text:
(CNN) -- More than just the quintessential Seattle shopping experience, Pike Place Market is a tourist attraction in its own right. This historic farmers market is the place to pick up all manner of fresh local produce, as well as handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings. Keep your camera handy to snap the colorful floral displays and the fishmongers tossing whole salmon to each other.

Flying fish at Pike Place Market.

If Pike Place whets your appetite for fresh produce, check out the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market (5330 Ballard Avenue, Sundays) for delicious farm-fresh goodies. Another great Sunday market is the weekly Fremont Flea Market (400 N 34th Street), a cornucopia of used, vintage and antique goods. For the avid antiques hunter the underground Pioneer Square Antiques Mall (602 First Avenue) has more than 60 stalls.

If you prefer big brand names you'll want to head downtown, where you'll find the likes of Banana Republic (500 Pike Street) and a colossal Nike Town (1500 6th Avenue). Downtown is also home to Macy's (1601 Third Avenue), still known to locals as "The Bon" from its former incarnation as Bon MarchÃ©. Macy's can be good for a bargain, but the city's best department store is the flagship Nordstrom (500 Pine Street), famed for it exemplary customer service.

For something more cutting edge, Capitol Hill and Belltown are full of funky boutiques and vintage clothing stores. Crossroads Trading Company (325 Broadway Avenue E and 4300 University Way) is a good option for second-hand threads, while sneaker freaks will find that Gems (615 Western Avenue) is a treasure trove of fancy footwear.

Bibliophiles will love Seattle for its numerous independent books stores. Set aside a couple of hours to visit the Elliot Bay Book Company (101 South Main Street), a vast space crammed full of new and used books. It boasts an excellent selection of titles about the region, a pleasant cafÃ© and readings or signings almost every night. University Bookstore (4326 University Way) has a huge selection, while Fremont Place Books (621 N 35th Street) is a cozy little place with an interesting range of titles.

If you're planning an expedition into the beautiful wilderness around Seattle, you can get kitted out at the flagship REI (222 Yale Avenue N). There's everything you'll need for hiking, biking, rock climbing and skiing, and you can even hire stuff, so you won't have to drag it all back home with you.

Bamboozle your friends by getting them an eccentric souvenir from Archie McPhee (2428 NW Market Street). Of course, eccentric is a relative term, but squirrel underpants (which, apparently, are also suitable for hamsters, frogs and gerbils) and inflatable fruitcakes should qualify as eccentric by most standards. If you plan to visit this bazaar of the bizarre you should note that Archie's is set to move to the corner of North 45th Street and Stone Way North, in Wallingford, some time next year.

Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop |

......................

Do you agree with our Seattle picks? Send us your comments and suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best.

text: CNN

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text: Send

text: us

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text: comments

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text: in

text: the

text: Sound

text: Off

text: box

text: below

text: and

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text: 'll

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text: the

text: best

question: where is this located?

answer: Seattle

text: Seattle

question: Downtown is the place for what?

answer: to pick up all manner of fresh local produce, as well as handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

text: to pick up all manner of fresh local produce, as well as handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

question: Where are chain stores?

answer: downtown,

text: downtown,

question: what do they sell?

answer: handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

text: handmade crafts, jewelry, antiques and paintings.

question: Does Seattle have bookshops?

answer: numerous independent books stores.

text: numerous independent books stores.


text:
Los Angeles, California (CNN)   -- The sudden end to a legal battle between dethroned Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and pageant officials was prompted by the revelation of a "sex tape," according to a source familiar with the lawsuits' settlement.

Prejean was fired in June after lingerie-modeling photos of her emerged that pageant officials said were a breach of her contract. Prejean sued the pageant in August, arguing her firing was religious discrimination because of her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Pageant officials countersued last month, demanding their former beauty queen repay $5,200 in pageant money spent for her breast implants and give them all proceeds from a book she's written.

A settlement of both lawsuits was signed in New York Tuesday, but no details were made public. Lawyers and parties for each side were bound by a confidentiality pledge, according to the source.

The veil of secrecy was partially lifted Wednesday after celebrity gossip Web site TMZ reported the deal was sealed after pageant lawyers presented an "extremely graphic" home video involving Prejean.

TMZ Managing Editor Harvey Levin said during a webcast Wednesday that he obtained the Prejean video during the summer, but found it "too racy" to post on his site. He indicated Prejean was alone in the video.

The source with knowledge of the settlement talks told CNN those details were accurate.

Prejean's lawyer, Charles LiMandri, responded with a short statement issued through an employee at his law office. "It's a confidential settlement, and he can't discuss it," the statement said.

Several calls and e-mail to Prejean's publicist were not returned Wednesday.

Prejean's tell-all book hits bookstores next week, and she is scheduled for media interviews to promote it.

Pageant spokesman Kenn Henman said Tuesday the settlement means all lawsuit demands are dropped.

The pageant had claimed that the contract she signed when she entered their competition last year gave the pageant the rights to anything she wrote. The settlement ended that claim.

Pageant officials also dropped their attempt to be repaid for her breast enhancement, which was done before she represented California in the Miss USA competition, according to Henman.

Prejean, in exchange, withdrew her suit accusing the pageant of violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were enhanced, Henman said.

"We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant, telecast live on November 22," pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said Tuesday.

"We're back in the business of beauty," he told CNN.

There was nothing pretty about the public fight that began in April when Prejean, 22, stepped into controversy by declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage while answering a judge's question at the Miss USA pageant. Prejean finished as first runner-up.

While state and national pageant officials publicly supported her initially, their opinions eventually changed after she continued to make public statements about same-sex marriage.

She held onto her crown through May, despite a series of questionable photos that emerged on gossip Web sites. Those images showed a topless Prejean, photographed from behind.

She was dethroned in June by Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump amid growing complaints by state officials that she was uncooperative and not meeting her contractual obligations.

Prejean filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her stand against same-sex marriage.

The pageant's countercomplaint said what it called Prejean's belligerent behavior, lack of cooperation and contract breaches caused her firing, not her opposition to same-sex marriage.

