tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63591925923737376782024-02-06T22:14:58.845-08:00Popular World NewsPopularWorldNews4u.com intention is to proffer the best tips, reviews, advices on multitudinous topics like Life Style, Beauty, Health, grocery, Entertainment, Shopping, Finance, Technology, Travel and many more with free of cost. We accept Guest Posts.Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00135327324216307352noreply@blogger.comBlogger353125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-9177464500407571342012-12-14T09:48:00.000-08:002012-12-14T09:48:01.853-08:00Where are the Best Family Vacation Destinations in Europe?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Heading to Europe for a vacation can be an exciting time. Naturally, if you head there from the United States, then there is likely a large financial investment taking place on your part. Anyone heading over the Atlantic for their family vacation will want to ensure that they head to an exciting destination that is well worth their outlay.</div>
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We looked at some of the best family vacation destinations in Europe and why you should consider heading there on your next trip.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit;">Crete, Greece</strong></div>
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Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and has a rich history attached to it, and is considered by many to be the birthplace of modern civilisation. If you like your vacation to have a little bit of all elements contained within it, then you could do a lot worse to head here.</div>
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There is history, nature, modern cultural experiences, and waterparks for the children, gorgeous restaurants, and beaches that will astound you. Crete’s location in the southern Mediterranean sees it enjoying an African-type climate, so if heat and sunshine are your vacation vices it’s a definite ‘must do’ trip!</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit;">Madeira, Portugal</strong></div>
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This Portuguese island in the Atlantic is one of the most tranquil destinations in the whole of Europe. We’d suggest travelling here during the month of July, as every Saturday throughout the month there are huge celebrations as a fireworks festival takes place across the island.</div>
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If you thought Macy’s in New York was impressive on Fourth of July, then the Madeira displays, the world’s largest for the past five years, will blow your mind.</div>
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Madeira offers a calm, relaxing vacation that will allow for quality family time while having great fun and recharging your batteries.</div>
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<strong style="font-style: inherit;">South of France</strong></div>
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Many non-European natives tend to head to the islands, and although we have suggested two great ideas, there is no doubting that various locations on the mainland have much to offer, too.</div>
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The South of France is popular with tourists from all around the world, as well as being a favourite destination for the rich and famous of the area to congregate and, in many cases, live. The principality of Monaco and the city of Marseilles are two excellent places to visit, although in truth there are outstanding sights to see all along the southern French coastline.</div>
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As well as the stunning local area, the South of France also serves as a perfect gateway to the beautiful northern areas of Spain and Italy.</div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b>Author Byline:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>This article is written by Fireworks Crazy, an online and store seller that have the best<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.fireworkscrazy.co.uk/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">fireworks for sale</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> for those special festivities.</div>
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Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00135327324216307352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-74818712885842187062012-06-06T05:19:00.003-07:002012-06-07T21:06:22.085-07:00Guest Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-24950342801401103822012-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:002012-01-20T11:21:48.672-08:00Best Places to Retire in 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A blizzard of articles give advice about the best places to retire. They generally recommend fleeing the North and heading for the Sunbelt, to places in the Carolinas, Florida, or <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326826342_2">Arizona</span>. Occasionally they offer a surprise <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326826342_0">retirement</span> spot in Iowa or Indiana. Sometimes they even tout retirement locales outside the United States.</div>
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These articles rely on statistics such as the cost of living or winter temperatures. But they miss the most important thing--the human element. Here are the real best places to retire:</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Stay home</strong>. As we get older, moving, making new friends, and acclimatizing ourselves to new surroundings gets more difficult. Don't underestimate the value of your current community. Think long and hard before you cut those connections to go off to get a sunburn.</div>
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Your hometown likely offers more senior citizen benefits than you think including tax breaks, low-cost transportation, and subsidized meals. We have friends in the outer suburbs of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326826342_1">New York</span> who always thought they would retire somewhere warmer. But they finally realized how important their church community was to them and decided to stay put. Now they visit the senior center for a free meal every Thursday night. They walk at the mall two or three mornings a week and stay for coffee with new acquaintances. And they are still active in their church, among the friends they've known for decades.</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Move near your children</strong>. My brother-in-law spent most of his career working around Pittsburgh, Pa. After he retired, he and his wife gathered together all the brochures and ultimately decided to move to Massachusetts. Their daughter lives outside of Boston and their son is in Rhode Island. They moved from a four-bedroom suburban home to a two-bedroom bungalow in their daughter's town. Their yard is smaller, just right for Grandpa to keep an eye on the grandkids while he relaxes on the patio. They've met new friends through their daughter, and they love their new life, in an area often billed as cold and expensive.</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Follow your friends</strong>. One fellow I know retired to Maryland. Why? His long-time golfing partner retired there a few years earlier. He moved to the same town, joined the same golf club, and soon they were prowling the links together, just like old times. A year later, another friend joined them, who had a relative living nearby, and they all now play golf twice a week.</div>
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Their wives, who had known each other casually, are now close friends. They started a bridge club, brought in some other women, and from there developed meaningful connections to the community. These couples now feel as though, as one of the women put it, "We've lived here all our lives."</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Move back home</strong>. One friend of mine grew up in El Paso, Texas. She went to college in California, then got married and moved to Washington, D.C. Some 25 years later, her husband died and she felt lost in the big city. She moved back west, to nearby New Mexico, where she started a small business which included some clients in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326826342_4">Washington</span>. Now she lives in her beloved mountains and travels to Washington occasionally to see clients.</div>
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Another woman grew up outside New York. She got married and moved to Oregon and spent most of her 20s and 30s around Portland. Eventually she got divorced and moved first to California, then Arizona, with a year-long stint in Alaska. But when she retired, she felt the pull of Portland, where she still had friends. To her, that was home. And that's where she moved.</div>
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No matter where you end up in retirement, remember that relationships are more important than the weather. The warmest climate can be found amidst the safety and security of family and friends.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/real-best-places-retire-2012-184912471.html" target="_blank">finance</a></span></i></div>
</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-22420010654150586992012-01-18T09:43:00.000-08:002012-01-18T09:43:14.248-08:006 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day At Home With Family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong> Valentine’s Day</strong> is an annual celebration of love and
affection every February 14th of the year. Historically, the day is
named after several early Christian martyrs who were named Valentine.
Although, there were no romantic connotations for the initial
commemoration of the feast day of St. Valentine’s, romantic legends,
poems, writings, and artworks through time eventually started to
associate courtly and romantic love to Valentine’s Day, and eventually
to what we now make of it.<br />
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As we all know, the day is marked
with sending flowers, giving out confectioneries, preferably chocolates,
exchanging greeting cards either commercially made or DIY/custom made,
or even giving out jewelries to our special loved ones. Romantic dates
and getaways, and the prom season also relate to Valentine’s Day
celebration. But more importantly, the season could actually best be
revered as also a special day of celebrating love in one’s family.<br />
<br />Looking
at the ornaments that adorn our stores and malls right after the
holiday season, we can say that Saint Valentine’s Day, now commonly
referred to as Valentine’s Day, is now actually celebrated with the same
fanfare as much as the other seasonal festivities we observed in the
Philippines. Hearts, doves & winged cupids line store window
trimmings of the malls, retail shops, and restaurants. Timely, when the
town seems to be painted in red, also in anticipation the Chinese New
Year, it means that Valentine’s Day is also just around the corner.<br />
<br />
<br />
Maybe, when we actually begin to celebrate it as a family affair more
than the romantic aspects of it, we can actually begin to start looking
forward more to it as much as we look forward to birthdays and even the
Christmas Season. Then, it will not only be by visiting the dining
areas, or going on a movie or concert date, as with the usual observance
of the day, that will make each and everyone of us appreciate, and
enjoy more what Valentine’s Day has to offer. Instead, a family
gathering will mark the celebration of love for this year’s Heart’s Day.
Hence, we can also actually begin to celebrate it at home with our
family by:<br />
<br />
<strong>1. Appreciating one another. </strong>First and foremost,
the day can also be celebrated by appreciating each member of the
family. It could actually be an extended “Thanksgiving” celebration. If
on that day, we celebrate things and people, basically the “what” we are
thankful for, on Valentine’s Day, we celebrate the “why”. It’s about
reaffirming each and every one in the family of their love and kindness.
It’s about telling them how much each and one of them in our family
means to us. Truly, action speaks louder than words, but wouldn’t it be
more fun and equally memorable if we hear one another actually let one
another know what they feel about us. Find a special time for an
exchange of greeting cards, which tell one another why we appreciate
them, or a round table discussion where everyone could have a turn to
tell one another’s appreciation message for each and every member of the
family.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Dressing up for the occasion. </strong>Dressing in red
and wearing the color of the day could be actually the easiest and the
basic activity to set the mood in our family celebration. The scrapbook
worthy photos we take during the day would best remember every
Valentine’s Day that is shared by the family.<br />
<br />
<strong>3. Celebrating the joys of sharing the season of love with our children. </strong>Everyone
plans to celebrate Valentine’s Day in his or her own special ways. But
one things for sure, it is a day marked by sweet acts of giving and
receiving, or simply says, showing acts of kindness however big or
small. <br /><br />For our school children, Valentine’s Day season is marked
by making heart-shaped paper cut outs or art works. For our teenagers,
it progresses to giving flowers or chocolates or other gifts. Share the
joys of sharing with our kids, by helping them prepare simple greeting
cards or tokens for their teachers, classmates, friends, and most
especially to the other members of the family. Or enjoy a trip to the
mall, to the florist or to the garden together. Walk an extra mile, by
making this day extra- special by giving simple tokens or gifts to our
less fortunate brothers and sisters. Make it more memorable by
associating it to something your children can relate to. Like maybe
choosing recipients of gifts that are close to his age, or close to
mom’s/grandparents’ age, something he saw in a movie like giving to
children or elders on welfare.<br /><br /><strong>4. Having a family dinner.</strong>
A meal could be even best enjoyed when everyone had a share in
preparing it. Mom or Dad could be the chef, while the kids can share the
task of setting up the meal table. Dressing up a matching Valentine’s
table setting theme with red hearts and cupids and the like can even
make the dinner table colorful. <br /><br />Plus points if we let our kids
practice their artistic skills when it comes to cutting and coloring
paper cutouts. Moreover, our little ones can actually improve their
culinary skills if we let them have a hand in preparing a meal or
homemade (could even be no-bake) desserts. These can even be served in a
heart-shaped dish tray. As always, start and end the meal by saying
grace. This can also be the venue for the exchange of “appreciation
gifts” or messages for each member of the family.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Getting flowers for everyone and sharing a chocolate cake. </strong>Brighten
up your dinner table with a flower bouquet centerpiece! It’s not just
only for mom, or for our older or younger sisters, but it can actually
be for everyone’s token of celebration of love. Getting a flower bouquet
or a flower stem (a popular choice would be a rose bud), either in the
stores or in the garden could actually be a family affair that each
member of the family can all cherish. <br /><br />So just in case dad is
busy with work, there is no excuse to miss flowers in the table for
today’s big event. It can actually be an adventure that parents can
share with their little ones. This time, they can actually be allowed to
pick flowers in the garden. <br /><br />I remembered during our previous
school trip with my son, as a culminating activity for their botany
month, they visited a garden. And most of the time they were constantly
reminded not to pick flowers. So sharing a trip to the florist or to the
garden, could even be an educational activity that our little ones can
enjoy as they see different kinds of flowers and decorative plants.
