America's Nine Most Damaged Brands

Reprint from 247 Wall Street,
http://247wallst.com/2013/04/10/americas-nine-most-damaged-brands-2/2/

Amica's Nine Most Damaged Brands

1. Martha Stewart
2. Apple
3. Hyundai
4. Boeing
5. J.C. Penney
6. Best Buy
7. Groupon
8. BlackBerry    

Last and not LEASE!!!

 9. J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) was for years considered the best-run bank in America, and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, the top banker. Dimon steered it through the financial crisis of 2008 in a way its competitors could not match. Unfortunately, J.P. Morgan is one more brand that was tarnished almost overnight.

A single trader in J.P. Morgan’s London office lost the bank $6.2 billion, and there are concerns the write-off process is not over. Dimon erred by saying the incident was isolated and based on management stupidity. The federal government did not accept that, and neither did investors.
  

The Universe!

First Woman To Command A Warship

First Woman To Command A Warship In Royal Navy History

By Claire Gordon , Posted May 25th 2012 @ 11:57AM 

On Monday, 40-year-old Sarah West made history, reports the BBC, when she took command of the HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate. When Henry VIII created the Royal Navy, he could never have predicted this day. West will be leading a crew of 185 -- a crew of mostly men.
West joined the Navy 16 years ago, after graduating with an honors degree in mathematics. In that time, she's served in the Middle East, and helped evacuate thousands of Britons from Beirut in 2006, as artillery fire rained down.

Read Full article here:
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/05/25/first-woman-to-command-a-warship-in-royal-navy-history/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D164315

Three Tibetans self-immolate in western China:

Three Tibetans self-immolate in western China: report

A Tibetan resident holds a map of Tibet during a Free Tibet demonstration denouncing the Chinese government in front of the Chinese embassy in Seoul November 16, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Jo Yong-Hak

BEIJING | Sun Feb 5, 2012 1:56am EST

(Reuters) - Three Tibetans in southwestern China have set themselves ablaze in protest against Chinese rule, Radio Free Asia reported, the latest in a series of self-immolations over the past year.
The three set themselves on fire on Friday in Seda county, known as Serthar in Tibetan, in Sichuan province, calling for freedom for Tibet and the return of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, the U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia broadcast and online news service said on Saturday, citing three sources, one of whom is in exile.

Read the full article... here


http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/05/us-china-tibet-idUSTRE8120BQ20120205

Japan donates 200 boats, 240 mobile toilets to Thailand

October 21, 2011 1:01 am

Japan has given a large number of relief supplies including 240 mobile toilet units to Thailand.

Speaking at a hand-over ceremony, Japanese ambassador Seiji Kojkma repeated an insistence that Honda was considering relocation from Thailand after a large plant in Ayutthaya had been flooded.

Also donated are 200 boat engines and 450 life vests handed over, to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the ceremony, apart from Bt12 million in cash earlier.
The Nation

Thank you!

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

AAahhhh the good old days.. & the age of innocense.
I worked for Intel in Santa Clara from 1990 to 2001. From 1990 - 1991, I  worked with a team of Finance Systems programmers.  Intel was cash rich from the 386 chips and was the King of the Hill in Silicon Valley at the time. We worked hard and we were proud of our company's accomplishment..  We were flying high with  Win-Tel. Microsoft and Intel, two Kings of the Hills.

Apple Computer was taking over some buiidings and started their headquarter in Cupertino.  However, it did not stop us from joking that Apple made more money from selling Apple baseball caps and Apple tee-shirts in their Apple gift shop (in Cupertino Hdqtr building) than selling their Apple Macintosh computers.

At one time in our working life at Intel, every employees received a free Intel computer. Of course there  were no Apple computer at Intel or at our home. However, if my memory is not failing me, our kids were using the MacIntosh at their schools in Cupertino. Compliment of Apple Computer, Inc!


In 2000 Intel stock closed at $162.25. No regret,  granted, Intel stock splitted 2 for 1 total 5 times
from 1990 to 2001.  Somehow, it  never have gone up beyonds  $38 since 2001.  On October 3, 2011, Intel stock closed at $21.85. 

Oh, I am wondering aloud, any one EVER HEARD OF the Intel Video Cam,  Intel MP3 player & Intel Video Phone ...
Those were the days, and now is now.  & now for everyone,  the time is for the iPhone,  the IPod &  the IPad

Apple stock closed at $378.25 a share on October 5, 2011.

RIP Steve Jobs!

4 Lovers In Your Life

Once upon a time, there was this girl who had four lovers

She loved the 4th lover the most and adored him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the 3rd lover very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her 2nd lover. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her...Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girls 1st lover was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first lover. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him.

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, I now have four lovers with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.'

Thus, she asked the 4th lover: I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No way!' replied the 4th lover, and he walked away without another word.

His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the 3rd lover, 'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No!' replied the 3rd lover. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!'

Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the 2nd lover, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me.

When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!' replied the 2^nd lover. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.'

His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.'

