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Saturday, 15 February 2014
New Royal Russia Bookshop - Coming Soon!

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 15 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 7:38 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 15 February 2014 7:41 AM EST
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Friday, 14 February 2014
Faberge: Jeweler to the Tsars
Topic: Faberge

The following article was originally published in the February 14th, 2014 edition of The Wall Street Journal. The author Mary M. Lane owns the copyright presented below. Several corrections have been made to the original text - PG
Of the 255,000 objects that the house of Peter Carl Fabergé created during the jeweler's lifetime, only 50 were his famed Easter eggs made of materials like platinum and diamonds for the Russian royal family.

An exhibition at Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum called The World of Fabergé, which opens on Tuesday and runs through May 18, will show four of the eggs, including the Tsesarevich Constellation Egg, an unfinished, (relatively) modest blue crystal and rhinestone egg on which Fabergé was working in 1917, immediately before the Russian Revolution.

The show's 160 objects, from the Kremlin's Moscow collection, will give visitors tsar's-eye views of the enameled cobalt blue cigarette cases, golden letter openers and almandine encrusted crucifixes enjoyed by the Russian monarchy before its members were lined up and shot by Bolshevik rebels in 1918.

"We wanted to emphasize that Fabergé's work was an attempt to maintain an outmoded form of luxury," says curator Paulus Rainer. Because the show is the largest loan of Fabergé by the Kremlin to a European museum and was granted to celebrate the 525th anniversary of diplomacy between Austria and Russia, the show won't travel.

One item in the exhibit that the St. Petersburg-born jeweler transformed is a leather notebook. He covered it in gold and translucent white and blue enamel and decorated it with pearls and platinum. Adding a practical touch, he included storage holes for pens.

Fabergé, a jeweler's son born in 1846, often designed Art Nouveau jewelry for the royal family, but most of the pieces had their largest jewels removed and sold throughout Europe to help fund the revolution. One notable exception is a set of nine earrings, bracelets and necklaces in the show. They are made of diamonds, pearls and platinum, and were found in a box meant for holding praline chocolates in a Moscow house undergoing renovations in 1991.

Because Fabergé custom-made his items for the royal family, there was ample room for inside jokes: A 1.6-inch-by-0.8-inch citrine-and-gold figurine of a French bulldog with sapphire eyes is a reference to Tsar Nicholas's nickname of "the little bulldog," says Mr. Rainer.

Yet the Easter eggs represent the zenith of customized service, because Fabergé received only one rule from his royal clients: The eggs had to be distinctly different every year and contain a surprise.

Fabergé himself refused to indulge entreaties from royal family members, even the Tsarina Alexandra, to divulge each year's theme.

After becoming the official royal jeweler in 1885, Fabergé began making his eggs more extravagant, often using the year's top demonstration of Russian political power as a theme, says Mr. Rainer. For example, in 1900 Russia completed the trans-Siberian Express, then the world's longest rail system. As an Easter present, Tsar Nicholas gave his wife a 10-inch-tall egg, engraved on its top with the complete trans-Siberian route. Inside she found a 16-inch gold train, built to scale, complete with windows, a dining car, smoking car and first-class carriage. The locomotive had rubies for headlights. The item is on display in Vienna.

Fabergé outlived the Russian Revolution, but not by much: He died in 1920, in Switzerland.

At auction, modern collectors still yearn for eggs, "the trophy pieces," according to Helen Culver Smith, a Russian art specialist for Christie's based in London. In 2007, the auction house set the record of $18.6 million for a Fabergé egg.

Due to the rarity of the eggs, Christie's, which controls 71% of the Fabergé auction market (based on its auction prices and those at Sotheby's), scours Europe for unexpected Fabergé items with royal connections, says Ms. Smith. The house set the record for imperial snuff boxes in 2010 when a Fabergé snuff box, similar to the enameled cigarette cases on display in Vienna, fetched $1.5 million.

"There are still pieces out there," she says. "The [Russian] royal family was exceedingly generous: they even gave Fabergè works to their obstetricians."
For more information on the Tsesarevich Constellation Imperial Egg, please refer to the following article;

Faberge's 1917 Blue Tsarevich Constellation Egg

© Wall Street Journal. 14 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 7:05 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 15 February 2014 11:30 AM EST
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Thursday, 13 February 2014
Livadia Palace Opens Imperial Lift and Solarium to Visitors
Topic: Livadia

Entrance to the 100-year-old Imperial lift at Livadia Palace
For the first time since before the 1917 Revolution, visitors to Livadia Palace can now visit the rooftop (solarium) of the palace in the recently restored 100-year-old lift. It was here that Tsar Nicholas II and his family would come to relax and take in spectacular views of Yalta and the Black Sea.

The lift was produced by Carl Flor in Germany and installed in 1911 and was one of the first lifts on the southern coast of Crimea. It was installed by the palace architect Nikolai Krasnov, in order to facilitate the movement of the Tsarevich Alexei, who suffered from haemophilia, and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, who suffered from sciatica. The lift allowed them both to reach the upper floors of the palace, including the solarium.

The Empress particularly enjoyed this part of the palace where she loved to spend time with her family. The roof offered her a sanctuary, where she could rest, while enjoying the warm, sunny days that the Crimea offered. The solarium was decorated with her favourite plants and flowers.

After the revolution, the elevator was seldom used and fell into disrepair. Perhaps its lack of use during the Soviet years is what actually saved the Imperial lift? When workers set to work on restoring the lift in 2010, they noted its mechanism was still fully functional, and surprisingly, inside the cabin, too, was well preserved in its original form.

The lift was restored and opened to the public in April 2013. Inside is a small, but cozy cabin, paneled with mahogany, and a small stool, with room enough for only three people. The glass doors close silently and slowly and the two-storey climb to the solarium is absolutely quiet, no rattle and roar.

During my visit to Livadia Palace in 2000, I was invited to visit the solarium, however, it was only reachable at the time by stairs. It was a rare treat to say the very least, and I have many photographs of the roof top of the palace and the magnificent panoramic views this sanctuary offers. I can truly appreciate why the Empress loved this spot so much.
© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 13 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 10:13 AM EST
Updated: Friday, 28 February 2014 1:41 PM EST
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Tuesday, 11 February 2014
A Russian Moment No 31 - The Rose Pavilion, Pavlovsk
Topic: A Russian Moment

The Rose Pavilion as it looks today, depicted in a contemporary Russian postcard.
In the early nineteenth century, a pavilion was erected on the threshold of the White Birch area of the park at Pavlovsk. The pavilion was constructed in 1811 by the Russian architect Andrey Nikiforovich Voronikhin (1759-1814). A simple structure, it was surrounded entirely by rosebushes and aptly named, the Rose Pavilion. The pavilion is of great historical and artistic value as a rare example of a classic wooden architecture.

As conceived by the Empress Maria Feodorovna (1759-1828), this park pavilion was to be a kingdom of her favourite flowers - roses. Everything in the decor of the Rose Pavilion was linked to the theme of the rose, including the interiors and furniture, specially created for her, and a set of porcelain decorated with roses. The pavilion itself was completely surrounded by a rose garden. New species of roses were brought from all over Europe and planted here. In 1812, «PAVILLON DES ROSES» appeared in gilt letters in French, on the pediment of the entrance to the pavilion.

The Rose Pavilion became the gathering place of artists, composers, writers and poets in the company of the empress. Her guests included Vasily Zhukovsky, Ivan Krylov, Nikolay Karamzin, Nikolay Gnedich, Fiodor Glinka, and Yury Neledinsky-Meletsky. The Empress did all she could to be a dutiful hostess to her refined and educated guests. She kept an album in which visitors were invited to write their own verses or dedications.

The Rose Pavilion was the site of a grand fete on July 12, 1814, celebrating the return of Emperor Alexander I to St. Petersburg after the defeat of Napoleon. For the occasion the architect Pietro de Gottardo Gonzaga built a ballroom the size of the Rose Pavilion itself in just seventeen days, and surrounded it with huge canvases of Russian villagers celebrating the victory. The ball inside the pavilion opened with a Polonaise led by Alexander and his mother, and ended with a huge display of fireworks.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) the Rose Pavilion was destroyed by the retreating Nazis. During the 1990s, the Rose Pavilion underwent a long and arduous research and restoration work. Today, the Rose Pavilion once again blends naturally into the surrounding park, its beauty enhanced by a variety of rose bushes, the favourite bloom of Empress Maria Feodorovna. The Rose Pavilion is a delightful venue for classical music concerts during the summer months.
© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 11 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 12:55 PM EST
Updated: Friday, 14 February 2014 1:27 PM EST
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Monday, 10 February 2014
Russian Archives Unveils Online Project Dedicated to 400th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty
Topic: 400th Anniversary

The Russian Federal Archival Agency have launched an online project dedicated to the 400th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty. The project has been prepared to familiarize the public with historic documents relating to the Romanov dynasty held in the Archives Fund of the Russian Federation.

The web site includes 1377 photographs and other images, and 587 original archival documents from the following archives: Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, State Archive of the Russian Federation, State Archive of the Kostroma region, photographs of the Moscow Kremlin State Historical and Cultural Museum-Preserve and the State Historical Museum. The documents, photographs, etc from the archives are organized chronologically by tsars and emperors of the Romanov dynasty.

Also presented are the family correspondence members of the House of Romanov - from Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich to Emperor Nicholas II, autographs of tsars and emperors and their families, documents outlining the organization of their daily life, education, hobbies, interests and abilities. Many rare personal items belonging to the Romanovs can also be seen on display in this web site.

