Throughout the ages we have quested for youthful skin and beauty and solutions for under eye dark circles that have concerned both women and men. We have been using special skin treatments and antiaging eye creams which have provided various results. Our quest to rejuvenate, especially to remove under eye dark circles and wrinkles, has created an entire history of anti-aging products. Since eyes are considered to be the “windows to the soul”, particular attention has been given to creating the best eye wrinkle cream and the best under eye dark circle cream.

Youthful skin and appearance has been a concern for centuries. When we think about Cleopatra, we envision her eyes, alluring and beautiful. It’s reported that she would spend hours applying special eye creams and powders for her queenly appearance. Legend has it that she used to bathe in milk and honey to maintain her youthful skin. Today we (especially women) still desire to know and to apply the ultimate beauty techniques that are available. One of the most common desires, based on ads we see in magazines and on TV, is to find the best antiaging eye cream, eye wrinkle cream and/or the best under eye dark circle cream on the market today.

Though we may desire the magic of the ultimate antiaging eye cream there are other factors to be aware of and a full spectrum approach may be more realistic. First, it is important to be aware of some of the main reasons for under eye dark circles. Antiaging eye cream or that special under eye dark circle cream alone will not do the trick to remove dark circles under eyes.

There are a number of contributing factors to be aware of to reduce or remove dark circles under eyes. Here are a few:

1. Heredity is one of the main reasons we are who we are. Dark under eye circles can be a matter of inheriting the tendency toward weakened blood capillaries, which are most obvious under eyes. In addition to under eye dark circle cream and antiaging eye cream, taking care to strengthen one’s cardiovascular system and overall health could help diminish those dark circles.
2. Allergies, especially histamine related, often cause under eye dark circles. You can readily see this in children who certainly are not in the need for antiaging eye cream. Rubbing itchy eyes at any age can increase dark circles.
3. Overexposure to the sun increases the melanin level in your skin. This is the chemical that makes you tan and can give you those raccoon eyes we’ve all seen. This can even darken already dark circles if you have the tendency.
4. Diet can play a huge factor in how your skin and eyes appear. Without a good balanced diet and proper nutrition, including vitamins, minerals, enough water, and exercise, a person can suffer in many ways. Often a person’s eyes and skin will reveal that they’re lacking nutritionally or suffering an imbalance. Symptoms ranging from sensitive eyes to acne to dark circles can even indicate more severe conditions.
5. Lack of sleep, though not specifically a cause as some might think, can indirectly contribute to conditions affecting the skin and eyes. A lack of adequate rest can place great stress on many of the body’s systems, especially if it happens frequently. We’ve all seen the pasty, glassy eyed look from not getting enough sleep…
6. Aging is also considered a factor as we all well know. We’ve all seen “crow’s feet” and have chuckled about “laugh lines”. As we age our skin does change often becoming thinner. Thinner skin, especially around the eyes, has the tendency to accentuate any dark circles that may already be present.

The good news is we can reduce the appearance of aging skin as well as reduce or remove dark circles under eyes. By taking the above factors into consideration and applying the best of them, in addition to using the best antiaging eye cream, eye wrinkle cream and under eye dark circle cream, a positive, noticeable difference in personal health and beauty can be achieved.

All forms of investment share the same objective: to make them grow over time. But while we keep these objectives intact, we also need to think further to achieve this objective.

First of all, you need to know the objective of your investment, is it long term or short term determine? Many investors are worried about the stock market decline and such possibility is a common fear for investors who target on long-term objectives. But we need to know that; stock market goes up and down any time and always carry risks. So when you start to invest in the stock market, you need to define your investment objectives, time and your risk tolerance. If you concentrate on the long-term wealth growth, you should be patient and wait for the investment to grow. Don’t just invest blindly. The most important things for your investment must be match your investment style with your financial objectives.

There are four major types of financial objectives.

First, it should be capital appreciation. It talks about long-time growth such as retirement plan or 10-year plan. If it suits your financial objective, you need to be ready to invest stocks in the market for many years and allow them to grow and reinvest the dividends to purchase more shares.

Second, it can be current income. You may target stocks that pay a consistent and higher dividend yield such as real estate investment trusts or related bonds. They will produce some current income on a regular basis. People who targeted on current income are some retired or decided to use the current income for some living expenses.

