Event News | "Special Olympics event planned"

By: Tribune Chronicle
Source: http://www.tribtoday.com
Category: Event News

Four counties will be represented at the Special Olympics track and field meet this weekend, with opening ceremonies at 9:45 a.m. Saturday at the Girard Arrowhead Stadium. There will be seven teams from Columbiana, Mahoning, Summit and Trumbull counties among the 250 athletes. Events and awards will take place throughout the day. Volunteers from the Girard city schools and community will take part.

Businesses or individuals wishing to help support the event should call Randy at 330-402-1173. For information on the event, call Judy at 330-545-5431, Ext. 202.

YO-MAH-O PROFESSIONALS MEET TODAY: The Yo-Mah-O Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals will meet at 6 p.m. today at the Fireplace Restaurant on East Western Reserve Road. Chapter member Judy Cundik will speak on "Understanding Your Insurance." Election of officers will also take place. Cost for the evening is $13. All administrative professionals are invited to attend. For reservations, call Mary Hake at 330-629-9147.

SOCIETY TO HEAR OF CIVIL WAR: The Bristol Historical Society will hold its annual "Welcome to Spring" program at 6:30 p.m. today at the township hall. Local historian Wendell Lauth will discuss local participation in the War of 1812.

SOCIETY PLANS MOTHER'S DAY EVENT: The Greene Historical Society will hold its annual Mother's Day Tea at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Greene Town Hall on Durst Colebrook Road. For reservations, call Kay at 330-583-3105 or Karen at 330-583-2540.

McDONALD SCHOOLS HOLD ART SHOW: McDonald High School, 600 Iowa Ave., will hold its art show from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Admission is $3.

LIBRARY TO CLOSE FOR WORK: The Ausintown Public Library, 600 S.Raccoon Road, will close temporarily starting May 14 for flooring replacement. The library is expected to reopen in mid-June. Wooden flooring in the entrance and center aisle of the library is worn and is in need of replacement. Carpeting and ceramic tile will be used. The library will extend due dates on items.

POWER OF THE PURSE FEATURES LEPORE HANDBAG: Designer Nanette Lepore is kicking off the inaugural Red Cross Power of the Purse event on Wednesday by donating a signature Nanette Lepore red handbag. This purse and the 50 other specialty labels filled with goodies can be bid on by guests while they also can enjoy an evening of food, wines and camaraderie with girlfriends or family as a pre-Mother's Day celebration.

The event will be held at Mastropietro Winery, 14558 Ellsworth Road, Berlin Center, beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $35 each and are limited to 150 guests.

Proceeds will benefit local disaster victims and the military.

To purchase tickets, call 330-392-2551, Ext. 113, or email Debbie.Musser@redcross.org.

TODAY

Sounds of Square County, Women's Barbershop Singers, 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 56 Chestnut Ave., Niles. Call Terry at 330-544-0242 or Doris at 330-544-2252.

Warren Lion Club, noon at The Reef, 5000 E. Market St., Warren, in The Market Place.

Nicotine Anonymous, 5:30 p.m., St. Joseph Hospital Warren Room, Eastland Avenue, Warren.

Celebrate Recovery, 12-step faith-based program, 6:30 p.m., Fowler Community Church, 4651 state Route 305, 330-550-3393.

Smalltown Recovery Al-Anon Family Group, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Kinsman Presbyterian Church, 6383 Church St. Wheelchair accessible.

Kickin' It In Kinsman, a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, 7 p.m., Kinsman Presbyterian Church, Church Street. Wheelchair accessible.

Ladies Auxiliary Unit 700, 6:15 p.m., Howland American Legion Post 700, 8273 High St. N.E.

Inspired Retired Quilting Guild, 1 to 3 p.m., Newton Falls Community Center, 330-872-3122.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Park Ave., Warren. 330-392-6276.

 The Historic Perkins Homestead Neighborhood Association, 6:30 p.m., Red Cross building, Mahoning Avenue, Warren. Call 330-507-8831 or 330-392-0863.

Girard-Liberty Rotary, 6 p.m., Amen Corner, 21 W. Main St., Girard, 330-539-5837 or 330-545-5694.

Girard-Liberty Kiwanis Club, 6:30 p.m., Golf Dome, 1300 N. State St., 330-545-1338.

Stephen Foster Chorus, singing group for men, 7 p.m., Warren SCOPE Center, 220 W. Market St., Warren. Guests welcome. 330-652-5739.

Food Addicts Anonymous, 7 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 162 S. Raccoon Road, Austintown. For more information call 330-793-1599.

Al-Anon, 9:30 a.m. basement, First Presbyterian Church of Warren, 256 Mahoning Ave. N.W., 9 a.m. beginner's meeting.

Howland High School Class of 1950, 1 p.m., J.D.'s Post House Restaurant, Mahoning Avenue, Champion.

TOPS 1429, weigh-in 9 a.m., meeting 9:30 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, Hubbard.

TOPS OHIO 1374, weigh-in 8:45 a.m., United Methodist Church, Ridge Road, Newton Falls.

TOPS OHIO 1165, weigh-in 8:30 a.m., meeting 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Park Ave., Warren.

TOPS 1060, weigh-in 6 p.m., meet at 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Hubbard.

SOAR Chapter 28-4, American Welding Retirees Local 1574, 10:30 a.m., former unemployment office on Park Avenue, Warren.Minute by Minute group of Narcotics Anonymous, 7 p.m. closed discussion, First Presbyterian Church of Warren.

Champion Rotary Club, noon, Wayside Inn, Champion.

