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A series of 5 minute interviews featuring travel industry leaders.
Hosted By: Jessica Martinez
Sponsored By:
This week I sat down with Tomoyasu Kakegawa, Area Director of Revenue & E-Commerce for Hotel Maya in Long Beach, California.
For more information visit: HotelMayaLongBeach.com
What will clients experience at your hotel?
Hotel Maya is the first distinctive full-service, luxury, Long Beach boutique hotel, located on the scenic downtown waterfront. A fusion of Latin American waterfront resort and modern Southern California style, Hotel Maya embodies the romantic, eclectic, and vibrant lifestyle of Long Beach. With a multi-million dollar renovation recently completed, Hotel Maya offers four-star hotel service and amenities, with striking ocean and skyline views of downtown Long Beach and the Historic Queen Mary.
What extra amenities does your hotel offer?
All of our beds feature exquisite pillow-top mattresses, fluffy duvets and down pillows. Enjoy 37" HTDV flat-screen TVs, MP3/iPod stereo adaptors and complimentary HBO. Most of our guest rooms have a private balcony with a great view. The Great Rate and Value promotion includes free parking, and free WiFi.
Do your rooms have free WiFi/Internet access?
Yes all guests can enjoy free WiFi.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with the Travel Agents?
Absolutely! Our Great Rate and Value promotion offers rates starting at $99, and includes free parking. The Great Rate and Value promotion is 15% commissionable.
How can a Travel Agent book accommodations for their clients at Hotel Maya?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: LGBLON
Galileo: 75386
Worldspan: 24448
Simply go to Reservations, click on the Travel Agents tab and register. Go to Promotional rates and look for Great Rate and Value. Please enter Rate Access code MAIL to access this rate.
Thank you for joining us Tomoyasu and telling us more about Hotel Maya in Long Beach, California. Have an excellent day!
Tags: mac chat, hotel maya, california, long beach, tomoyasu, kakegawa, travelclick
MAC Awards
For more information visit: PartnersInTravel.com
You currently offer 2 host programs to choose from. What are they and what is the difference between them?
We offer our traditional host program called Partners In Travel, and a Luxury Travel Network program designed for agents who specialize in luxury travel. Partners In Travel members focus on selling a wide range of cruise and tour products, and have the opportunity to sell exclusive vacation specials from our host cruise agency All Aboard Travel. Luxury Travel Network members operate through Cruise Specialists, and enjoy the benefits of belonging to a prestigious luxury cruise agency network such as Virtuoso affiliation, high commissions, preferred rates and exclusive amenities for their clients. An agent must be approved to join our Luxury Travel Network by being able to demonstrate a proven luxury sales record.
What unique services do you offer to your independent contractors?
Being part of Travel Leaders Group allows Partners In Travel to provide our contractors with the dependability and financial backing of a large company, while offering them personal support from our highly experienced team of travel professionals. Through our size and tremendous buying power, we are able to offer our contractors high commissions, innovative technology and access to sell exclusive cruises and tours.
Which types of training programs are offered to travel agents that want to join?
We offer a three day comprehensive overview training for agents who are new to the industry. We also offer ongoing training and education opportunities to help our contractors manage and increase their business such as weekly live webinars, Fam trips, and an annual convention. Recent webinar topics have included product updates from cruise lines and tour operators, as well as training on technology, basic computer skills, customer service, super star selling and marketing techniques.
Agents that join The Luxury Travel Network can take advantage of the Virtuoso Affiliate Program. What benefits are they offered?
Virtuoso member affiliates benefit from intricate consumer direct-marketing campaigns, specialized training and accreditation programs, added-value arrangements with leading travel providers, unparalleled access to specialized travel experts, and detailed information regarding destinations and travel services.
Partners In Travel uses a unique system called TravelConnect. Can you tell us a little bit about it?
TravelConnect allows a busy agent to manage their clients, bookings, commissions, groups, financials and much more in one location. Using our proprietary TravelConnect software, agents can report their bookings, generate invoices and produce sales and commission tracking reports.
Agents also have access to our Sabre Cruises tool, where they can review and book cruises from 13 cruise lines all in one convenient place. Agents can use this tool to view fares, commissions, negotiated and group rates, itineraries, and special services for each of our participating cruise vendors to help match their clients with the right cruise for them. In addition, we provide all of our agents with their own hosted web site that they can customize to their preferences.
Thank you Chris for sharing all these great details about your programs. Have an excellent day!
Tags: mac chat, partners in travel
On this very special edition of MAC Chat, I sit down with MailPound's very own Bob Maier (CEO), and Mirko Ilich, President & CEO of Traveling Times, Inc. (TTI).
Jessica: Welcome Bob and Mirko. Before we begin, please tell us a little bit about your individual companies.
Mirko: TTI has been in business for over 36 years servicing the promotional needs for the travel & tourism industries worldwide, through innovative marketing, publishing and design.
Bob: Our parent company started in 1970 providing database publishing services for a variety of companies. In the early 80s we started working with several travel publications including Hotel & Travel Index, Official Hotel Guide, The Official Cruise Directory and others.
Jessica: Strategic alliances play a crucial role in growing businesses today. What was the driving force that led to the strategic alliance of MailPound and Traveling Times?
Mirko: We feel that each company can offer something that the other was missing, thereby creating a mutually beneficial partnership and a win-win business entity through The Emmediate Contact Plus.
Bob: Our company has prospered by focusing on what we do best. Over the past 40 years our "areas of expertise" has evolved but our focus on serving our clients has not changed. In Traveling Times we found a company with complementary skills and the same dedication of serving our clients.
Jessica: In your opinion, what is the collaborative advantage of this alliance for both travel suppliers and travel agents?
Mirko: Each will be able to promote their companies more efficiently and effectively, through strategic and targeted marketing plans that we both provide. Travel agents and travel suppliers will reach a larger audience and it will also be more affordable. We are now a one-stop marketing resource for e-commerce, communication, publishing and design for agents and suppliers.
Bob: Mirko has pretty much said it all, as he often does. I would only add that the fact that we have both serve travel suppliers and travel travel sellers providing complementary services. Our alliance will offer both savings and and innovation to our partners in travel.
Jessica: What are some of the goals and major objectives of your strategic alliance?
Mirko: We've always guaranteed our clients an unsurpassed level of service and expertise. With this new alliance we are just continuing our promise to always stay a step ahead of the competition, creatively and now technologically.
Bob: Selling travel has to be the best job in the world if you have the tools you need to succeed. Consumers are very demanding and with the Internet, they have access to huge amounts of information. More than they can actually handle. So as Mirko says, we need to offer services that keep our clients ahead of their competition.
Thank you Mirko and Bob for sharing the details of this new strategic alliance with us. We all have a lot of great things to look forward to!
Please feel free to submit your comments below. Have an excellent day!
Tags: mac chat, mailpound, traveling times, bob maier, mirko ilich, tti, emmediate contact plus
This week we are featuring an interview with Terri Burke, Senior Vice President of Relationship Marketing at Cruise Planners.
Welcome Terri, thank you so much for joining us today for MAC Chat. I am really excited about the new Cruise Planners University (CPU) and was hoping you would share a little bit more about it with us.
Thank you so much Jessica, it's a pleasure to be with you, especially to talk about such an exciting new program as CPU.
Cruise Planners is celebrating our 15th anniversary this year and has had a banner year in bringing new agents into the industry in 2009. This is something I am passionate about, as we need more agents and better trained agents for today's consumer. And, that's what Cruise Planner's does, infuses new blood into the industry AND has a stellar training program.
Cruise Planners Executive Team:
(from left to right) Terri Burke, Michelle Fee, Vicky Garcia
What is the goal of this new program?
Although we have had a very successful in-person training program throughout the 15 years and had a Cruise Planners University – it was not meeting the growing needs of our agent network due to the complexity of the business and our "anytime, anywhere and any format" information goal. Therefore, we took a totally different route and created an LMS (Learning Management System) which would interact with the agent in a fun learning environment, as well as be a one-stop career path. Our goal is in our tag line: "Higher Learning = Higher Earning". According to CLIA, certified agents increase their sales by 261%! So, it was a 'no brainer' that investing in higher education would lead to higher sales for our agents. Plus, our goal is always to bring in new agents into this industry – especially now, as consumers that book cruises prefer (by 76%) to book through a certified agent. And that number goes to 85% with luxury cruise lines!
What are some of the exciting highlights of CPU?
How long do I have?? Seriously, there are so many cool things about this new technology and content, that it is hard to pick out the highlights. So, I'd like to give you a list – but more importantly, what those highlights do!
Of course, it had to be web based, but it is on an individual level, so that each agent has their own 'mycpu' page. On this page, a complete history of certifications, both Cruise Planners as well as our valued partners will be shown. Imagine, your entire career path in one place – no more wondering where you are in the education process.
It is set up as a virtual university campus, all with a student union, library, academics building, orientation, etc. This allows us to have specific areas for virtual learning courses as well as our CEO's 'Book of Month' club in the library, a FlowRider game to give your brain a quick break, OnDemand Webinars, videos from our headquarter's office to help navigate the site, an integrated calendar with information of Cruise Planner's learning events…..and so much more.
This is the first travel LMS that incorporates both CLIA and preferred supplier programs. And, anything that the agents has done prior to CPU (i.e., MCC with CLIA) has been confirmed and is grandfathered – we knew we had to get this information and give them the credit that was due.
The learning content is set up in 6 phases: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, MBA, Phd. Within these phases, there are core courses which include Cruise Planner information, industry information and subject expert's information. These are required as core learning modules, but we also have electives with extra credit. This is where we marry in the preferred partner's learning platforms, so that they must accomplish both the supplier's program as well as ours – but all in one place, as we link directly to each of these platforms.
