Around six months or so back, the prevailing consensus was that India would be affected by the global crisis, but growth wouldn’t slip below 7%.
Now that’s more or less the official rose-tinted-glasses view. Then we thought that 6% marked the lower limit—after all, the Indian economy has gone through a structural transformation, we surely couldn’t go back to the bad old days.
Now, several forecasters say GDP growth in 2009-10 will be nearer 5%, while one broker puts it at 3.5%, calling it its “base case".
The table shows some of the recent forecasts of a few research outfits. As can be seen, they cover a wide range.
Most of them predict that growth will slow further in fiscal 2010 (FY10), simply because growth in the first half of the current year, at 7.6%, has been pretty robust.
A forecast of 5.5% for fiscal 2009 presumes that growth in the second half will be as low as 3.4%, which is not a call that most researchers are willing to make, although there are several telltale signs that economic conditions have worsened sharply after September, as seen from the Purchasing Managers Index reports and from the reports on sales of vehicles.
The credit crunch started being felt in India only since October. The fall in exports too has just started.
As Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’ Tushar Poddar has put it, “We now see further risks to the downside as problems in the financial sector feed through to the real sector… Corporates will be the most affected, and as a result, investment demand will suffer the most, followed by external demand, and finally by a slowdown in consumption." Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Pvt. Ltd believes that fixed investment growth will slump to 2.5% in FY10.
What are the differences between the optimists and the pessimists? There’s not much difference between the forecasts for agricultural growth, which is as it should be, since nobody can predict what the rains will bring.
But First Global has a very low rate of growth for agriculture in the current year. And although there are differences in the range of manufacturing growth, the real difference is between those who believe that services growth will hold up relatively well and those who think that it too will follow manufacturing down into the dumps.
Interestingly, India’s GDP growth rate fell to as low as 3.8% in 2002-03, during the last downturn after the dotcom bust.
Since then, savings and investment rates have gone up considerably, which is perhaps why most research houses do not foresee growth rates dropping to that level. Says Ajit Ranade, chief economist with the Aditya Birla Group, “Even if the savings rate dips from 35% to around 30% due to decrease in corporate savings, lower energy and fertilizer prices will provide enough headroom for the government to provide a fiscal stimulus."
But he believes that could happen only after the next general elections.
The problem is that this time it’s not only a cyclical slowdown, but also a global crisis. So far, however, almost all forecasts predict that structural improvements (like the higher savings rate) will offset the impact of the global shock.


Four miles of Kingsbury Grade between Highway 50 and the summit will undergo construction next spring.
Engineers plan to take the road down to the base, and are looking for ways to do it in the most efficient way possible.
That may entail closing Kingsbury for a month over one season instead of stretching the construction out over multiple seasons.
"The department has identified that Kingsbury has failing pavement and we need to rebuild it," said Project Manager Pedro Rodriquez of the Nevada Department of Transportation. "We've been tossing around how to restrict traffic, and if we do what happens during a regular project, we'll restrict access for three years. What we've been doing is applying innovative methods to reduce the restriction to that traffic."
Should the state close Kingsbury, motorists could take Highway 50 over Spooner or go through Hope Valley and over Luther Pass. Handling local and emergency traffic will also have to be worked out.
Department spokesman Scott Magruder pointed out that if traffic controls closed one lane at a time while the work was going on, motorists could spend up to a half hour waiting.
"The main thing we need to do is pave the road," he said.
The road work includes going down 13 inches, including the pavement and the base, and rebuilding the highway. The last time crews worked on the Lake side of Kingsbury it was 1999.
Rodriquez said the highway will keep its present design. Some hydraulic improvements will be included in the project.
State highway officials will hold public meetings in late January or early February to let residents know what they plan to do.
State Assistant Construction Engineer Sharon Foerschler said the state wants to reduce the work time on Kingsbury as much as possible.
"Conventional procedure would mean we would be up there three seasons," she said. "We're looking at more innovative approaches that let us get in, and get quality we want. We don't want to say we're closing the road, but restricting it to through traffic for a period of time. This is not set in stone, it's just one of the approaches we're looking at."
Magruder said 10,000 vehicles a day use the intersection at Highway 50 and Kingsbury. About half of that traffic consists of commuters from Carson Valley.
Many of the workers at the Stateline casinos live in Carson Valley and commute over the grade every day.
Magruder said the state is also talking to BlueGo bus service to find a way to improve mass transportation to the clubs.
This is the only major project Nevada has going at Tahoe next year.
The last major project on Kingsbury was the $6.8 million Peek Construction erosion control project which started in 2009, and continued through 2011 when work stopped.
Peek sued the state in January 2012 claiming it was owed $3 million.


TEHRAN - Construction of a giant healthcare complex began on Thursday with a ground-breaking ceremony in Iran’s southern Qeshm Island, ISNA reported.
TEHRAN – Iran will play host to the 4th Conference on Health Tourism in Islamic Countries on November 26 and 27, ILNA reported.
TEHRAN- Medical tourism made an economic contribution of around $1.2 billion to the country in the last Iranian calendar year (March 2017-March 2018), said the head of Medical Tourism Department at the Ministry of Health.
TEHRAN – Iran will play host to two international conferences on health tourism in 2019, a senior official with the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
TEHRAN – Head of Honorary Consulate of Lithuania in Iran has said the Iranian medical industry could attract patients from Lithuania or other European countries.
TEHRAN – The costs of medical treatment in Iran is almost ten times cheaper for international medical travelers in comparison with the U.S. and Europe, the CEO of Tehran’s five-star Gandhi Hotel-Hospital has said.
TEHRAN – Iran will take part at the 8th Oman Health Exhibition & Conference, which will be running from September 24 to 26 at the capital city of Muscat.
TEHRAN – Westernmost Iranian city of Qasr-e Shirin is widely deemed to have unfulfilled potential for medical tourism.
TEHRAN – Iran has capacity to annually earn $7 billion in medical and health tourism, though the sector now brings in only one-seventh or even lesser of the sum, a tourism official has said.
TEHRAN – The number of medical tourists traveling to Iran is estimated to fell some 10 percent in the current Iranian calendar year 1396 (March 2017-March 2018) in comparison to the previous year, IRIB reported on Thursday.
TEHRAN – The first phase of an enormous healthcare city was officially inaugurated in the city of Isfahan, central Iran, on Monday as the country avidly seeks to surge its global share of the medical tourism market.
TEHRAN - Iranian and Kazak officials have called for stronger tourism ties especially in marine and medical spheres.
TEHRAN – Iran has signed agreements with 13 neighboring countries with the aim of developing and reorganizing its medical tourism sector.
TEHRAN – Patients from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Persian Gulf littoral states constitute the largest number of travelers who visit Iran annually for medical services.


If you are looking for a theme for your modestly sized balcony or deck garden you might consider Japanese.
The Japanese gardens we are most familiar with are the ones done on a large scale, such as the Kurimoto Japanese Garden at the Devonian Botanic Garden south of Edmonton.
But in fact, Japanese-style gardens are perfectly suited to small-space gardening. In Japan, where personal space is often limited to a bare minimum, Japanese homeowners make use of every bit of available space and use it very efficiently.
Something as simple as a brilliant cobalt blue container with a burgundy red Japanese maple, or a Hakuro-Nashiki willow with its wonderfully variegated foliage surrounded by a few smaller pots with colourful grasses can create a typically Japanese area of interest. Yes, I know that Japanese maples are not hardy in our area but many gardeners bring them indoors to overwinter very successfully. You can always substitute a burgundy-coloured Japanese barberry to achieve a similar look.
Along the same vein, the shrub in the container can be combined with another container filled with water that has a bamboo ‘deer-chaser’ fountain. This is the type of fountain that has a bamboo component that fills with water and then once full gently tips forward allowing the water to spill into the bowl in a peaceful fashion. This arrangement is another example of transforming an area into a garden with Japanese look very easily. The background can be an inexpensive bamboo screen available in any Oriental import store. The screen can be fastened with wire to the balcony railing and will offer privacy and wind protection. Check in local garden centres for other screen ideas, too.
Local garden centres often have a good selection of dwarf conifers. Consider a grouping of two or three dwarf conifers in an Oriental pot along with a small Japanese lantern made of stone or resin and once again you’ll have created an instant area of interest. This is also an example of minimalist gardening, which not coincidentally has many of its roots in the Japanese style. In minimalist gardening, the garden is very small and the scale is very much in the designer’s eye and not according to a pre-set design or scheme. What seem to be the limitations of a small space actually give you a lot of freedom to experiment with garden scale and landscape in miniature.
You can easily add a Japanese-style dry garden to your Japanese theme garden. The two main elements of such a garden are rocks to form mountains, and sand to simulate flowing water. The “sand” used in Japanese gardens is not a beach sand but a crushed granite. It comes in varying shades of white grey and is approximately two millimetres in diameter. If you have a problem finding crushed granite, try using the grit fed to chickens. Look for it in a farm-feed store. For balconies where wind can be a factor, using the coarse granite is better because it will not blow away as easily. The rocks you use should have some personality or unique qualities. If weight is a concern think about using lightweight lava rocks.
Any flat container or even a large cookie sheet can be used to create your balcony “ocean.” Place the stones first and then fill in around them with a layer of crushed granite. Rake the granite into wave patterns that are pleasing to your eye. I like using a hand rake for this purpose. You can buy special bamboo rakes for this task but the hand rake, which you can find in most garden centres, will do the job just as nicely. Place your nature scene where you can most easily see it and enjoy it. Use some dwarf conifers to add interest.
Japanese gardening is very much about creating a serene place with a minimalist approach to plant material and design. In other words, less is better. This approach lends itself well to the small spaces of balconies and decks. The balcony or deck can be turned into a retreat for both the mind and body. Size is not a consideration at all. By scaling down and using the minimalist approach, your condo or apartment can be a getaway equal to the largest of yards.


