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As 2014 winds down, Windows Phone is at a crucial stage in its lifecycle. Again. Earlier in 2014, Microsoft closed the acquisition of Nokia's hardware division and Windows 10 was launched in a Technical Preview form. Nokia's acquisition, combined with the upcoming Windows 10-based version of the phone operating system, has perhaps resulted in a slight pause in release of true flagship devices that can compete with the latest versions of competing platforms, the iPhone and Android/Nexus lineup.
So, as we look forward to the early 2014 look at the combined Windows RT and Windows Phone OS based on Windows 10, what can Microsoft do to preserve and grow its share, both market share as well as mind share? Recently, some prominent writers have written in detail about why they are no longer using Windows Phone as their primary device. Key takeaways there were lack of proper support of the platform by the largest mobile network in the US, Verizon Wireless, as well as lack of key apps on the platform. Apps that include the likes of Slack, Trello, Snapchat, Tinder, etc.
I have my own reasons why I switched to using iPhone 5s as my primary device last year. I know Windows Phone 8.1 added Notification Center but many of the problems are still valid issues for those who care about top-end Windows Phone experience. For example, adding Action Center to store all notifications is a great start, but in order to take action on those notifications, you have to tap it which opens the app, and then you take action within the app. Android, and now even iOS to a certain extent, have actionable notifications and those need to be implemented on Windows Phone.
The broader issue with Windows Phone is that for the third year in a row, enthusiasts are made to wait for "the next version" for feature parity with iOS and Android. Meanwhile those two platforms, due to the incredible ecosystem which creates a great virtuous cycle, have implemented next-generation features that move the goal posts for Windows Phone. Also, this wait for the next version of Windows Phone only takes care of part of the problem plaguing the platform; app developers are still not flocking to the platform because in the US, where most of the innovative apps have been created in the recent past, Windows Phone is still languishing around the 3% market share. Forget Windows Phone, even choosing Android as the second platform to be supported by small developers, is hard (although that Android situation is changing slowly).
Here are some things to look forward to as yet another chapter opens for Windows phone (yes, the "p" is lower case, because rumors suggest that Windows Phone operating system will be merged with Windows RT and just called Windows 10):
Windows 10
There's a lot of hope for Windows 10's ARM-based OS version, the merger of Windows RT and Windows Phone. How will apps built for Windows Phone work on Windows 10? What about additional features in the OS which will create an unforeseen appetite both on the consumer side as well as on the developer side? Cortana has rightly won accolades for how well she works, but it has not moved the needle much for device sales. Granted, it is not fully launched yet, but still. Also, what else can Windows 10 do that iOS and Android don't do, and more importantly, can Microsoft find something that Windows 10 can do which iOS and Android *won't* be able to do?
One of the issues I had with Windows Phone when I got my iPhone 5s was the increased (and justifiable) focus by Microsoft on the lower end. They see their best market potential in markets which haven't achieved smartphone saturation yet. In those markets, Microsoft has been able to sell their entry-level devices quite well. So Microsoft making "affordable flagship" a term for mid-range devices with some high-end specifications is completely understandable.
However, many customers in the developed markets would love to get a true high-end phone that competes well with the flagship iPhone and Android devices. The Lumia 1020, for example, has no successor yet. Yes, the Lumia 1520 is a great phone but there needs to be a non-phablet version of that device to make it appealing to the larger customer base.
Yes, Microsoft did create a bypass of sorts by making it possible for any "developer" to get direct updates of the software from Microsoft. Pretty much anyone can sign up to be a "developer" by signing into App Studio online, thereby making sure any enthusiast who cares about latest OS versions, will get it directly from Microsoft. That has helped reduce the angst among the enthusiasts but it is only one part of the updates customers need; firmware that makes devices work better, is delivered by the OEMs and via the carriers. Carriers have no real urgency to complete (or in some cases, even start!) testing and delivering the firmware to Windows Phone devices.
Could Microsoft come up with a way to deliver even more firmware directly? I mean, Windows on PCs get all updates delivered directly, and if Windows 10's mobile version is going to be like "big Windows", then I am optimistic that most of the updates could be delivered directly by Microsoft. Having said that, could Microsoft find a way, Windows 10 or otherwise, to deliver it without the need for the device to be a developer device?
Mind share
This is a really tough nut for Microsoft to crack. Much of the mind share these days is delivery via the Microsoft-averse tech blogosphere which has settled down on Apple and Google as being the only two players worth caring about. In order to win them over, Microsoft has to climb a virtually impossible mountain but as we have seen in the enterprise/cloud space, it is not impossible. A few crucial strategic moves on the Azure/Visual Studio side have made Microsoft somewhat of a darling in the same tech press, and Microsoft has to find a similar set of moves to make on the consumer side in order to increase their mind share. I say this because even Windows Phone 8.1 is an excellent operating system and there is a lot to love there, but if the writers who write at prominent tech blogs don't care to use it, and worse, dismiss it, it does not help. I am not sure what those strategic moves could be, but Microsoft does need to make those moves so that the tech press actually cares about writing about Windows devices.
I am optimistic about Windows 10. I like the fact that there will be one OS for phones and tablets and I look forward to seeing some of the well-established Windows Phone apps get upgraded to be Universal and work on small tablets as well. But most importantly, I want to see how Microsoft expands Windows 10 to work as one OS across phones, tablets and PCs. There are many interesting applications of having one OS work across devices of all form factors and I am curious to see how today's excellent phone applications work on my Windows tablets. On the phone side, I am looking forward to some nice high-end devices and some marquee apps releasing their Universal versions soon.
Here's looking forward to another exciting year for Microsoft and Windows!


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The Titan supercomputer has knocked the IMB Sequoia off the top spot to take the title of World's Fastest Supercomputer.
Those who move in the right kinds of circles won't be surprised by this news; advance reports had apparently anticipated Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Titan would take the gold when the Top500 Supercomputer Sites' twice-yearly top 500 supercomputer sites chart was released.
The Titan managed 17.59 Petaflop per second – that's 17.59 quadrillion calculations per second and puts our ability to pat our heads and rub our tummies simultaneously to shame.
But knowing that the Titan has 560,640 processors to its name, including 261,632 Nvidia K20x accelerator cores, makes us feel a little less inadequate. Also, we have souls and organic intelligence.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
In June 2012, we reported that the IBM Sequoia was the world's fastest supercomputer but it now sits in second place; the previous number 1, Fujitsu's K computer, now languishes in third.
Not for the likes of you and I are the supercomputers housed in major computing laboratories; rather they are used to simulate nuclear weapons tests and other complicated scientific simulations.

subset: commoncrawl


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Morrissey has fired back at Jimmy Kimmel for mocking him on TV for pulling out of a performance on his late-night show, accusing the host of making fun of gun control, depression and obesity.
The former The Smiths star, a fervent anti-meat activist, pulled the plug on Tuesday's scheduled appearance on the show after learning Kimmel's fellow guests would be the stars of duck hunting reality show Duck Dynasty.
Kimmel refused to axe his reality TV guests and instead used them to mock Morrissey on the show.
However, Morrissey was not amused, and he has now taken aim at Kimmel, insisting his attempt at humour was insensitive.
The rocker has issued a statement which reads: "I was disappointed with last night's Jimmy Kimmel Show wherein our smiling host managed to ridicule depression (70 percent of Americans have experienced depression according to the National Institute of Mental Health). He then found time to ridicule healthy eating (the obesity epidemic in the U.S. costs $147 billion per year in medical expenditure), and he also ridiculed the notion that animals should be entitled to the possession of their own lives.
"Furthermore, he found time to jokingly promote gun-ownership – hugely amusing for the parents at Sandy Hook, no doubt. He also promoted his special guests Duck Dynasty, who kill beings for fun. None of the above issues are, of course, as important as Jimmy Kimmel himself, who has finally revealed his show to have an overwhelming loss of meaning. Tune in and relive the intellectual fog of the 1950s."
Kimmel then replied, "Note to Morrissey – if you have more dumb statements to make, I invite you to make them where I do, on my show… This has nothing to do with people who eat meat versus people who don't. I'm completely respectful of people who do not eat meat, but the statement he made is ridiculous. I'd like to invite him to join the show to discuss. I'm an open, even-handed person, and I consider all points of view."


