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Source: Pioneer Press, St.文件倉 Paul, Minn.Sept. 07--A St. Paul police officer was driving up to 70 mph on Grand Avenue, heading to assist fellow officers, when she collided with another car last year.The driver in the other car, which had pulled in front of the squad car, was knocked unconscious and critically injured in the crash. After an internal affairs investigation, St. Paul's police chief issued a 15-day suspension to the officer and ordered her to go through "retraining in police driving protocols," according to her discipline letter.In St. Paul, the police department's Accident Review Board deemed 48 squad car accidents last year "preventable" out of a total of 84. That was the highest number of accidents since at least 2008. On average, there were 36 preventable accidents each year between 2008 and 2011, a Pioneer Press analysis found.Each day, police officers make decisions that balance the need to respond quickly to emergencies with the risks to others on the roads. St. Paul police spokesman Sgt. Paul Paulos said officers usually do so without incident -- "99.9 percent of the time, we get from point A to point B safely," he said.That was not the case in Minneapolis in May, when an officer was heading to a deadly shooting with his squad car's lights and siren on. He went through a red light at 16 to 17 mph, and a motorcyclist, Ivan Romero Olivares, struck the rear of the squad car, according to Minneapolis police. Olivares, 24, was killed.On Aug. 21, a 101-year-old pedestrian died after being injured when a St. Paul police squad car backed into her. The officer had responded to a complaint about a juvenile and was slowly backing up when her Ford Explorer SUV hit Roza Sakhina on Aug. 16, police have said. Both that case and the Minneapolis one remain under investigation.In the St. Paul police statistics about squad car accidents, not all crashes resulted in injuries, and some accidents were minor, such as a squad car scraping a fire hydrant or garbage can, Paulos said."Any timeyou see somewhat of an increase (in the number of accidents), it raises a question, but at the same time, our chief is very proactive in looking at how to solve issues, get the officers the best training out there and make everyone as safe as possible," Paulos said.'UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS'In the squad car accident that ended in serious injury on Grand Avenue last year, officer Jennifer Mink told the police department she was trying to provide backup to officers who were stopping a vehicle wanted in a gun-pointing incident, though no police radio transmissions indicated the officers needed help, according to the internal affairs review, which was among public information released by police at the Pioneer Press' request. The department also released video from Mink's squad car that shows the officer's driving behavior before the crash and the accident.During the internal affairs investigation, a sergeant questioned Mink about the speed she was traveling and why she wasn't aware that other officers were providing backup.The sergeant wrote in an internal affairs report: "I asked Officer Mink why she was not able to hear squads responding on the (police) radio as she responded. ... Officer Mink did not have an answer. I asked if maybe the reason she could not hear the (police) radio was because her stereo was on. Officer Mink said no and that it was because she was focused on driving."Mink drove up to 87 mph while responding to the call, the police investigation found. The speed limit at the accident site on Grand Avenue near the Ayd Mill Road exit ramp was 30 mph, though police responding to emergencies are not bound to the posted speed limit.State law says officers have "the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of persons using the street." Prosecutors reviewed the accident involving Mink and found no basis to file criminal charges against her.But Police Chief Thomas Smith suspended Mink for violating department policy, including driving vehicles with "reasonable care."He wrote in Mink's discipline letter: "As a police officer you have a responsibility for the public's safety. This includes making sound decisions and operating an emergency vehicle in accordance with department regulations and training with due regard for the safety of other persons and vehicles operating on the same streets. Your actions in this instance were unsafe and dangerous to others and yourself."CAR PULLS INTO LANEPolice reports and a report about the internal affairs investigation give the following account of what happened in last year's squad car crash:It was Jan. 30, 2012, when Mink was on patrol in a marked cruiser and heading to a call. She was driving south on Snelling Avenue, in the area of Highland Parkway, when she heard over the police radio an officer requesting assistance on another call -- stopping a vehicle involved in an earlier gun-pointing incident.Mink told the police department she recalled reading an alert, which said that "if that car was located to use caution because there could be guns in the car," a police report said.Though Mink said she knew she wasn't near the suspect car (she was 2.4 miles away when the car was stopped near Lexington Parkway and Concordia Avenue), she noted that the call came during a shift change and said "she believed there was an inadequate number of squads responding, because of the nature of the call," according to the report in the internal affairs investigation.Mink turned on her emergency lights and siren and made a U-turn to head north on Snelling Avenue. Mink was alternating different siren sounds along with the squad's air horn, reports said.She went east on Grand Avenue and, near Kowalski's Market, the officer said, she saw a silver car on Ayd Mill Road halt at the stop sign and then slowly pull onto Grand Ave存倉ue. The Toyota Camry stopped in the middle of Grand Avenue. Mink said she made eye contact with the driver.Mink said she applied her brakes mildly to moderately because she thought the car was going to continue crossing her lane and turn left onto Grand Avenue, but the car didn't move."Officer Mink also indicated seeing a vehicle to her left and wasn't sure if the silver car would have been able to turn onto W/B Grand because of the vehicle that had pulled over," a police report said. "She (Mink) then said she tried to turn her steering wheel to the right to try to go around the car to the right but when the car stopped she