Cycling Routes of Austria - Toronto Cycling | Examiner.com Europe is well known for being bicycle friendly across the continent, and most countries are recognizting this as a niche travel market. Austria is no exception with the flat expanse and rolling hills making it a cyclist's dream. Here are three routes that can be done with a bit of planning, as they all involve multiple days to compete the entire duration. Links are provided with additional information, including contact info to answer any questions. The Danube: Rolling Riverside Cycling along the majestic Danube, you�??ll be rewarded with breathtaking views and close encounters with romantic castles, sprawling vineyards and, finally, Vienna�??s grace and wit. Following an old towpath where teams of horses once struggled to tug barges upstream, the Danube Cycling Path winds for 300 miles through Upper and Lower Austria. The route is well marked, paved and nearly traffic-free, making it ideal for first-timers and families. Pedal the entire path or only one section. If you get tired, you can easily hop on a train or a riverboat with your bike. The Upper Austrian section (148 miles) takes you past the Monastery of Engelhartszell through the Schlögener Schlinge, a horseshoe-shaped passage of the Danube known for its village charm. In Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, you can explore the city�??s historical center of splendid Renaissance and Baroque architecture before getting back on the trail to villages as inviting as Grein, home to the oldest theater in Austria. The Lower Austria leg stretches 160 miles past marsh woodland through the Strudengau, an untouched part of the Danube, to Melk and its gorgeous Benedictine monastery. Between Melk and Krems lies the small Wachau region, well known for its wine and apricot orchards that hug the river�??s shores. Crossing the plain of Tulln, the path reaches Vienna and the new Danube National Park, where you�??ll find traces of the Roman past near Carnuntum. Of the many grand imperial sites you can visit in Vienna, be sure to unwind at Schönbrunn Palace and its enchanting park�??just as the Habsburgs did for centuries. More Info: www.donauradweg.at/en/start.html. www.lower-austria.info/portal/en/?tt=NOEEN_R51 Salzburg: Old Town to Scenic Countryside This World Heritage town is the most bike-friendly in Austria, and beautiful cycling trails make it easy to explore the entire, magnificent province. Whether you have in mind a leisurely day trip or a week of exploring the lakes region, Salzburg delivers. Short excursions can take you to Hellbrunn Palace and its whimsical trick fountains, or along the Salzach River to picturesque villages north and south of town. Renting a bike is easy, as is pairing up with a private tour guide. To help you tackle steep hills, consider renting an electric Movelo bike. Conveniently, both you and the battery can be recharged at the local Stiegl Brewery. Feeling more adventurous? Tap the region�??s extensive network of cycling trails that skirt pristine lakes and mighty woods, coursing through lush green meadows and historic villages. The Mozart Bike Path winds for 290 miles through the province of Salzburg and into Bavaria, passing a 13th-century fortress and the fresh-water Chiemsee. For a scenic ride along the Salzach, the Tauern Bike Path (110 miles) runs from Oberndorf to the charming villages of Hallein, Golling or Krimml. You can hike up to the spectacular Krimml Waterfalls, Europe�??s highest, and take in alpine vistas over lunch. If lakefront routes are more your style, try the 215-mile Salzkammergut Bike Trail. Beginning and ending in Salzburg, you�??ll travel through St. Gilgen and along Lake Wolfgang to Bad Ischl, former emperor Franz Joseph�??s favorite vacation spot. In picturesque Hallstatt, you can take a small boat out on the lake for one of Austria�??s best photo opps. Then saddle up, you have 70-plus lakes to go! www.salzburg.info/en/arrival_traffic/bicycle Lake Neusiedl: One Lake, Endless Discovery Past vineyards and cherry blossoms, villages and culinary hotspots, this World Heritage Site and National Park offers cyclists an unforgettable journey. In Burgenland, Austria�??s easternmost region, the sun shines more than 300 days a year and the horizon stretches into the distance for what seems like an eternity. Around picturesque Lake Neusiedl, bike paths extend more than 300 miles into virtually every nook and cranny of the peaceful countryside. They roll gently past wine cellars and art galleries, parish churches, a Celtic burial site and more windows to the past. Cyclists in the know call it heaven. The eastern shore paths glide through sun-drenched plains along salt lakes, wetlands and pastures near the Hungarian border, in full view of wild horses, white donkeys, cranes and 300 indigenous bird species. The pretty villages of Illmitz and Podersdorf offer several heurigen and plenty of postcard-worthy spots along a lakeside promenade. A pleasant ferry ride takes you over to the lake�??s western shore, where cherry blossoms and wine worship paired with a celebrated culinary scene have turned these tiny towns into foodie favorites. Stop in Moerbisch and Rust for world-famous dessert wines and a peek at the stork nests. You�??ll find an historic winegrowers�?? house and restaurant in Donnerskirchen, and access to the Kellergasse, a stretch of 50 wine cellars, in Purbach and Breitenbrunn. These are just a taste. At various sites around the lake, you�??ll find ample opportunity to go for a dip and let the serenity of this lake wash over you. www.neusiedlersee.com/en/ Bryen Dunn is a freelance travel writer based in Toronto, Ontario specializing in cycling and adventure