The infamous Manhattan skyline was the scene Wednesday of mysterious objects or UFOs that hovered above New Yorkers as they froze in their tracks trying to figure out what they were.

“We are not able to make an identification of what the objects were,” Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac said today. “We know they weren’t aircraft or helicopters. We wouldn’t be able to say if they were balloons or something else.”

Authorities have no answers about the mysterious object floating over Manhattan.

Described as bright white lights or glittery silver balloon-like objects, the floating balls seemed to separate and converge on Manhattan’s West Side high above the trendy Chelsea neighborhood.

The New York Police Department said it received dozens of calls about the unidentified flying objects, but would not speculate on their identity.

“Maybe [it's] Superman, maybe Wonder Woman,” one bystander told ABC News affiliate WABC-TV, who confessed he would rather it was Wonder Woman.

“I think it’s a balloon,” said another man, adding, “but then again balloons don’t stand still.”

Objects May Have Been Balloons

But balloons, if clustered, would travel together slowly along the same wind currents, occasionally separating from each other, just as the objects over Manhattan, said Benjamin Radford, author of “Scientific Paranormal investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries”

Radford said the object looked similar to many previous sightings of balloons.

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“These are actually identical to clips I’ve seen of silver Mylar balloons that we investigated in Buffalo, N.Y., several years back,” Radford said.

“We had the same thing, reflective objects in the sky. Through study, we could tell they were balloons. This is actually just the latest in a series of sightings like this,” he added.

“One thing that tips us off that this is not a UFO, is that in the video the objects are able to move independently of each other, not like lights in a fixed position on an aircraft.”

On Thursday, October 14, the mystery was solved as some NYC kids say no, it is not a UFO.  The mysterious floating orbs were balloons that escaped from their teacher’s engagement party.

All those theories about Wednesday’s mystery UFO sightings over Manhattan are about to go “pop.”

A Westchester elementary school believes the puzzling orbs floating over Chelsea were likely a bundle of balloons that escaped from an engagement party they held for a teacher.

“UFO? They’re crazy – those are our balloons!” said Angela Freeman, head of the Milestone School in Mount Vernon. “To me it was the most automatic thing. But it’s all over YouTube.”

A parent was bringing about 40 iridescent pearl balloons to the school for language arts teacher Andrea Craparo when the wind blew a bunch away around 1 p.m.

“They looked big and they were all together, so it looked like one UFO,” said fourth-grader Nia Foster, 9.

Awestruck gawkers began calling the NYPD and the FAA starting about an hour later when mysterious flying objects appeared over Manhattan.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service said the wind was blowing south at 5 to 10 m.p.h. at the time which would make the engagement balloon theory possible.

Police have said they believe the puzzling objects were likely balloons.

The sky was very clear at the time, making high-flying objects extremely visible from the ground.

Also, helium-filled balloons tend to change shape at high altitudes as the gas expands – making them look abnormal from below, experts say.

As with anything related to the paranormal, other possibilities abound. Following with the balloon theory, some suspected an event in Times Square where a number of yellow balloons were released to celebrate a joint-tourism agreement between New York and Madrid.

Of course, there is always a prediction by Stanley Fulham, a retired NORAD officer, who recently published a book.  In that book he predicted it the world’s major cities, including New York, would be this vid by UFOs on October 13.  Reporters attempted to contact him, but he had not returned any calls and no one knows his whereabouts.

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My Take: I am one of those believers!  Yes, I believe that there is life elsewhere in this beautiful universe of ours.  I do not believe that God is a wasteful God so why would he waste so much space and only create life in one spot?  It is a lot of wasted space if we are the only intelligent life form in the universe!

It was very good those kids to admit to what those UFOs really were.  Maybe somebody should reward them with new kids desks.  If not desks, maybe blackboards or chalkboards, I’m sure the school can use them or even display cases to put their trophies in.

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Disaster Preparedness in the Big City

Although the idea of becoming involved in a situation where a survival kit was necessary is something that most people would associate with the wilderness and the middle of nowhere, being prepared even when in the middle of the city is important as well since disasters can strike at any time in any location. Earthquakes don’t only happen in the far reaches of the wilderness and fires aren’t restricted to remote locales. Even though a city might seem like a place where anything can be gotten for survival, if a disaster tears apart the city having items on hand in advance is of vital importance.

A Great Smile

Each South Riding dentist and cosmetic dentist are highly experienced in all facets of general dentistry, including cosmetic services, periodontics, implant restoration and restorative care, veneers and whitening. Most importantly, this Virginia dentist has a goal to help you maintain optimal dental health.  So for the best dentist or cosmetic dentist and the highest quality customer service possible, contact us today to schedule your appointment and become part of our dental family!

Cited: ABC News

Stephen King’s “The Shining” featured the haunted Overlook Hotel, which in reality was the familiar Stanley Hotel in Estes Park CO.  The Stanley Hotel now offers “ghost tours” that highlight its creepy past.  It is one of the most haunted places in the country that compete to scare us out of our britches.

Some of them are better known than others and ABC News has compiled a random list of some of the most prominent ones to jump-scare your Halloween adventures.

King supposedly did most of the writing in Room 217, but if the hotel is fully booked, you might consider these alternatives closer to you. And while you’re at it, vote for your favorite here.

The Winchester Mystery House is a 100-year-old mansion in San Jose, Calif., that took 38 years to construct but considerably less time to become “the house built by spirits” after Sarah Winchester, the widow of gun magnate William Wirt Winchester, reportedly enacted nightly séances to help complete construction and confuse the ghosts. It is now a tourist attraction.

In Atlanta, Netherworld, a converted warehouse, is perennially ranked among the best. Actors take up to two hours to transform themselves into ghouls who’ve spooked visitors that include the Smashing Pumpkins and Bow Wow.

