Plane with 153 crashes off Comoros, child rescued

Plane with 153 crashes off Comoros, child rescued

By TOM MALITI and AHMED AL-HAJ, Associated Press Writers Tom Maliti And Ahmed Al-haj, Associated Press Writers – 22 mins ago
MORONI, Comoros – A Yemeni aviation official says a young boy who was plucked alive from the Indian Ocean after a passenger jet crashed was found floating 10 miles (15 kilometers) out to sea.

Mohammed Abdul Qader, the Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief, says the boy is 5 years old and has been hospitalized in the Comoros. He had no further details.
A Yemenia Airbus jet with 153 people on board crashed into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday as it tried to land during strong winds on the island nation of Comoros. There was no word on other survivors.

At least three bodies were recovered, authorities said.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
MORONI, Comoros (AP) — A Yemenia jet with 153 people on board crashed into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday as it tried to land during strong winds on the island nation of Comoros. Officials said one child was plucked alive from the sea.

There was no word on other survivors. At least three bodies were recovered, authorities said.
The crash comes two years after aviation officials reported faults with the aircraft, an Airbus 310 flying the last leg of a journey from Paris and Marseille to Comoros, with a stop in Yemen to change planes. Most of the passengers were from Comoros, a former French colony. Sixty-six on board were French nationals.

Read entire article: Plane with 153 crashes off Comoros, child rescued

Do We Have eBay to Thank for All That Counterfeit Wine?

Do We Have eBay to Thank for All That Counterfeit Wine?
If you aren't yet aware of the fact that fake wine is a big deal, you will be soon. It's coming to a theater near you.

Billionaires getting swindled by fake bottles of wine purportedly belonging to Thomas Jefferson aside, as the world's greatest wines continue to climb in price, wine fraud continues to increase in frequency and in value.

At this point, the fakery of wines has become a big business. No one knows just how large, but some wine experts say the real figure is probably shudderingly large: millions of dollars worth, to be sure, and perhaps even tens of millions. Wine Critic Allen Meadows told writer Michael Steinberger that he believes perhaps 10% of the pre-1960 wines he comes across these days might be fakes.

And it all may be due, in part, to things like this:

3 x RED WINE BOTTLE LABEL SCREAMING EAGLE GRACE ..Empty

A bottle of 1994 Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet, a bottle 1995 Tignanello Red Blend from Tuscany, and a bottle of 1996 Screaming Eagle, all empty, of course.

Together they may sell for between $10 and $60 on eBay. Filled up again with some red wine, re-corked and re-foiled, these three wines would sell for a total of about $2224 according to WinePrices.Com.

Read the rest of the story

Michael Jackson: The world pays tribute to King of Pop

(CNN) -- From street corners, buses and subways to phone calls, e-mails, text messages, online posts and tweets, people around the world commented, pondered, and paid tribute to pop legend Michael Jackson, who died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles.

Around midnight at London's Leicester Square, as news of Jackson's death spread, Luis Carlos Ameida and his friends were surrounding a car listening to the star's music.

Ameida said he'd gotten tickets to see Jackson at his "This Is It" concerts beginning on July 13 in London.

"From a young age, you know, I used to have the video game," said Ameida. "I used to have the white suit, and I'd wear it on my birthday. I used to moonwalk ... I remember my mum used to send me to lessons to be like Michael Jackson. And when I heard the news, I had tears in my eyes because of that connection I had because of all the songs he used to play."

In Glastonbury, southern England, where one of the world's largest music festivals was to kick off Friday morning, initial rumors and then confirmation of Jackson's death added to confusion and then shock among festival goers. Watch British fans react »

"As I was walking back through the crowd it was the word on everyone's lips," Sally Anne Aldous, 29, told CNN over the phone. Reaction from around the world in pictures »

Backstage, Michael Jackson songs were being played in tribute, and fans talked of an impromptu memorial for the late singer at the "Stone Circle," a neolithic monument in the grounds of the venue.

In Adelaide, Australia, Christos Winter of the MJ Fan Club had organized a petition to bring Jackson to tour there. "It didn't matter if you were 60, 40 or 20 like I am. Michael Jackson's music just spoke to everyone ... It was always uplifting and happy music," Winter told CNN.

On a street in New Delhi, India, 31-year-old Sachina Verma said on Friday, "Any of the baby boomer generation or, you know, people from my age or our time, I mean they have grown up on his music. Literally, people have been inspired by his dance movements, by his music.

Tributes appeared on YouTube and CNN's iReport.

"I remember growing up in the Middle East, influenced, enjoying his music, waiting for his albums," CNN iReporter Rany Freeman, an Egyptian living in Canada, said in a video submission. "Regardless to his strange behaviors or questionable events that happened to his life, let's remember him as the great entertainer he was."

Another iReporter, Peter Maiyoh, a Kenyan student studying in the U.S. city of Kansas, Missouri, called Jackson "the voice of change," saying "he was there before Tiger Woods, before Michael Jordan, even before Barack Obama ... I hope people remember him for the work he did."

On a Facebook page dedicated to Michael Jackson, fans across the world left hundreds of messages in languages ranging from French and Spanish to Japanese and Hebrew. Watch fan reaction in Tokyo, Japan »

"SHANGHAI WILL MISS YOU! NOT JUST SHANGHAI!..EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD WILL MISS YOU! WE LOVE YOU MICHAEL!!!" wrote Vrishti Bhowmik.

Kase Ng, a 24-year-old manicurist and member of the Michael Jackson Hong Kong Fan Club, told CNN by phone she had been planning to go with four friends to his August 1concert in London.

Read More

Blue Martini and Y100 Present the LITTLE BLACK DRESS PARTY!

Remembering Michael Jackson

Remembering Michael Jackson

Yahoo! Search logs gave a revealing picture of what the King of Pop evokes for people as they mourned his passing today. Starting last night, searches for his legendary music surged. “Thriller,” “Man in the Mirror,” and “Billie Jean” were among the top lyrics, songs, and videos that people looked for on Yahoo! Search. As details of Jackson’s death emerge, searchers are looking for details on prescription drugs including Demerol, the hospital Jackson was taken to after he collapsed (UCLA Medical Center), and other lingering questions (”why did Michael Jackson die”).
Details of Jackson’s controversial and sometimes disturbing life emerged again in Yahoo! search data as we saw searches for “Michael Jackson plastic surgery”, photos of the singer, and “was Michael Jackson abused as a child.”
Jackson’s death set multiple records across Yahoo!. Our front page story “Michael Jackson Rushed to Hospital” was the highest clicked story in our history, and Yahoo! News saw an all-time record in unique visitors yesterday. Yodel Anecdotal’s post on losing Michael Jackson captures even more details on how the online world reacted to his death.
As fans continue to flood the Internet with questions, we’ll keep being the source for memories, pictures, and news about the untimely death of the King of Pop.
Yahoo! Search

Welcome - Audi of Pembroke Pines

IKEA Sunrise Summer Sale Offers

IKEA Sunrise Summer Sale Offers

Apartment Recycling

Apartment Recycling

The “Company Profile” is an Earth911.com series highlighting consumer goods and services making a difference through product stewardship and recycling. Products and services featured do not pay for placement and are not endorsed by http://www.earth911.com/.

For many apartment residents, the inconvenience of recycling – separating, storing and hauling – is often a main deterrent to keeping recyclables out of the trash.

When Jonathan Hildreth, owner of Waste Management Concierge, founded his business in 2006, he sought to offer a premium recycling service that would change all of that.

Making Recycling Rewarding

Hildreth’s company picks up recycling and trash five, six or seven nights a week from the residences it works with, making it easy for every tenant to recycle as much as possible using one bag for everything. Here’s how it works:

• Property managers sign up for the concierge service and determine how many nights a week they would like recycling and trash collected.


• Waste Management Concierge provides each residence with recycling information and separate bags for trash and single-stream recycling (aluminum, plastic, glass, cardboard and paper can all be placed in one bag).


