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Purse Ram aka Parasuram (Naresh) is a petty thief who is grown up on stealing things since his childhood. He happens to see a girl Meghana (Mounika) and then instantly falls in love with her. He comes to know that she prefers educated guys with knowledge in various languages and cops. He impresses Meghana by feigning that he is a strict

PS3 - Yellow Light of Death - Causes and Solutions

When the PlayStation 3 came out one of the big advantages it had compared to Xbox 360 was very low failure rate. If you know only a little bit about consoles you probably heard of the Red Ring of Death error which affected as many as 30% of the first Xbox 360 models. Believe it or not Sony did not learn from Microsoft's mistake and the Yellow Light of Death is a PlayStation version of the Red Ring of Death. It also occurs due to the exact same reason as the Red Ring of Death.

So what causes the RROD on Xbox 360 and YLOD on the PS3? The answer is overheating and poor design of cooling and chip attachment to the motherboard. These two flaws combined have catastrophic results and kill the console over time. Both consoles are extremely powerful but have too small casings with poor ventilation and release of excess of heat. After playing your PS3 for few hours what happens is the temperature rises a point where the solder joints attaching the CPU and GPU chips to the motherboard liquefy and then solidify again once you switch the console off.

Refurbished

These heating cycles put stress on the solder joints and make them weaker and at a point, sooner or later one of the hundreds of solder joints breaks and the motherboard loses connection to the chip (either processor or graphical chip). At this point your PS3 will show the yellow light of death to notify you of the problem.

PS3 - Yellow Light of Death - Causes and Solutions

Now that you know what causes the problem lets talk about your options to get your PS3 running again.

Option 1: If your console is still under warranty call the Sony customer service line (800-345-7669) and tell them what happened. You will have to send them your PS3 for repair or they will send you a refurbished one. It's completely free but you will have to pay the shipping and insurance and wait for few weeks to get your PS3 back.

Option 2: If your PlayStation 3 is no longer under warranty you can still send it to Sony for repair. But they will charge your 0 + shipping and insurance and you will only get a 3 months extended warranty on the repaired or refurbished PS3. So if something goes wrong with it and the yellow light of death comes back after this period you can prepare another 0 and forget about gaming for weeks again. I do not recommend this option because it's a waste of money.

Option 3: Don't feel like giving Sony 0 to fix a problem THEY CAUSED? You don't have to! You can fix your PS3 at home yourself. No need to waste hundreds of dollars (it cost you enough to buy the PS3) or having to wait for weeks. If you think fixing a PS3 requires a tech savvy person or special tools you are wrong. People who never took anything apart fixed their PS3's without any problems.

All you have to do is follow a step-by-step video tutorial with commentary which will guide you through the whole process screw by screw and you could be playing your PS3 TODAY!

PS3 - Yellow Light of Death - Causes and Solutions

Find out what more about how to fix yellow light of death yourself and get your PS3 running today!

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A Guide to Discontinued Wedgwood China

Everything has its day and its time, and Wedgwood China is no exception to the rule. Because the company is 250 years old there are patterns that were used to create dishware that simply no longer exist, but pieces of the dishware still do. People take such good care of their Wedgwood China and such good care went into their manufacture that many of the original pieces made in the very early days of the company are still in existence. The situation is this - when people die, they pass their Wedgwood China collections down to their heirs. During the course of history, pieces break or go missing. Thus, the value of a complete set dating back a long time is almost impossible to imagine. However, around the world there are organizations who try to match collections of Wedgwood to make complete sets. For later designs, it is easy to get fill-in pieces to restore your set to its original grandeur.

Wedgwood itself guarantees it will do its best to keep an inventory of all of its patterns on hand, to replace broken or lost pieces for customers who request them. But even these are not limitless and there are many of the countless designs that have run out and have become discontinued Wedgwood China. Once Wedgwood has officially discontinued a particular pattern, the prices for any and all existing pieces skyrocket.

Royal

There are numerous places of business all over the world that specialize in handling only discontinued Wedgwood China pieces for that serious collector or highly prized family heirloom collections missing one plate or teacup to make it complete. As you can probably imagine, a full set of a discontinued Wedgwood China pattern can be quite valuable. Check out the auction prices on older pieces and you'll get an idea of what great, great Grandma's China may be worth on today's market.

A Guide to Discontinued Wedgwood China

A Guide to Discontinued Wedgwood China

Wedgewood China provides detailed information about discontinued, antique, and discount fine china, plus fine china outlets, values, and history. Wedgewood China is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

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What You Should Know Before You Throw Your Vera Bradley Bags in the Washing Machine

Do you experience this problem with your Vera Bradley bags? They need cleaned long before they wear out, picking up dirt and stains from everyday use. If there was one downside to quality, I guess that would be it. However, fortunately, there may be an easy fix. Did you know that some styles are machine washable?

Take a look inside your handbag. If you can locate the tag, there may be simple washing instructions. For example, mine states the following: "100% cotton. Machine wash cool gentle cycle. Do not bleach. Line dry."

These are fairly standard instructions for handbags made from cotton fabric. However, some products from the Vera Bradley collection are not machine washable, including purses made from silk and microfiber. Spot cleaning is the recommended method for cleaning bags made from these types of materials.

If you determine that your bag is made from cotton and decide to machine wash it, there are a few things that you should consider before you throw it in your machine:

1. What detergent are you using?

First, take a look at the detergent. If you are using the one that you normally use to wash your household laundry, you should not have a problem. If you are tempted to use a special detergent, perhaps the one that you use to wash your delicates, take a closer look at the label. Some detergents, such as Woolite for Delicates, are formulated to work with certain types of fabric, and are not suitable for washing cottons.

2. Does your purse have a baseboard?

Many Vera Bradley bags have a baseboard at the bottom. Even though the baseboard may be covered in the same material as your purse, the inner material which helps it keep its shape is not. Make sure you remove the baseboard prior to putting the bag in the washing machine. If necessary, you can spot clean the baseboard to keep it looking new.

3. Not all products made with cotton fabric are machine washable.

Many of the Vera Bradley accessories, such as wallets made from cotton fabric, may have directions to spot clean only. This is because there are other materials also used to manufacturer them. Wallets, for example, may have inserts sewn into their lining to help them hold their shape, and the lining itself may be made from a fabric other than the cotton used on the exterior. In this situation, spot cleaning is the recommended method for getting rid of stains and other spots.

4. Adhere to the drying instructions.

To avoid fading and shrinking, line drying is the recommended method for drying Vera Bradley bags. If your purse feels stiff after line drying, you may want to fluff it by placing it in the dryer on a cool or air dry setting for a just few minutes.

Following these few simple points, you should be able to keep your favorite handbags looking like new with the help of your washing machine.

This article was written by Dawn Hall. Visit her site to shop for the best deals on Vera Bradley bags and to read her blog about the latest Vera Bradley news, including the outlet sale, current events, and more.

Royal Bank of Canada Online Banking

Canada is well- known to be one of the world's leading countries when it comes to the bank and finance industries. This sector in Canada plays an important role in their economy and likewise also upsurges some of the other countries' economies. Canadian banks continue to upsurge though the world economic situation is coming to its worst. These banks can still mange to operate the industry despite an aloof economy. This enlightening move is brought about by the rapid advancement of technology. The Internet comes hand in hand with these banks in creating a shield to battle out the financial stance.

One of Canada's finest is the Royal Bank of Canada. Their online system has emerged from a widespread competition with other giant banking institutions. Creating an edge and has been brilliantly initiated the online banking systems which enable investors to do transactions over the internet. And adding up to this great feature, the online banking offers interest rates which are highly competitive and more likely amenable to consumers. This is one strategythey to uphold their investors. They do not look on the darker side of the current financial situation. Rather, they pursue to amplify the demands of consumers to keep the banking business running in shape.

