Slike kao film

Kako od mojih slika da napravim filmic sa nekom muzikom? Koji program to radi?
Ima dosta takvih programa.
Jedan od njih je Movie Maker. Prebacis fotke, dodas muziku, na kraju te pita da li hoćeš da snimis kao DVD ili VCD i gotova stvar.
Prezentaciju slika sa muzikom odlično radi program ProShow Gold.
Pre instalacije procitajte i pogledajte demo primere napravljene sa ProShow...
http://www.photodex.com/products/proshowgold/
ProShow Gold makes it easy to create a slide show with your photos, videos and music in a few simple steps.
Just drag and drop your content into a show, edit photos, add effects, set the timing and you’re done!
You can easily create a unique and personalized photo slide show for any occasion whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, graduation, holiday, wedding or just showing-off vacation photos.
Tutorijal
http://www.photodex.com/training/
ProShow has over 280 transition effects to choose from
Click the Transition icon between two slides to access the Transition Chooser
Turn the composition lines on and off in Slide Options or Show Options
Right-click in the preview window in Slide Options and click <>.
Add a custom background to your entire show
Go to Show Options and click the Background icon. Configure the Show Background as desired
Remove red-eye in Proshow
Double-click on the slide containing the image with red-eye and click the Editing icon. Click <> and make changes as desired.
Add motion effects to your slide show
Double-click on the slide you would like to add motion to and click the Motion icon in Slide Options
Use built-in text effects to add interest to you captions
In Slide Options, click <>. Select Text Effects to apply to captions from the drop-down lists. Click <> to preview the effects.
Make basic image adjustments in ProShow
Double-click on the slide to make adjustments to and click the Editing icon. Make changes as desired.
Trim video clips to exactly the portion you want to use in ProShow.
Double-click on the slide containing the video that you want to trim. With the video layer selected, click <> in the Layers section of Slide Options.
Make a disc for PC and DVD playback
When outputting to DVD Disc or Video CD, check <> in Output Options
Easily transfer a show from one computer to another
Click File > Collect Show Files from the main menu at the top of the screen to back up your show and all associated files.
Choose which slide will be used as the Show Thumbnail on a menu
In the Slide List, right-click on any slide and select <>.
Remove the Intro Show before your own show
In the selected output dialog, go to Shows tab and uncheck the box next to <>.
Use the Safe Zone to make sure important parts of your show aren't cut off when viewed on a television
Right-click in the preview window in Slide Options and click <>.
Set the timing for multiple transitions or slides at once.
Simply select the slides you would like to apply a timing change to and make the change to any one of the selected slides.
Automatically add the file name or other information to a caption
Click <> button on the Captions section of Slide Options, then select <> and choose the macro(s) that you wish to include in the caption.
Apply a setting to multiple slides at once
Right-click on any setting on the slide options screen and select <>.
Add an entire folder of images to your show at once
Right click in the File List and select <>
Demonstracije
http://www.photodex.com/files/presenter/pxsetup.exe
kad ste instalirali, idite ovde i kliknite na neku od prezentacija. http://www.photodex.com/sharing/spotlight/
Ako mislite da je to što vam treba, kliknite na link ispod da skinete program koji mozete instalirati.
http://rapidshare.de/files/27538537/ProShow_Gold_2.6.1777_Serial.rar
Tu je upakovan program i serijski broj.
Odlicni programi koji to još rade su: Pro Show Producer, MemoriesOnTV i drugi, ali po mom mišljenju GOld je jednostavan i lak pa ćete uz malo truda brzo uspeti napraviti CD ili DVD od vasih fotosa.
Pocnite prvo sa dva tri snimka i muzikom a kasnije ćete lako dodati i stotinjak snimaka.
PS. da bi ljudi videli vase prezentacije treba da samo instaliraju onaj mali program od 2.5mb koji lako mozete prikljuciti kao deo svakog CD-a ili DVD-a ili napraviti demo kao EXE fajl koji radi sam za sebe (ima ugradjenu masinu za prezentaciju) i koja će startovati kad se CD ili DVD ubaci u racunar. Na vama je izbor...
http://i18.tinypic.com/3z03gaf.jpg

Squirrel attacks snake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFWeldHtJgI

