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Ideas For St Valentine?s Day Present

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Without any shadow of a doubt at all, St Valentine’s Day is the most important day of the year for couples. Although many people argue that St Valentine’s Day is only a commercialized festival created for the reason of encouraging people to buy cards, flowers and presents. However, there are others who do not care how St Valentine’s Day started and are just pleased to have a day when they can plan a romantic day with the one they love.

For many people, this day involves giving a gift of some sort, whether this is a token present or an expensive gift, working out what to give your loved one for St Valentine’s Day can be a difficult decision. This piece will offer a few suggestions for presents on St Valentine’s Day.

1] One of the simplest, and most popular St Valentine’s Day presents is a card. It may not seem like a lot, but many people, women in particular, say that a card is one of the best presents they can receive on St Valentine’s Day. However, you cannot give just any old card, the best cards express your sentiments about your loved one and your liaison.

You can find cards with a pre-printed rhyme, but can also find cards which are blank inside, so that you can write your own feelings and if you cannot find a card that looks like you want it to, you can even try creating your own card.

2] Jewelry is another terrific present for St Valentine’s Day. Simple earrings might be appropriate for a new relationship, while a more expensive gift would be fitting for a relationship, which is more deeply rooted. No matter what the price of the present, the jewelry you give to your companion on St Valentine’s Day will be something she will really value.

3] A weekend break is another excellent present for St Valentine’s Day. This kind of gift is more fitting for couples who have been dating for a while or who are married. If you and your partner have never traveled together before, you might want to discuss the gift with your partner beforehand as opposed to surprising him or her with the present.

4] What would St Valentine’s Day be without candy? The most traditional gifts on St Valentine’s Day are flowers and candy. While these gifts are very much appreciated, most women would agree that candy is their favourite part of the duo. Flowers are beautiful and are always treasured, but chocolates, and especially gourmet chocolates are the number one.

5] Finally, there is no reason why Valentine’s Day gifts have to be any different than presents you would give for other occasions such as a birthday or Christmas. You can give things such as clothing, DVDs, CDs, electronic gadgets or anything else that you know your partner will like. As long as you are giving your partner a gift you know he or she will appreciate, it will make a good gift for St Valentine’s Day.

Owen Jones writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with romantic men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

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Shiatsu Massage Therapy

Monday, December 5th, 2011

Nearly each country in the world has developed a form of massage that is fairly unique to itself and some have invented more than one. Shiatsu is a Japanese variation of massage and the word translates as ‘ finger pressure’ in English. It is one of the more vigorous types of massage.

Shiatsu is probably based on the Chinese idea of meridians and acupuncture although this kind of massage therapy uses acupressure instead of needles. For the rest the philosophy is quite comparable. Applying pressure to certain points on the meridians is intended to restore balance to the body’s life force.

The massage therapist does this by applying pressure, maintained for several seconds, to various points that he or she determine to be the right ones to accomplish their aim of making you feel better. Advocates of shiatsu say that it improves circulation, which delivers more oxygen to the affected area, which relieves muscle pain and stiffness.

Unlike Swedish massage therapy, which makes use of broad sweeping, relaxing strokes by and large, shiatsu makes use of sustained pressure, which may become a little uncomfortable or even painful. The client has the option of telling the masseur to use less pressure, but at the risk that the therapy will be less effective.

This is the dilemma for both the patient and the masseur. More can be achieved more quickly through a little pain, but the same could be gained during several milder sessions. In general, it is worth allowing the masseur to take charge, but register your discomfort / pain by exhaling as if you have been struck.

Shiatsu massage does not use any oil and is a mild kind of therapeutic massage in a similar vein to Thai massage, although it is less enthusiastic than its Thai cousin. However, shiatsu, like Thai massage, is an excellent cure for joint pain, including backache, constipation, poor digestion. stress and sleeplessness.

