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Fall Camping Reverie

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Mar 142024
 

Time for one of those columns journalists pull out of their hat when no single thread wants to develop into an article…

• Our family camped and toured through the Rocky Mountain House/Nordegg area of western Alberta this summer. Base-camp for a week was at David Thompson Resort located just off Highway 11 and backing onto Abraham Lake. For raw beauty, there are few areas in North America that compare to it. One afternoon, as we stood overlooking the lake, a couple from Washington exclaimed they had never seen anything like it. The pristine shade of blue waters combined with the snow-covered, jagged peaks of the Rockies made for postcard material. Facilities at the campground were comfortable with most amenities available right on the grounds, including gas. A half-mile down the road helicopter tours were available, as well as horseback riding on the opposite side of the highway. The surrounding area is also a hiker’s haven.

We took an afternoon to drive the Ram River Falls Loop which goes south from Nordegg and returns at Rocky Mountain House. The falls are impressive, and there are a number of primitive camping spots located along the loop, many of which are free. Though the main road is good (gravel), you should have the right vehicle to access the remote camping areas. (Your Honda Accord with a tent trailer behind may not cut it.) Again, the scenery is splendid. Friends of ours have even observed one of the few remaining herds of North American wild horses that roam the area. We hoped to see them ourselves but were disappointed.

We also made it to another of my favorite spots this summer: Marten River Provincial Campground on Lesser Slave Lake. The lake is very large, like being on the ocean, except that the water is shallow for quite a distance from shore. This, along with the beautiful sandy beaches, makes for lots of fun for the kids. The campsites are spacious, level and private (surrounded by large evergreens and lush foliage). This campground is reasonably priced and well maintained, has showers and free firewood. The amenities are basic, but clean. Excellent summer getaway spot.

• Rising oil prices are becoming an issue for the camping/RV industry. We spoke with Carston Urban of the RVDA to see if the Association has noticed any trends. Are people venturing out less, making vehicle changes, etc.? The only significant thing he has noticed is a swing from fifth wheels to travel trailers. They are lighter and allow more options for pulling. Certainly manufacturers have made some excellent advancements in the variety and quality of ultralights and hybrids (travel trailers with tent trailer extensions). Look for this trend to continue.

• There is a strange policy among many campground owners regarding reservations/refunds that the industry needs to re-evaluate. One resort we stayed at this summer (booked by phone well in advance) required the full week’s payment by credit card with no cancellations within 14 days and no leaving early (if you wanted a refund, that is). Apparently this is quite common.

The hotel industry is much more reasonable. Many hotels require only a partial deposit and allow refunds up to 24 hours before arrival. In chatting with the owner about this he cited the need to recover costs from vandals and deadbeats, and the difficulty of re-booking a site if vacated early. The logic doesn’t add up though. If the campground is busy (and the customer wants to leave early), there certainly will be no trouble in re-issuing the site. And if the resort isn’t busy, well, what’s the problem? There are plenty of sites to choose from for any new customers.

Owners need to remember the best way to recover costs from vandals and deadbeats is to keep your good customers happy and coming back. And making them swallow half a week’s deposit or forcing them to endure three more days of rain-soaked camping is not the way to do it…

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“Gold, a Hedge against the Perils of Interesting Times”

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Mar 132024
 

Timothy Malone – While paper-based investments and real estate are vulnerable to effects of changing times, gold soars. A precious metals investment may save a portfolio when all else fails.

The old Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times”, has particular relevance to the current epoch of U.S. history. There’s a lot going on right now, much of it scary. Major investors around the world are responding to the events of our perilous age by sinking their dollars, deutschmarks and yen into gold, silver and palladium; Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and billionaire speculator George Soros to name but a few. Big financial institutions like the Central Banks of Russia and China are also leaping onto the metals bandwagon driving the price of these precious commodities ever higher.

This is spurring a gold rush not witnessed since the Misery Index years of the 1970s. Many financial experts now view gold in particular as an island of stability in a paper-based investment market growing stormier all the time, a development that bodes well for everyday folks who want to shore up their retirement accounts with a precious metals hedge.