Third, your financial objective can also be capital preservation. The operation of it just like some elderly people who would like to make sure their money will not outlive just like who will get retire soon. For this type of investors, the most important thing is safety. If they lost their money in some investment that unexpected, it will be hard for investors to recover them again. They will be advised to invest in some treasury issues, bank or saving account. They can get more safety by lower returns.

Finally, it should be speculation. Actually, speculation can be treated as a trader but not an investor. They are interested in quick profits and do the transactions according to some techniques like shorting stocks, trading on margin or options. If you targeted on these objectives, you must prepared you need to afford to lose and you must need to make sure you understand the real possibilities of losing.

Try to learn, hear, research or read up more information about stock market investing. It will help you to lower your fears about investment. If you targeted on long-term purpose, just stick to your objectives and be patient.

1) Raketu- Pretty decent service which offers FREE calls to 42 countries. I am rating it higher than VOIPbuster/Discount for the very reason thats its not a clone and it uses a diff technology than skype. Skype uses Supernodes which can be vulnerable to hacking. I covered that issues in my blog earlier. Additionally it integrates with Yahoo, MSN messengers etc.

Benefits: Better technology, Clear Voice, 42 countries FREE, Integrate with other messengers Drawbcks- Haven’t found any yet.

2) Jajah : I tried jajah about 1 month back and with their FREE minutes i made calls to India. The difference between jajah and other VOIP providers is Jajah only allows you to make calls from your phone. That means You need to give your phone number and your calling party number before you can make a call. When you intiate a call Jajah first connect your phone. You pick up the call and then jajah connects to the other party.

Benefits: No software download needed. Just visit their site. No credits needed for free calls. Drawbacks: Have to use a legitimate number before calling. Cant use PC to make call.

3) Gizmo : Popularly known as ” Skype Killer”. This software lets you call anyone in more than 60 countries. The only downside is that you and other party both should be registered with Gizmo and should also register your numbers. I am sure that this project will be successful and in short time the daatabase of people will be built and then its a FREE calling world.

Benefits: Making calls is easier than ever, Killer Application interface, Drawbacks: Requires both parties to register their numbers with Gizmo.

4) Voipcheap – This is the original VOIPcheap and not the UK version of this company. Although VOIPbuster, voipcheap.co.uk uses the same software, i found this software more reliable and voice quality is of high level. This is an straight winner when it comes to making FREE calls worldwide. You can virtually call more than 50 countries on normal PSTN landlines and mobiles in singapore, USA, HK & Canada. With some hacks, you can call from countries which are not listed in FREE list but you have a work around. You need to check my blog for that.

Benefits: Clear voice, You can make calls from your PC. No need to buy any credits from them before making free calls. Allows PC or Phone to initiate call (via Directdial)

Drawbacks: really none.

5) voipraider/ voipbuster: All these companies belong to Betamax GMBH, a European company dealing in VOIP. They offer extremely low competitive rates to many countries but have almost zero customer service.

Benefits:1 or more additional countries (Thailand + mobile) on Voipdiscount. Drawbacks: No customer service. Change rate any time.

I hope this article will benefit you in making Free International Calls

A bystander observed Michelangelo as he took a long time retouching every detail of a statue he’d been working on for many days, and asked why he bothered with them. Michelangelo replied; “Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.”

The greatest enemy of best is good. If you’re satisfied with what’s good, you’ll never have what’s best. (John Mason). The quickest and easiest way to become a high flyer is to do more and then more than is required and then to continue doing it.

One secret every true achiever knows is the power of going the extra mile with tasks. Zig Ziglar wrote; “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” The ability to put in a little more hard work and a little more detail is the hallmark of excellence and life always rewards handsomely men who truly and dutifully do a little more than all others.

“If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great Streetsweeper who did his job well.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Thomas Edision said; “Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure.” “There are two kinds of men who never amount to very much,” remarked Cyrus H.K. Curtis to his associate, Edward Bok. “And what kinds are those?” inquired Bok. “Those who cannot do what they are told,” replied the famous publisher, “and those who can do nothing else.”

