After you have freshly graduated the one thing that usually comes to every mind is pursuing further studies. If not all but some consider further studies as their next vital step. College is supposed to be all having fun, frolic, traveling and meeting new people. Therefore many wish to seek admissions internationally to pursue studies as well as have an exotic stay. However, money is the dominant factor, and most of the students face financial issues. Since it is all about affordability, the list below has countries been put together that shall not be expensive and is tailor made for your needs.

1. Sweden

As per many surveys and results, online Sweden is one of the cheapest countries to study abroad. It is relatively more affordable when it is a matter of higher degrees. If you belong to the European Union, then there is no tuition fee that you will have to pay.

2. Norway

Norway is one the cheapest countries to study abroad for all the students whether or not they belong to the EU. This completely fits the plan of every student who is on a budget and wants to study abroad. It is very much financially possible manageable to study here.

3. Germany

If you have longed to explore different countries, then you can certainly consider Germany for studies. There is absolutely no fee on tuitions that is charged at the Ph.D. and undergraduate levels.

4. South Africa

The country of South Africa is certainly an excellent choice when it comes to studying abroad. When you have limited money and capital, then this is certainly the best place. Both the tuition fee and living costs do not burn a hole in the pocket.

5. Taiwan

This country is one of the amazing countries for students who have a small budget to study abroad. It offers many courses in English, and the tuition fee is relatively lower. If exploring Asia has long been on your list then you may start with Taiwan.

6. Russia

According to some researchers and online polls, Russia is the cheapest and easiest countries to live and seek education. It is a beautiful country where expenses on living are not high.

7. Malaysia

Irrespective of whether you are rich or not, you can indeed study in Malaysia because it is cheap and affordable. You will never have to spend copious amounts of money.

8. Poland

It is not just the architecture and culture that is exciting but when it comes to pursuing education Poland is fabulous. The costs of living are negligible.

9. India

There is no better place than India when it comes to living and studying. There is cultural diversity, and with the jaw dropping prices it has to offer India is certainly the most desirable.

10. Mexico

This country is not only popular among the tourists but is also attractive for aspiring students. This is because it offers the most affordable fee on tuitions and living.

Possibilities galore

There are many opportunities that you can consider from the list of countries mentioned above. It is not only about studying but also experiencing new stuff, food, and culture. All you must do is a thorough and detailed research before zeroing upon a country. There are many online mini-Encyclopaedias that shall be the best help and you can subscribe to their newsletters for detailed information. Go through the compiled list and brace yourself up for an experience of a lifetime.

He called me Lao-hey, literally translated as black foreigner. He wasn’t racist. He would narrate to me how hard-working the Chinese people are. He pointed proudly to what made Taiwan what it is today. Fifty years ago, according to him, he couldn’t afford three square meals, and now, he has become a proud land owner and an owner of a Mercedes saloon car. He predicted that there will be a time in the not-too-distant future when the Chinese language will become a compulsory subject in many schools around the world – especially in Africa. One of his wildest predictions was that, in time the Chinese language will become the lingua franca of those people wanting to get ahead in trade and commerce.

What was more irritating to me was that smug expression on the face of Xiao-he, any time he reminded me of how better blacks would be, if they read more books and worked harder. He had gone on business trips to almost every African country and had dined and wined with many black political figures – including some African ambassadors to Taiwan. He had also visited many black neighborhoods outside Africa. His conclusion was that achieving excellence has everything to do with the pursuit of a goal – hard work and committing tons of time to whatever knowledge one might have acquired overtime to practice – and not as much a consequence of possessing innate gifts of specific genes.

Whites and Chinese, as he always consoled me, were not better than blacks. According to him, to desire nothing less in one’s life than the best takes a huge commitment and great amount of time devoted to what one wants to achieve. To him, what people believe to be extraordinary talents were mere skills honed by successful people better than others. He believed that all of us – whatever our circumstances – have the ability to succeed-as long as we could get a handle on our fears and other negative emotions that sets us back. He seemed to imply that so many blacks – including some of their leaders-were disoriented. These, according to him, were either ignorant, greedy or simply being selfish.

Realizing how visibly agitated I was, he quickly switched to another question. He was a man with savoir-faire. He knew how to behave in any company and in any situation. With a face twisted with pain, he said – with a low voice.

