Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Emergency Communications for the LDS Church - Howard's Notebook

? The LDS (the Mormons) have an emergency communications system for the Mormon Church:

?

??Amateur radio

When all other communication methods fail, amateur radio (HAM) has proven to be extremely effective and reliable. Amateur radio operators provide their own equipment and expertise, and they practice and prepare to provide emergency communications. [definitions and links to ARES and RACES will be needed].

The church has an emergency communications organization that includes amateur radio operators at church headquarters and select Bishop Storehouses specifically trained to provide Emergency Response Communications (ERC)??

? They use more than just Amateur radio but I just posted the ham part above.? You can see more on their church/religion communications plan at:? LDS Tech

?? I find it very strange and very odd and a bit scary that Mitt Romney wants to do away with FEMA.
Plus now since Hurricane Sandy hit he is refusing to talk about his plan to do away with FEMA.? The media has been asking him and he will not say a word about it.
? You would think that he would have to answer.? You would think that he could come up with some sort of statement.? But he just will not answer the questions.?
?? I would think that would hurt? him big time but he refused to release his tax return and that does not seem to have hurt him.

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Source: http://hnbbs.net/?p=5050&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=emergency-communications-for-the-lds-church

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Factbox: Vatican may limit visitors to Sistine chapel

(Reuters) - The Vatican said on Wednesday that it may one day have to limit entrance to the Sistine Chapel if dust and other pollutants brought in by visitors threaten to take a toll on the Renaissance treasure.

Here is a brief sketch of the Sistine chapel

* The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be - and still is - where Catholic cardinals hold conclaves to elect a new pope and was first used for that purpose after the death of Sixtus in 1484.

* Michelangelo painted most of the chapel in two periods between 1508 and 1541. It is now part of the Vatican Museums and is open to the public when it is not being used by the pope.

Michelangelo painted the ceiling between 1508 and 1512 and the Last Judgement panel between 1535 and 1541. It is one of the world's most famous treasures of Renaissance art. Wednesday is the 500th anniversary of the inauguration of the ceiling frescoes in 1512.

* Michelangelo was accused of immorality and obscenity for depicting naked figures in a church. After his death, Church officials ordered another artist to paint loincloths over the offending genitalia.

* The side walls were decorated by other artists, including Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio.

* In 1994 Pope John Paul opened the restored Sistine Chapel after frescoes were returned to their original splendor by a 14-year cleaning project.

At the time, some critics said the frescoes were damaged. But most agreed that the project had brought life back to the colors, which had been dimmed by centuries of candle and incense smoke, grime, and previous botched restorations.

(Reporting by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-vatican-may-limit-visitors-sistine-chapel-151158719--finance.html

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River Birch's Dominick Fazzio gets hearing due to prosecution's ...

?Given the troubled history of this prosecution, the allegations of a purported secret deal. . . warrants an evidentiary hearing.? -- Judge Berrig

Referring to the "troubled history" of River Birch executive Dominick Fazzio's prosecution, a federal judge has granted Fazzio an evidentiary hearing on his third motion to dismiss the charges against him.

The hearing, granted by U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan, will give Fazzio another opportunity to advance his argument that U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office had a secret deal with alleged co-conspirator Mark Titus. Fazzio and Titus have both pleaded not guilty and have argued that prosecutors promised Titus not to seize his property in exchange for his testimony against Fazzio. Prosecutors have denied any deal not to seize Titus' property.

"Given the troubled history of this prosecution, the allegations of a purported secret deal regarding forfeiture of Mark Titus' assets warrants an evidentiary hearing," Berrigan's order said.

Fazzio's attorney, Arthur "Buddy" Lemann, called the order a positive step for his client. "The fireworks continue," Lemann said.

Berrigan also indicated that the hearing will explore "the unusual circumstances" of Ed Garner, whom the judge called "the alleged victim" of the scheme for which Fazzio and Titus are charged. Garner and Titus are co-owners of Garner Services, a firm that the government said lost about $1 million in an embezzling scheme allegedly involving Fazzio and Titus, who is Fazzio's brother in law.

Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/10/river_birchs_dominick_fazzio_g.html

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Petition seeks regulation on EMF radiation | Vicky Nanjappa

A petition (public interest litigation) seeking a odirective to the government to establish guidelines to safeguard the health of the public from from radiation emitting out of cell phone towers will be heard by the Supreme Court tomorrow.
The petition filed by Prashanth Bhushan seeks a directive to the Department of Telecommunications to establish an independent regulatory body to enforce the present safety norms regulating the EMF radiation from base transmitting stations and to heighten the present norms.
The petition seeks enforcement of the current EMF radiation safety norms by abolishing self-regulation and establishing an independent Regulatory Authority to decide EMF radiation safety levels and to monitor and enforce its implementation; tightening the norms as per Precautionary Principle in order to bring them in line with the safety norms followed by other countries and proposed by independent scientific studies; making environmental impact assessments mandatory prior to installation of cell phone towers and banning installation of phone masts in highly populated areas, protected natural areas and in places where endangered species exist.
The petition states that Cell phone technology has revolutionized the telecommunication scenario in India. Due to its several advantages, cell phone technology has grown exponentially in the last decade. Currently, there are more than 50 crore cell phone users and nearly 4.4 lakh cell phone towers to meet the communication demand. The numbers of cell phones and cell towers are increasing without giving due care to its disadvantages. All over the world, people have been debating about associated health risk due to radiation from cell phones and cell towers.
A cell phone transmits 1 to 2 Watt of power in the frequency range of 824 ? 849 MHz (CDMA), 890 ? 915 MHz (GSM900) and 1710 ? 1780 MHz (GSM1800). A cell phone has a SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) rating. In USA, SAR limit for cell phones is 1.6W/Kg which is actually for 6 minutes per day usage. It has a safety margin of 3 to 4, so a person should not use cell phone for more than 18 to 24 minutes per day. This information is not commonly known to the people in India, so crores of people use cell phones for more than an hour per day without realizing its associated health hazards.
A base station and its transmitting power are designed in such a way that mobile phone should be able to transmit and receive enough signal for proper communication up to a few kilometers. Majority of these towers are mounted near the residential and office buildings to provide good mobile phone coverage to the users. These cell towers transmit radiation 24?7, so people living within 10?s of meters from the tower will receive 10,000 to 10,000,000 times stronger signal than required for mobile communication. In India, crores of people reside within high radiation zones.
In India, we had adopted radiation norms given by ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines of 1998 for safe power density of f/200, where frequency (f) is in MHz. Hence, for GSM900 transmitting band (935-960 MHz), power density was 4.7W/m2 and for GSM1800 transmitting band (1810-1880 MHz), it was 9.2W/m2. The Inter Ministerial Committee constituted on 24.08.2010 recommended for lowering the mobile towers? EMF exposure limits to 1/10th of the existing prescribed limit. These new norms came into force on 01.09.2012 but still fall short of solving the problems posed by cell tower radiation.
The ICNIRP guidelines clearly state that for simultaneous exposure to multiple frequency fields, the sum of all the radiation must be taken into consideration. However, in India, we have applied this limit to individual carriers, so the radiation level exceeds by several times than even prescribed by ICNIRP guidelines, depending upon the total number of transmitters in that area Some of the people (especially older people, house wives, small children) living near the towers are exposed to this radiation 24 hours a day.

