DDA Chapter 18

[PNO4TE]

Elin - I'm finished with Salvation in Death if you need something to read.

I would love to, thanks!

Now I have nothing to read. Tomorrow I will make a stop at the liberry. For those of you that have read KK II, do you recommend it?

I really enjoyed KK II

 

[PNO4TE]

thank you for the warm welcome. I met MrsHeg at a DisMeet a week ago and she invited me to this thread. I don't get on but a couple times a week right now, but love the Disboards. I'm married with 3 kids and don't get to Disney quite as often as I would like. I am planning to rearrange my priorities though.

We will be happy to help you with that small detail...

 

[PNO4TE]

What a quandary. The Night of Joy will be September 11 & 12 this year. We could come for that and then we would leave on the 17th. That however, would really make me sad, as the 18th is my birthday. And if we are going to stay until the 17th, we might as well stay one more day. However C would run out of points. So I could use mine, no problem.

Exxcept we are staying in a 2BR at SSR for a week, and I would have enough points for a studio at OKW. So... do we do OKW at the beginning of our trip or the end? I'm thinking the begining, as we will be at where ever the NOJ is held until 1:00am both nights. Studio will be fine.

Next, we will need a car. We will be doing a lot of resort-resort travel this trip. We want to finally see the Boardwalk. Finally see Jellyrolls. Check out Beaches and Cream.

And lastly, airfare. I love SW. However AirTran opened a flight out of Harrisburg, which would save on time and has cheap parking. But the return from MCO is at 8:00 AM!!! Boooooooooooo. That ruins the last day. Plus Airtran charges for checked bags, any changes, window seats.

We need to come home on Saturday, as C needs at least one entire day of recovery before she returns to work. And actually, I really liked it when I had a day to decompress. The worst time ever was when I had to come to work the day after I got back from vacation. That super stunk.

So there is my dilemma. Our quick 7 day trip is going to turn into a 9 day trip. It is going to be stinking hot. I'm going to have to rent a car. It is going to be smack dab in the middle of free dining, so we will have to figure out where we want to eat by end of June. Did I mention it was going to be stinking hot??? And hurricane season!!!

Off to bed. That's all for now.

Tough choices, Stephanie. I hope you and C can figure out what will work best for you all!

 

[PNO4TE]

Good morning, DDA!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Good morning DDA--off to work!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Good luck, Stephanie! This is the best way I can sum it up: WDW, or no WDW.

Hi, Lisa! Welcome!

Stephanie, I am sure you will figure it out and your trip will be fabulous!

Welcome, Lisa!

Elizabeth hope DS feels better soon.

I think DH needs a smack for waking you up so dang early.

DS was up at 12:50 AM for Tylenol. At 1:30 AM he was shouting for tissues. Beyond that he just hacked a lot. I think we may have to call the pediatrician.

I got up at 2 AM to check the pin sale - no sale prices were up yet. I just now checked again and the cheapest "sale" pin is $6.99! What kind of crap is THAT? The pins sets are averaging over $4 per pin. There are no good sets like the ones I bought last year. Last year there were Christmas pins and 2 other sets with 5 or 6 pins each that were no more than $3 per pin. I bought at least 15 sets. This year's sale is a JOKE! At $7 per pin I will just buy those starter sets in the park! Or maybe this is the catalyst I need to stop doing pins.

 

[Mommy2EmMoLu]

Thanks for all the comments on Emma's dance pictures!!! I still think she's pretty cute, even with her sassy 9 year old know it all attitude

Debbie- I am so sorry. 's

Anne Marie- for your first choice.

Deb- Sounds like you had a nice day yesterday. When Colby is done with his 100 $100 bills, can you send them this way?

Stephanie- I am positive that no matter when you go to WDW, it will be Fabulous!

Terry- I sure hope you and Hal are feeling better.

Vicki- I am so happy that you and Becky got to spend some time together over the weekend.

Heidi- I hope you are warm and snuggly back in bed this morning, I'd much rather be in mine than up. I hate Mondays.

Elizabeth- I hope DS feels better.

Jen- I hope you all get to Disney!!

thank you for the warm welcome. I met MrsHeg at a DisMeet a week ago and she invited me to this thread. I don't get on but a couple times a week right now, but love the Disboards. I'm married with 3 kids and don't get to Disney quite as often as I would like. I am planning to rearrange my priorities though.

We will be happy to help you with that small detail...

After all, what are friends for? Lisa, we all look forward to getting to know you a bit better.

