In the 700s BC, Greeks migrated across southern Italy and settled the land known as Magna Graecia. The first of these settlements – where 100,000 of the wealthiest and most prosperous congregated – was Sybaris. The Sybarites, whose name is now synonymous with opulence and luxury originated la dolce vita for which Italy is famous.

The culmination of a year of collaboration with my Calabrian Table Tour partner-in-crime, Tania Pascuzzi (In Italy Tours), paid off last week as we welcomed seven bright-eyed adventurers into our favorite little corner of Italy.

Small cars make big splash in Detroit; Trucks and SUVs are no longer the stars of the auto show go to website fitzgerald auto mall

The Washington Post January 9, 2010 | Peter Whoriskey The North American International Auto Show, the annual automotive gala in Detroit, may be best known as a stage for manufacturers to display their latest rolling leviathans.

But to judge from this year’s show, the next big thing may be small.

Driven in part by the recession, and in part by shifting consumer tastes and global marketing strategies, the U.S. manufacturers who once obsessed over trucks and muscle cars are casting a spotlight on their diminutives.

Chevrolet plans to display its new Cruze and Aveo as well as the tiny Spark. Ford will highlight its Focus and new-to-the-United States Fiesta. Chrysler will put up a Fiat 500. And the Japanese automakers, who entered the small-car fray earlier and more forcefully, will show off the new Mazda 2 and Honda CR-Z and the most recent hybrids.

“It was cool for a while to be in a monster vehicle. Now it’s uncool,” said John DeCicco, a University of Michigan lecturer and longtime auto industry observer. “The Big Three were in denial. But I think they get it now.” Shifting sales figures reflect the new emphasis. Over the past eight years, the market share of compacts and subcompacts has grown from 15 to 23 percent, according to figures from Edmunds.com. Dealers and others said they see a move across the spectrum to smaller vehicles of all types.

“We’ve definitely seen a shift from large SUVs to smaller SUVs, and those who looked at larger cars are now looking at mid-size cars,” said Alex Perdikis, executive vice president of Jim Koons Automotive. “With the shift in the economy, people are looking to be more economical in more facets of their life.” Industry analysts attributed the change to a number of disparate forces. The recession has forced many consumers to reconsider their spending habits. The taste for miniaturization is seeping from consumer electronics into the auto showroom. The quality of small cars, once maligned as “econoboxes,” has improved. With the memory of soaring gas prices so recent, consumers have developed a preference for fuel efficiency. And finally, manufacturers seeking to operate globally are eager to bring some of their models that have proved popular overseas to the U.S. market.

In the same way that an iPod Nano is considered more elegant than a boom box, “things that are large and clumsy are considered out of date and unsophisticated these days,” said Sheryl Connelly, Ford’s manager for global trends. this web site fitzgerald auto mall

Ford sales have shifted dramatically as a result. In 2004, Ford sales were 70 percent trucks and SUVs and 30 percent cars. In 2009, they were 60 percent cars, the company said.

“There is a shift, definitely a shift toward small cars — not a stampede,” said Jack Fitzgerald, who sells Buick, GMC and Subaru products at his Fitzgerald Auto Mall in North Bethesda. “It’s not like when gasoline was $5 a gallon and everyone was clamoring for small cars. [But] people have not forgotten the gas price increase. Consumers know sooner or later gas prices are going to go up again.” Easing the way for consumers is the evolution of small cars. Using turbocharging and direct fuel injection, techniques often used in high-performance cars, engineers have rendered small-car engines more peppy and efficient. Jessica Caldwell, a senior analyst at Edmunds.com, points to Ford’s new Fiesta, already a top seller in Europe as a car of much higher quality than its defunct predecessor.

“The original Fiesta was an econobox,” Caldwell said. “The new Fiesta is a different vehicle. It has more creature comforts and a much better engine. It’s not even related.” “We believe we can give the consumers fuel-efficient cars with some sex appeal and some personality, which has not always been the case,” GM spokesman Greg Martin said.

whoriskeyp@washpost.com Staff writer V. Dion Haynes contributed to this report.

Peter Whoriskey

Ahhh, the dog days of summer – hot days, cool beaches and if you are lucky, even cooler summer vacations to southern Italy. If you are planning a trip this summer, you’ve probably done your homework. You’ve narrowed your must-see list, settled on hotels, chosen beaches, mountains and villages you’d like to explore. But are you really ready?

Self-service checkouts fall from favor

Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review November 27, 2011 | Joe Napsha When Tommie Gaver buys groceries at Shop ‘n Save, she invariably heads for the self-service checkout lane, regardless of how many items she is buying. adpselfservice.org adp self service

“It’s fast. I use it on bigger orders. I hate to stand in a long checkout line,” said Gaver, who shops at the store on Route 66 in Greensburg.

Gaver is bucking a trend when it comes to shoppers who select self-service checkout lanes, which often results in bagging their own groceries.

Despite an almost universal dislike for standing in long or slow checkout lines, an overwhelming majority of shoppers opt for cashier-assisted lanes instead of self-service, according to the 2011 “Food Retailing Industry Speaks” report published this autumn by the Food Marketing Institute, an Arlington, Va.-based trade group.

Self-service checkouts — introduced nationwide about a decade ago — have fallen in popularity. About 16 percent of supermarket customers used the self-service lanes in 2010, down from almost 20 percent in 2006, according to the report.

And almost 85 percent of customers choose a cashier to ring up their purchases when at least one self-service lane is available, the survey found. That includes the 20 percent of customers who picked an express lane with a cashier that limits the number of items to be purchased.

Perhaps as a result, some supermarket chains such as Albertsons of Boise and Big Y Foods Inc., with 61 stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut, are removing self-service checkouts.

