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Money laundering , frankly speaking, is an age-old process to disguise the illegal origin or criminal nature of money. Such as money gotten from smuggling, arms sales, organized crime, trafficking in humans, prostitution rings, drug trafficking, embezzlement, bribery, insider trading and all technical fraud. These ill-gotten gains are moved, hopefully, untraceable by investing them in legitimate businesses, bank deposits or securities. But, mostly, the reason for laundering is tax evasion, like the VAT carousel scheme in the EU, which moved goods among businesses in other jurisdictions and capitalized on the various VAT rates. Tax fraud laundering schemes has cost the US over 10 to 20 billion dollars every single year. Both criminal and tax aversions in money laundering work well in obscuring the source.

Banking systems are an important part for money laundering to take place. Huge amounts of cash are spread out in numerous accounts, like financial off-shore centers , tax havens and free economic zones, then converted to money orders or bonds. Sometimes they are even placed in charities and trusts, then transferred to other locations, like a fake payment for ‘goods and services’ against bogus or inflated invoices issued by holding companies owned by accountants, lawyers on behalf of the unnamed beneficiaries. These transferred funds are then re-assembled and shipped back to the point of origin with a clean identity. Hence, laundered money. The laundered funds will be invested in legitimate businesses. Very simple really and very effective. There is no paper trail or way too much paper trail and the accounts are liquid making it virtually impossible to trace.

The problem laundered money is due to the very nature of being non-productive and idle . But, the injection of laundered money into any economy transforms them into a productive source of working capital, but this is bad, because it corrupts banks, government officials, it contaminated legal sectors of the economy, pushes out legitimate and foreign capital, deflates and un-stabilizes the control of money and enhances a cross-the-border capital movement, which increases the volatility of the exchange rate. There is a multilateral, coordinated effort to require and to exchange information, uniform laws and enhance extra-territorial legal powers to counter the international dimensions of money laundering. Due to the domestic political and economical concerns, may countries have signed up in an effort to combat this insidious practice.

Macau is one of the real jewels for world travelers.  It’s beaches make it feel like an island paradise, and there is a very rich and lively urban center with excellent cultural events and activities.  Casinos and tourism drive its booming economy, and for this reason, there are spectacular 5-star hotels.  Macau is a place of exquisite hospitality, and guests here will feel right at home, only perhaps even better.  We’ve selected hotels that have excellent reputations for hospitality and style, so that you can enjoy all the splendor Macau has to offer you.  In the hotel, there is a sumptuous world that some people never want to leave.  With amazing cuisine that reflects the fusion of cultures in Macau, as well as a spectacular flair for international tastes, exercise facilities that are really state of the art, and a host of other amenities that will put a smile on everyone’s face, it’s a very pleasant world.

Outside the hotel is another amazing world.  Many worlds, actually.  Chinese and Portuguese are the two official languages here, reflecting a long-lasting Portuguese influence on Macau.  It’s also one of China’s more autonomous provinces, making it a place of multiple identities that are always under construction, and always in evolution.  Because of these reasons, the cultural life in Macau is very interesting, and some of the most fascinating works of art are being created in this mix.  The Macau Biennial Art Exhibition always demonstrates a tremendous range of styles from its local artists, who are making splendid works of visual art.

One of its darlings is Anita Fung.  She placed first in the fifth biennial, and her work is really extraordinary.  There is a deftness to her style, which gives a sense of almost alarming elegance to her work.  She takes on some of the larger themes in art, such as representation, spirit versus matter, and cultural symbols, to make deceptively simple abstractions that are enormously compelling. She has spent time in London, studying at the Slade School of fine art, and has held lecturer positions in both Hong Kong and Macau.  Her work is worth looking for, and shows a Macau that’s not always on the map.

Going to a training conference is not only a chance to network but also to discover the most recent trends in business training, as the name suggests.  The premier training conference is hosted by the American Society for Training and Development.  There are several other conferences throughout the United States to choose from, but all of them will usually provide you with up to date information.  Sales training and other programs are transforming in the way they are taught to people, often being supplemented with an internet based skill set.

