Heath Ledger

Keith Varnum asked:


Experiencing a live volcano was on top of our agenda when my friend Rob and I visited the exotic land of Costa Rica. The plane touched down in the capital city of San Jose, and, after clearing customs, we headed for the car rental to pick up a 4×4 and a map to Mt. Arenal, the nearest active volcano.

After an arduous drive through torrential rain, we finally arrived in a quiet village supposedly at the foot of a fire-belching monster. I say supposedly because it was so foggy, we weren’t even sure a volcano existed. We couldn’t see a tree a block away, let alone a volcanic mountain looming 5,000 feet above us.

Locals claim if you really listen closely, you can hear the beast rumble. We never heard a whimper. By the second misty day and night of no sighting, I suspected the local population had fabricated the story of an erupting volcano in order to attract tourist dollars. A volcano of convenience. No muss, no fuss. Just some imaginary rumbling every so often that only the locals hear from a volcano no one ever sees because of the rain and fog!

Near the end of our second day of waiting out the rain, we were eating a tasty native dinner of red beans and rice at a colorful local dive when the owner of the café strolled over to our table. Without hesitation or invitation, he plopped himself down. Miguel appeared to me exactly as I’ve always imagined don Juan of Carlos Castaneda fame to look. His face was dark and swarthy with a kind but inscrutable expression. Staring straight into our eyes, he declared in halting English, “You want to know volcano, not just look at it.”

Being a veteran traveler, I have learned to be agreeable in a foreign country and, in general, say “yes” to practically everything spoken to me by the locals. Not realizing the full import of the distinction between the words Miguel had used, I responded amicably, “Yeah, yeah, of course, we’d like to know the volcano.”

Without another word, Miguel turned over one of our paper place mats and, pulling a broken stub of a pencil from his shirt pocket, began to draw a crooked line. We watched in silence for the next twenty minutes as he guided the pencil over the grease-stained paper in absorbed concentration. What emerged was a detailed map of twists and turns with landmarks indicated by little, kid-like pictures of trees, stone walls and tiny shacks to represent a village.

Finished, Miguel put the pencil back in his pocket, sighed and spoke directly into our souls with piercing, green eyes. “This,” he said, tapping the crude map with its meandering trail, “take you to volcano. To be with volcano.” With his finger, Miguel softly tapped his chest over his heart, “to feel and know spirit of volcano.” Then he laughed softly and cautioned us we would be scared because the volcano would definitely erupt when we were there. “But volcano not harm you,” he added hastily. With a wistful look in his face, Miguel shared how he and his friends have picnicked at the edge of the volcano his whole life and the towering inferno had never harmed him. His words only mildly consoled me.

The sound of the cold, drenching rain woke us at dawn. We still couldn’t see or hear the volcano. Since the downpour discouraged us from any other tourist activity, we decided we may as well get soaking wet following Miguel’s map to wherever it led. Maybe the rain would stop once we were out of the village. Fat chance!

We drove up the steep mountainside of what the villagers below insisted was the volcano until the rugged jeep road ended abruptly at a craggy cliff. I was very surprised Miguel’s rough, hand-drawn map actually corresponded to what we found on our journey. His drawing indicated the sheer cliff and the small, hidden opening we found nestled between the rock wall and a weather-beaten wooden fence. We followed our friend’s makeshift chart through the hole, up a circuitous rocky path, over many collapsed lava rock walls and past long-deserted fruit orchards. The trail ended abruptly at an imposing 300-foot wall of solid volcanic lava flow so jagged and sharp we couldn’t climb it.

Fortunately for us, Miguel had anticipated this challenge. At the left edge of the lava flow, his map showed a naturally camouflaged trail through the dense rainforest. Our confidence in both our friend and his diagram strengthened over the past several hours, we plunged into the dark primeval forest. The jungle growth was so thick with vines and roots, the path so muddy and slippery, I felt we’d dropped into a comic scene right out of the Harrison Ford movie “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.” During one hilarious moment, Rob and I both lost our footing and, clutching each other, slid back down fifty feet of the mudslide trail. Grabbing overhanging vines, Tarzan-style, saved the day—and our necks! Our guardian angels must get a lot of overtime pay!

Undaunted and filled with the rush of adventure, Rob and I helped each other stand up, pull ourselves together and restart the climb. Clawing and scratching our way through the rainforest, we finally reached the top of the lava flow. My first impression was how very windy and cold it was up there for a tropical climate. The pouring rain and dense fog had persisted, obliterating the view of anything more than a foot in front of us. As we inched our way along the top of the volcanic rock, I remembered how Miguel had told us of his many idyllic picnics here with his friends. Not very conducive weather for a picnic on this morning!

Suddenly, a booming roar filled the air, followed by a very powerful rumble that reverberated throughout our bodies. We felt the Earth roll in one undulating wave after another! Although Rob and I had never experienced an eruption before, we instinctively knew this was the volcano showing its might. The ground continued to heave in unnerving spasms. People-size boulders sped past us down the slope. Flying rocks were propelled into nearby trees, the sheer force imbedding the projectiles cleanly into their trunks. We heard and felt nearby avalanches crashing their way down the mountain. We could only see a fraction of the devastation because of the blinding downpour, but our bodies definitely registered the massive rearrangement all around us.