travel/eco-tourism. He's willing to listen to rants, travel the world in search of the great unknown, and put it all together for others to experience. Contact Bryen with your comments and... Manny Pacquiao says he's ready for Bradley, knows the gospel. See article Famous mutts in Hollywood are being celebrated in style. See photos Examiner talks to Idris Elba from new sci-fi thriller 'Prometheus.' See article Angelina Jolie may be interested in directing the '50 Shades of Grey' film. Slideshow: See Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey shirtless. Follow the torch and get all the latest Olympics news. Slideshow: Check out the sultry stars we'll be watching this summer. Slideshow: Beam yourself up to the Star Trek exhibition in Orlando. Slideshow: Helena Bonham Carter shows us her unique fashion style. Get recaps on all the big announcements made at E3. Slideshow: These people take the word "fan" to the next level. Not even Mr. Rogers is safe from autotune! If you haven't seen it, here is the new hot viral video, #GardenOfYourMind - t.co/BefsSWxb Tom's Thumb Trailhead opens this summer in Sonoran Desert t.co/BvUAZ3ti Could Angelina Jolie be directing 'Fifty Shades Of Grey?' Rumor has it she may be - t.co/km3BUQip #FiftyShadesOfGrey Examiner.com is the inside source for everything local. We are powered by Examiners, the largest pool of passionate contributors in the world. Examiners provide unique and original content to enhance life in your local city wherever that may be. Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute original content to entertain, inform, and inspire.

White wines for summer - Phoenix Drinks | Examiner.com Man can�??t live off red wine alone. At least that�??s my feeling. There are a few of you out there �?? and you know who you are �?? who say it�??s red or it�??s nothing. You pledge allegiance solely to King Cab or Precious Pinot, and shun everything without a crimson hue. Well get over yourselves. It�??s bloody hot outside and sometimes you simply can�??t stomach another chewy sip of Zin while slaving over a hot grill out back. If you need a big meaty fruit bomb, try a burly Chardonnay from California or Australia. You�??ll be pleasantly surprised. And feel free to drop a few ice cubes in there. We live in the desert and we�??re allowed to bend the rules on this one. The red versus white debate obviously continues. Until then, I�??ll keep cool and sip a few more white wines this summer, thank you. Here are a few recent gems. Cheers! �?� Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc Lake County, California. The quintessential summer white. I love the bright citrus and subtle grass characteristics on the nose and palate. It�??s fresh, crisp and eminently drinkable. Chill and serve with a shrimp cocktail. $10. �?� Antica Napa Valley 2010 Estate Chardonnay, California. Like Marilyn Monroe in a glass. Big, beautiful and curvy, I like everything about this wine. Its natural acidity and minerality is wonderfully balanced with enticing flavors of white peach, apricot, apple and pear with subtle oak touches. The finish is elegant, expressive and persistent. $35. �?� Yarden Mount Hermon White 2011, Israel. I sampled the red a couple months ago for Passover, and was eager to try the white variety. Made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the wine displays aromatic citrus and peach notes. This is a solid everyday sipper. $12. �?� Robert Mondavi Private Selection 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, California. This winery pioneered oaked Sauv Blanc, called Fume Blanc, in the 1970s as a marketing tactic, but I much prefer to stainless steel aging with this grape variety to let its bright, fresh fruit come through. And it does so in this fruit-forward beauty. How about pairing with a crab cake or prosciutto-wrapped pears? $10. Contact Drinks Editor Mark Nothaft via e-mail and click here and follow him on Twitter. Subscribe to his frequent columns on Examiner and click here. Wines, spirits and cocktails play a role in our everyday lives. Mark helps readers navigate a sea of elixirs and takes home entertaining to a whole new level for Arizonans. He is a fixture on the local media scene, having held positions with The Arizona Republic, Phoenix Magazine, Tribune... Manny Pacquiao says he's ready for Bradley, knows the gospel. See article Famous mutts in Hollywood are being celebrated in style. See photos Examiner talks to Idris Elba from new sci-fi thriller 'Prometheus.' See article Angelina Jolie may be interested in directing the '50 Shades of Grey' film. Slideshow: See Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey shirtless. Follow the torch and get all the latest Olympics news. Slideshow: Check out the sultry stars we'll be watching this summer. Slideshow: Beam yourself up to the Star Trek exhibition in Orlando. Slideshow: Helena Bonham Carter shows us her unique fashion style. Get recaps on all the big announcements made at E3. Slideshow: These people take the word "fan" to the next level. Not even Mr. Rogers is safe from autotune! If you haven't seen it, here is the new hot viral video, #GardenOfYourMind - t.co/BefsSWxb Tom's Thumb Trailhead opens this summer in Sonoran Desert t.co/BvUAZ3ti Could Angelina Jolie be directing 'Fifty Shades Of Grey?' Rumor has it she may be - t.co/km3BUQip #FiftyShadesOfGrey Examiner.com is the inside source for everything local. We are powered by Examiners, the largest pool of passionate contributors in the world. Examiners provide unique and original content to enhance life in your local city wherever that may be. Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute original content to entertain, inform, and inspire.