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: California

text: CNN

text: The

text: sudden

text: end

text: to

text: a

text: legal

text: battle

text: between

text: dethroned

text: Miss

text: California

text: USA

text: Carrie

text: Prejean

text: and

text: pageant

text: officials

text: was

text: prompted

text: by

text: the

text: revelation

text: of

text: a

text: sex

text: tape

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: source

text: familiar

text: with

text: the

text: lawsuits

text: settlement

text: Prejean

text: was

text: fired

text: in

text: June

text: after

text: lingerie

text: modeling

text: photos

text: of

text: her

text: emerged

text: that

text: pageant

text: officials

text: said

text: were

text: a

text: breach

text: of

text: her

text: contract

text: Prejean

text: sued

text: the

text: pageant

text: in

text: August

text: arguing

text: her

text: firing

text: was

text: religious

text: discrimination

text: because

text: of

text: her

text: opposition

text: to

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: Pageant

text: officials

text: countersued

text: last

text: month

text: demanding

text: their

text: former

text: beauty

text: queen

text: repay

text: in

text: pageant

text: money

text: spent

text: for

text: her

text: breast

text: implants

text: and

text: give

text: them

text: all

text: proceeds

text: from

text: a

text: book

text: she

text: 's

text: written

text: A

text: settlement

text: of

text: both

text: lawsuits

text: was

text: signed

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: Tuesday

text: but

text: no

text: details

text: were

text: made

text: public

text: Lawyers

text: and

text: parties

text: for

text: each

text: side

text: were

text: bound

text: by

text: a

text: confidentiality

text: pledge

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: source

text: The

text: veil

text: of

text: secrecy

text: was

text: partially

text: lifted

text: Wednesday

text: after

text: celebrity

text: gossip

text: Web

text: site

text: TMZ

text: reported

text: the

text: deal

text: was

text: sealed

text: after

text: pageant

text: lawyers

text: presented

text: an

text: extremely

text: graphic

text: home

text: video

text: involving

text: Prejean

text: TMZ

text: Managing

text: Editor

text: Harvey

text: Levin

text: said

text: during

text: a

text: webcast

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: he

text: obtained

text: the

text: Prejean

text: video

text: during

text: the

text: summer

text: but

text: found

text: it

text: too

text: racy

text: to

text: post

text: on

text: his

text: site

text: He

text: indicated

text: Prejean

text: was

text: alone

text: in

text: the

text: video

text: The

text: source

text: with

text: knowledge

text: of

text: the

text: settlement

text: talks

text: told

text: CNN

text: those

text: details

text: were

text: accurate

text: Prejean

text: 's

text: lawyer

text: Charles

text: LiMandri

text: responded

text: with

text: a

text: short

text: statement

text: issued

text: through

text: an

text: employee

text: at

text: his

text: law

text: office

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: confidential

text: settlement

text: and

text: he

text: ca

text: n't

text: discuss

text: it

text: the

text: statement

text: said

text: Several

text: calls

text: and

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: Prejean

text: 's

text: publicist

text: were

text: not

text: returned

text: Wednesday

text: Prejean

text: 's

text: tell

text: all

text: book

text: hits

text: bookstores

text: next

text: week

text: and

text: she

text: is

text: scheduled

text: for

text: media

text: interviews

text: to

text: promote

text: it

text: Pageant

text: spokesman

text: Kenn

text: Henman

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: the

text: settlement

text: means

text: all

text: lawsuit

text: demands

text: are

text: dropped

text: The

text: pageant

text: had

text: claimed

text: that

text: the

text: contract

text: she

text: signed

text: when

text: she

text: entered

text: their

text: competition

text: last

text: year

text: gave

text: the

text: pageant

text: the

text: rights

text: to

text: anything

text: she

text: wrote

text: The

text: settlement

text: ended

text: that

text: claim

text: Pageant

text: officials

text: also

text: dropped

text: their

text: attempt

text: to

text: be

text: repaid

text: for

text: her

text: breast

text: enhancement

text: which

text: was

text: done

text: before

text: she

text: represented

text: California

text: in

text: the

text: Miss

text: USA

text: competition

text: according

text: to

text: Henman

text: Prejean

text: in

text: exchange

text: withdrew

text: her

text: suit

text: accusing

text: the

text: pageant

text: of

text: violating

text: her

text: privacy

text: by

text: confirming

text: to

text: reporters

text: that

text: her

text: breasts

text: were

text: enhanced

text: Henman

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: moving

text: forward

text: from

text: the

text: past

text: and

text: looking

text: towards

text: the

text: crowning

text: of

text: two

text: winners

text: and

text: the

text: new

text: look

text: of

text: the

text: upcoming

text: Miss

text: California

text: USA

text: pageant

text: telecast

text: live

text: on

text: November

text: pageant

text: Executive

text: Director

text: Keith

text: Lewis

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: We

text: 're

text: back

text: in

text: the

text: business

text: of

text: beauty

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: was

text: nothing

text: pretty

text: about

text: the

text: public

text: fight

text: that

text: began

text: in

text: April

text: when

text: Prejean

text: stepped

text: into

text: controversy

text: by

text: declaring

text: her

text: opposition

text: to

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: while

text: answering

text: a

text: judge

text: 's

text: question

text: at

text: the

text: Miss

text: USA

text: pageant

text: Prejean

text: finished

text: as

text: first

text: runner

text: up

text: While

text: state

text: and

text: national

text: pageant

text: officials

text: publicly

text: supported

text: her

text: initially

text: their

text: opinions

text: eventually

text: changed

text: after

text: she

text: continued

text: to

text: make

text: public

text: statements

text: about

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: She

text: held

text: onto

text: her

text: crown

text: through

text: May

text: despite

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: questionable

text: photos

text: that

text: emerged

text: on

text: gossip

text: Web

text: sites

text: Those

text: images

text: showed

text: a

text: topless

text: Prejean

text: photographed

text: from

text: behind

text: She

text: was

text: dethroned

text: in

text: June

text: by

text: Miss

text: USA

text: pageant

text: owner

text: Donald

text: Trump

text: amid

text: growing

text: complaints

text: by

text: state

text: officials

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: uncooperative

text: and

text: not

text: meeting

text: her

text: contractual

text: obligations

text: Prejean

text: filed

text: her

text: lawsuit

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: County

text: Superior

text: Court

text: in

text: August

text: claiming

text: that

text: her

text: firing

text: was

text: religious

text: discrimination

text: because

text: of

text: her

text: stand

text: against

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: The

text: pageant

text: 's

text: countercomplaint

text: said

text: what

text: it

text: called

text: Prejean

text: 's

text: belligerent

text: behavior

text: lack

text: of

text: cooperation

text: and

text: contract

text: breaches

text: caused

text: her

text: firing

text: not

text: her

text: opposition

text: to

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

question: What position was Carrie Prejean dethroned from

answer: USA

text: USA

question: What state did she represent?

answer: California

text: California

question: What did TMZ receive during the summer

answer: the Prejean video

text: the Prejean video

question: Who was dethroned?

answer: Miss California

text: Miss California

question: Who sued the pageant?

answer: Prejean

text: Prejean

question: What kind of video was it?

answer: "sex tape,"

text: "sex tape,"

question: Who was detrhoned?

answer: Miss California

text: Miss California

question: Who says he got the video?

answer: TMZ Managing Editor Harvey Levin

text: TMZ Managing Editor Harvey Levin

question: What did TMZ editor say about video

answer: found it "too racy" to post on his site.

text: found it "too racy" to post on his site.


text:
(CNN) -- Just west of Seville in Spain, a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's energy to provide "concentrated solar power" (CSP) while illuminating the path to a new wave of green energy projects.

Shining beacon: The concentrated solar power plant in Sanlucar, Spain is the first of its kind.

The 624 carefully positioned mirrors reflect the sun's heat towards a 50 meter-tall central tower where it is concentrated and used to boil water into steam.

The superheated steam is then used to turn a turbine that can produce up to 11 megawatts of electricity -- enough power for 6,000 homes -- according Solucar, the Spanish company that has built the power plant.

While traditional solar panels, photovoltaic cells, convert the sun's power directly into electricity, CSP focuses power from a wide area and uses the vast heat generated to make electricity in a similar way to that produced from coal or oil.

The Spanish tower, known as PS10, is the first phase of an ambitious development. By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm" with an output of 300 megawatts, which would be enough power for 180,000 homes, or equivalent to the entire population of nearby Seville.

This $1.5 billion project is the largest commercial CSP station in the world -- so far.

But many believe the technology will soon take off in areas of continuous hot sun and clear skies, offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to photovoltaic cells, and bringing jobs and money to arid, often depressed areas.

CSP also produces no greenhouses gasses and the only pollution is visual. The European Union has invested over $31 million in CSP research over the last ten years.

At least 50 CSP projects have been given permission to begin construction across Spain. By 2015 the country may be producing two gigawatts of electricity from CSP, and employing thousands in the industry.

One of the strengths of CSP is that it allows the construction of power stations on a scale that can match many fossil fuel based plants, and for an investment far less than that required to install the equivalent wattage of photovoltaic cells.

There is also the possibility that production can keep going around the clock -- even when the sun has gone down.

Solucar is currently testing technology at a plant near Granada that will pump 50 percent of the electricity generated in the day into the Spanish national grid, and use the other 50 percent to melt salt, which will then act as a kind of battery, storing the sun's power. When dusk falls, the heat stored in the molten salt can be used to generate power through the night.

"These technologies excite me," says Dr Jeff Hardy, Network Manager at the UK Energy Research Council.

"One of the real advantages is that you can get a decent sized power plant.

"The main challenge with the technology is working with extreme heat, but then a lot of the back-end is very similar to a traditional fossil-fuel generation; you are after all just dealing with water heated to make steam and drive a turbine."

Concentrating on promoting CSP worldwide

As America looks to increase the contribution of renewables to its overall energy mix -- a key part of the Obama plan before the recession turbocharged Government funding for such "green" infrastructure projects -- the potential of CSP technology is obvious.

The Spanish company responsible for the Sanlucar la Mayor plant has seen the potential and created Solucar Power, Inc., a subsidiary aiming to develop the market in the USA.

There is already a huge Solar Energy Generating Systems' CSP station in the Mojave Desert, California; Spanish firm Acciona has built a plant near Las Vegas. Many more are surely on their way.

One bold projection estimates that a single plant 100 miles by 100 miles located in the American South West could generate enough electricity for the whole country.

It would obviously be a huge undertaking -- politically, financially and scientifically -- but it's not hard to imagine such a scheme finding a home in the nation's vast, empty quarter.

Other equally arid areas may also find themselves transformed, and CSP may be able to offer valuable foreign earnings for drought-stricken Africa -- while giving Europe the green energy it needs. According to Dr Hardy the technology has a ready application, given the right political, environmental and economic context.

"Concentrated Solar Power is proven to do well in countries like Spain with a favorable government policies and the right climate," he says.

"I can certainly see the potential for extended networks linking together, and the idea of a North African grid linking renewable resources is a real possibility."

Providing power, jobs and money

The Sahara, the world's largest desert, is fringed by some of the poorest countries in the world and the harsh environment has always been seen as a problem, with it's vast, waterless interior regularly reaching temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius.

But with large-scale CSP projects, suddenly all that empty space, with its year-round clear skies and hot sun, has a value that could transform local economies.

It could potentially turn Africa into a net exporter of energy to power-hungry Europe, and perhaps even do for countries in North Africa what oil did for Saudi Arabia.

The sums are dizzying. Estimates vary, but one projection from the German Aerospace Agency puts the amount of solar energy stored in just one per cent of the Sahara -- 35,000 square miles, or a piece of land slightly smaller than Portugal -- as having the potential to yield more power than all the world's existing power plants combined.

Already Spanish firms are exporting CSP technology to Morocco and Algeria, and a British consortium, the Sahara Forest Project, is testing the technology in the deserts of Oman.

Costs and benefits

However, there is a problem: at the moment costs are still very high. But they are falling as plants get bigger, the technology is perfected and economies of scale kick in.

Even so, any plans to power Europe from the Sahara would require a vast infrastructure of CSP plants and cables laid across the Mediterranean -- requiring billions upon billions of dollars in investment.

Such sums will only be possible through international co-operation on a huge scale. But on a smaller, more local scale a simple change in the way electricity generators are paid has been hugely effective in boosting renewable power.

In Spain and other European countries investment has been encouraged by Governments creating what's known as a "feed in tariff," which pays companies a premium for power sold to the national grid generated by renewable means for a fixed period of time. This enables investors to pay back up front costs more quickly.

