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At the base of the Andes, in the Southern reaches of Argentina, spanning the width of the continent to the shores of the Southern Atlantic Ocean, you'll find Argentinian Patagonia; a diverse and exciting region with so much to offer.
The country's famed Lake District lies in the North-Eastern region of Argentinian Patagonia, where the towering mountains of The Andes skirt sparkling lakes and bustling rivers. Base yourself at Bariloche or San Martín and explore the surrounding waterways by bike or kayak, pack a picnic and take a scenic drive through the seven lakes, or head to Nahuel Huapi Lake in the national park to soak up the magic of this tranquil 20-hectare protected forest reserve.
To the West, you'll find the wildlife-rich Península Valdés, a UNESCO-registered nature reserve made up of sand dunes, wetlands, mudflats and pebble beaches. This important biodiversity hotspot is home to guanacos, rheas, grey foxes, and armadillos on land, and orcas and migratory whales in the water.
You'll head South to discover postcard Patagonia; starting in Los Glaciares National Park, where you'll discover the astonishing Fitz Roy Massif and stand in awe of the Perito Moreno Glacier. Travel further South still to the dramatic and rugged landscape of Tierra Del Fuego – the land of fire and ice; a rich and fascinating history seeps into the meandering riverways and rocky mountain paths here.
Covering over 1,000 miles and with a mind-boggling diversity in landscapes, wildlife and activities, it's no wonder Argentinian Patagonia takes the top spot on so many bucket lists.

subset: commoncrawl


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"This firm holding back of the senses is what is known as Yoga. Then one should become watchful, for Yoga comes and goes" – Kathopanishad – 2.3.11
On 21st of June, 2021, International Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide. However, due to the pandemic situation, most of us have to remain indoors on this Yoga Day. Regardless, Yoga Day is even more relevant now, because the world is still not free from the clutches of the pandemic, which is endangering our physical and mental well-being. Yoga can be a viable solution to rejuvenate our physical health and to maintain our inner stability. The Upanishads are rich with the wisdom of Yogic philosophy. Yoga Tattva Upanishad, Yoga Chudamani Upanishad, Yogarajopanishad and Yogakundali Upanishad focus wholly upon Yoga.
The Yoga Tattva Upanishad identifies Lord Vishnu as the Mahayogi (Great Yogi). "The supreme Purusha called Vishnu, who is the great Yogin, the great being and the great Tapasvin, is seen as a lamp in the path of truth" (Yoga Tattva Upanishad 1.2). This Upanishad mentions four major types of yoga. "Yoga is divided into many kinds on account of its actions, Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga" (Yoga Tattva Upanishad 1.19). Mantra Yoga, in simple terms, aims to union with the Supreme through chants. Whereas Hatha Yoga employs physical exercise as a means to attain union, Raja Yoga focuses on mind. Laya Yoga is also known as Kundalini Yoga. It focuses on the Kundalini power to achieve union.
The Yoga Chudamani Upanishad talks about the eight limbs of Yoga; also known as Ashtanga yoga. The eight limbs are yama (restraints), niyama (observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (contemplation) and samadhi (meditation). The various asanas (postures) are familiar to many, but not the other limbs of Yoga explained in Yoga Chudamani Upanishad, and Yoga has been reduced to a mere physical exercise. In fact, the asanas (postures) are a means to go beyond the physical body.
Yogarajopanishad is notable for the explanation of the nine major chakras. Chakras are the subtle energy junctions of the human body. The Yoga Chudamani Upanishad and Yogakundali Upanishad talk about six major chakras which include the Muladhara, Swadishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Visuddha, and Ajna. However, the Yogarajopanishad explains nine chakras and uses a slightly different terminology. The Yogarajopanishad elaborates on three additional chakras – Talu chakra, Brahmarantra, and Vyoma. The Ajna chakra is denoted as Bhru Chakra in Yogarajopanishad. The knowledge of chakras is very essential to understand the quintessence of Yoga philosophy.
Yogakundali Upanishad explains the Kundalini power, which is the primeval cosmic energy in the form of a serpentine power located at the base of the human spine. The Kundalini is also referred to as Shakti, the feminine aspect of the supreme Brahman. In Kundalini Yoga, the Sadhaka or the practitioner attempts to raise the Kundalini or serpentine power. The ultimate aim of this practice is to raise the Kundalini till the Shasrara chakra is attained. Shasrara chakra is Pure Consciousness. Therefore, the union of the serpentine power and the pure consciousness; Shakti and Shiva is explained in this text. Yogakundali Upanishad also warns against avoiding yoga due to laziness, oversleeping, skepticism or other silly reasons. Such behaviors can be a hindrance in attaining the goals of Yoga.
The Upanishads are capable of enriching our perceptions on Yoga. Upanishads elaborate on the basic aspects of Yoga and take the readers to the ultimate aim of Yoga. In other words, these texts explain the physical benefits of Yoga and at the same time the supreme aim of Yoga, which is, being one with the cosmic Whole. For those who have no elementary knowledge of Yoga, these texts can be introductory, while for those who already have a basic knowledge, these texts offer the scope of advancing their knowledge, a space for more profound contemplation.
The theme of International Yoga Day 2021 is "Yoga at home and Yoga with family." May this YOGA DAY be the occasion for perception, reflection and contemplation of the ancient Upanishadic wisdom and the legacy of Yoga in our comfortable family space.
About the author
Harsha Vincent is a creative content writer at CIF. She is a Post-graduate in English literature and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Indian English Literature. She is interested in Indian Spirituality, Aesthetics and Yogic Philosophy.


text: Bottle features a screw on, spill-resistant lid and comes with a split ring. Meets FDA requirements and is BPA free. Hand wash recommended. Price includes a one color imprint on one color. Item Colors: Blue, Charcoal, Copper, Lime Green, Purple, Red Pricing: 36 Piece Minimum (must be purchased in increments of 36 per color) |


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This blog posts has been at the back of my mind for a while but I think it's probably that time of year now where it will be something you guys will be interested in, cause lets be honest… weeding sucks!
It's boring, time-consuming, can be backbreaking and definitely kills your knees (and your nails). Then you turn around and the little buggers are back. So you think, why do I bother?
So, in true Ar bruadair style, we tested out some gadgets that might make your life better. Let us introduce you to the weed burner, Kate's best friend.
What on earth is a weed burner?
It's basically a butane torch that you use to burn weeds. Yup that simple.
Basically it's a long handled torch with a dial to adjust the ferocity of the flame, and you can point it at a weed and burn. Good news on the whole organic, no adding chemicals to the soil of your plants, no scrabbling around on your knees and it's quick.
Kate loves this, in fact, I have absolutely heard her cackle like a mad woman while she's doing this and when questioned apparently it's about not letting the grass win and grow in between her paving. She actually sounds scary when she does it.
One tip though, when we first started testing this out, we followed all the instructions about just giving each weed a few seconds and letting the heat burst the cells etc etc. Nonsense. This does not work, you need to incinerate the little buggers! That shows them who's boss!


