Embracing Excellence

January 12th, 2010 . Posted in Self Improvement | No Comments »
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Author: Judy Rushfeldt
Source: articleage.com

Joey rises before dawn to pack his lunch, eager for morning to arrive so he can board the city bus that transports him to his job at a souvenir production facility. From 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Joey applies decals to souvenir collector spoons. Much like an artist applying brush to canvas, Joey peels a self-sticking decal from its wrapper, painstakingly centers it over the base of the spoon and slowly presses it on the metal. If the decal is not perfectly centered, he peels it off and starts over. Joey glows with pride over the racks of completed spoons, ready to be packaged for shipping to retail stores.
Joey has Down Syndrome. Though he will never become the chairman of a Fortune 500 company and it’s unlikely he will ever win an Academy Award or a Pulitzer prize, Joey is an outstanding sucess and a source of continual pride and joy to his heavenly Father.
When I think of Joey, I feel shame for all the times when I have given less than my best. I’m also inspired to re-commit myself to the pursuit of excellence in everything that I do.
In the parable of the five talents, Jesus taught the importance of investing our gifts and resources to the best of our ability. Three people received three different amounts of money, “each according to his ability.” Later, each was asked to account for what they did with their money.
Two of the three that doubled their money through wise investments were commended by the master, “You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” The one who buried his money was called a, “wicked and lazy servant.” Worse, the master took away what little he had and gave it to one of the faithful servants (Mat. 25:14-28).
Shun Mediocrity
To embrace excellence, we must shun mediocrity, despising it as a sinister enemy and guarding against its intrusion into our attitudes and endeavors. As the late Jamie Buckingham wrote, “The risk-free life is a victory-free life. It means lifelong surrender to the mediocre. And that is the worst of all defeats.”
Anyone determined to shun mediocrity will, at times, need the courage to stand alone. Many people feel threatened by visionaries; they may intentionally or unintentionally discourage you. They may undermine your dreams. Seek out friends who are also visionaries so you can share mutual encouragement and support.
Another key to shunning mediocrity is to never compare ourselves with others. At the end of my life, I will not be asked, “Why were you not Sara, or Jennifer, or Candace?” I will be asked, “Were you Judy? Were you faithful to be the woman I created you to be.”
Know Your Purpose
To achieve excellence, we must clarify our purpose. It’s difficult to give our best when we lack vision.
My grades were ho-hum during high school and the first two years of my post-secondary education. I could have achieved honors with minimal effort, but I rarely studied. It wasn’t until I discovered my passion – writing – and transferred to journalism studies that I exerted effort and strived for excellence. My grades soared and I achieved honors. Once I discovered my passion, it was easy to give my best.
I’m not trying to excuse my poor study habits — I admit they reflected laziness and immature character. Nevertheless, discovering your purpose will have a catalytic impact on motivating you to a greater commitment to excellence.
Purpose is often revealed through our passions, for God places desires in our hearts. What excites you? What stirs joy in your heart? What motivates you? What inspires creativity and ideas and vision? The answers to these questions will provide key clues to understanding your purpose. Most important, pray and ask God to help you understand your purpose.
Know Your Source
Embracing excellence means we must know our source. Even before we were born, we were impregnated with the seeds of divine potential. Yet those seeds can remain dormant.
Consider the majestic oak tree. It’s hard to believe it all started with a tiny seed. It’s even more amazing to realize that seed contained all the genetic material necessary to develop into a mature tree. Still, for that seed to germinate and grow it required the right environmental conditions, including moisture and nutrients from the soil, and sunshine.
Our life purpose operates on a similar principle. Though God places seeds of potential in each one of us, those seeds require the right spiritual environment in order to germinate and grow.
The Bible says, “The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Dan. 11:32)
By far the most important key to excellence and fulfilled potential is to develop a more intimate relationship with God. As we draw closer to Him, we receive clearer vision and understanding of our unique purpose. Vision ignites a passion to fulfill our purpose; from that passion flows the commitment to invest our gifts and resources in serving others.
As God’s image-bearers, let’s despise mediocrity. Let’s seek to be more passionate, creative and excellent in everything we do. Let’s refuse the well-travelled path of mediocrity, predictability and conformity; instead choosing the less-travelled path of faith, courage and risk.
Shun mediocrity, discover your purpose and remain connected to your Source – and everything you do will reflect the excellence of our Creator.
Judy Rushfeldt is an author, speaker, and online magazine publisher (http://www.LifeToolsforWomen.com) whose passion is to help women reach their dreams. Her latest book, Making Your Dreams Your Destiny – a woman’s guide to awakening your passions and fulfilling your purpose, is available in quality bookstores in Canada and the United States. To read more about this book or to order online, visit http://www.MakingYourDreams.com

Cheap Travel Agents – How to Save on Your Travel Plans

January 12th, 2010 . Posted in Travel & Leisure | No Comments »
Tags: , , ,

Author: Martin Ford
Source: ezinearticles.com

Before doing any research into cheap travel agents, it is very important to determine the size of your budget for your vacation plans. You might find it easier to look for the best deals in vacation packages if you have an idea of the amount you can afford to spend. You don’t have to empty all your savings just to enjoy the sights and sounds of your desired destination. When deciding upon your budget it’s important to remember pocket money and other extras such as excursions etc.