“Come, come, let’s go watch a movie.”

The outward appearance of Costa Rica is of endless tracts of rainforest canopy, throngs of natural wildlife, and beautiful white sand coastlines. These picturesque landscapes are populated by healthy, friendly, welcoming locals and rich markers of cultural heritage. The air is clean, the food is organic and the government is stable.

All of these highlights live up to (and in some case exceed) expectations, but there is one untold pitfall among all the beauty, culture and fun of Costa Rica: The roads are in a horrendous state of disrepair.

Much has been written in Costa Rica travel guides about the unpaved pot-hole constellations that pass as roadways, and the various reasons for the inability for the government to build and fix the roads (short answer: corruption). The expense of this scenario reaches into the economy in the form of increased vehicle wear; a typical tourist commuter van that runs to the Pacific beaches needs new tires every 5,000 miles! The combination of passing on two-lane paved highways near San Jose and swerving around unpaved gravel roads in the countryside eats up the tires, plus greatly increases the likelihood of damage to the brakes, suspension, and steering.

Several Costa Rica road projects met with years of delays and budget overruns that were only solved by selling the stalled projects to foreign interests. One example is the Autopista del Sol which a Swedish construction firm finished in exchange for a healthy percentage of the toll revenue; another example is the aptly-named Amistad de Taiwan (Taiwan Bridge) whose completion cut nearly three hours (and a ferry ride) out of the drive from San Jose to the coastal province of Guanacaste.

When you ride on the country roads around Costa Rica, any cynicism towards the upkeep evaporates in the face of how miraculous the existence of these roads are in the first place. Elevation changes are drastic and rapid. The earth pours rock, mud and felled trees across the road during the monsoon season. Some of the bridges in the low country are patchwork creations of clay, PVC pipe, gravel and a healthy dose of prayer. Never mind my own bravery; there are dudes in 18 wheeler Mack Trucks barreling down roads barely two-horses wide making turns that I wouldn’t attempt in a go-kart.

For the traveller who is willing to let go of concepts like making good time and not being delayed, Costa Rica’s primitive highway system can lead to very authentic adventures. For instance on my most recent trip to Guanacaste I was ‘stuck’ helping a few Ticos haul a tree off the road using two mules and a beat up chainsaw; once we finished they invited me to a Rodeo that night in Esperanza. In fact the eldest of the brothers was a participant so naturally the other fellas were in a festive mood.

Four hours, a dozen Imperials and about six gorings later, I piled back into my rental rally car and finally got on my way. Turns out that the roads in Costa Rica have a way of taking you to the right place after all.

Many of you who have tried Tapioca pudding in the past, know that Tapioca are chewy, pearl like looking, tiny balls, which are typically sweet in taste. However, people who’ve never heard of Tapioca and are now just hearing about the trending Bubble Tea to know all about Tapioca and the impact it has had on the delicious beverage – Bubble Tea, which is also, known as Boba Tea.

With that said, we are here to answer a bunch of questions that you may be asking yourself about Tapioca and Bubble Tea.

For starters, it originates from Taiwan. This became really popular amongst school kids in Taiwan. These tea shops have played a great role in spreading Bubble Tea worldwide including in The United States in New York City and in New Jersey.

What makes this really unique and delicious is the Tapioca pearls that are used in these drinks. Typically, the Tapioca pearls used in Bubble Tea are much bigger than the ones found in Tapioca pudding and the chewy Tapioca pearls float around this popular beverage.

Here are some cool facts you may want to know about Tapioca, especially if you haven’t had your first Bubble Tea beverage, which we highly recommend:

Before Tapioca pearls are added into Bubble Tea they look like perfectly, small round balls.

However, before Tapioca is turned into adorable little balls, they look like a root. Tapioca comes from Cassava Root, which is also, known as “Yuca” in many parts of the world. Cassava Root is typically cultivated and consumed in tropical regions, such as Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic and other Caribbean regions and countries in South America. Although, Cassava Root started off in Northern Brazil as time passed – it made its way across Africa, Asia and South America.

