Finding a reasonably priced hotel room is not necessarily a slam dunk in the Internet age. Can you get the best deal if you use websites that specialize in discounted room rates, or are there similar perhaps even better deals on hotel companies sites?

The answers are "yes" and "yes," depending on your needs. As Henry Harteveldt, travel analyst for Atmosphere Research, explains, Sometimes discounts come at a very dear price. You have to be careful.

For example, although Pricelines name your own price policy can provide discounts of up to 60%, the company doesnt tell you the name of your hotel until after you book it, which might place you somewhere you don't want to be. If getting points in your hotel loyalty program is important to you, you might not get them if you book on some discount sites. And discount sites rates can have other strings attached: Rates can be nonrefundable, or you might not be able to change the specifics of your reservation, whichcan bea problem if your travel plans change at the last minute.

According to Harteveldt, hotel sites frequently offer more and sometimes even more lavish discounts than hotel-discount websites. Hotels' own discounts can include weekend promotional packages with discounted rooms, special discounts for loyalty-program members and discounts available only to members of AAA or AARP.

If you choose to deal with a hotel directly rather than with a discount hotel-room site, try calling its reservations department when you are planning your trip and request the lowest rate that can be canceled with no penalty, suggests Bjorn Hanson, divisional dean of the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University. He advises calling again right before you arrive to check for a cheaper rate, also cancellable with no penalty. If you then end up finding a lower rate online, you can cancel the reservation made directly with the hotel at no cost to you.

Best Sites for Discounted Hotel Rates

In addition to hotel companies websites, here are some sites offering discounted hotel rates that are worth exploring:

Priceline.com, established in 1998, today connects you to rooms in more than 300,000 hotels in 170 countries. Its largest discounts, up to 60% off retail rates, are through its name your own price policy. However, you can only specify the destination and neighborhood where you want to stay and your travel dates. If you want a hotel thats identified, you have to choose the express deals feature, which provides discounts up to 55% off retail rates. For both types of bookings, reservations cannot becanceled, changed or transferred, and refunds are not permitted.

Booking.com is based in Amsterdam and owned by Priceline. It offers accommodations at more than 500,000 properties in 205 countries everything from small, family-run bed-and-breakfasts to executive apartments and five-star luxury hotels. Many rates found on this site do not impose cancellation penalties; in addition, payment is often not required before travel.

Agoda.com, based in Singapore and also owned by Priceline, offers rates at hundreds of thousands of hotels, exclusive promotions and hotel reviews by its customers.Another plus:The company gives customers points for every booking made, worth 47% of the reservations price; points can be redeemed to reduce the cost of a future booking or saved to pay for an entire stay. One reason to check out Agoda, according to Harteveldt: Sometimes hotels give non-U.S. booking sites different, even lower rates to sell than they give to U.S. booking sites.

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Websites That Save You Money On Hotel Rooms

Alpharetta remodeling room addition |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFrnXW-IlMg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKS_IF3bDoM Alpharetta remodeling room addition | We provide the finest Remodeling ...

By: Mike Leonard

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Alpharetta remodeling room addition | - Video

Christmas - 1964
The family room addition was finished - probably fairly recently as there is a good bit of footage of it. The Coxes were visiting.

By: kspeirce

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Christmas - 1964 - Video

PORTVILLE The Portville Historical and Preservation Society will hold dedication ceremonies for its restored one-room schoolhouse at Bedford Corners at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 13.

The event, which is open to the public, will include dedication of a flag pole and brick walkway donated by members of the Portville Central School Class of 1959 (see related story) and a talk by two former students of the one-room schoolhouse.

In addition, state Sen. Catharine Young (R-Olean), who helped secure a $15,000 grant for the restoration effort, will attend the event.

Bedford Corners, land named for its Civil War-era owner, is located at the intersection of Route 305, Deer Creek and Dodge Creek roads, 1 miles north of the village of Portville.

The one-room school, built in 1864, is one of three historic buildings that make up the Bedford Corners Historic District, property deeded to the Portville Historical and Preservation Society by the late Col. Charles Eshelman, whose family had owned the land for decades. A Harvard graduate and career Army officer, Col. Eshelman was a longtime trustee of the local preservation group.

Restoration of all three buildings, the school, the former Eshelman home and a former cheese factory, each occupying separate corner lots at the intersection, is underway. Together, they will become a museum of local history.

