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From the book The Function of the Orgasm, by Wilhelm Reich, M.D., FS&G, New York 1973.
Instead of a systematic presentation, I want to describe the theory of the orgasm in the way in which it developed. This will enable the reader to grasp more easily its inner logic. It will be seen that no human brain could have invented these relationships.
Until 1923, the year the orgasm theory was born, only ejaculative and erective potency were known to sexology and psychoanalysis. Without the inclusion of the functional, economic, and experiential components, the concept of sexual potency has no meaning. Erective and ejaculative potency are merely indispensable preconditions for orgastic potency. Orgastic potency is the capacity to surrender to the flow of biological energy, free of any inhibitions; the capacity to discharge completely the dammed-up sexual excitation through involuntary, pleasurable convulsions of the body. Not a single neurotic is orgastically potent, and the character structures of the overwhelming majority of men and women are neurotic.
In the sexual act free of anxiety, unpleasure, and fantasies, the intensity of pleasure in the orgasm is dependent upon the amount of sexual tension concentrated in the genitals. The greater and steeper the “drop” of the excitation, the more intense the pleasure.
The following description of the orgastically gratifying sexual act pertains only to the course of a few typical, naturally determined phases and modes of behavior. I did not take into account the biological foreplay which is determined by the individual needs and does not exhibit a universal character. In addition, we must note that the bioelectric processes of the orgasm function have not been explored and therefore this description is incomplete.
Phase of voluntary control of the excitation
(The arabic figures in the text correspond to the arabic figures in the legend to the diagram.)
l. Erection is not painful as it is in priapism, spasm of the pelvic floor, or of the spermatic duct. It is pleasurable. The penis is not overexcited as it is after a prolonged period of abstinence or in cases of premature ejaculation. The female genital becomes hyperemic and moist in a specific way through the profuse secretion of the genital glands; that is, in the case of undisturbed genital functioning, the secretion has specific chemical and physical properties which are lacking when the genital function is disturbed. An important characteristic of male orgastic potency is the urge to penetrate. Erections can occur without this urge, as is the case in some erectively potent narcissistic characters and in satyriasis.
Diagram depicting the typical phases of the sexual act in which both male and female are orgastically potent.
F = forepleasure (1, 2). P = penetration of penis (3). I (4, 5) = phase of voluntary control of the excitation and prolongation which is still unharm- ful. II (6 a-d) = phase of involuntary muscle contractions and automatic increase of excitation. Ill (7) = sudden and steep ascent to the climax (C). IV (8) = orgasm. The shaded part represents the phase of involuntary convulsions of the body. V (9, 10) = steep drop of the excitation. R = pleasant relaxation. Duration from five to twenty minutes.
2. The man and the woman are tender toward each other, and there are no contradictory impulses. The following are pathological deviations from this behavior: aggressiveness stemming from sadistic impulses, as in some erectively potent compulsion neurotics, and the inactivity of the passive-feminine character. Tenderness is also absent in “onanistic coitus” with an unloved object. Normally, the activity of the woman does not differ in any way from that of the man. The widespread passivity on the part of the woman is pathological, usually the result of masochistic rape fantasies.
3. The pleasurable excitation, which has remained at approximately the same level during forepleasure activity, suddenly increases in both man and woman with the penetration of the penis into the vagina. The feeling on the part of the man that he is “being sucked in” is the counterpart of the woman’s feeling that she is “sucking in” the penis.
4. The man’s urge to penetrate deeply increases, but does not take on the sadistic form of “wanting to pierce through,” as in the case of compulsion neurotic characters. Through the mutual, gradual, spontaneous, effortless friction, the excitation becomes concentrated on the surface and glans of the penis and on the posterior parts of the mucous membrane of the vagina. The characteristic sensation which heralds and accompanies the discharge of the semen is still wholly absent; this is not the case in premature ejaculation. The body is still less excited than the genital. Consciousness is fully attuned to the assimilation of the streaming sensations of pleasure. The ego actively participates insofar as it attempts to explore all possible avenues of pleasure and to achieve the highest degree of tension before the onset of the orgasm. Conscious intentions obviously play no part in this. It all takes place spontaneously on the basis of the individually different forepleasure experiences, through change of position, the nature of the friction, its rhythm, etc. According to most potent men and women, the slower and more gentle the frictions are and the more closely synchronized, the more intense are the sensations of pleasure. This presupposes a high degree of affinity between the partners. A pathological counterpart to this is the urge to produce violent frictions. This is especially pronounced in sadistic compulsive characters who suffer from penis anesthesia and the inability to discharge semen. Another example is the nervous haste of those who suffer from premature ejaculations. Orgastically potent men and women never laugh and talk during the sexual act, except possibly to exchange words of endearment. Both talking and laughing are indicative of severe disturbances of the ability to surrender; surrender presupposes complete immersion in the streaming sensation of pleasure. Men who feel that surrender is “feminine” are always orgastically disturbed.
5. In this phase, interruption of the friction is in itself pleasurable because of the special sensations of pleasure which attend this pause and do not require psychic exertion. In this way, the act is prolonged. The excitation subsides a little during the pause. However, it does not, as in pathological cases, subside altogether. Interruption of the sexual act by withdrawing the penis is not unpleasurable as long as it occurs after a restful pause. When friction continues, the excitation steadily increases beyond the level which had been previously attained. It gradually takes more and more possession of the entire body, while the genital itself maintains a more or less constant level of excitation. Finally, as a result of a fresh, usually sudden increase of genital excitation, the phase of involuntary muscular contraction sets in.
Phase of involuntary muscle contractions
6. In this phase, voluntary control of the course of the excitation is no longer possible. It exhibits the following characteristic features:
a. The increase of the excitation can no longer be controlled; rather it grips the entire personality and causes an acceleration of pulse and deep exhalation.
b. The physical excitation becomes more and more concentrated in the genital; there is a sweet sensation which can be best described as the flowing of excitation from the genital to other parts of the body.
c. To begin with, this excitation causes involuntary contractions of the entire musculature of the genitalia and pelvic floor. These contractions are experienced in the form of waves: the rise of the wave coincides with the complete penetration of the penis, while the fall of the wave coincides with the retraction of the penis. But as soon as the retraction goes beyond a certain limit, immediate spasmodic contractions take place which accelerate ejaculation. In the female, it is the smooth musculature of the vagina which contracts.
d. At this stage, the interruption of the act is altogether unpleasurable for both the man and the woman. When an interruption takes place, the muscular contractions which lead to the orgasm in the woman and the ejaculation in the man are spasmodic instead of rhythmic. The sensations which this produces are highly unpleasurable and occasionally pains in the pelvic floor and the sacrum are experienced. As a result of the spasms, moreover, the ejaculation takes place earlier than it does in the case of undisturbed rhythm.
The voluntary prolongation of the first phase of the sexual act (1 to 5) is not harmful up to a certain degree and has a pleasure-intensifying effect. On the other hand, the interruption or voluntary change of the course of the excitation in the second phase is harmful because of the involuntary nature of this phase.
7. Through the further intensification and increase in the frequency of the involuntary muscle contractions, the excitation mounts rapidly and sharply to the climax (III to C in the diagram) ; normally this coincides with the first ejaculatory muscle contractions in the man.
8. At this point, consciousness becomes more or less clouded; following a brief pause at the “height” of the climax, the frictions increase spontaneously and the urge to penetrate “completely” becomes more intense with every ejaculatory muscle contraction. The muscle contractions in the woman follow the same course as they follow in the man; there is merely a psychic difference, namely that the healthy woman wants “to receive completely” during and just after the climax.
9. The orgastic excitation takes hold of the entire body and produces strong convulsions of the musculature of the whole body. Self-observations on the part of healthy persons of both sexes, as well as the analysis of certain disturbances of the orgasm, show that what we call the resolution of tension and experience as motor discharge (descending curve of the orgasm) is essentially the result of the reversion of the excitation from the genital to the body. This reversion is experienced as a sudden reduction of the tension.
Hence, the climax represents the turning point in the course of the excitation, i.e., prior to the climax, the direction of the excitation is toward the genital; subsequent to the climax, the excitation flows away from the genital. It is this complete return of the excitation from the genital to the body that constitutes the gratification. This means two things: flowing back of the excitation to the entire body and relaxation of the genital apparatus.
10. Before the neutral point is reached, the excitation fades away in a gentle curve and is immediately replaced by a pleasant physical and psychic relaxation. Usually, there is also a strong desire to sleep. The sensual relations are extinguished, but a “satiated” tender attitude to the partner continues, to which is added the feeling of gratitude.
In contrast to this, the orgastically impotent person experiences a leaden exhaustion, disgust, repulsion, weariness, or indifference and, occasionally, hatred toward the partner. In the case of satyriasis and nymphomania, the sexual excitation does not subside. Insomnia is one of the essential characteristics of lack of gratification. It cannot be automatically concluded, however, that a person has experienced gratification when he falls asleep immediately following the sexual act.
If we re-examine the two phases of the sexual act, we see that the first phase is characterized essentially by the sensory experience of pleasure, while the second phase is characterized by the motor experience of pleasure.
Involuntary bioenergetic convulsion of the organism and the complete resolution of the excitation are the most important characteristics of orgastic potency. The shaded part of the diagram represents the involuntary vegetative relaxation. There are partial resolutions of the excitation which are similar to the orgastic resolution. They have until now been looked upon as the actual release. Clinical experience shows that, as a result of universal sexual suppression, men and women have lost the ability to experience the ultimate surrender to the involuntary. It is precisely this previously unrecognized phase of final excitation and resolution of tension that I have in mind when I speak of “orgastic potency.” It constitutes the primal and basic biological function which man has in common with all living organisms. All experiencing of nature is derived from this function or from the longing for it.
The course of excitation in the woman is exactly the same as that of the man. The orgasm in both sexes is more intense when the peaks of genital excitation coincide. This is very frequently the case among men and women who are capable of concentrating affection and sensuality on one partner who reciprocates this affection and sensuality. It is the rule when the love relationship is disturbed neither by internal nor external factors. In such cases, at least conscious fantasy active ity is completely suspended; the ego absorbs and is fully focused on the sensations of pleasure. The ability to focus the entire affective personality upon the orgastic experience, in spite of any contradictions, is another characteristic of orgastic potency.
It cannot be easily determined whether unconscious fantasy activity is also at rest. Certain factors would indicate that it is. Fantasies which are not allowed to become conscious can only detract from the experience. It is necessary to distinguish two groups of fantasies which could accompany the sexual act, those in harmony with the sexual experience and those at variance with it. If the partner is capable of attracting all sexual interests to herself or himself at least momentarily, then the unconscious fantasies are also superfluous. In terms of their very nature, these fantasies are opposed to the real experience, for one fantasizes only what one cannot have in reality. There is a genuine transference from the primal object to the partner. It is possible for the partner to replace the object of the fantasy because of the identity between their basic characteristics. If, however, the transference of sexual interests takes place solely on the basis of a neurotic desire for the primal object, without the inner ability for genuine transference and in spite of the fact that there is no identity between the partner and the fantasized object, then no illusion can drown out the vague feeling of artificiality in the relationship. In the former instance, coitus is not followed by disappointment. In the latter, disappointment is inevitable, and we can assume that the fantasy activity during the act did not cease: it served, rather, to maintain the illusion. In the former, one loses interest in the original object and, consequently, its fantasy-generating force is also lost. The original object is regenerated by the partner. In a genuine transference, there is no glorification of the sexual partner; characteristics at variance with the primal object are correctly assessed and tolerated. In an artificial transference, the sexual partner is inordinately idealized and the relationship is full of illusions. The negative characteristics are not recognized, and fantasy activity must be continued, otherwise the illusion is lost.
The more intensively the fantasy has to work to make the partner approximate the ideal, the more the sexual pleasure loses in the way of intensity and sex-economic value. It depends entirely upon the nature of the disagreements, that occur in every extended relationship, whether and to what extent they reduce the intensity of the sexual experience. The reduction tends to become a pathological disturbance much sooner when there is a strong fixation on the primal object and an inability to achieve a genuine transference; when, moreover, a great deal of energy is required to overcome those characteristics in the partner which are at variance with the primal object.