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Indologist Dr. Beni Madhab Barua but more famously known as Dr. B. M. Barua was born on 31 December 1888 in Mahamuni Pahartali of Chittagong (now in Bangladesh) and died on 23 March 1948 in Kolkata.
He received his formative education up to matriculation in Chittagong where he excelled as a student. He graduated from the Baharampur Krishnanath College in 1911 in Pali with a first class. In 1913 he passed his M. A. in Pali with a first class first from the Calcutta University. In the year 1914, Ven. Kripasaran had recommended the name of Dr. B. M. Barua to the Government of India through Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, the Vice Chancellor of the Calcutta University who sent him to the University of London on a state scholarship to pursue higher education after which he was awarded with the D. Litt. degree in the year 1917 thereby becoming the first Asian recipient of this degree for his thesis titled, "Indian Philosophy — it's origin and growth from the Vedas to the Buddha".
The Bengal Buddhist Association was founded in the year 1892 by Ven. Kripasaran Mahasthavir to work for the revival and regeneration of Buddhism in India. He was a contemporary of the Anagarika Dharmapala of Sri Lanka who established the Maha Bodhi Society of India in 1891. Ven. Kripasaran and Anagarika Dharmapala had made representations to the Calcutta University to introduce the study of Pali to which Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee had accepted.
On his return from London he was appointed as a Lecturer in the Dept. of Pali and subsequently became the Professor and Head of the Deptt. of Pali, University of Calcutta. He was appointed the University Professor of Pali in 1925 for his outstanding merits and continued to hold this post till the time of his death in 1948. He was also attached with the Departments of Sanskrit and Ancient Indian History & Culture where he taught.
Dr. Barua was a reputed Indologist of his time and has written extensively on Pali, History and Archaeology and other related subjects of Buddhist Studies. Some of his well-known books are Lokniti (1912), Maniratnamala (1913), Grihivinaya (1913), Mahasatipatthana Suttanta (1914) which were published by the Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha.
He was associated with many organisations and institutions. He was also the General Secretary of the Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha. It was with his initiative that the three storeyed Arya Vihar was constructed with funds donated by the great industrialist Seth Jugal Kishore Birla and was inaugurated by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in 1937. He was instrumental in setting up the Nalanda Vidyabhavana by the Sabha in 1935 to promote Pali and Buddhist Studies and was inaugurated by the reputed scholar Dr. B. C. Law.
Due to his scholastics he was awarded the Dr. B. C. Law Gold Medal by the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. The Vidyalankara Pirivena (University) of Sri Lanka had conferred on him the title of Tipitakacariya for his work on Buddhism and Buddhist Studies in the year 1945.
He was also the Editor of Indian Culture, Buddhist India, Visvabani and Jagajjyoti. These were very high quality journals which received his efficient editorship. The Jagajjyoti started in 1908 is still being published by the Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha and is widely circulated. He was a prolific writer and authored many books and wrote hundreds of articles which are not only learned but monumental works on Indological Studies.
Dr. Barua was associated with many social organizations and societies. He always contributed financially to these institutions which provides help and relief to the poor and the needy. He was always concerned with the education of the boys and girls that they should attend schools and colleges and that their career should not hamper. He contributed towards their education by paying their fees which even his family members never knew. It was only possible to know about it when after his death the office chamber was being cleaned and out came the payment receipts of the students whom he helped. Apart from scholarship his other facet was philanthropy and charity. The Assam Sahitya Sabha (Ahom Xahitya Sabha) had in its meeting held on 8.1. 1925 passed a resolution recognising Dr. Beni Madhab Barua as a respected scholar and well wisher of the Assam Sahitya Sabha along with a host of scholars amongst whom was also Dr. Suniti Kumar Chattopadhyaya.
The Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha had on 19 April 2012 installed a bust of Dr. B. M. Barua in the Dept. of Pali, University of Calcutta with the kind cooperation of Prof. Suranjan Das, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor celebrating his 125 Birth anniversary.
In recognition of his works and his facet of philanthropy, we have initiated the Dr. B. M. Barua Scholarships to be given to the meritorious students hailing from the economically weaker sections of the society since the last many years. This is to help the students and also to remind them that they too have a responsibility towards society when they are in a position to give back what they have received especially when their education itself is so heavily subsidised in a country like India. The Scholarship Fund was started from 1996.
We have also started the Dr. B. M. Barua Memorial Lecture from the year 2011 where scholars from India and Bangladesh delivered the Memorial Lectures. This year Prof. Baidyanath Labh, Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Bihar will be delivering the memorial lecture.
From the year 2012 we started the Dr. B. M. Barua Award for Literature. This year the Dr. B. M. Barua Award for Literature will be given to Prof. Dr. Dipak Kumar Barua, former Professor and Head, University of Calcutta and former Director, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara.
The Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha (Bengal Buddhist Association) is privileged to be a part of this celebration and feels happy to share the life and works of Dr. Barua with the world thereby enriching the tangible and intangible cultural landscape of India. It is an opportune moment to reintroduce Dr. Barua and his works to modern scholars which will help understand his relevance.
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and a year full of love, peace, happiness and prosperity.
May all beings be happy.
WRITES: Bhikkhu Bodhipala is the General Secretary of Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha
(Bengal Buddhist Association) Kolkata, India and can be reached at: email@example.com


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* Almost 2.3 million cases worldwide, with 157,000 deaths - in NZ, there were only 13 new cases on Saturday, with 544 active cases overall
* The dos and don'ts of level 3 - a back-to-basics guide
* Can your child return to school under level 3? Ministry releases new information
* Heather du Plessis-Allan: It's a big call tomorrow
* Latest decision and essential information
The Government is bolstering its random Covid-19 targeted testing regime, expanding the initiative to Auckland as it prepares to make a decision on easing lockdown restrictions.
Cabinet will tomorrow make the highly-anticipated call on whether or not New Zealand will come out of level 4 this week.
It comes as the number of global deaths from Covid 19 passes 157,000 with another 550 deaths in a 24-hour period in New York. There have been almost 2.3 million cases of coronavirus worldwide, with more than 700,000 cases in the United States, the highest number of any country.
But on the eve of New Zealand's lockdown decision, data shows the number of new Covid-19 cases remains low in this country.
• Covid-19 coronavirus: 13 new cases in NZ, no further deaths
• Covid 19 coronavirus: More residents from Te Atatu rest home moved to Waitākere Hospital
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Police warn virus-infected Timaru supermarket shopper
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Woman spits at Auckland Transport workers at Britomart
But questions have been raised about the Government's surveillance system with insiders saying it is outdated, going as far as describing it as a "dinosaur".
The Government's contact tracing ability will be a key part of Ministers' thinking when Cabinet meets tomorrow.
The Ministry of Health confirmed yesterday there were 13 new cases of Covid-19 across the country.
There were no deaths reported and the ministry confirmed that 867 people have so far recovered – that's up 51 on Friday's figure.
There are a total of 1422 probable and confirmed Covid-19 cases across the country.
To get a better snapshot of New Zealand's position, the Government has increased its random testing regime to include the country's biggest city – Auckland.
Testing began at 8am yesterday at two supermarkets in the region, the ministry revealed.
The aim, officials said, is to collect 150 swabs at both sites.
A spokeswoman for the ministry said Auckland DHB had agreed not to reveal which supermarkets the testing was being done at, other than the fact the chain had a presence in Mangere and Henderson.
The random testing at the sites was for one day only, the spokeswoman confirmed.
The data officials are able to glean from the sites will be critical for the Government's lockdown decision.
The random testing, according to Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay, will help provide an "overall picture" of the extent of community transmission, which remains low across the country.
Auckland is the latest city or region for random Covid-19 testing to take place.
The targeted testing scheme is already under way in Queenstown, Waikato and Canterbury. And so far it is looking optimistic.
All tests processed from the Queenstown supermarket site returned a negative result.
In Waikato, 308 people were tested across Otorohanga, Hamilton, Matamata, Cambridge, and Te Awamutu.
Those tests have all also returned negative results, as did all the tests processed to date from the community testing in Canterbury.
On Friday, Finance Minister Grant Robertson was at pains to point out the Government had a lot more data to look at before Cabinet made its decision on Monday.
"I don't think we should be getting ahead of ourselves," he said when asked about the low number of new cases.
He told media there were a number things the Government needed to be sure of before restrictions were eased.
"One of those is [making sure] that we genuinely are breaking the chain of community transmission."
There is still some work to be done around contact tracing, as well as making sure the health system has all the capacity it needed, Robertson said.
Meanwhile, concerns still remain over ministry's ability to rapidly trace close contacts of Covid-19.
Insiders have told the Herald that the Government's surveillance system is outdated, with one describing it as a "dinosaur".
The ministry was provided a report on the shortcomings in its contact tracing last Saturday, but is yet to release it.
The report, by University of Otago infectious diseases physician Ayesha Verrall, was understood to be damning of the ministry's tracing approach at the time of the audit.
Its delay raises questions as to New Zealand's level of preparedness when it comes to contact tracing in a level 3 environment.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said on Wednesday he had received Verrall's report and officials were "furiously" responding to its recommendations.
This comes as the latest police figures show there have been 2078 breaches during lockdown and more than 200 prosecutions.
Of the total, 1605 have been breaches under the Health Act and have resulted in 190 prosecutions, 1381 warnings and 34 youth referrals.
A total of 473 were breaches under the Civil Defence Emergency Act and resulted in 38 prosecutions, 418 warnings and 17 youth referrals.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website


