Soul and Jazz 2006
I did quick takes on some of the best soul, rhythm & blues, jazz and blues albums I encountered last year. You can read them here.
I'm just sayin'
You know me as a champion of the DIY video and music revolutions and of YouTube-style creativity, and I'm not resigning from that position, but a visit today to the video portal did put me in mind of what Arthur Sullivan said to Thomas Edison about the invention of the phonograph: "I am astonished...at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record forever."
Second thoughts: Municipal Wi-Fi Easier Said Than Done
As you know if you've tried to use it, wi-fi access in Santa Monica is hit or miss. Instead of organizing wi-fi around the excess bandwidth of major users -- businesses such as Yahoo, Google, Sony; educational institutions such as SMCC; government entities such as the city itself -- Santa Monica is planning to hire a private service provider to build a system over the next few years (why it should take "years" to provide service to 8.3 square miles of flat terrain is a topic for another time).
According to reports, instead of contracting with a big player like Earthlink or a civic-minded company like Google, the city plans to hire AzulStar, a little Michigan-based company specializing in municipal access, to create a seamless city-wide network of hotspots.
According to AzulStar’s website, the company has built four city-wide systems to date, in such major metropolitan areas as Grand Haven, Michigan and Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Although touted as a free service, in reality, relatively slow, advertising-supported public access will be available to residents and tourists for free, but they will be asked to pay for faster ad-free service. Businesses will required to pay for access separately, which will require the creation of some sort of enforcement mechanism to keep companies from logging on to the slower but costless version.
Any city-wide plan will be a big advance over the patchwork of public hotspots, now numbering 11 and growing, including City Hall, the Third Street Promenade, the Pier and Virginia Avenue Park, that make current access so spotty (at the end of May, three more parks -- Reed, Cloverfield, and the new park at the airport -- were scheduled to be on line).
A city-wide system will also enable the City of Santa Monica to tie all municipal services together on one wireless network.
Some of the problems with using a private company to provide a public service (instead of relying on a municipally owned system or a city-wide cooperative, two methods widely used in other parts of the world), as well as some of the technical difficulties particularly irksome to commercial providers, are outlined in an article published this week by The Economist (2007-05-25).
Azulstar is using in Santa Monica the same business model, attempting to recoup its investment in infrastructure and to turn a profit through subscriptions and advertising, that the Economist reports is a failure elsewhere. At least Earthlink and its ilk have the deep pockets that would enable them to live up to their commitments even while losing money for a while. How long will a little outfit like AzulStar be able to hang in without making a profit? I guess we're going to find out.
The Economist
According to reports, instead of contracting with a big player like Earthlink or a civic-minded company like Google, the city plans to hire AzulStar, a little Michigan-based company specializing in municipal access, to create a seamless city-wide network of hotspots.
According to AzulStar’s website, the company has built four city-wide systems to date, in such major metropolitan areas as Grand Haven, Michigan and Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Although touted as a free service, in reality, relatively slow, advertising-supported public access will be available to residents and tourists for free, but they will be asked to pay for faster ad-free service. Businesses will required to pay for access separately, which will require the creation of some sort of enforcement mechanism to keep companies from logging on to the slower but costless version.
Any city-wide plan will be a big advance over the patchwork of public hotspots, now numbering 11 and growing, including City Hall, the Third Street Promenade, the Pier and Virginia Avenue Park, that make current access so spotty (at the end of May, three more parks -- Reed, Cloverfield, and the new park at the airport -- were scheduled to be on line).
A city-wide system will also enable the City of Santa Monica to tie all municipal services together on one wireless network.
Some of the problems with using a private company to provide a public service (instead of relying on a municipally owned system or a city-wide cooperative, two methods widely used in other parts of the world), as well as some of the technical difficulties particularly irksome to commercial providers, are outlined in an article published this week by The Economist (2007-05-25).
Long before Walt Disney built his theme park in Anaheim, this savvy little city 30 miles south of Los Angeles was deploying cutting-edge technology to improve its citizens’ lot and upstage neighbouring communities. It was one of the first cities in America to build its own electricity grid -- to illuminate its streets and lure late-night shoppers from nearby towns.
The innovation continued. Before most had even heard of the internet, Anaheim had networked the city with fat communications piping, so residents could have a variety of cable TV providers and telephone companies to choose from, while local utilities could automate their meter reading and businesses could provide all manner of online services. Now the city is in the process of blanketing itself with a wireless broadband network.