Where they have been introduced they have brought about a huge increase in renewable power: Germany has 200 times as much solar energy as Britain, generates 12 percent of its electricity from renewables, and has created a quarter of a million jobs in the sector.

We're a long way from a future where the Sahara becomes the world's largest source of renewable electricity, and the American South West is covered in mirrors lighting and powering cities across the continent.

There are many huge issues yet to resolve, but with small steps, we may be moving towards it.

text: CNN

text: Just

text: west

text: of

text: Seville

text: in

text: Spain

text: a

text: sea

text: of

text: giant

text: mirrors

text: is

text: reflecting

text: the

text: sun

text: 's

text: energy

text: to

text: provide

text: concentrated

text: solar

text: power

text: CSP

text: while

text: illuminating

text: the

text: path

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: wave

text: of

text: green

text: energy

text: projects

text: Shining

text: beacon

text: The

text: concentrated

text: solar

text: power

text: plant

text: in

text: Sanlucar

text: Spain

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: of

text: its

text: kind

text: The

text: carefully

text: positioned

text: mirrors

text: reflect

text: the

text: sun

text: 's

text: heat

text: towards

text: a

text: meter

text: tall

text: central

text: tower

text: where

text: it

text: is

text: concentrated

text: and

text: used

text: to

text: boil

text: water

text: into

text: steam

text: The

text: superheated

text: steam

text: is

text: then

text: used

text: to

text: turn

text: a

text: turbine

text: that

text: can

text: produce

text: up

text: to

text: megawatts

text: of

text: electricity

text: enough

text: power

text: for

text: homes

text: according

text: Solucar

text: the

text: Spanish

text: company

text: that

text: has

text: built

text: the

text: power

text: plant

text: While

text: traditional

text: solar

text: panels

text: photovoltaic

text: cells

text: convert

text: the

text: sun

text: 's

text: power

text: directly

text: into

text: electricity

text: CSP

text: focuses

text: power

text: from

text: a

text: wide

text: area

text: and

text: uses

text: the

text: vast

text: heat

text: generated

text: to

text: make

text: electricity

text: in

text: a

text: similar

text: way

text: to

text: that

text: produced

text: from

text: coal

text: or

text: oil

text: The

text: Spanish

text: tower

text: known

text: as

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: phase

text: of

text: an

text: ambitious

text: development

text: By

text: it

text: is

text: hoped

text: that

text: additional

text: towers

text: will

text: create

text: a

text: solar

text: farm

text: with

text: an

text: output

text: of

text: megawatts

text: which

text: would

text: be

text: enough

text: power

text: for

text: homes

text: or

text: equivalent

text: to

text: the

text: entire

text: population

text: of

text: nearby

text: Seville

text: This

text: billion

text: project

text: is

text: the

text: largest

text: commercial

text: CSP

text: station

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: so

text: far

text: But

text: many

text: believe

text: the

text: technology

text: will

text: soon

text: take

text: off

text: in

text: areas

text: of

text: continuous

text: hot

text: sun

text: and

text: clear

text: skies

text: offering

text: a

text: cheaper

text: and

text: more

text: efficient

text: alternative

text: to

text: photovoltaic

text: cells

text: and

text: bringing

text: jobs

text: and

text: money

text: to

text: arid

text: often

text: depressed

text: areas

text: CSP

text: also

text: produces

text: no

text: greenhouses

text: gasses

text: and

text: the

text: only

text: pollution

text: is

text: visual

text: The

text: European

text: Union

text: has

text: invested

text: over

text: million

text: in

text: CSP

text: research

text: over

text: the

text: last

text: ten

text: years

text: At

text: least

text: CSP

text: projects

text: have

text: been

text: given

text: permission

text: to

text: begin

text: construction

text: across

text: Spain

text: By

text: the

text: country

text: may

text: be

text: producing

text: two

text: gigawatts

text: of

text: electricity

text: from

text: CSP

text: and

text: employing

text: thousands

text: in

text: the

text: industry

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: strengths

text: of

text: CSP

text: is

text: that

text: it

text: allows

text: the

text: construction

text: of

text: power

text: stations

text: on

text: a

text: scale

text: that

text: can

text: match

text: many

text: fossil

text: fuel

text: based

text: plants

text: and

text: for

text: an

text: investment

text: far

text: less

text: than

text: that

text: required

text: to

text: install

text: the

text: equivalent

text: wattage

text: of

text: photovoltaic

text: cells

text: There

text: is

text: also

text: the

text: possibility

text: that

text: production

text: can

text: keep

text: going

text: around

text: the

text: clock

text: even

text: when

text: the

text: sun

text: has

text: gone

text: down

text: Solucar

text: is

text: currently

text: testing

text: technology

text: at

text: a

text: plant

text: near

text: Granada

text: that

text: will

text: pump

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: electricity

text: generated

text: in

text: the

text: day

text: into

text: the

text: Spanish

text: national

text: grid

text: and

text: use

text: the

text: other

text: percent

text: to

text: melt

text: salt

text: which

text: will

text: then

text: act

text: as

text: a

text: kind

text: of

text: battery

text: storing

text: the

text: sun

text: 's

text: power

text: When

text: dusk

text: falls

text: the

text: heat

text: stored

text: in

text: the

text: molten

text: salt

text: can

text: be

text: used

text: to

text: generate

text: power

text: through

text: the

text: night

text: These

text: technologies

text: excite

text: me

text: says

text: Dr

text: Jeff

text: Hardy

text: Network

text: Manager

text: at

text: the

text: UK

text: Energy

text: Research

text: Council

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: real

text: advantages

text: is

text: that

text: you

text: can

text: get

text: a

text: decent

text: sized

text: power

text: plant

text: The

text: main

text: challenge

text: with

text: the

text: technology

text: is

text: working

text: with

text: extreme

text: heat

text: but

text: then

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: the

text: back

text: end

text: is

text: very

text: similar

text: to

text: a

text: traditional

text: fossil

text: fuel

text: generation

text: you

text: are

text: after

text: all

text: just

text: dealing

text: with

text: water

text: heated

text: to

text: make

text: steam

text: and

text: drive

text: a

text: turbine

text: Concentrating

text: on

text: promoting

text: CSP

text: worldwide

text: As

text: America

text: looks

text: to

text: increase

text: the

text: contribution

text: of

text: renewables

text: to

text: its

text: overall

text: energy

text: mix

text: a

text: key

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Obama

text: plan

text: before

text: the

text: recession

text: turbocharged

text: Government

text: funding

text: for

text: such

text: green

text: infrastructure

text: projects

text: the

text: potential

text: of

text: CSP

text: technology

text: is

text: obvious

text: The

text: Spanish

text: company

text: responsible

text: for

text: the

text: Sanlucar

text: la

text: Mayor

text: plant

text: has

text: seen

text: the

text: potential

text: and

text: created

text: Solucar

text: Power

text: Inc.

