming you want to keep your makeup brushes in top condition, and lasting as long as possible, you need to take care of them. The Cleaner is as advertised! Do you need a quick change of makeup colors? Want to go from using a light-colored eye shadow to a dark-colored one? How about not wanting to take lots of brushes when you're traveling?
Simple to use. Do not spray the cleaner directly onto any of your brushes. Spray the cleaner on tissues, and when completely damp, very gently sweep the brush back and forth over the tissue. When there is no color on the brush, you're finished! Now you can immediately use this brush again. It's that easy and quick!
It is not intended to be used every time you need to clean a brush, rather, between the regular shampooing of your brushes. Bare Escentuals sells i.d. Well-Cared for Brush Conditioning Shampoo for that purpose.
Ways to Connect with Bare Escentuals:
I purchased the Quick Change Cleaner at Ulta, and everywhere that I checked, it was listed at the same price, US $19.
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Moxie Reviews™ 2012. Content copyright. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author/owner, Moxie, is strictly prohibited.


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Savannah ToursSavannah Tours offers a wide variety of sightseeing tours in Savannah, Georgia. Toll Free Reservations 888-653-6045 Popular Tours and Activities
Get Your E-Tickets!You will receive an E-Ticket for your tour/activity. We attempt to provide your E-Ticket within 72 hours (if your tour/activity is in less than 10 days). If your tour/activity is within the next 72 hours, your E-Ticket will be processed as quickly as possible. 1. Make your reservation You will be able to print your E-Tickets from any computer anywhere. Click here to contact us for HELP. |
Historic Savannah TourHistoric Savannah Fountain The Historic Savannah Tour takes you through downtown historic Savannah on a 35-passenger open-air trolley. Join this fully narrated tour as an experienced professional tour guide paints a fascinating picture of this charming city. You will experience over 270 years of rich history in just 90 minutes. This comprehensive tour covers much of Savannah's beautiful historic district, including our lovely historic squares, River Street, and City Market.
Cancellation Policy: There are no refunds. All sales are final. Change Fee Policy: If changes are allowed on a tour or activity, a $20.00 per reservation change fee will be applied for any change to a reservation. Please note that some tours and activities do not allow any changes. Date changes can be made only if we can confirm availability on the new date. While we cannot guarantee any changes can be made, all change requests must be submitted a minimum of 24 hours prior to the tour departure and must be handled on an individual basis through our Reservations Center. Trolley Stops: 1. Savannah Visitor's Center
Tour includes free pick-up and drop-off from any downtown Savannah hotel. Child rate applies to children ages 5-11. Children 4 and under are free (when they sit in an adult's lap). Please order online or call 888-653-6045 to order or for more information. Customer Ratings & ReviewsA great, informative, FUN tour. Enjoyed the southern hospitality.
The tour was excellent. *** was our tour guide and she was great.
We were pleased with your product
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Still its the first competent music game outside of GH and RB.
Still its the first competent music game outside of GH and RB.
"Fortunately the forums ping my cell phone when there is an opportunity to discuss Witts junk."-DocSocaelicus
The menus are admittedly terrible. The tuning I don't mind because it's just plucking each string before the song. I'd rather do that then have it misread everything I play.
<3 Jibs
"Stm is cool." -gurl
"STM is supersexyguy" -Jibs
Final hint confirms Just Like Heaven:
Damn, that's not what I wanted.
Oh well.
<3 Jibs
"Stm is cool." -gurl
"STM is supersexyguy" -Jibs
Nope. I wanted FASCINATION STREET DAMMIT!!!! >:@
SillyStou: What will happen to this place when Rock Band ceases to exist?
RockBandRocker: We will all migrate to the Dance Central forums. It will be like Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
Munnchy: Only Flashier, with impeccable dance moves.
RockBandRocker: With more glitter and glam. We will survive
Reading this hint drove me into an hour long reference loop on Wikipedia, where I discovered that there was a deluxe issue of "Blue Sunshine" from "The Glove" back in 2006. Featuring most of the tracks with the original Robert Smith vocals (which couldn't be released originally because of an explicit clause in his contract). What are the odds that some of those tracks get released for a music game, someday?
Ah, but that's OK, we'll always have the actual music. And, sometimes, we even get new versions of those classic tracks.
PSN ID: SilverSpg
XBox GT: FieryNewt5
Total Song Library = 1,010 songs, including ALL games and track packs that can be exported into RB3
It's possible it could be more than a 3-pack. Don't throw in the towel yet.