Anaheim is not the only city turning itself into a giant Wi-Fi hotspot. No fewer than 175 municipalities and metropolitan regions in America are building community-wide networks. A similar number are in the planning stage. But having blazed the trail in network services, Anaheim is the municipality that other cities are watching the closest -- all the more so because the company rolling out its wireless network is Earthlink.
Once the loudest booster of municipal Wi-Fi and still the biggest in the business, Earthlink is having second thoughts. Having turned in a $30m loss for its most recent quarter, Earthlink now says it is “re-evaluating its position in the muni-Wi-Fi market." The announcement has sent shivers through city halls across America.
Like Anaheim, most municipalities installing wireless networks are not paying for the privilege, but relying on providers like Earthlink to foot the bill. Having won the right to supply Wi-Fi services to a municipality, most companies expected to recoup the investment though subscriptions and advertising.
Neither revenue stream has lived up to expectation. Originally, Earthlink thought it would be in clover if 20-25% of households signed up for its wireless internet service. It now realises it will be lucky to get 15%. And without the eyeballs, advertisers have been slow to come aboard.
The trouble is that too many cities' schemes were half-baked to start with. In some cities, such as Philadelphia, the mission was to offer cheap (or even free) internet connections to the poor. In others, such as Anaheim, a more pragmatic, market-driven approach was adopted. Elsewhere, populist mayors and city councils pandered to voters with promises of universal internet access. In almost all cases, however, the reigning philosophy was “build it and they will come."
What no one seems to have bargained for was that, while Wi-Fi technology works perfectly well over short distances within a home, coffee shop or airport, it doesn’t work all that well outside. Wi-Fi’s popularity stems from its use of the unlicensed, 2.4 gigahertz part of the radio spectrum. But being unfettered by licences and regulations means that there are many PCs jostling for access. Adding to the mayhem are the domestic appliances, like cordless phones and microwave ovens, that radiate in the same frequency band.
This creates enough trouble inside a building. Outside, there are the added problems of foliage, tall buildings and hills. These can reflect, absorb or otherwise interfere with a municipal Wi-Fi’s signal, beamed from aerials on lamp-posts and traffic lights.
Because of these glitches, network operators have found that the old rule of 15-20 Wi-Fi aerial nodes per square mile is nowhere near good enough. Nowadays people expect to connect to the internet using low-powered devices such as laptops and Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones. To meet this demand, operators must install twice as many nodes per square mile.
The cost escalation does not stop there. In opting for external Wi-Fi, municipal operators seem to have forgotten that the vast majority of dwellings in America use chicken wire in their walls. As every high-school physics student learns, a mesh of chicken wire can screen out electromagnetic fields, especially those caused by radio waves. For an external Wi-Fi beam to be detected indoors, homes have had to be kitted out with signal-boosting wireless modems.
These complications have made a mockery of service suppliers’ business plans. When Earthlink says it is re-evaluating its position in the municipal Wi-Fi market, what it really means is that it can’t make money out of communities with fewer than 2,500 households per square mile. Even then, it needs assurances that the city will commit to buying a big chunk of the network’s capacity for such “anchor tenancies” as emergency services, traffic and parking control, video surveillance and internet telephony, as well as automated meter reading and other utility services.
This is precisely how it should be. Internet access for residential users was never going to be the mainstay for municipal Wi-Fi. Most communities are pretty well served these days by cable, DSL and satellite internet services. As a result, competition has beaten broadband-access charges down to around $15 a month. And where such services are not competitive, they quickly become so the moment municipal Wi-Fi presses its nose to the window.
No, the future of municipal wireless broadband rests on making cities safer, saner and simpler to manage. Trivial pursuits like downloading songs or posting video clips can be safely left to phone and cable companies."
Azulstar is using in Santa Monica the same business model, attempting to recoup its investment in infrastructure and to turn a profit through subscriptions and advertising, that the Economist reports is a failure elsewhere. At least Earthlink and its ilk have the deep pockets that would enable them to live up to their commitments even while losing money for a while. How long will a little outfit like AzulStar be able to hang in without making a profit? I guess we're going to find out.
The Economist
Words: "quisling" or "paul revere"?