text: a

text: subsidiary

text: aiming

text: to

text: develop

text: the

text: market

text: in

text: the

text: USA

text: There

text: is

text: already

text: a

text: huge

text: Solar

text: Energy

text: Generating

text: Systems

text: CSP

text: station

text: in

text: the

text: Mojave

text: Desert

text: California

text: Spanish

text: firm

text: Acciona

text: has

text: built

text: a

text: plant

text: near

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: Many

text: more

text: are

text: surely

text: on

text: their

text: way

text: One

text: bold

text: projection

text: estimates

text: that

text: a

text: single

text: plant

text: miles

text: by

text: miles

text: located

text: in

text: the

text: American

text: South

text: West

text: could

text: generate

text: enough

text: electricity

text: for

text: the

text: whole

text: country

text: It

text: would

text: obviously

text: be

text: a

text: huge

text: undertaking

text: politically

text: financially

text: and

text: scientifically

text: but

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: hard

text: to

text: imagine

text: such

text: a

text: scheme

text: finding

text: a

text: home

text: in

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: vast

text: empty

text: quarter

text: Other

text: equally

text: arid

text: areas

text: may

text: also

text: find

text: themselves

text: transformed

text: and

text: CSP

text: may

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: offer

text: valuable

text: foreign

text: earnings

text: for

text: drought

text: stricken

text: Africa

text: while

text: giving

text: Europe

text: the

text: green

text: energy

text: it

text: needs

text: According

text: to

text: Dr

text: Hardy

text: the

text: technology

text: has

text: a

text: ready

text: application

text: given

text: the

text: right

text: political

text: environmental

text: and

text: economic

text: context

text: Concentrated

text: Solar

text: Power

text: is

text: proven

text: to

text: do

text: well

text: in

text: countries

text: like

text: Spain

text: with

text: a

text: favorable

text: government

text: policies

text: and

text: the

text: right

text: climate

text: he

text: says

text: I

text: can

text: certainly

text: see

text: the

text: potential

text: for

text: extended

text: networks

text: linking

text: together

text: and

text: the

text: idea

text: of

text: a

text: North

text: African

text: grid

text: linking

text: renewable

text: resources

text: is

text: a

text: real

text: possibility

text: Providing

text: power

text: jobs

text: and

text: money

text: The

text: Sahara

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: largest

text: desert

text: is

text: fringed

text: by

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: poorest

text: countries

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: and

text: the

text: harsh

text: environment

text: has

text: always

text: been

text: seen

text: as

text: a

text: problem

text: with

text: it

text: 's

text: vast

text: waterless

text: interior

text: regularly

text: reaching

text: temperatures

text: of

text: over

text: degrees

text: Celsius

text: But

text: with

text: large

text: scale

text: CSP

text: projects

text: suddenly

text: all

text: that

text: empty

text: space

text: with

text: its

text: year

text: round

text: clear

text: skies

text: and

text: hot

text: sun

text: has

text: a

text: value

text: that

text: could

text: transform

text: local

text: economies

text: It

text: could

text: potentially

text: turn

text: Africa

text: into

text: a

text: net

text: exporter

text: of

text: energy

text: to

text: power

text: hungry

text: Europe

text: and

text: perhaps

text: even

text: do

text: for

text: countries

text: in

text: North

text: Africa

text: what

text: oil

text: did

text: for

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: The

text: sums

text: are

text: dizzying

text: Estimates

text: vary

text: but

text: one

text: projection

text: from

text: the

text: German

text: Aerospace

text: Agency

text: puts

text: the

text: amount

text: of

text: solar

text: energy

text: stored

text: in

text: just

text: one

text: per

text: cent

text: of

text: the

text: Sahara

text: square

text: miles

text: or

text: a

text: piece

text: of

text: land

text: slightly

text: smaller

text: than

text: Portugal

text: as

text: having

text: the

text: potential

text: to

text: yield

text: more

text: power

text: than

text: all

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: existing

text: power

text: plants

text: combined

text: Already

text: Spanish

text: firms

text: are

text: exporting

text: CSP

text: technology

text: to

text: Morocco

text: and

text: Algeria

text: and

text: a

text: British

text: consortium

text: the

text: Sahara

text: Forest

text: Project

text: is

text: testing

text: the

text: technology

text: in

text: the

text: deserts

text: of

text: Oman

text: Costs

text: and

text: benefits

text: However

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: problem

text: at

text: the

text: moment

text: costs

text: are

text: still

text: very

text: high

text: But

text: they

text: are

text: falling

text: as

text: plants

text: get

text: bigger

text: the

text: technology

text: is

text: perfected

text: and

text: economies

text: of

text: scale

text: kick

text: in

text: Even

text: so

text: any

text: plans

text: to

text: power

text: Europe

text: from

text: the

text: Sahara

text: would

text: require

text: a

text: vast

text: infrastructure

text: of

text: CSP

text: plants

text: and

text: cables

text: laid

text: across

text: the

text: Mediterranean

text: requiring

text: billions

text: upon

text: billions

text: of

text: dollars

text: in

text: investment

text: Such

text: sums

text: will

text: only

text: be

text: possible

text: through

text: international

text: co

text: operation

text: on

text: a

text: huge

text: scale

text: But

text: on

text: a

text: smaller

text: more

text: local

text: scale

text: a

text: simple

text: change

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: electricity

text: generators

text: are

text: paid

text: has

text: been

text: hugely

text: effective

text: in

text: boosting

text: renewable

text: power

text: In

text: Spain

text: and

text: other

text: European

text: countries

text: investment

text: has

text: been

text: encouraged

text: by

text: Governments

text: creating

text: what

text: 's

text: known

text: as

text: a

text: feed

text: in

text: tariff

text: which

text: pays

text: companies

text: a

text: premium

text: for

text: power

text: sold

text: to

text: the

text: national

text: grid

text: generated

text: by

text: renewable

text: means

text: for

text: a

text: fixed

text: period

text: of

text: time

text: This

text: enables

text: investors

text: to

text: pay

text: back

text: up

text: front

text: costs

text: more

text: quickly

text: Where

text: they

text: have

text: been

text: introduced

text: they

text: have

text: brought

text: about

text: a

text: huge

text: increase

text: in

text: renewable

text: power

text: Germany

text: has

text: times

text: as

text: much

text: solar

text: energy

text: as

text: Britain

text: generates

text: percent

text: of

text: its

text: electricity

text: from

text: renewables

text: and

text: has

text: created

text: a

text: quarter

text: of

text: a

text: million

text: jobs

text: in

text: the

text: sector

text: We

text: 're

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: from

text: a

text: future

text: where

text: the

text: Sahara

text: becomes

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: largest

text: source

text: of

text: renewable

text: electricity

text: and

text: the

text: American

text: South

text: West

text: is

text: covered

text: in

text: mirrors

text: lighting

text: and

text: powering

text: cities

text: across

text: the

text: continent

text: There

text: are

text: many

text: huge

text: issues

text: yet

text: to

text: resolve

text: but

text: with

text: small

text: steps

text: we

text: may

text: be

text: moving

text: towards

text: it

question: What would plans involve?

answer: vast infrastructure of CSP plants and cables laid across the Mediterranean

text: vast infrastructure of CSP plants and cables laid across the Mediterranean

question: Who benefits from the power?

answer: Spain.

text: Spain.

question: Are there plans to expand solar power in Spain?

answer: By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm"

text: By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm"

question: What is green energy?

answer: a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's

text: a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's

question: What is the cost of transformations?

answer: very high.

text: very high.


text:
(CNN) -- A year ago, employees at Boiron, a medical manufacturing company, wined and dined at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort overlooking the picturesque bay in Rose Hall, Jamaica, for their annual retreat.

The InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa is subtly scaling back amid a sagging economy.

This year, employees are saying goodbye to luxury as company President Ludovic Rassat moved the event to a more sensible location: the Sheraton Suites Philadelphia Airport.

Many of his employees who live near the hotel are expected to sleep at home.

"It's important to see we are making decisions for the good of the company," Rassat said. "At the end of the day, it's going to be good for them. Their jobs are still going to be there."

With a mentality like Rassat's pervading the business and leisure traveler psyche, luxury hotels are bleeding occupancy and revenue at a rate far worse than the travel slump experienced after September 11, travel experts say.

To overcome their financial woes, luxury hotels are dropping rates, giving customers incentives and finding ways to cut operating costs without compromising the integrity of their posh images.

Starwood Hotel & Resorts, which owns the chic W and St Regis hotels, is offering existing and new members of its preferred guest program the opportunity to earn a free weekend night with two stays at any of Starwood's hotels from May through July. Guests can use their free night through the end of September across Starwood's brands, including many of the company's luxury properties.

This summer, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, which operates five-star properties around the world, will offer customers who book particular packages free breakfast and a $100 resort credit. Washington's Willard Intercontinental Hotel is offering a "buy two nights, get a third night free" promotion for weekend stays through December.

From December to February, occupancy in luxury hotels, a category that includes names such as the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. sunk more than 15 percent -- a steeper drop than at mid-level hotels, according to leading hotel industry watcher Smith Travel Research Inc.

The revenue generated from the available luxury rooms fell 23 percent in that same three-month period, according to the Smith Travel Research report. Meanwhile, there are 551,610 rooms opening this year amid sluggish consumer demand, according to a STR construction pipeline report in March.

And when the economy rebounds, the luxury lodging segment will take longer to recover.

"Luxury hotels will lag behind the rest of the hotel industry," said Bobby Bowers, senior vice president of operations at STR. "They have ups and downs that are steeper than the industry as a whole."

PKF Consulting forecasts that the luxury hotel segment will stay in red ink until 2011.

Things have gotten so bad that some upscale-hotel owners across the country are delaying hotel construction to save money. Other developers are facing foreclosure or have scrapped future hotel plans altogether, industry experts say.

Much of the luxury hotel business' slowdown has been driven by guilt, some executives say. Business leaders fear that they might look too excessive by staying at an upscale hotel as pink slips and pay freezes become ubiquitous.

One high-end resort in Amelia Island, Florida, had one of its business customers suggest that the hotel drop the word "island" from its address to downplay the resort's exclusive image.

Many companies such as Starwood and Rosewood are trying to lure customers by giving free nights and dining and spa credits without significantly lowering room rates, which could tarnish their exclusive appeal. Hotel operators hope that offering guests free nights will encourage them to spend more money overall.

Other hotels prefer bundling their rates in packages so it is difficult to tell how much the prices have dropped.

"They need to protect the image of their property," explained Erik Herskind, a principle at Greenlight, a Dallas, Texas-based company that works with luxury hotels. "They need to feel like even in this tough time, they are a prestigious place, so they are finding quiet ways to attract business and the right kind of business."

But other luxury hotels are dropping rates anyway, partnering frequently with online travel companies like Expedia Inc.'s Hotels.com in special sales featuring five-star hotels. Shaun Stewart, director of market management for Hotels.com, says the discounts make it the "best time to upgrade" for travelers who have never lodged in luxury.

Hit particularly hard by the recession is Las Vegas, Nevada, where luxury hotel rates have plummeted more than 30 percent, according to Hotels.com.

For example, the Trump Hotel Collection, which is advertising with online travel companies for the first time, is touting prices of $89 a night at the opulent Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. The year-old luxury hotel sold rooms for about $200 before the economy crumbled. The company is also using Facebook and Twitter to appeal to a younger demographic, who can now afford to stay at their property.

"You have a couple of bad apples in the bag," Melissa Brown, vice president of sales and marketing at Trump, said of luxury hotels that began to dramatically drop prices last year. "Then we all have to fall with it."

Many luxury hotels, known for their extravagant pampering, amenities and services, are also making subtle cuts to save money. But they are careful not to scale back too much.