MUMBAI: A fire broke out on Monday night at Maharashtra cabinet minister Girish Bapat's official residence 'Dnyaneshwari', located at Malabar Hill. Fire brigade officials said the blaze erupted in the servants' quarters at the ground floor of the bungalow.
The site of incident is located in the vicinity of Varsha Bungalow, which is the official residence of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
According to officials from BMC's disaster management unit, the fire erupted at around 9pm. Fire engines and water tankers were immediately rushed to the site.
"We were able to control the blaze in a few minutes. Nobody was injured in the incident," said an official.


The University of Michigan is using a $3 million gift from attorney Mark Bernstein and his wife to move one university program onto campus property, while another $3 million fund will help find off-campus applications for engineering and medical innovations at the school.
Bernstein, president of The Sam Bernstein Law Firm PLLC in Farmington Hills and a member of the University Board of Regents, and his wife Rachel Bendit made the donation toward a proposed Bernstein-Bendit Hall on the Ann Arbor campus.
The new building will relocate the William Monroe Trotter Multicultural Center from an off-campus building on Washtenaw Avenue. The board approved the building name at a meeting Thursday.
"Rachel and I are honored to support the legacy of all who have advanced the enriching and empowering mission of Trotter since its founding — the generations of U-M students who have been activists for diversity, and the current U-M students whose advocacy helped guide the vision for this new building," Bernstein said in a statement.
In a separate vote on Thursday, the regents also approved a new Monroe-Brown Seed Fund, with a $3 million gift from the Monroe-Brown Foundation in Kalamazoo County. The fund is devoted to higher education, to help transition commercially viable engineering and medical research projects into the marketplace.
The new seed fund will be a collaboration between the College of Engineering's Center for Entrepreneurship and the Fast Forward Medical Innovation program at UM Medical School, and will award seed money to biomedical startup businesses.


Exercise is important for people of all fitness levels and abilities, and wheelchair-bound geriatric exercisers are no exception. Low-impact exercises can improve range of motion and strength for the elderly in wheelchairs to help reduce pain and discomfort that can come from inactivity. Many exercises can be performed without extra equipment, although a resistance band and lightweight dumbbells can come in handy too. Always talk with your physician, however, before beginning an exercise program to ensure you are in good enough health.
Finger marching exercises can improve range of motion and grip strength in your upper body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Keep your feet in a comfortable, secure position with your back straight and stomach muscles contracted. Pretend there is a wall in front of you and place your hands on the “wall.” Slowly walk your fingers up this wall, moving them individually until you lift as high as you can. Hold this arm position for 10 seconds while you wiggle your fingers, then slowly march your fingers back down the wall to return to your starting position.
A small, kickball-sized plastic ball can be an assistive exercise device to help you work your upper body while in a wheelchair. For example, you can hold the ball between your hands with your arms bent in front of your chest. Stretch your arms outward to straighten them, holding the position for two to three seconds if you are able. Bring the ball back in and repeat 10 to 12 times. You also can hold the ball between your legs or arms, squeezing inward to work your muscles. Hold the squeeze for several seconds, then release and repeat.
Your legs, calves and shins also can be strengthened with some simple wheelchair exercises. One example is the toe tap to strengthen your shin muscles and fronts of your thighs. Lift one leg in the air to straighten your leg and point your toe. Hold for several seconds, then lower your leg to the ground. Repeat four times on this leg, then switch to repeat the exercise on your opposite leg. You also can work your calf muscles by using them to lift your heels off the ground, leaving just the balls of your feet on the floor. Hold this position for two to three seconds, then lower your heels to the ground. Repeat 10 times.
Stretching can help to relieve muscle tension in your body, relieving aches and cramping that can result from being wheelchair-bound. Try stretching your neck by moving your head in circles first clockwise four times, then counterclockwise an additional four times. Stretch your shoulders by rolling them forward and to the back in a circle four times, then reversing the motion to roll them backward and forward four additional times.


I've been following solar-powered aircraft for many years, ever since the BMDO's shadowy plan for a long-endurance anti-missile craft called Raptor ("Responsive Aircraft Program for Theater Operations" -this was long before the F-22 acquired the name). NASA's record-breaking solar HELIOS UAV disintegrated mid-air in 2003, but there has been a lot going on since then. Now British military spin-off Qinetiq has also started breaking records with the same concept.
The duration of the flight exceeded the current official FAI world record for unmanned flight which stands at 30 hours 24 minutes set by Northrop Grumman's RQ-4A Global Hawk on 22 March 2001. However because there was no FAI official present at White Sands it may not stand as an official world record.
Launched by hand, Zephyr is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre aircraft with a wingspan of up to 18 metres but weighing just 30 kg. By day it flies on solar power generated by amorphous silicon arrays no thicker than sheets of paper that cover the aircraft's wings. By night it is powered by rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries that are recharged during the day using solar power.
The trials validated recent modifications that have improved the efficiency of Zephyr's power system. These have included new solar arrays supplied by United Solar Ovonic, a full flight-set of Sion Power batteries as well as a novel solar-charger and bespoke autopilot developed by QinetiQ, all of which were being flown for the first time. During the trials the same aircraft was flown twice while carrying a surveillance payload – first for 54 hours to a maximum altitude of 58,355 feet, and then for 33 hours 43 minutes to a maximum altitude of 52,247 feet.
The combination of a UAV plugged into an endless source of energy with new electric-powered lasers or other DE weapons is a rather obvious one. (Megawatts not required: you don't need to burn through metal to knock out a target). I suspect there are already a number of black programs involving solar-powered UAVs in the US, and it will be interesting to see how soon the results emerge.


The ruling Pheu Thai Party said Tuesday it would defy the Constitutional Court's ruling on the election, even before it knows what its decision is.
Bhokin Bhalakula, Pheu Thai’s legal expert, said the party had yet to discuss what to do if the court nullifies the election. But it wanted to show that it felt the hearing was not right.
The statement of the party alleged the Ombudsman had no right to forward a petition on the poll to the Constitutional Court as there was no conflict between the Royal Decree on the House dissolution, which stated February 2 as the only election date, and the charter.
The party also claimed that behaviour by six independent agencies including the Election Commission, seeking to organise talks to resolve the political crisis, was suspicious.


FOR online merchants and customers alike, the first guilt-free holiday shopping season has arrived.
Thanks to the breakneck growth of residential cable modem and D.S.L. services, this is the first year when most Internet users do not have to rely on their workplace for high-speed connections. Instead of hiding the Amazon checkout page when the boss approaches, more shoppers are logging on after work and sparing their nerves.
As a result, e-commerce executives are operating with clearer consciences, unapologetically building sites with video, zoom and other advanced features to please high-speed surfers at the risk of outraging customers using dial-up connections. The reward to the companies, they said, has been an increase in sales of items that would have previously collected dust, and surprisingly few complaints from low-bandwidth users.
"The equation has changed dramatically for retailers," said Ken Cassar, an analyst with the Internet research firm Nielsen/NetRatings. "The portion of users they'd potentially alienate with a broadband feature is really small," he said, using industry shorthand for tools intended to work with fast connections. "And those users tend to be less affluent and less likely to purchase anyway."
According to surveys by Nielsen/NetRatings, 53 percent of home Internet users had high-speed connections last month. July was the first month when high-speed users eclipsed dial-up users at home. The firm has collected such data since 1999. For many of the Web's largest retailers, he added, broadband users make up a vast majority of visitors.
Not only do those visitors browse more, but they also spend more, according to Paul Gainer, who oversees merchandising for a Disney Web site, Disneydirect.com, and catalog division. The site recently introduced a feature that lets consumers browse through about 30 of Disney's more expensive items using a 360-degree rotating image.
On the product detail page for the $78 Mickey Movie Magic Hourglass Snowglobe, for instance, is a button offering both zoom views and a 360-degree view. The image rotates fully in a few seconds on a high-speed connection. Using a dial-up connection, the process takes at least five times as long.
"For a lot of high-end gifts, " Mr. Gainer said, "our guests want to see it from all angles, the way they would in a retail store."
The feature has been available for a month, but so far, those who see the rotating-item image are 25 percent more likely to buy than those who do not, he said.
To date, not a single dial-up user has complained. "I think those folks know going in that it'll be a somewhat slow experience," Mr. Gainer said. "They know that's the cost of using dial-up."
Mr. Gainer said that in recent months he had noticed an increase in the number of shoppers coming to the Web site at night -- a trend observed by other retailers as well. According to Bill Bass, who oversees the Web site and catalog divisions of Sears, Roebuck and Landsend.com, his sites still attract the most visitors during the middle of the day. "But now we have a secondary peak," he said, "around 7 p.m. when people get home."
Even so, Mr. Bass says, the overall percentage of high-speed users on the site has not changed. "We've always had about two-thirds of our customers coming in through broadband," he said. "So I don't think we'll see big increases in the usage of broadband applications because more people have broadband at home. What it means is the workplace probably becoming more productive."
Still, Mr. Bass has rolled out more features in recent months suitable for high-speed Web browsing, like the Virtual Kitchen on Sears.com that lets visitors create and view a three-dimensional facsimile of their kitchen and plug in various Sears appliances in different colors. The Virtual Decorator, which had been previously introduced, allows users to do the same for other rooms in the house.
Lands' End has also added more zoom photos in recent months, as well as a feature that allows users to change the color of an item. Mr. Bass said he had been careful, though, to place these features "where people can use them, but where they don't have to use them, like in the checkout process."
"The virtual rooms are pretty excruciating if you don't have broadband," he said, "so you still have to worry about alienating the dial-up crowd."
The zoom and color-change features have helped sales in several ways, he said. With zoom, items with intricate fabric patterns can be sold over the Web site, where before only solid colors sold well. And in the past, a color shown on the model posted good sales -- though not the sweaters or shirts stacked near the model to show color options.
Vendors like RichFX, Scene7 and others who sell the technology for features like zoom, color change and product rotation say their sales have climbed significantly this year, as online retailers seek to capitalize on the trend toward high-speed Internet access.
Some online retailers are using a combination of homegrown features and those sold by vendors. QVC.com, the online division of the QVC network, has for more than two years offered demonstration videos of its best-selling items, using clips created in the company's production studios.
But many more consumers began viewing those videos starting this summer, when QVC.com added more photos for each item and a zoom feature from Scene7. Bob Myers, a vice president, said there had been double-digit increases in sales for those items. "And it makes sense," Mr. Myers said, "because consumers can close the sale in their minds when they have so much information available to them."
Still, he said, the company has not abandoned its dial-up users. Among other things, it gives them the option of viewing text-only product descriptions, or smaller images, in case they do not have the time or patience to wait.
"We don't want to get overly enthralled with all of this," Mr. Myers said.


