Introduction:-

Last year was our first trip to Porto via a week’s cruise down the Douro River, brilliantly organised by PortGolf. At the end of that week, Peter Evens, who runs PortGolf, suggested we should return for the festival of S. Joao and perhaps play some golf. This seemed a good idea so on our return to the UK we organised a dinner for two other couples, one of whom (Gerry and Catriona) had played golf around Porto and Jim and Margery. We discussed the idea and it was agreed that eight would be a good number. Shortly after we had supper with another couple, John and Marion who volunteered to join us. None of us had ever holidayed together before so it would be a test of friendship. Due to other commitments Gerry and Catriona and John and Marion would stay for a week whilst we and Jim and Margery would stay for twelve days.

There follows a Journal of that Trip:-

Thursday 21st June 2007

We decided to catch the first Porto flight out of Gatwick at 6.30am whilst the others were catching the 1.30pm flight. We were met at Porto Airport at 9am by Peter Evens who whisked us off to the four star Hotel Fenix, conveniently placed close to the Boa Vista area. The weather was bright with a light shower around midday. Having unpacked in our spacious room on the 9th Floor with splendid views of a truly magnificent cemetery and the city we set off on our first adventure to walk to the city centre and explore the area. We had a pasta and wine lunch at the Simbiose Restaurant (€30) overlooking the river and watched the Port wine boats ferrying people to and fro. Walked back uphill to the hotel calling in at the local supermarket for gin and whisky for nightcaps. The rest of the gang arrived at 6.15pm somewhat late due to delays. Having checked in we all got into the lift to travel to the 9th floor. Now this lift has a notice that says it is for 10 persons – unfortunately, they mean 10 Portuguese persons who happen to be somewhat smaller in stature than 8 Brits for the lift decided to descend to -5 floors before coming to a halt with a resounding bang. Not exactly the start we were looking for, but we managed to extract ourselves and walk back to the ground floor we proceeded to travel in the 2nd lift and the service lift – time for a drink! Peter found us in the bar at 8pm when we were taken in two vehicles to the Maria Moita, a local Porto restaurant for dinner. Peter stayed on to interpret as not much English is spoken and take photographs of the evening. Fun food with an interesting menu and carafes of wine. Bed by 11.30 somewhat exhausted.

Friday 22nd June 2007

Up at 8.15am, dry, but grey with a smattering of blue. Breakfast, then a quick look round the local shops. Peter and Paolo collected us at 12.30 for our first game of golf at Estela.

The course lies about an hour from the centre of Porto on the Atlantic coast. The drive was pleasant and informative and the entrance guarded by two automatic gates. A drink and a toasted sandwich started the event which was a four ball better ball with husbands partnering wives. Typically for a links course, the wind blew like hell and was a contributing factor to the round taking 4½ hours. Gerry and Catriona were the winners and copious amounts of gin & tonic and beer was consumed. Showered and change before whisked off to Casa do Frango in a nearby town – problem was our driver dropped us at the wrong place which held up proceedings, but didn’t stop the wine flowing before the chicken and chips arrived – turned out to be a fun night and tested some people’s ability of alcohol consumption. On our return to the hotel John and Marion joined us in our room for a nightcap and left at 1.30am.

Saturday 23rd June 2007

Up at 8.30 am and a glorious summer day. Everyone into city centre to sightsee, but for us it was to shop for prizes meeting up with the gang at Majestic café – the In Place to be seen – coffee and brandy was the order of the day. Off to lunch to Foz at Praia da Luz, a super restaurant on the beach which we had sampled last year – great food and wine with a variety of local dishes, ridiculously cheap at €30 per couple. Back to the hotel at 4pm to rest before the night’s activities. At Midnight Porto celebrates the Festival of S. Joao!

