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(Rolling Stone) -- Saturday night, Buffalo Springfield will wrap up their seven-date reunion tour with a headlining slot at Bonnaroo. According to the group's singer and guitarist Richie Furay, fans who missed out on seeing them this time around will have plenty of chances later in the year. "The plan is to do 30 dates this fall," he tells Rolling Stone. "The anchors will be Los Angeles and New York. What the other cities are, I can't tell you right now -- but we're almost certainly doing Red Rocks."
The plan is to play mostly large theaters, as opposed to arenas and amphitheaters. "We want to keep it a little more intimate," he says. "Rather than going out and playing a huge something . . . There have been people from Florida, Chicago and Texas saying to me, 'Hey, you gonna come my way?' I have to say that with 30 shows, we're gonna hit those cities."
Choose Rolling Stone's Cover: The Sheepdogs vs. Lelia Broussard. Vote Now
Furay became a born-again Christian in the mid-1970s, and since 1983 he's worked as a pastor at Calvary Chapel Church in Broomfield, Colorado. "The church has been very supportive of this tour," he says. "I have an assistant pastor that's doing some of the Sundays and we have a guest speaker come in too. Everybody's taken care of."
Hours before taking the stage with Buffalo Springfield at the Santa Barbara Bowl tonight, Furay called into Rolling Stone to chat about the tour.
Let's start at the beginning. Where were you and what you were doing when Neil Young first contacted you last year about a Buffalo Springfield reunion?
I think I was probably just in my home studio office, probably working on some church stuff. This thing was not on my radar. I got one of those calls that Neil was calling me, so I got on the phone and we just started the conversation. He said that he'd been talking to Stephen [Stills] and they thought it would be really fun to do the Bridge School Benefit. They wanted to know if I was into it. It's kind of funny, 'cause Neil said, 'Well, you know, we don't have to do it this year if this is too soon. We can do it next year or the next year..." And I'm thinking, "Neil, I mean we're not 20 years old again. We better do this while we still can!"
I think a day later we all got on the phone -- Stephen, Neil and myself. We all agreed to do it. I was on my way to Israel in a couple of weeks, so right after I came back I had four days and then I went out to Northern California. We just kind of started rehearsing and it led to this.
Buffalo Springfield Launch First Tour In 43 Years
How long after the two Bridge School shows did you start talking about doing more shows this year?
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas of last year it was decided. I don't know how it all got done. The three of us and our managers just kind of agreed to go ahead and take it to the next step.
I imagine that Bonnaroo was the anchor for these six California shows this month.
Absolutely. They all build up to it. It started in Oakland, which is a little obscure and out of the way. Then we went to Los Angeles and there was a little more tension and publicly visible. Now here we are at a smaller outdoor venue. It's given us a feel building up to being outdoors at Bonnaroo.
Photos: Buffalo Springfield Kick Off Their Reunion Tour
How many days did you guys rehearse?
A solid week. It was to our advantage that we had played in October, so we had at least an hour's worth of music that we'd already started to rehearse. And then we just moved on from there. One of the neat things | [
"Where will most dates be played?",
"What's the plan?",
"When will fans have a chance to see them perform?",
"Who will have opportunities?",
"How many dates are planned?",
"what is the reason for playing in large theaters"
] | [
[
"Los Angeles and New York."
],
[
"to do 30 dates this fall,\""
],
[
"later in the year."
],
[
"fans"
],
[
"30"
],
[
"\"We want to keep it a little more intimate,\""
]
] | Furay says fans will have plenty of chances see them perform later in the year .
"The plan is to do 30 dates this fall," he says .
The plan is to play mostly large theaters, as opposed to arenas and amphitheaters . |
(RollingStone.com) -- Arcade Fire manager Scott Rodger has responded to allegations by media mogul Steve Stoute and record industry gadfly Bob Lefsetz that the band closed out the Grammy Awards this year with a second performance because the Recording Academy knew the group would win the ceremony's final award for Album of the Year.
Grammy Awards: Complete Coverage
In an email to Lefsetz's newsletter The Lefsetz Letter, Rodger explained that the Arcade Fire performed last at the show because ratings are typically low at the end of the broadcast, and the band was one of the least-known acts on the bill. (He wrote that he would have preferred if the band had played earlier in the program.)
Rodger also insisted that the band's second performance was not part of a "big plot" but rather an agreement with Grammy producers to play out the show's credits, depending on how much time was left in the broadcast. He said that the band was never guaranteed time at the end of the ceremony.
Photos: Arcade Fire's Greatest Performances
Rodger later asserted that the Arcade Fire did not lobby for their Grammy in any way, and that the band, not its label Merge Records, paid their own overhead in order to perform at the event.
A letter from Arcade Fire's manager (in reaction to Steve Stoute's Open Letter to The Grammys) | [
"who did says Arcade Fire performed last because ratings are lower at the end of the broadcast?",
"Who performed last?",
"What did Rodger insist?",
"When would he have preferred the band to play?"
] | [
[
"Scott Rodger"
],
[
"Arcade Fire"
],
[
"that the band's second performance was not part of a \"big plot\""
],
[
"earlier in the program.)"
]
] | Rodger says Arcade Fire performed last because ratings are lower at the end of the broadcast .
He wrote that he would have preferred if the band had played earlier in the program .
Rodger also insisted that the band's second performance was not part of a "big plot" |
(Skiing Magazine) -- When it comes to ski-equipment meccas, there's Park City, Utah; Boulder, Colorado; and, Vancouver, Canada. Home to Arc'teryx, Westcomb, and Prior, these Vancouver-based brands are leading the charge in innovative gear technology and design.
Take Arc'teryx, a local company that got its start in 1991 making rock-climbing harnesses, and has since evolved into an industry leader turning out stellar outdoor apparel, equipment, and accessories year after year. "Our brand was born and raised and is still growing its roots in Vancouver," explains Arc'teryx CEO Tyler Jordan.
"We rely on our local contacts, a group of hardcore athletes, and our employees -- we're all gear junkies -- to give immediate feedback to help us grow and develop the brand."
Using state-of-the-art materials, construction methods, and a style-y aesthetic, Arc'teryx appeals equally to hardcore skiers as to mainstream mountain lovers. In fact, Arc'teryx's gear is so good, some of Vancouver's police are now outfitted in the brand's LEAF (Law Enforcement Armed Forces) line. And with two full-time colorists on staff, the brand has revolutionized the world of color in ski apparel. Gone are the days of black, yellow, and red jackets à la North Face 1995; in are outer shells splashed with shades like Big Sky blue and Bud green.
It's not just the city's proximity to the outdoors that influences local gear companies; it's also Vancouver's thriving cosmopolitanism, fashion scene, and underground culture. Alan Yiu, CEO and creative director of Westcomb, a local ski apparel brand, just looks to his city for ideas.
"I look at architecture and buildings. Anything that makes me stop in my tracks and wonder what the process was to create it is a source of inspiration to me." And Westcomb's vibe reflects Yiu's -- and Vancouver's -- modern sensibility: funky, fresh, and sleek.
Skiing Magazine: Why you should care about the Olympics
Vancouver is also home to award-winning "microbrew" ski and snowboard manufacturer Prior. What started in 1990 with founder Chris Prior making snowboards in his North Vancouver garage has turned into one of the world's top producers of handcrafted snow equipment.
Skiing Magazine: Why you should care about the Olympics (counter-argument)
In 2000 Prior moved its factory to Whistler, and having one of North America's premiere resorts in its backyard translates into primo powder skis and boards made for big-mountain ripping. Want to build the ski of your dreams? Prior can customize tricked-out features, graphics, and top sheets. A tour of the factory in Whistler makes for a killer off-piste adventure. However, if the snow is good, you may find the place empty.
Though it's doubtful the IOC had local gear companies in mind when it picked Vancouver to host the 2010 Winter Games, it's no coincidence that the city claims Olympic-caliber gear as its own.
© 2010 Skiing Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | [
"What do Vancouver-based brands turn out?",
"Where are the brands turning out top notch gear?",
"Proximity to what is part of their success?"
] | [
[
"leading the charge in innovative gear technology and design."
],
[
"Vancouver,\""
],
[
"outdoors"
]
] | Vancouver-based brands turning out top-notch gear .
Proximity to outdoor venues part of success .
Culture of city contributes to creativity . |
(Southern Living) -- For a heady dose of holiday spirit, dive into Opryland. Fifteen miles of green garland and 10 miles of hand-tied red ribbon festoon the property. I've heard that you can see the Great Wall of China from outer space. At Christmastime, I bet you can also see Gaylord Opryland. It sparkles with megawatts of lights, fun, and merriment. But you don't have to be shot into orbit to enjoy the view of this Nashville treasure. Make the easy drive to Middle Tennessee and delight in this perfectly luminous getaway. The one must-see Many holiday activities raise your spirits; one really promises to chill you out. Most of you have read or seen "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" But you haven't had the ultimate Dr. Seuss experience until you meet the green grump carved in ice. Put on a parka -- loaned to you upon admission -- and enter ICE!, a frozen world located in the Gaslight Theater. The attraction will be back next year, but this is the last time you'll see the Grinch and Who-ville, carved by Chinese craftsmen from huge, brilliantly hued blocks of ice. There are even frigid sliding boards to try. Afterward, leave the 18-degree area, and grab a cup of hot chocolate in the adjoining gift shop. Are you smiling yet? Special happenings It's the 25th year the resort has provided a Santa's bagful of activities and entertainment. The decorations begin going up in July for A Country Christmas, and the festivities run from mid-November until the holidays end. During that time, enjoy delights such as carriage rides, photos with Santa, the Hall of Trees, and the Treasures for the Holidays Craft Show. Just admiring all the lights, poinsettias, and "faux-piaries" -- animal-shaped topiaries -- will get your inner Rudolph aglow. Southern Living: Tips from a repeat Oprylander The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes high-kick from the Grand Ole Opry stage. Wear your Christmas sweater and jeans while you watch them -- everyone else does. For a memento of your visit, add glitter and sparkle to a fragrant miniature holiday house at Gingerbread Corner. Special events also include Louise Mandrell's "Joy to the World Christmas Dinner & Show," as well as a Winter Wonderland that includes a train ride for little ones. Near the hotel, board the General Jackson showboat for a dinner cruise on the Cumberland River. SouthernLiving.com: Hot Spots for the New Year Dining and shopping You have many options for meals in the huge Gaylord Opryland complex. For a fine-dining experience, try Old Hickory Steakhouse. Indulge in a rich lobster bisque, perfectly cooked filet mignon, and crème brûlée. Water's Edge Marketplace Buffet, located in the Delta Atrium, is a more casual venue. Graze among 60 different stations, filled with everything from pasta and salads to meats and vegetables. You can also grab a quick meal at Stax Burgers or Paisano's Pizzaria & Vino, both on the Delta Island. For a nighttime dose of high-octane fun, go directly to the new Fuse nightclub, with rave reviews and visiting luminaries such as Kid Rock and Kim Kardashian. If you need festive duds, check out the shopping at Gaylord Opryland, such as Amelia's or Savannah's, both featuring dressy and casual women's clothing. Opry Mills, the outlet mall just down the road, offers some of the best shopping opportunities, with winning Tennessee stores such as The Gibson Showcase and The Apple Barn Cider Bar & General Store. The Disney Store Outlet and Build-A-Bear Workshop also mesmerize, while standbys such as Nike, Gap Outlet, and Tommy Hilfiger Company Store are perennial favorites. The on-premises Rainforest Cafe or Johnny Rockets are ever popular refueling spots. If you go ... Gaylord Opryland Resort: www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland or 1-888-999-6779. Special holiday packages, including accommodations and tickets to several attractions, begin at $335 for a two-night stay. Try 2 FREE TRIAL issues of Southern Living - CLICK HERE ! Submit | [
"what includes an ice sculpture of the Grinch?",
"What offers great shopping?",
"Where is the show ICE! being held?",
"when did the decorations start going up?",
"When did the decorations begin to go up?",
"When do the decorations go up?"
] | [
[
"frozen world located in the Gaslight Theater."
],
[
"Opry Mills,"
],
[
"Gaslight Theater."
],
[
"in July"
],
[
"July"
],
[
"July"
]
] | ICE! in the Gaslight Theater includes an ice sculpture of the Grinch .
The decorations began going up in July for A Country Christmas .
Opry Mills, the outlet mall just down the road, offers great shopping . |
(Southern Living) -- Just a minute ago I was sailing down a Texas Panhandle highway, level as a tabletop. Then I dropped off the face of the High Plains into the heart of a wild place called Caprock Canyons. It's the rough-and-tumble centerpiece of a 15,000-acre state park, 100 miles southeast of Amarillo.
Caprock Canyons is about 100 miles southeast of Amarillo.
If you hanker to break away from the herd, you ought to see it in the quiet of an early morning when shades of red and yellow streak canyon walls like melted sunshine and you can hear the haunting bellow of bison bulls grazing in the grass.
Off the beaten path
Hidden in the midst of sprawling ranches, Caprock Canyons doesn't lure as many visitors as its famous neighbor, Palo Duro Canyon (93 miles northwest). That's the way C.L. Hawkins, caretaker for the official Texas bison herd, likes it. It means you can still find quiet times to catch a vision of the land not greatly changed from the way it was when millions of bison roamed the High Plains and wintered in hidden canyons.
When you look at these mighty creatures in the state herd, you're seeing the direct descendants of wild bison once "as numerous as grains on the seashore," according to one traveler's report. SouthernLiving.com: Wide open in West Texas
You can see the bison from viewing platforms and through telescopes at an overlook near the new visitors center, but Hawkins keeps them separated from people for safety. "You don't push bison," he says. "You work them on their own terms. I still consider them wild animals." SouthernLiving.com: Climbing in West Texas
Hit the trail
There are many ways to explore the scenic canyon -- hiking, mountain biking, on horseback, or by car on a 5-mile loop. Even on the drive, you get a close-up look at multicolored sandstone cliffs and rugged arroyos carved by tributaries of the Red River. The long narrow Caprock Escarpment stands as high as 1,000 feet in places.
Coronado passed this way. So did roving Comanche bands and prehistoric canyon dwellers as long as 12,000 years ago. Tomas Hinojosa, owner of Quitaque Riding Stables ([806] 269-1209 or [806] 455-1208; rides start at $35 per hour) in the nearby town of Quitaque (pronounced "kitty-quay") follows in the footsteps of explorers when he takes riders out to sections of the 64-mile-long path, which is part of Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway. SouthernLiving.com: 40 things I love about Texas
You don't need to be experienced to ride, but if it's your first time you should start with an hour-long trip. Try to schedule it for early morning. "That's when we see most of the wildlife," Hinojosa points out.
Whether you explore it from the saddle or behind a steering wheel, it's a piece of untamed Texas you won't see anywhere else.
Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"What can you see the canyon with?",
"What type of bison herd can be viewed?",
"Where is the official Texas bison herd?",
"What is the centerpiece of the 15,000 acre state park?",
"How many acres is the park?",
"Best ways to explore the scenic canyon?",
"What are ways in which you can explore the canyon?",
"What is Caprock Canyons?"
] | [
[
"from viewing platforms and through telescopes at an overlook near the new visitors center,"
],
[
"Texas"
],
[
"Caprock Canyons"
],
[
"Caprock Canyons."
],
[
"15,000-acre"
],
[
"hiking, mountain biking, on horseback, or by car"
],
[
"hiking, mountain biking, on horseback, or by car on a 5-mile loop."
],
[
"It's the rough-and-tumble centerpiece of a 15,000-acre state park,"
]
] | Caprock Canyons is the centerpiece of a 15,000-acre state park .
View the official Texas bison herd from platforms near the visitors center .
Explore the scenic canyon on foot, by bike, on horseback or by car . |
(Southern Living) -- Mount Vernon is undergoing a renaissance. Today the site's annual attendance matches its highest since 1976. Why? Visitors used to spend only an hour or so at his house, then leave still thinking of George Washington as that grim, old man on the dollar bill. Now, visitors meet him face-to-face in three life-sized statues, and they can't get enough of America's first action hero. At the museum at Mount Vernon, the 45-year-old future president is depicted riding in Valley Forge. "He's tall! He's strong! He's handsome!" they may exclaim when seeing him for the first time. Today's first President is a well-rounded figure at the expanded visitors center, museum, and education facility at Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens in Virginia. A new face for George Washington now startles visitors. As they walk through the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, one of three life-size models depicts him at age 19, standing 6'2", with his auburn hair pulled back in a queue. He's lean and lanky like an athlete, with muscular hips and thighs -- the marks of a man comfortable in the saddle. SouthernLiving.com: D.C. Travel Planner "He was the best horseman in America," James C. Rees, executive director of Mount Vernon, remarks. "He was a great architect and landscape designer, and a terrific ball room dancer." Washington seems alive, except for breath itself. Step around another museum corner and he appears at 45 astride his horse in the snow at Valley Forge. Down another corridor he takes the oath of office at 57. More than mere mannequins, these figures are based on forensic research. To piece the elements together, scientists sized Washington up with measurements of his breeches and waistcoat. They determined the jut of his jaw from his dentures. They analyzed locks of his hair to determine its color at various ages. Getting to know the man Admirers esteem his intellect, compassion, and self-restraint. (He was the only Founding Father to free his slaves.) After winning the Revolutionary War, Washington could have crowned himself king. Instead of reigning, however, he resigned and went home. Visitors tour the home, stopping to marvel at the stately main hall and gliding their hands along the same banister that supported the likes of the Marquis de Lafayette. They crowd into upstairs halls to see bedrooms that hosted more than 700 guests each year in George and Martha's time. SouthernLiving.com: Come Home to Virginia Then they explore the estate with its 18th-century sights, sounds, and scents. The distillery and gristmill are now open, and a reconstructed slave structure tells the African American story. There's more to come. This spring, bellows will breathe fire to life in the new blacksmith shop. Meanwhile, the orientation center and museum are close at hand yet hidden, tucked into the earth so they don't interfere with the historic landscape. He who would not be king It's working. Washington is undergoing a renaissance. "King George III told an associate that if Washington gave up all his power and went back to his farm, he would be the greatest man in the world," James remarks. "That's like the Dallas Cowboys coach saying something nice about the Redskins." Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"How many life-size models are ther?",
"What can visitors explore?",
"how many people",
"At what ages do the models depict Washington?",
"who is depicted in the new models"
] | [
[
"three"
],
[
"the estate"
],
[
"700"
],
[
"19,"
],
[
"George Washington"
]
] | Today Mount Vernon's annual attendance matches its highest since 1976 .
Three new life-size models depict George Washington at different ages .
Visitors can explore the distillery, gristmill and a reconstructed slave structure . |
(Southern Living) -- When I was 5, my parents went to a conference on Hilton Head Island and let me tag along, leaving my brothers landlocked in central Mississippi. Two memories stand out from my first encounter with the watery majesty of this Southern icon. Hilton Head Island's relaxed atmosphere is ideal for families. For starters, it's the first place I ever heard the term "market price." Daddy encouraged me to eat whatever I wanted at restaurants -- no kid's menu here -- so I tried my hand at swordfish. I figured anything so fresh they couldn't put a price on it until the day it was served had to be good. And for years, I ordered based on that idea. From the right side of the menu. If it was fresh (and expensive), it had to be the best. More boats than cars Second, water was everywhere. I'd been to the beach before, but never an actual island. It seemed like Hilton Head had more boats than my hometown had cars. And even then, I understood that the marinas were the real lifeblood of the community. On my most recent visit to Hilton Head, my brothers and their wives joined me, while my parents stayed home with the gaggle of grandkids. The tables had turned. But I discovered a few constants remain: From fresh cobia (available only in May and June) to wild shrimp caught in local waters, ordering "market price" from the menu isn't a bad way to go. Water is everywhere. And each marina celebrates the spirit of the island with its own special style. Explore them, one by one. SouthernLiving.com: A coastal S.C. retreat Harbour Town: The classic Known for its candy-striped, red-and-white lighthouse, the Harbour Town marina is easily the most-touristed waterfront on Hilton Head. Large yachts moor behind the newly expanded seawall, shops stock the requisite "I heart Hilton Head" souvenirs, and water sport outfitters launch Jet Skis and hoist Para-Sails in Calibogue Sound. The waterside restaurants don't shine for their innovative cuisine, but they're worth a stop for the prime real estate -- westward-facing Harbour Town is one of the best spots on the island to catch the sunset. SouthernLiving.com: Top 10 budget getaways While there: Hard-bottomed Zodiac boats crouch closer to the water than a traditional boat does. We booked a one-hour tour with H2O Sports (www.h2osportsonline.com or [843] 671-4386) and spent the afternoon watching dolphins play. Broad Creek Marina: The local You don't get more homegrown than Broad Creek, a modest port just off the Cross Island Parkway, where area residents drydock their boats. At Up the Creek Pub, a rickety seafood shack with killer views of the water, we stopped in for a bite (food=fried) and lingered on the deck for (my brother, Jeremy, might argue in spite of) the nightly strum-fest. www.broadcreekmarinahh.com or (843) 681-3625 While there: Join Capt. John Maires, a huge Buffett fan with a sly smile, a weathered face, and a twinkling laugh, for a sunset sail on his 45-foot sloop Cheers. www.cheerscharters.com or (843) 671-1800 South Beach: The beach bum I thought we were going to have to drag my always-up-for-a-good-time brother, Prentiss, away from South Beach. This laid-back harbor feels like a Northeastern-style fishing village, complete with blue clapboard buildings connected by a sprawling weathered deck. It's New England meets Caribbean cool, polished with Southern charm. The omnipresent music ranges from Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley by the DJ to jam-friendly local bands. Dancing is optional, but you won't want to be the only one left sitting. SouthernLiving.com: Great summer getaway While there: Rain or shine, locals and tourists mingle in the late afternoon over heavy-handed cocktails; ice-cold brews; and steaming, hot-boiled shrimp at the open-air | [
"What does the harbor at South Beach feel like?",
"Where do residents drydock boats?",
"Where do residents drydock their boats?",
"What was the harbor likened to?",
"What kind of atmospere will you find at the South beach harbor?",
"At which marina do residents drydock their boats?",
"Which town has the best sunset?",
"Where is one of the best spots to watch the sunset?"
] | [
[
"a Northeastern-style fishing village,"
],
[
"Broad Creek, a modest port just off the Cross Island Parkway,"
],
[
"Broad Creek,"
],
[
"Northeastern-style fishing village,"
],
[
"feels like a Northeastern-style fishing village,"
],
[
"Broad Creek,"
],
[
"Harbour"
],
[
"westward-facing Harbour Town"
]
] | Harbour Town is one of the best spots on the island to catch the sunset .
Broad Creek Marina is where area residents drydock their boats .
The harbor at South Beach feels like a Northeastern-style fishing village . |
(Southern Living) -- You don't have to stay at these tony hotels to experience the best of their lobbies. The Round Robin Bar at the Willard InterContinental is a great place to eavesdrop. The Willard InterContinental What to expect: A throwback to grand hotels of the 19th century near the White House. It's where powerful people still go to make powerful decisions. Crowned heads rest on the Willard's pillows. Where to spend your dollars: Sip a mint julep or sample a single malt whiskey in the Round Robin Bar and Scotch Bar alongside power brokers. It may not be polite to say so, but this is a great place to eavesdrop. "The next day's work starts between 6 and 8 p.m.," says Jim Hewes, bartender there for 22 years. "The Round Robin gets a drift on tomorrow's news." The inside story: D.C. insiders strut the lobby's Peacock Alley where you people-watch while nibbling on tea and scones ($39). 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.; washington.intercontinental.com or 1-800-327-0200. SouthernLiving.com: D.C. Travel Planner The Hay-Adams What to expect: Formal and classic yet balanced with a boutiquish and intimate atmosphere. Walk out the front door to see Lafayette Park and the White House. Where to spend your dollars: The basement bar, Off the Record, attracts politicos from the White House and the nearby World Bank. "Always sit at the bar," says John Boswell, the friendly 12-year veteran bartender. "The half-moon shape tends to get people into conversations." Patrons stick to the classics -- martinis, Manhattans and wines. The inside story: The Sunday morning talk show hosts and hotel guests rub elbows at the extravagant late-morning brunch in The Lafayette dining room ($65, reservations required). 16th and H Streets NW.; www.hayadams.com or (202) 638-6600. SouthernLiving.com: Cheap eats in D.C. St. Regis What to expect: A meeting of the old and new: luxe gilt lobby with endless Italian marble floors vs. leather-and-chrome restaurant bar helmed by celebrity chef Alain Ducasse. Where to spend your dollars: Settle into the purple Bar at St. Regis. Populated by admiring foodies, the bar pours the coolest drinks. "Our Trial by Berry (Champagne, house-infused vanilla and nutmeg vodka, muddled blackberries) is the favorite," says Marianna Alfa, restaurant director. "The chef's slider duo -- two burgers, one beef, the other boudin -- is our rock and roll item." The inside story: Mixologist Mia Baila creates D.C.'s most unusual drink: Champagne adorned with pearls of Cointreau and gold flecks. 923 16th and K Streets NW.; starwoodhotels.com/stregis or (202) 638-2626. SouthernLiving.com: Best things about the mall in Washington D.C. Park Hyatt What to expect: A sleek Euro feel of glass, natural fibers and golden-hued wood. A favorite among world travelers who trust the Park Hyatt brand and prefer the energy at the cusp of Georgetown. Where to spend your dollars: Cozy in at the Tea Cellar, presided over by tea expert Marie Hatakeyama. Those seeking a sturdier drink slip into glass-enclosed booths at the bar. "It's like having a private conversation on display," says frequent visitor Chris Gieckel, adding that the pear martini is a house favorite. "I'm not known for having girly drinks, but I'll order a second one." The inside story: Purchase your favorite tea from the tasting to prepare at home, including vintage brews. 24th and M Streets NW.; parkhyattwashington.com or (202) 789-1234 Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"What can you try at Bar at St. Regist?",
"Where can you sip a mint julep?",
"what should you sip at the round robin bar?",
"Who can you join for a drink at Off the Record in the Hay-Adams hotel?",
"Where can you try a custom cocktail?",
"What drink can you sip at the Willard InterContinental's Round Robin Bar?"
] | [
[
"slider duo"
],
[
"Round Robin Bar and Scotch Bar"
],
[
"a mint julep or sample a single malt whiskey in the"
],
[
"politicos from the White House and the nearby World Bank."
],
[
"Bar at St. Regis."
],
[
"mint julep"
]
] | Sip a mint julep at the Willard InterContinental's Round Robin Bar .
Join White House politicos for a drink at Off the Record in the Hay-Adams hotel .
Try a custom cocktail at Bar at St. Regis . |
(Sunset) -- '"I had such a crush on him when I was a kid," says my friend Didi Linburn, pigtails peeking out from beneath her pink ski helmet rather than the wool pompom hat she wore as a kid. I peer into the tiny ski shop at the Alta Peruvian Lodge and catch a glimpse of a cute guy in glasses behind the counter. "No idea how old he is," she says, "but I've seen him here every winter since I was 15." Didi and Jeff Linburn on the slopes Twenty-two years later, and Didi and her teenage crush are still here? I've yet to even take a run down the powder white slopes, but I already sense that Alta, Utah, just might be as special as everyone says it is -- including my self-proclaimed "Altaholic" husband. Tired of not getting an invite to his annual "guys' trip," and admittedly jealous about the other love in his life, I decided to tag along on Didi's annual father-daughter jaunt. And finally experience for myself this almighty Alta -- with just seven lifts (and not much else) spread across 2,200 acres of heart-pumping hikes and narrow chutes, chest-deep powder, and total lack of pretension. Skis slung over our shoulders, we walk out the weathered wooden door of the lodge, taking in a deep breath of fresh -- albeit thin -- mountain air. I'm instantly happy to be here at 10,550 feet, on leased U.S. Forest Service land at the resolutely un-corporate resort, where faded one-pieces outnumber Bogner jackets, chairlifts seat at most four across, and five no-frills lodges, scattered up Little Cottonwood Canyon, sleep 1,200 skiers, tops. Skiers. Not shoppers. Not ski bunnies. Sunset.com: Plan your trip to Alta And, above all, not snowboarders. As the mountain motto goes, Alta is for skiers. During my stay, I see it flaunted on banners, baseball caps, bumper stickers. Alta is, after all, one of just three resorts left in the country that ban boarders, since Taos Ski Valley opened its slopes to all in March. Geared up, Didi, her dad, and I creep along in a bar-less triple chair, surrounded by nothing save blue sky and the towering peaks of the Wasatch Range. "Same as it was in the '60s," says Geoff Linburn, who first came to Alta from California in search of what he'd heard was the best snow in the West. Back then, lift tickets cost $8, and there were only five slowly moving chairlifts, but apart from building a couple more and raising ticket prices to a reasonable $64, Alta remains Alta. Didi's dad smiles. "Still the best snow in the West." A whopping 500 inches annually of light-as-a-feather powder -- and I can't wait to try it. But that will take some effort. Without a convenient tram to Alta's best terrain, the limited number of skiers allowed uphill work for every turn with an almost perverse pleasure. As a typically lazy, play-it-safe sort of skier, I'm intimidated. Is this really worth it? We hop off the Sugarloaf chair and onto a big "dump" (a record-setting blessing of snow) and join the parade of people inching their way, single file, up, up, up, and gliding precariously, over, over, over, only to climb again. Is this really worth it? I think to myself, sweating in the snow. I contemplate taking off my skis, but then I look up. "Aw, it's a bootpacker!" one guy yells at another fellow who's stomping with his skis on his shoulders rather than suffering the steep sidestep with everyone else. I press on, inspired by the unspoken camaraderie on the traverse toward Devil's Castle -- a wide-open bowl and depository of powder -- and the shared anticipation among strangers bound by | [
"How many resorts in the country ban snow boarders?",
"how many acres is spreading Alta?",
"Where do the guests at Alta resort stay",
"How many acres is Alta resort?",
"How many acres comprise Alta?",
"how many resorts ban snow boarders?"
] | [
[
"three"
],
[
"2,200"
],
[
"Peruvian Lodge"
],
[
"2,200"
],
[
"2,200"
],
[
"three"
]
] | Alta is spread across 2,200 acres of heart-pumping hikes and narrow chutes .
The resort is one of just three in the country that ban snow boarders .
Guests at the resolutely un-corporate resort stay in five no-frills lodges . |
(Sunset) -- An insider shares five top experiences in Sausalito, California, you won't read about in guidebooks. Waldo Point Harbor is one of several scenic houseboat communities in Sausalito. Off-the-path pier You'll want a bike or a car to get to the Fort Baker fishing pier, which sits in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and has unbeatable views across the bay to San Francisco. In summer, foghorns bellow loudly from here, but in December, fishermen and pelicans are more the order of the day. A short walk north is eco-luxe Cavallo Point: The Lodge at the Golden Gate, which was big news in town when it debuted last summer. Even if you don't stay there, stop for a glass of wine in the clubby Farley Bar. Locals' beach Schoonmaker Beach is a bit farther from downtown, but still doable on foot and well worth finding. My son and I have whiled away many sunny mornings here, wading in the bay and watching sailboats. The beach bumped up to our number one favorite in April with the addition of Le Garage, a French bistro steps from the sand and, hands down, the best new restaurant in town in ages. Grab a seat next to the roll-up glass garage door and definitely try the mussels Provençale. Sunset.com: 20 perfect summer trips Undiscovered hike You can't spend time in Sausalito and not make it to the Marin Headlands, just a mile outside town -- it'd be like going to Yosemite and missing Half Dome. So join the parade of cars winding up twisty Conzelman Road to Hawk Hill, but don't stop there. Drive a bit farther to the beach parking area on your left, and you'll see signs for the trail to Black Sands Beach. The 0.75-mile hike down (slightly rickety) steps is sure to put the rosy in your cheeks, and the narrow strip of beach is windy, wild and stunning. My secret? Instead of starting from the beach parking area, I like to drive past the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, turn right on Bunker Road, and start at the historic rifle range. It's worth the extra 1.5 miles over the ridge for the views you'll have all to yourself. Sunset.com: Our amazing national parks Best shopping street There's more to Sausalito shopping than the chintzy souvenir shops that line the main drag downtown. Just a 10-minute walk north of the waterfront lies leafy Caledonia Street, home to several locally owned galleries and framing shops, plus Flying Oliver Books, where we always find deals on used cookbooks. I love to look at the black-and-white photography at Sausalito Picture Framing and pick up letterpress holiday cards and fashionable ribbons and papers for present wrapping at Pinestreet Papery. And one block to the east on Bridgeway is McCloud Design, with streamlined modern container gardens, handcrafted fountains and outdoor furniture. Sunset.com: Outdoor dining rooms Hidden harbor Sausalito wouldn't be Sausalito without its houseboats. Among several houseboat communities in town, Waldo Point Harbor stands out for its hilarious, only-in-Sausalito message board at the harbor entrance. On my all-star list: "Lost: Plywood dinghy, battered blue" (alongside a charmingly rakish drawing of the poor lost boat) and "Want to exchange your houseboat with mine in Paris for a week?" Impressive feats of container gardening -- succulents, roses, lemon trees -- line the boardwalk, and residents are often out watering plants in the early morning. Truth be told, I did once catch a minibus of Japanese tourists being let off in this area, but that was in the height of summer, and they seemed to walk right past Issaquah Dock, our favorite spot. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"What is Waldo Point Harbor?",
"How far from the waterfront is Caledonia Street?",
"What can you do in the bay?",
"What street can you shop on?",
"What is a 10-minute walk from the waterfront?",
"Where can you take a stroll?",
"Where can you watch sailboats?",
"Where could you watch the sailboats?"
] | [
[
"one of several scenic houseboat communities in Sausalito."
],
[
"a 10-minute walk"
],
[
"watching sailboats."
],
[
"Caledonia"
],
[
"Caledonia Street,"
],
[
"Cavallo Point: The Lodge at the Golden Gate,"
],
[
"Schoonmaker Beach"
],
[
"Schoonmaker Beach"
]
] | Wade in the bay and watch sailboats at Schoonmaker Beach .
Stroll through Waldo Point Harbor, one of Sausalito's houseboat communities .
Shop Caledonia Street, a 10-minute walk north of the waterfront . |
(Sunset) -- Great things to do and see, and memories (you can still make) of summer at the lake. With clear blue water and picturesque boulders, Sand Harbor is the place to swim in Lake Tahoe. The scene Families dot the beaches, and boaters dominate the lake; traffic slows on State 89, and the Truckee River overflows with inner-tubers. Still, from North Lake to Emerald Bay, and South Lake to Incline Village, you'll find plenty of peace, quiet, and to-die-for beauty. Cruise the lake Skip the stern-wheeler paddleboats packed with tourists for a wine-and-cheese sunset sail on the Tahoe Cruz. Departs daily from Tahoe City Marina in Tahoe City, California; $60; reservations required; tahoesail.com or 530/583-6200. Walk on water Stand-up paddleboarding is the latest craze. Give it a shot, or go for a sit-on-top kayak from Tahoe Paddle & Oar (paddleboard or kayak rental from $20 per hour; 8299 N. Lake Blvd./State 28, Kings Beach, California; tahoepaddle.com or 530/581-3029). Sunset.com: Lake Tahoe landmarks Jump in Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park's Sand Harbor area is popular for its gentle turquoise coves and fine white sand. Get there before 10 a.m. to avoid the crowds. $8 per vehicle; on State 28, 3 miles south of Incline Village, NV; parks.nv.gov or 775/831-0494. Skinny-dip For a quiet swim, hike 0.5 mile to Secret Cove and Chimney Beach, where those who hate tan lines like to hang out. Trailhead is off State 28, 2 1/2 miles south of Sand Harbor; 530/543-2600. Wine and dine Christy Hill serves a killer chile relleno with an equally killer lake view. (Closed Mon; 115 Grove St., Tahoe City, California; average entrée price around $30; 530/583-8551). The deck at Sunnyside Resort has a party scene and the best Hula Pie this side of Hawaii. (Most entrées between $20 and $30; 1850 W. Lake Blvd./State 89, 2 miles south of Tahoe City, California; 530/583-7200). Sunset.com: Make your own lake dinner menu Hang with the locals Built in 1859, Chambers Landing Bar and Restaurant is set at the end of a pier. Arrive by boat or car, but if you're the designated driver, steer clear of the Chambers Punch. Most entrées $12 or less; 6400 W. Lake Blvd./State 89, Homewood, California; 530/525-9190. Stay in a cabin Carved wooden bears are everywhere at the woodsy Cottage Inn. From $158, including breakfast; just south of Tahoe City, California; 800/581-4073. Sunset.com: The West's best national parks Splurge on a room Book a suite at the West Shore Cafe & Inn, then wait for a bald eagle to fly past your window. Rooms from $350; Homewood, California; 530/525-5200. Pitch a tent Easy swimming access and hot showers make for blissful family camping at D.L. Bliss State Park (from $25; reserveamerica.com or 800/444-7275). For views, the best sites are 148, 149, 151, 153, and 156. If Bliss is full, try Nevada Beach Campground, on the east side (from $28; recreation.gov or 877/444-6777). Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"Where is the sunset sail?",
"Take a dip where?",
"Try the best Hula Pie where?",
"Where is the resort located?",
"Where can I get Hula pie at?",
"What type of things can you expect to do at the resort?"
] | [
[
"on the Tahoe Cruz."
],
[
"Secret Cove and Chimney Beach,"
],
[
"Sunnyside Resort"
],
[
"Lake Tahoe."
],
[
"Sunnyside Resort"
],
[
"plenty of peace, quiet, and to-die-for beauty."
]
] | Consider a wine-and-cheese sunset sail on the Tahoe Cruz .
Take a dip at Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park's Sand Harbor .
Try the best Hula Pie this side of Hawaii at Sunnyside Resort . |
(Sunset) -- Hawaii may seem a world away, but there are plenty of big waves, tiny bubbles and tiki-style spots closer to home. Here are some San Diego-based ways to catch the Hawaiian spirit.
Paradise Point Resort and Spa is a waterfront oasis with a Balinese-style spa and five swimming pools.
Make your own lei
If a luau is on your tropical to-do list, the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa offers a demo and the materials to design a floral garland for the event. A needle and thread, a pile of seasonal flowers such as plumerias, orchids, mini carnations and tuberose, and the rest is up to you. The resort's resident tropical macaw and cockatoo birds might make an appearance while you're at work. Leis stay fragrant and can last more than a week if you refrigerate them and mist with water periodically.
A sunset luau
It's TGIF, Hawaiian-style. The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa throws a Friday-night luau on the lawn by Mission Bay -- and that means hula dancers in grass skirts, fire knife dancing, piña coladas, tiki torches, a ceremonial roast pig on parade and Polynesian drumbeats from a live band. Dances and costumes come from different parts of Polynesia (Tahiti, Samoa and even New Zealand, as well as Hawaii). It's faux Hawaii, of course, but the festivities are enough to spark your island imagination.
An ocean adventure
Bright orange Garibaldi fish, leopard sharks, giant sea turtles, sea lions and seven sea caves to explore -- it's not Kauai, it's La Jolla Shores. The caves are just a half-mile from shore via kayak, and OEX Dive & Kayak Center offers two-hour tours that include guided trips inside the Clam -- one of just two caves you can enter (at high tide, you can go all the way through). Sunset.com: Discover the West's top 10 beaches
August is a prime month to be out on the water with the warm temps and calm swells. About those silhouettes gliding underneath the boats: Hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of leopard sharks swim below the kayaks, and they're most abundant in summer. Thankfully, leopard sharks have small teeth (they use suction to eat). For the daring, snorkeling is another option. Sunset.com: Take the teens to Kauai
Tiki-style
Mister Tiki Mai Tai Lounge -- the name alone promises tropical cocktails and Polynesian kitsch. The giant tiki masks on the walls, tableside lava lamps and handblown glass blowfish on the ceilings add to the tropical flavor of this spot in downtown's Gaslamp Quarter. The drinks are pure tiki -- try the lilikoi mojitos with white rum, passion fruit, fresh mint and lime, or a coconut kiss martini with coconut rum, pineapple and coconut cream (with an orchid floating on top). The happy hour (5-7 p.m.; $5) includes sushi rolls and pupus (Hawaiian appetizers) like shiitake-goat cheese wontons.
Hang 10
Surfing isn't just the sport of beach bums. These days anyone can ride a wave, and La Jolla Shores Beach is great for beginners, with its sandy-bottom shoreline and small waves. Surf Diva, a surf school started by twin-sister surfers in 1996, gives private or group surf lessons (wetsuit and board included). Lessons start on the sand, where you'll learn how to paddle, pop up and master the surf stance before you hit the water. Sunset.com: Blue Hawaii
48 hours of aloha in San Diego
Friday: Two tropical-themed spots to stay are Paradise Point Resort & Spa, a waterfront oasis with a Balinese-style spa and five swimming pools (from $259), or the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa (from $249) with koi ponds, gardens, and a beach on Mission Bay. Hit the Catamaran Resort first for lei-making (3:30 Fri through Sep 4; $10), then stay for the weekly Friday-night luau with Hawaiian music, fire dancing, and hula (6 p.m. Fri through Sep | [
"Where in Mission Bay throws a Friday night luau?",
"Try a guided kayak trip to explore the caves where?",
"Where is it held",
"Who throws the party",
"The Catamaran Resort Hotel throws a what on a Friday-night?"
] | [
[
"The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa"
],
[
"inside the Clam"
],
[
"The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa"
],
[
"The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa"
],
[
"luau"
]
] | San Diego, California, has a variety of ways to catch the Hawaiian spirit .
Catamaran Resort Hotel throws a Friday-night luau by Mission Bay .
