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Thailand - Chang Mai and the Night Market

2012-02-14T23:10:00.001-05:00

Chang Mai is the largest city in the north of Thailand and well worth a trip. In many ways, Chang Mai is similar to Bangkok, but without the mass of people.

Chang Mai

Chang Mai is perhaps the most serene big city I have ever had the privilege of visiting. Located at the foot of a large mountain, the city nicely meshes older areas with modern conveniences. Serene Buddhist temples stand only a few blocks from bustling universities. Much of the city can be walked, but moped rentals are cheap and plentiful. Street markets are common, but the hustle and bustle of Bangkok is not.

The night market is perhaps the most noted thing about Chang Mai. Located in the eastern side of the city, the night market runs about a mile down the length of street dwarfed by malls, restaurants, stores selling art and spas. The stalls on the side of the road tend to sell cheap touristy products, but you should check them out anyway to sample some of the food items. Thais seem to take great humor from cooking anything they can get their hands on so long as they can gross out the tourist. Yep, you can munch on fried roaches, spiders, crickets and so on. For a good laugh, one can hang out around the stalls and watch tourist try the delicacies. It's like the show Fear Factor without the washboard stomachs and breast implants.

To find the "good stuff" at the night market, you should head off the street and up into the open air malls. As you move towards the back of the malls, the quality of the products goes up dramatically. You'll find artist not only hocking their wares, but also creating them before your eyes. There is some serious talent in the back of those malls.

If silk is your material of choice, Chang Mai is a good place to purchase it in bulk. Do not buy it at the night market. Instead, ask your hotel for a recommendation to a shop. Prices are low, but quality is high.

Traveler's Tip

Guidebooks will tell you the best way to get to Chang Mai is to take an overnight train from Bangkok. Liars! Flying domestically in Thailand is very cheap. A one-way flight from Bangkok to Chang Mai will run you about $40US. There is no need to book ahead. Just walk into the airport in Bangkok and buy a ticket on the spot.

If you prefer to spend the night in a bunk on a train, knock yourself out. Just keep in mind Thais tend to have smaller body masses than Westerners. Much smaller.

Of all the cities in Thailand, Chang Mai is my favorite. Yes, even more so than Bangkok.

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Four Terrific Places For a Girlfriends' Getaway Weekend Trip

2012-02-14T09:34:00.001-05:00

Rather than making a trip where the nightlife is crazy and a person may need a bail bond Las Vegas, women could choose to take a girls' only vacation to alternative places. Needing bail bonds Las Vegas would ruin a trip and quite possibly have a lasting impact on the person in need. Selecting a destination that is a safer bet with amazing things to do and see is a much better option for women traveling together. Four locations that would provide this type of vacation are weekend trips to New York City, Scottsdale, Charleston and San Diego.

When ladies take the time to get away for a weekend with their girlfriends, they want time to connect with their friends, have time to themselves and time to explore new things. New York City provides ample amount of time to three of these activities. This city is easily accessible from most airports with direct non-stop flights. There are hundreds of hotels that offer a wide variety of amenities and services all over Manhattan. Women can choose to explore many of the large tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero or Museum of Modern Art. They could opt to forgo these sites and spend the weekend shopping and browsing the many stores, outdoor markets and local galleries. In addition to these activities, their weekend could be filled with sampling foods from around the world, tasting varieties of coffees and teas and enjoying breads, pastries and desserts from world class chefs.

A second place that is ideal for a ladies only weekend is a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona. The weather here provides sunshine and warmth for most of the year. There are numerous spas and theme packages that are perfect for women trying to escape and relax with their friends. Some of the theme getaways include fitness resorts, cooking schools and mind/body wellness retreats. The spa vacations are the best way for women to physically and mentally rejuvenate themselves with their girlfriends. This type of trip includes massage, facials, detoxification and exfoliation. These type of treatments allow women to relax while improving the look and feel of their bodies and skin.

Another wonderful destination for women is a trip to Charleston, South Carolina. This city is situated close enough to the ocean for it to be a beach trip while providing world class shopping and eateries. Women could rent a beach home in nearby Folly Beach to enjoy the surf, sand and sun. It only takes fifteen minutes by car to get to downtown Charleston's shopping district. There they could eat in restaurants whose kitchens are run by celebrity chefs and shop in stores featuring designers from around the world. This type of trip provides a great combination beach and city experience that is perfect for a group of women vacationing together.

A fourth city that is perfect for a girls' trip is southern California's beautiful city of San Diego. This city gives women the perfect beach trip with amazing surf, great shopping, wonderful restaurants and easy access to many beach towns. All of these little towns have different kinds of shopping and food. San Diego is filled with true California style and offers many things that make for an awesome girls' weekend getaway.

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Bahamas For Tourists - 5 Things You Must See and Do

2012-02-13T16:11:00.001-05:00

If you are vacationing in the Bahamas, here are five activities that can make your trip more interesting.

1. Go diving - The Bahamas is the place to visit if you are a diving enthusiast. Every island in the Bahamas is guaranteed to have its share of coral reefs and serene waters, ideal for divers. You will never find a lack of experts or equipment to help you dive. The Andros Islands, framed by the world's third largest reef, the Biminis, is extremely popular both with expert and novice divers. The marine life on display allows visitors to see stingrays, angelfish, turtles and barracudas.

2. Sail into the sunset - The Bahamas are best experienced via the sea, and sailing is another way to explore the otherwise secluded areas of the islands, which are only accessible by boat. Whether you are a novice or an expert sailor, you can find sailing activities to suit your level of expertise in the Bahamas. For those who would rather enjoy the view than navigate, chartered boats and yachts are available to take you away from the hustle and bustle of land activities for a few days while still enjoying all the comforts of home.

3. Go on a Safari - An experience that can only be had on the Grand Bahama island, the Bahamas Jeep Safari Tours let you take in all the museums, scenic spots, historical monuments, beaches and other places of interest. This is an excellent way to see Grand Bahama island by travelling through the region in an open jeep with a guide to assist you and show you around.

4. Swim with Dolphins - The Blue Lagoon Island is a natural dolphin habitat and provides the perfect platform for you to interact with dolphins, based on how comfortable you are around them. You could swim alongside them if you wanted, or even hug or kiss a dolphin or two. This is a good idea if you are on vacation with your family as children are particularly fond of these animals and enjoy petting them. Alternatively, if you do not want to get that close, you might want to just watch from afar and take a picture or two to remember the dolphins by.

5. Try your luck at a casino or two - The Bahamas are known all over the world for their casinos. There are three in particular that are favourites with locals and tourists alike. The Isle of Capri Casino on Grand Bahama Island, Crystal Palace Casino on Nassau and Atlantis Paradise Island Casino on Paradise Island are some of the options you have if you feel lucky.

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10 Things You Absolutely Must See Or Do in London

2012-02-13T02:26:00.001-05:00

If you're an infrequent visitor to London and plan to hit the tourist trail then the last thing you'll want is to be pointed in the direction of the underwhelming, the uninspiring or the instantly forgettable. There's enough of that where you live, which is why you're visiting London!

Our guide features London's best galleries, museums, landmarks, historical sites, shopping areas and entertainment zones, all guaranteed to provide the ultimate London tourist experience. The attractions we've highlighted are unashamedly well known, but do you really want to be returning home to tell your friends about the fantastic thimble shop in Pimlico you visited? Or would you rather rave about the phenomenal view of one of the world's great cities from the top of The Eye, or that you've actually seen the beauty of Van Gogh's Sunflowers with your own eyes?

London has a multitude of varied and exciting attractions but these are the ones without which, your trip just wouldn't be the same!

Oxford Street
Britain's busiest high street and London's best known shopping area is chock-a-block full of the largest branches of the nation's most popular shops - over 300 in fact. Many of the biggest high street names have their flagship stores here and the street also boasts the oldest record shop in the world (HMV at number 363). It's not all hardcore shopping though - light entertainment is often provided in the form of chanting Hari Krishnas skipping along the pavement. If you can't find what you want to buy in Oxford Street, you haven't got much of a hope elsewhere.

Nearest Tubes: Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford Circus, and Tottenham Court Road

Camden Market
If you're after a more bohemian approach to shopping than the Oxford Street experience, then get yourself up to Camden. One of London's coolest areas has a seemingly endless array of shops and stalls selling such items as clothing (new, second hand and retro), customised Doc Martins and trainers, jewellery, bootleg CDs and DVDs and craft ware. Open daily; it's a multi cultural experience with some great little food outlets dotted all over.

Nearest Tube: Camden Town

Tower of London
Built by Billy The Conqueror nearly a thousand years ago, this is one of the best preserved and most famous historic landmarks in the world. Full of the history of executions and imprisonments and offering the spectacle of the Beefeaters, the ravens and the crown jewels as well as the majesty of the building itself, this remains THE essential place of historic interest to visit when in London. camelotintl.com/tower_site/index.html

Nearest Tube: Tower Hill.

St. Paul's Cathedral
Britain's best known place of worship and certainly one of its most recognisable buildings, having so often been the centrepiece of state occasions. The cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built 300 years ago following the destruction of the previous building by the Great Fire Of London. An awe inspiring feat of architecture, steeped in history and featuring works of art, monuments, mosaics and the Whispering Gallery, the Cathedral is also still a busy working church. So booking your wedding here during the summer months might just be a bit tricky.

Nearest Tube: St Pauls

National Gallery
The National Gallery is home to one of the greatest collections of European art in the world. Featuring works painted between 1250 and 1900, the collection includes such well known pieces as Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Botticelli's Venus And Mars and Constable's Hay Wain. Sadly, the work of the great Rolf Harris is too recent and too Australian to be included - see the Tate Modern.

Nearest Tube: Charing Cross. Admission: Free

British Museum
Founded over 250 years ago, it could be said that the British Museum is one of London's oldest and most prized exhibits - the museum building itself is one of Britain's greatest architectural landmarks. Housed inside is a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures the world over spanning two million years featuring the Rosetta Stone, the Easter Island statue and the earliest known image of Christ.

Nearest Tubes: Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street, Russell Square & Holborn. Admission: Free

London Eye
Undoubtedly the quickest way to take in all of London's major attractions is by jumping on the Eye. There's not much of the city that can't be seen from the top of what has become one of the London skyline's most dominating features. To further enhance your flight on this modern day feat of engineering, you can even order champagne to be served in your capsule (not recommended for the easily nauseas). http://www.londoneye.com

Nearest Tubes: Waterloo & Westminster.

Tate Modern
If random blobs of paint on canvas and piles of rusty old engine parts is your idea of art, then get yourself down to the Tate Modern. Created in a disused power station on the banks of the Thames, the gallery has become one of London's most fascinating attractions since opening in 2000. The collection features works by Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Pollock and Warhol and represents all the major movements since 1900. Sadly, the work of the great Rolf Harris is too art like to be included - see the National Gallery.

Nearest Tubes: Southwark & Blackfriars. Admission: Free (however donations are gratefully received)

Covent Garden
Formerly a fruit and vegetable market, 'The Garden' is now a constant and varied hive of activity. It has a hugely diverse selection of shops, eateries, bars, a market selling art, crafts, antiques and souvenirs, historic buildings, theatres, the Royal Opera House and fantastic free entertainment provided by street entertainers and musicians. If you can't find something to capture your interest at Covent Garden then you must be harder to please than Simon Cowell on a bad day.

Nearest Tube: Covent Garden.

Trafalgar Square
Undoubtedly one of the most famous sights of London without visiting which, a trip to the capital would be incomplete. Not only are tourists drawn to see Nelsons Column, the fountains, the lions, the annual gift of a huge Christmas tree from Norway and the pigeons (dirty little so and sos), but it is where the masses flock to in times of national celebration or when there is cause to demonstrate. Trafalgar Square truly is the meeting place of the nation.

Nearest Tube: Charing Cross.

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Patna City

2012-02-12T06:04:00.001-05:00

The fastest growing and the second largest city after Kolkata in eastern India is Patna. It is the capital city of Indian State Bihar. It has developed very fast and today become the centre of attractions to business. After Delhi the city has been ranked number two in growth by World Bank. Today there are many industries that have set up their operation here.

It has a humid subtropical climate. In east India it is one of the oldest major centers of learning. Patna University is first in the state. India's most richly endowed libraries are also housed here. It has a very rich culture and heritage. This city is the home of tourist attraction. Fine example of the Mauryansa art is Didarganj Yakshi and may be this is the most famous piece of art. It has many things that make it apart from rest of the tourist destinations in the eastern India. It has many historical sites to visit like museum is known for its collections of statues and oldest fossilized tree of the world. Close to the museum there is Golgher. Gandhi maiden is the heart of this place. Best time to visit here is during October to March. Chatta is very famous festival celebrated 6 days before Diwali in city. Other must see places are Mahavir mandir, Pather ki Masjid, zoo, Kumhrar and many more.

How to reach:-

By road-

By national highway 30, 31 & 19 connect city to the rest part of the country. One can be here by buses and cars. There are regular buses to this place from different destinations. You can book your tickets online and save your money.

By train-

It is conveniently connected to all the major cities through train. It is on the New Delhi- Howrah (Kolkata) railway. Long- distance trains arrive at from all the major cities. You can book your tickets online and save your money.

By air-

The best and the fastest way to be here is by air. It is well connected to Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Ranchi and Lucknow by flights. Domestic airport is in Patna known as Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport. There are daily flights from and to Kolkata and Mumbai. Airlines that operate here are Indian.

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Snow Sledding and Tubing in Winter Park Colorado

2012-02-11T14:51:00.001-05:00

Winter Park, Colorado is known as an outdoor enthusiasts paradise. There many many things to do here in the Colorado Rockies. Skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and the list goes on and on. One of the most fun outdoor activities though, especially with children, is snow sledding and tubing. Fun for the entire family and accessible from the very young to the only young at heart. What is more fun than shooting down a hill with snow flying in the air and wind in your face? Well, here in Winter Park there are several options to get your sledding on. From the free town hill to the huge Fraser tube hill to the night sledding at Sol Vista Resort there is nowhere better to do some sledding.

Let's start with the free sledding at the town park, Hideaway Park, that is for all to enjoy. Located right on US Highway 40 in the town of Winter Park the free hill is perfect for the younger ones. There are snow disks and sleds that the Chamber of Commerce has provided at the hill or you can bring your own. Sleds and snow disks can also be purchased at Safeway or City Market down the road. This is old fashioned sledding. Shoot down the slope pick the sled up and walk back up then repeat. Usually never crowded and there is a playground for kids. Check out the the tube slide that takes you to street level. Free entertainment and activity at a ski resort, I didn't think that was possible.

Next is the Fraser Snow Tubing Hill. This is not for the faint of heart. The hill is big and the tubes fly down the hill. Serviced by a lift to take you back up the hill the Fraser Sled Hill is a days full of full of outdoor activity. I have read a couple of reviews that say it is dangerous in a good way. With a small amount of caution this is a really fun time for the whole family. The Fraser hill is, as the name states, in Fraser behind the Alco shopping center. Last season hours of operation were from 12noon to 9pm Monday to Thursday; 12noon to 10pm Friday; 10am to 10pm Saturday and 10am to 9pm Sunday. 2008-09 season hourly rates were $17 for adults and $15 for children. Credit Cards are not accepted.

Another option for sledding here in Grand County is over at the Sol Vista Ski Resort. Sol Vista is offering Holiday Tubing from December 27th to December 30th. Price is $10 each and will run from 5PM to 8PM. Sol Vista has night skiing lights so the tubing should be very fun and exciting.

There are many outdoor activities here in Winter Park and none are more fun and as accessible as snow tubing and sledding.

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Guyana Interesting Facts

2012-02-11T00:14:00.001-05:00

Guyana is one of the beautiful places. It has many things to offer to its tourists. It is rightly called the land of waters, as it has Atlantic Ocean to its north. Here are some interesting facts about Guyana.

Guyana Interesting Facts:

* Guyana is the third smallest country on the mainland of South America.
* English is the widely spoken language of the people here, and Guyana is considered the only English speaking country in South America.
* It also has four non-Spanish speaking territories in the continent.
* Besides English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi and Urdu are spoken by many people here.
* Christianity, Hinduism, Islam are the three major religions of the people here, even though there are many other religions.
* The capital of Guyana is Georgetown. Guyana gained its independence from its last oppressors in the year 1966, but it took four years to become a republic in 1970.
* Guyanese dollar is the currency of Guyana.
* The longest river in Guyana is the Essequibo River.
* It has gold mines, and Omai Gold mines is one of the largest open-pit gold mines in South America.
* Like many other countries, Guyana has selected Victoria Amazonia as their national flower. Hoatzin is its national bird, which is also known as Canje Pheasant.
* Guyana has almost everything that one would like to see by traveling all over the world.
* It has beautiful water falls. Tall, standing trees with leaves that gives off a sweet aroma.

To put it as simple as one can, Guyana is hidden treasure in its every single corner, and the treasure is the beauty inherited from nature.

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4 Options For Cheap Christmas Vacations

2012-02-10T11:47:00.001-05:00

Cheap Christmas vacations are becoming increasingly more popular today as even families that are not so affluent make plans to travel during the Christmas holidays. In many cases, it is much more fun to meet with family on a neutral turf where no one has to worry about all the normal stresses that come with a family get together. Instead of the long and endless days of cooking and baking, the thought of checking into a hotel where you will be looked after can sound very tempting.

There many options to consider for choosing the best cheap Christmas vacation.

A Snowy Christmas Holiday

Consider a snow or ski resort. There can be nothing better than guaranteed snow on Christmas morning. You can often find that is possible to book cheap Christmas vacations with these establishments, if you plan early. Many of these locations have cabins or lodges that can accommodate large groups. Enjoy skiing the slopes or singing carols by the bonfire late at night. Santa surely wouldn't mind a smore instead of cookies. Another great option with this type of location is that everything is already decorated and beautiful; all you have to bring is the Christmas cheer.

A Sand and Sun Christmas

You might consider the beach for a great holiday get away. Many families can only travel once a year and there is no rule that you have to be in the cold to enjoy Christmas. Look for package deals online or from your travel agent to get a great cheap Christmas vacation. Many resorts and airlines offer special deals during the holiday season. Start a new tradition with a palm Christmas tree. You could even have a star fish atop the tree.

A Christmas Cruise

Many cheap deals are available on cruises during the holiday season. You can even get group discounts if your whole family will be joining you. Christmas cruises offer live Christmas carolers, Christmas crafts for kids, and wonderful shopping opportunities at the ports. The ambiance and spirit you will find on these holiday cruises is unmatched by any other destination. You will feel as if you have been thrust into a secret holiday destination.

Enjoy an Old Time Christmas

You can definitely enjoy a cheap Christmas vacation by taking a trip back in time. Rent a rustic cabin back in the woods and enjoy holiday traditions from days gone past. You can enjoy caroling through the woods as you search for the perfect tree to cut. Let the kids string the popcorn and make the paper chains. In the evening, you can sing carols by the fire as you sip hot cocoa by the roaring fire. Spend a few days with your family and make homemade gifts for one another. You will spend very little money and you can have a great time with your family and loved ones.

In the end, it is less about the money you spend or the location you visit. Christmas is a time for families to join together and enjoy traditions and fun. However, when you are going to travel, there is nothing wrong with looking for a cheap Christmas vacation.

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Top Holiday Destinations For British Holiday Makers

2012-02-08T23:09:00.001-05:00

8 hours on a plane is a day wasted but nowhere 2 hours away is warm enough or far enough for me to really feel like I'm on holiday. So, where I ask myself is the best holiday destination from London and other parts of UK for us Brits?

The ideal flight time for me is 4-5 hours and looking on the world map, there are a host of warm, luxurious and relaxing destinations within that flying time. Shame, none of the travel companies like Best at Travel, Kuoni, Virgin Holidays, Letsgo2 or Holiday Hypermarket ever consider that. You end up searching these sites for hours with a highly confused state of mind. Having been through this, I decided to post a little research for those facing the same dilemma as me.

So, which are the best Holiday destinations for people flying from the UK?

This listing will help you find your next holiday.

First, where do us Brits go most on holiday? I went through some search records on Google and found the following:

Top Holiday Destinations (by number of travellers from UK every year)

1. Spain holidays Since Spain is the most popular holiday destination for us Brits with over a million searches a month, I've divided Spain into regions to fully calculate its popularity.

Majorca holidays - Majorca or Mallorca is heaven. I've been there myself. With a vibrant nightlife and amazing scenic views and beaches, this largest of all Spanish island tops Spanish holiday charts with over 300,000 monthly searches for Majorca alone. If you're looking for a party place or an opportunity to be in the quiet surrounded by nature, Majorca is your best bet.
Tenerife holidays - Tenerife is the largest of the 7 canary Islands in the Atlantic ocean. Just off the coast of Morocco, Africa, this Spanish territory commands the status of one of the most popular tourist destinations around the world. As they say, the place where spring never ends, Tenerife is the highest point of Spain with its Mount Teide volcano. The temperature averages 20 degrees celcius throughout the year and is considered to be the best in the world by many. 320,000 searches online every month.
Gran Canaria holidays - Also one of the seven canary islands, the Gran Canaria is the second largest and second most populated after Tenerife. Volcanic in nature, The Gran Canaria offers a unique natural experience, with fissure vents, different soil and vegetation. The Gran Canaria is famous for its family holidays and is full of well appointed resorts. 180,000 monthly searches.
Ibiza holidays - Ibiza is a beautiful little Spanish island located in the Mediterranean sea that has become hugely popular as a holiday top spot in the last 35 years. What makes Ibiza special is the extended coast line of sandy beaches, a chilled out way of life and seclusion. As all Spanish holidays, Ibiza town will offer you a buzzing nightlife and for those looking for peace and quiet, there are plenty of resorts surrounded by nature and tranquility. 135,000 searches per month.
Other notable Spanish holiday destinations - With a 100,000 British people searching for holiday packages in Benidorm, this is the 5th most popular Spanish holiday destination followed by Costa del Sol at 60,000 searches and Lanzarote (another beautiful canary island) with 55,000 searches. Recommended - Spain holidays

If you haven't yet experienced a Spanish holiday, you haven't yet been on your best holiday. Majorca alone gets 2.5 million British holiday makers a year and 2008 was a record high.

2. Cyprus holidays - Cyprus is the number 2 holiday destination for us Brits. On average, 400,000 of us search for Cyprus holidays online every month. Yes! Every Month! No wonder I've been to Cyprus twice myself. In Cyprus, most popular spots are Limassol and Paphos - Paphos is full of ancient sites as old as 4th century BC, lies in the southwest of Cyprus and is a world heritage site by UNESCO. Limassol is the capital of southern Cyprus and is a popular shopping destination.

3. Turkey holidays - With just under 400,000 searches on Google alone, Turkey is the third most visited holiday destination for British holiday makers. The ex-Ottoman empire with a taste of Asia within Europe, Turkey is a top holiday destination where you'll find snow-capped mountains and sunny beaches at a few hours' distance. Istanbul, the largest city is where we flock most to, to live the Sultan size life for a few relaxing days.

4. Greece holidays - Close on the heels of Turkey, Greece holidays are very popular amonst British people. With just under 400,000 searches online a month, we love Greece, especially the Island of Crete. Crete, as legend goes, was where the Greek God Zeus was born and is the present resting place of Greek Gods. The southern-most of all Greek islands, Crete is the meeting point of Africa, Asia and Europe. If you're looking for a busy, choc-a-block resort holiday, Greece is the place for you, where not UK holiday makers, but tourists from all over the world flck in great numbers.

5. Egypt holidays - Enter Africa - Egypt is our 5th most visited holiday destination and top-most in Africa. With 320,000 searches every month, we Brits get-away to Egypt often during the winter. The gorgeous clear waters of river Nile, 5000%2B years of history, tourist attractions like the pyramids and cities like the Sharm El Sheikh (the city of Peace) surrounded by the Red sea and Mount Sinai are top reasons for Egypt being a top holiday destination. I've been to Egypt twice and I'm in love with that place. People are friendly and forthcoming.

6. America Holidays

Las Vegas holidays - I would have imagined America to be much higher up in the list of our top holiday destinations, but the long plane journeys and shortage of natural beauty are two major reasons why most people visit the United States for its advancements, not untouched natural places. Las Vegas leads as one of USA's top holiday destinations. The city most popular for its casinos, gambling and high lifestyle attracts us Brits in large numbers every year.
New York city breaks -The world's capital city as its popularly known is the centre of all action. The list of tourist attractions is longer than London's and if you're expecting to get away, beware, you're getting back into the mad rush. New York is a great weekend or short stay holiday destination if haven't seen the Statue of Liberty or Madison Square Gardens.
Florida holidays - The sunshine state of the US - Fun doesn't end any time of the year in Florida. With 3 of the world's best amusement parks - Disneyland, Seaworld and Universal, Florida is also the world's amusement capital. Great place for family holidays.

7. Italy holidays - With 240,000 searches a month, Italy comes at number 6. Italy is made of two islands - Sicily and Sardinia. The mainland region of Italy is where holiday makers go in search of Roman empire history, leaning tower of Pisa, the Colosseums and Rome. Sicily is the largest Mediterranean island. Sardinia or Sardegna is a top holiday destination, famous for its natural beauty and beaches.

8. Caribbean Holidays - Caribbean Islands stand out as holiday destinations for the Americans (because of the proximity and short flights), but Europeans are not far behind. At a combined 200,000 searches per month from UK, The Caribbean is a fast growing holiday destination amongst us. The Caribbean refers to the Caribbean sea, islands in that sea and nearby coastal areas. Top holiday destinations within the Caribbean are Antigua holidays, St Lucia holidays, Jamaica holidays, Cuba holidays and Barbados holidays. Lying between North and South America, the Caribbean is famous for its holidays - from Golfing to sky-diving, fine dining to clubbing, there's nothing the Caribbean doesn't offer. That, at a time when Britain is freezing! No wonder, with recent media coverage, Caribbean holidays are busier than ever before.

9. Malta holidays - Coming back to Europe, Malta is a gorgeous island with an English connection. After gaining independence from United Kingdom in 1964, Malta developed itself as a top holiday destination. With English spoken widely, British people face no language barriers and holidays are even more fun. This Mediterranean island country offers some unique features like fishing villages, and a combination of Byzantine, Arab, Phoenician and St John Knights' culture, architecture and cuisine. 160,000 monthly searches.

10. Dubai holidays - The world's highest man made structure, world's first under water restaurant, world's first palm housing, world's longest shopping mall, world's first indoor ski system and world's highest tennis court are just the tip of the iceberg. Dubai - The city of the world's firsts opened its doors to the new world and we all visited in large number. Today, Dubai is the top holiday destination in the Middle East. With 150,000 searching for Dubai holidays every month, Dubai stands out amongst the 7 Emirates in UAE. With desert, beaches and mountains to offer, sunny holidays don;t get much better.

11. Maldives holidays - The paradise islands, as the 1 thousand two hundred fascinating Maldives islands are affectionately called, offer crystal clear waters and desert sands in the middle of Indian ocean. With 80 self sufficient islands cum resorts, you're never short of natural beauty, peace and tranquility. The top "get away from it all" holiday destination Maldives won't disappoint you. 120,000 curious British holiday makers search Maldives holidays every month.

12. Goa holidays - Further East, Goa is an English holiday maker's favourite Indian holiday destination. With Churches and Temples co-existing in this city they call "Tropical Paradise", you'll find miles of beautiful palm tree beaches and acres of windy paddy fields. Adding to its charm are old fortresses, wide roads and motor cycle hires. The Portuguese were defeated off Goa in 1961 by the Indian army and since then, Goa has grown into the most popular holiday destination within India. With an offshore casino, saturday markets by resident British people and a rock music culture, Goa will give you unforgettable memories. Or you might end up in Goa longer than you planned, like many others. 100,000 searches.

13. Thailand holidays - Further east from India, welcome to Thailand. Best time to visit is between June and October. The capital city of Thailand - Bangkok boats of some of the world's top 5 star hotels and is famous for its hospitality. Visit Thailand for a crash course in culture diversity and hospitality.100,000 searches.

14. Australia holidays - Melbourne is 22 hours and 30 minutes away from London. You better not plan a weekend break to Australia. A gorgeous country that holiday makers love, Australia is number 20 in this list only for its distance from the UK. Australia has everything from coral beaches, skyscrapers, nightlife, peace and tranquility, great standards of life, extreme sports - you name it. A great place for a long holiday, I rate Australia as one of my top holiday destinations and a must visit. Make sure you take out at least a couple of weeks to enjoy Australia fully.

15. Mauritius holidays - They say the beauty of Mauritius is its people. With clear waters, white sandy beaches and year-round holiday making, Mauritius is Asia's Spain. Tourists from India, China, Japan and other far east countries keep Mauritius abuzz the year round with traditional dances, customs and delicious seafood. Being close to mainland Africa, in the summer, Mauritius can be very hot and humid, and therefore the best time to visit is July to September (their winter). With British and French history, you won't face many language problems in this Indian ocean holiday destination. 70,000 searches.

16. Bali - The tiny yet perfect Indonesian island of Bali is the center of all action and one of Indonesia's top holiday destinations. Visit Bali for white sand beaches, awe-aspiring cliffs, nightlife and to submerge into the truly multicultural environment. 35,000 monthly searches for Bali holidays.

17. South Africa holidays - When you mention any part of Africa for holidays, wildlife plays an important role and South Africa is no different. South Africa is UK's top holiday destination in Africa for the British colonial connection. Amongst others, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Durban offer the best natural views and beaches. 30,000 monthly searches.

18. Hong Kong holidays - A few years ago, Hong Kong was a British territory. Now a part of China, Hong Kong is the most happening place in the far east. This majorly Buddhist city is a remarkable example of success of Capitalism and offers towering hotels, world's most modern luxuries and one of the most popular holiday destination within Hong Kong is Kowloon. For some peace, you can travel to the Sai Kung peninsula. 27,000 monthly searches.

