Medialunchbox Blog

For beer lovers, Europe is one of the most rich and varied areas of the world. It boasts centuries of brewing tradition spanning multiple regions and countries, all of which are detailed in a wide variety of Canadian travel guides. Some of the most fertile countries for those who appreciate beer include Germany, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. A brief description of each country’s beer culture is given below, although keep in mind the best way to gain a true understanding is to experience the country (and the beer!) for yourself.

Germany

Germany features several cities and countless breweries known for their beer, one of the most distinguished of which is Munich. Munich is famous for its beer gardens, where tourists and locals alike can take a break from the bustle of city life and enjoy a wide selection of German specialty beers. Munich is also extremely well-known for Oktoberfest, one of the world’s premiere events celebrating beer. The annual festival lasts 16 days, and draws over 5 million visitors. 6 Bavarian breweries sponsor the festival, which also features traditional Bavarian cuisine. The guests of Oktoberfest traditionally consume well over 7 million liters of beer, all of which is brewed within the Munich city limits and clocks in at at least 6 percent alcohol.

If you do not have the pleasure of visiting Munich during Oktoberfest, you can still enjoy the beer gardens. Alternatively, you may also visit one of the major breweries for a taste of authentic German lager. Two of the oldest are Löwenbräu and Augustinerbräu, each of which contribute beer to Oktoberfest each year.

Czech Republic

Those looking to enjoy beer while visiting this small nation need look no further than the capital city of Prague. Czechs consume the most beer per capita in the world, and the country features a number of historic breweries and beer-producing abbeys across its attractive landscape. Pilsners such as the ubiquitous Pilsner Urquell are common throughout the the country, although some of the most commonly enjoyed beers are dark and strong. Prague, like Munich, has a number of beer halls, as well as the annual Czech Beer Festival, a celebration of beer similar to Oktoberfest that is currently in its fifth year.

Belgium

Though admittedly small, Belgium is one of Europe’s most distinguished countries for beer. Many beer tourists who are familiar with imports will enjoy the city of Leuven, the birthplace of common Belgian exports such as Stella Artois, Beck’s, and Hoegaarden. For those looking for a beer drinking experience a bit off the beaten path, the city is filled with pubs both small and large. Strongly recommended is Domus Brewpub and its selection of over 60 beers. Those familiar with beer culture will know Bruges just as well if not better than Leuven. The city is best known for being one of the world’s seats of lambic beer production. Lambic beer is brewed via a non-rigorous fermentation process, and is often infused with the flavors of various fruits. Belgium is also home to some of the world’s best abbey-brewed beers, such as Chimay.

If you are interested in any of these cities, you can find further information in almost any of the Canadian travel guides relating to Europe. Other cities that the beer tourists may embrace include Copenhagen, Krakow, and Dublin

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From: Top Business Degrees

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So it is finally your turn to get married.  Congratulations! You should be excited, get married is a big deal and is supposed to be one of the most memorable days of your life.  Everybody wants to have their wedding be memorable to their guests.  There are a number of ways you can make your big day just a little more exciting for everybody else.  Try adding in one or all of these little wedding gimmicks to have people talking about your wedding for years to come.

Wedding Entrance

This can be the most affordable to the most expensive ways to spruce up your wedding depending on what you do.  You could do a basic entry dance or you could go as far as renting a helicopter to make your grand entrance.  When I got married, we had an outdoor wedding, and instead of just walking out to the ceremony with drove out on a jacked up 4×4 golf cart.  My wife even almost ran over the head table.

Wedding Dance

This one has received a lot of attention in recent years but is always a fun way to kick off the party at your reception.  Get your wedding party together and choreograph a fun dance that you can all do together. My friends recently started dancing with an elegant song then broke into a hilarious rendition of Greased Lighting. One dance I’ll never forget!  This is pretty much free to do unless you are all a little challenged in the dancing department. In that case, you should hire a choreographer to give you a hand with your moves.

Photo Booth

This is probably my favourite trend that has been popping up lately at weddings. Photo Booths are exactly like they sound. They are your own personalized photo booth that shows up at your event and allows your guests to get fun pictures taken just like those old school photo booths at the mall.  The pictures are printed out instantly and your guests get a copy that they can keep, and you get a DVD containing all the pictures to help you remember your day.  A few of my friends have rented a photo booth in Vancouver and every time it was a total blast.  My wife still keeps the pictures in her bedroom mirror where she gets ready for work. The cost on a photo booth can be anywhere from $500-$1000+ depending on how many hours you want to book.  Keep in mind that you don’t have to give a wedding favour if you opt for a booth since it makes custom wedding favours on the spot!