“Where we cannot invent, we may at least improve,” said Charles Caleb Colton. Find a better way and make that way better. That is the surefire lift to great achievements.

© Oluwafisayo Akinlolu, 2006.

Hollinshead and Kirkham, originally of Burslem in Staffordshire, moved their pottery works to nearby Tunstall in 1890. They catered mainly for the middle class end of the market and, in the main, produced a range of conservatively designed dinner ware. However in the economic slump following the First World War the company needed to do something to address their falling sales. Designer Harold Growcott was their White Knight.

Growcott came up with a range of designs for hand painted porcelain that tapped into the growing interest in all things Art Deco. The designs featured an abstract painted background of two or more colours on which bold fruit or floral designs were hand painted. The result was bold and exciting.

The Delicious Dozen as it came to be known was actually a range of 14 designs, but let’s not be pedantic about a good nickname. The designs were applied to many of the existing pre-war shapes, to give them a new lease of life, as well as some fresh new shapes more in keeping with the Art Deco style. Due to its similar subject matter and large bold painting style H&K has also been dubbed ‘Poor Man’s Moorcroft’ but if the prices I have had to pay for some of my pieces are anything to go by, that’s not a title that fits today’s collecting market.

This is the major collectible area for this pottery. Hey made many dinnerware designs, many of them very attractive but none of any real collector interest (except, of course to people who have a set handed down to them from their grandmother). But the Delicious Dozen have become extremely popular in recent years and if you come across a piece you will understand why.

The Suzuki AN 125 is often confused with the Suzuki Burgman series of super-scooters. However, the AN 125 is actually an older model, first manufactured in 1995. Production continued until 1999, with no major variants or special models. Currently, there is a similar Burgman model in production called the Suzuki UH125, which is also given the AN 125 designation.

The 90s production Suzuki AN 125 was powered by an air-cooled 124cc four-stroke engine. A simple, straightforward single cylinder design, it gave this scooter a pretty good 10 hp at 8000 rpm. This gave rise to some interesting numbers, such as a reported 0-60 mph time of under 16 seconds! With a kerb weight of 100 kgs, the AN 125 felt like a much bigger ride than similar 100cc mopeds and scooters. However, the 10 inch wheels kept bikers firmly grounded in reality. Braking was quite positive and a move up from earlier Suzuki scooters.

In real driving conditions, the Suzuki engine proved to be a winner, consistently drinking a lot less petrol than its competitors. The automatic transmission simplified control of the vehicle with just one throttle and two brakes required. This allowed younger riders or later learners a great chance to pick up basic rising skills. However, in the design department the AN 125 was definitely part of the pack. It looked like most of the scooter designs from that time; with European styling and bare frills. Storage was limited to a small dashboard in front and a helmet-sized storage area under the seat.

Riders of the Suzuki AN 125 did get a decent instrument panel, with all the key displays and warning LEDs clearly visible. The speedometer was graded up to 110 kmph, though most owners never experienced speeds over 80 mph. Even today, you may never see an AN 125 cruising down the motorway, but you’re sure to spot one around town or at the market.

Suzuki AN 125 (1995 – 99) scooters are still available in the second-hand bike markets in the UK. A reasonably zippy scooter, the AN 125 still has plenty of performance for basic run-around duties. You can pick one up for a fraction of the price of a 2011 125cc scooter with similar power. If a part restoration is required, a trusted parts dealer can find genuine Suzuki spares. With a few extra pounds, you get a fun, easy to ride and very economical ride!

The essential and complete Bali travel checklist

Passports, Tickets and Visas

If you carry a Singapore, Malaysian, Philippines, Thai, Vietnam, Chile, HK, Macao, Brunei, Morocco or Peru you will not need a visa to enter Bali.

For all other passport holders you’ll need USD$25 on arrival (valid for 30 days, and extendable) to pay for your visa on arrival. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia, and you must have proof of onward passage (either return or through tickets).

When leaving Bali, you’ll have to pay a departure tax of 150,000Rp per person at the airport. You pay this in rupiah not US currency. Put this money aside and don’t spend it on shopping!

Pro Tip: If you want to avoid the queues and baggage collecting – use The Bali Concierge airport service for a VIP pickup experience. For USD$50 they will escort you from your arrival gate, handle all the visa stuff and put your bags through immigration – all while you wait at the bar and enjoy snacks.