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It won't matter in the end….
His and others actions will just be seen as a desperately unsuccessful effort to deal with voters ultimate judgement of a President lying and his disregard for the countries peoples, their health and our political system….
In the end?
President Joe Biden will NOT want to do what Trump has tried to do….
Punish his political rivals…
Other President's have lied and done stupid things…
Trump isn't the first, nor will he be the last….
But here in America?
We do NOT do what Trump and others want…
If we did?
President Donald Trump would have been removed form office and in jail a LONG time ago….
Forget Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Or Trump's impeachment for asking Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.
Arguably the biggest political scandal we've ever seen in this country is playing right before our eyes: President Trump and his allies are trying to reverse the election results of a contest he lost.
It doesn't look like the scheme is going to work. The Wayne County (Detroit) Board of Canvassers last night certified its election results after its two Republican members initially withheld support. (Biden won Wayne County, 68 percent to 31 percent, and the state of Michigan by 148,000 votes.)
But being unsuccessful doesn't erase the magnitude of the scandal — or the fact that the president of the United States has cheered it on every step of the way.
Bottom line: Trump's efforts to overturn the election have stumbled and gained no significant traction yet. But it's still disturbing to watch, especially with so many elected Republicans staying silent.
And it provides a road map for someone else to do it better next time….


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Gilas sews up QF berth
With all guns firing in an eight-minute stretch in the third period on Friday night, Gilas Pilipinas sent Iraq crashing face down in their Group B match and bagged an automatic quarterfinal berth at Nouhad Nowfal Sports Complex in Beirut, Lebanon.
Christian Standhardinger joined Terrence Romeo in presiding over a 19-0 tear as the Filipinos broke away from what had been a very tight contest for a 84-68 victory and a 2-0 record that assured them of safe passage into the KO stages.
That third quarter spurt climaxed the hard work the Filipinos put in to bounce back from a bum start and it meant that Gilas will, in all likelihood, be avoiding a quarterfinal clash with world power Australia.
Standhardinger, the tournament rookie who took the place of Andray Blatche as the country's naturalized player at the 11th hour, touched off the crippling run with five straight points before Romeo connected on seven consecutive of his own.
It was more than enough for the Filipinos to snuff the fight out of the Iraqis, who, like in their Jones Cup encounter three weeks before, resorted to a lot of physicality.
Iraq was held to a paltry nine points in the third as the Gilas defense held its own in the shaded lane and in the perimeter.
Gilas clashes with Qatar at 9 p.m. (Manila time) on Sunday, with a win pushing China and Iraq to the qualifying round for the quarterfinals.
Defending champion China scored its first win, a 92-67 manhandling of the Qataris, and will close out preliminary round action against Iraq.
Australia and New Zealand, world powerhouses seeing action in the Fiba Asia zone for the first time, are both undefeated and set the pace in their own groups after the first four playdates.
Ranked 10th in the world, the Aussies first posted an
84-68 victory over Japan before blowing Hong Kong off the floor, 99-55.
They would be closing out first-round play against the Chinese Taipei dribblers on Saturday seeking a sweep.
The Tall Blacks, on the other hand, survived a 33-point, 11-rebound, eight-assist performance from Lebanese legend Fadi El Khatib also on Thursday to pull off an 86-82 win over the hosts and also rise to 2-0.
New Zealand, which defeated the Philippines in the World Cup Qualifying's wild card tournament in Manila last year, also defeated Kazakhstan and will be seeking top Group C ranking with a win over South Korea, also on Saturday.
El Khatib, meanwhile, is averaging 24.5 points and is running third in the department, which Gilas Pilipinas' Terrence Romeo paces after exploding for 26 points in a 96-87 win over defending champion China on Wednesday night.
Syria's Tarek Aljabi, a beefy shooting guard, is in second after scoring 25 points over Jordan.
El Khatib is likewise averaging eight rebounds and six assists.


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Ex Parte Union Steamboat Co., 178 U.S. 317 (1900)
U.S. Supreme Court
Ex Parte Union Steamboat Co., 178 U.S. 317 (1900)Ex Parte Union Steamboat Company
No. 12, Original
Submitted May 14, 1900
Decided May 28, 1900
Where this Court in a collision case directed a decree dividing the damages as between the two vessels and allowing to the owners of the cargo of one vessel a full recovery against the other vessel, and the court below, upon the production of the mandate of this Court, refused to permit the latter vessel to recoup against the other one-half the damages to the cargo, it was held that the remedy was by a new appeal, and not by mandamus from this Court, no disobedience of the mandate being shown.
This was a petition for a writ of mandamus to the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, commanding it to set aside a decree entered in the case of The New York, 175 U. S. 187, and enter a decree dividing the damages equally, so that petitioner would not be decreed to pay more than one-half the total damages arising out of the collision between the New York and the Conemaugh, with interest thereon not exceeding five percent per annum.
Upon the opinion of this Court in the case of the New York being filed, a mandate issued that the decree of the court of appeals be reversed, and the case remanded to the district court, with direction "to enter a decree in conformity with the opinion of this court, with interest at the same rate per annum that decrees bear in the State of Michigan." Upon the case's coming on to be heard in the district court, the petitioner, the Union Steamboat Company, owner of the propeller New York, submitted a decree to the effect that both vessels were in fault for the collision, and that the damages resulting therefrom be equally divided between the Erie & Western Transportation Company, owner of the Conemaugh, and the Union Steamboat Company, owner of the New York; that such damages amounted in all to the sum of $74,319.49, of which certain intervening underwriters of the cargo were entitled to, and recovered from the steamboat company, $19,841.56; that
the transportation company, as trustees for the underwriters and owners of the cargo of the Conemaugh, not intervening, suffered damages in the sum of $19,627.67; that, as owner of the propeller, it had suffered damages in the sum of $30,508.46, aggregating the sum of $50,136.13; that the transportation company recover of the petitioner one-half of $50,136.13, less one-half the sum of $19,841.56, decreed to be paid to the intervening petitioners, etc.
The court, however, declined to enter this decree, refused to permit the petitioner to recoup any sum that it might pay to the owners or underwriters of the cargo of the Conemaugh, from any sum that was due from the steamboat company for damages sustained by the Conemaugh, so that such company was compelled to pay of the total damages about seventy-six percent, instead of fifty percent thereof.


