Thursday, June 16, 2011

Main sights of Trapani

11:56 AM மனோவி

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Much of the old city of Trapani dates from the later medieval or early modern periods; there are no extant remains of the ancient city. Many of the city's historic buildings are designed in the Baroque style. Notable monuments include:
The Church of Sant'Agostino (14th century, with the splendid rose-window
The Church of Santa Maria di Gesù (15th-16th centuries)
The magnificent Basilica-Sanctuary of Maria Santissima Annunziata (also called "Madonna di Trapani") originally built in 1315–1332 and rebuilt in 1760. It houses a marble statue of the Madonna of Trapani, which might be the work of Nino Pisano, and with the museum Agostino Pepoli.
Fontana di Tritone ("Triton's Fountain")
The Baroque Palazzo della Giudecca or Casa Ciambra.
The Cathedral (built in 1421, but restored to the current appearance in the 18th century by Giovanni Biagio Amico). It includes an Annunciation attributed to Anthony van Dyck.
Church of Maria SS. dell'Intria, another notable example of Sicilian Baroque.
Church of Badia Nuova, a small Baroque church.

Monte Erice is a cable car ride from the city and aside from the cobbled streets and medieval castle, there are views of Tunisia and Africa from up there on clear days.

There are several beaches running along the coast of Trapani, the best of which are at Marausa about 9 km south of the city.
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History of Trapani

11:54 AM மனோவி

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History

Trapani was founded by the Elymians to serve as the port of the nearby city of Erice (ancient Eryx), which overlooks it from Monte San Giuliano. The city sits on a low-lying promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea. It was originally named Drépanon from the Greek word for "sickle", because of the curving shape of its harbour. Carthage seized control of the city in 260 BC, subsequently making it an important naval base, but ceded it to Rome in 241 BC following the Battle of the Aegates in the First Punic War.

Two ancient legends tell of mythical origins for the city. In the first legend, Trapani stemmed from the sickle which fell from the hands of the goddess Demeter while she was seeking for her daughter Persephone, who had been kidnapped by Hades. The second myth features Saturn, god of the sky, who eviscerated his father Cronus with a sickle which, falling into the sea, created the city. In ancient times Saturn was the god-protector of Trapani. Today Saturn's statue stands in a piazza in the centre of the city.

After the Roman, Vandal, Byzantine and (from the 9th century) Arab dominations, Trapani was conquered by the Normans of Roger I, flourishing under their dominations and having also a role in the Crusades as one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean Sea. In the 17th century the city decayed due to revolts, plagues and famines; however in the following century it grew from 16,000 to 30,000 inhabitants; commerce remained of local importance, while its military position in the Kingdom of Naples remained notable.

The city was badly damaged during World War II when it was subjected to intense Allied bombardments. It has grown greatly since the end of the war, sprawling out virtually to the foot of Monte San Giuliano. Tourism has grown in recent years due to the city's proximity to popular destinations such as Erice, Segesta and the Egadi Islands.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Free SMS

12:39 PM மனோவி

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

NFC: Google launches payment system for smartphones in the U.S. - Update

12:46 PM மனோவி

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NFC is one of the hot topics in 2012, with a compatible phone and a corresponding remote station, which is included in future cash registers and kiosks, you can pay cash in seconds. According to current information, Google will start in the next few days his NFC-range in the first five cities. (Lars Craemer, 5/25/2011)


Update: There are some new backgrounds for tomorrow's NFC notice. Such a diversified media consistently report that the well-known in Germany fast-food chain Subway and the clothing department stores Macy's and American Outfitters Eagly work closely with Google. To that end, the terminal branches set up in which the customer can pay by phone. Google itself was in December 2010 took over the NFC-known experts Zeta product in order to strengthen his powers.


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NFC (Near Field Communication) is a standard for exchanging data over short distances, especially with NFC phones will make in the near future as a digital wallet for a significant simplification of payment procedures. The Apple iPhone 5 could be equipped with its potential performance in September with an NFC chip, no later than the next-generation of the Apple smartphone will probably master this application. Google Android has arrived with even more, smart phones with the Android operating system and an NFC chip can since version 2.3 of the operating system to use NFC with advanced features. With the Nexus S, Google has a compatible device on sale.

The global infrastructure is still not the same for NFC devices ready, so is also suggested that Apple will give the iPhone 5 still to a corresponding chip. Behind the scenes, but also works with Apple on a strong nationwide NFC infrastructure. One of the main advantages for Apple would be the management of NFC payment actions on iTunes. This market would include not only a huge increase in transactions at the same time the purchasing behavior and the place of purchase - Cash Release in advertising sales.

Google currently seems to be one step further, however, the search engine giant and Android developers has already joined forces with Master Card and the City Group, a developer of payment systems (Verifone) is part of the new alliance. A recent Bloomberg report points to the launch of Google's NFC offerings in the coming days. Thus already on Thursday to an appropriate announcement will be published. Google will probably go first in five major U.S. cities (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, DC) at the start, initially, only the owner of a Nexus S without cash can use pay and only if the customer the network of the mobile operator Sprint pending.
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For a win, that is not

12:39 PM மனோவி

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French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde candidate for the IMF headquarters, and should get the post too. Europe triumphed in a duel with the emerging economies - should not be very happy. For the price of the choice of Lagarde is high.