Cassava Root is primarily valued for its capabilities to cultivate in soils that are low in nutrients. Despite this disadvantage they harvest rather rapidly, which is pretty great to say the least… Furthermore, Cassava Root is very much loved for its culinary versatility. There’s an array of ways that Cassava Root can be utilized. For example, can be used in soups, can be mashed up (like mash potatoes) and can be fried, much like French fries. Last, but certainly not least – Cassava Root is used to make Tapioca!

Basically, Tapioca is a starch, which is extracted out of the Cassava Root. It’s often used as a thickening element in many types of foods. For instance, it can be made into flour. It is extremely similar to the consistency of corn starch. In addition, it can beamed into Tapioca pearls that vary in size. However, we like it best when it’s in Bubble Tea.

Needless to say, with the recent frenzy of Bubble Tea in New York and New Jersey – it is safe to say that, Tapioca has had an immense impact on this, as just wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for Tapioca pearls.

For the best we highly recommend that you visit one of tea shops. Bubble Tea is highly reputable, as they believes in only using quality ingredients and they refresh all their teas every four hours.

Certainly, when you have this at a tea shop, you’ll be having a freshly brew beverage with the very best ingredients available. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with all the flavors of bubble tea and the array of variations that you can customize your beverage.

Best of all Bubble Tea in New York City, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Texas is perhaps, the best beverage that you will ever have the pleasure of enjoying!

Taiwan is thoroughly immersed in tea. It is grown in every region and sold on every street corner. It is served during business negotiations, wedding banquets, and funeral services.

Tea is part of the social fabric of Taiwan. “Come in and drink tea,” is a standard greeting to guests.

Tea tables are a standard feature of Taiwanese homes and businesses. Serving tea is a way to make guests and clients feel welcome.

Most Taiwanese drink tea every day. It is said that tea gives energy and vigor, and provides a feeling of comfort. A tea farmer from the Alishan district tells of a pet monkey that ran away, but returned three days later because it missed the tea its owner used to brew.

Tea is Culture

Although there is evidence of native wild tea, the beginnings of cultivated tea in Taiwan can be traced back more than 200 years, when tea bushes from mainland China’s Fujian Province were brought to Taiwan.

Tea culture was also imported from China. The traditional gong-fu method of brewing tea is still used by most Taiwanese. It is ideally suited to oolong tea, the most famous type of Taiwan tea.

Tea is Community

In the past, tea was an important export commodity. Black tea was the first type of tea to be produced commercially, followed by green tea, and later Paochung tea and oolong tea. All types of tea were popular exports.

As Taiwan’s economy grew, however, rising labor costs reduced the competitiveness of its tea exports. But even as exports fell, the domestic market for tea grew. The last 30 years or so has seen an increasing demand for local tea, so that currently tea exports account for just 20% of the total output.

Taiwan’s high labor costs contributes to the rarity and expense of its high mountain tea. Despite this high cost, tea connoisseurs throughout the world appreciate Taiwan oolong as some of the finest tea in the world.

Global tea productions amounts to more than 2.5 million tons. Most of this (90%) is fully oxidized black tea, 8% is un-oxidized green tea, and 2% is semi-oxidized oolong tea. Oxidation refers to the natural chemical process that occurs when vegetable matter is exposed to air, causing it to darken.

The total global production of oolong tea is about 50,000 tons per year. The main growing areas are Taiwan and the mainland Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, although in recent years oolong tea has also been produced in Vietnam and Thailand. Taiwan has an annual output of over 20,000 tons, most of which is consumed locally.

The high quality of Taiwan tea is due to several factors. Perhaps the most important of these is Taiwan’s unique climate. Taiwan is a sub-tropical country straddling the Tropic of Cancer, and its mountainous terrain provides ideal growing conditions for tea. The high mountain have cool, moist air which causes the tea to grow slowly, and this, combined with the fertile soil, produces tea leaves which are among the best in the world.

Taiwan also has a strong tradition of tea processing which originated in China’s Fujian province but which has been adapted to local conditions. Tea production involves precise planting, careful selection, gentle rolling, and slow baking. Producing oolong tea is a lengthy process which must be closely monitored at each step.

Tea from Taiwan is pleased to offer a selection of fine oolong teas from the various tea-producing regions of Taiwan.

A study carried out by the National Taiwan University Hospital and the National Taiwan University, College of Medicine in Taipei, determined that patients with partial bowel obstruction may improve with oral intake of laxatives, acidophilus, and simethicone.

