text:
Wildwood Snowmass
Our guest rooms provide a comfortable retreat, as well as the necessary amenities for an enjoyable stay.
Our attention to detail extends even to the air. For the added comfort of our guests, the hotel's guest rooms are smoke-free.
- Flat Screen Television
- In-Room Movies
- iPod Docking Station
Bed Features
- Rollaway Beds
- Down Pillows
- 250 Thread Count Sheets
- Hairdryer
- Telephone
- Voicemail
- Bottled Water
- Coffee Maker
- Refrigerator
Room Features
- Balcony
- 100% Non-Smoking Guest Rooms
Room Amenities & Services
- Iron/Ironing Board by Request
- Secondary Lock on Room Door
- Electronic Room Key
- Radio/Alarm Clock
- Housekeeping Service
- Humidifier
- Smoke Detectors in Room
- Wake-up Service
Internet Access
- High Speed Internet Access in All Guest Rooms 20 USD per day
- Wireless High Speed Internet Access 20 USD per day
Some of the amenities above may not be available in all rooms. Fees on certain amenities/services may apply.
To explore the full lemeridien.com experience, Flash Player Version 6.39 or higher is required. Click here for a free download. Alternatively click here to experience the non-flash version of lemeridien.com. Enjoy


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That Red DotIn southern India, girls choose to wear a bindi, while in other parts of India it is the prerogative of the married woman. A red dot on the forehead is an auspicious sign of marriage and guarantees the social status and sanctity of the institution of marriage. The Indian bride steps over the threshold of her husband's home, bedecked in glittering apparels and ornaments, dazzling the red bindi on her forehead that is believed to usher in prosperity, and grants her a place as the guardian of the family's welfare and progeny.
A Hot Spot!The area between the eyebrows, the sixth chakra known as the 'agna' meaning 'command', is the seat of concealed wisdom. It is the centre point wherein all experience is gathered in total concentration. According to the tantric cult, when during meditation the latent energy ('kundalini') rises from the base of the spine towards the head, this 'agna' is the probable outlet for this potent energy. The red 'kumkum' between the eyebrows is said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. It is also the central point of the base of the creation itself — symbolizing auspiciousness and good fortune.
How to ApplyTraditional bindi is red or maroon in color. A pinch of vermilion powder applied skillfully with practiced fingertip make the perfect red dot. Women who are not nimble-fingered take great pains to get the perfect round. They use small circular discs or hollow pie coin as aid. First they apply a sticky wax paste on the empty space in the disc. This is then covered with kumkum or vermilion and then the disc is removed to get a perfect round bindi. Sandal, 'aguru', 'kasturi', 'kumkum' (made of red turmeric) and 'sindoor' (made of zinc oxide and dye) make this special red dot. Saffron ground together with 'kusumba' flower can also create the magic!
QUICK POLL: Women look more beautiful when they wear a bindi. Do you agree?
View Current Results
Fashion PointWith changing fashion, women try out many shapes and designs. It is, at times a straight vertical line or an oval, a triangle or miniature artistry ('alpana') made with a fine-tipped stick, dusted with gold and silver powder, studded with beads and crusted with glittering stones. The advent of the sticker-bindi made of felt with glue on one side, has not only added colors, shapes and sizes to the bindi but is an ingenious easy-to-use alternative to the powder. Today, bindi is more of a fashion statement than anything else, and the number of young performers sporting bindis is overwhelming even in the West.
Buy a BindiEven those who use the bindi purely for decorative purposes, often notice its power. If you're looking for hot spots where you can buy your bindis from don't forget to check our list of top online bindi shops.
Next Page: Bindis - History, Legends, Significance

subset: commoncrawl


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Arts Groups and Sheriff's Office Not Incompatible, Officer Saysby Jan Sjostrom
The Sheriff's Office really did want to help out cultural groups. But its good wishes can't justify breaking the law, says Chief Deputy Michael Gauger, who was dismayed by our July 10 story about how little money small groups will get through a shattered partnership between the Palm Beach County Cultural Council and the Sheriff's Office.
Without further clarification, our story "creates frustration and ill feelings toward the Sheriff's Office and its LETF that has helped multiple community organizations in the past," Gauger wrote in a recent e-mail to the paper. The Sheriff's Office did not respond to repeated requests for its point of view when the story was being written.
"As much as we want to help, we are bound by state and federal mandates," Gauger said in a follow-up phone conversation.
Under the law, money distributed through the State Law Enforcement Trust Fund, the source of the money available from the Sheriff's Office, must be used to promote safe neighborhoods or for other law-enforcement purposes.
Many of the 29 groups that qualified for funding under the cultural council's criteria did not meet the Sheriff's Office requirements, he said.
Because of these restrictions, the Sheriff's Office can distribute a total of only $70,759 to 14 groups in 2010-11. When Sheriff Ric Bradshaw proposed the match in September the council hoped that as much as $200,000 would be available to small cultural groups, which had been zeroed out of the county budget.
In June, the council gave up trying to negotiate with the Sheriff's Office, saying its repeated requests to have the eligibility criteria clarified went unanswered. The council advised the groups that qualified for funding to deal directly with the Sheriff's Office,
The problems arose because the Sheriff's Office isn't used to working through a third party, Gauger said. "Our process is we generally deal directly with groups," he said. "Having an administrative layer just made more layers."
The Sheriff's Office does a lot of work in the community, he noted. It's involved in several community-based sports initiatives. One of its officers runs a dance troupe for teens in Wellington, he said.
"We have done arts programs in the past and we would love to do them again," Gauger said. "But they have to have a law enforcement or safe neighborhoods spin."
Tags: Sheriff Ric Bradshaw Palm Beach County Cultural Council Chief Deputy Michael Gauger grants


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YAMI4 is a set of messaging libraries designed for distributed systems with particular focus on control and monitoring systems.
The major features of YAMI4 are:
In addition to the above capabilities that are ready to use in the peer-to-peer mode, the YAMI4 suite offers:
The YAMI4 suite is a multi-language and multi-platform package with dedicated libraries for Ada, C++, Java, .NET, Objective-C and Python and is supported on POSIX-like systems (including iOS), Microsoft Windows and Java-based platforms.
In addition to the main library package that is intended for use on mainstream compilation and system platforms, the MISRA-C package is provided for further adaptation on embedded target platforms and in those project that choose the MISRA-C coding standard to facilitate static analysis, certification, audits and other forms of formal validations.
See the Frequently Asked Questions about YAMI4.
The following articles present various aspects of YAMI4 that can help you decide whether YAMI4 is a good solution to your problems:
"Programming Distributed Systems with YAMI4" by Maciej Sobczak
This book is a comprehensive YAMI4 manual that describes the messaging concepts and typical usage patterns.
The HTML version of this book is available as well.
YAMI4 Video Tutorial on YouTube
This tutorial explains fundamental concepts of the YAMI4 library and demonstrates the use of example programs.
For the API reference see the documentation generated from source files:
Supplementary material:
The YAMI4 LinkedIn Group and YAMI4 Google Group are places where YAMI4 users are invited to meet others and to discuss their experiences, find help and exchange ideas.
The YAMI4 libraries are dual-licensed and are available in the following two versions:
The following GPL packages are available for download (contact us for details on professional packages):
Universal source package: libraries, services and tools.
Appropriate for Ada, C++, Java, .NET, Objective-C, and Python programmers on both Linux and Windows.
See the changelog.txt file for the detailed history of modifications.
Source package for MISRA-C projects.
See more information about this dedicated package.
The Wireshark network protocol analyser contains a dedicated built-in YAMI4 filter.
Need more information about the YAMI4 project? Do not hesitate to ask.