Still not sure where to go? If you don't mind where you go, and you're more focused on the kind of holiday, you may end up saving substantial sums of money. My best bet while booking a holiday is calling one of my favourite agencies - Best at Travel or Directline Holidays and just chatting to an advisor regarding what's cheap this season. I've always found Best at Travel and Directline saving me money.

Try looking for Cruises, Luxury Holidays, Spa holidays, Safaris or Honeymoons. This will help you check packages and make your decision-making easier.

Still not clear, or have a question, post it as a comment below. Either me of one of te readers will help you out. Happy Holidays.

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Celebrate New Year's Eve in Niagara Falls - Ontario

2012-02-07T23:34:00.001-05:00

Celebrating the New Year in a new and exciting environment is highly desirable - and one of the main bi-products of the increasing number of cheap flights and greater global mobility is that this is becoming more and more possible. People living in Chicago can now choose to celebrate the New Year in Edinburgh, Sydney or Paris; however, you don't have to travel quite so far away from home to enjoy a spectacular party on December 31st. Visit the Winter Festival of Lights being held in Clifton Hills, in Niagara Falls, Ontario this year and you'll be able to count down to the 1st of January in style.

Clifton Hills is the major tourist promenade in the town of Niagara Falls, and this year's New Years Eve festivities will involve performances by 1980s legendary rock band, Foreigner, the Juno Award winning Colin James and the Little Big Band, and rising Canadian talent Justin Hines. 'Party in Niagara' is organised every year by the Niagara Parks Commission and the Niagara Falls New Year's Eve event planners provide party-goers with an outdoor alcohol licensed area, food and drink stalls, and fantastic fireworks over the Niagara Falls waterfalls at both 9pm and midnight.

Best of all, the event is free; held in Queen Victoria Park, it attracts around 30,000 people each year. The event is also covered on television and is screened from 11pm until 12.30am. Jim Williams, chair of the Niagara Parks Commission stated:

"New Year's Eve is one of Niagara Falls' busiest and best nights of the year. With the enthusiasm of all our partners, the whole city is coming alive with more to do than anywhere else in Canada. Visitors and residents should come down and enjoy our entire tourism district in full swing - from great music in Queen Victoria Park to high-energy gaming at Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino Resort; from the family fun of Clifton Hills to our romantic restaurants and spectacular hotel getaways."

If you're looking to turn your New Year's Eve celebrations into an extended holiday you'll find plenty of accommodation in Niagara Falls. Whether you choose to spend your time exploring the world's most impressive waterfall or roaming around the Fallsview tourist area, you'll definitely find activities to entertain you and your family in Niagara Falls - and you won't even have stray too far away from home.

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Motorcycle Leather Jacket Origins and Construction

2012-02-06T04:40:00.001-05:00

Motorcycle Leather Jacket Construction from WWII to Today

Motorcycle leather jacket construction was originally based on the WWII aviator style. In fact, the first jackets used for motorcycle riding were the A-2 military flight jackets. Aero Leather was one of the first companies to construct the flight jackets. The company used specifications provided by the Army Air Corps, a branch of the military that eventually became the US Air Force. The jackets were also referred to as "bomber" style, a name that is still in common usage today.

The A-2 flight jacket had two top-closing pockets with no hand slots in the pockets. The military preferred that their pilots keep their hands at their sides. Leather gloves were provided for warmth and protection.

One of the specifications provided was to construct the back of a single piece of leather. Single large pieces of leather are more durable. There is less stress on the seams.The number of pieces used to construct a garment or other leather item is one factor used to judge quality. Generally speaking, the fewer the pieces used to make the item, the higher the quality.

Schott began manufacturing jackets specifically for motorcycle riding in the 1920s. Buegeleisen started manufacturing leather jackets, saddlebags and other accessories in the 1930s and 1940s.

Indian Motorcycles and Harley Davidson manufactured some of the more popular early styles. Indian introduced the Ranger for men and the Rangerette for women during the 1940s. The main difference between the men's and women's style was the positioning of the pockets.The original Indian Ranger and Rangerette designs had one zippered pocket. The men's pocket was located on the right side of the jacket. The women's pocket was located on the left.

New versions of the Rangers have two or three zippered pockets, another with a snap and a belted closure at the waist.They are manufactured by Aero. Indian declared bankruptcy in the early 1950s.

Harley Davidson began selling motorcycles and accessories in 1903. They introduced the Cycle Champ jacket for men and the Cycle Queen jacket for women during the 1940s. Their classic style was popular throughout the 1950s and 60s. It continues to be popular today.

Over the years, fashion designers have changed the styles considerably. Embossed quilted ribbing and various colors have been added. While probably inspired by the original A-2s, the new styles bear little resemblance to the classic look. The practice of decorating the back of the jacket with artwork and patches began in WWII as well. Unlike other clothing from that era, jackets made from leather have never lost their popularity among the biker fraternity.

Many companies are experts at motorcycle leather jacket construction. You will pay more for the highest quality, but the jackets can last for 50 years or even longer so they are well worth the price.

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How to Calculate a Cost of Living Allowance

2012-02-05T10:39:00.001-05:00

A Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is a salary supplement paid to employees to cover differences in the cost of living, particularly as a result of an international assignment. The amount of COLA should enable an expatriate to be able to purchase the same basket of goods and services in the host location as they could in their home country. The basis for calculating a COLA is the Cost of Living Index (COLI) which indexes the costs of the same basket of goods and services in different geographic locations. COLA is a simple accurate method of measuring fluctuating salary purchasing power and ensuring parity.

Cost of Living Index

Our cost of Living Indexes measure the cost of 230 products and services across 13 different basket groups in 276 cities across the globe. The data is gathered by a team of research analysts who survey comparable items that are available internationally. A minimum of 3 prices for the same brand/size/volume of product is used to determine the average price for each item in each location. The items are priced on a quarterly basis and tend to rise and fall with inflation. The 13 different basket categories are as follows:

Alcohol & Tobacco: Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products

Alcohol at Bar
Beer
Cigarettes
Locally Produced Spirit
Whiskey
Wine

Clothing: Clothing and footwear products

Business Suits
Casual Clothing
Children's Clothing and footwear
Coats and hats
Evening Wear
Shoe Repairs
Underwear

Communication

Home Telephone Rental and Call Charges
Internet Connection and service provider fees
Mobile / Cellular Phone Contract and Calls

Education

Crèche / Pre-School Fees
High School / College Fees
Primary School Fees
Tertiary Study Fees

Furniture & Appliances: Furniture, household equipment and household appliances

DVD Player
Fridge Freezer
Iron
Kettle, Toaster, Microwave
Light Bulbs
Television
Vacuum Cleaner
Washing Machine

Groceries: Food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material

Baby Consumables
Baked Goods
Baking
Canned Foods
Cheese
Cleaning Products
Dairy
Fresh Fruits
Fresh Vegetables
Fruit Juices
Frozen
Meat
Oil & Vinegars
Pet Food
Pre-Prepared Meals
Sauces
Seafood
Snacks
Soft Drinks
Spices & Herbs

Healthcare: General Healthcare, Medical and Medical Insurance

General Practitioner Consultation rates
Hospital Private Ward Daily Rate
Non-Prescription Medicine
Private Medical Insurance / Medical Aid Contributions

Household: Housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes

House / Flat Mortgage
House / Flat Rental
Household Electricity Consumption
Household Gas / Fuel Consumption
Household Water Consumption
Local Property Rates / Taxes / Levies

Miscellaneous: Stationary, Linen and general goods and services

Domestic Help
Dry Cleaning
Linen
Office Supplies
Newspapers and Magazines
Postage Stamps

Personal Care: Personal Care products and services

Cosmetics
Haircare
Moisturiser / Sun Block
Nappies
Pain Relief Tablets
Toilet Paper
Toothpaste
Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner

Recreation and Culture

Books
Camera Film
Cinema Ticket
DVD and CD's
Sports goods
Theatre Ticket

Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotels

Business Dinner
Dinner at Restaurant (non fast food)
Hotel Rates
Take Away Drinks & Snacks (fast Food)

Transport: Public Transport, Vehicle Costs, Vehicle Fuel, Vehicle Insurance and Vehicle Maintenance

Hire Purchase / Lease of Vehicle
Petrol / Diesel
Public Transport
Service Maintenance
Tyres
Vehicle Insurance
Vehicle Purchase

Each basket category does not count equally and are weighted in the final calculation based on expatriate spending patterns.

In order to calculate an accurate cost of living index for a specific individual the basket items that are not relevant to the individual should be excluded from the calculation. For example if education and housing is provided by the employer these basket categories would be excluded from the cost of living index calculation. This increases the accuracy of the cost of living index and makes it possible for each individual to have their own customized cost of living index based on their specific arrangements rather than using an overall "generic" index which is likely to contains costs that are not relevant to the individual.

The formula for calculating the specific cost of living index for an international assignment is as follows:

Cost of Living Index = Customized Cost of Living Index for Host City / Customized Cost of Living Index for Home City

When moving to a higher cost of living host city, the index will be greater than 1 (positive). When moving to a lower cost of living host city the index will be less than 1 (negative). Where the index is negative it means that in real terms the cost of living in the host city is lower than the home city. This means that if the negative index where to be applied to the employee's salary, they would actually be paid proportionately less spendable salary in the host city. It is important to note that the majority of organizations do not apply a negative cost of living index because it makes it difficult to persuade an employee to take up an assignment as they tend to see it as a reduction in salary.

Examples of Cost of Living Index Calculations using our data:

Example 1) An Australian employee moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer

More Expensive in London:

Alcohol & Tobacco +4.77%
Clothing +21.85%
Education +31.53%
Furniture & Appliances +16.03%
Groceries +16.35%
Household +50.72%
Miscellaneous +137.47%
Personal Care +11.18%
Recreation & Culture -6.82%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels +34.99%
Transport +19.80%

The overall difference in cost of living moving from Perth and London is +28.06%.

In this case the cost of living index is positive and would be applied as it is.

Example 2) A British employee moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education

More Expensive in Mumbai:

Alcohol & Tobacco -37.53%
Clothing -9.58%
Communication -44.92%
Furniture & Appliances -19.31%
Groceries -24.03%
Healthcare -31.24%
Miscellaneous -72.43%
Personal Care -24.94%
Recreation & Culture -35.73%
Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels -33.11%
Transport is -27.99%

The overall difference in cost of living moving from London Mumbai is -30.53%.

In this case the cost of living index is negative and would not be applied.

Net Spendable Salary

Differences in cost of living only impact the portion of the salary that is spendable in the host country. Items in the home country such as retirement funding, medical insurance and other home based costs are not impacted by the cost of living in the host country.

To determine the Net Spendable Salary establish what amount / portion of the current salary (in home currency) is spent in maintaining the employee's current standard of living / lifestyle. What will the expatriate need to spend their salary on in the host country? For example will accommodation be provided or will the employee pay rent, will healthcare be provided etc. Deduct all items that are either provided in kind or are spendable in the home country. Deduct the hypothetical amount of tax, social contributions and any other statutory deductions applicable in the home country from the Spendable Salary. What is left is the Net Spendable Salary.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)

The formula for calculating the cost of living allowance using the above inputs is as follows:

(Net Spendable Salary X Cost of Living Index X Hardship Index X Exchange Rate) less (Net Spendable Salary X Exchange Rate) = COLA

Examples of COLA Calculations using our data

Example 1) An Australian employee with a net spendable salary of AUD$100,000 moving from Perth to London where healthcare and communication will be provided by the employer

($100,000.00 X 1.2806 X 1 X 0.4768) less ($100,000.00 X 0.4768) = COLA of £13,379.44 (GBP)

Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of £13,379.44 (GBP), in addition to their current salary of 100,000.00 Australian Dollar (AUD) to compensate for relocating from Perth to London. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of +28.06% and the relative difference in hardship of 0%.

Example 2) A British employee with a net spendable salary of £18,000 moving from London to Mumbai where the employer will provide housing and education

Note: Because the Cost of Living Index is negative it is not applied.

(£18,000.00 X 1 X 1.3 X 67.2852) less (£18,000.00 X67.2852) = COLA of 363,340.32 Indian Rupee

Based on all the above factors a person would require a Cost of Living Allowance of 363,340.32 (INR ), in addition to their current salary of £18,000.00 British Pound (GBP ) to compensate for relocating from London to Mumbai. This Cost of Living Allowance compensates for the overall cost of living difference of [-30.53%] and the relative difference in hardship of 30%.

COLA Payment

The COLA is paid as a salary supplement (i.e. as an additional allowance) net of tax in the host country. If the COLA is a taxable allowance in the host country it should be grossed up in order that the full amount of calculated COLA is paid net of tax given that the basis of the calculation is Net Spendable Salary. The COLA is often accompanied by other allowances and benefits such as flights home, relocation / settling in allowance, and furnishing allowance.

Exchange Rate Fluctuations

Significant changes in the exchange rate can make a considerable difference in the COLA calculation. In 2008 some of the major global exchange rates changed by as much as 30-40%.

The cost of living index reflects the changes caused by inflation and exchange rates. In the short-term there may be disequilibrium between inflation and the exchange rate (the one pushes the other), however over time the cost of living index provides the most accurate view of the cost of living.

It is important to remind expatriates that when the cost of living difference is negative, and the negative value has not been applied, they have higher purchasing power in the host country than they would at home.

Where a negative cost of living index has not been applied (our recommended approach), and a change in the exchange rate indicates an upward adjustment in COLA may be required, it is recommended that the COLA should not be adjusted upward until the cost of living index becomes positive i.e. the cost of living reflects that there is a "real" increase in cost of living between home and host countries. This may mean that their would be no increase in the COLA as a result of exchange rate fluctuations for some considerable time. During this time the employee's purchasing power decreases. But it is important to remember that until the cost of living difference becomes positive, the individual will still have a higher purchasing power than they do in their home country.

It is advisable to stipulate a currency protection rule, rather than reacting to every fluctuation in the exchange rate. For example the rule may state that COLA will be reviewed if exchange rates or local inflation move by more than +10% during a year. It is important to keep in mind that the prices of goods and services are unlikely to drop in local currency. This would only occur in a period of deflation (negative inflation). Therefore the currency protection rule would normally make provision for upward adjustments in COLA and not downward adjustments during an employee's assignment. Downward adjustments to an existing COLA due to exchange rate fluctuations without a corresponding drop in the prices of local goods and services puts immense pressure on an employee's host currency budget commitments and can lead to the employee experiencing financial difficulty.

Using an independent service provider provides an independent, objective basis for determining an employee's COLA.

We recommend therefore that a COLA is calculated by applying the specific (customized) cost of living index to the net spendable salary at the beginning of the assignment and monitoring exchange rate fluctuations thereafter in addition to the annual salary review.

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ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES - The Case of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Ltd

2012-02-04T14:52:00.001-05:00

Industry Shake-up

In December 2003 Mzwimbi went on a well deserved family vacation to the United States, satisfied with the progress and confident that his sprawling empire was on a solid footing. However a call from a business magnate in January 2004 alerted him to what was termed a looming shake- up in the financial services sector. It appears that the incoming governor had confided in a few close colleagues and acquaintances about his plans. This confirmed to Mzwimbi the fears that were arising as RBZ refused to accommodate banks which had liquidity challenges.

The last two months of 2003 saw interest rates soar close to 900% p.a., with the RBZ watching helplessly. The RBZ had the tools and capacity to control these rates but nothing was done to ease the situation. This hiking of interest rates wiped out nearly all the bank's income made within the year. Bankers normally rely on treasury bills (TBs) since they are easily tradable. Their yield had been good until the interest rates skyrocketed. Consequently bankers were now borrowing at higher interest rates than the treasury bills could cover. Bankers were put in the uncomfortable position of borrowing expensive money and on-lending it cheaply. An example at Royal Bank was an entrepreneur who borrowed $120 million in December 2003, which by March 2004 had ballooned to $500 million due to the excessive rates. Although the cost of funds was now at 900% p.a., Royal Bank had just increased its interest rates to only 400% p.a, meaning that it was funding the client's shortfall. However this client could not pay it and just returned the $120 million and demonstrated that he had no capacity to pay back the $400 million interest charge. Most bankers accepted this anomaly because they thought it was a temporary dysfunction perpetuated by the inability of an acting governor to make bold decisions. Bankers believed that once a substantive governor was sworn in he would control the interest rates. Much to their dismay, on assuming the governorship Dr. Gono left the rates untamed and hence the situation worsened. This scenario continued up to August 2004, causing considerable strain on entrepreneurial bankers.

On reflection, some bankers feel that the central bank deliberately hiked the interest rates, as this would allow it to restructure the financial services sector. They argue that during the cash crisis of the last half of 2003, bank CEOs would meet often with the RBZ in an effort to find solutions to the crisis. Retrospectively they claim that there is evidence indicating that the current governor though not appointed yet was already in control of the RBZ operations during that time period and was thus responsible for the untenable interest rate regime.

In January 2004, after his vacation, Mzwimbi was informed by the RBZ that Royal had been accommodated for $2 billion on the 28th of December 2003. The Central Bank wanted to know whether this accommodation should be formalised and placed into the newly created Troubled Bank Fund. However, this was expensive money both in terms of the interest rates and also in terms of the conditions and terms of the loan. At Trust Bank, access to this facility had already given the Central Bank the right to force out the top executives, restructure the Board and virtually take over the management of the bank.

Royal Bank turned down the offer and used deposits to pay off the money. However the interest rates did not come down.

During the first quarter of 2004 Trust Bank, Barbican bank and Intermarket Bank were identified as distressed and put under severe corrective orders by the Central Bank.

Royal Assault

Royal Bank remained stable until March 2004. People who had their funds locked up in Intermarket Bank withdrew huge sums of funds from Royal Bank while others were moving to foreign owned banks as the perception created by Central Bank was read by the market to mean that entrepreneurial bankers were fraudsters.

Others withdrew their money on the basis that if financial behemoths like Intermarket can sink, then it could happen to any other indigenously controlled bank. Royal Bank had an advantage that in the smaller towns it was the only bank, so people had no choice. However even in this scenario there were no stable deposits as people kept their funds moving to avoid being caught unawares. For example in one week Royal Bank had withdrawals of over $40 billion but weathered the storm without recourse to Central Bank accommodation.

At this time, newspaper reports indicating some leakage of confidential information started appearing. When confronted, one public paper reporter confided that the information was being supplied to them by the Central Bank. These reports were aimed at causing panic withdrawals and hence exposing banks to depositor flight.

Statutory Reserves

In March 2004, at the point of significant vulnerability, Royal Bank received a letter from RBZ cancelling the exemption from statutory reserve requirements. Statutory reserves are funds, (making up a certain percentage of their total deposits), banks are required to deposit with the Central Bank, at no interest.

When Royal Bank began operations, Mzwimbi applied to the Central Bank - then under Dr Tsumba, for foreign currency to pay for supplies, software and technology infrastructure. No foreign currency could be availed but instead Royal Bank was exempted from paying statutory reserves for one year, thus releasing funds which Royal could use to acquire foreign currency and purchase the needed resources. This was a normal procedure and practice of the Central Bank, which had been made available to other banking institutions as well. This would also enhance the bank's liquidity position.

Even investors are sometimes offered tax exemptions to encourage and promote investments in any industry. This exemption was delayed due to bungling in the Banking Supervision and Surveillance Department of the RBZ and was thus only implemented a year later, consequently it would run from May 2003 until May 2004. The premature cancellation of this exemption caught Royal Bank by surprise as its cash flow projections had been based on these commencing in May 2004.

When the RBZ insisted, Royal Bank calculated the statutory reserves and noted that, due to a decline in its deposits, it was not eligible for the payment of statutory reserves at that time. When the bank submitted its returns with zero statutory reserves, the Central Bank claimed that the bank was now due for the whole statutory reserve since inception. In effect this was not being treated as a statutory reserve exemption but more as a penalty for evading statutory reserves. Royal Bank appealed. There were conflicting opinions between the Bank Supervision and Capital Markets divisions on the issue as Bank Supervision conceded to the validity of Royal's position. However Capital Markets insisted that it had instructions from the top to recall the full amount of $23 billion. This was forced onto Royal Bank and transferred without consent to the Troubled Banks Fund at exorbitant rates of 450% p. a.

FML Saga

When FML was demutualising, the executives were concerned about the possibility of being swallowed by its huge strategic partner, Trust Holdings. FML approached Royal Bank and other banks to act as buffers. The agreement was that FML would fund the deal by placing funds with Royal Bank so that Royal would not fund it from its balance sheet.

Consequently FML would leave the deposits with Royal Bank for the tenor of the loan. The deal was consummated through Regal Asset Managers and was to mature in December 2004, at which time it was anticipated that the share price of First Mutual would have blossomed, allowing Royal Bank to harvest its investment and exit profitably. The deal resulted in Regal Asset Managers owning 57 million FML shares. Royal Bank gave FML some securities in the form of treasury bills as collateral for the deposit.

The Reserve Bank and the curator wrote off this investment because at that time FML was suspended at the ZSE. However the fact that it was suspended did not invalidate its value. Recent events have shown that this investment has generated huge capital value for Regal Asset Managers as the ZSE rebounded. Yet the curator valued this investment negatively. Around March 2004 there had been a contagion effect at FML due to the challenges at Trust Bank. This resulted in the forced departure of the FML CEO and chairman. FML was suspended from the local bourse as investigations into the financing structure of Capital Alliance's acquisition were carried out. Because of the pressure brought to bear on FML, it wanted to withdraw the deposits held by Royal Bank, contrary to the agreement. FML could not locate and return the treasury bills that had been provided as collateral by Royal. Royal Bank suspected that these had been placed with ENG, another asset management company which collapsed in December 2003. A public row broke out. Royal Bank executives sought counsel from Renaissance Merchant Bank, which had brokered the deal, and the Chairman of the ZSE, who both agreed with Royal that the deal was legitimate and FML had to honour the agreement. At this stage FML sought court intervention in an attempt to force Royal Bank into liquidation. Even the curator contested the FML position resulting in his taking it for arbitration. Royal's position remained that if FML fails to return the securities then it will not get the funds.

Royal bank directors claimed political interference on the issue. The Royal Bank executives believe that the governor, against his better judgment, decided to act against Royal Bank under the pretext of the political pressure. In retrospect, the political support for cracking the whip at Royal gave credence to the rumour that the governor had an underlying agenda in taking Royal and merging it into ZABG because of its strong branch network.

Royal Bank had been warned by friendly RBZ insiders that if it ever accessed the Troubled Bank Fund it would be in trouble, so it sought to avoid this at all costs.

However on 4th August 2004, Royal was served with papers that effectively placed it under the curator. Interestingly, the curator's contract was signed two days earlier. Until this time no depositor had ever failed to withdraw his deposits from Royal Bank.

The lack of credibility of the Reserve Bank in handling this case is exposed when one considers that some banks were given more than eight months to stabilise under curators, e.g. Intermarket and CFX Banks, and were able to recover. But Royal and Trust Bank were under the curator for less than two months before being amalgamated. The press raised concerns about the curators assuming the role of undertaker rather than nurse, and hence burying these banks.This seemed to confirm the possibility of a hidden agenda on the part of the Central Bank.

Victor Chando

Chando was an excellent financial engineer who set up Victory Financial Services after a stint with MBCA. He had been the brains behind the setting up of the predecessor of Century Discount House which he later sold to Century Holdings. Royal Bank initially had an interest in discount houses and so at inception had included Victor as a significant shareholder. He later acquired Barnfords Securities which Royal intended to bring in-house.

Victory Financial Services was involved in foreign currency dealings, using offshore companies that bought free funds from Zimbabweans abroad and purchased raw materials for Zimbabwean corporations. One such deal with National Foods went sour and the MD reported it to the Central Bank. On investigations the deal was found to be clean but the RBZ went ahead to publish that he was involved in illegal foreign currency transactions and linked this to Royal Bank. However this was a transaction done by a shareholder as an account holder, in which the bank had no interest. What confused matters, was that Victory Financial Services was housed in the same building as Royal Bank.

After failing to nail Chando to any criminal charges, the Central Bank issued an order for Royal Bank to force him out as a shareholder and board member. It is ridiculous that the Central Bank would vet who is a shareholder or not in banks - particularly when the people had no criminal records.

Negotiations with OPEC were underway for it to take over Chando's shareholding. The Reserve Bank was aware of these developments. OPEC would then help in the recapitalisation as well as open up lines of credit for the bank.

The Arrest

In September 2004 the executive directors of Royal Bank, Mzwimbi and Durajadi, were arrested on five allegations of fraudulently prejudicing the bank. One of the charges was that they fraudulently used depositors' funds to recapitalise the bank.

Three of the charges after police investigations were dropped, as they were not true. The two remaining charges were:

a) a conflict of interest on loans that were made available to the directors. The RBZ alleges that they did not disclose their interests when companies controlled by them accessed loans at concessionary rates from the bank. However the enterprising bankers dispute these charges, as they claim the Board minutes prove that this interest was disclosed. Even the annual financial statements of the bank acknowledge that they accessed loans as part of their employment contract with the bank.

b) money was owed to Finsreal Asset Management. However Mzwimbi argues that Finsreal actually owes them money and not the other way round. Royal Bank shareholders needed to inject money for recapitalisation of the bank and were requested to deposit their funds with Finsreal Asset Management. Since some had not paid their portion of the recapitalisation by the due date, Royal Financial Holdings, which had an account with Finsreal, paid the money on behalf of the shareholders - who were then indebted to Royal Financial Holdings. Somehow the RBZ confused this transaction as the bank's funds and therefore accused the

shareholders of using depositors' funds to recapitalise.

By retrospectively analysing the court case wherein the Royal Bank executive directors are accused of defrauding the bank it appears that the RBZ created a falsehood in order to frustrate the bankers. The curator who initially refused to take a stand before the RBZ appointed Independent Appeal, has in court clearly testified that no monies were stolen from the bank by the directors and that the curator did not (contrary to RBZ assertions) recommend charges against the bankers. In January 2007 the former executive directors of Royal Bank were acquitted by the High Court on the remaining criminal charges after the prosecution failed to present a convincing argument.

Royal Bank assets were sold by the curator to ZABG barely two months after being placed under the curator, without any audited financial statements. The speed at which an agreement of sale was reached is astonishing. The owners of Royal Bank went to court and, after a protracted legal struggle, the court ruled that the assets were sold illegally and hence the sale was "illegal and of no force or effect and therefore null and void". The court then directed that the owners should appeal to the Central Bank for a determination of the actions of the curators. The Central Bank begrudgingly set up an "independent panel" to adjudicate the case. Strangely ZABG continued to trade on the illegal assets.

The panel advised that the appeal by Royal bank be rejected as it would be difficult to disentangle it from ZABG. They also cited the fact that ZABG had some contractual obligations with third parties who may not want to do business with Royal bank. This strange ruling fails to explain why these considerations were not made when the amalgamation was done. The ruling also redefined the agreements between the curator of Royal bank and ZABG as not being an "agreement of sale" even though the parties which entered into the agreement clearly intended it to be viewed as such. This was a way of circumventing the Supreme Court ruling that the agreement of sale was null and void.

But the panel did not explain how this disposal of the assets should be considered if it was not a sale.

Consequently the major shareholders of Royal appealed to the Minister of Finance who upheld the RBZ decision. Mzwimbi and his colleagues have therefore appealed to the courts. In the meanwhile there was a failed attempt to sell the disputed assets by ZABG despite the outstanding legal challenge. Just ice delayed is justice denied.

Mzwimbi and his team have been denied access to all bank records and yet are expected to defend themselves. As he characteristically puts it, "We are going into this fight blind folded and our hands bound, while fighting someone who has armour and a sword."

Around 2002-3 there were press reports indicating that the ruling party/state wanted to have a stake in the profitable banking sector. A minister of government at the time of the arrest confirmed this to Mzwimbi and his team. Another bank, NMB, had allegedly been assaulted and the major shareholders were told to dispose of their shareholdings to certain politically connected persons. They refused and had to leave the country after some trumped up charges were preferred against them. Unfortunately, the governor faced resistance and the politicians distanced themselves. One indigenous banker reported how he was summoned to the Central Bank governor's office and informed that he should leave the country, as his bank would be closed. This banker credits Royal Bank's resistance to being manipulated as the reason why his own bank survived. The bank was placed under curatorship on 4th August 2004. Mzwimbi had secured potential investors for the recapitalisation of the bank just before the deadline of 30th September 2004. Three days before that deadline, Mzwimbi met the curator and explained in detail the position for the recapitalisation exercise. Investors who had shown interest and were in advanced negotiations were OPEC, Fidelity Insurance and some South African investors. He further asked the curator to request the Central Bank for an extension of about a week. The very next day he was arrested on the pretext that he was about to leave the country. Mzwimbi and his team believe that his arrest at that critical stage was meant to intimidate the would-be investors and result in the failure to recapitalise. This lends credence to the view that the decision to acquire the bank and amalgamate it in ZABG had already been made. The recapitalisation would have scuppered these plans. Notably, other banks were given an extension to regularise their recapitalisation plans.

Shakeman Mugari reported that the central bank has in principle agreed to enter into a scheme of arrangement with Royal, Trust and Barbican banks which could see the final resolution of this issue. He argues that the central bank disregarded the value of securities that the banks had pledged to the central bank for the loans. If these are factored in, then the bank shareholders have some significant value within ZABG. If this scheme had been consummated it would have protected RBZ officials from being sued in their personal capacity for the loss of value to shareholders. From the article it appears like a memorandum of agreement had been signed to effect a reduction of Allied Financial Services' share in ZABG while the former banks' shareholders will take up their share in proportion to the value of their assets. This seems to indicate that the central bank has noted a weakness in its arguments.

