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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMVvO7NNuGo&hl=en
Człowień i Shot - Iluzjoniści SLAVIC POLISH MUSIC 2010 Wednesday, December 29, 2010
What Good Are Exit Interviews? Tuesday, December 28, 2010
During a particularly passionate brainstorming session in my last open workshop - "Some Quit and Leave...Others Quit and Stay" - our topic of discussion was the reason employees change jobs and what individual managers can do about it.
The group quickly agreed that the most important reasons people leave fall into two main categories:
- A new career opportunity (either after active searching or being approach by a 'headhunter')
- A problem/dissatisfaction on the current job that was not being handled correctly
There was also fast agreement amongst participants that unexpectedly having to replace a valuable team member can be both very time- and cost-consuming.
Surprisingly, there were few companies represented that had a cohesive exit strategy. Some had no form of exit interviews at all, and representatives from other companies that did conduct exit interviews weren't sure exactly how the feedback was being pro-actively applied as a way to limit future turnover.
Why Exit Interviews are Important
Having an exit interview strategy let's people within your organization know that individual managers, as well as the company as a whole, really care why someone chooses to leave. In learning to better understand why people leave unexpectedly, organizations receive valuable insights into ways to improve employee satisfaction and prevent unnecessary turnover in the future.
There are several ways to conduct effective exit interviews. Some organizations represented give out a questionnaire when people leave, asking them to hand it in on their final day or mail it back within 30 days of leaving. Other organizations conduct exit interviews live or (within a month) by telephone. These person-to-person interviews are either conducted by someone from the human resources department or - for an increased level of neutrality and confidentiality - by a third party (e.g. HR consultant or coach)
Important Exit Interview Questions
Everyone agreed that the format used - while having some standard sections - must be custom made to fit the culture, climate and needs of the specific organization in question.
However, here are some typical exit interview questions people thought would be helpful:
- What did you enjoy most about working here?
- What did you enjoy least? Why?
- What comments or suggestions can you make to help our organization grow stronger and more successful in the future?
- Do you feel we dealt with complaints and problems on the job in a timely and effective way? How could we have been better?
- Did you have a clear picture of your specific career possibilities within our organization?
- What one thing would have possibly made you re-think your decision to leave?
Coaching Questions for Managers
Looking over past exit interview feedback, have you noticed any trends that might indicate deeper problems or highlight new opportunities within your team or organization? For example:
- What is the average length of time people typically work for your organization before voluntarily leaving?
- What are the top three reasons people give for leaving your organization?
- What are the top three positions with the highest turnover?
- Are there any specific turnover issues with certain departments or teams?
- What internal changes can be made to increase overall job satisfaction, especially amongst high potentials?
- What are you - personally - doing to prevent future resignations in your team?
Remember: Exit interviews, handled respectfully, provide a wealth of information that is key to helping your organization grow, solidify and refine its success. It will also make a past employee more likely to offer honest feedback and take a more positive image or your organization with him into the future.
Are you and your organization ready to listen - and act?
Trina E. Roach
Trina is founder of Creating Tomorrow: The Leadership Consultancy, a company specializing in executive + career coaching, as well as leadership and communication skills training. Based in Germay, Trina was conducted successful sessions from Tallinn (Estonia) to Sofia (Bulgaria) and from Moscow (Russia) to Amsterdam (Netherlands). With clients throughout Europe, as well as in the Greater Philadelphia area, Trina conducts her coaching and training sessions in either English or German.
http://www.creating-tomorrow.com/blog
http://www.creating-tomorrow.com
Srpske Gusle - Djeneral Dragoljub Draza Mihailovic
Stara Srpska Crnogorska Pjesma uz Gusle CCCC chetniks Cetnici serbs srbi serbia srbija yugoslavia bosnia bosna Serbian kosovo cetnik republika srpska rs rsk vojska serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien cccc Srbija srpske zene cure serbia girls women balkan kosovo je srbija muzika song music igra folk sexy dance bosnia italy spain russia poland czech republic belorus slovakia slovenia croatia hrvatska ukraine hungary romania moldova estonia germany france greece portugal england scotland ireland north ireland norway sweden finland europe union belgium holland netherlands ljudi people britney spears maradona liverpool serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien cccc Srbija srpske zene cure serbia girls women balkan kosovo je srbija muzika song music igra folk sexy dance bosnia italy spain russia poland czech republic belorus slovakia slovenia croatia hrvatska ukraine hungary romania moldova estonia germany france greece portugal england scotland ireland north ireland norway sweden finland europe union belgium holland netherlands ljudi people britney spears Hrvati Dalmacija Croatia Istra Slavonija Vukovar Zagreb dinamo torcida bbb hajduk rijeka domovinski rat oluja bljesak maestral teroristi Republika srpska krajina serbia srbija cetnik chetnik cetnici serbs croatia bosna bosnia hrvatska ustasa balija srbi serbian yugoslavia bih ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFDAo-W_Gpg&hl=en
Kerli - Style & Clothes (Estonian/Subtitles Included CC) Friday, December 24, 2010
Kerli talks about her style and where she gets hers clothes from. Subtitles included in Closed Captions CC. June 25, 2009 Kerli's Official Website www.kerlimusic.com Kerli's Official Myspace http Moon Children's Official Myspace www.myspace.com MoonChildMeko's Official Myspace www.myspace.com MoonChildMeko's Official Facebook www.facebook.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpRHA77Squ4&hl=en
Pre-paid SIM Cards for Estonia Friday, December 17, 2010
Amongst the Baltic States, Estonia is the smallest country with a population of 1.7 million. Tallinn is the capital of the country and is a small city having about half a million inhabitants. The city of the Danes, as the word Tallinn means, tells the story if the country's history. At present, Tallinn is full of people of many nationalities and this old Hansa city is surrounded by a 2.5 kilometers of stone wall, which dates back to the Middle Ages. Tallinn offers its visitors with many museums, small restaurants and galleries displaying new Estonian Art. The town is known for its international yachting events of the 1980 Olympic Games. The National Singing Stadium, on the outskirts of the city, holds world renowned song festivals, which is one of the attractions for the tourists in Estonia.
Estonia is a low lying country with forests, lakes and many rivers, most of which are draining into the Gulf of Finland to the north or eastward into Lake Peipus, its largest lake. Being separated by the narrow Gulf of Finland with Finland, it has strong cultural and linguistic ties with the country. When you visit Estonia, you will see the old soviet army barracks of the yester years, which was once off-limits even to the Estonian themselves. You will also find the modern Estonia, which is presently a member of the European Union, where 67% of its citizens voted in favour of joining the Union.
Estonia has a very short summer and a long winter, which have made Estonia in into two different countries. People living in Estonia have two different lives - a summer and a winter one. The winter which sets in October, plunges the country into darkness and the light does not appear till March. During November and December all light disappears and at midday there is a short period when of daylight. Night once again draws in by three o'clock in the afternoon.
Nostalgia is one that reflects in the lives of the Estonians with uniting qualities. This is the theme that has appeared time and again in their poetry and folk songs. Estonian culture has grown on the line dividing the Eastern and Western Europe. This has happened through centuries. There are number of small region within Estonia, where the people have distinct variation of the mostly homogeneous culture in the country. Amongst these regions, the most notable is Setumaa, which is located in the southeastern of the country and was, in previous times, separated from Estonia for a long period of time. The people here developed a culture strongly influenced by the Russians, which still exists today. Another area, Mulgimaa, where the patterns of the culture goes back to the middle ages. The ancient food, such as, Mulgi cabbage, curd cakes, and kama - roast mixed grain, which originated from this region, are now popular dishes all over Estonia.
Estonia has gone through countless external influences, so much so, that it is impossible to determine what the real Estonian architecture might have been, if the country did not go through the invasions from the Germans and Scandinavians. In course of the centuries, the Estonian architecture has been repeatedly destroyed and re-built. At the beginning of the 20th century, professional architectural firms appeared in the country and professional architecture began to emerge in Estonia. In the country-side, people having money began to change their life style and rebuilt their low, chimney-less dwellings into modern houses with chimneys, bigger windows and a separate kitchen.
Estonians have their own way of food habits. One of their main dishes consists of blood, grains and pieces of fat found in a bowel of a pig. They prepare this by killing the pig, draining its blood, cutting off the rectum, stuffing the intestine with blood, fat from the bowel and grain and then eating it. This is a type of what they call as blood sausage, known as verivorst. Even the fast food chains in Estonia, like MacDonald's serve blood burger. You can get blood in the supermarkets and are sold in a pouch, like juice. Presently the Estonians eat various kinds of food.
If you are taking your mobile phone on your visit to Estonia, there is a way where you can economise on your communication expenses. At first, consider these two instances which you might have experienced when you travelled before, to countries abroad.
At the time when mobile telephony was not available, you had reasons to get in touch with your associates and friends, both locally and abroad, and also with your family back home. In order to do this, you might have used the telephone in your hotel room. The telephone bills that you had to pay at the end of your stay in the hotel were quite large.
