Doesn’t your Mom Deserve the Very Best for Mother’s Day?

Your Mom is probably the most important person in your life. She once gave you an irreplaceable gift – a safe, comfortable place to grow and develop before you entered this big world. She is always there for you when you need moral support or advice. She worries about you when you are away on a long trip or in the midst of a financial crisis.

Mother’s Day is HER day – once a year when you try to show her how much you love her. The only problem is finding just the right gift. Every year you rack your brains for something special, something unforgettable.

How about a bed and breakfast getaway?

Bed and breakfast inns offer a degree of personalized service that you won’t find in any hotel. Small inns often provide one-on-one amenities that will make Mom feel like a queen. Spa and in-room massage, pedicures, facials, breakfast in bed, full-meal service, fresh-cut flowers, mints on the pillow, champagne, fine wine, or strawberries dipped in chocolate are just a few of the extras you may find at one of these unique lodging properties.

Some bed and breakfasts offer special Mother’s Day packages. They excel in putting together amenities for anniversaries, birthdays, honeymoons, and other family occasions.

As you search for a bed and breakfast or country inn, try to find one that caters to adults only. Your Mom worked hard to raise you – getting up at night to comfort you when you cried, wiping your nose, cleaning your muddy face, and driving you to extracurricular functions. She has earned a holiday away from the distractions of little kids.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Flagler Beach, Florida is home to Island Cottage Oceanfront Villa Inn and Spa. As its name suggests, onsite spa services are available – as well as whirlpool tubs built for two. Mom will enjoy their quiet, private beach as she relaxes and unwinds. The Inn also offers fine dining.

The Hexagon House in Pentwater, Michigan provides historic lodging near the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. This historic inn specializes in romance getaways. Mom will enjoy the Victorian parlor with its inviting fireplace, large porches, and gourmet breakfasts. In-room massage is also offered – and The Hexagon provides additional services such as manicures, facials, and personalized packages.

An Illinois inn in the greater St. Louis, Missouri area provides salon and in-room spa treatments, comfy plush robes (yours to take with you at checkout) and concierge services. The Beall Mansion’s crystal chandeliers and period antiques will make Mom feel like the Queen of England.

Charlottesville, Virginia is home to the Foxfield Inn. The Inn’s ‘Relaxation Getaway’ is meant to soak away all one’s cares. It includes full country breakfast, fine Virginia wine, and a heated outdoor spa. They can help you to reserve tables at a local restaurant, and can even transport you there – in the Inn’s Mercedes! Mom will be delighted to hear that they also offer private in-room massage.

On the southern coast of Maine you will find York Harbor – and York Harbor Inn. Boasting beautiful ocean views, fireplaces, patios, decks, and whirlpool spa tubs, this Inn is sure to please. Their fine gourmet dining and onsite pub with entertainment make any stay more complete. For mothers who like golfing, there is a golf course nearby. If Mom just wants to stroll while she unwinds, she can wander along miles of sandy beaches.

Now that you have a few suggestions, you can begin your Internet quest. However, if you are looking for accommodations in another country, you may need to expand your search criteria to include ‘pensions’, ‘guesthouses’, and ‘homestays’.

No matter what you call them, bed and breakfast inns are unique, and they aim to please.

Ready – Set – Go! Find a getaway while there are still vacancies available!

©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author’s note below (with active links) are included.

Why Do We Live In A Society That Doesn’t Protect It’s People’s Privacy Anymore? (more In Details)?

I know it’s no Constitutional right to privacy but I thought it was implied that we respect each others privacy?
I know it’s the job of news entities to report the news, but when did rumors become okay to spill to millions of people without facts. And when was it okay to accept information to get a story when the person you are accepting it from has broken the law by giving the information in the first place.
If Roberto Alomar has HIV/AIDS, that’s his business and the people he had/has sex with. If he had sex with the lady knowing he had HIV/AIDS then he should be punished, but when did this become a public matter? It’s not even confirmed he has HIV or AIDS but the media has no problem potentially ruining his life.
And in MLB, drug tests that were never supposed to be public knowledge is now out there because someone chose to be unethical.
The following from http://www.nbcwashington.com/sports/base…
The Major League Baseball Players Association issued a statement Saturday afternoon: “Information and documents relating to the results of the 2003 MLB testing program are both confidential and under seal by court orders. We are prohibited from confirming or denying any allegation about the test results of any particular player[s] by the collective bargaining agreement and by court orders. Anyone with knowledge of such documents who discloses their contents may be in violation of those court orders.”
The actual samples of 1,198 players were kept in one lab in Las Vegas and had codes, not players’ names. A list with the names and corresponding codes was in an office in Long Beach, Calif. They were never supposed to be united. MLB and the union had a deal with the company that any negative samples were to be automatically destroyed after 30 days. However, because of the current Barry Bonds investigation and the evidence the government is seeking to present in his current perjury case, it is now known that samples were not destroyed.

Why Doesnt Obama Stop Pretending To Be Listening To Other Ideas On Health Care?

