Travel Blog

We just watched a short TV news item on Good Morning America about a girl who was cyber bullied online. We all need to fight cyber bullying. She was bullied online because many people felt that she was not pretty enough to be a cheer leader for the Packers football team. There were pictures of her on a web site that was not associated with the team.

The headline essentially suggested that she should not be a cheer leader since she was not the usual big breasted women. Also with gorgeous hair etc that cheer leaders have come to be known for. She might not have fit the common mold. But she certainly did not deserve the many vicious comments that followed this particular post.

Fight Cyber Bullying

She found a really unique way to respond. She posted a YouTube video accompanied by music with hand written cards. It went absolutely viral in less than 24 hours. As a result there were well over a million hits in the first 24 hours. It forced the original web site to take down their post and all of the bad comments that had been posted. This is a great way to bring attention to bad taste and hurtful comments that seem to be popular on many online sites.

We hope that this serves as an example of how people can fight back against cyber bullying. Do it in a positive constructive way to get these kinds of results.

Where did this Happen

This was on the Chicago Bears Fan page. These people  finally removed the offending posts. Also the comments along with the over 3000 likes that the page had accumulated. They were a bit slow removing it and they should never have had it up there in the first place. The people who run this site are probably bullies themselves and thought it was funny. Too bad for them.

We think that people should boycott their page and the advertisers that place advertising on it. For more posts about online bullying, click here.

Save

Just got back from Wangs restaurant Palm Springs. As usual, it was packed for happy hour. In case you did not know, well drinks are $2, bottled beer and wine is $3 and Martini’s are $4. Pretty good prices. This is a very busy place on most days. However, Friday nights and Sunday nights appear to the day when many gay men and women go to Wangs. If you are not into this sort of lifestyle, then we suggest you might pick another time to visit this great restaurant.

Wangs Restaurant Palm Springs

The food is actually great as well. We had two appetizers, garlic chicken with rice and also green chicken with rice. The food is really excellent. One thing we would recommend is that if you are several people, it might be better to order several main courses and then share them. Better value and more food to eat than just eating the happy hour menu items.

Wangs is usually very busy on the weekends, crowded in fact, so if you are looking for a more quiet evening, we suggest that you try their happy hour during the week or go for dinner during the week.

For more information about Wangs, click here

Save

Jody Arias trial has been on for the last two weeks and HLN has covered it in detail while all of the other networks have been just giving the headlines. What is it that fascinates people so much that a channel like HLN can focus almost all of its coverage to this trial? Sure it is outrageous. There is a beautiful women on trial, but still what is it about America and makes this show popular?

This woman, Jody Arias,  is completely sick and probably guilty because of the way that she has lied. Many men have been pulled in by her. If she ever gets out of prison, more will suffer at her hands. They will either be broke or dead depending on how she feels about them.

Jody Arias – Guilty

In fact she is already admitted that she killed this guy but that she didn’t self-defense. Based on the prosecution witnesses there is just no way that this woman is innocent and should be put to death get using the electric chair whatever the used in that particular state or technique is Arizona.

The trial goes on with all kinds is admissions on the stand. Now they are playing a phone call recording which is not being shown on TV, which apparently pretty raw. This is an unbelievable testimony and probably all lies.

More on notorious crimes, click here.

Save

The Grammys 2013 are on tonight we’re wondering who’s going to win the best vocalist of the year. We will be Adele, Katie, Rhiana or someone else who is relatively unknown let’s watch the Grammys tonight.

Well they stuck to the dress code! No boobs showing and no bum cheeks showing, well maybe except for Katy Perry maybe. She was dressed tastefully but with lots of cleavage showing. I do not mind cleavage, but some times it is beyond good taste. They are used to showing themselves sometimes almost naked, so what does a little cleavage matter.

Grammys 2013

Adele was dressed in a frumpy dress, but who cares, she can sing better than just about anyone . Some stars showed lots of bare leg but stayed inside the guidelines. Who cares really about the Grammy awards and whether they dress well or properly or not. The television programmers will not show you anything risque anyway.

If you were lucky enough to be there at least as a spectator, it would be interesting. The security would really be tight and it would not be fun. Most likely you would be so far away that you would need binoculars to see anything. I think you can actually see more by watching the television programs that carry it.

Also you can watch the interviewers on the red carpet and get see and hear some of the stars. Not so if you are there in person. If you are even close to the red carpet, you might be able to see some things but not hear anything, so why go to the Grammys 2013? for more entertainment posts, click here or here for entertainment posts.

This is the Hardrock hotel and casino in Biloxi Mississippi. It has been rebuilt since Katrina and totally fits the brand. It is a smaller hotel as far as casino hotels go. However, they have all of the decors of a typical Hardrock Hotel and Casino you would find anywhere in the country.  There is of course the memorabilia store. Also, many representative rock and roll items are displayed around the hotel and the casino. They have some great restaurants and there is a 50’s diner just off the casino floor which is kind of neat to dine in. We had breakfast there and enjoyed it very much.

Hardrock Casino & Hotel Biloxi

They also have the famous guitar out front! It stands maybe 100 feet high and dominates the street.  All of the Hardrock Hotels have this guitar symbol out front to make sure that you do not miss it as you drive by.

There is a nice pool at ground level. protected by barriers from the street and from the wind coming off the gulf. It is one of these pools where there is lots of cement and a few palm trees. Nothing really great to write about.

The casino is actually two floors above the ground to protect the casino from hurricane-driven waves crashing into the shore and the building. Katrina taught them this lesson and even then much of the hotel was damaged during that storm. The hotel and casino have been totally rebuilt and remodeled as a result.

