May 26

Circus Circus Las Vegas boasts as being one of the most kid friendly hotels in Las Vegas. With its big top attitude and its indoor amusement park it very well may be. In addition to being the most kid friendly hotel on the Las Vegas strip Circus Circus Hotel is also part of the famed MGM Grand hotel group.

The beauty of this particular hotel doesn’t lie so much in its size or even the circus like atmosphere. The charm lies in the fact that it was something new and relatively untried along the Vegas strip. Rather than build to suit the gamblers they were hoping to attract, this particular hotel was wise enough to offer something new and untried by appealing to families with children rather than solely to gamblers.

Well, the gamble has paid off in a city that is known for both its hits and its misses. Other hotels and casinos are also working to cultivate the family friendly image that Circus Circus has basically proven. Not only did this hotel build The Adventuredome Theme Park they also decided to make accommodations even more family friendly by accommodating RVs at the Circusland RV Park. This opens a whole new opportunity for vacationing families to stay that might not otherwise grace the theme park, hotel, or the casino.

This hotel has a somewhat unique concept that sets it apart from the many others along Vegas’ strip. If you are traveling to Vegas with the family I very much recommend at least checking them out and comparing prices and packages with the other hotels and resorts in the area. Keep in mind that comps are like money in the bank particularly when they involve food or activities that you were planning to do even without the comps. So you may be able to negotiate a much better deal even if you’re paying a couple more dollars a night by having free parking, complimentary meals, or tickets to events, shows, or attractions.

Don’t forget that there is a casino involved and that is the primary purpose of this gigantic hotel, resort, and theme park. The casino makes the expense of building it all very much worthwhile and brings in big business of its own each and every day. In grand Vegas style there is also the requisite onsite shopping and of course full service of wedding options in addition to a wedding chapel and banquet facilities in which to hold the reception of your dreams. The shopping at Circus Circus offers everything from ultra exclusive boutique shops and salons to stores such as Under $10 and the trading Post, which offers fad jewelry and other kid friendly gifts.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 25

Many companies that exhibit at trade shows find that they need to do something extra to draw attention to their trade show exhibits. And, that’s not too hard to understand - just entering a trade show hall or convention center is an assault on the senses from all of the exhibitors vying for the attention of the trade show attendees.

So, how can you break through the crowd and have your trade show exhibit stand out in a way that draws the interest of prospects, media and key influencers?

Incorporate Visual Excitement

Incorporating movement, color, lights and action imparts a feeling of energy that draws attendees to your trade show booth. New technologies enable you to build drama and visual excitement using such techniques.

A good example is the use of 3D video/laser image displays suspended from above. Gobo lights that travel across tension fabric provide opportunity for changing color and evoking mesmerizing interest for your trade show exhibit.

Bring On the Big Guns

Bringing on big guns can run the gamut from hiring major sports figures to major Hollywood personalities to major recording stars for personal appearances. Or, perhaps bringing on a renowned guru that your attendees would flock to see would make more of a statement and draw more serious attendees.

In recent years, some trade show exhibitors have hired Tom Hanks, former San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young, and recording stars such as Foo Fighters and Maroon 5 have been feature attractions at major trade shows.

Not a fit for you budget? Try stealing some thunder with paid celebrity look-a-likes. Elvis may be departed but if he makes an "appearance" at your booth you will surely draw interest.

Showcase Your Company Website

Do you have a really compelling website? If your website is a winner, and particularly if it is the kind that trade show participants would find useful on an ongoing basis, it just makes sense to use this as bait.

Incorporate your website on a large backdrop using such techniques as holographics and waterscreen projections. Attract them into your show booth with participation in the interactive elements of your website.

Add Interactive Elements to Your Trade Show Exhibits

An interactive booth is a great way to draw in trade show foot traffic. Invoking multiple senses - touch, feel, sight and sound - is an outstanding way to attract them to your exhibit and to imprint a lasting memory on them. Experiential activity is far more exciting and longer lasting than one-dimensional trade show exhibits.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 23

Rugged convertible tablets are a laptop computer just like any other, although the screen flips around and changes to show the screen as the top so that you can write on it like a tablet of paper. And the fact that it’s rugged means it’s in cased in a hardened and sometimes rubber-like material so that it will withstand many of the elements such as dirt, wind, water and snow. Plus, it’s made to withstand a fall from several feet without breaking or cracking or damaging your information that is stored on the HDD. The LCD screen is shatterproof.

