The beauty and diversity of Italy never ceases to amaze me. One of the must see places on my Italy travel list is the island of Sardinia. It’s a pleasure to welcome Luke to share with My Bella Vita readers more about the charms of Sardinia along with 10 things to see and do on the island. Welcome, Luke!

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

Tomorrow – November 15, 2011 – award-winning musician and fellow Calabria’phile, Micheal Castaldo will release his very first Christmas record, Extravergine: Natale nel Mediterraneo / Christmas in the Mediterranean. And trust me, Italophiles, you are going to want to get a copy of this.

If it wasn’t for this brilliant Calabrian you and I wouldn’t even know what day it was, but unfortunately, his great contribution bears someone’s name. As Michele Connors explains, Luigi Lilio, one of the greatest minds in Calabrian history, changed the way we see the world.

Welcome, Michele.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peter Whoriskey

Back when I began blogging in 2006, memes were everywhere-you were either tagging or being tagged every couple of weeks and listing, numbering and ranking meme-style was oh, too cool. Then, it changed. Nobody was tagging nuthin’ anymore and memes, it seemed, were out of fashion.

Nordstrom Rack opens in D.C. area. (Washington D.C.)

Footwear News October 1, 1990 | D’Innocenzio, Anne Nordstrom Rack opens in D.C. area WASHINGTON (FNS) — With the opening of Nordstrom Inc.’s first off-price store on the East Coast, the Seattle-based retailer is redefining its service image to further tap the overstored, competitive D.C. market. website nordstrom coupon code

Nordstrom Rack has joined other, self-service, off-price stores operated by retailers like Sears, Woodward & Lothrop and Raleigh’s at Potomac Mills, an outlet center in Woodbridge, Va.

In contrast to the plush interior of two Nordstrom stores in the area, the 42,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack, just a half-hour from downtown, offers a no-frills approach to merchandising in a warehouse setting.

Merchandise, which includes men’s, women’s and children’s shoes, apparel and accessories hangs on racks, sits on metel shelves and is displayed in piles on tables or bins. Shoes make up about 25 percent of Nordstrom Rack’s mix.

“We are giving them another place to shop,” said Paul Hunter, corporate manager of Nordstrom’s 12 Rack stores. Nordstrom officials estimated about 40-60 percent of Nordstrom Rack customers also shop at the chain’s regular-price stores.

Racks up sales Although Hunter would not disclose sales projections for the Potomac Mills store, Nordstrom officials said the Rack has generated strong sales since its opening.

In addition to footwear at Potomac Mills’ Rack store, 20-25 percent of the merchandise is men’s apparel, while women’s and children’s apparel account for about 40 percent. Accessories fill out the remainder of the mix.

Nordstrom Rack carries essentially the same shoe brands featured at regular Nordstrom stores. On any given day, bargain hunters might find Bruno Magli, 9 West, Amalfi, Van Eli and Selby shoes discounted from 50-70 percent.

Buyers for the Potomac Mills Rack store — a footwear buyer, a women’s and children’s apparel buyer and a men’s apparel buyer — buy merchandise from Nordstrom stores in the surrounding region.

This includes purchasing goods from Nordstrom stores at the Fashion Centre in Pentagon City and Tysons Corner Center, as well as the new Paramus Mall store in Paramus, N.J.

The buyers also make supplementary buys from wholesalers, for instance, to ensure the proper seasonal mix of merchandise, Nordstrom officials said. These additional buys, one spokesman said, account for about 10 percent of the store’s sales volume.

Nordstrom’s Hunter said the Rack stores are not part of an aggressive strategy to expand on its sister Nordstrom stores, but rather a means of “playing catch-up.” “We’ve been understored to handle all of our buildup of merchandise,” Hunter explained. “We needed to have more clearance centers. We have to get up to speed with the expansion of our new stores.” While no other regular-price Nordstrom store openings are planned for the remainder of the year, Nordstrom plans to open four more units in 1991. go to site nordstrom coupon code

“Racks and other department store-outlet units are enormous profit centers,” said Kurt Barnard, publisher of Barnard Retail Marketing Report, New York. “Instead of giving merchandise away to discount stores, they are making money by selling them at their outlets.” Industry sources also agreed Nordstrom and many other specialty chains have begun to see store-outlets as a competitive tool against the growing number of discount chains, such as Filene’s Basement or Loehmann’s. These same sources also pointed out the store outlets are an inexpensive way to test lines.

