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May 11, 2009

Exquisite Brussels - Heart of the European Union

Often featured in the media as the seat of government of the European Union (EU), Brussels is much more than a city of bureaucrats. It is a meeting point all the diverse cultures in Europe, and exudes a unique multicultural energy.

Brussels is not only the heart of the EU. The Belgian capital is a diverse and beautiful city in its own right, a town rich in history and full of places to see. Designated the cultural capital of Europe in 2000, Brussels is no mere town of faceless bureaucrats. It has its own tale to tell.

A stronghold in the middle of a river.

The name Brussels (Bruocsella) is first documented in the year 966. It means “chapel in a swamp”, and likely refers to its position on the Senne River. The settlement itself had probably been founded between three and four hundred years previously. The earliest fortification on Brussels Island dates back to around the end of the 10th century.

Central Brussels.

The story of Grand Place (in French, or Grote Markt in Dutch), the town square located at the centre of Brussels, leads us on a trip through the city’s history. Grand Place was created as a market and business square, but soon attracted the trade guilds and city officials.

They built palacial guildhalls and government buildings as proof of their power and affluence, Brussels became one of Europe’s most important trading and financial centres during the High Middle Ages and would remain so until 1695, when French cannons shelled the city for three days, levelling Grand Place and reducing much of the city to rocks and ashes. It was rebuilt at speed, and the guildhalls that currently stand on Grand Place bear witness to the city’s renewal.

Grand Place remains a favoured gathering point for residents and tourists alike. Many of its countless restaurants, cafes and taverns are open around the clock.

Brussels city hall.

The Hotel de Ville (Brussels city hall), completed in 1450, is an architectural masterpiece even among the grandiose guildhalls and buildings around it. Its facade was one of the few structures to survive the French bombardment of 1695. With its 96-metre-tall tower topped by a gilded statue of St. Michael and the dragon, the Hotel de Ville is Brussels’ most talked about landmark, visible from every part of the historic old city.

A different kind of city emblem.

Most visitors consider the statue called Manneken Pis (literally, “the boy peeing”) at the corner of the Rue de l’Etuve and Rue des Grands Charmes to be the emblem of Brussels. Just who the little boy in this work by sculptor Heironimus Dusquesnoy is supposed to represent remains an unsolved mystery. In any case, the brazen lad is certainly one of the city’s main tourist attractions. Meanwhile, his girl counterpart, the Jeanneken Pis, can be viewed at the end of a cul-de-sac called Impasse de la Fidelite just off La Grand Place. The habitants of [the city|Brussels} have always been in favour of equal rights, and if that meant commissioning a statue of a similarly indisposed little girl, so be it. The statue was dedicated in 1987.

The giant molecule.

The 102-metre-high Atomium is another favourite installation in Brussels. It began its existence as an exhibition hall built for the 1958 Worlds Fair. It represents an iron molecule, magnified 165 thousand million times. The tubes connecting the nine atomic particles are actually conduits containing escalators and walkways.

Due to its use of futuristic materials and interesting design, it has long been considered both an architectural masterpiece and an impressive piece of grand monumental sculpture.

Within, the Atomium still houses the occasional exhibition on topics related to nuclear technology, aeronautics, astronomy and meteorology. Inside the uppermost sphere is a restaurant that affords a beautiful view of the entire city.

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Filed under Even More Random Thoughts by Katz

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A clean shower curtain is a healthy shower curtain

Nobody wants to get that drab feeling while enjoying a bath or shower. While you are concentrated cleaning up, you will not feel comfortable behind a filthy Shower Curtain. Despite our attention to detail, a shower curtain will get dirty because of the damp conditions inside the bathroom and the continued accumulation of soap scum. There is a need to regularly clean the curtains and it should be part of the cleaning routine inside the bathroom.

maintain the following instructions in washing your curtains used in your bathroom. Most Shower Curtains can be cleaned and washed in your ordinary clothes washer. Add 1 cup of bleach solution when you wash the curtains. Add a regular number of white towels to go along with the curtains plus the correct amount of laundry detergent. Do not run the washing machine on hot water as this can damage the curtains.

Don’t place the curtains in the dryer after washing. Just let them dry on the shower rod. You can also use baking soda as alternative to the bleaching idea when you are cleaning your curtain. Do not forget to read washing instructions and warnings before starting to wash the curtains.

Cleaning the curtains in the bathroom is not an simple chore. Everyone will find the job a bit boring as we have to work our way by removing the rings from the curtain and liners before washing. You may choose to use a cleaner spray specific for shower curtains. However, you will still need to take if off the rod after a few weeks for washing to maintain a clean and fresh feeling inside the bathroom.

Here are several standard ideas in cleaning and maintaining your curtains the easy way.

If your curtain is made of plastic or vinyl liner, you can wash them in a normal house hold machine by adding one cup each of bleach and vinegar. Before washing the curtains, inspect it for any indicated chemicals which can damage and harm the curtains. never use hot water. Cold water must be added in washing the curtains.

