 | Former Client of Mine Giving me a Reference This is a former client of mine giving my carpet cleaning company a video reference, also there are two Demos of me one in Collage Park MD and one in Bethesda MD cleaning there carpets. Some of my Major clients where JMB properties the biggest in the nation, H. Point and B. Hills, Also hotels the Ritz Carlton pentagon city & crystal city & DC,a Bunch of Hilton Hotels, all Metro DC Circuit city stores,some Bennigans, the Watergate hotel, The Hotel Washington, the Indian Embassy, a bunch of other embassies, Budweiser , the National parks service, this is the short list that used me all the time there where thousands more. My favorites where the Mansions in Potomac MD and Sterling VA one customer with a white rug would call me every 2 weeks to clean it at $300 a shot for an area rug. She and others would give me there keys and I would clean there whole house carpets, furniture, mattresses while they where away on vacation and I'd make 4 or 5 grand a mansion. I loved the people and the work was therapeutic. Thats where I found out there are rich people that are actually nice to be around and are good hearted too! If you what to know what makes one person make tons of money doing something while other can make a go of it. It's no matter what I do I have to be the best at it, and professional and when I've lost that passion for that Job I'm out of that business and on to the next thing. At this point in the game I had stopped carrying lots of other crews and employees doing the work at one time I had ten crews and just concentrated on apartment complexes with empty rooms and hotels where I didn't need to move heavy furniture and I could have most weekends off and most nights off and I had decided my work was worth $150 an hour my biggest problem was my only sales men left a friend that would under price jobs that I would then refuse to do but at that time I had decided I was going on to the next faze of my life. Cleaning carpets was therapeutic I could see fruits of my labor instantly dirty to clean the dirtier the better. Hotels would call me because after years of someone doing a half ass-ed job working on the hotel staff I would come in take all the money left in there cleaning budget and make there worst problem look brand new. Say they had 20k to spend left in there budget, they would ask what does 20k get me and the work need to be done and billed by this day, I say have the check ready this is what you get I'll do the whole floor as long as its at one time and no moving furniture. They would say fine because if they didn't spend the money they would not have it in there budget the next year. |
 | Proboscis Monkeys - Bako national park Proboscis monkeys (orang belanda) in Bako National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Bellissimo incontro nel parco di Bako (Sarawak - Borneo) con una famiglia di scimmie nasiche, uno dei primati a maggior rischio di estinzione (ancor più dell'orang utan), inserito nella red list delle specie a grave rischio di scomparsa. Vive solo nel Borneo, in alcune zone costiere e lungo alcuni fiumi nei boschi di mangrovie (di cui si nutre) Gli abitanti del Borneo la hanno chiamata Orang Belanda (uomo olandese) per via del grosso naso del maschio (la femmina ha il nasino francese :-)) che a loro parve simile a quello dei colonizzatori. E' un essere mite che se catturato muore in breve tempo di disperazione e per via della specializzazione della sua dieta. Sta silenziosamente estinguendosi con la scomparsa del suo habitat naturale, distrutto dall'uomo per far spazio alla palma da olio. Sono stata molto fortunata a poter avere un incontro con loro in natura, in un parco bellissimo in cui ancora le nasiche riescono a sopravvivere. Spero che i nostri nipoti siano altrettanto fortunati, vorrebbe dire aver salvato queste creature dall'estinzione (dopo averla quasi causata) Nel 1977 nel Sarawak le nasiche erano più di 6000, ora sono meno di 1000. |
 | Nepal travel. Photographs 2008. Nepal is known as the abode of the gods. For many years a secret, unknown country, it was, in the 1950s, faced with making a leap from the 11th century to modern times. Visited first by mountaineers and trekkers, it later became the haunt of hippies. The Nepalese Government has set aside more than 35 per cent of the total area of the country as natural sanctuaries. There are now nine National Parks, three conservation areas and two wildlife reserves, located both in the mountainous zones as well as in the tropical plains. The Terai lowlands in the south form the richest habitat in the country. Five protected areas are located in the region and many species of wildlife, including the rare Royal Bengal tiger and leopard, can be observed. Kathmandu Kathmandu, the capital and also the cultural, commercial and business hub of the Kingdom, is a magical place. In the center is Durbar Square where there is a wonderful collection of temples and shrines, both Buddhist and Hindu. They are generally built in the pagoda style with a mass of intricate exterior carving. The old Royal Palace is in the square, as is the Statue of Hanuman the Monkey God, clad in a red cloak. Here also is the house of the living goddess -- the Kumari. A few kilometers from Kathmandu is the hugely impressive Bodnath Stupa. It has become a center of Tibetan exile culture and is a good place to buy Tibetan handicrafts and artifacts. Climbing upwards from the city one can reach the famous Buddhist stupa of Swayambhunath, popularly known as the Monkey Temple. There are a great many steps leading up to the temple, which is frequented by an even greater number of monkeys. The monkeys should be treated with some caution since their behavior can be unpredictable. The Kathmandu Valley Bhaktapur Kathmandu was once one of three equal cities, the other two being Bhaktapur and Patan. Bhaktapur (also known as the 'temple city') is located some 12km (7.5 miles) from Kathmandu in the eastern part of the valley. The Kathmandu Valley's rich cultural and natural