Lesbian love is nothing new; Sappho was an Ancient Greek poetess who was born on the island of Lesbos. Many of her love poems were addressed to other women and the female narrators in many of her works speak of infatuations and love for various women. The word “lesbian” derives from the island on which she lived and her name is the origin of the word “sapphic”. However, until recently, the idea of one woman loving another, let alone sleeping with another female has been perceived as something either very unusual and rare, or just downright strange. Over the last few years, there’s been a gradual sea-change in regard to the general perception of what being ‘lesbian’ really means. The traditional image of the cropped haired, rather aggressive looking, butch dyke might still apply to some gay women, but now we’re coming out of the closet in our millions and the world can see that actually, in most cases, we look just like the girl next door.

This mass ‘coming out’ is partly due to the proliferation of lesbian-centric resources on the internet; type in the word ‘lesbian’ into any of the search engines and you’ll see a plethora of heavily populated chat rooms, directories, forums and dating sites like PlanetSappho.com which are the exclusive territory of sapphic women. It is this availability of male-free communities that has coaxed so many gay, bisexual and even bi-curious ladies out of their closets and into the open. Also, we now see major cultural icons like Madonna kissing Britney Spears kissing each other full on the lips in front of a television audience of millions which is exactly the right heterosexual seal of ‘cool’ that we lesbians have waited such a long time to see. Over the years, there have been a great many famous lesbians in both film and music but, unfortunately, they were just too frightened to come out and publicly admit it. Now we have Ellen DeGeneres and KD Lang – both of whom have an army of straight, non-judgmental fans.

The outcome of all this is that there is no longer a social stigma attached to the concept of women dating women or straight women experimenting with their sexuality by taking a same sex partner. Gay guys have been doing it for years but now there’s no reason for any woman to feel repressed or uncertain about dating or sleeping with someone of their own sex. Being who we are or want to be is no longer just a possibility, it’s a right and it’s also something that’s now accepted by our straight counterparts.

Whilst the word ‘lesbian’ is an all encompassing description for a gay woman, it doesn’t do justice to the many different types of female who embrace the lifestyle. There are the traditional dykes as well as femmes/lipstsick lesbians whose ultra-feminine appearance would give no clue as to their sexual inclinations and bi-sexual and bi-curious women who occasionally indulge the lesbian side of their sexual and emotional psyches. Just because you don’t have the shaved head and the tattoos doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself sexually with another woman if that’s what you want to do. So sisters…there’s never been a better time to be a lesbian and now is the time to come out of the closet and be loud and proud about joys of lesbian loving!

Sarah Harris
http://www.articlesbase.com/sexuality-articles/sisters-are-doin-it-for-themselves-58337.html

Early on the morning of March 8th, 1999, Joe DiMaggio died at the age of 84 after a terrible battle with lung cancer and pneumonia. At his bedside were his brother Dominick, two grandchildren, Joe Nacchio (a friend for 59 years) and Morris Engleberg, another long-time friend and his attorney. His body was later flown to San Francisco, for burial in his home town.

Joseph Paul DiMaggio, named for his father and his father’s favorite saint – Paul – was born on Nov 25, 1914. He grew up as one of nine children, just as the age of the Great Depression settled on this country.

As a child, he had to wear braces to correct a knock-kneed condition. He did not participate in organized sports until the age of 10 when he played softball. At 15, he gave up baseball and decided to focus his efforts on tennis. After two years, at the age of 17, he gave up on tennis and dropped out of high school to support his parents by earning a living at physical labor.

In 1932, at the urging of his second oldest brother Vince, Joe tried out for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. This was the highest level of baseball for that time west of St. Louis. Vince was already a member of that team and Joe played the last 3 games of the 1932 season and even tripled in his first at-bat. During the 1933 season, at 18 years old, Joe hit safely in 61 straight games for the Seals. He missed much of the 1934 season with an injury to his knee. In 1935, his last season with the Seals, he hit an amazing .398. It was in 1936 that he was signed by the Yankees, even though he had higher offers from the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. However, these two teams were too late, and thus, Joe became a Yankee where he would help them win the pennant in 10 of his 13 years and 8 World Sereis Championships.

The Yankees of his era signified graceful elegance. They came to the ballpark in 3-piece suits, cut hair and clean shaven. No tattoos back in those days and gaudy gang-like jewelry. They would beat you – and not get their uniforms dirty. And Joe would make things look easy – even exhibiting a gracefulness out in center field. His record of hitting safely in 56 consecutive games is remarkable. It is a record that many experts feel is the most untouchable in all of sports. And even though he posted gaudy numbers throughout his career, they might have even been moreso had he not served for his country during the peak of his career during World War II.

DiMaggio became the first Italian-American superstar in athletics and the first to be adored by the American public. He was a good-looking, well-dressed man who became an icon for dignity and grace and regularly appeared on the best-dressed lists of American men. He was a private man, and often-times painfully shy – which made him even more of a commodity to the public. He was a man who Italian-Americans could look up to and take great pride in. He did much to dispel and erase the previous “gangster” stereotypes fostered by Al Capone and the mafia.

His celebrity status even remained after his baseball days. In 1954, he married Marilyn Monroe, the most glamorous woman in Hollywood. The marriage lasted only 10 months, but it did much to capture the imagination of the nation, in a manner similar to how a king and queen would.

Monroe, who did not know of Joe as a ballplayer, entertained some military troops in South Korea during the couple’s honeymoon. Estatic from the reception she received, she said, “Joe, you never heard such cheering” and he replied “Oh yes, I have”.

He did gradually fade out of the limelight as he grew older. He became the spokesperson for Mr. Coffee and the Bowery Savings Bank. He remained in relatively good health, despite being a heavy smoker and would still make regular appearances at Yankee Stadium. But even after 50 years since wearing the Yankee pinstripes, he would still receive standing ovations at the stadium.

His last major public appearance was on the first game of the 1998 World Series. Some 30 years earlier, DiMaggio had his 10 World Sereis rings stolen from a hotel room. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner presented DiMaggio with duplicates of the 10 rings.