Source: http://vickynanjapa.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/petition-seeks-regulation-on-emf-radiation/

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Kruse Home Improvement: Updating Your Kitchen Lighting Fixtures

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Source: http://khimprovement.blogspot.com/2012/10/updating-your-kitchen-lighting-fixtures.html

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Monday, October 29, 2012

#8: Vivitar Itwist DVR-805 HD 8.1MP Digital Video Camcorder in ...

Vivitar Itwist DVR-805 HD 8.1MP Digital Video Camcorder in Black + 4GB Accessory Kit by Vivitar Date first available at Amazon.com: August 11, 2012 Buy new: $49.95 (Visit the Hot New Releases in Camcorders list for authoritative information on this product?s current rank.)

Discount : #8: Vivitar Itwist DVR-805 HD 8.1MP Digital Video Camcorder in Black + 4GB Accessory Kit
check price

Source: http://www.wiki-products.com/8-vivitar-itwist-dvr-805-hd-81mp-digital-video-camcorder-in-black-4gb-accessory-kit/

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Friday, October 26, 2012

special feature: Consolation Prize: The Game Console Is Dead ...

Gaming consoles have never found their very existence more threatened.
Illustration: Simon Lutrin/Wired

In November, Nintendo will release Wii U, the first update to the groundbreaking motion-controlled gaming console that took the industry by storm in 2006. Pundits and developers presume Sony and Microsoft will quickly follow suit with their own updated game consoles ? also the first in years ? though neither have confirmed it.

Assuming all of these new machines arrive as predicted, they?ll hit store shelves at nearly the exact moment when the venerable game console, and the business model that sustained it, became obsolete.

In the history of videogames, devices designed primarily to play games have dominated more versatile machines by offering more software and a significantly better gaming experience.

The last generation of devices has been bigger than any previous one. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo combined have moved over 225 million home game consoles since their launches in 2005 and 2006. That?s a stunning success, especially when you consider the consoles were just a Trojan horse for the real business of selling billions of game titles at a wallet-thinning $40 to $60 a pop.

And that?s not all. In predictions about the race to own the living room, disrupt cable television and remake the entire entertainment industry, consoles often figure near the top of the list. Microsoft crows repeatedly that its Xbox platform, though not its biggest money maker, is probably its greatest success since Windows 95 and Office.

Nearly seven years have elapsed since Xbox got an update ? an eternity in hardware manufacturing. In that time, the $67 billion worldwide game business has shifted radically, forcing far-reaching changes in everything from pricing, game design, distribution, audience expectations and devices.

Anticipating the shifting sands for consoles, Microsoft this week unveiled a slate of new features for Xbox that aim to turn it into a new type of entertainment platform with hooks to mobile devices, cheap gaming apps, video streaming and music ? a move that comes even as it is poised to release the latest sequel in its blockbuster Halo franchise. The dual message couldn?t more clear: Consoles are bigger than ever, and they need to change immediately, or die.

???Consoles, in terms of the way that they???ve been operating and failing to evolve, have to change,??? says Mark Kern, head of the game developer Red 5 Studios. ???The console model is hamstrung by the whole box-model mentality, the idea that you pay $60 for a game and you go play.???

The most obvious disruptor has been mobile apps, which offer pretty good game play on cellphones and tablets for one-tenth or less the price of console games, and very often for free. Other trends include the explosion of social gaming, also mostly free, and the resurgence of PC games, which are now typically cheaper and more flexible than console games, tapping into new online distribution platforms that make them far more convenient to purchase.

None of the game industry insiders Wired interviewed for this story were ready to call the age of the consoles well and truly over. Cinematic graphics, intense play, stories with the narrative sweep and character development of a well-crafted novel: These will keep the fans coming, most argued, in smaller numbers, perhaps, but just as devotedly as ever. At the same time, all of the companies they work for are well underway with plans for radical overhaul, signaling a clear understanding of what is coming ? and more to the point, what has already arrived in the market full force.

The videogame console as we???ve always known it actually died a few years ago. It keeled over somewhere around the time that Microsoft redesigned the Xbox 360???s user interface so you had to tab through ?Bing,? ???Home,??? ???Social??? and ???Video??? before you got to the tab marked ???Games.??? Ever since, the big three makers have been bending over backward to show that their boxes aren???t just dumb game players but connected everything-machines that play more Hulu than Halo.

The pressure to evolve even further has become immense now that the quality gap between cheap-or-free games and full-price ones is narrowing. The best iPad games look like middle-of-the-road Xbox 360 games. Your smartphone is quickly getting to the point where its hardware could display good-looking games in 1080p on your television, and it won???t be long before your phone and TV can sync up without cables.

The result: Years from now, 225 million devices will almost certainly be seen as the point at which the console business peaked. Gamers are going elsewhere for their fix. The console???s time at the top of the heap is drawing to an end, and these machines won???t survive without radical change.

