The Wall Street Journal is out with a report this Wednesday morning with a headline that gets straight to the point: "Apple Tests Designs for TV."
Sources told the Journal that Apple is "working with component suppliers in Asia to test several TV-set designs," but that Apple's move to release a television is "still in the early stage of testing."
What's the significance of the report? Well, you can simply add it to the pile of evidence that Apple is at least considering producing a TV set of its own. Since Steve Jobs admitted to biographer Walter Isaacson that he was interested in creating a television set, with "the simplest user interface you could imagine" and integration with iCloud, speculation has been rampant that Apple must be cobbling something together in its laboratories.
However, there has has been scant evidence so far. Various reports over the past year have placed a prototype TV set in Jony Ive's secret bunker, and a few news outlets have covered Apple's unsuccessful talks with cable providers and television networks to license content for either a set-top box or television.
Wednesday morning's WSJ article is another solid bit of evidence that Apple is at least testing the waters, but there is no indication that the company will jump into the pool. Companies like Apple develop prototypes of several devices that never make it into full-scale production, and Apple's whispered-about television set could end up on the top of the trash heap, too. SlashGear's Chris Davies speculates that, one day, you'll be able to find Apple's television "in the storeroom by the netbook prototypes."
But even skeptics must admit that the iTV has gained some special momentum this week. The WSJ piece follows CEO Tim Cook's comments that television is "an area of intense interest" for Apple in an interview with Brian Williams (and Tim Cook is a man who chooses his words very carefully); the Wall Street Journal is also read as an outlet with especially close ties to sources both within Apple and on the Apple supply chain, so its coverage can be read with more interest and credulity than, say, the regular Wall Street analyst chatter.
Still, it's worth reiterating: A lot of gadgets go into trial production. No need to start saving up your money for that iTV until we hear that Apple is ramping up for something on a larger scale.
When the Malaysian freighter Selendang Ayu grounded in Alaska's Aleutian Islands eight years ago, it was a tragic reminder of the growing risks of northern shipping. While en route from Seattle to China, in a fierce Bering Sea winter storm with 70-knot winds and 25-foot seas, the ship's engine failed. As it drifted toward shore, there were no adequate ocean tugs available to take it in-tow, and it grounded off Unalaska Island on Dec. 8, 2004. Six crewmen were lost, the vessel broke in half, and its entire cargo and more than 335,000 gallons of heavy fuel spilled oil into waters of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. As in other large marine spills, this spill was not contained, and it killed thousands of seabirds and other marine wildlife, closed fisheries, and contaminated many miles of shoreline.
Like most industrial disasters, the Selendang Ayu tragedy was caused by a dangerous combination of human error, financial pressures, mechanical failure, lax and government oversight. For a time, the disaster focused attention the risk of northern shipping. But while some risk factors were addressed, complacency quickly returned. Today, the Selendang tragedy is all but forgotten, and with increasing ship traffic, the risk now is greater than ever.
Every day, some 20 large merchant ships -- container ships, bulk carriers, car carriers, and tankers -- travel the "great circle route" between Asia and North America along the 1,200-mile Aleutian chain. As trade rebounds from the recession, shipping along this route is steadily increasing. And as global warming continues to melt summer sea ice, ship traffic is also rapidly increasing across the Arctic Ocean. This past summer, a record 46 merchant ships transited the Northern Sea Route between Europe and Asia across the Russian arctic, a 10-fold increase from just two years ago. Over 1 million tons of cargo was hauled on the route in both directions this summer (a 50 percent increase over 2011), and most of this was hazardous petroleum product such as diesel fuel, jet fuel, and gas condensate. And the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanker in history traveled the route this year, carrying LNG from Norway to Japan in half the time it would have taken to travel the normal Suez route. The volume of oil and gas shipped on the Northern Sea Route is projected to reach 40 million tons annually by 2020. There is also increasing traffic of cruise ships (particularly around Greenland), fishing vessels, and ships servicing arctic oil and gas facilities and mines.
This is risky business. These are large vessels, carrying hazardous fuel and cargo, sailing treacherous seas along ecologically sensitive shorelines, operated by companies whose commercial imperatives often subvert safety, and with virtually no prevention or emergency response infrastructure along the way. Much of this traffic is foreign flagged and on "innocent passage," under a Flag-of-Convenience, with a Crew-of-Convenience, and with lower safety standards. And it all happens virtually out-of-sight, out-of-mind of the public and government regulators. Each of these ship transits puts at risk human life, economy, and environment, and the risk is growing every year. Shipping brings with it invasive species introductions, underwater noise, ship-strikes on marine mammals, and stack emissions. But as some of these vessels carry millions of gallons of heavy fuel, and tankers carry tens of millions of gallons of petroleum or chemicals, clearly the greatest fear is a catastrophic spill.
In response to the Selendang disaster, a coalition of non-governmental organizations, Alaska natives, and commercial fishermen joined together in the Shipping Safety Partnership to advocate comprehensive safety improvements along the Aleutian and Arctic shipping routes. In 2005, the Partnership called for real-time tracking of all ships, ocean rescue tugs, emergency tow packages, routing agreements, areas to be avoided, increased financial liability, better aids to navigation, enhanced pilotage, mandatory communication protocols, better spill response equipment, increased cargo fees, and vessel traffic risk assessments. A few of these (the "low-hanging fruit") have been implemented: additional tracking stations have been built, portable tow packages are pre-staged in Dutch Harbor, there is more funding and spill response equipment, an Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment was conducted, and an Aleutian shipping risk assessment is underway.
But in reducing the overall risk of Arctic and Aleutian shipping, the glass is still perhaps one-quarter full, three-quarters empty. The system is far from secure. For instance, ship-tracking remains inadequate, and still there are no powerful ocean rescue tugs stationed along the routes. By comparison, after Exxon Valdez, Prince William Sound now has 11 escort and response tugs on standby for its tankers. In the Aleutians, a 2009 National Academy of Sciences report concluded: "None of the existing measures are adequate for responding to large vessels under severe weather conditions."
Two areas of greatest concern, through which most of these ships travel, are Unimak Pass (between the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea in the eastern Aleutians), and Bering Strait (between the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean). As these areas support more marine mammals, seabirds, fish, crab, and overall productivity than virtually any other ocean ecosystem in the world, the risk is clear. One wrong turn or loss of power of a loaded tanker or freighter in these passes could easily lead to a major spill disaster. Accordingly, both Unimak Pass and Bering Strait were recommended in 2009 for international designation as Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs), and Marine National Monuments or Sanctuaries, but the U.S. government has yet to act on this recommendation.
Clearly, we need to get a handle on this now, before the next disaster. All of the Shipping Safety Partnership's recommendations from 2005 should immediately be implemented across the Aleutian and Arctic shipping routes, particularly continuous ship tracking and rescue tugs.
And, industry should pay for all such safety measures. The federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund should be amended as follows: raise the per-barrel fee on petroleum from 8 cents to 20 cents, institute a new cargo fee of at least 10 cents/ton (currently cargo ships are covered by the Fund but pay nothing into it); eliminate the Fund's cap so that the fees continue; and clarify that the Fund shall be used to pay for prevention measures throughout the nation's seas. In fact, this should be made part of the fiscal cliff deal being discussed in Congress now, as a way to increase government revenue, decrease government cost, and shift the burden of financial responsibility back to the private sector, where it belongs.
2012年12月12日星期三
2012年12月9日星期日
M2M to make machines communicate actively
In a connected world, we are slowly moving from human-to-human communication to human-machine interaction to now machine-to-machine communication (M2M). With developments in telecommunication and wireless technologies, your office lighting system, for instance, could be programmed to switch itself on/off based on whether your computer screen is active or in standby mode. When you walk out, you don’t have to remember to switch off lights and cooling/heating systems. While the technology is still nascent in India, it has enormous potential and wide applications in the country, say industry experts.
M2M refers to technologies in which machines would be connected through the internet and would actively communicate with each other, transmitting vital data to a central location. For example, in an office setup, an M-2-M remote terminal unit captures data points including temperature, humidity, lighting control and energy consumption by connecting to various sensors. The captured data is sent to a central server on a real-time basis for timely action without any manual intervention. With pre-programmed rules, machines would be able to control operations, which would otherwise require valuable human resources.
For example, WebNMS, a division of Zoho Corp, has launched the ATM Site Manager solution based on the M2M technology. Using the automated hardware and software combination, ATM operators would be able to bring down revenue loss and also improve profitability.