Chile

Živim već 15 godina u Cileu bavim se turizmom avanturom (kajak, rafting, fly fishing, kanjoning, kanopi, itd.) okruzen sa divnim vulkanima (1 je non stop aktivan i pruza mogućnost da se popnes na vrh i nadzires kako bukti lava). Želim da podelim malo sa vama moje iskustvo.
Da pocnemo:
Chile je najduza i najuza zemlja na juzno americkom kontinentu, sa 4.329 km duzine i samo 177 km sirine, ima jednu od najstabilnijih ekonomija u juznoj americi a i svetu. Chile je zemlja iskljucivo za uzivanje u prirodi: planinarenje, jahanje konja i skijanje na kordiljerima Los Andesa, arheoloska istrazivanja u pustinji Atakami i ispitivanje flore i faune duz zemlje, plaze na okeanu Pacifiku; setnje kroz prelepe doline punih vinove loze, reka u kojima mozete da praktikujete rafting, kayaking, da plovite u hladnim vodama juznog Pacifika zajedno sa morskim vukovima, kitovima i ledenim icebergima ili da pecate pastrnke i losose u naj lepsim i čistijim rekama na jugu planete.
Želim da napomenem da gradjanima Srbije netreba viza za Cile, tako da odmah mozete da pocnete sa spremanjem kofera :) Dobro je to što je obrnuta sezona tako da ako ove zime ne želite da se smrzavate, slobodno mozete da dodjete na godisnji odmor u Cile.
cad je u evropi zima a ovde na jugu leto, avionske karte su veoma jeftine za vas koji ste gore. Aviokompanije koje lete za Cile su Air france, Iberia, Lan chile, KLM, italijanske aerokompanije. Air france ima povoljne cene. Lan cile ima dobru uslugu ali je malo skup. KLM isto ima jeftine cene. U glavnom cene karata su negde između 1000 i 1200 USD. Na primer, preko Air France Santiago-Pariz su 1066 USD, obično nasi uvek putuju preko Madrida, Kopenhagena, Pariza.
Sto se tiče boravka, mogu da ti dam vise povoljnih i ultra povoljnih cena ali u gradu u kome živim (Pucon) posto sam preko cele godine tu pa znam kako sve ide.
Ipak, leti ovde skoce malo cene, ali ja mogu da sredim da vas ne kosta skupo.
Za dolazak u Cile imaš dve dobre varijante.
Ako želiš da dodjes kad je ovde leto, imaš veliku mogućnost da posetis jug Cilea, to jest celu Patagoniju, pocevsi od velikih jezera pa do Magallaneza.
Ako želite da posetite Cile zimi, onda ćete trebati da idete na sever zemlje i posetiti pustinju Atakamu (najsuvlju zemlju na svetu), gejzire, selo San Pedro i posto je veoma blizu Peru, Machupichu.
Bilo da dodjete u Cile leti ili zimi, preporucio bih vam da posetite Valparaiso, bohemijski grad sa kucama na brdima u engleskom stilu. Što se tiče vodica, ni ja ne volim da mi komanduju kada trebam da jedem i gde da idem kad njima dune. Ja mogu da ti napravim jedan mali tour pa da ti izaberes mesta koja ti se najviše svidjaju. A i da ti dam adrese hotela i hostala u kojima bi mogla da prenocis.
Na ovom linku možeš da nadjes sve informacije o Cileu, naravno stranica je na spanskom i engleskom jeziku:
http://www.turismochile.com/datos/en_index.php
Sad što se tiče smestaja, zavisi gde želiš da odes, hotel, hostal, motel... Po osobi u jednom običnom hostelu cene su od 6.000 cileanskih pezosa (1 evro = 630 pezosa).
što se tiče hrane na primer kilo hleba je 550 pezosa, jedna pasteta od 150 grama kosta 280 pezosa, 250 grama sunke 500 pezosa, litar piva 650 pezosa, itd.
Prevoz, autobus od Santiaga do Pucona (830 km) kosta od 8.000, Santiago Vinja del Mar (120 km) 2200 pezosa, zavisi u kojoj klasi želiš da putujes, leti ove cene mogu da budu duplo skuplje, ipak zavisi da li putujes danju ili nocu na sever ili jug Cilea.
Link od autobuske firme koja putuje kroz ceo Cile:
https://www.turbus.com/e-commerce/pasajes/venta.html
Ne bih znao da ti dam pravu cenu lokalnih vodica, sve zavisi od mesta u kojem se nalazis, na primer kod mene u Puconu cene su ovakve: 35.000 pezosa penjanje na Vulkan Villarrica, 18.000 spust niz brzake na reci Trancura, 80.000 pecanje sa muvom, 14.000 4 sata jahanja na konju, 8 Hiljada brzaci na niskoj reci Trancura, 8.000 tople banje, 8.000 canopy, itd.
Za Cile ti netrebaju vakcine ni za kakvu bolest, mada ne mogu isto da kažem za Peru i Boliviju.
Što se tiče vlage, naravno u atakami nema inače noći su veoma hladne i ima mesta u kojima u ranu zoru dolazi Camanchaca, to je magla koja se skuplja na obali tihoga okeana jer on u tome delu Juzne amerike nema plaze nego samo kanjon, sva voda koja ispari pretvori se u maglu koja ode u pustinju vise desetina kilometara.
Na jugu Cilea leti temperature su 30 stepeni, u Patagoniju 13-15, po nekad malo vise. Klima nije bas stabilna, tako da iako je leto vise puta pada kisa. Naravno Patagonija je poznata po jakim vetrovima. Ipak ne verujem da će vam zdravstveno naskoditi vlaga jer sa dobrom obucom i u dobrom hostelu ili hotelu ne bi trebalo da imate ikakvih problema.
Cile je zemlja koja poseduje vise od 2000 vulkana pa nije ni cudo sto svakodnevno drma. Nisu to zemljotresi kao u Japanu, tu jacinu u glavnom mi ne osetimo a ponekad se oseti i to je jačina 3-4 stepena po Merkaliju, to jest veoma slab zemljotres. Inače poznato je da svakih 100 godina drmne jedan jak mada iako je već vreme tom zemljotresu, specialisti pricaju da može da zadrma tek za 20-30 godina i da je zemlja danas pripremljena.
Što se tiče posla, Cile je zemlja u razvoju. Mogao bih reći da je posle Kanade i SAD najsigurnija zemlja u eknomskom i politickom stanju. Nema gerila kao u Boliviji, Columbiji, Venecueli, Peruu. Možeš ulicama da hodas čak i u 4 ujutru i da ti ništa ne bude. Sad ako si veoma plav i ko izgubljen lutas u 4 sati ujutru kroz loše krajeve + ne znas spanski, naravno da ima budala koja će hteti da iskoriste priliku i da te opljackaju (isto kao i u svim zemljama.
Za posao mogu da ti kažem da ima struca u kojima možeš da zaradis platu iznad 1500 US a i gde nema sanse da nadjes posao jer je veoma mala potraznja. Cileu su potrebni naucnici, na primer biohemicari, hemicari, biolozi, programeri, doktori, medicinske sestre, profesori, itd. Sa druge strane veoma je teško da nadjes posao ako si advokat, komercialni inzenjer, sumarski inzenjer, novinarstvo, arhitektura, geografija, itd.
Ako imaš kapitala i želiš da dodjes i napravis biznis izabrao si dobru zemlju posto Cile je zemlja u razvoju, a država ti pomaze sa kreditima, čak ima jedan sistem u kojem ti država daje početni kapital za razvoj tvoje firme a ti ne moras posle da vratis ni kintu. Za vizu nema problema, imamo pravo na 90 dana da budemo kao turisti a zatim ona može bez problema da se obnovi. Sad ako ulazis sa kapitalom i otvoris firmu ili nadjes posao, veoma lako možeš da dobijes vecnu vizu. (godinu dana) Posle 5 godina ako želiš možeš da se nacionalizujes, mada ti Cile trazi da se odreknes od originalnog državljanstva.
... ljudi mesaju Macchu Picchu sa Camino Inka . Postoji vise varijanti Camino Inka bez i sa Machu Picchuom, a ta cena jeste za one koji idu na trek od par dana...i sam sam prosao te trekove ...hteo sam dusu da ispustim...kada tada nisam umro,živecu 100 godina... Na Machu Picchu se ide vozom,konforno,a onda kada se dodje do Aguas Calientes, ide se busom okok pola sata usponom ili može i pesaka..ništa strasno...dodjes do ruina i tu si ceo dan,spustas se pesaka ili busom do istog mesta.
imaš jedan veoma koristan sajt gde možeš naći gomilu informacija o hostelima i ostalim stvarcicama za bilo koju zemlju sveta pa i Peru, ...i sve sto te u J. Americi zanima. www.virtualtourist.com
pa bilo bi super da se jednog dana upoznamo i popijemo kafu :) evo ti moj mail: srpskoselo@gmail.com
imam i sajt koj je trenutno u izgradnji, uskoro će imati sve važne informacije o turizmu u Cileu. www.srpskoselo.com
da li znaš makar orijentaciono koja je cena prevoza do Peruanske granice, npr iz tvog mesta boravka, i koji su najpogodniji vidovi transporta...Kako tamo stoji sa vozovima? Molim te nemoj samo da kažeš da sam dosadna. Samo sam veoma zainteresovana. Hvala, još jednom
Pa vozom bi mogla da putujes od Temuca (120 km od mene) do glavnoga grada Santiaga, zatim bi trebala da ides autobusom, isto možeš i autobusom od Pucona do Arique, sad cena od prilike je ovakva (autobusom)(1 evro = 630 pezosa): Od Pucona do Santiaga $12.000 (polu krevet) Od Santiaga do Arique $28.000 (polu krevet) Put bi trajao 41 sati, ja mislim da je bolje u tom slučaju da idete avionom, mada je to skoro 3 puta skuplje. Sad, druga varijanta bi bila da posetite neka mesta u Zemlji kao na primer Pucon-Vinja del Mar i Valparaiso - La Serena (Vicuña, mesto gde sa vinjacima i fabrikama cileanskog likera Pisco) - Copiapo - Antofagasta - Iquique - Aqica - Peru. Sad mozete da prescocite Antofagastu i direktno da posetite San Pedro u pustinji Atacami, a zatim da odete za Peru.
za smestaj probaj
www.hospitalityclub.org
ja tako putujem i dobro mi je
http://putovanja.sinisa.vlaisavljevic.com
boris_de_chile - 30. novembar 2006. u 11.35 (*.tie.cl)
Zdravo Sinisa, ako dolazis do Viñe del MAr ili VAlparaisa, javi se na moj e -mail ,pa da popijemo nešto...prvih desetak dana Decembra sam još u Cileu,a onda idem na put... Pozdrav Boban el_viajero@acuario.com
http://putovanja.sinisa.vlaisavljevic.com
danas sam kupio kartu i sutra je d-day. slecem u quito pa ću polako da se pustim u chile preko perua i bolivije...puno hvala na savetima... juznoamerikanci vidimo se...
Srećan ti put sinisa, pa eto kada budes dosao u nasu regiju a ti mi pisi srpskoselo@gmail.com
U svakom slučaju videces se sa Sasom u Puconu i sa mnom u Viñi del MAr. Srećan put i vidimo se na okeanu Boban
Možda će nekom trebati ovo : http://www.alibabuy.com/vol-santiago.html
zdravo dzoni_kid naravno još uvek postoji ta kockarnica, ja isto po nekad odem pa ih opeljesim, što se tiče toplih banji (mineralna voda zagrejana toplotom vulkana Villarrica) ta u kojoj si bio se zove „Los Pozones” to je jedina banja koja radi 24 sati i dopusta alkoholno pice u bazenu. Za one koji neznaju, ova je jedina banja koja je napravljena u vulkanskim rupama u zemlji, ovi „bazeni” u uporedjenju sa drugim banjama naj bolji i naj jeftiniji u drugim banjama je skuplje a i ko ko bazeni za plivanje su, ali kao sto kaže dzoni_kid smeta to što dodju pijani ameri a i ne možeš da ides bos kao na drugim banjama jer na zemlji ima slomljenog stakla. Ipak iskustvo je odlično posto ima 6 banja do kojih moras da dodjes silazeci niz stepenice, mada nazad je malo zeznuto posto si već toliko opusten da te mrzi da se penjes uz njih a i ako ides nocu bude ti hladno. Slična banjama Los Pozones su termas geometricas (geometricke terme). Evo par slika: Los Pozones http://www.rucamalal.cl/fotos_act/termas_pozones.jpg http://www.puconrentacar.cl/excursiones/pozones.jpg http://www.turistel.cl/paseos/img/termas_geo.jpg http://www.turismovillarrica.cl/socios/termas/geometricas/tg_08_1.jpg http://www.turismovillarrica.cl/socios/termas/geometricas/tg_26_1.jpg
Cileanci vole strance (možda im malo smetaju susedi kao peruanci koji su na glavnom trgu nonstop, rade za duplo manju platu nego Cileanci ili argentinci koji leti idu na Cileanske plaze pa se prave vazni pa sve devojke padaju lude za njima) U glavnom cileanci su dobri sa strancima, u tome nema sumlje, sam sam iskusio kada su moji roditelji '93 godine ekonomski propali, pa su nam cileanci prvi prisli u pomoć bez ikakvih pitanja, od naše srpske kolonije nije bilo ni traga a manje od ambasade, ama ni da nas pozovu preko telefona da vide da li smo živi.
Što se tiče mentaliteta, ja ih posle 15 godina još uvek ne razumem, ne mogu da im se uklopim, oni se na primer (jedan zezne drugog sa 5000 evra), onda se posvadjaju, ogovaraju, pljuju (verbalno) a zatim ih vidis kako se grle i prave rostilje. Toga kod nas na balkanu nema. Način zivota je drukciji od našeg, na primer oni vole da jedu vise przenu hranu od kuvane, svaki dan virsle sa pirincem, batak sa pireom, makarone sa pasuljem, po nekad pilecu corbu (casuela de ave), za državni praznik prave tipicne poslastice kao pastel de choclo, humitas, empanade (mleveno meso sa jajem, maslinkom i lukom uvijena i zalepljena u lepinji), ima sa sirom i skoljkama. na jugu se pravi curanto. Prave raznjice sa virslom, crnim lukom i zelenom paprikom. vole da jedu choripan (pecena masna kobasica u hlebu sa majonezom), completo (virsla u hlebu sa avokadom, paradaizom i ponekad kiselim kupusom, majonezom, senfom i kecapom).
Prosecna visina Cileanca je metar sedamdeset, mada u zadnje vreme posto jedu hranu sa hormonima (piletina, svinjsko meso, itd), nove generacije su prosecno 1,77 m. Žene su niske u proseku između 1,50 m i 1,70 ima izuzetaka. Kad Cileancu kažeš: \„aj da se nađemosutra u 7\” on dodje u 7:05 ili u 7:15 ili u 7:30 a ponekad ni ne dodje. Nemaju naviku da te pozovu da ti kažu da kasne :) Kad idu ulicom i videte da ides u njegov susret, ako ga mrzi da te pozdravi preci ce ulicu praveci se mutav kao da te kobajagi nevidi :) Još jedan primer, pre par godina putovao sam metroom u glavnome gradu Santiagu, bila je zima, a otvoren prozor, jeste da je bilo puno raje u vagonu ali posto je bila promaja i ulazio hladan vazduh (0ºC) ja zatvorih prozor, nije prošlo ni 10 sekundi kad eto jedan Cileanac otvori prozor. Ja rekao aj neću da se svadjam silazim za dve stanice. Prošlo je par meseci i eto doslo letooo :) ja u metrou, metro prepun, temperatura 40 stepeni u vagonu a skoro svi prozori zatvoreni, pridjem prozoru, otvorim ga sa zeljom da se osvezim svezim vazduhom, kad eto nije prošlo ni 10 sekundi, vidim jednu ruku kako zatvara prozor i još napravio ljutu facu. Sad idi pa razumi taj mentalitet ljudi :) Dal sam ja lud ili ne, ali eto takvi su oni sve rade naopacke, čak se i voda vrti naopacke kada pustis kazance. :)
Sad ima jedna veoma dobra vrlina kod Cileanaca, oni kao narod vole da rade ali vole i da odmaraju na poslu, tako oni uvek izmisle neki izum ili formulu za rad da bi na taj zavrsili posao u kracem roku.
Stigao sam najzad i u Chile. Civilizacija u poredjenju na Boliviju. Prenapacen sam od voznje iz Uyunija do San Pedra.
Kao sto sam tu prethodno rekao nalazim se u Puconu, 700 km juzno od Santiaga.
Upravo sam se vratio sa canopia, već nedelju dana pada kisa, jedva sam cekao da me pozovu moji prijatelji iz avanturisticke firme Arbol Loco (ludo drvo) da se bacim. Izasli smo sa grupom turista, penjali se drvenim merdevinama uçzaheftanim za sajle, zatim smo hodali po tim sajlama (naravno bili smo osigurani za drugu sajlu). Posle nekih 45 minuta zezanja između drveca bacili smo se niz jednu sajlu dugacku nekih 50-60 metara. Pošto je padala kisa i sajla je bila vlazn, brzina spusta je bila nekih 45 km na sat. Bilo je ludo :) mozete da pogledate video preko youtubea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhNj-oXADho
Ako udjes u Cile kao Amerikanac moraces da platis 100 USD a posto znaš da mi koji smo srecom Srbi neplacamo ni kinte :) Ne znam sad koliko će trajati proces za stalnu vizu ako udjes sa Srpskim ili SAD pasosom, da li vise ili manje. Što se tiče kradji, jeste svi stavljaju resetke na prozore i ograde, za to je kriva danasnja vlada koja posle 17 godina vlasti još uvek nije u stanju da promeni zakone i kazni lopove. Dok je bio na vlasti General Pinochet u zemlji je vladao mir, naravno narod je postovao policiju, danas kada su demonstracije (posto je Cile kako kažu ovi socialisti demokratska zemlja i narod ima pravo da da svoje mišljenje) i kad par ljudi krene da bije policiju, udare murkana a zatim on im vrati pendrekom onda se naljute pa ga tuze lokalnom sudu. Evo drugi primer, ako ukrades jednu kokosku ides u zatvor 5 godina i 1 dan a ako ubijes coveka možeš da budes slobodan za manje od 6 meseci, zatim samo svakih 15 dana da ides u zatvor da potpises da si u gradu, čisto da znaju da nisi pobegao. To je zato što su ovi zakoni stari ko biblija (iz XIX veka) sve u svemu ova zemlja je za mene najbolja u latinskoj americi, vlada mir, nema muslimanskih fanatika, mafija, gerila, pezos je stabilna para, ima se posla za one koji žele da rade mada kao u svim kapitalistickim zemljama radis ko crnac (45 sati nedeljno) a po nekad i vise. :)
evo link, sa slikama sa juga Cilea: http://srpskoseloblog.obolog.com/albums
Evo kratak snimak after houra posle nove godine na plazi jezera Villarrica u restoranu Kamikaze u malo losijem izdanju. Ja nisam bio tamo ali jedna moja prijateljica je snimila ovaj video. Nova godina je bila proslavljena sa kisom i predivnim vatrometom koj je trajao vise od 20 minuta, zatim na vise desetina mesta su odrzane zurke, jedna od tih je bila zurka u pub-diskoteci Kamikaze. Klijenti suna terasi mogli da vide vatromet, zatim otisli na slavlje i oko 6 ujutru na after hour na kome se sluzio dorucak i nešto da se popije :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymylyumlHjk&eurl=
Eto kako slave Cileanci :)