Not even a month later, DiMaggio was in the hospital battling for his life. In typical baseball fashion, he would rally and fade – only to rally again. He became disgusted with the press conferences held by his doctors in updating his condition, that he eventually put a “gag order” on the press releases. He finally gave out and went out quietly with the dignity that he deserved.

In a day when many of our sports “heroes” are criminals, thugs, and cry-babies, it is hard to imagine the character of a man such as Joe DiMaggio. His name will go down with many of the greats of this century such as Ruth, Ali, Brown, Bird and Jordan. He was nick-named the Clipper – in his day that meant winner. His name and spirit will be forever immortalized in Hemingway’s “Old Man and the Sea”. However, I think the Simon and Garfunkel song of “Mrs. Robinson” is never more appropriate when they sing “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you”. Rest in Peace, Joe.

Larry Aiello
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/tribute-to-joe-dimaggio-61902.html

“When you find someone you believe in, do not hesitate to stand by him through thick and thin.” – Bryce’s Law

INTRODUCTION

There is a general consensus today that there is a complete breakdown in corporate loyalty, that employees no longer maintain allegiances to their companies or their bosses. Years ago people joined companies usually for life. Workers figured if they worked hard enough and kept their noses clean, the company would take care of them. This is no longer the case. Due to the corporate changes implemented over the last twenty five years to remain competitive in a world economy, workers now typically live in a state of paranoia and think short-term employment as opposed to long-term, thus affecting their perspective on loyalty.

As some very visible examples of this, consider the dismantling of the studio system in Hollywood and the farm system in Major League Baseball. Instead of being groomed and nurtured from within the system, employees have been forced to become free-agents. Obviously, this encourages individualism as opposed to teamwork. I chuckle when I hear an executive become exasperated that there isn’t any loyalty in his company anymore. Why should there be if he promotes a corporate culture that doesn’t encourage loyalty?

Let’s understand this from the outset, loyalty represents trust. It means a person is confident that something will behave predictably, positively, and to their benefit. As a result, they will willingly pledge their allegiance to it. If it doesn’t behave in this manner, loyalty will be shattered.

There are three types of loyalty we commonly come in contact with: Product, Institutional, and Person:

PRODUCT LOYALTY

I’m sure we all know someone who has allegiances to products. For example, I have a friend whose family has been buying Buick automobiles literally for generations. Even though the body styles have changed over the years, they have found it to be a trustworthy product and have remained loyal customers for decades. I also have a business contact who refuses to fly on anything but Boeing aircraft. Back in 1985 there was a consumer uproar when Coca-Cola changed their formula and introduced “New Coke.” Loyal customers finally forced the company to reintroduce the original formula under the name, “Coca-Cola Classic” (as we know it today).

People form attachments to products because they like it, have become familiar with it, and are confident it will perform routinely and to their benefit. They will even go so far as to adapt their lifestyle to the product and become dependent on it, just like a drug, even tolerating modest changes in price and attributes. But if the product changes radically, becomes unreliable, or skyrockets in price, then loyalty is shattered and the consumer looks for other alternatives. To illustrate, consider the American automotive industry; for years, people loyally purchased American automobiles because they believed them to be well built and tailored to the needs of the American public. Foreign automobiles were originally considered as nothing more than a curiosity that was out of step with the public. But because of some serious missteps by Detroit, consumer loyalty was shattered and transferred to foreign car manufacturers, particularly the Japanese and Germans who worked overtime to cultivate consumer loyalty.

Loyalty in this regards does not require a product to be best in its class. In fact, a lot of mediocre products command consumer loyalty simply because consumers perceive them as quality goods. For example, I do not consider Microsoft products to be the best of their kind, yet they command incredible consumer loyalty as people perceive them as “state of the art.” Even though there are many other excellent products out there with superior features, Microsoft commands the PC simply because they have been able to cultivate consumer confidence. But if they ever lose this confidence, there will undoubtedly be others to take their place.

INSTITUTIONAL LOYALTY

We see instances of institutional loyalty in such things as political parties (Democrats, Republicans), branches of the military (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy), countries and communities, charities, sports teams, fraternal organizations, and companies. Here, people fervently believe in the institution they belong to and proudly display their loyalty though such things as lapel pins, bumper stickers, tattoos, web sites or whatever. Most people realize such institutions are not perfect. Nevertheless, they support it through thick and thin simply because they believe it to be a good and noble institution. The only time they will break with it is if the institution radically changes course and is no longer in line with their personal interests and values. For example, we have seen examples of people switching from one political party to another due to a change in policies and interests.

Quite often, the loyalty for an institution or office within it supersedes the loyalty to the person holding the office. We see numerous examples of this in the military and government alone. True, soldiers are more apt to follow certain leaders into battle they believe in, but they will also perform their duty out of a greater sense of loyalty to the institution.

Corporations tend to be a bit different though since the integrity of such institutions are being questioned today. This is probably due to corporate cultures that are failing to maintain the interests of the workers. Whereas I still have friends employed by big businesses who have long tenure with their companies, younger workers tend to lack faith in the institutions and find the company’s interests are not compatible with their own. Their only motivation is to pick up a paycheck, nothing more, nothing less. This is somewhat sad as it means their work is not aligned with their interests which does not promote a sense of craftsmanship.

PERSONAL LOYALTY

Loyalty to a particular individual is perhaps more common than the other two. This is because people are social animals and tend to identify with the interests of others (the “birds of a feather” phenomenon). In terms of superior/subordinate relationships, with rare exception, we want to believe in our leaders. We want them to worry about charting the right course of action while we worry about tending to our own particular work effort. People are more inclined to follow a leader, even through the most difficult of times, whom they are loyal to than someone they do not trust. But understand this, loyalty at this level is a two-way street; not only does a manager require the loyalty of his workers, the workers require the loyalty of the manager. This requires effective social and communications skills (people skills). The manager must demonstrate he knows what he is doing, knows the right path to take, and maintains the interests of his subordinates. Conversely, the workers must demonstrate to the manager they are willing to put forth the necessary effort to see a job through to completion. In other words, both parties depend on each other, which brings us back to trust. And if the trust is ever broken, harmony is disrupted, and the manager and workers begin to work at odds against each other, which, of course, is counterproductive and a very unhealthy working environment.

