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Just when it seemed America was emerging from the recession, Wall Street swooned again as January segued into February. But Silicon Valley's startup economy shifted into a higher gear.
Within a two-week period, a diverse group of startups raised a whopping $600 million in investments, topped by $350 million for Better Place, a Palo Alto company with a global vision for a 21st-century electric car battery-charging network. And Tesla Motors, widely seen as the poster child for the infant electric car industry, filed for an initial public stock offering.
So is Silicon Valley, after two sputtering years, finding its way to a new normal? And what will the valley's new normal look like, anyway?
The portrait may have a lean, cautious look. Venture capital funding, hammered by recent financial turmoil, figures to remain relatively low for the next few years, according to current investment trends, venture industry surveys and interviews with several venture capitalists.
Venture investments nationwide rebounded modestly in the second half of 2009, according the to latest MoneyTree Report, which tracks the industry. But the yearly total of $17.7 billion was a steep drop from $28 billion in venture investments in 2008 and $30.5 billion in 2009.
Although startup founders still find creative ways to grow their companies, the decline in venture dollars and consolidation within the venture industry create a greater challenge in raising early rounds of funding. An even larger share of total funding will go to more established startups that show strong revenues or a proven customer base.
Venture firms themselves face a similar squeeze. Some already have gone out of business and others appear headed in that direction. "There will be a difficult fundraising environment for all but the absolute rock stars of venture capital," said Nat Goldhaber of Claremont Creek Ventures, which has raised two funds since 2005.
Still, the valley's current roster of six IPO candidates, including makers of semiconductors and biocatalysts, is encouraging given the IPO drought of the past two years.
QuinStreet, an Internet marketing firm based in Foster City, earlier this month became the valley's first Wall Street debut of the year, raising $140 million despite a lukewarm response from investors. QuinStreet followed November's debut of Sunnyvale Internet security company Fortinet. Cleantech investors have high hopes for the expected debuts of Tesla, the Palo Alto-based maker of high-performance electric cars, and Solyndra, a Fremont-based maker of thin-film solar panels.
Companies that file for IPOs often withdraw from the process. But waiting in the wings, venture capitalists say, are dozens of other valley companies considering such filings.
"We might have 10 IPO candidates in our portfolio," said Norm Fogelsong of Institutional Venture Partners, a firm that specializes in late-stage investments. He declined to identify any, but IVP's portfolio includes hot Internet properties Twitter and social game maker Zynga.
Dixon Doll, founder of Doll Capital Management, said his "back of the envelope" estimate is that valley venture capitalists may have stakes in as many as 100 companies strong enough to consider IPOs. He said he is doubtful, however, that 2010 will come remotely close to the performance of 2007, when 86 venture-backed companies nationwide went public.
Still, the landscape looks much better than it did in July 2008, when Doll, then chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, warned of a "crisis in capital markets" amid a drought of new Wall Street offerings of venture-backed companies. Conditions grew much worse after Lehman Brothers went bankrupt and turmoil paralyzed the financial industry and triggered the subsequent government bailout.
Nationwide, there were only six venture-backed IPOs in 2008 and 13 in 2009. Of those 19, only three were Bay Area companies.
IPOs are coveted by the venture industry because they deliver the greatest potential return on investment for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and their limited partner investors. A healthy IPO market also drives up prices for mergers and acquisitions, another important "exit" for venture capitalists. And greater return on the investment will eventually encourage pension funds, university endowments and other deep-pocket investors to put more money into venture funds.
A successful debut by Tesla, some observers say, could ignite the emerging cleantech sector in public markets much as Netscape's rocketing IPO in 1995 triggered the great Internet wave that carried such companies as Yahoo and eBay.
Claremont's Goldhaber predicted a modest "flurry" of IPOs this year. "Some conspicuous ones will give a warm and fuzzy feeling about cleantech. Tesla may be the poster child of that," he said.
Speculation also centers on Internet brands like Facebook and Twitter. But a better barometer of the valley's economy, according to Naren Gupta of Nexus Venture Partners, might be the IPO of a more obscure company, such as Meru Networks, a Sunnyvale company that provides wireless networks for business applications.
"For every Facebook," he explained, "there are 50 Merus."
Although some see a contraction of the venture capital industry as a threat to the valley's startup culture, IVP's Fogelsong sees it as a positive development.
"Those of us who are varsity players are glad to see the venture industry getting back to a state of equilibrium," he said, adding that too much money had been chasing too few good ideas.
The new normal, many say, will likely include a steady revival of IPOs, but hardly a rush, and many more mergers and acquisitions. There are a lot of good deals available for tech giants such as Cisco Systems, Google, Microsoft, EMC, Oracle and HP, which have a history of growing through acquisition.
All of which helps explain why surveys of venture capitalists show that optimism is on the rise — and not only because the mood has been down so long.
Unemployment is at 11.5 percent in the valley. Yet in board rooms, "we're having lively discussions about what companies can do to keep good people and fight off the poaching," Doll said.
In his long experience, such talks are as sure a sign of recovery as the traffic delays he's encountered on Palo Alto's Page Mill Road.
Contact Scott Duke Harris at email@example.com or 408-920-2704.
Since November, two Silicon Valley companies, Fortinet and QuinStreet, have made initial public stock offerings. A diverse group of valley startups have filed for IPOs, but some could withdraw from the process. They are:
Tesla Motors: electric cars
Solyndra: thin-film solar panels
Telegent Systems: TV chips
Meru Networks: wireless
TeleNav: mobile applications
Codexis: biocatalysts


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Discover a selection of top forums airsoft; philadelphia on the internet. Come to share your passion on forums airsoft; philadelphia and meet other fans of airsoft; philadelphia. Then, why don't you create your own forum of airsoft; philadelphia ?
For members and fans of BoulderAirsoft. com A group dedicated to the sport of Airsoft in the Boulder Colorado area.
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Airsoft Oradea, forumul echipei Weekend Warriors.
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subset: commoncrawl


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January 4, 2006
Columbia County commissioners hope consolidation will get the go ahead at the legislative session starting Monday. But the bill could sit on the shelf for another year.
One county, one government. This sounds simple enough. But Evans business owner Ann Cushman has some questions.
"What is this, how is it gonna take place, how is it gonna affect everybody from one end of the county to the other end of the county?" Cushman said.
So does State Representative Barry Fleming.
"At this time the county commissioners in Columbia County have not given to the delegation any proposal for consolidation," Fleming said.
County Management Services Director Todd Glover wants a consolidation bill to pass the house and senate, and get signed by the governor this session.
"We'd like the citizens to have the opportunity to vote on it in 2006," Glover said.
Ann Cushman isn't sure how she'd vote.
"I know that we're going to generate more revenue by having the consolidation, but where will that money go? How will it be spent? Who will determine who spends it?" Cushman said.
And there's a lot of money on the line. As a city, Columbia County could collect about five million in fees attached to cable, phone and natural gas.
The power company adds the franchise fee to the total of your bill no matter where you live. So people who live in Columbia County already pay the same fees as people who live in cities like Augusta.
"People living in unincorporated areas of the state are paying franchise fees for other cities," Glover said.
Glover wants to use that money for storm water and road projects. But Representative Fleming says consolidation may not happen this session.
"Anything's possible, but as the clock ticks closer and closer to the beginning of our session, it becomes more difficult for us as legislators to do our jobs," Fleming said.
Representative Ben Harbin also tells News 12 he wants more information about consolidation before he decides whether or not to support a bill.
Columbia County has two upcoming information sessions to educate the public. One is on January 10th in Appling and the next on January 24th in Evans.


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Global Economic Outlook, Q4 2013
Read insights about the United States, Eurozone, Japan, China, The United Kingdom, India, Brazil, and Russia, plus a special section on "The impact of Fed tapering on emerging economies."
Things have certainly changed since our last report three months ago. Europe appears to be coming out of recession, China appears to be stabilizing, and the United States appears to be going back to square one. That is, after several months in which markets anticipated a shift in monetary policy, the Fed left policy unchanged. In Japan, the burgeoning success of Abenomics is juxtaposed against an impending tax increase. Finally, emerging markets, having seen a sizable slowdown in growth, and attacks on their currencies have been given a brief reprieve by the US Federal Reserve. Still, the short-term growth outlook remains modest at best.
This fourth quarter edition of the Global Economic Outlook offers timely insights from Deloitte Research economists about the United States, Eurozone, Japan, China, The United Kingdom, India, Brazil, and Russia. In addition, this issue features a special section called "The impact of Fed tapering on emerging economies: Struggling with the ebb."
By Dr. Ira Kalish
United States: Over four years into the recovery—where are the jobs?
By Dr. Patricia Buckley
The US labor market is experiencing only moderate improvement, but a rebound in residential construction might be the spark that ignites stronger growth in 2014. However, the potential impact of congressional failure to provide a stable fiscal policy could pose a threat to the US economy.
Special topic: The impact of Fed tapering on emerging economies: Struggling with the ebb
By Navya Kumar and Akrur Barua
Many emerging economies have experienced a sharp fall in currency and capital markets because of the US Federal Reserve's plans to taper quantitative easing. Differences between the current situation and the Asian financial crisis of the 1990s suggest that policymakers in emerging markets may have an opportunity to focus on reforms aimed at enhancing competitiveness and removing structural bottlenecks.
Eurozone: A bit of a recovery
By Dr. Alexander Börsch
A long recession may be coming to a close in the Eurozone, but growth remains less than spectacular. A slowdown in emerging markets, continuing troubles in Europe's credit markets, and persistently high unemployment still pose risks to economic growth in the Eurozone.
Japan: Early signs are positive
By Dr. Ira Kalish
Japan's performance in the wake of the new economic policy has actually been quite good. Growth has been strong, and various economic indicators—increased equity prices, a lower yen, increased inflation, and strengthening exports—look promising. However, risk stemming from the impending increase in the national sales tax persist.
China: Stable for now
By Dr. Ira Kalish
Strong industrial production, improving exports, and a rebound of credit creation suggest a stabilization of Chinese growth after a period of deceleration. On the other hand, the risk of credit expansion, the tools that the government might use to improve bank safety, and a property price bubble suggest that banking reform remains critical.
The United Kingdom: Optimism returns
By Ian Stewart
Things have changed in recent months, and the British economy appears to be on the mend. There is now concern that the housing market is exhibiting signs of a bubble. Positive external factors, including an easing of economic stress in Europe and a recovery in the United States, have played a role.
India: Domestic strength tested by intensifying global uncertainty
By Dr. Rumki Majumdar
Declining economic growth, high inflation, declining fiscal discipline, a widening external deficit, and diminishing business confidence are hampering India's economic outlook. Moreover, a new central bank governor is focusing on inflation and financial stability rather than growth, so the best path forward for India involves structural reforms that have yet to be implemented.
Brazil: One quarter does not a year make
By Navya Kumar
Despite a rebound in growth in the second quarter, the outlook remains troubling because of slow growth in the third quarter, excessive inflation, and a deteriorating external balance. The central bank has tightened monetary policy in order to stabilize the currency and fight inflation, and the government is tightening fiscal policy in order to maintain fiscal probity. The primary hope for better performance may rest with prospects for freer trade, especially with the EU.
Russia: Deeper into the woods
By Akrur Barua
Slowing growth, weakening investments, and poorly performing exports are weighing down on Russia's economy. Moreover, excessive reliance on hydrocarbons means that falling energy prices are harmful to growth. With inflation running relatively high, the central bank is not likely to significantly loosen policy. Furthermore, foreign direct investment has dried up, and funds are flowing out of the country.
Economic indices
GDP growth rates, inflation rates, major currencies versus the US dollar, yield curves, composite median GDP forecasts, composite median currency forecasts, OECD composite leading indicators


