Finding Family Attractions Worth Your Money

Not all family attractions advertised by various destinations are worth the investment. On the other hand, some of the best are low cost or even free. As you plan your next trip across the country or even locally, look for those types of activities that can reduce your risks of having a bad experience that limits your budget. Instead, get to know what options there are in any given area that can drastically improve your experience without costing you a lot of money to start with.

What Makes It Unique?

Before visiting another theme park or going on another tour of a museum, ask the hard question that you need an answer to. What makes this location something unique? What is different here that you and the kids have not seen previously? Family attractions need to be unique in order for them to be worth the investment. Look through websites and travel guides to determine what is offered that seems interesting and unique. You could even call the location and inquire.

What Does It Teach?

You may not want to spend your entire trip dealing with educational activities and areas, but it can be one of the best ways to get something for your investment. For example, if you are visiting an area where there is a zoo, even young kids will learn something if you take the time to find out about the animals. Older kids might enjoy learning about habitats and conservation methods. At the same time, look for a location that gets people talking and asking questions. You want to spark their interest without it being a formal type of education.

Does It Give You Something Back?

Sometimes, the best things to do with the group are those activities that bring you together. For example, imagine a hiking trail where you each have to support each other through the rough terrain. You may want to do something interesting together such as go whitewater rafting. Everyone commits to enabling the entire group to succeed. These types of experiences can help to bring you all together and give you something to look forward to for the next time, too.

Overall, family attractions are more than just theme parks. They need to do more than just thrill the kids with roller coasters to be worth the money you put into them. Before you book your next trip, check out the fun that can be had enjoying more relaxed experiences with those who you like to be around the most. You may learn something, but you most definitely will have fun along the way. That is what makes it worthwhile.

When looking for family attractions New Orleans has a long list of unique, educational experiences to offer. Visit http://www.auduboninstitute.org/ for more information.

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The Legend of Korra, Really Worth the Hype?

The Legend of Korra (TLOK) begins 75 years after the Last Airbender(TLA). It follows Korra (from the Southern Water tribe) the 17-year-old Avatar. The plot begins with Korra, having mastered fire, water and earthbending, moving to Republic city to complete her airbending training. Her master is Aang's son, Tenzin. However, Republic City is amidst an anti-bender revolution, led by the mysterious Amon. Along the way she meets Mako and Bolin, orphan brothers who lost their parents to firebenders.

TLOK, much like it's predecessor, has beautiful animation and draws you into a fantastic world. Having one setting, without detracting from the plot, allowed the animators to flesh out the city. When compared to the TLA, the characters were weaker but the plot was considerably better, ignoring the last 3 episodes. Unfortunately, the ending, resulted in the series falling below the lofty standards of it's predecessor.

Korra was a vast improvement on Katara. She is strong, independent and genuinely engaging. Unlike Katara she is not overbearing. However her characterization was poor. I found that she was essentially the same character in the first and last episode. In fact most of the characters were left undeveloped.

Tenzin was a good character given the right amount of characterization. He is calm yet funny. However his children were quite annoying and given too much air time at the expense of the other characters.

Mako, the Zuko equivalent, was melodramatic. Initially he is cold and distant but by the midpoint of the series he is emotionally volatile. He is a highly advanced firebender, in my opinion far too advanced. One of the themes of the show is the love quadrangle involving Korra, Asami, himself and his brother Bolin.

Bolin, the equivalent of Sokka, is an earthbender. Unfortunately Bolin wasn't fleshed out as expected and was completely irrelevant.

Other characters include Asami, Mako's girlfriend, who proved to be one of the better characters. Again, she was not fleshed out enough. The little attention paid to her leaves her as the most compelling character. Bei Lin Fong, Toph's daughter, was head of the police. She is also capable of metal bending and overall is colder and less outgoing than Toph.

Finally we come to Amon, the most interesting character, until the finale. He believes that benders are oppressing the non-benders. Having had his parents murdered by firebenders he starts a powerful revolution. He is the most advanced fighter on the show and develops a deadly skill.

The plot was more complex than TLA. In Amon there is a villain whose goal, equality, is admirable. His action to achieve that goal are questionable. The build up to the last finale was superb. The series was about to surpass all expectations. However the final 2 episodes were rubbish. To sum up, the finale undid all the previous good work. The complex themes, heart rendering sacrifices and meticulous build up were wasted.

At the heart of it all, TLOK aimed to integrate adult themes into a children's story. This required a rosy ending that, unfortunately, detracted from the plot significantly.

6/10

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Missing Philadelphia School Art Collection Is Worth $30 Million!