REBUILDING LOYALTY

If our trust in someone or something is broken, it is difficult to repair, but not impossible. If Product Loyalty is broken, consumer confidence has to be rebuilt; If Institutional Loyalty is broken, the corporate culture has to be overhauled, and; If Personal Loyalty is broken, it will be the most difficult to correct due to the human dynamics involved. In any event, rebuilding loyalty will be a long and costly process. The best thing to do is not to lose it in the first place.

Loyalty is broken when expectations radically diverge from what happens in practice. People are willing to forgive errors or indiscretions to a point, primarily because as creatures of habit we are comfortable with the status quo and do not necessarily want to change. But if problems become significant without any sign of being remedied, people will lose patience and faith in the object of attention. Let’s take the 1985 Coca-Cola incident as an example; had the company made a minor change in the Coke formula, it probably would have been accepted. They didn’t. The “New Coke” formula was a radical departure from the old formula. Regardless of the considerable marketing hype of the new product, customers lost confidence in it and started a rebellion to reintroduce the old formula.

Worker loyalty is lost when they become convinced their interests are not being maintained by management, and lack confidence in the direction of the company. This typically occurs when:

• Promises are not kept by management.
• Worker jobs are in peril of being outsourced.
• The company is losing market share.
• The workers do not understand the deployment or withdrawal of certain products or services.

Whether such scenarios are real or not, worker loyalty will be lost if management’s judgment is perceived as questionable. A lot of this can be corrected simply by effective communications to clear up misunderstandings and to explain the rationale for a course of action. Even if the chips are down, workers are more likely to remain loyal if they understand and believe in the course management has plotted.

Worker loyalty in management is also based on ethics and quality. If the actions of management are perceived as unscrupulous or unsavory, workers will quickly lose faith in them. Further, if workers do not have confidence in the quality of the products or services they are producing and selling (that they know them to be based on inferior workmanship), this too will be a bad reflection of management’s integrity.

Look, its really quite simple, workers want to be treated fairly, lead a worthy and meaningful life, and have confidence in the direction of their company. This requires management to improve their people skills, refine the corporate culture, and enact effective communications. In return, management should rightfully expect loyalty from the work force.

Deeds speak louder than words. In order for management to be credible with workers, they must demonstrate they have the best interests of their employees in mind. Let me give you an example, every once and awhile in Major League Baseball you see a manager charge out to an umpire during a game to challenge a call and becomes quite vocal and animated (Earl Weaver and Billy Martin were legendary in this regard). Quite often, such challenges are done more for demonstrative purposes as opposed to actually refuting a call by the umpire. Basically, the histrionics are used by the managers to tell their own team that he believes in his players and is willing to fight to protect their interests. Now I’m not suggesting that a corporate officer or manager needs to pick a fight with someone, but some public demonstration of his sincerity is needed to express his commitment to his workers, be it a reward, a testimony, a recognition or whatever; something to demonstrate he has the best interests of his employees in mind. This includes affecting the corporate culture and establishing the proper work environment. Some managers have little sensitivity for the type of work their people have to perform. In fact, they prefer a master/slave relationship thereby elevating their ego. But if they create an environment that empowers employees and treats them like professionals, thereby giving them a sense of purpose, they tend to become more dedicated and loyal to the company.

Some people contend you can buy loyalty. I do not subscribe to this notion. In this situation, people will only be loyal as long as the cash continues to roll in. When it stops (or if someone outbids another), people move on. Do not confuse loyalty with bribery. Loyalty means you believe in something and are willing to stand by it through good times as well as bad.

CONCLUSION

Years ago, Les Matthies, the legendary “Dean of Systems” admonished me, “As long as someone provides you with a job, be loyal to that person; don’t gossip and ridicule him; do your job, and do it right. If you don’t like the person, then get out and do something else.” What worries me is that Les’ sentiments are lost in today’s world. Loyalty is rapidly becoming a lost virtue. Interestingly, I have met a lot of people in recent years complaining how loyalty is lost in corporate America, as well as other institutions such as nonprofit organizations. These same people all want to see loyalty become part of our core values again, but they are all waiting for someone else to take the first step in making this happen. If you believe in the necessity of loyalty, that it adds value to our lives, then it behooves all of us to take the first step.

Always remember: Loyalty = Trust

Tim Bryce
http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/rebuilding-loyalty-55543.html

Hip hop is a cultural movement which originated from New York in the 1970s. Rapping, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti art are considered the main components of hip hop culture. Hip-hop music style consists of a rhytmic style of speaking (rap) over backing beats which are played by a DJ. Although rap is often confused with hip hop, it is not quite the same thing. Rapping is a vocal style which implies a performer speaking rhythmically to a beat and it is usually a component of hip-hop. Hip hop music was inspired from funk or disco songs, from which it borrowed the beats. Since 1979, it has entered the American mainstream and became a popular genre. In 1990s, a form called “gangsta rap” evolved. Today, hip-hop is in vogue not only in the USA, but also in the entire world.

The rise of hip hop was not arbitrary. It happened in the 1970s, when people were tired of dance and rock and needed a change. But that was not the only reason. There were also some social and political causes. Hip-hop’s popularity grew in the same time with the power of black and Latino gangs. Hip hop became a protest against middle-class white community from the poor black community living in “ghettos”. The lyrics spoke about the reality in ghettos which wasn’t exactly peachy. Consequently, hip-hopers used their music to express their feelings and frustrations. Of course, what begun as a poor class’s protest transformed into a million dollars industry, but that is another story.

Today, hip hop is listened to not only by Afro Americans, but also by white people. In fact, many successful hip hopers are white, an example being the notorious rapper Eminem. Hip-hop fans have their own way of dressing (with large clothes usually, baggie pants, bandanas, tattoos, sportswear and gold or platinum chains) and speaking. Consequently, we can say that hip-hop is more than just music and has turned into a life style for many. However, given the popularity of rap music, there are very many artists and the competition between them is fierce. The question is how can a young artist, at the beginning of his career, become popular and make himself a name? How can he obtain the attention of a producer who can help him to get into show business? The first step would be to record a hip hop mixtape and send it to several important music studios. The problem is that these studios receive thousands of records everyday. Many young artists, charmed by the mirage of easy success and fame, knock at the doors of music studios with a hip hop mixtape in their hands.