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Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
SOURCE Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc.
--Study in Nature Genetics Used PGDx Exome Analysis to Identify Previously Unknown Mutation with Potential as New Drug Target for Lethal Childhood Brain Cancer--
--National Cancer Institute (NCI) Study Published in Science Used PGDx Exome Sequencing to Identify Epithelial Cancer Antigens with Demonstrated Immunotherapy Potential--
--Study in Clinical Cancer Research Used PGDx Exome Analysis in Tandem with Avatar Models of Breast Cancer to Guide Personalized Treatment--
BALTIMORE, June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. (PGDx), a provider of advanced cancer genome analysis and testing services, reported that its exome analysis services played a central role in several cancer studies recently published in leading scientific journals. PGDx's exome analysis incorporates the company's proprietary technology and its scientists' deep understanding of the genomics and biology of cancer.
The studies detected a previously unknown brain cancer mutation with potential as a new drug target, identified epithelial cancer antigens that have shown promise as targets for immunotherapy, and detected breast cancer mutations that were used with an avatar model of the patient's cancer to guide personalized treatment.
Antony Newton, chief commercial officer of PGDX, commented, "The diversity of these studies illustrates the expanding power and utility of our exome analysis services, and they confirm that PGDx is very skilled at zeroing in on bona fide cancer mutations from large data sets, a prerequisite for this type of research. Our scientists bring exceptional expertise to exome analysis, having helped pioneer the approach, and they combine that expertise with a deep understanding of the biology of cancer. Their ability to make connections between multiple data sources also helped produce the discoveries reported in all three studies."
Sian Jones, PhD, a study co-author and director of genome analyses at PGDx, added, "In the brain cancer study, we collaborated with Duke Medicine and scientists from Chinese research institutions to identify a previously unknown mutation that may have potential as a target for new drug development. The groundbreaking NCI-sponsored study led by Dr. Steven Rosenberg was the first time that exome sequencing has been successfully used to identify cancer antigens with demonstrated utility for immunotherapy. The third study was the first ever to show a positive impact on patient outcomes from the use of a live avatar model of the patient's own cancer. It confirmed that combining exome sequencing with other personalized medicine approaches has the potential to enhance therapeutic decision making."
Dr. Jones, further noted, "The success of all three projects was largely dependent on our ability to identify real mutations from noise, based on our extensive experience in using matched normal DNA to differentiate germline polymorphisms from real somatic mutations in whole genome, exome and targeted analyses. While many believe it is feasible to accomplish this using a normal reference, this less rigorous approach limits the potential to discover new somatic alterations, resulting in suboptimal results and a failure to advance our understanding of the genomics of cancer."
The brain cancer study recently published in the online edition of Nature Genetics1 was a collaborative effort to better understand brainstem glioma, a deadly form of brain cancer that strikes children and young adults. A key finding was the identification by PGDx of a previously unknown mutation present in the PPM1D gene, which stimulates cell growth and proliferation. This mutation was not previously associated with brainstem glioma, and it is not seen in other brain tumors. PGDx scientists used exome sequencing to discover the new mutation and help elucidate its role. PPM1D represents a promising target for the development of new drugs to treat this lethal disorder.
Senior author Hai Yan, MD, PhD, noted, "A major challenge of this study was to accurately identify the few critical mutations out of a large of number of potential candidates. We selected PGDx for their state-of-the-art genetic analysis tools and expertise in connecting the genetics to the biology of cancer."
In the second study, published in Science2 in May, researchers at NCI led by Dr. Steven Rosenberg used PGDx's whole exome sequencing to demonstrate that the immune system can mount an endogenous T-cell immune response against a mutation expressed by an epithelial cancer, and that this response can be harnessed for therapeutic benefit. PGDx scientists conducted whole exome sequencing that identified epithelial cancer mutations that had antigenic potential. The NCI team then generated a therapeutic product enriched with T-cells that were highly reactive to these mutations. In early testing, the therapy had a positive therapeutic impact in a number of patients with epithelial cancer, which accounts for about 90% of cancer deaths in the U.S.
The third study, which appeared in Clinical Cancer Research3 in March, summarizes early experience in developing personalized cancer treatments by integrating data from PGDx's exome sequencing analyses with data from avatar mouse models, developed from the patient's own tumor. All the tumor samples profiled by PGDx contained biologically or clinically meaningful genomic alterations, and some of these were used to optimize treatment via functional testing in the avatar. This study demonstrated the feasibility of the approach, with 57% of patients receiving personalized therapy and 77% of those experiencing a clinical benefit from the tailored treatment.
Senior author Dr. Manuel Hidalgo, commented, "In this study we wanted to combine a highly comprehensive exome sequencing approach with bench testing of therapies in animal models. Working with PGDx gave us access to the most advanced technology approaches combined with interactions with a team of experienced scientists, and this really helped us understand the tumor biology."
1 Exome sequencing identifies somatic gain-of-function PPM1D mutations in brainstem gliomas,Liwei Zhang, Lee H Chen, Hong Wan, Rui Yang, Zhaohui Wang, Jie Feng, Shaohua Yang, Sian Jones, Sizhen Wang, Weixin Zhou, Huishan Zhu, Patrick J Killela, Junting Zhang, Zhen Wu, Guilin Li, Shuyu Hao, Yu Wang, Joseph B Webb, Henry S Friedman, Allan H Friedman, Roger E McLendon, Yiping He, Zachary J Reitman, Darell D Bigner, Hai Yan, Nature Genetics, Advance Online Publication, DOI: 10.1038/ng.2995.
2 Cancer Immunotherapy Based on Mutation-Specific CD4+ T Cells in a Patient with Epithelial Cancer, Eric Tran, Simon Turcotte, Alena Gros, Paul F. Robbins, Yong-Chen Lu, Mark E. Dudley, John R. Wunderlich, Robert P. Somerville, Katherine Hogan, Christian S. Hinrichs,Maria R. Parkhurst, James C. Yang, Steven A. Rosenberg, Science, 9 May 2014, Vol 344; 642-645
3Integrated Next-Generation Sequencing and Avatar Mouse Models for Personalized Cancer Treatment, Elena Garralda, Keren Paz, Pedro P. Lopez-Casas, Sian Jones, Amanda Katz, Lisa M. Kann, Fernando Lopez-Rios, Francesca Sarno, Fatima Al-Shahrour, David Vasquez, Elizabeth Bruckheimer, Samuel V. Angiuoli, Antonio Calles, Luis A. Diaz, Victor E. Velculescu, Alfonso Valencia, David Sidransky, Manuel Hidalgo, Clinical Cancer Research; 20(9); 2476–84.
About Personal Genome Diagnostics
Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx) provides advanced cancer genome analyses to oncology researchers, drug developers, clinicians and patients. The company uses advanced genomic methods and its deep expertise in cancer biology to identify and characterize the unique genomic alterations in tumors. PGDx's proprietary methods for genome sequencing and analysis are complemented by its extensive experience in cancer genomics and clinical oncology. The founders of PGDx, Luis Diaz, MD, and Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD, are internationally recognized leaders in cancer genomics at Johns Hopkins University who have extensive experience in the practical application of advanced genomic technologies to drug development and clinical practice. PGDx's CLIA-certified facility provides personalized cancer genome analyses to patients and their physicians. For more information, visit www.personalgenome.com.
Personal Genome Diagnostics
Antony Newton
BLL Partners, LLC
Chief Commercial Officer
Barbara Lindheim
410 849-9189
212 584-2276
©2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.


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DVDs:Animals and Nature:Animals and Wildlife:Tigers of the Snow and Search for the Afghan Girl DVD
National Geographic commemorates 125 years of exploration by reintroducing timeless classics featuring "great explorations" from its archives.
Search for The Afghan Girl follows the expedition to find the mysterious green-eyed Afghan refugee girl who captivated the world in perhaps the most famous National Geographic magazine cover. Journey to the Afghan-Pakistan border with the photographer who took this world-famous picture as he attempts to track down his anonymous subject. Follow clues and rumors through the twisting byways of a teeming refugee camp on a mission to solve this 17 year old mystery.
In Tigers of the Snow, National Geographic ventures into the dense forests of coastal Siberia to track the biggest cat on earth, the elusive Siberian Tiger. Join a team of Russian and American scientists who are risking their lives to save this highly endangered and highly dangerous creature. Some 300 Siberian tigers survive in the wild, concentrated in a shrinking habitat and under siege from poachers.
Not available for shipment outside the U.S. and Canada.
Episodes Include: Tigers of the Snow and Search for the Afghan Girl.
To place an order: 1-800-437-5521
For customer service: 1-888-557-4450
Outside of the U.S. and Canada:
National Geographic Store
777 South State Road 7
Margate, FL 33068 United States