Royal

The Royal Bank of Canada online banking has established its won website where clients and investors can make deals. This system has proven a cost effective approach to banking. They continue to invest and allot supplemental budget for technological advancements for their online banking feature. This enables and encourages more and more customers to engage in online banking considering the convenience and secured way of saving money. Responding to the infinite demands of customers who have experienced the convenience of online banking, by constantly updating clients and upgrades its systems accordingly. Due to the heightened competition even on online banking business, the Royal Bank of Canada online banking has a sturdy financial structure.

Royal Bank of Canada Online Banking

Banking online is taking a big leap in the industry of finance and banking along side with the up surging technological developments mainly the Internet. Not only that the Royal Bank of Canada offers high interest rates specifically for the "rainy days," the bank also offers different bank accounts which you feel you can seek help from to when the economic hurricane hits you. The online banking system of Royal Bank of Canada also has customer service representatives which are always available online for inquiries, suggestions and support.

With such a system, one will be able to monitor his or her accounts closely even during the unlikeliest time of the day. The Royal Canada online is taking one step closer to invading the international scene with its branches extending strategically over the continents of Europe and Asia and even the United States. The Royal Bank of Canada's system truly represents a confidant's shoulder in times of financial instability.

Royal Bank of Canada Online Banking

For more advice and tips with your finances visit my Frugal Living Blog Today, where you'll find tons of help and advice including How To Simplify Your Life and much more.

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Advantages of Notebook Computers Over Desktop Computers

Computer usage has increased over the years. Now it has become a mandatory requirement in most professions. Students are also increasingly dependent on computers for their project and research work. The desktop computer is known for its all-rounded performance, higher configuration compatibility and relatively cheaper pricing. On the other hand notebook computers have an advantage for its compactness and mobility factors. Though both these forms of computers are known for their uniqueness and serve different audience but the notebook computers have the ability to eclipse over desktop computers.

Technological advancements are welcomed but they are respected when they can be mobilized. Desktop computers have been made smaller through laptops while retaining most traits. Any notebook computer can perform the tasks of a basic desktop computer and it can be enhanced as per the user wishes. Earlier it wasn't possible to upgrade a laptop but now with increased innovations, a laptop's RAM (Random Access Memory) can be enhanced up to 4 GB for enabling superior performance. Notebook computers are expensive as they integrate all the components of a desktop computer into one compact machine.

Refurbished

The storage capacity of the notebook computers was a big limitation but now even that has been considerably diminished through the usage of flash memory. This kind of memory takes up very less space and stores lots of information. Notebooks with 250 GB memory are now available in the market. Notebooks enable wireless internet access through Wi-Fi enabled hotspots and their portability adds to their major advantage. The battery backup of the notebook computer allows its usage even without dedicated power-supply. All notebooks use LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens which are better and brighter in viewing. Notebooks have combined host of features like finger print reading for security issues, inbuilt camera for chats and taking photos, DVD combo drive for playing all types of file formats and much more.

Advantages of Notebook Computers Over Desktop Computers

There are different kinds of Laptop computers available to suit varied requirements. There are the basic desktop replacement notebooks which have a large screen display with loaded features. There are gaming notebooks which are configured for hi-end games. There are designing applications based notebooks, tablet notebooks for easier portability and the low budget student notebooks. Thus a user can have defined usage and then buy the required notebook from a trusted computer store. Many online stores also offer great deals on notebook computers and accessories.

Advantages of Notebook Computers Over Desktop Computers

Pooja Lapasia is a well known author and has written articles on Asus Laptops
Laptop store Compaq Laptops online shop and many other subjects.

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How Can I Get Free iTunes For My iPod - Best Sites For Free iTunes Download

You may ask, "How can I get free iTunes for my iPod?" That is just easy.

iTunes is simply a piece of application that allows you have portable entertainment at a very low cost. What makes iTunes stand out from the crowd of so many mp4 software are the features it has. The most significant of these features is the already built-in iTunes Music Store. This is a certain store where you can purchase music videos, audiobooks, movies, and even TV shows. You can also get here any podcasts that you want.

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Another best thing about this piece of software is that you can use iTunes not only for your iPod but also to your desktop or laptop computers with Mac OS and Windows platform. Well, as long as iTunes work for iPod, that's already a great deal.

How Can I Get Free iTunes For My iPod - Best Sites For Free iTunes Download

How to Get Free iTunes for iPod

Actually, iTunes is a freeware. You don't really have to buy a piece of CD installer just to enjoy all the exciting features of iTunes. You can ask a friend, your brother, or your older sister for a copy of this application. Don't worry because sharing iTunes software is a legal deed. Some computers and iPod, especially the later versions already have an installed iTunes for the user to instantly enjoy downloading multimedia entertainment. Among the many possible and easy ways in getting your free iTunes for free is the use of the Internet. The question is, in what website can you download this free iTunes for your iPod?

Best Websites for Free iTunes Download

There are many websites that offer free iTunes download. All you got to do is search for them through your favorite search engine like google.com.

Here are the sites that widely offer free iTunes download for your iPod:

apple.com/itunes/download - Who's the real author of iTunes? Of course, the creator of this new multimedia device-Apple Corporation. Apple offers free download of iTunes for easiness and comfortable use of iPod. Also, being the author of this significant application for your iPod, Apple offers wider options for you. After you've downloaded and installed the iTunes in your iPod, you are entitled to get free updates of the software. That way, you'll surely be in of the technological advances in iPod technology. download.com/iTunes/ - This site is one of the best sources of free software like iTunes. You can also read reviews here and get valuable tips and tricks from their site. itunes.en.softonic.com/ - This website is also a known source for over 30,000 freeware software, shareware applications, and trial version software. You can search for free iTunes download here. There are also software reviews available in the site written in different languages like German, Spanish, and English. brothersoft.com/ - Brothersoft.com was primarily organized to provide professional reviews on freeware submitted to them so that the programmer can do specific revisions of his authored program. But not now. Brothersoft.com has evolved into a leading provider of freeware and shareware for everyone. Of course, that includes your needed iTunes.

There are still more websites where you can download iTunes for free. The list will never fit this page.

So, now that you know where to get free iTunes for your iPod, you surely have great tips when someone asks you, "How can I get free iTunes for my iPod?"

How Can I Get Free iTunes For My iPod - Best Sites For Free iTunes Download

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What is the Best Caribbean Cruise Line and Route?

Caribbean cruises are all the rage these days. When you consider the range of amenities and facilities, the varied ports of call, and the range of activities on offer, Caribbean cruises are pretty good value. They offer much more than any one Caribbean resort can offer, and can be great fun no matter what the weather is like. Modern cruise liners are huge and can usually handle rough weather in stride without the passengers on board even noticing. The popularity of Caribbean cruises has resulted in several cruise lines operating in the region, as well as several different routes to choose from. So how do you decide which cruise line and route?

Firstly, let us take a look at the Caribbean cruise lines on offer. The big names are Royal Caribbean, Princess and Norwegian, and it makes sense to look at these three first. They have made their names based on their reputation of reliability, service and range of amenities, services, activities and routes. The pick of these would have to be Royal Caribbean. They have the largest and most modern fleet of cruise ships in the Caribbean, and, despite normal fares being a tad expensive, have some surprisingly cheap Caribbean cruise package deals especially in the off season. However if you are planning your vacation for a high season, book well in advance as Royal Caribbean is often sold out months beforehand. Norwegian is also a great cruise line and a little cheaper than Royal Caribbean, while Princess is another good option for those looking for a deal. There are several other Caribbean cruise operations that work on theme-based cruises, such as Celebrity, which may suit certain travelers' tastes.