Chicago

www.shopwoodfield.com
Rt. 53 and Golf Rd. in Schaumburg
www.bahai.us/bahai-temple
100 Lincoln Ave, Wilmette
www.chicagobotanic.org
1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe
http://www.eskape.us/
350 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove
www.keylimecove.com
1700 Nations Dr, Gurnee
www.sixflags.com
542 N. Illinois Rt. 21, Gurnee
www.mayanindoorwaterpark.com
724 N York Rd, Elmhurst - Holiday Inn Elmhurst
www.templefarms.com
17000 Wadsworth Rd, Wadsworth
www.chicagoindoorracing.com
301 Hastings Dr, Buffalo Grove
www.daveandbusters.com
I-355 & Lake St, Addison
www.laserquest.com
644 E Rand Rd, Arlington Heights
www.medievaltimes.com
2001 Roselle Rd, Schaumburg

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (BAPS) Temple
4N739 II Rt.59, Bartlett

www.ci.scaumburg.il.us
505 N. Springinsguth Rd, Schaumburg
www.brookfieldzoo.org
3300 S. Golf Rd, Brookfield

Challenge Park Xtreme
2903 Schweitzer Ed, Joliet

www.gowright.org
951 Chicago Ave, Oak Park
(home & studio)

Grand Victoria Casino
250 S. Grove Ave, Elgin

Harrah's Casino
151 N. Joliet St, Joliet

www.mortonarb.com
4100 Illinois Rt. 53, Lisle

India House
www.indiahouseschaumburg.com
59 West Grand Street, just west of Dearborn

Viceroy of India (restaurant)
2518 West Devon Ave, Chicago

Theatres
Chicago Theater
175 North State Street
www.apollochicago.com
2540 N Lincoln Ave
www.auditoriumtheatre.com
50 East Congress Pkwy
http://www.bailiwick.org
1229 W Belmont Ave
www.blueman.com
3133 N Halsted St
www.chicagoshakes.com
800 East Grand Ave
www.chopintheatre.com
1543 W Division
www.goodman-theatre.org
170 N Dearborn

Shedd Aquarium
www.sheddnet.org
1200South Lake Shore Dr

Museum of Contemporary Photography
www.mocp.org
600 South Michigan Ave

Preporuka - BG nocni zivot

Preporučuje se posetiocima da veče u srpskoj prestonici počnu šetnjom Knez Mihajlovom ulicom, a nastave večerom u Skadarliji ili na nekom od kioska sa kvalitetnim roštiljem.
Posle toga, obavezno bi trebalo otići na piće ili koktel-zabavu u neki od brojnih kafea u ulici Strahinjića Bana, na Dorćolu, poput Scene i Ipaneme.
Jedan sat ujutru, pravo je vreme da se zaputite ka nekom od klubova u okolini Kalemegdanske tvrđave, poput Andergraunda, ili da se, ako volite svež vazduh, prepustite zvucima muzike sa gramofona i mladalačkoj atmosferi nekog od brojnih splavova vezanih uz obalu Save na beogradskom Ušću.

From Catholic Encyclopedia

Belgrade and Smederevo
Titular (united) sees of Servia.
The history of these sees is as confused as their present plight is pitiful from the Catholic stand-point.
Dalmatia and Illyria claim St. Titus, the disciple of St. Paul, as their first Christian missionary; but the first Bishop of Belgrade, Theodosius, dates only from 1059.
As the ancient Singidunum, however, it was an episcopal see in the fourth century, but gradually declined during the invasions of the barbarian Slavs.
The medieval see was founded by the King of Croatia.
The Hungarians and the Venetians disputed the possession of Belgrade (Serb Beograd, white city).
The latter having destroyed the town (1126), the episcopal see was transferred to the neighbouring Scardona, so extensively embellished by them that it received the name of Scardona Nova.
Religion had long flourished there, for one of the bishops at the Council of Salona (530) signs as Episcopus Ecclesiae Scardinitanae. On the occasion of the transfer to Scardona the title of Belgrade disappears for centuries from ecclesiastical history.
The neighbouring city of Smederevo (Lat. Smendria) was also an episcopal see. Gams gives the names of four of its bishops from 1544 to 1605, a list, beginning 1334, of bishops whom he styles "of Belgrade and Semendria" (Nadoralbenses et Belgradenses). It is certain that in 1650 Innocent X re-established the title and See of Belgrade; for a Brief (4 December, 1651) is extant addressed to Matthew Benlich, Episcopus Bellegradensis, Ecclesiae Samadiensis Administrator, creating him vicar Apostolic for those sees of the Church of Hungary which were under Turkish domination.
In 1729 the two Dioceses of Belgrade and Smederevo were united by Benedict XIII, and in 1733 Vincent Bagradin became the first holder of the double title. Thenceforward the list of bishops is regular and complete. The "Notizie di Roma" gives the names of all the prelates of this see.
Until recent years Belgrade and Smederevo were considered residential sees; it is expressly so stated in the consistory of 1858. It was added that these two sees (ancient Alba Graeca and Singidunum respectively) were suffragans of the metropolitan See of Antivari, and that the nomination to them resided in the Emperor of Austria, "but as they are held by the infidels, their actual state is passed over in silence".
For many years the title was given to the auxiliary of an Hungarian bishop (at present to the auxiliary of the Archbishop of Zagrab) who was bound to reside with his superior.
The "Gerarchia" for 1906, without giving any notice of the change, has transferred this see to the list of titular bishoprics, though Bishop Krapac, who now holds the title, was named in 1904 as a residential bishop.
The present condition of this Church is most lamentable. The limits of the diocese are those of the Kingdom of Servia, which has an area of 18,630 square miles and a population (1905) of 2,6786,989, belonging for the most part to the Greek schism, which is the official religion of the State.
Since 1851 the Bishop of Diokovar acts as administrator Apostolic; since 1886 the territory is united to the ecclesiastical province of Scutari (Kirch. Handlex., I, 533).
There are only two or three priests, who divide their activities between the three principal stations of Belgrade (4,000 Catholics), Kragujevatz (200), and Nish (2,000).
There are also seven secondary stations, numbering about 1,000 Catholics all told. (It is to be noted that according to the "Statesman's Year Book" for 1907, the Servian census of 1900 gives 10,243 Catholics.)
One church, two chapels, and two elementary schools (at Belgrade and Nish respectively) complete the list of the mission's resources.
The statistics say nothing of Uniat Greeks, which leads us to suppose that these Latin Catholics are only western Europeans whose business obliges them to reside in Servia.
Belgrade has (1905) a population of 80,747.
Situated on the right bank of the Danube, just below the Save, it has always been a natural fortress, and as such is famous in military history.
From 1522 to 1867 it passed alternately from Turks to Austrians; in the latter year the Turkish garrison was withdrawn, and in 1878, by the Treaty of Berlin, Belgrade became the capital of the new Christian Kingdom of Servia.