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Both times Frank Mir won a piece of the UFC heavyweight championship, it was as an underdog. When he captured the belt outright at UFC 48 in June 2004, Tim Sylvia was nearly a 3-to-1 favorite against him. When he took the interim title more than four years later, it was Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira favored by an even larger number, nearly 4-to-1.
Against Junior dos Santos, Mir will face not only his longest title odds yet, but the most lopsided of his entire career. When the two step into the cage at UFC 146, dos Santos will be around 5-to-1 to beat Mir.
That number is borne out of dos Santos' striking acumen. Simply put, he is believed to be a significantly better striker than Mir, and also to have the takedown defense that will allow him to keep the fight exactly where he prefers it.
The 27-year-old dos Santos (14-1) has so far routed everyone that's stood in front of him in the striking portion of fights. From renowned strikers like Mirko Cro Cop to power punchers like Shane Carwin, he's proven his hands and his chin repeatedly.
His success is largely based on his speed. The Brazilian has fast hands for a heavyweight and often beats his opponents to the punch. His title win against Cain Velasquez, for example, was quick, but it was clear that dos Santos won all of the exchanges through speed. Against Gilbert Yvel, the pair were both throwing left hooks at the same time; dos Santos landed first. He also seems to have quick reflexes in countering when his opponent comes forward with no clear indication of doing anything meaningful.
That was how he knocked out Fabricio Werdum many fights ago, it was also how he KO'd Gabriel Gonzaga.
According to FightMetric, dos Santos lands his strikes at a 47 percent rate. That's a decent number, but it becomes more ominous for Mir when you factor in two other statistics. First of all, dos Santos has scored eight knockdowns in his UFC career, tied for seventh all-time while appearing in only eight octagon bouts. Secondly, Mir has a terrible habit of being hit often in his fights.
FightMetric research shows that Mir's opponents only miss on 41 percent of their strike attempts against him. That means Mir is routinely outstruck; stats show that he lands 2.48 strikes per minute while his opponents land 3.54 per minute against him.
Given those numbers, it's somewhat incredible Mir (16-5) has fashioned the resume he has, and it also goes against dos Santos' recent contention that Mir crumbles under pressure. More evidence against it? Mir's most recent win over dos Santos' mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
In that fight, Nogueira rocked Mir with a straight right hand and worked for the finish with ground strikes before Mir suddenly turned the momentum on him on a scramble and forced a technical submission by kimura.
That fight showed Mir at his best and worst. On one hand, he fought through a horrific start to win; on the other, his striking defense was dreadful, with Nogueira landing a shocking 87.5 percent of his strikes. Nogueira is a good boxer, but dos Santos is a few notches above him, not only with power but speed.
Mir also seems to often find himself backed up against the cage. That's a position that he's used to try to score takedowns in the past, but it's one in which dos Santos has excelled.
Mir might have hinted at some of his game plan during Thursday's pre-fight press conference when he noted that with dos Santos, the danger factor decreases after the first round. Most likely, that means he'll be willing to make an ugly first, clinching and attempting to grinding dos Santos against the fence in hoping to steal away some of his explosiveness.
Fighting with your back to the fence hasn't worked well against dos Santos in the past though. Just ask Stefan Struve and Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson. Then again, not much of anything has worked against dos Santos.
The obvious route to victory for Mir is to take the fight to the ground, where he has secured nine of his career wins. The not-so-obvious piece of that puzzle is how exactly he can get it there. Mir is a decent wrestler who has successfully landed 51 percent of his takedown tries, but dos Santos has flashed excellent defense. He's only been put on the mat twice -- once apiece by Carwin and Gonzaga -- and he hasn't stayed there very long. Neither man held him down for more than one second; on both occasions he immediately popped back to his feet before a single strike was landed.
That leaves the probability that Mir is left to try to solve dos Santos on his feet. And that, of course, seems an unlikely proposition.
The uppercut and left hook have been JDS' action punches throughout his career. Of the two, I think the uppercut is much more likely to change the course of this fight, particularly as the two work near the fence.
FightMetric used a match-up analysis to simulate the bout 10,000 times, and dos Santos won 66 percent of the time, with 45 percent of the finishes coming by way of knockout.
I, too, think dos Santos is the likely winner. Mir is a big underdog for good reason; dos Santos is that good, and he denies Mir a third title run with a second-round knockout.


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|Lauren's Way Boutique
The Only Way Is Essex star Lauren Goodger has launched her debut clothing collection,┬Āassisted in design and production by FashionCapital.
The range is a mixture of day-to-eveningwear as well as a catwalk collection.┬Ā
The Collection has been designed by Lauren with assistance from FashionCapital using The Workshop and The Factory and is 100% British Made.
Her collection is available to buy online at the FashionCapital Boutique :http://laurensway.fcbboutique.com┬Ā
Speaking exclusively about Fashion Capital, Lauren said: ŌĆ£I have always loved fashion! This is why I am so excited about designing my very own LaurenŌĆÖs Way collection. I always find it difficult to find┬Āthe right colours, fit and designs in the shops today, so it's great to be┬Āworking alongside industry experts┬ĀFashionCapital.co.uk to launch my own collection.ŌĆØ
ŌĆ£I want anyone who┬Āwears my designs to feel gorgeous! I want it to┬Ābe affordable and suited to the curvier woman as well. It is time for every┬Ālady to look gorgeous. What more does a girl need to razzle and┬Āshine? Lauren's way tan, extensions and now clothes! So exciting and so┬Āglam!"
Since the launch of the collection at Profile in November it has had a fantastic response. The range has been mentioned on the hit TV show TOWIE and there has been an outstanding number of orders placed making ŌĆśLaurenŌĆÖs WayŌĆÖ a great success.
Catering for sizes 6-18 in colours such as black, red, ivory, cobalt blue, magenta and grey the collection features classic LBDŌĆÖs, more dynamically designed pieces and elegant evening wear. The fabrics used include chiffon, satin and jersey.
FashionCapital director Jenny Holloway commented: ŌĆ£LaurenŌĆÖs styles range from 60s colour-blocked A-line dresses to body-con sculptured dresses. Leather peplum jackets are this seasonŌĆÖs must have item to really define the female form. Wide palazzo pants and blouson tops always look stylish but with Lauren's Way collection it has a surprise contemporary twist.ŌĆØ
ŌĆ£Many thanks for the fast response I am very happy now! I was a little worried because, I love all the dresses and couldnŌĆÖt wait to receive them! Also, IŌĆÖm ordering another 2 dresses in 2 weeks, I will be very happy once it comes, I highly recommend the service and look forward to receiving custom from you again.ŌĆØ - Natasha Thompson
ŌĆ£Thanks very much for your help and outstanding customer service will definitely┬Ābe using you againŌĆØ - Louise Jones
"I would just like to thank you for the fast delivery on the dress I ordered. It's lovely." -┬ĀNatalie
"The knot dress is amazing!" -┬ĀAshley Hughes
You can visit LaurenŌĆÖs boutique, ŌĆ£LaurenŌĆÖs WayŌĆØ here: http://laurensway.fcbboutique.com/
- by Walton 0 replies.


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Many impressive brands have chosen to make Surrey their home including Kia Motors, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberley Clark, Toshiba UK, Future Electronics and Esso. Unilever, SC Johnson and Superdrug can also be found here. Surrey has a thriving economy and offers many opportunities for those seeking a career either in the county or slightly further afield in London.
Transport Links
Passing through the county there are four main motorway links – the London Orbital M25, M3, M4 and the M23 making it possible to drive easily to anywhere.
The county is connected to central London by a comprehensive rail network and train travel from Surrey is regular with many direct lines to towns and cities.
Heathrow and Gatwick airports also serve Surrey well with both domestic and international flights for those looking to go further afield.
There are some 166 schools in Surrey including academies, primary schools, independents, sixth form colleges and private the most notable of which are Harrow and Eton.
Arts & Culture
A focal point for creative arts, Surrey has a mix of both the contemporary and traditional. There is a UCA (University of the Creative Arts) at Farnham that displays this diversity of both British and European art to be found in this county.
Whilst Surrey has always been labelled "The Stockbroker Belt" these days you are just as likely to meet a celebrity. Brian May from Queen, Michael Caine, Ringo Star of Beatles fame, Dame Judi Dench and even Prince Edward live in the County of Surrey.
In recent years Surrey has developed a more cosmopolitan atmosphere as many Americans, Russians, Germans, Italians and Scandinavians have discovered this veritable jewel in England's crown.
There are many benefits in choosing to live in Surrey, a county that has excellent transport links; the lowest crime rate of anywhere in the UK; a great sporting community including tennis, cricket, golf, horse racing and horse riding; the most excellent cuisine and quality shopping.
Houses are, of course, much in demand but the purchase of a home in Surrey often transpires to be a home for life. Once there, not many people wish to leave.