• Residents leave their recycling and trash outside their doors for an evening collection between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.


• Waste Management Concierge brings the trash to the community’s dumpster and transports all recycling back to its sorting facility in a small truck where it is weighed and separated.


• The communities that recycle the most receive incentives such as gift cards and parties that are paid for by the funds generated when recyclables are sold.

Read More: Apartment Recycling

Foods that help keep your belly fat

6 Essential Flat-Belly Foods

It's summertime—are you in swimsuit shape?

Even if you've spent the past months dieting yourself into fit form, a few poor food choices each week can quickly add up to a juggernaut of jiggle well before Labor Day. Don't believe us?

Consider the caloric damage of typical summer activities—weekly backyard BBQs provide pounds of juicy burgers topped with gobs of high-calorie condiments; ice cream dates offer options of double and triple scoops, smothered in sugar-packed and fat-blasted toppings; and seasonal drink choices (the kind you add umbrellas to and sip from faux-coconuts) guarantee you'll wash it all down with hundreds of extra calories. Not exactly flat-belly fare.

That's why Eat This, Not That! has developed this list of six essential summer foods. The more of these bulge-battlers you eat, the better your chances of keeping those abs flat throughout this skin-baring season.

QUINOA
Per ¼ cup:

170 calories

2.5 g fat

7 g protein

3 g fiber

For starters, anytime you choose a whole-grain product over one made from nutrient-stripped white flour, you wage war against belly fat. Penn State researchers found that dieters who ate whole-grains lost twice as much belly fat as those who stuck to white-flour products—even though they'd consumed the same number of calories. What's more, quinoa contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular cereal grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats. So start your day off with a cup of cooked quinoa combined with a ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of blueberries—microwave for 60 seconds, and you have a delicious (and slimming) alternative to your traditional oatmeal. Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa won "Best Grain" in Men's Health's Best Foods Awards 2009.

GREEN TEA

0 calories

Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to increase metabolism. A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than those in a control group. It's safe to say that green tea is one of the best beverages for your health—a stark contrast to any of these 20 unhealthiest drinks in America. Avoid those belt-buckling drinks at all costs.

KEFIR

Per cup:

174 calories

3 g fat

14 g protein

3 g fiber

Think of kefir as drinkable yogurt, or an extra-thick, protein-packed smoothie. In either case, this delicious dairy product is a belly-blasting essential. Beyond the satiety-inducing protein, the probiotics in kefir may also speed weight loss. British scientists found that these active organisms boosted the breakdown of fat molecules in mice, preventing the rodents from gaining weight.

The researchers still need to prove the finding in humans, but there's no danger in downing probiotic-packed products. We like Lifeway Lowfat Blueberry Kefir—it contains L. casei, the same probiotic used in the study.

Read More: 6 Essential Flat-Belly Foods

Museum celebrates remarkable life of Walt Disney - US and Canada- msnbc.com

Museum celebrates remarkable life of Walt Disney - US and Canada- msnbc.com

Oprah Winfrey Show (Oprah Winfrey) | MySpace.com

Oprah Winfrey Show (Oprah Winfrey) MySpace.com

Lucrative stimulus jobs

Lucrative Jobs from Obama's Stimulus Plan

President Barack Obama's plan to get the U.S. economy going has a strong focus on creating jobs. Two of the bills he's recently signed, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Making Home Affordable program, provide funding that will create a wide variety of job opportunities with good salaries. Better yet, many of these jobs don't require a four-year degree, so job-seekers may be able to move into these careers pretty quickly.
Here's a selection of some of the best-paying stimulus jobs:

Computer Security Specialist

A big chunk of the ARRA money is dedicated to health-care information-technology initiatives -- digitizing medical records so they're easier to transmit and share between doctors, hospitals and pharmacists. Computer-security experts who can help keep electronic medical records locked away from computer hackers and other unauthorized users will be in high demand as the health-care sector modernizes, says Laurence Shatkin, author of "Great Jobs in the President's Stimulus Plan."

Other specialists will be needed to train workers on how to keep the data safe. A brief certificate program may suffice to get you started in this field, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says. "There's going to be a special role here of how to keep prying eyes away," Shatkin says.
Median annual salary: $78,376

Cost Estimator

For each of the major infrastructure projects that receive stimulus funding, an estimator must determine the likely cost of material plus labor so that accurate job bids can be submitted and budgets properly prepared. Shatkin says laid-off workers with a background in construction, who are familiar with the industry's labor and materials costs, should find opportunities here, though many estimators have a four-year degree.
Median annual salary: $58,868

Civil Engineer

For each of these big federally backed construction projects, Shatkin points out, civil engineers must make sure structures are properly designed to withstand the elements. Engineers also make sure construction projects are executed correctly. You'll need at least a college degree, usually in engineering. But the BLS notes a degree in science or mathematics might work to get you started here, too.
Median annual salary: $66,638

Insulation Installer

The ARRA is focused on making federal facilities more energy efficient, starting with simple methods such as weatherizing buildings with more insulation to save energy. Projects are happening all over the country, Shatkin notes, at science labs, military installations, and other federal buildings. High-school graduates often can receive on-the-job training, the BLS says.
Median annual salary: $44,460

Read More: Lucrative Jobs from Obama's Stimulus Plan

Religion an issue for new Florida's Turnpike interchange

Religion an issue for new Florida's Turnpike interchange

Palmetto Park Road is the ideal choice, according to turnpike officials, because almost two-thirds of the traffic using the Glades Road exit is headed to and coming from the south. But residents who live near the road say officials have overlooked the impact that an interchange would have on West Boca's community of Orthodox Jews.

By Michael Turnbell South Florida Sun-Sentinel

BOCA RATON - It's a clash of religion and ramps. Florida's Turnpike officials say Palmetto Park Road is the best location for a $119 million SunPass interchange to relieve bottlenecks at the Glades Road toll plaza.
But residents who live near the road say officials have overlooked the impact that an interchange would have on West Boca's community of Orthodox Jews concentrated along Palmetto Park, who walk on the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays.

They say Yamato Road, with a bigger concentration of major employers, makes more sense. The proposed interchange is part of a larger study to widen 10 miles of the turnpike in the densely populated corridor in north Broward County and south Palm Beach County, where access to the turnpike is limited.

The Glades exit is overloaded with traffic because it is the only full turnpike interchange in a 12-mile stretch between Sample Road in Broward and Atlantic Avenue west of Delray Beach.

Read More: Religion an issue for new Florida's Turnpike interchange

Airport seeks to boot Lynx Air

Airport seeks to boot Lynx Air

A commuter airliner providing service to the Bahamas could be forced out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport over repeatedly paying its bills late.
Aviation officials are asking the County Commission to evict Lynx Air International from space in Terminal 4. The company owes the airport $33,000, and the airport is telling commissioners that Lynx has had a long history of not meeting its financial commitments and running up late fees.
The airline’s current deal with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International expired in May.
Lynx advertises flights from Fort Lauderdale to nine destinations in the Bahamas, including Bimini and Marsh Harbour.

Read More: Airport seeks to boot Lynx Air

Simple Changes to Improve Your Mind, Mood, and Outlook

Simple Changes to Improve Your Mind, Mood, and Outlook

Feeling stuck in a rut? A few simple changes in your daily routine can sharpen your mind and improve your attitude. Here’s how to get started:

Switch hands
Use your nondominant hand to do daily tasks like brushing your teeth or clicking the computer mouse. This simple change promotes the growth of neurons in the brain, which can sharpen memory and thinking. “It’ll give your brain the regular workout it needs to stay healthy,” says life coach and Health columnist M. J. Ryan, author of AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For (in bookstores in May).

Engage your senses
Get dressed with your eyes closed. One night at dinner, communicate only nonverbally (that’s right, no words). By relying on different senses, you create more neurons in your brain and get more creative.