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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Chris Bell's I Am the Cosmos remaster
My friend Brian Weaver just sent me a link to the Big Star Blog, where they have a short little film that shows the recent remastering of Chris Bell's "I Am the Cosmos"/"You and Your Sister" single at Ardent Studios. It's less than five minutes long, but it's obvious this is a moment of musical history. If you know Chris Bell's sad, sad story, you know he never got the recognition he deserved.
All fans of vinyl and Big Star should watch this at http://bigstarblog.tumblr.com/post/2721498635/vinyl-remastering-of-chris-bells-i-am-the-cosmos?ref=nf.
1 comment:
- AnonymousJanuary 18, 2011 at 6:05 PM
Thanks for featuring Chris Bell and the new (and greatly improved) edition of "Cosmos". We at Ardent appreciate it. You can now get it at Amazon as well as Rhino Handmade.
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Carnival Tropicale deck plans
Deck layouts, review of facilities, activities, amenities
Carnival Tropicale deck plan review at CruiseMapper provides newest cruise deck plans (2024-2025-2026 valid floor layouts of the vessel) extracted from the officially issued by Scrapped Cruise Ships deckplan pdf (printable version).
Each of the Carnival Tropicale cruise ship deck plans are conveniently combined with a legend (showing cabin codes) and detailed review of all the deck's venues and passenger-accessible indoor and outdoor areas. A separate link provides an extensive information on Carnival Tropicale staterooms (cabins and suites), including photos, cabin plans and amenities by room type and category.
MS Ocean Dream (1981-built as "Carnival Tropicale", aka Costa Tropicale, Pacific Star, last drydock refurbishment in 2017) started Caribbean itineraries in mid-January 1982 as CCL-Carnival Cruise Line's first newbuild ship - "MS Tropicale".
In September 2020, Ocean Dream ship's last operator (Peace Boat) replaced its two bareboat charter contracts (for Ocean Dream and Pullmantur Zenith) with a larger vessel charter (Pacific World/ex Sun Princess). In October 2020, Carnival Corporation (shipowner) sold the 40-years-old liner for scrap. In January 2021, the vessel was beached at India's Alang Ship Breaking Yard and subsequently scrapped.
Keeping Carnival's original design, Costa Tropicale had 7 passenger-accessible decks (out of 11). Carnival Tropicale was transformed into Costa Tropicale during the extensive drydock refurbishment in 2001 (USD 25 million project) conducted at Fincantieri's shipyard in Genoa Italy. The Carnival Tropicale's max passenger capacity was increased to 1412 (with double occupancy 1022/lower berths).
Costa Tropicale (Ocean Dream) deck plans show a total of 11 decks, of which 8 were passenger-accessible and 6 housed passenger cabins.
The cruise liner's signature facilities included an MDR (main dining room restaurant without windows), 2-deck high Atrium, Lobby Hall (Reception and Shore Excursions desks), The Mall (shops), Beauty Salon, Tropicana Cabaret (theater lounge), children's' sundeck (paddling pool), Kids' Room, Promenade Deck, Photo Gallery and Shop, Internet Coffee Lounge, Cigar Bar, Miami Ball Room (dance bar lounge), Library, Habana Casino (gaming bar lounge), Casablanca Great Bar (disco nightclub), Duke Bar (Duke Ellington-themed lounge with a grand piano), Bahia Club (bar lounge and Churrascaria/Brazilian steakhouse restaurant), Nautica Spa & Fitness (wellness complex with gym, sauna, treatment rooms), Giada Great Buffet (Lido restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating), 2x whirlpools, 3x swimming pools, teak sundecks (sunbathing areas with poolside bars, loungers and deckchairs), Sports Deck (Sports Court, Jogging Track).
Carnival Tropicale deck plans are property of Scrapped Cruise Ships. All deck layouts are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.