Source: http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/571474/Special-Olympics-event-planned.html?nav=5005

Hotel News | "Hotels continue cashing in on London Olympic Games "

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au
Category: Hotel News

Some innkeepers will be charging Ritz rates for Fawlty Towers rooms - and they will get away with it.

A limited hotel supply and unprecedented demand from almost a million tourists, media and businesspeople tied to the London Games means that accommodation in the British capital - never a bargain to start with - is more expensive than ever.

That guarantees a bumper year for London's hotel and rental sectors, but a nightmare for those who have been dragging their feet on making sleeping arrangements.Already, many central London hotels are fully booked from mid-July to mid-August, and those that still have rooms available now charge anything from double to four times more than their normal rates.

"It's almost too late now to get into central London," said Miles Quest, a spokesman for the British Hospitality Association."(Visitors) need to look outside the central area, where rooms will clearly be cheaper."

It's too good a business opportunity to miss, and hoteliers aren't the only ones cashing in. Vacation rental agencies and websites have reported a massive boom in business, with many homeowners planning to stay with friends or go abroad so they can rent out their homes.

"There was a massive increase in traffic as soon as 2012 turned - it was overnight. It was really crazy," said Matthew Parker, who is doing a brisk trade on his website Londonrentmyhouse.com, a matchmaking service for enterprising people looking to rent out their homes and visitors seeking a short-term stay.

"The site is taking adverts every day, we're into the thousands now and many more to come. Homeowners are really grabbing the idea and running with it," he added.

It's easy to see why. London tourism officials expect about 900,000 Olympics-related visitors - including athletes, their families, staff, journalists, and tourists - to London this northern summer, all needing a bed. That's on top of the 1.5 million tourists London typically sees every August.Even with many new hotels springing up all over the capital, there are only about 110,000 hotel rooms in the London area - and almost a third of those have been allocated to Olympic personnel.

Tourism officials have brushed off the shortage, insisting that London has more rooms and a bigger range of sleeping options than any other Olympic host city has been able to offer.They have also been encouraging visitors to research alternatives like hostels, bed-and-breakfast inns and university dorm rooms.

Still, they acknowledge they are not in a position to do anything about what Tessa Jowell, an opposition lawmaker, has called a "scandal of extortionate price rises".A recent survey by London-based international booking website Hotels.com suggested that the average London hotel room rate has doubled for the Olympic period compared to last year, but it's clear in many cases the jump is much steeper.

At the Travelodge in Stratford, the budget chain's property next to the Olympic Stadium, room prices have shot up from a modest 50 pounds ($80) per night to 274 pounds ($437) in late July."The prices aren't going to come down," said Hotels.com president David Roche.It's not that hoteliers are all greedy, he added - some owners are just looking to the Olympics to recover losses amid a sluggish British economy.

"Many hoteliers are looking at the Olympics to save them," he said.

"They're wondering when the good times are going to roll again."

Prices in the vacation rental market can be lower, since more and more flats and houses are coming onto the market as more homeowners and landlords realise the potential to make some quick cash.Rental costs vary wildly: As low as 75 pounds ($120) for a room in someone's flat, to 20,000 pounds (nearly $32,000) a week for a luxury central London townhouse. Many people are asking four times more than the normal rent, Parker said.

There's evidently demand to sustain such high prices.

"I'm booked for the entire Olympic period," said Marina Usher Mazur, who is renting her three-bedroom second home in Notting Hill to two American families for 6000 pounds ($9550) a week. That's more than double her normal rate, but she still received more than 30 responses.

"I had a couple people say, you're crazy. But it went pretty easily," she said.

"I was amazed at how many people were interested."

It's not impossible to find budget options, though, as long as visitors are prepared to commute. Kent and Essex, for example, are to the east in the Greater London area, and have good connections to the Olympic Park. Events will be taking part across all corners of the capital, so taking the time to research transport links will help determine which suburb to choose from."Many events are held outside east London," Roche said. "If you know where you're going, there's no need to stay in central London."

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/hotels-seek-new-heights-with-games/story-fn9dheyx-1226350505446

Travel News | "Emaar group wins at World Travel Awards "

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.tradearabia.com
Category: Travel News

Dubai-based Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure unit of property developer Emaar Properties, was named Middle East’s Leading Development Company, at the annual World Travel Awards 2012 in Dubai.

The group also won the Expedia Award for The Address Downtown Dubai, underlining the group’s commitment to service.

Jurgen Baumhoff, chief operating officer, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Emaar Hospitality Group offers three key differentials – location, high standards of service and ensuring tangible guest benefits – which have become the benchmarks in hospitality in the region. These awards are a true testament to our commitment to continued excellence.”

 

source: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_217120.html

Hotel News | "Hilton Garden Inn Expands Presence In Rome"

By: Hilton Web Release
Category: Hotel News
Source: http://news.hgi.com

Hilton Garden Inn announced the opening of its latest hotel in Rome's elegant Parioli district.  The former Claridge Hotel has been converted to Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge and is ideally located within easy reach of famous attractions such as Villa Borghese with its surrounding parklands, and Via Veneto.  The hotel becomes the fourth hotel in Hilton Worldwide's Rome portfolio, joining luxury Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, upscale Hilton Rome Airport and mid-market Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport.

Adrian Kurre, Global Head, Hilton Garden Inn, said, "I am delighted to welcome our second Hilton Garden Inn to Rome, joining our growing portfolio of hotels across Italy and Europe.  Business and leisure guests can now enjoy award-winning Hilton Garden Inn hospitality whilst staying in a second location in the city, as well as in superb destinations across the country."

Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge features 93 bedrooms & suites, many with private balconies.  In addition, guests can enjoy the hotel's restaurant and bar, which features Italian and international cuisine. The 24-hour Pavilion Pantry is offered for light snacks and refreshments and leisure facilities include a 24-hour fitness centre, guests can also make use of on-site laundry facilities.  For corporate and social events, the hotel provides 242 square metres of meeting space across four separate rooms.

Hilton Garden Inn is a popular choice with guests across the world, thanks to features such as complimentary Wi-Fi access, the Garden Sleep System bed, ergonomic chair, as well as a 24-hour business centre with remote printing capabilities. Guests at Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge will also have the opportunity to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors points and take advantage of benefits enjoyed by over 30 million members worldwide.

Fabrizio Roscioli, general manager, Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge, said, "We are now proudly trading as part of the Hilton Garden Inn global portfolio and look forward to offering guests the brand's world renowned service and amenities.  Guests staying at our hotel will enjoy a prime location during their visit to Rome, with easy access to the city's most famous attractions."

Hilton Garden Inn recently received JD Power & Associates' highest honour in Europe, taking first place in the 2011 European Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study for first time in the brand's five-year history in Europe.  This year marked the first time the brand has had a sufficient sample size to rank in the European study, coming in 57 points higher than the segment average.

Hilton Worldwide currently features 20 hotels in Italy that are either open or under development. In addition to the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge, the company is also looking forward to the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort Siena-Chianti and the Hilton Garden Inn in Pistoia which are expected to join the portfolio in 2013.

 Source: http://news.hgi.com/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/4055

Patent News | "Sharif University Researchers Receive US Patent on Solar Cells"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.nanotech-now.com
Category: Patent News

"We have made it to propose a novel structure for the solar cells which can eliminate the unnecessary formation of the conductive glasses - a major cost intensive by-product in course of solar cells manufacturing," Nima Taqavinia, associate professor at Sharif University of Technology, said in an exclusive interview with INIC.

"Dye-sensitized solar cells are a type of nanostructured solar cells whose mechanism is based on light absorption by the pigment molecules plus electron and hole injection to a semiconductor and an electrolyte. This highly resembles the photosynthesis occurring in plants," Taqavinia added, elaborating on the invented dye-sensitized solar cells.

"Our research group is affiliated with the Nanoparticles and Nanocoatings Lab at the Department of Physics of the Sharif University of Technology. Our main mission in the mentioned laboratory is to pave the way for commercialization of the solar cells technology. Concurrent with this project, we are conducting some other researches within the same framework and hope to come up with convenient results soon in the future," he stated.

As for the commercialization and mass production of the solar cells in Iran, Taqavinia believes, "For fabrication of a small panel of solar cells, a large number of layering and heat treatment steps are required. Once regarded from the mass production view point, each of such apparently simple steps demands a great deal of design and operation.

"The production rate, processing cost, cost of the raw materials, and all other parameters impacting the final cost should be low enough for the new product to beat its rivals. Also, the durability and excellence of performance are two of other key factors. As a result, a combination of parameters together with technical novelty can guarantee a promising commercialization. We make our contributions to the different aspects of this development. To materialize such a dream, which is the localization of the solar cells production technology, we need to build a diverse and strong portfolio of the related patents."

Source: http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=45088

Hotel News | "Homewood Suites By Hilton Opens Hotel In Atlantic City, NJ"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.hotelinteractive.com
Category: Hotel News

Homewood Suites by Hilton, the international brand of upscale, all-suite, residential-style hotels, today announced the opening of its newest property, Atlantic City West / Egg Harbor Twp., NJ.  The 4-story, 120-suite hotel is owned and managed by The Briad Group.  General Manager Scott Mullins has been in the hotel industry for 20 years, and is supported by Director of Sales, Pauline Kleinburd who has 27 years of local sales experience.

“While designed for extended-stay guests, our spacious suites are perfect for both business and leisure travelers,” said Mullins. “Homewood Suites delivers the value that travelers are seeking today and lets guests be at home with standard amenities including fully-equipped kitchens with full-sized refrigerators, complimentary high-speed Internet access, and separate living and sleeping areas.”

Homewood Suites by Hilton Atlantic City West / Egg Harbor Twp. offers studio, one- and two-bedroom suites, with additional guest amenities including a daily complimentary full hot breakfast in the hotel’s hospitality center—the “Lodge”—a full evening meal with drinks* Monday-Thursday, and a 24-hour on-site pantry.  The hotel also offers an indoor pool, fully-equipped fitness center, nearby walking trails and recreational activities, 24-hour executive business center and approximately 600 square feet of flexible meeting space. 

Located at 3008 English Creek Avenue, the hotel is conveniently situated off the Black Horse Pike on English Creek Road.  The property is within minutes from the Hamilton Mall, Atlantic City International Airport, the Atlantic City Boardwalk and Casinos and a variety of other shopping venues and restaurants.

Source: http://www.hotelinteractive.com/buyer/article.aspx?articleid=25036

Patent News | "Yahoo sees more Facebook patent infringements"

By: John Letzing
Source: http://www.marketwatch.com
Category: Patent News

Facebook disclosed in a regulatory filing Thursday that Yahoo  sent a letter in late April informing the Menlo Park, Calif., social-networking company that “they believe 16 patents they claim to hold ‘may be relevant’ to open source technology they allege is being used in our data centers and servers.” Facebook said Yahoo hasn’t threatened a lawsuit over the matter, but added that “it may do so in the future.”