Can you tell me a little bit more about the accreditation of the program?
We've also partnered with CLIA and use their courses within our modules as well as require CLIA certification to progress through CPU.
A consumer campaign in planned for awareness and recognition of what a Certified Cruise Planner Expert (CCPE) designation means. It will take approximately 18 months to be able to complete the program – so it's not an easy or quick path.
There are also great benefits that the agents can earn within Cruise Planners as a result of getting their accreditation.
Who are some of the Business Experts currently featured in CPU's educational seminars?
We have a direct marketing company president that has provided training modules for us, a president of a networking organization and even our own CEO who has put together her personal modules on how to be successful. In addition, we offer online tutorials for software products that all of use everyday, as this was a frequent request.
Thank you Terri for telling us more about this new program. It sounds great and I wish you much success!
Tags: mac chat, cruise planners, cpu, terri burke, cruise planners university
This week we are featuring a great interview with Rita Morales, Sales Manager at El Cozumeleño Beach Resort. This great resort is an all inclusive resort for your clients located in beautiful Cozumel, Mexico.
For more information visit: ElCozumeleno.com
What will clients experience at your hotel?
At El Cozumeleño Beach Resort, our guests will create a memorable vacation surrounded by the crystal waters of the Mexican Caribbean, whether they are looking for romance, excitement, or relaxation, our elegant, all inclusive resort can make it happen. A Caribbean design, style and atmosphere suffuse El Cozumeleño Beach Resort and its 252 guestrooms in two towers. The resort's multiple activities include shows produced by our specially trained family-entertainment staff at the resort's open-air theater, three nights a week.
A lovely plaza next to the indoor pool, a colorful ceramic fountain, plus a black-and-white chess set with pieces the size of third graders is the perfect spot for family bonding. Also, within the resort there is a small, air-conditioned fitness center, a children's activities center and a diving center to arrange scuba diving and snorkeling excursions.
What extra amenities does your hotel offer?
Among some of the amenities we have to offer, we boast an outdoor swimming pool with a swim up bar, a spa tub, a children's pool, mini-golf and a night club. We offer Snorkeling Lessons, Scuba Diving Introductory Lessons, Bicycle Tours, Kayaking, Aerobics and Volleyball at no extra charge. Also, at the Dive shop, our guests can arrange different activities such as Scuba Diving Tours, Deep Sea Fishing, Jet Skies and Parasailing, all at an additional cost. All guests receive 30% discount on green fees at PGA Golf Course across the street.
How far is the hotel from tourist sites?
We are only five minutes from downtown and the shopping area. We are located 4.5 miles from the ferry terminal, 6.5 miles from San Gervasio (Mayan ruins), 9.5 miles from Parque Chankanaab (national Marine Park) and 20 miles from Parque Punta Sur (eco-park). Cozumel's International Airport is just 10 minutes or 4.5 miles away.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with Travel Agents?
Definitely! Our Great Rate and Value promotion is All Inclusive + Kids Free (0-12years, Maximum 2 per room, Room Max. 4 people), Room Service, Unlimited WiFi and 15% commission for Travel Agents. We are also giving a complimentary upgrade to an Ocean View room for all guests staying in January.
How can a Travel Agent book El Cozumeleño Beach Resort?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: CZMCOZ
Galileo: 42430
Worldspan: 25030
Thank you Rita for sharing all these great details about your hotel. With your current promotions, including kids staying free and 15% commission, I'm sure many travel agents will love booking their clients at your all inclusive resort.
Tags: mac chat, travelclick, el cozumeleno, cozumel, mexico, all inclusive, hotel
This week we are featuring an interview with Alma Lopez, Director of Sales at Hacienda Tres Rios. This beautiful resort, spa and nature park is located in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
For more information visit: HaciendaTresRios.com
Why is Hacienda Tres Rios the ideal choice for travelers?
We opened in November 2008 and already won 3 World Travel Awards in 2009. Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort boasts 273 suites using native materials and featuring breathtaking views of the tranquil turquoise Caribbean Sea. We are at the forefront of sustainable tourism development, creating complete and amazing guest experiences with activities in a natural park such as kayaking and snorkeling in cenotes and rivers, guided nature tours through mangrove forests, strolling in a white-sand beach and daily activities for kids and teens, all while protecting the region's natural beauty and culture.
The Endless Luxury All-Inclusive Plan at Hacienda Tres Ríos combines warm hospitality and luxurious room accommodations, exclusive use of the Tres Ríos Nature Park and an incredible gourmet experience. Hacienda Tres Ríos features a great variety of restaurants and bars, including a pâtisserie, a pizzeria and a Martini and Tea-time Terrace. We also feature an exclusive Exit Lounge that offers a private area for guests to enjoy while awaiting airport transportation. Here México's present joins its past and Mexican and Mayan traditions converge to create truly unique experiences.
What activities can you recommend while visiting your hotel?
Whether visiting Hacienda Tres Ríos on a family vacation, honeymoon, or girl's getaway, there is something for everyone. Additional to the adventure activities in our park, we feature a "sense-adventure tour", yoga classes, swim & kayak in the rivers and cenotes (snorkel included), bicycles, daily directed activities, tequila tasting, cooking classes and demonstrations, all part of the Endless Luxury All-Inclusive Plan. Optional activities with a charge include yachting, fishing, horseback riding, personalized white glove dining experience and a nearby golf course and equestrian center.
What popular locations are nearby for clients to enjoy?
Only fifteen minutes south is Playa del Carmen, which like Cancun offers an exciting collection of shopping, dining, and nightlife but on an intimate, authentic scale. And just a few miles offshore is Cozumel, with world-renowned sport-fishing and first-class diving to challenge that of Australia. Other nearby popular locations include Cancun at 58km, Xel-Ha at 64km, Xcaret at 14km, and Tulum at 73km.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with the Travel Agents?
Yes, we have great opportunities for Travel Agents such as our "Great and Value Rate" which is 15% off BAR – All Inclusive with unlimited Tours in Tres Rios Nature Park. Agents will get an extra $50 US dollar per reservation. This bonus will be paid directly into a debit card we will provide them, they just have to login in goldenclub.haciendatresrios.com.
Win the perfect vacation you deserve as a Travel Professional. Sell at least 5 nights for stays dated between January 1ST and April 30th 2010 and enter the raffle for $20,000 US first class vacation. This vacation includes: round flight in private jet (pick up in selected airport), seven nights all inclusive accommodation for four people, tours to Chichen Itza, Tulum, Rio Secreto and Canche and massages and spa treatments for four people.
How can a Travel Agent book Hacienda Tres Rios?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: CUN987
Galileo: 75967
Worldspan: 15178
Thank you Alma. Your resort sounds amazing and the current raffle you have for Travel Professionals sounds really exciting!
Tags: mac chat, hacienda tres rios, riviera maya, mexico, hotel, spa, resort travelclick
This week I am featuring information about Good Nite Inn. I interviewed Dean Schmit, their Marketing Analyst Production Manager. They have several locations throughout the state of California. I'm sure you will find the right one to meet your client's needs!
For more information visit: GoodNite.com
What are some of the key selling features of the Good Nite Inn Hotels?
Guest can relax in the comfort of our recently renovated rooms, wireless internet access, as well as free continental breakfast every morning. Most of our hotels are truly spacious by today's standards. Our rooms are characterized by their residential ambiance. They feature a king or two queen beds, high speed internet, and complimentary coffee/tea in the lobby.
What will clients experience at your hotel?
At Good Nite Inns, our guests will enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with a gracious staff that is ready to deliver the Spirit of Hospitality. Most of our properties offer a pool and our guests can enjoy Wi-Fi internet service, maid service, and more.
What activities and popular locations are nearby for clients to enjoy?
Most of our properties are situated a short distance from California's top tourist attractions, activities and landmarks in California. Our visitors have the freedom to travel to and explore this rich and beautiful land and culture.
Whether our guests are in the mood for shopping, dining, or nightlife, our hotels are conveniently located near major outlet malls, and dining options. There are also some seasonal Tours and activities throughout the major California destinations, during the summer.
Is there any advantage to staying at your hotel rather than other ones in the area?
Certainly, the Good Nite Inns are generally considered the best price/value hotels among their direct competition in our markets. Most of our properties are near the convention centers, major universities, museums or major hospitals.
In addition to our great locations and services, our rates are always competitive and offer great value. For example our Fall Special Promo offers 30% off the published rates includes a Continental Breakfast per person.
Why should Travel Agents book the Good Nite Inns for their clients?
Our properties offer the best value for the price conscious minded travelers. Our team members take pride in delivering service beyond expectation, so our guests will have a good experience and come again. We design our seasonal promotions to benefit both the traveler and the travel agents such as our current Fall Promo Rates and Value promotion.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with Travel Agents?
Besides the convenient locations and truly spacious accommodations for our guests, we pay 15% commission to all Travel Agents in a timely and accurate system on these bookings rather than the standard 10%.
Yes, it truly is a great opportunity currently and Good Nite Inns are doing their part to promote travel by offering 'Unbeatable Price/Value' and commissionable offers that our travel professional partners can promote to their customers.
Our Holiday Shopping/Fall Promo Rate and Value is valid for all new bookings now through Jan 15, 2010. For the guest, this promotion includes 30% off the regular published rates.
How can a Travel Agent book the Good Nite Inn Hotels?
Holiday Promotional Rates can be booked on our website: GoodNite.com. Simply go to Reservations, click on the Travel Agents tab and book the Promotional rates called Holiday promotional Rates. Please enter Rate Access code "PRO" to access this rate.