If this proves true Royal Bank could regain a fairly big stake of ZABG due to its assets which included the real estate and its paper assets which had been undervalued.

The legal hassles show that entrepreneurs in volatile environments face unnecessary political and legal challenges. The rule of law in these countries is sometimes nonexistent. The legislative and political environments, instead of supporting investors, pose serious challenges to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs in these environments have to assess the associated risk in setting up their enterprises. However a new breed of entrepreneurs who do not fear the vicissitudes of political interference is making a difference. Entrepreneurs recognise that the environment is a constraint but can be manipulated until worthwhile opportunities are exploited for commercial value. These entrepreneurs choose not to be victims of the environment.
Assault on Entrepreneurs' Character

The information asymmetry whereby the Central Bank played its case in the public press while the accused bankers had no right of response created a false impression, in the minds of the populace, of entrepreneurs being greedy and unscrupulous.

The Central Bank accused Jeff Mzwimbi and Durajadi Simba of siphoning funds from the bank. An example appeared in a press article in which it was alleged that the sale of Barclays Bank branches to Royal Bank was annulled and the refunded funds were remitted to Mzwimbi and Durajadi at Finsreal Asset Managers and not Royal Bank's account. This was a clear case of deliberate misinformation as the Central Bank was aware of the truth. Royal Bank had included the purchase of the Bulawayo Barclays Bank branch building which Barclays Bank would lease a portion of from Royal Bank. When Royal Bank fell short at the Interbank Clearing House, it renegotiated with Barclays. This was after Royal was threatened that if it did not clear this amount it would be placed into the Troubled Bank Fund - which carried severe penalties.

The result was that Barclays refunded the amount paying it directly to Royal's Central Bank account. The RBZ acknowledged receiving these funds. How can they now accuse the founding shareholders of siphoning the same funds which went directly to the RBZ account? Mzwimbi insists that Barclays can easily testify to this.

The RBZ also alleged that Mzwimbi and Durajadi withheld information from their CVs on application for the bank licence and hence questioned their integrity. They claimed that Mzwimbi withheld information on his involvement with a failed bank, UMB. But the business plan for Royal Bank which was filed with RBZ clearly states this involvement. The Central Bank would have these records anyway. They also queried Durajadi's source of funds and cast aspersions on the net worth statement. Yet Durajadi had been involved in Zimbabwe Trust and a transport business with his brother, which gave him sufficient net worth value.

The RBZ contends that the Board of Royal Bank failed to comply with a directive to recapitalise by 29th July 2004. Royal Bank executives and Board state categorically that they never received this directive. Mzwimbi and his team argue that this is misinformation, as all banks were required to have recapitalised by 30th September 2004.

The regulators also allege that the balance sheet of Royal Bank had a deficit of $140 billion, which the bankers dispute. If one were to consider the disputed $23 billion for statutory reserves and the $20 billion as accommodation from the clearing house, this would amount to $77 billion with interests. However with the undervaluing of the assets and the $160 billion which was written off as uncollectible, there would be no negative balance sheet. The contention of the Royal Executives is that the curator, at the behest of the Reserve Bank, deliberately tampered with the accounts to provide a reason for the take-over. This may be validated by the fact that the curator's balance sheet kept changing whenever he was challenged and he increased the write-offs, even of funds that had since been collected. Since Royal and Trust Banks were amalgamated into ZABG, the bank is still profitable, without any recapitalisation having been carried out. The very fact that this new amalgamated bank can operate for this long from insolvent banks' capital without recapitalising lends credence to the argument of the Royal Bank's owners.

The entrepreneurs contend that they were dealing with a Central Bank which was determined to see them sink and not to protect the integrity of the banking system. This environment was not conducive to survival and it amplified normal weaknesses which could have been resolved in the course of normal business.

Entrepreneurial Determination

Mzwimbi and his colleagues refused to give up under challenging situations. Despite intimidation they took the Central Bank to court and refused to budge until justice was done. They were presented with numerous opportunities to quit the country but would not.

It is reported that they have not given up on their dream. They have set up Royal Financial Services in Kenya, despite the challenges in Zimbabwe. Indeed a sign of perseverance. Press reports indicated that they are in negotiations with Trust Bank so that once they win their case they can merge and continue their operations in Zimbabwe. Trust did not confirm or deny this. The more likely scenario however is that both Trust and Royal could reach a compromise with the central bank resulting in them taking up equity in ZABG subject to an independent revaluation exercise of the assets which were taken over.

Entrepreneurial Principles

The entrepreneurial journey is fraught with risk but can be very rewarding. Some lessons that can be learned from the case study are as follows:

• Entrepreneurs take calculated risk. Mzwimbi did not use all his resources in the bank but left his shareholding in Econet intact. He also sought to diversify his wealth by keeping some investments with FML and Screen Litho. This has been the mainstay of his wealth creation strategy. The disaster that befell the bank did not completely wipe him out because of this prudent investment strategy.

• Entrepreneurs learn from their experiences. Mzwimbi's vast experiences taught him critical lessons. His international banking experience enabled him to see the emerging trends as Barclays and Standard Chartered withdrew from country towns, creating a route for his entry strategy. His work with Econet taught him perseverance as he and his colleagues fought legal battles with government for the award of the licence. Little did he know that this was just training ground for the battle of his life - the battle for Royal Bank.

• Entrepreneurs need to continuously scan the environment for threats and opportunities. Whereas Mzwimbi and his team were good at noticing the emerging positive trends in the environment at inception, they failed to pick the changes in the regulatory environment when the new governor came on board.

• Entrepreneurial strategy emerges and therefore entrepreneurs should be flexible. Although Royal Bank had a plan to grow at a steady pace, when the opportunity arose to acquire other branches cheaply the entrepreneurs seized the opportunity.

• Entrepreneurs are faced with credibility challenges as customers, regulators and suppliers test the credibility of newcomers. Royal Bank minimised this by recruiting experienced and well known personnel in the market. However the lack of institutional shareholders led to credibility gaps with some corporate clients.

• Entrepreneurs need to craft into their organisations both managerial and leadership competences to ensure both the ability to exploit opportunities (entrepreneurial activity) and sustainable company performance (strategic management). The more contemporary view of entrepreneurship transcends just the venture creation and now encompasses strategic growth. Although Mzwimbi was an excellent leader he needed a strong and powerful manager to consolidate the gains and create solid systems to sustain the rapid growth. Leaders thrive on change while managers thrive on handling complexity and creating order.

• Business is built on relationships as these help in the scanning of the operating environment e.g. critical information about opportunities and threats was obtained from close relationships

Lets close this article with a few questions that an entrepreneur should consider. For instance, if Mzwimbi had expanded less aggressively, would Royal Bank have been safer from the regulators? How could Mzwimbi have protected Royal Bank from political and regulatory interference if he anticipated those risks? If Mzwimbi had selected to pursue his enterprise ideas in a country with a more dependable political and regulatory environment, how would he have performed? Would it have been wiser to keep the equipment, real estate and other assets in Royal Financial Holdings or other corporate entity and only lease them to the bank? In that scenario would the predators have been able to pounce on the bank?

Sources: I Dr Tawafadza A. Makoni confirm being the author of this work. The material for this case study was drawn from my interviews with Mr J Mzwimbi CEO of Royal Bank in February 2006 and two Royal Bank Board Members. Some material was drawn from an unpublished Royal Bank Strategic Business Plan, (2000)

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Cebu City, Philippines - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2012-02-03T21:07:00.001-05:00

A tourist visiting Cebu City for the first time may well be turned off by some of the city sites. The city has several world class resorts, hotels, beaches and dive sites. It also has some areas of the world's most devastating poverty. Cebu City is the capital city of the Cebu Province and it is the second largest city in the Philippines following Manila. I always feel at home in the city and lived in the city before building my home in the rural Cebu Province of Camotes Islands. Cebu City is a mix of the old and new, rich and poor, good and bad and pretty and ugly. There is also the mix of clean and really dirty or filthy. The rule for anyone going to Cebu for the first time is to not make a snap judgment.

My first trip to Cebu City was in February 2004. I went to the Philippines to meet a girl (Judith) now my wife. I flew into the Cebu-Mactan Airport and was met by Judith and one of here sisters. My flight started in Florida and the last leg of the flight was from Hong Kong. The Cebu International airport is just a little outdated, but very functional. Once outside of the airport doors I saw waves of people waiting to meet people coming off of the flight from Hong Kong. The airport was not all that busy when I arrived and I think my plane was the only arriving flight at the time. As people from my flight walk outside of the airport door they were bombarded with shuttle, taxi and V-hire greeters, all trying to get a fare. I met Judith just outside the airport doors. She, her sister and I all jumped into an old Kia Taxi and we were off to my hotel.

The taxi was old and not very well maintained. The Air conditioner didn't work and the window wouldn't go down. Of course that didn't matter as I couldn't close the door because the door latch was broken. So, I got lots of air. The hotel was about a 30 minute drive from the airport. As we traveled the city streets I saw crowded sidewalks made even more crowded by the many sidewalk vendors and street vendors. Some of the roads we traveled were moderately maintained while others were in very poor condition. The roads were crowded with many types of cars, but mostly Kia's and Hyundais. There were also a lot of Jeepneys, a Philippine traditional method of travel. A jeepney looks like a stretched army jeep with a hardtop and a large cargo area used for two benches for passenger seating. Jeepneys are normally painted with several different colors and lots of chrome. Many of the jeepneys are poorly maintained and most have bald tires and the braking systems may be questionable. Also, there were lots of small motorcycles.

After traveling just a few minutes I decided that the most dangerous vehicle in Cebu was the Jeepney, the Taxi and finally the motorcycle. The jeepney drivers tend to rule the road and stop on either side of the road to pick up or drop off passengers. I saw many jeepneys cut both lanes of traffic off just to drop off people and then saw others swerve quickly to the side of the road cutting off traffic so the driver could jump out of the jeepney to urinate along the side of the road. Taxis are no better, but pose a slightly smaller threat because the vehicles are smaller than a jeepney Motorcycles seem to be a danger only to the motorcycle driver and passengers and anyone walking along side the road or on the sidewalk. Motorcycles make their own traffic lanes on whatever little shoulder the road may have to offer or sometimes drive on the painted divider line as a narrow roadway to make an extra traffic lane for themselves. At other times I saw motorcycles throttle down sidewalks weaving around pedestrians. Yet, the pedestrians seemed little concerned of the carelessness and just continued on their way.

As we continued on our way to the hotel we drove through many different areas of the city. Some areas were very old and the buildings looked as though they were ready for demolition years ago. Many buildings and store fronts are concrete with plywood or corrugated steel sheets added to broken windows and steel bars cover the window or plywood. I can't imagine what would be worth the cost of the steel bars as the buildings were so poor. I was sure the contents within were no better. I noticed several small store fronts with one big open widow covered with chicken wire. These little stores are about the size of a small closet and there are dozen of these little stores on every street. They are called sari-sari stores and sell just a very few items such as canned fish, rice, snacks, cigarettes and so on. Most of these little stores are attached to the front of private houses and are crudely constructed of unpainted plywood and tin roofs. Most of the Sari-sari stores block the sidewalk, forcing people to walk on the road to get around the protruding plywood box. Other Sari-sari stores have a small table or tables along the narrow sidewalks for their rum buying customers and a karaoke machine assist in blocking the sidewalks.

In many of the old areas the sidewalks are filled with vendor's shacks, tents or some other type of hurried shelter to sell goods. The sidewalks belong to the vendors and the pedestrian is left to find his own way around the ugly obstructions. These small vendor shacks on the sidewalks block the store buildings behind and I still wonder why the store owners allow the vendors to block their stores. The old neighborhood streets and sidewalks in most areas are filthy. Trash is all over the streets, chickens are tied to utility poles or street signs as well as dogs. Many of the old homes along the city's commercial streets may or may not have running water and a sewer system. Many people use the streets and sidewalks as their bathroom and even bath on the sidewalks. The infrastructure of the old neighborhoods is almost non-existent. There is poor drainage, poor sewer systems, and electric lines hang low to the ground with hundreds of wires attached carelessly to a single wimpy pole. I often wonder how trucks make it under these wires without hitting the wire. In many cases the bigger trucks do indeed hit the wires and knock out power to large section of the city.

The one thing that stood out for me as we past by all these areas in the taxi was the people all seemed happy. Despite, what I saw as great poverty and terrible living conditions, these people, or least many people were happy. Although, most of the people I saw were rushing down the sidewalks going about their daily routine. I thought these people are doing the same thing as other people do in any major city around the world. Yet, my first visit in Cebu City opened my eyes to the fact that at the very least, the city was poverty stricken or had a large population that lived in poverty.

After about 30 minutes riding in the taxi we came into a much nicer area of the city and there like an oasis in the middle of all the poverty was this beautiful Hotel and a large modern shopping mall next to it, as well as several large modern well maintain high rise buildings. The scene was a stark difference to the old areas of the city. This area could be found in any modern US city and looked very much like a commercial area of a US city. The area is called the Ayala Business Park and the Ayala Mall. This is modern Cebu City and it is everything you would find in any modern city.

Once at the Hotel, the Marriott, I checked into a very nice room and we all went to the dinning room for a pleasant lunch. Soon after that it was just Judith and I as her sister went home. Judith then took me across the park to the Ayala Mall, just a five minute walk and once inside the mall I was amazed. The stores were the same as in the US, Ace Hardware, Levi, MacDonald's and so on. Plus, several Philippine Department stores and many different types of restaurants and coffee shops. All the store clerks and sale people spoke English and most all the Filipinos walking through the stores were speaking English. Others used a mix of English and their native Cebuano. All the store signs are written in English and the restaurant menus are written in English. In many ways I felt as if I just traveled 20 plus hours from Florida to be in a US city.

Although there were many other foreigners in the mall many Filipinos walking by asked where I was from and in general everyone was very friendly to me. While at the mall I bought a few souvenir type things to take home and Judith and I just did a lot of window shopping. I was happy to see the prices of most things in the stores were very cheap compared to the US. At that time one US dollar bought 56.00 pesos. Today it's one dollar to about 44.00 Pesos. Still a good deal, but today I'm careful in my spending. By the middle of the afternoon I was ready for some sleep after my long flight to Cebu. Judith went home and I retired to my hotel room.

The next morning Judith was at the hotel bright and early and we had breakfast at the hotel and then off to see the city and some of the beach resorts. Cebu has wonderful and beautiful resorts and all very affordable. The resorts are all well maintained and modern. The biggest population of customers at the resorts are foreigners and the staff Filipino. I quickly change my opinion of the city from a poverty stricken third world to a modern commercial and tourist city with a few old areas that needed a lot of help.

During my trip to Cebu we went into the old area of Colon. Colon is the oldest street in the country and has several landmarks. However, Colon is a dirty area of very old and poorly maintained buildings. Prostitution is a major problem in the Colon area as is street crime. There are some wonderful markets and great bargains to be found in Colon, but not an area for the new tourist to wander alone. Hotels can be had for a really cheap price in Colon. Some just $20.00 a night, but these hotels cater to those picking up street girls and both the girls and the rooms are really dirty. Last year Judith and I stayed at two different Colon Hotels. We went into the city for our monthly shopping trip from Camotes Islands. We decided to try the hotels as they are cheap and close to many of the outside markets. I would never stay at either of these hotels again. The best words to describe them is old, filthy, rat infested and full of prostitutes. Both of these hotels seem to cater to single foreign men and any girls the men may find at the Colon bars or on the streets. The area has several little Bikini type bars with Bar Girls (Prostitutes) also called GRO's. Unless you are looking for a prostitute there is little reason to go to Colon after dark and even then one needs to be very careful. This is not intended to say that all of Colon is bad. There are some nice stores and restaurants in Colon. I enjoy shopping in the Colon area, but one needs to use caution in Colon.

During my first visit I saw most all the areas of Cebu City and felt safe at all times. Of course we didn't go into the old parts of the city after dark. Rather we were at the resorts or around Ayala Park and these are all very safe and enjoyable areas.I would recommend Cebu City to anyone that wants to go to a great resort and spend time on a beautiful beach, go diving, take a boat tour of the outer islands and not spend a lot of money. There is just so much to do in Cebu City and so many great things to see. Staying at any of the resorts is very affordable just about $60.00 per night and some as high as $250.00. Dinner at restaurants is also very cheap. Meals at nice restaurants can cost just $10.00 to $20.00 for two people, I had a wonderful time during my first visit. However, I had Judith as my tour guide and as my girlfriend. I'm not sure I would have liked Cebu City as much as I did if Judith wasn't with me during the first trip.

Soon after my first visit to Cebu City I moved from Florida to Cebu City in 2004. By this time Judith and I were engaged to marry and I wanted to live in Camotes Islands. However, we decided to live in the city while looking for land to build a house in Camotes. Camotes Islands are a rural province of Cebu and just two hours from the city by boat. We rented a brand new two bedroom house in the Lahug area of Cebu City. The monthly rent was just $125.00 plus our TV cable for about $15.00 a month. The house was located on a hillside overlooking the city and close to everything we needed. Lahug is a very nice area and now there are many new housing sub-divisions built in the area. Our monthly budget while living in Lahug was approximately $700.00 and that included the rent, utilities, food, taxi cabs and even lots of dinners at restaurants and entertainment. I assume if we still lived in Lahug the budget would be just a few more dollars a month.

Within just a couple of weeks after moving into the Lahug house I felt as if Cebu was my city and I really enjoyed the city life. The city has many things to offer the foreigner and the city is always trying to attract more foreign retirees. It truly is a foreign (expat) friendly city. The largest group of foreigners in Cebu is Korean then Americans, Australians, British and Japanese. There are no racial tensions or problems in the city that I am aware of and the city is very safe. However, like any major world city there is crime, but using common safeguards and precautions one can have a happy life in Cebu City. Driving in the city is something I have never attempted and I don't think I ever will drive in the city. The taxi cabs can get you almost anywhere in the city for $1.00 to $2.00 and that's fine for me.

Shopping in the city is great and there are products from all over the world in Filipino stores. Many food stores stock western brands so you will never get homesick for your favorite foods from home. The outside markets, located all over the city offer great bargains and it's always fun to negotiate prices with the vendors. Cable TV is available in the city and it offers many American shows and news programs. You can go to the movie cinemas and see a new release movie for about $1.00 and the popcorn is just a few pennies. The city has grown since I moved to the Philippines. There are many new gated housing Sub-Divisions that cater to foreign buyers, new high rise condo buildings and the resorts all continue to attract foreigners. The two major malls in the city, Ayala and SM are both expanding. Many of the roads have been upgraded as well as the infrastructure in many areas. The city is a major draw for tourism and is always attempting to bring in more tourist and more foreign retirees.

Any expat on a monthly pension of about $1,000.00 can live like a king in Cebu City. You can live on less than $1,000.00 but I think $1,000.00 is the right figure if you include saving a little each month for emergencies, trips back home and medical needs. The city has very good hospitals and medical cost are much less in the Philippines. Good dental care at very reasonable rates is also available in the Philippines. Many people go to Cebu for medical or dental vacations. Just remember, if you think you want to move to Cebu City do your homework. Do you want to live in a new country? do you want to be separated from your family and grandchildren?, if you are married how does your wife feel about living in Cebu? If you have young children do you want them to live in a new country and what about their education? Do you have the patience and understanding to learn and live in a new culture? Do you have the money to live a good life in Cebu without the need to find work? Do you have enough money to cover any type of emergency that may require five to ten thousand dollars? Finally, what is your reason for wanting to live in a new country? If you can be honest with yourself and have a positive answer for the above questions, then maybe Cebu City is for you?

Remember too, The Philippine economy is struggling. Filipinos with four and six year college degrees are driving taxi cabs or working as store clerks. Unemployment in the country is through the roof. Poverty is a major issue in the country. For all the beauty of the Philippines Poverty continues to destroy many Filipinos and their futures and creates an ugly face to an otherwise beautiful country. Just this week on November 8, 2007 an 11 year old girl in Manila living with her mother, father and little brother in a shanty town hung herself. The reason left in a note from the little girl was because of the poverty she and her family lived. The father not able to find work for months and the mother working for just $1.00 a day. The little girl had just the night before asked her father for P200.00 for a school project. The father did not have the money, just under $4.00. All the girl wanted was to finish school and buy a new bike. A simple dream complicated by severe poverty in a country struggling to overcome political corruption and theft. Please remember, what you may spend in just one day in the Philippines is what a Filipino may have to live on for a month. Poverty does indeed take lives.

I truly love my lifestyle in the Philippines, but it took some time, patience, understanding and a few sacrifices to live in the Philippines. I made several mistakes before coming here and a few since living here. I didn't have enough money when I came here in 2004. I've made a few trips back to Florida to do some contract work and then returned to my beloved Camotes Islands. I'm currently away from home on a teaching contract. However, for me, it's worth the price to have just a few months a year in my paradise called Camotes Islands, Cebu, Philippines. I think anyone looking for a great vacation will enjoy Cebu City. Those looking to retire on a modest pension can live well here, but just be sure living in a new country is right for you. Before making a decision to move here it's wise to come on a vacation first and see the city for yourself. Then you can decide if this is the life you want. Once again, for me this is paradise.

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USS Midway

2012-02-03T05:11:00.001-05:00

USS Midway is an aircraft carrier that served with the US Navy. The ship was launched and laid down during World War Two, but was commissioned just after the war had ended.

During the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, USS Midway was deployed at various times in the Caribbean, with the 6th fleet in the Mediterranean, and at the 7th fleet in the Far East. The most notable achievements during this period were launching of captured German V-2 rocket from her deck (1947), and participation in early operations in Vietnam, including her aircraft downing three MiGs.

USS Midway was modernized at great expense in the late 1960s, and returned to service only in 1970. USS Midway again participated in operations in Vietnam in the early 1970s. In 1973, she became part of the first forward-deployment of a complete carrier task group to Japan. When South Vietname began to collapse in

1975, the ship returned to the area, and helped in the evacuation of US personnel and Vietnamese during the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese.

The USS Midway continued to serve during the late 1970s, and 1980s with deployments to the Pacific, (including participating in a 1976 military demonstration to North Korea), and to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf during the Iranian Revolution.

In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. USS Midway was deployed to the theater, and participating in the liberation of Kuwait the following year (Operation Desert Storm).

After a long and distinguished career, USS Midway was decommissioned 1992. In January 2004, the ship was moored at Broadway Pier in San Diego, California, and in June of the same year she opened to the public as a museum.

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PEI Potato Museum

2012-02-02T16:28:00.001-05:00

The PEI Potato Museum, located in O'Leary in western Prince Edward Island, is the only museum of its kind in the world. Surrounded by potato fields, the building is a perfect fit for the pastoral landscape. This unique spot celebrates PEI's famous potato. Grown in the island's rich red soil, PEI potatoes are popular with consumers and profitable for Prince Edward Island farmers.

Although since the potato industry has passed through generations, Islanders are more concerned with pride in their product than any profits. Yet the province's potatoes account for one third of Canada's total production. With a Potato History Exhibit, Machinery Gallery, Potato Hall of Fame, The Amazing Potato Exhibit, and Community Museum, Prince Edward Islanders honor the potato.

Learn everything about potatoes at the interpretive centre. Discover the origin of the potato, the reason for its worldwide appeal, and how the industry experienced growth on the island. Whether you want to find out about potato processing or marketing and exporting, you will find the answer at the Potato Museum.

The Machinery Gallery houses farm implements and machinery used in potato farming. The Amazing Potato Exhibit includes interesting displays and interactive terminals for education as well as entertainment. A Resource Room allows people to view videos or do research.

The on-site gift shop sells 'potato' souvenirs including sour cream dishes, mugs, milk pitchers, and salt and pepper shakers. The shop also sells potato logo merchandise - t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts. Other historical buildings such as The Heritage Chapel, Log Barn, and Little Red Schoolhouse are also on the premises. Follow Heritage Lane to find these great places.

Of course, a potato museum will have tasty treats. Visitors can enjoy a delicious lunch featuring the famous island vegetable. Potato bread and potato fudge are two 'out of the ordinary' but satisfying selections.

In addition, the Potato Museum provides farm tours. Potato lovers can visit potato farms, talk with farmers, and sometimes even participate in a farm activity. As well, visitors can tour a potato packaging plant.

Indeed, farm trips can be customized to include other island attractions. Everyone gets value, information, and enjoyment from these outings. The farm tours last 3-4 hours. A perfect way to spend an afternoon in the "Garden of the Gulf!"

Most visitors to Prince Edward Island want to spend much longer than a day in this beautiful province. Tourists can find 'bed and breakfasts' as well as PEI cottages and hotels near O'Leary and across the island. Prince Edward Island has numerous attractions but the Potato Museum is always a favorite - especially with the kids. They like the sweet fudge and crispy fries.

Whether you just love curious things or are a true potato lover, children and adults are impressed with the Giant Potato. This huge sculpture, situated at the entrance to the museum, is made of fiberglass, stands 14 feet high, and is 7 feet in diameter. One impressive potato in a unique museum in a one-of-a-kind province!

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How to Find Bereavement and Family Emergency Airfares

2012-02-01T14:58:00.001-05:00

When an unexpected death or medical emergency befalls a loved one far away, it is often very challenging to find and purchase an emergency airline ticket. It has always been the custom for airlines to charge the highest prices for tickets bought at the last minute, and even more if you don't know exactly when you will be returning.

For many years the airlines have offered bereavement airfares, but unfortunately most airlines have eliminated or dramatically reduced their family medical emergency and bereavement airfares in the past year. The airlines claim that competition has affected the marketplace so much that they just can no longer afford to reduce ticket prices any further. Really? We all know that last minute tickets with a flexible return date can often cost $1,000 or more! Thankfully three major US airlines are still committed to assisting folks during family medical emergencies. They are American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

Here are the steps you need to take to secure a bereavement or family medical emergency reduced rate airline ticket:

1) You must phone the airline's reservation department. Contact American Airlines at 800-433-7300, Northwest Airlines at 800-225-2525, or United at 800-241-6522. Information for this type of ticket does not exist online. Airlines don't even admit they have such fares on their websites! Tell the reservation agent that you need a medical emergency or bereavement reduced rate airline ticket and what the circumstances are.

2) You must be an immediate family member - sister, brother, parent, child, grandchild etc. If you have extenuating circumstances, by all means explain them to the agent, they have been known to bend the rules from time to time.

3) The airline agent will verify the information you are telling them, so have the following information at hand for verification: Your relative's full name, Name and phone number of the funeral home
or Name and phone number of the hospital or medical facility, Name and phone number of the attending physician.

Flights should be able to be booked in the course of one phone call, so be prepared with your desired dates and times of travel before placing the phone call. If the first agent you speak with does not seem able or willing to deal with your request, end the call and dial in again. Finally, you may want to check on Priceline.com, Kayak.com and with low cost carriers that serve your area to see what a standard ticket would cost. You may find that there is a less expensive option available online than with a reduced rate bereavement ticket.

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Sydney Airport Arrivals - Sydney Airport Guide

2012-01-29T12:35:00.001-05:00

Before you even get to exploring Sydney, the adventure of a visit to Sydney Airport awaits you. Sydney Airport is rated in the top five airports of the world by many frequent flyers. It's also gained a reputation for some unclear signage, so make sure you arrive in advance! To get the best experience from your trip to Sydney Airport -- or just to get out of it quickly and hassle-free -- read our easy-to-follow guide.

Arriving at Sydney Airport

You will arrive in Terminal 2 or 3 if you're arriving from Brisbane, Melbourne, or other domestic flights to Sydney. Terminal 3 receives Qantas passengers, and Terminal 1 is for international flights.

An attractive and modern airport, Sydney Airport is the perfect place to end your flight to Sydney. You'll enter the Sydney Airport building on the Arrival Level, which display some signs to the baggage reclaim halls. There's no need to rush to claim your luggage: like anywhere, it can take some time to appear. It is recommended however that you follow your nose (i.e. your fellow passengers) to your assigned luggage carousel, as there are a few turns on the way.

Once all is reclaimed, you can catch public transport or hire transport from the Arrival Level, or keep making your way to the Concourse Level, filled with shops and a food court.

If you need cash funds, the best ATM to head for is a multi-bank terminal that stands between the accommodation booking desk and the Travelex currency exchange booth on the Arrivals Level.

Food Court

The food court has a good range of health and fast food options. Higher than average prices are common for airports, but the tables here are kept clean and there's plenty of leg-room to stretch out. A hot drink and cake will set you back $7-10 AUD, and a meal for lunch or dinner can be $10-25 AUD. The bathroom facilities here are well signed, and can generally be found in the corners of the mall area.

Shopping in Sydney Airport

International visitors and resident Aussies alike find can start shopping in Sydney straight away, with clothing brands such as Bonds, French Connection and Witchery. There are also bags, music, kids toys, a chemist and mobile phone outlet. Internet access is available from public computer terminals on a pay-per-minute basis.

Inter-terminal Transport

It's only a short walk between domestic Terminals 2 and 3.

The shuttle service for transport between Terminals 1-2 is called T-Bus. A 10-minute one-way trip costs $5 AUD, with the service running frequently during morning peak hours then half-hourly until 8 pm. The Terminal 2 stop is Bay 3, near luggage carousel 6.

Taxis cost AUD $8-12 one-way between any two terminals, which can take 10 minutes or more, depending on the time of day your flight is arriving.

If you need to get to another terminal quickly, the Airport Link Train service takes just two minutes. The one-way trip costs $13.40 AUD per adult.

Qantas Domestic Flight passengers, check your eligibility to use the Qantas Seamless Transfer Service.