Try something fresh
It doesn’t have to be anything big—a free class at a dance center, a new recipe. You begin to think, I can do this! And that can lead to even greater accomplishments. When you learn a new skill, your brain actually builds new circuitry. “Think of it as mental cross-training,” Ryan says.

Ask: What’s right about this?
“How you frame something can change everything,” Ryan says. Try to consider the sunny side of a situation rather than focusing on what’s wrong with it. So if it’s pouring rain, instead of stressing about getting drenched, think of the good it will do for your garden. The result: A more optimistic and inventive you who can take on just about anything.

Read More: Simple Changes to Improve Your Mind, Mood, and Outlook

The 2009 Summer reading list

The 2009 Summer reading list

A perfect mystery, a mouthful of poetry, stories of glamour-pusses and ghouls, soul-searchers, scoundrels, trailblazers, sassy grandmothers, and babes in the wood. O serves up a smorgasbord of the season's best.

Read More: Find 25 Books you can't put down

National Flip Flop Day!!

National Flip Flop Day Means Free Smoothies and Arrival of Summertime!!

Hola! The arrival of summer is right around the corner and it means it's FLIP FLOP time! Personally, I love the look and feel of flip flops on my feet. To me, they are the essence of summer. And, I am not the only person who feels this way because we get to celebrate National Flip Flop Day on Friday, June 19.

To get your first sweet taste of summer, all you need to do is put on a comfy pair of flip flops and wear them to one of the many Tropical Smoothie Cafés around Florida. The first 500 customers per store will receive a free 24-ounce smoothie to kick off the summer!

In celebration of National Flip Flop Day, Tropical Smoothie Café announced a national charity partnership with Camp Sunshine (a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families). Tropical Smoothie Café and Camp Sunshine will be working together on National Flip Flop Day festivities every year to raise money to send eligible families to camp. Watch the video on www.nationalflipflopday.com to learn more about this great cause.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to give your hard-working feet a nice, relaxing pedicure to get them ready for lots of fun in the Florida sun this summer!

National Flip Flop Day Means Free Smoothies and Arrival of Summertime!!

Amazing Things You Didn't Know Your Tech Could Do

38 Amazing Things You Didn't Know Your Tech Could Do

We've worked long and hard to come up with the best tips and tricks for your PCs, smartphones, cameras, game controllers, music players and the Web. Let's start with PC, laptop and networking tips.

Do you often wish that the tech you own or use had superpowers, or that you could transform ordinary gear into something really great -- possibly for free? With our amazing instructions, you can!

In this package of six articles, we have 38 tips on getting the most out of your hardware and the Web. Many of the useful features we describe are undocumented; others you can enable with an extra tweak.

We'll show you how to transform your netbook into an e-book reader, how to use body warmth to squeeze out one more message from a dead cell phone battery, sling files from PC to PC with Bluetooth, and much more.

This story centers on five tricks that will enhance your use of your desktop or laptop, with two networking tips thrown in for good measure.

Read More: Amazing Things You Didn't Know Your Tech Could Do

The New Face of "Mr. Dad"

Visit msnbc.com for

Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
'>http://

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

530,000 Starbucks coffee grinders recalled

530,000 Starbucks coffee grinders recalled
Viking built-in refrigerators also called back because doors can detach

The following recalls have been announced:

• About 530,000 Starbucks Barista blade grinders and Seattle's Best Coffee blade grinders, made in China and imported by Starbucks Coffee Co., of Seattle, Wash., because the grinder can fail to turn off or can turn on unexpectedly, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. There have been at least 176 reports of grinders that failed to turn off or that turned on unexpectedly. This includes three reports of hand lacerations that occurred when the grinders turned on unexpectedly during cleaning. The coffee grinders were sold at Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee stores nationwide from March 2002 through March of this year. Details: by phone at 866-276-2950; by Web at www.Starbucks.com or www.CPSC.gov.
• About 45,000 Viking built-in side-by-side refrigerators and freezers as well as refrigerators with bottom freezers, made in the U.S. by Viking Range Corp., of Greenwood, Miss., because the refrigerator doors can detach, posing an injury hazard to consumers. The company has received about 57 reports of doors detaching, including four reports of injuries involving bruises, broken toes and fingers and strains. There also have been several reported incidents of minor damage to floors and counters. The products come in stainless steel, various colors and wood finishes and are built into kitchen cabinetry. They were sold by appliance and specialty retailers nationwide from July 1999 through April 2006. Details: by phone at 888-345-2650; by Web at VikingRange.com or CPSC.gov.

New Uses for Old Things!

New Uses for Old Things!

New Uses for Aluminum Foil
It's a versatile kitchen tool, used for everything from holding in heat to protecting your pans―but it also removes wrinkles, scrubs glassware, and more.

Use Egg Slicer on Strawberries
A clever way to repurpose an everyday item.

Original purpose: Slicing hard-boiled eggs.

Aha! use: Cutting strawberries and mushrooms. Give this classic tool a permanent spot on your kitchen counter and―presto!―you'll have perfect slivers of your favorite summer foods.
Reward: Sleeker food and less chance of nicking a fingertip.

Baby Spoons as Serving Utensils
A clever way to repurpose an everyday item.

Original purpose: Playing airplane ("Here comes da wittle plane...") with your babies. Now, though, they're your teenagers.

Aha! use: Serving party dips or condiments―a chic alternative to setting out a bottle of French's.

Reward: No gunky bottles, plus a way to reuse shower gifts from, oh

Kitchen Towel for Preparing Rice
A clever way to repurpose an everyday item.

Original purpose: Drying hand-washed glasses.

Aha! use: Steaming perfect rice. Once the rice is tender, remove the pan from the heat, place a folded towel over the saucepan, replace the lid, and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. The towel will absorb the excess moisture.
Reward: Great rice, no mush.

Read More: New Uses for Old Things!

Struggle no more, Find a Fresh Start!

Struggle no more, Find a Fresh Start!

Looking to start over? Find a new job? A new house? Here are U.S. markets where jobs are available and real estate is affordable.

Thousands of Americans across the U.S. are wondering if they would be better off somewhere else. The question is where?

As unemployment and foreclosures continue to rise, stocks keep fluctuating, and cash-strapped state and city governments move to increase taxes and trim services, many people are finding that careers and communities they once believed secure are no longer dependable. Either they have lost jobs, are in fear of losing a job, are stuck paying more mortgage than their homes are currently worth, or have seen their family's quality of life evaporate. For those troubled Americans who are willing to relocate, the U.S. can still be a land of opportunity.

No state is totally buffered from the downturn, but several have gotten a boost from energy, military, and agricultural sectors. The healthiest states include Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. In the Washington area, federal government and defense jobs have given the economy a boost. And Iowa, which has seen its economy somewhat deteriorate, has also benefited from agricultural and alternative-energy jobs.

Fargo, N.D.: jobs, safety, schools

Moving isn't an option for many Americans tied down by family responsibilities and houses they can't sell. Others are reluctant to leave relatives, friends, churches, and school districts to make a fresh start in an unfamiliar place.

For job-seekers with some flexibility, relocation can open up opportunities, said Ernie Goss, professor of economics at Creighton University in Omaha. Some of the best job markets, such as Omaha and Fargo, N.D., are also places with low crime, decent schools, and a low cost of living, Goss said.

"If people are looking for a job and they're in Detroit, they're in the wrong place," Goss said. "They need to be considering geographic mobility."

BusinessWeek.com, working with survey results from Milwaukee staffing firm Manpower, came up with the best places to start over. These are areas where the greatest proportion of employers said they planned to hire in the next quarter, based on a survey of 28,348 U.S. employers that Manpower conducted in April.

Urban Alaska Needs Qualified Workers

Anchorage, Alaska—where 28% of employers said they planned to do some hiring in the third quarter—topped the list, which also included such metropolitan areas as Provo-Orem, Utah; Omaha; Washington; and Amarillo, Tex. (The resort town of Barnstable, Mass., on Cape Cod topped Manpower's survey with 32% of employers saying they planned to hire in the next quarter, but BusinessWeek did not include it in the ranking because of the likelihood that many of those hires will be temporary seasonal workers.)

