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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca ~ Reviews Posted – 12|
|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||P&oo|
Hola!! My family and I have recently returned from our vacation to the lovely country of Panama… in which we stayed at the Royal Decameron casino, spa golf all inclusive resort… wow that’s a long one.. haaha… This vacation in my opinion was THE BEST!!.. and we’ve previously been to other places such as Dominican two times, Cuba 2 times as well, Bahamas, Trinidad, Barbados etc. etc…. but Panama was awesome, it was a gorgeous island, a wonderful sight for the eyes!!… the resort itself was just as good. Everything was clean, plenty choices of foods prepared fresh, drinks were good.. I recommend a sexo on la playa.. which translates in English to Sex on the beach!! J If you don’t know Spanish you might want to get a little tourist hand book to carry with you just in case… I personally know muy poco.. which is very little.. I took Spanish last year in school, im only 17 years old btw.… Many locals visit and stay at the resort itself, so they mostly speak Spanish there and few of the staff can speak English.. just know the basics … The best restaurant in my opinion would be The Italian restaurant for dinner, get the shrimp cannelloni YUMM!! Or something comes with awesome mashed potatoes lol they were good, oh and go to the Sea food restaurant, the crispy fried shrimp tasted like red lobster, which was cool cuz I was a little homesick!..while you’re there go visit the Panama Canal its one of the wonders of the world and its truly amazing… the weather was great.. nice and toasty, we went(July 31-Aug 6) during rainy season which is more than half the year, but it wasn’t bad at all, if it did rain itd rain for 10 mins max. and then the sun would be back out.. it was great… insects… you wont really need insect repellent, there weren’t any when I visited.. but u never know… the rooms were great…temp. set so if u want it cud be a freezer :p…. the beach was nice… it was calm during the day but in the late evening night it gets rough.. if your not a good swimming I suggest u don’t go cuz the under tow is pretty bad.. other than that its awesome… umm fantastic pools many to chose fromm.. hahaha my brother and I would what we call “pool hop” during the day hahaha… the shows were awesome.. the entertainers were great as well… Joel Walters is awesome and makes everything fun.. if anyone gets to know him, tell him Canada Justin and Nadine say HI!!!…. the dancers were fabulous, good looking… they were batti hahha… 5 of the guy dancers didn’t like women as they said.. hahha we got to know them, hung out with them, they truly make your time worth while!!… that in my opinion was the best part… Id have to say the worst and only bad part of this vacation.. wud be the 2 hour long bus ride to the City/Airport…. And the ‘disco’ otherwise known as club was garbage… they played only Spanish music, and there were numerous amounts of children running around!! So any teens out there I suggest u don’t go,, well check it out u might like it .. you never know… other than that hope u have fun… make friends with the dancers and entertainers theyre so funn… and hopefully you’ll enjoy your time as much as I did!!:D ADIOS!!
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Don ~ Sudbury, Ontario, Canada|
I went to the Royal Decameron in July 2004 but I trust the information will still be accurate as I am new on this website.
I flew Westjet from Pearson Airport (Toronto) and the flight went very well- make sure to get a window seat as you will be able to see and take photos of Miami, Havana, some beautiful caribbean hues and Panama city as you approach the airport.
2. Check in
All went quickly and efficiently – Panama is still relatively unknown as a travel destination so there are few tourists; actually the airport only has one strip! The country’s new minister of tourism (salsa mega-star Ruben Blades) has made it his primary objective to use Panama’s beauty and location as a new travel mecca, and thus resorts are popping up at a record pace.
3. Travel to the resort
The guide on the bus was quite useful and we learned a lot about Panama’s history, seen some sights of the city of Panama, and got to see a lot of scenery on the two hour drive to the resort.
Check-in was quick and efficient and the room was small but well appointed – the air conditioning was brutally efficient and this is good as I was born in the snow and do not sleep well in the heat. The whole complex was huge- you could walk the beach for what seemed like miles and never get to the end; this was great if you wanted some time alone to walk and contemplate, possibly enjoying a good cigar as I did, watching the sun set over the horizon.
5. Resort Characteristics
1. Food: there were breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets at the main Atlantis restaurant and a smaller one closer to the lobby. The food was OK but not meant to be spectacular – there were a number of local dishes, many plantain-based (a less sweet and "starchier" type of banana). One of the signature soups, sancocho, was a chicken broth with various ingredients and was fairly original. There are four other specialty restaurants (JapaneseThai, Italian, seafood and American-style) and although I only tried the seafood I was told they were all much better than the buffet.
2. Nightlife: the nightlife at the resort was AWESOME. Do make an effort to meet some of the people – a lot were Colombians going for summer holidays and many were Canadians – I met Tony (who used to own the Latin Fever nightclub in Toronto) and five schoolteachers and we all had a good time. Every night there would be an outdoor show – first night: salsa band from Puerto Rico: awesome music and beats. Second night: professional dancers: incredible Third: interactive show -really, really funny Fourth: singingkaraoke Fifth: I forget (I was probably still taking my nap). After the end of each show (11 PM) the disco would open until 2 AM – FANTASTIC music (combination of modern, salsa, bachata, vallenatos etc.) – everybody would get into it and you could dance your heart out. The rum was great and the aircon brutal so you would never overheat. Quick note: if any really hot chicks approach you they were probably natives who were looking for a foreign boyfriend (not hookers, but trying to emigrate). If she did not arrive on the tour bus, chances are that it is not your baby blue eyes making the seduction.
1. If you walk to the end of the beach you can see Manuel Noriega’s beach house (now abandoned and wrecked) – he is the now deposed ex-dictator of the country. It is free but watch for the broken glass – check out his torture chamber with the electric chair.
2. General tour of Panama + canal: this is a must-see even if the trip gets a little long-winded at times (two hours each way to the city) and you spend a lot of time in museums. Highlights: you get to see the city (a coastal gem), the Royal Palace, the ruins of the first official Spanish settlement (actually quite impressive, especially for height), check the local market, and of course, see the canal from the top of the building (Miraflores) – you can see the huge tankers going up and down the locks and up the Chagres river. The trip leaves the resort around 7h30 AM and returns after 5h00 – a bit tedious at times but you must do it once when visiting the country.
3. Deep-sea fishing
I booked a half-day through the resort and shared the boat with another Canadian – July is off season and we caught two ten-pounders – I was in it more for the scenery and bragging rights. Interesting note: the fish I caught was orange (Dorado???) and the boat captain was quite pleased – I later found out he sold it to the restaurant and I had a chance to try it out in the evening buffet. Cool. I didn’t tell anyone it was my fish in case someone got sick.
4. Local market:
you can take a bus (called "guagua") for one dollar and go to the local town (20 minutes)(I forget the name). All the regular shopping items are there – I bought two Brazilian soccer t-shirts and three must-have-been-pirated CD’s of Mexican music.
5. Bocas del Toro and rainforest: I did similar in other trips so I did not go but others said it was truly beautiful – forest canopy, birds, foliage etc.
6. Scuba: again I did this through the resort. We went around the barrier islands in front of the resort but the water was muddy with quite a strong current – I did see a lot of puffer fish and a variety of smaller pelagics. This was an easy, resort-level dive at modest cost so I do not think there were great expectations from guests.
It would definitely help to know some spanish as outside the resort few speak english – in fact most hotel employees not dealing directly with the public (ex: chambermaids) spoke no english at all. People are, however, humble and welcoming.
1. Grounds: 1010 – clean, expansive, AWESOME long beach
2. Staff: 710 – very friendly and willing to please if not too efficient
3. Nightlife: definite 1010 – truly first-class entertainment and the disco was up to date on the latest latin-american and caribbean beats.
4. Food: 710 Only acceptable yet realize this place does not specialize in food (such as an expensive French resort) . The food is good, not great.
5. Excursions: 810 but be prepared for long bus rides as the resort is secluded. But for a once-in-a-lifetime, what the heck.
Feel free to e-mail me at email@example.com
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Rick|
Royal Decameron was a nice break on a business trip. But beware if you are making a phone call back to the U.S. If you utilize the service that is prominently displayed in each room promoting international phone calls via credit card. It is extremely expensive. The Decameron charges $3.00 just to make the connection per phone call and in addition the carrier will charge a minimum of $39 per phone call and that was for just a brief connection to leave a message. My total phone bill came to over $400 for just 3 days and 8 phone calls. Get a phone card or talk with the front desk to determine what method is the most reasonable.
The beds were about motel 6 quality but the rooms were spacious & clean & air conditioning worked very well. The view from the 3rd floor balcony in my room in building 33 was spectacular. The grounds were top rate quality. Beautiful interconnecting swimming pools and the rest of the grounds extremely well maintained. The food was ok. But everything seemed to be over salted. I ate at the seafood restaurant along with another couple 2 of us had to send our fish back and reorder. We changed to salmon but it was not fresh and very strong neither one of us could eat it. The salads were all very good and service was good. If you can speak Spanish it is much easier. The beaches are great to walk on. I was very disappointed in El Valle. The country side on the way up is beautiful but the village consists of a very small buildings and the open market is not a bargain. You can get better deals at the open market at the Decameron in the evenings.
If you want a reasonably priced tropical beach resort experience then this is worth it. Just don’t expect top end food or room accommodations.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Sam ~ Toronto, Canada|
: March 14 to 21st 2005: Our group consisted of me, my wife, one 11 and two 16 year old girls. The 5 hour flight via Air Transat was ok, egg sandwiches and drinks were served. Once through customs at the Panama airport, we were instructed by Word of Vacation representatives to pick up our luggage and go outside wait for the bus where more Word of Vacation representatives were waiting for us with cold drinks. We got on one of the air-conditioned buses for the 2 hour rid to Royal Decameron, had a 15 minute pit stop halfway. The 2 hour rid through the country was nice, felt good seeing all the lush greens after the long Canadian winter.
Once in Royal Decameron we were handed envelops with keys for our 2 rooms, resort map, Beach Towel Cards and other information. We then went inside Lobby 1 where we rented a $2/day safety box key and paid $15 deposit for each extra room key. The rooms are good size, nothing fancy. The food at the breakfast buffet, lunch buffet, dinner buffet and 6 A La Cart Restaurants was good, our favorite was the Thai restaurant and least favorite was the Café med, being Originally from Lebanon, the appetizers were ok but not the main dishes, we did not want to try the BBQ restaurant as we heard the meat is not as tender as in Canada. All foods are a bit too salty for our taste especially Mediterranean; we later leant that this was a common complaint from all guests. My wife and I woke up every morning at 5:30 AM (which was normal for us) and got to lobby 1 or lobby 2 before 6AM the time when the “Role a Number” was brought out for that evening’s a la cart restaurant reservations; Coffee carafe is available with creamer but no milk, I guess milk would spoil fast in this weather. At 7AM the restaurant reservation started numerically, we always had our choice of restaurants. Unlike other resorts in the Caribbean, there is no limit on the times you can dine in the A La Card Restaurants; you can even dine at the same restaurant more than once. A menu book is available for viewing and the menu is not standard for each restaurant which means you can dine more than once at the same restaurant and get a new choice of dishes. Although the resort was booked solid, we did not feel crowded due to the large size of the resort and long sandy beach. The water in the ocean was clean but never clear because of the tides which did not bother us as none of us is into snorkeling or diving. The yellow flag was up all the time except at night when the red flag was up. The pools and tanning pools are nice. Room cleaning takes almost all day, so don’t expect your room to be cleaned and to get new towels before the afternoon even if you tipped the servers.