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Our Newspapers: Please Select The Beacon Cranbury Press Hillsborough Beacon Hopewell Valley News The Lawrence Ledger The Manville News The Messenger-Press The Princeton Packet The Register-News South Brunswick Post Windsor-Hights Herald TimeOFF Hamilton-Robbinsville Observer Search News Subscribe Contact Jobs Real Estate Autos   Home Arts & Entertainment Living Sports Business Dining Obituaries Blogs Services Local Directory Local Events Classifieds Top News Newsletter Opinions Health Business Newswire Community Links Site Map Calendar Facebook RSS Entertainment Theater Movies Restaurant Reviews Lifestyle Photos JerseyArts.com Blogs Calendar Education Health Lifestyle Blogs Entertainment Calendar Photos PM Fine Living.com Facebook Local Sports Star Athletes Business News BUSINESS LISTINGS Calendar Commercial Properties Community Links Restaurants & Reviews Top Restaurants Local Dining Deals View Obituaries Submit Obituaries Local Blogs Photo Gallery Calendar Newsletter Subscriptions Place Classifieds Advertise In Print Commercial Printing About Us Contact Us Site Map Search Listings Restaurants Hotels Doctors Schools Museums Gyms Malls Local Events Calendar Entertainment News View All Classifieds Place Classifieds Cars Jobs Real Estate Merchandise Business Services Announcements Legals MARKETPLACE Cafe Blue Moose Youth is an important theme at this New Hope spot, but the mastermind behind the concept shows an impressive level of maturity DATE POSTED: Friday, June 8, 2012 4:09 PM EDT By Antoinette Buckley  MORE NEWS IN THIS SECTION  Cafe Blue Moose  Stage Left  Fortune Cookies  Tortuga�??s Mexican Village  Kyma Greek Cuisine  TOP STORIES       A scooter is propped up against the back wall of the restaurant. It is undoubtedly the mode of transportation for one of the employees. Inside, servers and hosts wear the uniform of choice: jeans (or jean shorts), Converse low tops, and the occasional pair of moccasins. Whether the jeans hug tight or hang down low (depending on gender) those who wear them have one thing in common. They are teenagers.   Café Blue Moose in New Hope, Pa. is entirely youth-run. Having just turned 20, chef and owner, Skylar Bird, is the oldest member of a team that ranges in age from 14 to 20. Preparing food for dinner guests is nothing new for this young sage. When Bird was 14 years old, he and a buddy started cooking for friends and family in his parents’ Bucks County home, quickly became hooked as it turned into a little supper club venture. For the next five years, Bird continued his pseudo “restaurant” on and off while preparing for his future. He gained experience in several restaurant kitchens that included an internship in Lyons, France and trained at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. Bird now finds himself at the helm of his own restaurant. Here he offers an inspired menu that can stand up to those of most restaurants run by people twice his age.   Everything about Café Blue Moose fits its bubbly personality. The space is bright, perky, and engaging from the way it’s laid out to the whimsical way it’s decorated. Boldly painted tabletops with dancing moose are in step with a moose theme that runs deep. Chunky dinnerware is a mix-and-match array of bright colors that sits on open blue shelving while oversized black-and-white photos celebrate smiling staff members. These are the same young faces that greet you at the door, take your order, serve your table, and cook your food. There are plenty of blunders to go around as the staff charms you with genuine efforts, a youthful glow, and plenty of giggles.   While youth is an important theme at this new restaurant of four months, Skylar Bird, the mastermind behind the concept, the décor, and the food, shows an impressive level of maturity. Bird admits that working with teens can be a challenge as they are still learning about responsibility, working with others, and figuring out who they are. Despite the bumpy landscape of the teen psyche, Bird believes that working at the restaurant is a great learning experience, and he feels the environment he’s created has already made a positive impact on much of his staff.   As with any 4-month-old restaurant, it’s a work in progress. The European style prix fixe structure is brilliantly simple and very reasonable: $23 for a three-course meal and $18 for a two-course meal including either appetizer and entrée or entrée and dessert. Time will tell if this pricing structure can sustain the business, but I’m hoping it takes root, as it is well suited to the restaurant’s concept as well as customer satisfaction. So far, the number of choices on the menu has proven too ambitious for the restaurant’s tiny kitchen. Therefore, Bird has decided to scale back the menu, but will continue to change the selections weekly since his menu is built on fresh and local ingredients.    Underscoring the youth theme, freshly popped popcorn is the first thing that is brought to the table. The next gift is warm, homemade herb bread with butter. In fact, this restaurant is doing homemade across the board. It’s no surprise that Café Blue Moose delivers a flavorful, juicy hamburger and outstanding shoestring fries. After all, this is a teen staple. Yet, who would expect that the bun it comes with is made in house? There is definitely something special going on here at Café Blue Moose.   