What every aspiring hip hoper must know is that there are web sites where you can post your songs in order for thousands of interested listeners to hear them. If you are lucky, you will receive an offer from one of the music studios and get to record your first album. The most important thing is to believe in your talent and not to give up easily. Send your hip hop mixtape to all the producers that you have heard of. Even if you don’t get any feedback at first, don’t lose hope. If you are talented, your hip hop mixtape will eventually be listened to by someone who realizes your potential. The road to success is not as easy as it may seem; it requires hard work, talent and maybe a bit of good luck, but in the end it will be all worth it.

Ken Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/hip-hop-more-than-music-a-lifestyle-292166.html

What won’t you see in Panama. Well if you go to the malls at night you won’t see out of order teenagers cutting up – no running around cursing, no boom boxes, no gang colors, no purple hair, no mohican haircuts. Go to the mall arcade and observe nicely behaved kids having fun. No stoned out kids here. Marked absence of body piercings and tattoos. You will not see kids coming at you in groups and making you give ground to them. You will not see streetwalkers, crack houses, street corner crack dealers, no gang hangouts of any sort, no OTB betting houses. There is a marked absence of homeless people living in the streets, never saw any in Panama City. You will see neighborhoods with incredibly poor people not that much unlike what you see all over the USA but they are poorer here in these neighborhoods. You will see street beggars, street vendors selling things while you stop for a red light (sometimes they have good fruit cheap) and you will see some fairly wild traffic violations. They drive wild here. No one stops for stop signs, they do stop for red lights. They will turn left from the right lane of a three lane each direction street. Right of way is defined by who has the most guts and aggression. Many people will wind up paying their traffic fines on the spot so to speak if they get pulled over. For an Expat figure $10, while a local may pay way less. The driver asks the police if he can just simply pay the fine now and sort of discreetly palms the bill over. If you decide to take a ticket be prepared to wait a while since the policeman may need help filling out the ticket since he rarely ever does this or you could be his first. Tickets do not count against your insurance (imagine a country where the insurance industry hasn’t corrupted the legislature). I could see the insurance industry raising rates due to accidents but what the heck do tickets have to do with accidents. Did you know that insurance companies have programs to buy traffic radar and laser guns for local law enforcement. Just another reason why America is about to collapse in on itself as the large corporations continue to operate a corrupted Congress. You could use a radar detector here but I never saw any police using radar but they do have it. You might spend more on the detector than on tickets, LOL.

Panama has private firearm ownership. As a resident or citizen you can get one too. If you can purchase the gun you can carry it concealed on your person in your car etc.

By the way I am an ex law enforcement officer (something I did in my younger days). When I walk down the street or am driving if I concentrate on it I can still read the streets, it used to be automatic but after a while it just goes away unless you consciously turn it on again. I see the drug dealers, the street thieves, the junkies, dumpsters appear as ladders, etc things regular untrained people will not pay any mind to. This is common to any local law enforcement officer who ever worked the streets in the USA. When I try to read the streets here I come up blank there just isn’t anything to read unless I am driving through one of the extremely poor neighborhoods where you shouldn’t be and then I see the old street signs the lookout playing what they call chickie for the dealer or whoever, the hooker etc. on down the line. So yes there are bad neighborhoods and I think it would be fictional to imagine a country today that does not have them but I can think of no reason why any Expat would ever go there and in reality while these neighborhoods are bad I think the bad neighborhoods in USA are much worse. For instance I doubt Panama ever had a single drive by shooting where machine guns sprayed innocent bystanders, houses etc. yet these are common events in the USA.

Guns. Yes Panama has private firearm ownership. As a resident or citizen you can get one too. If you can purchase the gun you can carry it concealed on your person in your car etc. This is a typical scenario in several countries. In the USA a handgun to me was like Karl Malden and the American Express Card – never leave home without it, and while home rest assured one was always very close by. In Panama it is nice to not have to carry a gun – not needed. If you want a gun you can readily have one in Panama. Remember Panama is under Roman Law. If you shoot or kill a person even a home intruder or a person in a traffic accident you can be incarcerated by the police during which they investigate the death. I am told there is a usual 7 day limit on this. There is also the crime of passion exception to murder. If you came to find your spouse engaging in sex with another and you killed them both it would be a walk under crime of passion but you may have to go to jail for a few days while the investigation took place. Remember you are not in Kansas anymore. Having an unregistered gun will result in a trip to the jail. Panama is not a full auto jurisdiction (machine guns)- no private ownership of full autos. I believe things like semi-auto AR-15’s are available. I understand that there are lots of full auto AK’s floating around due to Colombians smuggling them in but that too can mean big trouble with the police – ill advised and unnecessary. Silencers, and things like any other weapon, are not available for private ownership.

Drugs – They are here but not obvious. If you are a recreational drug user I would strongly suggest you look for another country to live in, they do not take this lightly especially if you are an Expat. Depending on quantities and circumstances you may get booted out of country and fined, you may get a warning or you may do some time in jail. They would probably not put you away for 20 years or execute you like some countries but if you had enough and were dealing you would probably be miserable for a few years. Find a country more tolerant of drug users, this is not your place.

Hotels that Expats use are going to have security and be relatively safe but do make sure the hotel is recommended (see our Hotel section). Most of these hotels will have in room safes. Only the expensive larger hotels will have hotel safe deposits boxes. Once we saw a guy at one of the best hotels put a load of cash in the hotel safe and the staff deposited it in the bank with their deposit and the guy had to wait until the bank reopened after a holiday to get his money back. From the tone of the argument it was a lot of money and the hotel manager seemed to know the customer was not in any position to complain to anyone and he would of course get his money back and basically told the customer to shut up and wait. I do believe he got all his money back and learned a lesson.

You can also hire a driver with a car for somewhat less than $100 a day which is best done when going out of Panama City.

Arrange to be met at the airport by a driver. Safer and same price as a cab. He’ll meet you with a sign with your name (use an alias if security conscious) and take you right to your hotel. See our services section for a reliable driver.