A rugged convertible tablet is easy to carry when used out in the field or warehouse or anywhere you need a convertible tablet. They are great when you are taking inventory or to show other people what you are doing because the display screen swivels around to make a screen everyone can see or just one that sits on top of the laptop.

If you need to make a presentation, the rugged convertible tablet is a great item to make your presentations on. You can design your presentation, using charts and graphics, even use a Power Point presentation and then allow everyone sitting at a table view it. The screens are usually about 10.4" -12.1" which is pretty good size depending on what you are presenting.

Taking a rugged convertible tablet with you if you are a salesperson in the field it’s a great idea because you can present to your client or talk about products and services on the go without having a bunch of paper to get confused or blown away when you are presenting outside in the elements. The rugged convertible tablet is great for when you need to show someone what you are thinking but can’t get them to visualize it with your words, using the touch screen you can write or draw directly on the LCD.

Because the convertible tablets are rugged they can go anywhere you do, to a construction site where there is dirt and water and it could be dropped and not be broken because of it’s magnesium housing. You can add a number of items to the rugged convertible tablets such as a removable shock mounted hard drive, touchscreen so you just touch what you need without having to use a keyboard which is ultimately hidden under the screen when the screen is turned around or an outdoor readable LCD screen so that you can make presentations or show people what is on your screen when you are out in the sunlight without having to find a shady spot or go inside because the outdoor readable LCD is made especially for the outdoor laptops and tablets.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 21

There comes a time in many people’s lives in which for reasons of health, kids, or stress they realize it’s time to leave the city. Country house plans typically reflect antebellum Southern American architectural styles. The centerpiece of most country houses is the wide front porch covered by a flared roof, and also roof dormers to let light into living and dining areas. Our catalogue of designs includes every size and every style of country home, from bungalow house plans to French country house plans, with innovative and functional blueprints for every budget and taste. Besides complete house blueprints, House Plans and More offers you plans and ideas for hundreds of country building projects such as garage, shed, and outbuilding plans, as well as other projects. How can you tell if a house plan will be the right one for you? After all, this is a decision you will probably make but once in your life. In most cases, budget decides the limits on what you will be able to build. Building cost is a direct function of where in the U.S. or Canada you are building; and also varies with size in square feet. Additionally, it is more economical to build higher rather than wider, since this reduces the costs of foundations and roofing. Our cost estimation software, which is the most accurate in the industry, can help you calculate final building costs easily and quickly for any chosen design.

Having estimated about how much you can spend, search our database for country houses in your price range. You can now seriously consider what you want your house to look and feel like. You will not only live in this home, you may grow old there. It can’t be too outrageously different from neighboring house designs. Also, if you already own the site, you have to take the features of the land into account (slopes, existing rocks and trees, etc.). Design also has to imagine how you want the house to face, depending on the views available to different rooms, and sunrise / sunset positions. For example, the south-facing rooms should be the ones where the family spends most of its time in the winter.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 20

Anxiety takes shape in many forms. Sometimes anxiety means a small amount of normal nervousness from time to time. On the other hand, anxiety can mean a disorder that breaks the normal living pattern of the sufferer and often is accompanied with panic attacks. Sometimes anxiety can lead to agoraphobia, a condition where the patient becomes afraid to leave his or her home.

Different Forms and Intensities Of Anxiety

Not only does anxiety differ by how much it can disturb the sufferer’s life, but also in the type of anxiety that is being experienced. Some of the different types of anxiety are:

  • Performance Anxiety - A condition where a person is unable to make speeches or cannot function under pressure while participating in a participation sport.
  • Test Anxiety - A similar condition where a person fails tests in school, even though he or she is adequately familiar with the content of the test.
  • Separation Anxiety - When a person, often a child cannot stand to be left alone.
  • Anxiety or Panic Disorder - Where a person experiences spell of intense panic when there is no external reason to be in a state of panic.

Though these conditions seem to run the gamut of a wide variety of situations, often times the same self help treatments can be very beneficial and maybe even sufficient to bring on the cure to each one. First however, we must make this disclaimer…

Dealing With Panic Attacks

Panic attacks will sometimes make the sufferer feel as if he or she is experiencing a heart attack or a stroke. It is important a person suffering from this condition gets a clean bill of health from a doctor before assuming the panic has brought on these common mock heart attack or stroke symptoms. Once the patient’s health is no longer in question, he or she should no longer pay any attention to these false symptoms while under the influence of the adrenaline brought on by the panic attack.