A sharp electric terror shot through every cell of my body. Its message was explicit and commanding, “Leave! Now! You must go now to save your life.”

I shouted to Rob, “We’re out of here! It’s not safe!” To my astonishment, he shook his head from side to side indicating he didn’t want to go.

“I’m staying. This is too cool!” he yelled over the roar of the wind and falling rock. He was nineteen years old. His sense of novelty and exploration was still stronger than his sense of danger and good judgment. I started to argue. I made zero impression on the brash, young daredevil.

Then another explosion rocked our world. I watched in horror as the heat, ash and force of the blast denuded a huge 200-foot tree in one second, stripping off all its leaves and limbs. If this volcano could do that to a tree, it could do the same to us! I knew with certainty I was supposed to leave posthaste.

Jumping off the top of the lava mound right into the rainforest, I bolted without another thought. I threw myself into the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” express mudslide, riding the flowing water and sludge through the dense jungle growth down the side of the still-quaking mountainside. In what seemed like only a few seconds, I arrived at the bottom of the lava flow. The path was certainly faster and easier going down than climbing up! For a brief moment, I lay soaked to the bone, resting in a mud puddle, my ripped clothes covered with brown muck.

Recovering some of my composure, I became aware for the first time of heat radiating from the lava flow smoldering several feet to my left. I crawled in the direction of the flow until I was within a few inches of the mass. To my surprise, the air felt like I had just opened a 400-degree oven. The surface was so hot, I instinctively jumped back a few feet. When we first arrived earlier in the morning, the extremely cold wind and pelting rain had so neutralized the radiant heat from the lava, we didn’t even notice the temperature.

But the heat was not the only aspect of the lava that the elements had concealed from us. I picked up a small twig and approached the foot of the black mound that had gushed from the top of the mountain. Getting as close as I could to the sulphurous heat, I stuck the branch into the rain-drenched ground about two inches in front of the lava. Within a minute, the lava hill reached the stick and buried it!

Suddenly my whole body reeled with the involuntary shudder of recognition. For the last hour Rob and I had been walking on a live, moving lava flow! And Rob was still up there running around on the molten granite.

Another eruption, three times louder than the first one, filled the air. My ears throbbed from the deafening boom. My feet and body registered avalanche after avalanche of crashing rock careening down the side of the volcano. Descending the rough trail, I ran head over heels in a panic, determined to outrun any rockslides coming my way. After a half-hour of the fastest, long distance race I’ve ever run, I arrived at our jeep safely sheltered under a broad-armed tree. Collapsing into the front seat, I fought to catch my breath.

As my pulse and mind quieted, I was overcome with fear for the safety of my friend still walking around on the moving bed of liquid rock in the midst of periodic violent explosions. I began feeling intensely responsible. I’d left a young kid in my charge on top of an erupting volcano! A nightmarish vision bombarded me. I saw his parents, who had entrusted their son with me, watching local authorities dig through the rubble of the volcano searching for the body of the lost American youth. Feeling so guilty and worried I could neither relax nor rest, I decided I must leave the jeep and hike back up the volcano. I had to find Rob.

No sooner had I opened the door of the jeep than an insistent inner impulse told me to stay put and listen inside for further instructions. When I receive such forceful commands from my inner coach, I usually obey. Quieting myself as much as possible under the circumstances, I endeavored to get in touch with my next best intuitive move. I challenged myself, Was it wrong what I did? Was it selfish and self-absorbed to look after my own safety and leave a young kid behind?

After I felt all the intense emotions stirred up from asking these soul-searching questions, I received a very strong message directly from Spirit. My inner knowing spoke to me emphatically, saying:

“You did the right thing. You followed your intuition. If you recall specifically, your inner coach told you that it was dangerous for you to stay, and that you needed to leave immediately. It said nothing about your friend Rob. Nothing at all. You were right to follow your guidance and leave. In fact, had you stayed, you may very well have endangered your friend’s safety! Had you stayed, you would have been out of alignment with your intuition and, therefore, out of harmony and integrity with yourself. This discordant state has a strong tendency to interfere with another person’s ability to tap into and follow his or her own knowing. Had you stayed, you may have hindered Rob’s ability to hear and heed his inner direction. You took the most helpful, loving and appropriate action by following the letter and spirit of your intuition. You following you own internal urging allowed your friend the space to realize he must rely on his own internal wisdom.”

Spirit’s message was a fascinating new lesson in intuitive guidance for me. In general, and for its reassurance in my present predicament, I was grateful for this fresh perspective. I never before realized the precision of intuition. I never before understood the independence of one person’s guidance from the inner counsel of another person in a shared situation.

At the exact moment I realized the import of what I was being told by my inner coach, Rob came streaking down the trail toward the jeep. In the fury of the last violent eruption, Rob received his own internal signal to vamoose. Guided by his own inner compass, he immediately took the Mudslide Express through the jungle to safety. I was extremely relieved—and appreciative to Spirit—that my nightmare vision of Rob’s demise was averted. I gave silent thanks for the eternal lessons I learned from our escapade.