Royal

Now, on to Caribbean cruise routes. Generally cruises take place in a certain area of the Caribbean, visiting the ports of call particular to that region. Basically, the Caribbean Sea can be divided into Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern areas. Depending on the length of the cruise, one or a few of these regions can be explored. There are also cruises just to one destination, such as Bermuda or the Bahamas (both of which are technically not actually part of the Caribbean, but close enough!). Personally, I think the Eastern and Southern routes are the most interesting. The Eastern routes usually stop in at fantastic places such as Antigua, St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, all of which are steeped in history and have the friendliest people. These routes may also take you through the French and Netherlands Antilles, which have their own distinctive cultural atmosphere and magnificent sights. The Southern cruises also take you to magical islands such as Trinidad, Tobago, Curacao, Aruba, Barbados and Bonaire. Those with enough time and money can easily combine these two regions into one cruise, seeing what I consider to be the best of what the Caribbean has to offer!

What is the Best Caribbean Cruise Line and Route?

What is the Best Caribbean Cruise Line and Route?

Hi, I'm John Wright and I am the webmaster of http://www.bestcaribbeancruiseline.com which has lots of great information on Caribbean cruises, cruise lines, cruise routes, Caribbean cruise destinations and Caribbean vacations in general. Check it out for plenty of great advice on planning your Caribbean cruise vacation!

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Used Lockers

Used lockers are metal storage containers that can be used to store gym clothes, sporting equipment, office wear, all kinds of personal items, or, in the case of heavy-duty, high-security lockers, personal valuables and/or company documents (but in the latter case, a safe might be a better bet). Used lockers are reasonably priced and are not just for schools and students. They are great to use around the home or summer camp. Used lockers come in all shapes and sized and are made using different materials including the traditional metal lockers. You will find many used metal lockers for sale online at locker company sites and other sites like http://www.ebay.com.

Lockers are found in schools, work, gyms, etc. Often times schools and gyms replace lockers every few years. Many locker companies will refurbish these lockers and put them up for sale. The prices are far cheaper than buying new lockers, and you can hardly tell the difference. Used lockers are great for the home because you can store almost anything in them from household cleaning products (keeping them away from the kids) to storing valuables including papers or collectibles.

Refurbished

Depending on the design, you can keep your locker in the basement or in your bedroom. As noted, used lockers can be purchased in all shapes, sizes, colors and designs, and because they are refurbished, they look brand new. You can even find used wooden lockers that will look great in a bedroom, and will conveniently store materials that need to stay dry like important personal records.

Used Lockers

Used Lockers

Lockers [http://www.i-Lockers.com] provides detailed information on Lockers, Locker Room, Gym Locker, Used Lockers and more. Lockers is affiliated with Custom Display Cases [http://www.e-displaycases.com].

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RJ45 Connectors

RJ45 being a standard type of connector for networking cables is widely used in Local Area and Wide Area Networking.

RJ45 stands for Registered Jack 45. RJ45 broadly refers to RJ45 connector, RJ45 cable and RJ45 port. A RJ45 Connector is an eight-wire connector used to connect computers in a Local Area Network (LAN) via Ethernets. RJ45 originally used in telephone cables was a 8P2C (8 position 2 conductor) modular connector whose pin 5 connects to tip and pin 4 connects to the ring. Computer RJ45 is an 8P8C (8 position 8 conductor) connector with all conductors present. Today RJ45 is used almost exclusively to refer to Ethernet type computer connectors. In general all 8P8C connectors are also referred to as RJ45 connectors.

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RJ45 cables fall into three main types namely a) straight-through, b) crossover and c) rolled. The colored wires are in the same sequence at both ends of the straight-through cable. In crossover cable the first (far left) and the second colored wires at one end of the cable are the third and fourth colored wires at the other end of the cable while the third and fourth colored wires at one end are the first and second in the other end. The colored wires at one end of the cable are in the reverse sequence of the colored wires at the other end of the cable in the rolled type. The most common RJ45 connector uses four of the 8P8C wires for Ethernet communications. Pins 1 and 2 are the transmit pair while pins 3 and 6 are the receive pair.

RJ45 Connectors

The Ethernet port resembles a wider looking regular telephone jack. The cable and the RJ45 data port support communication at speeds up to 1 Giga bits per second (GBps) (one thousand million bits per second). In addition to Ethernet, RJ45 cable is used for WAN connections. Faster serial communications also employ modular 8P8C. Six of the eight connectors are used in certain Integrated Services Digital Network. Augmented RJ45 (referred as ARJ45) to be used with a modified RJ45 port has been designed for high speed communications (10GBps).

The benefits of using RJ45 / Ethernet connections are the high speed data throughput reaching up to Gigabit/s levels over long distances. The other competing LAN standards like Token ring, Token Bus, etc., suffer degradation as when new nodes come into LAN. With a locking boot RJ45 plug connector remains free of any inadvertent disconnection taking place.

RJ45 Connectors

Thus RJ45 connectors are useful for LAN or WAN and faster communications.

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How To Repair Treadmills At Home

With increasing use of treadmills as fitness maintainer, their presence in the market has also increased. Several models of treadmills, from cheap, refurbished to the most expensive ones are available today. But like any other machine, treadmills too tend to get wear and tear. The more you use it, the more soon will its components get exhausted.

Almost all treadmills, after the expiry of its warranty period require much replacement and repair so that it keeps functioning well. Many people refrain from spending on repair and maintenance costs. Well, if your treadmill is of low quality, you surely wouldn't be preferring to spend your precious money on a low grade machine. Instead you will be interested in buying a new model altogether. But if you have a treadmill of a reputed brand, you would surely like to spend money on refurbishing your treadmill. Equipment maintenance is very important for your treadmill at home. You need regular servicing of your exercising machine. If you are not finding time to get your treadmill repaired at a service center, then it becomes important for you to perform service on your own.

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The important parts of your treadmill are the motor, the belt, the deck and the display screen. There are certain basic things that you should keep in mind while repairing your treadmill. You should start repairing your treadmill with its most important part, which is a motor.

How To Repair Treadmills At Home

Constant cleaning of the motor is necessary. This helps it to make dust free. Next to the motor comes the treadmill belt. You should always keep the track of your belt's condition. If you are uncomfortable with it, you should replace it. There is another aspect to the cleaning process. You should constantly apply grease to the chain that supports the belt. Greasing it constantly will make the life of your treadmill's chain longer. It is also very important for you to examine the deck of your treadmill regularly.

Lubricating your deck also forms an important part of a treadmill repairman exercise. As the treadmill becomes old and much used, the belt tends to lose its balance. After a certain period of time, the treadmill belts do not remain centered. They get tracked either towards the left or the right. This type of defect can be repaired at your home easily with a screw driver. A proper balance is important for good exercising.

Any machine has a tendency to make noise. The same is true with your treadmill. The more you use it, the more it will become noisy. These symptoms show that now is the time for you to refurbish the motor of your treadmill. But replacing a motor is not an easy task. You should be careful about the compatibility of the new motor that you are intending to use. Most of the treadmill manufacturing brands have in their offer the replacement of parts of their models that includes belt and motor.

If you have these company replacement offers with you, then you would save heavy repair expenses. Apart from the motor and the belt, you may also find a need to replace the display screen of your treadmill.

