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Wine Book Reviews: Colorful Rosé & Dynamic New Zealand
October 2, 2018 By Mike Veseth in book reviews, history, New Zealand, The Next Big Thing, wine, wine markets	Leave a comment
Elizabeth Gabay, Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution (Infinite Ideas/Classic Wine Library, 2018). Reviewed by Sue Veseth.
Once upon a time, "proper" rosé was French, very pale pink, dry, served young and fresh, and not serious. Today, rosé is serious. Consumers can find rosé from all over world; from the palest pink to almost red in color; made from grape varieties that may be familiar or unfamiliar; made in a variety of styles and sweetness levels; and that range from simple to complex. How is a wine drinker supposed to navigate the world of rosé?
A good start is Rosé: Understanding the pink wine revolution by Elizabeth Gabay, MW. This comprehensive study of rosé will open your eyes — and your palate — to the infinite variety and pleasure of rosé. Her book covers the liberal arts of rosé: history, geography, science, political science, economics, art, and literature.
It is impossible in the wine business these days to dismiss rosé, as Gabay makes clear in the chapter of her book on the business of rosé. In the United States, rosé is the fastest growing category and is now a year-round option, not just a summer wine. And, like it or not, what happens in the U.S. wine market can affect wine production worldwide.
The issue of color permeates the book because of the traditional notion that paler is better. And, after all, the name "rosé" is all about color. Gabay's explorations demonstrate that color does not indicate quality, but style. She goes as far to say, "I am no longer so sure that our division of wine into red, white and pink is appropriate. With some rosé wines almost red in colour and style, and others almost white, the divisions are blurred. Add in rosé made in an orange wine style, and the blurring increases. The obsession with the colour pink should perhaps start to take a back seat."
Gabay describes her book as a journey of exploration, and she transmits this journey for both the serious wine student and the casual consumer. An early chapter on viticulture and winemaking, for example, has a lot of detail for the science-minded and is also accessible to the more casual reader. Similarly, her discussions of rosé from various parts of the world are presented in detail, with specific examples from the region. More maps would be helpful for the novice rosé drinker.
Rosé: Understanding the pink wine revolution is a valuable addition to the library of any wine lover who is ready for a journey of exploration.
Rebecca Gibb, The Wines of New Zealand (Infinite Ideas/Classic Wine Library, 2018). Reviewed by Mike Veseth.
Rebecca Gibb's The Wines of New Zealand is "designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the New Zealand wine scene," according to its author, "a reference for locals, international visitors and students alike." Gibb gets it right on all counts — what a great resource for anyone who wants to learn about New Zealand and its wine industry.
The book's 300+ pages are packed full of stories, personalities, facts, and figures. The organization is conventional: history, climate and grapes first, then a survey of the regions (10 of them, which will come as a surprise to those who only know Marlborough and its Sauvignon Blanc), then a final pair of chapters on tourism and current issues.
Gibb's mastery of this material is easy to appreciate, but it is her contagious enthusiasm that comes through most clearly. A chapter on grape varieties could easily become mundane but not here. Each grape is an excuse to talk about history, geography, vine science, and to introduce or reprise some of the noteworthy characters who shaped Kiwi wine history.
What do I like best about this book? The sense of energy and dynamism that permeates it in both style and content. The story of New Zealand wine is a story of change, starting from the early British and French pioneers through the Dalmatian gum-diggers and on to today's multinational corporations. Gibb sees dynamism everywhere in New Zealand wine and she doesn't think this is likely to change.
What would I change about The Wines of New Zealand? Well, the beginning of the book, a fantastic historical overview, is so strong that it makes the end feel a bit weak. Gibb's final chapter does a great job informing the reader about Kiwi tourism opportunities — both wine and otherwise. But it doesn't bring the book together the way I would like.
What I'd really like to see — and maybe it will appear in the next edition? — is a chapter that draws together the many strands and looks ahead to where New Zealand wine is headed and what might stop it from getting there. That would end the book on the same dynamic note I enjoyed throughout.
It would also make it a bit less of a reference book, which is its intended function. Maybe the best solution is to DIY — read this excellent book and then make up your mind where you think New Zealand wine is headed next! Highly recommended.
Look Through the Rainbow: Cyprus Wine's History of Boom and Bust
June 27, 2017 By Mike Veseth in economic crisis, history, wine education, wine history, wine markets	Leave a comment
We were sitting in the sleek, modern Vlassides Winery tasting the wonderful wines of Sophocles Vlassides and hearing his strong views on wine, Cypriot wine, and his own ambitious winery project, when it started to rain.
Weather can be complicated in these mountains and soon the sun began to shine through the showers creating first a simple rainbow, then a richer multicolored arc, and finally a pair of rainbows nestled together. From our winery perch we could see both ends of the rainbow (where pots of gold are said to rest) firmly rooted in the vineyards below.
Rainbow, vineyard, pot of gold — what a perfect metaphor for Cyprus wines, I thought. But the sharply analytical Sophocles Vlassides (who studied winemaking at UC Davis as a Fulbright Scholar) popped my mental bubble. Rainbows are pretty, but we were really looking at the wrong thing. If you want to understand Cyprus wine today, don't look at the rainbows, look through them to the mountain across the valley.
If you look through the rainbows on Sue's photo above you will see the remnants of dozens of terraces that once were planted to vines that, along with hundreds of similar vineyard areas, formed the basis of the great Cyprus wine boom.
The Surprising History of Cypriot Wine
I had never tasted a Cypriot wine before we arrived in Pafos for the Cyprus Wine Competition. You might not have tasted one either because most of the wines are consumed in Cyprus these days and only a trickle enters export market pipelines. But this wasn't always the case.
Cypriot wines were once well known and some even famous in European wine circles according to the Oxford Companion to Wine's history. Pliny the Elder, the Roman "Robert Parker," praised them, for example. Cyprus fell under Venetian influence for a time and its wines circulated widely. I have a reproduction of a book called Wines of Cyprus by Giovanni Mariti that was written to explain Cypriot wine to international consumers. It is dated 1772. and was first published in Florence.
Commandaria, Cyprus's signature sweet wine, commands an important role in the country's wine history. Indeed, Wines of Cyprus talks of little else. Along with Tokaj, Vin de Constance and a few other treasured sweet wines, Commandaria was a "King of Wines and Wine of Kings." Ironically, my book was written during the period of Ottoman rule when the Cypriot wine trade and the industry itself slowly declined in importance.
Cyprus came under British administration between 1878 and 1960 (so UK electrical plugs are needed and autos drive on the left side of the road). Cyprus "sherry" became an important export during this period — we saw a few old bottles at the Cyprus Wine Museum in Erimi Village — but this trade has faded away, too.
Look Through the Rainbow
A variety of circumstances led to a boom in production and export of cheap basic wines and grape must concentrate (some of which was reconstituted and fermented as British wine) in the years after the British exit. The grapes to make these wines (international and indigenous varieties) came from the vineyards we saw (and many others like them) when we looked through the rainbow at Vlassides. Yields might have been high in those days, but it is pretty clear that production costs were high, too. No machine harvesting on steep terraced slopes.
The Cyprus export boom collapsed in two stages according to the industry people we talked with. Competition from cheaper New World producers such as Chile and Australia crowded Cypriot wine out of some markets. The collapse of the Soviet Union drained dry previously reliable Eastern European markets for basic wine. The Cypriot bulk wine boom went to bust.
A Quality Revolution
The movement from unmarketable quantity to desirable quality began in the 1980s, according to the Oxford Companion, led by the "Big 4" producers: KEO, SODAP (a cooperative), ETKO and Loel. Change accelerated after 2004 when Cyprus joined the European Union. Subsidies to cheap wine exports ended and uneconomic vineyards like the one we saw were grubbed up.
The contrast between past and future was clear to see as we talked wine with Sophocles Vlassides at his modern facility tasting the tense, structured wines that he makes from international varieties (perhaps reflecting his UC Davis training) and indigenous varieties, too. Sue and I took home a bottle of his excellent Syrah and Panos Kakaviatos, who was in our media group, opted for an unexpected Sauvignon Blanc.
What is the state of the Cyprus wine industry today? Are there pots of gold at the vineyard rainbow ends ? Or have I stretched this metaphor a bit too far? Come back in two weeks (after Independence Day) for observations and analysis.
In the meantime, here are some rainbows for you to ponder.
Bisol's Venissa: A Golden Wine of Venice
October 28, 2014 By Mike Veseth in history, Italian wine, wine research	2 Comments
Lots of images come to mind when you think of Venice — the art, the architecture, and canals and gondolas. Vineyards? Not so much. Can't imagine vineyards in Venice, although historians tell us that they were there — some even in the San Marco quarter — in earlier days when the city was less crowded and more concerned with self-sufficiency.
Would you be surprised if I told you that there are still vines and wines in Venice today? Not on the cluster of islands that we think of as the city of Venice proper, but out in the busy lagoon? The photo above shows the island of Burano (the island of lace-makers to distinguish it from Murano, the island of glass-makers) and just below it, connected by a short bridge, is the island of Mazzorbo and the one hectare vineyard of Venissa.
Golden Grape
Dorona di Venezia is a grape of the Venetian lagoon. — its natural resistance to fungal diseases is a plus in this humid place. Known since the 15th century, it is a natural cross of Garganega and Bermestia Bianca (according to my copy of Wine Grapes) that is popular as a table grape because of its big sweet golden (D'oro) grapes.
You can find Dorona here and there in the Veneto (easy to mistake it for Garganega, the grape most associated with Soave) but until recently not so much in Venice and its lagoon islands, the challenges of maritime grape-growing being what they are. But Gianluca Bisol, of the famous Prosecco house, discovered a few vines on the island of Sant'Erasmo and used them to establish a Dorona vineyard on the old ScarpaVolo estate property on nearby Mazzorbo.
Golden Wine
Golden grape, golden wine. The wine really is golden due in part to fermentation on the grape skins to give it special character. The bottles of hand-crafted glass display rich decorations of hand-beaten gold foil (thus honoring two traditional Venetian crafts). The name Venissa and a number are carefully hand-etched on each bottle.
What does it taste like? The note in Wine Grapes talks of minerality and dried peach and apricot. Only two vintages have been released so far — 2010 and 2011 — and Ian D'Agata writes in his excellent Native Wine Grapes of Italy that he prefers the freshness of the 2011. Winemakers Desiderio Bisol and Roberto Cipresso apparently pulled back from some of the extreme cellar practices after the first vintage, yielding a fresher wine, although not something that you would ever mistake for Soave!
We loved the color of the wine and were surprised by its delicate aromas. I found a certain saltiness very appealing, although maybe that was the power of suggestion since we were tasting the wine with Matteo Bisol looking out at the vineyard and the lagoon just beyond. If there really is a salty character, the wine comes by it naturally. Salt water floods the vineyards during periodic tidal surges and a good deal of effort goes into drainage. I preferred the more intense 2010, but maybe that's to be expected of the author of a book called Extreme Wine.
Venissa has just released a red wine, Rosso Venissa, its handcrafted bottle suitably adorned by copper, not gold. It's a blend of Merlot and Carmenere from 40-year old vines located on an island near Torcello. Sworn to secrecy, we tasted this wine prior to its official release and noted its richness, intensity and, well, salty personality.
Golden Opportunity
Not everyone would have seized the opportunity that those few stray Dorona vines presented, but Gianluca and now Matteo Bisol have done so and it is interesting to see the extremes that have resulted. The vineyard is a bit rustic, for example. Not the vines but the landscape, surrounded by stone walls, cut by drainage ditches and featuring a large rambling garden where local senior citizens grow vegetables that they sell to the Venissa restaurant.
The restaurant and inn are as luxurious as the wine and present a strong contrast to the natural element that is appropriate for Venice. We dined at the restaurant and our waiter made the point that what came out of the kitchen (he pointed to the busy glass-walled show kitchen to our left) first came from the island and the lagoon to our right. This locavore idea appeared in each plate we were served, perhaps most of all in a soup of sea-snail (garusoli) and sea fennel in what tasted like the rich reduced essence of the lagoon itself. Another extreme experience.
Making a Statement
On the ferry ride back to San Marco with the full moon above us, Sue and I talked about Venissa. I was suspicious at the start that it was a platform to promote the Bisol brand, but my hypothesis didn't hold up. It really seems to be a sincere attempt by the Bisol family to honor the history and traditions of Venice and Venetian wine.
What makes Venissa so interesting is the ambitious approach. It would be possible to draw attention to Venetian wine culture with a museum exhibition of some sort — many wineries display collections of winemaking implements, historical documents and wine and vine art. They are always interesting, but it seems to me that they usually lack the lasting impact that I see at Venissa. Why?
One factor is that Venissa is a living exhibition — the actual vineyards are right here in the lagoon, not just dots on an old map and the actual wine is in your glass not a just label on the wall. This obviously creates a more intense sensual experience. And the total project reinforces this by drawing on all the senses through the packaging, the location, the inn and restaurant and so forth.
Matteo told us that there are plans to further extend the experience through a sort of deconstructed hotel project on the neighboring island of Burano. The "hotel" would actually be a collection of rooms scattered around in various of the buildings that line the colorful canals of the little island, giving visitors an opportunity to intimately experience a different side of Venice and of course to enjoy the short stroll over the little bridge to Mazzorbo, then on through the vineyard and to Venissa itself.
Venissa is a wine, a destination and a statement, all made with impressive clarity and commitment. Congratulations to the Bisol family on this achievement.
Malbec & Maradona: Wine and History in Argentina
January 17, 2012 By Mike Veseth in Argentina, book reviews, history, wine education, wine history	3 Comments
Ian Mount, The Vineyard at the End of the World: Maverick Winemakers and the Rebirth of Malbec. Norton: 2011.
Malbec and Maradona
The most stunningly creative student paper I've received in more than 30 years as a college professor was written by a first year student enrolled in my introductory International Political Economy class. We were studying Argentina's latest financial crisis and she analyzed the situation not just through facts and figures but rather by telling the story of Diego Maradona, the legendary soccer player who achieved great success on the global stage but succumbed to the pressures, stresses and temptations that came with it.
Maradona is always measured against Pele, the Brazilian star who is often proclaimed the greatest soccer player in history, and every talented young Argentinean forward is compared to him (Messi is only the latest "next Maradona"). But an air of tragedy is unmistakable despite Maradona's heroic achievements. This same air, my student wrote, hangs over Argentina's politics and economy, and then she proceeded to analyze Argentina's political economy history in detail in terms of the Maradona story. It was, in both conception and execution, a brilliant analysis.
Ian Mount's new book on Argentinean wine, The Vineyard at the End of the World, is also brilliant and in much the same way. Like my student's paper, it can be read at several levels. It is, first and foremost, a history of the Argentinean wine industry from its roots with the Spanish explorers to its current spectacular flowering.
Although Argentina has been a major wine producer for literally centuries, it has only arrived on the global stage in the last ten years. Within Argentina its long history is heavy baggage that sometimes weighs it down. For the rest of the world, however, Argentina is a new discovery and the lack of prior experience of and attitudes toward its wines has arguably been an advantage.
Mount fills us in on the history and serious readers will appreciate the added depth this gives to the appreciation of the wines themselves. It also provides an interesting contrast to neighboring Chile and its wines, whose history is perhaps better known. But that's only the beginning.
Lucky Survivors
Malbec is a second theme, which is understandable because Malbec is king in Argentina right now. Malbec from Argentina has been one of the hottest product categories in the U.S. wine market is the past few years. But today's Malbec (like Maradona) is a lucky survivor of Argentina's booms and busts – a lot of Malbec was grubbed up during the market swings and swirls. It makes me appreciate wines (like one of our favorites, Mendel Malbec) that are made from the surviving old vine blocks.
More than anything, however, this is a history of Argentina itself told through wine, making this a book that deserves a very broad readership. Based on my previous research, I knew that Argentina's politics and economics were reflected in the wine industry, but I didn't know how much. Come for the Malbec, stay for the politics, economics and personal stories of those who succeeded or failed (or did both) and try to understand the country and people of Argentina.
Significantly, the book ends with a sort of Maradona moment. In terms of wine, Argentina has won the World Cup with Malbec, although the country must share the glory with international consultants (like Paul Hobbs and Michel Rolland) and foreign investors and partners (too numerous to mention). But for all its strengths the industry is still somewhat fragile, struggling to overcome the problems of the domestic wine market that it still depends upon and the domestic economy in which it is embedded.
After decades of "crisis and glory," Mount sees a bright future for both Malbec and Argentina. Let's hope he's right and the Maradona moment passes.
Ian Mount's new book is a valuable addition to any wine enthusiast's library. Mount provides a strong sense of the land and people of Argentina and the flow of history that connects them. Argentina is unique, as Mount notes early on, in that it is an Old World wine country (in terms of the nature of its wine culture) set in the New World, so that its history is broadly relevant and deeply interesting.
I studied the Argentina industry before going there last year, but Mount taught me things I didn't know in every chapter. I love Laura Catena's Vino Argentino for its account of the history of wine in Argentina told through the Catena family story and now I'm glad to also have The Vineyard at the End of the World for its broad sweep and detailed analysis. They are must reading for anyone with an interest in Argentina and its wines.
