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Average rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and 5/1 ARM were unchanged, while the 15-year fixed fell one basis point, according to a NerdWallet survey of daily mortgage rates published by national lenders.
The 30-year fixed rate is four basis points higher than it was a week ago, and 42 basis points higher than a year ago.
Even as mortgage rates have risen in the last year, more homeowners are paying on time. In July, 4.6% of mortgages were at least 30 days past due, according to CoreLogic's monthly Loan Performance Insights Report. A year before, 5.5% of mortgages were at least 30 days past due.
The national foreclosure rate of 0.7% was at a 10-year low, CoreLogic said. If there was a note of concern in the report, it was that serious delinquencies (90 or more days past due) were up in four areas, mostly in places dependent on the oil industry: Anchorage, Alaska; Casper, Wyoming; Victoria, Texas; and Baton Rouge and Lafayette both in southern Louisiana.
(Change from 10/10)
30-year fixed: 4.07% APR (NC)
15-year fixed: 3.50% APR (-0.01)
NerdWallet daily mortgage rates are an average of the published annual percentage rate with the lowest points for each loan term offered by a sampling of major national lenders. APR quotes reflect an interest rate plus points, fees and other expenses, providing the most accurate view of the costs a borrower might pay.
More from NerdWallet


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From George TV:
National Geographic Channel, aka Nat Geo will be airing an extensive one hour TV documentary called "Slammed…Inside Indy Wrestling".
The documentary was filmed over the past one a half years at major indy promotions and will follow the ins and outs of the business from all aspects.
The air date is set for Wednesday, August 24th at 10pm. Be sure to tune in on your local cable channel for this first time ever behind the scenes documentary on pro wrestling that will possibly turn into a regular series. More information to follow. Check your local listings.

subset: commoncrawl


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Road Safety Week
In the UK speeding is still a major problem. It causes needless crashes, untold suffering and stops people living safe and healthy lives.
Driving is unpredictable and if something unexpected happens on the road ahead – such as a child stepping out from between parked cars – it is a driver's speed that will determine whether they can stop in time and, if they can't stop, how hard they will hit the child.
Yet newer vehicles are more powerful than ever before and reach high speeds quickly. Driving fast is glamorised and often encouraged by programmes and adverts that worship the cult of the car. We all live busy lives and there is a temptation to speed up in the hope of saving time, where in fact we could be costing lives.
That is why we are encouraging everyone to Speed Down Save Lives for Road Safety Week 2017 (20-26 November).
We are also encouraging you to walk to school this week or if you have to come in the car, be aware of where you park. Allow enough space at junctions and please do not block access to residents' driveways.


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Top 10 Best Tally Hall SongsTally Hall is an American rock band formed in December 2002 and based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The band has a relatively significant cult following, and is known for upbeat melodies and whimsical lyrics; the band members once described their musical style as "wonky rock" and "fabloo rock". Tally Hall has five members, distinguished by the color of their neckties: vocalist and guitarist Rob Cantor (yellow), vocalist and bassist Zubin Sedghi (blue), vocalist and guitarist Joe Hawley (red), drummer Ross Federman (gray), and vocalist and keyboardist Andrew Horowitz (green).
One of the creepiest tracks from the Hall, with lots of freakout vocal effects and rapping delivery from Joe Hawley, also a grand epic closer for their debut.
Just amazing. both versions are pieces of absolute art
never gets boring
A mind-blowing experience with a bizarre tough beat and an explosive ballad chorus. Most certainly, an underrated Tally Hall highlight.
There are perfectly constructed masterpieces such as Bohemian Rhapsody or Stairway to Heaven. There are children's songs such as Yellow Submarine or Octopus's Garden. Banana Man is a perfectly constructed masterpiece of a children's song. Enough said.
Thank god this is in the top ten! It really makes you feel and it is so beautiful and truthful. Joe Hawley knows what he is doing. Oddly, it always rains after it comes on shuffle...
There's a storm for every spring. A philosophical ballad featuring some of the sincerest guitar work and vocals from the band, and a lot of where-do-we-go pondering.
I very much enjoy this song... I'd like to play it one day.
It's... It's just so beautiful.
A short mixture of everything Tally Hall is about, possibly their biggest hit, and a perfect intro track for an album as well.
Everybody loves a potato monkey
The idea, the beat, the extreme diversity of themes for a 2.5-minute song: well, here you are, the Bidding.
An introductory track where a rock band presents itself... with a hip hop song!... which is, you know, original.
The folky form of Tally Hall, where they also succeed. An actual hymn for a scarecrow, has some extremely frightening wind sounds with the word 'fly' sung during that part.
Probably the best track from their second album, where they had gone less inspired than on the debut. You've got a creepier track than Ruler of Everything, actually, with a pumping a cappella intro, a couple of political statements, and a messing abrupt ending that leaves you pissed off completely.
It's a song that can creep me out, but I still love it. I tried to listen to this song until I got sick of it, but I couldn't. This is my favorite son from Tally Hall. - @RandomHusky_Pro
It's a really great backround noise
a short and sweet song that really captures that 30's theme
it's so good! it makes you feel good and the music video is great!
Finally, a jump-up song, which is also a sort of comic tribute to the Olsen twins, ironically sung by the bassist. The chorus literally makes you hop as if you're on their concert.
This is just so catchy and lovable for some reason.


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A quick google of "Obama" and "fatal conceit" harvests over 16,000 links. The interpretation of Barack Obama and his government as an instantiation of what Friedrich Hayek examined in his classic book The Fatal Conceit has become one of the dominant narratives of today. In May John Stossel wrote a widely circulated piece on the topic. This week, Thomas Sowell weighs in. So does Sheldon Richman. And also Ralph Reiland. I'm guessing we'll be hearing more about this over the next month and year.
UPDATE: Another one. Update 2: One more.


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Here at Hackney Furniture, an East London based office clearance company, we specialise in clearing commercial property of all furniture so it is ready for refurbishment or re-use. We are happy to provide our services to the areas of Romford, Ilford, Chigwell, Bow, Bethnal Green, and other areas of East London.
Our many years of experience have given us the ability to work with all manner of different commercial clients. Whether it is an office clearance you need or just a storage space, we will be able to take it on. We can remove all fixtures and fittings, unwanted furniture, old documents and all general waste. That even includes verminous waste. We also have significant experience clearing out shops, pubs and hotels. When you are clearing out your commercial or professional space, it just makes sense to hand the work over to another professional. So for commercial, business and office clearance services in Ilford, Chigwell, Romford and the rest of East London, choose Hackney Furniture.


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Auto Repair in St Catharines, ON
St. Catharines, ON
St. Catharines stands as the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region, as well as the sixth biggest urban center in all of Ontario. Covering a land area of roughly 96 square kilometers, St. Catharines is home to a population of more than 133,000 people.
Incorporated as a village in 1845, St. Catharines grew around its primary industry of flour milling. The area soon became a destination for refugee slaves from the United States, one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad. St. Catharines was then incorporated as a city in 1876. It serves today as the northern entrance of the Welland Canal, which passes right through the city. Thanks to an extensive development history, St. Catharines maintains several unique and distinct communities to this day, along with a variety of theatre companies.
Boyd Automotive & Tire has been meeting the auto repair needs of St. Catharines drivers since 2002, as a family-owned shop with a focus on accuracy. From diagnosis to completion, we adhere to high standards of quality every step of the way. We expect to be held accountable for what we do, and we want all our St. Catharines customers to know they matter to us. The team at Boyd Automotive & Tire works together to deliver outstanding workmanship, serving St. Catharines yesterday, today and tomorrow!
Boyd Automotive & Tire is a full service automotive repair and maintenance facility. Just some of the services we offer are: Alignments, Safety inspections, Brakes, Steering Systems, Suspension Systems, Transmissions, Tires, power steering, cooling systems, radiators, fuel injection, electrical and electronics, diagnostics of all kinds. Corrosion Free Rustproofing, Commercial inspections, glass repair, Fluid flushing, engines, differentials, trans-axles, transfer-cases and much much more.
We offer a two year 40 000KM parts and labour warranty. Our waiting room is open and bright, kid friendly and we offer free Wi-Fi for those who need to get some work done while they wait. We are also happy to shuttle you home or to work if you prefer. We are also told our coffee is some of the beat around and it's complimentary.
Our oil change services include a complimentary 50 point inspection that includes wheels off brake inspection. Give us a call and try us out.


