Electronic Arts Cost Reduction Plan: 1500 layoffs at EA Studios

Electronic Arts Cost Reduction Plan

In a news release today EA has announced a plan to narrow its product portfolio to provide greater focus on titles with higher margin opportunities.

This action will result in the closure of several facilities and a headcount reduction of approximately 1,500 positions, of which 1,300 are included in a restructuring plan. The majority of these actions will be completed by March 31, 2010. This plan will result in annual cost savings of at least $100 million and restructuring charges of $130 to $150 million.

EA's Game Development Studios:
EA operates its global Headquarters in Redwood Shores, California and with regional headquarters in Geneva Switzerland and Singapore. In addition, EA has worldwide studios in the following locations: BioWare, Edmonton, Canada; Black Box, Vancouver, Canada; Bright Light, Guildford, U.K.; Criterion, Guildford, U.K.; Digital Illusions, Stockholm, Sweden; EA Montréal, Canada; EA Redwood Shores, California; EA Salt Lake, Utah; EAC (Canada), Burnaby, Canada; EALA (Los Angeles), California; Maxis, Emeryville, California; Mythic, Fairfax, Virginia; Pandemic, Los Angeles, California; Phenomic, Frankfurt, Germany; The Sims, Redwood Shores, California; Tiburon, Florida; Hyderabad, India; Bucharest, Romania; Shanghai, China; Seoul, Korea; Singapore; Pandemic, Brisbane Australia; Melbourne, Australia

Bus service to Tulalip Casino and Seattle Premium Outlets from Vancouver BC

With the Canadian dollar close to par with the US buck now, Vancouverites can save a bundle on designer clothing, shoes, housewares and more by making a short trip across the border to the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip Washington (just north of Everett). You can minimize border waits by taking the Quick Shuttle Bus service for approx. $51 return from Vancouver, Richmond or Surrey. Save an extra 5% by booking online!

Quick Shuttle Bus info:
Daily scheduled service from downtown Vancouver, BC to Seattle Premium Outlets. Reservations required, at least 24 hours in advance.

Quick Shuttle is a Seattle, Vancouver Transportation Service. Quick Shuttle provides bus transportation from Seatac Airport, Downtown Seattle, Tulalip (Seattle Premium Outlets), Bellingham Airport to Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and Cruise Ship Terminals.

Located next door to the Tulalip Casino, Seattle Premium Outlets has 100 outlet stores including Adidas, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, BCBG, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Eddie Bauer, Fossil, GAP Outlet, Guess Outlet, J. Crew, Jockey, Levi's / Dockers, L'eggs Hanes Bali Playtex, Lucky Brand, NIKE, PacSun, Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and Tommy Hilfiger.

Canadian residents who have been out of Canada for 24-47 hours can claim $50 in purchases at Canada Customs without duty or taxes; more than 48 hours but less than 7 days, $400 ; and 7 days or more, $750 . If the value of the declaration exceeds the personal exemption, you must pay duty on the remaining value.

If you're looking for a hotel in the area, check out the deals in Everett, Lynnwood or Seattle or use Priceline.com to bid on a hotel room in the general area. You can also find some great hotel deals in the area using the new Entertainment 2010 Vancouver or Seattle Coupon Book.

Seattle Premium Outlets is about 1.5 hours drive south of the border, just north of Marysville. If you're driving, take the 116th street exit from I5 and follow the signs...



If you prefer to avoid border lineups, online retailers that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here.

Sears Canada Online Outlet Sale Bonus Code at Sears.ca

This weekend ONLY -- take an ADDITIONAL 30%* off all Sears.ca Outlet items (except for major appliances) when entering bonus code 941 612 950 at checkout. With savings like these, it's a great time to pick up gifts for the holidays.
Shop online at Sears Outlet Canada

*Must enter bonus code at checkout. Total merchandise before taxes and applicable charges. Offer valid for two days, from November 7-November 8 2009. Limit one Bonus Offer Number per order; cannot be combined with any other bonus offer number. Non-negotiable, transferable or redeemable for cash. Excludes major appliances, sewing machines, vacuums and microwaves. Not valid on items ending in .97 cents. Offer valid for items in the sears.ca/outlet only.

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JCPenney free US shipping coupon offer and online sale

Check out http://free-shipping-deals.blogspot.com/ or http://christmas-store.blogspot.com/ for a current JCPenney.com free US shipping offer.