At the time when the mobile phone began to be a necessity, you had taken your handset on roaming to the different countries that you visited. You had exorbitant outgoing call charges, especially with your mobile being on roaming, and you had also paid for your incoming calls at roaming charges. In order to provide you with the roaming facility, your service provider has entered into a service contract with the network operator of the country that you are visiting. This contract has certain financial agreement which stipulates that your service provider would be paying the other, for such connectivity services and for any calls that you make and receive through the concerned network of the country that you are in. Hence your service provider charges you extra for providing this facility to you. This arrangement is expensive as reflected in your month end bill, perhaps more expensive than what you had spent while calling from your hotel room telephone.
A pre-paid SIM card for Estonia gives you a saving up to 80% on your mobile air time usage bill. When you buy a pre-paid SIM card for Estonia, you get a local Estonian number and your outgoing calls are charged at the local rates. This means that you pay as the locals do. Further, all your incoming calls are free and you do not pay for roaming. You do not need to enter into any contract what-so-ever, and you do not get to receive any month-end bills. When you buy a pre-paid SIM card for Estonia, you receive a certain amount of talk time credit along with the card and this would mean that you can start using your phone right away. As and when you need to replenish your talk time credit, you can do so by purchasing recharge coupons or vouchers from practically any shop in the Estonian cities. These coupons or vouchers are available in many denominations and you may choose the value of the talk time credit that you want. Being pre-paid, you are always aware of the expenses that you are incurring for your calls and hence you are being able to control the budget that you have set for the purpose.
SIM card is the short form of Subscriber Identity Module, which renders your mobile handset intelligent. It is a smart card of the size little smaller than a postage stamp, that goes in a slot at the back of your mobile phone. You can get to this slot as you take off the back cover of your mobile handset. A SIM card holds unique information about you and your phone, like, the SIM card number, your subscription information, the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of your mobile phone and other security details. As you switch on your phone, the information is transmitted to the nearest tower in the city that you are visiting and after it is verified for correctness and security checks, you are logged in the network. You are now ready to make and receive your calls. A SIM card also holds your address book, where you put in the name and telephone numbers of the people you call frequently. The SIM card also logs your incoming and outgoing calls and the calls that you fail to answer. All these are logged along with the respective date and time.
You would need a GSM mobile phone to use your pre-paid SIM card for Estonia. You could be having a GSM phone, but it is unlikely that it will work in Estonia. This is mainly due to the different GSM frequency bands that are used in Estonia. The networks in Estonia operate on 900MHz and 1800MHZ GSM frequency bands, where-as, the networks in North America, Canada, and a few other countries in the Americas, operate on 850MHZ and 1900MHZ frequency bands. This sets these countries apart from the other GSM countries. The majority countries use a different set of GSM frequency bands from that of the North America, Canada and a few other neighbouring regions.
Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is an open structure digital mobile telephony technology. This second generation (2G) technology replaces the old analog first generation (1G) technology. GSM is being used by over 214 countries and has over 80% subscribers amongst the total mobile users in the world. GSM works on four sets of frequency bands, which are distributed to different regions, with a few regions having one or two frequency bands in common. These are 850 MHz, 900 MHz, and 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz bands. There are multi-frequency mobile handsets available in the market. The Quad-band phone operates on all GSM frequency bands and can work in all the countries operating on GSM technology. The Tri-band phone works on 800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands and is compatible with most of the GSM regions. The Dual-band operates on 800MHz and 1900 MHz GSM frequency bands, being compatible with some specific countries in the world. Therefore, whether you are taking your phone, buying or renting one, you need to make sure that it is compatible with the frequency bands in the country that you are visiting.
The GSM phone that you are taking along with you must be SIM unlocked as otherwise your pre-paid SIM card for Estonia would not work. A SIM locked phone is meant for a particular SIM card and would not work with any others. To site an example of why mobile phones are SIM locked, consider the following:
The contract that you have signed with your service provider has a clause, stipulating that you will be required to use the service for a definite period of time, which is usually one year. After you have signed the contract, you receive a mobile phone, free of cost to you, and a SIM card, from your service provider. The mobile handset becomes yours at the end of the contract period. Now, the phone that you received free of charge is SIM locked by the service provider. This is done to prevent you from using the phone with any other SIM card. After the contract period is over, the service provider provides the codes for unlocking the mobile phone. It is absolutely necessary that you should ensure that the phone that you are taking with you to Estonia is SIM unlocked as otherwise the pre-paid SIM card for Estonia will not work. For more information on buying or renting a compatible mobile phone, visit http://www.planetomni.com/FAQ_gsm.shtml
A pre-paid SIM card for Estonia is affordable and saves you substantially on your mobile call expenses, where you pay for your calls as the locals do and you do not pay for your incoming calls, no matter where it generates from. Since it is pre-paid, you can always keep a track on the expenses that you are incurring. Further, you do not pay anything for roaming.
Cell phone use overseas.
In 99% of the world the local cellular service standard is called GSM. We use this in the states as well. When combined with a SIM CARD (which usually goes under the battery of the phone) the phone is able to communicate and the SIM CARD also holds the telephone number and memory for pre-paid credit. Rates can be extremely low using this system. For example in 99% of all SIM CARDS incoming calls are free and calls to the states can cost a trifle. Such as, from the UK to the USA 7 cents/minute, from Israel 22 cents, from Australia 27 cents. Yes, USA Dollar cents! There are today even prepaid service providers in the USA offering rates of 10 cents per minute to call anywhere in the US to any type of phone. No contracts, no credit card checks, no bills. Pre-paid always means no minimums no contracts, no obligations. You only pay for the calls made. You'll need an unlocked GSM tri-band or quadband UNLOCKED phone. You can buy factory unlocked phones and sim cards for more than 170 of the 193 countries on earth from http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984
For more information on buying a pre-paid SIM card for Estonia, visit http://www.planetomni.com/FAQ_sim.shtml
Miss Universe Pageant Thursday, December 16, 2010
1952: Long Beach, California. Miss Finland was the first Miss Universe.Miss Hawaii was the 1st Runner-Up.
1953:Long Beach, California. Christiane Martell became the first Miss France to win the Miss Universe title.
1954:Miriam Stevenson became the first American to win the Miss Universe Pageant.
1955: Long Beach, California. Miss Sweden was crowned Miss Universe. Miss El Salvador, Maribel Arrietta, was the big favorite.Miss El Salvador was compared to Marilyn Monroe by American journalists.
1956: Miss USA,Carol Morris, was crowned Miss Universe.
1957:Long Beach (California). Miss Peru, Gladys Zender Urbina was elected Miss Universe. She was the first Latin woman to win the Miss Universe.
1958:Long Beach, California.Marina Luz Zuloaga became the first woman from Colombia to win the Miss Universe title. Miss Brazil was the 1st Runner-Up.
1959: Long Beach, California. Miss Italy,Maria Grazia Buccella, was the big favourite...but she did not qualify for the semifinals.Next day, Italian newspapers criticized Akiko Kojima. Miss Universe from Japan....
1960: Lynda Bennett, Miss USA and Miss Utah, became the third American to win the Miss Universe title...
1961:Long Beach, California.Marlene Schmidt became the first German to win the Miss Universe title.
1962: Miss Argentina, Norma Nolan, won the Miss Universe title. Miss Haiti, Evelyn Miot, was the first black woman to be a semifinals at Miss Universe.
1963: Miss Brazil, Ieda Maria Vargas, won the Miss Universe title. She became the first Brazilian to win the Miss Universe.
1964: Long Beach,California. Corina Tsopie was the first person from Greece to win the Miss Universe Pageant.
1965: Miss Thailand, Aspara Hongsakula, was elected Miss Universe.
1966: Miss Sweden, Margaret Arvidsson, won the Miss Universe.
1967: Miss USA, Sylvia Hitchcok (20 years/1,71/ 91-61-94m) was elected Miss Universe.
1968:Miami Beach, Florida.Martha Vasconcelos became the second Brazilian to win the Miss Universe title.
1969:Miami Beach, Florida. Miss Philippines, Gloria Diaz, became the third Miss Universe from the Asia.
1970:Miami Beach, Florida, Miss Puerto Rico, Marisol Malaret won the Miss Universe.
1971: Miami Beach, Florida. Miss Lebanon, Georgina Rizk became the fourth Miss Universe from the Asia.
1972:Dorado, Puerto Rico. Miss Australia, Anne Kery Wells, was elected Miss Universe.
1973: Athens,Greece.Miss Philippines, Margarita Moran, was elected Miss Universe.
1974: Under the leadership of Imelda Romualdez Marcos, First Lady of Philippines, Manila, Philippines´s capital, hosted Miss Universe. Miss Spain, Amparo Muñoz was elected Miss Universe.
1975: San Salvador (El Salvador).The winner was Anne Pohtamo, Miss Finland.She looks like Grace Kelly, who was an American actress and Princess of Monaco (a small country in Europe).During her reign, she went to the USA,Australia, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic and other countries in the Third World.She was crowned in El Salvador, the birthplace of Maribel Arrieta, one of the most beautiful delegates in the chronology of MU. Jackeline Gammarra, Miss Bolivia, was big favourite in San Salvador.Ironically, she had been eliminated in the semifinals. Miss Bolivia 1975 was one of the best South American delegates in the history of Miss Universe.