Back on solid ground, Rob and I were anxious to leave the mountain rains and clouds. We hopped into the jeep and sped toward the sunny western coast of Costa Rica. Driving down the mountainside, we both lapsed in and out of thankful silence for being alive. Perhaps the next day, the morning’s events would seem a great adventure, but, right then, the very real danger we’d just survived remained very palpable and raw. Our minds, emotions and physical bodies were still remembering and replaying our narrow escape.

Suddenly, Rob and I experienced simultaneous intuitive hits to pull over and get out of the jeep. Leaning against the vehicle, we turned as one toward the top of the mountain we’d just descended. As if waiting for us to stop our downward trek away from the mountain and turn our gaze upward, the clouds parted to reveal the awesome Mt. Arenal volcano for the very first time since our arrival in Costa Rica so many days earlier. The dense mist lifted. We saw exactly where we had been hiking on the lava flow. We pinpointed where the tree line ended and the lava flow began. We’d been standing only a hundred yards from the open mouth of the volcano when it erupted!

The restaurant owner Miguel had promised we would be with, we would feel and we would know the spirit of the volcano. He said the mountain would definitely erupt when we were there. And he’d promised the volcano would not harm us. The rain and his crude map tricked us into going so close to the volcano that we did, indeed, get to know the volcano, not just view it.

Was it the spirit of the volcano that sent Miguel to us? —and turned the skies into a torrential downpour in order to obscure the treacherous nature of our journey so we wouldn’t be scared off? Rob and I agreed, stranger things have happened. One thing was certain. If we’d been able to see where we were going, we would never have walked as close as we did to the mouth of the cauldron.

Now, viewing the majesty of Mt. Arenal, we were humbled and ever so grateful for the experience of having been able to safely feel the mountain’s power and personality. As we were sending out our thankfulness to and admiration of the volcano, the mountain erupted again with an explosion twice as high as the volcano itself. Two miles of elegant ash plume shot up into the dark blue sky. The event was quite dramatic and very humbling.

We knew the volcano was responding to our love and appreciation for its gift to us that day. Then the clouds closed back in and our mighty friend said good-bye, leaving us forever changed and enriched by its friendship.



Gerald

Mark Greenstein asked:


The Sinai Peninsula includes Israel’s beach resort and spectacular entranceway to Egypt at Taba called Eilat.

Across the Red Sea from Eilat, which is the beach city of Israel, one can see the mansions, palaces and hotels at the Jordanian coastal city and the Port of Aquba.

It is here at Aquba where the King of Jordan vacations, according to the biography of Queen Noor Sharing the border with Israel on the Sinai Peninsula is both Jordan and Egypt.

For travelers heading into Jordan, about two hours inland by car is the ever popular, Petra, Jordan. Petra is where the Indiana Jones movies filmed the ancient ruins of the royal tombs there for the last of the Indiana Jones movies.

Historians claim Petra was also where Moses wandered off after his banishment and separation from his people the Hebrews whom he freed from slavery from the ancient and mysterious nation of Egypt.

Forty years later Moses finally made it to the ”promised land” of Israel but he upset the Almighty when he broke the tablets of the first ten commandments.

God’s punishment for Moses was that he was forbidden to enter into the Holy land. His people went without him as he must have watched them leave.

The rock tombs of Petra were built approximately a thousand years after Moses was banished to this land.

Moses, it is believed was destined to wander off alone while his people would soon become the Israelites.

The view to the other side of the Red Sea from Eilat continues past the buildings and past the Jordanian coastal city up to and beyond to even the Red Mountains of Jordan.

The name of these mountains comes from the fact that when sun light hits the Jordanian mountain range it gives them a reddish brown hue.

Of course at night it is too dark to see the barren, distant Red Mountains of Jordan from Eilat. However, one can see the far away flickering lights coming from the thousands of residences and homes and even from the traffic in Jordan.

From a distance this view resembles millions of tiny, bright, white and yellow neon twinkling lights that almost appear to be connected.

If you can imagine what an aerial view at Douglaston, New York City would look like, where all the major highways connect at night during rush hour you could almost share this vision.

In early December there is no winter in Eilat. Winter doen’s exist in what once was all desert before it became this beautiful city on the Gulf.

There are many vessels on the Red Sea including one very large yacht as big, perhaps as the biggest vessel in the Jordanian Navy; other ships, sail boats; even little sail boards and even a few parasailing surfers are gliding along the vast blue sea.

There are also oil refineries, oil tankers, navy ships of Israeli, Jordanian and Egyptian nationalities cruising not too close to one another while protecting their respective spaces on the Gulf.

There are several huge freighters and large cargo ships that are anchored to exchange goods at the Port of Eilat by unloading and then reloading to leave with a full cargo.

The vessels are then destined, possibly for the Far East or Africa. Despite the Arab League’s boycott and insistence that other nations also boycott Israeli goods since they still do not recognize Israel as a legitimate nation.

Many countries still elect to sell their exports to Israel and accept imports since there is much prosperity in the Holy Land.

One of the freighters has a cargo of hundreds of Japanese compact cars that are being unloaded and then driven to where thousands of other cars are already parked.

These cars seem like they are part of a huge car dealership; or a car factory with all these cars on display.

The Israelis love compact cars, the smaller the better for the few parking spots around in the cities, if that. They also like driving in cars with high fuel efficiency.