You can also book the Good Nite Hotels via GDS using our codes:
7032 Orangethorpe Avenue
Buena Park, CA 90621
E-Mail: email@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 58701
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 55744
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 8835
Amadeus GDS : UZ – SNA835
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
26557 Agoura Rd
Calabasas, CA 91302
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 55301
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30429
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 55301
Amadeus GDS : UZ – LAX626
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
1100 Ventura Blvd
Camarillo, CA 93010
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 54053
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30437
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 54053
Amadeus GDS: UZ – SAN627
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
4135 Cushing Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 54448
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30309
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 54448
Amadeus GDS: UZ – ONT629
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
1675 Industrial Park Avenue
Redlands, CA 92374
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 55126
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30310
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 55126
Amadeus GDS: UZ – SFO624
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
485 Veterans Blvd
Redwood City, CA 94063
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
5040 Redwood Drive
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
E-Mail: email@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 54063
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30738
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 54063
Amadeus GDS: UZ – STS630
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
25 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95826
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 7488
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 7112
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 07488
Amadeus GDS: UZ – SMF524
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
545 Work Street
Salinas, CA 93901
E-Mail: email@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 54059
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30444
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 54059
Amadeus GDS: UZ – MRY633
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
3880 Greenwood Street
San Diego, CA 92110
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 50826
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30225
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 50826
Amadeus GDS: UZ – SAN623
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
225 Bay Blvd.
Chula Vista, CA 91910
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 51729
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 26176
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 51729
Amadeus GDS: UZ – SJC205
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
12835 Encinitas Avenue
Sylmar, CA 91342
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Sabre GDS Code: UZ – 55194
Apollo GDS Code: UZ – 30303
Worldspan GDS Code: UZ – 55194
Amadeus GDS: UZ – LAX634
Travel Agent Access Code: UZ
Tags: mac chat, good nite inn, california, hotels
Let's continue our journey through Mexico with an interview featuring Janet Jimenez, Sales Manager, Hotel Cozumel & Resort located in Cozumel, Mexico.
For more information visit: HotelCozumel.com.mx
What makes your hotel distinct from the other hotels?
Our family-friendly resort has the largest swimming pool in Cozumel and was recently recognized by "Check Safety-First" (Hotels that care about your health) as one of the three hotels in Cozumel that has proved its capability to prevent food borne illness.
What activities can you recommend while visiting your hotel?
On top of the flavor, the tradition and the exotic beauty that Cozumel's island has to offer, one of the most popular activities is diving. Thousands of divers visit Cozumel and its fabled dive sites each year, many of them making the trip multiple times and for a good reason: Nestled in the protected lee of the island's west coast are some of the world's famous reef dives.
We proudly offer several packages tailored and designed especially for those adventure seekers. Also, Hotel Cozumel & Resort offers you its unique Gazebo by the sea and facilities as well as its experience in the very specific field of weddings, marriage vows exchange, honeymoons and romantic dinners by the sea. Allow the sun, sea and sand to be an accomplice of the most special moments in your lifetime.
How far is the hotel from tourist sites?
Our great location is among the many reasons for which our resort is the best option for families and divers. We are within walking distance from gorgeous downtown San Miguel, the shopping area, night entertainment and only minutes away, by boat, from all the island's main reefs. These are just a few recommendations not to be missed:
The Museum of the Island of Cozumel, located in downtown San Miguel, showcases the island's history and natural environment; its origins, wildlife migration patterns, reefs, archeology, galleons and pirates. Four exhibit halls, dioramas, sculptures, charts, traveling exhibits and interactive demonstrations, complete with guides who speak English, Spanish and Maya, bring the museum to life.
Chankanaab Park is just south of the town of San Miguel, is located within Isla Cozumel's Reefs National Marine Park and features the only inland coral reef formation in the world. The park is home to the world renowned eco-system and natural aquarium, Chankanaab Lagoon, with more than 60 species of tropical fish, crustaceans and corals and the only botanical garden on the island, featuring the most diverse species of tropical plants.
Punta Sur Light House, Ecological park and nature reserve is a breathtaking environment of mangrove jungles, white sand beaches and reef formations at the south end of the island. The park extends over more than 247 acres of land harboring a varied wildlife, including crocodiles, which visitors can watch from a safe distance in a look-out tower, 220 species of birds, iguanas, and giant turtles, which come to shore between June and August to lay their eggs. Among the park's most interesting structures is an old lighthouse and navigation museum displaying the evolution of seamanship and navigation from the time of the Maya to modern times. Here, visitors can also learn about life in Cozumel during the first part of the 20th century through photos and other articles belonging to several generations of lighthouse keepers and their families. Near the lighthouse, El Caracol is a well-preserved ancient structure, used by the Mayas to signal the approach of a hurricane.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with the Travel Agents?
Yes, we do have the Great and Value Rate which includes free breakfast buffet, free unlimited WiFi, 10% commission, one free scuba diving introductory lesson at the pool area, 15% off in all the Gift Shop. This promotion is valid from November 1, 2009 to December 23, 2010.
How can a Travel Agent book Hotel Cozumel & Resort?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: CZM400
Galileo: 19045
Worldspan: CZM20
Amadeus: CZM400
Galileo: 19045
Worldspan: CZM20
Thank you Janet for sharing all these great details about your hotel. I can't wait to visit!
Tags: mac chat, hotel cozumel & resort, cozumel, mexico, travelclick
This week we are traveling to Mexico for an interview with Hortensia Garcia, Marketing and Sales Coordinator, Valentin Imperial Maya – An All Inclusive Adults-Only Resort in heavenly Riviera Maya, Mexico.
For more information visit: ValentinMaya.com
What will clients experience at your hotel?
Our guests will experience personalized service. The property is nestled in an exclusive and secluded location in Playa del Secreto (The Secret Beach) which is considered one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya, with a beautiful small palm tree forest that leads towards half mile of white sandy beach. In true luxurious lifestyle tradition, our guests write their own agenda, whether it's a relaxing stroll along the beach at sunset, a calm early afternoon by the pool, enjoying our nightly show at the fully air-conditioned theater, or dancing the night away underneath the starry Caribbean night sky. Our guests also enjoy the exquisite gourmet dishes around an unlimited experience with top shelf bar service throughout the resort.
What activities and places are nearby for clients to enjoy?
There is an array of exciting water-sports available for those who want to explore the seas, including kayaking, snorkeling, diving & more. Also, our All Inclusive Adults-Only magnificent Resort places you just minutes from the vibrant Cancun city & Playa del Carmen town, Xcaret & Xel-Ha parks, and from the world famous Mayan archeological sites such as: Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza.
A challenge for the "warriors of the greens": Multiple fields of battle are located nearby where they can face and overcome with honor 18 enemies. Giving these "soldiers" the motivation they need to do battle are the songs of the tropical birds and being observed under the baleful gaze of a sleepy iguanas who call these playing fields their home. These perfect settings have been designed by the Gods of the sport; carved out of the jungle, surrounded by lagoons, cenotes and the vestiges of the ancient Mayans, themselves great sportsmen, and facing the luminous turquoise-blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.
For those who love music, here as an event not to be missed: Music in Paradise from November 25th – 28th Framed in the heart of the most beautiful tourist area of the world, for four days Riviera Maya becomes one more time the host for the best national and international Jazz acts of all times.
Combining the most varied expressions of the genre once again in its seventh edition the Riviera Maya Tourism Board shares with visitors an unforgettable "fiesta" of sun, ocean and music where fun is guaranteed. "You only need to be here" RivieraMayaJazzFestival.com/new/
Is there any advantage to staying at your hotel rather than other ones in the area?
We have one thing that beats every hotel in the area: Our staff! There is absolutely no other team like the Valentin family in the Riviera Maya that welcomes, serves and pampers you with a genuine smile as the Valentin Imperial Maya staff. When our guests leave our hotel they feel as if they left a piece of their heart at the Valentin Imperial Maya. That's why people visit us and come back over and over again; once they are here they become one with the Valentin Imperial Maya family.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with Travel Agents?
We are currently offering a Great and Value Rate. This promotion offers $100 Resort Credit good towards Massages. If booking any category except the Deluxe Junior Suite, the guest will also receive an additional $100 Resort Credit good towards an upgrade upon check-in. Kindly note that the credits do not have monetary value. When booking the Deluxe Junior Suite, this rate is commissionable at 13% and if any other category is booked, the Travel Agent will receive a 15% commission.
This special is valid from November 03, 2009 – April 12, 2010
How can a Travel Agent book the Valentin Imperial Maya?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: CUNVIM
Galileo: 34838
Worldspan: CUNIM
Thank you Hortensia for sharing all these great details about your wonderful all inclsuive resort.
Tags: mac chat, travelclick, valentin imperial maya, hotel, mexican riviera, mexico
This week we are featuring a great interview with David Muñoz, Marketing Director for La Amada Hotel in beautiful Playa Mujeres, Mexico.
For more information visit: LaAmadaHotel.com
What will clients experience at your hotel?
At La Amada Hotel clients will enjoy contemporary luxury. La Amada integrates stylish hotel architecture and decor, generous suites, spotless service, deluxe facilities, and our secluded beachfront location in a tranquil Caribbean setting. The hotel is comprised of intimate 109 suites designed to ensure utmost comfort, divided in eight suite categories, all generous in size. The hotel suites give the options of features such as pool access, ocean views, rooftop terraces, and beachfront location. 40% of the suites are equipped with their own private plunge pool. Some of the guests' services include Wi-Fi internet service, twice daily maid service, kids' club activities and much more.
La Amada Hotel counts with 3 swimming pools, one of them with beachfront view, and outdoors Jacuzzis for the enjoyment of our guests.
