The vacation Factor

2007-01-30T05:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine going on vacation to do relief work

The stereotypical American tourist, he of fluorescent shorts, over-loud voice and ever-present camera, has exported qualities of American culture that might best have been left at home. That fluorescent persona is what much of the world thinks of when they think of America. But there is a new breed of American tourists, and the handy name for them is altrourists, or tourists who, in place of fluorescent shorts and camera, travel with a higher, altruistic calling in mind: helping those in need, those suffering the ravages of disease, such as AIDS, or disasters, such as floods, or hunger, which stalks so much of the undeveloped world, particularly Africa, like an unfed tiger. Just whats driving the upsurge in altrourism is not entirely clear but it would it appear to have many roots, judging by the breadth of interest, spanning young and old and people of all sorts of political and socio-economic backgrounds.

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Australian Cricketer Shane And Estranged Wife Simone Vacation Together

Sydney, Australia (AHN) - Retired test cricketer Shane Warne appears to have boweled his way back into the arms of his estranged wife. The Australian legend, who holds many cricket records and retired after the Australian victory over England in the Ashes this year, has been pictured on a Fijian holiday with his wife, Simone. The couple, who have three children, have been separated since 2005 when a sex-story involving the wild boy of cricket was sold in England. Warne has been the subject of many questionable headlines throughout his career, but his wife stuck through him throughout them all. However, the alleged love triangle in England was the final straw and they\ couple went their separate ways. However, woman's magazine New Idea has recently printed pictures of the pair looking intimate and rubbing suntan lotion on each other while on a summer vacation.

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2007-01-29T04:54:00.000-08:00

HOTELS AND VACATION COMPLEXES OFFERED FOR SALE IN BULGARIA

Warm weather caused an increase in the number of hotels and vacations complexes offered for sale in the three biggest Bulgarian winter resorts of Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo. Prices varied between 630 and 1200 euro per sq m, Dnevnik daily said. Examining real estate sites, Dnevnik reported that as much as 70 such properties were offered for sale. In Bansko 55 hotels are offered for sale. Intense construction in the resort led to the big number. Nearly 15 hotels were offered for sale in Pamporovo, Dnevnik said. The average price was 650 euro per sq m. Imoti.bg said that low prices did not guarantee purchasers. Investors refrained from purchasing, expecting even lower prices. Bankruptcies of construction companies, which took loans to set up the hotels, also lead to lower prices.

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Cheneys To Vacation In Iraq

Insisting he isn't delusional, Dick Cheney plans to spend a two week spring vacation with wife, daughter and grandchildren in Iraq. Even pregnant daughter Mary intends to go along, and not to be outdone by the birth of Angelina Jolie's child in a third world country, Ms. Cheney plans to have her child at the newly completed Halliburton Community Hospital of Baghdad. The Vice President also intends to do some duck hunting in the Kurdish region of Iraq where crates of caged ducks will be flown in from the same farm that provided crates of caged ducks when Mr. Cheney had his hunting mishap last year. Echoing Laura Bush saying, "Lots of good things are going on in Iraq that aren't being mentioned by the media.", the vice president said in his interview with Wolf Blitzer, that "Many, many good things are happening in Iraq." Insisting, with a straight face, that the United States was winning the war, Cheney blamed the misconception of a failure on the poor work done by the media.

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Vacation pay won't affect when benefits begin

Q: I am 63 and would like to start receiving Social Security in September. My last day at work will be Aug. 24, but I won't receive my vacation pay until September. The company will owe me nine weeks at a rate of $2,000 a week. I'm concerned the vacation pay ($18,000) is going to be well over the $12,960 earnings limit mentioned on your Web site. I'm not clear about Social Security's income rules and want to confirm when I can actually start my benefits. Will the vacation pay delay or reduce my Social Security? -- M.J., Stow. A: No. If you stop work in August, Social Security can begin with the month of September. Although you will receive additional earnings (vacation pay) after Aug. 24, you are not working after that date. Don't worry about the $12,960 earnings limit. It doesn't apply unless you decide to work after Aug.

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2007-01-28T04:56:00.000-08:00

YOUR VACATION IN LIGHTS Scaling Fuji and Bopping in Bangkok

Liz Santos of Alexandria is the latest contributor to our Your Vacation in Lights feature, in which we invite Travel section readers to share the dish about their recent trips. It's a big, confusing travel world out there, and you can help your fellow travelers navigate it. Your hot tip can be the next guy's day-maker; your rip-off restaurant, the next family's near miss. To file your own trip report -- and become eligible to win a digital camera -- see the fine print below. THE TRIP: Three weeks traveling solo through Asia. .

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Grand Beach Palace Resort in ...

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN) , today announced that it has acquired the Grand Beach Palace resort (formerly the Renaissance Grand Hotel) located on the northeast side of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with plans to convert the property into its flagship Caribbean timeshare resort. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. (LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/CLF043LOGO ) The beachfront property, which has remained vacant for more than two years, will undergo a $40 million renovation including the conversion of its 290 existing hotel rooms into 143 fully furnished condominium-styled timeshare units.

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2007-01-27T05:07:00.000-08:00

Best Cruise Deals

Family travel can be an expensive proposition – one of the reasons why a family cruise is so appealing. A cruise is an “all-inclusive" vacation with meals, entertainment and accommodations, and the kids can't roam too far. But how can you save money when traveling as a family? Let Travelzoo's cruise experts share with you their top 10 tips for getting a great family cruise deal for 2007. 1. Look beyond Florida -- Often similar cruises at lower prices depart from Texas, New Orleans, and Norfolk. And, depending on where you live, these ports are easier to reach via car, an added savings for families. 2. Sail from the Northeast -- Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess and Carnival, among others, offer sailings from New York to the Caribbean at various times of the year, including winter.

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How Discount Airlines Save Money

In the last twenty years, discount airlines have single-handedly changed the way the airline industry functions. With a focus on getting customers to their desired destinations without the frills of regular airline travel, discount airlines can charge lower prices and still meet strict safety codes. Airlines like JetBlue and Southwest offer customers extremely low rates and still service a wide variety of popular domestic destinations. In the past, discount airlines saved money by skimping on the unneeded details. For instance, instead of receiving a full dinner, you might just get a drink and a small bag of peanuts. Rather than offering movies on long flights, you would have to find ways to entertain yourself, and legroom was much less of a concern than it was for major airlines.

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2007-01-26T04:51:00.000-08:00

How to book your vacation

In my last column, I wrote about my friend Maryam, whose trip to Hawaii was tarnished by several booking mistakes. Since that column generated a lot of interest, I thought I would tell a different story this time -- a story about another friend, Robert, whose recent anniversary trip to Rome proved especially memorable because he followed principles of sound travel planning. Robert started off on the right foot by following a key strategy, i.e., he booked his travel with providers with whom he had a loyal relationship. Knowing that he wanted to take his wife to Rome for their 20th anniversary, Robert called his preferred airline and checked for dates and flights that would allow him to upgrade his seat. After securing his own upgradeable ticket, Robert then purchased a ticket for his wife.

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South Africa trip ultimate hunting vacation

I recently visited with David Leining of Santa Fe Archery. He was hosting Dirk Faul of Ntshonalanga Safaris of South Africa, and suggested that I stop by. Now, Ill be honest; when I heard South Africa, I thought that it would be out of reach but, to my surprise, for $2,500 plus airfare, with a four hunter minimum, you can hunt in South Africa.Included in the two-week package is a pre-selected dining menu and even a laundry service to ensure that you only need three sets of clothes for the trip. Looking to mix things up, split your hunting with a photo safari, but be sure to take a good quality camera as the photo opportunities are endless.As far as the hunting is concerned, you will be taken to one of several concessions, which is South Africas term for leases, that are high-fenced and range from 4,000 to 85,000 acres.

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Parties are jittery as vacation is on peoples’ minds

While Mumbaikars pack their bags to skip town on Thursday evening to enjoy a long vacation starting from January 26 to 30, political parties are sweating it out, worried about low voter turnout in the upcoming civic elections on February 1. Poll managers across party lines are concerned that Mumbaikars may just avoid voting to make most of the holidays. Major parties such as the Congress, Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP have urged workers to hold corner meetings and persuade residents to participate in the polls. Many have launched door-to-door campaigns appealing to citizens patriotic emotions to come out to vote on civic election day, which comes every five years. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde says, We have deployed two workers to drive 100 voters. This way at least we can bring residents to the booths.

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2007-01-25T04:51:00.000-08:00

Irving: Aushwitz Was a Vacation Site

(IsraelNN.com) For the first time since his release from prison one month ago, David Irving has publicized his belief that the holocaust was a hoax. Irving claimed in an interview that the concentration camp at Aushwitz was actually a tourist attraction, and denied that there is any proof that gas chambers were in use there. Irving served thirteen months in prison after being convicted of holocaust denial following a speech he gave in Austria. Holocaust denial is a crime in both Austria and Germany, and carries a punishment of up to twenty years in prison. Irving was originally sentenced to three years, but appealed and was granted an early release. Following his release, Irving called for a boycott against German and Austrian academics until the two countries stop arrests for Holocaust denial.

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Affordable Disney World Vacation Packages

ORLANDO, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 24, 2007 -- Florida Vacation Station is pleased to offer greatly discounted Disney World vacation packages to visitors of the Orlando area! With Disney World vacation packages so affordable, Florida Vacation Station has made it even easier to give your family the perfect vacation. Call us toll-free at 1-800-701-7288 or click on this link and one of our Disney World vacation packages agents will contact you! For a limited time offer, you are now able to purchase one of our Disney World vacation packages for just $119.00! This great package includes: Whether your family vacation calls for water parks, discovering new animals, or simply meeting Mickey Mouse, we have developed Disney World vacation packages to meet any family's needs.

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2007-01-24T04:50:00.000-08:00

Vacation's end is a forced cold swim

Our son stumbles bleary-eyed from bed long after I have decided what to eat for lunch. He wears his comforter around his shoulders like a shawl and I have no desire to know what's underneath. If he were laundry, he would have just tumbled warm and rumpled out of the dryer. "Want something to eat?" I ask because when my children are home from college on vacation, I try to be a full-service mother. "Too early," he mumbles, his bare feet slapping the floor as he stumbles toward the easy chair. It's one of those recliners. You pull the lever and the chair does all the work to make you comfortable. Just before his butt makes contact with the leather, I issue a warning. "The cable guy is here fixing the connection. You can't watch television now," I tell him.

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40 from 18 US States win Oahu Surf Vacation in Monster Sweepstakes

Monster Energy Drink, the title sponsor of the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro, presented by Billabong at the Banzai Pipeline, (Jan. 27 to Feb. 9) today announced the winners of their nationwide sweepstakes promotion - the largest consumer promotion in surfing history. Twenty entrants from 18 States have won all-expense paid trips for two to the island of O'ahu to be VIPs at the world-class surfing event - 40 people in all. The Sweepstakes attracted more than 13,000 entries. As a VIP guest at the Monster Energy Pipeline Pro surfing tournament, winners from across the nation will be treated to a complete cultural experience, starting with a traditional Hawaiian opening ceremony at Pipeline's Ehukai Beach Park on January 26, 2007, followed by a kick-off dinner and celebration that evening.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Hotel in Taos, New Mexico

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company, today announced the acquisition of the Fechin Inn in Taos, New Mexico from Taos Lodging Associates Limited Partnerships. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The hotel, located near the historic Taos Plaza, will be developed as a timeshare resort and will undergo renovations in the coming months. Once complete, the resort will become the second New Mexico property in the company's portfolio. Wyndham Vacation Ownership entered the New Mexico market in the summer of 2006 by opening its first sales center in Albuquerque and also recently acquired 22 units at the Riverside Lodge and Cabins in Red River that will be converted into timeshare units. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061020/CLF043LOGO ) About Wyndham Vacation Ownership Wyndham Vacation Ownership, a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family (NYSE: WYN - News), is the world's largest vacation ownership business as measured by the number of vacation ownership resorts, vacation ownership units and vacation ownership interests.

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2007-01-23T04:54:00.000-08:00

Go on Vacation and Slow Global Warming

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As leading scientists around the planet continue to study potential solutions to the growing problem of global warming, many everyday citizens are searching for ways they can combat climate change at an individual level. A new program, GreenPleasures.com, offers a convenient way for people to heal the planet - even while on vacation. The program allows travelers to save thousands via wholesale travel pricing and GreenPleasures invests in programs that slow global warming. Program creator, Eric Woodroof, Ph.D., who has helped organizations save millions in cost-reduction programs, says, "You can have fun and slow global warming." GreenPleasures offers a unique "feel-good" solution for vacationers, or those that want to give a unique travel gift for weddings, graduations, or as a business gift/incentive to grow customer loyalty.

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Last chance to enter stock-picking contest is today!

Today's the deadline to enter the Sun-Times Monkey Manager stock picking contest and win a glorious week-long vacation for two to Mexico. See if you can top the performance of our peerless primate of portfolio performance, Mr. Adam Monk. Send us your favorite stock by the close of business today, and we'll track it all year. You'll win if your stock has the greatest percentage price increase of all entries. The winner gets a fabulous prize from Apple Vacations, America's Favorite Vacation Company: a seven-night trip for two to Gran Bahia Principe Tulum in Riviera Maya, Mexico! .

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Napa Valley Vacation Packages

Napa Valley vacation packages are the easy, convenient, and affordable way to plan holiday vacations. Tourists to Napa Valley can avail a number of vacation packages that will suit their taste and budget. These packages allow you to plan, price, and book your vacation in Napa Valley. All Napa Valley vacation packages include activities such as hot air ballooning, golf, horseback riding, biking, tennis, and boating. You can also enjoy shopping, dining, and nightlife in the area. .