If your curtain is made of fabric liner, a cup of baking soda is more appropriate alternative to bleach and vinegar. You can get rid of any accumulated mildew and mold by washing the curtains in soapy water added with just a small amount of bleach. Make sure that you are using a bleach type which will not ruin the color. To avoid the fast accumulation of mold, use a water-salt combination in washing the curtains used in the bathroom. Make sure that you use just the right amount of salt to prevent the formation of crystal when you drip dry the curtains. Every time you pull down the curtains for a thorough washing, it is necessary to wash the rings as well.

You can also clean the curtain liners in the same manner as that of the shower curtains. Follow the instructions used for specific materials of curtain liner and sanitize them using the washing guidelines we apply for curtains. You can also maintain the curtain liners in between our regular washing by using the appropriate spray cleaner and rinsing it every day. This wills prevent the formation of molds on the curtain liner.

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Developing E-Commerce Websites

Over the past few years, e-commerce websites have become much more practicle for users and businesses.  It makes lots of sense for companies that used to be confined to their local markets, to open up their products and services to markets they had never even thought of.

First, search for an e-commerce website designer.  There are several types of solutions that designers will most likely present including, OsCommerce, ZenCart, OpenCart, among others.  We recommend finding a designer that specializes in Magento E-commerce Website design.  Magento is a very powerful and flexible open source solution for e-commerce websites.  It is also easy for the owner to log in and manage inventory, website content, products, images, descriptions, and more.

The next task would be to hire a graphic designer that is able to take your product and design elements of the website to compliment how your product will be displayed.  This may include finding a good photographer to that will give you a good package deal to take photos of your products and provide you with the original photos and the photos that have had the backgrounds removed.  This will make it possible for you to place your products nicely on a white background.

It is best to organize your products into categories and variations as soon as possible. This will help your website designer configure Magento with custom attributes and categories that will make it easier for you to manage your store once the website designers job is complete. Of course, once these steps are complete, your job is not over.  Now it is time to market your website.

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Filed under Even More Random Thoughts by Katz

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Does Texas offer Pay Check Loans?

It is not difficult to get a payday loan in Texas. If you are in a money crunch and are encountering a disaster, an advance of pay will come to your saving. The offerings of a cash advance business are so quick that you can get your texas cash advance within 1 day of filing your application.

So whether you or your father encounter an accident, or whether you have to pay for unexpected automobile repairs, an American cash advance will be your friend in need. Companies giving cash advance in The Lone Star State can provide swift services because they file electronically. From your application to the verification of your details, from the deposit of loan amount to the repayment, it is all done .

For the most part anyone can request for a cash advance in Texas. As long as you are an and are over 18 years of age, you can apply. Apart from this, you also need a stabil job and a savings or checking bank account to be eligible.

The monies are deposited directly in your account within 1 day of the loan agreement. Similarly, the loan amount will be removed from your account on the agreed payoff date. I love that there is no checks to deal with when you get a cash advance in Texas. If you wish to extend the loan period, you need to develop a better repayment strategy and you will have to notify your lender before the final loan date.

Caution: the extension will cost you severely. So don’t delay unnecessarily. Try to avoid falling into the easy debt trap that a cash advance can become. Use a cash advance in Texas only if you face an emergency. Don’t use a cash advance to fund your daily living expenses.

Texas Cash advance loans are legal in Texas, which passed its first payday loan statutes in 2000. It’s a fact that creditors must be licensed to operate in the state. The law requires lenders to display a notice containing the fee schedule and the loan contractual obligations. In Texas, lenders are prohibited from loan-splitting, or the splitting one loan into two for the shady practice of charging interest on both. The law has no maximum set number of outstanding loans that a borrower can have established. But you must know that a customer may not have more than $500 in combined loans that are unpaid. In Texas, payday loan business cannot institute criminal legal proceeding against a delinquent or defaulting borrower.

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Filed under Even More Random Thoughts by Katz

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Experienced Staff at City Body Shop in Rockford, Illinois

City Body Shop specializes in Rockford collision repair and Rockford towing and they stress experience as one of their strongest advantages over their competition. Bill Wishard has been dedicated to auto repair since he was young enough to learn about collision repair from his father, LaVerne Wishard (the original City Body Shop owner). Jennifer Turman, the office manager of City Body Shop, has 10 years of experience at City Body Shop and will ensure that you receive the best customer service available in the industry. John Toldo, the shop manager at City Body Shop, has 14 years of experience in collision repair and oversees that all repairs are done with quality and in a timely fashion. He is considered to be a forerunner in the industry and will make sure that you are satisfied with the repair of your vehicle.

When choosing a Rockford body shop, another specific aspect that should be evaluated by the customer is the experience of the painter employed by the body shop. If the painter is inexperienced, then the repair work could have a significantly decreased lifespan. The painter employed by City Body Shop has over 21 years of experience in the collision repair industry. He is dedicated to his repair work and has knowledge of the latest and most up to date methods of repainting your vehicle should you be involved in a collision. If you live in Rockford, IL or in a nearby area, then please call City Body Shop at (815) 965-0515 for your collision repair and towing needs.

Filed under Even More Random Thoughts by Katz

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