To satisfy my curiosity I did some piggy bank research and have learned some interesting things and thought I'd share them with you. As you well know, many, particularly ceramic, piggy banks do not have an opening to remove the money. Now why is that? The theory goes that this is to serve as a lesson in finances for children. The piggy bank enables a child to save his money but forces him to justify its spending as in order to access the money he needs to break his piggy bank. This lesson seems to have been forgotten by many adults! Maybe we should keep a piggy bank in our front foyer and deposit our loose change as we come home each day! I digress... The question still remains, why is it called a...

The list of exotic and tropical fruits is ever-growing and lengthy, here are some key facts about just a few! Durian Labelled the "king of fruit," this spiky melon originally hails from the forests of Southeast Asia. Since Durian literally means "thorny fruit" in Malay, its spiky exterior makes it hard to attempt opening the fruit, as some consider it more dangerous to touch than most cacti. The inside of a Durian consists of pods that are filled with a custard-like substance. The smell can be strong to the point where some find it intolerable, but a sign of a ripe Durian is a strong smell that isn't sour. According to Proscitech.com, "To choose a Durian, pick a fruit which is comparatively light...

Bali island is a part of Indonesian archipelago. Located just east of the island of Java, it has long been the primary focus of Indonesia's flourishing tourist industry. Bali is one of the province in Indonesia, divided into nine region from west to east, they are Jembrana, Tabanan, Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, Klungkung, Bangli, Karangasem and Buleleng region. The Island of Bali attracts by far the most tourist attention in Indonesia and worlwide, drawing in more than a million visitors every year. As a result, the island has become very much a mainstream destination, offering all the comforts and facilities expected by tourists. Find your own desired, all you need is provided from the traditional...

The soybean has a long history and a very long journey through out the world. This journey, lasting almost 27 centuries, changed the world that we know today. Soy products feed a large part of nearly every country's inhabitants, as well as various non-edible uses. The soybean was first cultivated by the Chinese. It then spread further throughout China and to other countries around it. Some time after the domestication of the soy plant, Europeans too learned about the uses of the soybean and they started to grow it. Much later, with a hand from Benjamin Franklin, the soybean made it's journey to America. The soybean has had a lengthy journey, and one that has effected the whole world. Soybeans were...

Ben, a high-level leader in a multi-national firm, recently confessed that he felt like a bad father. That weekend he had messed up his Saturday daddy duties. When he took his son to soccer practice, Ben stayed for a while to support him. In the process, though, he forgot to take his daughter to her piano lesson. By the time they got to the piano teacher's house, the next student was already playing. This extremely successful businessman felt like a failure. At work, one of Ben's greatest strengths is keeping his focus no matter what. As a strategic visionary, he keeps his eyes on the ongoing strategy, the high-profile projects and the high-level commitments of his group. Even on weekends Ben spends...

The latin name of Wolfberry fruit is Fructus Lycii. Wolfberry fruit is used extensively in Chinese herbalism. The fruits are the berries of Lycium chinense and more commonly Lycium barbarum. The roots also have healing properties. Native to East Asia and Europe, it grows wild on hillsides in the cooler regions of northern China and Europe. However, it is also grown as a cultivated plant in almost all parts of China and in some other regions of Asia, as well as naturalized in Britain, the Middle East and North America. Wolfberry fruit is a shrub that grows to about 2.5 m by 2 m at a medium rate. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are...

No matter how you look at it, a case of shingles is not a pleasant experience. Every case of shingles begins and ends unpleasantly. Shingles first surfaces as an intense pain or other unpleasant sensation. This sensation usually occurs in a large band along one side of the body, but can also present itself on the face or extremities of the body. This pain is so unpleasant that it is often described as a "lightning bolt pain." In addition to experiencing sensations of pain, you may be subjected to itching, irritation, throbbing or other unpleasantness. After several days of these uncomfortable sensations, the second stage of shingles will begin. The second stage is not only the most noticeable but...

It is said that fighter planes are the war winners of the twenty-first century. They had displayed their power in the two World Wars. The world had then woken up to the power of the nation who has superiority in the air. Bombing by air resulted in far more military casualties than any other mode of warfare. The aircraft was the vehicle of modern wars. This was finally a deviation from the era of supremacy by sea, where the British held pride of place as the foremost nation of the world. Finally, a new era had begun. However, in the world of today, war is growing increasingly unpopular. With the rise of the media, greater stress is being put on talks between the sparring nations. However, one never...