If you have a US shipping address (Blaine, Point Roberts, etc.) you can get free shipping on your order. JC Penney has a great sale on Christmas gifts, bedding, housewares, Levi jeans, Dockers pants, toys, jewelry and watches and lots more, including online outlet items...

JCPenney also ships to Canada for a reasonable price. Find out more at http://northdelta.net/canadaspecials.htm

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Staples Canada discount coupon for November 2009 Staples.ca

Here's a Staples Canada (Staples.ca) coupon for ya...

$20 off your phone or online purchase of $150 or more*.
Coupon code : 8240092105006001

Expires November 10, 2009


More Canadian online shopping deals

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Entertainment 2010 coupon book special offer: Restaurant coupons, travel deals, shopping

Entertainment 2010 coupon book special offer

 

Packed with over $24,200 in local savings:

• 426 Dining Discounts
• 252 Attraction Discounts
• 101 Shopping Discounts

• Over $15,000 in Travel Discounts
• Movie Ticket Discounts
• And Much More...

Coupons are valid now through Nov. 1/2010. Books available now for Vancouver BC, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Miami, Orlando, New York, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and more...
Order online and get Free Shipping now!

Enjoy hundreds of half price restaurant deals and discounts on hotels, travel, attractions and retail shopping...

Staples Canada October 2009 $20 coupon code (Staples.ca)

Not sure if this only works once, but give it a try on a $150 online or phone purchase from Staples.ca :

$20 off
your phone or online purchase of $150 or more*.
Coupon code : 8087892105006000

tags: staples canada coupon promo code oct. 2009 online, phone orders

Vancouver BC is Conde Nast's top destination city for 2009 in the Americas

Vancouver BC is Conde Nast's top destination for 2009 in North and South America

Why vacation in Vancouver?

Nature everywhere: You can always see the ocean and mountain peaks, whether you're on the Stanley Park Seawall or in the middle of downtown. Ride a bike or walk the seawall on False Creek or English Bay for miles, with a fantastic view!

Seafood satori, from fresh-harvested spot prawns to upscale sushi to the ultimate fish and chips

Alpine playgrounds like Grouse, Cypress, and Seymour Mountains are just a hop, skip, and ski jump away — and Whistler Ski Resort is only 90 minutes by car.

Food: Head to Asia West, the new Chinatown in Richmond, with over 500 Asian restaurants.

Most of Vancouver's sights and hotels are in the central downtown area, which is bounded on three sides by water: False Creek to the south, English Bay to the west, and Burrard Inlet to the north. The Burrard, Granville, and Cambie bridges lead south from Downtown to the residential neighborhoods of South Granville and Kitsilano, where you'll find many of the city's best restaurants. The Lions Gate Bridge is the city's main connection to North Vancouver and to local ski hills like Grouse Mountain, Seymour and Whistler Resort.

Vancouver's climate is milder than you'd expect of a city this far north (30 miles above the U.S. border)—and this makes it nearly a year-round city. It's warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by mountains, and temperatures are always comfortable, ranging from the high 70s in summer to the mid-40s in winter.

Get some great deals on Vancouver hotels at Hotels-vancouver.blogspot.com or name your own hotel price at

Priceline.com

Microsoft's Free Antivirus Software - Download link for Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.

Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times. It also runs quietly in the background scheduling scans when the PC is most likely idle and interrupting the user only when there is an action required to keep their PC secure. It employs practices like active memory swapping and CPU throttling to limit the impact on your PC performance, even on older or less powerful PCs.

This isn’t a security suite product that provides rich PC tuning capabilities or backs up your data. But if what you’re looking for is “install and forget” malware protection and solid quality Microsoft Security Essentials may be just what you’ve been waiting for.

Recent viruses, trojans and worms to be aware of include

* Trojan:Win32/Small.SD
* Trojan:Win32/Gruwt.A
* Worm:Win32/Pushbot.NN
* PWS:Win32/Yahoopass.H
* Spammer:Win32/Tedroo.AA
* TrojanDownloader:ASX/Wimad.CJ
* Worm:Win32/Nuqel.R
* PWS:Win32/OnLineGames.FY
* PWS:Win32/Yahoopass.A
* Worm:Win32/VB.BN

Download Microsoft's Security Essentials software here

Harley Carmen sings "My Father's Birthday " - from Merritt BC, Canada

What an awesome song! Warning: May bring tears to your eyes...