Peter and cab collect us at 9.10pm and we are taken to Taylor’s Port Wine Lodge where the atmosphere is electric – a couple of hundred people are seated at round tables for a set menu of Kale & Potato Soup; breads; sardines; Roast Kid & Vegetables followed by Almond tart and ice cream. The best wines are served and we try a couple of bottles of 20 year old vintage Port. The lodge is situated at Gaia on the southside of the Douro River and at 12.05am we adjourn to the terrace to watch a firework display over Porto which was out of this world – we are all stunned by the magnificence of the scene. John & Marion have to leave by cab due to John’s bruised Achilles heel while the rest of us have to walk as no vehicles are allowed in the area other than for medical reasons. The crush is worse than a cup final at Wembley, but everyone is in such great humour and it seems the whole of Porto’s inhabitants are bashing you over the head with a plastic hammer or a long garlic plant (both old traditions) – we eventually stagger across the bridge, which had been closed at one point due to too many people on it causing it to sway. Street parties, dancing and singing all the way back to the hotel and so to bed at 3am having survived a most enjoyable adventure.

Sunday 24th June 2007

Up for breakfast, lots of orange and black coffee seemed to the order of the day. Later collected to go to Amarante Golf Course another hour drive away. Seems we had the course to ourselves. Said to be hilly, true, difficult to find your way round at times; some spectacular holes accompanied by bangs all afternoon as S. Joao continued to be celebrated. Men versus Ladies this time, the men had no chance. Showered and changed off to a restaurant in Amarante – problem was our driver seemed to have forgotten until he was informed by Peter via mobile phone then he proceeded to drive at 120 kph to get back on track. No English spoken at all at the restaurant which made life a tad difficult. Food quite nice, but we appeared to be in a quieter mood – at our age very late nights can play havoc with some people’s constitution.

Monday 25th June 2007

Today we are moving to the Oporto Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club, so its bag packing time as six of us are off on an adventure – a day trip on a boat up the Douro. Gerry & Catriona have done this trip before so they go back to Estela for golf. Superb weather and the trip is just fine with breakfast and lunch provided and the river is so peaceful. We make friends with Lourdes who is the tour guide. Later she is surprised to find us drinking champagne – she asks what we are celebrating, we tell her a birthday, she asks whose birthday it is and we tell her we don’t know, but we are pretty sure it’s someone’s birthday somewhere. We arrive at Reguá at 4.15pm and are taken by coach for about 200 yards to the railway station where we are to continue our adventure by train back to Porto a journey of about 2 hours. Peter meets us at the station and takes us to our new quarters at the O.C. & L.T.C. a little oasis in the middle of Porto. Very colonial style and every one is so friendly. Shower and change and meet for drinks in the lounge before walking a couple of hundred yards up the road to Capa Négra 2 a local restaurant where we are served by Olivetti who speaks good English and advises on the local dishes. Plenty of wine and a fun evening all for the princely sum of €30 per couple. John and Marion insist on having a nightcap in our room – another late night.

Tuesday 26th June 2007

Breakfast at 9am then walked around the grounds of the club and inspected the tennis courts, cricket pitch (thought we would bat first) and the swimming pool. We got ready for golf and soon we were on our way to Ponte de Lima on a lovely sunny day. Again about an hour drive to the golf course, but very scenic and somewhat mountainous – buggies a necessity. Drinks and a sandwich first, but you never need to be in a hurry in these places which was a good job as the round took over five hours, something we are just not used to, but we’re on holiday so what the heck. A quick shower and drink before setting off to Restaurant Acude. A limited menu and quite expensive for the region, but we enjoyed it. Drove back to the club and home by 12.30am – a long day.

Wednesday 27th June 2007

Up at 8.15am nice shower and a leisurely breakfast. Today is a relaxing day where we all do our own thing. A day by the pool for some, shopping for some of the ladies and bridge for others. We all meet in the bar at 8pm for tonight we are eating in the club’s superb dining room and prize giving. It worked out that everybody got a prize of sorts and Margery and Jim won Peter Evens “PortGolf” prize for the best score on the Stroke Index 1 holes on all the courses we played. Food, wines, service and atmosphere could not be bettered a fantastic end for those departing the next day. Somewhat late to bed!

Thursday 28th June 2007

Missed our farewells to Catriona and Gerry, but managed them for Marion and John who were catching a later flight. Today Peter is taking Margery and Jim and us for a road trip up the Douro Valley. We set off at 9.45pm again with glorious sunshine. Our first stop is at the winery of Quinta de Aveleda.