1976:Victory City, Hong Kong.Miss Israel, Rina Messinger, was crowned Miss Universe. For the first time, Miss USA, Barbara Peterson, did not qualify for the semifinals.
1978:Acapulco, Mexico. Miss South Africa won the title.The favorites were : 1-El Salvador, 2-Peru, 3-USA, 4-South Africa, 5-Israel, 6-Sweden, 7-Wales, 8-Costa Rica. The great surprise was Miss Chile.Marianne Muller spoke three languages fluently: English, French and German)... Miss Peru, Olga Roxana Zumaran Burga was a huge favorite in Miss Universe,but she did not speak English. Another eliminated was Miss El Salvador, Iris Yvette Mazorra, one of the best Latin American delegates in Miss Universe.
1979: Perth (Australia). Miss Brazil was a big favorite until last minute. Miss Venezuela, Maritza Sayalero won the Miss Universe title.
1981:New Yor City. Under the leadership of Osmel Sousa, President of Miss Venezuela Organization, Venezuela´s Irene Saez was crowned Miss Universe.The final ranking:1-Venezuela, 2-Canada, 3-Sweden, 4-Brazil, 5-Belgium. After the Miss Universe, Miss Brazil, Adriana Alves de Oliveira had worked as a professional model in Paris.In 1984 she went to London, the United Kingdom, where she was favourite by international journalism and houses of best.She had a perfect body and European profile...But she only came between 7 semifinalists.She was the best delegate from Brazil since Magdalena Sbairini, other big favourite in Miss World 1977...
1982:Lima ,Peru. The favorites were: 1-Miss Chile, 2-Miss South Africa, 3-Miss Brazil, 4-Miss Finland 5-Miss Canada 6-Miss Austria 7-Greece 8-Miss Wales 9-Miss Italy 10-Miss Australia. Miss South Africa, Odett Octavia Scrooby (18 years old, 173m, blue eyes and 54 k), was born in Skeerpoort. She had been a professional model in Johannesbourg, a city in SA.Her hobbies were drawing and painting. Her dream was to become an international supermodel. She did not win because her country was the birthplace of Apartheid...However, Miss Canada won the title. Karen Baldwin was a student at University in Canada.Her dream was to become a businesswoman.Her hobbies were water sports and playing tennis, squash and racquetball. Like Gladys Zender, one of the judges, Karen was a sportswoman."My idol is the Mother Theresa of Calcutta", said in an interview with Mario Vargas Llosa ( judge).Karen had had the support of Rod Duguay(judge), her countryman and a famous hockey player...
1984:Miami, Florida. Miss South Africa, Leticia Snyman, was a big favorite, but she did not win Miss Universe. After 1984,Miss Universe Company did not accept South Africa contestants until 1995,when Namibia hosted the Miss Universe.
1985:Miami, Florida. The final ranking was: 1-PR,2-Spain,3-Zaire,4-Venezuela,5-Uruguay. Miss Zaire, Benita Mureka, was the first black African finalist in Miss Universe. Miss Zaire had her own style and very beautiful. Miss Puerto Rico, a girl very common, was elected Miss Universe...very strange result.
1986:Panama City. Miss Venezuela, Barbara Palacios Teyde, was elected Miss Universe. Venezuela has had many judges in the Miss Universe since 1984:Carolina Herrera (1984 and 1997); Irene Saez (1983 and 1995); Maria Consuelo Alonso Bustillo (1993 and 1998); Lupita Ferrer (1986); Barbara Palacios Teyde (1988); and Jose Luis Rodriguez (1991). Different from Venezuela, Jamaica has not had a judge in Miss Universe history...as Bolivia, Paraguay, Portugal,Austria, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Namibia,Curacao, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland...
1987: Singapoore City. Miss Chile, Cecilia Bolocco was crowned Miss Universe Pageant. She had a sensational interview with judges. Miss Colombia, Patricia Lopez, did not qualify for the semifinals.She won both titles: Miss South America-Universe and Miss Photogenic. Patricia Lopez became the big favorite to win the Miss Universe, but she did not speak English very well. Good bye Colombia.
1989:Cancun,Mexico. Andrea Stelzer was Miss South Africa 1985, but when she arrived at Miami Airport Immigration did not accept her entrance to Miami.Reasons: Radical protests by American Anti-Apartheid activists.Like many South African, she became German citizen. In 1989 she won the Miss Germany title. She went to Cancun and was semifinalist at the Miss Universe.
1990: Venezuela was the dominant force in Miss Universe Pageant in the 1990s.
1991: Las Vegas,USA. Lupita Jones became the first Mexican to win the Miss Universe title.
1992:Bangkok, Thailand. Miss Namibia, Michelle MacLean, was elected Miss Universe.
1993:Mexico City. Maria Consuelo Alonso, international judge, did not support Miss Venezuela, Milka Chulina during Miss Universe contest. In Caracas, there was many critics towards Maria Consuelo.She was born in Cuba.
1994:Manila, Philippines. The ranking finalwas: 1-Miss India, 2-Miss Colombia,3-Miss Venezuela. Many people think that Colombia never winner Miss Universe...mainly for narcotrafic.Colombia have had spectacular girls like Aura Maria Mojica and Paloma Turbay Ayala...
1995:Windhoek, Namibia (Africa). Miss USA and Miss Texas, Chelsy Smith, was elected Miss Universe.
1996:Las Vegas, Nevada. Miss Venezuela, Alicia Machado, won the Miss Universe Pageant.She was always controversial and charismatic...
1998: Honolulu, Hawaii.Wendy Fitzwilliam became the second Afro-Trinidadian to win the Miss Universe title.
1999: Trinidad Tobago. Miss Botswana, Mpule Kwelagobe, became Miss Universe. Since 1999, she is an Anti-AIDS activist in the Third World.
2000: Nicosia, Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite.Miss India, Lara Dutta, was crowned Miss Universe. Miss France, Sonia Rolland, who speaks French, English and Spanish, was another bi-racial beauty. She has a Rwandan mother and a French father. Sonia was a child who lived at the time of the Rwandan War.
2001:Bayamon, Puerto Rico.Miss Puerto Rico, Denise Quiñones was crowned Miss Universe. She became the first person to win the Miss Universe Pageant in her country...
2002:San Juan de Puerto Rico. Miss Russia, Oxana Federova was crowned Miss Universe. The People´s Republic of China made its debut at the Miss Universe. Oxana Federova was dethroned by Miss Universe Organization.In New York City,Miss Panama, Justine Paseak, was elected Miss Universe. She was 1st Runner-Up.
2003:Panama City.Miss Dominican Republic, Amelia Vega, won the Miss Universe Pageant.
2004:Quito, Ecuador. Miss Australia, Jennifer Hawkins, was elected Miss Universe.
2005:Bangkok, Thailand. Miss Canada, Natalia Glebova, was crowned Miss Universe.
2006: Los Angeles, California. Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera, was crowned Miss Universe Pageant... Did you know that... Puerto Rico has had several judges in Miss Universe History: Mapy Cortes (actress/1972); Marisol Malaret (former Miss Universe: 1977 and 2002);Deborah Carthy-Deu (ex-Miss Universe: 1987 and 2003); Dayanara Torres (2001);Marc Anthony (2001); and Maria Celeste Arraras (journalist/2003 and 2006).However, Chile only has had two judges: Cecilia Bolocco (1996) and Christian de la Fuente (20001).
2007:Welcome to Mexico...Miss Universe 2007
ALEJANDRO GUEVARA ONOFRE:I am a writer about Third World issues (human rights, biographies, culture, history, olympic sport, democracy, women´s rights).My hobbies and interests are writing essays, going to the gym, browsing the Internet, Foreign Politics, learning about cultures, reading (my favourite writer is Juan Gasparini from Argentina), cooking Peruvian food, listening to American and British Music (my favourite singer is Barry White). My personal motto is the future is for those people who believe in the beauty of their dreams by Eleanor Roosevelt...My heroes are Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Mpule Kwelagobe (ex Miss Universe and currently Anti-AIDS activist), Bono, Dian Fossey, Jimmy Carter, Oprah Winfrey,Hernando de Soto, Javier Perez de Cuellar and Mario Vargas Llosa...
Estonia Attractions - Places to See in Estonia Monday, December 13, 2010
Estonians are known to be hard-working, neat and patriotic. Most of them are nature lovers, too, which comes as no surprise since Estonia has a wealth of natural gems that make up the best Estonia attractions.
Lahemaa National Park - Considered one of the most popular natural attractions in Estonia, the Lahemaa National Park is the country's largest national park, covering an area of more than 70,000 hectares. Aside from hiking, the park also offers opportunities for cycling, skiing and camping, so tourists can actively explore its amazing diversity of plant and wildlife while admiring the scenic views.