Candy Bar

This was something that I first discovered at my very own wedding.  The cost on a candy bar is a few hundred dollars and consists of a table with big jars of 5 cent candies.  Guests can pick at the candy or they can make their own little goody bag to bring home to remember your event.  This was a huge hit at out wedding and has been something that many people have said they really enjoyed.

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From: BecomeCareer.com

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Single and loving it? Bachelorhood comes with some great benefits for the guy on the go. Freedom to travel, money to burn and no one to answer to. When the traveling bug bites, bachelors bite back. Our top 8 travel tips for bachelors will ensure the adrenalin flows as freely as the tropical drinks.

# 8 – Viva Las Vegas

Cliché, we know, but a bachelor trip to Vegas has all the makings of an amazing weekend. Party the night away on Fremont Street. This classic Vegas experience features old school casinos, cheap drinks and Vegas vixens aplenty. Ride the roller coaster at New York, New York before visiting the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana. A trip to Vegas wouldn’t be complete without burning some poker chips in a swank Vegas casino. Cliché? Perhaps. Amazing? Definitely.

#7 – Party in Panama

There’s a reason college kids make the trek here every spring. The beaches are hot, the women are hotter and the bars are as wild as they come. Spend the afternoon lounging in the sun or splashing in the surf and the nights dancing your butt off with pretty coeds. At Hofbrau Beer Garden, it’s Oktoberfest all year long with free kegs of beer and a two liter Giant Boot of hearty German beer. Party on the beach all week long in Panama. Thousands of college kids can’t be wrong.

#6 – Set Sail

Although cruises are generally billed as a couple’s adventure, bachelors can have just as much fun out on the open sea. With top-notch entertainment, all you can eat food privileges, on-board casinos, movie theaters and sports bars and some of the coolest off-ship excursions, a cruise may be just what the doctor ordered. An all-inclusive cruise is definitely the way to go.

#5 – Roller Coaster Revolution

Is speed your thing? Hitting Los Angeles or Orlando with theme parks on your mind can really get the adrenalin pumping. Some of the world’s best roller coasters are found in these theme park capitals. The nightlife here is astounding as well, with plenty of clubs, restaurants and live entertainment to fill your time after the park lights go down.

#4 – Mardi Gras Madness

Where better to experience a bachelor vacation than New Orleans during Mardi Gras? The once-Catholic celebration has turned into an excuse to party. Fat Tuesday (February 21, 2012) is prime party time. Parades, celebrations and plenty of amazing food make this a great way to spend a long Louisiana weekend. Although the main action takes place in the famed French Quarter, New Orleans in general celebrates Mardi Gras in a big way.

#3 – Careless in Cancun

White sandy beaches, tropical drinks and half naked women. Cancun is a bachelor’s paradise. With ancient Mayan archeological sites to explore, plenty of nightlife and the world’s second largest coral reef in which to snorkel or dive, Cancun has something for everyone. A jet-ski jungle tour through waterways lined with ancient vegetation will make you feel like an old-world adventurer.

#2 – Sporting Spree

Have a lot of time on your hands? Consider following your favorite pro-sports team for a few weeks. Taking in a couple games and experiencing all that the different host cities have to offer is a great way to relax and rejuvenate. Be prepared to fly by the seat of your pants and research the schedule in advance to plan for hotel rooms and post-game activities.

#1 – Road Trippin’ Renegades

A vacation is always better with your buddies. This year, make spontaneity the word of the week. Fill up the tank, pick up your bros and hit the open road with no particular destination in mind. You’ll be surprised just how much fun not having a plan can be!

These travel tips are only suggestions. The best vacations are often found by accident or intervention. Go forth, explore and have a great time!

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[Via: Colorado Technical University online education]

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One of the techniques taught in dental assistant schools is the creation of provisional dental crowns. What is a dental crown? What are they used for, and when should you have a crown made?