We did horseback riding, kayaking and went for the morning walk to Noriega’s old house on the beach.
We did not take any of the offered excursions they are $40 to $65 US per person. Instead we rented a car from National Car rental just outside of Lobby 2. A 2 day car rental costs $97 US dollars including insurance and unlimited mileage. The drive to Antone Valley and the small zoo/botanical garden was scenic and the drive through the town of Antone Valley was nice as well, we stopped at the gift shop where we found the biggest selection of gifts. We went for a very nice 2 hour hike in the rainforest and got to the top platform overlooking Antone Valley. The drive to Panama City, the ruins, the Panama Canal and Gamboa Resort was nice, expect for getting lost few times and finally having to be escorted by the Tourism Police to get to the Bridge of the Americas. I think it was a combination of the bad map we had, the roads that are not marked properly and our inability to read the road signs!! For future trips, we decided we will learn few words of the language and when in doubt we will take a cab. Check our photos at http://firstname.lastname@example.org
This was our first trip to Central America, and we all loved it. We definitely recommend this fantastic resort.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Toronto area travellers|
What a great vacation. We were there for 1 week, June 12th to 19th. It is a long 2 hour bus ride from the airport but thank goodness for airconditioned buses.
The scenery was beautiful.
The resort, food was excellent in all the restaurants and we had no problem making reservations each morning. beach was clean, some black in the sand but could be easily avoided if bothersome, the water was mostly calm but cloudy because of the tides. the grounds were immaculate, very lush, very exotic, clean and well manicured. room, was adequate, clean, well maintained and the view off our balcony (end unit,3rd floor,building17) was wonderful ocean and garden/pool view. entertainment, we did not attend many of the stage performances ( I found it extremely loud) you had very few chairs to sit on and were expected to sit on the cement stairs designed like theatre seating(in tiers). We always wore "dress" clothing in the evening and really didn’t feel this was an appropriate expectation for seating arrangements. I don’t think it would have been very comfortable for a 1 hour show especially for the elderly people vacationing here. Instead we thoroughly enjoyed the two very talented singers/guitarists that played every evening out doors at the Cafe Med.They did an excellent job of performing requests in English as well as in spanish. We rented a car for 2 days and drove up to and past El Valle, the scenery was fantastic, very steep curving road of course but safe. The village itself was quaint and had several small stores and a market with really great prices on hats, woven clothing, accessories etc.the car was in excellent condition and very economic. The Panamanian people were quite friendly.The road maps they give you are not very accurate so you might want to try and find one here to take with you. Overall The Roayl Decameron Costa Blanca was wonderful all inclusive vacation.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Torontonian couple|
My boyfriend and I decided to go last minute to Panama and stay at the Royal Decameron beach resort. Overall, we both had an awesome time. Reading the reviews helped us a lot. We requested a room on the 2nd level, and in between the lobby and the beach. That is exactly what we got. I wasn’t surprised to see that the hotel was not at full capacity, because it is rainy season in Panama right now. The good news is, it rained once for about 10 minutes, and then cleared up and was nice and hot the rest of the week.
We flew with Air Transat – can I just tell you how enjoyable the staff were? They were awesome on the way down. Very pleasurable and polite and we quite enjoyed their services. It wasn’t bad overall, traveling to Panama, but once you are in Panama City, you have to take a bus for about 2 hours to get to the hotel. It wouldn’t have been so bad if there was air conditioning. Anyways, we finally got to the hotel, and we pleased to see how many pools and bars there were.
We decided to determine which restaurants we wanted to have dinner at, and just so everyone knows, you can call from your rooms to reserve, you don’t have to wake up extra early to go line up at the bar to reserve for dinner. You might have to if it was high season, but lucky for us, we just had to dial on the phone. The restaurants that we would recommend are Mogo-Mogo (Thai – was awesome), and El Canal (seafood). They were really good.
We did the Panama Canal and shopping tour for $40.00US. The Canal is a must see! It was an experience we will never forget. You have to see it to believe it. Man-made in 1913, wow! We took tons of pictures and all came out wonderful. It was nice and sunny the day we went into the city, so we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Shopping at Multi-Centro mall was fun, but we didn’t have that much time to shop. The week we went to Panama, there was protesting going on with Social Security trying to force Panamanians to increase the Pension payments and to increase the age of retirement. It was interesting to be in that situation at the time. Apparently, in Panama City, there were tear-gas being thrown around, but luckily, we didn’t encounter that situation.
We also did the Anton Valley tour for $40.00US. Our bus broke down on the way, but our tour guide was awesome. He was quite entertaining, and it was also nice that he could speak English. There were alot of tourist from Columbia and Chile at the resort, and it was nice that some staff could speak English. We visited the Zoo in the Valley, and took great shots of the animals. Then we walked through a Rainforest and ended up at a beautiful waterfall. That tour was about 20 minutes walking through the Rainforest.
We met some very nice people at the Resort, and all the staff were friendly and most spoke English. We also took the $1.00 bus into Penonome, which was 45 minutes away from our resort. This area is for people who like to buy t-shirts, and shoes, but not great for souvenir shopping. We didn’t end up buying anything there. What we did buy a few of were those oil paintings. We got some good deals at a market we stopped off at during the Canal and shopping tour. When we got back to Toronto, we bought stretchers for them, and staple gunned them ourselves, and are now hung up on our walls. They are very colourful, but now I wish we bought a few more.
Anyways, overall, it was very interesting to go somewhere different, other than Cuba or Cancun. The Panama Canal is the 8th Wonder of the World, so it’s a must see if you want to experience something different in your traveling excursions. It would be neat to see what Panama City will look like in about 5 years or so. I’m sure the tourism there will grow and become more Americanized as time goes on. I loved Panama, and am glad that my boyfriend and I got to experience something different together. We had an awesome time there, and would recommend this resort to anyone.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Dale|
Just returned last Sunday from Royal Decameron in Panama. It was heart breaking to leave. As many have written here: it’s beautiful, it’s hot, it’s sunny, the people are friendly and as warm as the weather, the food is good, the drinks a plenty, the pools are wonderful, the beach is great, the ocean warm.
I loved hanging out with the Latin Americans mixed in with a couple of hundred Canadians. They are wonderful people. My wife and I will definitely be spending more time in that country in the future. Things are looking up for Panama. Get to this resort while you can. Before the price doubles.
All I would add is that we arrived in torrential rain, because a hurricane had hit north of Panama (Panama does not get hurricanes). Then we had some welcome cloudy days before the sun came out for most of the time. I hear that even though this is the beginning of rainy season, it is still usually mostly sunny. That said, the clouds were nice when we had them. Allowed me to play volleyball and do some other activities.
Try the Lebanese beef in the Mediterranean restaurant – it was fantastic. And avoid the Steak restaurant.
Bring some $1 and tip the locals. They don’t get paid much and they truly appreciate it. For a couple of dollars you’ll get a little extra attention. And you’ll make their day.
The Mareno Ardiente drink is wonderful – Brandy mmmm. Had some Columbian shooters as well with a new friend.
Don’t let a doctor talk you into yellow fever/typhoid shots or malaria pills – we went to a travel clinic and needlessly got shot up with stuff for $400. And you don’t need the Malaria pills. There is more risk in taking this stuff than getting anything. We did not see one mosquito. Unless you’re going to work in the rain forest for a few weeks or months you don’t need the shots. I talked to the doctor and he said they get a couple of cases a year in the country – people working deep in the rain forest. Though Hep A shot is a no brainer for anyone traveling or not.
Learn some Spanish before you go. ‘yo quiero un café con leche por favor’… if you want to order a coffee with milk and bring a smile to their face and make a new friend.
Swim in the ocean. It was safe the week we were there, no reports of stings.
Go sailing if you can sail. I went out a few days and it was wonderful. The wind is strong enough and very consistent.
The beer was great. My Columbian friend worked for the main brewery – Panamanian beer imports? If you see Balboa or Cervesa Panama in the stores in Canada you’ll know how and why.
Overall we had a wonderful time. I can’t wait to go back. It was for our 10th anniversary and it was truly a special week.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Marko and Joanne ~ Toronto|
After reading many reviews on Debbie’s and from other referrals, we decided to venture to the Royal Decameron in Panama. Make no mistake, this is an amazing resort, but as the travel time is so long just to get there its worth going for two weeks rather than just one.
We flew with Continental and due to weather delays were stuck in New Jersey for a night. Continental not only made us pay for our hotel, but also held our luggage and gave us a “consolation prize” of travel toothpaste, shampoo and a razor. We should have taken direct flights, and it was our lesson learned. Key note: if you have to take connecting flights, do it through Houston and not Newark. Apparently the weather in New Jersey often leaves travelers stranded. Customs in Newark on the trip back was a nightmare and we nearly missed our connecting flight back to Toronto. The customs agent said it’s a mess every day, and many people miss flights.
The Royal Decameron Resort is incredible!!! Both of us have been to many Caribbean resorts, and this is the nicest yet. The grounds and beach are always being groomed. The rooms were spacious, simple and clean – what more could one need on vacation? The showers were lukewarm, but it was so hot out every day that steaming showers weren’t on our priority list. The buffet restaurants had lots of selection and the food was tasty. We ate at the steak restaurant one night and it was OK, but the Italian a la carte was amazing.
We did not have problems finding seats near the pool or on the beach. Most days we would “pool hop” and enjoy the many pools in the resort. We found that most people were respectful enough to take their towels with them if they went left their seat for more than a few minutes.
A must is a walk down the road past the resort to the seafood place called La Fogata. Many other reviews have mentioned this small restaurant, and it truly lives up to its reputation. Luz and Jurge are the owners, and we could not have had a better meal.
We went to Panama City for the city/canal tour, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We found the history of Panama City and the canal extremely interesting and would highly recommend this tour. The cost of the tour was a very reasonable $65US per person, including all entry fees, bus, and lunch at the Hard Rock Café.
Two bad things about the resort….since there’s always something….
