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去旅行很少可以男女通殺，迷利倉尤其東京首爾曼谷一類有得Shopping的City Tour，男士往往落得挽手袋的下場，貼錢陪人玩，悶夾冇癮。不想去到外國都匿埋商場一角打機，男士們，為自己打算一下吧，找出可以讓你宣洩雄性能量的活動，最近成廉航新戰場的新加坡，歡迎你。撰文、攝影：劉連 部份圖片由Singapore Grand Prix提供 碧咸都撐夜捧F1 雖然不少自命心水清的男士，都一再強調賽車「上鏡好睇過真人」，但第六年舉辦的新加坡一級方程式世界錦標賽（F1），依然錄得近26萬3千入場人次（僅次首屆賽事），海外遊客超過四成，連碧咸都飛去捧場，說明新加坡F1有其獨到魅力。 魅力一，夜！作為全球唯一F1夜間賽，三晚F1賽事，整個新加坡有如變身成一個大舞台，晚上6、7點開始，全城逐漸入黑，最光最亮的spotlight，就打在全長5.065公里的賽道上，沿路金沙酒店、摩天輪及濱海灣一帶的天價建築，統統變成配角穿插其中，感覺，似睇緊科幻片，行兩步就想停一停影多格相。早到入場，無所謂，坐草地睇表演排食物買紀念品，也只有在F1賽場，美女穿得特別火辣、啤酒斟得零舍大杯，一切都因為夜晚而顯得更迷人，這種眾志成城等睇大騷的氣氛，俾你屋企裝65吋電視，睇得到亦Feel唔到。 二，旺！F1正式賽事，是短短三日，在新加坡，熱鬧卻持續近半個月。每年9月踏入Grand Prix Season，全新加坡最炙手可熱的酒吧、餐廳、商場、博物館等等，空群出動為F1造勢，令男男女女車迷非車迷，都有理由為F1而興奮。�香港買唔到國際巨星演唱會飛？新加坡F1吹雞叫齊畀你睇，賽事完結直落個半鐘無欺場且不另收費。今年令一眾觀眾捱眼�都要睇的「串燒三寶」表演嘉賨，就有韓國組合Big Bang、美國搖滾勁旅The Killers及樂壇（遲到）天后Rihanna──看到開騷例遲兩粒鐘的Rihanna姐，在新加坡F1只遲到開場10分鐘，你知道新加坡F1又再一次打造歷史了！ 2014 Formula1 Singapore Grand Prix 日期：2014年9月19日至21日 網址：.singaporegp.sg 備註：10月底前訂購明年F1門票享有Super Early Bird優惠，相等於正價七折，詳情請上官方網站查詢。 男人海鮮廚房 男人的浪漫，不只豆腐火腩飯；條魚靚喎，�去清蒸先──「唔好搞咁多？」的精神，也許更符合大部份男人的飲食哲學。像The Naked Finn老闆Ken Loon就講到明要簡單：「新加坡海鮮就是，over-priced、over-cooked、over-sauced（過度收費、烹煮及調味）。胡亂加香料辣椒胡椒一大堆，是對海鮮的侮辱！」看不過眼新加坡人吃得重口味的Ken，於是放下跨國IT集團高層職位，在舊軍營區Gillman Barracks開起小小的海鮮餐廳，標榜明碼實價，不以「時價」二字唬弄客人，將海鮮原味呈現。 做好海鮮，他有他的方法：看一堆專業的海鮮生物書，以及Ex自存倉el。比方說龍蝦，他試18個品種，挑出5款，仔細研究每一款的構造及特點，試驗出最精準的烹調時間，用Excel表紀錄，「所以我請廚師，不注意創意，我需要的是一個精準的執行者。」餐廳沒有牆，四面包�膠簾，「因為我把錢都花在冷凍和煮食工具上，沒錢做裝修了。」餐廳不接受六人以上訂�，「人太多就會影響質素。」在蘋果電腦工作過的他，很接受Steve Jobs的一套，自言也有一點控制狂，「做生意最緊要Scalable，品質和穩定性我很看重，所以才需要用上那麼多Excel。」 The Naked Finn去年底開，幾乎不做傳媒訪問，美名卻不脛而走，被CNN Travel選為八大新餐廳，熟客中不乏當地城中名廚。餐廳目前只做晚市，會提供消夜Menu，調酒不宜錯過──被傳媒稱為Cocktail Genius的Ken，也是新加坡首家Cocktail Bar Klee的創辦人。瓣瓣通樣樣精的人，不叫天才叫甚麼？ The Naked Finn 地址：41 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks, Singapore 電話：（65）66940807 網址：.nakedfinn.com 健力士級飛髮舖 等女伴Shopping的時光，在新加坡，可以有更好的用途，譬如去飛一場健力士世界級的髮，而且是香港人最鍾情的British Style。 本店在倫敦的Truefitt＆ Hill，創立於1805年，是健力士紀錄最老理髮店，據說連邱吉爾及希治閣都有幫襯，今年3月將分店開到新加坡。Truefitt＆ Hill的服務對象，是紳士；而由英國設計師Timothy Oulton刻意經營的小空間，像個英國紳士的家，色調沉實，真皮座椅寬敞而舒適，令男士感覺特別自在。配合紳士氛圍，場內不播放甜膩的流行曲或擺放八卦雜誌，取而代之是提供幾款美酒，讓客人邊小酌邊享受理髮師的服務。穿�制服的理髮師，手法專業利落，最重要不會失驚無神撩傾偈，打擾客人難得的清靜。女人喜歡受寵、男人期待得到人尊重，Truefitt＆ Hill的氣氛，就很有一種君子惺惺相惜的味道，和江湖義氣仔女那種男子氣概，不同。 在這�剪個髮$465，熱毛巾濕剃$372，不算貴，慢慢嘆個零兩粒鐘，帶個新Look回去挽手袋，女伴愛死你。 Truefitt& Hill 地址：9 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 電話：（65）62235263 網址：.facebook.com/truefittandhillsg Travel Memo：新加坡 簽證：持特區護照及BNO均免簽證。查詢：25272212（新加坡領事館） 機票：10月份新加坡航空來回新加坡機票$3,571起（已連稅）。查詢：.singaporeair.com 貨幣：1新加坡元約兌6.2港幣（文中價錢已折算為港幣） 電壓：230V，三扁腳插座 實用網址：.yoursingapore.com（新加坡旅遊局） 鳴謝：新加坡旅遊局、新加坡航空mini storage

　舅父難敵表弟的不斷央求，self storage早前給他買了一部智能手機。這事令舅父即後悔不已，因為表弟只顧對著手機玩遊戲、Whatsapp、上Facebook，玩到通宵達旦，與親戚同�食飯時，他都只會對著個屏幕，不只成為「低頭族」，更加是一個「抬不起頭」的少年人。　筆者的太太是社工，工作上要幫助人解決家庭問題。對於「低頭族」，她認為這牽涉家教問題。父母給子女買了智能手機，子女會認為「這是我的手機，我喜歡怎樣用就怎樣用。」此外，很多父母怕子女吵鬧，就提供手機給子女玩，孩子便會認為透過吵鬧就可以得到想要的東西，以後就更難節制。　要解決問題，首先要讓子女清楚知道手機的擁有權誰屬，當買手機給子女時要表明：「這部手機現在就借給你用，但擁有權屬我；若果不好好利用，我就有權收回。」家長要與子女就手機的使用約法三章，例如做完功課才可開手機，上Whatsapp或玩遊戲的時數，又或者規定與親友聚會時不能只顧玩手機。若子女犯規就暫時收回手機，透過懲罰讓子女知道用手機也要自律。　最令父母苦惱的事，就是擔心子女會透過手機瀏覽不良資訊，因為一般父母不懂得如何限制孩子安裝應用程式。另外，小朋友平時可能偷看到父母輸入的密碼，然後偷偷用父母賬戶買付費的應用程式或遊戲道具。曾有mini storage長投訴，借用手機或平板電腦給子女後，對方不小心刪除了重要文件，甚至重設整個裝置，後果可大可小。設齡限組密碼 防睇不良資訊　那可如何避免呢？首先，在操作系統iOS中，其實設有年齡限制的功能，啟動後系統會自動隱藏不當內容，避免子女瀏覽不良資訊；在Android也有一些應用程序進行相關設定。另外，家長建立賬戶時，可用一組較為複雜的密碼，如英文大小楷配合數字及特殊符號，讓孩子難以默記或「撞中」密碼。　還有，當借用手機或平板電腦給年幼子女玩時，可以利用iOS「引導使用模式」或有相近功能的Android App來限制子女只能開啟某一隻App，防止誤啟敏感檔案。關自清功能 轉遠端清除　最後，筆者要提醒各位家長，有些人會設有連續輸入密碼失敗三次後便自動清洗手機資料的功能，但不要忘記子女得到父母手機時可能會不斷重試密碼，最後就甚麼都被清洗掉了。所以要關掉該功能，若要防止遺失手機後洩漏個人資料，可以轉用手機的遠端清除功能。　其實，各大智能手機系統開發商都不斷推出針對性的功能，使父母可以安心讓子女享受使用智能手機的樂趣。不過若沒有父母適當的配合，子女就不可能養成良好的使用智能手機習慣。　■IVE（沙田）電子計算系署理講師 郭譽豪（VTC機構成員）迷你倉

相比一眾旗艦韓Phone往往要五六千元，儲存同屬韓系的Hyundai出品就划算得多，如新出�Q5X坐擁5吋全高清屏幕、1.5GHz四核心處理器及2GB RAM，但售價卻三千有找。售價：$2,780小記實測時發覺佢轉頁、玩Apps好順暢，而且屏幕又大又靚，煲韓劇至�！配件齊全新機的拍攝功能是另一賣點，前置鏡頭達500萬像素已勁過好多機款，後置鏡頭更達1,300萬像素，並支援HDR、全景及微距模式，整體而言無論自拍或影景都應付自如。要讚的還有配件，考慮到內置電池容量只有2,000mAh，所以廠商儲存倉心地送多一枚畀用家，同時附送透明保護貼及Flip Cover保護套，照顧周到。規格表制　　式︰GSM四頻、WCDMA處理器︰1.5 GHz四核心記憶體︰2GB RAM、32GB內存、支援microSD屏　　幕︰5吋（1,920×1,080解像度）鏡　　頭︰（前置）500萬像素、（後置）1,300萬像素對外連接︰藍芽4.0、microUSB、HSPA+、Wi-Fi作業系統︰Android 4.2.1體　　積︰130×65.5×12.1mm撰文︰陳志滔　攝影︰陳世昌查詢電話︰3426 9866迷你倉最平