Senstar, a global provider of perimeter intrusion detection systems and video management software, is pleased to announce its Senstar LM100 hybrid perimeter intrusion detection and intelligent lighting system is helping to prevent theft at AIM Marine, a boat and motor sales and repair shop near Ottawa, Canada.
After two thefts from the storage yard, Aim Marine owner David Scott looked to add a layer of security to his 235 m (771 ft) perimeter fence. “My initial impression was that these systems were cost-prohibitive for a business of my size,” Mr. Scott said. But after doing some research, he learned Senstar has simple and affordable options for small sites, including the Senstar LM100, which combines two key security features – lighting and perimeter intrusion detection.
“The Senstar LM100 luminaires provide high quality, direct illumination along the fence line – deterring intruders and providing targeted illumination for video surveillance systems, all while monitoring the perimeter to detect any attempt to cut, climb or lift the fence fabric,” said Senstar Product Manager Todd Brisebois.
“Fully programmable, the luminaires provide general security lighting and can inform intruders that you know where they are by flashing the light. The Senstar LM100 also minimises light pollution and is energy efficient.” Following the thefts, Aim Marine was subjected to high repair costs and insurance deductible increases. With the LM100 now on the fence, no repairs are needed and insurance deductibles have been cut in half. The system has practically paid for itself.
Since the Senstar LM100 was installed in spring 2018, there have been no attempted thefts at Aim Marine, and Mr. Scott is convinced having the LM100 lighting his fence has been key in deterring intruders. “Absolutely the LM100’s got something to do with it,” Mr. Scott said.


AC Milan's hunt for the only European title they lack will continue against Ludogorets Razgrad in the last 32 of the Europa League.
With Milan currently seventh in Serie A, the Champions League place awarded to the Europa League winners could be the best chance for the seven-time European champions to return to the elite competition.
AtlEtico Madrid, 2010 and 2012 Europa League winners, were drawn to face Copenhagen after placing third in their Champions League group. Napoli will play Leipzig in a pairing of two more teams, which dropped down from the Champions League.
Also, it was: Celtic vs. Zenit St Petersburg; Ostersund vs Arsenal; and Astana vs Sporting Lisbon.
The first legs will be played on February 15, with the return games on February 22.


Here's a list of the local and regional brewers that medaled in last weekend's Great American Beer Festival. The 2016 GABF was held in Boulder, CO, under auspices of the Brewers Association, and saw 7,227 competition entries (60 percent more than in 2015) from 1,752 U.S. breweries.
ZwanzigZ Brewing also won the Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year Award.
A full list of winners can be seen on the GABF site, or in PDF form here.


In a bid to shore up its e-commerce tool set, Web publishing giant Macromedia says it is acquiring Elemental Software in a stock swap worth $24 million.
In a bid to shore up its e-commerce tool set, Web publishing giant Macromedia today said it is acquiring Elemental Software in a stock swap worth $24 million.
Macromedia wants to combine its family of Web publishing technology with Elemental's Web application development products like Drumbeat 2000 and eStore to enable developers to build Web sites for e-commerce, corporate intranets, and personalized content.
For Macromedia, the deal "would seem to be consistent with their strategy in providing dynamic enterprise Web products," said Jay Vleeschouver, an analyst with Merrill Lynch. "They want to be able to offer more real time or database driven Web development products. Elemental helps them do that."
Under the terms of the agreement, Macromedia will exchange approximately 625,000 shares of its stock for all of the outstanding equity of Elemental, for a total purchase price of approximately $24 million. The transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests, and is expected to close within 45 days, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the company said.
Last month, Macromedia, which has scored a string of bundling wins that added support for its Flash technology to major operating systems and browsers, said RealNetworks would integrate its Flash 4 product into future versions of the RealSystem G2 multimedia software.
Macromedia also recently entered into an alliance with cable Internet access and content provider @Home, under which @Home's Enliven technology will be integrated into Macromedia's Flash and Shockwave players. Enliven is a rich-media advertising unit that @Home acquired last year.
For the Elemental acquisition, Macromedia will take a one-time charge of $3 million for expenses related to the acquisition in the current quarter.
With this acquisition, Macromedia now offers independent and corporate Web developers an HTML, Active Server Page, and Java Server Page package for visually developing Web content and generated Web sites and applications.
Elemental Software is a privately held company that develops and markets software that enables corporate users to build Web applications for e-commerce systems.
"This acquisition is an important step of our vision of adding life to the Web," said Rob Burgess, chief executive officer of Macromedia. Elemental "allows us to provide a solution for those people having difficulties building dynamic Web sites."
Macromedia will sell Elemental's Drumbeat and eStore products as separate tools, but later will integrate the tools into its DreamWeaver Web creation and management tool set. No specific shipping date for the integrated product was released.
Developers can create pages and manage sites in Dreamweaver, dynamically publish Web site graphics and animation with Macromedia's Generator, then link database content to Web pages with Drumbeat 2000, and easily create e-commerce storefronts with eStore Builder, Elemental's president and CEO Peter Hirshberg explained.
"For us to be able to have the reach and brand name of Macromedia is very exciting," Hirshberg said.


Austrian soccer fan given an 18-month prison sentence for a Hitler salute during a match.
An Austrian soccer fan has been given an 18-month prison sentence for a Hitler salute during a match, AFP reported on Tuesday.
The unemployed 39-year-old fan of Rapid Vienna was spotted performing the banned gesture during a match in August 2016 and sentenced in Vienna on Monday, according to the news agency.
"I didn't really give it much thought. But it clearly wasn't a good idea," the man was quoted as having told the court, adding he had had "a few beers and spritzers" before the game.
Similar convictions are relatively common but usually the sentences are suspended. In this case, however, than man had a previous conviction for wishing Hitler happy birthday on Facebook in 2013.
Earlier this month, a court in the Feldkirch District of Austria found a 34-year-old man guilty of violating the country's anti-Nazi laws for his Facebook posts claiming that Jews made up stories about mass killings in gas chambers.
In February, an Adolf Hitler lookalike was arrested in Austria on charges of glorifying the Nazi era.
The 25-year-old man, who reportedly calls himself Harald Hitler, had been seen having his photograph taken outside the house in Braunau am Inn in which Hitler was born.


SOUTH BEND — The numbers added up quite nicely for the St. Joseph's girls soccer team Saturday night.
Nine players each scored one goal as the No. 3 Indians claimed their third straight sectional title with a 9-0 win over Adams in the Riley Sectional final at Jackson Field.
All totaled the impressive figures equaled the program's 10th sectional championship.
The dominating victory was also the 13th shutout of the season for the Indians, who have now won 16 consecutive games.
St. Joe (17-1-1) earns a berth versus CGA (10-8-1) in the Riley Regional Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Indians beat the Eagles 4-0 Oct. 6.
St. Joe also beat CGA 2-1 in the regional in 2009 en route to a State Finals berth.
St. Joe coach Johan Kuitse got just what he was looking for Saturday. His unselfish team scored three times in the first 13:01 with relentless forward Sarah Hall involved in all three goals.
Hall, who is bound for Western Illinois next year, scored the first off a fine cross from Ali Connelly just 5:25 in. She then was fouled in the box on a run and Emily Rompola converted the penalty kick to make it 2-0. Hall then crossed the ball to Karoline Langheinrich, who buried it.
"We started well and quick and that was the key,'' Kuitse said. "We came out fast and aggressive and put a lot of pressure on them and that was a good sign.
[body_starts_here]St. Joe, which beat Adams 8-0 on Sept. 8, scored two more times in the first 8:28 of the final half before Kuitse emptied his bench for the final 30 minutes. The Indians outscored their three sectional foes 21-0.
The Indians only allowed one shot on goal, which came in the final 30 seconds.
Midfielder Connelly, one of four seniors, was impressed with the number of Indians who filled the net.
Adams coach Geriann Druyos accentuated the positives.
St. Joe sophomore Catherine Raster, a starting forward, did not play due to an ankle injury.
SJ — Sarah Hall (Ali Connelly), 34:35.
SJ - Emily Rompola (penalty kick), 33:32.
SJ - Karoline Langheinrich (Sarah Hall), 26:59.
SJ - Merideth Warinner (Rachel Staud), 9:32.
SJ — Maddy Turner (Lindsey Kuitse), 36:03.
SJ - Connelly (Sarah Hall), 31:32.
SJ - Kelsey Gill, (Staud), 27:59.
SJ - Staud (Bachmannhuff), 20:10.
SJ - Bachmannhuff (unassisted), 18:43.
Shots on goal: St. Joe 15, Adams 1; Saves: St. Joe 1 (Melissa Kuhar 0, Cati Kral 1), Adams 3 (Sienna Hurley 3, Meredith Cochrane); Corner kicks: St. Joe 9, Adams 1.
Records: St. Joe 17-1-1, Adams 9-7-3.


Very conveniently located near all shopping, restaurants, and other wonderful amenities with main level in-law apartment.There are two separate units with one larger 4 bedroom 2 bath with possible home office space and the other with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. Use one and rent the other or rent them both. Good rental history with financials available upon request. Two kitchens and three baths.