While Nordstrom Racks carry less than 25 percent private-label merchandise, many other retailers see store-outlets as a solution to the buildup of private label –merchandise often deemed unattractive to most discount chains.

“Specialty chains are being plagued with the problems of what to do with their increasing volume of private-label merchandise,” said Allen Millstein, publisher and editor of Fashion Network Report, New York.

“They are tired of giving it away. Discount outlets don’t really want it because it doesn’t have enough sex appeal,” Millstein continued. “They are more interested in branded items.” Since opening its first Nordstrom Rack in Bellevue, Wash., in 1982, Nordstrom has been aggressively opening these off-price outlets. The specialty retailer currently operates two Racks in Oregon, six in California and two others in Washington state.

Nordstrom also plans to open a 35,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack store in Silver Spring, Md., in 1992 and another is reportedly scheduled for California.

PHOTO : Merchandise at Nordstrom Rack stores, which includes men’s, women’s and children’s shoes, PHOTO : apparel and accessories hangs on racks, sits on metel shelves or is piled on tables or in PHOTO : bins.

D’Innocenzio, Anne

Back in May I was contacted by a representative from Enjoy Prepaid (dot com), an online phone card / PC-to-phone company that is part of Nobel telecom. They asked if I was interested in trying out their calling card and other website features and since I’m always up for testing new products, especially those that help expats get by a little easier, I agreed.

All-purpose solution: the all-purpose aquatics facility uses the latest technology to create multigenerational appeal and programmability.(All-Purpose Facility)

Aquatics International July 1, 2004 | Quay, Bruce; Dunn, Jim Today’s aquatics facility, is no longer just about a single body of water. It’s about a community–and meeting all the needs of that community, from water aerobics to water slides. Building a facility that meets those needs takes careful planning and an even more careful understanding of what your community wants. But regardless of the budget or the community, every facility must be built with enough flexibility to literally be all things to all people. here planets for kids

The good news is that technology now exists to make this dream facility a reality. The bad news is that many communities still aren’t taking advantage of what’s available. That’s unfortunate because when you build an all-purpose facility, you not only create more public excitement about the project before construction, but you also ensure that it will be sustainable for the long term. It’s all about providing multigenerational activities and generating enough programming revenue to keep the facility sustainable.

By keeping those two goals in mind–multigenerational appeal and programmability–we designed what truly can be called the ultimate facility. From movable floors, to lazy rivers to a warm spa, every aspect of this facility was designed with flexibility and sustainability in mind.

Here’s a look at how all the components knit together to create long-term interest and promote healthy lifestyles.

We start with a roofing system that creates all-season usability through natural lighting. Made of an engineered transparent material, it is light enough for architectural flexibility, but durable enough to handle winter climates while retaining heat. It also has the ability to let in up to 85 percent of the sun’s UV light characteristics. These rays are what allow trees to grow and people to tan. What’s more, the material is acoustically transparent, meaning it will alleviate the echo-chamber effect found in many indoor facilities.

Next we take a fresh approach to the traditional competitive pool. At first glance, this six-lane pool looks like any other. But look closer at the design and you’ll notice three key differences: a movable floor, movable bulkhead and a wave-generation system. These three features transform the simple competition pool into an all-purpose swimming/water aerobics venue.

The movable floor goes from 10 feet deep to zero-depth with infinite positions in between. The bulkhead can move the length of the pool–and the possibilities are endless. For instance, with the movable floor, one hour you can have a competitive swimming event, and the next you can move the floor up and have a water aerobics class for seniors.

