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2014 Warehouse/DC Equipment Study: Maxed out
Our annual look into spending plans inside the four walls highlights growing interest in automation and software as workforce issues factor heavily into equipment investments.
in the NewsTrump administration working to relax truck safety standards U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes dip for week ending July 6, says AAR Other Voices: 5 steps to integrate PFEP software with PLM and ERP to accelerate product launches Report: Molded wood pallets sales on an upswing Indiana University Health builds a supply chain (and a distribution center) More News
Over the last few years, the results of American Truck Research Group's (PRG) State of Warehouse/DC Equipment and Technology Survey have reflected an industry scrambling to adjust.
The recession, the e-commerce boom, and advances in materials handling equipment and software have rewritten the rules on what seems like an annual basis. Just since 2010, the average anticipated spending on such equipment has spiked by 15 percent or fallen by 26 percent from one year to the next.
Whatever survey respondents are doing with their money, it seems to be working. Activity levels as a percentage of capacity are at their highest since at least 2007, while 95 percent of respondents believe that their activity levels will increase (by an average of more than 20 percent) or stay the same in the next two years.
Yet even as the number of potential investors taking a "wait and see" approach declines from 50 percent to 43 percent and the number "proceeding with investments" jumps from 19 percent to 27 percent, spending figures have been trending downward. Having spent heavily to set the aircraft carrier in the right direction, the industry is transitioning to targeted investments aimed at keeping the ship on course.
Continued interest in automation
We know activity levels have grown in manufacturing (75 percent, up from 63 percent in 2012), warehousing supporting manufacturing (69 percent, up from 56 percent in 2011), and standalone warehousing (68 percent, up from 60 percent in 2011).
That growth is largely due to a focus on doing more with less—optimizing existing facilities instead of new building. Technology and equipment investments have already helped support data-driven improvements, but many respondents feel there is much more to be done.
"Technology is expected to become even more critical in the upcoming years as a growing percentage of operations plan to automate inventory control and handling, distribution processes, and labor management," says Judd Aschenbrand, director of research for PRG. "In warehouses and DCs, continuous improvement, workload planning, and lean processes are key initiatives going forward."
The survey results point to significantly increased interest in automated processes in the next two years. There are sizable gaps between the number of respondents currently using automation to evaluate productivity in various functions and those who expect they will have transitioned to automated approaches within the next two years.
Those soon-to-be-automated functions include the tracking of inventory levels (58 percent currently automated, 76 percent in two years), order fulfillment costs (40 percent, 60 percent in two years), and daily throughput (44 percent, 69 percent in two years).
This is reflected in the increased percentage (54 percent, up from 50 percent) of respondents who plan to invest in information technology hardware or software in the next 12 months. But respondents are also keen to optimize the productivity of each and every worker, anticipating growth in automated tracking of picking accuracy (33 percent currently automated, 62 percent in two years) labor hours (51 percent, 69 percent in two years) and on-the-job injuries (18 percent, 37 percent in two years).
Investing to curb workforce challenges
The growth of multi-channel distribution and e-commerce have pressured the distribution center and supply chain to run ever more efficiently, according to Norm Saenz, managing director at supply chain consultancy St. Onge Company.
"In an effort to cut operating costs, some might have performed layoffs in recent years," Saenz says. "Now that activity levels are up, the back is breaking in many facilities, and thus the willingness to spend on automation to enhance the productivity of those workers. But while technology and automation receive the headlines for improvement in operations, more businesses understand it's the labor force that sustains productivity and high service levels."
When asked to identify the issues that are most relevant now and to estimate their relevance in two years, 89 percent of respondents again placed safety at the top of the list. Just two years ago, cost containment topped the list, but it now sits in second place with 76 percent. Labor-related issues like training (63 percent), labor availability (52 percent) and ergonomics (48 percent) are expected to become more pressing in coming years.
"The sophistication of the skill sets required to operate leading-edge equipment and system solutions in the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry will require an equally sophisticated and well-trained workforce," says George Prest, CEO of supply chain association MHI. "Hiring, training, and retention of workers is the most important issue facing this industry."
But none of the listed issues saw a greater jump in anticipated relevance than environmental sustainability. Currently, 40 percent of respondents see it as an important issue, and 51 percent believe it will be within two years.
"Because they are elective and not mission-critical, green initiatives go hand in hand with how well the global economy and the individual company are doing," says Aschenbrand.
Supply chain visibility
In a new question added to the survey this year, respondents were asked about the level of end-to-end visibility across their supply chains.
An impressive 36 percent indicated that they have full end-to-end visibility across their supply chains, while another 27 percent described their manufacturing and warehousing operations as a group of discrete silos. In the middle, 61 percent stated they are in the process of improving integration among supply chain nodes. "End-to-end supply chain visibility will be a requirement for future supply chains," says Prest.
For example, the multi-channel model requires it, says Prest. "While many companies have traditionally maintained dedicated facilities to serve demand from specific channels, companies adopting multi-channel strategies must maintain real-time visibility of inventory at different facilities and synchronize operations across the supply chain," he says. "This visibility will improve efficiencies by maintaining one common pool of inventory."
Cloud-based or software as a service (SaaS) approaches are gaining some ground in this space, although overall adoption remains modest. Only about a third have either adopted (13 percent) or are currently evaluating (18 percent) SaaS or cloud computing strategies. Twenty percent have determined "it's not for us," 36 percent aren't sure of their company's interest, and 10 percent are not sure what cloud computing is.
"Those who are adopting these strategies cite cost savings, data reliability across the enterprise, streamlining of operations, ease of information access, and improved communications with customers and suppliers," says Aschenbrand. "But concerns over security, privacy, data integrity and system reliability remain as reasons for non-adoption."
Software: Cornerstone for improvement
In the next 12 months, 43 percent of planned spending will go toward materials handling equipment like racks and shelving (49 percent), lift trucks and accessories (47 percent), bar coding (33 percent), conveyors and sortation (26 percent), mobile and wireless solutions (24 percent), and robotics and automation (16 percent).
In past years, investment in equipment might have been independent from investment in information technology solutions, but Saenz says that's no longer the case.
"There is a close relationship between equipment and IT investments," says Saenz. "At some point, when automation is included in the investment, certain software and handling control systems are required to efficiently manage the automation. Generally, as the investment in equipment and IT increases, the relationship becomes much closer between the two."
Planned spending on information technology suggests businesses will work to improve the collection and management of data from every corner of the supply chain. In the next year, roughly a quarter of respondents will invest in each of the following: enterprise resource planning (ERP), warehouse management systems (WMS), warehouse control systems (WCS), and asset management systems. Labor management systems (15 percent), and voice recognition technologies (15 percent) also placed high on the list.
"WMS has evolved into a sophisticated $1 billion-plus industry that operates in a highly competitive environment," says Prest. "The top providers have expanded their solution offering beyond the warehouse and the term 'supply chain execution' has been widely adopted to reflect the shift to more comprehensive logistics applications. Thus the WMS category for this type of solution may be too limiting."
For companies not yet ready to shed their legacy WMS, Saenz says that many can enjoy strong returns from bolt-on modules. "At a fraction of the investment, an LMS can greatly improve the control and productivity of the labor force, and stronger inventory management module can be a significant cost savings opportunity," he says. "This could be a 'Band-Aid' approach to enhancing their systems, should the company replace the entire WMS in the future."
As they move forward with information technology initiatives, 61 percent of companies prefer to work with a suite of applications from a single vendor, as opposed to the 39 percent who prefer a best-of-breed strategy employing software from various suppliers.
Once businesses have established a solid baseline of internal data, they will expect trading partners to be able to share comparable information. Today, 24 percent see trading partner collaboration as an important issue, and 30 percent expect it to be more important in the next two years.
About the AuthorJosh Bond, Senior Editor Josh Bond is Senior Editor for Modern, and was formerly Modern's lift truck columnist and associate editor. He has a degree in Journalism from Keene State College and has studied business management at Franklin Pierce University.
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Article TopicsFebruary 2014 · Warehouse & DC Management ·
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For the last two years, my friend and I have been asking area businesses to put mason jars on their counters for the month of November. Our goal is to gather pennies from customers to donate to the Brandon Area Food Shelf. The great thing about collecting pennies is that for adults, they are almost meaningless.
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A suicide bomber killed 31 people today, including five or six senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Among the remaining dead were other Guard members, or local tribal leaders, and several dozen others were wounded. The story can be found here and here. Besides the Iranian leadership getting a small dose of their own medicine, what was really interesting is that Reuters quoted the Fars News Agency as blaming the bombing on terrorists backed by "the Great Satan America and its ally Britain," even though a local Sunni group called Jundollah (God's soldiers), claimed responsibility. According to Fars, a spokesman for Iran's armed forces claimed Obama is backing the Jundollah in an effort to cause instability in the region.
Not in the distant future, we [Iran] will take revenge…
Of course, our State Department denies any involvement and condemned the attack.
Reports of alleged U.S. involvement are completely false.
Is this what Vice President Biden was talking about when he said the world would test Obama? Probably not. It will however damage the talks in Vienna due to begin tomorrow. We know this because we can use what we know of Iran's leadership (i.e. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is flippin' crazy) to come up with an educated guess of their intentions. While I would not doubt Ahmadinejad is capable of hiring a bomber to kill his own people in a publicity stunt, and you must admit – the timing is perfect, whether he did or not is irrelevant. He will use this to his advantage in two ways. One, it will give him a reason to delay, cancel, or otherwise disrupt the talks being held to reign in Iran's nuclear arms program. Claiming one of the nations at the table just killed some of your crew will put a damper on negotiations. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. Two, he will also use this to foster additional hatred against the West, and America in particular. This will make it easier to drum up popular support for an all out war against us, should Obama do what is necessary to eliminate the threat posed by a nuclear armed Iran.
Since Iran's army is a bit lower class than Saddam's army, the fight – if you could call it that – would be over quickly, even with Obama's ridiculous changes to our rules of engagement. But Ahmadinejad doesn't need to engage us directly. He could easily use this as a recruiting tool to find hundreds, if not thousands, of suicide bombers to send against our interests in the Middle East, or against us directly back home. I picture something like every Iranian driven cab in New York City blowing up simultaneously during rush hour…which would be almost all of them.
Any country crazy enough to lie to their population about the origins of a terrorist attack, to drive them into a frenzy against the most powerful country in the world either deserves the smackdown we would give them, or has an ace up their sleeve. I trust Ahmadinejad about as far as I can throw a pregnant camel, but at least we can be sure of one thing: Obama had nothing to do with this bombing. How do I know that? If he had a suicide bomber at his disposal, and had the balls to use him, I think his target would be something much more prescient…like the Fox News Building.