Try a guided kayak trip to explore the caves at La Jolla Shores . |
(Sunset) -- The old warehouses of Portland's Pearl District are home to increasingly cool cultural diversions. Spend a weekend browsing the neighborhood's art galleries, snack on a pumpkin-pie cupcake and enjoy dinner and a show. The Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. Take it home If prices in the Pearl's posh galleries put a damper on your holiday gift giving, head to the Pacific Northwest College of Art for its annual student-art sale. Future famous artists sell surprisingly sophisticated gifts reflecting their fields of study: one-of-a-kind monotypes and screen-printed cards, jewelry with semiprecious stones, gorgeous oil paintings and thought-provoking metal sculptures. Catch a show The once-vacant, castlelike Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. For people-watching, sip wine in the loft overlooking the lobby, then settle in for Portland Center Stage's one-man play "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe." Sunset.com: Life in the Pearl One-stop gallery hop Who cares if it's raining when you have the DeSoto Building/Museum of Contemporary Craft -- four fine art galleries and an innovative museum under one roof? Hit the museum's Holiday Shoppe (December 3-January 4) for funky felt rings and handcrafted ornaments. Great Pearl eats Wild rice-smoked duck breast is steps from the Gerding Theater at Ten 01. Or try Isabel; we like the brown rice and tofu bowl with peanut sauce. Then there's 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics. Sunset.com: Green in Portland A twist on pumpkin pie Warm up for T-Day with a luscious pumpkin pie cupcake filled with pumpkin cream at Cupcake Jones, a grab-and-go bakery. (Then place your order for Thanksgiving dessert.) WANT MORE ENTERTAINMENT? (Portland's got it) For budding theater buffs Kids will eat up the juicy Oregon Children's Theatre production of Roald Dahl's classic "James and the Giant Peach," while you'll get a kick out of the high-flying special effects and dry humor. For small-stage premieres See classics and local playwrights' works on one of Artists Repertory Theatre's two intimate stages. Get some comic relief during the hectic holidays with Marc Acito and C.S. Witcomb's "Holidazed," a humorous look at modern families coping with old-fashioned Christmas traditions. For indie-film fans The Northwest Film Center presents themed series, retrospectives and annual film festivals. The Portland International Film Festival, held in February, features nearly 100 films from more than 30 countries. Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com | [
"What has been renovated?",
"Where is the dinner at?",
"What does 50 plates serve?",
"Where should one stop for dinner?",
"Where is the annual student art sale held?",
"Who is having an annual art sale?",
"What bistro serves All-American dishes?",
"What kind of annual sale going on with Pacific Northwest College of Art?",
"Where is the play going to be at?",
"Where is the art sale located?"
] | [
[
"The Gerding Theater at the Armory"
],
[
"Isabel;"
],
[
"all-American classics."
],
[
"Portland's Pearl District"
],
[
"Pacific Northwest College of"
],
[
"Pacific Northwest College"
],
[
"50 Plates,"
],
[
"student-art"
],
[
"Portland Center Stage's"
],
[
"Pacific Northwest College of Art"
]
] | Check out Pacific Northwest College of Art's annual student art sale .
Settle in to watch a play at the renovated Gerding Theater at the Armory .
Stop for dinner at 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics . |
(Sunset) -- Yes, I admit this wasn't the first time I'd forgotten an important event. Let's not get hung up on that. What's important is that I quickly and admirably redeemed myself.
For a refreshing walk, try a sliver of the Laguna Beach coastline, about 50 miles south of Los Angeles.
Once the florist came to deliver the white dendrobium (I collect orchids) and I read the note -- "Happy Anniversary. Love, J" -- I immediately jumped into action: In less than an hour, I'm driving my wife, Jan, to Laguna Beach, our favorite seaside village. It is a place blessedly stocked with eateries where a guy can get noteworthy huevos rancheros while his beloved browses chic shops along Ocean and Forest Avenues for bejeweled sandals during winter sales.
Laguna Beach also happens to be where we spent a few days on our honeymoon years ago, so I have that going for me.
Short of hiring a helicopter, there are only two ways to get to this gallery-filled artist colony, either along Orange County's Coast Highway or down eucalyptus-laden Laguna Canyon Road, which curves like a riverbed, flowing down to the sea from the base of steep hills dotted with aerie bright-white homes that look like seagulls perched on precipices.
As we roll into town just before sunset, we feel like we're dropping into a box canyon with the Pacific Ocean as its only outlet, making the village feel cozy and isolated, particularly in the fall and winter months when the crowds thin out. A chilly breeze brings the faint smell of menthol (the canyon's eucalyptus trees) and something sweet, like saltwater taffy, perhaps from one of the candy stores. Long sheets of purplish orange clouds scatter like flaming blankets across the sky, suffusing the ocean, the sky, even Jan's face with a fireside glow.
"This is such a special treat," she says. "I can't believe you thought of it. By the way, where are we staying?"
Fortunately, I'm prepared for this question. I've been turning it over in my head from the moment we left home. I was thinking we could try to get a room at the hotel where we'd spent three nights on our honeymoon, even though it wasn't that great. But then my spousal guilt kicks in, so I decide to bite the bullet and go all out at Montage Laguna Beach resort and spa: California Craftsman architecture. Plein air art lining lobby walls. Feather-top beds. Soaking tubs for two. Views of Laguna's beaches. Jaw-dropping room rates. That sort of thing.
Beach romance
When we get up the next morning, the sun warming up the room, Jan and I both notice the quiet. With doors open wide to the Pacific, we hear the chest-thumping crash of the waves, the raspy bark of sea lions, the singsongy entreaty of a distant jogger calling his dog back from a run on the beach. I say we love the quiet, then I talk about the sounds. But it's different. In summer, beach sounds can be cacophonous. In fall and winter, there's mostly the wind and waves and sea life.
We love the communal feel of the town at this time of year, when locals, who seem to hibernate during the hot months, suddenly reappear to reclaim their favorite eateries and bars.
One morning we laze about Zinc Cafe on boutique-lined Ocean Avenue, reading the paper while digging into massive bowls of oatmeal mixed with dried cherries and nuts and surreptitiously listening to the breezy conversation around us -- like that of the young woman at the next table who's trying to convince a friend to join her in a laughter-yoga workshop on the beach.
"At first you just feel really stupid going hee-hee-hee, haw-haw-haw, but then you really do start laughing and it ... it's such a release," she says.
"What the heck is laughter yoga?" I lean over | [
"When do crowds thin out in Laguna Beach?",
"what is 50 miles south of LA",
"When does crowds thin out in Laguna Beach?",
"What thins out in fall and winter",
"What is about 50 miles south of Los Angeles?"
] | [
[
"fall"
],
[
"Laguna Beach coastline,"
],
[
"fall and winter months"
],
[
"the crowds"
],
[
"Laguna Beach coastline,"
]
] | Laguna Beach, California, is about 50 miles south of Los Angeles .
Crowds thin out in Laguna Beach in the fall and winter months .
Art galleries, shops and secluded beach walks keep visitors entertained . |
(SuperYachtWorld) -- They may not be big on looks but explorer yachts can realize even the most intrepid traveler's desire for far-flung and exotic corners of the globe.
Explorers offer all the comforts of traditional superyachts but with souped-up specifications -- an ice-strengthened hull to cope with polar ice or ocean-going capability.
Which means these tough boats can cruise from Patagonia to the islands of the Caribbean and from the Arctic ice to the Mediterranean.
They also come with an impressive array of gadgets and gizmos: Helicopters, fishing boats, luxury speed boats and state-of-the-art navigation gear are all among the play things likely to be aboard.
While chartering one of these yachts is not within everyone's budget -- prices range from about $100,000 to $500,000 per week, depending on the season -- most people can relate to the fantasy of escaping the crowds and exploring some of the world's most remote and beautiful spots.
'Atmosphere'
Why we like it: "Atmosphere" is more than a yacht -- it is the perfect escape for the 21st century adventurer. It is a specially designed platform from which to explore undiscovered Chilean Patagonia in three ways -- by air, land and water, using the yacht's on-board vehicles, which include a helicopter.
Where has it been? It has been based off the fjord-like coast of Chile since its launch. Its cruising area is 400 or so nautical miles from Puerto Montt in the north to the Taitao peninsula.
What its captain says: "My crew will fly you in helicopters, drive you to see wildlife in special tenders and take you on rugged shore-based excursions in one of a fleet of all-terrain vehicles we keep ashore in strategically placed locations along the coastline. We can fly you in the helicopter to isolated ski slopes with virgin snow." Victor Espinoza
Web site: nomadsoftheseas.com
'Allure Shadow'
Why we like it: "Allure Shadow" was built for a yacht owner who purchased a shadow boat to carry the toys for his big white yacht but then discovered he enjoyed the shadow more than the other one. It's not short on luxuries: every cabin has its own balcony.
Where has it been? Most recently it was deployed to Bimini in the Bahamas where its huge hangar and massive crane were used to launch a research submarine that was looking for the lost city of Atlantis.
What its captain says: "There is nowhere we can't go. And wherever we go, we do so in style, carrying more tenders, toys and cars than you can shake a stick at. When you talk about carrying a helicopter, we ask how many would you like!" Kostas Andreou.
Web site: iyc.com
'Senses'
Why we like it: "Senses" is packed with toys, including a luxurious 13 meter "Nelson tender" speedboat with its own slipway system enabling guests to step directly aboard from the main deck, an 8.5 meter Herreshoff sailing sloop, a "Hobie Cat" catamaran, a Waverunner, an meter fishing boat and a 7.5-meter RIB.
Where has it been? With a decade of adventures under it belt, it is one of the few charter yachts that can cruise from pole to pole. Its current owner has already taken "Senses" around the world twice.
What its captain says: "'Senses' can acclimatize to every use, be it diving in the Tropics, three month-long self-contained adventures up the Amazon, or entertaining. Its flotilla of tenders can be customized to suit the adventure at hand and that includes the seven-seat helicopter with a range of 600 nautical miles." Geordie Nicholson
Web site: burgessyachts.com
'Big Aron'
Why we like it This capacious 2004 yacht was refitted in 2006. With five decks reserved for guests it commands vast interior and exterior spaces.
Where has it been? South America and Brazil, where it explored some amazing uncharted river deltas, and the Angra dos Reis south of Rio -- a perfect charter area with | [
"Who offers the comforts of superyachts?",
"What do explorers come packed with?",
"Who is exploring unchartered areas?",
"What do the explorers arrive with?",
"What do the explorers have?"
] | [
[
"Explorers"
],
[
"impressive array of gadgets and gizmos:"
],
[
"'Big Aron'"
],
[
"Helicopters, fishing boats, luxury speed boats and state-of-the-art navigation gear"
],
[
"They also come with an impressive array of gadgets and gizmos: Helicopters, fishing boats, luxury speed boats and state-of-the-art navigation gear are all among the play things likely to be aboard."
]
] | New breed of adventure explorers offer comforts of superyachts .
Cruise the Arctic Circle, explore uncharted river deltas and bask in the Caribbean sun .
Explorers come packed with toys: helicopters, jet skis, dinghies and more . |
(The Frisky) -- "How I Met Your Mother" has me a little confused. I've watched the show since the beginning and think it is one of the best sitcoms, evah.
It's laugh-out-loud funny and unpredictable (Who can forget Slapsgiving or Robin's Canadian pop single, "Let's Go To The Mall"?), and gets the late 20-something experience like no other show.
Not to mention that Neil Patrick Harris as Barney is one of the funniest characters of all time.
But, I digress. The premise of the show has been that Ted is narrating to his children how he met their mother. Only, fours years in, we still have no idea who she is.
Earlier this year, the show's executive producer PROMISED that in episode 100, airing this coming Monday, we would finally be introduced to this elusive mother.
At the same time, it was leaked that Rachel Bilson was cast for a recurring role on the show. It made so much sense: Ted and Rachel, Rachel and Ted. They're both brunette and would look adorable together. But now new casting news is messing everything up.
I just read that two other ladies of note are getting roles on the show. First up is former pro-wrestler Stacy Keibler, who will also be in the 100th episode. And Carrie Underwood just confirmed that she will be on the show this spring. So, uh, who is the mother?
My instinct tells me that Bilson is too obvious a choice, considering this is a show that's kept us guessing for four years.
The Frisky: 13 super annoying ways people abuse Facebook and Twitter
Remember how, after watching Ted and Robin's romance begin to blossom, we got to the last second of the season premiere and Ted said, "And that's how I met your Aunt Robin." I just know we're in for a twist here.
TM & © 2010 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"who is rachel bilson",
"What instinct tells writer Bilson?",
"Who were cast in the 100th episode?",
"what did the executives promise",
"Who is too obvious a choice?"
] | [
[
"cast for a recurring role on the show."
],
[
"is too obvious a choice,"
],
[
"Stacy Keibler,"
],
[
"that in episode 100, airing this coming Monday, we would finally be introduced to this elusive mother."
],
[
"Bilson"
]
] | "How I Met Your Mother" executives promise to introduce mother character .
Rachel Bilson, Stacy Keibler and Carrie Underwood all cast in 100th episode .
Instinct tells writer that Bilson is too obvious a choice . |
(The Frisky) -- Recently, I discovered that one of my best friends had ditched me after I logged onto Facebook and found her profile had disappeared from my page. When you break up with a best friend online, things can get murky. We'd been having problems that had culminated in a huge argument the day before, but I figured we'd get through it. I figured wrong. Still, being given the heave-ho by way of a social networking site? My first reaction was to laugh. I mean, we're adults. Unfriending me seemed tantamount to toilet-papering my locker or scribbling my phone number on the boy's locker room wall. We had been close for well over a decade. We supported each other through parental deaths, and together we'd bitched and moaned about men for untold hours. I loved her amazing daughter -- buying that little girl Christmas presents was the highlight of my holidays. Suddenly, that was all gone. Suddenly, I wasn't laughing. I was crying. We know what to do when boyfriends dump us: sob. We eat everything in the house or take to our beds and refuse all sustenance. Usually, there's yelling -- at least at my house. The Frisky: How NOT to help heal a broken heart We purge them from our lives. We delete all their emails and erase their number from every electronic device we own. But when you break up with a girlfriend, things are murkier. For one thing, people don't feel sorry for you the way they do when a romantic relationship bites the dust. You can't blame them; it's not like you were in love or planning a future with your friend. (Even though you assumed she'd be part of it.) So, getting wound up about the loss seems somehow, I don't know, less legit. Is it? It hurts as much as any other heartbreak. Victoria Clark made a short film on the subject: "Ruminations on You and Me." I asked her about the process of grieving a dead friendship. "As a woman, I expect men to come and go because of the nature of love," she explained. "But your girls are supposed to be on your side, no matter what ... That's what I wanted to believe for a long time, but now I know that that's not always reality." The Frisky: What are your rules for friendship on Facebook? A friend of mine was saddened when her BFF excised my friend from her life after landing a boyfriend. "She hated being single, so if there was a man anywhere in the vicinity, you'd be kicked to the curb," my pal explained wistfully. Even forewarned with this knowledge, it stung when she was dismissed from her friend's life. The Frisky: Five ways to unfriend a friend Unlike my breakup, there was no dramatic defriending. This woman utilized the passive-aggressive method of choice: the slow fade. "I remember buying her a birthday gift, but somehow she just never had the time to come collect it." The Frisky: Ten songs about friendship Like any other kind of relationship, friendships end. It's not like I've never dumped a pal. I've gotten back together with a few. Because I miss her and love her, I gave making up a shot with this one. A few weeks after I was banished from her Facebook page, I emailed her an apologetic note. I never heard back. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"Like any other kind of relationship, what must happen?",
"When do people not feel as sorry for you?",
"From what does the author get ditched?",
"What happened to the author?",
"What happens to friendships?",
"When a friendship ends what do you have to do?",
"What do people not feel sorry for?",
"What don't people feel with a friend breakup?",
"An author got ditched by a friend on what social media platform?",
"Who ditched the author?",
"what do people not feel",
"Do people feel sorry for you when this happens?",
"Where did the author get ditched?",
"who got ditched on facebook",
"What happened to the author on Facebook?",
"Is it right to blame your friend when this happens?"
] | [
[
"friendships end."
],
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"break up with a girlfriend,"
],
[
"one of my best friends"
],
[
"one of my best friends had ditched me after I logged onto"
],
[
"end."
],
[
"I emailed her an apologetic note."
],
[
"when you break up with a girlfriend, things are murkier."
],
[
"sorry for you the way they do when a romantic relationship bites the dust."
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"one of my best friends"
],
[
"sorry for you"
],
[
"don't"
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"me"
],
[
"one of my best friends had ditched me"
],
[
"You can't"
]
] | Author gets ditched on Facebook by good friend and doesn't know what to do .
People don't feel as sorry for you with a friend breakup .
You can't blame your friend -- it's not like you were in love .
Like any other kind of relationship, friendships end but you have to go on . |
(The Frisky) -- Virgin Airlines heir Sam Branson was hanging out with Andy Roddick, and couldn't resist challenging him to a bet. Andy Roddick played left-handed against Sam Branson and still won. Branson wagered $150 that he could beat Roddick in a tennis match, as long as the right-handed sports star played with his left hand. Even as a leftie, Roddick cleaned up. They played one set and Branson didn't score a single point. Since celebrities have so much money to throw around, they often amuse themselves by placing weird bets. Peep a few more who've put their money where their mouth is. 1. George Clooney was so convinced he'd still be childless and unmarried when he hit 40 that in 2001, he bet Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer $10,000 each. The two gals just couldn't believe that this hunky dude wouldn't be tied down. But they were wrong. That's $20,000 for bachelor George! The Frisky: They dated? Hollywood's oddest hookups 2. Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry made a bet on the set of "The Whole Nine Yards." Perry allegedly thought the film would open at the top of the charts in the U.S. but Willis wasn't feelin' it. When Bruce lost, he had to do a cameo on "Friends." Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, he had to give away all the money he made. The good news is, he gave it to charity. The Frisky: Celebs whose new loves look just like their exes 3. Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio each bet $25,000 that the other would become a father first. The Frisky: Hollywood hotties set to play historical figures When Maguire's fiance had their first kid, the actor had to pay up. He gave DiCaprio the cash, but didn't mind. Cause, uh, he was a dad. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"what do celebs sometimes do",
"Who has so much money that they use it to place bets?",
"What did Sam Branson bet Andy Roddick?",
"Who lost a bet to Matthew Perry?",
"To whom did George Clooney bet he'd still be childless?",
"What was the reason Bruce Willis appeared on Friends?",
"what did george clooney bet",
"What did George Clooney bet two actresses?"
] | [
[
"placing weird bets."
],
[
"against"
],
[
"$150 that he could beat"
],
[
"Bruce Willis"
],
[
"Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer"
],
[
"he had to do a cameo"
],
[
"he'd still be childless and unmarried when he hit 40 that in 2001, he"
],
[
"he'd still be childless and unmarried when he hit 40"
]
] | Celebs have so much money they amuse themselves sometimes by placing bets .
Sam Branson bet Andy Roddick he could beat him at a tennis match .
George Clooney bet two actresses he'd still be childless at 40 .
Bruce Willis lost a bet to Matthew Perry and had to appear on "Friends" |
(The Frisky) -- About a year ago, a group of my closest friends got together in a basement apartment in Queens. It was a Saturday night in the dead of winter, and most of us were broke (the economy was crashing) and lazy (we didn't feel like trekking to a bar in the city). As we cracked open a bottle of wine and ate fresh-baked zucchini muffins, one of my friends decided to play us some records on the record player he had recently inherited from his parents. It turned out to be one of the best nights of our lives. In sharing great music, great food and great fun, a tradition was born: Record Party. The New York Times is finally catching on to something my friends and I discovered that night; vinyl is back in a major way. The stats say that CDs are becoming just about as obsolete as cassettes and 8-tracks. Sure, iPods are fun if you're on the go, but really the only way to devour your favorite music (other than to hear it live) is to listen to it on vinyl. It's like hearing the music again for the first time -- rich and layered. Mike Jbara, a bigwig at Warner Music Group, said, "It is absolutely easy to say vinyl doesn't make sense when you look at convenience, portability, all those things. But all the really great stuff in our lives comes from a root of passion or love." [New York Times] That's what Record Party is really all about. But don't take my word for it. Here are five tips for throwing your own rocking Record Party. • Yes, you need a record player. I know you're thinking, "Where on earth do I get a record player? The antique shop?" Try eBay or Craigslist. There are so many used record players that need a good home. From bottom of the line models to high-end turntables, you wouldn't believe how many people have record players. If you're an electronics idiot like me, you may want to consult a knowledgeable person. I always ask my super-geeky musician friends about makes, models and features. If you don't have a music nerd in your life, do a little research online or find a specialty store in your area. Also, don't forget to get some great speakers so you can hear all the natural flava of your records. • Starting a record collection isn't as hard or as expensive as you think. It's always fun to go to a local record store and pick out some delicious vinyl. Many record stores have used records, which can save you some money. Take the record out and make sure that it's the right record -- one time I got "A Chorus Line" record in a "Stevie Nicks" jacket. Also, make sure that the record is not terribly scratched. If you're a bargain hunter like me, go to your local thrift store and pick through. You may have to search for a while, but it's not uncommon to find some $1 gems. Also, flea markets are a great place to find some hot, cheap vinyl. • Keep the guest list small. The best thing about Record Party is reveling in your favorite music and breaking out your finest dance moves. This is always most fun with close friends who have similar tastes in music. But part of the fun is also learning about new music, so you may want to require guests to bring some records of their own. • Food and drinks are a must. It's hard to throw a great record party without food and beverage. Have everyone contribute. Snacks and drinks will be much appreciated when guests step off the makeshift dance floor. • Establish some rules and traditions. At our Record Party, we've established a couple of rules in order to keep the good times rolling: 1. Everyone must write all requests down on our request list. 2. No more than two songs played at one time per person | [
"What is a great about record parties?",
"What do you bring to the Record Party?",
"Where can you by a record player?",
"How much does a record cost?",
"Where can you buy a record player?",
"What can be inexpensive?"
] | [
[
"music,"
],
[
"food and beverage."
],
[
"eBay or Craigslist."
],
[
"$1"
],
[
"eBay or Craigslist."
],
[
"Starting a record collection"
]
] | Record Parties are a great way to get together with friends .
Instead of an iPod, get better sound with a record player, available on eBay or Craigslist .
Records can be inexpensive: $1 gems aren't too rare to stumble upon .
Bring snacks and a playlist . |
(The Frisky) -- Actress Amanda Seyfried has been pretty candid about her disdain for dieting. She recently spoke up on The Huffington Post site about how unfortunate it is that near starvation is often necessary for success in Hollywood:
"I clearly like being fit, but it's not thin without a hell of a lot of work -- I run and I exercise a lot and then I eat...I'm not going to deny that I don't think about it every day, it's always on my mind. I have to stay in shape because I'm an actress.
"It's twisted, but I wouldn't get the roles otherwise. If I'd been bigger, I don't think they would have cast me for 'Mamma Mia'! If I have to diet, it's salad with protein, salmon and broccoli, no dessert. But what kind of life is that?"
Yeah, what kind of life is that? I'm eating dessert for breakfast right now and feel pretty OK about it, but for people whose chosen profession is acting, it's a big issue.
Here are a few celebs who have whined about this unfair standard of beauty.
Sandra Bullock says she is paid to be thin
Sandra Bullock once said, "People ask, 'How do actresses do it?' Um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film," Bullock confessed to InStyle.
When she was younger, Bullock did some yo-yo dieting and says of her mentality at the time, "I'm going to get really fat. Then I'm going to complain about how fat I've got, then I'll have to go on a diet, then I'll complain about being on a diet. It's just a vicious circle. I've been a junk food junkie most of my life."
The Frisky: Learn from Sandra Bullock's up/down love life
Beyonce was "dying" to be thin
When Beyonce had to drop 20 pounds for "Dreamgirls," she did a Master Cleanse, and said this about it in FHM magazine: "I lived on water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 14 days. It was tough; everyone was eating and I was dying.
"After that I ate waffles, fried chicken, cheeseburgers, french fries, everything I could find. That was the best time of my life. I've gained twelve pounds."
"Baywatch" babe Nicole Eggert says being skinny is "unrealistic"
Former "Baywatch" and "Celebrity Fit Club" actress Nicole Eggert fought back against tabloid criticism over her weight gain, telling ThatsFit.com, "to maintain this Hollywood figure is really, really unrealistic. Is your heart healthy? Is your mind healthy? Do you feel good? That's it. Period. This skinny-minnie-waify look that has taken over is unrealistic."
But, just in case, she lost all that weight and is pimping that QuickTrim stuff Kim Kardashian is so fond of.
The Frisky: Amanda Seyfried's raunchy tattoo
Demi Moore doesn't call herself "thin"
Demi Moore also had her share of body issues and hopes she hasn't passed them on to her daughters.
She told Vanity Fair, "When I was living that idea that if I was thinner I would be better and more accepted and more attractive, I stopped looking at it as being thin or skinny... I have three daughters with three very different types of bodies... I just try to encourage them to find the beauty in who they are and what they have, as opposed to focusing on what they're not. I want them to know that being thin does not equate to happiness."
Demi Moore schools Kim Kardashian on "pimping"
Jennifer Aniston's lost it for "Friends"
When she started her career, Jennifer Aniston was told that she needed to lose 20 pounds to be on "Friends."
She managed to lose the weight but complained about it publicly: "You're damned if you're too thin and you | [
"What did Sandra say?",
"What did Sandra Bullock say?",
"How many pounds did Jennifer need to lose?",
"Who was told to lose 20 pounds for \"Friends\"?",
"What says Sandra Bullock?"
] | [
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"\"People ask, 'How do actresses do it?' Um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film,\""
],
[
"she is paid to be thin"
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"20"
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[
"Jennifer Aniston"
],
[
"she is paid to be thin"
]
] | Sandra Bullock says, "They pay us to do this in order to look good on film"
Jennifer Aniston was told she needed to lose 20 pounds to be on "Friends"
Kelly Osbourne says she took more heat for being fat than for being a drug addict . |
(The Frisky) -- Carrie Bradshaw is not only a Manhattan and fashion icon, but as a dating columnist, she's considered a dating icon as well. Why? She's selfish, immature, manipulative, impulsive, and, let's face it, kind of psycho.
The Frisky: 10 spoiler-free reasons to see "SATC 2"
She gives women, even kooky women, a bad name. Ladies, feel free to emulate Carrie's style and visit her favorite NYC haunts, but when it comes to dating, it's best to do anything but what she does.
Carrie makes several common mistakes throughout the "Sex and the City" series and by watching her missteps, women can learn a lot about what to do and, more importantly, what not to do, at all stages of a relationship.
The Frisky: Cattiest reviews about "Sex and the City 2"
Don't assume. When Carrie begins dating Mr. Big, she assumes that since she's not seeing anyone else, he's not either. Predictably, she's shocked when she finds him at dinner with another woman.
Although she and Big had shared a bed together, they had only gone on two dates by that point; he certainly didn't owe her exclusivity, especially when they hadn't discussed it.
If you don't want your new guy to date anyone else, make sure he knows it. While there's no magic time to have the "what do we call this relationship" talk, it's imperative that you have the talk at some point.
Over-analyzing doesn't solve anything. Carrie often falls into the trap of over and over and over-analyzing every aspect of her relationships, wondering what each and every little tiny thing means. She looks for hidden meanings in the most ordinary events. When Big takes her to the same restaurant twice in a row, she looks for a secret motive. She listens to answering machine messages from him repeatedly, straining to hear what he's not saying.
Sometimes, men are not up-front about why they do what they do, but most of the time, a restaurant is just a restaurant and a message is just a message.
Stalking isn't sexy. "Sex and the City" existed in a time before cell phones were ubiquitous, Google was a verb, and posting on Facebook and Twitter became a national pastime. Yet Carrie still manages to stalk Big, following him to church to see what he does on Sundays and with whom, and concocting a scheme to meet his ex-wife.
While there's nothing wrong with looking up a new date online, cyberstalking or, worse, actually stalking someone likely won't end well. When he finds out that you've been moonlighting as a private investigator, he won't be flattered. Instead, he'll wonder what he's getting himself into and will probably be ready to end what may have just started.
Drama doesn't equal passion. Carrie is scared when Aidan seems "too perfect." She wants to know what's wrong with him and insists he must be hiding a big secret from her. As she ponders her new relationship, she writes, "Do we need drama to make a relationship work?" The answer is no.
Unfortunately, many women equate drama with passion. A relationship filled with drama is usually exciting because you never know what could happen -- good or bad. That kind of excitement can be destructive and is ultimately unsustainable. A drama-free relationship isn't one that's necessarily without love or passion; it's one that's mature enough to not need the emotional roller coaster.
The Frisky: I'm a "Miranda" type -- not a "Carrie" -- and I love it
"Perfect" doesn't exist. Even as Aidan is too perfect, Carrie insists on perfection when she goes out with Berger for the first time. She goes shopping for the perfect outfit and tries to think of what activity they can do to make it the perfect first date. However, she soon realizes | [
"What is destructive according to the article?",
"Whose dating style should not be emulated?",
"Who should not be emulated?",
"What should not be equated with passion?",
"What should not be over-analyzed?"
] | [
[
"That kind of excitement"
],
[
"Carrie Bradshaw"
],
[
"Carrie Bradshaw"
],
[
"Drama"
],
[
"every aspect of her relationships,"
]
] | Columnist says women should not emulate Carrie Bradshaw's dating styles .
Don't equate drama with passion-- roller coaster emotions are destructive .
Give up over-analyzing every aspect of your relationships .
Ladies, if you're not yourself around him, he's not right for you . |
(The Frisky) -- Despite the tough economic times, you can't just expect to stop lusting after those Frye riding boots you've had your eye on forever, or that your longtime trusted hair stylist is going to suddenly start cutting her prices.
From hobbies to bake sales to your own Web site, there are ways to make extra money in your spare time.
The fact is no matter how frugally you learn to live, there are still going to be some things you'll want to splurge on, and that's okay. I mean, this is a recession, after all, not a potato famine. You don't have to give up all your luxuries or switch to low-cost everything; you just have to get savvier about making extra money for those treats you enjoy.
But I'm not talking about getting a second job or really working that much harder; a true recessionista knows how to make extra cash for little luxuries while leaving plenty of free time to enjoy them, too. After the jump, seven ways to make more money without taking a second job...
1. Become a focus group participant: An old co-worker turned me on to focus groups about 8 years ago and after I made 75 bucks giving my opinion on a series of coffee ads, I immediately went home, opened the phone book (remember those?), and called dozens of market research companies to get my name added to their databases for future groups.
Over the years I've made thousands of dollars telling people what I think about ads, product concepts, packaging, services, and the taste of food and beverages. Once, I even made $200 tasting vodka for an hour. Talk about easy money! Check the "Etc." section of Craigslist for current focus groups in your area, or do an online search for market research recruiting companies and then can call and have your name added to their databases.
2. Use your blog: If you have a blog -- and who doesn't these days? -- you're sitting on valuable real estate. Depending on the size of your readership, you could make anywhere from enough money to buy a magazine and a latte to enough to support your entire family (á la Dooce).
There are lots of different ways to make money on a blog, from virtual tip jars to product reviews, but the most popular is through running ads. In the past, I've recruited sponsors directly for a niche blog I used to write, but I currently use an advertising program on my personal blog that basically takes care of everything so all I have to do is post regularly and collect my check at the end of the month. Free money for writing about my cats and boyfriend and favorite TV shows! What could be easier? There are a host of ad programs open to anyone, so do your research to find one that's right for you.
3. Sell the stuff you no longer want: When I moved to New York from Chicago a year ago to be with my long-distance boyfriend, I used the opportunity to unload all the crap I no longer wanted or needed. I sold furniture, home goods, clothes, accessories, and my car (no need for one in Manhattan!). In addition to hosting a yard sale where I made about 200 bucks for candles, pots and pans and old Halloween costumes, I used the hell out of Craigslist and eBay, both before my move and after I arrived when I realized I still needed to unload quite a bit to fit into my boyfriend's one-bedroom apartment.
I honestly don't miss anything I got rid of (and can't remember what most of it even was), and the money from the sales paid a big chunk of my moving costs. Now that I'm settled in, I like to go through my belongings each season, selling a few items and making room and money for new stuff, like dresses and cute shoes.
4. Make money from your hobbies: From hawking your crafts on Etsy, and selling | [
"What should you sell on eBay or Craigslist?",
"What can you use with a blog?",
"Where can you sell stuff in your home?",
"What should you do to make extra money from the stuff in your home?",
"What kind of group should you sign up for?",
"What places can be used to sell stuff from your home?",
"What can you set up?"
] | [
[
"no longer want:"
],
[
"virtual tip jars"
],
[
"Craigslist and eBay,"
],
[
"no longer want:"
],
[
"focus"
],
[
"Craigslist and eBay,"
],
[
"From hobbies to bake sales to your own Web site, there are ways to make extra money in your spare time."
]
] | You don't have to get a second job to make extra money in spare time .
Sell the stuff in your home that you no longer use -- try eBay or Craigslist .
Sign up to be a focus group participant or become a dog sitter .
Set up your own blog and use an advertising service . |
(The Frisky) -- Don't you just hate the type of person who smugly informs you, "I don't watch TV," like that's something to be proud of? They think they're so great with all their fancy book learning. What they don't realize is that TV isn't for dummies -- there's tons of educational programming available -- you just need to know what to watch. I mean, you can learn your ABCs with "Sesame Street's" Grover, how to make gnocchi with Mario Batali, and the ins and outs of prettying up your home with any number of programs on HGTV. Television is also a great romance resource. Think of all the great TV twosomes we've seen over the years -- Lucy & Ricky Ricardo, Judy & George Jetson, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag ... but not all TV personalities set such a sincerely loving example. It's also a good place to learn which type of guy you should avoid. Here are a few examples: Chuck Bass ("Gossip Girl"): Few men can pull off lavender argyle, but Chuck Bass is definitely one of them. Moody and sinister, when Chuck Bass Types (CBTs) like you, it's as though you've been inducted into a secret society of two. It's you against the world and the CBT will bring out a dark side you might not have even realized you possessed. Whip smart with a caustic wit, he'll charm you all the while tucking away your secrets for use at a later date. And use them he will. Because when a CBT tires of you, he won't just say "see ya," he'll decimate you. Hank Moody ("Californication"): Some boys take longer than usual to grow out of their Charles Bukowski-wannabe phase. Exhibit A is Hank Moody. Actor David Duchovny, playing what the tabloids would have you believe is an autobiographical role, has managed to hang onto his Bukowski-phase well into his forties. Drinking, partying, and resisting monogamy, Hank still manages to attract more ladies than hotter men half his age. Of course the only women drawn to Hank are either damaged girls with daddy issues or the type of dame who doesn't feel complete unless she has some mess to clean up after. If you see yourself dating a Hank Moody type, do not walk -- run -- to your nearest mental health professional. Vince Chase ("Entourage"): Those big blue eyes and that floppy mop o' hair... you can forgive him for making a stinker like "Medellin," can't you? Sure, but do you really want to deal with someone who lives in a dude cocoon? Not only does he live with his brother and two best friends, he can't make any decisions without polling the group. On the upside, he's rich! On the downside, he's famous, which means other women are throwing themselves at him constantly. Vince might be fun for a fling, but forget about bringing him home to mama. Don Draper ("Mad Men"): Why is it when unattractive people are quiet we just assume they're stupid and/or boring, but verbally challenged hot people get pegged as mysterious and smoldering? Mad Men's smokin' hot Don Draper actually is mysterious (and smoldering!), so I don't know what point I was trying to make (because I'm all distracted from the photos on his IMDB page)... oh, wait! The point I'm trying to make is that while Draper is indeed mysterious, he's also a liar, a cheat and a cad. So if a DDT tries to slip you his number, just say no and send it to me. What? Strictly for research purposes. TM & © 2008 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What type is Chuck Bass?",
"Who is the aging party boy?",
"Hank Moody is from what tv show?",
"How should one learn who not to date?",
"Which character from Mad Men is mentioned?",
"Who is a smoldering liar and cheat?",
"What show is Chuck Bass from?",
"What show is the character Don Draper from?"
] | [
[
"Moody and sinister,"
],
[
"Hank Moody"
],
[
"(\"Californication\"):"
],
[
"Television"
],
[
"Don Draper"
],
[
"Don Draper"
],
[
"(\"Gossip Girl\"):"
],
[
"(\"Mad Men\"):"
]
] | Learn about men NOT to date by studying male characters on TV shows .
"Gossip Girls" Chuck Bass is charming type who decimates women .
"Mad Men" Don Draper is a smoldering liar and cheat Aging party boy Hank Moody of "Californication" attracts damaged women . |
(The Frisky) -- Election tension is boiling over; it seems like everyone from the office blowhard to the person in front of you at the post office is spouting off opinions that make your blood boil. But what happens when the one disagreeing with you shares your bedroom?
Here are ten tips to help you make it to November 4 without resorting to the taser gun:
1. Assess the situation: While one of you might not care that much, the other might be eating, drinking, and sneezing the party line. Acknowledge who feels most strongly, who's just having fun, and whether or not thoughtful discourse is as likely as pigs (with or without lipstick!) flying.
2. Find common ground: Establish that you each are trying to do what you think is best to move this country forward. Maybe you can even agree on an issue or two, and join forces in talking about your mutual passion. (Note: this becomes less effective if you see eye-to-eye only about oatmeal tariffs.)
3. Establish boundaries: Maybe it's no political talk at the table or no ranting email forwards from Aunt Phyllis. You might even agree that you'll freeze discussion if one of you cries for mercy (a "safe" word is good for this: who knew that political arguments were so much like S & M?) Either way, ground rules are essential to keep things from getting ugly.
4. R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Now's the time to channel your inner Miss Manners. Offensive taunts, passive-aggressive digs and -- most certainly-- flying fondue pots are all out of the question.
5. Don't overpersonalize: Your beloved is still, for the most part, who he always was. And the vast majority of those qualities have nothing to do with who gets his hanging chad in the voting booth.
6. Drive to distraction: Now is the time to take up cooking together, not to spend all night with Wolf Blitzer. Choose a classic movie over debate analysis and your 80s playlist over talk radio. And don't even think of bringing your guy to that fundraiser!
7. Find your outlet: If it helps you to hang out in partisan chat rooms all day, have at it. Just make sure you know the difference between blowing off steam and getting yourself worked up, or you're liable to be worse off than you started.
8. Keep it out of the bedroom: Say good night without politics-- unless, of course, the conflict adds some spice! But ixnay on the bouffant wig and red glasses.... as well as the Joe Biden undies.
9. Make an election night plan: Whether you'll be at viewing parties in opposite cities or side-by-side with earpieces and laptops, agree in advance whether you'll spend the evening, and morning, together. Avoid the potential pitfall of letting the night unfold spontaneously -- after all, one of you will be stewing while the other is squealing.
10. Do a reality check: For every couple engaged in a playful red-versus-blue showdown, there's another that must acknowledge red flags about opposing world views. Don't minimize what might be a larger problem of philosophical incompatibility-- or it could be a very long four years to come.
TM & © 2008 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What should you choose over talk radio",
"You shouldn't hurl what?"
] | [
[
"your 80s playlist"
],
[
"Offensive taunts,"
]
] | If you're in a mixed political party marriage, this could be a tense time .
Find common ground or avoid political battles over dinner table .
Don't hurl taunts or forward political e-mail rants from Aunt Phyllis .
Choose classic movie over talk radio, perhaps take up cooking class . |
(The Frisky) -- Even if you're not going to Fiji or the Maldives, accidentally ending up in a popular honeymooning spot while not actually on your honeymoon is easier than you think, especially with the abundance of all-inclusive deals online. Just because your hotel mates are on a romantic getaway doesn't mean they're not open to company. If watching smooching couples while chilling out with your friends makes you want to puke, no worries. You can still have a blast, even if you're not traveling with your newly committed soul mate. Relax You probably chose the fantastic place because you found a great deal to an amazing destination (much like your cuddling neighbors), so take advantage. Hit the spa, do some yoga, swim or make time for the mellow activities that are tough to fit in back home. While you probably won't meet the guy of your dreams lying motionless in a mud wrap, you'll be Zen enough to have a new outlook once your return home. Don't underestimate the locals (or the ex-patriot) There's nothing better than getting to know a place by hanging out with people who can tell you more than a guidebook about the area's culture and hidden gems. Have a glass of wine and chat up the bartender (or the person with the best English if you're abroad) or find out about an area of town where the ex-patriots live. Especially if you've been away from home for a long time, an American omelet or bagel can keep you smiling. Make friends Just because your hotel mates are using the vacation as a romantic getaway doesn't mean that they are not open to meeting others on their travels. There's a chance you'll end up chatting with a couple who bores you with the details of their wedding, but you might luck out and make a few friends (who perhaps will save you seats at the breakfast buffet the next morning). Plan activities Jet skiing, para-gliding, R.V. treks -- take advantage of all the offerings, that way you'll have fun and burn some of the calories you've packed on by sipping cocktails on the beach all day. Besides experiencing new things, you may run across others who have unknowingly booked the same Travelocity deal without any romantic intentions. Come prepared With portable board games, books, cards and an unlimited amount of iPod-fueled music, keeping busy in a honeymoon spot can seem a bit like summer camp (but with booze). Use the time a couple might spend in their room getting busy to work on your Scrabble skills, or catch up on all the new music you've downloaded but have yet to hear. And if you forgot your iPod, don't like spas, and can't find anyone in the entire city who isn't newly married and in love, you and your travel-mates can always place bets on which honeymooning couple will be the first to break up. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What is the best thing to do to get to know a place?",
"What does the Author suggest while traveling?",
"What does the Author recommend coming prepared with?"
] | [
[
"hanging out with people who can tell you more than a guidebook about the area's culture and hidden gems."
],
[
"Make friends"
],
[
"portable board games, books, cards and an unlimited amount of iPod-fueled music,"
]
] | It's easy to accidentally wind up in a popular honeymoon spot while traveling .
Hit the spa, do some yoga or swim, author suggests .
There's nothing better than getting to know a place by hanging out with locals .
