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Decanter Headliners /
The October 2019 edition of Decanter (www.decanter.com) makes its usual, detailed, panel-based, blind-tasted analysis, this time of Chilean Pinot Noir.
We've the topper of that panel, the sole Outstanding (95-point +) wine (and a 93-pointer at only just over a tenner). The top wine has been into and (rapidly) out of stock a few times here and elsewhere in the UK (reflecting high demand and dwindling supplies in Chile), but we're delighted to hold good stocks at present.
There's a lot of truisms in the panel article, but none greater than, "If there's one thing that gets wine lovers hot under the collar, it's Pinot Noir", and, close to it, "As for the Holy Grail - well, that's great Pinot Noir at a bargain price".
We'll fully testify to that. When award winners, poll-toppers and highly-rateds are announced, we expect demand to go particularly-super-bananas if they are Rioja (=> 'run for cover'), New Zealand Sauvi Blanc (=> 'clear the beaches') and Pinot Noir under £25 (=> 'alert The Fleet').
But "great Pinot Noir"? Oh, Chilean Pinot can entirely do and be that ... but it seldom does or is. The trick for you and us lies in finding those hidden gems, so tests/reviews like this are particularly useful in navigating through that iffy Pinot mire.
A mire? Well, yes. Chile has, since its inception, largely (we stress that) majored in quantity over quality, bulk over boutique ... across almost every variety. As Decanter says, "Chile has long been the source of everyday Pinot - one of the few countries to consistently supply this niche".
It need not be a mire: Chile has quite superb, nay, truly perfect terroirs available for Pinot - it can lay claim to ideal soils (including superb limestone-clays à la Cote d'Or), (very) cooling ocean currents and winds, ideal rainfall regimes, a lack of disease... you name it, it's there. The cooler northern and southern valleys (respectively Limarí, Aconcagua, Casablanca, Leyda [north] and Malleco & Itata, [south]) - away from the heat of the Central Valley (more suited to Cab Sauv, Carmenere, Merlot) - have all that is needed to produce Pinot Noir that rivals the best of Central Otago, Sonoma/Carneros, Walker Bay ... and all but the very best of Burgundy.
<map from Decanter>
Even that latter statement may look different in 20 years. Which is to say that the Chilean Pinot producers continue to make huge strides in their quality. They just have quite a way to go, especally in terms of perception. Perception is definitely an issue: we have plenty of conversations with Pinot aficionados who will simply not consider Chile as worthwhile.
How to typify a Chilean Pinot? Much of the market - and the reputation in general - is one of lightness ... a lack of depth and seriousness. A minerality - sometimes far from subtle - is not uncommon from desert, rock and volcanic soils. Fruit ripeness is seldom a problem. Oak/barrique handling - where it occurs (much of the <£12 PN sees only steel) - can be too light (unnoticeable) or too heavy (often an overblown sense of charring) ... but this too is changing and well-balanced treatment is now more widespread as Burgundian and NZ expertise seeps up and down this daftly-long-and-thin nation.
<I now re-read the above and see that I've not painted the most alluring picture of Chilean Pinot. The key is to find the exceptions: those wines that rise above this common herd. There are plenty in the panel review, and the poll-topper is excellent. That's not pushy marketing: we'd not risk our credibility with you in coming reviews by over-applauding a wine. The topper surprised us. We'll get to that in just a moment; bear with us>.
Results: The panel tested 61 Chilean Pinots: two emerged as Outstanding (95+) (none, note as Exceptional (98+), rather bearing out that getting-there-but-not-there-yet message); another 22 emerged as Highly Recommended (90+). Those 24 top wines average a price of ~£18.50. No particular Chilean valley dominated the results, nor did any particular vintage (2014-18 were all on show).
"Get on with it!"? What, you mean, tell you about the poll-topper? Certainly.
The poll-topper we offer is Viña Tabalí's Talinay Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015. We've a lot more detail on this one, and that's all best viewed on the product page (click that link; there's also an excellent video there). It's a single-vineyard wine from their Talinay plot, just 12km inland from the chilly Pacific, in a micro-side-valley of the main Limarí valley. That plot has two key features:
an ultra-cool microclimate from the ocean breezes (see sketch below); and
soil that is exclusively from/on limestone and chalk, making it (probably) the only such site in all Chile and much akin to the lieux-dits of the Cote d'Or.
Coupled with some very fine-know how and winemaking talent, the outcome is excellent. As the panel said, respectively (see full review below or on product page):
"Bright, but muted red fruits. High-ish acidity, quite fresh, refreshing. A lovely example of Chilean Pinot".
"A wine that teases you and tantalises. Fresh, crisp, elegant, with coiled energy like a spring. Made by someone who understands proper Pinot. The touch of age gives it extra savoury complexity. Tangy acidity, lovely line and a lifted, engaging, food-friendly finish. Lovely stuff".
"Another fine example of Limarí Pinot, this has that strong salty feeling together with a firm, solid structure of tannins, well integrated acidity and refreshing red fruits".
Of course, we had a good taste and check ourselves. We can't just leave these things to outsiders, you know.
We'd definitely expected something rather light and insubstantial (I write as a definite Pinotsceptic), perhaps quite one-dimensional and lacking in complexity. But this really surprised us: there is more density, depth, concentration, multi-layeredness and ... well ... ooomph than the usual, and by some margin. Let's not get carried way: this is Pinot Noir, still, and not a Cabernet. What it is, though, is more akin to a NZ (Otago, probably) or Californian PN in style. It's obviously not Corton, Chambertin or Musigny. But then, at £17.95 a bottle, you wouldn't expect that, would you?
It's good, and it justifies its billing. We heartily recommend it.
Before we move on, we should point out that we have some near-contenders in the same panel:
- The Viña Ventolera (Leyda valley) 2016 scores a solid 93 points ("ample and generous", "lovely energy on the palate, said the panel); and
- the 93-point Echeverria Gran Reserva (Casablanca valley) 2017 is a total steal at just £10.60 a bottle ("a polished wine, lovey Pinot typicity", "excellent definition and lift").
- ... plus 5 more above 90 points (see all wines at foot of page below).
Viña Echeverria
Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2017
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Decanter Reviewed
Vina Tabali Talinay Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 (1x75cl)
** AVAILABLE AGAIN! **
Awarded 95 points and Outstanding status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Viña Tabali Talinay Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 - October 2019 Decanter review
Established in 2002, (Viña) Tabalí is a pioneer and iconic winery situated in Limarí, on the edge of the Atacama Desert in one of the northernmost vineyard regions of Chile. They were one of the first wineries to settle in Limarí and their wines faithfully reflect their place of origin in which climate and soils play a fundamental role, and bring out the potential of each of their vineyards.
See this video (~4 mins - may take a short while to download) for a beautiful snapshot of what Tabali are about.
After years of geological research, Tabalí is the only winery that producers wines that cross Chile from east to west in the same valley, from their incredibly high and remote site of Roca Madre (second highest vineyard in Chile) in the Andes Mountains' Rio Hurtado area down to their cool climate, Camanchaca fog-blanketed vineyards by the Pacific Ocean. In their quest for the perfection, they now also have a site in the renowned Cabernet and Merlot region of Maipo Valley. The result is a range of truly distinctive wines with elegance, restraint and minerality. In 2014, winemaker Felipe Müller was named Chilean Young Winemaker of the Year and acclaimed for his ability to understand Tabali´s distinctive terroir and use it to create remarkable wines, unique to Chile.
The Talinay vineyard is located just 12 km from the Pacific Ocean, hidden away in a small side-valley of Limari. This unique location provides truly excellent conditions for cool-climate viticulture and is (believed to be) the only vineyard site in Chile to be planted over pure chalk/limestone soil – producing elegant and refined wines. The constant breeze that drifts from the ocean and over the vines creates the coolest vineyards in Limari. Proximity to the dry Atacama desert ensures the vines are virtually rot and disease free. Maximum average temperatures in the summer months never go above 23.5°C which in terms of picking means 2 or 3 weeks later than other Chilean coastal regions. The small grapes were gently ripened by the cool summer days, freshened by the coastal breeze and the local autumn mist, the famous Camanchaca.
The fruit was hand-picked in April and underwent careful bunch selection by the viticulture team. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks using traditional vinification methods. The grapes were carefully selected by hand-first the bunches and then single grapes in order to be sure that only the best were fermented after a cold maceration for 7 days. Gentle manual pigeage (punching down of the vat's pomace/solids) took place daily to extract colour and flavours, finally a very short maceration after fermentation took place in order to enhance the taste profile on the palate. 100% malolactic fermentation took place in French oak barrels, followed by aging in barrel for 10 months.
For more detail, click the blue link below for the excellent fiche technique/technical note from Viña Tabalí themselves.
Viña Tabalí Talinay Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 - fiche technique
100% Pinot Noir.
Pretty crimson in colour. Crushed red cherry fruit and limestone minerality makes the aroma hugely alluring. The palate shows typical Talinay characteristics of bright, fresh fruit and finesse. A wine with great texture with full, finely balanced summer fruit flavours, balanced salty acidity and a persistent and captivating finish. Ideal with grilled lamb, roast duck, guinea fowl ... and well tested at Exel with cheese on toast (particularly good).
Vina Echeverria Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2017 (1x75cl)
Awarded 93 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Viña Echeverria Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2017 - October 2019 Decanter review
Viña Echeverría is a family-run estate winery, owned and managed by the Echeverría family. Established in 1930, but with an agricultural heritage going back to the 1700s, Viña Echeverría is as much today, as always, driven by a shared passion for winemaking and an uncompromising search for excellence. Viña Echeverría combines nearly a century of viticulture and winemaking experience with a modern state-of-the-art winery, to produce a range of over 20 quality wines from nine different grape varieties. It has recently been awarded its Sustainable Winery status by Wines of Chile, as well as its ISO9000 certification.
The vineyard is located in the Casablanca Valley, a cool-climate coastal region close to the Pacific Ocean approximately 47 miles north of Santiago. The proximity to the sea results in a Mediterranean climate, with pronounced maritime influence. The cooling sea breezes from the cold Humboldt stream, tempers the heat of the warm, sunny days and creates cool foggy mornings, ideal for top quality Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The soils are clay and sandy soils, which provide good drainage. Careful pruning ensures the correct balance between canopy and fruit.
The 2017 harvest was characterised by high temperatures throughout the ripening period from véraison onwards and late rainfall during spring. The temperatures were warm and favourable during flowering. The warm average temperatures allowed for a high accumulation of sugars in the berries which resulted in earlier harvest than usual, by one to two weeks. The red wines achieved soft tannins, good colour and a great aromatic expression.
Cold pre-fermentation maceration took place at 5°C for four to five days, in order to extract colour and primary aromas. Fermentation lasted for 10 to 12 days at temperatures of 26° to 29°C in stainless steel tanks, with selected yeasts. Post fermentation maceration lasted for five days, then 100% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation. 75% of the wine was aged in French oak barrels for six months, adding oak complexity to the final blend.
This elegant Pinot Noir combines aromas of strawberries, black cherries and raspberries with hints of chocolate and mocha. The palate is round and soft, with refreshing acidity and balanced fruit. Works well with earthy flavours such as mushrooms and truffles, grilled meats - pheasant or a rack of lamb. Try with oily fish such as salmon and tuna.
Vina Ventolera Ventolera Pinot Noir 2016 (1x75cl)
Viña Ventolera Ventolera Pinot Noir 2016 - October 2019 Decanter review
Ventolera is an exciting new venture between founder Vicente Izquierdo and one of Chile's top winemakers Stefano Gandolini. The vineyard, which was planted in 1999, is located in the region of the Leyda Valley, just six kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. The area is being singled out as being Chile's newest and most radical cool-climate wine region, which is strongly influenced by the cooling effects of the Humboldt Current that flows up from the Antarctic. Ventolera is a Spanish word which refers to this strong sea wind; its cooling influence is instrumental in producing wonderfully elegant wines.
