Happy Holidays?

Ever go into a store during Christmas and here: 

"Happy Holidays"

Well I agree with Walter:

"Screw you, it's Merry Christmas"

I want to go for a hike!

Despite storm damage, ski resorts ready for business

Published: Wednesday, December 07, 2011, 9:01 AM

 By Jeanette DeForge, The Republican 

This Oct. 29, 2011 photo courtesy of Chandler Burgess for Killington Resort shows a skier on the slopes during opening day at Killington Resort, Vt. (AP photo)

Ski area operators want people to know they can still get to the mountains, despite severe road washouts and other damage caused in August by Tropical Storm Irene. 


Ski areas suffered trail washouts as gallons of water streamed down mountains, snowmaking ponds were damaged, parking lots washed out and roads collapsed mostly in Vermont and Massachusetts.

Killington, in central Vermont, was hardest hit. It lost the entire Superstar pub, had water and silt damage to all five of its base lodges, and water damage eroded parking lots. But all that is behind them.

“We have been open for one and a half weeks,” Sarah Thorson, communications manager for the resort, said of the area’s Oct. 31 opening, “We were so excited to open up the lifts two months after the storm hit us.”

The huge volume of water swelled the small Roaring Brook at Killington and destroyed the foundation of the Superstar pub that was built above it. The middle of the structure then collapsed, she said.

The pub was attached to the lodge at the main base, but it was on a separate foundation. The structure of the lodge was not damaged but had to be enclosed on that side, she said.

Now Killington is planning to take the misfortune and use it to make what was an infrequently used pub better. It is creating a new bar with an outside area with glass walls that is covered by a retractable roof, Thorson said.

Despite the severe damage, all the resorts in Vermont managed to recover quickly and roads, some of which were destroyed, have been repaired so skiers will still be able to easily reach any of the areas, said Jen Butson, director of public affairs for Ski Vermont.... MORE

New buyer for NH resort where 1st ballots are cast

By Kathy McCormack

Associated Press / December 7, 2011

CONCORD, N.H.—After two failed deals this year, the stately resort where New Hampshire's the first-in-the-nation presidential primary ballots have been cast for 50 years has been sold to two businessmen for $2.3 million.

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, a remote, Victorian- and Alpine-style complex about 20 miles from Canada, has been sold to Dan Hebert and Dan Dagesse. The sale was announced Wednesday by the Tillotson Corporation, which owned the nearly 150-year-old resort and surrounding property.

Dagesse, who owned auto dealerships in the Northeast, including some in northern New Hampshire, and Hebert, who owns a construction business in Colebrook, have been interested in preserving the hotel for more than a year.

"We care deeply about restoring the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel to its full glory as a world-class destination resort and seeing it thrive for decades to come," Hebert said. "We want to provide a stable operation that we can all be proud of."

The hotel is known for its wood-paneled Ballot Room, where residents of the tiny community are the first to cast their votes for president at midnight on New Hampshire's primary day and on the nation's Election Day. The owners say the Balsams will be closed for renovations for up to 18 months, but the Ballot Room, filled with a time capsule of political articles and cartoons from presidential campaigns and a special glass-encased ballot box, will be open for the Jan. 10, 2012 presidential primary.

"We will make that happen," said Scott Tranchemontagne, a spokesman for the buyers.

The Tillotson family, whose patriarch ran a rubber factory and is credited with inventing the latex balloon, bought the resort in 1954. Before he died in 2001 at age 102, Neil Tillotson specified that the resort and other assets be sold or given away and the proceeds given to charities. But the hotel has been operating at a loss for years, and the money has been coming out of the assets of a family trust.... MORE

PHOTO CREDIT: http://bobdonpaul.com

Put some zip into your December at Gunstock

Put some zip into your December at Gunstock  Posted by Heather Burke  December 7, 2011 01:52 PM

Tired of waiting for serious snow to go skiing? I got my vertical fix without the snow last weekend. I felt the wind zip by me as I descended Gunstock Mountain, with stunning views of the White Mountains, and the sensation of flying downhill. Ziplining at Gunstock satisfies that craving to soar down the mountain, providing that multi sensory adrenaline rush rivaling any ski descent...... MORE

Judge denies Occupy Boston's bid to bar eviction

BOSTON -- A judge rejected a request by Occupy Boston for an injunction barring the city from removing protesters from their encampment in Dewey Square.

READ MORE: CLICK HERE

Brief Glitch Let Facebook Users See Private Photos

Problem Described As Bug In New Computer Code

(CNN) -- What's been described as a bug in some new computer code briefly allowed Facebook users to snoop on the private pictures of other members.

The glitch, which Facebook discovered Tuesday, was part of the site's tool that lets users report offensive contents. Clicking on a user's profile picture, then reporting it to Facebook as containing nudity or other inappropriate content, was then prompting Facebook to show other photos from that user's account and asking whether they, too, were offensive.

Read more: http://ow.ly/7R3f0

RARE VTG 1960 HOLT HOWARD CHRISTMAS STARRY EYED SANTA SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS SET

SOLD
New eBay Listing: RARE VTG 1960 HOLT HOWARD CHRISTMAS STARRY EYED SANTA SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS SET ow.ly/7Ooro

RARE VTG 1960 HOLT HOWARD 

CHRISTMAS STARRY EYED SANTA SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS SET

The item up for sale is a RARE RARE RARE Starry Eyed Santa Salt & Pepper Set by Holt Howard from 1960.  A very cool set. These measure 4"x2.75" and both have their stoppers.  These are so hard to find I feel fortunate to be listing them.