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2007-01-22T04:56:00.000-08:00

Lifetime Coastal Vacations: Spring Break Discount Travel Options

(openPR) - With families and college students planning for Spring break vacations, the pressure is on to book your trip for the least amount of money while staying at a four or five star resort. In this pursuit, many people turn to travel agents or online discount promotions in hopes of getting “the best deal." Michael Smith, Level III Director with Coastal Vacations, has a tremendous offer for those who must escape the cold and get away to a warm Spring break destination. Based in the 5 Trillion Dollar Travel Industry, Coastal Vacations has been supplying lifetime discount vacation memberships for over 10 years, helping people save up to 75% off all their hotels, cruises, condos, airlines and more. “The greatest advantage we have over our competition is that our vacation packages have lifetime privileges without any timeshare presentations to sit through" says Smith.

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Sea Turtles Getting Tropical Vacation after Arctic Blast

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) -- Three dozen sea turtles are getting a little tropical vacation under heat lamps after being rescued from an arctic blast that caused the water temperature in an arm of the Gulf of Mexico to plummet 18 degrees in 48 hours. "Four more coming in," Sea Turtle Inc. curator Jeff George shouted over a din of volunteers and onlookers who as of noon Friday had found 36 turtles lying on the beach. The cold-blooded juvenile turtles had been left comatose by the rapid temperature drop this week in the shallow bay where the young feed on turtle grass. The turtles' break began like any winter spa vacation. They were scrubbed clean of grime, then brought under a heat lamp until their eyes opened and their flippers twitched -- signs they were reviving and ready to be put in the water and munch on romaine lettuce.

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When Paris calls, don't hesitate ...

You know you need a vacation when you land in France and are so intent on getting to your hotel that you clear customs, pick up your luggage and are in the taxi before realizing that you forgot to change currency at the airport. You know you need a vacation when you've gotten off the Paris Metro at the right stop, but end up wandering the streets in circles - literally - for half an hour in the dark, trying to find your hotel, only to discover that it was a mere three blocks away from the subway. .

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2007-01-21T04:58:00.000-08:00

A look at other Ohio superintendents' contracts

He can transfer accumulated sick leave from prior employment, but is not entitled to payments for unused sick or personal leave. Six weeks vacation, can be carried over annually without limit. If he leaves, he can be paid for unused vacation at his daily rate. $500 monthly car allowance. $28,000 annually toward annuity. Relocation expenses up to $10,000, plus monthly rent up to $1,500 in temporary housing Computer, modem and fax at home. If terminated in some circumstances, he could be paid up to 12 months' salary. Toledo's John Foley (Interim superintendent) Base salary: $130,000 Other compensation and benefits: Board pays Foley's contributions to teachers retirement system. Unused vacation leave can be accumulated and paid to Foley if he leaves.

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Haliburton Resort Seizes New Market by Catering to Baby Boomers ...

Oakview Lodge and Marina, an Ontario, Canada resort destination, seizes a larger segment of the hospitality industry by creating customized baby boomer vacation packages. Minden, ON (PRWeb) January 19, 2007 -- Oakview Lodge and Marina, an Ontario, Canada resort destination, seizes a larger segment of the hospitality industry by creating customized baby boomer vacation packages. Canadian resort owners have noticed that baby boomers are not only taking hold of this new market, but they are also determining the type of Ontario resort vacation that is most popular. Unlike what baby boomers traditionally looked for, there is now a trend towards choosing resort packages that enable them to take part in a wide variety of exciting and/or unique activities, that may include dog sledding or a canopy tour 30 metres off the forest floor.

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2007-01-20T04:53:00.000-08:00

Volunteers have vacation to remember

LUMBERTON - Gayle Schlautman couldn't find the words to express how grateful she was that a group of 13 people from 1,200 miles away took the time to begin work on the Lumberton house she has called home nearly all her life. Throughout the week, the volunteers, who were from St. Cloud, Minn., put a new roof on her house, repaired water-damaged ceilings and took care of a number of other home repair needs created by Hurricane Katrina. .

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Reasonable Caps Should Be Placed On Vacation Accrual

I have followed the issue Rhonda Thurman raised about school administrator vacation and sick leave very closely. Kudos to you, Rhonda. I thoroughly agree that reasonable caps should be placed on vacation and sick leave accrual. Almost every corporation, small business, and non-profit organization in America puts limits on accrued paid time off. And for good reason. This limits the financial liability the organization has when an employee is terminated, voluntarily or involuntarily, or when he or she retires. On the second issue that arose from this controversial request Rhonda made... She simply asked for accrued paid time off dollar figures, not their pay. If people have the time to back into what salaries administrators are paid, more power to them. Although, if they went to a public school in Chattanooga, they would probably have difficulty with the mathematics required to calculate such numbers.

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Clarifying tax savings on vacation home

Taxpayers are entitled to claim deductions for their principal residence and one vacation or second home. Except for unusual situations, the ownership tax breaks for a primary residence are generally limited to the mortgage interest and property tax deductions. However, tax savings from owning a second or vacation home are a bit more complicated and are often greater. Depending on your personal-use time, and with some advance tax planning, your vacation or second home can produce significant tax savings. Purchase Bob Bruss reports online. FOUR TAX CATEGORIES FOR SECOND OR VACATION HOMES. Mortgage interest and property tax payments for your second or vacation home are always tax-deductible. However, if you own a third home, it does not qualify for the mortgage interest and property tax deductions unless it is a rental property.

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2007-01-19T04:52:00.000-08:00

Invasion, party took place while couple on vacation

A vacationing couple from the Town of Sheboygan will be returning to a mess after someone apparently broke into their home and hosted a party there, according to the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Department. The apparent break-in, at the home of Tom and Nancy Manning, 728 Oak Tree Road, was reported about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, said Capt. Dave Adams of the sheriff's department. "A family member checking the house found a door forced open and someone had had a party in the residence," he said. Adams said the invaders apparently helped themselves to the Manning's food and beverages. The family has not yet returned to identify what, if anything, was taken. .

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Vacation Rentals for Profit Seminar to be Held Feb. 24 in ...

VacationRentalsForProfit.com announces the release of its book at the Feb. 24 Seminar in Cincinnati. Every paid attendee will receive a book for free. Now private owners running their own vacation rental units have a system available to assist them. $5 from every paid seminar admission will be donated to the RED CROSS Hurricane Recovery Program. Cincinnati, OH (PRWeb) January 18, 2007 -- VacationRentalsForProfit.com is announcing the first of a series of seminars for private owners of vacation rental properties. Also to be released at the seminar is the book, Vacation Rentals For Profit. .

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Vacation and Sick Time Request Denied

School board members denied member Rhonda Thurman's request for information about county school employees accumulated vacation and sick pay. Thurman says she wants the name, position, salary and amount of vacation time for each of the employees that make up the 13 million dollars in benefits.The majority of board members say the request is too personal and is not necessary for Thurman's inquiry.She says it's public information and fair game.Rhonda Thurman, School board Member:"I am an elected official, this does have to do with our budget I do not feel like it is an unreasonable request all this information is on everybody's paycheck when they get it how many hours they have accrued and how many vacation days they have approved the whole entire thing is already on their paycheck, this is not burdensome all I have asked for is the information." Thurman says she is consulting with a state representative on the next course of action.

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2007-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

County School Employees Accumulate Over $13 Million In Vacation ...

County school employees have accumulated over $13 million in vacation and sick pay, according to a report requested by school board member Rhonda Thurman. Ms. Thurman is asking that the report be broken down to detail how much individual employees have accumulated. Board Chairman Joe Conner is asking the School Board to vote Thursday night on whether the individual figures should be given out. Ms. Thurman said some school employees are collecting as much as $100,000 in accumulated benefits when they retire. She said most private businesses don't allow carrying over vacation and sick pay days from year to year. .

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How about an Iraq vacation

Tired of the beach scene in Miami? Bored in Hawaii? Seen enough of the Louvre? Worry no more. We have some trips that go way beyond mere adventure travel. These trips are to destinations you either think you can't visit, or your friends and family think you shouldn't visit. But where there's a will, there seems to be a way. There are dozens of travel companies and organizations offering trips to once - and current - forbidden destinations. Here is a sampling: Please note: We are not encouraging travel to any of these locations. Though Americans are going there, for each destination below you will need to do a lot of homework, pack a lot of common sense and know what you're getting into. NORTH KOREA Like most things in this hermit kingdom, travel is tightly controlled by the government.

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The Rodeo Drive Transformation Vacation

Those amenities, coupled with the Rodeo Drive Transformation Vacation Program make it possible to help turn what can be sometimes long and tedious recovery process into a life-transforming adventure. The advantages of an out-of-town recovery presents and appealing option for some patients who may not have the luxury to create a quiet setting back home, due to children or other obligations. While away they have time to take in the immediate effects of their surgery and have begin adjusting to physical changes before going home, both important facets of the healing process. Krieger stresses recovery from even the most minor procedures takes longer than just a week or two, and that additional recovery time is always involved once a patient gets back home. "I am a strong believer in the fact that if my patients have a positive recovery experience they will enjoy their final results more and they will heal faster," says Krieger.

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2007-01-17T05:05:00.000-08:00

Direct Home Rentals Partners with Leading Travel Websites

Direct Home Rentals has teamed up with top travel websites to offer more travel services at a better value. The partnership will give consumers the ability to easily combine airline, rental car and lodging purchases online. Naples, FL (PRWEB) January 17, 2007 -- A regional leader in online vacation rental marketing, Direct Home Rentals has recently announced the launch of new services and vacation packages for travelers to Southwest Florida. Visitors to Direct Home Rentals can now search for rental cars, airline tickets and hotels, as well as find vacation rentals in Southwest Florida. By teaming up with the Interactive Affiliate Network (IAN.com), a division of Hotels.com, Direct Home Rentals can offer worldwide destinations, more lodging choices and at better values. The Interactive Affiliate Network is a leading provider of travel affiliate marketing services and has supported the travel affiliate market since 1996.

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LinLo Chooses Golden Globe Parties Over Romantic Mexico Vacation

Los Angeles, CA (BANG) - She insists she is cutting down on her drinking, but she sure isn't cutting down on her partying. Lindsay Lohan turned down a romantic vacation in Mexico with her new man because she couldn't resist partying at the Golden Globes. The "Mean Girls" actress is currently dating movie mogul Joe Francis - who made his fortune producing adult entertainment video series "Girls Gone Wild" - and the couple planned to leave on Saturday for a romantic get-away at his Mexican estate. But a source revealed the wild pair decided to stay in Los Angeles, telling the New York Post, "Neither of them could resist the lure of the Golden Globe parties." 33-year-old Francis is said to have been with 20-year-old LinLo when she went to the hospital two weeks ago to have surgery to remove her appendix.

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‘The freedom to still act like a child’

But even devout pirates need a vacation. The Royaliste is docked at Hilton Head Harbor RV Resort and Marina on Skull Creek, a name certainly befitting such a vessel, while her owners rest up before re-enactment season begins in the spring. "We're not done with this adventure yet," said Kathy Bergman. Often, the Bergmans pull into harbor late at night and wake up to the same phrase, one that reminds them why they became re-enactors in the first place. "The first thing you hear is a small voice saying, 'Look Mommy, it's a pirate ship,' " Gary Bergman said and then chuckled. "We really like teaching people, especially children, about history and what is was like to be a pirate." Despite the public's relatively consistent fascination with pirates, there's a noticeable upswing in interest of late, likely a result of Disney's recent "Pirates of the Caribbean" films.

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2007-01-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

Nigeria: Why Atiku is Yet to Return - Garba Shehu

Vice President Atiku Abubakar's media consultant has given an insight to why Atiku has not returned from vacation abroad reiterating that the VP is not afraid of arrest as widely being speculated. Daily Trust recalls that there have been insinuations that the presidency may order the arrest of the vice president as soon as he returns, especially considering that his position was purportedly declared vacant. .

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Time to clamp down on excessive state OT

SOME creative math has been going on within the California Highway Patrol. A recent internal audit revealed disturbing abuses of overtime pay by its officers and workers. Some workers were even claiming that they worked more than 24 hours in one day. How does something like this happen without alarms going off? Civilian workers in one division, the audit said, beefed up pay by logging overtime on days they claimed as vacation, comp time or sick leave. In one case, a worker used 10 hours of vacation, then 15 hours of overtime a total of 25 hours in one day. Civilian workers at CHP include public safety dispatchers, truck inspectors, custodians and general office workers. It's amazing how things like this get through the system. Had this been a private company, red flags would've surfaced immediately and heads would've rolled.

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Rosie vs. Barbara and Donald

The Rosie O'Donnell/Donald Trump feud is like a virus spreading across the media world. These days, it's pretty much inescapable and the sickness has apparently spread to the set of Rosie's show, "The View." Various sources are reporting that Ms. O'Donnell had a confrontation with her boss, Barbara Walters yesterday before the taping of the show. .

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2007-01-16T04:50:00.000-08:00

Travel site has vacation to-do lists

On Sunday, the unit of Southlake-based Sabre Holdings Corp. plans to make public a new Web site where visitors can explore what to do at a destination before they've decided when to go. ExperienceFinder, a new section of the Travelocity site, is part of an effort to draw customers to the online agency for more than just comparing prices. Officials hope to persuade travelers not only to book their airline tickets, rental cars and hotel rooms with Travelocity, but also to buy extras such as jeep rides or show tickets. "A lot of the people offering travel on the Web are focused on commodity products," said Troy Whitsett, Travelocity's lead Web designer. "We wanted to focus on the entire trip." The site marks the next frontier for online travel agencies, as they look to hold on to customers through every stage of trip planning, boosting revenues from travel packages and extras with higher profit margins.