Looking for cheap travel agents.

If you don’t have the time or the patience to look for vacation packages yourself then you could leave it in the hands of a professional. You can ask a travel agent to look for the best airfare deals in the market and offer them to you for review. There are many cheap travel agents who are experts in the airline industry. They are updated with the latest deals and offers that grant big discounts on a variety of destinations around the world. They are the perfect medium to use when you want to go somewhere with a limited budget. You can find them quite easily by looking in the local yellow pages or by finding their contact information on the internet. Tell them your budget and desired destinations, as well as your planned vacation times to successfully get the best airfare deals and discounts for your needs in record-breaking time.

Let’s be honest, the best travel deals are the ones that don’t empty your pockets and cheap travel agents can sometimes be a good option, but within the travel industry there closely-guarded secrets can help you lower your travel costs even further.

I know of one ex-employee of the airline industry who has lifted the lid on those secrets and has shown me how to saving hundreds of dollars when looking for cheap airfares. to find out how just visit Cheap Travel Agents.

For more information about saving on your airfare rates go to http://cheapticketflight.info/.

Unique Canada

January 11th, 2010 . Posted in Travel & Leisure | No Comments »
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Author: Richard Greaves
Source: articledashboard.com

Canada’s size and diversity makes finding its unique points difficult. Each Canadian city has its own unique landmarks and the indigenous, French and British traditions are enhanced by cultures brought by migrants. The result is a vibrant. complex multicultural society.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police
However, there are certain institutions which are quintessentially Canadian and here we look at three – the RCMP, seafaring and the national sport of ice hockey.

Probably the most Canadian of all the country’s institutions is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formed as the North West Mounted Police in 1873, not long after Canada became a country in 1867.

Spending a day at the RCMP museum in Saskatchewan, Regina offers you insights into this uniquely Canadian law enforcement agency. Located in the RCMP Academy, the Museum draws 250000 visitors each year
You can browse exhibits such as weapons, uniforms, personal effects and memorabilia of the RCMP.

Photographs and archive material also tell the Mounties’ story. You can study about how Chief Sitting Bull sought sanctuary in the region after defeating Custer and his army in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Among the other exhibits are Red Indian clothing and artifacts .

If you’re at the museum at the right time, you can enjoy the Sergeant Major’s Parade held Monday to Friday at 12.45pm and the Sunset Retreat, a lowering the flag ceremony, from July to mid-August on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm. And don’t miss the historic RCMP chapel which dates back to 1883. It features impressive stained glass windows.

St Roch.
Canada’s Pacific Rim city of Vancouver has a long seafaring tradition much of which is archived in Vancouver Maritime Museum. Located in Vanier Park, just west of False Creek on the Vancouver waterfront, this museum is themed around a preserved RCMP schooner named St Roch.

The St Roch was an arctic exploration vessel and was the first craft to traverse the Northwest Passage in both directions. You can take a tour of the vessel in which crews lived for periods of up to 2 years. The St Roch is fitted out with magazines and canned foods dating from around 1935 to create an uncanny air of authenticity.

Other than the St Roch, the museum contains galleries of model ships and a workshop where you can see craftsmen at work. You can also see historic ships berthed nearby. The nearby Children’s Maritime Discovery Centre offers a host of hands-on activities for children.

Hockey Hall of Fame
Now we’ll continue to Toronto, Canada’s business capital and largest city, and the heart of Anglo-Canadian culture and media. It’s also the centre for the Canadian national sport and passion – ice hockey. And to learn everything about ice hockey in one place, head for the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF), a museum dedicated to this tough and fast-paced sport.

Here you can enjoy interactive sessions that bring the sport to life. You can take shots at real-time goalies and guard the net yourself to try and stop the shots of Gretzky and Messier. You can admire such exhibits as goalie masks, skates and sticks, the jerseys of hockey legends and a replica of the Montr้al Canadians’ locker room. All together the HHOF offers over 57000 square feet of interactivity, hands on games, theatres, and the Stanley Cup.