The movable bulkhead (with enough room for guards) provides the same flexibility, allowing you to divide the pool up into different sections, including both 25-yard and 25-meter competitive lengths.

This kind of flexibility also allows your facility to change with the times so that when the next water exercise craze hits, you’ll be ready.

Another aspect of this untraditional traditional pool is the wave generator. Again, the idea is the flexibility and programmability that turn flat water into fun water. The wave generator builds in more of that. Rather than just offering lifeguard training, you can now offer rough-water swim training or kayaking lessons, or any other rough-water activity you can think of. And it’s a sure-fire way to amp up your birthday party concessions. one pool that was recently renovated to include a wave system increased its per-child rate by 40 percent.

If a little wave is that popular, imagine what a real surfing/body boarding experience will offer. That’s where the flow boarding system comes in. This feature is key to attracting the biggest demographic challenge: teens. Playing off the popularity of snowboarding and skateboarding–the fastest growing sport on the planet for kids 14 to 18–the surf generator allows body boarding and stand-up riding that’s affordable in the overall context of a facility. It also ties in with the concept of life sports: sports that kids take up as youths and continue throughout their adult lives. go to web site planets for kids

From teens, let’s move on to children and the wet deck area of our dream facility. Again the deck is carefully designed with multigenerational appeal in mind. Divided into zones, the deck features the lighter sprays closer to the zero-depth entry for toddlers, with heavier gushers closer to the multilevel play structure for older kids. With its tree-house appeal, the play structure itself is a great way to build in interest for kids of all ages. And with the nearby lounge area, parents and grandparents can easily keep an eye on the kids while enjoying the sun and fun.

The adjacent lazy river also is designed for multigenerational appeal, with a current you can float along or swim against. We’ve designed this one with some additional fountains and geysers along the way that make it more fun. Those looking for more of a thrill can always zoom down the adjacent body slide–a staple of any aquatics facility these days.

When it’s time for good old-fashioned fun, there’s a nonstructured multipurpose play area. This is a great place for kids to play together or individually, and for activities such as water basketball, underwater hockey and the like. Whatever the open-water activity, it’s an important component of the facility that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Taken together, all these elements create a facility that appeals to the young, old, active and nonactive users.

While budgets must be considered, don’t forget that your customers’ willingness to provide upfront Capital has everything to do with what you design in and sell to them. Imagine trying to raise capital with just a traditional pool. Then imagine going to that same group with this plan.

Providing the right mix of features and activities at the outset is a lot more cost-effective than having to add them three or four years down the road because of customer demand or competitive pressures.

The Dream Works FACILITY (A) Indoor, all-purpose center–30,000 square ft., with engineered transparent roofing system [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (B) Flow boarding system with observation deck [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COMPETITION/PROGRAM POOL [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (D) Movable floor and bulkhead for multiprogrammable pool [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (E) Wave generator [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WET DECK AREA (F) Wet deck–1,750 sq. ft.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (G) Warm spa with hydrotherapy jets–250 sq. ft.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (H) Multilevel play structure with interactive waterplay elements, slide jets and tipping buckets–215 sq. ft. with 1,800 sq. ft. of play pool water [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (I) Lounge area [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS (J) Lazy river with interactive waterfeatures–200 ft. long [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (K) Multipurpose play area–30-by-50 ft.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (L) Body slide with tower–150 ft. long [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ADDITIONAL FEATURES * Water jets * Gurgling springs * Fountains * Floor bubblers * Spray hoops * Dancing waters The Dream Designers BRUCE QUAY Principal Aquatic Development Group, Cohoes, N.Y.

JIM DUNN Director, Architecture and Engineering Quay has 25 years of manufacturing management experience, with more than 20 years dedicated to various director roles within the aquatics industry. Prior to joining ADG, he was president and CEO of Cookson Plastic Molding, with divisions that included Pacific Industries.

