Is it a good idea to go to a small Island and stay there without any contact? -

This would look fictional, but I would like to try the Cast Away in my own way, until someday somebody finds me. Only me and myself. Is it a good thing to do?

Do it! i ll come find you i need an adventure! or we can be island mates. like the book the beach i did something like you want to do, but not on an island, just out in the idaho wilderness one summer for 3 months, it was amazing. DO IT DO IT

You would need to be responsible and let someone know your whereabouts,otherwise it could cost the Country thousands of dollars in searching. let alone the heartbreak it could cause for family . By all means go and take a break on an island but remember someone owns it and if no one lives there then it is inhospitable. You would need good weather and be equipped with spades fishing gear tarpulin for cover from sun , you would need to be very hardy and what if you where sick or needed help . Do you just die there all alone. Do you pull your own teeth if needed . Cover your wounds from infection. And where do you get adequate food for nourishment . you can t survive without fresh running water

definitely

How early are guests allowed in for Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party? -

I have been to Disney around Christmas in the past, but never attended this event. I ve already purchased tickets for the night of the 17th, and I have heard that guests with tickets to the party will usually be allowed into the Magic Kingdom at early as 4pm, even though the festivities don t officially start until 7pm. Is this true? I would like to get in as early as possible, but I don t want to show up early and then have to wait around for hours if they are not letting people in until 7pm.Thanks for any info!

That IS true. Official start/entry time is 7. But anybody who has been before will tell you that they will start letting you at approximately 4 p.m. But this is not advertised, it s kind of an insider secret.

So whats this nonsense I hear about racism in Austin Texas? -

I thought that this was the cool part of Texas? what s up people?

There are ignorant people found in populations all across the United States, but luckily, since Austin is ranked as one of the more educated and diverse communities in the nation, run ins with racism are few and far between around here.So, you heard wrong this time. I hope this helps.

I ve lived in Austin for most of my life and I have seen very little racism. I m black and I live in a really diverse neighborhood. There are people from Kenya, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Mexico all on my street. One year a woman that worked in Lakeline Mall was caught following black people around the store because she thought they were going to steal things. It was caught all on tape and broadcast on every news station. Everyone was pretty upset.Austin is really diverse. Almost half of the population is Mexican, at this point anyone racist just would nt be accepted.

As much as most Austintes pride themselves on being liberal, diverse, and forward thinking, I m sad to say that there is still a portion of the population that doesn t fit that mold. Frankly THEY are in the minority, so it s possible to encounter them but it doesn t reflect the feelings of the community as a whole. Let s face it, there are people of all kinds everywhere you go.

May I boast that Im off to Hawaii on Monday? -

Very excited as you can see...Any pointers for me?