Check out the cool website at http://Harleycarmen.com/

BC Budget Speech Details - Sept. 2009: Cutbacks, Deficit, Layoffs

Today's BC budget speech features a huge deficit, cuts to health care spending, pay freezes for civil servants, funding reduction or elimation to the arts, cuts to post secondary student grants and loans and much more...

Revenue from natural gas and other resources is down a billion dollars and revenue from corporate and personal income taxes are also down by a billion.

Get the latest BC Budget details from the government website at www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/

BC Budget lies September 1, 2009: Cutbacks, layoffs, tax increases

A guy dies and goes to the Pearly Gates. He sees St. Peter surrounded by hundreds of thousands of clocks of all sizes, shapes and conditions. He asks St. Peter, "Say, what's with all the clocks?"

St. Peter replies, "Well, these are 'lie' clocks. Everyone has one, and every time a person tells a lie, the hands on the clock move and there's a little wear and tear."

The guy looks up and notices a beautiful, pristine white clock with pearly accents and silver trim. "Whose clock is that?", he asked.

"Why, that's Mother Theresa's clock," St. Peter replied. "She's never told a lie, so the hands never moved and her clock is perfect."

The guy notices another clock, rustic and masculine, made of oak with brass accents, with a little wear. "Whose clock is that?" he asked.

"That is Abraham Lincoln's clock," answered the Saint. "He's only lied twice, so the hands have only moved twice and there's very little wear."

The guy looked all over the place, up and down, back and around, as if searching. Finally he asked the Saint, "So where's Gordon Campbell's clock?"

St. Peter replied, "Oh, Jesus has it in his office. He's using it for a ceiling fan!"

BC Canada budget cuts September 2009 - lowest minimum wage - layoffs

Move to New Brunswick? Might be a good idea...

VANCOUVER - Protesters hit the front lawn of the BC legislature today to demand a higher minimum wage in B.C. -- effective September 1st, it will be the lowest in Canada.

News1130 took the hot button issue to the streets of Vancouver and most people they spoke with at Cambie Street and Broadway were in favour of a higher minimum wage. "Absolutely, that's ridiculous because we also have the highest cost of living in Canada as well... I would say $10 an hour." However, a few people were against a hike in the wage because it may hurt our province's economic recovery.

B.C. and New Brunswick used to be tied for the lowest minimum wage in Canada at $8 an hour, but as of Tuesday New Brunswick goes to $8.25 and that province has a 34 per cent lower cost of living.

More info at http://news1130.com

Laptop batteries overheating: Find out recall info for HP, Compaq, Acer notebook and laptop models

An overheated laptop computer left on a couch caused a fire that killed a 56-year-old Vancouver man, the Coroners Service of BC has concluded.

The fire started after the laptop was left on a couch, plugged in and turned on. Because of the lack of ventilation under the laptop, less than an hour later the lithium-ion battery overheated and burst into flames, sparking the fire that eventually killed the man.

The coroner did not release the make of computer involved in the death, but did say several makes of laptops have been recalled in recent years due to problems with lithium-ion batteries overheating and bursting into flames.

Since 2004 in B.C., 4 other laptops have either overheated or short-circuited when left plugged in, causing fires. The death earlier this year, however, was the first in B.C. blamed on a laptop fire, the coroner said in statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

HP / Compaq has recalled lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are used with various HP and Compaq notebook computers. Models that can contain a recalled battery include:

HP Pavilion	Compaq Presario	HP	HP Compaq
dv2000 dv2500 dv2700 dv6000 dv6500 dv6700 dv9000 dv9500 dv9700	A900 C700 F700 V3000 V3500 V3700 V6000 V6500 V6700	G6000 G7000	6720s

The notebook model is located at the top of the service label on the bottom of the notebook. Batteries that can be subject to the recall will have one of the following bar code labels (^ in the code can be any letter or number):

62940^^AXV^^^^

65033^^B7U^^^^ 65033^^B7V^^^^ 65033^^BGU^^^^

65035^^B7U^^^^ 65035^^B7V^^^^ 65035^^BGU^^^^ 65035^^BGV^^^^

67059^^V8U^^^^ 67059^^V8V^^^^

Sold at: Computer and electronics stores nationwide, hp.com and hpshopping.com from August 2007 through March 2008 for between $500 and $3000. The battery packs were also sold separately for between $100 and $160.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the recalled battery from their notebook computer and contact HP to determine if their battery is included in the recall and to request a free replacement battery. After removing the recalled battery from their notebook computer, consumers may use the AC adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives. Consumers should only use batteries obtained from HP or an authorized reseller.

