Mar 23, 2009

Building custom dream houses

Have you always dreamed with a new house that looks exactly as you have planned in your mind? If this is something that you have always wanted to make happen, then having a look at the following Schumacher Homes Louisiana is something that you should do in order to get familiarized with the new concept of custom dream houses that is now spreading around the country.

Personally, I believe that building your own dream house is something that everyone should do in their lives as it is one of the biggest achievements that any human being can ever experience! As a matter of fact, after I decided to build my own dream house, I simply started to enjoy a lot more the time that I have spent at home with my friends while also making sure that the concept of my house really shows a bit about my personality…

Do you plan to visit Nebraska soon?




When considering the destinations that you would love to visit this year, does Nebraska appear as one of your favorite ones? If that's the case, then having a look at the following msnbc.com article is a must! In fact, it will work as a guide for you as it shows you how you can definitely take the most out of your travel...

"

LINCOLN, Neb. - Residents of a small southwest Nebraska town have a question for state officials: You're not doing anything with that old electric chair, are you?

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled last year that the state's use of the electric chair was unconstitutional. Some people in McCook — population just under 8,000 — think "Old Sparky" could be a tourist attraction and have offered to take it off the state's hands.

Fifteen men were executed in the chair, which is about 210 miles east of McCook at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln.

Corrections department spokeswoman Connie Nemec says there are no immediate plans to move the chair.

"

Mar 22, 2009

Buying some new designer clothes

While most people tend to look after the best designer clothes on the stores, the truth is that I have always preferred to do it online as we can always find the best deals on online stores, while also making sure that we are given the chance to look at a wide range of products in just a few minutes and without the need of leaving our comfortable chair!

Personally, I would say that monster republic is one of my favorite brands and I am sure that my son will love it! In fact, the vintage rock & roll, kooky dressup, unisex style is really trendy right now and so my son will definitely be able to impress everyone at school! Moreover, I have really love the monster republic denim shorts that can be found on www.rsavenue.com and I am sure that my soon will love them too!

So, if you are willing to buy some new designer clothes for you or anyone else in your family, why don’t you take some of your time and have a look at the website to which I have linked just above? I am sure that you can easily find something that you will love and that will get all the attention on the streets.

Traveling to Europe in order to buy some designer clothes


Now that most Italian designers have already showed what's new for us to try during the next fall/winter season, do you plan to travel to Europe and to the main European cities in order to buy some new designer clothes? If that's the case, then you definitely need to have a look at the msnbc.com article just below:

"

By Sarah Gold


Europe. Cheap. Could there be a more tantalizing combination of words?

As every Europhile knows, summer is a magical time to explore The Continent. But since it’s also high season, when rates for travel and accommodation skyrocket, it hasn’t typically been the best time to find wallet-friendly deals.

This year, however, is different. Not only have visitors to Europe become savvier than ever about scouting out budget strategies, but there are plenty of new affordable travel options to accommodate them.

For starters, flights to Europe are now far more numerous — and thus more competitively priced — than in previous years. The EU-US Open Skies air-transport agreement, which became effective in March 2008, allowed for greatly increased air traffic to European hubs — and in the coming months, U.S. and international carriers will add even more new European routes to their offerings. (U.S. Airways, for instance, will start running flights between Charlotte, North Carolina and Paris this spring; Delta plans a summertime launch of its new Detroit-Rome route.)

Travel within Europe is also increasingly reasonable. Discount European airlines, like RyanAir and EasyJet, are unveiling dozens of new inter-city flight routes, many of them priced outrageously low (how does a $40 one-way ticket between Berlin and Dubrovnik sound?).

Meanwhile, train service is expanding across the Continent, with newly introduced routes and high-speed coaches (especially in Spain and Italy), along with fabulous offerings like The Danube Express, a restored 1950’s commuter-rail train that runs all-inclusive sightseeing trips in 10 different countries.

And travelers who prefer to do their own driving can take advantage of a new way to save this year, too: Hertz’s 369 rental program, which now allows customers in nine European countries to rent cars by the hour, rather than by the day.

"

The importance of online Gambling

As you probably know, if you really want to travel all around the world and buy all the designer clothes that you want, then you definitely need to do your best to make it possible to get an important job in the company where you are working. Still, if you would like a small shortcut while also having some fun, then the best option for you are the online slots which will allow you to take full advantage of your luck while also winning lots of money!

Moreover, if you are a fan of the best casino online and if you tend to be a skilled player of the best casino games then you should definitely have a look at the links above and discover the ultimate online casino where everyone is given the chance to win some money but also to enjoy some of the most interesting and exciting games that you will ever have the chance to play online! What else could we really ask for? Just take some of your time and follow my example: play online slots and other games and see for yourself how you can easily win all the money that you need in order to fulfill some of your dreams!

Mar 19, 2009

Traveling to Hawaii


Hawaii is definitely one of the most visited places in the world but what is there for us to eat? What should we try there? If these are some of the questions that you would like to see answered, then you definitely need to have a look at the msnbc.com article just below:

"

HONOLULU - President Barack Obama doesn't need a restaurant guide when he visits Hawaii.

When the island icon comes home to visit family and vacation, he knows exactly where and what to eat. His favorites range from Hawaii's top fine-dining establishments to walk-up windows where $10 could buy a carb-rich feast.

Michelle Obama once said, "You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii."

And there's no way to truly experience Hawaii without tasting the local "grinds."

During his past two visits to Honolulu, where he was born and raised, Obama provided a glimpse of what pleases his presidential palate. While he has undoubtedly become a fan of Chicago fare, he didn't experience deep-dish pizzas or Italian beef sandwiches growing up.

The closest young Obama got to snow was slurping a Hawaiian shave ice.

"I'm going to get a plate lunch," Obama proclaimed, moments after arriving in Honolulu on his August vacation.

The name "plate lunch" doesn't quite do it justice. It should be called: heaping pile of rice and meat crammed into a plastic foam container that could feed a small family, costs about $6, will require a couple of Rolaids and induce a two-hour nap.

And if there's nothing on the plate that's deep fried, soaked in mayonnaise, smothered in gravy or doubles your bad cholesterol level, it's not a true plate lunch.