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Last Movie You Watched and Rate It (Part XVI)
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03-09-2013, 07:31 PM
Join Date: Jun 2006
Dead Man Down
(2013), directed by Niels Arden Oplev: Two damaged individuals, who each seek revenge but from different people, form an uneasy alliance in this noir-ish suspense movie. Victor (Colin Farreel), a gang member in a tough crime syndicate, and Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), a potential love interest who maybe knows too much about Victor's secrets, are not a perfect match by any means, but as the film progresses each becomes increasingly indispensable to the other. After the rigors and high expectations that come with directing an international best seller such as
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
, Oplev shows more flair in this movie and does a decent job directing
Dead Man Down
's unconvincing script. Though he is stuck with one of those B-movie plots that seem too contrived to be believed and too cumbersome to be engaging, he creates a passably suspenseful film despite the shortcomings of the material. There are occasional hints here and there of the potential that the movie could have had, especially when it focuses on Victor and Beatrice's growing relationship. But then the plot goes bump at just the wrong times. Among the actors, Rapace fares well but Farrell has to rely on his eyes to communicate his feelings because the script doesn't provide him the necessary good dialog with which to create a character. A talented cast that includes Dominic Cooper, Terence Howard, Isabelle Huppert, Armand Assante, and F. Murray Abraham collectively give it a good college try, but most of them have little to do, as well. If this were a university essay, I'd probably give it a "D." It's not an absolute disaster thanks to Oplev's sporadically stylish direction, but it just isn't a very good movie.
The next day
: I've already revised the above review once, and I'm not going to do it again. But it nags at me. The movie has a little something, which I wasn't able to express yesterday. There is indeed a substantial amount wrong with the movie, but it gets a lot of little things right. The relationship has a degree of poignancy that is unexpected, and every now and then there are glimmers of interesting ideas about the nature of revenge. Nothing to equal Park Chan-Wook's best work on vengeance, but interesting glimmers nonetheless. Usually when a movie gets most of the big things wrong, the little touches don't amount to much. I'm not absolutely sure, but this movie might be an exception to that general rule. Or maybe Rapace, Farrell, Cooper, et al, just managed with their skill as actors to create the illusion of more depth in their characters than the script deserved. Either way, it's a movie that I wish had gotten one more decent revision that played down conventional plot devices and played up character development and theme. Think I'll move that grade up to a "C."
Last edited by kihei: 03-11-2013 at
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domain: artistic


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The Apple App Store is closing for 5 days during the Holiday Season, while this period is actually the busiest in terms of app downloads! We highly encourage you to update your App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy before Christmas in order to benefit from this spike. Discover our latest observations based on download data collected for over 2 years! 2017, busy year for the App Stores! Christmas time and the Holiday season are around the …
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domain: geography


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Seismic Response Modeling for Missouri River Highway Bridges
Three highway bridges spanning the Missouri River flood plain were selected for evaluation of seismic site response for moderate size earthquakes emanating from the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the Midwestern United States. The NMSZ is known to be capable spawning earthquakes larger than magnitude (M) 7.0, four of which occurred in a three-month period between 1811 and 1812, and the Mw 6.0 earthquake of October 1895 centered near Charleston, Missouri. This study evaluated the likely impacts of long period motion of these historic earthquakes on three long-span highway bridges using geotechnical data obtained from recent investigations. Our results suggest site amplification between 6times and 9times, depending on the magnitude and epicentral distance. We believe that threshold magnitude for serious foundation failure and damage to these bridges is between Mw 6.5 and 6.6. Above these magnitudes widespread liquefaction is predicted, which would effect the peak horizontal acceleration and spectral accelerations, causing the ground motions to be different than predicted. Increase in amplification of the response spectra also should be expected where the periods are higher than 1.0 sec. Therefore, Mw 6.5+ earthquakes at ranges 210-260 km could be expected to engender resonant frequency problems for multiple span bridges and tall buildings (10 to 25 stories) in channel corridors containing 20 to 46 m of unconsolidated sediment.
J. D. Rogers et al., "Seismic Response Modeling for Missouri River Highway Bridges," Journal of Earthquake Engineering, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 400-424, Taylor & Francis, May 2007.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/13632460601031748
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Amplification; Liquefaction; Long Period Motion; New Madrid Seismic Zone; Response Spectra; Seismic Site Response; St. Louis Bridges; Acceleration; Earthquakes; Natural frequencies; Problem solving; Rivers; Highway bridges
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Article - Journal
© 2007 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.
01 May 2007


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An investigation of farm or dairy buttermaking : dissertation
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Butter is one of the oldest articles of diet which is being manufactured today. Hayward, in collecting data concerning the history of butter, found it mentioned in the Vedas - written 2,000 to 1,400 B. C. Its importance at that time is uncertain but reports show that later its manufacture was practiced in countries which today have but few dairy interests. It has been used during the past for various purposes but probably never reached the importance commercially that it has at present. In addition to being a food, it was formerly used as an object for sacrifice in worship, a remedy for injuries to the skin, a hair dressing, an ointment for the body, an oil for lamps, and as an indication of wealth. It was not, however, until recent years that dairy farming and manufacture of butter took the important place that it now holds in agricultural science and practice. It was not until the establishment of agricultural schools and colleges that an effort was made to improve methods and product. The effort is now being made in all dairy sections and is due largely to the advance of agricultural science and the dissemination of knowledge through colleges, agricultural newspapers, bulletins and circulars. The present demand for butter as a food is such that it has proven profitable to increase the study of conditions affecting its quality and to improve methods in order that a better and more uniform product may be offered to the market and consumer. The demands of that market and its resulting classification of butter will enable a better understanding of the importance and position of dairy or farm butter on the American markets. The demands of the leading butter markets of the United States vary but little and are largely determined by the requirements as stated by the New York Merchantile Exchange.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License.