“People the world over are losing faith in politicians, and currencies,” says Marc Lubaszka, President/CEO, World Financial, a highly successful investment firm specializing in precious metals based in Studio City, Calif. “This has resulted in a flight to gold and other precious metals, a storehouse of value for more than five thousand years. Investors are taking their money out of paper assets, and putting it where it is likely to earn a better return in uncertain times.”

Old Reliables Unreliable
Investments once considered as stable as granite are rapidly losing ground, Lubaszka explains. Real estate is but one example. Long praised as a slam-dunk by money gurus, home-buying is no longer viewed as a hurdle-free path to profit. Stratospheric pricing and higher interest rates are putting intolerable pressure on the current housing bubble, factors bound to bust the suds sooner or later and drive the overheated real estate market into deepfreeze.

“The housing bubble will burst rather than gradually deflate, following the rapid and violent pattern of decline of nearly every financial bubble throughout history,” Lubaszka says. “Higher interest rates negatively impact not only the health of the housing market but other economic segments as well. The stock market takes a hit because higher rates make it more costly for companies to pay for debt. Higher rates hurt corporate profit margins and reduce stock value, bad news given the deep debt situation so many companies are in today.”

Paper is Passé
According to Lubaszka, the U.S. dollar has lost more than 80% of its original value since the early 70’s when we went to a floating currency, a situation not helped very much by the debut of the Euro in the late 1990s. Unlike American dollars, a portion of the Euro is gold-backed, a stability feature that has helped it outperform the dollar over the long haul. It is for this reason that many foreign investors have been taking money out of U.S. dollars and putting it into gold and oil instead, one explanation for why the price of both has continued to rise in recent months.

“Gold prices are climbing right now because the Federal Reserve is printing dollars in flood proportions to keep the real estate market afloat,” adds Richard Russell, editor Dow Theory Letters, a stock market trends and securities report published since 1946. “This is creating inflation, which erodes purchasing power. All the world’s central banks are inflating right now, reducing confidence in paper globally and encouraging gold-buying. India and China are spurring gold prices as well. India is the world’s largest gold-consumer, and the Chinese government is actively encouraging its citizens to buy gold.”

All are extremely encouraging signs for gold investors. Over the course of the past 35 years, gold has climbed in value from a modest $35 an ounce to nearly $600. Contrast that with the battered U.S. dollar, a currency currently worth only 20% of its value in 1970.

“When gold peaked-out in the 1970s, interest rates were at an all-time high,” Lubaszka says. “Right now we’re waiting to feel the effects of the last 9 interest rate increases which generally take 6-9 months to begin impacting the economy. Now’s the time to buy gold because when rates go up, downward pressure is exerted on real estate, stocks and bonds and commodities like gold tend to increase. The opposite occurs when rates travel from a high to a low. That’s the time to reduce gold assets and increase the paper part of a portfolio.”

Buy Without Getting Burned
Michelle Henderson, a talent agency owner in Los Angeles, Calif. understands the stakes when it comes to investing. “As an agent I work in a commission-based world, and have to invest in both people and ideas all the time,” she says. “Though I’d had bad experiences with stock investments in the past, I knew I would eventually find something that would work for me. I invested in a diversified metals portfolio made up of palladium, silver and gold, and earned a profit of 38% with the palladium alone. Staying focused on making money, and following World Financials advice, I was able to earn an above-average return and greatly increase the overall value of my assets safely.”

Lubaszka explain, “It’s probably best for the first time investor to begin conservatively by purchasing physical metals instead of gold stocks, which can be very volatile”. According to Clearwater, Fla.-based talk show host and gold analyst, Tom O’Brien, when metals gain 20%, gold equities jump by fifty or sixty per cent. That’s great when it happens but the reverse can occur as well.

Buy gold bars or coins, and put them in a safety deposit box. If you chose to purchase coins from a coin shop, make certain you pay the lowest price possible and that they have a buy back policy. If you elect to go with a broker, fees will be inevitable because you are purchasing a tangible commodity.