This picture below is typical of the decor throughout the hotel and there are lots of things that may interest visitors and tourists spending time at the hotel. We have yet to stay at this particular hotel. However, we have visited it several times. We would like to spend a few nights there to experience the full services that they offer. One of these days we will get there. Biloxi itself is a nice place to spend some time with sunny weather and beautiful beaches to stroll along. The beaches run for many miles with wide sandy areas to spend time on and relax in the sun.

Held every Thursday night in Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Street Fair runs from 5 pm to 10 pm and extends for at least 5 or 6 city blocks. Hundreds of vendors and thousands of people descend on Palm Springs every week to take in the fair! We always enjoy buying fresh-picked strawberries and trying out some of the various barbecued meals. If you are in Palm Springs this is one event that should not be missed regardless of what time of the year, including the summertime as well as the winter.

Palm Springs Street Fair

There are lots of snowbirds in Palm Springs during the Jan to March period and this is when the street fair is the most crowded. During the rest of the year, there are still lots of people and vendors, however, it is not as crowded. During the busy months, it is so crowded that you have to line up at food stalls to eat and you have to be careful walking down the street as well. There are just so many people!

Many people will leave on March 31st. Crowds are less, traffic is better and it is a much more relaxed atmosphere. Even the restaurants are not as busy. Some will even offer better happy hour prices on food and drinks. April is a great time to be in the Palm Springs area.

For more things to do in the Palm Springs area, click here.

Save

We happen to believe that allergies, sleep, diet and weight loss are all interrelated. This is why we are doing a series of post about dust control and sleep issues to help people understand these issues better. We are not doctors and do not have any medical knowledge. It is based on a lot of common sense that has been developed over the years in dealing personally with these issues. We hope that this information will help you.

If it does please leave us comments. We are very concerned about dust control in your home. The picture in the left is a picture of a home with all of the points indicated where dust can be an issue for individuals suffering from allergies. it suggest what you can do about this dust in your home and how to get rid of it or at least decrease the impact of dust in your home. Note that you can click on the picture to enlarge it to be able to read it properly.

Dust Control in Your Home – Sources

We developed a list of these sources to help people understand where it all comes from. Here is a short list of sources of dust:

• Lint from clothes
• Flakes of dead skin from humans and pets in your home
• Dust tracked in from outside on your clothes
• Dust blown in through open windows
• Pollen blown in through open windows and on your clothes
• Poor filters on your furnace
• Air intake to the furnace
• Spores from mold that might be in your home

There are probably other sources; however these are the main ones for most people.

Dust Control in Your Home – Priorities

The picture that we have included shows all of the possible steps that you can take to try to manage the dust in your home. We happen to feel that although these are all good things to do and if you have severe allergies, you may want to consider all of them, there are some that provide better return for your time and money. We have divided them accordingly, however readers should look at this list from their own perspective and make their own decisions regarding which ones are more important to them. Here is the high priority list from our perspective:

• Avoid painting or decorating when windows are closed to avoid lingering smells
• Vacuum often using a central vacuum that has the canister located outside of the home
• Do not ever smoke inside the home
• Convert to a gas fireplace, clean regular fireplaces regularly
• Clean the furnace filter weekly
• Vacuum often
• Avoid chemicals and aerosol use in the home
• Do not use wool blankets
• Avoid feather pillows, comforters etc
• Keep the bedroom bare and avoid clutter to avoid dust catchers
• Wash the drapes once a month
• Keep indoor humidity at 40 to 50%

Here is a list of some of the things that should be considered if your are highly allergic to dust:

• Remove bedroom rugs
• Moist mop the hardwood floors
• Install hardwood floors and remove all rugs from the bedroom
• Wash walls regularly
• Air conditioning removes pollen and dust
• Vacuum the mattress and bed covers and also under the bed
• Clean lamp shades with a damp cloth
• Vacuum furniture, avoid polishes and waxes to avoid attracting dust
• Do not store books in the bedroom
• Avoid activity in an unfinished basement
• Clean hot air ducts every 3 to 5 years
• Paint basement floor to avoid dust buildup
• Install an electronic air filter on the furnace
• Cover hot air registers with cheese cloth
• If you must keep only one washable stuffed toy in the bedroom

This is a rather long list of steps to take to reduce dust in your home and also keep your home clean. Most people do not clean their homes to this level and do not need to if they are not allergic to dust and pollen. Every person will need to judge just how far they need to take dust cleanliness to get to a point where they can be comfortable and be able to deal with their allergies.

Good luck and focus on the things that will give you the best return for your time and your health. If you are allergic to pollen, never undress in your bedroom at night. Always undress outside of your bedroom to avoid bring pollen from your clothes into the room. You may even want to consider a shower to avoid bringing pollen on your hair into your bed.

For more information about dealing with allergies in your your home, click here.

Save

This is George the pot bellied pig. He comes to the Palm Springs street fair every Thursday and many people take pictures of this guy. Just before I took this picture, a group of people sat down beside him for a picture. He was very happy with all of the attention. He oinked happily with pleasure at all of the attention. The Palm Springs street fare takes place every Thursday and thousands of people attend every week. The street is blocked off for 8 to 10 blocks. Both sides are lined with booths of all types. As a result it is a very popular event and well attended.

George The Pot Bellied Pig

There were so many people on this particular night that we could hardly move with everyone browsing and chatting on the street. There are all kinds of food vendors, vegetable vendors, clothing, jewelry and many arts and crafts. As a result there is lots to enjoy in addition to seeing this pot bellied pig. Of course George is there every week enjoying the crowds and having his picture taken.

Subsequently updating this post a few years after it was first written, we sadly have to report that George is not at his usual spot any longer. Perhaps he has gone to hog heaven or perhaps his owner can no longer bring him to the street fair. If anyone knows what happened, please leave us a comment regarding George The Pot Bellied Pig. Hence he was one of the many attractions that come and go at the street fair.