One of the most important topics covered at the most recent American Society for Training and Development conference was online and multimedia edification.  It is the way of the future for all businesses, especially with globalization becoming more and more prevalent these days.  Web-based training including education about SEO and other digital marketing techniques to aid businesses in internet based representation was a big topic at the conference. There are other facets within web based training, including discourses over the relationship between software and users.  Some of the more basic discourses include simply retaining students in these programs.  As it is now, figures show a higher than would be preferred drop out.  Self paced classes and training does not aid people in learning despite their flexibility to work around the trainees.

Performance consulting is another major trend at the conferences of late.  Generic training is going more and more out of style as major corporations to mom and pop businesses demand for more in-depth solutions and training programs.  Performance consulting provides business leaders with a way to analyze their work situations with focus groups, interviews, and other methods that give them the necessary research to progress.  The result is a fantastic training program.  It is the “couture” of training programs, aiding businesses to stay within their vision and mission statements.

Managing employee performances was another issue addressed at the conference.  The single performance review is quickly becoming an artifact in the business world, at least for those who want to improve their business.  Performance management actually gives employees feedback on a more continuous basis—and not just the boss.  Other employees also provide feedback.  As a result, the employee receives a better composed review that uses many factors to determine performance.  It constantly helps them adjust their performance at work, and thusly makes the business a thriving one.

Though leadership skills development other mainstays of the business training world were covered at the conference, the biggest trends centered on performance and web skills.  Training is becoming more untraditional with each passing conference, but it is a trend that will probably stay with us.

There is a profound sense of joy that comes from having a spa in your own backyard.  The home becomes a refuge again, and is a place where you are sure to be able to relax at the end of a long day.  When the tired muscles hit the hot water, and when the jets start to do their work, there is really nothing like it on earth.  And it has fantastic therapeutic value, too.  There are new discoveries every day that suggest that portable spas are great for the heart and for circulation.  Then take into account the soothing effects of water, and the refreshing outside air, and these would add up to a lovely experience.

Interestingly, human beings have had a relationship with bathing that goes back a long time.  In Iceland, a sauna had to be built before the settlers would even move in back in the Middle Ages, which points toward a history of spas that goes back for centuries.  In the Middle Ages particularly is where many origins of our contemporary ideas of the hot tub originate.  This may seem to defy logic, or some basic preconceptions about the Middle Ages that might need some reconsideration.  Our perception of the Medieval times is not generally associated with acute personal hygiene, but rather the opposite.  Perhaps the idea of Courtly Love and public baths have not always gone together, and perhaps they should.

Recently, there has been a rather hefty amount of translations completed that are all suggesting that the people of the Middle Ages practiced bathing in a way that rivals the Romans with their baths.  It was a common part of public life in most areas of Europe, and the descriptions sound very much like our experiences with our hot tubs.  The great writer on courtly love, who has been a guide for cavalier lovers, Andreas Capellanus, always stressed the importance of the bath and its role in higher love.  A simple dip, then, into your portable spa might be a dip into a fascinating history.

Most people don’t need to be convinced about the benefits of warm water and bubbling jets, soothing your aching muscles and melting the stress of the day away.  It’s really rather universal, and even primal, to be drawn to water.  Bathing is as old as life itself, with the idea that we come out of the waters of the womb and go back to the water for cleansing and purification.  Ritual bathing is also something very old, with a long and fascinating history.  With our hot tubs, you’re entering into that old tradition, but also enjoying all the fabulous features of modern technology.  Control of the water’s temperature and speed are just the beginning, and we offer such delightful amenities as stereo systems and television to enhance the experience.

The modern ritual of hot tubs has its origins, most likely, from the Romans, who got the idea from the Greeks – just like everything else.  But it wasn’t until Carcalla built his famous Thermae that the history really begins to roll along.  Carcalla, who lived between the years 188-217, designed one of the largest bath houses in the world.  Funded by taxes, it could allow for 1,600 bathers at a time, and the citizens were allowed to use it whenever they wished.  One might think Carcalla would have been a magnanimous ruler with enlightened ideas of the good life, but unfortunately he was just another bloodthirsty emporer who helped bring the end of the Roman Empire.