智能手機興起，儲存帶動手機遊戲市場的發展，風頭甚至蓋過手提遊戲機，成為主流。Angry Bird、Candy Crash Saga、Puzzle and Dragon、123猜猜猜等等，街知巷聞，成功開拓遊戲新市場。正因為手機遊戲市場潛力具大，引來大批有識之士加入競爭。但手機遊戲門檻日漸提高，未來市場將走向仔細分工，有人專注開發、有人專心做發行，互相合作方可在市場上取得成功。 隨著iOS和Android系統的發展，加上手機及平板電腦的運算效能大幅提升，成為電子遊戲的上佳平台，促使手機遊戲市場急速發展。根據市場分析機構Newzoo預計，全球手機遊戲相關開支由去年的91億美元，到今年底勁升34%，至122億美元。該機構估計，全球平板電腦和智能手機遊戲玩家將超過10億。 報告還指出，全球手機遊戲市場在2016年的收入估計可增至240億美元，按年增長28%，反映有龐大市場機會等待開發。不過，Newzoo的報告表明，美國只佔全球手機遊戲市場不足四分之一，中國為新興起市場 另一亞洲市場研究公司Niko Partners的報告指出，今年中國手機遊戲市場收入將達120億美元。當地的手機遊戲玩家數量至今年底將達5億，較去年初的1億玩家急速增長。門檻提高 分工要仔細 市場雖然龐大，而且仍在急速發展，吸引愈來愈多競爭者加入開發手機遊戲，令入場門檻逐漸提高。過往開發商一手包辦開發及銷售的模式已無法應付急速發展的市場。紮根香港，旗下擁有手機及平板遊戲開發及發行平台Animoca的Outblaze，見證手機遊戲市場的發展，該公司行政總裁蕭逸指出：「手機遊戲門檻日漸提高，新來者要面對的挑戰甚多，市場分工漸細，有人專注開發，有人專心做發行，互相合作方可成功。」他強調，Animoca在2009年推出手機程式嬰兒認字卡（Baby Flash Cards），首個月已輕易錄得30萬下載量，成為踏足手機遊戲領域的開始。「如今新推的遊戲有如此成績也許不易。」 「市場早已發展得成熟，簡單的遊戲不能再吸引大量玩家下載，必須作更深入的發展，方可引起他們的興趣，繼而再用其他方法留住玩家。」 玩家追求視覺效果 他留意到目前手機遊戲正在朝多方面發展，更細緻的畫面是重點之一。「過去不少手機遊戲都以簡單的畫面及玩法闖出名堂，但玩家的要求隨著手機性能改善而提高。他們希望更細緻、更豐富的畫面，無論是場景設計、角色造型都需要多花心思。」 事實上，蘋果公司上月的發布會示範iPhone 5s時，也以高硬件效能展示栩栩如生的遊戲畫面作為賣點。 Animoca早前推出小飛俠阿童木遊戲Astro Boy Dash是手機遊戲走向精細的例子。這遊戲以家傳戶曉的卡通人物為主角，所涉及的授權費用當然較自創角色的成本高。該公司的手機遊戲一直採用自創角色，如Pretty Pet系列，已建立品牌知名度。不過，蕭逸認為，現時再創立新的角色打開市場有一定的難度，反之以熟悉的角色開發新遊戲，毋須從頭做起，有助迅速走入市場，只是要多花一點投資，相應增加遊戲的開發成本。 大型互動遊戲面世 此外，遊戲玩法也有改變。「消閒遊戲（Casuel game）仍然是主流，但玩家期待更多創新玩法，例如互動，不單是玩家之間的互動，更有跨遊戲平台的互動。」玩家之間的互動在電腦遊戲和電視遊戲早已存在，在手機遊戲上連接社交媒體也相當盛行，他所指的是大型多人網上角色扮演遊戲（MMORPG）。「當手mini storage效能提升，畫面發展得更細緻，可開發玩法更複雜的遊戲。朝著這思維推進，手機上有可能出現如魔獸世界（Warcraft）般的MMORPG。當然，收費模式或有不同，但遊戲本質與MMORPG沒有太大差別，同樣強調角色與角色之間的即時互動，尤其手機隨身攜帶，而且長期連線，將有不同的玩樂體驗。」 至於與其他平台的互動，蕭逸認為手機遊戲將與電腦和電視遊戲互動，甚至以手機作次屏幕，成為顯示資訊和輸入指令的裝置。 發行商推廣遊戲更易 遊戲玩法從簡單趨向複雜，令開發工作變得具挑戰性，變相增加成本，也促使市場走向開發和發行各自分工。遊戲開發商專注研發遊戲內容，發行商則協助遊戲推向市場。 「iOS、Android提供程式商店作發行渠道，即使小型遊戲開發商也可上載產品，面向全球數以億計的用戶，但同時在市場上競爭的開發商數量也不少，精心設計的遊戲要在數以百萬計的應用程式中被發現、下載和試玩，實在不易。更何況中國有數十個程式商店，要逐一洽談合作，才可讓用戶下載。若借助發行商網絡，可簡化遊戲上架過程，更可用其渠道作市場推廣。」 他指出，手機遊戲今後的成敗，關鍵在於發行能力。「除非遊戲本身極具創意，否則難以吸引玩家在茫茫大海中選擇下載。要突出遊戲的特色，需要靠發行商的渠道，配合廣告宣傳和市場推廣。」 然而，他所指的宣傳並非傳統的電視和傳媒廣告，而是在社交網絡上進行推廣。由於手機平台屬新興媒體，也要以近似的方法宣傳。因此，手握用戶數量愈大，發行遊戲的能力愈高，更容易協助遊戲打入市場。 蕭逸表示，遊戲發行商直接面向玩家，可緊貼市場，如玩家最近的口味、不同年齡群組的喜好，然後針對性推廣遊戲。「因此，資金緊拙的創業型開發人員應專注研發遊戲，然後將作品交由發行商推出市場。一來可集中資源開發遊戲，二來借助發行商的市場數據，設計迎合需求的遊戲。發行商則從中抽佣，賺取收入。開發商和發行商的分工，發揮各自的專長，將產品以較切合的方式走入群眾，形成多贏局面。」 建立遊戲平台成趨勢 事實上，市場上早有不少手機遊戲發行商出現，日本Gree是佼佼者，而近年急速冒起的即時通訊平台LINE也涉足遊戲發行，至今在蘋果App Store和Google Play推出36款遊戲，下載量超過1.9億次。LINE的遊戲成功之處在於坐擁逾2.4億龐大用戶群，加上部分遊戲以自創的卡通人物為主角，從而帶動其他沒有LINE角色的遊戲受注目。向來貫徹模仿式創新的騰訊，上月推出微信5.0，也加入遊戲功能，但與LINE的模式不同。前者將遊戲整合於軟件內，首款遊戲飛機大戰也一度在大陸引起「打飛機」的話題，相信將有其他遊戲以類似方式發行。 120億美元 今年中國手遊市場規模 根據亞洲市場研究公司Niko Partners的報告指出，今年中國手機遊戲市場收入將達120億美元。報告還估計，當地手機遊戲玩家數量至今年底有5億，較去年初的1億玩家急速增長。無論是玩家數量和市場規模都僅次於美國和日本，排全球第三。 小結 門檻非想像般低 手機遊戲市場龐大，也具備發展潛力，看似入場門檻低，其實產業已經成形，要從中分一杯羹未必如想像般容易。正如蕭逸所言，新來者除非投入龐大資金作前期開發和市場推廣，否則小型開發商只得集中資源專注研發遊戲，然後夥拍遊戲發行商推向市場。 Text：莊俊賢 Photo：健、星島圖片庫、互聯網 Art：edyue Editor：Jeanself storage

Source: The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.迷利倉Oct. 01--Former Lane Community College student Mario Parker-Milligan took a national stage on Monday to blast his alma mater for outsourcing the job of distributing student financial aid to private financial firm Higher One.The "collusion" between the college and the New Haven, Conn.-based firm, he said, results in students paying higher banking fees, more student loan debt and a sense of betrayal."First, Higher One helps itself to fees from our loan dollars," Parker-Milligan said. "And second, the college is letting this happen."Parker-Milligan was a speaker at the Banking on Campus Forum in Washington, D.C., organized by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to gather comment as it develops financial regulations.Lane Community College signed a five-year contract last year with Higher One to place student grants and loans into bank accounts the company establishes for each of the college's nearly 12,000 students.Higher One debit cards serve as the LCC student identification card.LCC has defended its arrangement with Higher One, saying the contract helps LCC curb its costs.LCC Financial Aid Director Helen Faith said Monday that students are informed that Higher One charges students debit card swipe fees -- in some instances -- and additional fees when students use noncompany ATMs to get a hold of their student aid dollars."We haven't had any major (student) complaints recently that I'm aware of with the Higher One service," Faith said, "So I think, by and large, they're satisfied with what they are receiving from Higher One."Faith declined to comment on Parker-Milligan's contentions, saying the college has not had enough time to understand the context of his comments.A Register-Guard request for comment from Higher One Spokeswoman Shoba Lemoine got no reply on Monday.Parker-Milligan, who served as LCC student body president from 2010 to 2012, said the Higher One debit card looked like a good idea several years ago, when the company's posters -- bearing LCC's logo -- first started appearing on campus."The pitch: An easy way to access your financial aid," he said. "I thought this was a pretty cool idea."Students technically have a