Alaska's unemployment rate, which fell to 8% in April, might not suggest that the state has a great job market. But the state's urban employers are hungry for educated, skilled workers. Alaska's tourism industry has been hit but its military bases, hospitals, and oil industry have stayed strong.

Read More: Struggle no more, Find a Fresh Start!

Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy

Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy
Retailer cites debt concerns stemming from previous reorganization.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, citing an inability to pay back debt.

Eddie Bauer (EBHI) emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005 after being spun off from former owner Spiegel Catalog, which itself sought bankruptcy protection in 2003.

Costs from the 2005 reorganization, combined with pressure from the current recession, left the company "with no choice but to use this process to reduce the debt load," said chief executive Neil Fiske in a prepared statement.

"Eddie Bauer is a good company with a great brand and a bad balance sheet," he added.
The outdoor clothing retailer plans to sell most of its assets to private-equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors for $202 million. It expects the sale will be complete in 60 days or less.

CCMP has agreed to keep most of the stores and employees, though the sale is open to other bidders per bankruptcy law. Eddie Bauer has 371 stores nationwide, with 8,600 employees.
Eddie Bauer said it secured financing from Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) and CIT Group/Business Credit (CIT, Fortune 500) for a total $100 million based on final court order.

Read More: Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy

Scarred From Life - 56 stars engraved on a girls face

The tattooist embroiled in a row with a teenage girl who claims he tattooed 56 stars on her face when she only asked for three has said he will help pay for them to be removed.
Rouslan Toumaniantz said today that Kimberley Vlaminck 'absolutely' agreed she wanted 56 stars tattooed on the left side of her face.

But now the 18-year-old is suing Toumaniantz, claiming she had asked him for only three stars - and had fallen asleep during the procedure, waking up to a nightmare in her Belgian hometown of Courtrai.

Toumaniantz - himself covered from head to foot in tattoos and piercings - said he would help pay for half of the treatment to remove the tattoos.

'I maintain that she absolutely agreed that I tattoo those 56 stars on the left side of her face,' he told newspaper La Derniere Heure.

'A witness, a woman who was present, has already been questioned by police, and she confirms it.

'But be that as it may: Kimberley is unhappy and it is not my wish to have an unsatisfied client. There is a way to remove the tattoos with the help of a laser. I accept to pay for half the cost.'
Toumaniantz claimed Kimberley was happy with the work when she left his shop in Coutrai but changed her mind when her father saw the stars.

'She's 18 years old, she's an adult,' he said. 'I don't regret it. To tell you the truth, this has given me some publicity.'

Kimberley is suing Toumaniantz for £10,000 after she paid £55 for 'the graffiti that has ruined my life'. She claimed the Toumanaintz misunderstood her French and English.

She claims she fell asleep while he was doing his work... and awoke to 'this nightmare'.
'It is terrible for me,' said Kimberley yesterday. 'I cannot go out on to the street, I am so embarrassed. I just look horrible.'

Read More: Scarred From Life

Foods that help you get your ZZZs

Foods that help you get your ZZZs



It’s all about timing. Try some of these if you want to fall asleep easily and rest through the
night.

If it takes you more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at night, quicken your trip to dreamland by changing what you eat in the evening. It can make the difference between staring at the ceiling and sleeping like a baby.

For years, the top food on the snooze list was turkey, because it contains sleep-inducing tryptophan (credited with all those Thanksgiving naps). But researchers have done an about-face and nixed this connection. Why? Turkey, like most foods, just doesn't contain enough tryptophan to put you to sleep, explains Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of The Food & Mood Cookbook: Recipes for Eating Well and Feeling Your Best.

Instead, think light but high-carbohydrate snacks. Carbs boost levels of the brain's sleep chemical serotonin without overloading your digestive system. If you like, wash them down with something warm and soothing, such as a cup of herbal tea (chamomile, lemon balm, or valerian) or warm milk.

10 top sleep boosters
Nibble on one of these 10 high-carb calmers an hour before bedtime. You'll be yawning in no time.
1. Half of a whole-wheat English muffin or raisin bagel drizzled with honey
2. Two cups of air-popped popcorn
3. A small slice of angel food cake topped with berries
4. A frozen whole-wheat waffle, toasted, with maple syrup

Read More: Foods that help you get your ZZZs

Florida Meetings Mean Business

Florida Meetings Mean Business

In conjunction with the U.S. Travel Association-led coalition, VISIT FLORIDA fully supports the national call to action from the Convention Industry Council (CIC) and its members (e.g. PCMA, ASAE, SITE, etc) and will continue to provide programs and resources for Meeting Planners with tools such as this website and programs like Florida Encounter. We will also continue to look for ways and means to support the business of meetings, conventions and incentive travel in and to the Sunshine State.

Like other industry organizations, we are committed to keeping our community connected to the latest information and resources from VISIT FLORIDA to ensure you survive and thrive. We will update this site regularly with timely knowledge and content. Bookmark it and come back often. We will monitor, along with our colleague organizations, any pertinent developments globally and provide information and solutions for doing business in Florida.

As a vital part of the meetings industry, we urge you to take action by communicating with legislators and critics, informing them of the far-reaching damage this situation is causing to our industry with negative repercussions to other economic streams closely connected with meetings, convention and incentive travel.

VISIT FLORIDA is working hard to help you discover the value and benefits of having your organization's meeting in the beautiful state of Florida. In that effort, we have gathered great incentives and promotions from our Partners for you to bring your meeting to Florida. Many of them can potentially save you thousands of dollars!

Florida is here and waiting for you and continues to be an exceptional value for meetings, conventions and incentive travel! Meeting professionals will find all sorts of new, wonderful, exotic and affordable Florida destination offerings to tickle your attendees' fancy, and deliver excellent ROI that will positively provide an environment that will produce great outcomes and impacts for your or your client's bottom line.

VISIT FLORIDA will continue to offer resources in supporting your vital role of informing and educating your organizations' decision-makers of the business value and relevance of holding necessary business meetings.

Read More: Florida Meetings Mean Business

Miami-Dade County boy is Florida's first swine flu death

Miami-Dade County boy is Florida's first swine flu death

MIAMI - A 9-year-old-boy from Miami has become the first in the state to die from the H1N1 swine flu, state and local health officials said today.County health officials were holding a news conference in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood this morning to announce more details.
The boy was among 417 confirmed cases of the new virus that have been confirmed in the state, the large majority of which have been mild and did not require the patients be hospitalized, officials of the Florida Department of Health said.
The department's most recent official count of swine flu infections was issued last week reporting 114 cases in Miami-Dade, 68 in Broward County and 20 in Palm Beach County, but those numbers are much higher.
Broward County is up to 82 cases, Miami-Dade 143 and Palm Beach County at nearly 40, health officials from the counties said.

By Mike Clary and Bob LaMendola Staff Writers
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New York drivers named most aggressive, angry in U.S.

New York drivers named most aggressive, angry in U.S.

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – New York has overtaken Miami to be voted the U.S. city with the angriest and most aggressive drivers, according to a survey on road rage released on Tuesday.
Miami topped the annual poll for the last four years but voters in 25 major metropolitan areas gave New Yorkers the prize for angriest, most aggressive drivers who tailgate, speed, honk their horns, overreact and lose their tempers.
The response of New Yorkers to bad drivers also helped push the city into the top slot for road rage.
"New Yorkers were most likely to wave their fists or arms. They were most likely to lay on the horn and they were most likely to make some sort of obscene gesture," said Michael Bush, of the marketing and consulting company Affinion Group, which commissioned the survey.
Dallas/Fort Worth came in second as the worst road rage city followed by Detroit, Atlanta and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Miami ranked a distant seventh.
Baltimore, Sacramento and Pittsburgh rounded out the top five cities with the most pleasant drivers.
Portland and Cleveland were voted to have the most courteous, considerate drivers.
"The real surprise to me is that there is no geographic way to break down road rage," Bush told Reuters. "It is very much on a city-by-city basis, as opposed to geographic area."
Talking on a cell phone was the behavior that irked motorists the most, with 84 percent of people citing it as the behavior most likely to incite road rage.
Driving too fast, tailgating, and eating and texting behind the wheel also caused stress and incited road rage.
Nearly 50 percent of the 2,518 people who took part in the AutoVantage Road Rage Survey also said other drivers frequently cut across the road without notice.
More than 25 percent of people in the telephone poll reported seeing drivers putting on make-up, shaving and reading while behind the wheel. A quarter said slamming on the brakes and running red lights sent their tempers flaring.

