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Now, now, Dave - let's not tempt anybody..
Rappin' Up in a Down Year
At the end of every CES, we struggle to find the underlying themes that bind the show to the industry and the world at large. The overwhelming theme this year was the economy. Attendance was downthe official estimate was 10% off of last year's, but everyone I spoke with snorted in derision at that figure.
How down was it? Halls were navigable, even on Saturday, the busiest day. Taxis queues were less than 10 minutes, down from up to an hour last year. And, while restaurants were crowded, I saw one manufacturer book at table for six at the wildly popular Bouchon for Saturday night on Friday night. No, it wasn't a "normal" year.
So who didn't come to CES this year? Many dealers, especially dealers who weren't shopping for anchor lines. Buying one to show and one to go is an expensive proposition and any dealer who felt comfortable with his product mix either stayed home or flew in for one day. The attendance at the LVCC was down toothe collapse of the big box A/V retail chains meant that most of that sector wasn't so much looking for more stuff but rather for ways to offload the inventory on hand.
Even the big Japanese A/V companies were low-key this year. Kalman Rubinson, who attended the Wednesday press conferences, said that each presentation basically consisted of "Here's a TV, here's another TV, here's another....
There was very little "affordable" high-end gear this year. There will always be some, of course, but the ratio of bang-for-the-buck products to ultra-high-end gear was skewed this year. The reason? Ordinary people aren't buying audio because they are concerned about other things right nowhow much less the value of their house is than their mortgage, their existing credit card debt, or even if they are going to have a house to keep all their stuff in.
This is not a trend that began in September 2008, it has been going for at least two years and the manufacturers are hewing to a tried and true principle: If they ain't buying it, don't make it.
I spoke to one manufacturer who specializes exclusively in gear under $2k and he said he had no Christmas bump this yearthat not only were his YTD sales down 30% in 2008, but the buying season resembled mid-summer, a traditional slow sales period.
On the other hand, I spoke to a loudspeaker manufacturer who was marveling that sales of his $80,000/pair flagships went up by 40% in the months since September. Asked why he thought that was, he reflected for a minute and said, "The people who can afford $100,000 for a pair of loudspeakers aren't effected by the economy the way you and I arethey have money enough to be comfortable. But all of the things they traditionally acquire are money-losing propositions right now. Buy property and you'll take a loss. Buy stocks, ditto. Invest in the market and you'll probably eventually make money, but it's a nerve-wracking proposition. So the answer is to buy stuff that makes you happy."
He reflected a minute and added, "Heck, in this market, if you hang onto the cash, you lose money."
I spoke to several DC economists (one at the World Bank, one retired) about that reasoning and one responded, "Given the interest rates on Treasuries, there is really no opportunity cost for cash-rich rich-folks to buy luxury consumer goods."
You can't blame manufacturers for focusing on where the sales are. Keeping their employees working is good for all of us.
That doesn't mean we're happy about the status quo, but railing against it is futile. We just report on what we seeand we hope to see a resurgence of affordable high-end soon.
On a happier note, this was the year that the high-end really embraced the computer as a source. Ayre, Music Hall, Chord, Esoteric, Wadia, and High Resolution Technologies. Bel Canto offered a USB to 24/96 D to D link, while Weiss went its own way with a FireWire DAC. Peachtree Audio offered a DAC input on it Nova integrated amplifier, as did Simaudio (as an optional module) on its Moon i3.3.
High-end music servers are a growing category. Sooloos's merger with Meridian has already borne fruit and Qsonix and Soneteer continue to refine this category. Blue Smoke brought us the Black Box, an all out attack on the computer's weaknesses as an audio source.
If that's not what the High End is all about, I don't know what is. Jon Iverson likes to say that the mass market creates the demand and then the High End perfects the paradigm. That's precisely what these companies are doingand it shows that there's health in high-fidelity despite all odds.
And that's why I am smiling in the photo (right), with Home Theater editor Shane Buettner (left) and Jon Iverson (center), webmaster for Stereophile, Home Theater, and UltimateAV.com.
"but the ratio of bang-for-the-buck products to ultra-high-end gear was skewed this year." This is no more a neutral phenomenon than is an unashamed 60k interconnect, and the skewing's been accelerating for years. The flight to the absurd high end in all market sectors reflects a distorted economy and society, and the inability to recognize unworkable disparities or obscene consumption itself becomes causal of that economic distortion. The concentration of compensation and of wealth literally is at the levels historically seen in banana republics, and cannot possibly support a viable economy or liberal democracy or quiescent populace. And then it's a wonder that some posters react with vitriol against cause-effects like 60k interconnects? Which surely mark some kind of new "low"....
How does your statement of "You can't blame manufacturers for focusing on where the sales are. Keeping their employees working is good for all of us." translate to the US manufacturing base when with companies like Music Hall (Roy Hall) everything they sell is an import and somewhere between 50-70% are of Chinese origin. I believe that if the proper inquiries are made of Signal Path (Peachtree Audio (Decco /Nova and ERA speakers) all they are is a Chinese importer. I suspect the same for some of your other examples. Look at our monetary deficit with communist China and their lack of fair trade practices and government sponsored industrial espionage. Take away China as a source and Wal-Mart disappears. Buying the products of these Importers that specialize in Chinese goods or any non Canadian Manufactured goods; makes about as much sense as sending your 6 year old son out to play Cops and Robbers with his friends, with a loaded hand gun.
Nice post Wes. That's a funny picture of you there, and interjects some much-needed humor into this coverage.As you've probably noticed from other blog comments, Stereophile has been taking some heat for not acknowledging the skewed representation of gear that's priced in the stratosphere vs. gear priced to match the means of the typical audiophile in this economic crisis. By not saying anything, the mag is perceived (fairly or not) as implicitly approving such a situation. The fact that you have mentioned this situation, and made a good attempt at making some sense of it, speaks well for you and your ability to relate to the typical Stereophile reader. In this regard, you have succeeded much better than other Stereophile writers who have posted to this blog, including your own editor.It's much better to treat the subject as you have, rather than the defensive, chip-on-the-shoulder approach of other Stereophile writers on this subject.
The rarified world of almost any class of luxury goods is normally "regulated" by collectors who routinely acquire and sell by auction. If the most recent price paid for a 1951 Vacheron Constantine Flyback is determined by the watch collectors community to be $10,000 more than its' value, the community at large is immediately aware of it, and the buyer must bite the bullet (at least for a while). Similar scenarios exist in the art world, automobiles, antique furniture, firearms, even dolls. No such constraints are present in the rather insular world of high-end audio. I have yet to see an early Audio Research amplifier on the block at Sothebys, and doubt that I ever will. In any case, it will not make international headlines. So the purveyors of these goods are freed from the only meaningful mechanism that would determine their actual (real) value. I don't see that changing anytime soon.
First of all, let me thank all of you for the show coverage - as for other shows, it allowed me to almost vist CES and stay up-to-date without even moving from my far Italian desktop. Now, to my comment. Basically - if I don't misunderstand you - you are saying that audio in general and high-end in particular - at least nowadays - is something that belongs only to the "well-heeled" ones? If so, sadness apart, I can hardly "buy it", for two main reasons. 1) how many rich customers (the ones not worrying to shell out 100 kilobucks only for 2 loudspeakers) there may be for that market (which presented a 40% increase in just the last 3 "critical" months...)? Do you think their number is high enough even to let the "market" survive? 2) Isn't middle-class the real backbone of this (and other) hobby? Moreover, aren't those people (in which I also include their young relatives...) more likely than others to buy/have music (even in "liqud" format):why would
Ted Clamstruck, when you write "In this regard, you have succeeded much better than other Stereophile writers who have posted to this blog, including your own editor," you misunderstand the nature of the Show coverage. In all the earlier entries, our responsibility is to _report_ what we saw and heard, not to editorialize on the implications. _That_ is reserved for this final summing up, whether it is by Wes Phillips as it is this year or by Jon Iverson last year.
when studying economics in the late 70s (another fun economic time), the first lesson on day one was that you could base your model based on how the world really was, or on how you thought the world should be. but, if you chose the second option, you would not only flunk the class, but your model would have no relevance. this is great talk in theory, but very hard when people are losing their jobs and houses. but, what good would it do for anyone including the editors to sugarcoat the reality of today's situation. the above comment is right on point, the high end market in the end is about making a profit. no profit-no company, the end. i think it is fantastic that many of the makers have great passion for their work, but still, no profit - no company. when autos started on the scene, many buggy makers either started making them or closed shop. when zenith tv could no longer afford to make tvs here, they either had to import or die. some of you may not like it, but that's the world as it is.
Excellent comments, tom collins. While it is regrettable that affordable audio was so thin on the ground at the 2009 CES, no blame should be attached to companies that have payrolls to meet for concentrating on product areas where the market is still active. Who, for example, would have predicted Richard Vandersteen, whose Model 2 has been one of the best-selling affordable speakers of all time, would introduce a speaker costing $45,000/pair?
thanks for your comment. for a follow-up john, i think many people missed the point that just because more affordable gear was not represented at the show does not mean it is not available. nad, rotel, arcam and other value leaders are still available in the dealer's shops and they would dearly like to sell us some.
Carlo, I very much agree that the middle class is the backbone of this hobby. In the U.S., I'm hopeful that President Obama will help tilt the scales back towards strengthening the middle class. In the meantime, I remind audiophiles that great sounding, reasonably priced products can be found right at home. In the U.S., for example, the Vandersteen 2 delivers most of what high-end can offer, at a real-world price. When you buy "homegrown" products, you're supporting your neighbors who work for those manufacturers.