choice of using the Higher One account or having Higher One deposit the money into the student's own bank or credit union account.The money is disbursed into the company's account instantly; students have to wait a number of days for Higher One to move the money into their own bank account.Eighty to 90 percent of students choose the Higher One route, Faith said.Although Parker-Milligan had his own bank account as an LCC student, he said the Higher One option sounded an easier and more efficient way t自存倉 keep track of his loans and grants, so he signed up."Because it had the college logo on it, I trusted the account was serving my interests," he said.But Parker-Milligan soon became acquainted with Higher One's assorted fees, which is where the company makes a lot of its profits.So the next term, Parker-Milligan took his student aid out of the Higher One account, and he deposited it into his own credit union account.A few months later, he got an overdraft notice from Higher One. He logged onto his account and found he was charged a fee for inactivity, and that placed the account in overdraft status."I couldn't believe that. I chose not to use the account and was getting penalized for it," he said. "The barriers to getting out of Higher One continue to mount. My experience wasn't unusual."Parker-Milligan -- now working as legislative director for the Oregon Student Association -- said 72 percent of first-year students take out federal loans and 63 percent receive federal Pell grants.Faith said LCC has tried to mitigate the cost of Higher One fees. The college has a $1,000 per-term fund that it can use to reimburse students for fees, if the students apply to the college for a refund.Information about how many students have been reimbursed or whether the fund covers all requests was not immediately available.The college must use strategies such as outsourcing administrative functions and their costs, Faith said, because of the budget squeeze brought on by a state government that for years has crimped its spending on higher education, and especially community colleges. Having Higher One do the loan disbursement and tracking work saves staff costs LCC previously incurred on those functions.Higher One charges students fees in order to cover its costs and make a profit.That's not a good excuse for signing up Higher One, Parker-Milligan said.Parker-Milligan and several other speakers said there's an inherent conflict of interest when a college farms out work in this way."Colleges can't be trusted to make the best or most ethical decisions on behalf of the students," Parker-Milligan said.The solution, according to several participants in Monday's forum, is for colleges to set up direct deposit with bank accounts that students already have -- just as any private employer does with paychecks and the Social Security Administration does for seniors.The University of Oregon uses that method of disbursing financial aid.It wasn't immediately clear Monday what it would take for Lane Community College to develop the capability.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) Visit The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) at .registerguard.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage

Source: The Baltimore SunOct.存倉 02--Workers at Fort McHenry emerged shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday to post the sign: "Closed until further notice. No Entry. No trespassing."Over the next hour, joggers and cyclists pulled up to the gate, stopped, read the notice and turned around. Finally, veteran park ranger Laurie Coughlan followed them out, to begin her indefinite furlough."Most of us can deal with a day," said the Parkville woman, a 39-year veteran of the National Park Service. "Some people really do live paycheck to paycheck, and they need every penny."Effects of the partial federal government shutdown Tuesday were felt immediately and broadly in Maryland, home to 300,000 federal workers, more government contractors and several agencies.Services were suspended, offices closed and nonessential workers sent home without pay after Congress failed to agree on a measure to continue funding the government.Gov. Martin O'Malley warned the shutdown would "needlessly hurt hardworking Maryland moms and dads who are federal employees; harm small and large businesses across Maryland -- including health, aerospace and defense companies; and threaten our state's budget in a time of economic recovery."The governor's office estimated the shutdown would cost the Maryland economy nearly $15 million per day in business and $5 million per day