Sunday, October 31, 2010

Tupolev Tu-154 operations in Düsseldorf, 2004-2007

A little tribute to the TU-154. I made it black and white to underline the fact that the TU-154 times in Düsseldorf are history now. Not too many years ago the TU-154 was a daily visitor in Düsseldorf. I remember the times when we had the apron filled with 5 or more TU5 in the early mornings of summer-most of them were owned by Air Via Bulgarian Airlines (they now operate an A320 fleet), Bulgarian Air Charter (BUC) (they now operate MD80's), and Aeroflot (they are currently phasing out their last Tu5's I believe). Throughout the day the Air Via TU5's would return to do another run to Bulgaria (Varna, Bourgas and Sofia if I remember right), Aeroflot would send at least one more TU5 on one of their three daily flights from Düsseldorf to Moscow Sheremetyevo, Sibir Airlines had a daily afternoon service from Düsseldorf to Moscow-Domodedovo and Pulkovo/Rossiya had two daily flights to St Petersburg and one to Moscow-Vnukovo-all of them were operated by TU-154! In addition to that Aeroflot-Don and Ural Airlines had a weekly flight on Sundays during the Summer to Rostov and Jekaterinburg using the Tu-154. Nowadays there is not a single scheduled Tu5 service left in Düsseldorf, all the mentioned airlines replaced their TU5 services with B737 and Airbus A32X. Ural Airlines and Donavia discontinued their weekly flights into Düsseldorf in the summer of 2008 I really hope to see them again someday. I really miss the TU5's with their unique wing and tail shapes. The sound was ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJMya5h_KpE&hl=en

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Effects of Katla access would put accepted air biking anarchy in the shade

FULL: www.xard.org The European air travel check agency Eurocontrol same it expected hot 5000 fledges in European air space on Saturday, against 22000 normally. This likened with 10400 fledges against a regular 28000 on Friday it read, adapting figures from an younger affirmation. The means identical no landing places or charades were possible for civilian aircraft in most of northern and grand Europe, but fledges were getting place in gray Europe, letting in Spain, the southwestern Balkans, southeast Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. "Forecasts suggest that the swarm of volcanic ash will prevail and that the impact will stay for at least the future 24 hours," the office same in a program line older in the day. The way said that of the 300 transatlantic flights of steps that willed usually arrive in Europe on a Saturday, only 73 flights went far in the morning, when almost are scheduled to land. It identical that in numerous of the countries affected, upper airspace had become available, but it was trying to access this as in almost cases surrounding arenas were contaminated by the ash tree swarm.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAaaW930y_k&hl=en

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Rest In Europe Was Spoiled By Weather

This season Europe has disappointed the tourists. The weather's surprises have not just spoiled the rest - the temperature regime turned out unbearable neither for people, nor for animals and technique. The heat takes a heavy toll of human lives in Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Romania. And at the same time the north escapes from bad weather by swimming.

It looks like the Sun has decided to cinder the southern part of Europe. An abnormal heat has settled down in some countries. In some regions of Bulgaria meteorologists have placed a record of the highest temperature for the whole history of meteorological observation - 45 degree centigrade.

A man in Greece died of sunstroke. The hospitals are crowded with patients and work much more intense.
In June when the column of mercury came up to 46 degrees centigrade, 12 men died of overheat. For the last month wild fires have smashed up tens of thousands hectares of wood.

In Greece energy consumption daily heads all the records due to the hourly working conditioners. However they do not have problems with electricity so far. In Spain, Barcelona's people lived in emergency mode because the out-of-limit temperature made people keeping conditioners working non-stop which has lead to the energy systems overwork. The underground stopped working, the traffic light broke off, the houses, public offices, hospitals and other objects of vital importance were deficient of energy supply. People have been caught in lifts and traffic jams.

People who happened to be in Adriatic this summer had no joy too. In Montenegro which was very popular this year electric power lines blew out under the sun, life-supporting systems broke down, cooling systems worked out of limit, conduit with drinkable water worked with troubles.

In Slovakia heat caused poisonous snake irruption. The reptiles boldly came closer to humans hoping to find here a shelter from baking sun. Life saving service often received the messages from people who found snakes even in water pools. And this has happened in the full pride of tourist season.

Italy can't stop surprising us with its temperature contrasts. Last moth the heat took ten human lives there. At the same time in the northern city Trentino-Alto-Adige snow has just melted away. In the beginning of July the temperature in this region has fallen down to 6,2 degrees centigrade. Unexpected bad weather caused mud flow land sliding which blocked the traffic. The African heat in Hungary has slackened. Even in the south there wasn't noticed the temperature higher than 35 degrees centigrade.

Demir Kapija situated in the south of Macedonia is named the hottest European city of this year. The air temperature has turned up to 44,4 degrees centigrade which was 3 degrees lower than the temperature in Kuwait city Abdali - the hottest point of the world. Heavy rains caused floods on the whole territory of England. For 60 years here haven't rain so heavy. Central and western parts of United Kingdom turned out to be under the water, many cities and villages have been flooded. Themes and Severn have overflew the banks. London was preparing to stop water attack. More than thousand people have been saving their souls in improvised shelters for several days.

