Monthly Archives: September 2009

How to Have Fun in London in Two Amazing Ways

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London Bridge at Night

London Bridge at Night

Welcome to super vast London with literally thousands of things to see; thousands of pleasures waiting for the lone travelers and gypsies at heart, for the bonding families and friends on a mission. There are a thousand and one ways to have fun in London. Let us count the other ways, or at least two that smacks of curiosity and oddity: bridges and a circus without a show.

Cross the Bridges
Yes, you have to cross the bridge to get there – to London’s most interesting attractions which lie a short distance from each other. So why not explore London bridges before they fall down? Start your mark by strolling along the famous River Thames and if you happen to catch one that opens at the middle to give way for large vessels, it is the Tower Bridge, arguably London’s most famous bridge.

The Millennium Bridge

The Millennium Bridge


On to the West side, there suspends a bridge held up by nothing but a set of steel cables, The Millennium Bridge. Nearby are the real London Bridge (you can hum that song while here) and Southwark Bridge. Keep your pace and you will set foot at Waterloo Bridge. While here, the London Eye on the south bank, the biggest Ferris wheel in the world, will catch your attention –save for that thrill later. The bridge tour ends at Westminster Bridge. Look up and say “hello” to Big Ben.

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What is a Chiminea?

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Warming Outdoors with Chimineas

Chimineas (pronounced “chi-mih-nee-ah”) were said to have originated centuries ago in Mexico as local tribe people’s means of providing heat for their families as well as a vessel for cooking and baking. Chiminea was traditionally crafted by Mexican craftsmen from clay and designed to keep the rain off the fire. In the olden days, a family warms up using merely a couple of sticks.

Modern chimineas still function as an excellent heating source especially when the air gets nippy outdoors. Because of its quaint look, homemakers are discovering that chiminea is a perfect decorative accessory for a rustic patio or a country-styled gazebo. For those who like the glow of open fire in their gardens, with real crackling wood fire, Chiminea makes a lovely addition to a landscaped garden.

Today, there are a number of outdoor equipment manufacturers that still adapt the traditional way of making chimineas: hand-made using clay as the main raw material. Three types of clay are mixed to get the right consistency and sturdiness. The clay mixture is then placed in a mold to achieve the desired form, such as a “grapevine” shape.

Craftsmen are skilled in opening the mold and removing the hardened clay careful not to inflict even a slightest crack. After completely air-dried, the newly molded chiminea is then fired in a kiln fueled by gas for a more controlled heat. They are then left to cool in an open air before they are polished – leaving raw, natural imprints of the clay as a sign of its authenticity – and, finally, painted.

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Fun Things to do in London: Waterside Dining and Independent Bookshops

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Waterside Dining in London

Waterside Dining in London

In hectic London, what can spell ‘interesting and fun’ would be venturing into the least patronized, least shopped and least dined. What we are driving at is “fewer crowds to jostle about.” Big Ben will not mind the detour. He will like it that we make use of his London time blithely. Some waterside dining and a visit to an indie bookshop can be as casual a weekend can it get.

Waterside Dining
We do not guarantee that a gaze of the Thames will be a life changing experience for you and your date, but waterside dining by a river or canal, a lake or a pond is breezy romantic than a candlelit rooftop dinner. So, how’s the food out there? Very British, of course such as a rabbit pie with onion and fig chutney at a restaurant with a waterside terrace, called “Gun”. Yes, the waterside terrace is where you want to be, just pray for fair weather.

One late afternoon, we were set for a good barbecue time and giddy for plenty of real ales and quality ciders. What we spotted instead is a convivial and quirky Bavarian beerhouse with excellent riverside location, rear of Petersham Road. Sausages, naturally, and free flowing chilled German beer calmed our frayed nerves.

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California Outdoor Concepts: Defining Ultimate Outdoor Lifestyle

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California Outdoor Concepts: Defining Ultimate Outdoor Lifestyle
California Outdoor Concepts

Every choosy homemaker has a special eye for home products that reflect a combination of good form and practical functionality. One outdoor lifestyle equipment company is making its way to the homes of these wise homemakers everywhere: the California Outdoor Concepts. Families who know how to pull together a warm weekend outdoor retreat are signing their approval, as well.

Favorable product reviews, word-of-the-mouth endorsements and outdoor product features on the Internet have pushed California Outdoor Concepts at the forefront of outdoor lifestyle industry. This innovative maker of fire pits and patio furniture that reflects individuality and personality is bringing the active outdoor lifestyle to a stylish level.

You will gauge the notch of craftsmanship carried out by an outdoor home furnishings manufacturer by the ingenuity it puts into every single item in their collection. The creative assemblers over at this Southern California-based company make use of excellent materials, from metals – wrought, formed or cast, to stone cut from mountain millions of years old, to produce handcrafted fire pits and other lifestyle outdoor equipment of excellent quality.

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Social Networking Sites: How It Affects an Individual’s Privacy

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Social Networking Sites: How It Affects an Individual’s PrivacyFacebook’s Privacy Policy as of November 26, 2008

The success of Facebook in harvesting millions of users in such a short span of time stirred the world with speculations on the effects of social networking sites.

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Friendster, My Space and Multiply have become popular because they provide venues for individuals to express themselves. Using these sites, users are able to design their pages with graphics, texts, videos and music that convey their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Through these sites, users connect conveniently with other people from across the globe with whom they may share similar interests.

With the social networking sites’ emphasis on the individual and on expanding his network, the issue of privacy inevitably raises many eyebrows. The surge of social networking sites also triggered the occurrence of virtual crimes such as identity theft, and unlawful usage of personal information, to name a few. Along with the functional benefits and entertainment brought by these sites, pertinent privacy issues have also been rigging these virtual social circles.