Big Y said it determined that self-service lanes do not save customers time and usually take them longer to check out than customers in cashier-assisted lanes.

“Self-checkout lines get clogged as the customers needed to wait for store staff to assist with problems with bar codes, coupons, payment problems and other issues that invariably arise with many transactions,” Big Y said in a statement.

Offering customers a self-service option is an example of what supermarkets like to do: “Give their customers a lot of choice,” said John Stanton, a food marketing professor at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

Because of that philosophy, few supermarket chains have removed them, Stanton said. “There’s no referendum on whether self-service checkout works or not.” Stores that remove self-service checkouts are creating more opportunities for customers to interact with the staff, thus increasing customer service, he noted.

That’s what Shop ‘n Save owner Jeff Sorbara did when self- service checkouts were not included at the Cranberry supermarket his family opened in April.

“We’ve not had any customer demand it,” Sorbara said, referring to the self-service checkouts.

Even so, his family’s Shop ‘n Save chain has installed self- service checks at their other markets in South Fayette, Wilkins, Bethel Park, Heidelberg and Kennedy.

At Giant Eagle, the region’s largest supermarket chain with 228 stores, “usage of self-service checkouts has remained popular,” spokesman Dan Donovan.

The majority of Giant Eagle’s supermarkets offer the self- service checkouts, which were introduced in February 2001 in 14 stores, he said.

“We continually monitor the preferences of our customers and adjust the number of self-checkout lanes in both existing and new stores based on these customer preferences,” Donovan said. site adp self service

Demographics is a factor in who uses the self-service checkouts. Typically, younger customers are more comfortable with the technology, Stanton said.

That’s the case with Ashley O’Bradovich, 20, of Hempfield, who says she usually heads for the self-service lanes.

“It’s a lot easier that way,” said O’Bradovich, who is unfazed by operating the touch screen at the checkout.

Ray Charley, owner of two Shop ‘n Save supermarkets in Greensburg, agrees with analysts who say customers who use self- service typically have small orders, a half-dozen items or less.

Using self-service for small orders is a lot more convenient than waiting in a long line, said Jay Barber of Bridgeville, at the Shop ‘n Save supermarket in South Fayette.

“Retailers often use self-checkout as a way to adjust to the highs and lows in customer traffic throughout the day,” the Food Marketing Institute’s report found.

The report stated that having one employee monitor four to six self-service checkout lanes can result in a significant savings on labor costs.

Charley said he has not found that to be the case.

Sometimes, two or three cashiers are needed to help with the self-service lanes, Sorbara said.

At the Shop ‘n Save in South Fayette, cashier Kathleen Gasper said she often assists customers who have problems with checking out produce or figuring out the computerized checkout system.

“When you see a customer struggle, it ends up becoming a problem,” Sorbara said.

Joe Napsha

Would you believe my Italy blogger friends … the expat-world-famous, Sara, Jessica and Michelle (of Ms. Adventures in Italy, Why Go Italy and Bleeding Espresso, respectively) just published their 48th episode of the Eye of Italy podcast?

That’s remarkable.

Best Education 2012 Website to be Named by Web Marketing. go to web site hot shot business

Online Product News May 1, 2012 “The education industry is very competitive when it comes to Web development and companies can benefit from the independent evaluation of their online efforts,” said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association. “Education web sites tend to have a smaller budget than other industries in the competition. Because of this, many are unable to implement some of the features, such as Flash technologies, that could help them get higher scores.” Websites are judged on seven criteria including design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. Each WebAward entry in the Education category is judged against other education entries and then against an overall standard of excellence.

All education entrants benefit from receiving valuable feedback in terms of their specific criteria scores compared against the average scores for their industry. They also may receive specific comments from the WebAward’s professional judging panel on their Web site development efforts.

Winners of a WebAward in the education categories will also receive:

Handsome statue or certificate of achievement Increased visibility for their company Marketing opportunity to promote the company website to the media Links to your site from the highly ranked WebAward site to help SEO A highlight for your resume.

Admiration of peers, friends and co-workers Each year, the Web Marketing Association names the Best of Industry for the various education categories based on the score they receive from the WebAward judges. Recent winners of the Best Education Web Site include: 2011 – Florida Institute of Technology for Florida Tech Decision Dashboard 2010 Risdall Marketing Group for Mounds View Public Schools 2009 American University for American University Web Site 2008 – TribalDDB for START A CHAIN REACTION 2007 – Creative Channel Services, LLC for Virgin Mobile – Train on Your Terms 2006 – National Geographic for Discover Antarctica 2005 – Disney Online for Hot Shot Business 2004 – General Motors for GMability Education 2003 – Disney Online for Hot Shot Business 2002 – Freddie Mac for Your Route to Homeownership Recent winners of the Best Schools Web Site include: 2011 WhippleHill Communications for Glenelg Country School 2010 Designkitchen for Wheaton College 150th Anniversary Web Site 2009 WhippleHill Communications for Latin School of Chicago 2008 WhippleHill Communications for Vail Mountain School 2007 Tellus for Bethany School 2006 WhippleHill Communications for St. George’s School 2005 Tellus for West Clermont School District 2004 eSiteful Corporation for Plano Independent School District Recent winners of the Best University Web Site include: 2011 Denison University & Fahlgren Mortine for TheDEN 2010 Corey McPherson Nash for University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business 2009 BrowserMedia for University of Maryland Women’s Basketball 2008 – Market United for Murdoch University Switching 2007 The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for The Art Institute of Pittsburgh 2006 – Xavier University for The Road to Xavier 2005 – Geary Interactive for Sand Diego State University Timeline 2004 – School of Visual Arts for School of Visual Arts web site 2003 – 160over90 for Chestnut Hill College Admissions site 2002 – University of Houston for University of Houston Division of University Advancement The 2012 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: BGT Partners, PR Newswire, Burst Media, MycroBurst, EContent Magazine, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, Internet World UK, SES Conferences, Webmaster Radio, and Website Magazine. The Web Marketing Association thanks these companies for their commitment to the entire online marketing community. this web site hot shot business

About the WebAwards The Web Marketing Association was founded in 1997 to help define the standard of excellence for online marketing. Our internationally known award programs, such as WebAward Competition for Website Development, Internet Advertising Competition and the new MobileWebAwards, recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing the most effective online marketing programs on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from assessment of their marketing efforts by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented by being recognized as an award-winning web developer.