How To Repair Treadmills At Home

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ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES - The Case of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Ltd

Industry Shake-up

In December 2003 Mzwimbi went on a well deserved family vacation to the United States, satisfied with the progress and confident that his sprawling empire was on a solid footing. However a call from a business magnate in January 2004 alerted him to what was termed a looming shake- up in the financial services sector. It appears that the incoming governor had confided in a few close colleagues and acquaintances about his plans. This confirmed to Mzwimbi the fears that were arising as RBZ refused to accommodate banks which had liquidity challenges.

Royal

The last two months of 2003 saw interest rates soar close to 900% p.a., with the RBZ watching helplessly. The RBZ had the tools and capacity to control these rates but nothing was done to ease the situation. This hiking of interest rates wiped out nearly all the bank's income made within the year. Bankers normally rely on treasury bills (TBs) since they are easily tradable. Their yield had been good until the interest rates skyrocketed. Consequently bankers were now borrowing at higher interest rates than the treasury bills could cover. Bankers were put in the uncomfortable position of borrowing expensive money and on-lending it cheaply. An example at Royal Bank was an entrepreneur who borrowed 0 million in December 2003, which by March 2004 had ballooned to 0 million due to the excessive rates. Although the cost of funds was now at 900% p.a., Royal Bank had just increased its interest rates to only 400% p.a, meaning that it was funding the client's shortfall. However this client could not pay it and just returned the 0 million and demonstrated that he had no capacity to pay back the 0 million interest charge. Most bankers accepted this anomaly because they thought it was a temporary dysfunction perpetuated by the inability of an acting governor to make bold decisions. Bankers believed that once a substantive governor was sworn in he would control the interest rates. Much to their dismay, on assuming the governorship Dr. Gono left the rates untamed and hence the situation worsened. This scenario continued up to August 2004, causing considerable strain on entrepreneurial bankers.

ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES - The Case of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Ltd

On reflection, some bankers feel that the central bank deliberately hiked the interest rates, as this would allow it to restructure the financial services sector. They argue that during the cash crisis of the last half of 2003, bank CEOs would meet often with the RBZ in an effort to find solutions to the crisis. Retrospectively they claim that there is evidence indicating that the current governor though not appointed yet was already in control of the RBZ operations during that time period and was thus responsible for the untenable interest rate regime.

In January 2004, after his vacation, Mzwimbi was informed by the RBZ that Royal had been accommodated for billion on the 28th of December 2003. The Central Bank wanted to know whether this accommodation should be formalised and placed into the newly created Troubled Bank Fund. However, this was expensive money both in terms of the interest rates and also in terms of the conditions and terms of the loan. At Trust Bank, access to this facility had already given the Central Bank the right to force out the top executives, restructure the Board and virtually take over the management of the bank.

Royal Bank turned down the offer and used deposits to pay off the money. However the interest rates did not come down.

During the first quarter of 2004 Trust Bank, Barbican bank and Intermarket Bank were identified as distressed and put under severe corrective orders by the Central Bank.

Royal Assault

Royal Bank remained stable until March 2004. People who had their funds locked up in Intermarket Bank withdrew huge sums of funds from Royal Bank while others were moving to foreign owned banks as the perception created by Central Bank was read by the market to mean that entrepreneurial bankers were fraudsters.

Others withdrew their money on the basis that if financial behemoths like Intermarket can sink, then it could happen to any other indigenously controlled bank. Royal Bank had an advantage that in the smaller towns it was the only bank, so people had no choice. However even in this scenario there were no stable deposits as people kept their funds moving to avoid being caught unawares. For example in one week Royal Bank had withdrawals of over billion but weathered the storm without recourse to Central Bank accommodation.

At this time, newspaper reports indicating some leakage of confidential information started appearing. When confronted, one public paper reporter confided that the information was being supplied to them by the Central Bank. These reports were aimed at causing panic withdrawals and hence exposing banks to depositor flight.

Statutory Reserves

In March 2004, at the point of significant vulnerability, Royal Bank received a letter from RBZ cancelling the exemption from statutory reserve requirements. Statutory reserves are funds, (making up a certain percentage of their total deposits), banks are required to deposit with the Central Bank, at no interest.

When Royal Bank began operations, Mzwimbi applied to the Central Bank - then under Dr Tsumba, for foreign currency to pay for supplies, software and technology infrastructure. No foreign currency could be availed but instead Royal Bank was exempted from paying statutory reserves for one year, thus releasing funds which Royal could use to acquire foreign currency and purchase the needed resources. This was a normal procedure and practice of the Central Bank, which had been made available to other banking institutions as well. This would also enhance the bank's liquidity position.

Even investors are sometimes offered tax exemptions to encourage and promote investments in any industry. This exemption was delayed due to bungling in the Banking Supervision and Surveillance Department of the RBZ and was thus only implemented a year later, consequently it would run from May 2003 until May 2004. The premature cancellation of this exemption caught Royal Bank by surprise as its cash flow projections had been based on these commencing in May 2004.

When the RBZ insisted, Royal Bank calculated the statutory reserves and noted that, due to a decline in its deposits, it was not eligible for the payment of statutory reserves at that time. When the bank submitted its returns with zero statutory reserves, the Central Bank claimed that the bank was now due for the whole statutory reserve since inception. In effect this was not being treated as a statutory reserve exemption but more as a penalty for evading statutory reserves. Royal Bank appealed. There were conflicting opinions between the Bank Supervision and Capital Markets divisions on the issue as Bank Supervision conceded to the validity of Royal's position. However Capital Markets insisted that it had instructions from the top to recall the full amount of billion. This was forced onto Royal Bank and transferred without consent to the Troubled Banks Fund at exorbitant rates of 450% p. a.

FML Saga

When FML was demutualising, the executives were concerned about the possibility of being swallowed by its huge strategic partner, Trust Holdings. FML approached Royal Bank and other banks to act as buffers. The agreement was that FML would fund the deal by placing funds with Royal Bank so that Royal would not fund it from its balance sheet.

Consequently FML would leave the deposits with Royal Bank for the tenor of the loan. The deal was consummated through Regal Asset Managers and was to mature in December 2004, at which time it was anticipated that the share price of First Mutual would have blossomed, allowing Royal Bank to harvest its investment and exit profitably. The deal resulted in Regal Asset Managers owning 57 million FML shares. Royal Bank gave FML some securities in the form of treasury bills as collateral for the deposit.

The Reserve Bank and the curator wrote off this investment because at that time FML was suspended at the ZSE. However the fact that it was suspended did not invalidate its value. Recent events have shown that this investment has generated huge capital value for Regal Asset Managers as the ZSE rebounded. Yet the curator valued this investment negatively. Around March 2004 there had been a contagion effect at FML due to the challenges at Trust Bank. This resulted in the forced departure of the FML CEO and chairman. FML was suspended from the local bourse as investigations into the financing structure of Capital Alliance's acquisition were carried out. Because of the pressure brought to bear on FML, it wanted to withdraw the deposits held by Royal Bank, contrary to the agreement. FML could not locate and return the treasury bills that had been provided as collateral by Royal. Royal Bank suspected that these had been placed with ENG, another asset management company which collapsed in December 2003. A public row broke out. Royal Bank executives sought counsel from Renaissance Merchant Bank, which had brokered the deal, and the Chairman of the ZSE, who both agreed with Royal that the deal was legitimate and FML had to honour the agreement. At this stage FML sought court intervention in an attempt to force Royal Bank into liquidation. Even the curator contested the FML position resulting in his taking it for arbitration. Royal's position remained that if FML fails to return the securities then it will not get the funds.

