text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Drawing.Imaging;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using SharpDX;
using SharpDX.Direct2D1;
using SharpDX.DXGI;

namespace SpaceSimulator.Common.Rendering2D
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents an image managed by the <see cref="RenderingManager2D"/> class.
    /// </summary>
    public class RenderingImage2D : IRenderingResource2D
    {
        private readonly int stride;
        private readonly BitmapProperties bitmapProperties;
        private readonly DataStream dataStream;

        private Bitmap currentBitmap;

        /// <summary>
        /// Returns the size of the image
        /// </summary>
        public Size2 Size { get; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new image from the given file
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="fileName">The name of the file</param>
        public RenderingImage2D(string fileName)
        {
            // Loads from file using System.Drawing.Image
            using (var bitmap = new System.Drawing.Bitmap(fileName))
            {
                var sourceArea = new System.Drawing.Rectangle(0, 0, bitmap.Width, bitmap.Height);
                this.bitmapProperties = new BitmapProperties(new SharpDX.Direct2D1.PixelFormat(
                    Format.B8G8R8A8_UNorm,
                    SharpDX.Direct2D1.AlphaMode.Premultiplied));
                this.Size = new Size2(bitmap.Width, bitmap.Height);

                // Transform pixels from BGRA to RGBA
                this.stride = bitmap.Width * sizeof(int);
                this.dataStream = new DataStream(bitmap.Height * stride, true, true);

                // Lock System.Drawing.Bitmap
                var bitmapData = bitmap.LockBits(sourceArea, ImageLockMode.ReadOnly, System.Drawing.Imaging.PixelFormat.Format32bppArgb);

                // Convert all pixels
                var width = bitmap.Width;
                var height = bitmap.Height;

                //for (int y = 0; y < height; y++)
                //{
                //    int offset = bitmapData.Stride * y;
                //    for (int x = 0; x < width; x++)
                //    {
                //        // Not optimized
                //        byte B = Marshal.ReadByte(bitmapData.Scan0, offset++);
                //        byte G = Marshal.ReadByte(bitmapData.Scan0, offset++);
                //        byte R = Marshal.ReadByte(bitmapData.Scan0, offset++);
                //        byte A = Marshal.ReadByte(bitmapData.Scan0, offset++);
                //        int rgba = R | (G << 8) | (B << 16) | (A << 24);
                //        this.dataStream.Write(rgba);
                //    }
                //}

                Utilities.CopyMemory(this.dataStream.DataPointer, bitmapData.Scan0, width * height * sizeof(int));

                bitmap.UnlockBits(bitmapData);
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new image from the given memory pointer
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="bitmapProperties">The properties for the image</param>
        /// <param name="size">The size of the image</param>
        /// <param name="dataStream">A pointer to the memory</param>
        public RenderingImage2D(BitmapProperties bitmapProperties, Size2 size, DataStream dataStream)
        {
            this.stride = sizeof(int) * size.Width;
            this.bitmapProperties = bitmapProperties;
            this.Size = size;
            this.dataStream = dataStream;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Indicates if the internal resources has been bound to a device context
        /// </summary>
        public bool HasBoundResources => this.currentBitmap != null;

        /// <summary>
        /// Applies the internal resource to the given function.
        /// </summary>
        /// <remarks>It is possible that the resource is null.</remarks>
        /// <param name="fn">The function to apply</param>
        public void ApplyResource(Action<Bitmap> fn)
        {
            fn(this.currentBitmap);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Updates the internal image to the given device context
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="deviceContext">The device context</param>
        public void Update(DeviceContext deviceContext)
        {
            if (this.currentBitmap != null)
            {
                this.currentBitmap.Dispose();
            }

            this.dataStream.Position = 0;
            this.currentBitmap = new Bitmap(deviceContext, this.Size, this.dataStream, this.stride, this.bitmapProperties);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Draws the image at the given position
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="deviceContext">The device context</param>
        /// <param name="position">The position</param>
        public void Draw(DeviceContext deviceContext, Vector2 position)
        {
            deviceContext.DrawBitmap(
                this.currentBitmap,
                1.0f,
                SharpDX.Direct2D1.InterpolationMode.Linear,
                new RectangleF(0, 0, this.Size.Width, this.Size.Height),
                Matrix.Translation(position.X, position.Y, 0));
        }

        public void Dispose()
        {
            this.dataStream.Dispose();

            if (this.currentBitmap != null)
            {
                this.currentBitmap.Dispose();
            }
        }
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Replace all sub-strings in a string not just first sub-string I need to replace all instances of a sub-string in a string
I am using
A1.toString().replace(to_replace,replace_with)

But it is only replacing the first instance
Ex
to_replace = ",@"
replace_with = "|"

I get for a cell value
a,@b,@c,@d  >>  a|b,@c,@d

I need
a,@b,@c,@d >> a|b|c|d

I can not figure out if their is a setting to replace all not just the first instance
Thanks

A: You can use this trick to do it:
A1.toString().split(to_replace).join(replace_with)

this will divide your string to an array without substring to replace, and then will build it again to a new string with the new substring, acting like a replace all function

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
DVDs/Blu-Ray > Death DVDs/Blu-Ray
DVDs/Blu-Ray tagged as 'Death' by the Listal community
Sort by: Tag popularity - Top Rated - Top Rated Popular - Wanted - Release Date - Recently wanted - Date Added
1. Taking Lives (Full Screen Edition) (2004) - Region 1 DVD
Owned - Wanted
29 owned
2. Taking Lives - Director's Cut (Widescreen Edition) (2004) - Region 1 DVD
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - Region 1 DVD
1112 owned
4. Inception (2010) - Region 1 DVD
119 owned
5. Inception [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital] (2010) - Region B Blu-ray
6. Inception (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2010) - Region 2 DVD
7. Inception (+ DVD and Digital Copy) (2010) - Region A Blu-ray
8. Inception - Limited Edition (2010) - Region B Blu-ray
6 owned
9. Inception (2010) - Region A Blu-ray
10. Inception (2010) - Region 2 DVD
11. Inception (Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook) [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy] - Region A Blu-ray
12. Inception (Deluxe Blu-ray Box Set with Shooting Script) [Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Copy] - Region A Blu-ray
13. Inception (2-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray] (2010) - Region 0
14. Inception- Combo Pack (2 Blu-ray / DVD) (BONUS Digital Copy) (2010) - Region 4
15. Taking Lives [US Import] (2009) - Region A Blu-ray
16. inception (Blu-Ray + Dvd + copia digitale) Italian Import - Region 0 Blu-ray
17. Inception - Premium Collection Steelbook (Blu-ray + UV Copy)[Region Free] (2012) - Region B Blu-ray
18. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - Region 1 DVD
19. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - Region 1 DVD
20. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - Region 1 DVD
21. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Special Extended DVD Edition) (2002) - Region 2 DVD
23. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (2002) - Region 1 DVD
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition Collector's Gift Set (2003) - Region 1 DVD
25. The Host [HD DVD] (2007) - Region 1 HD DVD
26. Spider-Man 1 - Region 0 DVD
27. Spider-Man (2002) - Region 1 DVD
28. Lord of the Rings , The 1: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - Region 1 DVD
29. Gladiator Signature Selection (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (2000) - Region 1 DVD
30. Lord of the Rings , The 2: The Two Towers (2002) - Region 1 DVD
31. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - Region 1 DVD
32. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Special Extended DVD Edition) (2001) - Region 2 DVD
33. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Special Extended DVD Edition) (2004) - Region 2 DVD
35. What Dreams May Come (2003) - Region 1 DVD
37. Gladiator (2000) - Two Disc Set (2000) - Region 2 DVD
39. Gladiator (2000) - Region 2 DVD
40. Spider-Man (Full Screen Special Edition) (2002) - Region 1 DVD
41. The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Full Screen Edition) (2002) - Region 1 DVD
42. Gladiator (Three-Disc Extended Edition) (2005) - Region 1 DVD
43. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Special Extended Edition Collector's Gift Set) (2001) - Region 1 DVD
44. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Full-Screen Edition) (2004) - Region 1 DVD
45. Gladiator (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition) (2003) - Region 1 DVD
« Prev12 3 4 5 6 7 » 17 » 34 Next »