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Women in the workplace have been a hot topic lately, and yet it is still not an easy subject to broach. Suggesting advice for young women in the legal profession is even harder, considering I am one myself. The legal field seems to be a world of its own at times. However, I do think that we can pick up some helpful cues and pointers from those around us.
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Young Attorneys and the Yellow Brick Road to Professional Success
The Legal Intelligencer
May 2, 2013
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February-March Manager's Report
Working at KBOO offers many unique and exciting opportunities to contribute to and participate in our community both inside and outside the station.
The Skanner Foundation's 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast found KBOO represented with a table of ten staff, volunteers and board members. DiversityInc's Luke Visconti was the keynote speaker. Mr. Visconti offers a compelling message to large corporations as to the financial impact of diversity, but in this setting, he could clearly address the ethical and moral imperatives as well. It was a stirring speech and the event raised money for college scholarships.
Monica Beemer |
Most interactions at KBOO are wonderful, but a small number of problems can take a lot of time and emotional energy. Our work is to build community radio, and adversarial attitudes take an emotional toll on individuals and prevent the station as a whole from moving forward. We've seen positive changes the last few years, and there has been a particular shift in the last 6-9 months towards ensuring that everyone here is treated well.
Nonviolence is a big paradigm shift though, and such a big change can seem challenging. For example, we may agree on the face of it that it's never all right to yell at others, intimidate them or call them nasty names, and yet we may feel that "it's the only way to get through" sometimes. Furthermore, we may feel that acting nonviolently will let people off the hook: if we're too nice, they won't change their behavior. And the idea of interrupting violence (including verbal violence) is intimidating; sometimes it's easier to just "smooth over" the situation and hope that everyone calms down. Finally, treating others "in a caring manner, with love" may sound like a job for Mother Theresa--maybe we just aren't cut out for it.
Happily, we can be nice and at the same time maintain clear boundaries and expectations. Indeed, I have seen firm boundaries—when applied with care—stop bullying behavior at our station on a number of occasions. Also, nonviolence depends on people acting in concert, so we don't have to be superhuman. In real life, this may be as simple as not letting someone interrupt the meeting agenda, checking in when someone just said something that might be hurtful, or letting someone know that they have to stop yelling or leave.
This practice affords us the opportunity not only to stop bad behavior but to cultivate positive interactions. Deep listening, building relationships, staying calm, supporting fellow employees and volunteers, being humble and humane are all key aspects of nonviolence. This indeed is the work that can make community radio nourishing, and this is one quality amongst many that makes me proud to work at KBOO.
- Urselynne's blog
- Login or register to post comments


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Mirror Heart Tee
Sauce offers a collection of girly t-shirts, tanks, and hoodies emblazoned with a variety cute graphics like bows, smiley faces, and bunny-eared skulls. Since its launch, the tees and tanks have been spotted on trendy ladies like Paris and Nicky Hilton and Alessandra Ambrosio.
- 55% cotton 45% poly
- Hand wash cold
- Mirrored disc front graphic
- Cuffed sleeves
- Styled with One Teaspoon Bandit Cut Offs in Hunger.
- Styled with Dream Collective Diamond River Cuff in Poppy Red.
- Styled with gorjana Delaney Square Ring in Gold.
- Styled with Unearthen Triarch Clear Quartz Ring in Gold.
- Styled with gorjana Finley Ring Set in Rosegold.
- Styled with House of Harlow Finespun Cuff in Rose Gold.
- Modeled in size S. See fit guide for model's dimensions.
- Revolve Style No. SAUC-WS152
- Manufacturer Style No. CS326T89-M