Saturday and Sunday were glorious here (and dare I say, that this week looks pretty great too). The girls spent all of yesterday outside and later in the afternoon we hit the park for a few hours. I am so looking forward to spring when they can do that all of the time, it makes bedtime so much easier!

Off to finish getting ready.

 

[tmfranlk]

Jen - A quick trip sounds like fun. I hope it works out for you.

Deb - Hope yesterday didn't wear you out too much. Fun though!

Debbie - that the troubles pass quickly.

Terry - I hope you are feeling better today!!

Elin - I hope all recitals went well and you are back to loving music again.

Lisa - Welcome to our little corner of the DIS. It's nice to have new folks drop in. I'm Tia, mommy to almost 6yo Terra. Our last trip was in Sept and we finally got my DH Phil to go with us for the first time. We're hoping to go again next Feb for Terra's birthday.

Glynis - How's your elbow today?

Elizabeth - Hope DS is doing better today and can get into the doctor if needed.

Becky - Continued prayers for your grandma and grandpa.

Anne Marie - Good luck on the bid! I hope it comes through for you soon. I have decided that we have about 6 houses that I might want to revisit and a couple of that I think could work. I just don't think we've found that right one yet. Feb is usually big around here so hopefully some new things will come on the market soon.

 

[tmfranlk]

Good morning, DDA!!!

It was a crazy weekend around here once again. I apologize if any of this is a repeat, I can't hardly remember when I was on last. We had the beautiful weather and took full advantage of it. I took the kids to the zoo on Saturday (yes, all 5 of them) and we had a great time. My wrist does not like old double Graco strollers, but that's a good thing to know. The kids all had a good time and we so well behaved. The big kids stayed with me well and the little girls were content with the stoller and didn't wander when I let them out to see animals. Lunch was the only hectic part. Good lessons for our my highly hoped for eventual trip to WDW with them all. I think the thoughts of going when Kaylin and Chase are both closer to 5 are good ones. By then I think it will work out well for all, plus Rachel will be with us.

Saturday night I helped Kristi get craft stuff ready for Kassie's birthday party. Lots of cutting thin wire and trying to figure out how to make the hearts look pretty, but it worked. Sunday, Terra (and Max - from Max and Ruby and her imaginary little brother) had a breakfast date at IHOP and then went to the craft store. After that, it was Kassie's birthday party. 16 girls trying to do beaded crafts gets a little crazy, but I'm happy to report that the little heart necklaces turned out in the ned. I wasn't sure how well they were going to work/stay/look until I actually finished a few of then.

Now it's time to get Terra's party stuff under control for two weeks from now. All of the supplies should be here or in route, but I need to get her game stuff made and decide on the pinata. She really wants one, but I just can't see spending $15 on it. We'll see how much everything else costs I guess.

 

[tmfranlk]

The good news is that I suddenly find myself with a day off. The baby's mom is sick and so she won't be here today. Of course, we have dance this morning and Daisies this afternoon, but still, it's a day off! I have found myself in need of one of those. Looks like we have another nice day in store, if the rain doesn't come in too early, so maybe we'll have a picnic at the park like Terra's been asking to do. Or maybe not since I just saw that it's supposed to be really windy.

Well, I had better go get ready for dance since we've got to leave early to get Phil to work, etc. Happy Monday everyone.

 

[Glynis]

Sounds fun, although I don't know if I'd be up for humiliating myself! I have visions or Carol Burnett's janitor lady!

My 30 year old niece came dressed as Ruth Buzzi from Laugh In. Complete with a hair net and everything. It was really fun, and the bride-to-be was a very good sport. So were the waiters and the other patrons of the restaurant. I'm glad it wasn't me being asked to do some of the things she had to do!

 

[MinnieMouseMom]

Morning, friends!

 

[Tammi67]

I got up at 2 AM to check the pin sale - no sale prices were up yet. I just now checked again and the cheapest "sale" pin is $6.99! What kind of crap is THAT? The pins sets are averaging over $4 per pin. There are no good sets like the ones I bought last year. Last year there were Christmas pins and 2 other sets with 5 or 6 pins each that were no more than $3 per pin. I bought at least 15 sets. This year's sale is a JOKE! At $7 per pin I will just buy those starter sets in the park! Or maybe this is the catalyst I need to stop doing pins.

If you find any good deals, let me know.

Hope DS feels better.

 

[Tammi67]

I would love to, thanks!



I really enjoyed KK II

I'll have to make arrangements to get it to you then. It started out really intriguing at the beginning but then midway it became confusing, with swapped identities and all.

 

[Glynis]

Have you all ever looked at my Tags? One of them is about our virtual DDA hen parties that were in abundance when Clare was with us regularly and planning her wedding.

