How to protest the online gambling ban

Protesting the government is not a cast of protesting a company because you do not like a product, this is a case of you trying to change the mind of the government and this can be hard to do, but it can be done.

Before you can even have a chance at holding a successful protest the first thing you should do is to circulate an online petition, this will give you an idea of how many people support your cause and gives you a list of names with phone numbers that you can call to get people to come to your protest.

The next step is to go online and find other groups protesting the new internet gambling act, and see if that group would be willing to join your protest, the more people protesting the online gambling ban the better the chances are of getting the law reversed.

After this you should start a letter writing campaign not only to your local congressmen but to all the Congressmen and see where they stand. Some of them will not be in support of the online gambling ban and will be willing to not only sign your petition but will be hey may be even willing to speak at your protest.

The next step is to plane your protest. The timing of your protest is important if you choose to protest at the Whitehouse you do not want to do it when the president is not there or if you choose to make your stand at congress do not do it at a time they are on a brake, this can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your protest.

Make sure to have a well written press release to the press at least 2 days before the protest to ensure that you will get press coverage. The more people who hear about your protest the more names you can get on your petition.

The point of a petition is to basically let someone know that people are not happy with what they are doing, and if enough people protest the government you can get them to change their decision. This is especially true with a politician. They know thee job depends on votes and if they are going to gain enough votes to secure their job they will do it even if they truly do not agree with it.

You must apply for a permit to protest at least 30 days in advance, or if there are delays you may not have a permit on the day you have told your protesters to show up, to truly insure you have time, apply for the permits at least 60 days in advance.

When applying for the permits you should be able to find out about the rules for setting up any sound equipment you will need so you can make the arrangements for them.

The only thing left to do for your online gambling ban protest is to wait for the big day.

The vacation market

In this day and age there are actually a wide range of vacation possibilities. Cruises, adventure vacations, specialty vacations, are all just a few of the many options that are available. The difficulty arises when you want to take a vacation with your whole family. One person going on a trip can often get a special deal. Even two people can travel and receive substantial discounts on packaged vacations. Families on the other hand have no such luck. It is assumed that families have children and that children are noisy.

Resorts often use children as an excuse to charge premium prices on the grounds that they need to have special services available to cater to the specific requirements of the children. Some resorts actually do go to great lengths and substantial costs to accommodate these young guests. They may have daycare facilities, children’s programs, perhaps even special menus to better serve those kids that are picky eaters (like me when I was 5).

These last few years have seen massive changes in the vacation market. There are new options available for families that wish to vacation together that do not require huge infusions of cash. It’s a new market and it represents a complete shift in the way we think about our vacation time.

The timeshares, all inclusive resorts, and villa rentals now have to compete with destination clubs, exchange programs, points programs, a wholesale vacation market, and what is now a hugely competitive cottage rental real-estate market. Did you know you can actually rent a cottage and get it as an “all inclusive” package? This was not possible 10 years ago but it is now.

The important thing about planning and having a family vacation is to be prepared and always keep in mind the following:

• What happens if you are hurt while on vacation? Is there liability coverage in the unlikely event that it is needed?

• Is your booking or rental guaranteed to be available?

• What happens if you are not happy with the place? Refunds?

• What are the hidden costs (groceries, boats, or things that are not covered in the basic rental agreement?

So long as you keep these simple questions in mind you should have a fun and happy vacation. Enjoy your vacation and spend the time with your family and your friends and make sure that you get your well deserved break from work. Enjoy!

Burton on trent

Burton on Trent in staffordshire is located on the beautiful River Trent which winds its way through the town. Internationally known for brewing Burtons heritage has been based around Michael Bass who was the lord of Burton in the 19th century and blessed the town with many great buildings.

Burton is the largest town in the national forrest and has great shopping with all of he major retailers being present. Visit the Coors visitor centre ( previously Bass museum which takes you through the story of brewing, Bass and hosts Britains oldest Micro brewery.

