Back to School special offer

English Review:

Even considering the fact that I am no longer a student who really has to do everything possible in order to make sure that I have the latest gadgets and school material so that I can achieve my goals as a student, the truth is that I still remember what I used to do and how I used to prepare myself for school every year!

Keeping this in mind, I am experienced enough to assure absolutely everyone that it is vital that we always look for the best back to school offers such as the recent Apple’s Back to School offer to buy Apple, which allows us to save hundreds of Euros when we buy Mac+iPod, making sure that we can both enjoy the best music at school but also that we are given the chance to enjoy the best software experience with the help of a MAC system.

So, wouldn’t you agree with me that it is about time that you also do something in order to prepare you or your children for the upcoming school season? If that’s the case then you definitely need to check out Apple’s offer on the website above and see with your own eyes how incredibly easy it is to save hundreds of Euros, while also getting the latest software, gadgets, etc.

Spanish Review:

Aun considerando el hecho de que ya no soy un estudiante que realmente tiene que hacer todo lo posible para asegurarse de que tengo la última aparatos y material escolar para que pueda alcanzar mis metas como estudiante, la verdad es que aún recuerdo lo que yo solía hacer y cómo lo utiliza para prepararme para la escuela cada año!
Teniendo esto en cuenta, yo tengo experiencia suficiente para asegurar a absolutamente todo el mundo que es vital que siempre buscamos el mejor que el regreso a la escuela ofrece, tales como la oferta Back to School de Apple para comprar apple que nos permite ahorrar cientos de euros al comprar Mac + iPod, asegurándose de que los dos podemos disfrutar de la mejor música en la escuela, sino también que se nos da la oportunidad de disfrutar de la mejor experiencia de software con la ayuda de un sistema MAC.
Por lo tanto, no estaría usted de acuerdo conmigo en que es hora de que usted también hacer algo con el fin de preparar usted o sus hijos para la próxima temporada de la escuela? Si ese es el caso, entonces usted definitivamente necesita para comprobar oferta de Apple en la página web arriba y vea con sus propios ojos lo increíblemente fácil que es ahorrar cientos de euros, mientras que también conseguir el último software, gadgets, etc

US energy consumption in 2008

Even considering the fact that most families are already doing their best in order to help the world save energy, the truth is that we are still very far away from what we should be doing in order to save the planet! Below you may read the latest update on energy consumption in the US as you may originally read at ScienceDaily:

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Americans used more solar, nuclear, biomass and wind energy in 2008 than they did in 2007, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The nation used less coal and petroleum during the same time frame and only slightly increased its natural gas consumption. Geothermal energy use remained the same.

The estimated U.S. energy use in 2008 equaled 99.2 quadrillion BTUs ("quads"), down from 101.5 quadrillion BTUs in 2007. (A BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit of measurement for energy, and is equivalent to about 1.055 kilojoules).

Energy use in the industrial and transportation sectors declined by 1.17 and 0.9 quads respectively, while commercial and residential use slightly climbed. The drop in transportation and industrial use - which are both heavily dependent on petroleum - can be attributed to a spike in oil prices in summer 2008.

Last year saw a significant increase in biomass with the recent push for the development of more biofuels including ethanol.

"This is a good snapshot of what's going on in the country. Some of the year-to year changes in supply and consumption can be traced to factors such as the economy and energy policy," said A.J. Simon, an LLNL energy systems analyst who develops the energy flow charts using data provided by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration.

Simon said the increase in wind energy can be attributed to large investments in wind turbine technologies over the last few years as well as better use of the existing turbines.

Nuclear energy also saw a slight increase from 8.41 quads in 2007 up to 8.45 quads in 2008. While no new nuclear power plants came online in 2008, the existing plants had less down time. Over the last 20 years, the downtime for maintenance and refueling at nuclear power plants had been decreasing.

"There's an incentive to operate as much as possible," Simon said. "It's a smart thing to do. You can't earn revenue by selling electricity when you're down."

Many years of experience have allowed nuclear operators to optimize plant reliability on short maintenance cycles.