I'd forgotten all about those late night "hen parties." What wonderful memories!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

If you find any good deals, let me know.

Hope DS feels better.

I think this is the difference between Disney ownership and Children's Place ownership. They start the pins at $15 and then try to say a $7 pin is some fabulous bargain. Now even more people will buy counterfeits on eBay. I think we may really scale back and just trade what we have left from last year.

I left DS at home. I canceled his eye appt., and I will go back home once I get Princess to school.

 

[my3princes]

I am so not ready to go back to work tomorrow. Why do weekends always go so fast? I have a busy week again.

I went to see my Grandpa and Grandma today. My Grandpa is not doing well. The nurse told all of us that we should come see him as they do not know how much time he has left. This has my Grandma all stressed out which is not good for her heart. Plus my two Aunt's are not getting along and they were both there. It is like a circus.

It was about 50 degrees today.

I hope you are all doing well!

I need to head to bed, but want to watch Brothers and Sisters. So who knows what I will do.

Now I have nothing to read. Tomorrow I will make a stop at the liberry. For those of you that have read KK II, do you recommend it?

We all loved KK II, can't wait for KK III to come out. Anyone know when that might be?

What a quandary. The Night of Joy will be September 11 & 12 this year. We could come for that and then we would leave on the 17th. That however, would really make me sad, as the 18th is my birthday. And if we are going to stay until the 17th, we might as well stay one more day. However C would run out of points. So I could use mine, no problem.

Exxcept we are staying in a 2BR at SSR for a week, and I would have enough points for a studio at OKW. So... do we do OKW at the beginning of our trip or the end? I'm thinking the begining, as we will be at where ever the NOJ is held until 1:00am both nights. Studio will be fine.

Next, we will need a car. We will be doing a lot of resort-resort travel this trip. We want to finally see the Boardwalk. Finally see Jellyrolls. Check out Beaches and Cream.

And lastly, airfare. I love SW. However AirTran opened a flight out of Harrisburg, which would save on time and has cheap parking. But the return from MCO is at 8:00 AM!!! Boooooooooooo. That ruins the last day. Plus Airtran charges for checked bags, any changes, window seats.

We need to come home on Saturday, as C needs at least one entire day of recovery before she returns to work. And actually, I really liked it when I had a day to decompress. The worst time ever was when I had to come to work the day after I got back from vacation. That super stunk.

So there is my dilemma. Our quick 7 day trip is going to turn into a 9 day trip. It is going to be stinking hot. I'm going to have to rent a car. It is going to be smack dab in the middle of free dining, so we will have to figure out where we want to eat by end of June. Did I mention it was going to be stinking hot??? And hurricane season!!!

Off to bed. That's all for now.

I sounds like a lot to deal with, but I say go for it. I would love to be a WDW for my birthday, but that is not in the cards. I think I would try to do SW if you can, no baggage fees and potentally better return flight times. Rental Cars are so worth it. We love not having to rely on Disney transportation. I used to be a nay sayer, but after having a rental once I'm sold.

 

[Pooh67_68]

From Yahoo.com news

15 Companies That Might Not Survive 2009
Rick Newman
Friday February 6, 2009, 11:53 am EST
Who's next?
With consumers shutting their wallets and corporate revenues plunging, the business landscape may start to resemble a graveyard in 2009. Household names like Circuit City and Linens 'n Things have already perished. And chances are, those bankruptcies were just an early warning sign of a much broader epidemic.
Moody's Investors Service, for instance, predicts that the default rate on corporate bonds - which foretells bankruptcies - will be three times higher in 2009 than in 2008, and 15 times higher than in 2007. That could equate to 25 significant bankruptcies per month.
We examined ratings from Moody's and data from other sources to develop a short list of potential victims that ought to be familiar to most consumers. Many of these firms are in industries directly hit by the slowdown in consumer spending, such as retail, automotive, housing and entertainment.
But there are other common threads. Most of these firms have limited cash for a rainy day, and a lot of debt, with large interest payments due over the next year. In ordinary times, it might not be so hard to refinance loans, or get new ones, to help keep the cash flowing. But in an acute credit crunch it's a different story, and at companies where sales are down and going lower, skittish lenders may refuse to grant any more credit. It's a terrible time to be cash-poor.
That's why Moody's assigns most of these firms its lowest rating for short-term liquidity. And all the firms on this list have long-term debt that Moody's rates Caa or lower, which means the borrower is considered at least a "very high" credit risk.
Once a company defaults on its debt, or fails to make a payment, the next step is usually a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Some firms continue to operate while in Chapter 11, retaining many of their employees. Those firms often shed debt, restructure, and emerge from bankruptcy as healthier companies.
But it takes fresh financing to do that, and with money scarce, more bankrupt firms than usual are likely to liquidate - like Circuit City. That's why corporate failures are likely to be a major drag on the economy in 2009: In a liquidation, the entire workforce often gets axed, with little or no severance. That will only add to unemployment, which could hit 9 or even 10 percent by the end of the year.
It's possible that none of the firms on this list will liquidate, or even declare Chapter 11. Some may come up with unexpected revenue or creative financing that helps avert bankruptcy, while others could be purchased in whole or in part by creditors or other investors. But one way or another, the following 15 firms will probably look a lot different a year from now than they do today:

Rite Aid. (Ticker symbol: RAD; about 100,000 employees; 1-year stock-price decline: 92%). This drugstore chain tried to boost its performance by acquiring competitors Brooks and Eckerd in 2007. But there have been some nasty side effects, like a huge debt load that makes it the most leveraged drugstore chain in the U.S., according to Zacks Equity Research. That big retail investment came just as megadiscounter Wal-Mart was starting to sell prescription drugs, and consumers were starting to cut bank on spending. Management has twice lowered its outlook for 2009. Prognosis: Mounting losses, with no turnaround in sight.

Claire's Stores. (Privately owned; about 18,000 employees.) Leon Black's once-renowned private-equity firm, the Apollo Group, paid $3.1 billion for this trendy teen-focused accessory store in 2007, when buyout funds were bulging. But cash flow has been negative for much of the past year and analysts believe Claire's is close to defaulting on its debt. A horrible retail outlook for 2009 offers no relief, suggesting Claire's could follow Linens 'n Things - another Apollo purchase - and declare Chapter 11 possibly shuttering all of its 3,000-plus stores.

Chrysler. (Privately owned; about 55,000 employees). It's never a good sign when management insists the company is not going out of business, which is what CEO Bob Nardelli has been doing lately. Of the three Detroit automakers, Chrysler is the most endangered, with a product portfolio that's overreliant on gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs and almost totally devoid of compelling small cars. A recent deal with Fiat seems dubious, since the Italian automaker doesn't have to pony up any money, and Chrysler desperately needs cash. The company is quickly burning through $4 billion in government bailout money, and with car sales down 40 percent from recent peaks, Chrysler may be the weakling that can't cut it in tough times.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. (DTG; about 7,000 employees; stock down 95%). This car-rental company is a small player compared to Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis Budget. It's also more reliant on leisure travelers, and therefore more susceptible to a downturn as consumers cut spending. Dollar Thrifty is also closely tied to Chrysler, which supplies 80 percent of its fleet. Moody's predicts that if Chrysler declares Chapter 11, Dollar Thrifty would suffer deeply as well.

Realogy Corp. (Privately owned; about 13,000 employees). It's the biggest real-estate brokerage firm in the country, but that's a bad thing when there are double-digit declines in both sales and prices, as there were in 2009. Realogy, which includes the Coldwell Banker, ERA, and Sotheby's franchises, also carries a high debt load, dating to its purchase by the Apollo Group in 2007 - the very moment when the housing market was starting to invert from a soaring ride into a sickening nosedive. Realogy has been trying to refinance much of its debt, prompting lawsuits. One deal was denied by a judge in December, reducing the firm's already tight wiggle room.

Station Casinos. (Privately owned, about 14,000 employees). Las Vegas has already been creamed by a biblical real-estate bust, and now it may face the loss of its home-grown gambling joints, too. Station - which runs 15 casinos off the strip that cater to locals - recently failed to make a key interest payment, which is often one of the last steps before a Chapter 11 filing. For once, the house seems likely to lose.

Loehmann's Capital Corp. (Privately owned; about 1,500 employees). This clothing chain has the right formula for lean times, offering women's clothing at discount prices. But the consumer pullback is hitting just about every retailer, and Loehmann's has a lot less cash to ride out a drought than competitors like Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx. If Loehmann's doesn't get additional financing in 2009 - a dicey proposition, given skyrocketing unemployment and plunging spending - the chain could run out of cash.

Sbarro. (Privately owned; about 5,500 employees). It's not the pizza that's the problem. Many of this chain's 1,100 storefronts are in malls, which is a double whammy: Traffic is down, since consumers have put away their wallets. Sbarro can't really boost revenue by adding a breakfast or late-night menu, like other chains have done. And competitors like Domino's and Pizza Hut have less debt and stronger cash flow, which could intensify pressure on Sbarro as key debt payments come due in 2009.