Taxis are safe as a rule. Cab fares go from $1.00 to $3.00 around Panama City. If you are coming for a few weeks bring a stack of one dollar bills and quarters. Taxis have no meters and never have change. Even if they do have change they will wait to see if you want your change. Try to act like you know what is going on, ask at the hotel desk what your fare should be to your intended destination. Hail a taxi away from the front of your hotel so you won’t give the impression of being a tourist. Give your destination in your best Spanish with best accent or have your front desk write it out in Spanish for you just in case the driver can’t understand your accent.

You can also hire a driver with a car for somewhat less than $100 a day which is best done when going out of Panama City. Rental cars are readily available. Check our recommendations for a smooth experience. If you have a problem you can always complain to us and we can exert pressure that is well respected to say the least.

Always travel with a powerful flashlight with fresh batteries – generic advice applicable anywhere not just for Panama. What if there is a power failure, fire, etc and you need to get out?

Cash. You don’t need a lot there are numerous ATM machines around. Ones in malls often have a security guard lurking around them. Remember Panama money is US dollars. If your currency is otherwise you will need to convert and not all that many banks do that and there are no street street money changers here. Make sure you can use the ATM machines here and maybe carry some cash if the ATM’s will not work for you. You can use Visa/MC all over the country.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.panamaexpertos.com

http://www.panamaexpertos.com/info.php?page=content/crime_and_safety&pagenumber=2

http://www.panamaexpertos.com/info.php?page=content/crime_and_safety

Jean Bouttet
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/crime-and-safety-in-panama-part-2-95076.html

It’s been a pretty amazing summer so far. The weather has been pretty good since as far back as April. Occasionally, we’ve had rain showers and thunderstorms, but much of the rain has actually fallen over night. The weather on the weekends has been great for the most part, perfect conditions to enjoy all the activities and festivals that the city has to offer. I decided earlier this year that I would be spending this summer in Toronto without any major travel assignments overseas. So this is my chance to focus on local explorations.

And the offerings are amazing: I already wrote detailed articles from my explorations at Toronto’s Doors Open architectural festival, my exciting day at the Dragonboat Festival on Toronto’s Islands, the Taste of Little Italy, Summerlicious – Toronto’s restaurant festival, the Celebrate Toronto Street Festival and Afrofest. There are simply not enough hours in the week to cover all my explorations since I have decided to head out and discover as many places and activities as possible right here in Toronto. Here is a little summary of some of the other activities I have participated in that I haven’t had a chance yet to talk about in detail.

On June 25, 2006 I headed out to Toronto’s Pride Parade, one of the biggest parades in Toronto, and one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year’s parade theme was “Fearless!” to indicate how far Toronto’s queer community has come and how far they still have to go. From its original roots as a protest event, Toronto’s Pride Parade today has become a real family affair with special events for families and children. The city has embraced this event and it has great support from the mayor, the police, various corporate sponsors and politicians from all political parties. The big events of Pride Week included the Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, Pride Awards and a Gala Dinner, the Dyke March as well as the dazzling Pride Parade. Seven entertainment stages provided entertainment with about 650 artists, the Community Fair included participants from a large variety of community groups, and the Marketplace enticed the crowd with merchandise, clothing, and various accessories and treats.

Then on July 14 and 15 not only did I attend a street festival, together with my team we actually participated in the Salsa on St. Clair Festival. This festival was held for the first time last year and attracted more than 200,000 participants in its first year. Telelatino, Canada’s Latin broadcasting network, developed the idea for this festival and organized a huge street party. This year the crowd was even bigger than in the first year.

We had a table together with Skills for Change, a local immigrant settlement agency with whom we collaborate frequently. To jointly promote our two organizations we were holding a draw to give away a one-week adventure trip along the Inca Trail in Peru. The trip itself will be provided by G.A.P Adventures, the flagship sponsor of our Travel Story Contest, and a leader in environmentally sustainable and socially conscious travel. Over two days we spent almost 20 hours in the sweltering sun, interacting with the crowd, and many hundreds of people wanted to get to get a chance to explore the mysteries of Peru.

In between these special events I have also had a chance to explore the city by bike and on inline skates. A couple of weeks ago I cycled out to the Scarborough Bluffs and spent some time in one of my favourite Toronto spots: the Rosetta McClain Gardens. This is a beautiful public garden with gorgeous flower beds and serene sitting areas, perched high above Lake Ontario with great vistas of this peaceful expanse of water.

From there I cycled east through a variety of parks abutting the Scarborough Bluffs which are essentially cliffs formed from eroded packed clay soil. They stretch for about 14 km along Lake Ontario in the east end of Toronto, and at their highest point they rise 65 meters above the water. The most interesting formations can be found around Bluffer’s Park, a large waterfront park featuring a sandy beach, picnic areas, walks, lookouts, and berths for over 500 boats.

Toronto, with its location right on Lake Ontario, is a haven for cyclists and water sports enthusiasts, and the waterfront has numerous extensive parks right on the shoreline that are ideal for picnics, sunbathing and relaxing by the water. The Martin Goodman Trail is a multi-purpose recreational trail with a length of about 22 km along Toronto’s Waterfront and gives inline skaters and bicyclists a chance to exercise and soak up the sun right next to the water. Last weekend I strapped on my rollerblades and explored the Waterfront Trail along Toronto’s West end in Etobicoke, and the nicely paved trail continues into Toronto’s neighbouring cities Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington.

But serene nature experiences not only await at the waterfront, the City has several other spots that allow you to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Last week I spent a couple of hours exploring Riverdale Farm, Toronto’s Necropolis and the surrounding Cabbagetown Neighbourhood. Riverdale Farm is actually an early 20th century farm that has been turned into a learning opportunity for urban dwellers that exposes them to farm animals and a rural environment. The peaceful park outside Riverdale Farm is a favourite destination for school groups and adults who relax under the shady trees and cool off in the public fountains.

Right next to Riverdale Farm is the Toronto Necropolis, one of Toronto’s oldest and most historic cemeteries. Dating back to the 1850s, it houses a collection of Victorian buildings and sculptures and is one of the most picturesque locations in the city. The recently restored cemetery entrance, chapel and office are fine examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture and the Necropolis is a favourite destination for photographers year-round.