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STOCKTON -- A car that refused to yield to a traffic stop led Stockton Police Officers on a one-minute, one-mile chase around 10:20 p.m. Sunday, and they needed to use physical force to get the driver out of the car before arresting him, according to police.
The officers tried to stop a vehicle at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and B Street, but it would not pull over and instead drove away.
The vehicle stopped in front of a residence in the 2000 block of Baja Court, but the driver would not get out.
Police pulled him out of the car, and they arrested Jose Francisco Reyes Jimenez, 32, on suspicion of evading a police officer, driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, other traffic infractions, and two outstanding warrants.
Location, ST | website.com


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Twitter Shares Crater After Lockup Expires
Twitter shares sank Tuesday as early investors and employees were allowed to sell their stakes for the first time since the company went public six months ago.
Shares sank some 7% in morning trading and continued sliding as the day wore on, finishing down 18% to $31.77. Shares tipped lower again in after-hours trading. Volume in the first 20 minutes of trading was more than double the number of Twitter shares that typically change hands a day.
Rules that barred insiders from unloading their stakes after Twitter's Nov. 7 initial public offering expired Tuesday. It unlocked some 489 million shares, or about 83% of shares outstanding, though holders can also opt to hold on to part or all of their stakes and some key shareholders have already said they didn't plan to sell.
Twitter went public in November with a $2.1 billion IPO priced at $26 a share. The stock skyrocketed out of the gate, climbing as high as $74.73 in late December. But shares have dropped more than 40% this year as investors have grown increasingly skeptical of its long-term prospects. In last week's quarterly report, Twitter's user-growth numbers failed to impress Wall Street despite doubling quarterly revenue again.
Lockups are widely followed on Wall Street. These agreements prevent a company's pre-IPO shareholders from selling stock for a certain amount of time after an offering. The expiration of the agreements can have a big impact on a company's stock, as seen in other high-profile tech stocks in recent years. Facebook, Groupon and LinkedIn all tumbled on the day each of their major lockups expired.
Key investors including co-founders Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams and CEO Dick Costolo said last month they would not sell their shares, signaling their long-term confidence in the firm. Other early backers such as Rizvi Traverserse Management LLC, whose 14.4% stake is the largest, have also vowed not to part with their shares on Tuesday. In all, that would keep about 34% of Twitter's shares away from the public markets for now.
Insiders owned about 13.4% of outstanding shares leading up to the lockup expiration, representing roughly $3 billion of Twitter's current $23 billion market cap, according to S&P Capital IQ. It is smaller than the 32% of outstanding shares held by institutions and 25% belonging to venture capital or private equity firms.
There are 589.47 million outstanding shares.
On Monday, two senior employees filed plans to sell portions of their stake. According to a securities filing, Twitter's vice president of engineering Christopher Fry sold 19,568 shares at $39.09 while general counsel Vijaya Gadde parted with 3,914 shares.
Both were small slices of their total holdings. Fry held 949,181 shares after the sale while Ms. Gadde owned 861,642.


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Senator Rick Santorum (R) defeated his competitors in El Paso County during Tuesday night's caucuses in Colorado. Early returns suggest Santorum won in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri Tuesday.
Santorum was the clear winner in El Paso county, outscoring Mitt Romney by more than1700 votes. Romney entered Tuesday's contests with back-to-back wins in earlier caucuses. Tuesday, registered Republicans spent their evening comparing notes on the GOP candidates in caucuses around Colorado.
They also cast their choice in a straw poll.
A large group showed up to Wasson Highschool, some attending their first caucus, wanting to make their voice heard.
"We know we need to do it this time," said Patti Brown. "We need to be strong and get out and do it."
More than 10,500 voters showed up for the El Paso County caucuses, which nearly tied a record set in 2008. Mitt Romney won soundly in Colorado that year.
By the time the majority of the votes were recorded in El Paso County, Republicans called the outcome a good sign for all voters early in the election season.
"The twists and turns in this campaign are pretty exciting for us," said Bill Roy, Chief Operating Officer for the El Paso County Republican Party. "We're getting a good look at all of the candidates, and by the time we get a nominee we will have looked, vetted, and decided."
Here now is a look at the El Paso County results reported late Tuesday night. 197 of 199 Precincts reporting:
Rick Santorum: 5102
Mitt Romney: 3347
Newt Gingrich: 1300
Ron Paul: 1058


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The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men
Book by Richard Phillips
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CHRISTIAN MAN? In this book, Richard D. Phillips cuts through the cultural confusion, highlights God's mandate for men, and encourages readers to join him on a journey of repentance and renewal. Phillips begins … Learn MorePaperback $14.00 $11.20 Add to Cart
Also available in six other formats
Tending Your Garden
Book by Denise Sproul
Reformation Trust will be rereleasing this title in Spring 2017. Preorder coming soon. If you have gardened, you know that between the glee of selecting seed for planting and the glory of harvesting are months of grueling labor. For any … Learn MorePaperback This item has sold out.
How to Enjoy Your Bible
Book by John Blanchard
This book is written out of two firmly held convictions. The first is that the Bible is the Word of God. There was a time when the meaning of that statement would have been absolutely clear and incapable of being … Learn MorePaperback $12.00 $7.20 Add to Cart
Pillars of Grace
Book by Steven Lawson
The doctrines of grace are often known as the five points of Calvinism, but they were not the invention of John Calvin or his reforming cohorts of the sixteenth century. Rather, they are biblical doctrines, as Dr. Steven J. Lawson … Learn MoreHardcover This item has sold out.
Also available in three other formats
Perspectives on the Sabbath: 4 Views
Book by Chris Donato
Perspectives on the Sabbath presents in point-counterpoint form the four most common views of the Sabbath commandment that have arisen throughout church history, representing the major positions held among Christians today. Skip MacCarty (Andrews University) defends the Seventh-day view which … Learn MorePaperback $25.00 $20.00 Add to Cart
If I Should Die Before I Wake: What's Beyond This Life?
Book by Various Authors
'Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.' New England Primer, 1737. According to the pollsters, a belief … Learn MorePaperback $12.00 $9.60 Add to Cart
Tough Questions about the Bible
Book by Joel Beeke
Have you ever asked "Why did God allow Adam and Eve to sin? Why did he create mosquitoes? What is God's plan for me?" Sometimes we have really tough questions. We wonder if there is anyone who can give us … Learn MorePaperback $9.00 $7.20 Add to Cart
Turn and Live
Book by Nathaniel Vincent
How will you triumph when your heart is Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? —Ezekiel 33:11 God's call to the sinner to turn and live is serious and demands … Learn MorePaperback $10.00 $8.00 Add to Cart
Faith Seeking Assurance
Book by Anthony Burgess
It is not uncommon for professing Christians to question the genuineness of their faith. In seasons like this, they can wonder whether it is even possible to know for sure if they are in a state of saving grace. In … Learn MorePaperback $10.00 $8.00 Add to Cart
The Plan: How God got the World Ready for Jesus
Book by Sinclair Ferguson
Before the dawn of time a plan was made… a plan to save and a plan to love, a plan to rescue and a plan to send. One after the other people were sent to be where they were needed … Learn MoreHardcover $10.00 $8.00 Add to Cart
What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an
Book by James White
Relying on the media and politicians to tell us what Muslims believe isn't going to cut it. Christians need to be better informed, whether the goal is to understand global politics or to talk to a Muslim neighbor across the … Learn MorePaperback $17.00 $13.60 Add to Cart
The Word Made Flesh: The Ligonier Statement on Christology
Book by Various Authors
A clear understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital for the church. Ligonier Ministries humbly offers this statement as a tool for clarity and as a catalyst for confession. Dr. Sproul and the Ligonier teaching … Learn More
On Being a Pastor
Book by Various Authors
The ministry of pastors is not simply a job; it's a vocation and a lifestyle. A pastor's responsibilities are unique, demanding that he not only nurture his own spiritual life but also the lives of those in his care. What … Learn MorePaperback $17.00 $13.60 Add to Cart