Nonetheless, the ideas of the public bathhouse were not his ideas, but had already been well-established and formalized by the time he built his monument.  At least a century before his rule, Roman baths were extremely popular.  Again, drawing on the wisdom of the Greeks, the Romans had a complicated ritual for bathing already in place.  It involves annointing the bather in oils, and this is followed by a regimen of heavy exercise, and then various dips in waters of different temperatures.  They needed the baths, then, for their complex system of modulating the body’s temperature to give the bather a feeling of terrific well-being.  The end of the bath was followed with more annointing with more oil, and at this point the history of the ritual gets slippery.  While our experience of the bath is much simpler, the technology has certainly grown more sophisticated, but its place at the center of culture is a very old idea indeed.

We found out about the castle on Ibiza after attending fairly swanky Ibiza opening parties having talked to couple from Bulgaria of all places. Edvard and Yvonne they called themselves, she with an actual eye patch of her left eye, then mysteriously it became a right side eye patch later in the evening, he with a beard like Rasputin, who claimed to have reached the ‘other side’ on their day trip to said castle. Said to be on the highest point in Ibiza, the castle no doubt had military significance back in its day. Well, it was all well and good, as we walked across an actual drawbridge to enter the castle. We were hoping to see Edvard and Yvonne (or E and Y as we called them) and catch what every they were seeing on the ‘other side’. Other side of what, Natalie demanded, and I did not know what to tell her, of course. We would have asked them (E and Y) if they were here. We climbed up to the walls and looked down from an honest to goodness castle. I imagined firing flaming arrows at invading hordes, locked immortal struggle, battling for glory. All forgotten now. I realized I just had a semi serious bout with deja vu. I felt like I had been here before, or something much like it, and felt quite at ease and at home here at the castle. Is this what E ad Y were talking about? Can one believe anything a gal in an eye patch tells you? Just them bells went churning off in the distance, and suddenly I was quite hungry. Our light breakfast Ibiza style of cappuccino, toast and jam did not stick, so we clambered off the castle and found a little lunch stand on a (what else) a cobblestone alley, barely wide enough or a single car if cars could travel here.

Spain is one of the world’s great treasures, offering a host of extremely lively cultures with histories that intertwine and evolve far past the present day.  There is a magnificent tradition for food here, and every region has established an excellent reputation for its culinary masterpieces.  There is also a long tradition for literature, theatre, and visual art here that offers something magical to every generation that discovers it.  Yet it might be the beaches that command the most respect from locals and tourists, because of their magnetic draw and the lovely lifestyle that accompanies the sea.  Bilbao is a city that thrives on tourism, and its tradition for treating guests with enormous hospitality, as well as its proximity to the water, makes it a fantastic choice.  There are wonderful luxury hotels, Bibao basing its reputation on its ability to treat its guests with graciousness and care.

Our hotels are carefully selected to offer the best in service and style, so that you will have the royal treatment, with access to all the latest amenities.  You’ll like the way we do pleasure here.  After a gorgeous night’s sleep and a tasty meal, it’s time to see what Bilbao has to offer.    A visit to the Guggenheim is certainly a necessary menu item for any traveler here, and one will no doubt come across work by the great artist Jorge Oteiza.   This sculptor worked in the Cubist style, and is an extremely influential theorist on contemporary art, whose artistic works as well as essays continue to influence generations of artists.

Jorge Oteiza was born nearby in Guipúzcoa in 1908.  The formative years for his artistic output were spent in Bilbao until 1935, when he went to Latin America.  He returned to Bilbao in 1948, and continued a long and very productive career, devoting himself to developing his aesthetic of objectivity in contemporary art.  The Latin American years were perhaps the most productive both for his work, and his artistic temperament.  He exhibited and taught in Bogotá and Buenos Aires, and these years began a fruitful relationship between Spanish and Latin American artists, which has enormous resonance in the new art of the past decade.  His later years showed a continuation of the pattern toward pushing his intellect, as he moved into the study of linguistics and his native Basque culture.  Bilbao is a splendid place to see his work.

The United States financial institutions are taking means to fight corruption, both here at home, and those acts that are committed in other countries.  Through a variety of procedures that have been implemented in the years following the September 11th attacks, many of illegal transactions have been under investigation, and have been prosecuted in various court cases.  Many criminals have been caught and stopped, in other words.  This is not only involved cases of financial fraud and extortion, but in cases of drug trafficking, political corruption and money laundering.

