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Source: Tulsa World, Okla.迷你倉新蒲崗Sept. 08--64, born on August 8, 1949, in Checotah, OK, passed on Friday, September 6, 2013. He received his B.S. Degree in Business from OSU in 1971 and began serving in the Air National Guard before starting his lifelong career in insurance claims. He loved his work and was employed at Equity Insurance Company as a Claims Supervisor up to the end of his life on this earth. He married Marcia in 1976. His greatly loved family includes children, Melinda Curren, Melody Borum, the late Brandon Borum; gr迷你倉出租ndson, Henry Curren; son-in-law, Zachary Curren; parents, Mary Lou Borum and the late Leon Borum; and brother, Gary Borum. Since 1989 he was director of Bruce Borum Ministries, Inc. He was a born leader, loved telling stories and was a great teacher to us all. Service to be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 12, at Ninde Funeral Home. Burial at Checotah Greenlawn Cemetery.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉

Pan Asia Logistics blends both for a competitive edge that is maintained through cost advantage and customer orientationSUPERB geographic connectivity makes Singapore home to some 7,000 logistics companies.迷你倉價錢 The 20-odd biggest players of the global supply chain business have also set up their regional headquarters here.Yet Pan Asia Logistics managed to prise a slice of the pie for itself amid the competition. Incorporated in December 2002 with $20 million in the first-ten-month revenue, the company reached $150 million in annual revenue a decade later and is aiming to hit $1 billion by 2020.The success factorsFounded in Singapore by German-born logistics veteran Christian Bischoff, Pan Asia Logistics has its core competencies in comprehensive logistics services covering airfreight, ocean freight, projects and heavy lift, and contract logistics. Blending German precision with Asian efficiency, the company obtains its competitive edge through cost advantage and customer orientation.For one thing, Pan Asia Logistics mitigates the disadvantages of its smaller market power by carefully selecting its target segments, such as the right combination of clients. The automotive industry, for example, forms the core of Pan Asia Logistics' clientele and generates 40 per cent of its revenue. Other key verticals include electronics and high tech, oil and gas, fashion and lifestyle, as well as food and beverage.The company is highly customer-oriented in its business approach. This explains its commitment to understanding the competitive landscape of its customers, so that it is able to provide customised one-stop logistics solutions that add the most value to its varied multinational (MNC) clientele.One-stop service support is the key here. While traditional freight forwarding is still very much at the heart of its services, Pan Asia Logistics has been transforming itself into a provider of fully integrated supply chain solutions with information technology (IT) and contract logistics at its core. The ultimate aim is the optimisation of the client's supply chain and distribution processes.The use of information systems is also highly emphasised. The firm has invested heavily in such technologies for the benefit of its clients. With Web-based technologies, clients have real-time access to information on their shipments or inventory levels. This helps make the whole logistics process more resilient and convenient.Another intricate part of Pan Asia Logistics' business model is innovation and flexibility in its service offerings. A good example is the innovative freight forwarding options such as the tailor-made combination of sea/air transportation that the company provides. Sea-air transport has the benefit of lowering costs while still allowing clients to benefit from the speed that comes with airfreight. The company also offers storage space for a diverse selection of goods, and it is equipped with air-conditioned and dangerous goods facilities.International reachRegional expansion is an equally important pillar of Pan Asia Logistics' growth. As the company's business consultant Monika Bischoff explains: "Venturing into new markets will be essential for reinforcing the company's market presence, and will position it st迷你倉ategically and solidly." Pan Asia Logistics started in Singapore and now has more than 40 branch offices across Asia in Indonesia, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan. In 2009, it opened its first subsidiary in Stuttgart in Germany. More presence is to be established in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Bangladesh this year.Expanding warehouse capacity "will further contribute to Pan Asia Logistics' strategic growth", notes Mrs Bischoff. The company opened a 170,000 sq ft facility in South Korea in 2008, and another 200,000 sq ft warehouse and office building in Changi in 2011. Two warehouses - one of 480,000 sq ft in west Singapore and another of 420,000 sq ft in Tanjong Pelepas in Malaysia - are currently under construction and will be operative later this year. To be opened in 2014 is one more 300,000 sq ft logistics centre in South Korea. This is not all - over the next few years, the company plans to add another 1.5 million sq ft warehouse space in the region.Pan Asia Logistics also has an extensive support network of partners, alliances and agents throughout Europe, Middle East, North Africa and the Americas. This helps to improve its responsiveness towards the needs of international customers for fully integrated logistics solutions.Pan Asia Logistics conducts its operations based on eco-friendly principles. Every effort is taken to reduce its carbon footprint. For example, the company reduces waste by reusing packaging materials and supplying them to other industries as secondary raw materials.Outstanding business achievements have brought Pan Asia Logistics numerous accolades. It has been consistently placed among the top 500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore since 2004. In 2010, the company won both the Enterprise of the Year Award and the Entrepreneur of the Year Award which are prestigious hallmarks of success honouring consistent excellence in business performance among Singaporean SMEs.The futureWith the introduction of the revised Singapore Green Plan (SGP) in 2012, the environmental blueprints of the local firms are now facing increased review and scrutiny. With a growing amount of green legislations requiring original equipment manufacturers to recall and recycle or dispose of their end-of-life products, Pan Asia Logistics sees a potential for a new business model. It is exploring the possibility of launching niche services by establishing reverse logistics and remanufacturing networks to enable clients to take back their used products.Increasing operational costs due to the volatility in the economy, over capacity and rising labour costs are some key problems that have significant repercussions for logistics firms worldwide. As Mrs Bischoff reflects: "It will be of vital importance to monitor the changing markets and be able to react swiftly and adjust to the changes, such as the shifting of modals and trade lanes, as well as the trend towards regionalisation (of the logistics industry)."According to Mr Bischoff, the founder, Pan Asia Logistics is to become the largest Singapore born and grown global logistics provider. Clearly, the company is progressing well to achieving this goal.The writers are students of NUS Business School儲存

Source: The Bakersfield CalifornianSept.迷你倉新蒲崗 08--Internet cafes may be a "nice" business -- but they could also soon be outlawed."I think that my guys put together a nice business. If it's not illegal," Beverly Hills attorney Neil Newson said recently of his Los Angeles client Roman Doktorovich, Jr., one of two men who own iSweeps Internet Cafe in southwest Bakersfield, adding matter-of-factly, "If it's illegal, they're going to be gone."That "if" is what everyone's waiting for these days -- a ruling expected later this year from the 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno, on whether Bakersfield's 13 active Internet cafes are humble purveyors of Internet access and copy and fax services, or houses of forbidden gaming.An appellate court ruling on whether a Kern County Superior Court judge acted appropriately last year in ordering the closure of five cafes and the seizure of their equipment would bolster arguments by the city of Bakersfield and the county of Kern that the establishments offer nothing more than illegal gambling, under the guise of a sweepstakes that cafe owners compare to the legal McDonald's Monopoly game.Until the ruling arrives, and the Kern County District Attorney's office starts filing cases against cafes again, the city is building a paper trail it can use to prosecute the cafes as nuisances in civil court.The city has sent letters to cafe owners informing them that "Las Vegas-style electronic slot machines" are prohibited under penal code. It also has sent letters to landlords informing them that Internet cafes "may be illegal" under California law, and are believed to "attract a criminal element." A 14th cafe is under construction."It's very similar to a barking dog-type case," said City Attorney Ginny Gennaro. "You look at the same thing. Would an objective person be offended by what's occurring? How do I prove it?"Cafe owners aren't quite wringing their hands, which may or may not be full of money. A raid earlier this year on two cafes in Visalia netted more than $100,000 cash. The city of Visalia is awaiting its own appellate court decision after being sued by the cafes' owner.Doktorovich and other cafe owners say their businesses are not cash cows, and that they typically must pay a percentage of their earnings each month to software providers -- although in a court filing, Doktorovich's own attorney describes the business as "quite profitable.""I think the best analogy would be, we've got a very high profit business trying to squeak through legal loopholes, similar to the medical marijuana dispensaries. The tenants justify the risks as a result of the huge profit margins," said Bakersfield attorney Ronald Dessy, who represents Doktorovich's landlord, Dr. Manbir Singh.After an unsuccessful attempt this spring, Dessy said he again is trying to evict Doktorovich, whom Dessy said does not have a valid insurance policy for the cafe, and iNet, a second Internet cafe that opened July 27 in the same shopping center.Doktorovich, co-owner of iSweeps with Oleg Reut, said his insurance policy has always been up to date. Three days after iNet opened, he and Reut sued Singh and Sukhwinder Sohi, iNet's owner.They accuse Singh of breaching their lease by backing iNet, and they accuse Sohi of opening a competing business -- and attempting to have the city prosecute iSweeps. Attempts to reach Sohi were unsuccessful.Singh said he wants both cafes gone."My office is right next to an Internet cafe. I basically deal with families, with kids, and seniors, and they don't feel comfortable with peop迷你倉出租e standing outside smoking, and doing things they're not supposed to do," said Singh, an internist, one of whose three branch offices is indeed a short walk from iNet and iSweeps."We did not know that they are gambling people. We were misinformed. The real picture came out after they were already established."Legally, the question is still why Internet cafe patrons are there in the first place.Cafe owners who have taken their cause to district court are arguing their customers come to surf the Internet, and the fact that they're entered into a sweepstakes with a cash prize when they buy Internet time is merely what a Vegas-style slot machine might term a "random monkey bonus."Terri Jackson, a clerk at iSweeps, reminds a reporter that the Internet games, many of which visually resemble slot machines, are in fact "sweepstakes games," and that a gamer doesn't cash in points -- for cash -- but instead, "you redeem your prize."Law enforcement officials think visitors may stay for the Internet time, but they come for the chance to win a sweepstakes."That's one of their arguments. You can sit down and surf the Internet," said Kern County Deputy District Attorney Gregory Pulskamp. "They say you're not giving money for the chance to win more money."We don't think so," he said. "We think you're paying for the chance to win more money."Customers who will talk to a reporter disagree."I love 'em," said retiree Laura Dock, who won $600 at Linked-In Business Services Center in southwest Bakersfield in her best week. "If it weren't for this cafe, I wouldn't have anywhere to go during the day except stay in bed.""This serves its purpose, because yesterday I helped a friend of mine who got his phone stolen," said iSweeps patron Enrique Suarez, who was able to use the cafe's Internet to download an app that tracked his friend's purloined iPhone -- but found it too far away to recover."They're just for entertainment purposes," said Kathy Stevenson, a recent customer at the Lucky Lady Internet Cafe in Bakersfield's downtown, calling sweepstakes winners "predetermined."Lucky Lady's neighbors are calling the cafe something else."I've had at least three people who have left the salon, who didn't want to work here because of this. It used to be cozy and fun, and now something happens every day," said Lynae Cummings, owner of Scissorhands Salon & Boutique, next door to the cafe. "We're used to bums downtown, but this is different. We had to call the police because they let a homeless person hang out in our hallway."Lucky Lady cashier James Washington disputes her account, praising efforts by public and private law enforcement to make downtown safe."They haven't really loitered," Washington said. "Bakersfield police are doing a fine job. We have a security officer here and that (loitering) isn't allowed. That's why we have signs up here."Wes Bradford, whose company Bradford Properties, LLC, owns the building where Scissorhands and the Lucky Lady lease space, sides with the salon."We've gotten letters from almost every tenant wanting to move out. We've now hired a patrol service to patrol at night. Every time we get a complaint, we forward it to them," Bradford said. "Believe me if the courts or the law would allow me to evict them, I would. I have no grounds to evict them."An appellate court ruling, of course, could change that.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.) Visit The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.) at .bakersfield.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉

The pedigree of Sebastien Lepinoy and pastry chef Cheryl Koh results in hit-after-hit on your plate, writes JAIME EENEW CHEFLes Amis1 Scotts Road, #02-14/16 Shaw CentreTel: 6733 2225Open for lunch and dinner Mon to Sat: 12pm to 2pm; 6.自存倉30pm to 9.30pmIF one were to study the lexicon of the Singapore diner, a few key phrases might stand out. You know, like: "uber-cool, cutting edge"; "bohemian chic"; "first time in Singapore"; "chef is from Fat Duck/Noma/elBulli"; "latest restaurant by Loh Lik Peng/Cynthia Chua" and "OMG, is Jamie Oliver coming HERE?"This obsession with trends, the culture of food blogging, Instagram and a general shift away from formal French dining with double-layered tablecloths and servers in full suits is a scenario that Les Amis has quietly operated in for nearly two decades (it turns 20 next year). That practically makes it a grandpappy in local restaurant years - in the revolving door F&B scene, surviving one year is a major accomplishment, 10 years almost warrants a fireworks display.But 20? Never mind hot-air balloon theatrics - rather, Les Amis is comfortable just sticking to its mantra of dependable, gimmick-proof cuisine that is founded on ingredient quality and sureness of technique. It may not run with the "in" crowd, but with its latest casting coup - new chef de cuisine Sebastien Lepinoy and pastry chef Cheryl Koh - it may well find itself in the spotlight afresh.Both Lepinoy and Koh come with considerable pedigree. They last helmed the one Michelin-starred Cepage in HongKong - Les Amis's first overseas foray which closed earlier this year after the restaurant lease expired. Prior to that, Lepinoy was a Joel Robuchon protege for years, and headed L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong. Singaporean pastry whiz Koh worked in the US before returning to Asia, and her tasteful, understated creations belie their technical prowess.Another factor that makes Les Amis more accessible psychologically is its pricing, which has come down a notch to friendlier levels. No longer are $350 degustation menus the norm, making you feel like a church mouse on its first visit to the city if you ordered just a couple of courses from the a la carte menu. Now you can hold your head up high and order dinner menus that start at $150 or a set lunch from $45 - how much more extravagant you want to get is totally up to you. Dinner menus top out at $280 and lunch at $120, and Lepinoy's repertoire is so wide that there is barely any overlap of dishes among the menus.Even with the price adjustment, service at Les Amis remains top-notch. It's always a little intimidating to first enter the restaurant, but the staff are friendly and down-to-earth, with a demeanour that says "Yes, we're in suits but we still want you to have a good time".So don't feel bad if you can't stop digging into Koh's bread basket that's filled with crusty bread sticks with a surprise twist of ham within, sourdough that rivals any in France, and toothsome focaccia stuffed with olives. It will be to your detriment later though, when Lepinoy plies you with a onslaught of creations that are a confident show of well-honed technique and geographic influences.You get a hint of his current obsession - Japan - and his clean Robuchon-influenced cuisine in both the $280 (seven course) and $150 (five course) menus. Dashi, teriyaki, seaweed and wasabi make frequent appearances, be it in a refreshing mouthful of raw scallop packed tightly into a sheet of nori and topped with caviar, or a milky smooth veloute of Japanese daikon with crunch from shredded raw radish and a sprinkling of black truffle.One would venture that the Japanese elemen迷你倉新蒲崗s detract somewhat from the sophistication of his creations. There's no faulting the flavours but some combinations sit a little uncomfortably and don't seem to come naturally. For example, a wafer thin, buttery filo pastry layer topped with creamy eggplant, sauteed king mushrooms, tomato and parmesan shavings wins you over with a crispy creamy mouth feel.But you are slightly distracted by the little cup of dashi alongside that rightfully tempers the richness but feels a little awkward - like an unexpected guest you have to make small talk with. Amadei - the luxurious Japanese tilefish famously served deep-fried with scales intact so you can eat everything - is also deep-fried here, but loses all meaning when it is submerged in a delicate bouillabaise with lobster and stuffed squid. Despite the resulting tough scales, we happily dunk the accompanying tomato bread into the soup and mop up the accompanying rouille.When he keeps the Japanese elements toned down, though, the food simply shines. Lepinoy can challenge any tempura chef with his shatteringly crisp, deep-fried langoustine served with a miniaturised caesar salad topped with fried whitebait. His caviar creations are also a must-have, including the cold angel hair pasta dressed in an oil-vinegar dressing that's slightly acidic on impact but quickly mellows out to a smooth finish with the little black pearls.He also shapes asparagus blancmange into voluptuous quenelles, letting the saltiness of the caviar lift the mildness of the wobbly custard. For extra interest, tender potatoes are cut into little petals and arranged into a flower shape simply topped with cream and caviar.He also makes cooking quail a cinch - this fiddly piece of poultry is succulent and he even finds space to stuff it with a bit of foie gras, accompanying textbook-perfect ratatouille.Accomplished as he is with the complicated stuff, he also hits the spot with simple French cooking, as the great value-for-money $45 set lunch attests to. Start off with a refreshing caprese salad of crisp lettuce, sweet tomato and little mozzarella balls, then a French onion soup that's like a city cousin of its roughshod country relative - a neat square of cheese toast and clean tangle of meltingly-soft onions sitting in a clear delicate broth. Black cod Grenobloise - classic fish pan-fried in brown butter and capers - could not be better.Well, unless you come to dessert. Above all, Koh's candied mikan could go down as dessert of the year - a whole mikan (Japanese orange) cooked till fork-tender in sugar syrup, filled with a combination of panna cotta and sorbet, with little blobs of Earl Grey jelly for a tinge of bitterness to alleviate the sweetness, rounded out with a bit of crunch from crumbled almond tuille. Otherwise, she turns chocolate and egg white into floaty souffles, tops mango cream with an addictive coconut wafer, and infuses creme brulee with thyme and tops it with braised apricots. Also, she has a light hand with the sugar, so her desserts will find favour with the health-conscious. But at no expense to the sweet-toothed.Les Amis's popular appeal may have waxed and waned throughout the years in a gastronomic scene dominated by chefs pushing the boundaries of cooking. But all that envelope-pushing has also led to a new era of down-to-earth cooking, especially as more chefs embrace locavorism and sustainability. With its long-held belief in good food done well, it looks like Les Amis is comfortably on-trend now.Rating: 8jaime@sph.com.sgWHAT OUR RATINGS MEAN??? 10: The ultimate dining experience9-9.5: Sublime8-8.5: Excellent7-7.5: Good to very good6-6.5: Promising5-5.5: Average迷你倉出租

Source: St.迷你倉價錢 Louis Post-DispatchSept. 08--'The 20/20 Experience World Tour' with Justin TimberlakeViewers of the recent MTV Video Music Awards might have felt as if they were watching a full Justin Timberlake concert during the ceremony. His performance just before receiving a career achievement award was probably the longest in VMA history. But there's much more Timberlake to come on stage, not to mention the release this month of the sequel to his "The 20/20 Experience," "The 20/20 Experience -- 2 of 2." (8 p.m. Nov. 19, Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Avenue, $45-$175. Ticketmaster.com.) By Kevin C. Johnson'The 1968 Exhibit'Love-ins and riots, "Peace, Love, Dope" and assassinations, tie-dye and goofy hair, Vietnam and a certain air of satisfied self-righteousness from all sides: If you were there, and you weren't stoned, it's hard to forget 1968. The Missouri History Museum will explore the year that saw the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and humanity's first glimpse of the blue ball of Earth from Apollo 8 with a touring exhibit that looks at everything from feminism to black power, Richard Nixon and the Democratic National Convention. If you weren't there (or you were stoned), it's your chance to learn about a most significant year in American history. (Oct. 5-Jan. 5, Missouri History Museum, Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park, $10 adults, $4 children 6-12, free for children 5 and younger. 314-746-4599; mohistory.org.) By Sarah Bryan Miller'Evita'One of the most intriguing political musicals ever, "Evita" charts an ambitious girl's rise from a small-town slum to the heights of power in postwar Argentina. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice shrewdly take no sides. Their portrait of Eva Peron -- adored by the masses, held in contempt by the aristocracy -- remains deliberately enigmatic, shifting between cynical and romantic moods. This tour brings to the Fox the acclaimed revival, directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford. Caroline Bowman, fresh from "Kinky Boots" on Broadway, stars in the title role. Our revolutionary guide to her life, Che, is played by Josh Young, who was nominated for a Tony last year for his portrayal of Judas in "Jesus Christ Superstar" and who played Lt. Joe Cable this summer in the Muny's sensational production of "South Pacific." (Oct. 8-20, Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard, $25-$85. 314-534-1111; fabulousfox.com.) By Judith NewmarkJimmy FallonIn February, Jimmy Fallon takes over as host of NBC's "Tonight Show." But first, he brings his "Clean Cut Comedy Tour" to St. Louis, making a stop at the Peabody Opera House. If he talks about his new baby, we'll write him a thank-you note. Joining Fallon are Julian McCullough, Nate Bargatze and Nick Thune. (8 p.m. Oct. 14, Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market Street, $42.50. 1-800-745-3000; ticketmaster.com.) By Gail Pennington'Freud's Last Session'On the eve of World War II, one of the most famous refugees in London, Dr. Sigmund Freud, invites a guest to his home. Freud, who knows he doesn't have long to live, wants to speak with a young but already distinguished Oxford professor, the writer and Christian philosopher C.S. Lewis. That meeting -- which never actually happened -- would no doubt be rich in thoughtful conversation on topics from love and sex to science and faith. Or so playwright Mark St. Germain (inspired by a book by Harvard psychiatrist Armand M. Nicholi Jr.) would have it, and he lets us be the flies on the wall. Jim Butz, the remarkable St. Louis actor who won Kevin Kline awards for his Shakespeare Festival St. Louis portrayals of Marc Antony and Hamlet, plays Lewis; Barry Mulholland plays Freud. Under the direction of Michael Evan Haney, "Freud's Last Session" opens the Studio Theatre season at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. (Oct. 30-Nov. 17, Emerson Studio Theatre, Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road, $40-$63. 314-968-4925; repstl.org.) By Judith NewmarkGarden GlowThis year, the Missouri Botanical Garden will host its first winter light exhibit -- but not like the holiday displays in your neighborhood. Instead, many of the garden's iconic spots, including the Climatron, the Kaeser Memorial Maze and the Tower Grove House, will be decorated with thousands of lights. Visitors can also warm up by fire pits, make s'mores and walk through sensory light tunnels. (Nov. 23-Jan. 4, Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, $16-$18 adults, $12-$14 members, $10-$12 children. mobot.org.) By Jody MitoriKevin JamesHe was the "King of Queens," a "Mall Cop" and a "Zookeeper," but Kevin James hasn't forgotten his roots in stand-up. He'll bring his stage act, "Kevin James Live," to the Peabody Opera House. (8 p.m. Friday, Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market Street, $35-$75. 1-800-745-3000; ticketmaster.com.) By Gail PenningtonYo-Yo MaYo-Yo Ma is one of the world's finest cellists, a great soloist and a thoughtful collaborator. He's adventurous, commissioning new works and performing with colleagues outside the world of classical music. He has a great persona, friendly and approachable. Put all that together, and it's no wonder that Ma is a top choice for important concerts, like gala events. He'll play two very different concertos at the fifth annual Red Velvet Ball, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's gala fundraiser: Haydn's Cello Concerto in C major and the Saint-Sa螚s Cello Concerto No. 1. SLSO music director David Robertson will conduct what promises to be a celebratory evening. You can buy tickets to the concert, or, with a premium package, enjoy cocktails, dinner and dancing as well. (8:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard, $75-$150; gala packages starting at $750. 314-534-1700; stlsymphony.org.) By Sarah Bryan MillerAudra McDonaldAudra McDonald is familiar to many television viewers from her stint on "Private Practice." But Broadway fans know her as a singer-actress and multiple Tony Award-winner who has starred in shows from "Ragtime" to "Porgy and Bess." McDonald has also championed up-and-coming Broadway composers, some of whose songs may pop up during her concert at the Sheldon. (8 p.m. Nov. 15, Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Boulevard, $45-$50. 314-534-1111; metrotix.com.) By Calvin WilsonNew Dance Horizons IILast year's debut edition of New Dance Horizons proved to be a success, with local ensembles -- Common Thread Contemporary Dance Company, Leverage Dance Theater, MADCO and St. Louis Ballet -- teaming up with top choreographers to splendid effect. So Dance St. Louis is proceeding with New Dance Horizons II, a 迷你倉equel that promises to be every bit as dazzling as the original. (Oct. 4 and 5, Touhill Performing Arts Center, One University Boulevard, $30. 314-516-4949; touhill.org.) By Calvin Wilson'A Night in Treme' featuring the Donald Harrison QuintetWith appearances in the New Orleans-set HBO series "Treme" and the film "Rachel Getting Married," saxophonist Donald Harrison has raised his profile beyond the jazz scene. A Crescent City native, Harrison got attention early in his career for co-leading a combo with trumpeter Terence Blanchard. At the Bistro, the saxophonist will lead a quintet through a "Treme"-themed program. (Oct. 23-26, Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Avenue, $33-$38. 314-534-1111; metrotix.com.) By Calvin WilsonNine Inch NailsWhen Nine Inch Nails went away five years ago, there was no telling if the industrial rock outfit would be back. Frontman Trent Reznor went on to win an Oscar for scoring "The Social Network" and could have easily left NIN behind. But he returned to the mothership with a string of summer festival dates, the new album "Hesitation Marks," the single "Came Back Haunted," and a new tour that looks nothing short of mind-blowing. (7:30 p.m. Oct. 1, Chaifetz Arena, 1 South Compton Avenue, $35.50-$97. Ticketmaster.com.) By Kevin C. Johnson'Old Hearts Fresh'One of the liveliest, most imaginative productions of 2012 was "The New World," a riff on "Twelfth Night" that translated the action to St. Louis' Cherokee Street neighborhood. Unseasonable cold abbreviated that show's run, unfortunately, but this year, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis should skip that problem, because its Shakespeare in the Streets project is just around the corner. Once again, writer Nancy Bell has talked to people who live and work in a particular neighborhood -- this time, The Grove along Manchester -- and woven their stories together into one of Shakespeare's most haunting romances, "The Winter's Tale." It's the story of a king who, seized by irrational jealousy, nearly destroys all he loves most -- only to have the world set right again through the power of time, forgiveness and maybe a little magic. Shakespeare in the Street productions are built to deliver short, family-friendly fun -- and to make us to look forward to its big summer production in Forest Park. (Sept. 19-21, the Grove, 4226 Manchester Avenue, free. 314-531-9800; sfstl.com.) By Judith NewmarkRick RiordanRick Riordan's "The House of Hades" is one of the top pre-selling books for fall, and when Riordan comes to the St. Louis County Library on Oct. 12, the sold-out reading will be packed. But what parent could object to standing in line for an author who appeals to both boys and girls and offers a bit of classical mythology along with terrifying adventure? (7 p.m. Oct. 12, St. Louis County Library headquarters, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard, sold out. slcl.org.) By Jane HendersonSt. Louis International Film FestivalFor more than two decades, the St. Louis International Film Festival has served up a sampler of foreign films, indie treats and award contenders. The menu for the 22nd annual fest, slated for Nov. 14-24, will be officially unveiled in the fall, but we've already got an inkling about some of the specials. The opening night film will be "We Always Lie to Strangers," a documentary about the good folks of Branson, Mo., co-directed by Edwardsville native A.J. Schnack ("About a Son," "Caucus") and Columbia, Mo.'s David Wilson (co-founder of the True/False film festival). SLIFF has also secured the local premieres of "The Invisible Woman," Ralph Fiennes' new film about the private life of Charles Dickens, and "Tim's Vermeer," a documentary about the Dutch master by the silent magician known as Teller. And confidential sources tell us that the fest will bestow a lifetime achievement award on a very prominent, socially conscious director, but because the visit isn't set in stone, we'll just call him Mr. X. (Nov. 14-24, locations and prices to be announced. cinemastlouis.org.) By Joe WilliamsDan SavageBest known for his sex advice column "Savage Love," Dan Savage is also an author and contributor to Rolling Stone, GQ and "This American Life." After news of several teen suicides, Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, launched the It Gets Better Project in 2010 to help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths. He's sure to live up to his reputation of being outspoken and very, very funny at his talk. (7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Touhill Performing Arts Center, One University Boulevard, $15. touhill.org.) By Jody MitoriTaste of St. LouisWith a competition of local chefs; a music lineup that features rising local star Pokey LaFarge, plus the Samples, Robert Randolph and the Family Band and the Dusty 45s; and food from 45 local restaurants, it's hard to resist spending a day at Taste of St. Louis. To top it off, this year adds Beers of the World, a beer tasting area. (Sept. 27-29, Soldiers Memorial, free. tastestl.com.) By Jody Mitori'The Truth About Love Tour' with PinkOne thing that's certain when it comes to what Pink fans will see when her tour comes here in November: She'll be flying through the air like a circus performer. Pink, who hasn't performed often in St. Louis, is known for mixing her top-notch vocals with dazzling athleticism. "Raise Your Glass," indeed. (7:30 p.m. Nov. 11, Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Avenue $36.50-$96.50. Ticketmaster.com.) By Kevin C. JohnsonJason VieuxThe St. Louis Classical Guitar Society celebrates 50 years with a big season. It starts off with a recital by Jason Vieux, a star in the artistic firmament who's a veteran recitalist and soloist with major orchestras. Vieux will perform Benjamin Britten's "Nocturnal," commemorating both the work's premiere 50 years ago, and the conductor's birth in 1913. (8 p.m. Sept. 28, St. Louis Classical Guitar Society, Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road, $28. 314-567-5566; guitarstlouis.net.) By Sarah Bryan Miller'The Weight of Things'Photography buffs won't want to miss this exhibition devoted to two essential artists, Paul Strand and Emmet Gowin. Strand, whose contemporaries included Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston, was a key figure in the evolution of photography as an art form. Gowin, who was inspired by the work of Robert Frank and Henri Cartier-Bresson, has in turn influenced a generation of photographers. (Nov. 8-Feb. 16, St. Louis Art Museum in Forest Park, free. 314-721-0072; slam.org.) By Calvin WilsonCopyright: ___ (c)2013 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at .stltoday.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存

