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New Tricks From Old Charter Dogs For A Better Charter Experience

by Bp2q6F

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Submitted by: Jon Tulien

Yelp is a well-known review site that offers a great method for consumers to write online reviews. While Yelp offers a great way to review a simple business (restaurant, printing shop, retail, etc) it falls well short of what s needed for Charter Sailors and Charter Professionals to benefit from a review of a yacht charter experience.

At Yacht Charter Advisor we consider the whole charter landscape when capturing your experience. We ask about yacht condition (condition, cleanliness, operation & safety) and the professional service quality (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy) of each charter provider (broker, company, school, captain, instructor, chef) and combine them into a single rating (1-5) and review. Charter Sailors benefit from the overall simplicity and ability to search and compare features and benefits while Charter Pros get to dig into their historical detailed ratings and make adjustments.

I was studying some non-YCA reviews (Jt calls them 5 stars and rant ) of recent yacht charter experiences and see increasing evidence that Charter Sailors are leveraging negative online reviews to improve their negotiating position when seeking post-charter refunds and compensation; an unfortunate but necessary evolutionary step for online reviews.

Taking post charter complaints online is usually the result of not finding satisfaction after the Charter Sailor has stated their dissatisfaction privately to the Charter Company. This is a common and ethical tactic to escalate a negotiation that nearly all consumers have access to now, ONLY through 3rd party review services like Yelp and, even better for charter, YCA! (not Facebook or the charter company s website as your review can be deleted).

Anacortes Yacht Charters (AYC) began 2012 licking their wounds from prior months/years of negative reviews impacting their online reputation and I assume the bottom line. To their credit, AYC is trying to take action to mitigate the damage but sadly its spotted with fake positive reviews (by AYC associates) and lengthy dialog confirming their bad behavior. What s clear is AYC has some poorly maintained yachts and questionable ethics. Maybe AYC pulls out the shiny penny for repeat clients but thanks to a few brave Charter Sailor s who ve had enough, new (online) prospects see a red flag.

While Charter Companies (and other charter providers) muddle around looking for a way around online charter reviews (Hint YCA has answers that work for everyone!) here are some tips for Charter Sailors looking at new sailing grounds to help assure a BETTER CHARTER EXPERIENCE:

1) Let the Broker or Charter Company know IN ADVANCE you intend to rate your experience online this sets the stage for your charter business relationship by stating your not just a potential loyal customer but a potential fan as well very valuable!

2) Use a (reputable) credit card to make your down payment I have firsthand experience with this. When the Charter Company has finally had enough of your feedback and demands for compensation it will sound something like do what ya gotta do click! (thus began YCA, but that s another story). In the U.S., consumers have great opportunity to seek fair relief from a business exchange. If you involve your bank and credit card company with an assurance that you will take your annual business to a competitor they have more to lose than the cost of a few days charter and will get involved. I got my 30% refund from Visa after clearly and calmly stating my case and expectations.

3) Charter a privately owned vessel, not the forgotten company owned hull only used for charter and spare parts. Privately owned means just that, a boat with an actual owner that cares about maintaining her condition. After 10+ years I will never charter a company owned boat again. The privately owned boats managed by the brokers and charter companies are about the same cost (sometimes less expensive) and have many eyes watching her.

4) Hire a Charter Captain and Chef. Not kidding! Be sure to use steps 1, 2 and 3 with your crew. You should expect access to an unbiased history of unbelievable reviews from past clients of your prospective Charter Crew. I promise, they re out there and not so hard to find. A good Charter Captain and Chef will change your outlook, your week and your mood. Compare the added cost to provisioning, cooking/cleaning, frustration with operating an unknown boat you get the idea, give it some thought, your spouse will be more than pleased. Be sure to call or Skype with your crew before you go and pick one that everybody likes.

About the Author: Steve Austin is the founder of Yacht Charter Advisor. YCA is the worldwide online Charter Sailor community for power and sail, bareboat and crewed charters, ship harbour yacht charters.

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New Tricks From Old Charter Dogs For A Better Charter Experience

by Bp2q6F

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Submitted by: Jon Tulien

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Canadian National buys Chicago railroad

by Bp2q6F

Monday, February 2, 2009

Canadian National (CN), the Montreal-based rail operator, has bought the main lines of the U.S. Elgin (EJ&E).

CN began to buy the railway from U.S. Steel in September 2007. Regulatory approval in the US was given in January. The Canadian railway company will use the lines to avoid congestion in Chicago, taking freight along a 300km loop through the American Midwest. The route will begin the new operations on March 4.