Visiting these 3 uniquely Canadian museums will bring the country alive and help you understand the vast diverse nation that is Canada. Before travelling to Canada, make sure that the hotel reservations are in place. Hotels in Toronto and hotels in Vancouver can easily be booked in advance through the Internet, and then you will be able to enjoy Canada at the best.

UAV Materials and Thoughts on New Technologies and Keeping Up With Our Opponents

January 11th, 2010 . Posted in News & Society | No Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Author: Lance Winslow
Source: articleage.com

Possible UAV materials are infinite: Foam, Composite, Balsa Wood, Plastic, Synthetic Balloon Material, Aluminum, Titanium, Spider Web Organic Material, etc. I propose some late breaking technology and newer materials, ceramic coatings and or UAVs built from photorefractive composites? Materials such as this:
http://www.tech-db.ru/istc/db/pra.nsf/pran/1273
Why? Weight, stealth, parasite drag, induced drag, boundary layers, and performance, NASA is looking into this as well for other uses;
http://www.aist-nara.ac.jp/~rieken/
Then there are some really awesome practitioners, which have it all figured out, UAV manufacturing companies have come alive in the last decade; even Plastics are used in UAVs especially the smaller ones. The larger UAV are made out of just about anything you can imagine. We are not the only ones learning about what to make these out of and we are not the only country capable of making them, many other countries are trying new things also. So it is important to be the best at it and have ways to shoot down enemy UAVs. Recently there was a major news story in the media about the FBI working on finding espionage theft of secret research. One spokesmen, head of the group in Mountain View, CA, said next to International Terrorism it is the FBI’s number 2 priority as the loss of important research is leaving the country way too fast; citing that our trading partners and allies were also spying on us; Chinese, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, Iran. And you only have to read the news occasionally to know this is a real issue. Top Secret means about 6 months until it is all over the Internet. Classified means 3 months before some reporter gets a hold of it and it is for this reason that UAV technologies are so dangerous and why we must keep up the innovations in this area to stay ahead of our competition.
As technology progresses, your enemy will have the same tools and technologies you do, by buying it from an ally, spy or secretly stealing it from a University Research Team. So when you invent something as weapon for offense or defense of your people, you have to know how to defeat it too. As it will be used against you in a court of law (war).
Most all foreign countries have UAV programs and have established research and development teams and put forth spies on the subject as well as pretend collaborators. We need to pay attention for the betterment of NATO Countries and UN participants. But what about hostile or potentially hostile nations, they have scientists too. Unmanned Flight is now capable in nearly any current aircraft with the exception of the skill necessary to fly and take-off in a Ryan Monoplane or those requiring the balance of a pilot such as a hang glider or ultra light like the crash and burn motorcycle team brave enough to give it a test at the DARPA Grand Challenge, hats go off to that team for a noble and worthy attempt.
If you think for one second that North Korea does not have UAVs of some type to augment their arsenal of Ballistic capable nuclear missiles think again. They trade with China and Japan and both have established programs, The Trade with South Korea and we have UAVs in Country and North Korea has spies there too. Even Saddam had a UAV prototype flying bomb program, some would say was in it’s infancy, I say bull all they needed was a motor attached, you can buy that at an ultra-light store or online catalog, no one can deny that, google for your self if you find folly with my observation. A device such as that prototype UAV with a chemical compound or pathogen, virus or disease in it is not very funny if dispersed into a large city. These technologies are available and are or have been in all the arsenals of the Axis of Evil Countries.
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/030408.htm
I am not the only person worried of this. UAVs that we build need to be light-weight, good payload, stealthy and agile. But the enemy due to cost may decide to build a huge number of cheap units and bet on the numbers rather than survivability, so can we defeat a swarm of these? Very similar scenario, which scared all American’s during the cold war, shooting down multiple ICBM warheads which scatter and attack pre-assigned cities. Some UAV enemy strategies include a different approach to the notion of single mission non-recovery theory as many academics have eluded to in the reports online.
I would have to agree that money to buy the units is a big factor as our Congress appropriated much monies to the predator program for DHS and Military, smart move. Coast Guard, Boarder Patrol, etc.but if a UAV does not do very much in the way of surveillance or ordinance delivery due to payloads in smaller non-predator type UAVs then a smart bomb maybe a better way to go once air defenses have been taken out of the equation. Which is why we are well served to have both technologies available to us. Of course it also depends how many targets, time frame and economies of scale when it comes to the logistical costs of movements of people, fuel, food, weapons and power.
Every mission should have a cost benefit and a goal oriented solution, that of course being the name of the game, to win it. UAVs provide options, lower costs over all and smart planning and curtail loss of life on both sides. Single mission UAVs, small versions are appropriate in many regards. Predators are good in that they can be used forever unless we start crashing them.
These smaller UAVs, like SmartBombs are especially important during regime changes when you goal is to provoke change in leadership not in destroying vast amounts of individual human life, no matter what amount of value is placed on it by the culture opposing your political will, but taking out those who oppose the will of the free World and stability of the Human Race. Never the less, war is hell, so you must win at all costs, which goes without saying, losing sucks and defeat or retreat cannot be an option for our team. Retreat should only be used as a tactic to serve your future will. Let the enemy re-group and congregate and attack again getting most bang for your buck.
UAVs are here to stay and will require proper funding, such R and D will come back ten fold to mankind in potential commercial uses for moving freight within and out side our own atmosphere, for doing jobs in agriculture, short and small delivery and of course the future of air travel pilot less commercial aircraft much the same as the NYC subways and people movers across the country and throughout the world.
The costs of UAVs are important and the materials provide the efficiencies necessary to make them light, fast, maneuverable and strong. By watching the costs and picking the right materials, we can always maintain the lead in UAV research and Development, Deployment and acquiring of target to stay in front of the pack in the never ending Human Saga, of Good VS Evil. You know the Sound and Fury stuff, which has been going on since all of the recorded history we know about. We sure are funny, us humans? Wonder if we will ever figure it out?
“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