Rare documentary evidence of marriages of Russia’s sovereigns can also be seen from the 17th-20th centuries, and materials on favourable marriages between members of the House of Romanov with representatives of major European dynasties.

Other documents of interest include materials on the circumstances and the course of palace coups, rare documents on the organization of the coronation ceremonies and the royal and imperial regalia. Then, you can see the unique materials on the organization of burials of members of the Russian Imperial family, ceremonies mourning processions, etc.

This archival web site, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, will be of particular interest to scholars and historians, allowing them access to new documents held in a variety of Russian archives. The web site is only available in Russian.

400th Anniversary Romanov Dynasty

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 10 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 11:50 AM EST
Updated: Monday, 10 February 2014 11:56 AM EST
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Saturday, 8 February 2014
Monument to Nicholas II to be Erected in Thailand
Topic: Nicholas II

King Chulalongkorn with Tsar Nicholas II in Saint Petersburg, during the King's first Grand Tour in 1897
The Foundation Committee of the Orthodox Church in Thailand will install a monument in Bangkok to Tsar Nicholas II and King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam. The project is in honour of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in 2013, for which Thailand was invited to participate. The Orthodox Church in Thailand invited the famous sculptor, Sergei Isakov - Academician of the Russian Academy Arts, Honored Artist of Russia to participate in the work on the Russian part of the sculpture. Isakov has experience of capturing the image of St. Tsar Nicholas II martyr in numerous sculptural compositions.

Sergei Mikhailovich Isakov arrived in Thailand on December 16, 2013 with the assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) in Thailand to begin work on the monument. Work is being carried out on the territory of the new St. Nicholas Church in Bangkok.

Assistance in the construction of the monument to Tsar Nicholas II and King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) was provided by the Nicholas Foundation (Russia) and the Foundation of the Orthodox Church in Thailand. The prototype of the monument is based on the famous picture showing two monarchs during a visit by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to St. Petersburg in 1897.
Russian-Siamese Royal Relations, Late 19th Century

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, King Chulalongkorn, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Tsar Nicholas II with members of the Siamese royal entourage in Saint Petersburg, during the King's 1897 visit
In the late 1870-s King Chulalongkorn on numerous occasions expressed his wish to establish permanent diplomatic relations with Russia. Russian naval officers whose ships periodically came to Bangkok carried to the Russian Emperor the first Royal letters with clear intention of the Siamese government to develop bilateral trade, diplomatic and cultural cooperation with Russia. A real breakthrough in the bilateral relations was made later by the visit of the Heir to the Imperial throne Tsesarevich Nicholas, the son of the then reigning Emperor Alexander III, to Siam in 1891. It was a part of the Eastern Voyage of the Tsesarevich who was familiarizing himself with Asia and Asian affairs on recommendation of his farther Alexander III. Notwithstanding its unofficial status, the visit gave a great impulse to the advancement of relations between the two countries and in fact marked the beginning of close and long-lasting personal friendship between Tsar Nicholas II and King Chulalongkorn, and in a broader sense between two our countries and peoples.

The Russian Crown Prince and his entourage were welcomed in Siam with all due honours and utmost warmth. King Chulalongkorn personally took care of the visiting Russian Crown Prince and awarded him with the Order of Chakri. The King hosted festivities in honour of the Tsesarevich both in Bangkok and at the Bang Pa In Palace and saw him off on the last day.

Several months later a captain of a Russian naval ship delivered a letter of gratitude from Alexander III to King Chulalongkorn together with the Order of St. Andrew bestowed by the Emperor upon the Siamese Monarch - the first in the number of Russian decorations received by members of the Thai Royal family.

The visit of Prince Damrong, brother of King Chulalongkorn and Director-General of the National Department of Education of Siam, to Russia became the next step in the development of relations between the two countries. Prince Damrong was an active participant of the process of establishment and development of the Russia-Siam relations. He came to Russia in November 1891 and was received by Alexander III in Livadia - a gorgeous Royal summer residence on the banks of the Black Sea. The Prince delivered a letter and the Order of Chakri which had been sent to the Russian Emperor by the King of Siam. In his letter King Chulalongkorn re-confirmed the intention to further develop friendly relations with Russia.

Starting from 1891, official visits and personal contacts including the exchange of correspondence between the Russian Imperial Family and the Siamese Royal Family became frequent and regular and played an important role in the development of relations between the two countries. In 1893 Russia started to provide her support to Siam to resolve the conflict with her neighbours of that time. In 1896 the Russian Imperial Government invited a Royal Siamese representative to participate in the festivities on the occasion of the coronation of Nicholas II as the Emperor of Russia.

A year later King Chulalongkorn himself paid a visit to Russia. Friendly and sincere support provided to him by the Russian Side played a very important role in the success of this trip. The highest honours, utmost hospitality and respect which had been extended to King Chulalongkorn in Russia once and for all confirmed the status of the Siamese Monarch as a sovereign equal to European Kings.

When King Chulalongkorn arrived in St. Petersburg on June 19, 1897 by the special Emperor's train, he was welcomed by the members of the Imperial Family and a military escort of the Imperial Guards. On arrival the King of Siam proceeded to the Peterhof Palace, the Imperial summer residence, where Emperor Nicholas II welcomed him. During following ten days the King of Siam visited St. Petersburg, Moscow and the main Russian naval base in Kronstadt.
King Chulalongkorn's visit prompted sincere and wide interest in Siam and Siamese affairs among Russian public. Newspapers extensively covered the visit, issuing publications about Siam and the Siamese King. For example, Vedomosti of St. Petersburg, a leading Russian newspaper wrote in an editorial: "In his person we are greeting not only one of the greatest men of our time, […] but also a true friend of Russia. The power of this friendship lies in mutual respect, in the senses of straightforwardness and simplicity common to both peoples. (…) Our friendship towards Siam is honest and non-hypocritical, which His Majesty the King of Siam can confidently rely upon".

During the negotiations in St. Petersburg Nicholas II and King Chulalongkorn agreed, as it is known, to establish diplomatic relations between Russia and Siam and to prepare the Treaty on Friendship and Maritime Navigation, which was signed in 1899. The monarchs agreed also that Prince Chakrabongse, the second son of King Chulalongkorn, would come to Russia for his studying and military training. It is also worth to note that Prince Chakrabongse's studies in Russia had paved the way to other children from the Siamese noble families to Russian universities and in the first decade of the XXth century a good few of them were getting their education in Russia.

Following the decision of the two sovereigns, the exchange of diplomatic representatives took place in 1897 and 1898. Phraya Suriya Nuvat, the Siamese Minister who was representing King Chulalongkorn in Europe with residence in Paris, received an additional appointment to the Russian Imperial Court. He had accompanied the King on his Russian trip and had been introduced to Nicholas II.

In 1898 Alexander Olarovski, the Russian Consul-General in New York, was transferred to Siam and appointed as the Russian Charge d'Affaires and the Consul General. Before his departure from America, Olarovski received a ten-page instructive letter from the Russian Foreign ministry. The major part of it contained clear directions concerning the Russian policy towards Siam. The essence of that policy was expressed in the following lines of the letter: "Your conduct in its entirety should bear the imprint of favourable attention which our august Monarch is willing to extend to the person of the Siamese King, as well as to the fortunes of his people; it should respond to the sincerity and warmth which are put by Siam at the base of our relations".

The text of the letter had been personally approved by the Russian Emperor, and diplomatic representatives of Russia in Bangkok consistently followed it.

The establishment of diplomatic relations and the signing of several treaties that followed, as well as the development of regular dynastic and personal contacts, helped to promote deeper mutual knowledge between the two peoples.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Thailand. 08 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 6:24 AM EST
Updated: Sunday, 9 February 2014 9:05 AM EST
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Passion of the Empress: Catherine the Great's Art Patronage
Topic: Exhibitions