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Norilsk Nickel Statement

MOSCOW (RNWire) - Today, as scheduled, General Director and Chairman of the Management Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel Mikhail Prokhorov resumed his duties after having returned from his official vacation. The Company confirms the fact that Mikhail Prokhorov was detained by local police while spending his vacation in France, and further states that the incident has no relation to the performance of his duties at the Company. No charges were officially made against Mr. Prokhorov, his detention being a result of a regrettable misunderstanding, said Sergey Chernitsyn, Head of Public Relations Department. .

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2007-01-15T04:49:00.000-08:00

A vacation in Zihautenejo

I hadn't been there in a number of years, and with Frontier now offering direct flights out of DIA, it seemed to be time for a return visit. Every year we take our company managers (and their significant others) on a vacation out of the country, and so this year we decided on Zihautenejo. We were not disappointed! First, let me say, if you are looking for information on some all-inclusive resort, stop reading now! I have never been to one and don't see it happening anytime in my near future. I don't normally even trust destinations offering direct flights! When I travel I like to get off the beaten paths a little, mix in some fancy dining with grabbing a fish taco at the local dive, search out a great margarita to go with a sunset, and find the best watering hole for a cold beer. I'm not much of a shopper, though while in Mexico I have a weakness for the beautiful handmade wool rugs from the Oaxaca region.

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Man booked vacation with co-worker's card

A Cherry Hill man has pleaded guilty to theft by deception, admitting he used a co-worker's credit card information to buy a cruise vacation. Jonathan E. Elgenstein, 32, of the 100 block of Garfield Avenue, previously acknowledged the unauthorized use of the credit card as part of a pretrial intervention program that would have erased the offense from his criminal record. He was terminated from the program because he missed several scheduled appointments with a probation officer and did not perform required community service. Under a plea agreement, Elgenstein must make $2,203.98 restitution to the Haddon Heights travel agent who booked the cruise almost five years ago. Superior Court Judge Stephen Holden on Friday set a March 2 sentencing date. send a letter to the editor.

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2007-01-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

My Vacation Journal

The "Write to Remember" series of journals from Journals Unlimited includes a sturdy "My Vacation Journal" that can help you organize the record of your trip. It measures a packable 7 by 9 inches, has a durable faux leather cover, a concealed o-ring binding so it will lie flat while you're writing and 200 pages. To browse all the journal styles and configurations offered by the company, go to www.journalsunlimited.com, where you can also order blank books. Or call (800) 897-8528 to place an order. The line is also carried in many bookstores. G'zOne Type-V Rugged Phone On the one hand, when you are hiking in the wilderness or climbing a mountain, the last thing you want is the intrusion of civilization in the form of a ringing cell phone. On the other hand, of course, having a phone along can be a lifesaver in case of disorientation or sudden extreme weather.

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Taxpayers are entitled to vacation home tax savings

Taxpayers are entitled to claim deductions for their principal residence and one vacation or second home. Except for unusual situations, the ownership tax breaks for a primary residence are generally limited to the mortgage interest and property tax deductions. However, tax savings from owning a second or vacation home are a bit more complicated and are often greater. Depending on your personal use time, and with some advance tax planning, your vacation or second home can produce significant tax savings. Four tax categories for second or vacation homes. Mortgage interest and property tax payments for your second or vacation home are always tax-deductible. However, if you own a third home, it does not qualify for the mortgage interest and property tax deductions unless it is a rental property.

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• Thailand: First the Coup, Now the Vacation

Thailand has had a rough few years. SARS hit in 2003, followed by the tsunami in 2004. Then last September the military staged a coup d'tat. But the beautiful country has bounced back, and with what flourish! January kicks off the high season, so there's no better time to check out some of the hottest new resorts, restaurants and hotels. Spending a night in the bustling capital, Bangkok, is a great way to kick-start a world-class holiday. Dine at Sirocco-the highest alfresco restaurant in the world-which serves up international haute cuisine alongside live jazz on the rooftop of the sleek new 63-story Lebua State Tower. The adjacent neon Skybar feels as if it's gliding on a cloud (thedomebkk.com). Spend the night downstairs at the elite Lebua Hotel, with breathtaking views of the Chao Phraya River (from $250).

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2007-01-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

Adam Proteau: Cleaning out the post-vacation notebook

First, a few brief notes on topics covered in this space while I was vacationing (alas, St. Tropez wasn't an option on a sportstypist's salary, so it was St. Hubert's instead): 1. Carey Price deserved to win the World Junior Championship's MVP award, but I'd wager that a decade from now, more Canadians will marvel over Johnathan Toews's three-goal shootout performance than Price's stymie job. I look forward to watching the Blackhawks mismanage Toews's talents. 2. Shootouts are the only practical way for a guaranteed, entertaining solution to tied games during the NHL's regular season. But they have no business in any playoff game or Olympic tournament. And while every skater on each team should have to shoot during the first round, I'd allow the coaches to switch up the shooting order for the second round.

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Helpful vacation tips for your pets

Is your pet going on a vacation this year? Probably so, according to a survey of 1,500 travelers by the travel site TripAdvisor.com. However, 29 percent said they take fewer vacations than if they were pet free and 38 percent said they shortened vacations so they weren't away from their pets too long. Some basics on pets: - With a few exceptions, leave the cat home. Cats bond to territory, and will generally do fine for a few days with dry food and lots of fresh water. - Every dog should be crate-trained, as a crate is both the safest way to travel and the best chance the hotel or motel will allow Fido to stay the night in your room. .

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Get Out Friday: RV Vacation and Travel Show

The latest innovations in recreational vehicles are featured with demonstrations and representatives from resorts and campgrounds. The 30th annual show is 11 a.m.-10 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at America's Center, Eighth Street and Washington Avenue. Admission is $8, $3.50 for children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and younger. Seniors get in for $5 today only. For more information, call 314-355-1236 or go to www.stlrv.com. .

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2007-01-12T05:23:00.000-08:00

Woodlief: Reilly ready to write new chapter

Busy breaking in his former protege from Middlesex County, incoming Attorney General Martha Coakley and her team, before Reilly leaves office next Wednesday. Busy continuing his probe of negligence in that tragic ceiling collapse in the Big Dig. Busy wrapping up eight years in a job he loves. Reilly was reflective, relaxed, fervent and sometimes humorous in a recent one-hour interview. When he was asked if he's ready for a long vacation, he laughed and said, ''I haven't had a vacation in six years. This is a 24-7 job,'' recalling an incident in 2005 when he and his wife Ruth had driven off for a planned 10-day vacation in Chatham. ''The first day there I get this call about all these military base-closings.'' Back to Boston he went, to help devise the state's legal strategy against the closings.

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Shelby family offers reward for dog that escaped groomer

SHELBY TOWNSHIP -- A woman whose Boston terrier escaped from a dog groomer while her family was on vacation is outraged that the company didn't do more to protect the animal, and is offering a reward for its safe return. But the owner of the business insists she did her best to find the dog, and feels she is unfairly being criticized by the family. Before going on vacation for the holidays last month, Joanne Gouleche of Shelby Township dropped off her dog, Gunner, at Shaggy Dog Groomers. Shaggy Dog had watched Gunner during previous vacations with no incident. But when Gouleche and her husband, Bill, returned with their family from vacation Jan. 2, they got bad news. "I called the groomer to see when I could pick up the dog, but the woman on the phone said, 'We have a problem: Gunner's gone.' "I asked them why they didn't try to contact me, since I left them several phone numbers to call in case of an emergency, but they had no answer.

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2007-01-11T04:57:00.000-08:00

TASTE THE BEST: Revisit that vacation right in your own kitchen

Photos and souvenirs are certainly a great way to preserve the memories of your travels and vacations, but food might just be the best way to recreate the experience itself. Smell and taste — two of the main ingredients of cooking — are perhaps our strongest senses. As a result, making a meal you enjoyed on your last trip has the ability to make you feel like you are still there.My parents spent a handful of years in Europe before I was born, and my mom continued to cook traditional European dishes after she returned to America. In fact, one of those dishes, Chicken Paprika, an Austrian comfort food, is my very favorite meal. Each time she would cook something she learned how to make overseas, she would tell us about where she was or what she was doing the first time she tried the dish.

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Avoid Vacation Disaster With Caribbean Jim Hobbs' Top Tips

DOYLESTOWN, Pa., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The last thing you want in the New Year is to waste your hard-earned money on another high-priced, low- expectation trip. Caribbean Jim Hobbs, president and founder of CheapCaribbean.com, offers these four fail-proof tips to avoid vacation disappointment. For more tips on how to get an amazing, top-quality vacation without breaking the bank, check out Caribbean Jim's expert advice at http://www.cheapcaribbean.com/. Or, you can contact the site's customer service staff who will answer any questions at (800) 915-2322. About CheapCaribbean.com Headquartered in Doylestown, PA, CheapCaribbean.com is a member of Customer Oriented Marketing and Management Group (COMM Group Inc.) and is dedicated to providing top-notch, premium service to every person who books a trip at CheapCaribbean.com for travel to the Caribbean, Bermuda, or Mexico.

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Kids vacation camp a hit

Sixteen students enrolled in the camp, which provided a variety of activities at the Watson Academy building. Structured activities include organized games, art projects, cookie baking, and community service; time for indoor free play at the pool table and air hockey games. The Epping Fire Department and ambulance crew visited the camp with fire and ambulance vehicles for the kids to inspect and to ask questions of the fire and ambulance personnel. The Recreation Commission offers school vacation camps in December, February and April. It also offers an after-school program from 3:15 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday during the school year and a summer program that involves about 60 kids. .

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2007-01-10T04:52:00.000-08:00

This Year Make a "Nude Year's" Resolution to Vacation at the Terra ...

Every year, millions of Americans make new year's resolutions to eat less, spend less, party less, watch TV less, etc. Right about now, people are giving up on those resolutions because they are to hard to keep. This year, it is time to make a fun resolution. And nothing is more romantic and fun then vacationing at nudist resorts like The Terra Cotta Inn. .

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NEW 2007 IRELAND VACATION PLANNER RELEASED FOR CANADIAN TRAVELLERS

January 10, 2007 - Tourism Ireland has published its new 2007 Ireland Travel Magazine and Vacation Planner to help Canadians plan a memorable vacation to the island of Ireland in 2007. The new 60 page four colour planner is the official publication of Tourism Ireland and provides comprehensive information on all regions of Ireland – Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Northwest, East Coast , South and Dublin and the West of Ireland. The new planner includes a detailed map of Ireland and also features a sample four day self drive touring route entitled ‘the Castle Quest', a leisurely tour discovering some of Ireland's many castles and fortifications. Also included is a specific guide to the regions of Ireland together with a ‘must see and do' section for each area. In addition the guide contains a useful key travel facts section covering essential information for Canadian travelers, including information on getting to Ireland, getting around Ireland – car rental, bus and rail passes A full list of Canadian tour operators selling Ireland in 2007 is also included with details on escorted and independent vacations, golf and activity vacations What's more, readers of the new planner will also have the opportunity to ‘Enter to Win' a vacation in Ireland.

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America's Vacation Center Holds Fourth Summit

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- America's Vacation Center (AVC), one of the leading travel agencies in the nation, today announced the successful completion of its fourth summit held exclusively for AVC agents on Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Pearl Inaugural from December 16 - 22, 2006. AVC, http://www.JoinAVC.com, provided its affiliated agents with the opportunity to meet with their fellow agents in person, along with top executives from AVC and NCL. Agents also attended training seminars and open forums held by AVC where they could ask questions and discuss new ideas. "We are incredibly passionate about building a sense of community. The majority of our affiliated agents are home-based and look forward to meeting face-to-face with other agents in the AVC network," said Van Anderson, co- president of AVC.

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2007-01-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

JAL Group New Year Vacation Period Traffic Results

Tokyo, Japan, Jan 9, 2007 - (JCN Newswire) - Japan Airlines Group announced the results for the Japanese "New Year" vacation period, from December 28, 2006 to January 8, 2007. The total number of passengers traveling on JAL Group international and domestic passenger routes was marginally up on the same vacation period last year.Internationally, JAL recorded a large jump in the number of passengers traveling from Japan to China, up nearly 31% on the same period of the previous New Year. The airline also saw a moderate increase in the number of passengers traveling from Japan to Korea and Southeast Asia: up respectively by 3.3%, and 5.6%.Overall international seat capacity was 3.7% down on the same period last year following network restructuring, notably on transpacific routes.The JAL Group operated an additional 100 flights, both scheduled and charter, to such resort destinations as Guam, Hawaii, Palau and Macau.JAL Group's average international seat load factor was 77.2%, up approximately 2 points on the same period last year.A total of 1,538,766 passengers traveled domestically within Japan on JAL Group airlines, nearly 1% up on last year.

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Fresh From Vacation Rosie Strikes Back!

NEW YORK (January 8, 2007) -- After an entire week of getting slammed in the press by Donald Trump while she was on vacation, Rosie O'Donnell returned to "The View" swinging."I'm still standing ladies and gentlemen," she said after walking in to a rapturous cheer from the show's studio audience. "Here's my official comment," she added, shrugging with her face."This is gonna be good for my stand up act," she continued, responding to Trump who laid in to Rosie on no less than three national television shows last week. "Boy, did I hit a nerve with that guy. It was like Mount Vesuvius.""The guy, he's obsessed with me obviously. He's obsessed. It's just the way I look he can't resist," she added.As "The View's" morning discussion continued, Rosie commented on Trump's branding of her as "fat." She added her seven-year-old son heard Trump's words on the radio and was concerned."I love when people say you're fat, like you don't know, it's always the first comment off someone who disagrees with you if you happen to be on the plus side -- You're fat!' I'm like yeah? It's ok." "It's the last bastion of a coward," fellow The View' co-host Joy Behar added.