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Nearby Attractions
Museums and golf courses surround Aarhus city centre hotel's location
Embark on a Jutland holiday full of cultural and leisure activities. Families especially will love an excursion to Randers Regnskov Zoo or Djurs Sommerland amusement park. Venture just a little further to experience Legoland or the Ebeltoft Safari. Golf enthusiasts can spend the day at one of the nearby 18-hole courses, which lie just beyond the Aarhus city centre. For the hotel's guests exploring Denmark by car, the Radisson Blu offers a 1,000-space parking lot.
Nearby attractions:
- ARoS Art Museum - next to hotel
- Aarhus City Hall - next to hotel
- Aarhus Music Hall (Musikhuset) - next to hotel
- Randers Regnskov Zoo - 42 km
- Djurs Sommerland amusement park - 50 km
- Ebeltoft Safari - Ree Park - 56 km
- Kattegatcentret shark centre - 70 km
- Legoland - 97 km
Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, Aarhus –
Margrethepladsen 1 – DK-8000 – Aarhus – Denmark –
Phone +45 8612 8665
56.152135 10.197555


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Rumours Say Bale is Still a Barca Target
The usually legitimate Telegraph is publishing reports of Barcelona once again targeting Gareth Bale. I would not suggest getting too excited about this, I'm sure Barcelona and every other team in the world are interested in Bale. But the numbers attached in the article are interesting. Apparently,Tottenham Hotspur have put a £36 million (€45m) valuation on Bale, which Barca is not willing to pay yet. Do you think £36 million is a fair price point for Bale, and should we sell him at that price? Sound off in the comments:


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Production Designer
Catherine Martin
and Her Costume Co-Designer
Angus Strathie
Talk About Designing
Baz Luhrmann's
Moulin Rouge
There's a shot in Baz Luhrmann's new film Moulin Rouge of Ewan McGregor as the poet Christian sitting at a window typing. Emblazoned across the facade of the building, indeed right across the window, is a huge red sign reading: "L'amour."
The L'amour sign has become something of an iconic image for Luhrmann and his longtime production designer — and wife of four years — Catherine Martin. It first appeared in red neon in their bewitching 1990 production of La Bohème for Opera Australia, set in 1950s Paris, the video of which brought them to international attention. Since then, Martin has managed to slip it into their movies Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet, not to mention their marriage ceremony, held onstage at the Sydney Opera House in 1997. In Moulin Rouge, it's a metal sign, frontlit — the early electrification of the Moulin Rouge being one of the decadent club's many great novelties in the 1890s. Asked about the sign, Martin, or CM, as she is generally known, laughs. "It's an old horse, and a good one, but I think it's seen its last trot for a while."
Moulin Rouge doesn't just spell the end for the L'amour sign. It is, says Martin, the culmination of the vivid, ultra-theatrical aesthetic that characterized both Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet. And, if the 12-minute promotional clip is anything to go by, in bringing that cycle of work to a conclusion, Moulin Rouge outdoes both of its antecedents in its madcap, trippy, operatic, almost orgiastic visual lavishness.
Luhrmann has long been fascinated by the milieu of the Moulin Rouge in the late 19th century, says Martin. For her part, she was keen to do a period film. "And Baz wanted to finish off this trilogy of 'Red Curtain' films so that he could then completely change direction. Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet were like an apprenticeship, I suppose, to tackling something that he has always had an interest in: the musical."
The "Red Curtain" style, which has defined Luhrmann's filmmaking to date, utilizes a distinctive storytelling technique. Each film tells a simple story based on a myth and set in a heightened or created world that is at once familiar yet exotic. "Each of the 'Red Curtain' trilogy has a device that awakens the audience to the experience and the storyteller's presence, encouraging them to be constantly aware that they are in fact watching a film," says the blurb on the Moulin Rouge website. "In Strictly Ballroom, dance is the device; the actors literally dance out the scenes. In Romeo + Juliet, it is Shakespeare's heightened 400-year-old language. In Moulin Rouge, our ultimate 'Red Curtain' gesture, music and song is the device that releases us from a naturalistic world."
"It's a deliberately artificial world," says Martin. "Behind the red theatrical curtain you find a world of….." She pauses. "Fantasy is wrong. Baz calls it real artificiality; you create an artificial world but you can see 360° of it. Everything has an equivalent from this world, and it's a world that makes you accept that the people in it break out into song. The interesting thing about the audience reaction at the focus groups is that no one mentions it's a musical. It's like they almost don't register that people are singing."
From a design perspective, Moulin Rouge was never going to be a straightforward, strictly period piece. For starters, while the movie is set in 1900, the songs the characters sing were written a century later: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "All You Need Is Love," "The Sound of Music," "Like a Virgin," and "Physical," for example.
The basic design premise, says Martin, was to convey to audiences what it felt like to be there. Thus while the set and costumes both quote the period, they don't follow it slavishly. Elements are tweaked for effect but there are no glaring anachronisms. "We consciously tried to keep within a period context," says Martin. "So, when we were coming up with sexual stereotypes for the Can-Can girls, you couldn't have a vinyl costume, because vinyl didn't exist, but you could maybe have a leather outfit. If you look in the hardcore S&M books of the late 19th century, people did wear leather corsets and spiked boots. What we tried to do, I suppose, was look at it with a contemporary eye, try and understand what it would have felt like to be there, and then think about what things make you feel like that today."
The myth Luhrmann and script co-writer Craig Pearce have drawn on for Moulin Rouge is that of Orpheus in the underworld. As for the aesthetic, one could hardly think of a location that lends itself more to a heightened or created world than that of the Moulin Rouge. When it opened in 1889, all of Paris was there. It was a place of extraordinary license, a place where the rich and powerful mingled with the beautiful and penniless, where aristocrats, artists, and prostitutes rubbed shoulders (at the least!), a place where you could indulge your fantasies and be anyone you wanted to be. Luhrmann has described his vision of the Moulin Rouge as "a Can-Can-besotted version of Steve Rubell's disco-crazed Studio 54 with Bangkok's sex market meets Mardi Gras carnival."
While the worlds Martin designs for Luhrmann are consciously, exuberantly, wittily artificial, they are also meticulously and painstakingly researched over several years. For Moulin Rouge, this of course meant time in Paris, where Luhrmann and Martin researched the the period in libraries, spoke to historians, walked around Montmartre, and attended the show at the Moulin Rouge a few times. They tried to get plans of the original club, without success, but did manage to get hold of a plan from one of the Parisian authorities that had been submitted in 1902 for a renovation of the facade. "It was helpful, because it allowed us to get some concrete sense of scale," says Martin. Martin also read novels of the period and a book called The Women, which she says "is basically a review of all the prostitutes in Paris, what they would do, and how much they cost," and spent a couple of days at the Metropolitan Opera in New York going through costumes.
Her recreation of the Moulin Rouge itself, built in its entirety at the Fox Studios in Sydney, where most of the film was shot, was fairly accurate historically (the 10m-high elephant in the garden included). The Parisian scenes outside the window, created using miniature models, were less so. "It's a completely artificial vista," says Martin, "an ode to Paris rather than [a recreation]. I saw a comment from someone on the Internet saying, 'Why is it that in movies set in Paris, you can always see the Eiffel Tower out of every window?' Well that's exactly what you can do in this movie, you can see the Eiffel Tower out of every single window!"
Martin reconfigured the Moulin Rouge slightly differently for cinematic purposes. Historically, the garden and the main dance hall were side by side, but Martin had the facade lead to the garden and then to the dance hall so that there could be a continuous camera move through them. She also incorporated a themed brothel room, which didn't really exist (though the Can-Can dancers were prostitutes). "There were themed brothel rooms all through the Right Bank, but we placed one inside the Moulin Rouge and made our own Gothic furniture and Gothic chandelier, which was inspired by the period but was possibly a little kookier. Some of the furnishings are also a little kookier." Apart from a tapestry and a candelabrum, which were rented from England, most of the furniture and furnishings were manufactured in the Sydney workshop or rented from Australian antique dealers.
In addition to serving as production designer, Martin originally planned to design all the costumes, but admits she was vanquished by the task and brought in Angus Strathie (who designed the ballroom gowns for Strictly Ballroom) as costume co-designer. It turned out to be a wonderful collaboration. For months they sat and talked, flicking through fashion magazines and reference books and tossing around ideas. Each costume evolved from countless drawings until they reached exactly what it was Luhrmann (who signs off personally on everything from floor finishings to frocks) was after.
"Every time we presented a period costume to Baz, to his eyes it looked like the Wild West," says Strathie. "A lot of [film] musicals were set in that period and did have that rather twee feeling, so we had to find another way of presenting it all. I'd find myself getting paranoid, going, 'Does it look authentic? Should it have five or six buttons?' But then I said, 'Let it go, Angus, it's not that sort of movie.' It was all about finding our own rules and then being quite rigid about those."
Had they the time and the budget, the designers would have liked to make all the costumes. As it was, they made 450 and hired clothes for the extras from Italy. "But even the hired costumes were styled," Strathie notes.
One of the main challenges was finding a way to give contemporary audiences the same kind of frisson watching the Can-Can as 19th-century audiences experienced. "In 1900, it was something extraordinary and exciting, as opposed to a kick-line of faceless girls in white petticoats," says Strathie. "We had to find a way to make that extraordinary for now."
Their solution was to treat each Can-Can dancer as an individual and give her a sexual fetish, and then a nationality when they couldn't think of any more fetishes. The choreography had to stay essentially the same so they had to find a shape and weight of skirt that looked authentic and moved properly and then not deviate from that shape. Above the ruffled skirt, each costume looked different. Some were embroidered; one girl had a skirt covered in pearl buttons, which made it so heavy that she needed braces to keep it up.
But how to deal with the split knickers beneath the Can-Can frocks, which were a big draw in the 19th century? Martin roars with laughter. "We were trying to make a PG-13 film here, so we had split knickers, but delicately concealed the areas that can be seen [so the girls had] a pink, smooth, Barbie-like area!"
The corsets were also problematic. The girls found they could dance in them, but once they got on the floor, couldn't get up again, so they had to design smaller corsets that gave them a certain shape but allowed for more flexibility. Nicole Kidman, who plays Satin, the most famous courtesan in Paris and the star of the Moulin Rouge, cracked a rib while being lifted in a tight corset. "To her credit, she could have worn the costumes without corsets, but she knew it was important to the look," says Strathie.
For Kidman's outfits, Martin and Strathie looked to Hollywood and the catwalk as well as to the period. "We altered the period silhouette slightly to make her outfits more chic, because that's who she is in the film and because Nicole has that long, lean physique," says Strathie. 'We tried to make her look like a fashion plate all the time, giving her some details of the period but also quoting the classic Hollywood style of the 1940s. She's a diva, but who is she? Is she Greta Garbo? Veronica Lake? Betty Grable?"
Much of the beading and embroidery was done in India, not just because it was more economical "but because it made it possible," says Strathie. "That is one of the skills that we don't have in Australia." Strathie also went on a buying trip to India, where he bought saris for the big final Hindi production number, and brocades. Many of the fabrics were found in Australia, though the velvet came from Germany, fur from Cuba, and quite a lot of period-looking fabric from London. A large wardrobe workshop was set up at Sydney's Fox Studios, where fabrics were manipulated and where a dyeing team was kept busy.
In finding the color palette for the movie, "We always knew that red was going to feature heavily for the Moulin Rouge, so the setting is very Victorian, quite dark and rich," says Strathie. "We decided to make the top layer of the Can-Can frocks quite dark, so that when their skirts were lifted, it was a bright flash of color. The big production number at the end is quite a different palette: brighter and shot against gold. In terms of [Kidman's] costumes, there weren't too many colors that we avoided."
Much of the detail for the graphics and embroidery was done on the computer: a jacket of lace-cut suede for Kidman, for example, was designed on the computer and a disk sent off so that the suede could be laser-cut.
The producers won't divulge budget figures. The total budget has been reported as being around $A95 million. How much of that was set aside for set and costumes no one will say. Martin admits she wishes she'd had more money for scenery. Some of the scenery money was siphoned off for the miniature models of Paris. "There's one set which, if it ends up being used, will have digital work done to it," she admits.
"Everyone has to operate within constraints, and we push at the boundaries of those constraints," Martin continues. "We operate beyond enemy lines. Wardrobe and sets were very minimally over budget thorough no fault of anybody's. Either it was a delay to the schedule, so we had to keep the workroom on, or we had to build an extra set we hadn't counted on, but basically, we stuck to our budgets. And I'm proud that we offer such amazing value for the money in Australia. The skill you get here is amazing. We really do have great craftsmen. Americans would walk into the Moulin Rouge set and say 'That must have cost blah, blah, blah,' and I'd say, 'I wish it had, because then I wouldn't have sweated on every light globe, but that's good because it makes you lean and makes you think."
Martin is full of praise for Brigitte Broch, her set decorator, who also worked on Romeo + Juliet; Ian Gracie, the supervising art director; and Greg Hajdu, the construction manager. "They used very clever, high-tech construction techniques to get a manmade look," she says. "Things were laser-cut en masse because it's cheaper and easier. And there would be no waste. If they were using polystyrene to coat the walls for texture, they would use the scraps to make rostrum.
"When I was standing on those sets I felt proud to be associated with all my fellow countrymen who made them." Martin continues. "What we can make here matches the rest of the world. We have good construction techniques and very aggressive ways of building things."
Asked how hard it all was, Martin sighs. "More difficult than I could ever have known. It was really, really hard. A lot of the things we are trying to do are complicated and time-consuming. It's a big risk, and I just hope that on May 4 it pays off and audiences like it. It has been difficult and fraught — but enormously rewarding as well."
Moulin Rouge opens at the Cannes Film Festival in May, with a nationwide US premiere scheduled for June 1.
Photos: Sue Adler ©2001 Twentieth Century Fox.
Sketch courtesy Angus Strathie.