crashed." The accident happened about 4:40 p.m.Lidia Pavitova, then 28 and a River Falls, Wis., resident, was knocked unconscious from the impact; St. Paul firefighters had to extricate her from the car.A letter dated April 2012 said that as far as the Ramsey County attorney's office knew at the time, Pavitova was still in Regions Hospital's intensive-care unit. At that point, she'd been put into "a medically-induced coma while doctors waited for swelling to go down to do further assessment and treatment," the letter said.More recently, Pavitova's sister said in a message that her sister is doing well and improving every day, but otherwise didn't respond to Pioneer Press requests for comment.Neither Mink nor the St. Paul police union's president responded to requests seeking comment.NO 'RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR ... SAFETY'Mink told the department that she hadn't looked at her speed while driving because "her attention was focused on the road," a police report said. Mink had reduced her speed as she approached intersections and sped up in between, "reaching speeds of 60, 65, 70, 75, with the top speed of 87 mph," the internal affairs summary said.An internal affairs sergeant questioned Mink about whether "87 mph was a reasonable speed to respond to the traffic stop that possibly had weapons in the vehicle," the internal affairs report said. "Officer Mink said yes." She added that "she needed to get there as quick as she could in case something 'really really bad happened.' "Before the accident, when Mink began braking, she was traveling between 64 and 70 mph, according to the collision analysis and reconstruction report. The maximum speed the squad car "could have been traveling and had sufficient time to perceive, respond, and brake to stop" within the approximately 178 feet between it and the Camry was 44 mph, the investigation said.The Ramsey County attorney's office and Minneapolis city attorney's office, which reviewed the case to avoid a potential conflict of interest for their St. Paul counterparts, declined to file charges.The county attorney's office memo declining charges said "65-70 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone is very fast; however, one cannot ignore the fact that this officer was responding to a serious call using appropriate lights and emergency sounds. Her driving as a whole looked appropriate under the circumstances."The city attorney's memo said Mink's decision to exceed the speed limit "falls within the statutory exception for the use of an emergency vehicle and is not inherently criminal in nature solely because of the tragic consequences of this case. Rather, the proper standard for review is whether Officer Mink exhibited a reckless disregard for the safety of others." The letter concluded, "the evidence does not suggest a reckless disregard for the safety of others by Officer Mink."MORE TRAINING ORDEREDMink, who joined the St. Paul Police Department academy as a police trainee in October 2009 and became an officer in January 2010, had not been disciplined before this case. Her personnel file noted nine thank-you notes for her work.Five days of Mink's 15-day suspension are to be held in abeyance for one year, and the discipline is to be reduced on paper to a 10-day suspension after one year if "there are no same or similar actions," Chief Smith's December letter said.Smith wrote in the letter that Mink had to go through "retraining in police driving protocols."All peace officers in Minnesota are required to complete an eight-hour course in emergency-vehicle operations and police pursuits every five years.The St. Paul Police Department puts its officers through the training every three years, Paulos said. In addition to driving on a closed course, St. Paul added an online component to training this year for all officers. The mandatory computerized training showed officers various driving scenarios that they had to respond to, and they had to pass a written test after each unit of the training, Paulos said.The department added this additional training because, Paulos said, "We're always seeking new ways to train and how to operate our squad cars during emergency situations."Last year, during an arbitration hearing for another officer disciplined for a squad car crash, the union representing St. Paul police officers "submitted evidence purportedly showing that Chief Smith had become concerned with the number of recent costly accidents and had instructed the ARB (Accident Review Board) chair and senior command staff to come up with ideas to reduce the number of accidents and injuries," according to an arbitrator's ruling on the union grievance over the officer's discipline.But Smith testified during the arbitration hearing "that he did not direct the ARB chair to make an example of" the officer in that case "in order to further this objective," the ruling said.MaryJo Webster contributed to this report.Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262. Follow her at twitter.com/MaraGottfried or twitter.com/ppUsualSuspects.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Visit the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) at .twincities.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉

Source: Tulsa World, Okla.迷你倉Sept. 06--Most are familiar with the insurance company commercial on television that features an attractive young woman who believes that if it's on the Internet, it has to be true.She tells a friend that she has just been swept off her computer screen by a charming Frenchman.And here he comes now, eager and ready for his date powered by the Internet.The obvious question in this scenario is: Is this guy really French?He appears to have stopped on the way to this date to browse through a Dumpster. He seems to be about as French as Paris, Texas.As the eager and attractive young woman strolls off with the alleged Frenchman, most viewers would express concern for the well-being of the female.Here's what I think happens. It's the woman running a con game on the poor slob, and not the other way around. Once out of camera range, she pins him against a fence and mugs him, leaving him roughed up in a pile of leftovers.The Internet is often a field of illusion.Get smart: The technological miracle of the week is the Dick Tracy watch, the smart watch, the world on your wrist for about $300.The smart watch will enable the wearer to get messages, take pictures, and drive through more red lights.Whereas it might seem to some to be technology