 

MarketWatch's Dan Gallagher dissects how much Facebook is worth, after the social-networking titan set the price range for its initial public offering.Yahoo sued Facebook in March for allegedly infringing 10 of its patents related to online social services, advertising and privacy features. Yahoo later asserted two additional patents in the case. The lawsuit has drawn criticism, as Yahoo historically has used its patents more for defensive purposes rather than suing its peers. 

Yahoo hired Scott Thompson as its new chief executive in January. Thompson has expressed a desire for the Sunnyvale, Calif., company, which is in the midst of a turnaround effort, to start pursuing new revenue streams.

Facebook has countersued Yahoo, asserting its own 10 patents. 

Facebook, which Thursday filed additional papers for an IPO that could raise as much as $13.6 billion, now has two large, fully owned and operated data centers in operation in Oregon and North Carolina. The company has paid a great deal of attention to developing its own server computers to power those data centers.

 

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/yahoo-sees-more-facebook-patent-infringements-2012-05-03?link=MW_latest_news

Travel News | "After 50 years, Cubans hope to travel freely to any country of the world"

By: Press Realese
Source: http://www.cubaheadlines.com
Category: Travel News

After controlling the comings and goings of its people for five decades, communist Cuba appears on the verge of a momentous decision to lift many travel restrictions. One senior official says a "radical and profound" change is weeks away.

The comment by Parliament Chief Ricardo Alarcon has residents, exiles and policymakers abuzz with speculation that the much-hated exit visa could be a thing of the past, even if Raul Castro's government continues to limit the travel of doctors, scientists, military personnel and others in sensitive roles to prevent a brain drain.

Other top Cuban officials have cautioned against over-excitement, leaving islanders and Cuba experts to wonder how far Havana's leaders are willing to go.In the past 18 months, Castro has removed prohibitions on some private enterprise, legalized real estate and car sales, and allowed compatriots to hire employees, ideas that were long anathema to the government's Marxist underpinnings.

Scrapping travel controls could be an even bigger step, at least symbolically, and carries enormous economic, social and political risk.Even half measures—such as ending limits on how long Cubans can live abroad or cutting the staggeringly high fees for the exit visa that Cubans must obtain just to leave the country—would be significant.

"It would be a big step forward," said Philip Peters, a Cuba expert at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute. "If Cuba ends the estrictions on its own citizens' travel, that means the only travel restrictions that would remain in place would be those the United States imposes on its citizens."

The move would open the door to increased emigration and make it easier for Cubans overseas to avoid forfeiting their residency rights, a fate that has befallen waves of exiles since the 1959 revolution.It could also bolster the number of Cubans who travel abroad for work, increasing earnings sent home in the short term and, ultimately, investment by a new moneyed class.

Scrapping exit controls should win Cuba support in Europe, which improved ties after dozens of political prisoners were freed in 2010.But Peters and several other analysts said they doubt the new rules would bring about any immediate shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, which includes a ban on American tourism. Those restrictions are entrenched and enjoy the backing of powerful Cuban American exiles.

"I don't think it would lead to a drastic change in U.S. policy, but an accumulation of human rights improvements could lead to an incremental change," Peters said.Cuba-born Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida, said any discussion about immigration reform on the island is a peripheral issue.

"The kind of changes I'm interested in are not about immigration," said Ros-Lehtinen, who heads the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. "I'm interested in changes that affect fundamental freedom, democracy and respect for human rights."

U.S. officials said they have been watching for an announcement for months, noting there has been such talk as far back as August. But nothing has happened, and they are skeptical that the Castro regime is truly committed to such reform.

Asked about possible reciprocal measures, one U.S. official said the Obama administration can't promise anything because it doesn't know what exactly Cuba plans to announce. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly and demanded anonymity.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. "would certainly welcome greater freedom of movement for the Cuban public."Rumors of the exit visa's imminent demise have circulated on and off for years. The whispers became open chatter last spring after the Communist Party endorsed migration reform at a crucial gathering. But Castro dashed those hopes in December, saying the timing wasn't right and the "fate of the revolution" was at stake.

Alarcon's comments, made in an interview published in April, revived hopes that a bold move is coming."One of the questions that we are currently discussing at the highest level of the government is the question of emigration," he told a French journalist. "We are working toward a radical and profound reform of emigration that in the months to come will eliminate this kind of restriction."

But on Saturday, Vice Foreign Minister Dagoberto Rodriguez told exiles not to set their hopes too high, vowing the government would maintain some travel controls as long as it faced a threat from enemies in Washington.Havana residents say they are anxiously waiting to see what the government does.

"The time has come to get rid of the exit visa," said Vivian Delgado, a shop worker. "It's absurd that as a Cuban I must get permission to leave my country, and even worse that I need permission to come back."Added Domingo Blanco, a 24-year-old state office worker: "It's as if one needed to ask to leave one's own house."

Many Cubans are reluctant to talk about their own experience with the exit visa. One woman named Miru, who has been trying to leave Cuba since 2006, shared her story on the condition her full name not be used for fear that speaking with a foreign journalist could land her in trouble."This has been a very long process," she said of her odyssey, which began when her husband defected from a medical mission in Africa and sought asylum in the U.S.

First, she had to get a letter releasing her from her job at a government ministry—a process that took five years. Only then could she apply for the exit visa. That was three months ago, and Miru still hasn't received an answer. Officials say her case is complicated but won't give a specific reason for the delay."I am very anxious to see my husband again," she said.

The exit controls are a Cold War legacy of Cuba's alliance with the Soviet Union. They were instituted in December 1961 to fight brain drain as hundreds of thousands of doctors and other professionals fled, many for new lives in Florida. That was three months before the U.S. embargo barring most trade with the island went into full effect.

