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Maritime Museum and Comic Con in San Diego

Written By: joe - May• 25•10

When Los Angeleans want to get away for a weekend, they’ll often head south to a place that’s just small enough in atmosphere to be relaxing and big enough to retain all the amenities one might expect in a world-class city. With such sights as the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, and the Maritime Museum, visitors are never at a loss for something to do, even when Comic Con , San Diego’s largest annual convention isn’t in town.

In the Maritime Museum of San Diego , travelers will see one of the finest collections of historic ships in the world. Two of the vessels here are national historic landmarks. Each ship contains on-board exhibits, with original artwork, photography, and a fascinating collection of ship models. The permanent collection is contained in five galleries, each representing a theme of maritime history and how they relate to San Diego, the harbor and its position on the Pacific Ocean.

In the “Age of Sail,” guests will board the Star of India, an 1863 sailing vessel, with examples on board of how these ships sailed and how the crew worked and lived at sea. The “Age of Steam” is represented by the ferryboat, Berkeley. Ships using steam power were no longer dependent upon the wind to move, and so goods and people could arrive on specific time tables and schedules. Guests will find steam engines on exhibit here, next to historic photography of the era.

In an exhibit known as “Charting the Sea,” two histories are explored, educating guests in exploration and science — how San Diego became first an object of interest for European discoveries, and then centuries later, became a center for expeditions out into the world’s oceans.

“Harvesting the Ocean” examines the life of commercial fishing out of San Diego, how it grew and fell, and how San Diego was once the tuna capital of the world.

The final gallery examines the U.S. Navy and its role in San Diego. “San Diego’s Navy” is the only exhibit of its kind in the city, and explores over a hundred years of the U.S. Navy history in San Diego, from a time when the harbor was too shallow to allow the Navy’s ships, to a time when the harbor became the biggest naval base in the Pacific.

Unless you’re traveling during the time of Comic Con, you should be able to find a hotel in San Diego that’s right for you. Unless you’re headed for the international convention that draws in thousands of film and comic book aficionados, you may wish to schedule your trip to the Maritime Museum for any time other than the last week in July.

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Paris is a Melting Pot

Written By: joe - May• 18•10

Over 2 million people live in Paris, and the population is as varied as all of the United States; a good proportion of students, the elderly and young workers, travellers with an extended stay arrangement with many of the hotels around Paris , and foreign residents, all bringing a genuine wealth of culture to this City of Lights and what makes Paris, Paris.

Paris has a variety of arrondissemnets (boroughs) just like New York City. The population in each of these arrondissements vary widely; the most sparsely populated is at 12th arrondissement with about 8,500 inhabitants per kilometer, mostly because of the Bois de Bincennes woods. The 11th arrondissements is the most densely populated with over 40,000 inhabitants per kilometer. Most households only have 2 people and most families only have one child. Women are the most employed ; the employment rate for mothers with children has reached 82%, which greatly exceeds France’s average.

Parisians account for only 19% of the population, basically about 1 in 5 residents is Parisian. Native Parisians are rare, most residents are not born in the city. 14%, about 310,000, are foreigners living in Paris and 70% of the foreign residents are not from the EU member states. The foreign population come from all over the world and their reasons vary just as widely, from work, studies or family, they come here because Paris is a great place to live and work. In the suburbs of Paris, the amount of different nationalities are higher than in the city. EU, Turks and North Africans citizens make up 78% of foreigner living in France. However, tourists swell the ranks every year in Paris, who welcomed about 27 million visitors last year.

Upon retirement age, many inhabitants leave Paris and retire in the South of France, making Paris a city for the young and is home to a majority of single people; because of this, the death rate in Paris is low compared to the rest of France.

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The Great Aquarium in Saint Malo

Written By: joe - May• 13•10

Saint Malo, France is one of the incredibly beautiful cities that are located in the region of Brittany and are well known for their amazing historic architecture as well as numerous cultural aspects. Even some of the hotels in Saint Malo are steeped in history and representative of the incredible architecture that can be found there. The city itself is famous for being the walled city of Brittany and is also the most popular destination for many of the region’s visitors. In addition to the great buildings that comprise the city there are numerous landmarks and places of attraction that draw numerous guests every year.

Among all the great historic aspects of the city there are also numerous dynamic and progressive cultural attractions. The Great Aquarium is one of the city’s finest establishments and is also one of the major aquariums of France. Many people visit the city for this reason alone and even those that aren’t there specifically because of it enjoy a visit to this incredible aquarium while they are there. Almost four hundred thousand visitors will make a trip to the aquarium in a single year which also makes it the second most popular tourist destination throughout Brittany.

The aquarium is a recent addition to the city and was only established in 1996. The project was initiated by Maurice Chicheportiche who saw it open in 1996. Various features and additional attractions have been added to the aquarium throughout the years and it now boasts some of the most incredible elements found in any aquarium in the world. The 3-D movie is both entertaining and educational, as is the case with many of the aquarium’s features. There is also a touch pool, which is attractive to almost all guests and helps to create a connection to marine life and develop an appreciation and respect for the marine environment and its creatures. Another one of the most popular features is the Nautibus, which is a short submarine journey through thousands of fish.

