Online degrees

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

The term online degrees refers to college degrees (sometimes including high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs) that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting. Improvements in technology and the increasing use of the Internet worldwide have led to a proliferation of online colleges that award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

Contents [hide]
1 Accreditation
2 Perceived quality of online degrees
3 Prevalence of online education
4 Financial aid
5 References
6 External links



[edit] Accreditation
The goal of educational accreditation, according to the U.S. Department of Education, is to ensure that programs provided by institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality.[citation needed] In the area of online education, it is important to avoid diploma mills that offer fake degrees at a cost. Students seeking valid online degrees should obtain proof of accreditation from a regional or national/specialized accrediting body in the United States. Online colleges that are fully accredited have earned a widely recognized form of university accreditation from one of six regional accreditation boards.[1]

Each of the six geographic regions of the United States has a non-governmental, regional agency that oversees and accredits degree-granting institutions headquartered in their areas. There are six regional accreditation boards:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Western Association of Schools & Colleges
The Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognize the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) as the accrediting organization for distance learning institutions and education programs that offer online degrees.


[edit] Perceived quality of online degrees
The recognition of the quality of online degrees compared to on-campus degrees varies. While most major online colleges are regionally accredited, the public perception of their quality is in dispute. Some experts argue that degrees in certain fields are more accepted online than in others, while some programs are less suited for online-only schools.[1]

A survey by the Distance Education and Training Council found that 100 percent of employers who responded felt that distance education program graduates performed better on the job as a result of their degree (as compared to their previous performance). Additionally, employers felt that an employee receiving a distance education degree compared favorably, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree.[2] On the other hand, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 on a Vault Inc. survey that found 55 percent of employers preferred traditional degrees over online ones. 41%, however, said they would give "equal consideration to both types of degrees."[3]

The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on the state of distance education in the U.S. In its 2006 report "Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006," it stated that "in 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face. That number is now 62 percent, a small but noteworthy increase."[4]

In some instances, an online degree may be no different than a degree earned in a campus-based program. The instruction is often exactly the same, and the online degree contains no special designation. An example of this is the degree offered to Columbia University students who earn a degree through the Columbia Video Network (CVN) versus the campus-based program.[5]


[edit] Prevalence of online education
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducted a distance education study based on the 2001-2002 academic year at 2-year and 4-year Title IV (Federal Student Aid)-eligible, degree-granting institutions. The study reported that 56 percent of all institutions surveyed offered distance education courses. The study also found that public institutions were more likely to offer distance education than were private institutions.[6]

The Sloan Consortium, based on data collected from over 2,200 colleges and universities, reports that nearly 3.2 million students took at least one online course during 2005 (a significant increase over the 2.3 million reported in 2004). According to the same report, about two-thirds of the largest institutions have fully online programs.[7]

france perfumes

The word perfume used today derives from the Latin "per fumum", meaning through smoke. Perfumery, or the art of making perfumes, began in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt and was further refined by the Romans and Persians. Although perfume and perfumery also existed in India, much of its fragrances are incense based. The earliest distillation of Attar was mentioned in the Hindu Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita. The Harshacharita, written in 7th century A.D. in Northern India mentions use of fragrant agarwood oil.

The world's first recorded chemist is considered to be a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker who was mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the second millennium BC in Mesopotamia.[1] She distilled flowers, oil, and calamus with other aromatics then filtered and put them back in the still several times.[2]

Recently, archaeologists have uncovered what are believed to be the world's oldest perfumes in Pyrgos, Cyprus. The perfumes date back more than 4,000 years. The perfumes were discovered in an ancient perfumery. At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were found in the 43,000-square-foot (4,000 m2) factory.[3] In ancient times people used herbs and spices, like almond, coriander, myrtle, conifer resin, bergamot, as well as flowers.[4]

The Arabian chemist, Al-Kindi (Alkindus), wrote in the 9th century a book on perfumes which he named Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations. It contained more than a hundred recipes for fragrant oils, salves, aromatic waters and substitutes or imitations of costly drugs. The book also described 107 methods and recipes for perfume-making, and even the perfume making equipment, like the alembic, still bears its Arabic name[5].

The Persian Muslim doctor and chemist Avicenna (also known as Ibn Sina) introduced the process of extracting oils from flowers by means of distillation, the procedure most commonly used today. He first experimented with the rose. Until his discovery, liquid perfumes were mixtures of oil and crushed herbs or petals, which made a strong blend. Rose water was more delicate, and immediately became popular. Both of the raw ingredients and distillation technology significantly influenced western perfumery and scientific developments, particularly chemistry.

Knowledge of perfumery came to Europe as early as the 14th century due partially to the spread of Islam. But it was the Hungarians who ultimately introduced the first modern perfume. Made of scented oils blended in an alcohol solution, the first modern perfume was made in 1370 at the command of Queen Elizabeth of Hungary and was known throughout Europe as Hungary Water. The art of perfumery prospered in Renaissance Italy, and in the 16th century, Italian refinements were taken to France by Catherine de' Medici's personal perfumer, Rene le Florentin. His laboratory was connected with her apartments by a secret passageway, so that no formulas could be stolen en route. France quickly became the European center of perfume and cosmetic manufacture. Cultivation of flowers for their perfume essence, which had begun in the 14th century, grew into a major industry in the south of France. During the Renaissance period, perfumes were used primarily by the wealthy to mask body odors resulting from infrequent bathing. Partly due to this patronage, the western perfumery industry was created. By the 18th century, aromatic plants were being grown in the Grasse region of France to provide the growing perfume industry with raw materials. Even today, France remains the centre of the European perfume design and trade.


[edit] Concentration
Perfume types reflect the concentration of aromatic compounds in a solvent, which in fine fragrance is typically ethanol or a mix of water and ethanol. Various sources differ considerably in the definitions of perfume types. The concentration by percent/volume of perfume oil is as follows:

Perfume extract (Extrait): 15-40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds
Eau de Parfum (EdP), Parfum de Toilette (PdT): 10-20% (typical ~15%) aromatic compounds. Sometimes listed as "eau de perfume" or "millésime".
Eau de Toilette (EdT): 5-15% (typical ~10%) aromatic compounds
Eau de Cologne (EdC): Chypre citrus type perfumes with 3-8% (typical ~5%) aromatic compounds
Splash and After shave: 1-3% aromatic compounds
Perfume oil is necessarily diluted with a solvent because undiluted oils (natural or synthetic) contain high concentrations of chemical components (natural or otherwise) that will likely result in allergic reactions and possibly injury when applied directly to skin or clothing. As well, the scents in pure perfume oils are far too concentrated to smell pleasant. By far the most common solvent for perfume oil dilution is ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and water. Perfume oil can also be diluted by means of neutral-smelling oils such as fractionated coconut oil, or liquid waxes such as jojoba oil.

The intensity and longevity of a perfume is based on the concentration, intensity and longevity of the aromatic compounds (natural essential oils / perfume oils) used: As the percentage of aromatic compounds increases, so does the intensity and longevity of the scent created. Different perfumeries or perfume houses assign different amounts of oils to each of their perfumes. Therefore, although the oil concentration of a perfume in Eau de Parfum (EdP) dilution will necessarily be higher than the same perfume in Eau de Toilette (EdT) from within the same range, the actual amounts can vary between perfume houses. An EdT from one house may be stronger than an EdP from another.

Men's fragrances are rarely as EdP or perfume extracts. As well, women's fragrances are rarely sold in EdC concentrations. Although this gender specific naming trend is common for assigning fragrance concentrations, it does not directly have anything to do with whether a fragrance was intended for men or women.

Furthermore, some fragrances with the same product name but having a different concentration name may not only differ in their dilutions, but actually use different perfume oil mixtures altogether. For instance, in order to make the EdT version of a fragrance brighter and fresher than its EdP, the EdT oil may be "tweaked" to contain slightly more top notes or fewer base notes. In some cases, words such as "extrême", "intense" or "concentrée", that might indicate aromatic concentration are sometimes completely different fragrances that relates only because of a similar perfume accord. An example of this would be Chanel‘s Pour Monsieur and Pour Monsieur Concentrée.