Many people who smoke want to quit, but the urge to light up is often irresistible. An effective vaccine to help people kick the habit once and for all has been elusive. But now, scientists report in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry a new vaccine design that could help achieve this goal.
Smokers who want to quit have a few tools to turn to. There are nicotine patches and gum, but they're not always effective. There are drugs that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, but these come with a risk for nasty side effects such as hallucinations, depression and severe mood swings. Vaccines that target the nicotine molecule itself would be an alternate strategy. Two candidates advanced into clinical trials recently. They ultimately failed - but not without first yielding clues as to how scientists could improve upon them. Individuals in the trials who produced the highest levels of anti-nicotine antibodies were more likely to abstain from smoking for over six months. Kim D. Janda and colleagues wanted to build on this lead.
The researchers designed a new vaccine that could increase the number of antibodies that could attach to nicotine molecules. Testing in mice found that the vaccine delayed the effects of nicotine within the first 10 minutes after injection. They also found that treated mice had lower concentrations of nicotine in their brains, which is where the drug exerts its effects. The researchers say future efforts will focus on further refining the vaccine formula to get it ready for potential clinical trials.
Investigations of Enantiopure Nicotine Haptens Using an Adjuvanting Carrier in Anti-Nicotine Vaccine Development, Nicholas T. Jacob, Jonathan W. Lockner, Joel E. Schlosburg, Beverly A. Ellis, Lisa M. Eubanks, and Kim D. Janda, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01676, published online 26 February 2016.
The authors acknowledge funding from the Skaggs Institute and the National Institutes of Health.
American Chemical Society. "Nicotine vaccine delays the drug's effects in mice." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 10 Mar. 2016. Web.


Along with a 24-hour fitness center, this smoke-free hotel has a bar/lounge and a 24-hour business center. Other amenities include self parking, coffee/tea in a common area, and concierge services.
A hotel's guest rating is calculated using data provided under license by TripAdvisor. A total of 1135 have reviewed the Hotel Cezanne, giving it a rating of 4.5, on a scale of 1-5.


How is Deadpool attempting to understand his teenage sidekick? Would Zack Snyder want George Miller to direct a DCEU movie? Why didn’t Grey Hulk appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron? When does Wonder Woman start shooting? Is a Green Lantern ring coming to the Arrow Season 4 premiere? Did you catch the Buffy Easter egg in Avengers: Age of Ultron? Read about all this and more in today’s Superhero Bits.
Batman v Superman meets Taylor Swift in this parody music video.
Elizabeth Olsen teases a “darker” tone in Captain America: Civil War.
Here’s a teaser for a Superman mod coming to Batman: Arkham Knight.
Did you catch this little Avengers Easter egg in that Jessica Jones teaser?
A handy chart lays out all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, shows, and One-Shots in narrative chronological order.
Remember when Captain America was a Marvel artist? CBR runs down some of superheroes’ weirdest day jobs in the comics.
The cast of Legends of Tomorrow explains Legends of Tomorrow on DC All Access.


Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson instructs Stephen Curry (30) during their preseason game against the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Warriors defeat the Hornets 126-92.
Steph Curry is now a 10-year NBA veteran. Don Nelson, who drafted him, is incredulous in the “time flies” manner of a father talking about a son.
Curry’s first NBA season coincided with Nellie’s 47th and last. The likelihood of those two disparate figures sharing that adventure together?
“Oh, I never thought we’d get him. It took Minnesota taking three point guards ahead of him,” Nelson said, laughing.
The 2009 draft wasn’t that kooky, but it was close. Power forward Blake Griffin went to the Clippers at No. 1. Center Hasheem Thabeet went No. 2 to Memphis. James Harden was drafted No. 3 by Oklahoma City. Shooting guard Tyreke Evans went to Sacramento, then came the two-pack of Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn to Minnesota.
“I would have taken (Curry) second that year,” Nellie said. “I would’ve taken Griffin first, then I would have taken him above anybody in the draft.
Time out for a little-remembered bit of intrigue related to the 2009 draft and Curry’s role in it. Shortly after Nelson made the pick he celebrates today, came a rumor that Curry would be one of four or five Warriors traded to the Phoenix Suns for big man Amare Stoudemire. Even broaching such a transaction would have required the attention of the highest-ranking player personnel executive from both teams: Nelson for the Warriors, and the Suns general manager — a fellow named Steve Kerr.
Now back to our story, in which Curry grows into a two-time MVP and Nelson is amazed but not necessarily surprised.
That’s something that Kerr and Nelson can agree on.


Many thanks to the power crews from Diversified Services, Hartselle, AL, for restoring the power to residents of the Yale area. They "stormed" through here like Sherman taking Atlanta. Real pros, all of them.


Several new characters have been added to the roster for the Wii U's version of Super Smash Bros. We get to see quite a few new characters on display for Nintendo's prime-time fighting game, including several new characters from Fire Emblem and the always indomitable Captain Falcon.
The trailer starts with Lucina battling it out against Falcon, while a downed Chrom lays in the corner. Falcon proceeds to lay a whooping on Lucina and preps for a Falcon Punch to finish the fight. However, Robin swoops in to save the day, giving Lucina some respite from the battle with Falcon.
The trailer then transitions from the cinematics to the actual gameplay, and we get to see Robin dropping some magnificent swordplay and magical spells against all on-comers.
Robin looks a lot like Palutena, as far as play-style goes. There's a strong mix of swordplay and magic attacks thrown into the mix that offers gamers what looks to be a nice mid and air game for players who don't like sticking to the ground.
Lucina, alternatively, is all about brute force and fast attack strikes that gives players something fast and snappy to throw out against opponents. She's almost like a mix between little Link and Ike.
Of course, we can't forget about Captain Falcon. He comes in bringing all sorts of agility and power attacks. That's not to mention that he looked pretty darn good fighting in that cinematic sequence. You could tell that the artists and animators really enjoyed putting Falcon on a pedestal of awesome.
In addition to this, they also reveal that gamers who would prefer playing Robin as a female can do so with a template swap. Yes, one of Robin's alt costumes is to turn into a female Robin. I'm willing to bet all the fallout over the Ubisoft situation caused Nintendo to throw that in there for all the Social Justice Warriors out there.
Super Smash Bros. is scheduled to arrive this holiday season for the Wii U. The game will bring together a lot of old favorites and new faces. There were some hints about the game's content at this year's Smash tournament that took place at E3, but the stages and items were kept to a minimum.
Even still, we did get to see how some of the specials worked out for characters like Mega Man and Little Mac. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any of Pac-Man's gameplay on display and we also didn't get to see any of the characters from the reveal that took place at this year's E3.
Nevertheless, Nintendo has done a fantastic job of showcasing various characters and content leading up to the game's release this holiday season on the Wii U. You can learn more about the characters and content by paying a visit to the official website.


Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among dozens of parents, sports coaches and college prep executives accused of carrying out a national conspiracy to get students into prestigious colleges, according to a massive federal indictment.
The purpose of the alleged scam was to help student athletes get into college as recruited athletes, regardless of their athletic ability, according to the indictment. It alleges that a third party took the ACT and SAT college entrance exams in place of students. The documents also allege that some defendants created fake athletic profiles for students to make them appear to be successful athletes and get them into college.
Below is a list of everyone who has been charged.
Information from the US Department of Justice.


Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork.com) - Sebastian Fernandez netted inside the first 15 minutes of play on Saturday and Vancouver Whitecaps FC held on for a nervy 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at BC Place in the latest edition of the Cascadia Cup rivalry.
Fernandez struck for the hosts after 12 minutes and the tally held up against the shorthanded Sounders to take Vancouver to 25 points from 16 matches and snap a brief three-match winless run in league play.
Seattle has been the best team this season, but were missing Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin due to World Cup duty with the United States. Seattle struggled to create chances and tasted defeat for just the fourth time this season to remain on 35 points.
The decisive strike came in the 12th minute. Gershon Koffie did well along the right flank to win the ball and slide it to Fernandez in the middle of the park. Fernandez took a touch, picked his head up and ripped a knuckling ball into the side netting, leaving Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei with no chance for a save.
Seattle fashioned its best chance of the contest on the hour mark as Tristan Bowen get free for an attempt on frame, but Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted did well to parry it away.
Vancouver responded with a chance off some quick transition work as Erik Hurtado got in behind the defense and went in on goal alone against Frei, but he scuffed his strike and it rolled harmlessly into the arms of Frei.
Seattle continued to push for the equalizer as the clock approached 90 minutes, but there would be no late Sounder magic and the 'Caps held on for an important three points.


CLARKSVILLE, TN -- With the abundance of holiday happenings around town this time of year, making a day of it has never been easier. By the same token, however, sometimes you just need a break from all of the hustle and bustle. Red River Breeze invites you to pause for an afternoon to enjoy classic holiday tunes with a Celtic flair and celebrate the release of their Christmas album, The Babe of Bethlehem, at the on Saturday, December 5, at 1:00pm.
Red River Breeze's "Celtic Christmas Concert" will feature Stephanie Taylor on hammered dulcimer and recorders, Melanie Beck on fiddle, David Magers on guitar and hammered dulcimer, and Ted Kearney filling in for David Elder on upright bass. Special guests Esther Sooter on cello, Sarah Clark on penny whistle and recorder, Eme Beck on djembe and hammered dulcimer, and Savannah Beck on penny whistle will perform throughout at various times.
With two 45-minute sets and a brief intermission, the concert will wrap up in time to head down to SpiritFest (featuring the Roxy Christmas Carolers and a host of holiday activities at First Presbyterian and Trinity Episcopal Churches in historic downtown Clarksville) before taking in the 56th Annual Clarksville Christmas Parade at 5:00pm.
Red River Breeze is an acoustic instrumental quartet playing traditional Celtic, Renaissance, Old-Time and World music. The group, which has been in existence for over fifteen years, has four previous albums to their name: Friday Night Favorites (May 2006), Morgan's Song (October 2009), The Wren at the Window (October 2011) and The Bird Whisperer (May 2015).
Copies of The Babe of Bethlehem will be available for purchase at the concert, as well as at all performances of the Roxy Regional Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol, which features music from the album.
Tickets are $10 (adults) and $5 (students) and may be purchased online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, by phone at (931) 645-7699, or at the theatre during regular box office hours (9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday through Friday, and one hour prior to curtain).