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Raymond Guy LeBlanc
Acadian poet, philosopher, and musician Raymond Guy LeBlanc was born on 24 January 1945 in the village of Saint-Anselme (since incorporated into Dieppe). Music played a formative role in his childhood and became an abiding influence throughout his career. As he admitted in a 2000 interview with Robert Viau, "my poetry is primarily based in music." As a teenager, LeBlanc attended Collège Dominique Savio in Saint-Louis-de-Kent, where he demonstrated a precocious talent for writing. At Collège l'Assomption in Moncton, LeBlanc discovered the work of Acadian and French poets like Émile Nelligan (1879–1941), Albert Lozeau (1878–1924), Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1896), Ronald Després (1935– ), and Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912–1943). LeBlanc enrolled in Université de Moncton, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (1966). His early awareness of social and political issues led him to become involved in protests of the Vietnam War, and in the Acadian nationalist movement. In 1966 he participated in the Ralliement de la jeunesse intended to promote Acadian culture and identity (C. LeBlanc 2). Receiving one of the first France-Acadie bursaries, he spent the 1968–69 academic year studying in Aix-en-Provence in southern France and witnessed there the revolutionary protests of May 1968. He later remarked that it was during this time, a period of political upheaval, that he began to believe that he "had something to contribute" (Viau 2000, 161).
It was also in Aix-en-Provence that the young LeBlanc wrote, in a single night, the four-part poem "Petitcodiac," later included in his first collection. Its references to Memramcook and Fort Beauséjour recall the British Expulsion of Acadians and the latter's resistance (1755–1763). Imagery like the "flag of a British Saint John" and "Irving's Sentinel" indicate the continued and ominous presence of an alien and alienating culture. Influenced by the work of Claude Gauvreau and French avant-garde lettrism, the latter half of the poem is increasingly dominated by portmanteau neologisms and signals a revolutionary rejection of the political and economic conditions in his homeland.
LeBlanc's first book of poetry, Cri de terre (1972), was the first publication of Les Éditions d'Acadie and the first work of poetry published in contemporary Acadia. It is widely considered to be a foundational text of the Acadian renaissance and propelled him to the status of "national poet" for an emergent nationalist movement (G. LeBlanc, La mer en feu 7).
The poem "Plan For A Country (Acadie-Québec)" considers the possibility of a Acadian-Québécois state which will "change the misery of slaves / Into the reality of new and free men" but these realities remain merely "possible worlds" (Cogswell 120-1), just as Acadie itself is merely an "imagined country without borders without futures" whose people are "in the absence of [them]selves" ("Acadie," C. LeBlanc's trans. 71).
In the context of generations of socio-economic domination by "those who invaded the country" (Viau 2001, 49), Cri de terre asserts the need to establish an Acadian identity: one that is neither bogged down in its Catholic heritage nor absorbed into a dominant Anglophone culture. The collection's oft-anthologized final poem, "I Am Acadian," hints at the continued dominance by Catholicism in the image of "cathedrals of fear," while the incursive Anglophone culture is represented by the poet's almost involuntary use of English loan-words. The struggle for identity and for recognition ends with a hopeless, desultory affirmation:
I am Acadian
Which means
Stuffed dispersed bought alienated sold out
rebellious. A here there and everywhere
Man torn open towards the future. (Cogswell 121)
After decades of oppression, Cri de terre almost single-handedly brought to light and named a culture, community, and experience that until then had lacked the voice to name itself. As the poet later remarked, "it was really denouncing a situation to assert rights" (Viau 2000, 161, my trans.). From the beginning, it was also a poetic consideration of the project of an Acadian state, which for LeBlanc was grounded in a poetics of naming: the signposting of streets, landmarks, and cities performed a Genesis-like renaming of the Acadian empirical experience. Yet LeBlanc's was not the voice of one crying in the wilderness: his early interrogation of Acadie, its present condition, and future hopes, were the first fruits of a nationalist movement that was teeming just below the surface, and was followed closely by Guy Arsenault's Acadie Rock (1973) and Herménégilde Chiasson's Mourir à Scoudouc (1974).
Throughout the 1970s, LeBlanc worked with the socially disadvantaged and with the Association des pêcheurs professionnels acadiens (later the Maritime Fishermen's Union), fighting to establish fishing rights and promoting solidarity between French and Anglophone fishermen. It was also during this time that he began giving writing workshops, unofficially at first, then with the Association of Acadian Writers and, since 1994, at l'Université de Moncton. As a scholar at the universities of Moncton, Aix-en-Provence, and Montreal, LeBlanc wrote about Henri Bergson, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche. An accomplished musician, he formed bands in several musical styles, and accompanied artists such as Donat Lacroix and the violin virtuoso Johnny Aucoin. From 1973 on, he gave lectures in Philosophy and French at l'Université de Moncton, completing a Master's in Philosophy from the same in 1974. However, despite all his social, academic, and creative commitments, LeBlanc remained primarily a poet.
In Acadie / Expérience (1977), LeBlanc and Jean-Guy Rens brought together traditional Acadian poetry and ballads with the work of the "young poets" of their own generation to create an anthology that affirms the history of Acadian culture while demonstrating its continued vitality. While the collection was intended to be published in the same year as Cri de terre, negotiations with the publisher caused a delay of five years (Viau 2001, 63).
LeBlanc's doctoral work at l'Université de Montréal commenced in 1984 but was discontinued in 1986. With the nationalistic hopes of the Acadian community disappointed, LeBlanc's long-awaited second collection of poetry Chants d'amour et d'espoir (1988) took a more personal turn. At a poetry reading given around the time of the collection's publication, LeBlanc remarked, "I began with Cri de terre, a cry of belonging, rebellion and affirmation, but today I finally learned to speak" (Archives vii). Comprised of poems written between 1981 and 1988, it is set in the cosmopolitan Québécois capital and expresses the poet's "spiritual wonderment" (C. LeBlanc viii) upon meeting and falling in love with his future wife, Lise:
I still have in mind your smile your eyes
The ocean of tenderness that shook me out of myself
My frail boat on the sand at your feet (my trans.)
In 1990, selections of LeBlanc's poetry were included in an anthology of Acadian poetry, Rêves inachevés (published by Éditions d'Acadie and released simultaneously in English by Goose Lane Editions as Unfinished Dreams). The editors note that LeBlanc and fellow poets Guy Arsenault and Herménégilde Chiasson "influenced Acadian poetry because they were equal to the historical context in which they found themselves" (Cogswell & Elder xx).
A third book of poetry, La mer en feu (1993), portrays the poet's artistic and intellectual journey through the years 1964 to 1992, and thus contains work written before the publication of his first collection and during the long hiatus that followed it. Containing some 180 poems, it combines the intimate and autobiographical approach of Chants d'amour et d'espoir with the "poésie militant" manifestoes of Cri de terre (Arcand et al 115).
Over the course of his career, LeBlanc has been awarded several prestigious literary prizes: the Pascal-Poirier Prix d'Excellence en littérature de langue française (1998) for his ouevre to that point. Archives de la présence (2005), an anthology of work from LeBlanc's first four collections, won him the Prix France-Acadie (2006) and the Prix Éloizes de l'Artiste de l'année en littérature (2007). LeBlanc's poems and articles have been published in literary journals in New Brunswick, Quebec, France, and Belgium. He has also been invited to read at numerous literary events, including the International Poetry Festival in Trois-Rivières (1994, 1998, 2005), Vancouver (Expo 1986), New Orleans (ACSUS Congress in 1993), and the International Book Fair in Brussels in 1994. From 2000 to 2005 he worked on the radio program "Trajectories" for Radio-Canada Moncton, taking great pleasure in the opportunity to introduce audiences to new artists.
LeBlanc's most recent collection, Empreintes (2011), finds the poet expressing appreciation and wonder for the simple things. With quiet wisdom, these poems often evoke the stillness of haiku even when not strictly following its form:
a red sun on purple sky
blue clouds and lightning
before the rain (my trans.)
While this collection finds the poet comfortably expressing the quiet happiness of family life (for example, "Cornhill"), poems like "Bathurst (après)" continue to point out economic injustice endemic to the area: "City of unionized workers seeking pay / City open to the bay and an uncertain future." In the poem "Fredericton," on the other hand, New Brunswick's capital city is a place of movement despite its "frozen air" – a place that "dictates the course of things / between the walls of great houses" where one finds people "who prefer to watch water run / Under the bridge" (my trans.).
Always passionately involved in his community, LeBlanc served as development officer for the Société des Acadiens et des Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick from 2002 to 2007. In 2000, he reflected on his work as a teacher: "Now I help people discover their own poetry. It is a natural extension of what I was doing when I was little, when I was helping my little brother make his own games" (my trans., Viau 2000, 172).
Patrick Leech, Fall 2015
Fredericton, NB
For more information on Raymond Guy LeBlanc, please visit his entry at the New Brunswick Literature Curriculum in English.
Bibliography of Primary Sources
LeBlanc, Raymond Guy. Archives de la présence. Moncton: Éditions Perce-Neige, 2005.
---. Chants d'amour et d'espoir. Moncton: Michel Henry éditeur, 1988.
---. Cri de terre. Moncton: Éditions d'Acadie, 1972.
---. Empreintes. Moncton: Éditions Perce-Neige, 2011.
---. La contestation étudiante. Moncton: U de Moncton, 1968.
---. La mer en feu: Poèmes 1964–1992. Moncton: Éditions Perce-Neige / L'Orange bleue éditeur, 1993.
LeBlanc, Raymond Guy, and Jean-Guy Rens. Acadie / Expérience, choix de textes Acadiens: Complaintes, poèmes et chansons. Montréal: Parti Pris, 1977.
Bibliography of Secondary Sources
Arcand, Pierre-André, Gérard Leblanc, and Pierre Roy. "Une poésie militante." Revue de l'Université de Moncton 5.1 (1972): 115-8.
Cogswell, Fred, and Jo-Anne Elder, trans. and eds. Unfinished Dreams: Contemporary Poetry Acadie. Fredericton: Goose Lane, 1990.
Girouard, Anna. Raymond Guy LeBlanc, homme d'action. Sainte-Marie-de-Kent: Éditions Balises, 2007.
LeBlanc, Catriona. "Cri de terre: A Translation of Raymond Guy LeBlanc's Cri De Terre." Diss. Dalhousie U, 1998.
Lonergan, David, ed. Paroles d'Acadie: Anthologie de la littérature acadienne (1958–2009). Sudbury: Prise de parole, 2010. 69-80.
Viau, Robert, "'Les poètes n'ont pas le droit de se taire': L'oeuvre de Raymond Guy LeBlanc." Études en littérature canadienne / Studies in Canadian Literature 26.1 (2001): 46-64.
---. "Raymond Guy LeBlanc: 'Avant je criais aujourd'hui je parle.'" Études en littérature canadienne / Studies in Canadian Literature 25.2 (2000): 159-175.


