My Trini Life - Ryan's Blog

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I saw this today in 3D, I really enjoyed it and I am not a fantasy fan.

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Eating Only Dessert: Why Your Information Diet Is Probably Terrible [Feature]

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The German government decided to abandon nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year, closing eight plants immediately and shutting down the remaining nine by 2022.

They will be replaced by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-mass.

Norbert Allnoch, director of the Institute of the Renewable Energy Industry (IWR) in Muenster, said the 22 gigawatts of solar power per hour fed into the national grid on Saturday met nearly 50 percent of the nation's midday electricity needs.

"Never before anywhere has a country produced as much photovoltaic electricity," Allnoch told Reuters. "Germany came close to the 20 gigawatt (GW) mark a few times in recent weeks. But this was the first time we made it over."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/26/us-climate-germany-solar-idUSBRE84P0FI20120526

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9779685.stm

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JUST CRAZY!!!

https://s3.amazonaws.com/Gigapans/EBC_Pumori_050112_8bit_FLAT/EBC_Pumori_050112_8bit_FLAT.html

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http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/best-web-hosting-services

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Really good HDR pics

http://www.hdrspotting.com/

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I nominate the song I heard today - Skyfall and Lotayla on 106.1. Wow :)

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http://lifehacker.com/5965981/most-popular-photography-tips-tricks-and-hacks-of-2012

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Very cool and a great DIY project.

http://www.thefriendlyfox.com/2011/12/cool-bokeh-filters.html

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Very interesting read.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/12/how-an-all-star-team-put-an-end-to-the-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/

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Only watched half of this tonight but I really like it. Really strong power from Charlize Theron.

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Interesting list:
http://www.rodale.com/food-ingredients-avoid

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I have a problem where sometimes the Voice Command app starts when I try to go to the home screen. It is supposed to start the app when I press the home button twice but sometimes it comes on when I press it once. The Uninstall option greyed off in Settings > Applications > Voice Command (Blue Microphone Icon).

I installed Ks Uninstaller.
Uninstalled 'Voice Command'
No more annoying voice prompt.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 with stock 4.0.3.

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http://www.rdgusa.com/projects/from-here-to-there-high-trestle-trail-bridge-artistic-elements

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Found this tonight, check it out

~~http://www.ttonline.org~~ This link no longer works

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Found in South America and very cool

http://www.thefeaturedcreature.com/2012/04/most-incredible-transformation-ever.html#axzz2BGkqodMo

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1. Plumbing with cement 101.
2. TSTT only gives you static IPs in 2's: One for the router, one for the pc.
3. I need to work on my health stats, though the scale says I've lost weight, it doesn't show.

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Beautiful place, one day :-)

http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/08/baatara-gorge-waterfall-that-drops-into.html

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Did you know?

http://micgadget.com/29723/the-undercover-report-on-how-the-new-iphone-5-is-made-inside-foxconn-factory/

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In latin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quis_custodiet_ipsos_custodes%3F

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I really enjoyed this one.
http://arstechnica.com/features/2012/10/can-you-fix-my-windows-95-computer-how-to-troll-a-tech-support-scammer/

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Cool, and a little scary!

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Ever seen peaople have status updates some ridiculous device like a hot pocket? Here is one tool that lets them do it. It's free and available here:

http://funnyfacebook.org/status_via/9/calculator.php

Topics:
How to change facebook status device
How to edit via device on facebook
How to update status on fake device in facebook

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I am impressed by the neat packaging. The box includes the drive, 2.5 to 3.5 inch converter bracket, screws, sticker, manual.

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I followed the instructions on the link below to get 3 gigs free.
* I had to use an elevated command prompt (Right click on it in the start menu and click 'Run as Administrator'
http://jamesrossiter.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/reduce-the-size-of-the-winsxs-directory-in-windows-7/

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If you want to extract part of a spanned rar archive you normally need to download all of the parts of the series of files named "xyz.part1.rar, xyz.part2.rar, etc" or "xyz.r01, xyz.r02, xyz.r03, etc".

You will definitely need all the parts in tact and with no corrupt parts if the compressed files are executable in nature. If the compressed files are media in nature eg. pictures, video, sounds then may be able to get some of the files or a part of the files and be able to see/hear/play them.

The compressed files are initially extracted to a temp folder and then moved to the location you specified. In my case I am using winrar 3.7 in Windows 7 Ultimate and the files are extracted to C:\Users\Username\Appdata\Local\Temp\misc
* Replace Username with your windows username.
* The misc folder will be different names depending on the program involved.

Try to extract the files and check the folder for any files that were successfully extracted. It would help to sort the folder contents by date to see the newest folders\files. The extracted files are only present while winrar is waiting for you to tell it where to find the missing or corrupt spanned files so do not close winrar until you have copied the files from the temp folder to a new folder of your choice.

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This thing is sweet, and I love sweet! Like barfi, with ginger and spices. Very nice.

A recipe can be found here
http://www.simplytrinicooking.com/2012/06/paynuse.html

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How to show someone else what you are seeing on your screen.

http://lifehacker.com/5926574/screenleap-for-gmail-offers-one+click-screen-sharing-from-your-inbox-or-google-contacts

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I installed Win 2k3 R2 successfully. One obstacle is letting windows see the hard drive properly.

Press F9 on booting to get in Setup(BIOS),
Select Advanced Options,
SATA Controller Options,
Embedded SATA Configuration,

Ensure 'Enable SATA Legacy Support' is selected.

I downloaded the latest Smart Start CD from the HP site:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=5075943&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=5075942&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4022

After burning the ISO image and running it inside Windows all devices were recognised.

You can also use this for the NIC drivers only:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/detail_desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=18719

I am yet to try getting the AHCI mode in the BIOS but after the install completes you would probably need to update the controller drivers in device manager, like a few SATA hp laptops I installed XP on. RAID is currently not configured.

Topic: Can I install Windows Server 2003 32bit on an HP MH110 G7 server.

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I didn't start my laptop in about 3 weeks and wow are there a lot of updates to collect... antivirus, windows, flash, java, adobe reader.. all with their own popups.. I can see hoe this can be very confusing for newbies.