Another Malbec-Maradona connection: Diego Maradona is most famous for a play that has gone down in soccer history as "the Hand of God" goal. It was in a 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match that Maradona illegally struck the ball with his hand and scored the winning goal – an offense that was clearly visible to everyone in the stadium except the officials. Must have been the Hand of God, not Maradona, I guess.
Now (or very soon depending upon the release date) there is Hand of God wine. We tasted Hand of God from the barrel when we were in Mendoza earlier in the year and we enjoyed the wine even if Maradona had nothing to do with making it. I suppose the name honors the importance of wine and soccer to Argentinean society and the struggles that both have endured. (Maradona's team beat England in that famous game, so I wouldn't look for big Hand of God wine sales in the U.K. market. Just saying …)
Special thanks to Jon Staenberg (proprietor of Hand of God) and Santiago Achaval for letting us sample this wine!
The Rodney Dangerfield of Wine
April 25, 2011 By Mike Veseth in extreme wine, history, Jancis Robinson, The Next Big Thing, wine research	7 Comments
Petite Sirah is the Rodney Dangerfield of wine. Like the famous comedian, this grape variety "can't get no respect."
For a long time nobody really knew much about Petite Sirah (PS), except the fact that it produced "the biggest, toughest, brawniest red wines in California" (according to The New Connoisseurs' Guidebook to California Wine & Wineries). It's true identity was a hotly disputed mystery. DNA tests finally settled arguments about its parentage — it is the Durif grape from France, a combination of the Peloursin and Syrah varieties discovered by Dr. Francoise Durif in the 1880s when he was searching for solutions to Syrah's powdery mildew problem.
PS: The Prohibition Grape
It never caught on in Europe, but PS was quickly embraced in California and South America, where it thrives. Many of the early California vineyards included Petite Sirah along with Zinfandel and other heat-loving varieties and it figured prominently in field blends. If you've tasted Ridge Lytton Springs (71% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignane in the 2008 blend) or Frog's Leap Napa Zin (80% Zinfandel, 19% Petite Sirah, 1% Carignane in 2008) you have some idea of what I'm talking about.
Petite Sirah took center stage during Prohibition. Most people don't realized that wine consumption in the U.S. actually increased during "The Great Experiment," through bootleg sales, of course, but mainly because millions of families took advantage of a loophole that allowed up to 200 gallons of legal homemade wine per household. Rough, tough Petite Sirah grapes survived the long railroad trips necessary to get the grapes to home winemakers across the country. Bootleggers liked it, too, according to Jim Lapsley's Bottled Poetry. Petite Sirah could make a wine so strong and deeply colored, Lapsley writes, that illegal sellers could stretch it out without fear of detection by adding up to 20% water! (I am tempted to make some sort of lame "water into wine" joke here, but it don't want to be sacrilegious.)
So valuable was Prohibition Petite Sirah that in 1934 PS vines accounted for 4400 of Napa Valley's 11,000 vineyard acres! The total for all of California was 7,285 acres in 1938. Petite Sirah went into decline again in the postwar years, as winemakers realized that it was not really Syrah after all as some supposed and moved in other directions. The spike in the 1960s and 1970s in the chart above is driven in part by the increase in generic jug wine sales (think Gallo Hearty Burgundy). A lot of the "Burgundy" in those blends was really Petite Sirah.
Do you see the "I can't get no respect" angle here. Poor, misunderstood, mislabeled Petite Sirah.
But Petite Sirah is experiencing a renaissance today as a varietal wine as well as a blending component. PS vineyard acreage is up as is the number of wineries making varietal PS. There is even a very dynamic advocacy group called PS I Love You that promotes the wine.
PS Renaissance: Why Now?
Why Petite Sirah now? Well, one reason is that it is different at a time when a lot of wines taste the same. Many of the old PS vineyards survive, so old vine PS is available, which is a special treat. Sue and I enjoyed a bottle of 2005 Arger Martucci Petite Syrah made from 140 year old Calistoga vines for our last wedding anniversary. That's not an experience you can get with many other wine varieties.
But there is more than longevity to Petite Sirah. I asked Julie Johnson of Tres Sabores to explain the appeal and here's what she said.
The old timers planted PS because they loved it and it happened to blend particularly well with Zinfandel. That's why I planted it: a really old timer shared with me that he remembered it being planted on our property long, long ago.
I'm determined to continue making PS in an open and fruit forward style—some versions have gotten quite alcoholic and leathery (not unlike Zinfandel) but I think that people are loving the depth and zest that the grape puts forward (sort of like Syrah +). … But in general, I think it's a perfect wine for the rather amazing charcuterie and "all things from every animal" cuisine that's so the rage right now.
People are discovering that it can be made without terribly extracted tannins as well so that helps the pairing—even with cheese. At the winery–I offer guests a tasting choice–they can taste PS with a rich chocolate (70% +/-) cookie/cracker (not very sweet, nice texture) or a lovely piece of salumi. It's kind of fun for people to delve into why aspects of each food pair well. My main source of PS is up in Calistoga. Dry farmed and always in need of a major taming of the crop —I love it.
A Certain Smile
Another reason for the PS Renaissance is that makers of this variety have come out of the closet, so to speak, and begun to celebrate the grape and their wine through the PS I Love You advocacy group and events like Dark & Delicious, which was held at the Rock Wall winery in Alameda, California a few weeks ago. I couldn't attend the big tasting (I was in Argentina), so I asked my good friend Lowell Daun to fill in for me. Here is his report.
If turnout is any indication, I think Petite Sirah production will have to get back to the 1970s numbers – the place was not easy to find, the weather was abysmal, tickets cost $63, yet the place was absolutely packed! I would estimate between 800 – 1000 people participated. And of the many wine tasting events I've attended, this group seemed more enthusiastic than any I've seen. And it wasn't a "drunk-fest", rather oenophiles whom seemed to know what they were looking for,enjoying and analyzing.
"Accidental Pairings" was my assumption upon finding some unusual wine-food combinations set throughout the Rock Wall facility. In retrospect, I think the organizers are too smart to have not had some design as to where each winery and food purveyor were located. … Many chocolate pairings made sense, but I was surprised to find wonderful cupcakes worked with the wines, too. The most unusual food being paired with P.S., was spicy bacon and almond caramel popcorn, by HobNob Foods, set next to Tres Sabores' pouring station. As it turned out Tres Sabores poured my favorite wines and the spicy bacon-almond-caramel popcorn was my hands-down favorite food, and they paired perfectly!!
In addition to hands-down favorite, Tre Sabores, other very interesting pourings were: Biale's Punisher, Clayhouse, Rosenblum's Rock Pile, Silkwood, Aver Family and Cecchetti.
Lowell did have one reservation. A health professional, he was concerned about all the purple smiles he saw at Dark & Delicious — Petite Sirah is famous for its ability to stain tooth and tongue. Is PS a threat to your tooth enamel? Click here to read the 30 Second Wine Advisor on red wine and your teeth.
I think that all this proves that Petite Sirah really is the Rodney Dangerfield of wine — and I mean that in a good way. It may not be The Next Big Thing, but that's not the point. Different and not to everyone's taste, but with a large, loyal and growing fan club, that's Petite Sirah.
Thanks to Jo Diaz of Diaz Communications for information about the PS I Love You program and for the charts above. Thanks as well to Julie Johnson for her comments on PS and to Lowell Daun and Miller Freeman III for representing The Wine Economist at the Dark & Delicious tasting.
Argentinean Wine: Striking a Balance
March 28, 2011 By Mike Veseth in Argentina, China wine, economic crisis, Economic impact, Flying Winemakers, globalization, history, Hong Kong, wine awards	1 Comment
Old and New at Mendel Wines
Balance is the key to great wine (and profitable wine business, too). I was reminded of this truth many times during our visit to Mendoza, where wine makers are trying to chart a course between and among several extremes:
Competitive export sales versus the challenging domestic market;
Reliable value wine sales versus potentially more profitable premium products;
Popular and successful Malbec versus TNGT — The (speculative and uncertain) Next Big Thing.
The key to long term success involves finding the right balance in this complex economic environment.
Thinking Global: Anabelle Sielecki
I want to use this post to consider three types of balance that I think are particularly interesting in Mendoza – the balance between crisis and opportunity, local and international winemaking influences and the simple tension between the old and the new. We learned about all three dimensions during our brief visit to Mendel Wines in Lujan de Cuyo.
Crisis and Opportunity
Mendel is both very old and quite new. The vineyards are old, planted in 1928. Somehow these Malbec vines survived the ups and downs of the Argentinean economy. The winery is almost as old and has a certain decaying charm. It stands in stark contrast to Salentein, O. Fournier, the Catena Zapata pyramid and the many other starkly modernist structures that have sprung up in this part of the world.
The winery project is quite new. Mendel is a partnership between Anabelle Sielecki and Roberto de la Mota and is the result of a balance between crisis and opportunity. When economic crisis struck Argentina ten years ago, opportunities were created for those with vision and entrepreneurial spirit. Anabelle and Roberto seized the moment and purchased these old vines and well-worn structures for their new super premium winery project.
That their impulse was timely and wise may not have been obvious at the time (crises are like that), but it is perfectly clear now. Wine Advocate named Mendel one of nine "Best of the Best" Argentinean wineries in a recent issue.[1]
The winemaking that goes on in Mendel is also a combination of old and new. The technology is modern, of course, with stainless steel and French oak very visible. The setting, however, constantly reminds you of the past and the vineyard's and winery's history. Walking through the winery, for example, I was struck by the big concrete (or were they adobe?) fermenting tanks – a blast from the past for sure.
No, we don't use them to ferment the wines anymore, Cecilia Albino told us, but we put them to good use. Peek inside. Sure enough, the tanks were filled with oak barrels full of wine aging quietly in the cool environment.
[Interestingly, I saw concrete tanks again during our visit to Achaval Ferrer. Roberto Cipresso, the winemaker there, built the tanks because he uses them at his winery in Montalcino.]
Mendel also illustrates the balance between local and global that characterizes wine in Argentina, where much of the capital and many of the winemakers come from abroad. Roberto de la Mota, partner and chief winemaker at Mendel, personifies this balance. Roberto is the son of Raúl de la Mota, who is sometimes said to be Argentina's "winemaker of the century" so important was his work in developing quality wine in this country.
Roberto naturally grew up in the wine business both here and in France, where he sought advanced training on the advice of Emile Peynaud. He was the winemaker at Terrazas, Chandon's still wine project in Mendoza, and then at Cheval des Andes, a winery with connections to Château Cheval Blanc. I think it is fair to say that Roberto's resume represents a balance between local and global, between deep understanding of Mendoza terroir and knowledge that perhaps only international influences can provide.
Acting Local: Roberto de la Mota
Local and Global
I asked Roberto if it was important that Mendel is an Argentinean project and not owned by a foreign multinational. Yes of course, he said, but he hesitated a bit and I think I see why. Many of the influences and markets are international, but people, vines and inspiration are purely local. Not one or another, but intertwined, balanced.
And this thirst for a complex balance defines the future. Talking with Anabelle over coffee in Buenos Aires, she was ambitious to break into new markets – Hong Kong, China, and so forth. Anabelle is an architect — another field where global and local intersect. She is married to Héctor Timmerman, Argentina's Foreign Minister and former Ambassador to the United States, so her international interest comes naturally.
Meeting with Roberto at the winery in Mendoza, he was interested in learning even more about his vines and terroir so as to better develop their potential. And to bring more of the classic Bordeaux grape varieties (like Petit Verdot) into the mix.
Mendel has charted its balanced course quickly, purposefully and well. It is a perfect illustration of both the tensions that define wine in Argentina and the potential for success if a clear but balanced path is boldly taken.
[1] The other "Best of the Best" wineries in Wine Advocate issue 192 are Achaval Ferrer, Alta Vista, Catena Zapata, Viña Cobos, Colomé Reserva, Luca, Tikal and Yacochuya.
Everything Old is New Again: Wine in Mexico & Turkey
February 12, 2011 By Mike Veseth in BRICs, emerging wine regions, history, wine exports, wine history, wine markets	2 Comments
This is the seventh in a series of articles on wine in the BRICs and the New BRICs. Today we examine Mexico & Turkey.
Old Old and Old New
What in the world do Turkey and Mexico have in common? It is easy to generate a list of differences ranging from geography to history, language, and religion. Jim O'Neil probably included them on his list of the New BRICs because they both have relatively large populations (107 million in Mexico, 75 million in Turkey) and so substantial market potential as their middle classes expands
From a wine standpoint, Mexico and Turkey are linked by the term "oldest." Turkey may be the oldest Old World wine producer, with evidence of wine production going back more than 6000 years. You cannot get much more "Old World" wine than Turkey, even if most people in the Old World never give Turkish wine a second thought.
Mexico is the oldest wine producer in the New World. Spanish soldiers and priests brought wine grapes with them, The first evidence of wine production dates from 1521 (I see a 500 year anniversary celebration on the horizon). Conquistador Cortés ordered that new settlers plant grape vines (1000 vines for every 100 persons, according to the Oxford Companion to Wine), thus spreading Spain's wine culture throughout the New World empire. Wine production in Mexico grew so successful that King Felipe II of Spain order a stop to new production in 1699 in an effort to protect Spain's domestic wine industry.
Red and White vs Raki and Brandy
It is ironic that we don't associate wine production with these two countries today given their deep historical roots. Turkey? It's a Muslim country, of course, so we don't think of alcohol or, if we do, it is raki, the fiery anise flavored drink. Mexico brings images of tequila (and wasting away in Margaritaville), beer, and perhaps Mexican brandy, the national liquor. Casa Pedro Domecq's Presidente brand is said to be the best selling brandy in the world. Domecq is now part of the French drinks group Pernod Ricard.
Both Mexico and Turkey are important grape and wine producing nations today. Mexico produced a little over 1 million hectoliters of wine in 2007 according to OIV data — about as about as much as New Zealand made in 2005 before its recent boom. Turkey is the world's sixth largest table grape producer, surpassing Italy in this area, but only a small fraction of its output is made into wine. Turkey makes roughly the same amount of wine (213,000 hl) as Israel (218,000 hl).
Wine production in Mexico has fallen by almost 50% since the 1980s according to the OIV records while Turkey's production levels have been more stable. Both Turkey and Mexico have the potential to rise up in the world wine rankings, but they each face particular challenges.
The Taste of Turkish Wine
Turkish wines can be stunningly good. Jancis Robinson's tasting notes (from a 2009 research trip) find many peaks among wines make from international grape varieties. A Corvus Corpus 2004 received a rating of 17/20, for example. "This right bank style wine is really quite rich and full, verging on overripe. Extremely opulent and velvety." A Robert Parker kinda wine, she said.
Ron and Mary Thomas, my senior Turkish wine correspondents, reported similar success on their 2010 tasting trip. "We found the wines of Turkey to be ubiquitous, great values, and extremely enjoyable," they write. Among the reds they found the Syrah wines hard to beat — some of the best Syrahs they have tasted anywhere — high praise. But the highest peak came from an unexpected source.
Our greatest discovery was the varietal called Emir. We found it from several different producers in each area of Turkey where we stayed, most of the producers (or the fruit) located in the area we first stayed (Cappadocia—central Turkey). This stony, flinty land produced this wonderful grape that is unlike anything I've tasted. Think about a cross between a flinty sauvignon blanc from the Loire and a very dry viognier. It had a light golden color and a very crisp finish. Some lemony-apple notes, wonderful minerality, and pleasing to sip while it stood up well to fish and the ever-present smoky-roasted aubergine (which I had at every meal in Turkey). This was a favorite wine we would drink anytime. We found the same bottles to cost anywhere from about 15 Turkish Lire in the winery, to 30-90 in a restaurant (depending on the scale of the restaurant). That's a range of about $10 USD to $65. We sometimes did not find it on the wine list, and started asking for it: in all cases but one, they found a bottle in the back and presented it to us, and no matter who produced it, it was great. It went beautifully with the bronzino in Ephesus and Istanbul, and was perfect with the stuffed zucchini flowers in Cappadocia. Emir is king.
Indeed. And that's part of Turkey's problem. As the Oldest of the Old World countries, it has perhaps the richest treasury of native grape varieties. But who has heard of them, of King Emir and his court? Very few, I think, and this is problematic in a world where so many consumers are already confused by wine and have trouble mastering the basics.
The domestic market for wine in Turkey is relatively small and its international exports are limited. Belgium is its largest international customer according to a government report (Belgium?) followed by Northern Cyprus, Germany, Britain, the USA and Japan. A local search for Turkish wine uncovered a few bottles at a Mediterranean restaurant and not much else. As the report says, there is much work to do for Turkey to realize its great wine potential.
More Than Margaritaville
"Baja — the New California?" was the title of Jancis Robinson's review of Mexican wine after her visit to Baja California in 2010. "I am excited about the potential for wine in Mexico," she said. And indeed some of her tasting notes are enough to make anyone excited. Here's what she had to say about Union de Productores Textura 1 2007 (a blend of Tempranillo, Zinfandel and Grenache): "Deep crimson. Very sweet and dusty and ripe berried. Very Mexican. Very rich. Sweet spicy then nice dry finish. There's a real beginning, middle and end to this wine. Good refreshing stuff on the finish."
Very Mexican! I like that. Not a me-too wine. Not all the wines are big or sweet, of course, which is just as well. Lots of variety. Lots to look for and to like.
The biggest challenge? Climate, according to Jancis. Not enough rain. And, while I'm sure she is right in the long run, I think that infrastructure is probably an even bigger short term problem.
People who taste the wines of Mexico at wineries rave about their quality. But then when they order them in restaurants in the cities they are sometimes puzzled. Is this the wine I liked so well? I wonder what's happened to it, they ask?
The answer, in many cases, is that Mexico's transportation system of poor roads and long rides in hot trucks has baked the freshness out of the wine and left just a hollow shell behind. Mexico can produce excellent wines, but it must also find ways to get them to market in good condition. This is a wine problem but of course it is much more than that. It is a symptom of a general challenge to Mexico's continued development.