domain: food


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On June 18, 2018, "The Mike & Micky Show" stopped at Sony Center for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario. Check out excellent footage from this concert below that recently appeared on YouTube, and thank you to Tom B. for alerting the Live Almanac about these videos!
Micky Dolenz will hit the road this April for a special series of shows designed to pay tribute to his longtime bandmates Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. "Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees" opens on April 5, 2022 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee and will close in Madison, Wisconsin on April 16 at Overture Center for the Arts.
Joining Micky onstage will be the members of "The Mike & Micky Show" band: Wayne Avers, Emeen Zarookian, Gemma Dolenz, Rich Dart, Alex Jules, John Billings, and Pete Finney.
"We will be fully delving into The Monkees' songbook, as well as Micky's personal archive of films and photos to create a unique evening of memories," said manager Andrew Sandoval earlier today on social media. "It will give Micky and the band an opportunity to share the music he made alongside Davy, Peter, and Michael and reminisce on their journey as brothers for five decades. We have also been talking about Micky singing some songs he's never done on stage before, as well as pulling out older Monkees album tracks that have not been performed in many years. It is unclear if we will be doing anything beyond these nine shows in this format, but we are truly looking forward to being together again to celebrate the Monkees in song."
Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 11 but presales will begin on Tuesday, February 9 with the presale code CELEBRATE for all shows. Check out the official press release with tour dates below, as well as the most up-to-date press coverage regarding the announcement of the tour.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Micky Dolenz of The Monkees will embark on a special series of concert dates in April 2022. Honoring the contributions of his bandmates – the late Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith & Peter Tork – in song and with personal multimedia footage of the legendary performers, Dolenz will celebrate their lasting legacy on record and film. Launching on April 5 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, the tour will end on April 16 at Madison’s Overture Center For The Arts.
April 5: Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
April 6: Richmond, KY @ EKU Center For The Arts
April 8: Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center
April 9: Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center
April 11: Wheeling, WV @ The Capitol Theatre
April 12: Akron, OH @ Goodyear Theater
April 13: Joliet, IL @ Rialto Square Theatre
April 15: Riverside, IA @ Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
April 16: Madison, WI @ Overture Center For The Arts
Rock Cellar: Micky Dolenz to Pay Tribute to Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork with ‘Micky Dolenz Celebrates the Monkees’ Tour in April
People.com: Micky Dolenz to Celebrate Late Monkees Bandmates with New Tribute Tour: 'Like My Brothers'
Fox News: Micky Dolenz, last surviving Monkees member, to embark on tribute tour: ‘Like my brothers’
UPDATE 4/1/2022: Andrew Sandoval discussed the upcoming tour and more in a post on Facebook today:
Micky Dolenz Live
Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart returns


Death Penalty Abolished
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut's governor has signed a new law that abolishes the state's death penalty for future crimes.
A spokeswoman says Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed the bill Wednesday afternoon at a private ceremony with lawmakers, clergy and family members of victims.
Malloy issued a statement calling it "an historic moment" as Connecticut joins 16 other states that have abolished capital punishment.
He said it was a moment "for sober reflection, not celebration."
The law replaced the death penalty with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. It does not affect the sentences of the 11 inmates already on Connecticut's death row.
A former prosecutor, Malloy said his position on the death penalty has evolved over the years.
- Death Penalty Could Be Abolished
- Grandmother Could Face Death Penalty
- Justice John Paul Stevens Views on Death Penalty
- SCOTUS: Florida's death penalty unconstitutional
- Death Penalty Trial Begins
- Florida House Panel Votes To Keep Death Penalty
- Jury Recommends Death Penalty for Michael Bargo
- Anti-Death Penalty Supporters Remember Executed Man
- Death Penalty Opponents Gather To Protest Latest Execution
- State Seeking Death Penalty


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Halloween Treats You Can Make at Home
By Trina Bernal
Halloween heralds the unofficial holiday spirit where creative treat-makers rally to create delicious and sweet treats you can enjoy at festivals, parties, and whatnot. But you don’t have to be a pro to prepare these easy-to-make bites!
For Reese’s Witch Brooms, you will need fun-sized Reese’s peanut butter cups (if allergic to peanuts use chocolate-covered marshmallows; melt chocolate in microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, dip marshmallows with toothpicks in chocolate mixture, and set on waxed paper and freeze) and pretzel sticks. Turn the peanut butter cups upside down and stab them with pretzel sticks (make sure they stand on their own).
For Halloween Ghosties, you will need 1 (12oz) package white chocolate chips, 24 peanut-shaped peanut butter sandwich cookies and 48 miniature chocolate chips. This takes 40 minutes prep, ready in 1 hour. Put chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl to heat on low in microwave for 1 minute and stir. Reduce time to 30 seconds, and keep heating on low as much as needed, until white chocolate chips are warm and smooth. Take 2 forks to dip cookies into white chocolate. Set cookies on waxed paper-covered sheets. Put 2 miniature chocolate chips on each cookie for eyes. Place cookies aside until coating has hardened, about twenty minutes.
And for Witches’ Hats, you will need 2 (16oz) packages fudge-striped cookies, ¼ cup honey, 1 (9oz) bag milk chocolate candy kisses (unwrapped) and 1 (4.5oz) tube decorating gel. This takes 1 hour prep and will be ready in 1 hour. Put a fudge-striped cookie with bottom side up on a work surface. Spread (⅛ teaspoon) honey on the base of the chocolate kiss, covering center-hole of the cookie. Use decorating gel to adorn a small bow at the place connecting the chocolate with the cookie. Repeat with remaining ingredients.


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via Cooking Light
I love this time of year for so many reasons. It is so easy to become inspired by all the wonderful fresh and local produce available to us. We went peach-picking last weekend, so you'll notice that peaches appear pretty prominently in the menu. (Without showcasing a dessert - I will probably get around to making a peach cobbler at some point.) Every meal is centered around items purchased at the farmer's market - even the fish and goat cheese. Take a look and get inspired - I loved every single one of these meals!
Haddock with Peach Salsa, Brown Rice Pilaf, Tomatoes
*I loved this, and the big boy cleaned his plate (except the rice, which is fine). Kevin thought the mint was a bit overpowering, so perhaps go light on the mint or leave it out altogether.
Summer Squash and Corn Chowder, Tomato Bruschetta
*Tomato Bruschetta (from Cooking Light) - Toast thin baguette slices; Rub toasts with cut sides of a halved garlic clove; Combine 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato, 2 tsps chopped fresh basil, 1 1/2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, and a little salt; Top toasts evenly with tomato mixture
*It may seem a little strange to have chowder in July, but this is really good. A great way to use up the bounty of summer squash from the farmer's market or your own garden. Replace bacon grease with olive oil to make vegetarian.
Arugula Salad with Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Fruit
*I put this together, and it just might be the perfect summer dinner! Fresh arugula topped with chopped grilled chicken, goat cheese, a little olive oil/balsamic vinegar, a dash of salt/pepper, and whatever fruit you have on hand. I used peaches, blueberries, and apple. Perfect with a glass of sauvignon blanc. Also would be easy to make vegetarian - replace chicken with your favorite nuts and serve with bread.
Pepper Jack, Chicken and Peach Quesadillas, Black Beans, Salad
*Kevin wasn't on board with having peaches in his quesadillas, so I left them out of his, but the big boy and I really enjoyed these.


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The download button opens the iTunes App Store, where you
may continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed with an
active iTunes account in order to download and install the software. This
download may not be available in some countries.
The most awesome CHRISTMAS CAROLS packed into ONE game! HOW MANY OF THEM DO YOU KNOW? Have a look at the Christmas Carol and Fill in the Blank.This game will take you on a holiday journey to see and sing the most famous Christmas Carols!FAMILY GAMECan you recognize these Christmas Carols? Play with your family and friends! Test your knowledge!PLAY SOME, LEARN SOME! Dont miss out on knowing the most amazing Christmas Carols in the world. The game is packed with endless entertainment. If you get stuck, you can always post the image on Facebook or Twitter for help.

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Will be Mail Buy Spouse Illegal?
Mail purchase brides are typically in existence in the usa since the 1800’s, and there are presently thousands of foreigners married to swedish mailorder brides American women. Nevertheless , it is important to make note of that the regulations in the US tend not to ban email order brides to be from joining the country. In Canada, mail buy bride companies are legal and can support Canadian males find international brides to marry. These girls must be financed by a Canadian citizen in order to enter the region. During this method, they must meet income requirements and also must be willing to get married to and have children in Canada.
Inspite of the countless harmful press encompassing the practice, many persons find take pleasure in and a wife coming from overseas. Whilst marrying another woman is still considered illegitimate in the United States, you will still find a number of rewards to the practice. One of the major advantages is that the woman you’ve picked will most likely currently have a clean criminal record, which can make buying a green card less difficult for her.
In Canada, mail order brides must undertake health and arrest checks just before becoming by law married. They have to also be aware about the migration laws with their new nation. If they don’t, they risk getting rid of their migration status. You’ll want to know that the Foreign Marriage Broker Legislation Act aims to provide accurate information on migration laws.
Another important factor is usually to ensure that the brides you marry are definitely not abused or perhaps are generally not part of a dysfunctional relatives. This way, mail order brides can be certain that they are not being abused. The International Marital life Broker Rules Act (IMBRA) requires matrimony brokers to try background checks, and these determines don’t take long. The Violence Against Women Respond also helps to protect victims of domestic violence.
There isn’t a legislations against email order brides to be in the United States, nevertheless there are faith based restrictions that could prohibit the procedure. In Israel, for instance, Jews are encouraged to get married to local girls of the same faith, while Muslims restrict men from getting married to anyone yet additional members of the identical faith. During these countries, snail mail order wedding brides aren’t against the law, but it may be challenging to locate a suitable better half.
The Israel has a legislation against all mail order wedding brides. Republic Operate 6955 forbids mixed marriages between ladies from the Korea and foreign men. Filipino email order birdes-to-be are allowed to marry American men if the ceremony takes place outside of the Philippines. There is no laws that prohibits a Filipino guy from marrying a foreign woman.
While snail mail order brides were once outlawed, they are now a completely fledged industry in the usa. It is important to research the specialist before you commit to a mail purchase marriage. Make perfectly sure that the hosting company is respected and not a scam. If there is a good reputation, it could be a fantastic option for locating a life partner without leaving your home state.