A guided tour including tastings with cheese. We wandered round the grounds which have beautiful gardens including resident peacocks. In the shop, a loud mouthed American, who was buying a six pack of wine, was boasting to the young lady at the counter that back home he had a thousand bottles of wine – to which she replied, And now you have a thousand and six, sir. – priceless!

Our next stop was at Amarante to see the famous bridge and a quick walk round the town, very pretty. On through rolling hills filled with vines to Regua and stopped for lunch at the Pousada. Sat outside in the glorious sun and admired the views across the valley. We moved on to Quinta do Panascal – Fonseca winery/ port lodge, had a guided tour through the grape terraces with the aid of an audio tape and earphones giving a history and the workings of the company. Back to the lodge for more tastings then a return journey via Vila Real through mile after mile of hills laden with vines from top to bottom. Back to the club for a shower and change before Peter dropped us off at the Oporto Restaurant. We were all intrigued to see Jim’s starter as he had ordered Fish Soup in Pastry. (the pastry was on the top!)

Friday 29th June 2007

Breakfast at 9am – today we are back to Estela golf course, but what a difference, loads of sunshine and no wind. Girls versus the Boys (yes, of course the Girls won, but only at the 18th) – back to the club for a rest and shower.

A special evening as we meet Peter’s wife, Anabela, for the first time and we go to Praia de Luz for dinner. A great meal with lively conversation and a beautiful sunset, of which we have several photos if anyone wants a copy. Home to bed another long day.

Saturday 30th June 2007

Despite last night’s sunset, we wake to a grey sky and much cooler temperatures. The girls, (I use the term loosely), go off shopping to Vila Nova de Gaia, Corte Ingles. Us chaps do our own thing reading and watching the members who are barbequing for lunch – Jim tries the sardines. Lorna and Margery arrive back at 2.15pm and after hearing of their adventures we have tea and scones – how civilized.

Peter collects us at 6.45pm as we are to have drinks at his house at Senhora da Hora. We meet up with Anabela again and also later with Jacquay one of his twin daughters who entertains us on the piano. Then we are off to a fish restaurant, O Manel in Matosinhos – no English spoken and we struggle with the menu, not the best place to eat in our opinion, also quite expensive. An early night for all.

Sunday 1st July 2007

A free day – weather a bit grey and not very hopeful. Margery and Jim decide to tour the city by open-top bus whilst we decide to walk to the Palacio de Cristal a spacious park which houses a circular building for concerts; there are also some nice views of the river and across the city. We continue our walk through to S. Bento Metro Station where we attempt to purchase from a machine two day tickets – we fail miserably despite the help of a couple of locals, but were rescued by a station security guard who helped us to purchase the correct tickets. The Metro is very modern and is a cross between a tram, a trolley bus and an underground train – very clean and quiet. Out first journey takes us across the very top of the Ponte do Luis and up to the terminus outside “Corte Ingles”. We return back down, but alight at Jardim do Morro where we have been advised there are some good photo opportunities across the river. We then decide to walk over the top of the bridge rather than ride. In hindsight this was not a good idea as we reckon that the bridge is similar in construction and height to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia – we wouldn’t walk across that even if they do chain you to the railing so what on earth are we doing here? So being English, we put our heads down and just keep walking until, somewhat relieved, we get to the other side – phew! I have to add that the Metro trains are passing by you just inches away which tends to add to the excitement. We did get some nice pictures of the trains crossing the bridge and entering the tunnel below us. With shaking legs we descended hundreds of steps and through winding alleys to get to the riverside where we had a bottle of wine and lunch and watched the world go by. We returned to the station and went as far as the Estadio do Dragáo, a recently completed stadium before returning back down to our nearest station to home, the Casa da Musica. The weather had much improved by this time so we walked back to the club in sunshine.

We met with Margery and Jim by the pool and exchanged stories and adventures, then snoozed for a while before getting ready to embark for our last night to the Cafeina Restaurant. A very smart establishment and nice food, but again would not be in our top five. Peter collected us and returned us safely back to the club.