for technology's儲存sake, the smart watch could improve manners. Instead of somebody rudely looking down at a smartphone during person-to-person conversation, the smart watch screen is so small that the wearer will have to bring it to eye-level and near the nose to see who is asking what's up.Smartphone, smart glasses, smart television, smart pad, smart watch, dumb weekends alone.Convicted in a free trial: The best Internet con ever is the free trial for a short period of time.Free nutritional supplement, free credit check, free trial subscription, simply click here.But opting out is like a game of Where's Waldo's Phone Number?No matter how big-time a website appears, the home office can be in the back of a station wagon in Curacao.The Contact Us phone number is seldom the opt-out phone number.To get out of a free trial, you might have to know a 37-digit account number that you didn't even know you had.In a conversation today, my attempt to cancel a free trial featured this request numerous times, "Please, I beg you, don't hang up."Before you take anything free, chart the road to cancellation.Out there on the Internet, they want your money.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services新蒲崗迷你倉

LONDON, September 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --UK based SUISSE BANK PLC closes bank guarantee debut with INGTRADE FINANCE specialist SUISSE BANK PLC has entered into a landmark EUR5million trade finance agreement with global financial institution ING.mini storageWorld leader ING joined the SUISSE BANK PLC trade finance network with the acceptance of a multi-million euro bank guarantee instrument.A spokesperson for SUISSE BANK PLC said: "We are very pleased ING accepted our bank guarantee instrument and made the decision to join our trade finance network.""This is a clear demonstration that SUISSE BANK PLC is focused on providing value for our customers and evidence of our interest in properly understanding the needs of the global trade finance market," the spokesperson said.SUISSE BANK PLC supplies comprehensive trade finance instruments from its secure online platform allowing speedy adoption of guarantees (BG), standby letters of credit (SBLC), documentary letters of credit (LC), proofs of funds (POF) and warranties (avals).Through its website .suissebank.com, the bank is focused on facilitating quick data transformation while guaranteeing security, legal certainty, and document oself storageiginality."The considerable amount of financial institutions already linked to SUISSE BANK PLC proves that companies are demanding our technological skills in relation to speed of deployment of our various trade finance instruments," the SUISSE BANK PLC spokesperson said.SUISSE BANK PLC's sister company FARGO BANK LIMITED provides further products and services - not only in the private banking sector such as cash management, capital markets and account management, debit cards and E-Banking - but also in the corporate banking sector such as international payments, leasing and trust services.ABOUT SUISSE BANK PLC: SUISSE BANK PLC is a company incorporated in England with a registered office in London. Its primary competencies are in the fields of trade financing including guarantees, standby-and/or letters of credit and warranties. A lean and efficient organisation with high mobility and absolute confidentiality, SUISSE BANK PLC offers its services only to its shareholders and not to the general public.FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please log on to .suissebank.comand fill in our contact form. In the alternative, you can call us in London on +44-(0)20-3159-5052.SUISSE BANK PLC迷你倉

This story was first published in The Sunday Times on Sept 1, 2013London and Paris just do not cut it anymore: An increasing number of Singaporeans are eschewing traditional European tourist hotspots for the continent's less-visited countries.迷你倉出租Travel agencies are reporting an increase of 30 to 35 per cent in bookings to more exotic European locations so far this year, compared to last year, but the agencies decline to reveal absolute numbers.Such up-and-coming destinations include Portugal, the Vatican City, countries in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, as well as the less-traversed towns of Italy.Ms Alicia Seah, vice-president of CTC Travel, says: "The strong Singapore dollar against the euro now means Singaporeans have more spending power in Europe." The Singapore dollar is $1.69 to the euro.Many Singapore travellers have already been to Central Europe and are now looking for destinations beyond the major cities in countries such as Switzerland and France, she adds.Administrator Mary Lim, 54, returned last month from a 12-day tour of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland with ASA Holidays. The weaker euro influenced her decision to explore Scandinavia, says Ms Lim, who has previously toured Italy, Paris and Switzerland."I've been eyeing the region for a while now," she adds. "Since the exchange rate is favourable, I thought it would be a good time to travel and explore a new place."Similarly motivated by the attractive exchange rate, finance manager Veronica Low, 69, booked a 13-day trip to Eastern Europe with CTC Travel at the recent travel fair organised by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore or Natas."I had been watching the currency exchange rate for a while and exchanged some of my money for euros even before I had booked my holiday. When I saw the rate fall so much, I decided I had to act immediately," she says.Ms Low, who has visited France, Italy and Switzerland on previous trips, says she was attracted to the tour of Eastern Europe - with stops in Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland - because she had read that it was very different from Central Europe."The cities I saw in Central Europe were more familiar and looked like places I had seen before. The pace of life, culture and architecture of Eastern Europe are completely different and that really attracted me," she says.The currency depreciation has also meant that travellers are keen to get to know a particular country well, says MsEileen Oh of ASA Holidays."Many Singaporeans have been to the usual suspects of Central Europe and are taking advantage of the favourable euro to visit other parts of Europe, or to tour Europe in depth," she says.As an example, she cites how at least 15per cent more of ASA Holidays' customers this year are choosing to spend time in a single European