Both Riverdale Farm and the Toronto Necropolis are surrounded by Cabbagetown, a historic neighbourhood with a very interesting history. The name “Cabbagetown” dates back to the mid 19th century, when Irish immigrants decided to plant unusually large cabbage patches on their front lawn. Cabbagetown has one of the largest and most impressive concentrations of Victorian architecture in all of North America. Local residents take great pride in their properties and embellish their homes with well-tended front and back gardens and the area is a magnificent location for a relaxing stroll.

So many other neighbourhoods beckon to be explored: I have spent some time at Harbourfront and recently took a walk through Toronto’s main Chinatown and the adjoining Kensington Market where exotic fruits and unusual foods can be purchased at reasonable prices. The sheer variety of Toronto’s neighbourhoods is mind-boggling and it feels like you are doing a virtual trip around the world by just walking a few blocks or hopping on the subway. I have made several forays into the Victorian serenity of Riverdale and the adjoining hustle and bustle of the Danforth, one of my favourite neighbourhood hangouts.

These past few days have been busy too. On Friday, my entire crew at the office and I went to a local Pakistani restaurant in Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood. The entire neighbourhood is perched on a hill overlooking the Don Valley and was developed with numerous high-rise buildings in the 1950s and 1960s. Today Thorncliffe Park is one of the most densely populated and most multicultural neighbourhoods of Toronto with a large proportion of recent immigrants from Muslim countries. We had an absolutely delicious dinner with a selection of Pakistani dishes at Iqbal Restaurant. Several of my co-workers are from Pakistan and we have had a great introduction to Muslim foods and traditions. Toronto offers so many great opportunities for cross-cultural connections. We shared six different delicacies including chicken, lamb, beef and chick pea dishes and had a wonderful time sampling this varied cuisine.

After our truly delicious dinner all of us headed down to Queen Street East where the Beaches International Jazz Festival was being held. This festival is now in its 18th year, and has become a crowd favourite since its 1989 inception. We started at Woodbine and right away ran into our favourite: Dr. Draw, a highly energetic Moscow-born electric violinist surrounded by a team of dedicated musicians. This band produced a highly eclectic, unusual type of music with a diverse mixture of beats with modern and classical elements thrown in. In addition, Dr. Draw has a highly physical performance style and it makes you wonder how he plays the violin so well while jumping up and down. We saw several other rock and reggae bands, and a 3-person group named Johannes Linstead entertained us with virtuoso flamenco rhythms. Incidentally, this group won the Best World Album in 2004 and has top ten charting albums. In total the Beaches Jazz Festival featured over 30 performers in its StreetFest and ten headliners on the Main Stage.

I dropped by at the Beaches Jazz Festival again with two friends yesterday, and at the north end of Kew Gardens we saw Toronto’s Mayor David Miller being photographed with members of the crowd. Mayor Miller makes appearances at many community events and is very approachable. So we decided that we too would get our picture taken with Toronto’s mayor.

We then strolled over to the Main Stage and checked out some of the ecclectic clothing, jewellery and art on sale in the various booths that were located throughout Kew Gardens. People were getting henna tattoos, others were getting readings by psychics, and the majority of people were relaxing on the grass, enjoying the music. Some folks were also getting their surprisingly accurate portraits done…

On the Boardwalk we enjoyed the hot Spanish rhythms of Puente del Diablo before we checked out the action at the beach volleyball courts. One of my friends is a visitor from Austria, so this was her first introduction to Toronto while my other friend is a fairly recent immigrant who doesn’t yet know the city very well either. I quite enjoy taking new arrivals around the city, introducing them to all my favourite spots. As a city on a lake that looks like an ocean, the waterfront is a great attraction, and it’s a really cool place to hang out.

To explore more we then hopped into the car and decided to pay a visit to the Distillery District, a former distillery dating back to 1832. This complex encompasses more than 40 historic buildings that make up the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in all of North America. The Distillery District has been restored recently and has become one of Toronto’s hottest entertainment areas with its restaurants, cafes, galleries and artists’ studios, a brewery, theatres and retail outlets. Every Sunday the Distillery features a farmers market and numerous festivals draw huge crowds throughout the year.

Our “Introduction to Toronto” driving tour continued and I took my friends downtown on Front Street and showed them the Gooderham Building – Toronto’s own triangular Flatiron Building. Then we admired Old and New City Hall, the classical splendour of Osgoode Hall, the imposing Richardson Romanesque structure of Queens Park – seat of Ontario’s provincial government, and the Neo-Gothic splendour of the University of Toronto campus. After a brief tour through Chinatown we had a sneak peak at Little Italy and ended up for dinner in the picturesque Annex neighbourhood on Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina. Along the way we drove through Portuguese, Ethiopian and Korean neighbourhoods.

Finally we had a lovely dinner at the Country Style Hungarian Restaurant, a neighbourhood institution for decades, which impresses with its tasty authentic European meals, reasonable prices and huge portion sizes. All three of us enjoyed a Wiener Schnitzel and to top off a delicious meal we enjoyed “Palatschinken”, a mouth-watering dessert featuring a crepe filled with apricot jam.

Each one of these experiences deserves its own article, but there are just so many things to see and do in Toronto, I just can’t keep up with the stories. But I am hoping this little medley of stories will give you an idea of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, culinary offerings, exciting festivals and things to do during a great long hot summer.

For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/toronto_hot_summer.htm

Susanne Pacher
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/hello-from-toronto-part-7-summer-in-to-positively-rocks-99037.html

Tattoo choices abound at most tattoo parlors and you will find that it is very difficult to choose the right one for you. Careful thought should be given to the tattoo that you choose, simply because this is something that you will have for the rest of your life, unless you want to go through costly and painful tattoo removal. There are some ways that you do not want to choose a tattoo, however.

Don’t choose a tattoo when you are drunk. A tattoo chosen when you are drunk may not be something that you will appreciate the next morning when you are sober. Casper the Ghost may sound good when you have a little buzz going on, but it may not be the best choice for you to live with for the rest of your life. By choosing your tattoo when you are sober, you can better choose one that you will enjoy the rest of your life.

