In this day and age there are many companies, not to mention people, having an extremely difficult time keeping their heads above water.  The financial issues we are all facing on a daily basis have become somewhat ‘suffocating.’  Every day we are attempting to figure out the next steps to solidify our industries, businesses, employment and – most importantly – how to save money for our children’s future, so that the next generation can be ‘placed’ into a world with the knowledge necessary to have a bright and financially stable life.  There are few businesses that are still offering their employees great healthcare plans, stock, 529 plans, and IRAs – and the ‘worry’ has taken over in more than one household.

However, there is one brilliant spot in the economy at this moment in time, and it is a company that has been able to put together a way for all families – no matter what their financial status – to be able to save funds for their children’s education.  529 plans are savings accounts that can be opened when your child arrives in the world.  From day one, you can begin to plan for the high prices that will be in place when your child heads off to college.

Mission Tuition is a brand new company that was formed so that all children would be given the resources to further their education by building just such an account.  All children deserve the chance to go to college, and parents and families are truly doing their best to learn and research the various ways of saving money for the next generation.  Mission Tuition was put together in order for parents, without putting a strain on their income, to save those much-needed funds far in advance, so that when college-age approaches the money will be there.

Mission Tuition is a truly amazing company that has taken 529 plans one step further, by providing a simple and FREE way for parents to begin saving. A truly easy savings plan is offered, where family members sign up with Mission Tuition who manage an “educational savings account” that is located at Wells Fargo bank, and you use the benefits of Mission Tuition to not only save money but also to help coordinate a fantastic 529 plan for your child’s future.  After becoming a part of Mission Tuition, everyday spending can and will help YOU save for college. They offer one of the largest merchant coalition in America to provide parents and families with the widest array of savings opportunities possible. Simply put, when you shop for your everyday needs, you save for your child’s education.

The Mission Tuition program is simple to use:  sign up for the program (FREE), do your shopping at the top retailers in all areas of industry – from groceries to clothing – and save.  The everyday shopping you do already with retailers across the country will finally help pay for college expenses.

From companies such as Petco to Walgreens, Nordstrom to SEARS, Old Navy to Bass Pro Shops.  From food and wine companies to groceries and toys, computers to appliances, with Mission Tuition you can save! By shopping at your favorite retailers, you can pick up brands you know and trust, while at the same time getting money back to place into an account that will be unbelievably necessary for your child’s future.

Readers, I cannot stress enough that this process is absolutely free. The reason why?  Because nothing is free anymore that is THIS beneficial to our lives. Mission Tuition offers easy enrollment.  Then, you simply shop for products you already need, and the advertised rebates that show on Mission Tuition’s website go directly into the educational savings account. You can use any of your existing debit or credit cards to make purchases, too!  And if your favorite card happens to earn miles or points, you receive them as well, in addition to Mission Tuition’s cash rebates – doubling your benefits with every purchase.  And all of this is “on top of” the in-store discounts you already receive!

Not only will the “educational savings account” reside at Wells Fargo as you research what the best avenues of education are for your child, but Mission Tuition is also there to give instruction and information about 529 tax deferred college savings accounts for your child. When you’re ready to access your savings, you simply let Mission Tuition know and they take care of the rest. You can request a check to withdraw funds, or speak to the incredibly knowledgeable staff at Mission Tuition regarding the transferring of the money.  Only YOU have access to your money for the funding of your child‘s education. If you already have an active state 529 tax deferred college savings plan in place, you simply notify Mission Tuition and they will send a check immediately for deposit into your plan.

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Once you’ve become a member, savings is easy. Mission Tuition also offers valuable coupons for in-store discounts on dining, groceries, shopping and entertainment. Simply log in, select from YOUR favorite stores and start the savings. For even greater savings, you also have the option of applying for a new “Mission Tuition MasterCard” that will earn you additional cash rewards on all your purchases.

Over the next few weeks we are going to give you an in-depth look at this truly fantastic company that’s SO needed in this recession-wary day and age.  Everything is offered at Mission Tuition, from being able to inform customers and give them the ability to set goals, as well as information on how much you need to save for your child’s education.