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Oakland Athletics: Sonny Gray (RHP, Vanderbilt)
Just 5-11-- that's listed, and might be generous -- Gray will almost certainly be the shortest pitcher drafted Monday, but Tim Hudson has showed everyone you don't have stand six feet tall to thrive in the major leagues. Like many shorter pitchers, he's a bulldog on the mound and it doesn't hurt that he routinely throws in the low 90s, occasionally touches 96, and also throws an outstanding curveball.
Because of his height, there will be questions about Gray until he actually reaches the majors and pitches well, and like most young pitchers he does still need to refine his changeup. So far this season, Gray's struck out 115 college hitters and walked 39 in 108 innings. As well as he's pitched, the A's will probably be tempted to shift him to the bullpen if he doesn't thrive as a starter in his first pro season or two. Scouts note that he thrives under pressure and could make a fine closer if the changeup doesn't come around.


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Congratulations to Pat Farmer for completing his Middle Eastern Peace Run. Pat was joined by many supporters along the way and received a lot of much needed local media exposure. One 16 year old boy even ran 60kms with Pat one day (see photo)! Pat will be involved in a number of interviews with the Today program on Channel 9, so stay tuned!
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the album starts off with a nice battle worthy intro that gets you fired up to sharpen your blade, adjust your breast plate, finish off your goatshorn full of mead and prepare for battle.
this band is though relatively unknown in the metal scene despite being on a major label…very epic and animated and put on one of the most entertaining live shows money can buy and there music is very viking/battle oriented ala amon amarth and ensiferum and turisas and countless other awesome bands…it's just that these guys have a more southern influence and they also incorporate keyboards which adds a whole different dimension to their sound.
i was very impressed with their first album and i think that this album is alot different from that one in that it's less epic and more…balls to the wall 90 mph power thrash and the drums are actually better in my opinion mainly because they recruited andrew core of with faith or flames to play drums who is a much faster version of their old drummer which is pretty refreshing. also, guitarist way barrier has such a slick guitar tone…it's very suiting of the music that these guys play and also the vocal hooks are very very EXTREMELY catchy and they utilize alot of gang vocals which is very cool to hear on a metal album.
my favorite track on this album has to be the battle sluts drinking song which you can tell was made in an intoxicated state and has some classic lyrics which merits a cackle no matter how many times you hear it.
all in all i think this album is pretty awesome and deserving of purchase if your into viking lore or really awesome progressive thrash/death metal…it is a bit cheesy also but it's more endearing than annoying