U.S. Steel will keep the facilities and staff required to keep the Gary steelworks in Indiana rail connected, renaming the resulting operations to the Gary Railway. The rest of the EJ&E will be integrated into CN’s existing networks. The railway passes through suburban areas of Chicago, causing residents to fear the noise and traffic that greater intensity of operation could bring.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB), the US rail regulator, has required CN to make upgrades to ease local concerns but opponents have vowed to continue to fight against the changes. The Chicago Tribune speculates that CN will switch trains from the former Wisconsin Central line to the EJ&E south of Mundelein. This would reduce traffic in suburbs north of the crossover from 19 trains a day to just two; whilst south of the junction trains would increase from five a day to 20.

CN paid $300 million for the lines, and will pay $100 million to upgrade them and $60 million to make the STB’s required improvements.

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Pakistani train derailment kills at least 56

by Bp2q6F

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Early this morning, an express passenger train (carrying about 700 passengers) derailed in Pakistan, leaving at least 56 dead and 150 more injured. At least ten of the carriages that comprised the service between Karachi and Lahore left the track and fell down an embankment, ripping them apart.

The disaster occurred some 250 miles north of Karachi at 2:00 a.m. PST (UTC+5). Pakistan Railways says it appears the derailment, which sent carriages hurtling into a waterlogged field adjacent to the track, was caused by extreme cold, which in turn caused a welded joint in the track to contract and split. Brigadier Nazhar Jamil, head of an army rescue team presently on-site, said he believed another possible cause was excessive speed in combination with inadequate maintenance.

State-run PTV said that Asad Saeed, General Manager of Pakistan Railways, had told them “A welded track joint broke. Tracks shrink in winter. There are many forces on the track and sometimes this joint breaks.” He went on to rule out terrorist involvement and point out that the tracks are old and the government is midway through a programme to replace them. He said other services were not affected.

	A welded track joint broke. Tracks shrink in winter. There are many forces on the track and sometimes this joint breaks.

The violence of the crash ripped carriages apart, leaving wreckage strewn across the surrounding area. A segment of one of the rails was torn up, and the engine came to rest approximately a mile away from the initial site of the derailment. Sources vary on how many carriages were involved. The Times says ten carriages derailed and does not state the total number in the train, while Sky News reports that twelve of the train’s sixteen carriages derailed and Xinhua gives the numbers as fifteen cars of a seventeen-car train. Reports on passenger numbers also vary, with the train carrying between 700 and 900 passengers, mostly returning from the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Adha.

Jamil told reporters that many lives were saved by local residents, who rushed many of the wounded to hospital using rickshaws, scooters and donkey-drawn carts. Army engineers had to free the last survivors from the wreckage using two rail-mounted cranes and cutting equipment. One of the last to be rescued was a three-year-old girl, who’s foot was seriously injured.

Police and soldiers carried the wounded to waiting ambulances, which rushed them to three nearby hospitals.

President Pervez Musharraf has ordered an immediate inquiry, which will be conducted by Pakistan Railways. The inquiry will examine whether any responsibility must be taken by any of those involved, as well as ways of preventing another similar disaster from taking place.

Fatal train accidents occur with some regularity in Pakistan, a problem frequently exacerbated by overcrowding. This is the worst accident since the Ghotki rail crash in 2005. Over 120 people were then killed as the Karachi Express—the same service as in this accident—hit a train that had broken down from behind; the wreckage from both these trains was then struck by a third passenger express. The driver of the Karachi Express had misread a signal.

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Lift accident in Hong Kong skyscraper kills six

by Bp2q6F

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Six construction workers at Hong Kong’s International Commerce Centre (ICC) were killed on Sunday when they fell seventeen stories down a lift shaft.

The workers were standing on a platform on the 27th floor of the building when it collapsed.

The ICC’s building developers from Sun Hung Kail Properties, Ltd., said they would pay the families of the victims at least HK$1 million (US$129,000) apiece and pay for funeral costs. Donald Tsang, the city’s CEO, said a full investigation into the incident would be launched.

The International Commerce Centre, when completed, is to be the fourth tallest building in the world, with 118 stories. It is scheduled to open in 2010.

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Everything You Need To Know About Gas Powered Blenders

by Bp2q6F

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Submitted by: David H. Urmann

Gas powered blenders are kitchen blenders that use gas to run. The three types are the Gas Powered Party Blender, the Tailgator and the Daiquiri Whackers. Each has unique features and advantages.

Gas powered blenders have a stream engine capable of pulverizing foods. There are three different models with different features and advantages. These three are the Gas Powered Party Blender, Tailgator and the Daiquiri Whacker.

The three models are powered by a two stroke gas engines. It ranges from cc-25 to cc-30, with up to 2.25 horsepower.

Gas powered party blenders is fit for a large party. It blends up to high volumes of beverages. This blender depends mainly on methane gas consumption.