One way in which banks are protecting themselves is through the regulatory compliance procedures that are required by every employee, from the branch managers to the tellers.  This just simply means, that part of one’s job in a bank is follow the rules of “know your customer” and due diligence.  Compliance just means that each person is doing a thorough job, each and every time transactions are made.  It means that each and every client, be they business, country, or individual will be completely examined as to their credibility, and their honesty.  Not only in the matters of the business conducted itself, but in the case of foreign officials and leaders, that they are not involved in corruption of any kind.

Money laundering cases are about more than the money itself.  As if money was gained in a legal manner, this would not be a necessary step.  Criminals wishing to distance themselves from their previous crimes such as drug dealing, robbery, fraud or terrorist financing, have managed for years to wash the money using the federal financial institutions.  With these strict set of practices in place, banks will protect their assets, their reputations, and the world itself against the effects of crime and corruption.  With the diligent work of the personnel, the anti-terrorist organizations and the investigative teams, the world will become a much safer place, with a future just a little bit brighter.

Researching a career move I didn’t really know what I wanted to do next, so much out there, what will last, what’s up and coming, what is on the way out and how do you find out? What I had been doing, well I had enough of it, I learned what I want to know and need to move on to something else. I’m not happy being in one place all the time nor do I prefer to be inside all day. Breaking up the day with working at a desk and getting out and a bout a little would be perfect. It is great I know I need a change but the worst thing is I really don’t know what I want to do. Doing some Internet research I took several career pathing questionnaires. You know the kind they ask you a bunch of questions like do you prefer to be inside or out side, are you and early morning person or and afternoon or night person etc. etc. Really not sure how many I played with some were short 10 or so questions and others in the neighborhood of 50 or 60 and more questions. Something kept coming up was property management, I like being out doors, I like interacting with a lot of different people, I like coordinating logistics. I did some more research and came across Transglobe property management sounds like a possible opportunity to look into. poking around more I see other things that might be of interest and have looked into this and that for the past week. Keep coming back to real estate and property management so I began to follow Transglobe property management on Facebook and see what they are about and get a feel for the culture of the company.

When you are planning a trip to India, 5-star hotels can be a very important part of the process.  The hotel will be the place where you rest your body at the end of every day, so it should be a center of the journey that offers comfort with style.  Our hotels are selected to offer the best of these, with a splendid combination of the old world with the new.  There is a very refined and practiced sense of hospitality here that seems almost old-fashioned, because we still care about the courtesies that can add graceful details to every moment of the day.  Our hotels also have the latest technologies, so that you have the convenience of contemporary amenities.  You can be as connected to the world at large as you’d like to be while you’re here.
India is a splendid place to do business, being one of the major financial centers of the world.  It is also a splendid place to escape from the rest of the world, and get caught up in the local distractions and attractions, as well as get to know the local culture.   One of the ways to become acquainted with the rich cultures that live in this baffling and fantastic country is through the works of art.  There is a long history of making art here, going back thousands of years, and one of the more recent forms, comparatively speaking, is of course film.  In India, there are many film worlds, with Bollywood and Kollywood being the most visible.  For the underground and independent film worlds, there are entry points through organizations like Filter India.
Filter India began as an umbrella organization of serious film critics and film makers who were looking to develop a film culture that is critical and progressive.  Through programs like Experimenta, there are festivals that bring the best of innovative film to the world at large.  One of their other pet projects, Excavating Indian Experimental Film seeks to unearth film that is rarely seen, in order to find the most radical film forms and help to create new languages in national and international  cinema.  Look for them while you’re in the country.

It was a beautiful morning in Brisbane and we were beginning a week long holiday after completing a week of business in the city of Sydney. After we ate out hearty breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee we were ready to head out on foot and see some sites and get some exercises. Our five star Brisbane hotels was the perfect location to begin our adventure. It was a several block walk down Queen St to the river. Passing closed shops, office towers and apartment buildings. The streets were not crowded as it was the weekend and early in the morning. The city was very clean and quiet and the mixture of old and new buildings like all cities of its age around the world was nice to look at as we walked. We arrived at the banks of the river before 7 AM we encountered many locals out for there morning walks and runs as well as many dogs getting their morning exercises. It is very pretty there the river being the better part of a mile wide it is a big river. The city sits on both sides of the river, a nice view with the city as the back drop. Wandering around we explored little shops, stopped for coffee and a late morning pastry by the river. We continued on walking most of the day away looking around. We came across the ticket of a river cruise office and book a cruise for dinner the next evening. We are really looking forward to that, an evening of dining and dancing on a boat enjoying views of Brisbane from the river. Now we were really in need of finding our way back to the hotel and put up our feet for some much needed rest after all the walking we did.