The vineyard is located close to the sea, with sea breezes producing a cooling effect which combined with the high levels of humidity, enhances the fruit flavours in the grapes. The vines are trained vertically with strict water control which helps to moderate vigour and encourage small concentrated grapes. Yields are approximately five tonnes per hectare. The vines are grown in granite and alluvial soils. All the grapes are hand-picked at optimal maturity levels, before being taken immediately to the winery in order to retain freshness.
The summer season was cool with cloudy weather during January and February, which slowed down the ripening of the grapes. Early crop adjustments were made in order to produce grapes with the optimal balance between alcohol and acidity. The fruit harvested is elegant and delivers beautiful mineral tones.
Hand- selected grapes were vinified in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of 23°C with a total maceration time of 18 days. The wine was aged in new French oak barrels for 14 months. This wine was bottled without fining.
The vibrant bouquet of cherries and raspberries is a distinctive hallmark of the Leyda Valley Pinot Noir. Expressive and layered on the palate, with great freshness, purity of fruit and a long, structured finish.
Dominique Derain Las Nubes Pinot Noir 2018 (1x 75cl)
Dominique Derain Las Nubes Pinot Noir 2018 - October 2019 Decanter review
Dominique Derain has farmed vines and made biodynamic wines in his estate located in the old presbytery in the village of Saint-Aubin (Hautes Cotes de Beaune) for thirty years, ever since he bought the estate in 1988. Before being a vigneron, he was a cooper. He is now retired, but has passed his estate on to Julien Altaber and Carole Schwab. He still helps them out in the vineyard and in the winery. Now that he is "an old man" (his own words) and has so many years of experience farming and making wine biodynamically, he regularly receives requests from many vineyard owners throughout the world to vinify wines for them. Dominique enjoys these challenges at this late stage in his life. He met the Chilean vigneron who farms these Pinot vines, one Julio Denoso, through a mutual friend who owns a wine and photograph shop in Paris called Faute 'O Vin. The friend took Julio to visit Dominique; Julio tasted the wines and proposed to Dominique that he come out to Chile to vinify some of his wines there. A firm friendship has now been forged (Dominique refers to it as "une histoire humaine très sympathique").
This north-east corner of Casablanca region is only 20 minutes from the ocean, benefiting from relatively mild temperatures, and decent rainfall. The young Pinot vines are planted on terraces at an altitude of 350 metres on granitic-clay soils rich in manganese, and farmed biodynamically.
The grapes for Las Nubes were manually harvested at night to retain acidity, whereupon Dominique did a saignée of the grapes destemming 60% with the remainder whole bunches. Transferred to a cuve tronconique béton, the wine was macerated with skins overnight, whereupon 7hl of juice was drawn off. The wild ambient ferment proceeded in a cement egg, then free-run juice and the press juice were blended and transferred to 40-hectolitre stainless steel vat with adjustable lids, and containing an air chamber, where the wine subsequently spent a further three months ageing and completing its alcoholic fermentation.
Las Nubes was bottled without filtration and fining and zero sulphur was added. The lab analysis gives a total SO2 of just 0.001. You can taste (the lack of) it! The name means "the clouds" and it's derived from the name of the area in which the vineyard called Montsecano is situated. The owner of the vineyard (Julio's uncle) asked Dominique to put the name Las Nubes on the label.
A delightful light red, closer to a mid-rosé in colour, with lifted primary red fruit on the nose and on the palate. With its delicate extraction, we are reminded of a really cracking Beaujolais, a kind of Pinot-primeur. This is a very Chilean cuvée by Dominique, a super fruity and very expressive Pinot Noir. The intention here is for a fresh, immediately enjoyable wine, and it hits the spot!
Vina Leyda Pinot Noir Las Brisas 2017 (1x 75cl)
Awarded 90 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below) and ...
Viña Leyda Pinot Noir Las Brisas 2017 - October 2019 Decanter review
... and the (forthcoming) 2018 vintage was also awarded 92 points and Highly Recommended status (see blue link below).
Few wineries encapsulate the development of coolclimate winemaking in Chile as well as pioneering Viña Leyda. The first producer to explore this coastal area, a rising star of New World winemaking, it took its name from the local railway station and later lent it to the entire DO of Leyda Valley. If Casablanca Valley represents Chile's first tentative steps into cool-climate production, Leyda is a series of determined, confident strides: just 14km from the Pacific, the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah planted here express a crispness, minerality and fine-boned structure not found elsewhere in Chile's viticultural paradise. Viña Leyda now has more than 200 hectares under vine, but the approach remains one of micromanagement, with detailed mapping of each vineyard and individual lot, and constant experimentation with clonal selection and viticultural techniques.
This 100% Pinot Noir comes a vineyard located in the Leyda Valley, just 12 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. Pinot Noir Las Brisas (= breezes) comes from a selection of two blocks with a southwest exposure that sit in an excellent microclimate: The western exposure provides a direct breeze from the Pacific (hence the wine's name), and the southern exposure provides less direct sunlight, thus a slower grape maturation. It is one of the last Pinots to be harvested. The soils' surface contains granite, directly related to the wine's vibrancy and juiciness.
The grapes were harvested by hand between March 5-14, with 22.8-24° Brix. A vibrating table selected bunches before destemming, gently crushing and filling stainless steel tanks. Half was vinified in open tanks, the other half in closed tanks. The cold maceration lasted four days at 10°C, followed by the alcoholic fermentation. During fermentation, gentle pumpovers were used while maintaining temperatures between 24°-26°C. Once ready, the wine was racked into used barrels (30%), stainless steel tanks (37%) and untoasted French oak (2-y-o) barrels (33%) in order to undergo the malolactic fermentation and age for 10 months before bottling.
This is a great example of Pinot Noir, aromatically fresh and complex. A juicy, fruity and elegant wine. It has a beautiful, bright colour. Clean and fruity on the nose, with hints of red cherries, raspberries and a subtle wild herb note. Las Brisas is delicate and refined on the palate. Juicy with ripe flavours of berries combined with mineral notes and a lively acidity.
Vina Leyda Pinot Noir Las Brisas 2018 (1x75cl)
Awarded 92 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter in their February 2020 edition panel tasting of New World, single-vineyard Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Viña Leyda Pinot Noir Las Brisas 2018 - February 2020 Decanter review
Awarded 92 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below)
Montes Alpha Aconcagua Pinot Noir 2018 (1x75cl)
The 2017 vintage was awarded 91 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Montes Alpha Aconcagua Pinot Noir 2017 - October 2019 Decanter review
Montes was established in 1988 by Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, with the aim of producing the best wines in Chile from the best regions. The Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, first produced in 1987, broke the mould for premium wines in Chile. Since then, Alpha has developed to become the core range in the Montes portfolio. The grapes and sites are carefully selected in order to ensure varietal integrity and complexity. Viticulture is hands on rather than mechanical or industrial.
The Pinot Noir vineyards are planted on gently rolling hills with different aspects and are trained to vertical shoot position. The sites are irrigated via a 'Sustainable Dry Farmed' system, developed by Aurelio and his team, which allows for extremely precise and minimal irrigating, reducing their water footprint by 65%. The vines only require minimal work with the canopy, which enables the growers to obtain healthy grapes with good balance at harvest time. Yields vary between 7,000 and 8,000 kilograms per hectare. The proximity of the vineyards to the Pacific coast endows the wine with tremendous freshness, minerality, and cold-climate typicity. The granitic soils of the Coastal Mountains have varying percentages of clay, which contributes elegance, creaminess and a unique sense of place.
The grapes were cold soaked at 10°C for 5-7 days to extract aroma and colour, especially important for thin-skinned Pinot Noir. After that, the must was fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and then kept on the skins to give structure and colour for another 15-20 days. After malolactic fermentation, the final blend was aged in French oak barrels (25% new) for 10-12 months.
See also (for more detail) the blue link below for the excellent fiche technique/technical/vintage note from the winemakers themselves.
Montes Alpha Aconcagua Pinot Noir 2018 - fiche technique
This Pinot Noir is bright ruby red in colour. The nose presents aromas of ripe cherries and raspberries, white pepper and a touch of violets. Medium-bodied, the palate has silky, smooth tannins, fresh and vibrant acidity, and shows well-integrated French oak. The long and perfumed finish is smooth and elegant.
Vina Leyda Pinot Noir Lot 21 2015 (1x 75cl)
The 2016 vintage (not yet available in the UK despite the implication in the review!) was awarded 90 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Chilean Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Viña Leyda Pinot Noir Lot 21 2015 - October 2019 Decanter review
The fruits of those labours are reflected not just in their impeccable Reserva range, but in the exciting series of single vineyard and single plot wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay and a trio of top-quality Pinot Noirs.
100% Pinot Noir from estate vineyards in the Leyda Valley, where maritime influence and summer breezes create an extraordinary environment for Burgundian varieties like Pinot Noir.
This single-vineyard wine comes from a selected parcel where all labor is performed by hand, vine by vine. Clusters are carefully selected to keep yields extremely low. Less than 1.75 pounds of fruit is produced by each plant. The grapes were hand harvested, by women only, on March 29nd. The first cluster selection was made in the vineyard followed by a second one made in the cellar in sorting tables. The clusters were destemmed followed by a careful berry selection.
60% of the berries were crushed softly and 40% kept as whole berries. The grapes were chilled down to 46-50° F for 6 days for cold maceration. Alcoholic fermentation took place at 75-78° F during 7 days with a punching down/pigeage regime of 3-4 times per day. After dryness, the wine was immediately racked off the skins into french oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and aged for 10 months. 10% of the barrels are new.
Lot 21 Pinot Noir is a complex and elegant wine, with delicate aromas of strawberries, red cherries, orange peel and herbs with a subtle earth complexity. The first impression on the palate is of fresh, sweet red berries. The middle palate has nice volume with concentrated cherry flavors and soft ripe tannins that cover the entire tongue. The finish is bright and lingering.
Outer Limits By Montes Zapallar Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 (1x75cl)
Awarded 92 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their February 2020 edition panel tasting of New World, single-vineyard Pinot Noir (see blue link below).
Outer Limits By Montes Zapallar Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 - February 2020 Decanter review
Outer Limits By Montes Zapallar Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 - October 2019 Decanter review
Montes was established in 1988 by Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, with the aim of producing the best wines in Chile from the best regions. The Montes wines are consistently good because they are meticulous throughout the entire production process. The Outer Limits wines were born out of Aurelio Montes' desire to push Chilean viticulture in a new direction. The 45 hectare Zapallar Vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley was Montes' first venture into the 'outer limits'. Due to the balance and concentration in the Outer Limits wines, they can be enjoyed now or allowed to age for a few years, rewarding with a wonderfully complex bouquet.
Grapes come from a single vineyard in Zapallar located seven kilometres from the coast in Aconcagua. Montes is the first producer to plant vines and make wines here. Due to the cool climate, similar to other cool coastal regions in Chile, the wines have racy acidity, minerality, elegance and distinct aromatics. The grapes were all hand harvested at the end of March, later than other areas, due to the cool climate.
The 2016-17 season was generally very dry but bud break and bunch development was good despite the expected 50% yield reduction – an impact of the previous year. As a consequence, the fruit had a higher concentration of phenolics and the well distributed bunches within the canopy ensured healthy fruit. Despite the high summer heat, harvest occurred on schedule and delivered fruit with good acidity levels and ripe tannins.
The grapes were cold-soaked at 10°C for five days to extract aroma and colour, especially important for thin-skinned Pinot Noir. After that, the grapes were fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and then kept on their skins to give structure and colour for another 20 days. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (20% new) for 10 months.
This elegant Pinot Noir has a very aromatic nose, pronounced notes of ripe cherries, blackcurrants, violets and a hint of mild toast from ageing in French oak. A smooth palate with round tannins, alongside a fresh fruit character. Vibrant acidity gives the wine a bright and perfumed finish.