They don’t buy many American cars in Israel. The Israeli’s buy mostly Nissans, Mitsibishis, Toyotas, Hondas, Mazdas, Hyundais and Kias.

Eilat is located on the southern most tip of Israel on the Sinai Peninsula that borders Jordan and Egypt at the Coast of Eilat which is all part of the Gulf of Aquba (or Aquaba).

Aquaba is an Arabic name for the gulf which includes Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel at Eilat, and Egypt.

The Coast at Eilat is part of the Aquba Gulf and is considered the gateway to Africa and the Asian Rim for importing and exporting goods from the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea.

The way into Taba, Egypt at the Sinai Peninsula is at Eilat where the Israeli border exists with Egypt.

Ben Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister back in 1949, knew that one day Eilat on the Red Sea would be developed and become an oasis in the desert.

Although he was a visionary, Ben Gurion could not have possibly envisioned Eilat becoming what it is now, the ‘pearl’ of Israel with its’ summer like climate even in winter.

Eilat may be one of the ten most beautiful places on this earth. With immaculately plush and green landscapes with tropical trees many bearing fruit of all types, bushes and plants with many different varieties of flora, Eilat on the Red Sea has indeed been turned into an oasis.

This is all proof of Israel’s irrigation success of being able to recycle water for reuse even in the desert.

Along the beaches the Israeli residents and tourists take their beach chairs on to these beaches and then stretch out with their feet in the Sea.

Many Israelis come here almost every Friday and Saturday to celebrate the Sabbath, when Israelis have off from work since the Israeli work week begins Sunday for them having Fridays and Saturdays off from work.

The biggest attraction for many tourists is the world renowned snorkeling and scuba diving; which may have the best shallow water coral reef experience anywhere.

It is here in the Sinai where the rare Black Corral can be found. Black Coral is sold as a commodity on the black market and is as valuable as gold. Black Coral is found in jewelry and has many medicinal uses and sold as art for it’s beauty.

The Sinai is indeed a perfect place to visit especially if you are an ambitious traveler.



Gilbert

Andrew Regan asked:


2008 is looking to be one of the most exciting years for entertainment in recent memory, with the big and small screen simply spoiling consumers for choice; providing everything from comedy, drama, lifestyle and game shows to satisfy any consumers’ tastes. In addition, on demand TV, mobile TV and TV over the Internet give consumers even more choice for how and when to enjoy their entertainment.

With the Oscars just around the corner, this year has seen both heavily-nominated ‘No Country For Old Men’ and ‘There Will Be Blood’ being released in the cinemas on this side of the pond, with ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ hot on their heels. This year’s big summer blockbusters are likely to include ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’, ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Sex and the City: The Movie’. Fans of the fantasy genre can look forward to new ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ and Harry Potter features and November sees the release of ‘Quantum of Solace’, the latest James Bond instalment.

The British film industry looks to offer a varied choice of films this year, with one of the most anticipated being a biopic of celebrated Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, ‘The Edge of Love’, starring Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys and Keira Knightley, with a script written by Sharman Macdonald, Knightley’s mother.

The big-screen adaptation of Toby Young’s novel ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’, about Young’s life as a British journalist trying to make it as a contributing writer for Vanity Fair magazine in New York, is scheduled for an early October release. Simon Pegg has been cast as the lead with a support cast consisting of Megan Fox, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges and Gillian Anderson.

On the small screen, time travel seems to be as popular a topic as ever, with ‘Life on Mars’ spin-off ‘Ashes to Ashes’ premiering in February, starring Philip Glenister, Keeley Dawes, Gene Hunt and Alex Drake. In keeping with the time-travel trend is ‘Lost in Austen’, in which Amanda Price, a present-day Bridget Jones type living in London one day unexpectedly travels 200 years back in time and into the world of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice novel. Realising she’s swapped places with Elizabeth Bennet she must use her vast knowledge of the novel to avoid changing literary history.

The big documentaries this year seem intent on triggering viewers’ shudder reflexes. David Attenborough is delivering his final chapter of ‘Life on Earth’, this time focusing on reptiles. Celebrity chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver are looking to persuade consumers to switch to free-range poultry in response to the treatment of battery-cage chicken and our demand for cheap food with ‘Hugh’s Chicken Run’ and ‘Jamie’s Fowl Dinners’ respectively. Addressing more intellectual topics are Stephen Hawking’s ‘Master of the Universe’, a major series about physics and cosmology, and Nick Broomfield’s ‘Battle of Haditha’, concerning the encounter in which US Marines killed 24 Iraqi civilians.

Lifestyle features are as popular as ever this year, with one of the most hotly anticipated shows being ‘Coleen’s Real Women’. Hosted by Wayne Rooney’s fiancée Coleen McLoughlin, it sees her scouring the country for other girls next door in order to pitch them to high-powered advertising executives and big-brand marketing directors.

All in all it makes for a very exciting 2008, meaning those looking for entertainment on tv or at the cinema will find any tastes catered for.



Kathryn

Ian Wilkie asked:


A trip to the Walt Disney World is complete only by visiting the Disney-MGM Studios and The Sorcerer’s Hat. When MGM studios inaugurated this section of the park in 1989, it was created to give a whole new side of Hollywood boulevard. With a touch of art deco from the minute you walk in, you can take rides that transport you the yesteryears or maybe catch a glimpse of the behind the scenes and how movies are made.