They offer a calculator that can help you to better understand what the actual cost of tuition will be when your child is ready for college.  They teach you about saving early and the college tuition rates that increase every year. They talk about dedicating a small amount of your monthly budget to college savings and how THEY can help to offset the rising costs. And, most of all, Mission Tuition will help YOU to better understand and open that much-needed 529 College Savings Plan.

You can use the money you save in your 529 at any college or university, anywhere in the country. The plans differ from state to state, but all are free from federal tax. You might also consider a “Prepaid College Tuition Plan” to help lock in tuition rates now and avoid rising costs. Mission Tuition offers many links to show you how to plan for college and the responsibility that each member of your family shares. In fact, by including your children in the discussion, the whole family can understand the full cost of education and the value of planning for the future. Links are even available at the Mission Tuition site that contain information about paying for college in a format meant for your children to learn and understand.

To save enough money for your child’s college education you need to make a plan and start early – Mission Tuition can help you with both. When you sign up, they give you the flexibility to open a new 529 College Savings Account, deposit funds in an existing 529 account, or simply hold your savings in your Mission Tuition/Wells Fargo account as you continue to decide.  That way you are losing no time, and getting the refunds and benefits immediately.

Over the next few weeks we will be ‘opening up’ the educational landscape, and going over the many positives regarding 529 plans.  For a brief introduction to these particular savings routes: the 529 is a tax-advantaged investment plan that’s designed to encourage saving for a designated beneficiary’s future higher education expenses. The plans are administered by state agencies and organizations.  We will go over all aspects of the 529 savings plan and you will see that they are far better than a typical savings account.  One large reason for this is the fact that when you withdraw money for qualified education expenses from a 529, it is free from federal income tax.  Even better, many states also follow this rule, so you may not have to pay any state taxes either. But remember, as you learn and discover which 529 plan you would like to invest in, you can STILL utilize the Mission Tuition account to gather your rebates – you don’t miss a single day of reaping the benefits of this incredible system.

When this writer speaks about the fact that Mission Tuition has built up a coalition of thousands of merchants nationwide, this is no understatement. When you shop with the Mission Tuition merchants you SAVE, and your cash rebates are deposited into your educational savings account – no muss, no fuss. Several of these merchants offer savings opportunities of up to 15% of your total purchase. Also, when you shop in-person, you receive their advertised discount right there on the spot. So every time you shop – whether online or in-person – you can be sure that you’re preparing for your child’s future.

This is a truly outstanding company that offers the one thing that all parents need – a way to provide for their child’s future.

Until Next Time, Everybody.

For more information, go to:

http://www.missiontuition.com

Questions regarding Mission Tuition:

General Inquiries: info@missiontuition.com
Suggestions: suggestions@missiontuition.com
Member Support: support@missiontuition.com
Partnership Inquiries: partner@missiontuition.com

Company Information:

16255 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 525
Encino, CA 91436

(818) 783-2100

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — This new program seeks to encourage consistent quality standards in property care and customer service for vacation rental companies around the Walt Disney WorldZ Resort area, as well as defining requirements for property standards that guests expect and benefit from. With this logo, visitors to Central Florida can quickly identify companies that offer quality service and standards as well as consistently reliable accommodations, along with providing an authorized source for information about the Walt Disney WorldZ Theme Parks and Tickets.

Over the last year, Disney worked with key property management companies, including VillaDirect, to develop clear standards for vacation rental homes, and guidelines for promoting the Walt Disney WorldZ Theme Parks.

Steve Hardman, CEO of VillaDirect Vacation Homes said, “We’ve worked as an Authorized Disney Ticket Seller for some time, and the Vacation Rental Home Connection, part of the Disney Ticket Network has been carefully designed to help our guests, by giving them a quality standard that they can rely upon. Whenever guests book with a company which carries the Vacation Rental Home Connection logo – they can be confident in receiving great service and quality in a vacation rental home. We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognized through this program.”

To find out more about the Walt Disney WorldZ Vacation Rental Home Connection or to look at the homes offered by VillaDirect Vacation Homes under the program, visit www.villadirect.com.