A Short History of the Berlin Wall

January 11th, 2010 . Posted in Travel & Leisure | No Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Author: Tudor V Bran
Source: ezinearticles.com

For 40 years, the Antipathetic regimes in Eastern Europe appeared indestructible. The Iron Curtain began to abatement afar in 1989 and in alone one year, countries accept larboard communism one afterwards another, like domino pieces. The attribute of the Cold War, Berlin Bank has been alleged the “physical representation” of the Iron Curtain. For 28 years, the astronomic architecture disconnected in two a city-limits – Berlin and a country – Germany. The abatement of the Berlin Bank is the a lot of important mark of the antipathetic affiliation failure.

The architecture of the bank began on August 13, 1961 to stop the westward abandonment of the German people. In the east it was alleged “the anti-fascist aegis wall” while in the west humans alleged it “Wall of Shame”. 155 km of abasement of over 3 m high, of which 43 km through the affection of Berlin.

The borderland was aswell fabricated of km of trenches, bunkers, hundreds of watch building and acid wire. Although the conception of the bank began in 1961, Germany was burst back the end of World War II. In 1945, Reich basic was disconnected amid the Allied admiral in the west and the Soviet Union in the east, and in 1949 two countries were born: Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. In 1952, East Germany bankrupt its bound with West Germany, afraid about the abandonment of population. There were apparent credibility though, area humans were still able to pass. More than 2.5 actor Germans fabricated it to west amid 1949 and 1961.

Although on June 15, 1961 East German baton Walter Ulbricht declared that there will not be a bank built, on August 13, the eastern allotment of Berlin is amidst by barricades and acid wire. The bank is congenital in assertive stages. In 1962 a barricade was added, 90 anxiety on the inside, getting created a carefully controlled “restrained zone”. Houses on this band were austere and humans moved. The zone, mined and abounding of accoutrement wire, offered an all-encompassing acreage of blaze for the guards. In 1965 accurate walls began to be aloft and, over the years, ascertainment building were added, while patrols and aegis were increased.

The “four ancestors wall”, completed in 1975 was the endure version. It was accumulated from slabs of 3.6 meters top and 1.2 meters wide. The bank was adequate with motion sensors, angry net and acid wire, trenches adjoin vehicles, and on the acme bank it was army a apple-pie pipe, which would accept fabricated even ambiguous to escalate.

The eight casual credibility were akin decidedly for altered types of humans that could canyon through. The a lot of acclaimed was Checkpoint Charlie, which was meant alone to Allied cadre and non-German citizens. During the history of the Wall, aggressive personnel, admiral and Allied diplomats could access East Berlin afterwards authorization control. Also, Soviet patrols could access advisedly in the West Berlin.

On November 9, 1989 the East German government accept to admittance visits to West Germany, but the abbot for advertising was not appropriately abreast accordingly a lot of abashing was developed. Tens of bags of Berliners assailed the bridge points, claiming to move advisedly in the West. Overwhelmed by tens of bags of humans and in the absence of bright instructions, bound guards were not acceptable to accessible fire, allowing the crowds to canyon over.