We don't need scientists to tell us we require 'air' to survive. The air we breathe has a gas called oxygen and without it there would be no life period. Humans, plants and animals all need oxygen to survive but although oxygen is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless, there are a lot of pollutants in the air which are not. Worse still, there are a whole bunch of impurities indoors as well as outdoors, which is why ionic air purifiers have become all the rage these days. But just how bad is bad when we talk about the quality of the air we breathe? Air pollution first got my attention when I was visiting Hong Kong last year. My first impressions of this small country was that it was clean...

There are many options when considering building a hardwood conservatory. The types of hardwood used can significantly affect not only the aesthetics but also the longer-term durability. A cheap hardwood conservatory could last for less than ten years, whereas one built form a quality timber could last a lifetime. Timber is naturally sensitive to the environment that it is in. A conservatory is unique in that it may have to meet contrasting climates. On one side the comfort of central heating and one the other the harsh and temperamental climate. When you consider a hardwood conservatory there are a number of fact to reflect on ranging from the type and quality of the wood through to the preparation...

Have you picked on island paradise Sri Lanka as a tour destination? The island of Sri Lanka is shaped like a teardrop in the heart of the Indian Ocean and is the world's famous producer of Ceylonese Tea, known for its restorative qualities and spirit-reviving ability to de-stress and detoxify. A unique blend of varied culture, crafts and cuisine makes Sri Lanka an exciting and adventurous bid for a tour destination, especially for the nature lovers that global tourists need be. Earlier referred to as Ceylon, long-remembered for being the location of the radio station belting out golden oldies and clever commentary by the host of the program, Sri Lanka is today a multicultural and metropolitan mix of...

Who likes to miss out on major cricketing events, such as world cup 2007? Obviously, no one wants to. It is in this case that world cup cricket schedule 2007 acts as a helping hand. It is because, without the proper knowledge of appropriate schedule, no one can have access to the information as to when the matches are going to take place. Till date, 8 world cup tournaments have taken and this time the 9th world cup is scheduled to be held in West Indies. The country is making special preparations for all the teams that will take part in the tournament, tourism wise, staying options, various cuisines and many more. World cup cricket schedule 2007 is the only and the best source to have knowledge...

Late this month, the Nissan Motors Co., Ltd. will unveil the latest addition to its family of global cars. The second variant of the Livina will be introduced at the Auto Shanghai 2007 from April 22 to 28 2007. Livina, the second variant of the automaker's new family of global cars, will not be camouflaged by a Nissan tonneau cover for a long time because it is set to go on sale in China late April. Then it will be offered to other global markets to boost the standing of the automaker in the worldwide auto sales realm. The all-new Livina, a compact seven-seat minivan, is introduced by Nissan and its affiliate Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company at the Guangzhou International Motor Show on July...

There are escapes and there are escapes you never forget. Exotic and romantic escapes definitely fall in this category and here are a few ideas and suggestions. Exotic and Romantic Escapes For some couples, the only really big escape they take together is their honeymoon - which can be as simple as a trip to another state or as complex as a tour around the world. This shouldn't be the case, however, because exotic, romantic escapes are a great way to keep the fires burning in a relationship. For your next anniversary or special occasion, why not choose to take a trip instead of the usual gifts you might give each other? One thing is for sure - exotic escapes will help to make some of the most...

Outsourcing cannot be considered a new phenomenon even though the rising attention toward this subject has brought lots of important issues into the daylight. Lots of service and even manufacturing companies started creating jobs overseas to gain wider access to foreign markets. They act as consultants auditors and perform other functions where their customers are. Putting it in other words, they have found customers and came to serve them. Another reason for a big number of emerging foreign companies oversees is saturation of the domestic markets. Approximately 60% of the profits of American information technology companies are estimated to come from overseas. This practice is not unique in number...

President Bush's speech in October before the National Endowment for Democracy crystalized his doctrine: The Bush Doctrine. In sum: The US has devoted herself to a relentless war with radical Islamic terrorists to the death--these are the heretics of Islam, and they must be destroyed! THE GREEN CURTAIN From the Pillars of Hercules in the Atlantic to the Indonesia Archipelago in the Pacific, a vile and putrid Green Curtain threatens its descent to enshroud and enslave a vast swath of earth's inhabitants. An Islamic Empire, the resurrection of the Moslem Caliphate, envelopes "with greater economic and military and political power . . . able to advance their stated agenda: to develop weapons of...