The menu goes far beyond the obligatory burger while staying within a clever parameter of what can be achieved with limited facilities. Most of the appetizers offered are appealing varieties of sophisticated salads that include red wine poached pears, candied walnuts, roasted peppers, and an array of salad-topping cheeses such as goat cheese, blue cheese, and feta. The signature salad, dressed in the house’s balsamic vinaigrette, comes beautifully wrapped in a cucumber ribbon with fresh greens coming out the top. Feta cheese is a treasured salty accent and augmented cashew nuts are good enough to eat as candy.   A bowl of steamed mussels was one of two hot appetizers offered on the evening of our visit. The mussels are flavorful and cooked just right as they bathe in an amalgamation of white wine, cream, and chives. If you can get pass the milky consistency of the broth, the rest is a pleasure. Crisp Caesar salad offers a contemporary riff on a classic with accent ingredients of avocado, grilled shrimp, and goat cheese.   Overall, the food is a mix of dishes that reach their maximum potential and those that fall just short. Bird’s Provençal dish, Beef Daube, is a standout. Braised beef chunks cooked with white wine, tomato and smoked bacon are tender and deeply flavored against a backdrop of rice. The sautéed vegetable medley that comes alongside has direction and thus becomes a positive contributor to the landscape of the plate.   Braised Pork Shank marks another pinnacle of excellence. Showing expertise and ingenuity, this dish is a memorable sum of its parts as fall-off-the-bone meat blends with the lentil and coconut-scented polenta underneath. I could eat this all day.   Chicken Marsala is well executed, though its overall flavor profile is subdued. Quiet is taken too far with accompanying homemade fettucine that lacks flavor. While this dish is respectable, it doesn’t have the same strength found in the braised beef or pork shank.   Eggplant Parmesan is a classy version of the classic, using panko breadcrumbs and doling out dainty portions of fresh mozzarella cheese between layers of eggplant. This is a dish that gets better as you get into it and notice a new level of sophistication with each bite. Again, the fettucine served alongside is a missed opportunity for an easy win.   Desserts are very successful. Blood orange and lemon tart is a nice flavor and textural arrangement, but the house’s signature is Moose Tracks laced with sherry overshadows with its presentation and icebox cake style. It is fluffy and steeped in the depths of rich chocolate. Even better is the grilled pound cake with roasted strawberries and vanilla ice cream that is stop-in-your-tracks good. I was lucky enough to secure the last piece of the evening as orders streamed in and slices flew out. It’s a beautiful thing when something so simple is done so well that it magically tops all others.   Café Blue Moose has not yet hit its stride in the kitchen or in the dining room, but it is blossoming right before our eyes. Skylar Bird has the culinary talent and the ambition to make this restaurant work in its own skin. Check it out and bring the kids; the energy here is infectious. Café Blue Moose 9 W. Mechanic St. New Hope, Pa. 215-862-6800 www.cafebluemoose.com Food Good to very good Service Good Cuisine Contemporary European Vegetarian Salads, soup, and the token entrée Ambiance Cheerful Prices Prix Fixe: $23 for a three-course meal and $18 for a two-course meal including either appetizer and entrée or entrée and dessert. Hours Thursdays: opens at 8 p.m. (last seating at 8 p.m.); Fri.-Sat. opens at 6 p.m. (last seating at 9 p.m.); Sundays: opens at 5 p.m. (last seating at 7:30 p.m.) Essentials Cash and check only; BYOB; wheelchair accessible; scattered parking in town; reservations recommended especially on weekends. RECENT COMMENTS Please sign in to leave comments.... *Member ID: *Password:   Forgot Your Password?   If you are not registered yet, please sign up today. It's FREE! Fill out our quick form and start commenting today! Click here Marketplace Print Ads Click on the image above to view entire ad Featured Brokers Princeton Real Estate » Sections Homepage News Obituaries Sports Entertainment Dining Lifestyle Health Business Education Blogs Opinions Newswire Photo Gallery Calendar Site Map Local Events » Your Local Business Directory Classifieds Calendar Newsletter Marketplace » Our Publications The Beacon Cranbury Press Hillsborough Beacon Hopewell Valley News The Lawrence Ledger The Manville News The Messenger-Press The Princeton Packet The Register-News South Brunswick Post Windsor-Hights Herald TimeOFF - Entertainment PMFineLiving.com Hamilton-Robbinsville Observer » Services Advertise with us Contact Us | About Us Subscribe to the Newspaper Find us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  RSS feeds » Search News Copyright © 2012, Packet Publications Website | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy www.vtopics.com-Because Visual is Better!