Home Viral US Embassy speaks on denying Nigerians visa, tells them what to do.
Seriously this issue of denying people without any tangible reason must be taken care of. Went for an interview this April and was also denied without any tangible reason despite the fact that I went with genuine letters from my company stating that I would be going on just 2weeks vacation as the production manager of the company,for crying out loud am not going to beg in US;the most painful thing is that the document I went with was not asked for not to even talk of accessing them to verify if they're authentic ,to me I felt ambushed by the consular,please let's be kind we 're all humans.


The Imboden Friends of the Library have scheduled the annual Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Bobbie Jean Memorial Library in Imboden. The breakfast will be held on Saturday, April 11th from 7:00 am to 10:00 am at the First United Methodist Church in Imboden.
The Friends of the Library are a group of volunteers who work on behalf of the library to provide additional books and equipment.
Winners of the Friends of the Library Art Contest held at local schools will be honored at the Pancake Breakfast by receiving a free book from the Friends and one FREE breakfast. All winning entries will be displayed at the breakfast .
The community is invited to help support the local library and honoring the art contest winners by attending. The cost of the breakfast will be by donation.
Membership to the Friends of the Library group is open to all individuals who are interested in promoting our local library. Individuals may join the organization at the Pancake Breakfast by paying $1.00 in dues. By joining, you are showing your support for the Imboden library.
The breakfast will be held in the basement of the Imboden First United Methodist church and signs will mark the entrance. The basement is handicap accessible.
Thanks to the Imboden Friends of the Library for the new additions to the DVD collection! On the shelves today.
23 new DVD were purchased for patron circulation by the Friends of the Library.
Stop by the library and check out our Big Book Sale. Huge box of 10 cent each romance books added today!
Friends of the Library Pancake Breakfast had a great turn out!
The Annual Friends of the Library Pancake Breakfast held on Saturday, March 5th 2011 had a great turn out! 178 people attend the breakfast including all of the art contest winners from Sloan-Hendrix and the Imboden Area Charter School and after expenses just over $900.00 was raised to assist the Bobbie Jean Memorial Library in purchasing children's books and equipment. All of the great artwork from the contest was displayed at the breakfast. Each art contest winner recieved a free breakfast and a book. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, everyone who helped in the kitchen preparing the breakfast, all of you who attended the Pancake Breakfast and/or donated.
The Bobbie Jean Memorial Library encourages everyone to use our local library often. Check out a book, cd, or dvd. Read a magazine. Use our computers and internet access. These are just a few of the things you can do at our library. Best of all it's FREE!