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April 19th, 2023
Rooms available for the coronation of King Charles
The coronation of King Charles is fast approaching! (May 6, 2023!) The new monarchs are planning for a smaller scale celebration than the one for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The city is abuzz with festivities for the big day, and luckily for royal fans this side of the pond, there are still accommodations to be had!
The Bloomsbury, The Marylebone, and The Kensington – the three London hotels from the family-owned Doyle Collection – all have rooms available. To celebrate the coronation, all three have created a series of cocktails inspired by the two things about which King Charles is most passionate: Sustainability and the ‘Best of British’ produce. The Bloomsbury, The Marylebone, and The Kensington have each created one zero-waste cocktail using British spirits and sustainably sourced produce, channeling the English countryside. Think herbaceous Cornish gin, juicy British strawberries and fragrant local Elderflower…
What else is happening at these hotels?
The Great Garden Escape with The Newt and RHS Chelsea Flower Show – available May 26 or 27
- Guests booking this package can enjoy the gardens of the famous RHS Chelsea Flower along with access to The Newt’s invite-only hospitality suite, complete with live music and food, along with cider and wine tasting throughout the day.
- This two-day experience includes a day at The Newt’s Great Garden Escape and a day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Starting with a First-Class train from London with a freshly baked breakfast onboard, followed by exploring picturesque gardens and ancient woodland, delicious food sourced on property and freshly pressed cider, followed by afternoon tea on the train back to London.
- Full English Breakfast
- 2 tickets to The Newt’s Great Garden Escape on 26th or 27th May
- 2 tickets to RHS Chelsea Flower Show and exclusive access to The Newt’s Hospitality suite on May 26th or 27th
A Night at The Donmar
- The Bloomsbury has teamed up with local theater, The Donmar Warehouse. The package starts with a three-course dinner with champagne and then two tickets to the latest show at The Donmar Warehouse in the heart of Seven Dials. Click here to view the latest shows.
- Accommodation for 2 people in a suite
- A la carte breakfast each morning
- 3 course dinner and glass of Champagne
- Two tickets to the latest show at The Donmar Warehouse
The Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto Exhibition Experience
- This fall, the Victoria and Albert Museum is hosting the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of CHANEL and the evolution of her iconic design style which continues to influence the way women dress today.
Guests who book this package at The Kensington will get:
- Full English Breakfast
- 2 untimed tickets to the Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition
- Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto Coffee Table book for suite bookings
March 20th, 2023
White Elephant has been an integral part of Nantucket’s history since the 1920s. Built as a series of rustic cottages, the harborfront landmark has evolved into the island’s most timeless resort, with a collection of chic accommodations showcasing the very best of the beloved destination. On May 5, 2023, in time with the White Elephant’s 100th anniversary, the resort will debut yet another metamorphosis, with a multi-million dollar restoration and renovation of its 54-room and -suite Harborside Hotel and 11 Cottages.
Elizabeth Lowrey, Principal at Elkus Manfredi Architects, the design firm who brought us the multi-award-winning White Elephant Palm Beach, has conceived of a bright, airy, residential-inspired refresh, drawing on the essence of Nantucket—its history, the quality of light, its natural landscapes, the colors, textures, and artistic legacy—to breathe new life into these historic accommodations. All materials and finishes will be replaced, from the carpets to the fixtures and the furnishings, with an emphasis on design details that are authentic to place and exude effortless sophistication. The patterns of the textiles will draw on the island’s rich history of basket weaving; exterior shiplights evoke Nantucket’s deep seafaring traditions; and a color palette of Labrador blues and seafoam greens are inspired by the coastal surroundings. The brand’s deep heritage will be woven throughout, with brass elephant knockers on doors, elephant door and drawer pulls, and elephant needlepoint pillows in rooms.
Ranging from 375- to 450-square-feet of living space, guestrooms will be awash in a coastal color palette, with rattan textiles, white oak desks, scalloped lampshades and headboards, and grass cloth wall coverings that evoke the island’s dune grasses. Of the 66 accommodations, 25 of the rooms and 25 of the suites provide direct access to the harborside lawn and the coastal surroundings.
Like the distinct patterns that make up an exquisite quilt, the 11 cottages—which span 400 to 900 square feet—will all be individually decorated and styled after plants indigenous to Nantucket: Bayberry, Hydrangea, Daylily, Beachplum, Honeysuckle, Holly, Arrowwood, Marigold, Rosa Rugosa, and Snapdragon. Each cottage will take a plant as inspiration, with color palettes and artworks that evoke the flora—tones of buttery yellow for the Honeysuckle room, pale lavender for Beachplum, and pale pink for Rose. The two-bedroom cottages feature decks with coastal views, while the one- and three-bedroom cottages are set in a newly landscaped verdant garden area complete with pathways that crisscross the central lawn.
The White Elephant will also debut a redesigned lobby, drawing in local elements like a basket weave carpet design that nods to the surroundings. The lobby has been reimagined with an expanded retail space and more approachable concierge and reception areas. A centerpiece of the new lobby is a large-scale commissioned artwork by Israeli painter Orit Fuchs (who created an acrylic artwork for sister property White Elephant Palm Beach), depicting a harborside scene of a woman (dressed in Nantucket reds) in a rowboat, floating by the White Elephant.
New original art will be installed throughout the rooms and corridors, resulting from the brand’s all-new Artist in Residency Program, launched in August 2022. New York based art consultant and curator Emily Santangeloworked closely with White Elephant’s owners, the Karp family, to create a residency made up of acclaimed artists from around the world. The artists spent two weeks exploring the island to gather inspiration for their works, venturing to some parts of the island only accessible by boat.
Among the featured artists include painter Mary Chandler, who created watercolors of the indigenous Nantucket flora for which the cottages are named; installation photographer Thomas Jackson, who shot a series of colorful beachside photographs, the Maine-based landscape painter Greta van Campen, known for her contemporary hard-edged landscape scenes; Swedish artist Clara Hallencreutz and painter Renée Levin, who is best known for her depictions of coastal and natural objects.
Seasonal nightly rates start at $375 for a guestroom, $675 for a suite, $775 for a one-bedroom cottage, and $1,275 for two- and three-bedroom cottages.
For more information, visit https://www.whiteelephantresorts.com or call 1.800.475.2637.
About White Elephant Resorts
White Elephant Resorts is a collection of premier hotels and resorts on Nantucket, MA and in Palm Beach, FL that specialize in bringing their award-winning combination of service, design, and amenities to today’s discerning traveler. Properties include The Wauwinet, with access to both bay and ocean beaches and home to award-winning TOPPER’S restaurant; White Elephant, the iconic hotel located right on Nantucket Harbor with the Brant Point Grill; Jared Coffin House, a historic hotel in Nantucket Town and its restaurant, Tap Room; The Cottages at Nantucket Boat Basin, private waterfront cottages; and Nantucket Boat Basin, a 240-slip full-service award-winning marina. White Elephant Palm Beach debuted in November 2020 in Palm Beach, FL with Nantucket-favorite LoLa 41 restaurant. The Wauwinet was ranked in Travel + Leisure’s T+L 500 awards. In 2021, The Wauwinet was recognized by Travel + Leisure’s World Best Awards and both White Elephant and The Wauwinet were recipients of Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. TOPPER’s is AAA’s only “Five Diamond” restaurant on Nantucket and has been a recipient of Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award” for 25 consecutive years. Following its debut, White Elephant Palm Beach has also been recognized as the #1 Resort in Florida in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 World’s Best Awards.
March 20th, 2023
From commemorative teas and Royal Warrant shopping guides to zero-waste cocktails
and princess experiences, here are seven hotels getting in on the excitement.
The Beaumont in Mayfair, which will see an extension by Thierry Despont later this year, will offer an in-room “coronation pack” for guests overnighting on Friday, May 5. The contents will include a map of the big day’s events, Union Jack flags, a Union Jack hat, and a commemorative mug. In addition, the afternoon tea for the entire month of May will give a nod to the extraordinary precious and semi-precious stones found in the Crown Jewels with gemstone-hued pastries (think rich ruby red and grassy green of emeralds) that are flavored with the scents of English spring gardens (such as red currants, rose, and elderflower).
L’oscar is housed within a Baroque-style, Grade-II listed former church in Bloomsbury. Taking inspiration from Oscar Wilde, Jacques Garcia (a Michel Reybier favorite who designed La Réserve in Paris and Geneva and is currently working with the brand’s property in Ramatuelle) restored the interiors with sumptuous fabrics and jewel tones while retaining some of the original touches, including two fireplaces with royal Doulton terracotta panels. This is the place for those who would like to be near the theater and shop like a royal. The property under the Michel Reybier Hospitality group (hotels in Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Zermatt, Interlaken) will provide a map of Royal Warrant Holders nearby.
To celebrate the coronation of King Charles, The Doyle Collection’s London properties will create a series of cocktails inspired by the two things about which he is most passionate: Sustainability and the ‘Best of British’ produce. The Bloomsbury, The Marylebone, and The Kensington will each create one zero-waste cocktail using British spirits and sustainably sourced produce, channeling the English countryside. Think herbaceous Cornish gin, juicy British strawberries and fragrant local Elderflower…