The girl looked up, and there was her 1st lover. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!


In truth, you have 4 lovers in your lives:

Your 4th lover is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good; it will leave you when you die.

Your 3rd lover is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.

Your 2nd lover is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your 1st lover is your Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, your Soul is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity.

Thought for the day: Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray.

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

I hope this touched you!

MYANMAR - URGENT HUMANITARIAN ACTION NEEDED

This is reaching an EPIC Proportion

URGENTLY NEEDS "UN" ATTENTION!!!

Myanmar refugees flee post-election fighting

Photo Gallery

Group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, walk along a street side at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom … Read more »

(THAILANDPOLITICS ELECTIONS - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST ELECTIONS SOCIETY)

Myanmar citizens queue up for food

Myanmar citizens queue up for food at the Border Patrol Police base in Thailand's Mae Sot town Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 following fighting between Myanmar soldiers and ethnic Karen fighters. Clashes between rebels and Myanmar government troops have broken out at two key border points a day after the country's first election in two decades. The fighting prompted thousands of refugees to flee into neighboring Thailand.… Read more »

(AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

Myanmar citizens gather

Myanmar citizens gather while waiting for food at the Border Patrol Police base in Thailand's Mae Sot town Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 following fighting between Myanmar soldiers and ethnic Karen fighters. Clashes between rebels and Myanmar government troops have broken out at two key border points a day after the country's first election in two decades. The fighting prompted thousands of refugees to flee into neighboring Thailand.… Read more »

(AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Myanmar-refugees-flee-post-election-fighting/ss/events/wl/110810myanmarelex#photoViewer=/101108/ids_photos_wl/r1406435157.jpg

Swiss archaeologists find 5,000-year-old door

AP – This undated photo provided by the Hochbaudepartment Zurich shows a 5,000-year old door that archaeologists …

By FRANK JORDANS, Associated Press Writer Frank Jordans, Associated Press Writer – Wed Oct 20, 5:17 pm ET

GENEVA – Archaeologists in the Swiss city of Zurich have unearthed a 5,000-year-old door that may be one of the oldest ever found in Europe.

The ancient poplar wood door is "solid and elegant" with well-preserved hinges and a "remarkable" design for holding the boards together, chief archaeologist Niels Bleicher said Wednesday.

Using tree rings to determine its age, Bleicher believes the door could have been made in the year 3,063 B.C. — around the time that construction on Britain's world famous Stonehenge monument began.

"The door is very remarkable because of the way the planks were held together," Bleicher told The Associated Press.

Harsh climatic conditions at the time meant people had to build solid wood houses that would keep out much of the cold wind blowing across Lake Zurich, and the door would have helped, he said. "It's a clever design that even looks good."

The door was part of a settlement of so-called "stilt houses" frequently found near lakes about a thousand years after agriculture and animal husbandry were first introduced to the pre-Alpine region.

It is similar to another door found in nearby Pfaeffikon, while a third — found in the 19th century and made from one solid piece of wood — is believed to be even older, possibly dating back to 3,700 B.C., said Bleicher.

The latest find was discovered at the dig for a new underground car park for Zurich's opera house.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101020/ap_on_re_eu/eu_switzerland_ancient_door

Toxic Sludge In Hungary

Second wave of sludge expected in Hungary

'Race against time' to build dam as cracks develop in another part of reservoir that burst Monday

msnbc.com news services

updated 10/10/2010 5:56:20 PM ET 2010-10-10 T 21:56:20

KOLONTAR, Hungary — The wall of a reservoir filled with caustic red sludge will inevitably collapse and unleash a new deluge of red sludge that could flow about a half-mile to the north, a Hungarian official said Sunday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39602254/ns/world_news-europe

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Green Entrepreneurs

Turning One Athlete's Trash into a Successful Business

Atayne, based in Portland, ME, gets its raw material through a cheap and dirty strategy -- from the streets, literally.

Cleaning up'

By Alex Davidson

Trashole. Rubber necking. Going mechanic.

Those terms may sound like new snowboarding moves, or even names high-schoolers use in social circles. But, believe it or not, they’re actually part of a successful marketing campaign. They belong to a new vocabulary created by entrepreneur Jeremy Litchfield, founder of a clothing company that makes athletic wear from recyclables.

As a way to hawk his products on the cheap, Litchfield created “Trash Running,” where people, clothed in his Atayne shirts and given roles like “picker” or “holder,” follow marathon runners and collect all types of trash. Not only do they label someone a “trashole” if he drops his water bottle, but they get media attention, raw materials and a captive audience -- all for free.

“We had to come up with unique and free ways to cut through the clutter,” said Litchfield, who started Atayne (pronounced “attain”) in September 2008. “[Trash running] has been such a great opportunity for us. It’s given us a way to get involved with a race but not spend a lot of money.”

http://www.foxsmallbusinesscenter.com/slideshow/sbc/2009/11/03/trash-running#slide=4

USAF successfully launch the new GPS IIF-1 satellite

USAF successfully launch the new GPS IIF-1 satellite

GPS
Article by: Mike Barrett
Date: 29 May 2010

Last night saw the successful launch and deployment of a new generation of GPS satellites the GPS IIF. These satellites are built by Boeing and will enhance the current GPS constellation by adding a further 12 GPS satellites to replace the current ones that are nearing the end of their service life.

