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I never knew what I would do
If anybody tried to take you away
And your beautiful boy won’t wait for you
Because he’s busy with the stars and the fame

And I don’t know why I breathe
It’s taking too long for me
Can we speed up the process, please?
Or show me the one I need

I need somebody (somebody)
Somebody crazy enough to tell me
I will love you till we (I will love you till we)
Till we are buried
Our bodies (our bodies)
Our bodies buried close together
Cemetery weather
In the cemetery weather

I never knew what I would do
If anybody tried to speak your name
I would tear down their house and
I’d burn my way around the brightest memory of your face

Cause I would do anything (anything, anything)
Cause love is a selfish thing (Don’t get what you think)
And I’ll feed off the wounds that bleed
And tear you away from me

I need somebody (somebody)
Somebody crazy enough to tell me
I will love you till we (I will love you till we)
Till we are buried
Our bodies (our bodies)
Our bodies buried close together
Cemetery weather
In the cemetery weather

Violent delight
We’ll live as if we died
Violent delight
Live as if we died
My violent delight
Live as if we died
My violent delight
Live as if we died
My violent delight, violent delight

So come on, come on
I won’t leave without you

If we die then we die
And I’ll sing this buried with you

Violent delight
Live as if we die
My violent delight, violent delight

I need somebody (somebody)
Somebody crazy enough to tell me
I will love you till we (I will love you till we)
Till we are buried
Our bodies (our bodies)
Our bodies buried close together
Cemetery weather
In the cemetery weather

I never knew what I would do
If anybody tried to take you away

Duration : 0:7:0

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Technorati Tags: and, cemetery, glaciers, isles, weather

If you’re the type of traveler who truly likes to get away from people – who puts a high premium on quiet, uninterrupted peace, and who will not go into withdrawal if you have to go a night without television – then have we got the place. The Morton Peak Fire Lookout is now booking overnight stays for people just like you.

You could hardly find a more unique getaway than staying in a working fire lookout. During daytime, the lookout is staffed by volunteer lookout hosts who have attended classes to learn just how to spot forest fires. Most likely you, too, will gain a little insight into this valuable Forest Service activity, as well as learn about the animals, plants and features of this particular part of the forest.

The U.S. Forest Service views the lookout rental program as a way to generate a little good PR at a time when they have to keep telling people that services may be more limited or more expensive due to tight budgets. For just $75 a night ($85 on a weekend) you get your own “cabin on stilts” with a zillion dollar view and solitude to match.

We called the Big Bear Lake Resort Association to reserve our night and found out this is the only lodging of its kind in Southern California. The lookout actually is just at the edge of the San Bernardino Forest and, if you’re coming from the Los Angeles area, it will save you about 45 minutes off the normal two-hour drive to Big Bear.

We picked up our keys and signed our waivers at the Mill Creek Ranger Station in Mentone, only about five miles from the tower. The forms tell you that a trip to the tower is “inherently dangerous” – although if you can climb a steep set of stairs, you’ve eliminated about the only real danger we could see.

The last three miles up to the lookout were on a steep, rutted road – perfect to at least get some use out of your SUV’s 4-wheel drive – you know, the 4-wheel drive you paid thousands extra for just because it seemed cool. We should admit, though, it probably wasn’t even necessary to kick it into 4-wheel; 2-wheel drive will get you there, too.

At the end of our journey was a small clearing on a mountain top with, as advertised, a 30-foot tower and a 14X14 “cabin” on the top. Maybe a more apt description would be an aircraft control tower on stilts, as the cabin had windows running the length of every wall, looking in every direction.

We climbed the short two flights of stairs – they’re steep, but not especially challenging – and were greeted by Jeff Palmquist, the Morton Peak Lookout Leader. It’s Jeff’s job to recruit and help train an all-volunteer force that operates this lookout in addition to six other towers in the San Bernardino Forest. We learned from Jeff that this particular tower, elevation 4624 feet, was built in the 1930’s, then burned down and rebuilt in 1960. It eventually went out of service and into disrepair as the Forest Service cut back on its paid lookout program, but was rebuilt in 2001 with a $5,000 government grant and a volunteer work force.