1) The bellboys don’t understand “now”. When we were leaving the resort, we called twice to have our luggage picked up and finally ended up with a terse discussion to get our luggage brought to the bus. The resort is so big that wheeling it to the bus ourselves would have been extremely painful at 4:30AM. The bellboys have golf carts that they can shuttle the bags in.
2) The a la carte booking process. Getting up at 6AM to get a number to stand in a line to book the a la carte restaurants is a bit ridiculous. They start the booking at 7AM, and if you don’t get a number by 6:30AM, you may be out of luck. Getting out of bed at 6AM on vacation was irritating to us.
All in all, a great resort that we would return to (next time for 2 weeks)!
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||A Canadian Couple, Ontario|
Although my husband and I have travelled to a half-dozen resorts in the Caribbean, this was our first trip to Panama this February. We are roughly in our late 50’s. It was part of WOV’s 10 day Decameron-4 day Gamboa combination. As others have done, I will review the Gamboa more in-depth under its name separately. We will definitely return to Panama some day.
We flew Air Transat and although cramped, the flight was fortunately uneventful. We touched down in Panama City and after quite a wait for luggage, were transferred easily to a bus which would take us to the Decameron. The two hour drive began with a wonderful trip through Panama City. We briefly saw the poorest and the richest parts. Enroute we stopped for a 15 minute bathroom break. Ladies, bring toilet paper along in case there is none left in the restroom! Finally we arrived at the Decameron to be easily checked in at separate tables organized by last names–efficient! We stayed our first night in Bldg 23 but since it was on the first floor (we never stay at ground level), we upgraded to Bldg 14 down below at the ocean for the remaining 9 nights. It was the best decision we made since most of the "action" is down at that level. Furthermore, we had a king size bed and our balcony was a wonderful place to sit in the evenings.
Food: It was fine. Our favourite ala cartes were the Thai and Japanese. The chef in the Japanese does a superb job choreographing his cooking with his knives ablazing over the grill. Quite the showman, I must say. Fortunately, we were able to dine at all the restaurants since we were there for 10 days. Now, for the bugaboo. We are disenchanted with the reservation procedure. My husband got up every morning and went to get the "number" for reserving dinner by 6:15 a.m. He would then bring it back to the room for me to go up to the bar near Lobby 1 to be in line at 7:00 a.m. to choose our restaurant for that night. It was a real pain. We are on vacation and don’t want to necessarily get out of bed quite that early. Starting the registration at 8:00 a.m. at the earliest would be a positive measure for the Decameron. Oftentimes, the girls would arrive before 7 and begin registering which would sort of upset the system since people, who had gone back to their rooms till 7, would be passed over in the calling of numbers….We almost always had lunch buffet at the Atlantis Restaurant since it was so handy to the area we were stationed at on the beach. However, we did occasionally have a hamburger at El Cayuco which was good.
Room: As I mentioned earlier, we had a third floor room in Bldg 14 and loved it. We had trees next to us that made us feel we were up in a tree house. We could also see dear old Corotu, the ancient tree on the resort, from our balcony to the left across the walking path which ran in front of our building. The room was not musty at all and was spacious: large enough for even the king-size bed and a day bed. The maid, a young girl, was not the best but the bathroom was cleaned everyday and fresh towels appeared so we were happy. The airconditioning was fabulous since I really needed it with the heat. We might prefer to be in Bldg 12 or 13 since they are a bit farther from the bar/restaurant Cafe Med. Fridays they hold Karaoke there. It was our misfortune to be trying to sleep our first Friday night when a few people who were obviously inebriated were attempting to "sing". Their loud, obnoxious behaviour went on until 2 a.m.! I am happy to report that that was the only night with such rude behaviour disturbing our sleep.
Beach: We are beach people, not pool people. The white sands of Cuba are certainly an asset to that country’s resorts. It was, therefore, a major disappointment to discover the beach at the Decameron. The sand was beige (that’s not the bad part), but the black volcanic features to it made for black-bottomed feet. Frankly, one had to wash one’s feet often up at the outside showers. But further to that, the waves onto the shore were always filled with that sand which got into bathing suits. That, coupled with a sudden drop in the level as you were walking out into the ocean, made for difficulty actually getting away from shore as the waves were rolling in. Also, several people had accidents in the water. One man stepped on a fish, his foot ballooned up, and he had to see the doctor at the clinic. Rumours of jellyfish bites circulated. Therefore, we frequently went into the NegaNega pool to cool off instead of the Pacific Ocean. The pool in front of the Atlantis Restaurant was far too busy for us, btw. One thing I must add. The sunbeds really get uncomfortable since there are, surprisingly, no cushions on them. Hence, we saw maybe 1/3 of the tourists with those blow up plastic rafts which they put on the sunbeds to provide some softness. The towel huts have electric air pumps for quick blow-ups. Each of the gift shops sells the rafts for about $8 US, but many people brought their own from home and then simply left them for others.
Inevitable Towel Wars: Yes, it happened here. It seemed one had to reserve the palapa on the ocean or poolside if one wanted any sort of shade during the hot days. The resort attempted to put a stop to this practice by putting the time(written on a piece of orange tape) on the pole of the palapas under which towels were reserving them. An hour later the security man would swing by and if no one had seemingly used the sunbeds under the palapa, he would alledgedly remove the towels to the towel kiosk for the "owners" to reclaim later. Well, it might have worked well but one man, who was a frequent Decameron guest, put up a stink about it, and they seemed to back off from this new system. My husband claimed a palapa for us everyday at 6:00 a.m. but he made certain he was back to it every hour. Believe me, it sounds silly but unless you have been there, you don’t know how HOT it can be and how scorching the sand becomes during the day. We absolutely needed shade while beaching it. A note: the Sushi Samba pool "up top" is cooler than the pools down at the ocean. That pool is refreshing and has a fabulous setting. We would frequently have a last swim of the day up there since we dislike "bathtub water" pools. By the by, one other thing that bothered us about the Decameron is the following. They are actively recruiting people (Panamanians, in particular) to purchase time-share units they are developing next to the golf course. That is fine; however, it is not fair to the regular guests (tourists) because these potential buyers are allowed to use the pools/ocean facilities daily which adds excessively to the population density there. The bars and pools are overly taxed by these day-use people on top of us all-inclusive guests who have travelled far, and at some expense, to enjoy this resort. Furthermore, many well-to-do Panamanian families come for a day or more and again, they overload the system, so to speak. It didn’t bother us as much since we were primarily under our own palapa not at the pool. However, when we went to get a drink at a pool bar, we noticed the excessive number of people poolside….This is a problem which should be addressed somehow, we believe, but how can there be a resolution?
Excursions: We rented a car from the National Car Rental across from the resort and drove ourselves to the Anton Valley one afternoon. It worked out that it was an easy drive and a bit cheaper than the bus tour would’ve cost us. We found El Vallee to be breathtaking! We drove the back roads of the little town and saw magnificent homes behind ornate gates. Also, it was pleasant to shop at the market since I was not competing for goods with a horde of other tourists! Despite it being supposedly easy to find, we could not locate the zoo. And the Canopy Tour, outside town, required a very steep walk through the forest which neither of us felt we were up to. Our drive was leisurely to and fro El Vallee because the road is a true winding mountain road. We were able to stop and take photos wherever we wanted. Also, one day we took a "town bus" to Pay-no-money (Penome?) which seems more like a VW Van which, fortunately, was airconditioned. It’s only $1 pp each way and well worth the experience. We were picked up at Lobby 2 and then the bus went through the little fishing village located down the beach from the resort. We got a good view of the neighbourhood as we wound through it picking up people. Then it was on to the highway and Pay-No-Money. We were dropped off at a corner in the town and told to just wait there for another bus to take us back in about an hour or so. It was a bit disconcerting since hardly anyone around us spoke a bit of English. We wandered through the shops, many of which are big stores that sell just about everything. Interesting that in several, a woman followed us around the whole time. I would suppose shop-lifting is a problem there. We were able to buy typical souvenirs (towel, shirts, caps, etc.) very reasonably. We stopped for a beer at a local bar on the main drag. I was the only woman in it except for the server! There were about 30 men all watching a Panamian baseball team playing on the tv. We each had a beer and sort of communicated with a young man at a nearby table. We felf very comfortable there. My husband had to use the facilities. When he came back, he said he had to urinate into a trough in the men’s room!! This is something he has not even seen for about 30-40 years! Needless to say, I did not venture into the Ladies’! When it came time to return to the Decameron, we found the corner where the buses (vans) were parked and were able to hop onto one immediately. The trip back was fun since the driver actually left the highway to take people to their homes which were sometimes a mile or so off the main drag. It was quite terrific to see homes of ordinary people. Our last excursion was to visit the Embera Indians and we were pleased to link it to our transfer to Gamboa. So, on the day we left the Decameron, we drove to the Emberas’, stayed the day, and instead of taking the two hour bus ride back to the Decameron, we only had about a 45 minute drive to Gamboa. We loved our day with them. The ride in the dugout canoes, albeit with motors powering us on the river, was a pleasure. We went straight to swim in the pool at the waterfalls. No one really mentions it but there is a steep hill to be climbed up before one gets to the falls. Therefore, people who are not in average health/fitness would find it hard to do. But, the swim in the pool was a treasured memory. We proceded to their village and had a wonderful lunch, danced with them, saw their crafts, and left feeling we had experienced a view of prehistory not many are privileged to partake in.
Miscellaneous: a) Remember you are always on Panama Time. Service can be very, very slow. However, you are visiting in another country and you are vacationing. Relax and smile. b) The infamous stairs can be daunting. I am pleased to relate that even I, who hates heat and humidty, did not find Panama’s weather too horrible AND the stairs were not as onerous as we were warned they would be. Thank heavens! c) Do take the 8:30 a.m. walking tour from the towel hut by NegaNega to get the spiel on Noriega’s house. It is quite a fascinating part of their history.
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Beverly & Jake ~ Toronto, Canada|
We had a lovely time at the Decamaron (14 ? 24 Feb, 2005 .. and then 4 days at Gamboa). I have read many reviews respecting so-called moans about the food, the beach, service, snorkelling .. and honestly, its a little over the top.
Snorkelling – we are avid snorkellers and went on a tour, from the hotel marina, $30.00 each to the island just off the beach ? lovely coral reef, spent about an hour in the water .. and saw a tremendous amount of reef fishes – definitely worth the money. One day, we actually snorkelled in the bathing area, saw schools of fishes ?terrific! Kayaking was fun too!
Food ? lots of lovely fresh salads, fresh fish every day ? great !!! there is always something at the buffet to please the palate and the waiters fill your glass with beer / water / wine non-stop. We enjoyed dining at the restaurants ? as my partner is an early riser, lining up to make a reservation was not too much of a problem, but yes, this situation should be made more accessible.