This launch was particularly important for a number of reasons: It was to be the first of the new GPS Satellites; It represented a major milestone for the Delta Rockets; and it was to be the first GPS launch on the Delta IV rocket.

The full pre-launch and launch day events follow along with our GPS IIF-1 launch video:

I had arranged to come out to Florida last year to witness this launch but it was postponed from November to February, finally to May 13th. May 13th was a particularly poignant date as this represented the 50th anniversary of the Delta family of rockets. Unfortunately due to the final flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis this date was pushed out to May 20th.

GatorGuy and I were invited by the USAF to attend a pre-launch press conference on launch pad 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base 12 hours before the launch. We headed out the the meeting point outside the security barriers of the AFB where we were met by our Air Force escorts (including Dan @AFSpace on Twitter). With about 25 other reporters we were take out to the Launch Complex in a large convoy.

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/USAF-successfully-launch-the-new-GPS-IIF1-satellite-5123.php

NASA develops new technology to enhance search and rescue operations - ‎May 25, 2010‎

NASA develops new technology to enhance search and rescue operations

Oneindia - ‎May 25, 2010‎

Washington, May 25 (ANI): NASA has developed new technology that will more quickly identify the locations of people in distress and reduce the risk of rescuers.

Buzz up!

The Search and Rescue Mission Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., in collaboration with several government agencies, has developed a next-generation search and rescue system, called the Distress Alerting Satellite System (DASS).

NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies, are now completing the development and testing of the new system and expect to make it operational in the coming years after a complete constellation of DASS-equipped satellites is launched.

When it goes online, DASS will be able to almost instantaneously detect and locate distress signals generated by 406 MHz beacons installed on aircraft and vessels or carried by individuals, greatly enhancing the international community's ability to rescue people in distress, said NASA Search and Rescue Mission Manager David Affens.

This improved capability is made possible because the satellite-based instruments used to relay the emergency signals will be installed on the U.S. military's Global Position System (GPS), a constellation of 24 spacecraft operating in mid-Earth orbit (MEO).

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/25/nasadevelops-new-technology-to-enhance-search-andre.html

Louvre on the Rocks:

World

Louvre on the Rocks: Cache of Aboriginal Art Revealed

Traci Watson Contributor:
(May 29) -- Archaeologists have revealed the first detailed studies of what some call one of the world's most significant collections of rock art, a treasure trove of more than 3,000 stunning paintings and other images spanning as many as 15,000 years.

The extraordinary cache lies in a remote and sparsely populated region of north-central Australia. Known by the Aboriginal name of Djulirri (rhymes with "Hillary"), the site was until now almost completely unknown to science.

The rock walls of Djulirri bear images of kangaroos, the now-extinct Tasmanian tiger, sailing ships from the 1800s, humans performing a ritual with a snake, European missionaries, even a biplane. In some places there are 20 layers of artworks, one painted atop the other.
................
http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/cache-of-aboriginal-art-revealed-in-djulirri-rock-shelter-in-australia/19495916

World

Saigon Fell 35 Years Ago, but Its Legacy Endures

Updated: 3 hours 3 minutes ago

BY: Dale Eisman

AOL News

(April 30) -- The signal went out at dawn, April 29, 1975 -- Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" on Armed Forces Radio.

Across Saigon, the music set Americans moving toward the U.S. Embassy and a parking lot at Tan Son Nhut air base, where they crammed themselves and whatever they could carry into helicopters sent from Navy ships off the coast.

The final "rush to the door," as the Wall Street Journal put it at the time, was on: 150,000 North Vietnamese troops were on the outskirts of the city, with nothing in the way of their advance.

Dirck Halstead, Liaison Agency / Getty Images

People flee as Saigon falls to North Vietnam in April 1975.

At 8:35 the next morning -- 35 years ago today -- the last U.S. helicopter and 10 Marines lifted off from the embassy roof. Just over two hours later, a red and blue Viet Cong flag was hoisted above what had been South Vietnam's presidential palace. The war was history.

http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/fall-of-saigon-ended-tumultuous-chapter-in-us-history/19460257

Robb's Report Resorts

January 01, 2010

Soneva Kiri

Click image to enlarge.

The Eco Villa at Six Senses’ new Soneva Kiri resort is best identified by what it lacks: carbon emissions. This environmentally friendly accommodation—which Six Senses intends as a prototype for its future properties—is one of 42 villas at Soneva Kiri, a stylishly sensitive beach resort that opened on Thailand’s Koh Kood Island in November.

