Forja Arte Contemporáneo in Valencia

By Doug

Sep

30

Considering a vacation in Southern Spain is like contemplating a romance.  There are new daydreams that constantly accompany you, and no one can even guess why you’re smiling all the time.  Valencia is one of the world’s treasures for travelers.  It has all the sumptuousness of Europe with the splendor and history of the Mediterranean Sea.  It is a big draw for tourists looking for a large city that’s not overpowering, and for celebrities looking for some quiet spice.  Valencia has a rich urban scene with its own underground, and there’s always the choice between the city and the sea.  Fortunately, you can always choose both, and if you’re staying in our 5 star hotels, Valencia is right at your doorstep.

Spain is almost synonymous with style, and our hotels are a reflection of the place, so that you can fall asleep and wake up in the studied elegance that is characteristic of the place.  And after a positively gorgeous meal prepared by world-class chefs who are studied in international and local cuisines, you’ll be ready to have your waking daydream in Valencia.  There are many spectacular galleries in town, representing works from the many important movements in Spain, and there are also contemporary organizations producing and promoting edgier work.  One of these is the Forja Arte Contemporáneo.

This group is dedicated to investigating the limits of art through the juxtaposition of established and new media.  They do an impressive array of projects, and seem to be connected to most of the more recognized exhibitions of provocative new art work in Valencia.  They’ve been connected to a collective called La Sala Naranja, who present new works of digital media as far away as Finland.  The focus is on establishing themselves in relation to a larger international network of like-minded artists, and part of an exciting new way of conceiving art in the 21st century.  When in Valencia, keep an eye out for their name connected to any exhibition, because their taste is really quite eclectic and smart, and their eyes are focused on the larger world of art and collaborations.

Language and Identity in Mauritius

By Doug

Sep

29

Mauritius is practically synonymous with luxury.  A splendid beach lifestyle with a lively culture that is a mixture of African, French, Kreol, and Indian tradition, Mauritius has an infectious rhythm that never stops moving, and never stops evolving.  This is, of course, the place where the dodo bird used to walk, and it has a very complex and fascinating history.  Guests here will enjoy the natural splendor and the fine food, and there is something here to suit nearly every taste.  It has a great night life, with the local sega music keeping the people dancing until the sun comes up.  When planning a vacation in Mauritius, luxury hotel accommodations will compliment every itinerary, and move a great experience into the realm of the fantastic.

Our luxury hotels have a magnificent sense for hospitality, with all the amenities to make you feel like you’re coming back to your senses.  From the decor in the rooms to the fine detail in all the facilities, they are designed for relaxation in true splendor.  Taking time to rest here is not only possible, it seems impossible to avoid.  You’ll be lulled to sleep and wake up refreshed, ready to enjoy a spa or a fantastic meal.  And the spaces outside the hotel offer exciting adventures for the savviest travelers.  Traveling in the city, you’ll no doubt notice that the languages spoken here are not uniform.  They say that Kreol is the unofficial national language, and that’s probably what you’ll hear.  Interestingly, the language says a lot about the history, and this hasn’t only caught the attention of the travelers, but linguists like Dr. Aaliyah Rajah-Carrim at the University of Leeds in the U.K. also find it pretty fascinating.

He’s been studying language here for years, and notes that in government and schools, the official language is English, and everyone is exposed to it in some way.  French and Kreol are used widely, and Kreol in most casual speech, where at home, people speak a combination of Kreol and Bhojpuri.  One of his current projects is to study the links between how identity develops among Kreol speakers as they begin to write their language using technology in Mauritius.  Internet and text messages have changed all of our lives, and it’s no different here, where suddenly a language that hadn’t been written before is finding its way into cyberspace.  It’s a fascinating thing, and just one avenue of distraction while visiting this amazing place.

Customer Service in Classrooms

By Doug

Sep

28

Costumer Service perspectives actually apply to most if not all of the business and social institutions at work in society. On a college campus or even high school, costumer service techniques are extremely beneficial to the classroom. Instructors and become trapped in a power struggle with a student, brought on either by themselves or the student, and engaging or elevating the struggle rarely produces a positive or mutually satisfying result. Steve Barbarich is extremely aware of the need for excellent costumer service and makes every effort to guarantee satisfaction both with product and the purchase experience. In an academic setting this would be manifested both in the student’s appreciation for the material studied as well as the learning experience itself.