Author: Come prepared with board games, iPod music, etc. |
(The Frisky) -- Everybody has a "type." Personally, I like a man with a big schnozz -- bonus points if he's got a collection of acne scars a lá Tommy Lee Jones. The "OverEater" is one of the nine types of men that women should avoid. My pal Annie likes preppy men -- but only after they've gone to seed and become a little bloated in the process. Suzanne has a weakness for thin Japanese guys who like indie rock music, while Maddy adores bike messengers of all shapes and sizes. But there are certain types of guys who should be NOBODY'S type. These guys are distinguished by one thing -- an overabundance of one or more very bad qualities. Here's your guide to boys to avoid: 1. The OverSharer: The current Overshare Poster Boy is Phillip Nobel, who wrote a highly hide-chapping account of his extramarital affair for Elle. The Oversharer will broadcast intimate episodes from your relationship to his mother, your mother, his blog readers and anyone else he can rope into paying attention. 2. The OverThinker: One of the great things about dating men is that you aren't subjected to long, excruciating interrogations over what you really meant when you reassured him that no, he didn't look fat in those pants. However, though they're rare birds, there are guys who will want to spend hours dissecting even the most innocuous comment, examining it for tone, content and what you might've been implying. 3. The OverTalker: Your friends say they've never known you to be so quiet. That's because this man does enough talking for both of you (and then some). When you do finally eke out a sentence or two he interrupts and talks over you anyway. You have two choices -- accept the fact that you will never speak again or tell him goodbye. Your call. 4. The OverDresser: This dandy makes Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass look sloppy and mismatched. That he takes longer than you to get ready is strike one against him, but the fact that he matches his socks to his underwear and to his ascot drives him out of the park. 5. The OverEater: It's an irritating fact that men can eat more than women. The overeater doesn't care. Food is his first love and he'll push cannolis and baked ziti on you like a crazed Italian granny. Unless you don't mind a future spent in stretch-pants, you might want to give this dude a pass. 6. The OverReactor: Remember when Russell Crowe threw a phone at that hotel clerk who somehow displeased him? That's this guy. From the old lady who accidentally bumped into him at the grocery store, to the SUV that cut him off on the highway -- everyone in his path will hear his wrath. You, most of all. Do not walk away -- run. 7. The Over-The-Topper: He's the life of the party and thinks nothing of driving his motorcycle through the bar if he thinks it'll get a laugh. He's certainly cute, but he just never stops. He's always on. And that, will quickly turn into a turn-off. 8. OverAchiever: Picture the male version of Tracy Flick in the movie "Election" in perfectly fitted jeans, a crisp white oxford shirt and a copy of his (perfect, naturally) SAT scores in his wallet. Now imagine making love to him. You can't, can you? 9. The OverCompensator: Maybe he was the homeliest kid in his eighth-grade class, but that doesn't mean you need to sit through a monologue about how much money he makes, how jealous his friends are over his new BMW, and how he totally could date supermodels if he wanted to. Next! TM & © 2008 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"Who does enough talking for both?",
"Who bragged about how much money he makes?",
"What does the Over Compensator brag about?",
"Who talks too much?",
"Who brags about how much money he makes?",
"Who does enough talking for both of you?",
"Who will everyone hear his wrath from?"
] | [
[
"The OverTalker:"
],
[
"The OverCompensator:"
],
[
"how much money he makes,"
],
[
"The OverTalker:"
],
[
"OverCompensator:"
],
[
"The OverTalker:"
],
[
"The OverReactor:"
]
] | There are certain types of men who should be nobody's type .
Run from the "OverReactor" -- you and everyone in his path will hear his wrath .
The "OverCompensator" brags about how much money he makes .
The "OverTalker" does enough talking for both of you . |
(The Frisky) -- Groucho Marx once famously quipped "I don't care to belong to a club that would have me as a member." I sort of feel the same way about online dating sites. There has got to be a better way to meet people. Sadly, mental telepathy does not work. Unless you know what I was just thinking, in which case, e-mail me.
We flock to digital artifices that both feed and coddle our egos, says writer of online dating sites.
I've recently begun... researching popular dating sites. Not because I need a date. No! I don't need a date. I'm up to my ears in hot lady action.
No, this research is for you, for all of you. It's a testament to my generosity of spirit I waded through these interweb love sewers in order to impart some sort of wisdom. Here's the wisdom: dating sites are terrible.
Possibly, if I was in prison, an Alaskan crab fisherman or a morbidly obese shut-in so humongous I had to wash myself with a ShamWow stapled to a broom handle, I could see the value in such sites. But I'm not isolated, nor confined to a forklift.
I don't need a middleman brokering a get together between the potential woman of my dreams and my own abilities to self-sabotage and humiliate myself. I can do this without an intermediary. The Frisky: Have to go online to get a date?
This might or might not be a totally uninformed opinion. The extent of my research began and ended with me signing up for OK Cupid, and failing to finish my profile.
I couldn't even bring myself to pick a pseudonym, which just seemed like the first of many lies required to meet anyone. Do I call myself OptimusGandalf and admit from the get-go that I'm an alpha nerd? Do I overshare a little too much and pick EdgarAllanEeyore? Or do I just admit to being a snarky, pretentious creep and go for HumbertHumbert? The Frisky: Online dating dos and don'ts
I tried to fill out the profile, but instead, it just filled me with a quiet rage. The self-summary section was baffling. It pushed me into an existential identity crisis. Who am I? Or more importantly, who am I when it comes to who I want someone else to think I am, so they will contact me, go out with me, and eventually kiss me?
Am I a sensitive guy, or a romantic, or sarcastic? Maybe I'm all three. I love long walks, going to see live indie bands, and whatever. I made sure to pepper everything with winking non-sequiturs and casual attempts at pop profundity.
Then there was the section where I define myself by the books, movies, and music I listen to. My music list was a near impenetrable list of overly eclectic bands that reflect my excellent taste, punctuated by "and Genesis." My movies were all '80s flicks, foreign films, and David Lynch.
By the time I got to books, and wrote "Pynchon," I was in a full-fledged state of self-loathing. The Frisky: Five online dating types to avoid
Let me get this straight: I'm going to spend a ton of time crafting a persona that is a borderline dishonest amplification of the personality traits I think other people will find attractive so I can find someone who's done the same thing, and we can both go out and discover that we're equally compatible idiots fakers. It's like a masquerade party in the Twilight Zone: I take off my Brad Pitt mask just so I can reveal Sloth from "The Goonies." The Frisky: Downside of online dating
There are, no doubt, many of you who have met the love of your life via online dating sites. Good for you. Congratulations on basically winning the lottery. I firmly believe I have a better chance of getting a girlfriend dressed like Zeus, stopping women on the street, and bellowing | [
"what does he says about online dating sites?"
] | [
[
"me as a member.\""
]
] | Writer has trouble filling out his profile for an online dating service .
He figures if he is borderline dishonest about his traits, his date will be too .
Thinks he would be better off dressing like Zeus, bellowing on the street at women .
Says online dating sites draw singles who feel entitled to instant happiness . |
(The Frisky) -- Groucho Marx once famously quipped "I don't care to belong to a club that would have me as a member." I sort of feel the same way about online dating sites. There has got to be a better way to meet people. Sadly, mental telepathy does not work. Unless you know what I was just thinking, in which case, e-mail me. We flock to digital artifices that both feed and coddle our egos, says writer of online dating sites. I've recently begun... researching popular dating sites. Not because I need a date. No! I don't need a date. I'm up to my ears in hot lady action. No, this research is for you, for all of you. It's a testament to my generosity of spirit I waded through these interweb love sewers in order to impart some sort of wisdom. Here's the wisdom: dating sites are terrible. Possibly, if I was in prison, an Alaskan crab fisherman or a morbidly obese shut-in so humongous I had to wash myself with a ShamWow stapled to a broom handle, I could see the value in such sites. But I'm not isolated, nor confined to a forklift. I don't need a middleman brokering a get together between the potential woman of my dreams and my own abilities to self-sabotage and humiliate myself. I can do this without an intermediary. The Frisky: Have to go online to get a date? This might or might not be a totally uninformed opinion. The extent of my research began and ended with me signing up for OK Cupid, and failing to finish my profile. I couldn't even bring myself to pick a pseudonym, which just seemed like the first of many lies required to meet anyone. Do I call myself OptimusGandalf and admit from the get-go that I'm an alpha nerd? Do I overshare a little too much and pick EdgarAllanEeyore? Or do I just admit to being a snarky, pretentious creep and go for HumbertHumbert? The Frisky: Online dating dos and don'ts I tried to fill out the profile, but instead, it just filled me with a quiet rage. The self-summary section was baffling. It pushed me into an existential identity crisis. Who am I? Or more importantly, who am I when it comes to who I want someone else to think I am, so they will contact me, go out with me, and eventually kiss me? Am I a sensitive guy, or a romantic, or sarcastic? Maybe I'm all three. I love long walks, going to see live indie bands, and whatever. I made sure to pepper everything with winking non-sequiturs and casual attempts at pop profundity. Then there was the section where I define myself by the books, movies, and music I listen to. My music list was a near impenetrable list of overly eclectic bands that reflect my excellent taste, punctuated by "and Genesis." My movies were all '80s flicks, foreign films, and David Lynch. By the time I got to books, and wrote "Pynchon," I was in a full-fledged state of self-loathing. The Frisky: Five online dating types to avoid Let me get this straight: I'm going to spend a ton of time crafting a persona that is a borderline dishonest amplification of the personality traits I think other people will find attractive so I can find someone who's done the same thing, and we can both go out and discover that we're equally compatible idiots fakers. It's like a masquerade party in the Twilight Zone: I take off my Brad Pitt mask just so I can reveal Sloth from "The Goonies." The Frisky: Downside of online dating There are, no doubt, many of you who have met the love of your life via online dating sites. Good for you. Congratulations on basically winning the lottery. I firmly believe I have a better chance of getting a girlfriend dressed like Zeus, stopping women on the street, and bellowing | [
"What would he be better doing?",
"Who does the writer feel he would be better off dressing as in order to find a date?"
] | [
[
"meet people."
],
[
"like Zeus,"
]
] | Writer has trouble filling out his profile for an online dating service .
He figures if he is borderline dishonest about his traits, his date will be too .
Thinks he would be better off dressing like Zeus, bellowing on the street at women .
Says online dating sites draw singles who feel entitled to instant happiness . |
(The Frisky) -- I know you are really, really upset -- but can you stop crying for a second so we can talk about the fact that Katherine Heigl is finally leaving "Grey's Anatomy?"
Long overdue, as far as I'm concerned. She has been annoying me since day one. How bad can the job really be? Hmmm, let's see. You get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to show up on set for 12 episodes -- then you get half the year off. Yeah, I think I'd quit too.
Her publicist claims she's out of there because she wants to spend more time with her newly adopted daughter, and that becoming a mother has "changed [her] desire to work full-time." That's sounds like sunshine and moonbeams and all, but the truth is that she's been petitioning to get Dr. Izzie Stevens written off for the last three years. Since her BFF T.R. Knight left, I suspect.
At least we can have some fun imagining how they might get rid of her. Drug overdose? Amnesia? Doctors Without Borders? Sex tape? Fun! Anyway, considering her last few movies were ludicrous rom-coms and she has a rep for biting the hand that feeds her, I'm thinking she may not be too popular in Hollywood after this. Plenty of other celebs have left cushy TV jobs for bigger and better things. Let's see how nine of them fared.
The Frisky - Sandra Bullock and other celebs who ditched the dead weight
1. Amanda Seyfried thinks she's too big for the filming schedule of "Big Love." That's why she's leaving the show -- to move back to New York City, pursue her film career, and live life to the fullest by eating spinach and seeds and popping pills. Mazel Tov, Amanda! But we're not sure how this is going to go for you.
2. Fans went crazy when ABC announced that it was canceling "My So-Called Life" after just one season. But then it came out that Claire Danes was the one who wanted the show to end -- she was ready to move on to a film career. She's had some hits, "Romeo & Juliet" and "Shopgirl," but she will always and forever be Angela Chase.
3. She's never confirmed it, but when "The O.C." killed off Marissa Cooper in the season finale of season three, most people assumed it was because Mischa Barton wanted to move on. The show trucked on without her -- for a season. Mischa's career, on the other hand: as dead as Marissa after the car wreck.
Frisky - 8 female stars who dated their managers
4. Rose McGowan replaced Shannen Doherty when good witch Prue Halliwell was "killed off" of "Charmed." Now she's working her magic on the judges of "Dancing With the Stars." Abracadabra! Save my career!
5. Never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually glad that Tina Fey left "SNL" to go on to write, produce, and star in "30 Rock." Yeah, she's pretty much taking over the industry and making money with much more than her looks.
The Frisky -- Britney and J. Lo did it: How a "How I Met Your Mother" cameo can turn a career around
6. Hunky George Clooney left "ER" in its fifth season to become the A-list movie star in the front row at the Oscars. A winning move? I'd say yes.
7. Nicollette Sheridan was so desperate to be polished like the jewel that she believed she was that she left "Desperate Housewives." She called the show "complacent," but creator Mark Cherry said her time was up because she had already slept with everyone on the show. Rumor has it that she has a new TV show coming out. Let's see if that jewel shines.
The Frisky - 10 stars whose relationships went sour after they found fame
8. Viewers cried and | [
"Who is Heigl going to spend more time with?",
"What did Danes want?",
"What did the star's publicist say?",
"Who wanted the show to end?",
"What show is mischa barton from?"
] | [
[
"newly adopted daughter,"
],
[
"wanted the show to end"
],
[
"she's out of there because she wants to spend more time with her newly adopted daughter, and that becoming a mother has \"changed [her] desire to work full-time.\""
],
[
"Claire Danes"
],
[
"\"The O.C.\""
]
] | Claire Danes was the one who wanted "My So-Called Life" to end .
Mischa Barton has never confirmed she wanted "The O.C." to kill off her character .
Heigl's publicist says she's leaving the show to spend more time with her daughter . |
(The Frisky) -- I once told my mother about a girl I had a crush on. At the time, I think I was about 16, and I had so much acne that if I fell asleep at a library, when I woke up, a blind guy would be trying to read my face. "Just go for her," my mother said. "It's not that simple," I said, while filling out my order form for 25 crates of Noxzema. "She's got a boyfriend." "Well, don't do anything differently. Act like she doesn't. That's how I got your father." She then walked out of the room, leaving my pasty teenage complexion an extra shade of white as I actually contemplated my mother dating. I've since related this story as an example of how hitting on someone with a significant other isn't always a terrible thing. Hey, if they're not married or serious, go for it. However, if you're considering trying to get a guy who has a girlfriend, there are a few things you should know. The Frisky: The Top 5 online dating do's and don'ts for guys First, I'll admit guys will hit on anything. I once observed one of my friends hitting on a street sign. Granted, he was drunk, but it did not matter to him that he was hitting on an inanimate object, or that the street sign was a little out of his league. Men do have standards, but when they're single, they'll hit on a woman with a boyfriend. They'll hit on nuns. Very occasionally, they'll hit on nuns with boyfriends. I'm not going to defame my own kind, but women can be better at subtlety, and you should use this to your advantage. The Frisky: Is cheating worse when you're married? I'm a big anti-cheating guy, so if a woman hit on me while I had a girlfriend, I'd be flattered. If she offered to go home with me or tried to kiss me or something like that, milk would shoot out of my nose and I'd run for the hills. (I have an odd fight-or-flight mechanism.) Subtlety is your friend. We'll pick up on the signals. If a guy is interested, wait for him to honorably break up with his girlfriend before the two of you start dating. Frankly, this is just good manners. The Frisky: To tell or not to tell on a cheater? It should go without saying that it's bad form to hit on a guy while his girlfriend is actually there, or even if she's in the same town. Men have a well-honed sense of panic that kicks in when someone's hitting on them while their girlfriends are in the same ZIP code. We know that women can read us, so unless you're hitting on a really shady guy, you'll scare him off as he runs home to call his girl and tell the story of the Evil Homewrecking Woman. The Frisky: Can couples get past infidelity? One last thing: If you do snag a guy away from his girlfriend, be wary. The good news is that, despite the popular perception, most of us men tend to be loyal once we're in a committed relationship. But know that if it happened once, it can happen again. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"what could make you \"Evil Homewrecking Woman\"?",
"What could happen again?",
"what will some guys hit on?",
"when do you need to be wary?"
] | [
[
"hit on a guy while his girlfriend is actually there, or even if she's in the same town."
],
[
"infidelity?"
],
[
"anything."
],
[
"snag a guy away from his girlfriend,"
]
] | Writer: Some guys will hit on anything -- even inanimate objects .
Writer: Hitting on a man when his girlfriend is nearby could make you "Evil Homewrecking Woman"
If you snag him away from someone, be wary: It could happen again, writer says . |
(The Frisky) -- I'm sitting alone in my apartment on a rainy night. I'm restless, mildly bored, and, yes, I'll admit it, but please don't tell anyone ... lonely.
It's days like this that I'm sure that there's no more love in store for me -- all of the epically momentous possibilities must have already passed me by. Somehow I blinked and missed them.
It's in moments like this that I allow myself the small indulgence of thinking about Sebastian.
Our story had all of the makings of a great love story. Once upon a time we met one evening in a dark, crowded party. He told me I was beautiful. I was young enough for him to appear larger than life. We kissed on the sidewalk in the rain. I fell hard for him -- hard like scrape-me-off-the-floor-with-a-spatula hard.
But we were wrong for each other in every way. We were young, immature, and troubled. It ended tragically -- Sebastian stood me up on a cold, snowy New Year's Eve and the two of us never spoke again. I went on with my life.
I wonder what Sebastian is doing right now. I wonder if I will ever love anyone that way again -- with an open heart. I decide to cruise the internet for inspiration -- narrowly avoiding the temptation to do a Google search of Sebastian's name.
The intention of my search? To remind myself that love really exists. A tall, existential order for sure, yet a valid one. I practice it often. On the street, on the subway. Every time I encounter a seemingly happy couple I say to myself, "See you bitter old hag, people fall in love all the time."
I find the kind of cinematic headline I'm looking for: "Gulf War Pen Pals Get Married After Facebook Encounter 19 Years Later." Touché.
As a teenager, Jamie Benefit decided to reach out to the troops during the Gulf War. She addressed a letter of support and encouragement to "Any Soldier." Jamie's anonymous letter found its way into the hands of 19-year-old soldier Jeremy Clayton.
Jamie and Jeremy continued to write each other for the duration of the war, to exchange stories and keep their minds off of the scary worlds around them. After the war ended, the two lost touch. Jamie wrapped up her letters in a patriotic ribbon, put them away in a safe place, and moved on with her life.
The Frisky: I was the other woman -- should I tell?
Nineteen years later, Jamie got curious one day (maybe she was sitting alone in her apartment on a rainy evening?) and looked for Jeremy on Facebook and sent a simple message to a man with his name, asking, "Were You In Desert Storm?" That was all Jeremy needed in order to know that he had to see Jamie again.
The two met up in person a few months later. When Jeremy finally saw Jamie he says of the moment, "It took my breath, I was actually shaking and I'm a pretty strong man. I just said to myself, 'You have to do whatever you can to make sure you spend the rest of your life with this woman.'" A few months later they were married.
The Frisky: How to handle an overly dependent BFF
Wow. Just like that huh? War. Letters. Great distances. Great danger. Years apart. Reunion. Facebook. Marriage. I'm sure someone in Hollywood will be calling any minute to option the rights to the film. Maybe they'll call it "Love in a Time of Bush."
I should feel inspired that love happens -- exponentially and effortlessly -- yet I feel nothing but skepticism. Does this actually happen in real life? Like, real real life?
The Frisky: Need to say goodbye to single life before I can find love?
Like Jamie and Jeremy, Sebastian and I lost | [
"On what kind of nights are people tempted to Google an old love?"
] | [
[
"rainy"
]
] | Late on rainy, lonely nights, some people are tempted to Google an old love .
One story about a soldier and teen had a happy Facebook ending .
Inspired writer searches for and meets up with her old love .
But finds he's older, more mature, version of the awful of the guy who broke her heart . |
(The Frisky) -- I've never really been a fan of the "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" school of relationship thought, but I'll admit that sometimes I feel as though the men I've dated have spoken a different language.
Like when a great date is followed by the deafening silence of the phone. Or when the big relationship talk results in a boyfriend-shaped hole in my wall.
Those are the times I want nothing more than a dictionary that translates every deer-in-headlights look, ambiguous voicemail, and cryptic text message.
That's where Jeff Mac's "Manslations: Decoding the Secret Language of Men" comes in.
The good
Actions speak louder than words. Sure, not a novel idea, but this "duh" lesson is one that can take years to learn. If it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck.
Mac's Golden Rule? Whenever there is any conflict between what a man says and what he does, always, always ignore what he says.
There is no such thing as a man dumping you because he is afraid of getting hurt, is frightened that his feelings are too strong, or because he finds you intimidating. Mac says to think of the simplest solution -- is it that this man sensed you were the perfect woman for him, who touched him so much in deep, important places that he couldn't handle? Or was he just not feeling it?
It's OK to call him first -- and if you get blown off, it's not because you called first. This is my favorite piece of advice from Mac, who says the mistaken conclusion women come to when they call first post-date and get blown off is that the call made them look clingy and spooked the guy.
"This is not how it went," says Mac. "If you called him and he blew you off, it went like this:
1. You had a great date, and he did not.
2. He planned to blow you off.
3. You called him, and nothing changed."
The bad
All men are obsessed with cars, the remote, sports, and video games. Yawn.
For the record, my man keeps his video game playtime short, hands remote control power over to me, and doesn't care for sports or cars. Is my guy an exception to the rule, or is it possible that all men are different and do not necessarily share those interests as a gender? I'm guessing it's the latter.
The ugly
Men are like dogs. Is this statement required filler for all dating books, right after the part about women being shopping-obsessed nags?
According to Mac, men are like dogs because, among other things, they have short attention spans and pay a lot of attention to their own crotches and the crotches of others. I'm willing to bet short attention span isn't an inherently male trait, and I can personally testify that neither is an interest in crotches.
So is Jeff Mac's "Manslations" the be-all and end-all of man manuals? Not exactly.
But when your girlfriends refuse to help you decode, for the eighth time, what he meant when he said, "I'll call you later," Jeff Mac's sometimes trite, always funny advice comes in handy.
TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"Whose language is being decoded?",
"What else has Mac wrote?",
"Is it okay to call a guy first?",
"What is it ok to do?"
] | [
[
"the Secret"
],
[
"\"Manslations: Decoding the Secret Language of Men\""
],
[
"OK"
],
[
"call him first"
]
] | Woman rates Jeff Mac's "Manslations: Decoding the Secret Language of Men"
If there's conflict between what man says or does, always ignore what he says .
Her favorite:OK for women to call guy first, and if dumped, it's not because of call . |
(The Frisky) -- Last weekend at a party, I noticed a toad-like man attaching himself to a beautiful, talented friend of mine. Not only was she way out of his league, looks-wise, but as I eavesdropped I discovered he was one of those dudes who delivers endless monologues instead of engaging in actual conversations. Too many women are afraid to say, "No," says author. Ladies, I think we've all been stuck with that guy. Now it was my friend's turn. I could tell by her stunned look of horror that she wanted nothing to do with him, but she seemed frozen. My pal Ivan and I tried to intervene. "Let's go get some cake," we suggested, physically pulling her from his side. Her relief was short-lived as he tracked her down and reattached himself to her hip. Watching her go through this made me think back on how many times I've been afraid to say no. Maybe "afraid" is the wrong word, but I've spent hours worrying about offending men who would've had no problem offending me if the situation were reversed. So I was thrilled when a copy of the hilarious book, "The Power of NO: How to Keep Blowhards and Bozos at Bay" landed on my doorstep. As the title suggests, TPON is about learning to not only say no, but to embrace no, something women seem to have an inexplicably harder time doing than men. I shot off an email to author Beth Wareham asking her why we womenfolk find it so painful to blow-off a troll. "The psycho-sexual-societal bulls--t that makes women be such wimps in the face of an odious man is in our DNA. And young women often make the dreadful mistake of thinking everyone has to like them," she fired back. The Frisky: 13 Woman you're dating is a loser "I believe that some dumb guy bugging you is a great moment to really march out a lie," she continues. "I mean, really, who goes around harassing strangers? Say, 'I have herpes.' Say, 'I am a hermaphrodite.' Say any damn thing you want to say but get him out of your face. You have ONE LIFE. Don't give chunks of it to this kind of dude!" The Frisky: I'm just not that into anyone anymore But for some guys -- and, let's face it, girls, too -- the word "no" can have an opposite effect, acting as an aphrodisiac. Wareham says, "Human beings want what they do not and cannot have." But sometimes you mean it! In that case, a persistent leghumper should be ignored, or reported to the cops if he gets stalky. "Don't answer. It's your door, your cell. And, if it gets too bad, try 911," she advises. "You wouldn't let anyone else harass you like that, would you?" The Frisky: Are these dating habits cute or crazy? Okay, so how about the Ambiguous Dater -- the cute guy who wants to "hang out," but never seems to make any plans. "No hanging out, ever," Wareham insists. "If the guy can't think up an interesting date and find $40.00 bucks for a burrito and movie, no go. Dating should never be 'hanging out.' Save that for marriage." The Frisky: How to deal with ambiguous dater How about dumping someone, I asked. How do you do that nicely? "I am not the woman to ask if you want kindly, " Wareham replied. "But, I do know this, keep the tone friendly. The less you imbue language with strong emotion, the better. I once said, 'Dude, it was way fun and I learned lots. But you yelled Mommy! during sex.' That happened to me, by the way." Hey, | [
"what should they say",
"who is the author",
"What is the name of the book that helps people say no?",
"what do women hesitate to say"
] | [
[
"\"No,\""
],
[
"Beth Wareham"
],
[
"How to Keep Blowhards and Bozos at Bay\""
],
[
"\"No,\""
]
] | Women hesitate to say no out of fear they will offend men, columnist says .
"The Power of NO: How to Keep Blowhards and Bozos at Bay" has tips on saying no .
Author: The word "no" can act as an aphrodisiac for some men .
When saying, 'No" keep the tone friendly, but emotion-free, writer says . |
(The Frisky) -- Like the David Letterman Debacle wasn't bad enough, now we have the story of Steve Phillips, the ESPN analyst, who had an affair with a 22-year-old coworker. Unfortunately for the 46-year-old sports dude and married father of four, his latest dalliance (and apparently there've been others before her) turned bunny boiler when he broke it off with her. Brooke Hundley, the jilted junior, allegedly went ballistic; repeatedly emailing and calling Phillips' long-suffering wife, tricking their 16-year-old son into an online flirtation, and then finally showing up at the family home, scaring the crap out of everyone. Lucky for Hundley, the Phillips's declined to press charges, but her reputation, both professionally and personally, is shot. (His too. He's since been fired from ESPN and has entered a treatment facility.) Obviously, being some cad's side action is always a sucker's game, but if you're going to do it, do it right. The Frisky: If he's not on the market, shop elsewhere! Choose carefully It's bad enough that you're "dating" a married guy, but when you start sleeping with someone who's in a position of authority over you, you're screwing yourself twice. Every good grade will be chalked up to your romance with the professor and every promotion, credited to time served on your back. Don't kid yourself that nobody in your class or office knows, because people aren't blind and you're not that slick. Don't go home with him Maybe he's too cheap to pay for a hotel room, could be he secretly wants to get caught . . . then again, maybe he's just a sociopath, but I can't even tell you how many times I've heard about a marriage dude bringing his girlfriend back to the house he shares with his wife and kids -- usually when everyone's out of town, but not always. Letterman even took his mistress on vacation with his family! Whatever his motivation, resist. You're already hurting this woman by having sex with her husband; at least have the decency to stay out of the bed they share. The Frisky: Can couples get past infidelity? Accept that you're No. 2 Married guys will tell you a lot of things in their quest to bed you. That they haven't slept with their [insert bitchy descriptor here] wives for [insert insanely long period of time here] and that they're only staying together for the [kids/finances/etc.]. You need to know going in that you will always come second. (Or third. Or fourth.) Sure, you might get expensive gifts, but you'll also be spending nearly every holiday by your lonesome, you'll never meet his friends, and plans will be canceled on a moment's notice if something more important (i.e., anything) comes up. The Frisky: How to handle being the other woman You're not his first . . . When an acquaintance of mine started an affair with a married coworker, she was furious when I suggested this might not be the first time he'd strayed during his very long marriage. She screamed that I was a cynic and that their love was a special flower they alone shared. (On the conference room floor.) Okay, she didn't use the term "special flower," but that was the gist. A week later I got an embarrassed call back reporting that, contrary to what he'd told her, he'd been straying since his wedding day. A cheat and a liar -- who would've guessed?! The Frisky: 10 ways to punish a cheater ...And probably won't be his last Most guys don't leave their wives for the women they're seeing on the side. Yes, I know -- your grand passion is "different." Snort. But what if he actually does splinter the family into bits and make a (semi) honest woman out of you | [
"who was fired by ESPN?"
] | [
[
"Phillips's"
]
] | Woman rarely come out ahead after having affair with married men, columnist says .
ESPN fired Steve Phillips and Brooke Hundley's reputation is shot after affair .
Writer says women should realize men rarely cheat just once .
Quotes Web site saying 3 percent of cheaters wed, 3 percent of those marriages survive . |
(The Frisky) -- Natalie Portman is getting a lot of Oscar buzz for her performance in "Black Swan." And while the young actress certainly deserves the attention for the mind-bending role, we're a little concerned that a dud of a movie is about to hit theaters that could distract critics from her performance in the ballet thriller. Her rom-com "No Strings Attached," also starring Ashton Kutcher, is coming out right before the Oscars.
Sometimes when this kind of thing happens, it makes the stronger performance seem like a fluke and can cost an actor precious Academy votes. But Natalie would not be the first star who went from stellar performance to getting stuck in a stinker.
From "Dreamgirls to "Norbit"
Apparently, a lot of people felt that Eddie Murphy's shot at winning an Oscar for his role in "Dreamgirls" evaporated after his 2007 movie "Norbit." For his role as James "Thunder" Early in "Dreamgirls," Murphy took home a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award and earned an Oscar nomination (but not a win), but when "Norbit" dropped in theaters, the movie ended up winning eight Golden Raspberry "Razzie" awards. That's a lot of bad "fruit."
The Frisky: Pics of 15 celebrity slobs
America's sweetheart bombs
Sandra Bullock made history in 2010 for winning both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year. Actually, make that in the same weekend! Before accepting her Best Actress Oscar for "The Blind Side," the gracious actress accepted a Razzie for Worst Actress in "All About Steve." We're sure her two statues sit side by side.
From "Good Will" to six stinkers
Ben Affleck took home an Oscar in 1997 for writing "Good Will Hunting," so I suppose his acting prowess wasn't exactly on the line. But he followed up that win with a number of truly mediocre roles and was nominated for Worst Actor of the Decade Razzie this year for his contributions to film in "Daredevil," "Gigli," "Jersey Girl," "Paycheck," "Pearl Harbor," and "Surviving Christmas." Ouch. But it should be noted that Affleck did accept his 2004 Razzie in person, so at least he's a good sport.
The Frisky: 12 celebs who've denied getting breast implants
"Catwoman" was a "Monster"
Actress Halle Berry followed her 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress in "Monster's Ball" with a Razzie Award for Worst Actress in "Catwoman" in 2005. Berry accepted her Razzie while holding her Academy Award, which is awesomely ... awesome.
The Frisky: 10 female stars who are OK with nudity
He should have said "no" to "Vice"
Jamie Foxx had a great year in 2004 after winning an Oscar for "Ray," getting another nomination for "Collateral," and having a hit song with "Slow Jamz." But he followed that strong year with films like "Miami Vice" and "Valentine's Day," which, no matter what anyone says, was super mediocre.
She had a good and a bad "marriage" movie
Her performance in 2008's "Rachel Getting Married" earned Anne Hathaway an Oscar nomination, but her other bridal-themed flop, "Bride Wars," the following year made us forget all about it. Wedding-themed movies are just a hard genre to get right.
The Frisky: 10 Hollywood female celebs under 35 who are "out"
From piano man to sci-fi flop
Nothing could make me stop loving Adrien Brody, but he did manage to disappoint critics when he followed up his 2003 Best Actor Oscar for "The Pianist" with "The Singing Detective" and (shudder) "King Kong." And now he's wasting his talent in weird sc-fi movies like "Splice" and "Predators?" Get this man a period piece, pronto!
The Frisky: 30 things every woman should quit doing by 30
TM & | [
"what is coming before the oscars",
"What is her rom-com called?",
"Who made history?",
"When did Sandra Bullock make history?",
"what did bullock make",
"What's the name of Portman's rom-com?",
"When did Halle Berry win an Oscar?",
"When is it coming out?"
] | [
[
"\"No Strings Attached,\""
],
[
"\"No Strings Attached,\""
],
[
"Sandra Bullock"
],
[
"in 2010"
],
[
"history"
],
[
"\"No Strings Attached,\""
],
[
"2002"
],
[
"right before the Oscars."
]
] | Portman's rom-com "No Strings Attached" is coming out right before the Oscars .
Sandra Bullock made history in 2010 for winning both an Oscar and a Razzie .
Halle Berry followed her 2002 Academy Award with a Razzie Award in 2005 . |
(The Frisky) -- Sometimes, I suppose, even celebrities need a few extra bucks. Maybe they want to buy a new Benz or a house in the south of France or add a bowling alley to the basement of their mansion? Whatever their motive, many turn to advertising when singing, acting or modeling gigs start to dry up.
Usually, they just stand around and talk about the product and the commercial isn't too much of a stretch. But some celebrity endorsements have left us scratching our heads. Take Dita von Teese who, this summer, is teaming up with Perrier for their new "paparazzi" line. We aren't really sure what burlesque and paparazzi have to do with sparkling water but, hey, it'll probably work. Here are nine more star hucksters peddling strange wares.
The Frisky: 10 hottest Hollywood moms over 40
Carrie Bradshaw is so PC now
In "Sex and the City," columnist Carrie Bradshaw does all of her writing on a Mac. She's been shown typing away on it for many, many years -- through all the seasons and the first movie. But in "Sex and the City 2," Bradshaw will be using an HP because of a partnership with Hewlett-Packard. She'll also be showing up in some of their television commercials, print ads, outdoor ads and online ads. Some of the other characters in the movie will be representing the product, too. And they think die-hard fans won't notice the switch?
The Frisky: I sabotaged my relationship to have drinks with my ex
King of Darkness' soft spot for butter
Ozzy Osbourne did a spot for ... butter. Well, actually, it was for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," which is a combination of chemicals meant to resemble butter. Still, who'd have guessed this old rock star would be doing food ads? Perhaps they paid him in alcohol? At least they didn't have him spread the stuff on a bat.
Punk icon turned insurance salesman
Iggy Pop showed up in a commercial for Swift Cover, which is some kind of insurance for your insurance. That's pretty strange in and of itself but the ad featured Iggy dancing, twitching and sweating while standing topless in front of a purple screen and saying weird things through a clenched, wrinkly jaw. This is a good way not to sell a product.
The Frisky: 14 examples of the worst facial hair in Major League Baseball
Designer Coke
In April, Karl Lagerfeld teamed up with Coke, designing a new and very pretentious-looking Coca-Cola "Light" bottle, to be sold at $5 a pop. Not surprisingly, it is a chic combo of black, white and pink and has a picture of Lagerfeld on it. Die-hard fans can purchase the $80 boxed set at the exclusive Colette boutique in Paris, which comes with one bottle of Lagerfeld's Coca Cola "Light," a display box, and a bottle opener. Or, you Coke fans just buy a regular bottle of Coca-Cola for $.99?
Water does her hot body good
We all know hot models and celebs move products off shelves, but now even bottled water companies are using super hot stars to push their products. Recently, Jennifer Aniston teamed up with Smart Water and their new ad shows the 41-year-old actress posing with rock-hard abs and a big bottle of the pricey water. The ads call Smart Water Aniston's "workout partner," but, let's face it: it's just water, which is basically everyone's workout partner.
Twilight star's titillating print ad
Ashley Greene, who played Alice in "Twilight," also did a weird stint for advertising all in the name of "healthy" water. She wore a painted-on swimsuit (and nothing else but paint) that made her look like she was covered in scales for SoBe's Lifewater, a calorie-free drink that's sort of like water, but it's not.
Alice Cooper eats peas for cash
In one | [
"Who is Bradshaw entering a partnership with?",
"What are von Teese and Perrier teaming up for?",
"What was Jennifer Aniston ad for?",
"Who is Dita von Teese teaming up with",
"What does Aniston's ad for Smart Water show?",
"Who has a partnership with HP",
"What computer will Bradshaw be using?"
] | [
[
"Hewlett-Packard."
],
[
"their new \"paparazzi\" line."
],
[
"Smart Water"
],
[
"Perrier"
],
[
"the 41-year-old actress posing with rock-hard abs and a big bottle of the pricey"
],
[
"Bradshaw"
],
[
"HP"
]
] | Dita von Teese is teaming up with Perrier for their new "paparazzi" line this summer .
Bradshaw (Parker) will be using an HP because of a partnership with Hewlett-Packard .
Jennifer Aniston's ad for Smart Water shows the acress posing with rock-hard abs . |
(The Frisky) -- Sunday is the series finale of "Lost." For the past six seasons of "Lost," every single episode has brought us at least one new oddity to ponder. And yet, as frequently as questions are posed, it's not that often a question is actually answered. This is why the love the show, but also what makes it such an ever-evolving mind bender. Now we are down to the final episode. It's a long one -- two and a half hours to be exact -- but it has all us fans wondering, how the heck are they going to tie up all the loose ends? Sadly, they won't.
Today, producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse announced that because they felt they didn't have enough time to finish all the story lines, the season six DVD will contain 20 extra minutes. But, um, we don't want to wait until August or have to drop $50 to know everything! So, guys, here are 10 questions we need the answers to on Sunday. Mmm-k?
The Frisky: 11 most romantic (and hawt) "Lost" clips
1. What the heck is the island?
So many different theories have been presented by different characters this season. Is the island a cork on a wine bottle of evil that keeps the darkness from spilling out into the regular world, as suggested by Jacob? Is the island hell and everyone on it is dead, as Isabella told Ricardo? Or is it a hiding place for the world's life source, as Jacob and the Man in Black's mother proposed? Or is it something else entirely?
2. What's up with that white light?
Jacob has been tasked with guarding the white light for forever, and in this week's episode, Jack volunteered to take over the job -- which makes sense, as Jacob tells him that the light is near the bamboo field where he awoke in the show's first seconds. But, uh, what is the light exactly? And whom does it need to be protected from?
The Frisky: The 5 most kick-butt scenes in "Lost"
3. Why are the characters' lives in the "sideways" universe different from what they were before the crash?
All season, we've been getting flashes to an alternate reality where flight 815 never crashes and lands safely in Los Angeles. Some of the characters' lives match up with what we've seen in flashbacks to their lives before the crash. But most are way different -- for example, Jack has a son, Locke has a loving fiancé, and Desmond appears to be a bad guy (maybe?) pulling strings and making puppets dance. Why?
4. Speaking of, what is Desmond's function in all this?
Last episode, we found out that Desmond is a "fail safe." And we've known for a while now that, somehow, he survived the electromagnetic explosion of the hatch. Is Desmond super-powered? Because of the explosion, or has the island always been his destiny too? How will he play into whatever is coming?
The Frisky: 8 things I will NOT miss about "Lost" going away
5. What about the polar bears?
In the series pilot, Sawyer shoots and kills a polar bear. We know that the Dharma Initiative kept them in the cages -- but did they bring them? Or were they already there?
6. Why can't women have babies on the island?
Another question that goes seasons back with no explanation. Why was Claire able to give birth to Aaron and Jacob and the Man in Black's mother able to give birth to them -- but all other women on the island are unable to have babies?
7. How will Jack try to kill the Man in Black?
When Jack took over for Jacob, Jacob said Jack must "do what he couldn't -- kill him." So how exactly does one go about killing a lethal cloud of black smok? Guess we'll | [
"What will \"Lost\" DVD contain?",
"How many extra minutes will the season six DVD contain?",
"Who gave birth?",
"How many extra minutes will the DVD have?",
"Who was able to give birth?"
] | [
[
"20 extra minutes."
],
[
"20"
],
[
"Claire"
],
[
"20"
],
[
"Claire"
]
] | The "Lost" season six DVD will contain 20 extra minutes .
Why was Claire able to give birth, but the other women are not?
Jack has a wound on his neck that keeps reopening for no apparent reason . |
(The Frisky) -- The new year is a time for taking stock, a time for looking back and learning as well as looking ahead towards a richer future, secure in knowing that the lessons we've learned this past year will help us lead a better life in the next.
Obviously, there is no better source for these life lessons than within the annals of celebrity gossip. Celebrities are richer than us, prettier than us, and -- with rare exception -- skinnier than us. We watch them onscreen and/or listen to their songs -- why shouldn't we learn from their mistakes?
Sadly for them, 2009 was a rough year for famous people in relationships. There were more breakups than there were deaths! But luckily for us, there are valuable nuggets of knowledge contained within almost every celebrity split.
You aren't going to love the same guy at 30 that you did at 13.
Susie Sprague reportedly had the hots for Corey Feldman since she was a wee child mooning over "Goonies." And while Corey had been an adorable little moppet, his grown-up years were filled with drugs, 12-step programs, and reality TV. Five years and one kid into their marriage, Susie wised up and ditched her Lost Boy.
Same goes for Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley, who met and fell in love when she was a teenager -- after three years together, she grew up (sorta) and filed for divorce.
The Frisky: How my May-December romance went horribly wrong
Don't date (or marry) your dad
Yes, I know, there are plenty of May/December romances that work out just fine, but there are going to be issues when your pop-cultural touchstone is "Gossip Girl" and his is "Gilligan's Island."
If you don't believe me, just ask Billy Joel and Katie Lee, Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia, Lily Allen and her 45-year-old art dealer ex, or TR Knight and the scandalously younger Mark Cornelsen.
The Frisky: 7 things to know about Matt Kemp, Rihanna's new man
Twitter is not for feuding lovers.
While some were titillated by Lindsay Lohan's foray into lesbianism with DJ Sam Ronson, reading their snitty Twits proved that gay relationships can be every bit as boring and stupid as straight ones.
The Frisky: 13 annoying ways people abuse Facebook, Twitter
Don't be anyone's Pocket Pal.
Just like huge disparities in age, income and education, sometimes the size gap just can't be overcome. Of course I'm speaking of teeny-weeny Christina Ricci and her jumbo-sized ex-fiancé.
According to their reps, it was an amicable split due to the usual publicist-generated reasons, but c'mon. If your boyfriend can pick you up with one hand and zip you up in the pocket of his gargantuan windbreaker, it's just not an even match.
The Frisky: Freakish celebrity couple height differences
Professional athletes are probably going to cheat on you.
I'm sure Elin Nordegren thought she was going to be the exception to this rule. I mean, for one, she's gorgeous. For another, she married the most boring sports star on the planet. Tom Brady -- I think we can all imagine him cheating. But Tiger Woods? His college nickname was "Urkel".
TM & © 2010 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"Were more celebrity breakups than deaths in 2009?",
"What is the balance between breakups and death in 2009?",
"What is Ricci's first name?",
"Were more deaths than celebrity breakups in 2009?",
"There were more celebrity breakups in 2009 than what?",
"You aren't going to love the same guy at 30 that you did when?"
] | [
[
"There"
],
[
"than there were"
],
[
"Christina"
],
[
"There"
],
[
"deaths!"
],
[
"13."
]
] | There were more celebrity breakups in 2009 than there were deaths .
One lesson: You aren't going to love the same guy at 30 that you did at 13 .