heritage has prompted UNESCO to list seven World Heritage Sites in the area. Patan is located at the southern end of the Kathmandu Valley and is famous for its bronze and silverware. The city contains many ancient historic and artistic landmarks, including Patan Durbar Square (also the location for the interesting Patan Museum), Krishna Mandir, the Royal Bath, the Kumbheshwor Temple and the Golden Temple. Patan has the Jawalakhel Zoo, housing exotic South-Asian animals. Elsewhere There are shrines for every purpose in the valley, such as the Shrine of Ganesh the Elephant God, reputed to bring good luck. There are four Ganesh temples in the valley, each a masterpiece of Nepalese architecture -- one in Kathmandu's Durbar Square, one in Chabahil, one in Chobar and one near Bhaktapur. Lumbini, being the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is one of the world's most important pilgrimage sites. The Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal's first national park, is a jungle overflowing with wildlife. There are many lodges here offering visitor accommodation, canoeing, white-water rafting and elephant rides. Nagarkot Village, situated on rice steppes in magnificent countryside, provides spectacular views of Mount Everest, mist permitting. The hill town of Gorkha is the ancestral home of the Shah Dynasty and residence of the original Gurkha soldiers. There is a lively bazaar and the Royal Trek to Pokhara begins here. The secluded town of Pokhara lies 200km (125 miles) west of Kathmandu in the center of Nepal on Lake Phewa. No other place in the world commands such a view of the Himalayas. It is a starting point for mountaineers and trekkers, and was at one time the home of JRR Tolkien. |
 | National Movie Awards 2007 Part 2 http://coolfotodudes.net National Movie Awards 2007 was held on 28 September 2007 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Attending were Alex Kingston, Alex Watson, Andy Serkis, Brian Conley, Christian Slater, Daniel Radcliffe, David Yates, Edgar Wright, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Gemma Arterton, Helen Mirren, Ioan Gruffudd, Jamie Foxx, Matthew Lewis, Nick Frost, Nick Park, Rupert Grint, Judi Dench, Shane Ritchie, Simon Pegg, Talulah Riley, Tina Hobley, Victoria Hart and Victoria Smurfitt. This list is for all parts. |
 | National Movie Awards 2007 Part 3 http://coolfotodudes.net National Movie Awards 2007 was held on 28 September 2007 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Attending were Alex Kingston, Alex Watson, Andy Serkis, Brian Conley, Christian Slater, Daniel Radcliffe, David Yates, Edgar Wright, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Gemma Arterton, Helen Mirren, Ioan Gruffudd, Jamie Foxx, Matthew Lewis, Nick Frost, Nick Park, Rupert Grint, Judi Dench, Shane Ritchie, Simon Pegg, Talulah Riley, Tina Hobley, Victoria Hart and Victoria Smurfitt. This list is for all parts. |
 | Re: Invasion of yellowstone Part 2-- Great News (read info) The National Resource Defense Council just Sent Me a letter. The wolves are now back on the Endangered Species list. Letter here: Dear Adam, It's the best possible news. Seven weeks after we went to court, a federal judge has ordered the Bush Administration to restore endangered species protections for wolves in the northern Rockies until the full case can be heard. This interim victory is nothing less than a life-saving reprieve for hundreds of wolves outside Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Since the Bush Administration stripped the region's wolves of federal protection, a total of 110 wolves have been brutally killed in as many days. But Judge Donald Molloy ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "acted arbitrarily" in taking the wolf off the endangered species list and turning their management over to the states. That means Wyoming, Montana and Idaho will be forced to abandon plans to allow the extermination of hundreds of wolves this fall as part of a massive public hunt -- the first in more than three decades. Simply put, the wolves of Yellowstone and the northern Rockies are much, much safer today than they were just last week. This incredible, eleventh-hour victory never would have happened without your strong support. Your donations and online activism have fueled this campaign since day one. Thanks to your backing, a tenacious coalition -- composed of NRDC, EarthJustice and 11 other conservation groups -- has worked tirelessly to save these magnificent creatures in one of America's best-loved places. Make no mistake: the fight for Yellowstone's wolves is far from over. Judge Molloy's injunction is temporary. We must now wage the courtroom battle for a final ruling in favor of wolves. You can help us win that fight by making an online donation now. Your contribution will also help support our grassroots operation, which is collecting thousands of Save the Wolf Petitions from tourists in Yellowstone National Park this summer. With your support, we are going to win both in the court of law and in the court of public opinion --- for the sake of wolf survival. Thank you for making this latest victory possible! Too help please contact: http://www.NRDC.org or http://www.earthjustice.org/ |
 | Fifty Things My Fifty Things video, Recorded in one take, with no editing. You will note that I read from my list from time to time, so please excuse the occasional errors of pronunciation. I note that I pointed to the wrong eyebrow to indicate the stitches and that I lowered my head too far for you to see my head wound. (no comments are needed about how bald I am, I know.) Many of the places that I have travelled too may be new to you. Several of them are national parks within Western Australia or the Northern Territory. If you are interested in them please comment or ask. Thanks for watching. |