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Help save the human race by playing games! Download the app for free on most OS's and play which is actually solving complex problems to help scientists! All the info is in the link below.
http://fold.it/portal/

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This orchid native to Australia takes the unmistakable shape of a flying duck!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleana_major

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingal's_Cave

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From My Bit for change on FB:

Mahinur Ozdemir is a young Belgian Parliamentarian of Turkish heritage who fought incredible opposition to become the only member of any European parliament to wear the hijab. She also observes her five prayers, speaks five languages and has achieved an impeccable academic record. Today Mihnur is more popular than ever and has been an inspiration to a whole ge

neration of Muslim women across the western hemisphere to wear the hijab and to also seek an education.

A Belgian Muslim of Turkish origin, Özdemir said that she has encountered many Christian deputies in parliament who are keen to find answers to their questions on Islam and has had several conversations with her non-Muslim colleagues on the matter. "As a devout Muslim, which is visible because of my headscarf, they ask me questions about Islam," she said, defining these conversations as a humble platform for cultural and religious dialogue.

Özdemir was the first headscarved deputy of any of the parliaments in Europe and was elected to the Brussels regional capital parliament in June 2009, an event which kicked off a controversial debate on secularism, the Muslim minority's political rights and the political engagement of European Turks.
http://www.ihrc.org.uk/news/articles/4332-Hijab-wearing-Mahinur-Ozdemir-joins-Christian-DemocratsBelgium-Muslim-finds-Christian-Party-compatible-

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I witnessed a close call on my way to work this morning.

First I tried calling the area police station to report it, they referred me to the Regional Corporation. The Regional Corporation referred me to their health department at a different phone number. I spoke to Risha there who said they do not have a dog catching unit but she will take the report. I gave her the location and other details she asked including my name and phone number. She said a supervisor would investigate the complaint.

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Interesting interactive map and explanations:
http://www.insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/3112-google-arms-trafficking-map

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LOL

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HMMM...

Tardigrades (commonly known as waterbears or moss piglets)^[2] are small, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs. They form the phylum Tardigrada, part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa.

Tardigrades were first described in 1773 by Johann August Ephraim Goeze, who called them kleiner Wasserbär, meaning 'little water bear' in German. The name Tardigrada means "slow walker" and was given by Lazzaro Spallanzani in 1777. The name water bear comes from the way they walk, reminiscent of a bear's gait. The biggest adults may reach a body length of 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in), the smallest below 0.1 mm. Freshly hatched tardigrades may be smaller than 0.05 mm.

Some 1,150 species of tardigrades have been described.^[3]^[4] Tardigrades occur throughout the world, from the Himalayas^[5] (above 6,000 metres (20,000 ft)), to the deep sea (below 4,000 metres (13,000 ft)) and from the polar regions to the equator.

The most convenient place to find tardigrades is on lichens and mosses. Other environments are dunes, beaches, soil, and marine or freshwater sediments, where they may occur quite frequently (up to 25,000 animals per litre). Tardigrades often can be found by soaking a piece of moss in spring water.^[6]

Tardigrades are able to survive in extreme environments that would kill almost any other animal. Some can survive temperatures of close to absolute zero, or 0 Kelvins (−273 °C (−459 °F)),^[7] temperatures as high as 151 °C (304 °F), 1,000 times more radiation than other animals,^[8] and almost a decade without water.^[9] Since 2007, tardigrades have also returned alive from studies in which they have been exposed to the vacuum of outer space for a few days in low earth orbit.^[10]^[11]

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade

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EH ?? (exactly what I said for the Matrix)

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This is the stuff!

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If you want to see what some people put as their statuses and posts on Facebook with public permissions this website has a nice collection. Any posts that are not set as public cannot be read but many people still post a lot as such.

http://www.weknowwhatyouredoing.com/

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I tried the instructions from Google but they are not correct. Perhaps it needs updating for the latest interface layout.

What I did was:
1. Log in to https://www.google.com/analytics
2. On the top left, click 'All Accounts'
3. Click 'Accounts List' button
4. Click 'Admin' button on the top left corner
5. Click on the Account I want to get in to, then the 'Data Sources' tab.
6. Click 'Adsense' tab
7. Click 'Link Account'

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A chance to have your own streaming channel and be rated.

http://www.younow.com/

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Noteworthy:
Leave out all the rest 40:42
In the end 59:14

Go to youtube.com for the full playlist and more info.

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Were are made of star dust, but more specifically:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_the_human_body

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Buy and sell used cars, SUVs, bikes and all other types of vehicles.
http://www.drivetnt.com/

Halley's Travel Agency, for Hotel Accommodation, Car, Flight, Cruise and all other travel needs.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Halleys-Travel-Agency/165867676901851

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Great job Miss!
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/woman-magazine/Adriana_Seekumar_the_car_expert_from_Libertville_near_Rio_Claro_A_phenomenal_young_woman_-165805076.html

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In a surprise to his coach and manager, 19 year old Keshorn Walcott has won a gold medal in the javelin throw in the London Olympics on Saturday11th August 2012.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/A_HOUSE_FOR_MR_WALCOTT-166066756.html

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188132/London-2012-All-hail-heroes-2012-Victory-parades-world-Olympic-athletes-return-home.html

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CheatNeutral.com. A Carbon offsetting parody!

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Update March 7th 2013:

The U.S. Consular Section in Trinidad and Tobago has transitioned to a new appointment service for applicants applying for a visa to come to the United States

http://usvisa-info.com/en-TT/selfservice/ss_country_welcome

My Experience in 2012:

This is only a description on my experience and is not meant in any way to be advice or endorsement or be in any way similar to what you can expect to encounter.

My US Visa expired recently so I had to go through the process of renewing it. All the info I needed was found on http://trinidad.usembassy.gov/
and via this video:

I did the online application form, paid $1008ttd at TTPOST, then went back to the site mentioned above to make the appointment online. You can find the appointment page easily by searching for "make appointment" in the search bar on the top right corner, or with some effort by browsing through the links. I uploaded a picture as part of the process. I made my appointment for an initial date and printed the confirmation page as I should have but I had to change my appointment date to a couple days later. Changing was no problem to do via the same page I made the initial appointment. I got a job letter and bank statements to take with me incase I had to have any supporting documents and an appropriate picture, just incase.