Fine Cancun dining is as well an integral part of the La Amada experience. Under the European Plan concept, La Amada gives guests and Playa Mujeres visitors the opportunity to sample a variety of fare and laid-back gourmet dishes at the hotel restaurants. Two convenient bars and two lounges complement the cuisine, offering all-day refreshment—from coffee and tea to fresh fruit juices, and poolside drinks to evening cocktails.
Visitors to Playa Mujeres community also enjoy services such as a comprehensive spa and wellness center, 170-slip marina and a Greg Norman designed golf course that features holes along the Caribbean and lagoon. Here is all about living the good life!!!
What activities and popular locations are nearby for clients to enjoy?
La Amada is situated just 25 minutes from Cancun International Airport and Cancun shopping zone, on an untouched peninsula, between the Mexican Caribbean and a national wetlands wildlife preserve. The area surrounding La Amada Hotel includes much of Playa Mujeres Cancun and Mexico's top tourist attractions, activities and destinations. Our visitors have the freedom to travel to and explore this rich and beautiful land and culture.
Whether our guests are in the mood for shopping, dining, or nightlife, there's always something going on at Cancun hotel zone, and from La Amada Hotel, guests can be in the middle of it in minutes. To the south of La Amada Hotel and Cancun lies Mexico's famous Riviera Maya which is known for its wondrous Mayan archeological sites and a variety of natural wonders.
La Amada Hotel also enjoys proximity to the Great Mayan Reef—the second longest coral reef in the world, and an international destination for snorkeling and diving.
The bohemian fishing island Isla Mujeres, is a short ferry ride away and offers a variety of shopping and dining options. There are also some seasonal Playa Mujeres Cancun Tours and activities like snorkel with whale shark in Holbox during the summer.
And as mentioned before, guests also enjoy of services such as a comprehensive spa and wellness center, 170-slip marina and a Greg Norman designed golf course.
Is there any advantage to staying at your hotel rather than other ones in the area?
Certainly, La Amada hotel is located in an environmentally friendly village which brings laid-back luxury to the wilds of the region. Here, you're secluded from the hustle and bustle of Cancun's famous hotel zone, yet close enough to take advantage of its activity during your travel and stay in beautiful Cancun.
Do you have any current promotions you would like to share with Travel Agents?
Of course, this is the best time to visit La Amada Hotel. Just to give you an idea some of the promotions that we are currently running include:
"Great and Value Rate" which is up to 60% off BAR. This special is valid from November 03, 2009 – December 23, 2009 and it is 15% commissionable to Travel Agents.
Stay tuned for the e-flyer arriving to your inbox on Tuesday, November 10th, however, you can book this rate right now via GDS or in our website. Our GDS codes are below,
"Early Booking Promotion 2010" which includes a 45% savings on selected room categories. The Special is valid for travel from December 24, 2009 – December 22, 2010
Please note that "Great and Value Rate" and "Early Booking Promotion 2010", both include free continental gourmet breakfast and free internet access.
As well, special discounted rates are available for Travel Agents, who would like to experience the magic of our beautiful hotel.
How can a Travel Agent book La Amada Hotel?
Via GDS using our codes:
Amadeus: MIA296
Galileo: 99446
Worldspan: 15483
Thank you David for telling us all about La Amada Hotel. I love the concept of laid-back luxury.
Tags: mac chat, la amada, playa mujeres, mexico, travelclick
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St. Louis Roofing Contractor
B-Raines Construction and Roofing is your go-to source when it comes to replacing or repairing your roof in St. Louis. We are a veteran owned and operated local business with over 15 years of roofing experience. We are committed to offering the highest quality of craftsmanship and products to each and every one of our customers. Our reputation speaks for itself:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Families of murder victims gather to remember
Updated On: Sep 22 2013 07:53:01 PM CDT
Parents who have lost their children to slayings gathered Sunday for the National Day of Remembrance.
The families, part of the greater Milwaukee chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, met at the Wisconsin Memorial Park on Sunday afternoon to honor the memory of their loved ones. The group read poems, sang songs and held a candle lighting ceremony and balloon release.
"This group is like another family to us because we can open up our hearts because they know how we feel," said parent Renee Wesolowski.
Wesolowski's 22-year-old daughter was killed in Germantown in 1999.
The group meets at the Wisconsin Memorial Park during the first Sunday of each month.
Copyright 2013 by WISN.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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CBS 2 - Search Results
IC Business Closing Its Doors
IOWA CITY -- Bella Joli, a downtown Iowa City boutique, will be closing its doors this week, after 20 years of business. Mary Beth Guillaume, owner of Bella Joli, has announced she will be paving the way for an exciting new venture in its prime location.
Guillaume, a long-time Iowa City resident, has been in the jewelry industry for 27 years and opened her first jewelry business 20 years ago at 125 South Dubuque Street, where Bella Joli currently resides. When the store opened, it filled a unique gap in the market selling handcrafted designer jewelry and gifts created by artisans all over the U.S. and even internationally.
Ms. Guillaume left daily operations of Bella Joli thirteen years ago to launch Lionne Designs, an Iowa City based direct-to-market and online national jewelry business, where she continues to serve as President and CEO.
With Bella Joli as a small business, retaining exceptional management was challenging when competing with larger companies and chain store benefits and compensation. The ultimate decision to close Bella Joli came primarily as result of this. Guillaume felt management turnover was not serving Bella Joli customers at the standard of customer service she prides her businesses on.
With a prime location and a love for downtown Iowa City, it was natural for an entrepreneur like Guillaume to identify a business model ideal for Bella Jolis current location on Plaza Centre One. I cant let the entire concept out of the bag yet, but be watching for something yummy and fun opening mid to late September, says Guillaume.
Ms. Guillaume feels deep gratitude and sincere thanks to the many customers and friends that made Bella Joli such a great business for the last twenty years.
Bella Joli will begin its Going Out of Business sale this Friday, July 19, in conjunction with downtown Iowa Citys Sidewalk Sales.


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Art director Alex Amancio has been telling CVG a little bit about the background to its wonder-shooter, Far Cry 2.
"We started working on Far Cry 2 before Instincts had even decided if it was going to have mutant powers," Amancio explained. "We started fresh and our key was to have a realistic game, we didn't want any mutant powers. We obviously changed the setting to Africa; we wanted to keep the very iconic setting of Far Cry but we got rid of the desert island scene."
The setting was also changed, due in part to the fact that Lost has spoilt the untouched lush, jungle environments. "Frankly the desert island scene was becoming very crowded with Lost and stuff like that, so we tried to go with a setting that was really fresh. Africa came to mind. Plus it's so iconic; that image of the Savannah is very, very underexploited in videogames.
"Basically our mission was to create a sequel for the original, so everything that came out before wasn't our mandate and really had nothing to do with us.
"The first one was really the first shooter that felt like an open world environment, so we decided to push the bar further an actually have an open world, 50 square kilometres."
Look out for the full interview later today.


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Home | Products | Dysphagia/Swallowing Disorders | MAGIC CUP™ Dessert
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Welcome to Matt Damon Fan [dot] Org. We are dedicated with providing you with the latest news and media about the Hollywood actor and philanthropist Matt Damon. He rose to fame in Good Will Hunting almost two decades ago and has been in many films including the Bourne Identity, Ocean's 11, The Adjustment Bureau, and in his latest film, Promised Land.
Thanks to Johnny for telling me which links Matt Damon Fan had that was moved/dead so now the affilates page is all cleaned up and I decided to add all of the pending affilates. Surprisingly, we have over 100+ affilates and we hope to keep that number growing. Again, I know its not required but if a site is closing or moving, a heads up would be nice. More importantly, visit these amazing affilates
Troubled actor Mickey Rourke advised upcoming star Matt Damon and said that consistent discipline will keep him going in Hollywood.
According to ananova.com, Rourke told Damon that discipline and courtesy would take him far and also confessed that was exactly where he went wrong. Damon said: "He sat me down and said, 'Don't mouth off to people in Hollywood, like I did. 'You gotta be on time and disciplined. I f**king blew it.'"
Source: New Kerala
Troubled actor Mickey Rourke advised upcoming star Matt Damon and said that consistent discipline will keep him going in Hollywood.
According to ananova.com, Rourke told Damon that discipline and courtesy would take him far and also confessed that was exactly where he went wrong. Damon said: "He sat me down and said, 'Don't mouth off to people in Hollywood, like I did. 'You gotta be on time and disciplined. I f**king blew it.'"
Source: New Kerala
ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History announced today the broadcast and internet premiere of a new public service announcement to ask millions of American voters to help fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. Premiering on Oct. 23 on MTV Networks channels including MTV, VH1, Spike, TV Land, and Nick@Nite and with the Internet premiere on MySpace and YouTube on Oct. 24, the spot will star some of the biggest names in music, movies, sports, politics and religion and also air on the Travel Channel and through Election Day on CMT, Comedy Central, MTVu and News Corp's various broadcast and cable channels.
"This is a first step in a long-term effort to start making the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty part of the election conversation and Americans can be part of that by joining ONE.ORG," said Matt Damon who appears in and narrates the spot.
"Decisions made in Washington, D.C. really do have the power to save lives. I think at their heart Americans are good people and I think people want to help—I think there's momentum building. People are starting to realize that the history books are being rewritten and they want to be on the right side of history, they want to be in the story." "ONE Vote" will air across MTV Networks channels during primetime from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 23 and premiere online on Tuesday, Oct. 24 in streaming video on the front page of MySpace http://www.myspace.com , in a special :45 web version and special content on the front page of YouTube http://www.youtube.com , and on Google video http://www.googlevideo.com and Yahoo video http://www.yahoovideo.com.
If you watch it, you can see our dearest Matt in it. So please do view the video and share it with your friends and family. Its an amazing cause and we are very proud of Matt's work for it.
