KCan

Temple Lights

KCan — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:18:54 GMT

Temple Lights

Thousands meet every year on Temple Square in Salt Lake City to behold a rich Latter-day Saint custom. For over 40 years, guests to Temple Square have taken pleasure in the spirit of the holiday season amidst a multitude of Christmas lights strung all over Temple Square.

The 40,000 lights strung for the first lighting in 1965 was quite a task. Today, landscapers work for two months, climbing trees and ladders to hang nearly a quarter million celebratory lights. When Temple Square was first ornamented in December 1965, lights weren't available in the United States, so they were imported from Italy. Today, they are imported from China.

Today, an incredible 250,000 lights are strung each year, and about 100 trees are decorated each year. There are also hedges, bushes, ground covers, the windows in the Assembly Hall and the pillars in the Tabernacle that are decorated along with a reverent nativity display.

Temple Square is the most frequented attraction in Utah with several million yearly visitors. It takes up a whole city block in downtown Salt Lake City. Lofty ramparts enfold the set of buildings, with formed iron portals providing access on all walls.
With a glowing white quartzite face and massive towers that climb skyward, the Mormon Temple is a remarkably hallowed and awe-inspiring edifice. Of course, only LDS members are permitted within. Adjacent to the Temple is the esgg-shaped Tabernacle, home to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the 12,000-pipe Mormon Tabernacle Organ. Though the building has a somewhat understated exterior, it is truly splendid inside. It has such extraordinary acoustics that a pin dropped on stage with a full crowd can be clearly heard in back – 170 feet away.

A view from the Internet

Here's a vid I found from the You Tubers ...

Temple Square Christmas lights SLC 2006

Travel Now

Far Away? ... Here are some resources for getting you where you wanna go ...

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HOLIDAY TRAVEL: CHICAGO

KCan — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:05:40 GMT

HOLIDAY TRAVEL: CHICAGO

Getting downtown to see the Christmas decorations is something most of us intend to do. But in a season that manages to fill our every waking hour, many of us won’t find the time to make that trip.

A great Christmas tradition is the festive Christmas market, as in the famous Chrisrkindlmarkt of Nuremburg Germany. Now, a newer version of the great holiday market has sprung up in Chicago, sure to become a fantastic yearly tradition.

The concept of a Christkindlmarket Chicago was first formed in 1995. The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Inc. (GACCoM) Consulting Services was seeking supplementary traditions to sponsor joint exchange connecting the USA and Germany. They kicked off the enterprise with the city officials of Nuremberg, Germany, and invited companies from Germany and the Chicago area to take part in the first Christkindlmarket Chicago in 1996. The marketplace was an immediate achievement and remains popular, as it was from the very start. The fortnight of a long Christmas variety-market enthralled more than 300,000 visitors in the first year. In 1997, Christkindlmarket Chicago developed into a four-week long affair and the amount of guests swiftly increased to over 500,000. Today, Christkindlmarket Chicago is the main and most famous German holiday market in the United States, attracting visitors from the Chicagoland area, the rest of the country and from around the world.

The Christkindlmarket Chicago is the perfect place for teachers and professors of the German language to bring their students. At the market, students get to experience authenitc German traditions without having to travel any farther than the city of Chicago.

A New Chicago tradition

For news and all the latest info on the market, go here ...

The Chicago Tradition

Scenes from the Windy City

Here are some YouTube vids from the scene of the newest Chicago Holiday season

Live music at Christkindlmarket (Chicago)

Christkindlmarket

Chicagos Christmas Tree 2006

Travel Resources

Here are some great resources for Holiday Travel anywhere!!

	Accorhotels.com
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CHRISTMAS TRAVEL—ON THE BEACH

KCan — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:56:58 GMT

CHRISTMAS TRAVEL—ON THE BEACH

Looking to get warm this Holiday Season? One of the best ways to spend the winter vacation period is on a warm beach somewhere, and one of my favorite choices is the Caribbean, where you can stay warm in the sun, but still get a good healthy dose of cheerful holiday traditions.