To ensure a positive experience, or at least a fair one for the student, and one that should remain free from grievance procedures against a professor or instructor, many universities have issue protocol guidelines in place to help prevent irreconcilable conflict. One of the items on many lists is to avoid developing a teaching structure that can encourage a power struggle with the student. If one insists on entering into this dynamic, it will be extremely detrimental to the learning process. In addition, instructors should not let the student manipulate their way into a struggle for power on their end.

Other aspects of maintaining a productive and satisfying relationship with students, who it must be remembered are the paying consumers in the educational context, include validating the student’s concerns if and when they arise. This does not mean that a change in syllabus or specific assignment must take place, but simply validating that the student has a concern that must be addressed is often the only step necessary to correct it. Another important tool is to address issues or conflicts with the student in a private room, away from the rest of the class. This will prevent the student from feeling embarrassed or ashamed in front of other students, and also it will prevent them from acting out to perform in front of the their peers.

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/writesyl.htm

Becoming More Familiar with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

By Doug

Sep

26

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) along with the Department of Justice (DOJ) have prioritized efforts to investigate then prosecute corruption in business. The FCPA, Foreign Corrupt Practice Act has also prioritized the enforcement of regulators and their issues concerning major compliance for all US companies that operate overseas. This has raised the bar significantly for companies to side with caution when it comes to financial risk.

Companies are required to register with the SEC all business transactions in order to accurately keep records and effectively maintain a system that will internalize accounting controls. The FCPA, steadfastly prohibits all US companies and all the officers down to the employees and subsidiaries from attempting to bribe officials in foreign countries, including any intermediaries or indirect means of bribery in order to obtain or even retain businesses.

With stiffening regulations, a majority of companies are now hiring other companies with extensive investigative backgrounds and experience in forensic accounting and help US Global companies in all industries and in all geographies to investigate, detect and prevent bribery and corruption. They are well equipped to conduct assessments to make sure US Global companies or FCPA compliant by focusing on the business marketing practices concerning foreign governments and they work with outside counsel, which results in a tailored audit program developed for each client’s needs and FCPA risks.

Sales training not only thing businesses must employ for success

By Doug

Sep

22

While businesses often focus on the technical elements of their company, they can often neglect other elements, such as an excellent background in cultural education, an important fundamental that slowly evolves into increasing significance with the growth of globalization.  Sales training is not enough anymore: it must also contain lessons in cultural etiquette.

Though business in Japan has increased more and more through the years, not everyone in corporate culture considers such important features of their culture, such as the fact that it tends be a high context society.  This is particularly important since networking is the backbone of businesses these days.  A relationship within the Japanese culture is not only about legal contracts and duties.  It is something a person must take great effort and work to cultivate and maintain.

Other factors to consider are how business groups in Japan are formed.  Financial factions are referred to by the name Zaibatsu, whereas factions in industry are Keiretsu.  The Keiretsu was once a larger part of Japanese business culture, but due to economic problems and mergers, the importance of this faction has reduced in importance.  Originally, a group centered about banking corporation and a trading business with the other lesser companies that were satellites to them.  These companies could include construction, insurance, and various factories.  Any organizational development considered must know and understand how the Keiretsu works in order to be successful since some businesses simply will not expand outside the Keiretsu they are located in.

Though a very traditional approach that is not always conducive to managing the best prices, it is still important.  It is a very loyal approach that most Westerners might not understand without the proper training.  Even in the technical attributes of a business, traditional cultural habits and customs still maintain a fierce hold, not only in Japan but even in the United States.  In order to be a successful business, a company culture must work other cultures into their more conventional training schemes.

Roman Exercise and Two Person Hot Tubs

By Doug

Sep

21

A hot tub can be a wonderful thing, and a private hot tub in your own home is even better.  You have the luxury of having a wonderful stress reliever at your fingertips, and a half hour soak can do wonders on the muscles and the mind.  A tired mind can get calmer, and ready for a perfect night’s sleep, or a preoccupied mind can get clarity.  The pleasures of hot water and massage have been celebrated by all cultures, with a long and fascinating history.  With our 2 person hot tubs you can enjoy the benefits of this history with the most advanced technologies.