"Posted Thu Jan15,2009, 10:45 AM — By tom collinsthanks for your comment. for a follow-up john, i think many people missed the point that just because more affordable gear was not represented at the show does not mean it is not available. nad, rotel, arcam and other value leaders are still available in the dealer's shops and they would dearly like to sell us some."A very good point. I love reading about fantasy gear. I just hate it when the writer pretends it is value for money, moderately priced, or budget when it costs the price of a car. That is pretense, the audio equivalent of 'The Emperors New Clothes".
>"I think many people missed the point that just because more affordable gear was not represented at the show does not mean it is not available...." In turn I think rather the point is that in a distorted economy the "affordable" gear is tougher for manufacturers due to the slimmer margins and dearth of sufficient customers for that audio market segment, thus the distorting flight to the stratosphere. (And so it is noteworthy that even R. Vandersteen has gone to what I consider the ultra high end now, as noted, although at least that estimable gentleman is selling a pair of speakers for $45k, not a pair of interconnects for $45k+.) Now, if the makers of $60k interconnects would only call their product, "The Weimar," I would promise to take a break from my screeds. -- Lastly, at the risk of being incongruous, I do love (semi) high end gear almost as much as music and want to join others in thanking "Stereophile" for its coverage. Your $60k box of Valentine chocolate
In Sophomore HS Civics Class we read this story about a man that was shopping for this great kitchen that he wanted to order so that he could throw great dinner parties. The only problem was that in order to pay for this fantastic means of impressing the Joneses was that his 23rd generation decedents would have work their entire lifespan to pay off his debt. He made the agreement anyway, because 13 generations ago an ancestor of his had made the same agreement for a purchase that he wanted. What the heck you say. Well that is what our trade dedicate is doing to our future generations of citizens. John may not care, being from the UK and all, but I do and that is a chip that everyone needs to get and real fast. Times are a changing and you may not like the future much at all. Not all of our trading partners share our values and before too long, the bankers are bound to show up wanting their due.
I couldn't agree with Jim more, and this is what troubles me also with the coverage and general sensibility. It reminds me of real estate salespeople during the housing bubble that became so inured to ridiculously expensive, over-priced homes that the numbers lost any sense of rational meaning. "This home is *only* $853,000"..."these interconnects are $60,000...WTF???I remember that one post referred to a set of approx $35,000 speakers as "reasonably affordable". C'mon, give us a break. Jim's comment, ""I just hate it when the writer pretends it is value for money, moderately priced, or budget when it costs the price of a car. That is pretense, the audio equivalent of 'The Emperors New Clothes". is bang-on.
Jerry, you are putting words in my mouth when you write "John may not care, being from the UK and all..." Of course I care about the economy (and, please note that despite your little jab, I am an American citizen). But if the only way audio compnaiues can currently survive is either to make expensive products (for the reason I gave earlier) or to outsource production to China to keep retail prices low, that's what we report. Take the Simaudio i-1 integrated amplifier that BJR reviewed in December that retails for $1500 and is made in North America. Too expensive? An informed estimate of its parts costs is around $500, meaning that the retail price is 3x that cost. This is dangerously close to not being enough to cover the share of the manufacturer's overhead, yet I received _not one_ email or recognizing Simaudio's pricing strategy. Some people appear to want to buy a Ferrari for a Yugo price and have it made in America. Ain't going to happen but don't blame Stereophil
...Stereophile for telling you that. And yes, Jerry, you are right about the long-term economic effect of production being outsourced offshore. But if you a were small-business owner faced with an onshore cost-of-manufacture that made your products uncompetitively priced, what would _you_ do?
"I am tired of arguing with folks who can only think of self gratification and not what the consequences of buying all these imports are. JIMV, aren't NAD, ARCAM and ROTEL all imports?"Yes, but is it worse for America to buy quality foreign made gear or to pay US prices for gear of similar quality and having to borrow to do it? This debt is in turn largely owned by foreign companies or a government like China.The end result is the same, the money moves from here elsewhere but if one simply buys the item, at least the personal credit problem is avoided.
JA, I can hardly believe that a retail $1500 has $500 in parts. Given the retail markup, that would leave close to zero margin for the manufacturer after they cover labor and overhead (including customer service - good luck with customer service for a Chinese amp). Wow!JIMV, I'm certainly not an economist but I don't follow your argument at all. Even if I did borrow money to buy my made in America gear, and even if my local credit union was getting the money from China, doesn't my buying decision help support local workers?
While it may seem absurd to many that the prices being asked by several hi-end manufacturers are so high, I suspect or at least hope that these same manufacturers know wherein their market lies. If there are enough people willing and able to spend say $100K on a pair of speakers then why not cater to that demand. I have noticed that there actually seems to be still a 'drop-off' point if you will; that defines the high point in speaker manufacturing... seems to be in the region of $150K +-. Nobody seems to be starting their line at say $200K and then working into the millions of dollars...I wander why? With a manufacturing budget of say $1M I would think one hell of a speaker could emerge.
The vitriol expressed by suits_me and Stephen Scarf is as unfortunate as it is ill informed.To criticise an audio product without having heard it is clearly nonsensical and does raise the prospect of an agenda against PSC ( the company making the $60,000 interconnect),as, this is not the only place where such vitriol has been expressed by suits_me. I personally have had dealings with PSC since 1994 and currently use their cables in my system. This choice is based on my personal repeated comparisons with other high end cable manufacturers. In this time I have upgraded my cables to my level of affordability and have always been very happy with my investment. The time and trouble that PSC takes to ensure the correct choice of cable (including conducter type, arrangement differential length requirements appearance etc)are a value added service and a very important element in my decision to buy these cables.So lay off the vitriol especially if you have NO experience with the product or the company.
Matt wrote "I can hardly believe that a retail $1500 has $500 in parts. Given the retail markup, that would leave close to zero margin for the manufacturer after they cover labor and overhead (including customer service)..." That was my point. The usual multiplier from parts cost to retail price is at least 5x. That allows a large return on investment that the manufacturer can stay in business. Simaudio cut their margin to the bone because they wanted still to be competitive on price without having to move manufacture offshore. No-one other than me appeared to notice or care, especially not the cheapskates who have been commenting on our CES coverage :-(
John, your formulary isn't even close to a real world businesses model for most companies. But we also have CEO's who make a 100 or 200 times what their counterparts in the rest of the world do. On the day after when somewhere between 34,000 (Circuit City) to 100,000 people lost their jobs, how can you John or tom collins still believe what you said? I guess there went the Kellogg School of Business and Supply Side Economics theories that you studied in college, which may turn out to be quicksand. To quote one of my bosses, "I am sure the Romans and the Greeks thought the same thing just before the roof collapsed on them". He also made another good point; there are 2 types of marketing here in the US. One based on fair value, which maybe a few believe in, or the second the market of greed. Cronyism to the max; "I can't believe that it's been 21 years since Thiel founders Jim Thiel and Kathy Gornik and I emptied the first of many bottles of fine wine talking about music and loudspeak
Out of all the audio establishments that I have visited over the years, I have only felt that 2 of them had my best interests at heart. The first is Holm Audio, Woodbridge, IL where a gentleman spent a couple of hours trying to convert me back to LP's from CD's and gave me a taste of tube vs. transistor. At that point what I wanted was a quality CD changer ($700 {2002 dollars} NAD T571 ) for long nights of Virtual IT off hours work. If I am ever back in that area with the time to spare, Holm is on my list of stops. Impulse buying has its rewards. The second is in Kansas City, MO. The second is Primus Audio Pleasure in Kansas City, MO. Primus Audio is staffed by individuals who care (even thought they had not sold me the product) and were able to determine that my product was not the problem, but household power was. Issue resolved, bone headed importer lost all of my respect and also kill my respect for your rag. By the way Primus does handle SIM Audio, which I intend to look into.
Using "vitriol" to characterize readers comments is excessive, in my opinion. Readers should be able to post their comments with respect to keeping a reality check on the excessively prices and margins high-end mfrs are charging for products without them being viewed as vitriol. I have a lot of respect for John as an editor, and I appreciate the hard work that he and his staff did at CES in providing coverage. My personal view is pretty much aligned with Jim's about the blogs editorial content that gives the view that components that cost a much as a Mercedes automobile are modestly-priced and "affordable". While I very much recognize the very hard work that the staff did in covering the show, I would have much preferred to have seen more balanced reporting on value-structured products than $130,000 20 Wpc tube amps and $60,000 interconnects.
"If there are enough people willing and able to spend say $100K on a pair of speakers then why not cater to that demand." There are not enough people to support such an over supplied, over heated market over time, as the housing bubble just got through showing. It's a distortion. And besides, the bulk of the objections have focused on absurdly priced interconnects, hilariously costing more than some houses at this point.
"To criticise an audio product without having heard it is clearly nonsensical and does raise the prospect of an agenda against PSC...." I never commented on the sound of the oft mocked 60k interconnects. I said the pricing amounts to a con, that there aren't enough recordings of sufficient quality in the universe to justify such absurdities and that I'd have no interest in hearing such a product in any evaluative sense, (I mean, as opposed to wandering into a show room to see what's going on.) There's no agenda against whatever company of geniuses thought to soak audiophiles to the tune of 60k for interconnects, merely open mockery. Hope this helps.