One of the most distinctive Puerto Rican Christmas customs is the tuna. That's not a fish - the Spanish word for tuna is atun - but a kind of Christmas carol. And, the distinctively costumed groups of strolling tunantes who sing them add much to the islands holiday color and cheer.

Both color and good cheer are characteristic of Christmas celebrations in other parts of the Caribbean, too. On the island of St. Kitts, for instance, all Christmas week is a carnival celebration complete with festivities that make it resemble Mardis Gras on other islands. A Carnival Queen is elected, steel bands play Christmas carols, and there are parades and pageants.

Holiday cuisine on St. Kitts is definitely not of the roast turkey and plum pudding variety: One of the most popular Christmas dishes is red snapper stuffed with lobster. And, as elsewhere in the tropics, many residents of St. Kitts will celebrate Christmas with a picnic on the beach.

The Bahamas observes the old British custom of celebrating Dec. 26 as "Boxing Day" but adds its own very special Bahamian twist to the proceedings. The day usually begins about 4 a.m. when everybody gets up, grabs a cowbell, and rushes out into the street to ring it.

The big event, though, is the Junkanoo Parade - which takes place in every city and town in the Bahamas. Derived from African tradition, Junkanoo sees hundred of colorfully costumed dancers dancing through the streets to the infectious beat of Goombay bands. Bahamians like Junkanoo so much that they do it on New Year's Day, too.

Bermuda isn't in the Caribbean, but its Yuletide traditions are terrific. One of the most attractive aspects of Christmas on Bermuda is the multitude of bright red poinsettia plants seen everywhere. The flower does particularly well on the island, and has been extensively grown since the last century. It was introduced from South Carolina.

Christmas in the Bahamas

A couple of vids that I found ...kinda cool ...

Christmas on the beach in the Bahamas.

Bahamas Christmas 1

Get Going ...

Here are a few travel resources to get you on your way ...

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Great Holiday Stuff

KCan — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:36:27 GMT

Great Holiday Stuff

The Festival of Lights occurs during the lull between fall harvests and the onset of the monsoons. Thus it is a time of thanksgiving, and that corollary festival is called Anna Kuta (literally meaning, “heaps of food”) Lord Krishna inaugurated this festival by inspiring the inhabitants of His village (Vrndavan) to worship the cows on this one day per year and to prepare a huge celebratory feast consisting of no less than 108 preparations.

One of the most important festivals celebrated by Hindus is feted this time of year and is called, Deepawali. This festival is celebrated for five days, with the third day being celebrated as the main Diwali or Festival of Lights. Fireworks are always associated with this festival. The day is celebrated with people lighting diyas, candles all around their house. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening to seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth. Diwali gifts are exchanged among all near and dear ones.

Diwali is a shortened version of “Deepawali” (Deepa=lamps, Wali=row: rows of lamps). Households in India put lamps in every window and temples brightly illuminate altars to bring in the best for the upcoming year. The date of the festival coincides with the return of the avatar of God, Sri Rama, to His ancestral kingdom after an exile of 14 years and many adventures. All the citizens welcomed Rama home by brightening up the entire city of Ayodhya and setting off fireworks.

The Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork invites everyone to come celebrate Diwali, every year. The event always includes classical and folk dancing, live music, dramas, a ceremony of lights, huge vegetarian feast, and offering of respects to a live cow.

Thirty plus thousand visitors tour the temple per year. These include college students, families, home schools, seniors, community service groups, primary and secondary schools, festival goers, the curious, interested, and casual passersby. The temple is visible from the I-15 interstate. The above brochure can be found in the racks of Utah Welcome Centers, which provide information on points of interest to drivers entering the state.

happy Diwali!!

Some great things to make the celebration complete ...

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	Diwali (Health and Beauty) Authentic incense crafted specially to uplift your festive mood adding fervour and fragrance. List Price: N/A
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Discover Diwali

Seek the origins of this great celebration ...

