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Enhanced Driver’s Licence: Impact on Canada & U.s. Border Crossings

Canada and the United States have long been the worldâ??s largest trading partners with over one billion dollars of commerce between the two countries on any given day. Both have long prided themselves on sharing the worldâ??s â??longest undefended borderâ?, and rightfully so. Things have gotten tighter lately.

With the state of the world today and certain issues and insecurities hitting closer to home, making the quick trip across isnâ??t quite as simple as it used to be. It now requires some planning, as most people donâ??t like to carry their passport around everywhere they go, to ensure that you have what they need at the border checkpoint.

What began as the statement, â??Everyone needs a passport to enterâ?, from the United States in the aftermath of 9/11 has slowly changed into, â??OK, this is a big project. We need security, but the border areas of both countries depend on the flow of people and goods. How can we accomplish this and still allow this relationship to flourish as before?â?

As of Jan 31, 2008 the requirements (non-commercial) for entry over land into the United States of America for citizen of Canada and the U.S. are:

â?¢ A valid passport; or

â?¢ A NEXUS card; or

â?¢ An Enhanced Driverâ??s Licence (EDL); or

â?¢ A Certificate of Indian Status (CIS); or

â?¢ Government issued photo ID, such as driverâ??s licence, PLUS a birth certificate or citizenship card; or

â?¢ For persons under 18, a birth certificate only

Eventually the photo ID plus birth certificate option will be dropped from this list as the Enhanced Driverâ??s Licence takes hold. The EDL program is currently only available in British Columbia, Canada and initial results are being tested on a group of 500 BC born Canadian citizens. What we are probably seeing with the EDL is the beginning of an â??all-in-oneâ? card that may eventually go on to become global and may include all kinds of information such as banking, health, insurance, in addition to licence and ID.

But first things first. What the government of both the United States and Canada have tried to do with the creation of the EDL program is to satisfy their need to have a secure form of ID that is practical to obtain, useful to the owner and that will allow for spontaneous travel. This last point is really the key. Day trips both ways are such a huge part of trade between these two partners.

Going from Windsor to Detroit for the casinos, major league sports, and big time entertainment; Niagara Falls to Niagara Falls, NY for the outlet stores; Vancouver to Washington state for coastal drives and camping; St. Stephen, NB to Calais, ME for Wal-Mart. There are many locals who will not go through the trouble of obtaining a passport just so they can do the above. But what about an Enhanced Driverâ??s Licence? Sure. Everyone needs a licence anyways and they always have it with them.

For those living near the border, the EDL is coming. Where itâ??s going from here is anyoneâ??s guess, but it will be interesting to watch how this new form of ID continues to evolve.

Monte Carlo Property Glitters For 2008

Monte Carlo has appealed to Europe’s wealthy – and since the advent of jet travel from further afield since the 1880′s, but recently British money in particular has been finding its way to Monte Carlo at record levels.

Signs of the British in Monte Carlo are everywhere to be seen. Each apartment building has a good number of British owners, and the harbour is full of yachts flying the English ensign – some estimates put the figure as high as fifty per cent.

Previously a relatively small group of Monaco residents, the number of British people living in Monte Carlo has doubled in the last two years since 2005, with some 3000 now claiming residency.

Attaining residency in Monte Carlo, the most popular part of Monaco,necessarily means renting or buying an apartment. The lowest priced property on the market at the moment is a 30m2 studio with a 7m2 balcony in the Fontvieille district at 720,000 Euros. With closing costs this rises to over 800,000 Euros. As well as buying a property, to gain residency in Monaco a bank account needs to be opened in the Principality, with account opening deposits varying between 100,000 and 500,000 Euros.

Mid range is a 210m2 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment in Monte Carlo, close to Casino Square, at 4,200,000 Euros. And at the top end is a three floor penthouse apartment in the well known Eden Star development at 25,000,000 Euros, equivalent to around 16 million Sterling.

At the opening of Monaco’s new consulate in London recently, Prince Albert of Monaco acknowledged the important contribution British people are making to his country, and said he would like to see more in the Principality. Prince Albert is particularly keen to see British entrepreneurs move to Monaco, but one travel guide for the country doesn’t think Prince Albert has fully thought through his ideal scenario.

‘Prince Albert said recently that he welcomes British entrepreneurs moving to Monaco, but that he wouldn’t be distributing leaflets on London’s streets to get more to do so. But he is missing the point. The costs involved in moving to Monaco are prohibitively high, even compared to London standards, and if he is serious about British talent moving to Monaco while we don’t expect Monaco to remove the financial barriers he could move to lower the bar a bit at least.’

A well respected US magazine recently claimed Monaco has the most overpriced real estate in the world, claiming the rental returns as part of their figures meant the tax haven’s property costs were unduly high.

In response a Monaco internet site says the American magazine are wrong, and have forgotten why Monaco’s property prices are high in the first place.

‘The error they made was comparing Monaco with places like Rome, Warsaw, Los Angeles and Vancouver, and they also overestimated closing costs. While admittedly high in Monaco at around 11 per cent, it’s not common to be 20 per cent that their research was based on.’