Last week I wrote about three of my favorite Tyrrhenian Sea beach towns and since I live on the Ionian, I couldn’t forget about my neighbors, now could I? Calabria’s Ionian coast is much less developed than its Tyrrhenian counterpart, so choosing three coastal towns that meet the criteria-exciting beaches, positive vibes, contagious energy, strong infrastructure-was a bit more challenging.

Profile: College essay of Leah Knobler about her brother

NPR Morning Edition March 30, 2001 | RENEE MONTAGNE 00-00-0000 Profile: College essay of Leah Knobler about her brother Host: RENEE MONTAGNE Time: 11:00 AM-12:00 Noon RENEE MONTAGNE, host: here college essay topics

Today we finish a week of college admissions essays by high school seniors around the country. Leah Knobler of Cincinnati writes about her relationship with her older brother.

LEAH KNOBLER: `Oh, Jonah, play the piano for us,’ they cried. `No, recite the periodic table of elements instead.’ OK. So maybe nobody asked him to recite the periodic table of elements, but the fact of the matter is he could have done it.

On June 5th, 1999, our house was filled with relatives, friends and other members of the Jonah Knobler fan club for my brother’s graduation party. After all, he was the valedictorian. He did ace the ACT and he was going to attend Harvard in the fall. The spotlight as usual was on him.

Having an older brother like mine, I often get asked, `How does it feel to be Jonah’s younger sister?’ Most people assume my answer will be filled with self-pity: `My life has been awful because I can never measure up to what he achieves and I will always be stuck in his shadow.’ But the truth is different. I genuinely respond, `My brother is one of a kind and living with him has been an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.’ Jonah’s most obvious strength is his academic ability. I admire the effort and determination he puts into his schoolwork as well as the results he achieves. However, watching Jonah focus so much of his high school career on academics has motivated me to seek a better balance in mine.

I witnessed firsthand how my brother had to win awards and contests in order to feel good about himself. I saw his disappointment and panic if he dropped below an A on any assignment. My brother’s single- minded pursuit of academic perfection left him unhappy and a little lonely. I wanted none of this for myself. I wanted my confidence to be rooted inside instead of from external accolades. site college essay topics

I stepped out of his shadow and made his weaknesses into my strengths. I purposely sought balance in my life among academics, athletics and friendships. I’ve been on two varsity sports teams, captain of one and served on student council for three years while maintaining a high honor roll GPA.

But sometimes I find a moment in my busy schedule to daydream the following scenario: Two years have passed since Jonah’s graduation party. Harvard man is home for spring break. I’m a senior now and captain of the lacrosse team, so I invite him to the qualifying game for the state tournament. It’s tied with only a few minutes remaining on the clock and I score the winning goal. The fans go wild and I feel awesome. I see Jonah rush towards the field to congratulate me. A local reporter blocks his way and I overhear his question, `Jonah, how does it feel to be Leah’s older brother?’ MONTAGNE: The college essay of Leah Knobler who attends Sycamore High School in Cincinnati.

The time is 29 minutes past the hour.

RENEE MONTAGNE

I posted a note to my Facebook page last week inviting readers to send in their Calabria or southern Italy travel questions. I got a few fun ones that I’m looking forward to tackling over the next few months, but for today’s question we’re sticking to transportation.

A few months ago I wrote about three of my favorite mountain villages in Calabria, but now that the sun is starting to twinkle behind that wide Calabrian sky, it’s time to hit the beach.

HOUSE PASSES STATE REP. CALTAGIRONE MEDICAL SUPPORT BILL

US Fed News Service, Including US State News April 3, 2008 Pennsylvania State Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, D-Berks (127th District), issued the following news release:

The House this week passed legislation authored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, that would enhance the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement Program by requiring that either or both of the parents in custody cases provide health insurance for their child. go to website pennsylvania child support

“We’ve seen cases where after child support payments are determined, parents bicker over who will pay for doctor visits and medicine,” Caltagirone said. “The issue is left unresolved, leaving the children without any coverage or care. My bill would put a stop to any inaction by holding parents accountable for providing health insurance.” Caltagirone said the bill (H.B. 2252[1]) would put Pennsylvania in compliance with a federal law and position the state to better assist child support cases involving Pennsylvania’s low-income families. website pennsylvania child support

Under the bill, a $25 annual fee would be required for medical support but the state would cover the fee when parents have never received medical assistance through Social Security or have paid $500 in support over the course of a year.

The measure now goes to the Senate for approval.

Regular readers might have heard about a funky food tour I have been working on for October (see green line above). It’s been a long time in the making and my partner-in-crime, fellow expat in Calabria, friend and cooking class connoisseur, Tania Pascuzzi (In Italy Tours) and I have poured our blood, sweat and tears-or vino rosso, bianco and rosato, if you prefer-into the tour.

