DANA POINT, Calif. – The Ocean Institute is pleased to present YouTube It!, a podcasting workshop for teens ages 13-17, on Sunday, July 25, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Institute will welcome Mary Lynn Price, a video journalist, producer and instructor, and members of the Girls in Ocean Science Teen conference committee who will explore environmental issues through the world of podcasting.

Participants will learn video design and editing techniques that will allow their creative voice to be heard through the medium of a podcast. All work will be featured on YouTube.
Cost: $10. Register online at www.ocean-institute.org or call (949) 496-2274 for additional information.

Founded in 1977, the Ocean Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ocean preservation through education, setting the standard for educational excellence and serving as a leading resource for universities, museums, teachers and all others seeking to increase their knowledge of the ocean. The Ocean Institute is open to the general public on weekends, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cost: $6.50 adults, $4.50 children (ages 4-12), Ocean Institute members free. Unique maritime and ocean-themed items are available in the Chambers Gallery everyday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Institute address: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point. Website: www.ocean-institute.org. Phone number: (949) 496-2274.

Travelzoo Weekly Top 20

Every week we search 1,000+ companies for their very best sales and compile this Top 20(R) list.

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************************************************************
TOP 20 DEALS * -- JUNE 30, 2010
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$399 -- Barbados 5-Night Vacation incl. Air; Book by Friday http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842753/
Source: CheapCaribbean.com

$66 -- Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort at 60% OFF http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842746/
Source: BookIt.com

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Source: CruCon Cruise Outlet

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Source: Luxury Suites at The Signature

$478 -- Barcelona from Las Vegas (Roundtrip), incl. Taxes http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842950/
Source: Fly.com

$73 & up -- Last-Minute Deals for the July 4 Holiday Weekend http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842996/
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$699 -- Tuscany 6-Night Vacation incl. Rental Car & Flights http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842247/
Source: Sceptre Tours

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Source: Marriott Hotels

$709 & up -- Fly to Brazil this Summer (R/T), incl. Taxes http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842802/
Source: Major Airlines

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Source: InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa

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Source: LatinAmerica4Less.com

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Source: Universal Studios Hollywood

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Source: Pleasant Holidays

$64 & up -- Last-Minute Fares for July Fourth Weekend http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-842620/
Source: United

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Source: W New York

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>>> THIS WEEK'S TOP ENTERTAINMENT DEALS >>>

$66.50 -- Best Seats: 'Chicago The Musical' in NYC, 50% OFF http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/60318285-841019/
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Source: San Diego Symphony Summer Pops

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Source: 'In the Heights' at Pantages Theatre

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>>> UP-TO-THE-MINUTE TRAVELZOO NEWS >>>

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Publisher: Jaime Samuels

USDA to buy dark meat chicken products
By Rita Jane Gabbett on 6/16/2010

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday announced USDA will purchase up to $14 million of dark meat chicken products for federal food nutrition assistance programs, including food banks.

"The purchase … will help poultry producers who are experiencing an increase in dark meat cold storage inventories and a decreasing wholesale price," Vilsack said in a news release.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service buys food products each year to support the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. USDA also makes emergency food purchases for distribution to victims of natural disasters.

National Chicken Council President George Watts called the purchase "a timely action that will relieve the industry of excess product while providing high-quality food to needy people here at home."

He noted the U.S. chicken industry under normal circumstances sells about 1.5 billion pounds of chicken legs to Russia annually. Since Jan. 1, however, Russia's ban on chicken products from plants that use chlorinated water has shut U.S. processors out of that market.

More information on purchase details is available here.

View from Across the Pond
By: John Strak

We are all responsible now
(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)
Events in the Gulf are hitting the headlines: big oil, big news, big mess. Let's hope that the technology can handle nature's worst. I am optimistic. But let's hope most of all that we can all learn from this event. In particular we have to learn something about ourselves. I realized this when I was in Brazil last week listening to people in the meat supply chain trying to avoid another mess.

Oil is about energy and energy is about our modern lifestyles and economies. We have relied on fossil fuels and in the case of oil, have pushed the boundaries of oil exploration to the outer limits (or should I say the deeper limits). Long gone are the days when a simple "nodding donkey" rig was all that was needed to bring oil up from below ground in those rich and easy to harvest oil fields in Texas. Nowadays deep sea drilling needs technology that can work from the frozen wastes of the Artic to the hurricane lashed waters of the Gulf – at incredible depths.

And what is the connection with Brazil? Read on.

The reason I was in Brazil was to play a small part in the Round Table for Responsible Soy Association's 5th International Conference and General Assembly. This Association was formed five years ago with the aim of creating a platform that could design and deliver sustainable soya production in the key soya producing and exporting countries. It now has 140 members in 20 countries and the recent Brazil meeting agreed a set of rules that will be used to benchmark "responsible soy". In this way the people who buy soya from RTRS-certified farms will be sure that they are not destroying the world's resources.