For more things to do in the Palm Springs area, click here.

Save

This site is really about the old style of casinos and the hotels that go along with them and not so much about sites for Online Gamblers. We have visited many of these casino hotels over the years and have first-hand knowledge about the hotels, the casino, the rooms, the restaurants, and of course the comps. We have not reviewed many of the online gambling sites and yet more and more people are playing various games online. Everything from poker to various slot machines can be played on a virtual basis of course for free or for real money.

I guess we are from the old school. We prefer to play at a casino rather than online. We like the ambiance, and the people around us most of the time. Also the offers of free rooms and meals. We also like to get out and see the sites that are usually associated with casinos and hotels. We like the big places such as Tunica, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City. Smaller casinos and casinos that are off by themselves do not offer many complimentary benefits to customers. They just do not have the competition and so why should they make huge offers of rooms and meals? It all depends on the competition.

Casinos run by local governments are among the worst when it comes to comps and payouts from their slot machines. We try to stay away from these as well. You may wonder why we are spending so much time talking about brick-and-mortar casinos when the subject of this post is Online Gamblers.

Online Gamblers vs. Casino Gamblers

Well, the answer is that when anyone writes an opinion about something, it is sometimes helpful to understand their point of view.  From a preliminary look, the online gambler is missing out on a lot of benefits that are just not available to people who visit regular casinos. Here is a brief list of what we consider are advantages that the online gambler might be missing out on:

• Complimentary free rooms at casino hotels
• Free meals at casino hotels
• Complimentary free shows at casino hotels
• Free play varies a great deal by the casino and probably for online gamblers as well
• Express comp’s for slot players to be used for meals as well as merchandise
• The glitter and excitement of a casino
• Free drinks at many casinos while you are gambling
• A variety of extras that depend on the level of gambler you are

When you take all of this into account, why would you want to waste time playing online? The odds of winning are thought to be less than the traditional casinos. Although we have never seen any proof of that either way. Sure it can be more convenient and possibly more comfortable to gamble online from your home. But we just think that online gamblers are missing out on a lot of experiences.

Online Comp’s

Now we have heard of people who gamble online to qualify for one of the major Texas Holdem tournaments. We even know of one person who did this after spending many hours playing and qualifying for a satellite tournament and them winning the tournament. But I guess for us we like the ambiance of a real casino and will forgo the online gaming experience at this time.

We appreciate comments from our readers as long as they are informative and will assist other readers. We will even approve links to your own site as long as there is a good constructive and helpful comment about this post.  You do not need to agree with us about online gambling, just make a well-written comment giving your point of view.

Bullhead city on the Colorado River is a small city in the north western part of Arizona long the Colorado River and just across the river from Laughlin, Nevada. It is a nice little town with all of the services that one might need while spending the winter away from the cold, snow and ice of the northern winters.

One interesting fact about Bullhead is that it is on Mountain Time and just across the river in Nevada, they are on Pacific Time, a one hour difference. Many people live in Arizona in the city of Bullhead and work in Laughlin in one of the casinos just across the river and must keep track of the one hour time zone difference.

Bullhead City on the Colorado

Winter Time Temperatures

Bullhead is a great place to spend the winter. Of course they will get some cool temperatures; however we have been there for a couple of weeks in January and experienced temperatures in the 80’s during the day and cool 50’s at night. They get well over 300 days of sun in a year, so you are pretty much guaranteed to have sunshine on your vacation. There are quite a few condo’s to rent, however there seems to be much more locations which cater to RV’s and trailers for people who move around and live in their trailers for the winter.

Summer Time Temperatures

We have not been there in the summer time, however we are told that the temperatures are routinely well into the 100’s and that there are literally hundreds of boats and sea do’s out on the water along the Colorado River. We also have seen people swimming in the Colorado in March, however there are a couple of things to keep in mind when you swim in the Colorado River at this location.

First of all this is a very fast flowing river and anyone swimming must keep in mind that they can lose their footing and be carried away by the current. Secondly the water is very cold. It is fed by melting snow up in the mountains and the water is ice cold. Anyone swimming will experience hypothermia very quickly so it can be very dangerous even for strong swimmers.

No Gambling in Bullhead

There are no casinos in Bullhead. You have to go across the river to Laughlin to play in the casinos. Fortunately there are several bridges from the Bullhead side to the Nevada side that will take you across to Laughlin and to a point several miles south of Laughlin. Patrons of the casinos can also take a free water taxi across the river to Don Laughlin’s casino. There is free parking on the Arizona side of the river and both tourists as well as people working at the casinos will take the water taxi back and forth to the Laughlin side of the river.

Tourists can also take a water taxi from several of the water front condos over to the casinos. They can also take a water taxi from one casino to another one along the river. There is a small charge per person for the water taxi and it is a neat thing to do once and awhile to get out on the river if you do not have access to a boat.

RV & Trailer Parks

Parks abound for people who are spending the winter in their trailers traveling around the south-west in both Laughlin and Bullhead. There are large RV parks within walking distance of the casinos on the Laughlin side of the Colorado River and also in Bullhead.

Even the casinos have set aside parking space for trailers with no hook ups for patrons to spend a few nights. There are no hookups so you see people with generators and solar panels to generate electricity for their trailers and RV’s. This is not my idea of a vacation; however this is a great place to stop over for a few days without having to pay hookup fees for your RV or Trailer.

Every year we go to Laughlin and stay in one of the casino hotels. We go to Bullhead to fill up with gas and do our laundry. It is cheaper; there are fewer taxes on the Arizona side. We gill up with gas at a gas station called Terribles were you can get your oil changed for $29 and this comes with a free car wash. Gas is always cheaper on the Arizona side. For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

Save

The best time to go white water rafting in most locations is early to mid spring once the ice has left the rivers. The spring runoff is just beginning. The snow in the mountains is beginning to melt. The rivers are higher than they will be in the summer providing roiling rapids that provide fantastic river rides. Book early for an exhilarating ride with one of the river guide companies. If this is your first time river rafting you may want to wait until the water is a little calmer before you go. In some locations you can watch from shore and gauge just what the rafting trip will be like.