Source: San Antonio Express-NewsSept.新蒲崗迷你倉 08--SEATTLE, Wash. -- This city's modern streetcar passes through the kind of neighborhood San Antonio downtown boosters dream about: a mix of shops, new residential units and tech companies that draw thousands of young professionals every day, many hopping on and off the rail line as it slowly ferries them through a once-abandoned industrial district.But none of this -- not the streetcar, not the neighborhood revitalization -- would have been possible without billions of dollars in private investment from a variety of corporations, including tech giant Amazon.com and, most notably, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen.More than 3,000 miles away in Florida, Tampa's streetcar travels a very different path, one that caters more to tourists and conventioneers, not professionals.That streetcar is considered by some to be a novelty for visitors but of little use to commuters, since it doesn't link employment hubs or large residential centers.The San Antonio Express-News visited the two cities to better understand what the Alamo City might expect from its streetcar, scheduled to open in 2017.What's evident in both places is that route selection can spell the difference between a streetcar that thrives and one that falters. Their examples also illustrate the challenge of designing a system that serves commuters and tourists and that spurs economic development while making transit more attractive to prospective riders.VIA Metropolitan Transit officials has yet to pick the north-south and east-west streetcar routes, but will recommend one of four options to board trustees Tuesday.Whatever plan they endorse, San Antonio wants its streetcar to replicate elements of the Seattle and Tampa systems -- the economic development successes around the Seattle line and the tourist-friendly allure of Tampa's.Whether San Antonio will accomplish that could depend on a number of factors:Deep corporate pockets helped build Seattle's streetcar line and the neighborhood around it.It was billionaire Allen, through his real estate company Vulcan Inc., who jumpstarted transformation of the South Lake Union neighborhood over the past 15 years. He and other property owners paid for nearly half the streetcar's $53.3 million capital costs, with Vulcan alone putting in $8.6 million. In the six years since streetcar service began, ridership has increased by 75 percent, exceeding projections.In San Antonio, no private investors or companies have pledged any money for the streetcar.Tampa's vintage streetcar rumbles past the convention center and several entertainment venues before ending up in Ybor City, a historic cigar-manufacturing center that once was home to Spanish, Cuban, German and Italian immigrants, but now turns into an Austin-like Sixth Street at night.Though the streetcar is geared for tourists, that hasn't saved it from plummeting ridership: the streetcar's hours and frequency of service have been slashed, and use has dropped by more than 34 percent from 2003 to 2012.In San Antonio, one point of debate has centered on the alternatives for the east-west route. Put it close to the Convention Center and it likely will cater more to tourists; locate it along streets with vacant or underused land and it could boost residential and large-scale commercial development.The Seattle streetcar has an advantage because the city is oriented toward transit, with many residents using a variety of options -- light rail, buses, ferries and even water taxis. In contrast, Tampa has just buses and most everyone there relies on their vehicles.To date, San Antonio's transit system is bus-only. VIA officials, in trying to encourage more "choice" riders to use transit, hope the streetcar will be the ticket.Whatever the purpose for building a streetcar system, "make sure you put the right resources into making that work," said Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Tampa's tourism bureau."If it's a tourist piece that connects assets," Corrado said, "then have that in mind when you market and when you sell it and when you set the fares for it and how you are going to operate it. If it's a mass transit kind of piece that's functional for daily commuters, then you need to think of how you position that."On an average weekday morning, the Seattle streetcar is packed with passengers, many headed to jobs at several major employers, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Amazon, the corporate heartbeat of the South Lake Union neighborhood for which the streetcar is named.The route begins just above Seattle's downtown and central district and then follows a narrow 2.6-mile loop north. It runs on a double track, so rail lines are embedded on either side of the street and streetcar vehicles don't have to stop to pass each other.A ride costs $2.50, more than double VIA's regular $1.20 bus fare, and passengers rarely have to show their tickets. Since the vehicle runs at street level, passengers don't have to climb stairs as they would on a bus, and the ride feels as smooth as taking an elevator up a modern high-rise building.Service started in 2007, six years after Portland, Ore., ushered in the modern streetcar movement with the opening of its system. Portland's success, particularly in fostering economic development around the streetcar line, has made it the model -- and, often, the justification -- for similar systems across the country. Portland officials have said the streetcar line engendered $3.5 billion in investment within two blocks of it.Seattle's streetcar proponents hoped for similar successes in South Lake Union, which for years consisted of acres of warehouses and vacant buildings. Crime was a problem, and there were virtually no residences and few amenities to draw anyone here."That place was a dump 10 years ago," said Heidi Happonen, a public relations professional whose firm works with Fred Hutchinson at the north end of the streetcar line. She recalls when a tire shop and guitar store were among the only operating businesses."It was not a place where you would go to spend an evening out; it was not a place you would typically spend time during the day unless you lived or you had business there," said Mike McQuaid, president of the South Lake Union Community Council.But that started to change after Allen, through Vulcan, bought more than 60 acres in South Lake Union, about a third of the developable land.He pushed for the streetcar system, and under his influence, the neighborhood started to transform. There are more restaurants and places to live. At one stop, the streetcar opens directly in front of an always-busy Whole Foods Market. A former asphalt plant located right off of South Lake now is a museum about wooden boats.But even as the neighborhood thrived, people still questioned the streetcar line's purpose, said Ethan Melone, Seattle's streetcar program manager. Ridership was above projections, but those goals were modest.Attitudes started to change two or three years in, as ridership went up and more jobs and residential units were added."It (streetcar) really supported the potential employment growth that we saw for the area," Melone said.Annual ridership in 2008 was 451,000. By 2012, that had climbed to 792,879.The arrival of the streetcar was one factor that helped spark even more development, said Lori Mason Curran, Vulcan Inc.'s real estate investment strategy director. Between 2004 and 2007, $900 million was invested in South Lake Union.Since the streetcar opened, an additional $2.56 billion from public and private sources has been invested in the neighborhood, Mason Curran said.She admitted it's difficult to say precisely how much of the neighborhood's success can be attributed to any one corporation or project. But the streetcar provided a transit link to the central business district that hadn't existed. Not long after it started, Amazon opened its headquarters here and now operates out of an 11-building campus that continues to expand. Now, the streetcar is almost an Amazon shuttle, with many of its passengers wearing the company's blue lanyards.The fact that Amazon and three other South Lake Union businesses are paying $204,000, most coming from Amazon, to fund more frequent streetcar service during the afternoon rush hour, shows the importance of the streetcar, Mason Curran said."Amazon executives have told me that one of the reasons why they did buy that site, or buy property in that location, is the streetcar," said Seattle City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the city's transportation committee. "I think that's why Paul Allen and Vulcan wanted the streetcar. They wanted to make that neighborhood really attractive to prospective tenants or purchasers of property."The University of Washington opened a medical research lab campus in South Lake Union. Almost 2,800 people are employed at Fred Hutchinson, one of the world's preeminent research institutions on cancer and HIV/AIDS prevention."I bet the IQ in South Lake Union per capita is higher than anyplace else on the planet," Happonen said.The number of jobs in the area over the past 20 years has more than doubled by some counts, and now is closing in on 35,000, according to Vulcan estimates.That growth would be like plunking USAA's entire San Antonio workforce of 16,400 people into downtown.The city estimates more than 52,000 people are employed in San Antonio's central area, but that is defined broadly, extending south to U.S. 90, north to the Pearl Brewery, and into the West and East sides.As noted, no private San Antonio developers or businesses have pledged money for the streetcar. And earlier this year, the City Council scrapped a provision that would have generated $15 million from private property owners along the future streetcar route because there wasn't enough support for the proposed funding plan.Pat DiGiovanni, CEO of San Antonio's Centro Partnership, said in a recent letter to VIA that his organization will lead an initiative to secure between $10 million and $20 million in private-sector funding for the streetcar project. It's not yet clear where that money will come from.VIA's Chief Development Officer Brian Buchanan said the transit agency is not actively pursuing relationships with the private sector but added that VIA is "obviously looking for any and all financial contributions to the project."Tampa's streetcar bears little resemblance to Seattle's sleek, modern system. Ridership has steadily gone down, and the economic development benefits are debatable.The streetcar itself is historic, made with vintage parts. Unlike Seattle, Tampa's streetcar mainly connects tourist and visitor attractions, not high employment areas. The line tracks the path of the Tampa waterfront, through an entertainment and retail area near downtown called the Channel District.The rail line also passes several relatively new residential developments, condos and lofts. Then it turns north and heads to Ybor City.To Michael English, all those new residences were built thanks to the streetcar."When the streetcar alignment was announced, property was still very cheap in that neighborhood," said English, president of the Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc., the nonprofit that manages the streetcar. "It shot up immediately, and then the development boom started."As in Seattle, the area around Tampa's streetcar offered minimal residential options before the rail line was built."You did not have but a speck of residential and now that's our residential growth area," said Donna Chen, director of marketing and communications for the Tampa Downtown Partnership.In the mid-2000s, developers built more than 1,900 condos, lofts and apartment units in the Channel District, either on the streetcar line or within two blocks of it, said Bob McDonaugh, Tampa's administrator of economic opportunity. Today, he said those units are about 95 percent to 97 percent occupied.In July, another 356-unit apartment complex, which is mostly complete, opened about two blocks from the line. Another 636 units are under construction or planned nearby.But McDonaugh doesn't buy the argument that streetcar was responsible for the boom -- at least not by itself.Developers built in Channelside because of the proximity to downtown and the waterfront, not the streetcar line. The cruise ship terminal and the aquarium, for example, could not have been located anywhere else."If you talk to any of the people along the streetcar line, they'll say, yes, it's an amenity. Yes, it was a contributing factor into perhaps why they located where they were. But the deciding factor?" McDonaugh said. "No."Saying it (the development) was because of the streetcar line is just not accurate."McDonaugh's thinking reflects statements made by DiGiovanni. He and other downtown San Antonio stakeholders met with experts from cities that had pursued similar streetcar projects. Their advice: don't count on a streetcar to spur development where there is little to none. Rather, build a streetcar line that connects people to places where they want to go.Seattle's streetcar provides that connection, linking South Lake Union to a busy transit plaza just north of downtown that's a hub for several bus lines; a light rail station is about a block away. That's significant in Seattle, where daily commutes often involve taking at least two forms of transit.About two-thirds of Seattle downtown commuters don't drive to work, according to Commute Seattle, a nonprofit transportation management association. Of the commuters, 43 percent take public transit.Seattle resident Lucy Blue takes the streetcar a few times a week to her job as a youth educator at the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union, connecting to it by bus from her house."There's not any place to park down here," Blue said.But she added, "I do wish (the streetcar) went a few more places."Streetcar ridership, though steadily growing, pales in comparison to other transit modes -- about 28,000 people on average rode the light-rail system on weekdays in 2012.Average daily ridership on streetcar was 2,735 in July."Streetcars are kind of small ball in Seattle," said Zach Shaner, marketing and outreach coordinator for Commute Seattle. "They're economic development tools." Seattle's streetcar doesn't travel as far as the light rail, and it doesn't travel as fast because the vehicles move in mixed traffic and stop frequently, waiting 20 to 25 seconds at each stop. San Antonio's will operate much the same way, traveling at an average speed of 8 mph, Buchanan said, about how fast a bus moves through downtown.To make the streetcar zippier, Seattle officials are planning a downtown line that will travel in its own right of way."My thought has been that if we're going to be adding a new mode such as a streetcar, it has to have benefits and advantages that go beyond the modes and the systems that we have now," said Rasmussen, the Seattle city councilman, and in "certain neighborhoods, the streetcar can."Buchanan believes streetcar ultimately could help transform San Antonio's downtown, a tourist mecca but one where empty storefronts and vacant office spaces are common.The comments once said about South Lake Union -- it was not a place a person would have reason to visit at night -- are similar to what's been said about the area around VIA's West Side transit center, west of Interstate 35, that will be a hub for the streetcar.He compares San Antonio to Phoenix a decade ago, before that city opened a light rail system that is 20 miles long, about four to five times longer than San Antonio's streetcar will be. That area around the Phoenix line is now infused with activity, and ridership is well above projections."I'm not saying San Antonio's going to get to Seattle, but the same thing happened to Phoenix. It was dead," Buchanan said. But the environment changed with the arrival of rail. Soon, the system became a way of life."There's a population base that will ride the train every single day," Buchanan said.Arguably, Seattle's streetcar has become a convenient transit mode for the growing number of people who live and work in South Lake Union. But the streetcar's usefulness for people who have no reason to come to what is essentially Paul Allen's neighborhood is questionable.Although the number of jobs in South Lake Union has soared, downtown Seattle -- where the streetcar does not go -- still remains the city's biggest jobs center, with 197,000 employees, according to Commute Seattle.Streetcar proponents say ongoing expansions of the streetcar network, including a downtown line, will make the South Lake Union route a more integral part of the larger transit system and even more useful to riders.Until then, Seattle resident Marianne, who did not want to give her last name, probably still will view the South Lake Union rail line as the "streetcar to nowhere."She rode it one recent afternoon back to her workplace after running an errand on her lunch break. But after factoring in the time she spent waiting for the streetcar, walking would have been faster."In fact, I'd be there now instead of waiting," she said. She took the streetcar only because she bought candles at a nearby department store that were too heavy to carry."If I see it coming, I'll take it," Marianne said. "If I don't, I'll just walk."Soon, she was joined by a coworker, who shared her sentiments but had a reason of his own that forced him to ride the streetcar.He had a broken foot.vdavila@express-news.netSEATTLE, Wash. -- This city's modern streetcar passes through the kind of neighborhood San Antonio downtown boosters dream about: a mix of shops, new residential units and tech companies that draw thousands of young professionals every day, many hopping on and off the rail line as it slowly ferries them through a once-abandoned industrial district.But none of this -- not the streetcar, not the neighborhood revitalization -- would have been possible without billions of dollars in private investment from a variety of corporations, including tech giant Amazon.com and, most notably, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen.More than 3,000 miles away in Florida, Tampa's streetcar travels a very different path, one that caters more to tourists and conventioneers, not professionals.That streetcar is considered by some to be a novelty for visitors but of little use to commuters, since it doesn't link employment hubs or large residential centers.The San Antonio Express-News visited the two cities to better understand what the Alamo City might expect from its streetcar, scheduled to open in 2017.What's evident in both places is that route selection can spell the difference between a streetcar that thrives and one that falters. Their examples also illustrate the challenge of designing a system that serves commuters and tourists and that spurs economic development while making transit more attractive to prospective riders.VIA Metropolitan Transit officials has yet to pick the north-south and east-west streetcar routes, but will recommend one of four options to board trustees Tuesday.Whatever plan they endorse, San Antonio wants its streetcar to replicate elements of the Seattle and Tampa systems -- the economic development successes around the Seattle line and the tourist-friendly allure of Tampa's.Whether San Antonio will accomplish that could depend on a number of factors:Deep corporate pockets helped build Seattle's streetcar line and the neighborhood around it.It was billionaire Allen, through his real estate company Vulcan Inc., who jumpstarted transformation of the South Lake Union neighborhood over the past 15 years. He and other property owners paid for nearly half the streetcar's $53.3 million capital costs, with Vulcan alone putting in $8.6 million. In the six years since streetcar service began, ridership has increased by 75 percent, exceeding projections.In San Antonio, no private investors or companies have pledged any money for the streetcar.Tampa's vintage streetcar rumbles past the convention center and several entertainment venues before ending up in Ybor City, a historic cigar-manufacturing center that once was home to Spanish, Cuban, German and Italian immigrants, but now turns into an Austin-like Sixth Street at night.Though the streetcar is geared for tourists, that hasn't saved it from plummeting ridership: the streetcar's hours and frequency of service have been slashed, and use has dropped by more than 34 percent from 2003 to 2012.In San Antonio, one point of debate has centered on the alternatives for the east-west route. Put it close to the Convention Center and it likely will cater more to tourists; locate it along streets with vacant or underused land and it could boost residential and large-scale commercial development.The Seattle streetcar has an advantage because the city is oriented toward transit, with many residents using a variety of options -- light rail, buses, ferries and even water taxis. In contrast, Tampa has just buses and most everyone there relies on their vehicles.To date, San Antonio's transit system is bus-only. VIA officials, in trying to encourage more "choice" riders to use transit, hope the streetcar will be the ticket.Whatever the purpose for building a streetcar system, "make sure you put the right resources into making that work," said Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Tampa's tourism bureau."If it's a tourist piece that connects assets," Corrado said, "then have that in mind when you market and when you sell it and when you set the fares for it and how you are going to operate it. If it's a mass transit kind of piece that's functional for daily commuters, then you need to think of how you position that."On an average weekday morning, the Seattle streetcar is packed with passengers, many headed to jobs at several major employers, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Amazon, the corporate heartbeat of the South Lake Union neighborhood for which the streetcar is named.The route begins just above Seattle's downtown and central district and then follows a narrow 2.6-mile loop north. It runs on a double track, so rail lines are embedded on either side of the street and streetcar vehicles don't have to stop to pass each other.A ride costs $2.50, more than double VIA's regular $1.20 bus fare, and passengers rarely have to show their tickets. Since the vehicle runs at street level, passengers don't have to climb stairs as they would on a bus, and the ride feels as smooth as taking an elevator up a modern high-rise building.Service started in 2007, six years after Portland, Ore., ushered in the modern streetcar movement with the opening of its system. Portland's success, particularly in fostering economic development around the streetcar line, has made it the model -- and, often, the justification -- for similar systems across the country. Portland officials have said the streetcar line engendered $3.5 billion in investment within two blocks of it.Seattle's streetcar proponents hoped for similar successes in South Lake Union, which for years consisted of acres of warehouses and vacant buildings. Crime was a problem, and there were virtually no residences and few amenities to draw anyone here."That place was a dump 10 years ago," said Heidi Happonen, a public relations professional whose firm works with Fred Hutchinson at the north end of the streetcar line. She recalls when a tire shop and guitar store were among the only operating businesses."It was not a place where you would go to spend an evening out; it was not a place you would typically spend time during the day unless you lived or you had business there," said Mike McQuaid, president of the South Lake Union Community Council.But that started to change after Allen, through Vulcan, bought more than 60 acres in South Lake Union, about a third of the developable land.He pushed for the streetcar system, and under his influence, the neighborhood started to transform. There are more restaurants and places to live. At one stop, the streetcar opens directly in front of an always-busy Whole Foods Market. A former asphalt plant located right off of South Lake now is a museum about wooden boats.But even as the neighborhood thrived, people still questioned the streetcar line's purpose, said Ethan Melone, Seattle's streetcar program manager. Ridership was above projections, but those goals were modest.Attitudes started to change two or three years in, as ridership went up and more jobs and residential units were added."It (streetcar) really supported the potential employment growth that we saw for the area," Melone said.Annual ridership in 2008 was 451,000. By 2012, that had climbed to 792,879.The arrival of the streetcar was one factor that helped spark even more development, said Lori Mason Curran, Vulcan Inc.'s real estate investment strategy director. Between 2004 and 2007, $900 million was invested in South Lake Union.Since the streetcar opened, an additional $2.56 billion from public and private sources has been invested in the neighborhood, Mason Curran said.She admitted it's difficult to say precisely how much of the neighborhood's success can be attributed to any one corporation or project. But the streetcar provided a transit link to the central business district that hadn't existed. Not long after it started, Amazon opened its headquarters here and now operates out of an 11-building campus that continues to expand. Now, the streetcar is almost an Amazon shuttle, with many of its passengers wearing the company's blue lanyards.The fact that Amazon and three other South Lake Union businesses are paying $204,000, most coming from Amazon, to fund more frequent streetcar service during the afternoon rush hour, shows the importance of the streetcar, Mason Curran said."Amazon executives have told me that one of the reasons why they did buy that site, or buy property in that location, is the streetcar," said Seattle City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the city's transportation committee. "I think that's why Paul Allen and Vulcan wanted the streetcar. They wanted to make that neighborhood really attractive to prospective tenants or purchasers of property."The University of Washington opened a medical research lab campus in Southmini storageLake Union. Almost 2,800 people are employed at Fred Hutchinson, one of the world's preeminent research institutions on cancer and HIV/AIDS prevention."I bet the IQ in South Lake Union per capita is higher than anyplace else on the planet," Happonen said.The number of jobs in the area over the past 20 years has more than doubled by some counts, and now is closing in on 35,000, according to Vulcan estimates.That growth would be like plunking USAA's entire San Antonio workforce of 16,400 people into downtown.The city estimates more than 52,000 people are employed in San Antonio's central area, but that is defined broadly, extending south to U.S. 90, north to the Pearl Brewery, and into the West and East sides.As noted, no private San Antonio developers or businesses have pledged money for the streetcar. And earlier this year, the City Council scrapped a provision that would have generated $15 million from private property owners along the future streetcar route because there wasn't enough support for the proposed funding plan.Pat DiGiovanni, CEO of San Antonio's Centro Partnership, said in a recent letter to VIA that his organization will lead an initiative to secure between $10 million and $20 million in private-sector funding for the streetcar project. It's not yet clear where that money will come from.VIA's Chief Development Officer Brian Buchanan said the transit agency is not actively pursuing relationships with the private sector but added that VIA is "obviously looking for any and all financial contributions to the project."Tampa's streetcar bears little resemblance to Seattle's sleek, modern system. Ridership has steadily gone down, and the economic development benefits are debatable.The streetcar itself is historic, made with vintage parts. Unlike Seattle, Tampa's streetcar mainly connects tourist and visitor attractions, not high employment areas. The line tracks the path of the Tampa waterfront, through an entertainment and retail area near downtown called the Channel District.The rail line also passes several relatively new residential developments, condos and lofts. Then it turns north and heads to Ybor City.To Michael English, all those new residences were built thanks to the streetcar."When the streetcar alignment was announced, property was still very cheap in that neighborhood," said English, president of the Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc., the nonprofit that manages the streetcar. "It shot up immediately, and then the development boom started."As in Seattle, the area around Tampa's streetcar offered minimal residential options before the rail line was built."You did not have but a speck of residential and now that's our residential growth area," said Donna Chen, director of marketing and communications for the Tampa Downtown Partnership.In the mid-2000s, developers built more than 1,900 condos, lofts and apartment units in the Channel District, either on the streetcar line or within two blocks of it, said Bob McDonaugh, Tampa's administrator of economic opportunity. Today, he said those units are about 95 percent to 97 percent occupied.In July, another 356-unit apartment complex, which is mostly complete, opened about two blocks from the line. Another 636 units are under construction or planned nearby.But McDonaugh doesn't buy the argument that streetcar was responsible for the boom -- at least not by itself.Developers built in Channelside because of the proximity to downtown and the waterfront, not the streetcar line. The cruise ship terminal and the aquarium, for example, could not have been located anywhere else."If you talk to any of the people along the streetcar line, they'll say, yes, it's an amenity. Yes, it was a contributing factor into perhaps why they located where they were. But the deciding factor?" McDonaugh said. "No."Saying it (the development) was because of the streetcar line is just not accurate."McDonaugh's thinking reflects statements made by DiGiovanni. He and other downtown San Antonio stakeholders met with experts from cities that had pursued similar streetcar projects. Their advice: don't count on a streetcar to spur development where there is little to none. Rather, build a streetcar line that connects people to places where they want to go.Seattle's streetcar provides that connection, linking South Lake Union to a busy transit plaza just north of downtown that's a hub for several bus lines; a light rail station is about a block away. That's significant in Seattle, where daily commutes often involve taking at least two forms of transit.About two-thirds of Seattle downtown commuters don't drive to work, according to Commute Seattle, a nonprofit transportation management association. Of the commuters, 43 percent take public transit.Seattle resident Lucy Blue takes the streetcar a few times a week to her job as a youth educator at the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union, connecting to it by bus from her house."There's not any place to park down here," Blue said.But she added, "I do wish (the streetcar) went a few more places."Streetcar ridership, though steadily growing, pales in comparison to other transit modes -- about 28,000 people on average rode the light-rail system on weekdays in 2012.Average daily ridership on streetcar was 2,735 in July."Streetcars are kind of small ball in Seattle," said Zach Shaner, marketing and outreach coordinator for Commute Seattle. "They're economic development tools." Seattle's streetcar doesn't travel as far as the light rail, and it doesn't travel as fast because the vehicles move in mixed traffic and stop frequently, waiting 20 to 25 seconds at each stop. San Antonio's will operate much the same way, traveling at an average speed of 8 mph, Buchanan said, about how fast a bus moves through downtown.To make the streetcar zippier, Seattle officials are planning a downtown line that will travel in its own right of way."My thought has been that if we're going to be adding a new mode such as a streetcar, it has to have benefits and advantages that go beyond the modes and the systems that we have now," said Rasmussen, the Seattle city councilman, and in "certain neighborhoods, the streetcar can."Buchanan believes streetcar ultimately could help transform San Antonio's downtown, a tourist mecca but one where empty storefronts and vacant office spaces are common.The comments once said about South Lake Union -- it was not a place a person would have reason to visit at night -- are similar to what's been said about the area around VIA's West Side transit center, west of Interstate 35, that will be a hub for the streetcar.He compares San Antonio to Phoenix a decade ago, before that city opened a light rail system that is 20 miles long, about four to five times longer than San Antonio's streetcar will be. That area around the Phoenix line is now infused with activity, and ridership is well above projections."I'm not saying San Antonio's going to get to Seattle, but the same thing happened to Phoenix. It was dead," Buchanan said. But the environment changed with the arrival of rail. Soon, the system became a way of life."There's a population base that will ride the train every single day," Buchanan said.Arguably, Seattle's streetcar has become a convenient transit mode for the growing number of people who live and work in South Lake Union. But the streetcar's usefulness for people who have no reason to come to what is essentially Paul Allen's neighborhood is questionable.Although the number of jobs in South Lake Union has soared, downtown Seattle -- where the streetcar does not go -- still remains the city's biggest jobs center, with 197,000 employees, according to Commute Seattle.Streetcar proponents say ongoing expansions of the streetcar network, including a downtown line, will make the South Lake Union route a more integral part of the larger transit system and even more useful to riders.Until then, Seattle resident Marianne, who did not want to give her last name, probably still will view the South Lake Union rail line as the "streetcar to nowhere."She rode it one recent afternoon back to her workplace after running an errand on her lunch break. But after factoring in the time she spent waiting for the streetcar, walking would have been faster."In fact, I'd be there now instead of waiting," she said. She took the streetcar only because she bought candles at a nearby department store that were too heavy to carry."If I see it coming, I'll take it," Marianne said. "If I don't, I'll just walk."Soon, she was joined by a coworker, who shared her sentiments but had a reason of his own that forced him to ride the streetcar.He had a broken foot.vdavila@express-news.netSEATTLE, Wash. -- This city's modern streetcar passes through the kind of neighborhood San Antonio downtown boosters dream about: a mix of shops, new residential units and tech companies that draw thousands of young professionals every day, many hopping on and off the rail line as it slowly ferries them through a once-abandoned industrial district.But none of this -- not the streetcar, not the neighborhood revitalization -- would have been possible without billions of dollars in private investment from a variety of corporations, including tech giant Amazon.com and, most notably, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Paul Allen.More than 3,000 miles away in Florida, Tampa's streetcar travels a very different path, one that caters more to tourists and conventioneers, not professionals.That streetcar is considered by some to be a novelty for visitors but of little use to commuters, since it doesn't link employment hubs or large residential centers.The San Antonio Express-News visited the two cities to better understand what the Alamo City might expect from its streetcar, scheduled to open in 2017.What's evident in both places is that route selection can spell the difference between a streetcar that thrives and one that falters. Their examples also illustrate the challenge of designing a system that serves commuters and tourists and that spurs economic development while making transit more attractive to prospective riders.VIA Metropolitan Transit officials has yet to pick the north-south and east-west streetcar routes, but will recommend one of four options to board trustees Tuesday.Whatever plan they endorse, San Antonio wants its streetcar to replicate elements of the Seattle and Tampa systems -- the economic development successes around the Seattle line and the tourist-friendly allure of Tampa's.Whether San Antonio will accomplish that could depend on a number of factors:Deep corporate pockets helped build Seattle's streetcar line and the neighborhood around it.It was billionaire Allen, through his real estate company Vulcan Inc., who jumpstarted transformation of the South Lake Union neighborhood over the past 15 years. He and other property owners paid for nearly half the streetcar's $53.3 million capital costs, with Vulcan alone putting in $8.6 million. In the six years since streetcar service began, ridership has increased by 75 percent, exceeding projections.In San Antonio, no private investors or companies have pledged any money for the streetcar.Tampa's vintage streetcar rumbles past the convention center and several entertainment venues before ending up in Ybor City, a historic cigar-manufacturing center that once was home to Spanish, Cuban, German and Italian immigrants, but now turns into an Austin-like Sixth Street at night.Though the streetcar is geared for tourists, that hasn't saved it from plummeting ridership: the streetcar's hours and frequency of service have been slashed, and use has dropped by more than 34 percent from 2003 to 2012.In San Antonio, one point of debate has centered on the alternatives for the east-west route. Put it close to the Convention Center and it likely will cater more to tourists; locate it along streets with vacant or underused land and it could boost residential and large-scale commercial development.The Seattle streetcar has an advantage because the city is oriented toward transit, with many residents using a variety of options -- light rail, buses, ferries and even water taxis. In contrast, Tampa has just buses and most everyone there relies on their vehicles.To date, San Antonio's transit system is bus-only. VIA officials, in trying to encourage more "choice" riders to use transit, hope the streetcar will be the ticket.Whatever the purpose for building a streetcar system, "make sure you put the right resources into making that work," said Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Tampa's tourism bureau."If it's a tourist piece that connects assets," Corrado said, "then have that in mind when you market and when you sell it and when you set the fares for it and how you are going to operate it. If it's a mass transit kind of piece that's functional for daily commuters, then you need to think of how you position that."On an average weekday morning, the Seattle streetcar is packed with passengers, many headed to jobs at several major employers, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Amazon, the corporate heartbeat of the South Lake Union neighborhood for which the streetcar is named.The route begins just above Seattle's downtown and central district and then follows a narrow 2.6-mile loop north. It runs on a double track, so rail lines are embedded on either side of the street and streetcar vehicles don't have to stop to pass each other.A ride costs $2.50, more than double VIA's regular $1.20 bus fare, and passengers rarely have to show their tickets. Since the vehicle runs at street level, passengers don't have to climb stairs as they would on a bus, and the ride feels as smooth as taking an elevator up a modern high-rise building.Service started in 2007, six years after Portland, Ore., ushered in the modern streetcar movement with the opening of its system. Portland's success, particularly in fostering economic development around the streetcar line, has made it the model -- and, often, the justification -- for similar systems across the country. Portland officials have said the streetcar line engendered $3.5 billion in investment within two blocks of it.Seattle's streetcar proponents hoped for similar successes in South Lake Union, which for years consisted of acres of warehouses and vacant buildings. Crime was a problem, and there were virtually no residences and few amenities to draw anyone here."That place was a dump 10 years ago," said Heidi Happonen, a public relations professional whose firm works with Fred Hutchinson at the north end of the streetcar line. She recalls when a tire shop and guitar store were among the only operating businesses."It was not a place where you would go to spend an evening out; it was not a place you would typically spend time during the day unless you lived or you had business there," said Mike McQuaid, president of the South Lake Union Community Council.But that started to change after Allen, through Vulcan, bought more than 60 acres in South Lake Union, about a third of the developable land.He pushed for the streetcar system, and under his influence, the neighborhood started to transform. There are more restaurants and places to live. At one stop, the streetcar opens directly in front of an always-busy Whole Foods Market. A former asphalt plant located right off of South Lake now is a museum about wooden boats.But even as the neighborhood thrived, people still questioned the streetcar line's purpose, said Ethan Melone, Seattle's streetcar program manager. Ridership was above projections, but those goals were modest.Attitudes started to change two or three years in, as ridership went up and more jobs and residential units were added."It (streetcar) really supported the potential employment growth that we saw for the area," Melone said.Annual ridership in 2008 was 451,000. By 2012, that had climbed to 792,879.The arrival of the streetcar was one factor that helped spark even more development, said Lori Mason Curran, Vulcan Inc.'s real estate investment strategy director. Between 2004 and 2007, $900 million was invested in South Lake Union.Since the streetcar opened, an additional $2.56 billion from public and private sources has been invested in the neighborhood, Mason Curran said.She admitted it's difficult to say precisely how much of the neighborhood's success can be attributed to any one corporation or project. But the streetcar provided a transit link to the central business district that hadn't existed. Not long after it started, Amazon opened its headquarters here and now operates out of an 11-building campus that continues to expand. Now, the streetcar is almost an Amazon shuttle, with many of its passengers wearing the company's blue lanyards.The fact that Amazon and three other South Lake Union businesses are paying $204,000, most coming from Amazon, to fund more frequent streetcar service during the afternoon rush hour, shows the importance of the streetcar, Mason Curran said."Amazon executives have told me that one of the reasons why they did buy that site, or buy property in that location, is the streetcar," said Seattle City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the city's transportation committee. "I think that's why Paul Allen and Vulcan wanted the streetcar. They wanted to make that neighborhood really attractive to prospective tenants or purchasers of property."The University of Washington opened a medical research lab campus in South Lake Union. Almost 2,800 people are employed at Fred Hutchinson, one of the world's preeminent research institutions on cancer and HIV/AIDS prevention."I bet the IQ in South Lake Union per capita is higher than anyplace else on the planet," Happonen said.The number of jobs in the area over the past 20 years has more than doubled by some counts, and now is closing in on 35,000, according to Vulcan estimates.That growth would be like plunking USAA's entire San Antonio workforce of 16,400 people into downtown.The city estimates more than 52,000 people are employed in San Antonio's central area, but that is defined broadly, extending south to U.S. 90, north to the Pearl Brewery, and into the West and East sides.As noted, no private San Antonio developers or businesses have pledged money for the streetcar. And earlier this year, the City Council scrapped a provision that would have generated $15 million from private property owners along the future streetcar route because there wasn't enough support for the proposed funding plan.Pat DiGiovanni, CEO of San Antonio's Centro Partnership, said in a recent letter to VIA that his organization will lead an initiative to secure between $10 million and $20 million in private-sector funding for the streetcar project. It's not yet clear where that money will come from.VIA's Chief Development Officer Brian Buchanan said the transit agency is not actively pursuing relationships with the private sector but added that VIA is "obviously looking for any and all financial contributions to the project."Tampa's streetcar bears little resemblance to Seattle's sleek, modern system. Ridership has steadily gone down, and the economic development benefits are debatable.The streetcar itself is historic, made with vintage parts. Unlike Seattle, Tampa's streetcar mainly connects tourist and visitor attractions, not high employment areas. The line tracks the path of the Tampa waterfront, through an entertainment and retail area near downtown called the Channel District.The rail line also passes several relatively new residential developments, condos and lofts. Then it turns north and heads to Ybor City.To Michael English, all those new residences were built thanks to the streetcar."When the streetcar alignment was announced, property was still very cheap in that neighborhood," said English, president of the Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc., the nonprofit that manages the streetcar. "It shot up immediately, and then the development boom started."As in Seattle, the area around Tampa's streetcar offered minimal residential options before the rail line was built."You did not have but a speck of residential and now that's our residential growth area," said Donna Chen, director of marketing and communications for the Tampa Downtown Partnership.In the mid-2000s, developers built more than 1,900 condos, lofts and apartment units in the Channel District, either on the streetcar line or within two blocks of it, said Bob McDonaugh, Tampa's administrator of economic opportunity. Today, he said those units are about 95 percent to 97 percent occupied.In July, another 356-unit apartment complex, which is mostly complete, opened about two blocks from the line. Another 636 units are under construction or planned nearby.But McDonaugh doesn't buy the argument that streetcar was responsible for the boom -- at least not by itself.Developers built in Channelside because of the proximity to downtown and the waterfront, not the streetcar line. The cruise ship terminal and the aquarium, for example, could not have been located anywhere else."If you talk to any of the people along the streetcar line, they'll say, yes, it's an amenity. Yes, it was a contributing factor into perhaps why they located where they were. But the deciding factor?" McDonaugh said. "No."Saying it (the development) was because of the streetcar line is just not accurate."McDonaugh's thinking reflects statements made by DiGiovanni. He and other downtown San Antonio stakeholders met with experts from cities that had pursued similar streetcar projects. Their advice: don't count on a streetcar to spur development where there is little to none. Rather, build a streetcar line that connects people to places where they want to go.Seattle's streetcar provides that connection, linking South Lake Union to a busy transit plaza just north of downtown that's a hub for several bus lines; a light rail station is about a block away. That's significant in Seattle, where daily commutes often involve taking at least two forms of transit.About two-thirds of Seattle downtown commuters don't drive to work, according to Commute Seattle, a nonprofit transportation management association. Of the commuters, 43 percent take public transit.Seattle resident Lucy Blue takes the streetcar a few times a week to her job as a youth educator at the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union, connecting to it by bus from her house."There's not any place to park down here," Blue said.But she added, "I do wish (the streetcar) went a few more places."Streetcar ridership, though steadily growing, pales in comparison to other transit modes -- about 28,000 people on average rode the light-rail system on weekdays in 2012.Average daily ridership on streetcar was 2,735 in July."Streetcars are kind of small ball in Seattle," said Zach Shaner, marketing and outreach coordinator for Commute Seattle. "They're economic development tools." Seattle's streetcar doesn't travel as far as the light rail, and it doesn't travel as fast because the vehicles move in mixed traffic and stop frequently, waiting 20 to 25 seconds at each stop. San Antonio's will operate much the same way, traveling at an average speed of 8 mph, Buchanan said, about how fast a bus moves through downtown.To make the streetcar zippier, Seattle officials are planning a downtown line that will travel in its own right of way."My thought has been that if we're going to be adding a new mode such as a streetcar, it has to have benefits and advantages that go beyond the modes and the systems that we have now," said Rasmussen, the Seattle city councilman, and in "certain neighborhoods, the streetcar can."Buchanan believes streetcar ultimately could help transform San Antonio's downtown, a tourist mecca but one where empty storefronts and vacant office spaces are common.The comments once said about South Lake Union -- it was not a place a person would have reason to visit at night -- are similar to what's been said about the area around VIA's West Side transit center, west of Interstate 35, that will be a hub for the streetcar.He compares San Antonio to Phoenix a decade ago, before that city opened a light rail system that is 20 miles long, about four to five times longer than San Antonio's streetcar will be. That area around the Phoenix line is now infused with activity, and ridership is well above projections."I'm not saying San Antonio's going to get to Seattle, but the same thing happened to Phoenix. It was dead," Buchanan said. But the environment changed with the arrival of rail. Soon, the system became a way of life."There's a population base that will ride the train every single day," Buchanan said.Arguably, Seattle's streetcar has become a convenient transit mode for the growing number of people who live and work in South Lake Union. But the streetcar's usefulness for people who have no reason to come to what is essentially Paul Allen's neighborhood is questionable.Although the number of jobs in South Lake Union has soared, downtown Seattle -- where the streetcar does not go -- still remains the city's biggest jobs center, with 197,000 employees, according to Commute Seattle.Streetcar proponents say ongoing expansions of the streetcar network, including a downtown line, will make the South Lake Union route a more integral part of the larger transit system and even more useful to riders.Until then, Seattle resident Marianne, who did not want to give her last name, probably still will view the South Lake Union rail line as the "streetcar to nowhere."She rode it one recent afternoon back to her workplace after running an errand on her lunch break. But after factoring in the time she spent waiting for the streetcar, walking would have been faster."In fact, I'd be there now instead of waiting," she said. She took the streetcar only because she bought candles at a nearby department store that were too heavy to carry."If I see it coming, I'll take it," Marianne said. "If I don't, I'll just walk."Soon, she was joined by a coworker, who shared her sentiments but had a reason of his own that forced him to ride the streetcar.He had a broken foot.vdavila@express-news.netCopyright: ___ (c)2013 the San Antonio Express-News Visit the San Antonio Express-News at .mysanantonio.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage

　　9月7日晚，儲存《南風窗》雜誌社致函三門峽市委宣傳部，承認該刊今年第18期報道“村官腐敗透視”一文存在問題，並向廣大讀者致歉。　　今年 8月28日，《南風窗》刊發報道“村官腐敗透視”後，被�多網站以“村支書性侵村民留守妻子：村里一半都是我的娃”為題大量轉載，迅速形成網絡輿論熱點。因報道涉及三門峽市，該市有關部門及時進行調查，發現文中反映的問題要麼與事實不符，要麼移花接木或以偏概全，要麼混淆時空概念。本報9月5日以“記者就‘村支書性侵村民留守妻子’進行採訪 當地回應：相關報道與事實不符”為題，對《南風窗》報道中存在的問題進行了披露，引起廣大讀者的強烈關注，紛紛要求查明事實，還公�以真相。　　河南媒體和讀者的質疑引起了《南風窗》雜誌社的高度重視。據三門峽市委宣傳部副部長任戰洲介紹，9月7日23時29分，《南風窗》雜誌社致函該部，稱：“本刊第18期文章‘村官腐敗透視’一文，存在採訪不夠深入、把關不嚴的問題，其中提及村支書稱‘這個村，有一半都是我的娃’，把這句私底下吹牛的話寫入文章，造成了不良影響，特向廣大讀者致歉。”　　8日凌晨0時02分，河南日報新浪官方微博率先發佈了《南風窗》的致歉信，立刻引發網友“圍觀”，不到1小時即被轉發150多次，評論近百條。網友在不斷追問媒體作風問題的同時，也對網絡輿論環境進行了深刻反思。@江南逃兵說，“負面報道一定要三見面，即雙方當事人和主管該事的部門人士。但此稿既沒有當事人的聲音，也沒有當地主管部門的聲音，很明顯是非常片面的！”@四有新人大棚認為，此事件，南風窗是禍源，而各大門戶網站添油加醋也該受到批評，唯恐天下不亂的心態理應收收。　　8日凌晨0時22分，本報記者撥通了《南風窗》雜誌社執行副主編趙義的電話。他表示，《新蒲崗迷你倉風窗》正在就該報道造成的不良影響與三門峽市協商，“共同尋求解決辦法”，在此之前不方便回答任何具體問題。 對此事的後續進展，本報將持續關注。　　莫讓謠言損害媒體的生命　　本報評論員　　9月7日晚，《南風窗》雜誌社向三門峽和公�做出公開道歉。至此，有關“村官性侵村民留守妻子”等信息真相大白、水落石出。　　該雜誌的文章在網絡上流傳很廣，其中的極端說法被網絡放大，一時吸引了很多眼球，三門峽乃至河南的形象受到了損害。《南風窗》雜誌社知錯自糾，這是對公�和自身負責的表現。然而，這件事的教訓也是深刻的。　　真實性是新聞報道的生命，不嘩�取寵、傳遞真實信息是新聞人的基本操守，講大局、講公德是主流媒體應有的責任和擔當。輿論監督當然應該提倡，但如果把眼光僅僅盯著危言聳聽的負面信息，熱衷于獵奇，就會用虛假的“小道消息”誤導輿論，透支和扭曲主流媒體的公信力，對他人和社會造成嚴重的損害，對此不可不察、不能不慎！　　面對虛假報道的巨大壓力，三門峽市和我省相關部門的應對是理性的、妥當的。三門峽市迅速�動了相關調查，進行了坦率誠懇的回應和澄清，並把調查置於公�的監督之下。我省主流媒體也積極跟進，進行了深入調查，多形式、多渠道發佈調查結果。事實證明，對不實信息，必須予以及時正面回應，用事實和道理爭取輿論；公開透明、充分溝通是政府部門的行為準則，它能讓真相跑過謠言。 好的輿論環境也是生產力。當前紛繁複雜的輿論形勢，對我們的思想文化宣傳工作提出了新的挑戰。主流媒體、網絡媒體乃至政府部門應恪守傳播倫理、遵守公序良俗、履行信息公開，通過共同努力，營造一種有利於社會和諧、有利於傳遞正能量、有利於凝聚改革發展共識的良好氛圍。(記者張華君 吳 燁)標簽：雜誌社 三門峽 三門峽市 不方便 多渠道mini storage