???Everybody who is paying attention is seeing the tectonic plates under the game industry shifting pretty dramatically,??? says David Reid of CCP Games, which is bringing a free-to-play shooter called Dust 514 to Sony???s PlayStation 3. ???The core model is eroding.???

Consoles used to do everything best, but those strengths are now being wiped away. Unlike PC games, which may require finicky custom settings, consoles ???just work,??? fans have long pointed out. Well, so does the iPad. Consoles are cheaper than PCs? Not when you factor in the growing disparity in game prices. Consoles have all the good content? Well, if you want Nintendo- or Sony-exclusive games, you???ll need to buy their hardware. But for many gamers, Angry Birds is becoming more attractive than Mario.

The ripple effects, if you can call a giant tsunami a ripple, are already washing over the game industry. These days, makers of high-end console games need to sell more and more copies, at higher and higher prices, because triple-A game development is getting exponentially more expensive. That?s creating sticker shock for fans, who are increasingly being asked to pay far more than the standard $60 to absorb crippling development costs. Game publishing giant Ubisoft???s plan to squeeze $150 out of its most diehard Assassin???s Creed III players on day one is typical: $120 for a ???limited edition??? game package and $30 for a ???season pass??? of downloadable extra game content, to be drip-fed over the next year.

Gaming aficionados will pay up, they say, because the bigger games are of higher quality. But only a handful of developers can now afford to play in this rarefied and risky space, and even for these few, the returns will be smaller. The new leaders in the game, insiders predict, will be those who can shift resources into less ambitious, higher-return products, leaving the future of high-end games in serious doubt over the long haul.

???In game design,??? says Red 5???s Kern, ???the optimal strategy for any game tends to fall to the player known as the min-maxer. A min-maxer quickly finds the advantageous parts of the game and optimizes by dumping all of their gold, all of their skill points into the things that allow them to win the game. And they put nothing into the other stuff.???

???Game companies can???t have it both ways. They???ve got to min-max.???


Source: http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/10/26/special-feature-consolation-prize-the-game-console-is-dead-what-will-replace-it/

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Onion Shows Off the GOP's Hot New Voter Suppression App

If the GOP wants to win big on election day, it's going to have to do everything in its power to keep minorities from voting. But as The Onion rightly points out, its voter suppression methods are in drastic need of modernization. That doesn't mean the jokesters can't conjure up VoteRite, a fictional app that's tailor-made for disenfranchisement. Luckily for democracy, the GOP's dream app doesn't exist yet. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/TW_r9IiWKz0/the-onion-shows-off-the-gops-hot-new-voter-suppression-app

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How Facebook?s social networking dominance failed to monetize

The video clip on YouTube already has the feel of a history lesson. It has taken on the atmosphere of a fateful moment, a before and after, like the signing of the Yalta Treaty, or a Moonie wedding. The moment of the launch of Facebook as a US$100 billion public company seemed to show the myth of the American Dream in real time, visual proof that something ? potentially the world?s most valuable entity ? had been made out of nothing, a simple idea in the head of a Harvard undergraduate. Half a year on, it looks as much an ending as a beginning.

You can see a lot of that story in the film clip, on faces gathered outside Facebook?s headquarters at Hacker Square in Menlo Park, California, on May 18. Our digital age has acclimatized us to extreme numbers, the winner-takes-all lottery of wealth distribution, but rarely have we seen such a group of people instantaneously enriched beyond their imagination. The colleagues look like they have turned up on this bright spring morning to man the stalls at a high-school fete, or for a charity walk, in hoodies and T-shirts and fleeces and jeans. One second they can count their wealth in five or six zeroes, the next in eight or nine or 10. As the clip rolls and Mark Zuckerberg signs his name on a transparent NASDAQ screen, signaling that Facebook is open for trading, an excitement passes through the crowd. On the TechCrunch Web site there is a ticker running, a reckoning of instant plutocracy: ?Ted Ullyot, general counsel, US$234,181,060. Mike Schroepfer, VP of engineering, US$340,141,012. Mark Zuckerberg, US$20,305,226,592...?

How do the people attached to these numbers look? They look happy, fit to burst.

That happiness, at that moment, extended far beyond Hacker Square. It extended to all the investors large and small who believed. Zuckerberg, 28, had long demanded faith in Facebook. All his believers knew the story ? they had all seen the movie and most importantly, they felt the insistent pulse the social network had generated in their own lives. On the clip, after NASDAQ chief executive Bob Greifeld presents Zuckerberg, ?your visionary, your leader,? with a commemorative hoodie, the world?s favorite boy wonder makes a little speech reaffirming that faith.

?Here?s the thing,? he said in his slightly disconnected way, ?our mission isn?t to be a public company. Our mission is to make the world more open and connected ... All of you out there have built the largest community in the world.?

All of the night before, news networks have accessed all areas on the Facebook campus to capture the atmosphere before the big sell-off. The Facebook workers, or hackers, as they prefer to be called, have duly performed like children on Christmas Eve. They have given up on sleep and engaged in the ultimate ?hackathon,? playing roller hockey in the square, watching movies, camping out on sofas and doing bits of programming for the site, ordering in Chinese food and pizza, recreating once again the essential exportable spirit of their organization: faces illuminated into the early hours by laptop screens, buzzing on energy drinks, silently instant messaging across the room, making the world ever more connected before our very eyes.

They have not been thinking about performance cars and stupidly early retirement; they have been thinking, as ever, about enhanced user experiences and ever-cooler interfaces. Still, they are aware that for days and weeks the valuation of their company has been the subject of mass speculation. The wisdom of a Silicon Valley crowdsourced poll has produced an aggregate of the expected value of Facebook come the end of the first day of trading. The figure that has been collectively arrived at is US$135.1 billion ? a single-day rise that represents more than a gain of one-third of the opening offer price of US$38 per share. The investment bankers handling the offering, Morgan Stanley, have surely been conservative in their thinking, the crowdsourced feeling goes; they would not want to risk their credibility on an inflated valuation.

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535601/s/24cb1802/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Ceditorials0Carchives0C20A120C10A0C240C20A0A3545943/story01.htm

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Bringing Home the Browns: Local East Texas Family Sweeping the ...