More communities agree to ban K2 Spice - theoaklandpress.com Published: Friday, June 08, 2012 By MONICA DRAKE, DUSTIN BLITCHOKand CAROL HOPKINSOf The Oakland Press Independence Township, Springfield Township and the Village of Clarkston are the first Oakland County communities where all businesses have voluntarily agreed to stop selling  K2, or spice.In one month, 32 business owners have signed the pledge that they will not sell K2. There are no markets, gas stations or party stores selling the products in the community.Lakeview Food Basket, 4710 Clarkston Road in Independence Township, was the final business to sign the pledge. Pine Knob Wine Shoppe, located at 5276 Maybee Road, was previously one of the largest local suppliers of the substance, took it off the substance shelf within the past week as well.Andrea Schroeder, one of organizers of No Spice/K2 Clarkston, said, “I think people really responded to our approach of supporting the stores who take the pledge while increasing public awareness of the dangers of these products. We wanted to take positive action to get a positive result.” In Pontiac, the City Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance banning K2 and similar synthetic drugs resembling marijuana.The ordinance makes distribution or possession of synthetic marijuana a misdemeanor punishable with a $500 fine and/or up to 90 days in jail.The ordinance will become effective once signed by Mayor Leon Jukowski and published by the city clerk.Meanwhile, the White Lake Township board agreed this week to ban the sale of the substance. The ordinance change takes immediate effect. The Waterford Township Trustees will discuss a measure to ban the substance at the 6 p.m. meeting Monday, June 11 at Town Hall, 5200 Civic Center Dr., Waterford. The police department has been actively encouraging township businesses to not sell synthetic drugs. Once the ordinance is enacted, the Police Department’s Tobacco, Alcohol and Dangerous Substances compliance unit will be inspecting businesses for violations of the ordinance. www.vtopics.com-Because Visual is Better!

Vandals cause havoc in 4am town centre wrecking spree | This is Somerset Max : 14°C  Min : 13°C Shepton Mallet Journal Police are appealing for information after vandals went on the rampage in Shepton Mallet's town centre in the early hours of last Wednesday morning leaving a trail of broken windows and pools of blood in their wake. Shocked residents were woken by the noise of a group of youths shouting, creating a commotion and the sound of breaking glass just after 4am. damaged window in Shepton Mallet�??s Town Street Later that morning residents and shopkeepers alerted the police when they found windows at a number of premises stretching from the bottom of Town Street, up High Street to the top of the town. Properties targetted included the Wine Vaults pub, the Polish delicatessen, the empty former Neptune's children's centre, a charity shop and the town's Tourist Information Centre. Pools of blood were also found down in the Market Square and it is believed the culprits may have cut themselves, as one resident looking from his window overheard a youth call out to his companions "I'm bleeding!" Further incidents were reported outside the former Crown public house in Hillmead, with windows smashed and broken glass littering the road and a vehicle at Tipcote Hill damaged. Juliet Watchman who owns the Bell Hotel in the Market Square said she heard and saw a group of youths being rowdy round the Market Cross around 4am. But she thought they had moved on as she heard nothing more and went to sleep. Tourist Information Centre manager Lorraine Pratten said she and her staff were dismayed when they discovered the broken window when they arrived for work on Wednesday morning. A beer bottle had been thrown through one of the windows, and the shop inside was scattered with broken glass and beer. An angry Mrs Pratten said: "Who on earth could do anything like this? People in this economic current can ill afford extra expense like this to deal with. We have to fund raise hard to keep the TIC going and then something like this happens. And a lot of other people who have had their windows smashed too must be in the same boat. Why on earth go round throwing bottles at windows?" Police are investigating and are studying CCTV footage recorded that night. Shepton's beat team manager PC Darren Walton said they had so far identified four possible suspects from the footage and were collecting statements from people whose properties were damaged. He appealed for anyone with any information to contact the police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.   Got some interesting news? Write about it and let your whole community know. Copyright © 2012 Northcliffe Media Limited.All Rights Reserved.