The first project to reach completion, the one-room schoolhouse, has been a labor of love, said Cindy Keeley, president of the Historical and Preservation Society.

The building has been completely restored inside and out, she said. It has a new roof, a new heating system, new wiring, the foundation has been repaired, and its bell tower, removed in the 1920s, has been recreated. Even the old pot-bellied stove that once warmed the feet of students and their teacher has been restored.

It will be a cultural and educational center, a place where children can learn about education through the ages, said Ms. Keeley, adding the building will be ready for visits when a new school year starts in September.

The building is one of 10 former one-room schoolhouses that once operated in the town of Portville, she said. They became obsolete in the centralized school movement that followed World War II.

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Dedication ceremony to mark completion of one-room schoolhouse restoration

The cast of American Horror Story is finally coming to Comic-Con after three seasons on the air. The FX show has skipped the fanboy confab in previous summers partly due to its production schedule, however, theCoven andFreak Showcast will be heading to San Diego including Emma Roberts, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, new addition Michael Chiklis and exec producer Tim Minear. The panel, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 26 from 7-8 PM in Room 6DE will provide a look back atCoven as well as exclusive secrets from the set of the upcoming Freak Show.

Also announced today is Showtimes plan for Penny Dreadful, which wrapped its first season June 27. It will make its Comic-Con debut on Thursday, July 24th with a 6-7 PM panel session in Ballroom 20, combined with signings and merchandise and a tie-in with the confab that will put Showtime and Penny Dreadful branding on more than 150,000 lanyards worn by attendees. Featured panelists include stars Josh Hartnett, Reeve Carney and Harry Treadaway and creator/writer/executive producer John Logan. Aisha Tyler will moderate.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox TV made the announcement this morning in addition to the Comic-Con return ofJack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) to celebrate the DVD/Blu-ray release of24: Live Another Day on July 24 from 10-11 AM in Ballroom 20. Joining Sutherland for a retrospective on the show and clips will be shows EP Jon Cassar. Three other frosh Fox TV series making their Con debuts includeWitches Of East Endcast with Julia Ormond, Madchen Amick and EPs Rich Hatem and Maggie Friedman on Thursday, 5:45-6:45 PM in Room 6DE. Also on Thursday in Room 6A from 12:30-1:30pm, 20th Century Fox will provide a first look at TNTs new FBI undercover agent seriesLegends fromHoward Gordon, Alexander Cary (Homeland) andDavid Wilcox (Fringe) starring Sean Bean. On Saturday, 5:45-6:45 PM in Room 6DE, the cast and creators from the WGN American-Fox 21 seriesSalem will look back at season one. In addition, FX is bringing the cast and creators of their summer vampire virus seriesGuillermo del TorosThe Strainto Comic-Con.

In other Comic-Con news today, USA Networks drama series Dighas set a panel at 11:30 AM Thursday, July 24 ahead of its fall premiere. The group at the Hilton Bayfronts Indigo Ballroomwill feature Jason Isaacs, Anne Heche, Lauren AmbroseandAlison Sudol as well asco-creators/executive producers Gideon Raff and Tim Kring. A&Es Bates Motelwill be returning with cast Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Olivia Cooke and Nestor Carbonell and EPs Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin in Room 6A from 3:30-4:30 PM Friday followed byHistorysVikings in the same venuefrom4:45-5:45 PM withTravis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen and Alexander Ludwig along with creator Michael Hirst and Historys VP Development & Programming Julian Hobbs.

The complete 20th Century Fox TV & FX Comic-Con schedule is as follows:

Thursday, July 2424: Live Another Day,10:00-11:00 AM, Ballroom 20, Kiefer Sutherland, EPJon Cassar.

Legends,12:30-1:30, Room 6A, Sean Bean, producers Howard Gordon, Alexander Cary, David Wilcox. The Witches of East End, 5:45 6:45PM, Room 6DE, with castJulia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rachel Boston, Mdchen Amick, Daniel DiTomasso, Eric Winter and EPsRich Hatemand Maggie Friedman.

Friday, July 25 Bones,12:30 -1:30 PM, Ballroom 20 with castmembersDavid Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel and EPStephen Nathan.

Bobs Burgers,4:00 5:00 PM, Indigo with Creator/EPLoren Bouchard, EPJim Dauterive and cast H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal and Larry Murphy.

Archer, 5:00-6:00PM, Indigo, Screening and Q&A with castH. Jon Benjamin,Aisha Tyler,Chris Parnell,Judy Greer,Amber NashandLucky Yates, plus creatorAdam Reedand Co-EPCasey Willis.