Monday 2nd July 2007

One wonderful attribute of the club is that clients are not required to vacate their rooms until midday. We took advantage of this by having time to pack in a leisurely manner and having stored our bags we were collected by Peter to take us for lunch at Ar de Rio, a modern riverside restaurant in Cais da Gaia. We sat inside by an open wall looking out across the Douro River in glorious sunshine. Peter collected us and took us to Crofts Port Wine Lodge for a tour and tasting – a lovely way to end a holiday in Porto.

We collected our baggage from the club, said our goodbyes to the staff and Peter dropped us off at the Airport in good time for the flight which was delayed for fifty minutes.

All in all a most enjoyable holiday, well organized by PortGolf in the shape of

Peter Evens whose care and attention of his clients is second to none.

Without a doubt we shall return once again to this most interesting of cities.

Mike & Lorna Gizzy

June 2007

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The twenty-first birthday is an important day for any person. Most kids impatiently wait for this day as it represents the start of a new life, a life of liberty and responsibility. Given the significancy of this day, the present should also be a special one.

Many event management agencies organize special themed parties for the twenty-first birthday.

A conventional present that is related to the twenty-first birthday is the key. Peter, the guardian of the gates of heaven. The key thus symbolizes a device thru that the doors to liberty can be opened. It designates the person’s legal right to go to a bar and consume alcohol. Twenty-first birthday gifts are generally intended for lifetime preservation. Parents,, frequently present their boy or child with gold sovereigns or silver crowns on the twenty-first birthday.

In the modern context, twenty-first birthday gifts have gained a new standing. Many agencies concentrate on alternative twenty-first birthday gifts. They offer travel and journey packages like camping trips, white-water rafting, bungee jumping, flying lessons, spas, spy academy coaching, photography sessions with professional photographers, and rides in choice costly autos. Some agencies even offer special romantic trips to popular destinations.

Gifts for 18th birthday, 21st birthday, 30th birthday, 40th birthday, 50th birthday and 60th birthday should be special. In fact, these are milestone birthdays and ages. Try giving a unusual present on these birthdays.

In my fair opinion, whether you are feminine or masculine, getting a brand new automobile for your 18th birthday would be really exciting. Turning 18 years of age is supposed to be an enjoyable time in your life. I can’t think of a better present than a brand spanking car.

Turning twenty-one years of age opens new doors. You are now legal. There is no turning back now. An individual bar sign would be superb for a guy who is turning 21. For a gal, It’s her 21st birthday. So what is the perfect present for the girl who’s going to party like a rock star?

At the age of 30, most people feel that they are at the maturing stage of their life. There are masses of gifts that you might give somebody turning thirty. Fundamentally any present that reflects the likes and personality of the birthday girl/boy is an ideal present. If you do not have lots of time to put into the present or just aren’t very creative the following ideas work for most everyone!

An Mp3 player is also a gift for those birthday boys and girls and lasses who are music fans and always on the go.

Does turning 40 represent being over the hill? No way, this age turns a new chapter in your life for sure. Finding a birthday gift to cater to your family personality would be ideal. Be certain to find something that may be a smile on his/her face.

Turning 50 is a great accomplishment. Wow, you are half a century old! This could be a remarkable birthday. It is special indeed. There is no single present that comes to mind, this is a day where your loved one should be spoiled. Beginning with a nice breakfast in bed. Followed by lunch at his/her favourite restaurant. Put him/her to bed with a nice massage.

This is a milestone. Try sending your loved one on a trip to their favorite destination. If feasible, have their stay catered to their needs and wishes. Personalize a vacation for them.

Whether it is your 18th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th birthday, these should all be remarkable times. Enjoy them.
.