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A few days ago, the Islamic State (IS) released a video already
so infamous you probably know what it is. Their "Message to
America" was graphic, gruesome and tragic: the beheading of
American photojournalist James Foley.
In the way of thousands of gruesome videos, before it -- from
executions in Iran to sniper-cams in Iraq and street fighting in
Ukraine -- the video began to spread on YouTube. Copies
started to multiply, and the viewing count climbed quickly. It's no
surprise that it did -- gory, terrifying and outrageous videos are,
along with those we find funny, the ones we are most likely to
share. YouTube is full of both. Continue reading
Some of the world's biggest and most prolific technology
companies have pledged to support the digital version of the Duke
of Edinburgh Award scheme, which was launched by the Duke of York
earlier this year.
Among those that have said they will contribute money and
resources to supporting the scheme are Microsoft, Telefonica,
Silicon Valley Bank, Mozilla, KPMG and Barclays. Continue reading
Hundreds of police officers in the UK have breached social
media guidelines by posting racists or threatening comments on
Twitter or Facebook or making friend requests to victims of
Some 828 cases in England and Wales were reported to police
bosses between 2009 and February 2014, according to Freedom of
Information requests made by the Press Association. Nine percent of
cases resulted in resignation, dismissal or retirement, while 14
percent of cases required no further action. Most of the other
cases were dealt with by offering the officer in question
Continue reading
"We need to build a Pirate social network that is interoperable
with Facebook," Peter Sunde, the imprisoned cofounder of the Pirate
Bay, has said.
The 35-year-old -- who was found guilty of copyright law
violations in 2012 before finally beingarrested in June this
year -- made the comments in an interview with Julia
Reda, a Pirate Party MEP from Germany, published by
TorrentFreak. Speaking about the threat of an increasingly
centralised web, where even his own Pirate Bay has morphed into a
singular hub of activity against his wishes, Sunde called for
action to protect the future of a web based on the free and open
principles Tim Berners-Lee first imagined. Continue reading
David Cameron has announced the latest important measure to keep
our children safe online: age ratings on music videos. The move --
which should definitely solve the vast majority of all social ills
and dissatisfaction observed in the youth of our fair country --
will see YouTube, Vevo and the BBFC team up to put film-style
ratings on all music videos to protect kids from "graphic
Speaking today at a meeting of the Relationships Alliance, the
Prime Minister insisted that online content be subject to the same
rules as offline content, including restricting access to those
underage. The measures, to be brought in from October, are said to
help parents protect their children, with Cameron already employing
several filtering methods on his own children. This is the latest
in a long string of "family-friendly" changes to
internet legislature Cameron's party has made since assuming
power in 2010.
Julian Assange held a press conference this morning from the
Ecuadorian embassy in London. In it, he announced that he was
planning to leave the building he's been holed up in for two
years "soon". Wired.co.uk has created a quick recap of why Assange
sought political asylum in Ecuador in the first place, what he's
been doing in the embassy, and what will happen when he leaves. Continue reading
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has revealed that he is to
leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London "soon" after two years of
staying there.
In a press conference, Assange did not reveal when exactly he
would be leaving the embassy, but said that the reasons weren't
related to those reported in British media -- a number
of outlets are reporting that he is leaving for reasons of
ill-health, including a heart condition, lung complaint and high
blood pressure. When quizzed about his health, Assange merely said
that anyone would be affected by spending two years in a building
with no direct sunlight.
In just over a month, the people of Scotland will decide whether
their future lies within the UK or outside of it. As the two
campaigns -- Yes Scotland and Better Together -- kick into
overdrive, the borderless terrain of social media has become a key
battleground. Both sides have spent considerable resources in
online campaigning, both seeking to use it to find and coordinate
willing volunteers, raise money, and dominate especially Twitter
and Facebook with their messages, brand and presence.
So, when a few days ago, Salmond and Darling met to slug it out
in a televised debate, both campaigns urged their foot soldiers
onto social media to fight on this new front. The Yes Campaign went
as far as to issue a guide to supporters on what they
should say. It was no surprise, then, that as the debate got under
way, people thronged to #ScotDecides -- the official hashtag -- on
Twitter to trade facts, insults, shout encouragement and criticism
in reaction to what they saw on the screen. Continue reading
Police forces are seeking access to patient medical records
without an individual's consent in order to help handle vulnerable
According to Greater Manchester chief constable Sir Peter Fahy,
speaking to
the Guardian, demands on forces have changed over the past
20 years to the point that vulnerable groups of people -- whether
those with dementia, drug or alcohol addiction, mental health
problems or those who are victims of domestic abuse -- account for
two thirds of police work.
A defence contractor has joined with the UK's Cyber Security
Challenge to bring a US Air Force cyber competition to this side of
the Atlantic.
Northrop Grumman, which develops civil and military cyber
security systems and has a strong UK presence, is colaunching
CyberCenturion, a version of the US CyberPatriot competition
launched in 2009. Registration is now open and will close
on 26 September, before a national competition launches in
"Northrop Grumman's education programme is the perfect fit for
those individuals that have already been bitten by the cyber bug
but have yet to find a way to apply their knowledge to real cyber
security challenges," commented Stephanie Daman, CEO of Cyber
Security Challenge. "The fact that this is a team competition is
particularly exciting as it opens up the possibility of new types
of candidates coming forward to play." Continue reading
There are a million guides out there explaining how to survive your first night in the dangerous world of Minecraft, but what do you do after that? »
For Into the Storm, director Steven Quale didn't want the perfect storm but an accurate one »
Wired.co.uk reviews the best budget phones for WhatsApp and students »


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- Ocean Fishing
- Laws & Regulations
- Marine Protected Areas
- Fish Identification
- Permits & Licenses
- FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
- Marine Life Management & Research
- Marine Region Projects
Contact Information
Main Office: 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Suite 100
Monterey, CA 93940
Information: (831) 649-2870, firstname.lastname@example.com
Regional Manager:
Craig Shuman
Recreational Abalone Advisory Committee (RAAC)
Regular Meeting: September 13, 2003
RAAC Members Present: Konstantin Karpov, Rocky Daniels, Steve Benavides, Steve Campi, Richard Pogre, Lt. Steve Riske.
Absent: John Colgate
Two Seats Vacant.
Others Present: DFG staff - Peter Haaker, Ian Taniguchi, Lucy Johnson, Jerry Kashiwada, Dr. Laura Roger-Bennett, Jim Moore, Thea Robbins, Ed Schulze.
1. Introduction - Announcements (Karpov)
2. Potential Candidates to Nominate for Science and Northern Representative Replacement (Haaker)
The RAAC committee made recommendations to the Director on potential candidates to fill the science chair and look at the Northern Representative on the RAAC committee.
Applicants for the science chair were Paul Dayton, Carolyn Friedman, and James Moore. James Moore had to withdraw his application due to Fish and Game Code Section 7400 which states: "Two members shall be marine scientists who are or have been involved in abalone research at university, state university, or in state or federal programs. Not more than one of the persons shall be an officer or employee of the department."
A discussion followed regarding the two potential candidates Dr. Paul Dayton or Carolyn Friedman. Everyone accept the RAAC was asked to leave the room for approximately hour while the discussion was held in executive session regarding the two candidates.
RAAC Recommendation Letter to Director: RAAC reached a consensus that Dr. Paul Dayton will be recommended to the Director as their choice for the Science Representative and Carolyn Friedman would act as alternate. Steve Campi will draft a letter to the Director requesting he officially appoint Dr. Dayton.
RAAC interviewed Mr. Ed Schulze and discussed his candidacy for the Northern Representative position. The other interested party, Brooke Halsey, will be asked the same questions by the committee in a telephone interview on 10/4/03.
Steve Campi has agreed to act as the interim secretary. Steve will need to set up the phone conference in two weeks. Any other potential candidates need to apply by Friday September 19, 2003 at 5:00 P. M.
3. WLP report 2002-2003 activities (Riske)
Lt. Riske submitted and summarized the Abalone Enforcement Report for 2002/03.
- Current Assessments and Status
- Enforcement Efforts Statistics
- Future Actions and Needs
- 2003 Abalone Checkpoint Results
Due to current budget deficit, the department has established a no overtime policy. Without the abalone overtime for 2003-2004 these checkpoints and extra efforts will not happen. Lt. Riske stated that abalone resource is still a top priority for enforcement staff.
4. Abalone Research Updates:
- Abalone Recruitment Modules and Abalone Reproduction (Laura Rogers-Bennett)
Laura provided an update on her red abalone research in Northern California. She described growth, size at maturity, and recruitment module results.
- Transect and Telephone Surveys - Contract with HSU (Jerry Kashiwada)
Jerry presented an update of fishery data collected over the past year including transects surveys at three sites, a random telephone survey, and creel surveys at eight sites. The HSU contract provided the divers needed for transects surveys at two sites.
- Geographic Distribution of WS (Jim Moore)
Jim covered the status of white abalone and updated disease- and parasite- related work since the presentation given by Carolyn Friedman last year.
5. Proposed Budget 2003-2004 (Kon Karpov)
A review of the 2003-2004 proposed Abalone Stamp Fund Budget. A comparison of license sales from the beginning of the abalone stamp cards and the condition of the Abalone stamp fund based on sales and past expenditures over the past 5 years. Mandate requirements that are outlined in the Abalone Recovery and Management Plan (ARMP) for this fiscal year and projected uses within the abalone stamp fund.
RAAC Recommendation Letter to Director: The $50,000 for abalone overtime be restored to the abalone budget and the $16, 400 for abalone overtime south be restored into the SOU account for use this 2003-2004 fiscal year.
6. Proposal for RAAC Recommendation to the Director to open the month of July to recreation fishing on the North Coast (Campi)
The committee heard the recommendation and upon consideration the committee decided that this proposal was premature and should be considered after the adoption of the ARMP. Instead the committee decided the following:
Recommendation Letter to the Director - Adoption of the ARMP as soon as possible. No changes are to be made in the interim to sport regulations that would increase or decrease the yearly take.
7. Proposal for RAAC recommendation to the Director for opening abalone fishing in the moratorium area (Pogre)
- Presentation to RAAC of proposed amendment to ARMP Alternative 1 (Marshall)
Submitted was an amendment to the Abalone Recovery and Management Plan Alternative 1. There was great discussion that will be continued during the phone conference call on 10/4/2003.
8. Public Expression
9. Discussion of the Next Meeting
Set for the 3rd Saturday in October, 2004 in Oakland. Steve Campi will work on getting the room again.
End Meeting Minutes