The weather ? HOT HOT HOT, excellent!!! – no rain for 14 days – yeahhhhhhh ! ….. The swimming pools ? amazing! – clean warm water, fantastic ? and not overly crowded either. Beach ? lovely sand, very warm ??.. again excellent! – beautiful sunrises ? we swam in the ocean every day. My partner did get stung by a stingray, and the paramedic / doctor’s treatment ? excellent ? pain subsided within 3 hours.
The evening shows ? very well done, dancing was good ? a lot of fun ? applouso!!!!!.
The resort itself (we stayed in a villa), beautiful grounds, flowers, trees ? yes, we enjoyed our stay a lot. Visited Penemone (interesting), we rode the horses at the resort (very good), played ping pong, did lots of walking, and enjoyed listening to the singers/guitarists at the Club Med Restaurant at night. Had to give tennis a miss as I broke my arm over Xmas .. but the courts looked great.
Gamboa – We then travelled to the Gamboa resort by bus, and on the Panama Express tour, seeing the Panama Canal, Gatun Locks and Gatun Lake, Portobello etc ? a good tour and most interesting. Highly recommended
We loved Gamboa ? stayed in a villa (it needed a bit of attention), but the setting, grounds, food, restaurants, animals, birds, turtles, mountain bikes, swimming pool at Gamboa, all excellent ? no complaints except that the crocodiles in the exhibit should be set free as the enclosure is far too small. We saw a lot of animals (they are not capybaras as many have written about) ? I think they are called ‘ chimunga’ in Spanish ? and the bird life is abundant ? a great way to end the holiday. The iguanas, not my favourites, but we saw them too. We did the Pipeline trek ourselves, saw wild monkeys (as the ones on Monkey Island are becoming tame due to being fed) and beautiful blue butterflies.
Would go back to Panama at the drop of a hat!!
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Tim ~ Ridgefield, Connecticut|
We spent 10 days at Royal Decameron Resort in Panama (Feb 20-March 1, 2005) and loved it (which was refreshing after a most disappointing stay at Gamboa). After spending a week at Mexico’s Xpu Ha all-inclusive last year, we thought we would find it difficult to find a nicer place–but the Royal Decameron exceeded our expectations. And the value is great–our room was a lot less than Gamboa–and all-inclusive to boot! We travelled with two small children–ages 3 and 5. They loved it too!
Warm and friendly–reception was wonderful and everyone we met was nice and gracious. The activities staff in particular was enthusiastic without being overbearing.
Wonderful and meticulously mainted grounds–with some stunning old growth trees amidst the relatively new construction. The beach area was nice, although the red flags were up nearly ever day and no one really swims in the ocean. The pools are terrific–and lots of room to spread out. The first week were there, the place was super busy so while the main pool could get a bit busy or over-programmed with activities, there was easily enough spaces to escape and find quieter places to hang out poolside or in the water.
Adequate–nothing special, but clean, modern and fine. We really spent no time in the rooms–there’s something to do outside all the time. So don’t worry about this.
The "Long Walks"
We read in other reviews about how big the resort is and how much walking you have to do–I guess it’s all relative. We stayed at an all-inclusive in Mexico last year that was 2-3x as large as Panama Decameron, so we had no problem with Decameron. You could get from one side to the other in about 5 minutes walk. There is a steep hill, so if you have an room on the "upper" level, it can get a bit tiring I suppose.
Plentiful but not spectacular. More than adequate, and enough choice and enough good service to satisfy anyone. But it’s not gourmet dining for sure. The restaurants were ok–nice service and nice atmosphere (the main dining hall — the Atlantico — is a noisy big outdoors cafeteria). The reservation requirements mean you have to be up early–we found that if you got there before 7:30 a.m. you could have your choice–after 7:30-8:00 a.m., they were all sold out.
Go to El Valle del Anton Excursion!!!!!
People did complain that the excursions were all far-away. True, Royal Decameron is 2 hours or so from canal and Panama City so it’s a bit of a hike to get to anyplace interesting. Except–El Valle. About 40 minutes and a world away–what a delightful little village "up in the mountains". We did the Canopy Adventure ride — strapped to a cable wire jumping from tree top platforms in the rainforest–the highlight!! My 5-year old did and loved it.
The Sunday market is ok–not nearly as big as the guide books made it out to be and frankly the souvenir shops just as you come into town on the left had much better selection and variety at basically the same prices. But the whole town has a nice feel to it and the access to mountain vistas, rainforest hikes, the extra-special Canopy Ride and the amazing weekend villas of Panama’s wealthy make this a special place–we loved it so much we went twice.
Things to Know Nothing really–it’s such a well-run place–but there were a few minor observations: — No room service or poolside service. It’s all self-service — No potato chips! Our 3-year-old missed his chippies — Hot water was off 2 of the 10 days we were there — Check out time is 1:00 p.m.–if you go then, as we did–prepare for a long line. They have only one checkout terminal at the Lobby 1 and Lobby 2 reception areas. — The evening shows always start 30 minutes later than posted! The Kids Show are posted at 8:00 p.m. start on all the signs, but the staff will tell you the show doesn’t begin until 8:30. Once you figure that out, the shows were punctual and great fun for the kids. — The ATM machine just outside main gate is easy, dispensed $500 at a time and has no bank fees!
— Atlantico pool is busy all day long. Go to other pools if you want things quieter.
Please go! But don’t tell you’re friends–we want to keep this gem a secret!!!
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|Royal Decameron Costa Blanca||Barbara & The Silpe Boy|
Just returned 2 days ago from our 8 day stay at Royal Decameron Costa Blanca, Panama. We are a family of 2 adults & 2 sons, ages 16 & nearly 14. We are glad we had your reviews to go by before we left. They were so helpful. Because of what we had read here in previous entries, we knew to request rooms in Building 30-32. We were in Building 31, third floor & it was beautiful. Direct view of the ocean, rows of palm trees, the long, curving pools, one of the main pools & only steps away from the main restaurant, Atlantis. The gardens at Decameron are constantly being attended to & they show it. Even now, in the dry season, the air is filled with the smell of flowers. For tree lovers, some of the trees are labeled in Spanish & by their scientific names. For those of you who love birds & photography, hummingbirds can be seen, daily, behind Building 31, darting from flower to flower. The peacocks are cool & they spend most of their time near the upper buildings, especially around buildings 24 & 25, near the Japanese restaurant, Sushi Samba & the playground (a hidden & shaded treasure behind building 24, for those of you traveling with small children). The ubiquitous staff was very helpful when it came to asking for the Spanish words for these birds, flowers, etc. All the staff was friendly and yes, knowing Spanish is a plus since some of the staff know only Spanish, but many DO speak some, or sufficient, English, for us Americans & English-speaking Canadians. The weather was phenomenal during our stay. Totally blue skies, low 90’s and, if it was humid, we didn’t feel it (except at night) since we spent nearly the whole day in lounge chairs IN the low-water pools. Admittedly, the heat, by midday, is too much to handle so it’s best to take a break & play pool, go online in the lobbies (there are 2 of them since this is one BIG resort…be prepared to walk, walk, walk…to the lobbies, the different activity shacks, the different restaurants, horseback riding, the nightly shows, etc…but it’s worth the walks!) During our visit there were VERY few American families; a large contingent of Canadian college students & families, MANY Italians & a smattering of Germans. We learned a lot about world geography & sociology this week! Since this was a popular American vacation week, bear in mind, if you care about having fellow Americans around you while on vacation, this might be an indication of how many Americans will, or will not, be joining you here. As for the restaurants: They are all tastefully decorated with locale-appropriate lighting fixtures, sculptures & wall designs (By the way, whimsical statues pop up unexpectedly all over the resort, showing a sensitivity to the art-lovers’ eyes). The service was excellent in each restaurant, especially helpful to us who do not eat beef or pork. The food was good, not great…and plentiful. Desserts are the same in all the restaurants. Bread was excellent at each, as were salads. You can see that a lot of attention is given to presentation of the foods. The chefs make themselves visible and available & that’s a nice touch. Our only complaint for all the restaurants, except for Atlantis and Panamai…too dimly lit. It is necessary to get up by 6 or 6:15 AM in order to get to the bar near the lobby in order to get a number (like at a supermarket deli counter) so you can make a reservation for the restaurant of your choice that night (2 seatings each). It’s kind of a hassle, but the coffee that is made available is strong, you can see the sun streak the sky with colors of the morning, you can talk to people from around the world (of you’re up for chatting that early) and you can find out one important fact:no matter how early you get up, someone hasgotten up & gotten there earlier than you…maybe because they never went to sleep! The "Equipe" or "Animation" crew (AKA: activity staff) is REALLY upbeat. The guys at our pool were fun, entertaining and kept you occupied if/when you wanted to be & left you alone if you wanted to be left alone. Aqua-aerobics, dancing lessons twice a day, shuffleboard, ping pong & bocce ball tournaments. Other tournaments, too: beer drinking, water balloon toss, sand races, "sexy legs", etc. They speak Spanish, English, some French, some Italian, and a smattering if whatever someone is willing to teach them. Be aware, before I forget to mention it, that Royal Decameron is a destination for people from Panama City and the interior (closer to Costa Rica) so it gets VERY busy & crowded on the week ends. This being their 3-month vacation from school, families really added to the pool and restaurant population. You could even feel the "rush hour" when walking on the sidewalks. Outside destinations: we took the advice of previous reviewers & did not go to the closest, large town, Penonome. It’s lack of attractions & activities were confirmed by people at the hotel. We walked down the beach towards the small fishing village of Farallon, en route to which you find beach kiosks selling local crafts. Just to let you know, there is an on-site craft market on Friday nights at the hotel & the prices there are even better than some of the prices at the beach shacks. In fact, the boutique in Lobby 1 has surprisingly good prices, for a hotel store (NOT so at the boutique in Lobby 2; it’s a separate business and charges a few dollars more than the Lobby 1 boutique). We took a taxi from just outside the hotel property (perfectly safe) to El Valle de Anton, a must-see destination, notwithstanding the very winding roadway leading up & around to it. The views en route are beautiful and the town has lovely houses (owned by wealthy Panama City week enders). The outdoor fruit, veggie & craft market is only open on Sunday; the rest of the time, there is a handful of nice & large craft/souvenir stores. We did not go to the Nispero Zoo as the Golden Frogs are behind wire cages so that did not seem like a Kodak moment for us, nor did we see the so-called square trees. We DID go on the Canopy Tour…a zip line that goes to/from about 5 platforms. Lots of fun. The short walk through the jungle to see the waterfalls (El Macho) is good, too. There is so much more to do in this town that we did not do that I would actually advise someone to consider a 1 or 2-night stay there to do it all (hiking, photography, birding, swimming in thermal pools,etc). All in all, the only drawback that we could find, in the whole hotel was its size (too big for we who usually stay in much smaller out-of-the-way places, such as thatched-roof huts with ceiling fans & solar-heated water) and the lack of off-property places to see within closer proximity to the resort (eg, Panama City, which is a compellingly modern & energized city, is a full 2 hours away, as are many other sites worth seeing). Roads are rather safe, so renting a car is a viable option for those who want to wander on their own (the roads are NOT marked but there ARE sign announcing distances from towns to towns). The resort is very well maintained, and you can’t beat it for the weather, the pools, the food, the staff and the well-kept rooms (bring a clock if you care about time, as there are none in the rooms & wake-up calls are not always reliable). Have a great trip, if you go! s
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domain: travel