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America's Vacation Center Urges Travelers to Book Cruise Vacations ...

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In early 2006, CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) forecasted that 11.7 million passengers were to embark on cruises from North American ports throughout the year. Although official 2006 numbers have not yet been released, 2007 is expected to be an even more successful year for cruise vacations, and America's Vacation Center (AVC), one of the leading travel agencies in the nation, is already seeing cruises selling out for spring and summer. One of the top-producing agencies in the American Express Travel Representative Network, AVC, is already seeing that some of the world's largest cruise lines are selling out for top destinations such as Alaska and Europe. With the average person taking 4 to 6 months to plan their cruise vacations, according to CLIA, time is ticking to plan a trip for the spring and summer months.

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2007-01-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

Another Week, Another Bust-Up For Kate And Pete

London, England (AHN) - Kate Moss must regularly feel like she is banging her head up against a brick wall. Or perhaps she has low expectations regarding Pete Doherty's behavior. Either way, the supermodel has again been left on her own. Despite reports of getting married, which were quickly denied, the rock 'n' roll couple have fought while on vacation in Thailand - badly enough for the Baby Shambles front man to leave early. The love birds were expected back in London over the weekend, but the troubled rocker arrived alone on Friday morning and told fans he had a fight with his beautiful girlfriend. After arriving at Heathrow, Doherty said, "Kate sent me home because I got arrested." He then told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Kate won't talk to me.

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Knife attack ruins Christmas vacation

Police in Costa Rica are investigating after a Mississauga man was stabbed and his wife badly cut while the couple was on vacation this week. The trip was supposed to be about rest and relaxation, but Miroslav and Nadia Chuyko were lucky to return home with their lives. Police are searching for the culprit who attacked and robbed the Mississauga couple, stabbing Miroslav, 48, repeatedly and cutting his wife in the face. The attacker got away with Miroslav's gold necklace. "We went there to get away, not to be killed. When I saw him pull out this huge knife, I thought that was it for me and my wife," Miroslav said in an interview today, one day after returning from the trip. "All I kept thinking about was my kids who were back in the hotel sleeping and never being able to see them again." Miroslav and Nadia, along with their daughter, Oksana, 23, and son, Yuri, 17, left for Costa Rica on Dec.

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Vacation over, Sonia oils Cong machinery for assembly polls

NEW DELHI: With Ms Sonia Gandhi back from her vacation, and assembly elections in three Congress-ruled states due in just over a month, the grand old party of India seems to be shifting into election gear at last. The Congress headquarters at 24, Akbar Road saw its first round of strategy meetings for Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Manipur assembly polls on Friday. Congress chief ministers of the three states were in the Capital to discuss the setting up of election-related sub-committees as well as to determine the dates of star campaigners such as the party president, prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi. Though the party is faced with anti-incumbency in all states, its energies, at the moment, seem focused on minimising the inner-party rivalry generated by the ticket-seeking exercise.

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2007-01-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

GOING ON VACATION? TAKE US ALONG

Like to travel? Want to be in the paper? Do we have a deal for you. We want to see you on your vacation -- holding a Herald-Leader. Send us the picture and tell us where you are and when you were there. You must include your name, address and a daytime phone number. Send it via e-mail to vacationphotos@herald-leader.com (it should be in JPEG format, at least 3 MB in size and the full image file; no cameraphone photos, please), or mail original photos to: Vacation Photos, Lexington Herald-Leader/Features, 100 Midland Avenue, Lexington, Ky. 40508. Photographs run weekly on the Sunday Travel page and on kentucky.com. Pictures will be on the Web site for two weeks (then we'll change to a different set of vacation photographs). Photographs cannot be returned and publication is not guaranteed.

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Boys gone wild: More men enjoy vacation with the guys

When travelers saw Larry Meadows and his buddies on vacation, they assumed they all worked together. Wrong. Or that they were all friends from the same town. Wrong. Or that they were in some special club. Wrong again. "I'd tell them we're on a 'mancation,' " Meadows said. "That kind of clicked with people." A lot of people. Without realizing it, Meadows and his friends -- Bill, Paul and Chris, who have taken a yearly vacation together, just the boys, since 2002 -- have been part of a growing trend in the travel industry toward getaways for guys. Meadows, who lives in Tampa, Fla., likes to think he and his fellow mancationers coined the term (they registered the site), which is now a buzzword in the travel business. In just a few years, the male-bonding vacation has morphed from predictable bachelor-party fare to more adventuresome outings centered on golfing, fine dining, extreme sports, wine appreciation and even spa treatments.

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2007-01-06T04:56:00.000-08:00

Go-today.com Presents Worldwide Winter Vacation Savings

BOTHELL, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 05, 2007 -- Celebrate the beginning of 2007 and save big with a value-packed vacation package from go-today.com. With a variety of destinations and travel dates, go-today.com has the ideal vacation for anyone. From just $499, travelers can explore the sites and monuments of London or Paris or escape the cold of winter by enjoying a vacation getaway to the exotic destination of Buenos Aires or Beijing. Priced from only $499, vacation packages include roundtrip flight, hotel accommodations, breakfast daily, hotel taxes and service charges, and airline fuel surcharges. For more information on these vacation packages, and to make reservations, visit www.go-today.com or call a reservation agent at 800-227-3235 (6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT Monday - Friday and 8:00 a.m.

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The Office: Back From Vacation

You know, I'm always trying to kid myself. After watching a great episode of Lost or Grey's Anatomy or South Park or 24, I can make myself believe that that show is the best on television. It's always a lie, however. The Office is the best show on TV. Hands down, no one even close. It consistently puts out a half hour of comedy so dense in laughs, unique characters, and good stories that, after watching an episode like last night's, you absolutely know that The Office is the best show on television. I'm still laughing at moments from yesterday's show. Now, granted, last night's episodes was one of the two or three best of the season and the euphoria one can receive from a perfect dose of comedy can often render viewers maniacal, but we still have to begin realizing just how special The Office is.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Opens First Waikiki Resort at Waikiki ...

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company, today announced the opening of Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk -- the company's 13th Hawaii-based resort and first in Waikiki. The 195 unit timeshare property is a major component of the highly anticipated Waikiki Beach Walk complex -- the largest re-development project in the city's history. Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk, which will be affiliated with the company's FairShare Plus portfolio of vacation ownership resorts, exceeded more than 3,000 individual pre- construction sales prior to opening. "We've seen a growing demand for timeshare resorts in premier resort locations so we're very excited to unveil Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk in this highly sought after vacation destination," said Franz Hanning, Wyndham Vacation Ownership president and chief executive officer.

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2007-01-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

McCormicks row hits court

Workers at London's McCormicks plant will get a last chance to argue for severance and vacation pay in a Toronto court today. On Wednesday, the biscuit and candy plant was put into receivership at the request of Textron Financial, the plant's chief creditor. But the Ontario Superior Court of Justice turned down a request to fire the plant's 275 workers and deny them any severance and vacation pay. "This court decision is just the beginning, not the end of this. We remain committed to ensuring that our members receive every last dime they are entitled to," said Karl Walter of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union. A union lawyer will argue the workers are owed $6 million to $7 million in severance and vacation pay.

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Local Children Enjoy One More Week of Winter Vacation

Hollister - The Christmas presents have been opened, the New Year parties have been thrown and many parents have gone back to work, but most of San Benito's elementary, middle, high school and college students are still on vacation. Sixteen-year-old Jesus Arroyo, who attends Santa Ana Opportunity School, told the Free Lance he has spent most of his break hanging around family and friends. And although he was glad to see his relatives - some of whom were visiting from Los Angeles and Nevada - this final week of vacation is making him restless. "I'm actually excited about going back (to school)," Arroyo said. Arroyo, like most students, will be returning to school Jan. 8. Local mom Danita Brigantino, however, said she's going to have two college students at home for an extra week.

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It's not just a trip; it's a mancation

When fellow travelers saw Larry Meadows and his buddies on vacation, they assumed they all worked together. Wrong. Or that they were all friends from the same town. Wrong again. "I'd tell them we're on a 'mancation,' " Mr. Meadows said jokingly. "That kind of clicked with people." Without realizing it, Mr. Meadows and his friends – Bill, Paul and Chris, who have taken a yearly vacation together since 2002 – have been part of a trend in the travel industry toward getaways for guys. Mr. Meadows, who lives in Tampa, Fla., likes to think he and his friends coined the term (they registered the site www.mancation.com to share their vacation stories and help others plan their own mancations), which is now a buzzword in the travel business.

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2007-01-04T05:03:00.000-08:00

Holiday Recovery, Part 2

It's early January, and by now you've probably finished off the champagne, put away the menorah, and started taking down the Christmas lights and tree ornaments. It's time to put up your feet, relax a little, and start thinking about ... next year's holiday shopping. Yes, I know you'd rather be dreaming about sunny summer vacations or building snowmen with the kids. However, if you give the next holiday season a little thought today, you'll save yourself quite a bit of stress later. Consider spending a little extra time with this exercise if you find yourself dreading your January credit card bills. Look back to Holiday Recovery, Part 1 for more help getting rid of those as fast as possible. Then, read on to figure out how to have a debt-free holiday season this year.

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Leaving for a family vacation? Inform the local police station

Shimla, January 1: Leaving the station for vacations? Let us know. Approaching the people with these words, the Shimla police have worked out a campaign to get the cooperation of the public to keep a check on burglaries during the winter vacations. The police have asked the people to inform the local police station in case they are leaving their house for many days. Following this the police would take special steps to keep a vigil on those homes while the residents are away. In cases where the houses are situated on lonely locations, a special patrol would be constituted that would visit the areas during the day and night time. .

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2007-01-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

Fort Lauderdale Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Cintron Announces Winter ...

(PRLEAP.COM) Fort Lauderdale Cosmetic Dentist Yolanda Cintron is announcing the special accommodation for the traveling public who wish to include having needed dental work performed in combination with vacations and business travel in sunny Fort Lauderdale Florida. Vacationers and business travelers alike may find it a great use of their time and resources to combine planned travel with a visit to a dental clinic as part of their itinerary. The Fort Lauderdale area has many amenities for both vacationers and business travelers. Location Dr. Cintrons cosmetic dentistry office is located in the Fort Lauderdale by the Sea area on the beach of Ft. Lauderdale, near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Dental Services Provided Cosmetic Dentistry Restorative Dentistry Anxiety-Free Dentistry Preventive Care Holistic Dentistry Teeth Whitening Periodontics Invisalign Lumineers and Veneers Dental Implants Unique Features of Dental Services Pain-free sedation dentistry Natural-looking Mercury-free fillings Low-radiation x-rays New patient free consultation Contact for Appointment Arrangements for out-of-area patients may be made by contacting Jennifer Pichaco at 954.938.4599 for an appointment.

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Plan now for vacation hot spots

For America's World Cup in Valencia, check www.turisvalencia.es, www.spain.info or www.americas cup.com/en, or call the Tourist Office of Spain in Chicago, (312) 642-1992. For Disney World, check www.disneyworld.disney.go.com or www.wdwnews.com. For Jamestown information, check www.Americas400thAnni versary.com; (877) 400-9327. For the Mackinac Bridge 50th anniversary celebration, check www.mackinacbridge.org, www.mackinawcity.com or www.michigan.org. Printer friendly version Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery .

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Vacation's over, it's back to school for youngsters

SCHOOLS across Brunei are all set to welcome back students today for a new academic year, but some parents, teachers and students were still busy scurrying for school materials yesterday as part of their final preparations for the start of the new school term. Nurul Akmal, 15, of Kg Rimba, said she started making preparations since a month ago, but has yet to buy new uniforms. "Even though I've started early, I still have to buy other school materials at the last minute,"said Nurul, adding that she will get her new school attire a week after school begins. The Secondary Five student who studies at the Paduka Seri Begawan Science College said she is excited to meet her friends again in the new year, but is wary that she has to study more diligently as she will be sitting for the GCE 'O' level public exams at the end of the year.

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2007-01-02T05:14:00.000-08:00

Going on vacation? Donate your newspapers to KIDS 800-999-8881 ...

Definitions -- Chapter 7: Court-appointed trustee sells assets, and debtor is discharged of debts. Chapter 11: Company or individual reorganizes under court supervision. Chapter 12: Farmer reorganizes debts under court supervision. Chapter 13: Debtor arranges to repay debt. More detailed information about Kentucky's Eastern Division bankruptcies can be obtained for a fee by visiting www.kyeb.uscourts.gov, clicking on the electronic case file icon and following the instructions for setting up a PACER account. Chapter 7 Ashland division Michael Gene Frazier and Elizabeth O'Quinn Frazier, Morehead. 06-0367. Lofty VanHoose and Willie Faye VanHoose, Catlettsburg. 06-0368. Rhonda Ison aka Rhonda Lee Ison, Sandy Hook.

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Volunteer vacation in Vietnam blends travel with help and hope

HOI AN, Vietnam - Colorful lanterns hung from baroque Asian cornices and concaved roof tiles glowed in the setting sun as I gunned my scooter down a narrow street hugging the Thu Bon River. It was the end of another workday, and this ancient city buzzed with the sounds of moped engines, their high-pitched horns blaring out as whole families rode home, embracing single file on the tiny conveyances my friend, Jake Klotz, and I lovingly referred to as "scoot-scoots." We had come to Vietnam to volunteer at a two-week summer camp for orphans and street children. Wiped out from another day of work, we couldn't wait to get to the Mango Room, throw back our first Tiger beers of the evening and unwind. Instead of relaxing on the beach, swimming in the South China Sea or bartering for trinkets at the Central Market, we spent our days struggling to entertain a bevy of 8- to 17-year-olds.