in tax revenue.Marylanders expressed frustration with the inability of lawmakers to settle their differences, but also optimism that the shutdown would be over soon. So far, Republicans have insisted that any spending bill include language to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Democrats say they will not support such language."I'm hopeful that it'll be resolved before it becomes an issue," said Department of Energy policy adviser Joel Blaine, 29, who was waiting at Penn Station on Tuesday morning for a train to his job in Washington. "But I don't know if I'm putting my hope in the wrong place, because it doesn't seem like much is happening with Congress."The Mount Vernon resident said his managers have told him a small amount of funding remains to continue operating for the time being. But he was unsure how long it would last or whether he should prepare to be furloughed soon.The MARC system announced changes to train schedules to provide earlier returns from Washington to Baltimore for those employees who were sent home.Allison Gauhautz, a budget analyst at the Social Security Administration headquarters in Woodlawn, reported to her early-bird shift at 6 a.m. She was given four hours to handle the chores of shutting down -- changing her email notification, for example, and recording a new voice mail greeting.The 33-year-old Perry Hall woman said she had no guess how long the shutdown will last. She called the uncertainty "nerve-racking.""For myself, I hope it's only days," she said. "I have to pay my mortgage. I have to make my car payment. If I don't have a paycheck every month, I have no options."Gauhautz, who has worked at the agency for five years, asked whether members of Congress -- who are not furloughed -- have any incentive to end the shutdown."If they're still getting that paycheck every week or two weeks, what do they care?" she said.In Washington, dozens of furloughed employees held signs showing pictures of a tearful Republican House Speaker John Boehner as they rallied outside the Capitol. The event was organized by Democratic lawmakers from Maryland and Virginia and unions that represent the workers.George Schlaffer, a revenue agent for the Internal Revenue Service in Baltimore and president of Chapter 62 of the National Treasury Employees Union, said the furlough would be a hardship for his family. The Dundalk man, a 40-year veteran of the IRS, is putting two daughters through college."Yes, we're paycheck-to-paycheck because I'm trying to help each of my daughters to cover as much of the freight as they can so they don't have to have student loans at 7 and 8 percent," said Schlaffer, 65. He said he could probably hold his family's finances together for a few months."We can hang on," he said. "But it's a hardship."Tina Cappetta, superintendent of Fort McHenry National Monument and Hampton National Historic Site in Towson, said workers had prepared for a shutdown."We spent much of [Monday] calling school groups that might have reservations, contacting anyone who migh儲存 have meetings scheduled," Cappetta said. She said 15 school groups were scheduled to visit Fort McHenry this week, and about 300 cyclists and joggers enter the park daily.Cyclist Jerry Francis said riding through the park is part of his morning routine. The Baltimore man appeared stunned Tuesday when he saw the "closed" sign."I just didn't think about it," Francis said. "That's our park, and it's just there. It didn't dawn on me that it's part of the government."Coughlan, the Fort McHenry ranger, was working at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania during the last federal government shutdown, in 1995-1996."For the first day or two when these things happen, you're not feeling the financial crisis yet," she said. "Everyone has things they've been meaning to do around their house. But after a day or two, you start feeling that there's stuff you should be doing, and then you start feeling anxious about the finances."Pat Ranson, a retired corrections officer and former Marine, drove to the Social Security field office in Owings Mills to get a replacement Social Security card, only to be turned away.The Owings Mills man said the experience was an inconvenience, but the shutdown is unacceptable."As far as I am concerned, you have people in Congress who don't like the president, don't like the Democratic Party and really don't like anything the president stands for," he said. "It's not good, because we're throwing everyone under the bus, whether we're Democrat or Republican, independent, et cetera."DeEster McLean was able to keep her appointment