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MATCombat Tourniquet
Can MATCombat be applied to all extremities?
Yes. The open C-Cuff design of MATCombat provides easy application to both arm and legs. Its construction also enables MATCombat to be easily applied to trapped limbs.
Can MATCombat be applied with one hand?
Yes. The C-Cuff, secure Buckle, and Turn Key together provide fast, one-handed application. MATCombat uses the Mechanical Advantage mechanism to ensure the tourniquet does not slip or loosen.
How fast can MATCombat be applied and tightened to stop blood flow?
Testing has consistently produced complete application and occlusion of blood flow in under 30 seconds1.
How effective is MATCombat at reducing blood loss?
When applied properly, MATCombat is 100% effective at reducing blood loss. In a study conducted at the Kings County Hospital comparing three one-handed tourniquets, MAT® demonstrated 100% occlusion success1. Occlusion in these tests was measured with Doppler, BP and Oximeter sensors.
How durable is MATCombat?
MATCombat has been designed and developed with the highest grade materials, components and manufacturing quality, to military-specifications, including integrated mechanism fail-safe redundancies. MAT® has passed rigorous, independent laboratory extreme conditions and performance tests. It has been designed for a 10 year shelf-life.
Can MATCombat be easily packed and carried?
Yes. MATCombat weighs less than 6 ounces packaged, and comes in a compact package, making it easy to pack into first aid, medical, and military kit bags.
When to Use MATCombat
When Should MATCombat be used?
MATCombat™ can be used to stop moderate to severe extremity blood loss from any limb, including a trapped limb, as a result of trauma to the limb. The C-Cuff, Buckle and Turn Key make one-handed application simple, even while wearing gloves, in extreme environments or while applying MATCombat™ to oneself.
Who should use MATCombat?
MATCombat has been designed for use by all levels of medical personnel and can be easily and quickly taught to non-medical personnel. It can be used in any environment, including the battlefield, tactical EMS, natural and man-made disasters and hospitals.
Can MATCombat be used on children?
The only restriction on use is the diameter of the affected limb. MATCombat offers an adjustable fit from 4" diameter to 39" circumference.
Using MATCombat
What size limb does MATCombat accommodate?
MATCombat can be used on a wide range of limb sizes — from as small as a 4" diameter forearm to a 39" circumference thigh.
Can the compression of MATCombat be modulated?
Yes. The turn key system provides for easy and safe tightening of the tourniquet in small, controlled increments, making it adjustable for various body types and sizes. To loosen the device, press the Release Button. Then re-cinch the strap, if necessary, and re-engage the Turn Key to re-tighten.
How is blood flow modulated with MATCombat?
Blood flow is modulated by tightening and loosening the Strap by means of the Buckle, Turn Key and Release Button. This may be done in small increments, allowing the user or caregiver ultimate control over the tourniquet's tightness. To stop moderate to severe extremity blood loss, tighten the strap then rotate and tighten the Turn Key until bleeding stops.
Can MATCombat be released and reapplied?
Yes. There are easy and fast ways to release MATCombat
- Push the pressure gate on the buckle to allow the strap to slowly slide through the buckle gate.
- Simply press the Release Button on the side of MATCombat to automatically release (usually accompanied by immediate unwinding of the Turn Key mechanism).
- The Buckle can be lifted up and off of its hook.
To re-apply and reuse the MATCombat the device must be fully reset. This is done by pushing the Release Button and pulling the Strap all the way out, until you see the stitching at the end of the Strap.
MATCombat and Safety
Can MATCombat be used for multiple applications?
No. To prevent cross contamination, once the device has been used on an injured person, it should be disposed of in the appropriate manner.
For training purposes, MATCombat can be used multiple times, as long as it is properly reset (see previous answer). However, there is a risk that the Turn Key mechanism may bind or fail to work properly after numerous uses if the device is not reset properly.
- Dungca, C. & Pfaff, B. (2005). (Comparative Tourniquet Self-Application and Use Testing). Army Medical Training Center. Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY. Unpublished study.


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"To research and explore the uses of sound and music for well-being, to share and promote awareness of this knowledge and to network those active in such work for the betterment of all."
TThe Sound Healers Association was founded in 1982 as an organization dedicated to the research and awareness of the uses of sound and music as therapeutic and transformational modalities.
This is the heart of SHA. It will enable you to network with others in the field of Sound Healing. The Directory is open to the public. May it serve as a valuable new source of clients and contacts!
Welcome to the Sound Healers Association Discussion Forums. It is through our shared communications with each other that true knowledge and wisdom emerges.
You'll find it is a wonderful sound healing community experience. Please feel free to add your voice to these conversations!
Join thousands throughout the planet for the 18th Annual WORLD SOUND HEALING DAY on Friday, February 14, 2020. At 12 noon (local time in your time zone), sound forth for 5 minutes with the "AH" created and projected with the energy of compassion and love, sending a sonic valentine to Gaia, our Mother Earth.
At that time, please go to templeofsacredsound.org to enhance the vibratory effect as we sound together for Global Harmonization, planetary peace and healing. Please visit Healing Sounds for more information.
If you cannot tone at 12 noon, sounding anytime during February 14, 2020 will help create positive shift and change for our planet
on World Sound Healing Day.
The purpose of World Sound Healing Day is to:
1). Heal Our Planet!
2). Heal Our Waters!
3). Raise Our Consciousness!


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The Effect of Domestic Antidumping Law in the Presence of Foreign Monopoly
We consider the effects of antidumping law when utilized by competitive domestic petitioners against a foreign monopolist. The foreign monopolist must set capacity before the realization of random foreign demand, but can reduce the cost of holding excess capacity in periods of slack foreign demand by dumping on the domestic market. With the introduction of antidumping law in the domestic market, domestic firms are shown to file suits in periods of sufficiently slack foreign demand, reducing the volume of imports directly in such periods. Moreover, this occasional filing activity raises the cost to the foreign monopolist of holding excess capacity and, in so doing, results in a scaling back of foreign capacity. Thus, the volume of imports is generally reduced by the introduction of domestic antidumping law, even in periods where no suit is filed. Finally. we consider self-enforcing agreements between the domestic industry and the foreign monopolist that take the form of a promise by the domestic industry not to file in exchange for a promise by the foreign monopolist to export no more than a pre-specified amount: We show that these agreements narrow the range of demand states over which suits are filed to only the softest states of demand, and lead to greater foreign capacity, hence partially mitigating both the direct and indirect impact of antidumping law on trade volume.
Published Versions
Journal of International Economics, May 1992 citation courtesy of


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Everything you need to make your own stunning quilted ornaments.
Free Shipping on PHYSICAL Product Orders over $75!
When you click 'checkout', please allow several seconds for your order to be processed.
Any downloads you order will be emailed to you immediately after checking out. Please check your email!
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are so excited that Sonshine Christian Academy has been chosen to be a three star center for our early childhood education and preschool special education programs!
All Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Preschool Special Education (PSE) programs funded by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) are mandated to participate in Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) and are required to achieve a rating of 3, 4, or 5 to maintain state funding, as well as administer and report on the Early Learning Assessment for all ECE and PSE funded children. The invitation to participate in SUTQ has now been made to all eligible publicly funded programs in Ohio.
In addition to ECE and PSE programs, ODE licensed programs that receive Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) funds from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) will be required to participate in SUTQ.
It is out job to be graded higher in the coming future. Stay tune!


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Earlier, we introduced you to the James Holmes is Innocent Facebook group, whose members say they're uninterested in wild conspiracy theories — like, for example, the assertions in the strangest Aurora theater shooting document to date. The motion, made public yesterday and on view below, deals with claims allegedly (but not actually) made by a victim pointing the finger of blame at Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates and the Illuminati.
The filing, submitted on August 27, redacts the name of the person who supposedly submitted it — but the text suggests that the moniker appears in the official charging document, which lists 116 counts of attempted murder. Moreover, the victim whose identity was appropriated is female, as indicated in an order by Judge William Sylvester that responds to the motion; it's on view below as well. A footnote reads, "The District Attorney's Office has informed the Court that the victim indicated in this Motion informed an investigator that she did not file it."
The text of the "Motion to Intervene" asks the court to take action in the James Holmes criminal case based on "newly discovered withheld evidence," as well as the author's eagerness to "speak out about the truth that i believe in my heart that James Holmes is innocent" and should be released immediately.
Why? Because, the document continues, "James is being framed by [Denver billionaire] Philip Anschutz, police chief Dan Oates, and the illuminati."
Also name-checked is 18th Judicial District DA Carol Chambers, who is supposedly forcing the filer to testify as a victim against her will. "I am not a victim" of James Holmes, the author continues, because "he never shot me."
So…what happened? "District Attorney Carol Chambers & Police chief Dan Oates came to my house and told me they are going to arrest me for online prostitution and escort services and charity fraud," the narrative continues, "and to make a deal with them to pretend I was a victim in this case. Dan Oates then shot me, told me in places [sic] that were not life threatening."
The writer then insists that "I don't want to lie under oath and pretend I'm a victim when i'm not and have my testimony contribute to James being convicted. I can't live with that."
After alleging that another person whose name has been redacted "is not a victim either," the motion concludes with the following:
"This case must be looked at by the F.B.I., Arapahoe county is corrupt. Free James Holmes! Other suppose [sic] victims in this case are govt actors. They all must take polygraph tests. Please donate to my charity, the proceeds will go to James for commissary and to get him real attorneys. I demand congress get involved too!"
105211790 Motion to Intervene in James Holmes Case


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The meaning of the awards Click on the Oscar to read the Programme or see the Poster
One Oscar means a Scottish award - Two Oscars means a UK award
© Downfield MusicalSociety 2007
You are viewing the text version of this site.
Need help? check the requirements page.
You need Flash to use this feature


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Need additional information? If we haven't completely answered your questions, please get in touch with us.
Send us a message:
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Pillar To Post at your fingertips.
Tap the icon and select "Add to Home Screen".
Booking with The Edmonton Team
Change Location
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Pillar To Post inspectors are E&O insured, highly trained, deliver detailed reports and take pride in helping you make clear decisions when buying or selling a home, ensuring confident home ownership.