The chart also shows the amount of energy rejected by the United States. Of the 99.2 quads consumed, only 42.15 ended up as energy services. Energy services are "things that make our lives better," Simon said. "That's the energy that makes your car move and that comes out of your light bulb."

The ratio of energy services to the total amount of energy used is a measure of the country's energy efficiency. The remainder, explained Simon, "is simply rejected. For example, some rejected energy shows up as waste heat from power plants."

"I'm really excited about the renewed push for energy efficiency in this country," he said. "Because once that energy is rejected, it's no longer useful. But more efficient power plants, automobiles and even light bulbs really do reject less energy while providing the same energy services."

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has helped to visualize the Energy Information Administration's U.S. energy data since the early 1970s.

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Buying a new house for our family

When considering all my experience as a businesswoman who tends to play an important role in the company so that the financial stability is always certain, I am acknowledged enough to assure absolutely everyone that when a company is growing, it really allows the employees to feel confident enough to start buying new properties for the family.

Keeping this in mind, for all of you looking for the best oklahoma real estate deals, I would personally advise you to take some time to the website above, which was recommended to me by my friend Tom and has proven to be one of the best places on the Internet to look for a new house for our families.

How should we deal with cruise itinerary changes?

As you probably know, cruises are extremely wanted during the summer by the richest travelers but the truth is that many routes are changed while we are on board! In fact, that was exactly what happened on the msnbc.com article just below, which will give you important tips on how you should deal with these situations and how you can expect to be dealt with:

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By Anita Dunham-Potter

Travel columnist

Fred and Deborah Marenna were looking forward to celebrating their 25th anniversary on the Carnival Miracle. It was the perfect itinerary for celebrating as it would visit exotic Panama and Costa Rica.

But the day before the Connecticut couple was to fly to Fort Lauderdale, things started to fall apart. Their travel agent called with bad news: The Miracle’s entire itinerary was being altered and the ship would no longer be visiting Panama or Costa Rica. The couple had the option to continue the cruise with the revised itinerary that would include a $50 onboard credit or they could opt to receive a full refund.

Money for nothing
The Marennas were devastated as the entire reason they booked the cruise was to visit Panama and Costa Rica so they opted not to go on the sailing and receive a full refund. But they were angry. They were out $100 on airline cancellation fees and $190 for cruise insurance that proved to be useless since it would not cover any loses because the cruise wasn’t canceled.

Fred Marenna felt he was entitled to more restitution and contacted Carnival with his issue. “We have cruised with Carnival several times before and I am surprised we weren’t given some other options like booking us on another cruise with the same itinerary or some other compensation.”

After several letters to the company and not getting any responses he contacted Consumer Traveler for help.

Miracle whipped
I contacted Carnival to get their side of the story and spoke with Carnival spokesperson, Vance Gulliksen. He stated that the December 15, 2008 sailing onboard the Miracle was changed due to a “technical problem” that affected the vessel’s sailing speed. “This made the vessel unable to operate its scheduled eight-day western Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Panama, Costa Rica and Belize,” said Gulliksen. The ship’s original three-port itinerary was changed to an alternate route that featured four ports of call: Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. Gulliksen noted the technical problem only affected the ship’s sailing speed and that all hotel systems were operating normally.

Upon learning of the situation, Gulliksen said Carnival distributed letters to all guests and travel agents with clients the affected sailing on Dec. 12 advising them of the itinerary change. Guests scheduled to sail on the affected voyage were offered the option of receiving of a full refund of their cruise fare or sailing on the modified itinerary and receiving a $50 shipboard credit.

The Miracle’s propulsion problem was subsequently fixed and the ship is currently in New York operating eight-day Caribbean voyages but will resume its eight-day southern and western Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale in October. “Carnival sincerely apologizes for the disruption to the Marenna’s vacation plans,” said Gulliksen. He adds they would gladly work with the Marennas in applying their refunded cruise fare in re-booking one of these voyages.

Fred Marenna doesn’t agree he just wants to sail on the itinerary he purchased or at least be refunded the $290 he lost.

As the prop turns
Propulsion problems on cruise ships are rare, but they do occur. “Cruise lines are typically quite fair with passengers whose vacations are inconvenienced, canceled or have substantially altered itineraries,” says Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as The Cruise Guy.