Read More : New York drivers named most aggressive, angry in U.S.

World's first face, hands transplant patient dies

World's first face, hands transplant patient dies

PARIS (AFP) – A 30-year-old French burn victim who received the world's first face and double-hand transplant died of cardiac arrest during a follow-up operation, hospital officials said Monday.

Surgeon Laurent Lantieri, who performed the groundbreaking transplant near Paris in April, said the patient had died on June 8 during an operation to treat a "common" post-operative infection.
Horribly disfigured in an accident, the patient's entire face above the lips, including the scalp, nose, ears and forehead, was replaced along with both his hands in a 30-hour operation beginning April 4 and involving a medical team of more than 40.

"He developed a facial infection a few weeks after his operation, and during an operation to try to tackle the infection he suffered cardiac arrest," Lantieri told RTL radio.
The surgeon said that previous biopsies had shown the patient's immune system was not rejecting the grafts, and it was hoped that a post-mortem examination would help determine why he suffered heart failure.

Jean-Paul Meningaud, another surgeon on the transplant team, said "the infection, probably combined with resistant germs, is the primary cause of his death."
"But this death does not halt a research programme that remains a wonderful source of hope for disfigured patients who have no other options," he said.

The recipient had burn scars to the face and hands so severe that they had robbed him of all social life since 2004. He had been on a donor waiting list for more than a year.
The first ever successful face transplant was performed in France in 2005 on Isabelle Dinoire, a 38-year-old woman who had been mauled by her dog.

Worldwide, there have been seven face transplants to date -- three others in France, all performed by Lantieri's team, two in the United States and one in China, in which the recipient died after stopping his anti-rejection drugs.
This was the first time a transplant of both hands and the face had been completed in one go.
Lantieri's first two patients both developed post-operative infections, but without serious consequences, according to Meningaud, who said "the risk of infection is higher among burn victims."

With skin, hand and face transplants, fears that patients would reject the grafted tissues have led surgeons to prescribe high doses of immuno-suppressant drugs -- which in turn leaves patients more vulnerable to infection.

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Wish Fulfillment? No. But Dreams (and Sleep) Have Meaning

Wish Fulfillment? No. But Dreams (and Sleep) Have Meaning

Dreams may not be the secret window into the frustrated desires of the unconscious that Sigmund Freud first posited in 1899, but growing evidence suggests that dreams - and, more so, sleep - are powerfully connected to the processing of human emotions.
According to new research presented last week at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Seattle, adequate sleep may underpin our ability to understand complex emotions properly in waking life. "Sleep essentially is resetting the magnetic north of your emotional compass," says Matthew Walker, director of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab at the University of California, Berkeley. (See the top 10 scientific discoveries of 2008.)

A recent study by Walker and his colleagues examined how rest - specifically, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep - influences our ability to read emotions in other people's faces. In the small analysis of 36 adults, volunteers were asked to interpret the facial expressions of people in photographs, following either a 60- or 90-minute nap during the day or with no nap. Participants who had reached REM sleep (when dreaming most frequently occurs) during their nap were better able to identify expressions of positive emotions like happiness in other people, compared with participants who did not achieve REM sleep or did not nap at all. Those volunteers were more sensitive to negative expressions, including anger and fear.

Past research by Walker and colleagues at Harvard Medical School, which was published in the journal Current Biology, found that in people who were sleep deprived, activity in the prefrontal lobe - a region of the brain involved in controlling emotion - was significantly diminished. He suggests that a similar response may be occurring in the nap-deprived volunteers, albeit to a lesser extent, and that it may have its roots in evolution. "If you're walking through the jungle and you're tired, it might benefit you more to be hypersensitive to negative things," he says. The idea is that with little mental energy to spare, you're emotionally more attuned to things that are likely to be the most threatening in the immediate moment. Inversely, when you're well rested, you may be more sensitive to positive emotions, which could benefit long-term survival, he suggests: "If it's getting food, if it's getting some kind of reward, finding a wife - those things are pretty good to pick up on."

By TIFFANY SHARPLES
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Twitter Down Time Rescheduled

Twitter Down Time Rescheduled

A critical network upgrade must be performed to ensure continued operation of Twitter. In coordination with Twitter, our network host had planned this upgrade for tonight. However, our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran. Tonight's planned maintenance has been rescheduled to tomorrow between 2-3p PST (1:30a in Iran).Our partners are taking a huge risk not just for Twitter but also the other services they support worldwide—we commend them for being flexible in what is essentially an inflexible situation. We chose NTT America Enterprise Hosting Services early last year specifically because of their impeccable history of reliability and global perspective. Today's decision and actions continue to prove why NTT America is such a powerful partner for Twitter.

Read More: Twitter Down Time Rescheduled

Twitter: What are you doing?

Twitter: What are you doing?

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Time Magazine says, "Twitter is on its way to becoming the next killer app."

Eric Nuzum, Author of The Dead Travel Fast says, "If you aren't familiar with Twitter, it is one of those things, like MySpace, that sounds totally ridiculous and stupid when you first hear about it. But once you start using it, you realize how much fun it is."

Follow Asense Concierge on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asenseconcierge

In twitterville we discuss any and everything!
Feel free to leave comments.

10 Alternative uses for Bananas

10 Alternative uses for Bananas

10. Aphid deflector: Burying dried or cut-up bananas peels a few inches deep around the base of your rosebushes to detract aphids.

9. Fertilizer: Potassium rich, bananas are great for us as well as our gardens. Dry out leftover peels over the winter months. In the spring grind them up with a food processor or blender and use them as mulch when transplanting new plants or seedlings to give them a boost. Don’t feel like drying out and processing the peels? No worries; just bury them in your compost pile.

8. Butterfly and bird charmer: Most people I know either throw away overripe bananas or make banana bread out of them. An alternative to these might be to place the blackened ‘nanners on a raised platform out in your yard. It’ll attract birds and butterflies–as well as bees and wasps, thus the raised platform.

7. Face mask: Mash up a medium-sized banana, OR combine 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 medium-sized banana, OR combine 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp. almond oil and 1 medium-sized banana. Apply one of these mixtures to your face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Wash off with cool water and pat dry.

6. Leather polish: Use the inside of a de-stringed banana peel for a quick shoe shine. Finish up with a buff using a soft cloth or paper towel. The same technique is said to work for silver too.

5. Roast Tenderizer: Toss a peeled ‘nanner into the pan the next time you think your roast might turn out a little tough.

4. Houseplant cleaner: Wipe your houseplant leaves down with the inside of a banana peel to remove dirt and leave a shine.

3. Ointment: Rubbing scrapped knees with the inside of a banana peel will help promote healing.

2. Wart Curative: Got a wart? Rub it with the inside of a banana peel. The potassium-rich peel is supposed to get rid of the wart.

And the weirdest thing people are making out of bananas....
1. Teeth whitener: Liam McGinlay says he’s been using the inside of banana peels on a daily basis to whiten his teeth for the past two years. He rubs the peels in a circular motion across his teeth for about 2 minutes. He says the effects should be seen in as little as 2 weeks.

10 Alternative uses for Bananas

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale Events

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale Events


Wellness Weekend – Meditation

June 20 • 10 a.m.

With Satori Yoga’s Trudy Ebedes

Pavilion in Esplanade Park @ Riverwalk.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7520



Wellness Weekend – Yoga

June 27 • 10 a.m.

