Carlsbad

Less than an hour north of Lindberg Field Airport in San Diego, Calif. lies the small beach town of Carlsbad. This old beach town is one of California’s little gems.

Upon arriving in Carlsbad the large blue ocean and unseasonably warm weather are bound to catch anyone’s attention.

In the month of February it is still warm enough to lie out at the beach and get a nice tan.



Locals say that Carlsbad has the mildest weather in the country.
Average temperatures range from the upper 60’s in the winter to the mid-80’s in the summer.

While traveling along the Pacific Coast Highway in mid-February almost everyone is in short sleeve t-shirts and shorts. Entire families ride their bikes and skateboards around town with dog in-tow.

The coast is lined with surfers of every age, walking around barefooted. “C-bad has to be one of the most laidback beach towns in California,” said local, Nick Brooks.

In most towns the motto is: no shoes, no shirt, no service. In Carlsbad you can go just about anywhere with nothing on but your swimsuit.



When it comes time to eat, Mexican food is a specialty in Carlsbad, Calif. There is a strong Mexican population in nearby cities who bring their authentic cooking to restaurants like Cessy’s off of Pacific Coast Highway.

If a little more class is desired, where shoes are a must, there are always other local restaurants such as Lolas, Mexico Viejo, Viguluccis, and Fidels. All are sit-down restaurants with a price tag of less than 20 dollars per plate.

Vacationing in Carlsbad can be affordable for everyone, with varying price ranges.

Carlsbad is lined with small surf shops, antiques stores and several small clothing stores. Some prices are even negotiable.



The ocean is always in sight and the air always crisp and cool. Whether one decides to surf, shop, eat, or simply lounge around, a vacation to Carlsbad could definitely be a memorable one.

California

Natalie, Nick, Rusty, Carla, and I all drove down to California for our four-day weekend. Mom had no idea we were coming and we definitely shocked her, it was hilarious. Here are some pictures of our amazing trip.

"TAKEN" movie review

The movie “Taken” is by far the best movie in theaters right now. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. Actor Liam Neeson is brilliant.

“Taken” is a fast past movie that will keep you guessing.

Bryan (Liam Neeson) is a retired government agent and concerned father. His daughter Kimmy (Maggie Grace) has just turned 17 and wants to go on a trip to Paris with a friend.

Bryan is reluctant, knowing the dangers his daughter could face, but is eventually convinced, in-part by his ex-wife Lenore(Famke Janssen).

Upon arriving in Paris Kimmy and her friend are kidnapped and forced into Albanian sex slavery.

Bryan races to Paris only to find his daughter deeper into the slave trade than he imagined. He struggles in finding a way to get to her before its too late. His quest brings an array of emotion and frustration to anyone watching.

“Taken” is quite violent. Bryan will do anything to find his little girl even if it means turning the entire city of Paris upside down and killing whoever stands in his way.

Bryan’s race with time is quite suspenseful, filled with car chases, fight scenes, and sheer brutality, although the outcome is quite predictable.

Each scene keeps you glued to your seat to see what Bryan’s next extreme stunt will be or to see what he’ll think of next to unveil more information about his daughters whereabouts.

This action-packed thriller will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

Tennessee Lottery Battle

Bobbitt, Randy (2003). The Tennessee Lottery Battle: Education Funding vs. Moral Values in the Volunteer State. Public Relations Quarterly. Vol. 48, Iss. 4. Retrieved Feb. 18, 2009, from 

http://proquest.umi.com

This article addresses the issue of the lottery battle in several states all over the country. 

Advocates of the lottery claim that lotteries generate additional funding for the states educational system and provide an alternative to tax increases.  Opponents counter with evidence that the state lotteries often fail to produce the revenues that are promised, and instead contribute to gambling addiction and other social problems.   The article gives several examples of states that have voted in favor of, or against, the legalization of statewide lottery.  The main public relations campaign the author brings to our attention occurs in Tennessee.  A fierce battle ensues between religious groups (anti-lottery) and several state officers.  Both opponents bring in public relations experts to help sway the voters of Tennessee.  It becomes an ethical and moral battle especially for those who are against the lottery.  They argue that the lottery would destroy families, cause the poor to become poorer, cause addictions to gambling, and cause teachers to lower expectations so that their students would be able to receive scholarship money generated by the lottery.  Those in favor of the lottery say that the lottery would help generate approximately $300 million a year, helping to pull Tennessee out of debt.  They also claim that all proceeds of the lottery would be donated towards education.  Both the advocates and those opposing bring up great arguments for their side and  an ethical battle followed.  After a lot of twisted lies and misinformation from both sides, the people of Tennessee voted.  Records were broken as  1.6 million Tennessee voters showed up to the polls.  The lottery was approved by 58 percent.