For some next days meteorologists forecast no changes. The weather doesn't hurry up to change its fondness. On the south-west of Europe sun will continue baking. The north will be under the cyclone power. That means the weather to be breezy and rainy and wreckers to come there. That's why the fans of successful west resting should kick the tin of their shots and make new routes to the places with more predictable weather while choosing the place to have a rest.

Monday, October 25, 2010

NOZ pt.3

serbian movie,srpski film,balkan film,belgrade,republika srpska,macedonia,domaci film,bulgaria,croatia,bosnia,srbija



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAI0Maalkbk&hl=en

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Sports Facts - Women's Volleyball

Did you know...

London will host the 2012 Olympic Volleyball Tournament. A maximum of 12 teams will participate in the event. The United Kingdom and Brazil -2008 Olympic gold medal- have qualified for the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Curiously, Great Britain has never competed in the Pre-Olympics, World Cups, World Championships and Olympic Games. Great Britain did not qualify for the European Championships in 2007.

The People's Republic of China, Brazil and Russia are the favorites for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. China won the gold medal at the Girls' Under- 18 World Volleyball Championships in Mexico in 2007.

The United States hopes to win its first world title in 2009. With Lang Ping as coach -a former Chinese volleyball player who had taken part in the 1982 World Cup and 1984 Olympics- the U.S. women's volleyball team trains very hard for the 2009 World Cup in Tokyo (Japan).

From 1962 to 1967, Japan dominated the international tournaments and players from that Asian country won two World Championships.

Venezuela qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics through the South American Pre-Olympic in Lima, Peru. For the first time, Venezuela defeated Peru 3-2 ( 22-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12). Curiously, Venezuela has never participated in the World Championships or Olympic Games. In 1982, Venezuela finished 5th place at the Central American & Caribbean Games...

Russia has got seven world championships ( USSR ' 52, France ' 56, Brazil ' 60, Bulgaria ' 70, Uruguay ' 73, China ' 90, Japan ' 06 ) and four Olympic titles (Mexico ' 68, West Germany ' 72, USSR ' 80, South Korea ' 88).

In 1980, South Korea -one of the world's best volleyball teams- did not send a team to the Pre-Olympics in Bulgaria. Why ? Between 1948 and 1987, South Korea -an anti-Communist state in the 20th century- did not establish formal diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of Bulgaria. The tournament was part of the Olympic qualification system for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

Algeria -which won the gold medal at the 2007 Pan African Games- is the first Arab team to participate in the Olympic Games (Beijing 2008).

From 1952 to 1973, China did not compete in the World Championships ( Moscow ' 52, Paris ' 56, Rio ' 60, Moscow ' 62, Tokyo ' 67, Sofia ' 70 ) and Asian Games ( Jakarta ' 62, Bangkok ' 66, Bangkok ' 70 ). Why ? Because the People's Republic of China was not member of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball ( FIVB ). In 1974, China became an official member of the FIVB. This nation made its international debut at the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran (Iran). Three weeeks later, China competed in the World Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico. In the preliminary round, China lost two matches: Poland (3-1) and Japan (3-0/ 1972 Olympic champion).The People's Republic of China finished in 14th place -among 24 nations- at the 1974 FIVB World Championships. In the 1980s, China became the first country to win 5 of 8 major volleyball tournaments:

1980: China boycotted the Moscow Olympics

1981: Japan World Cup-1st place

1982: Peru World Championships-1st place

1984: Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games-1st place

1985: Japan World Cup-1st place

1986: Czechoslovakia World Championships-1st place

1988: South Korea Olympic Games-3rd place

1989: Japan World Cup- 3rd place

South Korea won the FIVB U-20 World Championship in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1977. Korea beat China for the gold medal. For the first time, three volleyball teams from Asia competed in the finals (Korea, China and Japan).

Massachusetts (United States) is the birthplace of volleyball...

The Romanian women's volleyball squad won the gold medal at the 1980 World Olympic Qualification in Varna (Bulgaria). Final standings:

1.Romania

2.Bulgaria

3.Brazil

4.North Korea

5.Hungary

6.Mexico

Like many former Soviet-bloc nations, Ukraine was one of the last members of the FIVB. Surprisingly, Ukraine won the silver medal at the 1993 World Youth Championships in South America.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea / North Korea -which won the Olympic bronze medal in Munich in 1972- did not want to compete in the World Championships in 1974. The team also did not participate in the Asian Cup in Melbourne (Australia) in 1975.

Mexico hosted the 2007 Girl's Youth World Championships. There were 16 teams: Mexico, Serbia, South Korea, Belarus, Brazil, Japan, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, Russia, Dominican Republic, Peru, China, USA, Tunisia and Turkey.

Nigeria became the first black African team to qualify for the FIVB World Cup in 1982. On September 14, Peru -1979 Pan American silver medalist- upset Nigeria -African champion- in the opener of the World Cup. The score was 15-0, 15-0,15-0.