Chiron notes that these issues are often handled as a group, but also on a case-by-case basis. “Cruise lines are in the service business and care a great deal about their passengers,” he says. So, did Carnival do right by the Marennas? According to Chiron, not really. “Carnival should have refunded or credited the value of the insurance premium paid by the Marennas as a goodwill gesture to encourage their future booking. The couple is on their own with the airline change fee because it wasn’t booked through the cruise line.”

As for Fred Marenna, he is disappointed that Carnival didn’t come through and “do the right thing” to rectify the problem. “We were not treated as valued customers of Carnival,” he says.

"

The important role played by self storage

When considering all my experience as a businesswoman, I would personally say that it is extremely important that our companies always do everything possible in order to avoid the necessity of jumping from storage unit to storage unit because that may really menace the financial balance of any company.

As a matter of fact, I would say that Self Storage really solves this major problem that may often slow down the production and distribution of the services or goods that your company produces or provides. Moreover, if you would like to discover more about self storage and how you can manage the pros and cons of self storage in order to make sure that it really benefits your company or business, then you definitely need to take some of your time to visit the website to which I have linked just above and discover how incredibly useful the information being provided there is! Furthermore, self storage is also a solution that also requires some planning and you should be aware of the real necessities or your company on the present but also on the future when you decide which capacity you require in order to stock the goods being produced by your company.

So, do you think that it is about time that you bring your company to the next level of efficiency, making sure that you find your own way out of the current financial crisis? If that´s the case, then it is vital that you start reading some important and independent self storage tips, news, pros, cons and other vital information that will help you decide how you should deal with the necessity of self storage in your company in order to reach the market in a more efficient way, saving a lot of money by avoiding the obligation of changing the storage place from time to time.

Discovering the old country

As you probably know from your own experience, people often prefer to travel to foreign destinations before they really have the chance to discover the country they live in and that is exaclty why we should all take some time to think about it and reconsider! In order to help you on that exercise, I would personally advise you to take some time to read the msnbc.com article just below:

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ALBANY, N.H. - New Hampshire's famed foliage route, the Kancamagus Highway, is celebrating its 50th birthday, so it's about time everyone learned how to pronounce it correctly.

Massachusetts residents: Think "Kanc'-ah-MAU'-gus rhymes with Saugus."

Everyone else: Pretend you're a local and call it "The Kanc."

Whatever you do, don't put an extra 'n' in there, as in Kanca-mangus. The highway is named after an American Indian chief whose name means "The One." As in, just one 'n'.

With that out of the way, you can enjoy the 34.5-mile road that winds through the White Mountains between the towns of Lincoln and Conway and the stunning scenery that once was known only to loggers, forest rangers, homesteaders and the hardiest of hikers.

Construction on the two-lane highway began from both ends in the 1930s and, after being halted by World War II in the 1940s, continued until 1956 when there was just a one-mile gap between the two roads. Crews saved the most difficult stretch for last, however, and it took another three years to finish the job.

The road opened some time in the summer of 1959 without fanfare, but it didn't take long for it to attract visitors, particularly during in the fall.

'Best fall foliage route'
"It was something an awful lot of people had wanted for years and years and years. Even though there was no public announcement, word spread by word of mouth," said Dick Hamilton, who spent more than three decades promoting tourist spots in the area as president of White Mountain Attractions. "That fall was really the kickoff of it becoming the best fall foliage route in New England."

Hamilton, who was working at a hotel in North Conway at the time, remembers being so eager for the road to open that he tried to drive its length before it was finished, only to be stopped by a line of boulders across the road. Initially, the road was open only during the day, from spring to the first snow. Year-round opening coincided with the development of the Loon Mountain ski area in Lincoln in 1968.

Norman Stevens, 83, worked on three sections of the road, starting in 1949. He lives in York, Maine, but has returned to the highway over the years with his wife.

It's God's country, really'
"It's a beautiful place with all the foliage and all the spots along to see it. I enjoy probably more than a lot of people because there's so many things that I recognize and are familiar to me," he said.

Jean Stevens recalled the three summers she and the couple's children spent in the area while her husband worked on the road.