Sometimes a size gap can't be overcome, writer learns from Christina Ricci . |
(The Frisky) -- There are certain families -- like, say, the Coppolas and the Gyllenhaals -- where coolness seems to be infused in the DNA. I'd like to add another to the list: the Reitmans. Papa Ivan is the producer behind flicks like "Ghostbusters" and "Animal House," and son Jason grew up on his sets. "I was on the set of 'Animal House' when I was 11 days old. It had a profound effect on me," Jason joked this week on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." When he was in his early teens, Jason started working as a production assistant and his dad even cast him in a few small roles. "I was 13 and my dad gave me a scene in 'Kindergarten Cop' kissing a girl -- and that was in fact my first kiss," said Jason. "My first kiss was directed by my father. You don't know what it's like to have to do eight takes of your first kiss while Arnold Schwarzenegger's pointing a gun at you and your dad's like, 'Grab her a little more.'" While Jason probably could have busted into filmmaking by birthright, he decided against directing "Dude, Where's My Car?" which he was offered, and instead worked on short films to gain clout. "It's interesting because I avoided working with my dad for a while because I was so sensitive of being accused of the idea of nepotism," he said. "I remember when I was 19 years old I started a desk calendar company to pay for my first short film just so I could say one day my daddy didn't pay for my first short film. And I really established myself through the film festival world, starting at Sundance and lots of film festivals and really took on a different style of film from my father." Soon, Jason directed "Thank You For Smoking." Then the amazingness that was "Juno." And now, of course, he is the Best Director/Best Picture forerunner with his movie "Up In The Air," which is getting all sorts of critical acclaim. "Up in the Air" is the first project the two worked on together. "I love my father and we have such a strong bond and I look up to him as a filmmaker and a storyteller," said Jason. "So it was great and when I see the credits and it says produced by Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, my heart swells. It's really, really cool." Ivan echoes that sentiment. "It's great to be the producer of this kind of movie and sort of share in its success and the goodwill that comes with it," he said. "But as a parent it's kind of this remarkable emotional moment that's kind of hard to describe." And it's not like Ivan's career is over -- he has a script in the works for "Ghostbusters 3" and the word on the street is that Bill Murray will be making a cameo in it as a ghost himself. Could this family be any cooler? TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"who is the father",
"Who was the prducer of \"Ghostbusters\" and \"Animal House\"",
"What film did Jason direct?",
"What is the first movie the pair has worked on?",
"Who is behind \"Up in the Air\"?",
"Who are behind award darling \"Up in the Air\"?"
] | [
[
"Papa Ivan"
],
[
"Papa Ivan"
],
[
"\"Thank You For Smoking.\""
],
[
"\"Up in the Air\""
],
[
"Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman,"
],
[
"Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman,"
]
] | Ivan and Jason Reitman are the father/son tandem behind award darling "Up in the Air"
The father, Ivan was the producer behind "Ghostbusters" and "Animal House"
The son, Jason grew up on sets and directed "Thank You for Smoking" and "Juno"
"Up in the Air" is the first movie the pair has worked on together . |
(The Frisky) -- There are two sides to almost every breakup -- the dumper and the dumpee. (Sorry, I don't buy those "mutual" decision splits. I'm sure they happen, but they're as rare as a fat cell on Madonna's rear end, so they don't count.)
Don't haunt the person you dumped by sending them a birthday card.
While it's ideal when both sides exit the relationship with dignity, it's much easier to be the Gracious Ex when you're the dumper. After all, it was your bright idea to break up. You've had time to wrap your head around it, and really, who are you kidding -- you probably have a replacement lined up already.
So we're going to start with you, the breaker-upper, because your list of "How Not to Be" is a lot shorter. Without further adieu, you definitely should not:
• Refuse to be the bad guy. Every breakup has one and, as the dumper, you need to suck it up and admit you're it. Even if you're not particularly evil, you're the one who used his heart as a hankie, so don't call him, wondering if he's "OK." Not only does it not absolve you from anything (and that's really all you're looking for), it's presumptuous. And while we're at it, don't even think about acknowledging milestones. Nothing says Unhappy Birthday like a store-bought greeting card from the person who ruined your life (at least for a while).
• "Friending" them. There is not one action more weaselly than kicking someone to the curb one week, only to send them a "Zombie Hug" on Facebook the next. I went out with one dude whose MySpace page consisted solely of women he'd wrung through his emotional wringer. Guess who he tried to add next? I don't think so, buddy.
• Leave them on your band/performance/whatever SPAM list. The best thing about getting dumped by a musician/actress/mime is that you never have to sit through another one of their lame performances. The second worst thing about these emails is that they serve as a reminder you still draw breath and are experiencing some level of success. But the all-time worst aspect is that you just know that the list of recipients includes the person she's currently snogging. This goes up an extra notch of excruciating when the sender doesn't utilize the BCC function.
• Throwing the sad face. True, running into someone you've emotionally eviscerated is uncomfortable, but if you happen to cross paths with your ex, be polite, be discreet, and move on quickly. Don't coo and hover, your exaggerated frown telegraphing their status as the booted party to any and all in the area. Getting dumped is humiliating enough without the insincere theatrics.
• Rebound with a friend or family. The ultimate in sketchy ex behavior would have to be dumping a dude to get to his cousin (or brother). Next up is his best friend. If you're going to go there, at least wait a couple days before you do so.
• Backsies! How many times have you finally gotten over someone, only to have them come bounding back into your life the second you meet someone new? It's uncanny -- and unbelievably irritating -- how often this happens. Don't be that person.
To ensure you won't, before you have "the talk" with your no-longer-significant other, picture him making out with your best friend. Are you a) mildly intrigued; b) livid; or c) relieved that he found someone else because now he won't cry when you tell him to get lost. If you picked A or C, you're good to go. If B was your answer, well, you'll get what you deserve when he starts dating your hotter, younger cousin.
TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What don't you do after you dump someone?",
"What should you not do after dumping someone?",
"What list should you remove your ex from?",
"What shouldn't you do to them on social networking sites?",
"What situation is this advice applicable to?"
] | [
[
"sending them a birthday card."
],
[
"Don't haunt the person"
],
[
"\"How Not to Be\""
],
[
"Don't haunt the person"
],
[
"breakup"
]
] | After you've dumped someone, don't try to date his friends or relatives .
Take your ex off all your SPAM lists so you don't haunt him .
Do not "Zombie Hug" or poke them on social networking sites . |
(The Frisky) -- There exists a school of thought that dictates if you think something catastrophic, then it won't happen. What would happen if my family died in a car accident? What would happen if my house caught on fire? "What makes men connect with the girl of their dreams after sparking with me?" the author asks. Two summers ago, I asked myself: Wouldn't it suck if my first love met someone unexpectedly and got over me before I could begin to move on? Thankfully, my family and my house are safe, but my feelings, my love life, and my ego still need mending. "I met someone." The text message appeared on the screen of my phone and I stopped walking. A group of my friends and I were leaving the movie theater, and it was as if all feelings he had for me were obliterated in one night. We broke up because he was studying in Europe. Poetically, we had expressed our feelings for each other just two nights before. Then he became someone else's boyfriend, and remained so, for much longer than he and I lasted. I should've known it would happen, since it happens quite often. My first kiss, who refused to be my boyfriend, met the girl of his dreams while I still ached for him. They're still together today. Since then, I've been the second choice for several more men. The most recent ones occurred this summer, when I tried and failed to win the heart of my friend Ken -- he started dating the person that he truly liked instead of settling for me. I lost Brian to his ex-girlfriend (although, in that case, I think they belonged together anyway). Each time, I laughed one of those sad, desperate guffaws -- here we go again! What makes men connect with the girl of their dreams after sparking with me? Another concept may be more applicable to my situation: the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps I'm so aware of my "magic touch" that I'm making it happen. While the first love arrived in Europe, I even warned him what may happen. At the time, though, he waved the thought away. "I'm so picky, I rarely really like a girl like I like you," he typed. A month later, he must've been pleasantly shocked to discover my unfortunate power reached across the Atlantic Ocean. When Ken told me he was dating Mary, I was angry I'd let this happen to me again. I raged at him. He argued that it's irrational to use my past experience to predict the outcome of my future relationships (or my attempts at them). I'm sure that there'll be a guy someday who doesn't find me easy to move on from, but in the meantime I can't ignore the pattern and pretend that each time was a coincidence, as Ken had wanted me to do. I don't know if there is a way to avoid the seemingly inevitable. Each time I let my hopes conquer my superstition, there's a crash, a burn, a deflation, and the temporary loss of the ability to giggle, but I choose the chance of being the girl before the girlfriend over giving up the chance for breaking my streak. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What kind of prophecy does she think she is facing?",
"What was the name of the lost boyfriend?",
"Who did she lose Brian to?",
"What did the author's ex-boyfriend do to forget about her ?",
"What is the author explaination of this situation ?"
] | [
[
"a self-fulfilling"
],
[
"Brian"
],
[
"his ex-girlfriend"
],
[
"he became someone else's boyfriend, and remained so, for much"
],
[
"self-fulfilling prophecy."
]
] | Author's ex-boyfriend meets someone else before she can get over him .
She lost Brian to his ex-girlfriend and her friend Ken to another girl .
Author: Maybe it's a self-fulfilling prophecy .
"I choose the chance of being the girl before the girlfriend," she says . |
(The Frisky) -- There's no question that I find Don Draper sexy. If I lived in "Mad Men" land for a day, I would totally make out with him on his Sterling-Cooper purchased desk. In real life? Not so much. At least not anymore.
Don Draper of "Mad Men" is a complicated man underneath a confident exterior, columnist warns.
What makes Don Draper so drool-worthy on screen does not translate in real life. Actually, certain things do translate -- tall, dark and handsome is still tall, dark, and handsome in the real world.
But that aloof, secretive, and calculating personality that seduces his onscreen paramours and the show's viewers? Not easy to live with.
Don Draper is written as an extremely complicated and deeply flawed man who does some awful things, like cheating repeatedly on his wife, Betty, and using information he gleans from her therapist to manipulate her.
But the reasons and motivations behind his repulsive actions are slowly being revealed with each new episode. As with any TV show or movie, we itch to know what possesses someone to do the things he does, and we expect that writers as glorious as the ones behind "Mad Men" will eventually lead us to deep understanding of who Don Draper is and how he will evolve into a better man.
In real life, such life-changing revelations don't always come.
I dated a Don Draper-type for years. There were superficial similarities, like that they both worked in similar industries (just decades apart) and had a knack for always being "on."
Guys like Don Draper are great at their jobs for a multitude of reasons, but one of them is that they present themselves as calm, collected, and unmoved by the opinions and emotions of others.
In a business situation this comes across as professional, confident, and reassuring to the client that the task at hand will be accomplished flawlessly. In a real-life romantic relationship, the refusal or inability to "turn it off" can be frustrating and painful for the other person involved.
At the same time, being one of the few who is able to get past the facade feels powerful. When you're in love, having that power only makes you feel even more special. The Frisky: 10 things women don't understand about men
There are reasons why Draper's wall is so high and impenetrable. Knowing those reasons -- or at least some of them -- makes viewers sympathetic to him. There's an abused boy beneath that tough exterior! A man with secrets so big, he has to hide behind a wall all of the time.
Betty Draper may not know Don's secrets, but they do share a bond he doesn't have with other people. The women he cheats with? They don't know him at all and they don't have the ability or even the interest in seeing something deeper like Betty does.
They're not threatening to his persona, but she is. These are, of course, just excuses for his bad behavior that should never fly in real life.
My ex had his own reasons for presenting a facade, for not letting anyone get too close, for acting like a jerk; some he shared, some I figured out, but all made me want to stay with him. The Frisky: Could you get past hearing "I don't love you anymore?"
I don't know if my Draper-esque ex cheated -- though I suspect he did -- but I do think he broke up with me because I was a threat. I saw something deeper that was fragile but wonderful, and I wanted more of it. It was enough to make me overlook the shallowness of his outward persona.
Similarly, Don Draper gives viewers plenty to love and root for, like his support of Peggy Olson, his disinterest in Pete Campbell's brown-nosing, his delivery of that Kodak pitch in the first season, and the punch he landed on Jimmy Barrett's jaw.
Like Tony Soprano | [
"What does the columnist describe draper as?",
"What did columnist describe Draper as?",
"what is frustrating?"
] | [
[
"complicated man"
],
[
"sexy."
],
[
"the refusal or inability to \"turn it off\""
]
] | Columnist describes Draper of "Mad Men" as fun to watch but not date .
An inability to "turn it off" in romantic moments is frustrating, columnist says .
Women who know the deepness of a Don Draper man are a threat, she writes .
"Mad Men" fan says Draper's misbehavior is covered up by his kind acts . |
(The Frisky) -- Valentine's Day can be one of the most depressing days of the year for singles, especially if you just went through a breakup. It can be torture to watch couples exchange stuffed bears, chocolates and kisses. So keep your heart on the mend by avoiding these seven spots couples flock to on Valentine's Day. 1. Movie theaters: Please don't make yourself sit through the latest rom-com. If you must see a flick, go to something unsentimental, like an action film that involves fighting and guns. Though even those often have romantic secondary storylines. 2. Fancy restaurants: A nice dinner is a very typical V-Day date, especially since restaurants capitalize on the day with specials involving free bubbly and a red rose on the table. 3. Landmarks: For some reason, history seems to be tied to romance, and some duos make trips to sites like the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, as if to say, "We'll be together for as long as this thing's been around." 4. Beaches: If you want to soak up some sunshine during the day, go right ahead. But you better have somewhere else to be by sunset, when pairs will start showing up at the shore. 5. Cafés, dessert bars, and chocolate shops: Valentine's Day is often associated with sweet things, so stock up on chocolate the week before -- you don't want to stop anywhere that specializes in chocolate fondue. The Frisky: He gives me a stuffed animal for every special occasion 6. Lingerie stores: Do you really want to buy new bras when the store is decked out in hearts and lace? Wait a week. The Frisky: My 6 break-up lessons are helping 7. Coupled friends' homes: Unless you're house-sitting while your pals are on a romantic getaway, you're not welcome. You will have no right to yell, "Get a room!" when they start necking because, well, you're in their room. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What shouldn't singles see?",
"Where do romantic pairs tend to hang out?",
"Where should singles avoid?"
] | [
[
"couples exchange stuffed bears, chocolates and kisses."
],
[
"Coupled friends' homes:"
],
[
"Coupled friends' homes:"
]
] | Lonely singers should avoid spots where couples gather on Valentine's Day .
Romantic pairs tend to hang out on beaches and at landmarks .
Many couples can be found cuddling and kissing at restaurant and desert places .
Singles shouldn't go see romantic movie, but choose action flick at theater . |
(The Frisky) -- We love men. In fact, we adore them. We like their bodies, their brains, and their strange way of doing things. So it's always a tricky tightrope when you're dealing with a guy to know when to be there for him -- and when to cut and run.
Since we're here to help the ladies, we've created a handy guide that will help you know when your man is just being a dude -- or if you've got a dud on your hands who needs to be dumped.
The Frisky: 7 chubby celebrity men who slimmed down
1. "I don't feel like having sex." Sure, every man has an off day. But you know what? Most guys want to have sex all the time. And if you're not getting it on, on a regular basis, especially because your guy is claiming that he's just "not feeling it," you can bet that your problems are going to turn out to be bigger than a case of the sex blues. In this particular situation, you may want to get to the root of the problem before this supposed dry spell kills your love, too.
The Frisky: 30 things every woman should quit doing by 30
2. "I can't stop crying." Sure, sure, the new man is a metrosexual who is really in touch with his inner-self, does yoga, and gets waxed more than you do. But there's a limit to how much a woman can tolerate seemingly unmanly behaviors.
Crying because there was a death in the family? Feel free. Prone to weeping at romantic comedies? Not so much. If your man can't control his emotions, and you find yourself feeling like you're the one wearing the pants in the relationship, you should ask yourself if that's what you want -- a guy who'll cry over spilt milk.
The Frisky: Boys are taking over pageant contests
3. "I'm thinking about quitting my job." There are two ways this one can go. He's dissatisfied with his current work situation, he wants to try something else, and this statement is a prelude to telling you all about his big plans for his next career move. That's fine.
On the other hand, if you're living together, and one day he declares he's going to give two-weeks notice today, and so far as you can tell he doesn't have any idea what he'll be doing after that, or how he'll be paying for his part of your shared bills, this isn't someone who has a work issue. This is someone who has an I-want-my-mommy-to-take-care-of-me issue.
4. "I need to tell you something." This one never, ever ends well. If he has to prepare you for what he's going to say next, you best brace yourself for what's coming because it isn't going to be anything good.
The Frisky: 12 celebs who denied getting breast implants
5. "I think we need to take a break." Hey, guess what? This isn't school, and there will be no recess. Relationships are not like a Lego set: created to be dismantled and put back together again.
"Breaks" are what guys who are too weak, scared, or lame suggest because they're too much of a you-know-what to go ahead and break up with you. Make it easy for this guy. Give him a break from the relationship. A permanent one.
The Frisky: Facebook's new function? Divorce!
6. "My last girlfriend was crazy." True, your ex probably said the same thing to his new girlfriend, but you might want to keep an eye on the man whose history includes a long string of relationships with women who are totally temperamental, out of their gourds, or recently released from the state mental hospital.
Guys who go out with | [
"What is there a limit on?",
"What are relationships like?",
"What does not end well ever?",
"What never ends well?",
"What can not be dismantled as a lego set?",
"What is there a limit to?",
"What are relationships not like?"
] | [
[
"how much a woman can tolerate seemingly unmanly behaviors."
],
[
"a Lego set:"
],
[
"\"I need to tell you something.\""
],
[
"\"I need to tell you something.\""
],
[
"Relationships"
],
[
"how much a woman can tolerate seemingly unmanly behaviors."
],
[
"a Lego set:"
]
] | There's a limit to how much a woman can tolerate seemingly unmanly behaviors .
"I need to tell you something," never, ever ends well .
Relationships are not like a Lego set: created to be dismantled and put back together again . |
(The Frisky) -- When I asked an old friend why she hadn't just broken up with her live-in boyfriend instead of beginning a messy affair with a married neighbor, she snapped, "Don't be stupid -- nobody leaves a relationship without having another one in place." Overlappers refuse to end one relationship until they have another one in progress. Oh, please, I corrected her. Of course they do. People fall out of love or get angry and leave without a safety net all the time. But as I thought back, I realized that for as long as I knew her, she never had. Even when she pretty much hated the one she was with, she stuck it out until she'd lined up his replacement. I could never understand why. My friend is beautiful, successful and very smart; surely being single for a little while wouldn't end her world. Women aren't the only ones guilty of this. I know -- and have unfortunately dated -- plenty of men who careen from one girlfriend directly into another, often with a big fat overlap; connecting the two relationships like a murky Venn diagram. I understand that being single can be annoying and lonely sometimes, but there are plenty of good reasons not to be -- or date! -- an Overlapper. 1. Karma! While overlapping is definitely cheating, the difference is these types go into it with the sole purpose of transitioning into another relationship. But however you word it, Overlappers deceive one or both parties in order to get what they want. When you begin a relationship dishonestly, it usually comes back to bite you in the butt. At the very least, you will never be fully able to trust an Overlapper. Because -- as yet another cliche based in truth goes -- if he does it with you, he'll do it to you. 2. Drama! Breakups are never fun, however splits caused by infidelity are hands down the most explosive. If you're like my friend and her man (who, against all odds, actually left his wife), this means that instead of talking about hearts, flowers, and butterflies -- like other new couples -- you spend your nights plotting how to hide assets and whether or not your overpaid lawyer is enough of a shark. How romantic! 3. The Pressure! Though they may appear independent, people who can't be alone are that way because they need to see themselves reflected in someone else's adoring eyes. But when their mirror (aka, partner) develops a flaw (weight gain, job loss, etc.), their image of themselves reflects that. Being a narcissist, nothing less than perfection is acceptable, so they start looking for the next mirror. Got that, fatty? You'd better stay at the top of your game if you want to hang onto an Overlapper. 4. Not cute! "I met my boyfriend when his puppy peed on my foot" is the perfect example of a meet-cute story. It has all the key elements -- chance, humor, and, best of all, a cuddly puppy! "I met my boyfriend because I was his kids' nanny and then his wife found out, which is how I got this black eye," is definitely not a tale you're going to want to share at parties. TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"What are some people afraid to be alone guilty of doing?",
"What do these people do?",
"what occurs during the transition?",
"are overlappers trusted?",
"They cheat on both partners while transitioning between what?",
"Who can't be trusted?"
] | [
[
"end one relationship until they have another one in progress."
],
[
"refuse to end one relationship until they have another one in progress."
],
[
"Overlappers deceive one or both parties in order to get"
],
[
"deceive"
],
[
"relationship"
],
[
"Overlapper."
]
] | Some people afraid to be alone are guilty of dating overlapping .
They cheat on both partners while transitioning between relationships .
Overlappers can't be trusted -- they might do it to you .
Because they're narcissistic, they'll trade you in for better model . |
(The Frisky) -- When I try to explain my ardor for HBO's trashy-fabulous soap opera "True Blood" to my dude friends, they either shrug and change the topic, or question whether I've been writing for ladyblogs for too long and am suffering from a form of Stockholm Syndrome. Dudes just don't dig bloodsuckers, since vampires pretty much look like girls. We prefer zombies, because we love chainsaws, flamethrowers, and samurai swords. And because, on some level, we know that besides being vehicles for sperm, our other important, if lesser, genetic imperative is to defend our loved ones from hordes of unthinking, flesh-eating metaphors for current social anxieties. To most guys, vampires are the monster movie equivalent of that sensitive man-sponge in college who plays acoustic guitar in order to seduce chicks. They're what you get when you cross your average Renaissance Fair enthusiast with a mosquito. And what's with their greatest weaknesses being most kinds of Italian food, Sunday school, and the sun, which helps flowers grow? Really? Why women find date-rapey parasites who wear capes compelling must have something to do with deeply primal fears. A vampire is a monster, who looks, acts, and talks like a man. Who is passionate, romantic, and tortured. To surrender to this character is to play with fire. The vampire, in many ways, is the prototype of the bad boy. Women love bad boys - they're exciting, and the chance to change him, to break him like a horse, must be an irresistible challenge. If self-destruction weren't seductive on some superficial level, then no one would ever need rehab. But I am like most guys in that I am a fan of zombie flicks. "28 Days Later" may possibly be my favorite movie ever. I'm also a fan of alien and robot movies, but more often than not, it seems women are more adept at dispatching those. Zombie movies indulge male power-fulfillment fantasies. We enjoy pretending to be dragon-slaying knights or bad-guy-perforating cowboys or Bruce Willis, saving our ex-wife from a skyscraper full of terrorists. The Frisky: Compliments guys take as insults Before any feminist blood vessels burst, let me explain that this fantasy goes hand-in-hand with a male-specific fear that speaks to ancient genetic programming. That for all our swagger, testosterone, and machismo, we cannot protect those we love. The disaster call for women and children to evacuate first isn't chivalry, inasmuch as it's evolutionarily smarts. The women and children will continue the species; the men are disposable. We fear being useless, especially once we have issued forth our baby-making essence. The Frisky: Where all the good guys are In "True Blood," the vampire Bill has decided to change himself, to fight his ferocious nature. He struggles to be a better, um, corpse. He rejects the cold, bloodthirsty vampirism of his peers, and tries to embrace those human virtues he once had: selflessness, mercy, kindness, and justice. In some ways, he's less a vampire and more a superhero. Then he falls in love with someone he is told he shouldn't. And his love for Sookie, a human woman, is a choice he has made, regardless of the scorn heaped upon him by the undead and the living alike. He protects her, despite his fears that he is completely impotent, powerless to defend her from a world that despises them both. And she returns the favor, despite her fears that underneath sweet words and passion is an animal waiting to pounce. A little bit for men and women. The Frisky: Ways men try to impress women I watch "True Blood" because chicks will dig it when I can talk about Eric and Maryann and Action Stackhouse; it's how I "open" a pick-up artist-style "set." My knowledge of "True Blood" will help | [
"What does the writer say about vampires?",
"What is a prototype of a bad boy?",
"what do women love",
"Who loves bad boys?",
"What looks, acts and talks like a man?",
"What indulges male fantasies?"
] | [
[
"pretty much look like girls."
],
[
"The vampire,"
],
[
"bad boys"
],
[
"Women"
],
[
"vampire"
],
[
"Zombie movies"
]
] | Writer says the vampire, in many ways, is the prototype of the bad boy .
Women love bad boys and the chance to change him, writer says .
Zombie movies indulge male power-fulfillment fantasies, columnist says .
Writer says av ampire is a monster, who looks, acts, and talks like a man . |
(The Frisky) -- When Michael Jackson died last summer, it kick-started a year with a disturbing number of celebrity deaths. Which is why we are so extremely overjoyed when a celebrity survives a life-threatening incident. Of course, we are referring to rocker/reality TV star Bret Michaels.
Over the past few months, Bret has had a series of extremely close calls. First, in mid-April, he was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. Not two weeks later, he had a brain hemorrhage that left him in the ICU for more than a week. "I'm lucky to be alive," he told People at the time. But as soon as he was on the mend, he had a warning stroke. As doctors examined him to see what was up, they found that he also has a hole in his heart.
The Frisky: 10 bizarre deaths of celebrity pets
But just days later, Bret was feeling better and managed to make it to the live taping of the season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice." There, he triumphed over Holly Robinson Peete and walked away the show's victor. Seriously, this guy is unbreakable. He's scheduled for surgery for the fall to make sure his lover-boy heart keeps on beating. So what other stars have had near-death experiences? Answer: a lot of them.
Lance Armstrong
What's better than having a brain hemorrhage, a warning stroke, a hole in your heart and still making it to the "Celebrity Apprentice" finale? Defeating testicular cancer and going on to win seven Tour de France titles. When Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer in 1996, it had already spread to his lungs and brain. But with surgery to remove tumors and chemotherapy, he was able to beat the disease and return to cycling in 1999. Live strong, indeed.
The Frisky: Top 10 lies women tell men
Jason Priestley
Jason Priestley of "Beverly Hills, 90210" has cheated death on repeat. In 1999, while driving drunk, he crashed his Porsche. A few years later, he was involved in a serious boat accident. Then in 2002, he was in a pre-race crash on a Kentucky speedway that left him with a fractured spine and several other injuries. Here's hoping that's the last crash for Brandon Walsh.
Boy George
Boy George was almost killed by, of all things, a disco ball. In 1999, Culture Club was rehearsing at a venue when a 62-pound ball snapped, falling and clipping George on the way down. He suffered minor injuries, but if he was standing a few feet over he could have been in big trouble.
The Frisky: The 10 worst-dressed men in Hollywood
Kanye West
Kanye West was in a nasty car crash driving home from his recording studio in 2002 at 3 a.m. His rental car was totaled, but he walked away with just a fractured jaw.
Eminem
In 2005, Eminem came close to overdosing after taking an entire handful of methadone pills. His doctor said this was the equivalent of shooting up four bags of heroin. And this was on top of the 20 prescription pills he was taking a day. Last May, Eminem told Vibe he'd been sober for a year. Let's hope it stays that way.
The Frisky: Kim Kardashian speaks about plastic surgery and her famous bod
Dustin Hoffman
Back in the 70s, Dustin Hoffman lived in New York City in an apartment next door to a member of the radical student anti-war group Weather Underground. The group was evidently making bombs in the apartment, and a stick of dynamite was accidentally set off. Luckily, Dustin had stepped out of his apartment at the time.
50 Cent
50 Cent was famously shot nine times in 2000 in Queens, New York, and lived to tell the tale.
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix was driving in Los Angeles when the brakes of his car gave out. His car flipped and he collided with another vehicle. Phoenix was helped out of the car by a passerby -- | [
"In what year was the accident Kanye?",
"Who got in a car accident in 2002?",
"What celebs have had near-death experiences?",
"Who got into a car accident while driving home in 2002?",
"What kind of celebrities have had near-death experience?"
] | [
[
"2002"
],
[
"Jason Priestley"
],
[
"Bret Michaels."
],
[
"Kanye West"
],
[
"a lot of them."
]
] | Several male celebs have had near-death experiences including actors, rappers and singers .
Kanye West got in a car accident while driving home from his recording studio in 2002 .
In 1966, Dylan was in a mysterious motorcycle crash near his house in Woodstock . |
(The Frisky) -- When you're in a relationship -- and have been for quite some time -- you and your love bird are bound to have gone on all the usual dates many, many times over.
So for Valentine's Day this year, don't visit the restaurant the two of you eat at on a regular night and order the usual.
We gathered romantic spots from around the country, along with some ideas that'll work wherever you live, to help you plan a memorable day (and night) together.
Because even though there's a lot of emphasis on buying presents that are pink, red, and covered in hearts and roses, Valentine's Day is about showing how much you appreciate your honey. Spend the day enjoying each other's company and think of the rest as trimmings.
Phoenix, Arizona
For great food, delicious wine, and a hip, sexy atmosphere, visit Postino Winecafé. But don't eat too much! You'll want to save room for dessert at La Grande Orange Grocery next door. Pop over some for decadent, gourmet goodies before heading back to your love nest.
Postino Winecafé, 3939 East Campbell Ave., 602-852-3939
La Grande Orange Grocery, 4410 N 40th St., 602-840-7777
New Orleans, Louisiana
There are plenty of romantic restaurants in New Orleans. In fact, almost everything in NOLA is swoon-worthy, save for Bourbon Street at 3 a.m. Feelings Cafe is singular for both its ambiance and location.
The piano bar is dimly lit, so it's obviously got that going for it, and it also features delicious food and an intimate courtyard festooned by plants, a fountain, and fairy lights.
But perhaps its most attractive quality is that it's hidden in the Fauberg Marigny, which is a lovely, picturesque neighborhood around the Bywater area that's close enough to walk to from the French Quarter, but far enough away to weed out the tourists.
Feelings Cafe, 2600 Chartres St., 504-945-2222
San Francisco, California
The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers is an under-appreciated romantic gem located in Golden Gate Park. Built in 1879, it's the oldest building in Golden Gate Park, and the grounds around it are perfect for taking a daytime stroll while holding hands, of course.
San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, 100 John F. Kennedy Drive, 415-831-2090
The Frisky: Goodwill wants your relationship baggage
Chicago, Illinois
The Green Mill, a jazz bar on the north side where Al Capone's henchman hung out in the '20s, is full of history and has sexy lighting, great music, and doesn't really get going until well after dark.
Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N Broadway Ave., 773-878-5552
Providence, Rhode Island
If you're the type who believes food is the ultimate aphrodisiac, Al Forno is the place to get you in the mood. Rhode Islanders and weekenders from all over the Eastern seaboard travel to come sample their how-do-they-do-it grilled pizza, which rivals any of the best pies in New York City.
Because the wait is usually long, here's a trick: Put your name on the wait list and travel across the street for a drink at the Hot Club, which overlooks the water.
Al Forno, 577 S Main St., 401-273-9760
Hot Club, 575 S Water St., 401-861-9007
Reno, Nevada
In a city that built its reputation on quickie divorces and casinos, it's best to avoid tourist destinations and romantic casino packages for a memorable date. Reno has an attraction that's getting harder to find across the country: a drive-in movie theater.
The El Rancho , which opened in 1971, is one of two drive-ins in the state. While you can pick up a tub of popcorn or a hamburger at the concession stand, part of the fun is packing food that you wouldn't be allowed to | [
"What is the list of 13 spots for?",
"What is San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers?",
"Where in San Francisco is an under-appreciated romantic gem?"
] | [
[
"Valentine's Day"
],
[
"an under-appreciated romantic gem"
],
[
"Conservatory of Flowers"
]
] | A list of 13 romantic spots and ideas that'll work wherever you live .
San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers is an under-appreciated romantic gem .
Relive the past by stopping by the site of your first date .
Try a new activity that you could continue beyond Valentine's Day . |
(The Frisky) -- Who was the first person you called the day your ex dumped you? Or that time you found a weird bump? Or the day you stumbled across that pair of barely worn Christian Louboutins at the Goodwill? You need to break connections with "friends" who only bring negative things into your life. If you're like me, you called a girlfriend. While I love my man, and adore my cats to what some might consider a scary degree, the relationships I have with my girls is on an entirely different plane. They're the funniest, smartest, weirdest (in a good way!) gaggle of broads I've ever met and I feel lucky every day to have them around. It wasn't always this way. I've had to prune my posse (please note that I've also been kicked out of people's lives as well) and have discovered some types to avoid. Drama queen The Drama Queen isn't happy (and "happy" is a relative term here) unless she's freaking out. Little things us boring normals would shrug off -- like a missed bus or parking ticket -- become monumental shriekfests. She doesn't get the flu, she gets oh-my-god-I-think-it's-cancer! Everything is a crisis, and she demands constant handholding and attention. The Frisky: 13 signs she's a loser Luckily, these types can't help but reveal their true colors pretty quickly and unless you're content to be cast as an extra in your own life, you'll banish her from the set. Nurse Betty There is nothing that makes this one as happy as a friend in need. This may seem like a good quality (and often is -- for a while), but once you've got your butt back in gear, she either loses interest or, worse, reminds you constantly of how bad things once were, in the hopes that you'll fall back into feeling like crap so she can "save" you again. The Frisky: Is it evil to talk a friend out of getting married? You have two choices with this type -- either arrange it so you're constantly in crisis, or pretend you're problem-free so she gets bored. Better yet, introduce her to the drama queen --they'll be very happy together. Lady-hater "I don't have female friends because all the women I meet are jealous of me." Yes, someone actually said this to me. Instead, this person prefers her friends to be of the male variety -- ideally hopelessly in love with her and willing to do her bidding. The Frisky: How do grown women make friends? You don't really have to worry about ditching this snot because she doesn't want anything to do with you in the first place. The critic Also known as the frenemy, the critic is chockfull of helpful suggestions. For instance, you know your favorite dress? Well, it makes you look kind of fat. No offense. Speaking of which -- have you gained a little weight? Or are you pregnant? Are you sure? Well, never mind, you can have some of her old "fat" clothes since she has no use for them anymore. Understandably, Critics have a fairly high turnover rate in the friend department. I unfriended one such mean girl only to have her show up at a mutual friend's birthday party -- for the sole purpose of telling the birthday girl exactly what was wrong with her! ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! The leg humper Do you know what it's like to walk into a bar and find one of your closest friends making out with the guy you've had a crush on for an entire year? I do! Granted, that's nowhere near as bad as my friend Melissa who discovered her husband was schtupping her BFF, but still. It stung. And sure, nobody forced Melissa's husband to be a cheating jerk, but a good girlfriend never would've gone there with him. The Frisky: Why you | [
"What did the critic say?"
] | [
[
"you know your favorite dress? Well, it makes you look kind of fat. No offense. Speaking of which -- have you gained a little weight? Or are you pregnant? Are you sure? Well, never mind, you can have some of her old \"fat\" clothes since she has no use for them anymore."
]
] | Your friends are people you want with you in good times and bad .
The critic and nurse Betty friends will like you when you feel bad .
The drama queen and lady-hater will never let you have center stage . |
(The Frisky) -- You don't have to be Jennifer Aniston to think that the four women who Krazy-Glued a cheater's penis to his stomach were way harsh and beyond psycho. If your ex's loved ones ask why you broke up, it's OK to admit he cheated on you, writer says. But in our less scrupulous/mature moments, many of us want to punish a particularly nasty ex, especially if he was a cheater. Ladies, let's keep it legal (and Krazy Glue-free), OK? Here are 10 ideas: 1. Email his crappiest crap e-mail to Jezebel.com's Crap E-mail From A Dude and when they publish it, discreetly post the link as your GChat away message. 2. Call up your hottest platonic male friend, grab your digital camera and go do something adorable together. Now it's time to create a Facebook photo album full of pics of you looking smiley. (Bonus points if your ex was slightly paranoid that this guy had a thing for you). The Frisky: Possible to remain friends with an ex? 3. Permanently adopt that comfy sweatshirt he left at your place. Especially if he's the one who caused the breakup, he probably doesn't have the cojones to ask for it back now. 4. Gain that extra 10 lbs that fills you out nicely, like Joan Holloway on "Mad Men"... 5. ...or lose that extra 10 lbs so you can fit into your sexy jeans again. Either way, this also requires a Facebook photo album. The Frisky: How Joan Holloway gives me confidence 6. You might hear from his mom, sisters, or other family members you were close to after the breakup, especially if you dated for a long time. Airing too much of your dirty laundry to them will make you look like a psycho. But if he did cheat on you (and you didn't cheat back), it couldn't hurt to mention how his bad behavior led to the split. The Frisky: 10 rules on way men and women eat Dude sure as hell didn't tell them the truth about why you broke up! And any mom or sister worth her salt will tear your ex a new one when they learn that's why he lost a great girl like you. The Frisky: Continue relationships with an ex's loved ones? 7. Ignore every single text, Tweet, Facebook poke and email from here on out. But kept posting stuff on your social networking sites on the regular. 8. If you're a songwriter or a poet, well, you know what to do. The creep who caused Ani Di Franco's song "Untouchable Face" probably hasn't forgotten what he did. 9. Penning aggressive-aggressive emails (as opposed to passive-aggressive ones) is always therapeutic. The Frisky: Passive aggressive notes Web site 10. Spend a few months feeling down. Indulge in some therapy. Do some fun things single women do. Work extra-hard at your job and get a promotion. Go take a trip or buy some new clothes. Whenever you're ready, go meet a new guy. Fall in love. Have tons of great sex. Laugh a lot. Talk about baby names and where you want your honeymoon to be. The next time you run into your ex, mention all the great things that have happened in your life since you broke up ... or just smile. The Frisky: Happy to be single TM & © 2009 TMV, Inc. | All Rights Reserved | [
"what should you tell his mom or sister?",
"where should you post pics?",
"What should you tell his mom?",
"Post what to facebook to get back at your ex?",
"Where should you post \"pix\"?",
"Where should you post pix?",
"When should you tell he cheated on you?"
] | [
[
"bad behavior led to the split."
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"mention how"
],
[
"photo album full of pics of you looking smiley."
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"your ex's loved ones ask why"
]
] | If your ex cheated on you, there are legal ways to get even .
Do whatever it takes to look your best, post pix on Facebook with male friend .
If his mom or sister ask about breakup, tell them he cheated on you .
Ignore all social media contact from him. But post a song about his cheating ways . |
(This Old House) -- Unless you're a perfect caretaker of your lawn (and, really, who is?), prepare for another round in the turf wars this summer. You'll have to deal with a full frontal assault from the dandelions, of course. And an attack from the crabgrass. But you'll face more stealthy opponents, too: root-chomping grubs and microscopic mildew that turn the grass from green to gray or brown. "If a lawn is neglected, or cared for in a hit-or-miss way, it gets weak," says This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. "And that's when weeds, insects, or fungal diseases become a major problem." Little wonder that last year almost 50 million homeowners bought products to fight these invaders. But as in most battles, the best defense is a strong offense: doing everything right to cultivate healthy turf. That means giving it up to an inch and a half of water per week; aerating and dethatching annually so water and nutrients can get down to the roots; mowing with a sharp blade to the right height (ask your local garden center what's best where you live); and fertilizing in spring and fall. So promise yourself -- and your turf -- you'll do that this year. In the meantime, here's how to conquer the most common turf problems you're likely to confront this summer. Fungal disease Symptoms: Circular patches of yellow-to-brown grass; or blades with tiny red threads. Culprits: Powdery mildew, brown patch, dollar spot, and fusarium patch; or red thread. These fungal diseases can take hold of stressed turf. Solutions: Though lawns will generally recover from small areas of infection, if a fungus is progressively marching across your yard, look for a fungicide with the active ingredient thiophanate-methyl and follow the directions. For an organic fix, search out a corn-gluten mix that will cure brown patch and weaken most other fungi. Then nurse your lawn back to health by practicing good lawn-care habits: Avoid excessive shade (prune back trees and large shrubs, if necessary) and too many applications of fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides. Carefully monitor your turf's moisture intake and never water in the evening. Weeds Symptoms: Fast-growing and unruly greenery that quickly overtakes surrounding grass. This Old House: What type of grass is right for your yard Culprits: Crabgrass or broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, purslane, henbit, and chickweed that commonly pop up where soil is compacted and grass hasn't completely taken root. To check for compacted soil, stick a screwdriver into the ground; it should slide in easily. Solutions: The first step is to eradicate any foreign invaders. The best approach is to pull them out by hand using a weeder or a hoe. This will also loosen the soil in affected areas. Or use a liquid herbicide in a hand sprayer to spot-treat an infestation. If weeds are too plentiful to be pulled, check your garden center for a "weed-and-feed" blend of granular fertilizer and herbicide that will kill weeds without harming turf types commonly grown in your area, or look for an organic fertilizer with corn gluten. Be sure to follow the directions on the box exactly, as some formulas must be applied during a dry spell or need a 24-hour breather with no foot traffic. From here on out, mow up to twice a week during the beginning of summer when grass grows swiftly, and raise the mower blade an inch during hot or dry periods. Water well as the summer heats up, and your turf should naturally overtake the weeds. In the fall, open up compacted soil poke holes with a pitchfork over a small yard, or rent a power aerator for large yards and overseed the lawn. You may want to follow up with a pre-emergent herbicide next spring. Insects Symptoms: Brown turf that becomes loose enough to lift like a mat. Culprits: White grubs, a catch-all name for root-chomping | [
"What does a good corn-gluten mix cure?",
"What cures brown patches and weakens most fungi?",
"What does a good corn-gluten mix weaken?",
"What cures brown patches and weakens most fungi?",
"what cures brown patches and weakens fungi?",
"what does brown patches indicate?"
] | [
[
"brown patch"
],
[
"a corn-gluten mix"
],
[
"most other fungi."
],
[
"corn-gluten mix"
],
[
"corn-gluten mix"
],
[
"Fungal disease"
]
] | A good corn-gluten mix cures brown patches and weakens most fungi .
Brown patches are often indicative of bug problems .