Singapore is full of beautiful landmarks and great natural scenery as well as a rich and progressive arts and entertainment scene. Amongst all this is one of its historic features, the beautiful park known as Fort Canning Green. Tourists visit Singapore every year, and there is definitely much to do and see in this dynamic urban center, however, an afternoon or even evening at this park can offer more than great scenery and relaxation, as it is rich in cultural experiences, and significant historical aspects. And for tourists who are concerned about money exchange services, it is conveniently located near more than one Singapore private bank.

Situated near the central business district of Singapore Fort Canning can provide a great momentary escape from the regular hustle and bustle of activity. However, it is generally occupied by people who are there to celebrate one of the events taking place on its lush green landscape. Music festivals, concerts and even an out door cinema are regular features of this park, that has often been compared to Central Park in New York City.

One of the standard and enticing features of the park is its traditional spice garden. The garden was created by Sir Stamford Raffles who modeled the design and contents of the garden after an experimental botanical garden. To complete the garden, Raffles had spices such as cloves and nutmeg specially shipped in to incorporate into spice plants. One of the other standard features that is also of significant historical importance is the impressive Gothic Gates that great park goers at the main entrance. These somewhat imposing park guardians, date back to 1846 as part of the ornamentation of what was then a Christian cemetery. Whatever the reason, a visit to this incredible park is certainly an important aspect of any visitor’s experience of Singapore, and should not be missed.

I want to live in an Indian neighborhood in Goa and find out if it’s feasible to make a living there. First, though, I made reservations at one of the Goa Hotels for a whole month. I figured this would be plenty of time to investigate if my dream of moving to India is even possible.
My first week in Goa, I noticed living in an all Indian neighborhood with little stalls and what is referred to as Sagar eateries and the partially paved streets, there is only a few blocks away a main shopping artery. I discovered that this has an interesting mix of a typical spread out small India city neighborhood and a vibrant, cosmopolitan, global high tech business center. I really loved the old trees that bordered almost every avenue and all the parks and lakes. I found that generally, the traffic was no worse than any other city in India.
The market place in Goa, seem that it will sustain me if I do choose to live here. I found that my expertise in consulting growing companies would be very useful here. My insights about Goa proved to be right on the button. Most people I met here just casually, especially the business people, seemed extremely interested in my leadership development practices. Now, that the economy seems to be stabilizing and most companies are beginning to recoup, I could easily create and bring in new activity to these companies.
I do want to take more time here, though, I can tell that one month isn’t enough time to fully comprehend just how well my expertise would be utilized with the particular companies based here. I’m still working on building up my own new consulting company. But, I definitely will be back to Goa to reconnect with the businesses I casually talked to. The wealth and the competent entrepreneurial energy here is ripe for the picking.

When you are visiting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hotel accommodations should put you in the seat of luxury. Our hotels are carefully selected to offer only the best in style and taste, to offer an experience that is refreshing and rejuvenating. The design here is planned to reflect the city, with multiple cultural influences that offer an unusually vibrant ambience. There is also an exquisite blend of old world and new world influences, so that you will be treated to the finest in hospitality and convenience. There is nothing missing here, from world class meals prepared by chefs who specialize in the best of local and international cuisine, state-of-the-art exercise facilities, and a sense of calm and grace that is unique to Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur is a fantastic city, and one of the major cultural and financial hubs in the region. As such, it offers a wide array of local activities and events, as well as hosting international cultural events, that will please every member of the family. There are excellent galleries and museums, as well as a number of works of live performance on most any day of the week. Sightseeing, people watching, and shopping are all excellent here, as the local culture is lively and fascinating. For nightlife, KL has a great reputation as a prime destination. There are fabulous restaurants and bars, and the local club scene is one of the most plugged in scenes in the region. Visitors who come to dance should certainly check out shows where Hardstyle Republic is dj’ing.

