Pilot Report

Archive for December, 2009

We live in a retro age.  It’s one of the great new fashions, to recycle the old, and the more conscious and intentional the act of recycling, the smarter the fashion is. There are many different ways to theorize why retro has come into vogue all of a sudden, although some of the theories would hold that this isn’t all of a sudden at all, that it’s something that itself is cyclical.  But most of the theories agree that when cultures go through periods where they are recycling fashions from the previous decades, that it’s because there is a nostalgia for how things used to be.  It also suggests that the current speed of change in thought and idea is very rapid, so returning to old ideas can bring some comfort.

At the same time, there is also a sense that we know we’re moving forward very quickly, and the internet would certainly suggest this is what’s happening, and there’s a conscious effort to keep the best things that we knew before, so we don’t forget to take with us what’s been useful in the past.  This is extremely wise, because it’s what keeps us from having to reinvent the wheel over and over.  This is true for fashion and art, and it’s certainly true in the business world.  We can use the most essential things from business training in the past, and take these with us into the future, and a healthy business model embraces past, present, and future.

This is one of the most important lessons from effective leadership training throughout the years.  The great leaders of the world have always displayed certain traits and characteristics, and this has been true through all the cycles of history.  Leadership and sales effectiveness are based on qualities that never go out of fashion, and never go out of style.  It’s a very fortunate when retro (http://www.retrothing.com/) comes back into fashion, because it can allow us to make conscious efforts to take the valuable lessons from the past, and turn them into the gold of the future.

In many cities, more people are grilling out year round.  This leads to exactly what to do during the holidays.  Do you stay inside for the warmth, or do you take it outside, with the protection from the elements provided by the installation of outdoor fireplaces?  I say, hands down…take it outside.  There is something about being in the fresh air, with the smell of the grill and the warmth of a fireplace.  When asked, more than half of the population of the United States, reply that they would prefer to eat and celebrate in the open air.

So now, with many options for the construction of outdoor kitchens, more people are celebrating in this manner.  Grilling food adds flavor, and by choosing to grill your holiday turkey or ham and other side dishes, you will add something special to the entire meal.  Conventional cooking becomes just a bit enhanced.  Spice up the turkey with and apple brine turkey, marinated all night and then slow cooked throughout the day.  The ambiance of the night will be enhanced by the fireplace, by gazebos strung with simple white Christmas lights, candles and the smells of the herbs and the dishes that are being prepared.

With an outdoor kitchen, complete with a refrigerator, a place for preparation and a comfortable place for guests to wait in eager anticipation, you will be participating in the creation of new experiences, and consequently, new memories and traditions.   Taken step by step, the creation of an outdoor dining room is not such a huge task, and the rewards are just too tempting.  In days past, my friends and I often held outdoor dinner parties, without the amenity of a fireplace.  We would drag out the kitchen table, light candles and play some music.  But now, the options are much more varied and dare I say, much more convenient.  So take it outside, the experience will be, oh–so rewarding.

In the heart of Europe, Frankfurt has some stunning attractions that make it the perfect city to get a taste of the latest and greatest in contemporary culture.  It has been ahead of the rest of the world for some time, in terms of ideas, art, and design.  The legacies of both Goethe and the Frankfurt School have left a remarkably challenging legacy for every generation, but there is always something interesting happening here.  It’s enough to suggest that the generations are handling the weight of history with a marvelous sense of innovation.  The kids are all right in Frankfurt, and this is good news for travelers looking for a truly hip place to spend some time, and meet some very interesting people.

It’s not terribly difficult to get by here speaking only English, because the school systems make the students learn at least a bit, but it’s always nice to pick up another language.  It’s difficult to pretend to speak German, however, so it’s not recommended to try, but it’s certainly worth the effort to learn some words and phrases.  Chances are, you’ll be way too busy enjoying all the fabulous attractions here, because there is so much to do in the city.  Frankfurt am Main hotels are plentiful, and there are some splendid choices, too.  A good hotel can be a lifesaver when spending time in a new city, in order to decompress from all the new stimuli, and also to rest up to enjoy more, and there’s always more.

Visitors looking to get a taste of the cutting edge in the art world here will likewise have a lot to choose from.  There are some spectacular places on the map, like Galerie Anita Beckers, where you can see some of the coolest new video art from young artists, speaking on local themes with a global sensibility.  Anita Beckers is also a great place to touch the source for new performance work, and there are many more offerings here.  Off the beaten track, and off the map, there are a number of underground places to find amazing subterranean works of art, and a very lively culture with a lot to teach the rest of the world about life in the 21st century.