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Hosni's war sitcom
Hosni's sitcom is actually pretty entertaining. I watched snapshots of the second episode last night, and it wasn't bad. Full of wrong and misleading information about the October war, but it wasn't bad still. Its definetely a shift, having the interviews so casual. They tried so hard actually, and it showed. Was pretty funny. I'm sure it will have the desired effect on many people however. Yesterday's episode was particularly interesting because it was the first time to mention the Deversoir gap so bluntly on an Egyptian public media. Other than the annoying attempts to show that the war was not possible without Hosni Mubarak and his air force. Claiming that the solution to finish off the Israeli gap and presence on the west side of the canal was to retreat is a blatant twist of facts. The solution proposed cannot be considered a retreat in any way. The solution to beat the gap was to take back a single (one) brigade west of the canal to fight the few tanks that started the infiltration. This is not a retreat, this is not armies pulling back, this is not air defence operators abandoning their posts. Give me a break Mr. President, enough lies. Like Saad ElShazly says (who proposed this solution at the beginning of the gap and was let go mostly because of it), this is war, war is dynamic, you have to expect to maneuver your forces, and handle unexpected situations. What was Sadat's response to that solution, "not a single Egyptian soldier will take a step back!" A great military leader indeed!!
I will give Hosni credit for the role of the air force in the war, but by no mean was it the key to the victory as he says and as his media plays it out. The key to our victory, as well as to the turn of events in that war, were the SAM-6 air defence missiles.
I have to say that the October war is one of the very rare things that make me proud that I'm Egyptian. For years as a kid, I was taught that it was a perfect war, was never told about the Deversoir or of how close Sharon was to Cairo. It was a shocker to read about that later on in some of the books that were banned. Was it all a big lie? Did we actually lose that war? For a while I thought that maybe we did. Isn't el3ebra belnehaya, and this is how the war ended. Our Third Army surrounded not capable of even getting food, and Sharon 100Km away from Cairo.
That is not how to measure victory however. It was not a complete victory, but it was a true victory. Our soldiers didn't reach Jerusalem or even Taba, but that was not the plan, nor the intention (not the political nor the military, but maybe it was just our wishful thinking).
A few facts are in order here. The military war plan was not to take over Sinai in the first few days of the war, not even the first weeks of it. It was to cross the canal and take over 10 kilometers (or until the madaye'a) east of the canal were the forces are sufficiently covered by the SAM missiles. The advancement of the forces farther east was not planned until another 6 months later, when the SAM artillary batteries can be moved over and installed east of the canal to cover the advancement of the forces. However, this is not the plan that Sadat communicated with the Syrians. He told them the plan did not involve a halt of advancement of the forces in order to convince them to join in the war. After the awesome blow to the Israeli forces in the first few days of the war, Sadat made the mistake of not sticking to the military plan in order to "save the Syrians" and decided to advance the forces, against the advice of the military leaders. The forces advanced without cover from the SAM missiles, and we started taking losses, and the gap started to open between the Second and Third armies, and cunning Sharon made it through.
Unexpected turn of events. That's war. The infiltration started with less than a handful of tanks, but no forces were on the west side of the canal to battle those tanks, and hence the proposed solution to take a brigade from the east side to deal with the infiltration. I was looking for an answer as to why our air forces never just took those tanks out, which seems a pretty obvious thing to do. The answer I found that it wasn't possible to use our airplanes on the west side resulting in parallelizing the SAM missles, and hence openning our space to the Israeli jets to get into the battle.
Stubborn Sadat wouldn't listen to the sharp solution of pulling a brigade back early on, so the gap widened, more Israeli tanks went through surrounding our Third Army, and Sharon was 100Km away from Cairo. Does that constitute a loss of the war. No.
The initial military plan was indeed perfect. However, the US would've never allowed for a Soviet-armed army to beat a US-armed army. But it would also never allow an Israeli soldier to reach Cairo, where the Nile is. Being in Damascus on the other side, how far would that make them from the Euphrates? Why did the Israelis stop their advancement were they did? How much of the way to Jerusalem can they expose by pushing more of their forces west of the canal?
We would've never been allowed to have a complete victory in that war, and that is what Sadat realized --and that is what scared him to hell, making him want to end the war immediately. The initial plan was damn good, but it would've not worked politically I believe. So were is the victory? The whole war was a victory regardless of the stalemate at the end, the war plan was a victory, the cunning surprise attack was a victory, crossing the canal was a victory, the engineering ingenuity and destroying the Barlev line was a victory, the battles led by Egyptian soldiers was a victory, beating the Israeli myth was a victory, and even the decision to go to war was a victory.
If there is one thing that I'll give credit to Sadat for, its the decision to go to war. And if there is one thing that I'll shoot Nasser for, its the 1967 war loss, but I'll give him credit for the pre-73 estinzaf war. The only thing I'll give Mubarak credit for however, is last night's funny episode of his new sitcom.
Oh, and I thought it was pretty funny that he called Saad ElShazly, esmo eih dah ("what's his name").


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I like the Baah Code!
Green Oil's Eco Sponge is good for dealing with stubborn, congealed gunge and grime, but the fibrous pad demands regular rinsing to prevent ingrained grit and similar contaminants scratching delicate surfaces, so proceed with particular caution around carbon fibre and similar finishes.
Imported from the Philippines as a fair trade product, the 'Sponge' is a by-product of the Luffa plant whose identity lies somewhere between a shredded wheat cereal and bath-side exfoliant.
Don't be deterred by the palm sized dimensions and mildly abrasive texture. Pop the Eco Sponge in a bucket of warm water and watch as it swells to softer and more useable dimensions in around a minute. For best results, give mucky steeds a bike-wash blow-over and allow it to marinate for a minute or two before racing round the finishing kit, frame and wheels in the usual fashion, employing a frequent, dip, squeeze and rinse routine as you go.
Green oil say the pad has a twelve month lifespan, whereupon it biodegrades harmlessly and without trace-more than can be said for the ubiquitous 99p car sponge. In practice, I've owned one that's managed 15 months and another that's bitten the dust within six. In fairness, the latter was force fed a relentless diet of crusty crossers, mucky mountain bikes and abandoned outside through a particularly cruel winter. Regular post wash rinsing and dry storing at room temperatures is key to maximising longevity.
Credit where it's due; the little sponge cuts effortlessly through excess Waxoyl, and the witches brew of mud, congealed grease and slime that culminates alarmingly quickly on winter roads. Saving the car sponge for a gentler caress on areas such as paint work that could be easily scratched, the Green Oil's matted texture exfoliates light tarnish and chain lube spatter from polished alloy rims while equally effective at rejuvenating cork wraps tainted with ingrained dirt.
At £3.49 it's not expensive, (although pricier than a 99p car sponge), and it certainly does the trick when it comes to cleaning componentry and the like. I'm a fan - I've bought a few, even so I can't help feeling that's it's not quite on a par with some of Green Oil's other products.
Great for cleaning the really dirty bits on your bike but very much a companion rather than replacement for the humble car sponge
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
road.cc test report
Make and model: Green Oil Eco Sponge
Size tested: n/a
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
"The EcoSponge is to our knowledge the world's first fair trade bike product. Supporting farmers in the Philippines, EcoSponge is a fantastic durable plant based fibre sponge specifically for bike cleaning". Generally agree but I've been uncomfortable using it on carbon/anodised components despite assurances to the contrary.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Made from the luffa plant native to the Philippines. Matted texture softens and swells to more usable dimensions in warm water and is designed for easy rinsing.
Will last a long time with basic care.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
As a compliment to the ubiquitous car sponge it's fantastic-especially for lifting trapped, ground in dirt common to handlebar wraps. However,it's a little abrasive for use on carbon and similarly sensitive finishes so won't be putting my 99p bargin bin special out to pasture just yet.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Ecologically friendly and very efficient on grime/light oxidisation.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
A little too harsh for carbon, anodising and thinner paint jobs.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes,
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes as an addition to, as distinct from replacement for the foam cell type of sponge
About the tester
Age: 38 Height: 1m 81 Weight: 70 kilos
I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)