中國大陸電子商務市場近年成長迅猛，自存倉兩岸在簽訂服務貿易協議後，更促成兩岸網路業者再電商領域合作的升溫。為此，由我方經濟部，以及大陸商務部、工信部聯手推動的2013兩岸電子商務搭橋會議，將自周三（11日）起舉行2天，先後在宜蘭、台北兩地登場依據海峽兩岸服務貿易協議，未來生效後，台灣業者未來到大陸成立合資公司的持股比例可提升到55％，另外的45％股權須與陸商合作，以便得到合作方在市場資訊、金流與物流平台等多方協助；大陸業者也有意利用這次搭橋機會，完善自己的兩岸布局，並引進更多元豐富的台灣商品進入大陸銷售。大陸電商團在10日中午抵達台灣後，隨即轉往宜蘭，11日上午舉行兩岸電商高峰座談會，12日在台北圓山飯店舉行兩岸電商研討會與媒合活動。大陸方面本次由商務部電子商務和信息化司副司長張佩東、工信部信息化司副司長董寶青，以及商務部台港澳司副司長孫兆麟等官員率隊，來台人數預計在123人，其中包括企業負責人或高階迷你倉新蒲崗管60人，重點企業12家以上。由於這是兩岸服貿協議簽訂後，第一次舉辦兩岸電商搭橋大會師，意義勝於以往。例如，團員中有大陸會員最多、市值最大、即時通訊市占率第一的「騰訊電商」；大陸知名家居網「大樸網」；大陸最大的酒類商品銷售網「酒仙網」；大陸知名女性商品導購社群「美麗說」；福建著名的鞋服商城「快易拍」；電商商平網站「派代」；以及大陸知名網路企業集團阿里巴巴旗下的「支付寶」與「淘寶旅行」等。本次搭橋會議座談的重點，將放在台灣優質商品如何進入大陸市場；如何從電商價值鏈來看兩岸的互補互利策略，包括商品、商檢、金流、物流、通關、服務等，以及兩岸電商如何合作進軍國際市場。隨著兩岸經合協議（ECFA）的簽署實施，近年兩岸貿易格局已經發生深刻的變化，例如去年電商平台已經有新台幣460多億元的交易額。台灣更在「華文電子商務行動計劃」的推動下，已經促成了藍新科技、網勁科技分別與大陸京東商城、蘑菇街等大型網購平台進行合作迷你倉出租