“ATMs are generally maintained by private operators who own about 1,000 of sites across the country. Most of them do not have control over ATM sites and operational costs are high,” says Prabhu Ramachandran, director of WebNMS. “Operators spend between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 on energy bills per ATM room per month. Our solution would help cut down the cost by at least 40 per cent. The system can be automated to switch on/off ACs and lights at desired times. Moreover, ATM sites are down for at least three days every month due to operational reasons such low battery or internet connection failure. With our real-time monitoring these losses can be reduced as immediate action is possible.”
According to analyst firm Berg Insight, the global number of wireless M2M connections is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.2 per cent to reach $359.3 million in 2016. The Indian market is still nascent but expected to reach $98.38 million by 2016 with a CAGR of 33.81 per cent from 2011-2016 (according to 6Wresearch).
“The ‘internet of things’ has arrived and it will continue to grow to meet specific industry requirements. According to a Gartner report, in 2011, over 15 billion things (applications) on the web with more than 50 billion intermittent connections will grow to over 30 billion connected things, with over 200 billion intermittent connections in 2020,” says David Small, senior vice president and chief platform officer for Verizon Enterprise Solutions.
“M2M connections now cover much more than smart energy delivery and smart cars. For example, elaborate networks of sensors with direct machine-to-machine connections now underpin connected healthcare and the first consumer-ready wave of automotive telematics.”
Through these applications, in a healthcare setup, machines themselves would transmit vital organ function reports of patients and alert the concerned personnel for timely intervention.
According to Thejaswi Parameshwaran, program manager, ICT practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East: “M2M services would grow at 41 per cent by 2017, which illustrates the momentum behind more workflow mobilisation and growing awareness in enterprises. The mobile e-mail market dominates the current landscape of enterprise mobility in India.
However, future growth engines are core business applications and M2M markets, which are experiencing significant traction. In the next few years, an important mega trend we expect is that IT Infrastructure would be around 80 per cent wireless on a single integrated platform. Thus, wireless intelligence will be the key factor that enterprises will use to enable faster decision-making in their business processes.”
The app is disrupting the taxi industry nationwide by allowing people to directly hail cabs or town cars with the touch of a few buttons on their smartphones. That means no more flailing on the curb or sitting on hold waiting to speak with a dispatcher. The exception might be when it's raining.
Uber bypasses old-line dispatchers, placing it and similar apps (Hailo, SnagCab) among the most-liked online technologies because they reduce passengers' wait times and allow them to prepay on a credit card. Receipts are emailed and no cash is exchanged, although a mandatory 20 percent tip is added to the bill.
Drivers who have signed up with these dispatch apps rave as well, saying they reduce their time hunting for passengers and eliminate their own payment hassles.
But taxi operators, including Corrigan and Levine's large affiliate network, which includes brands from Yellow Cab to Blue Diamond, and the city's largest taxi medallion owner, Simon Garber, have banded together to try to beat back Uber. One of the threatening aspects is Uber's town car service, in which a Mercedes or Lincoln arrives at the speed of a taxi.
"The technology has made limos viable alternatives to taxis," said Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. "And the taxi industry is not used to having an alternative. It's not used to having to compete. It's used to going to city officials and lobbying them to protect their business and keep competition out. And that has resulted in poor service in most cities across the country."
In the middle is City Hall, which regulates Chicago's taxi industry and reaps millions in annual fees from it. The city is trying to ensure Uber follows the rules — ahem, doesn't crush established players to the point that it threatens city revenue — but also flourishes.
M2M refers to technologies in which machines would be connected through the internet and would actively communicate with each other, transmitting vital data to a central location. For example, in an office setup, an M-2-M remote terminal unit captures data points including temperature, humidity, lighting control and energy consumption by connecting to various sensors. The captured data is sent to a central server on a real-time basis for timely action without any manual intervention. With pre-programmed rules, machines would be able to control operations, which would otherwise require valuable human resources.
For example, WebNMS, a division of Zoho Corp, has launched the ATM Site Manager solution based on the M2M technology. Using the automated hardware and software combination, ATM operators would be able to bring down revenue loss and also improve profitability.
“ATMs are generally maintained by private operators who own about 1,000 of sites across the country. Most of them do not have control over ATM sites and operational costs are high,” says Prabhu Ramachandran, director of WebNMS. “Operators spend between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000 on energy bills per ATM room per month. Our solution would help cut down the cost by at least 40 per cent. The system can be automated to switch on/off ACs and lights at desired times. Moreover, ATM sites are down for at least three days every month due to operational reasons such low battery or internet connection failure. With our real-time monitoring these losses can be reduced as immediate action is possible.”
According to analyst firm Berg Insight, the global number of wireless M2M connections is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.2 per cent to reach $359.3 million in 2016. The Indian market is still nascent but expected to reach $98.38 million by 2016 with a CAGR of 33.81 per cent from 2011-2016 (according to 6Wresearch).
“The ‘internet of things’ has arrived and it will continue to grow to meet specific industry requirements. According to a Gartner report, in 2011, over 15 billion things (applications) on the web with more than 50 billion intermittent connections will grow to over 30 billion connected things, with over 200 billion intermittent connections in 2020,” says David Small, senior vice president and chief platform officer for Verizon Enterprise Solutions.
“M2M connections now cover much more than smart energy delivery and smart cars. For example, elaborate networks of sensors with direct machine-to-machine connections now underpin connected healthcare and the first consumer-ready wave of automotive telematics.”
Through these applications, in a healthcare setup, machines themselves would transmit vital organ function reports of patients and alert the concerned personnel for timely intervention.
According to Thejaswi Parameshwaran, program manager, ICT practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East: “M2M services would grow at 41 per cent by 2017, which illustrates the momentum behind more workflow mobilisation and growing awareness in enterprises. The mobile e-mail market dominates the current landscape of enterprise mobility in India.
However, future growth engines are core business applications and M2M markets, which are experiencing significant traction. In the next few years, an important mega trend we expect is that IT Infrastructure would be around 80 per cent wireless on a single integrated platform. Thus, wireless intelligence will be the key factor that enterprises will use to enable faster decision-making in their business processes.”
The app is disrupting the taxi industry nationwide by allowing people to directly hail cabs or town cars with the touch of a few buttons on their smartphones. That means no more flailing on the curb or sitting on hold waiting to speak with a dispatcher. The exception might be when it's raining.
Uber bypasses old-line dispatchers, placing it and similar apps (Hailo, SnagCab) among the most-liked online technologies because they reduce passengers' wait times and allow them to prepay on a credit card. Receipts are emailed and no cash is exchanged, although a mandatory 20 percent tip is added to the bill.
Drivers who have signed up with these dispatch apps rave as well, saying they reduce their time hunting for passengers and eliminate their own payment hassles.
But taxi operators, including Corrigan and Levine's large affiliate network, which includes brands from Yellow Cab to Blue Diamond, and the city's largest taxi medallion owner, Simon Garber, have banded together to try to beat back Uber. One of the threatening aspects is Uber's town car service, in which a Mercedes or Lincoln arrives at the speed of a taxi.
"The technology has made limos viable alternatives to taxis," said Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. "And the taxi industry is not used to having an alternative. It's not used to having to compete. It's used to going to city officials and lobbying them to protect their business and keep competition out. And that has resulted in poor service in most cities across the country."
In the middle is City Hall, which regulates Chicago's taxi industry and reaps millions in annual fees from it. The city is trying to ensure Uber follows the rules — ahem, doesn't crush established players to the point that it threatens city revenue — but also flourishes.
2012年12月5日星期三
Data migration can be 'automatic, accurate
There are many problems and challenges facing an organisation that is about to merge with another or sell a subsidiary. Divesting yourself of a part of your company is rather like carrying out an elaborate surgical transplant – the correct parts of the existing entity have to be identified, isolated, and then meticulously extracted to ensure that nothing extraneous is inadvertently transferred from the source to the destination.
The business side of mergers and acquisitions can be gruelling – countless meetings between executives, lawyers, and bankers as well as a mountain of paperwork and red tape. But the division of data is becoming a near impossible step in the M&A process as rapidly expanding data overwhelms shrinking information technology teams. Why is this? Because 80 per cent of organisational data is unstructured and unstructured data is a mystery for most organisations. They do not know which data is used or not used, who is using it or not using it, who it belongs to, what it contains, which is sensitive, and who should or should not have access.
Even if some of these questions can be answered, moving the data without introducing service disruption, data corruption, or putting data at risk of leakage is no easy task. Terabytes and Petabytes of information take time to move around, and technology is required to either move 'live data' safely, or data has to be moved while no one is using it – and when is that?