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Eagle Valley Clean Energy LLC's project manager, Bethany Vorthman, and EVCE's attorney, Sarah Baker, gave Gypsum town council an update on the biomass plant's construction on Tuesday.
The plant is on track to be operational by mid-December, Vorthman said. Two fuel silos were recently completed and foundations have been laid for the other structures.
One Gypsum resident spoke out at the meeting, expressing concerns about dust mitigation at the site, which includes several berms that will eventually be landscaped.
"We've been watering it down but it evaporates so fast," Vorthman said.
Gypsum Town Planner Lana Gallegos and Gypsum Town Manager encouraged EVCE to get more aggressive about dust mitigation.
"It could become a code violation," Gallegos said.
Shroll suggested that the finished berms be hydroseeded now.
"Pin that dirt to the ground so it doesn't blow," he said.
Baker updated the town about the final plot subdivision.
EVCE had to buy the entire 93-acre parcel from LaFarge but it only needs 16 acres for the plant, which will produce 11.5 megawatts of electricity a year by burning wood. The site is directly east of the American Gypsum plant, between U.S. Highway 6 and the Eagle River. EVCE has been in discussions with the town and Eagle County to possibly make the remaining land public open space.
Gypsum council members approved the subdivision, which will allow EVCE to sell the land.
"We have not changed any zoning - it's still zoned as developing resource," Baker assured the audience.
Council member Tom Edwards asked if turning the subdivided lot into open space was still a possibility.
"I think that's still a definite possibility that the landowner would like to do," Baker said.


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HBO has given a series order to The Brink, a comedy starring Tim Robbins and Jack Black, TVGuide.com has confirmed.
The dark comedy focuses on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate and desperate men - U.S. Secretary of State Walter Hollander (Robbins), lowly Foreign Service officer Alex Coppins (Black), and ace Navy fighter pilot Zeke Callahan (Orange Is the New Black's Pablo Schreiber). These three compromised souls must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War III.
Olympics: What to watch
Maribeth Monroe, Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show), Geoff Pierson (Dexter) and Esai Morales (Criminal Minds) will also star in the comedy from executive producers Roberto Benabib (Weeds), Jerry Weintraub (Behind the Candelabra) and Jay Roach. Roach, known for helming HBO's Recount and Game Change, also directed the pilot.
Deadline.com first reported the news of the series order. The Brink marks the first series regular roles for both Robbins and Black, who shared the screen in 1992's Bob Roberts and 1995's Dead Man Walking. Robbins guest-starred on St. Elsewhere, and Black has appeared on Community, The Office and HBO's Mr. Show.
Page 2 of 2 - Shows we're losing this season
The series order comes two weeks after HBO canceled two of its first-year comedies, Hello Ladies and Family Tree.
Will you watch The Brink?
View original HBO Orders Comedy Starring Tim Robbins and Jack Black to Series at TVGuide.com
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Other Links From TVGuide.com
Location, ST | website.com


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Since you mods have been so careless as to let one of your 'secret forum' threads pop up in Hot Topics, I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that Sysyio is considering a name change - since Adam wouldn't ask the rest of you scrubs for an answer, and I can't see ohro confusing 'effect/affect.'So what's it gonna be, Sys? Sysyeti? Come to think of it, maybe it's EJ... ...then I rose, wipin' the blunt's ash from my clothes and froze only to blow the herb smoke through my nose....
I'm going with Sys. Knowing what little I do of him, I can see being bothered by having his name misspelled/ridiculed/shortened. Then again, it could be Foghorn.I "probably know how to treat a woman."
In reply to:So what's it gonna be, Sys? Sysyeti?
So what's it gonna be, Sys? Sysyeti?
While I'm not planning on changing my name, this is a god one.I like big boats and I cannot lie.
It is me, and it's not only the fact that people keep miss-spelling it (which does indeed annoy me), but also that I don't indentify with the name. The meaning is completely ridiculous, and... it just doesn't correspond with who I am (or at least, who I feel I am).Then again, I've failed to come up with anything better to replace it (suggestions are welcome, and probably promptly ignored...).Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal
What does Sysiyo mean?I haven't got a signature at the moment.
You can try to get Ohro to tell you that. Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal
I've got a great name for you. 69pUnXrOX420LOL420sIdViCiOuS
In reply to:You can try to get Ohro to tell you that.
You can try to get Ohro to tell you that.
I have a guess. Is it Finnish, and there's supposed to be two dots above one letter? Otherwise, I have no idea.Vanity is all
Yes.Project Michelangelo | LiveJournal


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August 30, 2016
1/2 cup white wine6 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup asparagus, blanched and sliced on bias, reserve tops for garnish1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil2 Tbsp. unsalted butter2 Tbsp. shallots, minced3 cloves garlic, minced1 1/2 cups Arborio rice1 oz. Parmesan cheese, and more for the table2 Tbsp. chopped herbs to include basil, parsley, chives, thymeSalt and pepper, to taste
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Share your experiences with the Long Beach International City Bank Marathon below Back to event details page.
I did the 2009 half. I'm in for the full this year. Great course. One hill around mile 13 and another between 17 and 18. Great course support, plenty of spectators to cheer you on and the course is great. Basically the race was well organized and the course was fast. I wish there were more porta potties at the start and at the mile markers but getting there early and going before you start will help you avoid having to pee during the race. This race was very fun and my favorite half out of the 3 I did in 2009.
This was a great marathon. The chip timing was great. I especially liked that the full and half marathons were on the same course until close to the end. When the full marathon turned away to wind through the campus, it felt like a different run. More relaxed and casual.
The finish line was great, everyone was very supportive. I am looking forward to doing this again.
Ran the half yesterday and had a great race!
Weather couldn't have been better.
Super support staff.
EXCEPT the lines....waited more than 20 minutes just to get over the bridge out of the post race area.
Then my freind (who will remain nameless...JL) waited for over an hour to get his bag back that he checked before the race...REALLY need to improve on that for next year and with an airline sponsering baggage claim who would have thought there 'd be problems- otherwise a great event!
Great race and great amenities!
Exiting the event was a pain but thats because the walkway is so small.
Yesterday I ran my first half, I had such a great time! i was pretty much smillling and or laughing the entire time. Fans were great, runners were great, course was amazing! I had sooo much fun and I can not wait to do it again!!!
Great job done by Run Racing. They have grown this event remarkably and are always trying to improve the experience for the Runners. Love this event venue right on the beach.
This was the first time I have ever ran an event. I did the 5K with my wife. I can't wait until next month to do it again in Calabasas. Had a ton of fun in Long Beach! The afterparty was cool and weather awesome. The course was good.
did the Bike Tour ... weather was perfect ... next year maybe 2 bridges, one to go over and one to come back ... it was a nightmare ... other than that ... we all had a great time ... oh, and maybe more Food Trucks ...
This marathon just got better.
They really need to change the finish area for next year. Last year after the finish, it was easy to get to the car and leave. This year, they made it so that you had to cross the bridge to get to the car, which included going up and down a bunch of stairs, and waiting in a long line (waited at least 45 minutes). This definitely needs to be fixed, I dont know why they changed it for this year. Also, there needs to be a better way of getting people into the correct corrals, the race announcer was yelling at people not to jump the fence to move up, but there really was no other way to get to the front. I was planning on running a 1:25 half, so I should have been in wave 1, but after warming up, going to the bathroom, I could only push my way up to wave 3. This made it difficult, because the first 5 or 6 miles I had to weave in and out of people. I still feel like I had a good race, but if they had a better way to move people to the correct corral, it would have been helpful. I dont want to seem like all I have to say about this race is negative, the course is beautiful, and it is a good race, those are just a couple things I would like to see changed for next year.
Overall, a fun race to run...FLAT course. Running on the bike path by the beach was a little lonely, and because it was so narrow passing people was REALLY annoying. Traffic on I-710 was terrible. Should have planned to arrived 2 hrs BEFORE the start, not just 1 hr before the start. More smaller water stops along the way would have been nice, like 1 at each mile marker maybe? The energy at the beginning and end of the race was good...just got a little quiet and lonely during miles 6-10. I'd do it again though.
We completed our first Marathon Bike Tour - it was challenging but a lot of fun. Our family participated and made for a great outing. Many thanks to the volunteers as they really inspired all of us to get to the finish line. Looking forward to the next one..
Ran the full and really enjoyed it.
My first Long Beach. Didn't realize there is so much nice scenery there
as the course winds through so many different areas. Loved the boardwalk / midway stuff and also the college campus with the screaming students!
Only hiccup was the bag pickup tent at the finish. Needs to be fixed and organized.
Rest of it was fantastic and I would run it again. The hotel we stayed at also had a great runner's package that made things easy and smooth. Bravo Crown Plaza!
It was a beautiful course. Need to work on the baggage pickup. The timing chip is great. Perfect weather.
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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|Campus Fire Safety – A Lesson Every College Student Should Learn
|| Print |
Campus Fire Safety—A Lesson Every College Student Should Learn
As college and university students make their treks to campuses nationwide, whether into residence halls, apartments or fraternities, it is imperative that they first learn about electrical safety. As part of the "Teach Learn Care: TLC" campaign, Safe Electricity urges everyone tomake sure their college-bound students take precautions to prevent and protect themselves from campus-related fires and shocks.
Reports throughout the years of campus fires have been on the rise. Just like any other area, a campus is prone to a variety of violations, and dorm rooms are not immune. Oftentimes students innocently plug in all of the typical college tools – study lamps, laptops, TV's, stereos, grooming and other electrical devices – unaware of the potential dangers. Rather than chance a mishap that could be avoided, be sure that your student is educated on safe appliance use and precautions against electrical hazards.
According to Campus Firewatch, the most common causes of student residence fires are due to "careless smoking, unattended candles and cooking, and overloaded extension cords and power outlets."
"The limited number of electrical outlets in student rooms tempt many to use multiple extension cords and power strips, which can cause cords to overheat, creating shock and fire hazards," warns Jay Solomon, Extension Engineering Educator and member of the Safe Electricity Advisory Board. "Student residences crammed with books, papers and bedding can allow the smallest spark to quickly become a blaze."
Safety steps to prevent and reduce the risk of electrical fires in student housing include:
Older wiring in student housing and apartments may not be able to handle the increased electrical demand of today's college student. If use of an appliance frequently causes power to trip off, or if its power cord or the outlet feels hot, disconnect the appliance immediately and report the condition to the landlord or campus housing staff.
A fire escape plan is essential. It is important that apartment and dorm residents know evacuation procedures and emergency exit locations in the event of a fire.
Emphasize to students that smoke detectors should never be disabled, nor should fire alarms ever be ignored or taken casually as a drill. If a fire alarm sounds, residents should calmly and quickly follow practiced procedures and immediately exit the building. Apartment and dorm doors should be closed behind to prevent fire spread.
"It is important to remind and stress to students that in the event of a fire, follow safety procedures and get out of harm's way immediately," remarked Solomon. "Property and valuables can be replaced, but lives cannot."