"...the New York Times article yesterday about a couple of Iraqi policemen who joined American forces on searches in Baghdad, but then turned quisling, running ahead to warn residents to hide their weapons and other incriminating evidence." -- from The Times.
Just to keep our language straight:
Aren't Iraqi police quislings when they go to work for the imperial power attempting to take over their country and don't they become paul reveres at the point where they decide to run ahead of the invader shouting, "The Yankees are coming, the Yankees are coming"?
Just asking.
Just to keep our language straight:
Aren't Iraqi police quislings when they go to work for the imperial power attempting to take over their country and don't they become paul reveres at the point where they decide to run ahead of the invader shouting, "The Yankees are coming, the Yankees are coming"?
Just asking.
A challenge to Bush's grab for power
A group of conservatives is confronting abuses of power by the Bush administration. Under the banner of the American Freedom Agenda, they have proposed a series of statutes designed to rein in the executive branch. They hope to make restoration of liberties mandated and protected by the Constitution central to the 2008 campaign for president and to the deliberations of Congress in the coming months. This is from the organization's website (I've added some bolding for emphasis):
These are matters crucial to our ability to conduct ourselves as a democracy. It is encouraging to see conservatives joining the fight to save the Constitution. And, although it's good to have them on board and all, it is a little discouraging to this progressive that even with a Democratic majority in Congress it should be necessary to look to the likes of Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie for defense of our freedoms.
American Freedom Agenda:
<http://www.americanfreedomagenda.org/>
The American Freedom Agenda’s (AFA) mission is twofold: the enactment of a cluster of statutes that would restore the Constitution’s checks and balances as enshrined by the Founding Fathers; and, making the subject a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators. Especially since 9/11, the executive branch has chronically usurped legislative or judicial power, and has repeatedly claimed that the President is the law. The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence.To advance this agenda during the 2008 campaign, the AFA has proposed a 10-point "Freedom Pledge" it hopes the candidates will agree to:
The 10-point American Freedom Agenda would work to restore the roles of Congress and the federal judiciary to prevent such abuses of power and protect against injustices that are the signature of civilized nations. In particular, the American Freedom Agenda would:* Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy;The mission of the AFA is explained further here
* Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals;
* Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President’s say-so;
* Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent;
* Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President’s say-so in violation of federal law;
* Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional;
* Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine;
* Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments;
* Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and;
* Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence.
I, (candidate), hereby pledge that if elected President of the United States I will undertake the following to restore the Constitution’s checks and balances, to honor fundamental protections against injustice, and to eschew usurpations of legislative or judicial power.These are keystones of national security and individual freedom:______________ (signed: Hillary Clinton? John Edwards? Barack Obama? Bill Richardson? Al Gore? Mitt Romney? Rudy Giuliani? Sam Brownback? Fred Thompson? Newt Gingrich?)
1. No Military Commissions Except on the Battlefield. I will not employ military commissions to prosecute offenses against the laws of war except in places where active hostilities are ongoing and a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony and to prevent local anarchy or chaos.
2. No Evidence Extracted by Torture or Coercion. I will not permit the use of evidence obtained by torture or coercion to be admissible in a military commission or other tribunal.
3. No Detaining Citizens as Unlawful Enemy Combatants. I will not detain any American citizen as an unlawful enemy combatant. Citizens accused of terrorism-linked crimes will be prosecuted in federal civilian courts.
4. Restoring Habeas Corpus for Suspected Alien Enemy Combatants. I will detain non-citizens as enemy combatants only if they have actively participated in actual hostilities against the United States. I will urge Congress to amend the Military Commissions Act of 2006 to permit any individual detained under the custody or control of the United States government to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal courts.
5. Prohibiting Warrantless Spying by the National Security Agency in Violation of Law. I will prohibit the National Security Agency from gathering foreign intelligence except in conformity with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and end the NSA’s domestic surveillance program that targets American citizens on American soil for warrantless electronic surveillance.
6. Renouncing Presidential Signing Statements. I will not issue presidential signing statements declaring the intent to disregard provisions of a bill that I have signed into law because I believe they are unconstitutional. Instead, I will veto any bill that I believe contains an unconstitutional provision and ask Congress to delete it and re-pass the legislation.