Burton offers great scenery and walks both formal and informal around the river Trent, stapenhill gardens, Burton washlands or take the boat on the "Dingle Bell". Also all around Burton is great countryside and beautiful scenery such as Calke Abby, Formark resevoir and Staunton Harold.

Burton has many great restaurants in the town and offers something for everyone. Burton has some brilliant individually owned restaurants which have great pride in their service and also has many chain restaurants.

Nightlife in Burton upon Trent mainly consists of bars / nightclubs where there are plenty to choose from.

Burton has a great location it is close to the Peak district, Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, East Midlands airport and many attractions.

If you want to visit Burton On trent then check out squareseeker. com

Philippines travel the old world charm of ilocos

Going to the province of Ilocos is like treading back in time. Not only for the Spanish colonial houses, but for the simple, laid-back feel of the towns and its people.

In old times, Ilocandia has been described as a God-forsaken land because of its arid and difficult terrain. But the hardy people of this province had the patience and the will to survive, and eventually turned it into a lush and abundant highland. Amidst all these, is a rich history consisting of legendary uprisings, monumental edifices, and noble men and women who have made Ilocos a unique and remarkable place that it is today.

Vigan is a sleepy town at the heart of Ilocos Sur. It’s easy to find your way around because the people are friendly and warm to visitors. At the center of the town is Plaza Salcedo erected in honor of Juan Salcedo who named this place Ciudad Fernandina after King Ferdinand of Spain. Right across the plaza is the St. Paul’s Cathedral built in 1641 and which came under the Diocese of Nueva Segovia in 1758.

A few minutes walk will bring you to the Burgos House. Now converted into a museum, the house is the birthplace of Fr. Jose Burgos, one of the priests executed in Cavite during the revolution. The museum houses what were left of the Burgos family belongings which include antique furnitures, clothing and other artifacts donated by some prominent families in Vigan.

Indeed, Vigan is best known for its Castillian houses with old tile roofs, hardwood floorings and azoteas. These houses are located in Heritage Village which is the core of the Mestizo district. Some of the houses remain in possession of descendants of their original owners with the antique interiors and furnishings intact, while some of these ancestral homes have been turned into cozy inns, museums, and souvenir shops.

Although many of these houses have been converted into commercial establishments, the brick structures are preserved. The whole block breathes in an eerie feeling emphasized more by the calezas or horse-drawn carriages which remain a mode of transportation around town.

You can buy real or reproduction antique furniture around VIgan’s antique stores or visit pottery factories along Rizal street for ceramic products. These factories will be more than happy to give a demonstration on pottery-making. You can also buy woven blankets and table napkins at low prices.

Vigan has been declared a World Heritage Site and it is recommended that you view the houses at night with the streets lighted perfectly and the air cool.

A night in san francisco

When traveling to most cities of the world, finding discount accommodations when arriving to your destination is always a possibility. Not so in the diverse and complex city of San Francisco. From the hills of Daly City to the plains of Berkeley, the environments and people are so diverse that your vacation could with one dial of the phone be a paradise made in heaven or an inferno designed in, well you know, that other place.

Families making their hotel reservations at the smaller hotels that dot the periphery of San Francisco might be able to land a bargain, but find they may find themselves sharing accommodations with other crawling critters that would make even the toughest among us parents squirm.

I did this once. I came to San Francisco on a budget and thinking to wing my accommodations; I found a phonebook and booked a motel for $59 a night. Well, the minute I saw the hotel along a poorly lit side street I knew we were in trouble. This hotel was something I would expect to see in medieval Europe, not in actuality. But it was late and we succumbed to our basal instincts for sleep and it was ‘just one night.’ But the bed was so grimy we actually slept on the floor, and the occasional voices we heard in the alleys were so hair razing I don’t think sleep was an option for any of us - and we were in their ‘best room!’

The next day I called numerous hotels in San Francisco city proper. You know, where the Trolley Cars roam and the street performers perform. I found a number of places, ranging from the low 100’s and going up to the high 600’s. We got in our car to make our investigation and inspected one hotel after the other, some dark and dank and some bright and classic. We settled on the Grant Plaza Hotel at $180 a night. We had a rollaway brought for my two children and spent the rest of the day recuperating for our previous nightmare.