That could account for why the health-conscious president we see now was pleasantly plump during his childhood when he was known as "Barry."

Plate lunches have been a part of Hawaii for decades. They are believed to have originated in the 19th century plantation era, when sugarcane workers brought rice, pickled vegetables and other leftovers from dinner and took a lunch break together in the shade. Decades later, "lunch wagons" started delivering plate lunches to laborers, much like they do today.

Plate lunches reflect the state's multicultural population, with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and American influences.

There are literally hundreds of combinations of plate lunches to choose from, and some places now offer gourmet selections and more healthy choices with brown rice and tossed salads, instead of the traditional white rice and macaroni salad.

"

The importance of debt consolidation

Even if you have never found yourself in a situation where you had to ask for some financial support, the truth is that most of us are now facing some extra financial problems as the current financial downturn seems to be menacing us all.

Keeping this in mind, if you ever find yourself in need of some Debt Consolidation Help or if you basically need important advice and support on the matter, then you definitely need to consider having a look at the website above where people have a new chance to get some debt relief and have a second chance to move on with their lives.

Traveling to the most exotic countries


Are you planning to travel to Mexico or any other exotic country where you can take the most out of the amazing beaches and views there? If that's what you are planning to do soon, then you definitely need to know more about the conditions that you are going to find there and how it will easily come in handy to be informed in advance. Below is another msnbc.com article which will give you an idea of how it all works:

"

By staff

Follow the sun. It’s a simple prescription for the winter doldrums. But in these tumultuous economic times, the challenge for even the savviest traveler is finding the right sun-drenched spot at the right price.

To help you plan the perfect warm-weather retreat, Condé Nast Traveler turned to our globe-trotting correspondents for their picks of the best hotels and resorts that offer unbeatable values in the most appealing destinations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. So if you’re cold, pale, and yearning for an easy escape to warmer climes at an affordable price, your search is over — and your tan awaits.

"

Mar 13, 2009

Improving your physical appereance

While traveling all around the world, I realized that the physical appereance of the people tends to play a very important role as it allows us to stand out from the crowd and get some extra respect. Still, most people don’t pay as much attention to their physical appereance as they should.

Personally, I believe that it is extremely important that our teeth are given the best care possible and that’s one of the reasons why buying some new oral irrigator concentrate solution, Ultreo Electric Toothbrush and sonicare flexcare are some of the important things that we should buy if we really want to impress everyone with our amazing physical appereance as these are just some of the best products that can be found on the website to which I have linked above.
So, have you been trying to improve your physical appereance and make your teeth look better than ever? If that’s something that you have been trying to do but you never knew which the best products for your teeth were, then you definitely need to have a look at the website above where everyone is given the chance to find the best deals on some of the best products on the market!

Planning to visit Cuba soon?


Cuba is definitely one of the most paradisiacal countries in the world if you ask me. Still, when you consider the fact that it is about time that you travel and visit the country, the truth is that you may end up failling to get all the information that you need. Keeping this in mind, below is another msnbc.com article which will allow you to have a much more precise idea of how it all works:

"

HAVANA - Cubans say Washington's easing of travel and spending restrictions for Cuban-Americans visiting the communist island will be a boon to small business and a key step toward warmer relations with the United States.

Juan Carlos Piedra will be able to see his brother, who lives in Florida, more often. Just as important, he expects more business at his little Don Lorenzo restaurant in a crumbling corner of central Havana.

"We have a lot of neighbors who have family abroad. When their relatives visit, they bring them here," said the 53-year-old restaurant owner.

The U.S. Senate late Tuesday approved a $410 billion spending bill that rolls back Bush administration restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting relatives — effectively increasing allowable trips to once a year and spending to $179 a day.

The bill, which already passed the House of Representatives, was signed by President Barack Obama on Wednesday. It also removes limits on how long people can stay in Cuba.

The vote doesn't change existing restrictions, but prohibits spending on enforcement — thus reverting to travel rules before they there tightened by Bush in 2004 and 2005. It only remains in effect until the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, however.

'Fair measure for Cubans'
"I think it is a fair measure for the Cubans who are over there and for us Cubans who are here," said Omar Lugones, a 58-year-old Cuban Central Bank employee. "It's a measure that softens relations and all that is good."

The change comes at a time of increasing global pressure for the U.S. to lift its nearly 50-year-old trade embargo against the island.

Cuba's government had no official reaction Wednesday. Instead the Communist Party daily Granma published a story about the U.S. Treasury Department fining a U.S. dairy for doing business with Cuba, saying the sanction proves the Obama White House "ratifies the policy of blockade" against this country.

Criticism was also muted from Miami's Cuban expatriate community, where some have complained that eased restrictions will just put money in the pockets of the communist government, which runs 90 percent of the economy and owns the vast majority of stores where family members shop.

"

Obama has said he supports the trade embargo. But he can further ease travel restrictions by executive order and has indicated that he intends to do so.

"As a candidate, President Obama promised — as did the Democratic Party platform — to repeal all limits on family travel and family support, and we fully expect him to keep this pledge," said Sarah Stephens, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Democracy in the Americas.

Cuba's small, intensely regulated private sector saw significant losses when former President George W. Bush barred Americans from visiting family in Cuba more than once every three years. He also limited stays to two weeks and spending to $50 a day.

Taxi driver, artists stand to gain
Taxi drivers and street artists said they stand to gain from the presence of more Americans.

Cuban-Americans don't mind paying top dollar for art, said Enrique Martin, who sells watercolor paintings in an open-air market near the Havana cathedral.

"An Italian may buy a painting, but he will negotiate away 80 percent of the value. An American, as a hobby, will haggle with you, but then pay you what you want," he said. "Cuban-Americans do that too, because they have lived in the U.S. so long."

Bush also had capped the amount that can be sent from the U.S. to family on the island at $300 every three months.

Remittances are sure to grow as more visiting family members arrive with cash, rather than sending money through money transfer channels.

The U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean estimated that in 2003, Cubans abroad sent $900 million to the island. That number fell after the Bush restrictions, though reliable estimates on how much are hard to come by.