Transport from Airport to Sydney city

To reach your Sydney accommodation fast or to get sightseeing right away, you can take a train, bus, taxi or hire car from Terminals 2 or 3.

If hailing a taxi, have ready an extra $2.50 (surcharge) along with your fare. The following amounts provide a rough guideline on prices you can expect for a one-way fare to the following main areas of Sydney: City or North Sydney ($25-32.50 AUD), Manly ($50 AUD), Parramatta ($85 AUD), Liverpool ($55 AUD) or Cronulla ($45 AUD). Pick any of the comparable six cab operators at the shared taxi ranks directly outside the Airport doors: there's a hefty fine for getting a taxi outside a rank, and the flow of taxis here is constant, so there's really no need to look elsewhere. As throughout Australia, tipping is appreciated, but not an institution.

Trains take around 15 minutes to Sydney City, with an integrated bus/train/ferry ticket available from the driver. An all-day, any-mode-of-transport ticket is around $15 AUD. View train timetables at stations in the Arrivals area of Terminals 2 and 3.

Buses operate only from Terminals 1 and 3. If you do arrive in Terminal 2, a $5 AUD T-Bus ticket can get you to a public city bus service in 10 minutes.

Hire cars are available form a range of operators, including names you'll recognise (Hertz Rental Cars, amongst others), from the Arrival Level of Terminals 2 and 3. Most Sydney hotels offer valet or off-street parking, making rental car costs an affordable convenience.

Once you find your way out of Sydney Airport -- whether you're grabbing luggage and going, or shopping for hours -- smile: you will have started your visit to Sydney in one of the busiest and brightest airports in Australia and the world.

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Destinations For the Best Christmas Vacations

2012-01-27T09:27:00.001-05:00

Are you thinking of spending Christmas somewhere special with your family this year? Are you hoping to take them to a vacation for the holidays, but have no idea where to go? If so, then here is a list of some of the best Christmas vacations from different parts of the world. These destinations will certainly make your family Christmas a more memorable one.

Fun in the Sun - Hawaii

This place is ideal for families who love the sun. Hawaii has many exciting places and features that you can explore. You can also enjoy the beach and soak in the sun. There are a lot of vacation packages that you can avail of for your family but be sure to book early.

Islands in the Sun - Canary Islands (Spain)

This is another ideal destination for those who enjoy the sun. The Canary Islands, an archipelago in Spain, are comprised of seven large islands and some smaller islands. They are known for beautiful unspoiled beaches with clean fine sand. Each island has a characteristic that sets it apart from the others, an interesting fact that is worth exploring.

The Canary Islands, with its warm inviting climate, are a favorite destination of tourists during the Christmas season. You and your family will certainly enjoy your stay here. You can also get to observe the locals' traditional way of celebrating Christmas.

Activities Galore - Dubai

The best time to visit Dubai is between the months of October and March, during which you can enjoy not-so-hot temperatures. There are parks and beaches here that your family can visit. However, a lot of these parks and beaches have days that are set apart strictly for women and children, so make sure you check the schedules before you visit. You can also go to the desert safari.

There is no dearth of activities to do in Dubai, which is why it belongs to the best Christmas vacations. You can go sight seeing and visit picturesque waterfalls and canyons. You can also take trips to Bedouin villages. If you are up to the adventure, you can go sand skiing. And of course, one of the best things you can do here is do some shopping!

Heading Down South - Australia

During Christmas season in the US, Australia is enjoying its summer days, so this is the perfect time to visit the beautiful island continent. You will get to enjoy lots of sun on the beaches. You will also see the Australians' quite unique way of celebrating Christmas.

Australia is a place with lots of amazing places to go to. It is definitely one of the best Christmas vacations because your trip there will be worthwhile. You will never run out of things to do or destinations to visit.

Christmas with a Twist - Mexico

Mexico is a popular Christmas vacation place. Christmas in Mexico is a colorful and festive time. The celebrations start as early as the 16th of December and continue after Christmas.

There are family vacation packages available during the Christmas season. You can stay in beach resorts and enjoy clear blue waters and a relaxing atmosphere. You can go scuba diving or enjoy parasailing. Mexico also has many historical sites you can visit.

These are five of the best Christmas vacations in various locations around the globe. They are perfect for you and your family. If you want to try something new this Christmas, then these destinations are definitely worth a try.

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Flight Attendant Jobs: Who Is Hiring

2012-01-26T20:17:00.001-05:00

The news for US legacy carriers continues to worsen. Northwest and Delta recently filed bankruptcy while several others are teetering toward insolvency. Finding employment with one of these carriers is difficult, particularly if you are seeking a career as a flight attendant. Still, there are jobs with some air carriers, if you know where to look. Let's take a look at some airlines that are likely to hire flight attendants over the next year or two.

The legacy carriers, which include American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, and USAirways, are probably not good places to look for stable employment. Earlier in 2005, Continental was hiring flight attendants, but the job market for the legacy carriers remains generally bleak. United remains in bankruptcy and USAirways recently exited bankruptcy and merged with America West Airlines.

On the other hand, the following discount, charter, and regional carriers have all hired flight attendants recently or are planning to do so over the next year:

* AirTran Airways

* Air Wisconsin Airlines

* Alaska Airlines/Horizon Airlines

* Champion Air

* Chautauqua Airlines

* Colgan Air

* Comair

* EOS Airlines

* Falcon Air Express

* Frontier Airlines

* Independence Airlines

* JetBlue Airways

* Maxjet Airlines

* Mesa Group

* Mesaba Airlines

* Miami Air

* North American Airlines

* Omni Air International

* Piedmont Airlines

* Pinnacle Airlines

* Shuttle America

* Skywest Airlines

* Southwest Airlines

* Spirit Airlines

* Transstates Airlines

* U.S. Airways

* USA3000 Airlines

* United Express

* Virgin America [awaiting FAA approval to fly]

* World Airways

Job fairs are a popular way for carriers to recruit, interview, and hire new employees. Check each company's website for detailed information about upcoming dates or visit an aviation job board such as the Aviation Employment Board for the latest job postings. Hiring plans can change at any time, so make sure that the information you gather is verified directly by the air carrier.

Web sites dedicated toward providing more information about becoming a flight attendant are legion on the internet. Some of the better sites include:

FlightAttendants.Org

Airline Flight Attendant Room {MSN Group}

If you are seeking a career as a private flight attendant, the Corporate Flight Attendant Community at http://www.corporateflyer.net is a full resource center offering informative articles, helpful links, training information, job listings, as well as an active message board: http://www.corporateflyer.net

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Personal Social Networking Vs Professional Social Networking

2012-01-26T04:05:00.001-05:00

Social Networking, a powerful tool for making connections, has entered both personal and professional life of browsers. An online community or group is referred to as social network. This network is helping people to come together to spend their free time either sharing their thoughts, interests and so on. These networks are so user friendly and interactive that people with similar interests are easily connected. Social community acts as a platform to share your views. Whether you want to meet a friend or looking for a date, social network is always helpful. These days, social communities are also gaining professional usage. Whether you are looking for a business, a new client or want to market yourself, it helps in all ways as they act like a catalyst to steer your goals.

Social network has many features that help you access and upload different things on the net. You can post your profile, upload your photos, and send messages, post comments, share your professional details as well as details of your personal life. You can even see other's profile and can share yours as well providing the details of your life, such as where you live, work and so on. As these networks are wide spread and possess high level of interactivity, you can reach a vast audience and beneficial to both your personal and professional life.

Using social networks is a trend now a day and people are on Facebook, Twitter, SocialTreehouse.com, linked-In and many other social communities. These communities help you keep in touch with your family, friends and peers. You can set your status on Facebook, share your photos on Orkut, tweet on twitter, send your reviews or ask about an event on SocialTreehouse.com and many other amusing things on these communities.

They help not only publish your personal lifestyle but also help you market your profession and gain business. Hundreds of people go through your profile, read your views, comment on your posts and can even seek for your professional help. Therefore, it becomes important for both your professional and personal life that every post, comment or tweet you do on social networking site can help you in your professional life.

Therefore, social networking is not just an online community but also a podium to enjoy your both professional and personal life through self-marketing.

For More Details Visit us at: - www.socialtreehouse.com.

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Major Airlines

2012-01-24T10:24:00.001-05:00

Most countries in the world boast an airline that is a national carrier that plies international routes, and not just between its cities and other countries, but between cities outside its borders. This can be described as a major airline.

The first step to picking which carrier you are going to book a ticket on, is deciding where you are traveling, be it for business or for a vacation. You then do some research on the internet or by consulting travel agents to know which major airlines travel from where you are to your desired destination. You can then research or find out about each carrier from their websites or from the many consumer review websites that are available.

Upon deciding on the airline that you are going to fly, you will then need to define a budget. Are there any flights available on the day that you want to fly, that are within your budget? If not, what the closest days available or the next best options are in regards to flight.

You also want to consider where you will have your lay over when in transit. Do you need to get any transit visas? Some major airlines will organize these for you if you request it. You can even pick an airline with an overnight layover in a city you have never been to. They often provide hotels for the travelers to spend the night in. you can take in the sights and sounds of this new city during your layover.

Pick only the major airlines that are reliable, and if you are a frequent traveler, you can even pick one with a reward system. And you can redeem your points in hotels, grocery stores or even when picking a new destination to fly to.

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Singapore - The Fine City

2012-01-23T08:32:00.001-05:00

Singapore is famous for being the cleanest city in the world. Tourists will be astonished and impressed by the strict rules and regulations formed by the Singapore government. There are many posters in buildings and parks telling people what they should do, what they shouldn't do and how much they will be fined if they break the rules. That is the reason why Singapore is called "the fine city".

The Singaporean government wants to establish a clean and green country where all citizens are well educated and are considerately to others. Therefore they have set many strict rules as well as put a lot of instructions and reminders in public places so that people always remember what they aren't allowed to do and everything is orderly. Children are taught at school and in their family, right from very early ages, about what they should do and how to behave in this society.

If you are a tourist visiting Singapore, you should be considerate and pay attention to every one of your actions. There are many things considered normal in your country but which are illegal in Singapore. You will be fined heavily if you litter or smoke in public places. Also remember to flush public toilets after using it so that you aren't fined S$500.

It is summer and you enjoy lying on the beach sunbathing. However, if you are in Singapore, you mustn't go nude or topless when sunbathing, even if it is your own back yard. It is forbidden in Singapore and you will be fined if you're caught doing that.

Chewing gum is not forbidden in Singapore but bringing gum into the country in large amount is illegal and the gum seller can be sent to jail. Therefore, be careful with what you bring to Singapore. You can find more information about what is not allowed to be brought into Singapore by visiting the Singaporean customs' website.

Drugs are strictly forbidden in Singapore. People trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15g of heroin, 30g of morphine, 30g of cocaine, 500g of cannabis, 200g of cannabis resin and 1.2kg of opium are sentenced to death. Possessing these amounts is also regarded as trafficking and equals a death penalty. Therefore you must not get involved in drugs in Singapore by any means.

Thanks to the strict laws of Singapore, this country is very safe and orderly. There is virtually no crime, no corruption and you are safe even when walking alone at night. There may be some pickpockets in crowded places. However, they are rare unlike any other Asian countries.

Every year a large number of tourists are fined during their stay in Singapore because they are unaware of the strict rules and regulations. You should read about its rules and regulations carefully before going there and be aware of every board, poster or sign you see. Being a decent person and showing your respect to others, you won't encounter any problems and will have an enjoyable stay in this clean country.

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My Recommended Top 10 Things to Do in Kuching in 48 Hours

2012-01-19T20:28:00.001-05:00

Many tourists like to visit Kuching city, fondly known as the Cat city in Sarawak, Malaysia. Some tourists come on their own based on Lonely Planet guide recommendations of where to go, see and experience. What better ways to experience the city than through a local person's recommendations.

1. Upon checking in at the hotel in the morning, go for a Kuching city tour. If you follow one of those guided tour, the tour will bring you to the top of Civic Centre Tower for a panoramic view of Kuching city skyline, Sarawak Museum to learn about the past histories and then drive past the gigantic Cat Monument. Many tourists would stop by to take pictures. If you come during the Chinese New Year, the Cat could be seen wearing a traditional Chinese costume. If you come during the Ramadhan month where the muslims celebrate Hari Raya, the Cat would be wearing a green Malay costume. You will also get a glimpse of Kuching South city council, drive through Chinatown, visit Sarawak's older Taoist Temple, Catholic church, pass through the Malay village and then visit the old State Mosque with 5 golden domes.

2. Next, you will go to one of those famous Sarawak Pottery Factory. If you visit it in the morning, you may get a chance to see the skilled workers carving the lamp, vase and etc. The tour will then end at Kuching Waterfront where most of the pre-colonial buildings are situated.

3. Next, you will go for souvenir shopping at Waterfront or along Gambier Road. You may even chance upon some antiques that you like to buy home.

4. In the afternoon, go visit Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. You may want to check with your guide or the travel agent counter the feeding time of these orang utans so that you can catch them in action.

5. You will then come back to city and have your dinner at Topspot Seafood Restaurant. There are several seafood centre for you to choose from. The dishes that you MUST order are stir fried midin, a local jungle fern stir fried with belacan, a type of prawn paste, bamboo clam fried in curry powder and oyster pancake.

6. The next day, you will have the famous Sarawak Laksa for breakfast. You can easily find stalls selling them at any of the coffee shops in the city. The food is spicy. If you cannot eat spicy food, then you are recommended to have Sarawak kolok mee for breakfast.

7. Then you will set off to Sarawak Cultural Village and spend the whole morning there. As it is almost an hour drive from the city, you are recommended to take shuttle service to there. You may purchase the shuttle service ticket at Grand Margherita Hotel entrance. Otherwise, you can easily inquire from the hotel receptionist. When you have reached Sarawak Cultural Village, do visit the various ethnic houses and do not miss the cultural performances. You should be back in the city by noon time.

8. You will then have stir fried tomato noodles for lunch. It is a specialty dish available only in Sarawak.

9. Next, you may want to go for a foot massage by this blind masseur located beside Mc Donald outlet opposite Grand Margherita Hotel. The service is not expensive.

10. Then you head for dinner at any of the fine city restaurants in Kuching. Some of my recommended restaurants are Jambu Air, Magenta and several others.

After an evening of fine dining, you will head back to hotel to catch a flight home the next day.

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Great Anniversary Gifts For Parents

2012-01-19T07:52:00.001-05:00

Are you looking for a great anniversary gift for your parents? If you want a unique anniversary gift, consider a Persian or Oriental rug. What could be a better surprise for the people who spent so many years dabbing your spilled grape juice from the living room carpet? You need to be careful about the investment in Persian or Oriental rugs however. Some venders purchase inferior quality rugs made by businesses that mass produce cheap imitations and try to pass them off as the real thing.

If you want a quality Persian or Oriental rug, you need to find a shop that sells bona fide silk or wool rugs, lovingly hand woven by Persian and Oriental family crafters who pass their talent for weaving to their children. Most imitation products are made of synthetic materials. Since this is an investment, opt for the good material. Purchase only authentic silk or wool products created by real family crafters, not by sweat shops. You will be helping the children learn a craft in the comfort of their own homes while providing a living for generations to come. Genuine Oriental and Persian rugs come from countries such as Turkey, China, Afghanistan, India, and a few others.

Of course, there are many other great anniversary gifts for parents who aren't into rugs. Obviously, the interests of the parents are a major consideration. If your parents are keen on hanging out in the yard, consider a stainless steel grill. The great thing about a grill is that your whole family can meet together for leisurely cookouts and special get-togethers. You can even have the grill engraved in honor of the special anniversary.

Red cedar outdoor furniture also makes great anniversary gifts for parents. Most wood doesn't hold up well in extreme weather conditions. The unique composition of red cedar however, allows it to endure well outdoors for years, even when it's not painted.

If your parents have an outdoor fishpond, Koi fish might be a significant addition to the pond. These descendants of Japanese carp are much more colorful than their ancestors ever were. Many people unfamiliar with fish think Koi are nothing more than large goldfish. The Koi however, is only a distant cousin to the goldfish. The markings on these distinctive fish are what determine their value.

Most great anniversary gifts for parents are those that are most memorable and given from the heart. Sending your parents on the trip of a lifetime for their anniversary is one thing they will never forget. Such trips can be anything from a cruise through the Panama Canal, to a Canadian Canoe Trip in Algonquin Park, to a tour of the various countries of Europe; any one of them would be great. If you are looking for a budget cruise, some of the most reasonably priced are those to Mexico.

If you check online, you can find many superior deals to various places around the world. You can find excellent deals through airlines, travel agencies or budget travel businesses. Many such businesses offer excellent package deals that include flights, car rentals, motels and side trips to local attractions.

You could buy your parents land in each of the 50 states too. You don't have to buy real real estate simply one square inch in any or all of the states. Maybe they honeymooned somewhere in one particular state...or maybe they're thinking of retiring say in Hawaii, Florida or Arizona? Or maybe they want to travel all around the country? They'll get a deed to each piece of their new property in each state. It's a great fun anniversary gift; a novelty for sure. They cannot build on their land and it holds zero investment opportunity but they won't have to pay taxes on it, nor upkeep it either. This gift by the way is an especially great 50th anniversary gift because of the 50 states tie-in.

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Southwest Airlines Operations - A Strategic Perspective

2012-01-15T19:57:00.001-05:00

Background:

Southwest Airlines is the largest airline measured by number of passengers carried each year within the United States. It is also known as a ‘discount airline’ compared with its large rivals in the industry. Rollin King and Herb Kelleher founded Southwest Airlines on June 18, 1971. Its first flights were from Love Field in Dallas to Houston and San Antonio, short hops with no-frills service and a simple fare structure. The airline began with one simple strategy: “If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline.” This approach has been the key to Southwest’s success. Currently, Southwest serves about 60 cities (in 31 states) with 71 million total passengers carried (in 2004) and with a total operating revenue of $6.5 billion. Southwest is traded publicly under the symbol “LUV” on NYSE.

Facts:

* The first major airline to fly a single type of aircraft (Boeing 737s)

* The first major airline to offer ticketless travel system wide including a frequent flier program based on number of trips and not number of miles flown.

* The first airline to offer a profit-sharing program to its Employees (instituted in 1973).

* The first major airline to develop a Web site and offer online booking. In 2001, about 40 percent ($2.1 billion) of its passenger revenue was generated through online bookings at [http://www.southwest.com]. Southwest's cost per booking via the Internet is about $1, compared to a cost per booking through travel agents of $6 to $8.

Key competitive advantages:

* Low Operational costs / High Operational Efficiency

* Award winning customer service

* Human Resource practices / Work culture

Operations Analysis – Competitive Dimensions:

Southwest clearly has a distinct advantage compared to other airlines in the industry by executing an effective and efficient operations strategy that forms an important pillar of its overall corporate strategy. Given below are some competitive dimensions that will be studied in this paper.

1. Operational Costs and Efficiency

2. Customer Service

3. Employee/Labor Relations

4. Technology

1. Operational Costs and Efficiency

After all, the airline industry overall is in shambles. But, how does Southwest Airlines stay profitable? Southwest Airlines has the lowest costs and strongest balance sheet in its industry, according to its chairman Kelleher. The two biggest operating costs for any airline are – labor costs (approx 40%) followed by fuel costs (approx 18%). Some other ways that Southwest is able to keep their operational costs low is - flying point-to-point routes, choosing secondary (smaller) airports, carrying consistent aircrafts, maintaining high aircraft utilization, encouraging e-ticketing etc.

Labor Costs

The labor costs for Southwest typically accounts for about 37% of its operating costs. Perhaps the most critical element of the successful low-fare airline business model is achieving significantly higher labor productivity. According to a recent HBS Case Study, southwest airlines is the “most heavily unionized” US airline (about 81% of its employees belong to an union) and its salary rates are considered to be at or above average compared to the US airline industry. The low-fare carrier labor advantage is in much more flexible work rules that allow cross-utilization of virtually all employees (except where disallowed by licensing and safety standards). Such cross-utilization and a long-standing culture of cooperation among labor groups translate into lower unit labor costs. At Southwest in 4th quarter 2000, total labor expense per available seat mile (ASM) was more than 25% below that of United and American, and 58% less than US Airways.

Carriers like Southwest have a tremendous cost advantage over network airlines simply because their workforce generates more output per employee. In a study in 2001, the productivity of Southwest employees was over 45% higher than at American and United, despite the substantially longer flight lengths and larger average aircraft size of these network carriers. Therefore by its relentless pursuit for lowest labor costs, Southwest is able to positively impact its bottom line revenues.

Fuel Costs

Fuel costs is the second-largest expense for airlines after labor and accounts for about 18 percent of the carrier's operating costs. Airlines that want to prevent huge swings in operating expenses and bottom line profitability choose to hedge fuel prices. If airlines can control the cost of fuel, they can more accurately estimate budgets and forecast earnings. With growing competition and air travel becoming a commodity business, being competitive on price was key to any airline’s survival and success. It became hard to pass higher fuel costs on to passengers by raising ticket prices due to the highly competitive nature of the industry.

Southwest has been able to successfully implement its fuel hedging strategy to save on fuel expenses in a big way and has the largest hedging position among other carriers. In the second quarter of 2005, Southwest’s unit costs fell by 3.5% despite a 25% increase in jet fuel costs. During Fiscal year 2003, Southwest had much lower fuel expense (0.012 per ASM) compared to the other airlines with the exception of JetBlue as illustrated in exhibit 1 below. In 2005, 85 per cent of the airline’s fuel needs has been hedged at $26 per barrel. World oil prices in August 2005 reached $68 per barrel. In the second quarter of 2005 alone, Southwest achieved fuel savings of $196 million. The state of the industry also suggests that airlines that are hedged have a competitive advantage over the non-hedging airlines. Southwest announced in 2003 that it would add performance-enhancing Blended Winglets to its current and future fleet of Boeing 737-700’s. The visually distinctive Winglets will improve performance by extending the airplane’s range, saving fuel, lowering engine maintenance costs, and reducing takeoff noise.

Point-to-Point Service

Southwest operates its flight point-to-point service to maximize its operational efficiency and stay cost-effective. Most of its flights are short hauls averaging about 590 miles. It uses the strategy to keep its flights in the air more often and therefore achieve better capacity utilization.

Secondary Airports

Southwest flies to secondary/smaller airports in an effort to reduce travel delays and therefore provide excellent service to its customers. It has led the industry in on-time performance. Southwest has also been able to trim down its airport operations costs relatively better than its rival airlines.

Consistent aircrafts

At the heart of Southwest's success is its single aircraft strategy: Its fleet consists exclusively of Boeing 737 jets. Having common fleet significantly simplifies scheduling, operations and flight maintenance. The training costs for pilots, ground crew and mechanics are lower, because there's only a single aircraft to learn. Purchasing, provisioning, and other operations are also vastly simplified, thereby lowering costs. Consistent aircrafts also enables Southwest to utilize its pilot crew more efficiently.

E-Ticketing

The idea of ticketless travel was a major advantage to Southwest because it could lower its distribution costs. Southwest became electronic or ticketless back in the mid-1990s, and today they are about 90-95% ticketless. Customers who use credit cards are eligible for online transactions, and today Southwest.com bookings account for about 65% of total revenue. The CEO Gary Kelly thinks that this idea would grow further and that he wouldn't be surprised if e-ticketing accounted for 75% of Southwest’s revenues by end of 2005. In the past, when there was a 10% travel agency commission paid, it used to cost about $8 a booking. But currently, Southwest is paying between 50 cents and $1 per booking for electronic transactions that translate to huge cost savings.

2. Employee and Labor Relations

Southwest has been highly regarded for its innovative management style. It maintains a relentless focus on high-performance relationships and its people-management practices have been the key to its unparalleled success in the airline industry.

Mission Statement

To Our Employees
“We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.”

The Southwest mission statement shows that the company has a strong commitment to its employees. The company affords the same respect to its employees that is provided to its customers. The Southwest mission statement is unique in that it recognizes the importance of its employees within the broader business strategy, which emphasizes superb customer service and operational efficiency. The employees reciprocate the respect, loyalty and trust that Southwest demonstrates. Southwest employees are known for their loyalty, dedication, attitude and innovation. The employees are the distinguishing factor between Southwest and the rest of the airline industry.

Hiring

Southwest hiring policy is unique not only within the airline industry, but also more broadly, and revolves around finding people with the right attitude that will thrive in the Southwest culture. Extensive procedures are employed to hire for positive attitude and dedication. Those who do not posses those qualities are weeded out. Colleen Barrett, a non-operational officer at Southwest, states that

“Hiring is critical, because you cannot institutionalize behavior. Instead, you must identify those people who already practice the behaviors you are looking for. Then you can allow Employees to be themselves and make decisions about Customer service based on common sense and their natural inclinations.” 1

Recruiting and interviewing at Southwest is a two-step process. The first step is a group interview, conducted by employees, where communication skills of potential candidates are evaluated. The next steps in this process are one on one interview, where the candidates' attitudes and orientation toward serving others are evaluated. These hiring criteria apply to all job functions since all Employees at Southwest play a customer service role. A critical part of Southwest operational strategy is that every job at Southwest is a customer service position, whether it directly applies to the customer or whether it is internal.

The table below shows that even though Southwest is the most heavily unionized airline, at approximately 80%, that contract negotiations between the unions and Southwest are much shorter in duration than of the other major carriers. This shows the quality of relationship that Southwest has with its employees and with the unions that represent them.

Culture

Southwest was created as a different kind of company and from its beginnings a unique culture was nurtured. In 1990 Colleen Barrett formed the Southwest Culture Committee. This is unique within the industry and among all large companies. The committee also has a mission statement:

“This group's goal is to help create the Southwest spirit and culture where needed; to enrich it and make it better where it already exists; and to liven it up in places where it might be "floundering". In short, this group's goal is to do "whatever it takes" to create, enhance, and enrich the special Southwest spirit and culture that has made this such a wonderful Company/Family.”

It is this unique approach to company values that has created a culture that differentiates itself from others. Southwest’s culture is the reason why it is successful.

3. Customer Service

The Mission of Southwest Airlines
The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.

Approach

Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest, has been quoted as saying that "We're in the Customer service business; we just happen to provide airline transportation".2 Award winning customer service is a distinguishing characteristic of Southwest and it is referred to internally as “Positively Outrageous Service”. It means that from the top to bottom everyone does whatever he or she can to satisfy the customer. This includes Herb Kelleher, who has been known for helping out baggage handlers on Thanksgiving. It is through emphasizing the customer and employee that Southwest is able to differentiate itself from others in the airline industry. On a more technical level, each employee or group within Southwest has his or her own customer. This means that every employee ‘serves’ in one way or another despite not being directly involved with the passenger. The mechanic’s customer is the pilot and the caterer’s is the flight attendant.

Results

It can be said that the "Positively Outrageous Service" that is unique to Southwest “is not the result of a department, or a program, or a mandate from management. It is not secondary to the product; it is the product.” This approach creates the conditions where Employees are more likely to treat customers in ways that distinguish the company from others. There are numerous accounts of passengers who have received exceptional treatment from Southwest employees.

The question that needs to be answered is how Southwest’s customer service is different and why? Is it common for customers of other airlines to rave about their special service? The answer is that it is not. While Southwest does not have a monopoly on people who are kind and who are willing to go above and beyond to satisfy a customer, such behavior is nurtured at Southwest to a much greater extent.

It can then be concluded that the customer service that is inherent to Southwest is a part of its culture. This culture is supported through employee encouragement to do the extra to satisfy the customer. This approach inspires people who would ordinarily only on occasion go out of their way to help someone, to become consistent performers that offer exceptional service all the time. Southwest employees are what differentiate its customer service from the other airlines.

4. Technology

Southwest utilizes technology in many ways to fulfill its business objectives and maintain its efficient operations. According to its CEO, technology equals productivity. Launched in 1996, ticketless travel was first introduced by Southwest. On May 1st 2000, Southwest Airlines introduces "SWABIZ," a portal that assists company travel managers in booking and tracking trips made through its web site [http://www.southwest.com]. There are many new technology initiatives being undertaken currently and some are in the pipeline.

Bar codes in Boarding Passes

Southwest Airlines has invested $12 million during the past three years to standardize corporate and terminal operations on about 10,000 Dell OptiPlex desktop and Latitude notebook computers according to its company executives. Southwest wanted to replace its well known, brightly colored plastic boarding passes with an electronic system with bar-code paper boarding passes. So it installed about 350 touch screen ticket readers powered by Dell OptiPlex desktops. The bar code gives Southwest more information to automatically reconcile the number of boarding passes with the number of passengers that actually board the plane.

Although the technology will help Southwest Airlines remain efficient by consolidating passenger information for the company's 3,000 daily flights, there were concerns it could lengthen the time to get travelers on board. However it was found that scanning each bar code on the boarding passes didn't increase or shorten boarding schedules, but it did take minutes from administrative processes, such as looking up customer records. The new paper bar code system is giving Southwest ticket agents the ability to match a customer record within having to scroll through and log into multiple software screens. The process is much more automated. Once the bar code on the boarding pass is scanned at the terminal gate it checks off the person from the passenger list in real time.

The old process was manual that involved finding the information, scrolling through several software screens from reservations to check-in to boarding. The bar code hardware to scan the boarding passes has been deployed. The company is in the process of replacing customer service back-office equipment at airports including at its headquarters in Dallas.

Software Upgrades

Software applications, such as those used by clerks to check in passengers, are being replaced. Southwest Airlines' internally written "Airport Application Suite" is expected to rollout next year as the company transitions from green screens to Window-based user interface. Similar to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Southwest Airlines believes in developing in-house the software that runs its operations. The company uses very little off-the-shelf software. There are between 75 and 100 projects in the works each year supported by approximately 900 IT employees.