There are brokers, and then there are brokers. The best of the breed will answer all questions, and make the process of first-time gold buying less nerve-wracking. Great brokers are also accessible when needed, and quick to call with any new information that affects the value of the investment.

Work with established companies, five years in business is good, ten even better. Don’t bother with firms that badger you with telemarketing offers or apply high-pressure sales tactics. Avoid paying high commissions too. Some brokers have layers of fees, through which they earn more money then they do investing on behalf of customers. There are also companies out there that will not buy metal back. Stay away from them as well.

“Check references and Better Business Bureau ratings”, Lubaszka adds. “Deal with a company that takes an active interest in doing business with you. World Financial, for example, offers a five-star customer satisfaction guarantee. If questions are not answered or we fail to respond to a prospect’s call or email within 24 hours, that person receives a one ounce silver American Eagle coin free of charge. A financial advisor’s job is to ease the investment process, and to insure that customers get the most for their money. Good advisers are merely good, but the best are worth their weight in gold.”

To contact World Financial directly call 818.264.4085. World Financial is the premiere provider of precious metals to investors nationwide. Aside from offering numerous incentive programs, World Financial offers clients the right type of precious metal strategy for every investor’s needs. They are located at 12198 Ventura Blvd Ste 200, Studio City CA, 91604. http://www.worldfinancialdaily.com

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Exquisite History of Wines

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Mar 122024
 

To make a white wine, once grapes are brought to the winery they are de-stemmed and crushed before anything else is done. A machine is used to split the grapes to remove stems and stalks from each bunch because they contain astringent tannins, which might be acceptable for red wines, but are rare in whites. To stop the fermentation process from starting and turning the grapes brown and oxidizing a chemical called Sulphur Dioxide is added to the grapes. For those with allergies to Sulphur Dioxide, “sulphur-free” wine is produced as well, however the lifespan on this wine is much shorter and needs to be consumed quickly.


Wine has been called the elixir of happiness “” and not without good reason. It is hard to imagine any party or celebration without any representative from the vine. This is probably why people have always assumed that wine was born right next to man.


But how did wine really originate? Who came up with the idea of fermenting fruits with the purpose of making the alcoholic beverages?


Records of the use of wine go back all the way to ancient Egypt in 2500 BC. But it is not implausible that wine was used earlier than that. Evidence seems to point to the Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations as the originators of wine.


Early man probably stumbled upon the wonders that fermentation did to fruits (especially grapes with its high sugar content). Archaeological excavations have unearthed ancient wineries and fermenting pools. This is a testament to the popularity and early knowledge about wines.
Learn the art of Wine Tasting


Wine, for that matter, has been used for a startling variety of purposes. In the early days, aside from being the choice beverage for celebrations, wine was also used symbolically in religious sacraments, and during taking vows. There is even evidence that wine was used as medicine for frail countenances, and as an antiseptic for wounds. That is why wine has maintained an importance beyond that of making one drunk.


The popularity of wine spread from the Old World and its cultures to the newly found lands annexed by their empires. From here the cultivation of grapes needed for winemaking spread to the lands of South America and Australia.


The enology, or the study of wine making, of different cultures has made for a dizzying variety of wine. The main types of wine are Table Wines, Sparkling Wines, and Fortified Wines.


Table Wines are pressed grape juice that is allowed to ferment naturally “” with or without a little addition of sugar and yeast to aid the fermentation. These wines can be sweet or dry, depending on the vinification (or fermentation style), and they typically have a low alcohol content of 7 to 15 percent.


Fortified Wines have additional alcohol content in them and are have typically 14 to 23 percent alcohol in them.


Sparkling Wine was first discovered in the 18th century by a monk named Dom Pierre Perignon. Sparkling Wine is wine witch has a bubbly texture to it lent by the carbon dioxide that forms within it during the fermentation. Technically, it is a doubly fermented wine, with the second fermentation happening in the bottle itself. Extra yeast and sugar is added to the wine to produce carbon dioxide that builds up until the wine is uncorked.