Driven by a thirst for knowledge and a quest for the throne, Catherine propelled herself to the role of Empress through the sheer power of her intellect, cunning, and resolve. For thirty-four years, she reigned over a golden age of Russian culture, founding what would become the State Hermitage Museum and transforming St. Petersburg into one of Europe’s cultural centers.
Passion of the Empress: Catherine the Great’s Art Patronage presents a selection of finely-crafted decorative art pieces to explore how the famous tsarina masterfully blended traditions of Byzantine art with the Western neoclassical style that was a hallmark of the Enlightenment.
With the stunning Buch Chalice as the centerpiece, twenty-seven works from Hillwood’s Russian imperial art collection form the foundation of the exhibition. Other lenders to the exhibition include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum, Dumbarton Oaks, The Birmingham Museum of Art, and private collections.
When she took the throne in 1762, Catherine was determined to change the perception of Russia throughout Europe as a culturally lacking empire.
Having lived at court since 1744, when she became engaged to the future Peter III, while educating herself about Russian culture, language, and the Orthodox Church, Catherine quietly developed her own sense of style.
Her immersion in Russian tradition did not preclude the savvy Empress from maintaining ties with Western Europe. Correspondence with the French philosophes in particular eventually strengthened French taste in Russia and enabled Catherine to foster the arts, science, and education.
Though she is best known for collecting thousands of paintings, Catherine commissioned splendid metalwork, porcelain, glasswork, and books for her own use and as gifts for courtiers. It is in these objects that the blending of Byzantine and classical influences shows Catherine’s desire to forge a new direction for Russian culture and align it with the West.
Many of the objects in the exhibition bring focus to Catherine’s use of ancient and medieval carved cameos and intaglios and her incorporation of those into her commissions for new works of art. The empress not only shared the Enlightenment sentiment that carved gems were important pieces of the past, but she was also aware of the power associated with the practice of collecting cameos.
The most exquisite example of this intermingling is the Buch Chalice. Commissioned in 1790, Iver Windfeldt Buch produced two liturgical sets, each comprising a chalice and several other pieces necessary for celebrating the Divine Liturgy.
To construct the sets, Catherine provided Buch with gold and diamonds from the State Treasury and carved gems representing scenes from the life of Christ, saints, and angels, which came from her private collection. Of the gems, a thirteenth-century Byzantine cameo of the Archangel Michael is the oldest. The remaining ones are mostly contemporary.
Catherine presented a set, including this chalice, to the Trinity Cathedral in the Aleksandr Nevskii Monastery in St. Petersburg on August 29, 1791.
Other highlights of the exhibition include a glass cameo of Catherine II in the Guise of Minerva, based on a Siberian jasper cameo carved by Catherine’s daughter-in-law, Maria Feodorovna, depicting Catherine as the goddess Minerva wearing a helmet decorated with a winged sphinx crown and laurel wreath; a late 17th-century censer that is one of the most stunning examples of metalwork in Hillwood’s collection; and pieces from the Orlov Porcelain Service, the expansive set made at Catherine’s request by the Imperial Porcelain Factory for Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov (1734-1783).
The exhibition was organized by the Georgia Museum of Art (titled Exuberance of Meaning: The Art Patronage of Catherine the Great). A full-color catalogue accompanies the exhibition with essays by organizing curator Asen Kirin, associate professor of art and associate director of the Lamar Dodd School of art at the University of Georgia, and Dr. Scott Ruby, Hillwood’s associate curator for Russian and Eastern European Art.
Passion of the Empress: Catherine the Great’s Art Patronage opens at Hillwood Museum in Washington, DC on February 18th, and ends on June 8th, 2014.
© Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 08 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 5:29 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 8 February 2014 5:48 AM EST
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Friday, 7 February 2014
Tsarskoye Selo Adds 19th Century Additions to Their Collection
Topic: Tsarskoye Selo

Photos © Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Preserve
The Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Preserve received four porcelain vases, a beautifully decorated table from the 1850s-1890s and the Night In Istanbul (lower right photo) landscape by Ivan Aivazovsky.

These objects originally from the Imperial state rooms were kept in St. Petersburg’s Gorky Palace of Culture since the 1930s.  Now they are at Tsarskoye Selo, thanks to an initiative from the St. Petersburg Monuments Preservation Committee (KGIOP).

The vases with replicated old masters’ works were manufactured at the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory of St. Petersburg, where porcelain pieces were first embellished with painting copies during the time of Alexander I.  The high point of this technique was the reign of Nicholas I, when the highest quality vases were produced.

Replicated by artist Kornilov, the astoundingly detailed multi-figure genre scenes with a wide rich colour gamut on the two most impressive vases show a resting place and a winter town originating from works by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem and Jan Miense Molenaer, renowned Dutch masters from the seventeenth century.  These pieces are spruced up with relief décor and intricately shaped handles with acanthus swirls and pine cones.

Photos © Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Preserve
The vases arrived disassembled, with no handles and numerous lost fragments, which had to be restored by the experts from the Tsarsksoye Selo Amber Workshop.  These unique historical objects are now on display at the Alexander Palace.

The 1878 landscape by Aivazovsky, one of Alexander III’s favourite painters, is expected to grace the halls of the Alexander Palace. It originates from the picture collection of merchant Kokorev, a native of Tsarskoye Selo and the tsar’s competitor in collecting.  Alexander III later bought almost all of Aivazovsky’s canvases from Kokorev’s collection, hanging them at the Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg and the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo.

After the 1917 revolution, many of those paintings went to the State Russian Museum and to some museums in Moscow, while the Alexander Palace was left with only two.  The Night In Istanbul will be a worthy decoration for the WWII stricken former residence of the last monarch of Russia.
© Tsarskoye Selo State Museum Preserve / Edited by Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 07 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 7:23 AM EST
Updated: Friday, 7 February 2014 7:48 AM EST
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Thursday, 6 February 2014
Alexander III and Finland - Imperial Summer Holidays
Topic: Alexander III

A new exhibition dedicated to Emperor Alexander III will open next week in Finland. Alexander III and Finland - Imperial Summer Holidays will open February 14th and run till May 18th, 2014 at the Maritime Centre Vellamo in Kotka, Finland.

The exhibition is a joint venture with the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, The Museum of Kymenlaakso and the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki.

Alexander III ruled Russia and served as the Grand Prince (Duke) of Finland from 1881 to 1894. The Finns built a fishing lodge for the emperor in Langinkoski, Kotka (1889), to where Alexander III and his family retired for a few days in the summer, to lead a modest country life. The emperor spent his days fishing and chopping wood while his Danish-born spouse Dagmar, also known as Marie Feodorovna, made food for the family. The freedom the emperor enjoyed in Langinkoski in the summers was in stark contrast to the highly regulated life and court etiquette that he had to endure in St Petersburg.

The Alexander III and Finland exhibition showcases the life and leisure of the imperial family through paintings, watercolours and period items. Alexander III made a total of 31 trips to Finland, occasionally accompanied by Albert Benois, who immortalised the landscapes of these trips in his watercolours. The exhibition also includes a few paintings that depict the landscapes of south-eastern Finland. A wholly different perspective is revealed by pieces that depict the emperor’s official life in St Petersburg and his coronation in Moscow.

The exhibition includes portraits of the emperor and empress painted by Ivan Kramskoi and Carl Wenig’s oil painting Russian Girl. The exhibition is complemented by numerous period objects, such as glass and silver Fabergé items and items from the Imperial Porcelain Factory, including a plate that belonged to a set used on the emperor’s yacht Tsarevna. Some of the items from the collections of the State Russian Museum will be displayed in Finland for the first time.

From the National Museum of Finland, the exhibition includes parts of the emperor and empress’ personal washing set and a screen given to the empress as a gift, designed by Albert Edelfelt and Gunnar Berndtson.

The exhibition is further complemented by items on loan from the Imperial Fishing Lodge in Langinkoski, which celebrates its 125th anniversary. The items will be displayed in the Museum of Kymenlaakso’s main exhibition from 14 February to 30 September 2014. Visitors can look forward to seeing, for example, authentic silverware used at the fishing lodge, a waffle iron adorned by the two-headed eagle of Russia and a pair of sturgeon-patterned silver fish server.

The Alexander III and Finland exhibition also includes a publication with the same title, which will be available in Finnish, Russian and English from the Vellamo museum shop.
© Maritime Centre Vellamo / Royal Russia. 06 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 5:14 AM EST
Updated: Thursday, 6 February 2014 5:18 AM EST
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Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Portrait of Lenin Reveals Hidden Portrait of Tsar Nicholas II
Topic: Nicholas II

NOTE: This article was updated with a VIDEO (in Russian) on Friday, February 28th, 2014 - PG
A unique discovery was made last summer at the 206th School in St. Petersburg. A portrait of Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin which had hung in the school for decades was being prepared for restoration when restorers noted some damage in the bottom corner revealing a small painted fragment of someone’s boots. Experts from the State Russian Museum were called in and upon closer examination discovered a painted over portrait of Tsar Nicholas II underneath.

The portrait was then transferred to the St. Petersburg Art and Industry Academy (founded in 1876 as the School of Technical Drawing of Baron Alexander von Stieglitz) where it was carefully examined further by staff. The portrait of Lenin by Vladislav Izmailovich depicts the Bolshevik leader with the Peter and Paul Fortress, the burial place of the Russian tsars in the background. Academy staff used varnish to remove the water-soluble layer of paint on Lenin’s portrait revealing the original portrait of the tsar, painted by the Russian artist Ilya Galkin Savich (1860-1915).

Savich's works are little known outside of Russia, but his portraits and other paintings are in the collections of the State Russian Museum. Towards the end of the 19th century, among his admirers were members of the Imperial family. His other portraits of members of the Imperial family include Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Vyacheslav Mashkov, the Head of the Department of Painting and Restoration at the Academy, noted: "It's amazing how well preserved the portrait is. It is in great condition!"

The formal unframed portrait of Nicholas II is now on display in the Great Hall of the Art and Industry Academy in St. Petersburg. Several reference sites are visible, however, staff are confident that a full restoration is possible. The full restoration of the portrait will be carried out with the assistance of experts from the State Hermitage and State Russian Museums in St. Petersburg.
To watch a video (in Russian) of the discovery of the hidden portrait, please click on the following link;

Portrait of Lenin Reveals Hidden Portrait of Tsar Nicholas II

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 05 February, 2014

Posted by Paul Gilbert at 3:42 PM EST
Updated: Friday, 28 February 2014 2:57 PM EST
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You Already Know Testo

Testo You Already Know

Fabio Rovazzi: arriva laccusa di plagio
  • Guarda il video di "You Already Know"
(feat. Skyzoo)

[Sean Price:]
You'll hear him
P! Oh my gosh, crazy, even Brooklyn got short
Man what's goin on, hahahaha
Big 'Zoo, whattup?
Big 'Zoo, that's an oxymoron huh?