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Turner, Wyatt named Hempstead housing commissioners
Two longtime Hempstead Village residents -- an architect and a well-connected Democratic official -- have been appointed by the village board as new commissioners for the village's troubled housing authority.
The authority is the subject of federal administrative and criminal investigations.
Marcia Turner and Andrena Wyatt -- picked by Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall Sr. for the seven-member board -- were approved unanimously at Tuesday's meeting. All board seats now are filled.
"I chose them because I wanted to get a fresh start in the housing authority," said Hall, who appoints five board members. "I know these two women would do the right thing on the board as commissioners, so we can get the housing authority back on the right track and bring back integrity to the board."
The beleaguered agency is the subject of an administrative review from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and a criminal investigation by HUD's Office of the Inspector General, which operates independently from HUD.
Last month, the housing authority board placed executive director Stacey Stackhouse on 30-day administrative leave without pay. New board chairman Gilford Finch, who took over last month after Cornell Bozier resigned, has refused Hall's call for his own resignation. Accounting clerk Margarita Shif has been handling the authority's day-to-day financial operations, officials have said.
The housing authority is $1.3 million in deficit, Finch said at a meeting Thursday night, citing an April letter from HUD.
The status of Stackhouse, the executive director since May 2011, has yet to be determined pending the board reconvening, housing authority attorney Charlene Thompson said. In the meantime, the authority is seeking to appoint an interim director, Thompson said.
She said the authority suggested a process for such an appointment to HUD and is awaiting the agency's feedback.
Wyatt, 44, a public information supervisor for the Nassau County Board of Elections and village resident for more than 25 years, has a dual bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from Long Island University. She is president of the New Hempstead Democratic Club, executive board member of the village's Community Benefits Agreement Committee, and a member of the planning board.
"My first thing is to identify the problems and to work with the rest of the board members to eliminate those problems," said Wyatt, who attended the meeting with Turner.
Turner, a village resident since 1987, is an assistant architect for the New York City Housing Authority. She has a bachelor of science degree in architecture and a bachelor of architecture from City College. "We hope that something good will come out of this new board," she said. "I want to see some changes."


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Rachel Bilson
Scarve, any one can rock one!
Posted by Doe Cheese at 11:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: Check Her Style
Posted by Doe Cheese at 9:09 PM 0 comments
Labels: naomi campbell
Posted by Doe Cheese at 8:57 PM 0 comments
Labels: cokeWhores
Posted by Doe Cheese at 1:34 AM 0 comments
Labels: jordans
Posted by Doe Cheese at 10:12 PM 0 comments
Labels: streetwear
1. Supras...apparently they are way hot everywhere but here, but I want some-preferably gold, but you know what, I don't think they come in girls sizes...boo! o well (from my rich drug dealin' sneaker head boo)
2. Gift certificate to Zara...my first experience with the place was quite boring considering I was broke, not really my style clothing wise (think upscale h&m that costs twice as much), but the shoes are fuckin ridiculous (from my DC/NY boo)
3. Subscription to a foreign mag...I go to Barnes and Noble in my spare time to skim the mag racks and foreign subscriptions cost a "mova" (shout outs to the bmore "v") but they are mad interesting and can make you edgier than the next bitch (from my multi-cultural boo)
4. The itouch...self explanatory (from my arts & technology major boo)
5. The Cool...Lupe's greatest work yet (besides the o so epic mixtapes) and I'm too damn cheap to buy it. I mean why, when there's imeem and youtube and ruckus and limewire. Ok ok ok maybe I'll buy it to support the art, but I'd rather get it (from my aspiring rapper boo)
6. Ridilin (is that how you spell it?) for my kitten. People, Orbie Exum-Skoff (the kittens name) is off the damn chain! He be wylin son! Jumpin on my moms face, walkin on water and shit, shittin all over the walls and shit lol...(from my pharmacist boo)
7. Metalic lame wave cap for my new-new dew (from my bisexual boo)
8. A box of traditional gormet mint candy canes because they are so hard to find (from my fly-fly nupe...boo)
9. A lifetime supply of cinnabuns. You know you crave them! They're like a rare animal and when you see one in a mall, you pounce! All the cinnamony, frosting goodness makes my toes curl lmao. Stop frontin' you know you'd be mad happy if someone gave you this! (from my "chubby" boo)
10. A christmas card (from my real boo) awww.
Posted by kimmie e at 2:27 AM 0 comments
Labels: tha top 10
Posted by Doe Cheese at 2:51 PM 0 comments
Labels: Kanye West, Magazines
Posted by Doe Cheese at 2:47 PM 1 comments
Labels: Lily Allen, PREGO
Posted by Doe Cheese at 12:41 PM 0 comments
Katherine Heigl- This whole outfit is great. The boots, the tights, and the jacket.
Rihanna- The knee high boots and the jacket are nice
Posted by Doe Cheese at 12:36 PM 0 comments
Labels: alicia keys, rihanna, todays hotness
Ok i hate listening to albums before I buy them, but Lupe too good, Lupe too good! The Cool, Lupe's sophomore album is the fu**in truth, if your looking for truth you can find it in this album, it is the shit! My mans found this article that basically explains what The Cool "is" (click on "The Cool" to read the MOST IMPORTANT article). My poetry homegirl is back, Iesha--she makes the album that much hotter. Check out "Paris/Toyko", "The Coolest" (my shit), "Little Weapon", "Gotta Eat", "Hello Goodbye", "The Die", and of course "Dumb it Down", basically the entire CD is FIRE! On that note I leave, but it is essential that you read what is written in the note in order to understand the REAL message behind it...so click on the link!
oh and since im so nice, you can listen to The Cool on our page (underneath "the playlist movement") Now what do you say? "Thank you queenie v!".."o your welcome, queenie love the kids!"
Posted by kimmie e at 9:02 PM 2 comments
Labels: lupe fiasco
Well well well...the tables have in fact turned in reality TV land and it seems as though they have completely flipped on New York (a.k.a Tiffany Pollard -Patterson). The question lies in her name, we all think that her name is Tiffany, but is that really the case? According to MediaTakeOut.com the alleged "Tiffany" is actually named Kenya Simmons, and is not even from New York-she's from Newark (wtf)? Oh the juice gets sweeter-her crazy ass mom, Sister Patterson is not in any way shape or form related to NY, she is actually named Leslie Bibbs and is only 5 years older than NY. According to a source who works at Fox, the two met at a BET casting call. The two were said to be seen at several calls, looking for their "big break". To top everything off Miss. New York, well Kenya is said to be an ex-exotic dancer, go figure? I also found out through my extensive googling that New York's father was played by two different men, one that was featured on Flava of Love, season one and the other who is currently on the ILNY shows. Not only is her father a supposed fake, he is SO NOT the owner of a fortune 500 company (i mean i didn't believe that anyway). BUT people the story gets deeper...much deeper. It all started with Flava Flav himself, remember that show him and Bridgette had called Strange Love? Of course you do...well she declined the contract for a second season and the money desperate Flav called up VH1 to do a spin-off where a bunch of actresses and performers, porn stars, and models basically get together to see who can pull the biggest most outlandish character to win Flav's black ass heart. These actors were mixed in with other girls (Hoopz) who planned to use the show as a basis for the beginning of an entertainment career and also included "set-ups" such as Hottie and Pumpkin...o and Toastie. The winner of the show was supposed to do a season of Strange Love with Flav, but because the show was so successful, they opted for another season. It turns out that Miss. NY was noticed by the producers early on because of the ongoing development of her "character": New York. At the end of the FOL first season, she was offered her own show and a tid bit on the second season of FOL. They planned her rejection in order to set up her heartbreak for her own show.. (breathe...that was a lot). Anywho the point is that the whole shit is staged and has been from the jump.. i don't know if NY name is Tiff or Kenya, i guess in essence it doesn't matter because it makes for good TV. All i have to say is kudos to VH1-they tricked us all, lmao
PREGO PREGO~WELLLL New York is said to have concieved a baby while on the show, which doesn't mean that its one of the cast members (gawd i hope not). VH1 has been said to be forcing her to get an abortion or is going to pull the plug on the show and any other future engagements with the network because the pregnancy was a violation of her contract (who knew). Well i heard the baby belongs to Buhdda, but you never know with her. Reguardless, the answer will most likely be revealed at the reunion show and someone's heart will be broken...duh!
o and i also heard through the grapevine that she picks Tailor Made, but hey i could be wrong lol
Posted by kimmie e at 8:24 PM 0 comments
Labels: i love new york 2, PREGO
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Labels: Heath Ledger, movies
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Labels: missbehave
Posted by Doe Cheese at 2:28 AM 0 comments
Labels: I want that
All I can say is that it's about damn time! I don't know why we took so long concieving this, I mean everyone and their mama's mama's mama has a damn Myspace! Well this newly formed branch of Queenie V is available to you via friend request. So just log onto www.myspace.com/queenievalentine and request us (i think asking you 45 people who visit daily to comment is a little TOO extreme lol). On the new myspace I (kimmie e) will be posting videos (my new favorite thing) as well as blogs about our daily life, shit we do together, shit we do separate, interesting shit, entertainment ish--ya digg? Log on or get lost!
Posted by kimmie e at 9:47 PM 0 comments
I've always been a fan of the Olsen twins, ever since they pretended like they were one person on Full House. I had all their videos, watched all their short-lived TV series' and of course have purchased the new issue of Nylon with Mary-Kate Olsen on the cover. Since I tend to get a little obsessed with my research, I'm just going to put a video up now, which explains Mary-Kate's journey through Nylon absurdity. Enjoy!
Posted by kimmie e at 9:40 PM 0 comments
Labels: mary-kate olsen, nylon, the olsen twins, videos
Posted by Doe Cheese at 3:55 PM 0 comments
Labels: gq, Lily Allen
Posted by Doe Cheese at 3:53 PM 0 comments
Labels: alicia keys, giant
Posted by Doe Cheese at 6:37 PM 4 comments
Labels: queenie's valentine
Posted by Doe Cheese at 1:19 PM 0 comments
Labels: gwen stefani, hayden P, kerri washington, rihanna, todays hotness
Posted by Doe Cheese at 1:39 PM 0 comments
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Labels: Eye Candy, lupe fiasco
Posted by Doe Cheese at 1:14 PM 0 comments
Labels: 2008 election, obama 08', oprah
Ok so I hate when couples match...but in away this is very secret agent/Mr. and Mrs. Smith lol
-Doe Chee$e
Posted by Doe Cheese at 1:12 PM 0 comments
Ok so as a young lady in high school I used to read this book called Gossip Girl. They were quite good novels, quite juicy. I thought I was so mature after reading the adventures of S and B. Well these novels have been turned into one of the fall's hottest shows on the CW. The teens of the Upper Eastside of Manhattan are stuck up, use drugs and alcohol , and are boy crazy. These adolescents sleep with their best friend's boyfriends, wear the latest fashions, party like rock stars, and are o so glamorous! All the makings for a great show. The ratings are threw the roof and the show has been picked up for another season.
Posted by Doe Cheese at 9:34 PM 0 comments
Labels: gosspi girl, guilty pleasure
videos of kesh the icon..yeaaaaaa..mad sweet..she should be your new guilty pleasure, and she probably is since shes the one semi celeb making everybodys top 100 in myspace...yea bitches, get on her while shes hot!
Posted by kimmie e at 4:43 PM 0 comments
Labels: kesh, the underground, videos
Posted by kimmie e at 2:58 PM 1 comments
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Labels: word on the street
Posted by Doe Cheese at 4:03 AM 0 comments
Labels: married to the mob, streetwear
Posted by Doe Cheese at 4:00 AM 0 comments