And how does this connect with big oil? Well, oil is about energy and so is soya. Livestock producers buy soya as a key ingredient in meat production which, of course, is used as energy for human beings. It's also true that soya can be used to produce biodiesel – a competitor for oil used for motor transport. And Brazil has been ahead of the game in using its climate and soils to produce biofuels for many years. The EU has just introduced new regulations about these biofuels – the Renewable Energy Directive – that ensure that fuels produced from crops have to pass stringent tests on sustainability so that we don't make the problem worse by encouraging production of non-sustainable fuels from crops.

The key issue for the new RTRS standard is, can it help stop the destruction of forests and loss of biodiversity in South America – which, if the scientist are correct – are a major factor in regulating the world's climate? That's the mess that the soya producers and the meat supply chain surely want to avoid. It may not be as immediate as the mess in the Gulf right now but it is just as important.

What do we learn about ourselves from this?

My view is that we must learn to look in the mirror. The mess in the Gulf has come about because we, as consumers, have demanded more and more cheap energy and the technologists and oil companies have responded by pushing their fossil fuel supply chains harder and harder. And then something broke. The meat supply chain is no different, if consumers ask for more and more then, eventually, and even with the best intentions, something will break. The mess in the Gulf has led to calls for more regulation of the oil industry. The meat supply chain, through activities like the RTRS in Brazil, will have to regulate too. But it's not just about regulation. We are all responsible now.

Consumers have to think hard about the consequences of asking for more and more.
June 16, 2010

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Burger chain’s new menu includes pastas plus American classics
By Ann Bagel Storck on 6/16/2010

Casual-dining burger chain Red Robin announced its new menu, which includes pastas as well as classic burgers, is now available at the majority of its locations.

The new menu features:
Pastas such as Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta and Grilled Chicken Alla Caprese
The All-American Patty Melt, topped with sautéed onions, Thousand Island dressing and cheese on marbled rye for $8.79
The Pub Burger with ale-braised onions and mushrooms, peppercorn-ranch, cheddar and Swiss cheese and tomatoes on an onion bun for $9.49
New marketing campaign

Red Robin also announced the debut of new TV and online ads created by Minneapolis-based Periscope that are designed to capitalize on the catch phrase "Red Robin … YUMMM" as well as build awareness for the chain's quality, variety and value. Specifically, the ads aim to generate interest in a couple items available through July 25: the Big Melt Bacon Burger and the Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich.

Greenwood Village, Colo.-based Red Robin has more than 430 restaurants across the United States and Canada.

LOS ANGELES--JANUARY 9, 2010-- Fares between New York City and Los Angeles are now just $179 roundtrip, including taxes. This is the lowest price in months.

This nonstop fare is even less than aggressive sale fares in recent weeks, and more than 50% OFF typical prices on this route.

Travel nearly every day of the week through April 7.

Los Angeles-New York City ... $179
http://www.travelzoo.com/newsflash/60318285-727115

This is an unadvertised fare and could sell out quickly.

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http://www.ocfunniest.com

SAVE $3 PER TIX BUY ADVANCE TICKETS AT THIS LINK:
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Friday, September 18, 2009 Results:
Congratulations to Tommy Keating, Erin Highberg, Alistair Neal and Randy Simmons for moving on to the Semi-Finals.

Saturday, September 19, 2009 Results:
Congratulations to John Byford, Grant Cotter, Jim Taylor and Barry Weisenberg for moving on to the Semi-Finals.

For contest results go to this link:
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http://www.ocfunniest.com/2009/photos091909.htm

Each round will be at
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50 Enterprise
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Directions at this link: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/travel/snaav-renaissance-clubsport-aliso-viejo-hotel

OC's FUNNIEST THIS SATURDAY !!!

Saturday, September 26, 2009
Preliminary round #4
8:30 PM Start
$10 in advance ($13 at the door)
PLUS $10 BEVERAGE MINIMUM

Guest Host: Shawn Pelofsky
1. Joe Braza
2. Jim Brownfield
3. Cate Gary
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Joel Lautenschleger is elected Laguna Hills mayor for 2009.

He was sworn in on Tuesday Dec. 9, 2008.

From The City Of Laguna Hills Website:

Joel Lautenschleger was first elected to the Laguna Hills City Council concurrent with the vote on incorporation in March 1991 and has served on the City Council ever since. He served as Mayor in 1995, 2000, and 2004. Prior to incorporation in 1991, Mayor Lautenschleger served as Chief Petitioner and Co-Chairperson for the successful cityhood drive.

A Laguna Hills resident since 1985, Mayor Lautenschleger, his wife, and four children have been extremely active in school, youth athletic, and community programs. He has always considered community involvement a priority and has been actively involved with scouting, AYSO, coaching, refereeing, Saddleback Valley YMCA, and area schools.

As an inaugural City Council Member, he shared the dream of building athletic fields and a Community Center as a gathering place for the community. That dream became a reality as the long-awaited Community Center and Sports Complex opened in June 2002. Joel has represented the City of Laguna Hills on the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency Board of Directors since 1992. He presently serves as its Chairman helping to make this vital South Orange County transportation link a reality. Joel also serves as the City Alternate Board Member to the Orange County Fire Authority and serves as a board member for the Saddleback Valley YMCA and the Laguna Hills AYSO.