Facebook

Sean and Heather Brown lived a typical East Texas love story. He was a backwoods boy who loved to hunt, and she was a blonde beauty. The two fell in love and got married, and 7 years later found out they would be expanding their little family. But their story took a wrong turn just over a month ago, and they?re using Facebook to share it and inspire people everywhere.

On September 15th and 34 weeks pregnant, while John was fighting for our country in Afghanistan, Heather was having some headaches and back pains. So she went to the hospital to be cautious. There she starting having seizures which doctors determined was due to bleeding in her brain. The baby, John Michael, was taken by emergency C-section and sent to a local NICU Unit. All the while Heather had slipped into a coma.

Sean got word of what was going on with his family back home, and immediately started the journey from Afghanistan to East Texas. It took him 72 hours with no contact to get updates on his wife and son. He arrived at Tyler Pounds and had a police escort to the hospital.

On October 5th, at 5 lbs, baby John Michael Thomas Brown was brought home in good condition with his daddy by his side. Doctors are pleased with his development as he and his family are adjusting. Sean tries to divide his time at home with Baby John and time at the hospital with Heather.

It?s been over a month and Heather is still in a coma. Yesterday, Baby John got to visit his mother for the first time. While Heather has had little to no response or reaction, doctors say that John is the best medicine that Heather can have. He is better than any medicine a doctor can prescribe.

The family gives updates on Heather and the baby, along with pictures on their Facebook page. Since the page was put up just over one month ago, it has gained over 365,000 likes and shares across the country. People are being inspired by this families story and strength. For updates on Heather and Baby John, visit the Facebook page.

?
KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News

Source: http://knue.com/bringing-home-the-browns-local-east-texas-family-sweeping-the-nation-with-inspiring-story-video/

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Miller-Motte Technical College supports American Cancer Society ...

Miller-Motte Technical College students take a break from the classroom, to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Serenity Salon, located at Tanglewood Mall, is holding a spa night, October 23, 2012.

They'll offer a variety of services, including things like manicures, pedicures, facials and massages, for just $5.

The money raised will go to breast cancer awareness and research programs.

Representatives from Carilion Clinic will be on hand to help people schedule a mammogram.

The event is from 3:30 until 8 p.m.

Source: http://www2.wsls.com/news/2012/oct/23/miller-motte-technical-college-supports-american-c-ar-2305344/

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What's your opinion on Chinese investors buying into Australian manufacturing? W...

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/manmonthly/posts/543994598960025

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Playable Races!

Dungeons and Dragons: The Champions of Bane

Since the Time of Troubles The dark church of Bane's power has waned, but The High Priest of Darkness, Lord Balthazar, has devised a sinister plot to secure power and converts for the his dark master.

Owner:

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.



I don't steal good ideas; I replicate them.

User avatar
Plagiarism
Member for 0 years


I'll have a posting order made before we get things rolling, we may not get up to 11 or more though so no real reason to worry about that yet.

As for balance, this game will be strictly RP, and doesn't have to adhere to the rules quite as much as if we brought out the books and dice. If I find a character that I believe is OP or broken in any way I'll whip out the nerf-stick and beat it until everyone's happy.

The classes, every base class is up for grabs IF you can make it believable. Minotaur psions and pixie samurai will need an excellent backstory before I say yes. As for prestige, and multiclassing, as we progress through the storyline PM me about it and I'll try to squeeze in some NPC trainers... I'm pretty much open to everything at this point, there's a lot more freedom to be had since it's going to be strictly roleplay.

All that I ask is that the characters be believable.

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Gunz4Legz
Member for 1 years



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Black cabs of London: end of the road?

Black cabs maker is headed into bankruptcy. ?Manganese Bronze?says it's not the end of the road and the company will keep operating, but its iconic black cabs are in the middle of a damaging recall. ??

By Associated Press / October 22, 2012

London cabs drive along Parliament Square, London, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. The maker of London's world famous black cabs says it will go into administration (bankruptcy) after failing to secure an injection of cash from one of its largest shareholders. It may not be the end of the road for the black cabs, however, since the company plans to continue operating.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

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The maker of London's famous?black?cabs?said Monday it was going into administration after failing to secure an injection of cash from one of its largest shareholders.

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Manganese Bronze's rounded, limousine-like?cabs?are known the world over, but the company has been losing money for years, hit both by Britain's economic downturn and stiff rivalry from vehicles such as the Vito, made by Mercedes, an arm of German car giant Daimler AG. Manganese Bronze launched its latest model, the TX4, in 2006, but a defect in the taxi's steering system recently forced it into a recall ? a damaging move which contributed to the company's woes.

It had been in talks about a cash injection with Chinese company Geeley, which already owns a 20 percent stake.

Manganese said in a statement that a "speedy resolution" of the product recall remained a top priority for the group, which would continue to operate throughout the administration process.

Roger Maddison, national officer for the car industry at Britain's Unite union, called for government intervention, saying that the?black?cab?was "part of Britain's car manufacturing heritage."

The firm employs 300 people and is based in Coventry, in central England. It has been making?cabs?since 1948.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/_OlfkgzwbaM/Black-cabs-of-London-end-of-the-road

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Off-label medications prescribed to nearly all pediatric intensive care patients

Off-label medications prescribed to nearly all pediatric intensive care patients [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Oct-2012
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Contact: Debbie Jacobson
djacobson@aap.org
847-434-7084
American Academy of Pediatrics

NEW ORLEANS "Off label" drugs are medications that have not been tested for safety or efficacy for a specific patient age or condition. New research presented Oct. 21 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans found that off-label treatments were ordered for 96 percent of all pediatric patients, and 100 percent of patients ages 13-17, in the intensive care unit of an urban children's hospital.

In "Off-Label Drug Use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit," researchers collected data on all patients admitted to the 32-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in Salt Lake City from October 2002 to February 2003, including age, diagnosis, medications ordered and indication for each medication ordered. Each drug was assessed for whether it was used in an on-label or off-label manner.

Off-label use was declared when a drug was prescribed for a patient whose age was not listed on the package label, no pharmacokinetic (PK) data was listed in the package insert, and/or if the drug was used for a non-FDA approved indication.