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Nvidia Courts Gamers With Its First Tablet
Nvidia is taking another major step beyond computer chips, introducing a tablet that is especially designed to attract videogame fans.
The company, known to hardcore gamers because of its graphics processors and cards, added a surprise sideline last year with a gaming device called Shield that looks like a game controller with a five-inch display. With the $299 Shield Tablet being unveiled Tuesday, Nvidia is adding its first full-fledged computing device–and making a bid to be a household name.
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is a major proponent of Android gaming. That was a key selling point of the original Shield, while Nvidia also held out the promise of streaming more advanced games from PCs equipped with Nvidia graphics cards.
The Shield Tablet continues those concepts. And, besides handling the features of other tablets and acting like a handheld gaming device, the tablet can act much like a console–parked and plugged into a big-screen TV and played remotely using a new controller Nvidia is also introducing.
At first blush, the Shield tablet looks like other Android slates, with an Android slate with an 8-inch display, front facing speakers, and both front and rear cameras. It runs an essentially stock version of Google's Android KitKat operating system.
It will ship with 16 gigabytes of storage, and include a microSD card slot for up to an extra 128 gigabytes (for those who want to download an entire library of games). It comes with a stylus and a drawing app, called Dabbler, that Nvidia designed to exploit the tablet's 3-D capability to simulate effects of real-life watercolor or oil paintings.
Like most any other Android tablet (outside of Amazon's Kindle Fire), Nvidia's ships pre-loaded with Google Play for apps, Google Maps for directions and a slew of other popular Google online services. Where the Shield Tablet is different, of course, is its approach to video games.
Thanks to an HDMI port, anything that on the Shield Tablet's display can be seen on an HDTV or external display, too. Inside, the Shield tablet is powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chipset, which features a graphics chip sporting 192 processor cores.
While any old Android tablet can play Android game apps, few pack that kind of image-rendering performance or can stream PC games. (The PC streaming feature only works if your PC is equipped with specific Nvidia GeForce graphics processors).
The Shield Tablet will also let users stream console-quality games by way of its Nvidia Grid cloud gaming service, which is currently in a developmental "beta" stage.
The original Shield, which now costs $199, is not being replaced by the new tablet. Instead, Nvidia says it's using the name to refer to an entire family of products.
Nvidia's $59 Shield Controller, which uses a special version of Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth, is something of a must buy for those who pick up Nvidia's slate with gaming in mind. After all, PC games aren't usually touch compatible.
The combination puts the Shield Tablet and its controller at combined price of about $360, which is far from cheap for a tablet but competitive for a serious gaming machine. The popular Asus Nexus 7 tablet and Amazon Kindle Fire tablets sell near the $200 price point, while both the Sony PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can be had for $399.99.
The tablet is available for pre-order immediately with the device set to ship July 29 in the U.S. and Canada. Later this year, Nvidia plans to sell a LTE-equipped Shield Tablet with 32 gigabytes of built-in storage for the home-console-matching price of $399.00.


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Steve Harvey and City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed at Friday, February 7, 2014 Neighborhood Awards press conference at Atlanta City Hall Atrium. Photo by Moses/LinuxImages.
Stories this photo appears in:
Steve Harvey, Mayor Kasim Reed Bring 2014 Neighborhood Awards to Atlanta
Comedian and best-selling author Steve Harvey and City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed were all smiles and laughs at today's press conference in Atlanta City Hall Atrium, where they officially announced the 12th annual Ford Neighborhood Awards' inaugural show in Atlanta.


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Antica Farmacista's Room and Linen Spray is a wonderful alternative to home fragrance. Packaged in a beautiful glass bottle, the high quality room sprays are formulated to be sprayed into the air or onto fabrics and linens to instantly refresh and set the mood in any room.
A complex, dry and woody fragrance rooted in rich sandalwood. Notes of soft amber, musk and vanilla bean round out this deep scent evoking warmth and sophistication.
Availability: In stock
Let us gift wrap your order!
Simply select the gift wrap
option at check-out.


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Skip to main content, skip to search, or skip to the top of the page.
Phone Numbers
Reference Desk: 517-432-6870
Circulation Desk: 517-432-6860
Fax: 517-432-6861
Using the Service
All library patrons are invited to utilize Law Library E-Mail Reference. You may send your question to the Reference Team via the convenient form below. A librarian will typically respond via e-mail within 24 hours, depending upon the complexity of the question, the volume of mail received and the Reference Desk schedule. When classes are not in session the service may be temporarily suspended or abbreviated.
Scope of the Service
Law Library E-Mail Reference Librarians can assist you as you do your legal research, but we cannot do research for you, nor will we offer legal advice. We can help you identify and locate sources, suggest possible research plans, and suggest outside resources if necessary. If the scope of a question is too broad for the service, you may be referred to an appropriate subject specialist librarian for further consultation.
Skip to main content, skip to search, or skip to the top of the page.


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Sterilization deals with the destruction of microorganisms by exposing materials to conditions that are rapidly lethal to them. The validation of these processes generally relies on the use of resistant microorganisms termed biological indicators (BIs) that are positioned within the sterilizer. The destruction of these microorganisms during validation confirms the lethality of the process for the routine use of the sterilizer. Routine sterilization must be sufficiently lethal to the bioburden expected on or in the materials being processed. Information about the process resistance of both the BI and bioburden is essential to understanding process effectiveness. Over- or under-estimating the resistance of either the indicator or the indigenous bioburden can lead to failed validation studies, potentially contaminated batches, sterility failure investigations, and other serious situations.
Determination of microbial resistance
Determining microbial resistance once was only the concern of BI manufacturers and firms producing terminally sterilized products. There are several instances in which the firm using BIs could benefit by making its own resistance determination. These situations arise when either spore strips or suspension indicators are used as follows:
BI evaluation resistometer (BIER) vessels have been used for more than 50 years to measure the resistance of bacterial spores when monitoring steam-sterilization processes. The earliest designs of steam-BIER vessels were developed by food-processing technologists, and were based on the concept of retorts used in the food-processing industry. These steam retorts maintained a large volume and constant flow of steam under pressure in an environment in which BI units were quickly inserted and removed. This process provided a nearly instantaneous come-up and cool-down condition for the exposed samples.
Medical and pharmaceutical technologists developed BIER vessels around conventional autoclave technology. The autoclave is a steam-pressure vessel in which materials are placed into a chamber at ambient pressure. The door is closed, steam is admitted into the chamber, and steady-state conditions are achieved. With specially engineered systems using very small chambers, the system can achieve nearly instantaneous come-up and cool-down conditions.
These special sterilizers were almost exclusively custom designed. Today, commercial units are offered by a limited number of manufacturers. The Fedegari system (model FOB 3, Fedegari Autoclavi SpA, Povia, Italy) tested in this study is a 140-L laboratory steam autoclave with an accessory attachment that allows rapid sample insertion into a chamber at steady-state conditions and rapid removal of the sample. The chamber's internal sample guide can be removed from the interior of the unit, thus allowing the unit to be used as a standard laboratory autoclave. This BIER vessel design can be used not only for BIs, but also for chemical indicators and process-challenge devices.