According to some specialists, patients with partial adhesive small-bowel obstruction are usually managed conservatively, receiving intravenous hydration and nothing by mouth. "Previous studies have suggested that this approach is associated with longer hospital stays and an increased risk of delayed surgery", as reports Shyr-Chyr Chen, MD, from National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine in Taipei, and collections.

From 144 consecutive patients with adhesive partial small-bowel obstruction that was admitted between February 2000 and July 2001, 128 met the inclusion criteria and were randomized to either the intervention group -IV hydration, nasogastric (NG) -tube decompression, and oral therapy with magnesium oxide, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and simethicone- or to the control group (IV hydration, NG-tube decompression, and nothing by mouth).

Most of the patients were men, whose age was 54.4 ± 15.9 years in the control group and 53.9 ± 16.3 years in the intervention group. A 91 per cent of patients in the intervention group and 76 per cent of patients in the control group had successful treatment without surgery.

"Oral therapy with magnesium oxide, L. acidophilus and simethicone was effective in hastening the resolution of conservatively treated partial adhesive small-bowel obstruction and shortening the hospital stay," the authors write. "Further trials with larger patient samples are needed to verify the value of oral therapy for partial adhesive small-bowel obstructions observed in this study", the experts report.

So you are a big fan of Taipei women, the only problem is you do not know where to start looking for them online. Then worry no more, because the answer to your problem is easy and simple. If until now, you haven’t found the right place to seek for your dream woman, who for a fact happens to be a Taiwanese, then you found the right article.

There are lots of dating websites online now where you can find single men and women from all over the world. But since you prefer Taiwanese, then all you really have to do is to go to a Taiwan chat room or check out latest Taipei personals for their list of single men and women that are also looking for a potential partner or friends online.

There are tons of websites or social networking sites out there that can offer you a chance of meeting the man or woman of your dreams. Not only will you be able to meet your dream woman, you will also get to meet a lot of new friends online too.

So if you are indeed serious in being able to find your dream man or woman or even just to start making friends with them, then why not try Taiwan chat rooms now? If you think that there will be a language barrier, then think again. There are a lot of English speaking people out there who are also very willing to help you learn their language. You can actually do language exchange while you are there as well. Teach them your language, and in turn, they will teach you yours. It’s a give and take world. It is now only up to you on how sincere you want to learn it. The more you take initiative in learning the language, the faster you will learn it and be able to start a conversation with them. Or if everything else fails, then you can always ask the help of Google’s Translator page. And it works just like magic.

If you truly want to find friends, Taipei men and women in particular, then start hitting the Taiwan chat rooms now and start viewing Taipei personals while you are at it. That way, you will be able to prepare yourself for what you are about to encounter. Meet friendly chatters and start making new friends via Taiwan chat rooms online now.

Find your perfect match or make new online friends now. What are you waiting for? Do it now, if you want a big head start.

Lin Zhi ling also known sometimes as Lin Chi Ling is one of the hottest and most beautiful raising star in Asia entertainment industry. In 2007, Lin Zhi ling was voted first in FHM Taiwan Magazine yearly top 100 Sexy Female and recently she starred in acclaimed director John Woo epic historical film “Red Cliff”. The film was her first role on the movie screen and reviews of her performances were largely positive. Recently filming of her second movie “Ci Ling” where she plays a novel writer has began and the movie is set to be released in the first quarter of 2010.

Lin Zhi ling Was born in Taipei before moving to Toronto Canada. She is one of Taiwan’s most famous model, host and actress. With sweet appearance, height 175 centimeters tall and charming personality, she has become the focus of attention in Taiwan society, the media dubbed her the title of “Taiwan’s first model” and “Taiwan No 1 Beauty”, and because of her popularity caused major changes in Taiwan’s society, scholars in Taiwan observed this cultural trend as “Lin Zhi ling phenomenon.”

After the completion of basic education in Toronto, Canada, she went to private religious schools and completed her high school education. Lin Chi Ling was then successfully admitted to University of Toronto in Canada to complete the Western art history and economics double degree. This prove to be a valuable achievement for her as the stereotype of a model is all beauty and no brains was avoided. Lin Zhi ling academic success along with her high EQ in handling the media has play a part in her popularity. In interviews, she credit her time in Canada for building her self discipline and focus.