NEW eBay Listing: 1985 Complete Nintendo NES system and 35 games http://ow.ly/7OlVV

NEW eBay Listing: 1985 Complete Nintendo NES system and 35 games http://ow.ly/7OlVV

1985 Complete Nintendo NES system:  This system is ready to go out of the box.  All games have been tested and working.  The Game Genie comes complete with code book to use with the games.  This is a used system and does not have any warranty but is fully functional.  This will provide hours of fun for the gamer or a priceless collectable for the game system collector. This set includes everything shown below, 35 games including the Game Genie. Full detail is at the bottom of the listing.  As shown price range is between $166-$250.

 

Happy Bidding! 

                 

       

 

NES INVENTORY

MODEL	TITLE	PUBLISHER	YEAR	BOOK	QTY	LOW
	GAME GENIE CODE BOOK				1	$8.95
	GAME GENIE INSERT	CAMERICA	1990	Y	1	$7.37
NES-001	CONTROLL DECK	NINTENDO	1985		1	$50.00
NES-002	AC ADAPTER POWER SUPPLY	NINTENDO	1985		1	$5.00
NES-003	RF SWITCH	NINTENDO	1985		1	$5.00
NES-004	ORIGINAL CONTROLLERS	NINTENDO	1985		2	$3.00
NES-005	ZAPPER (GUN)	NINTENDO	1985		1	$5.68
NES-026	NES ADVANTAGE CONTROLLERS	NINTENDO	1989		2	$6.41
NES-10-USA	PIN*BOT	NINTENDO	1990	N	1	$1.00
NES-3L-USA	BASES LOADED 3	JALECO	1991	Y	1	$1.00
NES-B0-USA	THE BLACK BASS	HOT -B	1989	N	1	$2.32
NES-BL-USA	LEGENDS OF THE DIAMOND	BANDAI	1991	Y	1	$1.59
NES-C6-USA	BATTLE CHESS	DATA EAST	1985	Y	1	$1.18
NES-CP-USA	ROBO COP	DATA EAST	1988	N	1	$1.00
NES-EI-USA	TETRIS	ELECTRONORGTECHNICA	1987	Y	1	$1.32
NES-EM-USA	THE CHESSMASTER	HI-TECH	1989	Y	1	$1.00
NES-ET-USA	THE BARD'S TALE	FCI	1991	Y	1	$5.62
NES-GK-USA	GUN.SMOKE	CAPCOM	1988	Y	1	$4.55
NES-HU-USA	SPY HUNTER	SUNSOFT	1987	Y	1	$1.35
NES-JQ-USA	JOHN ELWAY'S QUARTERBACK	TRADEWEST	1988	Y	1	$1.00
NES-LH-USA	STEALTH A.T.F.	ACTIVISION	1989	Y	1	$1.00
NES-LS-USA	VEGAS DREAM	HAL AMERICA	1988	Y	1	$1.00
NES-ME-USA	METAL GEAR	ULTRA	1985	Y	1	$4.46
NES-MH-USA	SUPER MARIO BROS./DUCK HUNT	NINTENDO	1988	Y	1	$1.35
NES-NF-USA	1942	CAPCOM	1985	N	1	$2.50
NES-NI-USA	TINY TOON ADVENTURES	KONAMI	1985	N	1	$2.99
NES-OW-USA	OPERATION WOLF TAKE NO PRISONERS	TAITO	1985	N	1	$1.00
NES-P9-USA	PINBALL QUEST	JALECO	1985	Y	1	$1.37
NES-PK-USA	SIDE POCKET	DATA EAST	1987	Y	1	$1.00
NES-PT-USA	MIKE TYSON'S PUNCH-OUT	NINTENDO	1987	Y	1	$10.14
NES-R4-USA	ROCK N BALL	NTVIC	1985	Y	1	$1.00
NES-RC-USA	RAD RACER	SQUARE	1987	Y	1	$1.00
NES-RH-USA	ROLLERBALL	HAL AMERICA	1985	N	1	$1.00
NES-RS-USA	R.B.I. BASEBALL MLB	TENGEN	1987	Y	1	$1.61
NES-S9-USA	WCW WRESTLING	FCE	1989	Y	1	$1.71
NES-U2-USA	TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES	ULTRA	1989	Y	1	$1.57
NES-UY-USA	SUPER SPY HUNTER	SUNSOFT	1992	Y	1	$6.40
NES-V8-USA	VIDEOMATION	THQ	1991	Y	1	$1.97
NES-VE-USA	ROADBLASTERS	ATARI	1986	N	1	$1.14
NES-VS-USA	BLADES OF STEEL	KONAMI	1988	Y	1	$1.63
NES-WD-USA	DOUBLE DRAGON	TRADEWEST	1988	Y	1	$4.49
NES-WF-USA	WHEEL OF FORTUNE	GAME TEK	1987	Y	1	$1.00
					44	$165.67