Many people want to know how they should dress when they are visiting a new country and yes, the answer depends on where they are going and more importantly … when. I’ve written tips for what to wear in Italy in the winter and the spring and today, I’m helping you prepare for the summer months of your Italy holidays 2011.

EAST CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE LADY WARRIORS FALL IN MACJC STATE TOURNEY

US Fed News Service, Including US State News March 1, 2012 DECATUR, Miss., Feb. 29 — East Central Community College issued the following news release:

Basketball season has come to an end for East Central Community College’s Lady Warriors, who were eliminated in first-round competition of the MACJC State Tournament being held at the Davis Event Center on the Itawamba Community College campus in Fulton.

The EC women, who qualified for the prestigious event as the South’s No. 4 seed, were outscored 73-55 by the host Lady Indians, the top-seeded North squad. go to site east central community college

East Central trailed 38-32 at the break and trimmed the deficit to 44-40 in early second half action but could get no closer as the Lady Indians pulled away for the decisive victory.

Sophomores Ja’Monica Orton and Kurlysha Bell each had 11 points to lead the Lady Warriors, who completed the 2011-12 campaign at 8-15 under head coach Bill Smith and assistant Britta Stephens. EC finished fourth in the MACJC South Division with a 7-5 mark.

Orton, a 6′ guard, is a product of Walter E. Stebbins High School in Dayton, Ohio. Bell is a 5-10 center from Kosciusko. go to web site east central community college

Xzandra Dowd, a 5-8 guard from Neville High School in Monroe, contributed 10 points and was credited with a team-high nine rebounds.

Other scorers were Kelcia Bufkin of Scott Central, nine; Jakela Johnson of West Jones, six; and Inessa Adams of Horn Lake and Ashlee Hardy of Newton, four each.

The Lady Warriors made 19 of 47 (40.4 percent) field goals, two of 10 (20 percent) three-pointers and 15 of 18 (83.3 percent) free throws.

Tri-Nita Baker poured in 20 points to lead Itawamba, which improved to 22-2.

The Lady Indians connected on 29 of 75 (38.7 percent) field goals, nine of 27 (33.3 percent) treys and six of 12 (50 percent) free throws. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

I’m gearing up for my first Calabrian Easter celebration with my new bambino. Yes, my husband and I have done the traditional American Easter Basket vs. Italian Chocolate Egg thing in the past and we’re planning on continuing our Easter traditions, plus one. The weather is warming up and if it holds, we’ll spend an hour or so this afternoon at Catanzaro’s A’naca-Good Friday-processional.

If you have spent much time around My Bella Vita, you know how I feel about renting a car in Calabria. You should also know that I sympathize with those of you who don’t want to drive and I realize that renting a car isn’t ideal for every traveler.

Mother sues cereal makers for recent low-sugar claims

The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, WV) March 29, 2005 | Michelle Morgante SAN DIEGO – A lawsuit by a San Diego mother claims that lower- sugar versions of Cocoa Puffs and Froot Loops may seem healthier, but they’re really a bunch of Trix.

Jennifer Hardee has sued three big cereal companies, accusing them of misleading advertising through prominent “low sugar” packaging. She was surprised to learn from an Associated Press story last week that the new cereals have no significant nutritional advantage over regular versions of the popular kids’ breakfast cereals.

Hardee, a Navy wife and homemaker with two young daughters who eat cereal, is suing Kraft Foods Inc., which makes Post cereals, General Mills Inc., and Kellogg Co., saying they intentionally misrepresent their products.

General Mills “never made specific health claims” for its reduced- sugar cereals, said spokeswoman Marybeth Thorsgaard. go to website cinnamon toast crunch

“Consumers wanted less sugar, so we gave them less sugar,” she said. “Our packaging is clearly labeled with nutritional information that complies” with government regulations.

Post spokeswoman Abbe Serphos said the lower-sugar version of Fruity Pebbles was “part of the evolution of the product.” “There are some consumers who prefer an option with reduced sugar. And we’re looking to see if there are ways to add additional nutrients like whole grain and fiber in the future,” she said. “It’s a process that takes time.” Kellogg declined to comment.

Howard Rubinstein of Miami, one of the lawyers representing Hardee, said the companies have intentionally misled consumers by displaying low-sugar labels prominently on the packages. Consumers don’t always understand the details in nutritional labels, he said.

“A lot of people, quite frankly, don’t have the educational ability to make those decisions. They rely on the one-line ad,” he said Monday. “It is that kind of an ad that adds a lot of ambiguity, and it shouldn’t.” Hardee was on vacation with her family Monday and was not available for comment, her lawyers said.

Hardee’s lawsuit, filed last week in San Diego County Superior Court, seeks to force the companies to surrender profits from low- sugar cereals and to stop them from marketing the products as nutritionally superior. go to web site cinnamon toast crunch

The suit seeks class-action status on behalf of all California consumers who bought the new cereals believing they were healthier, said attorney Harold M. Hewell of San Diego.

Hewell said Hardee heard a broadcast report of the AP story last week that found there was no real advantage from the lower-sugar cereals. The AP had asked nutrition experts at five universities to review the new reduced-sugar cereals to see how they stacked up with the regular versions.

The nutrition scientists found both the old and new cereals had the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other nutrients. The AP story reported that manufacturers replaced the sugar with other refined carbohydrates to preserve the crunch.

The cereals examined were Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops; General Mills’ Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Trix; and Post’s Fruity Pebbles. Only one, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, had fewer calories than the full-sugar version – 120 calories compared to 130 per three-fourths cup serving.

Hewell said Hardee “was extremely upset” to find that most of the reduced-sugar cereals had the same calories as the regular versions.