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Anne-Marie Balboni - Head Coach
Anne-Marie Balboni is the Head Coach of the CCRI Men's Volleyball Club team. She previously served as an assistant coach under former Head Coach Ray DeAngelis in the 2006 and 2007 seasons and Brian Warburton 2008-2010. She returns to CCRI bringing more than 25 years of volleyball experience as a player and captain in recreational and United States Volleyball Association level competition.
Balboni began the men's club volleyball team in 2010. Balboni is the owner and operator of the Blue Fish Bowl Volleyball Club. She holds a master's degree in mathematics from Greenwich University and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Rhode Island College. Her volunteer work includes 15 years as an emergency medical technician. She is a resident of Rumford.
Contact Information
This page developed and maintained by CCRI Athletics. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].


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156 Niagara Falls Toilet Shower
While taking dump, in the TANKLESS toilet at the NY side of the falls, this guy stripped down naked and proceeded to flush the toilet for the "clean" water to bathe with. I figured it was a homeless mentally ill guy until I saw an Indian guy, pushing a baby stroller with his family, wearing all of the same clothes.
By: BallBagz (30.60)
Tags: Niagara, New York, wtf, toilet party, liveleakers
Location: new york
Views: 59305 Score: 156
link without replies:


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My da|ra Login
Detailed view
National Evaluation of the National Institute of Justice Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program, 2000-2002
- DuPree, Cheron (Institute for Law and Justice)
- Archival Version (Subtitle)
- United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice
AbstractThis study was undertaken as a process evaluation of the Grants to Combat Violence Against Women on Campus Program (Campus Program), which was conducted by the Institute for Law and Justice under a grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and funding from the Violence Against Women Office (VAWO). The Campus Program was comprised of 38 colleges or universities, which received funding in 1999 and 2000. Part 1 data consist of basic demographic information about each campus and the violence against women programs and services available at each site. Data for Part 2, collected from questionnaires administered to grant project staff, documented perceptions about the Campus Program project and participation and collaboration from those involved in the partnership with each college or university (i.e., non-profit, non-governmental victim service providers).
AbstractThis study was undertaken as a process evaluation of 1999 and 2000 grantees participating in the Grants to Combat Violence Against Women on Campus Program (Campus Program), which was conducted by the Institute for Law and Justice under a grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and funding from the Violence Against Women Office (VAWO). The research team sought (1) to provide a national program- level process evaluation of the Campus Program, and (2) to inform policies and practices that address violence against women on campuses and ensure victim safety and offender accountability. The research team proposed a process evaluation aimed at describing the process of program planning, implementation, and problem resolution. The premise of the VAWO Campus Program was that colleges and universities had the ability to educate and shape the values, attitudes, and behaviors of young men and women toward the issue of violence against women. In 1994 Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act to improve the criminal justice system's response to the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. The need to address the victimization of college women was supported by research indicating that college women were at a greater risk of rape and other forms of sexual assault than women of comparable age in the general population. In 1998 VAWO received funds for the Campus Program, which recognized that within the college and university environment, educational programming on violence against women, victim assistance resources, reporting and investigative processes, disciplinary policies, and other factors can have a significant influence on women's safety and on whether victims step forward to seek assistance and report these crimes. Federal Fiscal Year 1999 was the first year in which colleges and universities received funding under the Campus Program. The Campus Program grantees varied geographically, by size, and by other demographic characteristics, and included both public and private institutions. The size of the student bodies ranged from approximately 800 to more than 50,000. VAWO's grant application package for the Campus Program outlined three minimum requirements that all 38 projects were required to address. First, all projects were expected to create a coordinated community response to violence against women on campus and were encouraged to form partnerships with at least one non-profit, non-governmental victim service provider. Second, grantees were to establish a mandatory prevention and education program for all incoming students, working in collaboration with campus and community-based victim advocacy organizations. The program was to include information about dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Third, grantees were required to train campus police to respond effectively in sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking cases. An additional requirement was added for fiscal 2000 grantees, which called for training of judicial board members.
AbstractSpecifically, the process evaluation was to consist of a review of all grantees in the program through visits to each site. Prior to the evaluation's start, the research team established an advisory board to aid in designing the methodology. This board was composed of six individuals, including a researcher who had done work in the area of violence against women on campuses, a student, a university police chief, a sexual assault services coordinator from a university, and a director of student judicial services. Because of the large number of sites in the program, the research team was limited in the extent to which a thorough process evaluation could be conducted. At the request of NIJ, the research staff made only one trip to each site to collect administrative records data and conduct interviews relating to project activities. There were not enough funds to make subsequent trips to sites to judge their progress over time. Moreover, it was not possible to do follow-up telephone calls thereby maintaining contact with grantees on their implementation efforts. In short, the process evaluation depended on a snapshot view of the campuses at the time of the site visit. Each visit typically lasted two to three days, during which as many as a dozen interviews might take place. Interviewees usually included the project director, on-campus advocate, campus law enforcement, judicial affairs personnel, education coordinator, women's center, community partners, dean of students, representatives from student organizations, and project evaluator. Project directors frequently prepared large packets of information on their institutions and their project activities for the research staff. It was common for interviewees to provide documentation of their role in the project, or summary information on their office/organization. From the interviews, the research team typically collected copies of progress reports sent to VAWO, summary sheets of campus demographics, student handbooks, training manuals for advocates and disciplinary board members, and copies of all orientation materials as well as other educational curriculum materials, newspaper articles relating to the project, relevant police orders, crime statistics, and summary advocacy statistics. Other items collected across the campuses ranged from copies of all advertising materials (mailers, posters, mugs, t-shirts, magnets, buttons) to videos of major project presentations. To facilitate the visits, the research team developed several protocols to allow for structured interviews. The protocols provided for consistent data collection across the campuses. After conducting a visit, the research staff prepared a site report, usually 20 to 25 pages in length, which represented a process evaluation report for a particular grantee/site. These reports were sent to the project directors at the sites for their review. The research staff made appropriate changes to the reports as a result of these reviews and then submitted them to NIJ as a deliverable product from the evaluation. Part 1 data consist of basic information about each grantee's campus and the violence against women programs and services available at each site. Data for Part 2 were collected using a Partnership Survey, which was a supplement to the site visit observations. The purpose of the survey, which was administered to grant project staff, was to document perceptions of project participants about program collaboration. From the 35-item questionnaire, respondents were asked to indicate on a five-point scale the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with items grouped into three categories: those regarding the partnership, the project, and individual participation. Respondents were also invited to provide comments on any survey item. The survey questionnaire was made available for downloading to all project directors through the Institute of Law and Justice's Web site. Copies were also distributed at site visit interviews. Respondents were given the option of mailing or faxing their completed surveys. A total of 247 surveys were received, representing 33 of the 38 campuses.
AbstractVariables for Part 1 include whether an institution was public or private, located in an urban, suburban, or rural area, the number of students comprising the student population, whether students were residential or commuters, the year of the grant award, award amount, level of programming at the time of the award, whether there were campus police special units, conduct code for stalking, coordinated community response, relationship violence counseling, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), sexual assault counseling, court accompaniment, hospital accompaniment, shelter services, legal advocacy services, hot-lines, language interpreters, and if campus police had any of the following training: sexual assault sensitivity training, domestic violence sensitivity training, stalking sensitivity training, sexual assault procedural training, and domestic violence training. Other variables include type of coordinated community response and educational programming, and the year violence against women services began on campus. Variables for Part 2 include whether a respondent was a university employee, whether respondents agreed or disagreed that the partnership would remain in place once federal funding was gone, if the partners in the project worked well together, were vested in the project, had common goals, were open to outside ideas or suggestions, had the victims' needs in mind, and if the partners perceived a shared responsibility for the success of the joint projects and activities. Respondents also offered their opinions on if relevant information was shared in a timely fashion, if there were barriers to effective communication, if information was shared with the public, if the partnership had realistic, obtainable, and measurable goals, if the partnership was on track for meeting goals, if the project had the potential to improve the safety or well-being of victims, if victims were encouraged to report victimization, if violence against women had increased since the inception of the project, if the project improved victim advocacy services on campus, if the project considered cultural, racial, and ethnic differences when planning projects and activities, and whether the project was considered a success.
MethodsICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection: Standardized missing values.; Created online analysis version with question text.; Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes..
MethodsPresence of Common Scales: Several Likert-type scales were used in Part 2.
MethodsResponse Rates: Part 1: inap. For Part 2, an average of 11 surveys were returned from each campus, the median return rate was smaller (7 surveys per campus). The range of returned surveys included as few as 1 and as many as 16 surveys.
Table of Contents
- DS0: Study-Level Files
- DS1: Site Comparison Data
- DS2: Partnership Survey Data
2000 / 2002Time period: 2000--2002
2000 / 2002Collection date: 2000--2002
United States
The user guide, codebook, and data collection instrument are provided by ICPSR as Portable Document Format (PDF) files. The PDF file format was developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated and can be accessed using PDF reader software, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Information on how to obtain a copy of the Acrobat Reader is provided on the ICPSR Web site.
- 3814 (Type: ICPSR Study Number)
Is previous version of
DOI: 10.3886/ICPSR03814.v1
Depree, Cheron, McEwen, Tom, Spence, Deborah, Wolff, Russell. Evaluation of Grants to Combat Violence Against Women on Campus. NCJ 201306, Alexandria, VA: Institute for Law and Justice. 2003.
- ID: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201306.pdf (URL)
Update Metadata: 2015-08-05 | Issue Number: 6 | Registration Date: 2015-06-15
DuPree, Cheron (2003): National Evaluation of the National Institute of Justice Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program, 2000-2002. Archival Version. Version: v0. ICPSR - Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03814