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Comic-Con Update: Penny Dreadful, American Horror Story To Make Debuts, 20th TV & FX Panels Announced

Poker Room Will Add 12 More Tables, Outdoor Fountain Terrace To Be Enhanced

The Casino at Hialeah Park will undergo immediate and ongoing expansion and enhancement according to plans announced today by the management of Hialeah Park. The comprehensive $60,000,000 program, scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, includes expansion and enhancement of the Poker Room, renovations to the outdoor entertainment venue known as the Fountain Terrace, and the eventual addition of 235 state-of-the-art slot and gaming machines in the expanded Casino. The Casinos Poker Room, which opened in August of 2013, will be expanded by 12 tables. The Poker Room, currently featuring 25 tables, offers the best variety of card games for South Florida poker aficionados, including Texas Hold Em, Seven Card Stud, and Omaha Hi-Lo.

With the recent closing of the Poker Room at Calder Race Course, we believe this is the perfect time to increase the size and amenities of the Hialeah Park Casino Poker Room, said Hialeah President John J. Brunetti, Jr. In addition to more poker tables, we will also expand the dining facilities and sports bar in the Poker Room area. The outdoor bar, lounge, and entertainment venue known as the Fountain Terrace, located outside the south entrance of the Casino, will be enhanced with an overhead covering for the comfort of patrons and performers. In addition, Hialeah Park will construct a state-of-the-art simulcasting theater, which will offer pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing from major tracks in the United States and around the world.

The Brunetti family remains committed to the long term goal of revitalizing this iconic landmark and returning Hialeah Park The Grand Dame to her past glory, added Hialeah Vice President & General Manager Randall Soth. We believe this comprehensive expansion program will enable Hialeah Park to continue to attract visitors and patrons from South Florida and all over the world for decades to come.

Additionally, Hialeah Park Chairman John J. Brunetti, Sr. reiterated Hialeah Parks goal to see Thoroughbred horse racing return to this historic venue. He expressed his continuing desire to work with Frank Stronach and the entire Gulfstream Park organization to create a year-round Thoroughbred program to reflect and support Mr. Stronachs commitment to the growth and success of the Thoroughbred industry in the state of Florida.

Hialeah Park The Worlds Most Beautiful Race Course is one of Miamis most iconic destinations. For more information, please call 786-483-7444 or visit http://www.hialeahpark.com.

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Hialeah Park Announces $60 Million Expansion Plans For Casino

Amazon Room loses its charm at World Series of Poker 6 July 2014

By Vin Narayanan

LAS VEGAS -- This is the 10th year the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino has hosted the World Series of Poker. For the bulk of those years, the Amazon Room was the living, beating heart of the WSOP.

You could hear the chips clacking before you walked into the room. Friends, family and poker fans crowded the rail, standing just inches away from famous players and loved ones alike. And there were tables everywhere. The WSOP felt big in the Amazon Room.

Players joked and laughed. They were playing in the Amazon Room! Heartbreak and bad beats reverberated through the room, as did shouts of triumph. For players who started their tournament in the outer rooms of the WSOP, reaching the Amazon Room was a major tournament milestone. You hadn't really played in a WSOP tournament until you reached the Amazon Room. The Amazon Room was special. And everyone knew it. At least, everyone knew it until this year.

The Amazon Room isn't special anymore. The Amazon Room has become poker's biggest sound stage, enabling the production of a high-quality, immensely profitable televised event for ESPN.

Large swathes of tables in the Amazon Room have been replaced by areas with significantly fewer tables, significantly more room for TV cameras and operators to move around and significantly more distance between the audience and the players. In addition to the main TV stage, there are now four TV-friendly tables in the middle of the Amazon Room and another six in one corner. The room's unique charm has given way to the needs of the television audience. The beauty and joy of more than a thousand people playing poker at once have yielded to the modern needs of broadcasting, live streaming and reaching a global audience. The WSOP -- and the Amazon Room by extension -- have embraced progress and modernity. And that's OK. The world changes, and the WSOP needs to change with it. But it's important to mourn what has been lost -- because much has been lost.

One of the special TV-table areas in the Amazon Room. (photo by Vin Narayanan, Casino City)

There wasn't a lot of room to navigate between tables. Just enough space for the massage therapists to do their work and photographers to take a few pictures. And a producer and cameraman to race around the room shooting video. But that was it. And as a result, the WSOP Main Event felt like a poker tournament that happened to be televised -- and not an event built for television.