Origin of Diwali - UMR India Association - Diwali 2006

Celebrate Diwali

Have a great time celebrating!! Here are some great ideas for you!

Diwali Festival

Holiday Destinations: Australia

KCan — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:23:24 GMT

Holiday Destinations: Australia

Australia is a terrific place to spend Christmas, and not just for the great weather. One holiday tradition that gets a tone of attention every year is Carols by Candlelight, held every year in the week before Christmas, when thousands of people gather in the parks of most of Australia's larger towns and cities to sing their favorite Christmas carols.

If you are looking for a truly unique destination for the holiday season, you might want to follow the sun. That’s right, head down under where Christmas comes in the middle of summer, but Santa still visits every house – he just does it in a bathing suit.

In Melbourne, according to the official tourist website, Carols by Candlelight now attracts a crowd of over 30,000 people and in Sydney over 100,000 people attend. These two major events are telecast nationally on TV and the local state capital events statewide in other states, with Sydney's Carols in the Domain attracting around 2 million TV viewers.

Food and drink stalls are often organized at these events by local Rotary or Lions Clubs. Most people bring a rug to sit on or a portable chair for seating as well. Some bring a picnic meal and of course everyone needs a favorite candle. There are a wide range of candles in the market palace including unique Christmas candles

Carols by Candlelight hold a special place in the hearts of most Australians as the unique events brings families together to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas

The inspiration for Carols by Candlelight came in Melbourne in Christmas 1937. Radio veteran Norman Banks MBE while walking home, noticed an elderly lady sitting by her window, her face lit up by a candle as she listened and sang along to Christmas carols on the radio. He was inspired to organize the first gathering of people to sing Carols by Candlelight.

Saucy Aussie

Some great items to help you get ready for the trip of a lifetime ...

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travel down under

If you are heading to Australia for Christmas, her are some places where you can begin to plan ...

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Australia Christmas

Australia Christmas

The No-Name Boston

KCan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:42:22 GMT

The No-Name Boston

Next time you're in Boston, you have got to try this great seafood joint out on Fish Pier -- Fresh as possible and oh-so-delicious -- hope you like fried clams!

Boston Good Eats

The No-Name Restaurant is a Boston fish house where everything is great and served inexpensively. Originally, the restaurant had only a few seats and a tiny kitchen that cooked up whatever came on the boats into Fish Pier. The food was as fresh as possible and the restaurant's reputation spread. Non-fishers began packing in to the tiny restaurant. But the restaurant had no name. People just called it the “no-name,” restaurant, and the No-Name name stuck.

The restaurant is located in Boston’s Fish Pier that has been renovated by MassPort to attract and retain the fishing industry in Boston. A bunch of great seafood restaurants occupy this area: Eastern Pier Seafood, Jimmy's Harborside, Mangia Calamari, Portabello's, the Barking Crab, and Anthony's Pier Four. But the No-Name was here before any of them, and it continues to offer prices and great food that the Names just can’t compete with.

The scene at the No-Name is about great food, not ambience. The second-floor dining area is small, cramped and dark. But the views of Bahstun Hahbuh are excellent and the food is great, and the place retains the feeling of when only fishermen dined there.

My all-time favorite is the seafood chowder. No fillers here, just chunks of fish in a rich and creamy broth that goes greta with a beer and the French rolls. The No-Name offers great fried seafood including clams, scallops, shrimp, scrod, and, a terrific standby, the combination plate. Broiled seafood includes scrod, sole, bluefish, swordfish, salmon, as well as mussels and scallops. And of course, you can always get a tasty lobster.

Red Sox Nation Gear Here

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U2 -- No Name

The other No Name in Boston...

U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name - Live in Boston

Vote for your Favorite Seafood

What do you think, what's the best kind of seafood??