In Long Beach, Calif., the retired Queen Mary ocean liner, also known ominously as the “Grey Ghost, is permanently docked with 200 wayward spirits aboard that await visitors on what’s now a floating hotel and museum.

Check Out These Celebrity Ghost Sightings

In Austin, Texas, the House of Torment has a way of maintaining its power over visitors who exit before completing its hellish maze of monsters and special effects. Abandon the terrifying journey prematurely at your own peril.

Across town at the Scottish Rite Dormitory, University of Texas students can’t seem to escape the tale of a young student who threw herself down an elevator shaft decades ago, only to inhabit the place now in ghost form. Administrators have their doubts, but students offer no shortage of evidence.

In Chandler, Ariz., the Nest Haunted House traps visitors in total darkness for 10 minutes. And then the real haunting starts.

In Dickerson, Md., the ax-throwing practice at Markoff’s Haunted Forest might come in handy when the evil lumberjacks make their appearance.

The last on the list is in Micanopy FL where a ghost, called “woman in white” by one believer, has a problem with locked doors at the Herlong Mansion.  The mansion is now a bed-and-breakfast.

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My Take: I voted for the Stanley Hotel!  Why you ask, because “The Shining” scared me to death!  I could not stand to watch Jack Nicholson in anything for years.  Every time I saw him I started to shake because it was so real to me.  If they would’ve had house calls doctors back then, I would’ve been calling one.  However, since I don’t live in New Jersey, they would have come to my house.  But, if you get scared like that, you can call a nurse practitioner primary care and they will probably come to your house.

I wonder how many people are buying haunted houses this year.  You could still get a mortgage for one I would imagine.  At least, I don’t think there is a difference between a mortgage on a new home or a haunted one.  I know hearing here in Phoenix, AZ real estate is the same whether it’s haunted or not.  I know a friend who is about to buy property Queen Creek is supposed to be haunted.  He said it was a little cheaper than the other house.  Maybe that is the only difference.

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Art and Glamour Photography

There are a number of different modern photographic styles that are used by modern photographers and from art photography that might include nudity to glamour photography that is much more made up and posed, there are a lot of options for a person who wants a fairly interesting photography session that is something more dynamic than a standard portrait. A San Francisco boudoir photographer will often be able to offer great suggestions for such photography by giving other examples from modern and old style photographs. Such photographs are also a great way to document things like plastic surgery or weight loss.

Secular Coming of Age

Connection to one’s faith is important for many within the Jewish community but there are also individuals and families who choose to live a more secular existence yet still want to arrange a New York City bas mitzvah party. In these cases there are some options for young people approaching the traditional date of their coming of age celebration who are able to attend specialized gatherings that are meant to allow a more secular approach to the faith with more freedom allowed to the student or child to study important Hebrew topics that interests him or her.

Choosing the Party Spot

When getting together with friends on the weekend it’s usually a good idea to figure out just where to go ahead of time so that everyone can do their preparation thing without having a big issue. While some New York City parties might be held in a bar and will be more low key, sometimes the group decides that they’d rather go to a club and this usually means that everyone should get dressed up and look fabulous because there are very few clubs that will let people in if they are not dressed the part.

On Tuesday, October 12, and order to stop worldwide enforcement of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that stops openly gays and lesbians from serving in the US military was signed by a federal judge in California.  US District Court Judge Virginia Phillips gave the Obama administration 2 weeks to make the case against the worldwide injunction in September after ruling that the policy was unconstitutional and should be ended immediately.

She rejected the government’s argument and ordered the Secretary of Defense to stop “enforcing or applying” the policy entirely, including the immediate suspension of any investigations of gay service members currently underway.

“The Court found the Act ["don't ask don't tell"] unconstitutional on its face; accordingly, the resulting remedy should be as broad as necessary to achieve the relief Plaintiff sought,” Phillips wrote.

The Department of Justice, which has been defending the policy in court, still has 30 days to appeal the ruling and injunction. But the policy is now effectively suspended unless or until the Department seeks a stay from an appeals court.

A Justice Department spokesperson said officials were reviewing the ruling.

“We have just learned of this ruling. We are now studying it and we will be in consultation with the Department of Justice,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith.

Advocates for gay and lesbian service members meanwhile praised Judge Phillips’ decision

“No longer will our military be compelled to discharge service members with valuable skills and experience because of an archaic policy mandating irrational discrimination,” said a statement from the Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative gay rights group that first brought the suit.

“This order will likely be appealed by the Justice Department and brought to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit where her decision may well be reversed,” said Aaron Tax with the Service Members Legal Defense Network. But “the law still has a chance of being repealed in the lame duck session of Congress.”

The group is warning gays and lesbians currently in the military to “proceed safely” and not to come out at this time.

Lawyers for the Obama administration had questioned whether Phillips had the authority to order a worldwide end to the policy. “A court should not compel the executive to implement an immediate cessation of the 17-year policy without regard for any effect such an abrupt change might have on the military’s option, particularly at a time when the military is engaged in combat operations around the globe,” they wrote.

But the lawyers stopped short of indicating whether or not the government planned to appeal Phillips’ ruling.

Judge Phillips said that she had “kept well in mind” the “overriding principle” of judicial deference to Congress’ authority to set policies for the military, but that the plaintiffs in the case had demonstrated that the policy violated their rights under the Fifth and First Amendments.

“Plaintiff has demonstrated it is entitled to the relief sought on behalf of its members, a judicial declaration that they Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Act violate the Fifth and First Amendments, and a permanent injunction barring its enforcement,” she wrote.

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DADT Ruling Puts Obama Administration in Bind

Phillips’ ruling has put the administration in an awkward position. On the one hand it was defending the statute in Court; on the other hand it was hoping Congress would act to repeal the policy.

The House approved a repeal as part of the annual defense budget earlier this year, but the Senate failed to approve the measure in a vote last month.