 | Eight New Natural Wonders Named Eight New Natural Wonders Named * Joggins Fossil Cliffs (Canada) Wesley Hill, IUCN * Mount Sanqingshan National Park (China) Peter Shadie, IUCN * Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems (France) * Surtsey (Iceland) * Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan) * Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Mexico) * Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (Switzerland) * Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) (July 10) - Eight new natural wonders, including the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico and what has been dubbed "the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean," have been added to the World Heritage List. World Heritage Sites are named by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The sites, both cultural and natural, added to the list are deemed "of outstanding value to humanity" and deserve protection and preservation, according to the UNESCO Web site. With the new additions, the World Heritage List now boasts 878 sites (679 cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed) in 145 countries. The eight new natural sites added this year include: "These eight stunning natural sites are amongst the best of what nature has to offer," said David Sheppard, head of the IUCN's Protected Areas Program, which recommended the sites. (IUCN stands for International Union for Conservation of Nature.) Below are details on all the sites: The Socotra Archipelago is known as "the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean" and is home to 825 plant species of which 37 percent can only be found there. Ninety percent of its reptile species can be found nowhere else. Its marine life is also diverse, with 253 species of reef-building corals, 730 species of coastal fish and 300 species of crab, lobster and shrimp. Socotra is already well set up for long-term conservation, IUCN officials say, as about 75 percent of its land area is already included in natural sanctuaries and national parks. The Joggins Fossil Cliffs have also drawn a comparison to the diverse Pacific Islands made famous by Charles Darwin's work, as they are sometimes called "the Coal Age Galápagos." The cliffs are considered to be an excellent reference site to the Coal Age (about 300 million years ago). The rocks there bear witness to the first reptiles in Earth's history and preserve upright fossil trees. "This is a fascinating site where you can literally see a slice of history," said Tim Badman, World Heritage advisor of IUCN's Protected Areas Program. Surtsey, a new island formed by volcanic eruptions off the southern coast of Iceland from 1963 to 1967, is interesting for the new life forms that have settled there. The young bit of land has provided a unique scientific record of the ways in which plants and animals colonize land. The Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve protects eight areas of wintering habitat of the monarch butterfly in the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico. After traveling thousands of kilometers, as many as a billion monarchs overwinter there. More than 200,000 hectares of Central Asian steppe, a vast region of open grassland, is found in Saryarka, Kazakhstan — more than half of it is pristine. The area's Korgalzhyn-Tengiz lakes provide feeding grounds to around 16 million birds and support hundreds of thousands of nesting waterfowl. "The wetlands of Korgalzhyn and Naurzum State Nature Reserves are key stopover points for migratory birds," Sheppard said. "Some of these species are globally threatened. Saryarka offers them a safe haven on their journeys from Africa, Europe and South Asia to their breeding grounds in Western and Eastern Siberia." Saryarka is also home to the critically endangered saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica). Mount Sanqingshan National Park in China was selected for its "outstanding natural beauty," the IUCN said. The park features a diverse forest and unusual granite rock formations, including shaped pillars and peaks, which can be viewed from suspended walking trails. The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona, on the other hand, was picked for its geological value; it features a dramatic display of mountain-building, including an area called the Glarus Over thrust, where older rock overlays younger rock. The highly diverse coral reef ecosystems of the Lagoons of New Caledonia put it on the new list — they equal or possibly surpass the larger Great Barrier Reef in coral and fish diversity. These eight natural sites were accompanied by 27 cultural sites as inductees into the World Heritage program. The IUCN also helps monitor conservation at the natural sites. It has deemed several World Heritage sites as under threat, including the Galápagos Islands, in Ecuador, Machu Picchu, in Peru, and Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. http://news.aol.com/story/_a/eight-new-natural-wonders-named/20080710101009990001 |
 | Snowmobile Safari in Karelia (Russian North) From St. Petersburg you will visit Karelia, in the Russian Northwest, with a vast areas covered in forests, thousands of rivers and lakes, two National Parks and several Nature Reserves. Among the numerous cultural sights of Karelia, Kizhi Island is the most famous, with a unique complex of wooden buildings, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: a beautiful example of authentic Russian culture. You will feel like a real arctic pioneer riding a snowmobile on the frozen lake of Onega, the second largest in Europe, through the surreal beauty of frozen desert covered with fluffy Russian snow -- and there will be plenty of it, for sure, as well as unforgettable memories of your amazing holidays in the heart of the Russian North! |
 | Abel Tasman National Park By Boat from Kaiteriteri The Abel Tasman National Park (More Info) was always on our list of places to see and things to do in New Zealand. We only have enough time to spend a day there so we decide to get a fast boat rather than walk 2-3 hours into the park. For more photos and video: http://www.onewaynewzealand.com/blogentry.asp?id=66 |
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