UnTreehugger: Gas Powered Party Blender ($299.99)

Features:

oEasy to pull handlebars and adjustable throttle

oCan puree foods for about 2.5 seconds

oNo mixing required

oCan grind cube ice faster

oGood for outdoor activities like boating and camping

oCompact storage

Specifications:

4-stroke, 23cc engine

21 in. telescopic legs (adjustable)

16 in. Length x 15in.Width x 21in.Height

The TailGator Gas Powered Blender ($369.95)

Tailgator became popular when it featured at the TV show called Home Improvement.

Features:

oLightweight plastic pitcher is detachable, easy to clean and made by Oster

opitcher is replaceable

oAccessible controls (kill switch, primer and choke)

oMade from stainless steel blades (shaft) with sealed ball bearing construction

oCustom designed ballistic black nylon carrying pack

oStraps securely inside the bag/pack

oTwo sewn in nylon drawstring sleeves for quart bottles.

Specifications:

Capacity: 48 ounces

Weight: 10 pounds

Speed: 0-chill (15 seconds), with no lumps at 11 seconds

Fuel Capacity: 11 ounces

24cc Poulan with 2 stroke and 2 horse with RPM infinite variable, speed and throttle control.

Economy Feature: 6,500 mpg (Margarita s per Gallon), 2-cycle oil for a gallon of gas.

How to use:

oFill up the 60 oz. pitcher with ice and beverage

oReplace the cover and push the fuel primer button many times

oSet the start and run arm; pull the handle

oControl the speed with a single finger throttle control

oAfter 15 to 20 seconds, push the stop button

oRemove the pitcher and pour onto glasses

Daiquiri Walker Portable Gas Powered Blender $299

Daiquiri Walker is a portable blender with an attitude. No cords or generators are attached, therefore ideal for outdoors. Daiquiri Walker was engineered to help minimize assembly labor, including the cost for its parts. It has different engine types: the 23cc Homelite motor and the 26cc MightyLite Engine. The engine is easy to operate with the easy Zip start feature.

The top part acts like an umbrella that protects the motor from spillage. It is easy to clean by washing the jar and wiping off the base. The center receptacle holds an Oster jar. This jar is slotted in the back to allow spills to escape and prevent the liquid from being seeped into the motor.

The start cord, choke and kill switch are all easy to find at the front part of the motor. The plastic jar is unbreakable. The blender has special blades that can crush big blocks of ice. It comes with a One Mountain Research aluminum fuel bottle, especially good for mixing gas and storing fuel.

Gas powered blenders are an innovative tools mostly used for parties or outdoor events. They are easy to operate. Branded blenders are known to be more durable and lasts longer.

About the Author: For more information on

Gas Powered Blender

and

Top Hand Blenders

please visit our website.

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Tamil Nadu Elections: DMK, AIADMK promise freebies

by Bp2q6F

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parties have announce “freebies” as part of their election manifestos in the lead-up to the vote in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Freebies have been a success from the 2006 Tamil Nadu elections when DMK lured voters by announcing free colour televisions to households. That triumph led the major opposition AIADMK to announce similar freebies in their manifesto published Thursday.

DMK has announced free laptops to college students, kitchen appliances and modern networks to rural regions. The AIADMK, publishing their manifesto later, expanded on each of the promises of the DMK, plus offering 4g gold mangalsutra for the poor, monetary help for rural households and fishermen, free rice, and more.

AIADMK manifesto addresses larger issues, such as taking on the near-monopoly of the cable industry television industry, starting new Power generation plants to address power shortages in recent years.

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Frenchman climbs skyscraper in 20 minutes without any equipment

by Bp2q6F

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 File:FrenchSpiderMan HongKong.jpg

48-year old Alain Robert, affectionately known as the ‘French Spiderman’, has climbed a 57-storey {[w|Sydney}} skyscraper without any equipment in 20 minutes. The purpose of Alain Robert’s actions was to raise awareness of global warming. Following the previous like events in other cities, he was arrested and will possibly be fined.

When Robert was 12, he climbed eight storeys to get into his flat instead of waiting for his parents to return. Since then, he has climbed over eighty buildings around the world, including the Eiffel Tower, The New York Times building, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. His hobby has, however, led to him being arrested and fined on multiple occasions—he was fined USD 750 after climbing the 41-storey Royal Bank of Scotland building in central Sydney.

His most recent climb, which he completed in twenty minutes, began at the bottom of the Lumiere building in Bathurst Street at 10:30am AEST on Monday morning. About 100 passers-by gathered to watch Robert, dressed in red trousers, a grey top, and a baseball cap, climb the building. Eleven-year-old Rachel Pepper was surprised when he saw Robert, who suffers from permanent vertigo after two accidents in 1982. “I think it’s amazing to climb that high without falling. He’s got superhuman strength.” His mother Wendy Pepper agreed, “It was a nice surprise when we turned the corner and got to see him.”