On our visit, Palmquist was part lookout host, part activities director as he prepared us for our night in the wilderness. He talked about the animal sightings in the area – ground squirrels, mountain lions, bobcats, road-runners and “a bear that we think lives right over that knoll” – many of which have migrated to this area because of fires in nearby parts of the forest. He showed our six-year-old the fine art of chasing tarantula spiders from their ground holes. He demonstrated the use of the Osborne Fire Finder, a device used to plot on a map where you are seeing smoke or a fire. He showed off a compost outhouse that he calls “the best toilet in the national forest.” Oh, and he showed us how to secure the lookout so no person or animal could ever visit us in the middle of the night.

Soon we were ready for our night at the edge of the world. About 5 p.m. – the end of his shift — Palmquist drove down the windy road, locked the heavy tubular gate behind him, and we were on our own in the forest. There was an awesome silence, then a slight breeze rustling the two pine trees next to our tower. As the sun dipped slowly, the nearby mountains darkened while, at the same time, the city lights below us came alive. The juxtaposition seemed unusual – here we were perched on a mountainside all by ourselves, yet below us were the lights of nearly the entire Los Angeles basin.

The lookout is small, but comfortable for a couple or perhaps a couple with one or two small children. There are just two twin beds, but space enough to roll some blankets out onto the floor if you need to. There’s no running water in the cabin, no refrigeration, no power. Cooking is restricted to the picnic table outside and you must haul in your own gas stove because fires and charcoal briquettes are not allowed.

As the sun set, we found ourselves playing a family game, a rewarding alternative to the usual time spent in front of a television. Soon it was dark – or as dark as it was going to get with nearly a full moon – and we spent some time studying a sky where constellations and planets were as clear as we could ever remember. A satellite moved slowly overhead. Soon it felt like time for bed, even though it was just 9 p.m. We drifted into a restful sleep as the cool summer air flowed through our screened windows.

Morning came early to a lookout with shade-less windows on all sides. We were up and hiking by 6 a.m., enjoying the 70-degree temperatures that on this August day were sure to reach the mid-90’s later in the day. Soon it was time to pack up and head down the long, winding dirt road to the bottom of the hill just as the next day’s volunteers were headed up to the lookout to act as sentinels for yet another day in the forest.

In a half-hour we were back in busy city traffic – we had felt like we were so far away, yet we never really left civilization.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: The Morton Peak Lookout is located off Highway 38, overlooking the cities of Yucaipa and Mentone. It has views of Mill Creek, Forest Falls, Mt. Palomar, Keller Meadows, Keller Cliffs and the San Bernardino Valley.

WHAT: A fire lookout station that is still used to watch for forest fires in the San Bernardino Mountains.

WHEN: Year-round, weather and fire-permitting.

WHY: If you’re looking for a totally remote location, an unusual getaway experience and spectacular 360-degree views, you’ll understand why as soon as you arrive.

HOW: For more information on reservations at Morton Peak Lookout, call the Big Bear Resort Association at 1-800-4-BIG-BEAR or visit www.bigbear.com. If you are interested in volunteering for the lookouts, contact Jeff Palmquist at 323-567-1479. Lookout volunteers take 16 hours of instruction and sign up for two four-hour shifts each month during fire season.

Cary Ordway
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/fire-lookout-is-the-ultimate-california-getaway-744972.html