This video discusses every and some, two Lodash functions used to tell if any or all of the elements in an array fit a piece of criteria. We show how instead of using a for loop to cycle through an array, we can use every and some, leading to cleaner, more robust code.
- [Narrator] We now move onto two functions that behave…very similarly to each other.…These functions are called some and every.…Some and every are similar to filter but instead of…giving us an array's output, they simply return…true or false, some returns true if the function…we give it returns true for at least one of the elements…in the array, every returns true only if…the function we give it returns true for all…of the elements in the array and false otherwise.…So for example, if we have an array of all even numbers…and we pass that into every along with a function…that checks if each element is even, every would…return true because all of the elements are even.…
If we pass this array into some with the same criteria,…it will return true also because at…least one of the elements is even.…If we change one of the elements in our array…so that it's odd and then pass it into every,…every now returns false since all of the elements…are not even, however if we pass this same array into some,…it still returns true since at least…
- What's functional programming?
- Functional vs. object-oriented programming
- First-class functions
- Higher-order functions
- Array functions
- Mapping, filtering, and reducing
- Simple callbacks
- Callbacks with arguments


First the good news. The Annual London Survey shows the Mayor of London Boris Johnson has a strongly positive approval rating. 26% of Londoners pronounced themselves very or fairly satisfied with "the way Boris Johnson is doing his job as Mayor of London" against just 11% who were fairly of very dissatisfied. That left most neutral or with no opinion. Given that half the people don't turn out to vote that is unremarkable. But it also shows fair minded people are waiting a bit longer to see how things work out.
Furthermore of those dissatisfied 3% said it was he "broke his promise on Congestion Charge." This is probably a complaint at the delay getting rid of the CC Extension – not Boris's fault but in any event due to go by Christmas. Among the positives is scrapping the bendy buses – this should be a stronger factor as the last bendy buses leave the streets.
The cautionary note is that Ken Livingstone also had favourable ratings (with fewer undecideds) – in 2007 it was 42% satisfied against 22% dissatisfied. We all know what happen to him. In April 2007, I guess just after this survey was carried out, I was among a group of Conservative Borough Council reps who went to see him in City Hall. He was full of confidence about his election prospects. Teasing us about there apparently being nobody even will to stand as the Tory candidate so hopeless were the prospects of defeating him, etc.
All sorts of things could happen. Oona King currently has more endorsements from London Labour MPs for her candidature than Livingstone does. She was be a harder candidate to beat than Livingstone.
Also while Boris has a capable and imaginative team at City Hall they have yet to put their backs into the boring task of budget cutting on anything like the scale required. A big cut in the Council Tax precept would do wonders for Boris's reelection prospects.