Social networking sites are assured of privacy protection as provided in the privacy agreement between the user and the site made upon by the former’s registration.

These sites also have privacy options and settings that users can customize to control who can view their personal information. However, one of the problems of users is that the settings in some social networking sites do not offer enough flexibility. This causes unreliable information protection on the part of the users.

Facebook, for example, asks for basic personal information upon a new user’s registration. Users are asked to give two kinds of information:

  1. those that the user willfully provides to disclose and display on the site, and
  2. those that the site collects in order for the user to use and interact through the site.

The first type of information is composed of personal details that users choose to share such as interests, telephone number, occupation etc. The second type is simply the pertinent registration details such as name and email address. The same information and privacy policies are observed in the use of MySpace, Tagged, and Friendster.

However, another website, QMPeople.com, features a different set of policies from that of these mainstream social networking sites. QMPeople.com allows its users more flexibility in their information input. This makes users feel safer in meeting and interacting with other QMPeople users all over the world. This site provides privacy features that users can fully enjoy without worrying of the possible risks of disclosing information online.

Another major privacy concern of social networking site is that they cannot possibly control what users can say to their fellow users. At this time and age when economy and technology, among other factors, fuel people to be more and more aggressive in attaining higher goals, even the technology of the internet is used for monetary gain and other personal intents.

Yet in the cases of legal separation or divorce, information such as photos and wall posts gleaned from social networking sites can be used in the court room as evidences. Thus, the general rule of caution is imperative in the use of any social networking site.

Decorate Your House with a Whitehall Address Plaque

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Whitehall Address Plaque

Whitehall Address Plaque

If you are the type who is fussy about your home décor choices, never missing on the details from the style of your grand chandelier to the form of your doorknobs, you must have in your possession that one fixture beautiful houses cannot exist without, a Whitehall Address Plaque.

There is no hard telling what address plaques are for. Indeed, thank God for the purpose this trusty house fixture serves. In addition to that important task of indicating your location, homeowners are realizing that address plaques do not only offer an ideal way for visitors to identify their homes from the long and wide street, they also give them a unique opportunity to showcase their creativity, personality, even passion.

The people at Outdora online are showcasing an array of Whitehall Address Plaques that reflects diverse decorating preferences and personal touches with designs ranging from classic to patriotic, from nature-inspired to sports-themed. Personalized pieces range from souvenir-type to specialty and commemorative designs.

Browsing through the display Whitewall Address Plaque designs online, you ca tell that the artistic details have been meticulously rendered. As a matter of fact, Whitehall address plaques set the standard in personalized address plaques. All address plaques are made of custom cast aluminum and baked on enamel finish so you are assured that each plaque is rust-free and resistant to weather and fading.

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The Sound of Music of the Spheres Wind Chimes

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Music of the Spheres Wind Chimes

Music of the Spheres Wind Chimes

The soothing sound of a wind chime relaxes the weary soul, but not all wind chimes are the same. The Music of the Spheres Wind Chimes can create delightful melodic moods that can enhance any environment. The ambiance it can produce can be calming and mesmerizing at the same time.

These impressive wind chimes are known as the Stradivarius of wind chimes because they can generate brilliant customized melody and harmonies that appeal to any listener’s mood. Think of the melodic pentatonic scale that dates from ancient Greek era. With a gentle breath of air you will be transported to a tranquil spot, right in your very garden.

The breath of wind or even the gentlest breeze is your wand with these exceptional sounding garden wind chimes. The Music of the Spheres Chimes feature interchangeable wind-catchers that can be adjusted to achieve resonating sounds. More than the pleasure of listening, the harmonious play of melodies and tones surely are pleasing to the senses.

Indeed, the tonal quality is nothing but superb. Each cylinder is precisely positioned to achieve maximum sustain. You can pick one from the range of models of Music of the Spheres wind chimes, from the Soprano 30” to the 14’ Basso Profundo. Choose between six sizes spanning four octaves that come in eleven musical scales. For standard sizes, there are several interesting tunings to choose: Whole Tone, Quartal, Pentatonic, Balinese, Mongolian, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Aquarian and Gypsy.

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Top 5 Big Hollywood Celebrities and Their Big Bikes

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Tom Cruise and His Ducati Desmosedici RR

Tom Cruise and his Ducati Desmosedici RR

What do George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, and Ewan McGregor, to name a few, have in common? They are all great lovers of big bikes.

Just because they are earning millions of dollars for every movie they make doesn’t really mean that they are already “limousine people”. Though they don’t want to thrust themselves into the limelight all the time, they still want to get some thrill and a breath of fresh air by riding their very much loved superbikes.

Moreover, since you would definitely be so interested what they’re driving on, take a look at the list of celebrities and their bikes:

Tom Cruise
The Top Gun and Risky Business star was one of the first people in the world to receive Desmosedici RR, one of the newest models from Ducati. It is sold at more than $72,000 and is composed of different materials, such as magnesium and titanium. With its carbon fiber system, it can literally travel at most 200 miles per hour.

Elizabeth Taylor
Who would have thought that the Grand Dame Elizabeth Taylor loves big bikes? Unknown to many, she actually owns Purple Passion, a Harley-Davidson bike. It’s not as massive as other models of the famous brand. However, for someone as delicate as she, she deserves something sexier or sultry to look at. Of course, it pays that she didn’t buy it herself. It was given by Malcolm Forbes, one of the wealthiest men in the world and where Forbes Magazine got its name from. Forbes himself owns more than 50 Harley-Davidsons.

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