Because shiatsu is a forceful massage technique, it is not recommended for individuals with cuts and bruises, delicate skin or any skin diseases at all. It is OK to go to a session having consumed something light like a small salad, but most people find it better to fast until after the massage is over, because there may be some abdominal massage of the stomach, although you can request to forego that.

Shiatsu can be performed on a massage bed or, more usually in the East, on a thin mattress on the floor. A typical session will last an hour and the massage may be carried out with clothes on or just a towel. The foremost thing is to feel relaxed before you start, even if you do not afterwards. The room should be well-ventilated with reasonable (natural) lighting.

Shiatsu is not one massage therapy but several, so if you go to northern Japan, you will probably encounter another type from the south and certainly another sort from New York or London. This is not a difficulty, it is normal.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the thai massage parlor video. If you have an interest in massage, please go over to our website now at Classes For Massage Therapy

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Making A Tranquil Retreat Out Of Your Garden

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

For people who look after their garden, the garden offers a serene sanctuary. It is a place to go for a bit of peace and quiet. Somewhere, where you can go to have a quite cup of coffee and read a book or the newspaper. However, it is not easy to bring about this atmosphere of serenity. You have to work on the flowers and the weeds and you have to keep everything shipshape.

However, there are other things that you can do to. Grass is therapeutic, but you have to trim it regularly and some individuals cannot find the time, so they concrete over it or make a patio or deck. These are viable solutions for small gardens, but a large expanse of concrete looks harsh.

Building a fish pond is nicer to concreting the whole garden over. A fish pond brings the soothing sounds of moving water as the clean water returns from the filter to the pond. A fountain enhances this sound and helps aerate the water which in turn will reinvigorate the fish. Many people say that watching happy fish in a clean pond is relaxing.

Garden ornaments are another way of creating interesting focal points in your garden. Statues of maidens, monks and nymphs are popular. Some of them circulate water, some do not. An arbour is a great place to sit when the sun’s rays are strong. A small bench inside an arbour of roses or wisteria, looks and smells heavenly.

A simple and relatively cheap method of providing garden ornaments is the use of stones and it is usually ignored by gardeners. They fit in well with any kind of green garden, because stones and rocks are natural items.

Evidently, there are many kinds of stones and rocks and so they can be put to various different uses. Large riven slabs of stone can be used to create a path or a patio. Smaller slabs can be used to make a stepping stone path to, say, the shed or the washing line.

A boulder could be used in place of a statue. They look great poking out from behind bushes or at the end of a tunnel of over-hanging trees or bushes. Smaller stones can be used to demarcate the borders of your flower beds and rocks can be used to create a specific environment for plants that like harsh, rocky conditions. In effect, a rock garden.

Japanese gardens make a lot of use of stones. Stones look good in moving water if the the gardener has or can create a small brook. Stones also come in different colours naturally. Painting stones is nearly always a big mistake. A large lump of coal looks good, but make certain that it has been carefully washed before children get near it. Rocks with fossils in them are particularly interesting as features.

Once you have all the soothing features you need in your refuge garden, think about lighting for them. Landscape lighting allows you to show off your garden literally in its best light and it lengthens the time that you can take pleasure from your hard work by a number of hours a day.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on a number of subjects, but is at present involved with outdoor accent lighting. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Outdoor Wall Lamps.

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Recreating The Beauty Of Moroccan Decor

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

Moroccan furniture is normally solid wood and stylish. Morocco is an ex-French colony, but it is very near Spain too. In fact, two small parts of Morocco, Melilla and Ceuta are still under Spanish control.

This means that Moroccan furnishings and decor has Berba, Arabic, French and Spanish influences. These Mediterranean influences are prominent in traditional and modern Moroccan furniture.

When combined with Moroccan decor and colours, Moroccan furniture can transform your home. Walls are normally emulsioned plain white or cream and lightly decorated with old carpets or tapestries with one or two photos or paintings hanging between them.

Reds and browns are the principal colours. Poignant writings from the Koran or other Arabic philosophers are often written out in bold script and framed.

