The Wirie, a thoroughly researched and thought out long range wireless internet system invented and developed by cruisers for cruisers, is a new device for the boating and RV world. Makers of the new device says "The Wirie is a complete WiFi system that provides much longer range and more stable connections for wireless internet on your boat or RV. It is easy to use and install, waterproof, very powerful, upgradeable, affordable and has a variety of mounting options."

Mark Kilty and Liesbet Collaert from S/V Irie, like most budget minded cruisers, used to take their laptops to shore to access the internet for research, weather information and communication with friends and family. During these trips, the laptops had to endure rain, spray and a lot of shock. Once on land, a WiFi hotspot had to be located to be able to get ”connected”. They got tired of the hassle and time involved with the event of getting online and looked for an affordable, decent product to help access the internet from the comfort of their boat. When they didn’t find what they were looking for, they built it themselves, and called it The Wirie, a combination of their boat name and WiFi.

According to a press release issued this week, "A lot of research and time was spent putting the 'perfect' unit together. It had to be powerful, waterproof, affordable, easy to use, and contain marine grade materials. They also wanted to be able to remove the WiFi adapter from the waterproof case to use it on shore with the laptop if needed. With this unique design, the adapter could also be replaced with newer technologies in the future."

A sailing trip in April 2009 proved The Wirie’s effectiveness and qualities. Other cruisers showed interest, more Wiries were built, and the whole concept became a success in the Caribbean over the following months. Shortly after, a quality website was developed and Tim Kilty of Island Consulting, Inc. became a part of The Wirie crew. Tim’s technical background and his love for boating allowed for some evolution in Mark and Liesbet’s Wirie design and for growth in manufacturing and worldwide shipping. From that point forward The Wirie was available online to an international audience.

During the rest of 2009, research continued, improvements were made to the website, manuals were updated, a more powerful WiFi adapter was added and the RV market became a target. Input from local users prompted new custom-made brackets that will fit horizontal and vertical poles, giving The Wirie yet another edge on the competitors.

Now, Island Consulting, Inc. feels that The Wirie truly is the best and most affordable WiFi solution available on the market for boats and RVs. While enriching customers with The Wirie and providing customer service and advice, the company also keeps an eye on new technologies and continues to research and use them accordingly to improve their product in the future.
The Wirie costs $250 and is for sale online at http://www.thewirie.com.

About The Wirie
The Wirie was invented in the Caribbean in April 2009 to provide a cost-effective, user-friendly, long range WiFi solution for boats and RVs. It was quickly expanded to a U.S. operation to allow a larger distribution. The Wirie is committed to continuous improvements and to making sure every customer is extremely satisfied. The Wirie is manufactured and distributed by Island Consulting, Inc.

TO KEEP THEIR GUESTS ENTERTAINED 

Swimming pools, hot tubs and the best winter weather in the country are not enough for today’s active Baby Boomers 

“Baby Boomer retirees are nothing like the World War II generation. This is a very active group that thrives on activities, classes and entertainment.” 

‒ Linda Profaizer, National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds

      The stereotypical image of snowbirds is a group of older adults lounging around a swimming pool, soaking up the sun.

      But while that image may apply to some snowbirds some of the time, retired Baby Boomers who spend the winter at the larger RV parks and resorts across the Sunbelt are more likely to be taking classes in Tai Chi or Qi Gong, refining their artistic skills with wood carving, ceramics or calligraphy, or attending daylong seminars on music and politics by professors from Ivy League universities. Some RV parks even have their own theatrical and choral groups and host their own arts and crafts shows and sporting tournaments.

      “Today’s retired Baby Boomers are nothing like retirees of the World War II generation,” said Linda Profaizer, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. “This is a very active group that thrives on activities, classes and entertainment.”’

      Similarly, today’s RV parks and resorts are nothing like the snowbird parks of a generation ago. In fact, RV parks and resorts that cater to retired Baby Boomers increasingly offer classes, activities and special events to keep their snowbird guests entertained throughout the winter months.

      Consider Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort in Casa Grande, Ariz. The park offers numerous recreational activities, including aerobics, Pilates, tai chi, yoga, lawn bowling, softball and volleyball, while those who like to dance can take classes in everything from cabaret dancing to line, square and western dancing.

      Palm Creek also offers more than a dozen arts and crafts classes, including ceramics, pottery, sewing, oil painting, watercolor painting, silver smithing, stained glass and wood carving. In fact, its winter guests produce so many high quality craft items that the resort now has a monthly craft fair.

      “We’re not very sedentary here,” said Wendell Johnson, general manager of Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort in Casa Grande, Ariz. “I’d say probably 70 to 80 percent of our guests pursue something here other than lying out by the pool.”

      Voyager RV Resort in Tucson offers similar classes and activities, as well as Qi Gong, a Chinese exercise class, in addition to a class where guests can learn choreographed spirit dance, jazz dance and free form dance.

      Last year, Chicago-based Equity LifeStyle Properties, which owns RV resorts throughout the Sunbelt, launched a lecture series at several of its parks in Florida and Arizona that featured professors from Harvard and Yale who talked about a variety of topics, from the music to Mozart to the role of women in politics.

      The lecture series was so popular that the program has been expanded this year, with topics including “Music And The Brain: Why We Like The Music We Like,” by Professor Craig Wright of Yale University; “FDR And The Path To World War II,” by Professor Richard Pios of Columbia University, and seminars on Gershwin’s most popular songs by Professor Orin Grossman of Fairfield University.

      Randall Hendrickson, manager of Leaf Verde RV Resort in Buckeye, Ariz., said organized activities provide opportunities for park guests to forge strong friendships with one another, while stimulating repeat visits to the park.