Along the way, as we put together our floral bouquet / centerpiece, our
kids were able to explore their creativity and skills in floral
arrangement. Make this act extra meaningful and relevant by showing our
children to make an effort to take care of the flowers afterwards by
watering them, and even re-planting, if possible, the flower and the
stem cuttings. <br /><br />Of course, celebrate the sweetness of life
together by sharing and enjoying almost everyone’s favorite dessert,
chocolate cake. A nicer touch to this is by letting your kids still have
fun by incorporating the traditional blowing of cake ceremony, only
with a twist since you could sing a family theme song instead of the
traditional birthday song.<br />
<br />
<strong>6. Singing Love Songs. </strong>We all have happy songs
that we can all share together. And as you celebrate love in your
family, start your night of serenading one another with songs of
endearment.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.smartparenting.com.ph/home-living/travel-trips-activities/6-ways-to-celebrate-valentine-s-day-at-home-with-the-family" target="_blank">smartparenting</a></span></i><br />
<br />
</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-69636501530414033812012-01-17T07:02:00.000-08:002012-01-17T07:58:29.173-08:00World's Prettiest Hotel Pools<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> There are a few things that most of us check before</span>booking a hotel<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">: First, if it's clean; second, if it's affordable; and third, if it has a pool. And though we might have been hoping to splash about or swim some laps in an Olympic-size pool, we so often book a place that has a tiny water-filled hole with too much (or too little) chlorine and the occasional child-size Band-Aid floating on the surface. Sure, having a hot tub helps justify a Podunk pool, but why should we settle for anything less than spectacular? To answer that question: we shouldn't. To give you a sense of the greener pastures -- or, in this case, the bluer lagoons -- U.S. News Travel has scoured the globe searching for the most magnificent hotel pools. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oy6YigjI1x8jUaPBne44c6XRnaYccx9LLlcHN-V8CDesODnDmukJvd5pTrvZAwN2cQO-54wtLSqf6f9TSNxsKJIlxDJEbxSu_zaEx48KucVNg8zNyeFO7uBQWFUMn382UO3-FJ08-IWZ/s1600/The+world%2527s+largest+pool+in+Algarrobo%252C+Chile..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oy6YigjI1x8jUaPBne44c6XRnaYccx9LLlcHN-V8CDesODnDmukJvd5pTrvZAwN2cQO-54wtLSqf6f9TSNxsKJIlxDJEbxSu_zaEx48KucVNg8zNyeFO7uBQWFUMn382UO3-FJ08-IWZ/s320/The+world%2527s+largest+pool+in+Algarrobo%252C+Chile..jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #414141; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">The world's largest pool in Algarrobo, Chile.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Here's what we found:</span> <br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440540" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_0" style="line-height: 20px;">Marina Bay Sands Hotel</span></strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Singapore</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWXzolQ3LJIREJFt1IdRkIVxFA0tgpgd-pkcA1EvvdifjH3o1GkQX0e8e_X-rH6Gv_9M1KJc58-uL6f9Du6-_IKv8wl8OmQflBmfTubsDSLS48i-OYdjmgBgrI2z23x9NUetvrrhma3EW/s1600/Marina-Bay-Sands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWXzolQ3LJIREJFt1IdRkIVxFA0tgpgd-pkcA1EvvdifjH3o1GkQX0e8e_X-rH6Gv_9M1KJc58-uL6f9Du6-_IKv8wl8OmQflBmfTubsDSLS48i-OYdjmgBgrI2z23x9NUetvrrhma3EW/s320/Marina-Bay-Sands.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marina Bay Sands Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> In Singapore, bigger is better. And this standard is certainly not lost on the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Marina Bay Sands Hotel</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">. This stunning three-pronged resort rises a whopping 656 feet above Singapore's Marina Bay and boasts seven restaurants, two theaters, a shopping mall and a museum, not to mention a massive casino. Lying across all three towers is the Sands SkyPark, a sprawling rooftop deck that accommodates dining spots and nightlife venues; the hotel describes it as "longer than the Eiffel Tower laid down." But in our opinion, the resort's </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_5" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716231_5"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_5"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_5"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_5"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_5"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_3">infinity pool</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> is by far its most dazzling feature. Stretching almost 500 palm-tree-lined feet along the SkyPark's edge, this is the world's largest outdoor pool at this height. But let's forget about size and discuss the real reason the </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_0" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716231_0"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_0"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_0"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_0"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_0"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_2">Marina Bay Sands</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">' swim-spot deserves a slot on this list: its views. Swimmers and poolside loungers can practice their backstroke and work on their tans while savoring Singapore's downtown skyline.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440562" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Hotel Caruso Belvedere, </strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ravello, Italy</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCu37tHajd3mQHpxULOYO-j4pRExh2yiWBs3kB-O2b_y8wXrL8jIHubLSihob72I1yX_EP0fKI2JlX_Tf6KQim5NRUskk4_zVSkqKI-VKz25O3dB-pKw4m6sJ8HUiB2Wv5Ok29TVI1lrr/s1600/Hotel+Caruso+Belvedere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCu37tHajd3mQHpxULOYO-j4pRExh2yiWBs3kB-O2b_y8wXrL8jIHubLSihob72I1yX_EP0fKI2JlX_Tf6KQim5NRUskk4_zVSkqKI-VKz25O3dB-pKw4m6sJ8HUiB2Wv5Ok29TVI1lrr/s320/Hotel+Caruso+Belvedere.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Caruso Belvedere</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Perched along </span>Italy<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">'s Amalfi Coast and less than 50 miles southeast of </span>Naples<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, the Hotel Caruso Belvedere by Orient Express occupies what was once an 11th-century palace. Here, guests gorge on contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, unwind during outdoor massages and snuggle up in plush Neapolitan-style beds beneath frescoed ceilings. But as wonderful as all that sounds, nothing beats a dip in the hotel pool. A rose-lined path extends from the Caruso Belvedere's drawing room, leading to the highest point in Ravello. From there you'll find the hotel's </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_6" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716231_6"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_6"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_6"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_6"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_6"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_4">infinity pool</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> curving around the cliffside, making it hard to tell where its water ends and the Tyrrhenian Sea begins. Swim to the pool's edge, where you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of the village and harbor below. If you're afraid of heights, then delight in the scenery from a cream-colored lounge chair; from there you'll be well placed to enjoy the ancient ruins that flank the pool's edge. And to top it off, a pool concierge is there to provide fresh fruit, ice-cold drinks and even an iPod that's loaded with your choice of </span>music<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440250" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Joule,</strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Dallas, Texas</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnOdWCyvh-bfrRcSo0lzpNjU_kOeqt5WPD7AkU4ojm4_Y-vg-s0K28S_stxQQnHVUI3WmTpMYUCgtcteYbvEbjxmPAa-kKX6cizqmb3esvC_COBjb8-7pOR3cemQhcEM7UEhzs2O597YA/s1600/The+Joule%252C+A+Luxury+Collection+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnOdWCyvh-bfrRcSo0lzpNjU_kOeqt5WPD7AkU4ojm4_Y-vg-s0K28S_stxQQnHVUI3WmTpMYUCgtcteYbvEbjxmPAa-kKX6cizqmb3esvC_COBjb8-7pOR3cemQhcEM7UEhzs2O597YA/s320/The+Joule%252C+A+Luxury+Collection+Hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Joule</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Dallas and </span>Fort Worth<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> are two sides to the same coin: While Fort Worth holds tightly to its old-fashioned, cow-town culture, Dallas has launched itself into all aspects of the modern world. The Joule, located in the former Dallas National Bank Building, exemplifies this marriage between the historical and contemporary, with sleek, modern furnishings housed in a structure that dates back to the late 1920s. And the best place to experience this melding of the old and the new is at the hotel's heated, rooftop </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_7" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_7"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_7"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_7"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_7"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_5">infinity pool</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">. It extends eight feet beyond the building's edge, allowing swimmers to admire views of the surrounding downtown skyline. Take a break from doing laps to enjoy a Watermelon Sangria, thanks to The Joule's rooftop café. You can even spice things up with a rowdy game of poolside foosball.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440599" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ubud Hanging Gardens, </strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Bali, Indonesia</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitvOUHcE3RrBWDys90Hur7zq5dX9naIeP3qV2qgy-Q2Q5fRxEsYrsXSF1vy6DrHJ2tqtlp6JMfRsUEJUGysH05DCMJlmGz6xyWSDcph2exsxyZjcG099GnSkhyphenhyphenpvDKV_NkbWscN5T1SJG/s1600/Ubud+Hanging+Gardens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitvOUHcE3RrBWDys90Hur7zq5dX9naIeP3qV2qgy-Q2Q5fRxEsYrsXSF1vy6DrHJ2tqtlp6JMfRsUEJUGysH05DCMJlmGz6xyWSDcph2exsxyZjcG099GnSkhyphenhyphenpvDKV_NkbWscN5T1SJG/s320/Ubud+Hanging+Gardens.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ubud Hanging Gardens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> If you prefer secret hide-outs to centralized hotels, then the Ubud Hanging Gardens by Orient Express deserves your attention. This member of the Orient-Express family is tucked away among the towering volcanic peaks and the verdant rice terraces of central Bali, an island in the </span>Indonesian<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> archipelago. Each of the Ubud Hanging Gardens' 38 villas is designed like a traditional Balinese hut and lofted on wooden pillars amid the island's leafy tree line. And although each villa comes equipped with its own private heated pool, visiting the main </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_8" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_8"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_8"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_8"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_8"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_6">infinity pool</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> is definitely a must. Its two levels extend one on top of the other, mimicking the structure of the rice terraces on which the gardens stand. Swimmers can delight in fantastic views of the forest canopy or nearby mountains from either the sun deck or the pools' dark stone edges, which blend magnificently into the surrounding scenery. </span> <br />
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</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440410" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_1" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716452_1"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_1"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_1"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_1"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_8">Hotel Chocolat, </span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Soufrière, St. Lucia</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJDMKocfA0mS4EI0x24AssiB3ifeoCHLV4NKMfWupykMWx80uTrmKJMw1VzrRAtsXf9FJ7Fqufr9oVZeNGqeZwUsTUooIXlJU6yGwHKmEyQy0PPul5lByKKGWAD-iqGWsOHEPt3g5SLAb/s1600/The+Hotel+Chocolat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJDMKocfA0mS4EI0x24AssiB3ifeoCHLV4NKMfWupykMWx80uTrmKJMw1VzrRAtsXf9FJ7Fqufr9oVZeNGqeZwUsTUooIXlJU6yGwHKmEyQy0PPul5lByKKGWAD-iqGWsOHEPt3g5SLAb/s320/The+Hotel+Chocolat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hotel Chocolat</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> No other hotel caters as well to the sweet tooth. The </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_2" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_2"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_2"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_2"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_9">Hotel Chocolat</span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> rests on a cocoa plantation, The Rabot Estate, located in </span>St. Lucia<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">'s southwest coast near Soufrière. Sitting high in the Piton Mountains among a forest of lush cocoa trees, The </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_3" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_3"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_3"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_3">Hotel Chocolat</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> offers its guests access to the estate's leafy trails. Guests are even invited to participate in the harvest before sampling the delectable crop at the Boucan Restaurant, which serves chocolate-infused dishes like rib-eye steak with a dark chocolate and port wine sauce. But when it comes time for some R&R, nothing beats an afternoon at the hotel's beautiful </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_9" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_9"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_9"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_9"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717721_7">infinity pool</span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">. Chocolate-colored quartz frames this lavish 50-foot-long swimming hole, which opens out into the breathtaking Pitons. After your swim, settle into plush lounge chairs and sample a fruity cocktail or a glass of Prosecco from the Club Bar. And since the Club steward makes regular rounds to replenish drinks and cocoa-infused snacks, you can appreciate all the flavors The </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325713924_4" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325716794_4"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717068_4"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325717381_4">Hotel Chocolat</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> has to offer without sacrificing prime poolside real estate.</span> <br />
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</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440435" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Amangiri, </strong><strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440629" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Canyon Point, Utah</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWAvAptLTtYyUNN3oWj93nbjWRijj31cOFdNdFSkqGgANazX5TeV3S5XEGYM_DutGUxShcejFpP1l50ba3ZBBKVGvb2NYF6qPRofQ8Rw52r1dGEj0csANd7WiofzOcbIaAtIMKFzbC7_A/s1600/Amangiri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWAvAptLTtYyUNN3oWj93nbjWRijj31cOFdNdFSkqGgANazX5TeV3S5XEGYM_DutGUxShcejFpP1l50ba3ZBBKVGvb2NYF6qPRofQ8Rw52r1dGEj0csANd7WiofzOcbIaAtIMKFzbC7_A/s320/Amangiri.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amangiri</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> This member of the Aman Resorts family, Amangiri, meaning "peaceful mountain" in Sanskrit -- truly lives up to its name. Guests will enjoy true tranquility at this resort, nestled among the striking rock buttes and desert scenery of Canyon Point in Southern Utah. Amangiri incorporates Utah's coral-colored cliffs and tenacious flora into its design. And nowhere is that more apparent than at the resort pool. This oasis at the heart of the Southwest's unforgiving terrain actually wraps around one of the massive rock walls, which ultimately forces the pool to adopt a "U" shape. Surrounding Amangiri's watering hole are plush lounge chairs and daybeds, while a steamy hot tub and outdoor fireplace allow you to soak in the views even when it's too cold to swim.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440636" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">San Alfonso del Mar, Algarrobo, Chile</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h0oUZUMbDUBb-NL4D0AHOpjODs-OgVuYyMydvJAWZL7TaGfuBo7Z5wUZqqP304tuYpgk08-QsGT0X0ehpisETQ_ltA5t5BXMkaO1YKxYANWrDeLvPKk-EXBfXxX4icYjwNSFMfb5cgrU/s1600/San+Alfonso+del+Mar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h0oUZUMbDUBb-NL4D0AHOpjODs-OgVuYyMydvJAWZL7TaGfuBo7Z5wUZqqP304tuYpgk08-QsGT0X0ehpisETQ_ltA5t5BXMkaO1YKxYANWrDeLvPKk-EXBfXxX4icYjwNSFMfb5cgrU/s320/San+Alfonso+del+Mar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Alfonso del Mar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> While experiencing temperatures that are consistently above 80 and having direct access to the Pacific Ocean, you might think that the main reason to visit San Alfonso del Mar is its proximity to the beach. However, once San Alfonso's guests take one look at the Saltwater Lagoon, the beach will be the last thing on their minds. This incredible pool measures more than half a mile in length and reaches a depth of 115 feet, making it the largest swimming pool in the world. Like the ocean itself, the Saltwater Lagoon gradually deepens the farther you swim from the shore, and it has several walled, shallow pools to ensure the safety of children and not-so-avid paddlers. But swimming isn't the only thing this pool is good for: Because of its size, you can also cruise the lagoon by boat or even don some scuba gear to explore the pool's floor.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440470" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, </strong><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Abu Dhabi, UAE</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqWa5uc5pkEMtl9nboZAfVH1Lzm9luuVzeYrCWqNI-ovvyJ8_t2M6cmklJw2cZYl_HwD56mAC8v86Nay0zt6-QJk0CK0P_xzg-bCggAj3aBkl9vTh41rOEZMRzYWkpZ3jxkjIy-ZtsaQg/s1600/Qasr+Al+Sarab+Desert+Resort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqWa5uc5pkEMtl9nboZAfVH1Lzm9luuVzeYrCWqNI-ovvyJ8_t2M6cmklJw2cZYl_HwD56mAC8v86Nay0zt6-QJk0CK0P_xzg-bCggAj3aBkl9vTh41rOEZMRzYWkpZ3jxkjIy-ZtsaQg/s320/Qasr+Al+Sarab+Desert+Resort.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Although </span>Dubai<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> is the self-proclaimed Tourism Capital of the </span>United Arab Emirates<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, Abu Dhabi isn't slacking when it comes to accommodations. Take the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort: Flanked by the rolling sand dunes of the Liwa Desert, Qasr Al Sarab acts as an oasis, complete with grassy lawns and a traditional Arabian design. But nothing says "paradise" quite like the hotel pool. The free-form, infinity design and surrounding palm trees make it seem more like a natural lake than a swimming pool, while a built-in fountain and scattered islands add a sense of luxury to the scene. From the pool (and the adjacent hot tub), you can savor panoramic views of the dimpled dunes that gather around the water like thirsty travelers. And speaking of thirst, that's the last thing you'll have to worry about; poolside concierges are waiting to serve you ice-cold, fruit-infused cocktails from the Ghadeer bar as you soak up the desert sun.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong id="yui_3_3_0_18_1326813611440648" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Four Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHyQk_Av19sYB9NRSxvujNd7xHko5BCM71GmBVTRl5VUrnDJuJHzC_wnJrVlfg69A_21TBK7eGH64Yhu7fMDMZ60CzW9PAI97uNwDanjoJGIkicojqATxRn-ommN4qheDXTKvVxkeFIfm/s1600/Four+Seasons+Resort%252C+Maui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHyQk_Av19sYB9NRSxvujNd7xHko5BCM71GmBVTRl5VUrnDJuJHzC_wnJrVlfg69A_21TBK7eGH64Yhu7fMDMZ60CzW9PAI97uNwDanjoJGIkicojqATxRn-ommN4qheDXTKvVxkeFIfm/s320/Four+Seasons+Resort%252C+Maui.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Seasons Resort</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> If you're in search of the perfect tropical getaway, you don't have to look beyond our borders. The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea seems to have luxury down to a science. This immense resort in Maui boasts a beautiful beachfront locale, gorgeous guest rooms, a sumptuous spa and delectable dining options, all of which helped earn it the number-two spot on our 2011 list of the </span>Best Hotels in the USA<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">. But if we had to call out just one Four Seasons feature that makes our eyes pop and jaws drop, it'd be the pool. Guests looking over the vanishing edge of this 4,100-square-foot serenity pool are bombarded with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the nearby island of Lanai. In fact, the pool's beauty earned it the right to grace the June 2011 cover of Condé Nast Traveler. If you're not up for a swim, you can enjoy the vistas from one of the poolside cabanas with a cocktail in hand.</span> <br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/world-s-prettiest-hotel-pools.html;_ylt=AqH2r5jN1ekS7EHyUMyyu_uhpYMA" target="_blank">Travel</a></span></i></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-82659237321708347082012-01-16T00:26:00.000-08:002012-01-16T00:26:00.673-08:00Pippa Middleton is Photographed 400 Times A Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Tired of Pippa Middleton photos? We're pretty confident she is too. On Wednesday <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_2">the Daily Mail</span>'s photo editor, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_1">Paul Silva</span>, told the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_4">Leveson Inquiry</span> that he receives up to 400 photographs of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_0">Pippa Middleton</span> every day. Apparently there has been so much interest in the Duchess of Cambridge's sister since the royal wedding that <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_3">photographers</span> are constantly camped outside her home hoping to catch a glimpse of the stylish sibling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2209619.0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2209619.0" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pippa Middleton isn't trying to be photographed, she's walking to work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> According to the Guardian, the inquiry was set up in the aftermath of Rupert Murdoch's News of the World phone-hacking scandal. Celebrities constantly complain about being harassed by paparazzi, and you'd think following the tragic accident that caused the death of Princess Diana that photographers would be forced to back off. <br />