text:
Pastor Tullian offers good insights from the Tower of Babel incident. Just as then, so people's aspirations today reflect the same desires: to make a name for themselves, but without God. It is better to be a nobody in the world's viewpoint and yet to be known of God than for God to ultimately judge those who defiantly follow their own desires in the world, God's creation.
Here is the link: http://liberatenet.org/2013/07/18/is-your-life-defined-by-a-ladder-or-a-cross/
Here is the text:
In a deleted scene from Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) tells Vincent Vega (John Travolta) that she needs to find out what kind of person he is before she'll go to dinner with him. Here's what she says:
My theory is that when it comes to important subjects, there's only two ways a person can answer. For instance, there's two kinds of people in this world, Elvis people and Beatles people. Now Beatles people can like Elvis. And Elvis people can like the Beatles. But nobody likes them both equally. Somewhere you have to make a choice. And that choice tells me who you are.
There are other important things in life that can tell us what kind of person you are: chunky peanut butter, or smooth? Regular cola, or diet? It seems to me that the same is true when it comes to reading the Bible. Do you read the Bible as a helpful tool in your climb up toward moral betterment or as the story of God coming down to broken, sinful people?
In a very real way, our lives are defined by how we answer that question. Specifically, our lives are defined either by a cross or by a ladder. The ladder symbolizes our ascension—our effort to "go up." The cross symbolizes God's descension—his coming down.
There is no better story in the Old Testament, or perhaps the whole Bible, for depicting the difference between the ladder-defined life and the cross-defined life than that of the Tower of Babel.
In Genesis 11:4, the people make a decision. "Come, let us build ourselves a city," they said, "with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves." This is humanity in a nutshell. We want desperately to be known, appreciated, lauded, and extolled. We want to secure our own meaning, significance, and worth. We give our all to these objectives.
But then something funny happens.
After the people go to work to build this tower that reaches "to the heavens," v.5 says, "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building." I find this verse to be a great and sobering picture of our futile attempts to "make a name for ourselves," to do something great in our own power. The momentous achievement that the builders are so proud of is so small and insignificant to God that he has to "come down from heaven" to even see what they're up to. All their efforts, all their hard work, have resulted in a tower that not only doesn't reach the heavens, but that can't even be seen from them!
None of our best attempts and none of our self-righteous strivings (and make no mistake, that is exactly what they are) can get us up to God.
We are like the tower-builders: addicted to a ladder-defined life. We think that a life of ladder-climbing is a life of freedom: free to move at our own pace, up or down depending on our decisions, responsible for our own progress. We climb our ladders for the same reasons that the people of the world built their tower: to make a name for ourselves, to ensure our own legacy, to secure our own value. We love to imagine that we're on a higher rung than someone else, a better father than someone else, a more accomplished follower of Christ than someone else. But ladder-climbing actually and inevitably leads to slavery. Paul Zahl, in his great book Who Will Deliver Us, describes the ladder-defined life like this:
If I can do enough of the right things, I will have established my worth. My identity is the sum of my achievements. Hence, if I can satisfy the boss, meet the needs of my spouse and children, and still do justice to my inner aspirations, then I will have proven my worth…conversely…if I do not perform, I will be judged unworthy. To myself I will cease to exist.
The life of slavery happens when we try to "do it ourselves." We become imprisoned by our failures (often real, sometimes perceived) and to ourselves, we cease to exist. This isn't freedom, it's bondage.
But there is good news: our towers of Babel don't remain standing.
God loves us too much to leave us in the hell of unhappiness that comes from trying to do his job. Into the slavish misery of our ladder-defined lives, God condescends.
His first act is an act of judgment. He scatters them—he dis-organizes them, literally. God takes away their faith in themselves, the very misplaced faith that enslaves them. When everyone in the world spoke the same language, God came down in judgment, breaking the world apart. But at just the right time, he came down again, this time to reconcile that sinful world to himself. He replaces our ladder with his cross. His final descent was to save us, and to set us free.
So how do you read the Bible? Is the Bible a manual for living the ladder-defined life? Or is it the announcement of the one who came down and hung on a cross in order to rescue us from our efforts to make it on our own?
God is not at the top of a ladder shouting, "Climb." He is at the bottom on a cross whispering, "It is finished."


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I stumbled across a very interesting discussion on a Linux kernel mailing list. It is dated August 2009 so you may have already read it.
There is a related RH bug.
I'm a little bit surprised by RH attitude in this ticket. IMHO they should have fixed it and maybe provide a tunable which would enable/disable new behavior instead of keeping the broken implementation. But at least in recent man pages they have clarified it in the Notes section of open(2):
"POSIX provides for three different variants of synchronized I/O, corresponding to the flags O_SYNC, O_DSYNC, and O_RSYNC. Currently (2.6.31), Linux only implements O_SYNC, but glibc maps O_DSYNC and O_RSYNC to the same numerical value as O_SYNC. Most Linux file systems don't actually implement the POSIX O_SYNC semantics, which require all metadata updates of a write to be on disk on returning to userspace, but only the O_DSYNC semantics, which require only actual file data and metadata necessary to retrieve it to be on disk by the time the system call returns."Then there is another even more interesting discussion about write barriers:
"All of them fail to commit drive caches under some circumstances;and also this one:
even fsync on ext3 with barriers enabled (because it doesn't
commit a journal record if there were writes but no inode change
with data=ordered)."
"No, fsync() doesn't always flush the drive's write cache. It oftenThis is really scary. I wonder how many developers knew about it especially when coding for Linux when data safety was paramount. Sometimes it feels that some Linux developers are coding to win benchmarks and do not necessarily care about data safety, correctness and standards like POSIX. What is even worse is that some of them don't even bother to tell you about it in official documentation (at least the O_SYNC/O_DSYNC issue is documented in the man page now).
does, any I think many people are under the impression it always does, but it doesn't.
Try this code on ext3:
fd = open ("test_file", O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0666);
while (1) {
char byte;
usleep (100000);
pwrite (fd, &byte, 1, 0);
fsync (fd);
It will do just over 10 write ops per second on an idle system (13 on
mine), and 1 flush op per second.
That's because ext3 fsync() only does a journal commit when the inode has changed. The inode mtime is changed by write only with 1 second granularity. Without a journal commit, there's no barrier, which translates to not flushing disk write cache.
If you add "fchmod (fd, 0644); fchmod (fd, 0664);" between the write
and fsync, you'll see at least 20 write ops and 20 flush ops per
second, and you'll here the disk seeking more. That's because the
fchmod dirties the inode, so fsync() writes the inode with a journal
It turns out even _that_ is not sufficient according to the kernel
internals. A journal commit uses an ordered request, which isn't the
same as a flush potentially, it just happens to use flush in this
instance. I'm not sure if ordered requests are actually implemented
by any drivers at the moment. If not now, they will be one day.
We could change ext3 fsync() to always do a journal commit, and depend on the non-existence of block drivers which do ordered (not flush) barrier requests. But there's lots of things wrong with that. Not least, it sucks performance for database-like applications and virtual machines, a lot due to unnecessary seeks. That way lies wrongness.
Rightness is to make fdatasync() work well, with a genuine flush (or
equivalent (see FUA), only when required, and not a mere ordered
barrier), no inode write, and to make sync_file_range()[*] offer the
fancier applications finer controls which reflect what they actually


text:
This is from the third quarter of Chargers-Bears last Thursday. Chargers quarterback Charlie Whitehurst throws a wide receiver screen toward Mike Willie, but Bears linebacker Jon Bostic, a second-round draft pick, separates Willie from the ball just as the ball gets there.
Right away, we're subjected to a full-on Chris Bergasm, with all the usual accompanying fart sounds and some barking about "what a nail!" it was. The replay rolls, revealing that Bostic led with the crown of his helmet. Trent Dilfer chimes in to tell us Bostic's "gonna square you up, form tackle you, and make you remember." NFL.com gets in on the act, too, posting the clip within minutes. The headline? According to the still-existing URL, it originally read, "Bostic's spectacular tackle forces incompletion."
But football in the era of Goodell is inscrutable. Who knows what's legal anymore? Today, the NFL told Jon Bostic it was fining him $21,000 for this play.
h/t to Orlando B.