Volleyball is one of the most popular Olympic sports in South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, North Korea and the People's Republic of China.

The United States won the gold medal at the 1981 NORCECA Tournament. The U.S. women's volleyball team won the international tournament after losing in the final three times in a row ( 1975, 1977, 1979 ).

In the 1980s, Maria Salgado Barroso (Brazilian volleyball player) played in the Japanese Volleyball League.

Minorka Marisela Mercado Carrero was one of the "most beautiful volleyball players" in the world. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she played for Venezuela. Minorka represented her country at the 1989 World Youth Cup in Lima, Peru. On September 3, 1993 she became the second sportswoman elected Miss Venezuela. Minorka was discovered by Osmel Sousa -Director of Miss Universe Venezuela. Under the direction of Osmel, she was second runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in 1994...

The German Democratic Republic / East Germany -Olympic silver medalist in 1980- did not compete at the FIVB Women's World Cup in Peru in 1982.

The first Women's Volleyball World Cup was in Moscow ( USSR / Russia) in 1952.

The U.S. women's volleyball team has not won the World Championships.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Best Places to Visit - For Americans

Best Places to Visit in Europe

Some people say Europe is gone. I really can't say Europe is gone, but I must admit that the countries where the Euro rules are every day more difficult to reach if you are on a budget. In any case, there are some exceptions you should know before taking a flight to the old continent. While Western Europe and the Nordic countries are far gone with high prices, Eastern Europe has recently developed at high speed to offer good services to tourists. Probably Prague is already too exploited, but if you look at Bulgaria or Romania you will find great value for your money.

At same time, with a falling Great Britain Pound during the last months, either buying plane tickets in UK pounds or getting accommodation directly in their currency can be a great option. And this applies to Americans, but also to anybody in the world. Bookings through a falling currency compared to yours are always going to be cheaper. At same time, southern Europe still is in the middle, and even if we can't consider it cheap, normally prices in Spain, Italy and Greece will fit into your budget.

Best Places to Visit in America

Provided that the whole America moves a bit at the same speed as the American dollar does, it will be easy to find deals for more or less the same price that local travel would have. In any case, if you want to find the best value for your money, countries like Ecuador, Brazil or Argentina will be good deals. Also Central America offers many natural paradises within your limited budget.

Best Places to Visit in Asia

If there is a place that will consume all your money it is Japan. This country has never been cheap and it seems it will never be. You'll pay a lot and get few in return, so it should be avoided in case you are looking to travel to Asia. At same time, both Australia and New Zealand are not recommended. Specially New Zealand, as the kiwi dollar sometimes is climbing even faster than the Euro. The best choice in the region is the country of Laos, which has been isolated during the last years and has now opened to the world. Don't expect to find an already built tourism industry, but you'll find great value for the falling US dollar. Thailand has always been good too but recently the mass tourism that is going there is making all prices to climb. Take care with it.

Best Places to Visit in Africa

Generally you will find always good deals in Africa, but the most part of the countries are just on the way to development and you will not receive great services generally. At same time, political problems can restrict traveling for a certain time, as it is happening in Kenya on the recent times. Morocco has always been cheap and it still is, but probably a more beautiful touristic destination is Tunisia. It is becoming very popular recently and some experts say it will be the Morocco of the future. We will see.

Saving in Hotels

For Americans there is nothing better than travel certificates. You can find thousands of discounts in many places, but you will never get the 80-90% discounts that travel certificates can give you with your accommodation and even with your flights. I had a customer in Minnesota that wanted to fly from there to London and spend a week there. I gave her a flight travel certificate for $70 and a 4 stars hotel certificate for 7 nights and up to 4 persons for $130. In this way, she had a total spending between flights and hotel stay of $200 for a 7 days trip to Europe in Deluxe accommodation. As I said, nothing can improve the travel certificate deals, as you are paying only taxes.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Bagpipe and Its History

You may have heard that bagpipes are a Scottish invention; you may have heard that they are an Irish invention. The truth (of course) is neither one. The bagpipe was invented in the middle east.The Old Testament mentions the instrument in the book of Daniel chapter 3, where it is listed as one of the instruments that was used to call the people to worship a golden statue that king Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (Anyone who disobeyed had to be thrown into a blazing fire --yaiks!!) This event took place in ancient Iraq, which was then part of the Babylonian empire.

From the middle east migrating tribes of peoples took the instruments to different parts of Europe, Asia and northern Africa.
Some 200 years ago the instrument was very popular throughout Europe.
It was around that time that the ruling class started to forbid the instrument.
It was decided that this instrument, with it's droning sound was a "poor man's instrument" and should have no part in modern music.

As a result, the instrument was forbidden in almost all of Europe, except for a few outposts such as Scotland and Bulgaria.
The bagpipe in its many forms, as of today still has retained its natural tuning.

The melody pipe or chanter has to tune in with the drone, therefore, it is hard to play together with other "tempered tuned" instruments. The key cannot be changed, also on account of this droning.

However, modern music, even though more sophisticated, has lost a very important ingredient of music, namely the rich overtones.