The bank has been kept some time afterwards November 9. On June 13, 1990 East German army launched academic demolition, and on July 1 all bound bridge credibility were commonly abolished. The two Germany behindhand were assuredly rejoined on October 3, 1990. Today, there are alone three actual portions of the wall: a area of 80 meters abreast Postdamer Plaz, a best area abreast the river Spree and the third piece, angry into a monument, arctic of Bernauer Strasse.

Berlin is one of Europe’s most important capitals when it comes to history. Book a room at Berlin Mark Hotel and enjoy a great vacation in the beautiful German capital.

THE SECRET TO A STRESS-FREE LIFE

January 10th, 2010 . Posted in Home & Family | No Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Author: Daegan Smith
Source: articleage.com

Are you healthy? Or better yet, are you stress-free? When most
people are asked these questions, they often brush it off.

In reality, most people disregard stress. They tend to think
that stress is not that serious.

Wrong.

What most people donํt know is the fact that most of manํs
diseases like heart diseases, respiratory, and mental diseases
are all based on stress. Once taken for granted, stress can even
cause death.

So, if you are clueless about your well-being and you donํt know
how to get rid of stress, donํt worry. Here are some of the
advices from the health experts in order to help live a life
that is totally stress-free.

1. Donํt smoke; if you do, stop!

There are many great reasons to quit. One of them is to avoid or
get rid of stress. Smoking increases the probability of stress
acquisition in our body. IN most cases, people who smoke a lot
are those who are deeply stressed-out.

Moreover, stopping smoking is better for the skin.

2. Watch your weight.

Exercising regularly and watching your weight will help you
avoid stress-related and lifestyle diseases like hypertension,
heart diseases, and diabetes.

While it is true that heart attacks tend to hit men more than
women, which is no reason for women not to be on guard.

Stress can kill everybody, whether you or old, girl or boy.

3. Relax and enjoy life as it is.

It is not luxurious to treat your self once in a while in spas
or sauna baths. Indulging into these kinds of activities will
definitely release all the tension and stress out of your system.

When in work, try to do some nippy exercises so as to unleash
the anxiety and strain of a hard dayํs work load. You can start
by taking deep breathing exercises once in a while; inhaling
slowly, hold for five seconds then breathe out. Make it a
routine whenever you feel your nerves getting all cracked up.

You can also try some stretching exercises while on your seat.
Head bending, neck stretching, and jaw exercises are all
effective ways of releasing stress while at work.

And if you are really feeling low already and you think that
thereํs not enough energy to keep you going, by all means stop
whatever it is that you are doing and go out of the room. Take a
breathe of nice fresh air outside. Shun away from the reality
for a few second and imagine yourself out in some place that you
have longing to visit or think about the ice things that is
happening to you right now. Better yet, stop thinking at all.
Just enjoy the air and let your senses guide you.

4. Maximize your break time.

Break times in work were not created just for the heck of having
it. It has its purpose, so, whenever it is your first 15-minute
break or your lunch, take the opportunity to turn away from
whatever it is that you are doing and relax.

5. Make sure your work keeps you healthy and happy.

We spend more than half our walking time at work, or travelling
to and from work. We have to make sure that during that time our
environment is safe; we are not exposed to hazards beyond safe
levels; we have a manageable level of stress; we relate well
with our colleagues; and at the end of the day we feel we have
accomplished something with our team.

In order to live a life that is stress-free, you also have to
help create a stress-free, safe, and healthy places, whether you
are a full-time mother, homeworker, a manager, a factory worker,
sales man, the president of the country, or an office worker. Do
not allow your work, or yourself, to be valued less.

6. Work on your relationships.

Technology allows us to communicate easily. Send a simple text
message to your husband or wife, or even your boyfriend or
girlfriend by saying, ์How are you?๎ It is simple, but it makes
a big difference.

Go back to old friends so you can touch base with your roots.
Together you will see how far you have come. It is not a
competition; it is more about being in good company. And when
there is no competition, there will be no stress.

7. Maintain a healthy balance in everything you do.

In order to live a tress-free life, there should always be a
balance: in your diet, between work and relaxation, time for
yourself and family.

So the food pyramid we have learned from science should be vital
now. Say no to crash diets and drink alcohol in moderation.

Work-life balance also means finding time for all aspects of
your life. Researchers have found that the more hours you spend
at work, the more unhappy and anxious you feel. So, for a
stress-free life, work smart not long. Take responsibility for
achieving balance, and speak up when the demands are too much.
Prioritize, allot a set time to each task, and do not engage in
unproductive activities.

Indeed, life doesnํt have to be that complicated. All you need
to do is to enjoy it as it is. In that way, youํll live a life
that is totally 100% stress-free.