destination - as opposed to visiting multiple countries in a "touch and go" fashion - compared to last year.Italy, one of the most popular destinations for Singaporean tourists, is still yielding new-on-the-radar cities and towns. These include the "tranquil and quaint" Orvieto, a city in south-western Umbria, which sits on a rock of solid volcanic ash; and Greve in Chianti, in Tuscany, with its many mediaeval buildings, says Chan Brothers' spokesman Michelle Yin.The Italian hill town of Montepulciano has become popular lately as well, says CTC Travel's Ms Seah, probably because scenes in one of the blockbuster Twilight movies were filmed there.Mr David Chang, 61, decided to spend two weeks last year exploring southern Italy with his wife and three other couples - all seasoned travellers."I didn't want to do one of those trips where you cover the whole of Europe in 14 days. We decided to focus on one country," says the retired owner of a manufacturing company, who has visited more than 10 European countries on multi-city tours. These included Britain, Germany, Holland and France. He had also been to big Italian cities such as Milan and Rome."Even then, two weeks was not enough to get to know the whole country, so we further narrowed it down to the south of Italy," he adds.Their trip last year with Chan's World Holiday, a bespoke travel agency owned by Chan Brothers, included the ancient town of Pompeii and the island of Capri."I much preferred the slower pace of exploring just one region," he concludes.jennanid@sph.com.sgThis story was first published in The Sunday Times on Sept 1, 2013To subscribe to The Straits Times, please go to .sphsubscription.com.sg/eshop/Spitz is one of the historic towns near Vienna.AUSTRIAThis small, landlocked country can often be overlooked as it borders eight other European nations. Its capital Vienna, however, is a cultural and economic hub, and is known for being the home of the father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud.Highlights:Visit Schonbrunn Palace and its gardens (Schonbrunner Schlosstra?e 47 1130 Vienna, tel: +43-1-8111-3239, .schoenbrunn.at/en.html), the former summer residence of the Habsburg imperial family. The rooms are mainly decorated in the 18th-century Rococo style, with white lacquered walls and ceilings, crystal chandeliers and gold leaf ornamentation. In 1772, child prodigy Mozart, then six, gave a concert in the palace's Hall of Mirrors.Visit Sigmund Freud Museum and see the famous shrink's former apartment and office, as well as an exhibition showcasing his life and work. Finish your visit with coffee at Cafe Landtmann (Universitatsring 4, 1010 Vienna, tel: +43-1- 2410-0120, .landtann.at), Freud's preferred coffee house, where a cuppa costs around S$6.Visit the Hofburg Palace (Michaelerkuppel, Hofburg, 1010 Vienna, tel: +43-1-5337-570, .hofburg-wien.at/en.html), the official residence of the Austrian President, which has housed the Habsburg royal family and served as their principal winter residence. Built in 1279, it has been expanded over the centuries, since the 1200s to include museums, the treasury, the national theatre and a riding school.See St Charles' Church (Kreuzherrengasse 1, 1040 Vienna, tel: +43-1-5046-187, .karlskirche.at), an impressive building in the Baroque style erected in the early 1700s. It is one of the city's iconic buildings, with its distinctive dome and bas-relief columns.Best time to visit: May to October when Vienna's gardens and parks get busy as the cold thaws. Street cafes come to life once it is warm enough for outdoor seating.Go with: CTC Travel's 13-day Eastern Europe Spectacular, which covers Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Prices start from $2,388. To book, call CTC Travel on 6536-3995 or go to .ctc.com.sg.SOUTHERN ITALYThe South of Italy has been gaining popularity with tourists, with its quaint small towns such as Montepulciano and Greve, vibrant landscapes, and rich history.Highlights:Take a cable car ride up to the mediaeval hilltop town of Orvieto. See the Duomo, an elaborate church in the middle of town with a Gothic facade, before exploring the town's underground caverns and cellars.Visit the small town of Greve, known for its wine and olive oil, and try samples of both at La Cantine di Greve.Travel to Cinque Terre, a Unesco World Heritage Site, where five villages run across the coastline above the Gulf of Poets. Explore the villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso via old footpaths that run through the vineyards and olive groves between the villages.Best time to visit: Mid-March to early May, when the weather is mild enough for visitors to walk and cycle around leisurely.Go with: Chan Brothers' 11-day Italia Infinito tour, which covers Siena, Greve, LaSpezia, Bologna and Parma. Prices start from $3,438. To book, call 6438-8880 or go to .ChanBrothers.com.A view of Bratislava city centre from the Danube river.SLOVAKIASlovakia's capital city, Bratislava, has its fair share of ancient and religious history to be explored.Highlights:Stroll through Old Town, where the traffic-free streets and centuries-old buildings, squares and churches seem out of a fairy tale.Visit St Martin's Cathedral (Rudnayovo namestie 4549/1, 811 01 Bratislava - Stare Mesto-Old Town, tel: +421-2-544-313-59), built in a stark Gothic style, where 19 Hungarian kings and queens were coronated.Lose yourself in one of the city's many quirky museums. There is the Museum of Clocks (Zidovska Street 1, tel.:+421-2- 5441-19-40), wh迷你倉ch showcases the history of clock-making and has many unique sun-dials, wall clocks and alarm clocks. The Pharmacy Museum (Michalska Street 26, tel: +421-2-541-31-214) shows the history of pharmacy in the city, as well as the oldest tools for preparing medicine and laboratory ware.See Bratislava castle, which stands on a hill directly above the Danube river (Zamocka, 811 01 Bratislava Old Town, tel: +421-2-544-114-44), from which you can see not just Bratislava, but Austria and Hungary as well.Best time to visit: Late August, when the tourist crowds have thinned and hotels are cheaper. Those who can brave the cold may want to go from late November to December, when a Christmas market opens in Hviezdoslavovo Square, Main Square and Frantiskanske Square.Go with: CTC Travel's 13-day Eastern Europe Spectacular, which covers Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Prices start from $2,388. To book, call CTC Travel on 6536-3995 or go to .ctc.com.sg.Sistine Chapel.VATICAN CITYThink Singapore is