More information and gift ideas:

Smythsons of Bond Street
Expensive Gifts
choose expensive gifts

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We are all familiar with those little sayings that go back years, like ‘look before you leap’ and ‘pride comes before a fall’, and most of us take no notice of their message or warning. But there is one very true expression – ‘the world’s your oyster’ which is frequently heard when society officially considers you do be all grown up and a real adult. Historically this occurred on your 21st birthday, although this was replaced a few decades ago by the less popular or celebrated 18th birthday; the time when you are suddenly permitted legally to do all sorts of things. Of course, it does not make much difference which of these birthdays you choose as your coming of age and those of us with an opportunistic streak will opt for both dates as occasions for celebration. Let’s say for argument’s sake then that a 21st birthday is the one to focus on, 21st Birthday Gifts will be given with abundance. In actual fact, by the time you have reached this age, and long before, you will be convinced that the world is already your oyster. But what with the key of the door being metaphorically offered as a gesture of your independence, you know that oysters are now for the catching.

Buying 21st birthday gifts can be a complicated matter. You may want to give something special, something memorable that may be kept forever. On the other hand, you may want to give humorous and cheeky 21st birthday gifts, or similarly those that are practical and useful, such as a personalised calendar and matching diary – to record all those important dates that the birthday boy or girl is going to have with their new found responsibilities.

It is always interesting to find out what world history was occurring on the day that you were born, and so a copy of The Times, complete with a beautiful presentation box, will reveal all. You can take this one step further and give a Times Year Book containing not only a copy of The Times on that special date, but also some carefully selected and interesting news from that particular year, and personalised with the recipient’s name embossed on the front cover.

A 21st birthday gift that is guaranteed to make everyone who sets eyes on it smile is a pack of humorous playing cards. These witty cards contain activities and witticisms relating to all the things that you should have done before reaching the age of 21. The mind boggles, but the only way to find out what exactly these things are is to invite your friends round for a game of cards with the added bonus of hilarity; which will help your opponents lose concentration and help you to win . In the background you could put on the fabulous and imaginative 21st birthday gift of a CD of 20 hit songs from the year you were born. If you are planning a themed birthday party, this CD is the perfect mood setter for a 1988 fancy dress. Don’t forget to take photos of the event, as well as the heaps of 21st Birthday Gifts that you receive. A special photo album with a bold 21 emblazoned on its front cover is a lovely 21st birthday gift that will give pleasure for years to come.

For those really sumptuous 21st birthday gifts, Experience Days come in many forms; depending on your interest. Imagine opening an envelope on your birthday to find that you have been given the opportunity to do one of these amazing things. As 21st birthday gifts, there is something for every taste or interest. For those lively and energetic 21 year olds, a paint balling gift will last all day and there are venues all over the UK where this imaginative 21st birthday gift can be experienced. Drive a Ferrari, yes a Ferrari, around Silverstone race track. This is probably going to be the only chance in life you get to do such a glamorous and exciting thing, but it sure is something to tell the grand kids.

If something more relaxing is on the agenda, there are some wonderful ideas for 21st Birthday Gifts including facial massages and other kinds of pampering sessions designed to make you feel extra special, or a visit to a vineyard to learn just how all that delicious wine is made. Taste some of the local wine, enjoy a buffet lunch and get to take a bottle of wine away with you. Oh, and you can take a friend with you too, to make the whole 21st birthday gifts experience all the more enjoyable.

Whatever you do, don’t forget the birthday card. For a combined card and 21st birthday gift, a lovely idea is to give a CD with news, sporting events and personalities from that special year. A 21st birthday gift has to be special. After all, it is a really special day.

Technorati Tags: Oyster, Parental, Pearls, Wisdom, World's

Mobile marketing is one of the most prominent trends to watch in this new century. With over 250 million mobile phones in the US, more people have a cell phone than have Internet access. Hip marketers realize that the mobile phone is a consumer’s most personal communications device, and that they are more accessible via their phone than TV, radio, print, and Web. NBC, Pizza Hut, Barack Obama and American Idol are all examples of companies and organizations utilizing mobile text message marketing. The marketplace is starting to be populated with several types of products can be utilized to send text messages to mobile phones to announce sales events, special promotions, alerts, discounts and much more. Run an Internet search for mobile text broadcasting services to find the product right for you.