Eau de Cologne (EdC) since 1706 in Cologne, Germany is originally a specific fragrance and trademark. However outside of Germany the term has become generic for Chypre citrus perfumes (without base-notes).

online study in sweden

Education in Sweden is mandatory for all children aged 7-16.[1] Most 6 year olds attend a non compulsory pre-school class run within the school system. The school year in Sweden runs from mid/late August to early/mid June The winter holiday from mid December to early January divides the Swedish school year into two terms.

All young children from 1-5 years old are guaranteed a place in public day-care facility (förskola or daghem/dagis). Between ages 7-16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school, divided in three stages. After completing the ninth grade, 90% continue with a three-year upper secondary school (gymnasium) leading sometimes to a vocational diploma and (depending on which program you've chosen) to qualifications for further studies at a university or university college (högskola). Both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. Some Swedes go straight to work after secondary school. Along with several other European countries, the government also subsidizes tuition of international students pursuing a degree at Swedish institutions, although there has been talk of this being changed.[2] Swedish 15-years-old pupils have the 22nd highest average score in the PISA assessments, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average.[1] Only few countries except Canada, United States and Japan have higher levels of tertiary degree holders.

Contents [hide]
1 Diagram
2 Terminology
3 Choice
4 Primary and Secondary School
4.1 Grading
4.2 Gymnasieskola
4.2.1 Admittance
4.3 Independent schools financed by public means
5 Post-secondary education
6 Higher education
6.1 Basic level (grundnivå)
6.2 Advanced level (avancerad nivå)
6.3 Graduate level (forskarnivå)
6.4 Grading
6.5 Language requirements
6.6 Student Democracy
6.6.1 Legislation
6.6.2 Core issues
6.6.3 The Equal Treatment Act
7 Independent schools in Sweden
8 History of education in Sweden
8.1 Primary school
8.2 Secondary school
8.3 Grundskola
9 Comparison with the American educational system
10 See also
11 References
12 External links

Health insurance

Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies. It may be purchased on a group basis (e.g., by a firm to cover its employees) or purchased by individual consumers. In each case, the covered groups or individuals pay premiums or taxes to help protect themselves from high or unexpected healthcare expenses. Similar benefits paying for medical expenses may also be provided through social welfare programs funded by the government.

By estimating the overall risk of healthcare expenses, a routine finance structure (such as a monthly premium or annual tax) can be developed, ensuring that money is available to pay for the healthcare benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity. [1]

Contents [hide]
1 History and evolution
2 How it works
2.1 Health plan vs. health insurance
2.2 Comprehensive vs. scheduled
2.3 Inherent problems with multiple insurance funds and optional insurance
2.3.1 Adverse selection
2.3.2 Moral hazard
2.4 Other factors affecting insurance prices
3 Comparison
3.1 Australia
3.2 Canada
3.3 France
3.4 Netherlands
3.5 United Kingdom
3.6 United States
4 See also
5 Notes and references

students visa to canada

STUDENT/STUDY VISA
Canada is proud to welcome students from all over the world. Every year, Canada welcomes more than 130,000 foreign students to its world-class Universities and Colleges. Foreign students are attracted to studying in Canada because of its high-quality education system, low tuition fees and great employment opportunities.

In 2008, over 79,000 foreign students were allowed into Canada. Act now to study in Canada this year!

Student Visas for The United Kingdom

What is this guidance about?
This guidance explains what you will need to do if you want to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) to study, and what the Immigration Rules say. It is only a guide but it aims to answer some common questions.

How do I qualify to travel to the UK as a student?
What is a visa?
Do I need a visa to study in the UK?
How do I apply for a visa?
What will I need to make my application?
What supporting documents should I include with my application?
What will happen when I make my application?
What are public funds?
Can I extend my stay as a student?
Can I work?
Can I switch to work permit employment whilst in the UK?
Can I bring my husband, wife or civil partner and children with me?
Will my husband, wife or civil partner be allowed to work?
Can I go to the UK to arrange my studies?
When should I apply?
More advice and information
How do I qualify to travel to the UK as a student?
You must be able to show that you have been accepted on a course of study at an educational establishment that is on the UK's Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Register of Education and Training Providers. Contact details are under 'More advice and information' at the end of this guidance, or you can search the register on the DfES website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister
You must be able to show that you are going to follow:

a recognised full-time degree course, or
a course run during the week involving at least 15 hours of organised daytime study each week, or
a full-time course at an independent fee-paying school
You must also:

be able to pay for your course and support yourself and any dependants, and live in the UK without working or needing any help from public funds, and
intend to leave the UK when you complete your studies.
If you are a degree student and you successfully complete your studies, you may be able to take work permit employment if you meet the requirements. You can get more information about work permits in our Work permit holders (INF 13) guidance note.

If you graduate in an approved science or engineering subject you can apply to stay in the UK, to look for or to take work, for an additional year after your degree course finishes without getting a work permit. For more information, please see the Permit free employment (INF 14) guidance note.

Under the ‘Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland’ scheme, if you successfully complete a degree level course or above, and it was awarded by a Scottish institution, you may be able to apply to live and work in Scotland for up to two years after achieving your qualification.

Back to questions

What is a visa?
A visa is a certificate that is put into your passport or travel document by an Entry Clearance Officer at a British mission overseas. The visa gives you permission to enter the UK.

If you have a valid UK visa, we will not normally refuse you entry to the UK unless your circumstances have changed, or you gave false information or did not tell us important facts when you applied for your visa.

When you arrive in the UK, an Immigration Officer may ask you questions, so take all relevant documents in your hand luggage.

Back to questions

Do I need a visa to study in the UK?
You will need a visa if you:

are a national of one of the countries listed at the end of this guidance
are stateless (you don't have a nationality)
hold a non-national travel document, or
hold a passport issued by an authority that is not recognised in the UK
If you are not an EEA national and you intend to stay in the UK for more than six months, you will need to get an entry clearance before you travel. More information will be available on this website or from your nearest British mission overseas where there is a visa section.

If you do not need an entry clearance, you will have to satisfy the Immigration Officer that you qualify for entry when you arrive in the UK. They will then give you permission to stay in the UK for up to six months. You will not be allowed to extend your stay in the UK as a student unless you arrived with a student or prospective student visa, or you are studying on a course at degree level or higher.

To extend your stay you will need to apply for a residence permit at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. (Contact details are under 'More advice and information' at the end of this guidance.) They will charge you a fee for this.

If you have any doubts about whether you qualify for entry, you should apply for a visa before you travel to the UK.

Back to questions

How do I apply for a visa?
You will need to fill in a visa application form (VAF 1 – Non-settlement). You can download the form from this website, or get one free of charge from your nearest British mission overseas where there is a visa section.

You must apply for your visa in the country of which you are a national or where you legally live.

You can apply in a number of ways, for example by post, by courier, in person and online. The visa section will tell you about the ways in which you can apply.