“The Justice Department is defending the statute as it traditionally does when Acts of Congress are challenged,” said an agency spokesperson in a statement about the case.

And White House press secretary Robert Gibbs has said the administration’s legal defense of the law “in no way diminishes the president’s firm commitment to achieve a legislative repeal of DADT.”

President Obama has previously called the ban on openly gay and lesbian service members a “discriminatory policy” and pledged that ending it would be a promise “that this administration is going to keep.”

Justice Department lawyers appeared to merely go through the motions when the “don’t ask don’t tell” case went to trial before Judge Phillips in July, calling no witnesses or offering other evidence for its defense.

“It’ll be an interesting decision for our president to decide whether to appeal this case,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Dan Woods, told the Associated Press. “He’s said that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ weakens national security, and now it’s been declared unconstitutional. If he does appeal, we’re going to fight like heck.”

The case was brought in 2004 by the Log Cabin Republicans, which argued that the military’s 17-year-old policy violates gay service members’ rights to free speech, open association and due process. Judge Phillips agreed.

The Log Cabin Republicans estimate 13,500 gay military service members have been ousted under the rules since 1994.

Phillips’ decision marked the first time a federal judge has found the law unconstitutional on the grounds of due process and first amendment.

According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, the number of Americans that think gays and lesbians who come out of the closet about their sexuality should be allowed to serve in the military has risen 31% in the 17 years it has been in effect for a total of 75% of Americans.  And 17 years ago only 44% thought gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve.

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My Take: I agree, they should be allowed to serve in the military.  Their sexuality, like heterosexuals, has no bearing on how the perform in military situations such as war.  Just because a man for no man for sexual partner or a woman prefers a woman the sexual partner, it does not mean they cannot use a gun.  Yes, I understand that there are religious ramifications for men, but not for women.

I would’ve loved to have been Los Angeles court reporter in that courtroom when the judge declared unconstitutional.  To be right in the center of all that action, it must’ve been exciting.  Besides, Los Angeles court reporting an exciting job at any point.  Think of all the things they see and hear!  It is very much like legal transcription, which also can be exciting.  I’ve actually done some New York medical transcription, but I work at a different job now as you can see.

The only problem I can see with repealing this policy is all the homophobes that are in the military.  They need to study a little bit of the Alexander Technique and just relax.  The Alexander technique can help anybody learn to relax and use their body better than they already do.  But I really see that there is going to be a lot of fights breaking out in barracks on many military bases.

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Cited: ABC News

One in every 4 women becomes victims of domestic violence according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Domestic violence is such a serious problem that it even affects celebrities who fall victim to abuse potential and husband or boyfriend like pop singer Rihanna.  This is one crime that usually happens behind closed doors

But, what would you do, if in a public place, you saw a woman who showed unmistakable signs of physical abuse? Would you comfort her, call the police, or mind your own business?

ABC’s “What Would You Do?” decided to find out and set-up cameras at a diner in Union, N.J. Jennifer, an actress, portrayed our abuse victim. A professional make-up artist created the illusion of large bruises on Jennifer’s face and cuts on her wrists. Chris, another actor, played her abuser.

Minutes after Jennifer took her seat, a concerned man, Adam Weiss, approached from a nearby table. Bending down, he asked softly, “You need help with something?”

In a sheepish voice, Jennifer answered, “I’m just waiting for my boyfriend to come inside.”

The man’s wife, Jamie Weiss, joined them at the table and invited our battered woman to join them while she waited. Looking away and on the verge of tears, Jennifer showed her apprehension, “He’s going to be coming in soon and he’s going to be upset if he sees me talking to you.”

When the boyfriend walked in, the couple reluctantly retreated back to their table, but they kept a suspicious eye on them.

Almost immediately, the boyfriend began to verbally abuse his girlfriend. “What the hell was that about?” he snapped. “What’s the matter, are you stupid? Look at me!” Then he reached across the table and grasped the wrist of his girlfriend – - and that’s all it took.

It was a galvanizing moment. Suddenly a burly man was on his feet and shoved the abusive boyfriend out of harm’s way. Within seconds our security guard — an ex-cop — stepped in.

When the dust settled, we told Weiss about the scenario. Asked why he intervened, his response was simple, “It’s my nature. When there’s something not right, you try and fix it.”

“[Weiss] was really impressive. He noticed her crying. He saw the bruise, so he intervened even before the abuser showed up,” said Raquel Bergen, a professor of sociology at St. Joseph’s University, who watched our social experiment from a control vehicle nearby.

Bergen was encouraged to see that men got involved. “I think that sends such a powerful message to other men that you can be involved,” she said. “We need to challenge other men to do the right thing, to step in and say, ‘That’s not cool.’”

Jealousy Turns to Rage at Breakfast

Domestic violence cuts across all economic, ethnic and racial lines. We wondered what would happen if we replaced our white victim, with an African American actor, Mari. With make-up, she too bared the unmistakable scars of an abusive relationship.

The set-up was the same and upon arrival, actor Hassan, the boyfriend, began to yell at his girlfriend, “I noticed you look at that guy. You thought I was on the phone…Look at me, you think I’m playin’ with you?”

His jealousy quickly turned to rage over the breakfast order: “Stop the fake tears. Call the waitress and get this orange juice outta here. Order my food!” Hassan yelled.

We told the boyfriend to step away from the table to use the restroom. No sooner did he leave, then out of nowhere two women who had witnessed the whole scenario rushed to Mari’s side. One of the girls with an eye on the bathroom door asked Mari, “Who is that?”

With a look of fear in her eyes she responded, “My boyfriend, I’m scared of him.”

The women pleaded with Mari to leave before the boyfriend returned. Unable to get her out the door, they decided to confront the situation head on.