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Wow! Cool! I love all these fab ideas! I discovered loads of nice names for my future boutique with me and my greatest good friend. Being pregnant is a fun time to strive new fashions (particularly cozy ones)! You could possibly also promote child clothing and other mom-centric items. A pharmaceutical producer may write many varieties of proposals, including some specializing in research and growth, manufacturing, automation, logistics, distribution, and case studies, drawing from lots of of matters in the Proposal Pack.
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Week 394 — Go Free Range.
We took advantage of not working on Smart Answers to take things slightly easier this week.
This suited me as I had to spend some time moving between temporary accommodation during the week: we've been staying with family and in Airbnb rentals since moving back from New Zealand in July.
We both finished a couple of things that we didn't quite manage before we left GDS last week.
I finished some marriage-abroad work that I'd originally started in early June! It felt good to complete and it'll hopefully mean that it's easier to ensure services and fees are displayed consistently.
James investigated building upon his work in PRs 2667 and 2670. PRs 2667 and 2670 allowed content designers and developers to easily find the ERB template corresponding to landing, question and outcome pages in Smart Answers. James was hoping to extend this to support linking to partial templates too. Unfortunately this proved to be much harder than expected and James took the pragmatic decision to document the various approaches he'd tried and to hand it over to the Smart Answers developers.
We managed to publish some links in week 394! This has been a much neglected task over the past few months so we're going to see if we can start publishing them again.
I've agreed to share some of the responsibility for Mocha and got stuck in by investigating PR 244. I got as far as replicating/understanding the problem it was solving but still need to understand the fix.
Jase invited us to lunch at Facebook on Wednesday. It was great to catch up and to have a bit of a tour of the Facebook offices.
James and I then retired to the pub for a couple of pints in the sun and to talk about what's next for GFR.
James and I have agreed to do some more work with Hookline after working with them in weeks 348 and 351.
We spent a couple of hours on Friday reminding ourselves of where we'd got to before meeting Amy and Rach for lunch at the Hospital Club. We had a good chat about what they've been up to and what we can most usefully do for them.
We've agreed that we've still got the same goal of creating a single tool for them to manage their music catalogue and to be able to respond to briefs. We hope to be able to make some good progress with this over the next couple of weeks.