Dog urine is high is nitrogen, so flush affected areas with water . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Alice Temperley likes to camp. Which is why the British fashion designer, who escapes her London workshop to rusticate in a tepee on her Somerset country estate, was recently commissioned by One & Only Le Saint Géran to erect a similar structure on their beach in Mauritius. "It's escapism to the nth degree," says designer Bill Bensley of the tents at the Four Seasons Tented Camp, in Thailand's Golden Triangle. The 17-foot-high tepee is decked out with beads, streaming ribbons, and embroidered patches -- a look Temperley likens to "a jewelry box that glistens in the sand." The resort offers cookouts by the tent -- marshmallows included -- served by a liveried butler. By any definition, this is an indulgent experience, but given its availability in a structure originally designed for the life nomadic, it signals a shift in our perception of both luxury and escapism. Suddenly, a heightened sense of well-being may owe less to four sheltering walls than to a temporary shedding, not just of our inhibitions but also of all the weighty paraphernalia that clutters up a sedentary life. Tents pitched in far-flung locales have always had romantic cachet -- who could forget Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in "Out of Africa." And now there's a trend of textile pleasure domes being adapted for use in diverse settings across the globe. "They provide an experience that you could miss in an ordinary concrete box," says designer Bill Bensley of the tents at the Four Seasons Tented Camp, in Thailand's Golden Triangle. "Guests can hear the sound of elephants munching their way through the jungle. It's escapism to the nth degree." Travel + Leisure: See the world's best tented camps That sentiment is evident in Bensley's design for the resort. He drew inspiration from northern Thailand's hill-tribe villages as well as camps he visited in Botswana, and he filled the 15 tents with metal craftwork from local artisans, along with explorer-themed antiques (an old compass, rifles, primitive fishing tools). Like Temperley, Nairobi-based fashion designer Anna Trzebinski is also dabbling in the world of hotels, opening the tented Lemarti's Camp near Kenya's Laikipia Plateau last year. She stitches tents of locally loomed cotton in the same workshop where she creates beaded tunics and accessories inspired by indigenous Kenyan designs. Set on platforms above a river bend, the camp's tents are furnished with tables and beds built with wood from dhow boats, and decorated with African-themed found objets d'art: crocodile skulls, elephant shoulder blades, beaded walking sticks and clubs. "For me, a tent should be the veil between you and Mother Africa, a sheer shield to protect but not in any way disconnect you from her presence. To be under canvas on a comfortable bed, with the smell of acacia blossoms -- in the old safari days this was intoxicating enough, but now we have the ability to improve on the concept." And that's exactly what Banyan Tree is doing with one of its latest resorts, the Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru, on a coral atoll in the Maldives. Created by Dharmali Kusumadi, one of the group's head designers, it's by far the most cosseting tented property available today. Only 18 guests at a time can stay on the private island. Rooms come in the form of three conjoined tents facing a cobalt-blue lagoon: a king-size platform bed dominates the air-conditioned sleeping tent, while the bathing pavilion has a claw-foot tub. A butler and massage therapist are at guests' beck and call. Spas, too, are employing tents to help travelers abandon worldly cares. In Arizona's Sonoran Desert, Miraval Tucson Resort & Spa guests take treatments in one of six new tents styled by Irish-born designer Clodagh. "For me, a tent evokes impermanence," she says. "It reflects the impermanence of the spa treatment as well." Set in a botanical garden shaded by paloverde trees, each of the tents has natural cleft-stone flooring, | [
"Where is the resort?",
"What height was the commissioned tepee?",
"where was 17-foot high tepee commissioned?",
"When did the camp open?",
"What commissioned the tepee?",
"what did opened last year?",
"What kind of shelters are built?",
"what is being adapted?"
] | [
[
"Thailand's Golden Triangle."
],
[
"17-foot-high"
],
[
"beach in Mauritius."
],
[
"last year."
],
[
"One & Only Le Saint Géran"
],
[
"Lemarti's Camp"
],
[
"tents"
],
[
"textile pleasure domes"
]
] | A resort in Mauritius commissioned a 17-foot-high tepee from a fashion designer .
Textile shelters are being adapted for use in diverse settings across the globe .
The tented Lemarti's Camp near Kenya's Laikipia Plateau opened last year . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Boston-based wedding planner Bernadette Smith has helped arrange the same-sex nuptials of nearly 75 Massachusetts couples during her five-year career. But she's never seen quite the surge in business as she has during the past few months. Wedding planners have seen a surge in same-sex couples traveling to New England to tie the knot. Smith's calendar first started filling up when the 1913 law that banned gay marriage for out-of-state couples was lifted in July 2008. But, she says, things became even more hectic when Proposition 8, the California ballot proposal restricting marriage to heterosexual couples, passed in the November elections. Now Smith and other wedding planners have seen a surge in gays and lesbians traveling to New England to tie the knot. And the trend is growing quickly: On April 3, Iowa's Supreme Court found its gay-marriage ban unconstitutional; four days later, the Vermont legislature gave same-sex couples the right to marry; and on April 16, New York Governor David Paterson announced he would introduce a bill to legalize gay marriage. Not surprisingly, hotels and resorts that cater to same-sex weddings are cashing in. One is the Hob Knob in Martha's Vineyard; its Escape & Elope package includes an intimate ceremony, along with Champagne and massages. And all their wedding packages come with access to Tulle, a destination wedding-and-gown specialist that can accommodate not just one picky bride, but two. Another property capitalizing on the ruling is the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Connecticut. The inn's "At Last" package includes all the traditional trimmings of a wedding: rehearsal dinner, couples' massage, garden ceremony, and officiant, along with either "his and his" or "hers and hers" stylists. The hotel also offers 25 percent off room rates on the couples' wedding anniversary for life -- much better than a Tupperware set. Travel + Leisure: 50 best romantic getaways For those who want to plan their own ceremony, Bernadette Smith suggests the Exchange Conference Center overlooking Boston Harbor -- it's where she'll be saying "I do" this summer. Anne P. Worcester, chief marketing officer of Market New Haven, a tourism and commerce organization for the New Haven area, suggests a few other same-sex-friendly Connecticut venues. There's the New Haven Lawn Club, known for its large ballroom and experience in gay weddings; the Union League Café ("arguably the best restaurant in all of New Haven," she says); and the quintessentially romantic carousel at Lighthouse Point. For those traveling long distances, the Omni New Haven Hotel can accommodate out-of-town couples and their guests with in-house ballrooms, restaurants and a spa. Travel + Leisure: Great romantic weekend getaways Anne Stanback, executive director of Love Makes a Family (a pro-gay marriage organization in New Haven, Connecticut) has become an expert on same-sex wedding planning since she arranged her own nuptials without the help of bridal magazines. "We may not see the lesbian version of Modern Bride until a few more states legalize marriage for same-sex couples, but I have no doubt we eventually will," she says. Now gay advocates in Iowa would like to create the same kind of wedding infrastructure available in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Greg Nooney, who started one of the state's few gay-wedding Web sites, began receiving inquiries just days after the decision was finalized on April 3. Nooney admits that building a roster of gay-friendly vendors won't happen overnight. "It is taking some people a little time to get their bearings," he says. One place that wasted no time in promoting itself as gay-friendly is the Sioux City Holiday Inn. Manager Larry Jenson says the property has held commitment ceremonies in the past and looks forward to hosting same-sex couples in the future. Despite the fast pace of change across America, however, wedding experts say all the feedback has been positive. "People may | [
"What would gay advocates in Iowa like?",
"What has surged for wedding planners?",
"What would advocates like to create?",
"What would gay advocates in Iowa like to do?",
"What happened when California's Proposition 8 passed?",
"What is causing the surge in business?",
"Where did proposition 8 pass?",
"Where did more gay couples go?",
"What did cause surge in business for wedding planners?"
] | [
[
"to create the same kind of wedding infrastructure available in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont."
],
[
"same-sex couples"
],
[
"the same kind of wedding infrastructure available in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont."
],
[
"create the same kind of wedding infrastructure available in Connecticut,"
],
[
"surge in gays and lesbians traveling to New England to tie the knot."
],
[
"same-sex couples traveling to New England to tie the knot."
],
[
"California"
],
[
"New England"
],
[
"same-sex couples traveling to New England to tie the knot."
]
] | Surge in business for wedding planners where same-sex marriage is legal .
When California's Proposition 8 passed, more gay couples came to Massachusetts .
Gay advocates in Iowa would like to create the same kind of wedding infrastructure . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- China can seem as impenetrable as it is imposing. Consider the numbers: it's the world's most populous nation (1.3 billion), where more than 100 cities have populations over a million. Fifty-six ethnic groups are spread across 22 wildly distinct provinces and five autonomous regions, in a landmass slightly larger than the U.S. The Tiananmen Gate at the entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing Its history seems limitless and its traditions just as deep. But here and now, change is the only real constant -- and it is accelerating at a dizzying pace. (One thousand new cars hit the streets of Beijing every day.) How do you begin to fathom a country of such extremes? The futuristic cities glittering above timeworn villages; the great rivers and vast empty deserts; the radical new architecture juxtaposed with millennia-old monuments; the ceaseless push-and-pull between Confucianism, Communism, and commerce. Where do you even begin? Have no fear. Start here with Travel + Leisure's suggestions for where to go and what to see. Beijing: 2--3 days China's political, historical and cultural capital demands at least three days -- for the familiar landmarks of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, and also for Beijing's 21st-century architecture, such as the "Bird's Nest" Olympic National Stadium by Herzog & de Meuron and the glass-and-titanium dome that is the National Grand Theater. China's contemporary art scene finds its nexus in the galleries and cafés of the Dashanzi Art District, home to the new Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. Travel+Leisure.com: Tips for flying to China Beijing's atmospheric hutong, or traditional alleyways, are fast disappearing; explore the bustling ones off Nanluoguxiang, near the 13th-century Drum and Bell towers. Then check out the Legation Quarter, a high-end restaurant, entertainment and cultural development set within the former American Embassy compound. And save a morning to stroll the manicured, 660-acre grounds of the Temple of Heaven, site of the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the 15th-century apogee of Chinese ritual architecture. Travel+Leisure.com: Chinese taxi trips The Great Wall Numerous stretches of the Great Wall are easily accessible from Beijing (ask your hotel to arrange a car or bus tour). But avoid the tourist trap of Badaling and head to the slightly less trammeled Mutianyu section, a 90-minute drive northeast of the Forbidden City. Early morning is best; try Asia 1 on 1 for day trips. Travel+Leisure.com: Where to stay in China Shanghai: 2--3 days First stop: the riverfront promenade known as the Bund, with its Art Deco, Neoclassical, and Beaux-Arts façades, bars and shops, and views of the space-age towers of Pudong. In People's Park you'll find the Shanghai Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Weekdays are the best time to wander among the pine trees and ponds of the 16th-century Yuyuan Gardens. Xintiandi was the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party; now this restored two-block district is defined by upscale shops and restaurants. The leafy, rustic French Concession is the favored destination for cutting-edge fashion and designs for the home. Shanghai's latest secret? Lane 248, a gritty, narrow street now inhabited by artsy cafés and intimate boutiques, hidden behind Taikang Road. Travel+Leisure.com: China shopping tips and strategies Guilin: 2 days (Two hours by air from Shanghai.) With its sheer limestone peaks jutting up from the Li River, Guilin is straight out of a traditional Chinese landscape painting, and remains one of China's most breathtaking sights. Take in the view from Solitary Beauty Peak and marvel at the formations of the Reed Flute Cave. Spring and fall are best; avoid the heat of July and the crowds of the holiday seasons. Xi'an: 2 days (Two hours by air from Beijing.) China's ancestral capital is renowned for its "terra-cotta army," created during the Qin dynasty (221--207 B.C.): thousands of life-size clay warriors stand in | [
"What area is slightly less trammeled?",
"What can you take in from Solitary Beauty Peak?",
"Where in Beijing are the alleyways located?",
"What kind of alleywayys can you explore off Nanluoguxiang in Beijing?",
"Where is the Solitary Beauty Peak located?",
"Where in Guilin should one take in the view?",
"Where should you take in the view from?",
"What can you explore off Nanluoguxiang?",
"Which section of the Great Wall are people being encouraged to visit?"
] | [
[
"Mutianyu section,"
],
[
"the view"
],
[
"off Nanluoguxiang, near the 13th-century Drum and Bell towers."
],
[
"atmospheric hutong, or traditional alleyways,"
],
[
"Guilin"
],
[
"from Solitary Beauty Peak"
],
[
"Solitary Beauty Peak"
],
[
"The Great Wall"
],
[
"Mutianyu"
]
] | Explore the traditional alleyways off Nanluoguxiang in Beijing .
From Beijing, visit the slightly less trammeled Mutianyu section of the Great Wall .
Take in the view from Solitary Beauty Peak in Guilin . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- From Fitzrovia to Covent Garden, London is embracing its charming -- and sometimes cheeky -- past. Every era, from the roaring '20s to the swinging '60s, is represented, with new takes on old-fashioned locales: chip and sweets shops, hidden Prohibition-style hangouts, even ballrooms. The shelves at Hope and Greenwood, in Covent Garden, are filled with glass jars brimming with British sweets. But rather than flaunt themselves as fusty Churchillian relics, these new spots are drawing stylish Bright Young Things who can't get enough of the city's collective nostalgia trip. They're celebrating inspired design, tastes and bygone lifestyles with zeal. At the forefront of London's retro renaissance: sugar. Behind a shiny strawberry-red façade in Covent Garden, British confectionary is experiencing a resurgence at Hope and Greenwood, a sweet 1950s-style candy store named after its sugar-loving owners. Glass jars and cut-crystal candy dishes that grandma would love brim with classic and all-but-disappeared "pick and mix" English candies -- Minty Humbugs, Raspberry Ruffles and Traffic Light Lollies. It's the kind of place that will even inspire adults on a strict diet to indulge in sweets (and sweet thoughts) of yesteryear. Travel + Leisure: See London's best retro spots Over in the trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood of Marble Arch, Cocomaya is attracting followers with its jewel-like handcrafted chocolates tantalizingly displayed under glass domes on marble counter tops and antique mirrors. And places such as East End's Treacle are delighting locals and visitors alike with a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse, serving up comforting classics like Jammy Dodgers and buttercream cupcakes. Bourne & Hollingsworth (named after the department store that once existed on its site) is decidedly more adult; the quirky basement bar in Fitzrovia is tricked out to feel like grandma's -- complete with signature floral wallpaper and consciously stodgy décor. Still, zany accents, like a fireplace full of discarded Champagne bottles, reflect the underground boîte's joie de vivre spirit of excess. On Prohibition themed nights, vintage gin cocktails arrive hidden in teapots, as Billie Holliday sets the mood. Geales, in Notting Hill, is the ideal spot to start -- or end -- an evening on the town, London-style. Now a shadow of its former 1939 no-frills self, the newly renovated fish and chips shop is giving a lighter gourmet twist to an old London standby; golden, delicately fried cod and haddock is the restaurant's main event, supported by more elegant briny treats like raw oysters and classic shrimp cocktail. No matter where you go in London town these days, vintage style is everywhere. What's old is new -- again! -- in England's retro-mad city. Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. | [
"What type of teahouse is the Treacle?",
"What is with sugar?",
"who is at the forefront of London's retro renaissance?",
"What is at the forefront of London's retro renaissance?",
"who is a return to the British teahouse?",
"what is the store name?",
"What is th ename of the sweet 1950s-style candy store"
] | [
[
"no-nonsense proper British"
],
[
"retro renaissance:"
],
[
"sugar."
],
[
"sugar."
],
[
"East End's Treacle"
],
[
"Hope and Greenwood,"
],
[
"Hope and Greenwood,"
]
] | Sugar is at the forefront of London's retro renaissance .
Hope and Greenwood is a sweet 1950s-style candy store .
East End's Treacle is a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- It's no surprise: Americans are super-opinionated, especially about the cities they live in and the places they visit. In fact, their feelings are so strong that in the 2008 America's Favorite Cities survey -- conducted by travelandleisure.com and CNN Headline News -- Americans voted more than 600,000 times on 45 characteristics of 25 cities, weighing in on things like shopping, food, culture and nightlife, as well as cleanliness and affordability. New Orleans earned No. 1 rankings for fine dining and live music. In 2007, there was a lot of cheering from cities that clinched the No. 1 spots, like Chicago, Illinois, (dining) and Austin, Texas, (best singles scene). But we also saw a lot of upsets -- upset people, that is. After all, someone had to come in last. Unfortunately for the proud people of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America voted them dead last in the category of attractive people. And Los Angeles, California, took the prize for least friendly city, a category that most expected New York City to sweep. Notable changes For the winners in each category, 2008 brought some surprises. New Orleans, Louisiana, elbowed New York aside as the best city for fine dining. Las Vegas, Nevada, took the No. 1 spot for best singles scene as former No. 1 Austin tumbled to No. 5. In the cleanliness category, Portland, Oregon, swept Minneapolis, Minnesota, out of first place this year. See all the America's Favorite Cities results -- and play the new AFC game, What's YOUR Fave? But other cities maintained their dominant positions. New York held its No. 1 ranking as the country's best spot for people-watching, while Charleston, South Carolina, was once again voted America's friendliest city. Find your vacation There's plenty more to explore beyond the rankings. If you're in the market for a great destination, the Vacation Finder at travelandleisure.com can help you find the perfect city for your interests. Austin and New Orleans, for example, are rollicking destinations for live music, cheap ethnic food and vintage shopping. If something more high-minded is your style, check out Washington D.C. (No. 1 for museums) or New York (No. 1 for classical music). Travelers seeking the sophistication of cities paired with the exhilaration of the outdoors should head to Honolulu, Hawaii, (No. 1 for active/adventure vacations), Portland (No. 1 for public parks and access to outdoors), or Denver, Colorado, (No. 1 for athletic/active citizens). If you're planning a trip with the kids, Orlando, Florida, is still on top, but alternatives like San Diego, California, and Washington D.C. still rate high with travelers. Seekers of romantic getaways should try their luck in Honolulu, Charleston or San Francisco, California, which hold their own particular charms. And what happened at the bottom of the scale? Did Philadelphia rally voters and push themselves up the attractiveness scale? Did Angelenos take the criticism about being the least-friendly city to heart and begin using a kinder, gentler salute to fellow drivers on the freeway? Read on to find out. Here are the top three cities » in some of the categories, as voted by visitors. Visit travelandleisure.com for the full results, best and worst, for each city and category, as ranked by residents and by visitors. 'What's YOUR Fave?' You've voted on your favorite cities' characteristics, but what's America's Favorite City overall? Tell us! Vote for America's best in our new bracket game, What's YOUR Fave? Go to travelandleisure.com/afc and each week for the next four weeks, we'll pit cities head-to-head. Your vote decides whether they move on to the next round or get eliminated! | [
"who won for fine dining"
] | [
[
"New Orleans"
]
] | New Orleans elbowed New York aside as the best city for fine dining .
Portland, Oregon, swept Minneapolis out of first place for cleanliness .
New York held its No. 1 ranking as the country's best spot for people-watching . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Nothing, but nothing, has the power to spoil New Orleans' appetite. The people of this city love to eat, and they eat it all -- from simply fried oysters and perfectly dressed po' boys to cutting-edge dishes served Cajun style. Here, a meal-by-meal primer of the Big Easy from a lucky visitor who came to eat and stayed to listen.
A classic meat biscuit at Mother's
Breakfast
When local business owners pulled together in move-on mode and reopened faster than seemed possible after Hurricane Katrina, natives dubbed Magazine Street, a six-mile ribbon of shops and restaurants, the "aisle of denial."
Only a few blocks away, on the edge of the Central Business District, Mother's reopened with Vice Admiral Thad Allen, head of the disaster relief effort, as its first customer. Regulars and tourists alike line up to order at the counter, cafeteria-style, but dishes such as grits and debris (roast-beef edges in gravy) or red-bean omelets with baked ham and biscuits are delivered to your Formica-topped table by old-time waitresses who may well call you darlin'.
Mellow Coffea Café (3218 Dauphine St.), in Bywater, a picturesque residential neighborhood a mile or so downriver from the French Quarter, doubles as a gallery space for local artists and has a genuine bohemian charm. Try their café au lait (equal parts chicory coffee and steamed milk), sweet potato pancakes, or the savory "huevos crepe," filled with eggs and black beans and served with a side of Southern hospitality: a half-dozen bottles of hot sauce, including the tangy Louisiana favorite, Crystal. iReport.com: Send your photos of New Orleans
Don't leave the neighborhood without swinging by homey corner restaurant Elizabeth's for fried chicken livers with pepper jelly or lacquered praline bacon, baked in brown sugar with crumbled pecans and tasting -- if you can imagine it -- like pig candy. The hand-lettered sign, swaying when the breeze blows off the river, promises REAL FOOD DONE REAL GOOD. For weekend brunch, order "red neck eggs" (poached and served over fried green tomatoes with grits) and sweet rice fritters called calas, a nearly extinct regional specialty. Travel + Leisure: World's craziest party towns
Lunch
Founded in 1919 by Italian immigrants, Casamento's takes pride in its oyster loaf: a sandwich of fried oysters layered between two slices of house-made buttery white bread (rather than a French-style po' boy roll). But check the calendar, because the tiny Garden District oyster house is only open in the cooler "r" months. If the time is right, plunk those freshly shucked oversize warm-water oysters onto some saltines and wash them down with the coldest local Abita Golden beer in town.
During the summer "r-less" months, there's always La Petite Grocery (4238 Magazine St.), a cozy neighborhood bistro nearby. Chef Justin Devillier's top-notch half-pound burger comes with his house-made pickles and sweet Vidalia-onion marmalade.
There's only one way to end the debate over where to find the best po' boy in town: head for the Parkway Bakery & Tavern. Whether you go for the roast beef with gravy or golden fried shrimp, the basic anatomy of Parkway's perfect rendition is always the same: "dressed" (lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and pickles) on distinctive New Orleans-style French bread (lightly crisped crust, interior as airy as cotton candy) from the celebrated Leidenheimer Bakery. Nothing better, nowhere else.
A grande dame of French Creole cooking since 1905, and still family-owned, the clubby Galatoire's has long earned its place in the social scene. If you sit in the mirrored ground-floor dining room (not the second floor) and order without studying the menu, you might -- just might -- pass for an upper-crust regular. Cheat sheet: Get the "grand goute," a seafood appetizer trio featuring the | [
"What is Parkway Bakery and Tavern known for?",
"What is known for its po boy sandwiches?",
"Where did the mother serve breakfasts?",
"What does Mother's serve?",
"Name of the chef?",
"What place serves hearty breakfasts?",
"What are mother's serving?",
"Where is Mother's located?"
] | [
[
"best po' boy in town:"
],
[
"Parkway Bakery & Tavern."
],
[
"Magazine Street,"
],
[
"A classic meat biscuit"
],
[
"Justin Devillier's"
],
[
"Mother's"
],
[
"dishes such as grits and debris (roast-beef edges in gravy) or red-bean omelets with baked ham and biscuits"
],
[
"on the edge of the Central Business District,"
]
] | Mother's serves hearty breakfasts on the edge of the Central Business District .
Parkway Bakery & Tavern is known for its po' boy sandwiches .
Chef John Besh celebrates regional ingredients in French style at August . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Portland, Oregon, doesn't lack for fashionable boutique hotels, but to the west, along the Pacific Ocean, the options have tended to be as primal as the shoreline. Recently, however, a group of properties has sprung up on the northern coast, aiming to seduce 21st-century travelers with designs steeped in post-World War II Modernism.
The Cannery Pier Hotel was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.
Each stop on this easy three-night itinerary provides a stylish Oregon beach getaway -- along with postcard-worthy water views.
Day 1: Portland to Astoria
Follow the Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) as it meanders along the waterway that led Lewis and Clark to the sea. (For more shore-hugging river views, cross the Oregon Way Bridge, just west of Rainier, and drive on Washington's Ocean Beach Highway -- but be sure to return to Route 30 by crossing back over at Cathlamet.)
Make your way to Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies (founded in 1811), a revitalized former fishing town with Victorian architecture and a restored 1913 riverfront trolley.
Take in the town -- and the mouth of the Columbia River -- from the 125-foot Astoria Column, and for a dramatic close-up of the Astoria Bridge, which connects Oregon and Washington, check in to the Cannery Pier Hotel (doubles from $299).
Built on the site of a fish-packing facility on a pier that extends 600 feet into the river, the four-year-old hotel embraces a Pacific Northwest version of loft architecture, with exposed steel beams in the atrium-style lobby and hardwood floors in the 46 balconied rooms.
The best place to eat is just a short stroll down the pier at the Bridgewater Bistro (dinner for two $75; 503/ 325-6777). The restaurant offers exceptional views of the river and bridge, a tasting room for the Oregon Coast's Flying Dutchman Winery, and a small-plates menu featuring watermelon-and-feta salad and a savory cheesecake with Dungeness crab.
Day 2: Astoria to Arch Cape
The Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 26) crosses Youngs Bay and snakes southward almost to Arch Cape, set in the lush green terrain of Oswald West State Park. It's a 30-mile trip that passes through the monied enclave of Gearhart, as well as Seaside, one of the first beach resorts in Oregon. Travel + Leisure: 45 best new hotels of 2009
Be sure to explore the Cannon Beach art colony, comprising 19 galleries and crafts studios; then hit the sand to behold Haystack Rock, a 235-foot-tall basalt formation that's the third-largest such ocean monolith in the world.
You might also want to scope out a spot for dinner in Cannon Beach -- locals love the French-Italian dishes such as pesto-and-prawn pasta at Newmans at 988 (dinner for two $110, 503/ 436-1151) -- or stock up on Oregon wine and Tillamook cheese before heading to Arch Cape, a tiny residential community with no restaurants.
It is here that Bruce Bessey transformed an old beach house into the Ocean Point Inn & Spa (doubles from $275). The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf.
In fair weather, guests mingle on the oceanfront deck to watch gray whales or gaze at the stars. In the morning, a hearty breakfast with fresh pastries provides fortification for beachcombing. Nestled between two state parks, the inn offers direct access to a nearly deserted Pacific stretch with sand dollar-filled tide pools.
Day 3: Arch Cape to Lincoln City
Lincoln City is a straight 79-mile shot down the 101, past open stretches of sand with more clumps of beach grass than sunbathers.
Along the way: Laneda Avenue, in Manzanita, is a charming shopping strip; the Picnic Basket (503/ 355-8500), in Rockaway Beach, has 97 flavors of salt-water taffy; Garibaldi Marina ( | [
"Where is the Cannery Pier Hotel?",
"Where have fashionable hotels opened up?",
"What has opened along Oregon's northern coast?",
"Where is Cannery Pier Hotel located?"
] | [
[
"site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River."
],
[
"Portland, Oregon,"
],
[
"group of properties"
],
[
"on the Columbia River."
]
] | A handful of fashionable hotels have opened along Oregon's northern coast .
The Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria sits on a pier in the Columbia River .
Ocean Point Inn & Spa in Arch Cape is housed in a renovated beach house . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Portland, Oregon, doesn't lack for fashionable boutique hotels, but to the west, along the Pacific Ocean, the options have tended to be as primal as the shoreline. Recently, however, a group of properties has sprung up on the northern coast, aiming to seduce 21st-century travelers with designs steeped in post-World War II Modernism. The Cannery Pier Hotel was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River. Each stop on this easy three-night itinerary provides a stylish Oregon beach getaway -- along with postcard-worthy water views. Day 1: Portland to Astoria Follow the Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) as it meanders along the waterway that led Lewis and Clark to the sea. (For more shore-hugging river views, cross the Oregon Way Bridge, just west of Rainier, and drive on Washington's Ocean Beach Highway -- but be sure to return to Route 30 by crossing back over at Cathlamet.) Make your way to Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies (founded in 1811), a revitalized former fishing town with Victorian architecture and a restored 1913 riverfront trolley. Take in the town -- and the mouth of the Columbia River -- from the 125-foot Astoria Column, and for a dramatic close-up of the Astoria Bridge, which connects Oregon and Washington, check in to the Cannery Pier Hotel (doubles from $299). Built on the site of a fish-packing facility on a pier that extends 600 feet into the river, the four-year-old hotel embraces a Pacific Northwest version of loft architecture, with exposed steel beams in the atrium-style lobby and hardwood floors in the 46 balconied rooms. The best place to eat is just a short stroll down the pier at the Bridgewater Bistro (dinner for two $75; 503/ 325-6777). The restaurant offers exceptional views of the river and bridge, a tasting room for the Oregon Coast's Flying Dutchman Winery, and a small-plates menu featuring watermelon-and-feta salad and a savory cheesecake with Dungeness crab. Day 2: Astoria to Arch Cape The Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 26) crosses Youngs Bay and snakes southward almost to Arch Cape, set in the lush green terrain of Oswald West State Park. It's a 30-mile trip that passes through the monied enclave of Gearhart, as well as Seaside, one of the first beach resorts in Oregon. Travel + Leisure: 45 best new hotels of 2009 Be sure to explore the Cannon Beach art colony, comprising 19 galleries and crafts studios; then hit the sand to behold Haystack Rock, a 235-foot-tall basalt formation that's the third-largest such ocean monolith in the world. You might also want to scope out a spot for dinner in Cannon Beach -- locals love the French-Italian dishes such as pesto-and-prawn pasta at Newmans at 988 (dinner for two $110, 503/ 436-1151) -- or stock up on Oregon wine and Tillamook cheese before heading to Arch Cape, a tiny residential community with no restaurants. It is here that Bruce Bessey transformed an old beach house into the Ocean Point Inn & Spa (doubles from $275). The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf. In fair weather, guests mingle on the oceanfront deck to watch gray whales or gaze at the stars. In the morning, a hearty breakfast with fresh pastries provides fortification for beachcombing. Nestled between two state parks, the inn offers direct access to a nearly deserted Pacific stretch with sand dollar-filled tide pools. Day 3: Arch Cape to Lincoln City Lincoln City is a straight 79-mile shot down the 101, past open stretches of sand with more clumps of beach grass than sunbathers. Along the way: Laneda Avenue, in Manzanita, is a charming shopping strip; the Picnic Basket (503/ 355-8500), in Rockaway Beach, has 97 flavors of salt-water taffy; Garibaldi Marina ( | [
"What are housed in a renovated beach house?",
"Ocean Point Inn & Spa in Arch Cape is housed in?",
"Where is Oregon?",
"Cannery Pier Hotel location?",
"Where does the Cannery Pier Hotel sit?",
"What is Arch Cape?",
"The Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria sits on?"
] | [
[
"The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf."
],
[
"Oswald West State Park."
],
[
"along the Pacific Ocean,"
],
[
"on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River."
],
[
"was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River."
],
[
"tiny residential community"
],
[
"the site of a fish-packing facility"
]
] | A handful of fashionable hotels have opened along Oregon's northern coast .
The Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria sits on a pier in the Columbia River .
Ocean Point Inn & Spa in Arch Cape is housed in a renovated beach house . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Stockholm has a reputation for being one of Europe's most expensive cities. T+L hits the streets of the fashionable capital and proves otherwise. Stockholm's Strommen River 9:00 a.m. I plot my day over a complimentary breakfast of homemade yogurt and knäckebröd (crispy bread) at Hotel Anno 1647 (3 Mariagränd; 46-8/442-1680), housed in a former tobacco and clothing factory in the hip island neighborhood of Södermalm. My room ($170), No. 21, is small and peaceful, with rustic pine floors, an antique crystal chandelier, and, thankfully, blackout drapes -- essential in a city that gets 18 hours of sunlight a day in the summer. 10:00 a.m. The hotel is around the corner from Götgatan, one of Stockholm's most seductive shopping strips. Though it feels a little early to start spending, I can't resist a jar of cloudberry honey ($6) from Iris Hantverk (37 Götgatan; 46-8/641-9190), a store that specializes in handmade items by visually impaired artisans. I crave almost everything I see in DesignTorget (31 Götgatan, 46-8/462-3520), which carries an eclectic range of accessories by Swedish designers, including hand-printed dish towels and colorful kids' toys. But I force myself to move along. 12:00 p.m. For lunch, I circle back to busy Slussen square -- Stockholm's answer to Grand Central. The main attraction here (besides a major subway stop) is the humble Nystekt Strömming (fried herring) wagon, encircled by picnic tables crowded with locals on their lunch breaks. I sidle up and order the signature dish ($6.25) topped with a dollop of crème fraîche. From my bench, I can see the silhouette of Gamla Stan, the old section of the city just across the bridge. 1:00 p.m. Down along the harbor, a freckled blond girl at a candy cart snips off a sample of her salt licorice (free), a delicious flavor called Häxvrål -- "scream of the witch," she translates. After a short stroll past the steamboats and Baroque mansions of Östermalm, I arrive at the Vasamuseet (14 Galärvarvsvägen; 46-8/5195-4800), a maritime museum built around a meticulously reconstructed boat that was shipwrecked in the 17th century. I buy a ticket ($15) and explore the gigantic ship, feeling a little like an extra on the set of "Pirates of the Caribbean." 3:30 p.m. Risking museum burnout, I head to the galleries ($12.50 admission) of the Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen; 46-8/5195-5200), designed by the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, to see its collection of 20th-century European and American art. Here, I discover the contemporary Swedish painter Karin Mamma Andersson, whose lush, layered paintings look like dreamscapes. I also find one of the city's best photo ops -- the panoramic view of the port from the glass-walled museum café. 5:00 p.m. I forgo a pricey taxi ride across the city in favor of an infinitely more charming and scenic walk toward Gamla Stan, which is touristy but irresistible once I'm weaving through a knot of cobblestoned streets and storybook 17th-century houses. My reward is a hot chocolate ($4.70) at Kaffekoppen (18-20 Stortorget; 46-8/203-170), a candlelit cellar with tea-stained walls and low vaulted ceilings. 7:00 p.m. While wandering the alleys of Gamla Stan, I stumble upon what may be the city's top bargain: a classical music concert ($11) at Storkyrkan, Stockholm's central cathedral (1 Trangsund, Gamla Stan; 46-8/723-3016). I take a seat in a wooden pew as a local pianist fills the space with the music of Chopin. Dusky evening light filters in through leaded glass windows and shimmers off the golden angels on the high brick ceiling. Divine. 9:30 p.m. The lingering sunlight has affected my eating schedule, but I'm finally hungry again. On the patio of Babylon (4 Björns Trädgårdsgränd; 46-8/640-8083 | [
"What neighborhood is Hotel Anno located in?",
"Where is the location of Hotel Anno?",
"Where is Hotel Anno located?",
"What did locals crowd around?",
"What does Museet collect?"
] | [
[
"Södermalm."
],
[
"hip island neighborhood of Södermalm."
],
[
"in the hip island neighborhood of Södermalm."
],
[
"picnic tables"
],
[
"20th-century European and American art."
]
] | Hotel Anno is located in the hip island neighborhood of Södermalm .
Locals crowd around the fried herring wagon in Slussen square .
Moderna Museet features a collection of 20th-century European and American art . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- Warm beige tones, rich graphic accents, and futuristic chairs give Le Jules Verne a contemporary elegance, while dishes from superstar chef Alain Ducasse create a joie de vivre in diners' mouths. But the real showstopper at this restaurant -- set more than 400 feet above Paris in the Eiffel Tower -- is its panoramic view. From the tower's south pillar, diners look out on barges navigating the Seine and clusters of steely gray rooftops stretching for miles.
Sierra Mar, in Big Sur, California, is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific.
Restaurants have long been setting tables in locales with dramatic views, but often the food has paled in comparison. With the dramatic evolution of the global culinary scene, however, it's more than safe to look past the cocktail menu at many of the world's most beautifully situated restaurants. "They actually have a view and good food at the same time," says Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat Survey restaurant guides. "It's a combination that was rare 10 or 20 years ago."
So where are the top places that harmonize amazing vistas with delectable victuals?
At Asiate, in New York's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, eyefuls of Midtown Manhattan's cloud-grazing buildings and the lush refuge of Central Park draw locals, tourists and special occasion diners, and executive chef Toni Robertson is up to the task of keeping the Asian-influenced cuisine at the same high level as the 35th-floor restaurant. "The challenge I have is I have to compete with the view, but as a chef, I always win," she says.
The Big Apple is hardly alone in providing winning skyscraper meals. At Felix, on the 28th floor of Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel, guests soak in the city's striking setting from a slick dining room designed by Philippe Starck while feasting on dishes like Tasmanian salmon with parsnip gratin and seared duck breast with blood oranges and duck confit. Travel + Leisure: World's best hotels 2008
Of course, some of the world's most spectacular restaurant views are born, not made. At Ambrosia, on the Greek island of Santorini, the island's sea-filled volcanic crater provides a rocky perch for the terraced restaurant, from which diners gaze out on an inky blue sea. Santorini fava puree with grilled octopus and caramelized onions brings Grecian flavors to the Aegean seascape. Travel + Leisure: Amazing waterside restaurants
And up in British Columbia, diners at Eagle's Eye Restaurant -- part of Kicking Horse Resort -- survey snow-capped peaks as they tuck into Rocky Mountain cuisine infused with hints of chef Alain Soret's native France. Riding a gondola up to the restaurant 7,700 feet above sea level gives some guests the impression they're going to an alpine snack shack.
"Lots of people expect to find burgers and doughnuts up there," says Soret. They're surprised to be greeted with romantic fireside dining and entrees like roasted venison with almonds, pancetta and juniper jus served with fig-saffron risotto.
Whether you crave rough-edged mountains or deep ocean views, a glitzy skyscraper scene or a secluded retreat, these restaurants offer mesmerizing views with menus worthy of the scenery.
Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. | [
"Eagle's Eye Restaurant is located where?",
"What do they see in British Columbia",
"where are the diners",
"what provides a rocky perch"
] | [
[
"British Columbia,"
],
[
"snow-capped peaks"
],
[
"California,"
],
[
"sea-filled volcanic crater"
]
] | 11 restaurants that marry heavenly views with multi-starred menus .
Diners at Eagle's Eye Restaurant in British Columbia survey snow-capped peaks .
At Ambrosia, Santorini's sea-filled volcanic crater provides a rocky perch . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- What lies behind the walls of Wayne Newton's Vegas estate? Penguins and Elvis memorabilia, as it turns out. And come next spring, when Newton's Casa de Shenandoah opens as a museum, you'll be able to see this collection for yourself.
This glimpse into the life of "Mr. Las Vegas" is just the beginning of what's new in town. In fact, the city is having something of a renaissance, opening up new restaurants, clubs, and museums, returning Sin City to the ever-changing kaleidoscope it once was.
Travel + Leisure: The world's scariest runways
Less than 10 years ago, Las Vegas was in the middle of a no-holds-barred building boom. But things happen, and Vegas seemed to be put on a giant "hold" for several years. The only major plan that was actually completed was the awe-inspiring CityCenter, which included the Mandarin Oriental and Aria hotels, as well as Crystals shopping center.
Now the excitement of CityCenter has spilled over into the entire city: new restaurants, museums, and clubs have either recently opened or are on target for 2012. So even if you visited Vegas recently, don't assume it's still the same. And don't head to Sin City without checking out this list of the newest and best things to do.
The Barrymore
The Royal Resort's hidden restaurant, The Barrymore, is the best place to ensconce yourself for an evening of modernized Rat Pack--inflected glamour in Las Vegas. The 1,400-square-foot space is pure, old-school cinematic Vegas, with handmade wallpaper, blue-tufted booths, and a ceiling lined with antique movie reels. You'll also find funky Rorschach portraits of Vegas stars, and modern twists on Vegas classics like lobster eggs Benedict and octopus salad. Inside the Royal Resort; 99 Convention Center Dr.; (800) 634-6118.
Travel + Leisure: World's best hotels
The Mob Museum
Opens Valentine's Day, 2012. It's the actual former federal courthouse where such landmark hearings as the 1950 Kefauver hearings on organized crime were held. Here, Las Vegas's former "Happiest Mayor on Earth," Oscar Goodman, defended real-life wiseguys like Anthony "The Ant" Spilotro (playing himself defending a facsimile of The Ant in the movie Casino). The long-awaited (a decade, to be exact) $42 million museum was created by the same team that designed the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. Among its showpieces: part of the bullet-ridden wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. 300 Stewart Ave.
35 Steaks + Martinis
You may think that the last thing Las Vegas needs is another steak house, but inhale one of the Tomahawk Steaks, a 35-day aged, 35-ounce prime steak of Flintstone's proportions, and you'll think otherwise. It's a traditional steak house with a rock 'n' roll design: custom chrome-plated chandeliers in the main room, textured silver walls, and chocolate padded columns. Don't miss the Applewood bacon creamed spinach or the 35 Gimlet (with cucumber essence and Hendrick's gin). The wine list, appropriately, is stocked with "Wines that Rock," including labels by Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. In the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino; 4455 Paradise Rd.; (702) 693-5585.
Travel + Leisure: Most complained-about airlines
Nevada State Museum
Reopens October 28, 2011. From a cramped and outdated building, the Nevada State Museum flings open the doors to its $50 million museum -- and its showpiece, the 43-foot-long ichthyosaur -- in the Springs Preserve. For those who know the massive preserve and its interactive "edutainment" format, think more of the same. For those who don't, imagine a touch screen to tell the story of continental drift, a cave to explore, and a 3-D movie about the desert at night. Springs Preserve; 333 S. Valley View Blvd. at US 95; (702) 486-5205.
Wayne Newton's | [
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"What is the best place for an evening of modernized Rat Pack glamour?"
] | [
[
"Wayne Newton's"
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[
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[
"Las Vegas's"
],
[
"Valentine's Day, 2012."
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[
"The Royal Resort's hidden restaurant,"
],
[
"next spring,"
],
[
"The Barrymore,"
],
[
"The Barrymore,"
]
] | The Barrymore is the best place for an evening of modernized Rat Pack glamour .
The Mob Museums opens Valentine's Day 2012 in a former courthouse where organized crime hearings were held .
Starting next year, Wayne Newton will be opening the doors of his mansion to the public . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- When I first started traveling, I was delighted by refrigerator magnets, T-shirts, embroidered patches and snow globes -- all the usual gift-shop kitsch. At some point, however, it struck me as a shortcut, celebrating a destination's clichés rather than the place itself.
So I moved up to items that were unavailable on every other corner and, ideally, handmade. I felt good about supporting craftspeople, and the objects had more personal resonance. Though when I got them home, many of them turned into dust-catching clutter -- one-of-a-kind clutter, but still. Moreover, I questioned their authenticity. I make every effort to eat at restaurants frequented by locals. Why would I shop for souvenirs in stores where residents never tread?
Now, I hunt for what I call "unsouvenirs." The word souvenir is Middle French for "remembering," and unsouvenirs, despite the prefix, must also be able to trigger a memory. But they're different from souvenirs in that they capture the essence of a place not simply because they were purchased there, but because -- this is the important part -- locals actually use them.
Travel + Leisure: World's strangest Olympic souvenirs
That's the best definition for cultural authenticity that I can come up with. While I prefer that my unsouvenirs originate in the destination ("made in China" is only appealing if you're in China), I don't mind if they come from a factory. Few of us can claim that we incorporate many handmade items into our day-to-day lives.