The effects on physical health are numerous.  The way the heart responds to the hot water can match the way it responds to aerobics, and it can have the effects of exercise.  Historically, there are many cultures who combine an exercise regimen followed by time spent in a hot tub or sauna.  The Roman baths in particular had a very formalized way of bathing, and built elaborate structures entirely dedicated to the bath.  There were a multitude of ideas in ancient Roman culture about the bath, and how it was a cure for practically everything.

With the Roman baths, however, the system was much more complex than what you’ll have in your home.  They had enormous bath houses with many different baths of different temperatures.  Exercise was taken for its own sake, but also to stimulate sweat.  When this is followed with a bath, it helps to open the pores of the skin, and get rid of all the toxins.  It’s possible, then, to join in this tradition.  You don’t need to take on the Roman exercise regimen and prepare for becoming a gladiator, but can simply enjoy the combination of exercise and your hot tub.  It’s a splendid way to get in shape and enjoy all the benefits of water on the skin and muscles.

Japanese Onsen and Portable Spas

By Doug

Sep

21

When you have your own spa at your disposal all the time, life becomes a little easier.  There is a source for natural stress relief in your very own home, and you can look forward to coming back to it at the end of a long day.  Parties and entertaining becomes a snap, and you can plan elaborate gatherings or watch as spontaneous festivities erupt in your own yard.  Portable spas can be a welcome addition to any home, becoming a center of social activity, and a place of solace.  The only limit here is your imagination, and even this will start to relax when you get to discover the new possibilities with your spa.

The benefits of the spa are well-known, and numerous.  So numerous, in fact, that it seems as though every week new studies offer new evidence about the healthy side effects of spending time in warm, bubbling water.  It probably doesn’t take much to convince most people why these are such a great thing, but it’s interesting to see how the human obsession with hot water extends across geographies and cultures.  In Japan, the bathhouses connected to natural hot springs are called Onsen, and it seems as though they well-understood the health benefits for centuries.

In Japan, the spa is approached very ceremonially.  There are specific rules for entering and for leaving, suggesting the importance attached to the hot water therapy.  The contemporary Onsen are very different than the originals, but still have the same functions.  In earlier times, there were instances when the bathers did not leave for a month at a time, and held stones on their laps to prevent their being carried away into the water while they were sleeping.  Now it is much more of a communal event, with a very conscious focus on health.  One of the important social aspects, however, which is true then as it is now, and also has a resonance with our own ideas of the spa, is the leveling effect.  When everyone is in a swimsuit, everyone is really rather equal, and societal anxieties melt away to allow for the calm humanity to come to the surface.

Shopping Dubai

By Doug

Sep

17

I was not sure if it was Karma or Karama Center as I asked, lost for a moment, at the desk of luxury Hotel Dubai. I was gently corrected by a nearby Yank from Bristol, California who overheard me as suggested I may be looking for the market known as Al Karama. “The place that sells the cheap stuff,” and he nodded in approval, producing a ‘replica’ famous maker watch from around his wrist and smiling. Seems he has been coming to Dubai for years, buying various objects for his store, coming here when Dubai was a forlorn sandy outpost back in the long ago and forgotten nineties. It is hard to believe that only a couple decades ago Dubai was nothing much, and now it is a juggernaut on the sea, a great exciting modern city on an unreal scale, with giant building and giant gold courses and giant palm trees artificially created in the sea. But I was interested in shisha pipes and wanted to buy and ship off a few for friends. Happily, hookah and shisha are the same thing, and when I got to the market I was prepared to haggle. Well these things were just beautiful, with ornate brass and and flowing pipes and I wished my friend from the hotel, the guy from California, was here to help me out. I really did not know what I was doing. I decided t retreat and maybe run into my friend, and to do a little research. Apparently, the Turks started doing this over five hundred years ago. But since tobacco is a New World plant, I wonder how it got there so fast. Maybe they were smoking something else. I looked forward to the look on my friend’s faces when they receive a shiny new Shisha pipe in the mail. Now maybe they will invite me over.