About VillaDirect Vacation Homes

VillaDirect Vacation Homes is the most popular vacation home rental company in central Florida, welcoming over 50,000 guests each year and an affiliate of the Vacation Rental Home Connection, part of the Disney Ticket Network. The company was established in 1998 and offers the widest choice of quality accommodations to guests from more than 350 privately owned family pool homes, condos and townhouses – all within easy distance of Walt Disney WorldZ Resort and other area attractions. VillaDirect offers properties to fit every family’s needs and budget, from 2 bedroom condos to 7 bedroom estate homes on fabulous vacation rental resort locations in Orlando – as well as being an authorized Disney attraction ticket reseller, where you can buy Disney Theme Park Tickets for your visits to the theme parks of Orlando. For more information, visit the VillaDirect website or call 1-877-259-9908 (toll free USA & Canada).

Steve Hardman, 407-973-0575, steve@villadirect.com

SOURCE VillaDirect Vacation Homes

See the full story at NewsBlaze.com Current News – Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Nickelodeon
Suites Resort was recognized today by the American
Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) as the first hotel
in the world to receive the prestigious Certified
Guest Service Property designation.

Staff at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando, Florida celebrate becoming the first Certified Guest Service Property in the world. (Photo: Business Wire)

Guest
Service Gold, a new guest service training program from
AHLEI, trains employees and properties how to achieve a new standard of
exceptional service based on the philosophy of emotionally engaging with
guests in memorable and exceptional ways. There are three main
components to Guest Service Gold: training, employee certification, and
property certification. In order for the Nick Hotel to be deemed a
Certified Guest Service Property, every employee was required to
complete specific training and pass a comprehensive exam.

“Exceptional service is a top priority at the Nick Hotel,” said Jim
Struna, director of marketing and revenue management for Nickelodeon
Suites Resort. “While we are always creating new and exciting
experiences for our guests, we are also working to ensure they receive
outstanding service on property. Guest Service Gold is just one more way
we demonstrate our commitment to excellence.”

Every team member at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort received a lapel pin
certifying the completion of the training and the hotel was presented
with a plaque denoting its achievement.

Follow us on Twitter @nickhotel.
Join our Nick
Hotel Facebook Fan page.

About
Nickelodeon Suites Resort

Located in the heart of Orlando’s tourism district, Nickelodeon
Suites Resort, otherwise known as the Nick Hotel, is much more than
a place for guests to lay their heads at night. From
two over-the-top pool complexes with slides and flumes, to live
entertainment and Character
Breakfast featuring Nickelodeon’s beloved characters, to a
multimillion dollar 4-D
Theater, to the colorfully themed Kid Suites and gallons upon
gallons of SLIME, Nick Hotel offers nonstop activity from dawn to
dusk for the entire family any time of the year. For more information
about the Nick Hotel, visit www.nickhotel.com
or call (877) NICK-KID.

Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the
American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s
mission is to support AH&LA by becoming the preferred provider to the
lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality
industries both domestically and internationally by developing and
providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality
professionals.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50017410&lang=en

For Nickelodeon Suites Resort
Beth Cocchiarella, 321-277-9630
beth@absolutethinking.us

See the full story at NewsBlaze.com Current News – Florida

Florida’s Hollywood Reporter known as “Mr. Hollywood” Shannon Rose is in a tough competition to be the face of the popular social media site About.me.

This contest places Rose in a stiff competition among millions of people around the world to be the face of About.me. The winner’s profile will be featured in lights high above the streets in Times Square for the world to see.

Mr Hollywood loves Boca Raton and plans to be back here this year.  Look out for him and say “Go Mr Hollywood” when you see him.

You can help Rose become the next face of About.me by simply voting for him on his About.me profile. To vote for him simply visit http://about.me/shannonrose

Voting started August 1st and runs till September 20, 2011. The profile with the most votes will be announced the winner on the 21st of September.

This is your chance to help “Mr. Hollywood” reach another goal of being on a national and world wide stage as millions of tourists from all over the world flock to this Mecca of entertainment heaven every day.

Outside of Hollywood it’s probably the next largest venue for television and entertainment in the country.