Mayor Lautenschleger recently sold a very successful healthcare facility to spend more time with community programs, grandchildren, and a fairly extensive involvement with property management throughout Orange County. He received his Bachelors of Biological Science Degree from Cal Poly Pomona, and a Masters Degree in Medical Technology Management from Cal State Dominguez Hills. He has appeared before numerous committees regarding long-term care, as well as appearing on KOCE-TV to discuss health care issues.

Mayor Lautenschleger was very proud and happy to be a part of the effort to defeat a commercial airport at El Toro and preserving the quality of life that Laguna Hills residents have so long enjoyed.

******

The voting in his favor was unanimous. This is his fourth time as mayor.
Councilman Randal Bressette was elected mayor pro tem also on a unanimous vote.

"One of the primary goals for this city will be to maintain our fiscal responsibility to our residents," Lautenschleger said in his address as mayor.

"This is going to be a very busy year because this is also the year we will be developing our two-year budget," Lautenschleger added. "There's going to be many capital projects that we want to do, but we've got to use judicious management of our resources and continue to follow our fiscal policies to truly best serve our residents."

Lautenschleger said it is important that the city continue to make economic developments in the city's retail areas and that more effort should be put forth in improving some of the city's hill sides and slopes. He also said he would look into having the City Council meetings accessible online.

During his campaign, Lautenschleger's key issues included maintaining fiscal responsibility, protecting city funds from the state, and working toward further commercial center development.

He said what made the difference for him this election was the large amount of time he spent walking the streets in the community.

"I really spent a lot of time going door to door. It wasn't so much me having to convince anybody. It was more people telling me we've done a good job," Lautenschleger said in a previous interview.

December 10, 2008
The High Cost of Favoritism
by Thomas Sowell

O.J. Simpson has attracted less attention by being declared "guilty" in Nevada than he did by being declared "not guilty" in California. Yet his story is more than the tragedy of one man.

O.J. is not the first star athlete-- or movie star, political leader or pacesetter in some other fields-- to fall from the heights to the depths. Often they are people who have taken enormous risks that were completely unnecessary and with little pay-off.

Think about it: What did Richard Nixon have to gain by setting up the kinds of illegal operations that finally cost him the presidency-- and could have landed him in prison, without President Ford's pardon?

Why would star quarterback Michael Vick have risked a multimillion dollar career for the sake of staging dog fights?

Why would Leona Helmsley have risked going to jail for tax evasion, when she could easily have paid the taxes out of her vast fortune?

O.J. Simpson was one of the greatest players in the history of football. He had lucrative commercial contracts. He was a hero to many. What could have led him to take reckless chances that risked it all, whether in California or in Nevada?

We may never really know. But what seems to run through many stories of people who take huge risks for small pay-offs is a sense that the rules simply do not apply to them.

Leona Helmsley said that paying taxes was for "the little people." Nixon apparently thought that he was above the law.

While individuals can have such attitudes in any walk of life, star athletes in certain sports seem to be especially prone to regard rules as not applying to them.

It is not hard to see why. Those who star in sports that are big in educational institutions-- football and basketball being classic examples-- can start having the rules bent in their favor as early as high school.

Everyone wants a winning team and bending a few rules for those who can make that happen may seem like a small price to pay. At colleges and universities where football or basketball are big time, ensuring passing grades for players on those teams is a major priority.

This can take the form of having special academic advisors to help college athletes maintain grade averages sufficient to keep them eligible to play. These advisors are often separate from those advising other students with their academic work, and have their offices in separate buildings, just as the athletes themselves are often housed separately from other students.

The idea that college athletes in big-time sports that attract thousands of fans to a stadium, and millions of viewers on television, are just students who happen to play a game is belied in many ways.

Players on Division I football teams spend an average of more than 40 hours a week on their sport. That does not leave a lot of time for academics.

This can lead to athletes being steered to easier courses or courses taught by faculty members who give them a special break. From time to time, grade-changing scandals have erupted from a zeal to keep some star player eligible to play.

In ways large and small, star athletes in big-time college sports learn early in life the cynical message that rules apply to other people. This special treatment can be found even in the Ivy League, where sports are not supposed to be as big a deal as in the Big Ten.

Perhaps the wonder is not that a number of stars in professional football and basketball develop an attitude that they are above the rules, and even above the law, but that others do not.

Special treatment for anybody, in any walk of life, for whatever reason, is a double-edged sword that can end up cutting against them as well as for them. For professional athletes, especially those who have risen out of poverty to wealth and fame, to plunge themselves back into the depths seems a special tragedy to them and to impressionable young people who look up to them as role models.

******
Thomas Sowell (born June 30, 1930), is an American economist, social commentator, and author of dozens of books. He often writes from an economically laissez-faire perspective. He is currently a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. In 1990, he won the Francis Boyer Award, presented by the American Enterprise Institute. In 2002 he was awarded the National Humanities Medal for prolific scholarship melding history, economics, and political science.