As you walk in, you see Sorcerer’s hat that stands tall, a tribute to the Disney movie Fantasia, apart from this you can’t miss the Earfell water tower that looks like a Mickey mouse, all of which leaving you overwhelmed. Every aspect of this theme park will make you smile and reminisce those days when you enjoyed all those animated movies with your family. A lovely place to bond with your children and take a sneak peek into things you dint know existed.

If you have planned your trip well, and in your Affordable Walt Disney World Resort Vacation give you adequate time in all the parks, you can take the Backlot tour. Be warned that it could take up to an hour and the queue at times is very long and frustrating, but if you are a movie buff, you should ride this.

Initially you will see videos showing how movies are made, and if you are lucky, you could participate in one of the scene recreations. Next you hop on a train that weaves through tunnels and passages each with its share of adventures. The best is the Catastrophe canyon which will leave you dazzled and baffled and a bit wet. Filled with special effects and water splashing from here and there, this ride is one that everyone will enjoy.

Always been curious to see what goes on behind making an animation movie, visit the Magic of Disney animation or take a chance at Who wants to be a millionaire setting. You can also watch a variety of entertainment shows such as Indiana Jones or Beauty and the beast in the amphitheaters. Or maybe catch the Playhouse Disney, which is played live on the stage everyday for about 20-30minutes. To wet your appetite you can indulge in the Indiana Jones ice cream parlor or have fresh popcorn anywhere in the Sorcerer’s hat venue. For more interesting food, check out the Catalina’s Eddie in Sunset Boulevard section where you get everything from apple pie to hot cup of coffee at reasonable prices. But if you don’t want to miss any bit of the show, pick up the food and get to the venue.

At Disney World, they have thought of everything. If you are restricted to a wheelchair, all rides and adventures are fitted with ramps and you can enjoy them with others. For those who have hearing problems, there are interpreters who can use sign language, but make sure to book them at least a week or so in advance.



Mathew

Paul Fitzgerald asked:


Auburn was an American car manufacturer which produced cars from 1900 to 1936. Like so many other early automobile manufacturers, Auburn automobiles were created by makers of horse-drawn carriages Frank and Morris Eckhart of Eckhart Carriage Co. The first car models were experiments as they were hand-built cars and distributing them only in the Auburn area.

Over time, Auburn cars then came to be known for their advanced engineering and striking appearance. The stylings of this car were primarily designed by notable automobile designers Gordon Buehrig and Alan Mealy. These imaginative designers were hired by Erret Loban Cord when he ran the company from 1924 to 1937. The advance engine was a flat-mounted single-cylinder placed in the center of the car and produced 10 hp(7.5 kW). An A.2- speed planetary transmission was also fitted to complement the makings of the Boattail Speedster.

Because of material shortages during the World War I, plus the financial fall-out in the depression era market, manufacturing over at Auburn became to costly and the plant eventually had to be closed down. Today, however, their art deco headquarters in Auburn has become an automobile museum and was made a National Historic Landmark in 2005.

But even with the untimely demise of the automobile company, their legacy of creating classic cars have been immortalized by the imprint their products left in American culture. In movies and television alone, Fred Astaire can be seen driving a Cord 810 Convertible in the 1937 musical comedy film “A Damsel in Distress.” And in the 1974 film “The Great Gatsby,” Bruce Dern was featured cruising in a 1927 Auburn 8-88.

The 1936 Auburn Speedster also appeared in many Remington Steele episodes as the designated company car. Remington Steele, I might add, was the television series that starred Pierce Brosnan. The role ultimately got him compared to Roger Moore, which then led to him being considered and then eventually grabbing the coveted role of suave super spy, Agent 007 himself, James Bond.

In addition to this, the 1984 Indiana Jones installment “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” the Speedster was also featured in the opening scene as the car being driven by the character Short Round.

It is really unfortunate that such revered cars from the United States were untimely killed by the Great Depression, especially when the plug was pulled at the height of these cars’ automotive lives. Nevertheless, there is comfort in the knowledge that the remnants of their greatness can still be felt and relived in no less than the magical city of Las Vegas. Here, the glory days of the Speedster are again rejuvinated in the showrooms (and then on the road) of classic car rentals.

Rental car dealers in Las Vegas offer you a wide array of rides from the classic to the exotic to the luxury types. And here in Vegas, you are sure to find an Auburn Speedster waiting to take you for that roaring twenties spin. It is also a treat to know that these car rental companies likewise offer a lot of services in their easy-to-access websites. Car information on models, rental prices, policies and reservations are acquirable in this websites. VIP offers such as a personal driver, 24-hour emergency access, and pick up services are attainable upon request.

So for whatever reason it may be, take a ride on classic rental. If you are a fan of Remington Steele and loved Pierce Brosnan driving this car, you’re sure to enjoy turning the wheels on this baby. Or even if you’re just simply a lover of classic cars, there’s no reason for you to venture out to Vegas hop in on one of these great American classics.



Randy

Alexandre Frings asked:


Get ready for action once again as Harrison Ford gets into the role of Indiana Jones in the latest Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of Crystal Skull movie, which is as big a hit and popular as the previous movies of Indiana Jones series.