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How To Make Homemade Wines

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Mar 112024
 

Prepare the Produce. First, inspect the fruit to ensure the grapes are ripe and free of insects or other contaminants. Put the grapes in the straining bag and measure the sugar level using your hydrometer. A hydrometer can be purchased at any wine making store. The sugar density should be 22 ideally. Also, remember to remove the stems from all grapes in order to make your wine smoother and sweeter. Finish this step by transferring the ingredients into the jug. Wine has been an important part of any occasion. It is commonly made from fermented grape juice, flowers, and grains. Countries like Italy, Portugal, United States, and Argentina are among the largest exporters of different wines.
Art of Wine Tasting.


The most expensive kind of wine is called “vintage”. Vintage wines are made from the highest quality grapes that are harvested several years before they are sold to the public.


While some wines are very expensive, there are some of good quality and that are relatively inexpensive. Among these wines are homemade wines that are commonly served to show old English hospitality.


Home winemaking is an exciting hobbiy designed for people who love social drinking or who are fond of giving away wine as gifts. Here are some tips on how to make homemade wine:


1. Get fresh produce from fields and orchards that let buyers pick their own fruits. Another option is getting fruit concentrate being sold by local winemaking stores.


2. Buy equipment needed in home winemaking. These are fermentation locks, Demijohns, plastic funnels, trial jars, siphon tubes, and wine bottles with corks.


3. Gather necessary ingredients to put flavor and a distinct taste to the wine. These are yeast, pectic enzyme, wine tannin, acid blend, and campden tablets.


4. Get recipies of the favorite wines to have accurate information about the exact amount of ingredients to use. The tip in making the best wine is accurately mixing ingredients to achieve desired taste.


5. Use fermentation bags in collecting pulp and submerge it into the wine mixture. Set aside covered fermenter within 24 hours.


6. Put yeast on the grape juice surface and cover it. Let the mixture ferment within 7 days.


7. After 7 days, discard pulp and siphon the mixture to prepare for secondary fermenter.


8. Add water to the wine mixture and allow it to ferment for 4-6 weeks or until it appears completely clear. Use hydrometer to make sure fermentation has been completed. Hydrometer should show 0.989 and 0.990 on its gravity scale.


9. The wine should be cleared completely after following the first 8 steps. After that, siphon the wine and add five crushed campden tablets.


10. Bottle the homemade wine and let it age.



Today, the best wines on the market are home made. They are surprisingly delicious and inexpensive. Anyone can make wine by simply following these 10 basic steps and then you can start impressing friends and family members during get-togethers.

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Florida Investor Network Pursuing Condo Hotel Market

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Mar 102024
 

The FloridaCondoInvestor.com network (www.FloridaCondoInvestor.com), a web based investment group, announced today that the group will acquire Condo Hotel units throughout Florida in the upcoming year.

A condo hotel offers the opportunity to own an elegant and exquisitely furnished hotel room in some of the most desirable locations in the world. Since this is a purchase, the buyer not only gets a deed to the property, allowing the sale or transfer of the unit, but also tax and real estate appreciation benefits. When using the unit, the owner has access to all of the amenities of the hotel. When not in use, the unit can be a available to rent through the hotel’s rental program.

The number of units available today from conversions has swelled recently, and the success of these projects has given new life to older hotels in Florida. The demand for new construction has been extremely strong as well.

A major benefit to an owner of a Condo Hotel unit is stress-free ownership. When the unit owner wants to use the unit, they call the hotel and schedule a visit. During their stay, they enjoy all of the amenities and services of the hotel. When the unit is not being used, it can be rented through the hotel’s rental program, with no worry about maintenance and upkeep.

The hotel is generally managed by a brand-name hotel operator. This operator not only manages the hotel’s rental program, but also markets the units, takes reservations, operates the front desk, maintains the property, and provides the services hotel guests expect, such as housekeeping, food and beverage, spas and concierge.