"It's a fact that the money that comes into the country through family remittances is indispensable," said saleswoman Lucia Pino, 34. "With the world economic crisis we are going through it is really important."

The bill also eases financing rules for imports of U.S. food and medicine into Cuba, suspending enforcement of Bush regulations that required Cuba to pay cash before Americans goods are delivered.

Finding the perfect furniture sets

Even considering the fact that I tend to travel way too much all around the world, the truth is that I always pay a lot of attention to the facilities and furniture that I have at home so that all my family can really take the most out of it while also enjoying their stay at home while I am away…

Personally, I would say that I tend to buy new furniture to my house every year and so redecorating my house is something that I do regularly. In fact, I recently decided that I would buy a some new Girls Bedroom Furniture for my daughter and so I have decided to have a look at some Kids Furniture but particularly to Bunk Beds as they are the favorite ones of my daughter! Still, I have already made up my mind and decided that I would be buying the amazing collection that you may see on the image below:


So, would you also like to buy some new furniture for your kids too? If that is something that you plan to do in the future, then you definitely need to have a look at the website above and see with your own eyes the amazing discounted prices on every furniture set that you are able to find on the website.

The White House is encouraging tourists


When thinking about the influence of the white house on the tourism worlwide, would you consider that they are now doing their best in order to make it possibe for us all to travel as much as we wish? Below is one opinion on this matter and another msnbc.com article which will allow you to have a much clearer idea of how it all works:

"

LAS VEGAS - The White House on Thursday encouraged Americans to travel, soothing words for the tourism industry that had complained for weeks that a remark from the president about corporate junkets had a chilling effect on business travel.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama was not discouraging travel when he said last month that businesses receiving federal bailout money should not be taking junkets.

"The president believes it's important to have a strong tourism industry and that it's important that, as the president said earlier ... that we shouldn't retrench," Gibbs said. "He would encourage people to travel."

Obama made the comment last month while promoting his stimulus bill at Indiana town hall meeting. Asked about corporate largesse and the federal bailout, the president said: "you can't get corporate jets, you can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer's dime."

Nevada officials have said the remark has discouraged travel among all companies skittish about being perceived as wasteful. At least three large banks recently have canceled meetings in Las Vegas. The impact was felt in city already badly bruised by the recession.

Tourism officials estimate cancellations have cost the region's tourism-related businesses about $132 million since October.

Gibbs said Thursday that the president was referring specifically to companies "that are getting large amounts of public funding."

"The president does have great concern with public money being used for that," he said. Gibbs added that the president's comment was "very clear," and passed on a chance to express regret.

Tourism advocates, who met with Obama Wednesday, praised the White House statement.

"These comments are extremely positive for the 1 million employees in this industry whose livelihood depends on business meetings and events," said Geoff Freeman, senior vice president of the U.S. Travel Association.

U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., called the remarks "a boost to our tourism and convention industry."

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who once demanded an apology from the president, said no apology was necessary.

"We got the message across that the president was not trying to disparage Las Vegas," Goodman told The Associated Press.

"

Boating with safety

As a traveler who really likes to take the most out of every travel, I tend to believe that it is extremely important that we always follow the safety rules and advices that the natives and specialists tend to give us. In fact, if you ever forget about their advices, you may even end up facing a very unpleasent situation…

Keeping this in mind, if you ever decide to boat on any river with some cases of beer on board then you should know that you are racing against the law if your blood alcohol is 0.8 or more just like it would work if you were driving a car. Moreover, the penalties are also the same and it is extremely dangerous if you are not boating in the best of your conditions.

So, would you like to know more about Boating OUI and other related topics? If that’s the case then you should definitely have a look at the website above and also the video that you may watch at the end of this post, making sure that you have detailed knowledge when you finally decide to start boating with some friends while also making sure that you are all completely safe from any accident that could happen.

Yoga may change our lives


Have you ever tried Yoga in your life? Well, the truth is that a big percentage of people who have tried simply tend to spread the word about it and claim that it has really changed their lives! Personally, I have never tried it but I am willing to do so after I read the msnbc.com article that can be found below:

"

By Valaer Murray

The night that we helped the baby turtles make their mad dash into the sea, it all came together: It was turtle birthing season along the Pacific Coast where The Tides Zihuatanejo spreads its cabanas along the shoreline. We had just spent five days practicing yoga twice daily in a shady pavilion on the same beach where these tiny babies hatched. Each evening at sunset, as we were facing the sea in Warrior One pose, female turtles dug their nests in the sand, just as we burrow down to our daily routines.

Most people who do yoga agree that it is a long process of slowly getting stronger, steadier and lengthier. Every class is a new chance to perfect a pose or go deeper, but it can take an intense focus on your practice to open new doors of awareness, and opting for a yoga retreat is the best way to do that. When you combine all of this with luxuriant spa treatments and gourmet meals in a beautiful destination, the holiday not only relaxes but might give birth to a new you.

There are plenty of new yoga retreats every season, but planning a yoga vacation requires discernment. Many luxury resorts, like The Tides, are now hosting various retreats, and the huge differences are the quality of spa services and the level of accommodations. After an intense day of yoga, the last thing you want to do is share a bunk bed with a snoring fellow participant. Rather, at The Tides, I awoke each morning to hot coffee and freshly baked chocolate croissants before the morning session and then returned to my palapa-covered villa to take a dip in the private plunge pool.

"

Mar 11, 2009

Traveling with the best auto ac

While traveling around the US and making sure that I was taking the most out of every state, I realized that it was extremely important that my car was in its best shape and completely equipped with the best auto ac compressor available on the market!

In fact, some years ago when I traveled to Arizona with my malfunctioning auto ac, it was really impossible for me to stay for as long as I wished simply because the weather and the malfunctioning auto ac couldn’t help me with that. Fortunately, for all of you willing to buy a new auto ac with full warranty, there is a very plausible solution that can be found on the website to which I have linked above.