"Open mockery" doesn't amount to as many posts as whoever is hiding behind those messages had already posted , I'm afraid. But that's all right, just want to present the manufacturer's point of view : if there's a client with specific demands and means, ordering a custom made gold/silver interconnect , why not meet those demands? 25 gold ribbons per pin(x3 for balanced cable) multiplied by 1.5m would cost a lot just for the raw material, not to mention labor costs, margins etc...It's ridiculous to think that you can stop anyone who can afford such luxury (like the $1.5m watch or a $1m gold Stratocaster you'd find in Las Vegas shops) by writing endless rants about how unfair it is to afford or produce expensive cables in a current economical climate. Incidentally, our audio-communist "suits_me" seems to complain only about the prices of cables, nothing else. It's most intriguing that he managed to complain about DH Labs $11K speaker cables. Do we sense a
mark: thanks for your take. i had planned to just let this thread die because it has become such a waste of time, but had to say that i am glad you got in on the conversation. why not produce such a product - how about if you didn't do it, someone else would. i think these guys (you know who you are) should sell all their gear and worldly possessions and join a monastary where they can pray for human nature to change. these guys are pretty much carrying on the political right v. left battle we just weathered. no one is going to change their mind by anything that is said here, but just like rush limbaugh, by God, they are going to keep saying it whether it is logical or not.
Yes, Tom, much of this thread is tiresome. Every argument has been addressed, both by John and Mark of PSC (whose cables I hope to hear, btw). Yet the assaults continue from the same posters, multiple times, again and again. It's as though they want blood, or at least JA and myself on our knees, Speaking just for myself, I see no reason to go there. As someone who takes responsibility for his actions and believes in criticism / self-criticism, I respond to criticism by examining my actions to see if there is cause for complaint. I also ask what I might do differently next time. I see no fault with my coverage. I walked into a room that of a company I'd never heard of before, and spent quite awhile exploring their product line. Then I wrote the report. Someday I hope to hear PSC cables, but that had no influence on my report. Since my coverage is accurate, I can only conclude that the thought police are again at work. No thank you. I wish they'd go after all the US corporations with offshore shelte
let's try that again...I wish they'd go after all the US corporations with offshore tax shelters and plants in China instead. (BTW, did you notice that I intentionally say manufactured in the USA in a number of my blog entries)? How about taking it up with the people in Washington who have put us into this mess. Take it up with the people who control the media, and have made the American people among the most mis-informed First World populace on the planet. Instead, Stereophile has become the target. As someone who lives in a Oakland, CA, one of the most crime-ridden cities in the USA, where innocent people are frequently the target, I'm accustomed to the terminator mentality that sees life as a cross between a football game and shooting range. That's not where I want to go. Hence, folks can complain 'til the cows come home. I know that my coverage is fair and accurate, and that our blog is extraordinary. Hence, without a trace of guilt, I continue to enjoy the music. -END-
Suits_me.."If there are enough people willing and able to spend say $100K on a pair of speakers then why not cater to that demand." There are not enough people to support such an over supplied, over heated market over time, as the housing bubble just got through showing.AND YOU KNOW THIS HOW?
"Wow! JIMV, I'm certainly not an economist but I don't follow your argument at all. Even if I did borrow money to buy my made in America gear, and even if my local credit union was getting the money from China, doesn't my buying decision help support local workers?" - Anytime you buy anything you help local workers. The question is, does the purchase of a reasonably priced foreign made item have a worse effect on the economy than buying product one cannot afford on credit recognizing the money goes out of the country anyway. I believe the personal result of debt cancels out the advantage of buying local.
"25 gold ribbons per pin(x3 for balanced cable) multiplied by 1.5m would cost a lot just for the raw material, not to mention labor costs, margins etc..."Some basics...no one as far as I know makes solid gold anything. Gold plated, even on pure silver, uses VERY little gold. A $100K 'Gold' filled Amp might have all of a half troy ounce of gold in it but more likely 1/10 or less. 1/2 oz of pure gold is worth about $420 today. Vermeil (gold on silver) as in interconnect might use a few ounces of silver and a tiny amount of gold with a metal value of well under $100.Folk who speak of gold connectors and silver cables all rely on folk not knowing just how little metal is in the thing and how much the metal is worth. Oh, and gold and silver are very easy to work, unlike say, platinum, so the labor costs are minimal.
To quote a sales manager of mine, "Take a pound of crap and package it fancy enough and spin the right song (sales tale) to go with it and you can put a $1,0,000 price tag on it and sell it". The people who buy you equipment are those for the most part have been raping and pillaging the economy and could really care less who they step on. Apparently the lesson learned here is that the instant orgasm of self indulgence rules. But in this day and age when the dust settles, if US government ever starts IT forensics on what has been occurred in the last year, we will find a whole lot of unsavory characters foreign and domestic. The list will most likely include many of the foreign companies and governments that have absorbed (or purchased) our trade surplus and killed Wall Street all the while enriching them selves and play stock options bingo. Competitively produced and MADE IN THE USA. We have over 11,0,000 unemployed. I have got to find out if audiophiles were the model for the Frazier show.
I strongly advise that JIMV checks the battery in his calculator before writing his next comment. 25 ribbons x3 = 75 ribbons. For a pair of 1.5m you'll need 150 ribbons in total.If you already found the way to make a pair of gold /silver cables as cheap as you mentioned, perhaps you could attempt making one yourself. We could then compare "A to B". If the cost of labor in the US is much lower than in Australia - perhaps you may be able to lower the price from 60K to something like $9.95. Skilled labor in Australia is very expensive: eg: a concreter makes 2K a day in Western Australia where the economy is booming thanks to very high commodity prices and huge demand for metals. For your information: platinum happens to have a much lower conductivity than silver/gold. The parts are playing smaller role when calculating a recommended retail price, while the R&D which could take years, is much more expensive.Nice try JIMV...
Pure 24 Carat Gold costs under $850 and ounce. Do you have any idea how many connectors that much gold could cover? Hundreds. Silver is around $11 a troy ounce. For a 50lb amp to be worth $100K in gold content, it would have to consist of over 10 pounds of pure gold. If silver it would have to weigh over 800 troy pounds. The price of the product simply is not the result of the cost of any precious metals within. No audio product contains gold measured by the ounce much less the troy pound.You confuse the cost of manufacture with the cost of materials. I do not. Weigh that interconnect...How much does it weigh? half a pound, a pound max. Is it 100% gold....nope, 100% silver?....nope. They may have a few ounces or so of silver in them and perhaps 1/10 of an ounce of gold plating MAX....that makes a value in metal of under $200....the remaining $59,800 is manufacturing and markup....LOTS of markup.
"There are not enough people to support such an over supplied, over heated market over time, as the housing bubble just got through showing. AND YOU KNOW THIS HOW?" Simply because economic history shows how distortions always wind up, be it tulip bulb or real estate or internet stock option manias. It is "never different this time." This is not a complex idea. In fact, all the show reports say that all but the ultra high end of the audio market is reeling, and I'm unaware of any consumer segment (or society) which can withstand the loss of the low and middle end. At a certain point it has to cascade. 60k interconnects are a marker of these unsustainable imbalances. Lastly, while I am not a "cheap cable rep," I do wonder with glee what would constitute cheap cables in the mind of someone grossing 60k for each pair sold. Whoever is selling these unspecified "cheap cables" certainly is not competing for marks, I mean, customers, with the 60k interconnect folks.
What's price got to do with it? I can provide many examples of many cables, whose price does not necessarily reflect the cost of the raw material cost. Eg. Stealth Indra, Audio Note, etc... One should really take into consideration the R&D, labour and actual net cost of the wire as manufactured and prepared from the basic raw material, whether it be copper, silver or gold.I myself have been using a wide range of PSC cables for around 6 years and the current collection includes power cables, interconnects and speaker cables. I have a limited budget, but have managed to acquire few of his pure silver range of cables and find the performance to be exemplary. With the wide section that's available today, I don't have to use the PSC cables, but I do because I love the personalised service and their cables complete anything else I've tried over the years.The Stereophile reports are informative and excellent, but the personal attacks in the comments do nothing to promote or highlight your y
Sorry, the last line was supposed have read as follows:The Stereophile reports are informative and excellent, but the personal attacks in the comments do nothing to promote or highlight your cause. Get over it and let this forum provide a window to express sensible views and comments.Thanks
Suits_me, Apparently at the present time there are enough consumers creating a demand for these high priced products ( remember that high price is a relative term)and that manufacturers are able to make a profit by catering to that demand.I see nothing wrong in that. However,I would certainly agree that these products could never be called a sound financial investment likely to produce any kind of financial return.I think you maybe getting confused between financial/monetary markets and retail markets.
Amazing, someone on the inside or a talented hacker has removed the last 3 entries from the blog page; there were 51, 2 of which were mine. Was there some truth in what was said? Psychological consoling anyone?
Jerry wrote: "someone on the inside or a talented hacker has removed the last 3 entries from the blog page; there were 51, 2 of which were mine." We are deleting some of your posts, Jerry, because this is not the appropriate place for you to vent your spleen at a specific audio company or to attack other Stereophile readers. If you (or anyone alse) does wish to air your views on matters that are not connected with this CES wrap-up report, please do so at http://forum.stereophile.com/forum/ubbthreads.php . We will continue to delete posts from this CES report from readers who, in our judgment are abusing our hospitality.
As far as I am concerned, professional sound is the reference. Last year one reporter was raving about JBL everest latest incarnation... That's no non sense professional sound: dynamic and true. Do celebrated violinists record their art on a Strad with 60k interconnects from the microphone to the console? Of course not. End of Matter.