Crashing in Ibiza

By Doug

Sep

16

As soon as we got our mopeds, we left Es Pujols to explore more of the fantastic beaches. We rode almost 10 minutes until we arrived at the beach of Platja de Llevant, which is located on the eastern end of this strip of land that gets really pounded by the ocean waves, and it was hardly populated, probably to rough of an ocean. We got out of the car and did some exploring. There really was no one about, we had the beach to ourselves, we wanted to go into the water, but it really did seem to rough to swim, so we just walked around a little and decided to check out another beach.

The western end it another strip of land called Platja de lljetes and this was definitely more populated because it was sheltered from those pounding Mediterranean waves. The water was so much more calmer. The beach was really crowded, but there were a lot of lounge chairs, so we maneuvered our way through the crowd and found two lounge chairs together and we grabbed them. We were only relaxing and gathering up the sun rays for about 15 minutes before this guy came up to us and informed us that we had to pay to use the lounge chairs, we really didn’t want to spend our limited funds on lounge chairs, so we grabbed up our beach gear and went back to our mopeds.

It was getting late and we didn’t want to miss the ferry back to Ibiza, so we headed back to the harbor, returned our mopeds and when we got back to Ibiza, we hired a car from an Ibiza car rentals and drove to the restaurant where we had made reservations for dinner and met up with some friends and raved to them about our time on Formentera. After dinner, we were absolutely exhausted, so we didn’t go clubbing that night, but instead crashed in our hotel room, it was only 9pm! That’s unheard of in Ibiza.

Propane vs. Natural

By Doug

Sep

14

There are few things in this world that are certain.  But you can always depend on the turn of seasons, and Summer will turn to Fall.  This means that the heat will go away, and it will be time to get the warm clothes out again.  It’s a nice time to think about cozying up to the ones you love, and to consider all the good things in life.  Good food accompanies everything, practically, and just because the temperatures are turning doesn’t mean that you have to cook inside.  You’ll see with your new outdoor kitchen how the taste from our fire magic grills goes with any season.

There is something exquisite about the idea of grilled food.  You’ll see how complex this exquisiteness can be, and how many different ways food can be fantastic.  It will take some time before anyone could enter into the master chef category, but the whole neighborhood is going to be grateful for your choice in cooking outdoor from the get-go.  Once the smell hits the air, you’ll have the people salivating and the dogs dreaming.  You’ll soon become an expert on things you didn’t care much about previously, such as the distinction between natural gas and propane.

Our grills have both, and you can choose to your liking.  You’ll see that there are differences between the two, and they’ll affect how you do things.  A little bit of research will reveal that propane is heavier, but burns cleaner, so there are advantages and disadvantages to both.  Beyond this, there are more categories, and you’ll enjoy discovering how much your cooking will cross between science and art, and how much you’ll like talking about food.  Soon enough, you’ll probably find yourself thinking about more subtle differences, like propane vs. charcoal, and knowing the best place in the neighborhood to find both.  It’s something we all go through when we start cooking outdoors, and the good news here is that there is no end to the learning.  And the neighbors never get over the fantastic smells, and of course, the dogs never get tired of dreaming.

South Africa’s Woodstock

By Doug

Sep

14

There are no places on the planet like South Africa.  It is one of the most exciting tourist locations these days, with luscious beaches that have some of the clearest waters on the globe, an exciting night life with a music scene that continues to evolve over millennia of developments, great golf, and cultural festivals and events that mark the enormous diversity of the place.  It also has an enormously rich and complicated history, and today people can visit monuments that remember the years of struggle behind and ahead.  It is a spectacular of memory, culture, and nature, and there are many reasons to visit here.  If travelers are looking for excellent cuisine and fine luxury hotels, South Africa can certainly accommodate.

We’ve carefully selected our hotels to represent the best of what South Africa can offer.  Located in all the country’s hotspots, there is something for everyone, and we’ve chosen our offerings based on their exceedingly high levels of service, comfort, and design.  When traveling in a place as vibrant, heady, and interesting as South Africa, you’ll certainly want lodgings where you can rejuvenate in splendor.  After a lovely meal and and a fantastic rest, you’ll want to have a look around, and see what adventures await you.  If you happen to like music, you’re extremely lucky, because this is where many of the world’s great rhythms and musical styles are born.