text:
Girard will seek EPA funding to clean up Leatherworks site
City officials plans to apply for a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to clean up hazardous substances from the former Ohio Leatherworks property, a brownfield site.
Lauren Johnson, business development manager from the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber, said the city can apply for a maximum of $500,000 to clean the brownfield at a 20 percent local share.
City council approved a first reading to allow the mayor to apply for the federal grants at a cost not to exceed $100,000 for the city match.
The deadline for the grant application is Jan. 31, 2019. The Trumbull County Planning Commission is also working with the city and the regional chamber on the grant application process.
“This would be a huge win for Girard,” Johnson said.
Mayor James Melfi said he would like to see the grant application moved froward, so the city can get a jump on the recreational projects it has planned, such as bike trails.
Lily Martuccio, economic development chairwoman, agreed, saying: “What a great legacy we could leave our citizens down the road, as part of this Lake to River bike trail.”

domain: news


29 June 2015
By Carol Rasmussen
A new study has demonstrated a novel technique to quantify urban growth based on observed changes in physical infrastructure. The researchers used the technique to study the rapid urban growth in Beijing, China, finding that its physical area quadrupled between 2000 and 2009.
A team led by Mark Jacobson of Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, and Son Nghiem of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, used data from NASA’s QuikScat satellite to measure the extent of infrastructure changes, such as new buildings and roads, in China’s capital. They then quantified how urban growth has changed Beijing’s wind patterns and pollution, using a computer model of climate and air quality developed by Jacobson.
New infrastructure alone — the buildings and roads themselves, not including additional pollution created by the new city dwellers and their vehicles — created a ring of impacts around the older parts of Beijing. The impacts included increasing winter temperatures by about (3 to 4 degrees Celsius (5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit) and reducing wind speed by about 1 to 3 meters per second (2 to 7 mph), making the city air more stagnant.
“Buildings slow down winds just by blocking the air, and also by creating friction,” Jacobson explained. “You have higher temperatures because covering the soil reduces evaporation, which is a cooling process.” Roads and roofs heat up more during the day than soil or vegetation would because they are drier. The heat and more stagnant air create a cascade of consequences, such as increased ground-level ozone pollution.
Beijing’s official city limits enclose an area larger than the state of Connecticut, but much of that real estate is undeveloped and likely to remain so — nature preserves and rugged mountains, for example. The Chinese capital is far from the only world city whose official area differs from its actual footprint.
“There are so many definitions of urban extent, both legislative and administrative,” Nghiem pointed out. “To learn how physical change affects the environment, you cannot use an arbitrary political definition. The reality is what’s happening on the ground.” The new method allows researchers to pinpoint just that.
Other satellites such as Landsat, operating since 1972, and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite also track urbanization in various parts of the world. These mostly use visible evidence, such as changes in the extent of city lights or clearing of vegetation, as stand-ins for growth. These measures have recognized limitations, however. For example, city neighborhoods without streetlights may be indistinguishable from the countryside at night. Nghiem’s technique can enhance and complement existing measurements.
Nghiem used advanced data-processing techniques on measurements from NASA’s QuikScat scatterometer, a satellite radar managed by JPL that operated from 1999 to 2009. Like all radars, QuikScat sent pulses of microwaves toward Earth and recorded the waves that bounced back, called backscatter. Nghiem’s technique takes advantage of the fact that human-built structures produce stronger backscatter than soil or vegetation. The more, larger or taller the buildings are, the stronger the backscatter. His data-processing method improves the “focus” of the QuikScat image from a pixel size of about 25 kilometers (15 miles) per side to 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) per side, allowing the researchers to capture detail at the scale of a few city blocks.
Nghiem emphasized that the study set only the lower bounds for the impacts of urbanization on local weather and pollution. “If you were to develop a city that didn’t allow any pollution sources, not even a single gas-powered car, you would still have these bad effects.”
For more information about NASA’s Earth science activities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/earth
— Guest blogger Carol Rasmussen is a member of NASA’s Earth Science News Team. This post originally appeared on the NASA JPL Website.


text:
Short News |
Sergey Morozov participates in the conference “Russian Arbitration Day 2019” in Moscow
Sergey Morozov, an Associate at BEITEN BURKHARDT, participated in Russian Arbitration Day held in Moscow on 25 March 2019. This year, the event attracted over a thousand participants. Speakers at the conference including rising stars in arbitration from Russia, and also internationally-acknowledged specialists: Prof. Dr. Klaus Peter Berger, V.V. Vider QC and Audley Sheppard. Alexey Zhiltsov, Anton Asoskov and Roman Khodykin were the moderators.
Sergey Morozov spoke on the topic “Combination of arbitration and mediation during the resolution of commercial disputes (arb-med-arb)”, which is particularly relevant both in the global arbitration community, and also in Russia, in view of the reforms of mediation being implemented at present. Sergey also prepared an article on this topic for a collection of works on international commercial and investment arbitration.
Russian Arbitration Day (RAD) is one of the most successful arbitration events in Russia (http://rad.lfacademy.ru/en/), which is held with the support of the Russian Arbitration Center at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration and the educational project LF Academy.

domain: law


"Today, we are also announcing a non-cash exceptional charge to reduce the book value of our capitalised investments".
Jaguar Land Rover posted a pre-tax loss of £3.4 billion in the final three months of 2018, caused by a massive one-off adjustment in the value of its investments. Its heavy production presence in the United Kingdom exposes it to a disorderly Brexit, the likelihood of which has risen over the past few weeks, Fitch Ratings said this week.
Most of the cuts are expected to be in the United Kingdom, with a voluntary redundancy programme being launched.
Land Rover sold 30,934 vehicles in the month, down 11.6 per cent year-on-year as strong sales of the refreshed Range Rover (up 60 per cent to 4,955) and Range Rover Sport (up 31.3 per cent to 7,122) were more than offset by the run out of the Evoque and lower sales of other models largely reflecting weaker demand in China.
Its transformation programme is on track to achieve £2.5bn of cash and profit improvement by March 2020.
Although the latest accounting write-down will not affect JLR's cash holdings, the company said it is carrying out a "reassessment of investment spending to ensure adequate returns".
The company is in track with investment in electrification with Electric Drive Units to be produced at the Engine Manufacturing Centre and a new Battery Assembly Centre to be established in the United Kingdom, it added.
"This is a hard time for the industry, but we remain focused on ensuring sustainable and profitable growth, and making targeted investments, that will secure our business in the future", JLR chief executive Ralf Speth said commenting on the quarterly results.
Jaguar Land Rover employs just under 39,000 workers at sites including Castle Bromwich, Solihull and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, and Halewood on Merseyside.


- Why can’t you open a car door underwater?
- How long does it take to drown?
- Can quicksand kill you?
- Is there a car that can drive underwater?
- How do I know if water got into my engine?
- Can a car recover from water damage?
- Will water ruin a car engine?
- What do you do if your car is submerged in water?
- Can I use water instead of coolant in an emergency?
- How long can you survive in a car underwater?
- How long can you run an engine without coolant?
- What happens if water enters the engine?
- How do you break a car window underwater?
- Can you roll down a car window underwater?
- Can I put water in my car while its running?
- Does the car need to be running when adding antifreeze?
- Will a hammer break a car window?
Why can’t you open a car door underwater?
This sounds scary, but you won’t be able to open the door until it is fully submerged, because the rising water puts too much pressure against it.
Once the pressure inside has equalized the doors should open, though sitting and waiting for this to happen can cause panic..
How long does it take to drown?
A person can drown in less than 60 seconds. It has been reported that it only takes 20 seconds for a child to drown and roughly 40 seconds for an adult—and in some cases, it can take as little as a ½ cup of water to enter the lungs for the phenomenon to occur.
Can quicksand kill you?
Even though you can’t sink all the way into quicksand, it’s a killer. Death can come in the form of suffocation, dehydration, hypothermia, predators, crush syndrome, or drowning from a river or incoming tide.
Is there a car that can drive underwater?
A Swiss company called Rinspeed has recently announced its newest project: an underwater car. Named “sQuba,” the car can both drive on roads, and then – at the push of a button – dive up to 10 meters (33 feet) under the sea. An electric motor provides rear-wheel drive while on roads. …
How do I know if water got into my engine?
The most immediate signs of engine damage from water exposure will likely be found in the engine oil and transmission fluid. By just checking the fluids with a dipstick you can see if there has been exposure. Water will make the transmission fluid look milky in consistency.
Can a car recover from water damage?
A flooded vehicle can be repaired by an experienced mechanic, not you! … The bulk of these vehicles will be repaired, regrettably, and the way to do it is not exactly rocket science. This is basically what you should do with the engine. Check the oil dipstick to see if there is any water contamination.
Will water ruin a car engine?
Water is not compressible, and if it enters the cylinders, it could cause the engine to seize, irreparably damaging it. The presence of water will prevent combustion inside the cylinder, if the water content is high enough.
What do you do if your car is submerged in water?
Open the window as fast as possible — before you hit the water, if you can, or immediately afterward. Stay still, with your seat belt on, until the water in the car goes up to your chin. Then take several slow, deep breaths and hold one. Do not try to open the door until the water has stopped flooding into the car.
Can I use water instead of coolant in an emergency?
Yes, you could use water as a coolant in an emergency. However, doing so is not recommended since water won’t work well beyond its freezing and boiling points. This could also cause expensive engine damage. So, use it only in unavoidable situations.
How long can you survive in a car underwater?
Survival Systems USA, a firm that trains soldiers in emergency escape techniques, has found that it takes about 20 seconds to escape through the door of a submerged car. A calm, relaxed person can hold their breath for 30 to 45 seconds underwater.
How long can you run an engine without coolant?
If you only run the engine for 15 to 30 seconds from cold there should be no problem. Running the engine any longer than that may cause the engine to overheat.
What happens if water enters the engine?
A specific type of automotive engine damage occurs when water enters the engine and is compressed in one or more cylinders. … A common way for water to enter the engine is driving through water sufficiently deep to allow injecting into the air intake system of the vehicle, such as crossing flooded roads.
How do you break a car window underwater?
You can open a window in a submerged car by attempting to break the window using a spring-loaded center punch. The point of the punch can work like the tip of the hammer, and punches are sold for the purpose of breaking window glass. The punch breaks the window on the first try.
Can you roll down a car window underwater?
Contrary to popular belief, Mythbusters found that automatic windows don’t immediately short circuit underwater. But as the car sinks, the pressure of the water will prevent you from rolling them down. … So if rolling down the window doesn’t work, you’ll need to break the side window to escape.
Can I put water in my car while its running?
If you absolutely have to add water while the engine is still warm, pour slowly while the engine is running in neutral or park. Note that most cars require a 50/50 mix of coolant with water to prevent overheating, so you won’t be able to drive indefinitely with nothing but water.
Does the car need to be running when adding antifreeze?
Yes, but in most (if not all) newer cars, you only need to add coolant to the remote expansion tank. This is to prevent you from having to remove the radiator cap. If the engine is cool, or at least not hot, you can remove the radiator cap and add fluid directly to the radiator, even with the engine running.
Will a hammer break a car window?
Car windows are made from tempered glass and are designed to resist blunt force. As such, pounding on a window with a blunt object may have no effect. … If you do not have a car hammer or any other tool that can be used to break the glass, you can try using a spark plug as Brushwood demonstrates in the video.