Interpreting for the Kingdom of Siam

It took a good full week for me to complete my interpreting job in Patong, Phuket, Thailand. Everything was laid on for me, hotel accommodation, food; precisely everything I needed. I was actually on a clandestine mission with a Thai/American magazine to inspect some of the hotels in the resort areas of Patong and Phuket. My job-to gain invaluable information from farang (western foreign) tourists and farang workers at these establishments to help make up hotel inspection reports for magazine publishing. Easy? You might say? Not at all. Tourist life in Patong, Phuket was simple enough but actually pretending to be tourists with nine other male Thai inspectors of various ages was proving to be not only difficult but downright comical. The staff of everywhere we visited viewed us with some form of humorous curiosity. The thing is, we were all so different people and since it was impossible to discuss business while on the job, it became a tedious task to pretend that we were on a package tour together. The original suggestion was that we go as businessmen, but that was rejected since it would invite too much attention to ourselves from local businesses and may even attract a criminal element. So unlikely tourists we remained, awkward silence for most of the time except for the occasional reference to the Patong weather, the staff and the food, but nothing in detail. We based ourselves at the Horizon Patong Beach Resort Spa and hotel which as a matter of fact needed no real assessment because this was one place we could truly rely on. First class service with wonderful food and luxury hotel rooms and accommodation. No, our job was to reveal the truth about some of the shadier practices in the area.

Patong Beach – Those Squeaky Sands!

So there we were one night dining at one of the other hotels to test for service, speed, food and my job-to get chatting to a few foreigners to find out their experiences and opinions. The meal in that particular hotel was good, the location was good too; nearby the Patong Beach quiet and not pretentious. The speed and service was excellent and friendly too. I decided I would surreptitiously move into the bar attached to the restaurant and start talking to some of the tourists to get there matter of fact views and opinions of the hotel, restaurants and bars. I made my way over to one family who were having an aperitif before dinner and made my polite references about the hotel. The husband and wife complained about just about everything from the noisy seas to the squeaky sands of Patong beach! The next couple I spoke to were also forthcoming in their opinions about the hotel, but I swear I’ll remember this one for as long as I live. They said “we think the food is great, the hotel is wonderful and we’d definitely come back to Patong but..” they said pointing at my party “..we didn’t realize they allowed homosexual groups in the hotel”!

Hedin Johan
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/hotel-inspectors-in-patong-thailand-716388.html

Many a times we find that we begin to sneeze for no reason, develop sudden rashes all over the body, begin to itch all over, begin to gasp for breath, or start coughing. Don’t worry as all these just indicate that we are allergic to something. Many people suffer from common allergies and the symptoms for these can just about show up anywhere anytime. We have to be especially careful if we are allergic to certain types of foods, pollens and smells as these can easily trigger allergies in us. It is advisable that we take ample precautions to avoid these allergies by consciously being aware of them. Common allergies can cause complications in people so it is better if take precautions to avoid them.

There are many items or objects both inside and outside the home which can cause allergies to many people. So it is wiser that we be alert about the possible things that may trigger allergies in us. A very common thing which causes allergies in most people is pollen which can come from flowers, trees, shrubs and plants.

Pollen by itself is quite harmless and it is actually a powdery substance that male plants send out into the atmosphere to pollinate female plants. Pollens play an important part in plants bearing fruits and their growth. Though it is important for the plants, it is not so for humans as it can cause allergies. People when they happen to inhale these tiny particles of powdery substance find that they begin to either gasp for breath or start to sneeze.

Inhalation of pollen mostly causes an asthmatic attack or allergic rhinitis in a person. The weather also further contributes to worsen the allergy. Experts are of the opinion that when the weather is moist it further makes it worse. This is because the pollen gets trapped in the moist air and remains in the atmosphere for a longer period causing more attacks. That is why many people who suffer from allergies find that they become worse during cold weather.

Outdoor allergens are only seasonal while the allergens indoors are there throughout the year. Those people who live cooped up in apartments with no windows and in areas which are highly polluted will find that they are more prone to allergies. This is because of the continuous presence of molds and mites in such places. The congested air which does not get to circulate gets trapped in the same place causing the person living there to have allergic reactions all the time.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/common-allergies-explained-what-causes-them-708848.html

Im going to Fuerteventura in a weeks time, does anyone know what the weather should be like ?

It is often a windy island, which means it can be cool, at times – mostly dry.

http://www.fuerteventura.com/weather/index.asp

What month can you start swimming in Johannesburg, South Africa? When is it pool weather or when is it hot enough to swim?

When does the hot pool weather end? What month do people usually stop swimming, because it’s too cold or windy?