I just visited Rome for the first time -- ridiculous, I know -- and I was surprised by how rife with kitsch the historic center is. Rare is the block that doesn't have a store selling I © ROME T-SHIRTS. My customs form, in contrast, looked as if I had run errands on a Saturday afternoon.
I bought a plastic container designed to hold the unsliced part of an onion, premixed Campari and soda in Art Deco bottles, a package of assorted paper from an art-supply shop, Elmex toothpaste, and a lip balm called HerpeSun. They'll remind me of Rome every time I use them (though I haven't yet been brave enough to whip out the lip balm in public).
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Certain kinds of stores are more reliable for unsouvenirs. Supermarkets and pharmacies are always interesting. Cookware purveyors are also a consistently rich source: you might score Bialetti espresso pots from coffee-crazy Italy or elegant woven place mats from understated Sweden. At a Japanese hardware store you could come upon a miniature scythe-style weeder; or you might spot a cowbell and collar in northern Italy. (Part of the fun is repurposing: that bell could be a doorbell.)
Stationery shops, whether you're in Greece or Indonesia, tend to have schoolkids' notebooks, which make for quirky journals back home. Also worth a look are stores that sell hobby or restaurant supplies, sporting goods, garden equipment, bike gear....
"You have to get off the map," agrees the queen of unsouvenirs, Alisa Grifo, co-owner of Kiosk, a store in New York's SoHo that stocks workaday objects from around the world (usually one country at a time, displayed in four-to-six-month "exhibitions"), all acquired during Grifo's peripatetic travels.
Highlights from Germany included egg cups, a pencil sharpener and a doorstop; from Hong Kong, a mailbox, green twine and a calculator. Individually, the items are idiosyncratic and well designed; gathered together, they convey the spirit of a country, in both their utility and their aesthetics. (To see what I mean, visit kioskkiosk.com.)
I assumed that Grifo had the same wander-and-hope strategy that I do, but she and her husband and co-owner Marco Romeny actually do a ton of prep work. They research each destination, reading up on the history, culture, museums | [
"Where \"Made in China\" only appealing?",
"What is only appealing if you're in China?",
"Where are interesting places to hunt for useful souvenirs?"
] | [
[
"China),"
],
[
"(\"made in China\""
],
[
"Supermarkets and pharmacies"
]
] | "Made in China" is only appealing if you're in China, author says .
But handmade objects aren't always the best reminders of your trip .
Supermarkets and pharmacies are interesting places to hunt for useful souvenirs . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- When you're dining at a revolving restaurant 250 feet above Cape Town, you expect the views to be fantastic. The real surprise is when the food appears -- and it's excellent.
What better way to savor a beautiful city than from this vantage point: a window seat at a revolving restaurant where the shifting views complement the gourmet courses. At Cape Town's Top of the Ritz, that means pairings of just-caught mussels with a view of iconic Table Mountain, spicy curry-butternut soup with the sandstone Twelve Apostle peaks, rack of lamb with beaches, and dessert with the sunset dipping below the Atlantic.
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Over the past 50 years, revolving restaurants have opened in more than 50 countries on six continents, from Colombia to Nepal to Canada. Along the way, the concept has gone from futuristic novelty to often-tacky tourist traps. But set aside that skepticism: we've pinpointed select revolving restaurants that are worth the price of admission.
The revolving restaurant trend took flight in 1961, when Seattle architect John Graham built one on top of a shopping center in Hawaii. A year later Graham was commissioned to design the Space Needle for the upcoming World's Fair in his hometown, and brought the idea with him. The resulting ultramodern tower not only became an enduring icon of this Northwest city, it brought 20,000 awed visitors to the Space Needle restaurant each day of the World's Fair, setting off a global craze for revolving restaurants.
Far too many successors get by on their looks alone, serving generic, overpriced dishes that typically invite the harsh review: "killer views, mediocre food." Munich's Restaurant 181 rises above that revolving restaurant reputation and has become one of the city's most coveted dining spots. It even earned a Michelin star for chef Otto Koch's concoctions, such as morel-crusted veal and langoustine tartare on a bed of caviar.
Koch introduced airplane-esque classes of dining, from the First (eight courses, including the caviar, for $209) to the Economy Sunset Menu, a three-course prix fixe at a down-to-earth $52. That's about as frugal as you get at these revolving restaurants, which each deliver a once-in-a-lifetime meal that can't be duplicated anywhere else. Give them a spin.
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Perlan: Reykjavik, Iceland
Built above a geothermal spring, Perlan serves a practical function -- storing the city's water tanks -- and the indulgent one of fine dining in its giant glass dome. Enter, and you're greeted by sweeping views of the deep-blue ocean and volcanic mountains surrounding Reykjavik. Get your fill of fresh local seafood such as sous vide smoked trout ($20) and, in autumn, a special wild game buffet ($73) of Icelandic delicacies like wild goose, reindeer, and puffin.
Heads Up: Strókur, a geyser right outside the restaurant, can provide quite the mealtime show, shooting white plumes of steam high into the air.
Top of the World: Las Vegas
Every glittering light of the Las Vegas Strip can be seen from this 844-foot-high restaurant—the crown of the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower. The extravagant four-course tasting menu mixes classics such as lobster bisque and filet mignon with more inventive dishes like roasted miso Mediterranean loup de mer with shoyu ginger glaze, followed by crème brûlée and cheesecake lollipops.
Heads Up: Don't be alarmed if you see a person propel past your window -- the new SkyJump thrill ride leaves from right above the restaurant.
Summit Restaurant: Sydney
Red carpets, pink-tinged lighting, and sleek lounge furniture create a sultry vibe within this dining room, which revolves past the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Olympic Park. Australian TV chef-lebrity Michael Moore put local reef snapper and pan-fried quail breasts on the two-course dinner menu ($89). For a more low-key meal, head to the Orbit Lounge | [
"Where can the highest revolving restaurant be found?",
"What is the name of the revolving restaurant in Las Vegas?",
"What is the name of the restaurant on top of the tower at the Stratosphere Casino in Las Vegas?",
"In the past 50 years, how many countries have opened a revolving restaurant?",
"How many countries have revolving restaurants opened in?"
] | [
[
"250 feet above Cape Town,"
],
[
"Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower."
],
[
"Top of the World: Las Vegas"
],
[
"more than"
],
[
"50"
]
] | In the past 50 years, revolving restaurants have opened in more than 50 countries .
Drehrestaurant Allalin, the highest revolving restaurant, is on top of a Swiss glacier .
Top of the World is the crown of the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- With its tranquil beaches, the tiny northern island of Sylt is the country's best-kept summer secret. An ideal way to see the island -- especially in late summer when the heather is in full bloom -- is by bike. Where to stay Long and narrow, and spread over 36 square miles, Sylt has a verdant countryside peppered with its signature low-slung cottages. Many house tiny hotels, like the secluded Dorint Söl'ring Hof (1 Am Sandwall, Rantum; 49-4651/836-200; doubles from $550), a 15-room inn tucked into the dunes on the southern coast with its own hidden stretch of sugary sand. For those who want to be closer to the action, there's the Hotel Stadt Hamburg (2 Strandstrasse; 49-4651/8580; doubles from $253), in the charming village of Westerland. You'll have to walk five minutes to the beach, but this tidy hotel, built in 1869, is an ideal base for exploration. Where to eat The island's dining scene attracts a number of German celebrities (Claudia Schiffer, Boris Becker), and many frequent the stylish Sansibar (80 Hörnumer Str., Rantum; 49-4651/964-656; dinner for two $130). The restaurant's North Sea-meets-Asian dishes, like fresh mussels in a sweet curry sauce, are a potent draw. In Kampen, you'll find Greta's Rauchfang (5 Strönwai; 49-4651/ 42672; dinner for two $92) next to Louis Vuitton and Hermès. Here, socialites enjoy bottles of Kristall (opened dramatically with sabers), along with small plates of the sweet local shrimp. To get away from the fabulous set, head to Alter Gasthof (5 Alte Dorfstrasse, List; 49-4651/877-244; dinner for two $65) on the isle's northern tip. This 200-year-old inn dishes out classic regional food, including stellar house-smoked salmon and eel. What to do Sylt is known for its nude beaches. The most famous is Buhne 16 (133A Listlandstrasse, Kampen), where Germans of every stripe let it all hang out as they lounge in wicker basket chairs. For those who like things a bit more covered up, try Am Roten Kliff, just north of Kampen, which is also (no surprise) less crowded. An ideal way to see the island -- especially in late summer when the heather is in full bloom -- is by bike. Fahrrad am Bahnhof (49-4651/5803), in Westerland's main train station, has a terrific rental selection, and the staff will happily suggest a route along Sylt's 136 miles of well-laid-out paths. Getting there Sylt is reached by train from Berlin (5 hours) or Hamburg (3 1/2 hours). By car, take the autobahn to Niebüll from Berlin (290 miles) or Hamburg (120 miles). There is no road connecting Sylt to the mainland; vehicles board a train for the 30-minute trip to the island. For more, see bahn.de. Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts. | [
"What is five hours from Berlin by train?",
"What is Sylt known for?",
"What attracts German celebrities to the island?",
"What is five hours from Berlin by train?",
"What attracts a number of German celebrities?"
] | [
[
"Sylt"
],
[
"tranquil beaches,"
],
[
"dining scene"
],
[
"Sylt"
],
[
"The island's dining scene"
]
] | The island of Sylt is five hours from Berlin by train .
Sylt is known for its nude beaches .
The island's dining scene attracts a number of German celebrities . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- You haven't experienced Christmas lights until you've seen nearly four miles of them artfully hung in patterns dictated by Tiffany's head designer in Copenhagen's famed historic amusement park, Tivoli Gardens -- and that's not counting the 1,800 strands dramatically draped on the lakeside willows. Salzburg, Austria's Christkindlmarkt is one of Europe's oldest markets. Copenhagen celebrates Jul (as in "yuletide") in high style, with its famed Christmas market the centerpiece. Stalls stocked with fine handmade crafts, including traditional figurines of clog-clad elves in pointy red caps, compete for space with vendors selling iced doughnuts slathered with black currant jam and hefty cups of gløgg, a steaming hot mulled red wine laden with raisins, almonds, cinnamon sticks and cloves -- all of which, for good measure, are steeped in aquavit or schnapps. Christmas in Europe is a time for elaborate pastries straight out of a medieval cookbook, for lyrical midnight masses in Gothic churches and for the upholding of quirky local traditions -- in many countries, Christmas just isn't complete without mischievous pixies, kindly witches (Rome), treacherous demons (Salzburg) or an 8,000-pound fruitcake (Dresden). However else Europeans celebrate the Yuletide season, Christmas still centers around an Advent market that, in most cases, has filled the square before the cathedral each December for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Many markets start on the Friday before Advent, which is four Sundays before Christmas Eve; most end on December 24, especially in Germanic countries, where Christmas Eve is set aside for trimming the tree at home. Others keep celebrating until Epiphany on January 6. Travel+Leisure.com: See Europe's best Christmas markets These markets are where the romance of the holiday comes alive in grand tradition -- smells of gingerbread and roasting sausages waft through the cold air, handmade ornaments adorn ancient fir trees, master glassblowers and other artisans ply their crafts in wooden stalls, shoppers bustle past Gothic church facades and half-timbered houses, pausing to sip their glühwein, heavily spiced and mulled "glow wine" -- the piping-hot beverage of choice at any self-respecting Teutonic Christmas market. This is what Christmas should be -- a holiday free of mall Muzak and the frantic need to lay your hands on the superstore's last Tickle Me Xbox. It's an old-world Christmas of heartfelt caroling and wooden toys, where every gift is crafted by hand and Santa hasn't outsourced his workshop to China. For a few precious frost-nipped weeks, these museum-piece cities of Olde World Europe flicker back to the Middle Ages -- not the ossified medieval throwbacks of soot-blackened cathedrals and tourist-bedeviled museums, but the living, breathing yesteryear of a bustling outdoor marketplace. A few practical notes: It's wise to book as far in advance as possible in these Christmas hotspots, especially for trips between December 15 and January 1 and definitely for December 24 and 25. That goes not only for your lodging but also for restaurants, many of which close on Christmas Eve and Day; those that are open usually offer a set-price feast and book up fast with locals. Planning a Caribbean getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's new Ultimate Caribbean Hotel Guide - CLICK HERE | [
"What stalls can typically be found at the advent market?",
"How long does the advent market last?",
"What stuff is sold there?",
"What has been held for hundreds of years?",
"What was held for hundreds of years?"
] | [
[
"wooden"
],
[
"four Sundays before Christmas Eve;"
],
[
"cups of gløgg, a steaming hot mulled red wine laden with raisins, almonds, cinnamon sticks and cloves"
],
[
"Christmas"
],
[
"Advent market"
]
] | Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens glitters with lights during the market .
Advent markets have been held for hundreds of years .
Handmade crafts, local snacks and mulled wine are typical . |
(Travel + Leisure) -- You're sitting in a hip Tokyo cafe, having a fish cake and sake. Your server has been especially attentive, so when the check arrives, you think nothing of pulling out some extra yen and leaving a healthy 20 percent tip. But suddenly things go horribly wrong: the server turns wide-eyed, becomes agitated, and walks away. What happened?!
You'll likely come across more people at a hotel that need to be tipped than anywhere else as you travel.
Tipping in Japan and many other Asian countries is simply not a way of life. In fact, it's usually regarded as a vulgar display of wealth and a disregard for the culture. The same can be true in Europe and Latin America ... though not always. And in the United States, of course, tipping is expected (and sometimes demanded). With expectations all over the map, it's not surprising that anxiety and confusion about whom to tip -- and how much -- are commonplace for travelers.
So we've done the legwork for you, talking with concierges, tourist boards, and other travelers to find out the real protocol on when (and when not) to reach into your wallet and how much of a tip you should give to waiters, sky caps, maids, doormen, and cabbies all over the world.
Of course, tipping is confusing enough for Americans traveling domestically. The expectation is to tip not only big but also often, from the kid handing you a Venti coffee at Starbucks to the multiple hotel hands that rush to open doors, carry bags, and offer an escort to the hotel room.
Go abroad and the situation changes. The legion of skycaps, cab drivers, bellboys, and waiters may perform the same services as their U.S. counterparts, but they often have radically different expectations of a tip. You can credit different customs, as well as a service industry with a different wage scale. In the United States, tips usually abet low wages. In other parts of the world, service employees are often paid a living wage. If you're taking a taxi in Chile or New Zealand, for example, the driver won't give you the evil eye if you don't tip -- it's not expected. Read Travel + Leisure's guide to tipping around the world
At a hotel, you'll encounter more people who potentially need to be tipped than anywhere else during your travels. In fact, there are so many people it can become confusing. If a doorman opens the door of your cab, another takes your bag, and a third delivers it to your room, who gets the tip? It should be the last person in the chain -- the one who actually brings the bags to your room. And at checkout, only tip the one who loads your bags onto a cart and takes them out of the room.
Restaurants can be tricky, too: keep an eye out for the service charge. In many European countries, this charge averages 10 percent, but it's usually included in the price of a meal. If it is, then do as the European do, and leave a few extra coins or round up the bill -- in cash, even if you've paid for the meal with a credit card. And if you're heading to Fiji, Malaysia, or South Korea, be aware that no tip is required in restaurants.
Here are some other scenarios:
Spa Therapists: Tipping 15 or 20 percent is common practice in the United States but rare at any spa abroad, where a service charge is typically added to the cost of the treatment.
Concierges: Situational. If a concierge gets you theater or train tickets, or has been especially helpful during the course of your stay, then a $10 or $20 tip (in local currency) is in order.
Guides: Booking a ski guide to take you off-piste in Switzerland, a golf pro in Scotland, or a fishing guide in Ireland? All should be compensated in the 10 to 15 percent range, as they would be in the | [
"What location will you potentially need to tip more people at than anywhere else?",
"More people at a hotel will potentially need to be what?",
"Tipping conventions overseas can be vastly different from those where else?",
"Tipping conventions overseas can be vastly different from those located where?",
"what can be vastly different"
] | [
[
"hotel"
],
[
"tipped"
],
[
"United States,"
],
[
"Japan and many other Asian countries"
],
[
"expectations of a tip."
]
] | Tipping conventions overseas can be vastly different from those in the United States .
More people at a hotel will potentially need to be tipped than anywhere else .
Get small bills or coins from your hotel's front desk to make tipping easier . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- A century and a half ago, Athens was a humble, forgotten city of about 8,000 people. Today, one out of every three Greeks packs into this city of about 4 million. To avoid the Parthenon crowds, go in the early evening when the marble turns golden as the sun sets. Athens has been famous for its sprawl, noise and pollution. My advice has long been to see the big sights, then get out. But visiting it recently to research a new guidebook, I've seen a dramatic change. The city has made a concerted effort to curb pollution, clean up and pedestrianize the streets, spiff up the museums, build a new airport and invest in one of Europe's better public-transit systems. Even with its new look, the Greek capital still has its "big three" sights: the stunning Acropolis, the Ancient Agora just below and the remarkable National Archaeological Museum. But coming in June is the opening of a fourth big sight -- one that will stoke a battle over Greece losing her marbles more than 200 years ago (more on that later). To many, the most important ancient site in the Western world is the Acropolis, rising gleaming like a beacon above the gray concrete drudgery of modern Athens. This is where the Greeks built the mighty Parthenon -- the most famous temple on the planet, and an enduring symbol of ancient Athens' glorious Golden Age from nearly 2,500 years ago. The major monuments of the Acropolis survive in remarkably good condition. While the Persians, Ottomans, and British were cruel to the site in the past, the greatest dangers it faces now are acid rain and pollution. Ongoing restoration means that you might see some scaffolding -- but even that can't take away from its greatness. I like to come late in the day, as the sun goes down, when the white Parthenon stone gleams a creamy golden brown. While the Acropolis was the city's ceremonial showpiece, it was the Ancient Agora that was the real heart of classical Athens. For some 800 years, it was the hub of all commercial, political, and social life and home to many of the city's religious rites. Little survives in the Agora from the classical period. Other than one very well-preserved temple and a rebuilt portico, it's a field of humble ruins nestled in the shadow of the Acropolis. But that makes it a quiet, uncrowded spot to wander and get a feel for the ancients. Romantics can't help but get goose bumps as they kick around the same pebbles that once stuck in Socrates' sandals, with the floodlit Parthenon forever floating ethereally overhead. North of the city center is the world's best collection of ancient Greek art, the National Archaeological Museum. It takes you from 7000 B.C. to A.D. 500 on a beautifully displayed and well-described sweep through Greek history, from prehistoric and Mycenaean artifacts through the evolution of classical Greek statuary. This museum now has a worthy competitor -- the New Acropolis Museum, slated to open in June. It's a world-class space, custom-built to showcase the Parthenon sculptures, along with truckloads of other artifacts, all complemented by modern exhibits. And the state-of-the-art building itself is worth a look, as the boldest symbol yet of the post-Olympics vision for Athens. The new museum also serves as a sort of 21st-century Trojan horse, intended to lure the famous Elgin Marbles (the Parthenon sculptures) away from London's British Museum. In the early 19th century, the British ambassador to the Ottomans, Lord Elgin, got permission to strip marble panels from the Parthenon and take them to England. For years, the Greeks have asked for the marbles back, and for years, the Brits have responded with claims that Greece can't give them a suitable home. And yet, now that this state-of-the-art facility is ready and waiting, it still seems unlikely that the marbles will be returned anytime soon. Britain is reluctant to give in, for fear of setting a | [
"what is the name of his company?"
] | [
[
"New Acropolis Museum,"
]
] | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows .
His TV series, "Rick Steves' Europe," airs on PBS stations .
Steves' company, Europe Through the Back Door, conducts European tours . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Alexandra Seldin prepays for a rental car through Alamo's Web site. But when her flight is canceled, and she arrives a day late, the company charges her three times more than it originally said it would. Is it allowed to do that? And is there any hope for a refund? A customer's late arrival cost her an additional $1,116 for her car rental. Q: My car rental company has more than tripled the rate it charged me, and I don't know what to do. I had prepaid $390 for the car through Alamo's Web site. When my flight was canceled, I called Alamo to tell it I could not get the car until the next day. I was told that my reservation would be held for 24 hours. I picked up the car the next day and returned it on time. When I dropped off the rental, a representative said the computer system was down. But when I got my bill the next month, there was an additional $1,116 charge because of the late pick up. I believe this additional charge to be unfair and am requesting a refund. I believe Alamo should honor its promise of the prepaid amount as well as the representation that my reservation would be held for 24 hours. Can you help? -- Alexandra Seldin, San Diego, California A: So Alamo is charging you another $1,116 even though you rented one of its cars for one day less. Where's the logic in that? The answer: It's airline logic. Air carriers have figured out a way to quadruple the price of a ticket depending on the time you bought it. So a "walk-up" fare purchased at the last minute can be hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars more expensive than an advance-purchase fare. But you're getting the same seat. You prepaid for your rental weeks in advance -- kind of like an advance-purchase ticket. But when you didn't show up as expected, the system reset your rate, charging you the more expensive "walk-up" rate. The computer problems should have been a showstopper. When a representative says the system is down, you need to get a receipt, even if it's handwritten. That way, if the company tries to double-dip, you can dispute the charge using the invoice as evidence that your bill was paid. Even if you have assurances that you won't be billed again, it's important to monitor your credit card. A car rental company isn't going to send you an e-mail letting you know that you're being charged more. It's just going to quietly take it off your credit card. As soon as you see a questionable charge on your card, mention it to the company or dispute it with your credit card company. I think you would have won a credit card dispute, by the way. You would have needed to show the prepaid voucher as proof that you had already paid for the rental, and the credit card company should have sided with you. I suggested you write a brief, polite e-mail to Alamo, asking it to reverse the charges. The response? A snippy note that said, "Any changes to the basis of the reservation makes the rate subject to change," and adding, "We are disappointed that this policy is a source of dissatisfaction for you." Alamo denied your request. Like you, I was unhappy with the denials by phone and e-mail. So I contacted Alamo for you. It promptly refunded the $1,116 it should have never charged you in the first place. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at [email protected]. | [
"Who did the customer call?",
"What caused the customer to be a day late for picking up the car rental?",
"How much was she charged for the late pick-up?",
"How much was the customer charged?",
"Did Alamo reverse the charges?",
"Who was persuaded to reverse the charges?",
"what was cancelled"
] | [
[
"Alamo"
],
[
"flight is canceled,"
],
[
"$1,116"
],
[
"additional $1,116"
],
[
"refunded the $1,116"
],
[
"Alamo"
],
[
"flight"
]
] | A customer's flight was canceled, and she arrived a day late for her car rental .
She called to let Alamo know and it said her reservation would be held .
She was charged an additional $1,116 for the rental because of the late pick up .
After declining a refund, Alamo was persuaded to reverse the charges . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Fantastique France continues to make its heritage and culture easier for travelers to appreciate. Being up-to-date on changes for 2009 will help your visit go smoothly. The Eiffel Tower is planning to offer online reservations, allowing visitors to book an entry time and avoid a long wait. Due to a smoking ban, you'll enjoy fresh air in bars, cafes and restaurants throughout France. The smokers have scurried outdoors to sidewalk tables; many of those seats now come with space heaters in winter. If you're traveling in France by railpass, it's increasingly important to book trips on the TGV bullet trains in advance, as there's a strict limit on the number of seats allowed for railpass holders. And with high gas prices -- and the recognition among Europeans that rail travel is about as green as you can go -- trains are more crowded than ever. In Paris, the transit system has introduced a chip-card called the Passe Navigo Decouverte, but for most tourists, the "carnets" (packs of 10 individual tickets) are still the better deal. The new Passe costs about $27, runs strictly from Monday through Sunday, and requires a photo, which means it's not shareable. In contrast, a 10-ticket pack costs about $14, is shareable, and has no expiration date. Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral has a new modest-dress rule. The "no shorts" code is not strictly enforced, but inside you're expected to be quiet and respectful. A new online reservation system for the Eiffel Tower may debut in 2009, allowing Tour-Eiffel-ists to book a half-hour time slot and avoid the notorious lines. At the Army Museum nearby, the section on 19th-century French military history ("Revolution to Napoleon III") should reopen in the spring. The museum also has a new Charles de Gaulle wing, offering a 25-minute film, plus a high-tech display of photos tracing the life of France's towering 20th-century figure. Paris' market streets delight many visitors. While rue Cler (near the Eiffel Tower) has become quite touristy, rue des Martyrs (at the foot of Montmartre) is edgier and a great way to connect with workaday Paris. If you'd like to "do the Time Warp again" while ducking airborne "French" toast, you can enjoy the cult movie "Rocky Horror Picture Show" with a Parisian crowd Friday and Saturday nights in the Latin Quarter (www.rocky.fr). Travel Snapshots: Paris The Palace of Versailles is undergoing extensive renovation so expect some closures. Repair projects may close its Opera House through June; the Petit Trianon may be closed or only partially open. Busy sightseers can save both time and money by visiting Versailles with the Paris Museum Pass. The pass covers most major sights in and around Paris, pays for itself in about three entries, and allows you to walk right by the long ticket-buying lines at places like the Louvre, the Orsay Museum, the Sainte-Chapelle chapel, and Versailles (www.parismuseumpass.com). However, everyone needs to wait through any bag-check security line. The charming city of Reims, rebuilt after World War I when Art Deco was the prevailing style, is now served by a speedy TGV train, making it an easy day trip from Paris. Reims is known for its champagne tours (Mumm, Taittinger and Martel), giant cathedral (with Chagall stained glass), and fascinating Museum of the Surrender (General Eisenhower's final World War II headquarters with stirring artifacts and the document of surrender that was signed by German generals right there). This year is the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy; prepare for big crowds -- especially from June 1 to 10. Also in Normandy, a museum has opened at Dead Man's Corner, a critical crossroads between Omaha and Utah beaches that saw five torrid days of fighting in 1944. This museum, south of Ste. Mere-Eglise, is a hit with enthusiasts as every display case shows incredible attention to detail. It also | [
"What countries do the tours include?"
] | [
[
"France"
]
] | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows .
His TV series, "Rick Steves' Europe," airs on PBS stations .
Steves' company, Europe Through the Back Door, conducts European tours . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Frank Santa Maria buys two tickets to Italy on Expedia. But when an agent misspells his wife's name, he must embark on an odyssey to ensure she'll be allowed to use her tickets. Will he be successful? Q: I recently bought tickets to Italy by calling Expedia. I spelled my wife's first name to the agent. That afternoon we left town for a trip. When we returned the tickets were at the front door and a confirmation e-mail was waiting. My wife's first name was spelled Crista instead of Christa. I immediately called Expedia, and was told I should have contacted them the day the e-mail was sent to me and that there would be a $150 re-ticketing fee. After several more calls and being put on "hold" for more than half an hour, a supervisor told me that there was nothing they could do. They couldn't even change the name on the ticket. I contacted the airline directly and they told me they would make a note on my wife's passenger record. My wife's tickets are still wrong and I'm afraid we may have a problem with our connecting airline or with customs. What can I do? -- Frank Santa Maria, New Braunfels, Texas A: Expedia should have spelled your wife's name correctly. When it was clear that the company had made an error, it should have done everything in its power to fix it instead of giving you the runaround and forcing you to deal directly with your airline. Then again, it should have never come to this. First, why are you phoning an online travel agency to buy tickets? It may be more convenient, but online agencies are built to handle your purchases online. It's more efficient and reduces the chance of an error being introduced -- like misspelling a passenger's name. Second, you should always check your verification e-mail immediately. Expedia could have made a change to your ticket if you had caught the mistake earlier. It's essential that you review your itinerary as soon as possible. Believe me, I know. I just made this mistake and had to spend an extra day at my destination because I put the wrong date in my reservation. (See? It can happen to anyone.) I've dealt with too many wrong-name cases to count, and here are a few things I've learned. Passengers aren't turned away at the gate because of a typographical error on their tickets. Reservations systems have limitations that sometimes truncate last names or render non-English names in funny characters. Last names and first names are frequently flip-flopped. Ticket agents, gate agents and security screeners know that, and will let you through. I haven't heard of anyone being denied boarding because of a one-character difference in a name. I'm reasonably sure your wife would have been allowed to travel using her ticket, even if this had happened after the May 15 implementation of the first phase of the Transportation Security Administration's "Secure Flight" initiative, which requires that you provide your full name as it appears on your government-issued identification. Incidentally, the "notation" in her reservation would have almost certainly been visible to any connecting airline. And a customs agent wouldn't even pay attention to your ticket under normal circumstances. It's your customs form and passport that matter to them. Next time you buy tickets by phone -- and I hope there's no next time -- do yourself a big favor: When you offer your name to the agent, ask to have it spelled back. That way, you'll catch any errors before the transaction goes through. Once you have a reservation, it becomes much more difficult (or even impossible) to make a change. It shouldn't be that way. In an ideal world, you'd be able to change a name on a ticket. Airlines say they can't allow name changes for "security reasons" but I'm inclined to believe it has more to do with the fact that they | [
"Where did the passenger purchase airline tickets from?",
"What did the passenger purchase?",
"What travel company issued a corrected ticket?",
"What was misspelled when received the tickets?"
] | [
[
"Expedia."
],
[
"two tickets to Italy"
],
[
"Expedia."
],
[
"his wife's name,"
]
] | Passenger purchased airline tickets from Expedia by phone .
When he received the tickets, his wife's name was misspelled .
Troubleshooter urged him to purchase online and to verify information .
Expedia issued a corrected ticket when contacted by the Troubleshooter . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Gabriel Medina can't reach his hotel in New Orleans because there's a police barricade in front of it. A manager promises to "help" him cancel the reservation, but three days later, his credit card is charged $113. Now his credit card has sided with the hotel. Is there anything else he can do? Q: I don't know where else to turn. I recently booked a room at the Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau Lemoyne in New Orleans through its central reservations phone number. When I arrived, the New Orleans Police Department had the entire block closed off. I immediately called the hotel and told a manager I couldn't access the hotel. He said he did not know when the blockade would be lifted and couldn't help get my car or luggage to the hotel. He couldn't cancel my reservation because I had made it through Holiday Inn's central reservations number. After several more attempts to reach the hotel, he agreed to help me cancel my reservation. I stayed at another hotel that night. Three days later, a $113 charge appeared on my credit card from the Holiday Inn. I disputed the charge, but they told me I couldn't get a refund because I could not prove that they refused me the room. When I called guest relations they said they needed a cancellation number before they would consider a refund. Otherwise the hotel itself would need to reverse the charge. When I call the hotel, I get only voicemail. Can you help? -- Gabriel Medina, Elk Grove, California A: If a hotel representative says your reservation is canceled, you shouldn't be charged for your stay. But a review of your correspondence raises a few red flags. First, a manager told you that it was impossible for him to cancel a reservation made through Holiday Inn's 800-number. Then, a few minutes later, the same manager agrees to "help" you cancel the reservation. I would assume that "helping" you means your reservation is officially canceled, but what if he just looked into it and then decided it couldn't be done, and left your original reservation intact? Since Holiday Inn didn't have a cancellation number, it probably means there was no cancellation. Here's what you did right: You noted the name of the manager with whom you spoke. You followed up with Holiday Inn, and you were persistent but polite. Here's what you overlooked: You should have called the central reservations number and asked for a cancellation number. If they refused to give you a number, you should have given a representative the name of the manager you spoke with. I would have followed up with the manager and not let Holiday Inn off the hook until you had a number. But getting a number isn't enough. Instead of continuing to call Holiday Inn, I would have sent it a short, cordial email asking for a verification of your cancellation in writing. If you send an email through a hotel company's Web site (Holiday Inn) you'll typically receive a meaningful answer in a matter of days, if not hours. With that information, your credit card dispute would have probably been a slam-dunk. Before getting to the resolution on your case, let me add one more thing. As far as I can tell, Holiday Inn was under no obligation to refund your money. You couldn't reach the hotel because of a police barricade, which the property couldn't control. But since a manager assured you that he would help you make a cancellation, I think it's reasonable to expect a refund. I contacted Holiday Inn on your behalf. It reviewed your case and apologized for the way in which your refund was handled. "Clearly the inability to access the hotel was beyond your control, and in as such, you should be relieved of the $113 charge you have received," a representative wrote to you in a letter. You're getting your $113 back. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine | [
"How much was the man refunded?",
"What was the card charged for?",
"What was the hotel blocked by?",
"How much did Holiday Inn repay?",
"What was stopping the guest getting to his room?",
"What did the manager promise?",
"When was the man charged for the room?"
] | [
[
"$113"
],
[
"$113."
],
[
"barricade"
],
[
"$113"
],
[
"the New Orleans Police Department had the entire block closed off."
],
[
"\"help\" him cancel the reservation,"
],
[
"three days later,"
]
] | Guest finds his hotel blocked by police barricade and calls the hotel manager .
The manager promises to help him cancel the reservation, and he stays elsewhere .
Days later, he finds his credit card charged for unused, blocked hotel room .
Holiday Inn hotel apologizes and returns the man's $113 . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- I'm lost! For American Girl book fans, the "Happy New Year, Julie" story is an ideal gift for holiday road trips. Hopelessly, completely lost on a winding, backcountry road somewhere in Westchester County, N.Y. Did I mention it was night and pitch-black? "How could you do this?" asks my aggravated 16-year-old daughter, Mel. I'm not even sure. One minute we're on the highway and a couple of wrong turns later, here we are. None of the maps in the car showed the road we were on. Finally, we spot some open shops and a kind saleswoman in the Gap gave me directions. Guess what I want somebody to give me this holiday? A portable GPS! (Are you listening, elves?) L.L. Bean (www.llbean.com) has some that are under $100, TomTom (www.tomtom.com), has some for under $250. A GPS would be a welcome gift for any traveling family. It's no fun getting lost, whether close to home or on vacation in an unfamiliar city or country. Of course, my favorite gift of all would be a trip. Give those you love most the gift of an adventure together someplace new, or someplace that holds special memories, whether you are celebrating a special anniversary, birthday or simply a good year. Outfitters, cruise lines and resorts will help you arrange a custom itinerary -- and give you a good "reunion" deal too. Just make sure you get everyone on board with the idea before you fork over your credit card for those nonrefundable deposits. Give the adults different guidebooks about the region and if you are planning a trip to foreign shores, give each of the kids some Euros, Pesos, etc., to spend when they get there. They'll have fun and maybe hone a few math skills figuring out how much they've really got to spend. Maybe you want to encourage your kids' or grandkids' interest in exploring the world beyond their community. Buy them a subscription to National Geographic Kids (www.shopng.org) and for preschoolers, National Geographic Little Kids (subscriptions are just $15 a year.) Those planning road trips or plane trips with their children will thank you every time they travel, if you slip a portable DVD player under the tree or next to the Hanukkah Menorah. Disney (www.disneyshopping.com) has a new one that's compact and has twin 7-inch LCD screens and two sets of headphones. It sells for $179.99. Of course, you'll need a couple of new DVDs to watch. How about encouraging the young chefs in the gang with Pixar's "Ratatouille," or spark your little pirate's sense of adventure with "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." If you're planning a holiday trip, bring along your favorite holiday movie. Books on tape are also a great bet for families who prefer the road to the skies. The story can become a shared experience because everyone, including the driver, can listen at the same time, assuming you can get the older kids to turn off their iPods. There are plenty of holiday stories, like "A Christmas Carol" performed by Jim Dale, who read the Harry Potter books so well, John Grisham's "Skipping Christmas"(www.randomhouse.com/audio) read by Dennis Boutsikaris or Fannie Flagg reading her book "A Redbird Christmas," which I just listened to on a long drive in Colorado. Also check out Brilliance Audio (www.brillianceaudio.com) for other titles like Adam Canfield's "Watch Your Back" about the adventures -- and misadventures of an intrepid middle-school reporter. Good old-fashioned books, of course, are great gifts too, especially if you can find one that relates to an experience you've shared on vacation or to a place you plan to visit. Ask your local children's librarian for suggestions. Maybe you've taken the kids to Cirque de Soleil or the Big Apple Circus, if so check out "The Painted Circus" (www.kidscanpress.com), which features beautiful illustrations that play tricks on | [
"What is a useful gift for travelling families?",
"What does the subscription expose kids to?"
] | [
[
"portable GPS!"
],
[
"exploring the world beyond their community."
]
] | A portable GPS is a useful gift for traveling families .
A subscription to National Geographic Kids exposes kids to the world .
No one, including kids, should travel without a lightweight, rolling duffel . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Kristin Budden's hotel promises her a refund for her nonrefundable hotel room after a hurricane strikes. But months later, there's no sign of the money and the hotel has gone into radio silence. Should she kiss the money goodbye? A guest's hotel promised her a refund, but she hasn't received anything. Q: I think that you may be my only hope! My father and I were supposed to meet in San Antonio before a conference. Lucky for us, the weekend that we were to be in San Antonio was the same weekend Hurricane Ike plowed through Texas. After experiencing Gustav just two weeks prior in Baton Rouge, I was not very keen on going for round two. My flight was canceled, anyway. We had made reservations at the Holiday Inn on the Riverwalk for the weekend. The rate was pre-paid and nonrefundable, which at the time of booking was fine. However, when we saw where the hurricane was headed, we called to cancel our reservations independently. After some discussion about the storm, the hotel told us both independently that, due to the extreme circumstances, we would receive refunds. I have an e-mail from the hotel regarding my "refund." Despite numerous e-mails to the hotel over many months, we've received nothing. Any assistance that you can offer me would be greatly appreciated. -- Kristin Budden, Baton Rouge, Louisiana A: I think Holiday Inn owes you a refund. Not because of the hurricane, or because it was the right thing to do (although both are true) but because a hotel representative promised one in writing. If you had disputed the hotel charge on your credit card -- which would have been one of your options -- then the e-mail from your hotel is almost like money in the bank. During a dispute, a hotel may counter that by citing its nonrefundability policy, but from your credit card's perspective, a written statement from the property that it agrees to override its rule is compelling evidence in your favor. Many resorts offer hurricane guarantees that give guests a no-questions-asked refund when a storm is on the way. Holiday Inn wasn't one of those hotels as far as I can tell, but the commonly accepted practice in the travel industry is to not hold a customer accountable for a trip that can't be taken because of circumstances beyond his or her control. (Remember, we let travel companies off the hook when they can't operate a plane because of bad weather or a hotel shuts down during a flood -- it's only fair that they should do the same thing for us.) It looks as if you limited your correspondence to the hotel. In a situation like this, it's useful to begin with a brief, polite e-mail to the corporate guest-relations section on its Web site. Many hotels pass these complaints along to the hotel and may fine it if the grievances aren't resolved quickly. However, dealing with the hotel directly puts it under no such pressure and it may feel as if it can ignore your repeated requests. Next time you reserve a room during hurricane season, consider one that's refundable. And if not, then at least consider taking out a travel insurance policy that would cover you if a hurricane hit your hotel. I contacted Holiday Inn on your behalf and it promised you a full refund. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at [email protected]. | [
"For how long did the guest try to get her money back?",
"What did Holiday Inn agree to?",
"What did the email say?",
"For how long the guest was trying to get her money back?"
] | [
[
"months"
],
[
"a refund,"
],
[
"\"refund.\""
],
[
"months"
]
] | A Holiday Inn agreed to give a guest a refund due to an approaching hurricane .
The hotel said via email it would make an exception to its nonrefundable rate .
The guest tried for months to get her money back .
The Troubleshooter contacted the hotel and it promised to deliver the refund . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Look out for cancellation penalties. Beware of energy surcharges. And watch for facilities fees. Hertz lost $73 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. No, not on your airline ticket. Not on your hotel folio. You may find these new extras on your next car rental bill. Beleaguered auto rental firms are quietly adding new surcharges designed to lift revenues in a recessionary economy. To get an idea of how absurd it's becoming meet Jim Swofford. He found a mysterious $5 fee on his Hertz bill recently, which a representative described as a cancellation fee. Car rental companies typically don't charge their customers for cancellations, so Swofford, who frequently rents from Hertz, said he didn't want another car he'd reserved for later. "That'll be $25," the agent told him. "So I jokingly said I would not cancel but just be a no-show," he remembers. "She said that would result in a $50 fee." Or talk to Eric Hegwer, a photographer from Austin, Texas, who spotted a $1 "energy surcharge" on his Hertz car rental bill recently. "My previous rentals didn't have one," he says. I asked Hertz about the two new surcharges. Company spokeswoman Paula Rivera told me the cancellation fee, which was added in December, applied only to prepaid reservations and is meant to "reimburse Hertz for the paperwork and billing involved with a prepaid reservation." The fee also covers part of the company's cost of holding vehicles for prepaid reservations. The energy surcharge, which was added in October, bills all rentals in most states an additional $1 a day "to offset the increasing costs of utilities, bus fuel, oil and grease," she said. It's easy to see why car rental companies are taking these steps. The industry is hemorrhaging money faster than oil leaking from a cracked gasket. Hertz lost $73 million in the fourth quarter, and competitor Avis lost $121 million in the same period. They fared much better than Advantage Rent A Car, which filed for bankruptcy protection in December and whose assets were sold to Hertz for a reported $33 million. Every penny counts for the car rental companies. Then again, in this dreadful economy, who isn't counting every cent? Shocking anecdotes aside, there's a pattern here, and you don't have to be an investigative reporter or a conspiracy theory-obsessed columnist to see it. Just read the annual reports issued by one of the publicly traded car rental companies. (Look for the form 10-K and then scroll down to "Legal Proceedings" for an enlightening read.) They're littered with lawsuits over fees, surcharges and add-ons that motorists say broadsided them when they rented a car. A representative of the American Car Rental Association, a trade group for the car rental business, says these fees are essential to the industry's survival. But that doesn't give companies a license to surprise their customers. "The car rental company has an obligation to clearly and concisely explain all fees and charges at the time of rental, " says Robert Barton, the association's president and chief operating officer for U-Save Car & Truck Rental. How to stay ahead of these extras? Knowing is half the battle. Here are five of the newer charges that could sideswipe you on your next trip. A fee for something you've already paid for This is one of the more creative new ways of separating you from your money: charging you twice for the same thing. "Three times now, with three different companies, they have tried to charge me for gas when I've returned the car with a full tank and claimed it was an honest mistake," says Sid Savara, a software engineer in Oahu, Hawaii. "It leads me to suspect they are just tacking the fee on and most people aren't noticing or complaining about it." Boston-based author John DiPietro brought his own E-ZPass toll | [
"what do charges include?",
"How much did Hertz lose because of the economy?",
"what are the new surcharges?",
"How much did hertz and avis lose?",
"What are car rental firms sneakily adding?"