The techno scene here is strong and thriving, keeping up with the latest beats that Europe has to offer, and sometimes moving ahead of Detroit in its vision. There is certainly a wild spirit of experimentation here, with a great love of innovation that is distinctive to KL in general. Hardstyle Republic speaks to the local love of the new and refreshing, modifying the way bodies move to rhythm. Hardstyle is one of the most infectious kinds of electronic music, sweeping through Amsterdam in recent years and moving style forward in KL with a visionary fervor. These electronic musicians are young and interesting, and have a knowledge of recent trends as well as a healthy love for pop culture, giving their spins a distinctive sense of humor. They’ll keep you up dancing half the night, and reveal new methods for seeing local culture with a vibrant techno lens.

We have a splendid selection of five-star Hong Kong hotels to make your stay here even more spectacular.  Our hotels are carefully chosen for their excellence in design, service, and their own unique offerings.  There is a uniformly superb level of quality that they all share, meeting or exceeding the highest standards in the industry.  We offer a heady blend of innovation and tradition.  Our hotels feature the newest technologies, so that your connectivity to the world at large has never been faster, and so that all members of the family can enjoy the latest in in-room entertainment.  We also specialize in the old-world standards of hospitality and graciousness, so that you will enjoy a standard of relaxation that is perhaps unequaled anywhere.
A splendid gourmet meal, a beautiful night’s sleep, and a refreshing workout, and you’re ready to see all that Hong Kong has to offer.  It is one of the world’s great cosmopolitan centers, leading the world in economic and cultural advances.  Hong Kong is at the forefront of technology and design, and it attracts some of the world’s best minds.  There is a very sophisticated sense of style here, and it almost requires spending at least some time shopping for the latest fashions.  There are also fantastic clubs to enjoy a fine evening, and hear some of the hottest beats on earth.  For all of these adventures, people watching is always an excellent activity, and observing humanity’s buzz in one of the most bustling places is entertaining and fun.  You may catch a glimpse of a famous movie star, or a pop star, or someone who happens to be both, like Prudence Liew.
Born in 1964, the year of the Dragon, Prudence Liew has had a remarkable life.  As a child, she was already used to the spotlight, appearing in many commercials.  She went into film production, but was soon tapped for her gorgeous voice and tough sensibility, and became one of Hong Kong’s first generation hiphop stars.  She went from there into pure pop, and it is here that she has received some of her best notices.  She achieved a modest degree of success with Love Yourself, in 2000, and made a recent resurgence in the world music market with her compilation album and concert, Opening the Sex Boundaries.  She continued to appear in films and on television, lest her hardcore fans forget that she is a woman of multiple talents.  In 2008, to prove to the world that her career was stronger than ever, she won the Best Leading Actress Award for her work in Hong Kong blockbuster True Women for Sale.  Her life is an inspiration to young people looking for role models that teach about the values of persistence and a positive outlook!

A fantastic place for a gorgeous luxury hotel, Chennai, India is a splendid blend of landscapes and worlds.  Old world qualities like hospitality and graciousness are plentiful here, as are new world technologies and conveniences.  Guests at our hotels will miss nothing of the connectivity they have at home, but they will be treated to a luxury that will facilitate a voluntary retreat from the usual concerns.  There is also a vibrant metropolis here, with a fantastic art scene, and it is also close to the ocean, so that many varieties of scenery can be seen in a very short amount of time.  Chennai has sophistication and mystery, and our hotels will help to refresh and rejuvenate the mind and spirit, so that its charms can be experienced with fresh eyes.

There are a number of exciting distractions and attractions in Chennai, and something to appeal to all members of the family of all ages.  Chennai has sight-seeing and tours, with ancient temples and contemporary architectural wonders, and it also has its share of famous people.  Home to Kollywood, the heart of the booming Tamil film industry, there are excellent opportunities for star-gazing.  And for culture of a more complex variety, lucky travelers might catch sight of the outspoken genius of Chennai theatre, Gnani Sankaran.  He is perhaps more known for his opinion pieces, his writings on politics and culture which are provocative, erudite, and often extremely on-target, and his reputation is solid in the contemporary imagination.