In nearby Ireland, Dromoland Castle lets its youngest guests celebrate their owncoronation with their Princess Package. This entails a day of lessons in deportment, song, and traditional dance, a trip to the spa for hair and nails, and culminates with a coronation in the great Kincora Hall with a crown and certificate (and of course a royal afternoon tea!).
The Fife Arms in Braemar, in the heart of Royal Deeside, is the perfect location to mark the historic event. Royal Deeside has a rich and longstanding connection with the Royal family, stemming from the 1850s when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert built Balmoral Castle as a family home, just nine miles from the property. Over the coronation weekend, guests will enjoy a special Afternoon Tea including classic Victoria sponge and coronation chicken, picnic at the Highland Games Centre, as well as a Royal whisky tasting in Bertie’s Whisky Bar, featuring a flight of King Charles’ favorite drams.
March 20th, 2023
After many years of working with Park Hyatt Tokyo, we are thrilled to now be working with Park Hyatt Niseko and Park Hyatt Kyoto! Japan has had a bit of a spotlight on it this year since reopening post-Covid. Cherry blossom season is nearly here! This year, visitors can celebrate the fragrant blooms by booking a flower-filled escape to Japan. As part of the festivities, the Park Hyatt hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Niseko are rolling out unique events and menus inspired by the season—from picnic baskets and art installations to zipline experiences!
Park Hyatt Tokyo was put on the map by Sofia Coppola’s Lost In Translation, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in September!
Dining updates for spring:
- To appreciate the Cherry Blossoms up close, guests can take a lunch box to go. The Sakura edition features pink-colored goodies like smoked salmon sushi and hazelnut financiers topped with Sakura green tea cream, while late spring treats include matcha-bread sandwiches and mini quiches prepared with green asparagus and smoked bacon.
- The Girandole restaurant is launching a menu by chef Thibault Chaumont in collaboration with chef Kojiro Tsutsumi. Dishes will marry French techniques and seasonal Japanese ingredients, including spring clam and a colorful array of fresh vegetables. From Friday, March 24 to Wednesday, April 26.
- KOZUE restaurant (known for its traditional Japanese fare) will also offer a special seasonal dinner, starring the prized Kano-gani crab, which is only available during winter and early spring. Tables are available for two weeks only, with limited servings per day; From Monday, March 6 to Sunday, March 19.
- The New York Grill’s “Spring Harvest” will focus on the award-winning Hakata Wagyu beef—the winner of the most recent Wagyu competition in Japan. From Tuesday, March 21 to Friday, June 9.
Located close to the Kodai-ji Temple and boasting panoramic views of the multi-tiered Yasaka Pagoda and the city’s tiled roof skyline, Park Hyatt Kyoto is a magical escape no matter the time of year. But spring and summer are especially popular times to visit. Hotel guests enjoy VIP tickets to the annual Aoi Matsuri festival (May 15), where hundreds of participants don traditional clothing from the Heian period as two processions make their way to the Kamo Shrines. Guests also have preferred seating at the Gion Matsuri—Kyoto’s biggest annual festival—which takes over multiple days in July and features traditional float parades and the “Yoi-yama” street party events.
On property, guests can enjoy Japanese tea pairing at the exquisitely renovated Kyoyamato, a traditional Japanese restaurant run by a seventh-generation Kyoto family, complete with a Soyotei teahouse from the Edo era. For wellness, guests may opt to go on a guided tour of the grounds led by a Shinto priest, or enjoy a seated Zazen meditation at nearby temples that are off-limits to the general public.
It may be a favorite wintertime destination (and is known for its excellent skiing), but come spring, the Park Hyatt Niseko entices guests with plenty of seasonal happenings. For the second year, the resort will activate the art installation “Mountain Lights” by acclaimed artist Bruce Munro. A spectacle of 180,000 shimmering fiber-optic plumes of light, the installation blankets the foot of Niseko Annupuri Mountain — visible from all 100 guestrooms.
The Hanazono Zip World—East Asia’s longest zipline—will also reopen for the season. Stretching 1.6 miles from the base of the resort halfway to the peak of the Niseko United ski mountain, the zipline allows guests to soar over the forested mountains at speeds exceeding 110 kilometers per hour on the Black Diamond Superfly.
Back at the hotel, guests may consider retreating to the award-winning spa to relax in the 80-foot heated indoor pool and hot spring onsen baths.
November 30th, 2020
What’s Happening in Napa Valley
While it’s no secret that Napa Valley has faced some challenges this year, the region is open to visitors and the spirit is stronger than ever. The Glass Fire that broke out in September is now 100 percent contained and most of Napa County’s 45,000 acres of vine were not impacted. For those wondering how to help, the best way to support the community and its members is to visit. And the timing couldn’t be better. As harvest closes out this month, travelers will be welcomed with the start of Cabernet Season – the best time to visit for those in the know. From November through April, summer heat is replaced with perfectly mild temperatures – think warm days, cool nights, and blue skies. The pace slows down and foliage is at eye level as the vines become dormant along Silverado Trail. (Leaf peeping is not just on the east coast!) Brilliant yellow wild mustard flowers are scattered through the vineyards and along country lanes. During this time of year, visitors can more easily nab reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants. Greater access to wineries is another bonus with more opportunities to meet winemakers and receive impromptu glimpses behind the scenes.
What’s New in Wine (and Spirit) Tastings
These tastings are shaking up the scene in Napa Valley, with freshly designed spaces and new experiences with an emphasis on privacy. Napa Valley Distillery, the first distillery to open its doors in the city of Napa since prohibition, opened a new speakeasy tasting salon dubbed the ”Hollywood Room” with cocktails crafted from spirits made just a few feet away. The art deco-designed space is punctuated with tiki bar-like decor. Animal lovers will gravitate towards Oasis by Hoopes, where wines are accompanied by an animal sanctuary and regenerative farm. The outdoor space, which opened in October 2020, is dotted with airstreams, lounge areas made with recycled materials, a farm stand (with produce for purchase), as well as rescued chickens, pigs, and goats. Faust’s new tasting room, housed in a Victorian home originally built in 1878, opened in September 2020 following a four-year renovation. Known for their Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from organically farmed estates, the new space still features the original cellar from pre-prohibition era. And for travelers prioritizing privacy, Charles Krug, the oldest wine estate in Napa, opened five new private WIFI-enabled outdoor tasting cabanas on the winery’s picnic grounds and Trefethen is now offering a nightly after-hours experience permitting only one booking per evening – meaning guests have the whole estate to themselves. Space to watch: Yountville’s Baldacci Family Vineyards will open a new hospitality center in March 2021, featuring new private tasting rooms, a wine bar, and an outdoor patio overlooking wine country vistas.
Neighborhoods to Watch
Calistoga, the northern most town in Napa Valley – famed as a wine-meets-spa destination thanks to its geothermal waters – is in the limelight thanks to a crop of new hotels and multi-million-dollar resort renovations. Four Seasons Resort & Residences will open this winter with 85-rooms and an on-site vineyard and tasting room – a rarity in Napa Valley. As a nod to Calistoga’s wellness roots, the property will offer an eight-room spa with steam pods in which hammocks will be suspended above geo-thermal pools for guests to absorb the heated vapor. Coming soon, Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, originally built in 1952, will unveil a large-scale renovation. Considered one of the first resorts in Calistoga and known for its mud bath treatments, the property’s new look will include a Southwestern-inspired restaurant, House of Better. This December, Solage, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, will unveil a $30 million-dollar renovation overseen by architect Howard Backen – considered the creator of “Napa Valley Style” – and Los Angeles-based interior design agency Studio Collective. In addition to 11 new accommodations, Solbar - their signature restaurant – will double the size of the patio for outdoor dining and the new PicoBar, with light bites and cocktails, will sit next to an enlarged pool deck with contemporary loungers and cabanas.
Spanning three buzzy blocks in the heart of Downtown Napa, First Street Napa is an ever-growing hub for shopping, dining, and tasting. Known for its locally owned boutiques and independent restaurants and wineries, the district has recently welcomed a surge of new shops like C’est La Paire for chic boots and handbags; The Bennington Napa Valley for vintage finds; and Copperfield’s Books, a mainstay store returning to First Street. The first standalone tasting room dedicated solely to luxury California brandies, California Brandy House, will open on First Street on November 6, 2020 for outdoor tastings. The new concept will debut with two leading brandy portfolios, Germain-Robin and Argonaut. Visitors will be guided through tasting flights, including single-barrel samples that are only available at the tasting space. For those looking for something on the fizzier side, the first and only dedicated Champagne & sparkling wine lounge in Napa Valley, Be Bubbly, has just opened its doors. Over in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market (a 40,000-square-foot marketplace with an expansive outdoor deck along the Napa River), Bar Lucia opened this summer from owner behind Kara’s Cupcakes. Highlights of the bar include rosé and sparkling wines paired with seasonal bites. Founder Kara Haspel Lind named the bar after her great grandmother and her daughter, honoring the traditions passed down through five generations of women in her family. For those visitors who are overwhelmed with options across the region, a brand-new Napa Valley Welcome Center will open on November 12 as a resource for itinerary-planning. New technology will provide visitors insider tips in a no-touch manner, and a 16-foot video wall will offer a taste of Napa Valley travel inspiration to pedestrians along First Street through floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
Looking Ahead to 2021
Black History Month – February 2021