With Satori Yoga’s Trudy Ebedes

Pavilion in Esplanade Park @ Riverwalk.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7521



FORT LAUDERDALE BUS LOOP™ EXPLORES NEW ROUTE

June 19 · 5:30 to 10 p.m.The Fort Lauderdale Bus Loop™, a fundraiser for five local charities involving the Sun Trolley and ten local bars, returns on Friday, June 19, offering a new route for attendees to enjoy. The new route will include stops along 17th Street Causeway and Fort Lauderdale Beach. This event will be the sixth Bus Loop which has raised more than $73,000 for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Young Professionals for Covenant House, Riverwalk Trust, Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation and the Broward County Gator Club.Participants can register and begin the Bus Loop at Harbor Shops on 17th Street or at LuLu’s Bait Shack in the Gallery at Beach Place. Upon registering, participants will receive their passes allowing them a free ride on the Sun Trolley and one drink and/or appetizers at each of the participating locations. Sun Trolleys will travel between Fort Lauderdale Beach and 17th Street locations. Major sponsors include Stephens Distributing, Kind Design Advertising and Sun Trolley.The last Bus Loop, which took place in March, was a huge success with approximately 1,200 guests. Additional trolleys have been added to the route with improved bus service to make transportation easier and more participant-friendly.The cost for the Bus Loop is a $20 donation at the door or $15 if prepaid online at www.BusLoop.org. For more information, call (954) 574-6000.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7388



SHARE OUR STRENGTH'S TASTE OF THE NATION EVENT TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER

June 25

Named as one of South Florida's most outstanding food and wine celebrations, Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation Fort Lauderdale takes place at the Broward County Convention Center, with VIP doors opening at 6 p.m. and general admission at 7 p.m. This is an outstanding opportunity to enjoy fantastic food and wine while helping to end childhood hunger and feed those in our area. The event features dozens of Broward and south Palm Beach County's top chefs and restaurants, interactive activities that appeal to the senses, a VIP cocktail and champagne reception, a Grand Cru lounge and a live/silent auction featuring exciting trips, tempting lifestyle lots and magnificent wines.Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation is the nation's largest and finest culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no child in America grows up hungry. Each spring, the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at more than 55 events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger. Locally, Taste of the Nation Fort Lauderdale benefits Share Our Strength, one of the nation's leading organizations working to end childhood hunger in America. For information on donating auction lots, becoming a volunteer, establishing a sponsorship or on obtaining tickets, call (954) 574-9170, or visit http://www.strengthsouthflorida.org/.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7499



SEA TURTLE WALKS WITH THE MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE

Select dates through July 15The whole family can participate in an evening of discovery while uncovering the natural history and myths of turtles. Nature permitting, participants will have a chance to watch a 400-pound Loggerhead sea turtle venture out of the ocean to lay her eggs. At 9 p.m., the adventure begins at the Museum of Discovery and Science with an informative hands-on session about turtles (land, fresh water and salt water) with an expanded focus on sea turtles. Guests will meet Lois, the museum’s Ambassador Loggerhead sea turtle, who is approximately one year and nine months old, weighs 15 lbs. and is 37cm long. Museum staff will provide answers to questions about nesting, threats and conservation before proceeding to the beach. The adventure continues to Fort Lauderdale beach where museum expert guides will lead guests to the sea turtle’s nesting grounds to look for amazing sea turtles. We cannot guarantee a sea turtle will be spotted on every walk, but when it does happen it is a natural wonder that no one will ever forget. Guests should be prepared to walk approximately one to two miles, and provide their own transportation and snacks. Advance reservations are required as space is limited. Prices are $16 for members and $18 for non-members.

For more information, call (954) 713-0930.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7437



STARLIGHT MUSICALSEvery Friday June 19 through Aug. 7The 31st Annual Bank of America Starlight Musicals Concert Series will resume Friday, June 19, at Holiday Park, located at 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd. This free, outdoor summer concert series will take place every Friday through Aug. 7 from 7 to 10 p.m.Residents and visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets, family and friends to the park for live entertainment under the stars. The shows take place on the football fields in Holiday Park, and parking is available on site. Starlight Musicals will feature an exciting lineup of bands ranging from rhythm and blues to tropical rock. The bands featured include Viva Classic Rock ’n Roll, the Valerie Tyson Band, the Rodeo Clown Band, the Magic City Band, the Joey Gilmore Band, Jimmy Stowe and the Stowaways, Hot Brass Monkey's Evolution and Curbstone. For more information, call the 24-hour hotline at (954) 828-5363 or visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/life.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7471



BROWARD ATTRACTIONS AND MUSEUMS MONTH (BAMM)

Through June 2009BAMM is a month-long celebration of reciprocal membership among a group of cultural organizations that have come together to increase membership and awareness of the historical and cultural treasures in Broward County and surrounding areas. During the month of June 2009 exclusively, if you become a member or are a member of one of the participating organization, you will enjoy free admission to each of the other organizations.Participating organizations include:African American Research Library and Cultural CenterArt and Culture Center of HollywoodBonnet House Museum & GardensCinema ParadisoCoral Springs Museum of ArtFlamingo Gardens Fort Lauderdale History Center Historic Stranahan House MuseumIGFA - Fishing Hall of FameInternational Swimming Hall of Fame MuseumMuseum of Art/Fort Lauderdale, A Division of Nova Southeastern UniversityMy Jewish Discovery Place Children’s MuseumOld Davie School Historical MuseumOld Dillard Museum Plantation Historical MuseumSeminole Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum at OkaleeThe Children’s Museum Boca RatonFor more information, call (954) 364-5205 or visit http://www.bamminfo.org/.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7436



Daily Events

Call to Artists “Meow! Woof!”

Through June 20

Once again, Paloma the gallery cat is hosting her own art exhibition. This time featuring more than cats but her canine friends as well. A percent of the proceeds of sales from the show will be donated to a pet rescue.

Art Expressions Gallery.(954) 537-9000.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7441



Museum Inside Out

Through June 19

Discover the different parts of our Museum that make it so unique. Dig for dinosaurs in our Bone Yard, create a sugar cube pyramid as you unearth the secrets of Ancient Egypt, and take a tour behind the scenes with our sharks and other critters. Museum of Discovery and Science.(954)467-6637.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7507



Il Viaggio Reims — Opera in CinemaJune 16 and 20Part of the La Scala’s 2008-09 season, “il Viaggio a Reims” is Rossini's last opera in the Italian language (all of his later works were in French). Commissioned to celebrate the coronation of French King Charles X in Reims in 1825, the work has been acclaimed as one of Rossini's finest. The opera is a demanding work, requiring 14 soloists. The uniqueness and audacity of the opera is compounded by its plot, which concerns a group of people who plan excitedly for a "viaggio" (journey) to the city of Reims that at the end never happens.Cinema Paradiso.(954) 525-FILM (3456).

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7489



Songwriter's Showcase

June 16 • 8 p.m.

Chrystal Hartigan presents Songwriter's Showcase, featuring local, national & international singer/songwriter's talent.

Enjoy Songwriter's Showcase every third Tuesday of the month in the intimate setting of the Abdo New River Room at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Songwriter's Showcase founder Chrystal Hartigan brings local, national and international singer/songwriters together in South Florida to perform songs from the past...the present...as well as the possible hits of tomorrow. There is also an open mic session for those who want to try out their musical chops in front of an audience. Harken back to the days of 1960 Greenwich Village coffeehouses and bring your friends to Songwriter's Showcase!Broward Center for the Performing Arts.(954) 462-0222. http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7533



Go Green Ladies Shopping Event

June 17 • 5 p.m.