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Apr 30, 2014 10:15 AM
Full disclosure: We're a little scared by the fact that this double-brush mascara ($22) looks like a torture device. However, we're also intrigued by claims that the unorthodox design creates amazing volume, length, curl, and definition. The wand can be used open to create volume, or clamped around your lashes to add length. Reviewers have noted that it takes some practice to perfect the technique, but that the results are well worth it.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us, sign up for email updates, grab our RSS feed, and check out:

subset: commoncrawl


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On the previous article I guided you through the installation of VMware server on a standalone computer. After the installation we were asked to restart the computer to start using the server. After rebooting the computer, and launching VMware Web Access, you are asked to enter a username and password, but VMware wizard did not ask to choose any username and password during the installation, so what password do we need to enter to login?
It is your local administrator username and password!!
Read our previous article on how to install VMware Server 2.0 from here " Installing VMware Server 2.0 On Windows XP"
On Windows XP, if you don't know the Administrator password, you can easily reset it by right-clicking the My Computer icon and selecting Manage:
That will get you to the Computer Management Console, expand the Local Users and Groups folder, and select Users. right-click the Administrator user account and select Reset Password:
Proceed to reset your password, and then login to VMware Web Access using the administrator credentials.
that should get you right in.
Now, if you installed VMware Server 2.0 on Windows Vista, then the administrator account is disabled. You need to enable the administrator account in order to login to VMware Web Access.
To enable the administrator account on windows vista type the following command on the command prompt:
net user administrator /active:yes
After typing the command, go to control panel, and click on users. The administrator account should appear there. Click on the Administrator icon and choose to create a password.
After creating the password for the local administrator, you should be able to login to the VMware Web Access interface using the administrator account.


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- Filed Under
Fox and Hound English Pub & Grille has closed after more than a decade in south Springfield.
The last day for the restaurant at 2035 E. Independence Street was Tuesday, said Jon Davis, district manager for the Fox and Hound Restaurant Group.
Smith said that the restaurant, which opened in 1998, was unable to ...


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Machinery Pete: 2000 JD 8410 tractor sells for $136,000
The local Deere dealer thought it would bring $100,000.
Boy, was he off! The item in question was a 2000 model JD 8410 MFWD tractor with only 584 hours, sold last Saturday (September 11, 2010) on a very nice farm auction in northwest Illinois. Auctioneer Steve Relander had the sale.
What did it sell for? $136,000.
In fairness to that local Deere dealer, I don't think too many folks would have guessed this tractor would go that high. Just yet another vivid example of how very strong the demand is currently for very nice condition used farm equipment.
How high is $136,000 for that 8410? The previous high auction sale price I had seen on an 8410 was $113,000, for a 2001 model with 1,130 hours sold March 6, 2010 on a farm auction in south-central Illinois. Click on the link below to view the last (40) JD 8410 tractors I've seen sold at auction.
Another indicator of how strong the used market is right now: it only took auctioneer Steve Relander two minutes and 30 seconds to sell that JD 8410 tractor Saturday and get $136,000 for it. I hope to be posting the video clip of this tractor selling on the northwest Illinois auction in our Machinery Pete Youtube channel here soon, so check back for that.
Oh, one more item for you from this September 11th farm auction in northwest Illinois. There was a JD 970 24-foot cultimulcher sold. Steve Relander told me the local Deere dealer guessed he'd be lucky to get $5,000 for it, seeing as cultimulchers just not a high demand item in that particular area.
It sold for $15,700.
That's another record high auction sale price. Next highest sale price I've run across on a JD 970 cultimulcher is $12,250, for a nice 28-foot model sold December 15, 2003 on an auction in northeast Colorado. See for yourself.
Another super farm auction last Saturday, this one in west-central Iowa, provided more of the same, very strong sale prices for exceptionally clean, well cared for used equipment. Check out this video clip of a 1996 model CaseIH 5240 MFWD tractor with only 577 hours selling, followed by a 1997 CaseIH 5220 2WD tractor with 1,016 hours:
That's another record high auction price on the CaseIH 5240 tractor and a near record price on the CaseIH 5220. Once again, see for yourself, click on the link below to view all the CaseIH 5240 tractors I've seen sold at auction the last 14 years:
www.Machinerypete.com (1-yr. subscription $69.95; 1-week $10)


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Violent Video Games Contribute to Dropping Crime Rate, Study Suggests
As it turns out, all that warning that violence in video games is bad for your brain may be...well...wrong.
According to a recent paper based on studies at the University of Texas,"Overall, violent video games lead to decreases in violent crime." »


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And as you can see, it did nothing for the stock. All Cook did today was give away more cash needlessly and got it stuck up his ass like always by Wall Street. Apple should have kept the cash, Fired Cook, and the stock would be up 100 right now
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Sina Weibo has over 400 million registered users, though it's hard to know how many of those are overseas. Nonetheless, we've noticed today that the Twitter-esque Weibo has just rolled out a partial English-language interface. We've reached out to Sina (NASDAQ:SINA) to found out what's happening. [UPDATE 30 minutes after posting: A Sina representative in Beijing tells us: "Countries in Southeast Asia [can] pick English or Chinese – this isn't opened globally yet." But in our test, it's working in America right now].
The Weibo.com frontpage – which has a simpler redesign today – now also has an "English" option in the dropdown menu (access it here), though it doesn't convert the whole page from Chinese. Then, once logged in, Sina Weibo now has some English in the menus, but the whole interface is far from transformed. But it seems to be a start.
This is how it looks with English, as it appears now for my colleague Charlie in the US. Note that the logo is now in English too:
You can contrast that with how it looks for me here in China:
In November of 2011, Sina revealed that it had two million users in Hong Kong, though I suspect many of those are using the traditional Chinese text interface.
If Sina Weibo converts its whole UI into English, it could help overseas brands do social marketing to Chinese consumers.
Sina's microblogging platform is having a very rough week with a large-scale revolt among Chinese netizens over heavy-handed censorship of an editorial at the usually quite outspoken magazine Southern Weekend. Much of that anger has been expressed via Sina Weibo, causing one of the moderators (i.e. censors) at Sina Weibo to make the highly unusual move of speaking out, pleading for understanding about how Weibo is a kind of "human flesh shield" between users and authorities.
Rival microblog Tencent Weibo added a broader English interface in September 2011.


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1 year, 5 months ago Illinois Ag Connection
Soybean numbers represent the highest planted acreage since 2006
From Illinois Ag Connection:
Illinois corn planted area, at 12.0 million acres, is unchanged from 2013 Harvested area for grain, at 11.8 million acres, is also unchanged from the previous year.
Soybean planted area, at 10.1 million acres, is up 7 percent from 2013. This represents the highest planted acreage in Illinois since 2006 when 10.1 million acres were planted. Harvested area, forecast at 10.05 million acres, is up 7 percent from the previous year.
Winter wheat planted area, estimated at 750,000 acres, is down 14 percent from 2013. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 690,000 acres, down 17 percent from the previous year.
Hay harvested area of all hay is expected to total 650,000 acres, down 2 percent from 2013. This consists of 320,000 acres of alfalfa and 330,000 acres of all other hay.
Click Here to Read Full Article


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In what was a probable? Decider for the league against local rivals Ashford Town this game had the lot. This Eagles Team showed skill, courage and a determination that the players and club can all be proud of.
Eagles started off slowly and conceded a very soft goal after 5 minutes, on 8 minutes Perry Bower powered a header goal wards from a corner only to see the ball hit the post. Eagles found the going tough and conceded 2 more goals on 12 and 22 minutes, to put Ashford 3-0 up and then lost central defender Jack Solly. At this stage lesser teams would lie down and die, but not this team. Eagles suddenly came to life and in the 27th minute a brilliant volley by Charlie Lee from 20 yards found the top corner of the net game on. Eagles upped the pace and on 35 minutes Reagan Thomas smashed an unstoppable18 yard drive into the Ashford net.
Eagles were now flying in what was becoming a very physical encounter; The Eagles players were matching Ashford in every way and Eagles got their reward on 75 minutes when Charlie Lee intercepted a back pass and lobbed the oncoming keeper to make it 3-3. Eagles pressed for a winner and on 78 minutes Lee was brought down by the Ashford defender, only for the referee to dismiss the appeals.
Under Coach Ricky O'Leary this team goes from strength to strength with their never say die attitude.