Travel Insurance

Insurance when traveling anywhere is a must. Especially somewhere like Bali, where you are likely to do outdoor activities, ride scooters and get in the surf. You don’t want to be stuck without insurance. We recommend using a reputable insurance company, such as Zuji, who is underwritten by Allianz.

Drugs

Don’t even try Indonesia is very strict with drug laws, and even has the death penalty for drug trafficking. There are plain clothes police that also patrol the streets looking for sellers and users. Basically, don’t even try – else you’ll end up like the Bali 9 or Schapelle Corby.

Credit Cards

Bring em but be careful It’s always good to have a credit card with you when traveling, especially for those unexpected expenses. Remember to notify your credit card company that you are traveling, and give them your overseas contact details – otherwise they may cancel or suspend your card under suspicion of fraud. When using credit cards in Bali, make sure its only on legitimate looking credit card machines – be wary of devices that ‘skim’ and steal your card information. Avoid places that use the old type manual carbon copy units – any decent place should have a electronic unit. Rule of thumb: If you are not sure, just use cash.

Staying Healthy and avoiding “Bali Belly”

Indonesia is a developing nation and as such does not have the same level of sanitation and health care standards which we come to expect in developed nations. It’s recommended to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Flu. It’s best to consult your local doctor about vaccinations. The water in Bali is not recommended for drinking, so to avoid the infamous “bali belly” stick to bottled water. If you want to be extra careful, use your bottled water for brushing your teeth as well. Avoid ice in drinks from food stalls and small warungs (eatery). But ice from the convenience store or from a bar should be okay.

Alcohol and Drinks

Alcohol can be quite expensive Other than the locally made Bintang Beer (similar to and owned by Heineken) which is refreshingly Delicious and dirt cheap, and the horrible hangover inducing Arak, most alcohol is very expensive in Bali. This is supposedly due to the ‘moral’ tax put on by the Indonesian government. Eg. A bottle of Smirnoff Vodka can cost us to 500,000rp (About USD$55). So it’s a popular option to bring in your own duty free alcohol. Indonesian law allows up to 1L per person, which is not a lot. If you choose to bring more and get caught you will have to surrender it or pay a, *ahem*, “fine” of anything from 20,000rp to 100,000rp and you will be able to keep your alcohol.

Getting Around

The best way to get around Bali, if you are not game on driving/riding your own vehicle is taxi and car+driver services. Taxi’s are inexpensive (ie a metered taxi for a 45min ride is less than USD$7), see the bottom of this post for Taxi companies. Make sure the taxi is metered and starts at 5,000rp. You can also get car+driver services from about starting from USD$35 for a whole day – it would be recommended to tip the driver at the end of the day.

Mobile Phones and Wifi

Your own phone will probably be able to global roam on Indonesian networks, but it can be very expensive to make and receive calls. The best thing to do is purchase a local prepay sim card (like SimPati or 3) and pop it in your phone – you will then enjoy the low local rates. iPhones and Blackberry work but you’ll have to get a SIM card that has internet data. It’s easier to stick to the free wifi available at many cafes and bars.

Electricity plugs

In Indonesia they use 220V, 50 Cycle and the plugs are dual round prongs of the European variety. Adapters are available at some hotels OR can be purchased at Matahari’s ( supermarket ) for around 35,000 Rp.

Tipping is good karma

Tipping There will sometimes be a service charge tacked onto your restaurant bill. It is not compulsory, but it is good practice to tip your hotel porters, masseuses, maids and any other staff during your stay. It doesn’t have to be much – but you will ensure you will be looked after, and it would be greatly appreciated by the staff who only earn the equivalent of a few dollars a day.

Other Stuff

Sunscreen and moisturizer is expensive for some reason in Bali, bring your favorites from home. Condoms in Indonesia are not the best quality, it’d be safer and wiser to bring some of your own. Imodium (diarrhea medication) is worth keeping with you, you can buy them at any pharmacy (called apotik in Indonesian) in case of the infamous “bali belly”.