Royal bank directors claimed political interference on the issue. The Royal Bank executives believe that the governor, against his better judgment, decided to act against Royal Bank under the pretext of the political pressure. In retrospect, the political support for cracking the whip at Royal gave credence to the rumour that the governor had an underlying agenda in taking Royal and merging it into ZABG because of its strong branch network.

Royal Bank had been warned by friendly RBZ insiders that if it ever accessed the Troubled Bank Fund it would be in trouble, so it sought to avoid this at all costs.

However on 4th August 2004, Royal was served with papers that effectively placed it under the curator. Interestingly, the curator's contract was signed two days earlier. Until this time no depositor had ever failed to withdraw his deposits from Royal Bank.

The lack of credibility of the Reserve Bank in handling this case is exposed when one considers that some banks were given more than eight months to stabilise under curators, e.g. Intermarket and CFX Banks, and were able to recover. But Royal and Trust Bank were under the curator for less than two months before being amalgamated. The press raised concerns about the curators assuming the role of undertaker rather than nurse, and hence burying these banks.This seemed to confirm the possibility of a hidden agenda on the part of the Central Bank.

Victor Chando

Chando was an excellent financial engineer who set up Victory Financial Services after a stint with MBCA. He had been the brains behind the setting up of the predecessor of Century Discount House which he later sold to Century Holdings. Royal Bank initially had an interest in discount houses and so at inception had included Victor as a significant shareholder. He later acquired Barnfords Securities which Royal intended to bring in-house.

Victory Financial Services was involved in foreign currency dealings, using offshore companies that bought free funds from Zimbabweans abroad and purchased raw materials for Zimbabwean corporations. One such deal with National Foods went sour and the MD reported it to the Central Bank. On investigations the deal was found to be clean but the RBZ went ahead to publish that he was involved in illegal foreign currency transactions and linked this to Royal Bank. However this was a transaction done by a shareholder as an account holder, in which the bank had no interest. What confused matters, was that Victory Financial Services was housed in the same building as Royal Bank.

After failing to nail Chando to any criminal charges, the Central Bank issued an order for Royal Bank to force him out as a shareholder and board member. It is ridiculous that the Central Bank would vet who is a shareholder or not in banks - particularly when the people had no criminal records.

Negotiations with OPEC were underway for it to take over Chando's shareholding. The Reserve Bank was aware of these developments. OPEC would then help in the recapitalisation as well as open up lines of credit for the bank.

The Arrest

In September 2004 the executive directors of Royal Bank, Mzwimbi and Durajadi, were arrested on five allegations of fraudulently prejudicing the bank. One of the charges was that they fraudulently used depositors' funds to recapitalise the bank.

Three of the charges after police investigations were dropped, as they were not true. The two remaining charges were:

a) a conflict of interest on loans that were made available to the directors. The RBZ alleges that they did not disclose their interests when companies controlled by them accessed loans at concessionary rates from the bank. However the enterprising bankers dispute these charges, as they claim the Board minutes prove that this interest was disclosed. Even the annual financial statements of the bank acknowledge that they accessed loans as part of their employment contract with the bank.

b) money was owed to Finsreal Asset Management. However Mzwimbi argues that Finsreal actually owes them money and not the other way round. Royal Bank shareholders needed to inject money for recapitalisation of the bank and were requested to deposit their funds with Finsreal Asset Management. Since some had not paid their portion of the recapitalisation by the due date, Royal Financial Holdings, which had an account with Finsreal, paid the money on behalf of the shareholders - who were then indebted to Royal Financial Holdings. Somehow the RBZ confused this transaction as the bank's funds and therefore accused the

shareholders of using depositors' funds to recapitalise.

By retrospectively analysing the court case wherein the Royal Bank executive directors are accused of defrauding the bank it appears that the RBZ created a falsehood in order to frustrate the bankers. The curator who initially refused to take a stand before the RBZ appointed Independent Appeal, has in court clearly testified that no monies were stolen from the bank by the directors and that the curator did not (contrary to RBZ assertions) recommend charges against the bankers. In January 2007 the former executive directors of Royal Bank were acquitted by the High Court on the remaining criminal charges after the prosecution failed to present a convincing argument.

Royal Bank assets were sold by the curator to ZABG barely two months after being placed under the curator, without any audited financial statements. The speed at which an agreement of sale was reached is astonishing. The owners of Royal Bank went to court and, after a protracted legal struggle, the court ruled that the assets were sold illegally and hence the sale was "illegal and of no force or effect and therefore null and void". The court then directed that the owners should appeal to the Central Bank for a determination of the actions of the curators. The Central Bank begrudgingly set up an "independent panel" to adjudicate the case. Strangely ZABG continued to trade on the illegal assets.

The panel advised that the appeal by Royal bank be rejected as it would be difficult to disentangle it from ZABG. They also cited the fact that ZABG had some contractual obligations with third parties who may not want to do business with Royal bank. This strange ruling fails to explain why these considerations were not made when the amalgamation was done. The ruling also redefined the agreements between the curator of Royal bank and ZABG as not being an "agreement of sale" even though the parties which entered into the agreement clearly intended it to be viewed as such. This was a way of circumventing the Supreme Court ruling that the agreement of sale was null and void.

But the panel did not explain how this disposal of the assets should be considered if it was not a sale.

Consequently the major shareholders of Royal appealed to the Minister of Finance who upheld the RBZ decision. Mzwimbi and his colleagues have therefore appealed to the courts. In the meanwhile there was a failed attempt to sell the disputed assets by ZABG despite the outstanding legal challenge. Just ice delayed is justice denied.

Mzwimbi and his team have been denied access to all bank records and yet are expected to defend themselves. As he characteristically puts it, "We are going into this fight blind folded and our hands bound, while fighting someone who has armour and a sword."

Around 2002-3 there were press reports indicating that the ruling party/state wanted to have a stake in the profitable banking sector. A minister of government at the time of the arrest confirmed this to Mzwimbi and his team. Another bank, NMB, had allegedly been assaulted and the major shareholders were told to dispose of their shareholdings to certain politically connected persons. They refused and had to leave the country after some trumped up charges were preferred against them. Unfortunately, the governor faced resistance and the politicians distanced themselves. One indigenous banker reported how he was summoned to the Central Bank governor's office and informed that he should leave the country, as his bank would be closed. This banker credits Royal Bank's resistance to being manipulated as the reason why his own bank survived. The bank was placed under curatorship on 4th August 2004. Mzwimbi had secured potential investors for the recapitalisation of the bank just before the deadline of 30th September 2004. Three days before that deadline, Mzwimbi met the curator and explained in detail the position for the recapitalisation exercise. Investors who had shown interest and were in advanced negotiations were OPEC, Fidelity Insurance and some South African investors. He further asked the curator to request the Central Bank for an extension of about a week. The very next day he was arrested on the pretext that he was about to leave the country. Mzwimbi and his team believe that his arrest at that critical stage was meant to intimidate the would-be investors and result in the failure to recapitalise. This lends credence to the view that the decision to acquire the bank and amalgamate it in ZABG had already been made. The recapitalisation would have scuppered these plans. Notably, other banks were given an extension to regularise their recapitalisation plans.

Shakeman Mugari reported that the central bank has in principle agreed to enter into a scheme of arrangement with Royal, Trust and Barbican banks which could see the final resolution of this issue. He argues that the central bank disregarded the value of securities that the banks had pledged to the central bank for the loans. If these are factored in, then the bank shareholders have some significant value within ZABG. If this scheme had been consummated it would have protected RBZ officials from being sued in their personal capacity for the loss of value to shareholders. From the article it appears like a memorandum of agreement had been signed to effect a reduction of Allied Financial Services' share in ZABG while the former banks' shareholders will take up their share in proportion to the value of their assets. This seems to indicate that the central bank has noted a weakness in its arguments.