On the day of the appointment I parked at a car park at the corner of Marly and Woodford streets (to the south west of the embassy) where it was $10ttd per hour. I was lined up outside the embassy 30 minutes before my appointment time at 8.30am. There were actually two parallel lines on the side walk to the entrance. One was for 8am and the other was 8.30am. People were let into the gate a few at a time in the order they lined up for the earlier time. Some people still had cell phones and had to leave the line to go to a photo studio close by to have it stored while in the embassy. At about 9.15am I got inside the gate and went into another line to drop off my passport, confirmation print out(bar code page) and TTPOST receipts only. Another 15 minutes put me at the front of thos line and booth F was the main booth to go to but some people were also called to booth B. Here my passport was inspected and I had a boarding pass stub and departure stub inside it that was tossed back at me then I was told to wait for my name to be called.

There was a male and a female washroom (with toilet paper!), a water cooler with cups and many, many fans. There was a wheelchair sign on the female washroom door. I suppose a wheelchair could get in and out of the entrance gate. It seemed difficult for a person in a wheel chair to do fingerprint scans unless the scanner could come down off the high counter. It was rainy and overcast most of the time I was there so I am not sure how hot it really gets on a normal day but I was comfortable. The roof is designed to let hot air out and the fans circulate air from all directions. The citizen and immigrant visa section has A/C but not the non-immigrant visa section. The amount of people that came in was just about right for the number of seats there, people did not have to wait long to get a seat after they left the first counter. I suspect on a heavy day this would be a much longer wait.

I got a seat in direct view into the booths. Some people had their name called within 20 minutes of arriving- I am sure two parents and a baby who were behind me in line got called up for their passport quickly. It seemed that groups of parents and children got processed/called faster. The actual Interview for each person was approximately 5 minutes. Most people were prepared to submit documents when going up but they did not use it. Most people walked away with a white stub in their hand. Many people who came into the embassy after me were called up before me so it seems the passports were not all processed in order of arrival, or that some take longer to process than others. I was called at 11.20am. I was asked a couple questions and basically I just confirmed what I had submitted online.

At the end of the interview I was told my visa was approved and to go to the TTPOST counter with a stub and pay for delivery. As stated on the site, postage for my passport was $50ttd and it was sent to me a few days later.

You may also want to see:
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/letters/renew_us_visa_before_it_expires.html

Topic:
How do I renew my US visa.
How to renew my US visa in Trinidad and Tobago.
Expired US visa.
Visit to US embassy in Trinidad and Tobago.

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http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/8/3177438/cyborg-america-biohackers-grinders-body-hackers

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Suppose your digital life could be taken away from you in minutes...
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/

All those wifi passwords you work so hard on confuffling may be completely useless...
http://lifehacker.com/reaver/

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The 32 most incredible (and mind blowing) sculptures i’ve seen this year – Blog of Francesco Mugnai

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I attended two weddings today. One in Port of Spain and one in south. I travelled a lot of miles and I am tired. Waking up so early on a Saturday is not fun. Last week I had a late night for a very memorable party in Port of Spain. Fun times.

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Worker:cyan is red? magenta is blue? yellow is yellow?
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i goin in temple now so i had to call and tel you to buy a bottle of johnnie walker for me
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What cases you have in stock? I hear - who on the fone? girl-some ass, call to diamond system, la romain
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Engineer on phone: I use yahoo and I not seeing it coming up in firefox
Me: Ok open IE and tell me what you see
Engineer Google come up
Me: Ok well use IE instead of firefox
Engineer: So how do I get yahoo now if you telling me not to use firefox?
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IT cleaning up users emails with user watching: Deletes mail from inside 'Deleted Items' folder
User: (While deletion progress bar running) You know, I have things in there I refer back to, you should back that up somewhere
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User: we have a problem with the projector, can you come over and check it please
IT: "Ok", goes into comference room and takes cap off projector lens
(This happened multiple times)

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Funny stuff. All these are true stories

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People usually only care about themselves and their own opinions, but here is my advice anyway, based on my limited experiences.

You don't know somebody until you fight them (or see them fight).
This is how you get to see how dirty they can be. You can also see their reactions if you are around them when they are fighting/arguing with other people.

People are not completely predictable.
They have habits they may stick too, but given enough instigation or encouragement they do amazing things.

Be grateful for the good things you have here and now.
You do not know where u will be a year from now (or a month, or a week, or a day).

Do things right from the beginning.
This applies to work and home. Use the rights tools and techniques. Assume that all temporary patches are going to be left there for as long as you can imagine, so do it right.

Exercise.
That crap about walking 30 minutes a day, eating healthy, stretching, etc., it prolongs your life and makes living it alot easier.

Don't make generalisations.
Saying "people are not patriotic", or "people can't drive" etc. is not accurate. There is good and bad everywhere, and exceptions abound. Yes, I have made a list of generalisations above, but it is the only way to give this advice.

I will be updating this as I go along..

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Song from A Thousand Words

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salar_de_Uyuni

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Climate science from climate scientists!

http://realclimate.org/

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Interesting

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I sooo want to do a remix of this vid... but so hilarious on it's own!

Foreigners, Please do not take this as a true reflection of our country.

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I am fixing a laptop which was cleaned with a much too damp cloth and now it beeps while showing the windows loading screen. It takes a minute longer to start up and inside Windows items would open multiple times even though I clicked on them once. The problem is a bad 'Enter' key. I removed the laptop keyboard and used a usb keyboard and windows loads and runs fine. Keeping my finger on the Enter key on the external keyboard gave the same beeping as when the original is in place. The beeps sound the same as a post beep but are about 3 per second. A new keyboard on Ebay is $15usd with free shipping.

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This is a comparison of my new Medialink MWN-WAPR150N (v11.8-Nov 18 2011) to my old Linksys WRT54G (DDWRT v24 micro).

I have had the Linksys for a few years now and I wanted to upgrade to an N router. The cheapest and most popular was the Medialink so I gave it a shot. I am a little disappointed! I have a repeater approx 450 feet away from the Linksys router and I was hoping the Medialink would do at least as good but hopefully better.

Good news: I am getting approx 20% reception from both the Linksys and the Medialink to the repeater. This is being displayed in the repeater, a Linksys Wrt54GL with DD-WRT. The same channels are being compared ofcourse. I had to put in a heatsink and fan for the Linksys as it was getting super hot from having a few dozen torrents running with multiple connections each through it. The fan is noisy and it is located in a bedroom so it was annoying. The Medialink is silent as it has no fan and has a smaller footprint and no external antenna sticking out. Both give approx. 5 Mbps via the repeater from a 15mbps line to the routers.