For more information about “Mr. Hollywood” Shannon Rose visit http://imshannonrose.com

To vote for him on About.me visit http://about.me/shannonrose

Shannon Rose is available for interviews. Please contact Eclectic Media Productions (347) 92-STARS or (347) 927-8277, Email: info@mediaproductions.tv

See the full story at NewsBlaze.com Current News – Florida

By John Kays

“Well, she’s fashionably lean, and she’s fashionably late. She’ll never wreck a scene, she’ll never break a date. But she’s no drag, Just watch the way she walks. She’s a twentieth century fox, she’s a twentieth century fox. No tears, no fears, no ruined years, no clocks. She’s a twentieth century fox, oh yeah.” Twentieth Century Fox – The Doors

The atmosphere in Courtroom 23A on Thursday was brittle, explosive; tense is a word that better resembles a euphemism, especially with regards to the veteran prosecuting attorney, Jeff Ashton. Ashton was ‘tense’ the entire time, but at two points Jeff obviously blew up!

One juncture of volatility was when Jeff questioned the relevance of DNA on the shovel, the other sparking moment was when Jose Baez asked FBI DNA expert, Heather Seubert, why she was conducting a DNA paternity test (at the request of Orange County detective, Nick Savage) for Lee Anthony.

My suspicions were that Jeff’s behavior could be explained away by the fact that he sees his case melting like The Wicked Witch of the West (when Dorothy douses her with baptismal water), right before his very eyes. I took meticulous notes on Thursday’s smokin’ testimonies, and I recognized it as a sterling day for the defense.

Every witness plowed down to the ground the prosecution’s case, systematically bit by bit. Let’s see here, there was Gerardo Bloise (again), Heather Seubert, Lorie Gottesman, Jennifer Welch, and Robin Maynard. All of these witnesses jabbed some black holes in the prosecution’s fragile fabric of circumstantial evidence.

So I’ll tell you briefly what each witness did to suggest the possibility of reasonable doubt (as to Casey’s guilt) to the jury, but I urge you to experience for yourself the entire sizzling day uncut.

Gerardo Bloise, a CSI for Orange County, helped to eliminate the possibility of any crime occurring in Tony Lazzaro’s car. Bloise also inspected Casey’s clothes in her closet, and didn’t detect any blood on her clothes, including the all important brown pants that Casey was wearing on June 16, 2008.

Heather Seubert gives a wealth of information that negates the culpability of Casey. A spare tire cover (Q13) tested negative for blood when the phenolphthalein test was applied. Q23 (another spare tire swab), Q24 (carpet lining in trunk) and Q25 (right side of trunk liner) also tested negative for blood.

Nor did Heather find any DNA traces in the now infamous trunk. This is odd, why wasn’t any DNA of Caylee deposited in the trunk, if her body was left there for three or four days? Decomposition fluid is highly pungent, yet none was found. The Sunfire was confiscated in July of 2008. Not enough time (one month) for DNA to evaporate.

Q33-Q43 are evidence items, mainly some clothes in Casey’s closet. Pants, blouses, shirts, skirts, that sort of thing. While many of these clothing items had stains or remnants of stains, each and every one tested negative for blood (when the phenolphthalein test was applied). Q44 was a spare tire carpet that had a dingy brown stain on it, that tested negative for blood also. Moreover, no DNA was present on the carpet. Then what was the dingy brown stain comprised of? The FBI never tells us.

Q46 is a shovel, and also provides us with an emotional crescendo, when Jeff Ashton blows up and requires a reprimand from Judge Perry. “Mr. Ashton, calm down!” Ms. Seubert thought she noticed female DNA on the shovel, but couldn’t confirm this, since the sample, using Touch DNA, was below the threshold of 50 RFU (if I absorbed my nuclear DNA lecture sufficiently).

The peak of Heather Seubert’s biting testimony (to the prosecution), if it’s possible to surpass the ‘Shovel Incident,’ was the revealing duct tape (Q62-Q64) exposition. To summarize (ever a deadly game), Heather couldn’t come up with any DNA (tied to either Caylee or Casey) on the sticky side of the Henkel duct tape.