Places to take your kids before they grow up - ZOOs

By Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up
San Diego Zoo
As the mother of a panda fanatic, I knew we had to go to the San Diego Zoo, one of only three zoos in the U.S. with those black-and-white giant pandas. More than 4,000 creatures live at the San Diego Zoo, including rare species like the Buerger’s tree kangaroos of New Guinea, long-billed kiwis from New Zealand, wild Przewalski’s horses from Mongolia, lowland gorillas from Africa and giant tortoises from the Galápagos. Even better, we saw them in naturalistic habitats, brilliantly designed not only to make the animals comfortable but also to give zoogoers some pretty close-up views. My favorite parts, actually, were the immense aviaries, where you could stand on a boardwalk and peer into a jungle canopy to spy parrots and lorikeets and other gaudy tropical birds. (My husband would vote for the polar bears. We had a very hard time getting him to leave that enclosure.)San Diego’s is a surprisingly old zoo for a West Coast institution: It was launched in 1916 by Dr. Harry Wegeforth, a shrewd zoologist who traveled around the world bartering native southwestern animals like rattlesnakes and sea lions—a dime a dozen in California but glamorous overseas—for more exotic foreign species. He also brought back plants from every locale where animals were acquired, ensuring that their new habitations could be landscaped to feel like home. San Diego was one of the first zoos to separate animals from humans with moats instead of bars, and it has long been active in conservation efforts around the world, as well as breeding programs for endangered species. We were glad we invested in the value package, which allowed us to hop a ride on an express bus and take a cross-zoo trip on the cable car. But now I wish we’d had time for the two-in-one package that adds on the zoo’s sister facility, the sprawling San Diego Wild Animal Park, 34 miles north of San Diego in Escondido. Here, many of the animals roam freely in vast enclosures, allowing giraffes and ostriches to interact with antelopes and zebras, much as they would in Africa. Humans navigate the distances via monorail cars, walking tours or pricey-but-unforgettable photo caravans. Grrr.
Brookfield Zoo
While there’s something sweet and cozy about the Lincoln Park Zoo in town—which is, after all, the nation’s oldest zoo—Chicago-area kids know that the real animal-watching takes place 14 miles west of the Loop (close enough you can get here by Metra train) at the Brookfield Zoo. With 216 acres to stretch out in, the zoo’s thousands of animal residents have roomy naturalistic environments, with entire ecosystems set up for several species living together (or next door to each other, if they are predator and prey).
Brookfield always seems to be coming up with new immersive exhibits. One of the zoo’s newest nooks is Wolf Woods, built for a pack of endangered Mexican gray wolves as part of a joint conservation effort with a number of other zoos. The Fragile Kingdom is divided into two environments—one for the desert, where porcupines, meerkats and sandcats scurry around, one for the equally fragile Asian rainforest, where clouded leopards and Amur tigers (the new name for Siberian tigers) prowl and slink around their enclosures, with binturongs, Prevost’s squirrels and small-clawed otters stashed safely across the way. The Habitat Africa exhibit alone covers 30 acres, more than the entire Lincoln Park Zoo; okapis browse in a forest area, illustrating why stripes work for them better than the sun-dappled colors of their giraffe cousins stalking around the savanna section.The minute you get to the zoo, buy your tickets to the perennially popular dolphin show at the Seven Seas Panorama. You’ll also want to stop in at the muggy Tropic World, where you can walk at treetop level with mangabeys, mandrills and gibbons chattering on either side, and the Australia House, where fruit bats flit around your head. Kids gravitate to Baboon Island, where a troupe of some 40 guinea baboons groom and grimace at each other.
Cincinnati Zoo
Every one of its exhibits demonstrates the whole delicate balance of an ecosphere, the entwined roles of predator and prey, the interplay between plant and animal life (the zoo is also a lush botanical garden, with over 3,000 thriving plant species). An old Taj Mahal–inspired elephant house has been redesigned to demonstrate how dwindling habitats affect supersized species like the Asian elephant, the giraffe and the okapi. But one of the most important buildings hasn’t got a single animal inside: It’s a vintage Japanese-style pagoda that’s now a memorial to Martha, a passenger pigeon who died here in 1914, the very last of her once-ubiquitous species (the last Carolina parakeet also died here). The nation’s second-oldest zoo (opened in 1875), the Cincinnati park has only 75 acres, but that makes it all the more walkable for younger children. With no room to expand, Cincinnati’s designers have ingeniously packed as much as possible onto its acres, with 500-plus species housed in naturalistic environments. Among the endangered species here are white lions (courtesy of Las Vegas animal trainers Siegfried & Roy), fork-tongued Komodo dragons, shy red pandas and lumbering manatees. The stars of the show, though, are the Sumatran rhinoceroses, glossy brown armored creatures that are the only ones of their species to successfully breed in captivity, a feat even more rare than the breeding of a giant panda cub.One of the most popular parts of the children’s zoo is the nursery, where kids crowd around to see the newest zoo babies being hand-fed by zoo staff. The Jungle Trails, a walk-through simulated rainforest, allows visitors to get a good look at orangutans, gibbons, and bonobos; outdoors, there’s a monkey island where you walk on a wooden bridge while acrobatic gibbons nonchalantly hoot and dangle on the wooden structure around you. It’s the only zoo I know of with an entire exhibit focusing on insects, from the emperor scorpion to the leaf-cutter ant—and why not? Insects, too, are part of the great chain of life.

Be a More Positive Parent

Forget yelling and nagging. Focus on positive discipline to bring out the best in your kids and create a more harmonious household.
A Better Way Positive discipline, based on love and limits, is common sense.
It's often the simple, sensible choices we tend to overlook as options, especially when we're in the heat of a kid battle.
Unlike punishment, positive discipline works to maintain the dignity of both child and parent by helping the child want to cooperate because he knows it's the right thing to do, not because he feels he has to comply "or else."
It has three main objectives:
· To put a stop to misbehavior (such as whining, lying, hitting, tantrums).
· To encourage good behaviors (i.e., cleaning up, healthy eating, using manners).
· To strengthen the relationship between parent and child.
The starting place for positive discipline is with you. It involves modeling good behavior - the kind you'd like from your child.
As you have already discovered, children will do as you do, not necessarily as you say.
To review the kind of behavior you expect, schedule private discussions and family meetings to revisit a situation without blame, shame, fear, or guilt. When the child has input into solving the problem, he is more inclined to want to cooperate as planned when a similar situation arises.
The process helps him feel important. But keep in mind that you have full veto power.
Over time, a well-disciplined child learns to control his impulses, take responsibility, solve problems, and empathize with others.
In truth, changing your ways and your children's isn't easy, and it can be especially difficult to hold it together on crazy mornings like Alice had. But even if you find that what comes out of your mouth is not what you had practiced, don't worry. Your child will give you another chance - sooner than you think - to say it better.
8 Great Ways to Get Your Kids to Cooperate
· Acknowledge strong feelings. A child who feels understood sees you as on his side rather than on his back and is more likely to cooperate. Say, "I noticed how angry you get when you're having fun and have to leave your friend's house. Let's practice a happy goodbye for tomorrow. How would that look and sound?"
· Talk less. Say what needs to be done in a single word if you can. "Coat." "Breakfast." "Teeth." Children hate long explanations, which often turn into a screaming tirade of reasons it must be done. You're also modeling self-control.
· Tell your child what he can do, rather than what he cannot do. For example, "We pet the cat" works better than, "Don't pull the cat's tail like you did last week." This serves as a reminder of an acceptable action rather than of what your child did wrong.
· Give limited choices. Say to your child, "You can get in your car seat all by yourself or Mommy will help you do it. Do you need my help? It's your choice." Most toddlers will say, "Self, self . . . I do it." The more you do this, the more you'll get "self" cooperation.
· Lighten up. Make inanimate objects do the talking for you. If you want your child to put on his shoes, for instance, make the shoes say, "Please put your feet in my tummy." Toddlers will usually happily comply, at least once.
· Rewind! This announcement means that your child will "take back" her words and actions and start anew with good behavior. Silly babble and walking backwards indicate the bad behavior has been "erased." In order for this to be effective, it must be introduced, demonstrated, and talked about repeatedly, outside the heat of the moment.
· Take a break. To calm a frustrated child, stop and breathe together. Say, "Looks like you need a break; let's breathe together." Sitting across from each other, holding hands, inhale slowly and deeply three times. Say, "I'm feeling relaxed now."
· Take a silly break. A sense of humor is very positive and often works well to stop misbehavior. When things are out of control, consider declaring, "We need to get silly!" Dance, sing the "silly song," tell a joke, talk in a silly voice or a foreign language. The children will join right in - or at least stop misbehaving long enough to watch the show!

Antistres odmor u Srbiji

U Ljuboviji na Drini pokrenut je za sada prvi „antistres turistički odmor” u Srbiji, koji traje sedam dana na sedam različitih lokacija, a kompletna cena je 175 evra.
Idejni tvorac programa antistres odmora i vlasnik turističke agencije Regata-turs iz Ljubovije Milutin Tomić rekao je a je u cenu uračunat, prevoz, smeštaj, hrana i lečenje pod nadzorom stručnjaka psihologije i kardiologije, koji učesnicima tokom odmora daju savete o „načinu života”.
On je precizirao da se antistres odmor podrazumeva obilaske manastira Sveti Nikolaj na Soko Gradu jedan dan raftinga Drinom, obilazak izletišta kod Ljubovije, i etno sela uz Drinu.
Antistres turistički program, prvi je te vrste u Srbiji, i namenjen je jačanju psiho-fizičkih sposobnosti, kroz učenje tehnika za relaksaciju i prevenciju od psihosomatskih bolesti.