Condo Hotel units are difficult to finance. FloridaCondoInvestor.com’s prefererred lender, Maranatha Mortgage (www.MaranathaMortgage.com) has access to special financing for Condo Hotels.

The number of developments coming online has well outpaced the institutional lenders that have a desire to fund condo hotel purchases. These loans are considered “portfolio” in nature, and will in most cases be held and serviced by the lender who originated the loan, or a number of loans will be packaged together and sold to private investors. Since there is a lack of a true secondary market, many lenders do not actively seek to originate condo hotel paper.

It is particularly difficult to finance units less than 600 square feet that may or may not have a kitchen. This primarily affects the conversion market, as most of the units are true hotel rooms, and do not have the room for a kitchenette. The square footage number and kitchen requirement stems from the older “condominium” guidelines set by Fannie Mae, and many lenders have not updated their own guidelines to accurately reflect the unique characteristics of condo hotel properties. As a result, this is very much a niche loan product.

Aside from the real estate taxes, insurance and a mortgage payment (if there is one), there is a monthly assessment that covers maintenance of the unit and common areas, furniture replacement, utilities and a reserve fund.

Is it mandatory for the unit owner to be in the hotels rental program? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Each development has different programs. In general, the rental program is voluntary, with a set amount of days per year the unit can be used.

The rental program is managed through a special reservation system that assigns “rotation points” to the units as they are occupied. This ensures that the units with the least amount of points are the next to be rented as long as they meet the guests’ requirements.

When the unit is being occupied by the owner, his friends or family, the hotel’s rental program does not assign any rotation points to it. Thus, you are encouraged to use your unit since the system will make up for the vacancy of the room upon your departure.

Typically, the revenue is split 50-50 between the owners and management after expenses and HOA dues.

If the unit owner decides to participate in the hotel’s rental program, he will receive a portion of the revenues from his unit. However, it is at the discrection of the management company to share the revenue from any of the hotel’s services (i.e. restaurants, spas, shops).

Anyone who is interested in real estate investing and would like to join this network at no cost can sign up at www.FloridaCondoInvestor.com. There is no cost to join the FloridaCondoInvestor.com network; Just the opportunity to work with some of the best in the business. Investors will have access to a million dollar database of Attorney’s, CPA’s, Mortgage and Real Estate specialists on every deal.
FloridaCondoInvestor.com is a web based investment group. Their philosophy is to locate excellent buying opportunities throughout the state of Florida and help their members create positive cash flow.

To contact Mike Linton for more information:

DiMucci Realty Company
Mike Linton / Realtor
3424 S. Atlantic Ave.
Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
(386)299-9275
www.FloridaCondoInvestor.com

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Free Adult Dating Site: Find Out What You Need To Know

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Mar 092024
 

With the advent of the Internet, with its chat rooms,
personals, free dating services, and even the paid sites, finding someone to
date has become easier and harder at the same time. Today, there are many free
online dating services as those that require memberships.



However, one of the reasons these free online dating services are not as popular
as those that require membership fees is that almost 45% of the single adults
who use these dating services are actually looking for serious relationships.



Here are some guidelines to remember when looking at free online dating sites.




1. Privacy policy

Even a free online dating site has to have its own privacy policy. This means
that online dating sites should never sell or use their member’s e-mail address
or personal information for anything else. Privacy policies usually are long and
full of legalese, but make sure you read it before posting anything on an
on-line dating site!



2. Background checking

It always pays off to do some checking before committing to a certain online
dating site. Read not only their promotional “success stories” on the site, but
also search and see what people are saying away from the site. It’s also best to
find a site that has a larger membership database. More members means more
choices.



3. Extra features

Not all free online dating services are created equal. So, even if they are
free, some can provide greater features compared to others.



4. Log-in safety measures

Even if the site seems okay, remember never to use your real name when creating
a user name or use an e-mail address. It is always best to maintain certain
level of secrecy for your security. Make sure you do not put any



5. Try before you sign up

Most internet services for dating let you test out their service for free. Some
let you enter your information and search the database but if you want to
contact anyone then you need to sign up and become a member. This system works
well for all as long as you follow the recommendations above.