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
In Defense Of — Sigh — Rosie O'Donnell
by John Hawkins | December 12, 2006 8:17 am
My pal Michelle Malkin[1] and a few other bloggers have roughed up Rosie O'Donnell for mocking the Chinese language with these "sage" comments about Danny DeVito:
"The fact is that it's news all over the world. You know, you can imagine in China it's like, 'Ching chong, ching chong, Danny DeVito, ching chong chong chong chong, drunk, 'The View,' ching chong.'"
While admittedly it is amusing to see Rosie O'Donnell getting roughed up for not being politically correct, I didn't think what she said was offensive. What's the difference between what she said and the way that South Park makes fun of the way Arabs speak[2]? You know,
"Derka Allah Muhammad jihad. Bakala! Muhammad jihad! Bakala! Muhammad jihad! Allah derka derka Muhammad jihad! Muhammad jihad."
Heck, making fun of the way people speak has been a staple of the acts of comedians for a long time. How often has Carlos Mencia made fun of the way people talk? How many times have you heard a black comedian say something like, "And you know how white people are, it's like, 'Hey buddy, what's going on over there?' "
Awww, why don't I just show you. Listen to Eddie Murphy in this classic bit:
Eddie Murphy Is White! – video powered by Metacafe[3]
What makes Rosie O'Donnell's comments any worse than that clip from Murphy? In my book, they're not.
Michelle Malkin: http://michellemalkin.com/archives/006515.htm
South Park makes fun of the way Arabs speak: http://www.spscriptorium.com/Treats/TAscript.htm
Eddie Murphy Is White! – video powered by Metacafe: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/171132/eddie_murphy_is_white/
Source URL: https://rightwingnews.com/uncategorized/in-defense-of-sigh-rosie-odonnell/


text:
Q: Поиск связей между элементами массива Существует массив:
[
  {ids: [1]},
  {ids: [9,10]},
  {ids: [3]},
  {ids: [4,5]},
  {ids: [1,2]},
  {ids: [5,8]},
  {ids: [8]},
  {ids: [2,3]},
  {ids: [10]},
  {ids: [11]}
]
Каждый элемент данного массива (узел) может быть связан с другим узлом общими элементами массива ids.
Например: 0-й и 4-й узлы связаны элементом 1, в свою очередь 4-й связан с 7-м элементом 2, а 7-й узел связан с 2-м элементом 3.
Получилась такая себе цепочка узлов 0-2-4-7, содержащая элементы 1, 2 и 3.
Необходимо найти все такие цепочки и получить на выходе массив:

[
  [
    {ids: [1]},
    {ids: [3]},
    {ids: [1,2]},
    {ids: [2,3]}
  ],
  [
    {ids: [4,5]},
    {ids: [5,8]},
    {ids: [8]}
  ],
  [
    {ids: [9,10]},
    {ids: [10]}
  ],
  [
    {ids: [11]}
  ]
]
Количество узлов на входе может доходить до 100000.
Задача состоит в том, что бы сделать это за минимальное время, без лишних итераций.
Чувствую что здесь может пригодиться теория графов, но к сожалению, в ней не силен...
Предлагайте алгоритмы :)
=============== update =================
@VladD, @a_gura, спасибо за подсказки. Вот что получилось:

class UnionFind {

    public $groups = array();

    public function Put($ids, $el) {
        $index = $this->find($ids);
        $this->groups[$index]['ids'] = array_unique(array_merge($this->groups[$index]['ids'], $ids));
        $this->groups[$index]['els'][] = $el;
        foreach ($this->groups as $index2=>$group) {
            if ($index !== $index2 && array_intersect($group['ids'], $this->groups[$index]['ids'])) {
                $index = $this->union($index, $index2);
            }
        }
    }

    private function make() {
        $index = uniqid();
        $this->groups[$index] = array(
            'ids' => array(),
            'els' => array()
        );
        return $index;
    }

    private function find($ids) {
        foreach ($this->groups as $key=>$group) {
            if (array_intersect($ids, $group['ids'])) {
                return $key;
            }
        }
        return $this->make();
    }

    private function union($x, $y) {
        $index = $this->make();
        $this->groups[$index]['ids'] = array_merge($this->groups[$x]['ids'], $this->groups[$y]['ids']);
        $this->groups[$index]['els'] = array_merge($this->groups[$x]['els'], $this->groups[$y]['els']);
        unset($this->groups[$x]);
        unset($this->groups[$y]);
        return $index;
    }
}

$set = new UnionFind();

foreach ($data as $el) {
    $set->Put($el['ids'], $el);
}

Результаты работы при малом количестве групп (7):
total count: 1000
1,2,3: [{"ids":[1,2]},{"ids":[2]},{"ids":[2,3]},...
4,5,6: [{"ids":[4]},{"ids":[4,5]},{"ids":[5]},{"...
8,9: [{"ids":[8]},{"ids":[8,9]},{"ids":[8]},{"id...
10: [{"ids":[10]},{"ids":[10]},{"ids":[10]},{"id...
12: [{"ids":[12]},{"ids":[12]},{"ids":[12]},{"id...
13: [{"ids":[13]},{"ids":[13]},{"ids":[13]},{"id...
7,14,11: [{"ids":[7]},{"ids":[14,7]},{"ids":[11,...
total time: 0.12882208824158 seconds
Результаты работы при большом количестве групп (1000 - все ids в исходном массиве уникальные):
total count: 1000
1: [{"ids":[1]}]
2: [{"ids":[2]}]
3: [{"ids":[3]}]
...
...
998: [{"ids":[998]}]
999: [{"ids":[999]}]
1000: [{"ids":[1000]}]
total time: 9.0800588130951 seconds
Как можно улучшить показатели при большом количестве групп?
============== update ==============
Решение @Johny оказалось лучше:
Результаты работы при малом количестве групп (7):
total time: 0.073331117630005 seconds
Результаты работы при большом количестве групп (1000 - все ids в исходном массиве уникальные):
total time: 3.4532918930054 seconds
A: Решение упростится, если ввести понятие "группы" и начать действовать от нее.
Заводим массив групп $groups. В нем каждый подмассив будем считать отдельной группой. Помещаем в первую группу числа из первого массива исходных данных $data, делаем unset($data[0]) этому элементу (ну а сам элемент складываете куда вам там нужно).
Далее берем по очереди числа из первой группы, пробегаем по исходному массиву $data и ищем элементы с этим числом. Если находим - выгребаем числа, которые с ним есть в текущем элементе и добавляем их в эту же группу, а самому элементу делаем опять таки unset().
Когда массив будет пройден до конца, берем следующее число из этой группы и повторяем предыдущую процедуру. В конце группы возможны два варианта: либо массив $data будет пуст, и значит все числа принадлежат одной группе, либо остались еще элементы. Во втором случае запускаете все с начала.
ВАЖНО! Сами числа лучше сохранять в виде ключей массивов групп, это позволит избежать дублирования данных, а так же дополнительно можно посчитать сколько каждое число встречалось в исходных данных.
Пример реализации. Сделайте замеры на ваших данных и покажите плз результаты :)
A: Очень похоже на Union-Find.


