Monthly Archives: January 2014

Comets start new year with an AHL triumph

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UTICA The Utica Comets moved its record to 4-1-0-1 on their current homestand as they defeated the Lake Erie Monsters, 3-2, at Utica Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday in a contest that kicked off the 2014 portion of the American Hockey Leagues schedule.

Pascal Pelletier, Colin Stuart and Darren Archibald each scored for the Comets, while Joe Cannata made 18 saves to earn his first victory on home ice this season, his third overall. Pelletier, Archibald and teammate Alex Biega all had multiple points on the afternoon.

Pelletier put the Comets ahead 6:10 into the second period with his sixth goal of the season. After serving his minor penalty for roughing, Alex Biega hit the Comets leading scorer with a breakaway pass and the center slotted a wrist shot past Aittokallio on the glove side. Brandon DeFazio also picked up an assist on the play, his eighth helper of the season.

Utica, which has now earned points in six of their past seven games on home ice, moved to 25 points on the season and are eight points out of eighth place in the Western Conference.

The Comets complete their seven-game homestand with a home tilt against the Rochester Americans on Friday starting at 7 p.m.

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Comets start new year with an AHL triumph

Travel agencies complain about lack of tour guides

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(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Though, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has forecast that Oman's travel and tourism GDP will grow at an annual rate of six to eight per cent between 2013 and 2017, local tour operators say their business is suffering due to lack of registered tour guides in the sultanate.

As of December 2013, there were only 216 registered tour guides with the Ministry of Tourism. Lakshminarayanan, inbound tours manager, Bahwan Travel Agencies, said, ''Our business is suffering due to lack of tourist guides, especially those who can speak languages like German, French, Italian and Russian. We are forced to tell our business partners abroad and potential tourists about the shortage of tour guides. Clients even change the destination when they come to know about this problem. The guides here sometimes demand unreasonable money since they know there is a shortage.

''We also get tour guides from abroad on 21-day business visas, but the procedure to get them is lengthy. Sometimes, it takes more than 21 days to complete the procedure.''

Arun Raj, business development manager, Zahara Tours said the shortage is felt most during the peak season. ''The shortage is felt the most during Christmas, New Year and Easter holidays. Most of the registered guides do other part-time jobs. Some are only available on weekends or holidays and some give up guiding altogether. It's a serious problem for tour companies. We've currently stopped bookings due to this issue. Easing of restrictions on issue of visa by the authorities would help solve this problem.''

An official from another tourism company said it's getting difficult to obtain short-term visas. ''It is very difficult to find tour guides as short-term visas are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Also, tour guides brought in from other countries have to be given proper training, which is time-consuming.

''I urge the authorities to help motivate young Omanis to work in the industry and share their knowledge about the country with the tourists. Omanis who have studied tourism often end up working in other sectors. I think young Omanis who train in tourism should continue working in the sector.''&nb

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Travel agencies complain about lack of tour guides

Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment in 10 seconds – Video

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Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment in 10 seconds
Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment on Gaiam TV Full interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PYpHFwcITI.

By: Best of Russell Brand

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Russell Brand on Sex, Drugs, Fame, Money and Spiritual Enlightenment in 10 seconds - Video