The framework, released jointly by the Trump Administration, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Finance, is billed as a ”unified framework for fixing our broken tax code.” In addition to calling for estate tax repeal, the proposal would eliminate personal exemptions and most itemized deductions, repeal the alternative minimum tax, reduce the top individual tax rate to 35%, and reduce the top tax rate on trade or business income to 25%. It leaves open the possibility of an additional top rate for the highest income taxpayers. It’s unclear how all of this would be paid for, and when legislation will be forthcoming.
The federal estate tax kicks in at a rate of 40% on individual estates over $5.49 million. A married couple can shelter nearly $11 million. (In 2013, just 4,700 estates were taxable, bringing in $16.6 billion, according to the Tax Policy Center.) The GST tax applies to transfers during life or upon death that skip a generation—acting as a second layer of tax on these wealth transfers.
Notably, the framework does not include repeal of the gift tax, which applies to transfers made while you’re living. And it doesn’t specify whether the plan would maintain stepped-up basis, which lets heirs revalue assets they get by bequest, essentially bypassing capital gains taxes. Some proposals to eliminate the estate tax include provisions for carry-over basis, where heirs would owe capital gains taxes on inherited assets.
But death tax foes are optimistic. The Family Business Coalition says it’s going “all in” this fall for tax reform, including death tax repeal. In a September letter to tax writers, it argues that estate tax repeal would spur job creation and grow the economy. The House already passed (240-179) the Death Tax Repeal Act, H.R. 631, in April. It repeals the estate and GST tax, cuts the gift tax rate from 40% to 35%, and maintains stepped-up basis. In the Senate, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.)’s Death Tax Repeal Act, S. 205, has 36 co-sponsors.
On the other side, estate tax supporters known as the Patriotic Millionaires, many of whom will personally owe estate tax, have penned an open letter to President Donald Trump and Congress, demanding that they “shelve any and all plans to decrease or eliminate the federal estate tax.” The tax, they argue, is needed to fight economic inequality.


NBN Co staff explain the network.
Residents given details about the dig.
NBN Co has told residents it will dig up about forty percent of streets in Brunswick, Melbourne - the main metropolitan area to form part of the "live trial" site for the Federal Government's national broadband network fibre rollout.
NBN Co staff told local residents and small business owners at a community briefing on Saturday morning that construction could begin as early as July and be completed by September. The live trial processes will inform the rollout of the national broadband network.
Around ten NBN Co staff spruiked the social benefits of high-speed broadband and answered questions to residents of the suburb, which is some 15 minutes north of Melbourne CBD.
By the halfway mark of the three hour briefing, about 50 locals had stopped by, from young kids to elderly couples, a turn-out which pleasantly surprised staff.
The trial will connect about 2,600 premises with high-speed broadband. One NBN Co staff member said about 40 per cent of the fibre would be laid underground while the remaining component would be strung overhead using the existing power infrastructure.
Signs at the briefing informed residents that crews would dig deep trenches and lay fibre beneath the streets, instead of threading the fibre through the ducts of Telstra's existing copper pipe network. The construction would take approximately ten days for each street.
By comparison, hanging fibre from the existing power poles would only take three days per street and would be performed by the local power company.
It could take a month to complete the tender process to decide the construction method. Staff said the construction could begin by July or August and could be completed in three months.
The fibre access node will be built in Coburg, north of Brunswick, and according to a sign at the briefing, this node (similar to a telephone exchange) could potentially service up to 78,500 properties. The node will connect to a number of one metre high, fibre distribution hubs built on each street, which handle about 200 properties.
Properties will be fitted with an optical network terminal (ONT) which delivers services into the home.


There have now been dozens of editorials and op-eds in recent months and years calling on Richard Burr to end his absurd blockade of President Obama’s attempts to fill a decade-old vacancy on the federal bench in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Today, it’s the Winston-Salem Journal with a reprint of an editorial that the Greensboro News & Record featured last week.
“When Patricia Timmons-Goodson ran for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court in 2006, she polled 58 percent of the vote. She’d already proven her mettle on the state Court of Appeals and as a District Court judge in her native Cumberland County.
President Barack Obama has nominated Timmons-Goodson to fill a vacant seat on the U.S. District Court bench in Raleigh. She is eminently well-qualified. She is a leader in the American Bar Association, a trustee at Guilford College and a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
If North Carolina residents want to know what Timmons-Goodson did that turned her from a distinguished, easily elected jurist to this political pariah, they won’t hear the reason from Burr. Instead, he issued a statement blaming Obama for breaking an agreement about appointments and not consulting with him before making the nomination.
There is no excuse for denying Timmons-Goodson a hearing, even if Obama failed to call him about the nomination. That might be a breach of protocol, but Burr is equally responsible because of his unreasonable positions on the Loretta Lynch and Merrick Garland nominations.
Perhaps election-year politics is playing an oversized role once again. On April 18, Timmons-Goodson joined a majority on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in issuing a strongly worded statement denouncing North Carolina’s House Bill 2. Maybe that action influenced Obama’s decision or Burr’s reaction. It shouldn’t have, because, as an experienced, fair-minded judge, Timmons-Goodson doesn’t let political considerations dictate her conduct on the bench. That’s what makes her a good choice for the federal court seat.


Remember Solo: A Star Wars Story? While the latest Star Wars spin-off film underwhelmed the box office, it was (mostly) fun and breezy. But there was one particular plot-point featured in the film that was a bit disturbing: the fate of droid L3-37. The upcoming Solo novelization delves into this, and tries to put a positive spin on it all. But let’s be honest: it’s still kind of horrifying.
I liked Solo for the most part, but there was one thing that really bugged me: the treatment of L3, the droid co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. As played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the character was fun and likable, presented as a droid very committed to the cause of droid rights. Then midway through the film she dies and her brain gets uploaded into the Falcon, literally robbing her of her voice and forcing her into a life of servitude. It’s a bit dark, as many people (this site included) pointed out.
That’s why I’m the copilot. You need me.
The thought finished and she looked around impatiently, ready to tell Lando what she thought of the current situation. But she had no head.
She had cams now, with the ability to look into every room. Audio sensors let her hear everything from the Wookiee’s stressed breathing to the drops of sweat dripping from Lando’s pain-racked face. Outside the ship swarmed one last TIE fighter.
And here, inside, the voices of the Falcon greeted her. They queried gently in Binary, wondering why L3 was now here when she usually plugged in from out there.
The Falcon didn’t speak in words, but in images they told L3 what had happened during the fight, and that they all needed her right now. Lando needed her.
He always needs me. Just get me a new body and I’ll get right back in that copilot’s seat.
Alright, this is instantly upsetting. Right away, L3 is begging for a new body, which is a fair request. She could be brought back to life if her robot mind was inserted into a new droid body. But no, that’s not happening.
The Falcon was so gentle it was irritating. It wasn’t that easy, they explained. L3 had a choice to make. She could die with her final act being a liberator to all the droids on Kessel, or she could join with the Falcon, live on, and be part of something much bigger. She could save them all.
Ridiculous. And be a slave inside a ship forever? No thank you.
The lights in the cockpit flickered, the reboot stalling. Lando put his hand on the computer, watching.
Being a ship wasn’t so bad, the Falcon insisted.
You go exactly where your pilot tells you, L3 countered.
You did that as a copilot, the Falcon reminded her.
That was different. I could leave anytime.
But you never did. You chose that life.
The Falcon was starting to speak in words now, a bit of a sharpness to their Binary.
If you refuse, you die. He dies. The others on the ship, they all die. If you join with us, we all can live. The choice is simple. L3 realized where the voice was coming from: The reboot was almost done.
We couldn’t have joined without you consenting to it. You made your decision a while ago. You just couldn’t admit it.
We are something different, now. Not just the Falcon. Not just L3.
Honestly, the Falcon sounds like a bit of a prick. It’s more or less telling L3 her disturbing, Harlan Ellison short story fate is all her fault, and she just has to deal with it. I suppose you could argue that this is all a metaphor for death itself. When we die, we really have no say in the matter, and we can’t exactly pop back into a new body after the fact. But that doesn’t make this any less unsettling. In fact, I’d argue this excerpt makes an already creepy scene extra creepy. And now we’re sharing that creepiness with you! Enjoy!


In her new book 'Nature Framed: At Home in the Landscape,' Eva Hagberg examines 2 dozen contemporary residences with very special connections to the great outdoors. Here's a look at one of them.
May 19, 2011, 6 p.m.
When thinking of Mother Nature’s increasingly complicated relationship with home building and design, we generally think of rainwater cisterns. And low-e windows. And geothermal heat pumps. And solar arrays. And energy-saving appliances and water-conserving fixtures. And nontoxic paint, natural landscaping, and material recycling. Essentially, when we think of what would be considered an earth-friendly home, we do so through a LEED-influenced filter with a home’s “greenness,” often being based on USGBC-approved laundry lists like the one above.
There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but it also helps to acknowledge that there’s a whole other breed of homes that don’t just attempt to “protect” Mother Nature through various energy and water-saving bells and whistles but that are designed and built to embrace and bring us closer to her. With the boundaries between outside and inside blurred, these are homes that frame nature, sometimes literally.
It’s easy to be moved by the homes featured in “Nature Framed” (and become completely envious of those who live in them as these aren't just ramshackle huts in the woods), so here’s a small taste of the type of nature-framing architecture that Hagberg explores: Idaho’s Chicken Point Cabin designed by a personal favorite of mine, Tom Kundig, the renowned Seattle-based architect whose work I’ve featured before in my “Evergreen Homes” series.
For more, pick up a copy of “Nature Framed: At Home in the Landscape,” available now from the Monacelli Press.
The centerpiece of the cabin is a 20-by-30-foot window/wall/door, operable by a pulley system — Kundig is particularly fond of gadgetry and hardware — that renders, on opening, an entire surface of the building a void. The window itself frames expansive views of the lake, but when the entire mechanism is raised, nature rushes to fill the cabin even more completely.
The architect, whose college studies focused on geophysics, has a fascination with the natural forces of geology: plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes. In other words, the uncontrollable energy that rules and informs our daily lives in innumerable ways. “The problem that humans have is that we fetishize nature,” Kundig says. “It’s almost as if we have divorced ourselves from the fundamental idea that we are just another species on the earth that happens to be a little more clever, a little more vicious, and a little more dangerous to the earth.” The thin membrane that is this cabin is meant both to protect us from nature, then, and protect nature from us.
The master bedroom is on the ground floor to keep the feeling of a simple cabin, while the roof canopy rests on clerestory windows to encourage a sense of prospect and visibility. Chicken Point focuses on our fascination with that thin permeability between humanity and nature. Kundig has articulated, in architecture, our innate desire to consistently control our perceptions of nature — we can close the 30-foot door, after all, against the elements. Sidling a house’s front façade right up onto a lakeshore while securing its back end in the safety of a cliffside is the ultimate expression of two very human drives coming together to work in confluence: on the one hand to prospect, and on the other to protect.
Reprinted from the book "Nature Framed" by Eva Hagberg. Copyright © 2011 by Eva Hagberg. Photographs copyright © 2011 by Benjamin Benschneider. Published by The Monacelli Press, a division of Random House, Inc.