Of course, one's first name, surname, or even pseudonym/pen name has nothing to do with piety or righteousness, or with one's status or fate on the Day of Resurrection. To be really religious before the sight of the Lord is to adhere to piety within one's heart and one's peaceful behavior, as believers are described in the Quran as those who believe and perform good deeds. This is what matters, regardless of one's name: be it George, Ahmed, or Cohen. We must bear in mind that god will not judge people according to their names; rather, judgment will be performed according to their deeds and beliefs.
We refer you to our lengthy articles about divorce and the contradiction between the Quran and Sunnite fiqh on that particular topic, and your will find the answer to your question if your read these articles.
Please accept our advice: do not trouble or bother yourself by wasting your time debating with those Sunnites who disbelieve in the Quran.
Question: … Dear Sir, … Wahabis assert that human rights are an invention of the West and therefore should be discarded as they are (as a terminology) not mentioned in the Quran, whereas you assert the exact opposite. How could you have managed to deduce human rights from the Quranic text?
In fact, human rights of our modern age constitute the detailed narrative of the compact, brief one in the Quranic/Islamic tenets of prevention and prohibition of injustice. Human rights reflect the higher values and purposes of the Quranic sharia legislations: freedom, mercy, charity, peace, fairness, etc. We have discussed this topic in our Quranist writings so many times; please read our entire archive first before posing repeated questions so as to save us our time.
Within Islam, one is to deal with people by justice and fairness as well as charity and kindness. This should be taught to children to adopt in their lives and they are to be treated as per such values as well in their being brought up. One is to be firm and kind while raising children in their infancy; beating or corporal punishment is to be an exception and not the rule in daily life with one's children, and for the purpose of reforming them and not to take revenge or vent bent-up anger. We personally prefer other ways of punishment such as not taking the child in an outing, preventing them temporarily from certain items they enjoy, telling them not to leave their room for a certain period, and so on. If parents are to apply corporal punishment, they must make sure never to harm the child physically. On the other hand, children must be rewarded by their parents when they perform good deeds on their own free will and choice; the danger of using corporal punishment so often is forcing the children to tell lies to protect themselves. In contrast, indulging children too much corrupts them and makes them very selfish. We tend to think that parents must combine being firm and being kind: this is applying both justice and charity as per the Quran.
You are under some misunderstanding; the verses you mention do NOT mean that God has chosen not to guide people; rather, they mean that those categories of people (the liars, the sinners, the disobedient, etc.) have chosen willingly and freely to be misguided and to reject God's guidance inside the Quran. God increases the guidance of those who choose to be guided and increase the misguidance of those who choose to be misguided. The human will and freedom of choice is vital here and cannot be excluded; every individual thus decides their fate in the Hereafter (Hell or Paradise) as per deeds and faith during their lifetime on earth. The test of life is inevitable and one has to choose.
God addresses human beings in a familiar way that their minds can understand and grasp; even human books are divided into chapters, sections, parts, etc., and the same pattern of chapters and verses is adopted in the Quran for more organization and ease in reading and frequent perusal and quoting. Each chapter is like a fenced garden containing flowers/verses of its own, with numbers to them, to provide easy access for all readership as per our different intellectual capacities; some people memorize some verses/chapters, and some can memorize the entire text of the Quran. most people aim of course at simple understanding of the Quranic text, which is clear for all who seek guidance. Indeed, the Quranic text, with its sequence of verses grouped together in each chapter, is made easy and enjoyable to read, to remember, and to contemplate, causing elevated spiritual feelings for those who believe in it.
Earning is not confined to money; it includes also one's daily share of the air to breathe, the food to eat, the water to drink, good health maintained, etc. as well as one's good mental health and one's possessions. We have written about one's earning within the frame of the four inevitable fates: calamities, earning, being born, and death. More writings and videos about the types of earning in detail will be published on our website and on YouTube.
We have written before many times that women's heads (including hair, faces, and necks) are never required to be covered at all. We have asserted that it is OK not to cover women's arms and feet. As for new, modern fashions of baring the cleavage, legs, etc., such baring them can be deemed as minor sin or mistake, not a major, grave one. It is also a minor sin/mistake if a man and a woman, who are not married to each other, to touch or kiss etc., because people rarely can avoid the basic sexual instinct, and God will accept the repentance of those who restrain themselves as much as they can; the real, major sin is fornication. It is a crime against God to add to His sharia laws (about women required to cover chests and legs in public) the invented notion of covering their hair by the so-called veil as an obligation or to force them to wear the so-called niqab. There are no dress codes in Islam at all for both genders; those women who wear niqab is committing a major sin by thinking that they are doing a 'religious' ritual or practice, whereas those wearing bikinis are making a small mistake that may be pardoned by doing good deeds. The worst women of all are those committing fornication; yet, they are less sinning in comparison to clergymen of Wahabism and the rest of earthly, man-made creeds/doctrines/religions that ascribe falsehoods to God's religion and sharia laws.
We expect that the number of Quranists will increase and our Quranist trend will spread the more in Egypt, because it copes with the culture of our modern age: the one of human rights, freedom, democracy, and human dignity. Furthermore, we expect that the Salafist/Wahabi thought will recede and dwindle because it is linked to past centuries that are gone and ancestors who are dead, with their culture based on tyranny, corruption, injustices, oppression, suppression, as well as compulsion in religion. We hope that Egypt is entering now a phase of democratic transition, whose map is drawn by the Egyptian youths (the majority of the Egyptian population) who care about their future. Within two decades, the old generation of corrupt men of Mubarak will die, and the youth of today will rule Egypt tomorrow better than the Wahabis and the military leaders. The youth will know that real Islam (Quranism) in practice and application is to apply human rights of all sorts. We are very optimistic; when our predictions come true, we will be among the deceased; please remember us after our death and pray for our soul.
God says in the Quran: "Others have confessed their sins, having mixed good deeds with bad deeds. Perhaps God will redeem them. God is Forgiving and Merciful. Receive contributions from their wealth, to purify them and sanctify them with it; and pray for them. Your prayer is comfort for them. God is Hearing and Knowing." (9:102-103). This means that those who have mixed good deeds with bad ones have the chance to repent - as long as they are living. Those whose repentance is accepted will be informed by angels of death that they are going to Paradise after the Day of Judgment. Those who never repented truly and faithfully and went on in their sinning and disobedience of God until they die, angles of death will inform them of their entering Hell after the Day of Judgment. This includes this category of people mentioned in this verse: " Others are held in suspense, awaiting God's decree, as to whether He will punish them, or accept their repentance. God is Aware and Wise. " (9:106). Hence, angels of death tell the dying persons bout their fates as a final decision/decree of God, which is taken/made as per their faiths (or lack of them) and good/bad deeds.
Of course, as far as the Quran is concerned, there is no doubt that Jacob was also named Israel, and he had 12 male children and each of them headed a tribe and all these twelve tribes are called the Israelites. We are not to tackle why or when Jacob was named Israel; god does not tackle this issue in the Quran, and therefore, we are not to discuss it. this appellation ''Israel'' that refers of Jacob is found in the Quran in 3:93 and 19:58, for example.
Firstly: in our fatwas, we try to be as brief as possible, while there is ample room for more details in our articles.
Secondly: we refer you to our article about the difference between meritocracy and rights as far as Palestine and Israel are concerned.
Thirdly: briefly, let us assert and recapitulate here the following: guidance is directly linked to the will of a person; if one is willing to be guided, God will guide one; if one wishes and chooses to be misguided, God will misguide one. The same goes for the willingness to cause change in political and moralistic aspects: "…God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves…" (13:11). Hence, if people felt content to submit to tyrants, those tyrants are deemed legitimate rulers, then. This is related to meritocracy and force; how one had fought and struggled hard to earn such post or rank, and this is not related to rights or to right-and-wrong formulae, if such ruler is an unjust tyrant. God will support the choice of such people. If people revolt against unjust tyrants to seek change, God will support the choice of such people as well. This is related to rights more than meritocracy and force. For instance, when Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharaoh, a self-deified tyrant, they dealt with him as the legitimate ruler of Egypt at the time. Likewise, the king who debated with Abraham in 2:258 was a disbeliever and self-deified tyrant, and yet, he was a king because people accepted him as such. Hence, belief and disbelief have nothing to do with one deserving or not to rule, nor with meritocracy or legitimacy, because legitimacy is derived from what ruled people accept in general in a given country. Hence, ancient Egyptians accepted Moses' Pharaoh as their king, and thus, he was legitimate, despite his being a tyrannical, self-deified disbeliever. The same applies to another modern pharaoh: Mubarak; he was a legitimate ruler as long as people accepted that, and he lost all legitimacy once people revolted against him in 2011. This meritocracy or legitimacy was stripped from him; and God choose for people what they have chosen for themselves. As for what is right, God will judge what is wrong or right on the Day of Judgment: "God judges with justice, while those whom they invoke besides Him cannot judge with anything. It is God who is the Hearing, the Seeing. " (40:20). Hence, political legitimacy of Israel is as clear and proven as the one of the KSA, as per International Law and the UN.
You are welcome, our daughter. Since you are a writer on our Quranism website, you can write an article on that topic, expressing your own point of view. You can follow the example of ponderings methodology we adopt within our articles about Quranic terminology. The general rule is to follow the meanings of the Quranic term in its local context of verses and in the entire Quranic Chapter, and in the general context of the entire Quranic text, seeing how it is used and how many times, etc. Keep up the good work, and accept our best regards and wishes.
Allow us to welcome, our dear son, to your home, our Quranism website. You should read and re-read articles and books of ours and the articles of other fellow Quranists in order to be well-versed in Quranism and be able to write as a researcher on your own page on our website one day. At the same time, we want you to focus on reading the Quran a lot on daily basis, and it is great that you have reached the Truth at your young age, while you are brimming with youth and vitality and having enough time to read and learn a lot. You must praise the Lord for such a gift of becoming a Quranist at your age; we hope this verse would apply to you: "As for those who strive for Us-We will guide them in Our ways. God is with the doers of good." (29:69). We want you to read extensively to become a Quranist researcher instead of debating fruitlessly with Sunnites or even non-believers online; we advise you to keep away from quarrelling and heated discussions, in order to save your time and efforts for something more important, plus keeping up your excellence at your faculty/university to nurture your mind and find a good career. God bless you.
We think you are a new reader of our website archive; thank you for your piece of advice, anyway. Yet, you have to read thousands of our articles (some have been written more than two decades ago and published in Egyptian newspapers) and fatwas, plus our tens of books, and you will know then that Quranists are not politicians and seek no glory of this world at all. Many Quranists in the Arab world cannot even declare their religious affiliation in public for fear of being persecuted. Religion and politics do not mix at all, by the way. As for 5:44-47 , these verses NEVER refer to political rule; rather, they are tackling judgment as the way judges do in courts, NOT rulers and how they rule. This is your chance to learn; keep reading, our son, on our website.
God says in the Quran: "God was pleased with the believers, when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree…" (48:18). This means that He was pleased with a certain group in certain situation, stance, time, and place. God is Omniscient and knew what was inside their hearts at the time of that allegiance. This does NOT mean that those people in that group were infallible or will be made to enter Paradise; this is a Sunnite interpretation of which we never approve. God does not say so specifically in 48:18 at all. Do not forget that the early believers were defeated in one battle after that; this means that some of them were disobedient and some companions were hypocrites; see 3:167. Hence, 48:18 does not refer to those promised Paradise. Indeed, no one alive is promised Paradise; this promise is granted in the Quran to all real believers in all eras, whom will be decided by God on the Day of Judgment. Please stop deifying or sanctifying the so-called companions of Prophet Muhammad. God was pleased in a certain situation and other verses show how He has exposed hypocrites and was displeased with disbelievers and hypocrites during Muhammad's lifetime at certain times and situations. This is as per one's real stance regarding the Truth and what is right, a stance known only to God, and not to any mortals. The final result will be known upon the moment of dying; angels will tell the dying person when they receive his/her soul if he/she will enter Hell or Paradise after Doomsday. At such a moment, a dying person will know for certain if God is pleased or displeased with them. There is no medial or in-between position within Paradise and Hell; each human will be in the Hereafter either among allies of God or allies of the Devil.
God says in the Quran: "Priding themselves on earth, and scheming evil. But evil scheming overwhelms none but its authors. Do they expect anything but the precedent of the ancients? You will not find any change in God's practice, and you will not find any substitute to God's practice." (35:43). This means that evil scheming of any plotters (believers or non-believers) will backfire on those plotters and they will heavy price for it; they will be punished by God in this world and/or the next if they cause harm to anyone. Of course, history is filled with so many examples of what we refer to here. Yet, most people do not learn this lesson at all. If people were reasonable, they would face evil schemes against them by patience, charity, and pardon and wait until God reward them and punish the evildoers.
God says in the Quran: "O man! You are laboring towards your Lord, and you will meet Him. As for him who is given his book in his right hand. He will have an easy settlement. And he will return to his family delighted. But as for him who is given his book behind his back. He will call for death. And he will enter the Blaze." (84:6-12). This means that ''laboring'' in 84:6 means all deeds done by one during one's lifetime on earth; those deeds are recorded in a book and each of us will read it on the Day of Judgment. Those who have labored for God's sake and followed the path of righteousness and Truth, adhering to peace, justice, and all Quranic values will receive this record-book by their right hand and be happy to enter Paradise. As for those who have committed evil and spent their lifetimes in worldly activities and amassing possessions while forgetting doing good deeds for the sake of the Lord and to prepare and pave their way to Heaven, and those who deny the Last Day and deny God, they will receive their record-book of deeds behind their backs and see the horror they committed and how they forgot to do good deeds for their eternal life. Hence, 84:6 refers to the fact that all of us will meet with God on the Day of Judgment to see the result of our labor on earth, and we have written a lot about how the only intercession on the Last Day is one's good deeds that have pleased God, while no human being will intercede on behalf of any other human being.