] | [
[
"cancellation fee,"
],
[
"$73 million"
],
[
"energy"
],
[
"$73 million"
],
[
"new surcharges"
]
] | Beleaguered car rental firms are quietly adding "absurd" new surcharges .
Charges include: "Cancellation fee," "energy surcharge," "tire fee," "privilege fee"
Economy resulted in Hertz losing $73 million in Q4; Avis lost $121 million . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Three hundred and forty. At the Bandelier National Monument visitors can climb into ancient cliff dwellings used by Native Americans. That's how many steps and ladder rungs we climb to Bandelier National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/band/), to crowd into its ancient (dating back to before 1300) cliff dwellings about 50 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Even the kids are impressed that Ancestral Pueblo families lived here before Columbus arrived, even before the Pilgrims stepped foot on Plymouth Rock. We look at the crumbling adobe and try to imagine apartment-type dwellings that stretched more than three stories: We crouch inside the ceremonial Kivas where the ancient people gathered to teach the children, weave, congregate and discuss the affairs of the day. These unique sites -- Bandelier certainly isn't the only one -- and spectacular desert landscape make New Mexico a terrific family destination winter or summer, and one that will win kudos from all ages. Where else can you ski one day -- in Taos or outside of Santa Fe, gallery hop or take a cooking lesson the next, shop or tour museums till you drop and gain a new perspective on Native American history? New Mexico is home to 22 sovereign Indian nations, including the Navajo Nation, two Apache Tribes and 19 Pueblos. The Pueblo of Acoma (http://www.skycity.com/), which sits on a 367-foot-high sandstone rock, is considered the oldest inhabited village in the United States. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque can help you get started (www.indianpueblo.com). You can even stay on a Pueblo -- the deluxe Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa (http://www.tamaya.hyatt.com), owned by the Santa Ana Pueblo and managed by Hyatt, offers holiday packages. The 350-room resort, halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, sits on 500 sprawling acres of a 73,000-acre reservation and is one of the largest resorts ever built on Native American land. And you can't beat the Sandia Mountains on the horizon for scenery. Great pains have been taken to respect the ancient spirits at the resort. One of the pools is built in a circle, replicating the ceremonial Kivas that have been an integral part of Pueblo life for centuries. Spa treatments are designed to use products that are indigenous to the area (how about a hydrating treatment using desert seaweed or an exfoliation treatment with Tamaya Blue Corn flour?) The signature Corn Maiden restaurant serves dishes from the region. The profits go back to the Pueblo and fund everything from college scholarships to senior centers. Sure you can hang out by the pool, opt for the spa, or play golf here, but horseback riding through the pueblo's backcountry to see petroglyphs, making adobe bricks, drums or pottery or visiting the cultural center and museum devoted to the history, culture and art of the Santa Ana Pueblo make this a different experience. "All of these activities appealed to us," said Eric Shimabukuro, who is from suburban Chicago and was busy making bricks one morning with his two daughters, Lauren, 9, and Carolyn, 7. New Mexico, I think, as I make my way down the ladder at Bandelier and later, watch my daughters knead the dough for Pueblo bread at the Hyatt Tamaya, under the watchful eye of a member of the Santa Ana Pueblo, can be a terrific winter vacation bet for families whose members are not all equally enthusiastic about spending their entire vacation on the slopes. Especially at holiday time when there are traditional dances at Northern New Mexico Pueblos and a variety of celebrations in Santa Fe and around New Mexico (www.santafe.org, www.nmtourism.org). Santa Fe Mountain Adventures (www.santafemountainadventures.com) can help plan a unique sojourn, organizing family activities from touring Bandelier to geocaching, an outdoor treasure-hunting game, to snowshoeing, cooking and pottery making. "You get so much more out of a visit to a place like this when you're with a guide," offers David Thompson, whose family joined us touring Bandelier with Santa Fe Mountain Adventures guides Bill Neuwirth, a college professor, and Anne Stanley, an artist and guide. As we climb ladders and steps, courtesy of the National | [
"What can be viewed at Bandelier?",
"How many sovereign Indian nations is New Mexico home to?",
"New Mexico is home to what?",
"What kind of dwellings can be viewed at Bandelier?",
"what does some Pueblos have to offer?",
"What do some pueblos offer?"
] | [
[
"ancient cliff dwellings used by Native Americans."
],
[
"22"
],
[
"22 sovereign Indian nations, including the Navajo Nation, two Apache Tribes and 19 Pueblos."
],
[
"ancient cliff dwellings"
],
[
"holiday packages."
],
[
"holiday packages."
]
] | Several thousand ancestral Pueblo dwellings can be viewed at Bandelier .
New Mexico is home to 22 sovereign Indian nations .
Some Pueblos offer tours and activities . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Two young Iranian parents smiled at me, showing mock desperation as their little boy and girl eagerly dragged them into a shop famous for its pistachio ice cream sandwiches. Around the corner, filling the side of a 15-story building, a government-sponsored propaganda mural showed a perverted American flag, with skulls for stars and falling bombs for stripes.
Iranian women must wear a scarf, but many leave a tuft of hair showing at the forehead.
That bizarre mixture -- of saber-rattling politics alongside the personal warmth of individual locals -- is what struck me on my recent 12-day trip to Iran to film a public-television show. I found Iran to be perhaps the most misunderstood and fascinating land I've ever visited. And I learned a lot.
The country is not free. It seems that people -- motivated by fear of Western influences and love of their children -- have forgone democracy for their theocracy. Parents told me, "We do not want our girls to grow up to be Britney Spears," and they are willing to sacrifice some freedom to achieve that goal. They feel their "revolution of values" provides an environment where they can raise their children free from the cheap sex, drug abuse and crass materialism of the West.
Iranian women must wear a scarf, but many leave a tuft of hair showing at the forehead. After several days, that provocative tuft attracted my eye like cleavage. Making sure that what they can show is as beautiful as possible, Iranian women, per capita, lead the world in nose jobs. Faces are beautifully made up, and -- when so much else is covered -- can be particularly expressive and mysterious. Eye contact is riveting.
Before arriving in Iran, I was so afraid of anti-Americanism that we had nearly left our big expensive TV camera in Athens and considered flying in with a less obtrusive model. But once there, I found people curious, courteous and quick to smile -- especially when they learned we were American. I've never had such fun with people or found them so chatty than on the streets of Iran.
Tehran is modern and bustling, with thriving shopping malls, cars clogging the streets and most people wearing Western-style clothes. Unlike many Muslim capitals, minarets do not dot the skyline, and I barely heard a call to prayer.
And yet it's clearly a theocracy. Multiple TV stations broadcast religious programming (along with BBC and CNN) that's perfect for praying -- images of the sun setting on the sea, or the pilgrimage center in Mecca in real-time. In the United States, billboards and ads encourage us to consume, but in Iran, government-sponsored billboards, Muzak and TV programming is all about the teachings of great holy men.
I asked my guide if it's okay to be non-Muslim in Iran. "Yes," he said, "We have religious freedom, as long as it is not offensive to Islam." Christian? "Sure." Jewish? "Sure." Bahai? "No. We believe that Mohammed -- who came in the 7th century -- was the last prophet, so the Bahai prophet (19th century) is offensive to Islam."
I asked, "What if you want to get somewhere in the military or government?"
My guide answered, "Then you better be a Muslim -- a practicing, Shiite Muslim."
Every film crew stops at the former U.S. Embassy. It was here in 1979 that a gang of revolutionary students stormed what they called the "Den of Spies" and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. For Iranians back then, it was a proud moment of triumph against the nation that had meddled in their affairs for years. The embassy wall is still covered with anti-American murals painted at that time. But the hostage crisis was 30 years ago. Most Iranians weren't even born then. It's ancient history to our young guide.
With our work done, we hurried to catch our flight home. As we crawled through Tehran's traffic, our | [
"when Rick Steves born?",
"What series is Steves working on?"
] | [
[
"1979"
],
[
"my recent 12-day trip to Iran to film a public-television show."
]
] | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows .
Recently Steves has been working on a series on Iran .
Steves' company, Europe Through the Back Door, conducts European tours . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- Virginia Pozo buys a first-class ticket to Peru on TACA. But it turns out the ticket is in economy class. When she tries to get a refund on the fare difference, her online agency offers her a $400 voucher. Is that enough? And is she entitled to more? A passenger bought first-class tickets to Peru, but learned they were economy-class seats. Q: We bought two first-class airline tickets to Peru on TACA through Cheaptickets.com. But we soon found out they were economy-class seats. We've asked the airline for a $1,100 refund -- the price difference between first-class and economy-class tickets -- but it won't budge. Cheaptickets.com sent a $400 voucher that we don't want. We've disputed the ticket charges with American Express, but it has denied our claim. It's obvious to us we didn't receive what we paid for. We've never sued anyone and I would rather not have to go there. Do you have any other suggestions? -- Virginia Pozo, San Francisco, California A: If you didn't get a first-class seat, you shouldn't have to pay for one. TACA owes you a refund of the fare difference between the two classes. And your online travel agency, Cheaptickets.com, should help you. At the very least, you would expect American Express to take your side in a dispute. So what happened? From what I can tell, you booked what you thought was a first-class ticket through your online agent. But the airline only delivered a seat in economy class. In fact, it never treated this as a first-class reservation in the first place. Was there a miscommunication between the agent and the airline? Or between your agent and you? Maybe. As far as I can tell, Cheaptickets doesn't have a service guarantee comparable to the other big online travel agencies, which promises everything about your trip will be perfect. But it's reasonable to expect that the products it sells will be on the up-and-up, and that if there's something wrong, it will fix it. Cheaptickets' $400 voucher was a nice gesture, but not enough. Why? Two reasons: First, it requires you to buy another ticket or hotel room, and second, it doesn't come close to making up the price difference between the two tickets. As I read your letter, it seems as if you spent some time on the phone with Cheaptickets and TACA. Writing to the two companies might have yielded a more favorable result. This is one of the rare times when you should have considered sending either a paper letter that included your confirmation and your boarding pass, or, if you're good with a PC and a scanner, an email with documents attached. Receipts are important to resolving this dispute. You need to prove you didn't get what you paid for. Since you were doing business with an American company -- Cheaptickets -- American Express should have sided with you. Invoking the Fair Credit Billing Act, the federal law that protects you from charges for goods and services you didn't accept or weren't delivered as agreed, might have encouraged American Express to see things your way. I think TACA, Cheaptickets and American Express failed to meet their customer-service obligations. But who's responsible for your refund? The correct answer is: The online travel agent who took your money and acted as an intermediary for the transaction. I contacted Cheaptickets on your behalf. A representative contacted you and said the company reviewed its phone transcripts and determined that it was at fault. The online agency refunded you $1,100 and let you keep the $400 voucher for the trouble. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at [email protected]. | [
"Where did the customer purchase her ticket?",
"who buy a ticket?",
"who purchased a ticket",
"what did she ask for",
"What did she pay for?",
"who asked for a refund?",
"Who did troubleshooter contact?",
"who paid the first class ticket?"
] | [
[
"Cheaptickets.com."
],
[
"Virginia Pozo"
],
[
"Virginia Pozo"
],
[
"tries to get a refund on the fare difference,"
],
[
"first-class ticket to Peru"
],
[
"Virginia Pozo"
],
[
"Cheaptickets"
],
[
"Virginia Pozo"
]
] | A customer purchased a ticket through Cheaptickets.com .
She paid for a first-class ticket, but the seats were in economy .
She asked for a refund and disputed the charges with no luck .
Troubleshooter contacted Cheaptickets and the company refunded the difference . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- We don't know where to look first. The massive pillars, looking like tree trunks, stone chameleons, tortoises and turtles, help support the columns. The sheer size of the place is amazing. Some of the towers soar more than 500 feet. Even jaded teens, like my 13-year-old niece, Erica Fieldman, can't help but be impressed.
Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is Barcelona's most famous site and Spain's most visited.
Welcome to Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona's most famous site and Spain's most visited. More than 40 years after the eccentric and revered architect's death -- he was struck by a tram -- work still continues on the huge church first begun in 1882. Some 2.5 million people visited last year.
This is a great place to engage the kids in a scavenger hunt. (Find the fruit carved on top of the towers, the young stone musicians, the birds.) There are two completed facades -- one represents the birth of Jesus, the other the Passion of Christ. (If you look closely, you'll see Gaudi's face.)
It's amazing that the project continued after anarchists burned Gaudi's studio, along with the plans for the church, during the Spanish Civil War. Luckily, Gaudi had made plaster models of the church (we see them in the museum at the site) and though they were also smashed, his supporters were able to painstakingly put them back together so the work could continue. Gaudi, so obsessed at the end of his life with completing the church, slept on a bed in his workshop. He is buried in the church's crypt.
I want to go to the top (you take an elevator, but walk down the stairs), but I think Erica has had enough. Sometimes, you have to know when to call it quits, even at incredible sites like this one. I tell myself Erica will come back some day and remember how she couldn't decide whether she was bored or fascinated.
Park Guell garden complex, designed to be a housing development, was Gaudi's largest work in Barcelona. It's a garden city with fantastically shaped roofs, a house that looks as if it's made out of candy, and the famous serpentine bench made out of broken mosaic. Unfortunately, no one in Barcelona gravitated toward the idea. The only three houses built were for Gaudi, the developer and the developer's lawyer. I'd live there in a minute for the spectacular views of Barcelona.
We all love the giant mosaic dragon. "Cool," Erica says. Sometimes when trying to show kids new cities, you can't hope for more than that.
Barcelona, home to the 1992 Summer Olympics, is a city that appeals to kids (especially teens) and parents. In recent years, it's become a favorite of American families who board cruise ships here in summer -- as we did last year. If you plan to do a lot of touring, get the Barcelona card, which includes free public transportation, museum admissions, restaurant discounts and more. There are some 10,000 restaurants in Barcelona and 35,000 shops. (Did you know more than 20 percent of all spending in Spain takes place here? And with such friendly locals, there's no better place for the kids to practice their Spanish. (Starting this spring, American Airlines will fly nonstop from New York to Barcelona.
Walk off your jet lag by taking in all the chic couples walking along the beach, the city's famous art nouveau architecture, the art, (Picasso lived here as a teen), the ancient Gothic Quarter and the street entertainers along the mile-long Las Ramblas. Ever see a human flower statue? A bird market? I never saw so many different kinds of gummies than at the famous Boqueria food market, said to be the largest in Europe. It's been here for centuries.
The kids will give a thumbs up to Montjuic, one of Barcelona's largest recreation areas, which rises nearly 700 feet above the | [
"how many people visit Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudí last year",
"When did people visited Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia?"
] | [
[
"2.5 million"
],
[
"last year."
]
] | Some 2.5 million people visited Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia last year .
The architect's fantastic Park Guell garden complex is fun to explore with kids .
The Museu Picasso showcases the artist's early work . |
(Tribune Media Services) -- When Eileen Mather lands in Mexico City on her way to Tapachula, Mexico, she learns her airline ticket isn't valid. Her airline forces her to buy a new one. Mather asks her online agency, Cheapoair.com, for a refund, but more than six months later, she's still out $879. Is she also out of options? Q: I need your help getting my money back for a plane ticket I had to pay for twice. Here's my story: I bought tickets online through Cheapoair.com from Philadelphia to Tapachula, Mexico. When we arrived in Mexico City, Aviacsa Airlines representatives told us that Cheapoair hadn't paid for the last leg of our trip. So I had to buy new tickets. Two members of our group also had to pay again. After I returned home, I faxed all of my documents to a supervisor at Cheapoair. That was six months ago. I've called her repeatedly and left messages, but no one has contacted me, and I'm out $879. Is there anything you can do? -- Eileen Mather, Glenside, Pennsylvania A: You shouldn't have to pay twice for your airline tickets. But you also shouldn't be too quick to blame Cheapoair for the mix-up. A lot can go wrong when you're dealing with a flight schedule that involves multiple carriers. Reservations can be lost, paper tickets and boarding passes can be misread. And, of course, there's the language issue. When you're traveling internationally, something can easily get lost in the translation. Cheapoair may -- or may not -- have been responsible for your non-working tickets. But as your online travel agent, it was responsible for helping you fix it. That's why you buy from an intermediary and pay a booking fee: so there's someone to turn to when something goes wrong. The online agency shouldn't have kept you in a holding pattern for more than six months. Cheapoair's "Golden Guarantee" promises "to provide all our customers with 24/7 toll-free number support because we understand the importance of critical last-minute client/traveler needs and requirements for changes to trips." I guess offering a toll-free number around the clock doesn't necessarily mean your questions will be answered quickly, but you can't blame me if I'm left with that impression. You could have avoided a lengthy dance with Cheapoair by taking this up with Aviacsa either when you were flying to Tapachula or returning home. If you had arrived at the airport a half-hour earlier, you might have been able to speak with a supervisor and straightened this out. Once you were home, and were running into a brick wall with Cheapoair's supervisor, I would have tried knocking on the front door again. Normally, starting a new query through an online form means your complaint will get reviewed again and may be assigned a new case number. A phone call doesn't work the same way. After you hang up, your case is basically closed. I contacted Cheapoair on your behalf. It apologized for the delay and said it contacted Aviasca, but couldn't determine why your ticket wasn't accepted. An airline representative told Cheapoair it would have to speak to the agent who was working at the ticket counter when you checked in, which was impossible. Cheapoair refunded the $879 you spent on your second ticket. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at [email protected]. | [
"What is the website called?",
"What happened to the ticket?",
"Where was the flight to?",
"What did Cheapoair do to the customer?"
] | [
[
"Cheapoair.com"
],
[
"wasn't accepted."
],
[
"Tapachula, Mexico."
],
[
"refunded the $879"
]
] | Customer booked an international flight through Cheapoair.com .
Ticket for one leg of her flight was not accepted, and she had to buy a new one .
The online agency did not know why her ticket was rejected .
Troubleshooter contacted Cheapoair, and it refunded the customer's money . |
(WASHINGTON) -- The Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines Thursday to replace a part that has come under suspicion in the crash of Air France Flight 447. U.S. air safety authorities have ordered the replacement of a part on A330 planes following the crash of Air France Flight 447. The FAA gave airlines 120 days to replace devices that could be giving false airspeed indications. All 228 people on Air France Flight 447 were killed when the Airbus A330 plane crashed June 1 en route to Paris, France, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. air safety watchdog agency bypassed the usual process which allows for public comment on its orders. It said it could expedite the process because of the limited number of planes involved -- only 43 in the United States -- and because they say it is prudent to make the change as quickly as possible. At the same time, it said it did not feel the risk warranted grounding the fleet of aircraft. US Airways, one of only two American carriers who fly planes affected by the order, said Thursday they had already replaced the part. "The work was completed last week. We are scheduled to take delivery of three new ... A330s by year's end and those three will not require any ... changes," a US Airways spokesman told CNN via e-mail. Northwest is the other U.S. carrier that operates A330s, the FAA said. A spokeswoman for Delta airlines, Northwest's parent company, said affected Northwest planes are getting new parts. "We are well under way working closely with Airbus and Goodrich to install the Goodrich pitot tubes within the required timelines," Ashley Black told CNN. The devices under suspicion are the Thales Avionics pitot probes on some Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft. They measure "ram air pressure," the pressure exerted on the plane as it flies through the air, and are part of a system used to determine air speed. The FAA order requires aircraft operators to replace certain Thales pitot probes with certain Goodrich or newer-design Thales pitot probes. The FAA says the order is intended to "prevent airspeed discrepancies, which could lead to disconnect of the autopilot and/or auto-thrust functions and consequent increased pilot workload." French authorities are still investigating the cause of the Air France crash. But tests conducted since the crash have brought into question the performance of the pitot tubes and authorities say there have been reports of other malfunctions on flights. No U.S. operator flies A340s. There are 302 of the aircraft worldwide. The FAA action follows an announcement by European air safety authorities earlier this week to require pitot tube replacements by September 7. | [
"What carriers are flying affected planes ?",
"What did the FAA order",
"What has US airlines to do?",
"What was ordered after Air France crash ?",
"Which airlines have affected planes?",
"What is the status of the work accordint to the spokeswoman ?"
] | [
[
"Northwest"
],
[
"replacement of a part on A330 planes"
],
[
"replace devices that could be giving false airspeed indications."
],
[
"the replacement of a part on A330 planes"
],
[
"US Airways,"
],
[
"completed last week."
]
] | NEW: Work "well under way," Northwest parent company spokeswoman says .
FAA orders U.S. airlines to replace part under suspicion in Air France crash .
The devices could be giving false airspeed indications .
Northwest and US Airways are only U.S. carriers that fly affected planes . |
(WIRED) -- Scofflaws could hack the smart cards that access electronic parking meters in large cities around the United States, researchers are finding. "Cities all over the nation and all over the world are deploying these smartcard meters," researcher says. The smart cards pay for parking spots, and their programming could be easily changed to obtain unlimited free parking. It took researcher Joe Grand only three days to design an attack on the smart cards. The researchers examined the meters used in San Francisco, California, but the same and similar electronic meters are being installed in cities around the world. "It wasn't technically complicated and the fact that I can do it in three days means that other people are probably already doing it and probably taking advantage of it," said Joe Grand, a designer and hardware hacker and one of the hosts of the Discovery Channel's "Prototype This" show. "It seems like the system wasn't analyzed at all." Grand and fellow researcher Jake Appelbaum presented their findings Thursday afternoon at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The researchers did not contact the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency or the meter maker prior to their talk, and asked reporters not to contact those organizations ahead of their presentation, for fear of being gagged by a court order. At last year's DefCon hacker conference, MIT students were barred from talking about similar vulnerabilities in smartcards used by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority after the MBTA obtained a restraining order. They spoke with Threat Level about their findings prior to the presentation. "We're not picking on San Francisco," Grand said. "We're not even claiming to get free parking. We're trying to educate people about ... how they can take our research and apply it to their own cities if they are trying to deploy their own systems or make them more secure.... Cities all over the nation and all over the world are deploying these smartcard meters [and] there's a number of previously known problems with various parking meters in other cities." San Francisco launched a $35-million pilot project in 2003 to deploy smart meters around the city in an effort to thwart thieves, including parking control officers who were skimming money from the meters. The city estimated it was losing more than $3 million annually to theft. In response, it installed 23,000 meters made by a Canadian firm named J.J. MacKay, which also has meters in Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Canada, Hong Kong and other locales. The machines are hybrids that allow drivers to insert either coins, or a pre-paid GemPlus smart card, which can be purchased in values of $20 or $50. The machines also have an audit log to help catch insiders who might skim proceeds. To record the communication between the card and the meter, Grand purchased a smartcard shim -- an electrical connector that duplicates a smartcard's contact points -- and used an oscilloscope to record the electrical signals as the card and meter communicated. He discovered the cards aren't digitally signed, and the only authentication between the meter and card is a password sent from the former to the latter. The card doesn't have to know the password, however, it just has to respond that the password is correct. The cards sold in San Francisco are designed to be thrown out when the customer has exhausted them. But the researchers found that the meters perform no upper-bounds check, so hackers could easily boost the transaction limit on a card beyond what could legitimately purchased. They could also program a card to simply never deduct from the transaction count. "We're residents of San Francisco and our taxes are going towards a broken system that they could potentially be losing money on and we pay the consequences of that," Grand said. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What did researchers program cards to do?",
"how many was losing the city before smart cards?",
"The city was losing how much money annually to theft?",
"When was the Black Hat conference?",
"What did Joe Grand and Jake Appelbaum present?",
"What do Researchers find?",
"What did researchers find?",
"Who presents findings at Black Hat conference?"
] | [
[
"obtain unlimited free parking."
],
[
"more than $3 million annually"
],
[
"$3 million"
],
[
"Thursday afternoon"
],
[
"their findings"
],
[
"Scofflaws could hack the smart cards that access electronic parking meters in large cities"
],
[
"around the United States,"
],
[
"Jake Appelbaum"
]
] | Researchers find smart cards that access parking meters can be hacked .
Joe Grand and Jake Appelbaum present findings at Black Hat conference .
Before smart cards, city was losing more than $3 million annually to theft .
Researchers programmed cards to never deduct from transaction count . |
(WIRED) -- A computer virus has infected the cockpits of America's Predator and Reaper drones, logging pilots' every keystroke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other warzones.
The virus, first detected nearly two weeks ago by the military's Host-Based Security System, has not prevented pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada from flying their missions overseas. Nor have there been any confirmed incidents of classified information being lost or sent to an outside source. But the virus has resisted multiple efforts to remove it from Creech's computers, network security specialists say. And the infection underscores the ongoing security risks in what has become the U.S. military's most important weapons system.
"We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back," says a source familiar with the network infection, one of three that told Danger Room about the virus. "We think it's benign. But we just don't know."
Military network security specialists aren't sure whether the virus and its so-called "keylogger" payload were introduced intentionally or by accident; it may be a common piece of malware that just happened to make its way into these sensitive networks. The specialists don't know exactly how far the virus has spread. But they're sure that the infection has hit both classified and unclassified machines at Creech. That raises the possibility, at least, that secret data may have been captured by the keylogger, and then transmitted over the public internet to someone outside the military chain of command.
Drones have become America's tool of choice in both its conventional and shadow wars, allowing U.S. forces to attack targets and spy on its foes without risking American lives. Since President Obama assumed office, a fleet of approximately 30 CIA-directed drones have hit targets in Pakistan more than 230 times; all told, these drones have killed more than 2,000 suspected militants and civilians, according to the Washington Post. More than 150 additional Predator and Reaper drones, under U.S. Air Force control, watch over the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. American military drones struck 92 times in Libya between mid-April and late August. And late last month, an American drone killed top terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki -- part of an escalating unmanned air assault in the Horn of Africa and southern Arabian peninsula.
But despite their widespread use, the drone systems are known to have security flaws. Many Reapers and Predators don't encrypt the video they transmit to American troops on the ground. In the summer of 2009, U.S. forces discovered "days and days and hours and hours" of the drone footage on the laptops of Iraqi insurgents. A $26 piece of software allowed the militants to capture the video.
The lion's share of U.S. drone missions are flown by Air Force pilots stationed at Creech, a tiny outpost in the barren Nevada desert, 20 miles north of a state prison and adjacent to a one-story casino. In a nondescript building, down a largely unmarked hallway, is a series of rooms, each with a rack of servers and a "ground control station," or GCS. There, a drone pilot and a sensor operator sit in their flight suits in front of a series of screens. In the pilot's hand is the joystick, guiding the drone as it soars above Afghanistan, Iraq, or some other battlefield.
Some of the GCSs are classified secret, and used for conventional warzone surveillance duty. The GCSs handling more exotic operations are top secret. None of the remote cockpits are supposed to be connected to the public internet. Which means they are supposed to be largely immune to viruses and other network security threats.
But time and time again, the so-called "air gaps" between classified and public networks have been bridged, largely through the use of discs and removable drives. In late 2008, for example, the drives helped introduce the agent.btz worm to hundreds of thousands of Defense Department computers. The Pentagon is still disinfecting machines, three years later.
Use of the drives is now severely restricted throughout the military. But the base at Creech was one of the exceptions, | [
"What has the infection hit?",
"What has the virus resisted?",
"What kind of virus hit Creech's computers?",
"What types of computers were affected?"
] | [
[
"the cockpits of America's Predator and Reaper drones,"
],
[
"multiple efforts to remove it from Creech's computers,"
],
[
"it may be a common piece of malware"
],
[
"Defense Department"
]
] | The virus has resisted multiple efforts to remove it from Creech's computers .
It may be a common piece of malware .
They're sure that the infection has hit both classified and unclassified machines . |
(WIRED) -- Apple has traditionally held its ground as a premium computer manufacturer, but it might just be getting sucked into a recession-prompted price war.
A worker helps a customer with a MacBook Pro laptop at an Apple store in San Francisco, California.
The company's recent MacBook price cuts signify its reluctant conformity to the economic downturn.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple shaved hundreds of dollars off its MacBook models.
The high-end, 15-inch MacBook Pros dropped from $2,000 to $1,700. And the price of the unibody MacBook (now renamed the 13-inch MacBook Pro) fell from $1,300 to $1,200. Apple's most inexpensive MacBook, the lone white model, remains $1,000.
"For a while they've been ignoring what's been happening in the economy," said Richard Shim, an IDC analyst.
"This is an indication that they're realizing that the first quarter didn't go as well as it has for them historically. I think this puts them closer in mind about what's going on in the PC world."
Still, Apple has avoided making even deeper price cuts, thanks to the juicy profit margins already baked into its products, the availability of cheap components, and the fact that the company also makes money by selling apps and music to iPhone and iPod owners.
All of these factors mean that Apple has room to comfortably trim prices even further, if it deems it necessary.
For instance, the company dropped the price of its now low-end smartphone, the iPhone 3G, to just $100 with a two-year contract. But that cut doesn't cost Apple as much as it might appear, given that the company still gets a carrier subsidy of several hundred dollars for each iPhone.
Apple's computers have historically been priced well above the average PC. However, Apple's first quarter of 2009 market-share numbers suggest the company is struggling to compete as a premium brand name in the face of the economic recession. In the first quarter of 2009, Apple's U.S. notebook market share shrank 0.4 percent compared to the same quarter a year earlier, according to Shim. And in worldwide notebook market share, the company saw 0.3 percent growth compared to the first quarter of 2008, Shim said.
Additionally, Apple is likely hurting from its competitors' aggressive pricing, cast into relief by Microsoft's recent Laptop Hunters ad campaign, a BrandIndex survey indicates.
The pseudo reality-TV commercials denounce Apple computers as too expensive and even implies Mac users are simple-minded snobs who buy gadgets as a fashion statement. As a result, Microsoft is detracting from Apple's "value" score by convincing a substantial number of consumers that they get less for their money by buying a Mac, according to the survey.
By cutting its prices somewhat, Apple may also be seizing the opportunity to strike a blow against the netbook market. In 2008, low-powered, budget netbook PCs saw rapid growth, driven by value-conscious consumers looking for a good deal. Apple has no netbook in its lineup, and has said it has no plans to create a netbook.
Fortunately for Apple, netbook sales are seeing a significant slowdown in 2009. In April, netbook manufacturers Acer, Asus and Micro Star International each reported fewer netbooks were sold than expected. Their netbook shipments for the first quarter of 2009 fell considerably below shipments during the third quarter of 2008. Asus, for example, hoped to ship 1 million Asus Eee PC systems during the first quarter, but only 900,000 units sold.
Thus, Apple's MacBook price cuts are a strategic move to reclaim growth while the netbook market is shrinking. This move allows Apple to continue to avoid offering a netbook, which is wise, because an Apple netbook would have cannibalized MacBook sales, according to ThinkPanmure analyst Vijay Rakesh. With the reduced MacBook price tags, Rakesh expects Apple to see double-digit growth in notebook marketshare -- up to 20 percent -- in the third quarter of 2009.
Regardless, Apple's MacBook price tags are still well above the | [
"What have Apple computers been priced above?",
"The strategic move is for what?",
"What has the company shaved dollars off of?",
"what are they doing about it",
"What might Apple be getting sucked into?",
"Which model has been cut in price?",
"what is causing the suck",
"Which company might be sucked into a price war?"
] | [
[
"the average PC."
],
[
"to reclaim growth"
],
[
"MacBook models."
],
[
"Apple shaved hundreds of dollars off"
],
[
"a recession-prompted price war."
],
[
"MacBook"
],
[
"a recession-prompted price war."
],
[
"Apple"
]
] | Apple might just be getting sucked into a recession-prompted price war .
The company has shaved hundreds of dollars off its MacBook models .
Apple's computers have historically been priced well above the average PC .
Apple's MacBook price cuts are a strategic move to reclaim growth . |
(WIRED) -- Apple is a powerhouse of ingenuity, patenting ideas as soon as an engineer can scratch them down on paper (or iPad). Around three dozen Apple patents made their way through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week alone.
Here we share three of the most notable -- one helps prevent cracked cover glass, another would deliver power to multiple devices with just a single adapter, and a third is a far-reaching location-based services patent that could keep Apple's competitors on their toes.
First off, Apple has come up with a solution for keeping the glass on the back of your iDevice from breaking in the event of a fall. Obviously, the simplest solution would be to avoid glass screens altogether, but if glass is going to stay, it should be made more resilient.
Apple dreamed up a tunable shock mount that would sit between the glass and the body of the device. This shock mount would inflate when the device's accelerometer senses that the phone or tablet is falling. An actuator within the device would suck in the cover glass as it accelerates toward earth, protecting it from damage. This technology could also be used to provide a water-tight seal.
The patent also describes using alumino silicate glass, better known as Gorilla Glass, instead of normal glass. Gorilla Glass is already used in the iPhone 4 and 4S. Future cover glass could be chemically treated in a solution including potassium to help strengthen it further. As K+ ions replace Na+ ions on the surface and edges of the glass, the glass would have higher compression thresholds in those areas, making it less susceptible to cracking.
Next up, Apple proposed an intelligent power adapter that could detect the varied power needs of different devices, and service them simultaneously.
Today's power adapters typically convert AC current from a wall outlet to a single DC current that can be fed to your device. Because different devices have different power needs, you currently need a different cable for each new gadget you use. (Well, that's the main reason. If power cords and adapters were universally interchangeable, manufacturers wouldn't be able to reap additional revenue when these accessories eventually need to be replaced.)
Apple's patent details an adapter that would have multiple, daisy-chained DC-to-DC converters (either in the adapter itself, or the cord or a connector), supplying power to more than one device. Alternatively, the adapter would have a relay that dynamically controls the power delivered to a device, and would only deliver juice to compatible devices.
The third major patent that rolled through the USPTO this week was innovative back when it was first filed by Xerox in 1998. The patent involves location-based services, and could potentially be another tool Apple could use to crush other mobile competition (or at least get them to pony up some royalties).
Apple acquired this patent in 2009 from Xerox, and on Tuesday the patent was reissued. The patent predates the mobile app revolution, and even the rise of major social networks, and is worded uncomfortably broadly.
Here's the bulk of what it says:
"A location information system that displays location specific information, the location information system, comprising: a receiver that receives location identification information from at least one site specific object identifying a location.Iadd., where the at least one site specific object is a beacon.Iaddend.; and a transceiver that transmits the location identification information to a distributed network and that receives the location specific information about the specified location from the distributed network based on the location identification information, wherein the location specific information provides information corresponding to the location."
Yes, patentese is an obtuse dialect, but if you could decipher any of the above, you'll know the patent describes what tons of apps and mobile devices already do on a near constant basis. Apple could, theoretically, start pursuing companies like Foursquare or Facebook for performing location-based services that fall under the patent's very wide umbrella.
Is this patent really a threat to such companies?
"Apple gets interesting new patents all | [
"what is the third patent for",
"the third patent involving?",
"What protects screens",
"Who filed the patent",
"what is the shock mount used for"
] | [
[
"a far-reaching location-based services"
],
[
"location-based services,"
],
[
"tunable shock mount"
],
[
"Apple"
],
[
"keeping the glass on the back of your iDevice from breaking in the event of a fall."
]
] | One of Apple's most recent patents helps protect glass screens by using a shock mount .
Another patent filed by Apple is for an adapter for multiple DC-to-DC converters .
A third patent involves the use of location-based services . |
(WIRED) -- Apple is the exclusive gatekeeper to its iPhone App Store, able to reject apps at will -- as it did July 28 with Google Voice. Some would-be iPhone developers, rejected by Apple, are turning to an unauthorized app store called Cydia. But some developers aren't taking the rejection lying down: They're turning instead to an unauthorized app store called Cydia, where forbidden wares continue to exist -- and even earn developers some money. That store is operated by Jay Freeman, more fondly known in the iPhone "Jailbreak" community as Saurik. Only five months old, his app store Cydia specializes in selling apps that Apple would reject or ban (or already has). To use Cydia or the apps available through it, customers need to jailbreak their phones -- hack them to work around Apple-imposed restrictions -- a process that Apple claims is illegal. Indeed, you can even get a Google Voice app, GV Mobile, through Cydia. After Apple pulled the app from its App Store, developer Sean Kovacs (who is not affiliated with Google) made it available for free through Cydia. It's difficult to get accurate data on how many customers have jailbroken their iPhones. But based on the number of unique device identifiers tracked on his server, Freeman claims that about 4 million, or 10 percent of the 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch owners to date, have installed Cydia. On a recent day, he said 470,000 people were connecting to the Cydia store, up from 350,000 per day just a few months ago. Among many free apps, there are also 15 paid apps in Cydia, and the store has earned $220,000 in overall sales in just five months. "People are so annoyed by Apple and their s---, and if you give them opportunity to go around it, then they'll even pay for it," said Kim Streich, a developer whose app 3G Unrestrictor earned $19,000 in sales in just two weeks through Cydia. Though Cydia is relatively young, the underground "Jailbreak" community has existed since the first iPhone launched in 2007. That year, Apple didn't yet have an app store for its iPhone, stifling the true potential of the device. This limitation inspired digital rebels to hack away at the iPhone's closed platform in an effort to free its mind. The result? An app called Installer, opening a door for early iPhone owners to add games, utilities and other third-party software coded by developers. It wasn't until 2008 that Apple offered a software development kit for third-party coders to make programs for its iPhone. That led to the opening of the official App Store in July 2008. Apple's store grew rapidly, accumulating 65,000 apps and serving over 1.5 billion downloads to date. Many developers abandoned Installer for the more popular App Store, leaving behind an underground space where unauthorized wares could continue to exist. Installer died and became reborn as Cydia, which evolved from an app library into a store in March 2009. To gain access to Cydia, iPhone owners must jailbreak their smartphones using some freely available tools courtesy of the hacker group iPhone Dev-Team. Given the nature of this procedure, it's clear Cydia's primary audience consists of nerdy rebels wishing to utilize the full power of their iPhones, restriction-free. Cydia's numbers appear small compared to the rare stories we hear about developers turning into millionaires with hot sales of their iPhone apps in the App Store. But the idea behind a store like Cydia is that you don't have to be huge to make money. With a smaller market, fewer competitors and a reasonably large customer base, each developer has a higher chance for making a quick buck, Freeman said. Plus, you get more personal attention: Developers submitting their app through Cydia need only contact Freeman, and their app can be made available almost immediately. That's an enticing alternative to Apple's approval process, which can take months and is notoriously opaque: Some App Store developers have faced difficulty getting answers to simple questions from Apple about their apps | [
"What unauthorized new store are iPhone developers turning to?",
"what is the new store cydia?",
"What must customers do to use Cydia?",
"what specialized in selling apps?",
"Where are would-be iPhone developers turning t o?",
"What must a customer do in order to be able to use the unauthorized apps?"
] | [
[
"Cydia."
],
[
"unauthorized app"
],
[
"jailbreak their phones"
],
[
"Cydia"
],
[
"Cydia."
],
[
"jailbreak their phones"
]
] | Some would-be iPhone developers are turning instead to an unauthorized app store .
The new store, Cydia, specializes in selling apps that Apple would reject or ban .
To use Cydia or the apps available through it, customers must jailbreak their phones .
Cydia operator: Too soon to tell whether store could earn developers stable incomes . |
(WIRED) -- Apple's decision to not include a camera in the new iPod Touch is somewhat surprising. After all, there is already a perfect camera for the job, and it sits inside the iPhone.
By not adding a camera to its iPod Touch, Apple may boost sales of its iPod Nano.
That Apple included a video camera inside the iPod Nano makes this more inexplicable still -- the Apple of today is clearly happy to put cameras into its media players (unlike the first iPhone, whose camera was so poor we thought it was just a petulant capitulation to cellphone norms).
Leaving the camera out is also a clear signal not to upgrade the Touch, as -- apart from a larger 64GB model -- the only hardware change is the juiced-up processor, making the iPod Touch run faster like its older brother the iPhone 3GS.
Perhaps Apple is putting the Touch on a two-year update plan like the iPhone, letting people keep their pocket computers for a little longer than usual.
Had the Touch included a camera, I would be knocking on the store doors right now to buy one, along with 64GB ready to be filled with photos and video.
So the excitement falls to the Nano, which, sports a new shiny coating, a 640 x 480 video camera (no stills) and a larger screen on the outside, and an FM radio on the inside with a Tivo-esque live-pause feature. The radio itself is odd enough, and the first to be included in any iPod. More on that in a moment.
The Nano's video camera was introduced with reference to Flip's own tiny, no-zoom camcorder. There are two Flip camcorders at the 8GB Nano's $150 price: the 2GB Mino and the 4GB Ultra. To get 4GB and 8GB you jump to $200. The 16GB Nano costs $180.
Why would somebody buy a Flip? The easy, one button recording, perhaps (with the Nano, you need to go to a menu item to open the video camera application), but that's it. Take a look at the sample videos at the Apple store and you'll see that the Nano's quality is easily "good enough."
There is another surprise in there, too. The tiny Nano frame has a chip big enough to add real-time effects to video. Gimmicky, but as we guess this is aimed at the teenage market, a nice feature.
The Nano is the fitness iPod, too, and in this guise it makes another piece of hardware obsolete: The shoe-mounted Nike+ dongle. The Nano comes with the Nike+ software, with workout history, power songs and the like, but the accelerometer now works as a pedometer, counting your steps to flab-loss. You can also connect it to a Nike + iPod compatible cardio-machine via the dock connector.
One mystery remains, though. Why would Apple put an FM tuner into an iPod, something it has refused for almost ten years? The answer comes with iTunes-Tagging. In addition to live pausing of the radio stream (and rewinding up to 15 minutes through the buffer) you can tag tracks by hitting the center button.
If a radio station supports it, the song info is saved and later you can see a list in iTunes alongside, you guessed it, the option to buy the song. Of course, the fact that the new Zune HD has an HD radio inside may also have influenced Apple's decision.
So now I'm torn. Do I buy a new Touch to replace my current model which has a loose headphone connection, or should I get the Nano, with its video camera and sport-friendly features?
If Apple had piled the features onto the Touch, the decision would be made, and Apple would have $400 of my money. As it is, I think I'll wait.
Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What is the nano challenging?",
"How many years is the iphone update plan?",
"What is Nano's camera a challenge to?",
"What did apple upgrade with a video camera?"
] | [
[
"to not include a camera in the new iPod Touch"
],
[
"two-year"
],
[
"iPod Touch,"
],
[
"iPod Nano"
]
] | Apple upgraded its iPod Nano with a video camera, not its iPod Touch .
Nano's video camera is a direct challenge to Flip's tiny, no-zoom camcorder .
Nano has an FM radio with live pausing, rewinding and ability to tag tracks in iTunes .