Women Confront Abusive Boyfriend

As the boyfriend approached the table, one girl pointedly said, “You’re an idiot.”

Hassan told the women it was none of their business and instead tried to get Mari to leave, “We’re gonna go, alright?”

One girl quickly said, “don’t touch her because the cops are almost here.” Her friend also began to yell, “Stop!! Get off her.”

Before things heated up, we decided to introduce ourselves and let them in on our experiment. It turned out they were cousins, Lynn Fonseca and Cristina Laurenco, and were overcome with emotion.

“I didn’t know if he was going to take her home and beat her to death,” Fonseca said, before bursting into tears.

Our actress Mari was deeply touched. “I appreciated the love for a stranger …putting themselves in a potentially dangerous situation,” she said.

The answer just might surprise you when these battered women trade in your “nice girl close” or something more provocative.  Watch for yourself and ask what you would do.  Watch “What Would You Do?”

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My Take: I would be one of those people who would step up and ask if help was needed or even go so far as to ask the ass-hole boyfriend to drop-dead.  Then again, I would probably get hurt for encouraging on the boyfriend or husband.  Any man who raises his hand to a woman unless the woman is hysterical is a coward!

An abused woman should get a hold of the first Fort Lee NJ divorce attorney, Texas divorce law attorney or any divorce lawyer she can find!  She should take him for every penny he’s got including every piece of property he has!  She would not have any need for mediation attorney because there’d be nothing to discuss.

Hopefully, there are no children involved because that would mean the children may also be abused and that’s even worse.  She would then need a family lawyer to help sort out everything. Divorce lawyers in Texas would definitely advise her to get the locks changed.  Hopefully, he doesn’t know how to use a lock picking gun.

Of course, if he used a slim Jims to get into her car or lockpicks to get into the house after she changed the locks, he would be in dire need of a Bucks County criminal lawyer.  Because they call that B & E for breaking and entering, this is definitely against the law.

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Philadelphia Lawyers

With the experience as former prosecutors, they are able to achieve outstanding results for clients facing DUI, traffic, felony and misdemeanor charges in state, federal and juvenile courts. As former prosecutors, they have a balanced and in-depth understanding of the criminal justice system.  They have long standing professional relationships with local police departments, prosecutors and judges throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  These Bucks County criminal attorneys vow to provide experienced, aggressive representation at an affordable price.  They get results!

Cited: Business Wire

Barriers to Implementing Technology-based Travel Options

Travel managers are being called upon to provide options that improve efficiency and productivity of employee connections, but in many cases do not have the proper internal collaboration or purchasing power to provide those alternatives.

• Only 13% of buyers are responsible for mobile/technology procurement related to business travel, 22% have some influence and 64% have none at all.
• 56% of buyers feel procurement of certain mobile communication should be linked with travel procurement; the contrast between this number and those actually involved shows the organizational disconnect between internal stakeholders.

Manning continued, “Regardless of who oversees new travel technology, the reality is in a corporate world everyone is focused on ROI, with the success of implementation hinging on building a strong business case. Professionals looking to pursue this integration need to quantify the range of benefits in order to justify the resources needed in time, budget and executive attention.”

New Educational Website

To assist travel professionals with getting in the game of travel options and accelerating their deployment enterprise wide, American Express Business Travel created an educational and informational website. The site offers guidance for building a business case by walking through key scenarios demonstrating the benefits — cost savings, productivity savings and others. Advice and tips are also provided throughout. Additionally, the site features a variety of content including articles, demos and case studies. The site is available at: http://virtualtravel.americanexpress.com/

Tips for Travel Managers

1)    Stay in Tune with the Traveler — The pre-conception that more senior, mature travelers are resistant to trialing and adopting new technology is un-founded. If the change delivers against travelers’ personal motivations, they will adapt accordingly.

2)    Please the Client — A heavy weighting of the customer base towards certain location, industry sector time zone, culture and technology set up could determine the direction that is taken by way of technology development, adoption, usage and policy.

3)    Justify Your Investment — The heavy investment required for most technology based products twinned with the pressure to deliver significant return, leads to the need for travel buyers to build realistic and thorough cases in co-operation with the other dependent internal functions to obtain board level support for any new projects or initiatives.

4)    Communication is Key — A well considered and engaging communications plan, including trials, education and training may mean the difference between the success and failure of any technology driven initiative that aims to change any element of traveler behavior.

5)    Support from Suppliers — TMCs should offer a range of communication tools to their product mix in order to provide the holistic services that companies demand. Hotels and companies should work together to trial new communication hubs within key properties, to drive commercial value to both parties.

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About the Study

eXpert insights, the research practice of American Express Business Travel’s Global Advisory Services partnered with the United Kingdom-based Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM) to survey approximately 150 travel buyers and 230 senior business travelers, identified as those with board level and senior management with budget responsibility for their own travel expenditures. Conducted in February and March 2010, these surveys were then followed up with two focus groups containing travel buyers and senior travelers in May. All participants were based in EMEA, with the buyer geographical break-down as follows: 46% of respondents with global responsibility, 19% EMEA, 27% National UK and 8% Europe.

About American Express Business Travel

American Express Business Travel (www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel), a division of American Express Company, is committed to helping its clients maximize the return on their travel investment through cost savings strategies, world-class customer service, and greater spending control. With clients ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading technology, travel management consulting, and strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, alongside global customer service available online and offline. The Company also provides a dynamic online community (www.businesstravelconneXion.com) harnessing the collective intelligence of those in the business travel industry with a variety of perspectives, best practices, current research and industry news.

One of the world’s largest travel agency networks is owned by American Express one locations in 140 countries worldwide.  In 2009, $21.5 billion in sales revenue, including proprietary volume, volume processed through joint ventures as well as American Express branded volume was process through its partner network.