A total of 335 drugs were prescribed in 492 pediatric patients from birth to age 17. Ninety-six percent of patients received at least one off-label drug. Off-label prescribing occurs in almost every patient in the PICU.

"Treatment with off-label medications is the rule rather than the exception in the PICU," said study author Susan Sorenson, a doctor of pharmacy.

"Numerous problems emanate from the lack of drug data in children, including uncertainty about whether a drug is effective in children for a particular disease, questions about the side effect profile, and lack of dosing information," said Dr. Sorenson.

"It is very difficult when you stand at the bedside and want to treat a sick child with a drug and you don't know if the dose or drug you have chosen or recommended will harm the child or help the child. Everyone does the best they can to find suggested doses and do the right thing, however, it is better medicine to dose or recommend doses based on evidence.

"This study is attempting to determine the drugs that are used most frequently in our sickest patient population that do not carry dosing information, with the intent that studies of dosing, safety, and efficacy will be carried out on those drugs," said Dr. Sorenson. "More studies need to be conducted so that prescribing in our youngest and sickest patients can be done based on evidence."

###


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?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Off-label medications prescribed to nearly all pediatric intensive care patients [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 21-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Debbie Jacobson
djacobson@aap.org
847-434-7084
American Academy of Pediatrics

NEW ORLEANS "Off label" drugs are medications that have not been tested for safety or efficacy for a specific patient age or condition. New research presented Oct. 21 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans found that off-label treatments were ordered for 96 percent of all pediatric patients, and 100 percent of patients ages 13-17, in the intensive care unit of an urban children's hospital.

In "Off-Label Drug Use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit," researchers collected data on all patients admitted to the 32-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC) in Salt Lake City from October 2002 to February 2003, including age, diagnosis, medications ordered and indication for each medication ordered. Each drug was assessed for whether it was used in an on-label or off-label manner.

Off-label use was declared when a drug was prescribed for a patient whose age was not listed on the package label, no pharmacokinetic (PK) data was listed in the package insert, and/or if the drug was used for a non-FDA approved indication.

A total of 335 drugs were prescribed in 492 pediatric patients from birth to age 17. Ninety-six percent of patients received at least one off-label drug. Off-label prescribing occurs in almost every patient in the PICU.

"Treatment with off-label medications is the rule rather than the exception in the PICU," said study author Susan Sorenson, a doctor of pharmacy.

"Numerous problems emanate from the lack of drug data in children, including uncertainty about whether a drug is effective in children for a particular disease, questions about the side effect profile, and lack of dosing information," said Dr. Sorenson.

"It is very difficult when you stand at the bedside and want to treat a sick child with a drug and you don't know if the dose or drug you have chosen or recommended will harm the child or help the child. Everyone does the best they can to find suggested doses and do the right thing, however, it is better medicine to dose or recommend doses based on evidence.

"This study is attempting to determine the drugs that are used most frequently in our sickest patient population that do not carry dosing information, with the intent that studies of dosing, safety, and efficacy will be carried out on those drugs," said Dr. Sorenson. "More studies need to be conducted so that prescribing in our youngest and sickest patients can be done based on evidence."

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/aaop-omp101212.php

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Fishy physics: Adaptation lets silvery fish reflect light without polarization, may help them evade predators

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2012) ? Silvery fish such as herring, sardine and sprat have evolved special skin that gets around a basic law of physics, according to new research from the University of Bristol published Oct. 21 in Nature Photonics.

Reflective surfaces polarize light, a phenomenon that fishermen or photographers overcome by using polarizing sunglasses or polarizing filters to cut our reflective glare. However, PhD student Tom Jordan and his supervisors Professor Julian Partridge and Dr Nicholas Roberts in Bristol's School of Biological Sciences found that these silvery fish have overcome this basic law of reflection -- an adaptation that may help them evade predators.

Previously, it was thought that the fish's skin -- which contains "multilayer" arrangements of reflective guanine crystals -- would fully polarize light when reflected. As the light becomes polarized, there should be a drop in reflectivity.

The Bristol researchers found that the skin of sardines and herring contain not one but two types of guanine crystal -- each with different optical properties. By mixing these two types, the fish's skin doesn't polarize the reflected light and maintains its high reflectivity.

Dr Roberts said: "We believe these species of fish have evolved this particular multilayer structure to help conceal them from predators, such as dolphin and tuna. These fish have found a way to maximize their reflectivity over all angles they are viewed from. This helps the fish best match the light environment of the open ocean, making them less likely to be seen."

As a result of this ability, the skin of silvery fish could hold the key to better optical devices. Tom Jordan said: "Many modern day optical devices such as LED lights and low loss optical fibres use these non-polarizing types of reflectors to improve efficiency. However, these human-made reflectors currently require the use of materials with specific optical properties that are not always ideal. The mechanism that has evolved in fish overcomes this current design limitation and provides a new way to manufacture these non-polarizing reflectors."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Bristol.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. T. M. Jordan, J. C. Partridge, N. W. Roberts. Non-polarizing broadband multilayer reflectors in fish. Nature Photonics, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nphoton.2012.260

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/7_bS-SJCv4w/121021133911.htm

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Cafe's one-way mirror allows peeks into restroom

(AP) ? An Austrian artist has installed a one-way mirror in a Vienna cafe that allows men to peek from their restroom into the ladies room.

Alexander Riegler told the daily Heute newspaper Monday that the mirror is an attempt to "stir people into a discussion of voyeurism and surveillance," in an era when almost everyone is being watched.

Cafe employee Alexander Khael-Khaelsberg says the mirror only shows women at the sink and does not offend anyone's private sphere. He told the daily Heute newspaper Monday that women will get their turn in January, when the mirror is reversed to let them look at men's faces while they stand at the urinal.

The restaurant recently put up a sign advising women that they are part of an "art project" after complaints.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-22-Austria-Peeping%20Toms/id-2ea2ed285cf94969bfdda26f59778760

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New Construction Homes in Bonaire GA, Southfield Plantation ...