The local clubs will more often than not have live musicians playing, as the country draws young hopefuls from all over.  In local music, you may hear some of the bands who get chosen for Woodstock.  South Africa does have a Woodstock, and now in its 10th year, some call it the only Woodstock.  It got its name as a placeholder, when the organizer was putting it together for the first year, and the name stuck.  It’s now too late to call it anything else, because the idea for this turns out to be a good one.  This Woodstock is a four-day festival with 75 bands playing on different stages, and attracts thousands every year.  There are plenty of things to do outside of seeing music, as it was developed with kids in mind.  This is a fantastic way to get to know the local culture, or to simply watch for the bands playing a stage near wherever you might happen to be.

Mobile in Mumbai

By Doug

Sep

9

“Are you ready for a museum?” I asked Deb after we ordered our chapati, bhelpuri and a couple of gin and tonics. We had been to cathedrals, temples and markets and I thought the slower pace of a museum visit was in the offing. “Um, sure,” she said, “What’s it called?” “Hmm, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum. That’s a mouthful.” We were sitting on the terrace of one of the hotels in Mumbai, needing a restful dinner from our whirlwind day. “So we will go tomorrow, then,” I said. The bhelpuri arrived, fried and savory with peanuts and potatoes fried with a puffed rice thing, served with a mango chutney. We did not realize how hungry we were, and almost wolfed them down. They were delicious, and so were the drinks. We had some nice vegetarian curries and of coursebasmati rice, we were so hungry. The next day we had some excellent coffee and something that looked like a croissant with an apple jam that was spicy, so I guess it was a chutney, and off we went to the museum. It is a big sprawling affair, I like the displays of armaments, the swords and shields. The people back then must have been small, the weapons looked like they were for shorter people. This rather bored Deb and we went of to look at the animals, stuffed in their displays, in a kind of old school museum setting. They looked slightly tattered but a big assortment and it was fun. The sculpture was cool too and all the old art work. It was different from museum in the West, but it was an enjoyable visit. Later, we got hungry again and this time braved the crowds and the traffic and had samosa from a street vendor. Delicious.

South Africa Here I Come

By Doug

Sep

9

With the approaching winter coming on I think about the all too needed winter get away that will be necessary by Jan or early Feb. I like heading south of the equator where it is summer while we freeze in winters snow and ice. Other years have included trips to South America: Argentina Buenos Aries and the Pampas were very memorable and Brazil was a blast dancing a parting late into the hot tropical nights and days of sunning by the beach. Last year was Australia but this year I am thinking of something a little more exotic. Some where like Cape Town. So I am looking into Cape Town South Africa hotels and accommodations for my upcoming trip out o the winter. It is the short day, the cloudiness and the dismal weather that makes me need to plan this annual get away for the winter to somewhere I can get the promise of summers returning one day to where I live. In South Africa I want to go tot the wine country. Tour some wineries and sample the wines that the South African wineries have to offer. Other than that I don’t have or want to make any other plans. Simply an arrival date a departure date somewhere to stay and that is it. The rest of the time I will be laying it by ear. No plans schedules or stresses on my time to me in general. Relaxing will being order and sunning to bring up the mood. i like to keep everything else as a though and idea so I don;t have to feel pressured to make a schedule or meet time frames. Walking along the beach without any time restraints sounds like a winner of a day to me and what could be more relaxing and recharging any way.

Museums of Canberra

By Doug

Sep

8

As the capital of Australia, Canberra had an interesting history in becoming the nation’s capital city. Established as such in 1908, the distinction fell to Canberra due to its being located conveniently between the rivals of its more dominant neighbors Sydney and Melbourne. It is also unique among Australian cities due to the exact intention and purpose behind its development. This works out well for the equally unique tourists who visit it every year and also have their own specific intentions for enjoying their stay. And most definitely, this is sure to include at least one fabulous dinner in one of many fine restaurants Canberra.What is also on many tourists’ agendas is a trip to the National Gallery of Australia as well as the National Museum of Australia.

The National Gallery of Australia is frequently considered to be the premiere gallery of the nation. Its collection includes over 120,000 pieces of art, and it was established as a public gallery in 1967. It is located in a building that was designed according to the Brutalist style perspectives common in the later half of the previous century. Angular masses and concrete surfaces are characteristic of this style, and the building is surrounded by sculptured gardens.