Tourism is going to decline on 2009

Just as you could easily conclude, now that the financial downturn is menacing us all, tourism is expected to decline during this year on a worlwide basis, making sure that everyone will be affected by the crisis. Below is the msnbc.com article that tells you the whole story with full detail:

"

BERLIN - The United Nations' tourism organization said Wednesday that international vacation travel could drop up to 2 percent in 2009 as the economic crisis worsens.

Europe's broad tourism industry would likely see the largest drop in visitors, but that small countries dependent on foreign spending might suffer most, said Talib Rifai, secretary general of the U.N. World Tourism Organization.

Approximately 924 million tourists traveled across international borders in 2008, Rifai said — or 2 percent more than the previous year, though the numbers fell sharply in the last six months as economic worry prompted people to curb spending.

Rifai called the increase modest compared with the "bullish years" of 2004-2007, when growth averaged 7 percent.

"This is not a tourism crisis. It's an economic crisis that spills over into tourism," Rifai said in Berlin, where he was attending a tourism trade fair.

Still, he said his organization was predicting a drop of as much as 2 percent this year, based on the current situation.

A spokesman for the U.N. organization, however, said travel could fall by as much as 5 percent. "That's not an official UNWTO position, but I'm being very straight with you," Geoffrey Lipman told reporters.

He said small countries whose gross domestic product is 70 percent to 80 percent dependent on service industries including tourism were most vulnerable. He and Rifai both declined to identify specific countries.

Rifai said Europe's likely decline could be partially offset by a boon in new tourism from China. Some 45 million Chinese traveled abroad in 2008, and China hopes to double that number by 2012.

"

Finding the perfect American flag for you

As a truly proud American, when traveling all around the world I always make sure that everyone knows where I come from by carrying my own USA flag that my father has given me as soon as I became an adult!

Personally, I believe that flags can play quite an important role when it comes the time to impress other countries with the proud that we have on our country and that’s something that I have always done in my life! Moreover, I also have an American flag at my business and I am far from being the only one… As a matter of fact, I would say that most of my friends agree with me when I claim that the USA flag carries too many important and historical events for us to forget about its importance. Furthermore, I believe that everyone should have an American flag and that’s exactly why I would like to recommend all my readers to have a look at the website to which I have linked just above and where you are going to be able to find the best deals on American flags amongst many other products that you will also love! In what relates to prices, I can assure you that I have never seen better prices! What else could we really ask for?

Finding something different for our dinner


When considering the fact that we often think that we have already tried every dinner available on the city, I would personally say that we are totally wrong as you can easily witness by having a look at another msnbc.com article just below which will show you that there are many things for us to try yet:

"

By Gisela Williams

Last October, more than 40 people followed signs depicting a skull and crossbones, with a knife and fork in place of the bones, to a secluded Bavarian-style hunting lodge 30 minutes north of St. Louis.

The attendees didn't have any idea where they were headed or what to expect. All they knew was that they were in for a five-course meal courtesy of John-Jack, an undercover chef who'd invited each of them via a top-secret e-mail to the latest of what he calls his Entre dinner parties.

Guests arrived to a bluegrass band jamming in a room decorated with deer antlers. As a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, they dined on wild-elk medallions, home-cured bacon, grapefruit confit and butternut squash ice cream — and toasted their good fortune with pumpkin ale from nearby microbrewery Schlafly.

Welcome to the world of underground supper clubs. Getting a reservation requires a little detective work, but once in, you may never go back to eating out the old-school way again. The idea behind these dinners is to let talented chefs work their whisks in an affordable, relaxed setting. And since they're often operating out of their own kitchens, without a license to serve the public, these cooks have to keep the locales — and their own identities — under wraps.

"The trend started in food-centric cities like San Francisco, but in the last year, groups have been popping up across the country," says Jenn Garbee, author of Secret Suppers, which spotlights some of the more than 80 clubs now up and running in the U.S.

One such is Guerrilla Cuisine, founded by an incognito cook in Charleston, S.C., who uses the alias Jimihatt and wears a ninja mask at his gatherings. As at many clubs, diners must submit their reservations weeks in advance on Jimihatt's Web site and then wait for an e-mail with directions to the hush-hush locale.

Based on his track record, you won't be disappointed: The bearded Jimihatt and his rotating crew of sous-chefs have served secret, Southern-style suppers (andouille sausage gumbo, Cajun smoked chicken, chocolate beignets) in galleries, wineries, even a grocery store.

Jimihatt now has a little friendly competition from an Atlanta cook named Lady Rogue. Her RogueApron shindigs each have a different theme.

At a recent event, a Great Depression–style repast in Lang-Carson Park, guests stood in a soup line for pancetta minestrone with porcini mushrooms, and lemongrass-spiked corn broth. Then they divided into teams for an impromptu game of Wiffle ball. "Our goal," Lady Rogue says, "is to make dining more inclusive and to have strangers connect over food. What better way to meet people?"

"

For those hoping to break bread with their own buddies, there's 12B in Vancouver. To keep operations simple, its mastermind, Chef Todd, hosts the six-course dinners in his own apartment, hence the name. And unlike most supper clubs, 12B cooks only for groups of friends (up to 12 at a time).

"Even after working 16-hour days, I would sit at home and think, 'I've got to find a way to feed more people,'" Chef Todd says.

Money isn't the incentive. His minimum-donation fee of $50 just covers costs for a feast (stuffed artichoke hearts, five-mushroom ravioli, butter-poached scallops served with BBQ pulled pork) that would average twice as much in a restaurant.

But as Chef Todd will attest, these clubs are less about saving and more about spending a night eating exceptionally well in the unlikeliest of places, whether a cozy lodge straight out of a fairy tale or a humble living room.

Mar 10, 2009

Promoting your business

As you know, if you want to be a successful traveler and enjoy some of the most amazing experiences ever when you decide to travel, then you definitely need to have a successful business so that you can have enough profit to make sure that your budget covers all your needs when traveling.

Personally, I would say that marketing is one of the most important aspects in the success of any company or business and that’s exactly why you should definitely consider the possibility of finding a complete direct marketing list of mails so that you can make sure that the word is spread when it comes the time to promote new products that you may be selling or some new discounts or offers that you may also be considering! I am sure that you recognize the importance of promoting your business therefore you should take some time and have a deep look at the website to which I have linked above.