InterContinental, owned by InterContinental Hotel Group, says a growing number of branches are replacing costly imported floral displays with arrangements from local vendors. Some gift baskets now have fresh fruit and bottled water rather than smoked salmon, cheeses and chocolates. Share prices at the company fell by 26 percent in 2008 while the company opened a record 430 hotels that year.

At the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona, the hotel has made valet parking optional to reduce the number of employees working in the front. Instead, guests can park their cars.

But cutting prices and services is a risky balancing act for luxury brands in the long run, warns Bob Caroll, a senior lecturer at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

"If you really are that much of a better property, consumers will start to wonder why your price is the same as a normal hotel," Carroll said. "But once consumers start to believe the lower price, luxury hotels may experience difficulty in raising prices when the economy recovers. It's a double whammy."

text: CNN

text: A

text: year

text: ago

text: employees

text: at

text: Boiron

text: a

text: medical

text: manufacturing

text: company

text: wined

text: and

text: dined

text: at

text: the

text: Ritz

text: Carlton

text: Golf

text: Spa

text: Resort

text: overlooking

text: the

text: picturesque

text: bay

text: in

text: Rose

text: Hall

text: Jamaica

text: for

text: their

text: annual

text: retreat

text: The

text: InterContinental

text: Montelucia

text: Resort

text: Spa

text: is

text: subtly

text: scaling

text: back

text: amid

text: a

text: sagging

text: economy

text: This

text: year

text: employees

text: are

text: saying

text: goodbye

text: to

text: luxury

text: as

text: company

text: President

text: Ludovic

text: Rassat

text: moved

text: the

text: event

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: sensible

text: location

text: the

text: Sheraton

text: Suites

text: Philadelphia

text: Airport

text: Many

text: of

text: his

text: employees

text: who

text: live

text: near

text: the

text: hotel

text: are

text: expected

text: to

text: sleep

text: at

text: home

text: It

text: 's

text: important

text: to

text: see

text: we

text: are

text: making

text: decisions

text: for

text: the

text: good

text: of

text: the

text: company

text: Rassat

text: said

text: At

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: day

text: it

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: good

text: for

text: them

text: Their

text: jobs

text: are

text: still

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: With

text: a

text: mentality

text: like

text: Rassat

text: 's

text: pervading

text: the

text: business

text: and

text: leisure

text: traveler

text: psyche

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: are

text: bleeding

text: occupancy

text: and

text: revenue

text: at

text: a

text: rate

text: far

text: worse

text: than

text: the

text: travel

text: slump

text: experienced

text: after

text: September

text: travel

text: experts

text: say

text: To

text: overcome

text: their

text: financial

text: woes

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: are

text: dropping

text: rates

text: giving

text: customers

text: incentives

text: and

text: finding

text: ways

text: to

text: cut

text: operating

text: costs

text: without

text: compromising

text: the

text: integrity

text: of

text: their

text: posh

text: images

text: Starwood

text: Hotel

text: Resorts

text: which

text: owns

text: the

text: chic

text: W

text: and

text: St

text: Regis

text: hotels

text: is

text: offering

text: existing

text: and

text: new

text: members

text: of

text: its

text: preferred

text: guest

text: program

text: the

text: opportunity

text: to

text: earn

text: a

text: free

text: weekend

text: night

text: with

text: two

text: stays

text: at

text: any

text: of

text: Starwood

text: 's

text: hotels

text: from

text: May

text: through

text: July

text: Guests

text: can

text: use

text: their

text: free

text: night

text: through

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: September

text: across

text: Starwood

text: 's

text: brands

text: including

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: company

text: 's

text: luxury

text: properties

text: This

text: summer

text: Rosewood

text: Hotels

text: Resorts

text: which

text: operates

text: five

text: star

text: properties

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: will

text: offer

text: customers

text: who

text: book

text: particular

text: packages

text: free

text: breakfast

text: and

text: a

text: resort

text: credit

text: Washington

text: 's

text: Willard

text: Intercontinental

text: Hotel

text: is

text: offering

text: a

text: buy

text: two

text: nights

text: get

text: a

text: third

text: night

text: free

text: promotion

text: for

text: weekend

text: stays

text: through

text: December

text: From

text: December

text: to

text: February

text: occupancy

text: in

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: a

text: category

text: that

text: includes

text: names

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: Four

text: Seasons

text: Hotels

text: and

text: Resorts

text: and

text: Ritz

text: Carlton

text: Hotel

text: Co.

text: sunk

text: more

text: than

text: percent

text: a

text: steeper

text: drop

text: than

text: at

text: mid

text: level

text: hotels

text: according

text: to

text: leading

text: hotel

text: industry

text: watcher

text: Smith

text: Travel

text: Research

text: Inc.

text: The

text: revenue

text: generated

text: from

text: the

text: available

text: luxury

text: rooms

text: fell

text: percent

text: in

text: that

text: same

text: three

text: month

text: period

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Smith

text: Travel

text: Research

text: report

text: Meanwhile

text: there

text: are

text: rooms

text: opening

text: this

text: year

text: amid

text: sluggish

text: consumer

text: demand

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: STR

text: construction

text: pipeline

text: report

text: in

text: March

text: And

text: when

text: the

text: economy

text: rebounds

text: the

text: luxury

text: lodging

text: segment

text: will

text: take

text: longer

text: to

text: recover

text: Luxury

text: hotels

text: will

text: lag

text: behind

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: hotel

text: industry

text: said

text: Bobby

text: Bowers

text: senior

text: vice

text: president

text: of

text: operations

text: at

text: STR

text: They

text: have

text: ups

text: and

text: downs

text: that

text: are

text: steeper

text: than

text: the

text: industry

text: as

text: a

text: whole

text: PKF

text: Consulting

text: forecasts

text: that

text: the

text: luxury

text: hotel

text: segment

text: will

text: stay

text: in

text: red

text: ink

text: until

text: Things

text: have

text: gotten

text: so

text: bad

text: that

text: some

text: upscale

text: hotel

text: owners

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: are

text: delaying

text: hotel

text: construction

text: to

text: save

text: money

text: Other

text: developers

text: are

text: facing

text: foreclosure

text: or

text: have

text: scrapped

text: future

text: hotel

text: plans

text: altogether

text: industry

text: experts

text: say

text: Much

text: of

text: the

text: luxury

text: hotel

text: business

text: slowdown

text: has

text: been

text: driven

text: by

text: guilt

text: some

text: executives

text: say

text: Business

text: leaders

text: fear

text: that

text: they

text: might

text: look

text: too

text: excessive

text: by

text: staying

text: at

text: an

text: upscale

text: hotel

text: as

text: pink

text: slips

text: and

text: pay

text: freezes

text: become

text: ubiquitous

text: One

text: high

text: end

text: resort

text: in

text: Amelia

text: Island

text: Florida

text: had

text: one

text: of

text: its

text: business

text: customers

text: suggest

text: that

text: the

text: hotel

text: drop

text: the

text: word

text: island

text: from

text: its

text: address

text: to

text: downplay

text: the

text: resort

text: 's

text: exclusive

text: image

text: Many

text: companies

text: such

text: as

text: Starwood

text: and

text: Rosewood

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: lure

text: customers

text: by

text: giving

text: free

text: nights

text: and

text: dining

text: and

text: spa

text: credits

text: without

text: significantly

text: lowering

text: room

text: rates

text: which

text: could

text: tarnish

text: their

text: exclusive

text: appeal

text: Hotel

text: operators

text: hope

text: that

text: offering

text: guests

text: free

text: nights

text: will

text: encourage

text: them

text: to

text: spend

text: more

text: money

text: overall

text: Other

text: hotels

text: prefer

text: bundling

text: their

text: rates

text: in

text: packages

text: so

text: it

text: is

text: difficult

text: to

text: tell

text: how

text: much

text: the

text: prices

text: have

text: dropped

text: They

text: need

text: to

text: protect

text: the

text: image

text: of

text: their

text: property

text: explained

text: Erik

text: Herskind

text: a

text: principle

text: at

text: Greenlight

text: a

text: Dallas

text: Texas

text: based

text: company

text: that

text: works

text: with

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: They

text: need

text: to

text: feel

text: like

text: even

text: in

text: this

text: tough

text: time

text: they

text: are

text: a

text: prestigious

text: place

text: so

text: they

text: are

text: finding

text: quiet

text: ways

text: to

text: attract

text: business

text: and

text: the

text: right

text: kind

text: of

text: business

text: But

text: other

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: are

text: dropping

text: rates

text: anyway

text: partnering

text: frequently

text: with

text: online

text: travel

text: companies

text: like

text: Expedia

text: Inc.