Permissions do not transfer easily between domains or across platforms, so technology is needed to help with that, or permissions need to be recreated during the transition. Since a single Terabyte of data usually has 2,500 folders with unique permissions – some 50,000 folders total – each uniquely permissioned folder has three to five active directory groups, and each group has between five and 50 members, manual recreation might take a bit more time than you think. And permissions are not necessarily where they should be to begin with, as only 21 per cent of organisations in our recent survey on data migrations report that they regularly make sure that folders and SharePoint sites are safe from global access groups, like everyone and domain users.
There are other reasons of course for the need to migrate data, such as the purchase of new storage devices, the retiring of legacy storage, the adoption of new platforms, cleaning up of stale data and the removing of specific content. In fact, according to the same survey, 95 per cent of organisations move data around at least once per year, and 44 per cent move data more than five times per year.
A successful data migration requires you to identify exactly what content is going to be moved, to decide whether to move it all at once or gradually, when to move it and what to do about permissions. You will also need to identify the data owners, determine who uses that data, and whether your data migration will affect those users while the data it is moved to your new network attached storage device, domain or SharePoint server. These are all vital tasks and take a lot of time to do manually. Could you do all of this automatically?
In order to do so, you would first need metadata to identify data that should or should not be moved – for example data that is stale, data that is created, accessed, or accessible by certain groups or individuals, data that contains specific content, or any combination of those metadata attributes. Once these data sets are identified, automation is needed to move or archive – whether their destination is a server in another domain or even on a completely different platform.
The following boxes must be ticked in order to move data securely and intelligently: the ability to schedule one-time or on-going migrations; an option for incremental migrations for large data sets; the ability to automatically maintain, enhance and/or translate permissions for migrated data; the ability to migrate data between servers in different domains; migration simulation and real time monitoring to avoid unwanted surprises; and detailed reporting on migrated data, permissions and new groups.
Does such technology exist? Yes. Enterprises are now able to configure one-time or on-going migrations, defining the destination path, folder, permissions translation, and when the migration should take place. This technology enables the rapid, safe execution of complex data migrations. Users can easily implement and enforce policies for data retention and location based on content, accessibility, and activity. The same metadata used to facilitate the migration also helps identify and remediate exposure of sensitive data and excessive permissions, identify owners, stale data, and determine who has, should and should not have access.
Intelligent, automated migration of large scale data sets can reduce complexity and improve IT service by limiting user disruption and avoiding data breaches. By automatically identifying data sets for migration based on path, permissions, actual access and content classification, compliance policy implementation and enforcement are simplified while providing the flexibility to meet the business goals of any migration project.
Until recently, splitting large, complex data sets was about a precise as medieval surgery – the surgeon was as likely to take off his own thumb and a few errant limbs from the hapless patient during the process. In some cases the procedure was even less accurate, using the sort of Solomon approach in which a 'virtual' baby is divided down the middle. Now the procedure is as accurate and scientific as keyhole surgery and for the first time data migration can be automatic, accurate and swift.
Fields Cookies has announced plans to open its first flagship location in Broomfield, Colo., with construction slated to begin this month. Opening in Arista Place, the Mrs. Fields store is targeted for a March 2013 opening date and will serve its signature baked cookies, as well as offer a chocolate beverage bar with hot and cold drinks.
In addition to its vast selection of cookies, brownies and the chocolate bar, the location will feature a new store design that includes more relaxed seating options and a retail area where guests can order cookie gifts online. The corporate location will also serve as the company's training university for new franchisees. The enhanced design, completed by Fitch Design Services, will be utilized as the company's new brand identity and store design moving forward.
"This new location will be a great addition to the emerging development taking place at Arista Place," said Tim Casey, CEO of Mrs. Fields Cookies. "Mrs. Fields is an iconic brand and we feel that Arista is a great place to debut our new look, including the addition of innovative products, brand imagery focusing on the 35-year history and a unique retro design, all of which are key components included with the concept's 2013 brand re-launch program."
In addition to serving as the company's training university for new franchisees, the company's R&D headquarters will also utilize this location for all product innovation and development.
"We are excited to be able to utilize this new store as a way to test new products and interact with our guests for real-time insight and feedback on how to further grow the brand," Casey added.
The new Mrs. Fields Cookies store will be owned and operated by Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC, dba Famous Brands International, the parent company for the Mrs. Fields and TCBY brands that relocated its headquarters from Salt Lake City to Broomfield, Colo., in July. The company currently occupies the entire sixth floor at Arista Place employing over 35 people. This new store will mark the fifth Mrs. Fields location in Colorado.
The business side of mergers and acquisitions can be gruelling – countless meetings between executives, lawyers, and bankers as well as a mountain of paperwork and red tape. But the division of data is becoming a near impossible step in the M&A process as rapidly expanding data overwhelms shrinking information technology teams. Why is this? Because 80 per cent of organisational data is unstructured and unstructured data is a mystery for most organisations. They do not know which data is used or not used, who is using it or not using it, who it belongs to, what it contains, which is sensitive, and who should or should not have access.
Even if some of these questions can be answered, moving the data without introducing service disruption, data corruption, or putting data at risk of leakage is no easy task. Terabytes and Petabytes of information take time to move around, and technology is required to either move 'live data' safely, or data has to be moved while no one is using it – and when is that?
Permissions do not transfer easily between domains or across platforms, so technology is needed to help with that, or permissions need to be recreated during the transition. Since a single Terabyte of data usually has 2,500 folders with unique permissions – some 50,000 folders total – each uniquely permissioned folder has three to five active directory groups, and each group has between five and 50 members, manual recreation might take a bit more time than you think. And permissions are not necessarily where they should be to begin with, as only 21 per cent of organisations in our recent survey on data migrations report that they regularly make sure that folders and SharePoint sites are safe from global access groups, like everyone and domain users.
There are other reasons of course for the need to migrate data, such as the purchase of new storage devices, the retiring of legacy storage, the adoption of new platforms, cleaning up of stale data and the removing of specific content. In fact, according to the same survey, 95 per cent of organisations move data around at least once per year, and 44 per cent move data more than five times per year.
A successful data migration requires you to identify exactly what content is going to be moved, to decide whether to move it all at once or gradually, when to move it and what to do about permissions. You will also need to identify the data owners, determine who uses that data, and whether your data migration will affect those users while the data it is moved to your new network attached storage device, domain or SharePoint server. These are all vital tasks and take a lot of time to do manually. Could you do all of this automatically?
In order to do so, you would first need metadata to identify data that should or should not be moved – for example data that is stale, data that is created, accessed, or accessible by certain groups or individuals, data that contains specific content, or any combination of those metadata attributes. Once these data sets are identified, automation is needed to move or archive – whether their destination is a server in another domain or even on a completely different platform.
The following boxes must be ticked in order to move data securely and intelligently: the ability to schedule one-time or on-going migrations; an option for incremental migrations for large data sets; the ability to automatically maintain, enhance and/or translate permissions for migrated data; the ability to migrate data between servers in different domains; migration simulation and real time monitoring to avoid unwanted surprises; and detailed reporting on migrated data, permissions and new groups.
Does such technology exist? Yes. Enterprises are now able to configure one-time or on-going migrations, defining the destination path, folder, permissions translation, and when the migration should take place. This technology enables the rapid, safe execution of complex data migrations. Users can easily implement and enforce policies for data retention and location based on content, accessibility, and activity. The same metadata used to facilitate the migration also helps identify and remediate exposure of sensitive data and excessive permissions, identify owners, stale data, and determine who has, should and should not have access.
Intelligent, automated migration of large scale data sets can reduce complexity and improve IT service by limiting user disruption and avoiding data breaches. By automatically identifying data sets for migration based on path, permissions, actual access and content classification, compliance policy implementation and enforcement are simplified while providing the flexibility to meet the business goals of any migration project.
Until recently, splitting large, complex data sets was about a precise as medieval surgery – the surgeon was as likely to take off his own thumb and a few errant limbs from the hapless patient during the process. In some cases the procedure was even less accurate, using the sort of Solomon approach in which a 'virtual' baby is divided down the middle. Now the procedure is as accurate and scientific as keyhole surgery and for the first time data migration can be automatic, accurate and swift.
Fields Cookies has announced plans to open its first flagship location in Broomfield, Colo., with construction slated to begin this month. Opening in Arista Place, the Mrs. Fields store is targeted for a March 2013 opening date and will serve its signature baked cookies, as well as offer a chocolate beverage bar with hot and cold drinks.