text:
Survey Questions Stamina of BlackBerry Z10's Strong Start in Canada, U.K.
BlackBerry said the recent Canadian and U.K. launches of its new Z10 smartphone have been the best of any of its handset debuts in those regions ever. That's encouraging news for the company, which is struggling to reverse its declining fortunes after an ugly multiyear swoon in the smartphone market. But it may not be quite the blowout success BlackBerry is spinning it as.
Deutsche Bank's Brian Modoff recently surveyed 60 BlackBerry carrier stores in the U.K. and Canada and found no sell-outs in the former, and a few in the latter that may have been driven by poor inventory.
"In Canada, many stores reported being sold out of the Z10 and the sales force was well-versed on the device's attributes; however, a few representatives told us that they did not receive a large initial inventory," Modoff said. "In the U.K., the sales force was better-versed on the feature sets relative to the week prior; however, no stores were sold out. … We think the initial signs of this launch do not indicate the strong sales we would like to see."
If Modoff's findings are accurate and a good litmus test of the broader market, this is concerning news. BlackBerry launched in Canada and the U.K. first because they're strong markets with very loyal user bases. If strong early demand isn't translating into solid, sustainable demand there, where will it?
BlackBerry has not yet provided any sales numbers for the Z10, so Modoff's claims are anecdotal. But 60 stores is 60 stores. And given the lack of hard data coming out of Waterloo, it's certainly a sampling decent enough to raise questions about how the Z10 will sell once launch buzz has faded.


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This was published 7 years ago
HSU suing Williamson to recover funds
The administrator of the Health Services Union's NSW branch has launched legal action to recoup union funds alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by its former boss Michael Williamson.
HSU administrator Michael Moore has also taken legal action against a number of union officers, including national secretary Kathy Jackson and former HSU East acting general secretary Peter Mylan over resolutions relating to "significant salary increases", the NSW Supreme Court heard today.
However, Justice James Stevenson was told Mr Williamson would be seeking a stay on the matter until his criminal charges have been dealt with.
Mr Williamson has been charged with a total of 48 offences, including defrauding the organisation of $620,000 paid to his wife's company for services never provided.
Police have alleged CANME Services, registered in his wife Julie's name, received 47 cheques totalling $620,326 between 2001 and 2009 for work not performed.
Mr Williamson is also a co-director of the company United Edge, which has gone into administration and which allegedly received millions of dollars from the union in exchange for computing services.
Hugh Stowe, representing the HSU, told the court the claims involved CANME and United Edge, as well as "certain council resolutions" which led to the salary increases.
The court heard Mr Moore had also launched proceedings in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, while Mr Mylan had brought Federal Court proceedings against the HSU.
"In view of the overlap ... we feel that they should be consolidated," Mr Stowe said, adding there was likely to be a "web of claims" and "cross claims".
Gabrielle Bashir, representing Mr Williamson, said her client was possibly facing further criminal charges and would be seeking a stay application.
"All of the matters brought are related to the criminal proceedings," she said.
Justice Stevenson adjourned the matter to November 30 to allow the parties to file their material.