Permission Telemarketing

Start work on a ‘call me list’ where consumers can sign up to receive free gifts every time a telemarketer calls to pitch them something. Customers get free gifts when they sign up and additional gifts for every call they get. Look to sponsors for airmiles, discounts, gift certificates, premiums, and the like. Explore other permission-based marketing, as it will continue to flourish until it becomes ubiquitous. Many companies already have access to your email address. The cumulative effect of legislation, profiling, and the willingness of marketers to pay for the right to market to consumers will make permission-based marketing huge.

Personalized Marketing

Consumers know that technology is cold, so they want more things personalized. For the ultimate in the personal touch, send handwritten notes. Try creating a sense of community among customers with promotional campaigns. Personalize discounts (birthdays, special events) and reward customer loyalty.

Ethnic Marketing

Marketing is not just a black and white issue anymore. The racial segmentation of your market is more diverse, now and into the future. Population growth is fastest among minorities. The US Census Bureau’s estimation for 2005, states 45% of American children under the age of 5 are minorities. Market to ethnic groups by focusing on media that target these market segments. Consider translating your brochures, ads, and other marketing materials into the language of your target audience.

Multi-Generational Marketing

As Americans age, you may best benefit by marketing your product to three generations simultaneously, with a particular eye on the baby boomer generation. Consider these points:

* 13 percent of the US population will be over the age of 65 by the year 2010.

* Over 75 million people in the baby boomer generation are eligible to retire in the next 10 years

* By 2020, it is estimated that over 13 million seniors will require assistance with the daily activities of living.

* Design your packaging so that your product can appeal to different age groups simultaneously.

* When offering your product to different age groups, keep in mind that price affordability will be a significant factor with each age group.

Optimizied Online Marketing

Today more than ever, you need to optimize your online presence just to remain competitive. Use a creative combination of both online and offline tools to get noticed and sell more. Internet marketing ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including design, development, advertising, and sales. Additionally, they encompass a wide range of services including affiliate marketing, email marketing, search engine marketing and more. There are two important factors to consider when it comes to online marketing, including the size factor. Marketing online has become more challenging as the size of the market continues to grow. The Internet is getting bigger in numbers of users, time spent online, and total purchases made on the Internet. Consider also the speed factor. The Internet is growing faster in terms of higher bandwidth. People can multi-task, do more, buy more, buy faster. The challenge for online marketers is keeping up with the speed of the customer.

Technorati Tags: 21st, century, Marketing, Mobile, Using

No. 15 BYU dominates rival Utah, sweeps series Brandon Davies scored a career-high 21 points and Michael Loyd Jr. added 18 as BYU (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) beat Utah 71-51 on Wednesday night, giving the Cougars their third sweep of the state rivalry in the last four seasons. Read more on ESPN

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For The First Time This Collection Of The Best Mature Jokes Circulating On The Internet Is Available To Help You Laugh And Keep Others Laughing. Now You Can Have Your Own Personal Source Of Gut-splitting, Hilarious Adult Jokes And Stories. Jokes You Love.

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Afghan fighting claims third soldier in as many days The death toll of British service personnel in Afghanistan rose to three in as many days today after a soldier was killed by an explosion. Read more on Independent

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here is a Portuguese riddle that asks you to guess which being grows rapidly during its youth, takes 18 years to reach adulthood, usually lives to celebrate its 70th birthday, is able to survive adverse conditions, and produces sufficient wealth to feed a family.

In Portugal, a school kid who already knows the answer will smile at you and point his finger at a poster of an oak tree on the wall of his classroom. On the other hand, if you ask the same question during an evening course at a business school in Lisbon, students are likely to give you a different response. “What you mean is an entrepreneur,” they will tell you.

Inherited behaviour models are crumbling in our midst. Old morality is taking the blame for current problems, although often through spurious argumentation. Never mind. Ethical decay has reached such an extent that many parents have given up all attempts to provide moral guidelines to their offspring.

Where are we headed? Should we just continue to chant the old incantations of our culture even after it has become clear that the melody is broken? I don’t think so. I submit that an ethical model for the 21st century is brewing in old pots and casseroles: the sovereign entrepreneur.