A dental crown is a restorative procedure that helps rebuild a tooth that is broken, cracked or severely damaged by decay. The crown gets its name because it sits on top of (and completely covers a tooth or dental implant.  While crowns can be made from many different materials, popular choices for crowns include gold and porcelain.

Crowns can be used to protect a weak, broken or decayed tooth or to “repair” a cracked tooth. They can also be used to strengthen a tooth that has a very large filling, or to enhance the appearance of a misshapen or discolored tooth. They can also be used to fill in gaps between teeth, to correct the appearance of a person’s smile.

Each crown is made by hand from an impression taken of the original tooth. Because crowns are fabricated, the installation of a crown is a multi-step process.  Porcelain crowns are extremely strong – comparable to a healthy natural tooth – but the manufacturing process for porcelain requires the application of high intensity heat.

Aside from their strength, porcelain can also be made to match the color of the patient’s remaining teeth, so the crown appears to be a natural tooth rather than a restoration.  Porcelain crowns are made from the dental impression at a laboratory, then shipped back to the dentist who will place the permanent crown in the patient’s mouth.

Dental implants can also be used to hold a crown in place.  A dental implant takes the place of a natural tooth, which is normally anchored to the jawbone by its roots.  A dental implant can be placed in the patient’s mouth.  The jawbone will heal around the implant and will hold a crown in place of a natural tooth.  Implants can also be used to hold bridges and other dental prostheses in place.

Crowns can last anywhere between 10 and 20 years on average, depending upon what they’re made of and how they’re cared for once they’ve been put in place.  Crowns and natural teeth require similar care, but patients are cautioned to avoid certain actions – like chewing on ice, grinding their teeth or clenching their jaws, and opening packages with their teeth. Otherwise, normal brushing and flossing will suffice.

Crowns can be used to make cosmetic improvements to a person’s smile, and sometimes, they’re preferred over other treatments like veneers.  Crowns can be used in places where veneers may not perform well over time. Patients who grind their teeth may dislodge veneers repeatedly. In such a case, a dentist may recommend a crown instead.

Preparing a tooth to receive a crown involves removing both unhealthy and healthy parts of the natural tooth structure.  Because dental crowns are permanent, and are not as good as healthy teeth would be, they should only be used in situations where the natural tooth can no longer serve its function, and complete loss of the tooth is the imminent or eventual outcome.

Crowns are meant to fit over the patient’s tooth, and must fit tightly enough against the gums and neighboring teeth to help prevent bacteria and other materials from becoming caught next to the tooth. Some crowns are not meant to cover the entire tooth, but instead cover about 75% to 90% of the original tooth structure, leaving the remainder visible. This kind of crown is often used for teeth that are not highly visible when the patient smiles or opens his or her mouth. Some dentists prefer this type of crown because it preserves more of the natural tooth structure.

Ideally, your teeth should remain healthy throughout your life if they’re well-cared for. Sometimes however, despite the best possible care, teeth still break and decay. In this case, a crown is a much better alternative than complete tooth loss.

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Nearly every child walking this planet loves cartoons.  As we age we tend to slowly lose that love for cartoons we had as a kid.  A lot of it has to do with the content within cartoons mostly being geared towards children as opposed to adults.  While most cartoons are geared towards children, there are plenty of cartoons being made that either completely cater to adults, or at the very minimum have subliminal jokes intended to entertain the older generations while their kids soak up all the cartoon fun.

Not sure which cartoon to watch? Well you can either checkout a free movie recommender service like Apeflix.com or you can try watching a few of my recommendations below!

Waking Life

While Waking Life is technically a cartoon, in reality it is more cartoon stylized actors.  Regardless, Waking life is a phenomenal movie that revolves around lucid dreaming.  The film is more of a documentary than a story but is definitely worth sitting down and watching regardless if you like cartoons or not.

Favorite Quote:
Quiet Woman at Restaurant: When it was over, all I could think about was how this entire notion of oneself, what we are, is just this logical structure, a place to momentarily house all the abstractions. It was a time to become conscious, to give form and coherence to the mystery, and I had been a part of that. It was a gift. Life was raging all around me and every moment was magical. I loved all the people, dealing with all the contradictory impulses – that’s what I loved the most, connecting with the people. Looking back, that’s all that really mattered.