7. Ending Secret Government by Invoking State Secrets Privilege. I will not invoke the state secrets privilege to deny remedies to individuals victimized by constitutional violations perpetrated by government officials or agents. I will not assert executive privilege to deny Congress information relevant to oversight or legislation unless supreme state secrets are involved. In that case, I will submit the privilege claim to a legislative-executive committee for definitive resolution.
8. Stopping Extraordinary Renditions. I will order the cessation of extraordinary renditions except where the purpose of the capture and transportation of the suspected criminal is for prosecution according to internationally accepted standards of fairness and due process.
9. Stopping Threats to Prosecuting Journalists under the Espionage Act. I will urge Congress to amend the Espionage Act to create a journalistic exception for reporting on matters relating to the national defense. As a matter of prosecutorial discretion, until such an amendment is enacted I will not prosecute journalists for alleged Espionage Act violations except for the intentional disclosure of information that threatens immediate physical harm to American troops or citizens at home or abroad.
10. Ending the Listing of Individuals or Organizations as Terrorists Based on Secret Evidence. I will not list individuals or organizations as foreign terrorists or foreign terrorist organizations for purposes of United States or international law based on secret evidence.
I will issue a public report annually elaborating on how the actions enumerated in paragraphs 1-10 have strengthened the ability of the United States to defeat international terrorism, secure fundamental freedoms, and preserve the nation’s democratic dispensation.
These are matters crucial to our ability to conduct ourselves as a democracy. It is encouraging to see conservatives joining the fight to save the Constitution. And, although it's good to have them on board and all, it is a little discouraging to this progressive that even with a Democratic majority in Congress it should be necessary to look to the likes of Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie for defense of our freedoms.
American Freedom Agenda:
<http://www.americanfreedomagenda.org/>
Bike to Work Week 2007 Event Calendar!
Here's a list of some events happening during Bike to Work Week 2007 (see next post).
Monday May 14, 2007
Downtown LA Bike Rally and Concert
City of Los Angeles City Hall, South Lawn
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Festivities include Ed Begley, Jr. and other speakers, health and bike fair, custom bike show, and a live concert by the Ditty Bops!
Bike Week Pasadena
C.I.C.L.E. and the City of Pasadena along with Patagonia and Metro are hosting more than 15 events all week! Highlights include:
Mayor's Bike to Work Brigade led by Bill Bogaard, bicycling aficionado and Mayor of Pasadena.
Themed bike tours like the Sunset Sonata Ride: cycle to an enchanting overlook on the Arroyo Seco, complete with hors d'oeuvres and a live violin and cello duet.
Free bicycle-related films and documentaries screened outdoors nightly in the One Colorado Courtyard.
An Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo featuring folding and electric bicycles, accessories, cargo bikes and trailers that handle everything from shopping trips to hauling lumber. More info www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=1373
Tuesday May 15, 2007
4th Annual Blessing of the Bicycles
Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90017
8:00 am to 9:30 am
More info www.goodsam.org
El Segundo Bike Challenge
El Segundo and surrounding areas
For more information call Devon Deming at 310 646-7775
Thursday May 17, 2007 — Bike to Work Day
IlluminateLA Bike to Work Day Pitstop and Bike Ride
Hollywood and Western Metro Station
7:00 am 10:00 am.
More info www.illuminatela.com/Calendar/Community.html
Free rides for bicyclists on transit www.metro.net/biketowork/free_rides.htm
Free countywide pit stops www.metro.net/biketowork/pit_stops.htm
Saturday May 19, 2007
4th Annual Bike Tour and Festival at Jesse Owens Park
More info http://www.richesbiz.com/cityweb/cityweb.htm
C.I.C.L.E. Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo
One Colorado Courtyard, Old Town Pasadena
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
More info www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=1373
Monday May 14, 2007
Downtown LA Bike Rally and Concert
City of Los Angeles City Hall, South Lawn
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Festivities include Ed Begley, Jr. and other speakers, health and bike fair, custom bike show, and a live concert by the Ditty Bops!
Bike Week Pasadena
C.I.C.L.E. and the City of Pasadena along with Patagonia and Metro are hosting more than 15 events all week! Highlights include:
Mayor's Bike to Work Brigade led by Bill Bogaard, bicycling aficionado and Mayor of Pasadena.
Themed bike tours like the Sunset Sonata Ride: cycle to an enchanting overlook on the Arroyo Seco, complete with hors d'oeuvres and a live violin and cello duet.