Visit One.Org Today and Sign up for the mailing list!
Source:Yahoo! News
Hey everyone! Okay another massive photo update today for everyone. I would like to give credit to Stacie from Sammie323 Blog for the National Enquirer scan of Matt on the set of Bourne Ultmatium. I would like to thank the sweetheart Marcie for her contribution of the many appearence photos we have scattered on the site. Thanks! I added a whole bunch of appearence photos from The Departed After Party, the Hollywoodland Premiere and some other photos from the Brothers Grimm LA Premiere and Press Conference. Lastly, we have some AMAZING quality Departed stills [some are duplicates and will be removed]. Enjoy all the goodies.
Please visit theDownloads Section and go to Videos to check out some The Departed red carpet interviews Matt did.
The Departed Contests have ended and we do have some winners in which I will post up tomorrow.
National Enquirer- Matt in Morocco for Bourne Ultmatium
The Brothers Grimm LA Premiere Photos
The Brothers Grimm Press Conference Photos
The Departed Press Conference
Hollywoodland Premiere
HQ Departed Movie Stills —> Some never before seen ones
MATT DAMON was so stunned by the reality of Africa's water crisis during a recent location-finding trip the Sahara Desert, he launched a new initiative to fight the growing problem. The actor, alongside the production team for upcoming documentary RUNNING THE SAHARA, set up H2OAfrica in a bid to raise awareness and support much-needed clean-water programs. Damon says he "saw firsthand the effects of one of the largest public health issues of our time—the world water crisis which is at its worst in Africa."
Source: Contact Music
From The National Enquirer's Mike Walker comes the story of an hilarious prank Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio played on player Jack Nicholson. Nicholson was in the hospital to get his salivary glands checked out and they posed as masked interns trying to give him a rectal exam.
That's a great story that would have been made better by news of an accompany Punk'd video, but I'll have settle for a mental image.
Matt, Leo and Jack star in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," which according to Pajiba is a well-crafted and compelling crime drama with an amazing cast.
All I need to know is that Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio are in it. Mark Wahlberg is just an added bonus.
Source: Celeb Bitchy
Matt Damon poked fun at pal GEORGE CLOONEY during a tribute 'roast' to the movie star on Friday night (13OCT06) by shooting a video skit in which he attempted to refund upset BATMAN + ROBIN film fans. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY star sent in a video which featured him trying to appease an angry mob outside a cinema in Africa, where he is shooting a new film. As the film fans demanded their money back after watching Clooney's Batman film flop, straight-faced Damon said, "You can try and give people their money back but with projects like that what they really want is their time." Meanwhile, another OCEAN'S THIRTEEN castmate, DON CHEADLE, also mocked Clooney, stating, "No actor on the face of the earth is more childish, more juvenile, more downright infantile. Possibly that's why George doesn't have any children—he doesn't need the competition." Clooney got his own back by flashing embarrassing photos
Hey everyone! Okay today is a real BIG magazine update tbut before we begin, I want to thank Stacie from Sammie323 Blog and the lovely Marcie for most of the scans (credit is provided where credit is due ) Enjoy all of the scans, there are a whole bunch of Matt with his family, a few Departed ones and overall just view them all because Matt is awesome Remember that the days are winding down in the The Departed contests so please ENTER and click the Contests Image ——>>>> for more info. To just be entered in the random drawing, please e-mail me your name, country, and e-mail address, same rules apply to this as with the other drawings. Thanks and ENTER!!!!!!
"I wanted to have him killed in the first movie, but no one listens to me." MATT DAMON on reprising his role as action star JASON BOURNE.
Hey everyone! Unfortunately these shots are copyrighted but nonetheless I still think everyone should check it out. It is Matt on the set of Bourne 3 and is it just me or does Matt work nonstop? Anywho this is the official notice from realmoviesnews.com:
We've just scored the first WORLD EXCLUSIVE pics of Matt Damon, Julia Stiles and director Paul Greengrass filming The Bourne Ultimatum in Morocco.
There's lots of shots, ok THIRTY of them! Including some action shots of Matt Damon on a scooter. Could this be an action scene to rival Bourne 2's car chase?
Also looks like Stile's is going to be much more involved in the story this time, rather than being on the sidelines she was in the earlier movies.**
So take a look at those. Since Matt is in Morocco, I still hope he does a little press junketing over here for The Departed. And I uploaded 2 more The Good Shepherd stills and The Good Shepherd poster.
The Good Shepherd Stills
The Bourne Ultimatium Shots
View // Become One?


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"Chuck Close: Photo Maquettes"
Upper East Side
Until Fri May 24 2013
- Free
Time Out says
Posted: Wed Apr 10 2013
A kind of retrospective in miniature, this show features the large-format photos and polaroids that Close used throughout his career to paint his signature portrait heads. Crop marks, overlaid grids and even the artist's fingerprints are all clearly visible on these artifactual remains of the creative process.
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Should You Ask Your Crush To Be Your NYE Date?
What's your crush forecast this holiday season? Take this quiz to find out whether you should ask the cutie you have your eye on to be your date for New Year's Eve!
By Lillian Chen
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Beats By Dr. Dre Studio Color Campaign
The latest campaign from Beats by Dre in order to promote the "Colors" limited edition of their popular Studio headphones. It is a blends of paint explosions and slow-motions in an all-white environment under a soundtrack of Nero – Me & You. Enjoy!


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Speaker Series
The Westmont Economics and Business Speakers Series brings regionally-recognized and nationally-known business leaders, corporate executives and directors, economists, entrepreneurs, and senior managers to campus to address the students and faculty on a wide range of connections between economics and business, matters of faith, ethics, and contemporary issues in the global market environment.
Below is a sample of guest lectures in the series:
Previous Speakers
- Dr. H. Igor Ansoff - Distinguished University Professor of Strategy, USIU.
- Jim Eiting - Founder and Chairman of Mid Mark Corporation
- Eff Martin - Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, Silicon Valley office.
- Max Dupree - Former Chairman + CEO, Herman Miller Corporation.
- Sir Patrick Duffy - Former Member, British Parliment
- Dr. Stephen Smith - Chair of Department of Economics, Gordon College, MA.
- Dr. Fred Kiesner - Hilton Chair of Entrepreneurship, Loyola Marymount Univ.
- Mike Seashols - Former President + CEO, USoft Corporation, Silicon Valley.
- Dr. Frederick Dow - Former head of the Management Dept., Notre Dame Univ.
- Richard Taylor - Former head of institutional trading, T. Rowe Price, NY City.
- Dr. James Martinoff - International consultant and Prof. of Finance, Pepperdine.
- Paul Orfalea - Founder of Kinko's and West Coast Asset Management.
- Kenneth Elzinga - Distinguished Prof. of Economics, Univ. of Virginia
- Peter J. Hill, George Bennett Professor of Economics, Wheaton College (Illinois)


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I Spy: Goldfinger March 31, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Action , 1 comment so far
While I prefer From Russia with Love (more so with each viewing) there is no denying that this is quintessential Bond. Everything that would become a mainstay of the series is here – the pre-credit action sequence, the cool main titles, the evil mastermind (complete with henchman), a bevy of Bond girls (even though Bond fails to keep most of them alive), the bombastic score, and the big action packed finale (though it's in Fort Knox rather than the evil masterminds secret base).
In fact I think it may be because From Russia with Love lacks some of those elements and doesn't feel the need to be quite so BIG in scale that I've come to prefer it. Not that I don't like Goldfinger, it's great fun and finds Connery quite possibly at his peak as Bond, familiar enough to be comfortable in the role but not so familiar as to be bored with it. And in Gert Fröbe and Harold Sakata, as Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob respectively, the series has two of its most famous villains. Michael Collins deserves a mention too for providing the voice of Goldfinger, without him "No Mr Bond, I expect you to die" wouldn't have quite the same delicious menace to it. It also makes a nice change to have a Bond girl who's both voluptuous and can actually act, with Honar Blackman, fresh from TV's The Avengers more than able to hold her own opposite Sean.
If you haven't seen the film don't read the next paragraph (don't say I didn't warn you!).
It has to be said though that 007 makes a bit of a bugger of this assignment. Two woman are killed, both because of him, he barely avoids some severe laser surgery, escapes but gets caught again, relies on the change of heart of one of the villains to save the day, and, bar the intervention of an American, would have set of the nuclear device he was trying to stop (of all his failings being saved by a Yank must top the list). It's a wonder he didn't have his licence revoked.
James Bond will return in Thunderball.
SF & Fantasy Sunday: THX 1138Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Science Fiction , 4 comments
George Lucas tries to fool the viewer into thinking this is art but art usually has heart behind it and this is a fairly shallow exercise that dresses up old ideas in new clothes, it's Orwell's 1984 bleached white. The idea of Lucas railing against a society that programs its citizens to be consumers is, these days, pretty ironic, this is the guy who makes Gordon Gekko look like a charity worker. Add a little to one line in the film and you pretty much get Lucas' ideal world –
"Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more Star Wars DVDs now. Buy. And be happy."
You can guess what I added I think. And he may well have said this one to Spielberg about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull –
"Remember, thrifty thinkers are always under budget."
Am I being a bit hard on Lucas? Probably but I've given this film a try twice now, once when I was much younger and now in its shiny new Director's Cut form (actually the DVD cover proclaims it The George Lucas Director's Cut as if we were expecting someone else's). That first time I could put my dislike down to the fact it lacked the bells and whistles I wanted from my science fiction back when I was in my teens, this time though I'm older and more open to an intelligent piece of SF, but spending ninety minutes watching Lucas do the directorial equivalent of navel gazing while wasting the talents of two fine actors is not my idea of fun.