Shrek

The first Shrek was one of the pioneers for movies that were geared towards both kids and adults.  There are plenty of jokes that will make kids laugh, and even more slightly subtle adult jokes that will make you wonder how this made it into what was supposed to be a kids movies.

Favorite Quote:
Donkey: And then one time I ate some rotten berries. Man, there were some strong gases seepin’ outta my butt that day!

Shrek 2

Shrek 2 took the formula from the first Shrek and added even more adult entertainment to the mix. It doesn’t happen that frequently that a sequel is better than the original movie, but this one definitely did it for me.

Favorite Quote:

Shrek: Quick tell a lie!
Pinocchio: What should I say?
Donkey: Say something crazy… like you’re wearing ladies underwear.
Pinocchio: Um, ok. I’m wearing ladies underwear.
Pinocchio: [silence]
Shrek: Are you?
Pinocchio: I most certainly am not.
Pinocchio: [nose extends] .
Donkey: It looks like you most certainly am are.
Pinocchio: I am not.
Pinocchio: [nose extends]
Puss-in-Boots: What Kind?
Gingerbread Man: IT’S A THONG!

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

If you are looking for raw adult humor in the form of a cartoon, look no further than the South Park movie.  The movie brings it all together, bad language, satanic sex, you name it, this movie has it all.  Make sure you lock your kids in their rooms for the night before you put this movie on because if they see this movie before they are old enough, it is going to leave some scars!

Favorite Quote:
Satan: How come you always want to make love to me from behind? Is it because you want to pretend I’m somebody else?
Saddam Hussein: Satan, your ass is gigantic and red. Who am I going to pretend you are, Liza Minelli?

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

One of my favourite movies of all time has got to be Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  To this day, no other movie has been able to blend cartoons and real life actors the way TouchStone did with this late 80′s Comedy/Crime blend of actors and cartoons. Roger Rabbit is still one of the most most memorable cartoon characters to date even inspiring an entire city to be built in Disney Land called ‘Toon Town’.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit was one of the first cartoons ever to be edgy enough to receive a PG rating and is definitely a movie you should add to your to see list.

Favorite Quote:
Roger Rabbit: Yeah. Check the probate. Why, my Uncle Thumper had a problem with HIS probate, and he had to take these big pills, and drink lots of water.
Eddie Valiant: Not prostate, you idiot, PROBATE!

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The deployment part of the GPS chronicle started in 1973 when the decision was taken to develop a navigation system based on the technology in the possession of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. All the previous methods of determining positions were full of flaws. After a few years of testing, in 1977 the first transmitters started operation. Working in conjunction with these are the twenty four satellites encircling the earth in precise orbits at an altitude of 10,900 miles. Each one of the satellites transmits its own unique signal.

A GPS receiver has stored in it the twenty four unique “signatures” and can thus know where each satellite is exactly. By measuring the distance to four out of the two dozen satellites, the exact location of the receiver can be calculated to within a few meters. A GPS device works in all weather conditions, on land, and in the air, as well as water. Only few conditions limit its abilities, like cliffs, steep hills and buildings or thick tree covers.

There are several types of GPS vehicle tracking systems available. The GPS unit that is fastened to a vehicle is common to all vehicle tracking systems. The real-time, cellular network operates by broadcasting the speed and location of the car being tracked over the GSM network. The user can receive data by logging on to the vendor website and paying a monthly fee, or by getting the information directly on their cell phone which requires a phone account.

The second way of vehicle tracking is by real-time satellite. By paying a monthly subscription fee, the car owner can access the information by logging on to the vendor’s website. The vehicle location information is transmitted by a satellite. The third method is called the passive radio frequency. The GPS vehicle tracking unit relays the information whenever it is less than a mile from the home base. The information can be viewed on a computer. This type of a setup is more expensive to set up, but cheaper in the long run as there are no monthly fees to deal with. Finally, there is the passive direct download. In this setup, the vehicle tracking unit has to be removed from the car and has to be hooked to a computer with a cable. This is the least expensive method, provided the data is not needed in real-time.

Consumer use of GPS receivers is becoming more common to prevent car thefts. After installing the GPS vehicle tracking unit, the customer subscribes to a service that works in cooperation with the police force. If the system provides two way communications, then the vehicle can be disabled, an alarm triggered, or doors locked. Vehicle tracking is very good if a personal car is used for business because the system keeps records of mileage and destinations. Also, records of locations and speed can be maintained.