In some countries, if you are applying for a visa to stay in the UK for more than six months, you may need to be tested for active tuberculosis before we will accept your application. You can find out if you need to be tested by using the Do I need a UK visa? on this website, or by contacting your nearest British mission overseas where there is a visa section.

bank of england

Bank of England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Bank of England

The Bank of England

Headquarters Threadneedle Street,
London EC3
Coordinates 51°30′51″N 0°05′19″W / 51.5141°N 0.0886°W / 51.5141; -0.0886Coordinates: 51°30′51″N 0°05′19″W / 51.5141°N 0.0886°W / 51.5141; -0.0886
Established 27 July 1694
Governor Mervyn King
Central Bank of United Kingdom
Currency Pound sterling
ISO 4217 Code GBP
Base borrowing rate 0.5% [1]
Website http://www.bankofengland.co.uk
Succeeded by Currency Commission (Republic of Ireland only)
The Bank of England (formally the Governor and Company of the Bank of England) is the central bank of the United Kingdom and is the model on which most modern, large central banks have been based. Since 1946 it has been a state-owned institution.[2] It was established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and to this day it still acts as the banker for the UK Government. The Bank has a monopoly[3] on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales, although not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee has been given devolved responsibility (sometimes called independence) for managing the monetary policy of the country. The Treasury has reserve powers to give orders to the committee "if they are required in the public interest and by extreme economic circumstances" but such orders must be endorsed by parliament within 28 days [4]

The Bank's headquarters has been located in London's main financial district, the City of London, on Threadneedle Street, since 1734. It is sometimes known by the metonym The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or simply The Old Lady. The current Governor of the Bank of England is Mervyn King, who took over on 30 June 2003 from Sir Edward George. As well as the London offices, the Bank of England also has secondary offices on King Street in Leeds.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Functions of the Bank
3 Banknote issues
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

bangladesh visa form

Bangladesh Visa Application Form
PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT YOUR ANSWERS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW EACH ITEM
01. FULL NAME (First/Middle/Family Name)
02. PLACE OF BIRTH (City/State/Country) 03.DATE OF BIRTH (dd / mm / yyyy)
________/________/_________
04. NATIONALITY 05. SEX
ÿ Male ÿ Female
06. MARITAL STATUS
ÿ Married ÿ Unmarried ÿ Divorced ÿ Widowed
07. PROFESSION 08. TYPE OF VISA:
09. PASSPORT NUMBER
10. PLACE OF ISSUE 11. DATE OF EXPIRTY
_______/_________/_20_______
Staple
3 x copies photo
( 37 mm x 37 mm )
12. SPOUSE’S NAME : NATIONALITY:
13. FATHER’S NAME : NATIONALITY:
14. MOTHER’S NAME: NATIONALITY:
15. HOME ADDRESS
16. TELEPHONE: 17. FAX: 18. E-Mail:
19. BUSINESS/WORK ADDRESS
20. TELEPHONE: 21. FAX 22. E-Mail
23. NAME OF EMPLOYER
24. TELEPHONE:
25. FAX: 26: E-Mail
27. PURPOSE OF VISIT (Tick appropriate box)
ÿ Tourism (incl. tablig/visiting relatives, etc.) ÿ Business/Investment ÿ Seminar/Conference/Govt. Delegation
ÿ Cultural/Scientific Programme ÿ Missionary ÿ NGO Works ÿ Official
ÿ Expert(s)/Worker(s)/Teacher(s)/Representative(s)in industrial/Education/Training Org./Sports/Artistic activities, etc.
ÿ Govt. contractual employment ÿ Study / Research ÿ Employment in UN/International Organisations
ÿ Journalist / Media (Print & Electronic) ÿ Others (Specify)
28. NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERSON (S), INSTITUTION OR COMPANY WHERE YOU CAN BE CONTACTED
29. ADDRESS WHILE IN BANGLADESH
30. TELEPHONE
31. PLACE AND PROBABLE DATE OF ARRIVAL
32. INTENDED DURATION OF STAY
33. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO BANGLADESH
ÿ Yes ÿ No
34. IF YES, DATE AND LENGTH OF LAST VISIT
35. NAME AND ADDRESS OF PERSON (S) TRAVELLING WITH YOU
36. DECLARATION
I declare that the above information is true and accurate
(dd / mm / yyyy)
NAME _________________________________DATE ____/_____/_____ SIGNATURE ___________________
Please ensure that you have answered items 1 through 35 and signed the Declaration. Incomplete forms will be returned
FOR OFICIAL USE ONLY (Do not write in this space)
Date ____/____/_____
Visa No. ____________________________ Classification ______________________________
Type: Single / Multiple / Transit
Date of Issue ________________________ Validity __________________________
Authorised Duration ________________________________
Refused on _________________________ Reviewed by ____________________________
Comments:
( Name and Designation of the Issuing Authority with seal )
VISA INSTRUCTIONS
1. Any misrepresentation of facts may lead to cancellation of visa at any time.
Please send the followings:
2. Fees $ 100.00 (Money Order/Bank Draft) for US citizens. Citizens of other countries please check with our
website www.bangladoot.org or call (202) 244-0183.
3. Fill in the prescribed application form completely in duplicate.
4. Attach 3 (37mm X 37mm) photographs in the place marked in the form.
5. Passport.
6. Self-addressed envelope with appropriate postage stamp and certification must be enclosed for passport to be
returned/received by mail.
And one of the followings depending upon the purpose of visit:
7. Tourists should attach travel itinerary brief tour plan.
8. Employees working in NGO must provide the appointment letter of the NGO concerned and the NGO
Affairs Bureau in Dhaka must attest that. Other work visas require appointment letter.
9. Missionaries must provide appointment letter by the church, which should contain
“No Objection” by the concerned ministry.
10. Application for shooting in Bangladesh to produce TV/Video Film/Documentary by Foreign
network/organization must be filed in Form FF-1 & FF-2 and regular visa application form.
11. Official and Business visa requires letter of justification/financial guarantee from the employer.
12. Students require financial guarantee certificate and letter from the Educational Institution, which should
be attested by the Ministry of Ed ucation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. All nationals need valid passports to visit Bangladesh. Passports are not required for holders of
certificate, laissiez-passer issued by the UN and its affiliated bodies, continuous discharge
Certificate/Nullies/Seaman book (traveling on duty).
2. Visas can be extended after arrival in Bangladesh.
3. Applications are received from 0900 - 1200 hours and the passports are delivered
the next day from 1500-1700 hours. (Provided that the papers are OK and necessary
clearances are obtained.)
4. Rules may be changed from time to time.
HOSPITALITY BOOTH:
A hospitality booth is available at the Zia International Airport, Dhaka, Bangladesh to extend assistance to
investors and importers visiting Bangladesh. Tourists (except Bangladeshi Americans) will have to take visa in
advance from the Embassy/Consulate. Supporting documents from concerned authorities (Board of Investment,
BEPZA, BGMEA, FBCCI etc.) will be required. Please confirm other requirements from the Embassy. The
desk is located within the main terminal building close to the Immigration Desk and the Customs Enclosure.
The Booth is open round the clock.
(Page – 3)

Germany Visa (document)

A visa (from the Latin charta visa, lit. "paper that has been seen"[1]) is an indication that a person is authorized to enter the country which "issued" the visa, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport. Some countries do not require a visa in some situations, such as a result of reciprocal treaty arrangements. The country issuing the visa typically attaches various conditions to the visa, such as the time that the visa is valid, the period that the person may stay in the country, whether the visa is valid for more than one visit, etc. The possession of a visa is not in itself a guarantee of entry into the country that issued it, and a visa can be revoked at any time.

A visa does not generally give a person any rights beyond the right to enter a country and remain there. Anything beyond those basic entitlements requires special permits, such as a residency permit or work permit.

Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions (see below for examples of such schemes).

Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter (or exit) a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country.

Some countries require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country.[2]

sumsung omnia

Omnia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Look up omnia in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Omnia is the Latin plural of "all" and may refer to:

Omnia (band), folk band from the Netherlands
Omnia Township, Cowley County, Kansas
Omnia, a fictional nation in the Discworld universe
Samsung Omnia, a smartphone by Samsung
Omniah, The arabic meaning of the word "wish"

[edit] See also
Omni
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

World weather in 2009

The world weather in 2005 was a year of extremes,[1] particularly in the Atlantic hurricane season. The year was also declared the hottest year on record worldwide at the time, according to records that date back to 1886.[2] The record was beaten in a last-minute temperature rise in 2006,[3] possibly because of global warming.[4] The year was also declared the costliest for extreme weather.[5]

Hurricane Katrina had caused thousands of deaths and over one billion dollars in damage, thus making it the costliest storm in the history of the United States. There were also events of smaller scale across the world. There were two airplane crashes that were weather-related. There were a total of 82 storms across the world that were rated as tropical depressions or higher.