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Sometimes I have imaginary phone conversations. Ok… this happens a lot. They go a little something like this:
Hello..? Yes, hi. I'd like to speak with the person in charge of making up all these clever food holidays like today's Bacon Day. Oh, that's you? Excellent. I have a few additional food holidays I thought you might like to add to your calender.
How about a pizza and beer holiday every Friday of the month. I mean… it'd just be really great if my calender could justify my food choices. No? You know, you don't have to decide so quickly. Maybe think it over a bit. Still no? Ok… lemme run another idea by you.
Can we make everyday at 3:30 in the afternoon National-Go-Ahead-And-Eat-A-Brownie Moment? What? That's too specific? I see. You might reconsider this one… the people are really calling for it.
Ok…. I'll just stick to Bacon Day. Thanks for that one.
I gotta run. I have to tell all my friends about these Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies I just made! Laaaater!
Interested in other ways to celebrate bacon!?
How about Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles or BLT's with Homemade Mayonnaise!?
Bacon and peanut butter!? Peanut Butter and Bacon! Yes. Yes yes yes!
I had never heard of this combination until a friend told me how her grandfather used to make peanut butter and bacon sandwiches for all the grandkids to eat. What? I need ts combination in cookie form and I need them in my face right now…. that's what I thought as she was waxing on about her grandfather. Sorry.
So how do these cookies taste? So amazingly good! The cookie itself is a more delicate, crumbly peanut butter cookie due to the absence of butter and flour. Yup! Gluten free! The peanut butter taste is front and center. The bacon blends incredibly well with the sweetness of the cookie, adding an alluring salty, smoky, chewy bite. Hot dang! I will make these cookies again and again and again. Flourless. Butterless. Only five ingredients and one of those ingredients is bacon. The world just got a step closer to perfect.
Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies
adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook
makes 15 cookies about the size of your palm
1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
about 6 slices of bacon, cooked, cooled and diced
In a skillet over medium high heat, fry up bacon until cooked through and let cool on paper towels until cool enough to dice. Dice up and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside. In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes. Fold in cooked bacon. Roll into large walnut sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork. If you'd like, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before making the cris-cross pattern. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to… your mouth.
244 thoughts on "Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies"
My mother used to make a peanut butter, pumpernickel and bacon appetizer in the 70s. It was amazing and so simple. Yes, bacon and peanut butter are fabulous together.
Joy, you are my new best friend…actually my second best friend because these cookies are now my first. I have eaten PBandBacon sandwiches for years and I, as a baker, can't believe I've never thought of a PBBacon cookie. I am so glad someone like you came along to enlighten us all. Thank you!!!
I am so excited to try this. My husband has "boys night" this Wednesday. It's the perfect treat to send with him. He is so excited. BTW….love the whole wheat chocolate chip cookies……they are fantastic!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My friend and I tried it out and it was fabulous!! :D
my birthday is on international beer day! :)
omg. I think I love you. And I think my boyfriend will love you even more than I do when I make these for him. Peanut butter and bacon are his two favorite things. I can't wait!
I haven't been able to get into the whole bacon in desserts thing yet, but my husband just walked in, saw the title of your post and is all about me making these now! Guess its time or me to take the plunge, huh?
I too grew up on peanut butter and bacon sandwhiches…they are my favorite to this day. So…guess what I just made? These cookies are divine. Thanks Joy!
I just made these this morning! The combination of bacone and peanut butter is delicious! Next time I'd like to try it with a cookie recipe that has flour :)
This is definatley not the last time i will make these!
I once made my chocolate chip cookies with bacon and had a hard time tasting the two ingredients together, if that makes sense. I could taste the bacon, and the chocolate chip cookie, but they were very separate tastes. Anyway, these look way too good to pass up.
what an interesting recipe! lovely photography!
These look amazing – I loved the other flourless peanut butter cookies you posted a while back. One of my favorite restaurants back home does a peanut butter bacon burger that is absolutely to die for.
Peanut butter with meat really isn't so crazy – Thai and Filipino people both do it!
I've never really been into this bacon fad…I don't particularly like bacon…But I've been thinking about these cookies ever since you posted them! I'm so intrigued I may have to make them!
These sounds so amazing, I think they call for their own holiday! National Peanut Butter Cookie Day! Yum…


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History of Baseball in Columbus
Baseball first appeared in Columbus, and most of the country, during the Civil War. In the spring of 1866, baseball "clubs" were springing up all over the national landscape. Young men, many of whom had recently returned from the war, were anxious to play the game.
The first team organized club in central Ohio was the Buckeye Baseball Club of Columbus in March of 1866. The team's officers were James A. Williams as president and F. H. LeFavor as vice president. Williams had learned the game while serving as a clerk in the Union army at Louisville, Kentucky.
The Buckeyes played their first game on April 6, on a field at the edge of town, on the corner of Broad Street and Parsons Avenue on the grounds of the Franklin County Insane Asylum. The first team beat the second squad by the score of 95 to 44! The game, although not an artistic success, caught the imagination of others and soon six more clubs were formed. Joining the Buckeyes were the Capitals, the Athletics, the Olentangys, the Excelsiors, the Stars and the Lenapes of Delaware.
The first professional players to play for Columbus were first baseman Tom Blackburn of the Lebanon Lightfoots and third baseman Sam Dodds of Urbana in 1875. The following year Columbus decided to make the big leap into professional baseball.
At the same time William Hulbert was organizing the National League, Jimmy Williams was putting together Columbus' first professional team. The Buckeyes played their home games on a field located between the old Union Depot and High Street. The following season the Buckeyes joined the International Association.
Teams came and went in Columbus during the 1800's. In 1883-84 and again in 1889-91, the Columbus Buckeyes were in the major leagues. Columbus' first pennant winner was the 1892 Reds of the Western League. Columbus was in the Western League through most of the 1890's. After the 1899 season, the president of the Western League, Ban Johnson changed the league's name to the American League and declared themselves a major league. The 1899 Columbus Senators were transferred to Cleveland and are now the Indians.
After spending 1900 in the Interstate League and '01 in the Western Association. The Senators joined Minneapolis, St. Paul, Toledo, Louisville, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Kansas City to form the new American Association in 1902. Columbus was the smallest city in the league and was admitted on a trial basis. The Senators lead the Association in attendance for the first six seasons and the league would remain stable for the next half century.
A local boy, Bobby Quinn built the Senators into a powerful team. Columbus won three consecutive pennants in 1905-07 and remained a contender for a dozen years. In 1905, Columbus built Neil Park, the first concrete and steel stadium. In 1917, the Quinn contingent sold the club to Thomas Wilson of the Wilson Sporting Goods and Joe Tinker. The club stumbled through the 1920's, bottoming out with a 39-125 record in 1926. After that season, Wilson sold the team to Sidney Weils, owner of the Cincinnati Reds. The club slowly improved under manager Nemo Leibold, with a mix of Reds' farm hands and veteran ball players.
Weils lost everything in the stock market crash of 1929. At the end of the 1930 season, Cincinnati asked Columbus president Joe Carr to sell the Senators. Carr sold an option to Larry McPhail, who turned around and sold the club to Branch Rickey and the St. Louis Cardinals. Rickey changed Columbus' name to the Red Birds starting in 1931.
Leibold became a folk hero during the final bleak years of the Columbus Senators. When St. Louis bought the club after the 1930 season, Branch Rickey wanted to fire the scrappy little manager in favor of a "company man". Columbus roared its disapproval! In a rare move, Rickey backed down.
But Leibold favored playing aging veterans over the raw talent the Cardinals farm system was sending him. By mid-1932 Rickey had had enough. In a stroke of public relations genius, Rickey replaced the popular Leibold with native son Billy Southworth.
The Beginning of the Coop.
The St. Louis Cardinals saw a need for a new ballpark in Columbus. After the city fathers broke off negotiations for Sunshine Park as a site, the Cardinals purchased farmland on West Mound Street and Glenwood Avenue.
The Cardinal's GM Branch Rickey's problem did not end there. The Monday before construction was due to begin, Columbus City Council was petitioned to stop the construction of the new stadium. The neighborhood feared that the noise and lights of the park would wake the dead at surrounding Mt. Calgary and Greenlawn cemeteries!
Cardinal owner Sam Breadon took advantage of depression time prices to build what Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis called "the finest park in all of baseball". Bedecked with the finest brick and California redwood, the park's final price tag was $450,000.
Initially due to open for the 1932 season, construction delays pushed back the date. Work crews worked day and night to have the stadium ready for its' rescheduled debut on June 3rd. A crowd of 15,000 fans packed the park to watch Columbus defeat Louisville, 11-2 that Friday afternoon. Radio station WAIU, now WTVN, broadcasted the first game with The Ohio State Journal's sports writer Dick Jamison at the mike. The game was such a "can't miss" event in Columbus that two women gave birth at the stadium that afternoon.
In 1932, the visiting team shared the gate receipts. That summer, the Cardinal's GM Branch Rickey coveted St. Paul's shortstop Jimmy Reese. Rickey knew the novelty of the first night game at the new stadium would bring a big crowd. Rickey traded the right to play in the first night game to the Saints for Reese. The first game under the lights, in Columbus, had to wait for two weeks until St. Paul came to town.
Rickey was right about the big turnout. On June 17th, a record crowd of 21,000 fans stormed the gates. The Red Birds defeated the Saints 5-4 in 11 innings.
The Red Birds turned Columbus' baseball fortunes around becoming one of the most successful minor league franchises in history.
After World War ll, The Columbus Citizen's sports editor Lou Byrer began criticizing the St. Louis Cardinals for sending their best young talent to Rochester and ignoring Columbus. It wasn't true but Lou kept up his barrage. When the Red Birds won the Junior World Series in 1950, the Cardinal brass thought they finally had silenced Byrer. They hadn't. To teach the editor a lesson, they dispersed the champion Red Bird team around their farm system, sending many back to Double-A, Houston. They stocked Columbus with untried young talent to show Byrer just how bad a Triple-A club could be. It was the beginning of the end of the Columbus-Cardinal affiliation.
After the 1954 season, the Cardinals moved the Red Birds to Omaha. For the first time in the 20th century Columbus was without a baseball team. In January, 1955 Harold Cooper purchased the Ottawa club of the International League and moved them to Columbus.
Initially, Harold Cooper had a verbal commitment from the Yankees for the Jets to become New York's Triple-A franchise. But when the purchase of the stadium took longer than expected, the Yankees signed with Denver and Columbus had to settle with the lowly Kansas City A's. The financial deal for the stadium was worked out on the golf course between Budweiser tycoon Gussie Busch and Pittsburgh Pirates owner Dan Galbreath. The official bill of sale was the back of a receipt, which Galbreath had in his pocket. Both men's signatures and the sum of $450,000 appear on the receipt.
After the 1956 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. The Pirates had to find a new home for their Triple-A franchise, the Hollywood Stars. Pirates' owner John Galbreath signed a working agreement with his hometown, Columbus.
The young Pirate farm hands gave Columbus competitive teams throughout the '60's, winning pennants in 1961 and 1965. In 1970, Jets' President Fred Jones and M. E. Sensenbrenner worked out a deal. The city would purchase Jet Stadium and make needed repairs and Jones would build a swimming pool in the poor near east side. But young councilman M. D. Portman (a fellow Democrat) believed that a city of Columbus' size should stop making these backroom deals and threw a wrench in the works. Frustrated, Jones had to sell the team and it moved to Charleston. Columbus wouldn't have a baseball team for seven years.
It changed Columbus politics forever.