Bad news: The lights from the Medialink is very bright which have to taped over if you want to hide it.
I am only seeing G networks from the Medialink, no N networks yet, not sure what I am doing wrong. I wanted to upgrade my network to N but since I am only seeing G I am disappointed.
The transmit power can be adjusted in the Medialink but by default it as at 100% so it is of not real help to me. In the DDWRT settings I could push the transmit power much higher if I wanted, and risk burning the router out.

I paid $50USD on amazon for it and it was definitely worth the money as it is at least as good as the Linksys but if it only gives G wifi I would have to give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Update 29 July 2012:

I solved the problem on only seeing a G network from the router. I had to use the AES and not TKIP WPA algorithm to get the N network up. As soon as I switched it and applied the settings I saw an N network I could connect to. I am using an HP Probook 4430s with an Atheros AR9285 b/g/n adapter.

Update 9 Aug 2012:

My cable modem is causing me to lose wifi signal strength when it is placed close to the router. I get 4% on the repeater or approx 200kbps with the modem close to (6 inches from) the modem. With the modem two feet away I am getting 20% or 5Mbps on the repeater. The router power cable has to be well away from the modem also.

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A husband, a wife and their Merc G wagen.. 800,000km and still going!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18910560

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Lots of good reviews about this.

https://www.airbnb.com/

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Hiding is plain view! Amazing creature with crazy eyes man.

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Happy Birthday to Sunita :-)

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It's just a battery right? How hard could it be..

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1525/en/SM/coinbatt.htm#wp1179839

This machine has a repairability rating of 1 if you ask me.

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For C400, C600, C610, C640, C800, C810, C840, D600, D610, D500, D505, D510, D400, D410, D800, D810, Inspiron 4000, 4100, 4150, 8000, 8100, 8200, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, Mobile Precision M40, M50, M60, and M70 (and also an Inspiron 1525).

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=DSN_DBECF64CFEDA449398CB9E859D4944A5&isLegacy=true

How do you get diagnostics if the laptop is not booting? Hold down the Fn key while booting. The numlock, capslock and scrolllock lights will blink and give an error code corresponding to the list in the link.

Also, this is my 300 post!

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COOL!

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Well put together.

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What if big corporations and governments are hiding the truth about the primary source of energy in the world... hmmmm

http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/Oil-%20The%20Next%20Revolution.pdf

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The greatest equalizer of them all, being mortal, suppose you could delay and enjoy it?

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/dont-grow-old/

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Some funny, and shocking info here!

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Really interesting info how your brain works :-)

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The problem has been solved.. now just to implement it.. I can't wait to have this as standard equipment on all cars

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/08/tech/blind-spot-mirror-patent/index.html

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a pack of low fat skimmed milk, juice, condensed milk, evap milk, sawine: $49.97, at a chinese grocery..

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This is a brief explanation of why it's needed.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/06/30/wait-just-a-second-no-really-wait-just-a-second/

Of course this has wreaked havoc in a part of the I.T. world!
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/101460/leap-second-crashes-the-pirate-bay/

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Wow this thing is REAL!! A real life pokemon (with Blue Danube 3:12)

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A couple interesting ideas here for recycling common garbage.

http://lifehacker.com/5922473/top-10-clever-hacks-for-things-you-thought-were-trash

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I saw this on a flight to Toronto, loved it!

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Another example of why you need to be extremely careful of what you post online, public or not.

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/06/27/truly-embarrassing-facebook/

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Really interesting read.

Arvind Narayanan's business card is an exercise in brevity. It contains no data except his name and the words "Google me," a fitting calling card for an academic who specializes in privacy and anonymity research. When you do Google him, his online footprint is robust, but highly selective and pruned. There's a website for his post-doctoral research at Stanford University, where he's currently based, an online journal of semi-personal musings (like the time he fell asleep jet-lagged and awoke with complete amnesia about, not just who he was, but what he was – animal, vegetable, mineral?), a Google scholar page indicating his work has been cited 849 times, and news articles about high-profile projects he's worked on. There are also various social networking accounts (Facebook, Google+) that paint a picture of a precise and scientifically calculating, but whimsical, personality – one whose music tastes run the gamut from Queen to Qawwali (Sufi devotional music), and who prefers mind-bending films like Memento and Inception to mind-numbing superhero flicks.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/06/wmw-arvind-narayanan

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I'm adding this place to my list of places to go!

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Some may be obvious, some are cool!
http://lifehacker.com/5918564/make-an-improvised-compass-and-other-survival-tools-from-cellphone-parts

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What to cook?...
*pulls out iPad in kitchen
*google eddoes choka recipe

*click on first hit :-)

Glad I could have helped!

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Really interesting talk.

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I'm not sure if I have an upset stomach right now or if my abs just ache..

Ryan

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Go here to see the presenters live!
http://www.gametrailers.com/netstorage/e3/live.html

Ryan

I got goosebumps when this was playing tonight in NAPA :-)

Ryan

Suppose the truth is being hidden from you about one of the most lucrative industries on the planter?

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/frontline-the-diamond-empire/

Ryan

I love this!

Ryan

Ryan

Good Movie!

Ryan

While the latest performance of DC Shell last night has been disappointing, it was still enjoyable. This morning I kayaked for almost 90 minutes, continuous paddling, straight across the Chaguaramas bay. It was easy with good company. My arms got sore but it was more from the P90x from a couple days ago than today's work. Good times.

Ryan

This site is a hub for projects that need funding as well as a collection of great ideas and inventions from all over the world! Right now there is a project for Trinidad (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1776422102/an-echo-in-the-bone-by-dennis-scott?ref=home_location)

http://www.kickstarter.com/

Ryan

1. We are made up of two islands, the bigger island Trinidad and the smaller Tobago. We are located at the bottom of the Caribbean island chain and neighbours to Grenada and Venezuela. We are located approximately 10°30' North, 61° West. Our local time zone is UTC -4, or Georgetown/Caracas La paz. (DST does not apply). We basically have 12 hours of sunlight all year round, the sun sets a little earlier in December so it is dark by 6pm, but in June it gets dark around 7pm.

We have a tropical climate, which means we basically only get rain or sunshine, on average most of the days are dry. Our average humidity is approx. 85% during the rainy season but not much lower all year round. One very common mistake visitors make is leaving wet towels crumpled in a heap and coming back later in the day to find it still wet. They are used to low humidity where everything dries quickly. Your hair will also get frizzy more quickly here!