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NY Comic Con

Written By: joe - Apr• 30•10

New York City, the original Gotham, is not the center of the universe. There are multiple universes that collide within the city, and it does happen to be the center of most of these. In terms of great shopping for great deals, 14th street is as good as it gets in the world. For dive bars, there’s the East Village. For a great hotel, Central Park is a difficult location to beat. So when it comes to pop culture, New York is going to stand pretty tall.

In terms of comic conventions, New York doesn’t have the best, which is kind of humbling. In fact, it has only the second best, and every year it’s a major event. Last year’s convention saw over 75,000 visitors in three days, and for any kind of convention that merges comic culture and pop culture, that’s a pretty good indicator that pop is still popular.

Held every fall at the Jacob Javits Center in midtown, the New York Comic Con is coming into its fifth year this year. There is a great deal of comic book culture here, as one would likely suspect, with a number of fascinating guests at every event, and usually some heavy-hitting veterans from the comic art world.

There’s also manga and anime, and last year the Anime convention even timed it out with the NY Comic Con so they could happen simultaneously. It was a happy marriage, to be sure, and all the various overlaps between the two seem to take care of each other rather elegantly. There are also screenings of new films and television programs, and a host of other exciting things.

It’s a perfect place to celebrate pop culture, and to come and buy some ephemera from your favorite animators and comic book artists. New York has always been a kind of a center for irony, and no where does that find a better home than in comic books. The dark turn so many have taken in the past years has started to shift back toward a more self-aware style, so that the world of comic books is taking itself less seriously again, so that we can take it seriously.

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Manhattan Skyline

Written By: joe - Apr• 13•10

Manhattan, New York is the fashion, business, and media capitol of the world, almost. This statement is not so far fetched considering the amount of business and politics that takes place in the 23 square miles that make up the city. Manhattan is the most densely populated borough of New York City. It is the smallest of the five boroughs, and yet the third most populated. The five boroughs that make up New York are: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx and Queens. Each borough has its own history and a culture that cannot be duplicated. Walking from one borough into the next is like walking into a whole different world. Manhattan is known to be the most glamorous and sophisticated of the five. Manhattan is home to many of New York’s landmarks including: Central Park, Central Park Zoo , time Square, Madison Square Garden, Ellis Island, Metropolitan Museum of Art , the Chrysler Building, the *Twin Towers. Natural History Museum, the Statue of Liberty, and the list goes on. It is incredible that such a small area can hold so many attractions and so much history. It is also the meeting place for the United Natuions, and many world decisions are made here.

Staying in Manhattan is an adventure. Manhattan residents rely on public transportation to get around the city. Streets are crowded with taxis and traffic jams. Less than 30 percent of residents in Manhattan actually own a vehicle. Booking a Hotel in Manhattan is easy. Manhattan is at the forefront of accommodating guests to its city. Heads of State, Presidents, and even Queens have stayed in Manhattan. Staying for a few nights to soak in the city lights is a once in a lifetime experience. Manhattan has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world. The skyline includes some of the world’s historically tallest buildings. The twin towers, once part of this historic skyline, are no longer standing. In true Manhattan strength, the city has moved forward and remained strong.

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Plano, TX to drop Rapid Transit Line

Written By: joe - Mar• 31•10

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit or DART is a Dallas, Texas based transit agency that operates most of the buses, light rail, commuter rail, and HOV lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs. Dallas Area Rapid Transit is the largest light rail operator in Texas, with approximately 45 miles of light rail tracks and plans to increase its coverage of the Dallas Fort worth area underway.

Recently though, Plano officials inquired about leaving the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system after some citizens complained about being taxed for a service they don’t use. This tax is approximately one cent and is supported by Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s 13 member cities. The city will still owe debt payments for years to come to Dallas Area Rapid Transit even if Plano votes to withdraw from the agency. Under current statutes and laws the soonest Plano could hold an election on leaving the transit agency is 2014 and even if the vote passes Plano could expect to pay outstanding debts to DART for the next 10 to 15 years.

It baffle’s me why a cities citizens would block public transit of any form. Public transit encourages tourists to Dallas and the surrounding area, who prefer to not rent a car on their stays in the region to visit and do commerce in regions they couldn’t normally reach from their hotel . This is a sentiment shared by many of the downtown Plano businesses . Since the installation of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit rail business in the area has thrived. New apartment complex and retail construction have sprung up, as well as older businesses near the downtown rail station beginning to report a sizable increase in customers and sales. Just proving more soundly that affordable, rapid public transit is extremely good for the economy as well as the ecosystem.

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Los Angeles Holds Your Space

Written By: joe - Mar• 29•10

There are a stunning number of things in Los Angeles that have an effect on how the world does things. The most obvious of these, of course, is the movie industry. By catering strictly to the tastes of 18-24 year old boys, the film business manages to somehow shape reality for nearly everyone who lives on the planet. There is something very catchy about the images of pretty people doing pretty things, or having wild adventures, that strikes everyone in some significant way, apparently.