Since its launch in 1995, Bangkok-based Six Senses has been committed to eco-friendly building methods. But the environment has never trumped indulgence at the company’s resorts. At the 150-acre Soneva Kiri, butlers service each of the villas, where bathrooms are outdoors but still feature all of the comforts of a marble-laden interior space. Activities at the resort include catamaran excursions on the Gulf of Thailand and evening screenings at Kiri’s over-water theater, Cinema Paradiso. Guests can enjoy contemporary Thai cuisine at the resort’s fine-dining restaurant or in one of several elevated venues called Tree Pods.

Visitors staying in the Eco Villa can select a bottle from the accommodation’s wine cellar to pair with dinner. The villa also features a swimming pond, as well as a bush-filled garden that grows out of a cellulose-insulated roof. Soneva Kiri, +662.631.9777, www.sixsenses.com

—Poppy Friedman

Soneva Kiri

Photo by Kiattipong Panchee

Soneva Kiri

Soneva Kiri’s eco-friendly architecture ranges from a sleek four-bedroom suite (shown here) to a whimsical children’s club. Photo by Kiattipong Panchee

Soneva Kiri’s eco-friendly architecture ranges from a sleek four-bedroom suite to a whimsical children’s club (shown here). Photo by Kiattipong Panchee

Fallen School Children, Reverse Boom?

02-03-2010 17:35   Falling Schoolchildren Numbers

Time to Take Revolutionary Steps to Raise the Birthrate Many baby boomers will never forget the jam-packed classrooms of their elementary schools. In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, each classroom was overcrowded with as many as 100 children. Schools even employed a three-shift system to force students to take turns for morning, noon and afternoon classes. In those happy old days, schoolchildren often wondered if their teachers could remember all the names of the many attendants.  The classroom overcrowding was caused by a failure to build more schools to meet the soaring growth in births. But this problem has already become history for the baby-boomer generation. Now, the government and educational authorities are ever more worried about the opposite ― empty classrooms amid the decreasing number of schoolchildren. The lack of schoolchildren began to emerge in the late 1990s. This time, it is the sinking birthrate that makes schoolchildren scarcer and scarcer. Currently, 30 or less students on average attend each classroom in primary schools in Seoul and major cities across the country. The problem is more serious with schools in rural areas where young people have left for cities. Many schools in farming and fishing villages have been shut down, while only small numbers maintain two or three classrooms. Even some open only one classroom that is mixed with less than 10 pupils ranging from first to sixth graders. Such a phenomenon is also spreading to many urban areas. In the southeastern industrial city of Ulsan where Hyundai Motor, the nation's largest automaker, operates assembly lines, 16 of 110 primary schools reported enrollments of less than 100 students for this school year. Some are even considering closing their operations. The city said the total number of newly enrolled first graders plummeted 40 percent to 11,210 this year from a decade before.

 Read the whole article:

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/02/137_60223.html

Return to previous page Chicago Tribune's 2009 pictures of the year

Kites festival (Tribune photo by Abel Uribe / May 2, 2009) Parents and their children enjoy the sight of a giant kite, while visiting the Annual Kids and Kites Festival at Montrose Harbor. Bolt out of the blue (Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante / May 13, 2009) A lightning bolt pierces through a cloud northeast of Wrigley Field during the Cubs-Padres game in May. One with the garden (Tribune photo by Bill Hogan / September 8, 2009) A stunning Carrie Seacrist stands at her front door pretending she is part of her flower garden during a photo shoot for the Special Spring Sunday Magazine. Acrophobic's nightmare (Tribune photo by José M. Osorio / July 1, 2009) Anna Kane, 5, of Alton, Ill., top, Sophie Allaway, 4, of Glen Ellyn, Ill. (in pink top) and Grace Kane, of Alton, Ill. stare down at the city from The Ledge, a glass enclosure suspended on the outside of the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower. Night at the Joffrey (Tribune photo by Phil Velasquez / November 2, 2009) Young dancers train at the Joffrey School on State Street, next to the Chicago Theatre.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-091222-year-in-pictures-2009-pictures,0,3573658.photogallery

Road Trips To So Cal

Idyllwild, California

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Idyllwild
California deserts

Distance: 109 miles one-way
Cost for roundtrip gas: $28.89

What happens if, two-thirds of the way to a Palm Springs weekend, somebody grabs control of your family's vehicle, veers hard to the right, follows the cliff-clinging goat path known as California 243, then roars into the pines looking for a soft meadow between granite peaks?

Idyllwild is what happens. Arriving from Los Angeles, you first climb to the largely residential community of Pine Cove, then descend to about 5,300 feet, where you see half a dozen blocks of shops, restaurants and art and craft galleries, all surrounded by trees, rocks, scattered vacation cabins, the odd A-frame and the odder geodesic dome. The year-round population is about 3,500.