Garden Animals – My Favourite Top Nine Tips

January 10th, 2010 . Posted in Home & Family | No Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Author: Owen Jones
Source: ezinearticles.com

Wild garden animals and how you deal with them is a very touchy subject for a lot of people. For example, it is no longer so socially acceptable to poison moles and badgers or shoot squirrels and deer, although they are still a problem to some people. On the other hand, technology has made it easier to handle these animals without resorting to lethal methods.

Obviously, insects, slugs and snails do not enjoy the protection of public opinion. so, having said that, here are my top favourites for dealing with wild garden animals.

Quick, Quick, Slow: a general rule of thumb when dealing with garden pests, is: if it is slow-moving, stamp on it, but if it is fast-moving it will probably eat some other pest.

Manning The Barricades: snails are a huge problem in some parts of a town but not in others and in some parts of the country more than others. There are several ways of dealing with snails, but the only sure-fire way is to pick them up and kill them or squash them where they are. Despite this, people do have their favourite remedies, some of which are putting a ring or horticultural grit or sharp sand around your plants. Broken eggshells is another method as slugs and snails feel uncomfortable travelling over it. Slug pellets have been largely discredited, because some wild animals such as hedgehogs will eat them and be poisoned. Encouraging hedgehogs, which eat slugs and snails is the preferred method.

Mole Offensive: killing moles is socially unacceptable now and I think that that is good, however moles can still present a problem which has to be solved. Get yourself a very large child’s seaside windmill. Put it in the ground in the middle of the lawn in such a way that it can turn into or away from the wind. The noise will drive moles crazy and they will eventually leave your garden and go to someone else’s.

On Guard: hang mothballs among your favourite plants to deter cats from digging them up when doing their ablutions.

No Deer, Not Tonight, Thank You: there are two recognized ways of warding off deer: one is easier to carry out than the other. You can either dig lion droppings into your perimeter or you can ask your barber for a bag of hair sweepings. Put a handful into several muslin bags and hang them up where the deer come in or forage. Deer do not like the smell of either of these products.

Warding Off Greenfly: bury some garlic just under the surface under your rose bushes. The greenfly will go elsewhere, and you may get some free garlic too.

Getting Nettled: cut down your nettles and put in a large plastic container. Cover with water and let stand a few days. Strain off and dilute with five parts of water to one of nettle water. This will kill whitefly and a few others and the rotten leaves make a good fertilizer.

Fly Away: sow summer savory between your broad beans to deter blackfly. Plant Tagetes between tomatoes to ward off whitefly.

Washing Your Roses: spray the greenfly on your roses with a week solution of soap and water (made from soap ends) or washing-up liquid. It will stick the to the spot.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the gas remote control cars. If you have an interest in model or toy RC vehicles, please go over to our website now at 1/5 Scale RC Cars

Peru Travel Guide – 48 Hours in Arequipa

January 10th, 2010 . Posted in Travel & Leisure | No Comments »
Tags: , , , ,

Author: Matthew Barker
Source: ezinearticles.com

Arequipa, Peru’s second city, is one of the many must-see destinations to squeeze in to any Peru vacation. The famously beautiful city, known as the White City thanks to its dazzling white silica stone architecture, is fiercely proud of its unique cultural heritage and excellent cuisine, both of which date back to the days of the Inca.

The city and its surrounding landscapes are literally breathtaking – due to the high altitude and thin mountain air. Visitors arriving from Lima are advised to take things slowly and get used to the altitude before attempting anything too energetic.

Any visit to Arequipa begins in the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding area. This is Arequipa’s old colonial center, where the Spanish set about converting indigenous Peruvians to Christianity with a missionary zeal that is reflected in the grand, imposing architecture of Arequipa Cathedral.

Entrance to the Cathedral is free, but access to tourists is restricted during Mass. There are Masses every morning so content yourself by marveling at the beautiful exterior with its wide buttresses and twin spires.

The Plaza itself is well worth a walk around and you’ll find snapshots of everyday Arequipalife watching the locals enjoy the bright mountain sun, shooting the breeze and playing around the fountain.

Stop for lunch in one of the many cafés that ring the Plaza, many have second floor balconies from which you can enjoy the view while sipping your coffee. Above the rooftops you will see a distant landscape dominated by the mountains and volcanoes which make this region famous, in particular the El Misti volcano which is never far from view.

After lunch, head a few blocks north to the Monastery of Santa Catalina, one of the largest religious complexes in South America. Taking up two whole blocks, the Monastery has a long and rich history packed into its winding streets, chapels and houses which together make up a miniature city within Arequipa itself.

