Archive for June, 2009
Modern-day Miami is the idyllic vacation destination for most Americans as it is a balanced blend of urban and tropical, a resort locale on one hand with all the big city trimmings of a booming economy on the other. Small cafes and art deco bars of Miami Beach exist alongside the megaclubs and skyrise hotels of Downtown’s Financial District. Somewhere in between, the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve provides exciting sea adventures for the whole family and the Port of Miami supplies access to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas by way of major cruise ship.
Cosmopolitan Chic: a Global Retreat
Finding airfare to Miami from any destination worldwide has become easy since Miami has positioned itself on the international map culturally, financially and demographically over the last few decades. Miami struggled with an influx of immigration from the Caribbean, Cuba and South America combined with a massive exodus of financial capital throughout most of the 20th century. Today, Miami has bounced back with full force, overflowing with the swankiest restaurants, premier nightlife, designer shopping and restored historic art deco hotels that glitter the oceanfront avenues of South Beach.
A walk along Collins Avenue in South Beach will reveal the charm of rehabilitated 1920s architecture, commingling with a Latin and European flair of sidewalk cafes, designer boutiques and the buzz of multiple languages afloat through the air. Farther north into main Miami Beach along Ocean Avenue offers the luxurious beach club hotels that Miami is famous for. These hotels offer panoramic ocean views, self-contained clubs and lounges and a pool with private access to the crashing ocean waves.
The dining in Miami is just as representative of its multicultural population. Do not miss a Cuban meal (or two) and the Argentinean special of flash-fried steak. Ask a local for the best authentic cooking and make sure to brush up on some Spanish ahead of time. Miami has also become the epicenter of sophisticated cuisine. Celebrity chefs Nobu Matsuhisa and Emeril Lagasse have opened restaurants in South Beach and the Blue Door inside the breathtaking Delano Hotel is also a notable standout. Make sure to have stone crabs at one of your meals, a local specialty!
Feeling the Salty Breeze of Miami
Aside from eating, drinking and otherwise resort and spa life, Miami has an endless array of activities for all levels of interest. Snorkeling and Scuba diving are the most common activities, along with boat and Jet Ski rentals from most major ports along the bay. Book a sunset ride at the Tropical Park Equestrian Center or rent a kayak to take a scenic tour of the majestic mansions the line the bay along the mainland.
It’s time to come see the dramatic beautification and restoration of Miami for yourself. Book your airfare to Miami now and reserve a few nights in one of the historic boutique art deco hotels along Collins Avenue to get the full South Beach experience.
John Binder
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/white-sand-and-golden-tan-welcome-to-miami-travel-information-89674.html
read comments (0)Riding The Waves – A Guide To Water Skiing In Texas
Author: admin
Water skiing is a popular summer activity throughout Texas, with people flocking to lakes and beaches with skis and boat in tow. For a beginner, the thought of being towed behind a boat on a pair of skis can seem extremely intimidating, if not downright frightening. Once the boat gets started up, how will the individual even know how to stand up?
Luckily for most adventurous individuals, water skiing isn’t nearly as hard as it appears. For the most part, all that it requires is a little knowledge of skiing procedures, a strong grip, and common sense enough to know when to hold on and when to let go.
The first thing you want to do is make sure that your skis fit properly. This means that they’re tight enough so they’re not loose on your feet, and that you have to undo them in order to get them off. But not so tight that they’re painful to wear.
Once your skis are properly adjusted, it’s time to grab the tow rope and “assume the position.” First, practice on shore or on the dock by leaning backwards slightly, keeping your head forward, your knees bent, and your legs should be under your body. Once you get in the water, assume the position again, this time with the tips of the skis protruding above the surface of the water. If you have trouble getting into this position, take your time, the boat won’t go anywhere until you’re ready to go.
Once the boat begins to move, the slack will disappear from the towrope and begin working its way to your standing position. Hold your arms straight and rigid, resisting the pull of the boat with your legs. Press into the water, and use the resistance to stand in a more upright position. As the boat picks up speed, press harder against the increased resistance and you should be able to reach a full standing position.
If you have trouble getting on your feet, don’t worry about it. Standing up on your skis is one of the hardest parts of water skiing. It may take a bit of practice before you get the hang of it. You’ll likely fall several times before you get up all the way, and even after you’re an old pro at it, you’ll still take the occasional tumble. Falling is part of skiing, and, for some individuals, is a big part of the fun.
When you do fall, though, it’s helpful to know the best way to fall, to prevent most injuries. As soon as you feel yourself starting to lose your balance, let go of the towrope immediately. In some cases, if you are seasoned enough, you might be able to regain your balance if you stick it out. But, for most individuals, it’s better to go ahead and take a dive than be dragged face-first through the water behind a speeding boat. So, as you fall, tuck your head in and bring your knees up, curling yourself into a ball. Try to fall backwards, if you can. Curling yourself up like this reduces the amount of free limbs and extremities that will hit the water, reducing the chance of injury.