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Hi there
Im totally new to this game - but alrdy kinda hooked, and want to learn..
Today I bought my first coins - and guess I can now free up some new heroes right ? But how ???
Also - would it be wise to start out playing a nuke hero like pyromancer ?
After reading a lot it seems more simpel..
Any good advices are more than welcome.
At first, welcome to the HoN-Scene.
In my opinion, there are heroes who are easier and not as easy to play. Pyro for example seems to be not that difficult, but the delay on his stun makes it hard to hit sometimes.
The best heroes for a starter are in my opinion Plaguerider and witch slayer. Witch slayer is kinda equal to Pyro, but his stun is more reliable cause you can fokus on heroes and not on the ground (ofc, you should still focus the ground to stun more then one target, but at first, it should be enough hitting one hero). You also got a reliable disable in your hex and a burst ultimate. Plaguerider on the other hand is more of a support hero, though you dish out a lot of damage and you are absolutely annoying. His first skill is his nuke, which is great for harrass and even ganking. Extinktion is giving you the mana-regeneration you need to spam Contagion (if its the name of his first skill, not quite sure). His shield is very useful lategame and his Ult is just a teamfight-winner.
You always should know what your "job" is in the game. If you are on the toplane as a nuker and you feel that the lane is won, move to the middle to help out your teammate with a set-up gank. If you can afford it, get wards (there are some tutorials around iirc). Dont overextend, kills are sometimes not as easy as they seem to be. Dont let yourself down if a game doesnt run smoothly and you get raged on, justt ignore those people. Never forget the main part of the game, which is having fun.
Best regards
Plague rider and armadon. 2 heroes which are hard to fail with. I would recommend plague but armadon is also easy to learn and bit of a tank. But no matter what expect retarded flamers and use the ignore option generously. You will have a much better experience.
Be open to the flames. In between the caps locks and the asterisks is useful information. "Noob plague didn't buy wards ***** " for example. Hey, now you know?
Treat the community like that special child that can't quite tell you what they want. You'll find it easier that way.
Before i can reply, i need to know what kind of heroes you have already played.
From that we can narrow down fun but good heroes
And here is my little edit:
Start out by playing 1 role / hero only.
Last edited by ZeFox; 02-10-2012 at 07:32 PM.
If you want to play nukers, I recommend tanky ones like gauntlet. If you're dead set on playing a fragile intelligence nuker, I'd recommend thunderbringer over pyro, just because his ultimate forces you to be constantly checking the map for oppurtunities to ult, and because you will never, ever, ever miss someone with any of thunderbringer's spells.
if u wanna play, and u dont have someone to play with u can add me i will gadly play with u i am an 1600-1650 mmr player, a i can teach u the basics of the game. b0b0th3r1p3r is me hon id. Have a nice day!
If you can, join clan, and don't let the community get you down
I'm not sure how many matches you have played already, but you might want to steer clear of ranked matches until you get the basics of the game down solid. Avoid the giant PLAY NOW button and go to public games instead. Any game with a red star is unranked (green are ranked) and thus you can learn the game there without ruining anyone else's games/stats, not to mention your own.
Even in those unranked games though, people will rage at you. Use /ic twice to ignore them if they are bothering you. Although, sometimes there may be some truth behind the yelling. If they say something like "WTF ARE YOU DOING THERE NOOB FEEDER #@%$@#^@^%" then look at your map; if you are way deep in enemy territory and have no wards to see where they are, you are doing wrong.
Finding a clan is also a good starting point; folks can help you learn the game faster and maybe save you some trouble. [E] is always open to well-mannered people, but there are plenty of others around as well.
Forum Moderators are not S2 Games employees. My posts in no way represent the view of S2 Games or any of its staff.
Please use the report post function to have me review a post that you believe is breaking the Forum Rules.
Check the Sticky Threads for additional information on this sub-forum and the Announcement Threads for more information about Heroes of Newerth as a whole!
Watch some good players play and see what they do: http://www.twitch.tv/directory/Heroes%20of%20Newerth
Generally pay a lot of attention to the minimap and be careful for enemy heroes missing since they will probably be ganking somewhere.
You can play pyromancer, just practice with his stun, as it's not instant and has some delay, you need to predict where the enemy is going.
Also pyromancer is a very squishy hero, you should stay in the back and only go in when you are sure you land your stun, then you can combo with your phoenix wave and perhaps ultimate.