Tourists who prefer a more laid back approach to white water rafting can wait until the weather warms. The rivers are calmer and the flowers have begun to grow. At this time of year the water is lower, there are calm sections to the rivers were you can relax and enjoy the scenery. At the same time go through rapids at various stages that will provide a white water ride to remember. These rides are more suitable for families with young and older children enjoying the outdoors.

Warm Weather White Water Rafting

When the weather is warm, ,many people also enjoy overnight camping excursions as well that are part of the white water rapid trips that many outfitters offer. For more details always check with a number of outfitters to find the best trips, the best whitewater services and the most exhilarating trips.

If you have your own rafting or canoe, always check the conditions before you go and make sure that these conditions match your equipment and your skill level. The best way to get into trouble on the river is to not be prepared and to not know how to handle your canoe or raft on the river. Make sure that you have all of the safety equipment that is needed for your trip.

In the spring time and on mountain streams even in the summer time when water is from snow melt, the water can be very cold. A few minutes in the water can give you hypothermia and people have died very quickly as a result. If you do go white water rafting on cold water rivers, always have the proper gear including wet suits if you think there is a remote chance of ending up in the water. One river guide told us that he had several people die on him due to hypothermia because they did not listen and went for a swim in the water at night without telling anyone or even wearing a life jacket!

What an outstanding picture of the display of Marilyn Monroe! Marilyn in Palm Springs! This is in downtown Palm Springs and attracting a lot of visitors along with their cameras. Just across the street from Starbucks, you cannot miss Marilyn in that famous striking pose that she is known all over the world for. Everyday, hundreds of tourists pause to have their picture taken with Marilyn. Even tall men or women do not even come up to her knees.

She is apparently 26 feet high, although the writer feels that she is closer to 30 feet high. There have not been many women that have matched her beauty and her figure. She has never been matched either previously or since she came on the scene. There is no actress as beautiful and voluptuous as Marilyn was. She will be well known for many years.

Marilyn in Palm Springs

Unfortunately, Marilyn is no longer in Palm Springs. She was here for a year and they are trying to get her back, but nothing to report just yet.

Since Marilyn was in Palm Springs, they have torn down the old mall and they are in the process of building several new boutique hotels and stores. This is really a major upgrade for Palm Springs and the downtown core. Perhaps there will be Marilyn in Palm Springs once again.

The Palm Springs street fair takes place every Thursday bhttp://gccihome.com/travel/category/palm-springs-california/palm-springs-posts/eginning at 5 pm. We just got back and there are literally thousands of people who go to the street fair every Thursday evening. There are all kinds of cooked foods available, vegetables, dates tomatoes, peanuts and then there is every kind of art works, crafts, jewelry and so on. There seems to be something for everyone.

For more information about the Palm Springs area, click here.

Save

Puerta Vallarta vacations are offered by many different companies with an assortment of hotels, condos and single family homes. Before you book, check out the place you will be staying as much as possible. This is to ensure that it is going to meet your needs. They all have something to offer that will appeal to people on vacation. But not every place appeals to every person. Cleanliness, proximity to the beach, nearness to down town are just a few of the criteria that people use to pick a location for a vacation in Puerto Vallarta.

Location is everything in Puerto Vallarta, just like everywhere else. You can stay downtown in Puerto Vallarta. Experience the hustle and bustle of everyday life 24 hours a day in the city. For us it is the constant roar of the buses that rumble through town on their hourly runs, blowing exhaust and scaring anyone who goes near the road. A few blocks away from the main street area, it is quiet and peaceful.

Marina at Puerta Vallarta Vacations

Out in the marina area of Puerto Vallarta, there is golf, there are the beaches and several restaurants. If you need to go anywhere including down town, you must either drive or take one of the previous mentioned buses. Once you get used to them they are not bad, and they are quite inexpensive, especially if you use them everyday like we did.

There are also buses that can be taken to the surrounding towns. They run a little less often and they are more comfortable. For us this was the simplest and least expensive way to get around Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas. We stayed in the marina area and took a bus somewhere almost every day.

Riding the Buses

One small practical tip about riding the buses is that you should note the direction that the bus is going and which side the sun is shining on. Sit on the opposite side to avoid being roasted by the heat of the sun. This happened to us. All of the locals were sitting on the shaded side and all of the empty seats were on the other side. We endured an hour bus ride in the hot sun. We enjoyed our trip, but that part of it was not a lot of fun.

Save

Save

We had lunch with friends at Las Casuelas Nuevo today. They had invited us for lunch and we were happy to accept their offer at this Mexican restaurant. It is actually located in Rancho Mirage and there is a sister restaurant in Palm Springs.

The good was pretty good and the drinks also. We had a fajita and our friends had an enchilada. Both meals were the usual great Mexican food that we love to enjoy. We also enjoyed a grande margarita made from a really good tequila.

Las Casuelas Nuevo

We sat outside on the patio with shade trees to protect us from the sun. This is a really nice quaint restaurant that takes you out of Palm Springs and places you in a small town in Mexico without ever leaving the United States or Palm Springs California. There is lots of character at this location and you are protected from the hot sun as well. With the trees, shade, and mist during the hot months, this is a really great place to spend some time and have a nice Mexican style meal.

At the entrance, there is this beautiful fountain to welcome you and provide a traffic circle. All in all, not a bad spot to enjoy brunch or dinner. For more information about restaurants in the Palm Springs area, click here.