Read more: Find simpler times in Idyllwild's peaceful San Jacinto mountain retreat

Little Petroglyph Canyon

(Manuel Nunez)

Little Petroglyph Canyon
California deserts

Distance: 177 miles one-way
Cost for roundtrip gas: $46.91

No one knows for sure who decorated Little Petroglyph Canyon with images out of a dreamscape, some thought to be more than 10,000 years old. Or why the basalt walls of a narrow wash in the bone-dry Coso Mountains at the northern edge of the Mojave became a magic canvas for flocks of bighorn sheep, hunters with bows and arrows poised and more. But the area is probably the richest Amerindian rock-art site in the hemisphere. To see the canyon, you must contact the Navy base or join a tour offered by Maturango Museum. It's a rough 40-mile drive to the trail head, followed by a hike and a scramble along the canyon. Visits only in spring and fall.

Info: Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las Flores Ave., Ridgecrest, CA 93555; (760) 375-6900, www.maturango.org. Private tours through the Naval Air Weapons Station, (760) 939-1683.

-- Susan Spano

Hurkey Creek Park

(Jordan Rane)

Hurkey Creek Park
California deserts

Distance: 113 miles one-way
Cost for roundtrip gas: $29.95



Hurkey Creek Park has more than 100 sites (plus five large group sites) with picnic tables, fire pits, restroom and shower facilities, and a two-vehicle/six-person limit per site. Large RVs and trailers are permitted, but there are no hook-ups. Sites cost $20 per night. Reserve with Riverside County Parks between April and October. The campground is also open for day use ($2 per adult, $1 per 12-and-under) from dawn to dusk.

Riverside County Parks, (800) 234-7275, www.riversidecountyparks.org

-- Jordan Rane

Read more: Hurkey Creek Park: cold, empty and so refreshing

'

Shields Date Gardens

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Shields Date Gardens
California deserts

Distance: 128 miles one-way
Cost for roundtrip gas: $33.92

This spot has delicious date shakes and free screenings of that California blockbuster "The Romance and Sex Life of the Date." (760) 347-7768, www.shieldsdategarden.com.

Borrego Palm Canyon

(Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

Borrego Palm Canyon
California deserts

Distance: 152 miles one-way
Cost for roundtrip gas: $40.28

Borrego doesn't get the attention that desert areas farther north do, but it's the biggest state park in California. Borrego Palm Canyon (a three-mile hike, round-trip) is a testament to the violence of desert life -- it lost about 80% of its palms in a 2004 flood -- and it's the park's star hike. Also a good place for spotting bighorn sheep. (760) 767-5311,
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638.

Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree
HIDDEN VALLEY Joshua Tree National Park
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree
California deserts



MORE ROAD TRIPS AND PHOTOS ON LA TIMES.COM

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-caroadtrip-pg,0,5191255.photogallery

Biosphere 2's Second Chapter: Climate Change

Updated: 1 hour 18 minutes ago

Over the past 15 years, experiments conducted at Biosphere 2 by researchers from Columbia University and the University of Arizona have helped shape scientific understanding of how climate change will affect the planet. The story of the facility's evolution, however, is as entertaining as it is surprising.

Great Hopes

Biosphere 2 was built by Space Biospheres Ventures in the late 1980s at a cost of $200 million. The project was heralded around the world as the experiment that would eventually lead to the colonization of other planets. The concept was to create a sustainable ecosystem entirely sealed off from the outside world.

Lonely Planet/ZUMApress.com

No longer a sealed-off environment, Biosphere 2 now offers guided tours.

Inside 7.2 million cubic feet of sealed glass, several artificial environments were created, from desert to rain forest to a coral reef. Spanning 3.14 acres -- the size of several football fields -- the scale of the facility, which is about 25 north of Tucson, was unprecedented.

http://www.sphere.com/article/biosphere-2-regains-scientific-respect/19312078

Thailand on the Map

World's Best

Thailand On The Map

Thailand on the map

Thinking about heading east for Christmas or the New Year? Rick Jordan rounds up the latest luxury options from north to south

Traveling guide from North To South In Thailand.

By Rick Jordan

http://www.cntraveller.com/Special_Features/Luxury_In_Thailand/

Bangkok Guide:
The cultural and commercial centre of Thailand.
http://www.cntraveller.com/Guides/Thailand/Bangkok/

Best Asian Spa:
http://www.cntraveller.com/Special_Features/Best_Asian_Spas/The_Baan_Thai_Wellness_Retreat/

Conde Nast Readers Name the Best Places to Go, Where to Stay, and How to Get There

Conde Nast Readers Name the Best Places to Go, Where to Stay, and How to Get There

By Libby Zay

October 20, 2009

Conducted since 1988, Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice Awards is one of the most esteemed in the industry. Over 25,000 travelers were polled this year, each ranking the best-of-the-best when it comes to places to go, where to stay, and how to get there.