For information on Acer's laptop battery overheating recall programs, visit here

Fatal accident in North Delta today - Nordel Way at 116th

click on images for larger view...





Fatal accident this morning at Nordel and 116th involving 2 dump trucks and an SUV. One truck crossed the center line, jumped the sidewalk, crashed through the concrete fence and ended up in someone’s back yard…

One death, 3 serious injuries. . Nordel and 116th closed for at least 10 hours.

Acer Aspire locks up randomly - updating drivers may fix problem

I've been having problems with Windows Vista lately on my ACER Aspire desktop computer - random system lockup that requires a power down and reboot. After researching possible causes and using Microsoft's diagnostic memory test (Control Panel - Administrative Tools) I decided to make sure I had all the latest drivers. Acer's support website ( http://www.acer.ca/acer/service.do ) had updated drivers for the NVidia display adapter as well as new audio and LAN drivers. Installing these updates seems to have fixed the problem as well as sped up overall performance of my system.

I suspect the display driver was the cause of the lockups, but in any case it is worthwhile to check that you have the latest drivers if you're experiencing any mysterious crashes or slow performance. With all the Microsoft updates to Vista, a driver that was compatible a year ago may no longer work properly.

Also, for ACER notebook users, Acer America Corporation in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, is voluntarily offering free replacement of certain lithium-ion battery packs containing cells made by Sony Energy Devices Corporation and used in certain Acer notebook computers. As announced previously by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 16 reports of notebook batteries overheating. These reports were associated with earlier recalls by other notebook computer manufacturers of batteries containing these Sony cells. These previous reports involved only minor property damage and two minor burns. None of these reports involved batteries in Acer notebook computers.

We encourage you to check to see if your Acer notebook may have one of these battery packs and, if it does, Acer will replace your battery pack for a new one at no cost to you.

The following Acer notebook computer models sold in the United States and Canada may have battery packs affected by this replacement program:

TravelMate™ Series Beginning with: 242x, 320x, 321x, 330x, 422x, 467x, 561x, C20x.

Aspire™ Series Beginning with: 556x, 560x, 567x, 930x, 941x, and 980x.

The battery packs included in this program were sold in the United States and Canada through authorized distributors as part of the identified TravelMate™ and Aspire™ notebook computers. In addition, these battery packs may have also been provided in response to service calls. The affected battery packs were shipped to distributors beginning in May 2004 and may have been sold at retail through November 2006.

tags: acer aspire t180 desktop, locks up, random crashes, drivers, download , battery overheating, free replacement, warranty

Canada Line Vancouver starts today - Free rides on RAV line

Get a free ride on the new RAV Canada Line from Richmond to Vancouver from 1 pm to 9 pm today. 100,000 riders are expected to take advantage of this Translink offer today. Bikes are not permitted on the trains today, but cyclists can leave their bikes with a valet service at Broadway-City Hall, Oakridge-41st Street and Marine Drive .

For more info on Canada Line stations and revised bus connections, visit Translink's website
.

Bus connection changes:

South of Fraser Services : Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock

* 311, 351, 352, 354, 601, 602, 603, 604 buses will run more frequently and connect to Canada Line at Bridgeport Station in Richmond instead of travelling to Vancouver.


Vancouver Services

* 3, 10, 15, 17, N15 services will be extended to Marine Drive Station for all trips except the 3, which will serve the station for all trips during weekday peak periods and for every second trip during all other periods.
* 10 service will run more frequently to benefit customers along the Granville corridor.
* 15 will run less often as customers can travel on the Canada Line along the Cambie corridor.
* 17 will no longer serve Marpole Loop.
* 98 B-Line service will be discontinued. Use Canada Line for fastest north-south travel or 10 for local service along Granville.