New Construction Homes in Bonaire GA, Southfield Plantation Subdivision

Although not yet completed, this luxurious new construction home in Bonaire GA in the Southfield Plantation Subdivision is ready for prospective buyers to?preview.? If you are looking for a home close to Robins Air Force Base with all the extras the builder, Jon?s Custom Homes?provides,??then this is the home for you!

Listed at $350,000, this custom all-brick property at 404 Windstone Place will have 3,328sq ft of living space.? This home has 5BR/4BA, large rooms throughout,?2 gas log fireplaces, keeping room, noise baffling insulation between bedrooms and living area,?a security system, oversized trim,?stainless steel appliances, covered patio, sprinkler system, 3-car garage,?and many more features, all with a cul-de-sac location!

The Houston County Public Schools for this?fantastic Bonaire home are Bonaire Elementary, Bonaire Middle, and Veterans High School.

Anita Clark Realtor at Coldwell Banker SSK Realtors in Warner Robins GA has teamed up with Jon?s Custom Homes to showcase new construction homes in the Southfield Plantation Subdivision.? Jon Gausche is a well respected local builder who has built quality custom new construction homes all over the Houston County area.? As his site says, ?building quality custom homes and having the most satisfied customers is our top priority?.? View one of his homes and you are a believer!

With several floor plans to choose from, and available lots, NOW is the time to become a satisfied buyer in the Southfield Plantation Subdivision!? Call me at (478) 960-8055 so we can get you in for a preview.

New Construction Homes in Bonaire GA, Southfield Plantation Subdivision

?

About Warner Robins Real Estate

Anita Clark has written 801 posts on this blog.

Anita Clark Realtor sells Warner Robins Real Estate and provides community information as a service to the public. You can contact her at (478) 960-8055 or via email at anita@cbssk.com.

Source: http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/2012/10/new-construction-homes-in-bonaire-ga-southfield-plantation-subdivision/

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Laptop or computer Technology In Hospitals | Personal Tech and ...

Laptop or computer Technology In Hospitals

Every person knows that this is a very wide subject due to the fact now a day?s Laptop or computer technology is playing a massive element in hospital performs. Therefore, we deemed Agha Khan University Hospital due to the fact it is nicely knowed and respected hospital in Karachi.

We also like to thank the administration of Agha Khan University Hospital for their helping hand, particularly to Mr. Saleem Quershi (Manager ISD Dept.AKUH), Mr. Sikandar Khan (Manager Bio-Healthcare Dept.AKUH) and Mr. Dilawar Khan (Asst. Manager Bio-Health-related Dept.AKUH).

4 WIDE Locations OF AKUH

Agha Khan University Hospital is utilizing Personal computer technology in 4 wide Places. Those Places can be defined as the backbone of AKUH?s administrative and decisional operates.

1. Software program.

two. Servers.

three. Networks.

Four. Bio-Medicals.

1. SOFTWARES: ?

In this location AKUH are working with 3 Application programs which are as follows:

1.1. Patient Care.

1.two. Administrative.

1.three. Economic.

1.1. PATIENT CARE Programs: ?

In this Computer software AKUH keeps record with regards to 3 varieties of individuals, i.e. Out-individuals, In-individuals and Outdoors referrers.

Out individuals are these who go to a physician for normal checkups and therapy in clinics. The records are kept in the database, which AKUH utilizes for those individuals.

In individuals are individuals who are admitted in emergency instances like burnout, heart attack, fracture and other serious and dangerous circumstances. When a patient is admitted his/her admission date, day and month are updated in this Application Computer software along with bed and ward quantity. A medical doctor and ancillary staff are appointed to that particular patient. The medicine which is prescribed to that patient, the variety of remedy the patient will purchase, the meal he/she will be provided are all updated in this Application Computer software.

Outdoors referrers are these individuals which are prescribed to take X-rays, lab test, and other form of checkups by these medical doctors which are not a element of hospital staff.

1.two. ADMINISTRATIVE Programs: ?

Via this Software AKUH keeps the record of the equipments that are they operating well. The info about current medical doctors, nurses, ancillary staff along with division specifications and requirements. The nutrition records of individuals are also kept here.

The fundamental objective of this Software is to administrate and manage the activities, which are held daily in hospital premises.

1.three. Monetary Programs: ?

In this Software program AKUH keeps the record concerning Economic activities of individuals and hospital. For e.g.

If a patient is admitted in hospital for surgerical objective than how considerably payment he/she had created or how considerably balance has left of his/her actual payment. All the Economic record of individuals is kept in this Software.

Like any other organization entity AKUH also keeps its record, for e.g. how significantly machinery, food and other inventory stuff are left. They also prepare and follow accounting cycle which entails common journal, ledger, trial balance, adjustment, Monetary statement.

two) SERVERS:-

AKUH is working with much more than 200 servers in its network. Some are as follows:

two.1. Database servers

two.two. Computer software servers

two.three. Web servers

two.1. DATABASE SERVERS: ?

To create database server AKUH utilized some language with the passage of time. The languages which they are working with described as beneath.

?? SQL server

?? Oracle

?? Visual Fundamental

?? ASP.NET

?? JAVA

AKUH applied SQL server to create Computer software Software program associated to patient care just before 1980?s. They utilised oracle language as a server to create Application Software associated to patient care and Economic Places in mid 1980?s. In 1995, AKUH employed third generation language to create programs of patient care, administrative and Economic Locations.

These days AKUH are utilizing Visual Standard, ASP.NET and Java to create Computer software softwares.

two.two. Computer software SERVERS: ?

Individuals servers are produced to manage or manage Software softwares connected to patient care, administrative, Monetary and human resource departments. Those servers manage the flow of entries at the time of storing and retrieving info.

two.three. INTRANET: ?

Online servers, communication servers and exchange e-mail server individuals servers are related to the intranet of the hospital to communicate just about every medical doctor and staff member to every single other. They can share reports and other needed facts relating to individuals. AKUH has offered links to its clinics and franchises Outdoors the hospital to communicate, monitor and fulfill their specifications and requirements of machinery connected activities.

three) NETWORKS: ?

AKUH is working with CAN (Campus Region Networking) which is spread in 3 diverse Places but interrelated to just about every other by switches.