Here is the partial list:

Top 20 Scores
01. (Resort) Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, 98.9
02. (Hotel) Peninsula House, Dominican Republic, 98.6
03. (Hotel) Blanket Bay, South Island, New Zealand, 98.3
04. (Hotel) La Scalinatella, Capri, 97.3
05. (Resort) King Pacific Lodge, British Columbia, 97.8
06. (Hotel) 21C Museum Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky, 97.2
06. (Hotel) La Colombe d'Or, St-Paul de Vence, France, 97.2
06. (Hotel) Oberoi Udaivilas, Rajasthan, 97.2
06. (Resort) Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan, 97.2
10. (Resort) Mombo And Little Mobo Camps, Botswana, 97.1
11. (Hotel) Il San Pietro Di Positano, Positano, 97
12. (Hotel) Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, 96.8
13. (Hotel) The Peninsula, Hong Kong, 96.5
13. (Resort) Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Bali, 96.5
15. (Resort) One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos, 96.4
16. (Hotel) Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden, Dresden, 96.3
16. (Hotel) The Saxon, Johannesburg, 96.3
18. (Resort) Sandibe Safari Lodge, Botswana, 96.2
19. (Hotel) Grand Hotel A Villa Fel Trinell, Lake Garda, Italy, 96.1
19. (Hotel) Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole, Tuscany, 96.1

http://www.concierge.com/tools/travelawards/readerschoice/top100

The 10 Best Retiement Havens.

In Pictures: The 10 Best Retirement Havens
By Richard C. Morais

Austria
© Inti St. Clair/Getty Images

Austria

Elegant architecture, classical music, trams that run. Vienna offers the highest quality of life on the globe, according to Mercer, and medical insurers say its private clinics are world-class. Salzburg, Graz and Kitzbühel and surrounding hamlets have much to offer those who love mountains and the outdoors. Look at Austria as a lower-cost Switzerland.

Downside: no Mediterranean-style love of life. Icy reserve.


#2
Thailand

Warmly welcoming of retirees and ideal for seniors on modest budgets, Thailand has everything from bungalows on Phuket's blue lagoons to urban living in bustling Bangkok. Considered Asia's best buy for quality health care at reasonable costs. But the good private hospitals are in Bangkok, so make sure your retreat on the water is within three hours of the capital.

Downside: unpredictable politics.


http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/15/ten-best-retirement-havens-personal-finance-retire-abroad_slide_2.html?partner=yahoo

World Most Beautiful Sunset. #2

Rudy Maxa, TV personality, travel journalist: Ban Talae Nok, Thailand
© Rudy Maxa


Rudy Maxa, TV personality, travel journalist: Ban Talae Nok, Thailand

Beautiful sunsets aren't just about the sun. Surroundings, and even local history, add to the experience. Rudy Maxa recalls a recent visit to Ban Talae Nok, Thailand, a small community that lost more than 200 villagers in the 2004 tsunami, including 16 schoolchildren who were playing near the beach. Today, a new school stands out of harm's way high on a hill. And every evening at sunset, Maxa says, "a herd of wild water buffalo go down to the deserted beach and pause as if not sure they want to get their feet wet. Then, as the sun threatens to sink into the Andaman Sea, they step gingerly into the small waves and begin wallowing in neck-high water for about 15 minutes. It's one of the most unusual sunsets I've ever seen."

Rudy Maxa is host and executive producer of Rudy Maxa's World, which airs on Travel Channel International.

http://www.forbestraveler.com/best-lists/sunsets-slide-2.html?thisSpeed=25000

World 25th Sexiest Beach 2009

Phang Nga Bay, Phuket, Thailand

Thailand runs the gamut in terms of sexiness: There’s everything from romantic seclusion to all-night barely clothed partying. No one can argue with the beauty of the stunningly scenic Phang Nga Bay, where giant limestone formations spike dramatically out of the jade waters. National Park protection has guarded the area against creeping over-development.

SEE ALSO: The World's Best Cruises, Period

http://www.forbestraveler.com/islands-beaches/sexiest-beaches-world-2009-slide-20.html?thisSpeed=25000

507-Carat Rough Diamond Found

507-Carat Rough Diamond Found
by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) Sep 29th 2009 at 10:02PM

It looks like a chunk of clouded ice but the stone shown at right is a 507-carat rough diamond found at the Petra Diamonds Cullinan Mine in South Africa. The 507.55 carat stone is believed to be of exceptional color and clarity, and is most likely a Type II diamond. The rough was found as part of a run that also included a 168-carat piece of rough and two other stones of 58.5 and 53.3 carats. A lucky day indeed, the stone is one of the top 20 largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found making it incredibly rare.



The Cullinan Mine has yielded some of the world's great diamonds including the largest "gem-quality" stone ever recovered, the "Cullinan," 3,106 carats rough, and was the source for the Golden Jubilee, at 755 carats rough, and the Centenary, at 599 carats rough. Cullinan also produced the piece of rough that became the Taylor-Burton diamond, a stone that is 69 carats polished. The diamonds will be analyzed by a team of experts and then the long process of determining how to best cut them can begin.

Mary Queen Of Scots' Last Letter.

When I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, I visited the Edinburgh Castle and saw Mary Queen Of Scots' bed. Several years later, I read "Mary Queen Of Scots" (1969) by Lady Antonia Fraser and it took me back to the Edinburgh's trip and feeling of absolute awe, of wonder, of humility.