Airport/Sea Island Services

* Airport Station bus loop will be closed.
* 424 service will be discontinued; use Canada Line to travel to/from the airport.
* N10 NightBus will continue to serve the airport during overnight hours when Canada Line is not operating.
* 100 service will travel west only as far as Marpole Loop. Customers can transfer to Canada Line at Marine Drive Station to travel to the airport.
* 620, C92, C90 services will travel to Bridgeport Station instead of Airport Station.


keywords: vancouver bc, richmond, surrey, delta, white rock, canada line, rav, stations, bikes, stations, bus connections, 301

Vancouver coupon savings for 2010: Hotels, restaurants, shopping

Order your 2010 Vancouver Entertainment Coupon Book Now

Packed with over $24,200 in local savings:

• 426 Dining Discounts
• 252 Attraction Discounts
• 101 Shopping Discounts

• Over $15,000 in Travel Discounts
• Movie Ticket Discounts
• And Much More...

Coupons are valid now through Nov. 1/2010. Books available now for Vancouver BC, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and more...
Order online and get Free Shipping now!

Enjoy hundreds of half price restaurant deals and discounts on hotels, travel, attractions and retail shopping...

Milestones Restaurant Nutrition Information - high sodium, fat, carbs

Looking for a heart attack or stroke in a meal?

Went to Milestones Restaurant for lunch in Burnaby today with the family, and realized later that we each consumed about 5000 mg in sodium (more than double the recommended daily MAXIMUM!). However, the food was very tasty and the service was good.

If you like Milestones, avoid this meal (and a few others):

Shanghai Noodle Vegetable Stirfry. Sounds fairly healthy, but,

Sodium content: 4380 mg

Carbs: 183 gm

Calories: 1160

Good thing it was so hot today we could sweat out some of the sodium.

http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/assets/files/pdf/nutrition-table.pdf

Funny how they hide that link on their website.

To be fair, most other restaurants are similarly bad nutritionally. It seems that the only option for healthy eating is to make your own meals, or at least order just a salad with a light dressing.

Just wait til the extra 7% BC restaurant tax comes in next year with the "harmonized sales tax".

More incentive to be creative with your home cooking...

The minimum recommended sodium requirement is about 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day. This is less than 1 teaspoon of table salt. The maximum recommended level of sodium intake is 2,300 mg per day. On average, men consume between 3,100 and 4,700 mg of sodium per day, while women consume between 2,300 and 3,100 mg (due to their lower calorie intake, not because of restricting sodium).

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BC Ferries Summer Coast Saver Mid-week Fares

BCFerries has extended their reduced midweek fares on sailings between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, until September 3, 2009. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays the car and driver one way rate is $39 instead of $54. Passenger fares are $9 instead of $13.50.



You can get some great hotel rates right now for Victoria so book online here:
Victoria Hotel Deals at Hotels.com

Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria
Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel

For Vancouver hotel deals, visit Hotels-vancouver.blogspot.com

New Central Valley Greenway bike path: Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster

A new 24-kilometre walking-cycling path opens today (shared with cars for some of the way) . It links Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster. That means if you're up for a long ride it is a new way of rolling into town.

TransLink says the Central Valley Greenway intersects about 20 bike routes and connects with 13 SkyTrain stations (indirectly for some of those stations!).

The total price tag is around $25 million. The grand opening of the Central Valley Greenway is Saturday at noon at the Winston Overpass in Burnaby.
------------------------------
I checked it out today walking from Willingdon to Holdom Skytrain station and was not at all impressed! From behind the Burnaby Costco on Willingdon the path (still under construction) quickly turns into a "bike lane" on Still Creek Ave, followed by confusing signage at Douglas Road. To get to the Holdom Skytrain station from there involves walking along the road, crossing railway tracks, walking on Goring Street (no sidewalks) with lots of trucks. There's an impressive pedestrian overpass at Sperling station, but apparently cyclists/pedestrians still have to share the road along parts of the Still Creek/Burnaby Lake route...

Nice start but could be a heck of a lot better!

tags: bike trails, cycling routes, coquitlam, burnaby, vancouver, bicycle trails, walking paths, cheap commuting

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel Review and Deals

Just stayed at the luxurious Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel and Spa in Victoria BC. I've stayed at a number of hotels in Victoria over the years but this is by far the best location and value in my opinion for a luxury hotel in the harbour area.

The views are incredible, there is a seawall right in front of the hotel that goes for miles, and the rooms are very quiet, away from the highway. Spinnaker's Brewpub and Downtown Victoria are an easy walk, or you can hop on one of the mini ferries at the hotel that will get you there even faster.