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(CNN) -- A handful of conservative states have been passing laws that tread heavily on abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade. Alabama and Indiana are about to join them, with fresh legislation waiting for signatures on their governors' desks.
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood said Thursday that the laws are the tip of the iceberg in a broader assault on a woman's right to choose.
"Bills like these have been introduced in 42 states. This is a whole new level of attack on women's health," said Staci Fox, who heads the organization's Southeast division.
Some of the states that have already passed new laws did so in anticipation of legal challenges and have already shored up war chests to fund the battles.
"This level of hostility is a wake-up call for women around the country," Fox said.
Two types of laws
Some states have passed laws that blatantly go against parts of the Supreme Court ruling that struck down state abortion bans in 1973 and made it legal in the United States. Others use portions of the Roe v. Wade ruling to make it harder for abortion clinics to operate.
Fox has dealt with the latter kind in Mississippi and is anticipating a similar one soon in Alabama. The laws put abortions out of reach, she said, although on the surface they would seem to promote the health of a woman seeking the procedure.
"One of them is called the Women's Health and Safety Act," she said with a sense of irony.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is expected to put his signature on a new bill soon that drastically raises the safety requirements for abortion clinics to operate.
The measure passed by overwhelming majorities in both houses. Comments by House Speaker Mike Hubbard sum up the bill's gist and how it works.
"Though I am completely opposed to legalized abortion, the U.S. Supreme Court unfortunately allows it to remain the law of the land," Hubbard said. "But with the passage of this legislation, we are doing everything we can to ensure the procedure is performed in a safe and healthy environment."
The bill is the centerpiece of the "We Dare Defend Our Right to Life" section of the House Republican caucus' 2013 legislative agenda.
It's working in Mississippi
Once signed, Alabama's new law would require abortion clinics to meet the standards of an "ambulatory surgical center," Fox said.
This means the state's five abortion clinics would have to widen the sizes of rooms and doorways, forcing them to remodel.
"It puts an undue burden on existing facilities. All of this makes it harder to access health care," Fox said.
It also requires family planning clinics to be able to admit patients to hospitals. It's unnecessary, Fox said. Abortions are one of the safest procedures for women, she said.
It creates a hurdle that may force facilities to close their doors, because hospitals in conservative states will refuse the admission privileges to them.
With a similar law passed last year, legislators in Mississippi are on the verge of shutting down the state's only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization.
"The provider has applied to seven hospitals for privileges and been denied," Fox said.
The Mississippi law goes a step further. Doctors performing abortions must be OB/GYNs board certified in Mississippi. Most doctors working in family planning clinics are on a traveling circuit from other states, Fox said. And many come from other fields of medicine.
It's also harder for locally rooted doctors to work at the clinics. It can harm their reputations in conservative states, she said. "And there are safety concerns as well."
The Jackson clinic is desperately looking for someone to fit that bill and is running a want ad at the top of its homepage.
Other states' moves on Roe v. Wade
Indiana's legislature put a bill on the Gov. Mike Pence's desk this week that uses a similar tactic to hamper distribution of the "morning-after" pill, CNN affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis reported.
Clinics distributing the drug RU-486 would have to meet surgical standards, even if they don't offer surgical abortions.
Legislators in North Dakota and Arkansas passed laws this year sternly shortening the period of time in which a woman may legally terminate a pregnancy.
Roe v. Wade gives states leeway in weighing the woman's rights with the right to protect life, but it lays down that wiggle room in terms of trimesters.
In the first trimester, decisions are to be left up to the woman and her physician. In the second trimester, the state may regulate abortion only in the interest of the woman's health.
In early March, Arkansas passed a law banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The state's Republican-controlled House and Senate overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe to do it.
Beebe complained the law "blatantly contradicts the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court."
Many called it the most restrictive such law in the country at the time.
But weeks later, North Dakota one-upped Arkansas with its own anti-abortion law.
It bans most pregnancy terminations after just six weeks, when a fetal heartbeat can first be detected. That gives a woman just a month and half to figure out that she is pregnant and make a decision on what to do about it.
"North Dakota's governor today effectively banned abortion in the state, with an outrageous and unconstitutional law that will not stand," said Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Judicial warfare
Legislators in North Dakota and Arkansas are already anticipating challenges in federal courts and have already set aside funds to pay legal fees.
North Dakota's governor said he expects to ultimately lose the battle, but he feels it's worth it.
"This bill is ... a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade," Gov. Jack Dalrymple has said in a statement.
The Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas have already promised to mount a legal challenge in federal court.
The Jackson women's clinic is already fighting its state in federal court, in order to stay open. If it loses, Mississippi would become the first abortion-free state in the union.
"Anti-choice politicians were very clear that they had one thing in mind when they passed this law: to shut down Mississippi's only abortion clinic," said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
For the good of women?
Lawmakers in many of the states have justified their measures as steps to ensure quality health care for women seeking abortions -- in line with the wording of Roe v. Wade.
Hubbard for example said Alabama's bill "safeguarded the health and safety of Alabama women."
But conservative legislators have not been shy about admitting their ultimate goal behind the new measures.
"Republicans boldly defended the rights of the unborn," Hubbard has said in a statement.
Alabama's new law also propagates conservative sexual morals for teens.
It requires clinics to ask pregnant girls younger than 16 -- below the legal age of consent to sex -- to identify the father. If he is 17 years of age or older, the clinic is required to report both of them to the police.


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19-year-old Maung Shaw Loo travels to the U.S. to study at the preparatory Academy of what was then known as the University at Lewisburg.
According to archival records, Shaw Loo quickly embraces life at the University. He becomes a brother of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, works as a gardener and gives talks on Burmese culture and customs. He graduates in 1864 and goes on to attend Charity Hospital Medical College in Cleveland before returning to Burma where he becomes a prominent physician, missionary and educator.
Burma-Bucknell Weekends are held annually to celebrate international education and cultural exchange.
His Excellency U Win, Ambassador from the Union of Burma to the United States, presents a handcrafted silver bowl from the President of the Union of Burma and Mrs. Win Maung, "symbolizing 100 years of friendly relationship between the people of Burma and Bucknell University."
First Burma-Bucknell Bowl Award presented to Phi Lambda Theta for its contributions to international and intercultural understanding. The award is presented each year ever since to a member or members of the Bucknell community. || Recipients
1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner and political prisoner Aung Sun Suu Kyi provides Bucknell Commencement address, delivered in absentia by former U.S. Ambassador to Burma Burton Levin.
Bucknell celebrates 150 years of the Burma-Bucknell connection with a series of films and events and guest lectures by Jack Healey, executive director of The Freedom Campaign, founder of Human Rights Action Center, and former executive director of Amnesty International and David Steinberg, Distinguished Professor of Asian studies at Georgetown University and a specialist on Burma.


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Oh What a Tart! Like the early explorers before it, the Portuguese tart has circumnavigated the world and today, this delectable dessert can be found in coffee shops and pastry joints around the world. Yes, I've devoured many of them in different countries, but strangely so, not in Portugal. So, I'm … [Read more...]
You are here: Home / Archives for Custard Tarts


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Fill out the form below to sign up for the Perry Memorial Hospital newsletter.
←Return to Perry Health Pulse
Celia Goers, Director of Care Management at Perry Memorial assists in the improvement of quality issues towards the enhancement of patient care. The 2016 Community Health Assessment was a tool utilized to assess the patient care areas to expand. In fact, Celia shares our quality improvements annually at the Illinois Hospital Association Quality Advocacy Showcase in Springfield. According to the IHA, "The showcase allows hospital and health system leaders to meet legislators informally and discuss key quality issues while spotlighting hospitals' performance achievements. "
Advancing care benefitting patients, families and communities while reducing healthcare costs is the goal. IHA's Quality Advocacy Showcase, in its third year, is designed to visually demonstrate the work of physicians, nurses, quality improvement leaders and hospital administrators to develop and implement solutions to improve care.
Three years of quality improvement projects have included in 2016 Prevention: Falls with Injury, 2017 Population Health: Improving Diabetes Care and in 2018 Behavioral Health: Improving Access to Mental Health Services. Celia noted that it's important to have a presence and a voice to represent our communities healthcare needs to our area state legislators. "The whole goal is to correlate the solutions of these quality issues with our leaders for our communities." she said.