RFID

Radio frequency identification technology, a favorable alternative to bar-coding for luggage identification, is also on Southwest's radar. It plans to test RFID technology sometime in 2006. Even though, Southwest is playing a little catch-up with other airlines such as Air Tran, Alaska and Champion Airlines, in many cases they are able leapfrog to more sophisticated applications easily having waited longer.

Challenges:

Southwest has emerged very successful, despite the most troubled times in the airline market. However, it faces new challenges in the face of increasing competition from other low fare airlines such as JetBlue, ATA airlines, America West.

Reserved Seating

Due to increasing security guidelines since September 2001, Southwest would need to prepare for assigned (reserved) seating to track its in-flight passengers. This change will involve large technology investments and may impact its gate operations negatively since the current way of unassigned seating has helped in quick gate turnarounds.

Passenger Demand

The keep-it-simple philosophy has served Southwest well. But as its own business grows and grows more complex, with plans to purchase dozens of new aircraft and an expected upsurge in passenger traffic to about 80 million boarding’s a year, the simplicity strategy that has been reflected in the airline's IT philosophy is evolving. The CIO Tom Nealon says that "It's time to adapt our business processes for efficiency. As our airline scales for us to provide the same kind of high-touch customer service, we have to automate a lot of things we've been able to do without technology previously. The challenge is doing that without conceding the customer touch." Southwest is also aggressively pursuing customer relationship management (CRM) techniques and has applications to get insight into customer’s wants and dislikes. According to an interview with its CEO Gary Keller, Southwest has its focus on improving in two areas - customer’s airport experience and in-flight experience.

In-Flight Entertainment

In an overall effort to improve customer’s in-flight experience, in-flight entertainment is something that Southwest is currently evaluating and which JetBlue has been very successful at already because of its introduction in its long-haul flights. In comparison, Southwest has 415 airplanes to consider and that represents an investment decision at a whole new dimension. Additionally, Southwest has to consider how things may fit into their environment. At this point, 60% of its service is still very short haul. Southwest needs to be mindful of the fact that a certain approach that has been successful for its competitor may not be necessarily work to its advantage.

Summary:

Southwest has long been regarded as a benchmark in its industry for operational excellence. Southwest Airlines is a fine example of a company that is committed to its core competencies - efficient operations to drive its low cost structure, outstanding delivery of customer service and innovative HR management practices. We hope this paper provided a good insight into Southwest operations, as part of its overall strategy, to achieve success and gain competitive advantage.

References:

1. [http://www.southwest.com] (Southwest airlines official web site)

2. “Southwest keeps it simple” - Air Transport World, April 2005, Pg 36

3. “Around the World on $48 (or So): How High Can Discount Airlines Fly?“ Strategy Management - Knowledge@ Wharton Newsletter Oct 5, 2005

4. TechWeb - [http://www.techweb.com/wire/ebiz/173601227]

5. “Southwest's Strategy for Success: Consolidate!” - Oracle Magazine (Sept/Oct 2004 edition) http://www.oracle.com/technology/oramag/oracle/04-sep/o54swest.html

6. “Southwest Airlines: High Tech, Low Costs” - Eweek.com, April 2005

7. “Jet Fuel Hedging Strategies: Options Available for Airlines and a Survey of Industry Practices” – Kellogg School of Management Research Paper, Spring 2004

8. Winning Behavior: What the Smartest, Most Successful Companies Do Differently, Terry R. Bacon and David G. Pugh, 2003

9. Time Magazine, Oct 28th 2002 issue, Vol. 160 Issue 18, p. 45

10. “Wings Of Change”,Information Week, March 28, 2005,

11. Labor Contract Negotiations in the Airline Industry, Monthly Labor Review, July 2003, page 24

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Breast Implants Bursting on an Airplane and Other Myths

2012-01-07T16:10:00.001-05:00

You were considering getting breast implants... until you heard the horror stories. A sister of a friend's cousin's mother's friend's daughter (you get the picture) took a plane ride and her breast bursts at 40,000 feet as she ate her trail mix in economy class. But, do your research and you will find that a lot of the stories are just that- stories. The following are some of the most common urban legends and myths circulating about breast implants and the facts that debunk them. Some are funny, some not so funny and some you'll be surprised that people actually believe. Whatever the case, the information should put your mind at ease and must help you take a better decision.

Starting with the above scenario, here are some of the common myths and your breast implant reality check:
Myth #1- They will explode on a plane or while scuba diving.
Nah, something like that wouldn't happen. The implants do change when they are under extreme high or low pressure, but they will not explode. Well, they will, but you would already be dead if you were under that much atmospheric pressure. The levels at which planes fly and safe levels for diving are not enough to cause this. What you may notice is actually an expanding and change in size, but they are not going to pop.

Myth #2- They can freeze in negative temperatures.
Why you would be out in this extreme temperature at all is a good question, but if you find yourself in this situation...fear not, your breast implants will not freeze. This is just a good old urban legend. Think about it. Your body is a very warm that is having a temperature of 98.6? F and surrounded with fatty tissues and skin that are cocooning everything inside your body like a warm blanket. You may lose a finger or toe to frostbite, but your implants are safe in this centralized location.

Myth #3- Silicone is dangerous and causes other health problems.
Everyone remembers when silicone was taken off the market as filler because there was a fear that it was causing cancer, lupus and a variety of other autoimmune diseases. In the interim, saline was used as filler. Since silicone's removal, numerous studies have been conducted to see if there was any real cause for alarm and no connection has been found. As a result, the FDA has approved silicone to be used as filler.

Myth #4- Everyone will know they are fake.
Ok, this depends largely on you and your surgeon. If you are a B cup and show up the next day with a DD, well... sure everyone who knows you will know. But, if you are just looking for a more natural look for your body, some symmetry and balance, a good surgeon can give you a look that is subtle and comfortable. A good surgeon should also help you choose the right shape and placement for your body to achieve a natural look. Silicone feels more like a natural breast, but they both will look like one as long as you go with a size that fits your body and your surgeon knows what he is doing.

If you have any questions or have heard other horror stories, don't be afraid to ask your surgeon about them. He will be able to put your mind at ease. Do your homework about the procedure and make sure your surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon. This is your best defense against any of the real issues that may arise. Don't fall prey to the myths and urban legends out there concerning breast implants.

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Backpack Carry-On Rules For Airplanes

2012-01-05T19:29:00.001-05:00

A backpack can be a helpful material for traveling by airplane but it should be noted that there are many different limits that can be used in terms of what type of backpack can be brought onto a plane. There are many backpack carry on rules to watch for when traveling on an airplane with a backpack. These rules deal with the number of bags that are going to be allowed for one user, the size of the bag and the maximum weight that is allowed for one of these bags.

It is important to watch for the size of the backpack when getting into a plane. There may not be enough space for people to store their backpacks into overhead compartments in certain types of airplanes. This is important to know because in some cases people will prefer to put their luggage into one of these compartments instead of having it sent into the luggage compartment of the plane and picking it up later at the luggage claim section of an airport. Also, there is only so much space that can be used underneath one's seat for storing a carry on. Using the smallest possible backpack will be important as a result.

Larger backpacks that are used for weekend trips or overnight trips will generally not be able to fit in some cases. A typical area underneath the seat on an airplane will only be able to handle a material that is about five inches in height on average. As a result it will be important to watch for the size of the backpack because it may need to be stored in the luggage claim section of the plane if there is not enough space for it on the plane.

It is important to know that when traveling with a backpack that only one backpack can be carried onto a plane at a time by an individual person. Different airliners will consider a backpack to be a personal item that can be carried onto a plane with ease.

The weight of the backpack and the materials that are inside of it is also important. The maximum weight that can be used for most carry-ons according to average airplane carry on rules is forty pounds. It can vary for international travel though. For instance, the maximum carry on weight for Air France is only twenty-six pounds. It helps to prepare one's backpack accordingly as a result.

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10 Interesting Facts About Costa Rica

2012-01-05T02:02:00.001-05:00

While you might know that Costa Rica is a small country in the southern portion of Central America, you may not realize the rich history that abounds there, or the ecologically diverse wildlife living there, or the incredible number of sights to see.

Similar to the state of Florida in the U.S. geographically, it features two long coastlines as well as several tiny islands primarily located on the side of the Pacific Ocean. Costa Rica only spans a distance of approximately 200 miles in length and a mere 70 miles at its narrowest part occupying about 20,000 square miles in area.

Bordering the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Atlantic on the east, it is home to 20 national parks, eight biological reserves, and a plethora of protected areas teeming with fascinating and exotic flora and fauna. And, if you're looking for adventure, in the northwestern portion of the country, the Guanacaste Province is chock full of stunning sights and exciting activities.

This area draws visitors by the droves thanks to its beaches, rivers, volcanoes, and waterfalls, not to mention all of the wildlife living here, some of which cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Guanacaste, which derives its name from the native word for the guanacaste tree, quahnacaztlan, is the national tree of Costa Rica and this particular region is the driest in all of the country receiving less than a scant 55 inches of rain per year.

There are only has two seasons, dry or wet, and unlike many other areas of Central and South America, stays pleasant all year long.

High season, or the dry season, is from December through April, and green or wet season lasts from May to November. The tropical climate of Costa Rica averages about 72 degrees Fahrenheit although it can be considerably hotter in the coastal or beach areas and much cooler in the mountainous regions.

10 Facts About Costa Rica

1. The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose, a city with just over one million in population.

2. It follows Central Standard Time or six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and there is no daylight savings time in the country.

3. Bananas and coffee are the two primary agricultural exports from Costa Rica.

4. The most popular sport is soccer.

5. The democratic government of Costa Rica is the oldest of any Third World country and it is often referred to as "The Switzerland of the Americas."

6. In 1986 the first Costa Rican/American, Franklin Ramón Díaz Chang, traveled to outer space aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

7. The current president of Costa Rica, Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sánchez, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 due to his great efforts to promote peace throughout the Central Americas.

8. It claims five percent of the earth's biodiversity, making it home to one of the richest ecosystems anywhere.

9. It boasts one of the world's highest life expectancy rates at 77 years.

10. People from many other countries travel to it explicitly for receiving quality, low cost health care.

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Best and Worst Times to Travel to Europe

2012-01-02T01:17:00.001-05:00

When planning your European trip, check your arrival and departures dates and see if they take into account peak, off-peak and shoulder travel periods.

Peak periods are the times when majority of travelers fly in and out of countries and these periods usually coincide with school holidays, Christmas, Easter and New Year. The country you are flying into will also have peak periods unique to that country, so expect flights and accommodation to be heavily booked and tickets to be more expensive. This peak period generally covers late December to January (because of the Christmas season) and late June to the end of August (summer break). Travel during the Christmas holidays can be difficult as plane ticket prices soar and ski resorts start overcharging. Public transport is also reduced in most areas since only a few trains will leave on Christmas day. The "shoulder period" is in spring and autumn and the low or "off-peak" periods are usually in the remaining months and in the winter.

If you have only a limited time to see Europe, your best bet is to fly in and out during a shoulder period. Prices are almost at their lowest and travel conditions are great because you can avoid the crowds and the overpricing. If you have a lot of time to spare in Europe, try flying in the low season when fares are cheapest so you have more money to spread over your stay. It's always a good idea to start checking airfares 3-4 months before you leave. Airlines are starting to discount in order to reward early bookers and there's a lot time to wait if you think they're too high. The cheapest ticket prices might turn up on the net or at your ticket office at anytime. And while you're at it, make sure you've already reserved your accommodation 6 weeks to 2 months before you leave. It's a good idea to reserve a hotel for your arrival and departure days. The rest can be reserved afterwards. Also, remember to check for travel dangers and updates. Your government and insurance company might draw the line if you visit a certain territory they've warned you about. Be informed about the dangers and uprisings in the country you are visiting and do last-minute updates to check conditions right before you leave.

For most seasoned travelers, the best time to see Europe is from April to June and September to October when the weather is still warm, the holiday crowds have left and accommodation and transport are regularly priced.

In contrast, the single worst time to visit most parts of Europe (especially the western and southern countries) is the month of August. This is when many Europeans leave and take their holidays in nearby countries as well. The cities can be deserted and as a result, accommodation prices shoot up and finding a bed can be very difficult. Buses and trains will often be packed and it can be a struggle to get a seat while you cross countries. Even most tourist shops and sites can be closed because the proprietors have gone on holiday as well! There's little doubt that July and August are the busiest tourist months in Europe (mainly because of Americans on vacation) and it will require a lot of patience and money. Avoid these months as much as you can. If you really must travel in the high season, your best course of action is to stay away from the major cities and choose the off-track towns and villages and indulge in the local culture.

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Aircraft Radomes

2012-01-01T10:45:00.001-05:00

Aircraft radomes are basically the nose domes of aircraft behind which the radar sits and operates. Composite in structure, normally honeycomb construction with inner and outer laminate surfaces. Forward-facing aircraft antennas require two or more reflections to bring a wave parallel to the axis of revolution to a substantial point focus.

Composite repairs shop

Multiskilled composite technicians working in a composite repairs shop need to have

• Specialist low dielectric loss materials expertise, low dielectric loss being low loss of energy in a dielectric material through conduction, slow polarization currents, and other dissipative measures. A dielectric material is a substance that is a poor conductor of electricity, but an efficient supporter of electrostatic fields.
• Thermoset & Thermoplastic skills
• CAD structural modelling capability and software
• Knowledge of resin transfer moulding for radome applications
• Prepreg, compression and contact moulding facilities

Radome shop

A radome shop can work on

• Military aircraft nose radomes enclosing radar or missile systems
• Airborne surveillance radomes where the radome is a honeycomb structure shell with fibreglass skins. The thickness of the honeycomb and the skins vary according to electrical requirements. A steel lay-up tool with uniform wall thickness is used to achieve specific requirements like a thermal expansion coefficient as close as possible to that of the composite. Minimized weight, optimal thermal transfer and uniform temperature distribution are requirements.
• Wide band ECM and EW radomes, radomes which are electromagnetic windows protecting the enclosed antennas from environmental conditions without affecting their electrical characteristics.
• Helicopter Radomes with electrostatic discharge and electromagnetic interference (EMI) coatings.
• Civil aircraft radomes and civil airline nose radome repairs

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Embroidery Freebies

2011-12-31T08:37:00.001-05:00

Whenever you start a new hobby and skill, and especially when purchasing your equipment and supplies, do not forget to do your research. In fact, when you are getting started in embroidery, it is a good idea to see what incentives or embroidery freebies might be included when you make your purchase.

When purchasing a machine, see if you can get a "package deal". Look over the incentives and see what is right for you. A good dealer wants not only to make the sale, but to create a happy customer (who will return to their store time and time again), so they are sometimes willing to work with you to create a custom package! Are they offering the embroidery software free or at a discount? Can they offer you some embroidery feebies such as free designs? How about a specialty foot for your machine? Will you be eligible for a "life time" discount by making a machine purchase at this dealership?

What about when you are not making a "big purchase" such as a machine...can you still find embroidery freebies? Of course you can! At some of the craft stores, locally or on-line, you will see that if your purchase reaches a certain dollar amount, you may receive your shipping and handling free, or when you purchase select designs, it might be a buy one get on free. Many stores, both brick and motor and on-line, offer monthly specials, take advantace of these! Usually when you are enrolled in a class the students receive special discounts on the class day.

Join embroidery clubs. These clubs are notorious for offering embroidery freebies to their members!

Any hobby and skill we learn takes time and cost money, so we want to make the best choices possible when we spend our hard earned dollars! Having the right tools and supplies is a major key to our success, and with today's technology we have the advantage of being able to easily research and compare products, and embroidery freebies, not only in our area, but all over the world!

Some sites offer embroidery freebies, like free design downloads, project instructions, and techniques for successful sewing and embroidery. Take advantage of these embroidery freebies, and put them to good use. Expand your skills! Save money! Test different styles! Create the perfect gift! Add a personal touch to your home décor!

Never under estimate yourself, and your ability to make good choices. Let your creativity soar, follow your heart, use technology to research products and of course embroidery freebies!

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How to Weigh Your Luggage Conveniently Before You Travel

2011-12-30T17:26:00.001-05:00

There are very few things less annoying than getting to the airport and finding out that you've got to pay an extra fee because your luggage is too heavy. And these days, with fuel prices being what they are, airlines are looking more than ever to make up for those extra expenses.

Of course when you're packing your luggage you really don't know how much you're packing, and we all know that our luggage is always twice as heavy on the way home (how does that happen?).

Obviously you need a solution to this problem and that solution could be something like the Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale. Many find this as a great investment because it can save you tons of money on extra fees at the airport.

This is a handy little tool that's completely portable so that you can weigh your luggage well ahead of time either at home or at the hotel before you leave. Again, no more guessing work!

It's really simple to use actually. You just use the strong straps and wrap them safely around the handle of your luggage. It'll read luggage up to 100 pounds (or 44 kg. if you use those measurements). After you've lifted it'll beep, you simply set it back down and then check out the very clear and accurate digital display. It's really as simple as that.

Now a lot of the luggage scales are very complicated and inaccurate. The Balanzza Luggage Scale is neither. It's extremely accurate and instead of using ineffective hooks for lifting, it uses strong sturdy straps so that you don't have to worry about the luggage slipping off of the scale. That actually can be very dangerous if you're a heavy packer. I certainly wouldn't want any luggage that my wife packs to fall on my foot.

It switches with a click of a button between kilograms to pounds so you don't have to sit there for 20 minutes trying to figure out what the silly luggage really weighs. One click and your on the one that's right for you.

Listen, you certainly don't want to be getting to the airport only to have to pay a surprise fee for your luggage. For people who travel often on discount airlines, we know how finicky they've become about enforcing their luggage regulations. Luggage scales help keep you from having to pay extra money at check-in. Then again, at a time like this when fuel prices are sky high each and every airline is beginning to be very finicky.

It's silly to take a change when for less than a lunch out with a friend you can get a product like the Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale and save yourself time and aggravation?

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Helicopters For Sale or How to Buy a Used Helicopter at Helicopter Auctions

2011-12-29T13:22:00.001-05:00

If you want to buy a helicopter, the internet has become a great source of information and contacts. Many manufacturers have websites describing their helicopter models in detail, and sometimes rare bargains can be found when helicopters are sold at government or police auctions.
New helicopters range from around $200,000 for a small chopper with two seats, to a larger, multi-passenger model for $400,000 and more. Used helicopters for sale vary in size, price and year. It depends on whether you are looking for a domestic or work helicopter or if you desire a used military helicopter. If you find buying a new helicopter is a bit beyond your budget, you might consider leasing one, or looking for an auctioned one. Some benefits of leasing are: enjoying benefits of ownership without a huge expenditure. However, leasing incurs significant running and insurance costs, and the helicopter technically does not belong to you.

Some of the most widespread and popular helicopters include the Robinson R22 and R44 series, or Bell and Hughes helicopters for those with a larger budget. Helicopter auctions often also feature used military and police helicopters such as the Bell UH-1. More generally, light civil helicopters can be divided into three categories:

Light piston-engined types - if you want a cheap personal helicopter for two, the Schweizer 300 or the Robinson R22 would be your choice. They can fly at about 80-110 mph. With a minimal seating capacity and small size, these helicopters are light, easy to fly, and easy to maneuver. Surprisingly, the light piston-engined helicopters use a more expensive fuel than that of the kerosine based turbine engines but they consume less fuel. However, the Schweizer 300 or the Robinson R22 are less interesting for for charter and corporate use. They are more popular, however, for training and personal use.

Light turbine helicopters - McDonnell Douglas 500E, Eurocopter Squirrel and the (Agusta-) Bell Jet Ranger are widely used around the world because of their practicality, comfort, size, speed, and versatility. Their look is sporty and their performance is pretty good, however they are usually substantially more expensive than their piston-engined relatives.

Twin-engined helicopters - Stronger, safer, faster and more versatile helicopters include the likes of the Dauphin, Sikorsky S-76, Agusta 109, and Eurocopter Twin Squirrel. These are powered by 2 engines and have flight capabilities above those of single-engine helis. These are the preferred choice for the high-end market with a much higher price bracket.

Helicopters from all of these categories can be found at auctions. Helicopter (and general aircraft) auctions are typically held by the government (federal or state), the police, IRS, or sometimes also banks who seize helicopters as collateral. An auction may be a great chance to save a lot of money while getting a quality helicopter. However, there are some tricky issues and pitfalls to them as well, which one should pay attention to.

- when purchasing a helicopter at an auction, start by observing. Attend the preview (usually held a while before the auction, and open to the general public). Stay cool during the auction, and decide what you want to bid beforehand. Never get into a bidding war, it's a surefire way to buyer's remorse.

- do not be too hasty. Looking at some auctioned helicopters, you may get the feeling of a once-in-a-lifetime bargain, but in fact the market is pretty large and great opportunities are around all the time. It is best to observe a few auctions first to get a feel of the process, and only actively start bidding once you have a good idea of the market.

- beware of any too-good-to-be-true claims. At an auction, odds are they are just that - not true. Liability for a seller at a public auction is relatively low, and two powerful words - "AS IS" - basically free the seller of any responsibility. It is up to you to pinpoint them on essential statements and be wary of any outrageous promises.

- should you win the bid, insist on a written contract, and ask that all important figures and claims are mentioned (e.g. about prior owners or repairs, engine hours, or the timespan until you get the plane). Don't forget that the price you will pay is usually higher than the winning bid. Most auctions include a 5-10% buyer's premium.

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My First Airplane Was Jeanie's Teenie - A Look Into the Teenie II

2011-12-27T20:41:00.001-05:00

Flying can be fun, exciting and down right dangerous too. Hanger Talk is fun and anyone who has ever hung around an small airport or in the pilot's lounge knows that some of what you here is complete BS and some is real. What is the old saying you can believe how much of what you hear?

Well, sometimes living it puts you into a whole different perspective than listening to someone else talk about something that happened to them. After all the stories you hear are most likely just talk. Now then let me tell you about my first airplane; a Jeanie's Teenie. It was a lot of fun indeed.

Although that Volkswagon engine was little bit of trouble, I flipped it over on an emergency landing in a strawberry field, deep furrows. Actually I almost died in it a couple of time. Well the scariest time was when the engine quit coming over the airport perimeter fence on take-off.

Oh no, oh yes! No way was I going to attempt to turn around, as I did not have the altitude or speed to go for it and had read enough NTSB reports to know that was a dead end deal. In fact as it was, I barely got the wings level to turn with the furrows before crash landing in that field.

I guess the farmer had a sick sense of humor putting the furrows perpendicular to the runway, in case someone lost an engine on take off. Well that was one time I almost died, another time I hand prop'ed it at 3,000 ft AGL when the engine quit. Set up an 85 kt glide, un-did my seat belt (open cockpit plane - see picture below) and then hand propped it, three times, third times a charm.

To hell with that; man, talk about 180 pulse rate and adrenal glands pumping. I guess that is the closest I got to being a test pilot. Must be a young man's sport? Fearless Youth! I guess it's true what they say;

"There are No Old Bold Pilots"

The problem with an open cockpit low-wing aircraft is if you flip you may not live. If I would have had more altitude that day I might not have been eating strawberries for lunch? I might have gotten the engine re-started like the other time? Oh well what can I say; adjusting the valves using a business card on the old Volkswagon Engine. Well you know how Volkswagon engines are?

The wing span was so short that when you sucked off the power you became a flying brick. Yah, well Mr. Collins, "I Learned about flying from That!" So much for the "Flying Magazine Columns." Well the Jeanie's Teenie was a fun plane.

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Aerospace Fasteners

2011-12-25T07:28:00.001-05:00

There is a wide range of methods of joining materials, some of which are suited to general use and some which are specific to certain materials or material forms. Common methods are:

o riveting
o bolting
o bonding
o welding

Aerospace Rivets

This is the most common method of joining sheet materials in aircraft. A hole is drilled through the sections to be joined. A suitably sized rivet is put into the hole and set - the tail of the rivet is deformed so that it expands sideways and grips the sides of the hole, clamping the material together. They may be set by hand, but more often a powered riveter is used. Rivets are available with a variety of head shapes, including mushroom, snap rivets and countersunk head rivets. Where access is available to only one side, blind rivets are employed. These are hollow rivets, which are set by drawing a mandrel through the hollow rivet from the same side as the head... the mandrel then breaks off. Because blind rivets are hollow, they must generally be sealed separately. The rivet is pushed into the drilled hole, then set - the tail is deformed so that it expands sideways. The deformed tail clamps the sheets together and retains the rivet in the hole. The blind rivet may be used when access is restricted to one side. Pulling the mandrel through the rivet expands the rivet to set it, and the mandrel breaks off to leave a neat fastener. Blind rivets are hollow, and need to be plugged after setting, if sealing is required.

There is a wide variety of special rivets, each for a specific application. Aerospace Rivets may be made from any deformable material, but light alloy rivets are almost universal. An exception is the high-shear rivet, which uses a steel stem for very high shear strength, with an aluminium alloy collar that is deformed during setting to hold the rivet in place. All rivets are designed to be used in shear, and have limited strength in tension.

Alcoa Fastening Systems has through a series of aggressive acquisitions the monopoly on this particular industry, on Kaynar fasteners, Tridair fasteners, Camloc fasteners and Rosan products.

Aerospace Bolts

This is most useful where high shear loads or significant tensile loads will occur at the joint. Aluminium bolts are available for shear applications, but generally steel bolts are preferred for most applications. In most airframe applications, the fasteners must be locked to ensure that the nut and bolt do not loosen under vibration or temperature changes. A variety of methods can be used, including split pins, wire locking and clinch nuts. For bolts fitted to blind holes, wire locking is the most common method.

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The Cheapest Route to Getting Your CDL

2011-12-24T18:37:00.001-05:00

Professional truck driving is a major force in today's economy. Presently, there are over 8 million licensed CDL drivers in the United States today. For the thousands of "new" drivers breaking into truck driving, they find themselves in a tough dilemma: few companies will hire you without at least 6 months to a year of driving experience, so how do you get the experience once you've achieved your CDL? This is where the companies come into play.

Many trucking companies offer a "school" that usually lasts around three weeks which will get you your CDL license. After finishing, you will be asked to sign a one year contract stating that you will drive for that company, and that company ONLY! Thus, getting your one year of experience. After that, you can go anywhere and find truck driving jobs. The problem being: this company "school" or any of the many truck driving schools can end up costing you thousands of dollars and MORE! Going through a company CDL program is a very dangerous thing in this author's opinion.

If you have no driving experience and are contemplating getting your CDL, then you are in a catch 22. After paying as much as $5000.00 through one of these company "schools", you will find yourself at their mercy: facing low pay, low miles and much aggravation!

The cheapest route to getting your CDL is through a Vo-Tech school! A real, honest college-training program that will end up saving you thousands of dollars, plus offer you much greater training! I would much rather pay $1200.00 than $5000.00, which is what many of the truck driving schools will charge. Of course, now you are probably asking yourself, "OK, but then how do I get the experience?" That is the easy part!

There are MANY trucking companies that will hire newly CDL graduates. Just check out the hundreds of ads by companies needing drivers and you will find those that state "students welcome" and "we hire CDL graduates."

Take it from someone who has been there! Save thousands of dollars by not falling for these company "schools." Check around for the nearest Vo-Tech to you and see if they are one of the many which offer the professional CDL program. You will still have to start at the low end of the pay scale, "pay your dues" so to speak...but you will have saved a great deal of money by attending the Vo-Tech training, and as your experience builds, many better opportunities will open up for you!

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8.33 KHz Channel Spacing - What is This?

2011-12-24T04:10:00.001-05:00

The radio spectrum, a scarce resort

One of the most basic activities in a cockpit is tuning the radio to the assigned frequency of whoever we want to talk to. Contacting ground control, the tower or one's own company is done by turning a few knobs until the right numbers show in the radio control panel display and we can talk.

Air traffic controllers see the same thing slightly differently. They do not normally have to tune their radios. The proper frequencies for their sector or other working position are pre-set and need no further attention.

With the matter being so pedestrian and the actions so routine, few of us realize that the ability of pilots and controllers to talk to each other is in fact dependent on one of the scarcest resources in aviation, namely the radio spectrum allocated to aviation use.

Many other disciplines have their own radio spectrum and we all guard jealously what we have been given and for good reason. With so many users wanting to use the radio waves, the incumbents better watch or the use it or lose it principle kicks in. Luckily, the frequencies most widely used by aviation (118 - 137 MHz) are not coveted so strongly by others. Our problem is different but not in the least less serious.

VHF fundamentals

VHF is a line-of-site system. This means that two stations can talk to each other assuming that they are tuned to the same frequency and they can "see" each other (from a radio point of view). If one of the stations is below the horizon of the other station, communications becomes impossible.

Being tuned to the same frequency means that both stations are tuned to the same pre-defined frequency which is within the aviation band. These pre-defined frequencies are separated by agreed "spaces", expressed in kHz. The spaces ensure that communications taking place on adjacent pre-defined frequencies do not interfere with each other. And herein lies the problem!

You can only pre-define a limited number of frequencies with the required spacing between them if you are to stay within the aviation band. There are many more sectors, towers and other aeronautical stations that need their own, discrete frequencies than there are frequencies available. So what do we do?

The line-of-sight character of VHF radio waves offers a solution of a kind. You can re-use the frequencies if you ensure that the usage areas of each are separated sufficiently so that no interference occurs. Frequencies only used close to the ground can be re-used much more readily than can those used at higher levels. The horizon of these latter is much wider and hence aircraft hundreds of miles away might be heard by a center that has nothing to do with it if the frequency assignment is not done properly.

Reuse not enough? Cut the spacing!

I am not sure who was the first one to bolt a radio on an aircraft, but the idea caught on quickly and soon enough the problem of frequency shortages was born.