Yo, who got more raps than P?
[crickets chirping] Yeah you got more raps but please
Sean Price a walkin and talkin rappin machine
Rappin for cream, slap your faggot rapper regime
Yo it's all about a dollar bill, I got a lot of skills
Pull the pound, push you down, clown you in Pottersville
Top shotta, +Don Dada+, don't make me use a gat
Love Jamaican pussy me and Dru call it +Supercat+
Y'all niggaz superwhack, you shouldn't choose to rap
You crazy Sean, save it young, get some shoes and tap
That's a nice chain, fuck you gonna do with that?
Not a damn thing, I'm doin my damn thing
Niggaz actin stupid when they see the God Sean around the way
Quiet when I'm there, when I'm gone got a lot to say
Charlie Brown teacher, Pootie Tang duke, sa da tay
Real niggaz right here, fake niggaz thattaway

[Chorus: Skyzoo]
You already know
We straight off of the corner and the sewer is the zone
So get in where you fit in or the toolie's gettin blown
There's nothin you could do that we ain't do already homes
We movin with the chrome homey, you already know
We straight off of the corner and the sewer is the zone
Now get in where you fit in or the toolie's gettin blown
To all my boostin bitches that be movin out them clothes
Let's do this for this dough shorty, you already know

[Sean Price:]
Aiyyo, backseat with a freak, fuck in my car
Pulled a prayer up, got like "Hamduallah"
Roll with a squad, Boot Camp, remember the name
Nicest niggaz you don't know in the game, hello
Listen, I'm one of the best, you not that nice yo
Similar with shit but that's not Sean Price though
Might go, psycho, liposuction
Knife pokes, white folks, I know nothin
Y'all motherfuckers think y'all nice
Do you hear me now you gon' think twice, GOD DAMN~!
That nigga Sean Price fire
Meanwhile I'm at Dru crib, tryin to watch The Wire
A few bags of weed and a couple of pills
Freak show for these freak hoes who suck on my dillz
Yo it's my time to shine you had your turn you lost
Hate to hear the truth then turn the shit off, motherfucker

  • Guarda il video di "You Already Know"
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text:
Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

with Jessie Cat

Not much going on today.

Jessie’s just hanging out on the back of the couch, her usual spot if she’s not in my lap.

Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

Jessie is a 16 years old tabby cat.

Her parents were feral and she was born in someone’s garage.

I was coming out of a store one day and noticed a sign on the bulletin board saying,

Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

I called the phone number and said I was coming over right away.

I went back into the store, bought some cat food and kitty litter, then went to check out the kittens.

There were 3, maybe 4.  Jessie was (is) an identical twin, so it was difficult to choose.

I’m really glad I chose her.

Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

I named her in memory of my father, who had died the year before.
~ Jessie Melanson ~

Incidentally, a good friend went and got Jessie’s twin sister and named her Molly.

Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

Did you name any of your pets after a person you know?

*** Leave a comment below and remember to share. ***

It’s just sexy!

As always, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog!

Jeannie Melanson, Animal Bliss Blog

The following Sunday Selfie Blog Hop is hosted by The Cat On My Head.

The Cat On my Head, Sunday selfies blog hop links

Click here to see a list of other really cool BLOG HOPS.   What is a Blog Hop?

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Jeanne Melanson

Owner at Animal Bliss
Born in Nova Scotia, I moved to the United States 20+ years ago.I am a dedicated lover of animals and fight for their rights and protection.I love people too, of course, and enjoy meeting folks from all walks of life.I enjoy philosophical discussion, laughing, and really odd ball stuff.I hope you enjoy my site.Leave me a comment to let me know you were here!Peace out.
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17 thoughts on “Jessie Cat Sunday Selfies Blog Hop

  1. Aw, Jesse is BEAUTIFUL!

    The peeps have never named any of after peeps they knew but Nerissa, Desdemona, Beatrice and Constance were all named after Shakespearean characters. Unfortunately, Peep #1 screwed that up on account of Nissy and Dez being boys and all. MOUSES!

    Seville at Nerissa’s Life recently posted…eenie meenie miney moMy Profile

  2. Jessie looks like a real sweetie. How nice that your friend has her twin. Lily Olivia is also 16. A friend took in her three brothers. I believe only one is still living. We’ve never named any of our kitties (nine angels and the current eight) after anyone we know; though, we have considered naming a couple of girls after two of our past very wonderful vets (Audrey and Jeanmarie) and it will probably happen one day. So happy that you decided to join the blog hop. Hope you’ll come back often. Good luck with your project of gathering a list of the blog hops. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
    Kitties Blue recently posted…SENSATIONAL SWIZZLE’S SELFIEMy Profile

    • I’m glad you stopped by! Always nice to have a fellow-cat-lover visit my blog. “Lily Olivia” is such a sweet name for a cat. I love it. I’m also glad I joined the Sunday Selfie blog hop. It’s been fun hopping around to other blogs and meeting new humans and their cats. Take care! Come back soon, ya hear? 🙂

    • Hi Ellen. I think is sweet that you named your cat after your Mom, even if she is naughty. (Your cat, not your Mom.) 🙂 As far as I know, Jessie’s sister is still alive and well. I’m glad you stopped for a visit. I appreciate it when you do. Off to visit Phoebe now. Take care!

    • Hey, Lou! I’m happy that you came over for a visit too. I think it’s cool that Bugsy and Knuckles are litter mates. I love their names too! Yes, it is nice knowing where Jessie’s sister is. That’s a rare thing, maybe. Come back soon! Ciao for now.

  3. Jessie is a beautiful! She looks very much like my cat Daisy who was also originally feral. I rescued Daisy and her kittens from a city alley where they were at risk. I found homes for her kittens and kept her. She eventually became quite social. She passed away in 2009.
    The Daily Pip recently posted…Who’s Your Squishy?My Profile

    • Thanks for rescuing those cats! I would have done the same. It sounds like it was well worth it for you, and you got a great cat out of it. Good memories, I’m sure. Thanks for leaving me your comment. I appreciate you. 🙂

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Dead Man (manga)

Have you read this? want to / read some / read all

Alternative title:
Objectionable content: Intense
Plot Summary: The chronicles of a transfer student from England who turns out to be a vampire.
User Ratings: 10 ratings have been given [details]
 Masterpiece: 1 vote (sub:1)
 Excellent: 2 votes (Eng:2)
 Very good: -
 Good: 2 votes (raw:1, others:1
1 Italian
 Decent: -
 So-so: 2 votes (Eng:2)
 Not really good: -
 Weak: 1 vote (Eng:1)
 Bad: -
 Awful: -
 Worst ever: 2 votes (Eng:2)
Seen in part or in whole by 43 users, rank: #1561 (of 4957)
Median rating: Good
Arithmetic mean: 5.500 (Decent−), std. dev.: 3.4132, rank: #4446 (of 5099)
Weighted mean: 5.649 (Decent−), rank: #4457 (of 5099) (seen all: 7.06 / seen some: 6.43 / won't finish: 2.81)
Bayesian estimate: 6.257 (Decent+), rank: #2813 (of 2982)
Number of tankoubon: 6
Vintage: 1998 to 2000 (Serialization)
Release dates: We have 6
You can contribute information to this page, but first you must login or register

Japanese staff
Japanese companies
Story & Art: Tatsuya Egawa
Publisher: Shueisha
Serialized In: Biweekly Manga Allman
Japanese cast
Italian staff
Italian companies
Publisher: Dynit
Italian cast

This encyclopedia is collaboratively edited by the users of this site
DISCLAIMER add information report an error lookup sources

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Manga anthology


text:
Morita-san wa Mukuchi Manga to Bundle Unaired Episodes

posted on 2011-08-30 22:45 EDT
Tae Sano's comedy manga about quiet high school girl to include 2 more anime specials

The fifth volume of Tae Sano's four-panel comedy manga Morita-san wa Mukuchi will ship with an anime DVD and a manga booklet next January. The DVD will contain the first episode from the television anime adaptation as well as two special episodes that will not air on television. The booklet will contain character profiles and previously unreleased four-panel manga content.

The original manga follows the everyday life of Mayu Morita, a girl who is exceedingly gentle and thoughtful, to the point that she does not say much of anything to anyone in high school. There was already an original anime DVD that shipped with the third manga volume in February, and the television anime premiered last month. Crunchyroll is streaming the television anime outside Japan as it airs.

Source: Neowing

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Fri, Dec 9, 2016 | updated 05:02 PM IST

Lashkar militant arrested in Baramulla

Updated: Nov 04, 2016 16:00 IST

Sopore (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], Nov.4 (ANI): A Lashker-e-Toiba militant was arrested from Sopore in Baramulla district last night.

Umar Khaliq Mir, a local, was arrested from Tujjar area after security forces launched a search operation following specific inputs, a police official said today. (ANI with inputs)


text:
%0 Conference Paper %D 2009 %T Spectral-Element Discontinuous Galerkin (SEDG) Simulations with a Moving Window Algorithm for Wakefield Calculations %A M. S. Min %A P. F. Fischer %X

We developed a moving window algorithm for wakefield calculations for our SEDG time-domain electromagnetic code NekCEM. When the domain of interest is around a moving bunch within a certain distance, one does not need to carry out full domain simulations. The moving window approach is a natural choice for reducing the computational cost of the conventional low-order methods such as the finite-difference time-domain method [6]. However, there have not been studies on high-order methods, especially the SEDG method, based on the moving window approach. We implemented a 3D moving window option for wakefield calculations on various conducting cavities including a 9-cell TESLA cavity. We demonstrate the performance of the SEDG simulations on moving window meshes.

%8 04/2009 %G eng %1 http://www.mcs.anl.gov/papers/P1615.pdf


text:
Posted on Sun, Feb 28, 2010 : 5:45 a.m.