Michelle Morgante

I recently purged my list of accepted stumblers over at StumbleUpon and ixnayed three or four self-promoters who had, in less than a month, sent me a combined 100+ articles to “please thumb up.” If you aren’t a stumbler, this might be lost on you, but I mention it today for a reason.

Some of the most common questions I get-and the most-searched terms I see through Google Analytics-deal with what travelers should wear when visiting southern Italy. In January I wrote a post featuring five tips on what to wear in Italy during the winter, but if you plan to blow into the bel paese with those warmer winds, then this post is for you.

VIDEO: 1970s school film rediscovered.

Melton Times & Citizen (Melton Mowbray, England) January 23, 2008 VIDEO WEDNESDAY 10AM: Former Sherard Primary School teachers are trying to track down dozens of former pupils seen in a rediscovered 1970s film.

Peter Burgess and Paul Merrison uncovered the documentary in the belongings of late former headteacher Mary Brown, and are hoping to use it to raise money for charity in her memory.

Both are also keen to make contact with about 30 children seen in it, now in their late 30s and early 40s, in the hope of organising a special screening.

Called Look in on Learning, the film was commissioned by Mrs Brown to show education methods pioneered by the school, many of which went on to be applied in classrooms across the country. site cool maths games

Now a ‘time capsule’ of ground-breaking techniques, Mr Burgess and Mr Merrison hope to sell DVD copies of the feature in aid of Loros Hospice, who cared for Mrs Brown before her death in 2004.

Mr Burgess (60) said: “Sherard was the first purpose-built school for open plan education and it was very unusual then in that it had six male teachers and we taught throughout the age range.

“We knew we were part of something special at the time, and we’re hoping kids in the film will recognise themselves and respond and through that we can meet them again and hopefully sell some copies for Loros.” Mr Burgess, who taught at Sherard from 1974 to 2001, has so far been able to identify 23 children in the film with full names, and can pick out four by just their first names.

In the 30-minute feature children are seen playing maths games, taking samples from a river and building models. in our site cool maths games

Mrs Brown commissioned the 1974 film to demonstrate how the school was operating, based on her own ideas of open-plan hands-on learning.

Mr Merrison (59) who taught at the school from 1974 to 1999, said: “The school was very revolutionary at the time, it’s not so much now because everyone followed it. You see examples of children enjoying what they are reading and how they could be engaged by learning.

“Even in the early 1970s the school was getting a lot of stick for children walking around doing what they liked but it wasn’t like that. It was about objective-based learning. The film was sent out to universities and colleges and it’s now like a time capsule.”

I announced on my Calabria Travel Facebook page last week that I’d begin answering Reader Questions as part of an on-going series here on My Bella Vita …

and whaddyaknow, people have questions.

INDULGENCE.(Society)

Manila Bulletin September 17, 2004 is eating the Best Chinese Food In the Air.

Since May 1 this summer, Cathay Pacific has been indulging its passengers with the Best Chinese Food in the Air in collaboration with Spring Moon Chinese restaurant of Peninsula Hong Kong. The airline shall continue to do so until Oct. 31.

We got a sampling of during a recent trip to Hong Kong, courtesy of Cathay Pacific and the Peninsula Hong Kong … well, not all 30 dishes now being served inflight at CX.

Four years ago, CX launched its first Best Chinese Food in the Air promotion featuring a menu prepared by Yung Kee restaurant. The Yung Kee which is famous for its roast goose, started as a food stall selling roast goose in the 1960s. When its founder Kam Shui Fai moved into a restaurant, Forbes magazine listed it in 1968 as one of the top 15 restaurants of the world.

Cathay Pacific, for its second Best Chinese Food, binged on provincial cuisine from six regions of China Peking, Sizchuan, Chiuchow, Shanghai and Canton. Six top restaurants in Hong Kong shared their recipes with the airline.

The third time around, in 2002, Cx went back to Yung Kee which was then celebrating its 60th anniversary. The special treat was the socalled Poon Choi, meaning Big Bowl Feast, which it is … literally. go to site chinese food menu

The story goes that when Emperor Sung visited the Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, his royal entourage was so huge, the villagers had to resort to their wash basins to cook the food. They stacked the ingredients layer on layer in the deep basins known as poon in Cantonese and cooked them, including roast goose, chicken, dried eel, prawns, pork crackling, radishes and fish balls. Soon the Poon Choi dish became a tradition and Cathay Pacific was the first airline to serve it inflight, using specially designed individual bowls for its first class passengers.

This year, Cathay Pacific offers its passengers a choice of 30 special dishes prepared from recipes of The Pens Spring Moon restaurant, including: prawns wth snow fungus and chrysanthemum in clear broth, lamb chops with leeks in gravy, steamed prawns with egg white sauce, braised beef brisket with broad bean sauce, steamed sliced sea bass with preserved vegetables.

We were lucky. We not only got to get a taste of the best Chinese food inflight, but we did some sampling on ground at the Peninsula Hong Kong, which is a legend by itself in this former British colony.

The Spring Moon restaurant, one of six eateries in the Pen including the Lobby where they serve a most delightful high tea with watercress sandwiches and scones, attracts a devoted clientele who hanker for its roast pigeon flavoured with cinnamon, supreme sharks fin soup with crab meat, and dimsum.

It also serves a sixcourse dinner priced at HK$11,000 for one to four people (additional diners pay HK$2,750 each) and one must book in advance.

The Spring Moon is famous also for its tea counter where 25 selected Chinese teas are served by tea masters. Upon request, they can do a demo on the making of tea and the proper way to serve it.

Spring Moon executive chef Ho Pui Yung worked hand in hand with Cx executive chef for catering services Wun Pak Shun to create this years Best Chinese Food menu.