If you click on the picture below you can see the BC Legislature building, The ivy-covered Fairmont Empress to the left, Undersea Gardens, the Royal BC Museum, the Wax Museum, the COHO ferry that goes 3 times a day to Port Angeles, WA and the local harbor ferries that shuttle passengers around Victoria Harbour.

Click for a larger image:
View from our Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel Room

The Victoria harbour is constantly a beehive of activity that's always entertaining to watch. Seaplanes come and go regularly in front of the Empress, the Coho ferry and Victoria Clipper make regular trips in and out of the harbour, kayakers are everywhere and the mini ferries that cross the harbour to various destinations make it easy to get around without using a car.

I recommend selecting a Signature Club full-harbour view room at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel , which also gives you a deluxe continental breakfast in the Signature Lounge and free appies from 5 to 7 in the evening. The 5-star LURE Restaurant in the hotel also gives you an option for fine dining with an incredible view.

Check room rates at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel

You can get some great hotel rates right now for Victoria so book online here:
Victoria Hotel Deals at Hotels.com

Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria

BC Ferries Coast Saver Fares to Victoria, Nanaimo - Hotel deals

BC Ferries is bringing back its discounted coast saver fares. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, until September 3, the car and driver fare from the Lower Mainland (Tsawwassen, Horseshoe Bay) to Vancouver Island (Victoria, Nanaimo) will be $39.

Mid-week walk-on ferry fares will be only $9 on these routes:

Victoria (Swartz Bay) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point)
Nanaimo (Duke Point) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay)

There's also some great summer hotel rates available too: Vancouver , Victoria , Nanaimo . Book online or call 1-800-780-5733 and mention discount code 71430 for the best rates. Check out the deals at Fairmont Hotels too...

Cross border shopping: Vancouver, Bellingham , Seattle outlets; Bus service

As of June 1, 2009 Canadians will need a passport, nexus card or enhanced driver's licence plus birth certificate to cross the border into the U.S.

Vancouver area shoppers can save big on certain items by shopping at Bellis Fair in Bellingham or the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip. Outlet stores in Tulalip (just north of Everett, WA) include Adidas, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, BCBG, Calvin Klein, Eddie Bauer, Fossil, GAP, Guess, Jockey, Lucky Brand, NIKE, PacSun, Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and Tommy Hilfiger.

---

To book your stay online at the luxurious Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel, use the Expedia link on the right for the best rates.

---

You can minimize border waits by taking the Quick Shuttle Bus service for approx. $51 return from Vancouver, Richmond or Surrey. Save an extra 5% by booking online!

Quick Shuttle Bus info:
Daily scheduled service from downtown Vancouver, BC to Seattle Premium Outlets. Reservations required, at least 24 hours in advance.

Quick Shuttle is a Seattle, Vancouver Transportation Service. Quick Shuttle provides bus transportation from Seatac Airport, Downtown Seattle, Tulalip (Seattle Premium Outlets), Bellingham Airport to Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and Cruise Ship Terminals.


Canadian residents who have been out of Canada for 24-47 hours can claim $50 in purchases at Canada Customs without duty or taxes; more than 48 hours but less than 7 days, $400 ; and 7 days or more, $750 . If the value of the declaration exceeds the personal exemption, you must pay duty on the remaining value.

If you're looking for a hotel in the area, check out the deals in Everett, Lynnwood or Seattle or use Priceline.com to bid on a hotel room in the general area. You can also find some great hotel deals in the area using the now discounted Entertainment 2010 Vancouver or Seattle Coupon Book. Get more info at Seattle-Deals.blogspot.com

If you prefer to avoid border lineups, online stores that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here or here.

Vancouver Hotel Deals: Cheap 4 star or 5 star rooms, discounts with Hotwire, Priceline

If you're looking for the best deal on a 4 or 5 star hotel in Vancouver, or anywhere in Canada or the US, visit Hotels-vancouver.blogspot.com. You can name your own price using Priceline, or specify a neighborhood and star rating with Hotwire to get greatly discounted prices and deals on last minute room purchases. Travelocity and Expedia also have some great hotel and flight specials that you can access from there.

tags: fairmont hotel vancouver, waterfront, hyatt regency, sutton place, deals, cheap, 4-star, 5-star, discount, coupon code, travelosity, travellocity, expedia.ca, holiday inn, westin bayshore, pan pacific

JCPenney free US shipping offer and sale

Check out http://free-shipping-deals.blogspot.com/ or http://christmas-store.blogspot.com/ for a current JCPenney free US shipping offer.