Essentially PACS (Image Archiving and Communication Method) is a new technology and only AKUH is utilizing it in Pakistan. It is associated to RIS (Radiology Info Method). Those systems are additional associated to other departments and machinery.

Archiving indicates ?Storage? so, Via this associated networking hospital administration shops any facts relating to a patient which is updated to the network and that patient can retrieve his/her facts by a MR quantity (MR # is an I.D offered to a patient for retrieving details).

PACS is also employed to capture and shop pictures digitally from exactly where medical doctors and surgeons access By means of their thin customers. This technology replaces the old film rule in which an x-ray of a patient is obtained by capturing an Picture on a sheet it was damaging for human health and physique. Right after all this method the info is stored in SAN (Storage Location Network). AKUH has made SAN to facilitate its functioning.

Four) BIO-Health-related: ?

It is a distinct division of AKUH which purchases and monitors the overall performance of Health-related equipment and machinery. This division is additional divided into 4 sub departments which are as follows:

Four.1. Healthcare MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT: ?

This division bargains with 3 goal which are life saving, therapy and monitory.

In life saving and help, the equipment associated to remedy complicated and important decease are monitored and maintained.

In therapy, all the equipments and machinery utilized to treat an in-patient are monitored.

In monitory, the efficiency of all the equipment and machinery employed by physicians, surgeons and ancillary staff are maintained and monitored.

Four.two. Acquire Division: ?

In this section members of bio-Health-related division have to see that what are the equipment they have to Obtain, Immediately after the decision, 1st they Bought the needed equipment Following acquiring the equipment they saw the technical Instruction to that equipment that how to install that equipment and how to utilised that equipment. Then they create a strategy that how to maintain individuals equipment and if there is a uncertain breakdown happens in the equipment how to manage individuals uncertain breakdown. Soon after all individuals measures the subsequent step is to put the equipment in the appropriate place, Right after the collaboration and expansion of the equipment they train all the unique medical doctors have to employed those equipment that how to employed and deal with individuals equipment. Bio-Healthcare works is to monitor all the equipment individuals are in use in the hospitals. Immediately after monitoring the subsequent step is to replace that equipment. In this replacement section when some equipment comprehensive it life or the equipment is completely depreciated they replace all these equipments. This is what the responsibilities of the Bio-Healthcare acquire division.

Four.three. RESPONSIBILITY: ?

Bio-Health-related division has 3 critical responsibilities which are important care, imaging group and LAB.

Important care includes the staff which is accountable for reporting the failure of a machine and to eliminate the complication which arises in ancillary staff or nurses due to some complicated function of equipment.

Imaging group Essentially functions as a channel or a link amongst vital care and LAB.

LAB is an location exactly where all individuals equipment are treated which occurred a failure to some purpose.

5) E-HEALTH: ?

AKUH has began to create a Online based Software Technique named ?E-Health?. It is probably to be implemented in practically 5 years. E-Health will facilitate the clientele and individuals. As its name means it will give the clients the chance to take reports and appointments World wide web. It will also help AKUH to run applications like awareness of gastro, dengue virus and other dangerous and harmful deceases.

Keep Updated With techmobiz

Source: http://www.techmobiz.com/laptop-or-computer-technology-in-hospitals.html

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Why Small Businesses Hate Google+ Local [Comicgraphic]

Lengths small businesses go to for Google reviewsThe latest Google and Your Business Forum Wrap-up and the Skype roar of frustration about missing Google reviews earlier this week brought to mind this fab comicgraphic from Nifty Marketing.

Business owners who have jumped through the hurdles and hoops trying to get reviews only to have them disappear will know just how close to the truth this comicgraphic is!

?Here?s the Google+ Local Review Comicgraphic, shamelessly borrowed from the Nifty Marketing blog.? Why Small Businesses Hate Google+ Local

  • Don?t try to game the system by buying reviews
  • Don?t use a review service to enter reviews from surveys and review cards
  • Don?t use on-site review stations
  • Don?t encourage people to create a Google Plus account just to leave you a review
  • Space out reviews.? Reviews in waves can trigger the spam filter
  • Encourage Google+ Local reviews through a mobile device
  • If your customer doesn?t have a Google Plus account, ask for reviews other third-party sites such as Freeindex, Qype, Yelp and others

Does the comicgraphic reflect your experiences with Google+ Local reviews?? I?d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Enjoy this Post? Please Share:

Source: http://www.mylocalbusinessonline.co.uk/small-businesses-hate-google-local-comicgraphic/

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Swiss Family Kahn finds their tree house in Southern Cambodia ...


Cambodian Capital + Coastal Cambodia

Apart from the opportunity to meet up with friends and contacts in Phnom Penh, the city wasn?t filled with all that much to do. Once the royal palace visit was out of the way- an activity that took us 45 generous minutes at best, we were hard pressed to find ways to keep the kids entertained and interested. After the impressive sights on offer in Siem Reap, a stroll along the river and across the one temple vaguely worth a visit in town (Wat Phnom) simply didn?t impress them much (nor us!) Luckily, there were some fun restaurants to check out that were very family-friendly, such as Le Jardin with a bamboo playhouse complete with a slide that ends in a giant sandpit- filled with beach toys (yes, we spent the better part of a day here- thank goodness the food was also pretty fantastic) and Caf? Java that had a whole playroom reserved for kids (not to mention great sandwiches and? bagels!!) We also loved the all-organic caf? belonging to the trendy 240 Guesthouse. In fact, trendy is a word we found ourselves using surprisingly often to describe many of the restaurants

and hotels we came across in Phnom Penh, including the one where we were staying: The 252, designed by a French/Khmer design group called ?Tendance Khmer?. As a result, Lea suffered from her first attack of shopping withdrawal, having to fight a strong urge to hit the local markets to buy up some of the gorgeous ikat silks Cambodia is so famous for. Luckily (or not- depending on who?s perspective you take) luggage and time constraints prevailed and so Lea ultimately remained souvenir-free.