A young man makes his career choice and decides to become a successful banker, just like his father. He wants to prepare for the role and asks his father “What must I do to become a successful banker, just like you?” “Son,” says the father, “You must follow these three simple rules: first, don’t lend money to those who don’t have any; second, don’t lend money to those who need it badly; and third, the most important, don’t lend your own money.” Sound advice in these troubled times. It is a shame that many of today’s bankers either never received this sound advice, or ignored it!

In a previous article I presented the argument that Islamic banking institutions were weathering the present financial crisis comparatively well as they were, or certainly should be, insulated from the disasters in the interbank market and the mess in the derivatives markets. A number of readers raised the logical question of how Islamic banks manage to stay in business without charging interest.

To recap, one of the basic principles of Islamic banking is the prohibition of riba (usury or interest). Up until the 1980s riba was generally interpreted to only apply to usury but it is now accepted practice to refer to all interest. Other principles are based on simple morality and common sense, which are by no means unique to Islam. For example, usury was also prohibited by the Old as well as the New Testament. Even literary heavyweights such as Shakespeare weighed in against the practice.

Islamic banking is also by no means a recent phenomenon. The basic practices can be traced back to the early parts of the seventh century. Some experts even claim that many of the concepts and techniques so familiar to us today were later adopted by European bankers. Its fairly recent reemergence coincided with rising oil prices in the mid 1970s thus providing parts of the Muslim world with significant financial resources. The other crucial element was the accompanying search for ethical values in managing their financial affairs, something many of the traditionally western financial organisations could not provide. As this is a trend not only applicable to the Muslim world, the emerging Islamic banks are increasingly being accepted by non-Muslims who do not wish to invest in, or even deposit their savings with companies engaged in unethical and socially harmful activities, such as dealing in alcohol, gambling, pornography and tobacco.

The Islamic economic system is concerned with social justice to ensure that none of the parties involved in a transaction is being exploited without at the same time inhibiting individual enterprise. Extended to the Islamic financial system, this means that the funds individuals and/or companies put at risk share the profits or losses resulting from the enterprise. This concept of sharing the delights or pain of the outcome of business is a progressive one. To paraphrase Charles Darwin “It is not the strongest financial system that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Islamic banking encourages better resources management, in particular as outright speculation is not permitted by Shariah, ie Islamic law. The participants are keeping pace with sophisticated techniques and have developed products that are not only ethically motivated but also profitable.

Islamic financial solutions generally have Arabic names thus intimidating many potential buyers into saying it is all too complicated. At their core, most of these products are essentially the same as their conventional equivalents. The main differences are the absence of interest and often complicated procedures to ensure compliance with Shariah law.

For example, in Islamic housing finance the risks involved are shared between the bank and the borrower, rather than transferring all the risk to the latter. The most commonly used contract is the diminishing musharaka (partnership) contract. In this case the bank and the borrower form a partnership, with the bank providing up to 95 percent of the purchase price, and the borrower 5 percent.

The borrower buys out the ownership share of the bank which makes its profit from the rent paid by the client for the share the bank owns. This happens over a period of, usually, 15 to 30 years.

Should the borrower default on a rental or principal repayment, the bank may advance the borrower an interest-free loan to enable him to continue their payments in anticipation that he will pay in full when he is able to. The good news is that during this period of distress, the borrower retains his home rather than face eviction.

Having said this, Islamic banks still appraise credit risk, and indeed are more cautious about who they finance than conventional banks.

Evaluation of the Hi Sense HK900 Point of sale terminal.

Power requirements

The HK 900 is equipped with a 12V 10A DC brick power supply. I personally like POS systems that incorporate these power supplies as they tend to be more reliable and cheaper to maintain. Two immediate benefits on using the DC brick style Power supply are that they tend to be more durable; they are also locally available in SA and would typically retail at about R500ex.

A big advantage of having a brick power supply instead of an incorporated PCB one is that it moves heat away from the core of the system, a lot of heat buildup occurs around the processors especially in a stagnant or enclosed working environment.

This is one area where I feel Hi-Sense fell somewhat short in the design. They have moved the PSU away but have neglected to add any ventilation or air cooling in the base of the system. This 120W power supply’s only way of relinquishing heat is through the top of the base, right onto the processor and main PCB. I suspect this will have no immediate effect on performance or reliability, but over time as component fatigue sets it and efficiency drops; heat and power dissipation will increase and could speed up degradation of the main PCB leading to dry joints.