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Hi all,
I am trying to use ADC.h from a Teensy 4.0 Arduino sketch and am getting a build error that the library doesn't support T4.
Any idea what library to use?
I want to trigger periodically (~20khz) from a timer isr two parallel conversions on ADC1 and ADC2 and get an ADC ISR when the two values are available. I did something similar for T3.2 with ADC but now want to migrate to T4.


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Big thinking at Humana is leading to smaller waistlines across Northern Kentucky and the Tristate.
The health care company's incentive-based corporate
wellness program, HumanaVitality, rewards Humana insurance cardholders
who demonstrate a commitment to improving their personal wellness.
Corporate wellness isn't a new concept, but as
obesity rates across the nation continue to skyrocket, it's more
important than ever.
According to Jeff Blunt, regional strategic
communications manager at Humana, the cost of health care has reached
its tipping point.
"A great deal of Americans eat too much, smoke too
much, and sit too much," he says. "It's a recipe for disaster, and
employers are truly hitting the wall when it comes to paying for the
health care of their employees."
The only way Americans can change the costs of
health care, according to Blunt, is through leading healthier lives, and
it can be accomplished through improved decision-making in terms of
eating and exercise habits.
That's where HumanaVitality enters the picture.
Members earn Vitality Points by engaging in physical
activities, attending health-related classes, and participating in a
sports league, among other ways. Work out at the gym once a day? That's
15 points. Join the company softball team? Add 350 points. Just got your
yearly physical? There's another 400 points.
Points are collected and used to buy prizes at the
HumanaVitality Mall — things like iTunes gift cards, sporting goods,
name brand clothing, and even hotel stays.
"It's like a frequent flyer program, but with healthy living techniques," Blunt says.
According to Blunt, HumanaVitality is unique to
other wellness programs because of its measurable results, rather than
basing results on self-reported data. Participants have the opportunity
to wear pedometers and heart rate monitors that upload results to the
user's personal HumanaVitality webpage, and physicians report to Humana
with their weight, cholesterol, heart rate, and other health-related
The figures are then measured and a Vitality Age is assigned.
"This spurs conversation in the office and around
the workplace," Blunt says. "People start talking about their Vitality
Age, which means they're talking about their health. Social interaction
like this drives healthy behaviors."
And interaction is key when it comes to one of
Humana's latest developments: a partnership with video game developer
Ubisoft. HumanaVitality members can earn points for rewards by
exercising using Ubisoft's fitness game, "Your Shape: Fitness Evolved,"
on the Xbox 360's Kinect system.
"We're constantly looking for new ways to help
people earn points and measure their activity," Blunt says of the
program, which is even exploring the possibility of including similar
rewards-based incentives in its Medicaid and Medicare services.
He calls HumanaVitality a long-term approach to
improving health with short-term results. Sure, a person eating right
and exercising regularly will immediately feel healthier, but he says
more important is the commitment to improving health years down the
And involvement in the HumanaVitality program has
shown great promise, according to Blunt, with between two and three
times the participants of other Humana health and wellness programs in
its first full year of availability.
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Proud member of the international Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Told by Toby, the family dog, Escape from Killarney is a gripping and treacherous, action-packed adventure of two children and their dog's struggle for survival in the Canadian backcountry. For readers 9+.
"[F]ull of action, heart and heroics."
—Kirkus Reviews
What is Growing Out of Your Ear? is an imaginative and whimsical story of a Grandfather's playful, good-humoured words to his granddaughter, foreshadowing what happens when she swallows a cherry pit.
Angela Graham
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
I'd love to hear from you.
Readers, booksellers, agents, publishers,
fellow authors and educators, please contact me.


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The contents of this website are subject to periodic change. Information represented on the Congdon & Coleman Real Estate website is not intended to replace official sources. Although every attempt will be made to ensure that the information is accurate and timely, the information is presented without warranties. Information contained on the Congdon & Coleman Real Estate website should not be mistaken for legal advice. Information contained herein should not be considered error-free and should not be used as the exclusive basis for decision-making. Use of website information is strictly voluntary and at the user's sole risk. Any other resources linked from this site are maintained by independent providers, and cannot be guaranteed accuracy. Statements, views and opinions included in an independent provider's material are strictly those of the authors. These views may not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Congdon & Coleman Real Estate.
All questions regarding specific contents of this website should be directed to email@example.com.


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Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences
- Editors
- (view affiliations)
Part of the Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research book series (NTHR, volume 28)
Part of the Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research book series (NTHR, volume 28)
Recent global events such as the devastating 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami, the 2004 Sumatran tsunami and the 2006 SE Asia undersea network cable failure underscore the societal and economic effects of submarine mass movements. These events call upon the scientific community to understand submarine mass movement processes and consequences to assist in hazard assessment, mitigation and planning. Additionally, submarine mass movements are beginning to be recognized as prevalent in continental margin geologic sections. As such, they represent a significant if not dominant role in margin sedimentary processes. They also represent a potential hazard to hydrocarbon exploration and development, but also represent exploration indicators and targets. This volume consists of a collection of the latest scientific research by international experts in geological, geophysical, engineering and environment aspects of submarine mass failures, focussed on understanding the full spectrum of challenges presented by submarine mass movements and their consequences.


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Nomading Film Festival (NoFF): Submit Your Travel Videos, Win A Trip
Brooklyn's very own travel film festival, the Nomading Film Festival (NoFF), is set to kick off June 18, 2011. NoFF is a first time festival effort put together by passionate (obsessive?) travelers and film makers Bassam Tarazi and Josh Wolf, who hope to shine a light on what makes travel so special and how the simple act of taking a trip can change lives.
Anyone around the world can submit videos no longer than 15 minutes long for submission to the Festival.
Everybody can shoot
Young and old, family man or singles on the run, everybody is a traveler and everybody can submit. All skill levels of filmmaker are encouraged, so don't get down if you think you don't have the "right stuff". You're sharing your experience, that's what matters.
Video editing isn't as tough as you might think, and remember that yes, your camera probably DOES have a video function. Most computers come equipped with video editing software like Windows Live Movie Maker for PC and iMovie for Mac. Both very user-friendly programs offering a great start to video editing.
Submissions are open until midnight on April 30, 2011 (Submit here). It costs $10 to submit your travel video, and the grand prize is a trip for two to India with Intrepid Travel.
Winners will be chosen in the following categories:
The trip I wish I was on
The trip I'm glad I wasn't on
The nomad(s) I want to travel with
The most enlightening trip
The trip that makes you want to travel the most
For updates and more info, you can also check out NoFF on Facebook and Twitter.
- New Thrills and Chills on Amusement Park Rides[AOL Travel]
- Ten Stunning Ecotourism Destinations (PHOTOS) [Huffington Post]
- Tricks of Hotel Room Home Cooking (Video)[Lonely Planet]
- Indoor Waterpark Resorts to Amp Up a Vacation[AOL Travel]
- European Travel Made Easy[Reader's Digest]