text:
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text:
That's Entertainment
This story appears in the December 1998 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
No longer charmed by enticements like extended hours, easy credit and no-questions-asked returns, shoppers are demanding more from their retailers these days. Conditioned to expect excitement by big-bang movies, computer games and music videos, consumers crave intense, interactive, exciting shopping experiences.
Retailers call this hot new trend "entertailing," blending entertainment with tried-and-true retail merchandising techniques.
Don't confuse this idea with the "theme" retail concept that's lost steam in recent months. Restaurants and stores built around a particular theme (such as the '50s, Hollywood or the rainforest) have seen sagging sales of late. Entertailing is simply about adding a little more zest and interactivity to your hair salon, surf shop or toy store to entice customers who would be going to one of these stores anyway to choose yours for the added excitement.
What's driving this trend of entertaining the buying public? "Americans are bored by shopping and by the sameness of merchandise," explains Howard L. Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc., a national retail consulting firm in New York City. "They're crying out for something different. They want a bigger thrill."
In addition, consumers have innumerable options these days: Super discount stores, mail order catalogs and the Internet give them things many independent retailers can't--the world's biggest selection or the lowest prices in town. That's opened retailers' minds to entertailing.
"This trend is gigantic. If you're in retailing, you can't ignore it," says Davidowitz. "As an independent, you can't create unique merchandise and you can't outprice a mass discounter or specialty superstore. So what's left? Drawing people in by offering your product on a different stage. Make it more fun, more educational, more interactive."
Retailers jumping on the entertailing bandwagon are reaping quantifiable results. Studies by Marketing Developments Inc., an international retail consulting firm in Cincinnati, show that a well-conceived shopping experience boosts sales from 40 to 200 percent more than the typical specialty retailer, provided the product is right, in ample supply and competitively priced.
Not quite sure how to start jazzing up your store? Learn from entrepreneurs who have perfected entertailing techniques that attract customers and keep them spending in their stores.
If the Shoe Fits...
Just for Feet, a Birmingham, Alabama, athletic-shoe retailer, is walking all over its competition, thanks to its innovative approach to selling shoes. Sales from its chain of 84 superstores nationwide hit $500 million last year, a far cry from the $23 million the firm grossed when it went public in 1993, and even further from its first-year revenues of $200,000 in 1977.
Founder and CEO Harold Ruttenberg, 56, attributes Just for Feet's runaway success to its perfect blend of entertainment and retailing. "We take our cue from Walt Disney, a master at making people smile," says Ruttenberg. "We've created that same synergy at Just for Feet."
Ruttenberg has created that synergy by presenting each superstore as a giant playground for adults and kids alike. Stores feature an indoor basketball court, a wall of video screens, laser light shows, a hot dog restaurant and athletic event viewings.
"During Wimbledon, we invited the public to watch the matches on the big screen, and we served them doughnuts and coffee," says Ruttenberg. "That was 10 years ago. Now we have our own restaurants [in the stores]."
Ruttenberg's three-ring approach to selling athletic shoes is driven by a simple goal: Get shoppers to smile. "When they walk in, they're not happy. They're about to give you their money. But when they leave Just for Feet, they're smiling," he explains. "It's the total atmosphere that's important--music playing, basketballs being shot, the cash register ringing. It's just organized chaos, and I love it."
Don't have room for a basketball court in your store, much less the budget to build one? No problem. While high-profile accouterments suit some retailers, others are opting for concepts that work in low-profile, traditional retail environments. Entertailing isn't a totally developed concept, according to Stanley Eichelbaum, president of Marketing Developments Inc. "It's in transition and open to interpretation," he says. "Everyone is trying to find a way to do it that works for their business and their customers."
Food for Thought
HomeChef, a chain of eight cooking schools/kitchen stores in California, has found an entertailing strategy that works. Shoppers know that pots, pans and electric mixers are cheapest at the large discount retailers. But at HomeChef, buying them is much more fun.
Customers sip hot spiced cider and nibble on freshly baked biscotti as they shop or get answers to their cooking questions. At free one-hour cooking demonstrations, trained chefs show shoppers how to make perfect strawberry crepes at home. On any given day, founder and chairperson Judith Ets-Hokin, dressed in her chef's whites, walks through the stores to chat with customers and swap cooking experiences.
"We romance everything at HomeChef. You see it in the way we talk about buying a soufflé dish, selecting fresh herbs, putting together an intimate dinner party," says Ets-Hokin, who got her start 20 years ago in the kitchen of her San Francisco home, teaching friends how to cook simple, delicious meals. "We're not just selling merchandise; we're selling the cooking experience, which we believe should be pleasurable and memorable."
HomeChef's high-sensory sales approach is complemented by well-orchestrated marketing and customer service programs. Customer mailings announce merchandise specials, new products and an ever-changing lineup of cooking classes.
Sales associates must complete HomeChef's most popular offering: the 12-week Essential Cooking series. "We want them to be knowledgeable about food and talk in the same language as the people taking our cooking classes," explains Ets-Hokin. Likewise, chefs are handpicked for their ability to relate to HomeChef's market niche: working couples and moms who want to sharpen their cooking skills.
The company's biggest customer service day is Thanksgiving, when chefs and sales associates man toll-free phone lines to talk customers through the trials of cooking the perfect holiday turkey. "People need to cook," says Ets-Hokin, "so we want to help them make it fun, creative and delicious." And make no bones about it; last year, HomeChef made cooking fun, creative and delicious to the tune of more than $14 million in sales.
Hands On!
Encouraging shoppers to handle merchandise is an easy and highly effective way to involve them in what your store has to offer. At R/C Country Hobbies, a Sacramento, California, hobby store that sells remote-control planes and cars, model-building kits and other toys, customers can test a collector train on display or ask an employee to build a model so they can see and feel it. They can even fly a model airplane using a computer program that simulates the event.
"A customer can feel what it's like to turn the airplane, give it power and crash it. This way, the crash is cheaper," says Terrie Van Scyoc, co-owner of the store with her husband, Chet, both 37. The rationale behind the couple's hands-on customer policy: "This is something our biggest competitors, mail order catalogs, can't give them," says Terrie.
The Van Scyocs offer shoppers other interactive experiences mail order catalogs can't, such as firsthand advice from experienced R/C Country Hobbies employees on building or repairing model toys. Shoppers are invited to display their finished airplane and glider models from the store's rafters; the Van Scyocs then sell these toys on consignment. Other customers test their skills at yo-yo demonstrations staged by R/C Country Hobbies employees or race their miniracers on an 80-foot track at monthly exhibitions in the store's parking lot.
"Most of our customers are men. By nature, if they can see, feel and touch it, we're closer to getting the item sold," says Terrie. "A built-out model [on display] gives them the inspiration to buy a kit, take it home and make it themselves."
R/C Country Hobbies' hands-on marketing boosted revenues from $1 million in 1996 to $1.2 million in 1997. The Van Scyocs have also cultivated a particularly loyal customer following. When the couple moved its business from cramped quarters into a 2,600-square-foot building two years ago, many customers worked three 10-hour days to help renovate the building and move merchandise. Says Terrie, "We've developed lasting ties with many of our customers."
See What's So Special
At Newman Outfitters, a retail store that sells backpacking, camping, hiking and other outdoor equipment, shoppers are treated to a steady stream of special events. "We're doing many things to distinguish ourselves from other stores and enrich our customers' enjoyment of the outdoors," says Chris Newman, 46, co-owner with his brother, Gary, 50, of the Shaker Heights, Ohio, store.
Earlier this year, the Newmans joined the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in sponsoring a special viewing for customers and museum members of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which presents the best outdoor films.
They hosted two slide-show presentations by Ed Viesturs, one of several climbers featured in "Everest," the first big-screen film about climbing Mount Everest. The standing-room-only shows persuaded the brothers to sponsor a third event, a slide-show presentation by Arcaceli Segarra, a female climber who is also in the popular film.
Special event sponsorships, says Chris, are affordable and easy to manage. The brothers' share of the Banff Mountain Film Festival sponsorship cost $2,000. Advertising costs were minimal; they promoted the event through store posters, small advertisements in a local sports newspaper and mailings to museum members.
"The payoff is hard to quantify, but we believe it's very good," says Gary. "We hear people talking about the shows and feel there's a buzz in our store as a result of these promotions."
Special events work just as well for other retailers. At Book Passage in Corte Madera, California, for example, owner Elaine Petrocelli, 58, offers writers' workshops that draw students and faculty from as far away as France and South America. Besides book signings and lectures, the bookstore holds discussion groups and for-fee classes on topics like first-person writing and mystery writing. "Our customers go out of their way to come here," Petrocelli says, "because what we do is different from anyone else."
Easy Does It
There are infinite ways to mix entertainment and retailing to create just the right entertailing concept for your store. "Whatever you do, however, make sure it's appropriate for your store and customers," advises Davidowitz. "Next, be interactive. Customers want to participate in what's going on."
Some of the best ways to inspire customer participation are the easiest. Serve coffee, show videos, let customers swing a bat or hit a few golf balls. Let children play computer games. Invite an expert or celebrity associated with your merchandise to meet and mingle with shoppers. Start a club that gives your most loyal shoppers special privileges. Sponsor a seminar. Host a public-service event or fund-raiser for a local charity at your store.
"Allow your customers to participate," echoes Marketing Developments' Eichelbaum. "Let them test your products right next to your merchandise display."
A computer software retailer, for example, could invite patrons to test new programs on computers next to his or her software display. An athletic shoe retailer might set up a display of running shoes with gigantic graphics of the Boston Marathon in the background and a video featuring runners from past marathons. The owner of a store selling musical instruments might make room for a ministage so shoppers can perform for a brief session, or install video screens to broadcast musical entertainment. "This livens up your store by providing customers direct experience with your product," says Eichelbaum. "It also provides entertainment and energy for other shoppers."
A great entertailing idea may not cost you a dime if you know where to look for help. "Identify someone who's doing what's appropriate for your retail store and make a deal with him," explains Davidowitz. "For example, get the owner of the best coffee store in town to [set up and run] a food cart in your store. Let him sell great coffee and gourmet cakes. He gets the money from his sales and pays you rent for the space. Your customers enjoy themselves and spend money in your store."
In the end, the most creative entertailing concept won't make up for what customers want more than anything else: top merchandise, fair pricing and outstanding customer service. Warns Davidowitz: "When all the smoke clears, entertainment can get customers into your store, but you still have to offer them a great value."
Carla Goodman, who writes frequently about business marketing, always shops where the entertainment is best.


text: The sacred syllable Om, which represents the enlightened body, speech and mind of the Buddha, is etched into hand-cut pieces of volcanic slate, adding inspiration and beauty to any setting. Designed for placement on an interior wall, such as a yoga studio or meditation room, or for placing in the garden, each natural slate Buddhist art wall hanging is unique and measures approximately 10" x 12" x 1". Approx. 4 1/2 lbs. Comes ready for hanging.A DharmaCrafts exclusive.


text:
DETROIT – A massive, slow-moving storm that hit the nation's midsection dropped between 2 and 5 inches of snow in Detroit and Southeast Michigan and created slippery driving conditions by the end of Wednesday morning's rush.
Local 4 Weather Watcher Richard Jenny reported 4.5 inches in Westland, and Martin Lulgjuraj received 5.2 inches in Rochester Hills. Four inches fell in some Detroit suburbs and Saginaw.
In other parts of the state, the National Weather Service says as of Wednesday morning 6 inches fell in the Grand Haven and Muskegon areas, while 5 inches fell between Lansing and Jackson. Four to 5 inches fell in Grand Rapids.
The highest accumulations, totaling 5 to 8 inches, were forecast for Michigan's farmland in the Thumb, surrounded on three sides by Lake Huron.
Snow turned to rain in Detroit, leaving roads covered in slush. Many highways and main roads were reportedly cleared early Wednesday.
The snow is heavy, wet and difficult to shovel.
Anyone without neighborly help or a snow blower, should take frequent breaks when removing snow.
All warnings and advisories have been cancelled. However, snow showers will return for the afternoon commute and dinner hour. After 11pm, it will get colder and windier. Any surface that is slushy or wet will be come icy as overnight temps fall below freezing into the upper and middle 20s.
The rest of the week is cold with cloudy skies Thursday and some sunshine returning Friday and this weekend. Highs will be in the upper 20s, and lows will be in the teens.
Do you have a Junior Local 4Caster in your home?
If so, go to the Community Page of ClickOnDetroit.com and upload a 30 second video of their weathercast for a chance to appear on Local4 News Morning to do the weather with Meteorologist Andrew Humphrey, CBM.
Your latest weather forecast is always on the Weather Page of ClickOnDetroit.com and on Local 4 News.
Weather links to use:


text:
Monitor and manage your hybrid cloud networks proactively to enable uninterrupted services and the ability to instantly scale the supporting infrastructure up or down.
Manage traditional and software-defined networks across multiple technologies and technology providers from a single point.
Benefit from a cost-effective, flexible, modular, catalog-based approach to service management with a hybrid cloud delivery model using global and local resources.