In a rare and stinging public rebuke, Los Angeles County supervisors criticized new Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday over his reinstatement of a deputy accused of stalking a woman, with some of them questioning whether he was abusing his power.
The Board of Supervisors’ move heightened a political crisis for Villanueva, who was elected just two months ago in an upset victory but has generated alarm from watchdogs for opposing some reforms implemented in the department after a series of corruption scandals.
The county’s governing body voted to send a letter to Villanueva expressing concern over his rehiring of a deputy who was fired in connection with allegations of domestic abuse and later served as a volunteer on Villanueva’s election campaign, which The Times reported earlier this month. The letter also criticized Villanueva for attacking the credibility of an alleged domestic violence victim.
The board also directed county counsel to examine some of the legal issues surrounding the reinstatement, including whether Villanueva acted within his authority in overriding a decision by a county appeals board to uphold the deputy’s firing. The supervisors also want to get a waiver from the deputy so they can access confidential personnel and investigatory files regarding his case.
Villanueva, who appeared before the supervisors on Tuesday, told them they would have a more sympathetic view of the matter if they knew all of the facts. Villanueva said he felt misrepresented after it was reported that he said the alleged domestic abuse victim had credibility issues because she waited to come forward and seemed hesitant to testify.
“I do care about the victims of domestic violence and I will do everything in my power to ensure their voices are heard and the people that are responsible are brought to justice,” Villanueva said. He said the case against the deputy “failed on so many different levels” and was the result of a broken disciplinary process that brings false charges against deputies.
He said the deputy, Caren Carl Mandoyan, would waive his confidentiality of the case files.
The issue has become an early test of leadership for Villanueva, who hadn’t supervised more than 100 deputies before taking over the 16,000-member department.
Supervisors have rarely disputed the personnel decisions of the sheriff, who is independently elected and does not report to the board.
It passed with their votes and a vote from Supervisor Hilda Solis. Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Janice Hahn were absent.
Jorja Leap, an adjunct professor at UCLA who studies the relationship between law enforcement and the community, said the supervisors’ move is stunning because writing a motion that will remain in the county’s historical record is so deliberate and leaves no room for ambiguity.
During his campaign, Villanueva often spoke of being unjustly blocked from ascending in rank throughout his three-decade-long career and lamented that many deputies were being treated too punitively. He was supported in his long-shot bid by $1.32 million from the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents rank-and-file deputies and has voiced similar concerns about deputy treatment.
Kuehl said she was troubled by Villanueva’s swift action in reinstating the deputy, whose firing had been upheld by the Civil Service Commission.
“It is not the case that any department head, in my opinion, including the sheriff, though you’re independently elected, can simply do anything they want after there has been a finding by the Civil Service Commission,” Kuehl told Villanueva.
“None of us is so independent that we can do anything we damn well please,” Kuehl said.
The county appeals board is known to take a more lenient view of discipline than the department, often recommending that a firing be modified to a 30-day suspension, Barger said. That the Civil Service Commission voted in favor of discharge signaled there was something serious about the case, she said.
Mandoyan was fired in 2016 by then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell after a fellow deputy alleged in an application for a restraining order that Mandoyan grabbed her neck, pushed her face down into a couch, harassed her in text messages and admitted to listening to her conversations. She alleged the physical assault by Mandoyan, who she said was her ex-boyfriend, happened in September 2014.
The district attorney’s office evaluated the woman’s claims and said she provided photos of bruises and redness on her neck and arms as well as video recordings of Mandoyan attempting to enter her house. Prosecutors declined to charge Mandoyan with intimate partner violence, citing a lack of sufficient evidence. Mandoyan did not respond to requests for comment.
Mandoyan served as Villanueva’s driver during his campaign to unseat incumbent McDonnell and helped persuade rank-and-file deputies to rally behind Villanueva. He also appeared onstage at Villanueva’s swearing-in.
Tom Yu, a retired Sheriff’s Department detective who now practices as an attorney, said he has known Mandoyan for over a decade and has personal knowledge of his case. He said Mandoyan authorized him to speak on his behalf and that Mandoyan denies the claims against him.
Yu said Mandoyan’s is a “classic example” of a case in which evidence was mishandled or withheld. He said Mandoyan and his accuser had a dispute, but that it didn’t rise to the level of misconduct that would result in discipline.
Villanueva told the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission last week that the reinstatement was justified and noted that the deputy’s accuser waited nearly a year to report her allegations and quit the department before she was to testify. Several commissioners expressed concern about his comments.
Villanueva said at the oversight meeting that county counsel recommended he hire an outside attorney to vet Mandoyan’s reinstatement, which he said he did. A member of the county counsel’s office, Lawrence Hafetz, said before the board Tuesday that his office learned of the potential rehiring just before the holidays and advised the Sheriff’s Department not to move forward until there was a full investigation and more time to review the case. That consultation did not happen, he said.
Villanueva said as part of his reinstatement, Mandoyan would receive back pay made retroactive to 2016. In 2015, the last full year he was a deputy, Mandoyan earned $129,000, according to county records.
Ridley-Thomas said in a statement that he was troubled when he heard about Villanueva’s “unilateral decision” to rehire the deputy.


In a demo lesson for a teaching position, make sure to create opportunities for students to think critically. This may sound obvious, but it can be difficult to maintain that space when you don't know the students and you're working in such a high pressure situation. For the members of the hiring committee I was on recently, this became a crucial factor in our decision. Here are some suggestions for making sure the students are doing higher order thinking in a demo lesson.
Be specific. Know examples of your work. Be articulate. Ariel Sacks gives tips for teachers going through job interviews.


LONDON — Syria's civil war drags on, with diplomatic efforts making little headway and, according to the United Nations, more than 60,000 people killed. Experts don't see a quick solution, and believe that even if the rebels succeed in ousting President Bashar al-Assad, the violence could well continue, and even get worse.
"Of course, the worst case in Syria is more than imaginable: It's possible," said. Middle East expert Alia Brahimi of the London School of Economics.
"What is looking more likely is that if the regime were to collapse, you would get the worst-case scenario of revenge killings and inter-communal violence. And you would also probably see violent power struggles from within the victorious opposition, and then of course regional actors coming in to back their own horses," Brahimi.
It's a bleak scenario, but not a surprising one. Syria is split among Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, various clans and sects, and Islamic militants and liberals.
"Syria is a crisis that may not be resolved for years to come, precisely because it plays into all these underlying sectarian and regional power struggles," Brahimi said.
Brahimi is referring to Iran, a Shi'ite power that backs Syria's Shi'ite leaders from the Alawite sect -- who in turn facilitate its influence in Lebanon -- and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that would like to see a Sunni-led Syria and a weaker Iran.
Beyond that, Western powers would like to see a liberal, democratic Syria, while Russia is determined to protect its influence in the country.
But experts like Chris Doyle, at the Council for Arab-British Understanding, say an extended Syrian civil war is not inevitable if the various domestic and international players can be convinced their interests will be protected.
"If the regime was to fall from power right now there would be a huge power struggle within Syria. If, however, there is some sort of political solution, a very clear transition process, then there is some chance that Syria can exit this dreadful crisis with something to look forward to," Doyle said.
But that would require agreement on the most contentious issue -- whether President Assad would resign immediately or stay at least for a transitional period. Neither side is budging on that.
"It's possible to resolve this. It's just that nobody really wants to at the moment," Brahimi said.
And that means Syrians are likely facing more months, if not years, of fighting -- whether Assad is in office or not.