　　原標題：“中央主管”網站現形記——公安部部署江蘇警方偵破徐州“8·19”系列網絡敲詐勒索案透視　　“我看仲偉他們名頭不小，新蒲崗迷你倉又是‘社會焦點網’‘今日焦點網’什麼的，頂著全國人大、中紀委一大堆中央部門主管網站的頭銜。而且我們企業形象好不容易做起來的，雖然知道他們純屬捏造虛構，但花錢買平安吧，我們還是服軟了……”　　9月6日，江蘇徐州。坐在記者面前的受害人代表、徐州經濟開發區某地產公司經理魏某言語中充滿憤慨，又透出幾分無奈和懊惱。　　日前，公安機關集中打擊網絡有組織製造傳播謠言等違法犯罪專項行動持續發力——公安部統一部署下，江蘇警方在徐州偵破“8·19”系列網絡敲詐勒索案，4個涉嫌實施網絡敲詐勒索的犯罪團伙被打掉，虛構“中央主管”背景的“社會焦點網”等11家非法網站被查處，仲偉等16名犯罪嫌疑人被繩之以法。透過這起涉及全國7省27市縣的系列案件，審視其爆料、炒作、發帖刪帖、敲詐一條龍的犯罪鏈條，剖析其屢屢得手的原因，我們在警醒之外，顯然還應有更多追問。　　網絡敲詐竟源自熟人幕後爆料　　“今年6月初，我突然接到一份傳真，是一份要求核實稿件的來函。”魏某說。這封標注為“社會焦點網”發來的函中寫道，你公司正在開發的地產項目是違規建設，請儘快聯繫我們，否則在網上曝光進行負面炒作，並留下了聯繫人趙某的名字及手機號。　　“一看就是假的，因為我們沒這方面的問題，就沒理睬。”魏某說。不料，過了幾天，他及公司多位管理層都接到了這位趙記者的電話，大意為來北京“談談你們公司的問題”，不然就在網上把公司的形象搞臭。　　十分愛惜企業形象的魏某有些害怕，決定帶著合法手續去趟北京，跟這個趙記者說明情況。哪知在北京見面後，趙某對各種證明材料根本不感冒，看都沒看就問魏某想怎麼解決問題，隨即明言“你們這種問題我處理的多了，用錢才能解決”，開價20萬元。多次討價還價後，魏某給了5萬元錢，趙某答應不在網上發負面帖文。　　魏某的麻煩並沒有結束。半個月後，他又接到電話，一個自稱姓韓、是“今日焦點網”記者的人表示，魏某企業存在違規建設問題，已在“今日焦點網”上頭條刊登。此人言語更惡劣、威脅更直接，揚言要炒得企業做不下去，如果給10萬塊錢就可以刪帖。　　魏某點開“今日焦點網”一看，企業的負面新聞果然在頭條上。不知所措的他找到了一個熟人——經常自誇“本事大、能擺平媒體”的徐州經濟開發區政宣辦幹部竇玉剛。竇答應幫他用5萬元解決此事，並帶他一起再赴北京見韓某。　　“竇玉剛拿著錢去見對方，沒讓我一起去。”魏某說，幾個小時後，竇玉剛就表示“搞定了”。　　如釋重負的魏某多次向竇致謝。一個多月後，警方端掉這一犯罪團伙，連帶偵破這起案件。直到此時魏某才知道，“趙某”和“韓某”都是犯罪嫌疑人仲偉等假扮，且與竇玉剛是一伙兒的，設計讓自己一步步落入圈套——　　警方查明，2013年5月，身在徐州的竇玉剛“爆料”給在北京的仲偉，說魏某公司的項目屬於違規建設。仲偉問是否屬實，竇表示不用問了，材料已經準備好。幾天後，竇去北京將材料交給仲偉；仲偉又到徐州實地“調查”一番，拍了一些照片以增強可信度。隨後，仲偉以“社會焦點網”趙姓記者的身份發傳真、打電話要挾，敲詐了魏某公司5萬元。　　竇玉剛得知後，告訴仲偉“錢給得太少了，這件事情可以再發帖”。仲偉安排人發帖後，以“今日焦點網”韓姓記者的身份再次敲詐魏某公司。此時，竇玉剛應邀出面，他向仲偉謊稱，仲偉第一次拿錢被魏某錄音了，還說魏某有黑社會背景，嚇唬仲偉不敢拿錢。於是，魏某第二次給的5萬元被竇獨吞。　　這是仲偉團伙最後一次作案，還沒來得及依約刪帖，就被悉數抓獲。警方查明，2010年以來，該團伙在江蘇、安徽等地作案61起，敲詐200余萬元；僅在徐州經濟開發區一地就得手7起，獲利73萬元。　　“魏某的案子反映出一個典型的網絡敲詐勒索犯罪鏈條。”辦案民警說。敲詐帖文一般是爆料人提供或從網上搜尋，並有專業寫手進一步修改。然後以兩種方式敲詐：一是向被敲詐單位發核稿函，或告知負面新聞在網上發表；二是發帖後再利用網絡推手大肆炒作，以此敲詐錢財。如敲詐成功，則刪帖或不予刊登，事後集體分贓；如不成功，繼續擴大炒作，以報復被敲詐單位。　　警方介紹，仲偉團伙分工明確，且專業性很強：首犯仲偉經營網站，有多年網絡敲詐“經驗”；負責爆料的竇玉剛等人或能接觸政府內部信息，或四處搜集負面信息；負責撰寫、加工帖文的阮某是中學教師，文筆較好，還充當網站編輯出面談判；負責網站管理、發帖刪帖及組織網絡“水軍”炒作的黃某是軟件工程師，具有較高的網絡信息技術水平。　　仲偉團伙是被打掉的4個團伙之一。該4個團伙還彼此勾結，相互爆料、分別實施敲詐。警方查明，他們近年來在各地大肆作案120余起，涉案金額300余萬元。目前，相關工作尚在進一步進行，案情還在不斷擴大。　　三兩個人編造“中央背景”為何屢屢得手？　　辦案民警介紹，45歲的團伙首犯仲偉是江蘇金湖人，原先在《今日中華》雜誌(中國今日焦點網)工作，期間接觸到了網絡這條生財之道，便開始借敲詐大賺“黑錢”。特別是2010年8月敲詐徐州經濟開發區某機械有限公司時，仲偉與前來協調的宣傳部門工作人員竇玉剛結識，竇便成為仲偉團伙的核心爆料人之一。　　“第一次見面時，仲偉說他的網站很牛，是中央部門主辦的，要是在他的網站上發負面新聞，肯定會讓上級部門下來查。”竇玉剛供述。　　那次敲詐中，仲偉到手5萬元，當他把其中1萬元作回扣給竇玉剛時，作為受害方代表的竇欣然收下。這樣，原本站在對立面的兩人，發現彼此臭味相投，於是決定結成團伙，大家一起發財，開價根據mini storage次事件的大小來定。　　因為幾乎每次都能順利解決，竇玉剛在當地的名氣越來越大，被看做“能擺平媒體”的能人，這也是魏某被敲詐時找竇玉剛幫忙的原因。但是，除了“一起發財”，竇玉剛還有其他目的：他養著兩名情婦，敲詐所得大部分都用于此；他屢屢“爆料”再出面“滅火”，是為了打造一個“有本事”的形象，為自己將來提拔積累“政績”。　　仲偉沒想到，“中國今日焦點網”後來被依法取締，為了繼續敲詐，便開始自建網站。2010年、2012年，他通過虛假注資，分別註冊了南京卓訊文化傳媒有限公司和緯業焦點(北京)文化傳播有限公司，還在北京公司名下註冊了“社會焦點網”“社會網”“時代焦點網”“今日焦點網”“今日視點網”和“現代焦點網”6家網站。　　然而，這6家網站其實只有黃某一個網管，所有事務由仲偉一個人說了算。　　“我就是想通過報道社會上的負面新聞和賺取點擊量來賺錢。”仲偉向警方承認，自己並沒有記者證，許多“爆料”也基本不核實，但卻能屢屢得手。這是為什麼呢？　　警方指出，一個重要原因就是內外勾結。仲偉團伙中有竇玉剛這樣的政宣辦工作人員；另一個以樊宇肖為首犯的團伙中有一名江蘇宜興宣傳部門幹部。這些體制內的人掌握一些企業、單位違規的線索後，便爆料給體制外的團伙成員，一邊從外部威脅施壓，惡意炒作、誇大事實；一邊通過政府內部周旋協調，軟硬兼施脅迫就範。　　同時，這些犯罪團伙刻意虛構“顯赫身份”，極力顯示自己“能量很大”。例如，仲偉團伙為了唬人，給自己的名片、核稿函都印上了“全國人大常委會、中紀委等單位主管網站”的字樣，偽造“全國人大辦公廳”相關批復的公函；在談判時，屢屢提及全國人大、中紀委、最高人民檢察院等國家機關。樊宇肖團伙則偽造大量“新聞工作證”，編織記者身份。這讓社會公�一般很難辨別，受害單位甚至想不到去核實。　　“這些虛張聲勢的伎倆確實能騙倒很多人。”另一家受害單位、安徽淮北某項目公司負責人彭某說，當時他就是被仲偉等人的“名頭”嚇到了，以為中央部門要下來查，趕緊破財消災了事。　　辦案民警介紹，仲偉為了作案方便，經常使用趙、孫、韓三個假姓氏，手機號碼也分門別類，向不同地區敲詐就使用不同的手機號。仲偉平時還閱讀一些法律法規方面的書籍，琢磨怎樣提高敲詐得手幾率，以及如何逃避打擊。　　警方還發現，受害者的某些心態也助長了敲詐者的囂張氣焰。一些被敲詐單位確實存在違規現象，一旦被揪住不放，哪怕對方添油加醋、肆意誇大事實，也不敢聲張，任由對方勒索。　　還有一些被敲詐單位不存在所謂負面問題。“可是，造謠一張嘴、闢謠跑斷腿。”一家受害單位負責人說，明知對方造謠，但一旦在網上惡意炒作，廣大消費者難辨真假，寧可信其有、不可信其無，仍會給企業帶來很大負面影響，所以從維護形象、保障發展考慮，不得不花錢買平安，很大程度上縱容了網絡敲詐者。　　誇張的是，在這種心態主導下，該企業在2011年先後被仲偉等3個團伙用同樣手段分別敲詐20萬元、10萬元和10萬元。　　網絡敲詐應如何有效遏制？　　審訊中，一些犯罪嫌疑人交代，為了掩飾其犯罪行為，多冠以“廣告費”“加盟費”的名義。一家受害單位負責人與仲偉見面時，仲偉直接扔過來一份表格，“上面寫著10萬元到50萬元不等的各種廣告價位，你就在上面選一個，直到他們覺得滿意為止。對方啥話也不說，但大家心裡都清楚，至於後面到底做沒做廣告，我們也沒心思去管。”　　仲偉還總結出了一套“經驗”：如，敲詐帖文一般都是在自建網站上發。網站不能太大，百度搜索看到就行；如果網站影響力太大，發的帖子被轉載太多，刪帖時就會很麻煩，“自己的網站容易控制，可以做到收放自如。”　　辦案過程中，警方還發現了一些問題——　　“仲偉2010年在南京棲霞區工商局註冊成立南京卓訊文化傳媒有限公司，註冊資本50萬元人民幣。實際上，仲偉以6000元價格請代理公司出資、驗資成立，公司成立後，代理公司就將註冊資金抽出，實為空殼公司。”辦案民警說。　　2012年，仲偉故技重施，花2萬元請代理公司出資、驗資，在北京昌平區工商局註冊成立緯業焦點(北京)文化傳播有限公司，註冊資本100萬元人民幣。這也是一家空殼公司，每月以300元的價格請代賬公司做賬、開票，成為仲偉團伙走賬的重要平台。　　竇玉剛還表示，對於政府、企業來說，最怕的就是那些網站，沒有部門管，想登什麼就登什麼，全是野路子，敲你沒商量。　　“這些恰恰暴露了網絡監管的不少漏洞，讓不法分子有機可乘。”河海大學法學院副院長王建文教授說，互聯網被用于違法犯罪，不法分子以較低成本即可造成較大社會危害，加強監管刻不容緩。　　人民大學法學院教授陳衛東表示，當前需要進一步規範各類網站的權責歸屬及管理制度，各有關部門要切實負起責任、密切協作、形成合力，堵塞監管漏洞，而不能出了問題一關了之，必須探索新的管理手段，實現對網絡監管和治理常態化、機制化、法制化。　　中國社會科學院研究員周漢華建議打防並舉，加快網絡立法步伐，加大行政執法力度和依法懲戒力度，以高壓嚴打態勢給違法犯罪分子形成強大威懾。　　多位專家指出，還應當引導廣大公�和企業單位，一方面要遵紀守法，身正不怕影子斜；另一方面要形成正確的網絡觀，不能將網絡片面地視為洪水猛獸，避之唯恐不及。政府有義務著力提高民�的網上鑑別能力，告知如何辨別非法網站，受到網絡敲詐如何應對；同時，要加強典型案例曝光、剖析，讓公�看清敲詐勒索者的真面目，自覺加入譴責、舉報、闢謠的行列中來，形成“過街老鼠，人人喊打”的圍殲之勢，鏟除其滋生蔓延的土壤。(記者鄒偉、史競男、朱國亮)標簽：仲偉 魏某 竇玉剛 敲詐 犯罪嫌疑人self storage