Don’t be pressured by your friends. Choose a tattoo on your own terms. Don’t be pressured by your friends. They are not the ones that will have to wake up with this tattoo on their body everyday. It may seem “cool” to have your girlfriend’s name on your body now, but what if you break up? By choosing a tattoo that is timeless, you can better assure that you will be satisfied with it for the rest of your life.

Don’t visit the first tattoo shop you see. Cheaper is not always better. You are placing quite a bit of trust in a person when you are allowing them to use a needle to create art on your body. Ask for references from people who have tattoos that you like the look of to find a trustworthy tattoo artist that you will be able to trust with your body. Visit a few tattoo shops that you are interested in and show them what tattoo you have in mind and get price quotes. In this way, you can know what to expect financially and you can see if you like the tattoo artist.

Safety first. When you are visiting the tattoo shop, be sure that you notice the cleanliness of the shop itself and the tattoo artists. You want to be sure that your tattoo is going to be given in a safe and sanitary manner and by watching them in action, you can evaluate their sanitation methods. Read up on sanitation practices, so that you know what should be done to keep you safe.

A tattoo is a decision that should be taken very seriously. Nothing is worse than choosing a tattoo on a whim and finding that it does not fit your personality later on down the road. Be sure that you put thought into your decision, so that it will not be something that you regret later. A tattoo should be an expression of what you are interested in and your personality. Be sure that you choose it carefully.

Danny Kevant
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/how-not-to-choose-a-tattoo-522320.html

2008 has come and gone, many things have changed. We elected the 44th and first black president of the United States, the economy has sunk to a historical low, we’re all living in shacks and looking for new jobs. One thing hasn’t changed however and that is the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Yes indeed no matter how things change you can always count on the Sturgis Rally to lift your spirits. This year being the 69th is set for August 3rd – 9th. Are You Ready! Don’t count on the world stopping and waiting for you, it’s time to make your plans. Before we know it, August will be here and we’ll be right back in the middle of Main Street madness and partying mayhem, loving every minute of it!

Many of us begin planning for “next year” soon after leaving “this year”. The excitement and memories are hard to let go, new friends are made and old acquaintances are renewed, deciding to come back and do it all over again is a no brainer. Some folks will be coming for the first time, and others will just show up. No matter what group you fit, you are sure to make some wonderful memories, new friends and have a fantastic time.

The beauty of the Black Hills is breathtaking and the roads are pure joy for a biker. There are many places on this planet that offer this kind of riding but Western South Dakota in August is unbeatable. Incredible roads like Iron Mountain, Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon and the Wildlife Loop take you to amazing destinations. Rides to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park, the Badlands and Devil’s Tower National Monument are truly incredible rides you are sure to enjoy. Highway 14A’s big, wide turns transport you to the infamous town of Deadwood and the mining town of Lead, and the awesome Highway 385 meanders past towns like Hill City, Silver City and Custer, all contained in the Black Hills National Forest. These rides are awe-inspiring and amazing and are a joy that will be remembered until the day you (insert own word or phrase here).

In addition to the roads and day trips there are many events: concerts, races, and bike shows, five blocks of Main Street bikes-only street vibe, the 7th Annual Mayor’s Ride, Michael Lichter’s annual exhibit, the 6th Annual World Championship of Custom Bike Building, free style stunters, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, organized rides, the Limpnickie Lot, some pretty impressive watering holes, custom legends, blue skies, warm and sunny days. There are many other of motorcycle related events to keep participants occupied. Boss Hoss demo rides are featured throughout the event. Burnout competitions are popular with spectators and are offered a few times during the week at the Full Throttle Saloon. There are demos and exhibits throughout the day each day of the event and shows featuring custom bikes from around the country. There will also be many vendors on hand offering everything from motorcycle related merchandise to tattoos as well as great food and of course your favorite beverages are plentiful.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an experience of a lifetime, if you haven’t started your planning now is the time to begin. The town of Sturgis has a population of less than 7,000 so it is understandable that an event attracting over half a million bikers would create logistical problems with lodging concerns. If you are planning to attend, it is wise to make reservations for accommodations well in advance of your trip to ensure you can secure a room close to the main site of the rally. Below is a list of some great places where your sleeping accommodations can be made.

To find lodging in the Sturgis area go to:  http://www.blackhillsmotels.com/.

Camping is the most popular option for those attending the rally (mostly because there is not enough lodging for everyone), don’t sweat it though, some of the best parties are in the camp grounds! Nearby campgrounds include the following:

Big Rig RV Park: – features wireless Internet access and spacious lots of 60’ and 100’ close to the rally site.

Bulldog Campground: – features RV camping as well as cabins which accommodate 2-8 guests. This campground is located five miles from Sturgis and features nightly entertainment and happy hour as well as an onsite restaurant.

Creekside Campground: – located 4 miles from Sturgis, this campground features RV camping, tent camping as well as cabins. Highlights of the campground include an onsite store selling food and beverages and easy highway access.

Glencoe Camp Resort: – has been catering to Sturgis participants for over 20 years. This campground has over 160 acres of camping with ample shade. In 2006 they will unveil a 34 acre outdoor amphitheater which will feature live music all week long. A 24 hour restaurant is also onsite for the convenience of campers.

Hog Heaven Campground: – with over 150 acres of camping, this campground situated in the Black Hills is an ideal location for Sturgis participants. The campground is open from July 31st through Aug. 13th this year and will host live bands providing entertainment for guests.

Katmandu Campground: – features 250 RV sites, cabins and 50 acres of camping. Located just two miles from Sturgis, this location is convenient for participants. Highlighted amenities include laundry facilities and wireless Internet access.

Sturgis View Campground: – located only 1.5 miles from downtown Sturgis. This campground is famous for its spectacular views. Other highlights include RV camping, cabins and ample acreage for tent camping.

For more information about these accommodations do a web search using the respective venue name as the key phrase.