Tuesday to apply for disability benefits. But the Randallstown woman said the impact of the shutdown on government workers is "sick.""The ones who are responsible, they are the ones who should be put on furlough," she said.In Annapolis, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program Office were sent home by 1 p.m., and the state's "Eyes on the Bay" water-quality website, hosted by the EPA, went dark.Civilian professors and instructors at the Naval Academy also were furloughed; military professors were taking over classes as they were able. The academy grounds remained open to the public, but spokesman Cmdr. John Schofield said visitors should expect "drastic reductions in service."The Department of Defense ordered the suspension of all service academy sports games. Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said a decision on Saturday's sold-out Navy-Air Force football game, the biggest home game on the schedule this fall, would be made Thursday.Gladchuk said canceling the game, for which a record 40,000 tickets have been sold, could cost the academy millions of dollars.Several commuters at Penn Station declined to speak to reporters about the shutdown, citing instructions from their employers. Others opened up about their frustrations.Michael Arighi, 66, a federal worker's compensation specialist working at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Baltimore, said the shutdown has "thrown all of our plans and contracts into disarray," leaving it unclear whether projects will have sufficient personnel to manage them.Arighi said he knew of one project that was to begin this week."Now it'll take place in the week or two after we get back, whenever that is," he said.The director of the Baltimore office of the VA said funds to pay disability benefits, pensions, education and vocational rehabilitation programs would continue through late October.Regional office Director Michael Scheibel said VA medical centers, clinics and health services, which already have been funded through 2014, would remain open.Federal employees weren't the only workers concerned about their jobs. Ciara Zachary, a senior health research associate for Econometrica in Bethesda, was given the option of staying home as managers determined how the shutdown would affect the company's workload -- which consists largely of government contracts."They say we're fine for now, but we'll see," the Mount Vernon woman said. "I'm crossing my fingers."Baltimore Sun reporters Michael Dresser, John Fritze, Yvonne Wenger and Pamela Wood contributed to this article.matthewhaybrown@baltsun.comtwitter.com/matthewhaybrownkrector@baltsun.comtwitter.com/rectorsunjoseph.burris@baltsun.comCopyright: ___ (c)2013 The Baltimore Sun Visit The Baltimore Sun at .baltimoresun.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage

self storage 沒有內文mini storage

Whenever high-end costume tailoring is mentioned, people always think of places such as Milan and Paris.mini storage In fact, several Chinese companies have established fame in the sector, as Bao Chang reports from Beijing. From the moment President Xi Jinping’s special airplane touched down in Moscow in March, it was clear the Chinese fashion world would be sent into flux. The airplane’s door opened to reveal Peng Liyuan, Xi’s wife, dressed in a designer navy blue overcoat with matching handbag and a light turquoise silk scarf, marking her international debut as China’s first lady. All elements of her couture were scrutinized and raised public interest. Having no logos and no other design signs, Peng’s clothes were clearly no doubt tailored uniquely. Marking a sharp contrast with the Chinese rising taste for foreign brands, the first lady’s fashion choice was domestic production. Although officials strived to keep low-key about worldwide interest in her fashion tastes, the Chinese design and tailoring industry undoubtedly received a big boost. One State-owned enterprise made a move into tapping into the high-end costume-tailoring sector as part of the company’s developing module into transforming and upgrading its products. “We are providing one-on-one personal costume tailoring for Chinese chief executives who have robust demand for premium business dress, as more and more Chinese businessmen become active on the international stage, where they need a professional and decent image,” Li Xuecheng, general manager at Jihua Group Corp Ltd, said in an interview with China Daily. Combined with the 78-year-old service branches of the Chinese army, Xinxing Cathay International Group Co Ltd, the parent company of Jihua