FILE - In this June 2006 file photo, visitors, some with audio guide headsets, learn all about Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
(AP Photo/Jeannette Goldstein, file)

Here is another story reminding me of the cold summer days in Edinburgh in 1965.

Last letter of Mary Queen of Scots appears briefly
Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:17am ED

By Ian MacKenzie

EDINBURGH (Reuters Life!) - At 2 a.m. on a frigid February morning in 1587, Mary Queen of Scots sat at her table and penned a last letter before her execution in the great hall of Fotheringhay Castle in the English midlands.

"Tonight, after dinner, I have been advised of my sentence: I am to be executed like a criminal at eight in the morning," she wrote to her brother-in-law, the king of France.

Fragile with age but in remarkably good condition, the letter by one of the great tragic figures of Scottish history is making a rare appearance until Sept 21 at the National Library of Scotland.

Library spokesman Bruce Blacklaw said the library wanted to promote a new visitors' center and bring to public view treasures tucked away in the library's vaults.

"What we wanted to do is bring people in...There's no better way than to get one of the real iconic treasures from Scottish history out to be seen," he said.

He added Mary's last letter was unlikely to emerge again from its dark air-conditioned safe for "a long time."
...................

In 1603, Mary's son James VI of Scotland acceded to the English throne as James I on the death of Elizabeth I, thus uniting England and Scotland under one monarch.

Mary's remains lie in London's Westminster Abbey, conveyed there by her son. Continued...


http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE58F25620090916?feedType=RSS&feedName=lifestyleMolt

Move Over Myspace.

Brothers Reunited After 70 Years
AOL News
posted: 6 HOURS 52 MINUTES AGO
comments: 36
filed under: National News


(Aug. 4) - Two brothers separated as infants have been reunited after 70 years -– thanks to Facebook.

John Mellinger, of Spokane, Wash., had known since boyhood that he was adopted. When he was in his 40s, he tried to trace his birth parents. He was able to track down an aunt -- who told him that he had a brother. But then his search stalled.

Remarkable Reunions
Dan Pelle, The Spokesman Review / AP


Seven decades after they were separated, brothers John Mellinger, left, and Dan Newburn met again July 22. Newburn, 71, of Las Vegas, contacted Mellinger, 70, of Spokane, Wash., via Facebook. Their teenage mom gave the brothers up in 1939 in Boise, Idaho. They were adopted by different families.

Global Protest.

Protesters Demand Iran End Clampdown
By JILL LAWLESS,AP

LONDON -Protesters around the world called on Iran Saturday to end its clampdown on opposition activists, demanding the release of hundreds rounded up during demonstrations against the country's disputed election.
Groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International backed a global day of action, with protests planned in more than 80 cities, including several in the United States.
The protesters want Iranian authorities to release what they say are hundreds, or even thousands, of people detained during protests that followed the presidential election last month that returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.

Global Citizens.: Enlightened Next Magazine.

Global Citizens.: Enlightened Next Magazine.

Enlightened Next Magazine.

Extreme sport spiritual experience.
The closest that I came to experience spiritual and uplifting feeling was a few times when I was at the top of Heavenly Valley and Sqauw Valley ski trails. Fresh clean air, snow all around with only a narrow trails to ski on, blight blue skies, white clouds, green forest and gorgeous Lake Tahoe down below. That was quite an experience!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 1:13pm
Big Wave Surfing (Think About This #64)
by Megan Cater • 25 Comments

The following excerpt from the movie Riding Giants features Laird Hamilton, considered by many to be the greatest big wave surfer ever, pulling off a move that stunned the professional surfing world.

http://blog.enlightennext.org/?p=1893#more-1893

Myanmar: Collapse of an Ancient Pagoda

Myanmar: Collapse of an Ancient Pagoda
By Global Voices Online • on June 4, 2009

An ancient pagoda (2300 years old) collapsed while it was going under renovation, killing at least 5 people, injuring many workers and pilgrims.


Collapsed Danoke Pagoda (from New Era Journal)

The 180-foot Danoke Pagoda is situated in Dala Township, which is across the Yangon
River, in Yangon Division. The pagoda was originally damaged during Cyclone Nargis, so it had been going under renovation.

Just on May 7th, 2009, there had been an umbrella-hoisting ceremony at Danoke Pagoda, which was attended by military leader Senior General Than Shwe’s wife.

On Travel Section - MSN:

A Room With a Zoo

Check out these lodgings where you can get up close and personal with creatures of every stripe.

Next >

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A Room With a Zoo

These hotels aren't just pet-friendly properties: They're wild about animals, from dogs you can borrow while you're in town to live-in seals and resident giraffes.