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Silva insisted the Daily Mail does not use any street photos of Pippa Middleton. "There is no reason to photograph her when she is out and about doing her own thing," he told the Inquiry. "At the moment there are 9 or 10 agencies outside her house [on any given day]. If she goes to get coffee, she goes back into her house, we get 300 to 400 pictures…There is no justification for using them."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2209745.0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2209745.0" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world has been obsessed with Pippa Middleton ever since she was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding last April</td></tr>
</tbody></table> But tabloids and papers like the Daily Mail have only increased our hunger for catching celebrities without makeup on or doing mundane things like buying groceries. While we'd like to blame the paparazzi, and they do often cross the line for a photograph, the agencies and publications they shoot for are also largely at fault. <br />
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<br />
The counsel to the inquiry, Robert Jay QC, asked Silva why the Daily Mail sent 10 or more photographers to the house of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326396013_5">Ting Lan Hong</span>, the mother of Hugh Grant's child, last fall. Hong took out an injunction, claiming she was harassed and followed by paparazzi after the birth of her daughter. Silva attempted to describe their process. "A story breaks, we then go to their home, we ask them to pose up, if they say no we'll move on and go away." When asked why the Daily Mail didn't wait for approval before sending photographers to Hong or Grant's house, Silva said, "That's the way we've done it for years."<br />
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Many argue that part of becoming a celebrity means letting go of your privacy, but we're pretty sure Pippa Middleton, whose sister happened to marry a Prince, didn't sign up to have her photo snapped 3,000 times a week. News outlets will keep posting these photos to gain more readers and create a fascination with the stars they feature (now people want to dress like Pippa and have a bum like Pippa's). Photographers will then keep taking the photos and collecting their paychecks. And as readers who click on every celebrity headline we are only perpetuating the issue. Is there any foreseeable end to the celebrity obsession, or will it only get worse from here? <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/pippa-middleton-photographed-400-times-day-191100944.html;_ylt=AquAPS0ukbYO8ZgsAsD2VAazkaU5;_ylu=X3oDMTNycTUxbzNwBG1pdANGYXNoaW9uIEp1bWJvdHJvbgRwa2cDNDY2YTg0MWMtMWQwNC0zYTIxLWJhYmQtNTJmZDQ1NmYxYzY0BHBvcwMxBHNlYwNqdW1ib3Ryb24EdmVyAzU2NjBhZTVlLTNkNTgtMTFlMS1iY2YwLTc4ZTdkMTVlOTFjNA--;_ylg=X3oDMTIxZGthcmJiBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzdHlsZXxmYXNoaW9uBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3" target="_blank">Shine</a></i></span> </div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-6942942062588515832012-01-12T02:17:00.000-08:002012-01-12T03:05:17.177-08:00Who Will Be 2012's Big Fitness Star?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> We hear a lot about <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326172871_1">celebrities</span> who've lost weight super fast after a baby or worked to get in some kind of crazy good shape for a movie or event. We even hear a lot about celebs trying to lose weight and be healthier, like <b>Jennifer Hudson on Weight Watchers</b>, <b>Mariah Carey on Jenny Craig</b>, or <b>Janet Jackson on Nutrisystem</b>. Celeb waistlines make headlines. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7MDjyRlnTMLizyx3pwaxJg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMxMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2205865.0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/7MDjyRlnTMLizyx3pwaxJg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMxMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2205865.0" /></a></div>But what about true fitness stars? These A-list and up-and-coming fitness experts are bound to be household names this year, if they aren't already. They've got big plans this year, and many of them are probably working out your favorite celebrities. So it's kind of like that Kevin Bacon game… does a workout with Giada DeLaurentiis' trainer in fact yield a body like Giada? <br />
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These are our picks for the Fitness Stars to Watch in <a href="http://popularworldnews4u.blogspot.com/2012/01/who-will-be-2012s-big-fitness-star.html" target="_blank">2012</a>. <br />
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<b>Holly Perkins</b> will continue her relationship as a fitness ambassador for New Balance, a gig she is passionate about. She told us she'll be a part of announcing some of their "super cool new products" this year. She'll become CSCS certified, the most prestigious and difficult training certification to receive, offered by NSCA. Her first book is in the works, and she's co-writing with Natalie Nevins, MD, DO, MSHPE; the title is yet to be revealed. Holly's also excited about releasing a home fitness DVD program, which she calls "a collection of my best, brand new workouts… which includes an incredible nutrition plan." <br />
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<b>Joel Harper</b> will be completing two triathlons this year, in South Beach and Malibu, as a spokesmodel for Nautica. Keep your eyes open as he travels the country speaking on fitness and helping people maximize their efforts and results. Joel will also continue working with Dr. Oz through his HealthCorps charity event April 18. <br />
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<b>Kathryn Budig</b> is a talented yogi who made waves this year with her nude ads for ToeSox. She continues that partnership in 2012. Then, she's traveling to host yoga retreats; first in Maui at the Four Seasons and then in Queenstown, New Zealand with a wine tasting or skydiving option! Her new DVD Aim True Yoga just released from Gaiam. In late 2012, she'll release The Big Book of Yoga from Rodale. We're so excited about Budig's yoga teaching that our LA team will be dropping in for lessons at her Santa Monica studio. <br />
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<b>Jessica Smith</b> continues to grow her fitness brand by increasing her footprint across several media. In the fall, her first book, in partnership with Liz Neporent, will release as part of her Thin in 10 series, with a complementary DVD. She has two new DVD workouts releasing this year, The Yin Yang Fusion Workout, and the 10 Pounds DOWN: Better Body Blast. But first up for Jessica this year is a new HIIT training cardio mix and a Tabata training for weight loss program, both available from iTunes in January. <br />
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<b>Tracey Mallett</b> is kicking off the new year with her six week Booty Barre Bikini Challenge. Her Booty Barre brand will expand yet again on the international scene in Japan, Australia, Spain, Turkey, Canada and the UK, with more stand-alone studios "popping all over," she told us. She'll have a new exercise program releasing this spring called DanceFuse, which combines dance, martial arts, Pilates, and cardio. She's also working on a consumer in-home product line for both of her <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1326172871_0">Tracey Mallett</span> and Booty Barre brands. Her work continues with JAM School Program, which she described to us as "combating childhood obesity by helping over 8 million schools get active." Finally, keep your eyes open for Tracey to be speaking at ECA NYC, IDEA World Convention, and CanFit Pro Canada. <br />
<br />
<b>Dolvett Quince</b> just returned to Biggest Loser for a second season, and while he had mass appeal amongst those fans last year, his popularity is no doubt about to explode. Very soon, he'll be launching his self-named site, Dolvett.com, where you're sure to find more fitness guidance from this chiseled pro. He'll follow that up with a multi-city tour through the US for his Pure Energy classes with the staff of his Body Sculptor, Inc. gym, based out of Atlanta. And you can look for Dolvett to appear in more of his own DVD workouts.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/jumpstart/fitness-stars-watch-2012-051100501.html;_ylt=AhARMqCeLnxYKwN5ggo4WstabqU5;_ylu=X3oDMTRiYTFqMHBnBG1pdANIb21lIEZhc2hpb24gY2Fyb3NldWwEcGtnAzYxOWQ2MjI0LTlhNTMtMzE5ZC05MDJmLTIwYzI5NTkzOWVjNgRwb3MDNARzZWMDTWVkaWFGZWF0dXJlZENhcm91c2VsBHZlcgNjZTFmNWM1Mi0zYmFlLTExZTEtODNhOC05Mzk2ODBiZDFkMDI-;_ylg=X3oDMTFrM25vcXFyBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3" target="_blank">Shine</a></i></span> </div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-15787530508923201382012-01-09T10:56:00.000-08:002012-01-09T10:56:13.636-08:009 1's In-A-Lifetime Family Vacations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"> We all have that dream trip in the back of our minds. Perhaps they have even registered on a Bucket List of places to visit before we die? While dream trips are in our dreams because they are harder for us to take -- budget and kids seem to put a stop to those dreams -- there are certainly some once-in-a-lifetime experiences that the entire family can enjoy. When saving up for that big vacation, consider saving for one that will leave a lifetime of memories.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>1. Go on an African safari</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Who hasn't thought of someday taking on an African safari and bonding during a technology-free exploration of the African plains filled with wild zebra, giraffe and lions? These days, tour companies are making it easier for families to enjoy safaris together in settings as simple as mobile tents to "glamping" excursions to thatched-roof lodges. Most safaris will not allow children younger than 6, which is OK, you want your child to be able to appreciate what they will see and have the patience and ability to stay silent when it comes to animal sightings. Get closer to making it a reality with a look at our 10 Best African Safari Lodges for Families.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>2. See the Northern Lights</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">The aurora borealis is a natural phenomenon where light dances across the sky. And it only occurs closer to the North Pole. (The South Pole gets a harder-to-spot version.) The best time to witness the occurrences is between April and October. Alaska may get you a glimpse of this natural wonder, and it's easier than ever to tour Alaska when you enjoy an Alaskan cruise. For a more exotic adventure, northern Canadian provinces and Scandinavian countries also provide excellent views. Or perhaps a trip to Iceland, where you can also swim in the Blue Lagoon's hot springs?</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>3. Take a barefoot cruise</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">While cruising may not be a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor, chartering a sailboat and enjoying a barefoot cruise is certainly something that may cost a little more but is guaranteed to provide some bonding time with the family. Instead of numerous dining rooms, arcades, waterslides, shows, and activities found on the larger cruises, a charter is simply your family with a captain and small crew (maybe just a skipper/cook) and nothing but open seas in which to swim, snorkel and diving in. For meals, you will gather in the galley or on deck in your bare feet and swimsuits. For entertainment, you'll hike a deserted island or wander around a small port. It's one-on-one time in a gorgeous setting, most likely the Caribbean. A great area for barefoot cruising is the British Virgin Islands, which offers more than 60 islands to hop and the beautiful Baths? Nicholson Yacht Charters set me up for a fantastic barefoot cruise I have yet to forget.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>4. Work a dude ranch</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">The Wild West is truly America's last frontier and a visit to a dude ranch is a vacation like no other for your kids. Joining a dude ranch for a week or weekend will ensure a technology-free vacation where you and your kids will sit around a camp fire and just be together. Of course there is some work before that point: trail rides, fishing, hiking and more. Sure, you can turn City Slicker and try your hand at a working dude ranch, but these days family dude ranches provide both roughing it and luxury options (think spas). Even if you are not the outdoors type, someone will be on hand to help you saddle up, bait up, and call out the do-si-dos on the evening square dances. Check out our list of our 10 Best Dude Ranches to help you plan.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>5. Go to the Olympics</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">This one is easiest to do when the Olympics are held on American soil, such as the 1996 Atlanta games, so even if you do not want to fly overseas to witness the entire world come together in a competition that dates back to Ancient Greece, you can save for the day they return. However, if you want to enjoy the spectacle with the kids, you'll have to pick one of the upcoming games: London 2012, Sochi, Russia 2014 and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2016. Me? I am hoping to make it to the London summer games because London is a great place for kids and my children will be 8 and 7.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>6. Ride a mule to the bottom of the grand canyon</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Perhaps it's my outdated vision of the Brady Bunch episode where the Bradys ride down to camp in the Grand Canyon, but the idea of doing something that has been done in these parts for more than a century just screams "try it before it's too late!" The Grand Canyon is something every person should see in person once in their life, for its scope cannot be imagined until seeing it first hand. Letting a mule do all the work going down and up the canyon also lets you take in the vistas from your changing point of view.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>7. Catch a sunrise from the top of a volcano</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Well, maybe a sunset so you don't have to wake the kids too early, but catching one or the other standing at the top of a volcano looking down into its crater is definite a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Luckily, the Hawaiian Islands are littered with volcanoes, and happen to be exotic, warm-weather, family-friendly destinations that are dream vacations in themselves. Tour groups offer rides up to the tops of volcanoes so you don't have to hike it, but if you feel adventurous, some tour groups let you hike back down, or even bring bikes for you to bike back down. (Save both for the older kids.) If you really want to splurge, take a helicopter ride to the top.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>8. Sleep in a castle</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">Any child bewitched by Harry Potter (or adult, for that matter), will get a kick out of spending an evening in a bona fide castle. Something about arriving at a castle and being inside its stone walls with woven rugs and armor making up the decor is magical to all ages. Thankfully, this dream isn't too hard to come by if you head to Europe, where centuries-old castles are being converted into family-friendly resorts. You'll find castle resorts in places like Germany, Scotland, England, France and Ireland, particularly Dromoland, where old and new are combined to create a luxurious experience.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;"><b>9. Climb to the top of a man-made wonder</b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 25px;">For me, the dream trip would be flying to Sydney, Australia (business class, of course) and climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I've heard so much about the daily climbs up and down the bridge, particularly starting the late afternoon to walk up as the sun begins to set, and back down as day turns to night over the Harbor. Considering the length and price of flights to Australia, all is not lost for anyone wanting to stand atop an iconic man-made structure. The easiest way to check this one off the list is a trip to New York City to climb the hundreds of stairs to the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Or fly to Paris to ride the elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Both cities are easy to get to with airfare deals always in the works, and both cities have an array of things to see and do with the kids. Of course, if you really want to aim for a destination further afield, Sydney calls, as does China's Great Wall.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.8em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.8em; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 25px;">Source: <a href="http://todaytravel.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/03/9924976-9-once-in-a-lifetime-family-vacations" target="_blank">msn</a></i></div><br />