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MILWAUKEE (AP) " After an overwhelming loss in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton is staking a campaign comeback on her ability to woo black and Latino voters, placing outreach to those communities at the center of her strategy to re-energize her 2016 bid.
BEIRUT (AP) " The Latest developments on the war in Syria, the refugee crisis and security talks in Munich, Germany. (all times local):
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) " A brawl between rival drug gangs at an overcrowded penitentiary in northern Mexico turned into a riot Thursday, leaving 49 inmates dead and 12 injured in the country's deadliest prison melee in years.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) " Jeb Bush says he was better at real estate than Donald Trump, and the former Florida governor is even embracing the "establishment" label.
History's Roots remake will premiere on Memorial Day, the network announced Thursday. The eight-hour event series will begin May 30 at 9/8c, simulcast on History, A&E and Lifetime, and will continue over four consecutive...
LOS ANGELES (AP) " A blowout at a natural gas well that gushed uncontrollably for 16 weeks and drove thousands of residents from their Los Angeles homes was plugged Thursday, a utility said.
Julie Plec's highly anticipated virus event series
NEW YORK (AP) " The New York Police Department has used secretive cellphone tracking technology more than 1,000 times since 2008, according to data released Thursday by the New York Civil Liberties Union.
NEW YORK (AP) " Myspace still exists?
WASHINGTON (AP) " Congress voted Thursday to permanently bar state and local governments from taxing access to the Internet, as lawmakers leapt at an election-year chance to demonstrate their opposition to imposing levies on online service.
WASHINGTON (AP) " President Barack Obama will nominate Dr. John B. King Jr. to serve as Education Department secretary after receiving commitments from lawmakers to give his nomination speedy consideration, the White House said Thursday.
Rockford Directory
Business Name
Location, ST | website.com


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Personal | Banking | Online Services | Digital Banking
Your banking experience online has never been better with Digital Banking 2.0. It's fast, free, and, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to use.
**There may be charges by your cellular provider associated with data usage on your phone. Check with your wireless phone carrier for more information.
Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
¹Guarantee applies only if someone used your password without your permission and you tell us within two (2) business days after you discover that your password has been lost or stolen. This protection is subject to the terms in the Banking Online Agreement.
Amazon, Kindle, Fire are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.
August 1, 2014
CRFrom: CEDAR GROVE, TNAge: 55-64Customer Length: Over 15 Years
Not only do I use it for 'most everything, but when I do feel I need a live person to talk to, I get one, quickly, and a very helpful person to boot.
July 24, 2014
EmilyFrom: JOHNSON CITY, TNAge: 25-34Customer Length: 1-3 Years
We moved our account from Bank of America, because local branches are being closed. My main complaint is with First Tennessee online bill pay. You have to schedule your payments 2-5 days before your desired delivery date, but your payment could come out of your account on any of those days. At BoA, you could schedule it to be delivered on a certain date, and that is definitely the date that it would come out of your account. Some weeks we need to wait until pay day to make a payment, but we aren't really allowed that choice with this bill pay. Also, a running total of your account balance and pending transactions would be helpful. It is better than having to write checks and mail them but still needs improvement in my opinion.
March 19, 2014
TraditionilstFrom: LEBANON, TNAge: Over 65Customer Length: Over 15 Years
Overall a good system. Like the security, search features, convenience, print capabilities, accuracy. Customer service has been good when needed. Don't believe the payment system time line is accurate as to mail vs electronic delivery. Have two different payments to the same company at the same address one says electronic and one says mail. I do not see any updates over time. I would like to see the pending and transfer payments show on the account page in totals subtracting from the balance showing an available balance like a check book when a check is written, even if it is post dated.
September 21, 2013
Butterfly TattooFrom: KNOXVILLE, TNAge: Over 65Customer Length: Over 15 Years
The title says it all! I love on-lline banking with First Tennessee. I save time and money -- no stamps, no driving, no waiting in line or worrying about if the Bank is open or not. I can do my banking when it's convenient for me. I have set up a few of our accounts to be paid by 1st Tennessee on a recurring basis. Nowadays, many more are paid by direct debit. It's a rare month when I write more than two checks!
I love that I can check our account activity almost any time. I can see what payments are pending, and I can also go back a year or more to find out to whom we wrote a particular check.
I notice several people have complained about the complicated log-in procedure. Personally, I really appreciate all the layers of security 1st Tennessee has put in place. Yes, sometimes I have to look up an answer or check to make sure I'm using the correct information, but if I have to double check myself to get into my account, what are the chances an unauthorized person can gain access to
September 17, 2013
Tired of this siteFrom: MEMPHIS, TNAge: 19-24Customer Length: 4-9 Years
This stupid site only works when it wants to. I can maybe login on my phone twice a week. That's not ok considering I'm one of those types who like to check it once a day. It does not matter if it is the regular site or the mobile app because they both equally suck. What's even funnier is the fact I was able to login to do this survey but I haven't been able to login to my account in the past two days! Other than that I love the bank and have not had any problems with it or the employees. However, if my issue continues with the site I may have to leave First Tennessee because this constant problem is really starting to drive me bananas!
September 15, 2013
LizFrom: SPRINGDALE, ARAge: 45-54Customer Length: Over 15 Years
After moving out of the region serviced by FTB, I now have accounts with another bank where online services don't compare. I miss having statement info beyond 12 months and access to all my accounts including credit cards all in one place. Keep up the good work!
July 25, 2013
Marshall EdwardsFrom: SOUTHAVEN, MSAge: 19-24Customer Length: 1-3 Years
Love The Banking Online Easy Accurate And Makes Handling Paying Bills A Breeze
February 23, 2013
semper fiFrom: PANAMA CITY, FLAge: 55-64Customer Length: 4-9 Years
Being elderly, I remember back in the 1990s when the internet came to our homes. We actually were scared of it. But today, retired & disabled I depend on First Tennessee to 1. SAVE ME MONEY not having to drive to bank. 2. A TENNESSEE BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE that walks me through anything I don't comprehend & that speaks fluent ENGLISH "I am sure you have also experienced James from India with other customer services." 3. But most all it's an online service that is simple enough "EVEN I CAN DO ONLINE BANKING' from my residence in Panama City, Florida
November 7, 2012
pink moodyFrom: RINGGOLD, GAAge: 55-64Customer Length: 1-3 Years
I have used more than four bank online payment systems. 1st has all of the advantages of any of the others and more, but none of their disadvantages. That's balance!
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An identity theft scheme targeting financial accounts is circulating through text messages, social media platforms and/or by telephone. This scheme is an attempt to get the username, password, Social Security number, or other sensitive information from account holders.
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Banking products and services are provided by First Tennessee Bank National Association. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.


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Perimeter Burn or Pizza Oven Environment
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, whole
- 2 pounds assorted mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Baguette sliced thinly into rounds
Place a large sauté pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Add the oil and garlic and cook just until the garlic is brown, about 2 minutes and discard garlic. Add the mushrooms and about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their juices and are beginning to soften.
Add the wine, salt and pepper and cover. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms are very soft and completely cooked through but mixture is still moist. (Cooking time will vary depending on the variety of mushrooms used). Remove and add parsley.
Set bread slices on a sheet pan and place in the wood burning oven. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Remove and top with mushrooms and pan juices.


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Hey all,
First of all, I'd like to say that I am glad I came accross this application. By far, the best, most reliable and easy to use application out there. Thank you and keep up the good work.
I've been using this app since V1.00 and never had a problem until I upgraded from 1.02.1 to 1.03. The new version just doesn't seem to work for me at all. It keep on crashing my wireless router forcing it to reboot. I have no idea why it happens and hope that someone can suggest any kind of solution. It works fine for about 5 minutes and the crashes. It cant be related to my equipment or setting since once I uninstalled 1.03 and installed 1.02.1 once again, everything went back to normal and works 100%.
Any ideas ?
Thank you in advance !!
Hardware Info:
PS3 = Second generation PS3, 40GB, FW 2.6, Wired Connection
Router = Dlink WBR-2310 Rangebooster with the latest firmware and TKIP wireless security.
Laptop from which I stream = 2.0 Core 2 Duo, 4GB ram, Vista Ultimate, Wireless Connection


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I don't know much about prosthetics, but you'd think he could have seen this coming...and wouldn't you at least slightly freak out to find a leg in the shorebreak?Man looking for leg after it came off while surfing
Posted: Aug 27, 2012 8:17 PM EDT Updated: Aug 27, 2012 8:17 PM EDT
By: Will Tapper - email
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WECT) - A man visiting the area from Canada lost something very precious to him while surfing at Wrightsville Beach, his prosthetic leg.
Phillipe Poulin is from Halifax, Nova Scotia and was in town on vacation. He decided to go surfing. This was Poulin's second time surfing and when he fell off his board, his leg also came off.
"We had a bunch of people stop over and tried to get everyone's attention that we could and we came up with no real luck and we're still looking for my leg," he said.
The leg cost about $10,000 and it would be difficult for him to return home without it.
"I never thought I was going to lose my leg," he said.
He said the incident won't keep him from hitting the waves. Although, next time, he said he'll take some precautions to make sure his leg stays in place.
"I think I fell in love with [surfing] even after when I was looking for my leg. I was sitting there watching the other surfers I think I was understand the waves a little better," he said.
Now, he's asking anyone who knows where his leg is to call the police. He said someone saw it over the weekend, but just left it where it was because they didn't know what it was.
He said his leg was amputated after he was in a car accident when he was nine years old
Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Cant pop up without leg!!!
Aug 28, 2012, 01:39 AM #1
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- Jul 2007
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- Promontorium Tremendum
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Cant pop up without leg!!!
Aug 28, 2012, 01:47 AM #2
Let's just hope the leg does not float downstream.
Aug 28, 2012, 02:01 AM #3
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
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- Promontorium Tremendum
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Aug 28, 2012, 03:26 AM #4
Aug 28, 2012, 01:15 PM #5
I thought they only used beer mugs with broom handles attached as prosthetics in CB. Man, getting that CVS really brought y'all into the 20th Century!
On another note, since Canada has socialized medicine, how on earth did that leg cost $10,000?
Aug 28, 2012, 05:54 PM #6Junior Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
- Posts
- 1
If he wore a wetsuit, the leg may have stayed on. Better yet, a wetsuit made by Pinecone with a prosthetic leg graphic design where his prosthetic leg is.