Originally the spacing between the frequencies was 200 kHz, providing just 70 channels between 118-132 MHZ as the band was back then (1947). In 1958, he spacing was reduced to 100 KHz, doubling the number of channels to 140.

In 1959 the upper limit of the aviation band was expanded to 136 MHz, giving us another 40 channels, bringing the total to 180.

In 1964, the channel spacing was halved again to 50 kHz, resulting in 360 channels being available.

These dates show not only aviation's ever increasing hunger for frequencies, but also the evolution of aviation radios. In the 1950s no radio set would have been suitable for work with 50 kHz spacing. By 1964, 50 kHz was the standard with more to come...

The channel spacing was further cut to 25 kHz in 1972, doubling the available channels to 720. Seven years later, in 1979, the upper limit of the aviation band was once again expanded, this time to 137 MHz and this delivered another 40 channels, bringing the total to 760.

In 1995, the proposal was made to reduce the channel spacing to 8.33 kHz. Theoretical number of channels: 2280!

This may sound like radio channel nirvana but in real life things are never that simple.

The underlying reasons for the channel hunger

The need for ever more frequencies was driven mainly by the dramatic increase in the number of control sectors in the en-route ATC environment. As traffic grew, air traffic service providers had to split sectors into ever smaller chunks to enable controllers to cope. Each new sector needed its own frequency and most of the sectors were in the upper airspace, hence the re-use distance between identical frequencies was very big. This translated into a seemingly insatiable hunger for ever more discrete frequencies.

By the mid-1990s it became clear that the existing VHF system would not be able to make available the required number of frequencies. This would put an end to the creation of new sectors, severely limiting the ATC system's ability to handle the increasing air traffic demand.

Curiously, there seemed to be a mismatch in the magnitude of the problem as seen in the US and in Europe.

While traffic density on the Eastern Seaboard of the US was in fact higher than the busiest areas in Europe, the US frequency managers had no problem satisfying the FAA's demand for new frequencies. At the same time, in Europe, with its lower traffic density, the alarm bells were being sounded that frequency doomsday was nigh.

So what was happening?

To understand this, it is important to remember that frequency managers in European States were part of the communications side of things, often coupled with the old postal monopolies, and they were not really given to international cooperation or worries about aviation's problems outside their own land. That aviation was no longer a purely domestic affair had apparently not really touched them.

Although the States never formally admitted this, most of the frequency shortage was due to poor management of the available frequencies. Valuable frequencies were dormant, never used or simply left there in the dust after the organization originally using it had long disappeared.

The airspace users did raise the issue, brought several examples but to no avail. The local czars of frequency management did not relent and hence there was no other choice but to look at technology based solutions.

The choice between 8.33 kHz channel spacing and VDL Mode 3

While the immediate driver behind the effort to find a solution to the frequency shortage was the fear of skyrocketing delays, experts had been saying since the late 1980s that the complete aviation communications system needed overhaul. The VHF AM voice system and the freshly identified future need for air/ground digital link communications all argued for a common solution that would address the frequency shortage as well as the future communications needs.

Keep in mind that in other areas of communications huge advances were taking place at around the same time while aviation was still trying to make up its mind whether or not to replace a voice communications system that had changed little since the 1940s and which was clearly struggling to keep up with demand.

In the United States a system called VDL Mode 3 was being proposed. This system would have enabled four digital channels to be used on every existing 25 kHz channel and would have provided non-voice data link capability also. There were not many believers outside the US in the feasibility of this technology though and it has still not been implemented anywhere.

In Europe, the splitting of the channel spacing to 8.33 kHz was being put forward as the best solution. Missing a once in a lifetime opportunity, the industry did not examine any long-term alternatives...

The 8.33 decision and what followed

As mentioned earlier, the airspace users were not at all convinced about the need to spend money on aircraft modifications when in their view the frequency shortage was mainly due to poor management of the aviation spectrum.

It was in this ambivalent mood that the industry gathered to attend the ICAO European Regional Air Navigation Meeting (EUR RAN) in 1994 where proposals to address the frequency shortage were also to be discussed and decisions made.

For the current generation of ATM decision makers it may be of interest to mention how most decisions were made back then. Seeking a solution to the frequency shortage, 8.33 kHz was picked up without ever considering possible alternatives and without looking at cost-benefit aspects, user impact or the longer term communications requirements. Clearly not something to bring back... ever.

The airspace users, with the specter of even more serious delays hanging over their heads and with their protests brushed aside, had no choice but to note the mandate: 8.33 kHz in European upper airspace as of 1st January 1998.

The ICAO European Air Navigation Planning Group (EANPG) was charged with organizing the introduction of the new channel spacing. The EANPG in turn requested EUROCONTROL to develop a transition plan and manage its implementation.

This is a very important detail that needs to be remembered. To this day, airspace users tend to blame EUROCONTROL for the whole 8.33 issue when in fact EUROCONTROL was only the agent appointed by ICAO (the States you may say) to carry out the implementation. They did an excellent job and it is not EUROCONTROL's fault that they had to orchestrate the realization of a less than optimal solution. If we consider that EUROCONTROL had to deal with all the ICAO member states in Europe (49) and had to manage the creation of a mixed 25 kHz/8.33 kHz environment, the eventual achievement of the goals is even more laudable.

Mr. Murphy and the 8.33 implementation plan

"If it can go wrong, it will" - states Murphy's first law and this was certainly true of this implementation.

EUROCONTROL, quite correctly, had decided early on to establish a project oriented organization to handle the matter and they also had the good sense of requesting the participation of outside experts from organizations like IFATCA and IATA to ensure direct links to the end-users of the new system.

Right from the start the project was up against a time problem. With the first project steps being taken only in early 1996, the 1 January 1998 deadline was clearly a big question mark. So, the first delay kicked the deadline back to 1 January 1999 and the second delay to 7 October 1999.

Why the delays? The rate of equipage of course was the primary and decisive factor.

In many mandated aircraft equipage scenarios you see the equipage curve rising slowly in the beginning, as only a few aircraft are fitted, then as the deadline approaches, the curve becomes very steep but usually does not reach 100 % before the mandate date. What does this mean?

Obviously, airspace users do not want to spend money too early and fly around with the new equipment without it bringing any benefits. When the time comes and fitting becomes inevitable, there is a mad rush to equip, which in turn can result in a shortage of equipment and an overloading of the shops performing retrofits. In the end, inevitably, there are aircraft left out in the cold, not being able to meet the mandate!

All of this had happened in the case of 8.33 and then more.

When the project started, there were no 8.33 kHz capable radios on the market. A few pre-production samples had been produced, but nothing anyone could buy. In spite of the clear mandate, the presence of the competing VDL Mode 3 system and the fact that 8.33 would only be required in Europe somehow led the manufacturers to slow product development and not produce anything until their customers came with definite orders. The customers on the other hand were reluctant to place orders until closer to the mandate deadline which had to be put off as a result of low equipage rates because of a scarcity of radios! A vicious circle if ever there was one... At times meetings of the 8.33 project team had an air of most participants wishing the whole thing would just go away...

Then there were the aircraft themselves. No matter how advanced the new radios were 8.33 kHz is a very small distance between channels and trials on various aircraft revealed surprising behaviors. Radios on the Boeing 767 for instance worked well while the doors were open but started to produce interference the moment they were closed...

Controllers were fretting about what would happen if pilots regularly mistuned their radios. True, for the first time ever, the numbers seen on the radio control panel do not show the real frequency of an 8.33 spaced channel and this can be confusing.

Issues with the new radiotelephony expressions were also on the agenda for while.

In the end however, the final deadline came and went and the new system worked pretty well. Apart from a few isolated incidents no problems were reported and 8.33 kHz, like any other part of the ATM system, became part of the European scene.

Next steps?

In the meantime, EUROCONTROL has continued to manage the implementation of 8.33 kHz, extending its use also into the lower airspace. They have fulfilled and continue to fulfill the role assigned to them by the EANPG and the benefits specific to 8.33 kHz will no doubt continue to accrue. It is even rumored that the FAA also wants to look into 8.33 kHz channel spacing for introduction in the US.

Did the benefits materialize?

It all depends on how you want to measure the benefits. If the measure is the number of requests for new frequencies that could be accommodated, then the outcome of the exercise is definitely positive. At the very first Frequency Block Planning Meeting held after the introduction of 8.33 kHz channel spacing, 57 of the 59 requests were accommodated, an absolute first. The level of subsequent request satisfactions shows a similar pattern.

It is very likely that a comparison with a "do nothing" scenario would show that investing in 8.33 kHz was not a bad idea.

On the other hand, 8.33 kHz did create the impression that the problem was solved and the motivation to really address the shortcomings of this obsolete communications system has all but disappeared. Back around the time the 8.33 kHz decision was made, it might have been easier to also initiate the development of a new system that would by now provide services to the pilots on a par with what passengers are getting in the near future.

As it is, we are left with a legacy system which will be much more difficult to replace on an industry level now, not least because of the sad shape airlines are in these days.

It is a pity that the EUR RAN meeting in 1994 did not have the vision to look beyond the immediate solution to the problem of frequency shortages.

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A Private Jet May Cost You Less Than You Think

2011-12-22T16:26:00.001-05:00

How much does a private jet cost? A Private jet costs less than you may think.

Now, we know that you all may have heard the stories about the supposedly sky high prices and ridiculous costs of buying a private jet. We think that may be due resulting partly from the fact that for most people, the prices of private jet costs are simply in a range in which they are not accustomed to thinking about expenses.

For example, how could you or anybody you know begin to fathom what a private jet costs if they were comfortable only with considering prices in the low thousands of dollars, which is what they may have purchased a car for? A private jet costs much, much more than a car but at the same time, how do you put a price on something like a private jet which in a sense really is priceless to most executive CEO business types?

Private jet costs begin under a million and climb into the hundreds of millions of dollars. But don't let that fool you! You or your company can buy a private jet at a fraction of the purchase price of a whole brand new Boeing or Bombardier private jet with the help of what is known as the fractional jet ownership or private jet charter program.

We hope that this discussion on private jet costs has enlightened and inspired those of you in the audience who will never be able to "settle for less than the best" in life not only when it comes to the aspects of where and how to buy a private jet but additionally, how to condition yourself to achieve financial independence which is really the primary step on the road to buy a private jet.

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How to Get a DOD Security Clearance

2011-12-21T21:19:00.001-05:00

If you have been browsing jobs and noticed that there are a lot of jobs out there that require you to have a DOD security clearance you might be interested in how to obtain one. Before we get into how to obtain a security clearance let me define what a security clearance is and what it is used for. It is important to know the different levels of classified information and how someone becomes eligible to access it. There are some things you can do that will improve your odds of finding a company willing to get you a clearance that I will talk about. Then I will discuss what process you will go though and what will be expected of you during this process.

When information or material can compromise our national security it is classified as Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret. To access classified information or material you must first have a clearance level equal or greater than the classification of the information or material itself. You also must have a need to know before you can be granted access to it. If you do not need the information or material to complete your project you will not be granted access. The levels of classification, Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret have clear definitions to define them. Depending on what level of classified information or material a person in a specific position is responsible to handle will determine what level of security clearance you will need to posses to get the job. The following are the three levels of classifications that you can find on the Army.com website in much greater detail.

To obtain a DOD security clearance you must be a U.S. Citizen.

"from lowest to highest the security levels are Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret. The higher the security level the more damage its content can cause to national security if it is compromised."

Now that you know what a security clearance is and what it is needed for we can talk about ways you can get one and why you should want one. You are unable to get a clearance yourself but if you find a company willing to hire you to fill a position that requires you to have a clearance the company will start the process and pay for the background check. Getting you a clearance is no cheap date for the company and even though they start the process and pay for the background checks there is not guarantee that you will be granted one. This is why when a company has a position open that requires a security clearance they look to fill it with someone who already has an active clearance or has had one in the past. Because you have not had a clearance in the past it will be a little hard getting your foot in the door. You will have to do some things that will make you look more attractive to potential employers. Short of joining the military the two best things you can do to improve your chances would be getting schooling and certifications that the company is looking for and be willing to work in places they have a hard time getting people to go to.

Take a look at the job description of the positions you want that requires a security clearance and find out what kind of certifications they are looking for and make a note of them. Every one wants to look for fresh jobs out there but you want to start looking at positions that are six months to a year old. These positions may be still there because they either have a high turnover rate or they can't find anyone to fill these positions. Take note of these companies and there locations and go directly to their company website and search for jobs in that area. If there are a lot of jobs in that location that have been open for a long time this may be a place the company has a hard time getting people to go to. Brows the jobs they have that you qualify for and make a note of the certifications that they require.

A few places you will want to check out would be Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Diego Garcia, Tully Greenland, and Ascension Island. Those are a few places that do not pay very well and are far from civilization so companies have a hard time getting people to work in those locations. There are upsides to those locations if you do not have a clearance though. They will be more likely to hire you and get you your first security clearance. You can qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion and they provide housing and transportation to and from work. Most of the places also have a Cafeteria were you can eat for free as part of your compensation for working there. If you want to make more money and are willing to take a risk and work in the Middle East or parts of Africa you will be able to find companies with job openings in those areas to get you a security clearance and the pay will be much higher.

Before you start applying for jobs though there are a few things you will want to do first. You will want to make sure you have all of your traffic tickets and taxes paid up. It does not look good if you have a warrant out for your arrest when you apply for a security clearance even if it is only for a few unpaid traffic tickets. You will also want to make sure your credit reports show that you are up to date on your payments or at least have payment plans set up with your debtors. You do not have to have great credit to get a clearance but you have to at least be able to show that you have your finances under control. You also have to be qualified for the positions you are going to apply for. When you took note earlier of the certifications that the job descriptions called for, you did this so you can ensure you have the proper schooling the company is looking for. I will discuss some easy ways to take care of all of these things so you are ready to apply for any clearance jobs.

The fist thing you want to ensure is that you have no outstanding warrants for your arrest do to unpaid parking tickets or unpaid traffic violations. This can be cleared up pretty easy in most states. All you have to do is go to your states DMV website and enter your driver's license number and see if any tickets pop up. If your state does not have that option the website should at least let you know where you need to go to find out this information. It may take time for them to process the payment but it is something you will need to get out of the way before you apply for a security clearance. You will also want to make sure you are not behind in your taxes and if you are setup a payment plan with the IRS. Every one hates dealing with the IRS but it is actually not that bad. I have never had a problem with an IRS agent I have called for help. They are very flexible when it comes to setting up payment plans or giving extensions. You will need to have this set up before your background check takes place so start this process as soon as possible. You will also have to make sure your state taxes are up to date. The IRS does not deal with state taxes so you will have to contact the proper authorities in your state to take to make sure your state taxes are in order.

You need to show that you have your finances under control even if it is a letter from the place you owe money to stating that you acknowledge that you are behind in payments and have agreed to a set payment plan. I believe anyone with a clearance should have a subscription to one of the credit report companies' three credit report packages. A three credit report package will give you a copy of your credit reports from Trans Union, Experian and Equifax. It is important to get a copy of your credit report at the very least once a year so you can check for mistakes. You can do this free by going to each of the above mentioned credit report companies and submitting an application for your free annual credit report. By subscribing to one of the three credit report plans though makes cleaning up your credit much easier. The reason you need to get copies off all three of the major credit reports out there is because each one may be very different from the other. Something that shows up as paid off on one credit report could still be showing delinquent on another report. This is because the creditor you paid did not submit that you paid your bill to all three reports. A big problem with creditors is they are quick to put late payments on a credit report but may not bother to annotate your payment of that debt.

Once your credit report is in order and you have your traffic tickets and taxes paid up it is time to turn your attention to education. When you made that list of certification and degrees that companies are looking for you did it so you can start taking some classes. Start with the certifications that are required of you to get one of the jobs you think you have the best chance of getting. The jobs you will have the best chance of getting would be the ones it looks like they have a hard time filling. You can do this either by night classes or on line classes. If you do not possess all of the desired certifications you will be less likely to get offered a position. If you can find a boot camp in a country like India, Thailand, Philippines, or China that can fast track you it may be worth the money to go to one of those locations to get your certifications. Classes in those countries are rather cheap but the flight is going to cost you a bit of money. If you choose to go to a school in your area it may take a little longer but you will not have to take any vacation time off of work to go. Even if you only have a few of the desired certificates that are desired by the company you should apply all they can do is not call you. Each time you get a new certification or you finish a degree update your resume and submit it to the company again.

Each one of these steps will improve your chances of getting picked up by a company willing to get you your first security clearance. Your chances improve greatly with each step you complete. To have decent odds though you will have to be willing to work in an area that a company has a hard time getting people to go to. These kinds of places will be in remote locations and probably not pay that well. You will also have to be willing to stick around for as long as it takes for your clearance to come through. That means you could be waiting a year for your clearance while the company has you working on projects that are not classified. They may also choose to post date your start date until you are granted your clearance. That means you will have to keep working at your current job until then or find a job to hold you over until that time if you are currently unemployed.

Getting your clearance for the first time will take awhile and the higher level of clearance you are applying for the longer it will take. You have to be willing to wait and willing to possibly sign a second contract with the company if your clearance has not come through yet. If you do not already have a clearance your best shot would be applying for jobs that require a lower security level. The only thing you need to know about the back ground check is do not lie and fill out the application for the clearance as detailed as you can get. If you only worked at a place for two weeks you still need to put it on your security clearance application. When you get your clearance though do not break your contract with the company you should finish your obligations before looking for work that pays more somewhere ells. You may even be able to put in for a transfer with the company that hired you.

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Unlimited Mileage Truck Rental

2011-12-20T19:34:00.001-05:00

Unlimited mileage truck rental services are designed for people who need to travel a long distance (or make lots of short trips) without the need to worry about excess mileage charges. This can make it easy and stress free to transport your load, at the same time as saving you money and solving your transport needs!

When booking a truck for hire it helps to do so in advance to make sure the date is free. Do a little research to find the best deals. Those trucks that come with unlimited mileage are particularly useful for those traveling long distances, though not all rental services will offer this service. This is why you may have to call around a number of different businesses before finding one you want to book with. Write down the best quotes and be prepared to negotiate!

When you are searching for truck rental quotes you should use this as an opportunity to ask about terms and any policies. For example, you may not have a valid license to drive the truck yourself, so you might have to pay extra for a driver provided by the rental company. Also make sure you know how long you can rent the truck for, the maximum loading capacity of the truck and any other important information you want to know.

Unlimited mileage truck rental services are a great way of avoiding extra fees depending on how far you are going to be traveling. Finding a rental company that offers everything you need can really help make transporting your load/s go ahead without any stress!

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Singapore Department Stores - Which Are the Best Ones?

2011-12-19T22:49:00.001-05:00

Singapore is a shopping paradise and it is essentially an island built like an emporium to fill almost every retail need possible. Singapore department stores are aplenty and there is a whole plethora of clothes, accessories, paraphernalia abound within the many shopping districts all over Singapore. There is no best department store, it simply does not exist, because of the inherent subjectivity and wild and dynamic tastes of shoppers these days. It all is down to what you want out of your shopping experience and what your budget is. From the young, hip to the chic and the expensive, your retail taste buds will not be disappointed.

Places like Orchard Road have a host of edifices filled with promises of a grand shopping experience. Don't be distracted by their marble walls and bright lights, the devil is really in the details of these department stores. With brands and labels from all over the world, the international fashion scene is literally at your doorstep. From bargain basement deals to high priced fares, this once plantation location of the merlion city has responded to the increasing spending power of the average Singaporean and the all mighty tourist. With more than 1 million shoppers visiting such locations on a monthly basis, more and more department stores have risen up, with brands all the way from Japan, Korea, New Zealand the even the fashion factories of Russia and other European power houses.

For those with the shoe string budget then there are options like Far East Plaza or even Peninsula Plaza which have urban wear and budget brands for the teenagers or those not willing to spend for clothes. I mean sure, there are people who view wear as nothing more than utilitarian, who cares if colours don't match at all. But the again, grunge and hip hop fashions from the alleys of New York, Las Angeles and even Cuba has made their appearance in these department stores in larger than life fashions, bright colours and funk wear that addresses the needs of the niche, the young and the hip at heart. With a mixture of sportswear and no name shoe brands, there is something for everyone with a mean budget in these places, department stores that are cramped full of choices because they need to save space. You would be surprised at wat you can find in these places - after all fashion is an original statement, not a carbon copy.

Don't ask what is the best department store but ask yourself what department store is the best for you and your needs. Orchard Road, Scotts Road are just some of the places you can go to, but don't forget the hidden gems and cul de sacs of some shopping centres and malls in Singapore. With such a great interconnected transport system, sometimes, a bargain you have always been waiting for is just one station away. The best department store can even be in some dungeon like basement in some westerly corner of Singapore - you never really know.

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10 Great Places to Go on Your 18th Birthday!

2011-12-19T03:13:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for some of the best place to go on your 18th birthday then you're in for a treat! I am a personal party planner and have been so for many years. I have planned hundreds of 18th birthdays and over the years have realized that it is quite difficult to find, without help, some good places to go on your 18th birthday. Therefore i have listed below my top 10 places to go on your 18th birthday.

Remember, it's the most important birthday of your teenage years and it only comes once in your life, so don't make the same mistake I did. Make It Count!

So let's get straight into my 10 Great Places To Go On Your 18th birthday!

# Place 1: Host A Party!
This is the one of the most popular places to go on your 18th birthday and includes having it at home or renting a function room. If for whatever reason you don't won't to go to any extreme places to celebrate your 18th birthday, having a party is a great way to see your 18th birthday in.

# Place 2: Go clubbing!
One of the most popular places to go on your 18th birthday is going to a club. This is a very fun and memorable way to spend your 18th birthday and will involve a wide variety of activities throughout your night. Try to go to one of the more famous clubs in your city and dress to impress. Your 18 now you can start feeling like an adult!

# Place 3: Go Shopping!
Whether you have thousands to use on your 18th or hundreds going shopping is a definte must for your birthday. Not only is it fun to do but for your 18th you want to be look slightly different as appose to the old you. Buying something new to mark your 18th is a good way to feel as if your actually celebreating your adulthood .

# Place 4: Theme Parks
This is a very fulfilling way to spend your 18th birthday. If you're in to this type of thrill then i would definitely recommend finding and going to a theme park in your area. Try and go to a well known theme park in your city as this will make your experience a whole lot better.

# Place 5: Road Trip!
The reason that I love this one so much is it can fit into any budget. Going on a road trip with friends or family can be an enjoyable and memorable way to spend your 18th. If you love the open road at heart and have someone to visit many miles away then nothing shouts "adventure" like a road trip.

# Place 6: Casino
If you're the type of person that is "up" for a bet at the first glance of a gambling proposal then maybe the casino is for you. Find your nearest one, bring ID and have some good old fun gambling, but don't get too carried away as you may end up with no money at all!

# Place 7: Go to a music show
Always wanted to see Beyonce, Enrique Iglesias or someone famous live? Well if you can and they are appearing in your country go out and see them. Nothing completes an 18th birthday better than seeing your favourite artist perform. Even if there not available try and see some live music in your local area, it'll be worth it.

# Place 8: Go horseback riding.
This is a one of my personal favourites. I remember my first horseback ride... It hurt! But after I got used to the idea of an extremely powerful animal underneath me I really enjoyed myself. Horseback riding is a very calming and relaxing way to spend time being at one with nature. I recommended this for all those naturist's out there who would love the idea of riding off into the sunset on their 18th birthday.

# Place 9: Sky diving or extreme sports.
Sky diving or something similar like extreme sports is a very unusual but rewarding way to spend your 18th birthday. I guarantee that if you are in to this type of extreme thrill then you won't be disappointed. Remember that skydiving isn't for the faint hearted so if the sight from the top of a flight of stairs gets yours knees a bit wobbly then I would stick to something like indoor skydiving that is available in some cities worldwide.

Place 10: Rent a condo on the beach
Renting a condo or even staying in a hotel on your nearest beach (even if its miles away) can be a very relaxing and cost effective way to get away from your home town but still be in the comfort of your own country. This is one of my personal favourites so if there is a beach near you and you like a good view then spend a night down there. It'll be worth it.

Now the thing to remember here is your 18th birthday is a once in a lifetime event and you should really try your best to make it unforgettable, with any budget. I found out the hard way and would hate for you to suffer the same drag that I went through. So I have done the research and produced the ultimate guide on "things to do on your 18th Birthday", which explains fully the "Do's and Dont's" of your 18th birthday, including *101 places to go on your 18th birthday!

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Raising Bob White Quail and Ways to Profit

2011-12-18T13:40:00.001-05:00

Bob white Quail are generally seen in the wild in the Midwest and Southern United States as well as parts of Mexico. Bob white quail are small, chunky birds and usually travel on foot and stay in a limited area. Bobwhite quail are primarily seed eaters, although they do eat some insects. The bobwhites probably have the largest number of calls with at least 19 distinct calls.

Breeding of Northern Bobwhites is now a profitable business. Bobwhite Quail, noted for its flavorful fat free meat, has become a high-end alternative to chicken for many connoisseurs.

Most successful quail farmers typically raise breeders with the intent to market the resultant quail chicks at one day of age to grow out producers, or they specialize in the grow out of day-old chicks until approximately 17 weeks of age to sell as flight-ready birds to game preserve owners.

Bobwhite Quail chicks are tiny- about the size of bumblebees. Bobwhite quail, especially the young chicks, are sensitive to poor feed quality. Never feed moldy food because some molds produce micro toxins that can cause serious health problems or poor growth. There is a multitude of diseases that affect quail raised in captivity that can be prevented with proper management. Coccidiosis normally attacks birds at the age of 2-6 weeks and birds that are on litter or ground environment. Wet litter and buildup of droppings around waterer's and feeders is a common source of overwhelming infections.

Nipple waterer's significantly reduce the occurrence of wet litter and are simpler to clean than trough waterer's. Prevention must start with good management practices (eg, avoiding the introduction of new birds into existing flocks). Often, because of their individual attention to management, smaller quail breeding farms surpass achievements of larger quail breeders. Due to different conditions and different management on each quail farm, what works well for one quail breeder does not necessarily work well for another. Never attempt to substitute drugs for good management.

Two of the more basic production facilities used for raising Bobwhite quail are referred to as flight pens and quail barns. Breeders are typically housed in one of three ways: in large community floor pens with 1 square foot of floor space per bird, in smaller communal cages designed for 10 to 20 birds each, or caged as pairs or trios. With small quail breeding farms it is often advisable to introduce unrelated breeder stock at least every third year to prevent inbreeding problems.

Bobwhite quail are definitely a declining species that is not debatable.

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Volaris Airlines - A New Airline For Mexico

2011-12-17T20:41:00.001-05:00

Mexico is getting a new airline and if the carrier meets all expectations it will go a long way in helping Mexican air traffic double over just the next three years. Volaris Airlines, started by Mexican billionaires Carlos Slim and Emilio Azcarraga, is expecting to take its first flight on March 13, 2006. Volaris may impact the airline industry well beyond Mexico especially if its aggressive expansion plans work out.

With the Mexican government in the process of divesting its interest in two airlines, Aero Mexico and Mexicana Airlines, start up carriers are poised to jump in and provide service as fares drop and demand surges. Up to now, the highly controlled Mexican airline industry has put a damper on customer demand as artificially high prices and a restricted market have kept customers away. Volaris Airlines, along with competing start up airline, Interjet, are expected to quickly reshape the Mexican airline industry beginning this year.

Volaris is planning to serve at least six Mexican cities and eventually provide service between Mexican and U.S. destinations. No word how all of this will impact wannabe start up Mexus Airlines, currently operating as a "paper carrier" with no concrete plans [or funding] to start flying.

Volaris plans on flying 16 A319 aircraft and has an option on 40 A320 aircraft. TACA International Airlines, based in El Salvador, will hold a minority stake in the airline. If all goes well with Volaris, expect the Mexican airline industry to go through a shake up similar to what the U.S. airline industry has experienced.

Source: Houston Chronicle, January 13, 2006

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Air Travel Tips - Making the Flights Enjoyable

2011-12-16T13:10:00.001-05:00

If you've flown a million times or it's your first time flying, you may find it hard to keep yourself entertained when you're in the air. Like a road trip, there are a million things to do but when it comes to thinking about these things, it's hard to make a list. Below are a few things you can bring on your next flight to make the trip a lot easier for yourself.

Bring ear plugs

Believe it or not, ear plugs are something that a lot of people tend to forget. If you haven't brought ear plugs on an airplane, you should try it the next time you fly. Ear plugs are generally found at any type of general merchandise store for as little as one dollar. If you haven't wore ear plugs before, they do a very good job at drowning out all of the sound around you.

Think of what you do at home

Before you go on your next flight, think of what you do at home in your spare time. If what you do involves electricity, it probably comes in a portable version. If you don't have the money to purchase this product, look into possibly renting a similar item or borrow one from a friend. If you like to play video games, you can look into getting a PSP or Game Boy. If you like to watch DVDs or TV, you may want to get a portable DVD player.

Before you do bring DVDs on board, check and see if your airline supplies TVs. Some airlines will supply in house movies for no charge. All you will need to bring are headphones. If you forget to bring your headphones, you can usually rent or buy them from the airlines for a few dollars.

Grab some snacks

Nothing makes time fly by like a little snacks. Most airlines allow you to bring small foods on the flight, so you won' t have to worry about it getting thrown away. If you forget food, most airlines will allow you purchase snack packs for a certain price. Some airlines have free snacks and drinks. Like I mentioned above, this all depends on the airline, they are all different from each other.

The easiest way to keep yourself entertained is to be prepared. A long book and magazine can take you a long way. A bad thing to do though when it comes to magazines is to purchase one magazine just because of the topic. You may find that the magazine is very dull and if this is the only source of entertainment you bring on board, you may find the flight to be even longer if you don't have any entertainment.