Like the oak tree in the Portuguese riddle, the new species will reproduce and spread worldwide. It will survive a thousand years and open the door to a new era of tolerance and prosperity. What are the characteristics of this ethical standard?

1.- TALENT AND SKILLS TO WITHSTAND ADVERSE WEATHER. Through the ages, oak trees have taken root in most areas of the world, from California to Italy, from Argentina to South Africa. Even in unfavourable environments, these plants have grown stronger with each generation.

2.- QUICK LEARNING AND RAPID IMPLEMENTATION. The internet is compressing more and more the time needed to acquire professional or business training. Forget about dragging along six-years at an expensive University. Instead, turn on your mp3 player and listen to lectures in your field of interest. How long will it take for sovereign entrepreneurs to learn their trade? Possibly, less than two years, which, by the way, is the average lifespan of oak tree leaves.

3.- LOYALTY TO UNIVERSAL ETHICAL PRINCIPLES. Virtues such as flexibility, openness, tolerance, and honesty will render entrepreneurs sovereign of their fate and unconstrained in their business approach. In many cases, adherence to universal values will be preferred to identification with a specific country or culture. Oak trees have spread around the world on the basis of the essential characteristics of their species, irrespective of local accidents and fashions.

Despite massive efforts to foretell the future, nobody can predict accurately what is to come during the next years. Will we witness currencies collapse? Will major shifts in world economic flows take place?

No matter how difficult the situation becomes, sovereign entrepreneurs constitute the species best fit to survive. When everything is said and done, wherever you live, you will always need to call up an expert to fix your toilet when it breaks down. That expert, you see, that’s the person you want to be.

JOHN VESPASIAN has lived in New York, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance, and self-reliance. See John Vespasian’s blog.

http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com/

Technorati Tags: 21st, century, entrepreneur, ideal, moral, sovereign

My sister is turning 21 in September. What is the funnest club in Phoenix Arizona or surrounding area? (scottsdale, tempe, etc)
Image taken on 1999-11-01 10:44:23 by marc_buehler.

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 December 21,2012 is fast approaching. Will it be the end of mankind as we know it today or will it be just another day four days before christmas? According to many you need to prepare yourself for Armageddon. FIND OUT HOW, BEFORE ITS TO LATE!

Where well-meaning “experts” went wrong… and why governments of the world ultimatley decided not to tell you the truth.  What is really going to happen in December of 2012… and exactly how millions will be affected, and your world will be turned upside down… forever!  How you can safeguard your life… and the lives of your family members. Because you really can survive… and spiritually
thrive in the wake of this life-changing event.

December 21, 2012 will be the most important date for all of Humanity. The ancient Mayans created the Long Count calandar to mark this date as the beginning of a new cycle for Mankind.

But see why some people are calling 2012 “Doomsday” and the end of the world …
As we know it! Don’t believe the Nay-Sayers… Learn the Real Truth about 2012. 

The real truth about Goverment Coverups, Swine Flu Pandemics and known natural disasters that are headed our way…and how people with power are not telling you everything they know… 
    
Learning how you can help turn what many believe to be the darkest period in history into the most enlightened. Could universal racial harmony really be achievable?
       

The truth about the Sibylline Books and the end of the world. And how so much faith has been put in texts that turn out to be a fraud…
     
 
Discovering the massive “phantom” that’s hiding right behind the sun. Is it Niburu? Planet X? Something else entirely? And how will this change your survival plan? 
    
An multi-pronged survival plan. Will it be Adam and Eve all over again? If so… do you have what it takes to start over for humanity? 
      
The I-Ching Prophecies… Mayan calendars… Hopi Indians teachings… Aztec calendars… On what subjects are they in sync? This might blow your mind!
     
 
Unearthing the truth about “The Fifth Age Of Man” and whether 2012 is an ending… or a much needed new beginning for us all.
       
Realizing “The Age Of Aquarius” isn’t merely a Hippie anthem, but a time in history we’re already in. And how does this coincide with “The Age Of Completion”?
       
Discovering how you’ll deal with simple things like drinkable water… breathable air… even going to the bathroom in 2012. It may not be pretty… but you’ll have to know this stuff!

 

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