Please join me and other ladies in Ft Lauderdale for an exciting "green" shopping event. You are encouraged to clean out your closets and bring your clothing and handbags. All items will be tagged upon arrival with a determined value and then later in the evening we will shop and swap! You will receive "money" to shop with when you bring your items and check them in. The idea is to have fair trade amongst all attending.Tickets are $20 prepaid in advance and are limited to the first 30-40 people to sign up. This amount must be paid in advance to reserve your ticket and gift bag! You will receive an organic tote gift bag(retail value $27) with goodies inside as well as complimentary drinks and yummy treats! The cover charge goes to a group that helps prevent Human Trafficking, Puresa.There will be jewelry, clothing, headbands, artwork, home accessories and many more gift items from Jen's Treats and also Mission Gifts,www.missiongifts.netAll attending that wear green will receive a special treat!Avenue Lofts Space 1.(561) 255-0502.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7530



Senses of Cinema Evenings

June 17 • 6:30 p.m.

Begin with complimentary wine and food representing the country or region of the featured film. Then enjoy award-winning film, “The Beat My Heart Skipped,” introduced by Shelly Isaacs and presented with English subtitles. Following the film, join Shelly for his post-screening commentary. Tom is a hoodlum who works the shady side of real estate — evicting poor families from slums, cutting quick and dirty deals in the middle of the night — following in the footsteps of his sleazy father. But clearly Tom loathes both himself and everything he does. One night he accidentally runs into the man who managed Tom's mother, who was a pianist. The manager asks Tom himself to audition, as Tom once showed promise. All at once Tom hires a tutor and neglects his "duties," raising the ire of his cohorts but starting to make himself happy. A remarkable parable about the danger of betraying one's self.Cinema Paradiso.(954) 525-FILM (3456).

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7490



South Florida Apartment Association Multi-Family Housing Industry ShowJune 17The South Florida Apartment Association presents “Surf Your Way to Prosperity,” the multi-family housing industry show. More than 60 exhibitors will be marketing and displaying new and innovative products and services to property members and management companies from Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Local property members are encouraged to attend. Bring your business card for free admission. There will be no admission granted to non-exhibiting vendors.War Memorial Auditorium.(954) 828-5380.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7491



Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale’s Third Thursday Event

June 18 • 5:30 p.m. The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, a division of Nova Southeastern University, continues its free Third Thursday monthly event series with a special music performance by critically acclaimed flautist, vocalist and composer Laura Sue, The Silver Nightingale. Flautist, vocalist and composer Laura Sue, the Silver Nightingale is renowned for her angelic solo flute music, and spirited ensembles like Orquestra Nightingale and Laura and the Legwarmers. She's performed at exotic venues from San Francisco to Woodstock to Glastonbury, and has opened for Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra and Judy Collins. Laura Sue plays regularly around South Florida at concerts, weddings, conferences, and other social and spiritual gatherings from Vizcaya to Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Her debut CD, Sarabande - Solo Flute Meditations, has been heard on radio stations from coast to coast, and hand-carried by fans to Sarajevo, Provence and other spots around the globe. Laura Sue's music expresses her love and respect for cultures and traditions from around the world, and she's studied with venerable teachers including Grammy-winning Brazilian reed player Paulo Moura, African drum patriarch Olatunji, and vocal icon Bobby McFerrin. In addition to the evening’s spiritual entertainment, the Museum offers free admission, extended hours (open until 8 p.m.), 2-for-1 drink specials in the Museum’s Café and Wine Bar and gift giveaways from the Broward-Palm Beach New Times Street Team.Museum of Art/ Fort Lauderdale.(954) 262-0236. FREE

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7492



Top Dogs and Pick of the Litter Members Social

June 18 • 6:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.Guests will enjoy poolside cocktails and samplings from da Campo Osterisa by Todd English. Free for all active Top Dog & Pick of the Litter members.il Lugano.(954) 266-6818.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7528



Promises from the Palmetto BushJune 19 • 6 p.m.Cynthia Strachan will tantilize you at a jazz concert and oral history book signing party that captures the struggles and heritage of the pioneers of the Carver Ranches community. Opening reception, jazz concert and refreshments begin at 6 p.m.The Old Dillard Museum.(754)322-8828.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7527



Summertime No-Kill Adoption Fair June 20

Cats Exclusive, Inc. is hosting a no-kill adoption fair. No-kill rescues throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties will come together for this unique opportunity to find homes for these animals. Recession and foreclosures have left many furry friends in danger and without homes. Come find your next family member at this one-day event.War Memorial Auditorium.(954) 828-5380.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7493



The Single Greatest Night in Fort LauderdaleJune 20 • 7 p.m.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation takes pride in hosting its 19th annual Fort Lauderdale's Finest gala, "The Single Greatest Night in Fort Lauderdale." Thirty-five outstanding singles will be honored for their success in business, outstanding leadership and their fundraising commitment to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The evening will feature a silent auction, live entertainment, open bar and a sit-down dinner. Following a presentation of the Fort Lauderdale's finest honorees, guests will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with Broward County's most elite singles, while dancing the night away to live music. The dynamic chairs of this special evening are Kenny Stiles of Stiles Corporation and Alison Forum with HospiceCare of Southeast Florida.Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.(954) 739-5006.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7494



Ninth Annual Kayak Against CancerJune 20Novice and veteran paddlers from throughout South Florida will join forces for this event benefiting the American Cancer Society and hosted by Kayuba Dive Club. Registration is now open for the event, which has become a Fort Lauderdale tradition while raising more than $145,000 to fight cancer in previous years. Paddlers of all skill levels are welcome to travel as much of the 12-mile course along Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront as they like according to Chuck Noonan, event committee chair. Five beaching locations along the route will offer paddlers the chance to rest, enjoy refreshments or end participation — custom tailoring the event distance to their own skill level and ability. Walk and watch is another way to participate in this fundraising event while walking along with the kayaks from shore. This is open to anyone and may be of interest to those who are associated with the kayakers in the Kayak against Cancer. The walk is approximately 3.5 miles to the support stop at Sunrise Boulevard and back.Launch at South Beach Park.(954) 292-6733.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7495



Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale Storytelling Event June 20

Children of all ages will discover the imaginary and exciting world of the CoBrA art movement, which presents fantastic creatures, dreams, folktales and more. Participants will enjoy a tour of the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale’s exhibit, The CoBrA Collection, and enjoy a story time, presented by Broward County Library, demonstrating the creativity of this fascinating movement. CoBrA is an acronym for the capital cities of the movement’s artists’ respective countries –Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. Although it lasted only from 1948-51, the abstract and expressionistic movement proved to endure with its spontaneity, childlike naiveté, and exuberant use of bold, bright colors. The artist currently featured in the exhibition, Lucebert, was known as the poet of the CoBrA movement, and incorporated imaginary creatures into his work, providing a peek into his private world through his paintings.Museum of Art/ Fort Lauderdale.(954)262-0236.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7531



Pop! Pop! Group Art ShowJune 20 • 7 p.m.Don't miss a night of pop culture and art! Over 30 talented international, domestic and local artists have been invited to create works of art inspired by popular culture. The Pop! Pop! show is a collection of art that makes reference to things that exist in the realm of popular culture. Subjects of the pieces range from the TV series Lost (Patrick Fatica) to psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips (Dan F. Birch) and anything and everything in between. Participating artists include: Dan F. Birch, Helena Garcia, Patrick Fatica, Beau Berkley, Kendra Binney, Anneli Olander, Danny Brito, Elliot Black, Sara Broski, Miss Kika, Nathan Lumm, Janice Lumm, Rosemary Travale, Barry Van Clief, Steve Woodzell, Nick Z, and many more. Free mind blowing cupcakes by Alma Dominguez of Buddha Belly Cupcakes (www.buddhabellycupcakes.com) will be given out at the opening. There will be many artists in attendance, so come check out the art, meet some artists, eat some goodies, listen to cool tunes and have some fun.Pinkghost.(954) 616-1304.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7529



Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale offers Art + Beer on Father’s DayJune 21The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, a division of Nova Southeastern University, is rolling out the red carpet in honor of all fathers. This upcoming Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, from 12 – 5 pm, all fathers are invited for a FREE day at the Museum to relax, enjoy 2-for-1 beers and enjoy the current exhibition With You I Want to Live. Father’s can also enjoy a free tour of the exhibition at 2 pm.Museum of Art/ Fort Lauderdale.(954)262-0236.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7532



Fathers Get in Free to Bonnet House on Father's DayJune 21 • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is giving fathers the gift of art and culture free of charge this Father's Day. All dads get in for free, and the entire family will have the opportunity to tour the historic house museum filled with a delightful collection of art and personal treasures from the Bartlett family as well as explore the nature trails filled with native plants, trees and an occasional monkey or swan.Bonnet House.(954) 563-5393 x127.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7496



StompJune 23 through 28Stomp is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments, including matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and hubcaps to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. Presented by Broadway Across America.Broward Center for the Performing Arts.(954) 462-0222.