But it was the tour of the Cathay Pacific Catering Services (CPCS) hub in Cathay Pacific City at the Chek Lap Kok airport that gave us a new respect and awe for inflight catering. Never again shall we forego a meal aboard a Cx flight or on any airline for that matter. The work that goes into preparing it boggled this travellers mind!

Some 1,500 employees work round the clock because of the different time zones, not counting consultants from NASA. Cx is the only flight caterer to have an inhouse microbiological laboratory which conducts up to 800 microbiological tests at random each month to prevent problems like cross contamination.

Leslie Bailey, Cx marketing & customers services manager, had us cover up like astronauts with astrocap, mask, white coats and shoe booties before taking us on tour of the catering complex. Later we met the catering GM Angus Barclay, corporate communication manager May Lam and corporate comm. executive Julie Lo and Chef Alex Chao who with 30 years is one of Cxs oldest employee at catering.

Escorting us from the Philippines was Rhoda Capuno, asst. marketing manager of Cx Manila (along with Joseph Arias of Peninsula Manila).

At any given time, there are HK$16 million worth of stock in storage, in use, and in the warehouses. Catering, we soon learned, involves not food but everything virtually that goes into a flight. This means that from 42,000 to 45,000 items go into every flight not only of Cathay Pacific but of its 32 customer airlines or a total of 140 flights out of Hong Kong a day. see here chinese food menu

These items include magazines, newspapers and other reading materials, toilet paper rolls, seat covers, and other stuff in the toilets, pillows, blankets, linens, plus beverages, coffee and tea, and a range of 70 wines, etc.

The catering hub produces an estimated 50,000 meals a day (although capable of producing 80,000 meals a day) for economy, business and first class passengers, 60 percent of which are for Cathay Pacific. Naturally, they serve as many types of cuisine as there are a variety of nationalities and religions including halal, kosher, Muslim, Hindu, Japanese, Chinese, 5 kinds of vegetarian and special dietary needs like diabetics.

Thank goodness for technology, many operations are fully mechanized although the folding of cutlery into the napkins are done painstakingly by hand. So is the sorting out of dishes and glasses to be washed and the actual food preparation, from the chopping, dicing, etc. to the cooking to the placing of the cooked food and salads into meal trays.

Next step is a mandatory chilling period of time below 10 degrees celcius to prevent contamination (which explains why your cutlery is icy cold to the touch) before delivery by refrigerated hiloader trucks to the aircraft. This keeps the food fresh for long haul trips where meals could be served after 20 hours.

We walked into several freezer rooms which Bailey said reminded him of home (in the UK). But the aromas in the cavernous kitchens were tantalizing, specially in the bakery section where thousands of buns and rolls emerge from the ovens daily.

We watched with fascination the rotating omelet machine which makes 10,000 omelets a day and the cutlery machine which sorts out forks, spoons, knives, teaspoons… all 300,000 pieces a day! The CPCS has six flight kitchens in HK, Taiwan, Vietnam, Canada and one in Cebu, a far cry from 1967 when it was called Air Caterers Ltd.

And then, there are the Cx VIP lounges at the Chek Lap Kok dubbed The Wing and The Pier where Cx passengers can unwind, eat and drink, get a massage at the spa, etc. while waiting for their flight. The Wing has been awarded as the Worlds Best Airline Lounge and the Worlds Ten Best Airport Lounges.

Both have a Noodle Bar, which is the top favorite, along with the Long Bar, the Short Bar, the Smoking Bar, and exclusively for first class, The Haven, all of which are operated by Peninsula Clubs under HKs Peninsula Group.

Indeed, if only for the inflight meals and the Cx lounges, I would fly Cathay Pacific.

So you want to visit Calabria? Great … I think everyone should. But where do you want to go? What do you want to see? What do you want to experience? If you are Calabrese, chances are you’ll stop by your ancestral villages … maybe you’ll want to see some of the highlights or visit some of the area’s medieval towns. But then what?

THE CHEAP SEATS; The Megabus, catching on as a low-cost way to travel, was an economical, if not always relaxing, ride to Chicago and back.(BUSINESS)

Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN) August 1, 2008 | Carew, Emma L.

Byline: EMMA L. CAREW; STAFF WRITER As I waited to board the Megabus for a red-eye trip from Minneapolis to Chicago the other day, I couldn’t help but flash back to my dreaded marching band tour in high school: 40 hours on a coach bus from Minnesota to San Diego.

Passengers crowded like sardines into printed blue seats, trying to shield themselves from the too-cold air conditioning blowing from the vents. I waited by a parking garage on the University of Minnesota campus for about 20 minutes before my bus came. The wait was pleasant enough on a cool July night, but I imagined what a similar wait would be like on a snowy, windy day in February. here megabus promotion code

When the bus pulled up it was mostly full, having picked up most of its passengers at the 4th Street stop in the Warehouse District. The Megabus-ers made up a mosaic of the cities: young, old, white, black, families, couples, all part of a growing population opting for budget travel in times of skyrocketing fuel costs. Flights to Chicago can run more than $500 on Expedia.com. And gas for my 1988 Volvo wagon would be about $100 each way.

Atop that was the added risk in driving a 20-year-old-car more than 800 miles. Cost for my Megabus ticket: $15 to Chicagoland, $30 for the ride back. My cheap outbound seat was for the Tuesday red-eye bus (10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.), the other for the Sunday afternoon return — a peak travel time.

Dale Moser, president of Coach USA/Megabus.com, said ridership has increased right along with rising fuel costs and airline ticket prices. June 2008 ticket sales were up one-third over 2007 for the Minneapolis route, he said.