Discovering Peru and the amazing views there!


When thinking about the most amazing destinations in the world that I would like to visit, Peru and the amazing historical cities there are definitely some of the first images that come to my mind! Personally, I would consider that Peru is one of the countries in the world that has more to show us! Do you agree?
Below is another msbc.com extract from an article which I would like you to read if you are considering the possibility of traveling to Peru...

"

By Jonathan Levi


What follows is an adaptation of a story originally appearing in the March 2009 issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

Don Nazario Turpo died a stupid death. The driver of the bus in which he was traveling from Saylla to Cuzco didn't realize that the locals were making one of their low-tech protests — placing stones across the road without warning. Fourteen others besides Nazario died in the crash, and fifty were wounded.

I had met Nazario, a shaman, a couple of years before at Machu Picchu. After the other tourists had gone, he sat in the quiet of the ruins and told my daughter's fortune. "I'm coming back to Peru," Rebecca had whispered to me as we walked past llamas in the dusk.

"But not to Machu Picchu," Nazario had said. The fortress of the Incas had fallen to mass tourism. Every day, hundreds were arriving on buses, charging down the Inca Trail and through the Sun Gate. They came here on the five-hundred-dollar-a-head Orient-Express Hiram Bingham day-trip from Cuzco — a journey to what is fast becoming one of the world's most endangered gorgeous sites.

Nazario had mentioned another Incan citadel. No one went to this place. But it wasn't until Roger Valencia of the tour operator Auqui e-mailed me with news of Nazario's death that I wrote back to ask if he knew about this sister to Machu Picchu.

"Choquequirao," Roger answered. "Even more beautiful than Machu Picchu. When do you want to go?"

Choquequirao. Choqeqirau. Chokekiraw. I Googled as many variations as I could imagine and came up with little. I pulled my copy of “Lost City of the Incas” off the shelf and searched the index. “Lost City” was written by Hiram Bingham forty years after he had become the first Northerner, in 1911, to "discover" Machu Picchu. The book was full of Choquequirao.

Choquequirao, in fact, was Bingham's destination on his virgin trip to Peru in 1909, the city he believed to be the last holdout of the Incas during the 1530s, when Spanish conquistadors destroyed their empire. City of Gold was how the Peruvians translated the name to Bingham. The last holdout would hold the last treasure.

Once Bingham decided that Machu Picchu was the City of Gold, Choquequirao faded like a discarded high school girlfriend. But recent archaeologists have cast doubt on Bingham's theories. Choquequirao, the original City of Gold, may be getting ready for its red carpet walk.

There’s a reason Choquequirao is unknown: It is a five-day hike to reach it. I knew some people who had flown in by helicopter, but the winds in the mountains can be unpredictable. They had nearly crashed. Three times.

"

Mar 9, 2009

Spreading the word about your business

When considering the possibility of promoting your own business, do you honestly consider the possibility of promoting it online? If that’s the case, then you would better consider the chance of getting the help of a SEO Consultant, who will definitely play an important role showing you the way towards success!

Personally, I think that before finding the perfect Internet Marketing Consultant service that can easily fit your needs, you should read weekly tips for how to make your business succeed that can be found on the website to which I have linked just above. Moreover, the Internet Marketing Consulting services being provided on the website above are so incredibly helpful for our business that some of the current companies working with that SEO consultant include some companies that I am sure that you can easily recognize. So, why don’t you give it a try and see with your own eyes what Internet Marketing can do for your company? I am sure that any business or company could easily benefit from having a marketing specialist doing his best in order to make sure that an increasing number of clients visit your website and spread the word about the products or services that you are offering there.

Jetblue offering us some new rates


If we consider the possibility of traveling all around the world and if you are really looking forward the best rates available on the market, then you should definitely have a look at the article just below which can be found on msnbc.com and discover how you can easily take full advantage of the amazing deals available now:

"

LOS ANGELES - Manny Ramirez isn't the only one benefiting from his decision to rejoin the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To welcome back Ramirez, who agreed to a $45 million, two-year deal Wednesday, JetBlue Airways is offering a $99 Manny Fan Fare each way for Southern California residents. The fare amount represents Ramirez's jersey number.

Through May 21, residents can travel from Long Beach to either New York's JFK International or Boston's Logan Airport or from Burbank to JFK. The special fare sale ends Sunday.

JetBlue is the Dodgers' airline partner.

"Customers can choose to jet to Manny's hometown and our home base, New York, or the home of his former team in Boston," said Marty St. George, the airline's senior vice president of marketing.

"

Finding the old friends from High School

While most people tend to believe that high school reunions are the only chance that we have in order to discover what our friends have been doing, the truth is that the Internet can play quite an important role when it comes the time to discover who married and who is still single…

Personally, after High School I went to study Arts in Europe and that’s what I have been doing for the last four years. Still, I am far from knowing what all my friends have been doing for the last couple of years. In fact, after studying the main subjects of my arts course, I am now doing my best in order to finish the last few subjects which include a project in which I will have to develop a new work about Leonardo da Vinci. I really wonder what my friends are doing by now and I am sure that the website above will play an important role allowing me to discover that.

Mar 5, 2009

Some new important updates on airlines



Do you honestly think that you have already seen everything when it comes the time to update the rules on the airplanes? Well, I am sure that you will be amazed to discover that in the future you are going to need to pay if you want to go to the toilet... Below is another msnbc.com article telling you the whole story:

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DUBLIN - Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary insisted Thursday he's serious about making passengers pay for the right to relieve themselves on flights — and is flush with interest in the idea of mounting credit card-operated toilets.

O'Leary, whose Dublin-based airline has pioneered the practice of filling air travel with extra charges, divided opinion last week by suggesting that his next target would be coin-operated toilets. Aviation analysts and the traveling public alike couldn't tell whether O'Leary — a cut-throat operator with an entertainingly bombastic style — was poking fun at his own reputation.

The Ryanair boss told a dumfounded Dublin press conference Thursday the days of the unlocked potty are indeed numbered.