CIA World Factbook
Wikipedia has all the other details.
Ministry of tourism
Discover TnT
TDC TnT
Virtual Tourist
US-Television Documentary
New York Daily News article

A quick summary looks something like this:

2.We speak English. Despite what many websites default to when you visit them from Trinidad, our Native language is (British) English. All signs are in English, some have second versions in Spanish. We have a unique accent which is described as a sing song sound and many of the words are broken/ shortened. You will hear 'd' instead of 'the' and 'wah' instead of 'what'.
List of local lingo: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_Trinidadian_English
Here is a sample of our local 'twang': (PG-13)

3. We drive on the left side of the road. Our driver seats are on the right side of the car. Foreign driver's permits are acceptable for a limited period of time. Fuel is approx $4TTD a litre, this is so cheap because it is currently subsidised by the government. Our fuel stations carry Super (92 Octane $2.70TTD/litre), Premium (95 Octane $5.75TTD/litre) and Diesel ($1.50TTD/litre, one grade- '3rd world' if you ask me). Most cars run on super, most rental companies will tell you to use premium in their cars, which is a less than honest request. Fuel stations are not well placed so try to avoid going too low on fuel. The islands are small but you can run into traffic very easily and have to wait it out (Police cause gridlock). Any major concert "in the west" or west of West Moorings usually causes a long pile up and many hours of frustration. Avoid the areas around concerts/rallies/protests if you can. By law front passengers are required to wear seat belts, drivers must use hands free devices for their cell phones and cannot drive drunk.

Waze (navigation/traffic app) is popular but does not always give the safest or shortest route. It may send you through crime hot spots or through rough back roads so you should get advice from a local before putting all your trust in it.

There are many car rental companies and prices start at the typical $50USD a day for a basic sedan. Inspect the vehicle yourself before renting it because some unscrupulous companies claim damages for pre-existing dents.

Public transportation is readily available in populated areas. There are regular buses and cars for hire all around and it is cheap to travel. Licensed taxis have an 'H' letter first on their number plates. People also commonly and illegally use private cars (letter 'P' plates, locally called"P-H") as taxis. There are different colour stripes on our panel van 'maxis' to differentiate them according to which route they are supposed to be working.

You can travel between the islands of TnT by air or by water. Both modes have multiple trips every day. The ferry is $50TTD per person one way and a flight is $150TTD one way per person. A ferry also goes between San Fernando and Port-of-Spain every day.

Our roads are bad outside of the main town areas. Watch out for potholes along the road wherever you go, or for people in the other lane dodging potholes on their side.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Moruga_roads_crumbling-188770331.html

It is very common to see people walking on the sides of the roads since many places do not have side walks. We have many stray dogs and cats and you will even see goats and cows in some places crossing the roads.

Roads signs and directions are common in the city areas and broken/missing/non existent in most other places. Some major tourist attractions are highlighted by brown and white signs.

Expect bad behaviour on the roadways. Other cars will pull in front of you without indicating, people will cross without looking, cars will stop suddenly and may not have working brake lights, oncoming cars may have one working headlight, dangerous cutting in and out on the highways, passengers open doors without looking, oncoming cars will have high beam lights on, dangerous roads will not be indicated -suddenly get narrow/winding/undulating etc. Illegal parking is common and often ignored by law enforcement. The highest speed limit we have is 80 km/h on the main highways but this limit is ignored. Typically police cars are the only ones at the speed limit and other cars overtake them with no issues. Children can often be seen jumping around in moving vehicles. Cars overtake on the shoulders and drive both ways on one way streets, so look both ways on all streets.

We have one international airport in Trinidad (Piarco International) and another in Tobago (A.N.R. Robinson International). All taxes associated with the airport is included in tickets, you do not pay any taxes/fees at the airport on arrival or departure. Wearing camouflage pattern clothing is illegal in the country and you will have to change at the airport if you attempt to enter the country wearing it. At the airport you have waiting taxis or you can rent a car or wait for your transportation you arranged with your hotel or friends/family. Transportation for luggage is most easily moved in a hotel sedan taxi or hotel panel van. Bandits have taken luggage from pickup trays when people stop at traffic lights just after leaving the airport. If you have to use an open tray vehicle, pass a strap or rope around them. Large and small maxis and regular taxis do not have accommodation for luggage.

National Bus service
http://www.ptsc.co.tt/

Piarco Airport official site
http://www.piarcoairport.com/
Note that wheelchair passengers are not allowed on flights to Tobago, they would have to take the ferry.

To go between Trinidad and Tobago by water
https://ttitferry.com/
Taxis are close to both ports so transport is not an issue.

To go between San Fernando and Port of Spain by water
http://www.tntisland.com/watertaxis.html

Air transport (between Trinidad and Tobago and also other countries)
http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/

TnT road and driving regulations
http://www.ttregs.com/

For everything high speed, classifieds, events, general info
http://www.trinituner.com

You can fly into TnT via many international airports on Caribbean Airlines, United, US Airways, British Airways and a few others.
http://www.skyscanner.net/flights-to/tt/airlines-that-fly-to-trinidad-and-tobago.html

4. Our local dollar is approx $6.7TTD to $1USD.
That is about $10.3TTD to £1GBP. It is easy to convert USD or other major foreign currency to local dollars in any bank. Some restaurants and shops accept USD foreign currency at a different rate. Most major places have a credit card facility but I advise to walk with TT cash (or calling before you arrive to ask) for your critical purchases since it is common for the machines/phone lines to be down.

Most items are taxed 12.5% of their value with VAT (Value Added Tax) going to the government. Advertised prices are typically VAT inclusive, so there is usually no mention of VAT on signs.You usually pay the prices labelled on items. VAT exclusive prices displayed may be high value goods such as cars, jewellery, machinery etc. where sellers have a small note next to their ad mentioning the VAT.

Check the current exchange rates and info on our actual currency(bills and coins) here:
http://www.central-bank.org.tt/

5. Food is easy to find and generally cheap. We have a very diverse variety of food available from all the different cultures that live in Trinidad. The best way to explore for food is to make some local friends and let them give you the tour. At the top of the list is probably 'doubles', a fried dish, usually for breakfast but you can have it at any time. All food vendors are supposed to have a food badge which would mean they are aware of proper sanitation practices. After they get the badge however things would have to be extremely bad for them to get shut down. Choose your vendors carefully, follow the crowds.