If you've never seen THX 1138 my advise is pick up 1984 instead, the Peter Cushing TV version if you can find it but failing that the film. You'll find just as much thought and much less pretension.
The Weekend Western: Will Penny March 30, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Westerns , 7 comments
This is the old western-hero-hooks-up-with-mother-and-child tale that's been done more than a few times before but what makes this so special is the central character of Will Penny. It's as much a character study as anything else with the first half of the film dealing with his quest for work after completing a cattle drive and it's only in the second half that the film becomes a love story, when he comes across Catherine Allen and her son Horace holed up in the line rider's shack where he should be spending the winter.
Will Penny is possibly Charlton Heston's finest performance, with the inveterate poser giving a rare understated performance. There's a subtlety here that you don't usually associate with big movie stars. Will Penny isn't a larger than life hero, he's a down to earth cowpoke who knows his best years are behind him and Heston plays him as such, allowing Heston the actor to overshadow Heston the Movie Star for a change.
Writer/director Tom Gries script gives the film an authentic, gritty feel that shows what a cold hard place the West was for aging cowboys like Penny, while Lucien Ballard's cinematography lets us see that while it was a harsh place it was also a beautiful one.
Donald Pleasence is the patriarch of the villainous brood Will comes into conflict with early in the film and who returns to add some action at the end. This was his first serious western role (he'd appeared in John Sturges' comedy western The Hallelujah Trail a few years before) and it would be the blueprint for his future appearances in Soldier Blue and the TV mini-series Centennial. His 'Preacher' Quint is an over the top display of insane evil, very one dimensional but still fun to watch. Bruce Dern plays one of his sons with somewhat more restraint.
In the role of Dutchy, one of Will's friends from the first half of the film, Anthony Zerbe does a comedy accent and provides a few laughs but Lee Majors is a little too clean-cut as Blue. Elsewhere real cowboys-turned-actors Slim Pickens and Ben Johnson add a bit more grit to proceedings.
The central relationship with Catherine Allen is never overly sentimental, Joan Hackett matching Heston's restraint. It's that understated feel that makes the ending so affecting. Even the kid, played by Jon Gries (the director's son though not apparently his choice for the part) turns in a good performance, with the on set bond he formed with Chuck adding a touch of genuine emotion.
This is Heston's film though and he dominates it without ever seeming to do very much. It's a world away from the historical epics he's more famous for and makes you wish he'd done a few more less showy parts.
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting: Zatoichi's Cane-swordPosted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Action, Martial Arts , add a comment
Skipping number 14 in the series as it has yet to receive a DVD release with English subtitles (I've got an 'unofficial' DVD but decided to hold off reviewing it in the hopes that one day we'll see a proper release) we reach Zatoichi's Cane-sword. By now the series had established its formula and that formula has much in common with the American Western.
Zatoichi's like the weary gunfighter who comes into town hoping he won't have to use his gun again but, when he encounters a damsel in distress, he knows he's going to have to take on the local cattle baron (or in this case Yakuza boss) . Of course gunfighters aren't normally blind and they tend to leave fewer corpses behind than Master Ichi but you get the idea.
This time around Zatoichi's got sword troubles. An ageing alcoholic swordsmith tells him that his cane-sword is on its last legs – one more fight and it will snap. What's a blind swordsman to do? Hang up his
gun sword of course. Ichi tries to live a normal life in a boarding house, taking a job as a live in masseur but when a Yakuza boss attempts to take over the town after murdering his rival, Zatoichi steps in to defend the murdered boss's daughter.
There's a little more blood this time around, but not much. Considering the amount of slicing and dicing that gets done you'd expect to see ketchup everywhere but the Zatoichi series is surprisingly bloodless (another thing it has in common with old westerns). This doesn't stop the fights being exciting and this time out, with Ichi bereft of sword for much of the film, it saves most of the action for the finale when we get a seven minute showdown as Zatoichi takes down the Yakuza boss and ALL his men.
While all the performances are good it's the wonderful Shintarô Katsu who shines brightest once again. He'll make you laugh at times but there is a core of sadness and loneliness to Ichi that is never far beneath the surface and Katsu plays it with just the right balance. It's testament to how good he is that, even after fifteen films, his performance doesn't feel stale of clichéd.
The Friday Night Fright: Grindhouse March 29, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Horror, Action , add a comment
In a break from routine this week's Friday Night Fright was seen on the big screen. The Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino Grindhouse project is on tour at selected cinemas around the UK in its original form, complete with fake trailers, and I caught it last night at the Vue in Leicester.
I'd previously seen Rodriguez's Planet Terror segment, along with the fake trailer for Machete, at the FrightFest All-nighter back in November but it anything I enjoyed it more second time around. It's an insanely gory and utterly demented homage to trashy zombie flicks that totally embraces the Grindhouse concept. Hilariously bad dialogue, over the top performances, a crazy and completely illogical plot and more gore than you'll see in the rest of this year's movies combined add up to a thrill ride that doesn't pause for breath until THE END appears on screen and we hear the last notes of the greatest score John Carpenter never wrote.
High points? Josh Brolin's mad doctor is a superb scenery (and thermometer) chewing performance. It's also nice to see Michael Biehn and Jeff Fahey in something other than the straight-to-DVD trash they're normally wasted in these days. The films only weak performance comes from Naveen Andrews, maybe it's because I'm so used to seeing him as Sayid in Lost, but he seems out of place here and doesn't really get into the real grindhouse spirit of things.
Next it was time for the three spoof trailers - Werewolf Women of the S.S, Don't and Thanksgiving. All three are great fun, Rob Zombie almost made me forgive him for Halloween with his 'tribute' to the Ilsa films, while Thanksgiving is by far the best thing Eli Roth has done (yes I know that's not saying much but it really is pretty good). My favourite though was Edgar Wright's Don't, a clever pastiche of all those'70s/'80s movies with Don't in the title that, at the same time, managed to look like it would be fun to watch.
So could Mr T top Planet Terror? The answer is yes and no. No, he didn't top Rodriguez for trashy grindhouse fun, nor does he top him for over-the-top gore or hammy performances. But he has made the better film, and the more enjoyable one. So while Death Proof doesn't really adhere to the initial concept as well as Planet Terror, it is a thrilling ride.
It's much slower than Planet Terror to get going, full of typical Tarantino talkiness with the difference here being that, instead of his usual male interplay, we get to listen to a bunch of women. It's occasionally amusing, though perhaps not as much as QT thinks it is, but only two of the characters come off as likable - Rose McGowan's Pam and Vanessa Ferlito's Arlene.
Things pick up when Stuntman Mike arrives. You know this is one mean badass because he's got a nasty looking scar down one side of his face and he drives a scary looking black car (when he asks Arlene if his scar scares her, her response is "It's your car"). Russell gets a lot of mileage out of a look and a few snippets of dialogue, managing to turn in a commendably menacing performance that dominates the film while getting much less screen time than the girls.
I won't go into what happens next but the films second half introduces a second set of girls, and like the first set they get plenty of Tarantino dialogue, full of the usual pop culture references and punctuated with expletives. At this point I was starting to think "oh no, here we go again" but then, thanks to some very good acting from all four ladies, I started to like this bunch. Maybe it was Kim (Tracie Thoms) and Zoe's love of Vanishing Point but I started to connect with them, even with ditsy but cute Lee (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) so when they are put in jeopardy I was rooting for them (whereas previously I'd probably had more sympathy for Stuntman Mike).
The last half hour is one long chase sequence that features some of the best car stunts I've seen for years, maybe ever. It also sees Tarantino doing away completely with the grindhouse look (damaged film, choppy dialogue) as he puts on film an action sequence that had my eyes glued to the screen and left me breathless and exhausted (although that could have been because the film finished at 2am). It really would have been a crime to mar this footage and Tarantino must have felt the same.
Special mention should go to Zoe Bell who plays a part that requires her to be both actress and stuntwoman. Luckily she proves more than capable of both tasks and nearly steals the film from under Kurt Russell's nose.
At the end of Death Proof I was left with the urge to watch Vanishing Point again (and had it not been so late/early I no doubt would have). So Grindhouse gets a big thumbs up. It may be self indulgent but it's also great fun and it's nice to see it on the big screen as it was originally envisaged.
Tarantino seems to be rebelling against the early critical acclaim he received for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, steering clear of 'serious ' films and instead paying tribute to the films that inspired him with both Kill Bill and Grindhouse. Inglorious Bastards looks likely to follow that trend (if it gets made) and after seeing this I can't wait.
For a full list of where the film is showing look here
Comic Tales: Daredevil – Theatrical Cut March 28, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Action, Comic Book , 1 comment so far
Matt Murdock was blinded as a child in a freak accident that heightened his remaining senses and gave him a new one, a 'radar' sense that allowed him to 'see' what was going on around him. This, along with the murder of his father, a boxer who refused to throw a fight, sets the course of Matt's future – by day he's a lawyer, defending those no one else will, by night he's the masked vigilante called Daredevil. Into his dual world comes the beautiful Elektra Natchios and Matt is smitten at first 'sight' of her. But Elektra's father has links to Wilson Fisk the 'Kingpin' of crime and, when he attempts to sever his ties, Fisk hires Irish hitman Bullseye to eliminate both him and his daughter.
Mark Steven Johnson's Daredevil gets so much right it's easy to forgive its failings. The 'origin' section of the film is a pretty faithful adaptation of the original comic story, with David Keith playing Matt's pugilist pop and Scott Terra doing a pretty good job as the young Murdock. He's particularly good once he's been blinded and starts learning to use his newfound abilities. The main problem with this section is it's a little rushed but that's to be expected – this isn't a film about a child coming to terms with a disability, it's a superhero action movie and the audience wants to see grownups beating each other up, not kids.