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Duration : 120 mins
Embrace harmony!
Commence with a 30 mins Champi, our Indian head massage. Let the gentle rhythm of our therapists hands soothe your back with strokes and stretches, allowing cares and tensions to dissolve and wash away. Succumb to a sublime massage treatment on the soles of your feet to create a profoundly relaxing experience. Complete your indulgence with a nourishing beverage.


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Jansen's unemployment insurance reform bills signed
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
LANSING— Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation Monday to restore the long-term solvency of the state's unemployment trust fund, reduce fraud and prevent punitive federal fees and interest from being imposed on Michigan employers, said key sponsor Sen. Mark C. Jansen.
"Ten years of recession exhausted Michigan's unemployment fund and forced the state to borrow from the federal government to pay more than $3 billion in jobless benefits," said Jansen, R-Gaines Township. "Michigan job providers were facing a 50 percent federal unemployment tax increase to recover that debt. The pro-jobs reforms signed today by the governor will repay the trust fund's debt and stop that devastating federal tax hike on Michigan employers."
Public Acts 267 and 268 will pay back the $3.2 billion that Michigan's unemployment fund owes the Federal Unemployment Insurance system through a ten-year, tax-exempt bond.
"I sponsored these reforms because allowing a tax increase on employers in our state just as our economy is rebounding would have been disastrous," Jansen said. "I also ensured the bills were part of a package to stop fraud, waste and abuse in the unemployment system. These new laws create a more efficient system, free of debt. This encourages job growth and investment because it lifts burdens off of job creators."
PA 269 includes reforms that will deter fraud, prevent overpayments and encourage workers to seek employment before exhausting benefits.
"It's important to point out that restoring the state's unemployment insurance system, which is entirely funded by employers, will also ensure honest workers who lose their jobs will still receive the same amount of benefits," said Jansen.
Editor's note: A print-quality version of Jansen and the governor at the bill signing ceremony is available on the senator's website at www.SenatorMarkJansen.com. Click the Photowire link.
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I recently decided to upgrade my PC and ordered from Dabs a new Motherboard, Ram, CPU and video card.
after assembling this machine I found the Gigabyte motherboard was faulty (2 ram slots wouldnt work).
Accordingly I arranged online a returns procedure. (board to be collected on Thursday).
However I requested a refund so that I could get an Asus mboard from Dabs. (I suppose a credit note would have been OK but I didnt notice any option to do that.)
An order inserted in my account by Dabs indicates they are not arranging a refund but intend to replace the Gigabyte mboard with another one when they receive the faulty one.
Having had one dud I'm a bit unhappy with another gigabyte board especially since the model now seems to be discontinued.
I've emailed Dabs assistance twice and got no reply, is this normal ? Should I worry that Dabs may now send me a dud board that has already been returned by someone else ?
Any opinions would be appreciated !


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Compliance is often the primary obstacle to CPAP treatment efficacy.
In the early 1990s, many researchers agreed that treatment compliance rates were around 46%.1
The good news from more recent research is that, although patient compliance remains an ongoing challenge, modern technology and practices present a more optimistic picture.
Most researchers agree that the best approach to improving compliance is multi-faceted:
- Comfortable, convenient, and reliable equipment
- Education supplied by the healthcare team - a population-based CPAP program consisting of consistent follow-up, "troubleshooting," and regular feedback to both patients and physicians. CPAP compliance rates of >85% over 6 months2
- Active involvement of patient in their own treatment
- Support network available for patient.
If appropriate support and education are provided, there are two interventions that may improve compliance:
- Humidification - "Our results demonstrate that heated humidification significantly improves the nCPAP daily rate of use and that its need may be predicted."3
- AutoSet® therapy - "We conclude that among patients requiring higher CPAP (10 cm H2O or more) there are improvements in CPAP use, OSAHS symptoms, and quality of life domains when using auto-titrating (AutoSet) as opposed to fixed pressure CPAP."4


