Articles written by Dan Birchall - Page 3

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About me - Dan Birchall

Hailing from a small town in New Jersey, Dan has at various times been a birdwatcher, chocolate connoisseur, competitive cyclist, computer programmer, consultant, editor, election worker, father, heavy-metal journalist, husband, laser safety observer, lava

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Travel > United States Travel destinations: Hilo, Hawaii: 1 of 1
Located on the east side of the "Big Island" of Hawaii, Hilo is the state of Hawaii's second largest city, but with a population in 2000 of just over 40,000, it's only one-tenth the size of top-ranked Honolulu. This means a much lower density of people, buildings and traffic, a slower pace, and more fresh air and nature. Giv... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News (Other) Remarkable events to celebrate on Independence Day: 1 of 1
Although Discovery's spectacular liftoff of STS-121 on July 4, 2006 was the first Independence Day launch of a Space Shuttle, my favorite July 4 NASA event was one I was personally involved with, one year to the day earlier. That event was known simply as "Deep Impact." No, no, not the 1998 movie! We didn't have Robert Duval... More..
Travel > Travel (Other) The facts about Uganda: 1 of 1
Located on the north shore of Lake Victoria in East Africa, Uganda lies on and just north of the Equator. Its neighbors are Sudan to the north, Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, Kenya to the east, and Rwanda and Tanzania to the south. The official languages of Uganda are English and Luganda, but more than ten tribal ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration How to get a working holiday visa in the U.S: 1 of 1
Although "working holiday" visas are common within the Commonwealth and Europe, the concept is virtually unheard of in the United States. The U.S. offers no single visa which directly correlates to a "working holiday," but there are numerous types of visas which might suffice, depending on your intentions. The U.S. Departmen... More..
Travel > Air Travel & Airlines Virgin Atlantic Airlines Flying Club reward program: 1 of 1
Virgin Atlantic offers flights from London to either Johannesburg or Cape Town for the following amounts of Flying Club miles: 25,000 Flying Club miles each way in Economy 37,500 Flying Club miles each way in Premium Economy 50,000 Flying Club miles each way in Upper Class Round-trips cost twice as many miles as one-way, of ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Who is lajjo lajjo?: 1 of 1
Lajjo Lajjo is a pseudonym or nom de plume, taken from the 1995 Indian pop album of the same name. The person known as Lajjo Lajjo is actually one Anastacia Demetra Villanova Badenova, daughter and heiress to the nefarious enterprises of retired Pottsylvanian secret agent Boris Badenov. For the last three decades, Lajjo Lajj... More..
Law & Legal Information > Lawyers & Legal Advice Do I need a lawyer to get a visa in a foreign country?: 1 of 1
The answer to this question depends largely on what country you're a citizen of, what country you wish to visit, and what type of visa you want. Citizens of most countries are able to make short visits certain other countries without even getting a visa, through visa waiver programs and regional agreements such as Schengen a... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Law & Justice (Other) Mail fraud explained: 1 of 1
Mail fraud occurs when someone asks for something of value to be sent through the mail, promising something in return, then fails to deliver. Fraud can also be committed by wire, phone, or e-mail, but is only considered mail fraud when it involves things being sent by mail. This fraud can take the form of offering a product ... More..
Travel > Boat Travel & Cruises Means of transport on Lake Tanganyika: 1 of 1
Located at the boundary of Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Tanganyika is the second largest and second deepest freshwater lake in the world, behind Siberia's Lake Baikal. Unsurprisingly, the primary means of transport on Lake Tanganyika is boat. Two major ferry routes carry passengers and... More..
Sports & Recreation > Martial Arts How to learn the art of Wing Chun: 1 of 1
Over the years, the style of kung fu known as Wing Chun has branched into several different schools or lineages in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia. By far the best known lineage is that of Yip Man, who was the first person to teach the style to the public. Even today, though, Wing Chun is far less wel... More..