$132 million tower boosts capacity for University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye Center by 50%

By Nathan Bomey

It’s a visual the University of Michigan’s eye doctors have been waiting years to see.

Their new facility - a $132 million, 8-story, 230,000-square-foot research and clinical structure on Wall Street in Ann Arbor - will welcome patients Monday.

It’s a certifiable moment of dÃ©jÃ  vu for Paul Lichter, the longtime director of U-M’s W.K. Kellogg Eye Center and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

This is his second time leading the pursuit of a new facility for the Kellogg Eye Center. The last time? 1985. He said he realized sometime around 1998 or 1999 that the center would need more space.

“Even though our space was old, it was still very functional. But it was too tight. It was too small and it wasn’t as nice for patients as we knew it could be, no question,” Lichter said. “The fact that it was tight didn’t allow us the space to have enough clinics.”

U-M is spending this weekend transferring furniture, computers and equipment from the old building to the new facility - called the Brehm Tower - next door.

Parts of the old 3-building facility - which includes a converted nursing home and geriatric center - may be demolished, Lichter said, perhaps in favor of a parking lot.

The new structure - designed by architectural firm TSA of Massachusetts - gives the Kellogg Eye Center about 50 percent more capacity than its previous facility. It includes:

* Seven eye care clinics with new suites to house refractive and cosmetic surgery.

* Six new spacious, high-tech operating rooms, up from four at the previous facility. The operating rooms include high-definition screen and monitoring rooms.

* New labs designed to house research for the Brehm Center for Diabetes Research. Diabetes can lead to vision loss.

* 73 exam rooms, up from 50 at the previous facility.

* Larger waiting areas, spacious clinical areas and additional exam rooms.

U-M expects to add about 100 jobs over the next five to seven years to staff its increased capacity.

Eye care facts

  • More than 4 million U.S. residents suffer from dry eye.
  • 1.8 million people undergo cataract surgery annually.
  • Some 4.3 million Americans ages have glaucoma, but about 2 million don’t know it.
  • About 10 million Americans 50 and older have advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which can lead to vision loss.
  • U.S. doctors perform more than 40,000 corneal transplants each year. It’s the most common transplant procedure.

Driving the growth: demographic shifts. As the population ages - more than 20 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 or older by 2030 - demand for eye care clinics and scientific advancements will intensify.

The shift is already playing out: From 1985 to 2009, the number of outpatient visits at U-M’s Kellogg Eye Center more than doubled from 36,852 to 78,313. Kellogg doctors performed 3,795 surgeries in 2009.

“Eye disease and diabetes both pose growing challenges to our nation’s health, and Kellogg and Brehm scientists will help us continue to lead the way in both fields,” said Ora Pescovitz U-M Health System CEO and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, in a statement.

The tower is named after Virginia couple Delores S. and William K. Brehm, who donated $44 million to U-M in November 2004. Some $30 million of that was dedicated for this project.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences raised $10 million in donations to support the expansion, and U-M provided additional funds from the accounts of the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers.

The ample space for collaborative research initiatives at the new facility is a key element in the university’s research vision.

U-M is actively pursuing new multidisciplinary research programs that place scientists with different research skills side-by-side in hopes of discovering new therapies.

“There’s great opportunity for communication between scientists” in the new lab space, Lichter said.

Among the new research initiatives U-M believes it can expand: its focus on developing therapies to treat Grave’s eye disease, which leads to a bulging eye and is associated with a thyroid disorder.

“It’s geared up now to be a program that has cutting-edge treatments,” Lichter said. “It will be a destination program here.”

But the new facility is also equipped to handle routine eye checkups and appointments. In fact, it’s central to U-M’s mission.

Using ambient light, artwork and various creative design elements, the facility aims to soothe patients who are nervous about their appointment.

Still, buildings can only do so much. Doctors are still the centerpiece of the patient experience.

“Coming to the doctor has some tension to it. It’s something we don’t want to do,” Lichter said. “I think coming to a friendly environment and being seen by friendly people who care about you makes it better and gives you a warm feeling.”

Contact’s Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or or follow him on Twitter. You can also subscribe to Business Review's weekly e-newsletter or the upcoming breaking business news e-newsletter.

Frank Hilberer

Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 11:05 a.m.

Very nice building, but those who will need it the most won't be able to afford it. U of M salaried employees loose their vision care benefits 18 months after they retire. As the demographics point out people age 65 and older will require more eye care. Shame on the university for removing a benefit vital to this age group.

Mon, Mar 1, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.

Still no mention of Gilbane/Clark Joint Venture...the guys who've been working hard for 3 years...and are still working... to bring the vision to real life.

Sun, Feb 28, 2010 : 10:13 a.m.

Hail to the Victors!


text:
Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 12:58 p.m.

Ann Arbor's real-time online snowplow tracking tool is a hit

By Cindy Heflin

A screen shot of the snowplow tracking Web page just before 11 a.m. Tuesday. Blue cones indicate the location of plows.

The City of Ann Arbor’s new online snowplow tracking tool is working like a charm.

The system was so popular with the public when it was first turned on in December it crashed from overuse, said Kirk Pennington, field operations supervisor. At least 200 people were trying to watch the city’s snowplows do their work in real time, he said.

The city has no way to monitor how many people are checking out the website, Pennington said, but has generally received positive feedback from residents.

“They like seeing where the plows are,” he said. A smaller number of people have been unimpressed, he said. “Some people feel it’s a complete waste of resources.”

The Ann Arbor City Council authorized spending $88,000 to outfit up to 100 vehicles with the system. Though other cities use similar vehicle tracking systems, this is the first one hosted by the vender, Radio Satellite Integrators, to provide public access.

However city residents may feel about the system, city officials are very pleased, Pennington said.

In addition to real-time information about where each plow is on its route, the system also tracks how much salt each plow is using and where. That means the city can identify problem areas and take steps to address those. Perhaps snow tends to drift on a particular street, for example. The city might decide to plant bushes there to act as a windscreen.

The system is also helping the city keep track of potholes. A two-way messaging system allows driver to log the location of potholes so that they can be repaired in a timely manner. The system also keeps track of the number of times a pothole has had to be repaired, thus alerting the city to problem areas that may need resurfacing.

“We knew it would meet our needs,” Pennington said. “What was completely unclear at that time was what the public’s needs were and how to effectively communicate that to them. On the management end it’s doing everything that we intended it to do and we’re discovering new uses for it.”

The city is still learning how to make use of the public interface, he said. At the moment, the real-time information can only be viewed in the Internet Explorer browser. An update to the system expected this year should make the information visible on Firefox and Google Chrome browsers, Pennington said.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 3:14 p.m.

The roads are still horrible. If you were out Saturday at noon, well after the snow had ended, you would have been met with an ice rink. The intersection at Jackson and Maple was an ice rink. Cars could not get through the light because they couldn't get moving on the ice. I sat there for 30 mins waiting for my turn since only one or two could make it and that is a fairly long light. Today my neighborhood is the same...again.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 3:16 p.m.

And yes I understand they don't plow unless there is 4 inches. Makes sense but if the street is a sheet of ice we are in need of salt.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 3:14 p.m.

Apparently commenters here don't know that city policy is that full-on city-wide plowing isn't done unless there 4 inches or more of snow. For lighter snow and ice, they spread salt/sand and do some plowing of major streets only. I think we've only had one snowfall of 4 inches this winter. Much more information on city snow removal policies and methods here. Not that I expect anyone to read it, it's clearly much more fun to just whinge and complain about invisible snow plows.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.

I have checked out the snow removal policy. I am commenting more generally. Though this has been a relatively mild winter, there have been some snowfalls in the past years, well above 4 inches, and it is these instances where I have really noticed a problem. My neighborhood was hardly touched, save for a sprinkling of salt. The side streets were nearly impassable until being packed down, after which things turned quite slick. As for the not plowing unless there are 4 inches, that's a whole different problem. 3 or so inches of snow can create slick and difficult conditions. That said, with budgets as they are, concessions need to be made.

average joe

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 12:04 p.m.

Since they claim there isn't a way to track the number of 'hits', how can the city say that residents are using it and are pleased that the city spent the funds for it? If it crashed at only 200 users, is that a number that indicates the city's barometer of 'success vs. failure'? The bigger questions are of course- Does the system actually make snow removal in the city more efficient, and does it make the streets safer to drive on?

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 11:50 a.m.

Google Analytics is free and provides a wealth of info to website owners. A monkey can turn it on...

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 8:23 a.m.

My needs are plowed streets and roads. How has this system met my needs? Based on my experience with the most recent snow fall, it did not satisfy my needs. Many roads in our part of the city were left untouched by plow or salt.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 1:58 a.m.

How can this be possible, given that there has been only a couple of snowfalls of over 2" this entire winter?

Craig Lounsbury

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 1:18 a.m.

I haven't seen a plow on my street either....but I'm not complaining. I live on a dead end cul-de-sac and to date we haven't had a snow that prevents my cars from moving out on the the main roads. I won't complain about a city spending frivolous money one day (art) and whine that they haven't plowed 3 inches of snow from my dead end street another day.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 1:06 a.m.

Is the $88,000 to outfit the trucks the entire cost of this project? Since AATA had a line item of "website" at $100,000 (or it might have been $400,000), I'm wondering if there is (a lot) more money on the web-enabling, and other related costs that are not mentioned in this article. Can the average A2 citizen easily find this stuff out?

Guinea Pig in a Tophat

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 9:48 p.m.