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Gallo Signature Series Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2010
Description: About the Wine: Our Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir has complex aromas and flavors of dark cherry, pomegranate, boysenberry and lavender, all framed by well-integrated notes of oak, vanilla and allspice. With a soft, silky mouthfeel and desirable length, this wine fulfills the promise of Pinot Noir cépage and serves as a rich expression of the distinctive terroir of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Winemaking Notes: Following harvest, the fruit was cooled overnight to about 40°F, hand-sorted and destemmed with a Pellenc machine to achieve pure, whole berries. A majority of this wine was crafted in our small-lot fermentation tanks at Cellar No. 254. The balance was made at William Hill, where the stems were allowed to dry in the sun before being blended with the later pick of Clone 828 from Block 29, resulting in greater complexity from rachis tannins creating layers of texture and intrigue. This wine was aged sur lies, but not stirred to coax a smooth, round mouthfeel while retaining the enticing aromas and flavors of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Our 2011 Pinot Noir was aged in barrels from select cooperages.
Price: $30.00 to $35.00


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
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Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Perennial to trees, from membranous bulb, fibrous corm, scaly rhizome, or erect caudex
Stem generally underground
Leaves generally basal, often withering early, alternate, generally ± linear
Inflorescence various, generally bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; perianth often showy, segments generally 6 in two petal-like whorls (outer sometimes sepal-like), free or fused at base; stamens 6 (or 3 + generally 3 ± petal-like staminodes), filaments sometimes attached to perianth or fused into a tube or crown; ovary superior or inferior, chambers 3, placentas generally axile, style generally 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal or septicidal (berry or nut)
Genera in family: ± 300 genera, 4600 species: especially ± dry temp and subtropical; many cultivated for ornamental or food;
some TOXIC. Here includes genera sometimes treated in Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and other families.
Bulb coat generally membranous
Leaves generally linear to lanceolate; basal leaf 1; cauline leaves 0several, smaller upwards
Inflorescence often ± umbel-like; flowers 2many
Flower spheric and closed to nearly rotate; sepals generally < petals, generally ± lanceolate (ovate), generally nearly glabrous; petals generally widely wedge-shaped, generally hairy inside, nectary near base; filaments ± flat, anthers generally attached at base; style 1, stigmas 3
Fruit: capsule, septicidal, generally ± oblong, generally 3-angled or -winged; chambers 3
Seeds many in 2 rows per chamber, generally flat, generally netted, generally ± yellow
Species in genus: ± 65 species: w North America, C.Am; many cultivated. Bulbs of some eaten by native Americans. Nectary shape and hairs important to identification
Etymology: (Greek: beautiful grass)
Reference: [Ness 1989 Syst Bot 14:495505]
Sect. Calochortus by Bryan Ness.
Stem 820 cm, simple or branched, slender
Leaves: basal 1030 cm, persistent; cauline 03
Inflorescence: flowers 16, ± erect
Flower: perianth bell-shaped; sepals 1620 mm; petals ± = sepals, narrowly obovate, deep yellow, often red-brown-spotted above base, ciliate, densely branched-hairy, nectary bordered below by ciliate membrane, above by short hairs
Fruit nodding, 1220 mm, winged
Seed irregular, dark brown
Chromosomes: 2n=20
Ecology: Wooded slopes, clay-loam soils
Elevation: 4001200 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills, n&c Sierra Nevada Foothills.
Hybridizes with C. albus.
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, part SHD: 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21; DFCLT.


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Valentine's Day Gift Ideas For Pets
Celebrate Valentine's Day With the Pet Love of Your Life
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
Celebrate Valentine's Day With the Pet Love of Your Life
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and there's no better time to express to your pets just how much you love them. (Not that you shouldn't be expressing it all year long.) Often associated with sweet treats, plush gifts, and lots of cuddle time, this holiday is practically made for our animal companions. February has plenty of excitement for you and your pet, but take the time and do something special on Feb. 14. We've narrowed down some drool-worthy gifts to make your Valentine's Day shopping a little easier. Click on and start the love fest!


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I already answered on Pierre Moulon' Blog, but the question Tauricity did is very interesting. The question regards the possibility to document with PPT (Python Photogrammetry Toolbox) an object on a turntable, keeping the camera on a fix position. I had positive results when I tried with Giuseppe Naponiello (Arc-Team's anthropologitst) to document an human skull. We put the skull on a turntable with a black board behind (in this way the software does not recognize nothing exept the turntable and the skull); then we took a picture every 30 degrees. The only problem we had was during data elaboration, cause using PPT with Bundler 4 the software gave us a wrong result (it seems that it confused the two faces of the skull in the axial simmetry). Alessandro Bezzi helped us elaborating the data via shell and using Bundler 3 instead of Bundler 4 (cause he had a similar problem documenting the Theodoric Mausoleum in Ravenna) and this time there were no errors and we could do a dense pointcloud inside PMVS2. So it looks like that Bundler 4 has problems when objects have an axial (the skull) or a radial (the mausoleum) simmetry, but bundler 3 works perfectly.
Anyway it was possible for us to document an object on a turntable keeping the camera fix; the only tip was the black board to "erase" the background, so the software does not recognize points in it (which would be in conflict with the points of the object).
In this video is possible to see the result of the dense pointcloud.