Over the years, it has become much easier for Cubans to obtain permission to travel, though many are still denied, and it is particularly hard to take children out of the country.Also, the exit visa's $150 price tag is a small fortune in a country where salaries average about $20 a month. In addition, the person the traveler wishes to visit must pay $200 at a Cuban consulate.

Those who leave get only a 30-day pass, and the cost of an extension varies by country. In the U.S., the fee is $130 a month. Those who stay abroad more than 11 months lose the right to reside in Cuba. Before 2011, any property would automatically go to the state.

"The Cuban government has monetized every part of the humiliating process of coming and going," said Ann Louise Bardach, a longtime Cuba expert and author of "Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington." "Getting out means running a gantlet, and it is all based on how much humiliation you can endure, and by the time they end up in Miami, people are filled with hate and dreams of revenge."

Cuban officials have long portrayed the measures as necessary to counter Washington's meddling. They accuse the U.S. of trying to lure away doctors by letting them walk into any American consulate and request asylum.

Cuban officials say even ordinary islanders are encouraged to leave by U.S. regulations that automatically grant asylum to any who reach American shores, a policy Cuba says has encouraged thousands to attempt the dangerous trip on leaky boats and makeshift rafts across the Florida Straits.

It's not clear how emigration reform will affect dissidents, who are routinely denied permission to leave and could still find themselves on some form of no-exit list.

In a recent New York Times opinion piece, dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez called the exit controls "our own Berlin Wall without the concrete ... a wall made of paperwork and stamps, overseen by the grim stares of soldiers." She has been denied travel papers at least 19 times by her own count.Some hardliners in Florida predict any change will be merely a sleight of hand designed to export malcontents, ease a severe housing shortage and fob off legions of superfluous state workers.

But for hundreds of thousands of Cubans like Miru, the exit visa is a personal matter, not political. After six years separated from her husband, she clings to hope that she will finally obtain permission or benefit from a change in the law."I have followed all the rules of my country," she said. "I'll be so happy to leave."

Source:  http://www.cubaheadlines.com/2012/05/03/35136/after_50_years_cubans_hope_to_travel_freely_to_any_country_of_the_world.html

Event News | "Cuba Exchanges Solidarity with Organizations Worldwide"

By:  Prensa Latina
Source: http://www.solvision.co.cu
Category: Event News

The Cubans and more than one thousand representatives from union organizations and social movements worldwide on Wednesday expressed solidarity in this capital with the best causes of the peoples.

Parallel to the traditional issues of support to Cuba are the battles carried out by millions of workers in the humanity protesting for the effects of the global economic crisis, organizers of the International Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba stated.

Participants from several countries took part of the forum, held at the Havana's Conference Center, a day after mass marches in squares and avenues on occasion of May Day celebrations.

Among issues to debate were the actions to demand the return to the island of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly held in U.S. prisons for more than 13 years. Their real crime was to monitor Miami-based violent groups operating with impunity against his country.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez, the latter in supervised release since October, were detained in September 1998 in Miami, and condemned to harsh sentences ranging from 15 years to double life plus 15 years.

The general secretary of the Cuban Workers' Union (CTC), Salvador Valdes, on Tuesday sent the examples of solidarity from the Cubans to the workers worldwide who are victims of the global economic crisis, protest, and are brutally repressed for demanding their rights.

Source: http://www.solvision.co.cu

Event News | "Fans can watch every Olympic event live online"

By: Press Release
Category: Event News
Source: http://www.foxnews.com

Usain Bolt could be defending his Olympic 200-meter title on a Thursday afternoon in the United States.

Fans will be able to watch the race live online for the first time during this summer's London Games, but what they'll see is very different from the tape-delayed, prime-time package that will still air a few hours later.

NBC executives decided to shift from their longtime philosophy and make every event available as it happens, convinced that the plan will build interest in the Olympics and not siphon off viewership from the traditional nightly broadcasts. That means the Internet streams will be fairly minimalistic, a move aimed at tempting fans to re-watch the competition in a more stylized presentation on the network that evening.

"You'll be able to live the moment," said Rick Cordella, the vice president and general manager for NBC Sports Digital.

The online coverage will use the world feed instead of NBC camera angles. That's what viewers in many smaller countries see on their local networks, so the production is high quality, if less specialized than Americans are used to for the Olympics. There will be basic graphics and, for some popular sports, announcers from the Olympic Broadcasting Services.

Cordella said he didn't know yet which commentators would call high-profile events like track, swimming and gymnastics for the OBS.And if Bolt wins in another world record, fans will have to wait until prime time to see a post-race interview.

"It's not infringing upon prime time," Cordella said.

NBCOlympics.com streamed many smaller sports live during the 2008 Beijing Olympics for a total of 2,200 hours, but the big-ticket events were held back. This year, more than 3,500 hours will be shown on the website. For the top sports, replays will not be available online until after the event airs in prime time.

The service will include extra feeds for certain sports — fans can watch each apparatus in its entirety during gymnastics and up to five courts for tennis.

Most of the Internet streams will be available only to viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite services. They will need to "authenticate," log in to prove they are customers. The "TV Everywhere" model has become popular with many networks as a way to allow viewers to watch programs on multiple devices while encouraging them to stick with cable and satellite providers. Cordella said he believed viewers were becoming more familiar with the process.

Social media has proliferated since Beijing, and NBC is counting on buzz from viewers who watch events live to attract others to the prime-time broadcasts.