</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-67642773207495731722012-01-07T07:26:00.000-08:002012-01-07T07:32:38.507-08:009 Famous Brands Will Disappear In 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Two days before the Wall Street Journal reported Kodak may have to file for bankruptcy in the coming weeks, James R. Gregory, CEO of branding and market research firm CoreBrand, predicted that Kodak would "disappear" as a brand in 2012.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nIyNkrw9Stzv36X2Z1yOKw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/Kodak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nIyNkrw9Stzv36X2Z1yOKw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/Kodak.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">CoreBrand conducts 8,000 phone surveys of business leaders every year, and asks them about the corporate reputations of 800 companies in 49 industries. Participants are asked to rate brands based on favorability, overall reputation, perception of management, and investment potential.</span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </em></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Kodak has been in trouble for years, of course, after it invented the digital camera in 1975 and then failed to capitalize on it. But it was intriguing that the CoreBrand survey signaled the potential end of Kodak before its lawyers did.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Gregory says his data also shows that the Sears and Saab brands are failing to contribute to their companies' fortunes, as is Yum! Brands and insurer Aon.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">We asked Gregory to tell us which other companies' brands appear to be in trouble, and why.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#1 Kodak</strong>: Bankruptcy wouldn't mean the end for Kodak as a business. The company and its brands could be bought or restructured. But it isn't looking good.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"There is high familiarity with the Kodak brand," Gregory says, "but there's a lack of clarity or focus for the organization, which shows up in our data. It's much harder to understand what Kodak does these days. The film and development and printing of pictures is not something Kodak does any more. Therefore, what is it they actually do? That's something that's not well understood."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: both; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 190px;"><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AodB8DN.6TPES.CZyOegZkwp2YdG;_ylu=X3oDMTFpNDNidTViBG1pdANCbG9nIFBvc3QgQm9keQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nQm9keUFzc2VtYmx5;_ylg=X3oDMTNmZHE2bHByBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDOWJhNTJmZGMtNWI2OS0zMWMwLTk1YWEtMjEwNzE1NDY0NDg3BHBzdGNhdANleGNsdXNpdmVzfGRhaWx5dGlja2VyBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=0/SIG=12d19g6db/EXP=1327159521/**http%3A//media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/sears.jpg" style="color: #005790; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1257" height="114" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xI5G3s43q53YZxuniGJBOw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/sears.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" width="190" /></a></div><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">#2 Sears</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> An operating loss is expected at Sears Holding Corp. for 2011 and the company is axing 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores to keep up. CEO Eddie Lampert is sticking with his company, however.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Could Sears really disappear?</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"Their brand has been suffering from the corporate brand perspective," Gregory says. "As strong as a brand is, and it has huge familiarity and favorability over the years, you can't continue to have a lack of focus without causing long-term damage."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#3 Avery Dennison</strong> You've probably never heard of Avery Dennison but you've almost certainly used its products. It's perhaps best-known for Hi-Liter pens. Avery just sold its office and consumer products business to 3M for $550 million. Could this be the beginning of the end for Avery? Gregory can't say, but he notes that "The data is always accurate in identifying problems."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#4 Aon</strong> This is a surprise: The reinsurer signed a huge new sponsorship contract with Manchester United. Its name is arguably better known globally now than it has been in years. Gregory's data, however, argues that in the U.S. Aon's marketing is not working. "Aon has been one that has tried very hard to build its brand image. But it has been, basically from my perspective, ineffective. It might be more effective in other countries."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#5 CA Technologies</strong> Financially, CA is in rude health. Its brand, however, is like a marketing witness protection program. The company used to be better known as Computer Associates but that name was tarnished by an accounting scandal in the mid-2000s.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"Again this is a brand that has evolved over time," Gregory says. "They have not really focused on the corporate image of their organization so their brand is not pulling its weight in terms of what it should be doing."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: both; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 190px;"><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AoM_76Gh7fyZmLn2jIwAdnsp2YdG;_ylu=X3oDMTFpbDY5dmg3BG1pdANCbG9nIFBvc3QgQm9keQRwb3MDNwRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nQm9keUFzc2VtYmx5;_ylg=X3oDMTNmZHE2bHByBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDOWJhNTJmZGMtNWI2OS0zMWMwLTk1YWEtMjEwNzE1NDY0NDg3BHBzdGNhdANleGNsdXNpdmVzfGRhaWx5dGlja2VyBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=0/SIG=12h02juh8/EXP=1327159521/**http%3A//media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/ym-brands.jpg" style="color: #005790; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1257" height="114" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/XhofSIhBWmrruwndMmn2Jw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/daily-ticker/ym-brands.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" width="190" /></a></div><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">#6 Yum! Brands</strong><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Yum! is the owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. The three restaurant chains were originally spun out of PepsiCo, and the company is doing well as a whole. But the fourth moniker isn't adding any brand equity, Gregory says. "One of the jobs of a holding company is to make sure the corporate message is getting out. I think they did at the very beginning but they never put meaning behind it."</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#7 PPG</strong> The former Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company makes paint and other industrial products, including Lucite, the see-through plastic used in stripper heels. PPG suffers from a similar problem as Yum! -- its individual products and brands are famous in their own worlds, but the parent company remains an unknown.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"PPG traditionally has been a big brand in the U.S., not as a name consumers would know but as a manufacturer of paint and glass and other things," Gregory says. Yet among its core audience -- "avid readers of the business press," Gregory says -- PPG ought to be as famous as Behr or Benjamin Moore.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#8 Steelcase</strong> Steelcase is an office furniture manufacturer. If you've ever had a job, there's a good chance you've used or sat on its products. "This one perplexes me more than most," Gregory says. "They make wonderful products. They're a U.S.-based company. They've been able to withstand the ups and downs of the office furniture industry. I just don't think they have a strong corporate brand."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"It doesn't mean the company isn't performing well," Gregory says. "Our point of view is on the corporate brand and how it's contributing to the financial value of the company."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">#9 KeyCorp.</strong> It's a bank, and like all banks suffers from the horrible reputation of the financial services industry as a whole. "They're also a smaller regional bank as opposed to a Bank of America or Citibank," Gregory says.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/prediction-famous-brands-disappear-2012-010414512.html" target="_blank">Yahoo</a></span></i></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-31857598082539125752012-01-07T02:34:00.000-08:002012-01-07T02:34:26.397-08:00Cheapest European Cities to Visit in 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="inlinePhoto photo_landscape photo_align_block " data-contentid="9985504" id="vine-inlinePhoto__9985504" style="width: 500px;"><img alt="" height="208" id="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/120105-krakow-hmed.jpg" src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/120105-krakow-hmed.photoblog500.jpg" width="320" /><div class="photo_credit">Kacper Pempel / Reuters</div><div class="photo_credit_container">Tourists ride in horse carriages Nov. 12, 2011, in the Old Square in Krakow, Poland. If you're planning a trip to Europe this year, Krakow is one of the best bargains.</div></div><div class="byline">By Tanya Mohn, msnbc.com contributor</div>Budget travelers of a certain age may remember guide books of some years ago that helped them plan vacations in Europe on $5 and $10 dollars a day. But the 21st century may have its own version: the <a href="http://www.priceoftravel.com/1979/european-backpacker-index/">European Backpacker Index 2012</a>, an online listing in its second year that rates 40 major European cities by price.<br />
Released earlier his week, the new 2012 listing rates Sofia, Krakow and Budapest as the cheapest major tourist cities in Europe, while Zurich, Oslo and Stockholm are rated as the most expensive.<br />
“At least right now, Europe is a little bit cheaper than the last few years,” for Americans, said Roger Wade, who researched and complied the list. With a strong U.S. dollar and favorable exchange rates, budget travelers can save even more on their next European trip.<br />
Wade is founder and editor-in-chief of Price of Travel, a website and database of travel costs launched in 2010 to help travelers compare typical expenses in more than 110 cities around the world to ascertain the best values.<br />
Wade began the site because he couldn't find any comprehensive resource that rated cities based on affordability. “Websites and books tend to not list prices because they fear they will be out of date soon,” and will be a burden to update, said Wade, who insisted the list is not just for college-age students and 20-somethings.<br />
“I’m always looking for value,” said Wade, who is 47 years old and has been traveling for the last two years, and spoke to msnbc.com in a phone interview from Kas, Turkey. The same amount of money for a three-night stay at a higher-end hotel could cover two weeks at a lower-cost hotel or hostel. “That’s what I’m going to do every time,” Wade said. The trade-off is worth it, he said. If you go cheaper, you can go for longer.<br />
The list is not meant to discourage travel to certain cities, but to help figure out which cities to hurry through or linger in. Based on this year’s list, visitors could spend five times longer in Sofia, Bulgaria than in Zurich, Switzerland. The Daily Backpacker Index daily rate for Sofia is $23.71 a day; for Zurich, it’s $118.78 a day.<br />
(This list will be updated when currencies fluctuate, the site states, but the most current information will always be on the city-specific pages; links are at the bottom of each city listing.)<br />
Any surprises on this year’s list?<br />
“Poland in particular seems to be gaining in popularity, especially Krakow, which has become a hotspot,” Wade said.<br />
Ratings are based on average costs for accommodations, public transportation, attractions, food and drink in each city. “It’s quite scientific,” Wade said. “Most are exact prices, except for food, which can be variable.” Those estimates are based on “the cheapest meal you can get.”<br />
Here are the detailed criteria:<br />
<ul><li>One night in the cheapest bunk at the least expensive hostel with a good location and good reviews. (The rating must be over 80 percent, Wade said.) </li>
<li>Two public transportation rides per day. </li>
<li>One paid/famous attraction per day. (Every city is loaded with free things to do for budget-conscious travelers, but the average cost of a major attraction in each city for each day is used.) </li>
<li>Three “budget” meals per day. (The minimum meal price, plus 20 percent to make it more realistic for a longer trip.) </li>
<li>Three cheap, local beers (or wine) each day as an “entertainment fund.” Non-drinkers might have dessert and coffee or attend a local music performance instead, so this is a general benchmark that should be proportional for each city.</li>
</ul>Are lists like the European Backpacker good predictors?<br />
<div class="inlinePhoto photo_landscape photo_align_block slideshow" data-contentid="10004193" id="vine-inlinePhoto__10004193" style="width: 500px;"><a class="slideshow_link" href="http://msnbc.msn.com/id/42431358/displaymode/1247/?wbSlideShowId=42431358&wbSection=travel" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="240" id="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss_051004_europe/ss-110405-europe-greece-acropolis-tease.jpg" src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss_051004_europe/ss-110405-europe-greece-acropolis-tease.photoblog500.jpg" width="320" /></a><div class="photo_credit_container">Experience the grand cities, amazing architecture, cultural attractions and natural beauty of the Old Continent. </div></div>For Americans, it’s a great time to travel to Europe, said Reena Aggarwal, professor of finance and business administration at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. “I think the dollar will continue to be strong for the next few months, and tourists should take advantage of the opportunity.”<br />
Aggarwal said she did not expect the exchange rates to change markedly anytime soon, but other factors should also be considered when planning an international trip.<br />
“Obviously it is not all about dollars,” said Aggarwal, as things like safety are also important. But lists like the European Backpacker Index, which help travelers have a better understanding of comparative costs, “are a good starting point.”<br />
For budget-minded travelers, a critical factor will also be the price of airfare and availability of low-fare seats between the United States and Europe, said Henry H. Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and co-founder of the Atmosphere Research Group, a market research company.<br />
“We're seeing some expansion of budget airlines entering the U.S.,” Harteveldt said. “XL Airways of France just announced it will add summer season Paris-San Francisco flights, and carriers like Air Europa and Air Berlin tend to up frequencies and capacity in the peak summer season. Air France, however, has announced it will suspend flights between Paris and Newark, to focus instead on its service in/out of JFK.” <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://travel.msnbc/">Travel.msnbc</a></i></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-33870955188991857512012-01-07T02:25:00.000-08:002012-01-07T02:27:09.030-08:00Sexy Vs. Slutty: How Men Differentiate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Lifechanger and Master Matchmaker Steve Ward says "There are many women everywhere who waste a lot of time and money to look good for us. Apparently, many women can't tell the difference between what we consider sexy and what we consider slutty." <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/GaqfV5HlPhd71IMYgPsPtQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/sexy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/GaqfV5HlPhd71IMYgPsPtQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/sexy2.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><br />
Here's the problem: men aren't helping you make the distinction any easier. Why? Because at the end of the night, it really doesn't matter. Most men take what they can get. <br />
<br />
Bringing a woman home to meet the parents is very different from taking a woman home to bed. We've been taught never to take a slutty woman seriously. This is all just a matter of perception, because sometimes even the sluttiest-looking women turn out to be quite prudish. <br />
<br />
Here's what looking slutty means to most men like me: It says, "I don't have much self-respect and have to expose myself in order to attract a man. Value me for my appearance and worry about my character and personality traits later (if at all)." <br />
<br />
Slutty is trying too hard. Sexy is natural. Slutty is over-exposure. Sexy is just enough. Women can be sexy and sophisticated, classy and intelligent: relationship-worthy. Slutty can not. <br />
<br />
Sexy can actually be high maintenance or low maintenance. Some of the sexiest outfits I've ever seen on a woman consisted of a camisole top and yoga pants, a cotton spring dress or even a turtleneck top. Sexy is confident, fun and approachable. Let's face it; a man can be attracted to a light pole. It's not the clothes that make a woman sexy. Nor is it the makeup, hair, shoes or accessories. It's an attitude. It's a look. It's a demeanor.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/sexy-vs-slutty-men-differentiate-012900705.html;_ylt=Av8XLQtwhy3G96GtFlmVGOaBbqU5;_ylu=X3oDMTNvam5lYWNnBG1pdANMb3ZlIEp1bWJvdHJvbgRwa2cDZTMwNjQ1ZjEtNmU5NS0zOWY0LTg2NDUtOTdmYzdlNGFjNGVjBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNqdW1ib3Ryb24EdmVyAzFkMWQwZWQwLTM3ZmUtMTFlMS1iZGZkLWYyYzAyY2U0MWQ1Mw--;_ylg=X3oDMTFzMXNsMDBpBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANsb3ZlK3NleARwdANzZWN0aW9ucwR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=3" target="_blank">Shine </a></i></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-61134354814010787742012-01-06T06:46:00.001-08:002012-01-06T06:51:22.106-08:00College Majors With Most Unemployment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> If you want the best odds of getting a job after graduation, don't major in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325700247_4">architecture</span>.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Among recent college grads, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325700247_1">architecture majors</span> by far have the highest <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325700247_0">unemployment rate</span> at 13.9%. That's according to a new report from the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325700247_3">Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce</span>.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img height="156" src="http://l1.yimg.com/cv/ip/fpfinance/010512/grads_uni.jpg" width="400" /> </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> The collapse of the construction and home-building industries in the recession is to blame. Even after gaining years of experience, architecture grads ages 30 and up, have a high unemployment rate at 9.2%.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Arts majors also have it tough, with an 11.1% unemployment rate for recent grads and a 7.1% rate for those with experience.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">That said, the economy has shown that not all majors are created equal. As the education and health industries have continued to grow, majors in those fields have the lowest unemployment rate among recent grads, at 5.4%.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In general, the unemployment rate is lower for workers with graduate degrees than those with just a bachelor's. But the payoffs for a grad degree also vary by major.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Health care workers with just a bachelor's for example, have lower <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1325700247_2">unemployment rates</span> than graduate degree holders in nearly every other field.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Georgetown report analyzed data from an in-depth Census study called the American Community Survey, taken in 2009 and 2010. Recent grads are defined as workers between ages 22 and 26.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/unemployment-soars-among-college-majors-163400066.html" target="_blank">Yahoo</a></span></i></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-25017903845637103192012-01-05T07:44:00.000-08:002012-01-05T07:44:33.700-08:00Reese Witherspoon Opens Up About Husband Jim Toth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon is often photographed with her two kids, Ava, 12, and Deacon, 8, happily hanging out with new hubby Jim Toth, an agent she married last April, but the 35-year-old rarely talks about their relationship in interviews. Perhaps it's because her first marriage to actor Ryan Phillipe, whom she was married to for seven years, ended in divorce? In the February issue of </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Elle</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, the "Legally Blonde" star reveals plenty, beginning with how the two met -- and it wasn't some meet-cute situation like in one of her rom-coms.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/AuyYcGTjHcD2HzYXRg72IQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/omgaline/300-ELLE-ReeseWitherspoon-010412_190815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/AuyYcGTjHcD2HzYXRg72IQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/omgaline/300-ELLE-ReeseWitherspoon-010412_190815.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"It happened out of the blue. This really drunk guy was hitting on me, making such an idiot of himself, yelling at me," Reese reveals of meeting Toth at a friend's party. "He was like, [slurring, scowling, pointing finger in her face] 'You don't know me.' And I was like, 'Yeah, I know. I don't know you!' Jim came over and said, 'Please excuse my friend. He's just broken up with someone.' Jim was a really good friend, pulling him out of that situation. That's just kind of who he is, a really good person."</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 300px;"><img alt="" class="editorial" height="450" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9KdlwiYsMS7J5e7bK9GYXg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/omgaline/300-ReeseWitherspoon1-010412_190811.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Elle magazine" width="300" /><div class="legend" style="color: #414141; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Elle magazine</div></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-right" style="background-color: white; clear: none; float: right; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 300px;"><img alt="" class="editorial" height="450" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Thow4AOWT0_FBcy7W4eU6w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/omgaline/300-ReeseWitherspoon3-010412_190811.