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Home » Aussie ex-pat brings Murray-Darling spirit to Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians
Aussie ex-pat brings Murray-Darling spirit to Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians
Mar 29, 2012 | Daniel Meyerowitz-Katz
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On a family rip back to Australia, Gidon Bromberg, an Australian environmental activist now living in Israel, picked up a copy of Chris Hammer's book The River: A Journey Through The Murray-Darling. Bromberg was inspired by Hammer's description of the process that led to the Federal Government passing legislation in 2007 to protect the river basin; so inspired, in fact, that he decided to bring Hammer to Israel and attempt to replicate the feat and help the long-suffering Jordan River.
Bromberg has written about this in today's Jerusalem Post.
The Australian model reflected real political will that we at Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) are still trying to create for the lower Jordan River. Years of advocacy efforts in the region have led to sewage being removed from the river, a first commitment for a limited fresh water release and a FoEME-led master plan being launched recently. But FoEME's rehabilitation call is still generally seen as unrealistic and unachievable due to water scarcity and the national conflicts over water.
When I wrote to Chris Hammer inquiring as to whether he would come to the region and be willing to speak before Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian decision makers about the political will created in Australia, a land of water scarcity and water conflict between states, he immediately responded with a "yes, I'll do it." With the support of the Australian Government through her embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman and the Representative Office in Ramallah, Chris has this week completed a set of round-table discussions with parliamentarians, government ministries, scientists and local NGOs in each city.
While Bromberg is — understandably — focussed on his work with the river, it is worth noting that he is glossing over what could be, in political terms, a major step forward:
While typical skepticism remains, clear statements were made during the round-tables in Amman, Tel Aviv and Ramallah that each side would be willing to join the effort of river rehabilitation if only they had a partner on the other side. Some would say a lack of trust remains the greatest hurdle to political will.
If Bromberg successfully brings the Palestinians, Jordanians and Israelis together to improve the environment, he will have made an unprecedented diplomatic breakthrough. Until now, the three sides have only been in the same place during tense negotiations about the conflict — none of which have been particularly successful — and have failed to work together on matters in which they have a shared interest. For example, a bid last year to make the Dead Sea one of the 'New Seven Wonders of The World' failed, largely because the governments of Israel and Jordan and the Palestinian Authority could not coordinate a campaign, even though success would have boosted tourism for all three.
Supporting Bromberg's program is a very positive decision by the Australian Government and may have beneficial effects beyond the environment. Bringing together all three nations living along the Jordan River to work on something that is beneficial for all of us could build relationships and instill trust that would allow more controversial topics to be broached with less hostility.
Tags: Australasia
Toulouse school's decision to cut security may have implications on Australia
Global march to hypocrisy takes shape