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NOTE: I wrote this article before the IPO numbers became public so please keep that in mind. I keep coming across articles indicating that the fraudulent sacks of shit on Wall St. are trying to value Facebook at $100 billion. The absurdity of this valuation should be painfully obvious to anyone who takes even a cursory look at the numbers. The mathematics are simple enough even for small children to understand.
Let's look at some key statistics about Facebook:
Users: Over 900 million
2009 Revenue: $777 million
2009 Net Income: Unknown
2010 Revenue: $1.97 billion
2010 Net Income: Unknown
2011 Revenue: $3.8 billion
2011 Net Income: Unknown
Q1 2012 Revenue: $1 billion
Q1 2012 Net Income: Unknown
Last year Facebook had $3.8 billion in revenue, not profit, just revenue. We don't know how profitable Facebook is because it's still a private company. Let's say Facebook's executive team is absolutely stellar and they have even better margins than Google with 27.5% (Google achieved 25.7% profit margin in 2011). That would mean they earned $1.045 billion in profit which would imply a P/E ratio of 95.7 and a return of only a little over 1% on your investment. That's a pretty bad investment which does not even begin to keep pace with inflation.
"But Facebook is a growth investment" you might say. Maybe so but how much growth can possibly be expected with 900 million users already, or to put it another way, nearly half of the 2.3 billion total estimated internet users? Sure the internet will continue to attract new users, and at a rapid rate for but how many of those new users will be from the developing world where they have limited access to the internet? Clearly not all users are created equal. Facebook's bread and butter are the fat, lazy, dumbfuck Americans and other Westerners who stare blankly at their Facebook news feed for hours per day like the fat people in the movie WALL-E. In reality, nearly everyone in the developed world (except China) is already on Facebook, and a larger and larger proportion of prospective Facebook users are most definitely going to be the kind that only have only occasional access through an internet cafe or perhaps the one computer in the village powered by Ogundo Matumbu riding a bicycle behind the mud hut that serves as the village data center to power it. How much revenue will those kind of users produce? But what the hell, let's just give them another huge benefit of the doubt and assume each user produces an equal amount of revenue for Facebook. Google's P/E ratio right now is 18.31, as discussed above. Giving Facebook a huge benefit of the doubt that their profit margins are even better than Google's, their implied P/E with a $100 billion valuation is almost 96.
In order to achieve an 18.31 P/E ratio (in line with Google, which I think is a much better company by the way) holding the $100 billion valuation constant, Facebook will need to increase their revenues and hypothetical net income by more than 500% to $19.86 billion and $5.46 billion respectively. I don't think it's realistic that Facebook can increase their revenues and net income by 500% within a reasonable period of time either through growth in users or trough generating significantly more revenue per user. And this is just what's necessary to justify Facebook's opening IPO price if you think the company should have a comparable valuation to Google – this does not provide any appreciation on your initial investment. What about the time value of your money?
Now let's do some simple middle school math (and by that I mean the kind of math they do in 1st grade outside the Western world). Let's round things off to make the numbers easy… if Facebook made $1 billion profit with 900 million users that means each year, each user earns Facebook roughly $1.11 on average. We know that to achieve an 18.31 P/E Facebook would need $5.46 billion in earnings, so we can divide that $5.46 billion by $1.11 to come up with the number of users required to generate this income target. We come up with 4.92 billion users… or, in other words, more than two times the total number of users estimated to be on the internet today. Woops, clearly that's not going to work… Maybe they could double their revenue per user and double their number of users… that would get them just 73% of the way to our revenue and profit targets though… bummer, dudes.
I don't think Facebook is analogous to Google anyway. Google is an innovator constantly introducing new products and services as well as making improvements to old ones. Google develops new products in-house but also makes intelligent acquisitions such as Youtube. What major acquisitions has Facebook made that have been real grand slams? $1 billion for Instagram? You have got to be kidding me. This reminds one of the dot-com bubble where obscene amounts of venture capital were wasted on such abominations as Pets.com and Boo.com.
I see Facebook as being more analogous to MySpace than to Google. Facebook isn't an innovator. They're not branching out into other businesses in a meaningful way. They don't stay ahead of the curve, they make just the bare minimum of changes necessary to hold their position along with a lot of superficial cosmetic changes that don't offer much if any additional functionality. Where the hell is that dislike button for example? Sometimes the changes they make are for the worse. Rather than being on the cutting edge of new technologies Facebook simply copies the ideas of others and often so poorly that it leaves a niche for other apps to thrive in. Foursquare is an excellent example. Facebook has a check in feature – what do we need Foursquare for? Why the hell do we need Twitter? Isn't that just like Facebook with no features except the status message?
Speaking of Facebook's lack of innovation and need for additional revenues to justify their outlandish $100 billion valuation, you'd think they might have done something obvious, like, I don't know… perhaps putting advertising on the iPad, iPhone and Android apps? You'd think so but you'd be wrong. You would think that would be a no-brainer. And why exactly are they not working day and night on fixing this? How long can it take to throw some ads in there? With over 100 million "iDevices" in the world along with many others running Android that seems like a great way to add some additional revenue, don't you think? I'm sure they will add this eventually but what does it say about the people running this company that they've let this slide for so many years already? Don't they like making money at Facebook?
While on the topic of Facebook advertising, I would be remiss not to mention Facebook's abysmally low click through rates (CTRs) and the fact that Twitter crushes Facebook in this arena in yet another of example of how Facebook is behind the curve compared to its peers. This article even claims that Facebook's CTRs are worse than "regular online banner ads" – how often to you click on those things? Maybe it's because despite the plethora of information Facebook has on its users, they still do a shitty job of targeting the ads – this has certainly been my experience anyway, I don't even click on one ad per week and when I do I usually bounce off the site immediately because whatever it was was junk I'm not interested in.
The best part (or the worst part if you're actually considering buying into this farce) is that Facebook has already paved the way for the next Facebook, whatever it may be, to steal their users in droves. The "Facebook Connect" feature allows developers of other sites and services to offer one click signup and login for Facebook users as well as to export all kinds of personal information and even photographs. Whenever the next Facebook is developed, won't "Facebook Connect" be a great way to signup for it? It's only a matter of time. Facebook is not Google and unless they become Google they will go the way of MySpace sooner or later.
But of course on Friday, there will be a mass IPO hysteria and all sorts of retards will bid the stock up to ridiculous levels, and yes, Facebook will reach and probably exceed that $100 billion valuation. Then I will wait impatiently for a week or two for people to write some puts. On a long enough timeline, I guarantee you, Facebook is a losing investment and I can't wait to take the other side of that bet.
UPDATE: Shortly after I finished writing this article I noticed this headline: "GM Doesn't "Like" Facebook, Drops Ads". LOL! More good news for Facebook and the schmucks planning to dump their life savings into it!
UPDATE 2: According to this article, my hypothetical $1.045 billion in net income turned out to be the actual figure for 2011. Since the IPO price is turning out to be $104 billion that means the P/E is over 100. Q1 2012 does not look promising with only $205 million in net income… I can't wait for those puts!
Zerohedge commenter Blizzard_Esq posted the following:
Facebook's revenue per USA user (157 million users) is about $13.37 in 2011.
Facebook's revenue per Foreign user (733 million users) is about $2.21 in 2011.
This seems to confirm my hypothesis that new users are going to be far less profitable than the fat ass, lazy westerners… Can anyone back up these numbers? I could not find a source.
UPDATE 3: Hilarious… the underwriters had to step in to prop up the stock price above $38.


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Full Dental Restorations
The need for extensive dental work can be a stressful situation for those suffering from significant dental issues in Anchorage AK. One of the biggest dental problems is losing many or all of your teeth. Finding an experienced and caring dental professional to guide you through the full dental restoration process can be a challenge. Here at Gregorin Dental, we will provide you with a warm and caring environment and extensively trained professionals. We are dedicated to restoring your teeth to the full functionality you once enjoyed.
Consequences of Missing or Lost Teeth
When dental problems are neglected, existing problems become even worse. The loss of many or all teeth can result in a multitude of negative consequences. Commonly, the loss of teeth results in diminished oral function, which includes challenges with eating, talking, laughing, and smiling. In addition, jaw bone loss begins to occur, giving the face a caved in and aged look. Don't put it off, and contact Gregorin Dental right away to consult about full dental restoration process. Your quality of life will be vastly improved when you regain your full oral functionality. If you miss eating your favorite foods, have difficulties pronouncing certain words, or are embarrassed to smile or laugh, we can help you.
Full Mouth Restoration: Tooth Extraction
If you have teeth that are deteriorating, there is a solution. A tooth extraction procedure can be conducted for multiple teeth. From here, a full dental restoration can be scheduled or you can be fitted for a complete traditional denture. During your free initial consultation, we will determine the number of teeth that need to be extracted. After a thorough examination of your oral health, and after the you have healed from the extraction process, a full dental restoration can begin. Imagine the joy you will feel once you have your teeth fully restored!
Types of Dental Restorations
Dental implants are the top choice for dental restorations because they will give you complete oral operation so your dental functioning is perfectly restored. For this procedure, multiple implants will be placed into your jawbone to support a permanently fixed denture. The number of dental implants needed will be determined by the condition of your existing jaw bone. If you do not have adequate jaw bone and you have overall good health, bone grafting may be an option so you can benefit from dental implant supported dentures. If your health is in question and bone grafting is not an option, conventional dentures may be the best alternative.
Customized Dental Restoration
Every patient in Anchorage AK is unique so choosing an experienced dental practitioner that understands your individual needs is important to achieving optimal oral health. With Gregorin Dental, you will receive an individual treatment plan designed to help you achieve complete confidence in your smile. Your questions and concerns will be carefully considered so that you can be put at ease.


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Jennifer Dulos case: Troconis wants to pick up daughter at JFK airport
STAMFORD — Michelle Troconis is seeking permission to travel to New York in December to pick up her daughter at the airport.
In a motion filed Monday, defense attorney Andrew Bowman said his client wants to travel to John F. Kennedy Airport Dec. 13 to meet her daughter who is flying in from Argentina, and will then return to Connecticut.
The motion states the prosecution does not object to the motion, noting Troconis has complied with the conditions of her release.
Troconis and Fotis Dulos have each pleaded not guilty to two counts of tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in connection with Jennifer Dulos' disappearance.
Troconis and Fotis Dulos are free on bail, but are tracked by GPS monitoring devices and are not permitted to leave Connecticut with a judge's approval.
A judge previously granted Troconis permission to travel to New York from June 30 to July 17, but she returned to Connecticut after just one day because her GPS device had a weak signal, her attorney said.
According to arrest warrants, police believe Fotis Dulos was "lying in wait" when Jennifer Dulos arrived home from dropping off their children at school around 8:05 a.m. May 24.
Police said two people resembling Fotis Dulos and Troconis were seen on video the night of the disappearance in Hartford. Fotis Dulos was also seen on the same videos dumping bags that were later determined to contain his wife's blood and clothing, according to arrest warrants.
Police said Fotis Dulos and Troconis also took a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck belonging to a Fore Group employee to a car wash in the days after the disappearance. Police said they believe Fotis Dulos was driving the pickup the day of the disappearance.


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October 14, 2011
Designer Trip to GE Monogram Center in NYC
Categories: Events
GE Monogram Design Center in NYC.
October 11th & 12th, 2011
12 Designers, guests of ADU:
From left ot right: Samatha Boley, Erin Hoopes, Diana Runyon, Rick Kimmel, Mark Yost, Richard Forbes, and Julie Fifield.
From left to right: Diana Runyon, Samatha Boley, Yoko Barsky and Rick Kimmel.
Brad Crockett and Dave Michalski.