GPS vehicle tracking is ideal for parents who want to monitor their teenagers. While this may create a trust issue, others see it more as a security blanket. Since younger drivers use poor judgment at times, parents can monitor speed & location, and even know when airbags have opened. Additionally, a boundary can be drawn and if the car is taken out of the specified area, the owner is notified.

There are many types of GPS receivers available in the market and which one is bought depends on what it is going to be used for. The cheapest ones are the handheld units. The most basic units display the location, have a compass heading, will show elevation above sea level, time, satellite location & strength signal, and have the capability to determine the distance traveled. Usually, the more expensive units provide information that is accurate to a greater degree than most of the handheld devices. Mapping GPS devices have pre-loaded maps on a memory card, and new maps can be loaded from the PC. Automotive devices are slightly larger than the handheld sets so they can house larger screens that are easy to see when driving. These units can only be used in vehicles and usually have voice directions, so the driver does not need to take his eyes off the road.

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Foodies are those who are ardent about their food and everything that goes into it. Ingredients and their quality, new and exciting presentations, the right wine pairings – they like talking about good food almost as much as they like the food itself. Now, conversation and good food have gone hand in hand for as long as we’ve been gathering in groups to eat. We talk, we share funny stories and we laugh over tasty dishes and somehow find that good food, when shared with friends, is even better. In this age of instant global communications foodies from all over the world find each other on social networks and soon enough, organizing their own social networks dedicated to All Things Food.

Here are three social networks for foodies about their favorite subject. Each will appeal to different tastes and needs within the foodie community, but all have in common the ages-old idea of sharing food with friends.

BeTheCook.com

BeTheCook.com taps into every foodie’s secret ambition to be the next Rachel Ray and lets them be the star on their own cooking show! It’s a multimedia website where foodies can upload recordings of themselves creating their favorite dishes to share with fellow community members. Though the self-created videos range in quality from almost professional to poor, each of them steps you through a recipe so that you can see how the ingredients go together, a great improvement over simply reading a recipe and trying to guess what the next step actually means. The recipes themselves from beginner to advanced, catering to a wide range of talents and palettes.

You’ll also see videos of members giving “how to” tips for everything from frosting a cupcake to wrapping gifts. If you ever wanted to know how to make homemade herb salts or jello shots, you’ll find video instructions on it at BeTheCook.com.

The site also features videos and recipes from their own staff and chefs and the video quality on these is typically much higher. In addition there is a community forum onsite with thousands of members holding forth on their favorite topic and asking one another questions on cooking tips, equipment, restaurants, cookbooks, and recipes from a half-dozen popular cuisines.

FoodandWine.com

The community at Food &Wine organized itself aroun the popular magazine by the same name and caters to upscale foodies. Membership on the site gives so many benefits it’s difficult to name them all, but highlights include your own food blog, photo gallery for showing off your latest gorgeous gastronomic creations, and the ability to customize your FoodandWine.com experience to see the things yo

u most want to see. Typical of most social networks, members can comment on others’ blog posts, “Favorite” photos and posts, and maintain lists of friends.

FoodandWine.com has a very large userbase of foodies contributing and is worth a look, if you’re searching for an online foodie home. Best of all, FoodandWine.com lets you log in with an existing social media ID, such as Facebook, Goo

gle, Yahoo, and OpenID, making it unnecessary to create a separate account and try to remember yet another login ID and password!

EatDrinkOrDie.com

If you enjoy high humor with your food and getting it recorded digitally, EatDrinkOrDie.com might be the site for you. In a quote taken from KillerStartUps.com, EatDrinkOrDie.com claims, “We believe that FOOD and DRINK keep us alive – spiritually as well as physically. We started this website because we ourselves wanted to get back into the kitchen – we wanted to cook more for our families and friends and we wanted our friends to cook more for us (big hint there guys).”

This site’s niche is funny videos. It seems to be related to FunnyOrDie.com which hosts humorous videos on a wide range of subjects. Whether it’s because FunnyOrDie.com acquired EatDrinkOrDie.com or the latter started up as a subsidiary to the former is difficult to say. As of this writing, clicking on an EatDrinkOrDie.com link takes you directly to the FunnyOrDie.com webpage.

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