Dunn, with 17 years of waterpark development/construction experience, has helped pioneer some of the most progressive water filtration systems. Blizzard Beach (orlando, Fla.), Wet’n Wild (orlando, Fla., and Brazil) are just a few of the waterparks for which he has managed the design, filtration, and/or construction.

Quay, Bruce; Dunn, Jim

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

Self-service checkouts fall from favor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Napsha

It’s no secret I’m a fan of off-the-beaten-track Italy. I love discovering new, under-appreciated locations and I love even more to be able to share them with you.

Vallo di Diano is in the province of Salerno in southern Campania and is part of Italy’s second largest national park. It borders Basilicata and encompasses 17 municipalities.

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

That’s remarkable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If there is one thing expats in southern Italy can agree on, it’s that we have the. best. food. in the country. Ok, ok, expats in other parts of Italy … back off! Your food rocks, too. But I have that whole southern pride thing going on and nothing makes me prouder than reviewing a cookbook that epitomizes southern Italian cooking-and Mamma Agata: Simple and Genuine does just that.

Some people are just naturally gifted language learners. They hear a word a few times and bam!-it’s engrained in their memories. They see something written and viola!-they can pronounce it. They can easily pick up grammar rules, idioms and tada! language nuances.

I am no such person.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS SEATTLE COUPLE MAKE A ZERO CARBON MOVE.(News)

Seattle Post-Intelligencer May 24, 2008 | Langston, Jennifer Byline: JENNIFER LANGSTON P-I reporter Strapping a queen-size mattress to a bike trailer with bungee cords and straps Saturday morning, Colin Stevens says not to worry.

It looks like a giant stingray perched on a deck of cards, its wingspan hovering above thin air. But he’s done this before – moving his own bed by bicycle – so he knows it works.

“I’ve acquired a nickname from some people – ‘Haulin’ Colin,’” said Stevens, a car-free welder who tows salvaged material behind him on his bike.

That was just one of the human-powered vehicles Central Area residents Joe Goldberg and Venessa Brown used to ferry all their belongings in a “zero-carbon move” this weekend.

Their goal: move a household of two adults and five-year-old twin boys without burning fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. here bike trailer

Friends pulled multiple loads of houseplants four blocks to their new house in a little red wagon. Relatives pushed borrowed shopping carts full of guitar cases, pillows, photographs and cookbooks.

“We’ve been telling friends who think it’s sort of crazy, but I think it’s crazy to rent this huge gas guzzling truck to move a quarter mile,” said Goldberg, 27, a software developer.

Goldberg and his fiancee, a pastry chef, originally planned to move entirely by bike. But when their new cottage turned out to be a short distance from their current home, they enlisted friends and family to use other petroleum-free modes of travel.

They estimated it would take about 12 round trips.

“I was totally up front. I didn’t say ‘Will you help me move?’ and sneak it in later,” he said. “I was like ‘Will you help me walk my stuff?’” At the old rental house, there were debates over the best way to move a goldfish, and palpable relief that the eight-foot couch would not be making the trip.

David Goldberg, on his sixth shopping cart run of the day, said the idea struck him as daft. But he didn’t have any choice.

“I’m his dad, so I have to do whatever he dreams up,” he said. “It’s not bad hauling little boxes four blocks, but I’m afraid of the mattress.” But the only casualties of the day were a Darth Vader helmet and Curious George jack-in-the-box that spilled out of the back of a bike trailer on a steep hill.

“I was in the wrong gear,” said Chris Eggermont, a friend wearing a “Ride Bikes. Be Fabulous” T-shirt.

She happily volunteered to participate in the calorie-powered move.

“It’s fun to help out and see all of Joe’s personal belongings,” she said.

Mike Goldstein, a childhood friend and college roommate, said the carbon-free moving strategy didn’t give him any pause.

