We've all heard about Multimap, where one can type in one's postal code and get the directions to a certain place, but I have recently discovered the Michelin road map website. Just to give you an idea, I gave a postcode and asked for directions to Marne Valle (Disneyland Paris)

Michelin website

I am very impressed. Not only does it give the usual directions, it also clearly indicates what kind of roads you will travel on, but also what the likely cost of the trip will be. In this case it was

Date: 25/10/2006
Vehicle type: Automobile, Hatchback
Route type:
Time and distance
Time: 06h55 including 05h48 on motorways
Distance: 625km including 613km on motorways
Costs
- Toll costs: 18.50 EUR
- Petrol costs: 55.18 EUR
- Road tax cost: 0.00 EUR
Total costs: 73.68 EUR

This one gets a big :thumbs: from me.

Which website do you use if you need directions?

WORLD PASTA DAY

At world level the collective promotion in favour of pasta received a powerful impulsion thanks to the outcome of the World Pasta Congress held in Rome on 25th October 1995.
Delegations from various countries discussed together the theme of the collective promotion in favour of pasta consumption, exchanging their ideas and experiences.
Account was taken and stress was laid on the importance of spreading to the utmost the knowledge of pasta among consumers throughout the world by means of collective initiatives of promotional nature and institutional information campaigns.

These are principles based on the idea:

* On 25th October of each year, the world over, World Pasta Day is celebrated in the form of events and promotional initiatives in different countries of the world.
* The objective of World Pasta Day is to draw the attention of the media and consumers to pasta. Communication should underline the fact that pasta is a global food, consumed in all five continents, having unquestionable merits, appropriate for a dynamic and healthy life style capable of meeting both primary food requirements and those of high-level gastronomy
* Every country celebrates World Pasta Day in absolute autonomy, while respecting a global strategy, and making use of the official logo of the event;
* The key messages, recurring in the various communication initiatives, emphasise the economic feasibility, gastronomic versatility and nutritional value of pasta.

Source

Morning everyone. It's cold and wet here, and we're halfway through the week, but heres looking forward to a great day and that the week concludes nicely

Enjoy :p

I found myself standing some time ago in a church service in a foreign land listening to worship songs being sung in a language I did not know and in a style that was not my favourite. As I tried desperately to dig deep into my reserves of cross-cultural adaptability and respect, in an effort to make good use of the time, my thoughts turned to two questions: what is worship and why do we do it?

As I understand it, worship in its purest form is the most natural response of creation (people, animals, vegetation, all living things!) to even a very small revelation of the awesome glory and unparalleled worth of God.

So why do we worship God?

We worship God as a voluntary expression of our honour and respect for Him. The only logical expression of such honour is selfless service. [“Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” Matthew 4:10] The expression, style and nuance of worship is as much infinite as the expressions, styles and nuances of God’s character are infinite. How we worship will be governed chiefly by how we have seen Him. Glimpses of God’s awesome glory are found everywhere across the universe. Whether it’s in the birth of a child, the dawn of a new day, the love of a friend, the beauty of a flower, the gift of His Son; we see rays of God’s light breaking into every moment of our lives. Here’s a good exercise: look for glimpses of God’s glory in normal life. Just stop and take a look around. Look for Him. Then worship.

We worship to call the rest of creation to this action, which is among the highest of actions we can engage in. It is a humble contemplation of our Maker and His works. This is why we should not simply worship when alone or in solitude. In corporate acts of worship we spur others on to see and encounter the object of our adoration. Next time you are among a group of Christians or walking in nature or listening to HandelÂ’s Messiah respond to the invitation in these to behold GOD afresh!

Worship reinforces, affirms and encourages us in our commitments to the God we worship. Proper worship will always include a declaration of faith and love and hope in God that goes beyond emotions. Where we are low it lifts us, where we are high it gives us reason to be so. Worship tells the truth because it speaks of God. Let your heart be washed afresh by the truth of worship.

Much more could be said on this, but let us consider these things for now. And whatever you do... WORSHIP THE KING!!!

Copyright © 2006 Andrew Bowers

:bday3: :bday3:

To the youngest duckling a very happy 1st birthday to you!!!

Have a super day, enjoy your party this afternoon and please ask Daddy to take some pictures for us!!


:bday3: :bday3: :bday3:

:am:

Good morning...

Cold and windy here this morning.....

Enjoy your day!

:car: :jive: :car:

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea
and only two of the men on it were able
to swim to a small, desert like island.
The two survivors, not knowing what else to do,
agree that they had no other recourse
but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful,
they agreed to divide the territory between them
and stay on opposite sides of the island.


The first thing the first man prayed for was food.
The next morning, the first man saw
a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land,
and he was able to eat its fruit.

The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely
and he decided to pray for a wife.
The next day, another ship was wrecked,
and the only survivor was a woman
who swam to his side of the land.

On the other side of the island,
there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house,
clothes, more food.
The next day, like magic,
all of these were given to him.
However,
the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship,
so that his wife and he could leave the island.
In the morning, he found a ship docked
at his side of the island.

The first man boarded the ship with his wife
and decided to leave the second man on the island.
He considered the other man unworthy
to receive God's blessings,
since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave,
the first man heard a voice from Heaven booming,

"Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"

"My blessings are mine alone,
since I was the one who prayed for them,"
the first man answered.
"His prayers were all unanswered,
and so he does not deserve anything."