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Sean Bell Tribute: "The Making Of Stand Up" Pt. 2 (Styles P & Sean Bell's Mom Speaks)
The Making Of Stand Up: Sean Bell Tribute Pt. 2 In part 2 of the Making of "Stand Up (The Sean Bell Tribute)" AHH hears from Styles P and Sean Bell's Mother Valarie Bell!
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Special Finds
Quartz Crystal
In room 15, we found many quartz crystals. It is probable that this room, among others, was used for processing this rare and valuable material, which in antiquity was believed to have magical properties. Quartz crystals and offerings made of this material have been discovered in the Idaean Cave and at some peak sanctuaries, indicating that they may have been used in various Minoan rituals.
In the Ceramics Workshop, we uncovered two mysterious "lekanes." There are no parallels in Minoan archaeology. Although they resemble modern juice squeezers, we are not sure about their function. The spout was designed to pour liquids, so we think that they may have been used either in the process of producing ceramics or for squeezing juice from fruits and vegetables. Another idea is that they were used for food production, such as the congealing of milk in order to produce yogurt or cheese. In addition, both lekanes had a hole at the base, which may have facilitated their smooth firing–the hole was likely used to position the vessel on a shaft in order to spin it, like on a potter's wheel.
Potter's Wheel
The potter's wheel from the Zominthos Ceramics Workshop is one of the biggest found to date, in either a palace or palacelike structure (or villa). It belongs to the well-known typology 3C (according to R.D.G. Evely). Similar wheels have been found at other sites, including Nerokourou, Knossos, Archanes, Tylissos, Gournia, and Zakros.
The Zominthos wheel has a diameter of 44 centimeters (17.3 inches) and a slightly projecting rim. On the back, it has seven grooves/ridges and a collar (13 centimeters, 5.1 inches) with oblique cuts. The wheel would have been attached to a vertical axis that revolved around the socket.
The potter's wheel was used to shape round ceramic wares. The principle of the wheel was most likely developed in Mesopotamia. In ancient times, pots were created using coiling, a technique that involved squeezing, squashing, and smoothing successive layers of clay coils into a thin, even wall that swelled or tapered as it grew and formed a shape. To do this, the potter needed to turn the pot around slowly as he worked. Gradually, innumerable ways of using a platter or bowl to speed up the coiling were developed. Eventually, a small turntable was employed, with which a vessel could be turned around quickly and easily. However, it took a long time for free-running, steady turntables to come into use.
Among several pithoi that we have found in the Zominthos Central Building, there is a particularly interesting one that came to light in 2007. It took up a great area of the southeast and central part of room 15. It has a height of 1.15 meters (3.7 feet) and two rows of handles below the rim and at the lower part of its body. At the center of the room, and in contact with the pithos' rims, two thin pieces of limestone came to light that do not resemble the stones fallen from the story above. This probably means that they were used to cover the pithos, which was most likely used for storing liquids or legumes and nuts.
We discovered this object in the northwest corner of room 15, near the pithos. Similar objects, which have been characterized as sauceboats, have been found at Akrotiri, Thira. However, we are yet not certain if the Zominthos find had the same use, since it is much larger and undecorated. Any suggestions?
Beads Made of Bronze, Sard, and Agate
These beads, which we excavated in room 19, were most likely part of a necklace. They are special finds not only for Zominthos, but for the Neopalatial period in general. These kinds of artifacts usually come to light in cemeteries, which are quite rare during this era.
In the south wall of room 15, we revealed one niche, in which we uncovered three high-stemmed communion chalices. These cups were used as rhyta, since they have a hole at their base through which liquid offerings could be made. These finds may indicate the Central Building's double use, as a place of worship and a crafts center, an interpretation that is reinforced by site's location on the route to the Idaean Cave.
Knife Blade and a Vessel's Base with Fingerprints
We found this knife blade in the Ceramics Workshop, near the potter's wheel and under a very strange base of a vessel that has numerous fingerprints. Although it is not definite that the blade was used in the production of pottery, it is certain that it was used like a modern knife, probably for the preparation of food, since we unearthed a lot of animal bones in the same room. On the other hand, the base of the vessel has no parallels. The fingerprints may have formed a rough surface to be used as a grater, probably for the production of pottery. Any suggestions are more than welcome!
Pig Rhyton
We uncovered this rhyton, shaped like a pig, in the niche of room 11. It seems that there are no parallels of this type and, along with the other three rhyta in room 15, it may reinforce the interpretation of the Central Building's double use as a place of worship and a crafts center.
On the floors and walls of the Central Building, we found great quantities of plaster. Many of them have traces of red and blue color, as well as traces of the strings that were used to shape the outlines of frescoes. Their quality is unprecedented for such a building, which supports the notion that Zominthos Central Building had palatial features and functions.
In room 15, we unearthed several pieces of pyroluzit (manganese oxide), which has a semi-metallic shine and is mainly found at Lavrio (Attica) and on the island of Melos. When processed appropriately, it can be used to make colors and produce porcelain.
The archaeological data in Minoan archaeology, with the exception of Akrotiri and Archanes, rarely present such well-preserved floors from each story. An excellent example at Zominthos comes from room 15, where part of the floor was lying in the upper layers and especially above the pithos found at the northeast part of the room, giving a definitive answer about the original appearance of the floor.
Comments (72)
Dear Mrs Bauer,
Thank you for your suggestions. However, both objects are big and heavy. So they cannot be used the way you propose.
Mrs. Sakellaraki…
Please accept my sad condolences on the death of Professor Sakellaraki…& my best wishes for your continued directorship of this very Important dig…
My husband's grandfather was from Crete & often spoke of the Marvelous objects found while plowing their fields on Crete…He was a great admirer of the Old Ones, as he called them…
Thank You for your work to bring this most Amazing civilizaton alive again…
They were Fascinating people who deserve to Live again & to be Appreciated for their accomplishments & Beautiful creations…
Dear Mrs Sakelarakis,
My condolences on the passing of yoru husband. Here in Australia we are fascinated by Minoan civilization and archaeology. I hope one day you will visit us with some of yruo finds. I have visited Crete and walked with teh Minoans, They were truely a fascinating civilization. Please continue to publish.
trying to find you, can i have your facebook or twitter?
Hi, I am bringing a group of teenagers from the UK to Crete next summer(2012) to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award. Part of the award stipulates that they spend 5 days doing something that interests them away from home. I was wondering if it would be possible to come along to the dig and be put to work in some basic capacity? There are 10 of them, they are all from an independent school in Canterbury in the south of England. They are intelligent, articulate well presented individuals who would take this opportunity very seriously. We will be in Crete from 14/15 August until 28/29 August depending on flights. They will spend 5 days walking in the Lefka Ori fro the expedition part of the award. Can we be of any assistance?
Best Regards
Tina Swetman
on behalf of
Kent College Canterbury
Could the Kymbe (rm 15) be a type of funnel used to fill jars with grain, wine, olives (if available then), and such? Or a scoop used to fill jars? Good luck on your fascinating excavations!
I have a Lodge cast iron Chicken Fryer made of cast iron that has dimples in the lid and when I make pan fried pizza the lid is handy because the thin part of the metal is hotter and evaporates the steam. It melts the cheese without making the bread soggy. Could the dimpled pan be a lid for melting cheese on flat bread?
Two comments about object identification, generally to draw broad comparisons to more modern tools.
Some of the best tools are not used just for one thing. Particularly when one is in a hurry, a screwdriver is a fine alternative to a can opener, a prybar and a chisel. As an ancient example, if I'm a hunter in the field, and some scrap of leather is dangling off clothes, I could very well decide to cut it off with an arrowhead.
There's a misassumption that tools were especially apt for their purpose. After buying kitchen knives for some years now at the local reminders store that sometimes sells very high knives, I'm surprised that some knives were made By major manufacturers at all — they're largely useless for most people. (I'm thinking of a bread knife from Henckels.) I have an inexpensive Japanese sushi knife that's so razor sharp, it's too dangerous for general use. My aging stepmother complains about the weight of the very expensive kitchen knife I gave her — yet she's a small person. I'm a large athletic person, and I often feel the little kitchen knifes that skimp on metal weight are the wrong tool for me for any job.
So, thinking outside the box, these ancient tools may have had more than one purpose for which they were more or less suited.
Back in 2010 I suggested that the mysterious vessel with the fingerprints found in the potter's workshop was a bat or banding wheel. I should have remarked at the time that if the vessel is indeed a bat, then the location of the knife makes perfect sense. Most potters have several knives, made of metal, wood and other materials, used for the purpose of trimming the base of a freshly thrown pot before removing it from the bat or wheel.
When my time comes, I want to rest in a historical cemetery somewhere like Spring Grove.
I recently read that you guys have found a 'libation table' inscribed with Linear A at Zominthos… Is it possible for you to provide me with photos of the inscription (all 12 sides) for personal use? I have been working on Linear A and pictographic for some time (well over a decade) and in fact was awarded a MA for my work… I would be forever grateful!!!
In the Introduction for the field notes it states that one of the rooms that would be concentrated on would be room 19 because of the light well that was located there. On this page it states how the beads made of bronze, sard, and agate were also found in room 19 and how they were mainly used in cemeteries and quite rare during the time. Do you think the two have a symbolic relationship since they were found in the same space?
This is so amazing, I am completely blown away. I would love to help anyway I can if you ever have volunteers helping out let me know i would love to do this anyway i possibly can. This seems so interesting, I am so jealous that people actually get to do this.
Thank you for taking the time to share your adventure and knowledge for those of who have not had the opportunity to experience this in person. I love the fact that I can tie this into history, science, technology, engineering, mathematics and technology assessment! I wish I had the financial means to support your endeavors!
I have seen references to a quartz "lens" found at the Idaean Cave, but have not been able to find a scholarly article on quartz artifacts from this site. Did your team find a "lens"? Do you have any idea if the quartz workshop had grinding tools. Thanks!
We discovered this object in the northwest corner of room 15, near the pithos. Similar objects, which have been characterized as sauceboats, have been found at Akrotiri, Thira. However, we are yet not certain if the Zominthos find had the same use, since it is much larger and undecorated. Any suggestions.
Dear Sirs, Madame, Ms.:
As one looks closely at the various objects and their use, and without knowing additional details about composition and
size in this case — this object looks a lot like a small version
of a drain pipe, no?
That is, could this be a drain pipe that is closed at one end and open at the other — thus directing
water & moisture in a certain direction? An intelligent detail of engineering. Water, after all, was to be
saved and harnessed. (And, after all, this object is undecorated.)
Just a suggestion.
Thank you.
Best: — Professor John Dean
Bravo on your WebSite! Very inspiring and subject appropriate.
Professor John Dean,
. Program Co-Director, 2015-2017 – der Akademie für Lehrerfortbildung und Personalführung
in Dillingen, DE.
. Executive Member US American Studies Association International Committee.
. Chercheur Centre d'Histoire Culturelle des Sociétés Contemporaines, UVSQ.
. Prof. Emeritus MC University of Versailles, France
Hi, I would like to know what peoples opinion of the plant depicted on the rhyton? And what would the pigment be made from? Thanks, cool stuff!
I propose It looks like Arundo Donax. It is spot on as far as taxonomy and spacing in nature. Barley has thinner leaves and is much more crowded, the seed head is also not depicted here. In greek writing the Minoans still at this time were more openly using sacraments than people in other areas. It would make sense to label the plant on its intended vessel if it was in some way intoxicating. Is it the shape more that makes you believe it ceremonial? I would also like to know more about the pigment used and how I could find out. Thanks again!
I should say, 'I would suppose'^, can not edit!
With respect to object 15, it is tapered and rounded towards the front edge, or I would have said something to do with directing water runoff. At the left edge (as shown) the end is straight, but chamfered at roughly a 45% angle. I think you will find some kind of attachment method there, that will tell you if the object was a handheld scoop, or part of some larger scooping thingy, lol. It was located in proximity to the big pythos, which I will bet dollars to donuts had a bulk commodity like grain, or flour in it. Maybe it was part of the broken lid for the pythos? a kind of chute to channel new grain or flour into the pythos? A funnel for granular solids.
As far as the restored pithos, several things come to mind. It is a storage vessel and would have been unstable sitting on the floor during common modest tremors in the region. It has a rather narrow base for its height. The handles are not for hands but for ropes and this vessel was probably suspended from the ceiling at perhaps a 30 deg. angle from the horizontal. Given the length of the vessel, it still could have held a lot. I suspect olive oil as the most likely. People today incorrectly think Bronze Age people had a primitive technology. This is incorrect. It was different than ours and one major difference is that people were used more than machines and engines. Two people would have manipulated the vessel. One at the lower end would lift it and at the other end, liquid would flow into a smaller vessel held by the second person. The cover, not shown, could have been easily crafted to fit in the angled position. As the vessel was slowly emptied over time the ropes could be adjusted to change the angle. The vessel could also be refilled while hanging also. The floor could be swept, it might have also been possible to adjust the ropes to that when not needed, the vessel would be moved up so people could walk under it. Hard to know this without more detail about the room.
Vessel with fingerprints! for the benefit of the FBI? I doubt it being used as a grater. The rim would probably be smaller or non-existent. For strength, making the piece thicker would be better for a grater. There are some other possibilities. For example, this is a frying pan. Clay is not as thermally conductive as metal, so making it more conductive would help. Putting all those little dents in probably more than doubled the surface area of the pan so it warmed up faster and was hotter. Sticking with Julia Child, lets put some berries into the fingerprints, pour some batter on top and bake it. Flip it over and you have a decorated cake. Stretching a little, we suppose that the knife and the "pan" worked together. If you had something you wanted to stay still while you sliced it, pushing it down on a textured surface would help do that. The rim would catch the blood/juices.. whatever. This room was not a kitchen but for making clayware as you said: pots, bowls, knife handles, pans, all to order!