Vilsandi National Park - Although not as big as the Lahemaa, the Vilsandi National Park is still one of the top Estonia attractions, particularly since it is one of the oldest nature reserves in Europe. It is also a sanctuary for thousands of species of migratory birds, making it a true paradise for bird-watchers.
Matsalu National Park - Like the Vilsandi, the Matsalu National Park is also a bird-watcher's paradise. This is because the park is home to almost 300 species of birds, including ducks, pigeons, finches and owls. You can also find hundreds of vascular plants here such as yarrow, meadowsweet and cuckooflower.
Soomaa National Park - Although the youngest national park in Estonia, the area of the Soomaa National Park is second only to the Lahemaa, which numbers it among the popular Estonia attractions. It is especially popular for its mires and dunes which tourists can explore by riding a canoe or hiking along one of the nature trails.
Jagala Falls - Nicknamed the 'Niagara Falls of the Baltics', this waterfall is 7.8 metres high - the highest in Estonia. It is beautiful both in the summers when it reflects the sunlight and in the winters when it gets iced up.
Parnu Beach - If you've come to Estonia to enjoy the sun and sand, then a trip to Parnu Beach is a must. Parnu Beach is the best among the beaches of Estonia, offering a stretch of golden sand, clear waters and several bars where you can eat and have fun at the end of the day. The town of Parnu is an attraction in itself, with 17th century houses and magnificent churches.
There are other Estonia attractions, too, such as the Tallinn Zoo, the Tallinn Botanical Garden, the Kuressaare Castle in Saaremaa and the Estonian Open Air Museum. Still, its natural attractions are the best Estonia has to offer and are therefore, must-see places for anyone spending holidays in Estonia.
Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including Estonia. To book your cheap car rental Estonia or learn more about car rental worldwide, visit http://www.zencarhire.com.
The RBA, the Banks and the Treasurer Again! Monday, December 6, 2010
Here we are again, the RBA, in their wisdom, has not raised interest rates this month. All the experts had a lot to say on why rates will be going up, fortunately the board members have decided that retail and property markets where depressed enough and did not need another nail in the coffin. More experts, or are they the same one, have said that Banks will probably raise interest rates by themselves, no case has been made yet for it to happen, apart for the argument that their borrowing costs have gone up....The Federal Treasurer has come out with a very mild response, in essence "you are a bad boy if you do it!". I was very happy to hear RPData analyst putting some figures on the total lack of new residential buildings, this is something I have been saying for some time, until there is a pause in this continuous increase spiral, nobody in his right mind will borrow to build. There is a lot of uncertainty in the community, the news items are forever revolving around cost increases and/or interest rates rises. The oldies with the money, the ones that still have a sour taste in the mouth from last time Labour was in power, are not spending. We are all fearful of another "recession we had to Have" (Thank you Paul). Now to add insult to injury, the Feds are talking about a possible increase in GST..... and "another" mining Tax!!
On the other hand you have the Real Estate Industry that is Bleeding from all pores, wages, taxes, licence fees, electricity costs, transport, fuel and all the rest have gone up( sales are depressed) but we are forced to accept a "Maximum" commission for sale properties and management fees for rentals. We cannot raise our fees, the Government has said so.
All very well and good for the Banks and the various levels of Government to raise fees and charges but the poor Real Estate agent has to absorb every single cost increase. The regulatory framework we have to struggle under is enormous and no relief in sight!
We don't set prices, margins or percentages. The government does it for us...... Witch other industry can work like this one? NONE! Every other business has been "De-regulated" except the Real Estate industry we are OVER Regulated!! I suppose there's always another Public Servant that has to Justify his/her Job!!
Practical Reasons Why Proper Grammar Should Be Observed Thursday, December 2, 2010
Many people are wondering why many others are very particular about grammar and usage. During this age when the Internet is proliferating, many online users are assuming that it is enough for any message to be understood, especially the written pieces. This could be true in the case of instant messaging exchanges and communication. In the use of short messaging services, poor grammar could be excused because people might just be exhausted of pressing keypads. Many texters also make shortcuts for speed of typing words.
Be informed that it is still not considered acceptable to run improper grammar in public writing arenas like blogs or business Websites. There are many practical reasons for this. The most pressing and compelling of those are described below.
First, poor grammar could be taken as a sign of many other problems. Suppose you are onboard an airplane. During the flight, you experience poor service from one of the flight attendants. You surely and logically would extrapolate that the plane's engineers might also not be properly maintaining the entire aircraft either. Analogize that to proper grammar use. This kind of inductive reasoning is very well applicable to use of correct grammar.
If there are errors in grammar in your communication pieces, especially professional correspondences, you would lead your business contacts to thinking less about your ability and capability to perform many other tasks and responsibilities as well. If you would be careless in using incorrect plural forms, expect that other people may instantly think you have bad or sloppy practices in quality assurance, unacceptable customer relations, and poor product building.
Second, poor grammar could alter your command of professionalism and respect. It is just too hard for many people to accord high respect to a high-ranking executive or business official who could not even come up with a grammatically correct sentence. This disability could display lack of prestige and lack of education at the same time.
There is a need for you to be able to respect yourself first. However, experts assert that before you are able to do so, you must learn to command others' respect first. You would not be able to get that exact kind of respect if your correspondence is obviously sprinkled with grammatical errors. At stake is your reputation. Particularly, professional business correspondences should be impeccable. Business blogs should take this call.
There is always a need to speak well and write well to be able to acquire respect and admiration of people. Many listeners and readers count the message as most important, but the way the same message is sent or communicated also matters. It is never too late to strive to improve your grammar capability. If you have missed out on many of your Language lessons when you were a student, it is time you re-learn the basics.
When speaking and writing, always choose your words very carefully. Be sure to be always mindful of even those little nagging and disturbing grammar problems. You may realize that doing so is like preventing the presence of a small chip on a mug. In restaurants and coffee shops, even the smallest chips on mugs could effectively tarnish the business' entire image and credibility. Do not let that happen to you and to your business.
Boris C. has been writing articles for 2 years. He specializes in various topics. His recent unscented pillar candles website has latest post about wall sconce candles.
Estonian Air Boeing 737-500 Landing Copenhagen Airport EKCH CPH RW22L Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tallinn Airport (TLL) - Estonian Air Regional Saab S340 (ES-ASM) Saturday, November 27, 2010
Estonian Air Regional Saab S340 (ES-ASM) arriving to gate nr. 13 - 25.07.2010, 22:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIZK98STovU&hl=en
RONALDINHO FREE KICK - CRAZY Tuesday, November 23, 2010
farmerstyl0 shqiperia azem vllasi vllaznimi Srbija srbi serbia serbs kosovo arkan metohija mladic karadzic kosova Republika Srpska albania Cetnici uck kla tirana skenderbeg dinamo serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien cccc Srbija srpske zene cure serbia girls women balkan kosovo je srbija muzika song music igra folk sexy dance bosnia italy spain russia poland czech republic belorus slovakia slovenia croatia hrvatska ukraine hungary romania moldova estonia germany france greece portugal england scotland ireland north ireland norway sweden finland europe union belgium holland netherlands ljudi people britney spears Hrvati Dalmacija Croatia Istra Slavonija Vukovar Zagreb dinamo torcida bbb hajduk rijeka domovinski rat oluja bljesak maestral teroristi Republika srpska krajina serbia srbija cetnik chetnik cetnici serbs croatia bosna bosnia hrvatska ustasa balija srbi serbian yugoslavia bih cccc Chetnosong serbian eurosong Hercegovina albania kosovo screbrenica general ante gotovina arkan tudjman mladic karadzic milosevic Dubrovnik kosovo bih kosova shqiperia albania uck kla macedonia makedonija skopje greece hellas greek makedonia vmro serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien serbian serbien chetniks cetnici serbs srbi serbia srbija yugoslavia bosnia bosna krajina kosovo cetnik chetnik srbin war Tanks army serbian serbien ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8rhqsv1OuE&hl=en
BITTERDOLL - My Friend Sunday, November 21, 2010
BITTERDOLL - My Friend (live @ Tapper 22.04.09) www.bitterdoll.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Gc3HcftzE&hl=en
What Happened in the Bosnian War? Part One Tuesday, November 16, 2010
On 29 February 1992, the multiethnic republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, constituting Catholic Croats, Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Slavs, passed a referendum for independence from Yugoslavia. However, not all Bosnian Serbs agreed with the move, although the rest of the population did, as they were trying to cede from Serbia, alarmed by the Serb leader, Slobodan Milosevic's attempts to seize control of federal government and his repressive measures in Kosovo.
Under the pretence of protecting the Serb minority in Bosnia, Serbian leaders channelled arms and military support to Serbian nationalist minorities in Bosnia. Initially many Bosnians believed that the Yugoslav National Army would protect them, but before long is was clearly evident that the National Army was under the control of Milosevic.