Source: Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TexasSept.mini storage 07--SOUTH PADRE ISLAND -- U.S. Coast Guard officers arrested four Mexican nationals fishing in U.S. waters east of South Padre Island on Wednesday evening.Crew members of the Coast Guard Cutter Brant seized a "lancha" carrying four Mexican nationals who were fishing illegally in U.S. waters about 6:34 a.m. in the U.S. Economic time zone, to the east of South Padre Island about 10 miles north of the U.S. and Mexico border, authorities said.The fishermen had caught 272 red snapper, four mackerel and 21 black-tip shark with a total estimated weight of about 1,000 pounds, Coast Guard officials said. The fish were disposed of at sea by the South Padre Island Coast Guard Station, officials said."They had illegal fishing gear. They were using what is known as long line, which is against the law for U.S. citizens to be using. They were using illegal fishing methods in waters where they were not supposed to be," Coast Guard Houston/Galveston Sector Petty Officer Steve Lehmann said.The Coast Guard has interdicted seven "lancha vessels" illegally fishing in U.S. waters since Aug. 1 and a total of 34 over the previous 11 months, Coast Guard officials said, adding that similar "lancha vessels" are known to engage in narcotics trafficking."From May 2011 to May 2012, the South Padre Island station interdicted 17 'lanchas' fishing illegally in U.S. Waself storageers. From October 2012, to May 2013, the station interdicted 35, so there is a noted increase (from last year)," Lehmann said.Officials said similar "lanchas" are known for trafficking narcotics and exploiting natural resources."These Mexican lancha vessels engage in narcotics trafficking, exploit the sensitive natural resources of Southwest Texas and constitute a persistent challenge to U.S. sovereignty," Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, Chief of Response at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi, said in a press release.Maritime law enforcement agencies are currently engaged in Operation Sea Serpent, a multinational and interagency operation on the border to respond to this sort of threat, officials said."Operation Sea Serpent is a coordinated effort between the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and similar agencies," Lehmann said. "We work with these other agencies to saturate problem areas, so we will send out boats, helicopters and other aircraft to patrol the area and interdict illegal fishing or illegal drug operations."Officials said they did not know the identities of the men or where in Mexico they were from, but said they were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.jmendoza@valleystar.comCopyright: ___ (c)2013 Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas) Visit Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas) at .valleymorningstar.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉

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Source: The Eagle, Bryan, TexasSept.迷你倉 07--A College Station bus driver took a knife from a first-grader Friday morning. The knife was in the 6-year-old's pocket, a school district spokesman said.Another student informed the driver of Bus 106 about the knife, a school district spokesman said.The bus contained only students from College HIlls Elementary School.An email sent to parents of College Hills students about 10:30 a.m. Friday said the driver moved the student to the front of the bus and completed the route.Once 儲存倉t the school, the student was immediately taken to the office and did not have contact with any other students, the email said.The student was removed from campus and police were notified."Because of the age of the child and Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, CSISD cannot legally divulge the specifics of the disciplinary action taken," the district said in the email.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Eagle (Bryan, Texas) Visit The Eagle (Bryan, Texas) at .theeagle.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉價錢

Source: Detroit Free PressSept.迷你倉出租 07--Riad Shatila, the founder and owner of the one of the most noted Arab sweet shops in the U.S., died Friday after battling cancer for years. The Dearborn man was 68.Shatila's store on Warren Avenue in Dearborn, Shatila Bakery & Cafe, is popular with Arab-Americans across the region; the store also has a mail order business that distributes Shatila's pastries around the world. Shatila started with handmade pastries, which he initially sold by calling random people in the phone book who had Arabic-looking names.Shatila Bakery's success was a symbol of the growth of Arab-American businesses in east Dearborn over the past 30 years, transforming the area into a thriving commercial district."Shatila's progress is the progress of the whole community, " Nasser Beydoun, former head of the Dearborn-based American Arab Chamber of Commerce, told the Free Press in a 2004 profile of Shatila. "He started with a small little store, grew and grew, and became more mainstream and affluent."Born and raised in Lebanon, Shatila moved to the U.S. in 1976, escaping a country on the verge civil war. He initially didn't have any experience baking. But he saw that there wasn't a decent place in Michigan to get well-made sweets from the Middle East.So he started to bake baklava at home, using fresh ingredients such as clarified butter.迷你倉He would mail samples of his pastries to Arab-Americans, who in turn spread the word about his sweets.In 1979, he opened a tiny bakery in the eastern section of Warren Ave. He worked long hours, often sleeping in his office as his pastries baked.In 1984, he moved into a bigger place on Schaefer Rd., just south of Warren. It was so popular that during Muslim and Christian holidays, customers often had to wait in line outside the store to order their treats.He closed that store to open a bigger one in 2004 along Warren Ave., the main commercial strip in northeast Dearborn. With its high ceilings, the store is often packed at night on the weekends as customers come in to satisfy their sweet tooth. In addition to his pastries, Shatila developed his own line of ice cream, with unique flavors such as rose water."He's a perfectionist, " his sister, Amal Shatila-Houtait, told the Free Press in 2004. "He'll make something, taste it, and throw it away, do it again, and throw it away, until it's done right."After developing cancer, Shatila found it difficult at times to talk over the past decade, said family members.The funeral is 11 a.m. today at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, followed by a 1 p.m. burial.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at .freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存倉

Source: Albuquerque Journal, N.self storageM.Sept. 07--The Santa Fe Reporter says the spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez has refused to respond to telephone calls and emails because of articles that cast Martinez in an unfavorable light.The spokesman for the Republican governor, Enrique Knell, calls the Reporter a "left-wing weekly tabloid."Such spats between public officials and the news media over stories and coverage are nothing new. Any journalist worth a reporter's notebook has been in at least a few scrapes.The governor of Maine recently joked -- at least I hope he was joking -- about blowing up the offices of a newspaper. The Obama administration invited other TV networks but not Fox News to interview an administration official. South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier excluded a newspaper reporter from a news conference because of a story. The speaker of the state House in New Hampshire banned reporters from a briefing because of an editorial cartoon.Such clashes between public officials and the media usually get smoothed over at some point. What's unusual about the one between the Reporter and Martinez is that it has ended up in court.In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in state District Court in Santa Fe, the newspaper alleges Martinez is violating the free press provision of the New Mexico Constitution by not responding to Reporter inquiries while responding to inquiries from other media on the same subjects.The lawsuit also accuses the administration of repeatedly violating the state Inspection of Public Records Act by withholding documents requested by the Reporter or stalling in releasing them.Knell says the lawsuit is "baseless."The lawsuit says Knell refused to return any phone calls from the Reporter and responded to only one of its emails in the first seven months of this year.The lawsuit says the treatment of the newspaper is impairing its newsgathering activities and is a prior restraint of its freedom to publish the news.The state Constitution says that, "No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press."Daniel Yohalem of Santa Fe, a lawyer for the Reporter, says the claim that the governor is violating the constitutional provision by her treatment of the newspaper is a novel one for state courts. (There are laws that guarantee public access to government meetings and records.)The U.S. Supreme Court hasn't ruled that the free-press provision in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the media a right of access to government information. Rulings from lower federal courts are mixed.Federal judges have found that public officials cannot selectively exclude reporters from places where news is disseminated, such as press rooms, news conferences and elsewhere.But federal courts have also found that a journalist doesn't have a right to have equal access to public information sources and to be treated the same as other journalists.The Reporter isn't claiming it has been excluded from news conferences and other events; it is seeking a court order requiring Martinez to provide the Reporter with "the same access to information and comment" as she provides to other news organizations.In 1998, a迷你倉federal appeals court denied a claim by a Baltimore reporter that the city's Police Department had violated her First Amendment rights by denying her access to information and interviews provided to other journalists.The court wrote:"The broad rule for which plaintiff argues would presumably preclude the common and widely accepted practice among politicians of granting an exclusive interview to a particular reporter. And, it would preclude the equally widespread practice of public officials declining to speak to reporters whom they view as untrustworthy because the reporters have previously violated a promise of confidentiality or otherwise distorted their comments."A U.S. District Court in Maryland in 2005 rejected a case brought by two reporters after the governor instructed officials in his administration not to speak to them.The judge wrote:"Although the Constitution establishes the contest between the holders of government information and those seeking access to that information, it does not resolve it. The resolution of the inevitable conflicts between the holders of government information and those seeking access to that information is committed to 'the tug and pull of the political forces in American society.'"The judge added:"A government may lawfully make content-based distinctions in the way it provides press access to information not available to the public generally."In rulings where federal judges have found that reporters cannot be selectively banned from news conferences and other places where news is disseminated, judges have found the media have a limited right of access to government information."A free press is undermined if the access of certain reporters to facts relating to the public's business is limited merely because they advocate a particular viewpoint. This is a dangerous and self-defeating doctrine," a judge wrote in 1973 in a case involving Consumer Reports magazine access to U.S. House press galleries.A federal district judge ruled in 1974 that the mayor of Honolulu could, as a general proposition, decide not to hold news conferences, decline to respond to any question from the media or even select certain reporters for private interviews.But the judge found the mayor couldn't exclude a reporter from a news conference, calling that censorship.The judge wrote:"A free press is not necessarily an angelic press. Newspapers take sides, especially in political contests. Newspaper reporters are not always accurate and objective. They are subject to criticism, and the right of a governmental official to criticize is within First Amendment guarantees."But government, without a compelling reason, cannot use its powers "to intimidate or to discipline the press or one of its members because of what appears in print," the judge said.UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Thom Cole at tcole@ abqjournal.com or 505-992-6280 in Santa Fe. Go to .abqjournal. com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at .abqjournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services文件倉

Customs detects this year's largest smuggling case of mobile phones and accessories at land boundary control points (with photos)************************************************************Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 7) detected a smuggling case at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point and seized a large batch of unmanifested mobile phones and accessories valued at about $5 million in an inbound 45-foot container truck.存倉 This is the largest smuggling case of mobile phones and accessories detected at the land boundary control points this year.In the morning of yesterday, Customs officers mounted an anti-smuggling operation at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point and intercepted an inbound 45-foot container truck declared as carrying metal parts, computer accessories and printed matters on board for examination. Upon inspection, Custom迷你倉 officers found in the innermost part of the cargo compartment 3,674 sets of mobile phones and a batch of phone accessories, with a total value of about $5 million. This is the largest haul of mobile phones and accessories seized at the land boundary control points this year. The 58-year-old male driver was arrested for committing an offence of "importing unmanifested cargo". The investigation is ongoing.Hong Kong Customs will continue to carry out stringent enforcement against smuggling activities at control points.Under the Import and Export Ordinance, smuggling is a serious offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.Members of the public are urged to report any suspected smuggling activities to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.Ends/Sunday, September 8, 2013Issued at HKT 10:03NNNN自存倉