small? Take a trip to the smallest country in the world, with an area of 44ha - compared to more than 70,000ha here - and a population of 840. More than just a place of pilgrimage for Catholics, the Vatican City also boasts impressive Renaissance architecture and delicious food.Highlights:Housed inside St Peter's Basilica (Piazza San Pietro 00120 Citta del Vaticano, tel: +39-06-6988-3731) is Michelangelo's famous Renaissance sculpture Pieta. The sculpture depicts Jesus lying on the lap of his mother Mary after his crucifixion.Visit the Sistine Chapel (Viale Vaticano 00120 Citta del Vaticano, tel: +39-06-6988- 4676), famous worldwide for its iconic ceiling showing nine scenes from the Book of Genesis from the Bible, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512.Chow down at the Pizzarium (Via della Meloria 43, tel: +39-06-3974-5416), a 15-minute walk from St Peter's Basilica. Opened by famed pizza chef Gabriele Bonci, the joint is thought by foodies to serve up the best pizza in the city, with a chewy dough different from the classic thin-crust Italian pizzas.One cannot leave Vatican City without visiting St Peter's Basilica, the burial site of the first Pope, St Peter and many others since. The current Pope, Pope Francis, speaks twice a week at the Basilica, drawing crowds of up to 80,000 people in St Peter's Square. The Pope speaks on Wednesdays and Sundays. To see him on a Sunday , you will have to arrive early in the morning to find a good spot for his noon address.Best time to visit: September, when it is not too cold to stand outdoors in St Peter's Square and the queues are not as bad as in the summer.Go with: Most travel agencies offer trips to Vatican City as part of an Italy tour, including CTC Travel's 13-day Best of Italy, Switzerland and France tour. Prices start from $3,988. To book, call 6536-3995 or go to .ctc.com.sg.Bruges Market Square.BRUGES, BELGIUMCheck out the picturesque Bruges (say "broo-sh") in Belgium. Referred to as the "Venice of the North" because of its many canals, the city almost stole the show in the 2008 crime drama In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as Irish hitmen on an enforced holiday. The city centre is also a Unesco World Heritage Site.Highlights:Visit the Market Square, where you will see eateries, gift shops, horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. In the centre of the square is the 83m-tall Belfry, with a steep, narrow staircase of more than 300 steps.See the Church of Our Lady (Mariastraat, 8000 Brugge, tel: +32-50-34-5314), the tallest structure in the city, which has one of Europe's highest spires at 119m. It houses Michelangelo's 1504 marble sculpture Madonna With Child.Sample two of Belgium's proudest exports, chocolate and beer. Visit Chocolaterie Sukerbuyc, a family-owned chocolate- maker (Katelijnestraat 5, 8000 Brugge, tel: +32-50-33-0887), known for its 90 types of artisanal chocolate; and Belgian brewer De Halve Maan (Walplein 26 8000 Brugge, tel: +32-50-44-4222), for its local brews.Best time to visit: April, around Easter, when the city comes to life with blooming flora. Go in November for the Brugge Chocolate Festival.Go with: Chan Brothers' 10-day Best of Holland, Belgium and Paris tour. Prices start from $2,638. To book, call 6438-8880 or go to .ChanBrothers.com.View from a river cruise along the Douro River in Portugal.PORTUGALSpain's western neighbour is home to one of the biggest Catholic shrines in the world. The country also holds a number of fascinating historical sites.Highlights:Visit the Shrine of Fatima in the town of Fatima, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared on six occasions in front of three children in 1917. The square that houses the shrine also has a wax museum (Rua Jacinta Marto, tel: +351-249-539-300) recounting the story of the apparitions.See the Jeronimos Monastery (Largo Jeronimos 3, 1400-210 Lisbon, tel: +351-21- 362-0004) and the Belem Tower (Avenida Brasilia, 1400-038 Lisbon, tel: +351-21- 362-0034), both designated as Unesco World Heritage Sites. Both sites, which are close to each other, are built in a distinctive Manueline style of architecture, also known as the Portuguese late-Gothic style.Best time to visit: Between March and May or September and October, as the weather is still warm, but the city is not as crowded as it is in the summer.Go with: CTC Travel's 14-day Splendours of Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar tour. Prices start from $2,538. To book, call CTC Travel on 6536-3995 or go to .ctc.com.sg.Greek islands of Mykonos.GREECEFrom its ancient capital city of Athens, the birthplace of the Olympic Games to the volcanoes of Santorini, Greece is diverse in its offerings. Take time to explore the entire Hellenic Republic at a leisurely pace.Highlights:Take a city tour of Athens, stopping at the Pan-Athenaic Olympic Stadium, where the first Olympic Games of modern times were held in 1896. Also visit the Acropolis, an ancient citadel comprising the remains of several old buildings including the iconic Parthenon.Take a boat to the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini, which are a beach lovers' paradise with their deep blue waters and golden stretches of sand.Visit the city of Olympia, the site of the Olympic Games in classical times. See the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, where Greek athletes first met two millennia ago to honour the Greek God Zeus.The Games were held here every four years before being moved to Athens in their modern incarnation, and the Olympic flame is still lit in this sanctuary to this day.Best time to visit: Peak holiday seasons are July and August, when the weather is warmest, but travellers can enjoy the beaches without the crowds in June or September.Go with: Chan Brothers' nine-day Mythical Greece tour. Prices start from $2,588. To book, call 6438-8880 or go to .ChanBrothers.com.Northern Lights.FINLANDFinland is said to be the home of Santa Claus, making it an especially popular winter destination for Singaporeans at the recent Natas fair. The Nordic country next to Sweden and Norway has an eclectic mix of wintry attractions - a definite change from tropical Singapore.Highlights:Visit a reindeer farm in the Arctic Circle. The owners of Arctic Circle Reindeer Farm, 7km from the centre of the circle, herd the reindeer on their own farm and introduce guests to reindeer herding culture.Visit one of the many Santa Claus- themed attraction. Santa Claus Village, Santapark and Santa Claus Main Post Office are among the sights dedicated to transporting visitors to the magical world of Father Christmas.See the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, a natural light display in the sky. Scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) of the United States have predicted that this December will be the best time in the next decade to see the Northern Lights, as solar activity is expected to peak.Some hotels in the Lapland area of Finland offer guests the chance to stay overnight in a traditional snow igloo or a glass igloo, where they can see the Northern Lights through the glass ceiling.Best time to visit: December this year, for the Nothern LightsGo with: ASA Holidays' 12-day Spectacular Scandinavia package, which covers Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Prices start from $4,088. To book, call ASA Holidays on 6303-5388 or go to .asaholiday.com.儲存倉