text: 's

text: Hotels.com

text: in

text: special

text: sales

text: featuring

text: five

text: star

text: hotels

text: Shaun

text: Stewart

text: director

text: of

text: market

text: management

text: for

text: Hotels.com

text: says

text: the

text: discounts

text: make

text: it

text: the

text: best

text: time

text: to

text: upgrade

text: for

text: travelers

text: who

text: have

text: never

text: lodged

text: in

text: luxury

text: Hit

text: particularly

text: hard

text: by

text: the

text: recession

text: is

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: Nevada

text: where

text: luxury

text: hotel

text: rates

text: have

text: plummeted

text: more

text: than

text: percent

text: according

text: to

text: Hotels.com

text: For

text: example

text: the

text: Trump

text: Hotel

text: Collection

text: which

text: is

text: advertising

text: with

text: online

text: travel

text: companies

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: is

text: touting

text: prices

text: of

text: a

text: night

text: at

text: the

text: opulent

text: Trump

text: International

text: Hotel

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: The

text: year

text: old

text: luxury

text: hotel

text: sold

text: rooms

text: for

text: about

text: before

text: the

text: economy

text: crumbled

text: The

text: company

text: is

text: also

text: using

text: Facebook

text: and

text: Twitter

text: to

text: appeal

text: to

text: a

text: younger

text: demographic

text: who

text: can

text: now

text: afford

text: to

text: stay

text: at

text: their

text: property

text: You

text: have

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: bad

text: apples

text: in

text: the

text: bag

text: Melissa

text: Brown

text: vice

text: president

text: of

text: sales

text: and

text: marketing

text: at

text: Trump

text: said

text: of

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: that

text: began

text: to

text: dramatically

text: drop

text: prices

text: last

text: year

text: Then

text: we

text: all

text: have

text: to

text: fall

text: with

text: it

text: Many

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: known

text: for

text: their

text: extravagant

text: pampering

text: amenities

text: and

text: services

text: are

text: also

text: making

text: subtle

text: cuts

text: to

text: save

text: money

text: But

text: they

text: are

text: careful

text: not

text: to

text: scale

text: back

text: too

text: much

text: InterContinental

text: owned

text: by

text: InterContinental

text: Hotel

text: Group

text: says

text: a

text: growing

text: number

text: of

text: branches

text: are

text: replacing

text: costly

text: imported

text: floral

text: displays

text: with

text: arrangements

text: from

text: local

text: vendors

text: Some

text: gift

text: baskets

text: now

text: have

text: fresh

text: fruit

text: and

text: bottled

text: water

text: rather

text: than

text: smoked

text: salmon

text: cheeses

text: and

text: chocolates

text: Share

text: prices

text: at

text: the

text: company

text: fell

text: by

text: percent

text: in

text: while

text: the

text: company

text: opened

text: a

text: record

text: hotels

text: that

text: year

text: At

text: the

text: InterContinental

text: Montelucia

text: Resort

text: Spa

text: in

text: Paradise

text: Valley

text: Arizona

text: the

text: hotel

text: has

text: made

text: valet

text: parking

text: optional

text: to

text: reduce

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: employees

text: working

text: in

text: the

text: front

text: Instead

text: guests

text: can

text: park

text: their

text: cars

text: But

text: cutting

text: prices

text: and

text: services

text: is

text: a

text: risky

text: balancing

text: act

text: for

text: luxury

text: brands

text: in

text: the

text: long

text: run

text: warns

text: Bob

text: Caroll

text: a

text: senior

text: lecturer

text: at

text: the

text: School

text: of

text: Hotel

text: Administration

text: at

text: Cornell

text: University

text: If

text: you

text: really

text: are

text: that

text: much

text: of

text: a

text: better

text: property

text: consumers

text: will

text: start

text: to

text: wonder

text: why

text: your

text: price

text: is

text: the

text: same

text: as

text: a

text: normal

text: hotel

text: Carroll

text: said

text: But

text: once

text: consumers

text: start

text: to

text: believe

text: the

text: lower

text: price

text: luxury

text: hotels

text: may

text: experience

text: difficulty

text: in

text: raising

text: prices

text: when

text: the

text: economy

text: recovers

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: double

text: whammy

question: What are the hotels offering to entice new customers?

answer: free weekend night with two stays

text: free weekend night with two stays

question: In what city have luxury hotel rates dropped by 30 percent?

answer: Las Vegas,

text: Las Vegas,

question: What has dropped?

answer: rates,

text: rates,

question: What caused the rates of luxury hotels in Las Vegas to drop by 30%?

answer: the recession

text: the recession

question: What are executives avoiding to cut costs?

answer: "Luxury hotels

text: "Luxury hotels

question: What are Luxury hotels offering to attract new customers?

answer: are dropping rates, giving

text: are dropping rates, giving

question: By how much has occupancy in luxury hotels dropped?

answer: more than 15 percent

text: more than 15 percent


text:
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japan's GDP fell 4 percent last quarter, the fastest pace on record, the government said on Wednesday.

A homeless man pulls his cart filled with possessions and goods for recycling on March 18 in Osaka, Japan.

The January-March quarter for Japan was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year, according to figures released by the Cabinet Office. Exports fell 26 percent on quarter, while imports were down 15 percent.

The GDP slide in the world's second-largest economy is the greatest drop among the world's leading economies. By comparison, GDP in the United States fell 6.1 percent on an annual basis.

This was the fourth straight quarter the Japanese economy contracted. Analysts say the drop reflects cuts in domestic spending with job cuts, factory closings and less capital spending as a result of spiraling sales abroad.

The news punctuates a month of poor economic news out of Japan in recent weeks. Panasonic, one of the world's largest makers of electronic devices, announced it lost nearly $4 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31. Hitachi lost $8 billion in the fiscal year, with consolidated revenues down 11 percent from last year, the largest loss ever recorded by a Japanese manufacturer.

NEC Corporation lost $3 billion in the past fiscal year, down nearly 11.5 percent from last year. Meanwhile, Nissan lost $2.3 billion for the year.Sony Corp. announced net losses of $1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, finishing a year in the red for the first time in 14 years.

text: TOKYO

text: Japan

text: CNN

text: Japan

text: 's

text: GDP

text: fell

text: percent

text: last

text: quarter

text: the

text: fastest

text: pace

text: on

text: record

text: the

text: government

text: said

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: A

text: homeless

text: man

text: pulls

text: his

text: cart

text: filled

text: with

text: possessions

text: and

text: goods

text: for

text: recycling

text: on

text: March

text: in

text: Osaka

text: Japan

text: The

text: January

text: March

text: quarter

text: for

text: Japan

text: was

text: percent

text: lower

text: than

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: period

text: last

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: figures

text: released

text: by

text: the

text: Cabinet

text: Office

text: Exports

text: fell

text: percent

text: on

text: quarter

text: while

text: imports

text: were

text: down

text: percent

text: The

text: GDP

text: slide

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: second

text: largest

text: economy

text: is

text: the

text: greatest

text: drop

text: among

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: leading

text: economies

text: By

text: comparison

text: GDP

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: fell

text: percent

text: on

text: an

text: annual

text: basis

text: This

text: was

text: the

text: fourth

text: straight

text: quarter

text: the

text: Japanese

text: economy

text: contracted

text: Analysts

text: say

text: the

text: drop

text: reflects

text: cuts

text: in

text: domestic

text: spending

text: with

text: job

text: cuts

text: factory

text: closings

text: and

text: less

text: capital

text: spending

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: spiraling

text: sales

text: abroad

text: The

text: news

text: punctuates

text: a

text: month

text: of

text: poor

text: economic

text: news

text: out

text: of

text: Japan

text: in

text: recent

text: weeks

text: Panasonic

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: largest

text: makers

text: of

text: electronic

text: devices

text: announced

text: it

text: lost

text: nearly

text: billion

text: in

text: the

text: fiscal

text: year

text: ending

text: March

text: Hitachi

text: lost

text: billion

text: in

text: the

text: fiscal

text: year

text: with

text: consolidated

text: revenues

text: down

text: percent

text: from

text: last

text: year

text: the

text: largest

text: loss

text: ever

text: recorded

text: by

text: a

text: Japanese

text: manufacturer

text: NEC

text: Corporation

text: lost

text: billion

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: fiscal

text: year

text: down

text: nearly

text: percent

text: from

text: last

text: year

text: Meanwhile

text: Nissan

text: lost

text: billion

text: for

text: the

text: year

text: Sony

text: Corp.

text: announced

text: net

text: losses

text: of

text: billion

text: for

text: the

text: fiscal

text: year

text: ending

text: March

text: finishing

text: a

text: year

text: in

text: the

text: red

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: in

text: years

question: how many percent fell?

answer: 4

question: How much did Japan's GDP fall last quarter?

answer: 4 percent

text: 4 percent

question: How many quarters has the Japanese economy contracted?

answer: fourth straight

text: fourth straight

question: How much lower was the first quarter GDP than the year before?

answer: 15.4 percent

text: 15.4 percent

question: how much straight are?

answer: fourth

text: fourth

question: What  was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year?

answer: GDP

text: GDP


text:
Editor's note: This is an excerpt from Jane Velez-Mitchell's new book "iWant" published by HCI Books. Velez-Mitchell anchors "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell" on HLN nightly at 7 p.m. ET.

Jane Velez-Mitchell writes about her journey from addiction and overconsumption to a simpler, honest life.

This is the story of my ch . . . ch . . . changes, which took me from insanity to clarity, from egocentricity to altruism, from alcoholism to activism. These changes have marked an evolution in what I want from this life.

I am what I want. What I seek to consume, possess, and achieve is a mirror that reflects my lusts and cravings, values and priorities, and moral boundaries or lack thereof.

I am happy to say that what I want today is much less toxic and self-centered than what I used to want. It's taken decades of self-examination to peel back the layers and figure out what really makes me happy. And while I'm still searching for my ultimate bliss, I know for sure it's not what I once thought it was. It's not alcohol, cigarettes, money, food, sugar, or status symbols: I've consumed all of those in massive quantities, and they've just made me miserable.