Moroccan accessories such as lamps, lanterns, mirrors, benches, vases, mosaic end tables, ottomans, rugs and ceramics can add that special local flavour to the decor, setting off the solid timber or padded fabric furniture.

Pillows feature extensively in Moroccan interior and garden decor, but they also use settees and chairs in the European manner. Morocco is famous for its leather craft and leather is frequently used to cover chairs, sofas and footstools or poufes.

Loose rugs are important for sitting on and they are taken out and beaten each day to keep them clean as Morocco is a hot, sandy and dusty country if you travel a few miles inland from the coast. Camels are still used for transport in rural parts and camel hair is woven into rugs, blankets and wall coverings.

Moroccans like tiles and mosaics and Arabic style tiles are quite distinctive if you want to use them in your bathroom and kitchen. If you want to dine in Moroccan style, they usually dine at a very low round table with the main dish in the centre from which everybody helps themselves, although in a family, some members will feed others too.

Following tradition and hygiene, you may only touch food with your right hand, although everyone will have washed both hands before coming to the table. Bread, rice and couscous feature highly in Moroccan food as does potatoes, carrots, lamb and chicken.Water is served during the meal and tea and coffee afterwards frequently with very sweet cakes sprinkled with icing sugar and syrup.

People take it easy at home wearing long, loose-fitting garments and lounge on benches or on rugs on the floor surrounded by cushions. In the evening, lighting will be low offered by low wattage bulbs concealed behind red and brown stained glass or cloth. Candles, scented or not also feature a great deal in living rooms and bedrooms unless someone wants a stronger light to read by.

Candles in wall sconces are common methods to highlight special areas and light up corridors and some doorways. Frequently these sconces do not hold candles, but hold scented oil with a floating wick which is less expensive to leave burning between the hours or twilight and bed time.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a variety of subjects, but is now involved with outdoor dining tables. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Solid Oak Dining Tables.

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How To Buy Garden Furniture On Line

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

Purchasing garden furniture on line is not the perfect solution as it both solves and presents some difficulties if it is used indiscriminately. For example, if you find it difficult to get around the shops and garden centres, the Internet will permit you to visit hundreds of places to compare styles and prices, but you will not have had sight of your furniture and it might be costly to return it.

Therefore there are a few things to watch out for if you want to buy garden furniture on line. Some of these suggestions will apply to other items as well especially heavy items.

Be wary of shipping charges because some companies will strive to hide the fact that they can be horrendous. If delivery charges are an extra, do not forget to add these fees on to the cost of the garden furniture before you evaluate prices. Some businesses will talk some claptrap about an order processing fee in an effort to mask their delivery fees. These companies are being dishonest and you should avoid them like the plague.

Try to switch off to the words ‘discount’ and ‘sale price’ until you have added up all the costs and you have compared this total with the total cost of a comparable device. Likewise, be very wary of comparisons between list price and sale price. Manufacturers often ‘recommend’ a high list price purposely so that the retailer can offer a discount. It is very common practice, but designed to mislead.

Beware of ‘price snobbery’. If you see two retailers selling exactly the same items of garden furniture but at widely different prices, do not be automatically convinced that the cheaper one must be inferior. Instead, look around the cheap web site for extra costs. Do not forget that most retailers buy from the same manufacturers.

Do not trust any firm that says that they will not be beaten on price because they are the cheapest on the Internet or that they will undercut anyone you can prove is cheaper. They have no proof that they are the cheapest and if you prove that they are not they will decrease their price only to you because you caught them in their lie. These people are liars.

Firms that make a big issue out of quick service are not really giving you anything. Every company likes a fast turn-around because they can bank the check earlier and the warranty finishes sooner too. You will find out how decent their service is if you have difficulties. Empty promises and blowing one;s own trumpet mean nothing. Self praise is no praise.

You can check up on the firm’s customer service record by typing the company’s name, city of business and the word ‘issues’ or ‘problems’ into Google. You will soon be able to determine for yourself whether you are dealing with a reputable firm or not. Purchasing garden furniture on line is the same as buying anything else expensive on line: it is up to the buyer to beware before parting with his money because it may be hard to get it back if there is a problem.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a range of topics, but is now involved with farmhouse dining tables. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Solid Oak Dining Tables.