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I have used the Extreme Masters..... It is decent memory....The Blue is pretty but most boards don't sport blue for aesthetics anymore
All high end boards are not blue. All Biostar boards are not blue. The best biostar is the TZ77E4 and not blue. Asus makes the P8 series, Low end Biostar and sapphire are blue. Most have migrated to black mono or red. The blue limits the aestetics against the mainstream market. Patriot went with Intel Blue here seeing it is Intel branded and the color is awesome though.
have the 8GB kit of those in my closet, they were in my i5 2400 rig until i got the HyperX ram and SSD combo.
Main rig has been using the Patriot Viper Xtreme 12GB (6 x 2GB) DDR3 2000 for some time now. Been pretty good RAM as far as I am concerned.
Meh. Works well with Piledriver for me: The other kits...the 200 MHz sticks are good, do 2400 MHz with ease as well, but the blue/red sticks.. man, 6 sticks, 4 not stable, rep never replied, so no review.
I know. I got mine with the APU launch hardware, most likely different ICs, if you got your with BD..that was some time ago! Actually, they seem to be the same ICs as in the new IEM and Viper3 kits. Those clock decently too, at least the two sticks(one red, one blue) that I have that actually work do clock well.
4 sticks of the Viper 3's in my P55 box server. Scored for $20 a kit after MIR during the holiday sales. Patriot Viper 3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM D...
I still have an old kit of 2x1GB with DDR2 D9's on them kicking around in a build for a family member great little sticks.


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Nononono, I'm not booting ML install with modcd.
I did create a USB install disk with myhack and copied the kernel and corecrypto to it.
didn't add those SATA/IDE kext's tough, and also didn't fix permissions.
can i use kext wizard to fix permissions?
Try it tomorrow and I hope it works (:
Thanks for your support!
you don't need corecrypto.kext with latest anv-kernel. don't know kext wizard though. to fix by hand do: chown -R root:wheel KEXT && chmod -R 755 KEXT


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Professor Joan M. D'Andrea's longstanding relationship with St. John's University began in 1960 when she accepted a position in the cataloging department at the Queens Campus library. After working in the department for many years, she decided to pursue a college degree, and in 1980 was awarded a bachelor's degree in English and Speech from St. Vincent's College (now the College of Professional Studies). In 1982 she received a master's degree in Library Science from the Division of Library and Information Science, and began her professional career as a cataloger and periodicals librarian at the Queens Campus library. She later received a second master's degree in English in 1985 from Long Island University, C. W. Post Campus.
In 1983, Prof. D'Andrea became the coordinator of Instructional Services, where her goal was to foster an ongoing collaboration between library instruction and classroom teaching. She offered classes in all subject areas, and along with colleagues implemented workshops in term paper and research methods, as well as providing subject guides and library pathfinders to assist library patrons. She was also involved with the creation of the Information Literacy Tutorial which is available for public use on the libraries' webpage and has been integrated into many information literacy classes.
In 2002, the University Libraries established the Department of Library Development in order to take a more active role in their fundraising efforts. Prof. D'Andrea has assumed the role of Library Development Officer, and in her new position, she plans, coordinates and implements fundraising strategies and goals for the University Libraries, in cooperation with the University's Development Office.
An active member of the University community, Prof. D'Andrea serves on numerous Library and University committees. In 2002, she was appointed by President Donald J. Harrington, C.M. to serve on the Advisory Board of the Italian Cultural Center, and to act as Executive Director of the Center for all campuses. In this capacity she works with the Advisory Board to plan, coordinate and facilitate the activities, programs and events of the Center. In addition to her committee work, she has also been an adjunct professor of English in the College of Professional Studies for many years.
Beyond her University responsibilities, Prof. D'Andrea is a member of several library organizations and has served as President of the Metropolitan Catholic College Librarians Chapter. Most recently she has become a member of the Academic Library Advancement and Development Network. Known as ALADN, the group is designed to offer networking and mutual problem-solving for professionals involved in advancement and development for academic and research libraries through an annual conference, electronic listserv participation, and personal contacts.
In her free time she tutors children in English who are living in the United States while their parents are here on business. In this capacity she has worked with students from Japan, Spain and India. She also serves as a "school advocate" for children whose parents do not speak English and represents these children in all aspects of their school endeavors. A collector of children's books, she has begun to accumulate those books which were her childhood favorites and served as the foundation for her love of literature. She hopes through this collection to preserve and share them with future generations of her family.