Free bicycle-related films and documentaries screened outdoors nightly in the One Colorado Courtyard.
An Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo featuring folding and electric bicycles, accessories, cargo bikes and trailers that handle everything from shopping trips to hauling lumber. More info www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=1373
Tuesday May 15, 2007
4th Annual Blessing of the Bicycles
Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90017
8:00 am to 9:30 am
More info www.goodsam.org
El Segundo Bike Challenge
El Segundo and surrounding areas
For more information call Devon Deming at 310 646-7775
Thursday May 17, 2007 — Bike to Work Day
IlluminateLA Bike to Work Day Pitstop and Bike Ride
Hollywood and Western Metro Station
7:00 am 10:00 am.
More info www.illuminatela.com/Calendar/Community.html
Free rides for bicyclists on transit www.metro.net/biketowork/free_rides.htm
Free countywide pit stops www.metro.net/biketowork/pit_stops.htm
Saturday May 19, 2007
4th Annual Bike Tour and Festival at Jesse Owens Park
More info http://www.richesbiz.com/cityweb/cityweb.htm
C.I.C.L.E. Urban Bicycle Commuter Expo
One Colorado Courtyard, Old Town Pasadena
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
More info www.cicle.org/cicle_content/pivot/entry.php?id=1373
Transportation: L.A. County Bike to Work Week May 14 - 18
(From the Metro website)
For the 13th straight year a record number of cyclists are expected to give bicycle commuting a try and leave their cars at home. Bike to Work Week is May 14 – 18, 2007.
Be part of the solution and PLEDGE not only to bike to work but pledge for a better you and for a better LA. Bicycling reduces traffic, improves the environment, improves your health and even saves you money on gas.Pledge online today! Get a free bicycle patch kit (while supplies last) just for pledging. And, be automatically entered to win prizes. Visit our Riders page for more on planning your ride to work.
Free Rides on Thursday, May 17 from participating transit agencies. Just board with your bike or helmet.
Stop by at Metro’s co-sponsored Pit Stops on Thursday, May 17! Metro is teaming up with a number of Los Angeles County organizations, employers and merchants to host local pit stops for all Bike to Work participants. Pit stops are locations for bicyclists to stop, relax, get energized, have snacks, receive give-aways (all for free), and obtain informational materials on bicycling to work. Check back for LA County Pit Stop locations.
Employers take action! Thank your employees for bicycling to work by setting-up food and refreshments for them or by going all out and having a fair. Whatever you decide on, REGISTER with Metro to receive free give-away items to support your event. See our Employers page to register and for more information.
Be part of the solution and use your pedal power on Bike to Work Day Thursday,
May 17!
2008: Newt's a beaut
Since we can expect the Republican Party will find it expedient to look for its nominee outside the current covey of self-declared bush league White House wannabes, we should consider keeping track of Newt Gingrich and Fred Thompson. Here, to get us started, is a tasty bit of racism from this year's gathering of the Conservative Political Action Committee:
Aside from what it suggests about how "uneducated" Newt is -- the people of the Ninth were not done in by wind and rain but by the failure of inadequately funded levees, the ex-speaker's remark is a classic example of the American ruling class' familiar stratagem of misdirecting attention from its own misdeeds by blaming the victims of its policies.
Because Gingrich appears loathsome to most progressives, they underestimate his chances. In polling at CPAC 2007, for example, even though Gingrich is undeclared, he came in a strong fourth, narrowly trailing Romney, Giuliani and Brownback. More interestingly, Gingrich tied Giuliani as the attendees' second choice. If the Democrats don't choose their candidate wisely, in 2008 he could be the nation's first choice.
"How can you have the mess we have in New Orleans,and not have had deep investigations of the federal government, the state government, the city government, and the failure of citizenship in the Ninth Ward, where 22,000 people were so uneducated and so unprepared, they literally couldn't get out of the way of a hurricane."
Aside from what it suggests about how "uneducated" Newt is -- the people of the Ninth were not done in by wind and rain but by the failure of inadequately funded levees, the ex-speaker's remark is a classic example of the American ruling class' familiar stratagem of misdirecting attention from its own misdeeds by blaming the victims of its policies.