Growing up in Johannesburg, I remember we would always want to swim by early September, but my dad would say we could only swim "after the first spring rains", which is typically late September/early October.

Many people venture into the water by September, but honestly it is still cold and I wouldn’t particularly want to until October. November-January are the best months for swimming, though you might still have some good swimming days in February/March. By April, I would say it is too cold.

However, our weather patterns have been far less consistent over the past few years, so it is actually a bit difficult to tell for sure.

You’ve heard about the skiing at Lake Tahoe or Mammoth, but one of the best ski or snowboard experiences you’ll ever have awaits you at Bear Valley, where the crowds are few, but the thrills are many.

While not on a par with Squaw Valley or Heavenly or other major California ski resorts, the Bear Valley ski area is still a prime candidate for a weekend or even an extended skiing vacation. As we discovered in early February, Bear Valley offers a surprisingly complete ski vacation experience – no frills, to be sure, but still rewarding and well worth the trip deep into the Sierra Nevada range.

If designer clothing stores, zillion-dollar condos, and Hollywood-style glitz are part of your criteria for a ski vacation, this ski area might not be the best choice. If wide-open ski runs, no lift lines and plenty of groomed snow are more important to you, then by all means give Bear Valley a try.

Coming originally from the Pacific Northwest, we could not help but compare Bear Valley to one of our favorite ski areas in Washington state – a place called Mission Ridge in a town named Wenatchee. The population in that part of the state is sparse compared with the big ski areas near Seattle, so Mission Ridge is able to offer wide-open skiing runs most days of the week.

Similarly, Bear Valley is less accessible than the many larger ski areas in the Lake Tahoe area. Bay area and Sacramento residents can drive Interstate 80 to the Tahoe area and find a selection of ski resorts a short distance off the interstate. To reach this ski area, you have to drive two-lane roads through the foothills and mountains for close to 100 miles.

But when you get there, most skiers and snowboarders will find it’s worth it. Our mid-week skiing was some of the best we’ve experienced – plenty of wide-open, groomed terrain perfect for intermediates and serviced by a number of lifts where there seemed to never be lines. It was ski down the run, get right on the chair and do it all again and again until just a few hours into our day we were growing exhausted. We probably skied in four hours what it would take us a full day to do at a resort with moderate lift lines.

There are no gondolas or high-speed quad chairlifts at Bear Valley, although there are 10 lifts altogether, mostly doubles and triples. About 1280 acres are available for skiing and snowboarding; some 100 acres are in an area where they can make snow – although at 7,750 feet, it’s likely Mother Nature will supply all the snow you need.

We mentioned the intermediate skiing because that’s our favorite – but rest assured this ski area has many black diamond or expert ski runs for those looking for more of a challenge. The day lodge is situated mid-mountain with lifts going both up the mountain to 8495 feet, and coming to the lodge from the lower part of the mountain. Most of the expert runs are located on the lower mountain.

The area’s day lodge also was wide open and easy to navigate. Instead of masses of people waiting in line to get their food and find a place to sit, we stepped right up and got our cooked-to-order Philly cheesesteak sandwiches in just a few minutes. And there was no shortage of menu options – lots of different types of food from sandwiches to Asian cuisine, from soups and salads to major meals.

But the Bear Valley experience is much more than a daytrip – or at least it should be given the time it takes to get to the ski area. For our trip we booked lodging at the Bear Valley Lodge, one of just a few hotel-type facilities near the mountain. Located about three miles from the mountain, the Bear Valley Lodge seems to be the hub of activity in the area and proved to be a good choice for accommodations. While showing some of its age – it was built in the 60’s – the lodge proved to be a comfortable, convenient base of operations. A ski shuttle bus will take you to the mountain, and you can even ski all the way back to the lodge.

When we say comfortable, we are not comparing the lodge to the high-end condos you find at most major ski resorts. The rooms at Bear Valley Lodge are more like a motel unit with two double beds a bath area and a TV/entertainment area that included HBO. But small touches – such as the bay window looking out onto the snowy landscape or the pine furniture – helped to make this feel much cozier than a motel room.

The four floors of rooms at the Bear Valley Lodge look out onto the Cathedral Lounge, a large open space in the middle of the lodge that offers guests a place to sit and read and enjoy the fire in the massive stone fireplace. Photos are mounted along the walls depicting the history of the lodge and Bear Valley ski area. Celebrities such as Spider Savich, Claudine Longet, Merv Griffin and several others are shown skiing or otherwise enjoying Bear Valley.

Adjacent to the lounge are several shops including an old-fashioned general store – with a deli to get quick sandwiches and soups – and a surprisingly complete ski shop with all of the latest ski equipment, clothing and accessories. But keep in mind this is not the type of resort where you can spend hours shopping when you’re not on the slopes; your down time here most likely will be spent in front of the fire reading a good book.

During our brief stay we dined in the lodge’s Grizzly Lounge – mainly because the other lodge restaurant, the Creekside Dining Room, was closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The lounge food was good and included a few menu items from the Creekside. We did learn that the Creekside has recently employed a well-educated and accomplished chef that has proven both creative and popular with guests – so we were disappointed we didn’t get a chance to sample the Creekside cuisine.

We also enjoyed a meal down at BaseCamp, a lodge that is just a short walk from the Bear Valley Lodge and the only other hotel-style lodging this close to the ski area. We enjoyed our meal at BaseCamp where we got to know an English waitress who had come to Bear Valley simply because the skiing is so good. The BaseCamp, incidentally, offers the lowest cost rooms in the area with “bathroom down the hall.”

There are also condo and cabin rentals available in the Bear Valley area, as well as the Tamarack Lodge further west on Highway 4. Prices in general will be less at BaseCamp, moderate at the Bear Valley Lodge and Tamarack, and more when you rent an entire vacation home.

While in the area, there are several small towns and attractions that are worth a stop if you have the time. To reach Bear Valley in winter, you’ll be traveling through the historical town of Angel’s Camp and then a similar but smaller Gold Rush town called Murphys.

But our suggestion would be to allow plenty of time for skiing. You’ll want to ski or board Bear Valley just as long as the weather – and your legs – will hold out.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Bear Valley Ski Resort is on Highway 4, about 52 miles from the foothills town of Angel’s Camp, and 130 miles from Sacramento.

WHAT: Bear Valley is a throwback to skiing in the ’60’s and ’70’s – no high-speed quads or gondolas but lots of wide open groomed terrain in a gorgeous setting.

WHEN: Winter always means where is lots of snow for skiing as well as many other snow sports; the area also is a popular summer recreation area with numerous lakes, hiking trails and a pristine forest.

WHY: It’s refreshing to ski where there are no lift lines and little pretense – most of the “beautiful people” went to Colorado; the home-growns stayed here. Economically, this ski vacation is quite affordable.

HOW: For more information on Bear Valley Ski Resort, phone (209) 753-2301 or visit www.bearvalley.com. For more information on Bear Valley Lodge, phone (209) 753-2325 or visit www.bearvalleylodge.com.

Cary Ordway
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/want-to-avoid-crowds-try-skiing-at-bear-valley-718106.html

There are thousands of websites on the web providing services of free online chat for people who are enthusiastic about making friends online. Personally, I feel free online chat is the best gift that the Internet has offered to the web users. For many people it is a medium of having fun, for others it is the way of building relationships with other people. For me free online chat is a useful way of getting information.

Earlier, I was using free online chat just to make friends. Though I had many friends around me, I was quite interested in befriending people who are from other countries. I would talk to them frequently and ask them about their culture, weather in their countries, education facilities available in their countries and other things that interest me. Those days I was excited to make new friends but I hardly had the idea that the online friends would help me in future.

Before three years when I was newly introduced to the world of free online chat, I was adding anyone to my friends’ list. So, I had a long list of friends. Kate was the girl I liked most and is still my best friend; she is from Burlington. Those days, I was interested in cultural studies and was looking for a reputed school for higher education. Though I was searching information on the Internet, I thought of using free online chat as a source of information for that. Great idea! My mailbox was filled with lots of information along with advice from the online friends. My best friend on the web, Kate, also had suggested me of the Cultural Studies Programs at Burlington College. It was a nice opportunity for me, I was eager to meet Kate personally and my studies in that city would help me accomplish my mission in my academic career. Within few days I got admission in one of the cultural programs offered at Burlington College and I was in the city where Kate is.

The other aspect of joining the course was getting a chance to meet Kate. Staying in the same city we used free online chat for few days and then decided to go for a date. I was in love with her on our first meeting. She is wonderful- beautiful, smart. Now, she is my girlfriend. I had never thought of a life when I can get everything a man would want in his life. Thanks to free online chat!

Free online chat has helped many people find their partners on the net. But it has helped me build my career as well as getting the most important person in my life. Kate and I are still using free online chat because we have many other friends out there. But I can’t forget the beautiful moments I spent with Kate. Free online chat has made everything possible for me.

If you want to get the real pleasure in life give a shot to free online chat, it’s wonderful.

Davidson
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/free-online-chat-a-useful-tool-for-getting-partner-721139.html

Now that summer has ended and we can all turn off the air conditioning unit, it is time to prepare ourselves for the long winter ahead.  While it would be pure luxury to crank up the thermostat and sit back and relax, we should all be cautious of how costly the excessive use of heat can be.  Depending where you live, heating costs can take a big chunk out of your wallet for 25% to 50% of the year.  So, while living as one with the cold is never an option, making some small changes to avoid using your heater all day long can really save you a good amount of money! Here are a few options to make your holidays less expensive but just as enjoyable!

The first and most important thing to do is to insulate.  This means restricting cold air access into your home by covering up any holes or cracks.  Usually, you can buy insulating materials at any hardware store.  By attacking all possible enablers, you can really cut back on your need for the heater.  If your home is poorly designed or made a long time ago, you may have excessive draft problems and will have to resort to bigger materials.  Plastic sheets can be used to cover up your windows and you may want to put some old rags or sheets at the foot of your door to stop cold air coming in through the space between your door and the floor.

Another important thing to do is to reduce your heat by five to ten degrees. So, if you usually set it to 75 degrees put on a light sweater and turn it down a few notches.  Also, when you aren’t home, don’t use the heater! And while the house will be freezing when you get home, don’t crank it up to 90 just to get it warmer faster.  This is a big waste of money and heat. Just turn it on to your set heat and wait it out! If you are determined to use your central heat as little as possible, a space heater may be a good investment.  It is portable so you can heat up only the rooms you are using, rather than the whole house.

It is very important to keep your heating equipment up to date.  Having an old or dirty furnace or heat pump can affect its performance considerably and you may end up loosing a lot of heat.  If you do not have easy access to your water heater or furnace, call an expert to come and check it out.  Once it is cleaned out or repaired, your heater will function much better. Another thing you can do is to insulate your water heater by wrapping an insulated blanket around it.  This helps keep the heat in and you water will take less time to get hot.

When it comes to your daily activities, there are a few easy things you can do to keep your heat costs at a low.  Before you leave to work in the morning, open all the windows facing the sun to let in as much heat as possible during the day.  Once the sun moves, close those curtains to keep the warm air in.  To avoid using as much hot water as possible, try washing all of your laundry in cold water.  The clothes will be just as clean! Also, cut your shower time is half. You can save 33% on your water heating bill!

While it is a relief to be under the hot water for half an hour, this really adds a lot more cost than you think!  Finally, try wearing a sweater instead!  It keeps your body warm and makes it possible for you to turn down the thermostat even more!

By following these simple tips, you will really save a lot of money!  That leaves a few extra bucks to spend during the holiday season! Enjoy and keep warm!

Jackie B
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/how-to-cut-heating-costs-during-the-cold-weather-695249.html

Doug Martsch plays requested song “the weather” in an impromptu acoustic set for the people who couldn’t get tickets to Built to Spill’s sold-out show at the fox theatre in Boulder, Colorado.

Duration : 0:3:0

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