His work in the field of theatre is likewise remarkable, and his reputation is excellent in world theatre.  He founded a theatre group, Pareeksha, over thirty years ago, and it still draws a very significant share of the Tamil-speaking audience.  His work here is distinctively in the alternative theatre school, drawing on the roots of local theatre and integrating Brechtian techniques to make live performances that are extremely relevant and highly entertaining.  Global theatre afficionados are encouraged to see the latest offerings here, and become part of the audience of a vital art form at a vital time.

“Firenze, Firenze, we gotta go to Firenze!” I shouted in my best Italian accent, which I thought convincing but brought a pillow fired at my head by my would be travel companion and (not would be) best girl Annie. “All right already, finish packing, let’s go,” she said, already showered, packed and tapping her foot, anxious to get to Florence. We had two hours before the train from Milan where we had flown in to get there, but she wanted to make sure we got onto the right train on the right track, and to get cappuccino and a pastry on the corner one last time. We got our cappuccinos, ordering in the funny Italian manner of speaking to the gal at the door, and realizing (at least the first time) we had no idea what we were doing, gave us our receipt which we put on the counter of at the coffee bar weighed down by a Euro coin as a tip, and ate standing up and slurping, in the Italian manner.

“They have the best bar food in Firenze. Says so right here in the Hotels Florence Italy guide. I need bruschetta!” I carried on, high on the bright Italian air and strong cappuccino. Annie said listening to me made her want a Negroni, gin, vermouth and Campari. I wanted to eat, first and foremost, some nice risotto, a little pasta, a lotta pasta, I loved Italian food and could not get enough. the train squeaked to a halt (train travelis so nice, where are all the trains back home? Try to get around New Mexico on a train) and we rushed off where were drawn like n=moth to a porch light to the no charge f at the cities’ wine bars.

In towns and cities all over the country, many in the southwestern regions such as the Texas town of Denton, foreclosure has been on the mind of many people.  However, even given the current state of the economy, during the month of July sales on existing homes rose just more that seven percent.  The real estate market saw more first time buyers surging the market than it has in a very long time.  This was the largest jump in the market for one month in ten years.

Even just a few months ago, home owners were resistant to even put their houses up for sale, as no one was purchasing real estate, however is seems that those times may be reversing.  The data was recorded by the National Association of Realtors, who had gone through the records of many states.  Not only was July’s jump in sales tremendous, July marked the fourth month in a row that the percentage has gone up.  This report was given on the same day that the United States economy was declared by the Federal Reserve to be on the way to recovery.

At a conference in a few months ago in Wyoming, the Chairman stated, that although there are still some challenges to face, home prices are becoming more stable and perhaps even by the next term the United States will see evidence of that recovery.  In some counties in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey that sales are still down, however, they are not as low as they once were.  Analysts are stating that the government rebate program for first time buyers, eight thousand dollars, may be what is stimulating the market.  At the same time interest rates are incredibly low and houses are priced at affordable prices.  This upturn is fueled by those first time buyers, as they have no previous debt holding them back, they are able to take advantage of the current shifts in the market.

We almost bussed in to Jaipur from Delhi when we said to each other “Are you nuts?” and decided to go by train instead. Bette and I love trains and wish we had them back home in Las Vegas, and not the little ones that go down the strip, but a train to take you to Phoenix or San Diego, where you can sit down like in comfort and have 110 volt outlets at your disposal. We love the Hurley burly ride of trains, the happy chatty people on this one as we ride our way in Jaipur, the Pink City, and looked forward to seeing some of the luxury hotels Jaipur provides the traveler. a robust fellow seated next to us peered at his hi tech lap top while beyond him in the window of the train we could see farms tended by people with hoes and shovels, pouring buckets of water. He proceeded to produce a foil wrapped lunch, as did everyone on the train, as if on some unheard signal, as the train, already slightly fragrant, became a traveling food court, as chutneys and puri breads and vindaloos and chapattis and curried chick peas and palak paneer and just about every Indian food delight, as we trundled in our rather nice train car throughout Indian countryside. Not to be out done, we had some eggplant lentils and potatoes in turmeric and a mango pickle for tartness, and health. Funny, Bette and I feel our best when we have had Indian food for a few days, either while i country, or at home in Vegas finishing off leftovers over a few days. We are both busy and left overs suit us fine. This trip did not disappoint us, as we felt great the whole time.