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My Take: Businesses sometimes need all the help they can get to save money.  It seems American Express has figured out several of them and now is sharing.  American Express got their fingers and just about everything these days.  They probably have wall decals with American Express on them to give the customers.  Either that or they haven’t in vinyl words to hang on wall.  Of course, both of these are good marketing ploys.

The average person uses their American Express for things like Parker basements or recarpeting your home.  Denver Colorado basement remodeling is for homes usually in areas that require basements.  Out West, not many people have basements.  Nyack NY real estate homes would have basements.  Even Grand Views real estate homes would probably have basements.

I digress, American Express come with the most popular businesses because of their credit cards.  They have made millions off the American public already.  I think it is about time that they gave back to the business community in ways of saving money.

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Considering a Limousine

One of the misconceptions of some individuals who are in the habit of getting a taxi to go to the airport is that anything else would incur large fees, but surprisingly a Los Angeles Airport limo doesn’t have to require a significant fee. Most of the time a limousine isn’t ferociously expensive for such a trip and unless a passenger was going to keep the limousine on reserve for multiple trips or for a few days, the overall price of such a trip is not generally considered to be that significant and the experience is usually more enjoyable than a standard taxi.

Did you know that September 23 was “Mad As Hell Day”?  Well, according to a group of consumer and professional travel organizations that have banded together to oppose hidden airline fees, it was.

To mark the day, the American Society of Travel Agents, the Business Travel Coalition and the Consumer Travel Alliance submitted a petition with more than 50,000 signatures collected via MadAsHellAboutHiddenFees.com to the Department of Transportation in support of a proposed rule that would require airlines to clearly inform consumers about fees for optional services.

Thursday, September 23, was the last day of a public comment period on a series of enhanced airline passenger protections proposed by the agency in June. The DOT expects to issue a final rule in spring 2011.

“It is absolutely imperative that consumers have the opportunity that they’ve had in the past to make comparative price decisions, to understand the total cost, the all-in price,” said Paul Ruden, ASTA’s senior vice president for legal and industry affairs.

The Mad As Hell group also supports the DOT’s proposal to require airlines to provide the same information about optional airline fees to the distribution systems used by online and brick-and-mortar travel agencies.  About 50%-60% of airline revenue earned in the United States comes through these independent distributors, Ruden said.

The Air Transport Association of America, the nation’s largest airline trade group, also plans to submit detailed comments about the proposed rules to the DOT on Thursday.

“We are working to provide more transparency, making it easier for customers to make decisions. Those recommendations will be further identified [Thursday], but there will be some of the DOT recommendations that simply are not practical or efficient,” said David Castelveter, the ATA’s vice president of communications.

“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the airlines today do provide a high level of transparency on their websites,” he said.

The fees themselves are not the issue for the Mad As Hell organizations, but they say consumers must be able to compare prices of all-inclusive fares across airlines.

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“[The fees] do reflect an increase in cost in air travel, for the most part. That said, the airline industry is an economic wasteland,” Ruden said. “It has to have a means of functioning economically. The economy requires it and the public requires it.”

Consumer fee outrage has been mounting as airlines increasingly “unbundle” charges for services that historically were included in the price of a ticket.

In the second quarter of 2010, airlines collected $2.1 billion in ancillary fees, which includes charges for checked bags, ticket changes, pet transportation and other fees, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

That figure represents a 15% increase from the same quarter last year. Baggage fee revenue is up 33% for the second quarter year over year.

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My Take: Well, I did not make it to the website in time to get my John Hancock on that petition, but I believe it’s a good one.  I also don’t travel by plane that often, but if I did, I would want to know about any additional BU they would tack on my ticket price.

They probably would’ve gotten more traffic if they would’ve gotten someone that does web hosting reviews or even SEO services.  Well, maybe not the hosting reviews.  But if they could have gotten all the best SEO Service, they definitely would’ve gotten more traffic on your website and more signatures.

I think the cloud hosting or web hosting reviews are more about who the server is and not about the web traffic to the website.  The SEO services more like putting hedging your local newspaper, except that it is for the search bots that crawl around for the search engines to find.  For example, there is a senior style forum on the Internet that you may not know about and the services bring them up on page one of Google, Bing or even MSN.  To further this example, if you are looking for green issues, is a senior website has information on it.  So if you do a search on green issues, the senior website will be one of the websites you bring up because of the SEO services.

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Officially Licensed Tours

One of the important aspects of going on tours these days is the assurance that the particular tour guide or company from whom a person has purchased a tour is likely to offer the best Rome tour possible for the money. This is why it’s always a good idea to look for companies that are officially licensed by the area in which they operate to conduct tours. Virtually anyone can toss a sign up and suggest they can take people on a tour of an area, but a fully licensed tour is always going to offer the best result.

Extras for Travel

One of the reasons why people who search for cheap travel often get to do more on their vacation than other people is because those individuals are adept at finding the best travel deals which also include small extras to make a trip to a particular area an easier one. A great travel deal will often not only include the hotel where a person or family is staying but it might also include something like spa credits or a deal on a local rental car which can be combined with the hotel stay for a deep discount on required travel items.

Aspects of Skilled Teachers

When a person has a love of fishing they often want all of their friends to enjoy the experience as well, but teaching fishing isn’t always the best option for everyone who wants to make sure that friends and family enjoy the sport as well. A proper Branson Missouri fishing guide will need to be very enthusiastic about the sport, but he will also need to be able to communicate lessons regarding fishing clearly with enough knowledge of the sport to make it fun for anyone who has never learned about fishing before but is interested in new things to do.

On September 20, research and analysis was released by the European Tour Operators Association that shows that foreign visitors, in huge numbers, anticipated to arrive at previous Olympics did not show up.  It seems that cities that are hosting Olympic have incorrectly predicted the number of visitors to the game.  The estimated number of foreign visitors and the duration of their stay has been over estimate each time.