As mentioned above, the best thing to do is just to think of the things you do at home. Everything in today's world comes in a portable device. From laptops to DVD players, you'll be able to keep yourself entertained.

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Kingfisher Flights Ticket Booking

2011-12-14T23:38:00.001-05:00

The well known Kingfisher Airline is known for its world class services. There are certain changes made by the Kingfisher Airline in the ticket booking system. The passengers can book the tickets comfortably from the home. The passengers are just required to choose their destination to which they have to fly and the date of flying. The list of Kingfisher flight schedule is handed over to the travellers so that they can book the tickets by going through the fare and schedule.

The flights of Kingfisher fly to numerous places all around the country from morning till late night. The flights begun at around 5:15 am and the last flight of Kingfisher is at 11.00 pm. Kingfisher flights fly to 58 destinations and similar timings are available at all the places. The Kingfisher Airline offers the services to all the important cities of India. The low range flights of Kingfisher cater well to the needs and requirements of the travellers. The passengers can make use of the best of services which are provided to them. Kingfisher also gives to its passengers the tickets at Low-rates. The passengers can avail various facilities and have relaxed journey by this airline.

The travellers can avail various benefits which are provided by the company time to time. The booking of the tickets can be done online just at the click of mouse you can get your seats confirm. The low budget tickets of Kingfisher airline can be obtained anytime and from anywhere through company's website. Kingfisher airline also has the call centres which offer round the clock services. The passengers can get all the information related to the flights from these call centres. The call centres give all details pertaining to air booking, cancellation, rescheduling to its travellers. The passengers are only suppose to make the call on the specified numbers if they are in need of any kind of information. The employees in call centres assure you to fetch you with all the details so that the passengers do not face any inconvenience.

Kingfisher flights fly not only in India but they also go abroad. If the passengers are interested in any international tour then they can book the tickets of Kingfisher and fly to their respective destination. The well trained staff of Kingfisher looks after the requirements of the passengers. They provide you best of services and give you an assurance of safe and cosy journey.

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Basic Airline Travel Tips to Follow Before Boarding a Flight

2011-12-13T00:53:00.001-05:00

Are you planning to fly to your place of interest anytime soon? Well, before you plan your holiday, it is very essential to bear in mind certain important things to avoid any last-minute hassles and make your vacation a memorable one. Following travel and luggage tips will help you plan your tour in a better way:

1) Airline

• If you have planned your tour during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year, it is better to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure. This is because these weeks are the busiest times of the year and the security check lines are very long. Similarly, most airports are extremely crowded on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons.

• In order to reduce the possibilities of a delay, it is advisable to prefer a non-stop flight over a break flight. As the air traffic is comparatively less in morning, the early morning flights are very less likely to be delayed.

• At the security check of almost all the airports, passengers are asked to remove their footwear. Therefore, it is always better to wear clean socks and slip-on shoes.

• As the passengers are required to furnish their identification proof several times before boarding, make sure you carry a lanyard with a plastic passport holder. This will ensure easy I.D. access.

2) Luggage:

• As the fee charged for checked bags vary between different airlines, make sure you enquire about the baggage rates with the particular airline.

• Never wrap your packages.

• Carry essentials, such as electronics, medications, and other valuable items, in your carry-on luggage.

• Make sure you have labeled all your checked and carry-on baggage with your name or initials and your contact details. For easy and quick identification of your luggage, you can tie a colorful satin ribbon on the handle of each luggage piece. This will help you easily differentiate your luggage from that of your co-passengers.

• Do not lock your bags as the lock might be cut off of your baggage for random inspection by the Transportation Security Administration. If you still wish to lock your bags, use the TSA approved locks instead of the normal ones.

• If you are carrying your laptop computer along with you, bear in mind that you will be asked to remove it from its case and put it through the X-Ray machine. Therefore, come prepared accordingly.

• If you are having with you prescription medicines, baby formula, breast milk, or diabetic nutritional supplements, do not forget to declare the same at the check point.

• Gels, pastes, or liquids should be placed in one quart (1 liter) plastic bag and packed in the carry-on luggage.

The above airline travel tips will definitely help you prepare yourself well before you finally board a flight to your destination.

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How to Find the Cheapest Flights Possible

2011-12-12T06:09:00.001-05:00

Every person wants to fly for cheap, but obtaining discounted airline tickets can be a true chore often. In years past, you would purely rely on a travel agent to do the leg work - searching by means of dozens of flights and alternatives before coming to the finest possible cost. And you would pay a small charge for that. These days, although, flight browsing is up to the individual passenger, as more and more travel agents are going on the net or charging significantly increased booking fees.

Discovering a cheap flight requires a great deal of patience, because you have to lookup by means of lots of listings. Most likely, to locate the cheapest flight possible, you're going to have to use various different booking web sites until you come up with a price that fits your wants. Here is the ideal way to find the cheapest flight out there.

You're going to will need a couple of hours dedicated to looking by way of listings, so be certain to allot plenty of time. Make sure you are not pressed to do some thing else or are not agitated, since this can be a somewhat slow and frustrating method. You will clearly have a destination in mind, but bear in mind that flying directly into that destination (or even punching that destination into your booking lookup) is not necessarily going to yield the cheapest final results. In fact, unless you're flying somewhere with a massive hub airport, such as New York City, you almost certainly won't get the cheapest final results. Likewise, if you live in a small city, you may have to get a short hop flight to a larger city to get the cheaper flight.

1. Begin with a easy search from your hometown to your destination and make a note of the price. You may want to compare this price between several booking websites/agents just before moving on from this step.

2. Next, choose the nearest big hub airports to your hometown and destinations and attempt those. So, for example, if you have been looking for a flight from Oakland, California to Nice, France, you'd want to examine flights from San Francisco to Paris.

3. Expand your search to other areas exactly where you may be in a position to get cheap hop flights. For instance, if your final destination is somewhere in Europe, you could check flights to any quantity of big cities in Europe and then opt for a cheap ticket to your last destination on a budget airline.

4. Make sure you know the significant hubs. Airports like New York JFK, LAX, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Beijing, Sydney, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi are important hubs for international airlines. When in doubt, opt to fly to one of these cities and then lookup for a cheap flight on a smaller spending plan airline to get you to your closing destination.

It may take a few hours of work, and you might have to try searching on a number of different times to occur up with the finest cost, but eventually you should be in a position to find a cheap flight that fits into your budget. Just remember: don't be afraid to believe outside the box!

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Cheap International Airline Tickets

2011-12-11T14:43:00.001-05:00

Do you wish to reach your travel destination without the hassle of worrying too much about any possible budget shortages?

Traveling is one of the best perks in life. Nothing beats a vacation which involves international travel. But of course, we all know how international flights can be too expensive and painful on the pocket. Even if they say that nowadays everything comes with a price, we still find it difficult to shell out something just so we could travel across countries.

Still, there is no need for you to worry. There are cheap international airline tickets which you can avail of and they do fit any type of budget real well. So even if you are on a tight budget, cheap international airline tickets can still make your much awaited vacation come to pass. Here are some tips you can use to help you find these great deals.

The first important thing you should be well aware of is the fact that prices of airline tickets change constantly from time to time. There really are no fixed price on tickets, so the best way to go about it is to keep a tab on price changes. Once it hits the numbers wherein it fits your budget already, then go ahead and make that immediate purchase.

In addition, be aware of tourist peak seasons. Some travel destinations become so popular on an annual basis. For instance, Paris can become a tourist love spot during the month of February. So if you plan to go there during February, don't expect you'll get cheap airline tickets during that month.

Usually, the best period to buy cheap international airline tickets is four months to a couple of weeks before your actual flight. If you cannot afford it yet, you can still choose to make reservations first then pay the amount in full as soon as you have the money.

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Military Airline Tickets - How to Get Cheap Flights For Those Who Serve

2011-12-10T02:39:00.001-05:00

The men and women enlisted in the military to protect us spend lots of time traveling for their jobs and being sent to various areas that need their protection. Most members of the armed services don't get a lot of vacation time; on those rare occasions when they can fly home to visit or enjoy their time off, they deserve to be able to fly with a discount. Most airlines offer special military airline tickets as a way to give their gratitude to military personnel. Discounted military airline prices are one way to say "thank you" to the men and women who risk so much to protect our freedoms.

Many airlines offer discounted military airline fares. If you wish to fly on one of these tickets, you should contact the airline as early as possible and learn what documentation is necessary to obtain one of these tickets. Also, be prepared to show proper documentation that you are in the Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force in order to receive the appropriate discount.

Before booking online military airline tickets it is vital that you speak with a company representative. You will need to find out what documentation they will accept to book the tickets. Many will accept a faxed copy of a military ID.

As a member of the military, it is possible to purchase really, really, cheap tickets online. Discounted military air fare are available for both domestic and international flights. Some can save you up to seventy percent off regular ticket prices. In addition to saving money, you also get all the conveniences of shopping online; you won't have to deal with travel agents or place endless phone calls trying to arrange a flight.

Someone serving in the military risks their own life to protect our freedoms. For their hard work, they are entitled to our utmost gratitude. Most airlines try to provide these thanks in the form of an airline discount. Cheap airline tickets for active duty are available from almost all major airlines. If you aren't familiar with the military discount, go online and search for information on it.

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Online Booking of Cheap International Air Tickets

2011-12-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

Today, there are a large number of websites that offer the services of online booking of cheap international air tickets as well as tickets for domestic flights in India. These websites have proved to be a boon for multitude of people who are frequent air travelers. The purpose for their traveling may vary from a business trip or a leisure trip to see new places, but they prefer to travel by air so as to avoid traffic.

Catering to the needs of the air travelers, various companies offer the services of the booking of air tickets. Opting for the booking of cheap international air ticket or the tickets for the domestic flights in India has the following benefits:

• Booking of an air ticket saves a lot of the precious time of the travelers. Now, you don't need to waste your time while standing in long queues at the airport to book your flight ticket.

• Moreover, now you don't need the assistance of a travel agent to book your ticket and thus save the money that was earlier wasted as the commission of the agent.

• There are various official websites of the national and international airlines that offer special prices and discounts to the customers on the air fares.

• Online booking of an air ticket brings to you a large number of options from which you can choose the best suited plan for yourself based on your needs and budget.

• Online booking services is quite beneficial for the people who are looking for a pocket-friendly travel plan as they help you to decide upon the most reasonable scheme available.

• The websites that offer the services of online air tickets booking also attends the queries and doubts of the travelers and the group of professionals helps you in making the right choice.

• These websites are especially designed as per the needs of the users; hence the navigation is quick and easy. Thus, booking cheap international air tickets is just few clicks away.

• Apart from that, the booking sites also offer various value added services such as hotel reservations services, car rental services and pick and drop facilities.

The above mentioned points indicate the fact that the booking websites have indeed made the process of booking cheap international air tickets easy and hassle free. Moreover, it also proves to be economically beneficial for the travelers as well.

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Airlines Overbooking - What to Do If You Get Bumped

2011-12-08T22:17:00.001-05:00

Today, it is common for an airline to overbook their flights. They do this in case some of the passengers do not show up for their flight and they will be able to keep the plane full. The problem with overbooking is if all of the passengers show up, then some of the passengers will be bumped. If you are on a business trip or a trip that requires that you get to the destination on time, getting bumped can be a frustrating experience.

Airline Bumping Mandates

If a passenger is denied a flight seat due to overbooking, but the airline arranges another seat on a flight within a specified period such as an hour, the airline is not required to provide compensation for the bump. If a passenger is bumped and then given another flight seat a long specified period after the bumping such as two hours, the passenger will be eligible for compensation. Passengers with tickets on flights that are canceled because of bad weather are not eligible for bumping compensation. It is important to check with the airline to find out their specific guidelines for compensation. As well, it is important read the airline's policies for honoring reservations on flights that have been overbooked.

What to do if you get bumped from a flight

1. Don't Panic or Get Angry: If you get bumped from a flight, you may feel frustrated, but do not lose your temper. You will most likely get a seat on the next flight. Do not leave the check-in area and do not attempt to arrange another flight. The airline staff is there to arrange the next available flight.

2. Compensation Issues: It is important to remember that if you accept compensation either as a voucher or as cash, the airline will consider the acceptance as settlement and you will not be able to take any further action against the airline. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you can launch a complaint with the Transportation Agency. It is important to understand the types of compensation because there may possibly be restrictions.

How To Avoid Getting Bumped

1. To avoid getting bumped from a scheduled flight, arrive at the airport early enough to check-in, get through security, and arrive at the gate. If you are late, there is a higher chance of getting bumped. It is particularly important to arrive early if you are taking a flight on a popular flight route. One effective way of checking in early is to check-in online before you leave for the airport. Passengers who arrive and are checked-in before most of the other passengers will have the best chance of preventing bumping.

2. If you travel during the peak season or on peak days, make sure that you get a seat number as early as possible, even if it is not a seat that you prefer. If you do not have a confirmed seat, you increase your chances of getting bumped.

Many travelers have had to deal with being bumped from a flight. Knowing and implementing steps to reduce the chance of getting bumped from a flight is essential to successfully boarding a scheduled flight.

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Mystery Flights Are a Great Way to Travel

2011-12-08T09:20:00.001-05:00

Mystery flights are a great way to travel if you don't know where to go. The idea is simple, air lines book a flight to a destination within your country but they don't tell you where it is. They may give you a hint like 'pack for cold weather' or 'bring your swimming gear,' but the rest is up in the air. If you want to go on a holiday but don't really know where you want to go or what you want to do, this is the best way.

Going on holiday is very fun and exciting, and mystery flights just ramp up the excitement. The mystery destination could be anywhere! They are also great ways to see your own country. Many people will go and visit exotic land marks overseas before they visit them in their own country. Mystery flights are the best way to combat this, by seeing random places and things that you never have seen before.

If the mystery flight drops you off somewhere you have been before, you can use the opportunity to explore regions of the town that you didn't get to see in your last visit. If you have the time, explore the region a bit and view a town that you didn't see before. Or you can play tour guide for the uninitiated and show them your favourite spots around town.

Mystery flights will never take you places where you need another type of currency or a passport, so you don't need anything except your luggage, your ID, and a sense of adventure.

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How to Find Cheaper Flights

2011-12-06T18:38:00.001-05:00

Cheaper airline flights, they are on every body's wish list but how do we find them? In this article, I will share ideas that you can use.

As a veteran, of many years in the tour industry I had travelled with individuals who choose to arrange their own flights when booking a tour, and others who would rather have the flight included as part of the tour package.

There are two schools of thought of which is better, and I have found it boils down to a personal choice and your personal situation.

The advantage to having your flight included in the tour package is that it is one-stop shopping. For one fee, everything is taken care of for you, including in many packages, airport transportation to and from your hotels. In most cases, this can work quite well, but at times there can be a downside. There are situations in which you do not have a choice of your flight itinerary, causing your routing to be skewed with crazy departure and arrival hours. These situations are quite often next to impossible to change.

The alternative is to book your flight, you do have to spend time doing your own research or visit a travel agent, but this in most cases ensures you receive the routing you want, set to your own schedule and at times a more favourable price. You may also have the opportunity to use points from airline reward programs.

With inconsistency of airline schedules the last year couple of years the second option seems to becoming more popular.

How do you find the deals when booking flights?

I'm going to share with you some techniques I've used over the years to obtain more desirable flights and prices.

Over the last year or two, I've done my fair share of flying and have refined my methods of making sure that I always get the best flight for my needs available. I wish I could tell you "there was only one service you need use," but in reality it does not work that way. Since there are so many variables at play, for best results you have to examine a number of sites. So how do you get the best airfare?

Travel Agent

If you have the trusted travel agency it might be worth it to check with them first. Travel agents make their living by finding terrific deals for customers, and while there is extensive information available on the Internet, the agents have not all gone out of business and can still offer value.

Internet

If you want to find your own flight you have to be willing to put in little time; research is the key and to be comfortable with the Internet will be most beneficial. A great way to increase your general knowledge of travel research would be to start by signing up for one or more of the available online newsletters, provided by travel agencies and airlines. As well as increasing your general travel knowledge it could make you aware of significant deals before such information is on general release.

Know What You Want. When you want to arrive at your destination, and when you would like to depart. If possible, arrange to be flexible and do not limit your options.

For example

If you are planning a long haul, or international travel, it could be a good idea to consider splitting the journey into separate flights. You will have to factor in longer travel time and will possibly fly further, but it could make significant savings. Ensure your stopover does not require an overnight stay as any savings from your flight might be eaten up from staying in a hotel.

Before you start your research, it is best to search the Internet and familiarize with the different types of booking sites and companies that fall under each category.

Aggregators:

These are historically the best bets. They check airfares for many different airlines and do not charge a fee.

Examples include: Kayak

Skyscanner

Yahoo Travel

Bing Travel Booking Engines: They check several websites and take a small fee in addition to the price of the flight. Examples include: Travelocity

Orbitz

Expedia

Cheaptickets

Hotwire

Priceline

Mobissimo

Most airlines own websites with their own reservation options. Examples include:

Airtran

Alaska

AmericaWest

American Airlines

Air Canada

Continental Frontier

Jet Blue Northwest

Sun Country

Southwest

Spirit

U.S.Airways

United Airlines

Westjet

Most Other Airlines International Travel: Vayama

SkyScanner

Momondo

Other Options

Budget airlines

Budget airlines such as Irelands Ryanair, often have "Promotional Flight Sales" or free 'flights sales' (technically $1 or $2 or£1) to build up a client base. Of course, taxes and other charges are extra but the deals can still be sweet.

Charter flights

It is worth checking charter airlines and travel agents, and just asking them for best last-minute charter deals.

Charter flights are pre booked flights provided by package holiday companies to transport their passengers. If you are headed to a traditional package holiday destination, you may be able to find one super-cheap. As the operator books the whole plane, there's sometimes spare capacity, which they can offer extremely cheap to flight-only customers (it'll only go to waste if unsold).

Do remember that the absolute cheapest flight may well be like the Holy Grail, and not available. Once you have found a flight, which is acceptable in terms of the cost, you could be well advised to book it, because the volatile nature of flight costing could mean that if you delay too long, you lose the deal. I hope this has given you ideas on how to begin research and that you will enjoy the satisfaction of finding your own flight treasures.

If you have any stories or questions about finding cheaper flights and would like to share or for that matter any travel related themes you would like discuss or share; send them off to us. We will read the all and post our favorites.

Well this is all we have for today's article, let us know what you think and visit us at rhapsodytours.net.

Until next time Safe Travel and Have Fun! Gerry

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Flights to Los Angeles For Great Shopping In and Around LAX

2011-12-06T02:39:00.001-05:00

Los Angeles is an admired tourist destination that features a variety of tourist attractions including beaches, theme parks and historical lures. But for some shopping remains the best thing on tour in the city.

The city is teeming with top class shopping options and spots but those who do not wish to go far away from the airport can find a number of wonderful options right near the LA International Airport (LAX). No wonder, tickets on flights to Los Angeles are lapped up by shopping freaks!

LAX is one of the busiest airports in USA and caters to many international and domestic airlines such as Southwest Airlines, US Airways, and US Airways Express.

Shopping Inside the LA International Airport

To enjoy duty-free shopping at Los Angeles, travellers may explore the duty free shops inside the LA International Airport. One can buy goods like liquor, tobacco and fragrances. These stores are run by DFS Group and are present at six terminals of the airport. Moreover, the private boutiques and bookstores present in the departures areas are also worth exploring.

Promenade Mall

Promenade Mall is a great shopping destination that stands very near to the LAX. The travellers can access this mall from the airport by hopping into a bus. The journey hardly takes 15-20 minutes. Travellers booking flights to Los Angeles love to plan a tour to the Promenade Mall as the mall features many world-renowned brands including such as 7 For All Mankind, Nine West, Vera Wang, Lucky Brand, Ugg and Coach. The movie theatre and food court of the Promenade Mall are other lures that entice tourists on holidays to Los Angeles to visit Promenade Mall.

Westfield Culver City

Westfield Culver City is another spectacular shopping destination near LAX that entices millions to dig for cheap tickets on flights to Los Angeles. After the renovation of the mall in 2009, its popularity has risen to great heights. Westfield Culver City mall is home to many renowned and legendary brands that tempt stopover tourists with cheap flights to Los Angeles to spend some time at the venue.

South Bay Galleria

South Bay Galleria is a great indoor mall that stays on top of the travel itinerary of the tourists planning holidays to Los Angels. The place is best to plan a day trip with family and friends and stays highly jam-packed specially on the weekends. The structure of this mall is highly fascinating and amazes the visitors. The interiors of the mall have been decorated with eye-pleasing green plants and elegant building materials that enrich the beauty of this contemporary shopping hub. While counting the best stores in South Bay Galleria mall, the names of Bebe, Guess, Children's Place, Gap Kids and Forever 21 top the list. Be it stopover tourists or travellers on a regular LA trip, one must plan a travel to this charming shopping spot.

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How To Get Cheap Plane Tickets

2011-12-05T07:36:00.001-05:00

People will tell you that to get cheap plane tickets you need to go to this website or that. What many don't realize, however, is that the web site with the cheapest plane tickets will not always be the same one. One week it will be Hotwire, and the next week it will be Expedia or Travelocity or Priceline.

Also, some web sites will more consistently have the cheap plane tickets of a certain type or destination. One might specialize in finding deals on international flights. Another might have the most last-minute deals. Bottom line? When using the internet, you really have to check a lot of web sites if you want to consistently find the cheapest tickets.

Other Cheap Plane Ticket Tips

The more flexible you are, the better the deals you can find. Of course, you may not want to fly at night, or make several connections, or tie your luggage to the roof of the plane (okay, that one's a joke). But in any case, when you fill out the search forms on the internet sites, leave most of options open. This means checking "no preference" for seat type or time of flight, and if they allow it, checking the box that says "check for flights from nearby airports," and the one that says, "2 or more connecting flights".

The more options you give the airlines, the cheaper they are willing to sell the tickets. This doesn't mean you have to accept the deal that the web site finds for you. This is just a starting point. Afterwards, you can check the price of flights that meet your preferences more closely. If it only saves you $10 to add an extra connection, you may want the more direct flight. But what if it saves you $170 to add an hour and an extra connection? At least you'll know what your options really are.

If you have some flexibility on the dates, always check numerous dates. I've found that leaving a day later or a day earlier can save hundreds of dollars on plane tickets. In general, the cheapest days to travel on are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. (I also just checked for a trip we may take this December, and traveling on the 24th was $80 cheaper than the 23rd.) But whatever the norms, plane ticket prices are unpredictable, so check many dates if you can fly when you want.

Buying two separate tickets can sometimes save you a bundle, especially on international flights. When I went from Traverse City Michigan to Ecuador, the cheapest plane tickets online were $1,700. But it was just $300 or so to Miami, and from there to Ecuador it was just $400. Buy two tickets and save $1000 - that sounded good to me (but in the end, I found a way to go for $413 round-trip).

Finally, if you really want cheap plane tickets, consider flying somewhere else. Of course, you can't do this if you're taking the flight for business or to visit family. But if you just want a nice vacation, pick several places you would love to go, and go to the one you can fly to for less. You might have an even better time than you would have at the original destination. Even better, the cheap plane tickets might save you enough money to pay for another short vacation somewhere else.

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Booking Cheap International Flights to Asia

2011-12-04T18:23:00.001-05:00

If you are having a hard time finding cheap international flights to Asia you are not alone. Most major international airlines are cashing in on the fact that Asia is a hotspot for tourists from Europe and American and will very rarely if ever, offer cheap international flights to Asia.

The good news is that persistence pays and in your search for cheap international flights to Asia here are a few things you should keep in mind to ensure that you will get the best deal?

Should You Book Your Cheap International Flights to Asia early or late?

Can you count on getting a bargain at the last minute? With costs going up for all the international airlines, it seems that the odds of getting cheap international flights to Asia at the last minute are very slim.

If at all there is a cheap air fare, you can be sure it will be snapped up quickly; most likely on the first hour of the first day itself. Deals are available, but last minute deals are rare. Airlines are encouraging people to book in advance through discounted offers and very often cheap international flights to Asia are available a couple of months in advance. Airline budgets are getting tighter and the number of flights going out to destinations is being reduced to maximize profit.

The Early Bird gets the Cheap International Flights to Asia

In general, booking early will get you a good deal; booking a summer flight in January or February will be far less costly than booking the same flight in March or April. With the reduction in capacity, half empty planes are becoming less and less common. This means that the chance of snapping up a last minute deal is low.

However, you should never say never. In the event that you cannot find cheap international flights to Asia, one of the options you can explore when travelling in Asia is the low cost carriers that operate within the major hubs in the region. Singapore's Changi Airport could be considered a hub for many of the major air carriers, much like Atlanta in the United States.

Low Cost Carriers and Cheap International Flights to Asia

There are many low cost, no frills airlines around the world. However, they mostly operate in a given region and rarely travel between continents. This means that even if you cannot find cheap international flights to Asia, you can still avail of bargain prices on domestic flights between the cities of the same country. Some low cost carriers will also operate between Asian countries.

If you are travelling around Asia, it might be an idea to consider booking flights on the low cost carriers between the countries that you intend visiting. Long haul flights offered by low cost airlines are only now being introduced between London and some parts of Southeast Asia. However, travel between south eastern Asian countries such as Singapore and Vietnam can be accomplished relying mainly on the low cost air carriers. There are also a handful of domestic airlines operating in Asian countries.

For example, if India is on your travel itinerary, you should note that there are half a dozen low cost airlines competing in India, so you may get a good deal on domestic flights on the subcontinent.

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Booking and Airline Ticket Online Guide

2011-12-04T05:12:00.001-05:00

The Following are the steps involved in booking an airline ticket online:

- Searching flight route

- Selecting flight number

- Entering your data

- Payment

- Printing your Tickets

Searching flight route.

Usually the website will provide an airline flight route table for both domestic flights and trips abroad. Choose a route to your destination, Keep in mind that a direct flight is always preferable but not always cheapest. In addition to the route you will also need to fill in the number of passengers you plan to travel with, both adults and children. For children under the age of 23 months an extra seat need not be booked as they can travel on the lap of their mother.

Selecting flight number.

After you decide on the route, then all flights available on that day flying that route will be available to you, generally flights at the start and end of the day will be more expensive as this is when business travellers tend to fly. When you have decided which time to travel there will be options of which class you would like to fly, the options are usually economy, business and first class with the later being the most expensive.

Entering your data.

After you choose ticket(s) and price, then the next thing you are asked to fill in is a profile for the passenger manifest. You must fill in the profile with your name, sex, address and telephone that could be reached. If there is more than one passenger travelling you must fill in the data for those you are travelling with also.

Payment.

After completing your profile, the biographical data will appear along with the ticket booking code and the amount to be paid. To process payments online the most common method is via credit card. There is also payment methods available through the ATM. And if you have neither of these you can record / print the results of the booking and then report to the airline ticket counter to pay.

Print tickets.

When the process of finding and buying plane tickets online is finished you can simply print your tickets or booking code all ready for check in. Once you have the ticket printout you are all ready to go to the airport and board your flight.

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How To Travel Cheap - Hawaii On A Budget

2011-12-03T16:36:00.001-05:00

Wanting to take a trip to Hawaii but need to stay on a budget? If you are trying to figure out how to travel cheap to Hawaii here are a few tips.

Hawaii is a notoriously expensive travel destination, but with some research you can find some deals for the budget minded and hold onto more of your cash.

Choosing to plan your trip Oahu has some advantages. First, there are many discounted-fare flights there, and also public transportation can be found to pretty much anywhere on the island. This can save you a bundle.

Once you arrive, you can take in free nightly hula shows at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. They often also show free films in the evenings on the beach.

The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is another great tip for how to travel cheap. Here you can find some more freebies as they offer free lessons in hula dancing, ukulele, and lessons on how to make a lei. They will also provide lesson in Hawaiian quilting. Now where else can you learn things like this without spending a dime? Great fun.

If you choose to save money by not renting a car, you can save a bundle by taking the bus everywhere, or you can rent a bike for about 20 bucks a day. If you do rent a bike and need to take the bus somewhere, you can take them along with you on the racks of the city buses. Cool huh?

Still need more ideas for how to travel cheap and find great fun in Hawaii for very little money? Remember that if there are decent waves, the surfers will be out, and most any day you can find a surf contest going on. For the cost of some sun screen you can enjoy some absolutely amazing tricks and performances put on by the surfers. This is an extremely fun and inexpensive way to spend a day in Hawaii.

On Saturday there is a farmer's market at the Kapiolani Community College. This is a super way to soak up local culture and find some local produce and crafts, and you can find some spectacular deals here too. It's a great place to save money on all those souvenirs you need to bring back home to friends and family. You know they're expecting something! You can find cheap eats here too, or you can even just wander around and people watch.

So if you have always wanted to travel to Hawaii but had no idea how to travel cheap, take advantage of these tips, be on the lookout for others like them, and you can have an awesome family vacation to this beautiful state without taking out a second mortgage.

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Tips To Getting Cheap Airline Tickets

2011-12-03T01:11:00.001-05:00

Today, travelers who are looking to buy airline tickets do not have to spend a fortune. There are many ways to find and purchase cheap airline tickets. You just have to be flexible and know where and how to find cheap tickets. If you are looking for airline tickets but do not want to break the bank, below are some tips on getting cheap airline tickets.

Scheduling your Flight: When it comes to picking a day and time to fly, you can get a cheap flight if you are flexible about when you book your flight. For instance, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are normally the cheapest days to fly. When it comes to the cheapest time of the day to fly, late-night flights and really early morning flights are the cheapest times to fly. Also, flights that have a minimum of one stop tend to be cheaper.