Malaysian officials have ordered schools closed and advised people to stay indoors or wear masks outside while a fog-like yellow haze envelopes the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and surrounding areas. Government officials say they will begin seeding clouds in an attempt to cause rain and wash away the dust and smoke from the air. The smoke from hundreds of out-of-control fires has drifted over to Malaysia from Indonesia's nearby Sumatra Island, which lies west of the Malaysian mainland. The smoke, a mixture of ash, dust, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, has caused Malaysia's pollution index to rise above the 500 level, which is considered extremely hazardous to health, in two west coast towns. Pollution...

Australia is considered to be the smallest of seven continents and the sixth biggest state. For the reason that it lies in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are the contrary of those in the northern part of the world. Australia is situated among the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It is made up of two islands. Australia is extremely close to other island nations. To the north are: Papa New Guinea, Indonesia and part of Malaysia. Additional to the north are the Philippines and Asian mainland. Southeast of Australia is called New Zealand. Like Australia, it was once a British settlement. At last, to the south is the frozen continent of Antarctica. Nearly half of Australia-the northern...

The world will never be quite the same. High oil prices are not only changing the political and economic landscapes but they could also change energy itself, because they are stimulating the most widespread drive for technological innovation this sector has ever seen. The political shifts are striking, wherever you look. Russia was so flat on its back at the end of the 1990s that Western banks and companies competed to see who could close its Moscow offices faster. Today, even though Vladimir Putin says he does not like the term, Russia certainly appears to be an energy superpower, using oil and gas to restore its position in the world. Balances of political power are shifting in other ways. In 2006...

Situated in the Kanto region on the mid-eastern part of the Honshu Island, Tokyo is the capital and the largest city in Japan. Tokyo, literally meaning 'Eastern Capital,' is also one of the 47 prefectures in the country. However, it is much popular as a metropolis rather than a prefecture. The largest of its kind in the world, Tokyo's metropolis is made up of: 26 cities, 23 city wards, eight villages, and five towns. Once a typical village known as Edo - the city became the political center of the country when Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of the most powerful rulers, established his feudal government here during the 16th century. But, Tokyo got its present name when the emperor Meiji shifted his capital...

Denmark's Jyllands-Posten newspaper issued an apology and whisked it off to the Jordanian news agency Petra for publishing cartoons that supposedly were insulting to the prophet Muhammad. The arguments about the poor taste of the cartoonist notwithstanding, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark's prime minister says he and his government cannot apologize for the country since the newspaper is independent and not an agency of the government. To most people this makes sense but Islam is not most people. It would seem that this entire tip toeing around Islam is far above absurdity and much closer to insanity. Can anyone remember an apology coming to Indonesia for the bombings there by radical Islamists? Did...

Can you imagine starting the day without a cup of hot coffee to perk you up? A breakfast get-together with friends or an early business meeting will not be complete without mugs of coffee being passed around. Coffee if one of the most popular beverages in the world. Its origin can be traced back centuries ago, from Ethiopa where it made its way onto Egypt and Europe. From then on, the preparation of coffee has become a tradition as well as a craze in the modern pop culture. This stimulant drink is made of coffee beans, roasted to perfection and blended into the perfect hot or cold drink. There are basically two kinds of coffee plants: Robusta and Arabica. Arabica is the older kind of coffee...

Singapore has been known to some as the Garden City. Singapore's strategic position has helped it grow into a major center for trade, communications and tourism. From Singapore to Malaysia, you can take a bus or train ride or even walk across one of the two causeway bridges. Not only that, it is just a quick ferry trip to the key islands of the Riau archipelago of Indonesia. Thailand and the Philippines are a short plane journey away. Singapore, with an airport served by more than 69 airlines, is very much the gateway to Southeast Asia. Singapore has a population of about 4 million, which comprises of 77% Chinese, 14% Malays, 8% Indians and 1% Eurasians and people of other descent. It certainly is a...

For me, arriving at Bali was a travellers' delight. Nothing could beat travel fatigue better than the friendly, smiling Balinese faces at the Customs and Immigrations at the Denpasar airport and the ' Visa on arrival' stamped on my passport for 10 USD in 15 minutes flat! I had heard that Bali was an island of temples, dances, and age-old rituals; with over 95 per cent of the 3 million people practice a form of Hinduism. But nothing prepared me for the spot-on recital of 'Gayatri Mantra' by my taxi driver, followed by a song from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the same breath. I was amazed by the Bollywood craze in this Far East city, so much so, that I was instantly labelled 'from Shahrukh Khan's country...