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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UK border officers go on Olympic strike
30 September 2020: South London police officer Matt Ratana shot in custody centre
10 September 2020: Three children seriously injured as bus hits bridge in Winchester, England
23 June 2020: Three killed, three others injured in stabbing attack in Reading, UK
21 June 2020: British supermarket chain Tesco to sell its Polish branch to Salling Group A/S
6 June 2020: Fire at historic Welsh ex-hotel Bontddu Hall kills one
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Theresa May, the Home Secretary, described the strike as "shameful".
Image: UK Home Office.
Border patrols at Britain's airports may be left short-staffed as the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have voted to strike for twenty-four hours next week on Thursday, July 26, the day before the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. PCS members working in the Home Office, which operates the Border Agency, voted for the strike on Wednesday to protest against the loss of jobs at the Home Office, as well as pay and conditions of workers.
Following the strike, union workers will also take other action including working to rule and a ban on overtime.
Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned the strike: "I do not believe it will be right. I do not believe it will be justified."
Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, said the behaviour of the PCS was "totally irresponsible". Theresa May, the Home Secretary, described the strike as "shameful" and noted the government will put in contingency arrangements.
Mark Serwotka, the head of the union, described the government's reaction as "hysteria" and claimed "there'll be no disruption to the Olympics".
This story has updates
See UK border staff Olympic strike abandoned
Have an opinion on this story? Share it!
Gwyn Topham. "Olympic delays feared as border staff confirm strike" — The Guardian, July 19, 2012
"Home Office staff to strike on eve of Games" — BBC News Online, July 19, 2012
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using System;