Fly Off-Season: If you choose to fly to a destination during high tourist season, expect to pay a lot more for your flight. The cheapest time to fly is during a particular destination off-season as there are minimum tourists there so great deals are offered to get your business.

Book a Cheap Flight Online: Purchasing tickets from a discount travel website is a great way to get cheap airline tickets. Join their travel alert and newsletter program. You will receive alerts when get great deal comes available as well as last minute deals. These deals are for a wide variety of destination areas. There are also travel dealers that buy block tickets from airlines at discounted prices and then sell them at discounted prices to customers. Customers get great deals and airlines fill up their seats.

Fly Low Cost Budget Carriers: Flying low cost budget airlines are a great way to get a cheap price on an airline ticket. It is a no frills way to fly because you get less 'perks' but you save a lot of money on your ticket. There are discount online travel retailers that sell tickets for the budget airlines so they are easy to find and purchase.

Fly to a Secondary Airport: Most major cities have a smaller, secondary airport. These airports are cheaper for airlines to use and they are often used by the low-cost carriers. This helps keeps their costs down so they can pass on their savings to their customers. Check out which airlines fly to the small airport and book a flight with them. Also stay with the same airline during the entire trip to receive round trip or connecting fare discounts.

Book Early: With the price of fuel on the rise, airlines are increasing their fees. For this reason, it may be wise to book as soon as you decide you are going on a trip because you do not know if fuel prices are going to continue to rise and cause airlines to raise their fees.

When seeking to book a cheap flight, it is always a good idea to figure out how you want to pay to enjoy a good deal. Airline prices are always fluctuating so when you know the low price you want to pay, then you can grab the deal when you find it instead of waiting around to see if you can get a better deal. You may wait too long and miss out on a great deal. Remember, no two people on a flight pay the same price, so do your research and look online on discount travel websites and you will be able to find and buy cheap airline tickets.

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How to Have a Comfortable Long Flight Journey

2011-12-02T08:59:00.001-05:00

You can enjoy your flight trip by making yourself comfortable. By following these steps you can be comfortable on a long airplane trip.

Arrive at the airport beforehand. By arriving soon you can reduce the stress of delay and problems faced at the airport.

Many flights are delayed due to weather or fuller planes. If you have planned ahead, you should have plenty of time to get to your final destination, even if there are delays. Expect them and have something to occupy your time while waiting.

Wear loose clothes while flying because you will be sitting for a while. In the current economic scenario, flights are high on fees and low on service. Due to recession, you have to purchase coffee, soda and water for a steep charge. Try coming to airport soon so that you get enough time to purchase water and snacks. You can also bring your snacks from home. Pack salty and sweet to cover all your cravings.

Try carrying your headphone and MP3 for music. Headphones prevent other passengers from talking to you even if you don't turn them on. You can get a little privacy if you bring your own portable entertainment. Music and movies are also great distracters for passing the time.

Remove your shoes to avoid swelling. Since you have a long flight you can take off your shoes and stretch your toes.

Get up every few hours and walk the length of the plane when possible. Air travel may be stressful due to delays, distractions or due to grumbling of other passengers. Don't let others get to you. Take a nap if you can. If not, just breathe deeply and relax.

Things needed for comfortable traveling during long flights:

-Carry your headphones, sweaters and meals along with you.
-Eye drops and lip balm or other protective gel.
-To while away your time carry books, Sudoku etc.
-Portable gaming system
-Eye shades, Inflatable Neck Pillow
-Clean pair of socks, clean shirt, mini travel towel, Listerine Pocket Pack and Jet lag pills.

Consider seat selection. If you're looking for extra legroom, the best seats are in the exit rows.You have to meet certain requirements to book these seats. On the other hand, some airlines offer the seats you desire, if your willing to pay additional fees for the same. While choosing a window or aisle seat, find out what your needs are in advance. If you choose an aisle seat, you can move around in the cabin easily without disturbing people, enabling you to relax more. By choosing a window seat, you have something to lean against to sleep during the flight.

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Cheap Flights - Decision Between 1 or Multiple Stops

2011-12-01T16:39:00.001-05:00

When we are out looking for the best options to make our dreams true with some perfect holidays, there is one thing we will always have trouble with. And this is the decision if a strategy that involves multiple stops will be more efficient or not.

The answer, as you could expect, is the following: it depends. Good, nice article. Let's discuss about this then.

To start with, I would like to mention the two differences that we can encounter, and to make you understand it properly I will place two examples. Let's imagine we are planning to fly to Singapore from Paris, Europe, and we take a look at the flights market trying to discover what can be best.

The idea is to find an airline or combination of airlines that can bring us there for the less price possible. If we find a flight operated by one single airline, we receive one price A. We then look for combinations with different airlines and we have another price B. Which of them will be higher?

If the stop that we make in the route to change to a different airline operator is placed pretty near to our place of departure or arrival, the option will have chances to be cheaper. An example could be flying from our supposed home town Paris to London, and then from London take a flight to Singapore.

Instead, if we plan to fly from Paris to any destination in the middle East, and from there a flight to Singapore, unless it exist a very special offer in place, this will be always a problem, and the total fare will increase.

Nowadays, with the option to fly to East Asia with Oasis Hong Kong will even more kill the possibility to travel to Middle East, as flying to London will allow you to use this airline to travel there.

Another example will happen if we plan to go to Barcelona, Spain, from the US, from Miami for example. Of course we can find direct flights that will have a good price. But did you know that if you fly first to Italy with Alitalia and then you take Ryanair to Barcelona the fares are a lot cheaper? Did you also know that with Zoom Airlines you could fly with a low cost carrier to New York from Miami, fly from NY to London for 343 euros, and then take Ryanair to Rome in Italy for 20 euros?

In the end, what I mean with this article is: normally a direct flight will be cheaper, but if the stop you are planning to make is relatively near to your airport of departure or to the airport of arrival, the possibility of making a 1 stop or even 2 stops flight should be considered as you can be happily surprised.

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Finding Cheap Discount International Flights and Airline Tickets is All About Timing

2011-11-30T16:35:00.001-05:00

Many people dream of traveling to a foreign country but the cost of international airfare is enough to scare most people off. If this is something you\'ve always dreamed of doing but the prohibitive cost of airline tickets has kept you from doing so then its time to learn the secrets of finding cheap discount international flights and airline tickets.

The one thing that most people are not aware of is the fact that airline ticket prices change on a daily basis. This is important to remember because when you find a really good deal you need to take advantage of it. If you wait until the next day to think about it there is a good chance that the price will have changed.

You can take advantage of this daily price change is you know what to do. Or more importantly who to talk to. Call the airlines ticketing representatives directly and simply ask what kind of ticket discounts they currently have running for their international flights. Most airlines run specials every day of the week, they just don\'t advertise the fact.

The time you choose to call can also be important because most of these discounted specials are first come first serve. The airlines update their computerized ticketing system everyday at right around midnight so calling in the early morning hours stands a good chance of finding some really good deals on international airline tickets.

There is also the issue of knowing how far in advance to buy your tickets because you want to take advantage of any early booking discounts the airlines may be offering. The general for early booking is to make your reservations between 4 months and 21 to 14 days before your scheduled travel dates. You won\'t save much if you try to book a flight beyond 4 months out and once you get inside of the two week travel window the airlines know they can charge full price because most people traveling are either business travelers or traveling on short notice.

Another good tip to finding inexpensive airline tickets is to travel during the off-peak seasons. Because the demand for tickets isn\'t as great during these times the airlines will offer pretty good discounts to put warm bodies in their cabins.

Finding cheap discount international flights and airline tickets is relatively easy if your timing is good. Once you learn the ins and outs of the airline ticketing system you will soon find yourself traveling with more spare cash in your pockets no matter where you go.

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Secrets to Finding Really Cheap Airline Tickets Online

2011-11-29T23:07:00.001-05:00

Knowing where to find really cheap airline tickets is the first step to shopping for the best airfares online but once you've overcome this little hurdle on your race to getting really cheap airline tickets you'll need to know how to book the cheapest airfares.

Let's say you've found a great website that offers really cheap airline tickets online - like lastminutetravel.com or hotwire.com, you'll need to know when you'll find the best airfares and how to gain from those airline ticket bargains.

Here are two secrets to finding really cheap airline tickets online:

Using the Alternate City strategy:

The average airfare for a round-trip from Chicago to Paris might cost you about $1000 during winter months. For a family of 4 this would be a big cost in they travel budget. But by using the alternate city or nearby airport strategy you could save up to 50% on your airfare.
Here's how you can get really cheap airline tickets using this strategy.

So let's say you're looking for international airline tickets, you'll be flying from Chicago to Paris round-trip - the normal airline ticket price would be about $1000.

But instead of flying to Paris, you book a flight to nearby Brussels and then take a short road trip down to Paris. You'll get really cheap airline tickets from Chicago to Brussels and save up to $300 on traveling alone.

Often after all your searching for really cheap airline tickets, you may find your flight has been overbooked. Strangely airline over book their flights regularly, I suppose its one way of ensuring that their flights are fully booked.

But if you're the unlucky one to get bumped from the flight - you have a legal right to compensation. Many experienced air travelers know that getting bumped can be very inconvenient by as with anything to do with air travel - if you're willing to be flexible you'll be rewarded with some really cheap airline tickets deals.

Many experienced travelers would actually volunteer to be the one to get bumped from the flight and take a later flight to the same destination ora flight to a nearby destination.

The airline will compensate these travelers for the major inconvenience by granting them extra frequent flier miles, really really cheap airline tickets in future or even FREE AIRLINE TICKETS.

There are some big advantages to getting bumped from your flight, so if this should ever happen to you - be aware of your options and press the airline into given you a free airline ticket or a really cheap airline ticket deal in return.

Apart from really cheap airline ticket deals - the airline may also give you travel vouchers and free meal tickets while you wait for your next flight. At times you could be treated like VIPs for getting bumped.

MORE TIPS TO FINDING CHEAP AIRLINE TICKETS:

Finding really cheap airline tickets

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Flights To Erbil: Top 5 Attractions

2011-11-29T07:14:00.001-05:00

Flights to Erbil to See the Top 5 Attractions

The Hawler Tribune, an e-newspaper in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, has given Erbil the status of 'the next Dubai', in a news story published on February 21, 2001. Although Erbil may still be very far from what Dubai has achieved, hopes are high that it will attain the position one day. There is already a great focus on tourism in the city, given the archeological, historical and geographical richness of this place. So, if you want to explore this 'next Dubai', consider booking online flights to Erbil as soon as possible.

Flights to Erbil: Places to Visit in Erbil

An essential step, along with booking flights to Erbil, is to plan your itinerary, so that your travel agent can find you the most suitable accommodation as well. Here is a list of the list of top tourist attractions in Erbil to help you plan your trip:

1. Qaysari Bazaar: This is one of the best known landmarks and shopping centers of Erbil. If you are looking for souvenirs that with historical and cultural significance, you will find a wealth of antique stuff related to Kurdish culture.

2. Sheraton Plaza: This is a wedding venue, located near Sheraton Hotel. It is fully equipped with all modern day facilities and offers a very cordial environment to its guests.

3. Martyr Sami Abdul-Rahman Park: This is the biggest and most popular park in Kurdistan, featuring a huge lush, green space. With so many cafeterias, fresh green pastures, crystal clear water pools and other leisure pursuits, this amazing place holds the potential to rejuvenate your senses.

4. Gali Ali Beg: Located at a two-hour drive from the outskirts of Erbil, Gali Ali Beg is a must-see. Its stunning waterfalls, large camping grounds and scenic beauty attract numerous visitors throughout the year.

5. Minara: This is an ancient archaeological landmark. Almost 400 years old, this place is the perfect manifestation of the great art and architecture of that time.

As you explore the city, you will find numerous other amazing sights that will compel you to spend some more days at this beautiful place. So, plan your trip well in advance and make early bookings of flights to Erbil in order to avoid any last minute disappointments.

IKB Travel is a leading UK travel agency that offers cheap flights to Erbil and other Middle Eastern destinations. Not only this, they have Iraq travel experts who can help you with your all travel planning needs. For more information about them, visit youshouldtravel.com.

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Cheap Plane Flight - Strategies to Get the Lowest Tickets

2011-11-28T12:35:00.001-05:00

Air travel is generally regarded as being an expensive luxury especially during the holiday season. Many travelers who are on a tight budget often find it difficult to find a cheap plane flight. However, the following tips may help you to find the best discounted offers on the market and save hundreds of dollars off the cost of your tickets.

Travel consolidators.

When looking for a cheap plane flight it is sometimes a good idea to check with a Travel consolidator. A travel consolidator buys up plane seats in bulk from the airline carriers and then sells them at a reduced rate to the normal price. Quite often, you can buy a cheap plane flight from a travel consolidator for much less than if you were buying it from the airline carrier itself. With a Travel Consolidator, it is better to book far in advance to ensure you get the largest discount available. However, do not discount them if you need a cheap plane flight at short notice because you can get massive savings on any unsold seats on flights that are within a few days of the scheduled departure.

Travel Predictors.

A little known strategy for getting a cheap plane flight is to use a travel predictor. A travel predictor is an online service that allows you to compare the rates of many airline carriers. A travel predictor will also tell you if the price of a particular airline ticket is rising or falling and then predicts which way the price is likely to go. It will then advise you whether or not you should buy your ticket or to wait a little longer. One travel predictor site is http://Bing.com/travel and I highly recommend that you take a look.

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How to Find Cheap International Flights Online

2011-11-27T07:20:00.001-05:00

If you are planning to spend holidays outside of the country, you must realize that your accommodation and other travel expenses can eat up much of your holiday budget. To balance the expenses, you need to shop around for the cheapest international flight that will take you to your destination. Luckily, shopping for flights is made easier through the internet. Here are a few tips to help you find cheapest option online.

Determine Peak Travel Seasons

Travel in off seasons and at uncommon times of the year to enjoy lesser cost of flights. Since airfares can change on a daily basis, it is wise to check on them often. Besides travel seasons, travelling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays tend to be cheaper than travelling on Fridays and weekends. You may also consider flying to nearby airports as indirect flights often cost less. Perhaps you can avail of airline newsletters online to keep yourself posted on the latest travel offerings to Australia.

Check Multiple Sites

Never settle for the first flight you find online. Be patient and search for the best deal amongst the vast choices you have. Make use of various travel and airline websites to compare prices. Also look for specific discounts that you can avail of. If you're a student or a senior citizen, then make use of the student discount entitled to you.

Advance Booking

Airlines are raising fees due to unstable prices of oil in the international market. As long as oil prices are continuously rising, you can synonymously expect skyrocketing fees in international flights. So instead of procrastinating, book as soon as you know the exact date you're going.

Consider Last-Minute Deals

Airlines have a tendency to offer last-minute deals with lower prices. These are seats or rooms that are not booked to its full capacity at the last minute. So instead of leaving those unoccupied seats and rooms empty, companies would rather opt to lower their prices and gain some money for business's sake.

Know the best time to buy

Buying an international plane ticket can sometimes be tricky. Sometimes, you just don't know when to stop tracking prices and finally buy a ticket. If you always find yourself going through this dilemma over and over again, make use of websites that offer reliable fare predictions. These sites will require you to just put your itinerary and they'll advice you whether to book now or wait. These sites offer history graphs what will allow you to see whether the fare is headed in a downward or upward direction to help you make well-informed decision.

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Cheap Airline Flights Online

2011-11-26T17:40:00.001-05:00

Getting an airline ticket for less than a hundred dollars may sound impossible to you at first, but if take time to learn some important tips that can save you lots of money when purchasing airline tickets, you will be astounded at what you will discover! Perhaps you miss the fact that there are promotions being done online that enable you to get those tickets at very low prices. If something unexpected happens and you need to make a quick change of plans, there is a friendly change of plans policy you can use to remedy the situation. Let's look at some ways you can use to get a cheap airline ticket legally and efficiently.

The first logical step is to check with the airline company. This is the most important step before you proceed to do anything else. If you wish, you may opt into their mailing list and receive weekly notification regarding the available discounts via emails. The nice thing about getting into contact with the airline company for a cheap airline ticket is you can convert the trip into air miles which can be used at a later date! However, there are third party sites as well that offer outstanding deals. Certain package deals, travel and hotels for example might be cheaper from them.

We will share some very well-kept secret of the savviest of shoppers and how they get their hands on the best deals around for flight tickets. You need to plan the trip early to be able to get a significant discount on flight tickets. Last minute bookings are often subjected to higher prices. If you find yourself trapped in a last minute booking scenario, do not give up and pounce on the next ticket deal you see, exercise patience and look again, there are deals offered for you as well.

Timing is the next important factor for securing great deals for airline tickets. Friday is normally a good day to check out for new offers. Alternatively, Saturday morning is the best time to check for any latest offers. If you can be flexible about the day you can travel and not be rigid about the requirements, you can find that the options are wide. Certainly, there are some serious decisions to be made. Whatever your goals may be, it is good to look around and see the available cheap airline ticket deals that will help you create the savings you need.

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How to Find Cheap Airline Tickets When You Travel

2011-11-25T22:42:00.001-05:00

Before you go on any vacation or travel anywhere in the world, if you want to save money you should really consider doing some homework before you go. Below are some of the ways that you can save money on find cheap airline tickets.

Do your research on the internet, call airline booking agencies and watch the news programs to keep yourself up to date on discounts. There are a lot of promotional fares offered by different airline companies that are new in the industry. Compare prices between different websites.

When you are a frequent traveler maybe you should consider signing up for frequent flier miles. You could one day travel for absolutely FREE when you accumulate enough frequent flier miles.

Are you a senior or is there a senior going to be traveling with you? Maybe you should call the traveling agencies about senior discount. Maybe you can do the same thing if you are a student. Some airlines give discount to students.

It is a good idea to keep a flexible travel schedule. Roll with the punches. I mean if there is a promotion states that they only give discounts every Tuesdays like the movie theatres, maybe you should book your airline tickets on Tuesday. Did you know that, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the days that have fewer reservations therefore on these days that tickets are sold cheap. Monday is usually the busiest day of the week because it is a first of the working schedule for most people. Try not to book on Monday.

One thing I recommend not to do is make reservations to the first airline company you see with a promotion of some sort. You should consider taking your time be patient and find out if the promotion is indeed the cheapest in your area. Ask the agency clerk about other offers available. When search on line, make sure you check at least five sites before you decide where to buy your tickets.

Another place that you can purchase cheap airline tickets is through consolidators. If you don't know then these are people who buy a lot of tickets at huge discount from the airline companies and resell them at whole sale prices. This helps the airline fill up still available seats. The good place to check for this is the travel section of the newspaper.

If you can avoid, try not to book on off peak hours schedule. Most likely if you book before seven in the morning flight or book the after seven in the evening flight, airline tickets are at their cheapest. This too, will be a wise decision since it is at these times that airlines are not overcrowded, thus getting more space for yourself and your luggage.

Remember always ask the airline ticket agent if that particular airline offers bonus traveling packages. Some airlines do offer packages such as car rental discount or a hotel room discount that comes with the airplane ticket.

Always consider book air tickets ahead of time. Discounts are usually offered to someone who reserves airline ticket three weeks or earlier beforehand. Don't forget due to over crowding during the holidays, you may not use your frequent flier miles. Therefore it is a good idea to book in advance if you plan to travel during the holidays.

One final thought, staying with only one airline on your entire trip may too, give you discounts. Airlines offer special rates to round trip tickets or connecting flights.

I hope these advices helped you in finding cheap air fare. Enjoy your trip.

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Mango Airlines

2011-11-24T19:53:00.001-05:00

Mango airlines was the third and final low cost airline to enter the South African market. Like all the other airlines in the country, it has its headquarters at Johannesburg International Airport (OR Tambo). The first airline to launch in SA with the budget structure was Kulula, and it was very successful in quickly taking market share away from SAA. So SAA decided to strike back and launch their own low cost airline. Initially it had the terrible name of TULCA (the ultimate low cost airline), but was since named Mango Airlines.

It has been reported that Mango airlines, being owned by SAA, and thus getting tax payer money, creates an unfair advantage for them as they can undercut their prices further than the other low cost airlines. The other budget airlines, namely Kulula and 1Time have reported Mango (and by association SAA) for this, but little to nothing has been done. Mango airlines flies to and from: cape town, Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein. This is not as extensive as the other airlines. One thing they may have thought about though was registering the domain name mango.co.za, as this is owned by the South Africa mango growers association. The domain name they now have is flymango.com, which not only is confusing to people, but also does not have the co.za - which is the South African country ltd.

Although there is this bad press about Mango airways, and their association with SAA. Unlike their parent airline, they have actually turned a profit and it is said that they are now being run as a completely autonomous company. This all means that south Africans have more choice in the market and it keeps the other airlines on their toes to ensure that prices stay competitive.

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Airline Travel and Air Line Travel

2011-11-24T03:34:00.001-05:00

Airline travel has always been the most expedient way to take a trip. Air line travel offers some great advantages. If you have time constraints and need to get there quickly, airline travel is the way to go. If you find that a long journey in a cramped automobile holds no appeal, consider airline travel. If you want to be ready to go when you arrive at your destination, airline travel holds the key. Air line travel will get you where you are going in the least amount of time, in the best physical shape possible and ready to set out on your planned activities.

Some people find the thought of airline travel frightening. Statistics show that air line travel is one of the safest means of transportation. More people die annually from automobile accidents than die in air line travel accidents. The reason for that is that with an air line travel accident more people die at once so the media tends to sensationalize it. There may be 100 people or more killed in a single airline travel accident but compare that with the thousands of people who die each year from other types of accidents. Airline travel has a great safety record and the government tries to make sure it stays that way. Airplanes go through hundreds of government inspections each year to insure the safety of the public.

There are some really great air line travel deals available. A fast check of the Internet will produce thousands of offers for cheap tickets to just about anywhere. This can be a great way to take a weekend trip on the spur of the moment. Last minute air line travel tickets are often offered inexpensively. A fast trip to Las Vegas, New York City or any of the beach resorts is a great way to spend a long weekend. If you would like to plan a little in advance, you might try talking to a travel agent about airline travel. They have some great airline travel deals and can help with other arrangement like hotels and rental cars as well.

Airline travel is a great tool to use in fulfilling the Great Commission. Jesus said in Mark 16:15 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." As Christians we have an obligation to share our faith not only at home but also in other parts of the world as well. Air line travel makes it less difficult to take mission trips and fly to other part of the world where the Gospel has never been heard. If you are planning a mission trip, make sure to consider airline travel as your means of transportation.

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Tips On How To Find Cheap Flights To International Airports

2011-11-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

Reserving tickets in international flights is an expensive task. Further, if you're planning to fly between the major airports of different countries, this process becomes all the more costly. However, you can still get air tickets at reasonable prices if you do some research. If you're already confused about how to find cheap flights connecting the international airports, please go through the following paragraphs.

This article deals with information on how to find cheap flights.

One way international flights are often costlier. So, if you're flying between two major air terminals, it is advisable that you go for round trip tickets. For this, you need to plan your traveling schedule accordingly.

Be flexible when it comes to acquiring information. Check out all possible resources that offer you information on how to find cheap flights, whether it is a travel agent, a tourism company, a travel guide or your local tourism office.

Be extra careful while purchasing air tickets. You can purchase your tickets from airline consolidators. Such people purchase tickets in bulk. Thereafter, they provide your desired seat, at a reduced price. In case you're booking a last-minute flight, reaching these consolidators is the best option for you.

I'm sure you must be familiar with the auction websites and forums. Several travel agencies run auction websites that let you bid on airline tickets. If you've plenty of time in hand, you can try your luck here. Once you bid on a ticket, the agents will either accept or deny your offer. They may give you some valuable advices regarding this and might help you also. If you're getting the tickets at reasonable prices, it is well in good else, check out other options.

You can also purchase tickets from online forums. Many businessmen auction their tickets at online forums if they have to delay or cancel their trip due to some reason. You can readily get tickets from these forums.

Apart from these, call centers are excellent sources of instant information. The customer care executives appointed in these call centers offer you tips on how to find cheap flights.

Your last option is consulting your friends, family and business associates. Seek advice from a person who is a frequent traveler. He might give you a valuable advice regarding this matter.

Now I'm sure that you know how to find cheap flights. Simply keep these tips in mind while booking your tickets.

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How To Grab Very Cheap International Flights

2011-11-22T19:20:00.001-05:00

If you enjoy going on vacation and you're often wanting that you may be able to jump on a flight and go to any location of your choice in the world, you're probably all of the time in search of very cheap international flights. You can find lots of options to book a trip on a low budget and have a fantastic vacation. As a matter of fact, you also can find opportunities to book a trip for almost free, whenever you're able to spend some energy and time into exploring all of your choices and making the best of your resources.

Finding cheap air flight tickets can be a challenge all of the time. Hotels are ever more willing to give a discount and offer package bargains and specials in many cases. This is why you are able to find inexpensive options to stay overnight. Airfares however, are controlled by the airline carriers. There is commonly little room to get a discount when you're calling to book your flight. It is always wise not to call the airline directly to get the cheapest flight unless you could spend the extra money or you need a last minute flight depending on an emergency.

As an alternative, make the best of your resources. If you own a credit card that lets you to accumulate points, find out if you are able to cash them in for a free or very cheap airfare. I think, whenever you go with your credit card, why not get anything more out of it? You can find plenty of people who will never spend a single dime on an airfare because they make use of their credit card points and miles. If you dislike the way of credit card debt, you can ever consider to pay off everything in full every time you'll get your bill. You get to keep the miles or points and you don't carry a balance each month.

An additional valuable source that most people are able to use is the internet. There are cheap airfares on nearly all well-established travel sites. It would be a good starting point for you to find some sites that compare the flight prices for over 25 airlines flying all over the United States and often around the globe. It will give you what the cheapest price and the airline ticket to buy for your trip. However you should always compare prices from two or more travel sites before you put any money down. Still take your time and do some more research, because in many cases you will find another travel site that will offer it for a bit cheaper.

However, you should always have in mind that the price of a ticket you find on one site today might change when you come back to make a reservation the very next day. Whenever you found a good deal and you're comfortable with what the rate, make a reservation on the same day. If the rate you get today isn't too attracting, it's wise to wait a few days. It might arise or it might come back down. Finding very cheap international flights isn't ever a guarantee, however it could be more easygoing to find a cheap airfare when you do some more research.

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How to Book Cheap International Flights

2011-11-21T03:53:00.001-05:00

With the growth of the airline industry, there has been an increase in international business and holiday travels. People who love to go on a vacation will want to have the cheapest international flights in their lifetime.

Well, there are many ways to book cheap international flights. Here are some useful tips:

1. With holidays around the corner, people are busy trying to find the cheapest deals whether booking a hotel room or traveling by air. The best resource is the Internet that has a wide variety of well-established online travel sites that offer cheap airfares. Check out these websites that have comparison chart showing their rates and their competitor's airfare. This will help you compare prices and will help you get cheap international flights.

2. You can save a lot of money on air tickets by booking in advance. Most travelers try this trick and end up saving money.

3. Try to call airline authorities for cheap flights. Alternatively, you can call your local travel agency for some surprisingly cheap air travel package.

4. Traveling during off-peak season, especially between autumn and spring will always result in cheap airfares. Off-peak air travel saves a lot of money.

5. The best way to get cheap air tickets is using your credit card. Sounds strange, doesn't it? However, read on. Most credit card companies help to accumulate credit points which can be encashed either for buying something or buying air tickets. There are many people who have made use of their credit card points to get cheap air tickets.

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How to Get Cheap Flights to Las Vegas

2011-11-20T13:16:00.001-05:00

Finding cheap flights is a great way to save some money when planning your vacation. If you can save some money here then you will have more money to play with. Smart thinking! So how can you get cheap flights to Las Vegas? There are several things you can do.

First of all, and this might already be general knowledge, avoid weekend travel and plan to arrive in Las Vegas sometime during the week. Why? Every Jim, John and Harry wants to get away for the weekend on Friday or Saturday. The airlines don't need to make any accommodations to fill up the planes and can afford to disregard passengers looking for a discount. On Sundays, most people are on their way home because it's back to work on Monday. So, ticket prices begin to go up on Thursday, skyrocket on Friday and Saturday, and then begin to show a slight decrease on Sunday. So the best days to purchase tickets to Las Vegas are Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Plan your stay in Vegas to include the weekend. Try, at least, to stay through Saturday night, which is the busiest time for airlines and the most expensive day to travel.

Book your flight as far ahead of time as possible. The earlier you can book your flight the bigger the discount you can get. On the flip side, if you are a last minute sort of person, you may be able to get a good deal very close to your travel date. This is because, at almost zero hour, the airline is trying to fill up empty seats. This method of purchase is risky, however, and not all companies do this.

Look out for special deals. Airlines usually offer knockdown prices during the slow periods. If you are not particular about when you want to get to Sin City then this is be a good option for you. Remember, Las Vegas is buzzing with action all year round. To stay informed of these deals, subscribe to airline newsletters and alerts and check http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com regularly.

Look into combining packages. Some companies offer reservations for hotels and car rentals as well as flights. If you book one or more of their services, they will offer you a discount.

If you have ever considered buying time-shares in Las Vegas then you may want to combine business with pleasure. In a bid to attract buyers, some real estate companies will fly you out and put you up free so you can get a taste of the Vegas lifestyle. The only requirements are that you fit into a specified income group, take a serious look at what they have to offer and listen to the sales pitch. A word of warning though, make sure you are serious about making a purchase and do not try to take these companies for a ride. Read the fine print. Some companies will charge you for the flight and accommodation if you don't buy what they are selling.

Most importantly, shop around and visit http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com regularly for on going specials and other guides on how to get discount hotel rooms, how to get around Las Vegas, how to entertain kids, how to get married, how to get free stuff and many many more from Las Vegas.

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