"Eventually it's going to happen. It's just we can't do it at the moment because we don't have a mechanism for charging you," he said.

O'Leary said he has asked engineers at U.S. aircraft maker Boeing — which supplies Ryanair's entire fleet of 737-800s — to design toilets with doors that open only if you swipe a valid credit card through the locking mechanism. He conceded that his earlier idea, to make them coin-operated, wouldn't work in part because Ryanair operates heavily in areas using both the euro and British pound.

"We have looked into this before, and the problem is Boeing can't come up with a mechanism on the toilet door to take coins," he said. "We're suggesting they go back and look at a mechanism where you'd swipe the credit card for a quid (British pound) on the toilet door. They've gone off to look at that. ... We are serious."

He didn't seek to soften the impression that Ryanair was happy to make its passengers suffer.

"Most people would go to the loo (toilet) before they get on the plane, or they hold it until they land. You would only have to deal with the people who absolutely have to go," he said.

"

Buying some new dining room furniture

While traveling all around the world, I realized that it is extremely important that you always pay attention to the furniture that you have at home so that you can always identify yourelf with the furniture and decoration of your house so that you can impress your friends and show them a bit about your personality by allowing them to discover it by looking at the furniture that you buy.

Personally, I am looking for some new Bar Stools and also a new Round Dining Table because I tend to redecorate my house about three times a year, making it absolutely mandatory that I always do my best in order to find the best deals on Dining Room Furniture. Fortunately, I recently came across the website to which I have linked above and where we are all given the chance to buy the most beautiful and stylish furniture that you willl ever be able to find for your dining room while also taking full advantage of the most incredible prices that I have ever seen! What else could I really ask for? Below is a photo of the new bar stools that I will be buying soon:




So, if you have also decided to redecorate your new house or if you are willing to buy some new dining room furniture then you should definitely take soem of your time and visit the website above! I am sure that you will find something that you will love and for the best price ever…

Visiting a new museum in Portland


Are you visiting Portland in the next few weeks or moths? If that's something that you are going to do, then you will be glad to know that there is another museum for you to visit there, making sure that you will always have something interesting to do there! Below is another msnbc.com article telling you the whole story:

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PORTLAND, Maine - The Portland Museum of Art has discovered that there's nothing like a little rock 'n roll to bring in the crowds.

The museum in Portland, Maine, drew a record 17,839 visitors in February, thanks to the popularity of its exhibition "Backstage Pass: Rock & Roll Photography." The figure broke the mark set by an Ansel Adams exhibition in 2000.

"Backstage Pass" draws from the nation's largest private collection of photographs of rock musicians. Many of the 268 photographs of artists including Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, the Clash and Madonna have been rarely seen in public.

Chief Curator Tom Denenberg says the exhibition "exceeded all of our expectations." It remains on view through March 22.

"

Before buying a new car...

As you know, when you decide to buy a new car so that you can always feel secure about it and its performance, it is extremely important that you pay attention to every single aspect of its performance and even take a close look at the general appearence of the car on the streets!

Keeping this in mind, if you are now considering the possibility of buying a new car and if you would like to see some videos and photos of the car then you should definitely have a look at this Car Pictures Gallery which will give you a much more precise idea of how it handles on the road and how it really looks from every angle! Moreover, if you are buying a compact car, then watching the Compact Car Road Test Video of the car that you would like to buy may be one of the most important things for you to see before buying it as it will allow you to make up your mind easily and decide if you are buying it or not.

So, are you buying a new Acura or any other car? If that’s the case, then you would better have a look at the test videos, photos and many other extras on the website above while also watching this Acura Road Test Video that will definitely impress you with the amazing results that came out of the test.

New space museum for you to visit!


When you consider the big events of this century, which are the first ones to com to your mind? I would personally say that space events and space travels are definitely the ones that first come to my mind as the ones that have played the most important role of the century... Below is an msnbc.com article which will let you know everything about the new space museum:


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CONCORD, N.H. - First, a rocket landed gingerly outside the door. Then, a huge space shuttle model took form inside.

Now, New England's first air and space science center is opening to carry on the legacy of two New Hampshire space heroes: Alan Shepard and Christa McAuliffe.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is four times the size of the original Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, opened in 1990 in honor of the Concord High School teacher who died in the space shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986.

With its observatory dome and 92-foot full-scale mock-up of the rocket and capsule that carried Shepard into space in 1961, the center, opening March 6, dwarfs the original planetarium. Its programs do the same.

"It's not just an expansion," said Director Jeanne Gerulskis. "It's a transformation of how we operate."

The new programs build on the planetarium theater presentations, interactive space and science displays and teacher and student workshops to offer fun ways to inspire kids and adults to learn about science and other careers.

The key, said center astronomer Kathryn Michener, is to make sure exhibits are more than just something to look at.

"We want people to have an amazing, immersive experience," Michener said. "When you enjoy what you are learning about, you will remember more of it."

Planning a mission to Mars
For instance, the new "Expedition to Mars" exhibit allows families or school groups to plan their own 18-month mission to Mars — designing living space, deciding on what provisions to take and how to protect themselves from the dangers of space.

"And they take a quiz to see if they would actually be able to survive emotionally and mentally a six-month trip one way, spend six months there and six months back in a very small enclosure with a bunch of other people," Michener said.

Other exhibits explore Earth's environment, energy use and even interesting jobs.

The "Real People, Amazing Jobs" interactive display allows visitors to learn about the daily lives of people including scientists, engineers and TV meteorologists.

The message for kids: "Maybe I could do something like this," said Gerulskis. "Here is this person right in front of me who has figured out how to do it."

The center's first "Real People" award will go to the country's latest aeronautic hero: US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger for landing his crippled airliner safely in the Hudson River in New York Jan. 15. He will accept via a taped video message at the center's opening ceremony March 6.

Gerulskis says Shepard, the first American in space, and McAuliffe, the first teacher in space, were courageous pioneers.

She points to the Redstone rocket and Mercury capsule. At just under a fraction under 6 feet wide, it's much smaller than it looked on TV blasting into space — appearing almost fragile as it sways slightly in the wind.