So, whether or not free online dating services are favorable over paid services,
one thing should always be kept in mind: One’s safety should always be on top
priority. Never give out your address, meet your date in a neutral location with
lots of people, never get into the car with your date, and just practice some
common sense.

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Samsung X830: A Mini MP3 Phone

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Mar 082024
 

Earlier mobile phones were considered as bulky handsets used only as a fashion accessory. But these days, mobile phones are becoming all-in-one devices that are loaded with brilliant features. People consider their mobile phones as a style statement and even as a status symbol. Loaded with features like Bluetooth, infrared, MP3 player, external memory slot, VGA camera and host of other features, these latest handsets have become multipurpose devices. Besides communicating, you can play 3D games, listen to high quality music and take pictures with high megapixel camera.


Comparing the features of different models of mobile phones has become a confusing task. You should first make a list of features you need and then search for the mobile phone that has it. Also, you need to compare the prices, offers, and deals offered by different networks. After logging into any of the online mobile shops, you’ll find various networks like Orange, 3 mobile, T mobile, O2, Vodafone, Virgin offering mobile phone deals, mobile phone offers, cheap mobile phones, free line rentals, half line rentals, free handsets, etc.


The leading mobile manufacturer, Samsung comes with the latest Samsung X830 to fulfill your multimedia needs. The combination of an MP3 player and mobile phone, focuses on music lovers who are seeking a trendy mobile phone. The X830 is equipped with a 1.3 megapixel camera, GPRS and EDGE and 1GB memory. It functions like an MP3 player when closed. The music player interface horizontally displays the playlist, equaliser settings and song information. There is a music library that organises downloaded music according to album name, artist, song title and genre. Bluetooth connectivity lets you to talk or enjoy your music through a wireless stereo headset.


Addition to special offers at the lowest prices offered by leading networks can be found in the online mobile shops. These sophisticated handsets make you stand out in the crowd with their stunning looks, design and features.

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How To Choose a Best Ebook Compiler

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Mar 072024
 

How many of you have heard of an ebook compiler? If yes then let me help to choose a best ebook compiler among various others found in the market. Before getting started, let me give you a short recap about an ebook.


Well, an ebook compiler is a software application that changes a document to an executable (.exe) file. The ebook file created in it is generally a stand-alone file, so it doesn’t requires any other software application like Adobe Reader to view it.


You will have numerous options while choosing an ebook compiler nowadays. Although it is difficult to choose the best one among them, here I will help you to make a good choice.


    While using the software make sure that it is accompanied by an understandable and non technical manual and have enough documentation.
    Always choose an ebook compiler which can convert your document format (may it be html, text, word or MS PowerPoint) to an executable file.
    Security is one of the main concern while choosing an ebook compiler. Along with fundamental security features like restricting certain viewers or disabling ebook content from alteration or not allowing printing, a good ebook compiler should have features like using passwords, encryption methods for stopping copy-write and many others.
    Always seek for compilers which have lots of features. Look out for the features which have facilities of adding audio/visuals or graphics, customized menus, and hyperlinks. It is even better if you look out for classy features and complete plug-in capabilities for flash, java and shockwave.
    System requirements for the ebook should also be considered. You should check if it supports your operating system as well as supports other systems you would be using to view it. Browser requirements should also be considered if HTML based ebook compiler is being used.
    You should make sure you get the required support as well for the ebook compiler. It would be better to get free consultations for some period of time as well as a demo of the software for a test. You can also look out for comments made by people for the ebook compiler to choose the correct version. In many cases, earlier versions are found to be bugs free and more reliable.
    In most of the cases, more features will make the ebook compiler more expensive. More features certainly don’t mean that you will have a better compiler. Check out for your necessary features before buying the ebook compiler.


I can think of one compiler that I personally liked and would advise people to look at. You can find it at EBook Maker Ver 2.0

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