Entrance is 30 soles plus an optional guided tour which is available in English and is highly recommended for the fascinating insight into cloistered life within the secretive Monastery which was only opened up to the outside world in the 1970s.

You can spend an entire afternoon exploring the Monastery before heading back along the colonial streets to the Plaza to catch the sunset shooting a fiery red glow over the silica buildings.

Spend as long as you like soaking in the rich atmosphere and work up a big appetite for one of Arequipa’s many picanterias, restaurants offering hearty servings of local specialties.

There are many great places to enjoy Arequipa’s spicy cuisine, such as Ary Quepay, a well-known local favorite which offers everything from llama steaks, to guinea pig stews to rocoto relleno, a tangy large chili pepper stuffed with meat and vegetables and served swimming in potatoes and white cheese sauce.

If you have the energy after dinner, explore the area surrounding the main Plaza, which offers no end of cafés and bars which will stay open into the small hours, pumping out a never ending stream of folkloric music and, if you’re lucky, the occasional traditional dance.

Most Arequipa hotels offer guests a hearty breakfast, otherwise consider dropping in to a bakery and ordering a freshly baked empanada, a savory pastry filled with meat, vegetables or cheese fillings.

After breakfast, head to the Museum Santury (entrance 10 soles), a small but fascinating museum into pre-Spanish civilizations in the region. The museum focuses on the Inca’s worship of the surrounding mountains, which were considered Gods in recognition of their awesome power, frequently experienced through volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

The museum has a small staff of English speaking guides who will talk you through the many excellently displayed exhibits. The focal point of the exhibition is the refrigerated mummy of a 12-year old girl, named Juanita, who was recovered from the heights of the surrounding mountains.

Frozen in ice for over 400 years, Juanita offers a fascinating insight into the Inca world and their spiritual beliefs, which included human sacrifice to the mountain Gods. Juanita is one of hundreds of youngsters who were sacrificed in these ceremonies, in the hope that these offerings would save the Incas from natural disasters.

After the museum, take a taxi to the central market (mercado municipal). If you get here early enough you’ll experience the frenetic activity and trade in virtually everything, from traditional produce of the surrounding farmland to modern day items and consumer goods.

For those with a strong stomach, a visit to the meat and fish section is an interesting detour, but don’t be surprised by standards of hygiene which may be unfamiliar to Westerners raised in the comforts of the local supermarket.

The market is a good place to stop for lunch, take your pick from any of the stalls which offer an endless range of freshly prepared food, from roast pork sandwiches, to ceviche and spicy meat stews. Don’t be shy to ask what is being served, and feel free to point at another diner’s plate to order the same!

Afterwards, head back to the Cathedral if you didn’t already get a chance to take a look inside. Much of what you’ll see is from various reconstructions following successions of natural disasters over the centuries. Of special note are the dominating statues of the 12 apostles which stand guard under the Cathedral’s columns.

If you have any energy left, catch a taxi out to the nearby Cayma neighborhood, which is nicknamed El Balcon (the balcony) for its splendid views over the city. This is a perfect spot to catch sunset over Arequipa and snatch a couple of impressive photographs to remind you of your stay in this beautiful city.

If you’re staying in town for one more night, head to Calle San Fransisco, north of the Plaza where you’ll find a large range of excellent restaurants and bars to spend your last evening in the White City before heading on to your next Peru travel destination.

This Peru travel guide was written by a travel-loving Peru vacation expert at Peru For Less, a member of the Latin America For Less family.

Latin America For Less, a US travel agency established in 1998, offers a complete South America vacation service to destinations across Latin America, including Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile and Bolivia.

Search Uk Travel Agencies For The Best Holiday Offers

January 9th, 2010 . Posted in Travel & Leisure | No Comments »
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Author: nick rauge
Source: articledashboard.com

If you are looking for UK holiday deals, you can rely on the British Travel Agencies to find you the right package deals that have everything you need to have an affordable trip and do some adventurous sightseeing. Most people like to save money and when traveling to the UK for a vacation, you want to find something that allows you to have money for doing some fun things once you arrive at your holiday destination. UK holiday deals can be found for many different locations. Some of the agencies that have affordable travels deals are British Airways, Thomas Cook and Virgin.

There are many different UK holiday deals and destinations including England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These areas have many attractions to make you trip enjoyable. The best UK holiday deals might take you to England where you would see the Auckland Castle or the Lancaster Castle. England also has a beautiful countryside and prehistoric sites. Ireland has museums, historic buildings and historic houses. If your UK holiday deals land you in Scotland or Wales, you will want to see the Castles and the old Roman sites. Any of the British Travel Agencies can arrange your accommodations and airfare.