【廣編特輯】 連續四天清明假期，迷你倉沿著國門置產軸線，賞屋人潮絡繹不絕， 雖然桃園地區青埔房市話題不斷延燒，每坪開出30萬至40萬元行情仍有投資客搶破頭，不過不少眼光精準的置產客已經把目標轉回林口「U型反彈」，搶搭補漲列車． 林口這幾年大型公共建設不少，在政府與民間合力加持下，包括日商三井不動產得標的中商三十六案…等十大建設，已成為購屋客的尋寶地．顯示民眾對未來是樂觀的，加上低利率時代和貨幣貶值、通膨壓力，資產配置將持續轉移到房地產，房市後續看好． 過去十年將資產配置在房地產的族群都是贏家，加上近期中國政府打房，連帶影響不少台商選擇回來買房置產，因此在這一波四天連假中，林口也發現不少台商置產客，除了置產保值之外，更認同此區的交通建設與生活機能。 日商打造國門商城 一站式消費可望瘋狂吸金 近期林口釋放的利多中，以中商36最為引人注目。號稱全台規模最大的Outlet商場「林口中商三六公有土地招商案」，整體計畫面積達6.7公頃。目前全案已確定由日本三井不動產株式會社得標，三井不動產為日本首屈一指之綜合不動產開發集團，依契約中商36將於6年內興建完成，由日本這麼強的經營團隊管理，可望打破台北市商圈集中精華地段發展模式，將國際觀光消費商圈軸線，直接拉道國門機場周邊，為林口帶來強大的觀光契機。 ＴＶＢＳ 民視媒體總部進駐 華人影視王國 TVBS、民視電視台搶進獵地，打造影視王國。身家逾890億台幣的台灣女首富宏達電董事長王雪紅，也選擇到林口打造影視王國。王雪紅入主TVBS後動作頻頻，去年底更大動作宣布投入50億進駐林口打造「TVBS媒體園區」，民視媒體數位總部亦於將104年10月完工開放，重量級電視台傾力打造華人影視城，不僅賺連續劇帶動的相關文創商機，再結合便利交通、國際商圈，帶動林口成為國門第一站的華人重點觀光文創城市。 小標：台商回流 主攻林口 清明連假強銷 價格具備競爭力及優質居住環境，不少置產客開始將目光移向林口，據儲存倉解，清明連假期間林口房市銷售狀況佳，地標型產品尤其熱賣。指標個案「國家一號院」案場表示，清明連假雖天候狀況不佳，案場四天內仍湧入150組來人，現場接待業務員應接不暇，讓他們大感意外，其中有不少是回來掃墓的台商，占了成交比的3分之1。專案經理表示，這些在台北市、中國都有置產經驗的客人，十分認同該案大基地、大街廓、公園第一排的稀有性，加上看好林口補漲力道，購買動機充足，因此造成這波台商回流潮。 林口新城市 十二大移居魅力 林口早期找來聯合國都市計畫小組，以英國的花園城市為通盤規劃目標，因此區內綠覆率高，設計上也特別有巧思，以住宅區為例，透過規畫讓車子不會穿越住宅，加上年平均氣溫21度的溫和天氣，宛如加拿大城市溫哥華、多倫多，生活氣氛相當好，對打算退休的樂退族特別具有吸引力。 龍頭建商興富發董事長鄭欽天表示：「林口地理位置、交通方便，未來有捷運，緊鄰機場，又是桃竹苗往台北市的門戶，房價有很大的上漲空間。」看好林口未來性，興富發不惜重資，在林口打造指標建案「國家1號院」，主訴求豪宅享受，平價入主。 龍頭建商 推指標個案 「國家1號院」具備雙重豪宅優勢，每坪單價約30萬元，享豪宅「帝寶」等級的崗石外觀，及「勤美璞真」公園第一排千坪基地的雙重優勢，成為林口豪宅代表。其中，正對公園第一排的優勢條件，特別受到重視生活環境的購屋族群青睞。 興富發建設為打造林口第一豪宅，建設公司也不惜重資，禮聘兩大國際級營造商—「華大成」（日本大成建設株式會社國際支店）、「大林組」，以嚴謹挑剔，精準細膩的施工品質，共同打造林口地標建築。 專家說法 甲山林專案經理 蘇同福 補漲力道更勝新板 最近來看林口案子的客戶，對林口補漲相當有感，目前林口房地產市場的價格跟其他同樣屬於重劃區的新莊副都心、新板特區相比平實許多，且林口有建設題材，像是即將通車的機場捷運線…等，加上生活條件等發展已經到位，這幾年又沒有明顯漲幅，未來補漲力最被看好，是吸引這波購屋客湧入的主因。迷你倉價錢

隨著我國電子商務的迅猛發展，迷你倉網絡商品交易已經成為社會重要的商品交易形式之一，在廣大消費者日常生活中的重要地位也日益顯現。針對網上虛假宣傳、侵犯知識產權、銷售假冒偽劣商品等違法行為時有發生的情況，國家工商總局也在前不久公佈了九類典型網絡商品交易違法行為，提醒廣大市民注意維護自身合法權益。昨日，市工商局召開網絡交易秩序專項整治工作部署會，�動“網絡交易秩序專項整治行動”，從9月6日至11月15日，全市將開展網絡交易秩序專項整治，進一步加強網絡商品交易及有關服務行為監管工作，集中解決網絡交易發展和監管過程中遇到的非法主體網站及侵犯知識產權和制售假冒偽劣商品等熱點問題，促進網絡商品交易健康發展。2家涉嫌侵犯公司名稱網站被舉報一個後綴名為“.com”，一個後綴名為“.net”，兩家聖弗萊戶外用品的網站，究竟誰是李逵誰是李鬼？前日下午，金牛工商局接到權利人舉報，稱聖弗萊戶外品牌有涉嫌仿冒公司名稱的另一家同名經營性質網站出現。無獨有偶，一家駱駝戶外品牌的“官網”也被舉報，指其涉嫌侵犯同名公司名稱，因為該品牌戶外用品公司官網根本還未建立。作為“本尊”，聖弗萊（福建）戶外用品有限公司和駱駝（福建）戶外用品有限公司對出現的疑似仿冒“官網”很是頭痛。昨日上午，金牛工商局相關負責人趕往舉報地址上的金牛區營通路181號的小區進行取證調查，已然人去樓空。“像這樣的網站侵權與一般的實體店侵權相比，取證難度更大，要抓現行非常不容易。”金牛工商局公平交易執法分局執法二科的工作人員楊凡已不是頭一次面對這樣棘手的問題，他表示，根據《商標法》，盈利金額在5萬元以下涉嫌侵犯公司名稱的網站，在關閉其侵權網站的同時還將對責任人處以行政處罰；非法營利金額在5萬元以上的，就將追究刑事責任，“我們將通過各種手段繼續加大網絡監管力度，與舉報人一同尋找侵權網站的‘落腳點’，必要時還將移交至市公安局網監處進行IP地址追查，及時對不法分子予以嚴厲打擊。”據市工商局信網處負責人介紹，此次專項整治工作是市工商局深入推進群�路線教育實踐活動的一項具體內容，也是工商網絡交易監管指導思想從“服務發展”向“嚴管與支持並重”轉變的一項重要舉措。以往工商部門對網絡交易監管以服務發展為重心，發現問題後通常採用說服教育、責令改正的處置方式，較少進行處罰。但隨著網儲存倉商品交易的迅速發展，不法分子利用網絡進行市場違法行為和銷售假冒偽劣的情況也日益增多，對廣大群�消費權益和人身財產安全造成了損害。新形勢下，工商部門將在對合法經營企業搞好服務的同時，重點對網絡上的違法經營行為嚴格監管、依法打擊，為守法經營者和廣大消費者營造健康有序的網絡市場環境。50余家涉嫌偽造、盜用公司名稱網站被梳理據瞭解，此次專項整治工作的重點包括偽造或冒用公司名稱、嚴重侵犯消費者和經營者合法權益的網絡交易非法主體網站；制售假冒偽劣農資的網上農資批發零售市場、交易市場和集散地；通過互聯網等渠道銷售侵權假冒商標的嬰幼兒護膚用品及互聯網“傍名牌”等違法行為。市工商局將通過專項行動，查處一批違法行為，關閉一批從事各種嚴重侵害消費者和經營者合法權益、社會危害程度較深的網絡商品交易非法主體網站，集中查辦一批侵犯知識產權和制售假冒偽劣商品的案件，有效遏制網絡商品交易非法主體網站充斥互聯網絡的蔓延趨勢，打擊互聯網侵犯知識產權和制售假冒偽劣商品行為，保持網絡交易秩序整頓的高壓態勢。市工商局相關負責人表示，偽造、冒用公司名稱進行網絡交易介於刑事詐騙和消費欺詐之間，將會對消費者的合法權益構成嚴重侵害。建議消費者在網購時，採取網絡截圖等多種方法妥善保存相關消費憑證，若遇到網絡交易違法行為，儘快撥打12315工商維權電話予以舉報。目前，市工商局通過前期信息化專業搜索方式已梳理出我市50余家涉嫌偽造、盜用公司名稱和網站，其中不乏老兵搬家、徽記食品、雙流國際機場園林環保、華西工程等市民耳熟能詳的公司名稱。接下來，相關工作人員將對這批網站進行進一步調查核實。本報記者 陳瑾 攝影 馬丁新聞鏈接>>>國家工商總局公佈的九類典型網絡商品交易違法行為一、銷售侵犯註冊商標專用權商品二、違反企業登記管理相關規定，偽造或冒用公司名稱三、使用與知名商品近似的名稱、包裝、裝潢，造成與他人的知名商品相混淆，誤導消費四、利用網頁發佈與真實情況不符的企業或商品信息，進行虛假宣傳五、惡意詆毀，損害競爭對手的商業信譽、商品聲譽六、銷售假冒偽劣商品，損害其他經營者或消費者利益七、未經許可，從事法律法規規定須取得營業執照方可從事的經營活動八、違反相關規定，擅自泄露或出賣消費者個人信息九、利用格式合同做出對消費者不公平、不合理的規定，侵害消費者權益迷你倉價錢

濮存昕與本報記者（右）合影，文件倉題寫留言。本報首席記者 裴強 攝 濮存昕留言。本報訊（記者趙匯）“在座的有艾滋病感染者嗎？請舉手！”在台下聽�的面面相覷中，中國疾控中心防艾中心主任吳尊友話鋒一轉“這就是艾滋病的‘隱匿性’，更需要大家對它多一層的瞭解，進而不再恐懼”。9月6日，我省380名地方領導幹部齊聚省委黨校，集體上了一堂艾滋病流行形勢和防治策略的“課程”。課堂上，為學員發放的每個材料袋中除去兩冊宣傳讀本、一冊《“十二五”防艾防治規劃》外，還有兩盒“安全套”。國家衛計委首位預防艾滋病宣傳員、著名表演藝術家濮存昕，廣西柳州市鹿寨縣縣長劉勝友也從各自實際出發先後與學員一同分享自己的“防艾”心得。這樣深層次、大規模的宣講活動在我省艾滋病防治工作歷史上尚屬首次。“防艾課”在省委黨校舉行“領導幹部要發揮個人影響，做好艾滋病宣傳教育工作的表率，營造有利於艾滋病預防控制的良好社會氛圍。”9月6日，吳尊友圍繞黨政領導幹部需要知道的艾滋病防治“十個為什麼”，對來自我省的380名地廳級領導幹部及中青年、婦女幹部等上了“特殊一課”。當日，國家艾滋病防治政策團在省委黨校進行了防艾講座。講座中，吳尊友向在座學員講授了艾滋病基本知識、流行現狀、危害，以及我國艾滋病防治工作的現狀與進展等。“從總體上看，當前我國艾滋病疫情仍呈現低流行態勢，但近年來艾滋病的流行呈快速上升趨勢，局部地區疫情相當嚴重，已影響了當地經濟社會的發展，而且逐步從高危人群向一般人群擴散。現在正是抓緊宣傳，採取措施的關鍵時期。”吳尊友介紹說。領導幹部是防艾關鍵因素吳尊友表示，黨政領導幹部既是防治艾滋病政策的制定者也是執行者。對各級領導幹部普及防治艾滋病相關政策，是目前防艾工作的重中之重。“艾滋病防治不僅是一個公共衛生問題，更是一個經濟問題、社會問題。防艾工作需要多部門合作的領域，既需要有權威性、號召力和強制力的國家機器，也需要各部門領導幹部密切合作，有一個制度化的協調機制。只有黨政幹部瞭解相關政策法規，對艾滋病防治工作有科學務實的態度，才能自覺重視防艾工作，積極履行本部門的義務。”吳尊友如是說。聆聽了國務院防治艾滋病宣講團兩個多小時的報告後，在場的聽�對艾滋病的傳播和防治有了新的認識。台下的學員不時認真做起筆記，更是頻頻舉起相機拍攝國家防艾工作的經驗做法。我國首位“防艾宣傳員”濮存昕呼籲——消除歧視 尊重關愛艾滋感染者“我們都有一顆悲憫良善的心，不要拿著道德的大棒揮向艾滋病感染者。用我們的愛溫暖他們，讓他們也成為防治艾滋病的合作者，讓‘感染到我為止’！”9月6日，省委黨校的學術報告廳內不時傳出陣陣掌聲，著名演員濮存昕與甘肅380名領導幹部一同分享著自己的“防艾之路”。講座結束後，他欣然提筆寫下“預防艾滋病，你我同參與”與本報讀者共勉。以實際行動當好防艾宣傳員 濮存昕回憶了當年出任預防艾滋病宣傳員的情景。當時，他正在外地，接到了衛生部請他擔任“防艾宣傳員”的邀請，讓自己的名字和“艾滋病”聯繫在一起，無疑是個艱難的決定。當他清楚預防艾滋病宣傳意味著一種責任，一種使命，他只用了幾分鐘就作出了義無反顧的決定。他說：“從當上預防艾滋病宣傳員的那刻起，我感覺到肩上多了一份責任。”“我永遠不會得艾滋病！”濮存昕告訴大家，“因為我懂得如何預防艾滋病。這些年我和艾滋病感染者、患者一起包餃子，一起吃飯，現存倉不是很好地站在這裡嗎？”“在‘性遭遇’面前，我們要建立起防艾知識的屏障，才能繞開這個陷阱。”宣傳員濮存昕的一席話贏得台下聽�頻頻點頭。“既然衛生部讓我帶頭宣傳，我就打算把這件事給做長了，做實了……”身為預防艾滋病宣傳員的濮存昕如是說。多年來，他以自己的實際行動，實踐著自己的心聲。呼籲公�尊重HIV攜帶者濮存昕在交流中說，防艾宣傳要從加強預防知識宣傳、及時有效治療和社會反歧視推廣三方面入手。盡管防艾宣傳已經開展了幾年，但社會歧視問題並沒有從根本上好轉。他說，“不要站在道德高地歧視艾滋病患者，更不要給他們俯視的關愛”。他呼籲公�消除對艾滋病病毒攜帶者的歧視態度，“他們也和我們一樣，有各種權利，我們應該把他們看成防治艾滋病的合作伙伴。”濮存昕說，如果艾滋病病毒攜帶者都有一種“到我為止”的態度，不再去感染別人，那麼艾滋病防治就取得了很大的成功，想要達到這樣的效果，就需要社會多一些對艾滋病病毒攜帶者的尊重和關愛。防艾教育工作要從孩子抓起“艾滋病預防教育工作要從孩子抓起。”濮存昕說，現在不少中學沒有設置性教育課程，將艾滋病視同洪水猛獸；其實也許只不過需要一個上午的課程，只要教師稍做指導，就可以使孩子們獲得預防艾滋病的知識。濮存昕還建議，在大中城市繁華路段設置預防艾滋病公益廣告。他認為，目前醫治艾滋病的廣告仍被列入治療性病類廣告，禁止公開亮相，加深了人們對艾滋病患者的歧視。希望大家一起努力，讓新發艾滋病感染降到最低。 本報記者 趙匯人物簡介濮存昕：中國知名度很高的一位公�人物。他的職業是演員，主演過多部話劇、電影和電視劇，同時，他是北京人民藝術劇院副院長，還是全國政協委員。