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Revista Española de Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial
versión On-line ISSN 2173-9161versión impresa ISSN 1130-0558
GONZALEZ GARCIA, R. et al. The buccinator myomucosal flap for the reconstruction of defects in the maxillofacial area. Rev Esp Cirug Oral y Maxilofac [online]. 2005, vol.27, n.4, pp.197-205. ISSN 2173-9161.
The buccinator myomucosal flap (BMF) constitutes a valid alternative for the reconstruction of moderate defects of the oral cavity. It is characterized by a good pliability, excellent color and texture and minimum donor site morbidity. In this report, the anatomical particularities and the different surgical techniques for BMF are described. Its use in patients with different defects of the oral cavity illustrates its versatility. We present 4 cases of reconstruction of defects of the maxillofacial area: two cases consisting in squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth, another patient with melanoma of the oral mucosa and one patient with a palatine fissure. All of them underwent primary reconstruction by means of BMF. Good results were obtained in relation to covering of the defect, aesthetics and function. Morbidity was minimal in the donor site. Due to its anatomical features, an adequate surgical technique must be performed. Proximity of the BMF to the vast majority of defects of the oral cavity, and its acceptable thickness, show the flap to be a reliable reconstructive procedure. This is especially valid in those patients where the size of the defect and the existence of comorbidity advise against the use of other flaps.
Palabras clave : Buccinator myomucosal flap; Reconstruction; Oral maxillofacial defects.


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UPDATE: Google's rollout of the product review update is taking longer than expected. You can get the full story here.
Google has rolled out a new search algorithm update that will reward high-quality, in-depth product reviews, according to a recent blog post.
More specifically, the new "product reviews update" is designed to "better reward" product reviews that "share in-depth research, rather than thin content that simply summarizes a bunch of products," according to Search Engine Land.
Furthermore, Google will also reward reviews that contain "insightful analysis and original research" and "content written by experts or enthusiasts who know the topic well," by ranking these types of reviews favourably in search results.
The goal of the Google product reviews update is to encourage reviews that go above and beyond the information you typically see on the web. However, it's important to note that Google will not be directly penalizing other reviews with "thin content that simply summarizes a bunch of products."
Reviews that meet the new criteria will inevitably rank higher, but Google says that this should not be seen as a penalty or direct attack against other reviews.
The product reviews update will only affect product review content.
Rest Assured, This is Not a Core Update, Says Google
Google told Search Engine Land that the product reviews update is not a core update. It is simply considered a standalone update that is separate from Google's regular core updates. However, Google did say that the advice it usually offers when core updates are rolled out is still relevant. This means that brands should continue to focus on producing high-quality content to set themselves up for success.
Other Advice Google Has to Offer
Google also provided some advice and recommendations specific to this new update.
Your product reviews should answer the following questions:
Do your product reviews…
Contain expert knowledge about products where appropriate?
Convey what the product looks like and how it is used, beyond the manufacturer's instructions?
Provide quantitative measurements to explain how a product performs?
Explain what makes the product different from competitors?
Discuss other comparable products to explain which items might be best for certain uses?
Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the product?
Describe how a product has changed compared to previous versions and list its improvements and issues?
Point out important decision-making factors for the product's category and how the product performs in those areas?
Describe how a product has been designed and how this affects the user?
The product reviews update is now officially live for English-language reviews globally.


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Formed by God
Moon over Mount Whitney at Sunrise - Alabama Hills - California
For, behold, he who forms the mountains, and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought; who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth: The Lord, the God of host, is his name.
Amos 4:13.
Photo © copyright by David Dix.
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Your artwork is individually made and hand-signed by David Dix. The print is not mounted or framed. Every print is covered by a one year, money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with your purchase you can return it for a full refund or exchange.
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Finishing 84 could be major for us
Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 30, 2013
How many times a week do you end up on Hwy. 84?
Lots, if you count trips to do business on the bypass, as well as trips that take you through Opp or Evergreen. I've used it my entire life, but perhaps never so much as this week, when I spent 10 hours travelling the El Camino East/West Corridor.
The corridor is a 1,729-mile roadway named for El Camino Real, or "The King's Highway" in Spanish, the historic trail it will duplicate.
Since 1989, members of a five-state commission including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia have been working to get Hwy. 84 four-lane from El Paso, Texas, to Brunswick, Ga. The highway crosses 48 counties and six parishes, and directly impacts the lives of 1.5 million Americans.
In Mississippi, Hwy. 84 is almost completely four-laned. Except for an occasional four-way stop, once I crossed the state line, it was like an Interstate.
And that's exactly the vision that members of the El Camino Commission have for the highway. The group met in Washington in February to continue lobbying for the completion of this project.
Natchez, Miss., Mayor Butch Brown, who also is a former director of Mississippi Department of Transportation, told to commission members that Hwy. 84 is an optimal east/west corridor of product distribution, and has the potential to relieve traffic pressure on I-10, where truck counts exceed car counts, according to the group's minutes.
Mississippi is considering increasing its speed limits on major highways like 84 from 70 to 75, making it even more attractive as an alternate route for current I-10 traffic.
Think about what proximity to an Interstate does to and for communities, and imagine what four-laning the remaining 30 percent of this highway could do for our county.
Then-Speaker Seth Hammett worked hard to secure funding for four-laning Hwy. 84 from Andalusia east. Those who've followed the project closely say the worst part is between Andalusia and the Alabama/Mississippi line. Very little of that is four-laned, but my observation was that the most work is needed from Grove Hill east.
On many miles of the highway through west Alabama, there's not even a power pole in sight, much less a dwelling. Surely, it is difficult to convince lawmakers to spend highway money in such a sparsely-populated area.
But helping to get this highway four-laned could be a huge economic boost for parts of the southeast, and especially for that sparsely-populated and perpetually poor Black Belt it crosses.
More information is available at www.elcaminoworridor.org.