On 6 April 1992, the Bosnian Serbs began their siege of Sarajevo, cutting off Muslim, Croat and Serb residents from food, utilities and communications. For three years, the world watched normal people attempting to go about their daily routines while avoiding sniper fire. Throughout Bosnia, Bosnian Serb nationalist militias and the Yugoslav National Army began a policy of ethnic cleansing against the non-Serb civilian population. They captured towns, ransacked houses and apartments, separated men and women, detaining them in camps, killing many men and raping many women. Millions of Bosnians and Croats were forced to flee their homes, resulting in the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War Two.
However, the response of the international community continued to be very limited, the UN responded by imposing economic sanctions on Serbia and deployed troops to protect the distribution of food and medicine, but they strictly prohibited its troops from intervening militarily.
Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net
http://www.visitscotlandtours.com
Going to Estonia on Vacation Sunday, November 14, 2010
Estonia gained independence from the Soviet Union since 1991 and it borders Latvia and Russia and is one of the small Baltic States lying on the Gulf of Finland.
Many tourists visit Tallinn, the capital city and stay in self catering holiday apartments. It is popular with the tourists for its shops, restaurants, museums and art galleries. Tallinn is home to one of the best-preserved old towns in Europe, where twisty cobblestone alleyways that give the area a mysterious otherworldly feel connect beautiful buildings dating back to 14th and 15th centuries.
Although relatively new to the tourist trade it is still possible to rent holiday villas direct from their owners. There are also some charming old stone farmhouses that are also available to rent.
There are plenty of bars that serve the local beers, and the unusual local liqueur Vana Tallinn is popular with people on vacation. They must however be careful as it is very sweet and also very strong.
Self catering holiday apartments are mainly situated in the center of the city. Many of these holiday apartments and villas have been built in the last ten years since independence. As a result these newer buildings are on the whole airy and pleasant places to stay.
Away from the city, the biggest tourist draw in Estonia is the Lahemaa National Park, which is roughly an hour by bus to the East of Tallinn. This National Park features some astonishing waterfalls and picturesque scenery and manor houses. The park is populated by a wide variety of animals including brown bears and lynxes, so trekkers need to take appropriate precautions when they are there.
Some tourists choose to head offshore to the beautiful island of Hiiumaa, and stay in holiday apartments and villas. Estonia is a fascinating country with a strong sense of national pride and some amazing countryside. Almost half of Estonia is still covered by woodland and marshes, rivers, lakes, islands and coastal environments make up much of the rest of the country.
Many tourists come to Estonia to experience the culture of an old Eastern Block country. It is not yet up to Western standards, but what it lacks in class it more than makes up for in character. Tourist numbers are growing year on year and holiday apartments and cottages are being made available to cope with this increase in demand. The locals are extremely friendly and visitors to Estonia are guaranteed an interesting holiday.
Many tourists come to Estonia and parts of Italy. It is not yet up to Western standards, but what it lacks in class it more than makes up for in character. Tourist numbers are growing year on year and holiday apartments and self catering villas in Italy are being made available to cope with this increase in demand. The locals are extremely friendly and visitors to Estonia are guaranteed an interesting holiday. You should also look at Austria ski chalets
Crazy Novak Djokovic tennis Friday, November 5, 2010
djoko 2007 styl0w shqiperia azem vllasi vllaznimi Srbija srbi serbia serbs kosovo arkan metohija mladic karadzic kosova Republika Srpska albania Cetnici uck kla tirana skenderbeg dinamo serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien cccc Srbija srpske zene cure serbia girls women balkan kosovo je srbija muzika song music igra folk sexy dance bosnia italy spain russia poland czech republic belorus slovakia slovenia croatia hrvatska ukraine hungary romania moldova estonia germany france greece portugal england scotland ireland north ireland norway sweden finland europe union belgium holland netherlands ljudi people britney spears Hrvati Dalmacija Croatia Istra Slavonija Vukovar Zagreb dinamo torcida bbb hajduk rijeka domovinski rat oluja bljesak maestral teroristi Republika srpska krajina serbia srbija cetnik chetnik cetnici serbs croatia bosna bosnia hrvatska ustasa balija srbi serbian yugoslavia bih cccc Chetnosong serbian eurosong Hercegovina albania kosovo screbrenica general ante gotovina arkan tudjman mladic karadzic milosevic Dubrovnik kosovo bih kosova shqiperia albania uck kla macedonia makedonija skopje greece hellas greek makedonia vmro serbia srbija srbi srbin serb serbs cetnik chetnik cetnici chetniks serbian beograd belgrade srpski srpska serbien serbian serbien chetniks cetnici serbs srbi serbia srbija yugoslavia bosnia bosna krajina kosovo cetnik chetnik srbin war Tanks army serbian serbien ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r5jMW83qXs&hl=en
Ten Great Things to Do When You Visit Estonia Thursday, October 28, 2010
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Estonia is a Baltic State with fifteen countries. It is located in Northeastern Europe with land boarders with Latvia and Russia and coastline on the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. Estonia has a unique and rich nature that nourishes the heart and nostalgic atmosphere of small towns.
1.) Sailing
Estonian territorial waters is comparable to well known sailing grounds situated in much farther South. The Estonian summer weather is also a perfect time for sailing. There are a huge number of ports to choose from around Estonia.
2.) Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, and Toompea is the historical heart of the city. It is covered with cobbled streets with lots of medieval houses and alleyways, and remnants of the city wall can still be seen there and still protects the lower town spread. Around the wall are green parks perfect for strolling. Tallinn was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.
3.) Open Air Museum
The Open Air Museum is located outside the Old City in Tallinn. It showcases seventy-two buildings described as "Estonian vernacular architecture and village milieu" of the tsarist time in a dark dense forest. Tourists can get a picture of the life and its hardship of the olden times through the Open Air Museum.
4.) The Kadriorg Palace
The Kadriorg Palace was built by Italian architect Niccolo Michetti for star Peter the Great of Russia in 1718. The construction of the palace signifies the start of Tallinn's fame as the summer resort for the nobles and rich of Russia. Today, the palace houses some painting and art collection, and s secluded complex of the palace is currently occupied by the Office of the President.
5.) Patarei Prison
This is one of the recent historical attractions. It is a cannon fortress built around 1840 to protect the city from sea-born attacks and as a notorious USSR prison, and the prison only ceased operation in 2004. Patarei Prison tours can last up to five hours.
6.) Lake Peipsi
It is the forth largest lake in Europe and sits in the border of Estonia, Russia and Eastern Europe. It has an average depth of seven meters with the deepest point being fifteen meters. It is ideal for fishing and recreation.
7.) Driving Tours and Cultural Journey
The countries of Estonia may be fifteen, but it can be toured through driving across countries. Each country can be reached in two to three hours of leisurely drive. Historical structures and museum can be seen along the drive as well as the local houses and a glimpse of the life of the Estonian.
8.) Estonian National Museum
The Estonian National Museum is located in Tartu and is devoted to peasant life and agricultural development. It has some imaginatively recreated farmhouse interiors and detailed display of Estonian folk costume from all over Estonia. Tourist will also appreciate the English labeling of the exhibits.
9.) St. Olaf's Church
The church was named after St. Olaf (King Olaf II of Norway), protector of seafarers. The church's spire was used as a lookout by the KGB during the Soviet occupation. Today, the view from the spire can be enjoyed by anyone who can climb the winding stone staircase, and the stunning view of the Toompea and the sea is worth every breath you'll lose in the climb.
10.) Market stalls inside castle wall
Around the ancient fortress where ammunitions and supplies where once stored are now occupied by small stalls that sells goods to locals and visitors alike. The main product of this market is the handmade sweaters which dangle on hangers and cords for display. There are also other Estonian products sold there such as tablecloths, wooden dolls and other handmade crafts.
Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos [http://www.destinationguide.tv] Visit [http://www.destinationguide.tv/estonia] to view or share Estonia travel videos [http://www.destinationguide.tv/estonia]
Our Soldiers - The Real American Hero? Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Ever since man realized that there was power, money and religion, there has been war. From the earliest times until today, countries have fought over land, power and myth with their soldiers at the frontier. The same is true of modern-day America and the thousands of soldiers who have died in action or are still fighting in Afghanistan. These soldiers leave their families, jobs and all other securities behind to protect their country. Does this make them the ultimate real American hero?
First, we must answer the question of what a hero truly is, since it's being overused in modern times. Hopefully we can agree that a hero, a true American hero, is someone who fights for what he believes in and protect those he loves; someone who wants to make the world a better place.
While we can't pick every American soldier's head for reasons he enlisted and is now fighting in a deadly war, many families and friends believe these soldiers are doing it for the reasons listed above - to protect their loved ones, their country and their pride. Many people on the web seem to agree. When you search for thanksgivings to the American Army thousands of blogs, messages and websites pop up. Most of them call the soldiers of today American heroes.