In honor of Black History Month in February, travelers to Napa Valley can explore the roots of BIPOC pioneers in the winemaking business and support local initiatives throughout the region. Leaders in the industry include Brown Estate Vineyards, which was the first Black-owned estate winery in Napa and is now best known as one of Napa Valley’s most well-regarded zinfandel producers. Neighboring Okapi Wines is a micro-boutique winery that produces just a few barrels of wine each year. Founder Dan Johnson limits its production to 300 cases per year to maintain sustainable farming practices. Carneros Resort and Spa is offering a Diversity in Wine Flight featuring four wines by vintners and winemakers of color. The tasting flight is available at two of their onsite restaurants with 10% of proceeds being donated to UNCF. To support diversity in the wine industry, Napa Valley Vintners, a nonprofit association representing more than 500 wineries in the region, has partnered with UNCF to create a new scholarship program for people of color to pursue college degrees in subjects including grape growing and winemaking, with $1 million already invested into the program.
Women Winemakers are changing the way we drink wine (and beer!)
The month of March is all about celebrating women with International Women’s Day on March 8, 2021. As one of the top viticultural regions, Napa Valley is known for its sprawling vineyards, historic wineries and towns that dot the countryside. It is also home to many women who have made names for themselves throughout the area. To name a few, Elaine St. Clair is the only woman in the U.S. to hold the commercial title of both winemaker and brewer. Kathryn Walt Hall is the force behind HALL Wines and WALT Wines in St. Helena and has been in the Napa wine industry for almost five decades, having also worked as an attorney, community activist, and as the United States Ambassador to Austria. During her 40-year tenure in Napa Valley winemaking, Heidi Barrett, who known as “The First Lady of Wine” is behind California’s most notable cult wines, including Screaming Eagle, which has a starting price of $700 a bottle. Today she’s co-founder of her own label, Barrett & Barrett, where she continues to produce some of the top Cabernet Sauvignons.
February 19th, 2013
We are proud to announce andBeyond as our newest client. andBeyond is a leader in luxury experiential travel and a conservation pioneer offering well-heeled travelers diversity, escape, and natural heritage.
New & Noteworthy
- In the first private game reserve donation of rhinoceros to another country, andBeyond is translocating six white rhinoceros from andBeyond South Africa to Botswana. South Africa lost 668 to illegal poaching last year; Botswana offers excellent security systems to protect the endangered species.
- andBeyond is currently offering honeymoon travelers a 50 percent discount on the bride’s travel across all &Beyond lodges. Highlighted locations include: andBeyond Mnemba Island where guests can swim with dolphins and watch green turtles hatch before they swim off to sea; and andBeyond Kichwa Tembo, located in one of the richest and most diverse wildlife areas in the world.
- The Homestead at andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal is now offering Yoga Safaris. Other speciality safaris include family, photography, birding, and wildlife tracking. (more…)
October 9th, 2012
When the Who’s Who on St. Barth wants the latest dish on where to go and what to see – Ashley Lacour is the man with the answers. And, when first-time visitors need advice on how to navigate the island, Ashley is the man they trust. He is part of the long tradition of in-the-know hospitality that is Sibarth, a luxury villa rental agency on St. Barth.
A St. Barth native and the son of founders Brook and Roger Lacour, Ashley has been named Managing Director of Sibarth.
In his new post, Ashley will oversee all Sibarth operations, including launching a new loyalty program for its clientele as well as creating a comprehensive island guide available to Sibarth guests that explores celebrated landmarks and uncovers every hidden gem. These services are in addition to the already expansive customer-focused offerings, including: an experienced, resident concierge team; the only on-site, full-time airport kiosk and arrivals specialists; and 24-hour response team.
Ashley brings insider knowledge of St. Barth that can only come from those who call the island home, not a business venture. “When our family business was established in 1975, my parents believed that villa rentals were the best way to preserve the charm and intimacy of the island, giving guests a genuine St. Barth experience and discouraging the development of large, impersonal hotels. I am proud to be a part of something so influential and so special in preserving this culture,” says Lacour.
While imitators have attempted to capitalize on the Lacour legacy and success, Sibarth continues as the heirloom brand. With Ashley Lacour now at the helm and a team of more than two dozen employees who live on the island and know it as their home, Sibarth ensures exceptional service and a personal touch.
“The mission of Sibarth has always been to offer our guests experience the real, authentic St. Barth. I am steadfast in my commitment to uphold our high standards of hospitality and continually exceed the expectations of our clientele,” says Ashley.
Favorite Sports: As a young child, Ashley learned to windsurf on the turquoise waters of St. Barth and remains passionate about the sport.
Favorite Hiking Trail: A very secluded trail to St. Barth’s natural pools accessibly lies at the west end of the beach at Grand Fond.
Favorite Job: Ashley was once the St. Barth island postman.
Favorite Practice: Having studied Holistic Healing, Ashley manages Sibarth from a place of balance and harmony.
Favorite Croissant: Locals are loyal to Petite Colombe in Lorient; best to arrive in the early morning.
Ashley continues to live on St. Barth with his partner in life and business, Kristina Popova, Sibarth Marketing Director.
More on Sibarth…
The Sibarth brand stands behind the quality of more than 150 exquisite St. Barth villas – ranging from charming one-bedroom hideaways to luxurious eight-bedroom estates. Villas are available island-wide, from the mountain tops of Lurin and Vitet to the streets above Gustavia to the beaches of St. Jean and Flamands.
September 28th, 2012
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year, not only in Santa Fe but everywhere! The clear blue fall skies make the perfect backdrop and make every color seem more dramatic, from the burning gold of changing leaves to the flowering autumn perennials and the bright orange of falls favorite vegetable, the pumpkin. Every scene is breathtakingly beautiful, making it a photographer’s favorite season.
To celebrate its favorite season, the Inn on the Alameda is inviting photographers of all kinds to enter their autumn glories in its Facebook Photo Contest, where one evocative image will win its creator a two-night stay in a Deluxe King Room with a fireplace at the Inn! Simply post one colorful autumn picture on the Autumn Photo Contest tab, which will be activated and live on the Inn’s Facebook page beginning on Friday, October 5th. The contest runs for only 10 days, so be sure to get that photo up by end of day on October 14. The image with the most Facebook “likes” will win their own two-night stay at the cozy Inn in Santa Fe.
Now, put on your boots and fall jackets, grab your camera (whether it’s your iPhone or professional Nikon!), and start snapping some colorful autumn pictures!
August 29th, 2012
Alice Marshall Public Relations is pleased to announce Sibarth as our newest client. Sibarth offers luxury villa rentals in St. Barth, French West Indies.
Did you know that…
…tucked away on Rue du General De Gaulle is an artisanal rhumerie that will offer tastings to visitors?
…Fostokjian in St. Jean is the coiffeur of choice for parties and events?
…only on Sunday afternoons, La Gloriette on the beach serves fabulous Conch Fricassee?
Sibarth knows, because it is the St. Barth authority. Owned by island “natives,” it is the key for travelers looking for insider knowledge and access; insider knowledge that can only come from those who call the island home, not a business venture.
In 1975, Brook and Roger Lacour established Sibarth as the first villa rental company on the island, virtually the foundation of tourism in St. Barth. They saw villas as the best way to preserve the charm and intimacy of the island, giving guests a genuine St. Barth experience and discouraging the development of large, impersonal hotels.
While imitators have attempted to capitalize on the Lacour legacy and success, Sibarth continues as the heirloom brand. With Ashley Lacour now at the helm, with a team of more than two dozen employees who live on the island and know it as their home, Sibarth ensures exceptional service and a personal touch. From an experienced, resident concierge team, the only on-site, full-time airport kiosk and arrivals specialists to reservationists and 24-hour response team, Sibarth services are never outsourced. The Lacour’s have built a reputation for providing in-the-know hospitality.
The Sibarth brand stands behind the quality of more than 150 exquisite St. Barth villas – ranging from charming one-bedroom hideaways to luxurious eight-bedroom estates. Villas are available island wide, from the mountain tops of Lurin and Vitet to the streets above Gustavia to the beaches of St. Jean and Flamands.
Have a look: www.sibarth.com Are you planning anything related to the Caribbean, St. Barth, holiday travel? Would love to tell you more.
July 30th, 2012
The end of your vacation should leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to take on the world. Don’t let checking out the hotel on your way home negate all of that hard-earned relaxation, especially when you find those pesky “surprise fees” on your bill! We’ve put together a list of the top “surprise fees” to prepare you for your next vacation and help you to avoid checkout woes. Here are our top fees to look out for:
– Some hotels charge an extra fee for the use of a minifridge, even if you’re using it to store your own food. An alternative: Make your own mini-fridge by stocking up on ice from your floor’s ice machine and keep your items in this makeshift cooler!
– When staying in a big city or remote resort location, parking is a common issue. However, some hotels use a mandatory valet service. Your car may be more secure in the hotel’s garage; but if you don’t want to pay – look for independent lots in the area.
– It is uncommon today for a hotel not to have wifi. But some will charge you for access to log into their wifi connections. Our advice? It’s vacation! Maybe you can leave your laptop off and use the lobby computers for any emergencies.
Want learn about more hotel fees that may be added to your bill? Click here to read what SmarterTravel.com’s Caroline Morse has discovered!