Those rich tones that you can hear in a well-tuned bagpipe can only be heard when the notes are exactly tuned. This is only the case in bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies (a similar instrument that operates with strings instead of pipes) and in voice.

However recently the bagpipe has been revived in modern music and there are now world wide many people who play the instrument.
This is primarily due to the fact that the (scottish highland)bagpipe has been used as a military instruments.

Today the instrument is being used in many different types of music, there are not only players of many different kinds of bagpipes again, there are also modern bagpipe builders.

This modern revival of the instrument has been inspired by painters such as Pieter Brueghel, who painted the instrument as it was played in the 1600's.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Defte Lavete Fos - Chanted By Nikolaos Sarlakis

The Holy Fire (Greek Ἃγιον Φῶς, "Holy Light") is described by Orthodox Christian believers as a miracle that occurs every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Holy Saturday, the day preceding Orthodox Easter (Pascha). It is considered by many to be the longest-attested annual miracle in the Christian world. It has only been consecutively documented since 1106, previous references being sporadic.[1] The ceremony is broadcast live in Greece, Russia, Georgia, Cyprus, Lebanon and other Orthodox countries (like Egypt). Furthermore, in Russia, Greece, Georgia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Syria and Lebanon, the Holy Fire is brought to the countries every year by special flights, being received with honours by state leaders at the respective airports. This is chanted as the Holy fire spreads thought everything. It is all so chanted as the priest comes out of the Holy Doors during easter when all the lights are off and he has a candle and everyone encircles him to get the Holy Light. In Greek Dhef-te la - ve-te fos, ek tou a-ne - spe - rou fo - tos ke do-xa-sa - te Chri - ston ton a-na - stan - da ek ne - kron. In English Come receive ye the light, from the neverwaning light and glorify Christ, who hath arisen from the dead.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDLEbuz9Co8&hl=en

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Money Saving Holiday Tips

We all like to have time to relax and there's no better chance to rest than on holiday. Let's take a look on some tips for how you can have a great holiday on a small budget.

The first place to start when thinking about a holiday on a budget is to consider what type of holiday you want and how flexible you are prepared to be. The more flexible that you are, the more chance you will have of making the greatest savings.

Being flexible doesn't mean choosing a holiday that you would not be comfortable with - it does mean being prepared to make slight alterations to your plans in order to reduce costs.

One example might be to think about flexibility in terms of flight details and times. With the advent of budget airlines, it's now possible to get some great low cost flights to popular destinations in Europe and worldwide.

The only problem with the budget airlines is that you may need to make sacrifices when compared to more expensive carriers. So, for example, many budget flights will need include an onboard meal within the ticket price.

With careful planning you can prepare yourself a snack to eat during the flight, or simply plan your meals in such a way as to overcome the lack of an in-flight meal.

Similarly, in the case of budget airlines, you'll find that it's cheapest to book your flights as early as possible to snap up the cheapest seats. Indeed, contrary to popular opinion, it's often possible to pick up cheap package holidays by booking early too.

You'll also find that it's cheapest to fly at times of the day (and indeed the week) when other people are put off flying. Purchasing tickets for flights that leave early in the morning can lead to great savings.

If you are not intending on travelling with children then be sure to check out the dates of school holidays too. You'll be amazed at how much more expensive flights, hotels and package holiday deals are during the school holidays.

By planning your holiday details in advance you can make some great savings.

Think about your preferred destinations too. While you may find it difficult to get cheap bookings at peak times in popular resorts, you can find some real bargains by looking further afield.

In the case of holidays in Europe, the likes of Bulgaria, Croatia, northern Cyprus, Poland and the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) all have some great deals.

The key to making the greatest savings is to look to be as flexible as possible - if you're willing to take this type of approach then you can have a wonderful holiday without breaking the bank.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Have Fun Outdoors in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas/Fort Worth has wonderful weather, so it was made for outdoor activities. Though the summers can be sticky and hot, the weather is not as severe as Louisiana or even the Northeast, so Dallas living is comfortable. Residents of the Dallas area have a great love of sports, so you'll find a number of activities and organized clubs that revolve around sports activities: golf, baseball, football, soccer and every other sport under the Texas sky.

Explore Great Hiking and Parks

The city of Dallas provides 27 separate hiking and biking trails, so there's a lot to choose from. Fort Worth also has a large selection of trails. What makes Fort Worth trails particularly different is that they are all connected, so you could hike from one end of the city to the other. These trails come in all types: remote, urban, challenging, and easy, so there are hiking trails in Dallas/Fort Worth for all types of hikers.

The Trinity Trails system in Fort Worth is similar to a subway map: you can see how each paved trail system snakes through the city. It's an enormously fun activity to walk somewhere far off in the city, rather than drive. Simply put, Fort Worth was made for walking (or bicycling and rollerblading).

Fort Worth is also known for its large-scale parks. Trinity Park is a relaxing place to stop if you happen to be hiking the trail system. Other parks include Gateway Park, Rockwood Park, and Marion Sansom Park at the base of Lake Worth. Dallas also has plenty of full-featured parks, including the Dallas Arboretum, Rochester Park, Boulder Park, Fair Park, Old City Park, and the Dallas Zoo - not technically a park, but with plenty of space for walking.