Garnets have been used in jewelry for centuries and, in fact, many years ago were thought to protect travelers and were carried by those who went off to explore foreign lands. If you have a loved one that is going on a trip and you are trying to find that perfect gift, you might want to consider a piece of garnet jewelry - to not only protect them while they're traveling, but also as a beautiful keepsake. This gem stone is also thought to help with disorders in the blood as well as infections. Garnets have been found in jewelry that date as early as the Bronze Age. Garnets are mined all over the world including the US, Europe, Australia, Tanzania, Brazil, Russia and Africa. is a fairly common...

South Sea cultured pearls are the biggest and rarest pearls in fine jewelry market at present. Natural South Sea pearls were discovered in the late 19th century inside large oysters off the northwest coast of Australia. Pearls were found in only a few oysters collected for their shells as well as a food source. When the oysters became depleted after about 50 years, culturing methods were developed after thorough research and oyster population got back its health. While Australia is the dominant culturing centerproducing the majority of South Sea pearls, Indonesia and the Philippines contribute a substantial portion. South Sea cultured pearls are usually 9 to 20 mm in size with the average size being...

Indonesia is derived from "indos nesos", meaning islands near India. It is the world's largest archipelago with exactly 17, islands spread between the Asian continent and Australia, and between the Pacific and the Indian oceans. Air transport is the easiest and most comfortable means of travel in Indonesia. Domestic air service, including the remote areas are provided by Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara, Sempati Air, Bouraq and Mandala Airlines. Garuda Indonesia, operates both international and domestic routes and the only airline with an all-jet fleet for domestic Indonesia operations. Garuda serves Honolulu, Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Rome, Vienna, Cairo...

Unless you happen to have been on the moon for the past 10 to 15 years you will have been aware at off the rise off the so-called low cost carrier with regards to air travel. Nowadays some air line brand names such as Easy Jet and Ryannair sit alongside the major brands such as British Airways and Air France. The trouble in the past was that the majority of the low cost carriers only serviced the smaller domestic markets of Europe. But alongside the likes of Southwest Airlines in the United States, other low cost airlines have begun to appear on a regional basis worldwide. In Australasia the budget air lines Virgin Blue and Compass now rival the likes of Qantas and Ansett for coverage in the skies...

Tourism in Dubai is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign dollars into the emirate. Besides shopping,Dubai has many wonderful ancient and modern attractions that are luring the tourists from all over the world. Out of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates, Dubai is the most populous one.It is not an Oil rich state. It revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. This aspect makes Dubai distinct from other members of the UAE. A majority of the emirate's revenues is from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) and now, increasingly, from tourism. The location of Dubai is of great importance. It is located at the cross-roads of Europe...

Oh Lord I pray to you, I cry out to you with a great urgency. Hear me Lord as I pray. I lift up my hands in worship. May my prayers come before you as a sacrifice, may my prayers be acceptable before you. Help me Lord to only speak well of everyone and to keep my mouth on guard and not to gossip. Let evil ways not tempt me Lord nor may I be drawn to do wicked things. Let me not keep company with ungodly people and grant me grace and love not to offend anyone. Bring to me godly people who will keep me accountable and may I accept this as a blessing. Advice from a godly person I will not reject. My prayers today I ask to be kept safe from the evil of this dark world and of the spiritual world. May...

A business card is a singularly powerful tool for self-advertisement. If lets you market yourself to a very wide audience without the hassle and prohibitive cost of newspaper advertising. When you have business cards printed in bulk, however, be sure to get yourself a business card case. It's crass to distribute your business card without putting them in a business card case first. How to Distribute Your Business Card Is there a right way to distribute a business card? Is there a wrong way of doing the same? The answer to both questions is yes. In distributing business cards, there is a right way and a wrong way. There is no right way of doing it the wrong way. The Wrong Way: Distributing your...

E-carpool Network's service offers a different way of travelling for those who would like to save money and experience a new travelling opportunity. Carpooling means to share a ride with one or more travellers to a common destination. Travelling with unknown people also increases the chances of a pleasant conversation and to get to know nice people. Besides making use of the capacity of a car is quite important nowadays. Less consumption of oil can reduce common pollution, global warming, emissions of greenhouse gases and save considerable expenses from gasoline, oil, tires, auto depreciation, tolls, parking, and in some cases insurance. It is fairly flexible, passengers can use their time better...