Sydney anticipated 132,000 visitors; it received 97,000 for the Games period. Athens hoped for 105,000 per night; it received fewer than 14,000. Beijing anticipated over 400,000 foreign guests; it received 235,000 for the whole month of August. The more detailed the predictions of Olympic visitors are, the more wrong they become.

ETOA’s study reveals that the nightly usage of hotels during the Olympics varied between 13,000 beds in Athens and 28,000 in Beijing. The number of foreign visitors (including press, sponsors and officials) per night averaged 26,000, 13,000 and 28,000, in Sydney, Athens and Beijing respectively.

For London many in the industry are anticipating a boom, with up to 350,000 foreign visitors predicted per day during the Olympics. This expectation of bounty creates its own problems. In London, hoteliers expect to be full with premium business, and some anticipate a displacement of demand that fills up the surrounding months.

Availability is restricted and prices rise: a hostile environment for normal tourism.

If huge numbers of Olympic visitors attend, normal guests are displaced. Sports fans’ interests are focused on whatever sport has attracted them. They have come to attend the Games. They are not interested in “tourism”, they are interested in sport. This impacts the wider service economy of restaurants, shops, attractions and theatres: all of whom depend on tourists. Theme park owners in Los Angeles saw a decline in revenue during 1984. In Barcelona the Costa Brava resorts had a drop in demand and at the Sydney games the normal attractions experienced a downturn in business.

The problem is not restricted to the host city. London is the gateway to the UK and its biggest draw. If you remove London from a visit to the British Isles, everywhere else becomes far more difficult to sell. Athens has nothing like the central importance that London occupies, yet when its visitor arrivals dropped by 6% in the Olympic year, regional Greece fell by 11%.

These drops in overall visitor numbers indicate a more general problem: the perception that a host city is crowded tarnishes the host country. Visitors tend to stay away for the Olympic year. Already ETOA members are dealing with assertions and assumptions that London (and so the UK) will be so full that it is best avoided.

The Olympics should not be a problem. In Beijing 2008, 28,000 rooms were taken by foreigners, and there were plenty of rooms to spare. London can (and does) absorb this number every day of every month. In August 2009 it attracted nearly 2 million foreign visitors in August. They used the 120,000 rooms available every day. This is the scale of the industry which is at risk if inflated forecasts persist.

Tom Jenkins, ETOA’s Executive Director, says “Precisely because London is one of the top international destinations, it has more to lose. At the moment a false expectation of bookings is in danger of destroying an export industry. For August 2012, ETOA members – who alone regularly deliver over 15,000 hotel rooms per day – cannot reserve space.”

Without any reservations to sell, nothing can be sold.

However, London is the first city to be bigger than the Olympics as well as to recognize the problem.  In London, it is unlikely that the Olympic visitors will exceed those who attend games across the city during football season.  Besides these numbers are dwarfed by commuters in the millions that regularly use the infrastructure.  Message for London of the remaining 50 weeks after the 17 days of Olympic and that London is completely open, unlike any other city, for normal everyday business.  London must welcome the world after this message.

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My Take: I do not get it.  Either somebody is fudging on the numbers or what people see on TV during the Olympics is faked.  Because it seems to me that in every Olympics, the stands have been jam-packed.  Of course, it is possible that most of the people who stands for local people.  However, the news keeps talking about how many tourists have arrived for the games.

I know that when the Olympic event in the United States, thousands of people went to them and many of those were not from the local area.  If Denver gets the Olympics next time, I know they will be hiring Denver CO construction attorneys to make sure that everything is done right, at least on paper.

I think the advertising money should go to the community and not to the OIC.  It cost thousands of dollars to advertise during the Olympics and that would help the community.  The IOC doesn’t put out any money, at least for that I can tell.  Take a look at who advertises during the Olympics, you’ve got the pharmaceutical companies, beer companies and athletic clothing companies and was goes on.

I think the IOC should be more concerned about safety for the athletes by inspecting construction areas, first aid stations for the athletes and coordinating with the local area on crowd control.  They’re more interested in making sure they have hematology instruments to check for drugs than anything else.  That way they can avoid Denver wrongful death lawyers if athlete dies because they were using performance enhancers.  They could at least use something smaller like the Hemosense, which is a handheld device.

But, they are more interested in wall graphics or bleacher enclosures for advertisers even if is only one advertiser who pad wall.  To me, the Olympics are fantastic but have become too personalized.  They should never have allowed professional athletes into the games.

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Athletic Exercises

If you’re looking for Pilates training and want the best in Pilates exercise ball workouts or Pilates exercise mat workouts, and you can get online quickly and easily.  One website focuses on proper fitness techniques, high quality workouts and excellent, DVD quality videos on how to do Pilates, they are sure to have everything you need to start or continue your Pilates training.  This innovative website features a full range of Pilates mat based workouts and a Pilates video for each piece of Pilates equipment, including the Pilates Reformer, the chair, the Cadillac and the Ladder Barrel.

A new educational website has launched that will help virtual meeting adoption and diehard travel professionals through it.  These findings and more were announced today by American Express Business Travel who, in collaboration with the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM), conducted surveys of travel managers and business travelers.  The survey indicated seasoned travelers were eager and interested in the use of virtual connection methods just as their younger counterparts.  All participants admitted that there was a crucial need for face-to-face meetings in business.  The use of technology involving mobile devices and social communities was also explored as to their influences in the corporate environment.

The study reviews how these technologies play two very distinct compelling, yet contrasting, roles in business today:

1. An Alternative to Travel: Communication tools such as video-conferencing and telepresence can mitigate the need for some corporate travel.

2. An Enabler of Travel: Communication tools such as mobile devices can enhance productivity while on the road and in virtual office situations.