Cue Ben Affleck as the adult Matt, a man who, it's fair to say, has issues. Dressing up in a red leather 'Devil' suit is bad enough but he also has an anger management problem. This isn't Peter 'with great power comes great responsibility' Parker, Murdock's credo would be more like 'with power comes the ability to beat the crap out of bad guys the law failed to punish'. When he meets Elektra he finds more than just a girlfriend, he finds salvation and purpose. Affleck isn't the greatest actor in the world but this is well within his range, emotions are writ large here, it is after all a comic book movie and they're not exactly renowned for their subtlety. What helps his performance no end is the onscreen chemistry with Jennifer Garner, who plays Elektra. Their playground fight should be ridiculous (and really is) but the pair seem to be having so much fun that the audience are pulled in as well. It's probably my favourite Elektra moment in the whole film.
It's not just with the heroes that the film gets it right, the villains are pretty impressive too, perhaps surprising given how much they deviate from the source material. Colin Farrell's Bullseye is Irish and doesn't wear a costume (he just has a bullseye carved into his forehead) and yet he captures the spirit of character perfectly, utterly without conscience and totally demented, he gets all the best lines (and make sure you keep watching after the credits for a little more Bully, something I failed to do when I watched it at the cinema). The comic Kingpin is white and Michael Clarke Duncan clearly isn't and much fuss was made about that by comic book geeks when the film was released. This 'geek' didn't have a problem with him being black, I just didn't think he had the range to pull off the part but I was wrong. Duncan does a great job, dominating the screen, not just with his size but his personality.
Rounding out the cast are another couple of inspired choices - Jon Favreau as 'Foggy' Nelson, Matt's friend and partner (when he's not wearing the DD suit that is) and Joe Pantoliano as reporter Ben Urich. Both manage to do more with what they're given, which is almost nothing, than you'd think possible, but maybe that's just me filling in the blanks because I know both characters so well from the comic.
By now you're probably wondering when I'm going to get around to mentioning what those 'failings' that I alluded to earlier are, well the wait's over. My main gripe is the CGI, Daredevil is a normal man with heightened senses, he's not Spider-Man, so it shouldn't really be necessary to have him depicted by a computer and what makes it worse is, it's such bad CGI. My next moan is about the wirework. Some of it is excellent, fitting in seamlessly with the fights, but there are moments – DD's fight with Bullseye in the church and Elektra's confrontation with him on the rooftops – that take you completely out of the film. Daredevil's showdown with both of the villains is also a bit of a letdown after some of the earlier action, with the barroom fight probably the films action highpoint.
Still, it gets more right than wrong and uses Frank Miller's run on the comic as its inspiration, complete with religious imagery, Matt is a good Catholic boy at heart.
I'd love to see a sequel to this, which is what Johnson should have done instead of Ghost Rider. Actually he should have done anything instead of Ghost Rider. Affleck apparently isn't interested in reprising the role and after the less than spectacular Elektra, Hollywood is probably a little wary, but you never know, if the Hulk and Punisher reboots go well we may yet see The Man Without Fear on the big screen again. Until then I've still got the Director's Cut to look forward too, which by all accounts is superior to this version.
Watching the Detectives: Boris Karloff is James Lee Wong in Mr. Wong in Chinatown March 27, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Thriller , 1 comment so far
Going to Mr Wong for help is like wearing a red shirt on an away mission in Star Trek, it's a sure sign you're not long for this earth. This time the victim, a Chinese princess, expires in Wong's own home and attempts to aid the master detective by writing what one assumes is the name of her killer. All she manages though is Captain J, now you might think that would be enough but as luck would have it there's both a Captain Jackson and a Captain Jaime with ties to the deceased.
Karloff makes his third appearance as the venerable detective and gives a solid performance in what was a very cheap and formulaic series. He's 'aided' once again by Grant Withers as the loud, belligerent but not completely inept Police Captain Street. This time the pair are joined by Marjorie Reynolds as nosey reporter 'Bobbie' Logan, who adds some glamour and (in theory) some laughs as well as saving Wong from an exploding taxi.
At a little over an hour it doesn't drag too much but of the detective series' I've featured so far in Watching the Detectives (Sherlock Holmes, Mr Moto, The Thin Man) this is by far the least enjoyable.
Literally Speaking: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? March 26, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Comedy, Drama, Thriller , add a comment
There isn't really a lot to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, two ageing sisters, a crippled former Hollywood icon, Blanche Hudson, and a child star gone to seed, 'Baby' Jane, live together in a rundown house. 'Baby' Jane is slowly going off her rocker and when she learns of Blanche's plans to sell the house and put her into care her mental breakdown goes into overdrive with disastrous results.
What makes the film work isn't the plot but the performances, with the inspired casting of fading stars Joan Crawford as Blanche and Bette Davis as the grotesquely comical 'Baby' Jane giving the film a far greater resonance than it would otherwise have. The two stars detested each other in real life and, while that must have made director Robert Aldrich's task far from easy, it adds greatly to the performances, particularly Davis's.
Davis's 'Baby' Jane is a childlike version of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, resentful of time and an industry that thrives on youth and the presence of her invalid, and vastly more talented, sister gives her someone to take out that resentment on. Davis it seems decided on the method approach for the scene where she brutally kicks Blanche unconscious, actually landing a kick to Crawford's head that required stitches (Crawford allegedly retaliated by putting weights in her pockets for the scene where Davis drags her across the floor).
This isn't a film to watch for the story, its potboiler plot holds few surprises, but rather for perhaps the last great turns from two of Hollywood's grand dames. There are few actresses who would take on such unglamorous and in the case of 'Baby' Jane downright ugly, parts but it paid of, both for the film and the stars concerned (both received award nominations and more work off the back of the film)
And Davis's make-up is as scary as any William Shatner Halloween mask.
I Spy: The Silencers March 25, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Comedy, Action , add a comment
Dean Martin's first outing as Matt Helm is less a movie and more an extended comedy sketch. I've never read Donald Hamilton's Helm novels but I'd say it's a fair bet that they bare little relation to what we have here.
Dean doesn't so much play Helm as he does himself, or at least his Mr Smooth public persona, with an eye for the ladies or a bottle of booze, whichever comes first. It's sporadically amusing, although time hasn't been kind. What seemed cool to me as a kid doesn't have the same charm now – a station wagon driving superspy? – but Dino oozes charisma and Stella Stevens shows off her ample charms as the comedy love interest. Add in some reworked Martin songs, a cameo by Cyd Charisse and the obligatory Frank Sinatra joke and you've got a painless way to spend a hundred minutes.
Like the superior spy spoof Our Man Flint that came out the same year, a trick gun has a major role to play in the climax (both films milk the idea a little too long) with Helm's firing backwards while Flint's had a time delay. On the music front Flint wins hands down, Elmer Bernstein's score no match for Jerry Goldsmith's super cool Flint theme.
Producer Irving Allen, when partnered with 'Cubby' Broccoli, turned his nose up at Fleming's Bond books but subsequently went in search of his own superspy franchise. The Helm series lasted four movies while Mr Bond is still going strong. Says it all really…
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting: The Street Fighter March 23, 2008Posted by Ian W in : Film Reviews, Action, Martial Arts , 5 comments
No not the Van Damme movie but rather Sonny Chiba's first outing as Takuma Tsurugi, the badest of bad asses. Bruce Lee's characters may have been tough but they had a moral compass, so long as you stayed on the straight and narrow you'd be okay. Tsurugi would think no more of killing you than he would of stepping on a cockroach. And he won't just kill you either, he'll kill you in the nastiest way possible, throats are ripped out, balls are ripped off, skulls are cracked open…even by today's standards this is one violent flick.
Tsurugi is basically a hired gun (just without the need of the gun) and early on we see what kind of guy he is. When he breaks a man out of prison and the man's siblings are unable to pay he kills the male and sells the female as a prostitute to a crime lord. He's a psycho with a black belt whose only interest is the money and the violence.
Chiba commands the film, sporting a perpetual sneer he's super-cool. He may lack the grace and style of Bruce Lee but he makes up for it in brute force, and the fight scenes have a gritty, down to earth feel to them, with unfeasible gymnastics kept to a minimum. Sonny's gurning during the fights is at times amusing but the bone crunching action and copious amounts of ketchup splashed about ensure that he's never a figure of fun.
Watching the film in the original language (Japanese) for the first time makes a huge difference, as does seeing the full uncut version (I'm pretty sure the dubbed version I used to own missed out on some of the more extreme violence). I'm not sure I'd agree with Clarence (in True Romance) that it's a perfect first date movie but it's bloody good fun…and often just plain bloody.


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surprise..ghost..resurrection..lily a real surprise..grew in my Pueblo garden...ground breaking to 2 feet in 3 days, full bloom in 6 days. Here it is at about 3 days..two feet tall!
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on 2010-08-13, 00:10:05 into Name That Plant, Prized Flowers, Proud Projects, Summer Beauty


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Apple Dumpling Recipes
Apple Dumplings
Apple Dumplings with Vanilla Sauce
Apple Dumplings in Cherry Sauce
Apple Dumplings with Red Hot Candy
Apple Dumplings in Blueberry Sauce
Pear Dumplings
Pear Dumplings with Raspberry Sauce
Raspberry Pear Dumplings
Spiced Peach with Nutty Dumplings
Peach Dumplings
Apple Dumplings 2
Peach Dumplings 2
No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice of cooks present and the wisdom of cookbook writers.Print This Recipe
Apple Dumpling Recipe
Baking Directions
Apple Dumpling Sauce
1 cup water
When it comes to apple dumplings, bigger is not always better. Use Macintosh and Braeburn apples that are about 3 inches in diameter. You'll see that it makes it easier for you to make the dumpling.