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I just stumbled upon ps3mediaserver and it works great for the most part. Thanks to devs!
I'm running i7 on a gigabit network, so I don't think there is any problem with my setup. My question is how do I make sure that the files are being simply remuxed and not transcoded? Is this done automatically? I have been using mkv2vob up until this point, and I do not want any degradation in quality whatsoever. I would rather the video take longer to load initially and then ran smoothly and was lossless.
When I load a simple .mkv with x264 and ac3, the seeking does not work anywhere near as well as when I use mkv2vob and the stock wmp dlna streaming. This led me to believe it was transcoding and not remuxing, but I prefer a lossless remux to transcoding.
Vista x64 i7 6GB Gigabit V1.10.51
Settings 2


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Non-functional testing
By John Morrison on May 11, 2008
Where are the bulk of your test efforts focused on ? Am sure most testing teams would be focused on testing a product's functionality or at least a majority of the time spent in testing could be involved in testing for the functional requirements; which is not a bad thing at all ! But, how much focus is given to testing the non-functional requirements, assuming there are a set of well defined non-functional requirements and the same has been suitably incorporated into the product and tests have been developed for verifying the same.
What are the common non-functional requirements and why do we need to even spend time talking of them let alone have specialized resources dedicated and assigned to test them ? Put it simply, assuming a condition of cetirus paribus (all other things being equal and similar functional features in two competing products), non-functional requirements often play a significant role in differentiating between a product that is well received by customers vs one that may not do well in the market place. Some of the key non-functional requirements include Usability, Performance, Security, Interoperability & Compatibility.
While common reasoning states that a product that does not meet its functional requirements is incomplete, do we do the same for the non-functional requirements too or do we agree to address non-functional requirements / issues found in an upcoming patch or subsequent release? However, this line of thinking exposes the chinks in the armor when the product is being deployed at the customer site or when it is moved to production. A product that is'nt suitably performance tested and does not meet well laid out performance criterion, could fail miserably in a production deployment. Similarly with other items such as security, usability or compatibility. It is'nt hard to visualize the impact each of these non-functional items can have in a real usage scenario.
Non-functional risks need to be evaluated and considered during project planning. During requirements phase, both functional and non-functional requirements need to be spelt out and considered by both development and testing teams. Also, meeting non-functional requirements does involve a certain degree of trade-offs and arriving at a suitable balance between focusing on non-functional requirements vs. other areas of the product is needed.


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Wine people talk a lot about terroir: the soil, the geology and the microclimate that influence a particular wine's taste. That's an old concept in brewing. At one time all beers were local and styles developed to fit the local conditions: water, weather, local ingredients or trade routes. With the industrial revolution we were able to brew the same beer anywhere in the world, and one style - pilsner - took over.
Craft brewers in the U.S. brought back the idea of local beer. Local beer is likely to be fresh, and fresh beer is always better than stale beer. We're striving to take the idea of local beer another step, back to its roots, when local not only meant fresh but also distinctive, shaped by location or terroir. It's an idea that drives every recipe we write and every beer we brew.
Teton Valley is blessed with the best water in the world. It's Teton Mountain glacial runoff, filtered over the course of 300-500 years through Teton granite and limestone before coming to the surface a half-mile from the brewery. It's clean, pure, slightly sweet, and almost perfect for brewing. I say "almost perfect" because it's not ideal for every beer style. Like all water, it has a distinctive mineral makeup that favors certain styles of brewing. Ours is most similar to Munich's water, so it's great for malty Bavarian-style beers like our Double Vision Doppelbock.
Most breweries treat their water. They filter it, add minerals, and adjust the pH to mimic another city's water or to optimize it for a particular style of beer. We're committed to creating Teton Valley beer, so our water is left unmolested, able to shine through in all its sweet glory. That's been a challenge when we've brewed hoppy styles. The water just makes it tougher to extract hops' bitter flavors.
Over the years we've adjusted our recipes and honed our technique. If we treated our water we'd have an easier time brewing and we'd save money. Since we don't treat the water, we're forced to use a lot more hops to get the bitterness we're looking for. That means that for a given level of bitterness, we have a proportionally higher amount of other hop flavors - the citrusy, piney, spicy or tropical fruit nuances that add depth and complexity to our brews. And there's always some sweet maltiness to add balance.
Unlike our giant beer counterparts, craft brewers do a great job of keeping it local and using their backyard - be it water, ingredients or culture - as an inspiration source for their next craft beer.
Rob Mullin was born in Munich, Germany, the descendent of a long line of moonshiners, bootleggers and speakeasy owners. Weaned on black lager, he grew up to brew his own beer, going professional in 1990 as a brew lackey/delivery boy for Old Dominion Brewing Company in Virginia. After brewing gigs in Manhattan and New Jersey, he eventually made his way to Paradise - the Teton Mountains and Victor, Idaho. He's in his 12th year as Brewmaster at Grand Teton Brewing Company, and still loving every minute of it.


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The Bay Area's accelerating home prices last year made handsome profits for home flippers -- investors who snap up houses only to sell them again within six months -- with the South Bay leading the nation in the average profit before expenses, according to a report released Thursday.
But as low-priced foreclosures dried up and the inventory of other lower-priced homes fell to record lows, investors found little to buy, fix up and flip at a profit, RealtyTrac reported.
RealtyTrac defines a home as flipped if it was sold twice in a six-month period to buyers who are unrelated to each other.
The South Bay had 745 such sales last year, a 24 percent decline from 2012, RealtyTrac said. The average gross profit was a record $162,042.
The larger San Francisco metro area, which includes the Peninsula, San Francisco, Marin County and the East Bay, scored the third-highest profit nationwide -- $155,616 -- per sale. The number of flipped homes increased 1 percent to 2,057.
"It's a tantalizing market where the profits are great but the availability of homes is scarce," said Daren Blomquist, vice president of the Irvine housing data company.
The year's rapid price run-up in the Bay Area was catnip to investors, said Geraldine Barry, president of the San Jose Real Estate Investors Association and publisher of REI Voice magazine.
"For those who weathered the storm in the last cycle, this year has been very good to them," Barry said.
"We enjoyed double-digit appreciation, 30 percent in some areas," Barry said. She expects appreciation to continue this year, but not at those levels.
Barry said that nationally, smaller investors were challenged by big hedge funds that swooped in and snatched up lower-priced homes. "They drove a lot of investors out of the market because they could not compete with the deep pockets," she said.
In the South Bay, the average flipper bought a home for 16 percent less than the prevailing market value and sold it for 4 percent more, RealtyTrac said. In the San Francisco metro area, flippers bought at a 13 percent discount and sold at an 11 percent profit.
RealtyTrac's Blomquist said there's "one last surge" of home flipping ahead, but that the market will continue to decline in the Bay Area.
"We do see a potential for one last surge in foreclosure activity in California in 2014 as lenders push through their last batch of foreclosures," he said.
"But in general, the best window of opportunity is past in most California markets because we're past the worst of the foreclosure crisis and home prices have accelerated so quickly. That's not favorable for flippers."
For California, home flipping was up 6 percent and the average sale returned a profit of $99,999. The average profit for the U.S. was $58,081 on a 4.6 percent increase in sales.
Contact Pete Carey at 408-920-5419. Follow him at Twitter.com/petecarey.


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Seniors brought 15 complaints regarding access to the senior center, including the distance of the original bus stop from the senior center.
At the meeting, Acton said she and Interim City Manager Dennis Speer had worked out an agreement to roll out and start up a bus jointly owned by the Happy Times Senior Citizens and the city. In addition, a makeshift bus stop has been set up directly in front of the walkway to the senior center.
"I want to make sure they're trying to get seniors included in the process," McClellan said.
McClellan said that while Acton had brought the issue to the city council's attention, it didn't go far enough.
"Since she's been elected to the city council, she can't rock the boat too much," McClellan said.
McClellan said he had filed 15 more complaints with the city and called State Senator Jean Fuller's office concerning the matter.
"I know one lady that is paying $11 in cab fare to get to the senior center for a $2 meal," McClellan said.
McClellan said that putting the bus stop on the sidewalk outside of the senior center's parking lot did not solve matters, given seniors had to cross the parking lot and other obstacles.
"There are all types of things that they're (the city) not thinking about," he said.
Sen. Fuller's district office confirmed that McClellan had called with concerns, but could not comment given the recent timing of the call.
Acton said in an interview that she had spoken with Speer and Parks and Recreation Director Jim Ponek Thursday on the initial matter.
"The city wants to turn the senior bus over to the seniors," Acton said. "The Happy Time Seniors are going to look at finding some grant funding for licenses and insurance fees."
Acton said that a volunteer driver with a Class B driver's license had been secured to drive the seniors bus.
"In the beginning we'll have him run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to pick up seniors door-to-door and drop off them and take them back," Acton said.
Acton said the city would try to do initial maintenance overhaul in the next few weeks to ensure everything was in working order.
"It's great and I'm glad the city is stepping up for that," Acton said.
Acton said it had been McClellan who initially brought the matter to her attention.
"When this first started, he is the person who came to me along with a group of seniors who said they were upset, frustrated and asked 'why won't they drop us at the door,'" she said.
Acton said the problems the city transit system apparently faced included its buses' inability to enter the parking lot.
Page 2 of 2 - However, Acton expressed concern that McClellan 's continued insistence for solutions could possibly hinder process.
City staff could not be reached for comment regarding McClellan 's concerns as of press time.
"Mr. McClellan seems to think that the city is discriminating against people with handicaps and that they're not ADA compliant," Acton said.
Acton said that was not the case, and that she had gone to the city with seniors' concerns and then relayed results back to that group.
"He was supposed to be done stirring stuff up," Acton said.
She said someone will talk with McClellan on the issue.
"I can't help the seniors if he keeps undermining everything I'm doing," Acton said.
Location, ST | website.com


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It's surely that time of year again. So get your judgmental face on and choose your favorite game of 2012.
What's Up:
Like every year, we're going to make a 10-game quest featuring the best and brightest games (with badges) from 2012. This year, we locked in the 8 highest-rated games from the year and they will appear on the quest for sure. Those games are:
- Bloons TD 5
- Infectonator 2
- Burrito Bison Revenge
- Knightmare Tower
- Incursion
- Paladog
- New Star Soccer
- Decision 2
Now this is where you all come in. We took the next 10 highest-rated games and we're going to have you vote on which 2 of those deserve to be in the quest.
What you can do:
Go to this link and vote on your favorite game from the list. For reference, the games that can be voted on are:
- Monsters' Den Chronicles
- Legend of the void 2
- Strike Force Heroes
- Enigmata: Stellar War
- Several Journeys of Reemus Chapter 4 Beastly Blackhole of Bureaucracy
- i saw her standing there
- Musaic Box
- Fancy Pants Adventure: World 3
- Jacksmith
- Wartune
At the end of the day on Sunday, January 20th the voting will be closed and the two games that receive the most votes will be added to the quest. The quest will be going live the following week.