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Over on our post about adding an Instagram tab to a Facebook brand page, we've fielded several questions about sharing Instagram photos directly to a brand Timeline. There are lots of benefits to this technique, especially if you are looking to get those trendy restaurant photos some better distribution. So here it is: a step-by-step guide to sharing sepia-toned photos on your company's Facebook wall.
Step 1: Head to the options page in Instagram
To access the options page, tap the wheel in the upper righthand corner of your profile page. Next you'll need to select Share Settings.
Step 2: Connect Instagram to Facebook
Over on the Share Settings page, the first option is Facebook. Tap this option. If your device isn't already connected to Facebook, you'll be prompted to log in. Be sure to use the personal account that is attached to your brand page. Once connected, the default Facebook share setting sends images to your personal wall. To change this, tap the "Wall … Default" box.
Step 3: Give Instagram access to your Facebook page
Again, you'll be redirected to Facebook. This time you'll need to give Instagram permission to access your Facebook page(s), so hit the "Allow All" button. Once you're back in Instagram, tap the page you want to post photos to, and a corresponding checkmark should appear.
Step 4: Share your photo on Facebook
Now that Instagram is connected to your Facebook page, you're ready to share. Follow the normal preparations (cropping, filtering, etc.), and continue on to the Share Photo screen. Under the caption box, you'll see the available sharing options. Tap Facebook, and the image will be posted on your company Timeline.
Step 5: Final product
Your Instagram should show up on your Timeline and in followers' news feeds (although the actual number it's seen by hinges on EdgeRank algorithms). The image will also be automatically stored in a Facebook album entitled "Instagram Photos." To give Instagram a permanent home on your page, check out this tutorial on adding an Instagram tab to Facebook.


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Elin Nordegren Mansion: Home Swede Home!by Free Britney at .
Elin Nordegren isn't quite done renovating her mansion, but the model's European roots will be prominently displayed on her expansive Palm Beach property.
She already has a Swedish flag flying from the roof, according to reports.
New photos of the former Mrs. Tiger Woods' 21,000-square foot mansion were published this week. The master bedroom is 1,200 square feet. That's one room.
There's a path to the beach, an Olympic-sized pool, a spa, a gym and a wine room, koi ponds, a movie theater and of course, the giant ass Swedish flag.
Elin Nordegren reportedly received more than $100 million after her divorce from Tiger and is using some of the gigantic settlement to build her dream home.
She dropped $12.2 million on an estate in North Palm Beach last year ... then had the thing razed to the ground. The photo above shows it in its previous form.
Guess she liked the view more than the decor?
The locale is just 30 miles from Tiger's home in Jupiter, Fla., which is good for their kids, and is a short commute to Rollins College where she's studying psychology.
Maybe they offer courses in spotting habitual cheaters. For extensive evidence on just how much of a moron Tiger Woods is, check out these Elin Nordegren photos!
[Photos: Pacific Coast News]