Apple Dumplings
2 cups enriched flour
Take a little water and moisten the edges of the 6-inch dough square.Fold the corners to the center of the top of the apple. Do you see now why you want smaller apples? If you start to run a little low on dough doing the final apples you can always roll it out a bit more. Pinch the dough together at the seams.
Try to place the apple dumplings in the baking dish about an inch apart if possible.
Pour the sauce we made earlier over the apple dumplings and then sprinkle them with sugar. Place the baking dish in the oven preheated to 375° and bake for 40 minutes.
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Linda Strecker Seliga of North Bethesda, MD died in her home on June 16th, 2012 of ALS at the age of 63. Linda was born Linda Helen Strecker, December 17th, 1948, in Wyndmoor, PA to Jack and Jayne Strecker and later moved to the Northwood section of Philadelphia. Linda graduated from Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in 1966 and received a Bachelor's of Science in Economics from Marymount College (Tarrytown, NY) in 1970. She married James Seliga of Philadelphia at Our Mother of Consolation Church, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia in August of 1970. They lived in Philadelphia for a short period where their son James Joseph Seliga was born in 1971, before moving to Maryland in 1975 where they had their daughter Megan Jayne Seliga in 1981. Together as a family they moved to Edina, Minnesota in 1985, then to Southbury, CT in 1993, Monmouth Beach, NJ in 2001 and finally to North Bethesda, MD in 2010.
Linda is survived by her mother Jayne Strecker of Philadelphia, her husband James Seliga, her son and daughter-in law James and Kara Seliga Jr and her grandchildren Katelyn and Shea of Eden Prairie MN, her daughter and son-in-law Megan and Ryan Fitzgibbons of Falmouth MA, her sisters and brothers-in-law Jayne and Walter McBride of Red Bank, NJ, and Lisa and Joe Magarity of Oreland, PA. She was predeceased by her loving father Jack, whom she loved dearly, and is now in his arms in heaven..
Her joy of life, sense of humor and devotion to her family and friends will be missed and forever loved by all.
Relatives and friends may call at Our Mother of Consolation Church, 9 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., Phila., PA 19118, Saturday, June 23rd at 9AM. Funeral Mass 10AM. Inurnment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
After the cemetery, relatives and friends are invited to a luncheon at the home of Barbara and Joseph Houldin 8822 Germantown Ave. Parking is available at the Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church at 8812 Germantown Ave.
Note: on Friday June 22nd at 4:00 PM, the Magaritys invite friends and family to a barbeque at 403 Burton RD Oreland PA
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her honor to our first choice MontgomeryHospice.org or ALS Assoc.
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I'm a traveller, hiker and mountaineer orginally from Western Canada and based in London, United Kingdom.
I've travelled to 40 countries and hiked or climbed on four continents including the Altas Mountains of Morocco, the Italian and Slovenia Alps, the Tatras of Poland and the Slovak Republic, Romania, the Canadian Rockies and Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Yosemite in California, volcanos in Washington in the US, New Zealand and Indonesia, the Southern Alps of New Zealand, the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, the rainforests of Laos, the bush of Australia and South Africa and of course the mighty peaks of England, Wales and the Munros of Scotland.
During my travels I've choked down water in some pretty nasty places and yet I've never gotten sick from drinking water anywhere in the world [now food is a different story...]. I've managed to avoid getting sick by studying the medical and scientific literature to understand the risks and learn how to choose drinking water sources and high quality treatment systems.
Getting sick from drinking water is no picnic and doing the research to avoid it isn't everyone's bag so for the benefit of travellers and adventurers, on and off piste, I've complied a decade and a half of research and practical experience into this website. I hope you find the information useful and please let me know if you have any suggestions or questions.
Happy travels!
Rob West


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NORTH CARROLLTON -- Funeral services for Don Gray of North Carrollton were held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 2, at Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Winona, with burial following in Gore Springs Methodist Church Cemetery in Gore Springs. Rev. Eddie Carpenter and Rev. Fletcher Moorman officiated the services.
Visitation was Saturday, December 1, from 5 until 8 p.m., at Lee Funeral Home.
Mr. Gray died of cancer at his residence on Tuesday, November 27. He was 55 years old.
Mr. Gray was a farmer and former sheriff of Carroll County. He was a member of Malmaison Baptist Church near Carrollton. He was preceded in death by his wife, Yvonne Rivers Gray.
Survivors include his daughter, Elizabeth Miller and her husband, Rob, of Magee; son, Chip Gray of North Carrollton; stepdaughter, Jill Roy and her husband, Larry, of North Carrollton; his parents; John and Willo Dene Gray of Grenada; brother, Gregg Gray of Gore Springs; and five grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Alton Turnipseed, Kenneth DeLoach, Carl DeLoach, Sidney DuBard, Gary Blair, and Alvin Upchurch. Honorary pallbearers were C. D. Whitfield, Ralph Self, Bruce Heath, Lloyd Ashmore, Al Malone, and Neal Blaylock.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Lee Funeral Home in Winona was in charge of the arrangements. An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.ofhwinona.com.


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Fashion brands have embraced social networks in various forms. Twitter, in particular, has a wealth of designers and retail companies who have taken on personalized pages of their own.
Here, a directory of some of the leading fashion industry Tweeters:
Adidas: www.twitter.com/adidasrunning
American Apparel: www.twitter.com/americanapparel
Baby Phat: www.twitter.com/BabyPhat
Banana Republic: www.twitter.com/BROfficial
BCBG Max Azria: www.twitter.com/BCBGMAXAZRIA
Betsey Johnson: www.twitter.com/xoBetseyJohnson
Brian Reyes: www.twitter.com/BrianReyes
Calvin Klein: www.twitter.com/calvinklein
Charlotte Ronson: www.twitter.com/cjronson and www.twitter.com/shopronson
Dior: www.twitter.com/Lady_Dior
Diane Von Furstenberg: www.twitter.com/InsideDVF
Donna Karan: www.twitter.com/dkny
French Connection: www.twitter.com/frenchconn39
The GAP: www.twitter.com/GapOfficial
Gucci: www.twitter.com/GuccibyGucci
H&M USA: www.twitter.com/hmusa
Hayden Harnet: www.twitter.com/hayden_harnett
Henry Holland: www.twitter.com/henryholland
Isaac Mizrahi: www.twitter.com/isaacmizrahi
J. Mendel: www.twitter.com/jmendelfashions
Kate Spade: www.twitter.com/katespadeny
Lacoste: www.twitter.com/LACOSTE
Liz Claiborne: www.twitter.com/LizClaiborneNY
Loehmanns: www.twitter.com/Loehmanns
Louis Vuitton: www.twitter.com/LouisVuitton_US
Marc Ecko: www.twitter.com/beingmarcecko
Nike: www.twitter.com/nikebasketball
Nordstrom: www.twitter.com/nordstrom
Oscar de la Renta: www.twitter.com/OscarPRgirl
Rachel Roy: www.twitter.com/rachel_roy
Rebecca Minkoff: www.twitter.com/RebeccaMinkoff
Saks: www.twitter.com/SaksSF
Stella McCartney: www.twitter.com/stellamccartney
T.J. Maxx: www.twitter.com/tjmaxx
Tory Burch: www.twitter.com/toryburch
Urban Outfitters: www.twitter.com/urbanoutfitters
Vivienne Tam: www.twitter.com/VivienneTam
William Rast: www.twitter.com/williamrast
For more on fashion brands utilizing social media, view the full article here >>
Fashion brands have embraced social networks in various forms. Twitter, in particular, has a wealth of designers and retail companies who have taken on personalized pages of their own.


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The Boston Chapter is one of over 35 LES Chapters in LES (USA & Canada.) LES Chapters are located throughout USA and Canada in areas with concentrations of LES Members and licensing professionals. The Boston Chapter, under the direction of the Chapter Leadership hold regular meetings where LES Members and outside speakers give presentations on topics relevant to technology transfer and licensing. Register for an upcoming Boston Chapter event or view past events.
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DreamLine DL-62 Butterfly Frameless Bi-Fold Shower Door and SlimLine Single Threshold Shower Base
Product Description
Butterfly Frameless Bi-Fold Shower Door and SlimLine Single Threshold Shower Base
This DreamLine™ shower kit offers the perfect solution for a bathroom remodel or tub-to-shower conversion project with a BUTTERFLY™ bi-fold shower door and a coordinating SlimLine™ shower base. The BUTTERFLY shower door is comprised of two sets of bi-fold panels that provide an ample walk-in opening while saving space. The SlimLine shower base incorporates a low profile design for a sleek modern look. Choose a beautiful and efficient DreamLine shower kit to completely transform a shower space.
- Items included: Butterfly Shower Door and Single Threshold Shower Base
Butterfly Shower Door:
- 1/4 (6 mm) clear tempered glass
- Chrome hardware finish
- Frameless glass design
- Width installation adjustability: 58 - 59 1/2"
- Out-of-plumb installation adjustability: Up to 3/4" per side
- Space-saving frameless bi-fold door
- Anodized aluminum profiles and guide rails
- Reversible for "right" or "left" door opening installation
- Tempered glass ANSI certified
Single Threshold Shower Base:
- High quality scratch and stain resistant acrylic
- Slip-resistant textured floor for safe showering
- Integrated tile flange for easy installation and waterproofing
- Fiberglass reinforcement for durability
- cUPC certified
- Drain not included
Product Warranty:
- Shower Door: Limited 5 (five) year manufacturer warranty
- Shower Base: Limited lifetime manufacturer warranty
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|See product description for warranty terms.
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