Dubai

Dubai (in Arabic: دبيّ‎, transliteration: Dubayy) is one of the seven emirates and the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai city to distinguish it from the emirate.

Written accounts document the existence of the city for at least 150 years prior to the formation of the UAE. Dubai shares legal, political, military and economic functions with the other emirates within a federal framework, although each emirate has jurisdiction over some functions such as civic law enforcement and provision and upkeep of local facilities. Dubai has the largest population and is the second largest emirate by area, after Abu Dhabi.[5] Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the only two emirates to possess veto power over critical matters of national importance in the country's legislature.[6] Dubai has been ruled by the Al Maktoum dynasty since 1833. Dubai's current ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is also the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE.

The emirate's main revenues are from tourism, trade, real estate and financial services.[7] Revenues from petroleum and natural gas contribute less than 6% (2006)[8] of Dubai's US$ 37 billion economy (2005).[9] Real estate and construction, on the other hand, contributed 22.6% to the economy in 2005, before the current large-scale construction boom.[10] Dubai has attracted attention through its real estate projects [11] and sports events.

World map

This article is about maps of the Earth. For other uses, see World map (disambiguation).
If you are looking for an editable blank World political map go to
A world map is a map of the surface of the Earth, which may be made using any of a number of different map projections.

Maps of the world are often either 'political' or 'physical'. The most important purpose of the political map is to show territorial borders; the purpose of the physical map is to show features of geography such as mountains, soil type or land use. Geological maps show not only the physical surface, but characteristics of the underlying rock, fault lines, and subsurface structures.

Contents [hide]
1 Projections
2 Projections
3 Thematic
4 Historical
5 See also
5.1 Projections
6 References
7 External links



[edit] Projections

A Winkel Tripel projection, argued by Goldberg & Gott as the best overall whole-earth map projection known,[1] and the standard projection for world maps made by the National Geographic Society.Main article: Map projection
Maps that depict the surface of the Earth use a projection, a way of translating the three-dimensional real surface of the geoid to a two-dimensional picture. Perhaps the best-known world-map projection is the Mercator Projection, originally designed as a form of nautical chart.

Aeroplane pilots use aeronautical charts based on a Lambert conformal conic projection, in which a cone is laid over the section of the earth to be mapped. The cone intersects the sphere (the earth) at one or two parallels which are chosen as standard lines. This allows the pilots to plot a great circle (shortest distance) route approximation on a flat, two-dimensional chart.

List of country calling codes

This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164.

The telephone numbering plan for a telephone system includes an international dialing prefix, such as "00" or "011", which must be dialed before the country calling code when dialing an international phone number. Generally, as in the list below, the need for this prefix is indicated with a "+".

Contents [hide]
1 At a glance
2 In depth
2.1 Zone 1 – North American Numbering Plan Area
2.2 Zone 2 – Mostly Africa, some Atlantic and Indian Ocean islands
2.3 Zones 3/4 – Europe
2.4 Zone 5 – Mexico, Central America, South America and the French American dependencies
2.5 Zone 6 – Southeast Asia and Oceania
2.6 Zone 7 – Russia and Kazakhstan
2.7 Zone 8 – East Asia and Special Services
2.8 Zone 9 – West, South and Central Asia
2.9 Zone 0 – unassigned
2.10 Locations with no country code
2.11 Complete Listing
3 History
4 See also
5 References
6 External links



[edit] At a glance
Country calling codes form a prefix code, hence they can be organized as a tree:

+0: --
+1: US, CA (see NANP)
+1 242: BS
+1 246: BB
+1 264: AI
+1 268: AG
+1 284: VG
+1 340: VI
+1 345: KY
+1 441: BM
+1 473: GD
+1 649: TC
+1 664: MS
+1 670: MP
+1 671: GU
+1 684: AS
+1 758: LC
+1 767: DM
+1 784: VC
+1 787: PR
+1 809: DO
+1 829: DO
+1 868: TT
+1 869: KN
+1 876: JM
+1 939: PR

+20: EG +210: --
+211: --
+212: MA, EH
+213: DZ
+214: --
+215: --
+216: TN
+217: --
+218: LY
+219: --
+220: GM
+221: SN
+222: MR
+223: ML
+224: GN
+225: CI
+226: BF
+227: NE
+228: TG
+229: BJ
+230: MU
+231: LR
+232: SL
+233: GH
+234: NG
+235: TD
+236: CF
+237: CM
+238: CV
+239: ST
+240: GQ
+241: GA
+242: CG
+243: CD
+244: AO
+245: GW
+246: IO
+247: AC
+248: SC
+249: SD
+250: RW
+251: ET
+252: SO, QS
+253: DJ
+254: KE
+255: TZ
+256: UG
+257: BI
+258: MZ
+259: --
+260: ZM
+261: MG
+262: RE, YT
+263: ZW
+264: NA
+265: MW
+266: LS
+267: BW
+268: SZ
+269: KM
+27: ZA +28: -- +290: SH, TA
+291: ER
+292: --
+293: --
+294: --
+295: --
+296: --
+297: AW
+298: FO
+299: GL

+30: GR +31: NL +32: BE +33: FR +34: ES +350: GI
+351: PT
+352: LU
+353: IE
+354: IS
+355: AL
+356: MT
+357: CY
+358: FI, AX
+359: BG
+36: HU +370: LT
+371: LV
+372: EE
+373: MD
+374: AM, QN
+375: BY
+376: AD
+377: MC
+378: SM
+379: VA
+380: UA
+381: RS
+382: ME
+383: --
+384: --
+385: HR
+386: SI
+387: BA
+388: EU
+389: MK
+39: IT, VA
+40: RO +41: CH +420: CZ
+421: SK
+422: --
+423: LI
+424: --
+425: --
+426: --
+427: --
+428: --
+429: --
+43: AT +44: GB, GG, IM, JE +45: DK +46: SE +47: NO, SJ +48: PL +49: DE
+500: FK
+501: BZ
+502: GT
+503: SV
+504: HN
+505: NI
+506: CR
+507: PA
+508: PM
+509: HT
+51: PE +52: MX +53: CU +54: AR +55: BR +56: CL +57: CO +58: VE +590: GP, BL, MF
+591: BO
+592: GY
+593: EC
+594: GF
+595: PY
+596: MQ
+597: SR
+598: UY
+599: AN

+60: MY +61: AU, CX, CC +62: ID +63: PH +64: NZ +65: SG +66: TH +670: TL
+671: --
+672: NF, AQ
+673: BN
+674: NR
+675: PG
+676: TO
+677: SB
+678: VU
+679: FJ
+680: PW
+681: WF
+682: CK
+683: NU
+684: --
+685: WS
+686: KI
+687: NC
+688: TV
+689: PF
+690: TK
+691: FM
+692: MH
+693: --
+694: --
+695: --
+696: --
+697: --
+698: --
+699: --

+7: RU, KZ
+800: XT
+801: --
+802: --
+803: --
+804: --
+805: --
+806: --
+807: --
+808: XS
+809: --
+81: JP +82: KR +83: -- +84: VN +850: KP
+851: --
+852: HK
+853: MO
+854: --
+855: KH
+856: LA
+857: --
+858: --
+859: --
+86: CN +870: XN
+871: XE
+872: XF, PN
+873: XI
+874: XW
+875: --
+876: --
+877: --
+878: XP
+879: --
+880: BD
+881: XG
+882: XV
+883: XL
+884: --
+885: --
+886: TW
+887: --
+888: XD
+889: --
+89: --
+90: TR, QY +91: IN +92: PK +93: AF +94: LK +95: MM +960: MV
+961: LB
+962: JO
+963: SY
+964: IQ
+965: KW
+966: SA
+967: YE
+968: OM
+969: --
+970: PS
+971: AE
+972: IL, PS
+973: BH
+974: QA
+975: BT
+976: MN
+977: NP
+978: --
+979: XR
+98: IR +990: --
+991: XC
+992: TJ
+993: TM
+994: AZ, QN
+995: GE
+996: KG
+997: --
+998: UZ
+999: --



[edit] In depth
While there is a general geographic grouping to the zones, many exceptions exist for various political and historical reasons. Thus, the geographical indicators below are approximations only.