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The survey and focus group research is compiled with detailed analysis of implications in a new report entitled “Changing the Game: The Impact of New Technologies on Business Travel.” Both travel managers and travelers surveyed agreed that new technology-based communication methods are now the norm for the majority of internal meetings — particularly those that occur regularly. However, only 22% of travelers say video conferencing allows them to influence, negotiate and maintain relationships required to conduct revenue generating and client facing activity.

“Companies are focused on achieving peak employee productivity by using technology to reduce costs as new options to support a managed travel program, but also to connect people on the road more effectively when they are conducting revenue generating activities,” said Christa Degnan Manning, research director, eXpert Insights, American Express Business Travel. “Advancements in video technologies, mobile devices, and social media solutions are enhancing collaboration and relationship building through more seamless communication, but the survey showed that they are not replacing business travel to the extent that many predicted.”

Manning added: “Interestingly, our findings also debunk the notion that generation Y is leading the charge in new technology usage, finding that technology adoption is not age specific. The study showed that travelers are willing and ready to use whatever tools and methods meet their personal and corporate objectives regardless of their time or level spent in corporate life.”

Current Technology — Alternative or Enabler

More respondents indicated willingness to adopt new ways of communicating in order to reduce some travel, and also to enhance productivity and efficiency while on the road. Further, 90% of respondents believe North America and Western Europe are leading the way with adoption of webcasts, telepresence, and video-conferencing.

The research shows variation when it comes to how, when and why to use it:

• 34% of travelers and 27% of buyers believe productivity was a key component in the decision-making process to offer technology alternatives to travel over the past three years
• 48% of travelers say ROI from face-to-face is significantly higher than conducting a meeting via alternative methods
• 59% of travelers are offered options for internal meetings, as buyers aim to help employees stay within policy and achieve business objectives
• 63% of buyers cite cost reduction as the number one reason to adopt new technology within business travel over the past three years, and 32% of travelers say continued cost reduction to bottom line will have the biggest impact over the next three years

Continued in “New Technology for Business Travelers Part 2”

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My Take: I believe that anything that can bring down the cost of products is a good thing.  One of those things is good network security software for business computer systems.  Businesses need good intrusion detection software to make their business running smoothly.  As long as their business is running smoothly then they can travel more efficiently.

Another thing is to have a good cell phone on hand with good service that doesn’t lose signal every time turns around.  In fact, it would be a lot cheaper if businesses used no contract cell phones.  In fact, you can get used AT&T Smart phones at good prices online.  If your employees use iPhones, you can get iPhone repair over the Internet as well at good prices.

That leaves the iPad for last.  An iPad can help lower costs because your employees can carry it with them with everything they need to do their job outside the office.  You can also get iPod repair services over the Internet as well.  In fact, the Internet has become a miraculous avenue for businesses to save money.

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Present-day reality differs immensely to the myth of Route 66 that still continues today.  The mother of all roads hit its peak more than 75 years ago and already had begun a slow deterioration nearly 50 years ago.  There is little left of the authentic Route 66 today.  You might find a few segments scattered along its 2000 mile original length that have been preserved by the tourist industry to help promote tourism.  Those who travel the old Route 66 are usually disappointed in what they find.  You can find short pieces of the old Route 66 roadway by driving several miles along a new interstate highway.  Route 66 tourist attractions have been renovated to look genuine, original-looking just to get some of your tourist dollars.  Of course, this may seem commercial and very artificial.

I prefer the backroads that still exist in their original pristine conditions all across the USA.  You can find them in every state, in all parts of the country.  You just have to look for them.

Route 12 in southern Utah is one of those roads that I mentioned before.  It travels past the magnificent geological splendor of Bryce Canyon National Park, and that wonderful motel/resort known as Ruby’s Inn with its restaurant, riding stable, campground and rodeo.  The road skirts through the desert canyons of Escalante National Park and teeters along the spine of a magnificent saddle ridge known as the Hogback, then climbs through sub-alpine meadows before descending into Capitol Reef National Park.  Along the way, you can stop for gas along side of a pickup truck towing a trailer containing a pair of saddled horses.  You can eat at a cowboy cafe.  This is the real authentic USA.

In Central Pennsylvania or Northern Ohio, you can drive along country roads through Amish farmlands.  The beautiful, well-maintained barns and farmhouses, along the way, have no electric or telephone wires, and the clotheslines in the backyards have quaint old-fashioned clothes hanging to dry.  As you drive, you may have to slow your car to a crawl while following a horse and buggy driven by a man wearing a black suit and tan straw hat with his wife in an ankle length blue dress and white bonnet.  At the local markets, you can buy fresh home-grown produce, canned fruits and fresh baked pies. In the local cafes, you can eat delicious wholesome meals of sauerkraut, roast pork, sausages, potato filling and home-made shoofly pie.  This is also the real authentic USA.

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Highway One, the old coastal road along the Atlantic seaboard, goes through fishing villages, beach resorts and seaside communities on its way from Canada to Florida.  The southernmost hundred miles becomes the overseas highway as it passes over numerous bridges and highways, island hopping its way to Key West.  This road has a unique collection of small villages, dive shops, fishing outfitters, seafood restaurants, surf shops, tourist attractions, motels and campgrounds.  The local inhabitants seem to be an interesting collection of refugees from the humdrum civilized world of the mainland that have come to the islands for that casual Jimmy Buffet life of leisure.  This too is the real authentic USA.

I have been on highways in the western deserts where I drove for over an hour and saw no town, no house, no people and no other cars on the road.  I drove up mountain trails in Colorado where the boulder strewn track climbed thousands of feet though desolate forest and ended in a peaceful alpine valley with nothing but antelope and mountain goats to hear the echos of your voice.  I drove along rugged coastal roads in the northwest that ended at an isolated Indian village on a Native American Reservation. These are all real authentic USA roads.