Head and Head assembly

The head consists of a HS-525T industrial motherboard. The board is equipped with a ‘finned’ type heat sink. It would have been good for a solid heat transfer system to be incorporated here as excessive heat can be then be transferred to the chassis. The backlights are powered with a standard dual inverter (nice and easy to maintain)

Touch panel and controller

The touch screen interface is powered by a One-touch or Touch-kit controller. These little controllers have become very popular over the last few years and I have noticed them in many makes and models. Their failure rate is low. They are compatible to G-touch panels which are readily available in South Africa.

The touch screen is a standard 5 wire resistive panel again common to most POS devices and can be swapped with other generic types. Resistive panels work well in oily and dirty environments and I prefer them above SAW and IR technologies especially in the hospitality industry.

Overall

Except for the main board, most parts can be sourced from different suppliers and most parts are interchangeable with generic or locally available parts. I do recommend putting a test unit in a restaurant on the Durban beach front as this will quickly show how this unit deals with heat, humidity and rust. I would monitor the chassis very closely for rust as this was a severe shortcoming in the Digipos Blades.

The main board would need to stand the test of time; I suspect the normal failures as with any other industrial board, faulty serial and cash drawer ports and the development of dry joints over time.

I think this unit is definitely worth looking at if parts are readily. There are no extraordinary parts inside and standard design and layout guides were followed.

This unit will most probably deliver the same efficiency and reliability as all the other entry level POS devices available from Pinnacle and Mustek. Hence I will make my decision on spares availability and after sales service and support.

The Bangladesh Special Warfare Diving and Salvage is a specially organized team of highly trained individuals who are equipped and trained using many of the same guidelines as the United States Navy Seals. The team is comprised of the very best individuals in the forces who not only are employed in action in Bangladesh.

Their History

The brigade began in the 1970s and adapted not only the techniques of the United States Navy Seals but also those of the North Koreans as well. The SWADS, as they are known, is considered to offer one of the most advanced and strenuous weapons training program in the world.

SWADS Training

Instructors for this special forces team in Bangladesh come from Korea, Turkey and the United States. Only 10 percent of those who are Navy trained in Bangladesh make it through the rigorous training that also includes physical endurance training, mental training and the weapons training.

How To Become A Member Of The SWADS

SWADS are recruited from the Navy and are Navy trained. Those who are considered fit for this branch of the special service, are recommended by their superiors to try out for this special forces team.

What Are They Best At?

The SWADS teams are well equipped to take on several different types of challenging missions including hostage rescue, anti piracy, counterinsurgency, counter narcotics, counterterrorism, covert extractions and insertions, intelligence gathering raids and underwater demolition. SWADS are a division of the Navy in Bangladesh.

Weapons of the SWADS

The weapons training received by the SWADS is more intense than that received in most other countries.

There is a whole host of weapons that are used for the SWADS. SWADS operators are not only adept at handing all types of different combat weapons but can also handle ballistic helmets, are equipped with night vision sights, as well as underwater gear. One of the aspects about the SWADS that makes them so unique is that they not only operate on land, but also under water.

Some of the weapons that the SWADS use include the Colt M4 Carbine SOPMOD, the Daewoo K2 5.56 assault rifles, HK MP5 9 mm submachine guns, sniper rifles, 9mm semi-automatic pistols, HK M-416, M 16a4 and the MK 19. The SWADS generally handle more weapons than any other special forces team across the world.

Known Missions

Missions of the SWADS are domestic in nature and not global. In addition to being a military special forces unit of the Bangladesh Navy, the SWADS also help on land as well. During domestic crisis, they are called in for peace keeping as well as personal recovery of individuals in the advent of natural disasters. Currently, their missions have been of the domestic nature and do not currently involve other countries. However, during acts of terrorism or global conflict, they are a sought after special forces unit known for being well adapted to both land and sea as well as having the ability to engage in hand to hand combat with the enemy.

Units

The SWADS are comprised on one Unit. Information about individual units is classified.

Are They Professional Soldiers?

The SWADS are professional soldiers and are recruited through the Bangladesh Navy.