300

pise: Aleksandar Ciric, odlomak
Kaže se da su bitku kod Termopila u kasno leto 480. godine stare ere preživela trojica od tri stotine Spartanaca.
Eurit i Aristodem ležali su, s odobrenjem kralja Leonide, u obližnjem gradu Alpeni zbog neke očne bolesti. Na vest da je odsudna bitka počela njih dvojica nisu se složila o tome šta da rade.
"Eurit je, kad je saznao da su Persijanci zašli iza leđa Helenima, zahtevao da mu se donese oružje, opremio se i naredio helotu da ga odvede na bojište", priča Herodot. "A kad ga je odveo, helot koji ga je vodio pobegne, a on jurne u najveći bojni metež i pogine."
Aristodem se, međutim, vrati u Spartu i bude izvrgnut ruglu i preziru jer, dodaje Herodot, "da su se obojica zajedno vratila usled bolesti u Spartu, čini mi se da im Spartanci ne bi to uzeli za zlo, a ovako, pošto je jedan od njih poginuo a drugi, o kome se bio proneo isti takav glas, da nije hteo da pogine, morali su Spartanci jako da se ozlojede na Aristodema... Prezir su prema njemu izražavali time što mu nijedan Spartanac nije dao da potpali vatru, niti je iko s njim govorio, a rugali su mu se na taj način što su ga zvali Aristodem Begunac."
Slično je prošao i Spartanac Pantit, kog je Leonida poslao kao glasnika u Tesaliju da zatraži pomoć. Suočen s prezirom sunarodnika po povratku u Spartu, on se obesio.
Priča o Aristodemu Beguncu, međutim, ima nastavak.
Godinu dana posle Termopila, u odlučnoj bici protiv Persijanaca kod Plateje 479. g.p.n.e. u kojoj Grci zamalo da dva puta poraze sami sebe – pre boja zbog svađe da li su hrabriji Atinjani ili Spartanci, posle bitke u oružanoj raspravi ko je zaslužniji za pobedu (završila se time što su podignuta tri spomenika, atinski, spartanski i zajednički) – učestvovao je i Aristodem.
"A najbolje od svih, po mom mišljenju", tj. Herodotovom, "pokazao se Aristodem, onaj isti koji se jedini od tri stotine spasao kod Termopila i zbog toga doživeo toliko uvreda i poniženja."
Ali, ne lezi vraže! Uprkos Herodotovom uverenju, Spartanci – ili bar neki Spartanci – junaštvo mu nisu priznali, smatrajući da je "želeo da pogine jer je sigurno bio svestan svoje ranije krivice, te je samo zbog toga tako ludo jurišao i izvršavao tako velike podvige, dok Posidonije nije želeo da pogine, pa se i pored toga pokazao tako hrabar, te je on zbog toga bio bolji junak od Aristodema".
Nije bilo lako Spartancima, čak i da nisu imali žene kao gazdarice u kući – i u Sparti, dok su oni okolo ratovali. Kao i sam Leonida, uostalom: njegova žena Gorga postala je slavna još kao osmogodišnja kći kralja Kleomena. Kad je ovome došao Milećanin Aristagora da ga nagovori na ratni pohod u Susu, ponudio mu je kao platu deset talenata zlata, potom dvadeset, pa pedeset. "Oče, ovaj stranac će te podmititi ako smesta ne izađeš odavde", primetila je buduća Leonidina žena.
Putnika koji se zatekne u Olimpiji na zapadnom Peloponezu pa odluči da obiđe i tamošnji muzej, može da dirne pogled na dva eksponata, među ogromnim brojem drugih gotovo neupadljivih. Jedan je bronzana kaciga korintskog tipa, delimično propala tokom dve i po hiljade godina pod zemljom, drugi je jednostavan mada pozlaćen kupasti šlem nekog Persijanca. "Miltijad posvećuje Zevsu" piše na obodu broznanog, "Atinjani posvećuju Zevsu, otevši ga Međanima", piše na drugom. Miltijad je onaj Atinjanin koji je 490. godine stare ere na Maratonskom polju poveo nekoliko stotina svojih sugrađana i saveznika u pobednički juriš na vojsku persijskog kralja Darija.
Deset godina kasnije Grci su poslanicima Darijevog naslednika Kserksa listom slali zemlju i vodu kao znak predaje i savezništva u novom persijskom pohodu. Među onima koji su odbili da se pokore bili su Atinjani – koji su glasnike bacili sa stene, i Spartanci, koji su – bacajući ih u bunar, dodali i poruku: "Eto vam i vode i zemlje."
Leonida će, nešto kasnije kod Termopila, na Kserksov poziv da preda oružje, i sam odgovoriti potpuno lakonski: "Dođi i uzmi."
Uzaludno pokušavajući da dobiju pomoć Sirakuze i Krita, malobrojni Grci rešili su da se od koalicije stotina i stotina naroda pod zapovedništvom Kserksa, kralja kraljeva, brane na Korintskoj prevlaci. Saznavši da uz pešadiju i konjicu nastupa i ogromna flota – koja bi mogla da pustoši Peloponez dok se oni guraju na prevlaci – promenili su odluku i odmarširali do Olimpa, da bi persijsku vojsku dočekali na nekoj od uskih ravnica između planine i mora. Tek tu su, izgleda, shvatili kolikoj se sili suprotstavljaju – više od pet miliona ljudi, po Herodotovoj računici – i pošteno se uplašili, koliko te sile toliko i izdaje nepouzdanih severnih sunarodnika. Tako su se vratili na jug, do uskog prolaza Termopila neposredno ispod Artemisiona, zapadnog rta Eubeje, s idejom da se bore i na kopnenom i na morskom tesnacu, jer je napredovanje kopnene persijske vojske duž obale pratila i ogromna flota na moru, uključujući tu i Herodotovu sugrađanku, kraljicu Halikarnasa Artemisiju.
Ko zna šta bi se tu dogodilo da se u vreme bitke na Peloponezu nisu održavale Olimpijske igre, i da u Sparti nisu održavane svečanosti u čast Apolona Karnejskog zbog kojih je deset godina ranije spartanska vojska na Maraton stigla tek posle bitke. Zbog proslave Karneja Spartanci su na Termopile poslali Leonidu sa samo 300 hoplita, a ostatak saveznika je, izgovarajući se Olimpijadom, na Termopile poslao gotovo simboličan broj ratnika. Sve u svemu, tamo se pred bitku nalazilo jedva nešto više od 7000 Grka – naspram najmanje 300.000 Persijanaca i njihovih saveznika, dobrim delom takođe Grka. Suočen s neraspoloženjem svojih saveznika – možda plašeći se i njihove izdaje – Leonida je svima koji su to hteli dopustio da se povuku, ostajući sa svojih 300 Spartanaca – "sredovečnih ljudi, koji su već imali svoje sinove" – te nešto Lokrana i Tebanaca, dok je čuvanje planinske staze iznad Termopila prepustio hiljadi Fokejaca.
Zbunjen malobrojnošću protivnika, Kserks je pitao gde su ostali Grci i dobio odgovor da su u Olimpiji, na takmičenjima. A na odgovor da je nagrada za pobednika venac od grančice divlje masline, Tritantehmo, jedan od persijskih zapovednika reče: "Teško nama, Mardonije, kad nas vodiš u borbu protiv takvih ljudi koji se ne bore za novac, nego za slavu." Posmatrajući Grke kako ujutru nagi vežbaju, a Spartanci se još i češljaju i uređuju frizure, Kserks je dobio objašnjenje: "Ovi su ljudi odlučili da se sa nama bore u Klancu i za to se pripremaju. Kod njih je, naime, običaj da se češljaju kad hoće da stave svoj život na kocku."
Ovo je, kao i sve ostalo, poznato. Persijski juriš u uskom prolazu – u ono vreme dovoljnom koliko da prođe jedna zaprega – odbijan je dva dana. Trećeg je Kserks odlučio da deo vojske pošalje planinskom stazom iza leđa Leonidi i Grcima. Spartanci su izginuli braneći se na brežuljku u kom će biti pokopani pod spomenikom u obliku lava i Simonidovim epigramom koji od putnika traži da Spartancima javi "da ovde ležimo mirno njihovih zakona svi slušajuć’ glas". Mrtvom Leonidi odsečena je glava i nabijena na kolac – postupak koji je začudio Herodota, dobrog poznavaoca persijskih običaja i poštovanja koje ukazuju hrabrim protivnicima. Uzgred, posle bitke kod Plateje jedan Eginjanin predložio je Leonidinom nasledniku Pausaniji da se osveti tako što će odseći glavu mrtvom Mardoniju. Ovaj je to s gnušanjem odbio.

Predložak za priču o herojskoj pogibiji čiji nam je najstariji i najpouzdaniji izvor Herodot – koji je bio u prilici da razgovara s učesnicima ili savremenicima bitke kod Termopila – nije njegovo objektivno pripovedanje: on poimenice pominje više poginulih uglednih Persijanaca nego Spartanaca "mada znam imena svih".
Platon je sve vrste umetnosti generalno smatrao trećerazrednim proizvodom jer niti se bave idejama niti stvarnošću, već su u najboljem slučaju kopija nečega što je i samo kopija.
Istorijski, persijski vodič je nedugo posle Termopilske bitke, na osnovu nagrade za njegovo hvatanje koju su ponudili Spartanci, pogubljen.
Herodot kaže da je:
Leonida sin Anaksandridov, koji je bio sin Leontov, a ovaj sin Eurikratidov, a ovaj sin Anaksandrov, a ovaj sin Burikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Alkamenov, a ovaj sin Teleklov, a ovaj sin Arhelajev, a ovaj sin Eurikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Leobotov, a ovaj sin Ehestratov, a ovaj sin Agisov, a ovaj sin Euristenov, a ovaj sin Aristodemov, a ovaj sin Aristomahov, a ovaj sin Kleodejev, a ovaj sin Hilov i ovaj sin Heraklov.
Četiri decenije posle bitke, negde oko 440. godine stare ere, Spartanci su Leonidine ostatke preneli u Spartu i – izuzetno, jer se kraljeva smrt u ratu smatrala prirodnom – podigli mu spomenik i ukazivali poštovanje kao heroju.
Romantizovana istorija kaže da je Leonida Gorgi, polazeći u Termopile, na pitanje šta da radi ako on pogine, odgovorio: "Udaj se za dobrog čoveka i rađaj dobru decu."