If you have a US shipping address (Blaine, Point Roberts, etc.) you can get free shipping on your order. JC Penney has a great sale on bedding, housewares, Levi jeans, Dockers pants, jewelry and watches and lots more, including online outlet items...

JCPenney also ships to Canada for a reasonable price. Find out more at http://northdelta.net/canadaspecials.htm

tags: kitchenaid mixers, relic watches, seiko, levis jeans, docker pants, sale, free shipping, jc penney, canada, canadian, arizona jeans, cuisinart, jackets, shorts, swimwear, lingerie, flexees, shapewear, bali bras, plus size

Unwigged and Unplugged Concert in Vancouver tonight

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest talk about their Unwigged and Unplugged Tour, appearing tonight in Vancouver...

How to fix "Invalid Engine Code" error on Lexmark Optra Printers

An Invalid Engine Code error message may mean that your Lexmark printer has lost the stored operating code for the engine board.

What to do

1. If you have not yet done so, try turning the printer off and then back on. Simply resetting the printer may restore it to a working condition.

2. If this does not clear the error, the code on the printer's engine board will need to be rewritten. You can obtain the engine code file from our website and send the file to the printer without having the printer serviced. Before sending the engine code file to the printer, it is helpful to put the printer into "Flash Engine" mode. Do the following:

1. Turn the printer off.
2. Press and hold the Menu, Select, and Return buttons.
3. While holding these buttons down, turn the printer on.
4. When Performing Self Test appears on the printer, release the buttons. The printer screen should now say Invalid Engine Code.

3.

With the printer in "Flash Engine" mode, you can now copy the engine code file to the printer. The method to use depends on how your computer is connected to the printer. A direct parallel connection to the printer from a computer with DOS on it works best. However, you can also send the files to the printer through a direct USB connection or via an FTP connection across a network. Refer to the appropriate link below for instructions.

How to copy engine code via parallel cable
How to copy engine code via a USB connection
How to copy engine code via an FTP session

If copying the engine code to the printer does not clear the error message, the engine/system board will need to be replaced. This will require service to the printer...

Optra firmware engine code authorization:
# Optra S (4059) series: 4059engn
# Optra T610, Optra T612, Optra T614, Optra T616: optrateng
# Lexmark T520, Lexmark T522, Lexmark T620, and Lexmark T622: lextengn
# Lexmark T630, Lexmark T632, Lexmark T634: e551416
# Lexmark W812: eng204

tags: lexmark, optra, error codes, printer, repair, how to fix, firmware

Allegiant Airlines flights for Canadians: Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Reno, Phoenix, Los Angeles from Bellingham WA

Allegiant Airlines, a no- frills carrier, flies out of Bellingham, Washington to destinations like Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Oakland, Phoenix, Reno, San Diego and San Francisco.

Allegiant recently announced non-stop jet service to Los Angeles (LAX) from Bellingham International Airport beginning May 2/09. Allegiant is celebrating the new service by offering fares as low as $78* one-way to LAX.

One advantage for Vancouver BC area residents is the much lower taxes involved in flying out of Bellingham. Customers can typically save hundreds of dollars and enjoy non-stop direct flights to warm U.S. destinations all year round.

Parking at Bellingham airport is $9 US per day, and is located right next to the terminal.

Allegiant has a few unexpected fees, like a $14 "segment fee", $18 "PFC fee", $10 "security fee", $10 Priority boarding fee, $11 seat selection fee, $27 "convenience fee", and baggage fees ($30 first bag). There's no free food or beverages on board, but snacks and drinks can be purchased from the flight attendants...

Overall the service is cheap, reliable, convenient, and unlike many US flights out of Vancouver, is non-stop to the sunny tourist destinations: Bellingham to Las Vegas, Phoenix or Palm Springs takes about 2.5 hours.

For more info on deals to Las Vegas and Palm Springs through Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire, visit Vegas-bargains.blogspot.com .

Tulalip Outlet Mall, Casino Hotel - Seattle Shopping and Hotel Deals, Bus service from Vancouver BC

British Columbia residents can save a bundle on designer clothing, shoes, housewares and more by making a short trip across the border to the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip Washington (just north of Everett).

You can minimize border waits by taking the Quick Shuttle Bus service for approx. $51 return from Vancouver, Richmond or Surrey. Save an extra 5% by booking online!