The National Museum of Australia was officially established and recognized in 1980 though it did not have a permanent home until 2001 at which time it was opened in its location in Canberra. The primary purpose of this museum is to preserve and catalogue major Australian heritage elements and showcase the special aspects of the nation. This includes a gallery dedicated to the 2000 Olympics that were held in Sydney. In addition, the museum coordinates and develops special traveling exhibits and programs intended to preserve the natural heritage of Australia. Both of these museums are essential aspects of Canberra and serve as major attractions to tourists who visit the capital of Australia.

Venetian Style Shades from Next Day Blinds

By Doug

Sep

8

Creating a new look in one’s home or office is as easy as switching out the window treatments.  Getting rid of worn out curtains or drapes, and installing coverings from the vast selection at Next Day Blinds, will not only update one’s space, but serve to uplift one’s energy as well.  Visual surroundings play a role in the way one feels throughout the day, for just as the flickering of fluorescent lighting can affect one’s mood, so too can unpleasant patterns and outdated colors.

The prefect Venetian blinds for the office or for the home give one the opportunity to control the amount of light or air coming through the window, as well as serve to offer privacy when it is necessary.   And perhaps more so with the Venetian style , the quality of their construction is important, as there are so many working parts.  It may be tempting to go for the good deals, and many reputable distributors will offer sales on the quality blinds, but it is important to consider when looking at the lower quality products, that what one may save today, may end up costing them in the long run.

Many choose to go with the wooden Venetian style shades from Next Day Blinds as these are sturdy enough for constant use, and they happen to look very classic as well.  There are other options for the materials which will still prove to be sturdy and structurally sound as well.  There are many styles in faux wood, and plastic.  With the plastic models however, it is best to take a look at the ones that are made with a bit of a thicker slat, as in the wood slats, these will also prove to be more sturdy and long lasting.  The shades come in a variety of colors, and are the perfect option for a quick pick me up of an office space or in one’s own home decor.

Jakarta’s ruangrupa

By Doug

Sep

8

When planning your trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, hotel accommodations are a major consideration. While the city is one of the most exciting and lively places on the planet, your hotel should be a place of respite, where you can disappear from the world and relax and come to your senses again. Our hotels are specially selected to offer the finest in comfort, service, and style. There is an aura of graciousness that permeates everything here, with intention and and a long history of hospitality that will make you wonder if we had not invented it. Jakarta has a rich combination of cultures and traditions, and there are many ways of finding evidence for this. It’s apparent in the design, which is spectacularly planned to please your eyes wherever you turn, and also apparent in the cuisine. Our top chefs will offer you the finest international dishes as well as local specialties that are simply otherworldly. Your hotel should be a place to restore yourself, and this is what we specialize in.

After a fine meal and a delicious sleep, you will be ready to have a new adventure in Jakarta. It is a fantastic city, and one of the largest in the world. There are all sorts of attractions here, and special events, that will interest every member of the family. There are local tours and sight-seeing opportunities, as well as world-class shopping and people watching. There is also a splendid blend of cultures here, with a variety of traditions and languages. There is also a very ecelctic and lively art scene, as evidenced by the work of the local ruangrupa gallery. This is run by a collective of six artists who are deeply invested in raising the bar for local culture.

They seem to be doing a very good job of it, as the space has grown in reputation by leaps and bounds since it opened in 2000. Now they host six new exhibitions every year, as well as a large variety of activities. The work and the mission of ruangrupa is edgy and forward-thinking, using visual art as a means of investigating and critiquing contemporary culture. They offer residencies, film showings, and workshops that speak to a very local and hip community. They began with the intention of making a space for artists, that is both artist-run and artist-friendly, and are currently behind some of the most exciting work in town.

Staying cool in Singapore

By Doug

Sep

3

Okay, Let’s quickly move on before I start crying again. I’ve made another handmade gift for my grandmother who’s visiting me and staying at the Singapore marina. She’s in her 80′s now and the hot, humid , tropical weather of Singapore is really getting to her. Climate change, I tell ya.  I got the idea of the skinny neck cooler from a visit to a pharmacy. I love snooping around pharmacies. Maybe it’s the hypochondriac in me. I saw the neck cooler about a week ago and thought to myself that that would be perfect for bush walking or for my grandma. Unfortunately, I didn’t buy it then.