Group, engages business including metal smelting, textiles, mechanics, professional equipment and the rubber products sector. Jihua Group, the group’s textile and clothing subsidiary, is China’s largest army needs supplier and owns the biggest business suits and shoes production base in the country. The company has also been the main supplier of government leadership dressing supplies. The company no longer limits itself to being an army needs supplier but is seeking a new business mode and growth point in the huge and booming domestic consumer market. Jihua is launching products especially designed for businessmen, including handmade Western suits, Chinese tunic suits, shirts and coats. In a move to compete with foreign luxury dressing brands, Jihua invited a famous Italian fashion designer to train employees. All materials are selected from premium sources for business dressing worldwide. “With the same quality and unique design, our products are priced much lower than those of foreign luxury brands,” Li said. As an executive of central State-owned enterprises, self-marketing is his very useful measure to introduce products to target customers. “Many orders are made when I wear the new collections and show them to other State-owned executives during group meetings, business negotiations and career-training together,” said Li. Western suits are the most common dress for those businessmen and, once some clients accept the brand and products, they will bring more customers within the bloc, Li added. Mentioning high-end costume tailoring, people always think of places including Paris, Milan and Hong Kong. In recent years, more and more Chinese businessmen have begun to order and buy Chinese luxury business wear abroad. “The rising Chinese wealth group has begun to pursue freedom. They no longer adore the well-known brands, but pay more attention to the creativity and quality of products. The high-end, low-key and pure tailoring dressing is attracting more and more rich people,” said Kang Yan, senior partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants (Shanghai). The potential market is huge. There are 960,000 multimillionaires and more than 60,000 billionaires in China. They account for a small proportion of the total population, but own 80 percent of the total wealth in the society. Individualization is their pursuit. “It’s abnormal that we don’t have high-end costume tailoring in China where there is the most developed textile industry儲存in the world,” said Li. Apart from the one in Beijing, Jihua will open more high-end costume tailoring shops nationwide. The northwest region is its next target market where the company will increase investment and open shops. Li said strong brand awareness is still essential for high-end tailoring — and it will take a long period to promote Jihua brand awareness in the domestic market. Over the past decade, China’s exports of textiles and clothing have increased to more than one-third of the global number thanks to labor and production cost advantages. Meanwhile, as the labor-intensive industries transferred to more emerging economies, China’s domestic market is to be further explored as the new growth point for the industry, China National Textile and Apparel Council said in a report. Li said the company has been engaging in the foundry production for some internationally famous big and luxury brands. Now it plans to take advantage of its production techniques and develop independent brands with the mature techniques and production quality it has gained in the past. That’s the direction of the company’s industry upgrading. As a producer of many luxury clothes brands, Jihua is also planning to enter the terminal-end sales channel sector by setting up outlets in the Chinese market. The role conversion from original equipment manufacturer to terminal retailers combines the production and sales operation together of luxury brands. It is considered a key measure for Jihua to complete this strategy upgrading. Under cooperation with Italian outlet company Gestioni Arcotecnica S.r.l., Jihua plans to establish several outlet shopping malls in cities including Changchun, Shijiazhuang, Lanzhou, Nanjing and Qinhuangdao within the next 10 years. The two sides will establish a joint venture to operate the outlet projects. GA with its rich experience in the outlet industry will take charge of brand recruitment, guaranteeing the multiplicity of high-end labels. Each will have an investment of 1 billion yuan ($163.3 million). All projects will be located within a suburban area 50 to 100 kilometers away from downtown of the