“Especially considering there was going to be free beer involved,” he said. “I thought it was a pretty cool idea and definitely it makes a lot of sense just to go this far.” The procession of bikes and wagons reminiscent of the overloaded truck from “The Beverly Hillbillies” gave bemused neighbors an excuse to indulge their curiosity and introduce themselves. biketrailernow.com bike trailer

“They were going down the street, and I was like ‘huh?’” said Carlie J. Doss Sr., who has lived in the Central Area neighborhood for 35 years and never saw anyone move entirely on foot. “But it’s the cheapest thing to do. No gas!” Jennifer Mutch, who will live next door to the couple, thought the idea of an environmentally friendly move was a kick.

“I admire his values,” she said. “But that would not work for me. I’m a higher maintenance mover.” Stuffing jeans and flowerpots into bike panniers, Goldberg and Brown have tried make little choices in their lives that add up to a smaller environmental footprint: driving as little as possible, backyard composting, collecting water in rain barrels.

“It’s not like we’re off the grid using solar panels but we’re kind of doing what we can,” he said. “And people are enthused about it – not just the good karma of helping a friend but the added karma of helping the Earth.” P-I reporter Jennifer Langston can be reached at 206-448-8130 or jenniferlangston@seattlepi.com.

Langston, Jennifer

Many of the greatest things in southern Italy are better experienced with a car. It’s true whether it is because you can see hard-to-reach ruins or castles, because you can experience the driving culture on our beautiful, albeit sometimes perilous southern Italian roadways or whether it is because a car offers travelers a certain freedom not guaranteed by public transport. Regardless of the reason, Fiona Hilliard opted to drive during her recent trip to Sardinia and she’s here today to share her stories.

You all know what a brave fearless silly girl I am, right? I moved to hole-in-the-bottom-of-the-boot Calabria, had a baby in italiano and most recently, traveled with said baby on six separate flights.

OCTOBER MEETING AGENDA POSTED ON GAME COMMISSION WEBSITE

US Fed News Service, Including US State News September 20, 2006 The Pennsylvania Game Commission issued the following news release:

The agenda for the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners’ October meeting has been posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). To view a copy of the agenda, click on the “Next Commissioners’ Meeting” box in the center of the homepage and then select the “October 2006 Commission Meeting Agenda” icon at the bottom of the page.

The two-day meeting will be held at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Ave., just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81. The meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m. on both days. this web site meeting agenda template

On Oct. 2, the Board will hear public comments and receive agency staff reports and updates.

On Oct. 3, the Board is scheduled to take official action to various agenda items, including final adoption of regulations to permit baiting by deer hunters in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. The Board gave the proposal preliminary approval at its meeting in June. In giving the measure unanimous approval, the Board noted that it was interested in gathering public input before taking the matter up for final adoption at its October meeting.

Under the measure given preliminary approval, hunters would be permitted to distribute no more than 10 pounds of bait up to a maximum of three times per day, during legal hunting hours only. Hunters also will be permitted to harvest deer near any deer treatment bait station that is used by communities to address tick control.

To ensure a thorough review of this new tool, should it receive final approval, the Board also included a three-year sunset provision. Also, if approved by the Board at its October meeting, the regulatory language would need to be published in the PA Bulletin, the Commonwealth’s official gazette for information and rulemaking, before taking effect. Publication would not be expected until November, at the earliest.

Shortly after the October meeting ends, copies of the meeting minutes will be posted on the website as soon as they are transcribed, which generally takes between two to three weeks. Minutes for Board meetings back to April 2005 are available in the “Reports/Minutes” section of the homepage. go to website meeting agenda template

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen’s clubs.

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state’s share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

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

Profile: College essay of Leah Knobler about her brother

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The time is 29 minutes past the hour.

RENEE MONTAGNE

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

It has been a week of firsts for me … my first Mother’s Day, which was celebrated beautifully by husband and son … my first afternoon of back-to-back-to-back phone calls with travel consulting clients … even a first-of many, no doubt-conversations with my newly engaged sister about wedding dresses and colors. But there was one first that, as *fun* as it might have been, I could have done without.

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

HOUSE PASSES STATE REP. CALTAGIRONE MEDICAL SUPPORT BILL

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

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

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

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

The measure now goes to the Senate for approval.

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