If this proves true Royal Bank could regain a fairly big stake of ZABG due to its assets which included the real estate and its paper assets which had been undervalued.

The legal hassles show that entrepreneurs in volatile environments face unnecessary political and legal challenges. The rule of law in these countries is sometimes nonexistent. The legislative and political environments, instead of supporting investors, pose serious challenges to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs in these environments have to assess the associated risk in setting up their enterprises. However a new breed of entrepreneurs who do not fear the vicissitudes of political interference is making a difference. Entrepreneurs recognise that the environment is a constraint but can be manipulated until worthwhile opportunities are exploited for commercial value. These entrepreneurs choose not to be victims of the environment.
Assault on Entrepreneurs' Character

The information asymmetry whereby the Central Bank played its case in the public press while the accused bankers had no right of response created a false impression, in the minds of the populace, of entrepreneurs being greedy and unscrupulous.

The Central Bank accused Jeff Mzwimbi and Durajadi Simba of siphoning funds from the bank. An example appeared in a press article in which it was alleged that the sale of Barclays Bank branches to Royal Bank was annulled and the refunded funds were remitted to Mzwimbi and Durajadi at Finsreal Asset Managers and not Royal Bank's account. This was a clear case of deliberate misinformation as the Central Bank was aware of the truth. Royal Bank had included the purchase of the Bulawayo Barclays Bank branch building which Barclays Bank would lease a portion of from Royal Bank. When Royal Bank fell short at the Interbank Clearing House, it renegotiated with Barclays. This was after Royal was threatened that if it did not clear this amount it would be placed into the Troubled Bank Fund - which carried severe penalties.

The result was that Barclays refunded the amount paying it directly to Royal's Central Bank account. The RBZ acknowledged receiving these funds. How can they now accuse the founding shareholders of siphoning the same funds which went directly to the RBZ account? Mzwimbi insists that Barclays can easily testify to this.

The RBZ also alleged that Mzwimbi and Durajadi withheld information from their CVs on application for the bank licence and hence questioned their integrity. They claimed that Mzwimbi withheld information on his involvement with a failed bank, UMB. But the business plan for Royal Bank which was filed with RBZ clearly states this involvement. The Central Bank would have these records anyway. They also queried Durajadi's source of funds and cast aspersions on the net worth statement. Yet Durajadi had been involved in Zimbabwe Trust and a transport business with his brother, which gave him sufficient net worth value.

The RBZ contends that the Board of Royal Bank failed to comply with a directive to recapitalise by 29th July 2004. Royal Bank executives and Board state categorically that they never received this directive. Mzwimbi and his team argue that this is misinformation, as all banks were required to have recapitalised by 30th September 2004.

The regulators also allege that the balance sheet of Royal Bank had a deficit of 0 billion, which the bankers dispute. If one were to consider the disputed billion for statutory reserves and the billion as accommodation from the clearing house, this would amount to billion with interests. However with the undervaluing of the assets and the 0 billion which was written off as uncollectible, there would be no negative balance sheet. The contention of the Royal Executives is that the curator, at the behest of the Reserve Bank, deliberately tampered with the accounts to provide a reason for the take-over. This may be validated by the fact that the curator's balance sheet kept changing whenever he was challenged and he increased the write-offs, even of funds that had since been collected. Since Royal and Trust Banks were amalgamated into ZABG, the bank is still profitable, without any recapitalisation having been carried out. The very fact that this new amalgamated bank can operate for this long from insolvent banks' capital without recapitalising lends credence to the argument of the Royal Bank's owners.

The entrepreneurs contend that they were dealing with a Central Bank which was determined to see them sink and not to protect the integrity of the banking system. This environment was not conducive to survival and it amplified normal weaknesses which could have been resolved in the course of normal business.

Entrepreneurial Determination

Mzwimbi and his colleagues refused to give up under challenging situations. Despite intimidation they took the Central Bank to court and refused to budge until justice was done. They were presented with numerous opportunities to quit the country but would not.

It is reported that they have not given up on their dream. They have set up Royal Financial Services in Kenya, despite the challenges in Zimbabwe. Indeed a sign of perseverance. Press reports indicated that they are in negotiations with Trust Bank so that once they win their case they can merge and continue their operations in Zimbabwe. Trust did not confirm or deny this. The more likely scenario however is that both Trust and Royal could reach a compromise with the central bank resulting in them taking up equity in ZABG subject to an independent revaluation exercise of the assets which were taken over.

Entrepreneurial Principles

The entrepreneurial journey is fraught with risk but can be very rewarding. Some lessons that can be learned from the case study are as follows:

• Entrepreneurs take calculated risk. Mzwimbi did not use all his resources in the bank but left his shareholding in Econet intact. He also sought to diversify his wealth by keeping some investments with FML and Screen Litho. This has been the mainstay of his wealth creation strategy. The disaster that befell the bank did not completely wipe him out because of this prudent investment strategy.

• Entrepreneurs learn from their experiences. Mzwimbi's vast experiences taught him critical lessons. His international banking experience enabled him to see the emerging trends as Barclays and Standard Chartered withdrew from country towns, creating a route for his entry strategy. His work with Econet taught him perseverance as he and his colleagues fought legal battles with government for the award of the licence. Little did he know that this was just training ground for the battle of his life - the battle for Royal Bank.

• Entrepreneurs need to continuously scan the environment for threats and opportunities. Whereas Mzwimbi and his team were good at noticing the emerging positive trends in the environment at inception, they failed to pick the changes in the regulatory environment when the new governor came on board.

• Entrepreneurial strategy emerges and therefore entrepreneurs should be flexible. Although Royal Bank had a plan to grow at a steady pace, when the opportunity arose to acquire other branches cheaply the entrepreneurs seized the opportunity.

• Entrepreneurs are faced with credibility challenges as customers, regulators and suppliers test the credibility of newcomers. Royal Bank minimised this by recruiting experienced and well known personnel in the market. However the lack of institutional shareholders led to credibility gaps with some corporate clients.

• Entrepreneurs need to craft into their organisations both managerial and leadership competences to ensure both the ability to exploit opportunities (entrepreneurial activity) and sustainable company performance (strategic management). The more contemporary view of entrepreneurship transcends just the venture creation and now encompasses strategic growth. Although Mzwimbi was an excellent leader he needed a strong and powerful manager to consolidate the gains and create solid systems to sustain the rapid growth. Leaders thrive on change while managers thrive on handling complexity and creating order.

• Business is built on relationships as these help in the scanning of the operating environment e.g. critical information about opportunities and threats was obtained from close relationships

Lets close this article with a few questions that an entrepreneur should consider. For instance, if Mzwimbi had expanded less aggressively, would Royal Bank have been safer from the regulators? How could Mzwimbi have protected Royal Bank from political and regulatory interference if he anticipated those risks? If Mzwimbi had selected to pursue his enterprise ideas in a country with a more dependable political and regulatory environment, how would he have performed? Would it have been wiser to keep the equipment, real estate and other assets in Royal Financial Holdings or other corporate entity and only lease them to the bank? In that scenario would the predators have been able to pounce on the bank?

Sources: I Dr Tawafadza A. Makoni confirm being the author of this work. The material for this case study was drawn from my interviews with Mr J Mzwimbi CEO of Royal Bank in February 2006 and two Royal Bank Board Members. Some material was drawn from an unpublished Royal Bank Strategic Business Plan, (2000)

ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES - The Case of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Ltd

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Royal Birthday - Queen Elizabeth II

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 21st April, 1926. This birthday she usually celebrates privately with family at Windsor Castle, but she has another which is a rather more public event.