Two hours sleep before a big trip… what was I thinking? It had been Jamie and Flo's wedding; an event we didn't want to miss. So we went to the reception at Fort William, offered our congratulations and then left for Loch Insh from where we were going to start our journey.
We set off at 04:00 on Sunday morning and headed into River Spey aboard our trusty 17' Penobscot, loaded with Solway Dory expedition sailing rigs, camping gear and enough food for 5 days.
The concept of the trip was borne in a conversation 12 months previously when Ray Goodwin spoke of doing the Spey in a Day and the Caledonian Canal in a day. Inspired by this I studied the relevant maps and charts and reckoned that the 50 mile 'Missing Link' along the Moray Firth was doable in a day. The whole trip, 174 miles, in 3 days!
As with all big adventures this relied on favourable weather, a good partner and desire. On Sunday 29th May 2016 all 3 were present as we set off. Weather was good with gradually increasing Northerly Winds forecast, my partner was Davis (The Machine) Gould-Duff. As for desire… we knew that physically this would be a journey into the unknown – this is how we like it.
I should mention my wife, Katrina, at this point who was going to follow our progress using our Spot Messenger, and get to various points along the way, not to carry kit or support us in any way, but to take photos.
Words can't describe the beauty of the Spey. It is simply stunning. The scenery is World Class. Wildlife abounds and on a Sunday there are no anglers!
Although paddling with the flow it was hot, hard work. Dry suits were not ideal but I didn't want to get wet, and being only Davis's second venture onto moving water in an open canoe (and I'm not the best white water paddler), we couldn't guarantee a dry passage. As it happened we were absolutely fine and really enjoyed the lower rapids.
As we approached Spey Bay it had cooled down considerably. It was 7 pm. We rigged the boat for sailing then Davis set up the tarp while I cooked tea, after which, at 9pm we got in our sleeping bags, tired but happy. We awoke just 3 hours later in order to catch a fair tide.
I was nervous as we paddled out into the pitch black Moray Firth at 1am. I had not been in this stretch of water before and wasn't sure how big the swell would be. The air was murky and damp with very little wind so we paddle sailed.
The swell was fine but we could hear the waves breaking on the shore. In the distance were the lights of Lossiemouth.
The wind remained very light as we paddle sailed towards Burghead where we waved to Katrina who had spent the night there and got up early to see us pass.
We continued paddle sailing until we landed on the beach at the mouth of the Findhorn at 8am. Progress had been slower than we'd hoped due to lighter than forecast winds, but the tide had turned against us and we had to wait for it to turn again at 1pm. We boiled some water and filled our flasks before crawling into our sleeping bags for a couple of hours much needed sleep, while the seals basked in the sun on the other side of the river mouth.
We headed into the shallow waters hoping the wind would have picked up. It hadn't. It was hot! We paddled. Tired, I sympathised with the sailors caught in the doldrums. Progress was slow. We kept paddling. I was concerned that if we did not make Inverness by 7pm we would be paddling against the tide. It was a neap tide that day, but the tidal flow as you approach Inverness is strong and I wasn't sure we would be able to paddle against it.
With 10 miles to go the tide turned against us once more, but the wind picked up. We paddle sailed past Fort George and towards the bridge of the A9 at Inverness.
Davis learnt a new trick of surfing and we paddled like demons to match the speed of the waves that were coming up from behind.
Eventually, at around 8pm, we reached the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. We portaged past the lock gates and over the railway line then stopped to set up camp. As you can see, Davis and I had been practicing our bushcraft skills and knocked up this little table!
Day 3 dawned at 4am. I confess, that at this stage I was happy to allow Katrina to make our oatmeal and fill our flasks. After a quick breakfast we set off paddling down the Caledonian Canal towards Loch Ness.
I had told Davis that it was custom that anyone on Loch Ness for the first time must wear a Loch Ness Monster hat. So he did. I also warned him to be vigilant as it was rumoured Nessie may be on heat and try to hump him!
We had our sails up, but the slight breeze on the loch didn't help much as we continued paddling but, thankfully, 5 miles from Fort Augustus it picked up.
We continued on, in the main paddle sailing, along the Canal and Loch Oich to Laggan Locks where we saw Katrina again with her camera.
Then we got onto Loch Lochy which is where things got interesting! The wind really picked up from a nice F3-4 to at least a F6! We were in danger of broaching as we surfed large waves. In Davis's own words, it was a "white knuckle ride". At one point the bow dug in and we took on a lot of water. I was tired and was finding the sailing too difficult.
We had been sailing with a 35sq ft main sail and a 14sq ft mizzen. We stopped, took the mizzen down, and moved the position of the main sail. We carried on, but it was still difficult sailing. We stopped again and changed the sail so that we were just using the 14sq ft sail as a main sail. There was a good 3-foot swell and even with this much smaller sail it was hard. The photos don't do this stretch justice.
Finally, we arrived at Gairlochy with the majestic Ben Nevis overseeing our efforts. The final 6 Miles paddle sailing down the Canal was easy.
We landed at the top of Neptunes Staircase in Banavie, exhausted, at 9.55pm as the setting sun was casting an orange hue over Ben Nevis.
So in 3 days we had paddled down gentle rivers, through rapids and into the sea. We kept going when it got tough and the wind didn't materialise. We surfed waves, paddled lochs amongst monsters and along beautiful canals in the presence of majestic mountains. We were accompanied by jumping salmon, eagles, dolphins and seals. We had fulfilled our ambition and completed The Missing Link.