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read full article
Amanda Peet is at the center of destruction in 2012, the awesome end-of-the-world movie starring John Cusack that just opened. When she's not screaming in terror at the apocalypse, she's hilarious. The native New Yorker, who was a star previously in Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Something's Gotta Give with Diane Keaton, is one of the coolest, funniest, nicest, most comfortable-in-her-own-skin stars we've ever shot. Check out the full cover story in the December issue of SELF—and check out our slideshow of exclusive, online-only quotes and photos from the shoot below!


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If you think your child is getting enough vitamin D by just drinking milk, you're probably wrong. Recent studies show that most children aren't getting enough of this essential vitamin. In October 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) responded by doubling the amount of vitamin D it recommends for babies and children to 400 International Units (IU) per day.
Most often associated with milk and sunlight, vitamin D hasn't been top-of-mind for parents in recent years. Common wisdom says that if you're child drinks milk and plays outside, he's getting what he needs, right? Surprisingly, not necessarily. "We're seeing evidence of vitamin D deficiency in infants and children of all ages as well as adolescents and adults," says Carol Wagner, M.D., FAAP, professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. "We know more about vitamin D than we did even five years ago. Because of lifestyle changes and sunscreen usage, the majority of the population shows signs of deficiency as determined by measured vitamin D levels in blood."
Vitamin D helps ensure the body absorbs and retains calcium and phosphorus, both critical for building bone. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a bone-softening disease that continues to be reported in the United States mostly in children in the first two years of life. At greatest risk for rickets are infants exclusively breastfed who do not receive a daily vitamin D supplement.
"There is epidemiologic evidence that vitamin D not only makes for strong bones, but may play a role in preventing some chronic diseases later in life, including those involving the immune and cardiovascular systems," explains Frank R. Greer, M.D., FAAP, professor of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Based on these findings the AAP has changed its previous recommendation of 200 IU per day to 400 IU a day beginning in the first days of life. "We are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits," says Dr. Greer, chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition and co-author of the AAP's clinical report on vitamin D. "Supplementation is important because most children will not get enough vitamin D through diet alone."
The AAP recommends vitamin D supplements for infants, children, and adolescents, including those who are breastfed. "Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for infants," explains Dr. Wagner, a member of the AAP Section on Breastfeeding Executive Committee and co-author of the AAP's clinical report on vitamin D. "However, it is important that breast-fed infants receive supplements of vitamin D. Until it is determined how much vitamin D a nursing mother should take, we must ensure that the breastfeeding infant receives an adequate supply of vitamin D through a supplement of 400 IU per day." Once the child is weaned, a vitamin D supplement is needed throughout childhood and adolescence as well, she adds.
For formula-fed babies, the requirements are the same. Unless the child is drinking 32 ounces of infant formula per day, a vitamin D supplement is required.
When it comes to giving your child a vitamin D supplement, there's nothing new about the process. "Any chewable multivitamin supplement for kids that contains 400 IU of Vitamin D is acceptable," says Dr. Greer. "There are several liquid vitamin preparations for infants that contain 400 IU vitamin D per dose as well. Chewable vitamins are generally regarded as safe for children over the age of three who are able to chew hard foods and candy."
For breast- or bottle-fed babies, liquid supplements are the best option. "There are liquid preparations that give the recommended intake of 400 IU in 1/2 or 1 mL, which are considered to be safer by some," says Dr. Wagner. "There are also liquid drop solutions available that provide one drop that equals 400 IU per day. The care provider can put the vitamin D drop on an index finger and then place the finger in the baby's mouth," she suggests. "Alternatively, the drop can be put on a pacifier or breast and then when the infant sucks the pacifier or breast, the infant receives the vitamin."
As with all medications and supplements, vitamin D supplements should be kept out of a child's reach. "The risk with drop solutions is that an infant or other children in the house could receive too much vitamin D," Dr. Wagner says.
In addition to vitamin supplements, enriched foods are another way to increase the vitamin D in your child's diet. Look for foods fortified with vitamin D such as milk, cereal, orange juice, yogurt, and margarine.
Vitamin D is found naturally in only a few foods — they include oily fish, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, and some mushrooms. Oily (or fatty) fish are one of the best sources of the vitamin. For example, 3.5 ounces of cooked salmon offers approximately 360 IU (about 90 percent of your child's daily recommended value) of vitamin D per serving. Other examples of oily fish include tuna, mackerel, trout, herring, sardines, kipper, anchovies, carp, and orange roughy.
How to make sure your child is getting enough vitamin D:
IU per serving*
Percent DV**
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon
Salmon, cooked, 3.5 ounces
Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 ounces
Tuna fish, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces
Milk (nonfat, reduced fat, and whole), Vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the Daily value for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk)
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce
*International Units**Daily Value based on recommended 400 IU for children.
Source: National Institutes for Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
This article was featured in Healthy Children Magazine. To view the full issue, click here.


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PARKERSBURG - While some hospitals across the U.S. have started using reservation systems in their emergency departments, local hospitals said they are not doing so at this time.
According to Bloomberg News, more than 100 hospitals are using the ER reservation systems, which allow patients to see wait times for their local emergency rooms online or reserve a place in line at the emergency room from their homes.
More than a dozen Chicago-area hospitals have implemented similar systems in their emergency rooms, according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune.
The idea is to cut down on the unpredictable nature of wait times in emergency rooms.
Jeniffer Offenberger, director of marketing and public relations for Memorial Health System in Marietta, said while the emergency departments at Marietta Memorial and Selby General do not have a reservation system, they along with Physician's Care Express do post the wait times at the facilities.
"We are watching what other hospitals are doing in terms of registering for a place in advance," she said. "We'll evaluate its effectiveness and if it is something we would consider implementing here, but it isn't on our radar right now."
Offenberger said for convenience they began publishing the waiting times about six months ago. Wait times are 40 minutes or less, but due to the unpredictable nature of the emergency department, the wait time could be longer.
"There are times that we get traumas and other life-threatening situations that may cause those with less serious issues to wait," she said. "We're proud of our wait times right now, and because they are lower than those in our region, there isn't as much of a demand to register a place in line."
For patients who were seen but not admitted, Offenberger said, they have Door to Diagnostic, an evaluation by a qualified professional where the wait time was 19 minutes.
"The average time (for patients not admitted) between arrival to the emergency department and departure time overall was three hours and 11 minutes," she said. "That includes the time it took for arrival, diagnosis, testing and processing through departure.
"Our goal is to provide the best experience possible."
Susan Abdella, director of emergency services at Camden Clark Medical Center, said the center is not considering a similar system.
"We are not doing any of those," she said. "Posting time is difficult because hospitals base visits on acuity or the seriousness of the case."
Camden Clark does have fast tracks for minor situations and express care centers.
"Patients with less need are seen in the fast track. At some hospitals they take reservations for something like having stitches removed during the lunch hour," she said. "A lot of times a fee is associated with it. Can sign up but have to pay for reservation and if you don't show they take the money."
However, Abdella said reservations are not being taken at this time.
"We're not saying never, but not at this time," she said.
Abdella said since more severe or trauma cases can come at any time, reservations for emergency room visits can be delayed.
"We'll have unhappy customers if we are not making appointments," she said.


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In use worldwide for over fifteen years by performers, composers, artists, teachers, and students, Max/MSP is the way to make your computer do things that reflect your individual ideas and dreams.
Required OS: 10.6
Tags: computer , music , electronic , multimedia , video
6 Opinions
I have both reaktor and max/msp.
Reaktor is easier and faster to build if you are making Fx and Synth but
Max/MSP just gets way deeper than the Reaktor and it's harder to code in some parts.
for faster result go with the Reaktor, it's deep enough program to get you busy for a long time.
But for making standalone program, not just audio but video too(I made fahrenheit to Celsius convertor using max/MSP once too) and build fx you can sell as standalone vst or au... go with Max/MSP
In short, can someone have a go at defining the key differences between Max/MSP and Reaktor. I can't make up my mind as to which I'll choose...
I'm computer literate and would probably know my way around both of these apps (that is, the modular approach to making sound). I'm mostly interested in making little audio gizmos for various experimental sound design purposes (feature film stuff, game sound, etc.).
What's the key selling points of them both? Where does each of them excel and fall short of the other?
This is easily my favorite program for making experimental music, sound design and software creation all in one. If you can think of it, it's probably possible with Max/MSP.
A true classic in experimental music making!
Sort of a gui programming language though. Creating a programming network through drag 'n drop, you might say. Good for DSP (audio) and MIDI (symbolic).
Programming language for music. Based on technology developed at IRCAM in Paris, France.
The open source PD (Pure Data) is a similar tool.