text:
package com.cadalys.heroku.stereotype.service;

import com.cadalys.heroku.config.DataSourceConfiguration;
import com.cadalys.heroku.exception.ArchiveStatusException;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;

import javax.sql.DataSource;
import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.Timestamp;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.Optional;

@Service
public class ArchiveStatusService {

    private static final String ARCHIVE_TABLE_NAME = "cadarch__archive_plan__c";

    private static final String SELECT_ROW_STATEMENT =
            "select %1$s." + ColumnSelector.RECORD_ID.columnName + ", " +
                    "%1$s." + ColumnSelector.TIMESTAMP.columnName +
                    " from " + DataSourceConfiguration.SCHEMA_NAME + ".%1$s" +
                    " where %1$s." + ColumnSelector.RECORD_ID.columnName + " in (%2$s);";

    @Autowired
    private DataSource dataSource;

    public List<Map<String, Object>> findByIds(final String[] identifiers) {
        final List<String> errors = new ArrayList<>();

        final List<Map<String, Object>> records = new ArrayList<>();

        try {
            final String questionMarks = String.join(", ", Collections.nCopies(identifiers.length, "?"));
            try (final Connection connection = dataSource.getConnection();
                 final PreparedStatement statement = connection.prepareStatement(
                         String.format(SELECT_ROW_STATEMENT, ARCHIVE_TABLE_NAME, questionMarks))) {
                for (int i = 0; i < identifiers.length; i++) {
                    statement.setString(i + 1, identifiers[i]);
                }

                final ResultSet resultSet = statement.executeQuery();
                while (resultSet.next()) {
                    final Map<String, Object> record = new HashMap<>();
                    record.put(ColumnSelector.RECORD_ID.resultColumnName,
                            resultSet.getString(ColumnSelector.RECORD_ID.columnName));
                    record.put(ColumnSelector.TIMESTAMP.resultColumnName,
                            Optional.ofNullable(resultSet.getTimestamp(ColumnSelector.TIMESTAMP.columnName))
                                    .map(Timestamp::getTime).orElse(null));

                    records.add(record);
                }
            }
        } catch (Exception e) {
            errors.add(e.getMessage());
        }

        if (!errors.isEmpty()) {
            throw new ArchiveStatusException(errors);
        }

        return records;
    }

    private enum ColumnSelector {
        RECORD_ID("sfid", "recordId"),
        TIMESTAMP("lastmodifieddate", "timestamp");

        ColumnSelector(final String columnName, final String resultColumnName) {
            this.columnName = columnName;
            this.resultColumnName = resultColumnName;
        }

        private final String columnName;

        private final String resultColumnName;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Can I change my in-game name ?
I think my in-game name is too long and I want to make the name shorter .
So how to change the name ? Apply to change my in-game ?
If yes , where can I apply ? Thanks .
Last edited by Marksman on Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Can I change my in-game name ?
U can, just let us know that is u. u can write it right here.
OK , I will change my in-game name , thanks !
well i dnt advice u with that , try to finish ur Rc , then change it , people start know u as the old name and some peaple dn t check forum or new topics !!!
It's ok, really. Our members will know that it is him if he tell us.


ISO-1032CE - 32 channel system.
ISO-1032CE -32 channel System specifications.
This is a specification of all parts for a complete system with one ISO-1032CE Amplifier.
Set of EEG electrodes depends on customer requirements.
CONTROL-1132 CONTROL-1132 unit To control the ISO-1032CE without PC equipment.


text:
by Michelle Colistro | November 18, 2008 · 1:29 am
Nov. 26: Daccia Bloomfield, Catherine Graham and Mike Knox
Pivot is back November 26, featuring Daccia Bloomfield, Catherine Graham and Mike Knox.
Daccia Bloomfield is a writer, visual artist and independent curator. For several years, she co-directed an art gallery called Virus Arts, which lovingly served Toronto's diverse arts and literary communities. She is a founding and contributing member of the art collective/small press "Good Morning Press". Daccia is currently employed by the Canadian Foundation for AIDS research. She lives and works in downtown Toronto.
Catherine Graham is the author of The Watch (Abbey Press), Pupa (Insomniac Press), and The Red Element (Insomniac Press). She teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto where she was nominated for an Excellence in Teaching Award and Life Writing classes in Burlington at Discovery Landing. Her work has been published in such journals as The New Quarterly, The Literary Review of Canada and The Fiddlehead. As creativity consultant, Catherine has led her unique workshops through GlaxoSmithKline, BookExpo, York University and Environics Communications. She is Vice President of Project Bookmark Canada. Visit: www.catherinegraham.com
Michael Knox is the author of the internationally acclaimed poetry collection The North End Poems and of Play out the Match, both published with ECW Press. His poems have appeared in a variety of literary journals across North America and Britain.
Wednesday, November 26, 8 p.m.
At the Press Club
850 Dundas St. West
by Michelle Colistro | November 3, 2008 · 8:01 pm
Pivot with Alison Pick, Jeff Latosik and Sara Heinonen
Pivot is back November 12 and better than ever with three excellent readers for the price of none:
Sara Heinonen is a Toronto writer whose stories have been published in This Magazine, Taddle Creek, and Grain. She is working on a collection of short stories that don't as yet appear to be linked.
Jeff Latosik's work has been published in journals across Canada. He won the PK Page award for poetry in 2007 and This Magazine's Great Literary Hunt for 2008 for poetry. A first book is in the works.
Alison Pick is the author of the novel The Sweet Edge, a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book that has been optioned for film. The title section of her poetry collection 'Question & Answer' won the 2002 Bronwen Wallace Award for Poetry and the 2003 National Magazine Award for Poetry; she was also the winner of the 2005 CBC Literary Award for Poetry. The Dream World, the title piece from Alison's newest book, is included in the Best Canadian Poetry of 2008. Alison Pick lives in Toronto where she is currently at work on a new novel as well as a book of non-fiction about her family's denial of their Judaism following the Holocaust.
PLEASE NOTE that we will be starting early to make way for a band at 10 p.m. Readings will begin at 8.15 sharp, so arrive early – you won't want to miss this.


Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts. In its traditional, non-geologic use, the term "porphyry" refers to the purple-red form of this stone, valued for its appearance. Later, the name was generalized to igneous rocks with large crystals.
Historically, purple was regarded as the royal color, and porphyry was prized for various monuments and building projects in Imperial Rome and later. For example, it was used for the columns of Hagia Sophia (in Constantinople, now Istanbul) and in the "Porphyra", the official delivery room used by pregnant empresses in the Great Palace of Constantinople. Today, there are at least 134 porphyry columns in buildings around Rome, all reused from imperial times. In addition, countless altars, basins, and other objects are made from this stone.
The word "porphyry" is derived from a Latin term that means "purple." Purple was the color of royalty, and the "Imperial Porphyry" (noted below) was a deep brownish-purple igneous rock with large crystals of plagioclase.
In the first stage, the magma cools slowly deep within the crust, creating the large crystal grains with a diameter of 2 millimeters or more.
In the second stage, the magma is cools rapidly at relatively shallow depth or as it erupts from a volcano, creating small grains that are usually invisible to the unaided eye.
The cooling also leads to a separation of dissolved metals into distinct zones. This process is one of the main reasons for the existence of rich, localized metal ore deposits such as those of gold, copper, molybdenum, lead, tin, zinc, and tungsten.
The porphyry portal of the "church house" at Colditz Castle, Saxony, designed by Andreas Walther II (1584), exemplifies the exuberance of "Antwerp Mannerism"
Pliny the Elder's Pliny's Natural History stated that the "Imperial Porphyry" had been discovered at an isolated site in Egypt in 18 C.E. by a Roman legionnaire named Caius Cominius Leugas (Werner 1998). It came from a single quarry in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, from 600 million-year-old andesite of the Arabian-Nubian Shield. This quarry, named Mons Porpyritis ("Porphyry Mountain," the Arabic Jabal Abu Dukhan), seems to have been worked intermittently between 29 and 330 C.E.
The road from the quarry westward to Qena (Roman Maximianopolis) on the Nile, which Ptolemy put on his second-century map, was described first by Strabo and is still known as the Via Porphyrites (the Porphyry Road). Its track is marked by the hydreumata, or watering wells, which made it viable in this utterly dry landscape.
After the fourth century, this quarry was lost to sight for many centuries. The scientific members of the French Expedition under Napoleon sought for it in vain. It was only when the Eastern Desert was reopened for study under Muhammad Ali, viceroy of Egypt, that the site was rediscovered by Burton and Wilkinson in 1823.
All the porphyry columns in Rome, the red porphyry togas on busts of emperors, the porphyry panels in the revetment of the Pantheon, as well as the altars, vases, and fountain basins reused in the Renaissance and dispersed as far as Kiev, all came from the Mons Porpyritis quarry—the stone is not naturally present in Italy.
Constantine I celebrated the founding of his capital of Constantinople with a 30-meter (100-foot) pillar, built of seven stacked porphyry drums. This pillar still stands. A triumphant last use were the eight monolithic columns of porphyry that support exedrae (semicircular niches) in Hagia Sophia. Justinian's chronicler, Procopius, called the columns "a meadow with its flowers in full bloom, surely to make a man marvel at the purple of some and at those on which the crimson glows" (Werner 1998). The Romans also used the Imperial Porphyry for the monolithic pillars of Baalbek's Temple of Heliopolis in Lebanon.
Byzantine historians distinguish two sorts of emperors: those who won power through a coup and those "born to the purple." Those in the latter group, known as "porphyrogenites," were born to the imperial family in a room in Great Palace of Constantinople veneered with purple porphyry, as described by Anna Comnena, daughter of the eleventh-century emperor Alexius I.
In addition, members of the imperial family were entombed in the purple stone. It appears that Nero was the first to be immured in a porphyry sarcophagus. Roman sarcophagi were reused for imperial burials in Sicily. The porphyry sarcophagi of Holy Roman Emperors Frederick II and Henry IV and king William I of Sicily and the Empress Constance are preserved in the cathedrals of Palermo and Monreale.
Porphyry was used extensively for decoration in Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. This can be seen in the Mannerist style sculpted portal outside the chapel entrance in Colditz Castle. Also, King Louis XIV of France obtained the largest collection of porphyry by acquiring the Borghese collection.
In 1840, Bonapartists recovered the body of Napoleon I from Saint Helena and intended to bury it in a porphyry sarcophagus in Les Invalides, Paris. However, the Egyptian quarry was not available and a similar red quartzite from Finland was chosen, in spite of its purchase from the Russian Empire, an enemy of France.
Rhomb porphyry is a volcanic rock with gray-white large porphyritic rhomb-shaped phenocrysts embedded in a very fine grained red-brown matrix.
Rhomb porphyry lavas are known from only three rift areas: The East African Rift (including Mount Kilimanjaro), Mount Erebus near the Ross Sea in Antarctica, and the Oslo graben in Norway.
↑ Feldspathic refers to material that contains feldspar.
Werner, Louis. 1998. Via Porphyrites. Saudi Aramco World. Retrieved May 18, 2007.
Pictures of the Mons Porphyrites, Red Sea, Egypt.
This page was last modified on 26 May 2015, at 18:43.


NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 adapter wirelessly connects your laptop or desktop computer to the next-gen 802.11ac technology with Wi-Fi speeds up to 1.9Gbps. Connect the adapter to a USB 3.0 port for fast and efficient data transfer, online lag-free gaming and HD streaming, at home or on the go. Compatible with next generation Wi-Fi devices and compatible with 802.11ac/n and all legacy Wi-Fi devices. Powerful antennas with Beamforming+ technology boosts speed, range, and reliability of Wi-Fi connections. This adapter includes a magnetic cradle for an easy mount on a metal surface. Connect to your router's Wi-Fi network with Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). NETGEAR genie app makes installation almost effortless. Genie also allows you to easily monitor, connect, and control your home network.


department stores and online retailers.
The Saturdays and Sophie Ellis Bextor.
we got to the reception to take them off and walk around bare foot.
once I hit the reception.
with the pain of them all day long.
they also looked as if they would fall apart easily.
choose a pair from the options available.
34 different styles/colours so that you don't just have to have a plain black pair.
I chose to go with the Christina II in black.
As you can see in the two of the above photos they are packaged well.
They come packed in a lovely black box with the Butterfly Twists logo.
pouch with the Butterfly Twists logo on and a red ribbon drawstring.
This is so they are easy to find in your handbag.
As you can see the Christina II features crystals for a hint of glamour.
and doesn't have a bow.
and I love a little bit of sparkle.
on the black Angel pair.
them are thick with a ribbed grip so you wont slip as easily.
such as when shopping, working, driving and even when travelling.
like me have wide fitted feet then as you can see in the above photo that's not a problem either.


Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay, Sth Africa (Wednesday, July 11, 2012) – "Supertubes" in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa continues to live up to its name, with a second consecutive day of perfect two-to-2.5 metre waves on offer for the world's top surfers competing in the Billabong Pro ASP 6-Star event.
Some of the sport's biggest names hit the Supertubes line-up today, including ASP World No. 4 Adriano de Souza (BRA) of Brazil, current ASP World No. 5 John John Florence (Haw) of Hawaii and two-time and defending Billabong Pro champion, Jordy Smith (ZAF) of South Africa.
Smith, a huge local drawcard who claimed his maiden World Championship Tour victory at the location in 2010, quickly set about registering one of the highest two-wave combined heat scores of the round, the powerful natural footer locking in an excellent 17.76 points out of a possible perfect 20.
Drawing smooth lines at the break he knows so well, Smith accounted easily for Brazil's Jano Belo (BRA) and Krystian Kymerson (BRA) – both eliminated – to advance in first place along with Davey Cathels (AUS), who finished second.
When the number one seed hits the water tomorrow, Smith will face Jay Quinn (NZL), Lincoln Taylor (AUS) and Blake Thornton (AUS).
De Souza's debut in the Billabong Pro was no less spectacular. The diminutive natural footer went huge on his first wave of his opening Round 2 heat, scoring a long Supertubes barrel that was preceded by some critical open face carves.
De Souza's appearance at J'Bay is for the love, not for the money. Sitting well inside the top 10 on the ASP Men's World Ratings means the 25 year-old can afford to enjoy his time in the Supertubes lineup and his relaxed approach earned his first wave a near-perfect 9.76 points from the judges.
De Souza's eventual two-wave combined heat total of 16.10 points saw him advance to Round 3 along with Australian 2010 World Junior Champion, Jack Freestone (AUS) who finished second on 13.63 points, while locals Shaun Payne (ZAF), and David Weare finished third and fourth on 9.73 points and 8.67 points respectively.
Former ASP Men's World Tour surfer, Nathan Hedge (Narrabeen, NSW, AUS) continued on with his winning form, again lighting up the Super's walls to back-up his perfect performance from Day 1.
"The Hog" scored a perfect 10-point ride yesterday, and today his enthusiastic body english returned along with his excellent scores. The former world number seven registered two nine-plus scoring rides, winning the crowds both on the beach and watching online worldwide.
Hedge will meet Ian Gouveia (BRA), Ezekiel Lau (HAW) and Brandon Jackson (ZAF) when competition resumes.
Late in the day the South African contingent charged, with Casey Grant (ZAF) and Dale Staples (ZAF) winning their heats, and Shaun Joubert (ZAF), Steven Sawyer (ZAF) and Ryan Payne (ZAF) all advancing through to Round 3.
Payne scored a near-perfect 9.8 points for an excellent tube ride in the last heat of the day to secure second place behind Hawaiian prodigy John John Florence (Haw).
Heath Joske (AUS), Granger Larsen (Haw) and Filipe Toledo (BRA) were among the other standouts. Heath Joske's beard was particularly impressive.
By all reports, organisers are expecting yet another, third consecutive, day of incredible waves. A call on proceedings will be made at first light with the first heat of Round 3 expected to start at 07:00am sharp.
By becoming a World Qualifying Series tournament, the US$155,000 Billabong Pro has this year increased its field from 38 to 144 competitors, affording dozens of local and international hopefuls a chance at competing at one of the world's premier wave locations.
The week-long tournament also boasts a musical element, with the 5FM Music Festival taking place over three consecutive nights from 13-15th July, with more than 40 different artists scheduled to perform.


text:
Dustin Lynch's 'Thinking 'Bout You' Reaches Top 10 On Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart
Dustin Lynch's "Thinking 'Bout You," featuring MacKenzie Porter, has reached top 10 of Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
"Thinking 'Bout You" rose from No. 11 to No. 8 on the airplay-, sales- and streaming-based list dated November 6. In the week ending October 28, the song earned 6 million U.S. streams, an increase by 10%, and sold 1,500 downloads, according to MRC Data.
On the Country Airplay chart, the track rose to 6th position from 8th position, with 19.1 million impressions in the week ending October 31.
With the song, Lynch scored his 10th Hot Country Songs top 10. "Thinking 'Bout You" was co-penned by Lynch, Andy Albert, Hunter Phelps and Will Weatherly.
(Photo: Connor Dwyer)


text:
Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis är sedan 1962 namnet på Göteborgs universitets vetenskapliga skriftserie. 16 institutioner är utgivare av serien. Under detta sammanfattande serienamn förekommer underserier inom de flesta vetenskapsämnen oftast med förledet Gothenburg Studies in...

Referenser

Akademiska tidskrifter
Göteborgs universitet

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Avid RVer Maxie McNabb has just returned to her home in Alaska after a long and arduous trip to the southwest (The Tooth of Time, 2006) when an acquaintance, Karen Bailey, begs her to come to Hawaii and help her pack up to move back to Alaska. Maxie promptly flies off to aid the battered Karen, who's on crutches after tripping over packing crates. Karen is a helpless type who leaves Maxie to deal with a nasty landlord, a thwarted burglary and a flooded bathroom. But Maxie takes a liking to Jerry, the plumber's friendly teenaged assistant, and when he quits his job, she hires him to help them pack. Karen is furious and the landlord annoyed when Jerry moves in, but they acquiesce when Maxie threatens to walk out. Fed up with the secretive and unhelpful Karen, Maxie sends her back to Alaska and with Jerry's help finishes the packing and cleans up the mess from the break-in. She makes sure to allow time to hire a camper so that she and Jerry can visit the Big Island. The trip would be a joy if not for a series of mysterious occurrences. Maxie must figure out what Karen is hiding before she and Jerry become victims of a hidden danger.
A surprise ending and a northerner's ode to Hawaii don't make up for saddling Maxie with this improbable tale.


Shopclues has come up with a special discount offer on Reebok J87526 Literide Shoe at just Rs. 1029/- worth Rs.3999/- with free shipping. This is a limited sale offer, so buy it soon before stock lasts.
•Black & Silver color shoes with Cushioned insole and Textile.
•CM-EVA Outside -EVERTRACK high abrasion resistant rubber component, EVERRIDE brown rubber outer-sole for extra cushioning and weight.


PBS affiliate WTVS engaged the Apple Store Twelve Oaks for assistance with a video production storage solution. Our friends at Twelve Oaks engaged us to assist with expanding and updating the customer's production storage environment with a new fibre channel fabric, new storage, and updated video capture technology. The successful project is a great example of our partnership with the region's several Apple Retail Stores.