Restaurant wants to seat customers on the sidewalk - Wednesday, June 06, 2012 | Courier Electronic Edition - Findlay, Ohio: LOCAL NEWS Money from the state�??s Moving Ohio Forward Demolition Program could help demolish about 40 more abandoned homes in Findlay and Hancock County. COURIER VIDEOS BICENTENNIAL BASH HAS ARRIVED!: Special events all month to recognize Findlay's 200th birthday. ALSO IN WEEKEND: Bicentennial Boogie! on Main Street; Art-See-Mart returns downtown; and find out how many birds Hancock County Naturalists spotted one Saturday last month. BUILD IT UP: Keep tabs on the chickens as community blogger Chris Cooperrider builds her homestead by hand. DROP A LINE: Whether you're always here or just passing through, visit and sign our online Guest Book on the Far Flung blog. IMAGE BLOG: Go behind the scenes with Courier photographer Randy Roberts. You can purchase photographs from The Courier through our easy-to-use online system. Get prints, mousepads, T-shirts and more! www.vtopics.com-Because Visual is Better!

Free haircuts as China promises better public services | SBS World News SPECIAL COVERAGE: Debt Crisis | Arab Uprisings | Arts & Entertainment | Features Alleged people smuggler Captain Emad should have been granted a TPV, rather than refugee status when he arrived in Australia in 2010, the opposition says. Read more Extended interview with Professor Ezra Vogel 07 Jun 12 | 6:00 Women and children found slain in Syria 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Concerns raised over Australia-US links 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Captain Emad flees Australia 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Gippsland floods eases 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Gillard to tackle rising childcare fees 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Australia to double aid to Burma 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Danielle de Niese returns home 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Michael Fletcher extended interview 06 Jun 12 | 4:00 Mixed reactions to Native Title changes 06 Jun 12 | 1:00 Transit of Venus delights viewers 06 Jun 12 | 2:14 Art exhibition celebrates refugee diversity 06 Jun 12 | 1:00 Skywatchers prep for Transit of Venus 05 Jun 12 | 1:00 Government investigates people smuggler claims 05 Jun 12 | 2:00 Reserve Bank cuts official cash rate 05 Jun 12 | 2:00 Japan eyes Australia for drowning prevention 04 Jun 12 | 1:00 Understanding dementia made easier 04 Jun 12 | 2:14 Researchers make paralysed rats walk 04 Jun 12 | 1:00 Arab leaders dismiss al Assad's speech 04 Jun 12 | 2:00 Ricardo's Business: Extended interview with Shane Oliver 04 Jun 12 | 6:00 Japan's 'comfort women' ignored 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Racism overshadows England's Euro 2012 arrival 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Carr meets Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Egyptian student launches NASA spider experiment 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Homs' rebel fighters 07 Jun 12 | 3:00 Report of first doctor to treat shot Lincoln found 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Eurozone fears possible Spanish bailout 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Bin Laden's death impacts Pakistan's polio vaccinations 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 More arrests over London riots 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Raw: Suu Kyi and Carr address media 07 Jun 12 | 7:00 Living Black S16 Ep13 preview 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Mandarin News Australia 澳洲央�?�?ç?�é??�?�ç??�?�?25个�?�ç?� 07 Jun 12 | 0:00 Extended interview with Professor Ezra Vogel 07 Jun 12 | 6:00 Mandarin News Australia �?�伯ç?��??�?�??德ç??�?��?�ç??�?�?�?�? 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Women and children found slain in Syria 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Concerns raised over Australia-US links 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Unemployment rate rises 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Captain Emad flees Australia 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Mandarin News Australia �?��??ç���?为澳中学ç??补习语�? 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Mandarin News Australia �??�?�ç�?ç���?对孩子不�?�é�?�?��?é?��?�欺�??�?为ç??�?�ç?