In addition to its vast selection of cookies, brownies and the chocolate bar, the location will feature a new store design that includes more relaxed seating options and a retail area where guests can order cookie gifts online. The corporate location will also serve as the company's training university for new franchisees. The enhanced design, completed by Fitch Design Services, will be utilized as the company's new brand identity and store design moving forward.
"This new location will be a great addition to the emerging development taking place at Arista Place," said Tim Casey, CEO of Mrs. Fields Cookies. "Mrs. Fields is an iconic brand and we feel that Arista is a great place to debut our new look, including the addition of innovative products, brand imagery focusing on the 35-year history and a unique retro design, all of which are key components included with the concept's 2013 brand re-launch program."
In addition to serving as the company's training university for new franchisees, the company's R&D headquarters will also utilize this location for all product innovation and development.
"We are excited to be able to utilize this new store as a way to test new products and interact with our guests for real-time insight and feedback on how to further grow the brand," Casey added.
The new Mrs. Fields Cookies store will be owned and operated by Mrs. Fields Famous Brands LLC, dba Famous Brands International, the parent company for the Mrs. Fields and TCBY brands that relocated its headquarters from Salt Lake City to Broomfield, Colo., in July. The company currently occupies the entire sixth floor at Arista Place employing over 35 people. This new store will mark the fifth Mrs. Fields location in Colorado.
2012年12月2日星期日
Potluck Parties are still cool!
I love potluck parties! No it’s not 1977… I think gone are the days where potluck meals were considered typical of church socials and summer picnics. The potluck party is enjoying revitalization.
More and more people are hosting potluck parties in their homes for birthdays, anniversaries and I’ve even heard of a couple of potluck style wedding receptions. Holiday gatherings can easily become potluck events and it certainly takes a great deal of pressure off the host and gets everyone involved.
I think it’s exciting to have lots of people contributing to a communal menu, every dish changing the tone and energy of the meal. Potluck dinners give people the opportunity to showcase prized family recipes and it inevitably leads to the sharing of family stories and recipe swapping. It’s also a great way to plan a large gathering and not get buried under the details.
I don’t mind the randomness of potluck party dishes. But if I’m hosting one, I do like to assign people with a “course”, i.e. appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts. This way we don’t end up with 14 jello molds and two potato salads. I must admit that I typically like to create a themed menu, assign people a category and see what they come up with! Mexican themed salad? Indian themed dessert? Creative interpretations are welcome and encouraged!
So what do I provide as the host? Well, I’m organizing the event and providing the venue. As host, I would also generally provide the disposables, cups, plates, napkins and utensils. I also like to cook a couple of main or centerpiece entrées that the rest of the menu spins out from. For instance, chicken and dumpling soup may be my main entrée contribution but could also inspire a southern themed menu.
About those drinks… If I’m not providing the beverages, as part of my hosting duties, which I sometimes do, my single, “I never cook-where is my kitchen anyway” friends, are usually more than happy to contribute in this category. I ask them to bring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as a bottle of wine and a case of pop, a twelve pack of beer and a carton of juice, you get the picture…
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great opportunity to host a party, potluck style. So with that in mind, here is my one of my favourite potluck recipes for a Greek themed menu, commonly called Macaronia tou Fournou (oven baked pasta), some people also call it Pastitsio.
This recipe is not only great as a potluck contribution but also makes a great main course to feed a large group anytime. Served fresh out of the oven is always best but it can also be made a day ahead, kept cold and reheated before your dinner party.
So here’s my main dish and the theme for this potluck meal is Greek! What will you be adding to our virtual potluck menu? I would love to hear back from you. What do you think of potluck meals? Give my recipe a spin. It is inspired by my Mother’s recipes that I grew up eating, which were in turn inspired by my grandmother. I know you’ll love this.
I love potluck parties! No it’s not 1977… I think gone are the days where potluck meals were considered typical of church socials and summer picnics. The potluck party is enjoying revitalization.
More and more people are hosting potluck parties in their homes for birthdays, anniversaries and I’ve even heard of a couple of potluck style wedding receptions. Holiday gatherings can easily become potluck events and it certainly takes a great deal of pressure off the host and gets everyone involved.
I think it’s exciting to have lots of people contributing to a communal menu, every dish changing the tone and energy of the meal. Potluck dinners give people the opportunity to showcase prized family recipes and it inevitably leads to the sharing of family stories and recipe swapping. It’s also a great way to plan a large gathering and not get buried under the details.
I don’t mind the randomness of potluck party dishes. But if I’m hosting one, I do like to assign people with a “course”, i.e. appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts. This way we don’t end up with 14 jello molds and two potato salads. I must admit that I typically like to create a themed menu, assign people a category and see what they come up with! Mexican themed salad? Indian themed dessert? Creative interpretations are welcome and encouraged!
So what do I provide as the host? Well, I’m organizing the event and providing the venue. As host, I would also generally provide the disposables, cups, plates, napkins and utensils. I also like to cook a couple of main or centerpiece entrées that the rest of the menu spins out from. For instance, chicken and dumpling soup may be my main entrée contribution but could also inspire a southern themed menu.
About those drinks… If I’m not providing the beverages, as part of my hosting duties, which I sometimes do, my single, “I never cook-where is my kitchen anyway” friends, are usually more than happy to contribute in this category. I ask them to bring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as a bottle of wine and a case of pop, a twelve pack of beer and a carton of juice, you get the picture…
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great opportunity to host a party, potluck style. So with that in mind, here is my one of my favourite potluck recipes for a Greek themed menu, commonly called Macaronia tou Fournou (oven baked pasta), some people also call it Pastitsio.
This recipe is not only great as a potluck contribution but also makes a great main course to feed a large group anytime. Served fresh out of the oven is always best but it can also be made a day ahead, kept cold and reheated before your dinner party.
So here’s my main dish and the theme for this potluck meal is Greek! What will you be adding to our virtual potluck menu? I would love to hear back from you. What do you think of potluck meals? Give my recipe a spin. It is inspired by my Mother’s recipes that I grew up eating, which were in turn inspired by my grandmother. I know you’ll love this.
This will be a fun position to watch. Anthony Fasano is a free agent and the Dolphins like his ability to block but his passing game is very erratic. I like Fasano, he is one of my favorite players on the team . I just like the guy’s attitude. That doesn’t mean he is right for the team. If the Dolphins can get him cheap, fine but I would rather see them go after a Jared Cook from Tennessee or my first choice, Heath Miller from Pittsburgh. Miller to me is one of the most under utilized and under rated TE’s in the league. If the Dolphins landed him, I would be more than thrilled.
The biggest question of this off-season will be what to do with Jake Long. At times I think they team keeps him and at others I think they let him go. I wouldn’t rule out the franchise tag either. Regardless there are other needs on the line, specifically with Richie Incognito who getting up there in age. If the Dolphins look to replace anyone at guard, Andy Levitre of Buffalo would be a good choice but honestly, I think we pick up some depth and then draft a couple of mid-round lineman to develop. I have no clue what happens with Long.
Karlos Dansby is not a leader. In fact, he is nothing close to what he was in Arizona and aside from his mouth running about what his expectations are, nothing seems to come close actually achieving them. If I were Jeff Ireland, I would cut my losses and move on without him, but I’m not Jeff Ireland. Dansby is still under contract and I do no know the cap hit if he is released or traded. I will say that regardless, I’m looking to add some LB’s in free agency. Connor Barwin and Anthony Spencer are two OLB’s that come to mind as possibles, but again the Dolphins will have to weigh the cost of a contract vs. other needs. The LB’s in Miami are not “bad” they just are nothing great.
If the Dolphins don’t make a move in free agency for a corner you can pencil in a first round draft pick being spent on one. The Dolphins need a shutdown corner in the molds of Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain. Not what they got with Vontae’ Davis and at least lately Sean Smith. But here is the crutch to this off-season. There simply are no shutdown corners available. The best prospect for FA is Jarius Byrd but he is already negotiating a deal to stay in Buffalo. Aqib Talib will be a free agent but the Patriots may opt to re-sign him. The safety position is really no different. The Dolphins will add some players from the market but their best option is through the draft.
More and more people are hosting potluck parties in their homes for birthdays, anniversaries and I’ve even heard of a couple of potluck style wedding receptions. Holiday gatherings can easily become potluck events and it certainly takes a great deal of pressure off the host and gets everyone involved.
I think it’s exciting to have lots of people contributing to a communal menu, every dish changing the tone and energy of the meal. Potluck dinners give people the opportunity to showcase prized family recipes and it inevitably leads to the sharing of family stories and recipe swapping. It’s also a great way to plan a large gathering and not get buried under the details.