We demonstrate two periodic or quasi-periodic generalizations of the Chaplygin gas (CG) type models to explain the origins of dark energy as well as dark matter by using the Weierstrass ξ(t), σ(t) and ζ (t) functions with two periods being infinite. If the [...] Read more.
Handwriting is an important modality for Human-Computer Interaction. For medical professionals, handwriting is (still) the preferred natural method of documentation. Handwriting recognition has long been a primary research area in Computer Science. With the tremendous ubiquity of smartphones, along with the renaissance of [...] Read more.
Recent studies suggest that the minimum error entropy (MEE) criterion can outperform the traditional mean square error criterion in supervised machine learning, especially in nonlinear and non-Gaussian situations. In practice, however, one has to estimate the error entropy from the samples since in [...] Read more.
A bulk viscosity is introduced in the formalism of modified gravity. It is shownthat, based on a natural scaling law for the viscosity, a simple solution can be found forquantities such as the Hubble parameter and the energy density. These solutions mayincorporate a [...] Read more.
We examine the weak version of the third law of black hole thermodynamics inthe n-dimensional Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet system with a negative cosmological constant.To see whether the extreme black hole solution with zero temperature is formed, weinvestigate the motion of the thin shell that [...] Read more.
Open AccessReview Is Cholesterol Sulfate Deficiency a Common Factor in Preeclampsia, Autism, and Pernicious Anemia?
In a recent paper, we proposed that a contributing factor in autism is a deficiency in cholesterol sulfate supply. In this paper, we investigate a link between preeclampsia and subsequent autism in the child, and we hypothesize that both conditions can be attributed [...] Read more.
We explore the meaning of information about quantities of interest. Our approach is divided in two scenarios: the analysis of observations and the planning of an experiment. First, we review the Sufficiency, Conditionality and Likelihood principles and how they relate to trivial experiments. [...] Read more.
Autism is a condition characterized by impaired cognitive and social skills, associated with compromised immune function. The incidence is alarmingly on the rise, and environmental factors are increasingly suspected to play a role. This paper investigates word frequency patterns in the U.S. CDC [...] Read more.
The paper is concerned with Shannon sampling reconstruction formulae of derivatives of bandlimited signals as well as of derivatives of their Hilbert transform, and their application to Boas-type formulae for higher order derivatives. The essential aim is to extend these results to non-bandlimited [...] Read more.
In evolutionary biology, attention to the relationship between stochastic organisms and their stochastic environments has leaned towards the adaptability and learning capabilities of the organisms rather than toward the properties of the environment. This article is devoted to the algorithmic aspects of the [...] Read more.
Falls are unpredictable accidents and resulting injuries can be serious to the elderly. A preventative solution can be the use of vibration stimulus of white noise to improve the sense of balance. In this work, a pair of vibration shoes were developed and [...] Read more.
The dark energy problem is studied based on the approach associated with the cosmological term in General Relativity that is considered as a dynamic quantity. It is shown that a quantum field theory of the Early Universe (Planck scales) and its limiting transition [...] Read more.
This paper provides a comprehensive introduction of large random matrix methods for input covariance matrix optimization of mutual information of MIMO systems. It is first recalled informally how large system approximations of mutual information can be derived. Then, the optimization of the approximations [...] Read more.
This paper describes a free energy principle that tries to explain the ability of biological systems to resist a natural tendency to disorder. It appeals to circular causality of the sort found in synergetic formulations of self-organization (e.g., the slaving principle) and models [...] Read more.
We revisit the Frieden–Hawkins' Fisher order measure with a consideration of temperature effects. To this end, we appeal to the semiclassical approach. The order-measure's appropriateness is validated in the semiclassical realm with regard to two physical systems. Insight is thereby gained with respect [...] Read more.
In this paper, we analyze axiomatic and constructive issues of unconventional computations from a methodological and philosophical point of view. We explain how the new models of algorithms and unconventional computations change the algorithmic universe, making it open and allowing increased flexibility and [...] Read more.
In this review, we discuss an immunological-driven sign termed the Completed Self, which is related to a holistic determination of health vs. disease. This sign (human plus commensal microbiota) forms the human superorganism. The worldwide emergence of an epidemic of chronic [...] Read more.


Hello and welcome to the Driftwood Resort blog. Here we will be posting blogs detailing some of the many benefits of staying with us, as well as highlighting upcoming events and giving newcomers the lowdown on activities in the region.
Driftwood Resort originally opened in 1954 and existed for many decades as a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. In 1995 the owners closed it down, but the resort resurfaced in 2001 under new ownership. Since that time we have slowly but surely restored this wonderful hotel back to its lustrous origins.
The Driftwood Resort boasts 13 rooms that have been recently outfitted with new furniture, bedding, kitchen appliances, and carpeting. Each room is equipped with a Cable TV, wireless internet, and heat & air conditioning. Our goal is to make you feel completely at home, which is why our kitchenettes include ranges, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, and all the utensils and dishes you need to enjoy a meal in your room.
Nestled among the beautiful Ozark Mountains, our resort features breathtaking views of the world-famous White River. Bull Shoals Lake comprises approximately 45,000 acres and 1,100 miles of shoreline – effectively providing visitors with a bevy of activities, from top notch fishing to family-friendly water sports.
To learn more about the many benefits of booking a stay here at Driftwood Resort be sure to peruse our website!