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GMA observes silence during 6-day vacation

SEE BAGUIO CITY – President Arroyo has observed silence during her six-day working New Year break in this mountain resort city, despite the need for her to address controversial issues affecting the country for the past several days. The President's "no-talk" stance here was a direct contrast to her numerous public appearances and speeches in various gatherings in the Cordillera region during the Christmas and New Year breaks. One of the major issues that needs an official pronouncement from the President is the sudden transfer of custody of United States Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith last Friday night from the Makati City jail to the United States Embassy in Manila without official orders from the court. When she arrived here last Dec. 27, Mrs. Arroyo immediately met with various officials from the Cordillera region and Northern Luzon to discuss the implementation of priority projects of her administration, but the details of the meeting were not revealed to the public.

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2007-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Winter break gives no break from homework

Winter vacation is supposed to be a break from work, a time to relax, hang out with friends and travel to warmer climates. But with standards rising and the state's English tests coming next month, children across the Lower Hudson Valley are facing something they dread during the year - homework. Nicholas Wasilewski, a fourth-grader in Eastchester, has had to practice reading comprehension and short-answer questions for 45 minutes a day this vacation. "I don't like it," said Nicholas, 10. "We do enough work in school." But his mother, Crista Wasilewski, who teaches third grade in New Rochelle, says 45 minutes a day won't kill the kids. "The more prep work, the better off the kids are," she said. This week, a 10-year-old White Plains boy took the debate into his own hands.

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Affluent, Gen X and Boomers Respond to Vacation Package Savings

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- December 27, 2006 -- What do Gen X and Baby Boomers have in common with affluent Americans? Both groups are more likely to take a tour or vacation package knowing they can save time or money. These are among findings of a consumer survey of 1,000 adults conducted for USTOA. A full 70% of the following groups said they were more likely to buy a tour or vacation package based on savings: "Among other things the survey reveals that the higher a person's income, the more likely they are to respond to time and dollar savings," says Bob Whitley, USTOA president. "In today's time-strapped world, people clearly want value for their dollar and the convenience of saving time," says Whitley. .

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2006-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Gyllenhaals' Fiery Vacation

INVERNESS, California -- A fire destroyed a Northern California lodge popular with celebrities, abruptly halting holiday vacations for Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal and a dozen or so other guests. The fire at Manka's Inverness Lodge began around 3 a.m. Wednesday after a tree fell and hit a water heater, and there were no injuries, authorities said. Co-owner Daniel DeLong said the Gyllenhaals were supportive despite having to brave the wind and cold. "Jake was helping me pull things out of the fire," DeLong said. .

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Ensure a stress-free vacation with these travel safety tips

(NC)-Enjoying a stress-free vacation is easier than you might think. Whether you're visiting Florida or taking a Caribbean cruise, here are a few suggestions to help make sure you enjoy your next trip. "Travel insurance can protect against emergencies or unforeseen events," said Stan Seggie, president and CEO of RBC Travel Insurance Company. "But travellers can also reduce the likelihood of these events by making sure they're prepared before leaving home." Arrive at the airport two hours before your flight to allow time for delays. Rushing will only cause more stress on your holiday. Confirm your flight before heading to the airport to ensure it's on time and there have been no changes. Provide family and friends with a copy of your itinerary. It will reduce their worries and provide assistance if you get lost or delayed.

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2006-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

Working vacation

TORONTO (CP)--Executive positions may carry their perks, but carefree vacations are apparently not part of the job description -- though Canadian executives seem to take their leisure more seriously than their hard-driving American counterparts. A recent survey found half of the Canadian executives and three-quarters of the U.S. executives polled said they attend to office work at least a few times a week while on vacation. Among rank-and-file employees, 54% said they never work during vacations, though 26% do attend to business during time off. Thirty-three per cent of the American executives said they work every day during vacations, compared with 13% of the Canadian managers and 10% of ordinary workers. PLANES ON THE BLOCK .

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Local teens spend vacation at Alameda Park Zoo

During the long winter break, kids are out of school and engaged in all manner of activities: vegetating in front of their new Nintendo Wiis, sleeping late, wandering the streets, complaining incessantly about boredom. Well, not all kids are so engaged. A group of four teenagers spent the first full week of Christmas vacation learning the ins and outs of Alameda Park Zoo as junior zookeepers. The program, initiated during the summer, provides classes in animal care, ecology and conservation. Additionally, participants get some glamorous hands-on experience. "Yesterday we cleaned out the coyote cages," said 12-year-old Kelly Hainline. The Chaparral Middle School student signed up for the program because she likes animals. "Plus my friend was doing it and she got me into it." Friday, Hainline Rgot' wrist deep into a mush of protein pellets, horse meat and raw eggs as she kneaded the material into what would become dinner for the zoo's carnivores and omnivores.

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Google Base - Great Opportunity for the Vacation Rental Industry

As part of its goal to increase the quality of search for its users, Google has been improving and fine-tuning its Google Base application. Google Base is defined as a place where you can easily submit any type of online and offline content into a searchable database which will place Base listings into various Google results platforms. If a new property does not have a place on a website yet, Base is a great way to have online content while your webmaster builds information on your own site. This can happen quickly and relatively simply. Any item you post should be described with attributes, which will help people find that particular property when they do related searches. For example, when I search for "Puerto Penasco Vacation Rental", our client's Google Base listing with that title shows up first in the search results: .

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2006-12-29T05:03:00.000-08:00

What Ended Jake Gyllenhaal's Vacation?

Hottie Jake Gyllenhaal was staying at a hotel with his family including his sis Maggie while holidaying when the hotel caught fire. The blaze apparently started when a car crashed in a tree at the back of the building. Fortunately no one was hurt but unfortunately the hotel was completely destroyed. "Jake was helping me pull things out of the fire," Daniel DeLong, a chef and co-owner of the historic lodge said. Manka's Inverness Lodge was an A-List haven as stars and even royalty would go to unwind and relax. .

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Black Hills Vacation Property

Lying in the shadows of Elk Mountain in the celebrated Black Hills of South Dakota, Hidden Canyon Ranch is nearly 1500 acres of infectious beauty and one the most pristine properties that you will ever have the opportunity to experience. Its painted limestone canyons, majestic pine and cedar covered ridges, separated by grassy open meadows provide for the renewing of the weariest of souls. This is a land where the antelope, deer and elk still roam free. Hawks and eagles soar overhead. And crowded cities are but a distant memory. To ensure that it remains this way, more that 1,200 acres of Hidden Canyon Ranch will forever be preserved. The Black Hills is rich in history of times past. At Hidden Canyon Ranch and the valley of along Elk Mountain is certainly a place that one can easily be taken back in time.

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2006-12-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Tara Reid's Caribbean Vacation

Plastic surgery victim and perennial party girl Tara Reid soaked up the sun in celeb-heavy St. Barts over her Christmas holiday. Though we assume she was excited for vacation, we're also not sure if it's really vacation when you party all the time anyway. Tara showed off her new and improved beach bod, the result of some touch-ups to her previously botched boob job and liposuction. She looked slender as can be in the outfit on the left (that's a Santa hat, by the way), but as you can see on the right, it's hard to fix a frankentummy. Normally we'd have sympathy, but she brought the frankenpooch on herself in a bid for a career boost. A commenter at Celebrity Warship claims their parents saw Tara on St. Maarten too. Take it with a grain of salt, but the sighting wouldn't be surprising given that the island is a major gateway to St.

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A Vacation For Inner Healing

You might even take a weekend break to some resort and simply laze around and do nothing. While all these can provide momentary relief from the daily humdrum, but they do not really refresh or restore your equilibrium. You may think of these activities as a recreation but they are not recreation in the real sense. In true sense of the word, recreation means to restore to life, to revive oneself through self-discovery and healing. True Vacation A holiday, away from the daily routine, is a moment that you often dream of. Yet most times after you come back from it, theres a sense of disappointment rather than refreshment. You find that the high you were feeling has vanished as soon as you stepped inside your home. All your daily stress seems to hit you with even more force.

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House swap for a cheap vacation

Did you see the new movie, "The Holiday?" In the romantic comedy, two single women with botched romances swap homes and find true love. Think it can happen only on the silver screen? Maybe not. In the film, Cameron Diaz's character swaps her luxurious Beverly Hills mansion for Kate Winslet's country home outside of London. They get to use each other's cars, meet each other's neighbors, and shop in each other's favorite stores. They also get the chance to escape their dismal love lives in their new surroundings. Sound intriguing? Well, if you'd like to exchanges homes, all you have to do is be brave and list your home on one of several "swapping" Web sites. More and more people are exchanging their homes with strangers around the country - and world. House swapping appeals to retired folks who have flexible schedules as well as younger people who'd like to get away for a long weekend.

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2006-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Travel trends for the new year

Los Angeles.– Destinations in Asia and river cruises in Europe are among the hottest new trends in travel as 2007 begins, while changes in passport regulations and a growing awareness of environmental issues may also affect where and how people vacation in the new year. ASIA: Is Asia the new Europe? China was No. 1 on Lonely Planet's annual list of hot destinations for the new year, and China also placed first for the country representing the best value for the dollar in a survey of members of the U.S. Tour Operators Association. The U.S.T.O.A. picked Southeast Asia as the hottest up-and-coming area for packaged travel, with the No. 2 spot going to China, India and Croatia in a three-way tie. "China and India are off the charts," agreed Sandi Hughes, vice president of AAA Travel, the automobile association's travel services division.

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Many in US forfeit earned vacation time

As the year winds down, many workers will scramble to use up vacation days. But a growing number of Americans - nearly a third - will end up forgoing vacation days because they have too much work or responsibility to take off. "With the downsizing and companies being leaner in terms of the staffing, ... companies are trying to do more with less, and people are busier than ever," said George Faulkner, a health and benefits principal at Mercer Human Resource Consulting. "It is more difficult to take the time off because it affects the work, and employees tend to feel guilty about it." Americans are likely to give back 574 million vacation days in 2006, worth about $75.72 billion based on workers' average hourly wage, according to Expedia.com's 2006 Vacation Deprivation survey. On average, Americans will give up four vacation days this year, one more than last year.

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Rental Connection owners head into 'fourth quarter'

When Jim and Marcia Dowler recently sold their longtime Palm Springs businesses, they began what Jim Dowler described as the "fourth quarter" of their lives. The owners of the The Rental Connection - a long-term leasing, vacation rental and property management company and Resort Realty specializing in residential sales - sold both businesses to family operated SRL Financial Group, Inc. Escrow closed on Dec. 1. Dowler likens his life to a game of football - divided into quarters: First quarter: From birth to about the mid-20s. That's when you're born, raised, educated, getting prepared for a productive life. Second quarter: Mid-20s to mid-40s. Twenty year career in aerospace and defense. Third quarter: Mid-60s. Twenty-plus year career in the vacation rental and real estate markets.

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2006-12-26T06:39:00.000-08:00

SUV vacation

Like countless millions of our fellow Americans, my family and I will be taking a Thanksgiving road trip. Our ride this time is a 2007 Toyota Sequoia very much like the one in the picture (ours is actually a much cooler shade of blue). At the risk of kicking off another debate like the one I spawned with my SUV Guilt blog post, I'll reiterate that I am not a big fan of big SUVs. So why am I driving one? Along with me, my wife and the two kids, we're bringing the dog, a 50 lb. Boxer, along on this trip, and a five-seat sedan would simply be too crowded. A minivan or a big wagon would have been my first choice, but none were available. (Truth be told, a private jet would have been my first choice, but try as I might I just can't convince About.com to foot the bill for one.) Our next best choice was a seven-seat SUV.

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'My home was no longer safe'

My home was no longer safe for me and my child. If I acted to save my world, does that make me strange? If yes, then so be it. I'd rather be strange than sorry." The trauma of dealing with this was compounded by stories that accused her of abnormal behaviour for firing her staff. To which Sushmita laughs, "If protecting my house, my child and myself from people who have been indulging in financial and moral irregularities behind my back makes me abnormal, then I seriously need to be educated in normal behaviour." And people who are still close to Sushmita are being named among those who have left her. "Neelam, who's like my sister, is also mentioned among the people I've sacked. That's absolute rubbish. I've always been very open about my life. But then, why would I live inside a house if I wanted every aspect of my life to be under scrutiny? I might as well live on the streets.

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2006-12-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

A 'HOLIDAY' OF MEAGER CHEER

After taking forever to finally get to the house swap, we meander along on two continents to see whether these relationships will be true love or just some of those holiday flings. It would be unfair to call The Holiday a complete loss. There's a nice subplot when Iris befriends an elderly screenwriter, Arthur (Eli Wallach). He's a hoot as a sprightly soul, and he and Iris form a mutually beneficial relationship. I almost want to see a movie just about them. And Miles, with Black's charm, is very amusing, especially when rhapsodizing about old movie scores. But despite all of its stars and a marquee writer-director, The Holiday is sort of like a big Christmas present that you tear open, only to find an old fruitcake. .

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Governor breaks a leg on vacation

SAN FRANCISCO - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his leg while skiing with his family Saturday morning in Sun Valley, Idaho, a spokesman said. Schwarzenegger, 59, was taken to a hospital for X-rays and was soon discharged with a fracture to his right femur, said Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's deputy chief of staff for communications. Schwarzenegger will have surgery to repair his femur when he returns to Los Angeles, Mendelsohn said. The governor was resting at his Sun Valley home Saturday night and still planned to spend Christmas there. No one else was involved in the skiing accident, Mendelsohn said. The fracture was the second medical problem suffered by the governor in just over a year. He spent several hours at a UC Davis hospital last December with a rapid heartbeat after coming down with a stomach flu.