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How To Select Hardwood Furniture

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

If you have just moved home or have just finished redecorating, you may be thinking that it is time to buy some new furniture too. However, new furniture can make a big difference to the feel of your home and it is not cheap, so it is best to do a little homework on how to choose furniture before you leap in and commit yourself to spending a small fortune.

Some people prefer to live in the recently decorated apartment or house for a while to get a feel for what will suit the ambiance first. However, sooner or later, you will just have to bite the bullet and start traipsing around the malls and the Internet. Catalogues and brochures are a decent starting place and a fund of free ideas. Next come the monthly ‘Home’ magazines. Show rooms in the big stores and on the Internet can generate ideas as well.

Are you drawn to wood? Many people are and it needs become an ever more rare and thus valuable resource, particularly the hardwoods and even more particularly the foreign hardwoods like teak and mahogany.

Some home-grown hardwoods are just as dear, think of walnut and then you just have the ordinarily expensive ones like cherry, oak, cedar, maple and willow. Less expensive, but still not cheap are pine and birch.

If you like the gorgeous dark colour of mahogany but cannot afford it, you could always stain a cheaper timber the colour of mahogany. It is not difficult and you can attain very satisfactory results. One tip that all interior designers give though, is not to have different colour timbers in the same room.

You can mix different kinds of timber, but they should all be near enough the same colour. If you have different colours either move some pieces of furniture to a different room or stain the lighter ones to complement the darker ones. The other way around does not work, you cannot stain something lighter.

If you do not want to commit yourself to going into debt to get all you new furniture at once (and who can blame you), it is a good idea to buy the one article of furniture you see somewhere that you really, really like. Say a beautiful table or cabinet or suite of chairs. There is no need to be too practical here as you probably already have something to sit on, eat off, put things in and stand the TV on.

The point is that you are no longer happy with the items of furniture that you have and would like to replace them. Buy your lovely thing and throw something out. Keep your eyes peeled for the next lovely thing that goes with your first lovely thing and when you have the money, buy it and throw something else out. You will have a patchwork quilt of a house for a while but if you embark upon the house room by room, you will get there soon enough.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a variety of subjects, but is now involved with large dining tables. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Solid Oak Dining Tables.

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Styles Of Garden Furniture

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

If you want to get some new garden furniture, the first thing to do is think about the styles of garden furniture that would go well with your garden and your requirements. If you already have an idea of what you would like, you are already half way there, otherwise you will have to do some investigation on the various styles of garden furniture

This research can be done on line very easily by typing ‘garden furniture’ into Google, but if you would prefer more depth on the furniture, you could get a couple of magazines on gardening and landscaping. If you prefer a more hands-on tactic, you can go around the home improvement shops and the garden centres.

In fact, you will have to go to the shops sooner or later anyway unless you intend buying on line too. I personally like to do some exploration on the Internet first and then use the knowledge that I gleaned from there to make informed decisions in the shop. I do not really trust the photos. I want to see and touch the garden furniture and check the joints and finish.

Once you get to the garden centre, you will discover different styles of garden furniture including: farmhouse or rustic, contemporary or modern, resort or poolside and these can be made from hardwood, softwood, plastic or metal.

Hardwood is by far the most popular material for garden furniture and most people prefer the farmhouse style, although there are some fantastic modern styles as well.

No matter which style you prefer or what it is manufactured of the number one best piece of advice is to get the best quality that you can afford. This is true of most items you can buy, but I think that it is especially true of garden furniture because it will have a very hard life. Just imagine it: snow, rain, heat; temperatures varying from -5c to + 35c and varying humidity.