Save

Just had a stone chip repaired on my car’s windshield. The shop I went to was Safelite Autoglass Repair. I know it was a Monday morning, but they took me in at 9:00 am and I was finished 20 minutes later! This is the third time I used their services and I have been more than satisfied each time. They offer great service and each time, I was able to have my car serviced within 30 minutes of arriving at their facility.

I choose to go into their repair depot, but for $20 more I could have had their Safelite service at my location. Talk about service!

Safelite Autoglass Repair

This repair is under warranty for as long as I own the car and if the windshield cracks, they will subtract the cost of the original repair from the cost of the new windshield. Coverage is across the US in all states and also in Canada at companies displaying the Safelite logo.  The warranty is excellent. We have used this service multiple times we are more than satisfied with this company and their service.

If you are Canadian a new windshield is going to cost $850 in Canada. While in Palm Springs where these repairs were done, the cost is $247! Go figure! They are located at 1243 N GENE AUTRY TRAIL PALM SPRINGS CA 92262.
Tel. 760-779-5583

For more general travel stuff, click here.

Save

We had dinner at the Kaiser Grill again this year in Palm Springs with some friends and as usual the service and meals were excellent. It was on a Saturday evening and the restaurant, in fact all of the area restaurants are very busy. We were fortunate to have a table on the patio close to the sidewalk. We could also people watch as we enjoyed our meals. Around 7pm they turned on the overhead heaters just to take the chill off the night air. These heaters are really great and provide a comfortable environment.

Palm Springs Kaiser Grill

We enjoyed pizza, Caesar salads, penne pasta, grilled salmon and several appetizers. With such a broad order and a busy night, Saturday, all of our food arrived on time and all of it was hot!

In addition it tasted great too! We have never been disappointed by this restaurant. We also enjoy sitting at the bar for happy hour were the prices are reduced. The food is also great. Happy hour is served only at the bar, inside at the high tables and the side patio. The front patio is reserved for patrons who are dining and paying full price. The Palm Springs Kaiser Grill is a great place to dine and we recommend it. As a result we will be going back their soon.

For more Palm Springs Restaurant reviews, click here.

Save

Ever wanted to see Marilyn Monroe ? Well now you can in Palm Springs! Her stay in Palm Springs apparently has been extended to the end of the year for 2013. The Palm Springs council is trying to have Marilyn become a permanent resident of the city. As a result they managed to hold on to her until April of 2014. She was dismantled and shipped to New jersey to be placed on display there. She really adds a great deal to the downtown area. As a result it is one of the most photographed locations in the city. Hence Palm Springs will miss her and we hope they can return her to Palm Springs some day soon.

Palm Springs Marilynn

This image or statue of Marilyn is 26 feet high and shows her in that famous pose holding her dress in place. Thousands of tourists have their pictures taken every day with Marilyn. They only come up to her knees! Day or night she still takes a great picture. As a result both kids and adults are enjoying her stay in Palm Springs.

This one was taken at night with my iPhone 5. Which I think did a great job considering it was so dark.  She was located downtown across the street from Starbucks and beside the old mall. Which is being renovated. There is a new hotel going in and there are more shops and restaurants being added as well. All of this should be completed by the end of 2014 or early 2015. Palm Springs is attempting to revitalize the down town are and create or compete with Palm Desert. In addition they also want to compete with some of the other desert valley towns. This is really considered the ist phase of the development and should greatly improve the city. Returning Palm Springs Marilynn will also add to the cities attractions and bring many people down town to shops and restaurants.

Save

The women in this picture is wired up for a sleep study at a sleep clinic which is specifically equipped to study how we sleep at night and how well we sleep. Having gone through one of these sleep studies, the writer can tell you that although it is a bit intimidating with all the wires, it is well worth the effort. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, this can be one of the reasons for a sleep study; however there are other reasons that doctors will order this kind of study. In the writers case it was because I have a lot of allergies and I was suspected to have sleep apnea.

Reasons for a Sleep Study

Basically I was not sleeping well. I was very tired all of the time and could fall asleep almost any time that I closed my eyes, sitting up, lying down, in my office chair etc. On top of that the snoring was pretty bad and I think my spouse had had enough. After the sleep study it was confirmed that I had sleep apnea and that I should start using a CPAP machine. It was the best thing that I have done. I sleep very well now and I do not snore, thanks to my wife’s suggestion.

What Sensors are Connected During a Sleep Study

There are quite a few sensors connected during your sleep study. They are monitoring a variety of aspects which can interrupt your sleep as well as monitoring how well you sleep. They are as follows:

• Air intake to measure your actual breathing rhythm
• Sensors beside your eyes to measure eye movement and rem sleep
• Sensors on your head to measure brain activity
• Senor on your chin to measure whether you sleep with your mouth open or not
• Sensors on your chest to measure heart rate
• Sensors on your legs to measure how much you move your legs in the night
• Sensor on your finger to measure the oxygen levels in your blood

This can seem like a lot and you may wonder how you will ever get to sleep with all of this stuff on. But you do go to sleep and all they need is four hours of sleep to complete a sleep study. Most sleep apnea people are pretty tired anyway and have no trouble sleeping just about anywhere. One caution if you are going in for a sleep study. Do not have a coffee after three o’clock in the afternoon and do not bring one with you to the hospital. Apparently people do this and then wonder why they cannot sleep.

Results of Sleep Study

The results of the sleep study were pretty amazing and really they justify the reasons for a sleep study in the first place. During my study, I did stop breathing at various times due to sleep apnea. When this happens, you wake up partially so your sleep is disturbed and you do not get a good sleep especially if this occurs often enough. In addition, my oxygen level lowered to dangerous levels during this time frame and my heart also sped up to a very high level. Apparently your blood pressure also sky rockets during a sleep apnea episode; however they did not measure that. All of these things can contribute to a heart attack or a stroke or both! These are the primary reasons for a sleep study. All of us want to avoid having either a heart attack or a stroke.

