Be prepared for Christmas and beat the New Year bulge

January always sees a surge in people taking up fitness and getting some personal training as part of their New Year's resolutions. December, on the other hand, is the month when many people secretly (or openly) take the view that it's OK to let themselves go. Even when people recognize that they should be doing more to take care of themselves, it can be very easy to sacrifice exercise time for festive activities, particularly for people who have children. Ironically, Christmas is exactly the time when people are likely to benefit most from taking regular exercise.

Leaving aside the need to burn off the extra calories from the sweet treats (and alcohol), which seem to be everywhere over Christmas, one of the major benefits of exercise is that it boosts the body's immune system. Given that winter is peak season for coughs and colds as well as more serious flues and that crowded spaces such as public transport, schools and offices are perfect for transmitting the germs, regular exercise can help make the difference between a healthy winter and a miserable one. 

Fresh air and exercise to beat the winter blues

On the subject of being miserable, long nights and cold days often make even the most optimistic people feel down. While it can be incredibly tempting to stay indoors, it's surprising how much people can benefit from getting outside in the fresh air and getting some outdoor exercise, even if it’s just a brisk walk.  One can often feel drowsy when suffering from the effects of too much wine the night before and a toasty living room.  A walk will rid you of this drowsiness. For those for whom this really isn't an option, even indoor exercise is better than none. Any sort of exercise will release adrenalin, which is excellent for fighting off the winter blues. It also increases the body's metabolic rate, and gets the blood moving, which can do wonders for cold hands and feet.

Of course, it is genuinely often a challenge to fit in regular exercise with everything going on during the Christmas period, whether it's extra work before the holidays, fitting in school plays with visits to (and from) relatives, parties or just all the extra shopping and present-wrapping. This is why so many fitness classes run half-empty (or just cancel). There are, however, ways to fit in at least some extra exercise in even the busiest of lives, such as getting off the bus a stop early, taking the stairs instead of the lift or buying exercise DVDs to do short workouts at home.  You have to make a choice and if you decide that you want to stay in shape over the Christmas period then you will simply have to make the time.  Don't sit on your sofa for an hour watching some mindless midday TV program.  Instead, get out into the fresh air for a run or walk.  Trust me, you will feel substantially better!

While exercising alone does have benefits in terms of health and fitness, the reality is that many people find it very hard to find the motivation to get started and even those who do start may be tempted to cut corners or simply lack the ability to measure their activity and progress accurately. With that in mind, December could be the time for an early Christmas present of some time with a personal trainer, who can work flexibly around personal commitments.  They will be able to help you get organized, and give you tips on healthy lifestyle choices.  Either way, just identify some time in your Christmas period to exercise and start the New Year one step ahead of the rest of those who are looking to get fit!

Luxury Yachting For a Memorable and Joyful Event

Yacht or boat hire is a healthy and relaxed means to enjoy a memorable and fun event in all ends. There are lots of companies offering wide ranges of charters and sailing times. No matter what kind of event you want to celebrate. Let it be a corporate event or a personal occasion. You will have a fun and joyful day in the mid of sun and sea.

Services luxury Yacht offers

Most of luxury yachts and boats cater for breakfast, lunch and dinner cruises, corporate meetings, award functions, conferences, Christmas parties, dolphin and whale watching, corporate team building, fishing charters, presentation facilities and product launches. Some companies will arrange your catering while others may allow you to bring your own refreshments. Luxury travel boats and yachts will have opulent en suite cabins, wide and comfortable lounge area, fully equipped galley, etc.

Amazing eye treatment

Both you and your guests will have amazing treatment with the scenic sights of dolphins and whales playing in the waters of sea. You can play fishing to relax and bond with your guests. Conferences on these yachts will be a pleasure thing. Company can customize your charter to meet your particular requirements and the firm will have experienced and helpful professional to serve you at the most. Luxury boat hire will give you chance to provide your guests or employees with a magnificent experience and a better way to remember your company.