Disturbingly enough, she did detect some DNA on the tape. This ended up belonging to FBI agent Lorie Gottesman. Lorie said she never took the sample out of the plastic evidence wrapper.

So how did her chromosomes get on the most important evidence in the entire case? I’m not calling her a liar, but she must be mistaken, Gottesman had to have removed the duct tape from the protective covering!

Am I wrong? This is another major mistake made by an FBI professional. Jose Baez made a good point. If the duct tape was applied violently to Caylee’s mouth, a good amount of DNA should have been left on the sticky side of the duct tape. But since the strip of tape was contaminated by a FBI expert, it’s impossible to ever know.

Robin Maynard was the CSI who actually collected 313 (the crimson heart sticker with cardboard). What is clear, however, is that this object (which grows in importance to the attorneys, jurors and even we the audience) was originally discovered a full 30 feet away from the skull (Area A).

Ron Murdock, an Orange County Sheriff’s Department Forensics’ supervisor, reaffirmed the considerable distance of the heart-shaped sticker from the original deposit location of the body.

Baez was able to show this sleazy little park on Suburban Drive in Orlando, Florida was nothing more than a dumping ground. Beer bottles, pop bottles, Mazda blue signs; in short, every type of trash imaginable was tossed there.

Is it too much of a leap of faith to suspect the little heart was just another chunk of trash? Not for me. Couple this with the fact that Lorie Gottesman couldn’t see any trace of a heart-shaped residue on the duct tape (which the prosecution claims is the murder weapon), after conducting a Video Spectral Comparatore (VSC) on said duct tape.

Jennifer Welch (who we’ve seen three times previously) just reminds us that tons of trash was collected from the crime scene. I’m providing you with a photo of some of the trash collected. Linda Burdick was right, this sight was a veritable, TRASH DUMP! So how did the CSI know what was trash and what was evidence, other than bones?

Why wasn’t there any decomposition fluid (that would deposit good DNA) on the trunk carpet of the Pontiac Firebird? And why did Jeff Ashton blow up like the Hindenburg on Thursday?

And is the prosecution’s case a sinking boat (like the Titanic) on stormy seas? Heather Seubert gave em nothin’. And Lorie Gottesman embarrassed none other than the FBI. Believe it or not, now Judge Perry is acting nicer to Mr. Baez. There’s a telling harbinger for you!

“She’s the queen of cool, and she’s the lady who waits. Since her mind left school, It never hesitates. She won’t waste time on elementary talk. ‘Cause she’s a twentieth century fox, She’s a twentieth century fox. Got the world locked up inside a plastic box.”

John Kays follows interesting current legal events that often have unusual twists and turns.

The Holocaust and other tragedies in history may seem unimaginable to today’s youth. But Park Vista High School came up with an innovative and stimulating program to bring awareness of these atrocities to students that also translated into relevant issues facing teens today. For three months, they have studied the White Rose resistance movement, when a group of courageous college students almost their own age from Munich were the first to stir up the ranks of Hitler’s Nazis during l942-3. Students honored those who lived and died during that time on Holocaust Remembrance Day last month when they wore white roses, most probably a symbol of peace and purity. Donations from the effort were sent to the Save Darfur Coalition.

Mr. Moskovic from Hobe Sound was l3 years old when he was taken by the Nazis and when he was released in l945, was the only surviving member of his family. He escaped death three times from nothing short of miracles. His goal in sharing with students is “to keep the memory alive and to help our youth carry the truth in the future so people don’t forget.”  Students also shared how they have grown from the project, similar to PSAs, and posters which are part of a large quilt that covers a wall in the main cafeteria.

The White Rose program at Park Vista was made possible through a grant provided by LEAH, the League for Educational Awareness for the Holocaust based in Boca Raton, an organization that educates and advocates about the Holocaust and other genocides. It seeks to engage teachers in inspiring and motivating students to actively contribute to a kinder, more compassionate world.  To date, LEAH has funded more than 300 education grant awards which have touched the lives of 36,000 students in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. 

The White Rose group are most well-known for their leafleting and a secret organization started by Sophie and Hans Scholl of which several award-winning movies, documentaries, books and plays have been made. All seven members were convicted of treason and beheaded at a very young age. 