text:
Sports Birthdays for July 28 — Manu Ginóbili and More
Here are some of the people in the sports world celebrating birthdays on July 28:
Bill Bradley
Age: 69
Profession: Retired NBA Player / U.S. Senator
Best Known For: A defensive stalwart and NBA All-Star, Bill Bradley was a key player on NBA championship teams for the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973. In his 11-year playing career for the Knicks, Bradley averaged 12.4 points per game. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. Prior to joining the Knicks, Bradley was a two-time Consensus NCAA All-American at Princeton. After leaving the NBA, Bradley was elected as a U.S. Senator from New Jersey three times from 1979 to 1997. He unsuccessfully campaigned for the Democratic nomination for president in 2000.
Vida Blue
Age: 63
Profession: Retired MLB Player
Best Known For: A six-time All-Star, Vida Blue pitched for the Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals from 1969 to 1983. He is one of eight pitchers in history to win both the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player Award in the same year (1971). Blue is also one of four pitchers in history to start an All-Star Game for both the American and the National League (Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Roy Halladay ). Blue was a key member of the Oakland A's teams that won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974.
Doug Collins
Age: 61
Profession: Retired NBA Player / NBA Coach
Best Known For: A four-time NBA All-Star as a player, Doug Collins has gone on to successful careers in coaching and broadcasting. After being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 NBA Draft, Collins played his entire NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers from 1973 to 1981, averaging 17.9 points per game. As the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1986 to 1989, Collins was the first NBA coach of Michael Jordan. He has also coached the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers, with whom he is currently employed. Collins was a member of the 1972 US men's basketball team that lost a controversial gold medal game to the Soviet Union at the Summer Olympics in Munich.
Dana White
Age: 43
Profession: Sports Executive / Promoter
Best Known For: A lifelong boxing and fight fan, Dana White is the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's best known and most watched mixed martial arts organization. Dana and his brother Frank bought the UFC in 2002. In 2011, White helped the rapidly growing UFC land a long-term, multimillion dollar TV contract with Fox.
Manu Ginóbili
Age: 35
Profession: NBA Player
Best Known For: A two-time All-Star guard, Manu Ginóbili is one of the most versatile players in the NBA, averaging 15.2 points and 3.9 assists over his 10-year career. Having played his entire NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, Ginóbili was a key contributor to NBA championship teams in 2003, 2005 and 2007. He was selected the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2008. A native of Argentina, Ginóbili helped lead his country to the Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004.
DeMeco Ryans
Age: 28
Profession: NFL Player
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South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences
On-line version ISSN 2222-3436
Print version ISSN 1015-8812
S. Afr. j. econ. manag. sci. vol.17 n.1 Pretoria Jan. 2014
Project-based production and project management: findings and trends in research on temporary systems in multiple contexts
Tinus PretoriusI; Leon OerlemansII
IGraduate School of Technology Management, University of Pretoria
IITilburg University, the Netherlands Graduate School of Technology Management, University of Pretoria
1 Introduction
Globalisation is challenging almost every aspect of the political, economic, social and technological environment. Organisations, whether public or private, have to adapt their strategies and operations to stay competitive and efficient. Historically, organisations adopted project-based operations as a mode to stay competitive, although the applications tended to be the one-off type of operations such as construction and system development projects (Edum-Fotwe & McCaffer, 2000). As the world changed from an industrially driven to a more knowledge driven economy and the pace of continuous change became more intense, organisations adopted a project-based mode of operations on a broader scale. The knowledge economy lead to the creation of many service orientated industries. Organisations started facing portfolios of projects where the nature of these projects differed in technological complexity, urgency, customer value and social impact (Gutjahr & Froeschl, 2013,). Based on their experience with more technically orientated projects, organisations focused their attention more intensely on new project management methods, tools and processes and not necessarily on the human and organisational interfaces. This paradigm changed however, especially since the 1980s and more and more organisations adopted temporary organisational forms (Bakker, 2010) in order to improve their competitiveness. The contributions in this special edition of the South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences have a common focus- on the importance of the human and organisational interface of project-based operations on project success. The purpose of this concluding article is to analyse the findings and recommendations in these papers and to detect trends and future research opportunities in the field of project-based operations.
2 Analysis of contributions
2.1 Macro perspectives
Packendorff and Lindgren took a macro perspective on the processes of projectification. Based on previous literature, they refer to projectification as 'the development towards the use of projects for handling complex tasks and creative renewal in contemporary organisations', but at the same time describe this 'definition' as 'a narrow view of projectification' where research is mainly focussed on the contents and consequences of organisational re-structuring initiatives. Based on a thorough review of the relevant literature, Packendorff and Lindgren come to the conclusion that the basic weakness of the narrow view on projectification is that researchers exclude a view on projectification as a development characterised by for example bounded rationality, power and politics, cultural norms and constructs. They therefore argue that the research area should be extended from its current concern with the increased primacy of projects in contemporary organisational structures, to a concern for cultural and discursive processes in society. An important implication for research is that a new set of basic research assumptions is necessary, which implies that not only project researchers, but also scholars interested in for example organisational theory, should contribute to and complement future research on projectification. Such a multi-disciplinary approach will certainly generate new research questions related to both the individual and the organisation in the project-based operations environment.
2.2 Meso perspectives
In the contribution on project governance, Bekker argues that current research literature on project governance lacks a broader, multifirm and multi-project perspective with a common understanding of the definitions, frameworks and contexts. The single-firm governance perspective concerns itself with intra-organisa-tional projects and therefore tends to practice governance principles solely at a technical level. The multi-firm project governance approach however, is more concerned with the contractual level of cooperation, while the large capital project governance perspective with its temporary organisations approach, tends to establish governance principles at the institutional level. Given these different governance perspectives, it is therefore necessary that researchers focus on the alignment of project governance principles among the three organisational categories. The research challenge here is to broaden the perspectives from the technical level of control in the single-firm school, to align with the contractual level of control in the multi-firm school. With the large capital project school, control becomes a complex activity within a cosmopolitan composition of various cultures and values, organisational structures and many more. In line with the recommendation of Packendorff and Lindgren, Bekker also views the involvement of researchers from multi-disciplinary research backgrounds in the project governance research area as important condition for future research, especially concerning the large capital project school within a highly complex and multi-dimensional organisational environment. A research approach as investigated from the broad projectification research view proposed by Packendorff and Lindgren, where project governance principles are aligned between the different schools of thought, could also bring new perspectives on how future- temporary organisations should deal with project governance.
Jerbrant's paper focuses on the changes and maturation in the management and organisation of project-based organisations within multi-project environments. The aim of her article was to deepen our understanding of how the management of project-based organisations could evolve in a flow between structuring administration and managing potential uncertainty. The point of departure is how standardised management processes evolved into the more strategic perspectives on the entire project portfolio and the ultimate link to the overall business goal. Uncertainty management is emphasised with its resulting complexities and impact on restructuring activities. Therefore, a maturation model that visualises the project-based organisation, oscillating between restructuring and uncertainty management is proposed. The outcome of this research is of importance since it takes a broader perspective than only the project management view and ultimately links the restructuring activities to the business goals of the organisation. Jerbrant thus proposes future research to focus at least on (i) coordination in the projectified part of the business where integration of several functional areas is needed, and (ii) coordination to align the project portfolio with the overall business strategy. Studies on further development of the maturation model as well as on uncertainty management in different types of project-based organisations should also be on the future research agenda.
2.3 Micro perspectives
Van Kessel et al. focused their research on a specific case in the micro environment, namely an academic institution where creative research paper output is an important strategic goal of the organisation. Their research examined the relationship between perceptions of organisation culture, social embeddedness of the papers' authors and the paper project outputs. The finding that social ties with colleagues both inside and outside their departments, but in the same academic institution, matter for outcomes is a causal step linking organisational values and norms to creative outputs, and is of importance to the broader project-based production community.
Linking these research findings to those of (i) Chan, and (ii) Chang and Yeh, brings interesting new perspectives that could help us to develop deeper insights into the needs of project-based operations.
Chan studied the impact of multiple project team membership on innovative project performance and found that an inverted u-shaped relationship exists between multiple team membership and individual creative performance. This finding is explained by the more diverse sources of ideas that the individual encounters, although too many diverse ideas have a negative effect on the individual's creative performance. This finding of Chan corresponds with the conclusion of Van Kessel et al. that 'no project is an island'. Chan also found that initially multiple team membership has a positive linear relationship with team performance (and at higher levels a negative effect). These finding again correspond with the conclusion of Van Kessel et al. that 'no project is an island', assuming that a project is seen as a team consisting of members. Overall, both papers emphasize that the project environment matters for performance.
Chang and Yeh contributed to the research on project-based production by examining the relationships between intra project team disagreement, conflict communication and team performance in cross-functional new product project teams and its consequences on decision-making comprehensiveness. The findings of this research are relevant in that it gives further insight into the nature of specific social process characteristics between project team members and their effects. First, they found a concave relationship between intra-team task disagreement and decision-making comprehensiveness and explain their finding by suggesting that too little conflict within project teams discourages the combination of different points of view and diverse information sources to create a new knowledge base in the decision-making process. Too much intra-team task disagreement also decreases the decision-making comprehensiveness. Second, they found that decision-making comprehensiveness does not appear to be the most fruitful source of creative ideas for innovation. Third, they found that collaborative communication has a significant and negative effect on innovativeness and suggest further research to examine this specific finding. From the findings of Chang and Yeh it can be concluded that social processes between individual project team members and between project teams are indeed important but that the social ties should take the project goal into consideration, otherwise the outcome will have a negative effect on the project goals.
3 Future research
Packendorff and Lindgren propose that future research on projectification should actively employ a view of projects and project-based organising as cultural and discursive phenomena. They encourage organisation theory scholars to find studies of projectification most useful in developing new theoretical notions on, for example post-burocratic organisations, virtual organisations and entrepreneurial processes. On the meso level, Bekker proposes further research on the development of project governance frameworks for projects spanning across country borders and incorporating different value systems, legal systems, corporate governance guidelines, religions and business practices. Also on the meso level Jerbrant proposes several topics for future research, namely (i) coordination to integrate several different functional areas in the part of a business that is projectified, (ii) coordination to align the project portfolio with the overall business strategy, (iii) the strategic link between business development and both level of structuring and uncertainty management, (iv) further development of the maturation model she proposed and (v) the content of uncertainty management in different types of project-based organizations. On the micro level Van Kessel et al. propose three topics for future research, namely (i) examine whether organizational culture affects the number of social ties, or vice versa, (ii) the extent to which the strength of ties mediates the relationship between organizational culture and creative output and (iii) the mediating role of social embeddedness in the relationship between organizational culture and creative output. Based on her work on multiple project team membership and performance Chan proposes four topics for future research.
Firstly, other propositions proposed by O'Leary et al. (2011), for example 'variety' (i.e. diversity in tasks, technologies, locations, and so forth) can be empirically tested so that the impact of multiple team membership can be fully examined. Secondly, in order to mitigate the self-assessed individual performance bias problem, multisource measurement procedures can be used. Thirdly, other types of projects than only engineering-related project teams with different tasks can be investigated to determine the impact of multiple team membership on performance. Finally, the impact of multiple team membership on performance at organizational level can be explored because pressures on teams, team members and their leaders might be more severe. For future research, Chang and Yeh propose that a longitudinal research design is used to better validate the causal sequences that are proposed in their study. They also recommend that for future research, criterion variables are assessed using a comprehensive measure that contains several subjective measures such as inno-vativeness and constraint adherence, as well as objective financial performance measures.
A common thread in the proposed topics for future research is that traditional project management approaches and tools should be complemented by insights from the social sciences, in other words, multi-disciplinary research in which an engineering perspective is combined with a social science perspective.
BAKKER, R.M. 2010. Taking stock of temporary organizational forms: a systematic review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(4):466-486. [ Links ]
EDUM-FOTWE, F.T. & MCCAFFER, R. 2000. Developing project management competency: perspectives from the construction industry. International Journal of Project Management, 18(2): 111-124. [ Links ]
GUTJAHR, W.J. & FROESCHL, K.A. 2013. Project portfolio selection under uncertainty with outsourcing opportunities. Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, 25(1-2):255-281. [ Links ]
O'LEARY, M.B., MORTENSEN, M. & WOOLEY, A.W. 2011. Multiple team membership: A theoretical model of its effects on productivity and learning for individuals and teams. Academy of Management Review, 36(3):461-478. [ Links ]