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The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) conducted this study for the Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) to evaluate the potential of three promising commercial building data sources for use in a variety of applications, including program design, market segmentation, program monitoring and evaluation, and load forecasting. Each of these applications require extensive data on existing, new, retrofit, and remodeled commercial buildings, and all applications could benefit from access to a common database with uniform features and definitions. The three data sources evaluated are:
MetroScan County Assessor Data. This product is compiled from county assessors' tax records. The database is updated every 2 weeks and updates are distributed on CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory). Coverage is currently limited to major metropolitan areas. For the counties it covers, MetroScan provides a census of all building lots and their existing buildings.
FW Dodge Building Stock Database. This product is compiled from large-scale benchmark surveys and is revised yearly. Survey results are weighted to reflect the stock of commercial buildings at various geographic levels, i.e., county, metropolitan area, or state. The database includes aggregate statistics on existing buildings by major building type, average size, and other key characteristics. The resulting "database" is an extrapolation of survey data to counties and states; it is not a census of buildings.
FW Dodge Construction Reports (Dataline II). This is a service provided by the FW Dodge corporation that tracks construction projects from conception through construction, providing data on new, retrofit, and remodeled buildings. According to Dodge representatives, about 95% of buildings in the design through construction stage are covered.
These three data sources offer the potential to provide a variety of types of building information--building type (use), size (sq.ft.), age, heat type, and serving electric utility--for a range of building applications, including:
Existing: All commercial buildings located in the region at any given time.
New: New buildings that were completed and ready for occupancy during the past 12 months (or other time period). These are a subset of existing buildings. Also included are buildings currently under construction.
Retrofit: Existing buildings that have undergone relatively minor structural or cosmetic changes where ECMs were or could have been installed. A retrofit is currently defined as a project costing less than $50,000 in total project costs.
Major remodel: Existing buildings that have undergone relatively major structural or cosmetic changes where ECMs were or could have been installed. A retrofit is currently defined as a project costing $50,000 or greater in total project costs.
We evaluated the sources for these characteristics and for other more general characteristics such as
timeliness, ease of use, regional coverage, and whether or not the data is location-specific and
building-based. Table S-1 shows how each data source rates in its current form according to their
specific criteria; however, these performance ratings could change if the data sources were according to their future usefulness. FW Dodge Dataline II building data, for example, could be adapted for existing
building stock applications if the Dataline II building records were stored over time.
MetroScan county assessor data is comprised of data collected by county assessors for tax purposes. It
is currently available for nine regional counties. This study evaluated MetroScan data from Pierce, Snohomish, and King counties in Washington State according to the criteria listed in Table S.1. The evaluation of MetroScan involved an initial categorization of the county land use codes to determine their compatibility with commercial building categories used by Bonneville. Since each county classifies buildings somewhat differently and uses unique coding procedures, code manuals must be acquired from each county. Overall, the land use codes used by assessors were compatible with the commercial building types of interest to Bonneville.
According to this evaluation, MetroScan county assessor data appears to be well suited to existing commercial building applications, to new building applications (once the building is added to assessor files), and possibly to retrofit and remodel building applications. First of all, MetroScan is a census of buildings and contains a considerable amount of building data, such as building type, age, square feet, and heat type, useful to the above applications. In addition, MetroScan can be used to identify individual buildings, is timely (updated every 2 weeks), and is easy to use. MetroScan scored high on its ability to provide building size and age. Heating fuel was generally available for Pierce and Snohomish counties but infrequently available for King County (thus a medium rating in Table S.1).
A limited number of sites from Bonneville's Energy Smart Design (ESD) program were used as a sample set for identifying ESD sites in MetroScan county assessor data. The majority of ESD projects are retrofits in existing buildings and most of these sites were found.
Some error is like to be inherent in county assessor data due to the large number of individual assessors coding buildings, the different procedures used across counties, and differing emphasis by counties on quality assurance in recording building data. In addition, records on existing buildings are only revised every six to seven years unless the building undergoes a remodel or renovation that the assessor is aware of. Despite these limitations, MetroScan county assessor data appears to be the best data available on individual, existing buildings in the geographic areas where it is available. MetroScan data for the effective-year-built field may be useful as a means to identify retrofit and remodel buildings, but further investigation into how this data field is used by assessors is required.
TABLE S.1. Characteristics of Three Commercial Building Data Sources
Overall, the FW Dodge Building Stock Database is a data set that holds promise for Bonneville commercial building data applications when used in conjunction with MetroScan county assessor data. Although the FW Dodge Building Stock Database is an estimate of commercial building and building floorstock, it is available for Bonneville's entire region. MetroScan, which is a census-based data set, is currently only available for the major metropolitan areas of Bonneville's service territory. Overall, FW Dodge Building Stock estimates indicate that 57.8% of the total regional building stock and 43.5% of the region's total floor stock is contained in counties not currently available from MetroScan. The FW Dodge Building Stock Database is useful as a means to "fill in the gaps" where MetroScan is not available, and also can be used as a check against aggregate MetroScan data.
When evaluated against the same general data set characteristics used to evaluate MetroScan, the FW Dodge Commercial Building Database scores high on region-wise availability (MetroScan scores medium) and ease of use. The data set scored low on all other general building set categories (see Table S.1). The FW Dodge Commercial Building Database provides building size data and some building type data, but no heat type, age, or utility data. Aggregate building data from the two data sources were expected to vary somewhat because of differences between the data sets. MetroScan is a census of buildings while the FW Dodge Building Stock Database is an estimate of building stock often based on national "averages," thus a county whose behavior is "typical" is better represented than atypical counties. In some cases the FW Dodge estimates are very close to MetroScan totals; in other cases they are off by as much as 30%. In general, the FW Dodge commercial building floor space and building estimates in Pierce, Snohomish, and King counties are close enough to give us added confidence in the MetroScan representation of commercial buildings in the counties investigated.
The FW Dodge Dataline II database was originally developed for the construction industry as an information source on upcoming projects and projects in progress. This data set provides the best information available on new buildings, from those currently being proposed through completion of construction and for existing buildings undergoing retrofit or remodels. Dataline II covers the entire United States, and, therefore, is available for all of Bonneville's service territory.
PNL received access to Dataline II in order to evaluate its potential as a data set for the commercial building applications discussed, especially as a source of information for new retrofits and remodeling. It is ideally suited as a tool for selecting control groups. Dataline II's representation of small projects (under $50,000) is not as comprehensive as it is of larger contracts, where its representation is over 90%. A limited search for ESD sites in Dataline II resulted in an extremely low hit rate. This raises questions about the usefulness of Dataline II for the ESD program. Since ESD appears to have a bias toward very small projects when compared to Dataline II construction statistics.
Overall, the three data source compliment rather than duplicate one another and together present a valuable set of data on commercial buildings. In addition, these data sets could be further exploited to provide data for other building segments, such as industrial and residential, at a relatively low cost.
From this investigation we reach two primary conclusions. These three databases provide a solid foundation for the development of a uniform commercial database. We've also concluded that ESD has not uniformly penetrated the market for construction projects especially those over $50,000.
We recommend development of a Uniform Commercial Building Database separate from these three data sets, that draws upon the strength of each. The cost of the UCBD for the first year and future years is presented in Table S.2.
Table S.2. Uniform Commercial Building Database Projected Costs
p.s. Errata. In reviewing the number in the table above, we have discovered that the subsequent years approximate total annual cost should read $21,570 instead of $27,570. ed.
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Friday, 17 February 2012
What influences you to choose something from a menu?
What if when you're out you decide this is the time you will try something new; salsify, heart or salted chocolate for example. It's a strategy rife with risk. It can go one of two ways; revelation or regret. The first time I went out for a really nice meal I had a selection of vegetables, each vegetable prepared in a different way. At the time I was a carrots, parsnips and peas only girl. That particular dish and that meal changed my life; a world of vegetables was opened up to me.
However, what if you try something new and it's awful? Trying something for the first time and it being badly prepared or if you personally don't like it can really ruin an ingredient for life. Galangal is the one thing I cannot bear because I had far too much at once. I can't even look at it now.
If you're looking at a classic menu, do you choose something familiar or foreign? Sausage and Mash, Lasagne or Fish and Chips are familiar to most but would you choose it because you recognise it or because you feel like it won't let you down? If it does let you down, you might feel so deflated and disappointed but if it's the best one you've ever had the benchmark has been set.
Seasonality and locality can be an important influence when deciding what to eat. Local sausages or asparagus when it's in season can be magnificent and what a great chance to try it. Equally, choosing something you would never buy or prepare at home is a great excuse. If you've never fancied battling with a celeriac or preparing a beef wellington, here's your chance.
Perhaps it just come down to price. Is it ridiculous to spend £12.50 on a risotto you know you could make just as well yourself? Is it a good thing to be able to try something expensive that you'd never normally buy for yourself; caviar or foie gras maybe. I think it is always worth giving some consideration to price; if the ingredients themselves aren't expensive but the dish is pricey, maybe the execution of it is fantastic.
What is the most important thing to you when choosing what to spend your money on?
13 comments:
I think that starting a restaurant blog has made me more adventurous - I'm more inclined to try new things to see what they're like and maybe become a little bit more knowledgeable about food generally. It also means that I attempt not to order the same as anyone else I'm with, which is another way of making sure that I don't always go for what's familiar.ReplyDelete
Still, if I don't know a restaurant and am not sure of its quality, it can be awkward deciding whether to have something more elaborate which could be wonderful or (if the chef doesn't know what s/he is doing) a disaster, or just to stick with the safe options.
(edited for typos!)
You are right. What's the point of having something you can make better at home? When I am in England I try to go anywhere where there is no Italian food. Also I like to try something new and different. Something which is difficult to do yourself.ReplyDelete
Also I find, unless you pay a fortune, most of the ingredients are of a cheap quality in restaurants as all they need is to make money.
Certain dishes just cry out to me, crispy belly pork, for example, or anything with crayfish. If there's nothing 'shouty' on the menu though, it can be tough. An expensive steak that might e bland? Or a humble steak and kidney pie that might taste fantastic! I agree - it's tough.ReplyDelete
Aha! So many interesting questions. When I first came to France, that's when I had to change. French hubby told me what was wrong: I kept going for the weird, different stuff on the menu and not for the seasonal dishes. So simple but it made a huge difference. Now anytime the parents visit, I have to keep hold of my plate, as Mum's order comes and she eyes mine up and says, I prefer YOURS.ReplyDelete
Wonderful post! I usually order things that I know I am not going to make, or will make but only if I've tried it before. For example, I do not make a lot of fried meals because I hate the smell that stays in my apartment so if I see something fried and yummy I've been wanting to eat, I'll order it. Another example is when I tried grits for the first time, I knew there was a special way to make them but I didn't know how it was supposed to taste so that set the mark. Definitely, a lot of stuff goes on when ordering from a menu!ReplyDelete
I am quite adventurous when it comes to food, so I like to try new ones and see how it goes.ReplyDelete
Very good question... I tend to go for things that I don't cook at home, seasonal, local and all that. It also depends on the venue/occasion. I have a favourite 'street food' type Chinese cafe/restaurant in Oxford I lunch at occasionally (usually alone). I always order the same thing although there are hundreds of choices. It never disappoints. A special occasion in a good gastro pub? Then a good steak or fish or slow cooked lamb/game. For a really special occasion, a tasting menu with loads of courses I'll have had for the first time most probably. I think you're right, the big decision is between 'safety' and 'adventure' and once decided... you get what you get!ReplyDelete
This is a great question! I have moved into a period where I'm not eating out as much. I have found that adds weight to my dining choices when I am out for dinner. My standards are higher and I really want to be sure to have a fantastic meal. I usually want something with some novelty to it, whether that be novel to my more normal diet or a unique preparation.ReplyDelete
Certainly when trying a specialty restaurant or when traveling I go for what is indigineous to the area, local and seasonal as you suggest. I took a great weekend trip to Chicago where I researched restaurants that featured local sourcing. I eneded up at three completely different genre restaurants enjoying their sourcing and spin on the local offereings. Was a great time!
Great question.Tough to answer though! I think it comes down to a bit of what I fancy, a bit of what sounds good and then a bit of being nosy and seeing what other people are having!ReplyDelete
I think seasonal and local is always good, and a good indication of level of cooking.
I think a lot of what drives my decision is also whether or not I can make it myself cheaper and with ease at home. We are often on a fairly stingent budget and on valentines day, for example, my partner and I chose from a standard table d'hote menu. He was torn between the duck and the pressed pork belly. Both were going to cost the same but we are much more likely to afford and obtain good quality pork belly with ease than a decent duck (especially with the end of the season).ReplyDelete
I know its not a very "foodie" thing and I'm hoping that confessing it might make me change it a bit more - but I often have the same meal at frequently visited establishments. So if I have been there once and had a really good pasta I will order that pasta over and over each time I go back which is strange when, generally speaking, I will often opt for the more "adventurous" menu options when dining somewhere special.
Good question. On a rare occasions we do go out to eat, I like to order fish, especially in coastal areas where they know how to cook it. Second choice is local, which is getting harder to find this days. Best combinations for me: local fish or seafood.ReplyDelete
Hiya, I've given you The Versatile Blogger Award and linked you from my blog xReplyDelete
Great post! So many interesting questions that everyone answers differently.ReplyDelete
For me well I don't eat out here often since I think it's overpriced and not really satisfying. I however love to eat out when I'm in the States. The prices there are more reasonable and pretty good for the food you get. So the price / quality / quantity has to be in balance.