Around 2000, she returned to Taiwan with original plan of a Art Gallery job, because of her”non-graduate of Art Institute” the gallery repeatedly refuse. Lin Chi ling switched to teaching in 2001 at Art School in Hanaoka teaching dancing part-time and was spotted by star scouts and this led to the beginning of her modeling career.

However in the competitive entertainment industry. she remain a widely unknown model until 2004 when media reports surface of her being romantically linked to popular male artist Jerry Yan. The news of the rumoured relationship lifted the public and media profile of Lin Zhi Ling.

Soon after, Lin Chi ling began appearing in more high profile advertisements and became a increasing well known celebrity. Her career hit a new high when she was selected as special guest host for the Golden Horse Award, the equivalent of the Oscars in Asia Entertainment industry. During the show, she embraced with top stars Andy Lau and Tong Leung, this was once again widely publicized in the media across Asia. Her hosting was criticized by some due to her trademark baby voice whereas others felt she had done a good job.

Her career took a twist however in 2005 when she was in China filming a advertisement and the horse she was riding on swing her off horseback. This result in Lin Zhi Ling taking several months off however the incident only serve to enhance her popularity and the media attention on her.

Taiwan is populated by various tribes. Due to its rich history, the island has seen many cultural and religious changes that have affected old traditions, tattoo customs included. Taiwan’s customs are closely linked to Chinese, Japanese and Philippine traditions, since the island is surrounded by these territories and migrations are common practice.

The islands of Taiwan and Hainan were eyes of China, guarding it from attacks for ages, until the end of the Sino-Japanese war in 1895. Taiwan was then ceded to Japan and was restored to China after the WWII. During various phases of Taiwan’s history as a part of China, the aborigines often had conflicts with the Chinese people. This, and the fact that Taiwan was under Japanese rule, has had grave consequences in regards to aboriginal tattoo customs. Both China and Japan saw tattooing as a savage act. The two countries had customs to tattoo their criminals: the Chinese practiced “Ci Pei” (Tattoo Exile) – the custom of face tattooing, followed by exile of the criminal. Japanese tattoos (“Irezumi”) were long associated with the Yakuza (Gokudo), infamous members of criminal groups.

Moreover, the long-standing Chinese policy that tattoos were reserved for “minorities” had its effects as well. As a result, many aboriginal tattoo customs are lost or vanishing on the island of Taiwan. Among the peoples to suffer the loss of identity are the Atayal, the second largest group of Taiwanese aborigines (the biggest one being the Paiwan). The Atayal populate northern regions of Taiwan and are (or rather – were) widely recognized for their facial tattoos. They were nicknamed “the barbarians with tattooed faces.” As with all other indigenous cultures, the basic symbolism of facial tattoos was to differentiate the group from other tribes, the postulate that would later evolve into a more profound philosophy.

In November 2008, the oldest tattooed Atayal woman (aged 110) died in Taian, Taiwan. According to statistics, with the death of this woman, the number of tattooed Atayal women in the Taiwan region shrank to four – the youngest is 85 and the oldest – 91 years old.

The Tattoo Myth and Headhunters’ Tattoos

The tattoo tradition among the Atayal is believed to originate from an old legend. The first man and woman – brother and sister, who were born from a rock, lived together for a long time. The sister was worried about reproduction of the human race. Therefore she suggested to her brother that they should be married. The brother refused, citing incest. Then she told him that a woman, his future wife, would be waiting for him the following day. He believed her and went to the appointed meeting. The next day, the sister disguised her face with black ashes and waited for her brother at the appointed place. The brother didn’t recognize her, and thus the human race was able to multiply. From that day, it was the custom that a woman couldn’t marry before getting a facial tattoo.

As an extension to this custom, unmarried boys also wore tattoo markings. Both boys and girls had tattooed foreheads. In order for a girl/woman to earn a cheek tattoo, she had to be an extraordinary weaver. The same held true for tattoos on other body parts.

Probably the most interesting aspect of the Atayal tattoos is that of the tribal “headhunters”. In truth, many Eastern tribes had that tradition, as did most of the tribes worldwide (e.g. the Maori). The headhunter got a tattoo to mark his success. Those who acquired five or more heads got the right to tattoo their chests. Others were allowed tattoos on the torso, the forehead and the chin.