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Private Club Performance Management
Notable Quotables - An Effective Way to Reinforce Values and Disciplines
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Over 550 quotes on Leadership, Management Disciplines, Organizational Values, and Service to stimulate discussions among managers and staff on the key success factors in Private Clubs. Used to effectively remind and reinforce!
Categorized PDF files, sent digitally within 48 hours of purchase.


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Sunrise Lily Swirls Cling Stamp Set HCPC-3722
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Springtime is in full bloom! Three different clusters of floral sprays are ideal for layering together in a dimensional arrangement, or for stamping onto your project as background imagery. Build upon the images adding dimensional hand shaped flowers, creating floral displays so realistic that you will almost be able to smell their glorious fragrance.
Product Info:
Approx. Image Size
1. Straight Lily Spray: 4.0" x 1.5"
2. Rounded Corner Lily Spray: 3.0" x 2.25"
3. Straight Corner Lily Spray: 3.5" x 2.25"
Included with stamp set:
1. Storage panel for use with a two or three ring binder.
2. Stamp packaging can also be used as a storage box for the stamp(s).


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Daniel Iwao
Software Engineering Immersive Instructor, Ideation Consultancy
Daniel Iwao is an experienced software developer/software instructor who has worked with agencies and schools. He has helped develop websites for large corporations such as Toyota, Caterpillar, and Handshake. Daniel has experience teaching as a credentialed instructor from the state of California. He has trained employees, high school classes, college classes, at times from zero experience. He writes in HTML/CSS, Wordpress, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript, and Ruby on Rails. Daniel currently holds the positions of Lead Developer at Ideation Consultancy and SEI Instructor at General Assembly.
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12-weeks. All day, every day. Learn the skills to become an entry-level web developer and the resources to get a job in this intensive program.
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In this introductory class, you'll learn about the Javascript development community. You'll also learn how to think programmatically and apply javascript programming fundamentals.
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Explore the programming languages that power the web and write your first line of code.