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- Filed Under
Four suspects were arrested late Monday night on felony drug charges after Metro Police conducted two separate heroine busts.
Michael Anderson, 39, Jennifer Dillon, 36, and Matthew Tidwell, 30, were arrested during an undercover drug bust where Anderson attempted to sell Dillon and Tidwell 52 grams of heroine, according to the police department release.
Police said further investigation ...


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The latest state gun legislation is an exquisite example of what can happen when a bunch of folks, protected by gerrymandering, get together for a couple hours in the middle of the night to address legislation for a complex subject they know little or nothing about with no other input save their party's instructions.
I am not a gun nut. I belonged to the National Rifle Association for 40 years, but I quit when they morphed to radical politics. Unfortunately, I can't quit New York.
Now, I have to renew a permit I've had for 56 years every five years. I own a 145-year-old single-shot rifle that now appears to be illegal. It has a bayonet stud. I can no longer sell, legally, a sporting arm to a friend without bureaucratic interference.
I think weapons designed for killing in mortal combat situations should be restricted, as they are in virtually all industrialized nations. Only federal regulation can plug all the necessary holes. New York's law is simple harassment to inflate one man's resume.


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|Abstracts on Global Climate Change
Apr 2005
Decomposition of soybean grown under elevated concentrations of CO2 and O-3
Booker, FL Prior, SA Torbert, HA Fiscus, EL Pursley, WA Hu, SJ
A critical global climate change issue is how increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 and ground-level O-3 will affect agricultural productivity. This includes effects on decomposition of residues left in the field and availability of mineral nutrients to subsequent crops. To address questions about decomposition processes, a 2-year experiment was conducted to determine the chemistry and decomposition rate of aboveground residues of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) grown under reciprocal combinations of low and high concentrations of CO2 and O-3 in open-top field chambers. The CO2 treatments were ambient (370 mu mol mol(-1)) and elevated (714 mu mol mol(-1)) levels (daytime 12 h averages). Ozone treatments were charcoal-filtered air (21 nmol mol(-1)) and nonfiltered air plus 1.5 times ambient O-3 (74 nmol mol(-1)) 12 h day(-1). Elevated CO2 increased aboveground postharvest residue production by 28-56% while elevated O-3 suppressed it by 15-46%. In combination, inhibitory effects of added O-3 on biomass production were largely negated by elevated CO2. Plant residue chemistry was generally unaffected by elevated CO2, except for an increase in leaf residue lignin concentration. Leaf residues from the elevated O-3 treatments had lower concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates, but higher N, fiber, and lignin levels. Chemical composition of petiole, stem, and pod husk residues was only marginally affected by the elevated gas treatments. Treatment effects on plant biomass production, however, influenced the content of chemical constituents on an areal basis. Elevated CO2 increased the mass per square meter of nonstructural carbohydrates, phenolics, N, cellulose, and lignin by 24-46%. Elevated O-3 decreased the mass per square meter of these constituents by 30-48%, while elevated CO2 largely ameliorated the added O-3 effect. Carbon mineralization rates of component residues from the elevated gas treatments were not significantly different from the control. However, N immobilization increased in soils containing petiole and stem residues from the elevated CO2, O-3, and combined gas treatments. Mass loss of decomposing leaf residue from the added O-3 and combined gas treatments was 48% less than the control treatment after 20 weeks, while differences in decomposition of petiole, stem, and husk residues among treatments were minor. Decreased decomposition of leaf residues was correlated with lower starch and higher lignin levels. However, leaf residues only comprised about 20% of the total residue biomass assayed so treatment effects on mass loss of total aboveground residues were relatively small. The primary influence of elevated atmospheric CO2 and O-3 concentrations on decomposition processes is apt to arise from effects on residue mass input, which is increased by elevated CO2 and suppressed by O-3.


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LAS CRUCES >> Starting in January, the 3rd Judicial District Court will have a new chief judge.
In a recent vote, the court's judges elevated Fernando R. Macias to the position, according to a news release. As chief judge, Macias will supervise the court's internal operations and assign cases to other judges.
The appointment takes effect Jan. 1. Macias will take the lead spot from Judge Douglas R. Driggers. Assuming Macias is retained by voters next year, he will serve as chief judge through 2016.
Macias has been a district judge since former Gov. Bill Richardson appointed him to the bench in September 2006. Doña Ana County voters retained him most recently in 2008.
A native of Doña Ana County, Macias is a 1978 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, and he has a 1975 bachelor of arts degree in government and economics from New Mexico State University. Macias has been a state senator, Doña Ana County manager and county commission chairman, among other prominent positions.
"I am honored by the confidence of my colleagues, and I pledge to them our court staff and to the community a hard-working and accountable court that will abide by the law and seek to serve justice in every instance of criminal and civil disputes," Macias said in the news release.


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This kitchen for an artist on Martha's Vineyard by Hutker Architects features a cheerful yet muted palette. What appears to be a window cut into the stainless wall is actually a pocket door that slides open to a work space with storage cubbies and a workstation, creating a sense of openness. Full overlay maple and laminate cabinets in shades of eggshell blue and pale yellow add a subtle dash of color to the space.
Below L: Grohe Atrio Pillar Faucet in chrome, $250 at eFaucets. Below R: chrome finish Grohe Deluxe Soap Dispenser, $117 at eFaucets.
Below: Jeff Covey Model Six Stool with maple top, $379 at Office Designs.
Below L: Top Knobs Brushed Satin Nickel Cylindar Knob (M5), $6.62 at ATG Stores. Below R: Sugatsune Zinc Alloy Knob (EG-8028), $2.64 at Home Decor Hardware.
Below: Vitra Nelson Multicolored Ball Clock, $315 at Design Public.
Below: Emile Henry Provencal Large Kitchen Bowl, $44 at Amazon.
Below: Formica offers 46 solid colors for cabinetry surfacing. Below L: Neon Yellow, Below R: Oxygen.


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So it is the end of 2012 already. When I started writing this blog 23 months ago, I didn't realize how much fun it would become for me. I wanted it to be different than a blog full of beauty advice and tons of boring product photos. Instead, I wanted to reveal the behind the scenes look at my life as a working makeup artist in a smaller market. I hoped to help aspiring artists reach for their dreams. This year I started out with a list I wanted to accomplish and, to be honest, my list turned out boring compared to what actually happened!
I was hired to be Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs' makeup artist while she was hot off of the reality show Celebrity Apprentice. I was part of Cleveland Fashion Week. Then I was asked to be a feature career on The Career Zoo.com. I had my own "Cover Girl" moment on the June cover of Cleveland Magazine. I was also was part of a music video production in Hudson, Ohio. Along the way, I was able to meet and apply makeup on many local celebrities, brides, and models to make their shoot or day picture perfect.
I am looking forward to this coming year. I am currently looking for an assistant to work side by side with me on projects and have some other ideas in the works. If you are thinking about becoming a makeup artist, I encourage you to do so. It truly is a fun career. Sometimes I even forget I am working! I love addressing a client's beauty challenges and then educating him or her about products that work best. Seeing someone smile after I apply their makeup is very fulfilling. I am proud of my little blog. Finally, I do want to thank my friend and editor Christina Soltesz Peterson for her time in helping me with Sparkle and Shine. You're the best! For this year, it's a wrap. I can't wait to see what next year brings for me and what I will share with you.
|My June cover girl moment on Cleveland Magazine.
|Me and Christina
|Cleveland Fashion Week


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Heres an edit we put together at Double Decker Skatepark in Fayetteville, NC
Support Carolina Blading!!
people in order of apperance:
Dillon Millsap
Casey Wilson
Jordan Adams
Stefan Brandow
Ryan Timms
Scott Rhue
Zach Marino
thanks for everyone who helping out with this!
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- Filed Under
Here are the weekend results from the Monterey Bay Youth Football League and Pop Warner football.
Steinbeck Tigers 32, Watsonville 6: In a midget division game, Grant Sergent threw touchdown passes to Mike Ramirez and Isaac Jasinto while Nick Medina and Ramirez rushed for scores.
Matthew Morales had an interception and C.J. Rios had a quarterback sack. Other Tiger standouts were Deandre Jaime, Alex Pinon, Steve Matheson, Michael Schearer and Javier Vargas. ...