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Fine print – the tiny legalese that appears just before you click to book a trip, check a bag or use a credit card or you suddenly hear about in the event of a long flight delay or an overbooked flight – is often seen but not read. But taking the extra time to read the tiny terms and conditions can put money in savvy travelers' pockets.
Embedded in the fine print may be things like extra charges, included services, refund and compensation policies, expiration dates, limitations and more. While it may seem tedious, the fine print provides valuable money-saving travel opportunities at every step of your trip.
The fine print on airline fine print
Credit card fine print
Fine print when booking
Ways to lose your reservation
Baggage fine print
What to know when traveling (especially when things go wrong)
Making a claim
The fine print on airline fine print: Contracts of carriage
For air carriers, the fine print is called a "contract of carriage" and contains important rules and provisions like check-in deadlines, refund procedures and the airline's responsibility (or lack thereof) for delayed or canceled flights. Each airline may have its own rules, but there are some commonalities outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division's "Fly Rights: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel," a consumer guide to air travel that offers guidance on airfares, tickets, delays, cancellations, baggage and more.
For quick reference, here are the links to each major U.S. airline's contract of carriage:
Alaska Airlines
Allegiant Air
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Frontier Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines
United Airlines
Virgin America
Travelers who are flying domestically in the U.S. may find all of the contract terms that affect the airfare on or attached to the ticket at the time of purchase. Some airlines provide "incorporate terms by reference," which means the rules aren't provided with the ticket – they're in a separate document on the airline's website and available wherever the carrier's tickets are sold. If the airline offers its rules incorporate terms by reference, it must provide a written notice with each ticket letting the consumer know this and mention that the terms may include liability limitations, claim-filing deadlines, check-in deadlines and other key terms. If the airline doesn't provide its incorporate terms by reference, passengers are not bound by the rules.
The U.S. Department of Transportation prohibits airlines from changing terms in the contract after tickets are purchased "if the change will have a significant negative effect on you."
If you are flying internationally on a U.S. carrier, the airline must keep a copy of its tariff rule wherever the carrier's tickets are sold. No matter who you fly or where you go, travelers should not be afraid to ask questions about a carrier's rules and the terms of the contract of carriage. If anything is unclear or you're unsure, ask.
Credit card fine print
The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 provides rights to consumers. Buying plane tickets with a credit card provides certain protections under federal credit card laws and also offers travelers more leverage and perks.
Know the perks of your card: Many credit cards offer travel reward programs that allow cardholders to earn free flights, hotel stays, car rentals and vacation packages. While each travel reward program is unique, most work by offering points or miles for every dollar charged to the card. These can then be redeemed for free travel rewards within the credit card's network.
Know the annual fees: While the thought of travel freebies is enticing, travelers should keep in mind that many credit cards with these programs charge annual fees, which may or may not make the travel rewards worthwhile. These cards tend to have substantial interest rates, as well, so it's worth paying off the balance each month to earn travel rewards without extra costs.
Know your options: Because every card offers different rates, fees and travel rewards, there is no one-size-fits-all credit card for travelers. Choosing the right card for you will depend on your travel preferences and spending habits. Be sure to weigh your options and know the benefits and drawbacks of the card you choose.
Know your deadlines: If you purchase plane tickets with your card and a problem arises, keep in mind that the legal deadline for disputing a credit card charge is 60 days.
Look for hidden insurance coverage: Some credit cards include travel insurance (cancellation insurance), reimbursing you when you use the card to book your trip, but cancel it prior to departure for certain situations like getting sick. Some credit cards also offer primary or secondary auto insurance if you book your rental car with their cards. The insurance typically is limited to collision damage and theft protection and doesn't usually cover personal injury or personal liability (though your auto insurance or health insurance likely does). The advantage of a card that offers primary auto insurance is that you can report any accidents directly with the credit card company, bypassing your insurance company, which means your auto insurance rate won't increase. More commonly, credit cards offer secondary auto insurance that should pick up where your primary insurance leaves off. When you apply for a credit card, ask what coverage, if any, is included.
Don't pay double: Don't pay twice for services or miss out on reimbursements. Read the fine print for your credit card and its award programs. For example, many American Express Premier Rewards Gold Account members may receive up to $100 per year in statement credits towards purchases like like checked bags, in-flight meals and airport lounge day passes.
Get your credit when credit is due: Airlines must forward a credit to your card company within seven business days after receiving a completed refund application; however, the credit may take a month or two to appear on your statement. If you paid by credit card for a refundable fare or a flight the airline canceled and have trouble getting a refund, report this in writing to your credit card company. If you file a written request within 60 days of being billed for the flight, the card company should credit your account even if the airline doesn't. In some cases, tickets purchased overseas in foreign currency can only be refunded in that same currency and country due to foreign government monetary restrictions. Keep this in mind if you are considering buying a ticket in a foreign country.
Avoid conversion fees: If you opt to book your tickets in a foreign currency as a way to save on airfare, make sure your credit card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee or currency conversion fee. Similarly, be aware of the fee when making in-flight purchases. With the wrong credit card, you will likely incur a separate fee for each transaction in a foreign currency, meaning, if you're traveling on an international carrier, that glass of wine or headset on the plane (and every purchase on your vacation) may come with a hidden cost.
Fine print when booking
The deregulation of airlines in the late 1970s means that travelers have many options for air travel and how to book it. But, buyer beware, sometimes convenience comes with extra (hidden) costs, which vary by airline.
Watch out for booking fees: Some U.S. carriers like Spirit Airlines and United Airlines charge for booking tickets over the phone, while others like American Airlines charge for booking in person at ticket offices or airports.
Take your time to think (and shop): Many airlines will hold a reservation for 24 hours without payment. Others require payment at the time of reservation but provide a full refund if travelers cancel within the first 24 hours.
Don't pay to rebook because of inclement weather: If a flight is canceled by the airline, then re-booking fees are waived, particularly when there is severe weather.
Don't make mistakes: Many fares have a penalty for changing flights or dates. Travelers may also have to pay for any difference in airfares if the original fare-type is not available on the new flight.
Understand travel insurance: If you think your plans might change, consider paying extra for travel cancellation insurance. Trip cancellation insurance covers travelers who may have their trip canceled or delayed and often includes coverage for additional situations, like lost luggage, trip delays and trip interruption. Some trip cancellation insurance policies will cover your travel companion, too. Some credit cards include travel insurance, but make sure you read the conditions carefully. Companies like AirCare offer flight insurance starting at $34 for domestic flights and pays passengers for when a flight is delayed or stuck on the tarmac or when your luggage is lost.
Ask about new sales: After you buy your ticket, check with the airline or travel agent once or twice before departure to check the fare. Fares change all the time, and, if the fare you paid goes down before you fly, some airlines will refund the difference (or give you a transportation credit for that amount).
Watch out for extra charges: Watch out for miscellaneous charges like those for printing out a boarding pass at the airport (Spirit Airlines charges $2 per pass for this) meals, headsets, pillows, etc.
Ways to accidentally lose your reservation
Just because you paid for your ticket and confirmed your reservation doesn't mean you can't lose your reservation. Here are some of the most common ways to accidentally lose your reservation or booking and how to avoid them.
Forgetting the 24-hour cut-off: Many airlines allow you to hold a reservation for 24 hours without paying. If you forget to pay for the booking before the 24 hours is up, your booking will be canceled.
Failing to reconfirm reservations: On international trips, some airlines may require you reconfirm your onward or return reservations at least 72 hours before each flight. If you don't, your reservations may be canceled.
Not checking in early enough: Passengers must meet the airline's check-in deadline by checking in with the airline within the airline's stated times. Some airlines require passengers to be at the ticket or baggage counter by a certain time while others require passengers to get to the boarding area by the stated time. Some airlines require that time deadlines at both the ticket or baggage counter and boarding area be met. For domestic flights, air carriers generally require passengers to be at the departure gate 10 to 30 minutes before scheduled flights, but deadlines can be longer. For international flights, air carriers generally require passengers to be at the departure gate up to three hours before scheduled departure, but deadlines can be longer.
Missing or skipping one of your flights: If you are holding confirmed reservations that you can't or don't plan to use, contact the airline. If you don't, the airline will cancel all onward or return reservations on your trip. Check the fine print when reserving your ticket because some airlines require the first segment to be flown in order for the remainder of the trip to not be automatically canceled even if the airline is notified ahead of time. Similarly, if you've booked a ticket with a layover and only plan on using a portion of your trip, be prepared to forfeit all onward and returning trips booked as part of the same reservation.
Baggage fine print
The chances of your baggage getting lost in transit is on the decline. The rate of mishandled bags was 5.73 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2016, down 12.25 percent from the previous year and the lowest ever recorded, according to Baggage Report 2017 by SITA, a specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. If the rare and unfortunate event occurs, be sure to report it as soon as possible when you arrive at your destination. Insist the airline create a report and give you a copy, even if they say the bag will be on the next flight. Note: If you miss the airline's check-in deadline, the carrier might not assume liability for your bag if it is delayed or lost.
Check for charges for your carry-on: While most airlines still allow passengers to bring one bag plus a personal item like a backpack, laptop case, umbrella or coat, some airlines like Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines (Basic Economy ticket holders only) and United Airlines (Basic Economy ticket holders only) charge to bring carry-ons. An exception to this are mobility aids and assistive devices as outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation's New Horizons: Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability.
Check if there are charges for checked baggage: Depending on the airline, class of service and route, you may have to pay to check your luggage, even the first bag. There can also be extra charges if you exceed the airline's limits on the size, weight or number of the bags (or all three). On some flights between two foreign cities, your allowance may be lower and may be based primarily on the weight of the checked bags rather than the number of pieces. Ask your airline about the limit for every segment of your domestic trip if you are flying different airlines and for every segment of your international trip even if you are flying the same airline, especially if you have a stopover of a day or more.
Know what you can check for free: Assistive devices like walkers and wheelchairs are generally checked for free as are strollers and car seats. Special liability requirements apply to the domestic transportation of assistive devices used by passengers with disabilities, so if your equipment gets damaged en route, report it right away.
Know what happens if your cargo is damaged: If your suitcase arrives smashed or torn, the airline will usually pay for repairs. If it can't be fixed, you and the airline can negotiate a settlement for the airline to pay the suitcase's depreciated value. Note: if you have packed your suitcase to the seams, the airline may let you know at check-in that your suitcase might not survive intact and may require you to sign a statement that you are agreeing to check your over-stuffed bag at your own risk. Even if you sign the form, the airline might still be liable if exterior damage is caused by the airline's negligence.
Airlines must pay if you wait (a long time) for delayed baggage: If you are one of the unlucky few whose bag goes missing and it takes more than a few hours to be found, most airlines will cover reasonable expenses incurred while the luggage is located and delivered to you. You may have to negotiate with the airline regarding how much is covered. The amount depends on whether or not you're away from home and how long it takes to track down your bags and return them to you. If the airline does not provide you a cash advance, it may still reimburse you later for the purchase of necessities. Keep all receipts.
Beware of baggage delivery fees: Once your long lost luggage is found, don't assume the airline will deliver it to your hotel or home for free.
Claim your lost baggage: If your bag is declared permanently lost, you will have to submit a claim, and airlines don't automatically pay the full amount of every claim they receive. Be sure to double (and triple) check with the airline that all claims forms have been submitted because missing the deadline for filing it could invalidate your claim altogether. If your flight had a connection involving two carriers, the final carrier is normally the one responsible for processing your claim even if it appears the first airline lost the bag, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Once you settle your claim with the airline, the airline may offer you a cash payment or free tickets on future flights. If you opt for the travel voucher, be sure to confirm any restrictions, such as blackout dates, destinations and voucher expiration.
Consider buying excess valuation: Airlines set a limit on the liability to delayed, damaged and lost checked baggage. The maximum liability is regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and it is adjusted every two years for inflation. The limit is currently $3,500 per passenger. For international travel, the limit is currently 1,131 Special Drawing Rights, a currency surrogate that floats daily. The international limit applies to domestic segments of an international journey. This is the case even if the domestic and international flights are on separate tickets and you claim and re-check your bag between the two flights. When your luggage and its contents are worth more than the limit, consider purchasing excess valuation at check-in. Excess valuation increases the air carrier's potential liability; it's not insurance.
Check your insurance coverage: If the airline's settlement doesn't fully reimburse your loss, check your homeowner's or renter's insurance; it sometimes covers losses away from the residence. Some credit card companies and travel agencies offer optional or even automatic supplemental baggage coverage.
What to know while traveling (especially when things go wrong)
Making it to the airport means you're halfway through avoiding fine print fees, but there are still many details to pay attention to once you're at the airport.
Overbooking is not illegal, but you may be compensated: Overbooking is not illegal and is actually quite common. Most airlines overbook flights to compensate for no-shows. JetBlue Airways advertises that it does not overbook flights, but the airline still reserves the right in its contract. In cases when overbooking results in there being more passengers than seats, airlines are on the hook for compensating passengers who are bumped, voluntarily or involuntarily, from the flight.
- Voluntary: When an over-sale occurs, airlines are required to ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for compensation, which is typically a travel voucher, free ticket, or gift card. The amount of compensation varies and is set by the airline. When a potential volunteer comes forward, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines "to advise any volunteer whether he or she might be involuntarily bumped and, if that were to occur, the amount of compensation that would be due." If you aren't in a hurry to get to your destination and the deal offered sounds good, ask about restrictions on the transportation compensation like how long is the ticket or voucher good for; is it "blacked out" during holiday periods; and can it be used for international flights, before agreeing to the deal.
- Involuntary: If there are not enough volunteers, then airlines resort to involuntary bumping. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate passengers who are involuntarily bumped, with a few exceptions: when the airline must substitute a smaller plane or needs to bump folks due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints and on chartered flights or scheduled flights with fewer than 30 passengers, international flights inbound to the U.S. and flights between two foreign cities. Each airline determines the order in which passengers are involuntarily bumped. Some airlines bump passengers with the lowest fares first. Others bump the last passengers to check in. Once you have purchased your ticket, the most effective way to reduce the risk of being bumped is to get to the airport early. For passengers in the same fare class the last passengers to check in are usually the first to be bumped, even if they have met the check-in deadline.
Compensation details: How much compensation you are entitled to and how you go about getting it can vary by airline, but a few guidelines apply to all U.S. carriers. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires each airline "to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and who doesn't. Those travelers who don't get to fly are frequently entitled to denied boarding compensation in the form of a check or cash. Airlines may offer free tickets or dollar-amount vouchers for future flights in place of a check for denied boarding compensation. However, if you are bumped involuntarily you have the right to insist on a check if you want cash. Once you cash the check or accept the free flight, you lose leverage to pursue more money from the airline later on. If being involuntarily bumped ends up costing you more money than the airline will pay you at the airport, you can try to negotiate a higher settlement with the airline's complaint department. If this doesn't work, you can opt to not cash the check and take the airline to court.
To receive compensation, a passenger must:
- Have a confirmed reservation.
- Not have canceled the reservation,
- Not have missed a reconfirmation deadline.
- Meet the airline's check-in deadline by checking in with the airline within the airline's stated times.
The denied boarding compensation amount depends on the price of the ticket and the length of the delay. No matter what, passengers always get to keep the original ticket and use it on another flight. If passengers choose to make their own arrangements, they can request an "involuntary refund" for the ticket for the flight they were bumped from, essentially making it a payment for the inconvenience.
The following is a guide for compensation for passengers involuntarily bumped from a flight:
- No compensation: The airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get the passenger to his or her final destination (including later connections) within one hour of the original scheduled arrival time.
- Amount equal to 200% of one-way fare (up to $675): The airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get the passenger to his or her final destination (including later connections) between one and two hours of the original scheduled arrival time for domestic flights and between one and four hours for international flights.
- Amount equal to 400% of one-way fare (up to $1,350): The airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get the passenger to his or her final destination more than two hours after the original scheduled arrival time for domestic flights and more than four hours for international flights or the airline doesn't make any substitute travel arrangements.
If the ticket, like a frequent flyer award ticket or those from a consolidator, doesn't show a fare, the denied boarding compensation is based on the lowest cash, check or credit card payment charged for a ticket in the same class of service on the flight. Passengers who paid for optional services like checked baggage and do not get them on the substitute flight or have to pay for them a second time on the substitute flight are required to be refunded.
Get compensation for canceled or massively delayed flights: Airlines don't guarantee their schedules. Issues like bad weather, air traffic delays and mechanical issues can cause flight delays and cancellations. There are no federal requirements for what airlines do for delayed passengers. Airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights for domestic itineraries are delayed or canceled. Compensation is required by law on domestic trips only when a passenger is bumped from a flight that is oversold. Passengers may be able to recover reimbursement under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention for expenses resulting from a delayed or canceled international flight by filing a claim with the airline. Each airline determines what it will compensate passengers for meals, hotel, etc. Budget airlines like Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines do not provide any amenities for passengers except in rare circumstances. Other airlines do not offer amenities if the flight is delayed for reasons beyond the airline's control, like bad weather.
What you should know:
- If the delay is excessive: You might try to book on another flight on the same air carrier, but you might have to pay a cancellation penalty or higher fare for changing your reservations. If you find a flight on another airline, ask the first airline if it will endorse your ticket to the new carrier; this could save you a fare collection fee, but there is no rule requiring them to do this. JetBlue customers whose flights are delayed due to a "Controllable Irregularity" are entitled to compensation good on future jetBlue travel that ranges from $25 to $200.
- If your flight is canceled: Most airlines will rebook you on the next available flight that has seats at no additional charge. If the delay is significant, you can find a flight on another airline and ask the first airline if it will endorse your ticket to the new carrier, but there is no rule requiring them to do this. Customers on Delta Air Lines whose flights are canceled or delayed more than eight hours can choose either a replacement ticket to the final destination or reimbursement for the flight ticket. Customers are also provided food and drink, hotel accommodations where an overnight stay is necessary and two phone calls, faxes, or emails.
- If your flight is delayed on the airport tarmac before taking off or after landing: The U.S. Department of Transportation rules prohibit most U.S. airlines from allowing a domestic flight to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours unless "the pilot determines there is a safety or security reason why the aircraft cannot taxi to the gate and deplane its passengers, or air traffic control advises the pilot that taxiing to the gate (or to another location where passengers can be deplaned) would significantly disrupt airport operations." U.S. airlines must provide passengers with food and water no later than two hours after the tarmac delay begins for both domestic and international flights. Lavatories must remain operable and medical attention must be available, if needed.
Making a claim
If you are in doubt about whether or not a fee is refundable or unsure what can be refunded, ask. Always know your rights. It's your right to speak up and request to make a claim. Don't rely on the airline to point out what can be refunded. Ask, and, if the answer is unclear, ask again.
Know which fees are refundable: Often, there are refundable fees, such as for a day-of-departure upgrade, that are reimbursable if the service doesn't happen. Airlines must refund you the fees charged for optional services such as in-flight Wi-Fi or seat assignment fees that you are unable to use due to an over-sale situation or flight cancellation.
Know your deadlines: If you purchase plane tickets and a problem arises, keep in mind the legal deadline for disputing a credit card charge is 60 days. If your luggage is lost, each airline limits the amount of time you have to make a claim.
Know what to expect: The U.S. Department of Transportation requires U.S. airlines to provide information on how to file a complaint with the carrier. This information must appear on the airline's website, on all e-ticket confirmations and upon request at any of the airline's ticket counters or gates. Airlines are required to acknowledge a written complaint within 30 days and send a substantive response within 60 days of receiving the complaint.
Give the airline a chance: Give the airline a chance to resolve your claim, first at the airport and, if unresolved, in writing by emailing the airline's consumer office at its corporate headquarters. Reaching out on social media will sometimes yield a quick response, as well.
Contact the U.S. Department of Transportation: If you have filed a claim with the airline, and the issue is not able to be resolved, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation. Complaints about airline service may be registered with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511).
Go to court: As a last resort, small claims court might be the answer. An airline can generally be sued in small claims court in any jurisdiction where it operates flights or does business. Contact your city or county office of consumer affairs or the clerk of the court to get started. You don't need a lawyer and court costs tend to be low. For more information, consult the DOT's Tell It to the Judge, a consumer's guide to small claims courts.
Did we forget any money-saving tips found in the fine print? Share your own travel hacks in the comments.
Main image: iStockhoto/DavidHCoder


