Travel writers visiting beaches on BP dime
From: http://www.pnj.com/article/20100926/NEWS01/9260329/1056/NEWS10/Travel-writers-visiting-beaches-on-BP-dime
Louis Cooper • lcooper@pnj.com • September 26, 2010
What does it take to get a half dozen travel writers to Navarre Beach?
This weekend, it took a check from BP and a white stretch limousine.
Six travel writers — chauffeured around in a limo — are on Navarre Beach this weekend to get the word out that this summer's BP oil spill is over, and the beach, along with the rest of Santa Rosa County, is open for tourism.
Using money from BP, the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council hosted a familiarization — or "fam" — tour for select out-of-town reporters, showing them the pristine beaches and other assets of the county.
"We've had travel writers come often, but this is an actual 'fam' trip, a planned package of events to show them the whole county," said Kate Wilkes, executive director of the council. "Having the money from BP enabled us to do this."
The tour was covered with part of $551,000 from BP, some of which also funded a voucher program which gave gift cards to tourists who stayed in local accommodations and this weekend's sand sculpture event on Navarre Beach.
The writers — who are staying at the Summerwinds condominium — come from media outlets like Baton Rouge Parents, the Houston Tribune, Southern Hospitality Magazine, www.Planet EyeTraveler.com, www.UPTake.com and www.JustSayGo.com, among others.
Ron Stern, editor of www.JustSayGo.com based in Colorado, said he will tell his readers that the oil hype has been overblown.
"What the national media has been saying is totally untrue, for the most part, and blown totally out of proportion," Stern said. "What they're going to get from me is the truth. You can come down here, and you're not going to get oil on your feet or tar balls on your shoes. ... I haven't seen anything in the sand other than sand, and I've been swimming in the water."
Apryl Thomas, a freelance writer from Athens, Ga., has written about the oil spill on the coast for several websites and publications, including Southern Hospitality.
"I knew the spill was kind of blown up. I had done many articles when this happened. The way it was first covered in the national media, you honestly thought, 'It's gone,' but once I did a little research and calling, I felt like it is important to let people know everything is good to go."
All of the reporters who are visiting have agreed to write something about the area. Although the trip is paid for by BP and is intended to combat the misconceptions created by the spill, Wilkes said she doesn't think oil will be a big part of the tour.
"From now on in, we're not going to mention oil, unless it comes back," Wilkes said. "In our advertisements, the message is that the beaches are beautiful, but, also, it's that there is more to do."
The writers arrived Friday and are scheduled to leave today. They visited the new Navarre Fishing Pier, the Gulf Breeze Zoo, Hidden Creek Golf Club in Navarre, Adventures Unlimited north of Milton and the Rufus Hayes Training Stables ranch in Milton.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The Day the Water Died: Detoxing after the Gulf Oil Spill -- Signs of the Times News
The Day the Water Died: Detoxing after the Gulf Oil Spill -- Signs of the Times News: "http://www.sott.net/articles/show/215274-The-Day-the-Water-Died-Detoxing-after-the-Gulf-Oil-Spill"
Gabriela Segura, M.D.
Health Matrix
Fri, 17 Sep 2010 06:30 CDT
The excitement of the season had just begun, and then we heard the news: oil in the water, lots of oil killing lots of water. It is too shocking to understand. Never in the millennium of our tradition have we thought it possible for the water to die, but it is true.
Chief Walter Meganack
Traditional Village Chief
Port Graham NativeVillage, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
(National Wildlife Federation, 1990)
Psychopaths Rule Our World
We are now part of a giant experiment on massive chemical toxicity exposure, where insanity, wishful thinking, denial, and outright lies run the show. Where our leaders are completely out of touch with reality and rather than guidance, protection and healing, they offer us disinformation and manipulation. How on earth did we allow this to happen? Then again, what do we expect in a world where psychopathic corporate interests dominate almost every area of life?
An invasive cancer has spread throughout our global society. Mother nature too has succumbed to the effects of this destructive ideology and now carries the seeds of ecological disaster in her womb. Despite all their machinations and carefully laid plans, the hubris and supreme self-interest of the psychopaths that rule our world have set humanity on a course for extinction. Who benefits when there are no people left to rule and control?
Continue to article: The Day the Water Died: Detoxing after the Gulf Oil Spill -- Signs of the Times News: "http://www.sott.net/articles/show/215274-The-Day-the-Water-Died-Detoxing-after-the-Gulf-Oil-Spill"
Gabriela Segura, M.D.
Health Matrix
Fri, 17 Sep 2010 06:30 CDT
The excitement of the season had just begun, and then we heard the news: oil in the water, lots of oil killing lots of water. It is too shocking to understand. Never in the millennium of our tradition have we thought it possible for the water to die, but it is true.
Chief Walter Meganack
Traditional Village Chief
Port Graham NativeVillage, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
(National Wildlife Federation, 1990)
Psychopaths Rule Our World
We are now part of a giant experiment on massive chemical toxicity exposure, where insanity, wishful thinking, denial, and outright lies run the show. Where our leaders are completely out of touch with reality and rather than guidance, protection and healing, they offer us disinformation and manipulation. How on earth did we allow this to happen? Then again, what do we expect in a world where psychopathic corporate interests dominate almost every area of life?
An invasive cancer has spread throughout our global society. Mother nature too has succumbed to the effects of this destructive ideology and now carries the seeds of ecological disaster in her womb. Despite all their machinations and carefully laid plans, the hubris and supreme self-interest of the psychopaths that rule our world have set humanity on a course for extinction. Who benefits when there are no people left to rule and control?
Continue to article: The Day the Water Died: Detoxing after the Gulf Oil Spill -- Signs of the Times News: "http://www.sott.net/articles/show/215274-The-Day-the-Water-Died-Detoxing-after-the-Gulf-Oil-Spill"
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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