I don’t mind the randomness of potluck party dishes. But if I’m hosting one, I do like to assign people with a “course”, i.e. appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts. This way we don’t end up with 14 jello molds and two potato salads. I must admit that I typically like to create a themed menu, assign people a category and see what they come up with! Mexican themed salad? Indian themed dessert? Creative interpretations are welcome and encouraged!
So what do I provide as the host? Well, I’m organizing the event and providing the venue. As host, I would also generally provide the disposables, cups, plates, napkins and utensils. I also like to cook a couple of main or centerpiece entrées that the rest of the menu spins out from. For instance, chicken and dumpling soup may be my main entrée contribution but could also inspire a southern themed menu.
About those drinks… If I’m not providing the beverages, as part of my hosting duties, which I sometimes do, my single, “I never cook-where is my kitchen anyway” friends, are usually more than happy to contribute in this category. I ask them to bring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as a bottle of wine and a case of pop, a twelve pack of beer and a carton of juice, you get the picture…
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great opportunity to host a party, potluck style. So with that in mind, here is my one of my favourite potluck recipes for a Greek themed menu, commonly called Macaronia tou Fournou (oven baked pasta), some people also call it Pastitsio.
This recipe is not only great as a potluck contribution but also makes a great main course to feed a large group anytime. Served fresh out of the oven is always best but it can also be made a day ahead, kept cold and reheated before your dinner party.
So here’s my main dish and the theme for this potluck meal is Greek! What will you be adding to our virtual potluck menu? I would love to hear back from you. What do you think of potluck meals? Give my recipe a spin. It is inspired by my Mother’s recipes that I grew up eating, which were in turn inspired by my grandmother. I know you’ll love this.
I love potluck parties! No it’s not 1977… I think gone are the days where potluck meals were considered typical of church socials and summer picnics. The potluck party is enjoying revitalization.
More and more people are hosting potluck parties in their homes for birthdays, anniversaries and I’ve even heard of a couple of potluck style wedding receptions. Holiday gatherings can easily become potluck events and it certainly takes a great deal of pressure off the host and gets everyone involved.
I think it’s exciting to have lots of people contributing to a communal menu, every dish changing the tone and energy of the meal. Potluck dinners give people the opportunity to showcase prized family recipes and it inevitably leads to the sharing of family stories and recipe swapping. It’s also a great way to plan a large gathering and not get buried under the details.
I don’t mind the randomness of potluck party dishes. But if I’m hosting one, I do like to assign people with a “course”, i.e. appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts. This way we don’t end up with 14 jello molds and two potato salads. I must admit that I typically like to create a themed menu, assign people a category and see what they come up with! Mexican themed salad? Indian themed dessert? Creative interpretations are welcome and encouraged!
So what do I provide as the host? Well, I’m organizing the event and providing the venue. As host, I would also generally provide the disposables, cups, plates, napkins and utensils. I also like to cook a couple of main or centerpiece entrées that the rest of the menu spins out from. For instance, chicken and dumpling soup may be my main entrée contribution but could also inspire a southern themed menu.
About those drinks… If I’m not providing the beverages, as part of my hosting duties, which I sometimes do, my single, “I never cook-where is my kitchen anyway” friends, are usually more than happy to contribute in this category. I ask them to bring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as a bottle of wine and a case of pop, a twelve pack of beer and a carton of juice, you get the picture…
With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great opportunity to host a party, potluck style. So with that in mind, here is my one of my favourite potluck recipes for a Greek themed menu, commonly called Macaronia tou Fournou (oven baked pasta), some people also call it Pastitsio.
This recipe is not only great as a potluck contribution but also makes a great main course to feed a large group anytime. Served fresh out of the oven is always best but it can also be made a day ahead, kept cold and reheated before your dinner party.
So here’s my main dish and the theme for this potluck meal is Greek! What will you be adding to our virtual potluck menu? I would love to hear back from you. What do you think of potluck meals? Give my recipe a spin. It is inspired by my Mother’s recipes that I grew up eating, which were in turn inspired by my grandmother. I know you’ll love this.
This will be a fun position to watch. Anthony Fasano is a free agent and the Dolphins like his ability to block but his passing game is very erratic. I like Fasano, he is one of my favorite players on the team . I just like the guy’s attitude. That doesn’t mean he is right for the team. If the Dolphins can get him cheap, fine but I would rather see them go after a Jared Cook from Tennessee or my first choice, Heath Miller from Pittsburgh. Miller to me is one of the most under utilized and under rated TE’s in the league. If the Dolphins landed him, I would be more than thrilled.
The biggest question of this off-season will be what to do with Jake Long. At times I think they team keeps him and at others I think they let him go. I wouldn’t rule out the franchise tag either. Regardless there are other needs on the line, specifically with Richie Incognito who getting up there in age. If the Dolphins look to replace anyone at guard, Andy Levitre of Buffalo would be a good choice but honestly, I think we pick up some depth and then draft a couple of mid-round lineman to develop. I have no clue what happens with Long.
Karlos Dansby is not a leader. In fact, he is nothing close to what he was in Arizona and aside from his mouth running about what his expectations are, nothing seems to come close actually achieving them. If I were Jeff Ireland, I would cut my losses and move on without him, but I’m not Jeff Ireland. Dansby is still under contract and I do no know the cap hit if he is released or traded. I will say that regardless, I’m looking to add some LB’s in free agency. Connor Barwin and Anthony Spencer are two OLB’s that come to mind as possibles, but again the Dolphins will have to weigh the cost of a contract vs. other needs. The LB’s in Miami are not “bad” they just are nothing great.
If the Dolphins don’t make a move in free agency for a corner you can pencil in a first round draft pick being spent on one. The Dolphins need a shutdown corner in the molds of Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain. Not what they got with Vontae’ Davis and at least lately Sean Smith. But here is the crutch to this off-season. There simply are no shutdown corners available. The best prospect for FA is Jarius Byrd but he is already negotiating a deal to stay in Buffalo. Aqib Talib will be a free agent but the Patriots may opt to re-sign him. The safety position is really no different. The Dolphins will add some players from the market but their best option is through the draft.
2012年11月25日星期日
In with the new for old pub
THE National Hotel in Victoria Street, Richmond, was fairly soulless before the latest renovation by Breathe Architecture. Built in the early 20th century, the pub seemed to have experienced a round of renovations every decade. "When we first inspected the place, the windows had been boarded up, with every second window plugged with an airconditioning unit," says architect Jeremy McLeod, director of the practice. "The carpet was sticky [from beer] and the plaster ceilings stained with smoke."
The clients wanted a new fitout but also wanted to activate the local strip, east of Church Street. "Our brief was to look at the immediate area, but also to make this place feel welcoming, as though it was an extension of people's living rooms," McLeod says.
The inspiration for the design came from China. "We didn't want to romanticise the mysticism of the Silk Road. We were thinking of the strong industrial presence China has today, found in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen."
The other feature of Breathe Architecture's design was the spatial planning. "We see China as a series of smaller provinces within the one country. We've tried to break up the National into a series of smaller spaces or provinces," McLeod says. So rather than one grand gesture, there are a series of highly considered spaces at the National Hotel. The front area, referred to as the cafe, features a four-metre-long steel trestle-style table, with the top finished in timber parquetry. Distressed walls and exposed ceilings add texture and allow the original fixtures to be clearly read.
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"We removed all the acoustic tiles from the ceiling, as well as the plaster boards from the walls. Everything is exposed," McLeod says, pointing out the original ceiling with timber battens. The polished concrete floors have also been exposed, with some of the coloured dye from the old carpet showing.
Central to the design is a concrete bar, with holes and scuffs. Steel shelves, suspended from the ceiling and filled with bottles of spirit and wine glasses, form one of the few decorative elements. While most of the steel was fabricated with precision, other elements, such as the timber used for the feature wall dividing the booth seating area from the bar, was found on site - old paling fences, cut up into tiles. This feature wall also includes bar seating made from steel and concrete. At the rear of the premises is what's referred to as the Opium den, with television rather than a pipe being the focus. And with budget in mind, as well as practicality, the furniture in this space is made from plastic milk crates, covered with military-type tarpaulin.
The outdoor area was also completely reworked by Breathe. Previously there was a thatched Balinese-style hut. Now there are a series of tarpaulin-covered terraces, with the centrepiece a customised table tennis table, made of concrete and with a steel net. And for those wanting a more protected environment, there's also the indoor-outdoor function space, framed with glass, steel and polycarbonate doors. Accommodating 80 people, it's one of the dining options to choose from.