      “At Leaf Verde,” he said, “we have augmented the activity schedule to include water aerobics, yoga, water volleyball, casino trips and bus tours. These have been extremely well received, and our returning guests are amazed at all there is to do. Literally every day there is an activity available to serve all interests.”

      Meanwhile, The Great Outdoors RV Resort in Titusville, Fla. offers its winter guests daily activities, including Zumba, kickboxing, hi-low dance aerobics, pilates, total body toning, yoga and group meditation as well as classes in calligraphy, photography, oil painting, and rubber stamping. The park also has formed clubs for virtually every type of interest, from knitting to kayaking to motorcycling.

      Many private park operators now see activities being an essential part of their business strategy.

      “If you’re trying to attract snowbirds, you’ve got to have activities,” said Jolene Wade, managing partner of the Fountain of Youth Spa and RV Park in Niland, Calif. Her park, located in the Southern California desert just east of the Salton Sea, features natural hot springs and some of the best winter weather in the country. But even with those attractions, she offers numerous activities, including radio control aircraft flying, a clown school, bocce ball, therapeutic and water exercise classes and dances with live music.

      Many parks have also expanded their entertainment offering and now host frequent dances and even dinner shows with professional entertainers.

      “The last time I did a luau I hired an act out of Las Vegas to perform,” said Doreen Fuller, activities director for Rincon Country RV Resort in Tucson, Ariz. That’s a sharp contrast to a generation ago, when a big social event at an RV park was a potluck.

      “In the 80s, people had less money to spend,” Fuller said. “They were from the Depression era and they didn’t let loose of their money very easily.  
So a $4 or $5 dollar ticket in those days was a lot of money. Today, we still have $5 and $6 tickets, but we also have $12 and $15 tickets for the bigger shows. I thought that was going to hurt us this year, but we haven’t had any problem selling tickets to our shows.”

      That’s not to say that retirees are not interested in saving money. In fact, the activities program at Golden Village Palms RV Resort in Hemet, Calif. is drawing its largest crowds ever, partly as retirees scale back their investments in entertainment options outside the RV parks and resorts where they spend the winter, said Greg Sidoroff, operations manager for La Jolla, Calif.-based SunLand RV Resort, which owns the Hemet park.

Top 10 Dog and Cat Medical Conditions of 2009

Even the healthiest person can end up in a doctor's office with an unexpected bout of  stomach trouble or an ear infection. While these conditions are rarely life threatening, they can become chronic and expensive to treat. The same is true for pets. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, receives more than a million claims annually for treatment of cats and dogs. This data reveals that just like people, many dogs and cats in 2009 received treatment for non-emergency as well as ongoing disorders:

 Top Dog Conditions Top Cat Conditions 
------------------ ------------------ 
1. Ear Infection 1. Lower Urinary Tract Disease 
----------------- ------------------------------- 
2. Skin Allergy 2. Gastritis/Vomiting 
---------------- ---------------------- 
3. Skin Infection/Hot Spots 3. Chronic Renal Failure 
---------------------------- ------------------------- 
4. Gastritis/Vomiting 4. Hyperthyroidism 
---------------------- ------------------- 
5. Enteritis/Diarrhea 5. Diabetes 
---------------------- ------------ 
6. Bladder Infection 6. Enteritis/Diarrhea 
--------------------- ---------------------- 
7. Arthritis 7. Skin Allergy 
------------- ---------------- 
8. Soft Tissue Trauma 8. Periodontitis/Dental Disease 
---------------------- -------------------------------- 
9. Non-cancerous Tumor 9. Ear Infection 
----------------------- ----------------- 
10. Eye Infection 10. Eye Infection 
----------------- ------------------ 

"What we hear from many pet owners," said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI, "is that nothing happens to their pet because the pet is with them daily and receives the right food and plenty of exercise, etc. Those things certainly go a long way in making for a healthy, happy animal. Despite a pet owner's best efforts, however, VPI's data shows that pets are still at risk for ailments that may require repeated trips to a veterinarian's office."

VPI received nearly 68,000 canine claims for ear infections in 2009 - with an average claim fee of $100 per office visit. For cats, VPI received 3,700 medical claims for lower urinary tract disease. Lower urinary tract disease cost cat owners an average of $260 per office visit. The most expensive canine condition on the list (non-cancerous tumor) cost an average of $335 per visit, while, for cats, the most expensive condition (periodontitis/dental disease) cost an average of $360 per visit.

A few of the top 10 dog and cat conditions can be associated with an animal's natural aging process. However, many of the top 10 conditions can occur in any pet. No matter the age or breed, whether it be an indoor or an outdoor dog or cat, pet owners should familiarize themselves with their pets' daily routine in order to identify abnormal behaviors that might indicate an injury or illness. In addition, regular semiannual physical exams can help prevent and identify certain conditions before they become serious or costly.

Source: Veterinary Pet Insurance

If you've rented an RV to go to the Super Bowl in Miami this weekend, you may face some disappointments.  Sun Life stadium in Miami, which is so old, NFL authorities are threatening not to come back until it is updated.  For whatever reason, RV's are not allowed to park at the stadium.  So, you may have to cab it, or perhaps the RV resort where you are staying may have a shuttle.  No tailgating allowed!  Wha?  Football and tailgating...ever hear of it.  Nope, not at Sun Life stadium..no tents, no open fires, no cooking hot dogs..nothing.  What is interesting is that limos, up to 30 feet are allowed.  And, if you're a "bus"...you can pay $350 plus to park...but if you look like an RV, stay out.  Gladly, I'll be in front of the big screen at home watching it this year.  I will be barbecuing ribs, mixing up the guacamole, and saving a few thousand dollars. For you RV'ers that made the trip, I know, despite all the restrictions..you'll have a memorable weekend.