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2006-12-24T04:52:00.000-08:00

Slope-hungry boomers can vacation together

If you're older than 50, is it all downhill from here? Yes, but only if you snap on the skis and hit the slopes. With more boomers and seniors staying active, it's no surprise that one-third of the downhill skiers schussing and sliding are 45 or older, according to the National Ski Areas Association. That percentage is up considerably from 10 years ago. If you're looking to ski with like-minded -- and like-aged -- folks, there are several clubs that serve boomers and seniors. Over the Hill Gang International offers discounts and trip packages for the 50-or-older skier. A $50 annual membership entitles skiers to receive discounts on daily rates at selected resorts and ski areas. The Colorado-based company, which has been operating for 30 years, also sponsors several ski packages a year at resorts in the United States and Europe.

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Hectic Holiday Travel For You, Vacation For Your Pet

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- No matter where you go it seems as though holiday travel is always hectic especially if you have pets. However knowing your four-legged friend is on a vacation of their own may help relieve the nerves. Squeeze toys and a swimming pool have pets staying at Pet Paradise Resort feel as if they're on a getaway. Just like many hotels the pet resort is feeling the holiday rush. At around 150 pets, their quarters are full. "We've actually had reservations for over a year and we were full by the end of September," says Fred Goldsmith, owner of Pet Paradise Resort near JIA. Kitten Pope says knowing her dog will be in good hands while she's away makes her travel planning less hectic. "One less worry because I've always worried about it so I've never boarded before so I'm a little nervous," says Pope.

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Hoops season hits semester vacation

* Former Tiger Will Bynum is a freshman guard for Eastern Arizona College. The Gila Monsters are 9-3, 5-1 in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. Season statistics were unavailable. The Gila Monsters head to Southwestern College Jan. 2. * Former Tiger James Bowman is a freshman guard for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Blugolds are 6-3, 1-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after a 90-57 win over Finlandia (Mich.) last Saturday. Bowman did not play in the game. For the season, Bowman has played in four games, all off the bench, and is averaging 2.0 points per game (8 total). He has three steals and an assist. Former Tiger Chance Weisensel is a freshman forward for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Blugolds are 5-3, 1-2 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after a 90-57 win over Finlandia (Mich.) last Saturday.

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2006-12-18T05:04:00.000-08:00

Travelguru and Cafe Coffee Day Promise Innovative Holiday Shopping ...

Cyber caf gets a whole new meaning as Travelguru, Indias leading travel portal, today announced a tie-up with Caf Coffee Day to offer enticing gifts over coffee and cake. A steaming cup could bring with it a holiday in hot Goa a chilled frothy glass a cool getaway in serene Leh. Travel shopping has become little more than a coffee session thanks to two of the countrys most innovative and youthful brands! Starting December all the way to February 2007, select Caf Coffee Day outlets in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Chennai and Hyderabad are offering a Travelguru gift voucher with every purchase of Rs.200/- or more. Every such voucher would take as much as Rs. 1000 off on hotel bills and vacation packages and Rs.200/- off on air-flight costs. Both offers are valid for three months.

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DON’T CHEAT HOUSEKEEPERS WHILE AWAY

But just before that, I had read that when one goes on vacation, thus negating the need for housekeepers, the housekeepers still need the money (more than us) and, therefore, we should pay them for our weekly service, even though we won't be using their service. If I go away for two or three weeks, do I pay for each week or make a token payment or what? Also, where is the line between me cleaning for the housekeepers and letting them do that for which they were hired? Our agreement does not include dishwashing. I also try to get through the bathroom well before they arrive. I may not wipe down the tiles of the shower or the sink that morning, but neither will I subject them to any unpleasant aesthetics. I try to put papers and magazines away or into recycling and generally make the place ready for cleaning, not pick up.

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Judge: Crean must repay vacation pay

BEVERLY - Former Beverly Mayor Tom Crean was not entitled to be paid for unused vacation time, a judge has ruled in a decision that will require Crean to repay nearly $7,000 he collected as he left office in January of 2004. Salem Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead found that Crean is not an "employee" in the traditional sense of the word, but a public office holder who was essentially always on duty. "Although a mayor ... may actually remove his person from his office for ... vacation, he does not remove his office from himself," Whitehead wrote in a decision released this week. "He remains accountable to the city for those responsibilities with which he has been charged regardless of where he may find himself," the judge said. "Therefore, common sense urges that the chief executive (of a city) cannot call himself an employee within the meaning of a statute which defines vacation benefits for employees." Allowing Crean to be paid for unused vacation time would amount to an additional reward for performing his duties as a public officer, the judge wrote in granting what is known as summary judgment for the city.

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2006-12-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

Go-today.com Offers Savings With Asia Supersale Vacation Packages

BOTHELL, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- December 14, 2006 -- Go-today.com offers huge savings with its Asia Supersale vacation packages, with travel to top Asian destinations from just $699. With a variety of available travel dates, these vacation packages are perfect for travelers to experience the exotic charm and cultural richness of the many destinations Asia has to offer. Priced from only $699, vacation packages include roundtrip flight, hotel accommodations, hotel taxes and service charges, airline fuel surcharges and more features on select packages. Additional Packages Available: Purchase Deadline: January 11, 2007 For more information on these vacation packages, and to make reservations, visit www.go-today.com or call a reservation agent at 800-227-3235 (6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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Technical mishaps won't delay my vacation

God doesn't want me to be off tomorrow. If he did, he'd stop having bad things happen to my computer so I could finish my work. I have one use-or-lose day of personal time left, and tomorrow is the last day I can use it, since everyone else in the building is going to be off for Christmas and New Year's Day. (I'm not complaining; I'm just saying). .

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Beggin' your 'Poddin'

But as I spent a gruelling couple of hours trying to transfer vacation photos and a copy of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" from our DVD to my wife's 'Pod, it dawned on me that the device has grown, perhaps, unnecessarily complex. I had to scale and crop photos before putting them on the iPod. I had to learn about different video formats, frame rates and audio sync to get "Nightmare" on there. I still can't get our wedding video to work. All this complexity comes as Apple introduces new iPod features in order to appeal to not just music fans, but photo nuts and folks who hoard video clips. Do these things give the iPod more personality, or do they make it a cluttered mess? Will we start shunning the device much like that messy desk we won't clean up? As Apple presses forward, it would do well to stick with simplicity.

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2006-12-15T05:02:00.000-08:00

Consider those who keep digs tidy

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My partner and I recently accepted reality -- that without outside intervention, the kitchen and bathroom were never going to receive the weekly attention they needed. We hired two women to do the work we can't seem to get done. But just before that, I had read that when one goes on vacation, thus negating the need for housekeepers, the housekeepers still need the money (more than us) and therefore, we should pay them for our weekly service, even though we won't be using their service. If I go away for two or three weeks, do I pay for each week, or make a token payment, or, what? Also, where is the line between my cleaning for the housekeepers, and letting them do that for which they were hired? Our agreement does not include dishwashing.

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State not fair to force employees to take snow days off

The state needs to review its policy regarding storm leave when inclement weather forces the closure of some state agencies or offices.During the blizzard-like conditions in Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago, several state offices closed their doors and told their employees to stay home. That's all well and good; however, those employees also were told they would have to take vacation leave for the day off of work.It's one thing for schools to have to make up snow days. They already are built into a school schedule. It's another thing, however, for employees in state agencies to have to burn a vacation day when they had no control over whether their employer would be open or not.Oklahoma Public Employees Association complained it was unfair for the state to require these employees to take a vacation day because their offices were closed.

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Round’em Up! Take The Family On A Modern-day Cattle Drive Vacation

Looking for a rewarding and memorable family vacation idea? A cattle drive may be just the thing. We're talking about real ranchers on real working cattle ranches. Ranch vacations are a good way for them to help support the ranch. But it's not all business with them. They want to share their way of life and educate people about a quickly disappearing aspect of our American history and culture. Don't worry if you've never sat in a saddle before. Sure, some riding experience is helpful but the activities are geared for whatever skill level you have. All the ranches provide horse riding instruction for anyone who needs or wants it... .

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2006-12-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

Southern and Northern California Vacation Rentals

Californiabeachresorts.com is a leading online vacation rentals website providing finest Collection of unique, exclusive, exquisite luxury beach resort California and California vacation rentals. Our site is among the top websites in the country that provides extensive and exclusive information on vacation home rentals, beach vacations, cheap family vacation packages, California vacation rentals any much more. We also .

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Fifteen Questions to Ask Before You Book a Vacation Rental Home

So you want to book a vacation rental home . . . good choice! If you're a first-timer, you probably have a million questions. The best place to start is to visit a respectable vacation home marketplace like HomeAway.com. The website will explain all the "hard" logistics like contacting the owner, making payment, checking in, checking out, cancellation policies, and so forth. However, there are other questions you can ask in order to maximize your vacation experience. Here are a few suggestions from Christine Karpinski: What's the best route to take in order to avoid traffic? Do you have a DVD player? What movies do you have on hand? What kinds of "extras" do you have that I might want to know about, and where can I find them? (A lobster pot under the kitchen sink, board games in the hall closet, a sand bucket and shovel under the kids' bed, etc.) What restaurants do you recommend? What are your favorite entrees there? Which grocery stores are the best? Where are the best golf courses? Hiking trails? Picnic spots? What are some fun, "non-touristy" activities we can do? What linens do you provide, if any? What "conveniences" do you have on hand? (i.e., hair dryers, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, etc.) What kind of cleaning chores, if any, should we do before we check out? Can you provide directions to the nearest hospital, just in case? What places of worship are nearby? (In case you want to attend services.) What kind of dog-friendly activities are there to do in the area? (Assuming the owner allows pets.) Who do I contact if there is some sort of problem while I'm here--for instance, if the water heater stops working or the power goes out? Is there anything else you can tell me to help my family have the best possible vacation experience? Christine Karpinski is the director of Owner Community for HomeAway.com and author of How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment and Profit from Your Vacation Home Dream: The Complete Guide to a Savvy Financial and Emotional Investment.

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2006-12-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

Costa Rising gets a working vacation

As finales of drawn-out statebred-restricted stakes days go, the finish of last Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day Classic was not bad. Heavy favorite Costa Rising shrugged off a couple of different challengers, including upstart stretch-out sprinter Mean Butterbean at the head of the stretch. But there in the final 50 yards Mean Butterbean crept back closer to Costa Rising, and wound up missing by a head. .

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Make-A-Wish cooks up a vacation to Hawaii

That's how many cookbooks were sold to raise money for Valerie Carrington's upcoming trip to Hawaii, arranged through the Make-A-Wish Foundation's regional office in Springettsbury Township. Valerie, 10, leaves this month with her family for a weeklong stay at the Waikiki Beach Hotel in Honolulu. "I just wanted to go somewhere far away that's nice and hot," said Valerie, who underwent surgery in June to remove a brain tumor. She had been diagnosed in April. Valerie, a fourth grader from Manchester Township, is doing better now but is awaiting a follow-up test in February to ensure a clean bill of health, said her mother, Sandra Carrington. "We're very excited, very blessed and excited," Sandra Carrington said of the trip. Also going will be Valerie's father, Dennis, and her brother, Elijah, 12.

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V is for victory (and vacation)

Many an airline passenger experiences a sinking feeling that has nothing to do with air turbulence. It happens when you find out the person sitting next to you paid $500 less than you did for the exact same flight or vacation package. With airlines charging between 10 and 20 different fares for each seat on a plane, and tour operators slashing packages at the last minute, it's now tougher than ever to ensure you're getting the best possible price. Fortunately, by following a few simple rules, you can win the war and make sure that you're the lucky person who gets the deal. Instant sun When Arpi Madian goes to sun destinations, she stays at five-star resorts, but rarely pays more than three-star prices. How does she do it? "My husband and I always book package trips at the last minute," says the 55-year-old Torontonian.

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2006-12-12T04:51:00.000-08:00

Make today the beginning of a healthier you!

ROCKLAND/THOMASTON (Dec 11): You want to get fit! You want to get tone! You want to be healthy, and you want it now! Give us 6 weeks to get the results you want!Why wait until 2007 to start your New Years Resolution? Start today and by the New Year, you'll be a more fit healthier you! Starting your exercise program today will put you ahead of the gang and just in time for that exotic spring time vacation! Don't put your well being on hold, call now and start making changes today. .

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Wyndham Hotel Group's European Partner Gains Development Funding

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Hotel Group and its joint-venture partner, Corinthia Hotels International, today announced plans by Istithmar Hotels of Dubai to invest 178 million Euros in Corinthia's principal owner, International Hotel Investments, to acquire and build upscale hotels in Europe and globally. The investment, which would increase International Hotel Investments' issued share capital to 500 million Euros, is subject to various statutory and regulatory approvals and it is expected to close by March 2007. Wyndham Hotel Group, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN - News), of Parsippany, N.J., recently gained a 30 percent stake in Corinthia's management company, CHI Limited, as part of a joint venture to provide management services for Wyndham-franchised hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

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2006-12-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

Visit Romania for a vacation that matters

Lilly, the 15-year-old who will only baby-sit back home in Kansas City, Mo., if she's desperate for cash, has 4-month-old Vlad in one arm, and Mihaela, about nine months, in another. Little Abel is at Lilly's feet making gurgling noises. Everybody's smiling. Emma, 17, vowed years ago (when she was 12) that she would never have kids and that little girls especially bugged her. Today she's helping supervise the toddler room, tossing Dumitru into the air, while two other young ones howl because now they want a turn on this new carnival ride called Emma. "Wait a minute," she tells them all. "I only have two arms. I'll get to you, don't worry. Just chill a minute." Two weeks earlier we were home in Missouri getting ready for Christmas. Now the whole Fisher family -- my husband, Hal, Emma, Lilly and I -- are in Romania, at Tutova Hospital's Failure to Thrive Clinic with seven other people from Global Volunteers.