Because Gingrich appears loathsome to most progressives, they underestimate his chances. In polling at CPAC 2007, for example, even though Gingrich is undeclared, he came in a strong fourth, narrowly trailing Romney, Giuliani and Brownback. More interestingly, Gingrich tied Giuliani as the attendees' second choice. If the Democrats don't choose their candidate wisely, in 2008 he could be the nation's first choice.
The Media: Jon Stewart on Bill Moyers Journal (video)
On Bill Moyers Journal, the "comedian" Jon Stewart offers a more serious analysis of the role of the media in covering the administration and the war in Iraq than you will hear in a month of Sunday morning bloviations:
<http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050107C.shtml>
<http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050107C.shtml>
The New Amore Bay Makes Outdoor Spas Hot and Sexy Again
Seductive Combination of Ultra-Modern Technology and Good Old-Fashioned Sex Appeal…
Warm Contact Induces Release of the “Cuddle Hormone”
(SAN DIEGO, CA) Dimension One Spas’ just-released Amore Bay luxury hot tubs – retailing for between $15,000 and $17,000 -- combines the pleasure principle of the 70’s with ultra-modern technology to get down to the basics: today’s hot tubs can be sexy and high-tech…and a secret tool to help melt away your lover’s defenses.
With curvaceous lines, strategically placed water jets, mood
lighting, a “playground” area, a hand held massager and cup holders, the only thing left to do is download Barry White or Marvin Gaye on the Amore Bay’s wireless, iPod-friendly stereo!But could such a watery Shangri-La really help your sex life?
According to findings in a 2005 study by the Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “warm contact…and frequent hugs between spouses/partners caused oxytocin levels to rise in premenopausal women.” So, any warm contact boosts oxytocin – known by sex researchers as the “cuddle hormone.”
This mammalian hormone also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and is involved in social recognition and bonding, and is thought to be involved in the formation of trust between people. Some researchers have also suggested a beneficial link between oxytocin and social anxiety, memory control, cardiovascular functions, and thermoregulation in menopausal women.
Did someone say, ‘Sexual Healing!'?
An irresistible backyard oasis, the Amore Bay also features his and her “hydronomically” designed, lounge chairs lined with massage jets, relaxing fountains, a remote control to select your underwater massage programs and a sleek, energy efficient design with average heating costs of only $15.00 a month (subject to individual heating costs). This year, couples can just relax and “Get their Sexy Back” in an Amore Bay!
About D-1 Spas: With high tech and design innovations reminiscent of each year’s developments in the automobile industry, this award-winning, California-based hot tub company holds over 30 patents, more than any other hot tub manufacturer.
The family-owned, $60 million a year business is known for introducing advances in materials science and water handling technology to bring customers the most advanced spas in the world.
Founded in Vista, California by Bob and Linda Hallam, D1 spas and aquatic fitness products are now sold through a network of more than 250 dealers in the United States, and 450 dealers worldwide in 30 countries. The company's three product lines include a range of home hydrotherapy and aquatic fitness products that meet a variety of consumer needs and budgets: D1 Reflections®, D1 Bay Collection®, AFS -- Aquatic Fitness Systems® and @ Home Hot Tubs®. Innovations include: hydronomics -- design based on human anatomy, ergonomics, acupressure, reflexology and fluid mechanics -- a wireless, totally submersible hot tub stereo system; a spa-within-a-spa lounge chair aqua massager; clean energy systems; and patented fountain & lighting systems.
For more information about Dimension One Spas, its products and practices, please visit: http://www.d1spas.com/.
The New Amore Bay Makes Outdoor Spas Hot and Sexy Again
Seductive Combination of Ultra-Modern Technology and Good Old-Fashioned Sex Appeal…
Warm Contact Induces Release of the “Cuddle Hormone”
(SAN DIEGO, CA) Dimension One Spas’ just-released Amore Bay luxury hot tubs – retailing for between $15,000 and $17,000 -- combines the pleasure principle of the 70’s with ultra-modern technology to get down to the basics: today’s hot tubs can be sexy and high-tech…and a secret tool to help melt away your lover’s defenses.
With curvaceous lines, strategically placed water jets, mood
lighting, a “playground” area, a hand held massager and cup holders, the only thing left to do is download Barry White or Marvin Gaye on the Amore Bay’s wireless, iPod-friendly stereo!But could such a watery Shangri-La really help your sex life?