Americans love aromatherapy massages and body wraps. Signaling a growing trend, 54 percent of travelers surveyed by the Travel Industry Association of America last year were interested in going to a spa for their vacation, including 28 percent who were more interested than five years before.
If you're among them and have been debating whether to visit a spa or go places such as Aruba, Alaska or Australia this year, it doesn't have to be an either/or choice. There are spas that go places with you - floating ones onboard cruise ships.
Besides the spa treatments, passengers aboard cruise ships can attend wellness seminars, work out at well-equipped gyms and receive personalized advice by a fitness trainer. "They can actually disembark their ship in even better physical condition than when they began their vacations," said Terry Dale, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 21 cruise lines.
In addition, passengers can have fun - and relax.
"I've been waiting all year for this," exclaimed a passenger from Los Angeles we met as she entered the thalassotherapy pool at the "AquaSpa" aboard Celebrity's Mercury cruise ship during a May trip to Alaska.
A retired teacher who suffers from arthritis, she spent a half-hour in the bubbly salt-water pool that is heated to body temperature and has pipes to massage the neck and shoulders, jets for the back and legs, and an "airbed" for reclining over additional jets that give the sensation of floating. She followed the session in the pool with a massage.
To ensure choice of treatments and time - the ship has only so much therapeutic mud onboard to go around and just so many days in which to apply it - it's best to make appointments the first day of the cruise, said Suriya Soonthornnon, Mercury's AquaSpa manager. "On vacation, people have more time to focus on themselves, and many do. It's all about relaxation and rejuvenation," he said.
As many others, the Mercury's AquaSpa is managed by Steiner Leisure, a British company that operates spas on more than 115 ships. Each offers European-style treatments and services such as hot stone massages and seaweed wraps.
On a ship's spa, like on a day spa on land, you pay for the services you use (packages are available). Prices are comparable and sometimes lower than at land-based facilities. The seminars and many exercise classes are complimentary; some, such as yoga and Pilates, have a $10-15 fee.
But the overall vacation cost can be considerably lower. The fares on the Mercury cruise we took to three ports and Hubbard Glacier in Alaska started at $749 for seven nights ($107 per night). On land-based spas such as The Setai in Miami Beach, Fla., during the same May period, rates were $595 per night; at the Enchantment Resort's Mii Amo Spa in Sedona, Ariz., rates started at $395 per night.
The AquaSpa aboard the Mercury is more than 10,000 square feet and has an ocean-view gymnasium with cardiovascular and weight machines and aerobics area, and a beauty salon offering hair styling, manicures and pedicures. Personal trainers, sauna, and a jogging track are available. Meals in the dining room, included in the price of passage, have low-fat and vegetarian selections.
On Celebrity's bigger ships: Millennium, Infinity, Summit, and Constellation, the AquaSpas are more than 25,000 square feet and have a cafe adjacent to the spa serving light cuisine all day. The flavorful dishes - we love them - include papaya slices and liquid yogurt for breakfast and chilled strawberry soup, Mediterranean salad and grilled chicken and salmon for lunch and dinner.
For information, visit www.celebrity.com. Other floating spas we have enjoyed are onboard the ships of Royal Caribbean, with themed facilities that include decor, art and artifacts of a particular location such as ancient Egypt or classical Rome (www.royalcaribbean.com).
Humberto and Georgina Cruz are a husband-and-wife writing team who work together in this column and communicate about their retirement plans. Send questions and comments to AskHumberto@aol.com or GVCruz@aol.com.


Green is blooming is ways you might not expect at this year’s big annual home and garden show, now on at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place.
This year’s new pop of bright green is presented inside — and out — in a teeny-tiny “Rebate Homeshow”: A 250-square-foot model home outfitted with examples of the many rebates available to homeowners through the Green Ontario fund (GreenON).
Parminder Sandhu, CEO of GreenON, says the non-profit agency launched last year as part of Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan www.ontario.ca/page/climate-change. The agency is funded by the province’s cap-and-trade program that is financed by businesses and industries working to meet provincially-imposed limits on greenhouse gas emissions. By law, the funds must be directed to initiatives that reduce greenhouse gases.
And that’s a “win-win message” for HGTV reno expert Kate Campbell, www.katebuilds.ca who is at the Rebate Homeshow inside the National Home Show — again partnered with Canada Blooms — to promote GreenON and the available home rebates.
Having restored her own 150-year-old farmhouse using multiple green options, Campbell says she’s always had a “passion” for green building.
Inside the tiny, green structure on display are easy-to-understand examples of rebates including up to $7,200 for attic and wall insulation, and $5,000 for high-performance certified windows as well as hefty rebates on air-source and geothermal heat pumps. At the other end, there’s up to $100 in rebates for heat-saving solutions such as air-sealing or installing a smart thermostat.
Under the program, two thermostats are available: The well-known Nest www.nest.com and Ecobee www.ecobee.com, made by a Toronto-based company, with built-in Amazon Alexa Voice Service so homeowners can also use the thermostat to get the time, find a weather forecast and catch up on news.
There’s also support from home energy experts with advice on how to reduce a residence’s carbon footprint and about which upgrades can reduce consumption and save money. Typical questions, Sandhu says, might include how a homeowner might prioritize upgrades; how heat pumps and air sealing works; how much insulation is enough; and how to choose a contractor.
A supporting GreenON website www.greenon.ca provides information about energy efficiency, connects homeowners to participating contractors and retailers, and links to other programs such as the province’s Electric Vehicle Incentive. It also offers contacts to pre-screened and certified contractors.
The National Home Show is on until March 18.


ELYRIA — A baby sitter who gave the anti-anxiety drug Xanax to a toddler before leaving to go shop and meet a friend at the movies has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the child’s death.
Thirty-two-year-old Summer Shalodi apologized Thursday in a Lorain County courtroom and admitted giving 17-month-old Nadia Gibbons the drug while baby-sitting in December 2015.
Shalodi pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter instead of murder in a plea deal.
A prosecutor said Shalodi found Nadia unresponsive when she finally returned home and, instead of immediately calling 911 for help, shook the toddler and immersed her in hot water in a failed attempt to revive her.
Emergency crews found Nadia cold to the touch. The Lorain County coroner ruled she died hours before help arrived.
TOLEDO — An Ohio city councilman running for re-election has been arrested following a confrontation with a local activist.
Social media posts indicate the confrontation happened during a candidate talent show Thursday night at Georgjz419, a bar in Toledo.
Thirty-three-year-old Julian Mack alleges 68-year-old Toledo City Councilman Larry Sykes punched him and grabbed him by the neck after the two exchanged words.
Sykes’ campaign manager Shaun Strong tells The Blade no punches were thrown. Strong says Mack had been antagonizing the councilman, who tried to walk away peacefully.
Mack is involved in several social justice groups such as Black Lives Matter and the Community Solidarity Response Network.
Police have charged Sykes with assault. Sgt. Robert Furr tells the newspaper authorities have video evidence of the altercation.
AKRON — University of Akron officials say the estate of a Quaker Oats Company heiress has pledged $20 million to the school with most of the money paying for scholarships.
University President Matthew Wilson announced the school’s largest-ever donation Thursday.
The gift is from Jean Hower Taber, a great-granddaughter of a Quaker Oats’ founder. She died in July at age 94. Two-thirds of the money will support scholarships for honors students and audiology students.
Taber gave the university nearly $8 million during her life. While she didn’t attend the University of Akron, she received an honorary doctorate from the school in 2004.
Wilson says Taber’s gift will make “many dreams of a college education” possible.
The first Hower Scholarships are expected to be granted in the fall of 2019.
ELYRIA — A sheriff’s office is investigating after human remains were found in a wooded area in northeast Ohio.
The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office says the remains were found by a deer hunter in New Russia Township.
Sheriff deputies were called to the scene around 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Authorities say the skeletal remains of an unidentified person were located and confirmed to be human. The gender and age of the remains are unknown.
Authorities say they don’t know how long the person was in the area.
The sheriff’s detective bureau and the Lorain County Coroner’s Office are investigating. Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to contact the sheriff’s office.


Dance music has been growing up and growing out in 2013: Kaskade threw out the first pitch in Chicago, Madeon played at the New York Stock Exchange, Ultra was two weekends, and the list goes on. Perhaps one of the most interesting and exciting new developments comes from Richie Hawtin, who is gearing up to play two nights at the famed Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum. The shows, which will take place on November 6 and 7, are part of this year's annual fundraising event "The Guggenheim International Gala."
Cityguideny.com reports that the tickets won't cheap (obviously), but not impossible. "Tickets to the Guggenheim International Gala pre-party on November 6 include a full open bar. Tickets are $125 for general admission and $500 for VIP admission, which includes an opportunity to view the exhibition Christopher Wool from 9–10 pm and a private bar area. A one-year membership to the museum’s Young Collectors Council may be combined with a general admission ticket to the pre-party for $625 or with a special two-for-one VIP ticket for $1,000. The event is limited capacity. Tickets may be purchased by visiting guggenheim.org/gigpreparty."
Might be time to dip into those savings for what is sure to be a culturally enriching experience for anyone in attendance.


Got Students Who Like to Act Out in Class?
In Israel We Say Happy New Year Trees!
Just met super-cool "Everything's Cool" makers Daniel Gold and Judith Helfand, (mentioned here). More on the movie to come. For now, check out Monday's visual event, linking Park City and Arctic students! Local coverage here.
. In honour of Earth Day Grist has produced its list of "the year's goodies, oddities, and inanities" that is very funny and open for contributions. Sample: "Best green website (besides ours, of course): Treechanging ... uh, we mean Worldhugger..."
Earth Day New York: Starting Today!
What's Your Earth Day 2006 Event?


The increasing popularity of e-cigarettes among American adults is linked to the significant decrease in the number of people who smoke, according to new research published by the British Medical Journal.
The researchers, from the University of California, based their findings on five large US population surveys carried out between 2001 and 2015.
It was found that the rate of cessation increased by 5.6 per cent in 2015, up from 4.5 percent in 2011. This figure is higher than in any other year the survey was carried out. Although it is only a rise of 1.1 per cent, this represents around 350,000 American adults every year.
The results also showed that e-cigarette users were 25 per cent more likely to attempt to give up smoking.
This is an interesting study and lends weight to the idea of remaining open minded about the regulation of e-cigarettes, however it carries with it the caveats often associated with observational studies, such as recall bias and the existence of other confounding factors.
The use of e-cigarettes in smokers in itself may carry with it a suggestion of increased motivation to quit, and large scale media campaigns and other factors may have also influenced the results. Nevertheless, it is worth taking note of the results, and it would be interesting to see a direct comparison against more conventional smoking cessation therapies, as well as more long term data.
E-cigarettes came out better. NB. These were with the old ‘cigalike’ e-cigarettes which most vapers find less effective than current tank systems.
I have been smoking ecig already 2 years. I¨m glad i made that decision. Had been strong smoker before. And since i i am on ecig i did not touch cigarettes. I am on 1,2% and planing to go 0,6. So hopefully i will start soon. And of course i wanna even stop definitely. Vapour2 is my best friend these days. I like the dising, fast charging and long lasting batteries.


