Explore the World

Explore the world and discover yourself. Extend self through travel, conversation and thought.

Italy 2012 – Final Summary – Rules to Adopt and Follow

2017/12/28
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Modified: 2017/09/16
Italy 2012 – Final Summary – Rules to Adopt and Follow

  This is a summary article about the rules and tradition that we discovered are very convenient and important to follow.  Italian – Learn and use basic Italian words.  Do not be a mute foreigner.  At least spice up your inability to speak with a bright smile and Buon Giorno [bon gorno] and Ciao [chao]. Mineral Water – Do order a large bottle of mineral water in restaurants.  It is an easy and customary way to replenish your fluids, and it is great. Restrooms – You can ask politely to use a restroom (bagno [ban’o]) in any restaurant.  We never received a refusal. Refreshments – buy a watermelon instead of ice…

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Sep 3 MON – From Rome back to Boston

2017/12/24
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Modified: 2017/09/16
13-46 EST Data used

  We took an early breakfast, and left the hotel at 08:24.  I put another €23 worth of benzene into the car to top it off, and we returned the car to the airport at 08:57 with 11109 km on odometer. Here is a breakdown for days, kilometers, liters and Euros that we used during this vacation: Event Date Odometer Run KM Price Liters Amount KM per Liter Car Pickup 8-15 Wed 9,352 N/A N/A N/A First Refueling 8-22 Wed 9,875 523 1.915 40.9 78.27 12.8 Second Refueling 8-26 Sun 10,477 602 1.91 45.1 86.16 13.3 Third Refueling 9-02 Sun 11,086 609 1.99 46.7 93 13 Car Return 9-03 Mon 11,109…

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Sep 2 SUN – Last day in Rome [… in progress …]

2017/12/20
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Modified: 2017/09/16

[…in progress…] Today, Sunday September 2, I woke up at 7:30 and immediately drove 600 meters to a nearest gas station and put 35 liters of benzene for €70.  Around 9:00 we had a good breakfast.  I even ate a boiled egg and some bacon. Hotel staff recommended taking a car to a free parking lot at Acilia station.  It is one train stop closer to Rome, and parking lot is bigger. In about 4 km we easily found the large parking lot, and the station. We bought 4 rides for €6. Around 09:54 we just missed the Metro train, and next one arrived around 10:12.  Each ride is €1.50 and…

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Sep 1 SAT – Mount Vesuvius [… in progress …]

2017/12/16
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Modified: 2017/09/16

[…in progress…] Today is Saturday, September 1, . We took our time for breakfast on Saturday, September 1, 2012, and we left the B&B at around 10:39. Around 11:24 we spent €0.99 on 6 nectarines in a shop in the neighboring town. We spent about an hour in the traffic trying to leave Sorrento. In one incident, in a heavy traffic I yielded to let the car on opposite side of the road to make a U-turn and the car started turning, but motorcycle did not see the maneuver, and their paths collided. It did not looked too bad, but apparently the leg of passenger on a bike got really hurt,…

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Tracking Boston Snow Records

2017/12/14
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Modified: 2017/11/05
Boston-Snow-Records

When a narrow path to my entrance door became a treacherous ravine between two mounts of snow,  I decided to check, are we breaking any kind of record this year. Here is what I was able to find out. Boston keeps track of its weather since 1872. The most snow in any given 24 hours period was recorded as 27″ on Feb. 17-18, 2003. The most snow in one month was recorded as 43.3″ in January 2005 (as measured at Logan). The greatest seasonal snowfall in Boston was 107.6″ in 1995-96. Let’s compare cumulative snow totals by month this season (2010-2011) with record breaking 1995-96 season: Season Nov Dec Jan Feb…

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Aug 31 FRI – La Dolce Far Niente [… in progress …]

2017/12/12
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Modified: 2017/09/16

[…in progress…] Today I woke up in Sorrento in 07:56.  Already things are drying after an overnight soak. We were so impressed with our accommodations, and so overwhelmed with our experiences that decided to spend entire day Friday, August 31 in the suit, just resting, taking it easy, and enjoying the harbor views. This carefree day marked with taking a slow bath from our second floor “spa”. Inspiring sea view surrounds us on 3 sides.  We are watching large cruise ships being serviced in the harbor.  All day long small boats go back and forth to the post to deliver people and goods. Somewhere midday I went down and requested another…

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Calculating EPS and P/E – A Real Life Example

2017/12/10
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Modified: 2017/11/05
NEM Net Income - Last 5 Quarters

It is painful to state that so many important investment decisions are based on a P/E ratio, but it is very hard to find a clear explanation on how to calculate this very P/E for a given company. This article is written to demonstrate, how to calculate Earnings Per Share (EPS) and P/E using Newmont Mining (NEM) as an example. We have to start with obvious banality: Price-to-Earnings ration (P/E) is a Stock Price ($50) divided by the total of last 12 month earnings. What type of earnings we need to get?  We need “Net Income Applicable To Common Shares”. Where can we get this information?  Some free sites provide last…

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Aug 30 THU – Capri – Day 2 [… in progress …]

2017/12/08
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Modified: 2017/09/16

 […in progress…] We woke up early, and had an early breakfast. We’ve met all the colorful characters on the farm: the overly shrewd babushka (the owner), who pretended that credit card machine doesn’t work, and I had to show her how to properly swipe the card.  The colorful workers from Ukraine and Sri Lanka.  One guy was all over us.  He retold everyday farm gossip in Russian and was complaining about and praising the people around him.  We jumped on the bus to Azzura (09:52), and had a chance to view how boats are crowding around the entrance to the coveted cave – Blue Grotto.  After the cement platform swim at…

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Aug 29 WED – Capri – Day 1 [… in progress …]

2017/12/04
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Modified: 2017/09/16

 […in progress…] We are planning to visit Capri, Pompei and Amalfi coast over the next 3 days and 3 nights.  Overnight stay at Capri is not even planned.  Buy we are very limb and flexible. Today is Wednesday. We woke up in a spacious villa in Sorrento. Internet still doesn’t work?  Today we might take a trip to Capri.  Today we should find a place to park our car (€20 per day), find a hotel here in Sorrento for nights of Thursday and Friday, and yes – collect out things for a overnight trip to Capri. After breakfast I confirmed that they will have a room for us right here at…

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First Night Alone – Shoal Pond Trail – Impossible to Put in Words

2017/12/03
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Modified: 2017/11/05
Shoal-Pond-Trail-Alone

    Completely alone in the woods.  For many miles around.  I didn’t see a single person on the entire wilderness portion of the trail.  And now, as planned, it is my first night in the White Mountains is closing in around me. Even now it seems strange to remember all the nervous mental preparation inside.  It started around 3PM that day.  I suddenly realized that for the next 12-15 hours I will not meet another person, and I would have to rely completely and entirely on my own. The sun was on and off behind disturbing dark clouds. The bugs were intense and preferred to ignore the spray.  And of…

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Aug 28 TUE – From focused Napoli to havenly Sorrento

2017/11/30
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Modified: 2017/09/16
2012-08-28 17-36 Sorrento Italia

In the morning of 28-th we were anxious to get out.  On the one hand, our car was blocked on the hotel protected parking lot by two other cars, and on the other, we did not want to fight unfair Wi-Fi charges at the front desk with two load and obnoxious ladies. But both our anxieties got resolved on their own accord.  Car got unblocked by a clever maneuvering, and a lonely front desk lady decided not to pick fight for unjust €5 with two of us armed with a copy of paper stating that Wi-Hi supposed to be free.  She was just throwing a fiery glances like a cobra in a pit.  But she…

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