The Queen's "official birthday" is held on the third Saturday in June each year for the very pragmatic reason that the British weather is usually better in June than in April. It is attended by many state dignitaries, members of the Armed Forces as well as members of the public.

Royal

The celebration centres on Trooping The Colour or if you prefer, The Queen's Birthday Parade, a colourful military parade which takes place on Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall in London.

Royal Birthday - Queen Elizabeth II

The troops who participate are always from the Household Division and it is one Foot Division of the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards which takes it in turns to have their colour trooped or carried along the ranks each year.

The Household Division is part of the British Army therefore both the Horse and Foot Troops are fully trained and capable of operational duties, but it is by tradition, their honour to guard the Monarch.

The ceremony originates from a mixture of two historical military ceremonies - Trooping The Colour and Mounting The Queen's Guard - both of which involved parading the battalion colour or flag in front of the troops in order that they could recognise it should it be used as a rallying point in battle.

It was in 1748 that it was deemed that Trooping The Colour would mark the official birthday of the Sovereign and since the reign of King Edward VII, the Monarch has taken the salute in person. Queen Elizabeth II has taken the salute every year of her reign except when a rail strike caused the parade to be cancelled in 1955.

During the ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, The Queen takes the Royal salute and inspects the troops, which from 1969 to 1986 she did in uniform from the back of the charger, Burmese. Now, however, she is driven in a phaeton and takes the salute from a platform wearing mufti. The massed bands perform a musical troop and the regimental colour for the year is paraded along the ranks. The troops then march or ride past The Queen. The Queen then returns to Buckingham Palace at the head of the Guards, before taking the salute once again, following which the troops return to barracks.

Royal Birthday - Queen Elizabeth II

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Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Birthdays [http://birthday-tips-supplies.com]

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Cruise Line Comparison - Carnival Or Royal Caribbean?

 Carnival and Royal Caribbean are two popular cruise lines that have strong followings.   Some cruise aficionados refuse to sail on one or the other.   Are there any major differences between them? Explore which cruise may fit your needs the best. For our comparison we sailed on two similar ships - the Carnival Liberty and the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas.
Itinerary   Both ships go to Caribbean Islands like Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, St. Thomas, the Bahamas and St. Martin / St. Maarten. The Liberty also visited its private island Half Moon Cay, Puerto Rico, and Grand Turk. The Mariner of the Seas traveled to its private island Coco Cay and Labadee (the north coast of Haiti). We loved most of the locations that both of the ships visited and don't believe that this should be a distinguishing factor on deciding between the cruise lines. Shows   Each night there are a variety of shows. Usually you have the main show and some type of entertainment before and perhaps afterward. We felt that the main shows on the Mariner of the Seas were better. On the Liberty we liked the comedian and juggling act. If you love seeing the shows, Royal Caribbean was better for the main shows and Carnival was slightly better for the comedians. Dining Room We enjoyed the atmosphere of both dining rooms on the Liberty and Mariner of the Seas. We felt that the menu had a little more variety on the Mariner of the Seas. Friendliness of staff The Liberty and Mariner of the Seas both get high grades. We did have one waiter that complained some on one of our trips on the Mariner. We had a slightly better experience on the Liberty, but feel that both crews did an excellent job and that this should not be a distinguishing factor on choosing a cruise. Pools   The Mariner of the Seas and Liberty both had salt water pools - which most cruise ships have. They both had pools for kids and adults. We liked the Liberty's pools better because one had a slide. If you have kids, this would be something that they would definitely enjoy. Spa   We tried the spa on the Liberty and loved it. We did not try the spa on the Mariner of the Seas. Usually you can't go wrong when getting a spa treatment. Excursions   We enjoyed our excursions on both ships. We're not sure why, but there are very few excursions on Puerto Rico. Both seemed to employ clients who ran the excursions with professional, friendly attitudes. We really haven't run into any tour guides with bad attitudes. Both cruise lines get high marks. Kids Programs   We met travelers on Carnival that would absolutely would not sail on Royal Caribbean because of the kids programs. We did not feel the same way at all. In fact, we thought that Carnival and Royal Caribbean did an excellent job with their kids programs. There were lots of kids on both cruises. Age of Clientele   There was a wide range of the age of cruisers on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean. The age seemed to be slightly younger on our Carnival cruise. Many times Caribbean destinations during the summer have a lot of children, so that the age of the clientele is younger. If you travel during the school year, the average age is older with many less children. In general, especially during the school year, Carnival has a younger crowd. This can help you plan if you prefer a younger or slightly older crowd.  Game Room   Both the Mariner of the Seas and Liberty had a similar size game room.   We do not feel that this was a distinguishing factor, even though it can be an important part of the trip for the kids! Cafeteria   We felt that the food was more varied on the Mariner of the Seas. The quality was generally good to very good on both ships. Odds and Ends   We liked the outdoor movies that Liberty had each evening. We thought that the putt-putt golf course was a little better on the Mariner of the Seas. We did not prefer the access to the internet cape on the Liberty. You had to walk through a lounge with cigar smoke for access. We also talked to cruisers on the Royal Caribbean who would not sail Carnival due to too many smokers. We did not find this to be the case on our trips, and thought that there was little difference in the number of people smoking.
The Bottom Line   Overall, for our needs we liked the Mariner of the Seas slightly better. We would not hesitate to book on either ship again, as we thought that both trips were very enjoyable.

Royal

Cruise Line Comparison - Carnival Or Royal Caribbean?

Cruise Line Comparison - Carnival Or Royal Caribbean?

Rich is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist with 25 years of weather forecasting and television experience. Visit his website Tropicalweather.net for more on expert hurricane forecasts and travel resources.

Hurricane & Travel Message Boards - Tropical Temperature and Rainfall Averages

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Royal Jewelry

We always admire our sovereigns sometimes for their strength, sometimes for their ethics, their beauty or their elegance. Tradition requires that a person belonging to royalty should display a perfect outfit in any situation, being an example for the rest of the people. But what really draws our attention towards queens or princesses mostly are their jewels.

The crown is a piece of jewelry characteristic for a king or a queen. Among the other pieces crowns are the most beautifully and richly decorated. They are the main symbol of the power these persons have as heads of a country, being able to influence the destinies of their subjects. Crowns are an endless story. They speak of times when people were beheaded, but also of the glamour of royal weddings and receptions. The metals for crowns are gold and platinum and they are decorated with rubies, emeralds or diamonds.

Royal

The alternative to crowns are the tiaras which are more delicate and easier to wear. They are associated mostly with princesses in fairy tales, but in real-life they are worn by queens, duchesses and princesses of course.

Royal Jewelry

Contemporary royal faces don't flash their blinding jewels the way they used to. They have adopted a simple and elegant style which is very appreciated by their people. Depending on the event they wear brooches, chokers or small earrings. These accessories are made of the best materials possible but are more subtle than heavy necklaces or some tiaras.

The purpose of royal jewels was to represent an expression of the wealth of a country. They left a strong impression on the subjects, underlining their simplicity as compared to a royal face. Nevertheless, nowadays royal families try to blend more in the contemporary landscape. They want to become closer to the people they rule adopting a more usual style in the outfit they wear when they make public appearances. The noble origin is translated by their behavior and by their simplicity.

All the women want to look like princesses when they need to attend a special event. The solution is to visit shops with wholesale jewellery. Remember that nobility doesn't stand in the size of the piece of jewelry but rather in its high quality and fine design. And the way you wear it is the most important.

Royal Jewelry

Find all the accessories that you need under one roof; choose to purchase wholesale jewellery.