Just 56,000 people rode the Megabus to and from Minneapolis in 2006 when the service began, Moser said. Last year, 125,000 rode the bus, and 75,000 have ridden so far this year. Since Megabus opened its Minneapolis route, gasoline prices have increased 57 percent, but ticket prices on Megabus.com remained fixed. Moser said the top fares have remained a bargain, and the company still reserves some $1 seats on every bus.

And Megabus has no plans to add fuel surcharges or baggage fees as have the airlines. “We’re growing at such a fast pace that (it) is well outdistancing the additional cost of fuel,” Moser said.

Some tolerance required The Megabus certainly has its ups and downs. The noises and reading lights were easy enough to block out with the aid of headphones, earplugs and a silk eye pillow. But as Jean Paul Sartre said in his play “No Exit,” “Hell is other people.” The bus offers no way to escape from the intrusive smells of other passengers: the floral scented hand cream, a last cigarette, a late-night deep-fried snack and its unfortunate aftereffects. But those irritants faded quickly and the jostle of traveling put me to sleep about half an hour into the trip. I wasn’t so lucky on the trip back. The daylight kept me awake, so there was no escaping the irritation of city gridlock, which stalled the trip by more than an hour. On the up side, I had the companionship of several friends from the journalism convention I had attended. In Madison, Wis., we let off about a third of the passengers, so we all had some room to spread out. But that was little comfort on the long, boring drive through Wisconsin farmland.

The buses I rode were full to capacity when they left their origination points, as they are on about 90 percent of the routes, according to Moser. He said Megabus.com serves three main groups: college students and young professionals, middle-age women and retirees. The Sunday passengers resembled those demographics more than my Tuesday trip, which included more families. here megabus promotion code

Moser acknowledged a shift in clientele, driven by the tighter economy: “It’s not just gas that’s up, everything’s up.” Megabus uses the newest and most fuel-efficient buses on the road. Double-decker buses offer free videos, and Moser said free Wi-Fi will be offered soon. The Blaupunkt video screen was lost on me, though. I associate the brand with ostentatious, high-end car stereos. I had no desire to watch “The Inside Man” into the wee hours. And, despite the available headphone jacks, I couldn’t escape from the soundtrack, which blared through the bus’ main speakers.

Even so, I was fairly impressed by the Megabus. The bus stops were bare but well lit and seemed safe. The seats were tolerable. And, for less than half a tank of gas, I made it to Chicago and back in one piece. Emma L. Carew – 612-673-7405 Carew, Emma L.

I’ve written a lot over the last year about how to pack and what to wear when you are in Italy, including how not to look like a super tourist, a special how not to look like a tourist for men and even what to pack when visiting southern Italy. But today I want to focus on what to wear in Italy if you visit during the winter.

Yoga gear

The Independent (London, England) November 9, 2011 | SAMUEL MUSTON The Ten Best 1. Bobble Water Bottle 12.99, waterbobble.com If you’ve ever puffed your way through a bikram yoga session you’ll know you need lots of water. Quench your thirst with this BPA- free bottle with built-in water filter. this web site bobble water bottle

2. Super Grippy Gloves 7.99, johnlewis.com If you’re travelling light and don’t have room for a mat in your bag, check out these gloves. They have non-slip strips so you can exercise safely wherever you are.

3. Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar 14.99, waterstones.com Iyengar’s 45-year-old classic is still the go-to book for today’s yoga enthusiasts, with pose illustrations, breathing advice and the philosophy of the exercises.

4. Gaiam Block 7.99, johnlewis.com A yoga block is essential for getting into deeper poses without causing strains. This block is wide, lightweight, made from a sturdy foam and has a non-slip base. site bobble water bottle

5. Simply Karma 4.99, play.com Get yourself in the mood with the Simply Karma boxset, which has four CDs of laid-back beats for meditation and slightly more upbeat tunes for bikram or pilates.

6. Plum Relaxation Blanket 19.95, ruthwhiteyoga.com This 2m fleece blanket can be used as a prop to give extra lift when seated, or to keep you warm when meditating. It’s machine washable for those dusty village hall floors.

7. Natural Fitness Bag 18.95, amazon.co.uk This attractive yoga bag is extra large – so fits most mat sizes – has a double-zip opening, an adjustable shoulder strap and is made from planet-friendly hemp.

8. Holistic Silk Scented Mat 148, harveynichols.com If you fancy some luxury while you practise, this mat has a cosy fleece top and faux leather non-slip bottom. Plus, it’s infused with a calming lavender aroma.

9. Manduka Cotton Straps 10, urbanyoga.co.uk Straps are particularly useful for bound poses if you’re not that flexible. This one is 2.5m long, 100 per cent natural cotton and has a super-sturdy buckle.

10. The White Company Driftwood 18, thewhitecompany.com Scented candles get you into relaxation mode. So light this one up and let the bay, samphire and sea salt aromas nudge you towards Nirvana.

SAMUEL MUSTON

While it is always fun to travel around Italy snapping shots and capturing the bel paese in all of her thousands-year-old glory, sometimes it is fun to take a look at what others are doing. Over the next few months, I’ll be showcasing some of my favorite photos of Italy’s southern regions taken by fellow Italophiles and posted (under creative commons, of course) on Flickr.

Foundation Center Releases Foundation Grants to Individuals on CD-ROM.(Brief Article) in our site foundation grants

Information Today December 1, 2000 The Foundation Center has announced that, for the first time, individuals seeking assistance for a wide variety of purposes can locate important information on funding sources that is unavailable in other print or electronic resources. The newly-released Foundation Grants to Individuals on CD-ROM enables users to quickly search through an authoritative database of over 4,200 foundations and public charities that award funds for educational support (scholarships and student loans); general welfare; arts and cultural support; awards, prizes, and grants by nomination; international applicants; company employees (education and general welfare); students and graduates of specific schools; and research and professional support.