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Why Hire Us - Bishop & Hayes P.C.
Bishop & Hayes is a boutique law firm that handles only one area of practice — auto accident recovery. Our partners have 50 years of combined experience in complex motor vehicle litigation and negotiations. From our offices in Springfield, Joplin and Miami, we handle claims in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas.
Hiring a lawyer is an important decision. Therefore, we fully encourage you to consider all the factors. Schedule a free consultation with one of our partners so you can get to know us and learn more about what we can do for you. We can discuss our experience and evaluate your case before you retain us.
We knew from the start that we wanted to put all of our efforts and resources into helping our clients recover and to do the best job we could we chose to focus exclusively on this single area of law.
By handling only auto accident law each and every day, we are able to remain immediately and fully informed of changes in the law and the manner in which individual insurance companies generally approach insurance payouts. We also have the knowledge and resources necessary to represent your best interests when faced with complex fact scenarios and debilitating injuries arising from a car, truck, motorcycle or pedestrian crash.
When you hire an attorney, you expect your lawyer to handle the case, not a paralegal or an associate. Although Bishop & Hayes has a phenomenal support staff, our partners Brad Bishop and Tim Hayes remain in charge of every aspect of your case, including developing strategies, conducting discovery, arguing motions, negotiating settlements and preparing for trial. A partner counsels you on your claim and stands by your side at the negotiating table and in the court of law.
The insurance companies claim they represent their policyholders' best interests, but they do not. An insurance company is a business with the primary purpose of profiting their stockholders and executives. Although they are held to certain contractual obligations, they likely will not pay one dollar more than the law and insurance contract requires. Simply put, the insurance corporation benefits from reducing payouts to injury victims.
Furthermore the contracts are written in convoluted legal jargon that is purposefully difficult to understand. You may not really know what type of insurance you have or the exceptions to your coverage. This is a normal situation that our attorneys often encounter. After explaining the policy, you may learn you are entitled to more than you realized or you may have to fight to overcome exceptions you did not know existed.
After discussing your accident and reviewing your policy coverage, our lawyers can make a clear, comprehensive assessment about the value of your claim and the steps we need to take to reach the maximum possible settlement.
If the insurance company claims it owes you less than you are entitled to, you can fight for your rightful compensation at trial. But, this raises many more questions. How do you actually know how much you are entitled to? How do you know when to walk away from negotiations? What steps do you need to take to file a lawsuit?
Our experienced auto accident attorneys guide you through every stage in the process. We base our strategies on the evidence we gather through thorough investigation. We accurately calculate value of the claim. We recommend trial if we believe you could recover more damages. In the courtroom, we aggressively advocate for your rights before the judge and jurors.
Medical costs are through the roof and keep going up. Yet, the minimum amount of insurance that each driver is required to purchase has remained the same. In Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas, drivers need minimum personal injury coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 total per accident.
You will quickly reach that limit if you suffer serious injuries that require surgery or result in disabilities or if your entire family was injured. This could result in the unfair circumstance of you paying out of pocket for an accident that was not your fault. In addition, medical providers may place liens against your insurance settlement, which allows them the right to the money you receive for damages.
This is where our legal team can help. We negotiate to reduce your medical bills issued by your doctors, hospital, rehabilitation clinic, physical therapists and other medical professionals and entities that treated you after your automobile crash. We help you avoid medical debt and put as much money into your hands as possible.
Our lawyers are often able to reduce medical bills by 20 to 60 percent and to work out fair bill forgiveness and payment plans.
How do you put a value on loss of your livelihood or loss of enjoyment of your life? We grapple with these tough questions every day. Our lawyers consult with experts and consider every detail to make sure we maximize your damages value.
For example, your medical injuries may require extensive treatment months or years from now. Our lawyers account for those future costs in our damages calculations.
You also might need to make many changes in your life to accommodate a disability. We consider current and future costs of prostheses, aids, tools, home reconstruction, specially fitted automobiles and other special needs that can improve your independence and quality of your life.
Adding to the problem, you may not be able to work for a while, or ever reach the level you once could. The loss of wages and diminished earning capacity can cause an extreme financial burden from which you may never recover unless you are duly compensated. We calculate the income you lost while you recovered from your injuries and the income you may be deprived of in the future.
We are often asked how much a case is worth. This is a good question that can only be answered upon complete analysis of the facts of the individual case. The value depends upon several factors, including the placement of fault, the extent and nature of the injuries, costs associated with those injuries, long-term disabilities, lost income and type of insurance policies each driver carries.
When determining value, our lawyers often find that clients fail to consider the full extent of their damages and all available resources for recovery. Our attorneys apply our experience, resources and dedication to calculating and recovering the maximum possible damages in a given claim.
We believe that an injured person should not have to pay to decide whether to pursue his or her legal rights. Our firm, therefore, offers you a free consultation where you can discuss your case and learn more about your rights and options for recovery.
We also offer you a contingency fee arrangement, which means you do not owe us any legal fees until you have recovered damages through a settlement or a jury trial. In the unlikely event that we do not recover damages, you do not pay lawyers' fees.
Our fees are based upon a percentage of your ultimate recovery. Thus, our interests are fully aligned with yours. We bear the burden of risks so you can pursue your rights with confidence.
Injured? Contact Us Today For A Free Case Review.


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Iguama Expands Online Shopping Mall to Mexico
MCM staff
Cross-border shopping company, iguama announced it has expanded its online shopping mall operations into Mexico, securing a larger share of ecommerce space which now totals seven countries in Latin America. The launch allows customers in Mexico access to iguama's online retail partners, which include Overstock.com, Target, Juicy Couture, BCBG and many more.
Founded in 2014, iguama, a cross-border shopping mall, offers savings on thousands of U.S. retail brands, while providing a secure cross-border shopping experience. All local customs, taxes and shipping are handled by iguama, removing international barriers from customers and guaranteeing delivery.
"We are very excited to expand into Mexico, which is the second largest market for e-commerce in Latin America. With an online retail growth rate of over 17% per year, Latin America is one of the fastest growing regions for online sales," said Diego Fernandez, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of iguama. "Our innovative technology and security measures allow us to guarantee a safe and secure shopping experience while providing excellent value to every customer shopping online for their favorite products."
According to Business Insider's Latin American E-Commerce Report, Mexico is a leader in ecommerce and has substantial potential for online retail growth, with forecasts of $11 billion in sales by 2018. Yet its challenge has been in the payments industry, with 32% of all purchases paid with cash on delivery. iguama plans to change the way customers in Mexico think about shopping with its secure online payment processing.
Recently, iguama announced a $5 million Series A financing round led by technology venture capital firms Kibo Ventures and PeopleFund to accelerate expansion of iguama into new markets.
RELATED TAGS: Cross Border