In this day and age, art programs are being cut from schools at an alarming rate.  Some culturally savvy school administrators are investing in ‘artist in residency’ programs, in order to ensure that their students receive not only a well rounded and balanced education, but the opportunity to explore the creative side of life.  The side of life that often times pulls people through.  Baltimore is one such city, on the whole…a city that was built by people who have survived hard times, for people who continue to do so now in modern times, a city that values history, cultural history and artistic history, the national anthem was written in the harbor, so music-poetry-dance-and all of the arts are not lost in this town.

Walk into any Baltimore classy restaurant or pub, and chances are that there will be live music or theatre on stage.   “Arts Every Day” is an organization that will go into public schools to ensure that art becomes an everyday event in the lives of the children of Baltimore.  They believe that art and cultural awareness is fundamental to intellectual and emotional development.  The artists with “Arts Every Day” form partnerships with the schools and with many of the historical, cultural, artistic and scientific institutions that are located throughout the city of Baltimore.

The program right now, focuses on the middle school years, and takes pride in the fact that all of their artists are highly skilled and well trained.  Since so many programs in the schools have been cut, this is a great way for the children to still receive an integrated and a thorough education.  Art and creativity influences everything, from mathematics to architecture, and from scientific theory to business practices.  This is an organization that is doing quite a service to the not only the children of Baltimore, but to the future history of the thinkers and the people of tomorrow.

It is interesting to note that while it has become extremely easy and a simple process regarding the purchase of a home hot tub it has also become more of an all encompassing backyard environment thematic design which can sometimes complicate decisions. So, while the actual technical process has been made easier by accessing online services and companies as well as diverse financing options the amount of choices that are offered in designs and models, as well as additional features and accessories, as well as the hot tub’s inclusion as part of a complete backyard overhaul has sometimes complicated the purchase.

Consumers are frequently surprised to find out the extent of options that are available in hot tub designs. They are built to accommodate a wide spectrum of occupants, from one or two to many and also are designed for various aesthetic themes and corresponding environment features. They can be as elaborately detailed or as simple and economically built as what the consumer’s imagination and budget allows. In addition to the wide variety of hot tub model selection the accessories and optional features are so technologically advanced and serve for fun, entertainment as well as proper functioning tools that they too can be difficult to choose from.

With all of this in mind, many people become hesitant to make such a permanent commitment to a particular model when they think their needs may change or they may even sell their home in the next couple of years. For this reason a portable hot tub is often the perfect option. Portable models also come in a diverse spectrum of designs and styles. The features that are associated and available with the permanently installed models are also available for the portable tubs. They are a great option for families and individuals who may decide to renovate their backyards in the near future or who may want to take their tub with them when they move. Of course they are also perfect for consumers regardless of their future intentions.

The hotels Mannheim has built around the city are beautiful. The city itself is very interesting and grand. It sits along the Neckar river and the Rhine river. It is the second largest city in Baden-Wurttemberg next to the capital city of Stuttgart. It has about 2.4 million people in the general area and is the home of some inventions. Karl Benz made his first appearance with his new car on these city streets in 1886. Back then it was a light weight three wheel vehicle with one cylinder engine. It was coined as being the first motor car. With in 20 to 30 years a few other big inventions came along like the Lanz Bulldog which was introduced in 1921. It was a popular tractor with a Diesel engine. Then the first rocket plane was built here in 1929 by Julius Hatry. But before all the powered inventions there was the little petal rail car, draisine, which was built by Karl Drais in 1817.

Mannheim has Germany’s oldest stage called the Nationaltheatre Mannheim, which was built in 1779. It showed the premier of Die Rauber which was written by Friedrech Schiller. This city is located in the warmest part of the Rhine area. Snow is a rarity in the winter and the summers can be quite warm for this country. Some of the sites to visit would be the Mannheim Palace, the Wasserturm, the Jesuit Church, Breite Strasse, Kapuzinerplanken and Kunststrasse which are shopping areas. Sometimes it is possible to go see some of the big factories of major companies. Some of the most known ones are Bombardier, BASF, John Deere, Siemens and Daimler AG. But if you are interested in a nice stroll with nature you can go to the Wildpark and Waldvogelpark am Karlster or Luisenpark which was named one of the most beautiful parks in all of Europe.

The relationship between scent and memory is a fascinating one, and it’s still very much a mystery.  Science makes a connection between how the brain processes smell, where the first instance of a new odor makes a physiological change in memory itself, and when we recall an event, it’s often connected to the smells present at the actual event itself.  So when you’re working with choosehottubsdirect.com to buy your own personal spa, you’re inviting some splendid memories back into your world.

It may seem far from your list of reasons for wanting your own hot tub, but there’s something very interesting that does happen when people get into the water.  The sensory input is rather overwhelming, and very pleasantly so.  The warmth of the water and the feel of the massaging jets are enough to put anyone into a state of rather splendid relaxation, and it works every time.  They do have a subtle power to calm down a busy mind, and to put a tired body at ease.  But there’s something else going on at the same moment, with the sense of smell.

