The news as of the first coffee this morning, and the music is a rare treat: After years of trying, we finally found, via a Facebook friend, one of our favorite albums which has been out of print for years: The Screaming Blue Messiahs' Bikini Red, a glorious punky freeway crash of The Beach Boys, Velvet Underground and The Clash. Thank you, Facebook:
Call center employees at American Express Travel Related Services, a subsidiary of American Express, have filed a class action lawsuit alleging that "the company required them to work off the clock and through their lunch breaks without compensation."
The suit, filed recently in Arizona, alleges that American Express is in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act: "Call center employees working as customer service representatives were required to work overtime as well as work during unpaid lunch breaks without being compensated for those hours," according to Anne Regan of Zimmerman Reed, the law firm hired to represent the employees.
According to the suit, Zimmerman Reed officials say, "American Express knowingly violated the FLSA when it intentionally failed to include time worked at the beginning and end of shifts as well as during unpaid breaks," in the employees' wages.
"Travel Related Services' pay policies don't allow call center employees to count as time worked things most workers would get paid to do...like talking to American Express' clients," says Zimmerman Reed's Regan. "They are clearly owed these unpaid wages."
American Express Travel is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express, which is headquartered in New York City.
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In case you've emerged from a coma over the past week, the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are being held in Vancouver. And Lonely Planet - you've heard of Lonely Planet, surely you weren't out for that long? - is offering a free iPhone city guide application to the city.
"Vancouver Travel Guide: The Sights" offers all the sights and wonders of cosmopolitan Vancouver. We've never been there but we hear the German pastries are unusually good. This free application can be downloaded via the iPhone's application store or on iTunes.
"From UBC Thunderbird Arena and the Pacific Coliseum, to the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, Lonely Planet has listed over 70 top sights and shows where they are using location-aware maps," Lonely Planet officials say. Yep, be sure not to miss the salmon hatchery, honestly, we hear it's interesting. Seriously.
Plus, "by tilting the iPhone, users can access facts on Vancouver, special tips on what to do, see or eat, photos and much more." And it has location-based navigation as well as integrated Google Maps.
And if you're interested, Lonely Planet Vancouver author John Lee will be running a daily blog throughout the Winter Games and tweeting through @lonelyplanet, "focusing on the experience of being in Vancouver in the middle of the Olympic party." Of course if you're there yourself hey, have a great time. Go Tim Burke.
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The Sea Colony Recreational Association has announced the launch of SeaColonyTennis.net, which company officials describe as "a new Web site specifically designed to promote tennis at the world-class tennis resort."
"Sea Colony's Tennis Center offers players an incredible experience, and now we have SeaColonyTennis.net to match that reputation -- connecting both players and guests to a world class facility and program," said Sea Colony Tennis Director Thomas Johnston.
The site offers current and comprehensive information about the resort's tennis programs, as well as the ability to enroll for camps, clinics and packages (including accommodations) online.
Who's it for? According to Sea Colony officials, "tennis enthusiasts who visit Sea Colony once a year, or more often, are encouraged to register for the site and complete their profile."
Guess that leaves us out. Oh well, we can usually find a game down at the Mangawhai Domain. If there's no one available we drag our son along, ask him you want dinner tonight? Good. Grab your racket.
SeaColonyTennis.net "can facilitate game-finding services based upon what is added to a player's profile." Now this is whether an individual is a new or advanced player, interested in weekdays or weekends, wants a doubles or singles match, mind you: "SeaColonyTennis.net will match the player's request to those of other SeaColonyTennis.net members."
Registered members will receive e-mail updates with the latest Sea Colony tennis news, upcoming events and more.
We imagine you'd need a fairly sophisticated setup to keep track of everything tennis-related happening at Sea Colony, it has 34 tennis courts (including four indoor and 14 clay), a full-service pro shop and a variety of year-round camps, clinics and private lessons.
It's actually a fairly respected place, ranked No. 10 among Tennis magazine's "50 Best U.S. Tennis Resorts," including No. 5 for best instruction. TennisResortsOnline.com, published by former Tennis editor Roger Cox, rates Sea Colony as the No. 13 tennis resort in the world, including No. 1 for best junior programs, No. 3 for best instruction and No. 4 for best overall children's programs.
Sea Colony, Delaware itself is a seaside resort community of more than 2,200 homes and, in addition to the tennis, features a wide array of amenities including a private beach, 12 pools (two indoor, plus 7 more for the kids), fitness centers, activities for all ages, in-season community shuttle and year-round security.
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Now imagine the following read by John Facenda, with visuals of the old Green Bay Packer sweep left, Jerry Kramer knocking Alex Karras on his butt...
The Pro Football Hall Of Fame's GameDay Stadium Theater recently received a major AV overhaul featuring two Digital Projection large-venue projectors. Specified by the Russ Berger Design Group and integrated by Altel Systems Group, the updated venue includes two rooms displaying separate but synchronized programs, a turntable floor to move the audience, and a series of video displays in the queuing area.
(Snowy day in Chicago, Dick Butkus breathing smoke through his facemask, eschewing a coat, standing on the sidelines, glaring as the Bears' inept offense stinks it up, getting madder and madder...)
By moving the theater from film projection to high-definition video projection, program content can now be updated more efficiently and cost-effectively without sacrificing video quality.
Displaying high-intensity footage shot by NFL Films of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, the GameDay Theater uses two distinct Digital Projection projectors. A 20,000 lumen LIGHTNING 40-1080p display, one of the most efficient large-venue projectors in the AV industry, illuminates the main theater from a dedicated projection booth.
(It's the 1958 NFL Championship, Yankee Stadium, overtime, Johnny Unitas lining the Colts up against an exhausted Giants defense at the one-yard line, calling the signals, handing off to Alan Ameche who barrels over for the winning touchdown...)
Additionally, a 5,000 lumen TITAN 1080p Ultra Contrast projector is installed in a companion theater, which also employs a Stewart screen. The digital content presented by the DP projectors is synchronized with an Alcorn McBride V16 Pro Show Controller, which also acts as a control trigger for the automatic doors, rotation of the theater, and all aspects of lighting and video playback.
(NFC Championship, Dwight Clark running right along the back of the end zone, Joe Montana frantically backpedaling, all primary receivers covered, Ed "Too Tall" Jones bearing down, lofts a high pass over Everson Walls in the end zone, Clark jumps up and snags the most famous catch in NFL history to kick-start the 49ers '80s dynasty...)
Chuck Chiles, RBDG Project Manager, said "When the Pro Football Hall of Fame asked RBDG to upgrade their GameDay Theater from a 35mm film chain to high resolution video, we called on Digital Projection for the hardware. The results: excellent reliability, great service and stunning images."
("The game... and the men who play it... This is NFL Films... Good night.")