Cheap plastic cannot put up with those conditions. I used to buy cheap plastic and needed to replace it every eighteen months. Then I bought expensive plastic and I still have some of that but in essence it only lasted three years. I have seen metal garden furniture and it always rusts, even if it is plastic coated, enamelled or painted. Softwood lasts well, but it will rot after about five years even if it is fairly well taken care of.

The only garden furniture that I have ever bought or seen at friends’ houses that lasts and looks good all that time is hardwood. There is a wide selection of hardwoods. There are native hardwoods like oak, cherry, walnut, maple and beech and foreign hardwoods like mahogany and teak. These hardwoods can also be stained to virtually any colour although most people prefer the natural look.

Hardwood garden furniture is simple to maintain as well: just rub it over with linseed oil once or twice a year. If you carry out this simple maintenance procedure the timber will not dry out and it will resist the elements for twenty years or more ensuring that you get maximum value for money from this, the finest of all the styles of garden furniture.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a variety of topics, but is now involved with farmhouse dining tables. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Solid Oak Dining Tables.

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How To Buy Home Office Furniture

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

Do you work from home? Or do you surf the Internet or buy or sell on eBay? Do you send and receive email? Of course you do, because you are reading this piece. So let me ask you, how much attention do you pay to the equipment you use to perform these tasks?

You may make sure that you have the latest and fastest computer, you might make certain that you use the provider of the fastest broadband connection accessible in your district, but how much attention do you pay to your computer table and chair?

If you do not pay attention to these particulars too, you are surfing at top speed but you could be heading for a bad back and other physical issues at break-neck speed too. If you work for a company, these details are checked for you, or should be and if your boss does not take care of your posture, then the company could be liable for compensation. If you do not have a supervisor and work from home, it only makes sense that you take care of these particulars yourself.

If you take part in any of the activities mentioned in the first paragraph, you certainly should be taking an active interest in ergonomics, which is the study of the proper way to sit and how to use the proper equipment to help you to achieve the correct posture so that you do not subject your body to undue stress whilst you are working.

So, how do you go about acquiring the proper table or desk and the proper chair for you to do your work safely? Well, it is probably easiest to start with the chair. The correct chair for you will allow you to place your feet flat on the floor with your thighs parallel to the floor. You should be able to accomplish this position without balancing on the edge of your chair. If you require a foot stool to achieve this state, that is all right. The chair should have a back too. Some say there should be arm rests as well.

The table or desk should be of the height that will permit you to sit on your chair and put your elbows on the desk comfortably with a straight back. The height of the table must not encourage you to reach out or slump.

Once you know how high your table and chair need to be, you can consider size. In general, the larger the table or desk the better. However, you know what you are like. Are you the type of person who clears the desk at the end of every day, or are you the sort that works until you cannot work any more and likes to leave books and papers open for a quick start the next day?

If you are the latter sort, then you require as big a desk as you can get, but you may just want a big desk because they are impressive. Whatever. It does not matter. A bigger desk is better anyway. The bigger the better, but it must be at the height that allows you to sit at it on a seat that suits the length of your calfs and the length of your abdomen.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a range of subjects, but is now involved with large dining tables. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Solid Oak Dining Tables.

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Stopping Smoking Cigarettes

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Smoking cigarettes used to be a great deal more widespread than it is today. Now most smokers are searching for methods of stopping smoking. This is because smokers and the general public at large are more aware of the risks of smoking cigarettes nowadays.

Just look at films manufactured in the Sixties and before, everyone is smoking. It shows how common smoking was compared with today. This would not be possible now as you may not smoke in public places, on public transport, in restaurants or in bars any more in most Western countries and elsewhere too.

The difficulty with smoking is that not only the smoker suffers, so does everyone around about the smoker. This is called passive smoking and it has an effect on people working or living with smokers – a barmaid or a spouse for example. So, all these people are risking their health so that tobacco businesses can get richer.

No matter how long someone has been smoking, it is possible to stop the habit. Anyone who has stopped smoking will tell you that stopping smoking cigarettes is all to do with the mind. You really have to want to stop smoking or you will not do it successfully.