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The terms of Gavilan College President Steve Kinsella’s four-year contract were obtained by the Dispatch Tuesday describing the details of his $42,000 salary increase, which includes 24 days of paid vacation each year and a $1,000 monthly expense allowance.
Beginning Jan. 1 2012, Kinsella’s salary will bump from $234,090 to $255,090 and it will increase by a total of $42,000 to $276,090 by 2015 as described in his contract dated Oct. 26.
Kinsella will also receive a lump sum of $31,500 if he remains employed with Gavilan College as of Dec. 31, 2015 when his contract expires.
His expense allowance and number of vacation days are identical to his previous contract, which was approved May 10 and had a lifespan from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2015 until it was updated in a 6-to-1 vote during a special Gavilan College School Board meeting Oct. 26. His previous contract outlined a 3 percent pay increase annually until 2015. Kinsella’s salary will increase by about 9 percent starting in 2012.
The four-year contract comes as an incentive for Kinsella, who was named a finalist in the search for a new chancellor of the West Valley-Mission Community College District.
The WVMCCD has two main campuses located in Santa Clara and Saratoga, serving a total 40,000 people a year. In Fall 2010, about 7,500 attended the Saratoga location. Gavilan’s student head count for Fall 2011 is 6,401.
Kinsella, who has been president of Gavilan College since the end of 2002, has officially withdrawn from candidacy for the chancellor position at WVMCCD, according to Bernstein-Chargin. She also noted in her press release Kinsella’s new contract allows him to opt-out of the district’s health insurance plan, which would be a savings for Gavilan.
The Gavilan College Board of Trustees hires and makes the determination to terminate the president’s contract. In the contract, it states termination can be done with or without cause at its discretion.


At Blackwells Mazda, we’re committed to cars that deliver the highest standards in design, engineering and, importantly, quality and reliability.
It’s this commitment to delivering the best possible ownership experience and protecting your investment that led to the development of our industry-leading mazdacare programme.
Introducing the all-new mazdacare.
All new Mazda vehicles purchased from January 2015 onward are automatically covered (1) with:
• 'Unlimited' New Passenger Vehicle Warranty
o 5 year/unlimited Km New Vehicle Warranty (2)
o 5 year/unlimited Km Corrosion and Anti-perforation Warranty
• New Passenger Vehicle Roadside Assistance Program
o 5 year/unlimited Km Roadside Assistance
• New Passenger Vehicle Service Maintenance Program
o 3 year/100,000 Km (whichever occurs first) Servicing at no additional cost (3)
(1) The all-new mazdacare is being back-dated to 1 January 2015 for all passenger vehicles sold, with the exception of the recently introduced DJ Mazda2, which also receives the new mazdacare program since the vehicle’s launch (Nov/Dec 2014). Your new mazdacare support program is effective from the first day of vehicle registration.
(2) The New Passenger Vehicle Warranty program comprises a 3 year unlimited Km bumper to bumper factory warranty and a comprehensive Major Component and Safety System warranty for an additional 2 years/unlimited Km. Therefore the total new vehicle warranty period is 5 years/unlimited Km.
(3) Mazda New Zealand covers all routine service maintenance costs including Parts, Lubricant and Labour for the duration of the program when service is performed by an authorised Mazda dealer.
Genuine Mazda Scheduled Servicing
Blackwell Mazda factory-trained Service Technicians are equipped with the latest in vehicle diagnostic equipment making them the Mazda servicing experts.
Servicing today's modern vehicles takes more than a simple oil and filter change (although we do this too).
Cars have become more sophisticated with in-built computers that coordinate engine management, safety and security systems to deliver optimum driving performance.
Our Mazda factory-trained Service Technicians are the experts in servicing your vehicle.
We are equipped with the Mazda Modular Diagnostic System (M-MDS), the latest in vehicle diagnostic equipment, designed to find if anything is wrong then fix it.
Our Service Technicians only use Genuine Mazda Parts, which are professionally engineered, manufactured and tested to meet Mazda's demanding quality standards.
Mazda On Call Roadside Assistance
If something goes wrong when you're travelling - or even while you're still in your driveway! - then we're here to help.
Mazda On Call is a roadside assistance programme available to Mazda owners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
So, if you run out of fuel, lock your keys in the car or simply forget how to programme the stereo, all you need to do is call us on 0800 800 626.
Our support centre are ready to help out with any mechanical, medical and even legal advice you might need.
Plus, if it's hands-on assistance you need, our network of service providers can arrange anything from a locksmith to five litres of fuel delivered to your vehicle, anywhere in New Zealand.
Comprehensive Unlimited Kilometre Mazda Warranty
As you'd expect, all new Mazda vehicles come with a comprehensive Warranty. This means that as long as you service your Mazda regularly through an authorised Mazda Service Centre, it's likely you'll enjoy worry-free motoring well past the initial three year period of cover provided with all new vehicles.
What Your Warranty Covers
5 Year Comprehensive New Vehicle Warranty
Mazda warranty covers almost everything except the items listed below:
Mazda Motors of NZ limited and authorised Mazda Dealers may not be liable under the terms of this warranty where:
- Wheel balancing or alignment is required after 1,500km, or one month from the date of registration
- Normal regular service components, including friction items such as brake shoes, pads, clutch discs etc.
- Repairs related to environmental conditions such chemical or industrial fallout, coastal exposure, tree sap, bird droppings and damage due to stone chipping.
- Repairs necessary due to aftermarket performance enhancements or use of other than Mazda Genuine Parts.
- Failures result from the use of contaminated fuel or use of inappropriate specification fuel, lubricants or coolants.
- Normal wear and tear, including interior surfaces, upholstery or paint.
- Failure to adequately care for and maintain the vehicle as described in the Owner’s Manual.
- Damage or failure has been caused by faulty workmanship from a previous repair.
- Alteration of the vehicle in an attempt to defraud, or the vehicle has been de-registered at any time due to damage.
- Tyres are subjected to damage or wear, except where warranted by the tyre manufacturer concerned (If defects are found in tyres you may contact your Mazda Dealer who will assist you to make a claim).
- Loss of use of the vehicle or any consequential loss, damage or expense arising directly or indirectly from a defect.
2 Year Comprehensive Major Component & Safety System Warranty Extension
This Warranty commences from the expiry date of the 5 Year Comprehensive New Vehicle Warranty.
In addition to the above warranty exclusions the Comprehensive Major Component & Safety System Warranty covers almost everything except the items listed below.
Body Trims (both internal & external)
Lamps (including bulbs, both internal & external)
Batteries (main starting and keyless remote batteries)
Friction parts (Brake pads, and brake shoes / brake disc / Clutch)
Mazda Commercial Care
What you get with mazda commercialcare
Every new Mazda BT-50 comes with a 3 year comprehensive Mazda warranty and roadside assistance package at no extra cost. This is called mazda commercialcare and it gives you:
And because we believe your new Mazda BT-50 should always perform at its best, we have introduced mazda commercialcare Fixed Pricing Servicing*:
*Fixed Price Servicing is only available for BT5C models manufactured from August 2011 onward.
Fixed Price Servicing
3 Years or 100,000km Fixed Price Servicing more >>
mazda commercialcare Warranty
As you'd expect, all new Mazda vehicles come with a comprehensive Mazda Warranty. This means that as long as you service your Mazda regularly through an authorised Mazda Service Centre, it's likely you'll enjoy worry-free motoring well past the initial three year period of cover provided with all new vehicles. more »
Mazda commercialcare Roadside Assistance
If something goes wrong when you're travelling - or even while you're still in your driveway! - then we're here to help. Mazda On Call is a roadside assistance programme available to Mazda owners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. more »


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A recent report sheds light on which markets have the fastest growing median rent, as well as those with declining rents.
Investors looking for their next cash-flowing property may want to target three markets while avoiding three others, according to the latest rent report from padmapper.com, a rental listings website.
Markets with upward-trending rents
Kingston, Ontario, saw its median rent for a one bedroom unit jump 5.3% month-over-month to $990. Two bedroom homes, meanwhile, saw the median rent increase 2.6% to $1,180.
Halifax, Nova Scotia also reported median rent hikes. A one bedroom unit jumped 4.7% to $900 per month in rent, while a two bedroom unit now costs a $1,140 (+3.6%).
Finally, Kitchener Ontario finds itself a costlier place to rent amid the tech boom in nearby Waterloo. Rent increased 4.4% to $940 for a one bedroom and 1.7% for a two bedroom, which now cost an median of $1,170.
Downward trending markets
Markets investors may avoid – for now at least – include Ottawa, which saw its median one bedroom rent decrease by 2.8% to $1,050. Two bedroom apartments experienced no change in median price, costing an average of $1,300.
Calgary, meanwhile, saw its one bedroom homes dip by 3.8% to $1,100; two bedrooms now cost around $1,270 (-1.6%).
Finally, Oshawa Ontario’s one bedroom units fell 1.6% to $960.
“Similar to last month, Canada continues to see mixed price trends across its cities,” Padmapper said in its report. “For one bedroom median rent, 13 cities have growing prices, 8 have decreasing prices, and 4 have no change.”
See below for a breakdown of the costliest markets, and how they each performed month-over-month.
Get a head start on your summer investments. Subscribe now to get this year’s cottage country guide.
Invest in your dream cottage country getaway while maximizing ROI. Find out how with the next issue of CREW.
Be the first to know the top market gems to invest in for cash flow. Subscriber now to get this year’s cottage country guide.
Saskatoon apartment vacancy reaches record levels
Learn from a flipping pro
Are you looking to invest in property? If you like, we can get one of our mortgage experts to tell you exactly how much you can afford to borrow, which is the best mortgage for you or how much they could save you right now if you have an existing mortgage. Click here to get help choosing the best mortgage rate