"The city has no way to monitor how many people are checking out the website, Pennington said...." Sure they do. All they need to do is look at the Web Server Statistics of that page, which are created from the server logs from the company that's hosting the Website. Even if they don't have the statistics, they'll have the server logs. Let's see some numbers!

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 1:59 a.m.

A dead apache registers no hits. That said, I'll posit that this blog gets more hits than a snowplow tracker during a winter with... no snow to date.

E Claire

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.

Have to agree with others...I've seen no snowplows in 2 years on my street. One time last year after a heavy snowfall, they came around a few days later to sprinkle dirt. We then had not just snow and ice, but tons of mud. Maybe next time it snows, I'll come get the big metal scraper from the front of city hall and my neighbors and I can scrape the ice off our street with that.

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 9:01 p.m.

The site worked for an hour or two for me after the last snow, but froze at 10:23 am, presumable lunch time. It never did re-load after that.

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 8:23 p.m.

I have yet to see a plow, salt, or sand truck drive down my street all winter. Granted, it hasn't been a typical winter, but according to the grid, they've been down my street. I'm driving down a snow and ice-covered road, so I question the validity of the service. Sure, main roads are dandy, but the residential roads are not.

Wed, Feb 15, 2012 : 3:21 p.m.

Well played Buster...well played. For the record, I was not driving during the writing of that comment, it's hard for me to post any kind of comment on using my mobile phone. Hopefully, a mobile-friendly site is in the works.

Buster W.

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.

"I'm driving down a snow and ice-covered road, so I question the validity of the service." Why are you texting while driving?

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 6:55 p.m.

In our neighborhood it is a minimum of 48 hours after a snowfall to see plows, sand or salt. Absolutely ridiculous. Perhaps this software could be used to see gaps in service, rather than just watching where they are driving? We all deserve safe streets.

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 6:55 p.m.

It would be interesting to see this used for the County Road Commission as well.

Tue, Feb 14, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.

This implies that there are actually snow plows working in Ann Arbor. In my five years of living here, I've found that snow plows are like sasquatches -- you hear an awful lot about them, but you never actually see them. Unless of course you live on a main road...


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Friday, June 24th, 2011

New Booker T. Jones Video Release

There's a visually evocative new video for the Booker T. Jones song "Progress" from his acclaimed album The Road From Memphis. The song offers a blast of classic Booker T. soul music and features a perfect vocal accompaniment by the phenomenal Yim Yames of band My Morning Jacket.

The clip was directed by Aaron Hymes and features images of a downtown Los Angeles in transition. As the director told the Los Angels Times, "They were snapshots of things that were real and unaffected while simultaneously being filmed with the idea of hope and progression. I wanted to capture that upbeat, positive vibe and re-create those feelings with a contemporary twist. Downtown L.A. was the perfect setting. It's a city that's still changing, still moving forward, and has a uniqueness and sunny positivity you just can't find anywhere else."

Watch the video and read what the Los Angeles Times says about it here:

The Road from Memphis refers not only to Booker T's journey but to the evolution of the soul music he helped invent as it traveled from Memphis to Detroit, Philadelphia and beyond. The features a broad range of guest vocalists including Matt Berninger of the National, Sharon Jones," Yim Yames and Lou Reed. Legendary motor-city guitarist Dennis Coffey contributes to the album as well.

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Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Jason Lytle Interview and In-Studio Performance On NPR's "Talk of the Nation"

For Immediate Release

Jason Lytle Interview and In-Studio performance on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" June 11

Former Grandaddy Singer on Tour with Neko Case, Adds East Coast Dates in Support of Solo Debut Yours Truly, the Commuter

Jason Lytle will take time from his busy schedule in Los Angeles later this week - which includes a headlining show in Long Beach June 11 and opening for Neko Case at the Greek Theater in Hollywood June 12 - to visit NPR West in Culver City to talk and play on NPR's popular midday news talk show Talk of the Nation on Thursday June 11. To find stations and broadcast times for Talk of the Nation, visit

Lytle is currently on tour with labelmate Neko Case in support of his new solo debut Yours Truly, the Commuter, which has been garnering the former Grandaddy frontman praise from critics:

- "Lytle has truly gathered his strength for one hell of a re-emergence" -American Songwriter
- "Sweet, weird, cosmic-sounding indie rock doesn't get much better than this." -Interview
- "A richly textured work that is lovingly crafted and affectingly poignant." -Alternative Press

Jason Lytle on Tour (all dates with Neko Case unless otherwise noted):

06/08 San Francisco, CA - Cafe Du Nord (headline show)
06/09 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
06/11 Long Beach, CA - Art Theatre (headline show)
06/12 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
06/14 Merced, CA - The Partisan (headline show)
07/01 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club (headline show)
07/02 Chicago, IL - Congress Theater (with Explosions In The Sky)
07/03 Columbia, MO - Tonic (headline show)
07/07 Newport, KY - Southgate House (headline show)
07/08 Columbus, OH - The Basement (headline show)
07/10 Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall (headline show)
07/11 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom (headline show)
07/15 Cleveland, OH - The Grog Shop (headline show)
07/16 Grand Rapids, MI - Meijer Gardens
07/17 Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Hall
07/19 Kansas City, MO - The Uptown
07/22 Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot
07/23 Buffalo, NY - Thursdays at the Square
07/25 Nashville, TN - Ryman
07/26 Atlanta, GA - Cobb
07/28 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live
07/29 Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center
07/31 Pittsburgh, PA - Riverplex Amphitheatre

For more information:

Press contact:
Hilary Villa / Anti- Records

Jason Lytle's artist page

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1279All Artists 56Dr. Dog 45The Milk Carton Kids 43Lost In The Trees 43Sean Rowe 41Neko Case 39Tinariwen 37Mavis Staples See Full List+


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Antique Kerman Persian Rug 3206 - For Sale

Antique Kerman Persian Rug 3206
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Antique Persian Kerman rug, late nineteenth century, designed by Master Kermani Various nineteenth century Persian carpets, have from time to time been modeled on the ruined reliefs of the great palace built by the ancient Achaemenid Persian kings Darius I and Xerxes at Persepolis in the early fifth century B.C. But no other rug of this kind can compare with the range and monumentality of this splendid example, woven under the supervision of the great master Kermani. He combines reliefs from all over the site as well as views of the architecture, the great stairways, and even the nearby tomb of Darius. The border is based on scenes from later rock reliefs of the Sassanian Persian kings. Kermani has combined them into one great decorative homage to ancient Persian history and kingship in keeping with the taste and revivalist aspirations of the Qajar dynasty for whom Kermani worked.
Style: Kerman
Origin: Persia
Size: 17 ft 04 in x 24 ft 03 in (5.28 m x 7.39 m)

Antique Rugs
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31 East 32nd St.
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All over the world, and in particular in Germany, a trend toward a more sustainable electric energy supply
including energy efficiency and climate protection can be observed. Simulation models can support these
energy transitions by providing beneficial insights for the development of different electricity generation mix
strategies in future electric energy systems.
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The GAP-DRG Model: Simulation of Outpatient Care for Comparison of Different Reimbursement Schemes Patrick Einzinger, Niki Popper, Felix Breitenecker et al., Proceedings of the 2013 Winter Simulation Conference

In healthcare the reimbursement of medical providers is an important topic and can influence the overall outcome. We present the agent-based healthcare model, which allows a comparison of reimbursement schemes in outpatient care. It models patients and medical providers as agents. In the simulation of healthcare system, patients develop medical problems (i.e., diseases) and a need for medical services. This leads to utilization of medical providers. The reimbursement system receives information on the patients’ visits via its generic interface, which facilitates an easy replacement. We describe the assumptions of the model in detail and show how it makes extensive use of available Austrian routine care data for its parameterization. The model design is optimized for utilizing as much of these data as possible. However, many assumptions have to be simplifications. Further work and detailed comparisons with healthcare data will provide insight on which assumptions are valid descriptions of the real process.
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A Hybrid Simulation Model for Large-Scaled Electricity Generation Systems Marco Pruckner, Reinhard German, Proceedings of the 2013 Winter Simulation Conference

Due to the transition towards a sustainable energy supply, many electricity generation systems are faced with great challenges worldwide. Highly volatile renewable energy sources play an important role in the future electricity generation mix and should help compensate the phase-out of nuclear power in countries such as Germany. Simulation-based energy system analysis can support the conversion into a sustainable future energy system and are intended to find risks and miscalculations. In this paper we present main components of the electricity generation system models. We use a hybrid simulation approach with system dynamics and discrete event modules. This modular design allows quick model adoptions for different scenarios. Simulation results show the development of the future annual electricity balance, CO2 emission balance, electricty imports and exports, and the wholesale price of electricity.
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Prospective Healthcare Decision-Making By Combined System Dynamics, Discrete-Event And Agent-Based Simulation Anatoli Djanatliev, Reinhard German, Proceedings of the 2013 Winter Simulation Conference

Prospective Health Technology Assessment allows early decision making for innovative health care technologies. In our recent publications a hybrid simulation approach with System Dynamics and Agent-Based Modeling has been presented. This paper presents a mechanism to generate agents dynamically from SD models and extends the previously presented hybrid approach by process-oriented Discrete Event Simulation for hospital modeling.
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Modeling the Cycles of Gang and Criminal Behavior: Understanding the Social and Economic Influences Bruce Skarin, Jeanine Skorinko, Khalid Saeed, Oleg Pavlov, 27th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, 2009