In 2004, the Philadelphia school system called in expert art appraisers from Chicago to evaluate a collection of more than 1,000 paintings bought by school principals in the early 1900's. Some of the paintings were publicly displayed, but many were found in storage rooms and basements, often in need of repair or restoration. Although some school officials called for a committee to figure out the best way to handle the collection, which included creating a museum or possibly selling the art to help defray the financial problems of the Philadelphia school system, others in power quiety scooped up all of the art and transferred it to storage facilities in hidden locations.

The controller of Philadelphia launched an investigation in 2007, and learned that the paintings (which had been inventoried) were not public displayed, and some 85 paintings seemed to be missing.

Les and Sue Fox, art experts, and New York Times bestselling authors of The Art Hunters Handbook, have launched their own investigation into this matter. However, we have received no help from current and former Philadelphia school officials who seem to be content to let sleeping dogs lie. Except that some of the paintings are worth $500,000 apiece including a painting by famous American artist Thomas Eakins.

The Foxes are very concerned about the whereabouts of the missing art, and would appreciate help from anyone who knows influential people in Philadelphia. You can read more details of this story by Googling: $30 million Philadelphia art collection missing.

This is a very serious situation. And because it affects school children, we hope that we can get some support to find out what's happening behind the scenes.

Here is part of a press release we issue earlier in 2012:

These paintings belong to America, to the people of Philadelphia, and especially to the students, said Les. It's just not right that they've been secreted away with no official statement about their future. The Controller of Philadelphia is concerned about the safety of the paintings. But his efforts have been thwarted by the Philadelphia School District. No one is saying that anything has actually been lost or stolen. But that's a valid question.

In 2007, Daniel Whelan, a former member of Philadelphia's School Reform Commission, proposed selling some of the art to reduce the district's budget deficit. Butkovitz said he believes children benefit from seeing art in school, unless security costs to safeguard the works make that impractical. Some of the photographs we've seen indicate possible shredding or other damage to some valuable pieces, and we're alarmed about that, Butkovitz warned. If the policy makers decide they want to get out of the art-custody business and cash in, that's their decision. Our job is to make sure if they think they have $30 million to cash in, there's actually $30 million. Butkovitz said that his auditors could not find 85 works at the locations listed in the district's art inventory.

The only painting ever revealed to the general public is Lunch Time by Catherine Morris Wright, last seen at the Woodrow Wilson Middle School in 2004, when some 72 paintings were removed. The Foxes have contacted officials at the Wilson School for further information. A large group of paintings was also removed from Central High School, where Thomas Eakins graduated in 1861. Eakins' 1902 portrait of former principal John Seely Hart was part of the Central High collection, and is estimated to be worth more than $500,000. In 2008, supporters of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, raised $68 million to purchase Thomas Eakins' masterpiece The Gross Clinic, an American art icon which has been compared to Rembrandt's Night Watch.

A painting of dogs by Henry Ossawa Tanner, the famous African-American impressionist, was bought by the Wilson School for $5 in 1937. The Foxes were unable to obtain a photo of either the Tanner or the Eakins painting, but they are committed to making all of the missing art accessible to the public. In 1981, The Thankful Poor, a masterpiece by Tanner, was purchased by comedian and famous art collector Bill Cosby at Sotheby's for $250,000. In 1996, Sand Dunes At Sunset, Atlantic City by Tanner was acquired for the White House art collection by Bill and Hillary Clinton from the grandniece of the artist for $100,000.

In conducting their investigation the Foxes are seeking information from all reliable sources. They have been in contact with Kathleen Bernhardt of Chicago Art Source and the Michener Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, which was also involved with the Philadelphia School art collection. The collection contains paintings by Pennsylvania Impressionists Edward Redfield and Walter Emerson Baum.

The teachers and other school workers in Philadelphia are understandably upset about this missing art, said Sue Fox. It was beautiful to look at. It was part of their lives for many years. Some of the paintings hung on walls, which are now empty. Others were found in storage rooms and basements. And now it's all gone. This art deserves to be rediscovered, to be properly restored, and publicly displayed.

The Art Hunters Handbook contains other stories about valuable art found in public schools, as well as the Bill Cosby collection and Barack Obama's dramatic changes to the White House art collection.

Art experts and New York Times bestselling authors Les and Sue Fox provide tons of free information and advice to people who want to know if they own a valuable painting and the best way to sell it for fair market value. Their new book The Art Hunters Handbook was written for Antiques Roadshow fans and garage sale buffs. The Foxes have been in the art business for more than 35 years.

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