Recycling and respect for past objects is beautifully captured in the front awning. A tarpaulin from an old truck, complete with hundreds of patches, greets visitors. "It's a bit like this place, where everything appears to have been stitched together, and the imperfections are treasured, rather than discarded," adds McLeod.
Such campaigns include "Small Business Saturday," which American Express created in 2010 to help give exposure to those businesses during the busy Black Friday weekend. The idea has been embraced by Baltimore-area shops such as those in Hampden and Green Spring Station, which will offer special promotions and discounts on Saturday.
It has helped that the toy category is considered recession-resistant, said Adrienne Appell, a spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association. Toy sales in the U.S. dipped slightly in 2011 to $21.2 billion, according to the latest statistics from market research firm NPD Group.
But "over the past couple of years, the industry has remained relatively stable. We attribute that to the fact that toys are relatively low-priced, and families will provide toys to their kids for the holidays," Appell said, noting that the average price of a toy is $8.
Sales at Shananigans Toy Shop in North Baltimore have headed up for the past couple of years, and this holiday season should be as good, if not better, said David Stelzer, one of the shop's owners.
"We're trying to find unique toys — traditional and nontraditional toys that you really can't find anywhere but here," he said, noting that "Magic 8 Balls and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots are harder to find than you think, [when] Toys 'R' Us devotes a whole wall to the latest trend or movie. We're trying to be as competitive as possible with prices. And honestly, we offer, I would like to think, better service and a lot more familiarity with toys."
The clients wanted a new fitout but also wanted to activate the local strip, east of Church Street. "Our brief was to look at the immediate area, but also to make this place feel welcoming, as though it was an extension of people's living rooms," McLeod says.
The inspiration for the design came from China. "We didn't want to romanticise the mysticism of the Silk Road. We were thinking of the strong industrial presence China has today, found in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen."
The other feature of Breathe Architecture's design was the spatial planning. "We see China as a series of smaller provinces within the one country. We've tried to break up the National into a series of smaller spaces or provinces," McLeod says. So rather than one grand gesture, there are a series of highly considered spaces at the National Hotel. The front area, referred to as the cafe, features a four-metre-long steel trestle-style table, with the top finished in timber parquetry. Distressed walls and exposed ceilings add texture and allow the original fixtures to be clearly read.
Advertisement
"We removed all the acoustic tiles from the ceiling, as well as the plaster boards from the walls. Everything is exposed," McLeod says, pointing out the original ceiling with timber battens. The polished concrete floors have also been exposed, with some of the coloured dye from the old carpet showing.
Central to the design is a concrete bar, with holes and scuffs. Steel shelves, suspended from the ceiling and filled with bottles of spirit and wine glasses, form one of the few decorative elements. While most of the steel was fabricated with precision, other elements, such as the timber used for the feature wall dividing the booth seating area from the bar, was found on site - old paling fences, cut up into tiles. This feature wall also includes bar seating made from steel and concrete. At the rear of the premises is what's referred to as the Opium den, with television rather than a pipe being the focus. And with budget in mind, as well as practicality, the furniture in this space is made from plastic milk crates, covered with military-type tarpaulin.
The outdoor area was also completely reworked by Breathe. Previously there was a thatched Balinese-style hut. Now there are a series of tarpaulin-covered terraces, with the centrepiece a customised table tennis table, made of concrete and with a steel net. And for those wanting a more protected environment, there's also the indoor-outdoor function space, framed with glass, steel and polycarbonate doors. Accommodating 80 people, it's one of the dining options to choose from.
Recycling and respect for past objects is beautifully captured in the front awning. A tarpaulin from an old truck, complete with hundreds of patches, greets visitors. "It's a bit like this place, where everything appears to have been stitched together, and the imperfections are treasured, rather than discarded," adds McLeod.
Such campaigns include "Small Business Saturday," which American Express created in 2010 to help give exposure to those businesses during the busy Black Friday weekend. The idea has been embraced by Baltimore-area shops such as those in Hampden and Green Spring Station, which will offer special promotions and discounts on Saturday.
It has helped that the toy category is considered recession-resistant, said Adrienne Appell, a spokeswoman for the Toy Industry Association. Toy sales in the U.S. dipped slightly in 2011 to $21.2 billion, according to the latest statistics from market research firm NPD Group.
But "over the past couple of years, the industry has remained relatively stable. We attribute that to the fact that toys are relatively low-priced, and families will provide toys to their kids for the holidays," Appell said, noting that the average price of a toy is $8.
Sales at Shananigans Toy Shop in North Baltimore have headed up for the past couple of years, and this holiday season should be as good, if not better, said David Stelzer, one of the shop's owners.
"We're trying to find unique toys — traditional and nontraditional toys that you really can't find anywhere but here," he said, noting that "Magic 8 Balls and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots are harder to find than you think, [when] Toys 'R' Us devotes a whole wall to the latest trend or movie. We're trying to be as competitive as possible with prices. And honestly, we offer, I would like to think, better service and a lot more familiarity with toys."
2012年11月22日星期四
Fredric Reopens at Gelson’s Village Calabasas
As Black Friday approaches, loyal clientele of M. Fredric may be happy that the boutique specializing in woman's and kid's fashions has reopened its doors at Gelson's Village Calabasas.
The move follows a seven month hiatus that began when the former Commons at Calabasas location closed last March, resulting in Ann Taylor Loft's takeover of the space M. Fredric called home for more than a decade.
“Unfortunately, our lease had expired and we were unable to renew,” said Elaina Karatzas, M. Fredric’s marketing manager and one-time sales associate at the former locale.
“We were very sad to leave our home of 12 years at the Calabasas Commons," she said. "However, we are beyond excited to have finally found a new home.”
Replacing former tenant Nicky’s Pro Karate, which relocated just down Mulholland Highway to the Calabasas Place Shopping Center on Old Topanga Road, the new M. Fredric opened Oct. 4 in what was called a “Class A" shopping center by Mike Smith, executive director of real estate for the Arden Group Inc, which owns the space's landlord, Gelson’s.
Deciding to keep the store in town when the “right opportunity” came up, M. Fredric's owner Fred Levine said he’s delighted to be back in the Calabasas community.
“We’re looking for this store to be one of our best since it has over 12 years of history in the community, and the proximity to Gelson's is a real plus,” he said.
Consisting of 2,300 square feet of clothing and accessories for women and children, the new store offers the same variety of labels ranging from casual to chic, set amidst a dark wood interior illuminated by elegant chandeliers and festive stringed lights. Plush seating, giant mirrors and several changing rooms accented by soft rugs provide an apt setting for trying on clothes.
Although slightly smaller than its predecessor in the Commons, the space is open and much larger than the temporary M. Fredric store that inhabited the Gelson’s shopping center during the holidays last year.
Despite the closing of its former Calabasas locations, 2011-2012 also saw the opening of three stores, including in Ventura and Newport Beach in addition to Calabasas, bringing the total to eight locations in Southern California. In business for more than three decades, the Agoura Hills-based company also sells online.
At home in Calabasas, business has been great since so far, said Karatzas. “Our customers are so happy to have a local M. Fredric store they can pop in to. We have been welcomed back with open arms and we are so grateful for it!”
Levine agrees. “The Gelson's space was perfect and we have been able to keep our Calabasas customers since this location is just a mile or so from the former location.”
However, some loyal customers have had trouble tracking down its whereabouts.
“Most of our calls have been from customers looking for the new store, mostly from the Commons,” said Kelly Kaiser, a transplant from the former store and sales associate of a dozen years who finds it confusing to give directions to the shopping center located near the intersection of Mulholland Drive and Mulholland Highway. “I usually tell them to map it.”
Shoppers at the Commons looking to make the 2.6-mile trip can head northeast on Calabasas Way, turn right on Valley Circle/Mulholland Drive, and continue for 1.7 miles to take another right on Mulholland Highway. M. Fredric is located on the right in the Gelson’s Village at the far, south end of the center.
In addition to loyal clientele, the new location is also attracting some new foot traffic, said Kaiser.
“This is so great,” exclaimed one such shopper aloud as she perused the children’s section, which features a plethora of accessories for both genders in addition to an array of trendy fashions. “It’s better than Justice. I’m telling all my girlfriends.”
“All the customers are really happy with it,” said Kaiser. “They’re happy we’re back.”
And while special Black Friday discounts are in the plans, employees aren’t giving any hints as to what deals may await shoppers during the store’s premiere holiday shopping season. “We can’t say until Friday,” said Kaiser.