Plimouth Plantation

KCan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:40:33 GMT

Plimouth Plantation

Plimouth Times

This is a re-creation of the good ole’ days back in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which includes a great trip back into time when the Pilgrims first struggled through life in the harsh climate they discovered in North America. (and yes, it's spelled Plimouth Plantation)

The park has a visitor center where you can watch a 15-minute slide show featuring a description of the area before the Pilgrims, as well as a look at the various Native American cultures who first called Plymouth home. The main attraction is the village, but there is also Hobbamock’s Homesite (a recreated Wampanoag Indian’s home), the Eel River Nature Walk, and the Nye Barn, where you will find rare breeds of farm animals.

The bustling village is the main attraction of Plimouth Plantation. On the groups Internet site they describe it like so:

The 1627 English Village is a re-creation of the small farming town built by English colonists in the midst of the Wampanoag homeland. Find yourself immersed in the year 1627, just seven years after the voyage of the Mayflower. In the village you will be surrounded by the modest timber-framed houses, fragrant raised-bed gardens, well-tended livestock and fascinating townspeople of Plymouth Colony, the first permanent English settlement in New England.The people you will meet are costumed role players who have taken on the names, viewpoints and life histories of the people who actually lived in the colony in 1627, popularly known as the "Pilgrims" today. Each one has a unique story to tell. Learn about the colony's difficult beginnings or discover the gossip of the day. Ask about religious beliefs, medical practices or relations with the local Wampanoag People. Talk to a housewife and learn what a "pottage" is, or see how a duck or bluefish is cooked on the hearth. Help a young colonist pull up a few weeds in a cornfield, mix daub with your feet for a house under construction, or just relax on a bench enjoying the unique atmosphere of 17th-century New Plymouth.Your visit to the year 1627 is self-guided, so feel free to wander around the village at your own pace. Do not be afraid to walk in on colonists as they eat, question them as they work, or join a lively conversation in the street. Most of the objects in and around their houses are modern reproductions designed for everyday use and can be handled gently. You needn't be an expert in the language of Shakespeare to pose a question, either. Just ask and see what happens — you may be called upon to define "bathroom" or even explain what a "Pilgrim" is!Take this unique opportunity to explore the 17th-century perspective of the English who traveled across the Atlantic. You may be surprised at what you learn!
The main street in the village is a sandy soil, which can become dusty in summer and a bit muddy in spring and fall. Casual clothing and shoes will maximize your enjoyment of the site.

Plimouth Plantation Site

For the latest news and information about this grat piece of American history, visit ...

Plimouth

Life in Plimouth

Get a taste of life in 1627 by visiting Plimouth Plantation, like some of these people did ...

WBZ-TV Evening Magazine Plimoth Plantation promo	Welcome to Plimoth Plantation	Plimoth Plantation
Mayflower II celebrates 50th anniversary	Plimoth Plantation

Vote for your favorite Thanksgiving tradition

What do you do on Turkey Day??

Christmas Destinations: Rothenburg

KCan — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:29:51 GMT

Christmas Destinations: Rothenburg

Every year Rothenburg is transformed from a summer paradise into a winter wonderland. The city invites its visitors this enchanting atmosphere at the Christmas Market, called the "Reiterlesmarkt". This market dates back to the 15th century and is therefore one of the oldest in Germany.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Christmas lasts all year round in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, an achingly beautiful medieval village in the district of Ansbach, which belongs to Middle Franconia which is in the Free State of Bavaria in southern Germany.

Rothenburg is one of Germany’s most-visited towns, and it can be quite crowded at times. But the crowds are part of the fun during the annual celebration leading up to Christmas. As part of the celebration, visitors need to visit the Christmas Village, built inside of two homes in the middle of the old town. As you enter, an animated display of toy animals greets you. You gape stunned at the 20-foot high white Christmas tree, slowly rotating, with hundreds of ornaments in red and blue.