[edit] Zone 1 – North American Numbering Plan Area
See also: List of North American Numbering Plan area codes
Areas within NANPA (North American Numbering Plan Area) are assigned area codes as if they were all areas within one country. The codes below in format +1-XXX represent area code XXX within the +1 NANPA zone — not a separate country code.

The North American Numbering Plan Area includes:

+1 United States of America, including U.S. territories:
+1-340 U.S. Virgin Islands
+1-670 Northern Mariana Islands
+1-671 Guam
+1-684 American Samoa
+1-787 and +1-939 Puerto Rico
+1 Canada
+1 Many, but not all, Caribbean nations:
+1-264 Anguilla
+1-268 Antigua and Barbuda
+1-242 Bahamas
+1-246 Barbados
+1-441 Bermuda
+1-284 British Virgin Islands
+1-345 Cayman Islands
+1-767 Dominica
+1-809 and +1-829 Dominican Republic
+1-473 Grenada
+1-876 Jamaica
+1-664 Montserrat
+1-869 Saint Kitts and Nevis
+1-758 Saint Lucia
+1-784 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
+1-868 Trinidad and Tobago
+1-649 Turks and Caicos Islands

[edit] Zone 2 – Mostly Africa, some Atlantic and Indian Ocean islands
+20 – Egypt
+210 – unassigned
+211 – unassigned
+212 – Morocco
+213 – Algeria
+214 – unassigned
+215 – unassigned
+216 – Tunisia
+217 – unassigned
+218 – Libya
+219 – unassigned
+220 – Gambia
+221 – Senegal
+222 – Mauritania
+223 – Mali
+224 – Guinea
+225 – Côte d'Ivoire
+226 – Burkina Faso
+227 – Niger
+228 – Togo
+229 – Benin
+230 – Mauritius
+231 – Liberia
+232 – Sierra Leone
+233 – Ghana
+234 – Nigeria
+235 – Chad
+236 – Central African Republic
+237 – Cameroon
+238 – Cape Verde
+239 – São Tomé and Príncipe
+240 – Equatorial Guinea
+241 – Gabon
+242 – Republic of the Congo
+243 – Democratic Republic of the Congo
+244 – Angola
+245 – Guinea-Bissau
+246 – Diego Garcia
+247 – Ascension Island
+248 – Seychelles
+249 – Sudan
+250 – Rwanda
+251 – Ethiopia
+252 – Somalia
+253 – Djibouti
+254 – Kenya
+255 – Tanzania
+256 – Uganda
+257 – Burundi
+258 – Mozambique
+259 – unassigned, was intended for Zanzibar but never implemented - see +255 Tanzania
+260 – Zambia
+261 – Madagascar
+262 – Réunion; also Mayotte (formerly with +269 Comoros)
+263 – Zimbabwe
+264 – Namibia
+265 – Malawi
+266 – Lesotho
+267 – Botswana
+268 – Swaziland
+269 – Comoros (Mayotte was here but is now with +262 Réunion)
+27 – South Africa
+28x – unassigned
+290 – Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha
+291 – Eritrea
+292 – unassigned
+293 – unassigned
+294 – unassigned
+295 – discontinued (was assigned to San Marino, see +378)
+296 – unassigned
+297 – Aruba
+298 – Faroe Islands
+299 – Greenland

[edit] Zones 3/4 – Europe
Originally larger countries, such as the United Kingdom or France, were assigned two-digit codes (to compensate for their usually longer domestic numbers) and small countries, such as Iceland, were assigned three-digit codes; however since the 1980s all new assignments have been three-digit regardless of countries’ sizes.

+30 – Greece
+31 – The Netherlands
+32 – Belgium
+33 – France
+34 – Spain
+350 – Gibraltar
+351 – Portugal
+352 – Luxembourg
+353 – Ireland
+354 – Iceland
+355 – Albania
+356 – Malta
+357 – Cyprus
+358 – Finland
+359 – Bulgaria
+36 – Hungary
+37 – discontinued (was assigned to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) until April 1992; this area is now covered by Germany's country code 49)
+370 – Lithuania
+371 – Latvia
+372 – Estonia
+373 – Moldova
+374 – Armenia
Nagorno-Karabakh uses +374 47 for landlines, and +374 97 for mobile phones
+375 – Belarus
+376 – Andorra
+377 – Monaco
+377 44 – used by mobile phone networks in Republic of Kosovo
+378 – San Marino
+379 – assigned to Vatican City but uses 39 with Italy.
+38 – discontinued (was assigned to Yugoslavia before break-up)
+380 – Ukraine
+381 – Serbia
+381 – Republic of Kosovo, uses +381 for landlines but +377 44 Monaco and +386 49 Slovenia for mobile phones.[1]
+382 – Montenegro
+383 – unassigned
+384 – unassigned
+385 – Croatia
+386 – Slovenia
+386 49 – used by mobile phone networks in Republic of Kosovo
+387 – Bosnia and Herzegovina
+388 – shared code for groups of nations
+388 3 – European Telephony Numbering Space - Europe-wide services
+389 – Republic of Macedonia
+39 – Italy and Vatican City
+40 – Romania
+41 – Switzerland
+42 – previously assigned to Czechoslovakia until its breakup. Czech Republic and Slovakia used this common code until 1 March 1997.
+420 – Czech Republic
+421 – Slovakia
+422 – unassigned
+423 – Liechtenstein
+424 – unassigned
+425 – unassigned
+426 – unassigned
+427 – unassigned
+428 – unassigned
+429 – unassigned
+43 – Austria
+44 – United Kingdom
+45 – Denmark
+46 – Sweden
+47 – Norway
+48 – Poland
+49 – Germany

[edit] Zone 5 – Mexico, Central America, South America and the French American dependencies
+500 – Falkland Islands
+501 – Belize
+502 – Guatemala
+503 – El Salvador
+504 – Honduras
+505 – Nicaragua
+506 – Costa Rica
+507 – Panama
+508 – Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
+509 – Haiti
+51 – Peru
+52 – Mexico
+53 – Cuba
+54 – Argentina
+55 – Brazil
+56 – Chile
+57 – Colombia
+58 – Venezuela
+590 – Guadeloupe
+590 – Saint Barthélemy
+590 – Saint Martin
+591 – Bolivia
+592 – Guyana
+593 – Ecuador
+594 – French Guiana
+595 – Paraguay
+596 – Martinique
+597 – Suriname
+598 – Uruguay
+599 – Netherlands Antilles

[edit] Zone 6 – Southeast Asia and Oceania
+60 – Malaysia
+61 – Australia including external territories of Christmas Island and Cocos Islands – see also Australian telephone numbering plan
+62 – Indonesia
+63 – Philippines
+64 – New Zealand
+65 – Singapore
+66 – Thailand
+670 – East Timor - formerly Northern Mariana Islands which is now included in NANPA as code +1-670 (See Zone 1, above)
+671 – formerly Guam - Now included in NANPA as code +1-671 (See Zone 1, above)
+672 – Australian external territories other than Christmas, Cocos Islands, such as Australian Antarctic Territory, Norfolk Island
+673 – Brunei
+674 – Nauru
+675 – Papua New Guinea
+676 – Tonga
+677 – Solomon Islands
+678 – Vanuatu
+679 – Fiji
+680 – Palau
+681 – Wallis and Futuna
+682 – Cook Islands
+683 – Niue Island
+684 – formerly American Samoa - Now included in NANPA as code +1-684 (See Zone 1, above)
+685 – Samoa
+686 – Kiribati
+687 – New Caledonia
+688 – Tuvalu
+689 – French Polynesia
+690 – Tokelau
+691 – Federated States of Micronesia
+692 – Marshall Islands
+693 – unassigned
+694 – unassigned
+695 – unassigned
+696 – unassigned
+697 – unassigned
+698 – unassigned
+699 – unassigned

[edit] Zone 7 – Russia and Kazakhstan
+7 – Russia, Kazakhstan. Formerly the code of the Soviet Union.