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Today starts my 2nd week of using Havoc. I'm 41 years old and never ran anything like this before.
I'm 5'7" and started at 172 lbs.
am now 174 lbs.
I'm taking it like this: 20/30/30/40
along with
Fish oils
AX Perfect Cycle
The first few days on it made my workouts a bit better:
had better pumps, more focus, and my lifts are up slightly.
my appetite is way up there.
SO far, I really like this supplement.


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Day Dot for Small Business
Day DOT – The first day of the rest of your business
DOT (Digital Office Technology)™ from Telstra, is the all-in-one fixed, mobile and broadband solution that's transforming small business.
Day Dot for Altered Images
Day DOT for Altered Images Photography
With DOT from Telstra, Ian can set all his phones to ring at once, so he answers customer calls the first time.
Day Dot for Webster & Wood
Day DOT for Webster and Wood Hairdressers
With free calls between all phones in Australia on Bree's DOT account, her salons can talk as much as they need.
Day Dot for Tetra Tea Tree
Day DOT for Tetra Tea Tree
With DOT from Telstra, Steven can access his office files from more places, meaning he spends less time in the office and more time with his suppliers and customers.
Day Dot for Financial Services
Day DOT for Financial Needs Services
With professional installation and 24x7 support, DOT from Telstra gives Joseph peace of mind and lets him spend time on what really matters - his clients.
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The Idea in Brief
Most M&As fail. That's because most acquirers don't know how to think systematically about what they're buying and what it might do for them. There is a better way.
If you want to extend your business but not fundamentally change how you compete, you should buy a company with resources that will strengthen your firm. Fold those resources into your existing business and eventually let the acquired business die. But be careful! Acquirers in this situation usually overpay.
To reinvent your business, you'll need a new business model to complement, extend, or replace your own.
Plug your best resources into the new company, including the technology and capital it needs to grow. Pay liberally: Successful new business models make a lot of money.
When a CEO wants to boost corporate performance or jump-start long-term growth, the thought of acquiring another company can be extraordinarily seductive. Indeed, companies spend more than $2 trillion on acquisitions every year. Yet study after study puts the failure rate of mergers and acquisitions somewhere between 70% and 90%. A lot of researchers have tried to explain those abysmal statistics, usually by analyzing the attributes of deals that worked and those that didn't. What's lacking, we believe, is a robust theory that identifies the causes of those successes and failures.
Here we propose such a theory. In a nutshell, it is this: So many acquisitions fall short of expectations because executives incorrectly match candidates to the strategic purpose of the deal, failing to distinguish between deals that might improve current operations and those that could dramatically transform the company's growth prospects. As a result, companies too often pay the wrong price and integrate the acquisition in the wrong way.
To state that theory less formally, there are two reasons to acquire a company, which executives often confuse. The first, most common one is to boost your company's current performance—to help you hold on to a premium position, on the one hand, or to cut costs, on the other. An acquisition that delivers those benefits almost never changes the company's trajectory, in large part because investors anticipate and therefore discount the performance improvements. For this kind of deal, CEOs are often unrealistic about how much of a boost to expect, pay too much for the acquisition, and don't understand how to integrate it.
The second, less familiar reason to acquire a company is to reinvent your business model and thereby fundamentally redirect your company. Almost nobody understands how to identify the best targets to achieve that goal, how much to pay for them, and how or whether to integrate them. Yet they are the ones most likely to confound investors and pay off spectacularly.
Almost nobody understands how to identify targets that could transform a company, how much to pay for them, and how to integrate them.
In this article, we explore the implications of our theory in order to better guide executives in selecting, pricing, and integrating acquisitions and thus dramatically increase their success rate. The first step is to understand at a very basic level what it means for one company to buy another.
What Are We Acquiring?
The success or failure of an acquisition lies in the nuts and bolts of integration. To foresee how integration will play out, we must be able to describe exactly what we are buying.
The best way to do that, we've found, is to think of the target in terms of its business model. As we define it, a business model consists of four interdependent elements that create and deliver value. The first is the customer value proposition: an offering that helps customers do an important job more effectively, conveniently, or affordably than the alternatives. The second element is the profit formula, made up of a revenue model and a cost structure that specify how the company generates profit and the cash required to sustain operations. The third element is the resources—such as employees, customers, technology, products, facilities, and cash—companies use to deliver the customer value proposition. The fourth is processes such as manufacturing, R&D, budgeting, and sales. (For more on this business model construct, see Mark W. Johnson, Clayton M. Christensen, and Henning Kagermann, "Reinventing Your Business Model," HBR December 2008.)
Under the right circumstances, one of those elements—resources—can be extracted from an acquired company and plugged into the parent's business model. That's because resources exist apart from the company (the firm could disappear tomorrow, but its resources would still exist). We call such deals "leverage my business model" (LBM) acquisitions.