According to findings in a 2005 study by the Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “warm contact…and frequent hugs between spouses/partners caused oxytocin levels to rise in premenopausal women.” So, any warm contact boosts oxytocin – known by sex researchers as the “cuddle hormone.”
This mammalian hormone also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and is involved in social recognition and bonding, and is thought to be involved in the formation of trust between people. Some researchers have also suggested a beneficial link between oxytocin and social anxiety, memory control, cardiovascular functions, and thermoregulation in menopausal women.
Did someone say, ‘Sexual Healing!'?
An irresistible backyard oasis, the Amore Bay also features his and her “hydronomically” designed, lounge chairs lined with massage jets, relaxing fountains, a remote control to select your underwater massage programs and a sleek, energy efficient design with average heating costs of only $15.00 a month (subject to individual heating costs). This year, couples can just relax and “Get their Sexy Back” in an Amore Bay!
About D-1 Spas: With high tech and design innovations reminiscent of each year’s developments in the automobile industry, this award-winning, California-based hot tub company holds over 30 patents, more than any other hot tub manufacturer.
The family-owned, $60 million a year business is known for introducing advances in materials science and water handling technology to bring customers the most advanced spas in the world.
Founded in Vista, California by Bob and Linda Hallam, D1 spas and aquatic fitness products are now sold through a network of more than 250 dealers in the United States, and 450 dealers worldwide in 30 countries. The company's three product lines include a range of home hydrotherapy and aquatic fitness products that meet a variety of consumer needs and budgets: D1 Reflections®, D1 Bay Collection®, AFS -- Aquatic Fitness Systems® and @ Home Hot Tubs®. Innovations include: hydronomics -- design based on human anatomy, ergonomics, acupressure, reflexology and fluid mechanics -- a wireless, totally submersible hot tub stereo system; a spa-within-a-spa lounge chair aqua massager; clean energy systems; and patented fountain & lighting systems.
For more information about Dimension One Spas, its products and practices, please visit: http://www.d1spas.com/.
2008: Campaign Contributions Database
OpenSecrets.org's Race for the White House: Banking on Becoming President page compiles data on campaign contributions for the 2008 presidential election. Candidate profiles include total funds raised and spent, cash on hand, debts, a breakdown of sources of funds (such as individual contributions), plus week-by-week comparisons, a donor lookup, contributions by industry, and other useful information. "After just three months of fundraising, the candidates for president in 2008 have already raised more than $150 million. No presidential money chase has ever started so quickly. By some predictions, the eventual nominees will need to raise $500 million apiece to compete -- a record sum. To find out where all this money is coming from, explore the options to the left." <http://www.opensecrets.org/>
S.M. Planning: "Placemaking" workshop Monday eve at the Civic
Santa Monica is once again going through the motions of seeking planning input from residents. The long-delayed public process
to revise the Land Use and Circulation Element, the "blueprint" for development and transportation in our city for the next 20 years (it will be interesting to see if it is followed more closely than the last "blueprint" was), will start up again on Monday in an event at the Civic. Residents will be asked to choose among "principles" that will guide Santa Monica's development future. If you have the time, it's worth attending to gain insight into how the city staff pilots the process toward guidelines so vague as to be meaningless.
Below is an excerpt from City Hall's press release:
Emerging Themes Report (2005; pdf)
to revise the Land Use and Circulation Element, the "blueprint" for development and transportation in our city for the next 20 years (it will be interesting to see if it is followed more closely than the last "blueprint" was), will start up again on Monday in an event at the Civic. Residents will be asked to choose among "principles" that will guide Santa Monica's development future. If you have the time, it's worth attending to gain insight into how the city staff pilots the process toward guidelines so vague as to be meaningless.Below is an excerpt from City Hall's press release:
On Monday, May 7, at 7:00 pm in the Civic Auditorium, 1885 Main Street, the City of Santa Monica's Planning & Community Development Department will be holding a citywide Placemaking workshop - the last of a four part series. This event will provide an opportunity for participants to have a direct voice in endorsing Placemaking principles to guide long-term development through the Land Use and Circulation Elements and, in the nearer future, to be applied to proposed projects throughout the City. These principles come out of the input of residents and business owners in the Santa Monica community that participated in the first three workshops of this series.Information on the event is posted on the City's website.
Emerging Themes Report (2005; pdf)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