There are Facebook pages spurring American troops on and online charities that help by sending food, medicinal provisions and clothing to war. But it's not a universal truth. More than one blogger has asked the question of whether it's a good thing to call soldiers heroes - to make war a heroic act. The reason many ask this is because so much of what war is seems to be forgotten in the process of calling the soldiers American heroes. The facts of death, bloodshed, unfairness, tyranny and the suffering of the innocent goes to waste with this romanticizing of war and those partaking in it. Whatever the case may be there are certainly a lot of real American heroes among the troops out there. Soldiers die for lots of reasons. They die to save a friend; they die to save an innocent stranger, they die when they refusing to give out information that might endanger their country. They die in battle to protect all they love.
So we ask the thought-provoking question, do you choose to call the soldiers out there heroes? Whatever you decide, the fact that they are partaking in the deathly act of war should never be forgotten. Never should a soldier be made off as an American hero when he has seen things so ghastly he does not feel like one. A soldier never forgets the things he saw or the things that he had to do to get out safe. We should never ask them to forget. But what we must do is thank him or her for their service and what they have done for your country, pat him on the back and support them. One of the ways to do that is by purchasing products that support our troops - something to look for when making that purchasing decision.
One way to support our troops is to visit http://www.heroenergyshot.com where a portion of every purchase goes to supporting local fire, police and organizations that support our military. And if you feel differently, come tell us why. Submitted by Hero Assoc the makers of Hero Energy Shot - Fuel for Heroes...
Visas, Passports and Russian Brides Thursday, October 21, 2010
A lot of fuss and many accolades are made in the dating literature and on the dating websites about the benefits of dating a woman from Russia or Eastern Europe. These articles point out that you can often find a woman with high education, very attractive looks, a motivation towards a serious relationship, and the desire for monogamy.
There is, however, a flip side to this story. When considering dating or having a relationship with a woman from Eastern Europe or Russia you would be wise to think about the answers to the following questions:
1. What are some of the difficulties that you will encounter because of the visa situation and visitation rules?
2. If she had a career in her homeland, will she be able to continue that career when she is with you in the west?
3. What is the significance of the second question with regards to your eventual joint retirement income and Social Security benefits?
This article will probably not seem relevant to you if you're in your 20's. If, however, you are in your 40's, it will be highly relevant.
As question number one includes a lot of information, this article will focus only on this topic with the other topics presented in later articles. If you have already found a nice woman from Eastern Europe or Russia,You may find that the normal relationship building phase that you have with a Western woman, will be not available or practical to you. Why is this the case? The reason for this is that most women from Russia or Eastern Europe will not be free to travel to visit you! For those of you that live in the US, this problem will be a foreign concept for you, so you may miss it. In general, the US has resisted national identity cards. I remember some years ago a lively debate during the Ford administration about the establishment of national identity cards. Since that time, the country has moved out of this debate and many states use a drivers license as an identity card, but at the time, it was not considered normal for American's to be so restricted. For those of us that travel all the time, we are used to just getting on a plane and flying almost anywhere; flash your passport and you are on your way.
But, for many outside the US and Western Europe, it is not so simple.
To make this easier, let's break this topic down into two separate issues; you visiting her, and she visiting you.
If you travel to Western Europe, you will normally find that a visa attained prior to your trip is not required. Your passport is just stamped at the destination airport. Depending on the country, this "entry visa" is often good for 90 days.
Traveling to Eastern Europe is a little more complicated but similar. Many of the former Soviet Satellite states such as the Ukraine, Estonia, and Latvia will also allow you to enter by just showing your passport upon arrival at the airport. The length of time that you can stay on this tourist visa varies by country.
If, however, your friend lives in Russia, or Belarus, the differences could not be more different and annoying.The process to visit these countries is archaic. So archaic that you will think you stepped back in time 50 years. In general, here is the process. First you must decide where you want to go. Let's say your friend lives in St. Petersburg. You decide you want to visit St. Petersburg and now you must make a hotel reservation. You find and reserve a nice hotel in the city. At this point, however, you need an "invitation." The hotel or another travel agency can get you a special "letter of invitation" with the dates of your travel and itinerary spelled out.
You think that you are done? Not so fast, you are not even close!
Next you must get your flight arrangements. The airlines may not give you your ticket until you have the invitation.
Next, and the worst step, you have to mail or visit the Russian consulate and give them your passport with copies of everything you have as well as a passport photo. In about 3 weeks they will send all you documents back. At least you hope so. Now you are ready for your trip!
For someone that travels all the time and needs their passport, this situation makes it difficult to schedule a trip! For example, I travel quite a bit for my employment. I do want to visit Russia again but I am fearful that after sending my passport to the Russian Consulate, that next morning my boss will say, "Hey Bill, we need you to go to Italy for a few weeks, can you leave tomorrow?", "oops." This is a great impediment for me.
Let's return to the simpler option.
You have a friend in Kiev which is one of the easier countries to enter. You fly in, go to a hotel, and all is normal. The weekend goes well and you ask your friend "Svetlana", "why don't you come visit me next month?" After an awkward pause and a furtive smile, you discover that she can't visit you next month, perhaps not even next year! In order for Svetlana to visit you, she will be required to get an exit visa from her country as well as an entry visa to the US. It gets very technical but in general the American Consulate in Kiev will not issue tourist visas for reproductive age woman to visit the US! Of course, you can marry her after a few visits, get a K-3 visa, apply for a K-1 visa and take your chances.
The point of all of this is that this encompassing and unfortunate bureaucracy will make it very difficult for you to have a normally developing relationship. Generally, a normal relationship is one in which you have many casual dates, in a relaxed setting, and over a long period of time.
The eastern European or Russian alternative will cost you a fortune and require that you invest a significant amount of money and time before you even begin to get to know her.
"It's alright to think twice."
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost..." Luke 14:28
Please be the first to comment on this article.
copyright © 2010, William Marzullo
William G. Marzullo, MD, freelance writer and e-book author is published in both the medical and relationship literature areas. A family practice physician with broad international experience in medicine and holding advanced degrees in medicine, engineering and music, he brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to the writing client. Author of the e-book, "Get That Girlfriend" and the accompanying website http://www.get-that-girlfriend.com. This website focuses on honest, respectful, and goal oriented dating experiences as well as exploring psychological aspects of the dating participant.
How to Spend 5 Minutes Productively Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Every day we all have moments, where we have nothing to do for 5 or 10 minutes. For example, if you are waiting for a meeting to start, waiting for a bus or if a person tells you that he/she will call you back in 5 minutes. Making use of these moments makes a big difference at the end of the day.
Most people cannot use those small gaps in their schedule productively. They do nothing on those moments. But if you add up all these breaks then there may be one or two hours of them during the whole day.
There exist many possibilities for making use of those moments. See the following tips and find out how you can apply them.
o Check your schedule. If you want to manage your time efficiently then you have to schedule it and be sure that you can follow your schedule. You have to check regularly if you have managed to complete all your tasks. Have you missed something? Are there going to be some changes in your plans? Use small breaks to keep an eye on your progress.
o Read. Reading professional books or journals is a great way of educating yourself. Although most of us are aware of this we often do not find time for it. Make use of the gaps in your schedule and educate yourself. If you carry a book with you and read it when possible, then you will complete it in one week. It means that you can read 52 additional books per year, which gives you a great competitive advantage over your colleagues.
o Deal with your e-mail. Reading and replying to your messages can be very time consuming. If you have nothing to do then you can use that time for dealing with your incoming mail. It is important that you just don't read your mail, but also processes it, i.e. reply it or schedule following actions depending on the message. Follow the rule, that you handle every message only once.
o Clean your desk. Having your desk clean and neatly organized increases your productivity. You will find all your papers fast and it gives you an emotional boost. Check, if all things are in their correct places. Put papers into their folders and throw away papers you do not need.
o Make a call. You can make quick phone calls during 5 minute gaps. Those moments are ideal for making social calls, to friends or relatives you have not met for a long time.
o Move yourself. The problem for the majority of the office workers is that we move us too little. Get up from your chair. Stretch yourself. Do some simple physical exercises.
Those are just some example how you can you 5 minute gaps productively. There are many more options. Think about them and be creative. I am pretty sure that you can find many ways for using your time more efficiently.
Kristjan-Olari Leping is a speed reading and time management trainer and associate professor of economics at the University of Tartu, Estonia. I will share my experiences with you and will teach you how to manage your time better. Visit my website and improve your time management.
Improper Grammar and Other Problems Editors Do Not Want to See in Manuscripts Friday, October 8, 2010
When reading an important manuscript, every discerning editor should always take note of the usual errors and problems that may be spread in the entire composition. Some editors instantly return the copies for revising after discovering screaming grammar errors and content distortions in the initial pages. Most writers get too occupied that they overlook poor grammar and usage, misspellings, typographical errors, improper punctuation, and other problems.
Most copies and manuscripts are not approved for publishing after submission. Editors require revisions to make sure the compositions are impeccable and are perfect. Many writers strive to lessen possible problems for revisions.
Poor grammar is the top problem writers and editors have. Every sentence should be grammatically correct so that the message would be sent across more effectively. Most editors are strict when it comes to grammar because they assume that all writers are already very adept and careful when it comes to such. No editor would ever let poor grammar go without correction. There is an exception to this. If the improper grammar is within a character dialogue or within exact words of quoted persons, then, it should be written as it is.