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5 Ways To Save Money On Grocery Bills And Other House Expenses

When you review your grocery and other domestic expense budget, you will find that year on year your expenses are always increasing. The prices keep increasing while the inflation keeps eating into your budget and not to forget that with a growing family, your needs keep increasing too. You may be surprised but it is true that you can save at least ten percent of your overall household expense budget by following some simple discipline and habits.

When it comes to household expenses, it is always helpful to give more attention to every dollar being spent and ensure you make a judicious decision. In many cases you will find that more than 10% of your expenses are related to impulsive buying or to the fact that you have shopped carelessly.

Following habits can help you reduce your expenditure significantly.

1. Make a grocery list and stick to it

Most often we tend to do a lot of impulse buying at the store. If you make a list of items that you need for the month and stick to buying only those items, you will find that you can reduce quite a lot of grocery expenses.

2. Buy only the quantity needed for the month

Many times we tend to just pick up the packet available on the shelf in the store or buy in a lot to get a quantity discount that is available. You can save by buying just what you need for the month and not more.

3. Buy what you need and avoid buying new introductions

Most of us tend to shop for the new products that have been introduced in the market because we do like to try out new things. Without being fully aware, we end up spending quite a lot of these things. These items are extra and we really may not need them.

4. Cut down on big expense items

Check out your grocery bills and identify items that are of very high value. If you attack these items and look at ways to control the quantities, you can add to your savings in a big way.

5. Smart Buying

Are you in the habit of buying only branded items and items that are of best quality? In the name of quality you might be buying expensive items, while there may be viable replacements available at lesser costs. Review your buying list to identify lower cost alternatives that can give you reasonable quality products.

Ewin is the founder of BrimForest LLC, a USA-based online content provider. For more tips on various family topics, visit http://www.brimforest.com

How to Tell an Authentic from a Replica Gucci Handbag

Gucci handbags are exquisite, priceless items created by the world-renowned designer of the same name. Imitators are aware of this, as well as the fact that women love bargains. That's why Gucci handbags are some of counterfeiters' favorite things to copy. How does one differentiate a replica Gucci handbag from the real thing?

Replica Gucci Handbags Don't Measure Up

Crossbody Retail

One way to know an authentic Gucci handbag from a replica Gucci handbag is to examine the handbag's workmanship. The quality of the Gucci bag is unmistakable. Attention to detail so as to approximate perfection during manufacture is one of its hallmarks. The lining in a replica Gucci handbag won't be nearly as impeccable. Replica Gucci handbags tend to miss out on some important but unnoticeable detail, such as the Gucci brand name signature.

How to Tell an Authentic from a Replica Gucci Handbag

Each zipper of an authentic Gucci handbag will bear the initials of the designer. Inside the bag is to be found an inscription with such details as how and where the bag was manufactured. Some Gucci handbags have a serial number attached to them. This number indicates that the bag is an original product. It should be identical to the one on the certificate of authenticity, which accompanies the handbag. A replica Gucci handbag won't have a serial number or a certificate of authenticity to attest to its legitimate origin.

Durable Makes Sound Economic Sense

Durability is a given in any Gucci handbag. If you own an authentic Gucci handbag instead of a replica Gucci handbag, it will almost certainly be around a long time and will look as good as new when you retire it, as long as you've taken good care of it. Buying a designer bag like Gucci is a sound investment for women. Bags are prized possessions for most of us. In it we carry some personal belongings we cannot do without in a day. We love to be seen with a handsome bag. They really do make us good-looking and fashionable.

Replica Gucci handbags may seem to cost you less initially, but in the end you may spend more. The reason is that imitations won't last as long as originals, forcing you to buy a replacement not long after you've bought the first one.

Beware of replica Gucci handbags, and of being duped into buying one. You have greater assurance of genuineness if you purchase your Gucci handbag from authorized dealers that issue certificates of authenticity, and who are as real about their customer service as the Gucci handbags they sell.

How to Tell an Authentic from a Replica Gucci Handbag

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Half Ticket

Super Hit Classic Comedy Movie Half Ticket (1962) Synopsis: Half Ticket is a comic flick revolving around a playful character whose life is one big prank in itself. Vijay (Kishore Kumar) is a college student who is always up to pranks. After his rustication from college following an instigated prank, which resulted in student body going on strike, his father, decided to ground him by putting responsibility on his shoulders. But the prankster gets even with his dad when he instigates the workers body to strike. Fed up of his antics, he thrown out of the house by his father. Without shelter and money Vijay decides to hit big city, with not enough money to buy even a train ticket, he disguises himself as a half-witted kid and purchases a half ticket. Meanwhile, Raja Babu (Pran), a jewel thief who had just robbed one of the most precious diamonds and had police following him also boards the same train, and when the police close on him, he lodges the diamond in Vijays pocket. Thereafter Vijay separates from Raja Babu and lands up with Rajnis (Madhubala), the girl who shielded him during the train journey from Raja Babu. While Raja Babu is out looking for Vijay, Vijay reveals his identity to Rajni and the two fall in love. What happens there after is one big laugh riot worth a watch.

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Das Bild ist mies, mein Gelabber albern. Muss auch mal sein ;-)

How NOT to mug someone - Flight of the Conchords

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The Will Norton Story- Our Journey Through the May 22nd Joplin Tornado

Visit Will's channel: www.YouTube.com Will's Twitter: www.twitter.com Will's Facebook: www.facebook.com Buy a Will Norton tshirt: www.facebook.com Our facebook page: www.facebook.com Watch Will's Celebration of Life Service: www.youtube.com Will was the most incredible person I've ever known. He was so passionate, caring, genuine, compassionate, polite, responsible, loving, kind, accepting, & all around fun. I wish I could be more like him. He was the most amazing brother anyone could ever ask for and even though I only got to be his sister here on earth for 18 years, they were the best 18 years you could ever imagine. Plus, we get to spend eternity together in heaven! I can't wait to see him again. I hope you'll go watch his videos (YouTube.com/Will) so you can see the truly incredible person he was. Our email: WishesForWill@Gmail.com Our mailing address: PO Box 211, Joplin, MO 64802 We would love to hear from you! *All money generated from ads on Will's & my videos go to the charities we love (Joplin Humane Society, Samaritan's Purse, Joplin American Red Cross)

Fashion Design Templates

Fashion design templates are layouts that are pre-designed. These can be used to make new designs by adding certain features. Fashion design templates are extensively used for making fashion drawings. The templates are available in different sizes. Templates are of different types such as fashion silhouette templates, posture template and free fashion and body silhouette template. The templates are the best option for those who do not have the necessary drawing skills.

The fashion design templates display the outline of a model in different poses and sizes. The designer has to make his own judgment about the pose and the size of the template that would be chosen for the display of the fashion apparel or accessory. For instance, if the costume is classy and represents the bygone era, the designers would normally choose a template that is more elegant and refined.

The templates are important for the proper presentation of the designer's artistic skill. The templates have to be chosen according to the theme of the apparel ready for display. If the template chosen for a particular designer apparel or accessory is not correct, it might give a misrepresentation of the theme and the concept of the design, and have a negative impact on the marketability of the design.

Considering the importance of templates, many people have come out with e-books based on templates. Similarly, there are web templates that serve the fashion needs of the budding as well as the established designers.

The templates can either be downloaded or they can be used to produce similar images for the purpose of sketching. The templates display basic outline of the models .The outlines can be drawn upon or a print can be taken to create a fashion design befitting the template.

The fashion design template is an important tool that can be used by the designer to escape the drudgery of drawing or for getting a fair idea of what to incorporate in his creations.

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