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Dessie M. Raines Waddell, 77
Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 3:39 p.m.
HENDERSONVILLE— Dessie M. Raines Waddell, 77, of Hendersonville went to be with the Lord Friday evening, November 30, 2012 at the Elizabeth House.
Born in Henderson County, she was a daughter of the late William Odell "Tobe" and Nola Turbyfill Raines. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James C. Waddell, who passed away in 1972.
She enjoyed cooking and made that her lifelong career. She managed the kitchen at the Quality Inn and Suites and the American Legion of Hendersonville. NASCAR was a passion for her, with Kyle Busch being her driver choice. She also liked to play Bingo. She was a member of East Hendersonville Baptist Church.
She is survived by her loving family: children, Gary Waddell and wife, Nancy of Hendersonville; Betty McCall and husband, Wayne of Flat Rock, Billy Waddell of Hendersonville, and Michael Waddell and wife, Allison of Augusta, GA; grandchildren, Matthew, Jason, Andersen, and Braeden Waddell, Scott and Michael Taylor, and Rebecca, Chelsey, and Bayleigh Waddell; great-grandchildren, Landon, Bella Grace, Riley Alexis and Bryson Taylor, and Gabriel and Guage Laughter; sister, Viola Gibbens and husband, Bob; aunt, Irene Raines; several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and special friend, Donna Stanberry.
A Celebration of Dessie's Life will be held at 5:30 PM Friday, December 7, 2012 at East Hendersonville Baptist Church at 1010 Shepherd Street with the Reverend Carroll Poole officiating. Interment will be held at a later date at Cedar Creek Cemetery in Greeneville, TN.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731.
To sign an online register book or send a condolence card, visit www.shulerfuneralhome.com.
Shuler Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
January 23, 2013
Energy Department Offers $10 Million for Algae Biofuels
The Energy Department on January 17 announced the availability of up to $10 million in funding for projects that can help unlock the potential of biofuels made from algae. The funding will support research projects aimed at boosting the productivity of algae cultivation systems and demonstrating algae harvest and processing technologies, such as centrifugation and extraction. The Department encourages applicants from industry, universities, and national laboratories to apply by April 1, 2013.
These research projects will help maximize yield from algae and improve production of biofuel intermediates, which are the products of algae cultivation and pre-processing. Increasing the yields of biofuel intermediates will help lower the cost of biofuels while enhancing the sustainability of algal biofuels by capturing energy from every available part of the feedstock. At a large scale, these technologies could help speed commercialization of domestically-produced, cost-competitive biofuels from algae. A cost share of at least 20% of the total project cost is required. See the Energy Department Progress Alert.


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A trip for the spirts
Argentina mixes olives and wine with happiness
It was Thursday, the day we'd expected to be tasting wine at the Zuccardi family's finca (ranch) and winery, in Maipu, Mendoza Province. Instead, we were clawing through a tangle of branches, trying to pick enough olives to feed Zuccardi's state-of-the-art olive oil press.
It looked so easy when Torey Novak, Zuccardi's tour guide, gave a demonstration. You hang a cone-shaped canvas sack around your neck and pick a tree loaded with ripe fruit. Reaching up into a branch, you grab it with both hands and yank down hard, stripping the olives off and into the sack. When your neck cries uncle, you empty the sack into the 40-pound crate handily stacked nearby. Then you fill the second crate, and the third, all day every day until the harvest ends or your hands scream uncle.
"Nah, most good pickers don't wear gloves," said Novak, amused. He could see I was hopelessly awkward. "I couldn't do it either," he admitted. "Not for long, anyway. But our best picker can fill 45 crates in a day." Mercifully, my career as a field hand died before it was born.
But why in blazes were we fooling with olives when we'd left Buenos Aires three days earlier on a mission: to smell, savor, taste and compare Malbec, Argentina's signature red wine, at the source? And why was "La Familia Zuccardi," a family-owned, three-generation-old winery and leading Malbec producer, growing olives?
As it happens, a number of long-established wineries here in the Cuyo area, scrubby desert land on the sunny east slope of the Andes Mountains, grow multiple crops. The soil, irrigated for centuries before Europeans explored the region, is ideal for growing both grapes and olives; more than 6,000 olive growers and 1,200 wineries are scattered through the two adjacent provinces of Mendoza and San Juan.
The region's newer wineries stick mostly to grapes, concentrating their efforts on building sales. But for visitors to the region, the complete farm-to-bodega tour adds another dimension altogether. When you've mucked around in the man's orchards and harvested his olives, you feel invested.
After picking the fruit, clumping through the mud and riding back to the processing plant with the crates stacked on the golf cart, we watched our olives macerated into mush. Tasting the newly pressed oil, we proudly pasted labels on our take-home bottles. Then we knocked the dirt off our shoes and headed for the bodega itself.
Here, in the Casa Del Visitante, sepia-toned photos serve a slice of late 19th century history, capturing tired-looking Italian immigrants toting luggage, working the fields, picking grapes and vegetables and building railroads. Framed photos of Zaccardi's founding ancestors, frozen in ankle-length dresses and high collars, highlight the exhibits. Then it was on to the fermentation vats and eventually to the tasting room. The tour ended not with a "we're done, let's go," but with a traditional Argentine meal prepared by Chef Ana Rodriguez at the winery's casual café and food shop, the Pan Y Oliva.
For wine aficionados, Mendoza is a destination in its own right. One way to get there is by flying through Miami to Santiago, Chile, and east over the Andes (a short flight or drive) into Argentina. But for us, the winery visits were an add-on, a last minute addition to a family reunion in Buenos Aires. Our third cousins in Buenos Aires (newly-discovered on Facebook) had invited us to visit more than once. When they proposed a trip to Mendoza, heart of the world's fifth largest wine industry, we couldn't say no.
What we'd forgotten is that Argentina is nearly as large as the United States (four times the size of Texas); Mendoza, 646 miles west of Buenos Aires, is hardly a weekend getaway. And with limited vacation time, flying was the only option. We'd rent a car at the airport, we assumed, and explore the wine country on a relaxed schedule, just as we've done in California's Napa and Sonoma, in Oregon, in Washington state, even in France.
But that isn't the way they do it in Mendoza. Because the wineries are scattered far apart and road signs are poor, drop-in guests are non-existent. Instead, you call or email and make a reservation for a specific time. On the appointed day, the bodega schedules a staff member to conduct the tasting, chooses sample wines and polishes the wine glasses.
Anyone can make a reservation for a visit and tasting. But there are advantages to signing up for a one- to five-day tour with a wine tour company, someone who knows the industry, the wineries and Argentine culture. It's akin to renting an audio guide when you visit an art museum. You come away better informed and certainly more entertained.
A typical tour - you choose the length - generally visits three wineries each day and includes daily lunch (with wine), hotels and transportation by van. If you have specific wine labels or vintages in mind, they'll customize your route. Our cousins, who knew the drill, handled it for the four of us, arranging a three-day guided tour with a guide they'd used before.
We started in San Juan Province, going first to Callia Winery and then to Graffigna, where Chief Wine Maker Gerardo Danitz, eager to answer even the dumbest question, fielded a tasting that could have doubled as Wine Wisdom 101. His patient explanations were an ideal send-off for what would be three days of tasting, spitting, tasting, sneaking a swallow here and there - for the strength to push on - and running out of adjectives to describe the infinite range of fruity, nutty flavors.
Heading south to Mendoza, we stopped first at Vistalba Bodega, wine czar Carlos Pulenta's show place, where most visits include both tasting and lunch at his much-acclaimed five-star restaurant, La Bourgogne. Then it was on to Tupungato Winelands to see recently planted vineyards and the new golf course; to Salentein and a culture museum; and finally to Zuccardi. Which is how we found ourselves in the dirt, discussing olive cultivation.
Until then I hadn't given much thought to immigrant history and the parallels between Argentina and the United States. But in most of the towns we saw, you could walk down the street and - except for the signs in Spanish - think you were at home. Both countries were settled by immigrants from Europe who brought farming skills to the New World. Settling in places like Wisconsin, Iowa, Virginia and throughout Argentina, they saw what looked like empty land, and displacing or killing the indigenous tribes, claimed it.
Early Spanish explorers and missionaries had already introduced grapes and cattle; with land to spare, beef cattle, herded by cowboys in the U.S. and by gauchos in Argentina, became a staple. And grapes, initially grown for the fruit or to make table wine for home use, became a commercial success.
Like Argentina's immigrants, Malbec grapes are also an import, brought from France. But it took Mendoza's sandy clay to create those tongue-tingling perfect fruity, nutty, oaky, you-name-it flavors. A wine bottle, tucked into my luggage for the return trip, would have been nice. But the custom-picked, personally selected, orchard-to-table olive oil made a better souvenir.
GOING THERE: Fly from Miami to Buenos Aires, and on a regional carrier to Mendoza or San Juan. Or fly LAN Chile Airline to Santiago, in Chile, and on to San Juan or Mendoza.
WHEN TO GO: Any time of year is lovely in Mendoza. But February, March and April (autumn in the Southern Hemisphere), when the harvest is under way or just completed, is especially nice.
Our tour guide, a family friend, no longer leads wine tours. Other recommended tour guides are listed below. Before making reservations, visit all the websites listed here, which, taken together, offer a wealth of information on Mendoza, on the types of tours available, and the wineries each guide or outfitter likes to visit. There are differences. The listed phone numbers in Argentina are preceded by 54, the country code. The rest are in the United States.
The Ampora Wine Tours: mendozawinetours.com
Mendoza Holidays: www.mendozaholidays.com (917)267-8781
Trout & Wine: www.troutandwine.com 54-261-425-5613
Uncorking Argentina: uncorkingarentina.com (866) 529-2861, or (916) 396-0456
Aventura & Wine: www.aventurawine.com 54-261-429-3014
The Grapevine Wine Tours: thegrapevine-winetours.com 54-261-429-7522
©2013 McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Distributed by MCT Information Services
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