"If Bolt sets a record and prances over the finish line," Cordella said, "you want to see that."

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/05/02/fans-can-watch-every-olympic-event-live-online/

Travel Package Deals | "Europe Package Deals"

By:  kirsten
Category: Travel  Package Deals
Source: http://blog.besttraveldeals.net/travel/europe-package-deals

Travel Package Deals "Athens Greece"

$2659 — Greek Isles Package w/Roundtrip Air & Hotel Stays

Highlights: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini includes RT flight from New York (JFK), accomodation, daily breakfast. Travel July – October 2012.

$664 — Northern Europe: 7-Day Princess Cruise w/ $75 Ship Credit

Highlights: Southhampton, Zeebrugge, Copenhagen, Helsingborg, Oslo; aboard the Caribbean Princess with $75 Ship Credit. Travel July 1-8 2012.

$4899 — Greece-Turkey-Black Sea: 7-Day Regent Cruise, Free Shore Excursions

Highlights: Rome, Sorrento, Taormina, Katakolon, Thira, Kusadasi, Istanbul; aboard the Seven Seas Voyager. Travel October 24-31, 2012.

$1599 & up — 8-Night Ireland Inn & Castle Trip from NYC

Highlights: Dublin, Dromoland Castle, Ballsbridge Hotel ; includes airfare, accommodations, car & taxes. Travel July 1 – August 31, 2012.

$2999 & up — Ireland: 6-Nights w/Chauffeur & Biz Class Air

Highlights: Four Seasons Dublin, Glenlo Abbey Galway, Muckross Park Hotel Killarney, Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt; includes airfare, accommodations, private chauffeur. Travel June 1 – August 22, 2012.

$1899 — Paris in Summer: 5 Nights w/Air

Includes RT airfare, 5 nights stay at The Rochester Hotel Champs Elysees, breakfast daily & taxes. Travel Jul 8 – Aug 22, 2012

$3019 — Italy: Escorted 4-City Trip incl. Rome & Tuscany

Includes 10 nights hotel stays, private luxury motorcoach, buffet breakfast, dinner, sightseeing tours. Travel through October 2012

Source: http://blog.besttraveldeals.net/travel/europe-package-deals

Travel News | "Unregulated tourism is ravaging the Western Ghats"

By: Subir Ghosh
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com
Category: Travel News

Unbridled tourism in the Western Ghats will be a thing of the past if the Union government accepts the recommendations of an expert panel that was formed to look into the environmental aspects of the ecologically-fragile region.The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, which submitted a comprehensive report to the government in August 2011, has noted that some of the environmental footprints relate to the uncontrolled growth of tourist establishments in the Western Ghats leading to habitat fragmentation and increasing human-animal conflict.

Unlike in the case of mining where it urged for a blanket ban in the more ecologically sensitive areas, the panel has called for the ecotourism policy of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to be refined by the proposed Western Ghats Ecological Authority to promote minimal impact tourism. It has also stressed on the need for strict regulation for waste management, traffic, and water use.

There are a number of causes for worry. The 14-member panel headed by eminent ecologist Prof Madhav Gadgil found that there has been a tremendous increase in garbage accumulation in the area which attracts various pest species and also causes an increase in pathogens and disease. Untreated water is discharged into the open and this impacts vegetation and groundwater. There is also an increased risk of fires.

On the socio-cultural front, the group noticed changes in traditional livelihoods. Agriculture has been adversely affected because of land use changes and labour shortages, besides loss of access by indigenous and local communities to their land and resources as well as sacred sites. The report remarked, “Despite ecotourism, arising as a concept to promote nature conservation, it is found that the way ecotourism is practiced in India, it is being perceived as becoming just another form of mass tourism.”

Tourism in the Western Ghats has been increasing steeply. The forms of tourism observed in the region include ecology and wildlife, religious, social, and business. Religious tourism has the highest share of tourism in the Western Ghats followed by nature-based, social and business; the largest share of tourists is from the domestic sector. Tourist flows have risen sharply to the protected areas in the Western Ghats – Periyar, Mudumalai, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Dandeli-Anshi since 2000.

Most of the tourism is unplanned and unregulated. The panel observed that even planned world class tourism projects, e.g Amby Valley and Lavasa, have considerable local impacts. Tourism is being promoted both by the Centre and states without proper environmental impact assessments or cumulative impact assessments.

Among other things that can be done to mitigate adverse effects of tourism, the panel said that smallscale tourism should be encouraged by adopting benefit-sharing measures with local communities. Tourism infrastructure, particularly accommodation, should be eco-friendly, with careful use of locally available materials.

The panel has recommended that erection of concrete structures around springs, lakes and other perennial water bodies should be discouraged. There should be site-specific control of tourism infrastructure in the buffer regions of protected areas. Rainwater harvesting should be made mandatory for all new large and medium tourist infrastructure in the Western Ghats.

The WGEEP also laid a roadmap on how to implement its recommendations. A special cell within the WGEA would need to be constituted to deal with tourism-related issues. Control of tourism developments and activities, including licensing and overall targets for and limits to the scale and type of tourism should be overseen by the WGEA, the panel recommended.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_unregulated-tourism-is-ravaging-the-western-ghats_1681318

Holiday News | "Apartments plan for sea front hotel rejected"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk
Category: Holiday News

PLANS to convert rooms at a vacant hotel in Clacton into self-catering holiday apartments have been turned down.The owners of the Parade Hotel, in Marine Parade East, have applied to convert 14 of the building’s 22 bedrooms into eight apartments. 