Business charters

Yachting is an interactive, high profile and healthy outdoor program allowing people to enjoy what the sea has to offer. Really, it is great fun!! Your guests or employees will remember your company for giving a real and exciting alternative to other traditional corporate hospitality activities.

Personal charters

Let you be a yachting enthusiast or an absolute novice, a full day on a luxury boat can give a memorable and exciting way to celebrate special occasions or to just meet up with friends and family. Fishing enthusiasts will get the opportunity to have fully equipped fishing experiences.

Hence, luxury yacht companies will customize any charter to suit clients’ particular requirements and can organize for all their catering needs, or just bring your own. They generally cater to a wide range of functions and have experience with many different events. So, have a luxury yachting and enjoy the event whatever it is!!

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American Auto Icons Pierce Arrow

Pierce Arrow - Innovative Reliable But Not Strong Enough to Survive Economic Times

Its a sad tad of domestic American automotive industry history and folklore that the prestigious American luxury car line did not survive the test of time and  economic times and trials.“.

Even with well established records and awards in motor-car endurance runs , and such innovative engineering and inventions as the Pierce-Arrow V-12 engine,  economic trials – such as the Great Economic Depression of the 1930 the automobile firm and manufacturing concern was no match for major down auto buying markets.  This is both a testament to the innovative nature of North Americans , their inventiveness and yet the powers of economics and auto market timing.  Its a lesson we should all take to heart in 2012.

Origins of the Pierce-Arrow Company Itself:

The origins of the fine Pierce Arrow luxury automobile  are as bizarre as any in motor manufacturing history.  One George N. Pierce of Buffalo New York started in business in 1865 manufacturing unbelievably simple cages for birds and squirrels.  He then moved on down the road , so to speak,to  a new and much more profitable industry by translating and transforming his wire-forming skills into the manufacture of cycle spokes.  Thus he progressed , down the highways of life, fortune and renown , step by step – to the building of complete shaft-cycle drives.

First Vehicles – Steam then Onwards to Gasoline Powered Engines:

From there , Pierce's cycle company enterprise  stepped into uncharted territory in 1900, building an unsuccessful steam car actually engineered and designed by Overman.  This was followed by a more successful De Dion-engineered quadricycle  which had its role in fortune , in that it convinced Pierce that petrol ( gasoline)  had a surer future than steam.  In good step the next project out the shop door was the first production “Pierce “ - in the form of the diminutive De Dion-engineered “Morette”.  

This was actually designed by a Yorkshireman David Fergusson , who had arrived in the US in 1899 as part of the entourage of the “motor charlatan” , E.J. Pennington, returning to base after a more than concerted attempt to stitch up the infant British motor industry.

Early “Arrow”  & “Great Arrow”  Cars:

The “Arrow” part of the company name first appeared in 2902 , on a 15 horsepower twin-cylinder vehicle.  Next in 1904, Fergusson launched the 3770 cc  24/28 hp four cylinder “Great Arrow” , directly inspired by Mercedes, and joined the following year by the 28 / 32 and 40 / 45 Great Arrows.

Great Arrow Reliability Trials - “Glidden Tour Reliability Trials”:
The Pierce Company was moving steadily up-market, proving it credentials in winning the arduous 1000 miles “Glidden Tour reliability trial” unbelievably four times in succession.  The first run was in 1904, when a 28 / 32 Great Arrow driven by George N. Pierce's own son Percy , scored 996 points out a possible 1,000.

Yet it Was the Downturn in Auto Buying of the 1930's That Did In Even Pierce Arrow Motorcars:

Even with this well earned reputation as a most solid and reliable automotive product and well earned name brand , when it came to the end of the road – it was simple economics and bad timing that did in this well respected American auto legend and brand. It was as simple as that.


Bob McMurray
McMurray lives to talk about cars.  He is a well known fixture in the Edmonton automotive industry.  Yet as Bob laments - new is not always better. We live in a throw away age he notes.  Where we used to have real cars with solid metal now its all plastics with the likes of light weight yet fuel efficent cars and trucks and imports at the likes of South Korean & Japanese auto dealerships .  Get out the can opener he says if you lock your keys in your economy car in Edmonton.