Every PC User Should Know

The Windows Task Manager provides a good start when you try to discover what programs are running on your system, but it's only a first step. For more-detailed data, you need another tool. Your best bet: Sysinternals Process Explorer Get Process Explorer for Windows v10.21 at Microsoft TechNet. It needs no formal installation; just unzip it and run the .exe file. It will then list your PC's active processes, much as Task Manager does, but with better descriptions and organization.Interpreting Process Explorer's information is fairly straightforward, but here are some tips to help you make the most of the utility.
Consider adding the useful 'Handles' column to the view. Handles (a term that refers to programming methodology) are a convenient way to measure a process's resource utilization. Processes with high handle usage should be the first ones you kill when resources run low. Add the column by right-clicking in the header area and clicking the Select Columns option. Click the Process Performance tab and check the box next to Handle Count.
Note that Handles can also be created for media-based devices like CD-R drives, which may cause errors on eject. If you can't safely eject a disk or memory card, use the Find menu to search for the drive letter followed by a colon (for example, E:), and kill that process directly.
Instead of outright killing a process, you can suspend it (right-click on a process to see this option). This can be useful in the case of a runaway program stuck in an endless loop.
Want to know what a program's process identification is to better tell whether it's friend or foe? Open the program, then switch to Process Explorer. In the top-right corner is a target icon (concentric circles). Click this icon and drag it onto the program you want to ID; Process Explorer will highlight the process.
Expand Your Collection of Windows ToolsMicrosoft offers a sizable collection of useful yet unofficial and unsupported utilities called PowerToys. Following are the essential PowerToys for any serious computer user; all are downloadable from Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows XP page.
ClearType Tuner: Dramatically improves font legibility on some LCD screens.
Image Resizer: Adds a new menu when you right-click a photo on your PC. Just click Resize Pictures to change an image's dimensions without opening an editor.
Tweak UI: If you don't already have Tweak UI, get it. This essential OS tweaking tool offers more granular control over your privacy settings and operations, and even over the way you log in to your PC (plus much more). It should be one of the first things you install on any new computer.
Alt-Tab Replacement: Adds previews of each page when you switch between open applications using -.
SyncToy: Improves the task of synchronizing files among multiple machines, especially compared with Windows Briefcase.
Safeguard Your Wi-Fi NetworkOut of the box, most Wi-Fi routers are totally insecure.
If possible, plug in via ethernet to set up your router at the start--it'll save considerable time down the line. Don't bother installing the special software that comes with your router. Most routers can be controlled via a Web browser, which lets you manage your router from any networked PC.
To manage the router, type its IP address into your Web browser's address bar. If you don't know the IP address, go to Start, Run and type ipconfig /all in the field. The address will be shown as 'Default Gateway'. You'll also need the user name and password available in the manual or via an online search of the model number. (Try looking at this Default Password List.)
Once you can manage your router, change the administrator password you just looked up. This is typically under System Settings or a similar option.
Next, turn on encryption. WPA (or WPA-PSK) is about as secure as Wi-Fi gets today. Set a WPA key, and configure your clients to use the new key. (If one of the devices on your network does not support the WPA version you want to use, though, you'll have to go with a less secure method.) Look for 'Encryption' or 'Security' in the wireless management portion of the page (where you'll also find the following steps' settings).
It's a good idea to change the SSID from the default, which is usually 'linksys', 'belkin', or the like. Choose an SSID that doesn't invite inquiry from passersby (like 'broken' instead of 'janes-wifi' or '123mainstreet'). For extreme security, turn off SSID broadcasting.
Optional: Enable MAC address control, which limits access to computers you specify by their unique MAC address. This can enhance security, but MAC addresses are easily spoofed, and using this feature means you'll have to access your router's admin page to add new PCs to your network. To find a PC's MAC address, use the ipconfig command in step 2; look for the 'Physical Address'. Add that address to the allowed list in the appropriate router settings page.
Diagnose PC Problems Using Event IDsAnytime your system crashes or an application freezes up, Event Viewer dutifully logs the error--but sorting through Event Viewer logs can be just as frustrating as dealing with the Blue Screen of Death. Here's a cheat sheet.
Start by familiarizing yourself with Event Viewer before you have a problem. It's under Start, Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer. The utility's System node logs Windows issues (particularly networking ones), while the Application node logs issues with other software. You should not see much activity in the Security node since it is disabled by default and is used only if you have auditing turned on (which requires extra Microsoft software and ultimately doesn't help most folks anyway). Third-party apps might create more nodes, as well.
Events are fairly self-explanatory: The date and time of each event are logged along with its source, plus miscellaneous data about the issue. Most events will be noted as 'Information' and are generally safe to ignore. The 'Error' and 'Warning' entries are what you should concern yourself with. You can access the guts of the information by double-clicking the event to open its Event Properties page.
In the Event Properties window, you'll find detailed information about the error in question and a link to the Microsoft support Web site. Clicking the link will open a detail page within the Windows Help application (not your browser) for the error you're investigating. But often the information you get will tell you little about the problem, either saying no more data is available or declaring there's nothing you can do.
For more detail on the error types and what they mean, turn to the Web. Plug the event ID into EventID.net, or search for key phrases in the error message, and try looking for clues to your problem by using the 'Source' field in the Event Viewer log as a search term.
Surf AnonymouslyNot too long ago hiding your tracks on the Web usually meant finding an open proxy server to surf through or paying for proxy software like Anonymizer ($30), which redirects traffic through its own proxy servers.
Today there's a better solution, and it's free: the Torpark browser. Torpark is a Firefox-based browser designed to access the Tor network of encrypted proxies. When you use the Torpark browser, your Web session bounces through multiple secure proxies, encrypted all the way, until your request reaches its destination. Torpark is a quick download and doesn't require a formal install on your PC; just launch the executable when you need it and make sure the Tor Network icon is active when the browser starts.
Secure browsing is considerably slower than regular browsing, though, so skip it If you don't need the extra security---and most people don't most of the time.
Test and Tweak Your Internet Connection for Top Speed
First, measure your current connection speed. Make sure nothing else on your network is using the connection and stop any Internet processes on your PC (finish downloads, close your e-mail client, and the like). Next, visit Speakeasy's speed tester. Click a server to run the test for download and upload speeds. Note that you will get atypically high results for servers very near you, but that will give you a gauge of your connection's top raw speed. Try running the test once more against the farthest-away city on the list to see your full range. Try the same test at BroadbandReports.com, too, for a good idea of what your current throughput is.
If you like to keep an eye on performance over time, the venerable DU Meter keeps logs of network performance no matter what kind of connection you have.
You can improve network performance modestly through Registry tweaks, but mucking around in the Registry is never a pleasurable experience, and with these difficult tweaks, it's easy to mess something up. Tweak Tester makes the task simple. Visit Broadband Reports' tweak page, and run Tweak Tester II. Results will appear on a new page. Pay attention to the 'Notes and recommendations' section of the page, where you will see any settings that merit alteration for improved performance. (You may want to print this page.) Changing the TCP Receive Window setting is likely to be the only tweak that will have any real effect.
Next, download and run Dr. TCP. You can run the program directly without installing it, but backing up the Registry before you use it is a good idea. (Go to Start, Run, and type regedit at the prompt; then, click File, Export, name the file, and click Save.) Enter the changes noted in the Tweak Tester results in the Dr. TCP window, and the program will then make all of the appropriate Registry fixes for you. Restart the PC, and then retest your connection to see if the tweaks helped.
You can also improve your Web experience (but not raw throughput) by increasing the number of download sessions in your browser. By default, Windows limits you to a mere two downloads at a time, but you can bump that up to eight or ten. Since few downloads fill your network pipe completely, the overall effect is that downloads should go faster. (Warning: Regedit work coming up, so back up your Registry before you begin!)
Click Start, Run, and type regedit.
Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.
Right-click in the right pane and then click New, DWORD Value.
Type MaxConnectionsPerServer in the resulting field.
Double-click on the new item and then type a new number of connections (say, 10) in the 'Value data' field. Click Decimal.
Following the previous three steps, create another new DWORD entry, giving it the name MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server.
Solve Wireless Connection ProblemsWi-Fi is awfully convenient, but it's also awfully buggy for many users, particularly those in areas crowded by competing wireless signals. If you're dealing with a loss of signal, try the following to troubleshoot your wireless setup.
Your PC might just need a little massaging. The best way to quickly disconnect and reconnect to your router is to right-click the wireless icon in the system tray and click Repair. If this doesn't solve the problem and you suspect it's still a PC issue, open a command prompt and type ipconfig /renew. This performs nearly the same operation as Repair but bypasses Windows, which could be causing the problem. If all else fails, reboot your PC.
If you're still having trouble, power-cycle your router by unplugging it, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. Your PC will need to reconnect after the router has booted up. Most routers lock up occasionally, and power cycling is the most reliable way to fix them. (Unless you can't physically reach your router, don't restart it through its management utility; that approach takes just as long, and the utility may not respond anyway.)
If you're still encountering frequent problems, you may be experiencing channel conflict, where multiple Wi-Fi routers are operating in the same narrow band of frequency. Download and run the evaluation version of WirelessMon; you can do all you need to with the demo. Look at the 'Channel Use' chart: Red and orange bars indicate channels under heavy use, while blue or no bars indicate relatively free channels. If your router is on a crowded channel, switch to a less busy one. (Visit your router's management system to do this; read "Safeguard Your Wi-Fi Network" for directions.) You may see better performance and fewer dropouts.
Save Streamed Media LocallySince YouTube hit it big, streaming movies and music have gone positively bananas. But such online media has a major flaw: You can't download it to your desktop and save it forever.
Here's how you can download streamed-media offerings of various types.
AudioRecord Internet radio with Replay A/V, which can handle every audio format you're likely to come across, including Windows Media, Real, QuickTime, Flash, and even AOL's NSV format. It's $50, but if you want to record a lot, it's worth it.
VideoRecord Flash-based video (like YouTube and Google Video files) with KeepVid.com. Just enter the video's URL, and KeepVid converts it into an FLV file you can download. To play the file, use software such as FLV Player or VLC. Better yet, convert the video to an .avi, .mov, or .mp4 file by visiting the FLV Online Converter. These sites and programs are free.
Create Keyboard ShortcutsYou can automate just about any point-and-click operation you perform with the mouse. Here's a variety of ways to make keyboard shortcuts.
Windows lets you assign a keyboard command to any shortcut icon. (Note, though, that it has to be a shortcut; you can't assign a keyboard shortcut to any file you want.) Just right-click the icon in question, click Properties, and click in the 'Shortcut key' field. Press the keyboard combo you want to assign to launch the shortcut; it must include one standard character plus two or three of , , or . (--R in the example shown.)
To make more robust shortcuts, try the appropriately named freeware app Keyboard Shortcuts. With such shortcuts you can launch any file, perform system commands (such as logging off and shutting down), or open any URL in a browser. One shortcut can even perform several of these actions, simultaneously or in sequence.
For even more complex shortcuts, get a macro recorder that can capture detailed steps and repeat them on command. The Workspace Macro program ($25) can capture anything you type, as well as mouse movements and clicks. Just click New to record a macro, and click Stop after you've done all your typing and mousing. If you want to assign keyboard shortcuts to your macros, you'll need a separate program, Launch-N-Go ($25).
Create a Disaster Recovery DiscIt's great to have your PC's system-restore disks and a fresh copy of Windows at hand, but if your computer does go south, don't be in such a rush to wipe out the hard drive. In advance, create a DVD full of essential utilities that you can use to try to repair your PC before reinstalling Windows from scratch.
Your disaster disc should also contain up-to-date hardware drivers, especially for networking devices. Organize everything by folders, and keep names short: You may be browsing the folder from a command prompt if Windows won't boot.
Here's a good selection of utilities that should help out in any crisis, large or small. Note that the first two listed need to be installed on their own bootable CD or DVD in order to run at startup. All are free or available as trialware.
MemTest86: This venerable RAM tester still works.
Active@ KillDisk: Securely wipes drives as required.
Hot CPU Tester: Diagnoses CPU problems with an in-depth testing procedure.
Restoration: Recovers accidentally deleted files from both FAT and NTFS partitions, as well as memory cards.
HDDlife: Monitors the hard drive to warn you if a failure is near. (It's also a good idea to install this on your PC for occasional checkups.)
AOL Active Virus Shield: Free antivirus protection, with an engine powered by Kaspersky.
Spybot Search & Destroy: Keep an antispyware scanner on hand at all times.
OpenOffice.Org: Always great for reading Office files when Microsoft Office isn't working.
Also check out these premade, downloadable emergency discs, which, in many cases, pack lots of system utilities.
Knoppix: Use this free bootable Linux CD to access Windows directories on a hard drive.
Ultimate Boot CD: Contains over 100 low-level system utilities on a single disc. The download is free; a CD is $6, with shipping.
EBCD: This free emergency CD is designed for seriously broken PCs--and expert users.
Microsoft Boot Disks: Download free boot discs for OSs from Windows XP to MS-DOS 6.
Move Big Files Across the InternetIt's considered rude--and rightly so--to e-mail someone a file larger than a few megabytes without permission. And you may not be able to anyway, since many ISPs place a cap on message size (often 10MB or less). So what are you to do if you need to send an 18MB, an 80MB, or even an 800MB file to someone? Online services make the task much easier and more elegant than burning a DVD and dropping it in the mail. You have lots of options, and more new services pop up every day. MediaFire.com is my favorite, and it's one of the best on the market now. The free service requires no registration, and it allows unlimited maximum file size, unlimited downloads, and multiple simultaneous downloads. It's just about perfect!
The other services below, however, also have certain unique features that may make them more suitable for you.
Files-upload.com: Handles 300MB files through a Web-based interface without registration; files expire after 45 days. Register, and you get your own FTP subdomain (yourname.files-upload.com) that's accessible with a standard FTP client. It has a 1GB file-size limit.
GigaSize.com: Has a 1.5GB file-size limit and stores files for 90 days. A $4 monthly fee gets you a 2.5GB size limit.
Pando.com: Has a 1GB file-size limit, but offers a peer-to-peer plug-in for various e-mail, Web mail, and instant messenger clients, so you don't have to go to the Web site to transfer files.
Xdrive.com: Gives you 5GB of free storage space, accessible through the Web or a Windows Explorer plug-in that also allows for sharing with others.
Eradicate Your Web and Windows TracksHey, it's nobody's business but yours what you're doing on your own PC. If you share a system with a nosy roommate or family member, or if you're stuck using public PCs at a conference, you may want to scrub your tracks--Windows' memory of what you've done over the last few hours or days--each time you sign off.
First, set up a browser for sensitive surfing, and use it only for work in which you need maximum security. Clear your secure browser's history and configure it to remember as little as possible. In the chart below are instructions for the most commonly used browsers.
You can also get rid of your Windows history on PCs that you own or share, but the easiest way to keep prying eyes away from your Windows history is to prevent it from being recorded. Download Tweak UI (see "Expand Your Collection of Windows-Tweaking Tools") and run it. Make these changes:
Under 'Explorer' check Clear document history on exit. Uncheck Allow Recent Documents on Start menu, Maintain document history, and Maintain network history.
Under 'Common Dialogs' uncheck Enable AutoComplete and Remember previously-used filenames.
Calibrate Your Monitor's ColorObtaining true-to-life color on your display can be an expensive task that requires special software and hardware. Here's how to get more-accurate color out of your monitor without spending an arm and a leg.
First, download the free Monitor Calibration Wizard. When you run the wizard, it will walk you through several simple tests.
Afterward, save the profile under a name of your choosing. Select this profile under the Load Profile box, and check the box next to Load at Windows startup. Your color will be corrected to your new profile each time you boot. You may not notice much of a difference, though, unless your monitor was seriously out of whack to begin with.
Additional free color-correction tools exist for specific video card brands. RivaTuner is primarily designed for systems with nVidia cards (through the GeForce 7 card series), while ATITool is the counterpart for ATI cards (to get color-correction support for cards released in the last 12 months or so, download the beta version of this free tool).