A report said the property has been “neglected and abused and requires extensive renovation”.Agent Brian White, in a design statement, said: “The hotel has not been operational for a few years due to its poor condition brought about by a move away from this type of holiday accommodation within the district and lack of investment, resulting in a low standard of facilities. 

“The cost of providing a catering service is prohibitive to the business, so the owner is removing this service, but providing rooms with tables and microwave ovens so that take-away food services can be used within rooms.”The plans were aimed at attracting families and groups and would also have seen improvements to common areas and facilities, along with disabled access and accommodation. 

The plans have been refused by Tendring Council planning officers by delegated decision.Planning officers said the hotel sits in a sea front location that is ideal for tourist accommodation and is protected by local planning policies, which seek to protect existing hotels and guest houses in the resort. 

A report said: “The conversion of a hotel with 22 bedrooms to a building with eight hotel bedrooms and nine apartments represents a significant loss in hotel rooms.”It added that the remaining hotel rooms, without restaurant facilities, maid service or reception, would not be suitable for tourism use. 

Source: http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/9670090.Apartments_plan_for_sea_front_hotel_rejected/

Travel News | "TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Air Travel On The Rise In 2012"

By: Press Release
Category: Travel News
Source: http://www.sacbee.com

Tripadvisor the world's largest travel site*, today announced the results of its annual air travel survey of more than 1,000 U.S. respondents. Americans are flocking to the skies this year as 91 percent of respondents said they plan to fly domestically in 2012, compared to 84 percent that did last year.  International flights are also on the rise, with 65 percent planning a flight out of the country, up from 55 percent in 2011.

Source:  http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/25/4440626/tripadvisor-survey-reveals-air.html

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/04/25/4440626/tripadvisor-survey-reveals-air.html#storylink=cpy

Travel News | "Travel Agents Make a Return Trip"

By: Kate Springer
Category: Travel News
Source: http://newsfeed.time.com

At their height in the mid-1990s, travel agencies boasted more than 34,000  locations in the U.S. Today, thanks to the economic uncertainty of the past decade and the boom in online travel sites, that number has been sliced in half. But don’t shed a tear for your neighborhood vacation expert just yet: brick-and-mortar agencies are making a comeback, reports the New York Times.

The rebound is thanks to an uptick in corporate and leisure travel, but it’s also due to growing frustration with the sheer amount of travel-related information on the web.  As discount travel portals and free-for-all recommendation sites have multiplied, more and more people are turning to experts to help make sense of it all. “I needed recommendations and someone to steer me in the right direction,” Jessica Griffin, who opted to work with an agent despite making her own reservations for years, told the Times. “I wanted somebody from a reputable agency who could say yes, you’ll enjoy this stay.”

Source: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/04/23/travel-agents-make-a-return-trip/

Event News | "Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts Announce New Partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival"

By: Press Release
Category: Event News
Source: http://www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com

Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts - two of Hilton Worldwide's market leading brands - announce a new three-year partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF). Both brands will serve as Official Hotel Partners of the Tribeca Film Festival, the international film festival that supports emerging and established filmmakers. The partnership comes as Conrad enters New York City with the opening of the Conrad New York, the luxury hotel brand's nineteenth property and one of six new properties expected to open this year and as both brands continue their involvement in entertainment and pop culture.

"All of us at Tribeca are delighted to partner with Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, two leading brands with a deep commitment to the global film community," said Jon Patricof, president and chief operating officer of Tribeca Enterprises. "Given the origins and mission of the Tribeca Film Festival, it will be a wonderful moment for us to celebrate our Awards Night at the Conrad New York. That property and this new partnership offer a remarkable testament to the vitality of Lower Manhattan."

As Official Partners of the Tribeca Film Festival, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts will provide their signature hospitality to guests of Tribeca, serve as the destinations for key TFF events, and offer guests and film enthusiasts highly sought-after opportunities to attend film screenings and exclusive events. To celebrate the highly anticipated opening of the Conrad New York, a new 463 luxury, all-suite hotel in New York's Financial District, the property will host the Festival's 2012 Award Celebration. Hilton New York Fashion District, an upscale hotel on West 27^th street just off Seventh Avenue, will serve as a hub for filmmakers and industry attendees throughout the 2012 festival.

"At Conrad Hotels & Resorts, we believe the greatest luxury is the luxury of being yourself. This one-of-a-kind sophistication has now arrived in lower Manhattan with our newest property, the Conrad New York," said John Vanderslice, global head, luxury and lifestyle brands, Hilton Worldwide. "Our partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival is a celebration of individuality, style and the city of New York as a dynamic place for filmmaking."

Source: http://www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=1898&tl=en&mobile=0

Event News | "DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center Hotel Awarded Prestigious 2011 Hilton Pride Award "

By: Press Release
Category: Event News
Source: http://www.prweb.com

The DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center hotel has been awarded the 2011 Pride Award from Hilton Hotels. This award is given to a few DoubleTree hotels throughout the world for their outstanding commitment to guests, community and staff. Representing the highest quality of excellence throughout the DoubleTree brand, congratulations go out the entire DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center team. 