"It's God's country, really," she said. "When we came up here and stayed for the kids' vacation, it was just magic for all of us."

Today, the traffic often is bumper-to-bumper during autumn weekends, with an estimated 1 million visitors a year passing through.

Hamilton admits that the traffic approaches "impossible" levels, but said it largely regulates itself as drivers pull over to snap pictures.

"And they go slow enough because the scenery is so gorgeous, you don't want to go faster," he said.

Though there are several ski areas close to the Kanc, along with a number of hotels and family-friendly attractions at either end, there's no development along the highway. The Kanc itself is all about the region's natural beauty: Numerous signs remind drivers that there are no gas stations along the route and call attention to hiking trails, campgrounds and scenic overlooks.

Take a dip at Lower Falls
Waterfalls include Rocky Gorge, Sabbaday Falls and Lower Falls. Swimming is prohibited at the first two, but the third is a popular swimming spot in the summer and has picnic tables, parking and restrooms.
Though the views are lovely year-round, autumn brings out the best along the Kanc, and New Hampshire takes its fall foliage seriously. The state Division of Travel and Tourism issues "leaf peeper" reports along with text message alerts, and will be using Twitter and Facebook to post foliage updates and pictures.

Karen Bennett, a forestry specialist with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, said the early summer's heavy rain is good news for foliage fans.

"Trees need water and they do very well with a lot of rain. So it's all good as far as I'm concerned," she said.

Maple makes for memories
What makes the Kanc's colors so memorable? Maples, Bennett said.

"All our hardwoods turn a pretty color, but it's probably the maples that give it that kiss of brightness. They bring in the reds and the brighter oranges," she said.

For Hamilton, the magic of driving the Kanc never wears off.

"I have to do it at least 10 times a year. All seasons," he said. "It just takes my breath away, every time I do it. I see something new every time."

"

The best atlanta med spa deals for you

When considering the fact that I tend to spend so much time working in order to help my business in this difficult financial period, the truth is that I can deny that it is often extremely stressful to spend so many hours discussing important decisions with other workers.

Keeping this in mind, I have been recently looking for the best atlanta med spa deals and I was amazed when I first saw the opportunity that is available at the facilities of M Medical Spa in Atlanta. As a matter of fact, when they claim that “everyone deserves to feel beautiful!”, they really mean it as they offer the best prices that you will ever found when considering the great services that we get! Moreover, their website is so incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate that I am more than sure that in just a few minutes you will be able to find an answer to any doubt that you may have related to the services provided by them.

Traveling to the most expensive spots for the best prices ever!

Now that the current financial crisis is menacing almost all of us, the truth is that travel agencies need to make a major effort in order to avoid major financial problems, meaning that they are obliged to offer us the best prices of the last decades! In fact, you may read the msnbc.com article just below and discover how incredibly easy it is to enjoy those prices if you know where to go, when and how:

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By Everett Potter

If you want to visit such hot getaways as Hawaii, Aspen, New York City, Paris, or Napa, you can bring a large billfold. Or you can time your visit to the periods during the year when these places are at their most affordable.

When is the best time to visit to get the most bang for your buck? It varies from destination to destination. That can mean shoulder season or even off season, or finding that window in high season when rates take a dip, if only for a couple of weeks. And it's worth the effort, because the savings can be anywhere from 20 to 50 percent off high season prices. They may not be truly "cheap" at that point, but they often become affordable.

Take London, which provide sticker shock regardless of how low the pound has fallen. Both airfares and hotels fall between October 15 and March 31, with the exception being the Christmas and New Year's holiday period.

The caveats are weather and daylight. Wet, rainy and cold weather is not uncommon, and the lack of daylight is, um, profound. In mid winter, the sun sets in London at 3:45 p.m. But if you accept that museums, the theater, and restaurants are where you'll spend the lion's share of your waking hours, you probably won't mind it so much.

Then there's Hawaii. How do you deal with a place where room rates seem uniformly high throughout the year? You go now, since the recession has left thousands of empty hotel rooms throughout the state. And to make sure the rate is even lower, plan on traveling between September and early December, which has long been the low season for travel to the Aloha State. A company like Pleasant Holidays (www.pleasant holidays.com) has long been the loss leader for air/hotel packages. But an increasing number of properties are discounting directly.