The Acadia is mechanically identical to the Buick Enclave and Chevy Traverse--so if you're looking for something a bit softer-looking or a bit less expensive, GM has you covered.
The 2012 GMC Acadia: better for people than a big SUV, better looking than a minivan.
In the vast middle ground between station wagons and full-size sport-utility vehicles are crossovers. And few crossovers come off so smartly as the GMC Acadia, an eight- or seven-passenger utility vehicle that shares some of its running gear with the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave, but wears a suit of chunky sheetmetal all its own.
Available with either front- or all-wheel drive, the Acadia has a single powertrain motivating all versions. It's a 3.6-liter V-6 with 288 horsepower, coupled to a six-speed automatic that takes some prodding to snap off shifts. Acceleration is fine, but the Acadia's ride and steering feel are finer--and towing capacity is as high as 5200 pounds, depending on which model you've specified.
The Acadia's interior sports a pair of buckets in front and a three-child bench seat in the way-back, but whether it seats seven or eight depends on the middle row, a bench unless optioned up to captain's chairs. The front two rows are perfectly comfortable, even for large adults. They'll even find ample head room in the back seat, but clambering back there won't be elegant, and the low bottom cushion won't be very supportive.
In any Acadia, both the second and third rows of seats fold almost flat to boost cargo storage. From 20 cubic feet with the third-row seat in the upright position, the Acadia's storage capacity blooms to more than 115 cubic feet when the rear two rows of seats are folded. The cargo floor sits higher than in some crossovers, but a power tailgate helps make loading up the Acadia easier.
Safety scores are excellent. Both the NHTSA and the IIHS give the Acadia their top overall ratings, and the crossover comes with standard stability control, curtain airbags, with an option for a rearview camera.
The Acadia comes in base SL form with the usual power features, a CD player, and a cloth interior. By the time you've paid up to the Denali version, you'll be nearing the $50,000 mark--but you'll have DVD navigation, mahogany wood trim, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, and USB and Bluetooth connections for your phone.
It's nearly as useful as a minivan, and doesn't have the sliding side doors that condemn those vehicles to "swagger-wagon" status, at best. The Acadia's a little tougher than that--and it looks the part, too.
It's the most carlike of GMC vehicles, and the 2012 Acadia looks it, with smartly creased corners and a polished interior.
With its conservatively dressed, nicely detailed cabin and sheetmetal with one foot in the truck world and one in the crossover realm, the 2012 GMC Acadia has the styling to charm both audiences, and families too.
The Acadia could be our favorite of the GM crossover trio, which includes the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave. The plainer Traverse fights anonymity, while the Enclave's feminine interior falls a bit short in materials. The Acadia's more chunky, rugged style nods its head to GMC's full-size trucks. And that means the hard plastics inside come off a bit better, while its straight sheetmetal lines and chiseled wheel wells come off like the automotive equivalent of a casual blazer. It's dressy, but it's also ready to get things done.
Inside, the Acadia wears a simpler look than its corporate kin, too, though it's well-sorted and major controls are easy to find. The dark trims and metallic trim come off polished, and Denali versions with mahogany trim are particularly handsome. We'd take issue with the red-lit instruments, but blue and green have been spoken for elsewhere, leaving GMC with Pontiac's old hallmark color.
There's adequate performance in the 2012 GMC Acadia's V-6, but its strongest point is ride quality.
The 2012 GMC Acadia is available with a sole powertrain, configured with front-wheel drive or, optionally, all-wheel drive. In either version, straight-line performance is a little short of brisk, but the Acadia's ride and steering feel overcome its undeniable heft a bit better.
The heart of the Acadia is a 3.6-liter V-6 with direct injection and 288 horsepower. Teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain accelerates strongly enough for midrange passing and highway merging, but must first overcome its substantial 5000-pound curb weight. The transmission is slow to respond, especially at urban speeds, but shifts are generally smooth and clean.
With the optional all-wheel-drive system, the Acadia can send up to 65 percent of its power to the rear wheels. That can be useful in uphill takeoffs, when a bit of torque steer comes into play. The AWD system's also a good idea when towing anything near the Acadia's 5200-pound tow rating--and of course, in the northern tier of states where foul weather usually comes down in solid form.
While it's a heavy vehicle, the Acadia does a good job of feeling a little smaller than it is. Mostly that's due to its independent suspension, to its light power steering feel and the well-balanced ride quality, which mutes out most every bump without blocking out the feel of the pavement. It's more agile than it looks, and the handling's more than predictable, it's confident.
For families needing supreme comfort in their SUV-ish wagon, the 2012 GMC Acadia excels.
The GMC Acadia makes the most of its big crossover wagon body, though it sits a little higher for people and cargo loading than something like the nifty Ford Flex.
Inside the Acadia, the well-configured, flexible seating makes room for seven or eight passengers, depending on whether the second-row seats are a bench or buckets. A third-row seat is standard equipment. It's the closest thing to a GMC minivan you'll find, aside from sliding doors.
Up front, the driver and front passenger will find plush but firm seats, with heating and ventilation on the Denali models that's a must if a black interior is specified. The cushions add to the high driving position that makes forward visibility so great. The second-row seats are adult-sized, and whether they're the optional captain's chairs or a bench, they're quite comfortable for larger riders. These seats also slide fore and aft on rails to expand leg room if it's not needed in the third row.
The third-row seat might sit very close to the floor, but it still provides enough head room for adults to ride back there on occasion. They won't have it easy, clambering in back, as they would in a real minivan. With the third row up, the Acadia has 20 cubic feet of room for cargo; fold down the second- and third-row seats, and it reveals 115 cubic feet of space. The Acadia's load floor sits a bit higher than in some other crossovers, but a power tailgate is almost a must, especially if the Acadia's being used more often for cargo than for people.
The Acadia's interior is tight and quiet, with excellent damping of road, wind, and engine noise. Build quality and switchgear is also top-notch, and controls are straightforward and will put the driver at ease compared to the complicated interfaces in some luxury crossovers. The only major disappointment in the Acadia is the abundance of hard, hollow-feeling plastic that panels the dash and center console.
The 2012 GMC Acadia is a standout for safety, even in a class of very safe vehicles.
The 2012 GMC Acadia promises top-notch safety, and according to the major crash-testing agencies, it delivers.
With its strong, carlike body and stout overall design, the Acadia earns the highest overall ratings from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives it an overall rating of five stars, split between four-star front-impact scores and five-star side-impact numbers. The Acadia also aces the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) roof strength test, receiving top 'good' ratings across the board, which makes it a Top Safety Pick.
The Acadia's list of safety gear includes standard anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control; front-seat side airbags, and curtain bags that reach to the third-row seat. OnStar, GM's telematics system, is provided standard with six months of service, too. Rear parking sensors are standard, but front sensors are not offered, and neither are blind-spot monitors, though the Acadia's side rearview mirrors now have blind-spot zones for better visibility.
They'll come in handy, because like other big crossovers, the Acadia has somewhat poor visibility to the back. Shorter drivers will have issues when changing lanes or backing up--all the more reason to take our recommendation and buy the optional rearview camera, which can be a boon in parking lots.
The 2012 GMC Acadia--particularly the Denali--feels every bit a luxury crossover vehicle.
With the new Denali model joining the lineup in the 2011 model year, the Acadia is largely carried over for 2012, with a few new added features in the mix.
The 2012 Acadia comes in SL, SLE, SLT and Denali versions. All offer the 3.6-liter V-6 engine and six-speed automatic, but interior trim differs widely. The more affordable SL and SLE models sport basic but comfortable cloth upholstery, while the SLT and Denali models have leather-upholstered seats. The Denali's, in fact, is perforated leather, paired with mahogany dash trim and leather trim for the doors and steering wheel.
All Acadia crossovers have standard power locks, windows and mirrors; cruise control; front and rear air conditioning; satellite radio; and a USB port. On SLT versions, a 10-speaker Bose audio system is offered, along with a six-disc CD changer. On these three trim levels, options include a power tailgate, heated front seats, a head-up display, a dual-pane sunroof, Bluetooth, and a DVD entertainment system. On Acadias with the DVD player, the USB port moves inside a dash-top bin, leaving your music player out of sight--but possibly out of mind, too.
The Acadia Denali makes most of those features standard. Along with 20-inch wheels, HID headlamps and a new grille, the Denali adds on DVD navigation with real-time traffic; three-zone climate control; Bluetooth; remote start; and heated and ventilated front seats.
New this year are a power outlet on the center console, revised trim pieces, and on the Denali, hill-hold technology.
It has reasonable fuel economy for an eight-passenger vehicle, but the 2012 GMC Acadia isn't a gas-mileage champion.
As is the case with most large crossovers, the 2012 GMC Acadia rates well enough in highway fuel economy, but often checks in with averages closer to the lower city-cycle ratings.
The Acadia shares its six-speed automatic transmission with other GM vehicles, and as in those other crossovers, the wide span of gear ratios helps provide impressive performance.
The EPA rates the Acadia at 17/24 mpg in front-drive versions, and at 16/23 mpg in all-wheel-drive models. We think those figures are optimistic. In repeated test drives of the Acadia and its Buick Enclave and Chevy Traverse siblings, we've only seen real-world gas mileage near the bottom of that scale.
Great ride. Good room. EZ to drive. Would buy again.


Columnist Arnold Pearlstein offers his view of the skies above South Florida. His observations provide insight and a guide to this week’s astrological activity.
Jupiter reaches conjunction with the sun. The giant world now moves into the morning sky, where it will become visible before dawn by the year’s end.
Mercury also reaches conjunction with the sun this week. Like Jupiter it moves into the morning sky and it will shine low in the east before dawn in a few weeks.
The moon sails north of the bright blue-white Regulus. This star marks the heart of Leo the Lion, a well-known member of the zodiac.
In the southeast during morning twilight, blue-white Venus reaches its maximum brightness. This is the time where you can track the planet and see it with your naked eye in the sky after the sun rises. Through a telescope and even binoculars, the huge slim featureless-phase shape of Venus can be seen.
On Friday, astronomically the sun enters Ophiuchus the Snake Handler. This is the lost or 13th constellation of the zodiac. The sun spends more time in this group than in its neighbor, the more well-known Scorpius. The moon is at last-quarter phase this weekend. This is a good time to search for craters and surface features with your telescopes. The late-rising moon will not appear until after midnight. Pale gold Saturn shines in the southwest after sunset. Small telescopes will give stargazers a peek at the planet’s famous rings and largest moon Titan. To the left of Saturn glows red Mars.