Not all hot tubs are maintained with chlorine, but that particular smell brings a person back to their favorite swimming pool, or a memory of playing in the water when they were young.  Chlorine is one of the more distinct odors, so it’s a direct pathway to those easier times, but the other smells also wake up those distant memories of summers gone by.  And interestingly, the theories about memory suggest that when we remember, we are visiting those parts of the mind where the memory first occurred, so it could even be considered a kind of time travel, into a world of nostalgia that isn’t as far away as we once thought.

Ask anyone what they would like from their job, and most people will state that they want to be treated with respect, and kindness.  Seems simple right?  But if it were that simple, there would be no need for the books and the courses on just how to do so.  This is just part of the everyday life for those working for, and working with the TransGlobe Property Management team.  Not only do they treat one another in such away, but all of those with whom they do business.  This creates a sense of community and well being that is not often found in the business world of today.  All of the ideas and the opinions of the staff and the rental customers are taken under consideration, and this group awareness makes their properties a bit hard to get into, as no one ever seems to leave.  Whether renting for living quarters, or a work space, the staff is there when you need them, whether it is to fix some leaking plumbing or to set up a celebration in the courtyard.

This kind of welcome makes taking a move, to a new city in Canada or simply across town, a fun and exciting event.  I was amazed at how after just a few short days, working in the studio space I was renting, that one of the staff stopped his work on the landscape and asked me how my paintings were coming along.  I’d never even mentioned that I was a painter, but he had seen me carrying in my canvases and just asked.  This kind of recognition from the people you are renting from, not only makes you feel good, but the next time I hear of someone needing to rent, I will suggest to them TransGlobe Property Management.  They really have no need to advertise, as word of mouth really does significantly outweigh the kind of advertising that you can pay for.  This is one company, than can truly be counted on.

What a great modern day invention the gas fireplace insert is. How many times have you gone to get the indoor fire going with a regular old wood burning fire place and have all sort of crazy things happen. It starts off with a nice evening wintry sunset and a nostalgic thought to make a warm cozy fire with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. So you through in some nice oak logs that you pickup up from your local store on the way home. Stuff some paper between the wooden stack and hit it with a lighter. Watch, up it goes in a gallant flame. Satisfied with your perfect flames, you wonder to the couch, cross your legs and take in a sip of your tasty wine.

Your wife calls you to the kitchen to help prepare a few things for dinner. You get up, a little annoyed, but willing to help and wonder out of the room.  Little did you know that the glorious fire had a mind of it’s own. The smoke starts to fill the up the entire fireplace. It begins to crawl up the stone mantle and is heading for the ceiling. Crackle, Pop the fire is now looming on in the living room with no one around. With in a few more minutes, while you are slicing the roast beef in the kitchen, the fire has now completely filled up the living room with a dense dark cloud of smelly choking smoke.

Ring ring ring ring, goes the smoke detector. You drop your cutting knife and head for the living room. “What has got so wrong in here?” you wonder. “Honey, Honey open the doors and the windows”, you shout. “Oh, my God dear what did you do? ” your wife yells. “The fire just went crazy,” you yell in desperation over the screeching fire alarm. “Well, did you open the chimney Flut….Dear? ” your wife screams. Dah, now not only to you feel like a real goof but the roast beef is cold. Better turn the Cabernet into a Scotch.

There are plenty of exiting and entertaining cultural options that attract numerous tourists every year. Many of these enjoy experiencing something new, like a performance of Cantonese Opera and also to explore new dining options. Meanwhile, there is a particularly fascinating activity that is popular in cultures across the globe, and certainly exists in Singapore. This is the phenomenon known as ghost hunting, or as the professionals may prefer to say paranormal investigating. And while this is popular in many cities across the globe, particularly those with a particular legend or unexplained story or era attached to them that entice their tourists.

For the guests who are staying in one of the Singapore hotels the Asia Paranormal Investigators is an agency that provides for incredible encounters and is full of information and advice. It also looks at each situation from an extremely subjective and analytical perspective and addresses specific myths and beliefs that can be associated with ghostly encounters. They are there to assist with investigating situations and not to exploit or mislead anyone. The agency also provides a scientific explanation whenever possible and seeks to do this first and foremost with all encounters.

One of the areas where ghostly sightings have occurred in Singapore is in Fort Canning Park. This historic and lush park has many intriguing aspects and features and was once a Christian Cemetery. There have been spiritual associations and stories related to it throughout its history and the land on which is located is also the subject of legend and traditional beliefs. There are some places in Singapore that are commonly considered to be haunted. The old Ford Motor Factory is one of places that has been rumored to contain unknown spirits. The Hill View Mansion is another popular haunted location, though stories surrounding it have not been substantiated. This is never a deterrent for people who are interested in finding haunted locations, they have plenty to explore during their stay in Singapore.