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Eddie

Don Stevens asked:


Going nuts everytime a check engine light goes on, is nothing new. Everyone’s busy and cannot possibly have enough time to go check your car or truck whenever this happens, so you take it with good will to your “loyal” mechanic and he checks it over and a famous one liner that you’ve heard before utters his lips, you know, something like, “Good thing you brought it over, I don’t think it would have lasted another mile.” Or something like that.

Whenever the check engine light goes on, don’t panic. I’ve known several people who’ve had this problem over and over again. Usually it’s a computer problem, or something so simple as needing another gas cap that makes people go into a tizzy. Sometimes the check engine light goes on because something needs attention that shouldn’t wait too.

I know there’s a lot of mechanics out there who are trustworthy, and reliable, and maybe you are perfectly happy when them. And maybe they come running down your driveway everytime the check engine light does come on, but most of the time, the engine has nothing to do with the that light gives you that wallet busting warning.

When a check engine light comes on, the on board usually stores a code that will lead to direction of the malfunction. Consider it a map with treasure being your malfunction. It doesn’t necessarily tell you exactly what is wrong but gives you a code that you (or a technician) can decipher and get to what’s aching your baby. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well before you Indiana Jones wannabes light your torch and go into dark caverns under your hood, get all your facts straight. Just like Dr. Jones did with his archeological facts, you’ll have to do a little research yourself. Sounds scary? Don’t worry, it’s not. Let’s say the code “p0171, oxygen sensor indicates lean” shows up, causing your check engine light to glow. It doesn’t mean the oxygen sensor is bad, it just means that the oxygen sensor is stuck lean. Now there could be several reasons for this; the engine could be running lean because of a number of problems, or the oxygen sensor is lazy and may actually need to be replaced. However, a bad oxygen sensor should set a oxygen sensor code as well.

Replacing a oxygen sensor sounds less threatening than replacing your transmission, doesn’t it? It’s amazing how many auto mechanics will tell you what’s wrong when a check engine light goes on. It’s become a vital commodity to mechanics, just like a pop up ad on your computer, but they don’t have to pay for this ad.

And research is really not so bad. It’s not like homework, you don’t have to do it, however, if you don’t, and ignore it, you’ll regret it. So how can distinguish what your car needs, and what kind of project it will entail if you can’t trust your mechanic? Well, you can take it to a mechanic when the check engine light goes on, but most mechanics charge jup to hundreds of dollars just to inspect the problem, and you’ll have to add this to fix what that the mechanic has dreamed up, after all, who’s he afraid of, it’s not like you’ve done your research, right? Here is a great way to get your research done before going to the mechanic, so you know what you are in for.

Almost all car repair questions can now be answered online, right at your fingertips. Many websites now offer advice for the average car owner to troubleshoot car problems, so the days of going to one mechanic after another to diagnosis your car problems are over. Sites such as Automtoive Experts Online are dedicated to troubleshoot car problems, such as check engine lights for Honda Accord or Toyota check engine light. This site is designated for safe and reliable auto advice that’s cheap and fast. No one has the time to figure out common car problems on their own, and mechanics can charge up to hundreds of dollars just to tell you what’s wrong. The site is great for car owners who do work themselves, and a life savor for newbies as well.

The site is free to register and join, all questions can be seen for free and registered users bid on answers written by real certified experts. Common questions relating to check engine light for Honda Accord, or Toyota check engine light are often answered within hours. It also guarantees your satisfaction by refunding your deposit 100% if you are not satisfied. It is easy to use and the database of car repair questions is growing.

So before you go out and venture the wild terrain of under your hood, do a little research and go prepared. If you are not mechanically inclined, you owe it to yourself to still do the research so you can go your mechanic prepared, and proud, and say, “My emmisions increased 1.5 times, emitting triple the hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, fix that, and nothing else.” Your mechanic will never look at you the same ever again.



Chad

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com) asked:


All toy companies are eager to grow sales in a stagnant $22 billion market, they want to know which toys are “hot” for the year. Invariably, the toy trends for the year are strongly influenced by movies being released that year. This year, there are some awesome icons vying for our attention - Indiana Jones, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and Batman. Aside from these superheroes, the hot toy trends for 2008 also include dinosaurs, robots, musical toys and of course, web connected toys!

Aside from these, “Electronics and the Internet. That’s what kids are obsessed about today,” said Jim Silver, editor and co-publisher of Toy Wishes magazine. “They have an iPod, they are on Facebook and some are e-mailing by age five.”

1. Web Connected Toys

IToysWe all know and love Webkinz, the pioneer of the “virtual toy” revolution. Webkinz is still doing very well and now has been joined by several other toy manufacturers. Russ’s Shining Stars, TY Girlz, Barbie and now even TY’s Beanie Babies. Aside from dolls and plush toys, there’s a brand new preschool game which nicely incorporates play and technology. It’s called Me2 from IToys. Also worth noting is Clickables, a wonderful line of toys from Technosource. Clickables integrates the virtual world of Disney Fairies with toys for girls. There are a lot of other web connected toys and dolls. My collegue, the Doll Collecting guide, has a great article up on the virtual doll trend.