The comparison of 50 financial centres assumed the property was not a main residence and looked at rental returns – another error when calculating Monaco’s property prices according to the Monaco internet guide.

‘By law in Monaco rentals are a minimum of one year, so it’s obvious that rental returns are going to be less than places where weekly and six monthly rentals are possible. To gain residency in Monaco via renting the residency office needs evidence of a twelve month contract, so Monaco is in a unique position when compared to other leading financial centres.’

‘There is a shortage of available property in Monaco and high demand that shows no sign of slowing down – given all these factors we just think the US magazine’s analysis of the Monaco real estate scene has been done without taking local factors into consideration.’

Given the love affair Britain’s elite seems to have with Monte Carlo, the real estate and finance sectors are probably in for a reasonable time in the years to come, with or without a world recession.

Cheap Cruise Tips: Repositioning Cruises

One of the best ways to enjoy a cheap cruise is on a repositioning route. A repositioning cruise takes place in either the spring or the fall, when the cruise lines need to move some of their ships from their winter routes in such areas as the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe to their summer routes, including those in Alaska.

Rather than sailing the cruise ships empty between destinations, the major cruise lines carry passengers on these repositioning voyages at what often amounts to a huge savings over regular in-season cruise pricing.

Yet though the prices are much lower, the ship facilities and activities are usually operating at full functionality. You’ll have plenty to see and do on a repositioning cruise, from live shows and other entertainment to sports, arts, crafts, and tons of other activities, and you can do it all at a truly fantastic price.

Another advantage of repositioning cruises is that you can travel to places not frequently visited on the in-season cruise routes, most notably the Panama Canal. Other ships sail the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific routes, between ports in Europe and the Caribbean and between ports in Australia and New Zealand to Hawaii and Alaska.

Repositioning cruises can be both long and short, ranging from three and four cay cruises between Vancouver and California to several week Trans-Atlantic and Trans Pacific cruises.

On the longer cruises that include ocean crossings, there are few port stops, so passengers have plenty of time to take full advantage of the many activities, shows, and other forms of entertainment aboard the cruise ships.

Of course, it is easy to spend a lot of money in the ship’s bars and casino during a long cruise, so you might want to keep track of your tab along the way to avoid any nasty surprises when you get your final bill.

One other factor to weigh when considering a repositioning cruise is the cost of the airfare. Since repositioning cruises by definition start and finish in different ports, you will most likely need to purchase a split fare ticket, which can often add a bit to the overall cost of your vacation.

But if the airfare is reasonably priced, a repositioning cruise can be a great way to cruise to new places while having the time to thoroughly enjoy the facilities and amenities of a modern cruise ship – all at a great bargain. It is hard to beat a deal like that.

Britney Spears Brings Her ‘circus’ to Town

To mark her 27th birthday, Britney Spears announced her 2009 tour, set to be her return to music. The 35-date North American & United Kingdom tour, aptly entitled, “The Circus Starring Britney Spears” will be the first tour for Spears in over four years.

With the exception of a few random performances and a short-lived attempt at a “comeback” in 2007, the singer has been relatively quiet when it comes to her career. But over the past few years, Spearsâ?? personal life has been the focus of the media and publicâ??s attention. With a marriage, divorce, birth of two children, rehab, custody battles and countless breakdowns and bizarre moments, people had nearly given up on the pop icon and continually referred to her story as a tragedy. Thankfully, with the help of her father, she got her feet back on the ground and headed back to the studio to write and record her latest album.

“Circus” is Spearsâ?? sixth studio album, but certainly the most highly-anticipated of her career to date. Her kick off single “Womanizer” quickly became her first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 since her debut “â?¦Baby One More Time” in 1998, and gained the status of largest opening-week downloads, with 286,000, according to Neilsen SoundScan.

With the whole world rooting for her, Spears will kick-off her “circus” with opening act The Pussycat Dolls in her home-state of Louisiana on March 3, 2009. With a string of Canadian dates intertwined and a 7-date stretch at the O2 Dome in London, UK, The Circus Starring Britney Spears is set to be a record-breaking revival tour!

Discount Cruises to Alaska

If you’ve been pining to visit North America’s last great frontier but fear such an ambitious trip is just out of your price range, take heart, get out your parka and read on about some fantastic discount cruises to Alaska!

The Basics

Nearly all available Alaskan cruises last seven days and depart mostly from Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia and head north, skirting along the Canadian west coast, making several stops at Alaskan port towns, including Juneau, Skagway and Seward along the way.

Accommodations

Accommodations aboard most seven-day Alaskan cruises range from as low as $600 and as high as $3000. The least expensive cabins will invariably be located lower on the ship and closer to the center; therefore they usually lack windows and the more spacious floor plans of higher end rooms. Upgraded rooms and suites with large windows and even balconies can be well worth the extra cost, however, offering guests a one-of-a-kind view of the pristine Alaskan coastline and wildlife from the privacy and comfort of their own cabin.