Home cooked food tastes best but we have a well developed and popular fast food industry also. The local KFC flavour is like no other, also look for Barfi flavoured ice cream. Alcohol is plentiful and easily available. You can walk in public and drive with open alcohol in the vehicle. Some restaurants require reservations so call before visiting (TT Yellow pages). There is always a celebration coming up, each with it's unique and delicious food. You should find out what fruits are currently in season- mangoes, guava, passion fruit, sorrel, pineapple, plantain, plum, caimate and many more.

Because of our mixed heritage, you will find a wide variety of food catering to a wide variety of people. You can usually find a vegetarian alternative available for meals in the major supermarkets. Options would be limited in rural areas. Kosher food and Halaal meats can be found so be sure to ask about them. Nutritional content, expiry dates and allergy information are not always available.

I highly recommend attending(crashing!) a Hindu wedding or the nights leading up to it. It is a weekend full of festivities and treats. There is no meat and alcohol at the event but still very entertaining and full of great food.

Lomotil or Imodium is commonly used for diarrhea and Gravol is commonly used for vomiting or motion sickness. Both are readily found in pharmacies.

In 2011 we were rated for the HOTTEST PEPPER IN THE WORLD!

*it's true, you will sweat the curry out!
A popular cookbook to buy is the Naparima Girls Cookbook for local recipes. The problem with trying local recipes abroad is you will not get the same ingredients, eg we have one main kind of potato, you may have six. The choice of some products is limited in most stores, eg only one or two kinds of wheat bread. We import many products so an alternative may have to work.
Check these out:
http://trinichow.com/ (NOTE the Events section!)
http://www.trinigourmet.com/

As a country, we eat a a lot. The leading cause of death in this country is from lifestyle diseases. "Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCDs) are the top four leading causes of death in Trinidad and Tobago accounting for over 60% of all deaths annually."
http://www.health.gov.tt/news/newsitem.aspx?id=277
Lifestyle diseases on the rise in Central

We 'pick' our regionally produced rice to take out bad grains and pebbles etc. The picture below shows what we typically take out or rice before it is cooked. After enough time passes there would be insects in there too as they hatch etc. The most common brand of milk is sold in sealed packs, kept in cupboards and not refrigerated until it is opened.

Our beer bottles are not screw caps and depending on storage conditions there may be bits of rust you need to clean off before drinking, as everyone does. The bartender may get upset if you ask for a different one. I have been cursed at when I tried to switch an expired 20oz Pepsi with a good one. Pizza is served without eating utensils because we eat it with our hands. We put condiments on our pizza: ketchup, mustard and pepper sauce.

VAT now applies to most foods.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-10-07/vat-down-food-costs-will-increase
http://guardian.co.tt/budget-2013/2012-11-15/minister-vat-removal-restaurants-can-also-drop-prices

6. Trinidad is primarily for business. Tobago is primarily for leisure, although both Islands have lots to see and lots to do for tourists. I recommend against visiting TnT. Many other Caribbean countries give a better holiday experience and are much safer. Trinidad has many energy based industries due to the abundance of oil and gas deposits. Tobago depends primarily on tourism. That being said, the far majority of major parties take place in north west Trinidad, despite the largest concentration of people being in central Trinidad. There is carnival in February/March, carnival band launches during 'summer' (June/July/August) and Parang for Christmas. All the time in between is filled with regular clubbing and usually a major foreign artiste or two for the year. Women are openly catcalled and stared at in public.

Our word for 'hanging out' is 'lime'. We can go to a 'lime', 'make a lime', or be 'liming' at home or a mall.
For a list of liming spots check out my post here.
List of some Fab facts
Oil and Gas industry

Things to try: Caroni Bird Sactuary (Trinidad)
Aerial tour of the Islands
Ziplining
Rishi's checklist
Horseback riding
La Vega Estate
Harry's Water Park

Local social events web sites
http://www.lime.tt/ Note the event calendar
https://buzz.tt/events

7. The phone number for Police is 999, for fire is 990 and for an ambulance is 811 from any phone. There is no single number like 999 for all emergencies. We have hospitals and medical centres throughout the islands.
All police station numbers are here.
A longer list of various other numbers can be found here.
Personally I have tried calling 999 and had it ring out, I got an answer after the second or third try. My local police station does not seem to have call waiting, so when I do not get the phone just ringing, it would be busy. The minority of times it would be answered. I have tried calling to get info about events or make a complaint or find out about traffic in the area.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,173873.html

The number one show in the country, Crime Watch, shows local crimes caught on tape etc.

Crime occurs throughout both islands in all towns. Try to avoid drawing attention to yourself with jewellery and gadgets when sightseeing/in public.
British tourist killed April 2016
Japanese tourist murdered Feb 2016
British couple murdered Oct 2015
Cruise ship tourist beaten and robbed Feb 2015
Canadian advisory
U.K travel advisory
USA travel advisory
Second US advisory
Third US advisory

8. There are two cell phone carriers, Bmobile and Digicel. I recommend using Digicel. You can get a prepaid (pay as you go) handset, sim card and some credit for approx $200 TTD ($30 USD). Both carriers only use the GSM platform on 850/1900 mhz frequencies so roaming with a compatible handset is easy. There are data packages available for Blackberry, Iphone, Android, laptops etc. If you are staying more than a couple days it usually works out much cheaper to buy a local prepaid cell phone and give out your new number. Your friends abroad will be calling a foreign number instead of you paying for roaming. All incoming calls and text messages received on local phones are free and unlimited, only the calling/sending party pays, unless it is a collect call.

The format for phone numbers is the same as that used in North America. All phone numbers are 10 digits: 868-123-4567, with 868(TNT) being the country code for both islands. While in the country, to call another local number just use the last 7 digits (123-4567), no country code(868) is necessary. If someone outside the country is calling you they would need the area code prefix also so they would be calling '1-868-123-4567'. The '1' before '868' is usually to indicate an international call is being made.

Digicel Trinidad and Tobago
http://www.bmobile.co.tt/

9. Tap water is potable,mostly. It is safe to use for cooking but I recommend bottled water for drinking. Tap water may not be perfectly colourless. Bottled water is widely available if you prefer for about $1USD for a small bottle. There will be times when work is being done on the mains in the area and quality would be affected or cut off completely. All major guest houses, hotels etc. have a backup water supply but you should confirm with smaller places about a backup supply especially during the dry season. Most residents also have large water tanks as reserve for the regular outages in most areas.