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Two Reports Cite Food Inspection Weaknesses at USDA
Pew Charitable Trusts has released a study that claims recent salmonella outbreaks that sickened hundreds of people underscore serious weaknesses in USDA's oversight of poultry plants.
Sandra Eskin - Director of Pew's Food Safety Campaign - says the system we have in place wasn't working when more than five-hundred people get sick from a food-borne illness outbreak.
Consumer Reports also published an investigation Thursday that suggests lapses at USDA have contributed to the prevalence of potentially harmful bacteria in store-bought chicken. The investigation was funded by Pew.
USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service says the reports confirm the need for measures already underway at FSIS to prevent food-borne illness.
Mike Brown - National Chicken Council President - notes pathogen testing shows rates of salmonella and E.coli have declined in poultry plants over the last decade. He says eliminating bacteria entirely is always the goal - but simply isn't feasible in reality.
Pew and Consumer Reports called for USDA to be more aggressive in pushing for recalls and alerting the public to potential outbreaks. They believe Congress should pass legislation to give USDA mandatory recall authority. Currently, USDA can't force recalls like the Food and Drug Administration can.
Pew also said the outbreaks create a new urgency for USDA to focus on prevention efforts - and recommended the department abandon its practice of letting plants know when pathogen testing will be performed.
Consumer Reports called on USDA to abandon plans to finalize a new poultry inspection system. But according to a department spokesman - the concerns raised in both reports offer further evidence the new system should move forward as planned.
A statement said the additional requirements in the modernization proposal - such as microbial testing, contamination prevention and stronger food safety inspection activities - will allow FSIS to make significant progress in reducing illnesses.
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I'm convinced there were magnets involved in this play. It's the only way it makes sense. Ben Roethlisberger tried to throw the ball away to the sidelines, and at the same time Justin Bannan reached up, held his arm high and palmed the ball without moving.
It reminders me of WONDER DAN, a classic GIF.