As for the Caribbean, the merry month of May represents the sweet spot for Caribbean travel. Prices have dropped as much as 50 percent from winter highs, the weather is still terrific, and the spring break crowds are gone. The weather gets warmer in June, but it can still be a terrific time to go. While July and August are quite hot, they might still be preferable to the weather in the U.S. at the same time. September through November represent the quietest time in the islands.

Of course, there is one caution in the Caribbean and that's hurricane season, which extends from June through November. You should have travel insurance and stay at a hotel that has a hurricane policy (with refunds clearly spelled out). It's worth noting that hurricanes rarely, if ever, strike the southernmost islands in the Caribbean, such as Aruba, Barbados and Trinidad.

Then there's New York City. While the recession has cut the average hotel rate in the Big Apple, you still need all the help you can get. January through March represent the best time to get a deal in New York City. But dress warmly—those winds off the Hudson mean business

Want to go skiing in a tony Western resort like Aspen without dipping into your kids' college fund? Then go in early December. Rates at such luxury hotels as the Limelight Lodge are a mere $159 a night for a mid-December stay. In February, that same room jumps to $409 per night. Other dates worth look at are the entire month of January, excepting Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, and dates after March 20.

Balmy breezes and empty beaches are why Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are best during May and June. Before the private jet set—and the likes of President Obama—arrive for a little R&R on these storied and pricey islands every summer and fall, most hotels offer weekend deals to entice mainlanders all of stripes. You'll especially see a lot of midweek deals. You can stroll on these island beaches during May and June, but swimming is only for those with iron constitutions. These waters don't really begin to warm up until July.

Of course, some places are not governed by season, like Moscow and Tokyo, and their high rates are pretty much stuck in the stratosphere. But if you pay close attention the calendar, you'll see that most places will give you a break.

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Premium insurance services

As a businesswoman who really knows how every company tends to organize the staff and how deeply embedded the technology is on today’s economy, I am more than sure that it is vital that every employee, which means all of us, show do everything possible in order to be prepared to face any situation in the future, without being surprised by unexpected situations.

Keeping this in mind, Premium Finance services appear in our lives as the ultimate and most effective solution in order to prepare our future. Moreover, premium insurance services often give us the chance to enjoy the peace of mind that we have been missing when we used to feel insecure and uncertain about our future. In fact, for all of you living in Australia, Westpac is already doing everything possible in order to cover all the premium finance service needs that we may have as individuals who want to protect our future and the future of those that we love the most!

So, do you live in Australia and would you like to know more about the great advantages of the premium insurance services provided by Westpac? If that’s the case, I would personally advise you to take some time to visit the website to which I have linked above and see with your own eyes how incredibly easy it is to protect your future.

Becoming the perfect houseguest

Even considering the fact that we may not often go to our friends' houses or any other family houses, the truth is that we should all be prepared to be exemplar houseguests and be as polite as possible when it comes the time to spend some days in the house of any of your friends. Keeping this in mind, you should read the msnbc.com article just below and discover how you can easily become the perfect houseguest:

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Crashing with family or friends? Etiquette experts weigh in with 13 tips on how to be the perfect houseguest—you know, the kind that hosts invite back.

Finesse an invite
Sue Fox, author of "Etiquette for Dummies", suggests a subtle approach to feel out whether a family member might be up for hosting you. You could start by asking, "Gee, when I'm in town, maybe I can come by? Can you suggest any hotels in the area?"

"It's not OK to hint that you should be invited to spend the night," says Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of etiquette authority Emily Post and author of lifestyle guide "How Do You Work This Life Thing?" "But it can happen through conversation. You might call a friend and say, 'Hey, we're coming through town and we'd really love to see you. Could we get together?' Then, leave it up to them to take the next step. Don't get upset if they're not rolling out the welcome mat."

Keep your visit brief
"At the very start, deal with the exact start and end date of the visit," says Post. "Personally, I think no one should stay more than three days—you know the saying that both fish and houseguests stink after three days. It's true." If you want to visit the area longer, bite the bullet and split your stay between your friend's place and a hotel.