I always have a bottle of water with me anywhere I go because it is easy to get thirsty in our hot weather. Always have napkins and hand sanitizer handy because water outages are regular and unannounced. Places with washrooms typically do not put up signs announcing the lack of water so you only find out when you want to wash your hands.

10. We use 110 volt, 60hz , 'American' standard plugs. All electronics that run on power in the U.S.A can be used in Trinidad and Tobago as we use the NEMA 5-15p standard. The electricity supply is dependable.

If there is an outage it is usually back on in a few seconds. If a major problem occurs there is a quick response to return the supply. Maintenance work is usually advertised days or weeks before it commences.
Electricity is easily accessible to almost all inhabited parts of the islands.
http://guardian.co.tt/business/2013-11-22/tt-ranked-tenth-world-electricity-connectivity

We officially use the metric system (Celsius, meters) although imperial (Fahrenheit, inches) is still used regularly. The most common place to see this is fresh markets where things are still sold in pounds.

11. The internet is fully accessible. Most hotels and guest houses have WiFi or there is a cheap internet cafe close by that may be $10TTD/hr ($2USD/hr). There are also open WiFi networks at many tourist hotspots and malls. The country's access is not restricted by any political or security rules.

Technology is abundant in the country. No hi-tech devices are manufactured here so they cost a bit more than buying from the U.S.A. Warranties are usually less than the U.S.A period, if any at all.

I recommend buying personal hi-tech parts from SuperTech and Wizz

Musical instruments, car audio, personal electronics, repairs
https://www.facebook.com/GopaulElectronics

Online shopping is very popular. There are 'skybox'(courier) companies (http://shipwebsource.com/) offering a US address to ship online purchases to and they ship to TnT and deliver to you. You pay them the related transport and customs fees.

12. We have more holidays than we need. There are approximately 15 days off during the year - wiki info here. The most famous of these is Carnival which is in February or March. We have had holidays declared by the government for special events.
-Thursday 17th November,1995 was given in celebration of our victory in a World Cup qualifying match against Bahrain).
-A national holiday to celebrate the success of the 2012 Olympians who represented TnT was also given. The general idea is we use every excuse to lime. Food, drinks and dancing all go hand in hand with each other.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Holiday__15_puts_T_T_in_world_s_top_10-166066686.html
Official List of holidays

Here is a huge compilation of some of our local music:

This is a local anthem.

Nicki Minaj was born here. She is the most well known of all Trinibagonians but we have many other internationally acclaimed artists such as Machel Montano, Kes the band, Destra and too many more to list.

These people are also Trinis:
Billy Ocean
Haddaway
Jack Warner
Conrad Murray
Annie Dookhan

13. Nature is Everywhere. As we are in a tropical climate you will be in close contact with nature whether you like it or not. The most likely encounter will be with mosquitoes when they come out on evenings/nights. We have a few different species including the Aedes aegypti which transmits the potentially fatal Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and Zika viruses. Repellent such as Off spray (approx. $10USD) or Odomos cream (approx $3 USD) is recommended once you are outside or sleeping with open windows. Both of these mentioned work very well. Spraying your bedroom each night with an insecticide a while before you go in is a good idea if you do not have air conditioning as they find their way inside most buildings easily. The a/c keeps them mostly at bay even if they are around you. Another fun weapon against them is an electronic swatter/racquet. You can get one for approx. $7USD at groceries or variety stores. People who do not like having repellent on their skin like these, and it is fun to hear/see the fireworks when you zap them.

I have personally witnessed small snakes and centipedes go up walls so do not think a two story building keeps you any safer! A phenomenon you should look out for is twinkling trees! (especially mango trees). Fireflies hang out around them and can put on a hypnotizing show.

This is what you can do in Tobago:

Birds of all shapes and colours will be singing throughout the islands. You will see many stray animals, mostly dogs and cats. There is no poop n' scoop law so watch where you step! We have chickens, goats, sheep, cows etc. that are put to pasture all around. We have a very diverse flora and fauna collection including some species that were discovered here. Also noteworthy is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, the Pitch Lake which is located in La Brea, Trinidad. Tobago is host to one of the largest brain corals in the world and a coral reef. Make sure you go to the Emperor Valley Zoo in Port of Spain, the real fun is on the weekends with feeding the animals! The sunsets sometimes fill the sky with yellows and reds that take your breath away. The full moon is giant when it appears on the horizon and starts to climb. On a moonless night you could see the milky way if you are in a dark part of the island.

Lots of aerial videos of the country here: https://www.youtube.com/user/robkrogh1
Countryside and hiking videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheXeretic/videos

Importing pets is a long drawn out process which the country is not equipped for, facilities are dilapidated and crowded.
http://www.discover-tt.net/marinas/quarantine_pet_regulations.html
http://www.ttcgnewyork.com/regulationsregardingpets.html

Flooding, landslides and falling debris is common is many areas when bad weather is around. Pay attention to the weather forecasts and use common sense. Luckily the islands are located outside of the hurricane belt, but we do sometimes have extremely stormy weather. Earthquakes are not common.

Tobago from Pixel Productions on Vimeo.

Here is an extensive list of local species: http://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/ogatt.asp
Link to a local environmental group:

Nature tours:
http://asawright.org/
http://www.papwildfowltrust.org/
http://www.amazing-trinidad-vacations.com/la-brea-pitch-lake.html
Caroni Bird Sactuary (Trinidad)
Turtle Watching
Down D' Islands (off the north west tip of Trinidad)

Hiking:
http://www.hikeseekers.com/
http://www.islandhikers.com/

Weather bulletins from ODPM:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ODPMTT/172163049358

Expect a couple specks of foreign matter in your food too. The environment is generally dusty. It is illegal to urinate in public but expect to see people on the sides of the roads doing it as public spaces have missing/broken/dirty facilities. Also, it probably has something to do with the amount of 'drinking' people do.

14. Healthcare is free. There are numerous health care facilities throughout islands (listed in link below) which anyone can go to and receive medical attention. Nationals and non-nationals are treated for free and with equal priority. The wait time in the public clinics can be very long and treatment may be incomplete. Some medicine is subsidised, some free and some at full cost. Pharmacies and 'Drug Stores' are found throughout the islands and most carry a wide range of supplies and medicines. Many supermarkets and parlours sell the more common non prescription drugs- pain relievers, stomach remedies, first aid items etc.