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It used to be that when you wanted to buy a new motorcycle, you did so at a dealer near your home that offered multiple brands in the same store. Those dealers are disappearing, the result of manufacturers demanding retail exclusivity, and intense competition from internet commerce. It's a trend that has made it very challenging for consumers to actually see or try out new motorcycles and accessories before buying. Has it hurt the business, or is it business as usual in the 21st century?
In the motorcycle sales boom of the 1970s, every town had a motorcycle shop. These mom and pop affairs were the place where you ordered new bikes, parts for old ones, and got repairs done. These dealers were the only place to find motorcycle accessories, helmets and apparel, and if you were lucky, sound advice. In a world before globalization and the internet, the local shop was the source, often the only source, of motorcycle information and products.
For manufacturers, the independent dealer was a convenient and efficient distribution channel for their products, as well as a conduit for corporate propaganda and customer feedback. For dealers, the privately run, multi-brand shop offered the stability and glamour of associating with giant multinationals while operating their own business with a degree of independence. For consumers, the dealer was an easy access point to global products and services, through a local lens.
It was a business model that suited the times, but today that model is broken. The last few years have seen small dealers closing, large motorcycle retail conglomerates fail, and even the demise of some factory sponsored dealer initiatives. Is the dealer model of motorcycle distribution dead? If it is, then what will replace it?
The Ruins of a Walled City
The cracks in the dealer distribution model were visible a long time ago, with fundamental conflicts evident to most industry observers. The compact between manufacturer, dealer and consumer that has existed for over a century, in which the dealer acts as a middle man, was only acceptable because there was no other way to connect products to buyers. But even as consumers accepted the dealer middle man and his middle man profit, it was viewed as a necissary evil. After all the salesman is, perhaps, one of the most reviled professionals in society.
A private, local motorcycle dealer is a small business owner whose basic survival depends on consistent sales. If a brand being sold goes weak, then they need an alternative, stronger brand to lean on, all the while propping up the annual bottom line with repair services, spare parts and accessory sales. That is why so many dealerships carried multiple, competing lines of products from different brands. It was a way of mitigating risk.
However, therein laid the first of many contradictions. If a salesperson is pushing a particular make and model in the store over a rival make and model of roughly equal specification, is it because they are convinced it is the better choice for the customer or because the store wants to be rid of it? The multi-dealer is representing both brands, so which brand is getting better representation?
Of course, as a private business the store will act in the best interests of itself, but if it's the only bike shop in town as is so often the case in smaller communities, that means that one brand will come to dominate the region, a prospect that has short term benefits for the winning brand but long term net negative effects on the local motorcycle population. Often only a handful of dealers cover an entire province or state, forcing consumers to either chose from the few brands at arms length or travel great distances in order to get something else.
In consumer marketing, less choice equals a less robust marketplace, and that inevitably leads to reduced overall market size and shrinking sales. Today'c consumer can see everything, every motorcycle and accessory in existence, right on the phone in their pocket. When they discover that they cannot get what they want in their area, they may turn to what is available, but they may just as easily decide it is not worth it.
For a manufacturer, this is totally unacceptable. They cannot leave potential sales on the table for lack of distribution, so sign up as many dealers as possible to cover as much territory as possible. But they can never be sure of the quality of that representation, and always run the risk of having their hard won brand message diluted by the whims of a distant, independent small dealer who places their need ahead of the manufacturer. At the same time cannot expect a small business to take on their product line only, given the great risk that represents to the dealer.
One Touch Purchase
With today's smartphone shopping culture, where one can make outrageously complex arrangements such as ordering an international travel itinerary with a few swipes of a finger, it seems anachronous that motorcycle shopping is still largely limited to physically trekking to a bike shop on the edge of town. For a product as exciting and tactile as a motorcycle, it is a huge disservice.
Some manufactures have tried direct sale on the internet, but it is an uphill struggle. People fall in love with bikes when they see them up close, see how they look in motion with another rider, and admire their intricate balance of raw mechanical function with sensual, biomimetic forms. This is why internet shopping for a new motorcycle also fails to deliver. Unless you have seen and sat on the bike in question, squinting at a 1000 pixel representation of one on a 11" tablet isn't going to cut it.
Zero Motorcycles, one of the very first electric bike brands, invented a system that attempted to address this problem. The company initially sold all of it's products through the company website, while flaunting them to the public via a network of "reps". These were individuals who didn't really own a shop, but rather had two or three Zero bikes in stock, perhaps in a store front but typically in their homes, which they showed to prospective customers at privately arranged meetings or at motorcycle events. The reps were spared the huge costs of financing a large inventory and renting sales space, while earning a commission direct from Zero for each customer that followed through with a sale.
The plan didn't work, largely because it was hard to figure out if a Zero bought directly in the company website was influenced by a rep or was just a straight click-through customer. Zero dropped the rep idea and signed on traditional dealers not long after.
CSC, a US importer of rebranded Zongshen motorcycles that received a lot of positive attention last year, only sells direct from its' website. The company openly claims that this has been a major force behind their sales growth, expansion into new territories and helped keep prices low. Service and repairs are handled by drop shipping parts to any local motorcycle dealer consumers choose for warentee items, which CSC says has worked well so far.
Are consumers accepting this distribution system, and trusting it to keep them happy after purchase? CSC says so, besides which the CEO regularly states on forums and on CSC website "If you find the idea of buying a motorcycle on the internet uncomfortable, then CSC is not for you."
It's All In The Family
There are of course, other ways to connect new motorcycles to buyers. BMW, Suzuki and Honda have all sold motorcycles through their car dealerships all around the world. In the case of BMW, the presence of $75,000 luxury sports cars parked next to the staid full dress touring rigs added prestige, while a flashy Honda CBR Repsol replica could remind a dad buying the family Odyssey that life was still exciting. In all cases sharing dealership space reduced costs and in theory provided consumers with a level of after-sales care much higher than typically found in mutli-dealer motorcycle shops.
The truth, however, is less clear. Honda's experimental Powerhouse dealer concept, in which super-sized retailers peddled everything from cars to lawn equipment met with a tepid response from motorcycle consumers. They felt, truthfully or not, that the motorcycles were being sold by car people, a claim Honda denies. But several powerhouse dealers in Canada closed, while some steadfast motorcycle dealers, many of which had been with Honda successfully for decades, lost not only their franchise but also many loyal customers.
The profit margins on mainstream motorcycle sales are not huge, especially when compared with margins on luxury cars. It is not difficult to imagine that the manager of a car and motorcycle dealership will place their business emphasis on four wheels sales, assigning resources to the tasks that will maximize new car inventory turnover.
Additionally, the culture of motorcyclists is fundamentally different to car culture. Nearly every biker drives or rides in a car, because cars, even expensive ones, are commodities. But motorcycles are fringe products in North America, and bikers are viewed with a combination of amusement and suspicion. The parts counter staff at BMW auto retailer are used to dealing with the broad spectrum of the car buying public, but are they ready to deal with a beardy cafe-racer type who not only wants to order head gaskets for his 1974 R65, but wants to talk about it in relation to the limited edition R90 too?
You Will Be Assimilated
The multi-dealer may be on the wane, but the franchise dealership is still strong. No one does this better than Harley-Davidson. In nearly all regions of North America, Harley's can only be purchased from large, centrally planned big box dealers that look more like acorporate embassy than a motorcycle shop.
Everything is curated right down to the smallest detail, from the colour and lighting inside to the number and type of motorcycles and accessories on display. Observed from the street or from anywhere inside the store, the Harley-Davidson dealership experience is slick and immersive.
The concept with this type of dealership is to hammer the customer (or potential customer) over the head with the brand values in the hopes that it sticks and leaves an indelible mark. To be the most effective, the brand message has to be completely consistent, something that cannot be left to the individual dealer owner. The result is the McDonalds of motorcycling: no matter where in the world you go, where you see the Golden Arches (or in our case, the Bar and Shield) you are guarenteed to find the same familiar feelings and enter a sanctuary for the brand faithful.
Canada's own Bombarider Recreational Products (BRP) is pretty good at this too. If you go hankering for a Can-Am Spyder, then you will likely find yourself inside a BRP exclusive zone, surrounded by not other motorcycles but Can-Am ATVs, Evinrude outboard engines, and Skidoo snowmobiles. The colours, literature and apparel surrounding you will be saturated with imagery of impossibly good looking, active 20-somethings using multiple BRP products in the same weekend. It is alluring.
The negative side of these brand temples is that they cost about as much as their religious counterparts to build and run. To get a Harley-Davidson franchise requires significant, seven figure investment and that is not including bank guarentees of upwards of a million dollars for financing inventory. All those shinny new motorcycles on display are depreciating assets purchased first by the dealership, which they then have to sell on to customers. Every month they sit on the showroom floor the dealer is paying interest to the manufacturer, while watching their already tight dealer profit margin shrink.
Of course, the same is true for any dealership, including the mom and pop multi-dealer, but the smaller independents are not contractually required to absorb giant amounts of inventory every year, including models they know they simply cannot sell in their area. A Harley-Davidson dealer once said, off the record, that having Buell and V-Rod models in his shop made the difference between being profitable and unprofitable in lean periods.
Order Here, Collect At The Window
A future scenario for motorcycle distribution that someone is likely to try is the Apple model, where you can go to a wholly-owned and operated brand store, perhaps in a shopping center or mall, to see and demo a bike before going home to order it online. The motorcycle would arrive at your home or business with a representative that would spend a half hour demonstrating features and making final the transaction. If it sounds fantastical, or inapplicable to something as complex as a road vehicle, just look at Tesla. The young Californian car maker does precisely this, selling all of its nearly 60,000 luxury cars a year online. Tesla stores are really just demo centers, where one can see, touch and even test drive cars, but there is no lot and no inventory on site. Instead, Tesla makes the car to measure and sends it to the customer on a dedicated delivery service.
It may seem an unlikely scenario for, say, a $4000 scooter, but if recent business history has shown us anything it is that one should never underestimate the ability for the market to find efficiency. If Amazon can profitably deliver my motorcycle gloves to my dead-end, dirt road in rural Nova Scotia, from China, for free, in two days, then surely Honda and BMW can figure out how to send a van with a customer service rep here too.
Disrupted Distribution
The days when you could walk into your neighbourhood bike shop and chat with the owner about last Sunday's race are not over, but they are less likely to happen going forward. The giant companies that manufacture 95% of all new motorcycles spend close to a third of their budgets on R&D and marketing, so that the brand message is clear and directly accessible to their target audience. Given that fact, what are the odds that they will continue to trust the final delivery of that multi billion dollar message to the hands of an independent motorcycle enthusiast in your community?
Whatever comes down the pipe, buying and maintaining a motorcycle is easier than ever before. We should not look at the future of motorcycle product distribution with aprehension but with muted hope. The online forum is the new bike shop, where one gets up to the minute advice. Ebay and Amazon are where you can find those previously impossible to get replacement parts. And finally, the manufacturer itself is where you will likely end up buying your next new motorcycle, if not now, then in the very near future.
It may seem cold, and many may rail against the loss of the local dealership. But it would be a historic first time that anyone has wept for the lack of a middle man. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the author Michael Uhlarik is an international award-winning motorcycle designer with over 16 years of experience creating bikes for Yamaha, Aprilia, Piaggio, Derbi and many others. He is a veteran motorcycle industry analyst and part-time industrial design lecturer. He is based in Nova Scotia.


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Simrit Kaur Arora
3100 Engineering Building George Mason University ECE Department, CERG 4400 University Drive, MS 1G5 Fairfax, VA 22030 |
Office: Engineering Building, Room 3224 Phone (lab): 703-993-1561 E-Mail: sarora9'at'gmu.edu |
Research Interest
Currently working on:
- Secure Distributed storage System on Android
Other areas of interest
- Optimization of computer arithmetic
- Development of smart & efficient Embedded Systems
- Implementation of Crytographic algorithms
Advisor: Dr. Jens-Peter Kaps
Simirt is currently a research assistant under Dr. Jens-Peter Kaps as a part of CERG. She is working towards her PhD degree in Computer Engineering. She received her B.Tech degree from Guru Tegh Bahadur Institue of Technology, New Delhi, India in 2010. She has worked at Infosys Limited as Systems Engineer for 2 years before joinig GMU in 2012.