"You are mistaken!"
the voice rebuked him.
"He had only one prayer,
which I answered.
If not for that, you would not have
received any of my blessings."

"Tell me," the first man asked the voice,
"what did he pray for that I
should owe him anything?"

"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

For all we know, our blessings are not
the fruits of our prayers alone,
but those of another praying for us.

When Jesus died on the cross
he was thinking of you! :engel:

Janice Johannes

“Afrikaans staan wel swakker as wat hy tien jaar gelede was, maar indien ’n mens na sy verbruikers kyk, sal dit nog lank neem voordat hy afgeskaf sal word.”

Só het prof. Hermann Giliomee, hoogleraar aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gister gesê in antwoord op ’n artikel in Sunday Times .

Luidens die artikel verkies al hoe meer leerlinge Afrikaans as tweede taal op skool, bo enige ander Afrika-tale omdat dit glo baie makliker is om te leer.

Van die 558 393 matrikulante wat vanjaar hul finale eksamens gaan aflê, sal slegs 9 788 eksamens skryf in Afrika-tale as ’n tweede taal.

Die meerderheid, 266 408 leerlinge, het Afrikaans as hul tweede taal verkies. Altesame 7 428 leerlinge wat Â’n swart taal as hul tweede taal gekies het, het Zoeloe gekies.

Volgens Giliomee het Afrikaans Â’n goeie gebruik want 30% (wit, swart en bruin mense) van die land se verbruikers praat Afrikaans.

Verder het hy gesê dat Afrikaans ook werkgeleenthede vir talle mense inhou.

“Tien jaar gelede wou mense nie hê dat swart leerlinge Afrikaans moet leer nie en dis verstaanbaar, maar nou doen hulle hul eie keuses. En ek sou eerder verkies dat kinders op skool vier tale moet leer, soos wat tans die geval in Holland is,” het hy gesê.

“Ekonomies gesproke is dit waar dat Engels en Afrikaans leerlinge meer gaan baat as enige ander Afrika-taal. Talle werkgewers is steeds Afrikaanssprekend en dis dalk een van die redes waarom kinders van townships Afrikaans verkies,” het mnr. Stewart Mothata, hoofdirekteur aan Unisa, gesê.

Hy het ook gesê meeste swart leerlinge in townships sal Afrikaans verkies omdat hulle direk en indirek aan die taal blootgestel word.

“Die Tsotsitaal-woordeboek is ’n baie goeie voorbeeld hiervan, want die taal bestaan meestal uit Afrikaans.

“Indien ek terug moet gaan skool toe, sal ek eerder Afrikaans as tweede taal wil doen,” het hy gesê.

Bron: Die beeld

DON'T LEAVE APPLICANCES ON STANDBY

TVs: On average a traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) television set uses 100 watts of power when in use and about two watts on standby.


Picture: InfraRed Thermography

Analysis: Why UK 'must try harder'
Newer LCD and plasma screens are higher users of energy, with the largest models consuming up to 400 watts when in use and about four watts on standby.

DVD players: Consumers can safely switch off most DVD players/recorders, hard disk recorders or video recorders purchased in recent years, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

They should not need to retune the devices when they are switched back on or have to contend with the dreaded flashing clock as the machines usually retain their settings when off.

However, manufacturers recommend that some satellite TV receivers be left in standby when not in use so they can receive updates.

Computers: It may not be practical to turn a computer on-and-off if it is to be used throughout the day.

However, the Energy Saving Trust suggests turning the monitor off when not in use. Peripherals like printers and scanners should also be turned off when not in use.

Leaving unnecessary items on standby is said to costs each household an average of £37 a year.

UNPLUG CHARGERS WHEN NOT IN USE

If chargers for devices such as mobile phones and MP3 players were unplugged when not in use, the UK could save enough electricity each year to power 115,000 homes.

Chargers are not huge energy consumers in their own right, but across the UK those left plugged in unnecessarily waste over £60m and are responsible for a quarter of a million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

If a charger feels warm when it is plugged in without being attached to a device it is still converting energy.

TURN OFF LIGHTS WHEN LEAVING ROOMS

UK households spend £1.9bn on electricity every year for lighting. According to the Energy Saving Trust there is no truth in the belief that turning lights on causes a surge that uses up more electricity.

"If you are going out of a room for half and hour, or even 10 minutes, turn the lights off," said Dr Paula Owen, of the Energy Saving Trust.

"There is no point in burning electricity for no reason. It does not harm the electricity supply or the bulbs."

If all UK households replaced one light bulb with an energy efficient one, the money saved could pay about 75,000 family fuel bills a year.

WASH CLOTHES AT LOWER TEMPERATURES

Washing clothes at 30C as opposed to 40C, uses 40% less energy and is generally as efficient, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Modern powders are designed to be more effective at lower temperatures.

Over-dependence on tumble dryers can also contribute to energy wastage.

Consumers are being encouraged to make sure they buy Energy Saving Recommended models when buying new appliances such as washing machines and fridges.

TURNING THE THERMOSTAT DOWN

Turning the thermostat down by 1C can cut more than 10% from the average central heating bill.

Similarly, reaching for a jumper rather than turning the thermostat up when it gets really cold - 78% of Britons claim to always do this - can be effective.

Households with boilers over 15 years old are also advised to think about having them replaced it with a newer energy efficient model.

High efficiency condensing boilers can save a third on heating bills. Source: bbc