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Nevada Cardiologist Pleads Guilty to Opioid Prescription Fraud
A Nevada cardiologist charged with widespread opioid and health care fraud pleaded guilty on Nov. 26 to one charge of illegal distribution of a controlled substance, federal authorities announced. Dr. Devendra Patel, 59, was the first physician in the state to face criminal drug distribution charges under a federal push to clamp down on opioid "pill mill" clinics and the doctors who run them. The government has stepped up efforts to beat back the rising tide of opioid addiction and death, which former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the "worst drug crisis in American history." Dr. Patel, who ran ... Read More


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The prolific Stephen King returns with yet another thriller, "Duma Key, out now." However, the busy writer still found time to answer TODAYshow.com readers' burning questions.
The novel tells the story of Edgar Freemantle and his recovery from a terrible nightmare-inducing accident that stole his arm and ended his marriage. One reviewer promises it is truly as scary as anything King has ever written. Read an excerpt here.
Q: What are your five favorite books (other than yours!) of all time? — Melissa Trotta, Emerson, N.J.
A: 1. "Lord of the Flies" (William Golding)2. "1984" (George Orwell) 3. "A Soldier of the Great War" (Mark Helprin)4. "Deliverance" (James Dickey)5. "Bleak House" (Charles Dickens)
Q: What advice do you have for an aspiring writer who can't seem to write anything longer than a short story? — Robin-Lee Leslie, Texas
A: If you can't write anything longer than a short story, don't push it (or try to pad it). In writing as in sex, the best advice is to relax and let nature take her course.
Q: What's the scariest book you've ever read? Why was it so frightening? — Angie, Madison, Ala.
A: Really scary books ("The Exorcist" is a good example) succeed because we come to know and care about the characters. I like to say, "It's the PEOPLE, stupid" — NOT the monsters!Q: Which of your stories is your favorite and why? — Crystal J. Cox, Baltimore, Md.
A: Of my own stories, I like "Children of the Corn," because I think it's suspenseful; "Quitters, Inc." because it still feels like a new idea (what would happen if the Mafia ran a quit-smoking clinic) and "The Reach," because it reminds me of all the people I knew while growing up in Maine.Q: With the wealth of wonderful books that you have written, are there any favorite characters or novels that you wish to return to with a sequel? — Larry Fire, Vancouver, Wash.
A: I don't "do" sequels, but if I did, I think I'd go back to "Stand"-land and check in on Stu Redman and Frannie Goldsmith.
Q: What is your favorite movie adaptation from your novels or short stories? –Melissa, Emerson, N.J.
A: I guess I must be easy. There are a lot of them I like. I like "Stand By Me" very much, I love "Shawshank Redemption" and I like "The Mist" that came out last year, because it was really hard-edged. It's kind of a prequel to "Cloverfield."
Q: Out of all your characters, which one has the most "you" in him? In other words, whose life could you step into with the most ease? –Kimberly, Orlando, Fla.
A: A lot of them feel like me because people have this idea that you're doing this secret autobiographical thing, when really, my idea is just write what you know. So start at a place where you understand, and then you just go into the fiction from there. But if any of them are like me, it's probably the boy Gordie who narrates "The Body," which became "Stand By Me."
Q: If, after your death, you knew that only one of your stories would be remembered, which one would you want it to be? –Randy, Mesa, Ariz.
A: There's a story called "The Reach," which really is the Maine that I grew up in and people that I know, so that's the one.