Be clear and up front about everything
Hosts do not deserve to be surprised that you've brought two German shepherds and your latest biker boyfriend, when they expected only you. "Never assume that bringing your pets, children, friend, or family member is acceptable if you're not directly told or invited to bring them," says Fox.

"You must also be up front about any dietary issues. It's awful when a guest shows up and says, 'I forgot to tell you I'm a vegan,'" says Norine Dresser, author of "Multicultural Manners: Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century".

Maintain contact in advance
"Check in a few days before the visit to get directions and double-check the dates," advises Post. "And most definitely touch base on the morning of the day you're supposed to arrive. If anything changes your planned arrival time, you absolutely must call your hosts. It's rude to have people waiting around for you."

BYO amenities
"Hosts will generally provide you with towels," says Dresser. "But ask before you take just any towel from the closet. In some families, each person has his or her own towel, and you don't want to upset anyone by drying off with the wrong one." As for pretty much everything else you'll need in the bathroom—shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, a special soap if you're particular—bring your own. It's OK to ask to use some toothpaste if you've forgotten yours.

Acknowledge everyone in the house
Pet the hosts' dog, say hello to their aunt who lives above the garage, and most of all, make an effort to be nice to the hosts' children. "You don't have to get on your knees with the kids or play board games the entire time you're there," says Post. "But you should pay attention to the kids, even if you're not a 'kid person.' Every parent loves it when other people enjoy spending time with their kids."

Make it look like you're not there
Wipe down the sink after you shave. Make the bed. Tidy up every chance you get—especially if you have children. "Don't leave toys in a pile, or worse, scattered all over the place," says June Hines Moore , author of "Manners Made Easy for the Family". If you're in a makeshift bedroom in an office or the living room, fold up the futon. The goal is to make it look like no one is even visiting. Offer a helping hand
This may be your vacation, but the host is not a combo cook-maid-butler-concierge. Offer to pick up groceries, do the dishes, mix some margaritas, chop vegetables for dinner, or take the dog for a walk, and make your offer an earnest one. "Let me help with that" is better than "You're all set in the kitchen, right?"

But don't be pushy. "Some people are weird about their kitchens," says Post. "They don't like other people messing with their spices. So if they turn down your request to help, back off."

Respect house rules and schedules
"Watch what the host family does," says Dresser. "If they take off their shoes, you take off yours." Be especially respectful if your hosts have to work during your visit. "Ask about your host's morning routine," says Post. "Then stay clear of the bathroom when your host needs the shower."

Spend some time with your hosts
"It's assumed that guests and hosts will hang out and share some meals together," says Dresser. "The host's house is not a hotel. It's not just a place to crash. It's offensive if you show up, disappear, and only come back to sleep and shower." You should still be able to find plenty of time to sightsee, with or without your host.

Get out of your host's hair
Don't expect your host to be a tour guide for the entire visit. When you arrive, plan a rough itinerary for what you want to see and let the host know that he or she is welcome to come along.

Include some downtime in the itinerary, along with some time apart. "If your host has work to do, or even if you just feel like everyone needs a break, disappear for a little while," says Post. "Read a book, explore town by yourself, or go for a walk."

Give a good gift
"Do you have to show up at the host's house with gift in hand?" asks Post. "No. Absolutely not. Do you have to buy something? Again, no. A nice gift could be something you make—a pie, a scarf. Taking your hosts out to a nice dinner can also count." Fox suggests bringing a bottle of wine, a flowering plant, or some gourmet chocolates. "Special blends of coffee and tea are acceptable too," she says.

The key is knowing what your hosts like and don't like. If you're unsure what to give, listen for cues during your visit. Make a mental note when your host mentions loving a restaurant or shop, and get a gift certificate.

Handwrite the thank you
"An e-mail thank you is still a no-no," says Post. "It's OK to jot off a quick thanks on your Blackberry from the airport, but you must follow that up with a handwritten note within a few days afterward." It's also nice to return the hospitality by extending a hearty "If you're ever in our neck of the woods ..." invitation to the folks who just graciously hosted you.

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