namespace HappyMapper.AutoMapper.ConfigurationAPI
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Ignore this member for validation and skip during mapping
    /// </summary>
    [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Field | AttributeTargets.Property)]
    public class IgnoreMapAttribute : Attribute
    {
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


From Sept. 15 to Sept. 19, St. Olaf sponsored a series of lectures to discuss the events in Ferguson, Mo. Faculty, staff and students tackled issues such as race, class and social privilege. The goal was to give the St. Olaf community a framework in which to discuss the difficult events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown.
One of the discussions in this series was Sept. 17's "Exploring Class and Classism," headed by Assistant Professor of Education and Math, Computer Science and Statistics Sharon Lane-Getaz. It emphasized perceived social status and discrimination. Attendees were prompted to consider both their income-based social class and their perceived social class, and consider the impact of social status on their lives.
Before the session began, those attending were asked to move the chairs from their normal, neat rows to form a circle in the center of the room. While not strictly a lecture, the session began with a brief rundown of the sociological tools used to define and understand class. Concepts such as cultural and social capital were introduced, along with a statement of the "Ground Rules" of the discussion: "No blame, no shame and no credit." This statement set the tone of discussion. For the sake of conversation, no class-based experiences were to be considered shameful. This included an agreement of confidentiality, sensitivity and respect for those willing to share.
After building a basis for conversation, attendees were prompted to conceptualize themselves as 10-year-olds, taking in how their class would be perceived as a developing purveyor of a perceived simpler world.
Around the room different signs with numbers from one to six were placed, representing various social classes. Different questions would appear on the projector, regarding the education or employment level of an individual's parents, their jobs or the nature of their housing. Individuals in different segments were encouraged to discuss whether their placement corresponded with their perception of their own social status.
After the informal collaboration, those people designated to be in similar social classes were sent to discuss the benefits and obstacles of their particular classes.
The group came to an interesting conclusion regarding the "middle" class. Students realized that many who considered themselves "middle class" had been leaders in some sport, club or other organization in high school.
The discussion then shifted to the idea of a "middle-class work ethic." Many credited their parents and former teachers as fine examples of this work ethic.
Through discourse, people became more introspective, offering personal stories or applying the class-based framework to their own upbringings. Overall, there was a tacit consensus that class held more power in defining an individual than most had previously realized. Class perception is omnipresent in daily life, especially in human interaction.
After the small group discussion, the attendees congregated yet again in the center and shared what they had discovered.
While the concluding discussion did not mention the situation in Ferguson and its implications directly, it was clear how the prejudices of classicism had influenced the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown. Class is a pervasive force in United States society, and its influence is often overlooked.