Hawaii is tropical but bring a sweater and umbrella...the rainy season starts in December (remember, it is a warm rain, not cold). Cold is a relative term, because it is rarely below 70F during the day even in winter, but does get into the 60 s in the evening and early mornings.Bring t-shirts and shorts. If you wear sandals, Tevas, etc. you won t need many socks either except when you go to a nice restaurant or nightclub and even then a lot of people wear sandals. Dressing up is wearing an aloha shirt and pants. If you are going to an outer island, they are more quiet/casual and many don t even wear aloha shirts at all there.It is difficult to give you more advice when I don t know which island you are going to, or whether you are into culture, nightlife, sports or nature, and if you are renting a car, but assuming you are going to Oahu (and usually when people don t say which island, it is Oahu/Honolulu and its beach Waikiki for at least part of the time) here are some MUST DO s for you:You are also going at the very end of the Vans Triple Crown surfing competition on the North Shore, one of the top surfing contests in the world. They only hold the competition when the waves are good (huge) so you can t predict when they will hold the contest, but always professionals hanging out you can watch. It ends in mid-Dec.* Do you like snorkeling? Drive early (or take The Bus) to Hanauma Bay before too many tourists cloud the water with kicked-up sand and scare away the sea turtles and moray eels. Really amazing. You can rent snorkel equipment (don t buy equipment unless you have time to test it and return it if it doesn t fit and leaks) right from the snorkel rental concession on the beach. Go to the LEFT when you hit the beach for best snorkeling (most people will go to the right where the beach is wider* Next, think about hiking here, in the rain forest. Manoa Falls is right in back of Honolulu, against the Koolau Mtns in Manoa Valley. It goes uphill, make sure to wear Tevas or open hiking shoes you don t care about getting wet and full of mud, and wear repellent. Goes through a bamboo forest, giant ferns, orchids, etc. to a small pool and tropical waterfall. If you don t like the bugs and mud, you can hike up to the Diamond Head lookout for the amazing view of Waikiki and Honolulu, but this hike has a lot of stairs and is a bit hot and dry (you hike inside Diamond Head Crater...no tradewinds to cool you as it is too protected).http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/hiking/man��* Make sure to see our beautiful dance in the islands...the hula. They have free shows right on Waikiki, near Duke s statue, about 3-4 times a week. They use high-quality hula schools, these are not poor dancers. On Friday evenings, there are free fireworks on the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. You can try going to a Hawaiian Luau (Hawaiian beach barbecue) but they are crowded...and expensive, perhaps $80/person. However, they all have good entertainment.* Waikiki is the happening place on Fri and Sat evenings, everyone (and everything) happens on Kalakaua Avenue, the main street in Waikiki. If you are going to spring for one touristic meal, try Duke s which is right on the beach and not too expensive.http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/* Even if you don t have a car, you should try to make it to the other (windward) side of the island, which is the beautiful (and wet) side of the island. Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach are in the town of Kailua, considered the most beautiful on Oahu. Watch out for jellyfish here, in particular box jellyfish 7-9 days after the full moon.* If you are trying to watch spending too much $$$ for food (and it can be expensive since much of it is imported from the mainland and Asia), try the local food chains such as L L and Zippy s. You can buy packaged foods and take it to your room at the ABC Stores which are literally on every block in Waikiki. If you need to shop for gifts back home, buying in Waikiki can be expensive (mostly designer boutiques) so will want to go to Ala Moana Shopping Center which is adjacent to Waikiki on the west side (Hilton Hawaiian Village / Ilikai side). There are also cheap eats at the Ala Moana shopping center. For breakfast in Waikiki. try the Wailana Coffee House which has a special with eggs, bacon and all-you-can-eat pancakes with coconut syrup for incredibly cheap (I think it is $7.95 but not sure, jeesh just ate there). For a bit more, try Eggs N Things near the Trump Tower.* If you want to take surfing lessons, they are not that expensive, and Waikiki (especially in winter) is a great place to learn. The Hans Hedemen school is one of the best (and largest), most of the hotels point you towards them anyway.http://www.hhsurf.com/hh/* If you want a brewsky and want to listen to live cool music, there is a Gordon Biersch brewery in the Aloha Tower Marketplace, at the very end of the pier.http://www.gordonbiersch.com/restaurants��* With all the normal things to do and see (Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace, Nuuani Pali Lookout, Bishop Museum, and all the sites in Waikiki) you become bored, consider going to central Honolulu to see their tropical Chinatown, particularly the food stalls in the Mauna Kea Marketplace (it is an indoors mall , rather hard to find, but is at the corner of Mauna Kea and King Streets).Aloha, and welcome to our islands!

Lucky you! Never been to Hawaii!My pointers for any traveler are:1. Talk to the locals! That s the difference between going as a tourist and actually getting to know the place you re visiting! Don t hole yourself up in a bubble with your traveling buddies--talking to locals you ll make a few friends and you also could get a few invites to cool stuff that tourists don t get invites to because they don t talk to locals! Lol.2. Don t say arrogant things to the locals when you talk to them! Remember it s easy to come off the wrong way so keep yourself in line. Don t complain about ANYTHING, and don t compare the place you re visiting to your home state/country. Even if you think it s harmless, it oftens comes off as very, very tactless.

yes you can, i would love to go

wwoooop woopp have fun, feel very free to boast :Dadvice? hmmmmenjoy yourself lol, i have no other advice having never been there

May I reply that I don t care. And if you are asking for pointers here s two of them.

Lucky you! I wish I was going!Have a great time!

Do you think it will snow in NYC today? -

Its snowing in Pennsylvannia some in New Jersey I was told. What do you think?

yes

Yes.

Me and my family are going to visit Chicago Jun 27-Jul 4th 2010. What are the quot;must doquot; things in Chicago? -

Visiting mainly to see Cubs games, but want to take in as many attractions as we can. We are staying at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers.

Field Museum of Natural History is pretty good . See a Cubs game even if you don t like the Cubs Wrigley is great,( I am not a Cubs fan)!!!! Sears tower of course. Navy Pier is OK. Might as well check out the White Sox too. Soldier field is Awesome. Lots of other things to see and do. Get online and check out Chicago.com

go to the taste and enjoy the fireworks on July 3rdAdler Planetarium is niceand a short walk from the Field Museum Shed AquariumScience and Industry is cool

How many people live on the 4 major Hawaiian Islands? What are the major differences/attractions on each one? -

Please have references... I m curious how many people live on each of the islands. Also, what makes each island so special and unique? I ve never been to Hawaii, but really want to go, and my husband wants to live there (he s been there before)