Now, I want what can't be tasted, smoked, worn, seen, or counted. It's the opposite of material. As sappy as it might sound, what I want is spiritual.  Watch Jane talk about her new book Â»

The shift from material to spiritual is a particular challenge in our culture. We have allowed ourselves to be defined by our consumption, instead of by our ability to move beyond it.

To keep consumers consuming, the corporate culture has brainwashed us into thinking we can change ourselves by changing what we buy, which pills we pop, what type of booze we swill, what gated community we join, what kind of golf clubs we swing, and what kind of cancer sticks we dangle between our lips.

We've been told that certain consumer choices say a lot about us, that they reveal our character. If we've stepped up to a more prestigious brand, we've changed for the better. Nonsense! We cannot consume our way into personal growth. Yet, millions of us have bought into this cynical concept of faux identity.

If you keep buying the "latest and the greatest" but feel like you're stuck in the same place, you're just changing labels, and that's not changing. That's rearranging. Real change occurs on the emotional, psychological, and spiritual levels, not in a shopping mall, a car dealership, online, at the drugstore, at the liquor store, or at the fast-food joint.

For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated by forces whose sole purpose is PROFIT and POWER. We have given advertisers leave to claim that inanimate objects have spiritual qualities.

One ad, in perhaps the world's most prestigious newspaper, urges us to buy an expensive diamond by insisting that such a purchase will feed the soul, lift the spirit, and increase our resolve to achieve whatever we wish. Really? How exactly does a diamond feed the soul? It's absurd! This is false advertising. Today, as a culture, we are awash in false advertising.

As a society, we've lent legitimacy to these patent lies by literally buying into them. As a result of this unnecessary, self-indulgent consumption, we've gone a long way toward destroying our natural environment with our waste. Perhaps most important, by obsessing about material things, we've cheated ourselves out of the most fundamental aspect of the human experience: real experiences that result in real growth.

Unlike diamonds, meaningful experiences can actually feed the soul, resulting in self-development and self-knowledge. Authentic change has allowed me to gradually learn why I'm here experiencing this existence as well as what I am destined to contribute during my lifetime.

For me, meaningful change has been about getting sober, becoming honest, and adopting a new attitude. Sobriety has allowed me to shift the criteria I use for all the decisions I make from an ego-based formula of what's in it for me to a more evolved formula based on compassion for other people, other living creatures, and our environment. It's an ongoing struggle, and there are many times when I fail. But I keep trying.

This book is my story of how I've progressed from self-obsession to a life that I hope will count. In the tradition of the Twelve Steps created by Alcoholics Anonymous, I'm going to lay out what it was like, what happened to change me, and what it's like now.

For thirty years as a television news reporter, I've been recounting other people's mostly sordid stories. Frankly, the prospect of airing my own dirty laundry scares the wits out of me. The very thought of this sparks a flood of memories, primarily featuring the many stupid and embarrassing things I've done over the years, especially before I got sober. My face burns at the prospect of sharing some of these memories with you.

I know we're all only as sick as our secrets. By pouring out the intimate details of my personal history, I am trying to get healthier through honesty. Still, I can't help but wonder if you really have to know every single one of my secrets. Is that what is meant by Ârigorous honesty? These thoughts swirl through my mind as I Âhuddle under my covers unable to sleep...

...There's so much to tell. But would you want to know everything about my personal struggles? You may simply be reading this book because you're interested in my life, and for that I thank you. But if you identify with my story, then we will both learn from my experience. That is the essence of all recovery programs.

Many of the battles I'm fighting, the compulsions I'm struggling to conquer, are the same as those experienced by many of my friends, relatives, coÂworkers, and neighbors.

Some struggle with overeating, with alcohol or drugs, with workaholism, with codependency, with compulsive spending, with gambling, with sex addiction, or with facing the truth about themselves -- whatever that truth may be. And virtually everyone I know, including myself, suffers from generic overconsumption -- a chronic craving for more of everything that is poisoning our lives, not to mention our oceans, skies, and forests.

My friend once called himself a tornado of consumption. That description fits most Americans. Sadly, we're a nation of addicts. For a multitude of reasons -- our health, our finances, and our environment, among them -- we need to take immediate action to reduce our collective consumption levels.

Unfortunately, addicts don't respond to reason or rationality. Just as you can't reason with a drunk who is on a binge, we are not going to lecture our way out of America's consumption mess.

Fortunately, there are proven recovery methods out there that can help us get a handle on our addictive consumption. I've used them to deal with my plethora of addictions, and I will share these techniques with you while I tell you my story.

From IWANT by Jane Velez-Mitchell. Available wherever books are sold. Copyright Â© 2009 Jane Velez-Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: This