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Hamilton (Bermuda) – November 10, 2012 – Orient-Express Hotels Ltd today announced that John M. Scott III has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director. Mr. Scott, 47, is an experienced operator of luxury hotels who most recently served as President and CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, where he oversaw a portfolio of 17 ultra-luxury hotels located in seven countries with combined revenues of more than $500 million.
"John Scott is a talented and highly regarded leader in the global hotel industry and we are excited to welcome him to Orient-Express," said J. Robert Lovejoy, Chairman of the Board. "During his time at Rosewood, John was responsible for doubling the number of hotels under management, significantly increasing EBITDA and securing an active development pipeline of new hotel projects. With a deep understanding of the ultra-luxury lodging sector and proven industry experience in strategy, operations, finance, and brand building, John has the right skills and qualifications to drive growth and deliver on the tremendous potential of Orient-Express' portfolio of iconic and irreplaceable properties."
"Orient-Express is a legendary brand synonymous with excellence, sophistication and personality," said Mr. Scott. "With a unique collection of one-of-a-kind assets and a business model and culture that ensures the highest quality service and guest experience, Orient-Express is among the world's premier luxury hotel and travel companies. I am excited to join Orient-Express and look forward to working together with the Board and management team to expand the business, grow profitability and significantly increase shareholder value, while providing our guests with experiences and memories that last a lifetime."
Added Mr. Lovejoy, "On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Philip Mengel for serving as interim CEO for the past six months. We look forward to his continued contributions as a Director on our Board. Having a seasoned leader at the helm provided us with the flexibility to conduct the thorough search that led us to John Scott."
Response to Unsolicited Acquisition Proposal
Orient-Express also announced that its Board, after consultation with independent financial and legal advisors, has unanimously determined that the unsolicited proposal from The Indian Hotels Company Limited and certain affiliates and third parties to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Orient-Express for $12.63 per share in cash (the "Indian Hotels Proposal") significantly undervalues Orient-Express and its unique assets and is not in the best interests of Orient-Express and its shareholders. The Company informed Indian Hotels of its decision in a letter included below.
Mr. Lovejoy said, "The Board is deeply committed to creating value for our shareholders and will take whatever actions it believes will best accomplish that objective. We carefully evaluated the Indian Hotels Proposal in that spirit but unanimously concluded it is deeply unattractive from a financial perspective. Importantly, the Board believes the current macroeconomic environment, conditions in the luxury hotel business and factors unique to Orient-Express would make this a highly disadvantageous time to sell the Company to realize its true value. Orient-Express has exciting prospects and an unrivalled collection of one-of-a-kind luxury properties that it is taking concerted actions to optimize. With the appointment of a world-class CEO, whom the Board is confident will drive superior long-term value, we believe Orient-Express has a bright future as an independent company serving the interests of shareholders as well as guests."
Mr. Lovejoy noted that Mr. Scott formerly served as President and CEO of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts from 2003 until the sale in 2011 of Rosewood and related owned hotel assets (including The Carlyle, Mansion on Turtle Creek, Hotel Crescent Court, Little Dix Bay and Inn of the Anasazi).
Prior to joining Rosewood Hotels, Mr. Scott served for seven years as Managing Director of Acquisitions and Asset Management at Maritz, Wolff & Co., where he was responsible for acquisitions and asset management for the private equity real estate investment group. Previously, Mr. Scott held management positions in business planning and development at The Walt Disney Company and senior hotel management positions at the Interpacific Group Hong Kong, a private hotel investment and management company operating in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr. Scott holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dartmouth College. He also serves on the Board of Cedar Fair Entertainment (NYSE: FUN), a leading publicly traded theme park and entertainment company.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co. are acting as financial advisors to Orient-Express. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal advisor to Orient-Express.
The text of the letter sent to Indian Hotels is below:
November 8, 2012
Mr. R. K. Krishna Kumar
Vice Chairman
The Indian Hotels Company Limited
Mandlik House
Mandlik Road
Mumbai 400 001
Dear Mr. Kumar:
I am writing in response to your letter of October 18, 2012 setting forth an unsolicited proposal by The Indian Hotels Company and certain other entities to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. for $12.63 per share in cash.
After thorough consideration, and in consultation with independent financial and legal advisors, our Board of Directors has unanimously concluded that your proposal significantly undervalues Orient-Express and its future prospects. Like that of many other hospitality companies and luxury sector participants, we believe the current price of Orient-Express shares reflects the market's short-term outlook and not the long-term value of its assets.
Orient-Express is one of the premier hospitality brands in the world. We own a unique and irreplaceable portfolio of iconic ultra-luxury properties – including the Hotel Cipriani, Copacabana Palace, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Hotel Splendido and the '21' Club. Despite a difficult operating environment, we continue to perform well. The Board believes the Company is well positioned to deliver substantial value to our shareholders in 2013 and the coming years.
You continue to state publicly that you are offering a significant premium, but your opportunistic proposal was made at a time when the price of Orient-Express shares has been significantly depressed. Orient-Express shares have been negatively impacted by various factors including economic turbulence, particularly in Europe, important properties in the midst of refurbishment projects, and the transition to a new CEO. In short, we strongly believe your proposal is significantly below the value of Orient-Express.
Our opportunity to grow earnings and cash flow is significant, as many of our core properties are expected to achieve in 2012 substantially less than their peak EBITDA. In addition, we expect EBITDA to benefit materially as properties undergoing renovations reopen and major new properties commence operations. We are encouraged by the growth in our advance bookings for 2013, which are currently well ahead of last year at this time. In addition, the market value of our unique properties is underscored by the prices per key paid in some recent sales of iconic assets.
For all these reasons, the Board is convinced that Orient-Express has a very bright future. Importantly, we have announced today the hiring of John M. Scott as our new President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Scott has superb industry experience, a deep understanding of the luxury customer and a track record of success with high-end assets. We are convinced his leadership will usher in an exciting new era at Orient-Express. We believe he will help build the value of the Orient-Express brand, drive substantial incremental value from our properties, and deliver strong long-term returns to our shareholders.
The members of the Orient-Express Board have great respect for your company. We have taken, and will continue to take, our responsibilities to Orient-Express shareholders extremely seriously. We remain deeply committed to the goal of delivering superior value to our shareholders. For the reasons described above, our Board has unanimously concluded that your proposal significantly undervalues Orient-Express, and that now would be a highly disadvantageous time to sell the Company. Accordingly, our Board has unanimously determined that it is not in the best interests of Orient-Express and its shareholders to pursue your proposal.
Sincerely yours,
J. Robert Lovejoy
About Orient-Express Hotels Ltd
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd., listed on the New York Stock Exchange, ticker OEH, engages in the hotel, tourist train, restaurant and cruise ship business. Orient-Express Hotels owns all or part of and manages 45 famous properties in 22 countries, including the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. In addition, it owns the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Eastern & Oriental Express tourist trains, '21' Club in New York City and the "Road To Mandalay" cruise ship in Burma.
Media Contact:
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