text: How to Choose The Best Dentist in San Jose Ca 95133 – Would you believe that San Jose California is too big? Well geographically speaking, San Jose Ca is almost as big as the Philippines and any other country in Asia or in other continent.Where will you find a best Dentist, Dental Clinic, and Dental office in a big area? More often than not you


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Planning a party in Lenexa and need a DJ? Searching for the perfect party Disc Jockey in Lenexa, KS?
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How much money should I spend on a DJ? Wedding How To / Instructional
How much money should I spend on a DJ? And how do I really know if a DJ is "good"?How much money should I spend on a DJ?Spoiler Alert: I'm sorry, but there really is no quick answer for this. With a little research you can easily find out what your local range of prices are, and after that, how much you spend is up to you…First and foremost, this article is not going to imply that you "get what you pay for" or use fear to motivate you into spending more money than you should. There are lots of articles out there that already do that. If you're serious about planning your wedding, you probably have already come across one that does. Most of the advice you get will be along the lines that the DJ is the most important aspect (either before or after the food) of you and your guests having a good time, and a high percentage of brides wished they had spent more on entertainment after their weddings.I personally believe that the entertainment is ABSOLUTELY the most important aspect of you and your guests having a good time. (I have been a professional DJ for over 15 years) I also believe that how much money a DJ charges has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with how good a DJ is at entertaining. You can be confident that the most expensive DJ's are in fact, the best salesmen, but there really is no way of telling how "good" they are from the price alone. If you've ever gone through a high priced department store and had a laugh at some horribly ugly shoes that you wouldn't be caught dead in, but still cost nine hundred dollars, you'll understand where I'm coming from. A little bit of common sense can go a long way when it comes to picking out a DJ. Obviously, finding a hundred dollar DJ on craigslist should let you know that DJ is not as experienced as one that charges fifteen hundred. It doesn't necessarily mean that the one hundred dollar isn't a good DJ – he might be a young up and comer new to the business that is really good at playing music. However, it does mean that you should investigate them thoroughly and make sure their deal isn't too good to be true. (it probably is, but you can't tell just from the price).The reality of DJ pricing is that they provide a service: the price can be whatever they feel like. If you talk to 3 DJ's in your area, chances are good you will get a wide range of prices. If you use the internet to increase your research to 5-7 DJ's, or talk to a local wedding planner, the range of "normal" prices will start to appear. This will give you a good idea of what to expect. Then it's basically down to a matter of what you can afford, and if you find someone you can trust at that price point.A more expensive DJ is going to be more established, but just like the nine hundred dollar pair of shoes, that alone doesn't guarantee they'll be the best fit for YOU. If you find the "perfect" DJ, no amount of money will be too much. If you hire a DJ that just isn't right, no amount of money will make them any better. Next, I'll point out some common sales techniques that DJ's use to maximize their revenue (at your expense) and lastly, some advice on what's really important: how to know if a DJ really is "good" for YOU.Don't fall for the high pressure sales trap!More than likely, one of the first things you'll notice when you try to find out how much you should spend on a DJ, is that half of the DJ's won't even tell you what they charge?!! These of course, are the good salesmen at work. They want every available minute of face time with you to feel you out and see how much money you are willing to spend.Don't take this lightly, weddings are big business, as your checkbook is about to find out. Most of the sales techniques involve talking about how important and special your wedding day is, and then scarring you with horror stories of the DJ that showed up late, didn't dress or look professionally, say obnoxious things on the microphone, and stubbornly play music that you don't like.To be real, I'm sure this has happened occasionally, but if a DJ's sales presentation is built around this bad DJ scenario or they bring it up whenever you ask a question: it's a trained sales technique based on fear. Don't fall for the high pressure sales trap! Your wedding should be about love and happiness and the beginning of your marriage that you will remember fondly for the rest of your life. You shouldn't have to be scared into having a good time.The nightmare DJ scenario above happens probably one time out of a hundred. It is important to make sure that one time is not yours, (explained below) but what happens much more often is where you have a competent DJ, that doesn't quite fit. You've probably been to several "cookie cutter" weddings. Everybody has an OK time, but it's nothing special. The bridal party hangs out for a while, and then they try to figure out where they can go later to really have a good time. You're already paying for a party right there at the reception – the good time should be at the reception.These OK weddings happen in large part, because couples get talked into signing up with a DJ before they get to know them. If a DJ does the same thing over and over again, they'll get very good at selling it to people, even if it's not quite what you are looking for. The next section finally give a simple, quick, effective way to know if a DJ is "good" for YOU. (and money has nothing to do with it). How do I really know if a DJ is "good"?Here it is: the really easy way to know if a DJ is good for you. Does he talk or does he listen? The way he approaches the personal interaction you have during your meetings is a good indicator of the way he'll approach playing the music.The only way a DJ can tell you about how good he is, is if he repeatedly does the same thing. A really good DJ listens first. They listen to the bride and groom and take good notes beforehand. They listen to the crowd feedback during the night and put that together with their notes when choosing what songs to play. A DJ that listens will make the reception feel special, because it is special, and unique. It's created as the night goes along, with the DJ being flexible and making quick decisions that anticipate the mood of the crowd and move the night along in the right direction.The idea that you should ask 10 or so questions to a DJ to find out if he's good is in fact, completely backward. Those questions are provided just so that they can TELL you the tried and true sales techniques. You really should just have to ask one question: tell me a little about your DJ experience. The answer to that should let you know if he's competent, has good equipment, dresses professionally, shows up on time, etc. Once you've established that they are competent, a good DJ should be asking you questions to find out if it's a good fit.Out of the thousands of possible songs, a good DJ needs to focus in on the 100 or so that will make you happy. If you already have strong feelings about the song selections, that's great – just tell the DJ what they are, and he'll listen. Most of the time though, that is something you and the DJ will have to work on. A good DJ will give you some suggestions and listen to your responses. They'll talk about your ideas for the reception, what kind of memories you're hoping to create.After you've talked to a few DJ's, you should be able to know who paid attention to your vision and who pushed their ideas onto you. A good salesman can point out lots of shoes that look good on the rack. It really takes the input from you to ensure that it's a good fit.Stephen Scott has been a professional DJ since 1993 and as run his own company - Soundworks since 1996. Stephen is located in the Kansas City Metro area, and more information can be found about his company at www.kcsoundworks.com
Submitted by Soundworks of Shawnee, KS
Other Areas Near Lenexa to Find Party DJs:
Johnson County,
Clearview City,
De Soto,
Lake Quivira,
Mission Woods,
New Century,
Overland Park,
Prairie Village,
Roeland Park,
Shawnee Mission,
Spring Hill,
Westwood Hills


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Rule #1 - Be Patient - Rule #2 - Don't ask when, if you don't contribute - Rule #3 - You have coding skills - LinuxMCE's small brother is available: http://www.agocontrol.com
Hi allWell in answer to your ponder thee colinjones I think I can safely say that installing vdradmin via the aptitude method at least as desacribed in another post by totally maxed is a sure fire way to mess up your linuxmce box.I have just had to reinstall my system due to a md dying cos of wife pullingplug which seems to have killed it so thought I would give vdr a blast and try the vdradmin. I had the system running and installed vdradmin ok. I then rebooted the machine and now it launches x an the LMCE Launch managerI get connecting to router art 127.0.0.1, Connect ok in the messages and it just sits there with no option to load orbiter.As you said it seems to have lost the obiter functionality.Regards
Sorry andrew my bad.I asked you in the vdr setup post here http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3850.30 where vdradmin was being discussed how to install it. Next time I read it there was a reply to my question. Guess I didnt bother to look at the poster and guesses it was you. Was wondering if I was going mad or if you were!!!!It was posde not yourself that suggested installing it via the following command."sudo aptitude install vdradmin-am"After running this command and then rebooting I experience death of my core. On a side not after reboot I can access the vdradmin page!!!Was wondeing if it was because I was installin vdradmin-am I notice it is a split off version of the software or something.Which version are you using and how would you recommend installing it?Regards
And how are you installing this? Is it via apt-get or compiling the source?Regards
Ah ok.So what is the expected time scale for the release of the full vdr integration? Also with use on multiple media directors. I was under the impression from discussions with yourself some while ago that you had this working on your system and using 6 tuners and anyone in the system being able to watch any channel?I hope I dont sound as if im hassling. I am very impressed with the work you have done so far and am just eager to get linuxmce working in a full capacity which I cannot achieve till I have a workable tv setup which I dont seem to have with myth and vdr seems like it will provide.Regards
We do have several 6 tuner systems on test and also in daily use. My home system has 3 tuners and we watch live/recorded TV with almost no limitations.