� 07 Jun 12 | 2:14 SBS 6:30 News hour - Thursday 07 Jun 12 | 45:00 SBS 6:30 News part 1 07 Jun 12 | 20:00 SBS 6:30 News part 2 07 Jun 12 | 16:13 SBS 6:30 News part 3 07 Jun 12 | 8:00 Extended interview with Professor Ezra Vogel 07 Jun 12 | 6:00 Women and children found slain in Syria 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Concerns raised over Australia-US links 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Unemployment rate rises 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Captain Emad flees Australia 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Gippsland floods eases 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Gillard to tackle rising childcare fees 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Australia to double aid to Burma 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Danielle de Niese returns home 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Euro 2012 referees given new powers 07 Jun 12 | 1:00 Raw: Suu Kyi and Carr address media 07 Jun 12 | 7:00 Report of first doctor to treat shot Lincoln found 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Egyptian student launches NASA spider experiment 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Japan's 'comfort women' ignored 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Racism overshadows England's Euro 2012 arrival 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 Eurozone fears possible Spanish bailout 07 Jun 12 | 2:00 The SBS MP3 Player requires the Adobe Flash 8 Plugin. You can get Flash from here... Matthew Hall The war on fizz has begun 05 June 2012, 11:13 AM Ricardo Goncalves Will the RBA cut by 0.5% again on Tuesday? 04 June 2012, 21:45 PM Ricardo Goncalves Fitness First cutting the fat 01 June 2012, 17:44 PM Ricardo Goncalves Battle for smartphone supremacy as Galaxy SIII launches 31 May 2012, 18:14 PM Are parents turning their children into bullies? | Add your comment Should online gambling laws be relaxed? | Add your comment (AP) Authorities in Shenzen, China are offering a slew of free services such as shoe shining and haircuts. But this is not most citizens' idea of urgent public reform. A few days ago, the city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, announced it was setting up a voluntary force of 500 public servants to provide more and better public services to its residents. The services include free haircuts, “wine quality identification,” “food safety knowledge,” and electronics repair services. There are also free shoe shines. The announcement prompted an intense public discussion. Some people were enthusiastic about the project but most were just downright angry. How could they dislike such a generous initiative? It’ all about semantics - and a general wariness when it comes to authorities. In Cantonese, the phrase “shoe polishing” is the same as “patting the horse’s bottom,” meaning to flatter or kiss-up to someone. Shenzhen citizens are saying that “the patting has fallen on the horse’s leg,” which means they do not appreciate the municipality’s idea at all. A majority believe that if civil servants did their jobs properly and politely, people would be grateful. For them, this shoe polishing idea is just another political show. It’s not at all surprising that Shenzhen authorities received such a hostile reaction. On the surface one might think the public is just fed up with bureaucracy, but the underlying cause is much deeper. This is about accumulated frustrations and dissatisfaction with public service. Last week, the biggest news was about local farms in Shenzhen feeding psychotropic drugs to chickens. The Chinese press publishes food security stories almost every day. The vital problems associated with daily life, along with school and hospital shortages, are in strong contrast to the privileged situation of public servants and the rampant corruption of officials. According to reports, the voluntary force initiative comes from Shenzhen’s Political Work Department, a political agency under the control of China’s Central Military Commission. In an Internet and market economy where Chinese people’s civic conscience is awakening, such initiatives just prove how obsolete and ridiculous the authorities are. China is in a transformation process, and social contradictions are highlighted by serious problems. If the Political Work Department’s cadres need to prove their worth, they have to move into the 21st century and deal with real problems. Narrowing the public servants’ distance with the masses by having a few volunteers polish people’s shoes is, to put it lightly, like an adult trying to calm a crying child with candy.     // unfortunately, need to use a document.write so we can access our random number cachebuster... document.write(''); ADVERTISEMENT www.vtopics.com-Because Visual is Better!