During my sleep study, I actually did sleep, although not well due to my ongoing sleep apnea problems, they were able to collect all of the information they needed for the doctor to assess and make a recommendation for me regarding a CPAP machine.

Impact of Using a CPAP Machine

I now have one of these machines and it has made a wonderful difference in my life. I sleep well now. Also I do not snore, and the machine is so quiet that it does not bother me or my spouse. It also has a side effect in that it helps me breathe better when my allergies are bothering me. If you have or suspect that you have sleep apnea, I strongly recommend that you go for a sleep study. You will sleep much better. You will eat less since you will not need that burst of energy you normally look for from snacking food. That means getting control of your weight as well.

For more information about sleep studies and sleep issues, click here.

A test of blogging using my iPhone. You can really do a lot with an iPhone including maintaining your blogs while doing the laundry or other activities that involve waiting for something to complete. In this case, I was waiting for the dryer to finish its job, but just as easily could have been shopping with my wife and I could be blogging while I was waiting for her to make a decision on a pair of shoes or a new purse. This is a great tool for writing on blogs.

Writing on blogs

Just trying blogging using my new iPad mini! Works really great! If you are a blogger earning your income from your websites or just enjoy blogging, then the iPhone or the iPad, either the mini or the regular-sized version are great tools of the trade. There is a WordPress app for these devices that lets you monitor your blogs and makes the activity of reading comments, approving them, or deleting them an easy process. Users can trigger updates to the WordPress engine or the plugins that you use as well as update and create new posts.

I have only been using the iPhone for this purpose for the past two months to update my blogs. I really like the idea of being able to take a picture and have it on my blog within minutes. It is basically as soon as I can upload it to the blog.

If I do not have the time or are just not into it that day, I can also send an email to the blog with the picture and it will be posted on my blog as well. Now isn’t that neat? Well best be getting along now and doing some more blog posts and updates to my other posts.

For more general travel information, click here.

Save

Save

It has been many years since we have dined at this restaurant called Mamma Theresa’s at the corner of Somerset and O’Connor streets in the city of Ottawa. It is located in a nice old building with lots of history and character. The building is old and if you enjoy this sort of thing is a great place to spend an afternoon. Or an evening  having a drink or going for dinner. When you walk in the main entrance you will find the dining room on the right. The bar area is on the left. We were there at lunch time in January. The place was almost empty so we expected really good service and food.

Mamma Theresa’s Restaurant – Review

Unfortunately it did not live up to its reputation. The service was fine and the servers were very attentive. After all they did not have to work too hard since there was only about 5 other tables that were occupied. This is a rather large restaurant which seats roughly twenty tables or so.

The food just did not live up to our original memories of the place or what you might expect of this kind of restaurant. We each had a lunch time meal of pasta, a salad, one beer and two glasses of wine. The bill with tip for lunch came to $70, an outrageous price for what we were served.  The pasta did not seem fresh and my wife ordered  pasta with cream sauce and she was served one with tomato sauce.

There is parking around the corner off of O’Connor street and also on the street if you can find a parking spot. You must feed the meter or risk a parking ticket. There is also parking in nearby parking lots were you need to surrender your keys to the attendant since the lots are usually so full.

Need less to say we will not be going back to this restaurant for many years. For more things to do in Ottawa, click here.

Save

These two pictures were taken just east of the parliament buildings in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. on the Ottawa River. We were with some friends who have a boat that they moor at one of the marina’s on the river. We boated from this location up to the parliament buildings, back to the Gatineau river and up this river to the inlet that takes you to the Hull Casino at Lac Lemay.

Ottawa river

The casino has a boat dock so we went there and tied up the boat and headed into the casino. We had something to eat, gambled a bit and then headed back to the boat to go home. This was a really nice day and we won a little bit of money as well. Our friends wanted to be off the river before it got dark, otherwise we would have stayed at the casino for a little while longer.

The Ottawa river is a great river to go boating on. It is deep and wide and for the most part quite safe. You do need to pay attention to where you are going and look for shallow locations which are marked in most places. This can be a very fun way to spend a day out on the water. Many people also go fishing as well.

For more hiking related posts, click here.

It is common sense that a central vacuums are better for your health with the canister / motor located outside. They are better for your health and for your allergies than almost any other vacuum! Why is this, the case you ask? The traditional vacuum that you use today is only as good as the filter. It captures a percentage of the dust and dirt that finds its way into your home.

It will capture the larger particles with no problem. You routinely empty all the dirt into the trash can. However the finer particles will pass right through the filter and back into the air of your home. These fine particles consist of dirt, bacteria and viruses. Many people are allergic to these things and some of these can even make you sick. While they were on the floor and not being disturbed they really do not bother anyone. They are so small that you do not see them and you do not breathe them when they are at rest on the floor or furniture.

Once the vacuum stirs them up they are now in the air for you to breathe and ingest into your lungs. They can irritate the linings of the nose and throat and the lungs causing an allergic reaction among many people.

How Are Central Vacuums Different

Central vacuums are no different if the canister is located inside the home. They have an exhaust and will blow the fine particles around the house in the same way that the regular vacuum will. In fact they may be worse since many people will locate them in the utility area close to the furnace which will capture these particles and blow them throughout the house.

Consumers who locate the central vacuum outside in the garage will be doing themselves and their families a huge favor. Now all air is exhausted outside the living area of the home. Your garage may be a little dustier as a result; however this is far superior to having any of these particles inside your home. Now all dust, bacteria, mites and viruses are not longer suspended in the air of your home. They are outside in your garage. Some homeowners will even open the garage door to allow better circulation of fresh air.