Today we bring you a story of collective focus, detailed coordination, and shared success.
In our industry, paperwork is how we ensure that the hands-on projects and jobs continue rolling, and once every three years, our Boiler division renews its ASME Code Stamps, [ASME A - assembly of boilers, U - unfired pressure vessels, PP – power piping, and S – steam boilers (allows us to build new code boilers)], and its National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors R Stamp. This process is a several-month-long, documentation-intensive undertaking.
The volunteer Quality Manager for our review process was Ron Mayor, our Boiler U.S. Service Manager. Under his direction, this process lasted 7 months start-to-finish and was ultimately a success. However, here at APM, the work we do is almost never a solitary effort. Emerging in support for Ron and the renewal process, was a team of leaders who stepped up when the need arose: Ed Deitman, our Boiler U.S. EHS Manager, volunteered to fill Ron's Service Manager role during the renewal process while continuing to fulfill his EHS Manager role. Marty Cochran, APM Boiler U.S. Site Quality Lead; Mike Bush, APM Boiler U.S. Superintendent; Jesse Goldizen, Pipefitter Welder; Phil Gilston, GE Senior QC Engineer; Bob McGuire, GE Lead QC Engineer; and John Sikorski, GE Senior QC Engineer, all supported Ron in the renewal process.
To illustrate the thoroughness of the process, here is a brief summation of the review steps that APM Boiler U.S. underwent. First, the renewal process consisted mainly of an update to our QA Manual. The QA Manual is revised periodically to keep up with code and organizational changes. Phil Gilston, Bob McGuire, and John Sikorski, GE Subject Matter Experts in ASME & National Board Code Compliance, Welding Procedures, and Nondestructive Testing, were intimately involved with the QA Manual rewrite.
Additionally, we set up a sample job to demonstrate our usage and adherence to our QA Manual. The sample job included engineered drawings and calculations developed to build a Mock Header; in accordance with the engineering, we ordered materials. A job package was then developed and reviewed by our Authorized Inspector (AI) from Harford Steam Boiler (HSB). Our AI sets hold points for our demonstration, and we build the Header until we reach the hold points. Marty Cochran, with his knowledge of ASME Code and our Quality Processes and Manual, reviewed all the drawings and welding procedures used in the re-certification. He performed the receiving inspections of materials and consumables as well as conducted the welding inspection of the Mock Header. Mike Bush facilitated the entire process by providing the Quality and Welding folks. Jesse Goldizen utilized his highly developed welding skills to create the Mock Header.
The Review itself is a 2-day process. The Joint Review Team consists of the HSB Supervisor, the Authorized Inspector from HSB, and a person from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
On the first day the Review Team went through the Quality Manual and confirmed that we met all the ASME and National Board standards. The second day, the Joint Review Team met with us at the APM Leadership Development Center (LDC) where minor editorial changes were made to the Quality Manual. We then reviewed the Job Package, a 2-inch thick, 3 ring binder, for the sample job. The team inspected our Mock Header and witnessed the welding on the header. When the team was satisfied with the welding process, we reconvened in the LDC Board Room where the team reviewed completed job packages, our NTD processes, our Control of Subcontractors, and various Quality-related processes. Lastly, the Review Team convened to determine if we had met all requirements, after which, debriefing began, where they made the recommendation to renew.
And now we can celebrate our achievement, which was made possible by our dedicated APM employees, their shared sense of responsibility, and their collaboration as a team. APM always pulls together when called upon, which is the very spirit we strive to foster within our organization. It is our collective vision and teamwork that will continue to propel APM into a bright, successful future. Many congrats to this team!


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OpinionColumnistsRita Ciolli
By Rita Ciolli
Behind the scenes of a new Suffolk poll
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone is pictured on Feb. 1, 2017. Credit: Ed Betz
This originally appeared in The Point, the editorial board's newsletter for insiders. To subscribe, click here.
Steve Bellone is sending out some results of a poll he commissioned which — surprise, surprise — reveal the Suffolk County executive is very popular.
Global Strategy Group, which conducted the poll of likely voters in late June, finds that the two-term Democratic official gets very high marks from across the political spectrum — a positive rating of 61 percent among Republicans, 62 percent among independents and 69 percent among Democrats.
A summary of the results was given to The Point by Jason Elan, the head of Bellone's communications team. Elan, who did not provide the actual questions asked or the raw polling data that support the conclusions, said Bellone used campaign funds to pay for the survey. The firm also does polling for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
The poll finds that Cuomo leads GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro by 19 points, 55 percent to 36 percent; and that the incumbent Democrat does well with independents (57 percent) and Republicans (34 percent). The poll also finds that gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon, who is not fond of the state property tax cap, is not doing very well in the 'burbs. Her favorability rating among the 402 general-election likely voters surveyed was 24 percent, while 40 percent rated her unfavorable.
The rosy poll for Democrats also finds that President Donald Trump is slightly underwater in Suffolk, a county he won by single digits in 2016. Trump had a 47 percent favorable rating to 49 percent unfavorable.
Cuomo is running for re-election; so are members of Congress and the New York State Legislature. But Bellone is not up for re-election until next year. Known to be a tightwad about spending campaign funds, why is Bellone splurging for an off-cycle poll?
Obviously, it gives him the ability to tout his political strength and activism in a swing county, which gives him clout with Democrats statewide. Writ large, if Suffolk delivers some State Senate seats for Democrats — he is behind the candidacies of James Gaughran and Louis D'Amaro — and even a congressional seat, Bellone can take the credit.
But don't overlook the immediate, micro politics as well. Bellone comes across as Suffolk's Democratic leader, not just an elected official. His message is that he is a political influencer and strategist for the local party, not his archenemy, county party leader Rich Schaffer.
Even for a tightwad, that's money well spent.


I shall not consider the great catastrophes such as loss of all one's children, or public disgrace. .
If I write the word "catastrophe," the first three letters do not constitute an instance of the word "cat." The most necessary thing in an instance of the word is intention. .
One finds, accordingly, that the birth-rate declined from that moment onward, at first slowly and then catastrophically.
Why did many gold-explorers meet with financial catastrophe?
The flood was a major catastrophe, causing heavy loss of life.


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Sanskrit scholar Dr. Jahan Ara to share her 'Sanskrit journey' on All India Radio
Published On: 18/12/2020 - 10:19 PM By INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter / NEW DELHI
Young and dynamic Sanskrit scholar Dr. Jahan Ara will share her Sanskrit journey with the audience in an interview dialogue sequence at weekly magazine 'Sanskrit Saptahiki' on All India Radio (AIR) on Saturday December 20.
All India Radio's weekly magazine 'Sanskrit Saptahiki' will complete 25 episodes of its telecast on Saturday. This weekly Sanskrit magazine is presented by All India Radio every Saturday at 11:20 AM and the repeat program airs every Sunday at 11:20 AM.
On the special occasion of its 25th edition, Dr. Jahan Ara will share her Sanskrit journey with the audience in an interview dialogue sequence. Dr. Jahan Ara, who comes from Mau, in Uttar Pradesh, has created a record in Sanskrit research that reveals very interesting facts on Indian System knowledge.
Dr. Jahan Ara has extensively researched the plays of Mahakavi Kalidas and has also done remarkable research on the diagnosis of modern social problems reflected in the Mahabharata. Dr. Ara has been a postdoctoral fellow of Jamia Millia Islamia, giving inspiring lectures on Indian System knowledge.
Each edition of the 'Sanskrit Saptahiki' program starts with an inspiring 'Subhashitam', focusing on one of the important topics within the week, so this segment is called 'Prasang'. Important news from around the world has been named 'SaptahikiVartah'. A special interview dialogue with eminent Sanskrit scholars and thinkers is known as 'GyanVigyanidarsini'. The 'Balamanovallari' segment is aired to showcase the lyrical talent of the students of the schools. In the next segment Country's diverse language is displayed under 'Ek Bharatam Shrestham Bharatam' in which five sentences of one of the provincial languages are presented in Hindi and Sanskrit in each edition. This 20-minute Radio Sanskrit program concludes with 'Anveekshkee' under which the remarkable works of the great personalities of the country, Birth Day and Martyrs Day are remembered throughout the week.
Renowned Spanish Sanskrit scholar and Director of Instituto Cervantes in New Delhi Dr. Oscar Pujol is a regular listener of each episode of 'Sanskrit Saptahiki' on the AIR Mobile Application.


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L'urv sportswear will ensure you standout in the gym and on the street.