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Elle magazine" width="300" /><div class="legend" style="color: #414141; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Elle magazine</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Reese Witherspoon at ELLE's Women in Hollywood Bash</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">While that wasn't exactly the most romantic introduction, Toth more than made up for it later. "Jim said, 'I'm gonna show you every day what a good partner is, what a good person is. I'm going to take care of you. I'm gonna do this so much that you're gonna get used to it,'" the "Election" actress says. "I was like, 'What are you talking about?' I've never had anybody like that in my life."</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Still, Witherspoon makes it clear that she faces the same pressures as any woman in Hollywood. "Nothin's going north. It's all going south, might as well put in on film now," she jokes. "But not without a lot of padding and a push-up bra."</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 620px;"><img alt="" class="editorial" height="366" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xckYPKXlf.zczgwyAlRLRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYyMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/omgaline/620-ReeseWithersoon-010412_190811.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Elle magazine" width="620" /><div class="legend" style="color: #414141; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Elle magazine</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Despite Reese's worries about her looks in the future, even she has to admit that she's being paid <em>a lot</em>to do what she loves now. She earned $28 million in 2010, according to <em>Forbes.</em> "Every time they call and talk to me about money, I get embarrassed about it. A couple of women finally made me feel better: 'To get what you're making, do you know how much money people are making off of you?' I'm like, 'Oh, oh, okay.'"</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/aline/reese-witherspoon-opens-husband-jim-toth-214131050.html;_ylt=ApLlNFJ3znRSLuObHTebzHgPpxx.;_ylu=X3oDMTNwaTNvaTNvBG1pdANNb2QgVGlsZSAyBHBrZwNhNTMzNjQ4NS01ZTgzLTNmNWItODU1Yi0yNjY4Y2E0ZmIxODgEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhUGhvdG9UaWxlBHZlcgM2YTlkZmZkMC0zNzI2LTExZTEtYmZmNy1lZTk5ZTk0MDBjYmY-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3" target="_blank">omg</a></span></i></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-85869080908535126822012-01-05T07:25:00.000-08:002012-01-05T07:25:41.686-08:002012 Weird Science Awards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="label" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"> Our annual Weird Science Awards pay tribute to the strangest scientific tales of the past year, and you just know the 2012 edition had to be a doozy. While we're waiting for the Maya apocalypse — and we may be waiting a long, long time — let's count down the top 10 Weird Science stories, as determined by an ironically unscientific Live Poll.</div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">No. 10 is the discovery that having a painful need to urinate can impair your judgment. "When people reach a point when they are in so much pain they just can't stand it anymore, it was like being drunk," says Brown University neurologist Peter Snyder. "The ability to hold information was really impaired." To say nothing of the ability to hold water.</div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">The research won Snyder and his colleagues a share in one of 2011's Ig Nobel Prizes, which honor science that makes you laugh, and then makes you think. Watch Snyder explain the study in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GcM7yi7eXMk" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">this YouTube video</a>, then click the "Next" button for more laugh-provoking science — or scroll quickly all the way down to the bottom if you have a painful need to go.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/GcM7yi7eXMk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Fungus turns ants into zombies</span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></span><div about="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110302-ZombieAntPhoto-hmed-0245p.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; float: right; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="" class="photo" height="266" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110302-ZombieAntPhoto-hmed-0245p.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A dead ant, after being zombified by a species of parasitic fungus. The brain-controlling fungus turns ants into zombies that do the parasite's bidding before it kills them.</div></div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">If books like "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and video games like "Resident Evil" can generate <a class="internal" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45079546/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/zombies-worth-over-billion-economy/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 0.8em/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">billions of dollars in sales</a>, it shouldn't be surprising that the top Weird Science honors go to a story about zombie ants being taken over by a brain-controlling fungus. The fungus apparently uses temperature cues to decide when to have the ant clamp down on a cool leaf with a death grip. Pennsylvania State University's David Hughes speculates that the fungus does its thing to ensure it "has a long cool night ahead of it, during which time it can literally burst out of the ant's head to begin the growth of the spore-releasing stalk." It's the perfect plot for a horror movie directed by one mean mother: Mother Nature.</div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2. 'Aflockalypse' is for the birds</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110107-blackbird-150a.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang forceFloatShowcase" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="Image: A dead blackbird on the ground in Beebe, Arkansas," class="photo" height="253" src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110107-blackbird-150a.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A dead blackbird on the ground in Beebe, Arkansas.</div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">The year 2011 was rung in with a series of reports about mass die-offs, involving blackbirds (the so-called "Aflockalypse" in Arkansas), fish, crabs and other creatures. Some wondered whether a global environmental crisis was in the offing, but experts said the Aflockalypse was simply a case of people connecting the dots between unrelated events, facilitated by global communication systems. Die-offs can happen for a variety of reasons. The Arkansas blackbird deaths, for example, took place after the birds were spooked by New Year's Eve fireworks. And wouldn't you know it? The Aflockalypse happened again to kick off 2012.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Preacher gets doomsday wrong ... twice!</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/110524/tdy_lewis_doomsday_110524.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="" class="photo" height="300" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/110524/tdy_lewis_doomsday_110524.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="org" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">First, figure out exactly when Noah's Ark was floated by the Flood, and exactly when Jesus was crucified. Then come up with an arcane biblical numerology to add 7,000 years to the former, and 722,500 days to the latter. That was California preacher Harold Camping's formula for determining that May 21 was the date for thebeginning of an apocalyptic Rapture. When May 21 didn't work out, he said Oct. 21 was the fallback date for the end of the world. And when that didn't work out ... well, now Camping says he's rethinking this whole doomsday business. But what about the 2012 apocalypse? That's too kooky, even for Camping. "Mr. Camping does not believe the Mayan calendar holds any significance at all," a spokeswoman says. Camping's mathematical acumen earned him a share in one of2011's Ig Nobel Prizes.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Corpse-dissolving machine invented</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/__News Channel/nc_Cremation0902_500Kmsnbc2_110902.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="" class="photo" height="300" src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/__News%20Channel/nc_Cremation0902_500Kmsnbc2_110902.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="org" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">"Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door." Does that old saying apply to building a better corpse-dissolving machine as well? Resomation Ltd. hopes so. The Scottish company installed its machine in a St. Petersburg, Fla., funeral home and hopes the system will be legalized in other jurisdictions. The alkaline hydrolysis unit liquefies a body's soft tissues and flushes the sterile liquid into the municipal water system. The bones and other hard parts are left behind to be crushed. Company founder Sandy Sullivan says the machine lets people express their environmental concerns "in a very positive and I think personal way." Sounds good, as long as they don't put a Soylent Green factory next door.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Pole shift forces airport makeover</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/__News Channel/nc_northpolechanging_500kmsnbc_110107.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang forceFloatShowcase" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="" class="photo" height="300" src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/__NEW/__News%20Channel/nc_northpolechanging_500kmsnbc_110107.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span class="org" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">Might as well face reality: Shift happens. Earth's shifting magnetic poles are not a sign of the apocalypse. They're just a fact of life on our dynamic planet. We do have to cope to the shift that life throws at us, though. For example, in early 2011, Tampa's airport had torepaint the numbers on its runways to reflect their shifting orientation with respect to magnetic north. The good news is that even dramatic changes in the poles' position would have no effect on life on Earth, despite what the doomsday prophets say.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Just this once, Samoa skips a Friday</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/111230-samoa1-7a.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="Image: (FILE PHOTO) Samoa Cancels December 30th As Islands Skip Over The International Dateline" class="photo" height="306" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/111230-samoa1-7a.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="474" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Samoa and New Zealand-administered Tokelau skip a day as they jump over the international date line in an attempt to improve trade and tourism.</div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">For more than a century, Samoa was on one side of the International Date Line, and Australia and New Zealand were on the other. When the Samoans were at Sunday church, the Aussies were starting their business week on Monday. And when Samoa was trying to finish up its own business week, the Kiwis were settling into the weekend. To remedy that, the Samoans switched over to the Australia-New Zealand side in 2011, going directly from Thursday, Dec. 29, to Saturday, Dec. 31. To top it all off, workers were paid for the non-existent Friday. If only we could all get to the weekend that quickly ... and spend it on a tropical island.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Glowing dog has an on-off switch</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110727-coslog-glow-135p.grid-4x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-4x2 hang" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 308px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="Image: Glow-in-the-dark paw" class="photo" height="361" src="http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110727-coslog-glow-135p.grid-4x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="308" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Photos demonstrate the inducible glow-in-the-dark effect in a genetically modified dog: The left images shows the dog's paw in normal light (upper left) and under ultraviolet light (lower left) after doxycycline is added to the dog's food. The right-hand images show the dog's paw in normal and ultraviolet light after scientists stopped administering the drug.</div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">In past years, our Weird Science Award winners have included glow-in-the-dark kitties and glow-in-the-dark puppies. How could scientists possibly top that? Would you believe a dog with a gene that turns the fluorescence under UV light on or off, depending on whether a particular drug is added to its food? That's exactly the kind of dog that South Korean scientists produced in 2011. Why, you ask? Well, the ultimate aim of these glow-in-the-dark exercises is to splice in genes that can help treat diseases — and having an on-off switch would give physicians more control over the treatment. That feat would make other researchers turn green ... with envy.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Monster pictures make a splash</span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></span><div about="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110718-MonsterPhoto-hmed-0605p.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang forceFloatShowcase" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; float: none; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="" class="photo" height="384" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110718-MonsterPhoto-hmed-0605p.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="474" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A photo from a video that claims to show Alaska's own version of a sea monster.</div></div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">2011 saw a double-header (so to speak) in the marine-monster category. The most popular Loch Ness monster-like picture came from Alaska, where Andy Hillstrand of the "Deadliest Catch" TV show captured the footage for the Discovery Channel. Some might suggest that the creature is an eel, or a fish, or even a trick of light on the water. Not Hillstrand. "I've never seen anything like it," he told Discovery News. He suspects that the picture shows a Cadborosaurus, a legendary beast that has long been said to frequent Alaska's waters. Meanwhile, another picture purporting to show a creature that's been nicknamed "Bownessie" made waves in England.</div><div style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="label" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Flies hooked on meth ... and sugar</span></div><div about="http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110420-science-fly-6p.grid-6x2.jpg" class="art hmedia grid-6x2 hang" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 478px;"><div class="img " rel="media:image enclosure" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; line-height: 0; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="image/jpeg"><img alt="Image: Fruit fly" class="photo" height="365" src="http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110420-science-fly-6p.grid-6x2.jpg" style="background-color: black; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="474" /></div><span class="credit vcard contributor" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; display: block; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span><div class="caption fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 19px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Researchers have found that the fruit fly is a useful model organism for studying the whole-body effects of methamphetamine exposure.</div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;">When researchers noticed that meth addicts often take in large amounts of sugary drinks, they decided to do a little experiment: First, they got fruit flies hooked on methamphetamine. Then the scientists fed some of the flies a diet heavy on trehalose, an insect blood sugar. They found that the sugar-gobbling flies outlived the flies who didn't get the sweet stuff. Maybe sugar metabolism plays a role in meth's toxic effects. "Hopefully, some of these insights might lead to opportunities to deal with the problems associated with the drug," says University of Illinois toxicologist Barry Pittendrigh. But more research is required to trace the effects on mammals. In the meantime, watch out for those meth-head fruit flies.</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.3em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.3em; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45863259/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.TwW-GTUthpw" target="_blank">msnbc</a></span></i></div><br />
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</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-44939261207789807772012-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:002012-01-03T03:02:41.832-08:00What Will Be Cheaper In 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b>European travel, TVs and other goodies may be getting cheaper.</b><br />
Consumers fed up with rising prices on fuel, food and other purchases will be happy to find that some things may actually be cheaper in the New Year.<br />
The same economic uncertainty that's driving many prices up has also created a handful of silver linings for consumers -- particularly those planning a big-ticket purchase or trip in the short term, says Jack Plunkett, chief executive of market research firm Plunkett Research. Growing competition between web and bricks-and-mortar retailers has also generated more deals beyond the usual roster of furniture and household linens sales that pop up every January. "What we're going to find, long-term, is that you get your best deals on the Internet," says independent retail analyst Jeff Green. But for now retailers are "trying to keep people in stores for as long as they can." That means more sales.<br />
Shoppers will still need to exercise caution, experts say. One category's price break is often counterbalanced by rising fees in a different area. One example: Rising charges for cellphone data use often eclipse price cuts on text-message plans. "Little savings here and there may not help much," Plunkett says. But here are some deals that could help consumers keep their budget in check in 2012.<br />
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<b>Consumer Electronics</b><br />
Prices typically drop in January and February as manufacturers introduce the latest in computers, televisions and other devices. That's likely to accelerate this year as stores look to better compete with web sites, Green says. TV prices in particular continue to drop. During the last few months of 2011 the average price of a 42" LCD screen fell below $500 for the first time, reports market research firm NPD Group. In 2010, the average price was closer to $600.<br />
Shoppers may find that the deals don't extend to all orders or categories, says Lindsay Sakraida, features director of deal-tracking site DealNews.com. Shortages have increased prices on components such as hard drives. Other items are cheap because they aren't worth it: a standalone GPS, for example, is now largely redundant for smartphone users, she says.<br />
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<b>Text-Message Plans</b><br />
With the introduction of Apple's iMessage and other apps that let consumers message each other for free, experts say there's little reason to shell out $10 to $50 per month for a text-message bundle. At the least that could put an extra $120 back in the budget for 2012.<br />
Just don't expect it to stay there. The average smartphone user consumed 435 MB of data per month during the first quarter of 2011, according to Nielsen. That's up 89% compared with the previous year and well above the 200MB threshold for AT&T's and Verizon's cheapest data plans. Verizon also nixed its unlimited data plan this year, while AT&T introduced a plan to throttle the speed of its heaviest users.<br />
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<b>Travel to Europe</b><br />
The European debt crisis may be a boon for travelers: one U.S. dollar currently buys 0.76 euro, up from 0.69 euro on Sept. 1. That's enough to give travelers an edge on hotels and daily expenses, says Melissa Klurman, a contributing editor for Travelocity.<br />
The problem: rising fuel prices and airline capacity cuts have kept international fares moving higher. The crisis and in turn, the euro's value -- could also stabilize next year, diminishing savings for travelers who book well in advance, Plunkett says. The Continent may also be less hospitable than in years past. "European workers are disgruntled, so you might also run into a strike or two," he says.<br />