One work of caution, do not locate the canister for the central vacuum close to the fresh air vent for the furnace or air exchange system. Most are not in the garage; however we thought that this point should be included for obvious reasons.

Other Advantages of a Central Vacuum in Addition to being Better for Your Health

No one likes to dust furniture. We all have to dust furniture all of the time, since no matter what we do, there always seems to be a fine layer of dust that settles out of the air onto the furniture. This is partially some of the dust that passes through your vacuums dust bag into the air inside your home.

By exhausting the exhaust air from your central vacuum located in the garage, there will be much less dust particles in your home and the amount of dusting you need to do will be vastly decreased. The same is true for all cleaning that is needed on a regular basis.

Central vacuum hoses are covered with a cloth bag so that they will not mark the furniture as you drag it about the house while doing your vacuuming. Central vacuum hoses are also lighter and easier to move around your home compared to the large traditional vacuums.

Why Did we Include this Topic on a Diet Site

We strongly feel that diet, allergies, and tiredness from not sleeping due to allergies are all related. If you are tired all of the time, the tendency is to eat to replace the energy you do not have. People eat high sugar foods to give them that instant energy hit. It helps them get you through the day. If you can reduce the dust by using a central vacuum there is a better chance of getting a good night’s sleep. Hence as a  result eating much less.

The more we investigate all of these topics related to diet, we are finding that there is a link and we want people to be aware of these links and topics. For more information about allergies, click here.

Save

This picture is the front of the Beau Rivage Biloxi Mississippi facing north. Beautiful spot, very classy with several fine restaurants and a really good buffet. Friday nights is a seafood buffet with all you can eat crab legs. We will add more to this post shortly.  We stayed at this hotel for two nights in January 2013 and sampled the slot machines, the pool area, and the restaurants. we enjoyed our coffee at the coffee shop, which by the way will give you a free refill all day long as long as you have a receipt to show that you purchased a coffee that day. Pretty good deal for coffee, especially if you drink a lot of coffee.

Beau Rivage Biloxi Mississippi

We also ate at their restaurant which you can order your meals. Large portions of food with every meal. We suggest that you split your meal since the portions are so large. This restaurant is located at the front of the hotel and there is an atrium with lots of windows that make the place bright and cheery. We also tried the buffet on Friday night which was a seafood buffet. A bit expensive and more so because the crab legs were really not up to par for us.

The pool area is pretty nice too. Located on the third floor on the south side you are guaranteed sunshine all day long.  The pool overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. There is a bar located near the pool and they serve food as well. A great place to spend an afternoon.

For more casino information, click here.

Save

This picture is taken from about one mile away while standing on a dock. The dock goes out into the water for about a thousand feet. The Beau Rivage has located in Biloxi Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico. The Hardrock Hotel & Casino is next door and both hotels are modern and classy. We have only stayed at the Beau Rivage which we enjoy very much. It is based on the better hotels in Vegas. Although it is a bit smaller than most Vegas hotels, it is very nice. There is lots of marble and a huge atrium in the entrance area.

Beau Rivage Casino Biloxi – Sandy Beach

Heading west from the hotel there are miles and miles of sandy beach to walk along. This was taken in the middle of January with the temperature at around 22c or maybe 70f. Beautiful sunny day with light winds!  This area was devastated by Katrina a few years ago. Many people are concerned about going barefoot in the sand. We did not see any evidence of material left from Katrina, however, if you are concerned, wear protective rubber shoes to protect your feet.

It is a shame really because the beaches go on for miles and miles with shallow water that you can wade out into. The water is warm and the sand soft. What more could you want? The Biloxi area is a nice area to spend some time in if you are looking for sun, sand, and water!

Beau Rivage Casino Biloxi – Winters can be Cool

The area of Biloxi can be cool in the wintertime. We have been there when the temperatures have been near 80 degrees. At other times the temperature has been as low as freezing with ice and even snow. If you are vacationing in Biloxi in January and February, you are taking a chance. You could up with bad or cool weather during this time of year.

We just had dinner at the seafood buffet put on by the Beau Rivage casino on Friday nights. At $29.99, it is a good deal with all the crab legs you can eat plus everything else! We enjoyed it very much , the food was great and so was the service. Most of the casino buffets are pretty good with lots of choice and really well prepared food. Some are better than others based on presentation, the decor of the buffet area and the area where you sit to enjoy your food.  The buffet at the Beau Rivage is definitely pretty good in all of these areas, however read on for more specific comments.

Beau Rivage Casino Buffet

This picture is not the best that could have been taken. However it shows the restaurant and the front of the actual Beau Rivage Casino buffet. It was a little pricey, not something you do every day, but well worth the money. We had crab legs of course, seafood gumbo, salad, various other foods from the sea and desert and coffee. There was all of the other standard foods as well that you see st these buffets. As usual we ate far too much food and although we enjoy buffets we really should stay away from them. They are just too tempting with all of that great food.

If you are staying at this hotel, a trip to the buffet is well worth the price. Try to be at the hotel when they are offering their seafood special. It will be more expensive than the buffet on other days, but it is well worth the price. the entire hotel is a really nice place to spend a few days. Take in the pool on the 3rd floor over looking the gulf. Enjoy drinks at one of the many bars and relax over a beautiful dinner.

This is the main entrance to the Beau Rivage Hotel and the casino located in Biloxi, Mississippi. Beautiful grounds that are well kept and very pleasant to walk around. The only negative about these grounds is that they are usually in the shade. Until later in the spring when the sun has moved further north and temperatures warm up. We stayed at this hotel in mid-January. We were fortunate to find sunny skies with warm temperatures. The hotel is located along the Gulf of Mexico along the shore with a 3rd-floor swimming pool on the south side looking out over the Gulf of Mexico.