Not far away is the Jagstheimer House, built in 1488 on the southern end of the market square. Emperor Maximilian I, the most prominent of the numerous noble guests, stayed here in 1513. The house has a decorative half-timbered gable with a picturesque oriel and a scenic courtyard containing richly ornamented gallery balustrades.

Another famous building is die Ratstrinkstube, which was built in 1446. Especially noteworthy are the various clocks. The main clock was installed in 1683. Beginning in 1910, the two windows located to the right and left of the town clock open to show the der Meistertrunk. This legend goes back to the year 1631 in the midst of the Thirty Years War when troops attacked and occupied Rothenburg. The enemy at the gate threatened to plunder and destroy the city, but on a whim he promised to spare the town from destruction if a citizen could manage to empty an enormous tankard of wine in one glug. The former mayor accomplished this task and by doing so saved his city. Even today Rothenburg celebrates this event each year.

Christmas Travel

Where do you like to spend Christmas Day?

Travel Shops

The best trip is one that you prepare for, here are some spots where you can begin.

	Centralwings UK / IE
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	Sherman's Travel

Rothenburg on Video

Get a load of some of the vids out there from Rothenburg

Walk through Rothenburg, Germany

Holiday Travel: Christkindlmarkt Nuremberg

KCan — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:21:02 GMT

Holiday Travel: Christkindlmarkt Nuremberg

You can easily spend a full day here seeing the sights. Begin at the central market square, Hauptmarkt, the most colorful place in town. Nearly all the city's attractions lie nearby within the medieval fortifications, parts of which still remain.

A Great Christmas City

The Christkindlmarkt is Nuremberg is famous world-wide, one the most well-known Christmas Markets anywhere, and annually visited by over two million people from dozens of countries. Already in the year 1628 the Christkindlmarkt Nuremberg was going strong.

Every December, a wide variety of events in the Christmas Market transforms Nuremberg into a true Christmas City. On the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, the Nuremberg Christmas Angel opens the Christkindlmarkt by reciting a sacred poem.

What makes the Nuremberg Christkindlmarkt so special is its setting against the historic backdrop of Nuremberg's main market square – the Hauptmarkt. The traditional mix of gingerbread, fruit bread, bratwurst and mulled wine as well as the glittering gift stalls at Germany's best-known Christmas market put visitors from all over the world in the Christmas mood.

Kaiserburg Castle, Nuremberg's famous landmark, rises above the medieval old quarter which is encircled by a f town wall with a total of 80 towers. It sits on a sandstone ridge on the northern edge of the old town and, until the 16th century, was the setting for many imperial diets and the occasional residence of German kaisers and kings.

When this city celebrated its 900th birthday in 1950, the damages left from World War II were still fresh. Nuremberg was once a masterpiece of medieval architecture, but that legacy was lost in the ashes of war. With the exception of Dresden, no other German city suffered such devastation in a single air raid. On the night of January 2, 1945, British Lancaster bombers rained fire and destruction on this city, the ideological center of the Third Reich.

Deutschland uber Alles

Have a great time preparing for that magical trip to Germany ...

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	Germany Deutschland EEC Plate (Automotive Parts and Accessories) The European Economic Community tag is the newest plate in circulation, direct Europe! Each is a standard 21 tag, constructed of authentic .032 aluminum bearing a combination of e...more Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (See the reviews) List Price: N/A Lowest New Price: $29.99 (as of 9/3/2008@7:13 PM)
	Germany mini-ovals bumper sticker (Automotive Parts and Accessories) List Price: N/A Lowest New Price: $2.95 (as of 9/3/2008@7:13 PM)
	Hansel Adult (Apparel) Dark green shorts with suspenders and hat. Shirt, bowtie, socks, shoes, and beer stein not included. List Price: N/A

Travel Begins Here ...

Start your trip out right with a little bit of preparation beforehand ...