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S.E.A. Chase Watersports outfits oceanic explorers with kayaks and pontoon boats for leisurely exploration of Destin's waterfront. Nestled under a pontoon's shade, instructors teach guests go over Emerald Coast boating rules. They then allow customers to set sail or kayak, cruising through the Choctawhatchee Bay to Crab Island, Noriega Point, or past Poseidon's luxury yacht. Guests with fishing licenses and their own gear can rent the 18-foot pontoon boat, which is replete with fishing holders and a live well.
Olin Marler's Dolphin Cruises dispatches its robust fleet of boats from Destin Harbor on dolphin cruises in the Gulf. Narrated dolphin cruises ferry large groups, such as bachelor parties and flash-mob reunions, into the Gulf's waters throughout the day aboard glass-bottom boats with names such as Miss Florida and Hannah Marie.
Destin Parasailing whisks aquanauts on a variety of adventurous expeditions on the scenic waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Chartered deep-sea fishing trips cast lines for snapper and grouper and include a fishing license for the day, and jet ski and pontoon boat rentals are available. Destin Parasailing's captains hold certification from the United States Coast Guard, and the company's fleet of CWS boats is checked daily to ensure it exceeds all Coast Guard safety regulations.
Established in May of 2009, TripShock.com was founded to create an efficient search engine where visitors could find resources to fully experience the Gulf Coast. The company currently offers more than 150 tours and activities in five popular coastal cities. Activities range from Creole-inspired dinner jazz cruises along the Mississippi River and scenic helicopter tours over Panama City to surf lessons in Destin. Travel enthusiasts can also gallivant around the website to find discounts, reviews, videos, and contact information for customer-service reps who are available 24 hours a day or the time it takes a Tasmanian devil to travel around the world while spinning on its axis.
Captain Larry maneuvers the Sea Blaster––a 73-foot speedboat––on four different cruises in the Gulf, departing from the HarborWalk Village. Dolphin cruises speed through the water during the day, coming up close to dolphins as they leap out of the sea in an effort to distract humans while they steal their sunglasses. With the addition of snorkeling, passengers strap on a simple breathing apparatus and paddle through the crystalline waters. Others spy dolphins during the sunset cruise, as the horizon burns pink and orange, or watch fireworks burst over the water from the Sea Blaster's deck every Thursday evening.
The professional pilots at Timberview Helicopters ferry passengers high into the clouds aboard a sky-scraping whirlybird during flight tours through Destin, Kansas City, and Key West. Having chartered flights for National Geographic and the Travel Channel, these pilots expertly navigate planes toward sweeping, picturesque views, allowing sightseers to steal glances of Fort Walton Beach, downtown Kansas City, and Key West's ocean views from a perspective normally reserved for birds and astronauts with binoculars. Additionally, their high-definition videos grant guests a lasting commemoration of their in-flight experience. When they're not chartering tours, they teach budding pilots the gravity-defying tricks of their trade through pilot training and lug precious shipments from port to port with their cargo-lifting services.
Working from an in-house frame shop and employing high-quality materials, the master framers at Geana's Art Gallery & Custom Framing prepare virtually any item for permanent display. Selecting from an extensive collection of mouldings, an experienced framesmith encases photographs or World's Greatest Doggy-Paddler certificates behind a protective pane of glass (roughly $125 on average), or tears down and refits previously framed pieces to replace broken glass (roughly $50 on average). Alternatively, framers can mount projects on acid-free foam core or stretch canvases (roughly $299 on average) to properly display paintings and prevent torn cotton ligaments. Though prices vary according to size and difficulty, almost any framing challenge is fair game, from shadowboxes and plasma-TV surrounds to priceless uniforms and custom mirrors, both oversize and enchanted.