"Would you climb into that little capsule at the top?" Gerulskis said. "That was really brave."

The rocket is the centerpiece of Redstone Rocket Plaza outside the center's front door. An interactive exhibit surrounding it tells the story of Shepard, his historic flight and the race with the Soviet Union to land the first astronauts on the moon.

McAuliffe's mother, Grace Corrigan, said McAuliffe would be proud to be linked with Shepard.

"I just remember Christa saying when somebody said 'Oh, you are such a hero,' she laughed and she said: 'No. I'm not a hero. Alan Shepard; now that was a hero.'"

Gerulskis said planning began for the $15 million center shortly after Shepard, from Derry, died in 1998 at age 74.

A piece of space
The center will open in phases: interactive exhibits and the cutting edge observatory this week, with future phases over the next several years. They include a Challenger Learning Center for space and science studies, an aviation center including mock-ups suspended from the atrium ceiling of the Mercury capsule that carried Shepard in 1961, the Apollo spacecraft that took him to the moon a decade later and a jet he flew as a test pilot.

As good as the displays are, Gerulskis said, another key is finding employees who retain a kid's sense of wonder.

"It's the only place where I've worked that I found other people still have Star Trek toys," she said.

Planetarium educator Robert Veilleux has something better.

"Every day, when I come up here, I always bring along with me a little hunk of space," he said, reaching into his pocket for a heavy piece of pockmarked metal about the size of a thick arrowhead.

"It's an iron meteorite, it fell over in Russia in 1947," he said. "I let the kids hold a piece of space. Some of them, their eyes just light up."

Mission accomplished.

Veilleux, 66, was the New Hampshire runner-up to McAuliffe for the teacher-in-space spot on Challenger. He's been to five shuttle launches and uses his planetarium job to share his enthusiasm about space travel.

"I come here to play," he said.

Another way to play will be the interactive shuttle displays, including one on sleeping in space.

But Gerulskis suspects there will be a lot of interest in one "not-so-interactive" display that helps answer a common question about space travel: "How do astronauts go to the bathroom?"

"We have a shuttle toilet," she said with a laugh. "We'll have to block it off — the seating arrangement at any rate."

"

Mar 3, 2009

Finding some new LDS friends

As a traveler who has already seen a bit of everything on this world, I would say that I am quite a moderate person when it comes the time to meet different people and different cultures. In fact, I would even say that those differences often attract my curiosity and so it is amazing how much I tend to learn with new people!

Still, there are some groups of people who are often forgotten in our society but not on the Internet! Personally, I have always loved to chat with LDS friends and so when I recently found this new LDS chat website I was really excited with the possibility of being able to find some new LDS friends with who I may share some of my personal opinions and even discover more about their own lifestyle and beliefs! Moreover, as you would expect, LDS are really interesting people who have a different life approach, making them really special to meet.

So, would you like to meet some new LDS friends? If that’s the case, then you definitely need to have a look at the website to which I have linked just above and which is completely free to register, allowing you to start chatting in just a few minutes! What else could you ask for?

A good example on how we shall solve problems with planes


As you know, over the past few weeks there are been a few disasters with planes and airlines all around the world. In fact, people no longer feel as secure as they used to in the past and an increasing number of people is trying to find alternatives to the planes... Still, there are some stories that reveal us that we should continue to trust airlines just like the one that may be read below or on msnbc.com:

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A U.S. Airways Express flight with a faulty landing gear light has landed safely after being diverted to New York's Kennedy Airport.

Flight 4042 from Norfolk, Va., landed around 8 a.m. Tuesday. The flight was operated by Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp. and bound for LaGuardia Airport in New York.

Air Wisconsin spokeswoman Annette Daly says the crew thought the plane's landing gear had not extended because the light didn't go on. The pilot flew by an airport tower to confirm the gear was OK and the plane was cleared to land.

The plane was diverted to Kennedy because it has a longer runway. The flight had 39 passengers and three crew members.

"

Mar 2, 2009

Finding the best pool service in Orlando, Florida

As a traveler who also loves the sea and going to the beaches, when I come back home I always have my swimming pool waiting for me in the garden which allows me to feel relaxed and amused even when I am not traveling all around the world!

Still, when it comes the time to get some maintenace for my swimming pool, I often end up noticing that it can be difficult to find decent companies who offer affordable prices for their services. Fortunately, for all of you living in Orlando, Florida you can always count with Hydrotech Pools as your leading pool service orlando and which is also a company providing you very affordable prices for their services when you keep in mind the amazing services that they provide.

The best Hotels in Miami for you to go!


Miami, one of the most amazing cities in the whole world and also one of the most visited ever! Would you also like to visit the city but you don't know which the best Hotels and Resorts for you are? If that's your problem and main guess right now, then you definitely need to read the msnbc.com article just below and make up your mind:

"

By Editorial Staff

Sprawling, sexy, sometimes unruly and occasionally outrageous, Miami has morphed into an urban mix unlike any other in America. It’s little wonder that vacationers have demanded the same magic recipe for the city’s manically developing hotel scene, which has seen a glut of lavish new (or splendidly refurbished) lodging options roll out just as everyone else is tightening their belts.

We’ve set our sights on the best of this new breed to bring you our top 10 picks for the year’s hottest Miami hotels — and we’re pleased to report a welcomed trend of properties moving beyond style (and attitude) over substance. Expect exceptional amenities, refined service and overall value to be factored into this decadent Miami mix.

The Angler’s Boutique Resort
The Angler's incorporates original 1930s Mediterranean revival architecture into an expanded 49-unit property that features subtly chic neutral- and dark-wood interiors by designer J. Wallace Tutt III (who masterminded Gianni Versace's opulent Ocean Drive mansion).

Located away from the South Beach hotel herd, it's an oasis on the cusp of the burgeoning South of Fifth neighborhood. The warm, sizable rooms range from studios to truly splurge-worthy three-story villas with spiral staircases and rooftop showers. A cozy pair of poolside cabanas with sexy oyster-shell chandeliers can be booked for a private Mediterranean-inspired dinner from on-site restaurant 660 Mediterranean Kitchen.