	Vacations To Go
	Venere Heads-up European vacationers! Or is the more hip term Euro-vacationers? Here at Venere you can find and book hotels, B&B’s, and even apartments throughout the various countries that make up Europe. So many countries, so many choices, and so many ways to save! Venere saves you time by allowing you to book destinations and reservations all in one location. You have to enjoy a site that saves you time and money at the same time! With so many European destinations, you'll have to go back again ...
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	WorldTraveler

Halloween Travel: Haunted London

KCan — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 01:52:05 GMT

Halloween Travel: Haunted London

Take a trip to Jolly Old England, but discover a capital city that is anything but jolly ... try creepy, horrible and just plain awful!

A Spook-tacular Trip to London

It is the Halloween season, and what better time to explore the darker side of London and get scared out of your wits with a tour of Britain’s capital city that is geared to making you scream.

The London Dungeon sells itself as the most frightening place on earth! There, you can stand witness as ancient druids perform the most vile human sacrifice at the sacred site of Stonehenge. You can watch Anne Boleyn lose her head at the Tower, or join a crowd of plague-infested Londoners as they die a horrible death.

Or, check out the Clink Prison Museum, a traditionally decorated London jail cell – in other words a dank, dark, damp prison where you would have been thrown long ago if you had stiffed your creditors. An interesting look of the life of London from behind the bars.

At the Tower of London, you can visit a number of dreary places, including a museum to all of the most twisted implements of torture used back in the Middle Ages, the spot where traitors were executed, and the spot where the two young princes Edward V, Prince of Wales, and Richard, his brother, were imprisoned never to be seen again. At least they apparently escaped the traditional fate of prisoners to the Tower – being hanged, drawn and quaterered, disemboweled and chopped up – then fed to the dogs while your head went atop a pike.

Yuck – what a place, but it’s a great spot to get spooked out on vacation!

London Travel Essentials

Check out some of the great stuff available for helping you plan a great trip to Jolly Old England, and beyond...

	Big Ben London Mug (Kitchen) * Custom coffee mugs are dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe. Colors are permanently baked into the mug's surface. * If you have new ideas or need help selecting text for your cus...more List Price: N/A Lowest New Price: $9.99 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)
	Hampton Court London Mug (Kitchen) * Custom coffee mugs are dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe. Colors are permanently baked into the mug's surface. * If you have new ideas or need help selecting text for your cus...more List Price: N/A Lowest New Price: $9.99 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)
	London - A Musical Tour of London and Oxford (DVD) Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (See the reviews) List Price: $9.99 Lowest Used Price: $5.76 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM) Lowest New Price: $5.75 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)
	Great Britain: London Daytrips, North England (Video) Host Rick Steves brings his wife and two children along on this trip, focusing on sights that will keep the whole family entertained during their vacation. Their journey begins wi...more List Price: $19.99 Lowest Used Price: $3.98 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM) Lowest New Price: $4.99 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)
	London Congestion Charge Map for Tube 2 (Palm OS) downloadable Software (Software) A fully scrollable detailed map of the area covered by central London congestion charge system. List Price: N/A
	London: The Rough Guide travel book (Software) The essential pocket handbook to Europe's most vibrant capital. Features include: entertaining accounts of all the sights. List Price: $17.99
	Map & Travel Top Cities London feat. Lonely Planet Highlights (Software) Top Cities combines a city guide with deep Lonely Planet content, a detailed street map and a city route planner with turn-by-turn instructions and GPS support! List Price: $19.99
	Globe Trekker: London (DVD) England's capital, London, is one of the worlds great cities. Divided into north and south by the River Thames, it has the old city to the east and famed nightlife to the west. A ...more Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (See the reviews) List Price: $19.95 Lowest Used Price: $9.97 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM) Lowest New Price: $9.97 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)
	Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: London (DVD) ''The best way to explore a new city is to connect with the people who live in it. Join jetsetting presenters Toby Amies and Asha Gill on a radical urban adventure as they plug in...more Average Customer Rating: 1.0 out of 5 (See the reviews) List Price: $15.00 Lowest New Price: $15.00 (as of 9/2/2008@7:28 AM)

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