Furthermore, a health care provider should be apprised of any conditions a patient is suffering from and though it is likely health care providers will approve, they should be told when the patient is engaging in these self-health techniques.

Relaxation Exercises

There are three stages to relaxation exercises. First, the anxiety sufferer lies down or relaxes in an easy chair. Once comfortable, the patient instructs the body to relax part by part. This is accomplished by instructing the body starting at the bottom and moving to the top. In other words, "feet relax, legs relax, lower legs and buttocks relax," etc. This is continued right up to the head and in this way some degree of relaxation is accomplished.

In the second stage, the patient becomes aware of the breathing, which should be slower than normal but comfortable. He or she should pay no attention to any outside noises but only tune into this slow, comfortable breathing.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 19

When we hear the word `notebook` the first thought that strikes our grey matter is a writing device in the form of a book usually made of paper. We generally imagine it in various forms like notepad, writing pad, or simply a scrapbook. Its use is generally determined by its size - not forgetting the general saying `the smaller, the better`.

The concept (of notebooks) which started as a collection of leaves somewhere in ancient Rome has today taken the shape of a latest electronic device called the `laptop`. Laptops were named `notebooks` probably because of their small size inspite of the fact that originally they did not have any note-taking ability.

Initially laptops had integrated screen and keyboard and were more like `suitcase computers` but with advancements in technology they kept getting smaller in size with enhanced features. Laptops were referred to as notebooks when they had condensed in size comparable almost to a paper notebook. Moving a step further we got something called PDA`s (Personal Digital Assistants) which were a little larger than portfolio notebooks and were named `notebook` to differentiate them from general laptops. In common man`s words these were called `Palm tops`.

The quest for comfort did not end with the PDA`s. Moving a step further we got a much better and advanced version of PDA s called the `Tablet PC`s`. Tablet PC`s are laptops or rather notebooks that have a special pen and software with which we can interact with the screen directly. So it was a kind where we can actually write on with a pen - a real master piece in the world of science! Here the screen itself is used as the Input-Output device rather than the Mouse or the Keyboard. Moreover these PDA`s and Palmtops use flash memory and they do not use the same OS or hardware as used by the typical laptop and notebooks.

Today notebook refers to laptops that can have their windows reversed to make it into a notebook and can be written on like a tablet. It can be used for making handwritten notes in class or to make sketches and drawings that can later be used as notes.

What makes the notebook indispensable is its portability, efficiency coming next to it. Today we are not under the constraints of working for fixed hours in office; our work can come home with us, thus, providing us with a more comfortable and relaxed environment. Other than that the notebook occupies the least possible space on the desk and saves us from the tangles of wires. To top it all the sleek, sensuous look of the portable notebooks makes it the most desirable asset today.

(CONTINUE READING…)

May 12

This article is a personal warning to anyone who thinks that overbooking is a good idea to ensure that they fill all their rooms in case of cancellations and what not. Hotels must always have at least a spare room or two at all times as a back up in case there is a problem with another room or an unexpected reservation that cannot be diverted. If you have ever had to live an overbooking problem like this one "in the flesh", you will definitely know one thing that is never to be allowed!

Have you ever suddenly woken up in the middle of the night after a nightmare and realized that, "it’s only a dream", and breathed a sigh of relief? I really wished that this was the case one summer.

THIS IS A TRUE STORY and just scratches the surface of what really happened and how my colleagues and I felt in the summer of 2006 in a hotel where I was working in the Canary Islands (name of hotel withheld).

Now imagine this:

It’s late July. You’re a receptionist in a hotel. There are 50 guests at the counter waiting for a room that does not exist. The incompetent head of reception has been fired for allowing the sale of 40 rooms that you do not have causing a massive overbooking problem; and you are the one taking his place. The hotel manager is hiding in his office and doesn’t help you face the problem. You have been working for over 15 hours that day and you don’t want to go home and leave your colleagues stranded with the ongoing problem. Some of the guests waiting have been there for well over 6 hours and these people are all jetlagged, angry and complaining. There are small children among the guests and some women and children are crying, because they don’t know where they are going to sleep that night. And to top it all off, you cannot think straight due to exhaustion.

(CONTINUE READING…)