[edit] Zone 8 – East Asia and Special Services
+800 – International Freephone (UIFN)
+801 – unassigned
+802 – unassigned
+803 – unassigned
+804 – unassigned
+805 – unassigned
+806 – unassigned
+807 – unassigned
+808 – reserved for Shared Cost Services
+809 – unassigned
+81 – Japan
+82 – South Korea
+83x – unassigned
+84 – Vietnam
+850 – North Korea
+851 – unassigned
+852 – Hong Kong SAR China
+853 – Macau SAR China
+854 – unassigned
+855 – Cambodia
+856 – Laos
+857 – unassigned
+858 – unassigned
+859 – unassigned
+86 – People's Republic of China (mainland only)
+870 – Inmarsat "SNAC" service
+871 – Inmarsat (Atlantic East)
+872 – Inmarsat (Pacific)
+873 – Inmarsat (Indian)
+874 – Inmarsat (Atlantic West)
+875 – reserved for Maritime Mobile service
+876 – reserved for Maritime Mobile service
+877 – reserved for Maritime Mobile service
+878 – Universal Personal Telecommunications services
+879 – reserved for national non-commercial purposes
+880 – Bangladesh
+881 – Global Mobile Satellite System
+882 – International Networks
+883 – International Networks
+884 – unassigned
+885 – unassigned
+886 – Republic of China ("Taiwan") - listed by ITU as "Taiwan, China"
+887 – unassigned
+888 – Telecommunications for Disaster Relief by OCHA
+889 – unassigned
+89x – unassigned

[edit] Zone 9 – West, South and Central Asia
+90 – Turkey
+90 392 – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
+91 – India
+92 – Pakistan
+93 – Afghanistan
+94 – Sri Lanka
+95 – Burma
+960 – Maldives
+961 – Lebanon
+962 – Jordan
+963 – Syria
+964 – Iraq
+965 – Kuwait
+966 – Saudi Arabia
+967 – Yemen
+968 – Oman
+969 – formerly People's Democratic Republic of Yemen - now unified under 967 Yemen (formerly the Yemen Arab Republic)
+970 – reserved (for the Palestinian Authority).
+971 – United Arab Emirates
+972 – Israel
+973 – Bahrain
+974 – Qatar
+975 – Bhutan
+976 – Mongolia
+977 – Nepal
+978 – unassigned - originally assigned to Dubai, now covered under 971
+979 – International Premium Rate Service - originally assigned to Abu Dhabi, now covered under 971
+98 – Iran
+990 – unassigned
+991 – International Telecommunications Public Correspondence Service trial (ITPCS)
+992 – Tajikistan
+993 – Turkmenistan
+994 – Azerbaijan
+995 – Georgia
+996 – Kyrgyzstan
+997 – unassigned
+998 – Uzbekistan
+999 – reserved for future global service

[edit] Zone 0 – unassigned

[edit] Locations with no country code

Laptop

This article discusses portable computers, for topics concerning the upper thigh or leg see lap.
A laptop (also known as a notebook) is a personal computer designed for mobile use small enough to sit on one's lap.[1] A laptop includes most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, and/or a pointing stick), speakers, as well as a battery, into a single small and light unit. The rechargeable battery required is charged from an AC/DC adapter and typically stores enough energy to run the laptop for two to three hours in its initial state, depending on the configuration and power management of the computer.

Laptops are usually shaped like a large notebook with thicknesses between 0.7–1.5 inches (18–38 mm) and dimensions ranging from 10x8 inches (27x22cm, 13" display) to 15x11 inches (39x28cm, 17" display) and up. Modern laptops weigh 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg); older laptops were usually heavier. Most laptops are designed in the flip form factor to protect the screen and the keyboard when closed. Modern 'tablet' laptops have a complex joint between the keyboard housing and the display, permitting the display panel to twist and then lay flat on the keyboard housing. They usually have a touchscreen display and some include handwriting recognition or graphics drawing capability.

Laptops were originally considered to be "a small niche market"[2] and were thought suitable mostly for "specialized field applications" such as "the military, the Internal Revenue Service, accountants and sales representatives".[2][3] Battery-powered portable computers had just 2% worldwide market share in 1986[4]. But today, there are already more laptops than desktops in businesses, and laptops are becoming obligatory for student use and more popular for general use.[5] In 2008 more laptops than desktops were sold in the US[6] and according to a forecast by the research firm IDC and Intel, the same milestone will be achieved in the worldwide PC market as soon as 2009.[6][7]

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (traditional Chinese: 香港上海滙豐銀行有限公司), based in Hong Kong, is a wholly owned subsidiary and the founding member of the HSBC group, which is traded on several stock exchanges as HSBC Holdings plc. The business ranges from the traditional High Street roles of personal finance and commercial banking, to corporate and investment banking, and private banking. It is the largest bank in Hong Kong and has offices in Asia Pacific region.

HSBC is one of the oldest banking groups in the modern world. The bank is known locally in the expatriate community simply as The Bank or as "Hongkong Bank".

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Foundation
1.2 Business development
1.3 Second World War
1.4 International expansion
1.5 The creation of the HSBC Group
2 Hong Kong banking
2.1 Headquarters
2.2 Hong Kong dollar bank notes
3 Other Hong Kong operations
3.1 Hang Seng Bank
4 Asia Pacific operations
4.1 Bangladesh
4.2 China
4.3 India
4.4 Indonesia
4.5 Japan
4.6 New Zealand
4.7 Philippines
4.8 Singapore
4.9 South Korea
4.10 Sri Lanka
4.11 Taiwan
4.12 Thailand
5 Cultural References
6 See also
7 External links
8 References



[edit] History

[edit] Foundation
After the British established Hong Kong as a colony in the aftermath of the Opium Wars, local merchants felt the need for a bank to finance the growing trade between China and Europe (with traded products including opium).[1][2] They established the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (traditional Chinese: 香港上海滙豐銀行有限公司) in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1865.

The founder, a Scotsman named Thomas Sutherland, wanted a bank operating on "sound Scottish banking principles." Still, the original location of the bank was considered crucial and the founders chose Wardley House in Hong Kong since the construction was based on some of the best feng shui in Colonial Hong Kong.[3] The bank initially leased its premises for HKD $500 a month in 1864.

After raising a capital stock of HKD $5 million, the "Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Company Limited" opened its doors on 3 March 1865. It opened a branch in Shanghai during April of that year. The bank was incorporated in Hong Kong by special dispensation from the British Treasury in 1866, and under the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Ordinance 1866,[4] a new branch in Japan was also established. The bank handled the first public loan in China in 1874, thereafter issuing most public loans.


[edit] Business development
Sir Thomas Jackson Bart became chief manager in 1876. During his twenty-six year tenure, the Bank became a leader in Asia. Notable events included being the first bank established in Thailand, in 1888, where it printed the country's first banknotes; acting as banker for the Hong Kong government from the 1880s; and participating in the management of British colonial government accounts in China, Japan, Penang and Singapore. A period of expansion followed, with new branch offices opening in Bangkok (1921), Manila (1922) and Shanghai (1923), and a new head office building in Hong Kong in 1935.


[edit] Second World War
In anticipation of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941, the Bank's head office moved to London. During the period 1941-1943 the chief manager Vandeleur Grayburn, and his successor David C Edmondston, both died while interned by the Japanese. Arthur Morse was appointed Chief Manager in 1943 and led the bank after the war. The head office moved back to Hong Kong in 1946. During the Japanese occupation the Bank's head office building was occupied as the headquarters of the Hong Kong Japanese military government.