Media Specialist and coordinator of the school-wide program, Brigitta McTigue, spent her early years growing up in Munich, Germany where Sophie and her brother Hans Scholl and the White Rose students were considered heroes.  

“Our l6 and l7 year olds need to know this, so that they learn how to deal with prejudice, bigotry, bullying, and other human rights issues they face today. We hope this program has given them some tools to become more tolerant in their daily lives and to find healthy ways to stand up to hurtful and cruel actions done to other people merely because of differences.” 

Also collaborating and working together on the project was Sue Mehok, English teacher, as well as reading and social studies classes. Activities included reading chapters or books about the White Rose movement and watching the film “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days.” 

“As we teach students about the Holocaust, and other examples of genocide such as Darfur, Rwanda and Bosnia we are in a very real way repairing the world,” said Amanda McGee, executive director of LEAH. “They are taking the lessons that happened in the Holocaust of these very brave young people in the White Rose movement so that they can hopefully become better human beings.”  

Educational programs such as these are designed to help children learn about time periods and events that may seem incomprehensible to them. 

“They have no concept of what freedom is, because they have it,” said Ms. Mehok. 

While many schools offer only a few paragraphs in their history books about the Holocaust, Park Vista High School has a dedicated program, under the leadership of Eileen Shapiro who heads up Holocaust Studies for the school district of Palm Beach County. It was at her suggestion that McTigue applied for the grant from LEAH.

Florida small businesses, small ag coops, small aquaculture businesses and many private non-profits are eligible for federal economic injury disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, because of 2010 drought.

The declaration includes the following counties: Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk and Saint Lucie.

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster”

Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East

The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of that disaster. Up to $2 million is available, with a 4 percent interest rate for small businesses, 3 percent for non-profit organizations. Terms can be up to 30 years. To be used for working capital, the loans can pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

Loans can’t be used to replace lost sales or profits, and eligibility for the program is based on a range of things, including the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. The loan amounts and the terms are set by the SBA, based on the financial condition of the applicant.

For complete disaster loan information and application forms, you can call the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, send an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or download at www.sba.gov.

Note that loan applications close December 5th this year.

BOCA RATON, FL -  The Downtown Boca Film Festival (DBFF) is proud to announce Best Buy signing on as the title sponsor for the 6th Annual Film Festival.  Other recently confirmed sponsors are the Boca Raton Bridge Hotel, which will serve as the host hotel for the film festival, and Stella Artois, the official beer of the 2011 DBFF.

“Best Buy is proud to partner with the Downtown Boca Film Festival to be a title sponsor for 2011 DBFF,” said Armando Lopez, South Florida district manager of Best Buy, “community partnership is central to the way business is done at Best Buy.”  “Best Buy’s sponsorship and support from our other partners and sponsors ensures that the DBFF will continue to build audiences, and allows the organization to develop new and exciting events and programs to support filmmakers and festival attendees,” said Dr. Michael Posner, director and founder of the DBFF. Additional information about the upcoming film festival and other 2011 sponsors and partners can be found on the DBFF’s new website (www.dbff.us) which was launched this week.

About the DBFF: The Downtown Boca Film Festival is a non-profit 501 (c-3) organization dedicated to providing the local community and international visitors with a diverse presentation of films from around the world, including a venue of student shorts and Xtreme sports. In addition to offering films that might not otherwise be released theatrically in the USA, the DBFF provides a unique cultural experience as well as educational programs and forums for exploring the future of cinema. Founding sponsors for the DBFF are committed to providing independent film makers / artist with a venue to screen their films and to network with other filmmakers and industry insiders.

The DBFF is truly an independent film festival, small enough to allow for an intimate environment in which to mix and mingle, yet big enough to attract large local audiences, which has stayed close to its roots and mission of making available original and independent films not ordinarily seen in mainstream movie theaters.

The DBFF is still accepting submissions for the 6th annual film festival. The film festival will be screening over 100 films. Please submit your films through https://withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=4469 Works in progress are accepted.