Take Advantage of Sunny Summer Weather

Stop complaining about the Texas heat and start enjoying it by trying the myriad water activities outdoors. No matter what your physical abilities, you can always appreciate cool water on a hot summer day.

Take the whole family to Burger's Lake in Fort Worth. The refreshing swimming mecca sits on one acre of land, and is open to the public from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. Fun activities incorporate diving boards, slides, areas made for jumping off, sand, and even a trapeze. The lake is surrounded by thirty acres of recreational fun, and also offers charcoal grills and a snack bar if you don't feel like cooking. Spend the day with your family and friends for some cool outdoor fun.

If going to the lake and cooling off in the middle of natural surroundings doesn't sound like fun to you, perhaps a water park does. There are various ones to choose from in the area, from the famous Hurricane Harbor and Great Wolf Lodge to the more mild but still fun Bedford Splash, which is built with younger children in mind.

Outdoor Concerts

During the summer and fall seasons, starting in May and going through October, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is rocking with a wide range of cool outdoor concerts. From May 1 to July 31, you can take in "Cool Thursdays" at the Dallas Arboretum. Weekly performances begin at 7:30 p.m., but gates open at 6:00 p.m. Picnics and coolers are encouraged, so bring the whole family or a group of friends and get ready for a host of great musical performances in a lovely garden setting. The Arboretum also features a Fall Concert Series that runs from September 18 to October 31.

Clearly, no matter what you prefer, it is easy to find outdoor activities for every type of person and family in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Ark Of Europe - Bulgaria

The project of ARK IF EUROPE in BULGARIA, written by Tanya Mangalakova, camera by Stefan Kostov, edited by Konstantin Kirilov



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j45R0ff6k5Q&hl=en

Saturday, October 16, 2010

BGEXRS KNIS research

A compilation of EX rocket flights and tests made by KNIS /KNO3-Isomalt/ sugar propellant in Bulgaria.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtsUNZ5f2Aw&hl=en

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Why Do People Travel?

Can you imagine what is life without traveling? Is it possible? Whatever your reason is, traveling is a part of people's life. We all travel. The reason behind that is up to you.

There are different reasons why people travels:.

1.) Most People Travel because they want to see their families and friends who live far away. Invitations from families and friends are seldom so you will decide to travel just to see them.

2.) People Travel because they want to see their soul mates. Some people believe that there is only one person for them and if they haven't had much luck searching in their area, they figured it out that even though there are millions of people around the world, they can still find it in other place.

3.) People travel to seek for work because they want to experience how to work from another place. We must admit that earning money is hard and some people decide to work abroad because they are looking for greener pasture. Other place pays bigger rates than their own place. We may also say that their expertise is not favorable in their own place. Unfortunately, they have to leave their families for awhile for a job opportunities abroad.

4.) People travel because they want to learn others cultures. They want to see the difference between their culture and other cultures. They want to learn others culture because for them traveling is fun while learning. One particular thing about the culture is the food. They want to know how food is prepared and how it is done. Obviously, we all love to eat.

5.) People travel because they are writers. They want to give the readers relevant article to their readers especially when they are making story in that particular place.

6.) People travel because they want to see all beautiful scenery of different countries. Others would want to take pictures because it serves as souvenirs.

7.) When opportunity arise, it is hard to decide whether to leave your family and open a business far away your place. Some businessmen would rather put up business in other place because they want gain and it is more profitable than staying in their place. Business is nothing without profit.

Traveling is not only for rich people. Whether you are poor or in the middle class, you can travel as long as it fits your budget. Some travel for their goals, some travel for fun and relaxation and some travel for experience.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Rental Properties Offer Owners Tax Advantages

Basic tax advantages landlords receive from their investment in real estate properties are similar to those of every homeowner. These basic tax advantages are the ability to deduct property tax expenses and mortgage interest costs from your federal tax return. Beyond these deductions, as a landlord you have the advantage of many more tax incentives. If you provide utility services such as water, heat and/or electricity at no cost to tenants, tax laws allow you to deduct these costs from the income on the property. Furthermore, all operating expenses for your rental property are tax deductible. This would include maintenance and repair costs such as the expense of repainting the property or replacing windows, gutters and floors. Fees for liability, property and rent loss insurance are also tax deductible.

Thanks to depreciation deductions, landlords are offered tax advantages by the IRS for improving their rental properties. Improvements include installation of a security system, a swimming pool, new furnace or air conditioner, any new appliances or upgrades to the kitchen. Or perhaps you want to add on another room or a porch to the rental home. These also would be considered an improvement, not an operating expense. These expenses may not be written off as operating expenses, they are written off as depreciation of improvement deductions.