However, speaking at faded dream of something that no longer exists may not make a good vacation.  There are many US roads in the here and now that are alive and well.

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My Take: I have heard stories all my life about Route 66.  It is too bad that most of the route has suffered through the years and some is no longer in existence.  It is such as waste when we lose part of our history.  That is like my grandmothers linen tablecloths that had hand embroidered designs, they are gone.  The only thing that is left are the linen napkins and they are still beautiful.

My grandmother got those tablecloths as a wedding present.  Most women will save something from their wedding, like my grandmother, that will help keep the memory fresh.  Today, there are so many San Diego CA wedding decorations available; many women have a hard time choosing.  In fact, many newlyweds now choose San Diego wedding packages instead of trying to choose each individual aspect for their wedding.

But, I suppose it is better that Route 66 is no more.  With the way people are on vacation, especially when they are really having fun, too many people would be in need of a Redwood City CA drunk driving lawyer.  And from what I understand, Route 66 has some dangerous sections, or at least it did have.  So I guess it is better but those sections are no longer in use.  At least, people won’t be needing a Redwood City DUI lawyer because I got drunk on Route 66.

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Benefits of Suffolk County Self Storage

No matter how clean and organized a home may be, there comes a time when belongings can overtake the personal space that allows you to relax in your house. Whether you’ve got childhood collections of dolls and toys or clothing that’s only used for part of the year, employing Suffolk County Self Storage to house your items can greatly improve the amount of room in any size residence. No matter the size of your home, too many belongings can make a space feel crowded and smaller than it really is. Personal storage rentals can aid in making any life organized.

A Caring Personal Injury Attorney

This Bronx construction accident lawyer meticulously prepares every single case for trial.  Their success in obtaining favorable settlements and verdicts for clients is a direct result of that preparation.  Based on their success as trial attorneys, this NYC slip and fall lawyer has earned the respect of the legal community. Most of their clients are referred by other attorneys and past clients.

Over the years, family vacations have changed because there are more choices, more variety and more options available than ever before for family vacations.  They’ve changed even more since 9/11, now the focus on family and community in both roles are strong in our society.  You will find that the travel industry has also focused more on family with vacation packages and cruises that include special activities for kids and kids clubs.  There are now resorts that actually provide child care during your stay.  These changes have actually made family travel even better.

Are you still not sure about a family vacation? Here are just a few of the benefits of taking a family vacation:

1. The family that plays together stays together . . .

It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, the phone calls, the kid’s activities, the daily to do list. This is a great opportunity to spend time as a family and get to know each other. Go for a hike, build a sand castle and explore a museum. There is more time to talk and spend time together without the daily distractions.

2. Teach your children well . . .

Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can have the opportunity to learn about things first hand they may have learned in school, read about or saw on TV. Any destination can offer this learning experience whether it is a few hours’ drive away from your home or in Europe. Family vacations will teach children about different cultures, food, history, geography, climate, environment and so much more. The best part is that its way more fun for them then learning it through homework!

3. New experiences they will never forget . . .

Family vacations provide a whole new venue for experiences that your kids never would have had otherwise. We took a family cruise last winter, and it was my 9-year-old son’s first cruise. We told him all about the ship and showed him pictures but I don’t think he could quite grasp what it was really going to be like. We landed in Fort Lauderdale and as we were driving to the port, we could see our ship in the distance. He was excited but still very nonchalant. Once we got to the port and pulled up alongside the ship, he looked up and up and up at the enormous ship, his mouth dropped open and he gasped in amazement. That reaction was worth the price of the whole trip and is something I know our family will always remember.

4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation . . .

Even if you are not particularly brave there are still many ways to experience the adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. It may be as simple as going to the zoo at your destination and seeing the animals that are local to that habitat or taking a jungle tour though the Amazon. There is so much to see and do, pick the adventures that appeal to your family and do them together.

5.  Your kids won’t be kids forever . . .

Doesn’t seem like yesterday that the teenager that just borrowed your car, was in diapers and day-care? Most parents agree that time seems to fly by quickly and those babies are grown before you know it. There will come a time that your children will have lives of their own and sad as it may seem, spending time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere near the top of their list. Take the time for a family vacation while they still want your company.

6. Time to kick back and relax . . .

Now this part is important. One of the main reasons to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge. It is important for everyone so don’t overdo it. Try and schedule an active day followed by a more relaxing day. It’s hard to do in some destinations where there is so much to see and do like Disney World, but it is possible. The kids will be less tired and cranky and it will give you a reason to come back to the destination again!

This all sounds so good and it makes you want to book that trip you’ve been putting off doesn’t it? Well, add in a dose of reality here and include a few negatives. There are some natural stresses to travelling. Planes get delayed, kids get cranky, families can have too much of a good thing and get on each other’s nerves. The list can go on, but don’t let that discourage you, the advantages are too numerous to ignore.

Now you can choose to act kids in the car or jump on a plane with the family to more exotic destinations, the options and benefits are still the same.  So go make memories with your family.  Your children will remember the good things, the time spent together with you, the new things that you discovered and the new friends that you find as well as the places you saw.  The fact that you were there with them to enjoy it will be the best memory of all for your children.

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My Take: I agree, the best vacation for a family is one taken together.  No matter what, the future holds, your children will remember that wonderful vacation you had when times are bad.  It is all well and good to make sure your children take multivitamins everyday at breakfast in a few drive them to and pick them up from school.  They will not even remember that you that the specialty food or creatine products so they will grow up healthy and strong.

They are going to remember the fun times you had fun holiday or summer vacations.  Yes they were member such things as prom dresses or winning that football championship.  They will also remember those special occasion dresses or suits for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas.  They will remember these things playing free PS3 download games with dad.  They will probably even remember arguing over which PS3 downloads to get and laugh about it.

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Getting Vacation Money

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