The Beau Rivage is part of the MGM Resorts group and that means that your M-Life card works here as well and so do the comp’s that you may be eligible for.  We were fortunate and receive one night free and the other night at the casino rate which saved us a lot of money. The drinks are free while you are gambling as usual and they have several very nice restaurants that serve really great food in their restaurant and their buffet.

Beau Rivage Casino – Elegant

This hotel although smaller than the Las Vegas hotels has all of the elegance of these hotels. Marble floors, high ceilings, very clean and nicely decorated. We like visiting this hotel for its ambiance and for the area that it is in. We enjoy walking along the beach which has lots of sand and really is a beautiful place to spend time when the weather is great. Unfortunately, some buildings along the coast still show the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Some are being rebuilt and many still have not been reconstructed.

They still allow smoking, but at least there is lots of air movement so that you do not notice the smoke as much unless someone is smoking a cigar. Why do they still allow smoking in these casinos? Who knows? The cost of cleaning and the cost of dealing with repairs caused by the buildup of ashes and nicotine is monumental.

There are more and more nonsmoking areas. Even with these areas, the smoke drifts around especially when someone is smoking a cigar. These people are really ignorant and should never be allowed to smoke inside a building.

Save

Reality shows fake or not? Of course they are not real in the sense that the show is not scripted at all. These shows have some things that are based on reality and they are enhanced to improve their appeal to the audience! Even dancing with the stars is planned in every detail with the main exception that the outcome is really up to the skill of the dancers, the judges scores and the scores from the audience. It is probably the most realistic of all of the reality shows. Of course one show that is clearly scripted and actually not very well is the show called Storage Wars.

Reality Shows Fake or Not

Even its participants have indicated that some of the units that go up for sale have planted items in them to make it more interesting. For example the vast majority of units that go up for sale are just junk piles that need cleaning out. If you have ever been to an auction you know they can be pretty boring. No TV audience is ever going to watch this unless you spruce it up!

How many lockers do they go through for example before they find something interesting? How come other buyers never seem to win a locker? Barry for example never seems to make money!

For more posts about reality shows, click here.

Save

Can you imagine being at this pool? Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and enjoying the sun! This pool is on the third floor of the hotel at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi with a large gym to work out in as well. There is a bar and restaurant in the pool area. We took this particular picture in the middle of January during a time when the weather was a little colder than it normally is. In warm weather the pool would be crowded, the bar is open and music is blasting out. You can also eat on the pool level on sunny warm days, where you are protected from the wind.

Beau Rivage Hotel  – Spa

The spa and gym are also on the third floor facing out onto the pool. The treadmills in the gym even have their own personal TVs for each machine which you can tune to your channel and listen to as long as you have earbuds. If you are a guest at the hotel, hotel patrons can use the gym. The Spa will cost extra. We found that the gym and the spa were really not used that much. People just like to spend time at the pool or in the casino, rather than work out in the gym. Can’t say I blame them.

Beau Rivage Hotel – Restaurants

The service is great, the food is excellent and the portions are large. We enjoy staying at this hotel and will come back again. We ate at both the restaurant as well as the buffet. The buffet was a bit expensive for the food that was served. This was a seafood night with crab legs and the crab legs just did not measure up for us. However, all in all, this is a great place to spend a few days and be on the ocean.

Can you imagine being at this Beau Rivage Casino pool? Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and enjoying the sun! This is a great place to spend an afternoon, soaking up some rays and enjoying the water.

This pool is on the third floor of the hotel with a large gym to work out in as well overlooking the pool area. There are a bar and restaurant in the pool area. During busy times this bar is hopping. On this particular day, it was overcast a bit and cool. It was January and what would you expect. Still, there were people sun tanning and taking the occasional swim even if it was January.

Beau Rivage Casino Pool

The treadmills in the gym even have their own personal TV for each machine. The service is great, the food is excellent and the portions are large. The rates are also reasonable as well and you can walk to the Hardrock Casino which is just two blocks away if you are looking for something different.

The Gym is also on the 3rd floor and looks onto the pool area. There are free towels and there is no charge to use the gym.

We enjoy staying at this hotel and will come back again. and especially the Beau Rivage Casino Pool. For more details about Biloxi, Mississippi, click here.

Save

Lip Syncing Beyonce – WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 21: Beyonc? performs the national anthem as U.S. President Barack Obama looks on during the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. Barack Obama was re-elected for a second term as President of the United States. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Did Beyonce lip-sync the “Star-Spangled Banner? Who really cares? Lip Syncing Beyonce is just one more fake movie star that earns too much for what the do. The important thing is that she did not flub the song which would have been the talk of all the networks the next day. Instead, they focused on the inauguration and the important stuff. It only came out later that she may have lip sync’d and really who cares if she did or not.

Her career would have suffered if she had flubbed the anthem or if her voice gave out in the cold. Her career right now is red hot, so why risk damaging that. She can always come back later in better conditions and sing the anthem for real, which she apparently did just to prove that it can be done and she can do it.! I am sure the president did not care if she lip sync’d or not. He would prefer everything to go smoothly we assume, which it did

Lip Syncing Beyonce

They are still talking about how he flubbed his lines the previous time when he was sworn into office. Besides, it was really cold and although we do not sing in our family, we understand that singing in cold weather is difficult. The throat can be dry and the sound does not carry the same among other issues.

Dance and Sing at the Same Time

So who really cares. We want the best performance and we got it. So that brings me to the videos were they dance and sing at the same time.

There is no way these performers can be active and sing perfectly. They would have to be in outstanding shape and even then they would have to be a little bit out of breath to be able to dance and sing! Just try it yourself to see how far you get without your breath beginning to rasp a bit. So get used to it, lip-syncing has been going on for a long time and will continue to do so.

Save