Here are some others of the most usual problems editors take note that prompt them to seek revision or worse, totally reject a copy.
Redundancy mirrors coherence and consciousness of the writer. No reader would be appreciative of a copy that is full of redundant ideas. The space should be used wisely and efficiently. Repeating of ideas should be avoided, unless there is a strong emphasis. Redundancy could also be observed in improper use of words. Examples are: repeat again, period of time, refer back, past experience, free gift, and the likes.
Improper paragraphing occurs when paragraphs are either too long or are improperly separated. As rule of thumb, make sure there is only one idea tackled in a single paragraph. Good ones are also almost always about three sentences long. Ten sentences in a paragraph may be uneasy to the eyes and to the idea.
Erroneous facts are considered mortal sins when writing. Proper and adequate care should be accorded when including important information and facts in the composition. Accuracy always matters. Any writer should make sure data are well researched so that readers would not be misled. It is the responsibility of editors to make sure such errors would not happen, but it is also more of the responsibility for any writer to make sure erroneous facts are avoided.
Punctuation errors are as grievous as grammar mistakes. This is because punctuations play a critical role in readers' comprehension and smooth reading. There should be no jerky stops and starts. Writers are expected to have already mastered the use of periods, questions marks, commas, exclamation points, and even apostrophes. There are many other punctuation marks that are involved. But experts advise writers to stay away, as much as possible, from parentheses, colons, and dashes, if they aim to significantly avoid possible mistakes.
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The best BIG AIR ever from this young estonian athlete Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Special Report - The Art Of Economic Espionage - Why China Is Crushing America's Global Supremacy Saturday, October 2, 2010
Modern historiography specialists have long argued that an essential segment in the study of human evolution is inextricably tied to the basic understanding that societies generally emerge, progress and fall cyclically. Such frequency in social evolution is not just a consequence of endogenous factors, it also results from the impact of the external environment, be it close - neighboring constituencies vying for the same resources - or far - as part of a larger geographical area.
History teaches us another fundamental truth, predominantly unveiled in social sciences: humans are inherently prone to believing in the danger of the unknown, the fear that uncertainty - when present in life - brings an intolerable level of complexity in handling daily activities. Economists, in tandem with the larger group of social scientists, ascribe the word "risk" to this angst.
Risk lies in everyday life. From birth to death and in between the terrestrial episode called life, humans experience a sophisticated relationship with risk and utilize it as a powerful catalyst to furthering their interests. We fear the unknown not just in temporal terms - e.g.: what will tomorrow be? - but also in more practical, present-day terms, that is, what will happen today?
In assessing the rectitude of our daily decisions, the analysis of the environment we live in becomes of critical importance. There emerges then the need to know, understand and act on a variety of variables that make up our ecosystemic reality. Neighbors are a major part of that reality.
The indubitable observation that humans are 'sociable animals' implies a life in community, which in turns posits the sharing of interests, destinies and geography. We share our lives with neighbors, other humans whom we don't fundamentally know and whom we believe are different from us. Neighbors, in continental philosophy, are the 'constitutive other' as opposed to 'same'. Neighbors are different, and because of that, they must be hazardous to our very existence, hence "hell is other people" (Jean-Paul Sartre).
Consequently, our desire to know the 'other' and what they're undertaking forces us to constantly be in a question mode: ergo, we resort to spying. Espionage is ingrained in basic human instincts from cradle to grave. First, we ape our relatives, then our acquaintances and later our neighbors. In that quest for knowledge, humans recklessly spy on each other in a bid for power. Once they determine with a reasonable degree of comfort the neighbor's strengths, the overwhelming tendency is to match it, surpass it, annihilate it, keep it at a politically acceptable level, or use a combination of all these options if the socio-historical continuum of events demands it.
Doubtless, the need to control the military and economic standing of neighbors is the quintessential, albeit hidden, dogma of modern geopolitics. Doctrinal differences may abound, but a studious analysis of contemporary events demonstrates clearly that wars and other man-engineered crises have historically proven to be good ways to rebalance powers among neighbors, or more precisely, within geographical zones. Crises, facts have shown, drive innovation and quality of life.
Espionage is not a recent discipline within political science. It has been a staple of human history for the past 2,000 years and even before. Throughout history, nations have risen or fallen based on their ability to collect data from rivals and use that body of knowledge to gain a competitive edge. History also suggests that societies that show a disinclination for 'outer research' of their environment, and consequently, a significantly lower number of exogenous interactions - be it cordial or belligerent - with others have been weakened over time. The high frequency of wars between nations in the 'Old Continent' explains the relative superiority that Europe had over, say, Amerindians and Africans for the past few centuries, first in slavery and then colonization.
Espionage is rooted in modern life
After two atrocious global wars, countless medium-size conflicts and a dogmatic cold-war between capitalism and communism, political and military leaders seem to have finally gauged the idiocy of lethal conflicts with planetary implications. The notion of 'détente', that is, the easing of strained relations in the political phraseology, gives nations the imaginary assurance that they may all coexist pacifically and a major conflict is preventable once greater cooperation between societies subdues the inherent quest for power that causes hostilities.
Acquiescing that there exists a permanent détente within the current geopolitical landscape is an optical illusion because it goes counter the very human urge to monitor the neighbor in order to know him or dominate him, if not annihilate him. This can be very easily illustrated in instances where spies are caught in so-called 'friendly' territories. Take the example of Israel's Mossad agents being arrested in the United States.
The nuts and bolts of modern state espionage lie in a sophisticated and complex apparatus that all nations, and peculiarly global superpowers, have invented to carry out data-collecting and monitoring activities in peace time. Embassies, with their massive bureaucracies, specialized technocrats and their diplomatic inviolability, are preeminent on that list. They are essential in monitoring the host country's social dynamics and report to their respective governments. Simply put, an embassy is, de jure, a stranger turned neighbor.
Next are supranational organizations that populate the global political, social and economic sphere. Their local representations and periodically published studies may also serve an intelligence purpose. Finally, aid agencies and so-called 'humanitarian' organizations are critical in gauging so-called 'underdeveloped' nations' economic ability and progress in their development. It is no coincidence that major countries in the developed sphere do not customarily accept 'aid programs' from their counterparts unless excruciating circumstances dictate that such refusal would be politically unacceptable.
Strategic studies and the modern economic literature are replete with topics referring to Japan's, and to a lesser extent, Asian dragons' ability to use economic espionage at the end of the Second World War to gain a competitive edge over erstwhile powers such as the United States and Great Britain. The necessity to monitor and direct the continent's economic reconstruction, and the panic of a potential dominance by communist Russia, also led the United States to implement the Marshall Plan in Europe from 1948 through 1952.
Businesses thrive from spying more than the military
A noteworthy myth in today's world is that espionage is principally the province of military strategists and national armies. Evidence from authoritative business intelligence magazines, leading governmental studies and a massive body of knowledge from academia have clearly explained the causal relationship between firm profitability and espionage. Differently stated, governments tend to always transfer intelligence data to their domestic industries, whether they are at war or at peace.
As a result, the military-industrial complex benefits considerably from intelligence and such prerogatives are then disseminated into other firms in the economic fabric. As an illustration, it would be fairly understandable that a firm like Boeing, which derives a substantial portion of its revenues from government's contracts and sale of military aircrafts, is more attuned to certain developments in US intelligence gathering than a financial services giant like Citibank.
Nevertheless, businesses have also parlayed their gargantuan economic clout into a very successful data-collection enterprise. The plethora of tools available to business executives nowadays is strikingly sophisticated and effective. Even if it is not exhaustive, a good analysis of such tools must look at their source and their degree of macro-economic interconnectedness.
On one hand, external mechanisms allow at the macro-level business enterprises to gather information from competitors and control how such information can be utilized to thwart rivals, increase their own market primacy, or do both. When they share a community of interests vis-à-vis a new market or are in an oligopolistic situation, companies are routinely willing to join hands provided, of course, that the risk-payoff ratio of a single venture is not immensely superior to that of a joint venture. Tacit collusion, that is, the market situation where two firms agree to play a certain strategy without explicitly saying so, is a fine illustration of business intelligence sharing.
In practice, firms engage in economic espionage via economic sections of embassies, chambers of commerce, lobbying groups, industry groups, specific studies from consultants, and monies granted for academic research in particular fields of interest. Concomitantly, they guard against intelligence threats by massively supporting intellectual property laws.
On the other hand, a sophisticated internal approach allows companies to stay abreast of latest developments within their industry. First and foremost, they hire to their corporate boards or for senior positions, experienced former government officials and high-rank military leaders who had been privy to high-value strategic insights during their public tenure.
This is immensely beneficial to the hiring side because a former cabinet member, a congressman or a four-star general, can possess a breadth and depth of experience and knowledge of past, present and future topics that is considerably worth more than countless external consulting reports. Second, economic intelligence departments and government relations departments also fulfill data gathering roles through research, lobbying and interacting with industry groups.