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<b>Wine</b><br />
Bargain bottles are becoming more prevalent as boutique wineries spring back and consumers curtail consumption, Sakraida says. "People are now less likely to spend over $30 a bottle, so wineries are focusing on lower price points," she says. A number of new flash-sale sites also offer high-end wines at discounts of as much as 50%.<br />
Experts say some sales and low-priced bottles may mask so-so vintages, so it's still important to read reviews before shelling out for a case.<br />
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<b>Interest Rates</b><br />
Consumers planning to buy a house or a car can expect rates to stay low and maybe even go a little lower through mid-2012, Plunkett says. "This low interest-rate environment we're in is going to be encouraged by the Federal Reserve," he says.<br />
Those savings, however, might be the only break purchasers get. Automakers have projected an increase in sales next year, which could lead to sparser incentives, he says. And that same low-rate environment has also pushed down yields on checking and savings accounts, according to rate-tracking sites DepositAccounts.com and Bankrate.com. "You might as well put your money in your pillow," Plunkett says.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113824-11728-3-5-deals-to-look-forward-to-in-2012?ywaad=ad0035&nc" target="_blank">Yahoo</a></i></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-46631435575879560502012-01-01T10:41:00.001-08:002012-01-01T10:46:25.019-08:005 Things You Don't Know About Bachelor Ben Flajnik<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="yom-mod social-buttons" id="yui_3_3_0_5_1325443262290103" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-left-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-right-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-top-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 38px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; z-index: 1; zoom: 1;"><div class="bd" id="yui_3_3_0_5_1325443262290102" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="yom-mod yom-art-content " style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-left-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-right-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-top-color: rgb(248, 145, 198); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="bd" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div style="font-size: 14px;"><img alt="5 Things You Don't Know About Bachelor Ben Flajnik" class="related-photo" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/USWeekly/1324475074_bachelor-ben-240.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px;" title="" /><strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.6em;">Ben Flajnik</strong><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">is ready to fall in love again!</span></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">As the 29-year-old Sonoma, Calif., winemaker dusts himself off after being jilted by <em>The Bachelorette</em>'s <strong style="font-weight: bold;">Ashley Hebert</strong>and prepares to begin his own search for love on ABC, <strong style="font-weight: bold;">Us Weekly </strong>uncovers five fun facts about Flajnik.</div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">1. </strong>He harbors no ill will toward ex Hebert -- <em>really</em>! Though the dental grad made Flajnik get down on one knee and propose, knowing full well she'd choose <strong style="font-weight: bold;">J.P. Rosenbaum</strong>instead, Flajnik says he's grateful for her dismissal. "I had genuine feelings for Ashley," he has said, crediting her with helping him overcome issues surrounding his father's death. "I worked through a lot of stuff on my own. I think my self-discovery was something I didn't expect. Ashley was there helping me through all that."</div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</strong></div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">2.</strong> Flajnik is a genuine Renaissance man. Studying music production at the University of Arizona, ABC's newest Bachelor later founded a successful internet company, but found his true calling in 2008 when he established Envolve Winery with two pals in Sonoma, Calif. When he's not stomping grapes at the office, Flajnik likes to go crab fishing, sailing, golfing and sing in a tribute band.</div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">3.</strong> He may have wined and dined <strong style="font-weight: bold;">Jennifer Love Hewitt</strong>, but don't expect Flajnik to go all Hollywood. "She's a nice girl, but...after this is all said and done, I want to go back to Northern California to my normal life," he has said, adding that the actress pursued him over the summer. "Ending up with a Hollywood celebrity is not something I ever imagined doing."</div><div style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">4.</strong> A member of the Delta Beta Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Flajnik was a party animal during his college days. In 2003, Flanik was reportedly busted by campus police for underage drinking at a house party. "I understand that they're doing their job and trying to keep people safe, but the fact there were 50 some odd police officers here to break up one little college party is a little ridiculous," Flajnik told the KOLD local news at the time.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 14px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">5.</strong> His secret nickname is "Storm Horse." A fan of the San Diego Chargers football team, Flajnik told San Diego's 91X radio station he goes incognito at team tailgate parties with other fans dubbed the "Frightening Lightening" crew using the pseudonym.</div><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="http://omg.yahoo/">Omg.Yahoo</a></span></i></div></div></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-60694142494015437372012-01-01T10:17:00.000-08:002012-01-05T06:39:58.148-08:002nd NASA Probe En Route To Moon On New Year's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> NASA team tasked with the latest lunar mission, New Year's Day seems like Groundhog Day.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/01264/LA301_1264590e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://www.statesman.com/multimedia/dynamic/01264/LA301_1264590e.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This undated artist rendering provided by NASA on Dec. 21,2011 shows the twin Grail spacecraft mapping the lunar gravity field. The two probes are scheduled to enter orbit around the moon over New Year's weekend. Photo: NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> Twenty-four hours after a probe safely entered orbit around the moon, its twin was poised to do the same on Sunday. The back-to-back arrivals would cap a roundabout journey spanning 3 1/2 months and covering 2 1/2 million miles.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The Grail spacecraft — short for Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory — are on a hunt to learn what's inside the moon by meticulously mapping its lumpy gravity field from orbit.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On New Year's Eve, mission controllers at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory cheered after Grail-A flew over the south pole and braked into orbit. An engineer even blew a noisemaker to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The space agency hoped for a similar flawless performance from Grail-B.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Chief scientist Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology briefly relaxed after Saturday's success.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"Then I thought to myself, 'I have to go through this again. I can't believe it,'" said Zuber.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This time, Zuber will fly to Denver to watch the second half with engineers at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, which built the washing machine-size probes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">An expedition to the moon, Earth's closest neighbor at about 250,000 miles away, usually takes a few days. Grail took the road less traveled by launching on a small rocket that lengthened the trip, but was more economical.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Since the Space Age, the moon has been the focus of more than 100 missions. Despite all the exploration — including Apollo landings on the surface and hauling rock and soil back to Earth — aspects of the moon remain a mystery.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">One of the enduring puzzles is its lopsided shape with the far side more hilly than the side that Earth sees. Research published earlier this year suggested that our planet once had two moons that crashed early in the solar system's history and created the moon that graces the sky today.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Scientists expect to learn more about how the celestial body formed using Grail's gravity measurements that will indicate what's below the surface.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Data collection won't begin until March after the spacecraft tweak their positions and are circling just 34 miles above the surface. While scientists focus on gravity, middle school students will get the chance to take their own moon pictures using cameras aboard the probes as part of a project spearheaded by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">There's already talk about trying to extend the $496 million mission, which was slated to end before the partial lunar eclipse next June. Scientists initially did not think the solar-powered probes would survive that long, but changed their minds during the long cruise to the moon after getting new data.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">NASA's previous moonshot occurred in 2009 with the arrival of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and a companion spacecraft that deliberately crashed into the south pole to measure the amount of water in a crater. Future lunar missions will be unmanned after the Obama administration last year scrapped a plan to send astronauts back in favor of going to an asteroid as a stepping stone to Mars.</span><br />
<div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://attractivenews4u.blogspot.com/2012/01/2nd-nasa-probe-en-route-to-moon-on-new.html" target="_blank">Attractivenews4u</a></span></i></span></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-44271660971155505342012-01-01T09:04:00.000-08:002012-01-01T09:04:27.461-08:00As Year Closes,Open Your Eyes To 5 Standouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> While some people spent 2011 "winning," GTL-ing and marrying (and quickly divorcing), there were events in pop culture happening under a much dimmer spotlight. The following television shows, films, books, Twitter feeds and otherwise class acts aren’t total unknowns, they're just people and performances deserving of some singular attention as the year comes to a close. That everyone on this list is a woman, well that’s just a coincidence, but one that's totally fine by me.<br />
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<b>Best new character on television:</b><br />
<b>Claire Danes’ Carrie Mathison, 'Homeland'</b><br />
If, for any reason, you’ve previously written off Danes, or just not given Showtime's "Homeland" a chance, I implore you to reconsider. For the first time in I don’t know how long, Danes portrays a female character who all at once has considerable vulnerability, flaws and power (not to mention mental illness, which adds another dimension to all of that). Season two can't come quickly enough.<br />
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<b>Best book of the year:</b><br />
<b>'Swamplandia!' Karen Russell </b><br />
Critically, "Swamplandia" received a ton of praise, but the story of Ava Bigtree, a young girl raised on an alligator farm/amusement park didn't get enough attention from a wider cultural swath (Oprah's Book Club: this is how we miss you). Russell's debut novel is full of whimsy, but also wisdom (“it’s hard to hear your own happiness as an alarm bell," she writes at one point). HBO picked up the rights to develop this book into a 30-minute comedy series; I highly recommend you check out the story in its true form before that becomes a reality.<br />
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<b>The Twitter feed you should be following:</b><br />
<b>@KellyOxford</b><br />
This Canadian mother of three uses Twitter exactly how it should be used: as a (hilarious) mouthpiece for the darker parts of our consciousness. A few gems: this from Christmas Eve, "I have a huge fire roaring and the kids are screaming that it will be too hot for Santa, but I keep laughing and throwing logs on it. #eggnog." And this insight into Justin Bieber and her 3-year-old: "SERIOUS: My three year old just told me she wanted Justin Bieber's haircut because 'She's so pretty' :("<br />
Oxford just sold a comedy to NBC, so we'll be seeing more of her work on the tube soon, but my Twitter feed would appreciate it if her best, unfiltered material stayed there.<br />
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<b>Best film performance:</b><br />
<b>Shailene Woodley, 'The Descendents'</b><br />
There's a feeling among my close friends and family that I loved "The Descendents" so much because it stars my George Clooney, but really, truly, the actor who plays his oldest daughter Alexandra, Shailene Woodley, is every bit as responsible for my affection for the film. In less capable hands, Woodley's character could have been cliche, grating, or just plain boring. Instead, the movie couldn't have been anywhere as remotely successful as it's been without Woodley's pitch-perfect performance. I'll be stunned, or at least feeling wronged-by-proxy, if she's not on the receiving end of some awards this season. Regardless, she's an actor we will be seeing for a very long time.<br />
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<b>Class Acts: </b><br />
<b>A tie — Sandra Bullock, Denise Richards</b><br />
Seriously, these two women had some real doozies on their hands in 2011. Disappearing entirely would have been completely understandable, but neither did. Instead, they were both judicious with their public comments, did their work, and went on with their lives. When celebrity was rearing its ugliest of heads, Richards and Bullock were holding theirs high. They weren't just a good example to their peers (many of whom could have learned a thing or two), but to a lot of women in general. Good on you, and thanks for showing this little corner of showbiz how to be graceful.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/30/9806473-its-the-end-of-2011-did-you-notice-these-standouts" target="_blank">Scooptoday</a></span></i><br />
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</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-55433716050441089422011-12-31T10:29:00.000-08:002011-12-31T10:29:54.080-08:007 Traditional New Year Party Foods From All Over The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">7 lucky party dishes from all over the world<br />
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<b>1.Ring-Shaped Cakes:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-50NdtAVh65c/Tv9Sci7tO3I/AAAAAAAAFHs/wSM6nXgv-B8/s1600/Ring-Shaped+Cakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-50NdtAVh65c/Tv9Sci7tO3I/AAAAAAAAFHs/wSM6nXgv-B8/s320/Ring-Shaped+Cakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
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Ring-shaped cakes and other baked goods symbolize wholeness and the completion of a full year’s cycle. In Greece, there’s vasilopita, a round, anise-flavored cake with a coin hidden inside; in Mexico, they make rosca de reyes, a sweet, ring-shaped bread that’s studded with dried fruit and baked with a tiny figurine of baby Jesus inside; and a long-held Dutch tradition is to feast on puffy, doughnut-like fritters called oliebollen, which are filled with apples and raisins and dusted with powdered sugar.<br />
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<b>2.Dumplings:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pb68W44l0jA/Tv9Shm9ymlI/AAAAAAAAFH4/lLXlsygXT8Y/s1600/Dumplings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pb68W44l0jA/Tv9Shm9ymlI/AAAAAAAAFH4/lLXlsygXT8Y/s320/Dumplings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
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Dumplings resemble the gold ingots that were once China’s currency, eating them represents the hope for an auspicious new year. If you’re making them yourself, however, look out: superstition warns against counting the dumplings for fear that it will lead to scarcity in the new year. Another ancient belief that doubles as a teaching moment: any bad feelings between family members must be resolved before the dumplings are cooked; if they’re not, evil spirits will steal them.<br />
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<b>3.Fish:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qe2RQ0O2X4/Tv9Sly9WxzI/AAAAAAAAFIE/hk08FnSGojw/s1600/Fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Qe2RQ0O2X4/Tv9Sly9WxzI/AAAAAAAAFIE/hk08FnSGojw/s320/Fish.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><b><br />
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In China, a whole steamed fish symbolizes a long and healthy life and oysters and prawns are lucky, too. In Poland, one serves pickled herring at midnight; in Italy, dried salt cod stars in a variety of holiday dishes; and in Germany, you simply can’t celebrate the day without noshing on carp, which often appears in a stew. Germans take it one step further, though — many tuck a few carp scales into their wallets afterward to keep from running out of money in the following year.<br />
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<b>4.Grapes:</b><br />
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In Spain, New Year’s Eve means one thing: a whole lot of grapes. At midnight, everyone from grandmothers to teenagers starts popping the fruit into their mouths one-by-one, in time with the local clock tower’s chimes. The saying goes that if you manage to swallow all twelve before the last stroke of midnight, you can count on a prosperous year. Today, the custom is also going strong in Portugal, Cuba, Venezuela and a handful of other countries.<br />
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<b>5.Greens:</b><br />
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The leaves of greens are thought to resemble folded money and supposedly portend a rise in economic fortune. In Germany, sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) is a New Year’s must; in Denmark, it’s kale sweetened with cinnamon and sugar, and in this country, sautéed collard greens are an integral part of a New Year’s meal. In Iran and other countries that celebrate the Persian New Year, fresh herbs, which represent fruitfulness in the coming year, find their way into rice dishes and oven-baked omelets.<br />
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<b>6.Legumes:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhAURktJbZU/Tv9S5l-c17I/AAAAAAAAFIo/FffAKwF4EGo/s1600/Legumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhAURktJbZU/Tv9S5l-c17I/AAAAAAAAFIo/FffAKwF4EGo/s320/Legumes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
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Some believe you can increase your chances of getting rich by feasting on beans, peas and lentils over the holiday. Their small, round shape is reminiscent of coins; plus, legumes swell when they’re cooked, which symbolizes growing wealth. One of the most famous of such New Year’s dishes, which is eaten widely in the South, is hoppin’ john, a soup made of black-eyed peas and rice. In northern Italy, it’s customary to eat green lentils and pork sausage just after midnight, and in Brazil, the first meal of the new year is often lentil soup.<br />
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<b>7.Pork:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNi7CATOoRM/Tv9S8qXZaXI/AAAAAAAAFI0/mVJJIqZ72Jk/s1600/Pork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNi7CATOoRM/Tv9S8qXZaXI/AAAAAAAAFI0/mVJJIqZ72Jk/s320/Pork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