domain: travel


Armorgard TB2 Tuffbank Site Box
Built to a very high specification the Armorgard TB2 Tuffbank Site Box is built to a very high specification. The Armorgard Tuffbank TB2 has a heavy duty construction with 3mm lid. Gas struts on all sizes to assist with lid opening and closing.
Fitted with ultra robust 5 lever deadlocks with anti-drill plates on both sides anti-cut rollers in deadbolt. s The Armorgard TB2 Tuffbank has strong brass keys supplied with extra reinforcing around the locks to prevent drilling.
Most of all with the anti-jemmy technology the TB2 is virtually thief proof.
Welded on serial numbers for overnight key replacements. Continuous heavy duty fully welded hinge & internal lid support stay.
External: W1275 x D665 x H660mm
Internal: W1185 x D600x H575mm
Delivery: Free delivery in mainland UK. (A small charge may apply to Highlands and Islands)
9 Key reasons for purchasing the Armorgard Tuffbank TB2 Site Box
1. Heavy -duty construction manufactured from 2 and 3mm steel and finished in an anti-corrosive powder coat for prolonged product life
2. 5 Lever deadlocks, anti-cut rollers in the deadbolt and 6mm reinforcement around the lock
3. Uniquely designed lid stay offers an exceptional level of safety
4. Fully welded, enclosed heavy-duty hinge for even greater security
5. Fork lift skids raise the unit from the ground and make it easy to move around the site
6. Well engineered hydraulic gas struts for effortlessly smooth lifting of the lid
7. Social numbered locks for immediate key replacement
8. Reinforced internal anti-jemmy bar provides utmost security and protection for complete peace of mind
9. Robust handles for ease of lifting the lid.
Click for castors


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Georgia state legislators are considering a newly introduced bill that would ban the use of handheld phones while driving and also raise the distracted-driving fine from $150 to as much as $900 for repeat offenders.
Additionally, the legislation would raise the point penalty for a distracted driving offense — from one point to up to four points for repeat offenders. Any driver assessed 15 points in a 24-month period would lose his or her driver’s license.
Current state law already prohibits texting while driving. But law enforcement agencies in Georgia have complained the law is virtually unenforceable because officers typically have no way of distinguishing between driver texting and dialing.
The new legislation comes on the heels of the Dec. 31 release of a House study committee report on distracted driving. That study found that traffic crashes in the state rose 36% from 2014 to 2016. Those collisions also accounted for a 34% increase in road fatalities during that period.
The overall spike in crashes was largely attributed to increases in three specific types of collisions, according to the report: rear-end crashes, single-car crashes, and crashes by drivers 15 to 25 years old.
“Public safety personnel state this is clearly indicative of driver inattention,” the report noted.
Drivers in rural areas in the state are also at a higher risk, according to the report.
“A driver in rural Georgia is twice as likely to be in a fatal distracted driving accident as an urban area driver (due to speeds, undivided highways, and more distance to emergency/trauma care centers),” the report said.
Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

domain: politics


text: The TLFS11-0220-M from Talent Microwave is a Frequency Synthesizer that can synthesize a signal with a frequency from 200 MHz to 22 GHz. The signal can have an output power of up to +10 dBm in 0.1 dBm steps with a phase noise of -155 dBc/Hz (at 1 kHz offset). This synthesizer has spurious emissions of better than -70 dBc and harmonics of less than -20 dBc. It requires a dual DC supply of ±12 V and consumes 1.6 A of current. This frequency synthesizer is available in a module that measures 146.1 x 95.0 x 21.0 mm with 3.5 mm (female) connectors.

domain: hobby


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Indian Larry navy blue Duck Chore Coat, with snap buttons and four front pockets to hold everything. Features hand sown white felt letters which spell out 'Indian Larry Motorcycles' on the back. This coat is heavy duty and made for the working man. The fit is big. This jacket will run 2 sizes up from a standard fit.
Success! Feel free to
or head to your

domain: design


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The binder delivered recently to every state Board of Education member by the state’s largest teachers union is notable for several reasons – including its sheer mass.
It’s almost six inches thick and contains more than 1,000 letters from teachers and others airing complaints about the Christie administration’s school-reform push, especially changes in the way teachers and evaluated.
But how much it is changing any minds on the board or the administration is far less certain.
In one letter, a 30-year-veteran teacher described how she spends all her time documenting “every 15 minutes” of her day and filling out different state-mandated forms.
“I am really exhausted and reached a total burnout,” she wrote.
Another teacher suggested that the administration’s goal in the new evaluation system is to create “Stepford teachers who teach in lockstep fashion geared only to improving test scores.”
“I am no longer a teacher,” she wrote. “I am a test administrator and data collector.”
Solicited by the New Jersey Education Association, the letters have proven to be a powerful tool in spurring debate about the new evaluation system created under the state’s tenure-reform law, known as TEACHNJ.
The law requires every school district to adopt evaluation models – some more prescriptive than others — for both its teachers and principals. Ultimately, the educators are to be measured on a four-point scale ranging from “ineffective” to “highly effective.”
The letters gathered by the NJEA reflect increasing questions about the evaluations in their first year of implementation, including how they are conducted and how much student performance factors in.
For teachers in tested grades and subjects, student progress on state tests comprise as much as one-third of their evaluations. A new hybrid of student measures called “student growth objectives” (SGO) that are individually set by teachers and principals are being used to gauge the performance of others.
The letters, complementing testimony by more than 70 teachers who appeared before the state board last month, were the subject of considerable discussion by state board members during their meeting yesterday, as they considered a series of mostly routine amendments to the regulations.
While the amendments were not debated much, both administration officials and board members said there clearly appeared to be a communications problem in getting across details of the new evaluation system.
Several said that some of the stories being told by teachers in their letters and testimony don’t match what the state has actually required.
One cited a letter from a teacher that said half of her evaluation was based on a single student measure.
“Based on what we heard today and the misinformation out there, this board needs information if we are going out and to talk to people,” said Mark Biedron, a board member from Tewksbury.
“If you were to read these letters, you would think the entire evaluation is based on a single SGO,” he said. “That is what people believe.”
The meeting was the first for acting Education Commissioner David Hespe since being appointed about a month ago by Gov. Chris Christie.
Hespe said he was open to the idea of providing flexibility within the law and regulations to address the concerns of school districts.
“Over the last 25 years, this change is probably the most significant in the state in that it gets down into every classroom,” Hespe said. “This change process is enormous, and change doesn’t come easily.”
Asked specifically afterward whether he would be open to delaying the high stakes of the evaluations for a year, as the NJEA and others have requested, Hespe said he was not ready to do so, at least not yet.
“It is too early to make those decisions,” he said. “We can maybe make those decisions when we have more information.
“We know it is a complicated process, and from my perspective, it has gone as we would have thought,” Hespe continued.


When working from home, you can sometimes feel a need to hide and not be showing your sleepy face for instance by using a filter. The Guardian reports how a Texas lawyer accidentally left a kitten filter on during a video conference call with a judge. Kittens are cute but not so impressive. For a lawyer, perhaps the lion filter would be a better choice.
Anyway, the lawyer tried to reassure the judge by saying; “I’m here live. I am not a cat” – with the judge being reasonable enough to confirm “I can see that.”
The newspaper concludes that mishaps with video calls range from the inadvertently hilarious to unfortunately career-ending but that the lawyer´s mistake appears destined to achieve viral immortality.