Yesterday, I went to two pharmacies looking for the neck coolers without success. They only had very overpriced large wheat bags and the useless medipacks. So, with a quick google search, I found this crystal filled neck cooler tutorial. The crystals in the neck coolers swell to hundreds of time their weight when liquid is applied. Then as the liquid from the crystals evaporate, it lowers the body temperature.

But, I didn’t know whee I could buy those water storing crystals. The only similar crystals I could even thing that might be similar that is readily available are the water storing crystals that is used in the garden. I read up about it and the garden variety crystal looked safe enough, especially since there will be no direct skin contact. I soaked 1 tablespoon of the dry crystals in water while I sewed up a cotton tube, with one end open. I used the bandana design as a guide. I sewed across the width of the tube from the closed end. Once the crystals had swelled with the liquid, I filled the tube with the crystals and sewed the tube closed and then sewed across from that end. The parts that aren’t filled with crystals become the ties to hold the neck cooler in place. I think my grandmother will like this very much. Maybe I could make a few more and sell them at the marina.

The Far Reaching Effects of Corruption

By Doug

Sep

3

The issues that are becoming increasingly important on the international and national plates of the policy makers and the politicians are the strategies to go about fighting corruption as well as the causes and effects, the reason that corruption takes place at all.  It is the view of the World Bank, and many others as well, the corruption is very closely linked to the success, or to the failure, economic development.  Unfortunately the concept of and the cases of corruption have not received much public attention, at least not as much attention as is necessary to rectify the situations of it and its effects.

One of the most widely used definition of corruption is paraphrased as follows, it is the use of power for the gain of an individual at the cost of others.  That is the paradigm.  Say a bookie bribes a fighter to throw a boxing match, this is an example, even though it does not involve offices held by public officials, it is still corruption.

Corruption comes in all forms of human behavior, from people lying on the witness stand to police officers taking bribes for not writing out traffic tickets.  What organizations are trying to accomplish is a sound definition when it applies to specific moral or legal criminal offenses.  Bribery is considered to be one of the quintessential examples of corruption.  But so too is nepotism to a certain degree.  Nepotism does not exactly imply that the individual offering the favor will be required something in return, it is simply preference given.

The exemplification of corruption is varied and far reaching, and involves acts much more numerous that bribery alone.  Other examples are when political leader uses their influence to have someone at the voting booth stuff fake ballots into the box or when a police man fabricates his reports to create evidence that will secure a conviction.  These are just a few examples that are locally based, and give weight to those forms of corruption that affect an entire nation.

Singapore Short Film Festival

By Doug

Sep

3

For the savvy world traveler, there are five-star hotels in Singapore that will make a dream vacation into a reality.  Our hotels are sumptuous blends of luxury and splendor, with a wide range of amenities that will please every member of the family.  Singapore is a very exciting place, and our hotels are designed to put you in the center of the action, with hospitality and comfort to keep you relaxed to enjoy your stay.  We offer accommodations that meet the highest standards in the industry, combining innovation with tradition, where old-world charm meets new-technologies.
Singapore is one of the few sovereign city-states in the world, and its unique status makes for some very unique offerings.  It is one of the most stylish places in the world, where the novel blends with the practical, and just a short afternoon of people-watching can reveal a magnificent sense of fashion and design.  It is one of the technological hubs in the world, and also attracts a number of artists, and this heady combination makes it a fantastic destination for film.  One of its more unusual offerings in this regard is the Singapore Short Film Festival.  This exciting festival is one of the only festivals of its kind in the world, and comes around semi-annually.
The Singapore Short Film Festival is a truly international event, with films from as far and wide as the U.K., Malaysia, Israel, and of course, Singapore.  There are awards in both the international and local categories, and a traveling short film program that makes its way to Thailand and Indonesia, to help promote and develop film culture among young people, paving the way for the next generation.  In a time when the independent film market has shifted very suddenly, with rather inexpensive technologies making it possible for aspiring young filmmakers to shoot and edit their own movies without a huge budget, there are wide varieties of new voices suddenly releasing new, quality work.  This is just one effort among many to help develop this trend with some critical credentials, and is of great benefit to the world in general, and for Singapore specifically.

