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You and a guest could win free airfare to either Jamaica, Cancun, or Punta Cana and all you have to do is be a fan of our page to be entered to win! Be sure to tell everyone you know to click the like button because even if you don’t win one of your friends might and just may invite you to be their guest! Look for details and contest rules on our page below this post. Hurry, the drawing will be held on January 31st. Good Luck!

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An Italian cruise ship sank on Friday near the island of Giglio and the captain has been taken into custody for the incident. The captain intentionally strayed off course, that was set when the ship left port, heading too close to perilous reef. The cruise ship fell sideways in the water with people still missing and the threat of fuel leaking into the environment, which would be a major catastrophe to marine wildlife. The coast guard said that the captain had abandoned ship before all the passengers have been evacuated even though they urged him to go back, but the captain is claiming different. Even the survivors, once on land, complained that Costa was stingy with assistance.

Blake Miller, on board to celebrate his partner’s 50th birthday, said Costa representatives rebuffed his efforts to get some reimbursement so he could buy a change of clothing. Only passengers who had paid for special insurance to cover lost belongings would receive compensation to buy replacements, he said they were told.

For the full story click here

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ever wonder how the airline companies got to where they are today? The associated press has an interesting article sharing just that. Starting with the end of government control of the airlines and the beginning of what the airlines are today.

To read the full article click here

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BP is still fixing everything that was damaged after the oil spill. Which is a good thing. Its amazing they are still there working to get the gulf back up and running. In this case its not cleaning the beaches, but repairing the reputation of the businesses and beaches along the gulf coast. The Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee has teamed up with oil giant BP for a two week event in New Orleans to promote Gulf’s beaches, restaurants, fishing and attractions to drive home a clear message that they are all safe.

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Here’s an odd one for you guys. Government officials want to ban cell phone use of any kind in your car. Hands free shouldn’t be a problem, but they think its distracting. i think the government is getting a little too worried about what people do. Besides how do you judge if someone is on a hands free devise or just talking to themselves?

Read the whole story HERE

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Vegas is planning an intense firework display this new years with 8 Vegas strip casinos participating. The firework display will be set to the song party rock album by LMFAO and there are a lot of people expected to attend this event.

For more information on this event Click here.

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I was looking through the associated press today and learned that Alec Baldwin was kicked off an American Airlines flight because he refused to turn of his device. The reason, he was playing words with friends and didn’t want to stop. Seems like a lot of bad press over a simple game that you can pause but i don’t blame him. Personally i prefer hanging with friends over words with friends any day. Though in all fairness if i was in the middle of a game of hanging with friends i might try and hurry and finish it while trying not to get in trouble because after take off i would be severely irked if i didn’t get to solve the word. I might be slightly addicted… What do you guys think? Is Alec in the right or wrong?

Read the full article of American Airlines response to this by clicking here.

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I wanted to share this bit of awesomeness with you guys. i was reading an article by the Associated Press on Niagara falls being all lit up. Not only did i learn how long they have been doing this, but also the occasions they do it for; such as special occasions like lung cancer and gay rights. One of these days i am going to get up there and see it for my self. It seems pretty cool. Read the article HERE!

Its very interesting article that tells you how long they have been doing the light show, its longer than you would think, and also when they first started adding color to the falls. Something colorful and interesting for you all to read on this dreary Monday.

Enjoy!

-Richie Motz-

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The airlines are at it again with raising ticket prices. in the article below, by the associated press, they talk about which airlines are increasing prices and how American Airlines chapter 11 is effecting the other airlines.  

DALLAS (AP) – Major U.S. airlines are again trying to raise prices on many domestic flights.

Delta Air Lines Inc. confirmed Friday that it had raised fares to Florida, Phoenix and Las Vegas by up to $10 per round trip.

JetBlue Airways Corp. said that it raised fares on many U.S. routes by $6 per round trip, and US Airways Group Inc. said it matched JetBlue.

The fare hikes indicated that airlines are still seeing strong demand for travel despite the weak economy.

J.P. Morgan analyst Jamie Baker, who tracks airline prices closely, said a successful fare increase would help airline stocks, which have risen since American Airlines parent AMR Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday. Investors are betting that American will reduce flying, adding to revenue and profit at other airlines.

Airlines have imposed about 10 broad fare increases this year, but an equal number have failed because some carriers declined to go along with higher prices.

Ticket prices vary by route, time of day, and whether they’re for nonstop flights. And airlines often raise some fares while cutting others. This week, American, Southwest Airlines Co. and JetBlue ran broad-based fare sales.

ARTICLE BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

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I was reading about the new Paradisus La Esmeralda resort – Opening November 30th, 2011 – and came across a a word i had seen before, but didn’t know what exactly it is… Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda is a luxury family-friendly All-Inclusive resort, located in a stunning bay surrounded by a lush tropical mangrove preserve and with views of Cozumel Island.

There’s  that word again –mangrove– Ive seen it before, but i realized i had never tried to find out what exactly a mangrove is or why it was given that name. I looked to find the definition to solve my first question.

Mangrove: any tropical evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, having stiltlike intertwining aerial roots and growing below the highest tide levels in estuaries and along coasts, forming dense thickets: family Rhizophoraceae

I kind of figured it would have something to do with a plant or tree since the word grove is in its name. Grove: a small wood or forested area, usually with no undergrowth: a grove of pines. Though, judging by the name alone, i thought it meant mango grove or something. Good thing i googled it.

Then to solve my next question i turn to Wikipedia to figure out why they are called mangroves.

Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S.

The word is used in at least three senses: (1) most broadly to refer to the habitat and entire plant assemblage or mangal,^[1] for which the terms mangrove forest biome, mangrove swamp and mangrove forest are also used, (2) to refer to all trees and large shrubs in the mangrove swamp, and (3) narrowly to refer to the mangrove family of plants, the Rhizophoraceae, or even more specifically just to mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora.

These plants are very useful in keeping shore lines from eroding into the ocean, but they are also threatened world wide.

I thought i would share this with you guys in case, like me, you were really curious about what they were and why they had that name or you encountered something like it and didn’t know what it was. Hopefully you found this bit of information enlightening and if you have personal pictures i would love to see them.  I hope you learned something today, i know i did.

To get a more in depth look at mangroves and the threats that endanger their existence check out national geographic by clicking here

For more information about mangroves from Wikipedia click here

By Richie Motz

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