One of the challenges in developing policy for dealing with asocial behavior, such as burglary, vehicle theft, or violent crimes is the seemingly unpredictable rise and fall of activity. In retrospect these cycles in crime are often attributed to changes in factors such the size of a police force, level unemployment, or high school drop-out rate. What causes changes in these factors can some times be external to a local community, such as economic shifts affecting tax revenue, however many are internally linked. For example when crime is high, there is a call for more police and when crime is low, there is a justification for reducing the size of the force. Therefore, understanding how these factors are linked together as a whole may allow for better policies that reduce asocial behavior further and create more stability in the long term.
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Large Scale Healthcare Modeling by Hybrid Simulation Techniques using AnyLogic Anatoli Djanatliev and Reinhard German, Computer Networks and Communication Systems Department of Computer Science 7. Proceedings of the 6th International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques

This paper describes a methodical and practical approach of hybrid model creation using the simulation tool AnyLogic. We focus on general modeling aspects and on advanced techniques using a Level-Based Architecture that help to develop large scale hybrid simulation models. An implementation of a stroke therapy use-case and its simulation results will be discussed. Finally, some practical ideas for validation will be outlined, as we experienced during the stroke use-case development.
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Coptic hierarch takes Episcopalians to task

HT: Byzantine TX Source: Virtue Online

A Coptic Orthodox Church observer to the Fourth Global South to South Encounter ripped into the Episcopal Church, stunning some 130 archbishops, bishops, clergy and laity, urging them to say “no to ordination of homosexuals, no to gay marriage, no to such immorality, and that it is time to purify the sanctuary of the Lord from this abomination that causes our God to suffer, bleed and be crucified again everyday.”

“You are martyrs without the shedding of blood because you are upholding the teaching of the Gospel handed down once and for all to the apostles,” Bishop Anba Suriel told the stunned delegates.

“An army of sheep led by a lion is more powerful than an army of lions led by a sheep. I really pray that you lions here, the primates of each of the provinces of the Global South will stand united with one accord against the heresies of The Episcopal Church.

“I want to share with you a saying of Saint Anthony the Great, the father of monasticism. This great Egyptian saint said, “There will come a day when the mad people will look at the normal people and say, ‘Look at these mad people because they are not like us.'” I think this prophecy has been fulfilled in our day and age. Abnormality has become the new normality. Certain factions of the Christian Church are becoming desensitized to the truth of the Gospel. I call it the frog in the kettle syndrome.

“If you place a frog in a kettle at room temperature the frog will be comfortable, if you raise the temperature slightly, the frog will quickly adapt. If you continue to raise the temperature very gradually the frog will continue to adapt to its new environment until finally the water is boiling and the frog is fried inside the kettle and loses its life. This is what today’s Post Modern society is doing; it is pushing the limit of immorality further and further till it tries to make some lose their spiritual life and die.”

The bishop blasted New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson. “He was a married man and had two daughters. He divorced his wife and left his daughters to live this unthinkable life of abomination. Is this the holiness and perfection and the image and likeness of God? How then can such a person be ordained to the highest level of authority in a Church, the episcopate? What example does he give to young people, what long term effects will such a decision by The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) have on the North American Episcopalians in generations to come?”

The bishop said homosexual radical activists are overrunning schools in America with their agenda.

“While homosexual activity is strong in Hollywood, the education system is being overrun by radical homosexual activists who want to begin indoctrination in the elementary school system, middle schools and high schools. In Massachusetts, where a Court recently found that the homosexuals have a constitutional right to get married, teachers and counselors receive special state-funded training for dealing with gay and lesbian students, and libraries are stocked with book and films on homosexual issues.

“In Framingham, Massachusetts, students were forced to answer a questionnaire that openly challenged the validity of their heterosexuality. Here are some questions:

  1. What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
  2. When did you first decide you were heterosexual?
  3. Is it possible heterosexuality is a phase you will grow out of? [Of course, the flip-side of the question is not asked: Is it possible that homosexuality is phase you will grow out of.]
  4. Is it possible you are heterosexual because you fear the same sex?
  5. If you have never slept with anyone of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn’t prefer it?
  6. To whom have you disclosed your heterosexuality? How did they react?
  7. Why are heterosexuals so blatant, always making a spectacle of their heterosexuality? Why can’t they just be who they are, not flaunt their sexuality by kissing in public, wearing wedding rings, etc?

“Notice how heterosexuality is portrayed as the abnormal behavior? If you substituted the words ‘homosexuality’ and ‘opposite sex’ into many of the questions, there would be a howl of protests from radical homosexual activists and their allies. “Today’s heresy often becomes tomorrow’s orthodoxy. Well, let me say the orthodoxy of God will never allow for these heresies.

“That is why TEC allows a heretic like Bishop Spong to promulgate his poison all over the world and publish books advocating a cocktail of heresies ranging from denying the divinity of Christ to a complete and shocking attack on the inspired Word of God. And yet at the same time they depose an orthodox Episcopal bishop for upholding the true faith of the Scriptures that marriage is between one man and one woman… I cannot even begin to get comprehend that.”

The bishop said he was personally vilified, hissed and booed when he attended the Anglican Synod of Australia in 2001 and spoke up about homosexual activity.

“I was not politically correct, and I will continue not to be politically correct till my last breath defending this Gospel of the Good News that our Lord was crucified for to bring us salvation. My brethren, I believe it is time for the Anglican Global South to make a strong stand; there is no room here for political correctness and niceties. Your young people and indeed many ecumenical partners are watching closely the outcome of this Encounter. Will a strong message go out to the rest of the Anglican Communion to repent and return to God and to return to His Holy commandments to be holy and perfect? How can anyone live a holy and perfect life whilst living an abominable lifestyle such as homosexuality and be ordained to serve God?”

TEC keeps spouting these evil doctrines because they want to corrupt the world, he stated.

The bishop urged the Encounter bishops to study not only covenant issues but conciliar issues as well.

“Perhaps if some studies can be made, historical studies on the conciliar nature of the church and to see it from the Orthodox perspective may be helpful to you in setting up a viable structure for the Anglican Global South. “

The bishop urged greater engagement with media to get the word out. “I would like to suggest that multimedia and television/satellite channels should play an important role for the Anglican Global South. In the Coptic Orthodox Church we have found that our worldwide satellite TV channels have had a great impact on promulgating Orthodox Christian teachings. Through such channels you can teach the upcoming generations of children and youth about the proper understanding on marriage according to Biblical teachings.

“I pray that the Anglican Global South will continue to uphold this holiness of the Church. Please do not lose hope, be strong and be united together through prayer and faith. Let no one shake you or rattle you and know that your brothers and sisters in the Coptic Orthodox Church are praying for you and your provinces and we stand firmly beside you in this upward battle that you are fighting. Darkness cannot overcome the light of the Gospel, be of good cheer the Lord tells us because in the world we will find tribulation. He has overcome the world.”

  1. cynthia curran :

    Well, I believe the copts don’t follow what is popular in the general culture.

  2. Michael Bauman :

    And our principal seminary honors the leader of such heresies.

  3. Elder Paissios Holy Mount Athos:

    In Man there’s a hidden power which comes out when necessary.

    The minds of whole nations are in confusion. But in spite of the ferment I feel a certain consolation inside, a certain confidence. God still dwells in a part of the Christians. God’s people, people of prayer, still remain, and God in his all-goodness still tolerates us and will put everything in order.

  4. Yet another reason why I wish things would speed up on the other Chambesy accords, and the EO and OO be reunited.

    Bi-‘Khristos afdoonf!
    Many years!

    • George Michalopulos :

      Isa, are you sure that the OO want anything to do with the dhimmified Phanar/GOA and the best and brightest that teach at SVS?

      • Peter Bouteneff :

        George, teaching as I do at SVS, I sure hope that Isa does want that! Thank you, Isa, for your hopes and prayers.

        By the way, Bishop Suriel is a wonderful man, whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many times. And I think it is highly important that the Episcopal Church hear his voice on these issues. Their shock testifies to the ironic fact of their insularity.

        • Geo Michalopulos :

          Fr(?) Peter,

          please forgive my impertince. I am still reeling from the granting of an honorary degree to the Archbishop of Canterbury. This really wounded those of us in the trenches. I’ve always had the greatest respect for SVS. Recent body-blow notwithstanding, I still do.

  5. Another interesting development at the Anglican Global South Encounter was the Archbishop of Rwanda’s call for an Anglican “ecumenical council” rather than the current mess where no structure can address the false teachings which are tearing the Anglican Communion apart.

    We can pray that such a Council would bring us closer to Orthodoxy!

  1. […] The Copts remark on the ECUSA. […]

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China's Largest Automaker Weighing GM Stock Purchase

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China's largest automaker, SAIC Motor, is considering taking a stake in General Motors when the Detroit-based automaker begins its public offering of stock later this year.

SAIC hasn't yet decided whether to invest in the new GM, although it's weighing such a deal, according to a report Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. GM and SAIC have been building cars jointly in China since the 1990s.

Still, an expression of interest by the Chinese automaker could hit a quick dead end if the U.S. government objects to the move, Reuters reported Sunday, citing sources with knowledge that SAIC was looking to take a "single-digit" share in GM.

The U.S. Treasury, which holds a 61% stake in GM, is likely to seek overseas investment as the agency looks to pare down its investment, according to a statement posted on a government website. Retail and institutional investors will be offered shares, Treasury said.

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"Critics will publicly blast the Obama administration for using taxpayer money to fund foreign ownership in an American icon," Morningstar auto stock analyst David Whiston told the Journal. Still, Whiston said, restricting overseas investment would be impractical because the shares would be available on the public market.