Depreciation Tax Advantages are Available Even Without Improvements

Tax advantages offered by a depreciation deduction may seem confusing at first, but should prove worth your time to understand. Depreciation costs are those accumulated by the normal wear and tear of every residential property including rented buildings. Thankfully, the IRS acknowledges the fact that a building depreciates considerably over time and so permits landlords to deduct some of the cost of depreciation every year for up to 27.5 years. Much of these costs do not even require you to spend anything to get back money on your tax return. You simply have to file the cost of depreciation. The only time you will spend money for a depreciation deduction is when you make improvements to the property.

Accounting Fees are Tax Deductible

Most landlords will probably find the assistance of an accountant to be highly valuable at tax time. An accountant specializing in rental property taxes can help you take advantage of all the deductions offered to landlords. If the expense of hiring an accountant is of concern, hopefully you will find relief in knowing their fees are tax deductible. Similarly, the wages of employees hired to help keep books, care for tenants and make repairs are deductable operating expenses.

Careful Record Keeping is Necessary to Receive Full Tax Advantages

While an accountant can be very valuable at tax time, they won't be able to do much without records of your spending and income. Therefore, whether you choose to do your own taxes or use an accountant, always keep receipts for absolutely everything! And, if you want your tax filing process to go most smoothly, keep your receipts organized in one place. What should you keep receipts for? You'll want receipts for office supplies such as desk organizers and notebooks. Keep receipts for the cost of your property advertisements posted in the local newspaper. And do not forget to save receipts for gas and car upkeep if you have several rental properties that you are traveling between.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Bosnia Vacation Number 7 of 7

This is a trip that I took with my sister to Bosnia and Herzegovina in April, 2008. We rented a car in Sarajevo, and drove through several countries (including Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, and Serbia). We had connecting flights in Germany and Slovenia...and spent a bit of time in these countries as well. My original plans were to visit Argentina, but I couldn't get there and back on my US Airways frequent flier miles. After many, MANY hours on the phone with the US Air Gold Desk, I finally asked, "Well, where on Earth CAN I go with my miles?" The answer: Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, we packed our bags and headed to Sarajevo! Is it crazy to go to Bosnia for vacation? Well, most of our friends and family thought so. I tell you what, though. I'd go back there in a heartbeat! It was inexpensive, the food was fantastic, and the people are very warm and generous. Hopefully, after watching the video, you'll agree that the Balkan countries make for a great vacation destination! As always, PLEASE leave comments! It took hours and &#?&! hours to put this video together. I want to know what you think!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMdo8ZzUTig&hl=en

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Places in Croatia Where You Can Buy Property

Croatia is a beautiful country and it is also a destination that is slowly becoming popular as one of the real estate hotspots. So where can you buy real estate properties in this country? Here are some suggestions:

• Dubrovnik- If you wish to own a property in a place where you will find the rugged beauty of the country then this is a destination that you can consider. Located in the Dalmatian coast, this place is often referred to as the 'cocktail of sun, scenery and culture'. The summers are dry and warm and as such, Dubrovnik makes a perfect place where you can buy a second home.
• Istria: It is the southern most country of Croatia and it is also the biggest Adriatic peninsula. Beautiful beaches are found in plenty in this region and this is one of the most important reasons why tourists come to Istria when they are visiting the country. It is also a place where you can consider buying a real estate property in.
• Dalmatia Islands: There are more than one thousand islands in the Dalmatia region and most of these are untouched. One can get to these islands by ferry or domestic flight from Split. If you are thinking about investing in Croatia, then the islands you should consider investing are Vis, Hvar and Brac.
• Zagreb: It is the capital city of Croatia and it has been acting as the political and cultural location for the country ever since the Middle Ages. In the 19th century, this city developed drastically and there are many buildings here dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire that are being preserved. If a property is what you are planning to buy in this country, then you can consider investing in its capital city.
• Middle Dalmatia: Home to the largest national park in the country, Middle Dalmatia is another region where you can consider buying a property in. It is a region that is popular for its waterfalls and it is also a popular tourist destination.
• Split: Last but not the least; Split is another city where you can buy a second home in. This is the second biggest city in the country with an old town and a modern harbor.

These are some of the locations in Croatia that will be good for investment purpose so if you have decided to invest your money in the real estate property in this country, you can consider these locations.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Popular Choice is a New Zealand Motoring Holiday

Are you planning a New Zealand self drive holiday to beautiful New Zealand. Land of the Long White Cloud, steeped in wonder and mystery?

Self Drive New Zealand

You could get away with a car rental New Zealand at a handy pick up location in Auckland, then either head off straight away to drive New Zealand at your own pace or stay at one of the many wonderful Auckland accommodation places listed in many of the travel brochures available at information centres through out New Zealand.

New Zealand Self Drives

You can choose from a large range of quality, reliable, fuel efficient, cheap New Zealand car hire deals. The vehicles are all well maintained and serviced after each rental to ensure reliability and satisfaction. Your New Zealand car rental is made easy with on line bookings or make just one quick phone call and a New Zealand car hire is at your finger tips. It will be easy for you and your family to plan those special New Zealand vacations where you will find New Zealand driving directions easy to follow and New Zealand travel deals hard to beat.