2000年12月1日世界艾滋病日，濮存昕接受國家衛生部聘請拍攝預防艾滋病的公益廣告，並成為我國第一位“預防艾滋病宣傳員”。此後，他在美國獲得了由海外華人組織的慈善組織——美國愛心基金會頒發的傑出成就獎。相關新聞我省上半年HIV感染者及病人237例本報訊（記者趙匯）根據國家艾滋病綜合防治信息系統統計，今年1—6月，全省共報告艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病病人共計237例（男性206例，女性31例），其中HIV感染者193例，艾滋病病人44例，分佈于66個縣區。目前，全省86個縣市區僅有肅北、阿克塞、瑪曲、碌曲、舟曲、迭部等6個縣沒有報告發現艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人。據省疾病預防控制中心性病艾滋病防治專家分析，甘肅省艾滋病疫情呈以下特點：全省艾滋病總體呈低流行態勢，地區間差異較大；艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人數量持續增加，但增幅趨緩；性途徑傳播已經成為主要傳播途徑，男性同性性傳播上升速度明顯，配偶間傳播增加；疫情分佈廣，傳播範圍會不斷擴大，而且相當數量的艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人還未被發現，已發現的艾滋病病毒感染者已陸續開始發病，死亡病例明顯增加；感染人群多樣化，艾滋病已開始從高危人群向一般人群擴散。統計分析顯示，我省發現報告的艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病病人數量呈持續增加態勢。截至2013年6月底，全省累計報告艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人1665例，累計報告死亡320例。同時報告的艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病病人數量居前的市州為蘭州市、天水市、武威市和臨夏州，共報告122例，占到了全省的63.2%。值得注意的是，武威市已經和臨夏州的報告數持平，說明疫情從重點地區向一般地區擴展。迷你倉

英、美媒體前日引述從美國中情局前僱員斯諾登取得的機密文件，迷你倉出租揭露美國國家安全局(NSA)及英國政府通訊總部(GCHQ)聯手，破解網民的加密通訊及資料，國安局更自2000年起，每年斥資約2.5億美元(約19.4億港元)，暗中影響科網企業的產品設計。專家指有關報道「驚人」，意味維護網絡安全和私隱的大部分機制可被破解，批評此舉徹底破壞網絡結構，黑客可輕易盜取解密匙，安裝惡意軟件。 《衛報》、《紐約時報》及非牟利網絡媒體ProPublica報道，美、英利用超級電腦、法庭密令及與科技公司合作等方式，破解加密通訊，當中涵蓋大部分網絡活動，包括電郵、網上銀行服務及網絡聊天等。情報機關透過與科網公司秘密合作，會在「商業加密軟體中植入後門程式或陷阱程式」，讓當局進入用戶加密資料前的狀態，窺看訊息。 國安局亦致力拆解獲各網站廣泛使用的「保安接層加密技術」(SSL)，並每年撥出約2.5億美元，作為「Sigint enabling」(Sigint即 signals intelligence，意為訊號情報)項目的預算，以便與各科網企業合作，但文件未有透露參與的企業名單，只顯示當局希望能破解包括4G電話在內的加密訊息。 報道又指GCHQ過去一直研究方法，存取Google、雅虎、微軟及facebook等大型網絡公司的帳戶資料，又指當局去年已找出新方法進入Google的電腦，不過能取得的資料範圍及何種數據可被存取，則未有在文件中提及。 曾要求勿報迷你倉 防目標改溝通方法 這次是上述3個媒體首次聯合刊登斯諾登提供的密件，《紐時》及ProPublica指，情報官員曾要求他們不要刊出有關報道，擔心資料曝光後，海外目標會更改溝通方式，令國安局難以監控：3間機構則決定刪除部分重要細節後報道。美國國家情報總監辦公室昨稱，情報人員解密網上通訊「並非新聞」，因破解密碼正是他們的工作。 巴西擬用新衛星 免遭美監控 此外，路透社昨日報道，巴西為防止遭美國監控，將向歐洲最大國防電子企業泰雷茲阿萊尼亞宇航公司購入新的衛星服務，料於2016年開始使用，總成本約6億至6.5億美元(約46億至50億港元)。 ■綜合外電消息/路透社/ 《衛報》/中央社 網絡加密技術一覽 ■虛擬私人網絡(VPN) 透過公共網絡設置加密「管道」，讓員工於公司以外登入工作系統。 ■數據加密的聊天工具 「端到端」加密的即時通訊軟體程式，令數據在傳送中無法被解密。 ■超文本傳輸安全協議(HTTPS) 由電腦將密碼和金融資訊傳送至伺服器所用的標準加密程序，以「https://」起首的網站路徑，或有小型上鎖標誌的，代表是安全網頁。 ■傳輸層保安 經網絡和內部伺服器傳送訊息，包括瀏覽器及電郵普遍採用的技術。 ■加密IP電話 微軟旗下的Skype及蘋果公司FaceTime用戶，可經網絡打出加密電話及視像電話(但斯諾登的機密文件顯示，國安局能獲取未加密前的訊息)。 ■《紐約時報》 儲存倉

Source: American News, Aberdeen, S.迷你倉D.Sept. 06--Those interested in learning more about the Highlands Historic District in Aberdeen can participate in a walking tour Tuesday.The tour is sponsored by the Aberdeen Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department and begins at 6:30 p.m. The group, which is limited to 25 people, will be led by Troy McQuillen , of Aberdeen. There's no charge for the tour, which begins at the corner of 12th Avenue northeast and Main Street.According to the city of Aberdeen's website, the Highlands Historic District is one of two historic residential districts. The district encompasses 17 homes betw儲存倉en 12th Avenue and 15th Avenue. The earliest homes were built in 1907."These traditionally continue to be very popular year in and year out," Recreation Superintendent Gene Morsching said.The city typically sponsors three walking tours each year -- two in the spring and one in the fall.Because the tour group is limited to 25 people, residents who are interested in the tour should call 626-7015 to place their names on the list of participants by Monday.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the American News (Aberdeen, S.D.) Visit the American News (Aberdeen, S.D.) at .aberdeennews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉價錢

Source: Tulsa World, Okla.自存倉Sept. 06--The city of Tulsa will not be receiving a $14.8 million federal TIGER grant it applied for earlier this year to help fund proposed improvements to Riverside Drive, city officials learned Thursday.The city hoped to use the grant to help pay for $40.1 million in improvements along Riverside Drive from 24th Street to 33rd Place in conjunction with A Gathering Place for Tulsa, which envisions a large park on the east side of Riverside Drive and significant changes to River Parks on the west side. The area will be linked by two land bridges.Thursday's announcement does not mean that road work will not happen.Funding for the work has been included in the city's proposed $918.7 million capital improvements package set to go to voters Nov. 12."It would have been great to get the funding," said Paul Zachary, director of the city's Engineering Services Department."That was $14.8 million out of the $19 million that is in the sales-tax package that could have been freed up for other projects or just not spent."But as far as our (capital improvement) funding package, we are not going to have to scramble."The proposed work along Riverside Drive includes widening the lanes and adding a tree-lined median.The project would also remove the dip and straighten the curve along Riverside Drive near the pedestrian bridge north of 31st Street.Plans also call for raising the bridge at Crow Creek enough to allow for the construction of a pedestrian and bicycle underpass.TIGER -- or Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery -- grants are awarded annually for transportation projects nationwide.James Wagner, transportation projects coordinator for the Indian Nations Council of Governments, s迷你倉新蒲崗id the grant process was highly competitive."This year 568 applications were submitted, and only 52 projects were funded," he said."There were more than $9 billion in requests for funding and only $474 million available. It appeared that a majority of the funding went to public transportation projects, freight rail and port projects."Among the projects selected for funding was Oklahoma City's Intermodal Transportation Hub, which received $13.6 million.As part of the 2008 Fix Our Streets package, Tulsans approved $4.7 million in improvements along Riverside Drive between 31st and 41st streets and another $2.8 million to upgrade the Crow Creek bridge.Those improvements have been put on hold as city officials work with the Kaiser Foundation -- which is paying most of the cost to construct the park -- to coordinate the city's infrastructure needs with those of the park.The city's TIGER grant application stated that other funding for the project will come from the following sources: $4.2 million in 2008 Fix Our Streets sales-tax revenue; $1.1 million from the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority; and $20 million from the Kaiser Foundation.Zachary has said previously that the $4.2 million in 2008 Fix Our Streets funding and the $14.8 million TIGER grant would cover the city's $19 million roadwork portion of the project.Now the grant funding will not be an option. But as City Councilor G.T. Bynum noted Thursday, when preparing the capital improvements package, "We budgeted for the worst-case scenario, thankfully."Kevin Canfield 918-581-8313kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.comCopyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉出租