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Match Giving, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, Uncategorized
For nonprofit organizations, every dollar counts. Corporate employee matching gifts offer the opportunity to turn one dollar donated by a match-eligible employee into two, three, four, or even five dollars! Let's explore exactly what YOU can expect when seeking a matching gift, and how to make the most of this incredible opportunity. What are Corporate Matching Gift Programs? Employee matching gift programs are set up to encourage employees to give back to their communities. Companies encourage employees to participate in…
Finding Belonging in Christ: Anjali
Child Sponsorship, Mercy Homes, Mission Expedition, Name Changers, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, South Asia
ANJALI WAS BORN INTO A COMMUNITY THAT DIDN'T WANT HER. She was abandoned by her parents soon after she was born. Then, she was severely abused at the hands of relatives who should have loved and cared for her. But her story doesn't end there… An aunt took pity on Anjali and her situation and brought her to 25 Project's Mercy Home in South Asia. Though deeply wounded by her childhood, Anjali began to experience God's grace through her house parents and through the loving community…
Finding Hope in Christ: Hawa & Lamerana
Child Sponsorship, Girl's Ministry, Monkey Bush, Name Changers, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, Shara Johnson, Sierra Leone
A Special Visit This year, we added our first ten girls into the Waterloo girls' sponsorship program in Sierra Leone. I recently had the pleasure of visiting eight of those girls' families to inform them that they now had sponsors. That meant having the funds to start school! I will never forget the day I took Hawa and four of our other girls to the school to register and receive their uniforms. Hawa (9), and her cousin, Lamerana (5), live with their mothers who share a…
Discovering Unity in Christ: Miguel & Wilton
Dominican Republic, Mission Expedition, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children
"We sponsor two boys in the Dominican Republic, Wilton from Villa Laura (a Dominican village) and Miguel from Batey Lechería (a Haitian village). Though both boys are similar in age, they don't seem to have much else in common. Different circles of friends, different interests and talents, and different cultures that tell them they shouldn't be friends. They had never hung out together, that we know of…until it started raining on the first day of camp. The Storm The rainstorm forced us all under the pavilion…
Dena Norton, Food Pantry, Local Ministry, Melissa Community Outreach, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children
The 25 Project seeks to help children around the world. In addition to the 25 Project's work overseas, the desire has always been to serve children in our local community. The Melissa Community Outreach (MCO) provides that opportunity. Recently the 25 Project and MCO joined forces to bring the hope and healing of the gospel to local families. The 25 Project seeks to provide MCO with more structure and support, while expanding the existing ministry. With this expansion, the 25…
Cultivating Faith in Persecution: Pooja
Child Sponsorship, Mercy Homes, South Asia
Pooja grew up in a remote Hindu village in South Asia. Her father worked as a day laborer to provide for his family of six. Yet, he struggled to provide for even their most basic needs. Pooja's family fell into even greater crisis when her mother became possessed by an evil spirit. They sought out doctors and shamans of every religion in hopes of bringing her healing. All of their efforts came to nothing. One day a Christian pastor came to visit them….
Displaying the Compassion of Christ: Abass
Child Sponsorship, Mission Expedition, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, Sierra Leone
Nearly seven years ago, Abass was one of the first children admitted to the 25 Project sponsorship program in Waterloo, Sierra Leone. At the time, Abass was living on the streets. He was looking for food and shelter along with scores of other children facing the same fate. Abass now lives with Alie in a room the two have built for themselves on Alie's parents' main house. Alie is another young man in the 25 Project sponsorship program. The Black Board…
Finding Fulfillment in Christ: Elizabeth Herrera
Dominican Republic, Name Changers, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children
The 25 Project partners with believers around the world to carry out effective, local ministry to orphaned and vulnerable youth. Elizabeth Herrera has been a ministry partner with the 25 Project for 4 years, serving children from two impoverished villages in the Dominican Republic. Elizabeth's sacrificial and servant leadership has won the trust and admiration of the communities she serves as well as every team member who has worked with her during an expedition. Despite her faithful ministry to the children of Villa Laura and Lecheria, Elizabeth shares…
South Africa Partnership
Child Sponsorship, Ft. White, Intlantsi School, Name Changers, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, South Africa
The 25 Project is thrilled to announce a new ministry partnership with Teresita and Quintin Ndibongo and the Intlantsi Christian School in Fort White, South Africa! God continues to expand the reach and ministry of the 25 Project, and we couldn't be more excited. Lawrence and Louise Cronin, mutual friends of the Ndibongos and the 25 Project, first introduced us to this amazing couple. The Ndibongos had a dream of starting a school in this impoverished area of South Africa. In…
Welcome Curtis Rippee
We would like to welcome Curtis Rippee to 25 Project's Board. Read more about Curtis and how he got involved with the 25 Project. Curtis and his wife Deeann were married in 1996 and they have three daughters, Emma Grace, Abigail and Ellie. The Rippee family moved to McKinney in 2002 hoping to live, work and go to church in the same community. Curtis is an owner of ACIS, a commercial HVAC and Plumbing company that is headquartered in McKinney….
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Home ‣ Blog ‣ Travel Joyfully
New York CityPASS Review: Discounts to the City's Top Attractions
by Kevin Mercadante
New York City is a destination everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
Whether you enjoy culture, shows, shopping, or just amazing views from the top of some of the most iconic buildings, NYC has anything and everything for every kind of visitor. If you've ever had to go into Manhattan for work and don't go often, chances are you took a few extra days to check out the sights and sounds.
If you haven't visited in many years, you'll recognize a lot of the famous places (Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, etc.) but a few new spots are popping up in recent years.
But New York City is also one of the most expensive cities in the country to visit. One valuable workaround to the cost issue is CityPASS (our review of the entire CityPASS program), a sightseeing pass service that helps you visit the city's most famous attractions for a lot less than retail price.
It won't cut some of your other costs, like where you'll be staying or what you'll eat, but at least it'll help with the ticket costs and help you skip a few lines.
How New York CityPASS Works
You can purchase one of CityPASS's products online. For New York City, CityPASS enables you to take in up to 10 of the city's most popular attractions at discounts of up to 43%. Also, having your attraction ticket purchased in advance usually allows you to avoid standing in long lines, giving you a priority pass. If your trip to New York City is a particularly limited timeframe, the priority pass feature will be a major advantage, in addition to the price savings.
You purchase a CityPASS booklet either online or at any attraction you want to attend that's included in the program. You can also purchase mobile tickets or vouchers, which can simply be swiped for admission at certain attractions. If necessary, you can also print paper tickets, which may be required at certain attractions. A big advantage is that you will have the tickets purchased in advance, saving you both time and money compared to waiting in line and buying at the box office.
In most cases, the ticket you have available through CityPASS will cover full admission to the attraction. The ticket will usually be good for a one-time admission, but certain attractions may permit you to attend multiple times. What's more, most CityPASS tickets also include local sales tax.
When you arrive in New York City (or any of the 13 other CityPASS destinations), your CityPASS will be good for nine days, which will begin on the first day you attend an attraction in the city. Though the CityPASS booklet will provide tickets for multiple attractions, there is no set attendance sequence. You can visit each attraction on your schedule.
The Benefits of New York CityPASS
The biggest benefit of CityPASS is saving money on tickets to major attractions. As you'll see from our analysis below, you can save up to 43% off the regular cost of attending popular New York City attractions.
But apart from saving money, CityPASS also enables you to save time. First, by purchasing a CityPASS plan, you'll have your tickets to the attractions purchased in advance. That will save you time buying tickets once you arrive in the city. Second, many attractions provide priority pass status with CityPASS. You'll be able to bypass long lines and head straight into the attraction. If you have young children, this can be especially important, since they have limited attention spans.
Finally, once you purchase a CityPASS plan, refunds are available for up to one year after purchase. That will give you plenty of time to plan your trip, as well as to change your mind later and still get your money back.
Attractions Available on New York CityPASS
CityPASS offers discounted admission to up to 10 of New York City's most famous attractions.
There's probably no building more closely associated with New York City than the Empire State Building. It's a must-see if you're visiting the Big Apple. Completed in 1931, it was the tallest building in the world for nearly 40 years. At 1,454 feet (including the antenna) it's the fifth tallest skyscraper in the US, and still one of the tallest in the world.
You can visit the 86th-floor observatory, or you can get a breathtaking 360°, open-air view of the entire city and well beyond. You'll also have an opportunity to upgrade your ticket with a trip to the 102nd floor (the building's top floor) observatory.
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
This is the observation deck at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the Art Deco skyscraper that's the centerpiece of New York's famed Rockefeller Center. At 850 feet high, it's one of the tallest buildings in the city. With your CityPASS ticket, you'll be able to take advantage of unobstructed views from the 67th and 69th floors, as well as the open-air deck on the 70th floor. It's New York City from a different angle. You'll be able to purchase a general admission ticket through CityPASS.
Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
This is one of the most famous ferry rides in the city. Sail across New York Harbor to Ellis Island, home of the famed Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Your CityPASS ticket will be good for a ferry ride to and from Liberty Island and Ellis Island, complete with audio guides, as well as admission to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Be aware however that the ticket does not include admission to either the Statue of Liberty Pedestal or Crown.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
One of the most solemn attractions in the city, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum commemorates the lives of those who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The site includes twin reflecting pools, where the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died during the attacks are inscribed. It also includes the "Survivor's Stairs," part of the staircase hundreds used to escape successfully during the attacks. You'll also learn about some of the individual victims through their stories and photos. With your CityPASS ticket, you can bypass the ticket window line.
One of the largest natural history museums in the world, the American Museum of Natural History includes 28 interconnected buildings with 45 permanent exhibition halls, as well as a planetarium. Two of the most impressive exhibits at the museum are a 94 foot long, 21,000-pound fiberglass model of a female blue whale, as well as the fossil of a 122-foot long Titanosaur, perhaps the largest dinosaur ever.
Tickets include admission to the museum in the Rose Center for Earth and Space, which includes the Hayden Planetarium Space Show or a giant screen movie in 3-D or 2-D.
America's largest art museum and one of the largest in the world has a permanent collection of more than 2 million works of art. Includes artwork from ancient Egypt, most of the European masters, as well as a large collection of both American and modern art. Other exhibits include musical instruments, costumes, and antique weapons and armor. It is the single most visited attraction in New York City.
Your CityPASS ticket includes general admission, which includes three consecutive days at The Met Fifth Avenue, the Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
From within the city itself, it's easy to forget that New York City is built on several islands. One of the best ways to navigate the city is by water, and you can enjoy that unique experience through a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise.
The cruise takes in New York Harbor, the Hudson River, East River, Harlem River, and Harlem River Ship Canal, completely encircling Manhattan. That will give you the best way to see the city's magnificent skyline, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and One World Trade Center.
CityPASS admission is good for one regularly scheduled one-hour cruise, or a ride on the BEAST speedboat, which is available from May to September.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The museum is an American military and maritime history museum located on the west side of Manhattan along the Hudson River. It includes the World War II Essex class aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid, as well as the cruise missile submarine, USS Growler. And since it's an aircraft carrier, it also displays 28 aircraft, including a Concorde SST. If that isn't enough, the space shuttle Enterprise is also on the museum site.
Your CityPASS ticket provides general admission to the carrier, including the Space Shuttle Pavilion and the Growler submarine.
Located on the upper East side of Manhattan, the Guggenheim Museum contains a collection of impressionist, postimpressionist, early modern and contemporary art. The building itself has a unique cylindrical shape and was designed by the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Your CityPASS ticket includes general admission to the museum, as well as special exhibits.
Hornblower Sightseeing Cruises
Similar to the Circle Line, Hornblower Sightseeing Cruises sails around Manhattan, taking in the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governors Island, and the Brooklyn Bridge. One of the big advantages for international travelers is that the cruise is narrated in Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean, as well as English.
Admission includes a one-hour See NYC sightseeing cruise, a two-hour Alive After Five Happy Hour cruise, or a Hop-On, Hop-Off sightseeing cruise (available seasonally only).
Two New York CityPASS Plans
CityPASS offers two different plans for visits to New York City. Which you'll select will depend on your budget, how long you plan to be in the city, and which attractions you want to attend.
Here are the two plans – the New York CityPASS and New York C3.
New York CityPASS
This is the CityPASS premium plan for New York City. As shown in the screenshot above, it gives you access to six of nine attractions (all those described earlier in detail, except the Hornblower Sightseeing cruises). The plan includes the Empire State Building, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can then select three more from the remaining six available attractions.
The cost for the New York CityPASS plan is $132 for adults 18 and over and $108 for children between the ages of six and 17. In most cases, children under six will be free, though the following attractions do have fees:
The American Museum of Natural History – $16.50 for children between two and five, and free for children under two
Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – $9 for children ages four and five, and free for children three and under
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises – $31 for children ages three to five, free for children two and under
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum – $24 for children age five, free for children four and under
How much can you save off the regular cost of the attractions using New York CityPASS?
Below are the regular box office admission prices to the top six attractions:
Empire State Building, 86th floor Observatory – $61
American Museum of Natural History – $28
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – $32
Top of the Rock Observation Deck – $41
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise – $37
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – $33
TOTAL: $232.
Since the cost of a New York CityPASS is $132, an adult can save $100 on tickets to all six attractions, for a total savings of 43%. A family can save several hundred dollars, which may be the difference between visiting all six popular attractions, rather than just one or two.
C3 is a more limited plan, that includes fewer attractions but at a lower cost. It's designed primarily for those who want to save money on the New York CityPASS plan, and only want to attend a more limited number of attractions.
With the C3 plan, you can visit any three of the 10 attractions offered by CityPASS in New York City. For example, you can take in the Empire State Building, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. This will be a perfect arrangement if you will only be in the city for a short time, or if you plan to attend attractions and events that are not included in the CityPASS list.
The cost is $84 per adult, ages 13 and up, and $64 per child, between the ages of five and 12. Children under five will generally be free, except for the attractions listed under New York CityPASS that do charge fees for younger visitors.
How much can you save attending three attractions through the New York C3 plan?
Below are the regular box office admission prices to three popular attractions:
At $84 for the New York C3 plan, an adult can save $47, or about 36% off the box office ticket prices. A family of four might save close to $200.
Is CityPASS Worth It?
New York City is one of the most expensive and populous places in America, you should do anything you can to save a few bucks and hours waiting in line.
You should consider CityPASS if any of the following apply:
You want to save up to 43% on the cost of major attractions
You want the benefit of priority pass, enabling you to avoid long lines
You're specifically interested in at least some of the 10 attractions available through CityPASS
You're traveling with family, and saving money on attraction tickets can add up to hundreds of dollars
You live in or around New York City and have been avoiding going to any of the included attractions due to the high cost
You think you might want to visit certain attractions more than once
You're a first-time visitor to New York City and looking for a way to see its most iconic attractions without having to pay full price
You might want to pass on CityPASS if any of the following apply:
You're not especially interested in most or even any of the attractions included with New York CityPASS plans
You plan to be in the city, but would prefer to spend time and money on other activities, like concerts, Broadway plays or sporting events
You won't have time to visit a sufficient number of attractions to make purchasing a plan worth the money
If you'd like more information, or you'd like to sign up for the service, visit the CityPASS website.
30-44% savings off box office prices
Skip lines at some attractions
You are pre-paying for attractions you may not see
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Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which Card Is Better?
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About Kevin Mercadante
Since 2009, Kevin Mercadante has been sharing his journey from a washed-up mortgage loan officer emerging from the Financial Meltdown as a contract/self-employed "slash worker" – accountant/blogger/freelance blog writer – on OutofYourRut.com. He offers career strategies, from dealing with under-employment to transitioning into self-employment, and provides "Alt-retirement strategies" for the vast majority who won't retire to the beach as millionaires.
He also frequently discusses the big-picture trends that are putting the squeeze on the bottom 90%, offering workarounds and expense cutting tips to help readers carve out more money to save in their budgets – a.k.a., breaking the "savings barrier" and transitioning from debtor to saver.
Kevin has a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Montclair State University.
angela parmely says
thanks, this was helpfull hope to be taking advantage of the 6
You're welcome! It's a great deal if you plan on going to all the attractions.