Fans on the rail had easy access to about 34 tables, not including the featured TV tables. So they could watch some of their favorite players from up close. When you're standing on the rail, you can reach out and touch the players closest to you. You're right on top of the action. You can see the cards, hear the players talk and live every moment as if you were at the table. And there were always a few prominent players in those outer tables. Fans were excited that they were "this close" to their favorite players.

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Amazon Room loses its charm at World Series of Poker

GIBSON CITY A new obstetrics department at Gibson Area Hospital is intended to create a more intimate and personalized environment for mothers and their babies.

"Its a special time and we want to make it as positive as possible," said Dawn Merkle, the department's director.

The new unit, built in what had been a 10,000-square-foot empty shell on the second floor above the emergency department and some added space, is part of a $6 million expansion and renovation project that began in fall 2012. The addition will open when the state certifies it.

The new department has five private labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms, which will allow expectant mothers to stay in the same room for their entire hospital stay. There also is a Caesarean-section operating room that is housed at the end of the second floor of the wing.

The new rooms feature infant care centers in which physicians and nurses can complete baby care without taking the baby from the room.

The new wing also features up-to-date remote monitoring technology, and one room also features a labor tub, which offers natural pain relief option during labor.

Each room is equipped with an in-room refrigerator, flat-screen television, Wi-Fi, and a foldout bed and linens for fathers.

While many of the rural hospitals have closed their obstetrics departments because of a lack of doctors trained in that specialty, Gibson Area Hospital has been able to expand because it has eight family physicians practicing there, said Rob Schmitt, CEO of Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services.

The remainder of the second floor houses six new private rooms, which will be used primarily for patients receiving hip and knee replacements and for some general surgery patients.

Those new private rooms feature bathrooms with showers, bathroom and room doors that open in and out, bedside medicine scanning and charting and communication boards.

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Personalized environment is key to new OB room at Gibson

SLOAN, Iowa | WinnaVegas Casino Resort unveiled its spacious new poker room last week.

At some point, it likely will be the only legalized game in town for poker players, said officials with the tribal casino, located just west of Sloan, Iowa.

The Argosy Sioux City riverboat casino has long had a poker room. But the floating casino is fighting for its life. An Iowa judge is expected to decide this month whether the boat must comply with a state order to close because it longer holds a state gaming license.

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City is scheduled to open Aug. 1. While the downtown casino's 30,000-square-foot casino floor will offer a variety of table games, poker won't be among them.

WinnaVegas marketing director Travis Morgan said the hopes to draw more players with eight new poker tables -- double the previous number.

"We recognized there is a poker boom still going on," Morgan said. "Is it as big as it was eight years ago ... ? Probably not, but it's still very, very big."

The new poker room, located in a former slot machine area, will not only allow more players to compete at the same time, but also permit the casino to add more games, such as Omaha, Texas Hold 'Em, and Seven Card Stud, Morgan said.

WinnaVegas also expects to add more poker tournaments with large cash purses.

John Blackhawk, chairman of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, which owns and operates the casino, said one goal is to become a stop on such industry tournaments as the World Poker Tour.

A large tournament, Blackhawk said, would help attract thousands of visitors to the casino. For such a large tournament, the casino could set up additional tables in its new 2,500-seat events center.

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Expanded poker room opens at WinnaVegas

By Linda Mckay

Published: 03:12 EST, 5 July 2014 | Updated: 03:12 EST, 5 July 2014

I am have just recently taken in a lodger and need to know whether I have to register for the rent-a-room scheme to avoid paying tax.

I have Paye employment and live in east London in a small 2-bed property.

The house does also have a driveway so I am also considering offering this for rental too. If the income I take from the lodger is under the limit for rent a room, can I rent the drive too without tax implications?

I would appreciate the help of your experts. SR via email

Driving profits: Income from a lodger can be free of tax - but what about money you make renting out your driveway?

Linda McKay of This is Money replies: Those who live near the centre of large cities or close by a railway station may consider renting their driveway for income as parking costs have driven motorists to look for cheaper places to leave a vehicle either while at work or at weekends.

There is tax relief for individuals to rent rooms in their homes to lodgers, but does this extend to driveways?

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Do I need to register my lodger with the rent-a-room scheme - and can I rent out my driveway and use the same tax break?