2. Dinosaur Toys

Dinosaurs have been around for a while now, (remember the very recent Pleo?), but they certainly made their presence felt at the Toy Fair! Here is one dinosaur which was hard to miss - Kota the Triceratops from Playskool. This friendly creature is pretty tall at approximately 40 feet and is equipped with sensors, which when activated, make him move his head, tail and horns. Kids will enjoy sitting on this playful (and very pricey) creature. Another dino in the spotlight comes to use from Mattel. D-Rex, a remote controlled dinosaur with a lot of different sounds and realistic motions aims to fascinate kids this year.

3. Indiana Jones Toys

HasbroIndiana Jones is really something to look forward to this year. The movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is slated to be one of the hot movies of 2008. It’s no wonder then, that Lego, Hasbro and the rest have jumped onto Indy’s bandwagon! The plot of the movie isn’t yet revealed fully. Still, Lego had some wonderful sets based on Indiana Jones. The Indiana Jones LEGO sets include Indiana Jones Temple Escape, Indiana Jones Race for the Stolen Treasure, Indiana Jones and the Lost Tomb and Indiana Jones Motorcycle Chase. Some of Hasbro’s Indiana Jones offerings include Mr Potato Head: Taters of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones Sound FX Whip and of course Indiana Jones action figures.

4. Science and Nature Related Toys

Jakks PacificI noticed a large variety of Science Kits and nature themed toys at this year’s Toy Fair. Elmers (the glue company) had some really cool science kits represented by Bill Nye, the science guy. Scientific Explorer had a lot of fun kits to offer where kids can experiment with fascinating stuff like bubbles, perfumes, volcanoes and more. The biggie in the science category is none other than EyeClops from Jakks Pacific, which has updated versions(read night vision and higher magnification) available. Also, Uncle Milton of the Ant Farm fame had some cool Indiana Jones based products to show.

5. Batman - The Dark Knight Toys

MattelThe new Batman movie, The Dark Knight is slated to be released later this year. Mattel has a host of Batman related toys and action figures up their sleeve. The Stealth Batmobile and the Wayne Tech Tri Fire Blaster are must haves. Apart from those two, there are a lot of pretend play options and Batman action figures from Mattel. Lego also has some great Batman themed construction sets for release this year.

6. Speed Racer Toys

MattelSpeed Racer is another big movie franchise on which Mattel has a great lineup of toys. I know that Hot Wheels has a Morph Mach 6 vehicle and an interactive helmet to offer as well as the Speed Racer Sky Jump Track Set among other toy vehicles. The movie should spark off a craze for racing and toy cars which is going to be huge. Lego also had some great Speed Racer kits on display at Toy Fair. Personally, I think this is THE franchise to watch out for.

7. Animated Toys/Robots

Fisher-PriceOk, so by now everyone must have heard of Elmo Live, right? Well, the animated toy trend seems to be very prevalent this year with Elmo Live, Hasbro’s Biscuit, Playskool’s Kota the Triceratops, Tomy’s ISobot and more. While I’m on the topic, let me mention that I just previewed an adorable duckling from Hasbro’s Furreal Friends line - it’s too cute for words. Just like me, it seems like everyone enjoys seeing animated animals nowadays!

8. Iron Man Toys

HasbroHasbro has a fantastic line of action figures based on the Iron Man. This is another movie franchise for this year which is going to be popular with Marvel fans.

9. Green Toys

It’s no wonder that everyone is focusing on healthy and safe play this year. The “green” theme is predominant with many toy firms promoting their eco-friendly products. One toy manufacturer which I really liked was Plan toys from Indonesia which had a wonderful lineup of natural wooden toys. There were some toys made out of recycled milk bottles from a company called Green Toys. They had tea sets, gardening sets and beach sand sets on display which looked very appealing. I also noticed the Kapla line of wooden construction planks which falls into the “green” category as well. 12. Classic Toys - Lots of Anniversaries!

10. The Incredible Hulk Toys

HasbroThe Hulk was at a lot of places at Toy Fair 2008. I specially loved the Kid Designs line of Hulk laptops and learning toys. Hasbro has a fantastic lineup of Hulk toys including the much awaited Hulk Smash Hands, a plush animated Hulk toy, conventional Hulk action figures, a Hulk power glow electronic mask, a Hulk dart blaster and much more. Looks like “green” is popular in more ways than one!

11. Musical Toys

KID Designs For the last couple of years, toys based on musical instruments have really grown in popularity. Remember Piano Wizard, Piano Made Easy, I Can Play Guitar, Guitar Hero and the other toys on similar lines? This, along with musical toys based on celebrities like Hannah Montana and hit TV shows like American Idol practically dominated the musical toy scene. This year, the trend continues with some more Hannah Montana toys, new DVD games based on American Idol (KIDDesigns has an awesome American Idol DVD game) and much more. Stay tuned. (pun not intended)

12. Keyboard for toddlers, Wallcrawler Spiderman

The portable DVD player is made to withstand a kid’s abuse. It features a 3.2-inch color TFT screen, rechargeable batteries with a two-hour lifespan, an anti-skip buffer, grip handles and a stand for hands-free viewing. The player, which plays DVDs and CDs, comes with a battery charger and wall power unit, a video output jack, and a headphone jack.