Shamanesses and the Tattoo Process

When a child was of age for tattooing (5 to 15), his/her parents would arrange the date for the process to take place. They would invite a patasan (tattoo artist). All patasans were women. The sacred art was passed from mother to daughter and not every woman could do it.

Before the tattooing took place, the artist would ask the child if he/she was a virgin. If the child lied, the patasan would curse the tattoo, which would later fester. The first phase of the tattooing was the appliance of patterns. Linen threads pressed into the charcoal ashes were used for drawing. Patasan would then use the hammer (adut) and iron needles to insert the color. Charcoal ashes were then applied to the wound. The healing process would last half a month. In order to prevent infections, the child was forbidden to leave the house during that period.

Japanese Rule and the Demise of Tattoos

As already mentioned, Taiwan passed to Japanese rule in 1895. Due to the reasons mentioned above, the Japanese forbid the Atayal to apply tattoos. Moreover, those wearing one were forced to remove it. After the WWII, when Taiwan was given back to China, no official ban took place, but Taiwanese tribes, the Atayal included, had been abandoning the tradition of their own. Namely, Christianity had been introduced during the Japanese rule. By the 1950s, the old animism-based religion was largely replaced by Christianity. Thus the tattoos lost their symbolism, and the Atayal completely stopped tattooing themselves.

The Atayal Tattoos in Modern Times

The art is all but extinguished, since all that is left of the old customs is seen in elderly women alone. Nevertheless, there are some unique cases of young people wishing to revive the tradition. In 2008 (the same year when the oldest tattooed Atayal woman died), 33-year-old Atayal woman Shayun Foudu and her husband revealed their tattoos to “Taipei Times”. This was the first case of tattooing among the Atayal people in almost a century. “Facial tattooing is an old cultural tradition of the Atayal tribe. I feel very proud to have a tattoo on my face,” Foudu told reporters.

Foudu and her husband explained that, according to the old tribal tradition, a couple that is to be married must be tattooed beforehand. That act ensures an everlasting and joyful marriage.

Foudu was tattooed during a ceremony in a tourist resort in Taroko National Park, Hualien County, Taiwan. The artist used modern techniques to apply the tattoo.

The materials used in the making of teapots have evolved and expanded through the years. Let's take a look at a few of the current materials and trends.

Many suppliers in Taiwan and mainland China are utilizing special materials to enhance the quality of their teapots and sets. One such company has launched teapots and sets which rims are fitted with cool touch and anti-slip seaweed straw.

In order to improve the heat retention performance of many designs, makers are using purple clay that emits far infrared rays and crystal glass with a high sodium content. Both materials help in retaining warmth. Many companies in the mainland are producing double walled vessels in order to retain heat even longer.

In Taiwan, many of the latest teapot models come in materials that help maximize tea flavor and seal in the aroma. These materials include ceramic powder infused with andesite minerals, which help stimulate and allow the active carbon in the tea leaves to blend well with water.

Teapot designs from both Taiwan and China feature improved durability as well. Most teapots and sets for the high end market now come in polyester based bone china porcelain. Compared with natural hard paste porcelain, the new material does not become brittle with age and can be passed along for generations.

Other vessels have bodies in borosilicate glass with 5 percent boric oxide. These materials strengthen the structure of teapots and renders them resilient to quite drastic temperature changes. In addition, some vessels are covered with German made glazes. The imported finish is highly colorfast and high tolerance when exposed to extreme heat.

New models with such a makeup can withstand an abrupt increase in temperature of 150 C. Adding value, the supplier's borosilicate glass designs have a very clear finish and resist condensation.

Manufacturers in Taiwan and China are combining materials to give their teapots greater visual appeal. The lids of teapots, creamers and sugar bowls, as well as saucers, cups and warmers, are usually made of bone china porcelain in a bright ivory and utilize different design patterns.

Carafes and pitchers come in borosilicate glass or glazed stoneware. Companies then utilize hardwood, bamboo or stainless steel for the handles, trays and tweezers.

For the sieves of carafes, companies are employing stainless steel. The stainless steel allows them to punch 150 holes. As a result, the tea is more thoroughly cleaned of dust and unwanted stalks. Strainers made of ceramic or porcelain can only up to 30 filter gaps.