Source: The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.自存倉Sept. 06--Would you support a local sales tax increase to pay for improved public bus services, even if you don't ride the bus?Should the Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT) bus system serve only areas with large ridership and cut routes in other neighborhoods, although some people might really need it? Or should it be accessible to everyone, even if it means lower overall ridership?An effort to learn what citizens want from a public bus system, whether they ride the bus or not, kicked off this week.The Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA), which operates YCAT, and the Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization (YMPO), the regional transportation planning agency, hosted workshops in San Luis and Yuma to gather input from bus riders and community members.The agencies want to know what residents feel are the most important existing and future transit needs.With the help of the consulting firm PublicTransit.US, the input will be incorporated into a Short Range Transit Plan."The SRTP is like a business plan for transit. It lays out five-year points for finances and capital plans for services it will provide," said Michael Setty, consulting firm principal.The plan will also tell government agencies that hand out grants, such as the Federal Transit Administration, "that they have a logical program in place, they're meeting all the rules, and they have a coherent plan for doing whatever they're doing," Setty explained.However, he added, the "biggest thing we're trying to do" is get citizens, especially those who don't ride the bus, to take an online survey about their opinions on bus services, priorities, current needs and unfulfilled services.The agencies also want to know people's opinion on a "hot button issue" -- a possible tax increase to fund public bus services."Are they willing to pay a tax even if they don't ride the bus, if 迷你倉新蒲崗t benefits seniors and people who can't drive a car for whatever reason and it gets kids to and from Arizona Western College?"Our goal is not to tell you what you think you might need. You really need to tell us what you want," Setty said.YCIPTA has been considering asking voters to approve a one-tenth of a percent transit sales tax.Currently, funding is solely dependent on the ability of YCIPTA members to contribute, which can result in radical service changes from year to year."We need funding sources to replace member agency contributions," Transit Director John Andoh said earlier this year.Currently, fares directly paid by bus riders and student fees cover about 40-60 percent of operating costs on the busiest YCAT routes.On other less traveled routes and YCAT's OnCall dial-a-ride system for seniors and persons with disabilities, fares paid by riders typically cover 5-20 percent of the total operating costs.Survey takers will be asked how much of operating costs they believe fares should cover, among other issues.For most people the online survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. It is available through the first week of October at .surveymonkey.com/s/S2TNV29 or through the news page at .ycipta.org.In addition to the online survey, passengers riding buses and waiting at YCAT bus stops will be surveyed at selected times during September.The consultant will discuss the study with the YCIPTA board of directors at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Aldrich Hall, 2351 W. 26th St.The goal is to have the draft ready for staff review at the end of October and to present the final plan by the end of the year, with possible board adoption by Dec. 31.For more information about the workshops, transit plan and route changes, visit .ycipta.org or call 928-783-2235.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Sun (Yuma, Ariz.) Visit The Sun (Yuma, Ariz.) at .yumasun.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉出租

警察公共關係科(PPRB)積極鞏固警隊的形象，新蒲崗迷你倉主要責任是經常與社區及傳媒的聯繫，向公眾提供有關警隊的資訊，使公眾維持對治安高度的信心，以鼓勵公眾協助警隊維持治安。由總警司黃國偉擔任該科主管這兩年間，更全速改善資訊發布系統。據了解，該科終極目標是於今年底推出一個「互動平台」，把所有案件簡報統一放在一電子平台，供傳媒及時得悉，記者並可在有關罪案信息處加上符號，以示有採訪興趣，警方將盡量發布更多信息協助採訪。總警司黃國偉於2011年9月擔任PPRB主管至今，構思不少新猷，成績亮麗，備受讚賞；同時與傳媒緊密聯繫，在能力所及下盡量提供警方資訊和罪案的最新信息，故在傳媒圈中贏得有「黃大仙」的美譽--有求必應。當然，由於罪案信息內容較為敏感，這位警隊「黃大仙」面對敏感資料也守口如瓶，但一定會回覆記者的查詢電話，不會杳如黃鶴，記者曾笑言，黃Sir是「有開工，無收工」的警務人mini storage，無論多夜，黃Sir都會回覆緊急查詢。主管黃國偉盡責受稱許傳媒與PPRB緊密互動，源於自從警方早年轉用數碼無線電通訊系統後，突發記者已不能再靠「靠機」來等得知何處有罪案發生，很多時要等候PPRB 發稿通知。PPRB在黃國偉主政期間，全速開拓發布突發罪案信息系統，包括發放採訪通知時新增四項資料(如交通意外，涉及受傷人數、車輛，其他亦有被捕人數或有多少武器等)、設立新熱線讓傳媒投選最關注新聞供優先發放、以電郵取代傳真發放案件簡報等。據了解，PPRB現平均每天向傳媒發布約400則案件簡報(俗稱牌頭紙)，另每天再發多達數十條信息回應傳媒補充查詢，但肩負這工作的人手僅得6-7人(包括借調兩名警務人員)，工作量極大。為此，黃國偉積極推進處長曾偉雄承諾的「互動平台」大計，加快把罪案簡布發布統一、電子化及互動，以加快傳媒「�料」速度。在公眾知情權下，傳媒舉腳贊成。 本報港聞部self storage

雷士照明（02222）截至今年6月底止中期業績，迷你倉出租半年溢利約8100萬（人民幣，下同），上升92%，每股派息1港仙；銷售收入約為16.9億元，同比增長4.6%，反映公司已從去年的管理層紛爭中恢復過來。在內地LED照明市場呈現快速增長勢頭下，下半年料有更高增長。LED業務貢獻大受惠於LED觀念普及、技術不斷成熟，以及價格不斷下滑，國內LED照明市場的增長也不俗，期內雷士LED產品銷售總額到達2.8億元，同比增長233.9%，佔集團銷售收入16.7%。期內，集團投入於研發項目的總金額逾2400萬元，佔銷售收入的1.4%，共開發了14個系列新產品，新申請專利有53項，新獲批授予專利有16項，大部分為LED產品相關專利。此外，雷士亦宣布為進一步執行LED產品的戰略發展計劃，將與大股東德豪潤達在中國建立合資公司以從事LED產品封裝業務。在好產品背後，雷士還有龐大的中國銷售網把產品分銷出去。截至今年6月底止，雷士在內地增添1家獨家區域經銷商，迷你倉前共有37家獨家區域經銷商；專賣店方面，淨增加172家，總數量已達3,201家，銷售網絡的覆蓋城市達2272個，已基本全面覆蓋省會及地級城市，縣級城市覆蓋率近65%。國際市場上，集團繼續推行「以全面推廣雷士品牌為主，以為知名企業提供ODM/OEM服務為輔，逐步提高雷士品牌海外銷售比例的發展戰略」，同時加強與海外客戶的長期合作關係，大客戶需求增長使該市場收入穩步上升，新開發的市場包括法國、羅馬尼亞、葡萄牙、蒙古等國家，新增了共6個專賣店。股價料重回高位公司過往一直有支持多個體育活動，作為品牌的主要推廣渠道，今年7月又簽約成為國際泳聯2014年至2017年的冠名合作夥伴。而通過頂級世界體育舞台，不僅使雷士在傳統照明領域品牌地位得以鞏固，也使雷士在LED領域的品牌形象得以提升。其實去年的管理層之爭，某程度對雷士的長遠發展反而有利，公司創辦人吳長江因而引入德豪潤達這個實力雄厚的股東，雙方可繼續加大在LED產業的投入，中長線股價有望重回高位。儲存倉

兩年前Samsung Galaxy Note徹底改變手機生態，儲存令大芒機有價有市，其後更衍生出新名詞「Phablet」，搞到大家即時「跟Phone」！事隔兩年，其第三代終於�柏林時間九月四日面世，不但屏幕更大、聲音更出，新S Pen更強化了記事及擷圖能力，配合皮革機背，令操作猶如真正筆記簿咁便利。同場還首發了「錶機」Galaxy Gear，影得又講得，現場人人爭住玩，恍似特務上身！Samsung每年例必搞兩場Unpacked發布會，有一場為Galaxy S，另一場就係Galaxy Note。年初時S4已於紐約發布，今次第二回則在柏林舉行，主角正正就是Note 3。小記準時七點入場，驚覺舉行地點Tempodrom劇院的3,800個座位已幾近爆滿，而伴隨一陣交響樂聲，Note 3與Gear終於登場，當中後者出場時更引來熱烈掌聲。兩機本月25日起便在全球超過140個國家發售，香港都有份，想玩新機就要儲定錢了！恍如高級筆記簿名副其實，Note這名堂全因其出色的記事功能，但金屬拼塑膠的機身，形象始終走不出手機固有框框。Note 3最大不同之處，就在於機背加入了仿皮革物料，雖不是真皮，但已令質感提升不少，而且邊緣位縫合得相當細緻，予人有一種高級筆記簿�感覺。初步發售時先有黑、白、粉紅三色，另外又有S-View Cover、Flip Wallet等不同款式的機套選擇，論外觀絕對不比玩多色的iPhone 5C輸蝕。屏幕則微升0.2吋至5.7吋，數字上分別不大，但由於採用了幼邊框設計，因此拍埋一比，會發覺「視野」廣闊了許多，最重要是解像度已「升呢」至全高清質素，叉足電又夠玩一日，至�師奶仔煲劇用。懸浮開選單由上代Note 2開始，S Pen已幾乎可以包辦全機大部分操作，現場見第三代的S Pen依然保持極高靈敏度，但就加入埋懸浮選單「Air Command」。用家只要把S Pen懸空在屏幕上方再按掣便能隔空開啟，之後有不同功能選擇，包括可快速寫下便條的「Action Memo」；畫圈就能擷圖的「Scrapbook」；有條理地把筆記儲存的「S Note」；藉手寫文字來搜尋資料的「S Finder」；以及畫出長方形就能開啟計數機、YouTube等不同工具的「Pen Window」等。小記最Like�就係「Scrapbook」，輕鬆就能把網頁擷下，之後開新蒲崗迷你倉又能追蹤來源，用來做資料搜集真係好幫得手！首見八核快絕同級Galaxy Note 3將會提供3G及4G LTE兩個版本，前者採用「4+4」架構，令手機處理器首達八核心設計；而後者則採用Qualcomm 2.3GHz四核處理器，搭配超誇張的3GB RAM，於《AnTuTu》得分高達32,061分，快絕同級！影音方面，1,300萬像素鏡頭唔算亮點，驚喜反而係新增�High CRI閃光燈，據說可令色彩失真程度減低，夜晚影相唔怕相片變晒色。另外，一如剛發表的LG G2，Note 3亦可播放24 bit/192KHz無損音樂，並在32GB及64GB內存以外，提供microSD卡槽，唔似G2咁冇得入卡，就算幾多歌都食得晒！Note 3 SPEC制式︰GSM四頻、WCDMA、LTE處理器︰1.9GHz八核心（3G）2.3GHz四核心（4G）記憶體︰3GB RAM；32、64GB內存；支援microSD屏幕︰ 5.7吋Super AMOLED（1,920×1,080解像度）鏡頭︰前置200萬像素 後置1,300萬像素對外連接︰藍芽4.0、microUSB、LTE、42Mbps HSPA+、Wi-Fi、NFC電池容積︰3,200mAh作業系統︰Android 4.3體積︰151.2×79.2×8.3mm重量︰168g「錶機」首現 Galaxy Gear由傳聞到登場，Galaxy Gear都是風頭躉，雖然實物沒有用到彎曲屏幕，但1.63吋Super AMOLED正方形屏幕依然好搶眼，並對應體感操作，例如屏幕朝上一秒就會自動�芒，橫掃錶面可選頁，而有來電時只要把手移至耳邊就能接通，令講電話好似特務咁有型！通話以外，Gear還提供簡訊提示、計步器、S Voice及Voice Memo等功能，而錶帶的Memographer鏡頭更可拍攝190萬像素相片及十秒短片，舉高手就可Snapshot。Gear暫時兼容S3、S4、Note 2及Note 3等手機，叉一次電就能運行25小時以上，出街一日都毋須擔心冇電！Gear SPEC處理器︰800MHz記憶體︰512MB RAM、4GB內存屏幕︰1.63吋Super AMOLED（320×320解像度）鏡頭︰190萬像素電池容積︰315mAh體積︰36.8×56.6×11.1mm重量︰73.8g查詢︰3698 4698mini storage

【大陸中心╱綜合報導】知名科技人、Google前大中華區總裁李開復，迷你倉新蒲崗驚傳罹患淋巴癌，他昨透過微博證實此消息，並感慨「癌症面前，人人平等」，表示將積極面對。由於李開復近年常在微博發言激勵年輕人，被網友譽為「人生導師」，不少人對他罹癌的消息感到震驚又難過。 現年51歲的李開復曾任微軟全球副總裁、Google全球副總裁暨大中華區總裁，2009年離開Google，創辦創投公司「創新工場」，協助年輕創業者尋找資金、人脈，今年4月獲選美國《時代》（TIME）雜誌全球百大影響力人物。前天晚間10時17分，李開復在微博發文說：「世事無常，生命有限。原來，在癌症面前，人人平等。」暗指自己罹癌。 11萬網友錯愕難過 昨上午8時7分，李開復於微博再度發文，證實自己罹患淋巴癌：「雖然淋巴癌聽起來並不樂觀，也讓家人和朋友們很擔心。但生活就是這樣：往往來得意外，但既然遭遇就應坦然面對。」，「病痛也是生活的一部分，我會選擇更加積極的心態迷你倉出租面對生活起伏。」李開復罹癌消息震驚科技界，11萬網友紛紛轉發此一消息，網友除了錯愕、難過，也為這位「微博大V」（指粉絲數量超過10萬人）加油打氣，還有人歸咎於可能是北京空氣太髒、黑心食品太多，「連開復都中毒了！」馬偕醫院癌症中心主任謝瑞坤昨對《蘋果》表示，淋巴癌初期通常會有不明的淋巴腺腫大，例如脖子、腋下、鼠蹊部等處，但不會痛，因免疫力變差，還會出現發燒、體重減輕、皮膚起疹子等。 蔓延性恐難以救治 謝瑞坤說，淋巴癌若是局部性，存活時間達10年以上，但若是全身蔓延性恐難以救治，治療方式以化療為主。 李開復小檔案 年齡：51歲出生地：台灣台北縣中和市（現新北市中和區）學歷：中學時移民美國，哥倫比亞大學電腦科學系畢業、卡內基梅隆大學電機博士家庭：與妻子謝先鈴育有1子1女經歷：微軟全球副總裁、Google全球副總裁暨大中華區總裁，2009年離開Google，創辦科技創投公司「創新工場」，現居北京市資料來源：《蘋果》資料室迷你倉