The Betsy South Beach
Formerly the Betsy Ross, this revamped property is stepping out on Ocean Drive in March 2009 with colonial-meets-tropical decor, a Laurent Tourondel BLT Steak restaurant and an invite-only lounge. In a turn away from the trend of piling rooms on top of condos on top of nightclubs, the Betsy is intimate in size and feel. The 63 elegant rooms come with dark walnut floors, poster beds and original photography on the walls, while the spacious bathrooms are outfitted with Malin+Goetz amenities and mirrors inlaid with LCD televisions.

Several of the wooden plantation-style shuttered windows boast unobstructed ocean views. There’s a pool, spa and rooftop solarium, plus a plot of beach with “beach butlers” at the ready — tell the hotel you’re spending the day on the sand and they’ll pack you a picnic basket filled with snacks, wine and magazines.

Eden Roc Resort
Long-term rival to its neighbor, the Fontainebleau, this Morris Lapidus classic is in the final stages of a $200 million transformation. It recently debuted two new restaurants, Gia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar and the casual Cabana Beach Club, and will unveil the Waterfall Bar (tucked under an infinity pool) next winter. The Eden Roc has also added a 21-story tower with 282 rooms, including 14 luxurious bi-level bungalow suites tricked out with a range of amenities. A new spa and fitness center are additionally set to open this fall.

Fontainebleau
After a jaw-dropping $1 billion makeover, the Fontainebleau re-emerged in November 2008 as a major convention player but with far more sparkle than the average business hotel. The abundant chandeliers and black bow-tie patterned marble floors evoke the 1954 Morris Lapidus-designed original, a legendary Rat Pack hangout; but the supersized scale — 1,504 rooms, each equipped with a 20-inch iMac; 11 spacious eateries (ranging from a high-end steakhouse to a poolside sushi lounge); and 30,000-square foot DJ-driven nightclub — is 21st-century Vegas showmanship all the way.

Gansevoort South
Well suited to its warmer digs, this glittering incarnation of the NYC hot spot has a shark tank in the lobby, a show-stopping David Barton–designed gym and spa and the most stunning rooftop pool in town. Located in the newly-hot Mid-Beach area, everything about the hotel is set on a grand scale, including its 334 rooms, which are pleasantly ginormous, and two big-name New York restaurants, STK and Philippe.

There’s also a sexy rooftop bar called Plunge and full-scale nightclub, Louis, the latest in a family that includes hotspots Prive and Mansion. Despite all of the name-dropping, the stellar service is notably un-snooty and the front desk is not just a runway for pretty faces.

"

Finding the perfect clothes for you

While most people tend to travel around the world without noticing the amazing views there but also the different clothes and styles that they often find on some specific countries, the truth is that I am quite aware of those facts and I tend to pay a lot of attention to fashion and alternative styles…

Keeping this in mind, I recently came across an amazing online store where women are given the chance to buy plus size clothes for the best prices ever while also getting high quality clothes and getting a new style that could easily make the difference when it comes the time to impress someone! Personally, I found the jeans particularly cool and stylish on the website to which I have linked above and below you may see the jeans that I am offering my wife next week:



So, do you also think that it is about time that you buy your clothes online and really get a new style that could change your life? If that’s the case, then you should take some of your time to visit the website above and find some new pieces of fashion that you really love while also taking full advantage of the free shipping possibility if your order is over $100. What else could you really ask for?

Recent Turkish flight is being investigated


As you would expect, airlines tend to study the consequences and causes of every crash that sometimes may take them by surprise so that they can prevent it from happening in the future once more! Keeping this in mind, if you would like to know something more about the latest Turkish airlines crash, then you definitely need to have a look at the msnbc.com article just below:

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Investigators are examining turbulence as one of the possible causes of the Turkish Airlines crash that killed nine people and injured more than 100 near Amsterdam's main airport, a spokesman said Saturday.

Fred Sanders, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority investigation team, also said that the wreckage that has lain in a muddy field since it plunged out of the sky Wednesday one mile short of the runway could be moved Sunday evening.

A Turkish pilots' group claimed that turbulence from a large plane landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport shortly before the doomed flight, which was carrying 135 passengers and crew from Istanbul, may have caused the crash.

Turkey Airline Pilots' Association Secretary-General Savas Sen said late Friday that a large Boeing 757 had landed at Schiphol Airport two minutes earlier. Sen said that plane most likely created "wake turbulence" that hampered the Turkish aircraft's landing.

Wake turbulence forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air.

"All possible causes are (being) investigated and turbulence is known to have caused problems in the past, so you never know," Sanders said.

The investigators on Saturday continued to analyze flight data and cockpit recordings retrieved from the Boeing 737-800's "black boxes" and hope to be able to give a preliminary cause of the crash next week.

'Sad miracle'
In Istanbul, the head of Turkish Airlines' board of directors paid tribute to pilots Hasan Tahsin Arisan, Olgay Ozgur and Murat Sezer and flight attendant Ulvi Murat Eskin at their funerals.

Candan Karlitekin said that, of the 135 people on board, 126 survived due to the pilots' skills.

"It was a miracle but a sad miracle," Karlitekin said in a teary address. "They saved the lives of 126 people and made their families happy, but they died themselves."

Dozens of survivors remained hospitalized Saturday and one was still in critical condition, said Heske Pohlmann, a spokeswoman for Haarlemmermeer municipality.

Boeing Co. said late Friday that three of the American victims were its employees and a fourth Boeing worker remained hospitalized.

Authorities did not release the identity of the other American and Turk killed.

Did engines stop?
Pieter van Vollenhoven, head of the Dutch agency investigating the crash, has said that the plane fell almost vertically from the sky, which pointed toward its engines having stopped. He said a reason for that had not yet been established.

Other possible causes under investigation include weather-related factors, insufficient fuel, loss of fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes.

Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 300 feet. It smashed into three pieces as it skidded to a halt in the mud but there was no fire.

The airline also denied reports that the plane, which was built in 2002, had had technical problems in the days before the accident. The plane underwent routine maintenance Feb. 19, and had to delay a flight Feb. 23 — the day before the crash — to replace a faulty caution light.

"