Once you’ve recovered from the fall, wait for the boat to circle back around to pick you up. You might find it difficult to maneuver in the water while wearing skis, so feel free to take them off and use them as floatation devices. Now that you know how water ski, as well as take a fall, don’t be afraid to get back on those skis and go again.
The following are basic do’s-and-dont’s you should follow for waterskiing safety and courtesy:
o Do wear a life jacket while operating the boat and while skiing. The skier should wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket that has a high impact rating and is designed for water skiing.
o Do have an observer on board whose only job is to watch the skier, receive signals and alert the boat operator if the skier falls.
o Do be familiar with the water skiing area, so you can avoid areas of shallow water, submerged obstructions and other dangerous situations. Also, stay clear of beaches and swimming areas, and do not purposely spray other boats or swimmers.
o Do go over hand signals with the skier before he or she is in the water.
o Do use a towrope that is at least 75 feet long.
o Do give a wide berth to fishermen and slower-moving crafts like canoes, kayaks and sailboats.
o Don’t ski when it is getting dark or is night. It is hard for the boat operator, skiers and other boats to see your boat and the skiers.
o Don’t use drugs or alcohol while operating the boat or water skiing. The substances impair good judgment and coordination.
o Don’t ski within 300 feet of another vessel, or 100 feet of the shore, a dock, or swim area.
Pat Carpenter
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/riding-the-waves-a-guide-to-water-skiing-in-texas-130596.html
A Unit of Water, a Unit of Time
Author: admin
New – Gentle and timeless, this is a lyrical portrait of men who still practice the timeless art of designing and building handcrafted wooden boats at the Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine.
There is no one government agency in charge of issuing recall notices for all products. Instead, different products fall under different jurisdictions, each of which is handled by a completely separate agency. In this article we will explain the jurisdiction of each of the six major government agencies in charge of recalling products and issuing recall alerts.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – http://www.fda.gov:
The FDA is probably most thought of when the word “recall” comes up. It is obvious that the FDA deals with food and drug issues, but they are also in charge of testing, monitoring and recalling medical devices (pacemakers, contact lenses…), animal feed, cosmetics, and products with the potential to cause health-related side effects, such as cell phones and lasers. Although the FDA is in charge of “food,” they also share that responsibility with the next federal agency…
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – http://www.usda.gov:
The USDA was founded by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, and has been involved in a variety of agricultural initiatives ever since. Not only is the USDA steward to our nation’s 192 million acres of national forests, and providing food to children through school breakfast and lunch programs, but the agency is also responsible for the safety of meat, poultry (including egg), milk and fish products. These responsibilities often encompass the study of pesticide use, which overlaps with the next governmental recall arm…
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – http://www.epa.gov:
The EPA, in addition to the many other responsibilities involved in protecting our environment, are charged with the recalling of products that threaten to harm humans, animals, or the environment in which we live. For instance, recently the EPA ordered five national retail chains to recall a brand of spray confetti string which contained banned hydro chlorofluorocarbons blamed for depleting the ozone layer. This very same product could have also been recalled by another government agency, however, for its highly flammable contents, which are often sprayed over people at birthday parties near flaming candles. The agency that would be responsible for this type of recall is…
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – http://www.cpsc.gov:
The CPSC is in charge of protecting the public from “unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction”. They handle recalls for a host of potentially dangerous products, from toys with choking hazards to heaters with propensity to start a fire. Most products with a defect of some kind will find their way into the CPSC database of recalled consumer products. But if that product has wheels and an engine, or is a part of a product that has wheels and an engine, you might be better off researching at the next governmental agency…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov:
The NHTSA was established to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. They set and enforce safety standards for motor vehicles and vehicle parts, and provide studies and reports on anything related to motor vehicle use, from tires and seatbelts, to SUVs and cell phone use while driving. If you want to know if the used car you just purchased has any defective auto parts, the NHTSA database is a good start. However, if you just purchased a used boat, the following agency is better suited for your needs…
US Coast Guard – http://www.uscg.mil:
You probably don’t think of product recalls when someone mentions the Coast Guard. However, in addition to their duties to patrol America’s coast line and assist those in distress, the Coast Guard also tests, reports on, and recalls boats, boating parts, and marine safety devices like flares and life jackets. But good luck finding recall information on the Coast Guard’s website!
As you can see, the responsibilities of each agency overlap to some degree with other agencies. Furthermore, issuing recall alerts is only a small part of each organization’s responsibility. This is why is can be difficult, time-consuming and frustrating to locate the information you’re looking for among these six websites. Luckily, this problem has been remedied by an ex-journalist with a passion for social corporate responsibility and citizen journalism…
US Recall News – http://www.usrecallnews.com:
US Recall News is a non-governmental website that brings together recall alerts from each of the six major government agencies listed above, and separates them into various categories. The alerts are then archived at the end of each month, and remain searchable from the website.
Everett Sizemore
http://www.articlesbase.com/affiliate-programs-articles/which-government-websites-have-product-recall-information-55382.html