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may yet be hope for the career of a Green Beret Army soldier who faces
discharge from the military after 11 years defending freedom for the
United States with honors.
Have you ever noticed how old people around you are getting to be, especially family and friends?
Media—news and entertainment—is available everywhere, from every direction.


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When you need clear turn-by-turn directions optimised for driving, Nokia Drive helps you get to your destination.
Tap Nokia Drive.
Obey all local laws. Using a mobile phone or some its features while driving may be prohibited. Always keep your hands free to operate the vehicle while driving. Your first consideration while driving should be road safety.
When you open Nokia Drive for the first time, your phone asks if you want to download street maps for your current location and a navigation voice that matches your phone language settings.
If you download the maps you need using your home Wi-Fi connection before your trip, you save on data costs while travelling.
- Tap > Set destination, and search for your destination.
- Tap your destination and DRIVE TO > START.
By default, the map rotates to your driving direction. The compass always points north.
- To stop the navigation, tap > Stop navigation.
See the map in full screen
- Tap the map.


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"I will become a liberty activist in New Hampshire by September 30, 2011 but only if 999 others will do the same."
— Albert "Max" Abramson, Free State Project activist in NH
Deadline to sign up by: 31st December 2010
233 people signed up, 766 more were needed
More details
I am a member of the Free State Project in New Hampshire, nothing less than the last, best hope for freedom in this country. We are working to make New Hampshire the freest state in the nation. We have literally packed up our lives to come to the Live Free or Die state, to work as one to save those rights that still remain, to restore those lost, and to prove to the world that freedom is right, government largess is wrong, and bureaucracy is no substitute for personal responsibility.
We're looking for the best of the liberty lovers, those who would withstand freezing winters and political scrutinizing. As early movers, we've joined activists groups, developed fora, testified in the legislature, protested tyrannical laws and wrong minded judgments. We've launched independent papers, canvassed neighborhoods, recruited neighbors, voted out bad legislators, and even burned the UN flag in public to send a clear, unmistakable message about American sovereignty.
By signing the First 1,000 pledge, we've committed our lives and our careers to building a foundation of liberty and restoring the freedoms the Founding Fathers intended.
In our new home we found a state based upon the principles of limited government and the consent of the governed, where most decisions are still made at the local level, even at town hall meetings, where state level spending is less than half what residents of most other states must face. Having no state income tax, sales tax, helmet or seatbelt laws, New Hampshire offers a level of freedom not seen in other states. Few restrictions exist on homeschooling, business operation, or improvements to one's own home.
New Hampshire has been rated on several occasions as the most livable state in the nation, the least taxed, with the lowest violent crime rate, and the freest anywhere. Our police are polite, professional, and make arrests only when necessary.
All who are willing to move or were already living here, who are willing to become active in advancing the great cause of liberty, who are willing to give up their ties to other states and make their way to the Granite state are welcome to join us in our efforts.
If we succeed, we will leave for posterity, and for the nation, the best example possible of proof that free, dynamic, open societies work better than restrictive ones, that freedom works better than tyranny. If we fail, at least let history say of us that we justified our brief time here on Earth. May our ancestors and our children say of us that we did all that could be done.
See more pledges, and all about how PledgeBank works.
Because there are so many comments, only the most recent 50 are shown on this page.
Albert "Max" Abramson, the Pledge Creator, joined by:


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Teach English Abroad through Teach Away - Earn a TEFL Certification with the University of Toronto - Find International Teaching Jobs
ESL Job Feed is the most eclectic and broad source of ESL jobs and teaching positions available worldwide.?ESL Job Feed publishes links to ESL job postings from a variety of sources including TESall, Total ESL, Yahoo!/Monster, Guardian Jobs, Chronicle of Higher Education, craigslist, TESOL Org, TEFL and many more. From conversation schools for beginners to university positions for teaching veterans,?ESL Job Feed is your source for English teaching positions worldwide.
Live and teach abroad in the heart of Indonesia!
Date 2013-02-09 21:02:03 Location : Southeast Asia
Live and teach abroad in the heart of Indonesia! Jan & Elly is a Singapore based English Language that has branched out into Indonesia. Jan & Elly, which opened its doors in 1995, provides a comfortable and fun environment for kids ages 4 - 12. If you have a passion for teaching and want to live and work abroad we would like to hear from you. Here at Jan & Elly we think of our students, our teachers and our staff as one big family...and it shows.
Come join the Jan & Elly family! Feel free to be as crafty and imaginative as possible when applying as we encourage creativity (even in our application process).
Bachelor's Degree (Education/Linguistics/English) or an Honours degree together with a Post Graduate Certificate of Education and TEFL/CELTA qualifications
At least one year of teaching experience (volunteer work is acceptable)
Native English speaker
Possess a flair for writing
Well-versed in the American and/or British education system
Passionate the love for imparting knowledge and values to the young ones
Approachable always happy to listen and talk to parents and students
Loving be a kind and nurturing person
Smiley always have a smile to share
Mature, responsible, patient and positive - energetic a plus
Willingness to work on weekend days and/or weekday evenings (this is crucial, must have a flexible schedule)
Must have a great sense of humour, we like to laugh and have FUN
Teaching duties:
Conduct classes, lessons and/or activities as assigned and carry them out according to the curriculum
Prepare and conduct one to one Intensive sessions as and when required
Carry out Student Placement tests and advise parents on appropriate programme for child
Monitor the performance of students
Write students progress reports at the end of each term
Follow up and attend to queries relating to students
Help maintain a healthy class enrolment
Build a strong rapport with parents and students
Provide feedback on lesson plans and worksheets such as typo errors, new ideas and activities to Course Director or Centre Manager
Housing (fully furnished 3 bedroom (you would get one of the rooms), located above the school, private roof deck)
Includes utilities and internet
Support and assistance to help you settle in
Medical coverage/insurance
Up to 12 days paid sick leave per annum
Visa expense (reimbursed after successful completion of probationary period)
Airfare allowance upon completion of contract
35-hour week, 5-day week (3 weekdays + Sat & Sun)
3 weeks of paid vacation days a year, plus national holidays (13 total)
An end of contract bonus
Minimum 1-year renewable contract although a 2-year contract is much preferred
Salary range $1,500 - $3,500 SGD depending on credentials and experience
Welcome to ESL Job Feed. We offer the most varied listing of teaching jobs worldwide and resources for teachers seeking opportunities for teaching English worldwide and teachers working in other countries. Please browse our website and enjoy the many resources available to assist you in your job search for positions teaching English as a Second Language.
We publish links to job postings for teaching jobs worldwide from a wide variety of sources to allow teachers to conduct their job search all in one place. You can find postings from TESall, Total ESL, Monster, Idealist.org, TESOL.org and many other job sites. There are listings for everything from beginning teachers to positions in universities around the world.
In addition to our extensive listings of teaching jobs worldwide, we offer many other resources for teachers and opportunities to connect with schools, students and other professionals. You can post your resume for employers to see, advertise tutoring services, and find lesson plan ideas for teaching English and much more. Browse our website to see the wide variety of resources available to help you find a position and be successful teaching English worldwide.
Our forum for teachers is a great place to connect with other ESL professionals. Whether you are wondering about certification and qualifications required for teaching English worldwide or want to read the experiences of other teachers working teaching English as a Second Language, you can find it in our forums. There is no cost to join into the discussion, so start posting today.


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Wes Welker's wife apologizes over Ray Lewis comments (aol.sportingnews.com)
submitted 3 years 1 month 18 hrs and 1 min ago by GiantsChamps to sports
2 Comments | Are you sure? Yes / No
Post submitted on 22 Jan 2013
Submitted by GiantsChamps
Share anything interesting: news article, blog entry, video, or picture.
Steve Sanchez is America's Pastor of the Media Airwaves. Every weekend he sits behind the 300 million dollar microphone and delivers Real, Raw Talk that empowers, provokes and engages. Caution, there's no sitting around the campfire singing Kum By Ya! TheSteveSanchezShow.com
We recommend the conservative websites below:The Lonely Conservative


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MUST WATCHThe Do-Deca-Pentathlon Read more »
Happy (almost) holiday! Once the fireworks shows end and we nap off our food-induced comas, take some time to check out the following new beauty and style finds:
Read more »
Not exactly sure why, but Independence Day kicks my hot dog craving into overdrive. Maybe it's that these tube steaks are just so doggone American. (Even though, they originally came from Germany, like most sausages worth eating.)
In anticipation of the Fourth, I took a quick survey on Facebook and Twitter, asking for input on Seattle's best hog dog spots and guess what came out on top? Costco. Even Restaurant Marche's chef Greg Atkinson says so. It's sure hard to beat the price, right? Read more »
July 4 Cake Pops Read more »
And the award for best pocket neighborhood goes to....? Read more »
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|Product #: EMC3303007_TQ
Trees (Life Science/Trees, Plants) (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 2|Grade 3
Ships Free!
Please Note: This ebook is a digital download, NOT a physical product. After purchase, you will be provided a one time link to download ebooks to your computer. Orders paid by PayPal require up to 8 business hours to verify payment and release electronic media. For immediate downloads, payment with credit card is required.
This 'Read & Understand Science' unit for grades 2-3 investigates three main kinds of trees (broadleaf, conifer, palm tree) and important tree parts. The unit includes a two-page article, plus three student activities on answering comprehension questions, developing vocabulary, and reading a chart. (Find additional units by searching 'Read Science 2-3')
Customer Reviews:
Submit a review


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Inbal Dror 2013 Wedding Dresses
The Inbal Dror is the queen of haute couture and impressively demonstrated by year's collection. Incredibly beautiful bridal dresses with flattering silhouettes, delicate fabrics and extremely elegant details complete a collection that will surely impress. Even if you belong to women who love modern style this bridal collection will grab your interest. View bridal Inbal Dror 2013 on the images below.
Looking for more Cute Outfit Ideas?
Be sure to follow our boards for some style inspiration!Visit collection201.com's profile on Pinterest.