Some film theorists say that this is a complex process, where the film image projects images that audiences accept and internalize. Once this happens, then they are willing to internalize more, so that their identity, and our identities for that matter, are composed of pieces of what we want to be, and what we think we want to be. It’s a kind of game that used to only happen in Hollywood, but now we play it every day through the films, as well as through networking sites.

Visiting the town and holding up where there are some excellent
hotels , there is a great chance to get to hear about how people live here. Like anywhere, there is a lot of talk about the sites. More than anywhere, there is some very conscious effort being put into the profiles. And there is a great deal of agonizing over things that happen on these sites, because they seem to mirror reality.

It’s hard to imagine what might happen with the decline of myspace , and although there are some who say it will come back, others suggest it’s going away , which means that a lot of performances of self might go somewhere in a lost space in time. These were much more complex things to build that facebook, and there was more room to perform the self here. Although it might turn out that we are more sophisticated after all, and become complex in how we perform on facebook, using the fan pages like the French used to use the handkerchief, inventing a language of flirts that no one could have imagined, and no movie company could ever create.

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The Importance of Management Training Workshops

Written By: joe - Mar• 25•10

Choosing a specific training company for corporate and business management staff can be a difficult process. And as many businesses are outsourcing their standard training needs this is becoming more important and fundamental to their internal stability and structure. This is one of the main reasons that researching your management training company is essential. However, once the decision is made to do so and as a corporate or private company leader you are comfortable with your choice the rewards can be extreme.

Companies that specialize in management and or staff training have a distinct edge over independent internally based business or inhouse training programs. Part of what makes them successful is the amount of research that is put into the best skills and techniques that are needed for staff and management personnel in any field. By accessing the training seminars and workshop from one of these specialized companies you can gain for your business the necessary competitive edge in today’s market. With the difficulty faced in the current economy by many of the new independent as well as established corporations, every piece of competitive leverage that can be gained is important.

It is also important to realize that a training company will generally have a diverse catalogue of seminars and training programs, and these will focus on various career elements and field techniques. There are workshops that deal with a survey education on the basics of any field skills and give the attendee an overall competence in their job position. Other seminars are designed for specialized focus on a particular technique or skill topic. Various programs are in place to take a successful businessperson’s career to a new level and to re-introduce the basics to those in need, or are perhaps new to a company or are returning to a field. There are quality educational resources for people in all areas of their career and accessing these can make the difference between successful and mediocre career.

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Coconut Cove Water park in Boca Raton

Written By: joe - Mar• 22•10

Well the time is drawing near for the season of fun in the water and sun to kick in at the Coconut Cove Water Park. March 27th is the first day of opening for 2010. They have spent the winter getting all the pools and slides cleaned up and repaired. The water is balanced and the umbrellas are getting ready to be puffed out for some much needed shade. They are
gearing up to host a list of fun activities for all ages and families to enjoy.
This is a great place to have a birthday party for you or a loved one. They have some great package deals that include some food and beverages as well as the all day entry for the your guests. There are even some day camps available for your kids if you have to work and they are bored sitting at home all day during the summer.
If one lives near by or is planning to be in the area for a longer period of time than one may think of getting a seasonal pass. Depending on how many visits are made over the summer, it could save a little money. If someone needs to learn how to swim than this is also the place to go because they offer a variety of swimming lessons. If you are getting tired of the pool at one of the boca raton florida hotels  you are staying in and need a change in scenery then let the Coconut Cove Water Park be a nice day out in the sun with some splashing fun. If you have kids with you it could be even more fun than the hotel pool because there will be many more other children enjoying the day at this fun water park.

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Hawaiian Festivals

Written By: joe - Mar• 17•10

Imagine an island surrounded by cool clear water with a beautiful tropical climate and lush bright green plants and trees with colourful flowers in full bloom year round. That almost sounds like a dream vacation location doesn’t it? Well that is Hawaii year round. The islands beauty is not matched by many other places on earth and the fact that it is like that all year as opposed to a few beautiful months like most other places give Hawaii the edge.
In addition to the nice weather, Hawaiians always seem to find an excuse or reason to have a celebration. Many of these celebrations are huge and don’t last one day, they are often stretched out over the course of a week or longer. One such celebration is the Honolulu Family Festival which runs from March 25th-March28th. The family festival has a long itinerary set out already that will have the attention of those in attendance all day. There will be live musical acts playing back to back nearly non stop. All different types of foods will be available from traditional dishes to new favourites to desserts and almost every other type you can imagine. There will be a puppet show on display for the young children and rides will be set up as well. They will also have the hypnotist Dr. Scott Lewis in attendance and he will be doing a number of shows throughout the event. There is no fee to enter the festivities but the tickets for the rides and food will not be expensive. The proceeds from the Honolulu Family Festival are all going to the refurbishment of Ala Moana Beach Park. The park is used by Hawaiian citizens and tourists for parties. BBQ’s, and just to hang out in so raising money to refurbish it is a good cause. While in Hawaii and attending this or any of the various festivals a hotel will be needed. Be sure to check out the various hotels throughout the island you will be guaranteed to find one to meet your needs.

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