One Word of Caution
Don’t want to be a downer here but please be advised. An unfortunate aspect of Sturgis is the frequent occurrence of the disappearance of motorcycles.  Estimates indicate approximately a $250,000 worth of motorcycles are stolen each year. Considering today’s prices this is equivalent to 3 to 10 bikes or so. That’s not many considering there could be 200,000 bikes at the event. However if it’s your bike that gets stolen this fact will only make you feel worse. Motorcycles on the higher end of the price spectrum as well as custom bikes and show models are those most likely to be stolen, but all participants should take precautions to avoid becoming a victim.

There are many great websites available with complete event information and news to help you plan a great and enjoyable adventure. For more information about Sturgis 2009 do a web search on key phrase “Sturgis Motorcycle Rally”. 

Woody Longacre
http://www.articlesbase.com/motorcycles-articles/sturgis-2009-69th-annual-motorcycle-rally-755296.html

Your company logo may be fantastic, but if it is not able to establish recognition in general, it can be of little help. When such is the case, it’s time to allow your logo take a giant stride- towards promotion! Logo promotion is one of the most effective methods to improve your brand image in the market. All you need is to adopt some unique techniques to make your presence felt throughout the world.

Prior to adopting the steps for logo promotion, you should remember to take certain things into consideration. Firstly, your logo has to compete with thousands of other logos that are equally vying to capture the attention of the people, especially the urban youth. Secondly, the onlookers’ eyes are exposed to almost over 3,000 logos or advertising messages everyday. As such, your logo should have the capacity to fight out all the stiff competitors off its way. Thirdly, the urban youth can recognize less than ten garden plants but can easily identify over 1,000 corporate logos. Fourthly, it is the urban youth that sets the trends for clothing, soft drinks, music or anything else. Keeping these points in mind, your logo promotion scheme should set its goal towards creating an urge among the people to buy your product. All successful advertising programs are targeted to make people want your product and so, your brand enhancement techniques should be directed to this very goal!

Different companies employ different methods to create universal brand awareness. The methods of distributing ink pens or key chains with imprinted company name or logo has become outdated. Instead, go for some enterprising or extraordinary feat! For instance, a giant advertising inflatable can hardly fail to capture attention. Their immense size makes them recognizable across busy roads, highways, parking lots, and hundreds of other public places. Reproduce a giant logo in exact detail as an individual blow-up advertising balloon. You can also choose from a variety of shapes and images, provided they complement your logo clarity as well as quality. Of late, we can observe another trend for advertising company logos. Many business firms are making use of the human body to grab a hold over the market. Cunning Stunts Communications, a marketing firm in the United Kingdom, hires students to display temporary tattoos of logos on their foreheads for at least three hours a day in public. Cleveland-based ad firm Marcus Thomas recently hired young Bostonians to shave tire tread into their hair to promote Dunlop Tires. Such gimmicks often work for new companies that are trying to carve a niche for themselves.

Once a company logo design gains popular recognition, it will consequently generate a greater demand for its goods and services. It is not possible to register sky-high popularity without adopting some really big tactics. So give free rein to your dreams and take a giant leap towards making your logo “really large”!

Suzanne
http://www.articlesbase.com/corporate-articles/its-your-logo-make-it-large-114397.html

http://www.yallways.com

Humans have always been fascinated by that which seems strange or odd. This can range from abnormal talents, bodily mutations, unexplained animals, and more. Collectively, these phenomena are a part of the “world of the bizarre.” The world of the bizarre has been frequently highlighted by trade shows, circuses, documentaries, and books created for the amusement of the general public.

The world of the bizarre has been fascinating people for generations. In the past, numerous fairs and festivals included sideshow acts with weird people, plants, and animals. These were especially popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many people performed in these shows and made a respectable living from doing so. However, sideshows eventually fell out of style. They became seen as perversion of the human body and disrespectful or crude for viewers. In their place, more “appropriate” circuses developed. These still included some sideshow-style acts, but focused mainly on humor, acrobatics, and trained animals.

Many artifacts associated with the world of the bizarre have been gathered by enthusiasts in collections and museums around the world. Perhaps the most famous of these is the collection established by Robert Ripley. Ripley began displaying his collection of bizarre items in 1933, when he presented at the Chicago World’s Fair. After this successful event, he began taking his show on the road. Ripley traveled across the United States showing off his oddities. Over time, his obsession expanded into a publishing company, television show, and sixty-eight museums worldwide.

Bodily mutations are some of the most popular items inside the world of the bizarre. Whether these are self-inflicted or a result of genetics, there is a wide array of strange variations on the human form. This can include people who use tools to alter the growth of their bodies. For example, women who use corsets can permanently shrink their waste to as few as six inches in circumference. Similarly, some African groups use neck extenders to create females with abnormally long, and weak, collar structures. In other cases, people might use piercings and tattoos in extreme ways. In fact, several people have attempted to transform themselves into cats using these and other alterations. Others use piercings as a way to hang themselves in the air or perform other stunts.

Genetic mutations are just as intriguing and diverse as self-inflicted oddities. Siamese twins and midgets, for instance, have fascinated people for centuries. Additionally, people born with extra limbs have caused great intrigue. In fact, some of these people have been worshipped by some cultures, such as in India. Excessive body hair can also bring fame inside the world of the bizarre. Most notable are the Gomez brothers whose hair completely covers their face and bodies. The brothers have made a name for themselves by performing acrobatic acts in the circus.

Odd talents are also a part of the world of the bizarre. This includes people who eat unusual items, which range from fire swallowers to those who consume metal. To contrast this, some people can regurgitate objects consumed upon demand. Other talents include extreme strength or the ability to endure severe pain. Some people can even contort their bodies in seemingly impossible ways. Talented animals are also popular. Domestic animals that seem to possess higher level thinking abilities to speak or count are especially notable. Birds, elephants, dogs, and monkeys have all been presented with such seemingly impossible talents.

Other notable features of the world of the bizarre include strange artwork, odd events, weird natural formations, and more. In fact, there seems to be an endless supply of bizarre objects and occurrences. These continue to fascinate people and encourage further inquiry and investigation. They also influence others to create and display their own oddities, which keeps the world of the bizarre ever-growing.

John W. Martin
http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/world-of-the-bizarre-the-realm-of-the-weird-odd-and-unexplained-698604.html