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Based on a study edited by C. Kay Weaver and Cynthia Carter they stated that, quote: "An American child is born into a home in which television is on average of more than 7 hours a day. For the first time in human history, most of the stories about people, life, and values are told not by parents, schools, churches, or others in the community who have something to tell, but by a group of distant conglomerates that have something to sell. ". Unquote.
This statistic is derived from an American study, nevertheless; it reflects also the viewing culture of children around the world.
If this is the case, then it has more influence than movies and books. The growing child is exposed to this medium more than 7 hours a day - day in and day out, and while it is true that parents could supervise their children's proper TV viewing, oftentimes parents fail in this endeavor due to several reasons.
One of the main reasons is poverty. One of the most common forms of entertainment for poor families at home - is the TV. This is because it is relatively cheap to maintain. You spend only once when you buy it and then it takes minimal expenses for its long term use.
Sometimes, both uneducated parents scrounge for a living, and leave the eldest to take care of his/her siblings. The only desire of the eldest child would be to keep her siblings safe inside the house while she does the household chores, and TV is how she can do it.
That is why a TV set is one of the most popular forms of entertainment for low income families. They would try all ways and means to at least buy a TV even if it's the smallest screen. Even in families belonging to the upper economic strata, this scenario happens too under the household help's indulgence.
In some cases, parents are at home, while the child is watching; but because they don't consider the effects of TV violence significant, they just leave the child unsupervised, not aware that their child's character formation is taking place, right then and there. Whether we accept it or not, we do oftentimes ignore to supervise the TV programs that our children watch.
The effects of watching violence day in and day out, (even from cartoons) may not be instant. The term Weaver used to portray this gradual formation is "cultivation". "Television tends to cultivate and confirm stable conceptions about life."
If the local TV industry continues to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to these issues, just to maintain their high TV ratings, then the country's moral fiber will continue to deteriorate as years go by.
The children who are watching television now will be the future citizens and leaders of our country. What will be inculcated in their growing minds - if rampant violence on TV continues to prevail - would be the notion that violence is the only solution to problems.
We may not live long enough to witness the chaos that violence causes in the lives of our children, grandchildren and our great grandchildren; but would we be happy to die knowing that we did not do anything to avert this future occurrence? That we were silent witnesses to the process which brought them there?
If we could not control the TV viewing of our children, then we might as well totally remove it as an entertainment venue for kids.
This is a site for campaigning against violence in TV programs, especially prime time programs rated for general viewing. I most especially appeal to the local TV networks - CHANNEL 7 & CHANNEL 2, most especially CHANNEL 7 as it is the leading local network. I appeal to you to read and "listen " to these facts presented to you based on several studies done internationally. This campaign is meant to protect children from TV violence.
Friday, August 20, 2010
An Important Question: Should Parents Raise Their Children without Television?
Posted by Jena Isle at 10:06 AM
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Our Cars
Mercedes of course. We didn't get these amazing cars overnight. Our success was a long journey, but we've finally made it to the pinnacle. Success is all about getting there, but enjoying the process. It's what you do in the process of success that defines you. We love cars. For others – success is having time to spend with their families. It's not what you do with your success that defines you. It's about reaching it.
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Today is the day that, forty-five years ago, Doctor Who first appeared on television screens. First appearing at 5:15pm GMT (a few minutes late due to news broadcasts of the death of JFK), Doctor Who transformed the youth of Great Britain.
It's more than just a television show, to many, it's a cultural phenomenon. Before this day, there were no sonic screwdrivers, no Daleks, no Sontarans, no glowing green maggots, and blue police boxes were just blue police telephone boxes.
To hear about how Doctor Who transformed the world, I highly recommend the BBC production of More Than Thirty Years In The TARDIS, which is probably one of the most fun television documentaries out there. I have a copy on VHS and I will most certainly be watching it today.
Since this is such a momentous day, I figured I'd share a little bit of what Doctor Who means to me. Why does it matter what a 24-year-old American thinks about a 45-year-old British Sci-Fi show? This is the internet; I leave it up to you to decide.
When I was about 9, I was verymuch into The X-Files, as were a lot of my classmates at school. If the internet was prevalent around 1995 for youngsters, I imagine that I would've been one of those young-kids-in-a-grownups'-fandom you run into every now and again. My mother, who loved the show as well, ended up talking online with a man in the UK named Mike, who would send us copies of the first and second season of The X-Files (as we came in late during the third season) in return for my mother sending him taped copies of Nowhere Man. It was a fun exchange, and occasionally my mother would send him a random copy of Strange Luck or something else that caught her attention. They exchanged a lot and we got a lot of interesting British shows in return, like Blake's 7, The Prisoner, and Red Dwarf.
Eventually, Mike sent my mom an email letting her know that one of his favorite television shows was going to be airing a movie on the Fox network. Something called Doctor Who and he was impossibly excited. I vaguely remember watching it in my youth and being really confused but thinking that the Master with his bright green eyes was really cool. My mother, always one to try to distract me from my ongoing obsessions by giving me new ones, found out that our local public television station aired the classic series (then just called "The Series") on Saturday nights at midnight, during MPT's "Brit Night". Pretty late for a kid my age, but I was always a good student and hell, I could sleep in on Sundays.
We made some nachos and settled in for a girls' night. The first episode? Arc of Infinity. We didn't understand all of the context, but my mom loved the tempo of the show and I thought Nyssa was totally awesome. Every Saturday we'd sit down and continue to watch, usually warming the couch around 10 and sitting through a few random comedies, then Monty Python's Flying Circus, Red Dwarf, and finally Doctor Who. I don't think I was fully hooked into the show until Caves of Androzani, when my pretty, nice Doctor turned into this strange, eccentric man. I remember I cried that night, and in doing so showed my first real emotional connection to this silly British Sci-Fi show.
My mom and I researched a little online about the show, I printed out a list of all of the existing episodes, and we settled in for the long haul. Every week I'd check off another episode, going through all of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy in only a matter of months. We discovered our local Suncoast (RIP Marley Station Mall Suncoast) had a wide variety of episodes on tape, and we massed a collection to rival my Disney tapes of my childhood.
Now, being a kid is bad enough when you're in your early teens. I was also overweight, redheaded, OCD, and had a stupid crush on the school jock, so I was fairly hopeless to begin with. Then throw in the fact that my favorite TV show was a cancelled, campy, British sci-fi show. Needless to say, this obsession was a secret for a very, very long time. I grew up writing bad fanfiction and keeping it hidden on my computers , buying "zines" to share fanfic with other authors, and drawing TARDISes in the margins of my schoolwork. My father, who disapproved of the show, built my brother and I a wooden playhouse in the back yard which both of us painted blue and called the TARDIS (much to his dismay). Even in my older teen years, I would still sit in that faded blue house and imagine magical voyages through space and time (and, of course, playing Romana in a new series should some station decide to pick it up again!) I never stopped loving Doctor Who, and even when all the existing canon was watched, I would go back and re-watch the episodes I loved best to try to bring back the high of watching them the first time.
Then, in 2005, my mother called me to tell me that my younger brother's Doctor Who Magazine said that a new series would be starting back up in the UK, starring people I'd never heard of and written by the guy who created the UK version of Queer as Folk. My dreams of being Romana squashed, I still set aside my House MD obsession, squeed like the fangirl I was, and ran online to learn more. Now, almost five years later, I'm as hooked into the new series as I was into the classic one. The writing is still brilliant, the morals are still solid, and the monsters are still delightfully campy. The only difference is now I'm not afraid of my fandom. I have a photo of William Hartnell on my desk and a TARDIS charm on my phone and if someone asks what they mean, they get a good long story about an awesome sci-fi show that's superdooperpopular in Britain right now.
What is it about Doctor Who that drew me in? On days where I'm looking at my bank account and wondering if those $300 plane tickets to L.A. for Gallifrey One were really worth it, I often ask myself this question.
A lot of people who watch the show say that they could identify with the Doctor's outsiderness. In the classic series especially, the Doctor wasn't a "lonely god" or "the last of" anything.
In an interview segment just prior to the airing of "Rose" in 2005, there were some men who said that Doctor Who drew in a wide range of homosexuals because of the feelings of outsiderness. The Doctor didn't belong and so therefore they could belong with the Doctor. Traveling time and space and never having to fit in.
He was an exile from his own planet, different than everyone else. I think the current series' Doctor sees his world with rose-tinted glasses and fails to remember how much he, like much of his fanbase, didn't belong.
"Do you know what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet without friends or protection. But we shall get back. Yes, one day. One day…" -An Unearthly Child
"I'm a pariah, cast out of Time Lord society." -"The Two Doctors"
"You're going to go on the run from your own people, in a rickety old TARDIS?"
"Why not? After all, that's how it all started…" -"The Five Doctors"
I think that might've been part of it for me. I've never quite fit in, and the Doctor showed the that that's all right. Dressing eccentrically and running around like a loon may make the less important people scratch their heads, but they don't matter.
I think a big chunk of my love for the show might've also been the feeling of freedom. I was always a rather sheltered child, and I wanted to travel but with my handicapped younger brother, holidays weren't really all that common. I wanted to see the world, see things out there that were bigger than me and my town. The Doctor and his companions went everywhere and did anything and I loved that. I wanted to have a piece of that.
And, most importantly, every companion the Doctor had, from Susan to Ace (and every one in between!) was loved. He would've died for them and they for him. It didn't matter how much Tegan and the Doctor fought, he still offered up all of his regenerations for her and Nyssa in Terminus. Donna may have been an absolute pain in the ass in The Runaway Bride, but he still wouldn't run away from the fire and the water until her hand was in his. He loves his companions and no matter where they come from or where they go, he will always love them.
I think every fan, old or young, BNF or n00b, wanky or quiet, would love to be cared about the way that the Doctor cares about his companions.
Now that I'm 24, an accountant, more socially accepted and successful, what is it that still keeps me watching? In a sassy moment, I'd say something about David Tennant's tight suit, I'm sure. But in reality, I think that watching that friendship, that freedom, and that self-acceptance is something that keeps me coming back every year to my computer screen on Saturday nights and running to my FYE (ewwww FYE) to buy the new stuff as it comes out on DVD. And even as DT leaves next year, I'll keep watching because the core of the show never changed, not from the first time Ian circled the TARDIS to the day that Martha ran around it, both proclaiming "But it's just a police box!"
Nope, kids, it's not just a police box, and it's not just a Saturday night kid's show. It's bigger on the inside, literally and figuratively, and I'll never stop watching.