Cyber-warfare, the new cold war
As the planet becomes technologically more intertwined, novel tools and modus operandi are being made available to governments and private interests to collect specific intelligence. These tools and procedures are an intricate combination of old and new procedures which simultaneously penetrate nations' military, economic and social constructs to extirpate valuable bits of knowledge.
Defense experts are calling these emerging asymmetric conflict tools 'cyber-warfare'. Due to the plethoric ramifications they present and the simultaneous dual tasks they may serve to fulfill (attack and defend) when engineered in certain ways, I label this group Modern Cyber-warfare Gear ("MOCYG").
MOCYG, as it stands, involves the offensive use of various techniques to derail a nation's infrastructure, perturb the military and financial systems of a country with the aim of crippling its defense responsiveness and the integrity of economic data, or accomplish other destructive aims based on the attacker's incentives and strategy. Security specialists and military researchers have classified these techniques into 5 major groups: computer forensics, viral internet tactics, assault on computer networks or software, hacking and espionage.
The idiosyncratic power of cyber-crime lies in its 'stateless' nature, its capacity to be inexpensively controlled and deployed, and the vast damage it can exert. Given the judicial vacuum created by cyber-warfare techniques, nations are rushing to build up legislative safeguards to prosecute offenders even though criminologists argue such undertakings are largely inefficient at the moment.
A memorable cyber-criminal event occurred in Estonia in 2007 when more than 1 million computers, allegedly from Russian-based servers, were used to simultaneously cripple state, business and media websites in a modus operandi analogous to the "shock and awe" military tactic. That attack ended up costing Tallinn's authorities tens of millions of US dollars.
China, a cyber-giant in progress
Upward socioeconomic trends in the People's Republic of China are well known to international masses and covered profusely in western news media. So are Chinese authorities' singular understanding of democracy and human rights as well their overt wish to play a bigger geopolitical role in world affairs. However, the quiet revolution China is experiencing lies within the astronomical investment country authorities are making in top notch universities so as to catapult China into the top league of technological giants, along with the United States and Japan. Given the size of such educational outlays, Chinese authorities must believe that a major competitive edge can be gained in the technology field and such advantage can be converted or transferred into other sectors of their mushrooming economy.
Top western sinologists and other think tanks are closely monitoring these academic developments because they understand the basic notion that future geopolitical dynamics will inextricably be tied to how successful Chinese will be at leveraging technology to boost their future 'global penetration'.
The smart tactic is that, while future chief engineers are being trained at world-class institutions such as University of Science and Technology at Hefei, Harbin Institute of Technology, Beijing University and Tsinghua University, China is concurrently putting a veil of secrecy around its information systems and cyber-infrastructure. The country may be notorious today for its copyright infringement cases or intellectual property violations, but it is inconspicuously gearing up for tomorrow's technological primacy that its expansionist aspirations may dictate.
China also investigates currently available ways and means to unearth state-of-the art synergy tools that can be leveraged between its major government departments and state agencies as it prepares to enter the 'knowledge economy'. Authorities view this coordination effort as an indispensable step forward because it adds another layer of centralization to a government structure that is built around the canon of 'consolidated power'.
More specifically, country leadership has summoned top minds in technology and auxiliary fields to synergistically engineer the future cyber-infrastructure that will solidly mark China's imprint in the digital landscape. This task is colossal, and the vastness of it effects precludes obviously an analytical granularity. Several hundreds of thousands of Chinese computer engineers, regrouped under ad hoc commissions, think tanks and strategy centers are the backbone of this emerging 'digital army'.
They work under the aegis of brilliant specialists whose unquestioned patriotism and in-depth expertise are unparalleled at such high seniority levels; this group includes Liang Guanglie, Wan Gang and Li Yizhong. The first is the current minister of defense, who works in conjunction with the People's Liberation Army and the Central Military Commission to manage the largest military force in the world (ca. 3 million) and oversee its strategic evolvement.
The second is the head of the Ministry of Science Technology and is mechanical engineer and auto expert. The third is the Minister of Industry and Information Technology, a cabinet position pivotal for the country's information systems development.
Anemic US IT investments
Equipped with this super cyber-security gear, China seems to be winning, or is in a significant position within, the ongoing global cyber-war. In a sense, the country is not an 'emerging' superpower as western analysts and social science specialists would like to call it. It is already a superpower in the fullest sense of the concept.
The term 'emerging superpower' is presently preferred in academic and business literature as well as in media parlance because it is more politically palatable to the elite and other classes of citizens in traditionally influential economies (G8) who fear the psychological and social implications of welcoming new colossi in the select club of the powerful.
Security experts and top military minds in the United States are truly concerned that the Chinese massive IT investment dwarfs America's and do not hesitate to point to the geopolitical implications of such a chasm. They note that the countless cyber-attacks from China and Russia are just a start of the new cyber 'Cold War' of the 21st century.
It is a fact that many foreign-engineered digital attacks have targeted many industrialized countries' military systems, power grids, and financial infrastructure in the past few years. Yet governments and military forces at present have limited capacity to detect or infiltrate the attacker, counter the attack, and prevent future assaults.
US defense officials and business leaders understand the looming threat but believe its intensity and gravity constitute a hyperbole. However, authoritative statistics from the Government Accountability Office, US Congress reports, and academic studies indicate evidently that the world leader has not shown hitherto the political willpower to tackle the digital gap in its cyber-security infrastructure.
Truth be told, politicians in Washington, Pentagon strategists, and the intelligence community at large have long known of and understood the nature of the menace. Notwithstanding, a series of geopolitical events forced them to transfer certain topics into budgetary oblivion at the credit of more pressing, more 'visible' national security threats that are effortlessly noticed by constituents (e.g.: terrorist attacks).
A few factors explain Washington's inability, or budgetary lethargy, in addressing the cyber-warfare threat. First is the geostrategic complacency derived from the fall of communist Soviet Union and the ensuing inertia that global unipolarism usually creates.
Second, America's military apparatus is currently 'distracted' by two ongoing wars and engaged in a host of relatively minor security missions around the world. Adding to those involvements, there is the corollary 'war on terror' that has mobilized since 2001 colossal resources to thwart further domestic attacks.
'Domestic' in this sense refers to an incredibly enormous geographical area because it encompasses US conventional soil and the related territories, American overseas diplomatic missions, its military bases, transnational organizations where the US holds significant strategic interests (e.g.: NATO headquarters and military stations), and the countless aid, religious, and humanitarian outposts around the world.
Third, the diversity and criticality of issues at hand force the US government and congressional leaders to prioritize their budgetary efforts. The current economic despondency bodes ill for any serious endeavor in tackling underinvestment issues in information technology because the country is pecuniarily limited and cannot afford to continuously print money (risk of inflation and currency devaluation) or borrow from... China.
US budding cyber-security grid is solid
Despite the socio-economic gloom, the Obama administration has shown in the past 6 months a strong level of commitment in assuring the integrity of the nation's information assets. He appointed late December Howard Schmidt, a renowned computer security specialist and former Microsoft security executive, as White House cyber-security czar. Other high-profile nominations have followed in the army ranks and other key departments and government agencies such as Homeland Security, Treasury, the FBI and the CIA.
The efforts appear to be coordinated and effectively reaching their desired goals, from the Pentagon's launching of a giant "cyber-command" unit to the CIA's and FBI's massive 'hiring spree' of computer engineers and cyber-security specialists. International cooperation with other allies is also part of the undertaking; US intelligence agencies are thus partnering with foreign counterparts such as Britain' MI5 and MI6, Israel's Mossad, Germany's Bundesnachrichtendienst (Federal Intelligence Service, BND) and Militärischer Abschirmdienst (Military Counterintelligence Agency, MAD) to address emerging threats.
Private interests are equally gearing up. Businesses are investing massively in IT infrastructure and upgrading computer networks, and working jointly with government agencies. They are also granting rising subsidies to think tanks and academia to help in this effort.
The combination of efforts has to be successful because an absence of effectiveness in cyber-warfare measures can be 'lethal' to US global supremacy. Judging by the great havoc cyber attacks had catapulted onto Estonia in 2007, hyperbola ought not to be barred in this topic.
Based on the latest estimations, US nominal GDP is nearly 3 times that of China ($14.5 trillion vs. $4.5 trillion), but the latter's healthier growth rate is helping bridge that gap gradually. Thus, many forecasters - and the proverbial 'conventional wisdom' - assume that it will take Beijing many decades to attain America's economic clout and level.
That said, in the hypothetical scenario that a cyber-warfare erupts between both countries, a stronger China may only need to considerably crush US economic productivity and therefore its GDP to claim victory and financially surpass its rival. Absent effective security systems, China, or any other foe, may only need to assault vital arteries of the US military-industrial complex: power grids, financial transaction systems, Federal Reserve System, US Armed Forces' computer systems and networks, Congress' and White House's IT infrastructures, etc. It's easy to imagine the massive damage electricity failure can do to a country's transportation, financial, and military systems.
(Read original post at http://wp.me/pMqmW-2u)
by Marquis Codjia