[edit] International expansion
Michael Turner became Chief Manager in 1953 and set about diversifying the business. His tenure came to an end in 1962 having established The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation of California 1955 and having acquired The British Bank of the Middle East and the Mercantile Bank (based in India) in 1959. In 1962, H.J. Shen., the managing director of Maysun Trading Co. and the former head of the Central Trust of China, became the first ethnic Chinese official appointed to the position of Chief Manager of the bank. Under the tenure of both H.J. Shen and Jake Saunders the bank continued to expand. 1965 saw the bank purchase a controlling interest in Hang Seng Bank of Hong Kong, and 1972 the formation of a merchant banking arm, Wardley Limited.

In 1964 the Chief Managership was superseded as the top executive role in the bank by an Executive Chairmanship (Saunders taking this role until retirement in 1972).

In 1980, the Bank launched a hostile takeover bid for the Royal Bank of Scotland, although the bid was blocked by the British government.

diamond center

Background | Name | Sources | Uses | Substitutes and Alternative Sources

Background
Name

Sources

Uses

Alternative Sources

Background
Two different minerals are formed from the element carbon. One is graphite which is one of the softest minerals on Earth. The other is diamond which is the hardest substance on Earth (10 on Mohs' hardness scale). The difference in hardness is due to the way the carbon atoms attach to one another. In diamond, they attach in a three-dimensional manner that mineralogists describe as a framework.

Diamond forms at extremely high temperatures and pressures, conditions that are only possible very deep in the Earth’s crust or even the upper mantle. Large diamonds, particularly large diamonds without flaws, are extremely rare. These flawless diamonds are very valuable as gemstones. The vast majority of diamonds are small, flawed and colored by dark impurities. These impure diamonds are used in industrial uses.

Industrial diamonds make up more than half of the world’s production by weight. The weight of both gem and industrial diamonds is expressed in carats. One carat equals one fifth of a gram.

Diamond crystallizes in the isometric (cubic) system, and regularly forms cubes and octahedra (an octahedra is an 8-sided "diamond-shaped" crystal; see below).

In the diamond industry, the term "bort" is used for diamonds that have a rough, rounded form and which lack a distinct cleavage. Cleavage is the term used by mineralogists to describe the way some minerals break into flat surfaces. Bort refers to low grade, poor quality, industrial diamonds.

<= Diamond crystal in "blue ground" rock.

Used with permission.
Ó 2001 Darryl Powell

Name

The name diamond is a corruption of the Greek word adamas which means invincible. It was given in reference to diamond’s great hardness.

Sources

Natural diamond has been discovered in approximately 35 different countries. Some diamonds have been found in the United States. Colorado, for instance, has produced a small number of diamonds.

The following countries produce industrial grade diamonds: Australia, Botswana, Brazil, China, Congo, Russia and South Africa.

Geologically speaking, natural diamonds are found in two environments. Most are found in kimberlites, which are pipe-like formations created as a result of volcanic and tectonic activity. Kimberlite is a blue rock typical of these pipes. The second source is placer deposits. The diamonds are easily weathered out of their kimberlite host rock and are washed away by streams and rivers. When these streams slow down, the diamonds are deposited in the stream sands in what are called placer deposits.

It is interesting to note that "synthetic diamond" is the form of diamond predominantly used in industry. The process allows the removal of impurities and produces a product with consistent physical properties; most of the carbon comes from graphite. Synthetic diamond accounts for the majority of industrial diamond consumption.

Uses

Because it is the hardest substance known, diamond will cut through any material. Consequently, it is used as an abrasive and in cutting and grinding applications. Industrial diamonds are embedded in large steel drill bits to drill into rock for wells to find water, oil, and natural gas. It is also important in the manufacture of machinery for drilling and cutting metal machine parts.

The United States is by far the world’s largest consumer and market for industrial diamonds. It is predicted that the U.S. will lead the world in diamond consumption well into the 21st century.

Substitutes and Alternative Sources

The mineral corundum can be used for some grinding and cutting applications since it is also an extremely hard mineral (number 9 on Mohs' hardness scale). Some manufactured materials can also be used in place of diamond, including carbon boron nitride, fused aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide.

bank of scotland

Bank of Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Not to be confused with Royal Bank of Scotland.
Bank of Scotland plc
Type Subsidiary
Founded 1695
Headquarters North Bank Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
Key people Susan Rice Managing Director
Industry Finance and insurance
Products Financial services
Employees 20,000
Parent Lloyds Banking Group
Website www.bankofscotland.co.uk
The Bank of Scotland plc (Gaidhlig " Banca na h- Alba") is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank (the Bank of England having been established two years before) in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to remain in existence. It was also the first bank in Europe to print its own banknotes. The Bank of Scotland continues to print its own sterling banknotes under legal arrangements which allow some UK banks to issue currency.

On 17 September 2007 The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland became Bank of Scotland plc, as part of the HBOS Group Reorganisation Act 2006.

Since 19 January 2009 the Bank of Scotland has formed part of the Lloyds Banking Group, following the acquisition of HBOS plc by Lloyds TSB.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Establishment
1.2 18th and 19th centuries
1.3 20th century
1.4 International expansion
1.5 Formation of HBOS
1.6 HBOS Reorganisation Act
1.7 Lloyds Banking Group
2 Banknotes
2.1 Banknote history
2.2 1995 series
2.3 Current 2007 series
3 Gaelic policy
4 Corporate structure
5 List of Governors of the Bank of Scotland
6 Football sponsorship
7 Notes
8 See also
9 External links



[edit] History

[edit] Establishment
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland was established by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland on 17 July 1695,[1] the Act for erecting a Bank in Scotland, opening for business in February 1696. Although established soon after the Bank of England (1694), the Bank of Scotland was a very different institution. Where the Bank of England was established specifically to finance defence spending by the English government, the Bank of Scotland was established by the Scottish government to support Scottish business, and was prohibited from lending to the government without parliamentary approval.[1] The founding Act granted the bank a monopoly on public banking in Scotland for 21 years, permitted the bank's directors to raise a nominal capital of £1,200,000 Pound Scots (£100,000 Pound Sterling), gave the Proprietors (shareholders) limited liability, and in the final clause (repealed only in 1920) made all foreign-born Proprietors naturalised Scotsmen "to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever".[1] John Holland, an Englishman, was one of the bank's founders.[1] Its first chief accountant was George Watson.[2]


[edit] 18th and 19th centuries
The Bank of Scotland was suspected of Jacobite sympathies[1] and as a result the Bank's monopoly ended in 1716, and its first rival, the Royal Bank of Scotland was formed by Royal Charter in 1727.[1] This led to a period of great competition between the two banks as they set to drive each other out of business.[1] Although the "Bank Wars" ended in around 1751,[1] competition soon arose from other sources, as other Scottish banks were founded throughout the country.[1] In response, the Bank of Scotland themselves began to open branches throughout Scotland. The first branch in London opened in 1865.[3]

The bank also took the lead in establishing the security and stability of the entire Scottish banking system, which became more important after the collapse of the Ayr Bank in 1772,[4] in the crisis following the collapse of the London house of Neal, James, Fordyce and Down. The Western Bank collapsed in 1857, and the Bank of Scotland stepped in with the other Scottish banks to ensure that all Western Bank's notes were paid.[5]

Swiss-American

About Swiss-American


Founded in 1938 Swiss-American is now considered a leading importer and distributor of cheese and deli items with import licenses dating back to the 1940's. Currently Swiss-American cuts and wraps over 300 varieties of cheeses for thousands of delis weekly. Swiss-American also stocks over 500 varieties of import, domestic and deli specialties daily.

Canada Passport & Visa Requirements

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Passport & Visa

Visa Agencies:
Avoid the stress and queues, get a visa agency to arrange your visa.
Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com
Global Visas, Canada: Canadian work, tourism and emigration visas

Entry requirements for Americans: US travellers should have a valid passport if departing from the USA, otherwise a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, as well as proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, is recommended or a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document. A visa is not required for a stay of up to six months.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals must have a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is not required for passports endorsed British Citizen, British Citizen (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizen and British National (Overseas). Other British passport holders are advised to check on visa requirements for entry to Canada. Visa exemption is for a stay of up to six months.