When planning your family's next holiday, tours of New Zealand can also give you a much earned break from a self drive New Zealand trip, especially when in busy and unfamiliar areas. You can also purchase a New Zealand Travel Pass available at budget prices to get you around the many sights in our busy cities or you could also take one of the many New Zealand travel tours that will give you a guided tour of our spectacular places of interest. You could add Queenstown, New Zealand to your travel plans for that little bit extra and see what difference a rental car will make to your New Zealand tour.

New Zealand Driving

Can take you places you see on television and in brochures like the highly recommended tour along the Pacific Coast Highway. Travel south from Auckland through the Bay of Plenty, around the East Cape to Napier. Or like this one heading north travel the Twin Coast Discovery Highway and drive north out of Auckland up the east coast through Northland and return south via the west coast. This could give you a holiday you will remember for a long time especially if you are taking the New Zealand vacation of your choosing. You can organize and stop where your heart chooses on self drive tours to give you your New Zealand adventure of a lifetime.

Camp ground facilities throughout New Zealand are generally very well maintained and in convenient, and often times, scenic locations. Along with BBQs, kitchen facilities, restrooms and showers, most campgrounds have laundry rooms and playgrounds. It's always a good idea to reserve space at a campground prior to arrival, especially during the peak season of summer.

New Zealand Drive

Coach tours New Zealand can also be a part of your plan with some great New Zealand package holidays that could be just right for you and your family. New Zealand tours gives you New Zealand holidays that make you want to come back and experience it all again and again.

That little bit extra comes from using people you can trust to make your New Zealand motorhomes holiday that much better than just a break from life as you know it.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Some Useful Tips Before Securing Car Rental in Denver

Denver, the city of Colorado State of United states of America that is also known as Mile-High City because of its location at 5, 280 feet above seal level in Colorado amidst Rock Mountain is great center for outdoor sporting activities. The city has only 300 days of sunshine in a year. The city has 10th largest central business district, or "downtown area", in the United States.

The city is full of cultural attractions and easy urban lifestyle with brick industrial buildings with stylish lofts, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. With the world's second largest performing arts center the city of Denver has many attractions for a person visiting the city.

But in order to travel at each and every corner of the Denver city one must have a proper means of transport within his reach. Though the city of Denver is well connected within its parts and other important city of America, yet having your own conveyance or Car rental in Denver gives an assurance for comfortable journey through out the city of Denver.

There are many way you can book car rental in Denver. Among all the available methods for car rental one of the best one that you will found of great use when going for car rental is by the media of World Wide Web, where you can get any of the car rental services on the click of mouse. However, getting the car rental is not that much simple and straight as it appears even online. You need to take care of many important points when you are going for a car rental in Denver online.

You can start your research for car rental companies. After through research you can list down all the car rental companies that appear to be of any use to you. After listing, look out for suitable rates and models of the car appeasing to your need and requirement, meantime; carefully look after the reputation of the companies you are hiring as for car rental. Get car online as much as close to place of your residence so you may not have to pay extra amount on car rental.

The other important point for car rental in Denver is that you should be not in hurry to fill in online form provided on the website of car rental agency. You should instead set your preferences first for hiring car for rental make and size of car, framed time for renting the car and features that you consider essential to rent a car. Never neglect reading contract and conditions of car hire before stepping into the rented car. And finally, do also look for other benefits in your package like whether you are entitled for any specific discount as mentioned in your package.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Fedor Emelianenko vs Mihail Apostolov

Rings Russia - Russia vs Bulgaria - Fedor Emelianenko vs Mihail Apostolov



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azb-oD9v-HU&hl=en

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Pamporovo Plaza

Pamporovo Plaza Bulgaria. Pamporovo Plaza is a new development of 310 one-bed apartments in the popular ski resort of Pamporovo. The apartments are fully furnished and finished to a high internal specification and the complex includes excellent on-site facilities. For more information visit: www.housesalesbulgaria.com www.worldwidegroup.eu www.findpropertyanywhere.com Looking for cheap flights to Bulgaria? www.flightsbulgaria.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-3CQJTtsZ8&hl=en

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Lap Chalkboards

Lap chalkboards are the smaller version of a normal chalkboard and are usually used by kindergarten students. A lap chalkboard is easy to carry and easier to use, as it is almost featherweight. Small children are encouraged to use these types of chalkboards so that they can practice and hone their writing skills without worrying about the amount of space and money required to buy paper.

Some college teachers encourage their students to use lap chalkboards s to reduce the cost of books and paper. Another advantage of lap chalkboards is students can use these individually, and the teacher can get an answer to a specified question from one or all of the students.

A lap chalkboard can be made at home by spraying chalkboard paint on a piece of cardboard. Chalkboard paint can be made using three teaspoons of acrylic paints, one and a half spoons of glazing medium, and half a teaspoon of powder tile grout. Mixing all the ingredients will produce chalkboard paint that can be sprayed on any surface to produce a working lap chalkboard.

Another important advantage of an individual chalkboard is that it can really help a person improve handwriting. Two students can be paired and then given a word or a sentence to be written by both the students simultaneously. The words or sentences can then be compared for mistakes and illegibility.