“Know Your Customer” Makes it Difficult on Money Launderers

By Doug

Sep

2

Money laundering has to do with the process of making large sums of money disappear. This is done when one is either trying to avoid paying taxes, avoid paying a creditor or an ex-spouse, or when the actions it took to make that money involve some form of additional illegal activity. Shell companies and foreign bank accounts are used often times in order to just make the money disappear. The first step is in just that, making it disappear, and the second step involves ensuring that it does reappear at some point for personal use, but in a way that is not detectable to either those you are hiding the money from or a law enforcement agency that may have become suspicious.

When money is in a large sum of cash, some may choose to simply tuck it away in a safe deposit box. There would be no transaction record and it would remain hidden for as long as one needs it to be. However, in this manner of hiding the money is not being invested and so there is no chance to earn income. It is for this reason that many people decide to deposit the cash into foreign financial institutions. Many people deposit into the accounts of banks located in Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland or the Cayman Islands. However in this day and age, banks are starting to follow the lead of the United States in the way of the filing of a suspicious activity report. This is filled out by some institutions when large sums of cash deposits are made.

In the United States, a bank employee may not even be suspecting suspicious activity, how ever they must file a report when a deposit is over a certain amount of money, just in and of itself. There have been many scandals in involving banks over the last few years, that have made it into the news and into the courtroom, and getting away with “doing away” with cash in the foreign banking institutions is not as easy as it used to be. Not only is there the suspicious activity report, but bank managers have adopted procedures such as “know your customer” and “due diligence”. Many banks will thoroughly investigate potential new customers, as well as ensuring that steps are being followed properly by their employees.

Taking in Barcelona

By Doug

Sep

1

We thought Gaudi was great, who doesn’t, but we had heard of another Spanish architect who was considered Gaudi’s rival, one Puig i Cadafalch. After all, there is more to Barcelona than Sagrada Família, the yet to be finished church that looks like it came from another planet that Gaudi famously designed as his signature work. In fact Gaudi is buried there. But what of this other guy? Well, turns out he and Gaudi collaborated on a projects, and designed many significant buildings. We thought of this as we walked down the famous La Rambla as we were quite the luxury Barcelona hotels content to look at other architectural wonders like the Picasso Museum, and of course, sampling the prodigious selction of bars and restaurants in the district Born. We saw many examples of the socalled Modernisme movement. While strolling along on can see the aforementioned church, as well as perhaps the Poble Espanyol, a kind of amusement park with restaurants, which did not interst us much, what with all the other things to see. There are lots of amazing buildings to see and it was great fun walking about, taking in the Barcelona scene. We even witnesses some amazing street performances, a small acrobatic troupe who appeared to be from Morocco according to someone I asked in the crowd, who balanced and and bent wildly, seeming without a care. They reiminded me of the city’s building, balanced and way out there, serene and yet bending to their own wild impulses, great skillfully executed structures that seem alive, the way the acrobats from Morocco were alive, laying it all on the line. there were residential masterpieces, buildings with sculptures on the roofs, and gardens and leafy streets that had a flair for the dramatic and the exceptional.

Proper Maintenance of Tires

By Doug

Sep

1

How does one go about maintaining the integrity and the life of their discount tires? This is an important element of overall car maintenance which will not only lead to a safer time on the road but will serve to increase the life span of those tires. It is important especially in extreme temperatures such as a Chicago winter or a Phoenix summer, to check the pressure of the tires once a month.

At the same time one can look over the general tire for any evidence of wear such as punctures, cuts, or nails, as well as keep up on any unusual signs of irregular wear. Should one notice that the wear is not even, it is best to get the tires rotated or to have the front end alignment of the vehicle checked out. It is also important to have the tires properly balanced as this will also affect the wear on the treads. Even if one is not noticing the signs of wear it is a good idea to follow the suggested schedule in the owners manual as to when to regularly have the tires rotated.

It is good to wash the tires with soap, water and a brush with soft bristles and there are many products on the market that will serve to protect the tires from the elements and increase their life span. Other aspects that affect the tread of the tire aside from proper care, are geographic and atmospheric conditions of the region in which one lives, the drivers individual habits when on the road and the compound of the treads. Exact life of a Cooper tire in terms of just mileage is very hard to predict, as these factors make a large deference one each tire. If one’s driving habits include peeling out or speeding, the life of the tire will be severely diminished, that is why it is best to go over the tires each month so that there are no surprises.