"Oooh, be careful cara mia, The Walk of the Gods is very pericoloso… is very dangerous. Just last week a lady died on the same walk. Maybe, is not the best choice for you to do these days". This warning from a slightly odd, middle-aged lady working at the hotel in Positano was just the beginning of what seemed to be a long line of obstacles standing between myself and a hike, high along the Amalfi coast.
The hike itself, named 'The Walk of the Gods' also known as the 'Path of the Gods' is world-famous, and one of the most stunning views of the Amalfi coast. The path can be completed in either direction (East to West or West to East), giving you about 6km of Amalfi coastline views. Many people actually commit to a longer hike, doing the trail as a loop (i.e. starting and finishing in the same town), covering about 12km in total.
The views are better if you travel from East to West along the coast, but the trail is the same, so if you prefer to go from West to East you can still easily look behind you for some stunning views towards the island of Capri.
I had read all about the walk, and it was on my 'must do list whilst in Italy' list. A vague warning of death in broken English from hotel staff was slightly unsettling, but my resolve didn't waver – I was determined to at least attempt the walk. I had decided on the westward track from Bomerano to Nocelle, which was (theoretically) an easy 6km walk, slightly downhill in many parts, and which offers incredible views along the coast towards Capri.
At this point in my European Adventure I was travelling and exploring with my assistant-in-training, Lauren. Lauren is Aussie-born but moved to Italy nearly five years ago, and she was very happy to join and assist me as I explored her beautiful adopted homeland.
Intrepid adventurers! We're still working on our selfie skills. Oh and yes, Lauren can be a bit…'special' at times.
Both of us were determined to experience at least a little of the Walk of the Gods, even in the face of the constant warnings of dehydration and death. We figured that with a lot of planning, and two backpacks full of water, we should be ok even under the scorching summer sun.
On the first day that we attempted the walk, we got only as far as the bustling main road in Positano. This road snakes all along the Amalfi coast and, while it boasts some utterly amazing views, it's an absolutely horrendous for traffic. Luckily, the honking line of scuffed-up cars and trucks seemed to be moving quite swiftly. Unluckily for us, all the buses were jam-packed. They didn't stop at all.
We waited at the Positano bus stop, all geared-up for our hike, for about an hour. When the fourth full bus passed us without even a cursory wave in our direction from the driver, we admitted defeat. Like teenagers that had been stood up for the prom, we trudged back to the hotel to unpack, and rethink the initial part of the plan.
Pro tip: If you want to get the bus, start at 7am or earlier! The bus from Positano towards Amalfi and Bomerano is not very frequent and fills up fast. It is much faster and easier to find other travellers and split the cost of a private transfer, that can be organised by your hotel. You'll get dropped off at the start of the walk and probably will save a good two hours of confusion and stress.
Since we were staying in Positano, no matter where we started the walk, we needed to take some form of transport. The Amalfi coast is a reasonably high ridge, and walking up there and then along the top before it gets dark is not really feasible. We decided to take a private transfer from the hotel to the start of the walk, which was an excellent alternative to getting up at 7am and navigating the local buses! At a steep 120 euros, it wasn't a cheap ride, but it certainly was the most efficient. The cab driver even helpfully pointed to the start of the walk, which we may not have found if we had made our own way up there by bus.
This nondescript corner in Bomerano is the start of this famous walk. Don't expect everything to be in English in these parts!
The beginning of the Walk of the Gods in Bomerano was a simple laneway between two fairly nondescript brick walls, with a small sign indicating il sentiero degli dei.
I've added a few of my other favourite links at the end of this blog.
Map in one hand, camera in the other. We're geared up and ready to hike!
The websites were invaluable. Italy sometimes has this rather lax approach to signposting, which sometimes can leave you very confused, wandering in circles, and then turning back in frustration. The Walk of the Gods is no different, and should only be attempted after at least downloading the directions from the above website. Even with two apps and three descriptive websites with photos, Lauren and I weren't quite sure which direction to take in some places.
For the most part, the path is clear and easy to follow. But maps are always recommended!
At the start the walk is largely uphill, and easy to follow. We wandered through what seemed to be old laneways connecting small blocks of and local houses, cheerfully waving at locals that had peered out of nearby windows to check us out as we walked on past.
There were no views of anything at this point, but we walked on, confident because our research did describe a clear path leading out of Bomerano, heading towards the coast. Slowly we began to head uphill, and as the trees cleared we got the feeling that we were just around the corner from something incredible.
We weren't wrong! As we rounded the first corner, and the road started to level off a little, we got our first glimpse of the sprawling, majestic Amalfi coastline. It was even more beautiful than I could have imagined. A seemingly endless expanse of water stood before us, shimmering a brilliant blue in the midmorning sun. We found the hot summer breeze here, and it buffeted us nicely, drying our sweaty necks. Down on the water, boats and ferries of all sizes floated around the coast, hovering close to the cramped, colourful houses of the towns at the base of the hills.
Following the trail along the coastline you eventually get a choice to take the high road or the low road. If you're afraid of the extra exertion involved in going a little higher, you really shouldn't be. The high road seems to be only a few metres above the low road, but in my opinion, these few metres make all the difference. Above the thick trees and bushes, the higher vantage point provided the breathtaking scenery that we had been searching for.
Pro tip: Take the high road, if you can. The views are much better.
The coastline went on forever, meandering in and out, sometimes digging deep into the land, forming hidden hamlets that we couldn't quite make out from our high vantage point.
Every now and then crumbling old stone farmhouses stand on the hillside, with their structures punctuated by infiltrating vines and trees, they charm passers-by with thoughts of time long past.
Pro Tip – The Spiderpro belt allowed me to have a handfree option of carrying my cameras whilst still wearing a backpack with other essentials and having my cameras readily accessible to take photos. I find if my camera is in a bag it gets used far less, as I am too lazy to be continually stopping and removing the camera. Having my cameras out on my hips allowed me to quickly take images and then place the camera away to leave both hands free. This was particularly useful in areas where we had to scrabble uphill or grab onto rocks to stabilise our descent.
During the walk we could periodically see down to the coast, observing the hustle and bustle of Amalfi coast roads from the quiet serenity of the hills.
In Italy, guiderail installation and path maintenance are not high-priority items on the agenda, so you will need to be careful. An old woman really did die on this path the week before we walked it – she had tripped and fallen, unfortunately. The path for the most part is fine, if you come prepared with sturdy shoes, and keep an eye out for loose rocks. There are many places where you could fall if you were careless or inattentive (eg. like when taking photos with a fisheye lens), so caution is key.
Pro Tip – The large expanse of sparkling blue water and bright blue skies make for ideal conditions for the use of a polarising filter. A circular polarising filter can be screwed on top or instead of your UV filter attached to your camera lens. When rotated properly, it cuts the glare from the water and deepens the blue of the sky and ocean. This results in images that have more saturated colours, and more accurately portrays the vista that you will long remember.
Snakes also frequent these areas, as I found out to my absolute horror when one slithered just a metre or two in front of me. Here in Italy, snakes are less murderously insane than they are in Australia, and the locals tend to ask only the colour of the snake. Lauren assured me that the simple black one that had crossed our path was not deadly. I wasn't comforted at all (snakes are my mortal enemy), and sent her ahead to scope out where our little slinky friend had escaped to.
Without any further snake sightings, we kept moving along the narrow path, constantly in awe of the endless expanse of sea off to our left. We stopped to have a snack and a little of the 6 litres of water we had brought along, and simply sat and revelled in the glorious view that was laid out before us.
Pro Tip – Always take a fisheye lens when visiting places up high with a view. By tilting the camera down, a fisheye lens causes a distortion to the horizon that can bring an interesting perspective. Fisheye lenses are generally not very heavy so they are a valuable addition to a walk like this.
When we reached a little further up the coast we could see a big town, with colourful houses crammed into every nook and cranny along the coast. It looked like Positano! But surely not, we thought. The walk was basically a breeze so far (ignoring my snake-induced near heart attack), and we were both waiting for it to get more difficult. But if we squinted into the distance, we could kind of see where our path would take us, and it did indeed look like we were approaching the hills above Positano.
Terrain: The Walk of the Gods is a reasonably exposed track, with some uphill and downhill sections, and some loose rocks. There are a fair few stairs at times as well. A medium level of fitness is recommended, and those with knee or ankle problems should take proper precautions.
Clearly 'a tough walk' means very different things to different people. Perhaps if we had told the woman in the hotel that one of us is an Army Major who often carries 30kg of camera equipment everywhere she goes, and the other sometimes likes to run 20km through the Italian Alps for fun, she would have downgraded her description of the walk to 'pleasant hike'.
While we'd vastly overestimated the amount of water we would need, I wasn't upset – when you truly get thirsty, water is like the nectar of the gods, and up here in the hills there are no means of refilling an empty bottle.
Pro tip: Fill up on plenty of water in Bomerano or Nocelle. There are no extra water sources along the 6km track between those two towns.
We were getting pretty close to Positano, which meant the end of the walk. It felt like it came too soon, and Lauren suggested we could continue walking from Nocelle (the upper part of Positano and our planned endpoint) down to the door of our hotel. 'It's something like 2000 steps down' she told me. My knees were sore and I think the look on my face must have been clear enough for her, because she immediately said 'alrighty, bus it is then!'.
A kind hiker has corrected the woefully inaccurate distances on the signs that are placed along the walk. Lauren tells me that fictitious distances are common along many hiking trails, and that she learnt that the hard way.
The last part of the walk started to enter into Nocelle, which seemed like a wonderfully quaint little town. It felt like not much happens here, making Nocelle a welcome respite away from the hurried urgency of the tourists below.
Almost at the end of the path, we come across a curious structure made from rickety planks of wood. Somewhat like a shack, and somewhat like a home, it advertised fresh lemonade in a small window. We poked our heads in, intrigued by the idea of a cool drink, and also in search of information about the bus back to Positano.
While we were peering in the window, a portly old Italian man exited the shack and waved us into what seemed to be the back door. Even Lauren was a bit confused, asking him in Italian if we were actually allowed to enter his house. Once inside we realised it wasn't a house, but instead some kind of bar! With a tree growing in the middle of the widely spaced stone slabs, and a kitchen sink in plain sight, this was the weirdest and cutest bar I'd ever seen.
A lovely place with a killer view. Oh, and the tree is very much real – it seems like the bar was built around it!
The old man's wife was clearly the waitress of the two, ushering us to a small table overlooking the water. Vines and little plants were everywhere, and the picnic-style chairs sometimes fell between the paving stones and into the soft dirt underneath.
What a picturesque spot for a well-earned rest and a frosty beer!
The nonna asked if we wanted anything, and beer was the first thing that came to mind. What better way to celebrate a successful walk and jaw-dropping views than relaxing with a frosty birra.
Lauren translated for me since this adorable old couple had figured that the best way to deal with the multicultural flock of tourists that come through here on a regular basis was to clearly pronounce simple Italian words combined with hand gestures. Genius plan! A tip of the wrist with a clearly spoken 'bevete?" and I knew she was asking if we wanted a drink. An open mouth and pinched fingers, along with the word 'mangiate?" made me immediately realise how hungry I was. Lauren asked what was available, and the old nonna took us over to her husband, who was sitting at an old table, chopping fresh tomatoes and basil for bruschetta. The smell was absolutely divine! We ordered two pieces each and went back to our quaint little table.
In these parts of Italy, mozzarella is a speciality, and comes so gloriously fresh and delicate that it seems like no other flavour in the world will ever compare. Our favourite nonna came and explained that they also serve bruschetta with some local mozzarella on top, and we knew we had to try it. After the first bite, I was hooked. This was literally the best food I'd had in my entire time in Italy!
Nothing could compare to that burst of sweetness from vine-ripened tomatoes, mixed with fresh basil from the plants I could smell just over the balcony, and the delicate creaminess of the fresh mozzarella. Served on a garlicky slice of ciabatta, I was in heaven.
I kept ordering piece after piece of bruschetta, long after Lauren had stopped and switched to focussing on her beer. I asked her to tell the woman that this was the most delicious food I've ever had in Italy, but she left off the 'in Italy' part of the statement, and the nonna interpreted it as the best food in the entire world! Oops, translation fail, but not too far off the truth to be honest. She immediately beamed and fussed over me, kissing me on the cheek and exclaiming how dear and kind I was. It was just so lovely, I felt like I could stay here forever.
Standing next to my favourite Italian nonna, while holding the best bruschetta in the entire world. Life doesn't get better than this.
When I asked for a couple more pieces, the old man that was constructing all of these delicious morsels started complaining to the nonna. But she shut him down with a few brief words and he trudged off out the door to pick more tomatoes and basil. I glanced at Lauren and saw that she was barely keeping a straight face. "He's complaining that bruschette are not a main meal, you're only meant to have a couple of pieces at most" she explained. "I think he's tired of chopping tomatoes" she added, laughing while she sipped her beer.
Afterwards we were full and happy, and ready to head back for a rest. The adorable old couple pointed the way to the bus stop, which was a short 10 minutes walk following the path through the town of Nocelle.
The bus that arrived was one of those shortened ones that are perfectly suited for navigating the narrow winding roads of the Amalfi coast. Even though it was compact, we still had quite a few stops along the road to Positano – in many places only one car or bus can turn the corner, and there was quite a bit of nerve-wracking manoeuvring before we got all the way back home.
Public transport home from Nocelle: Head to the local bus junction, which seems to be located in the far corner of a carpark. Tickets can be purchased on the bus.
Every time I think back to that walk, I get transported back to those wild hilltops. I feel the sun beating down on my shoulders and taste the salty sea air, and I revel in the memory of the hike and the feeling of being completely and utterly free.
If you are interested in purchasing any of my extensive travel photography collection you can do this below by clicking on the Alamy button.