city, targeting middle-class buyers in the Chinese market. Construction of the first project will start by the end of this year. Engaging in commercial real estate and outlets operations with Italian business partners will help the company to gain international influence in the sector within the next 10 years. The outlet business is expected to become the major revenue resource of Jihua over the next 10 years, according to Li. Commercial real estate is to become the core business of the company as the labor-intensive industry is tending to slow down in China. The financial statement of the company shows that army products still dominated the revenue generation of Jihua last year. In 2012, Jihua Group generated revenues of 26.49 billion yuan, increasing by 16.99 percent from a year earlier. Total profits grew 26.15 percent to 1.054 billion yuan. The company will try to expand to the upstream and downstream of the civilian goods industry and step up an internationalization process, the statement said. The booming domestic market and rising high-end purchasing group have boosted the development outlet industry in China in recent years. European outlet brand McArthurGlen set up an office in China last year and launched a Chinese-version website in a move to seek more business opportunities. Shanghai-based Bailian Group plans to open no less than seven outlets within the next five years in Wuhan, Tianjin, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. From 2002 when China’s first outlet was established in Beijing, the number of outlets in the country now exceeds more than 400. “Attracting the premium brands has been a challenge for outlet operators and, at present, few domestic outlets can attract true luxury brands,” said Wan Wenying, vice-president of the China General Chamber of Commerce. Contact the writer at baochang@chinadaily.com.cn Attracting the premium brands has been a challenge for outlet operators and, at present, few domestic outlets can attract true luxury brands.” Wan wenyingvice-president, china general chamber of commerce 儲存倉

Source: Journal Star, Peoria, Ill.儲存Sept. 30--Saying the word "Caterpillar" in Peoria invokes visions of classic yellow tractors, while a NASCAR fan at Talladega Superspeedway knows it as car No. 31 and a 20-year-old shopper in Chile might say it's the maker of his favorite shoes.As the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, Caterpillar isn't afraid to dip its steel-toed boots into markets outside of construction and manufacturing, netting $1.1 billion in licensing in 2012 and notching the No. 50 spot in License! Global Magazine's list of top licensers.Of the 2,500 items stocked in the merchandise center at the Caterpillar Visitors Center, men's work wear is tops in sales, said Sarah Gutchall, vice president of retail operations at the Cat Merchandise Center. But the merchandise isn't limited to button downs with pocket logos."As our work force has changed the last 10 to 20 years, we have to adapt to that," Mark Jostes, program manager of retail business development said. "We used to have a white shirt, a block shirt and a yellow shirt. People now want energy, color and variety in their workstyle."That variety can be observed with a glance to the hat selection available at the Cat Merchandise Center in Downtown Peoria, where rows of caps vary from classic ball caps and hunter's orange to stocking caps and panama hats."The goal is we want people to add to the hat collection, not have just one," Gutchall said. "Customers will send pictures of the back of their door outfitted with little posts all filled with Cat hats."Caterpillar's apparel line started as the company provided supplies for its own employees: office shirts and work boots, depending on your job description. Today the options available for employees, family members or fans of the brand are widely expanded.From bright colors and designs, womenswear has been diversified in recent years to include clothes, shoes and accessories for on and off the job."You don't expect to see cute stuff like this here," Gutchall said holding a wedge sandal.Caterpillar's merchandise isn't limited to mom and dad. Children's attire has risen in popularity as the company reaches out to families and future Caterpillar employees."It's continuing to gmini storageow for us, especially in this location because we have so many families and children in here," Gutchall said. "The toys, we just can't keep them on the shelf."Toys range from miniature tractors ranging from collectible replicas worth thousands of dollars to plastic dump trucks with lights and sound