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Keepers take over baby giraffe's feeding
Posted: September 17, 2012|
PAIGNTON Zoo's newest arrival is doing well despite feeding problems.
The female giraffe which is just a week old is now being fed by keepers as her mother would not let her suckle.
She was the first giraffe calf to be born in the herd but had to be separated from the herd on Friday so keepers could make sure she was getting enough food.
The last baby giraffe, Valentino, was born at the zoo in February.
Related content
Matthew Webb, senior head keeper of mammals, said: "She is now feeding very well from keepers and is on four feeds a day, consuming up to eight litres a day.
"This will increase slightly as she gets bigger, up to a maximum of around 10 or 12 litres a day.
"We will need up to 10 or 12 litres a day for the new girl and eight for Valentino.
"We will start to wean him off milk in the next week or two, so the amount will drop back down to around 12 litres a day again over the next four to six weeks."
Zoo staff have yet to decide how to go about naming the youngster.


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Guest Testimonials
Great continental breakfast! Having a refrigerator and oven in room is great! Bagels are too big!!
Will be staying here again!: This is one of the best hotels we have stayed in recently. The room was spotless and clean, which is saying a lot since it was a pet-friendly room. We have experienced pet rooms that just look and smell awful, but we had no complaints about the room at all. The grounds are very well-kept and beautiful. We had a room overlooking the lake.
Also, there is a spa on site, so my husband was able to get a massage before we left (we have a one year old, so I didn't get to enjoy one myself :) ). We also ate dinner at the onsite restaurant and, while a bit pricey, I think the food was worth the money.
We let the front desk know how pleased we were with their establishment. Every person on staff that we encountered was nothing short of friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this inn to anyone staying in Elephant Butte.
Jack and Jeannette Whitt stayed with you and recommended the Inn to me! I took advantage of your spa and Debbie is the BEST. I travel a lot and she is an asset to your Inn!
I stayed in room 121. It was absolutely great. The rooms here are very clean and comfortable. Your staff is very professional and courteous. I will be happy to come and stay again. I will also be sure to tell others of my great experience.
Thanks you so much!
Have enjoyed my stay in the past and really enjoy it. Thanks for another great time.
Good reviews on the Internet...which we will be adding our own! Absolutely pleased by the service. Everything has exceeded our expectations! Your inn is very well-kept, clean & beautiful. The staff has been extremely helpful and friendly. We will be staying here again in the future.
Great hotel. We'll be back. Overall, a great value and very well-kept.
Great service...Jo is nice! Nice Lake View.
The property looks so nice. Great service...great room...Thanks.
Good Internet site. Positive remarks from others on travel sites. We are most grateful for pet-friendly rooms. Staff is extremely accomodating and the 'easy going', friendly atmosphere was a pleasure. We will recommend you. Our standard poodle was obviously pleased with your burr-free green lawn!


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uP|iN|fLaM3z wrote:what do u mean i shudnt be taken seriously?!?
as for the grammar, i dont think many people would care if i spell 'you' as 'u'
Quarter-life crisis: a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you.
uP|iN|fLaM3z wrote: hw so i thought i would make a tutorial. before u read this tutorial, i would like to give credit to LadyMercury cuz i used her tutorial as a template for my tutorial. anyway on to the tutorial
Also another thing. as i am writing this tutorial i dont have any vids made in premiere on this website. Why? because for some reason everytime i try to connect with CuteFTP it always gets disconnected. So dont ask how i know about premiere when none of my current vids r made in it
Part 1 - Beginning To Use Adobe Premiere
ima be using Adobe Premiere 6.5, not much of a difference between 6.0 except that 6.5 has a new titler, a few new effects, and real-time preview. most of this information can be used in premiere pro too
Aight when u first open up premiere, u must make your project settings. I will not be making a tutorial on that, go here http://www.animemusicvideos.org/guides/ ... setup.html
REAL TIME PREVIEW : only in 6.5 and it is good for effects like black and white, fades,invert, etc. but for things like 'Ghosting' or 'Radial Blur' u wud have to render those sections
either do that or right click on the project window like i did here
Just drag the audio on to the timeline and click the squiggly button to see the waveform
in premiere u cant repeat the clip over and over again by dragging like in Sony Vegas
to add an audio or video track simply right click and select what u want
so u want to get started on cutting clips?
just select your razor tool and click where u want to split it
NOTE : A SHORTCUT TO CUTTING A CLIP IS PRESSING F10(if u press F10 it will cut every layer where the scrubber is.
MAIN TRACK EDITING : in case u havent noticed by now, Adobe Premiere 6.X cant have transitions in any track except track
which one looks easier to u? to most ppl it would probably be A/B editing and that is the one i recommend
BasharOfTheAges wrote:The more you push the more we're going to push back.
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Jon Fougner
Revolving Door (0)
Who's coming and who's going. Tell us about your job move! Receive the Revolving Door Newsletter with expert analysis by email twice a week.No Revolving Door results were found.
Sightings (1)
Spotted around the media universe
Get Social Media Tips, Tricks, and How-Tos at SMOC - Posted May 11, 2011
The Social Media Optimization Conference, a.k.a. SMOC, will converge on the Mission Bay Conference Center at the Univ. of California, San Francisco on May 23 and 24 to bring attendees answers to questions like "How do I socialize my marketing efforts?" and "How do I build a ... [FishbowlDC]


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Randi Zuckerberg on why you should share you whole self
by Kate Pavao, December 2013
Randi Zuckerberg knows about the perils and profits of the connected life. As former marketing director of Facebook (and Mark Zuckerberg's sister) the author of the new book Dot Complicated, has much to say about living your personal and professional life in public.
While there are some sites, like LinkedIn, that are specifically targeted towards professionals, on other sites it's okay to share your whole self.
Here, Zuckerberg talks to Profit about her strategy for staying authentic online.
Profit: You blend your personal and professional identities online. Why do you think this is a better approach than keeping them separate?
Zuckerberg: In this day and age, information is so readily accessible that it's exhausting trying to maintain separate profiles for all the different groups in your life.
Randi Zuckerberg, former Facebook marketing director author of Dot Complicated
While there are some sites, like LinkedIn, that are specifically targeted towards professionals, on other sites it's okay to share your whole self. You can post interesting industry articles alongside photos of your weekend adventures.
As long as you are mindful of what you post (and would be okay with it being printed in a newspaper), it's fine to share your passions with your network. It might even make it easier to get to know colleagues on a personal level.
Read an excerpt from Dot Complicated to find out more what Zuckerberg has to say about building an online brand.


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Book your room at Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax
Standard Room, 1 King BedMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Standard Room, 2 Queen BedsMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants)
Suite, 1 King Bed with SofabedMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants)
Get an overview of this hotelVienna, VA hotel 3.2 miles from Tysons Corner
Collect 200 points
Simply enter your Nectar card number when prompted. Your points will be credited 30 days after you return from your trip.*Offers may apply
Near shopping
This Vienna hotel is 2.6 miles from the Pan Am Shopping Center, 3.2 miles from Tysons Corner Center, and 6.4 miles from the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
Indoor pool, fitness facilites
Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax offers fitness equipment and an indoor pool. This Vienna hotel has conference facilities and the onsite restaurant serves breakfast, dinner, and cocktails.
LCD TVs
Guestrooms at Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax include refrigerators, coffee/tea makers, and desks with ergonomic chairs. LCD TVs come with premium cable.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax is smoke-free and includes an indoor pool, fitness equipment, 24-hour business center, and three conference/meeting rooms. The onsite restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. Wireless and wired Internet access are complimentary in the lobby. This Vienna hotel includes laundry facilities and offers dry cleaning.
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 1646
- Conference space size (meters) - 153
- Number of meeting rooms - 3
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-out
- Fitness facilities
- Laundry facilities
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Express check-in
- Meeting rooms 3
- Number of floors - 10
- Total number of rooms - 206
- Terrace
- Free self parking
- Year Built 2005
- Indoor pool
- Smoke-free property
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Premium TV channels
- Coffee/tea maker
- Pay movies
- Desk
- Hair dryer
- Daily housekeeping
- Iron/ironing board
- Refrigerator
- Premium bedding
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Shower/tub combination
- Cable TV service
- Egyptian-cotton sheets
- Pillowtop mattress
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Free newspaper
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
Where to Eat
The Bistro - American restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner. Cocktails available in the evening.
Nearby Things to Do
The exercise room at Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax includes free weights and cardiovascular equipment, including treadmills and stationary bikes. The hotel also has an indoor pool.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Accessibility equipment for the deaf
- Braille or raised signage
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is Noon
Payment types
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
Hotel Name
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
Stay For Breakfast
Stay in selected rooms and receive daily breakfast for two adults and children under 13.
Extra-person charges apply for additional adults and include breakfast.
This promotion is valid for on-site breakfast from the hot buffet or full menu. Guests must book the "Stay for Breakfast" room type. Promotion may not be available on all days. Not combinable with other promotions.