Discover Denver hotel beauty and unbelievable luxury and breathtaking views of the famous Rocky Mountains when you stay at DoubleTree Hotel Denver Tech hotel. Located in Greenwood Village in the heart of the Denver Tech Center, our South Denver hotel is an easy commute to the Meridian Office Complex, and the downtown Denver business district—making us an ideal destination for corporate travelers. With more than 300 guest rooms and suites, an indoor and outdoor pool, a wonderful restaurant and an amazing 20,000 square feet of event space, DoubleTree Hotel Denver Tech is the hotel of choice for anyone visiting the Denver area. The DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech hotel is proudly managed by Stonebridge Companies in Denver, Colorado.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/4/prweb9419292.htm

Travel And Leisure | "Petrol prices pump up fears for travel sector"

By: Rachel Cooper
Category: Travel And Leisure
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

“Rising oil and petrol prices lead us to take a more cautious stance on the prospects for the travel and leisure sector,” cautioned analysts at Panmure Gordon. “Record petrol prices have the potential to alter longer-term leisure habits, with consumers reassessing the need to travel meaningful distances to undertake regular out-of-the-home leisure activities.”

With mortgage rates also rising and inflation “stubbornly high”, the broker argued that this was “not a comfortable backdrop for a sector heavily reliant on discretionary income”.Given increasing petrol prices, Panmure was particularly anxious about the outlook for businesses with out-of-town locations and downgraded both Cineworld and Goals Soccer Centres to “hold”.They were also worried about The Restaurant Group – whose restaurants such as Frankie & Benny’s are often located in sites such as leisure complexes – and cut their rating to “hold”.Conversely, the broker turned a buyer of JD Wetherspoon, arguing that its pubs could benefit from being “community-based and may therefore show resilience in the face of record petrol prices”.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/marketreport/9168115/Petrol-prices-pump-up-fears-for-travel-sector.html

Travel News | "The Scripps-owned cable network has five new shows in the works for the 2012 programming slate"

By: Press Release
Category: Travel News
Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com


Travel Channel has greenlit three pilots and announced development of two new original series. Network GM Andy Singer discussed the plans on Thursday.

Among the pilots is Barn Finds, produced by BCII, which follows car expert Corky Coker on a roadtrip through the American south, looking for automotive bargains. Another auto-centric project, Power Trip with Jason Harper (Departure Films), has the host touring different countries behind the wheel of different famous (and pricey) cars. Kevin Michael Connolly Project, from Crazy Leg Productions, takes the titular thrill seeker and noted author and photographer, born without legs, around the globe.

In development, Travel is pursing Coffee Hunter and City Swappers. The first, from Nancy Glass Productions, takes a peek into the world of premium coffee peddlers, focusing on Philadelphia-based La Colombe Torrefaction. City Swappers comes from Stone Circle Films and explores what happens when two couples swap homes, cars, friends, etc. when they go on vacation.

"Our programming mission is to continue to provide a myriad of travel perspectives that not only entertain and inspire, but will take viewers beyond the guidebook," said Singer. “We’re excited about our new shows in development which feature a group of new talent who each weave their own personal experiences and stories through each show’s unique travel lens.”

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/travel-channel-pilots-development-313038

Travel News | "Travel Apps Targeted in Patent Infringement Lawsuits"

By: Michèle McDonald
Source: http://www.travelmarketreport.com
Category: Travel News

Mobile devices give agents exciting new opportunities for servicing customers, but creativity in the mobile channel could be stymied by a phenomenon known as the “patent troll.”A patent troll is a company that makes money primarily by suing other companies for patent infringement. Mobile technology is proving to be fertile ground for such companies – and travel companies are among the targets.

Travelocity, UAL, Hertz Are Sued

A Tulsa, Okla., company called Macrosolve has sued 59 companies, claiming infringement of a patent that it was awarded in October 2010. Among the defendants are some of the largest travel companies in the U.S.

American Airlines, Avis Rent A Car System, Continental Airlines, the Hertz Corp., Hipmunk Inc., Hotels.com, Priceline.com, Southwest Airlines, Travelocity.com and United Air Lines were sued on Dec. 21. They have since been joined by Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Six Continents, IHG’s corporate predecessor.Macrosolve has not shied away from taking on other big names – including Facebook, Groupon, Dell and AT&T.

Patent for app transmissions

The patent that is the basis of its lawsuits gives MacroSolve the rights to a process that sends applications to mobile devices for downloading, collects information from users and sends it back to a central database.That covers any existing or future mobile app that sends data from the app user back to the makers or administrators of the app.

Any booking, purchase or request for information would fall into that category. That makes every transactional travel app a potential target for a lawsuit.

Tricky legal terrain

Patent infringement lawsuits are nothing new in the world of technology. Alexander Graham Bell was sued by several inventors after he produced the telephone. But software patents present some difficulties.

The U.S. Patent Office resisted awarding software patents for a long time, believing it was akin to awarding a copyright for language. You can copyright a book, but you can’t copyright an idea. But several court decisions in the 1990s forced it to change its stance.

The office was then deluged with applications, and according to M-CAM, a patent consultancy, patents for the same “invention” were often granted to different companies. In some cases, the language of the patent is mystifying even to the inventor.

‘Abysmal monument’

M-CAM chairman Dr. David E. Martin called MacroSolve’s patent “an abysmal monument to the complete failure of the patent system,” noting wryly that the patent hinges on keyword searches “with innovative terms like ‘survey,’ ‘poll,’ ‘collect’ and ‘gather.’”

Macrosolve does market some mobile applications and tools for restaurants, school safety and other categories under the Illume Mobile brand, but it has openly declared that “monetization” of the patent is a priority. It told investors that it has targeted an additional 250 companies for legal action.

Lucrative business

In Macrosolve’s most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it said it “has received 14 settlements in the form of non-exclusive, perpetual paid-up licenses for licensed products resulting in revenues of over $1 million in 2011, which represented approximately 63% of total revenue in 2011.”

Source: http://www.travelmarketreport.com/technology?articleID=7051&LP=1