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EU News
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Tackling double taxation for a stronger Single Market
Double taxation, and double non-taxation, contradict the very spirit of the Single Market. Yet many citizens and businesses are still suffering heavier tax burdens just because they operate in more than one Member State. Meanwhile, others are using loopholes between national systems to escape paying taxes that they owe. Determined to tackle this problem, the Commission today adopted a Communication on Double Taxation. This Communication highlights where the main double taxation problems lie within the EU, and outlines concrete measures that the Commission will take to address them. In doing so, the Commission seeks to remove real obstacles to a more competitive economy and make the EU easier to invest and do business in.
Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Anti-Fraud and Audit, said: "We must be able to send the message to all citizens, businesses and trading partners: the EU does not tax twice! Double taxation is one of the biggest tax obstacles to the Internal Market, and can no longer be overlooked. Today I have presented clear and feasible ways to tackle double taxation, which will make the EU a more attractive place to live and work in."
A public consultation carried out by the Commission found that more than 20% of reported cases of double taxation of businesses were worth over €1 million, while for individuals, more than 35% of double taxation cases were worth more than €100 000.
Currently under EU law, there is nothing to oblige Member States to prevent non-discriminatory double taxation. Although Member States try to relieve double taxation through measures such as bilateral and multilateral double taxation conventions, these do not provide adequate protection for citizens and businesses due to various shortcomings (e.g. too narrow scope, lack of uniformity amongst Member States' provisions, administrative burdens, long time-lines for dispute resolution etc.). The 2010 Citizenship report highlights the inadequacy of existing mechanisms to avoid double taxation in the EU. The problem of double taxation therefore continues to create barriers to cross-border establishment, activity and investment in the EU.
Clearly, given its cross-border nature, further action at EU-level is needed to fully and effectively address this problem. Over the past year, the Commission has already made headway in tackling double taxation in specific areas e.g. the proposal for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. Today's Communication launches the next phase of work to try to bring an end to the problem of double taxation, for the benefit of both citizens and businesses across Europe.
Next steps
As an immediate first step to strengthen existing legislation against double taxation, the Commission also adopted today a simultaneous proposal to improve the Interest and Royalties Directive. This aims to reduce the instances of one Member State levying a withholding tax on a payment, while another Member State taxes the same payment. Other areas in which the Commission intends to propose specific solutions to double taxation problems include cross-border inheritance tax in the near future and dividends paid to portfolio investors later on.
The Commission will also work on other possibilities to help eliminate cross-border double taxation, such as creating an EU Forum to develop a code of conduct on double taxation and a binding dispute resolution procedure for unresolved double taxation cases.
With regard to double non-taxation, which causes considerable losses to public revenues, the Commission will launch a consultation to gauge the full scale of the problem. On the basis of this consultation, it will determine the most appropriate and effective measures to prevent double non-taxation and come forward with solutions next year.
The Commission will submit the Communication on Double Taxation to the European Parliament, Council and European Economic and Social Committee for discussion and the Interest and Royalty Directive proposal to Council and the European Parliament. Emer Traynor (+32 2 292 15 48)
Contact :
Emer Traynor (+32 2 292 15 48)


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My father in law wants a new PC as he's got one of my cast-offs that has probably fossilised by now (IIRC the graphics card is a Geforce 9800 Pro). He has a budget of up to £500 and only needs the base unit stuff. Once upon a time I knew what PC specs actually meant but these days it's all Chinese so I can only go on price and brand, as such would any kindly passer-by just tell me if I'm making a horrible mistake with this poorly researched option;
http://www.ebuyer.com/616481-dell-optip ... -3020-5375
He won't be playing games, just normal basic stuff old people do, though he does want to do basic home video editing and doesn't want to be dead before the video has rendered.
Just remember, squeezing the last few ounces of performance out of the spec is not paramount, cost effectiveness and simplicity is more important.
TYVM in advance (assuming anyone still comes here any more)


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Items of consumer interest from the Web today ...
First, from the medical journal Lancet comes the strange case of a patient whose doctor turned to a fictional TV physician for guidance -- and it worked.
The 55-year-old man in Germany was suffering from a weak heart, esophagus inflammation, high fever and low hormone levels. Further, he was nearly blind and deaf. Several doctors tried to find a cause, but remained flummoxed until one doctor remembered the patient had a ceramic hip replaced with a metal hip.
That same physician also recalled an episode of the Fox television medical series, "House," in which the title character, the cantankerous Dr. House, diagnosed similar symptoms on a patient and determined it was cobalt poisoning from her metal hip that had caused her heart problems.
The real-life patient replaced his hip again with a ceramic model, and all symptoms disappeared except for the vision and hearing troubles.
We should note that the doctor had used the "House" episode as a teaching tool. Cobalt contamination was a well-known cause in cases of weakened hearts but usually found its origins elsewhere, such as the steel industry. The Lancet story points out, however, there are increasing cases of patients suffering from exposure to cobalt when there is metal-on-metal grinding in hip replacement parts.
Second, the Washington Post reports that women need to pay closer attention to possible stroke risk than men because of several issues unique to them.
Women are more susceptible to factors associated with strokes, such as migraines, depression, diabetes and heart problems. Further, complications from pregnancy, hormone use and use of birth-control pills can increase the risk of stroke.
With birth-control pills, women who suffer from high blood pressure increase the risk of stroke by using that contraceptive. Also, women with high blood pressure should seek medications that will lower the risk of stroke if they get pregnant.
The story points out that stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death for all Americans but the third-leading cause of death among women.
Follow Russ Britt on Twitter @russbrittmktw
Follow Health Exchange on Twitter @MWHealthBlog
More health-care news from MarketWatch:
Cigna hit by earnings miss, worries over medical costs
AthenaHealth soars as earnings surpass analyst expectations
Obama weighs another extension for existing health plans


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By Deneesha Edwards, The Dispatch
A North Davidson High School senior received the second-largest scholarship awarded by Lees-McRae College.
North Davidson High School senior Emma McGovern was awarded the Elizabeth McRae Scholarship, which is a full-tuition scholarship to Lees-McRae College. She plans to play soccer and will study communication art and design.
Emma McGovern, 18, will attend the school in Banner Elk this fall on a full-tuition scholarship after competing with more than 40 other students to receive the Elizabeth McRae Scholarship.
"I was really happy about it," she said. "It's pretty great. I'm really grateful. I had no idea I was going to get it."
Every year the college hosts a Scholars Day for prospective students who demonstrate a high level of dedication to leadership and academics. The honors program hosts the event that allows students to compete for two big scholarships by writing an essay and interviewing. As the recipient of the award, McGovern will have to remain active in the honors program and maintain a 3.0 grade point average while in college. She has a 4.4 GPA at NDHS.
The scholarship was named for Elizabeth A. McRae, who is one of the two namesakes of the college, according to a news release. McRae was a summer school teacher at the school in the 1900s when it was an all-girls school run by the school's founder, the Rev. Edgar Tufts.
McGovern said it's a huge relief because the college is a private institution. She plans to study communication art and design.
"I'm looking forward to the college experience. It's something different," McGovern said.
She will also play soccer for the school. McGovern has played soccer since the age of 3. She has been playing for NDHS for the past four years.
"I'm excited about playing soccer on a college level," she said. "Lees-McRae had the program I wanted. I really like the location and (soccer) coach. Everything I was looking for was there."
McGovern is the daughter of John and Dawn McGovern. She has two older siblings — Jessica, 22, and Matt, 24.
Dawn McGovern said she was surprised about the scholarship. She noted they were trying to figure out how they were going to pay for college, and the scholarship took a huge burden off of the family. She was also thrilled to see all of her daughter's hard work and sacrifice pay off.
"Emma is such a well-rounded kid," Dawn McGovern said. "She works hard. We're just really proud of her."


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Panama City - Last week Parker Police mentioned the people involved in the July murder of 16 year old Jacob Hendershot may have been involved in a vampire cult. Now one of the suspects is confirming that information.
18 year old Stephanie Pistey was arrested last Monday and was charged with accessory to murder. Monday she told News Channel 7 she believes she's a vampire. Parker Police originally believed 16 year old Jacob Hendershot was beaten to death because Stephanie Pistey accused him of raping her.
"Jacob didn't deserve to die. I didn't even know he was going to die, but I honestly knew that they were going to beat him up and in my opinion he deserved to get the s*** beat out of him. He didn't deserve to die," said Pistey.
Investigators say a group of Pistey's friends lured Herndershot to a house, killed him, then dumped his body in a concrete enclosure. Five people, including Pistey, are charged with either murder, or accessory after the fact, but it's the lifestyles of some of the suspects that has taken this case in an entirely new direction.
"Since I was like 12 every fiber in my body basically everything, I know this is going to be crazy, but I believe that I'm a vampire and part werewolf," said Pistey.
Pistey admits she was at co-defendant Tammy Morris' house when Hendershot was murdered, but says she was watching Morris' children. Morris was also charged with accessory to murder.
"I was the baby-sitter can't really say much about it, but I was the baby-sitter," said Pistey.
She denies drinking Hendershot's blood after the murder, but claims she has drank the blood of her fiancé and co-defendant 25 year old William Chase.
"I have before yes," said Pistey.
Pistey says she'll spend the rest of her life behind bars.
"Now that I'm here I'm pretty much figuring out I'm going to stay here the rest of my life," said Pistey.
Pistey's bond was set at $120,000. Parker Police are expecting to make one more arrest in this case.