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The high fat content in pork signifies wealth and prosperity; plus, pigs push their snouts forward when rooting for food, which represents progress. (In contrast, turkeys and chickens scratch backward for their food. For that reason, and the superstition that happiness will fly away with the birds’ feathers, many people avoid poultry for the New Year.) Suckling pig is a favorite at New Year’s meals in Russia, Austria, Hungary and Portugal; in Germany, you’ll find roasted pork and sausages, and in Sweden, pork trotters.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/dinner/traditional-new-years-food-party-dishes/?page=1" target="_blank">babble</a></span></i></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-72233206954494862112011-12-31T08:50:00.000-08:002011-12-31T08:50:00.181-08:00Surprisingly Valuable Things in Your Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">The average family has about $10,000 worth of unused items in their home. But how do you know what's worth something and what's just plain junk? We asked Cucksey and a few other experts to tell us the most often overlooked items-and the best online resources for you to start cashing in.</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><span class="yui-editorial-embed" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177193" name="2177193" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177193.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Used Clothing and Shoes </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">A lot of people donate to charity clothing that has been sitting in their closets for years, but, Cucksey says, "There is a really big secondhand market out there of people who will buy styles that look outdated to you." It's often lesser-known designer items that are most surprising: Many of her clients are ready to toss their boxed, funky purses from the '60s and '70s before she lets them know they are by designer Enid Collins and commonly sell for $300 and up. And don't discount the pieces from the '80s you'd rather forget: Those garments (shoulder pads and all) are considered vintage. They're some of the most popular items at resale shops right now.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177197" name="2177197" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177197.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Costume Jewelry</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Unique jewelry pieces can be sold with a heavy price tag, especially if they have their original stamp or maker's mark. At<a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AhvHdN7ggNw.Tb3Zc2BYV1m4g6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFnZTVzNmR1BG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzQEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM2lxMHU1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDY2E0NGUxYTMtNmNjMC0zZjg5LWI3NTUtOWYyNjE0ZWMzNDUwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5fGZpbmFjaWFsbHlmaXQEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=11d9euoau/EXP=1326551886/**http%3A//jewelrywonder.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #990033; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JewelryWonder.com</a>, you can set up an online store by uploading photos of pieces you own. If the jewelry was passed down by a relative or looks as if it's a few decades old, it might be just the thing <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1324334412_5">costume jewelry</span> enthusiasts are eager to get their hands on. Pieces by Trifari, a jewelry company popular in the '30s, can be distinguished by its trademark "T" stamp with a crown above it. Other sought-after pieces are Eisenberg Ice, especially pins made of Swavorski crystal (marked with "Eisenberg Originals") from the '30s.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177227" name="2177227" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177227.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Pottery</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We once had a client who had a pottery vase they were using as a toilet brush holder," says <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1324334412_1">Stuart Whitehurst</span>, vice president of Skinner, Inc. auctioneers in Boston. "They had no idea it was made in the late 1800s by Boston pottery maker William Grueby and that its yellow glaze was extremely rare. That toilet brush holder ended up being worth $18,000." So how do you know if Grandma's umbrella stand is actually precious pottery? <a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AlfRlvFCBEbhyBK8Lu6cDB24g6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFnc2YwdDZrBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzYEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM2lxMHU1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDY2E0NGUxYTMtNmNjMC0zZjg5LWI3NTUtOWYyNjE0ZWMzNDUwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5fGZpbmFjaWFsbHlmaXQEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=11eg1g8kq/EXP=1326551886/**http%3A//justartpottery.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #990033; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JustArtPottery.com</a> has a large gallery of patterns and frequently publishes articles on how to tell what kind of pottery you own. And one of the hottest items on the market right now, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1324334412_2">Whitehurst</span> says, is Chinese porcelain. Commonly found in a traditional blue and white motif, it's now exceptionally popular because Chinese collectors are trying to reclaim pieces that were brought to the States by American missionaries in the 20th century.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177233" name="2177233" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177233.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Records</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">If your music collection is now on your iPod, you might have some</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1324334412_6" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">vinyl records</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> sitting in your attic collecting dust. As with most collector's items, the more rare the record is, the better (and if it's autographed by a popular artist, it's definitely worth thousands). The vinyl records that sell for the highest prices tend to be albums from the '60s and '70s by artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan that are still sealed (never opened) and in great condition. Gently used records are still sought after. To learn more about your collection, </span><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmUvoKrgIxCkdKGl8LN_BoC4g6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFnbWhqOHFjBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzgEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM2lxMHU1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDY2E0NGUxYTMtNmNjMC0zZjg5LWI3NTUtOWYyNjE0ZWMzNDUwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5fGZpbmFjaWFsbHlmaXQEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=11coseti2/EXP=1326551886/**http%3A//forevervinyl.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #990033; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ForeverVinyl.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> offers auction and appraisal services and also buys and sells vinyl records, as well as CDs. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177241" name="2177241" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177241.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Books</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">While the antique book market isn't what it once was, appraisal expert</span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1324334412_3" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Allan Stypeck</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> says rare, autographed and original editions, especially manuscripts, are still highly valued. Because books are usually passed down through relatives over the years, many of his clients have no idea what theirs could fetch at auction. "A woman recently called and said she had a book she thought might be worth something," Stypeck says. "It turned out it was a 13th-century illuminated [handwritten and illustrated] manuscript from a monastery in Paris that was worth a minimum of $30,000." But because book appraising depends on a multitude of factors (edition, condition and rarity) Stypeck doesn't recommend trying to figure out your books' value on your own. The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (</span><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AplvCfEKthhOpL1Xp0l0kEa4g6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFoNXNiNGczBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzEwBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJsb2dCb2R5QXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM2lxMHU1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDY2E0NGUxYTMtNmNjMC0zZjg5LWI3NTUtOWYyNjE0ZWMzNDUwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5fGZpbmFjaWFsbHlmaXQEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=1189091qr/EXP=1326551886/**http%3A//www.abaa.org/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #990033; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">abaa.org</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">) has a directory of rare booksellers who can get you on the right track. </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="editorial " height="705" id="2177245" name="2177245" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177245.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Computer Parts</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">You've upgraded, and now your old computer sits there, obsolete. Many buyers will pay good money for your old desktop, hard drive, monitor, router and even keyboard and printer. Computer parts are especially popular on eBay: Visit </span><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Ast4bOxI6oQvC0lTCgh0VEW4g6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFoYWtiZDBoBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzEyBHNlYwNNZWRpYUJsb2dCb2R5QXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTNoM2lxMHU1BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDY2E0NGUxYTMtNmNjMC0zZjg5LWI3NTUtOWYyNjE0ZWMzNDUwBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5fGZpbmFjaWFsbHlmaXQEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=11kj6ffik/EXP=1326551886/**http%3A//pcsellingcenter.ebay.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #990033; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">PCSellingCenter.ebay.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> for detailed instructions to get started on selling what you've got. You'll be doing the Earth a favor: Disposed computer parts, also known as "e-waste," are an environmental hazard due to their toxic parts. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yui-editorial-embed"></span></div><div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class=" editorial" height="705" id="2177255" name="2177255" src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2177255.0" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; display: block; height: 257px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 171px;" width="" /></div><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;">Vintage Toys</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Pez, Barbies, figurines from popular cartoons like the Smurfs or Snoopy-any toy that brings back a little nostalgia could be something a collector will pay big money for. There are certain rarities to look out for, says Whitehurst, like Barbies with a side part and bubble haircut (which were mostly sold in Europe in the '60s and are now highly sought after by American collectors) or a Pez dispenser with a patent number (found toward the bottom of its stem) of 3.9 or lower, which means it was manufactured before 1976.<br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: </span></i><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><a href="http://newzforu.blogspot.com/2011/12/valuable-things-in-your-home.html" target="_blank">newzforu</a></i></span></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-7874765139321743412011-12-28T09:55:00.000-08:002011-12-28T11:31:38.524-08:0010 Best Honeymoon Spots in Hawaii<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div> The beaches, the water, the Aloha Spirit... It's hard to go wrong with a honeymoon in Hawaii. Romance is everywhere you turn. These 10 hotels and resorts are some of most decadent and dreamy on the Hawaiian Islands. Enjoy a beautiful sunset from the privacy of your beachfront cabana, explore the undersea world with your partner, or relax at one of the many award-winning spas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZJ8Yn0y3Jg/TvtrdiUHapI/AAAAAAAAFFg/ir0mVWtLFN8/s1600/Romantic+Escapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZJ8Yn0y3Jg/TvtrdiUHapI/AAAAAAAAFFg/ir0mVWtLFN8/s320/Romantic+Escapes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div><b>1.Sheraton Keauhou Bay</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asDqI7QzwXc/TvtrsapJQfI/AAAAAAAAFFs/E8bHCEDZjYY/s1600/Sheraton+Keauhou+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asDqI7QzwXc/TvtrsapJQfI/AAAAAAAAFFs/E8bHCEDZjYY/s320/Sheraton+Keauhou+Bay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What: </b>Sheraton Keauhou Bay sits on an ancient black lava flow near the birthplace of Hawaii's King Kamehameha III. In this dramatic and romantic setting, guests can do everything from relaxing on the beach to partaking in Hawaiian cultural activities.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> Keauhou Bay has a special manta ray-viewing point just offshore. Couples can dive or snorkel at night with the manta rays. Those looking to renew their vows (or get married the first time around) can do so underwater with a certified dive master and officiate. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> Sheraton Keauhou Bay is in the historical Keauhou district of the Big Island</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rooms start at $149</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>2.Fairmont Orchid</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_z4vuxSMsPY/TvtsFuZ955I/AAAAAAAAFF4/p6rFA7csuCw/s1600/Fairmont+Orchid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_z4vuxSMsPY/TvtsFuZ955I/AAAAAAAAFF4/p6rFA7csuCw/s320/Fairmont+Orchid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> The Fairmont Orchid spreads across 32 acres of perfectly manicured gardens along the Pacific. Vast grounds and open plan ensure that there's always a great view. The hotel even has its own lagoon, complete with resident green sea turtles.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> Couples who enjoy getting pampered should try the outdoor Waterfall Massage, where they can lounge in a hale (private hut) overlooking waterfalls and a koi pond.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> The Fairmont Orchid is on the Kohala Coast on The Big Island</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rooms start at $239 per night</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>3.Hotel Renew</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jS6gio3sNPY/TvtsRYZNZ3I/AAAAAAAAFGE/gobjA1O6Mh8/s1600/Hotel+Renew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jS6gio3sNPY/TvtsRYZNZ3I/AAAAAAAAFGE/gobjA1O6Mh8/s320/Hotel+Renew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> Honeymooners who appreciate a chic, designer boutique hotel will enjoy the 72-room Hotel Renew on Waikiki Beach. The hotel's on-site surf school and sunset surf lessons are a regular hit with couples.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> The Tie The Knot Newlywed Package features a 20% discount and includes champagne, continental breakfast, Wi-Fi, and beach gear.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> Hotel Renew is in Waikiki on Oahu</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rates start at $159 per night for the Tie the Knot Newlywed Package</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>4.Kahala Resort</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP_G1cP4qGY/TvtsbOsk2LI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/Hm7xs1XkSgw/s1600/Kahala+Resort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YP_G1cP4qGY/TvtsbOsk2LI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/Hm7xs1XkSgw/s320/Kahala+Resort.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> The Kahala's 6.5 acres of crescent beach, tropical gardens, and waterfalls seem far removed, but the resort is only minutes from Honolulu's cosmopolitan atmosphere. Five bottlenose dolphins frequent the private lagoon -- but they aren't the resort's only celebrities. A walk through the hotel's photo gallery shows that The Kahala has hosted everyone from US presidents to rock stars.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> Honeymooners receive a $50 resort credit to use toward activities or a meal at Hoku's restaurant. The Kahala's "Kissing Point" is one of the most beautiful spots on the island to watch the colorful Hawaiian sunset.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> The Kahala is minutes from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Oahu</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rates start at $395 per night</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>5.Grand Hyatt Kauai</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMrAgwp7LDo/TvtsmL_XeiI/AAAAAAAAFGc/0g0SNBJ8R_I/s1600/Grand+Hyatt+Kauai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMrAgwp7LDo/TvtsmL_XeiI/AAAAAAAAFGc/0g0SNBJ8R_I/s320/Grand+Hyatt+Kauai.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> The Grand Hyatt Kauai hosts about 250 destination weddings each year, and is even more popular with honeymooners. This 50-acre resort has wide, white sand beaches, a saltwater lagoon, an adult pool, a lazy river, hula lessons, and ukulele lessons. Hidden nooks have double hammocks and more privacy, for guests who prefer a little solitude.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> Honeymooners receive a bottle of sparkling wine in each room and a private cabana reservation. In Anara Spa, honeymooners receive a 15% discount on the half-day Romance Journey or three-hour Kauai Lover's Escape spa treatments, which take place in a private outdoor hale near a lava rock shower and ginger steam grotto.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> Grand Hyatt Kauai is in Koloa on Kauai</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rooms start at $360 per night</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>6.Ko'a Kea</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EBtSsOnAEMw/Tvts6d90aWI/AAAAAAAAFGw/YaWeocx02Ug/s1600/Ko%2527a+Kea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EBtSsOnAEMw/Tvts6d90aWI/AAAAAAAAFGw/YaWeocx02Ug/s320/Ko%2527a+Kea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> Kauai's only luxury boutique, Ko'a Kea, was renovated in 2009 with honeymooners in mind. This low-key hotel on Poipu Beach skips over the man-made trappings of other resorts and instead emphasizes the serenity of its surroundings.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> The Tropical Desire Package includes breakfast, a one-hour couple's massage, three-course dinner for two, and a midsize rental car.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> Ko'a Kea is in the town of Koloa on Poipu Beach in Kauai</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rates start at $329. The Tropical Desire Package starts at $615 per night.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>7. Courtyard Kaua'i</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhBtHn2xG1g/Tvts_48_GkI/AAAAAAAAFG8/HIbtLSv3bo4/s1600/Courtyard+Kaua%2527i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhBtHn2xG1g/Tvts_48_GkI/AAAAAAAAFG8/HIbtLSv3bo4/s320/Courtyard+Kaua%2527i.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> The Courtyard Kaua'i at Coconut Beach is a 311-room property that feels more like a boutique hotel because of its attention to detail. This secluded oceanfront accommodation will unveil its $15 million renovation in January 2012.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> Honeymooners enjoy welcome cocktails, fresh flowers, and Hawaiian cookies during turn-down service. For a real treat, try to book the ocean-front Discovery Suite, which boasts a full kitchen, Jacuzzi, and private lanai. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> The Courtyard Kaua'i at Coconut Beach is in Kapa'a on Kauai</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> The starting rate for a room is $199 per night</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>8. Grand Wailea</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J6SwtDANgIY/TvttNfzTL8I/AAAAAAAAFHI/kQNd5SLsCww/s1600/Grand+Wailea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J6SwtDANgIY/TvttNfzTL8I/AAAAAAAAFHI/kQNd5SLsCww/s320/Grand+Wailea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> Honeymooners visiting Grand Wailea will enjoy a particular combination of decadence and Hawaiian culture. Grand Wailea has one of the most valuable and largest collections of international art in the Hawaiian islands, a farm-to-table dining series, the largest hotel spa in Hawaii, the only specialized scuba pool in Hawaii, and Maui's best resort restaurant.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> The Romance Me Maui package offers couples a side-by-side two-hour spa session, a four-course dinner with exclusive wine-pairing, bottle of champagne, and Hawaiian flower petal turndown service.</div><div><b>Where:</b> Grand Wailea is in Wailea on Maui</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rates begin at $399 per night. The Romance Me Maui Package starts at $1,776 for five days and four nights' accommodation.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>9. Ka'anapali Beach Hotel</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRDFtb3nGxU/TvttW1gP1NI/AAAAAAAAFHU/rERnvpLt-7U/s1600/Ka%2527anapali+Beach+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRDFtb3nGxU/TvttW1gP1NI/AAAAAAAAFHU/rERnvpLt-7U/s320/Ka%2527anapali+Beach+Hotel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> Honeymooners seeking an authentic Hawaiian experience should consider Ka'anapali Beach Hotel. The hotel, which sits along three miles of one of Hawaii's most romantic beaches, has been named "Hawaii's Most Hawaiian Hotel" by the Waiaha Foundation due to its authentic details and Hawaiian cultural classes.