Recessions in paradise

Paradise might not care about blackout dates, but businesses there are not immune from heading for the red zone.  Hence this map:

It’s from the USA Today article "How’s the economy in your hometown?"
I’ve been staring at it a lot and have begun to ponder to what extent paradise marketing had an effect on the [...]

Hilton Hotels ~ Paradise doesn’t worry about blackout dates

Hilton gives us a new perspective on the beach:

It’s like the aerial shots by photographer Vincent Laforet (go to Index > Perspectives > Aerials 2), minus the interesting people everywhere.  Not that people are a huge part of interesting images or anything.  I love the layering of the waves from the palm trees, through the [...]

Paradise Hotel 2 returns tomorrow ~ even after cast member commits suicide

Brace yourselves.  Paradise Hotel, one of the most ill-conceived irreality television shows of our time, returns on February 4th for a second round.  The show "brings a sexy new cast of singles to a secluded hotel for an adventure-filled experience to win a cash prize," according to E! Online Canada.
Pass.
Not to mention that one of [...]

Fed cuts rates ~ sustain your unsustainable backyard paradise

Mortgage deal makers have wasted no time latching on to the largest interest rate cut since the mid-80s.  Here’s an ad from low.com that plays on your desire to save your precious little backyard paradise.

Nothing about this image says avoid foreclosure.  Instead it seems to say, "Hey! Credit is even cheaper than it was before. [...]

Humans are to blame for coral reef degradation

According to AFP and a study released on January 9, 2008, the degradation and destruction of the coral reefs is caused by human settlements, including coastal development and agricultural.

The full article on coral reef degradation is available here.

2008 ~ A good or bad year for money?

The realtors and the personal finance magazines are hot on the economy’s recovery.  This issue of Money magazine wants you to know that opportunities exist for the year:

They also are secretly pointing out how you might want to spend your money.  That’s a very nice coastal house you’ve got there.
I hope that people’s priorities [...]

No rescue in sight for the worst housing market in 40 years

How do you sum up the fact that we are facing the worst housing market in 40 years?  Well, you could throw out a cliche image like this life-preserver one:

The real problem with this illustration is that it seems to be saying that the market is staying afloat.  Maybe it’s time to let it sink.  [...]

MGM Grand Paradise Macau

You spend over a billion dollars on a casino resort in one of the most expensive places on earth and you call it "Paradise."  Yawn.  The MGM Grand Paradise in Macau (美高梅金殿澳門) opened its doors on December 18th and 10:50 PM Macau time.

True, it’s a beautiful building and a powerhouse of a partnership, but there [...]

Is there enough of the good life to go around?

According to the Telegraph article "Beachfront property: All year in the sun, all day on the beach - all yours for £55,000," apparently "a villa by the sea, where you step out from your garden straight on to the sand, is how nearly half of us visualise our perfect holiday [vacation] home."  This information comes [...]

Donald Trump’s multi-billion-dollar golf course resort rejected

If you were wondering the fate of the Donald Trump seaside golf course after the post on one man who was holding out, well, wait no longer.  The plans for the $2 billion resort have been nixed by the planning agency according to the Telegraph.  It’s strange, too, since Scotland is culturally one place where [...]

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