Quick Shuttle Bus info:
Daily scheduled service from downtown Vancouver, BC to Seattle Premium Outlets. Reservations required, at least 24 hours in advance.

Quick Shuttle is a Seattle, Vancouver Transportation Service. Quick Shuttle provides bus transportation from Seatac Airport, Downtown Seattle, Tulalip (Seattle Premium Outlets), Bellingham Airport to Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and Cruise Ship Terminals.

Located next door to the Tulalip Casino, Seattle Premium Outlets has 100 outlet stores including Adidas, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, BCBG, Calvin Klein, Eddie Bauer, Fossil, GAP, Guess, Lucky Brand, NIKE, Pac Sun, Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and Tommy Hilfiger.

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To book your stay online at the luxurious Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel, use the Expedia link on the right for the best rates.

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Canadian residents who have been out of Canada for 24-47 hours can claim $50 in purchases at Canada Customs without duty or taxes; more than 48 hours but less than 7 days, $400 ; and 7 days or more, $750 . If the value of the declaration exceeds the personal exemption, you must pay duty on the remaining value.

If you're looking for a hotel in the area, check out the deals in Everett, Lynnwood or Seattle or use Priceline.com to bid on a hotel room in the general area. You can also find some great hotel deals in the area using the now discounted Entertainment 2009 Vancouver or Seattle Coupon Book. Get more info at Seattle-Deals.blogspot.com

If you prefer to avoid border lineups, online stores that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here or here.

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388 Translink new bus service from Walnut Grove, Langley, Surrey, North Delta, 22nd Street Skytrain

There's a great new bus route from Translink / Coast Mountain Bus Service that runs from Walnut Grove in Langley along 88th avenue through Surrey, Nordel Way through North Delta, over the Alex Fraser and Queensborough bridges to 22nd Street Skytrain station. It runs every half hour in both directions in the morning and afternoon rush hours, Monday to Friday.

Very few riders have tried the 388 route so far, but it can actually be faster than driving your car, thanks to the special bus lanes that allow it to bypass long bridge lineups. On most days the trip from Scott Road and Nordel to 22nd street station takes only about 15 minutes!

Check out the 388 bus schedule at Translink's website .

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Pattullo Bridge Fire Damage Sunday January 18: Bridge Closed

YouTube videos of Pattullo Bridge fire January 18:




A fire on the Pattullo Bridge early today will have it shut down in both directions for at least 4 weeks.

The blaze began around 3am.

The wooden beams under the bridge deck caught on fire and then spread to the actual bridge itself.

Inspector Derren Lench with Surrey RCMP says there were cars on the bridge when the fire broke out.

"Upon arrival they found flames that were coming up onto the south end of the Pattullo Bridge from both sides of the bridge deck. There was traffic found on the bridge, I think there was a bus actually stopped right in the location of the fire and some other vehicles."

Ken Hardie with TransLink says the span will remain closed until structural engineers can do a thorough assessment.

" We have damage assessments such that they don't feel safe letting the bridge open. We're going to take a look at those timbers to see what are our options are."

What started the fire has not yet been determined, however investigators are treating the fire as suspicious.

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$13 Free Bonus from ING Direct Canada when you open an account

ING Direct Canada is offering you a $13 bonus when you open an account online or over the phone. You can either visit INGDirect.ca or call 1-800-464-3473 to open an Investment Savings Account, Tax Free Savings Account, unMortgage or Streetwise Funds account.

Use this Orange Key Referral Code to get your $13 bonus deposited into your account:

16180913S1

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Video: Skytrain New Westminster Door Open Problem

On December 27, 2008 the Skytrain travelling from New Westminster Station to 22nd Street Station had a door malfunction, causing at least 2 doors to be open while travelling between stations. Translink blamed the problem on someone forcing the doors open at New West Station, but also admitted that a technician had disabled the door alarm function while working on the train earlier.

Lesson to be learned: Don't lean against the doors while the train is moving!

Read about another scary Skytrain adventure here .



keyword tags: skytrain, vancouver, new westminster, canada, problem, door, doors, open, opening, december, video, pictures, travel, youtube

CPR 2816 Steam Train trip from Vancouver BC to Mission

Filmed and produced by Dieter Hecker, Oct. 4, 2008.
CPR 2816 Steam Locomotive on a special return trip from Vancouver to Mission BC.