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'Nivar' To Intensify Into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm; TN-Puducherry Coasts On High Alert
By Vikash Sharma	 On Nov 24, 2020 - 6:08 PM
Bhubaneswar: Cyclone 'Nivar' is expected to cross the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram as a very severe cyclonic storm on November 25, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday.
As per the latest IMD bulletin, Cyclone Nivar will make a landfall on Wednesday between Karaikal and Mamallapuram as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speed reaching up to 120-130 Kph and gusting up to 145 Kph.
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IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, "Extremely heavy rainfall is expected in coastal and north interior districts of Tamil Nadu on November 25. The most vulnerable zone are the districts in north Tamil Nadu."
Though there is no direct impact of the cyclone on Odisha, heavy rain is expected over parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema under the influence of the cyclone in the neighbouring states.
1) Cyclone "NIVAR" to cross Tamilnadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram as a very severe cyclonic storm during late evening of 25th November.
2)Depression over Gulf of Aden and adjoining Somalia weakened into a well marked low pressure area. pic.twitter.com/ZWzqjnbDUB
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 24, 2020
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has alerted all district officials and dispatched National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF teams to Nellore, said disaster management commissioner K. Kannababu today.
Earlier, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasami regarding the situation in the wake of Cyclone Nivar.
Modi assured all possible support from the Centre to both the States which will face the wrath of the cyclone.
Spoke to Tamil Nadu CM Shri @EPSTamilNadu and Puducherry CM Shri @VNarayanasami regarding the situation in the wake of Cyclone Nivar. Assured all possible support from the Centre. I pray for the safety and well-being of those living in the affected areas.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 24, 2020
The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area carried out preparatory activities to combat the effects of Cyclone Nivar. As part of the preparedness, five flood relief teams and one diving team has been kept ready for deployment at Chennai.
The National Disaster Rapid Action Force (NDRF) DG Satya Pradhan said that already 30 teams including 12 teams in Tamil Nadu, 2 teams in Puducherry & 1 team in Karaikal. 3 teams in Nellore & 1 team in Chittoor and 3 teams pre-positioned in Vizag.
While 22 teams are available on the ground, 8 teams have been kept on standby to meet any exigencies arising out of the cyclone, said Pradhan.
Cyclone NivarIMDNDRFTamil Nadum Puducherry
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Masakra w École polytechnique de Montréal, zwana także Masakrą w Montrealu – zbiorowe zabójstwo dokonane 6 grudnia 1989 roku w Montrealu, Quebecu w Kanadzie motywowane mizoginią – uzbrojony w broń palną i nóż myśliwski 25-letni Marc Lépine wkroczył do budynku uczelni. Po wejściu do pierwszej sali rozdzielił kobiety i mężczyzn, najpierw każąc wyjść mężczyznom, po czym zaczął strzelać do kobiet. Następnie przeszedł przez kilka innych pomieszczeń, gdzie celował i strzelał do kobiet, łącznie trafiając 28 osób: 24 kobiety i 4 mężczyzn. 14 kobiet zmarło w wyniku odniesionych ran, a Lépine popełnił samobójstwo.

Podczas masakry Marc Lépine mówił, że "walczy z feminizmem", a w liście samobójczym napisał, że feminizm zrujnował mu życie; list zawierał także wykaz nazwisk 19 kobiet, które zamachowiec uważał za feministki i najwidoczniej zamierzał zabić.

Przebieg
O godzinie 16:00 po południu 6 grudnia 1989 roku 25-letni Marc Lépine wszedł do budynku politechniki w Montrealu, uzbrojony karabin typu Ruger Mini-14 i nóż myśliwski.

Po wejściu napastnik przebywał kilka chwil w biurze na drugim piętrze budynku politechniki. Kilka osób przechodzących obok zapytało się go czy może mu w jakiś sposób pomóc, gdyż sprawca chodził w biurze i jego okolicach wokół bez celu i co jakiś czas znowu usiadał na krześle w biurze – Marc nie odezwał się jednak do nikogo. O godz. 17:10 wyszedł z biura i skierował się do jednej z klas gdzie akurat trwała prezentacja ze strony studentów; Marc kazał odejść po krótkiej rozmowie i pod groźbą wystrzału z karabinu mężczyznom na jedną stronę sali, a później wyjść z niej, a kobietom ustawić się na środku tej sali, przy jednym z kątów pod ścianą w klasie.

Następnie oddał strzały w studentki w tej klasie, zabijając i raniąc wiele kobiet w sali, po czym chodził po budynku i oddawał strzały na korytarzu do innych kobiet i w drzwi od klas, które zaczęły być barykadowane przez studentów i wykładowców po tym gdy usłyszeli pierwsze strzały.

Lépine poszedł następnie na szkolną stołówkę gdzie zabił kilka kolejnych kobiet i ranił następne kobiety.

Po wyjściu ze stołówki sprawca udał się do klasy gdzie inni studenci także mieli prezentację, tak jak w pierwszej sali gdzie rozpoczęła się strzelanina – napastnik otworzył kopniakiem drzwi i postrzelił studentkę prezentującą coś i stojącą na podwyższeniu, po czym zastrzelił kilka kolejnych kobiet w sali i ranił inne osoby, w tym kilku mężczyzn; następnie zadźgał nożem postrzeloną wcześniej studentkę w tej sali, krzyknął O, cholera!, po czym popełnił samobójstwo.

Zabite w wyniku masakry

 Geneviève Bergeron (ur. 1968)
 Hélène Colgan (ur. 1966)
 Nathalie Croteau (ur. 1966)
 Barbara Daigneault (ur. 1967)
 Anne-Marie Edward (ur. 1968)
 Maud Haviernick (ur. 1960)
 Maryse Laganière (ur. 1964)
 Maryse Leclair (ur. 1966)
 Anne-Marie Lemay (ur. 1967)
 Sonia Pelletier (ur. 1961)
 Michèle Richard (ur. 1968)
 Annie St-Arneault (ur. 1966)
 Annie Turcotte (ur. 1969)
 Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (ur. 1958)

Skutki masakry
Osoby ranne i obserwujące wydarzenie doświadczyły różnorodnych fizycznych, psychologicznych, społecznych i finansowych konsekwencji, włączając w to zespół stresu pourazowego, ponadto zanotowano wzrost liczby samobójstw wśród osób studiujących, w listach samobójczych przynajmniej dwóch z nich cierpienie wywołane masakrą zostało określone jako przyczyna targnięcia się na życie; po masakrze ogłoszono trzydniową żałobę narodową w całej Kanadzie i w Quebecu.

Sprawca
Sprawcą masakry był 25-letni Marc Lépine będący Kanadyjczykiem pochodzenia francusko-algierskiego i pierwotnie nazywał się Gamil Rodrigue Gharbi, lecz w wieku 14 lat zmienił swoje imię i nazwisko na Marc Lépine. Jego matka była pielęgniarką i z powodu pracy często zostawiała swoje dzieci na wychowanie tymczasowym opiekunom. Lépine miał urazy wobec kobiet i feministek i wściekał się kiedy słyszał o kobietach pracujących w zawodach uznawanych za tradycyjnie męskie typu policja czy wojsko. Przed atakiem kilkukrotnie był zapisany na zajęcia na politechnice gdzie później dokonał masakry, ale za każdym razem ich nie dokończał lub rzucał te kierunki.

List samobójczy
Lépine pozostawił po sobie krótki list samobójczy, w którym wyraził wściekłość wobec feministek i obwiniał je o zrujnowanie mu życia. Określił się w nim także jako racjonalistę i czynił aluzje do historii. Wyraził też podziw wobec terrorysty Denisa Lortiego, który w 1984 roku dokonał zamachu na parlament Quebecu, zabijając 3 osoby i raniąc 13 innych.

Upamiętnienie
Od 1991 roku rocznica masakry to Narodowy Dzień Pamięci i Przeciwdziałania Przemocy Wobec Kobiet w Kanadzie. 6 grudnia flagi na budynkach rządowych są opuszczone do połowy masztu, pamięć ofiar czczona jest minutą ciszy, a do ubrań przypina się białą lub purpurową wstążkę – znak sprzeciwu wobec przemocy wymierzonej w kobiety.

Zobacz też
 antyfeminizm
 przemoc wobec kobiet
 seksizm
 zbrodnia nienawiści

Przypisy

1989 w Ameryce Północnej
Feminizm
Historia kobiet
Kanada w XX wieku
École polytechnique
Montreal
École polytechnique de Montréal

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