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/03/11…

As part of his drive to overhaul the nation’s health-care system, President Obama has presented himself as a pragmatist who is more interested in creating the best possible plan than in rigidly adhering to a given ideology.
“It’s conceivable that there are other ideas out there that we have not thought of,” he acknowledged at last Thursday’s White House Health Care Summit. “If there is a way of getting this done where we’re driving down costs and people are getting health insurance at an affordable rate and have choice of doctor, have flexibility in terms of their plans, and we could do that entirely through the market, I’d be happy to do it that way. If there was a way of doing it that involved more government regulation and involvement, I’m happy to do it that way as well. I just want to figure out what works.”
President Obama has used events such as community discussion groups and last week’s summit to foster the impression that he is soliciting opinions from all angles of the health care debate, but the reality is a lot different. Obscured by the Administration’s theatrics is the fact that it has kept at bay those who advocate free-market solutions rather than government-run health care.
The guest list to the summit was a telling sign. Despite having representatives from 169 different labor, industry, and policy organizations, the White House did not invite any organizations that advocate a consumer-based free-market approach to health care.
Progressive organizations such as the Center for American Progress, Health Care for America NOW!, and Campaign for America’s Future were represented, but pro-market groups such as the Cato Institute, Consumers for Health Care Choices, the Galen Institute, or the Council for Affordable Health Insurance were not.
“They brought in the health care establishment to basically divvy up the pie, and consumers were left out of it entirely,” lamented Greg Scandlen, president of Consumers for Health Care Choices. “This is all predetermined and orchestrated to get the result they want.”
While the Republican Congressional leadership was on hand, many of the foremost proponents of a patient-focused approach to health care were not.
“I suspect that that can’t be an accident,” Rep. John Shadegg, a Republican who has proposed a number of market-oriented reforms to the U.S. health care system and did not receive an invitation to the summit, said. “I suspect that they don’t want those views expressed.”
Shadegg noted that other lawmakers who weren’t invited included free marketers such as Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Tom Price, Sen. Richard Burr, Sen. Jim DeMint, and Obama’s personal friend, Sen. Tom Coburn.
By contrast, Sen. Bernard Sanders and Rep. John Conyers were on hand — both of them advocate a socialized, or single-payer, system.
The Obama administration’s unwillingness to consider free-market views wasn’t limited to the summit. TAS spoke to several professionals who took the Obama transition team up on its call to hold community meetings last December aimed at generating ideas on how to reform the health-care system. But those who came up with ideas focused on a consumer-based approach rather than a government-run one felt that their ideas were ignored.
“They called out for everyone to have all of these town meetings, but if your town meeting didn’t have a conclusion that agreed with theirs, they said ‘thank you very much’ and never came back to you,” said Dr. Marcy Zwelling-Aamot, who participated in a meeting in Long Beach, California, along with a coalition of local lawmakers, hospitals, providers, and concerned residents.
More here:http://spectator.org/archives/2009/03/11…

Retiring Doesn’t Have to Mean Old Age Homes

Retirement doesn’t necessarily mean moving to the restricting confines of an old age home. It is meant to be a time of freedom and excitement, a time you have been working towards for a good long while – why not make it a highlight in your life rather than a premature ending?

Thousands of people choose to relocate to a different country to enjoy their twilight years to the full and moving to South Africa has become a bit of trend, particularly amongst middle income Europeans.

South Africa has become a popular retirement destination for various good reasons, but chiefly because of the relatively low cost of living.

Low cost of living

Many immigrants to South Africa make the mistake of purchasing property in the most expensive areas and embracing a lifestyle they would never be able to afford at home simply because of the strength of foreign currency compared to the poor old battered rand.

It is important to keep in mind that even though the fiscal returns of the pound or Euro seem quite staggering initially, in order to make ends meet on your retirement money you will still have to curb your spending, unless you’re shipping money over on a regular basis.

A retired foreigner is eligible for a four year retirement visa as long as their monthly pension or net worth realises the equivalent of R20 000 (£1336) per month, according to today’s exchange rate (10 December 2008). These requirements apply per person. Once you have qualified for a retirement visa, the next step would be to apply for permanent residence.

Quality of life

It’s not necessarily the cost of living that is the powerful attraction; it may simply be the improved quality of life that has tempted you to consider relocating to South Africa. Huge chunks of money can’t buy a fantastic climate or access to the great outdoors and these are the free benefits a land like South Africa has to offer.

Excellent health care

As we get older, we have to be cognisant of our health for obvious reasons. South Africa has outstanding private health care facilities at a fraction of its overseas counterparts’ price. Although many skilled health care professionals have chosen to take their talent and experience abroad, the overall standard of health professionals in the private sector is excellent.

Great natural attractions

Then there are the other attractions of the country, including its world-class golf courses, diverse attractions encompassing both bush and beach, luxurious yet affordable dwellings, exciting cultures and a standard of living that is quite frankly unaffordable for the vast majority of retirees in countries like Germany and the UK.

Relegate the old age home to the back burner – retiring to a place like South Africa will give you a new lease on life and a whole new perspective to boot.

Why Doesn’t Yahoo List Nhra Stats And Results In Their Sports News?

I have been a drag racing fan since 1963 at Lions Drag Strip near Long Beach, CA. I also grew up street racing during those years. Drag racing should be listed on the Yahoo sports section as a major motor sport just like NASCAR or INDY car racing. What will it take to get real coverage of this great sport?