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Pankratz – amerykański konstruktor wyścigowy założony przez Boba Pankratza. Samochody ekipy startowały w wyścigu Indianapolis 500 zaliczanym w latach 1950-1960 do klasyfikacji Formuły 1.

Wyniki

Formuła 1
W latach 1950–1960 wyścig Indianapolis 500 był eliminacją Mistrzostw Świata Formuły 1.

Bibliografia
 Pankratz - f1wm.pl
 Pankratz - statsf1.com

Konstruktorzy Formuły 1 (tylko Indianapolis 500)
Zespoły Formuły 1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The 16th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards were announced today. And eight awards went to the thegamecompany title 'Journey' for Play Station 3. It also received awards for Outstanding Innovation in Gaming.
I leave you with the video of 'Journey', if you haven't played all the games mentioned here, you'd better get them now.


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Q: Adding UIGestureRecognizer to view inside UIScrollView  UITapGestureRecognizer *tap = [[UITapGestureRecognizer alloc]initWithTarget:self action:@selector(textTapped:)];
    tap.delegate = self;
    tap.numberOfTapsRequired = 1;
    tap.cancelsTouchesInView = NO;

    for(PaginationView* page in self.flashView._innerScrollView.subviews) {
        [page addGestureRecognizer:tap];
    }

I have a custom view called a PaginationView and I have several of them in a UIScrollView.
I'd like to add a gesture recognizer for each of them.
It appears to add the gesture recognizer to the PaginationViews fine, but the "textTapped" method is never called.
My delegate implements this method:
- (BOOL)gestureRecognizer:(UIGestureRecognizer *)gestureRecognizer shouldRecognizeSimultaneouslyWithGestureRecognizer:(UIGestureRecognizer *)otherGestureRecognizer
{
    return YES;
}

And this is set in my PaginationView init method:
self.userInteractionEnabled = YES;

Thanks!


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Bonymaen
Cockett
Cwmbwrla
Dunvant
Gorseinon
Gowerton
Killay North
Killay South
Llangyfelach
Llansamlet
Lower Loughor
Mawr
Mayals
Mynyddbach
Oystermouth
Penclawdd
Penderry
Penllergaer
Pennard
Penyrheol
Townhill
Upper Loughor
West Cross
You are here: Home / Blog / Uncategorized / Bonymaen / Labour-controlled council's budget on track despite challenges of austerity a...
Labour-controlled council's budget on track despite challenges of austerity and Brexit
August 21, 2019 /0 Comments/in Birchgrove, Bishopston, Bonymaen, Castle, Clydach, Cockett, Cwmbwrla, Dunvant, Dunvant, Fairwood, Gorseinon, Gower, Gowerton, Killay, Kingsbridge, Landore, Langland, Llansamlet, Loughor, Mayals, Morriston News, Mynyddbach, Mynyddbach, Newton, Oystermouth, Penclawdd, Penderry, Penlan, Penllergaer, Penllergaer, Pennard, Penyrheol, Pontarddulais, Sketty, St Thomas, Swansea Labour, Townhill, Uplands, Upper Loughor, West Cross /by Richard Thomas
Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart believes the Labour-led administration's 2019-20 budget is well placed despite outside challenges.
The demands of austerity, the rising demand for services and the challenges thrown up by Brexit are all putting pressure on the council coffers.
But in a report presented to the Labour council cabinet – assessing the council's financial performance over the first quarter of the year – the suggestions are the council will meet its budget expectations this year.
A projected overspend of £3.4m, due partly to the pressure of rising demand for services for older adults and vulnerable children, will be met from a £7m contingency fund.
The remainder of the fund will be held back to meet unexpected costs or overspends in the coming months.
Swansea Labour leader Rob Stewart, leader of the Council, said: "Compared to last year when the first quarter report predicted a deficit of £9m, this year's report suggests that the significant and prudent savings made since then leave us reasonably well-placed to meet the challenges from continuing austerity and Brexit.
"Thanks to the tough decisions we had to take, the council balanced last year's budget and our finances are on a sound footing. This is despite the grave uncertainties of Brexit, the potential for a UK recession and no end in sight to austerity."
The report to Cabinet identified rising pressure on the cost of home to school transport, the budget for additional learning needs for children as well as services for looked after children and support for vulnerable and older adults.
Cllr Stewart said that some of the increased costs were due to rising demand for safeguarding services for some of the most vulnerable people in city communities.
He said: "As a council we know that austerity for local government services has not ended. That's why we need to look at ways to do things differently, such as invest in automated services and make further savings by reducing our energy bills and cutting our carbon footprint.
"We also need to do different things like generate income through commercialising some of our services.
"Our financial performance report suggests the council has made good progress in managing our budgets. But there will be more to do in the months ahead."
Tags: Austerity, Brexit, Budget, Community, Swansea Council, Swansea Labour Party
https://www.swansealabourcouncillors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screen-Shot-2019-08-21-at-08.15.59.png 288 588 Richard Thomas https://www.swansealabourcouncillors.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Logo_Labour_Party_White_340px-1-300x86.png Richard Thomas2019-08-21 07:24:122019-08-21 07:24:12Labour-controlled council's budget on track despite challenges of austerity and Brexit
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Q: Qual o melhor Tipo Mysql para armazenar valores numéricos Tenho uma tabela onde armazena a quantidade de vagas em valores numéricos. Gostaria de saber qual o melhor tipo mysql para armazenar esses valores, levando em consideração que ele poderá ser calculado com outro campo que receberá o mesmo tipo de uma outra tabela.