Source: The Record, Stockton, Calif.儲存Sept. 06--The San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District will attack mosquitoes from the air and the ground as early as tonight to try to control adult mosquitoes, which can carry the West Nile virus.Aerial spraying for adult mosquito control using Trumpet EC is scheduled for 7:30 to 10 p.m. today or Saturday, if delayed, in a portion of the Brack Tract area of the Delta.Ground spraying for adult mosquito control using Pyronyl 525 and/or Evergreen 60-6 is scheduled for 7:30 to 11 p.m. today or Saturday, if del新蒲崗迷你倉yed, in the following areas:-- Wright/Elmwood Tract in the Delta.-- Spring Creek Golf & Country Club in Ripon.-- A portion of the Acampo area north to Collier Road, west to Elliot Road, south to East Jahant Road and east to North Watkinson Road.-- Southwest rural Lodi north to West Kingdon Road, west to White Slough, south to one mile north of Eight Mile Road and east to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Record (Stockton, Calif.) Visit The Record (Stockton, Calif.) at .recordnet.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage

Source: San Antonio Express-NewsSept.迷你倉 07--The StarTech Foundation, launched with fanfare in 2000 as an institution to lead San Antonio into the technology investment race, closed its doors in mid-May without a public statement, the University of Texas at San Antonio confirmed Friday.StarTech, originally called the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative, or SATAI, had maintained its office at the UTSA downtown campus' Institute for Economic Development."We were told they have closed for business permanently," said Amy Dalrymple, IED's communications coordinator. UTSA also has shut down StarTech's Internet site.Calls seeking comment from Jim Poage, who had been StarTech president and CEO, and board chairman Brad Hunt were not returned Friday.The San Antonio Business Journal first reported the news online."It's probably a good thing they shut it down," said Ramiro Cavazos, president and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He was the city's economic development director in 2000 when SATAI started."I'm disappointed it has shut down," Cavazos said. "But I didn't see them as being relevant any more in the city's economic development landscape. It lost its connection to the original purpose and evaporated into the background. It no longer had a strong public-private partnership. That's the way we started out."An early sign that StarTech was winding down its mission of finding financing for startup technology companies came in December when StarTech said it would stop processing applications for investments from the state's Emerging Technology Fund on Jan. 1. The move ended a contract with the state that had provided funding for StarTech since 2007.In December, Poage said the Emerging Technology Fund was shifting its priorities from making investments in new technology companies to helping Texas universities attract "star" researchers and helping form consortiums of companies that would work on common projects.Later, the chairwoman of the Emerging Technology Fund's advisory committee denied that a policy shift had occurred. Terry Chase Hazell said Poage's claim was possibly misleading for other organizations that could take StarTech's place to screen applications for state investments.Poage said StarTech would continue to work with more than 20 other funding sources for startups coming to StarTech for help. Regional offices that screen applications for Emerging Technology Fund investments receive annual base payments of $150,000, with hi儲存倉her amounts based on the success of the companies obtaining investments.StarTech had received $245,000 in 2010 and in 2011, Poage said in December.Before operating with a state contract, SATAI/StarTech had been funded primarily with city grants for several years until the city's funding agreement expired.The Texas Research & Technology Foundation in San Antonio has applied to the state to replace StarTech as a regional center screening applications for state investments. TRTF's application remains pending in Gov. Rick Perry's office, which operates the Emerging Technology Fund, said David Clark, director of investment services for the TRTF's The Texas Technology Development Center program, known as T3DC.Clark said inventors in the life sciences, information technology and energy fields who seek assistance finding investments can go to TRTF for assistance instead of StarTech. UTSA's Small Business Development Center downtown also can help with access to capital and writing business plans, said UTSA's Dalrymple.Clark had worked at StarTech since 2006 before moving to T3DC in June. Clark said Poage met with the StarTech board several times in the winter and spring before the decision was made to close the organization. He said he did not know the reason because he did not attend the board meetings.In January, StarTech said it had reviewed more than 1,000 Emerging Technology Fund applications and recommended 36 to the state for investments. Nearly 20 of those obtained investments totaling more than $30 million.In all, StarTech said it had raised more than $260 million in financing for startup companies from sources ranging from the state and federal grants to other organizations such as the South Texas Angel Network and Microsoft BizSpark.Cavazos said StarTech's role of bringing entrepreneurs and investors together had largely been supplanted over the past five or six years by TRTF and Geekdom, a downtown office housing technology startup firms.SATAI started as a recommendation in a San Antonio economic development strategy developed in 2000 by a team of consultants led by Jim Gollub from California's Information Design Associates and ICF Consultants."It had served its purpose," Cavazos said of StarTech/SATAI. "But everyone had moved on to other organizations" for assistance.dhendricks@express-news.netCopyright: ___ (c)2013 the San Antonio Express-News Visit the San Antonio Express-News at .mysanantonio.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉價錢