Six Flags. (SIX; about 30,000 employees; stock down 84%). This theme-park operator has been losing money for several years, and selling off properties to try to pay down debt and get back into the black. But the ride may end prematurely. Moody's expects cash flow to be negative in 2009, and if consumers aren't spending during the peak summer season, that could imperil the company's ability to pay debts coming due later this year and in 2010.

Blockbuster. (BBI; about 60,000 employees; stock down 57%). The video-rental chain has burned cash while trying to figure out how to maximize fees without alienating customers. Its operating income has started to improve just as consumers are cutting back, even on movies. Video stores in general are under pressure as they compete with cable and Internet operators offering the same titles. A key test of Blockbuster's viability will come when two credit lines expire in August. One possible outcome, according to Valueline, is that investors take the company private and then go public again when market conditions are better.

Krispy Kreme. (KKD; about 4,000 employees; stock down 50%). The donuts might be good, but Krispy Kreme overestimated Americans' appetite - and that's saying something. This chain overexpanded during the donut heyday of the 1990s - taking on a lot of debt - and now requires high volumes to meet expenses and interest payments. The company has cut costs and closed underperforming stores, but still hasn't earned an operating profit in three years. And now that consumers are cutting back on everything, such improvements may fail to offset top-line declines, leading Krispy Kreme to seek some kind of relief from lenders over the next year.

Landry's Restaurants. (LNY; about 17,000 employees; stock down 66%). This restaurant chain, which operates Chart House, Rainforest Café, and other eateries, needs $400 million in new financing to finalize a buyout deal dating to last June. If lenders come through, the company should have enough cash to ride out the recession. But at least two banks have already balked, leading to downgrades of the company's debt and the prospect of a cash-flow crunch.

Sirius Satellite Radio. (SIRI - parent company; about 1,000 employees; stock down 96%). The music rocks, but satellite radio has yet to be profitable, and huge contracts for performers like Howard Stern are looking unsustainable. Sirius is one of two satellite-radio services owned by parent company Sirius XM, which was formed when Sirius and XM merged last year. So far, the merger hasn't generated the savings needed to make the company profitable, and Moody's thinks there's a "high likelihood" that Sirius will fail to repay or refinance its debt in 2009. One outcome could be a takeover, at distressed prices, by other firms active in the satellite business.

Trump Entertainment Resorts Holdings. (TRMP; about 9,500 employees; stock down 94%). The casino company made famous by The Donald has received several extensions on interest payments, while it tries to sell at least one of its Atlantic City properties and pay down a stack of debt. But with casino buyers scarce, competition circling, and gamblers nursing their losses from the recession, Trump Entertainment may face long odds of skirting bankruptcy.

BearingPoint. (BGPT; about 16,000 employees; stock down 21%). This Virginia-based consulting firm, spun out of KPMG in 2001, is struggling to solve its own operating problems. The firm has consistently lost money, revenue has been falling, and management stopped issuing earnings guidance in 2008. Stable government contracts generate about 30 percent of the firm's business, but the firm may sell other divisions to help pay off debt. With a key interest payment due in April, management needs to hustle - or devise its own exit strategy.

 

[my3princes]

Hello Lisa

Elizabeth I hope your Ds feels better soon.


I went to bed at 10 PM as promised. Of course I didn't fall asleep until sometime after 3:30 AM. I felt like I had taken some cold medicine that was keeping me up, but I hadn't Thankfully I slept in until 9 this morning. Of course I heard Chris and the boys, then the oil delivery (all $18 of it ), but still I didn't have to get moving. I have managed to do laundry and shower this morning. I'm actually ready to head of the the aquatics center. Today is the first day of my healthier life. Step 2 in my plan to be fit by my fortieth birthday. Oh, during my illness last week I finally dropped below 150 lbs, just barely, but I'll take it. That also means that I had to give up 2 more WW points though Now I'll have to exercise daily to earn more points back.

 

[Pooh67_68]

I know I checked it out too and thought that's no sale, plus they did away with free shipping Mondays.

I will have to get the emails again from DJT (she is an exchanger) for the people she buys her pins from.

I got up at 2 AM to check the pin sale - no sale prices were up yet. I just now checked again and the cheapest "sale" pin is $6.99! What kind of crap is THAT? The pins sets are averaging over $4 per pin. There are no good sets like the ones I bought last year. Last year there were Christmas pins and 2 other sets with 5 or 6 pins each that were no more than $3 per pin. I bought at least 15 sets. This year's sale is a JOKE! At $7 per pin I will just buy those starter sets in the park! Or maybe this is the catalyst I need to stop doing pins.