A:
quantidade de vagas em valores numéricos

Considerando que não haverá número negativo, o campo pode ser do tipo int unsigned que irá armazenar de 0 a 4294967295.
Se for um db imenso e for cogitar redução de espaço, pode utilizar outros tipos numéricos inteiros:
CREATE TABLE `inttypes` (                       -- SIGNED ( -X ~ X )    UNSIGNED ( 0 ~ X )
    `tinyint` TINYINT(4) DEFAULT NULL,          -- 127                  255
    `smallint` SMALLINT(6) DEFAULT NULL,        -- 32767                65535
    `mediumint` MEDIUMINT(9) DEFAULT NULL,      -- 8388607              16777215
    `int` INT(11) DEFAULT NULL,                 -- 2147483647           4294967295
    `bigint` BIGINT(20) DEFAULT NULL            -- 9223372036854775807  18446744073709551615
);

Fonte:
MySQL 8.0 Reference Manual - 11.2.1 Integer Types (Exact Value) - INTEGER, INT, SMALLINT, TINYINT, MEDIUMINT, BIGINT


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Kerry - Killarney - Family Law Case Progression - 13 January 2023 - Will now commence at 9.15am
On the direction of Mr. Burke, the County Registrar, please note that Family Law Case Progression Court at Killarney Courthouse on 13 January 2023 will commence at 9.15 a.m. and not 10.30 a.m.


Beautiful Platinum Curb style ID bracelet. This amazing bracelet measures 6.5-9mm wide and weighs about 62grams for the 8 1/2 inch length. Secured with a fancy lobster clasp. Craftsmanship is guaranteed to life on this Platinum ID Bracelet. Order yours today. Email for alternate lengths, our price shown is for the suggested 8 1/2 inch.


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Where the Story Appeared
By Reveal Admin	/ September 14, 2009
California Watch's report on homeland security appeared in more than 30 California media outlets with an estimated daily newspaper circulation of 1.8 million and over 27 Web sites with an estimated total of more than14 million monthly unique visitors. Many newspapers carried the story on their front pages. KGO TV in San Francisco also carried a detailed broadcast version of the story on two successive nights. Outlets included the Orange County Register, La Opinion, Voice of San Diego Online, the Bakersfield Californian, the San Jose Mercury News, the Oakland Tribune, the Contra Costa Times, the Marin Independent Journal, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, the Lodi News Sentinel and the Sacramento Bee.
By Reveal Admin Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting September 14, 2009
By Reveal Admin / September 14, 2009


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ARTICLES RELATING TO MIDDLE CLASS
If everyone behaved like SA, we'd need 1.7 earths - consumers warned
South Africa is 'dipping into its investment' and 'overspending on its budget' in relation to the earth's resources, says an academic.
'Black tax' and the failures of post-apartheid transformation
So-called 'black tax' does the real work of income redistribution in SA. It creates the skills transfer, social cohesion and resiliency building that the state has failed to do for survivors of apartheid, writes Masana Ndinga-Kanga
Measuring the (black) middle class: What are the facts?
A decrease in poverty and growing middle class are widely seen as desirable features of an economy. In South Africa, the growth of the black middle class in particular is used as a yardstick of sorts of the government's economic policy since 1994.
Middle class in Africa is a nebulous concept
A new estimate of sub-Saharan Africa's urban "middle class" this week put the number at 100 million people commanding spending power of at least $400 million (R5.3 billion) a day.
The truth about Africa's rising middle class
Income growth in Africa may not be as fast as some have expected, but the trend is very much alive, says Standard Chartered Bank chief economist for Africa.
Middle class status in jeopardy - index
While more South Africans are getting richer, many middle class workers' suburban aspirations are coming to an end, according to experts.
African middle class fuels aviation growth
A forecast released by Boeing shows that rising prosperity and a growing middle class in African countries mean rapid growth for the continent's aviation industry.
Ferial Haffajee: How much more pressure can the middle class take before it cracks?
SA's middle class is carrying a disproportionate tax burden and facing a slew of rapidly rising costs to boot, says Ferial Haffajee.
Middle class struggles are now threatening the global economy
Even in the world's richest countries, the middle class life is "increasingly only a dream for many", says the OECD
Why the private sector's hype about the African middle class isn't helpful
Scholars have started to investigate what it really means to be middle class in Africa.
SA middle class uses exercise, denial to cope with financial stress
South Africa's middle class is stressed and 73% claim it is because of their financial situation, according to the latest Sanlam Benchmark Survey.
Class classifications 'meaningless'
If education is to be rescued in South Africa it is essential that teaching be returned to its professional roots, says a Fin24 user.
Middle-class to drive Kenya's growth
Standard Chartered Bank of Kenya expects east Africa's burgeoning middle class to drive growth in 2014.
African middle class reaches 300m
Africa's middle class is growing faster than population growth and now accounts for some 300 million out of the continent's one billion population, says the African Development Bank.
Eastern Cape Jobs


Dymocks - Picture Perfect Posing: Practicing the Art of Posing for Photographers and Models by Roberto Valenzuela, 9780321966469, PaperBack book.
Photographer, author, and educator Roberto Valenzuela has a proven track record for teaching and explaining difficult concepts to photographers of all skill levels. His remarkable ability to break down complicated ideas into understandable, approachable elements that photographers can truly grasp—and then use their new found knowledge to improve their photography—made his first book, Picture Perfect Practice, a breakout success.
In Picture Perfect Posing, Roberto takes on the art of posing. For many photographers, after learning to compose an image and even light it properly, a portrait can still easily be a failure if the pose is not natural, elegant, and serving the needs of both the subject and the photographer. Instead of just showing page after page of poses—like most posing books on the market—Roberto actually breaks down the concept of posing by examining the anatomy, starting with the core foundation: the spinal chord and neck. Building from there, Roberto discusses every component of what makes poses work, as well as fail. How should the model hold her hands? Bend her elbows? Position her fingers? Should the model look toward or away from the camera, and why? It all depends on what the photographer wants for the shot, and Roberto discusses the entire process, from the intent of the photographer through the execution of the pose. For those who have been discouraged by an inability to pose their subjects, or who have simply not known where to start in order to "figure it out," Picture Perfect Posing is the essential resource they need to learn how posing truly works, and how they can learn to direct the exact pose they need for the shot they want.


Winter sports in Tyrol? Obviously in St. Johann in Tyrol!
St Johann in Tyrol is one of the names on everyone's lips when it comes to quality and exciting winter holidays in the Kitzbühel Alps. This classic Tyrolean market town has fewer than 10.000 inhabitants and with its beautiful baroque centre conveys a cosy atmosphere. Here you can shop, eat, drink - or just go for a stroll through the streets. When in winter the surrounding mountain world of Kitzbüheler Horn and Wilder Kaiser wraps itself in its icy cloak, a particularly beautiful time begins.
TAKE A WINTER HOLIDAY IN THE KITZBÜHELER ALPS - COME TO ST. JOHANN IN TYROL!
Our hotel door leads straight into the family-friendly ski area of St. Johann in Tyrol - the Harschbichl. At 1604 m, it is particularly popular for its many wide and long pistes - a paradise for pleasure skiers, families and beginners alike. In total, more than 40 km of well-groomed pistes open up here - with wonderful views of the snow-covered mountain world around St. Johann in Tyrol, and delicious culinary refreshments in one of the rustic ski huts. In 2017, the ski resort of St. Johann in Tyrol was voted Leading Ski Resort (up to 60 km of pistes) by Skiresort.de.
Fifteen minutes from St. Johann in Tyrol there is also the jet set town of Kitzbühel, where you might be lucky enough to spot one or more of the many celebrities who come to Tyrol for winter sports, especially for the legendary Hahnenkamm Race.
If skiing isn't your cup of tea, St. Johann in Tyrol offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy other joys of winter. How about a hike through the beautiful snow-covered terrain, a fun toboggan run, or Segway snow tour?
Our team at the COOEE alpin Hotel Kitzbüheler Alpen have lots of tips on how to make your winter holiday in the Kitzbüheler Alps a very special experience.