Entry requirements for Australians: Australians must hold passports valid for period of intended stay. A visa is not required for a stay of up to six months.

Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must be in possession of a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is required.

Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealanders require a passport valid for the period of the intended stay. No visa is necessary for stays of up to six months.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must hold a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is not required for stays of up to six months.

Passport/Visa Note: All visitors must hold a valid passport. Visitors are recommended to hold onward or return tickets, all documents needed for the next destination and sufficient funds to cover the period of intended stay. As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers travelling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. If departing from the USA a valid passport will be required by immigration authorities.



Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.


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Visiting New Zealand

You may need to apply for a visitor visa or permit if you intend to stay temporarily in New Zealand, but you don't intend to study or work. When you are granted a permit, you can stay in New Zealand for up to nine months.



Do I need a visa or permit?
Take the quick check to see whether you need a visitor visa to come to New Zealand, or check our list of visa-free countries. If your home country is on the list, then you can enter New Zealand without a visa, depending on how long you want to stay. If you don't need a visa, you can start planning your trip.



Our requirements
If you need a visitor visa to come to New Zealand, you will need to meet our requirements, including funds, health and character.



How to apply
Find out how to apply for a visitor visa, and get the forms you will need. This section includes useful checklists to help you supply the right information when you lodge your application.



Transit visas
Even if you are only passing through New Zealand, as a traveller in transit, you may need to apply for a transit visa.



Tour guides
If you are a tour guide, leader or escort and you will be working while you are in New Zealand, you will need to apply for a Specific Purpose work visa before you arrive. Working is any activity resulting in gain or reward, including any form of payment or benefit that can be valued in terms of money, such as board and lodging, goods (eg, food or clothes) and services (eg, transport).



Learn more about New Zealand
If you don't need a visa or your application has been accepted, and you want to learn more about New Zealand, see our visitor information area.



Already in New Zealand?
You may be able to extend your stay, or even become a resident.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Arnold Schwarzenegger



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

38th Governor of California
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 17, 2003
Lieutenant Cruz Bustamante (2003–2007)
John Garamendi (2007–present)
Preceded by Gray Davis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
In office
1990 – January 20, 1993

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Born July 30, 1947 (1947-07-30) (age 61)
Thal, Styria, Austria
Nationality Austrian & American
Political party Republican
Spouse Maria Shriver (1986–present)
Children Katherine (born 1989)
Christina (born 1991)
Patrick (born 1993)
Christopher (born 1997)
Residence Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
Alma mater University of Wisconsin-Superior
Occupation Politician
Profession Bodybuilder, actor, politician, investor
Religion Roman Catholic
Website gov.ca.gov
schwarzenegger.com
Military service
Service/branch Austrian Army
Years of service 1965
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German IPA: [ˌaɐnɔlt aloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənɛɡɐ]; born July 30, 1947) is an American and Austrian bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California.

Schwarzenegger began weight-training at 15. He was awarded the title of Mr. Universe at age 22 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest a total of seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, and has written several books and numerous articles on the sport.

Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon, noted for his lead role in films such as Conan the Barbarian and The Terminator. He was nicknamed the "Austrian Oak" and the "Styrian Oak" in his bodybuilding days, "Arnold Strong" and "Arnie" during his acting career, and more recently the "Governator" (a portmanteau of Governor and the Terminator, one of his film roles).[1]

As a Republican, he was first elected on October 7, 2003, in a special recall election to replace then-Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger was sworn in on November 17, 2003, to serve the remainder of Davis's term. Schwarzenegger was then re-elected on November 7, 2006, in California's 2006 gubernatorial election, to serve a full term as governor, defeating Democrat Phil Angelides, who was California State Treasurer at the time. Schwarzenegger was sworn in for a second term on January 5, 2007.[2] In May 2004 and 2007, he was named as one of the Time 100 people who help shape the world.[3][4]

Schwarzenegger is married to Maria Shriver and has four children.

Contents [hide]
1 Early life
1.1 Early adulthood
1.2 Move to the U.S.
2 Bodybuilding career
2.1 Strongman
2.2 Mr. Olympia
2.3 Steroid use
3 Acting career
4 Political career
4.1 Early politics
4.2 Governor of California
4.2.1 Amendment of Three Strikes Law
4.3 Electoral history
4.4 Environmental record
5 Personal life
5.1 Accidents and medical issues
6 Business career
6.1 Planet Hollywood
6.2 Net worth
7 Allegations of sexual and personal misconduct
8 See also
9 Notes
10 Bibliography
10.1 Interviews
10.2 Film
11 External links
11.1 Official
11.2 Election websites
11.3 Nonpartisan
11.4 Unofficial



Early life
Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, a small village bordering the Styrian capital Graz, and was christened Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger.[5] His parents were the local police chief Gustav Schwarzenegger (1907 – 1972), and his wife, Aurelia Jadrny (1922 – 1998). They were married on October 20, 1945 – Gustav was 38, and Aurelia was a 23-year-old widow with a son named Meinhard. According to Schwarzenegger, both of his parents were very strict: "Back then in Austria it was a very different world, if we did something bad or we disobeyed our parents, the rod was not spared."[6] He grew up in a Roman Catholic family who attended church service every Sunday.[7]

Gustav had a preference for Meinhard, the elder of the two sons.[8] His favoritism was "strong and blatant," which stemmed from unfounded suspicion that Arnold was not his child.[9] Schwarzenegger has said his father had "no patience for listening or understanding your problems… there was a wall; a real wall."[7] Schwarzenegger had a good relationship with his mother, and kept in touch with her until her death.[10] In later life, Schwarzenegger commissioned the Simon Wiesenthal Center to research his father's wartime record, which came up with no evidence of atrocities despite Gustav's membership in the Nazi Party and SA.[8] At school, Schwarzenegger was apparently in the middle, but stood out for his "cheerful, good-humored and exuberant" character.[7] Money was a problem in the household; Schwarzenegger has recalled that one of the highlights of his youth was when the family bought a refrigerator.[9]

As a boy, Schwarzenegger played many sports—heavily influenced by his father.[7] He picked up his first barbell in 1960, when his football coach took his team to a local gym.[5] At the age of 14, Schwarzenegger chose bodybuilding over football (soccer) as a career.[11][12] Schwarzenegger has responded to a question asking if he was age 13 when he started weightlifting: "I actually started weight training when I was fifteen, but I'd been participating in sports, like soccer, for years, so I felt that although I was slim, I was well-developed, at least enough so that I could start going to the gym and start Olympic lifting."[6] However, his official website biography claims: "At 14, he started an intensive training program with Dan Farmer, studied psychology at 15 (to learn more about the power of mind over body) and at 17, officially started his competitive career."[13] During a speech in 2001, he said, "My own plan formed when I was 14 years old. My father had wanted me to be a police officer like he was. My mother wanted me to go to trade school."[14] Schwarzenegger took to visiting a gym in Graz, where he also frequented the local movie theaters to see bodybuilding idols such as Reg Park, Steve Reeves and Johnny Weissmuller on the big screen. "I was inspired by individuals like Reg Park and Steve Reeves."[6] When Reeves died in 2000, Schwarzenegger fondly remembered him: "As a teenager, I grew up with Steve Reeves. His remarkable accomplishments allowed me a sense of what was possible, when others around me didn't always understand my dreams ... Steve Reeves has been part of everything I've ever been fortunate enough to achieve."[15] In 1961, Schwarzenegger met former Mr. Austria Kurt Marnul, who invited him to train at the gym in Graz.[5] He was so dedicated as a youngster that he was known to break into the local gym on weekends, when it was usually closed, so that he could train. "It would make me sick to miss a workout … I knew I couldn't look at myself in the mirror the next morning if I didn't do it."[6] When Schwarzenegger was asked about his first movie experience as a boy, he replied, "I was very young, but I remember my father taking me to the Austrian theaters and seeing some newsreels. The first real movie I saw, that I distinctly remember, was a John Wayne movie."[6]