Mini chalkboards can also be used to bolster the memory of a child or a person. This is possible on a chalkboard, because a sentence that is erased and rewritten is remembered well, as compared to a sentence that is written twice on the same page.

Lap chalkboards are also called slates, as they are made up of a stone called 'slate.' A lap chalkboard is the first tool that a child uses when learning to write. It is important to select the right kind of board so that the first scribbles can turn into first words.

Monday, October 4, 2010

More flights amid S'pore & Europe cancelled, Affecting cartage & businesses

FULL: www.xard.org The European air control agency Eurocontrol very it had great 5000 flights of stairs in European airspace on Saturday, against 22000 ordinarily. This equated with 10400 flyings against a natural 28000 on Friday it same, adapting figures from an early financial statement. The office said no landing places or travesties were potential for civilian aircraft in almost of northern and important Europe, but fledges were learning place in southern Europe, admitting Spain, the southwestern Balkans, southern Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. "Forecasts suggest that the corrupt of volcanic ash will remain and that the impact will cover for at least the incoming 24 hours," the office same in a statement older in the day. The way read that of the 300 transatlantic flights of steps that would usually arrive in Europe on a Saturday, only 73 flights went far in the morning, when virtually are regular to land. It same that in any of the areas affected, upper airspace had get available, but it was difficult to admission this as in near cases surrounding spheres were impure by the ash overcast.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSGeeuMMkXE&hl=en

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Dr Victor A Carreno - A NASA Engineer and Technologist

Born in 1956 in the city of Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic, Dr. Victor A. Carreno works as a Aerospace Engineer and Aerospace Technologist for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA. He is also the man behind the creation and development of Single Frequency Multitransmitter Telemetry System (SFMTS).

Although Carreño was born in Dominican Republic, his family migrated to Puerto Rico when he was barely a child. Hence, Carreño grew up in Guaynabo City. He developed his interest in electronics and mathematical problems when he was a child. He went to Margarita Janer Palacios High School where he graduated with honors and got the highest grade both in mathematics and science in 1974.

The same year, Carreño attended the University of Puerto Rico where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering four years after. After graduation, he submitted his application to NASA and was accepted. He was assigned to the Aircraft Electronics System Branch, Flight Electronics Division of NASA. In 1983, Carreño was re-assigned in Fault Tolerant Systems Branch, where his work involves developing techniques assessing analytically the digital system upset caused by lightning-induced transients

In 1983, Carreño invented the Frequency Multitransmitter Telemetry System. In 1985, he finished his Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Old Dominian University. A year after, he received the patent for his invention SFMTS and was granted the U.S. Patent # 4,631,538.

In 1997, Carreño completed his Doctoral Degree in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge in England. Ten years after, he retired from NASA. With all the significant contributions that Dr. Victor A. Carreño has given, he is indeed a pride not only to Dominican flag but also to Puerto Rico flag.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

Real Estate Investments in Sofia

Where else would someone consider investing in real estate but the wonderful capital of Bulgaria, Sofia? Sofia is a great city that is the largest city in Bulgaria with a population of over 1.3 million. The city of Sofia is said to set the tone for every other city in Bulgaria because it is said to be undisputed in its economy and other things. Sofia is a great place to search for real estate to invest in.

Sofia has the most dynamic property market in Bulgaria and one of the major things to invest in is apartments. As Sofia is a large city some places are better than others to find real estate in the form of apartments. The first place you should look to find good investment apartments would be in the center of Sofia. Then you might check some of the good residential areas, like Lozenets, Lagera, and Iztok. The next best place to find apartments in Sofia is the fast growing business districts. These areas are great for investing in apartments because business and leisure travelers as well as the people who work for the business's in Sofia. Many people would love to have an apartment to stay in close to where the need to be. One other way to make the most out of your apartment investment is to consider also buying a parking space, as with any big city, parking can be hard in Sofia. Although Bulgaria has the best property prices in Europe, prices in Sofia will be more than in other cities because property here is in high demand, but the more you pay for your apartment, the more rental income you can get back.

You do not have to buy new apartments in Sofia to get a good investment. Sometimes it can be difficult to get a lot of people interested in renting a new apartment because it will cost more. The other option is to find and old apartment that needs some work done to it. Older apartments in the center of Sofia may, actually, turn out to be a better investment because you will buy it for cheaper and potential renters will be more likely to rent it because the prices will be lower for them as well. Your real estate agent may be able to help you find the stuff you need to refurbish your new/old apartment. Also, you will have the pleasure of personalizing the apartment with your tastes.

One thing you need to watch is if you are a foreigner trying to purchase an apartment. Buying an apartment by itself is not a problem, it is only if the apartment comes with a land plot, or a yard. Then you need to register a company in Bulgaria to hold the title, which your real estate agent can help you with, because as of the moment, foreigners are not allowed to own land in Bulgaria. It is a simple issue to fix but it will cost a little extra. All in all, Sofia is a great place to invest in real estate if you know where to look.