domain: finance


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Kaleidoscope, the virtual reality and immersive film festival, is on the road again in 2016 – this time hitting 10 cities in 9 countries around the world to show case 30 VR works which demonstrate the power of the medium’s storytelling potential.
Kaleidoscope is to head off around the world, bringing with it a curated collection of over 30 of the best virtual reality experiences out there. The tour kicks off in Paris, France on March 1st and concludes in Melbourne, Australia 6 weeks later.
Founded last year René Pinnell and former Industrial Light & Magic technical director Michael Breymann, Kaleidoscope says their mission is to “empower independent artists by promoting their work, producing original content, fostering new talent and raising the visibility of virtual reality as the new frontier of film and entertainment.”
The tour’s line-up will include “innovative and thought provoking experiences” including the World Premieres of Academy Award-winning Phil Tippett’s Mad God, produced by Wevr, Pierre Friquet’s brave love story Jet Lag, and Balthazar Auxietre’s visually stunning
LA PÉRI: A Prelude, as well as the international premieres of Tyler Hurd’s psychedelic dance party Old Friend, produced by Wevr, a retrospective of Daniël Ernst’s VR dioramas including the latest instalment Marchland and the eye opening Notes on Blindness created by Arnaud Colinart, Amaury La Burthe, Peter Middleton, and James Spinney.
In addition the festival will also feature Arjan van Meerten’s Surge, which received the Audience Choice Award at last year’s Kaleidoscope Festival, and special screenings of Penrose Studio’s ROSE & I, Wevr Studio’s theBlu: Encounter, and a sneak peek of Baobab Studio’s upcoming Invasion!, as well as a featured demonstration of Google’s Tilt Brush, a breathtaking experience that allows you to paint in 3D space.
This year’s world tour will be equipped with the latest VR hardware from Oculus, Samsung and Valve/HTC and all experiences are to use the newly announced WEVR Transport, a content portal built for virtual reality experiences.
“We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm around the inaugural Kaleidoscope VR Film Festival and can’t wait to bring it to a global audience in 2016,” said Kaleidoscope co-founder René Pinnell. “The success of last year’s festival uncovered a huge demand for virtual reality films and artists around the world. We are thrilled to showcase the latest VR experiences and technologies to 10 international hubs, and to engage with local pioneers in each city to highlight their ground breaking work. Virtual reality is a global movement, and this is an exciting next step for Kaleidoscope. We are thankful to all of our sponsors and partners and look forward to featuring the talents of our incredible artists.”
The list of sponsors and collaborators is extensive, and an interesting counterpoint to last year’s events. As such, the festival will also feature Nokia, who are bringing along their OZO VR camera and Unity, one of the most popular engines out there for indie developers building VR projects.
Kaleidoscope World Tour 2016 Dates
- Paris, France – Tuesday, March 1st (La Gaîté lyrique)
- Tel Aviv, Israel – Saturday, March 5th (Amiad Center)
- London, England – Tuesday, March 8th (Studio Spaces E1)
- Stockholm, Sweden – Saturday, March 12th (The Brewery Conference Center)
- Cologne, Germany – Friday, March 18 (Flora Köln, Am Botanischen Garten 1a)
- Berlin, Germany – Tuesday, March 22nd (Jewish Museum of Berlin)
- Amsterdam, Netherlands – Friday, March 25th (The EYE Film Museum)
- Pangyo, South Korea – Thursday, March 31st (Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (CCEI))
- Tokyo, Japan – Wednesday, April 6th (Terratoria)
- Melbourne, Australia – Wednesday, April 12th (Melbourne Meat Market)

domain: entertainment


BY ADEYEMI ROBINSON-ADEFIOYE LAGOS
Lagos State Governor, MR. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU on Saturday charged all Nigerians to take responsibility as the nation joins the global community in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking as a Guest Speaker at the Virtual edition of the Lagos Leadership Conference, themed: “Leading in Extraordinary Times”, which was broadcast via Plus TV Africa, GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU said the firm realisation that Lagos is the Nigerian epicentre of the pandemic, and that the whole of country is looking up to the State for leadership and for accomplishment, has been a driving force for his administration’s response to pandemic.
He said: “COVID-19 pandemic is global and all of us have a role to play. Everybody has a role to play. It is only when everybody plays that role that we can put this pandemic behind us very quickly. As a government, we will continue to lead that conversation.
“We should continue to have various levels of engagement and various levels of communication. Everybody must be seen taking responsibility at this stage. We are fully out there and what is just remaining for us is just to keep this momentum and we believe that we will come out of it stronger and better.
“I will ask each and every one of us to take full responsibility, especially for our loved ones and ourselves. When we are going out, let us ensure we continue to obey the protocols. Let us wear our facemasks. Let us ensure we keep social distance8 or physical distancing and continue to listen to our health practitioners and the advice they give us.
“If you have any symptoms, do not wait until when it becomes very severe; get yourself a test, get yourself into one of our isolation centers and we can assure you that, you will be treated well and you will get well at the end of the day,”
GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU also assured Lagos residents that the State Government will ensure that all secondary and primary health facilities in the state become a topnotch and available for citizens of the state, adding that his administration will ensure that the lessons of COVID-19 are not lost.
He said: “As a government, we will stop at nothing to ensure that; one, we scale up our infrastructural capability. We are doing that and we will continue to do that, even post-COVID to ensure that all our secondary and primary health facilities become a topnotch and available for our citizens to have access.
“We will ensure that the lesson and the learning beyond COVID-19 are not lost on us as a leader and as a government. We will use the experiences and the issues that have come out of it to better prepare and plan for our citizens and be able to carry out people better going forward.”
Highlighting some of the steps taken by his administration to address the pandemic, GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU disclosed that the state government took proactive, agile and informed decision-making, as well as prioritising the consistent and transparent communication in managing COVID-19 in Lagos State.
His words: “Without our hardworking, talented and committed people, the situation would be a lot worse. And by our People I mean our frontline health workers, support staff, law enforcement agencies, and the civil and public service. At the top of the chain is a ‘War Room’ cabinet – a small team which I lead which liaises with several parts of Government. It is able to speedily process information, and make high-quality decisions. Very importantly also, this War Room cabinet is able to review its decision-making and amend it where necessary. Let me add that a big part of managing people is motivating them, and I have made this a priority. For example, we increased Hazard Allowance by 400 per cent, and introduced a special COVID-19 Allowance, Accommodation and Welfare for frontline workers.
“As a leader, your organisation is only as successful as the quality of the decisions you are making or approving for it. we realised early the need to ensure that our decision-making was strongly informed by data modelling. And that is what we have continued doing, as we seek to strike a difficult but necessary balance between protecting lives and sustaining livelihoods; balancing health and economics.
“ I have taken it as a personal responsibility to champion the Mask Up Lagos campaign. I have been a very visible adopter of online meetings. We switched to Virtual Cabinet Meetings here in Lagos even before the UK did. Even when you watch our regular press briefing, one thing that stands out is the amount of effort that has gone into physical distancing, because optics are very important too. I want people to do not just as I’m saying but also as I’m doing.
“It is very important to empower team members along their lines of expertise and allow them to take ownership of the activities required of them. Humility on the part of a leader is very critical.”


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Cascade Creek Fire Expands to 8500 Acres
Smoke from the Cascade Creek Fire on Mount Adams shot 17,000 feet into the air yesterday. That fire has grown to 8500 acres. The flames are moving toward the landmark Gotchen Creek Guard Station. Built in 1909, the cabin has been wrapped in a protective foil to help protect the oldest building inside the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest.


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Information Services provided a bright spot in the London Stock Exchange results for the six months ended September 30. Information services’ revenue rose 6% to £45.1 million, contributing 33% of total turnover. The exchange’s new SEDOL Masterfile service, which provides unique identification for securities on a global basis, has now more than 1,000 licenses sold. The number of securities covered has risen to 700,000 from 450,000 at the end of March. Overall exchange revenues rose 15% in the period to £136.1 million. Operating profit was down almost half due to a one-time charge related to the exchange’s derivatives joint venture.
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Big Brother’s Pamela Anderson still in touch with X Factor’s Steve Jones!
Pamela Anderson has admitted that she is still in touch with ex boyfriend Steve Jones and always tries to catch up with him when she’s in the UK.
The Baywatch star – who this week completed a stint in the UK Big Brother house – met the Welsh hunk in 2004 and enjoyed a few dates soon after. However she revealed that she had no idea he was fronting Simon Cowell’s new American X Factor series and rang him last week to say she was in London and wanted to meet up.
The blonde bombshell told The Sun:
“I didn’t really date him. We had a couple of ‘trysts’. I called him as soon as I arrived in England but he said he was in LA.
“I was like, ‘What are you doing there?’ I didn’t realise he was hosting X Factor. I’d love to see him — strictly as friends, of course!”
Pamela went on to claim that Steve will be a big hit with female viewers in the states, saying they are sure to ‘love him.’ She explained:
“He’s gorgeous and very good. The public will love him.”
As well as fronting Cowell’s new X Factor – which launches next week – Jones has also been booked to present this Sunday’s Emmy’s Pre-Show. It’s a ploy to introduce American audiences to his debonair wit and charm and it will be interesting to see how the hunk handles the mayhem that is the red carpet.


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The NYCRC was approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the United States Department of Homeland Security, to raise capital via the EB-5 program. Congress created the EB-5 program to stimulate economic development through foreign investment. The program’s mandate is to use foreign investment to spur job creation while simultaneously affording eligible foreign investors the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents of the United States.
Since its designation by USCIS, the NYCRC has worked closely with economic development agencies and governmental entities, as well as private developers designated by such government entities, to provide capital for real estate and infrastructure projects in New York City that create jobs in areas of high unemployment.
Previous NYCRC projects include: