RSSTournament of Roses Parade, HGTV is must see TV
These days there are few parades quite like the Tournament of Roses Parade. In a
day when a majority of the parades seem to be getting shorter and less what we remembered as kids. The Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA just gets better and better.
Also, the only way to watch The Rose Parade is on HGTV. Not only are there no commercials, they provide so many interesting tid bits and stories regarding the construction and intricacies of the floats. Also, no interviews and shilling of TV actors and shows. Remember when a parade was a parade, HGTV brings it to us just the way we remember. And they actually show the marching bands for more than 5 seconds. For the best sights, sounds and commentary watch the Tournament of Roses Parade on HGTV. 
Don’t forget the parade On Monday, January 2, 2006 at 8 a.m. (PST).
On Monday, January 2, 2006 at 8 a.m. (PST), millions of spectators from around the world will celebrate with the 117th Rose Parade themed It’s Magical. Spectators will delight in the tradition and pageantry of the magnificent floral floats, high-stepping equestrians and spirited marching bands. The 2006 Rose Parade will be on January 2 in observance with the Tournament of Roses “Never on Sunday” tradition.
Make sure to watch on HGTV, commercial and network annoyance free.
Grand Marshal: Sandra Day O’Connor 
Theme: It’s Magical
Equestrian units: 22
New Years Eve Around the World
New Years Eve Celebrations will be held around the world today and tonight. Some will range from the sublime to ostentatious. Here is a wrap up of a few.
Sydney –
Hundreds of thousands of revellers along Australia’s eastern seaboard have welcomed 2006 at spectacular fireworks displays.
In Sydney, three thousand kilos of fireworks exploded from six main locations lighting up the sky to celebrate the New Year.
Hundreds of thousands of revellers, many of them tourists, packed vantage points around Sydney Harbour to see the pyrotechnics display, considered one of the most spectacular new years eve celebrations in the world.
A beating red heart adorns the bridge, and earlier Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the theme of the celebration was one of tolerance and compassion. Via ABCOfficial Web Site
To view celebrations in London, Tokyo, New York, and Las Vegas; click here.
Texas EquuSearch Finds Nate Hendrickson’s Body in George Bush Park
Texas EquuSearch has found the body of Nate Hendrickson in George Bush Park.
The following is a statement received from Texas EquuSearch:
Remains found by Texas Equusearch members at 1:38pm, Friday, December 30, 2005, appear to be those of Nate Hendrickson
More Fall Out from the Tourism Figures. Amigoe: Uncertainty about tourism figures
Amigoe; December 30, 2005: Uncertainty about tourism figures
Uncertainty about tourism figures
ARUBA — It is not clear whether the tourism is affected by the Natalee Holloway case. Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) has not announced yet how many tourists had visited Aruba between July and September. The October figures show a drop. “Very bad, Aruba’s economy depends on the tourism. We must know what the situation is”, is the opinion of the AVP.
It is incomprehensible that the tourism-minister Edison Briesen does not realize that something is wrong. The AVP is concerned about the tourism. It is irresponsible not to know whether there is a Holloway-effect. AVP wants a meeting with the taskforce, the parliament, and the minister in early 2006 to talk about a marketing plan. Recently, the Central Bank of Aruba and the Aruba Airport Authority (AAA) reported alarming figures about the tourism. According to the Bank, the cruise passengers have dropped with almost 40 percent in October of this year. The hotel occupancy was almost 78 percent in October. The Bank couldn’t give the results in the months July up till September, because they depend on the data from ATA that were not available. Also compared to last year, the airport of Aruba registered fewer passengers that entered Aruba. According to AAA-director Peter Steinmetz, the 2004 amount of passengers (1.7 millions) is not feasible in 2005. His opinion is that this has directly to do with the disappeared American teenager, Natalee Holloway.
In all reality who could have honestly looked at this situation and not seen this coming? The more and more that Aruban officials gave the outright appearance of preferential treatment, questionable investigations and lack of searches of suspects homes; this was inevitable. There was a reason why the Natalee Holloway disappearance was one of the Top 10 news stories of 2005 in the media and on the internet. The misconception is that the media drove this story. It was the public interest in the story that drove the media to cover the story.
I guess Aruba decided to take the AP as the gospel as this article was posted at Aruba the Truth, Associated Press: Boycott Will Have No Impact.
Gov. Bob Riley’s call for a tourist boycott of Aruba, where a Mississippi native has been missing since May 30, had little or no immediate impact and is unlikely to deter trips to the Caribbean island, travel experts said.
“We really have not seen a significant change in interest in travel to Aruba,” said Justin McNaull, AAA Travel spokesman.
Diario: ATA’s duty is to Publish the Tourism Numbers
According to Otmar Oduber
ATA’s duty is to publish the tourism numbers
It has been more than 6 months since they’ve done this
All this going on while it had been stated in the past that Aruban tourism was up 7%. Members of the Aruban Strategic Communications Task Force and Steve Cohen have been touting the tourism numbers as having increased, yet it appears that may not be the case at all. Not even close. Otmar Oduber, from the AVP faction has basically demanded that the numbers be disclosed so that they know the truth. He stated, “the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), for the last 6 months hasn’t published tourism numbers”. Interestingly enough the same period of time that Natalee Holloway has been missing. During that time they have stated that tourism was up. However, recently Peter Steinmetz, director of Aruba Airport Authority (AAA) made the comment that on the decrease in passengers.
The decreasing number of passengers is according to Peter Steinmetz, director of Aruba Airport Authority (AAA), a direct consequence of disappeared American teenager Natalee Holloway.
It appears that some in Aruba want to hear the real numbers no matter how bad they may be. According to Otmar Odeber the tourism numbers have been down as well with cruise ships.
The parliamentarian also said that Aruba received 42,000 less tourists from cruise ships in 2005, compared with 2004.
The translated article: Hat Tip: Getagrip
ORANJESTAD(AAN): Otmar Oduber, from the AVP faction, signaled during a press conference of the green party, that it is very troublesome and reproachable that the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), for the last 6 months hasn’t published tourism numbers.
He explained that this is something very irresponsible.
Oduber also said that he saw on NBC that they reported that Aruba was in the 10 news stories with the most impact of 2005, while the case of Natalee Holloway is the number 1 unresolved case.