The phrase sounds like a threat: French President Nicolas Sarkozy stood fully behind her candidacy for president of the International Monetary Fund, said the French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.
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Christine Lagarde at the press conference where they declared their candidacy. (© AP)

Sarkozy stands above all in Germany in the call to run economic policy only in the French interest: Debt-held policy of stability, statism rather than market economy. However, the risk that the IMF from the Élysée is out of control in the future is low. The self-conscious and professional politician Lagarde can be trusted, to emancipate himself from Sarkozy.

Lagarde will be under pressure if elected elsewhere. Ever louder call for the emerging countries more power in the IMF. China , India, Brazil and others provide to law, the tradition in question, always a European fund that out.

The self-conscious newcomers like at the end give way again, but they will demand a price. One gets the post, the other determines the content - it is very often in politics. Anyone who expects an IMF boss Lagarde's interests in Europe can provide information about, will also be disappointed.

In the cold light of this disappointment would not be so bad. On the European debt crisis, the IMF has so far responded mainly with much state money. In the long run can not be a solution, it needs a restructuring, the participation of private creditors and new structures in the debtor countries. It will be watching especially the Chinese. You are a billion-dollar investors in Europe is not the worst advice.

 
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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Pakistan's different moves towards terrorism

10:20 PM மனோவி

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It's a subject Americans can't stop discussing and one Pakistan hates talking about. The terrorist attack on the Pakistani military facility in Karachi has once again focused world (and Washington's) attention on the security of the country's fast-growing nuclear arsenal.

The Obama administration on Monday did not publicly go beyond "strongly" condemning the attack on Pakistan Naval Station (PNS) Mehran and appreciating the "service and sacrifices of their brave Armed Forces," but the incident has re-ignited the simmering debate about vulnerability of its nuclear weapons. US analysts noted that Mehran is only 15 miles away from the Masroor Air Base, where Pakistan is believed have a large depot for nuclear weapons that can be delivered from the air.


While Pakistan insists that its "crown jewels" are under foolproof security, at the heart of the debate is worry that they are vulnerable to internal pilferage or attack by a "jihadized" military, judging by multiple attacks on military facilities by terrorists who seemingly have the inside track on security, including in the Mehran strike. A recent Wikileaks cable citing Pakistani military officials admitting sabotage of F-16s by "Islamists amongst the enlisted ranks" has added to the concern.

Pakistani militant attacks over the last five years include strikes against three nuclear facilities, in Wah, Sargodha, and Kamra, according to Prof Shaun Gregory, a security specialist at Bradford University. But each time, the Pakistan military establishment, which has itself suffered attacks at its General Headquarters and training and recruitment centers, insists that there was no danger to its nuclear assets.

But Gregory says the attacks illustrate "a clear set of weaknesses and vulnerabilities" in Pakistan's nuclear security regime, a danger brought home by the ease with which militants are now penetrating military installations. Concern is growing in the west about the internal dynamics in a military that was once thought to be "westernized and professional."

Washington is leery of expressing its views openly, but New Delhi, which has more proximate reasons to be troubled by a nuclear heist, isn't holding back. "We are concerned with the safety of Pakistan's nuclear installations," senior officials traveling with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Africa were quoted as saying on Monday. "The real risk is internal – who guards the guardians."
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Flights started to resume....

10:15 PM மனோவி

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MORE than a million air passengers face being grounded over the half-term holiday next week by the new volcanic ash chaos.

Many travellers are already suffering cancellations and delays and more disruption looms – amid anger and confusion over new rules to decide when planes can safely fly.

High winds make it difficult to forecast where the ash clouds from the latest Icelandic eruption will be blown.


Hundreds of Northern Ireland passengers were grounded yesterday as airlines were forced to cancel flights from all three airports into and out of Scotland and the north-east of England.

Officials said it was too early to say if the disruption will continue for the rest of the week.

Mark Beattie from Belfast City Airport said so far the disruption has been “very modest” and urged passengers to find out the latest information on the airport’s website.

Debra Harris from Belfast International Airport added disruption was concentrated on flights into and out of Scotland but all passengers should keep in touch with their airlines.

Consumer Council spokesman Andy McClenaghan said: “It is important that passengers are aware of their rights before they travel.

“If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a choice between a full refund or an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity.

“If you choose an alternative flight, your airline must provide you with free meals, refreshments, two free telephone calls or emails and overnight accommodation while you wait.

“If you choose a refund, you are not entitled to this assistance and the airline is not responsible to cover alternative travel you arrange yourself.”

Some forecasts put the cloud over southern Britain on Friday, potentially hitting those heading for the sun.

But Eurocontrol air traffic management warned if the volcanic emissions continued at the same rate, it could reach western France and northern Spain by as early as tomorrow.

Expert David Rothery of the Open University volcano dynamics group said: “The eruption will most likely continue to decrease in intensity.

“However, it could reinvigorate and remain troublesome for several days, and anyway the existing ash cloud has yet to disperse.”

Ryanair reacted furiously yesterday to flight cancellations in Scotland and said the no-fly red zones were a “mythical invention” by the Civil Aviation Authority and UK Met Office.

The carrier sent a test flight up yesterday morning and claimed was “no evidence of ash”. But a CAA spokesman claimed the Ryanair plane did not enter the red zone over Scotland.

Pilots’ body the European Cockpit Association warned airlines against flying into areas with even moderate ash concentrations.
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