There are many private medical institutions where you pay for service. This can of course be very costly for locals and foreigners. A basic visit starts at approx. $100 TTD which can last a few minutes and then you have to purchase your prescriptions.

There is no special marking to give directions to these facilities. There may be road signs pointing to the hospitals or health centres but they are probably in the typical blue and white format so they would not necessarily stand out. The pharmacies have their private custom signs they put up depending on what the owner wants. What they may have most in common is the 'Rx' logo somewhere at the front, but definitely no green or red crosses to highlight them.

The national medical emergency ambulance's phone number is 811 but their response time can be excessive even though ambulances are posted throughout the islands and always on standby when not on a call.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151124/news/day-of-despair

Full list of health facilities:
http://www.health.gov.tt/moh-healthfacilities/

We have 'American' styled toilets. They use water to flush and toilet paper as expected. The used toilet paper is put in the toilet and flushed with everything else.

Most places are not wheelchair or differently abled accessible. In fact, able people typically park in marked handicapped parking spots with no remorse, and no consequence. Even if a building is made accessible, the pavements or surroundings are probably not.

15. Education is free. From pre school to tertiary education you can get government sponsored schooling. There are also private schools you can pay for. Students wear unique uniforms according to their schools. The terms run similarly to the north American school calendar with three terms and a long 'summer' break.

The government elected in 2010 has even given each child entering secondary school a brand new laptop. Schools are found throughout both islands. Text books are provided free to students.

The Ministry of Education:
http://www.moe.gov.tt/

16. We are a developing nation.
This means few things work well, some work half way, and many systems are broken/corrupt. I say this because :

There are still no wash-rooms in many public spaces, such as government ministries, banks, utility companies etc. Carnival is a prime example of this where thousands or tourists come in and facilities are not placed along the parade routes for people who do not pay to be in a band. The disabled and elderly are not treated fairly.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Blind_protest_for_housing-182474961.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-06-03/dumping-elderly-rise-tt

Potholes take months to fix outside of the capital, and then they are typically repaired 2 inches higher or lower than the surrounding road surface. The fixes last weeks as they are not done properly.

Road repairs being done barefooted and with the wrong materials, 29 Nov 2013

Crime is prevalent throughout both islands. It does not help that many people are friends or family with police officers with influence. For several years 15,000+ new laptops were given out to new Form 1 students (12 year olds), but our police officers are still using hand written log books which can mysteriously lose pages.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20160607/news/80000-bail-for-prison-officer-charged-with-taking-jail-keys
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151109/news/slippery-suspect-escapes
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-10-17/cops-bust-human-trafficking-ring-south
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On-yacht-with-drug-lord-4-cops-transferred-290487951.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-09-26/court-file-junior-sammy's-son-disappears
http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,123974.html
http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-05-23/news1.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Cops_to_target_gangs-187222231.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-02-18/murder-spree-claims-seven-over-weekend
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Prisoner-sets-himself-free-279999222.html

We have one of the highest homicide rates in the world.
http://www.businessinsider.com/most-homicides-by-country-2014-11
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-homicidal-countries-in-the-world-2014-12?op=1
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,203328.html

Corruption is prevalent in many utilities/ministries/organisations, long lines and bad customer service is common. Workers at some government offices abandon their desks after lunchtime with no consequences. Many government offices are not computerised so files disappear or are easily manipulated. The people responsible for wasting the country's resources are not in jail.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/NAUGHTY-KAMLA--286814821.html (up for 4 days)
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/LifeSport-was-easy--268033581.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-05-05/dana-seetahal-sc-ambushed-killed
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,181852.html
http://vextrini.blogspot.com/2012/07/h-e-ambtherese-baptiste-cornelis.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/business/0,173725.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,123447.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-05-21/150m-complete-lara-stadium
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business-magazine/The_CLICO_Fiasco__Courtroom__not_Commission-106662223.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-12-06/barbados-%E2%80%98cleanest%E2%80%99-among-region-corruption-index
http://guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2012-10-31/nidco-president-why-gov%E2%80%99t-stopped-rapid-rail-after-paying-consultants
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/25b-and-counting-206129791.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Toothless-COE-206045411.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Case-million-to-be-kept-in-UTC-account-210506561.html

17. Shopping There are many malls and shopping areas (districts) around the islands. You get the full range of prices so definitely shop around. The built up stores may be more comfortable to browse through but there is a lot to see in each of the town centres - San Juan, Arima, Chaguanas, San Fernando, Princes Town. Where there are shopping areas, food is close by. Parking is an issue in all towns but there is usually a parking lot a short walk away from the shops.

The smaller stores do not offer much if any warranty. Most places would give a credit note for the store and not a refund. Also many places do not accept credit cards to avoid paying the related transaction fees. 24 hour ATM/ABM machines are scattered throughout the major towns.

http://www.trinidadmalls.com/

Expect to be cut in front of everywhere you go by the most innocent looking people. Lines will be broken, lanes will be switched, parking spots will be hustled. I have been in traffic multiple times with cars blocking me at an intersection and even though the person blocking me could let me pass they insisted that they rush me and get stuck in front of me. If you arrive at a venue early to see the doors/gates opening, whoever reaches the door first starts the line, even if they came after you. Say something about it and you usually get cursed at.

All major malls have washrooms. Outside of these they are almost non existent, unless you find a larger restaurant or bar. Public washrooms in parks/rest stops/gas stations are rare. Where washrooms do exist, it would probably not be wheelchair accessible or have a baby changing table. There are typically no directories or maps around malls or plazas so look for landmarks to keep your bearings and do not be afraid to ask for directions from store workers.

Pirate movies and music are abundant and sold in the open on pavements, in plain view of law enforcement (along with many other violations that are ignored). Knock off brand name clothes/jewellery/perfume is presented as original in malls, beware of high prices for low quality.

Beware of pickpockets, purse snatchers and do not leave anything visible in parked vehicles.

18. We won gold at the Olympics, again!. Mr. Keshorn Walcott has won the country's second gold medal, this time for the javelin event at the 2012 summer games in London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19253050
Dailymail

Sport is a big part of our culture. The biggest ones being football (soccer in the U.S.) and cricket. Some of our local heroes are Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Ato Boldon, Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Hasely Crawford, Stephen Ames, George Bovell and many others.

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