In the spirit of the holidays, M. Fredric has been busy out carrying philanthropic missions. A few west valley locations have raised more than $6,000 since May for "Zoe's Helping Hands" in benefit of Zoe Feldman, a 3-year-old Agoura Hills preschooler who is fighting sarcoma botryoides, a rare form of cancer.
Dedicated to fighting cancer in its many forms, the clothing company adopted Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times in 2007, which provides children with cancer with seven days of sleep-away camp. M. Fredric is also half-way to its goal of raising $1 million for research, education and awareness of the American Cancer Society as part of a company-wide crusade against breast cancer.
The move follows a seven month hiatus that began when the former Commons at Calabasas location closed last March, resulting in Ann Taylor Loft's takeover of the space M. Fredric called home for more than a decade.
“Unfortunately, our lease had expired and we were unable to renew,” said Elaina Karatzas, M. Fredric’s marketing manager and one-time sales associate at the former locale.
“We were very sad to leave our home of 12 years at the Calabasas Commons," she said. "However, we are beyond excited to have finally found a new home.”
Replacing former tenant Nicky’s Pro Karate, which relocated just down Mulholland Highway to the Calabasas Place Shopping Center on Old Topanga Road, the new M. Fredric opened Oct. 4 in what was called a “Class A" shopping center by Mike Smith, executive director of real estate for the Arden Group Inc, which owns the space's landlord, Gelson’s.
Deciding to keep the store in town when the “right opportunity” came up, M. Fredric's owner Fred Levine said he’s delighted to be back in the Calabasas community.
“We’re looking for this store to be one of our best since it has over 12 years of history in the community, and the proximity to Gelson's is a real plus,” he said.
Consisting of 2,300 square feet of clothing and accessories for women and children, the new store offers the same variety of labels ranging from casual to chic, set amidst a dark wood interior illuminated by elegant chandeliers and festive stringed lights. Plush seating, giant mirrors and several changing rooms accented by soft rugs provide an apt setting for trying on clothes.
Although slightly smaller than its predecessor in the Commons, the space is open and much larger than the temporary M. Fredric store that inhabited the Gelson’s shopping center during the holidays last year.
Despite the closing of its former Calabasas locations, 2011-2012 also saw the opening of three stores, including in Ventura and Newport Beach in addition to Calabasas, bringing the total to eight locations in Southern California. In business for more than three decades, the Agoura Hills-based company also sells online.
At home in Calabasas, business has been great since so far, said Karatzas. “Our customers are so happy to have a local M. Fredric store they can pop in to. We have been welcomed back with open arms and we are so grateful for it!”
Levine agrees. “The Gelson's space was perfect and we have been able to keep our Calabasas customers since this location is just a mile or so from the former location.”
However, some loyal customers have had trouble tracking down its whereabouts.
“Most of our calls have been from customers looking for the new store, mostly from the Commons,” said Kelly Kaiser, a transplant from the former store and sales associate of a dozen years who finds it confusing to give directions to the shopping center located near the intersection of Mulholland Drive and Mulholland Highway. “I usually tell them to map it.”
Shoppers at the Commons looking to make the 2.6-mile trip can head northeast on Calabasas Way, turn right on Valley Circle/Mulholland Drive, and continue for 1.7 miles to take another right on Mulholland Highway. M. Fredric is located on the right in the Gelson’s Village at the far, south end of the center.
In addition to loyal clientele, the new location is also attracting some new foot traffic, said Kaiser.
“This is so great,” exclaimed one such shopper aloud as she perused the children’s section, which features a plethora of accessories for both genders in addition to an array of trendy fashions. “It’s better than Justice. I’m telling all my girlfriends.”
“All the customers are really happy with it,” said Kaiser. “They’re happy we’re back.”
And while special Black Friday discounts are in the plans, employees aren’t giving any hints as to what deals may await shoppers during the store’s premiere holiday shopping season. “We can’t say until Friday,” said Kaiser.
In the spirit of the holidays, M. Fredric has been busy out carrying philanthropic missions. A few west valley locations have raised more than $6,000 since May for "Zoe's Helping Hands" in benefit of Zoe Feldman, a 3-year-old Agoura Hills preschooler who is fighting sarcoma botryoides, a rare form of cancer.
Dedicated to fighting cancer in its many forms, the clothing company adopted Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times in 2007, which provides children with cancer with seven days of sleep-away camp. M. Fredric is also half-way to its goal of raising $1 million for research, education and awareness of the American Cancer Society as part of a company-wide crusade against breast cancer.
2012年11月19日星期一
I, Twinkie
Oh how everyone (of a certain class and income) makes fun of the Twinkie, the ultimate symbol of modern food decadence and phoniness. I don’t get it. Have the critics ever tried one? They are so appealing and delicious: light, spongy, sweet, and creamy, all in a tiny package.
The news that the parent company Hostess was going out of business caused a huge run on Twinkies in my own community. Every store had an empty space where they should have been. The preppers were right: we should have stocked up for emergencies like this.
Meanwhile, the haters have been generating a legion of lies about Twinkies ever since food puritanism took over elite culture. Therefore, the urban myths are legion. You know them all. It can stand up to a nuclear holocaust. It is made entirely of artificial ingredients, the ultimate frankenfood. It is responsible for the obesity epidemic. And so on.
So don’t you just know that plenty of cultural snobs and anti-market ideologues were experiencing serious schadenfreude at the news that the labor unions have strangled Hostess? They are probably thrilled to kick this snake out of the American garden of Eden they are trying to create and cast the whole line of products to the Mexican outer darkness.
It pains me. It really does. More than half a billion Twinkies are sold every year. They bring incredible joy to multitudes who don’t happen to live next to an old-world French pastry shop. The market has been bringing this treat to the masses for 70 glorious years, and all that the cultural elite can do is sneer.
Let’s take just a moment to give the Twinkie a bit of respect, as a symbol of the complex economic structures of our time that cannot be replicated by you, me, or any government in the world. It takes a giant market, an extended order of trade, and an unfathomably complex division of labor to make a Twinkie and deliver it to your pallet.
No, it would never existed in an economy planned by the government. Moving mountains and shipping ingredients all over the world just to please you and me? It would never be allowed. Plus, there is no way a government planner could make it happen. The processes are too complex and carefully calibrated by the price system to be economically feasible.
Let’s quickly kill a few myths. Contrary to the claim, it is made of 100% natural ingredients. Everything in it comes from the earth — as much a product of mother nature as a carrot or bean sprout — with the only difference that it goes through a more extensive production process through time and space. And the reason for the long processes: to make a better product for you and me (which no one forces us to eat).
Twinkies have a remarkable and laudatory shelf life of 25 days, which is rather wonderful for something so puffy and moist. it stays fresh for a time long enough for you to consume it and enjoy it. Time was when hardtack was pretty much all that could last for long travels. Do the food puritans want us eating that rather than yummy sweets? (I don’t want to hear the answer.)
It’s a myth that it can survive a nuclear explosion but it seems to me that it would be a good thing if it could. Why should survivors of war-torn lands not have access to good food that contains essential proteins in eggs and a source of energy in its cane sugar?
And let’s give a hand for the Hostess company’s marketing too. Unlike the Apple and Monsanto, the Twinkie benefits from no monopoly protection from government. Anyone can make an imitation and plenty do, such as Mrs Freshley’s Gold Creme Cakes and Little Debbie’s Golden Cremes. Still, the Twinkie survives with a high name-brand status, or did until the unions killed it. This nicely demonstrates that “intellectual property” is not necessary for profitable production over a long period of time.
It turns out that there is an entire book that details what is in a Twinkie and how it is made. It is Twinkie, Deconstructed, by Steve Ettlinger (Hudson Street Press, 2007). He began the book to try to figure out what all the strange ingredients listed on the label actually are. There are 39 of them, and he devotes a chapter to each one, discovering one by one that every ingredient serves the essential purpose of making the product better. If he began the project with the goal of exposing this frankenfood, he came away from the long project with profound respect for the food item.
As Ettlinger tells the story, the Twinkie was the invention of Charles Dewar, vice president of Continental Bakeries, who figured out how to idle shortbread pans for a different purpose besides make a strawberry treat, which he could not make in the off season (in the old days, there were such things as off seasons). The basic ingredients were the same as they are now (wheat, sugar, soybeans, and eggs).
The name he came up with from seeing a billboard for “Twinkle-Toe Shoes.” It was a great plan, and the cakes were hugely popular, except for one thing. The shelf life (the holy grail of food retailing) was only two days. The market for the cake was huge but the company couldn’t satisfy the demand. It took decades of research and experimentation but the probably was finally solved in the 1950s, and that’s when the ingredient list became longer.