Ex- Pirate and Country Singer?s New Business of Fine Wine and Spirits - Nashville Nightlife Events | Examiner.com Hit Nashville Singer/Songwriter Bill McCorvey, lead singer of Pirates of the Mississippi fame opens Vine Street Wine and Spirits. In fact, he just celebrated his first successful year in business. Bill actually worked across the street from the place he now owns and after learning the business he was prompted into buying his own place shortly after the place he was working at decided to close their doors. Being the nice guy that he is, Bill took three of his co-workers with him and they now call him boss. I spoke with him today to find out how it's going and I also wanted to know that if country music fans and most especially Pirate of the Mississippi fans who werecoming into town this week for the CMA Fest could come on in and purchase bottles from his store and get them autographed?  I thought it would be really cool for fans to be able to take home this really delicious and fun  collectible? Bill said sure, absolutely. Bill will be at the store and available to say hello and sign the items you purchase at his store on Thursday and Friday, June 7th and 8th from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. central time.  If fine wine is not your thing, pick up a bottle of Jack Daniel's or George Dickel or better yet some real southern Moonshine in a mason jar for Bill to autograph.  Vine Street Wine and Spirits does do free wine tastings on Monday�??s from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and if you are there for the wine tasting you will receive 10% off your purchase. Click on the link to view Feed Jake, the song that made Pirates of the Mississippi a household name.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epzXCb3EalI&feature=related Make sure you stop in and say hi to Bill and get your autographed bottle to take home with you from the CMA Fest. Vine Street Wine and Spirits is located at 493 Old Hickory Blvd, Suite 104, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027  Donna is a published poet, author, songwriter and journalist. She has produced a nightly show from the Broken Spoke Songwriters Cafe in Nashville. Donna has been a booking agent for singer songwriters since 2000. In 2010, Donna had her first book published entitled, "Act of Contrition." She... Some sources claim that Kate Middleton has a bun in the oven. Decide for yourself Rumors are saying the famous actor has hid gay relationships. See article All the stars in the galaxy are no match for these space movie mavens. See pictures Slideshow: These Miss USA beauties were among the hottest ever. The presidential election race is heating up across the country. Surprise! Miley Cyrus is engaged to longtime beau Liam Hemsworth. Slideshow: Across the country, many caught the rare Venus Transit. Slideshow: Get a first look at Lindsay Lohan's portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor. Slideshow: Nintendo holds an exciting press conference at E3. Beach volleyball competition is heating up for the Olympics. Slideshow: Pacquiao and Bradley make their entrances in Vegas. Is an #IKEA TV in our future? The affordable home furnishing giant has plans to combine furnishings and electronics t.co/ANjBID1p Did you see the transit of #Venus ? If not, this collection of pictures will let you see it over and over #SciArt t.co/eQvvTX6f 2012 #Olympics Watch: Swimmer, Jessica Hardy holds world records in the 50M and 100M breaststroke. t.co/ID8QT4Kx Examiner.com is the inside source for everything local. We are powered by Examiners, the largest pool of passionate contributors in the world. Examiners provide unique and original content to enhance life in your local city wherever that may be. Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute original content to entertain, inform, and inspire.

Midwest Wine Press - The Art and Business of Winemaking in the Heartland. May 29, 2012 Posts Comments The best winemakers know that great wine is made in the vineyard.   The quality of grapes being grown in Illinois is a part of the reason that the quality of Illinois wine is growing in excellence.  Recently,  Midwest Wine Press visited grape growers in Southern Illinois whose grapes are being … [Read More...] Publisher's note:  In this three-part series, Midwest Wine Press will explore how wineries in Northern Michigan,  Indianapolis, and Columbus, Ohio structure successful events that are coordinated with the operations of the winery and tasting room client expectations. Hosting events can expose … [Read More...] Creating a buzz about wine was on every participant�??s mind at �??License to Steal 2012,�?� a national wine marketing conference in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio. More than 100 winemakers, distributors, and promoters came to this wine-country resort town from as far away as New Mexico and California to … [Read More...] Midwest Wine Press (MWP) is the first business publication dedicated entirely to the art and business of winemaking in the Midwestern United States. … [Read More...] Publisher's note:  This article is the second installment in a four-part series for winemakers by Nick Smith with the Enology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota.   To read the previous … [Read More...] More on Winemaking More on Management More on Viticulture: More Opinion South Africa native Alwyn Dippenaar has been named the new winemaker at Crown Valley Winery in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.  Al, as he prefers to be called, arrived at Crown Valley Winery in March of … [Read More...] More Featured Winery News More Feature News Return to top of page Copyright © 2012 · Powered by WordPress and Front and Social www.vtopics.com-Because Visual is Better!

Washington Wine Country - Maps, itineraries and the latest news and events to plan your trip to Washington Wine Country, home to our state's vineyards and the source of Washington's world-class wines. Travel Ideas and Destinations Calendar of Events Juice Newsletter June 17-18, 2011 Lying East of the Cascade Mountains is Washington's primary vineyard region. Come experience the valleys of Washington Wine Country and discover what many say has . . . //new fadeshow(IMAGES_ARRAY_NAME, slideshow_width, slideshow_height, borderwidth, delay, pause (0=no, 1=yes), optionalRandomOrder) new fadeshow(fadeimages, 192, 62, 0, 3000, 1, "R") Lake Chelan Crush Stomp the grapes, explore the vineyards, listen to the stories of the season. Enjoy award-winning wines, artisanal food, and live music with friends new and old.   More details Travel your Wine Country Check out where to go and what's happening over in Washington wine country by visiting the new travel section of our website!   More details Our vineyards grow 99% of Washington state's wine grapes and host eight of the state's nine official appellations-along with more than 130 wineries! "Washington's Premium Wine Region" "Tradition & Terroir" "Exceptional quality, outstanding value, personal attention" "An appellation of uncommon quality" Sign-up for the Juice Newsletter