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Gatlinburg Cabin Vacation Tips

Gatlinburg in Smoky Mountains is becoming more and more popular as a vacation spot, with nearly 10 million visitors arriving in the area each year. With mild winters and summers, Gatlinburg and small towns nearby are a common destination for people who enjoy hiking, fishing, horseback riding, bike riding, canoeing, whitewater rafting, river tubing, skiing and snowboarding. Gatlinburg accommodations range from moderately priced Gatlinburg cabins to exclusive private Gatlinburg chalets with their European charm. When staying in a cabin in Gatlinburg, you are still close to shopping and theaters and can enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, or skiing. Here are ten essential things you can do while staying in the Gatlinburg cabin or chalet: 1.

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2006-12-10T04:48:00.000-08:00

Small-town vacation a far cry from home

WE CHANGED PLANES in Denver. The Airbus unloaded nearly 200 of us at gate No. 29. Everybody scattered like cockroaches when the lights come on once they reached the terminal. Our departure gate was to be No. 59. As the crow flies, the two gates were more than half a mile apart. And we didn't have a crow. Denver has a huge airport. It's what they call a hub. The place functions like the dealer in blackjack. The cards come to him, he shuffles them, and then he passes them out to the folks all around the table. We were the cards. Almost everybody travels during Thanksgiving week, and most of them were passing through the Denver airport when we were there. They arrived on huge jet airliners, and then they walked up or down the line of gates until they got on another huge jet airliner headed somewhere else.

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Vacation spent tweaking UK plan

What I think: You'd have been proud of me. I spent my leisure time exactly the way a true Kentuckian should -- thinking of ways to help Tubby Smith right the Wildcats. I came up with a three-pronged plan. Reduce the load on the UK seniors. Loyalty is a commendable quality, however in this case the UK coach's allegiance to his seniors isn't being fair to the players themselves. At the level Kentucky aspires to play, the UK seniors are role players. No crime in that, a good program needs some. But asking the Wildcats seniors to play extended minutes against top-flight foes violates one of the first tenets of good coaching: Always put your players in position to succeed. Give the freed-up minutes to Perry Stevenson and Jared Carter.

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Missouri Tourism Releases 2007 Vacation Planner

Jefferson City, Mo. - infoZine - Start making travel plans for next year with the 2007 Official Missouri Vacation Planner. Missouri Tourism announces the release of its new Planner, designed to help visitors create lasting travel and vacation memories of the Show-Me State. It's all about Missouri's comprehensive roster of attractions, activities and accommodations, from aquariums to zoos and everything between. A special section in the 2007 Planner celebrates the fascinating past and exciting present of professional baseball in Missouri. Another notifies readers of the surprising places where Missourians helped shape global history. Other features transport visitors to historic churches and cemeteries, amusement and water parks, favored small-town destinations and Missouri's archipelago of state parks.

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2006-12-05T05:24:00.000-08:00

Vacation time going unused

Employees nationwide left 421 million days of the paid vacation on the table in 2005, according to Internet travel site Expedia.com. That number is expected to jump to 574 million days by the end of 2006. More than a third of U.S. workers wont use all of their vacation days this year. An additional 14 percent havent taken a vacation longer than one weekend, and 24 percent havent taken any time off at all, according to a survey by Hudson North America, a Chicago-based staffing firm. "It can be difficult for workers to take time off," because of more deadlinedriven and project-oriented workplaces, said Laura Rees, president of the Human Resource Association of Central Ohio. Employees "feel like they have to take the work when it comes." Job insecurity might also be a culprit. About 20 percent of workers said fear of layoffs and pressure from their bosses spurred them to forgo vacations, according to job site Monster.com.

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What souvenirs do you buy on vacation

Over the weekend I unpacked all of my Christmas tree ornaments, an annual ritual I truly enjoy. Besides the homemade ornaments that my girls have made over the years, I have ornaments I purchased while on family vacations. A few of my treasures include: A hand-painted glass ball from Bryce Canyon in Utah, showing the beautiful colors and shapes of the hoodoos (spires); a tiny Hawaiian dancer dressed in a brightly-colored tropical print muumuu; a limited edition embossed copper ornament featuring the Lamp of Learning from the Library of Congress (in Washington DC); and a moose from the Grand Tetons National Park. Each ornament brings back a memory: A horseback ride through the canyon with my girls, tropical breezes and the sound of the ocean, seeing millions of books in a beautifully-detailed and designed building and seeing a bull moose along the edge of the road when we drove from the Tetons to Yellowstone National Park.

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Friendship with neighbor creates havocANNIE'S MAILBOX(R) FOR ...

Dear Annie: I have a neighbor who is creating havoc in my life. I'm convinced "Ellen" is mentally ill and becoming worse. Her "friendship" has become a drain. When we first moved here, our children became pals, and I found Ellen to be fun. As the years pass, however, I find the friendship is very one-sided. Ellen has a miserable marriage, does not get along with her family and has alienated many friends due to her bizarre behavior. She never listens to anything I say - it's all about her. She is consumed with money and constantly discusses how important it is to her. Ellen comes to my house, stays longer than she is welcome, and the entire time, she gulps my wine. Since I believe she has a drug and alcohol problem, I feel as if I'm enabling her by letting her drink at my house.

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2006-12-04T05:34:00.000-08:00

Mr. Bean's Holiday

Plot Summary: Rowan Atkinson returns to the iconic role that made him an international star in "Mr. Bean's Holiday." In his latest misadventure, Mr. Bean--the nearly wordless misfit who seems to be followed by a trail of pratfalls and hijinks--goes on holiday to the French Riviera and becomes ensnared in a European adventure of cinematic proportions. Tired of the dreary, wet London weather, Bean packs up his suitcase and camcorder to head to Cannes for some sun on the beach. Ah...vacation. But his trip doesn't go as smoothly as he had hoped when the bumbling Bean falls face first into a series of mishaps and fortunate coincidences, far-fetched enough to make his own avant-garde film. Wrongly thought to be both kidnapper and acclaimed filmmaker, he has some serious explaining to do after wreaking havoc across the French countryside and arriving at his vacation spot with a Romanian filmmaker's precocious son and an aspiring actress in tow.

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Quick cleaning for vacation home Hints From Heloise

Dear Readers: When you're at your getaway home, cabin in the woods or place at the beach, river or lake, you want to enjoy your downtime as much as possible. However, household cleaning still needs to be done. Darn it! Here are a few hints to help keep things tidy without taking too much time: Choose one task a day in the kitchen area, which is usually the center of activity. Clean a stove top, straighten one cabinet or refrigerator shelf (be sure to check expiration dates) or clean out just five things from any drawer. Vacuum, mop or sweep only the high-traffic areas. Put on an attachment and vacuum a bookcase, lampshade, tabletop or even picture frames. Keep paper towels in bathrooms for quick cleanups. Line the trash can with a plastic bag, newspaper or a brown grocery bag to keep it clean.

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2006-12-02T04:53:00.000-08:00

Muse Plan Their Summer Vacation

While most people have probably yet to make their summer vacation plans for 2007, English rockers Muse have known for some time what they'll be doing. It's the same thing they've been doing -- touring. Bassist Chris Wolstenholme tells AOL Music that after the trio head Down Under for the Big Day Out festival, they'll likely be back in America around March. "I think we'll be touring up until the end of next summer," he says. Having had their itinerary mapped out so far in advance, Wolstenholme jokes, "We were actually trying to work out if someone should try and set a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest planned schedule ever." If the planned routing holds true, Muse will have been touring 'Black Holes and Revelations' for well over a year by the time the trek wraps up.

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Choosing A Property Manager For A Vacation Rental Home

So you are the proud owner of a vacation home – congratulations. But just as with your own home, a vacation home needs a lot of tender loving care. Who is going to look after it when you are away? And, perhaps, how is it going to pay its own way? Thoughts like these tend to push vacation home owners into thinking about appointing a property management company. So what should you be looking for in a property manager, and how do you go about finding one with the qualities you want? First and foremost, you have to decide if you just want the property taken care of, or if you also want it rented out. This will determine what kind of property management firm you want, and whether you need to check their credentials for marketing your firm, or just for looking after it. Assuming that you would like your home to generate some income for you, you need to look for several key capabilities • A firm which will ensure the highest standards of care and attention to the fabric and contents of your property.

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USA : Cruise into your vacation at Destination Maternity!

Destination vacation? This holiday season, Destination Maternity will have her ready to go and looking fabulous for the babymoon vacation, a much-anticipated pre-baby getaway. This season's cruise collection from Motherhood Maternity's hot fashion and hot prices, the contemporary styles of Mimi Maternity and the red carpet fashions of A Pea in the Pod will have the expectant mother packing her bags for the most romantic trip of her life. From colors to couture, Destination Maternity's beautiful basics such as sundresses, swimwear and lingerie will take her from breakfast, to the beach, to the bedroom. First the honeymoon and now the babymoon. Destination Maternity and company website huge array of fashion, accessories and pregnancy information will help the expectant mom look and feel her glamorous self this holiday season.

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2006-12-01T05:02:00.000-08:00

A working vacation - with no pay

BEAVER CREEK - On Tuesday, Frances Adam was high on the Birds of Prey race course shoveling and raking snow as a giant snowstorm pummeled the mountain. This was her idea of a vacation. The Falkirk, Scotland, native comes to the Vail Valley every year to volunteer for the Birds of Prey World Cup race. She is one of about 500 volunteers who are needed to prepare the course, drive shuttles and do other tasks. Many come from other states just to volunteer, without getting paid a dime. A few of them, like Adam, come from abroad. "My friends say, 'Why are you working on these races when you can just go on holiday?'" Adam said. Her reason - as with many other volunteers - is the camaraderie with fellow volunteers at the race.

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The Rise of the Procreation Vacation (Complete with Sea Moss!)

We've reported on the growth of dental tourism, among other offbeat vacation trends. Now comes word of the growing popularity of "procreation vacations" undertaken by couples on a quest to get pregnant. An AP story notes a range of options, including the three-day Procreation Vacation on Grand Bahama Island, where guests sip sea moss to boost their chances; the Birds and the Bees package on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland (think oysters and massages); and the Procreation Ski Vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which includes romantic crackling fires. The trips sound like good fun, but do they actually help? One obstetrician told the AP: "One of the most easy, therapeutic interventions is to recommend a vacation. I think the effect of stress on our physiology is truly underestimated." He just might be right.

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Gone shoppin' Harriett Hendren is on vacation. Her ShopTalk column ...

Bella Bliss holiday sale and open house. Infant and children's clothing through size 12. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec 2. 211 N. Limestone. 15 percent off all purchases, as much as 75 percent off original price for clearance items. Children's activities, refreshments. 1-866-846-5295, Ext. 6. www.bellabliss.com. Linens Limited holiday sale and open house. Linens. 114 Clay Ave. (859) 233-1061. Open house. 5-8 p.m. Dec. 1. Local author Jack Hollins will sign his book Charlie's Christmas Adventure, 6-8 p.m. 12 days of sales: 20 percent off a different product for 12 days. Dec. 1-12. Hours for December are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. Finderskeepers Market holiday open house.

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2006-11-30T05:01:00.000-08:00

Study Italian in Tropea - not only a study vacation

(openPR) - There are a lot of reasons to study a foreign language and the best place to do this is in the country where the language is spoken. That's why a lot of people from professionals to lovers of the Italian language, from beginners to advanced levels decide each year to do a study vacation. No matter what your motivation is and if you to start to learn Italian or to improve your language skills you can discover a new and fascinating world when you learn Italian – the language of arts and fashion. An Italian language course in Italy does not only mean to study during the vacation but to meet new people from all over the world and to get in contact with a different culture while you will also have all the possibilities to enjoy a pleasant holiday at the same time. Since 1993 the Piccola Università Italiana offers Italian language courses organized by a staff of professional native speakers in the picturesque, mediavel seaside town Tropea.

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Locals Upset Over Prince Charles' Public Vacation Home

Carmarthenshire, Wales (BANG) - Britain's Prince Charles' proposed plan to rent out his new Welsh home to vacationers has caused some local concern. The prince's new plans recently sparked an online protest by residents. Welsh nationalist group Cymuned has posted an angry video clip on YouTube.com objecting to the 58-year-old royal using his $1.3 million Llwynywormwood estate, in the hamlet of Myddfai, near Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, to rent out. The group feel this will mean even less "local people" living in the area. Footage posted online shows Cymuned member Iestyn Dafydd walking through the village knocking on doors to ask residents about their new royal neighbor but nobody is home to answer the questions. Cymuned chief executive Aran Jones told Wales' Western Mail newspaper, "The idea of the video is that 'local people' in rural Wales are a dying breed, thanks to people like Prince Charles buying up all the property but not living there." Charles' estate includes 150 acres of farmland, 40 acres of woods and the ruins of Llwynywormwood House - a 13-bedroom mansion which once stood on the estate.

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Vacation Like James Bond

The next best thing to being James Bond is living like him. No, we're not talking about facing off with bad guys and thwarting the plans of those bent on world domination (unless you really want to). We're talking about taking vacations in some of the spots around the world that were, in some way, touched by Bond. Forbes Traveler has picked out their top Bond vacation destinations and, as big James Bond fans, we're ready to pack our bags. The list includes: .