Another worthwhile activity in PP, but reserved for adults (so only Lea went) is a visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum, known as S21 (for Security Prison 21). This is where proof of the Khmer Rouge genocide is all too apparent and heart breaking. It was originally built as a school and you can still find classrooms with blackboards on some floors of the 4 buildings, but most of the classrooms were transformed by the Khmer Rouge into torture chambers and prison cells. These were difficult to walk through and as one strolls the halls, it is not uncommon to come across a tourist (or, as in Lea?s personal experience, a big burly

Australian dude) having to take a minute to ?regroup?. A visit to this place is not for the faint-hearted and Lea was as poorly equipped as the said Australian. But it certainly put the country and its struggles in context. It?s incredibly hard to wrap one?s head around the absolute misery the Khmer people were dragged through and just how much damage 4 years under a regime such as that of Pol Pot could do, both physically and psychologically. Even though the population of Cambodia seems to not only have survived, but is happily thriving today, evidence of this all too recent rough past pops up frequently as we cross the country- from mine warnings, to random barbed wire fences in the middle of rice paddies, to countless abandoned French colonial homes (especially in the coastal areas of Kampot and Kep?) But the most unexpected evidence came in the form of local reactions to the royal family?s loss of their patriarch.

Earlier this week, the King?s Father died. We were surprised how such an event, concerning so prominent a figure in Cambodian history, could occur with so little reaction on the part of the local population and

press. In fact, we found out about it through the international media and hardly heard mention of it by Cambodians, other the occasional exhibit of incense burning near his photo. It then occurred to us that the man that was King during the country?s string of oppressive occupations might not be as loved and appreciated as his photos on the wall of each business place might lead you to believe. In truth, though he and his family also suffered at the hands of Pol Pot, King Sihanouk nevertheless played an instrumental role in the rise of the Khmer Rouge and clearly, not all is forgiven. The Cambodian way to deal with this issue appears to be simply not to discuss it, and so we were unable to get much of an explanation or opinion expressed by anyone in his regard? nor, for that matter, on his son, the now reigning King- though possibly for significantly different reasons. What we did find out is that the current King is in fact, a queen. And while Cambodia seems relatively gay-friendly, sexuality remains a taboo subject. So this may further explain why locals simply don?t have much to say about their ballet-loving, still single, aging King as he mourns the passing of his controversial father. And the future of the monarchy remains equally vague to us.

With all due respect to the Cambodian royal family, we elected to carry on our joyous journey, actively exploring the South of the country after a peaceful 3 hour drive from the capital to the sleepy provincial town of Kampot, at the foot of Bokor Mountain and on the banks of the Teuk Chhou River. Here, we found relief in the last-minute renouncement of staying in a slightly too-rustic 10$ a night riverside grass hut in favour of the very comfortable, if nevertheless basic, Soleil D?Or Guesthouse- a lovely little renovation of a French colonial 2- level townhouse in the middle of Kampot. As we were hitting town during a religious holiday that offered all a 3-day weekend, we struggled to find available lodging in this popular getaway town. Our first choice would have been the fantastic Rikitikitavi guesthouse (which nevertheless became our daily canteen), but it was sold out, as were our second and third choices. Out of despair, we decided to book ourselves into a true backpacker refuge called Ollie?s Place and

were only saved by a last-minute cancellation at the slightly more upscale Soleil D?Or. When we nevertheless opted to lunch at Ollie?s we realized just how lucky that cancellation was. Ollie?s was? to put it mildly? a rundown collection of dirty shacks without plumbing. We had our confirmation that no matter how adventurous we wish to be, there is a certain line we?d rather not cross?or rather, we are simply not cut out to cross. And we were looking at it. From this point on, anything marketing itself with the words ?rustic? or ?backpackers? was to be avoided.

After four days spent swimming in rivers, roaming through rice paddies, and visiting pepper plantations, mango orchards and limestone caves, we moved on to the coastal resort town of Kep, just an hour away. Despite the beachside location of this French colonial remnant, most of the accommodations are built into the hills overlooking the sea. This was also the case for our selection: a Robinson Crusoe-like hotel, the Veranda Natural Resort , consisting of multiple elevated wooden structures built into the trees, offering a spectacular view of the Gulf of Thailand and the not-so-distant Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc-

our next destination. The one small swimmable beach in Kep is not much of an attraction and most visitors, including our little family, opted for a 20minute boat ride out to one of the nearby islands, such as Koh Tonsay (known popularly as ?Rabbit Island?.) On the island, there are a few local families willing to cook for you and rent you a straw surface to lay your towel on. Given their limited English, ordering lunch can be somewhat of a crapshoot. For example, when Lea asked for Coca-cola, she was brought a lovely freshly cut coconut, which she happily accepted and thoroughly enjoyed. Other noteworthy meals in Kep, included a crab dinner on the waterfront at the locally owned Kimly Restaurant (turns out our kids, unlike their mother, absolutely love shellfish?), a thoroughly nostalgic dinner at the Swiss-owned Kep Lodge consisting of rosti, spatzli, and sausage, as well as a bug-infested dinner at the attractive yet suspiciously empty Breezes restaurant. Additional highlights of our stay in Kep would be the free massages offered to the kids- perhaps a terrible foolish mistake in Mimi?s case, as she now asks for them every day? and the hotel?s fabulous salt water pool which kept the children thoroughly entertained and refreshed for 5 days, while Arnaud and Lea made friends with a variety of hotel guests full of good advice for our onward travels.

A few more lessons learnt the hard way during our travels to date:

1. Just because a hotel has a sign that says ?Against sex tourism? doesn?t mean it won?t be filled with sad little European men entertaining pretty young local girls (and believe me, observant little 4 year olds WILL notice and comment on it? ?is she a grown up?? or ?is he her daddy??)

2. Mosquito repellant bracelets draw ants.

3. When you are trying to stick to a budget, massages, babysitting, and desserts are the top items to get cut.

4. ?Not so spicy? is Khmer for ?super spicy? and ?I don?t know? is Khmer for ?you can?t handle the truth.?

5. When you are staying in a tree house with centimeter-wide gaps between the floorboards, handle your suitcase keys with care. Same goes for kids crayons.

6. Basic and natural in Cambodia means bugs (BIG bugs) and no air

conditioning. (Halleluiah for mosquito nets?)

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Source: http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Kep/blog-751180.html

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