The high-speed search capabilities available in the CD-ROM format allow users to select multiple criteria and generate lists of potential funders within seconds, choosing from up to nine different search fields, which include grantmaker name, grantmaker state, grantmaker city, geographic focus, types of support, fields of interest, school name, company name, and text search.

The Foundation Grants to Individuals on CD-ROM database features accurate, in-depth information in each grantmaker record, including current data on such crucial facts as contact names and addresses, financial data, application information and deadlines, types of support offered, program descriptions, and more. In addition, over 150 grantmaker records include Web site addresses. Users with Internet access and Netscape’s Navigator or Communicator browser, or Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser, can link from the grantmaker’s record directly to its Web site for even more information on its funding program. web site foundation grants

There are a number of customization tools in Foundation Grants to Individuals on CD-ROM that help users to organize and record the information obtained during their searches. Users have a range of flexible printing and saving options and the ability to mark records and save their search strategies for future access. There is also a searchable notepad feature that can be used to create personalized notes appended to foundation records.

My husband and I have spent the last four years in the Southern Italy tourism industry and we’ve learned a lot in that time. Between the guests we host at our Calabrian bed and breakfast and the clients we help through our travel consulting business, we’ve seen travelers on every end of the spectrum … from open, generous and kind to well, uhm, uhm … stressed.

Many street corners, alleys and pathways in Calabria hold a unique find, an ancient artifact … a centuries-old secret. Just strolling through one of the many Medieval, Byzantine or Baroque towns in the region will give you a glimpse into its former life and nowhere is this more true than in the villages’ churches.

I started this post last week as part of the “My Favorite Things” series on traditions I love in Southern Italy, but old memories kicked in and well, that post got long. So, last week I told you about my first aperitivo in Calabria and today I’m going to elaborate on the “Aperitivo Experience,” something I think all travelers should enjoy in the bel paese.

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution Retail and Marketing Column.(Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News)

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News December 18, 2000 | DeGross, Renee Dec. 16–15 METRO KOHL’S STORES SET TO OPEN MARCH 9: Kohl’s, which calls itself a value-oriented specialty department store, has set a date to open 15 metro Atlanta locations — March 9.

Kohl’s, based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., sells brand-name apparel, shoes, accessories and home products. Since July, the company has opened 22 stores elsewhere and now has 320 locations in 26 states.

Several metro area sites already have store signs up, including in Newnan, Stockbridge and Rockdale.

Other retailers, such as Mervyn’s and Uptons, have tried — and failed — to compete in the midpriced apparel arena. Mervyn’s pulled out of the market, and Uptons closed all its locations nationwide due to lack of financing for expansion. Similar retailers still in the metro market include Goody’s, Stein Mart and T.J. Maxx. see here lenox square mall

Spokeswoman Susan Henderson said Kohl’s has a better track record than some of its competitors.

“We’ll be doing it in a way that’s a hassle-free experience,” Henderson said.

KMART DEPARTING: It’s official. Kmart will close down at Lindbergh Plaza when its lease is up in 2003.

Lindbergh Plaza, at Piedmont Road and Sidney Marcus Boulevard, is prime for redevelopment, sitting across from the Lindbergh MARTA station, where a huge mixed-use development is being built.

Lindbergh Plaza’s owner, Netherlands-based Noro Broadview Holding Co., is close to completing a deal with an unnamed joint venture partner that will raze the center and turn the property into a retail and residential complex. here lenox square mall

Kmart will shut down and not reopen at the site.

“Not by choice,” said Susan Dennis, a company spokeswoman in Troy, Mich. “The landlord has a high-rise development going into that spot, and they won’t negotiate for us to do anything further.” Kmart will seek another store location in the area, she said.

PICCADILLY OUT AT LENOX: After nearly two decades, Piccadilly Cafeteria abruptly shut down at Lenox Square mall, and loyal patrons are upset.

One is Joe Tucker, a Buckhead Piccadilly regular from DeKalb County.

“Where else can you get a healthy meal of meat and two vegetables for under $5?” Tucker said. “I was really depressed over them closing. You get to know a lot of people in there. Apparently it wasn’t upscale enough, I guess.” Lenox Square’s Rob Courtney, the general manager, said Piccadilly was on a temporary lease agreement and that the space was needed to rout sewer lines for the new Clubhouse restaurant.

“There is a sewer issue, and there is not a lot of expansion on the existing systems,” Courtney said. “We’re not kicking them out. We have nothing against Piccadilly.” The Clubhouse will open next week, while Piccadilly remains empty.

“We’re sorry we had to do it,” said Jerrel Carter, a Piccadilly district manager. “But Lenox had the right to the lease. It happened quicker than we anticipated.” NEW LOCATIONS FOR CVS: CVS tentatively plans two more intown drugstores.

The first would go up at Peachtree and Sixth streets in Midtown and will have parking underneath, according to the city planning department. The other would be on Broad and Peachtree streets downtown, not far from the CVS drugstore at the Five Points MARTA plaza.

CVS spokesman Todd Andrews said plans are not final for those locations, although he added that CVS will build from eight to 10 new drugstores in downtown and Midtown Atlanta.

“It’s geographically a small trade area that does a tremendous amount of business,” Andrews said.

Also in Midtown, other drugstores, including Walgreens, are expanding. Walgreens has a site under construction on Piedmont and North avenues.

As for Eckerd drugstores, spokeswoman Tami Alderman said the company will open 100 stores in 2001, but would not divulge specific locations in metro Atlanta.

DeGross, Renee