That evening, we ventured out to walk around the Streets of San Francisco and I must tell you it was scary. There were destitute people lurking at every doorway, down every alley, sleeping above the street vents for warmth. This was a haven for the homeless and I am not sure where the tourist fits in. It was both sad and a frightening, especially since coming from an isolated small town in Minnesota. I passed out quarters to those asking as if I were passing out flyers for a corner store.

We eventually found a Starbuck near Union Square and quickly ducked in. After a family meeting to discuss our situation, we decided to catch a trolley car and make a dash to the famous Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli’s Square. We scampered out of Starbucks and caught the next trolley. It was a wild ride straight up and straight down a city built on a mountain. We all screamed with joy. We spent an enchanting evening among all the tourist shops, street performers and family attractions that populate Fisherman’s Wharf. We bought a big pound of fudge at a fudge shop and drank coke and champagne until late in the evening.

Our lesson from all this, at least regarding San Francisco hotel reservations, make your hotel reservations in advance. Don’t waste time looking for a hotel room when you get there, the city is just too big. Since writing this, we went to San Diego. I booked all our accommodations off the Internet which featured discount hotel reservations with pictures and prices clearly explained. Welcome to the 21st century.

Costa rica vw vans and crawling things

For better or worse, man has tamed Mother Nature in many countries. My general impression is this isn’t the case in Costa Rica.

San Jose to Carrillo

Roughly ten of us had decided to head to Costa Rica for a week to stay at a friend’s place just outside the beach town of Carrillo on the west coast. We flew into San Jose and were supposed to be met by a rental company representative that had two new VW vans for us.

As often happens in such situations, we weren’t met by anyone much less a person with vans. Calls were made but not answered. Lunch was had. Calls were made again and finally answered. After a bit of “intense” conversation, we were told the vans would be at the airport in 15 minutes. Roughly two hours later, two VW vans apparently stolen from Woodstock rolled into parking lot. The trip had certainly started on a sour note, but we decided to cut our losses and take the vans.

As we rolled out of San Jose, it was starting to get dark. Unaware that a new highway had been opened, we followed the old route which wound through the mountains and added two hours to the trip. Two hours that would haunt us for days.

As the hours passed, we laughed away the time reliving the past. I was sitting in the back of the van with Stuart, a nurse in San Diego, and Picasso, a graphic designer for surf clothing companies. We were all in shorts and flip flops, which was appropriate for the heat and humidity. How I wished I had worn pants and boots.

As we drove along, we happened to come upon a little village. Little cafes and stores passed us as we drove down the road. So did street lights. Bright street lights. Street lights that lit up the inside of the van.

And the things in it.

Cockroaches. Big cockroaches. They were climbing on the walls of the van and across the floors. A few even took off and flew from one wall to the other.

This is the part in the movie where the men, Picasso and I, take action to protect our female companion, Stuart. Of course, who believes what they see in the movies? In our case, Picasso screamed like a little girl and started stomping on the floor and kicking the walls. I, in turn, did the ultimate crunch, which is to say I whipped my legs off the ground with such speed as to make a drill sergeant weep with joy. I then jumped off the bench just to make sure there weren’t any of the little buggers in my shorts. Stuart, on the other hand, just laughed at us.

Our driver whipped over to the side of the road to find out what the heck was going on. The other van pulled over as well and discovered they had a cockroach problem as well. We were apparently driving the hive around the country.

After obtaining a little liquid courage at one of the cafes in the village, we came up with a solution for keeping the creepy crawlies at bay. More liquid courage, drivers excepted. Much more.

New bravery in hand, we reclaimed the vans and hauled it to Carrillo as fast as possible. Picasso danced the cockroach crunch throughout the remainder of the trip, which made for a messy van and the need for new flip flops. I hoped I was imagining things crawling on my legs. Stuart just kept laughing.

Nature is beautiful, except when it ain’t!