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> In the interest of preserving and promoting Hawaiian culture, the hotel has established a unique Po'okela program. Guests can learn how to hula, play the ukulele, make grass skirts and leis, pound poi, and much more.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> The resort is near Lahaina on Maui</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rooms start at $159 per night, which includes a welcome breakfast, nightly luau, lei ceremony, and Po'okela classes</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>10. Four Seasons Maui at Wailea</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L787f6w-r0s/Tvttg8ZWWuI/AAAAAAAAFHg/CmyQe7wn1Ec/s1600/Four+Seasons+Maui+at+Wailea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L787f6w-r0s/Tvttg8ZWWuI/AAAAAAAAFHg/CmyQe7wn1Ec/s320/Four+Seasons+Maui+at+Wailea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><b>What:</b> For couples who truly love the finer things in life, the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea can provide a luxurious and romantic atmosphere on the shores of Maui. The resort boasts one of the country's top-rated spas and three of Hawaii's most critically acclaimed restaurants.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Honeymoon Highlights:</b> A concierge can help with any romantic request, but the resort features two popular options. For the Bougainvillea Trail option, gardeners hand-pick bougainvilleas from the grounds and set up a trail from door to bed, complete with chilled champagne. The Ultimate Romantic Dinner brings private, fine dining to the beach. The Four Seasons Resort Maui chef creates a five-course meal for couples at a private table on the beach set with fine crystal, silver, china, and tropical flowers.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Where:</b> The Four Seasons Maui is in Wailea on Maui</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Cost:</b> Rates start at $485 per night. The Bougainvillea Trail option costs $125. The Ultimate Romantic Dinner option costs $750.</div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/?p=1&group=729&cat_cd=HONEYMOON#slide" target="_blank">Frommers</a></span></i></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-56937233526134225732011-12-27T09:36:00.000-08:002011-12-27T10:40:30.105-08:00Top Ten New Years Resolutions for Small Businesses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> We all have New Year resolutions for 2012 but do small businesses need New Years Resolutions? Yes! In honor of our rapidly growing small businesses in Frisco, we tracked down the Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Small Businesses. Improve on last year and keep growing into the New Years with the Top ten New Years Resolutions for Small Businesses from mashable.com.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Go Small.</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">You want customers to support the concept of small business, right? This means you should adopt a small business mindset at your own business too. Analyze your current vendors and service providers for opportunities to “downsize.” If you find any opportunities to support a small business instead, whether virtual or brick and mortar, aim to switch at least one vendor or supplier.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Go Mobile</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">By 2015, more U.S. Internet users will access the web through mobile devices than through PCs. On average, 15% of all <a href="http://www.seota.com/Search-Engine-Optimization/Local-SEO.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="SEO Frisco Texas">searches</a> on Google today are from a mobile device. How well are you catering to this mobile population? Make 2012 the year you optimize your search marketing, email marketing and website to focus on this growing mobile community.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Go Local</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">These mobile users are constantly interacting with things and places that physically surround them. Microsoft reported that 53% of mobile searches on Bing have a local intent. The online world has become an essential place for businesses to connect with their local community. Make sure your business has a local listing on key search engines: Google Places, Bing maps, and Yahoo maps.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn How to Delegate</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">When you’re just starting out and times are tough, it’s natural to tighten the purse strings. However, consider what you could gain by handing over certain tasks to contractors, virtual assistants or full-time employees. By relinquishing control of administrative tasks or company blog updates, you’ll free up time for what’s ultimately going to keep you in business: bringing in revenue.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Invest in One Touch Point</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Whether it’s blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, mobile coupons or QR codes, new ways to connect with customers seem to pop up daily. As a small business owner, you don’t have to excel in every new technology or network that comes along, but you should try to be wherever your customers are. Ask your current customers where/how they’d like to connect with you, then spend some time in 2012 to make it happen.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Website</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In the race to master new social media tools, don’t overlook the power of the <a href="http://www.seota.com/Web-Development/Content-Management-Systems/Our-Recent-Work-in-Joomla.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Website Development">website</a>. Every business needs a website, your are done before you even begin without one. Research the many internet marketing firms around Frisco. Small businesses tend to take care of other small businesses. Make sure it is updated and up-to-date! After all, social media efforts like Twitter campaigns end up driving traffic somewhere, right? It doesn’t make any sense to build a beautiful and savvy Facebook presence that funnels people to a boring, inaccurate, and out-of-date website. Keep it current and engaging!</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Protect your Assets</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">While legal fine print may not be the most glamorous part of your business, forming an LLC or corporation can be critical to your business and personal financial health. These business structures protect your personal assets from any company liabilities. That is, if your business is sued or has bad debt, your personal property may be shielded from legal repercussions. Keep in mind that creditor judgments can last a total of 22 years, so you’re protecting not just what you own today, but whatever assets you’ll gain in the future.</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tax Time</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Are you notorious for waiting until the last minute to organize and file your taxes? Do you find yourself wading through emails, or scrounging through your car to find stray business receipts? Don’t wait until April to start on your 2011 tax forms. Start fresh in 2012 by organizing your books from day one (even if that means outsourcing your accounting).</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Social Network in the Real World.</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Whether the plumber recommends a carpenter or the web designer recommends a copywriter, business is driven by referrals and connections. In 2012, put some effort into networking by signing up for an industry conference or seeking out a local meetup group. These are invaluable ways to develop relationships and share advice with fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check out the best social networking group for small businesses in Frisco, <a href="http://www.friscoypg.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Frisco Youth Professionals">Frisco Youth Professionals</a>!</div><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time for You</span></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As an entrepreneur, remember that you’re solely responsible for your own motivation, productivity and well-being. There’s no boss to pat you on the back or give you a raise. It’s up to you to keep yourself motivated and inspired. In 2012 be sure to reward yourself for specific milestones like a big client win, meeting a tough deadline, or working “overtime” for multiple nights on end.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Start with a plan and adapt these how you see fit. All big companies started out small and with these Top 10 Small Business New Years Resolutions your heading in a great direction.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.realfrisco.com/Latest/top-ten-small-business1234.html" target="_blank">Realfrisco</a></i></div></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-81818150178328671082011-12-26T01:50:00.001-08:002012-01-18T10:37:59.504-08:005 Ways To Begin With Your New IPhone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Got an Apple iPhone this Christmas? Well, you're doing pretty well for yourself. It may or may not be Santa Claus' Smartphone of choice and you successfully avoided waiting in long lines as many Apple fanatics do once a year when a new iPhone launches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLw2-2ykJtJ_6bz4U_hNf4QgZoFDaFWFWtsgyn_4yWyuH6ZaL_d1UELCEMksGLvtVpJ50ZX6ANpxfs_48hUj2Vcrj5s9QrQUkAJXC2dymwdMyCq9h7GRovFN6cXxH2WVyAxOWir-euhDu/s1600/iphone.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLw2-2ykJtJ_6bz4U_hNf4QgZoFDaFWFWtsgyn_4yWyuH6ZaL_d1UELCEMksGLvtVpJ50ZX6ANpxfs_48hUj2Vcrj5s9QrQUkAJXC2dymwdMyCq9h7GRovFN6cXxH2WVyAxOWir-euhDu/s1600/iphone.jpeg" /></a></div>
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But marketing and hype aside, the iPhone is one of the best Smartphone lines on the market and each of the devices currently available -- the 3GS, the 4 and the 4S -- run iOS 5, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system. With that in mind, here are five places to get started if you're a first time iPhone owner.<br />
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<b>1. Photography apps:</b> Apple's App Store (the only place you can get iPhone apps), with more than 140,000 apps available, is a major bragging right for the iPhone versus its competitors, but not all apps are created equal. However, no other Smartphone platform can currently match the iPhone for slick apps that produce fun and artistic photos. The best place to start is likely Instagram, which combines a solid selection of filters to make photos look like they were shot on vintage film cameras and a social network of other users so you can see the world through other lenses. Histaminic is another popular choice, which takes the vintage filter approach to another level with the ability to mix and match <a href="http://techqnews4u.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-digital-technology-has-made-faxing.html" target="_blank">digital</a> lenses, flashes and film choices to create a more customized look than in Instagram. Another app, called SwankoLab, allows you to alter photos already taken using a simulated dark room.<br />
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<b>2. Games:</b> The iPhone is also arguably the best gaming Smartphone out there and the choices here are plentiful. Angry Birds is one of the most popular games available on Smartphone’s and is a good place to start. But other choices such as Robo Surf, Cut the Rope, Tiny Wings, Bumpy Road and Kosmo Spin are worth checking out too -- each combining unique art styles, enchanting soundtracks and simple touch screen controls. For those looking for a bit more of a gaming challenge, the third-person shooter Minigore and puzzle game Scribblenauts impress. The sword fighting games Infiniti Blade and Infiniti Blade II show what the iPhone is capable of with detailed 3-D graphics and fast-paced action.<br />
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<b>3. Music:</b> Apple's iTunes allows for easy music buying, but there are plenty of other music related apps worth checking out as well. Shazam can listen to and then identify thousands of songs. Band of the Day is a great way to discover new music. Sound tracking is a unique social networking app that allows you to share what you're listening to with others, as well as check out what tunes they like. And if you're a Spotify Premium subscriber, the Spotify app is a must.<br />
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<b>4. Built-in Twitter:</b> If you're a big Twitter user, as I am, or even if you're new to twitter, you're likely going to appreciate that the social network is baked into iOS 5. Checking out a website you care to share in the iPhone's Safari web browser? You can tweet that directly from Safari without having to go and open up a Twitter app. same goes for photos, videos and locations in the maps app.<br />
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<b>5. Ask a friend:</b> As always, talking to a buddy can generate suggestions that may line up with your interests on just about anything -- same goes here. Ask a friend who uses an iPhone what they like about the phone or available apps and you're bound to find something you may enjoy too.<br />
Source:<a href="http://techqnews4u.blogspot.com/2011/12/5-ways-to-begin-with-your-new-iphone.html" target="_blank">Techqnews4u</a></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-34051537340299291622011-12-21T23:35:00.000-08:002011-12-22T00:08:25.232-08:00How to Stay Young And Fit At All Ages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Despite the challenges that life poses on a daily basis, exhausting us and relentlessly showing the marks of age, we can do a tremendous lot to keep our youthful looks. There are a bundle of techniques which are absolutely free and easy to start employing immediately. Rely on your sense of humor and smile and laugh as often as possible. Mend your mood and cheer up, and that will chase your wrinkles away. Take further care of your freshness by regular naps whenever possible. You will wake up fresh, energized and alert, and you will love it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jfssrRuUx4Y/TvLlJQ0dEoI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/h-zQVRLCsXQ/s1600/How+to+Stay+Young+And+Fit+At+All+Ages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jfssrRuUx4Y/TvLlJQ0dEoI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/h-zQVRLCsXQ/s320/How+to+Stay+Young+And+Fit+At+All+Ages.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Now something which involves purchasing some essential equipment to tone your muscles – the culprits for aging signs when you don’t take sufficient care of them. Buy your kettlebells with a Dragondoor promo code, and turn your living room or your garage into your gym. You will love the look of your rust resistant coated kettlebells, and you will marvel at the difference you will make to your muscles – Dragondoor coupons not only provide discount rates, they enable you to get your right kettlebells that will tone your muscles to youthful suppleness. You won’t have to rush to a gym outside and shudder at the very thought when it is freezing – use your kettlebells in the comfort of your home. Make daily kettlebells exercise a dedicated commitment. <br />
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Do you know the simple secret to the fastest toning of your muscles? It is an amazingly simple shortcut to youthfully toned arms, and it is doing pull ups. All you need is a pull up bar. Get a bar for your pull up exercise from an online store with a <a href="http://www.dailynewdeals.com/DragonDoor/DragonDoor_Coupons_Deals.html" target="_blank">Dragondoor promo codes</a>, and have it installed in your doorway. By lifting the weight of your own body, you will do miracles for your fresh appearance. Your waistline will shrink, and your arm and torso will get firmer. Isn’t it an enthralling perspective – and it is so simple and easy. <br />
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Combine your pull ups and kettle-bell exercise with adequate moisturizing at least two times a day. It is a tip inevitably underlined by all authors of digital books available with Dragondoor coupons, as it is common knowledge that adequate water intake keeps the skin youthfully sleek and does wonders for melting excess weight. <br />
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If you have recently started considering methods of keeping aging at bay, rely on experts – digital books and DVDs that you can get with a Dragondoor promo codes contain the essentials you need to confidently proceed along the path to youthful looks. Gleaming allure is an art; you can master that art by studying digital books on the appropriate tips on how to stay young, and then follow up with DVDs to enhance the ideas visually. <br />
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Start now, take the advantage of <a href="http://www.dailynewdeals.com/DragonDoor/DragonDoor_Coupons_Deals.html" target="_blank">Dragondoor coupons</a> and put off the effects of aging with these easy methods. You will be amazed by how much mental fitness exercise will add to your youthful spirit. Enter your kettle-bells and your good mood – exeunt aging, tiredness and wrinkles.</div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359192592373737678.post-31460402394054272502011-12-06T10:11:00.000-08:002011-12-06T10:11:13.496-08:003 Tips to Saving Money This Holiday Season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<div class="yom-figure yom-fig-left" style="background-color: white; clear: none; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 11px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; width: 310px;"><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Aiu98oGtkZHgn.S5xyVSGiuhfqU5;_ylu=X3oDMTFnMTFlb21tBG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTMzZ3JsZDA2BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDM2U3YjAyOGMtMjMxNi0zMDBjLTk3NWEtNGY1YjI0NzgxNmY2BHBzdGNhdAN3b3JrK21vbmV5BHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQR0ZXN0Aw--;_ylv=0/SIG=11r6vm92q/EXP=1324404497/**http%3A//www.self.com/%3Fmbid=synd_yshine" rel="nofollow" style="color: #e62b6a; text-decoration: none;" target=""><img alt="" height="413" id="2127909" name="2127909" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/VscKTaJOJHfaaUHHt4q3mQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTMxMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2127909.0" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="" width="310" /></a><div class="legend" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #414141; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.7em; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 8px; text-align: left;"></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i> </i>Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday were off the charts this year -- and most of us know the holiday spending season has only just begun! Between doling out gifts to half the folks you know, attending holiday parties galore and traveling to-and-from family events, money is a major source of stress for many women over the holiday season. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">So how can you reign in spending while not becoming a total Scrooge? Here are a few easy savings tricks that will still let you enjoy the holiday season. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">No matter how much you spent during your post-Thanksgiving shopping spree, it's not too late to create a holiday budget! Make a list of all your holiday commitments and try to decide ahead of time exactly what you want to bring to each one. Buy in bulk, then keep a stash of hostess gifts in the house, so that you don't end up overspending on a last-minute find en route to your next party. A little prep will make you feel instantly calmer and more in control of your credit cards. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The upside of this tough economy is that truly thoughtful gifts have become even more coveted than pricey presents. For each gift you buy for a loved one, rather than asking yourself, "What would really impress them?" ask, "What would make them smile?" And be sure to do this before you get to the mall, or risk becoming totally bamboozled by crazed shopping crowds. A meaningful gift says that you truly understand a pal for who they are and that you've paid attention to their wants and needs -- which is a far more valuable gift that any material good. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Even the most savvy shopper sometimes goes over-budget. To avoid stressing about future debt in the midst of all the merriment, create a savings plan that you can be prepared to put in place come January 1. You'll be able to better enjoy the holiday season (and all of the money-spending that comes with it) with much less guilt if you already have a recovery strategy in mind. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
Happy shopping!</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Source:<a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/3-tips-saving-money-holiday-season-201700816.html" target="_blank">Yahoo Shine</a></b></span></i></span></div>News4Uhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11192187397082980261noreply@blogger.com0