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Phaio stratiotes is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1914. It is found in Panama.

References

Arctiinae
Moths described in 1914


Cut and paste the below code to embed this quote by Aharon Appelfeld in your webpage.
"A quote by Aharon Appelfeld". theysaidso.com, 2019. https://theysaidso.com/quote/aharon-appelfeld-people-who-lose-their-parents-when-young-are-permanently-in-lov , accessed Apr 21, 2019.


In Washington, D.C., ground zero for the "occupy DC" protests is in McPherson Square, however starting on Thursday, October 6, just before Columbus Day Weekend, the crowd amassed at Freedom Plaza at Pennsylvania Ave and 14th Street, just a few blocks away from the White House and not far from the U.S. Capitol Building. The leaderless movement had a well-appointed stage in place on the plaza, including a large backdrop with a graphic of the text of the U.S. Constitution and "We the People" prominently displayed at the top... Just the kind of graphic so often seen at Tea Party rallies. Next to the stage was a "media" booth, and there were plenty of news media trucks and cameras on site.
The crowd participating included hipsters, grandmas, military vets, musicians, homeless people, and people of various ages and backgrounds. Was it an ethnically diverse cross section of American society? You can judge for yourself (VIDEO below).
Some of the many themes on display in DC included ending U.S. wars overseas, ending corporate personhood, protesting corporate greed and saving the planet and a dissatisfaction with Barack Obama and U.S. government.
Additional posts to follow will include statements from participants as well as additional pictures and video of the "occupy" protests from Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City.


I was spending most of my 9-to-5 (or more like 9-to-8) doing administrative tasks, impacting agency policies in Washington with little human interaction, and working unhealthy hours in a large government bureaucracy. I knew I wanted to be doing more writing and creative projects, spend more time working 1-on-1 with other people, and have a healthier work-life balance.
You can work at the most impact-driven social enterprise, an innovative non-profit or technology company that is changing the world—the place where your friends or your parents or your career counselor think you should work—but in the end, it's all about whether the particular job itself and the work environment is a good fit for you.
If you're looking for more meaningful work, a helpful exercise is to complete an Alignment venn diagram to see where your motivations overlap; which will help you uncover your unique gifts, the type of impact you want to make on others, and how you can make enough money to support the quality of life you desire.
1. List your unique GIFTS. Our gifts often indicate where we can provide value (and receive compensation). Include your natural talents, skills, and strengths, as well as your interests and your personality; what you're good at (or want to be good at), and what you love to do, what makes you different from everyone else, what makes you you.
2. Ask yourself what type of IMPACT you want to have on others. Who do you want to help? Why do you want to help them? How do you want to help them? Do you need to have a face-to-face impact with the people you're serving? Do you need to see the results of your work every single day?
3. Think about the QUALITY OF LIFE you want to have. What is your desired lifestyle? How much autonomy do you want to have over how you spend your days? What type of work environment or culture do you do your best work in? How much money do you need to live a lifestyle that works for you? Is work-life balance important to you? How about living close to family, friends, or someone you love?
No two people's definitions of meaningful work are the same, and what's "meaningful" changes as we grow older, learn new things, and meet new people. Your perfect job may not exist, but you can use your Alignment venn diagram to guide your search for work that allows you to share your unique gifts and make a positive impact in the lives of others.
Sign up to get GA articles, upcoming events and more.
Sign-up for resources at www.thequarterlifebreakthrough.com and follow @whatsupsmiley. Thanks to fellow GA instructor and coach Peter Rubin for filling out his Alignment venn diagram.


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Albert Pujols hits 2 homers again…this time in a loss
July 1, 2009 Mike MLB
Albert Pujols is locked in right now. He now has 30 home runs and 77 RBIs. It was the 7th time this year that he
Nyjer Morgan & Sean Burnett go to Nationals
June 30, 2009 Mike MLB
Today it was announced that the Nationals traded Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan to the Pirates for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett. I actually like
NBA Finals- Cavs Magic v. Lakers
June 2, 2009 Mike NBA
The picture is set, not what the NBA wanted, but the picture is set. The Nike puppet commercial has no more relevance, but all in
King James adds MVP to His Resume
May 5, 2009 Mike NBA
LeBron James was announced as the NBA's Most Valuable Player. The 24-year old superstar from St. Vincent- St. Mary High School added the MVP to
2008-09 NBA Playoff Predictions
April 16, 2009 Mike NBA
The NBA Regular Season came to a close yesterday, and now the seeding is set for the playoffs. The playoff picture looks like this: Eastern
#2 Memphis Goes Down
The Tigers move onto the Elite 8, only it's not the Memphis Tigers– it's the Missouri Tigers. Tonight the #2 seed in the West Region
March Madness Lives Up to it's Name
The first round of the Men's NCAA tournament came to a close tonight and like the previous year's it was nothing but exciting.There were upsets,


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World Bank: Vietnam medium term outlook positive
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's medium term outlook remains positive, Achim Fock, the acting country director for the World Bank in Việt Nam said during a review of the country's economic performance in Hà Nội yesterday.
After accelerating strongly last year, Việt Nam's economic activity moderated this year, with gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 5.5 per cent during the first half of 2016 compared to 6.3 per cent growth in the same period last year.
A World Bank report released yesterday attributes the slower growth to the impact of a severe drought on agricultural production and slower industrial growth.World Bank economists expect Việt Nam's GDP growth of 6 per cent this year, lower than the Government's target of 6.7 per cent.
"Achieving sustained high growth will depend on Việt Nam's ability to continue and deepen structural reforms to boost productivity," Fock said.
According to the report, price pressures remain contained despite a slight pick-up in inflation over recent months. However, credit growth is elevated, expanding at more than 18 per cent since the beginning of the year.Monetary policy continues to balance growth and stability objectives. To address rising concerns about adverse impacts of rapid credit growth on lending quality, the State Bank of Việt Nam adopted tighter prudential regulations which are expected to mitigate potential asset-liability mismatches and moderate credit growth.Accumulated fiscal imbalances remain a cause of concern, with the fiscal deficit estimated to have widened to about 6.5 per cent of GDP in 2015.As a result, the country's total outstanding public debt was estimated at 62.2 per cent of GDP, inching quickly toward the ceiling of 65 per cent of GDP. Fiscal outturns in the first months of 2016 suggest that budget pressures persist.
"The Government has made commitments to ensure public debt sustainability and rebuild fiscal buffers," said Sebastian Eckardt, lead economist for the World Bank in Việt Nam. "It is important that this commitment is now followed through with concrete actions to balance the budget over the medium term."
"Efforts to rein fiscal imbalances will have to be balanced with reforms to create fiscal space to maintain investments in critical infrastructure and public services.
Global headwinds
The report says Việt Nam is facing stronger global headwinds ahead, as strong trade linkages expose its economy to weakening external demand, especially in the United States and EU – its main export markets.As a net importer of oil products, low commodity prices will strengthen Việt Nam's external position, but at the same time exacerbate existing fiscal pressures due to declining oil revenues.While balance of payment risks are contained by resilient foreign direct investment, relatively limited exposure to volatile capital flows and recent steps by the authorities to enhance exchange rate flexibility, hightened financial volatility poses some risk against the backdrop of the country's weakening current account and low external reserve coverage.
In addition, the anticipated policy rate liftoff in the United States is expected to cause sovereign spreads to rise in the international capital market. This could be a concern for Việt Nam, given its large gross public financing needs, which are expected to be partially met by international bond issuances.The report also looks at Việt Nam's rapid aging pace that challenges its economy. While today there are only around 6.5 million people in the country who are 65 years or older, this number is expected to almost triple to 18.4 million by 2040.
"The speed of aging in Việt Nam is among the fastest globally to date and Việt Nam is undergoing this demographic transition at a lower income level than most currently old countries," said Philip O'Keefe, lead economist for the World Bank.
"Population aging will have wide ranging implications. It will affect labour markets and pose new challenges for policymakers, employers and the population at large," he said.
Source: Vietnam News