Activities on Board

Though Alaskan cruise ships venture into cooler territory, they offer the same lavish amenities of their tropical sea faring counterparts, plus some unique treats of their own. You’ll find no end of things to do on your voyage, from playing the tables at the Las Vegas style casino, mingling at the deck parties, scheduled daily, or catching a full scale musical. For those passengers searching for true relaxation, consider getting a facial or massage at the full service spa or maybe indulging in the unique thalassotherapy, a technique that uses sea water to rejuvenate the skin.

Families will find that Alaskan cruises are well suited to their needs as well. All ships offer daycare and babysitting services and many feature detailed programs tailored specifically for kids. When enrolled in these programs, which are often similar to camp, kids are broken into age-specific groups and usually get their very own section of the ship to play in safety and without mom and dad getting in the way.

Wildlife Viewing

One of the most unique and alluring advantages of an Alaskan cruise is its proximity to virgin arctic forests and the teeming wildlife that naturally resides there. It’s not uncommon to spot grizzly bears, bald eagles, moose or majestic breaching humpback whales from the deck. When the animals don’t catch your eye, however, the awe-inspiring and unspoiled landscape will. You’ll marvel at dense coniferous rainforests, glaciers slipping slowly into the sea and maybe a stray remnant ice berg or two from the luxurious, safe and relaxed atmosphere of your ship.

Tour the Glaciers

Alaskan cruises that make a stop in Juneau offer the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tour a glacier both from the air and on foot. These excursions feature a guided helicopter ride through canyons and mountains populated by glaciers and the fantastic rock formations they formed. You’ll be invited to come along on a three hour hike across an actual active glacier, witnessing one of the most powerful geologic forces on earth first hand. Don’t worry if you forgot your helmet and ice axe in your cabin — expert guides will outfit you with everything you’ll need.

Dogsledding

For those Juneau visitors who prefer to skip the glacier, a guided dogsledding excursion awaits. After a helicopter whisks you to an inland dog mushing camp, you’ll learn how to control your own pack of dogs and experience one of the world’s rarer forms of travel for yourself.

Snorkeling

It’s true. Snorkeling may be an activity that tends to be associated with tropical cruises, but passengers visiting the port of Ketchikan will have the opportunity to pull on a wet suit and explore the colorful and abundant sea life that thrives on Southeast Alaska’s shores.

Culinary Tours

Another special feature that Alaska’s rich coast offers is some very out-of-the-ordinary and hands-on culinary tours. One tour in Juneau invites guests to dine creekside in the middle of an arboreal rainforest where you can watch your freshly hooked salmon steam over an open fire while you try not to spoil your appetite by saving the marshmallow roasting for dessert.

Other dining opportunities include tours where you can test your hand at commercial crabbing and help pull up some crab traps before you chow down on the very morsels you helped catch. Of course, if you don’t feel like getting your hands a little dirty, you can also take advantage of some of the world’s freshest and tastiest seafood in comfort at many fine dining restaurants and culinary tours.

Offering a bit of something for everyone: luxury, fun, spectacular vistas and one-of-a-kind experiences, discount Alaskan cruises let you decide on the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure for you. For your next vacation, consider heading north rather than south.

Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor
Earth Day, dog poop and cigarette butts On the news this morning we were reminded that this is Earth Day.[...]

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Conan O’brien Will Be Touring With A Live Comedy Show “the Tonight Show”

Conan O’Brien will be touring with a live Comedy show “The Tonight show” and this year the festival will feature the prominent comedians including Conan O’Brien. Conan O’Brien has a lot of free time on his hands these days and he plotting his multi city comedy tour. Conan O’Brien will be taking his show on road with Andy and the location and tour dates will announce later. Conan O’Brien has recently announced as the Roo’s comedy headliner, this year lineup is looking more and more promising this week go by. Conan O’Brien tours stops at the Pearl on May 1 2010, the former NBC late night talk show will headline a comedy and music revue that begins a two month which will be held in 30 cities from April 12 and stops on May 1 at Pearl. Conan O’Brien has not officially announced his upcoming vengeance tour yet. The fans are waiting for his announcement. Conan O’Brien live concert will held at River Cree Resort and Casino in Alberta Canada also Conan O’Brien reported show in Phoenix on April 30 has been pulled from the schedule. The Conan O’Brien show is back in the charts at number five. TMZ confirmed that Conan is holding a stage show at the Dodge Theater which will be held on April 30th and tickets go on sale. Conan O’Brien may have lost his spot on the Tonight show but he can find some consolation in taking his new comedy tour to Vancouver and Edmonton. Conan O’Brien is preparing to hit the road in a series of live performances across the country and he has also announced a touring live show on last week. Madigan has appeared on the show with Conan O’Brien is an inveterate stand up .Madigan who will perform Saturday March 20. In Atlanta for one concert in this year, it’s going to be Conan O’Brien on June 14 at the Fox Theater. Get your Cheap Conan O’ Brien Tickets