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A few weeks ago, we wrapped up our Wine Festival weekend with a brunch on Sunday at The Oceanaire. (Editor's Note: We were comp'd the brunch from the nice folks at The Oceanaire.) The Sunday brunch featured wines by Rich Parducci, the winemaker for McNab Ridge and two of the Coro wines, all out of Mendocino, CA.
I'm not really a seafood girl, but every time I'm at The Oceanaire, I make it a point to try something new and I'm usually pleasantly surprised. I figure if I'm going to learn to appreciate seafood, a high-end seafood restaurant is probably the place to do it.
When we walked in on Sunday morning, we were greeted by Alli (her card reads Allison) who was an excellent server throughout the meal. In fact, we had two different servers, although I only got Alli's name, and both were friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.
We started the meal with mimosas, followed closely by an amuse bouche of salmon with lemongrass on a crostini with a mint-infused grape (if I'm reading my notes correctly) and Bloody Marys. I'm not into Bloody Marys either, but Kevin said it was excellent – spicy and "his type of Bloody Mary."
Our first real course was the Oceanaire Porkopolis Breakfast, consisting of housemade goetta, sunny side egg, and creamed hashbrowns. This was paired with the 2007 McNab Ridge French Columbard. As far as the food goes, it was great. I tried the goetta and it ended up on Kevin's plate as well. I'm fairly convinced that goetta is an acquired taste in this town and you either love it or hate it.
2007 McNab Ridge French Columbard: French Columbard is a white wine that McNab Ridge is growing to "preserve history in the county." Not many people grow French Columbard anymore, but it used to be quite common. It's an off-dry wine with 1.8% residual sugar. It had natural, bright acid. I noted that it was sweet, light, aromatic, and refreshing. Kevin noted the intensely floral characteristics, such as white flowers and pansies. To my surprise, it added a bit of spice to the first course – or perhaps the food added the spice to the wine. It was certainly easy to drink and I've been inspired to seek out more French Columbard.
Our review:
Our second course was the Fisherman's Breakfast: grilled Norwegian salmon, baked shrimp, fried oyster, and bourbon-glazed Nueske's Bacon. The course was paired with the 2007 McNab Ridge Sauvignon Blanc. My only complaint with this course was that the bacon was so strong, it sort of overpowered the Sauvignon Blanc.
2007 McNab Ridge Sauvignon Blanc: This was obviously a California-style wine, right from the nose, which was full of tropical scents and candied fruit. From my first taste, I got big mangos, as well as honeydew and cantaloupe. This one was aged in stainless steel and did not see any malolactic fermentation. If you enjoy the bright, tropical California style Sauvignon Blancs (as opposed to grassy New Zealands), you'll enjoy this wine.
Our review:
Our third course of the morning was the hickory smoked Rushing Waters trout hash, with chorizo, sweet potato, poached egg, rosemary oil, and tomato concasse. The third course was paired with the 2004 Coro Mendocino Zinfandel Blend. This was a great finish to the brunch with a wine that deserved to be the last, as it was by far the best.
2004 Coro Mendocino Zinfandel Blend: Coro is a special project in Mendocino that really deserves its own blog post. Winemakers in Mendocino get together, blindly judge each others wines, and then go back and make changes to the blend based on the feedback. They've implemented all sorts of rules and restrictions in order to create the best wine possible representing the terroir of Mendocino County. Coro, by the way, means "Chorus" in Italian and only 12 winemakers participate out of the 70 in the county. That's really the short version.
As for the wine, I could have sipped on it all day. I got chocolate and bing cherries on the nose. It was followed by raspberries, cherries, and gentle tannins, and finally, a chocolate finish. This was such a luxurious wine that I hope I get a chance to try all of the wines in the Coro project.
Our review:
Our wine brunch wasn't quite over, however. As we enjoyed the last of the Coro, we got a chance to chat with Andrew of Oceanaire, Rich Parducci the winemaker, and Brandon from Tramonte & Sons (distributor). In the process, we discovered that Tramonte & Sons has partnered with McNab Ridge to create Zincinnati, a limited edition Zin just for our area. They were completely sold out except for City Beverage – a liquor drive-thru in Hyde Park – where Kevin and I headed directly after the brunch. I think we bought the last bottles in town. Andrew also gifted us with several bottles of Graziano wines, left over from the Graziano wine dinner the previous week. Thanks Andrew!
Overall, I was thrilled with The Oceanaire wine brunch. They offered enough food for picky eaters like myself, coupled with great food for slightly more adventurous foodies like Kevin. Oceanaire is thinking about having brunches for both Easter and Mother's Day. I think a seafood brunch followed by a walk around the square on a Sunday Spring morning would be a great way to start the day.
The food looks awesome!
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Krystal Pepper Memorial Scholarship Fund
Raising money for a scholarship fund in memory of Michelle's little sister who passed away in 2007


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Auckland Venues Guide - Auckland Conventions and Events
Auckland is a city that makes an ideal destination for those looking to plan events like business conferences.
Auckland Venues Guide | Auckland Conventions and Events
Auckland is a city that makes an ideal destination for those looking to plan events like business conferences. Being a major, modern city, there are a huge variety of great venues for hire in Auckland.
Whether it is a conference, a convention, a wedding, an exhibition, or a charity function, you can find a venue that will meet the needs and style of the event. For those looking to plan an upcoming event in Auckland, read on to learn more about some of the best and most popular venues that the city has on offer.
ANZ Viaduct Events Centre
With the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre, event planners have an Auckland venue that is both modern, stylish, and boasts an unforgettable location. Situated on Auckland's waterfront, this purpose-built events complex includes seven individual spaces that can be good for a variety of different types of events. At 2245 square metres, its main hall is the largest space available for accommodating a banquet in Auckland. In addition to banquets, this venue is great for exhibitions, conventions, a theatre setting, gala dinners and more.
The stunning location of the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre is one of the key attractions to this venue. Its Viaduct location provides guests with a wonderful view of the harbour, and being in central Auckland, it is a convenient location for attendees. Within walking distance, guests will have access to restaurants, accommodations and public spaces, so it can be great for events that are expecting people from out of town.
Aotea Centre
The Aotea Centre is a centre for both the performing arts and events in Auckland. It is designed for flexibility and that helps to make it a great space for a range of different events. The Aotea Centre is fitted with all of the latest technology, and its 17 event spaces range in size and form to accommodate everything from large performances, to events that need a more intimate setting.
Located just off Queen Street, the Aotea Centre offers a convenient location for function venues in Auckland. It is close to parking and accommodations, plus you have the Britomart Transport Centre for good access to public transportation.
Auckland Art Gallery
If you want to hold and event in a location that is simultaneously historic and modern, then the Auckland Art Gallery is the perfect space. Holding more than 15,000 works of art, the gallery is a location that can showcase the culture of the country and impress guests. The Auckland Art Gallery has been host to several events and it has spaces that can accommodate everything from theatre events and banquets to weddings and cocktail parties.
Auckland Town Hall
For an elegant event space that is one of the city's most significant heritage structures, the Auckland Town Hall is one of the most impressive venues in the city. At this event location, you have the Great Hall and the Concert Chamber. Both of these spaces are known for their excellent acoustics, making them great for performance events. However, the space is good for use as more than just a performing venue in Auckland. It has been host to fantastic banquets, gala dinners, cocktail parties, seminars and exhibitions.
Auckland Zoo
The Auckland Zoo is a practical and interesting setting for a variety of different events. You have indoor and outdoor spaces, the beautiful zoo landscapes and of course, the amazing variety of wildlife. You could hold a cocktail event in the Old Elephant House, more family centred events at the Central Lawn, or you could hold a wedding at the Band Rotunda. Additionally, some smaller banquet or cocktail style events can be held at the lion viewing shelter.
The Civic Theatre
With its classic 1920s architecture and being one of only a handful of atmospheric theatres left in the world, The Civic Theatre is one of the most unique venues for hire in Auckland. The four spaces at The Civic Theatre provide a rich atmosphere for a range of different events, and is a location that is almost certain to make an impression on guests.


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Apartments at The White House Port Douglas is a delightful example of "Old Queenslander" architecture, nestled amid lush tropical gardens. A favourite for Port Douglas Holiday Apartments.
This is a unique, small, 4 luxury complex with only 9 large, airy apartments giving clean, and comfortable, self-catering accommodation, including full kitchen and laundry facilities. The apartments each have their own individual decor, with comfortable furniture and breezy balconies looking across the bird-filled park to the safe swimming area of famous Four Mile Beach, only steps away. The White House Port Holiday Apartments offer wonderful views of the tropical north in Australia. Facing onto a large parkland, you will experience the wonder of waking to the many and varied birdsongs of the area. Just one short block away from Apartments at The White House is the main street of Port Douglas with its boutique shops, art galleries, fine restaurants and sidewalk cafes.
Centrally located to two World Heritage wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, as well as the fascinating Atherton Tablelands, the White House is in an ideal location to experience the best of Port Douglas and Far North Queensland... explore and enjoy this paradise.
Added to list