text: is

text: an

text: excerpt

text: from

text: Jane

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: 's

text: new

text: book

text: iWant

text: published

text: by

text: HCI

text: Books

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: anchors

text: Issues

text: with

text: Jane

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: on

text: HLN

text: nightly

text: at

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: Jane

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: writes

text: about

text: her

text: journey

text: from

text: addiction

text: and

text: overconsumption

text: to

text: a

text: simpler

text: honest

text: life

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: story

text: of

text: my

text: ch

text: ch

text: changes

text: which

text: took

text: me

text: from

text: insanity

text: to

text: clarity

text: from

text: egocentricity

text: to

text: altruism

text: from

text: alcoholism

text: to

text: activism

text: These

text: changes

text: have

text: marked

text: an

text: evolution

text: in

text: what

text: I

text: want

text: from

text: this

text: life

text: I

text: am

text: what

text: I

text: want

text: What

text: I

text: seek

text: to

text: consume

text: possess

text: and

text: achieve

text: is

text: a

text: mirror

text: that

text: reflects

text: my

text: lusts

text: and

text: cravings

text: values

text: and

text: priorities

text: and

text: moral

text: boundaries

text: or

text: lack

text: thereof

text: I

text: am

text: happy

text: to

text: say

text: that

text: what

text: I

text: want

text: today

text: is

text: much

text: less

text: toxic

text: and

text: self

text: centered

text: than

text: what

text: I

text: used

text: to

text: want

text: It

text: 's

text: taken

text: decades

text: of

text: self

text: examination

text: to

text: peel

text: back

text: the

text: layers

text: and

text: figure

text: out

text: what

text: really

text: makes

text: me

text: happy

text: And

text: while

text: I

text: 'm

text: still

text: searching

text: for

text: my

text: ultimate

text: bliss

text: I

text: know

text: for

text: sure

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: what

text: I

text: once

text: thought

text: it

text: was

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: alcohol

text: cigarettes

text: money

text: food

text: sugar

text: or

text: status

text: symbols

text: I

text: 've

text: consumed

text: all

text: of

text: those

text: in

text: massive

text: quantities

text: and

text: they

text: 've

text: just

text: made

text: me

text: miserable

text: Now

text: I

text: want

text: what

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: tasted

text: smoked

text: worn

text: seen

text: or

text: counted

text: It

text: 's

text: the

text: opposite

text: of

text: material

text: As

text: sappy

text: as

text: it

text: might

text: sound

text: what

text: I

text: want

text: is

text: spiritual

text: Watch

text: Jane

text: talk

text: about

text: her

text: new

text: book

text: Â

text: The

text: shift

text: from

text: material

text: to

text: spiritual

text: is

text: a

text: particular

text: challenge

text: in

text: our

text: culture

text: We

text: have

text: allowed

text: ourselves

text: to

text: be

text: defined

text: by

text: our

text: consumption

text: instead

text: of

text: by

text: our

text: ability

text: to

text: move

text: beyond

text: it

text: To

text: keep

text: consumers

text: consuming

text: the

text: corporate

text: culture

text: has

text: brainwashed

text: us

text: into

text: thinking

text: we

text: can

text: change

text: ourselves

text: by

text: changing

text: what

text: we

text: buy

text: which

text: pills

text: we

text: pop

text: what

text: type

text: of

text: booze

text: we

text: swill

text: what

text: gated

text: community

text: we

text: join

text: what

text: kind

text: of

text: golf

text: clubs

text: we

text: swing

text: and

text: what

text: kind

text: of

text: cancer

text: sticks

text: we

text: dangle

text: between

text: our

text: lips

text: We

text: 've

text: been

text: told

text: that

text: certain

text: consumer

text: choices

text: say

text: a

text: lot

text: about

text: us

text: that

text: they

text: reveal

text: our

text: character

text: If

text: we

text: 've

text: stepped

text: up

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: prestigious

text: brand

text: we

text: 've

text: changed

text: for

text: the

text: better

text: Nonsense

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: consume

text: our

text: way

text: into

text: personal

text: growth

text: Yet

text: millions

text: of

text: us

text: have

text: bought

text: into

text: this

text: cynical

text: concept

text: of

text: faux

text: identity

text: If

text: you

text: keep

text: buying

text: the

text: latest

text: and

text: the

text: greatest

text: but

text: feel

text: like

text: you

text: 're

text: stuck

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: place

text: you

text: 're

text: just

text: changing

text: labels

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: changing

text: That

text: 's

text: rearranging

text: Real

text: change

text: occurs

text: on

text: the

text: emotional

text: psychological

text: and

text: spiritual

text: levels

text: not

text: in

text: a

text: shopping

text: mall

text: a

text: car

text: dealership

text: online

text: at

text: the

text: drugstore

text: at

text: the

text: liquor

text: store

text: or

text: at

text: the

text: fast

text: food

text: joint

text: For

text: too

text: long

text: we

text: have

text: allowed

text: ourselves

text: to

text: be

text: manipulated

text: by

text: forces

text: whose

text: sole

text: purpose

text: is

text: PROFIT

text: and

text: POWER

text: We

text: have

text: given

text: advertisers

text: leave

text: to

text: claim

text: that

text: inanimate

text: objects

text: have

text: spiritual

text: qualities

text: One

text: ad

text: in

text: perhaps

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: prestigious

text: newspaper

text: urges

text: us

text: to

text: buy

text: an

text: expensive

text: diamond

text: by

text: insisting

text: that

text: such

text: a

text: purchase

text: will

text: feed

text: the

text: soul

text: lift

text: the

text: spirit

text: and

text: increase

text: our

text: resolve

text: to

text: achieve

text: whatever

text: we

text: wish

text: Really

text: How

text: exactly

text: does

text: a

text: diamond

text: feed

text: the

text: soul

text: It

text: 's

text: absurd

text: This

text: is

text: false

text: advertising

text: Today

text: as

text: a

text: culture

text: we

text: are

text: awash

text: in

text: false

text: advertising

text: As

text: a

text: society

text: we

text: 've

text: lent

text: legitimacy

text: to

text: these

text: patent

text: lies

text: by

text: literally

text: buying

text: into

text: them

text: As

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: this

text: unnecessary

text: self

text: indulgent

text: consumption

text: we

text: 've

text: gone

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: toward

text: destroying

text: our

text: natural

text: environment

text: with

text: our

text: waste

text: Perhaps

text: most

text: important

text: by

text: obsessing

text: about

text: material

text: things

text: we

text: 've

text: cheated

text: ourselves

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: fundamental

text: aspect

text: of

text: the

text: human

text: experience

text: real

text: experiences

text: that

text: result

text: in

text: real

text: growth

text: Unlike

text: diamonds

text: meaningful

text: experiences

text: can

text: actually

text: feed

text: the

text: soul

text: resulting

text: in

text: self

text: development

text: and

text: self

text: knowledge

text: Authentic

text: change

text: has

text: allowed

text: me

text: to

text: gradually

text: learn

text: why

text: I

text: 'm

text: here

text: experiencing

text: this

text: existence

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: what

text: I

text: am

text: destined

text: to

text: contribute

text: during

text: my

text: lifetime

text: For

text: me

text: meaningful

text: change

text: has

text: been

text: about

text: getting

text: sober

text: becoming

text: honest

text: and

text: adopting

text: a

text: new

text: attitude

text: Sobriety

text: has

text: allowed

text: me

text: to

text: shift

text: the

text: criteria

text: I

text: use

text: for

text: all

text: the

text: decisions

text: I

text: make

text: from

text: an

text: ego

text: based

text: formula

text: of

text: what

text: 's

text: in

text: it

text: for

text: me

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: evolved

text: formula

text: based

text: on

text: compassion

text: for

text: other

text: people

text: other

text: living

text: creatures

text: and

text: our

text: environment

text: It

text: 's

text: an

text: ongoing

text: struggle

text: and

text: there

text: are

text: many

text: times

text: when

text: I

text: fail

text: But

text: I

text: keep

text: trying

text: This

text: book

text: is

text: my

text: story

text: of

text: how

text: I

text: 've

text: progressed

text: from

text: self

text: obsession

text: to

text: a

text: life

text: that

text: I

text: hope

text: will

text: count

text: In

text: the

text: tradition

text: of

text: the

text: Twelve

text: Steps

text: created

text: by

text: Alcoholics

text: Anonymous

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: lay

text: out

text: what

text: it

text: was

text: like

text: what

text: happened

text: to

text: change

text: me

text: and

text: what

text: it

text: 's

text: like

text: now

text: For

text: thirty

text: years

text: as

text: a

text: television

text: news

text: reporter

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: recounting

text: other

text: people

text: 's

text: mostly

text: sordid

text: stories

text: Frankly

text: the

text: prospect

text: of

text: airing

text: my

text: own

text: dirty

text: laundry

text: scares

text: the

text: wits

text: out

text: of

text: me

text: The

text: very

text: thought

text: of

text: this

text: sparks

text: a

text: flood

text: of

text: memories

text: primarily

text: featuring

text: the

text: many

text: stupid

text: and

text: embarrassing

text: things

text: I

text: 've

text: done

text: over

text: the

text: years

text: especially

text: before

text: I

text: got

text: sober

text: My

text: face

text: burns

text: at

text: the

text: prospect

text: of

text: sharing

text: some

text: of

text: these

text: memories

text: with

text: you

text: I

text: know

text: we

text: 're

text: all

text: only

text: as

text: sick

text: as

text: our

text: secrets

text: By

text: pouring

text: out

text: the

text: intimate

text: details

text: of

text: my

text: personal

text: history

text: I

text: am

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: healthier

text: through

text: honesty

text: Still

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: help

text: but

text: wonder

text: if

text: you

text: really

text: have

text: to

text: know

text: every

text: single

text: one

text: of

text: my

text: secrets

text: Is

text: that

text: what

text: is

text: meant

text: by

text: Ârigorous

text: honesty

text: These

text: thoughts

text: swirl

text: through

text: my

text: mind

text: as

text: I

text: Âhuddle

text: under

text: my

text: covers

text: unable

text: to

text: sleep

text: There

text: 's

text: so

text: much

text: to

text: tell

text: But

text: would

text: you

text: want

text: to

text: know

text: everything

text: about

text: my

text: personal

text: struggles

text: You

text: may

text: simply

text: be

text: reading

text: this

text: book

text: because

text: you

text: 're

text: interested

text: in

text: my

text: life

text: and

text: for

text: that

text: I

text: thank

text: you

text: But

text: if

text: you

text: identify

text: with

text: my

text: story

text: then

text: we

text: will

text: both

text: learn

text: from

text: my

text: experience

text: That

text: is

text: the

text: essence

text: of

text: all

text: recovery

text: programs

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: battles

text: I

text: 'm

text: fighting

text: the

text: compulsions

text: I

text: 'm

text: struggling

text: to

text: conquer

text: are

text: the

text: same

text: as

text: those

text: experienced

text: by

text: many

text: of

text: my

text: friends

text: relatives

text: coÂworkers

text: and

text: neighbors

text: Some

text: struggle

text: with

text: overeating

text: with

text: alcohol

text: or

text: drugs

text: with

text: workaholism

text: with

text: codependency

text: with

text: compulsive

text: spending

text: with

text: gambling

text: with

text: sex

text: addiction

text: or

text: with

text: facing

text: the

text: truth

text: about

text: themselves

text: whatever

text: that

text: truth

text: may

text: be

text: And

text: virtually

text: everyone

text: I

text: know

text: including

text: myself

text: suffers

text: from

text: generic

text: overconsumption

text: a

text: chronic

text: craving

text: for

text: more

text: of

text: everything

text: that

text: is

text: poisoning

text: our

text: lives

text: not

text: to

text: mention

text: our

text: oceans

text: skies

text: and

text: forests

text: My

text: friend

text: once

text: called

text: himself

text: a

text: tornado

text: of

text: consumption

text: That

text: description

text: fits

text: most

text: Americans

text: Sadly

text: we

text: 're

text: a

text: nation

text: of

text: addicts

text: For

text: a

text: multitude

text: of

text: reasons

text: our

text: health

text: our

text: finances

text: and

text: our

text: environment

text: among

text: them

text: we

text: need

text: to

text: take

text: immediate

text: action

text: to

text: reduce

text: our

text: collective

text: consumption

text: levels

text: Unfortunately

text: addicts

text: do

text: n't

text: respond

text: to

text: reason

text: or

text: rationality

text: Just

text: as

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: reason

text: with

text: a

text: drunk

text: who

text: is

text: on

text: a

text: binge

text: we

text: are

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: lecture

text: our

text: way

text: out

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: consumption

text: mess

text: Fortunately

text: there

text: are

text: proven

text: recovery

text: methods

text: out

text: there

text: that

text: can

text: help

text: us

text: get

text: a

text: handle

text: on

text: our

text: addictive

text: consumption

text: I

text: 've

text: used

text: them

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: my

text: plethora

text: of

text: addictions

text: and

text: I

text: will

text: share

text: these

text: techniques

text: with

text: you

text: while

text: I

text: tell

text: you

text: my

text: story

text: From

text: IWANT

text: by

text: Jane

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: Available

text: wherever

text: books

text: are

text: sold

text: Copyright

text: Â

text: Jane

text: Velez

text: Mitchell

text: All

text: Rights

text: Reserved

question: On what levels does change occur?

answer: spiritual

text: spiritual

question: Who is the author named in the piece?

answer: Jane Velez-Mitchell

text: Jane Velez-Mitchell

question: What did Velez-Mitchell write?

answer: "iWant"

text: "iWant"

question: How long has she self-examined?

answer: decades

text: decades

question: WHat is the name of the author writing about addiction?

answer: Jane Velez-Mitchell

text: Jane Velez-Mitchell

question: What did Velez-Mitchell say about where change occurs?

answer: spiritual levels,

text: spiritual levels,