10 sexy dates

You’re probably not going to fall madly in lust while making polite conversation over roast chicken and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. You’ve got a much better chance of forging an electric connection if you ditch your routine date destination. Here are ten suggestions that will help get the electricity between you two crackling.
1. Play hooky.
Why restrict your dates to weekend nights? Agree to each take a sick day and spend it indulging. Share a long lunch (with wine), catch an afternoon movie, browse in near-empty shops or do whatever else you never get time to do on the weekends.
2. Take in some subtitles.
Catching a movie is a stand-by date activity for a reason—namely, it’s a great way to log some time with somebody you’re just getting to know without having to stare each other down over a drinks or a meal. But instead of getting sucked into watching the wannabe-blockbuster of the week, hit a foreign film, whether a new one or a classic (the French Belle de Jour and the Italian La Dolce Vita are two erotically charged options to look out for at your local revival house). There’s something inherently sexier about watching a film in another language—maybe it’s that listening to a foreign tongue for ninety minutes lulls you into a dreamy state of mind or that it makes you and your date suddenly feel like travel partners even though you haven’t left the local multiplex.
3. Flirt surrounded by flora.
“The botanical garden near me is really pretty in the early evening,” “And there are lots of scenic spots where you can make out if you’re so inclined.”
4. Try the tapas trend.
It seems like at least half of the buzz-heavy new restaurants out there specialize in “small plates,” appetizer-sized portions that are meant to be ordered in multiples and shared. Luckily, this style of dining is perfect for dates. You’ll bond while debating the merits of different menu options, and find that leaning across the table to eat off of the same dishes — with a perfect excuse to feed each other — stirs up a lot more intrigue than staying hunched over individual entrees would.
5. Go back to school.
Taking a class, whether a one-night seminar or a weekly thing, is a guaranteed way to get close. “When you learn something new together you feel like a team, which is very bonding,” Think courses that involve physical touch, like reflexology, or which engage the senses, such as a wine or Scotch tasting.
6. Go out to breakfast.
You look and feel your sexiest when you’re relaxed, but the standard dinner date — in a noisy restaurant, with a waiter pressuring you to run up your tab with sparkling water — can make a chilled-out state impossible. It’s much easier to be languid over a weekend breakfast, which is why meeting a potential mate for the first meal of the day can actually be a better idea. Just pick a café where you can linger over your coffee, rather than a diner where they’ll try to shuttle you out the door in under a half hour. You’ll be able to assess each other in your pre-caffeinated states—and if you like what you see it will be a sexy preview of how your mornings will be once you start waking up together!
7. Check out some R-rated art.
Visiting a museum or gallery exhibit filled with subtly suggestive painting or sculpture will bring the subject of sex front and center. However, since the works come with “high art” credentials, you won’t feel sleazy or bashful about seeing it with somebody you still don’t know all that well. For classic options, look for Andrew Wyeth’s nudes, Georgia O’Keefe’s suggestive blossoms, or Rodin’s sculptural celebrations of the human form. In search of something more cutting edge? Scan the art reviews in your local paper.
8. Get lost.
Head to a neighborhood you’re not totally familiar with but that you know is a safe place to explore. “When we were first dating my husband and I would buy tickets to way off-Broadway plays in remote parts of the city, then afterward we’d stop into whatever bar or restaurant looked interesting,” “The feeling of adventure it gave to those nights was a turn-on.”
9. Ride a roller-coaster.
Hit an amusement park and get in line for the most stomach-churning rides they’ve got. Having your bodies whipped around curves or dropped from heights could be a surprising prelude to a night of passion. “Activities that feel dangerous raise levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline in your brain, which is the same biochemical activity that occurs when you’re sexually aroused,” Not to mention that a roller-coaster ride provides the perfect excuse to grasp each other’s hands, arms, thighs…
10. Watch the moon rise.
Using the sunset as a backdrop to your date is a little too trite to be truly seductive, but catching the moon rise? Now that’s a suggestion that’s certain to feel magical. “My boyfriend drove me to the beach and set up a lovely picnic with a killer bottle of wine,” “Then he told me to turn around and there was the moon rising over the ocean—it was my favorite date ever.” Check the Old Farmer’s Almanac to learn the moon-rise times in your zip code.

6 sites for shoppers

Don't buy online without them.
Sites such as MyBargainBuddy.com, Slickdeals.net, Ben's Bargains and Deals of America specialize in sniffing out good buys. Some have specialties: Ben's Bargains, for example, is heavy on computer and electronics gear, while MyBargainBuddy is especially attuned to stuff for the home.
But Dealnews rises above the competition for a number of reasons:
The site keeps track of past sale prices.Sometimes what looks like a deal really isn't. Knowing an item's past sale history helps you know whether you're getting a bargain. DeepDiscount.com
The site has a "hotness" scale.The scale reflects both the depth of the discount and the desirability of the item.
The site is well-designed and easy to navigate.
The site finds deals many of the others miss. WilsonsLeather.com
The site is updated frequently.
A note on coupons: You should always, always search around for coupons before you complete a Web purchase. Dealnews typically finds the best coupons for the deals it highlights and maintains a long list of coupons for various retailers, but no bargain or coupon site captures every discount. Use a search engine to look for "coupon" or "promotion code" and the name of the retailer you're using to find the hidden deals.
Coupons, gossip and a little extra
FatWallet is another excellent bargain-finding site with standout features:
Rebates.
Lively forums.
Free 'price protection'
PriceProtector makes this process automatic - and free. If you buy something at one of the 70 listed retailers and the price drops during that store's price-protection period (typically 30 days), you'll get an e-mail notifying you with instructions on how to claim a refund.
Hear from the shopper who's bought one
Amazon.com doesn't always have the best prices on everything, but the mega-retailer was among the first to encourage user reviews, and the sheer volume of opinions is reason enough to bookmark the site.
Speaking of reviews, you also should consider bookmarking Epinions.com and BizRate for feedback on products, businesses and sites not covered by Amazon.
Another feature at Amazon I like: the redesigned bargain feature, now called "Today's Deals," at the top of the home page. Deals are featured for a few hours each, and you can get a good idea of a product's desirability by how quickly it's snapped up - something that's tracked in a "percent claimed" graphic that includes a countdown of how much longer the sale will last. Some of the lesser deals fail to sell out, while the best ones disappear in minutes.
The smart shopper's taste tester
Most of the sites I've singled out are free, and some, such as FatWallet, even pay you to sign up. Consumer Reports posts some free information and reviews, but the $26 annual subscription fee to access the whole site is well worth the cost.
Simply put, you shouldn't make a major purchase, or many minor ones, without consulting Consumer Reports. The nonprofit organization subjects an array of products to rigorous testing and thorough, objective reviews, and its buying advice can help you make sense of your options. You'll come away with plenty of information to make sound choices.
Head-to-head price comparisons
As with bargain sites, there are many good contenders in the price-comparison space, including MSN Shopping, Google Product Search (I still miss the old name, Froogle), MySimon and Shopzilla. All can help you track down low prices on most of the things you want to buy.
PriceGrabber.com stands out for its design and ease of navigation. Prices are easy to compare, as are the retailers' reputations. If there's too much negative feedback, or no feedback at all, you'll know to choose somewhere else to buy.
Check your balances before it's too late
If you haven't already, sign up for online access to your financial accounts and bookmark the Web sites for easy retrieval.
Why? Because it's not savvy shopping to overdraw your checking account or pile up more credit card charges than you can pay off when the bill arrives. Bargain hunting won't do you much good if you face over-limit fees of $30 to $40 a pop or double-digit finance charges. Before you buy, make sure you can afford it.