13. Wall Crawler Spider-Man

“Wall Crawler Spider-Man” is a standout innovation from Hasbro. The remote-controlled Spider-Man toy, which incorporates vacuum-pump technology, actually crawls ups and down walls.

Last, but not the least, classic toys are very much in the forefront. This year, many classics were celebrating their anniversaries. Hasbro’s My Little Pony celebrated their 25th anniversary with a lovely birthday party at the Hasbro showroom, complete with a cake cutting! Cabbage Patch Kids celebrates it’s 25th anniversary as well. The LEGO brick celebrates its 50th anniversary with a commemorative gold brick. Other brands celebrating this year include Scholastic’s Clifford, the big red dog, the Toy Company’s Wham-O and Mary Meyer (who is turning 75 this year). We’ll wind up with congratulating Hasbro’s Mr Potato Head who is turning 80 this year. Way to go!



Vernon

Nickolove Lovemore asked:


The Indiana Jones films are not only great adventure films. You can learn much about goal achievement from watching these films too. Steven Spielberg said:

“I **** that people think it’s wrong to say you’re inspired by Jaws or by Raiders of The Lost Ark. You’re allowed to be.”

One could add Indiana Jones to that list. Admittedly, Spielberg is biased. Still, here are three lessons in goal achievement inspired by Indiana Jones.

1. Indiana follows his passion

Those who have achieved great success all believe vehemently in the importance of following your passion and doing what you love. It is only by doing this that you will continue to have the motivation to persevere in spite of enormous odds.

Indiana certainly epitomises this. He is passionate about archaeology and this is what drives him. And, while it may just be a movie, he battles enormous odds to attain his goals.

It is only by following your passion that you will have the energy and drive to keep going even though the journey towards your goal may be an arduous one and at times you may become weak - physically, mentally and emotionally.

“The key that unlocks energy is desire. It’s also the key to a long and interesting life. If we expect to create any drive, any real force within ourselves, we have to get excited.”

Earl Nightingale

2. Indiana confronts his fears

One of the endearing qualities about Indiana is that he is very human. He too has his fears, for instance, he hates snakes. Yet, he does not let his fears stand in the way of achieving his goals.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”

Ambrose Redmoon

When you set yourself challenging goals, at some point you will come up against something that you fear. The trouble is what you fear may not be tangible. It may be a limiting or negative belief such as the fear of failure or the fear of success.

However, such limiting or negative beliefs can stop you dead in your tracks if you do not develop techniques and strategies to clear yourself of them. The good thing is that the more you practice these clearing techniques the easier it will become to overcome your fears.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

3. Indiana has very clear values

Indiana’s values make it easy for him for him to make decisions and take action. Great goal achievers are great decision-makers and they take action. Too often people do not achieve the level of success they desire because they spend too much time deciding what to do and too little time actually doing anything.

True, some things require careful deliberation. However, in many cases, especially when it comes to the day-to-day activities that will help you to make progress towards your goal, you have to learn how to quickly weigh up a situation and make the best decision there and then on how to move forwards. There can be no progress without decision-making.

Having clear values and clearly defined goals will go a long way in helping you to make those timely decisions. It’s almost like making a decision in advance. If something is not in harmony with your values then you can simply reject that particular idea.

Imagine having an army at your disposal that is ready and waiting to help you manifest your goals. The thing is the army can only act once you make a decision. When you make a decision the army is galvanised into action. When you don’t make a decision the army is immobile and if you are indecisive then your private army moves in a chaotic manner accomplishing little or nothing. So you have to keep you army moving in an efficient and cohesive manner by continuing to make decisions.

“Your only purpose in life is to make choices. Once the choice is made, the whole universe moves to bring into fruition that which you chose.”



Pamela

Mjohn asked:


 

Since leaving the cinema in 2005 after seeing ‘Batman Begins’ for the first time, I have waited oh-so-patiently for Christopher Nolan to make the next Batman movie. Now, with just a couple of days before I take my seat in the local cinema, I am beginning to be more excited then I have been since childhood.

 

 

A lot of press coverage has been focused on Heath Ledger. A great young actor with a seemingly bright future has certainly been a great loss to cinema, but we should also celebrate the incredible work he acheived in his short career. With his portrayal of The Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’, there has been talk of a posthumous Oscar nomination for the actor. From the trailers I have seen, I believe this willl be an almost certainty.

 

 

As excited as I am about being fully immersed in Ledger’s portrayal, I am eager to witness Christian Bale’s reprisal as Batman himself. I believe that every movie I have seen Bale appear he has put in a memorable performance, and in ‘Batman Begins’ the character become much more human than in the calamitous representations given by messers Clooney and Kilmer. I am even coming to the opinion that Bale exceed the maniacal quality of Michael Keaton in Tim Burton’s original movies - but that is a discussion for another day!

 

 

But I digress, the darkness and sheer brilliance of ‘Batman Begins’ gave me an insatiable appetite for Nolan to make more and more Batman movies, and the last three years have dragged until now.

 

 

In just a few days I will either be plunged into another era of waiting patiently to see the next film, or be castigating myself for expecting too much.

 

 

From the trailers I’ve seen and the reviews I have read, I am confident it will be the former.

 



Jacob