Upon reaching the top of the building, the Frenchman unfurled a banner advertising the website of The One Hundred Months campaign, which argues that 100 months after August 2008, climate change will reach an irreversible point, as onlookers applauded his feat. Robert was subsequently taken into custody at the top of the skyscraper, and charged with trespassing. Robert was granted conditional bail to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday. Robert’s agent, Max Markson, described the climb as a “wonderful achievement. He’s the best at what he does. I’m sad he’s been arrested, but hopefully he’ll get out soon.”

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Blender Foundation launches open movie, open game projects

by Bp2q6F

Monday, June 11, 2007

The Blender Foundation, which maintains the open source 3D tool Blender, has announced two new projects, codenamed Peach and Apricot. Project Peach will be a new open source movie, following in the footsteps of last year’s Elephants Dream project (which was initially codenamed Orange). Apricot, on the other hand, will use Blender in conjunction with open source 3D framework Crystal Space to create an open game, thereby showcasing both technologies.

The Blender Foundation published the plans on its website on Sunday. In order to support these and future projects, it will also set up a permanent studio called the “Blender Institute”, where software developers and artists can work together in a single location.

The Peach movie project will be headed by Sacha “Sago” Goedegebure from the Netherlands and Lyubomir Kovachev from Bulgaria. Goedegebure is well known in the Blender community for the “Man in Man” animation, which won the 2006 Suzanne Award for Character Animation. Where the theme of Elephants Dream was dark and industrial, Peach will be “funny and furry”, according to the project announcement. The project is to be completed within 6 months, beginning October 1.

Blender’s open game project is still at an earlier planning stage, and details will be announced at the Crystal Space Conference in July. According to the published plans, the project will also be completed within 6-8 months, and it will have a budget of more than 50,000 Euros.

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Why Fhi Irons Are Some Of The Best In The Hair Care World

by Bp2q6F

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By Brian John

FHI Irons are some of the best hairstyling tools used in the hair care world. Theyre so well known that theyre used everywhere from the runways to the comfort of a womans home. These styling irons have helped plenty of professional hair stylists to get to the next level in their businesses.

Before the FHI Irons came about, there was the original regular flat iron. There was a limit as to how these irons operated. Some of them used silicone, which often made the hair dull and lifeless.

Nowadays, those irons are a thing of the past for a lot of the hairstylists. They strive to use the FHI Irons so they can be on the cutting edge of hairstyles for their clients. They are able to create hairstyles that couldnt be done years ago.

With the Nano Fuzeion technology, these styling irons help to keep the hairstyles fresh and the hair from potential serious damage. With that and the tourmaline element in the ceramic plates, using the FHI Irons are second to none when it comes to retaining moisture for added shine and luster for the hair.

The ceramic plates for these irons are unique because they are baked with several layers. This also helps to keep the moisture in the hair and condition the hair cuticle. In addition to that, any humidity from the hair is removed in order to make the hair dry.

Using this for damp hair is an added plus. Negative ions work to remove any toxins, bacteria or any other germs that could work again the hair and its cuticles.

Hairstylists enjoy the flexibility of movement with these irons because of the long swivel cord that is connected to the styling iron. This swivel cord also works to prevent tangling. The ergonomic design works in the hairstylists favor. It helps to alleviate additional tension when using on of the FHI Irons.

Some of the styling irons in the FHI series include:

Pink FHI Styling Iron

FHI Heat Runway Iron

FHI Technique Iron

These irons, along with others in the series are beloved by hairstylists. They provide them the freedom of styling a clients hair. They also represent advanced technologies in hair styling. Since the plates come in different lengths, the skys the limit as to what kind of styles can be created.

Regardless of whether the hair is short, medium or long, there is a styling iron available for that length. Even if its a problem with the texture, these FHI Irons can handle that. They can turn coarse hair into hair thats soft and silky. The transformation would be so noticeable it would knock a persons socks off.

Those that have already made the switch have experienced breathtaking results. What other styling iron is there that you can use within less than 10 15 seconds? With a normal styling iron, you have to wait at least ten minutes before it gets hot enough to use.

With todays cutting edge technology, people can rest assured that FHI Irons are some of the best styling tools in the hair care world.

About the Author: Brian John is a featured author for a popular hair product manufacturer’s website, FHI Heat Inc. Find excellent informational articles written by Brian regarding all types of specific hair products such as flat irons, hair dryers, curling irons, and much more. For more information regarding

FHI irons

, visit www.fhiheat.com today.

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