For most of the Twinkie bakeries around the country, the wheat for the cake flour (which is highly specialized) comes from small, family farms (including Amish farms) that have only a few employees, thanks to technology. The enrichment blend of ferrous sulfate and B vitamins is added to white flour on government mandate, presumably to end the disease pellagra. If you don’t like the extra vitamins and iron, call your congressman.
Ettinger explodes other myths such as that Twinkies roll off an assembly line and go straight to the packet. Not so. They are baked and browned just like regular cakes, and that’s because, well, they are regular cakes. But do they need to be so sweet? The sweeteners work as preservatives, adding color, and causing the ingredients to blend better. Plus, we like sugar. But not too much, which is why corn syrup is also in there because it doesn’t crystallize.
(If U.S. sugar tariffs didn’t drive up the price so high, the company might have been able to withstand union pressure more. Also, while I’m against corn subsidies as much as the next guy, every baker knows that corn syrup has its place. And anyone who blames it for the rise in obesity might take note that the average daily calorie intake of Americans has risen by 600 since 1980, and corn syrup only accounts for 10% of that. A more obvious factor: people eat vastly more because they can afford to and it’s there to eat.)
The demonized preservative in the Twinkie is the miracle food compound called sorbic acid. How the ancients would have loved this stuff! It’s sole job is to keep the mold away. Mold is the stuff that forms around moist areas such as your bathtub. If there isn’t anything in food that molds — think of pita chips — you don’t need it. But once you add leavenings, eggs, cream, and put a wet and spongy thing inside a plastic bag, you have got a serious mold issue. You know this if you have even baked a cake and let it sit out for a few days.
Sorbic acid — it was discovered in berries in 1859 in berries but today is made as a gentle petroleum product with less toxicity than salt — is the earth’s greatest enemy of mold. It is an amazing compound that makes grocery stores possible. If you see something like that in a bag that says “no preservatives,” run don’t walk. It could be deadly. As it is, the Twinkie only contains tiny trace amounts, just enough to make the product safe for you and me.
People today use the word preservative as if to insinuate that it is some poison that capitalistic corporations insert into our food to profit from poisoning us. Actually, people have struggled to preserve food since the beginning of time. The line between food that gives health and food that kills is a tiny turn of time, practically one minute to the next.
The news that the parent company Hostess was going out of business caused a huge run on Twinkies in my own community. Every store had an empty space where they should have been. The preppers were right: we should have stocked up for emergencies like this.
Meanwhile, the haters have been generating a legion of lies about Twinkies ever since food puritanism took over elite culture. Therefore, the urban myths are legion. You know them all. It can stand up to a nuclear holocaust. It is made entirely of artificial ingredients, the ultimate frankenfood. It is responsible for the obesity epidemic. And so on.
So don’t you just know that plenty of cultural snobs and anti-market ideologues were experiencing serious schadenfreude at the news that the labor unions have strangled Hostess? They are probably thrilled to kick this snake out of the American garden of Eden they are trying to create and cast the whole line of products to the Mexican outer darkness.
It pains me. It really does. More than half a billion Twinkies are sold every year. They bring incredible joy to multitudes who don’t happen to live next to an old-world French pastry shop. The market has been bringing this treat to the masses for 70 glorious years, and all that the cultural elite can do is sneer.
Let’s take just a moment to give the Twinkie a bit of respect, as a symbol of the complex economic structures of our time that cannot be replicated by you, me, or any government in the world. It takes a giant market, an extended order of trade, and an unfathomably complex division of labor to make a Twinkie and deliver it to your pallet.
No, it would never existed in an economy planned by the government. Moving mountains and shipping ingredients all over the world just to please you and me? It would never be allowed. Plus, there is no way a government planner could make it happen. The processes are too complex and carefully calibrated by the price system to be economically feasible.
Let’s quickly kill a few myths. Contrary to the claim, it is made of 100% natural ingredients. Everything in it comes from the earth — as much a product of mother nature as a carrot or bean sprout — with the only difference that it goes through a more extensive production process through time and space. And the reason for the long processes: to make a better product for you and me (which no one forces us to eat).
Twinkies have a remarkable and laudatory shelf life of 25 days, which is rather wonderful for something so puffy and moist. it stays fresh for a time long enough for you to consume it and enjoy it. Time was when hardtack was pretty much all that could last for long travels. Do the food puritans want us eating that rather than yummy sweets? (I don’t want to hear the answer.)
It’s a myth that it can survive a nuclear explosion but it seems to me that it would be a good thing if it could. Why should survivors of war-torn lands not have access to good food that contains essential proteins in eggs and a source of energy in its cane sugar?
And let’s give a hand for the Hostess company’s marketing too. Unlike the Apple and Monsanto, the Twinkie benefits from no monopoly protection from government. Anyone can make an imitation and plenty do, such as Mrs Freshley’s Gold Creme Cakes and Little Debbie’s Golden Cremes. Still, the Twinkie survives with a high name-brand status, or did until the unions killed it. This nicely demonstrates that “intellectual property” is not necessary for profitable production over a long period of time.
It turns out that there is an entire book that details what is in a Twinkie and how it is made. It is Twinkie, Deconstructed, by Steve Ettlinger (Hudson Street Press, 2007). He began the book to try to figure out what all the strange ingredients listed on the label actually are. There are 39 of them, and he devotes a chapter to each one, discovering one by one that every ingredient serves the essential purpose of making the product better. If he began the project with the goal of exposing this frankenfood, he came away from the long project with profound respect for the food item.
As Ettlinger tells the story, the Twinkie was the invention of Charles Dewar, vice president of Continental Bakeries, who figured out how to idle shortbread pans for a different purpose besides make a strawberry treat, which he could not make in the off season (in the old days, there were such things as off seasons). The basic ingredients were the same as they are now (wheat, sugar, soybeans, and eggs).
The name he came up with from seeing a billboard for “Twinkle-Toe Shoes.” It was a great plan, and the cakes were hugely popular, except for one thing. The shelf life (the holy grail of food retailing) was only two days. The market for the cake was huge but the company couldn’t satisfy the demand. It took decades of research and experimentation but the probably was finally solved in the 1950s, and that’s when the ingredient list became longer.
For most of the Twinkie bakeries around the country, the wheat for the cake flour (which is highly specialized) comes from small, family farms (including Amish farms) that have only a few employees, thanks to technology. The enrichment blend of ferrous sulfate and B vitamins is added to white flour on government mandate, presumably to end the disease pellagra. If you don’t like the extra vitamins and iron, call your congressman.
Ettinger explodes other myths such as that Twinkies roll off an assembly line and go straight to the packet. Not so. They are baked and browned just like regular cakes, and that’s because, well, they are regular cakes. But do they need to be so sweet? The sweeteners work as preservatives, adding color, and causing the ingredients to blend better. Plus, we like sugar. But not too much, which is why corn syrup is also in there because it doesn’t crystallize.
(If U.S. sugar tariffs didn’t drive up the price so high, the company might have been able to withstand union pressure more. Also, while I’m against corn subsidies as much as the next guy, every baker knows that corn syrup has its place. And anyone who blames it for the rise in obesity might take note that the average daily calorie intake of Americans has risen by 600 since 1980, and corn syrup only accounts for 10% of that. A more obvious factor: people eat vastly more because they can afford to and it’s there to eat.)
The demonized preservative in the Twinkie is the miracle food compound called sorbic acid. How the ancients would have loved this stuff! It’s sole job is to keep the mold away. Mold is the stuff that forms around moist areas such as your bathtub. If there isn’t anything in food that molds — think of pita chips — you don’t need it. But once you add leavenings, eggs, cream, and put a wet and spongy thing inside a plastic bag, you have got a serious mold issue. You know this if you have even baked a cake and let it sit out for a few days.
Sorbic acid — it was discovered in berries in 1859 in berries but today is made as a gentle petroleum product with less toxicity than salt — is the earth’s greatest enemy of mold. It is an amazing compound that makes grocery stores possible. If you see something like that in a bag that says “no preservatives,” run don’t walk. It could be deadly. As it is, the Twinkie only contains tiny trace amounts, just enough to make the product safe for you and me.
People today use the word preservative as if to insinuate that it is some poison that capitalistic corporations insert into our food to profit from poisoning us. Actually, people have struggled to preserve food since the beginning of time. The line between food that gives health and food that kills is a tiny turn of time, practically one minute to the next.
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