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7497



Swan Lake-Ballet in CinemaJune 23 and 26"Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky, considered the greatest of the classical ballets, was filmed live at Russia's Mariinsky Theater.Cinema Paradiso.(954) 525-FILM (3456).

http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7498



Repo! The Genetic OperaJune 26 • 10 p.m.In the tradition of Cinema Paradiso’s monthly Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Repo! The Genetic Opera” features shadow cast Midnight Cinema. This marks the first shadow cast performance of “Repo! The Genetic Opera” in the nation. In the year 2056 — the not so distant future — an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants … for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. In a world where surgery addicts are hooked on painkilling drugs and murder is sanctioned by law, a sheltered young girl searches for the cure to her own rare disease as well as information about her family's mysterious history. After being sucked into the haunting world of GeneCo, she is unable to turn back, as all of her questions will be answered at the wildly anticipated spectacular event: The Genetic Opera.Cinema Paradiso.(954)525-FILM (3456). http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7500



Rocky Horror Picture ShowJune 26 • 11:55 p.m.Do the Time Warp, twice each month, with The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Cinema Paradiso.It's a rock and roll party with a full bar, a transvestite floorshow and the live cast with all the feathers and sequins you can shake a stick at.Cinema Paradiso.(954) 525-FILM (3456).


http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7501


Opening Weekend Activities — Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen June 27 and 28Science has seen a lot of changes over the years, and every day, scientists all over the globe are coming up with new and exciting discoveries that continue to transform our lives and how we look at the world. Join Hiram Bleecker, a physical scientist, in transforming science as he discusses recent scientific innovations. After seeing “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” head into the museum for a chance to learn about animals that are also transformers. Although these animals aren’t robots from outer space, they have unique adaptations that give them the ability to transform in ways we humans can hardly imagine.Museum of Discovery and Science.(954) 467-6637.


http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7502

Urban Explorer: Science in Your CityJune 29 – July 3Ever wonder what makes Fort Lauderdale so great? Join us this week to find out and conduct some scientific experiments along the way that highlight this sunny city. Learn how sunscreen works, create a solar car, beat the heat with homemade sun tea, and even cook food using the sun!Museum of Discovery and Science.(954) 467-6637.



http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7509

Ongoing EventsThird ThursdaysOngoingEnjoy an evening of culture, conversation and entertainment at the museum. Third Thursdays are free to the public and start at 5 p.m. Food, alcohol and entertainment are provided.Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale.(954) 525-5500, ext. 254.


http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=6901





Call (954) 468-1541 to be included in Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale Calendar of Events!
http://goriverwalk.com/calendar.asp?evt=7517

Cuisine & Cocktails With Your K-9! (benefiting Get A Life Pet Rescue)

Cuisine & Cocktails With Your K-9!
(benefiting Get A Life Pet Rescue)

When: Saturday June 13, 2009 at 6:pm EST

Where:
Briny Irish Pub
305 S Andrews AveFort Lauderdale, FL 33301

(954) 376-4742

WAHOO!
Dinner with our dogs in Fort Lauderdale!!!
Check Out Their FAB Menu - http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/7/f/8/600_8759384.jpeg Vendors, Raffles & Good Times

Curtesy of Dog Rescue Meetup:
Do you organize a local Dog Rescue Group?
Are you an Animal Shelter / Rescue Volunteer? or want to become one?
If so then this is the right group for you... here you can get support from other Rescue Organizers / Volunteers, exchange stories, share tips and build relationships with other dog rescuers... across the Tri-County (Dade, Broward and Palm Beach) area!
There will also be many opportunities for you to participate in helping at dog rescue events, which will be both personally rewarding (because you are helping homeless animals) and FUN at the same time. To see the many DOG RESCUE events needing your support that are currently going on in our community check out the SFDR Calendar: http://dogrescue.meetup.com/245/calendar/

Here is a link to our RULES / GUIDELINES on the Membership Policy Page: http://dogrescue.meetup.com/245/pages/So_Fl_Dog_Rescue_SF...
If you decide that this is a cause that you are "passionate" about, please submit an application for membership and once approved you can start getting involved in helping this "needy" pups!

Alexa Blog: Father's Day - Top Online Golf Stores

Alexa Blog: Father's Day - Top Online Golf Stores

Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music

Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music

Best Places to Live 2009

Best Places to Live 2009

With the decade winding to a close, Americans have grown increasingly reluctant to gas up their moving vans. Last year, the Census Bureau's national mover rate--which represents the percentage of Americans 1 year and older who moved within the past year--hit its lowest level since 1948, when the bureau began tracking the data. And who can blame us? In the face of a terrifying banking crisis, a historic housing crash, and a grueling recession, relocating to a new city isn't exactly on the to-do list. But despite the uncertain economy, the nation's diverse topography presents an enviable menu of great places to find work, retire, or just change your scene.
In selecting our Best Places to Live for 2009, U.S. News took a thrift-conscious approach: We looked for affordable communities that have strong economies and plenty of fun things to do. The cities we selected are as distinct as America itself--ranging from a quaint suburb to a live-music mecca. But whether you prefer hiking through the Rocky Mountains, pulling a fish out of the Atlantic Ocean, or grilling hot dogs at a college football tailgate, here are 10 places that will fill up your daybook without emptying your wallet.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Along the banks of the Rio Grande, with the Sandia Mountains in the background, is the beautiful city of Albuquerque, N.M. The sunny climate and endless landscape have long drawn writers, poets, and artists to this spot, which includes an unconventional mix of American Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures. But it's not just freethinkers who drift to this Southwestern city of 511,000. Kirtland Air Force Base, Sandia National Laboratories, and Intel Corp. have helped develop the area into a manufacturing and research hub. They provide a stable anchor for the local economy.
Albuquerque's clear skies, calm winds, and abundant sunshine present plenty of opportunities to explore its natural splendor. Each October, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta fills the sky with more than 700 colorful hot-air balloons. Fourteen area golf courses are open year-round and allow duffers to tee off against spectacular backdrops of volcanoes and mountain peaks. Meanwhile, Albuquerque's foothills and network of trails make the area a wonderful destination for biking. Still, "it's kind of undiscovered at the same time," says Will McConnell of the Albuquerque Bicycle Center.
Auburn, Alabama
For Southern charm with collegiate vigor, consider Auburn, Ala. This diamond on the eastern Alabama plains has a population of just under 50,000 and is home to Auburn University. On football Saturdays, when die-hard fans arrive in droves to cheer their beloved Tigers, Auburn swells to the state's fifth-most-populous city. And as Auburn's largest employer, the university also plays a starring role in the local economy.
With mild winters and hot summers, the city offers no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities. Find a nice hiking trail in the 696-acre Chewacla State Park before cooling off with an afternoon swim. Take a stroll through the Donald E. Davis Arboretum, located on the Auburn University campus.
Golfers can head to nearby Grand National golf course and wend their way through the state along the beautiful Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. "Once you have been there, you just want to come back," says John Cannon, president of SunBelt Golf Corp., which manages the trail.
[See a slideshow of the 10 best places to live.]
Read more of this Article - Best Places to Live 2009