In order from most populous (credit to Wikipedia):-Oahu (900,000)-Hawaii aka The Big Island (201,109)-Maui (117,644)-Kaui (63,689)-Molokai (7,404)-Lanai (3,193)Ok, here we go with the differences (the gist of it):-Oahu has both the city (Honolulu), and country. Also suburbs. It s home to the famous North Shore, where surfing competitions and several movies (Sarah Marshall), and TV shows (Lost) were filmed. As people on the other islands say, Oahu is made of concrete. Ala Moana Center, the worlds largest open air shopping mall, is located here, along with several other malls scattered around the island.-Hawaii aka The Big Island is the biggest island, hence it s nickname. The Big Island has rainforests, and the Volcanoes National Park, where you can see lava tumbling into the ocean if you go to the right spots. (Yes, there is an active volcano there). Majority of the island is made of molten lava rock, and you ll see that people create words/names on them with white pebbles. Go to the top of Mauna Kea for a breathtaking view.-Maui is, in my opinion, the most beautiful island. Here you ll find the Maui Ocean Center and the beachfront tourist town of Lahaina. You can hike up Haleakala and bike down it if you wish. Whale-watching is prominent here. There s a highway called the Hana Highway, which has a lot of twists and turns, but beautiful scenery.-Kauai is nicknamed The Garden Isle for its beauty, but I don t buy that. You can explore the caves. There is Waimea Canyon, which is dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.-Molokai transports you back to old Hawaii. It s kind of like Maui and Kauai in terms of scenery.-Lanai...well, you ll need a four-wheeler to see most of the landmarks and sites. Not too familiar with this island as I ve never been to it, as you can tell by my horrible description of it.Grouping the islands together, here are their similarities:-The Big Island, Maui, Kaui, Molokai, and Lanai are very laid back communities-You can do water sports on all islands (obviously)-All have good food-You will be treated well on any island. The tourists that say that they ve been hassled by locals is because they either went where they weren t supposed to, or disrespected us. This doesn t mean that you have to watch your back and be on constant high alert. Just use your common sense.I believe this is it for my lengthly answer. :-)

Are any celebrities going to be in Chicago anywhere from February 11-15? -

Namely Katie Cassidy, Cameron Richardson, Christopher Gorham, or Adam Campbell.

i highly doubt it they more than likely will stay in a warmer climate than chicago

WTF? that is so random... you can t really know for sure unless there is a concert there for them or something...

Who cares

Oprah, of course. She s bound to have someone famous on the show:http://www.oprah.com/tows

Is Connecticut really New England? -

I dont think Connecticut should be considered New England anymore. I live in Westport and it just doesnt feel like I live in New England or am a New Englander in any way.I dont commute to Boston, root for Boston sports teams (as you can tell by my screename. haha.), I dont tahk like this or enjoy chowdah every night for dinnah! Plus nobody around me does any of those things. So is Connecticut REALLY New England? It doesnt feel like it at all. I have friends upstate that say they re coming home to New England but I ve never said that or anything like that. I think we should be considered Mid-Atlantic if anything. Who agrees?

Connecticut isn t really a state. Half is part of NY, the other half is part of MA. (Hartford is sort of an anomaly.) Consider: 1. It has no national sports teams. 2. There are no real cities. Cities have downtowns where people want to visit and to live. (Bridgeport? New Haven? Get real. Hartford? Maybe.) 3. People don t go TO Connecticut for vacations, they go through it. 4. There aren t any real newspapers. People either get the Times or the Globe. And no one needs to say the city. (Hartford Courant, you say? Hasn t been real for years.) 5. It s the only NE state that has to put NE in front of chowder so people know which kind it is. 6. All the fun stuff to do is in another state.

Yes, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut are part of New England Colony.If you read this article, you will understand why it is called New England.

Yes, Connecticut is part of New England. However, parts of the state do have a New York City orientation What makes you think New Englanders are racist. Most of us aren t

sounds like a lot of hurt Mass people replying to this. Especially butt hurt Kman who obviously is a boston fan.

Yes, it s still New England, whether YOU think it feels like it or not. And who cares about your radio presets or how you talk?

yes, it is.not everyone is new england is racist. you generalize too much.

Western Connecticut is metro NYC, it s not really New England as far as we re concerned. The eastern half of the state identifies more with Boston. The Connecticut river seems to be the dividing line.I don t tahk like this - do you tawk like this ? The exaggerated tri-state accents are just as bad as the Boston ones, and most people in both places don t have them.Boston had some racial tension in the 50 s and the busing integration in the early 70 s caused a bit of a stir - but the assertion that it s now a racist city is absurd. Boston is a major technology hub, filled with international students, and home of the ultra-leftist PC politicians. It s orders of magnitude more diverse and tolerant than Connecticut - the home of white, yuppie, New York bankers who moved to the rich suburbs because they don t want to live near black people.

What should I do/see in Chicago? -

Planning a trip there soon, what is there to do?

Many of the worlds tallest buildings and two of them have sky decks, Navy Pier, Millenium park, Worlds best shopping, dining, theaters, Museums, etc. Many great Bus and Boat tours.

Vince Vaughn!!! Haha, J/k. The downtown area is awesome. Lots of places to shop, I love going to Chicago. Dress warm! The windy city gets pretty chilly! :) Have fun!