The DBFF is also interested in accepting a “Best of” compilation of films, exclusively featuring various institution’s students and alumni. This type of submission must be 90-minutes or less, and can be submitted for the cost of only one film. For more information about the 6th Annual Film Festival, or for information pertaining to sponsorship, please email info@dbff.us. Additionally, if you are a business within Southern Palm Beach County or Northern Broward County and are interested in hosting an event or after party at your location, please contact events@dbff.us

Volunteers are needed to assist in all areas of the DBFF such as staffing theatre entrances, sorting and mailing films, and ticket sales. Volunteering for the 2011 Festival is about helping artists share their stories. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email volunteer@dbff.us.

Judyth Piazza chats with Andrew Warren, The Westcott House Bed and Breakfast, St. Augustine, Florida (Click to hear radio interview on The American Perspective)

The Westcott House Bed and Breakfast, built in 1880, will take you back in time to the Victorian Age. It is one of the few inns located directly on the magnificent Matanzas Bay and within walking distance of historic St Augustine. Each guest room is romantically decorated with period antiques, some with double Jacuzzis and fireplaces.

Whatever your desire, we will strive to make your stay a memorable one. We hope you will revel in the history of yesterday and create memories for tomorrow during your stay at the Bayfront Westcott House Inn of historic St Augustine, Florida. Every morning, enjoy our delicious homemade hot breakfast on the side porch or the garden terrace and, for that extra special day, ask our friendly staff about breakfast in bed. In the evening, come down to the dining room for a complementary wine and cheese reception to help you relax at the end of the day.

In addition, ask about our romance Packages: have beautiful roses, iced champagne, fresh chocolate strawberries,  placed in your room upon arrival. Our staff is prepared to assist you in any way to make your visit to Florida unforgettable!

Our romantic, luxury, Victorian waterfront inn is filled with porches and courtyards and magnificent views.

The picturesque Matanzas Bay captures stunning sunrises over views of the Intercoastal Waterway. Sit on the front porch and watch shorebirds soar, turtles paddle up to the seawall, and playful dolphins and manatees swim by. Walk hand-in-hand along the sea wall past the beautiful Bridge of Lions to the historic Castillo de San Marco. Or take an easy stroll along any of the brick lined streets to the city’s historic sites, museums, art galleries, quaint shops and many fine restaurants. To view our second story deck click HERE

Voted “# 1″ in St. Augustine by St. Augustine and Jacksonville Residents. Featured in numerous magazines and publications referring to the Westcott House`s superior decor and service.

For More Information: http://www.westcotthouse.com

Phone: 904-825-4602 or 800-513-9814
Address: 146 Avenida Menendez
St. Augustine, Fl 32084

The Stars Football League just announced a new Professional Spring Football League that plays Saturday nights beginning April 2, 2011, with a 10 to 12 game schedule.

It is an outdoors league, using conventional professional rules, with a rule enhancement of a field goal of 50 yards or longer worth 4 points, but if the field goal of 50 yards or longer is missed, the opposing team may elect to return the ball.

The SFL will be comprised of 6 teams playing in the following venues:
1. Mobile (AL) Gladiators, playing in Ladd Peebles Stadium, capacity 40,000.
2. Ft. Lauderdale (FL) Barracudas, playing in the Lockhart Stadium, capacity 20,000.
3. New Orleans (LA) Jazz, playing in the Ted Gormley Stadium, capacity 29,000.
4. Little Rock (AR) Ironmen, playing in the War Memorial Stadium, capacity
53,000.
5. Daytona Beach (FL) Racers, playing in the Municipal Stadium, capacity 21,000.
6. Michigan Coyotes, playing in the Pontiac Silverdome, capacity 80,000.

These are the original six teams, but SFL is evaluating other cities for expansion.

The SFL will pay players and coaches using a salary cap for the league. The league is controlled by a board of directors, headed by the chairman of the board/President, Peter (Pete) J. Huthwaite, who said “This league offers exciting spring football to local fans and a national TV audience.”

Huthwaite says the players have a potential to play professional football at the highest level.

Stars Football League mission is to bring exciting, professional football to underserved markets and to provide additional opportunities for players to showcase their talents and capabilities.