Virgin and Thomas Cook always have UK holiday deals with a tour of the many different attractions and places to stay near the attractions. British Airways also has UK holiday deals that will make you want to travel to the UK every year. If you love beautiful gardens and want to see the changing of the guards, then planning a holiday destination to the UK what you need to do.

The UK holiday deals might include theme park tickets or other attraction tickets. If you find the perfect vacation travel package, you can and will save money. Once you find the best UK holiday deals, you can then plan your stay around the attractions. Do not forget about the nightlife in these fabulous destinations. You can celebrate with Irish whiskey or a fine wine of England. There are so many different things to do when you find the best UK holiday deals.

Dragons: A History of Mythology and Beliefs

January 9th, 2010 . Posted in Home & Family | No Comments »
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Author: Johann Erickson
Source: articleage.com

The oldest culture in the world to utilize dragons in their
mythology and beliefs, are the Chinese. For them, the dragon is
a divine, mythical creature that brings good fortune, prosperity
and bounty. It is the symbol of emperors and imperial rule, and
its legends have shaped a good portion of modern Chinese
culture.

The dragon is a positive force, and represents
power, excellence, and striving for goals, as well as being a
benevolent force, which radiates goodwill, good luck, and
blessings. Shrines to them can be found in many places in China,
usually near the sea, since Eastern dragons tended to be water
creatures.

In Eastern culture, the dragon represents the
essential forces of Nature. While Emperors consulted them as
revered advisors, they did not always follow that advice, and
consequently the dragons’ anger would either produce storms and
floods though the clouds they breathed out, or such things as
water shortages, when they beat their tails about, and emptied
lakes and rivers. A dragon’s celestial breath, known as sheng
chi, bestows warmth from the sun, wind from the ocean, soil from
the Earth, and water from rain.

The number nine figures
in many aspects of dragon worship in Chinese culture, for
example, the nine ways in which they are shown: On the
screws of fiddles because they are said to like music On top
of bells and gongs, because they call out loudly On the
bottom of stone statues, since dragons can support heavy weights
On the top of writing tablets, because dragons are fond of
literature On bridges, because dragons are associated with
water On the eaves of temples, because dragons guard against
danger On Buddha’s throne, where dragons rest On prison
gates, which represent trouble-making dragons On the hilt of
swords, because dragons can slaughter their enemies In
Western culture, the dragon developed a very different persona,
which many aficionados claim is misinterpretation of the tales
in which their stories are told. Where Eastern dragons are
perceived as good and benevolent, western dragons are all fire,
and flinging their tails about, and biting heads off. In
reality, if you read a broad range of literature from both
hemispheres, you’ll find that eastern dragons sometimes took a
notion to be bad characters, and in the west, there are dragons
whose whole existence was to serve and protect a kingdom, or
prince, and they display the most sterling qualities of loyalty
and sacrifice.

Part of the reason it is so hard to
define what constitutes a dragon, is the wide variance in their
physical images. In Eastern culture the dragon started out as an
elongated, almost serpentine creature, usually, but not always
showing four shortened legs, and a spaded tail. They were
covered in scales, had a crest on the head, and were brightly
colored in many hues. In Western culture, the traditional image
of the dragon is of an almost reptilian animal, usually green,
with wings like a bat, and breathing fire. Some also have
feathers. Which is likely what leads to confusing dragons with
gryphons (leonine in the hind quarters and raptor-like in the
front quarters) and the phoenix (a mythical bird).

As
the mythology of dragons in both cultures became shared through
world travel, the line between the two images blurred, so that
some Western representations, now show a definite eastern
influence.

Today, the popularity of science fiction, and
such role-playing games as Dungeons
and Dragons, means that dragon figurines are a hot
commodity. From pewter
or other metal game pieces, to wood carvings, Chinese jade and
crystal, the dragon has become a symbol of magic and mystery, a
tangible piece of other worlds, that can be held in our hand,
and admired for the exquisite craftsmanship put into every
piece. Whether they are hand cast pottery, or hand-blown glass,
dragon figurines add a splash of brilliance to a desktop,
bookcase, or display pedestal, where they can rule over their
kingdom.

Notable Dragons The Tarasque
dragon-like monster of Tarascon, France, was charmed and led
back into the city by St. Martha, where he was stoned to death
by the people. Dragonroot, also known as Jack-in-the-pulpit.
Used for medicinal purposes, but only after the root is dried.
Taken internally while fresh it causes death by gastroenteritis.
Leviathan, a biblical creature who has wrapped his body
around the Earth, and holds its tail in its mouth, lest the
Earth fall apart.

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