Individuals have different ways of stopping smoking cigarettes. Some say that nicotine patches or nicotine gum help, because you can wean yourself off nicotine slowly without having to inhale the poisonous smoke of cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive and most of the chemical withdrawal symptoms have to do with the shortage of nicotine in the body.

Most individuals find that the single effective way of stopping smoking cigarettes is to give up smoking dead – in one go. It is very difficult to cut down or to swap to a weaker brand. You are still inhaling poisonous smoke. It is still no good to you or anyone around you.

Cutting down or switching brands is not effective, because you will still smoke other smokers’ and you will still be in a smokers’ environment. You will also find yourself smoking tomorrow’s five cigarettes today, promising not to smoke any the next day. That never works. You have to quit smoking dead.

There are a number of situations that can provide the motivation to quit smoking cigarettes. Illness is usually high on the list. A few years ago two friends of mine who smoked heavily stopped smoking cigarettes within weeks of each other.

One was in his sixties and had smoked for almost sixty years: he was told that his lungs were beginning to go, but that if he stopped smoking, the shock might kill him. He stopped smoking one morning and is still alive, but what a dilemma!

The other was in his fifties and drove a lot as a travelling salesman. The physician told him that he would almost certainly have to have a leg removed next year, if he did not give up smoking and that the other may go a year or so after that. He stopped smoking instantly and still has both legs.

So it seems that the trick to stopping smoking cigarettes successfully is to find your motivation (do you want to live long enough to see the grandkids married?) and bear that image in front of you at all times. Take nicotine substitutes if you have to and keep away from environments where people smoke more, like taverns.Join a sports club instead, something like tennis, table tennis, swimming or even chess.

If you want to start quitting smoking cigarettes, you could do far worse than visit our free web site on Quitting Smoking

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So, You Want To Stop Smoking?

Friday, May 6th, 2011

If you are a smoker, then the overwhelming odds are that you have tried to give up smoking, even if you never told anyone that you were attempting to give up. The old joke among smokers is that they have given up giving up.

That is a real pity and a very sad joke. Most smokers began when they were young and impressionable, but it takes a great deal of willpower to give up for good.

If you are attempting to stop smoking, then I hope that some of the suggestions set out below will be of use to you in your task to kick the habit. The truth is that it takes most people years to really give up smoking, although there are lots of people who give up one day and never smoke again – ever.

It just depends on the type of person you are really. Individuals can cut down gradually and others know that if they are going to stop, then they need to make a clean break once and for all.

It is straightforward to judge progress with the person who ceases from one day to the next, but a great deal harder to do the same with someone who cuts down. For example, how long is someone going to take to cut down from one packet a day to two?

How does a partner know when someone is smoking ten cigarettes an evening, that they have not already smoked thirty during the day? It is a big problem.

In the end, the quitter is alone and if he or she wants to tell lies about their progress, they can. No-one else will know, but at the end of the day, they are just telling lies and trying to fool themselves that they are trying to give up smoking. Having said that, a smoker must reward himself for every step of real progress.

A decent tip is not to rely on just one strategy to give up. For example, you could wear a patch and reduce your intake by five or ten real cigarettes each week. Try nicotine gum at the same time.

Always tell people that you are giving up and never take a cigarette off anyone and never offer anyone one either. Do not get into ’rounds’ or ‘flashes’ of sharing cigarettes.

If you find that you smoke more whilst you are in a stressful situation, such as at the time to submit the end of year accounts, hold off trying to quit until after then. One of the times that most smokers have a big difficulty cutting down is when they are in the pub drinking alcohol with their friends. This is almost certainly the hardest time to overcome the habit.

Many people like a cigarette with a drink after work and if you fit into this category, endeavour to go home from work for a drink or give up smoking with a friend and take it in turns to go to their house and yours for a drink after you finish work. Once the first three months are over, you could go back to the pub and see how you get on or you simply may not want to anymore.

If you are considering how to quit smoking cigarettes, please go over to our website right now at: Quitting Smoking

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