GM declined to comment on SAIC's possible investment, noting that the company is barred by securities regulation from talking about the IPO.

GM filed papers with U.S. regulators in August to once again become a publicly traded company after succumbing to government-sponsored bankruptcy in June 2009. A new, smaller GM emerged a month later.

Though some Americans will likely object to foreign ownership should SAIC invest in the resurgent automaker, GM's stakeholders -- which also include the Canadian government and United Auto Workers -- will no doubt need all the help they can get in unloading shares. GM has reported just two quarters of profitability in post-bankruptcy form.
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Orlando Vacation Packages: Choosing the Right One

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Orlando Vacation Packages

The sheer number of Orlando vacation packages available can make choosing the best one for your central Florida trip a bit overwhelming. One way to narrow it down would be to use the old reporter's maxim for writing a news story and make sure you address these six points: who, what, where, when, why and how. Once you do your homework, you'll know what specific type of Orlando vacation package will best fit your situation.

Orlando Vacation Packages: Who?

Is this a romantic trip for you and your significant other, a family vacation for four, an extended family reunion, a golf trip for you and your buddies, or a bachelorette party with the bride-to-be and her sorority sisters?

Orlando Vacation Packages: What?

Do you seek a theme park adventure or a relaxing weekend at an Orlando-area resort? Will you stay exclusively in central Florida or will you take day trips to the beaches or other attractions? Are you a serious kayaker who wants to spend a day paddling in nearby wilderness areas?

Orlando Vacation Packages: Where?

Do you want to stay on theme park property? Would you rather be close to the weekend nightlife of downtown Orlando? Are you seeking four-star hotel accommodations or a budget hotel? Is there family living in the area whom you want to stay near (or with)?

Orlando Vacation Packages: When?

This is probably the most important point to address because it makes quite a difference. For instance, summer school vacation is one of the most crowded times at the theme parks, but the heat of the season means uncrowded golf resorts and courses with lower fees. Crowds at the theme parks are thinner and the weather is nicer during the fall, but you'll have to pull the kids out of school. So are shorter lines more important, or are you beholden to the school vacation calendar? Is your schedule flexible enough that you can travel during off-peak times to save money on an Orlando vacation package?

Orlando Vacation Packages: Why?

Are you taking the vacation for relaxation, exploration or recreation? Do you want to cram in as much as possible, or do you seek a slower pace because you plan on returning every year? Are you there to check out the newest theme park attractions or focus on a particular park? Will you pair an Orlando vacation with a Caribbean cruise?

Orlando Vacation Packages: How?

Do you plan on flying, driving or riding a train to Orlando? If you fly, will you rent a car or depend on taxis and resort shuttles to get around? Will you be using cash, credit cards or traveler's checks to pay for things once you arrive? If you're visiting Orlando from outside the United States, are there specific passport or visa issues you will need to address?

Once you have answered the "Five W's and One H," you will be much more prepared to begin your search for the perfect Orlando vacation package. If you are more comfortable using a travel agent, take your answers to him or her to help in the planning. But most people these days turn to the web for their vacation planning.

Now that you've narrowed down the list of what sort of Orlando vacation package you're seeking, you can glean some keywords for your internet searches. Be specific: "Orlando Golf Vacation Packages November"; "Disney World Vacation Packages August"; "Orlando Eco Vacation Packages."

Before you use any service to plan your Orlando vacation package, be sure to seek recommendations from friends or family, and check the company's record with the Better Business Bureau to make sure it's reputable.

And have a great Orlando vacation!

Photo by gmmail on Flickr
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Can Optical Investors Read the Warning Signs?

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When JDS Uniphase (NAS: JDSU) stood in the middle of Wall Street yesterday, frantically waving warning flags, Oplink Communications (NAS: OPLK) investors looked the other way. Maybe they should have paid attention.

Today, Oplink's own fourth-quarter report is in, and the stock has joined JDSU in a double-digit fall over the past two days. Year-over-year sales growth of 12% and flat earnings largely met Street estimates, but a dismal outlook for the coming quarter sank the ship.

Meeting the top end of management's first-quarter guidance would mean missing revenue estimates by 6% and earnings targets by 36%. And even those unreachable Street projections describe year-over-year shrinkage in the first place.

For an optical-components specialist with 23% annual growth over the past five years and a 30% long-term annual growth projection pegged on it by analysts, that just won't do. Yet Oplink CEO Joe Kiu keeps a stiff upper lip: "As we continue to introduce building blocks for ROADM and flexible networks, Oplink is well positioned to gain market share."

Just not anytime soon. Kiu admits that "visibility is limited" and not at all helped by the uncertain economy. "The telecom equipment market is in its early stage of another upgrading cycle to higher capacity," he says, pointing past direct-systems clients Huawei and Tellabs (NAS: TLAB) and passing the buck to foot-draggers at Verizon (NYS: VZ) , AT&T (NYS: T) , and China Mobile (NYS: CHL) . Slow orders from that rung of the networking industry are bad news for the whole ladder.

And once again, Mr. Market is taking this message the wrong way. If business is slow for both JDSU and Oplink, then why did Finisar (NAS: FNSR) stay sanguine on Thursday and even jump on Friday? Granted, that stock has already seen lots of pain priced in over the past six months, but Finisar owners may still be in for a rude awakening when the company reports results -- and offers guidance -- in two weeks.

Keep an eye on the optical networkers:

At the time this article was published Fool contributorAnders Bylundholds no position in any of the companies discussed here. The Motley Fool owns shares of China Mobile.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of China Mobile and AT&T. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. You can check outAnders' holdings and a concise bio, follow him onTwitterorGoogle+, or peruseour Foolish disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2011 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. Sign Agreement to Acquire Certain Hostess Snack Brand

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Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. Sign Agreement to Acquire Certain Hostess Snack Brands and Bakeries

NEW YORK & GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYS: APO) (collectively with its subsidiaries "Apollo") and Metropoulos & Co. ("Metropoulos") today announced that they have entered into a "stalking horse" asset purchase agreement to acquire certain assets of Hostess Brands, Inc.'s baked snack foods business ("Hostess Snacks") for $410 million in cash.

Per the terms of the agreement, Apollo and Metropoulos will acquire certain Hostess Snacks brands, including, among others, Twinkies, Mini Muffins, Cup Cakes, Ho Hos, Zingers and Suzy Q's, and five Hostess Snacks bakeries located throughout the United States. The agreement provides for the acquisition of the assets of Hostess Snacks free and clear and does not require Apollo and Metropoulos to assume any of Hostess Snacks' liabilities or other obligations.

The asset purchase agreement constitutes a "stalking horse bid" in a sale process being conducted under Section 363 of Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. As such, the acquisition of Hostess Snacks by Apollo and Metropoulos remains subject to approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and a subsequent auction process in which other interested buyers may submit competing bids for the assets of Hostess Snacks. Completion of the transaction, which is expected to occur prior to the end of April 2013, remains subject to competing offers, approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court, and customary closing conditions.

C. Dean Metropoulos, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Metropoulos & Co. said, "We are pleased to be partnered with Apollo as we seek to resurrect Hostess Snacks and return these legendary products to the American consumer. For more than 25 years we have had the opportunity to acquire and grow some of the world's most widely recognized consumer food and beverage brands, and I look forward to working with Apollo in rebuilding these heritage brands and ensuring their long term availability to their loyal consumers. Never before have we seen such a groundswell of support and desire for a brand's return and revival."

Andy Jhawar, a Senior Partner of Apollo and Head of Apollo's Consumer and Food Retail Industry Group added, "Today's approval of the stalking horse agreement is a positive step toward saving some of America's most well-recognized and iconic brands. We believe the Hostess Snacks brands we agreed to acquire offer significant potential for renewed growth and expansion into additional channels of distribution. We are confident that the combined expertise and capital of Apollo and C. Dean Metropoulos, who has an unparalleled track record of value creation in the consumer packaged food and beverage industry, will prove invaluable as we re-launch the Hostess Snacks business."

About Apollo Global Management, LLC

Apollo is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, London, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong. Apollo had assets under management of approximately $110 billion as of September 30, 2012 in private equity, credit and real estate funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo has considerable knowledge and resources. For more information about Apollo, please visit www.agm.com.

About Metropoulos & Co.

Metropoulos & Co. is a merchant banking and management firm focused principally on the food and consumer sectors in the United States and Europe. In recent years, C. Dean Metropoulos and his management team partners have been involved in more than 74 acquisitions with over $12 billion of aggregate transaction value. Companies where Metropoulos & Co. has been an investor and Metropoulos has been an executive include: Pabst Brewing Company, Pinnacle Foods, Aurora Foods, Stella Foods, The Morningstar Group, International Home Foods, Ghirardelli Chocolates, Mumm and Perrier Jouet Champagnes and Hillsdown Holdings, PLC (Premier International Foods, Burtons Biscuits and Christie Tyler Furniture), among others.

Apollo Global Management, LLC
For investor inquiries regarding Apollo:
Gary M. Stein, 212-822-0467
Head of Corporate Communications
For media inquiries regarding Apollo:
Rubenstein Associates, Inc. for Apollo Global Management, LLC
Charles Zehren, 212-843-8590
Metropoulos & Co.
For media inquiries regarding Metropoulos & Co.:
Kekst and Company
Mark Semer, 212-521-4802

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Connecticut  New York

The article Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co. Sign Agreement to Acquire Certain Hostess Snack Brands and Bakeries originally appeared on Fool.com.

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