Perhaps Apple is putting the Touch on a two-year update plan like the iPhone . |
(WIRED) -- For the past three years some of the world's most resourceful software engineers and mathematicians have worked feverishly in the spirit of friendly, Darwinian competition -- and in pursuit of a $1 million prize -- to improve the Netflix movie recommendation system by 10 percent. Netflix says it will announce the winner of its $1 million Netflix Prize at an event September 21. It's been a long journey, but it's almost over. Netflix said Tuesday it would announce the winner at an event in New York on Sept. 21 -- where details about the Netflix Prize 2 sequel would also be unveiled. As things stand now, nobody outside of Netflix knows which team will win the million-dollar prize, but the winning entry will power Netflix's upcoming movie recommendation engine. Because nothing about the contest barred entrants from licensing their technology to companies other than Netflix, both qualifying teams could find plenty of licensees -- even if they come in second. And not much separates the two top teams. Teams Bellkor (AT&T Research), Big Chaos and Pragmatic Theory combined to form Bellkor's Pragmatic Chaos, the first team to qualify for the prize on June 26 with a 10.05 percent improvement over Netflix's existing algorithm. This triggered a 30-day window in which other teams were allowed to try to catch up -- and indeed, a team called The Ensemble, made up of lower-ranked contestants, submitted a higher score of 10.10 percent as time ran out -- a hair better than Bellkor's Pragmatic Chaos' final score of 10.09 percent. Before Sept. 21, Netflix must decide (assuming they haven't done so already) which of the two qualifying teams has the best algorithm based on how they score on various undisclosed tests. The company must also determine whether the winning team's results are reproducible, meaning that its algorithm handles new data as well as it did the test data. When we wrote about this last month, after the window for qualifying closed, Netflix declined to say whether it will reveal details about its methodology for picking the winner (whichever team loses, they're going to want to know how, exactly, that happened -- as will curious onlookers around the world). A Netflix spokeswoman told us, "We are definitely going to touch on the methodology in the press conference," and offered to let us interview Netflix executives to find out more about how they picked the winner. Netflix vice president of communications Steve Swasey told us last month that the company is pleased with the results of the contest, and apparently, it hopes there's more where that came from. At the same New York event where it will announce the Netflix Prize winner, the company plans to unveil details about Netflix Prize 2. Writing on Netflix message boards, chief product officer Neil Hunt already offered some hints: "The next contest will be a shorter, time-limited race, with grand prizes for the best results at 6 and 18 months. While the first contest has been remarkable, we think Netflix Prize 2 will be more challenging, more fun, and even more useful to the field." More than 40,000 teams from 186 countries competed for the first Netflix Prize. Some contestants doubted that any team would be capable of surmounting the 10-percent-improvement barrier, but two teams managed to do so. Clearly, Netflix has stumbled onto a winning formula here, and will walk away from the contest with a measurably improved movie recommendation engine -- and recommendations are a linchpin of its business. As the field of "prize economics" evolves, offering organizations increasingly efficient ways to solve their problems, we expect results like this to become more commonplace. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"when will it be announced",
"How much is the Netflix Prize for?",
"how much will they win",
"Who is sponsoring the prize?",
"How much is the prize?",
"When will the winner be announced?",
"who will announce the winner",
"When will Netflix announce the winner of its $1 million prize?"
] | [
[
"at an event September 21."
],
[
"$1 million"
],
[
"$1 million"
],
[
"Netflix"
],
[
"$1 million"
],
[
"September 21."
],
[
"Netflix"
],
[
"September 21."
]
] | Netflix will announce the winner of its $1 million Netflix Prize on September 21 .
Prize goes to team that improves Netflix's movie-recommendation system .
Nobody outside of Netflix knows which team will win the million-dollar prize .
Details about the Netflix Prize 2 sequel will also be unveiled that day . |
(WIRED) -- Forget relying solely on touch to control your Apple device. On future iPads, you may be able to control your tablet from across the room using 3-D gestures, such as a swirl or swipe of the hand.
As suggested by a newly uncovered Apple patent, you would be able to manipulate and control graphical elements on your display, such as icons, media files, text and images. The gestures themselves could take many forms: geometric shapes (e.g., a half-circle or square), symbols (like a check mark or question mark), the letters of the alphabet, and other sorts of predetermined patterns.
One interesting application the patent highlights is video annotation and editing via a gesture-based toolbar. The toolbar would provide pre-set options for beginners, but would also allow more advanced users to customize their own gestures.
A previously discovered patent indicates that Apple could be working on an integrated projector for iDevices that would incorporate physical gestures as a method to manipulate a projected image. This newer patent, however, focuses more on the gestures themselves and other ways they could be used to control onscreen images and video. There's no mention of Siri or combining voice control with physical gestures.
The 3-D gesture-capturing method would employ a device's front-facing camera. The iPad 2, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S all include a front-facing camera, so if Apple, say, decided to integrate this feature in an upcoming version of iOS, it's possible that legacy iDevice models could employ the technology as well.
That said, the patent does suggest that older iPhones may not have enough processing power for the gesture-capturing workload, as it shows a way to transfer video from the iPhone to an iPad for more advanced editing options.
The patent pre-defines a number of gestures, such as ones for facial recognition, a selection gesture and a pointing gesture (to identify a specific section of an onscreen image).
The patent was originally filed in mid-2010.
Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What company makes the iPad?",
"what could the 3d gestures be in?",
"Will older phones have enough processing power?",
"will this be available on all ios devices?",
"What will users be able to do on future ipads?",
"What could apple be working on?",
"What could be a problem for older iPhones?",
"which major phone company is making a projector for their devices/",
"would this process work on an older iphone?"
] | [
[
"Apple"
],
[
"swirl or swipe of the hand."
],
[
"may not"
],
[
"it's possible that legacy iDevice models could employ the technology as well."
],
[
"control your tablet from across the room using 3-D gestures,"
],
[
"an integrated projector for iDevices"
],
[
"may not have enough processing power"
],
[
"Apple"
],
[
"may not have enough processing power"
]
] | On future iPads, you may be able to control your tablet from across the room .
3-D gestures could be in geometric shapes, symbols, letters or patterns .
Apple could be working on an integrated projector for iDevices .
Older iPhones may not have enough processing power for the gesture-capturing . |
(WIRED) -- Google's Maps team has made fantastic advances in surveying and mapping seemingly every square inch of navigable ground on the planet. But for mobile users, those maps have always stopped just short of indoor spaces -- until now.
Google Maps 6.0 for Android launched Tuesday with a bold initiative: indoor mapping. Partnering at launch with a selection of businesses and public service structures, the new mobile Maps version allows users to see the entire layout of a mapped building, switch between floor plans if the structure has multiple levels, and locate indoor points of interest like retail stores, bathrooms and ATMs.
Obviously, indoor mapping is only useful when the building you're navigating is big enough to warrant it.
To this end, Google has partnered with more than 25 major businesses that handle large crowds on a regular basis -- major travel sites like San Francisco International and Chicago's O'Hare airports, as well as giant retailers like Macy's and Bloomingdale's.
Considering the layers of thick concrete and steel holding up some of these buildings, it's been difficult for Google to get its location-aware technology up to snuff.
"GPS is unreliable and doesn't work well indoors," said Maps project manager Steve Lee in an interview. "We used similar information to how we've implemented the navigation 'blue dot' feature in the past, and we've been able to improve the accuracy indoors, at an accuracy of about 5 to 10 meters."
While half of the initiative begins in U.S. structures, Google is simultaneously launching in Japan, covering Tokyo's massive underground subway network and retail shopping centers (an area where new visitors definitely need a map).
While version 6.0 isn't covering U.S. transit, Lee says the Japanese transit coverage "can give us a sense for what's in store for the future."
While it's just a beginning, Google has also launched a beta tool that allows businesses to upload their own floor plans to the Maps database.
Slowly but surely, Google hopes to entice more businesses and major indoor areas of interest -- both small and large -- to opt in for indoor mapping. Of course, these are private spaces, not freely accessible public roads, so it's an initiative for the long haul.
The update is currently available in the Android Market for phones and tablets running Android version 2.1 and up.
Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"When did it launch?",
"What launched on Tuesday?",
"What launched Tuesday with indoor mapping?",
"How many major businesses has Google partnered with?",
"What did it launch with?",
"What has partnered with 25 businesses?",
"How many businesses have partnered with Google?",
"What does the new mobile Maps version allow?",
"What users of the version see?"
] | [
[
"Tuesday"
],
[
"Google Maps 6.0 for Android"
],
[
"Google Maps 6.0 for Android"
],
[
"more than 25"
],
[
"a selection of businesses and public service structures,"
],
[
"Google"
],
[
"more than 25"
],
[
"see the entire layout of a mapped building, switch between floor plans if the structure has multiple levels, and locate indoor points of interest like retail stores, bathrooms and ATMs."
],
[
"the entire layout of a mapped building,"
]
] | Google Maps 6.0 for Android launched Tuesday with indoor mapping .
New mobile Maps version allows users to see the entire layout of a building .
Google has partnered with more than 25 major businesses . |
(WIRED) -- Got a few grand to spare for a $3,000 phone? Yeah, we didn't think so. Nobody does -- and that's a problem for the makers of luxury phones, such as Motorola, Bang & Olufson, LG and Vertu. Vertu makes phones starting at $6,000 and going up in price. After years of chasing the ultra-wealthy with exclusive devices that carry designer logos and promise craftsmanship from materials such as sapphire and stainless steel, luxury phone makers are now pulling back. "The culture has shifted away from conspicuous consumption, so if you are going to have a super expensive product this may not be the time for it," says Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis. Motorola has already gotten the memo. Earlier this week, the company reportedly canceled the Ivory E18, a device tentatively priced around $3,000. The phone had met with lack of interest from telecom carriers. Motorola declined to comment. If that sounds like an obvious outcome, perhaps it shouldn't. In the last few years, luxury phones had turned into an attractive new business, as designer houses rushed to get a foothold in the tech sector. Prada collaborated with LG to launch two LG Prada phones in Europe and Asia. Last September, Samsung launched the M75500 Night Effect phone, which carried the Emporio Armani insignia. A month later, Motorola offered a $2,000 phone, called the Aura, which was fashioned out of stainless steel and sported a 62-carat sapphire crystal lens. And then there's Vertu, a company that makes true luxury phones, the cheapest of which costs about $6,000. The recession put a spoke in those plans. And it's not just the 401Ks of middle-class Americans that have been in peril. In Russia, many newly-minted billionaires saw their fortunes slip away with falling oil prices. By the first quarter this year, the U.S. economy had shrunk 5.5 percent. Even 50 Cent has complained about losing more than a few Benjamins on the stock market. And just like that, the crystal dominoes started to fall. Last October, Bang & Olufsen, whose phones retailed in Europe for more than $1,500, shuttered its cellphone business as it decided to trim its costs and get out of non-profitable ventures. Motorola is the latest to pull back its luxury line. Luxury phones have never been a big phenomenon in North America, says Greengart. Their manufacturers have had better luck in emerging markets. But now even in those countries, where once 8 percent GDP growth seemed conservative, wealthy consumers are feeling the pinch. "Super expensive, bling bling phones are big in markets where conspicuous consumption is a way to tell your countrymen you have arrived," says Greengart. "But now, it's a very different economy for everyone." Many of the troubles that the uber-expensive phones face are because they are created by companies whose main expertise is in targeting a mass market, says Frank Nuovo, former chief of design for Nokia and current head of Vertu. "I didn't start this business to soak the phones in diamonds and jewels," says Nuovo. "The concept is same as a fine watch or a fabulous car. To be a true luxury product, you have to look at making something that doesn't have an 18-month shelf life." True luxury, as Nuovo defines it, doesn't apply to a mere $2,000 phone: A Vertu device, soaked in platinum, can run up to $70,000. The company's one-off phones, designed in collaboration with luxury jewels house Boucheron, cost even more. Nuovo may have inadvertently hit on the real problem with luxury phones: Phones are still a very feature-driven products. They are products where the rapid advances in technology can rend older models obsolete very quickly. "Phones aren't like a handbag where the fundamental utility remains the same and the design changes all the time," says Greengart. But Nuovo isn't convinced. "Take watches and cars," he | [
"WHat are some luxury phones made of?",
"What makes them costly",
"What is the introduction price for a Vertu phone?",
"What made the market falter?",
"For what reason is it in decline",
"What does Vertu make?",
"What qualifies as uber high end",
"What market is in decline?"
] | [
[
"sapphire and stainless steel,"
],
[
"designer logos and promise craftsmanship from materials such as sapphire and stainless steel,"
],
[
"$6,000"
],
[
"Luxury phones"
],
[
"\"The culture has shifted away from conspicuous consumption,"
],
[
"phones starting at $6,000"
],
[
"Vertu makes phones starting at $6,000"
],
[
"Motorola"
]
] | The luxury phone market is in decline because of the recession .
Uber-high-end phones are more popular outside the U.S.
Vertu makes luxury phones that start at $6,000 and go up in price .
Some phones pair with designer brands or are made from rare materials . |
(WIRED) -- Hackers who commandeer your computer are bad enough. Now scientists worry that someday, they'll try to take over your brain. Scientists can use brain signals to control computers -- hands free. In the past year, researchers have developed technology that makes it possible to use thoughts to operate a computer, maneuver a wheelchair or even use Twitter -- all without lifting a finger. But as neural devices become more complicated, and go wireless, some scientists say the risks of "brain hacking" should be taken seriously. "Neural devices are innovating at an extremely rapid rate and hold tremendous promise for the future," said computer security expert Tadayoshi Kohno of the University of Washington. "But if we don't start paying attention to security, we're worried that we might find ourselves in five or 10 years saying we've made a big mistake." Hackers tap into personal computers all the time. But what would happen if they focused their nefarious energy on neural devices, such as the deep-brain stimulators used to treat Parkinson's and depression, or electrode systems for controlling prosthetic limbs? According to Kohno and his colleagues, who published their concerns July 1 in Neurosurgical Focus, most devices carry few security risks. But as neural engineering becomes more complex and more widespread, the potential for security breaches will mushroom. "It's very hard to design complex systems that don't have bugs," Kohno said. "As these medical devices start to become more and more complicated, it gets easier and easier for people to overlook a bug that could become a very serious risk. It might border on science fiction today, but so did going to the moon 50 years ago." Some might question why anyone would want to hack into someone else's brain, but the researchers say there's a precedent for using computers to cause neurological harm. In November 2007 and March 2008, malicious programmers vandalized epilepsy support Web sites by putting up flashing animations, which caused seizures in some photo-sensitive patients. "It happened on two separate occasions," said computer science graduate student Tamara Denning, a co-author on the paper. "It's evidence that people will be malicious and try to compromise peoples' health using computers, especially if neural devices become more widespread." In some cases, patients might even want to hack into their own neural device. Unlike devices to control prosthetic limbs, which still use wires, many deep brain stimulators already rely on wireless signals. Hacking into these devices could enable patients to "self-prescribe" elevated moods or pain relief by increasing the activity of the brain's reward centers. Despite the risks, Kohno said, most new devices aren't created with security in mind. Neural engineers carefully consider the safety and reliability of new equipment, and neuroethicists focus on whether a new device fits ethical guidelines. But until now, few groups have considered how neural devices might be hijacked to perform unintended actions. This is the first time an academic paper has addressed the topic of "neurosecurity," a term the group coined to describe their field. "The security and privacy issues somehow seem to slip by," Kohno said. "I would not be surprised if most people working in this space have never thought about security." Kevin Otto, a bioengineer who studies brain-machine interfaces at Purdue Universty, said he was initially skeptical of the research. "When I first picked up the paper, I don't know if I agreed that it was an issue. But the paper gives a very compelling argument that this is important, and that this is the time to have neural engineers collaborate with security developers." It's never too early to start thinking about security issues, said neural engineer Justin Williams of the University of Wisconsin, who was not involved in the research. But he stressed that the kinds of devices available today are not susceptible to attack, and that fear of future risks shouldn't impede progress in the field. "These kinds of security issues have to proceed in lockstep with the technology," Williams said | [
"What are the slim risks?",
"What says expert security?",
"Who can use thoughts to operate computers?"
] | [
[
"\"brain hacking\""
],
[
"\"Neural devices are innovating at an extremely rapid rate and hold tremendous promise for the future,\" said computer"
],
[
"Scientists"
]
] | Scientists can use thoughts to operate computers, wheelchairs and Twitter .
As tech develops, risk of "brain hacking" become more real, scientists say .
Neurosurgical Focus article says risks are slim now .
But security "should proceed in lockstep with the technology," expert says . |
(WIRED) -- In less than a week, Google announced an operating system to compete with Windows, while Microsoft announced that Office 10 will include free, online versions of its four most popular software programs -- a shot at Google's suite of web-based office applications. The fight between Microsoft and Google is over who'll be seen as the world's most important tech company. And not more than a month and a half ago, Microsoft unveiled its new search engine Bing, which it hopes will steal market share from Google and finally make it real money online. From the news of it, it's a full-blown tech battle, complete with behind-the-scenes machinations to sic government regulators on each other. It is, however, not a death match -- it's more of an fight to see who will be the King of Technology, since both companies pull in their billions through completely different siphons and are unlikely to severely wound one another any time soon. Google pulled in $22 billion in revenue in 2008, 97 percent of which came tiny text ads bought by the keyword and placed next to search results or on pages around the web. Google makes a negligible amount of money bundling its online apps for businesses, charging $50 a head annually -- but mostly it just gives its online text editor, email and spreadsheet programs away. By contrast, Microsoft sold $14.3 billion worth of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint and other business applications over the last nine months, making a profit of $9.3 billion. It made a further $16 billion in revenue in 2008 through sales of its operating systems, which range from XP installations on netbooks, to Vista, to Windows Mobile to its server software. Google now plans its own range of operating systems, starting with Android, an open-source OS for small devices like smartphones, and Chrome OS, a browser-focused, open-source OS that will run on notebooks and desktops. Clearly top executives at each company look over at the others' pots of gold and dream of ways to steal them, or at least make it harder for the other guy to make money. In fact, they even dislike each other enough to spend money to make the other one lose revenue -- take for example, Microsoft's behind-the-scenes campaign to scuttle last year's proposed Google-Yahoo advertising deal or its ongoing attempts to derail the Google Book Search settlement. But in reality, the competition is really about creating universes or ecosystems that it hopes consumers will want to live their technology lives inside. And it's about ego -- a fight to be recognized as the world's most important technology company. Microsoft would love for everyone in the world to be using its Internet Explorer browser to search through Bing to find a story from its MSN portal to email via Hotmail or Outlook to a friend. Add in a smartphone running Windows Mobile and an Xbox in the living room for the kids, and you have a Microsoft family. And though it is much joked about, Microsoft is the dominant platform for software developers of all types, whether they are making small business software, massive online role-playing games or photo-editing utilities. Google's ecosystem looks different. It starts with a Google Chrome browser (oddly running only on Windows) with a default homepage set to Google News or a customized Google homepage. From there you might go to Gmail and then click on a Word document sent to you as an attachment which Google will quickly -- and safely -- open for you in its online word processor. But most importantly, Google wants you to search and travel around the web, hitting web pages that run Google-served ads and Google tracking cookies. You might think that Google is a really cool company to give away all this free technology, while never thinking about the persistent and silent data collection Google is undertaking to profile you in order to deliver you to advertisers for a premium. So how do the two stack up in four key areas of competition? Browsers: Internet Explorer in all its variations | [
"Who dreams of ways to steal the others' pot of gold?",
"What does Windows compete with?",
"How many areas of competition are there?",
"What do top execs at each company dream of?",
"What will Office 10 include?",
"What will compete with Windows?",
"What do the top execs do?"
] | [
[
"top executives"
],
[
"Google"
],
[
"four key"
],
[
"least make it harder for the other guy to make money."
],
[
"free, online versions of its four most popular software programs"
],
[
"Google"
],
[
"look over at the others' pots of gold and dream of ways to steal them,"
]
] | The escalating Google vs. Micosoft battle is mostly over who'll be King of Tech .
Top execs at each company dream of ways to steal the others' pots of gold .
Chrome OS will compete with Windows, while Office 10 will include free online versions .
Here's how the two tech giants stack up in four key areas of competition . |
(WIRED) -- Last month, when Zack Ajmal was planning a vacation to Italy, he set out to find the first thing that a traveler would need in a foreign land: a map. But digital maps of Rome and Venice for his Garmin GPS device cost almost $100. So instead, Ajmal turned to OpenStreet Map, a community-driven maps database. A user-edited map of cycling routes in Perth, Australia, available on OpenStreetMap's site. "It worked out pretty well," the Atlanta-based engineer says. "I found Open MTB, which had outdoor hiking and cycling maps with not just roads information, but also trails, short cuts and little known routes." Ajmal is among roughly half a million users who are eschewing proprietary maps information from GPS companies and instead going with crowdsourced versions, which they then load onto their GPS devices and smartphones. The key to these map hacks is OpenStreetMap. Founded in 2004, OSM is to maps what Wikipedia is to encyclopedias. The site offers maps that can be edited, customized and loaded on to devices for free. Want to go whitewater rafting but need to know where the rapids are? There's a map for that. Or to know all the interesting points along the river Nile? There's a map for that. And it's all based on the OpenStreetMap data. "The value is that it is a richer map with more up-to-date information because anyone can fix things," says Steve Coast, one of the founders of OpenStreetMap. "Users get access to the underlying data and not just a picture of the maps." Consumer map data is currently a duopoly split between two mapping providers: Nokia's Navteq and TomTom's Tele Atlas. The two provide the mapping data that powers almost all commercial map applications and devices. But maps from these providers are extremely restrictive in how they can be used. Want a map of the best hiking trails in the country or a walking tour of Rome? Traditional GPS services can't offer that. For adventurous geeks that calls for a DIY fix. "OSM maps are a little new on the scene," says Rich Owings, who runs the GPStracklog.com website and is the author of the book GPS Mapping. "Most people in the U.S. were not using them until recently, but now there are iPhone apps based on it." Getting OpenStreetMap is easier on some devices than others. In Garmin systems, it's as simple as taking one of the available maps and dropping it into a folder on the device. "It's really hard to mess up your GPS doing this," says Owings. "And if you have questions you can always ask the community to help you out." Owings says he loaded maps of Ecuador on his Garmin unit in about 30 minutes. "It's not as clean of a map as one you can get from the Garmin store but they are pretty wonderful and have very good coverage." For TomTom systems, getting OpenStreetMap can be a more difficult process. TomTom uses a proprietary mapping format, says Coast. That means a tricky process of converting OpenStreetMap into a TomTom-compatible format. OpenStreetMap has also been used to create iPhone apps such as MotionX, which is targeted at hikers, skiers and bikers; B.iCycle, a cyclometer that shows burned calories, trip distance and trails; and ATM@UK, which shows all ATM locations in Great Britain. The OpenStreetMap project is a cartographer's dream come true, says Randal Hale, who has a GIS consulting business. Hale has created custom maps for a few clients using OpenStreetMap and has put OSM-generated maps on his Garmin unit. "With the professional mapping software, I have to purchase a license to use their version, which is expensive and I can't use the data for analysis," says Hale. "With OpenStreetMap, I download it, make cartographic edits and hopefully I have made it better for the next user." Meanwhile, traditional navigation companies are also reaching out to users for help on data. For instance | [
"What doe OpenStreetMap offer?",
"What app offers maps that can be customized and loaded to GPS devices?",
"What other features does crowdsources maps show?",
"What are developeers creating?",
"Who offers maps that can be customized?",
"What are developers creating?"
] | [
[
"user-edited map of cycling routes"
],
[
"OpenStreetMap."
],
[
"not just roads information, but also trails, short cuts and little known routes.\""
],
[
"OpenStreet Map, a community-driven maps database."
],
[
"OpenStreetMap."
],
[
"community-driven maps database."
]
] | About half a million users are embracing crowdsourced versions of digital maps .
OpenStreetMap offers maps that can be customized and loaded to GPS devices .
Crowdsourced maps can show hiking trails, whitewater rapids and other features .
Developers are creating iPhone applications based on these maps . |
(WIRED) -- Microsoft released an Xbox Live app for iOS devices on Wednesday, bringing features of Microsoft's gaming service to Apple devices for the first time.
My Xbox Live lets users edit their 3-D avatars, chat with Xbox Live friends and revel in their achievements. You can also check out more information about the newest apps and games on Xbox, as well as gaming tips and breaking news.
Windows Phone users have had Xbox Live services packaged into their mobile experience for a while now, but now iOS users can get a piece of the action. And whether they like it or not, iOS users who download the app are also getting a screen similar to a Windows Phone-style user interface.
The iPhone app features the horizontal bar across the bottom of the screen that houses the same sort of circular icons you'd find in a Windows Phone 7 app. Also included: a clever browser-based demo that lets you virtually explore the UI of a Windows Phone from your Android or iPhone handset.
While you may already be on a phone of a different OS, it has potential to lure potential defectors over to Microsoft's mobile platform.
It's been a good week for Microsoft. On Tuesday, the company unveiled the details of its upcoming Windows Store for Windows 8, the newest version of the world's most popular desktop platform.
And on Monday, the company announced that the Xbox was getting a user interface refresh, with dozens of new content channels and the addition of a Windows Phone app you can use to control your Xbox. Microsoft's iOS apps are now icing on top of the cake.
Now when are we going to get those Microsoft Office apps on the iPad?
My Xbox Live is available free for download on the iPhone and iPad in the App Store.
Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What lets users edit their 3-D avatars?",
"Where can it be downloaded from?",
"How much does My Xbox Live cost?",
"what is xbox live",
"What does it give iOS users?",
"what downloaded ios users",
"iOs user who download the app get a screen similar to what?"
] | [
[
"My Xbox Live"
],
[
"the App Store."
],
[
"free"
],
[
"lets users edit their 3-D avatars, chat with"
],
[
"getting a screen similar to a Windows Phone-style"
],
[
"Xbox Live app"
],
[
"interface."
]
] | My Xbox Live lets users edit their 3-D avatars, chat with Xbox Live friends .
iOS users who download the app get a screen similar to Windows Phone-style interface .
My Xbox Live is available free for download on the iPhone and iPad in the App Store . |
(WIRED) -- Say hello to your latest personal navigation device: a netbook. Dell plans to introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom. Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks to offer turn-by-turn direction. "Smartphones already have GPS capabilities," says Alan Sicher, senior wireless product manager at Dell. "We are now bringing it to netbooks so the devices know where you are and can help you where you want to go." Customers will have the option to buy the $69 card called the Wireless 700 when ordering their Dell Mini 10 netbook. Dell's move comes at a time when navigation devices makers are looking beyond the traditional standalone GPS gadget and are offering their software on other devices. Last month, TomTom announced that its turn-by-turn directions app would be available on the iPhone. TomTom will also offer accessories such as a car mounting dock and power charger. Meanwhile, Dell is hoping to capitalize on the explosive sales of netbooks. Dell netbooks with the integrated GPS cards will allow consumers to pop open a netbook and get directions and also also make their netbook location aware. For instance, buyers can geo-tag photos on Flickr or check weather information customized to their current location. The Wireless 700 card combines Broadcom's GPS technology and Skyhook Wireless' Wi-Fi positioning solutions. As for the navigation software, it offers 2D and 3D map views, save addresses for a trip and route optimization-- pretty much all the things that a standard GPS devices does. Netbooks are petite devices. Still, it is difficult to imagine consumers carrying it around as a GPS navigation device or using it their car to find their way around--especially when smaller-sized cellphones could do the job. Sicher says Dell's GPS-capable netbooks will come in handy for international travelers. "If you are traveling to Europe roaming costs can be pretty pricey for your cellphone," he says. The GPS netbooks could also be handy in areas where cellphone coverage is weak, says Sicher. But there's fine print to the turn-by-turn directions navigation software on the netbook. Though it will be free for buyers of the card and the netbook, the maps will be updated yearly and customers could be charged for the updates. Dell plans to offer accessories such as car charger and a dock for the netbooks, but they won't be available until later this month. The GPS cards will be available starting July 7. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What will dell introduce?",
"What will users be able to do?",
"What can the GPS and Wi-Fi cards be added to?",
"What will be able to add turn-by-turn directions?",
"Who will be introducing GPS and Wi-Fi cards?",
"Dell's netbooks will be able to offer what directions?",
"Who will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card?",
"Users will be able to do what to photos on Flickr?",
"What will the netbooks offer?"
] | [
[
"GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom."
],
[
"pop open a netbook and get directions and also also make their netbook location aware."
],
[
"netbooks"
],
[
"a GPS and Wi-Fi card"
],
[
"Dell"
],
[
"turn-by-turn"
],
[
"Dell"
],
[
"geo-tag"
],
[
"GPS"
]
] | Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks .
The company's netbooks will be able to offer turn-by-turn directions .
Makers are looking beyond traditional GPS gadgets to offer software on other devices .
Users will be able to geo-tag photos on Flickr or check customized weather info . |
(WIRED) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has banned Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social media sites from its networks, effective immediately. The Marine Corps fears that social media sites such as Facebook could pose a security risk. "These internet sites in general are a proven haven for malicious actors and content and are particularly high risk due to information exposure, user generated content and targeting by adversaries," reads a Marine Corps order, issued Monday. "The very nature of SNS [social network sites] creates a larger attack and exploitation window, exposes unnecessary information to adversaries and provides an easy conduit for information leakage that puts OPSEC [operational security], COMSEC [communications security], [and] personnel... at an elevated risk of compromise." The Marines' ban will last a year. It was drawn up in response to a late July warning from U.S. Strategic Command, which told the rest of the military it was considering a Defense Department-wide ban on the Web 2.0 sites, due to network security concerns. Scams, worms, and Trojans often spread unchecked throughout social media sites, passed along from one online friend to the next. "The mechanisms for social networking were never designed for security and filtering. They make it way too easy for people with bad intentions to push malicious code to unsuspecting users," a Stratcom source told Wired.com. Yet many within the Pentagon's highest ranks find value in the Web 2.0 tools. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has 4,000 followers on Twitter. The Department of Defense is getting ready to unveil a new home page, packed with social media tools. The Army recently ordered all U.S. bases to provide access to Facebook. Top generals now blog from the battlefield. "OPSEC is paramount. We will have procedures in place to deal with that," Price Floyd, the Pentagon's newly-appointed social media czar, said. "What we can't do is let security concerns trump doing business. We have to do business... We need to be everywhere men and women in uniform are and the public is. If that's MySpace and YouTube, that's where we need to be, too," Floyd said. The Marines say they will issue waivers to the Web 2.0 blockade, if a "mission critical need" can be proven. And they will continue to allow access to the military's internal "SNS-like services." But for most members of the Corps, access to the real, public social networks is now shut off for the next year. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"when was the order issued",
"The US marines Corps have ban what type of internet sites",
"who banned twitter",
"what did the army request",
"For what reason where the sites to be banned",
"When will access be restored?",
"Did the Marine Corps ban Twitter?"
] | [
[
"Monday."
],
[
"Twitter, Facebook, MySpace"
],
[
"The U.S. Marine Corps"
],
[
"all U.S. bases to provide access to Facebook."
],
[
"security risk."
],
[
"next year."
],
[
"has banned"
]
] | U.S. Marine Corps bans Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social media sites .
Order, issued Monday, states that information on the sites poses a security risk .
The Marines' ban is effective immediately and will last a year .
U.S. Army recently ordered all U.S. bases to provide access to Facebook . |
(WIRED) -- The iPhone 4S is available on three major carriers, leaving potential buyers to wonder whether AT&T, Verizon or Sprint is the better network choice.
Pricing plans aside, carrier quality is a significant factor in anyone's purchasing decision, and now consumers have hard data to help them choose: A just-released study reports AT&T is tops for fast data speeds, while Verizon is the most reliable when it comes to making phone calls.
Sprint's main draw is that it offers unlimited, albeit slow, data.
The study was performed by Metrico Wireless, a mobile device performance analytics firm. To test network performance, Metrico made 6,000 voice calls, conducted 8,000 data download/upload tests (both moving and stationary), and downloaded more than 21,000 web pages.
The tests found that Verizon dropped calls 2.1 percent of the time, while AT&T dropped 2.8 percent of calls and Sprint lost 3.7 percent of calls. The average dropped-call rate for the entire mobile industry is 1.4 percent. Although Sprint dropped the most calls, it had the highest call quality on the uplink (outbound calls), while AT&T had the best downlink call quality (inbound calls).
With regard to maximum data speeds, AT&T led the pack at 6,047Kbps, with Verizon a distant second at 2,371Kbps, and Sprint crawling in last with only 1,767Kbps. It's unclear, however, exactly where Metrico tested data bandwidth, and as any iPhone-toting San Francisco resident will tell you, data quality can be terrible in areas with high concentrations of tech geeks.
The original iPhone launched exclusively with AT&T, which was the sole carrier of the iPhone until Apple announced that Verizon would also begin carrying the iPhone 4 in January 2011. Prior to the launch of the iPhone 4S, rumors swirled that the phone would land on Sprint, and ultimately proved true. Of the three carriers, Sprint is the only one that provides a true unlimited data plan.
Metrico's results are consistent with what we found back when Verizon began offering the iPhone 4: AT&T offered better download speeds, while Verizon had better coverage.
Another important stat Metrico found was that the iPhone 4S performed perfectly across all three networks when it came to data task reliability. In short, 100 percent of the time, the phone was able to complete web-page loads, stationary downloads, and stationary uploads. This contrasts with an earlier Metrico study from March 2011 that found Verizon had a higher download success rate when the phone was stationary, and AT&T had a higher rate while the phone was moving.
So what's the bottom line? It looks like you're going to get a relatively positive data-downloading experience no matter which carrier you choose, if only because you will be able to download data. But if you value downloading material quickly, you should go with AT&T. If call reliability is paramount, stick with Verizon, and if you want to use a lot of data but don't care about speed, go with Sprint.
Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! | [
"What company dropped the least number of calls?",
"What was the phone able to complete",
"Who led the pack in maximum data speeds?",
"What does the new study compare?",
"What does Verizon drop at least 2.1%",
"What did a new study compare?",
"Who lead the way in maximum data speeds?",
"What company dropped calls the least?"
] | [
[
"Verizon"
],
[
"web-page loads, stationary downloads, and stationary uploads."
],
[
"AT&T"
],
[
"network performance,"
],
[
"calls"
],
[
"AT&T, Verizon or Sprint"
],
[
"AT&T"
],
[
"Verizon"
]
] | A new study compares AT&T, Verizon and Sprint for iPhone 4S service .
Verizon dropped calls the least at 2.1%; Sprint dropped the most at 3.7% .
AT&T led the pack in maximum data speeds, with Verizon a distant second .
Phone was able to complete data tasks on all three networks 100% of the time . |
(WIRED) -- The wind blowing through the streets of Manhattan couldn't power the city, but wind machines placed thousands of feet above the city theoretically could. A prototype of a high-altitude wind turbine made by Magenn Power. The first rigorous, worldwide study of high-altitude wind power estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600 to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over. The very best ground-based wind sites have a wind-power density of less than 1 kilowatt per square meter of area swept. Up near the jet stream above New York, the wind power density can reach 16 kilowatts per square meter. The air up there is a vast potential reservoir of energy, if its intermittency can be overcome. Even better, the best high-altitude wind-power resources match up with highly populated areas including North America's Eastern Seaboard and China's coastline. "The resource is really, really phenomenal," said Christine Archer of Cal State University-Chico, who co-authored a paper on the work published in the open-access journal Energies."There is a lot of energy up there, but it's not as steady as we thought. It's not going to be the silver bullet that will solve all of our energy problems, but it will have a role." For centuries, we've been using high-density fossil fuels, but peaking oil supplies and climate concerns have given new life to green technologies. Unfortunately, renewable energy is generally diffuse, meaning you need to cover a lot of area to get the energy you want. So engineers look for renewable resources that are as dense as possible. On that score, high-altitude wind looks very promising. Wind's power -- energy which can be used to do work like spinning magnets to generate electricity -- varies with the cube of its speed. So, a small increase in wind speed can lead to a big increase in the amount of mechanical energy you can harvest. High-altitude wind blows fast, is spread nicely across the globe, and is easier to predict than terrestrial wind. These properties have led inventors and scientists to cast their hopes upward, where strong winds have long been known to blow, as Etzler's dreamy quote shows. During the energy shocks of the 1970s, when new energy ideas of all kinds were bursting forth, engineers and schemers patented several designs for harnessing wind thousands of feet in the air. The two main design frameworks they came up with are still with us today. The first is essentially a power plant in the sky, generating electricity aloft and sending it down to Earth via a conductive tether. The second is more like a kite, transmitting mechanical energy to the ground, where generators turn it into electricity. Theoretically, both approaches could work, but nothing approaching a rigorous evaluation of the technologies has been conducted. The Department of Energy had a very small high-altitude wind program, which produced some of the first good data about the qualities of the wind up there, but it got axed as energy prices dropped in the 1980s and Reagan-era DOE officials directed funds elsewhere. The program hasn't been restarted, despite growing attention to renewables, but that's not because it's considered a bad idea. Rather, it is seen as just a little too far out on the horizon. "We're very much aimed these days at things that we can fairly quickly commercialize, like in the next 10 years or so," said National Renewable Energy Laboratory spokesperson George Douglas. Startups like KiteGen, Sky Windpower, Magenn, and Makani (Google's secretive fundee) have come into the space over the last several years, and they seem to be working on much shorter timelines. "We are not that far from working prototypes," Archer said, though she noted that the companies are all incredibly secretive about the data from their testing. Magenn CFO Barry Monette said he expects "first revenue" next year when they sell "two to four" working prototypes of their blimpy machine, which will | [
"Where were wind machines placed?",
"What could power the city?",
"How many times over is there enough energy to meet global demand?",
"What is the device like that could transfer the energy to generators?",
"Where is enough wind present?",
"What kind of energy could meet global demand 100 times over?",
"What is still in the prototype stage?",
"How many times over could wind energy sustain the world?",
"what is the city name?",
"who could transmit energy to generators that turn it into electricity?",
"When do you think the prototypes for these turbines will be commercially available?",
"What kind of device could transmit energy to generators?",
"what is been developing?",
"What machines could power New York?"
] | [
[
"thousands of feet above the city"
],
[
"wind machines"
],
[
"hundred"
],
[
"kite,"
],
[
"Up near the jet stream above New York,"
],
[
"wind"
],
[
"a high-altitude wind turbine"
],
[
"a hundred"
],
[
"Manhattan"
],
[
"wind power"
],
[
"next 10 years or so,\""
],
[
"high-altitude wind turbine"
],
[
"high-altitude wind turbine"
],
[
"wind"
]
] | Study: Wind machines placed thousands of feet above New York could power the city .
Enough wind energy exists at high altitudes to meet global demand 100 times over .
A kite-like device could transmit energy to generators that turn it into electricity .
Startups are developing turbines, although they are still in the prototype stage . |
(WIRED) -- Two cable powerhouses have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers that, actually, TV on the web should not be free. Jeffrey Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner, speaks at the NCTA conference in Washington. With a service called TV Everywhere, Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers access to "premium" television content via broadband, and later cellphone connections. To begin with, 5,000 Comcast subscribers will begin testing the system next month, giving them access to Time Warner's TBS and TNT channels on their computers, and the same channels' video-on-demand catalogs on their cable boxes. If you made peace long ago with the idea of paying a monthly cable bill, this probably sounds great. It means watching your existing subscription on new screens without paying additional fees or buying more hardware. (Of course, as consumers adopt TV Everywhere, they can probably expect price increases.) But if you prefer to watch your television for free on ad-supported sites like Hulu while paying only for the internet connection that delivers it, you could be in for a rude awakening. TV Everywhere represents an alternative -- and possible threat -- to the popular Hulu model. If the pilot program impresses the group -- and proves to other networks that its user-authentication system is secure -- Comcast and Time Warner expect the other television programmers, ISPs and mobile providers to join, giving all cable subscribers a way to watch the content they pay for on their televisions using any broadband-connected computer or authenticated cellphone. Already "at least 92 percent of Americans qualify to watch this for free online," according to Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner. For these subscribers, TV Everywhere represents a potential win. The only question is whether they will keep paying for the old cable subscription model as their viewing habits shift online. There's nothing to stop television networks from putting their content on both Hulu and TV Everywhere, because TV Everywhere's contract will be non-exclusive, according to Bewkes. However, given the choice between Hulu and TV Everywhere, television programmers have an incentive to go with the latter. Only the TV Everywhere model promises to port yesterday's lucrative business model onto today's platforms. And that, according to some critics, is exactly the problem. "[TV Everywhere] raises substantial anti-competitive issues by restricting the availability of programming to the favored distribution methods," said Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of the public interest group Public Knowledge. "Under the TV Everywhere plan, no other program distributors would be able to emerge, and no consumers will be able to 'cut the cord' because they find what they want online. As a result, consumers will be the losers. "In addition, we are concerned that this program violates the open nature of the internet. By adding this additional toll lane, Comcast and Time Warner want to create their own 'managed channel' within the internet and turn the internet into their own private cable channel." So, what about Hulu? Will its deals fall through given this new option? "There will be some part [of Time Warner's content] that will be out there [on Hulu], said Bewkes."Short-form content, I think, will continue to be available -- promotional content will continue to be available." However, only cable subscribers will be able to access other content online -- through officially licensed avenues, anyway. Bewkes added that some other television programmers have avoided Hulu "for security concerns and because they didn't like the model," but that they will give TV Everywhere a chance. "Consumers vote every single month with their pocketbook," he added. "They don't have to subscribe to cable. They don't have to pay for these services, yet they do. The number of people paying for subscription television has gone up and up and up every single quarter that we've been in the business." Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ | [
"who will be giving tv content",
"what else is popular",
"what is the program called",
"who gets access?",
"where will some content remain",
"what is program called",
"What is the name of the program?",
"What's the name of the program?",
"When will the testing begin?",
"Which company is introducing this?",
"Where will some of Time Warners content remain?",
"Which company is threatened by this change?",
"Who is offering online access?"
] | [
[
"Comcast and Time Warner"
],
[
"Hulu"
],
[
"TV Everywhere,"
],
[
"cable subscribers"
],
[
"online"
],
[
"TV Everywhere,"
],
[
"TV Everywhere,"
],
[
"TV Everywhere,"
],
[
"next month,"
],
[
"Comcast and Time Warner"
],
[
"Hulu],"
],
[
"Hulu"
],
[
"Comcast and Time Warner"
]
] | Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers online access to tv content .
Program is called TV Everywhere and will begin testing next month .
TV Everywhere represents alternative -- and possible threat -- to popular Hulu model .
Some of Time Warner's content will remain on Hulu.com . |
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