5 things that are always on sale

Here's how to shop smartly.
Consult a shopping search engine, like MSNShopping or Google Product Search
Mattresses
Reliability and durability of all brand-name mattresses -- Sealy, Serta, Simmons and Spring Air -are typically very good. What matters most is comfort.
Spend at least 15 minutes lying on any mattress you're considering buying to make sure it's comfortable for you in all positions.
Specialty mattresses from Duxiana, Select Comfort and Tempur-Pedic are rarely discounted, but you should be able to get 50% off the list price of a conventional innerspring mattress if you wait for a sale or bargain hard.
Jewelry
Understand that the big markups mean there's usually room to haggle down a price. Shoot for at least a 10% discount.
Buy from certified gemologists who belong to the Gemological Institute of America, American Gem Society or Jewelers of America.
Make sure you're allowed at least 30 days to return jewelry for a refund.
Pay to have expensive jewelry evaluated by an appraiser not affiliated with the jeweler. Make sure the appraiser is certified by the American Society of Appraisers.
College educations
About two-thirds of those who attend college get some kind of financial aid, and many colleges tweak their aid packages to benefit the students they most want to attract.
The College Board says the typical private school discounts its costs by about a third, and public universities offer an average break of 14.7%.
FinAid.org.
To avoid overpaying for a college education, you'll want to:
Learn about the financial aid process and how to arrange your finances to get the best possible package. Some resources to check: MSN Money's Saving for College and Managing College Costs Decision Centers, FinAid.org's financial-aid calculator and the book "FastWeb College Gold: The Step-by-Step Guide to Paying for College." Never assume that you won't qualify for aid, Kantrowitz said; the formulas for aid are complicated, and how they're applied can vary by school. Also, changing family circumstances and congressional changes to available aid can have a big impact on how much you get. Even if you don't have financial need, you'll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for federal student loan programs.
Cast a wide net when researching and applying to colleges so you can uncover the schools that really want you (or your student). You can start with MSN Money's College Search engine, but also check out the Managing College Costs Decision Center, which includes articles on good values in public and private colleges.
Make sure that if you do have to borrow money for school, you exhaust all federal student loan options first before resorting to private loans (read "How did student loans get so sleazy?" for details).
And two more to think about
Almost nobody negotiates half off a house or a car, but almost nobody pays sticker price, either. And because these are two of the biggest purchases most people make, it's worth going over the ground rules.
You know you shouldn't pay sticker price for a vehicle, but figuring out the "right" price - and keeping to it in the face of an industry that specializes in getting people to overpay - is a tall order. The second you drive a car off the dealer's lot, for example, it's worth only what someone will pay you for it, regardless of how big a rebate you got or how big a discount off sticker you negotiated. The closer you come to that price, the better the deal.
And even that swift bit of negotiation can be quickly erased in a few short minutes in the dealer's finance department. Similarly, you're not likely to make a bigger purchase than a home - or have more of an opportunity to overpay.
Cars.
Dealerships "know you're focused on the price of the car," said Philip Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com and editor of the book "Strategies for Smart Car Buyers." "You need to know about the charges that are bogus or inflated at the many other steps of the deal."
If you really want to make sure you get the best deal, don't walk onto a car lot until you've:
Considered all your alternatives. The fewer times you buy a car in your lifetime, the more money you'll save. You may be able to get a few more years out of your current car or even do without a vehicle for a while. If you've decided you "need" a specific car, or even a car at all, you may be setting yourself up to overpay. Read "The real reason you're broke" for details.
Set up your financing. A credit union is typically a good place to find low-cost auto loans. Limit your loan term to four years with a 20% down payment, if at all possible, and make sure you can swing all the costs of the car (such as higher insurance payments).
Done your research. MSN Autos, among other sites, offers information about performance, reliability and safety. Edmunds.com also has a "True Cost to Own" feature that can show you how much a vehicle is likely to cost you over five years. You can get detailed reports on vehicles, including how much the dealer paid, with Consumer Reports' auto price reports.
Prepared to walk out. The typical dealership will do everything in its power to keep you on the lot until you've signed the deal. They're hoping you'll fall in love with a car or be convinced the dealership is offering a one-time-only deal that will soon expire. Sometimes your most powerful negotiating tactic is the willingness to call their bluff, Reed said, and walk out the door. The deal may suddenly improve - and if it doesn't, there's always the next dealership.
"Car sales (are) based on control. They want to know they control you," Reed said. "Any time you show the ability to walk out, you're taking back control."
Houses.
Your two biggest enemies are your own emotions and a lack of information. You can help cure the latter with (as always) good research.
"Spend your weekends visiting open houses. Then, find a great agent, who really knows the neighborhood and its housing stock, and see even more properties that are for sale," advises Ilyce Glink, author of several books on real estate, including "100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask." "Track the sales prices of these homes and use that information as a tool to help unlock the value of other properties."
You also need to consider which way the market winds are blowing in your area: whether prices are going up, down or flattening.
"Once you figure out the direction the neighborhood is going," Glink said, "you can start to compare the value of one house to another, taking into account the differences in size, amenities, and specific location."
With this information, you can craft a bid. When multiple buyers are after the same property, you may have to make your best offer first; when home sales are slow or prices are dropping, it's often best to start with a bid that's lower than what you're actually willing to pay.
As for your emotions, I won't advise you not to fall in love with a property. Love is too tricky a thing to predict or prevent, and once it hits you you'll know how tough it is to keep your head. Just try to keep in mind that there's more than one "right" house for you, and you won't have to bankrupt yourself to get it.

Mp3 from myspace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROy2dtNioL8

Meditations from Coversations With God - Walsch

You are creating your reality every minute.

There comes a time in the evolution of every soul when the chief concern is no longer the survival of the physical body, but the growth of the spirit.

There are no 'rotten apples'. There are only people who disagree with the point of view on things, people who construct a different model of the world.

Power comes from inner strength.

Everything that occurs - everything that has occured, is occuring, and ever will occur-is the outward physical manifestation of your innermost thoughts, choices, ideas, and detrmination regarding Who You Are and Who You Choose to Be.

Yes, there is One Great Truth; there is a Final Reality. You are divine creature, divinely creating your reality.

I do not forgive you, and will not forgive you ever, for anything. There is nothing to forgive.

Religion cannot stand Spirituality. For Spirituality may bring you to a different conclusion than a particular religion.
Religion encourages you to explore the thoughts of others and accept them as your own.
Spirituality invites you to toss away the thoughts of others and come up with your own.

God and his Universal Presence
I'm in every flower, every rainbow, every star in the heavens. I'm the whisper of the wind, the warmth of the sun, the incredible individuality and the extraordinary perfection of every snowflake.
I'm the wind which rustles your hair.
I'm the sun which warms your body.
I'm the rain which dances on your face.
I'm the smell of the flowers in the air.
I'm the flower, and I'm the air.

Every minute is holy.
This, now, is the Holy Instant.
Use your Now Moment for the Highest Purpose - the creation and the expression of Who You Really Are.
Decide Who You Are-What you want to be - and then do everything in your power to be that.

Embrace every circumstance, own every fault, share every joy, contemplate every mistery, walk in every man's shoes, forgive every offense (including you own), heal every heart, honor every person's truth, adore every person'r God, protect every person's rights, preserve every person's dignity, promote every person's interests, provide every person's needs, presume every person's holiness, present every person's greatest gifts, produce every person's blessing, and pronounce every person's future secure in the assured love of God.

If all you desired is what your soul desired, everything would be very simple.
If you listened to the part of you which is pure spirit, all of your decisions would be easy, and all the outcomes joyous.

Feelings are simply truths.
How you express your truth is what matters.

You cannot take responsibility for how well another accepts your truth; you can only ensure how well it is communicated: how clearly, how lovingly, how compassionately, how sensitively, how courageously, and how completely.

Feelings are the language of the soul.
Make sure you are listening to your true feelings and not some counterfeit model constructed in your mind.

Fear anf guilt are your only enemies.
Love and awareness are your true friends.
You will not grow through guilt, but only shrivel and die. Guilt is the poison that kills the plant.

Ultimately, all thoughts are sponsored by love or fear.
Everything, ultimately, breaks down to one of these.
All thoughts, ideas, concepts, understandings, decisions, choices, and actions are based in one of these.
This is the great polarity.
This is the primal duality.
And, in the end, there is really only one.
Love.
In truth, love is all there is.
Even fear is an outgrowth of love and expresses love when used effectively.

Grief - the sadness within you at the experience of any kind of loss.

Anger - tool which allows you to say:'No, thank you.'

Envy - makes you want to do it again, to try harder, to continue striving until you succeed.

The soul is very clear that its purpose is evolution.
There is no great tragedy involved in leaving the body, in many ways the tragedy is being captured in the body.

Dying - at the moment of your death you will realize the greatest freedom, the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and the greatest love you have ever known.

Transforming yourself
Even the rock will not be the rock forever. Before it was a rock, it was something else. It fossilized into that rock. It was once something else, and will be something else again.

Death is not an end, but a beginning; it's not a closing down, but an opening up.
Your life doesn't end, but only goes on in ways so magnificent as to make it difficult to describe and impossible for you to comprehend.

Illusion of death
See the flower as dying and you will see the flower sadly. You see the flower as part of a whole tree that is changing, and will soon bear fruit, and you see the flower's true beauty.
When you understand that the blossoming and the falling away of the flower is a sign that the tree is ready to bear fruit, then you understand life.

Go to your Highest Thought about yourself.
Imagine the you that you would be if you lived that thought every day.
Imagine what you would think, do, and say, and how you would respond to what others do and say.

Remember, you are constantly in the act of creating of yourself.
You are in every moment deciding who and what you are.
You decide this largely through the choices you make regarding who and what you feel passionate about.

Never deny passion, for that is to deny Who You Are, and Who You Truly Want to Be.

Be a Bringer of the Light.
For your light can do more than illuminate your own path.
Your light can be the light which truly lights the world.

So long as you are still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them.
Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.

Spend your time wisely
When you spend your time trying to figure out what's 'best' for you, you are doing just that: spending your time - your choices will be cautious, your decisions will take forever, and your journey will be launched on a sea of expectations.
Be carefull not to drown in your expectations.

Recognizing the importance of the moment
"Now" is all there is...
"Yesterday" and "Tomorrow" are fragments of your imagination, constructions of your mind, nonexistent in Ultimate Reality.
Everything that ever happened, is happening, and ever will happen, is happening right now.
Past, present and future are concepts you have constructed, realities you have invented in order
to create a context within which to frame your present experience.

Remember, life is an ongoing process of creation.

Ignore your previous experience and go into the moment.
Be Here Now.

Group consciousness is powerful and produces outcomes of unspeakable beauty or ugliness.
The choice is always yours.
The best way to change the consciousness of others is by your example.

Deception is part of government, for few people would choose to be governed the way they are governed, few would choose to be governed at all unless government convinced them that its decisions were for their own good.

Your soul doesn't care what you do for a living, and when your life is over, neither will you.
Your soul cares only about what you're being while you're doing whatever you're doing.
It is a state of beingness the soul is after, not a state of doingness.

There is nothing I have to have, there's nothing I have to do, and there's nothing I have to be, except exactly what I'm being right now.

Cycle of Life
Understanding the life of the universe will help you understand the life of the universe inside you.
Life moves in cycles.
Everything is cyclical.
Everything.
All things move cyclicaly.
There is a natural rhythm to life, and everything moves to that rhythm; evrything goes with that flow.
For everything there's a season; and a time for every Purpose under Heaven.
When you understand this, you became more able to enjoy the Process, not merely endure it.

Women
A woman hears the melody of flowers in the wind.
She sees the beauty of the Unseen.
She feels the pulls and urges of life.
She knows when it is time to run, and time to rest; time to laugh, and time to cry; time to hold on, and time to let go.

The greatest secret of all time
Act as if you were separate from nothing, and no one, and you will heal your world tomorrow.

Relationship
The purpose of the relationship is to decide what part of yourself you'd like to see 'show up', not what part of another you can capture and hold.