effects.Those replicas include limited editions of classic tractors that have moved dirt for over a century.That recognizable tractor lends both its image and name to another Downtown Peoria landmark: Dozer Park, home to the Class A minor-league baseball team the Peoria Chiefs.The park's logo depicts a yellow tractor rolling over home plate that closely resembles the D4K2 Caterpillar Bulldozer on display near the third base line, a tractor type known colloquially as the dozer, for short."People at home know it as the dozer. That represents the company that's headquartered here in Peoria, but it's still a fun name," Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Miller said.The mainstay for Caterpillar's global brand is its iconic footwear.The Caterpillar boot became a staple for the company's brand impression nearly two decades ago. Since 1994 the company has sold 109 million pairs of shoes worldwide."Globally, outside of the U.S., we're more of a lifestyle brand," Jostes said.The 71 standalone Caterpillar merchandise stores in foreign countries market largely to 14- to 24-year-olds with casual items such as jeans, T-shirts and shoes that are "rough and rugged, yet durable and comfortable," Jostes said.Caterpillar uses its equipment archive to find unique items with vintage appeal, such as a refreshing take on a work-style boot worn by Caterpillar employees in the 1920s and 1930s, redesigned in maroon for modern appeal.With options ranging from sandals to sneakers to the ever-popular steel-toed boots, Caterpillar's footwear department continues to grow and sell.And with 17.5 million products sold worldwide last year, the Caterpillar logo has gone more places than ever before.___Laura Nightengale can be reached at 686-3181 or lnightengale@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauranight.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.) Visit the Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.) at .PJStar.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage

　【本報綜合報導】大陸「十一」長假原是陸客來台旅遊高峰，mini storage但昨天是大陸新旅遊法實施首日，阿里山陸客人數僅4000人，減少約2成。　阿里山森林遊樂區是大陸遊客來台必遊的景點之一，嘉義林管處說，去年大陸「十一」長假的首日，森林遊樂區湧入逾5000名陸客，不過，昨天碰上大陸新旅遊法實施，入園人數遞減至近4000人，與去年同期相比，減少近2成，未來差距會更大。　阿里山旅館業者廖景泰表示，雖然阿里山陸客多，但因很多有購物行程，導致陸客到阿里山只是走馬看花，並不會在阿里山住宿，大陸新旅遊法明文禁self storage購物行程及旅客自費、導遊收小費等行為，也就是說，陸客為了在阿里山深度旅遊觀賞日出，一定會住宿，阿里山旅館業預期會更好。　阿里山旅館業者徐子豪說，大陸新旅遊法實施後，因往年陸客住宿阿里山少，僅5%左右，因此，對阿里山相關業者的衝擊小，未來，陸客可以深度旅遊阿里山，停留時間拉長，有助提升阿里山的整體消費。　阿里山公路的藝品店業者指出，大陸新旅遊法實施後，陸客人數當然會減少，不過，很多業者變更經營方式，另外打造茶葉或鳳梨酥觀光工廠，藉由讓陸客體驗製作過程，提高購物意願，同樣可以吸引陸客消費。mini storage

「十?一」黃金不再！在內地《旅遊法》及打貪風潮雙重打擊下，mini storage本港市道逢「十?一」必旺的神話遭打破，金舖、名店及食肆擠滿內地客的情景不復現，廣東道名店外不見長長人龍，有銅鑼灣遊客區名錶行生意較去年急跌三成。至於專做內地團生意的土瓜灣及紅磡區亦回復寧靜，專營內地團的酒樓，營業額大跌八成，已要求員工輪流放假，更有購物團指定商店關閘，料是「零團費」絕�令生意重創，商店叫苦，當區居民卻叫好。銅鑼灣名錶店生意較去年跌三成，店員關先生相信與內地打貪有關。(蔡綺琳攝)往日逼滿內地客的銅鑼灣及尖沙咀珠寶店昨門庭冷清，職員望天打卦，廣東道名店外長長人龍不復見，有名牌手袋店職員透露，昨生意較去年同期跌兩、三成，較平常周末更淡靜，料部分內地客十?一不再來港，而是出國旅遊。專賣名錶的銅鑼灣大上海鐘錶珠寶（香港）有限公司，昨店內人煙稀少，職員指該店九成顧客為內地客，自內地嚴厲打貪後，購買逾萬元名錶客人驟減，料十?一生意較去年跌三成，但他認為《旅遊法》實施後，內地客會轉以個人遊來港，光顧不涉抽佣的店舖，對其迷你倉意反為有利，寄望內地開放更多個人遊省市，為港引入新客源。上周逾百團 珠寶店昨得兩團雲集多間指定店舖的紅磡民樂街一帶，昨儼如「死城」，全日僅得零星旅遊巴停泊，有珠寶店職員稱，上周每日仍有逾百內地團，昨只剩兩團，「從未試過咁靜」；早前向本報透露老闆有意結業的朱古力專賣店，昨拉上大閘並貼上「內部裝修」字條。本報早前報道被旅遊巴霸佔的土瓜灣崇光街一帶，昨人流冷清，朱古力專門店經理周小姐指，上周每日仍有約五十個內地團到訪，昨僅得三團，有酒樓職員透露營業額大跌七、八成，料未來兩周仍然冷清，深受遊客困擾的榮輝大廈住客則叫好。45萬人次過境 遜往年近半昨晨落馬洲口岸擠滿旅客，但至下午人潮已散，羅湖口岸亦未見擠擁。截至昨日下午五時，逾四十五萬人次經本港各口岸出入境，而去年十?一全日多達近八十一萬人次出入境。平日擠滿水貨客的上水昨亦史無前例地冷清。香港旅遊業議會總幹事董耀中指，《旅遊法》適用於十月一日起出發的內地團，旅客若有不滿，可向旅議會追討，強調今日仍有五十個購物團訪港，暫無接獲旅客投訴。文件倉

（霹靂 怡保30日訊）怡保市長拿督羅西迪說，儲存他在處理城市清洁問題上堅持從教育市民的觀點出發，無奈許多市民不但講不聽，而且還把全部責任推給市政廳執法組。他呼吁市民深思，到底誰影響城市清洁，是習慣亂丟垃圾的市民，還是收垃圾的市政廳。他說，亂丟垃圾的惡習在餐館隨處可見，許多食客習慣把垃圾留在桌面，甚至有人把嬰兒尿布也丟在桌面。讚中韓日公民意識強他今日在怡保市政廳大廈主持常月會議後召開新聞發佈會說，他在中國、韓國和日本進行工作訪問時，發現當地人把收拾垃圾當成自己的責任，如用餐後主動收拾餐具，所以當地政府征收的垃圾處理費十分低。針對人民進步黨霹靂州聯委會署理主席拿督納蘭星日前指市政廳在維持城市清洁方面失責，怡保市長應引咎辭職，羅西迪說，他自責擔任市長7年，在教育市民擁有清洁意識上“失敗了”。他表示，他已經宣佈在明年初（1月2日）市長任期屆滿後提早退休。即起落實城市發展藍圖羅西迪公佈，市政廳即日起落實“2013年至2020年怡保市政廳策略規划”城市發展藍圖，這項藍圖已獲得大馬現代化及管理策劃單位（MAMPU）批准，最終目標為打造怡保在2020年成為先進、獨特且卓越的綠色城市。他說，該規划藍圖的五大策略是提昇公共服務的傳遞效率、加強城市服務與執法、加強有利於市民生活素質的城市規划、鞏固市政廳的財政，以及加強與國內外機構合作發展本地經濟。他也說，怡保有潛質發self storage為國際旅遊與會展城市，所以市政廳將規划適宜旅遊的腳車道和行人道，並鼓勵2星級至5星級酒店開業，以配合建筑中的怡保會展中心於2015年竣工後，準備迎接大量的會展遊客。向中央提呈安全城市計劃羅西迪在常月會議上致詞說，市政廳將於10月4日派出代表到吉隆坡向中央政府提呈一項耗資250萬令吉的安全城市計划，希望獲得中央政府批准並撥款落實這計划。他說，市政廳在今年落實的安全城市計划包括在政府組屋和主要道路建設街燈、行人道、行人道路燈、行人道欄杆、安全告示牌及安全鏡等。他說，市政廳已在怡保著名的夜生活娛樂區，即怡保新都建設並啟用警亭，以提昇當地白天和晚上的治安。他建議參考韓國的街道急救亭，研究在一些地點設立該亭的可行性，該亭設有緊急按鈕，可聯繫地方政府治安隊與警方，好讓公眾尤其遊客遇險時能及時求救。將修訂門牌稅重發賬單針對有市民投訴1年收到超過2張門牌稅的賬單，羅西迪說，這與市政廳修訂門牌稅有關，已繳稅者不必擔心。他說，市政廳通常1年內發出2次門牌稅賬單，即在1月和6月期間，如果有地產易主、擴建等的地產資料改變，該局將例行修訂門牌稅並重發賬單。他也說，今年截至9月，市政廳的收入已達到今年全年財政預算收入（1億5千198萬令吉）的92%，即是1億3千932萬令吉，比去年同期增收2.6%。出席新聞發佈會者包括市政廳秘書拿督阿都拉欣及副秘書（城市行政）賽達都阿瑪。;迷利倉