This article is a preview from the Winter 2017 edition of New Humanist.
“Belter lives first,” said the captain of the transport vehicle as he pushed a button that jettisoned some 50 refugees – who were unlucky enough to hail from Earth – into the vacuum of space. It is in this scene, taking place in the second season of The Expanse, a television series that critics have hailed as the “most politically relevant sci-fi show” in decades, that the language of Trump, Brexit and other recent political developments manifest. It’s a pivotal moment for the show and contemporary TV in general.
The series is set 300 years in the future. Humans have colonised Mars. Smaller colonies have been established on asteroids, from which the resource-hungry planets draw things like minerals and even water. In circumstances that take inspiration from the American revolution, Mars has seceded from Earth a few generations after its initial colonisation and, after getting close to full-scale war, an uneasy peace is in place.
But the asteroids too, collectively known as the “The Belt”, are agitating for revolution. Their inhabitants, essentially second-class citizens, believe that it is through their work that Earth and Mars prosper. In return they only receive oppression (in the form of food and water rationing) when they make any demands – such as work safety regulation or more autonomy to run their own affairs.
It is in this setting that another player is introduced in the form of an alien molecule. Effectively a biological weapon, the molecule falls into the hands of a powerful corporation which then proceeds to play both sides for maximum advantage, a move that threatens to overthrow the balance of power and lead to an all-out war.
What does all this have to do with our world? Inside every piece of good science fiction there’s a fundamental truth: even the art of writing about the future is undertaken by people whose only tool for understanding history and reflecting on it is a rear-view mirror. Regardless of how imaginative and otherworldly the settings surrounding the best science fiction are, the concerns of the characters reflect and address real-world issues.
Another work that struck a chord recently is the novel Something Coming Through by Paul McAuley. In the story, Earth is the scene of a limited nuclear war, the environment is in ruins and humanity is in despair. An alien species appears, giving us the chance to leave the planet. This species will provide the means and some technology, in exchange for mining rights in our solar system. With the exception of the original Star Trek, in which a post-scarcity future has manifested itself and work is only tied to personal development and ambition, most sci-fi is concerned with resources and who gets to reap the benefits of space exploration. Notably, later incarnations of Star Trek take this into account, especially Deep Space 9. Why is this discusion more relevant at this particular moment?
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and Space-X, already lives in this world. “I want to die on Mars,” he said during the SXSW festival in 2013, “Just not on impact.” He is the most visible of a number of billionaires shooting for the stars, Richard Branson of Virgin being another highly visible poster boy of the privatised race for space currently underway. While even a decade ago it seemed entirely in the realm of fantasy, Musk is pushing for a human colony on Mars within his lifetime. Other companies, with backing by behemoths such as Uber, are planning to mine asteroids for precious metals and more, much like the plot of The Expanse.
But these are not dreams of Utopia. This is the next step of the “Anthropocene”, a concept that has found prominence in the last few years. It describes the first geological age in which the environment is being shaped primarily by human activity. The Anthropocene – or, even better, the “Capitalocene”, as Jason Moore proposes we rename the concept in his book Capitalism in the Web of Life: Ecology and the Accumulation of Capital (Verso) – is expanding to space.
In his book Moore gives a sense of what drives capitalism today. He says “[Capital] must ceaselessly search for, and find ways to produce ‘Cheap Natures’ as inputs to commodity production.” In a planet with ever-diminishing resources, the reduction of the consumer base to an elite with access to almost unlimited resources originating on asteroids and neighbouring planets, coupled with the drastic reduction in the living standards of the majority of the population, can even be sold as a way to deal with climate change.
This is another theme that features heavily in The Expanse. In season two, the Martian Marine trooper Bobbie Draper asks her superior officer, who has been to Earth, if he has seen the ocean. He confirms he has. Mars is still being terraformed and no water is to be seen on its surface. “What was it like?” she asks.
“Dirty. One more thing they don’t appreciate”.
The air of cultural superiority Earthers believe they are entitled to also hovers over the show, contributing to the tensions the characters are dealing with. Deep Space 9 also dealt heavily with the subject of culture, even taking a poke at the cultural imperialism of the Federation, the show’s fictional interstellar republic. In one of the most famous quotes from DS9, a Starfleet security officer who just defected to a hostile terrorist faction accuses Captain Sisko and the Federation of exerting too much cultural pressure on other races. “Everybody should want to be in the Federation,” he says. “Nobody leaves paradise. In some ways, you’re even worse than the Borg. At least they tell you about their plans for assimilation. You assimilate people and they don’t even know it.”
In The Expanse, the cultural side of interplanetary expansion comes into sharper focus. The different factions have distinct fashions. A more punk style for the Belters, a militaristic one for Martians, and what we could label “high fashion” for Earthers. The Belters even have distinct dialects, made up as they are by a multitude of nationalities stuck in small spaces.
The science fiction of the past two decades carries dire warnings about what will happen once humanity reaches for space. The competition for resources will not go away, regardless of how plentiful the yields are. Cultural conflicts will arise. And the current problems of capitalism will persist.
Herein lies the problem with the way this expansion to the stars is currently talked about. How can we expect the very systems that deplete our planet’s resources, sow inequality and pit cultures against one another to change simply by merit of having left the Earth? There is no guarantee of that. There is a very real danger that “they will take Mars from us”, as a friend said to me recently when we discussed the phenomena of private companies venturing into space.
The Expanse brings these issues vividly to life. Instead of hiding behind sci-fi conventions and clichés, it wears its politics on its sleeve and makes sure we understand that in this coming conflict, there are no good guys. The Expanse serves to make us understand that global peace will not come simply because we don’t need to gut our mountains and chop down our forests for resources. If we’re not careful and considerate about our next moves and who we allow to be our agents in the next few decades, we will be simply repeating the same mistakes 382,746 kilometres up – Mars’s position at the time of writing – from where we stand.
“The Expanse” is available to watch on SyFy; “Something Coming Through” is published by Gollancz


text:
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domain: medical


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Steve Dietrich is the founder and Vice President of the Baltimore chapter of the American Outlaws, the USA soccer fan club.
Steve joined Ed and Steve to talk about USA soccer, the American Outlaws, and this weekend’s big contest against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.
Steve gave everyone a nice view of what the American Outlaws are all about and how they follow the Men and Women where ever they play. “Baltimore is one of the most active chapters” Steve said about the Baltimore Brigade chapter. When asked about reports that Cristiano Ronaldo may not play Sunday Steve said “I would expect to see Ronaldo on Sunday…he’s not 100 percent though.”

domain: news


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The Hit Lasers Bat Speed Trainer, working from the start of your swing to the finish, improving bat speed, follow through mechanics, and strength.


The cruise season is upon us, as evidenced by a recent Seattle Times feature on cruising to Alaska. The package highlighted Royal Caribbean's leviathan 5,400-passenger ship, Project Genesis, "big enough to float Central Park." Cruise ship Terminal 91, which the Port of Seattle is building at the base of Magnolia Bluff, is designed to berth such massive vessels next year. Meantime, the arrival of typical ships like the Celebrity Mercury last month kicked off the 2008 cruise season. It was an inauspicious start.
The growth in the cruise industry and the pollution problems that creates is illustrated by Mercury's record. It prompted U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., to recently introduce the Clean Cruise Ship Act (S. 2881), which would ban discharges in U.S. waters and set federal discharge and monitoring standards offshore. Durban's press release stated: "Cruise ship wastewater threatens the very environments that family vacationers want to visit. Current regulations and voluntary guidelines for the cruise ship industry just aren't good enough."
The senator's efforts are bolstered by findings of Environmental Protection Agency's recently released Draft Cruise Ship Discharge Assessment Report, which found that cruise ship discharges often far exceed federal effluent and water quality standards. Cruise ships calling on Seattle have better sewage treatment than the national average because of requirements of their Alaska destination, but the EPA found that companies could do more to remove metals, chlorine, or nutrients such as ammonia.
The arrival of the Mercury, with a population equivalent to the city of Duvall, was accompanied by Port of Seattle-announced figures asserting that each vessel call generates $1.4 million in economic impact. Much of the actual revenue is generated from provisioning the ship. A 2004 port press release noted that a 2,600-passenger ship goes through 12,000 pounds of beef, 7,500 pounds of seafood, 10,000 pounds of fresh fruit, 4,000 dozen eggs, and 500 gallons of ice cream – per week. But what goes in must come out, and it takes more than just food to accommodate the needs of these floating cities.
Each week, a typical ship generates on average 150,000 gallons of sewage, 1 million gallons of grey water, more than 130 gallons of hazardous waste, 8 tons of solid waste, and 25,000 gallons of oily bilge. Moreover, each week a ship dumps 6,000 gallons of untreated sewage sludge back into the sea. Current law allows this material to be dumped three miles offshore, but cruise lines claim to do so at 12 miles. In addition, cruise ships are breeding grounds for viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2006 at least 200 passengers and crew tested positive for the Norovirus aboard the Mercury, and there were 54 cases involving 6,815 people fleetwide that year.
In 2006, the Mercury was fined $100,000 by the Washington State Department of Ecology for 10 discharges on nine separate days. During that time, the ship discharged 542,000 gallons of raw sewage; laundry, sink, and shower water; and accompanying pollutants off Port Angeles. These fish-tainting discharges were revealed when Ecology inspected the ship's records.
The Mercury is not unique, and growth in the cruise industry is significant. In Seattle, cruise traffic has increased from just six ships carrying 6,615 passengers in 1999 to 211 vessels and 835,000 passengers projected for this year. In the absence of strong federal requirements, the Port of Seattle and state Department of Ecology have taken a series of positive steps to begin to address this growing pollution source. The port has made major strides to reduce air pollution by working with Holland America and Princess Cruises to allow them to plug into shore power that also saves fuels costs. Unfortunately, ships calling at Pier 66 on the downtown waterfront continue to burn sulfurous bunker fuel, as do all ships, once they leave the dock.
The Port of Seattle commission also modified the voluntary operating agreement between the cruise lines, the port, and the Department of Ecology to ban the dumping of sewage sludge in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. However, vessels are still allowed to discharge treated sewage to surface waters while they're at the dock. This bodes ill for the new beach at the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Garden near the new cruise terminal that is being built at Pier 91. Elliott Bay's water quality is already characterized as poor due to very high fecal coliform levels, low oxygen, and limited mixing. It has also long been recognized that Puget Sound has a limited ability to flush itself of wastes and is vulnerable to algae blooms from nutrient inputs during June through September. The Puget Sound Action Team's 2007 State of the Sound report noted, "The increase in cruise ship and recreational boat traffic may lead to establishing no-discharge zones." This is something for the newly created Puget Sound Partnership to champion while awaiting federal legislation that has been called for by the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy since 2003.
The cruise season will conclude in October, when the Mercury returns to Seattle for four short trips to Victoria and Vancouver. On these trips, it would either have to travel 160 miles out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and back to dump its sludge offshore or do so while in Canada. Fortunately, the Port of Seattle is evaluating its ability to offload sewage sludge at the dock and have King County turn it into compost.
Considering the growth of the cruise industry both locally and nationally, it's time the federal government enacted cruise ship regulations and reporting requirements under the Clean Water Act. Until then, we will continue to work with the port and the state to institute meaningful cruise controls to assure that the growth of this luxury industry is not at the expense of the marine environment and those dependant on it.


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