All Kimpton hotels nationwide (http://www.kimptonhotels.com) welcome pets and present them with toys as well as in-room bowls and beds. Guests staying at Kimpton's Monaco Hotels get an extra treat: They can borrow a complimentary goldfish for the duration of their stay. Even better, there's no need to clean the bowl or feed the frisky, finned friends: With the "Guppy Love" program, the hotel staff does it all. Even, we suppose, flushing away any fish that have permanently checked out.

Slide show text by Harriet Baskas; photo editing by Connie Ricca.

Harriet Baskas writes regularly about airports, air travel and other adventures for MSNBC.com and USATODAY.com and on her "Stuck at the Airport" blog, http://www.stuckattheairport.com.

A Room With a Zoo

Check out these lodgings where you can get up close and personal with creatures of every stripe.

<> | Next >

2 of 15 images

A Room With a Zoo

A parrot named Koko has been living at the Southern Palms Beach Club in Barbados (http://www.southernpalms.net) for at least 45 years. She has a limited vocabulary, but is reportedly a good listener. "Especially," says managing director Britta Pollard, "if you sing to her." Pollard says that many years ago, Koko was sent to a zoo aviary to be near other birds, but she got sick there and recovered only when she returned to the hotel environment.

A Room With a Zoo

Check out these lodgings where you can get up close and personal with creatures of every stripe.

<> | Next >

3 of 15 images

In Dubai, a turtle rehabilitation unit based at the Madinat Jumeirah-Mina A'Salam Resort (http://www.jumeirah.com/
en/hotels-and-resorts/Destinations/Dubai/Madinat-Jumeirah/
The-Resort) helps save dozens of sick turtles each year. Scientists or local residents who find the animals in the water or on the shoreline have brought many large green turtles and smaller hawksbill turtles to the center. Guests are welcome to visit while the animals recover in a special swimming pen at the hotel. Once rehabilitated, the turtles are returned to their natural habitat.

MORE ON THE MSN SITE:

http://travel.msn.com//Guides/MSNTravelSlideShow.aspx?cp-documentid=994127

Earth Hour 2009,

Earth Hour 2009, Saturday March 28, 8:30pm

THIS SATURDAY 28 MARCH AT 8.30PM YOU CAN VOTE EARTH BY SWITCHING OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR ONE HOUR - EARTH HOUR.

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT

Turn off your lights for Earth Hour, record your vote and share it with the world! Here's how:

http://www.earthhour.org/home/

http://www.thegreenpasture.org/

http://eco-pilgrim.blogspot.com/

Wall Street slides to 12-year low

Wall Street slides to 12-year low
Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:03pm EST

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street slumped to a 12-year low on Monday as investors lost faith that the U.S. government will be able to stabilize the financial system.

The S&P 500 and the Dow both posted their lowest closes since the spring of 1997 as reports the government may convert its stake in Citigroup into a big common stock holding fell short of what many see as necessary to fix big banks.

"It is generally a market 'no' vote to what we're getting from Washington," said Hank Smith, chief investment officer at Haverford Trust Co in Philadelphia, of the reaction to the Citigroup news.
"It certainly doesn't inspire confidence when you do break multi-year lows, so it's just feeding into a real negative cycle that we're in right now," he said.

Adding to the bleak picture, CNBC reported that insurer American International Group could be forced into bankruptcy if new rescue talks with the government fail to secure it more funding.
The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 250.73 points, or 3.40 percent, to 7,114.94. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 26.71 points, or 3.47 percent, to 743.34. The Nasdaq Composite Index skidded 53.51 points, or 3.71 percent, to 1,387.72.

In addition, worries about a decline in business and consumer spending on technology hurt the biggest names in the tech sector. IBM and Hewlett-Packard were the two of the biggest drags on the Dow industrials, with IBM shedding 5.0 percent to $84.37 and Hewlett-Packard sliding 6.3 percent to $29.28 a share.

The market capitalization of the Dow fell $77.1 billion on Monday. The index is down nearly 50 percent from its record high close in October 2007, with about $10 trillion of value in wiped out since then.

So far this year, the Dow has fallen 18.9 percent while the S&P 500 has shed 17.7 percent and the Nasdaq has dropped 12 percent.

The blue-chip index is down nearly 50 percent from its record close in October 2007.

Fears that some major U.S. banks could be nationalized continued to drag on sentiment on Monday, as stocks briefly came off lows after the White House reiterated that a privately held banking system regulated by the government was still the best way to operate.

As the only boosts to the Dow, Citigroup and Bank of America were up 9.7 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, after having fallen more than 35 percent each on Friday.

Helping to fuel the tech slide was a Morgan Stanley downgrade of its PC sales forecasts for 2009 and 2010, citing lower prices and weaker-than-expected demand for PCs given the rising sales of netbooks, which are cheaper, no-frills notebook computers.

Apple Inc, down nearly 5 percent to $86.95, was the primary drag on Nasdaq.

After the closing bell, JP Morgan announced it will slash its quarterly dividend to 5 cents a share from 38 cents, saying that will enable it to retain an additional $5 billion in common equity per year. Shares rose 1 percent to $19.70 in extended trade. Continued...