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2006-11-29T04:52:00.000-08:00

Court sides with alleged 'vacation' spammer

When antispam activist Mark Mumma received unsolicited e-mails advertising cruise vacations two years ago, he posted a report on his Web site and threatened to sue Omega World Travel. But Mumma met with an unpleasant surprise: He was the one sued in federal court by Omega World Travel and its subsidiary Cruise.com, which demanded $3.8 million in damages for defamation. Mumma, who owns Oklahoma-based MummaGraphics and runs a one-man Web design and hosting shop at Webguy.com, filed counterclaims against the companies and CEO Gloria Bohan. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the alleged spammers. In a little-noticed opinion issued in mid-November, a three-judge panel acknowledged the e-mail messages in question may have included a false Internet address and a nonworking "From:" address, but concluded that they nevertheless were permitted under the federal antispam law known as the Can-Spam Act.

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'Bizarre' request helps Florissant woman win dream vacation

Florissant resident Karen Pitts has heard some strange requests from customers in her decades of working in the hospitality industry. But her story about the man with the pickle jar containing something other than pickles is singular in its strangeness.Pitts, 52, was the top winner in the Strange Request Contest 2006, sponsored by Concierge Preferred magazine, a publication distributed to hundreds of hotels and visitor centers in St. Louis. Her story earned her an all-expense-paid trip to the Iberostar Toucan, a luxury resort outside Cancun.Pitts is director of sales at the Residence Inn by Marriott's Westport location. As the "face" of the hotel, she works to keep the hotel filled with business travelers and families.As she retold her prizewinning story, she still wondered if it had any semblance to reality."It was the most bizarre thing that has ever happened in my 24 years in the hospitality business," she said.

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Beaufort County tempting vacation-home buyers

As real-estate prices crest along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, prospective second-home buyers find themselves happy to wash up on the state's mainland.RealEstateJournal.com has named Beaufort County, and specifically, Bath, in a top-12 list of places to purchase affordable vacation or second homes. The article, posted Nov. 9, describes Bath as a "quiet harbor village" offering boating, fishing, crabbing and birding.The county is listed alongside such vacation destinations as Steamboat Springs, Co., Clarksville, Va. and Driggs, Idaho, cities wherein real-estate prices rose far less than the national average of 84.3 percent since 1996. Real-estate prices in this area, according to RealEstateJournal.com, have increased only 35.7 percent, making Bath and Beaufort County relatively affordable locations to purchase a vacation home.The Web site ranked the locations by criteria such as availability and selection of vacation homes and proximity to recreational and cultural offerings.Beaufort County has been experiencing a trend almost directly opposite of the nation as a whole, according to recent real-estate sales statistics."We are going to see a repeat of what has happened in the Outer Banks," said Rob Southern, a broker for Coldwell Banker, Coastal Rivers Realty in Washington.

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2006-11-28T05:06:00.000-08:00

The Vanishing Veg-Out Vacation

Shortened workdays before big holidays are an increasingly rare occurrence, finds a survey released Nov. 15 by Hudson Employment, a New York-based staffing and outsourcing company. Half of the workers surveyed responded that their companies do not offer them any extra flexibility around the holidays, and 54 percent say their office is no more casual during the holidays than in the rest of the year. This is despite the fact that 37 percent of the work force admits to being less productive around the holidays. .

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Winter Vacation Special Nude Sunbathing Offer at The Terra Cotta ...

A recent survey reveals that 25% of American adults have gone skinny dipping. It is no wonder that vacationing at nudist resorts is the fastest growing trend in the travel industry. And the best resort for first timers is located in sunny Palm Springs, CA at the Terra Cotta Inn Clothing Optional Resort and Spa. .

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2006-11-27T05:22:00.000-08:00

Canadian productivity slowed by vacation time, report says

OTTAWA -- The main reason living standards here are less than in the U.S. is not so much that Canadians are less productive on the job than Americans, but rather that they are less often on the job, a report Monday suggests. Working Canadians put in 157 hours, or about one month a year less on the job than working Americans, the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity said in an analysis appearing in the latest edition of the International Productivity Monitor. "This one month less per year spent on the job is a signifi cant contributor to the difference in GDP per capita between Canada and the United States," stated the report by the Ontario think-tank, an update of an earlier study comparing hours worked in Ontario with the U.S. More than 40 per cent of the gap in working hours can be explained by a higher propensity of Canadians to take full weeks off, mainly for vacations, it said.

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CYBERTRIPS: Holiday vacation ideas for

Looking for ideas for a holiday getaway, someplace new to visit where grown-ups can leave the neighborhood Christmas lighting frenzy behind and celebrate at their own speed? Here are just a few of the possibilities you can research with a little time on the Internet. Enjoy Christmas decorations amid the elegant surroundings of the Biltmore Estate _ http://www.biltmore.com/discover/christmas.html _ which is advertising two Christmas packages at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, as well as getaways using other hotels in the area around scenic Asheville, N.C. Look for "Explore Biltmore" to get an advance look at America's largest home, including the house, gardens and the estate winery. And click on "Plan Your Visit" to learn about outdoor activities and to get the link to "Around Asheville" for other things to see and do in the area.

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Orphans will spend Christmas vacation in Belarus, education ...

Education Minister Aleksandr Radkov said that all 4,000 Belarusian orphans would spend the forthcoming Christmas/New Year vacation in Belarus. They will spend it "in our health resorts, our families and at their places of stay," the official told reporters at the National Assembly's House of Representatives on Friday. Earlier this fall, the Belarusian authorities banned orphan children from staying in Italy for recreation with families, allowing them to stay in the country for recreation at institutions only. The decision came weeks after an Italian couple refused to send an orphan girl back to the boarding school for children with serious speech disorders in Vileika, Minsk region, this past September, saying that the 10-year-old had been physically abused there. The family kept Vika Moroz hidden for almost three weeks.

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2006-11-26T04:47:00.000-08:00

Rent a vacation home to help cut hotel costs

When traveling in groups, finding spacious accommodations that are affordable can be tough. That was the challenge my brother, sister-in-law and I faced this summer during a trip to South America. When we arrived in Buenos Aires, where we would stay for a week, we skipped the hotels and rented a two-bedroom apartment instead. Total cost: $300. Renting space in a private residence--whether a room, apartment or the entire home--while vacationing is not especially new. The British have long preferred to travel this way, said Pauline Frommer, whose father launched the namesake guidebooks. But more U.S. travelers are opting for this type of accommodation, in part because the Internet has made it easier to search for spaces around the world, see pictures in advance and communicate with owners.

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Don't let crooks ruin your European vacation

It won't make the headlines in the U.S. State Department warnings, but recent travelers to Europe are complaining that theft has increased. Just ask Carter Parsley of Miami. Her purse was stolen on a Swiss train -- with her credit cards, cash, passport, glasses and contact lenses inside. Luckily she was on her way to visit friends. Otherwise, ``I don't know what I would have done. I had literally no money.'' Last fall in London, my handbag was stolen from under my feet while lunching at the British Museum. My wallet, cellphone and camera were gone. iJet, a travel intelligence firm (877-606-4538; www.ijet.com), reports laptop theft is rife in the United Kingdom and Italy. How do you keep from being a target? The State Department (202-647-4000; http://travel.state.gov) advises travelers to dress conservatively and leave valuables at home.

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Cold War Kids: We Used To Vacation EP

It seems impossible for five years to pass without a group of blues-aping white kids sweeping into view. Cold War Kids - 2006, The White Stripes - 2001, urm, Gomez - 1996? To hell with that theory then. But here's another one: with every style-over-substance movement in pop culture we, er, revel in a pack of chin-stroking musos physically incapable of being anything as vacuous as cool or sexy will reject the shallow trappings of the underground and embrace earnest musicality instead. They're normally American, have faint traces of beard and are marvellously blessed when handed a guitar and confronted with a treble clef. The 'We Used To Vacation' EP is the latest and best serious indie beast to rear its head. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah proved too irritating to love and The Spinto Band too dull.

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Here’sA Vacation That’s Conceivably Very Productive

2006-11-15T01:13:00.000-08:00

A new travel promotion is called the procreation vacation. It involves couples who want to create a baby. Obstetrician-approved hotel packages are designed for them to spend five days and nights of quality time together in a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere. Including luxury suites, special foods, health potions, massages, dances and other romantic events, the package costs $500 a day and up. Doesnt all of that seem unnecessarily complicated, clinical and expensive? Back in my young days, all you needed to get pregnant was to be age 16 and spend ten quick minutes of quality time together in the back of a 55 Chevvy. *********** A Delaware nutcase with a long history of exposing himself in public was sentenced by a judge to two months in jail. Then, when he got out, for another two years he has to wear a t-shirt printed in large letters with the message: I AM A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER.

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Coastal panel to weigh Encinitas vacation rentals

2006-11-14T02:30:00.000-08:00

ENCINITAS -- State Coastal Commission staff members are recommending that the panel deny an Encinitas proposal to ban short-term vacation rentals, but city officials said Monday they will ask for more time to negotiate when the commission meets today.In a written report, planners from the agency's San Diego office said prohibiting rentals of 30 days or fewer "would significantly restrict lodging opportunities for coastal visitors" along the city's shoreline. The Coastal Commission has final authority over the proposed ban because it would amend the city's zoning laws. .

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Need help getting pregnant? Try booking a procreation vacation

2006-11-12T04:58:00.000-08:00

MIAMI (AP) - When Lucinda Hughes heard she would have to down sea moss elixirs while vacationing in the Bahamas, she was sure it would make her sick. Three months later, Hughes is very sick - every morning - and expecting her first baby in April. As Hughes and her husband Kemry lounged on lush beaches and swam in their hotel's infinity pool, they sipped pumpkin soup and enjoyed couple's massages and reflexology. It was all aimed at enhancing the odds of babymaking during their three-day Procreation Vacation at The Westin at Our Lucaya Grand Bahama Island. It's part of the latest trend that has hotels around the world luring conception-minded couples by providing everything from onsite sex doctors to age-old fertility boosters, promised to hasten the pitter-patter of little feet.

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Take a vacation with FANGORIA RADIO

2006-11-12T04:57:00.001-08:00

Getting the autumn blues? Need a vacation? Dont worryFANGORIA RADIO will take you on a special trip tonight to all the hottest new horror locales. Get ready to join hosts Dee Snider and Debbie Rochon for tonights show (which airs on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 102 from 10 p.m.-1 a.m., with a repeat airing immediately after) as they greet a creepy, colorful variety of guests: Director Ernest (DEMON KNIGHT) Dickerson (pictured) will take us to a mortuary we may not escape, where well learn what THE V WORD stands for in his MASTERS OF HORROR episode airing tonight. Follow HORROR BUSINESS director Christopher Garetano to Toronto and learn whats up with George A. Romeros DIARY OF THE DEAD! Actress Daniella Alonso will show us around SNOOP DOGGS HOOD OF HORRORjust dont get too close to the residents.

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Web is one way to find a vacation rental

2006-11-12T04:57:00.000-08:00

For many travelers, renting a house, cottage, condo or apartment by a beach, ski slope, resort or a major city can be an affordable, roomy alternative to spending a week or two in a hotel. Good rentals offer amenities, privacy, comforts, homey ambiance and personality that can be hard to match in a hotel. They generally cost less on a per-night, per-person basis and also provide other economies, such as free parking and use of a kitchen. The Internet has revolutionized the vacation home rental process. Starting with local real estate brokerages who moved their catalogues online, a raft of new companies has emerged over the past decade to provide quick access to thousands of vacation rentals around the world. Selections can be quickly searched by destination, size and type of house, or area of interest, such as skiing.

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Belize Vacation of a Lifetime

2006-11-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

Two weeks in Belize was the vacation of a lifetime! Belize is a small country, about the size of Massachusetts, which makes getting around and exploring the country very easy. Belize may be small but it is loaded with activities and adventures to keep you busy and to keep people coming back year after year. Although it's located in Spanish-speaking Central America, the official language is English. There is a diverse culture of Maya, Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Mennonite, Chinese and Taiwanese making Belize a melting pot. We began our journey with the scenic drive to Blancaneaux a pristine resort in the Cayo district (owned by Francis Ford Coppola). We crossed the border and visited the infamous Tikal Archeological site on our first full day in Belize. My father had been waiting to visit Tikal for the past 30 years since seeing the temples featured in Star Wars Episode IV and it was every bit as amazing as he pictured it.

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Vacation to France in college leads to job in wine business

2006-11-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

How Jeffrey Davies a Southern California native ended up importing French wine to the United States is an interesting story. Davies is owner of Signature Selections, a Bordeaux-based negociant for well-sourced, small production wines from Bordeaux and the southern France. As a junior at the University of California Santa Barbara, he journeyed to France on vacation and ended up staying there and enrolling in enology school. The famous and venerable Professor Emile Peynaud was one of his teachers.After graduation he moved to New York where he earned a living in the retail wine business. In 1986 he started Signature Selections with the novel idea of importing up-and-coming California wines to France. Unfortunately he found that the French, besides drinking only French wine, also tend to drink only wines from the region where they live.

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Our pets affect our vacation travel

2006-11-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

Is your pet going on a vacation this year? Probably so, according to a new survey by the travel site TripAdvisor.com. The results of a poll of 1,500 travelers revealed how pets affect vacation travel. For openers, 13 percent of respondents report that their pets prevented them from going on vacation at all. Twenty-nine percent said they take vacations but fewer than if they were pet-free. More than one-third (38 percent) reported they shortened their vacations so as not to be away from their pets too long. There is some good news for hotels. Thirty-seven percent of those polled would be willing to pay more for pet-friendly lodging. The most frequently requested accommodations are pet kennels, but dogs appreciate interactive doggie day care where they can play with human sitters and mingle with others of their own kind.

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