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Oracle Applications

2007-06-01T19:05:00.000+08:00

The term Oracle Applications refers to the non-database (non-technology) parts of Oracle Corporation's software portfolio — mainly web-based accounting software. Oracle Corporation sells many applications built around the Oracle RDBMS system, notably the Oracle Financials applications. (Oracle Corporation also offers many additional application-oriented products, including Oracle Office, Oracle Media Server, and (grouped with databases) Oracle ConText.)

Oracle Corporation launched its applications with financial software in the late 1980s. The offering now extends into supply-chain manmagement, warehouse-management, call-center services, product lifecycle management, and many other areas. Both in-house expansion and the acquisition of other companies have vastly expanded Oracle Corporation's application-software repertoire.

Oracle Corporation released Oracle Applications 11 in May 1998; the line has reached a current version of 11.5.10, with release 12i expected early 2007.

Scope

For marketing and integration purposes, Oracle Corporation groups its applications into:

Oracle E-Business Suite
PeopleSoft Enterprise
Siebel
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
JD Edwards World

Oracle E-Business Suite

Main article: Oracle E-Business Suite

Oracle Corporation markets its home-grown software applications, including Oracle Financials, as parts of the "Oracle E-Business Suite".

Oracle Financial Applications

The Oracle E-Business Suite provides an extensive set of financial applications used extensively in businesses around the world. Oracle Corporation groups these applications into "suites", which it defines as sets of common, integrated applications designed to execute specific business processes.

The Oracle Financials application-set relies on the Oracle RDBMS infrastructure and includes applications such as:

Other

Additional Oracle E-business Suite products include:

Oracle Bills of Material
Oracle Capacity
Oracle CRM (now in the process of integration with Siebel)
Oracle Advanced Planning & Scheduling
Oracle Advanced Procurement (purchase to pay process)
Oracle Business Intelligence
Oracle Engineering
Oracle HRMS
Oracle Inventory
Oracle Manufacturing (includes flow, process, and discrete)
Oracle Master Scheduling
Oracle MRP
Oracle Order Entry
Oracle Order Fulfillment (order to cash process)
Oracle Payroll
Oracle Project Costing
Oracle Project Billing
Oracle Purchasing
Oracle TMS (Transportation/G-Log)
Oracle Work in Process

Some firms use these applications to run many of the world’s mission-critical processes. Oracle Corporation makes the software available on various hardware platforms.

So what is Siebel CRM OnDemand all about?

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Bruce Daley, founder and editor of The Siebel Observer and The Siebel Observer Technical Review
10.14.2003
Rating: -3.80- (out of 5)

The big news at this year's Siebel User Week was Siebel CRM OnDemand, the much-anticipated hosted version of the market's leading product. It may seem unlikely that the new product was big news, given that rumors of the company's plans for hosted CRM started circulating in July. But the customer reaction to Siebel CRM OnDemand seemed noteworthy.

Salesforce.com took the news seriously. They donned T-shirts bearing the slogan "free software," lined the road outside the San Diego Convention Center, and gave out Krispy Kreme doughnuts and coffee. It's rumored that Salesforce.com plans to file papers in a few weeks with the Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation for a public offering, and the release of CRM OnDemand is expected to hurt the company's offering price. Tom Siebel seemed more bemused than annoyed with the demonstration, and he even stopped for a doughnut on his way to the convention. Siebel customers were less forgiving, and some expressed how unprofessional they found the exercise in humor and self expression.

So, if Salesforce.com's purpose in organizing a demonstration was to get attention, it worked. If the purpose was to persuade existing Siebel customers to switch to Salesforce.com, it proved to be merely a distraction.

It has been said that Siebel is late to the hosting game, but in business, it is often better to be late than early. That way you can learn from the mistakes of the pioneers. Everyone remembers that Apple sold personal computers before IBM, but how many remember that Royal Crown sold decaffeinated cola before Coca-Cola, or that De Havilland Aircraft sold personal passenger jets before Boeing?

At the conference, Siebel unveiled a pricing model for CRM OnDemand. For as little as $70 per month per user, organizations (or even individuals) can sign up for the service. "Little" is, of course, a relative term. Over time, even a modest amount adds up. Over a five-year period, a company with a 500-person strong call center would end up paying $2.1 million for Siebel CRM OnDemand.

The way Siebel has improved on the current industry model is by offering both hosted and premise products on the same data schema. A company can start out using the hosted system, then switch to an on-site system as soon as it becomes financially attractive. A company could trade its premise system for Siebel CRM OnDemand, or do some combination of hosted and on-site software.

Siebel is not dogmatic about how subscription pricing should be done. The company promises to sell multi-year, multi-site plans one time, quarterly or annually, depending on the customer's needs and wants.

Siebel also improves on the current model by leveraging the fact that it offers the most functionally rich applications on the market. CRM OnDemand includes built-in analytics that identify a variety of things, including data about why deals are won or lost, who the most profitable customers are, and projected versus historical revenue. The analytic capabilities extend to create interactive charts, pivot tables and reports. CRM OnDemand also supports multiple currencies and languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.

Another improvement was the decision to host the solution in conjunction with Big Blue. As an old industry truism goes, "No one ever got fired for choosing IBM." Although this isn't 100% accurate, using IBM as host should create greater peace of mind among members of management -- who may be concerned about whether their data will be secure and whether support will be strong when the time comes to make a purchase decision.

So the real news at Siebel's User Week was the unexpected reaction among customers that they would consider using Siebel CRM OnDemand in places they would never use a non-compatible hosted solution. Those who seemed to find the offering most compelling include customers with small divisions, customers with remote offices in locations with limited IT support, and customers with large networks of captive and non-captive dealers.

By listening to customers, rather than cannibalizing its current offering, Siebel seems to have found a way to offer a hosted model that extends its current offering and at the same time increases its appeal to new customers. Isn't that what CRM is all about?

Middleware

2007-06-01T18:57:00.000+08:00

Definition

Middleware is the enabling technology of Enterprise application integration. It describes a piece of software that connects two or more software applications so that they can exchange data.

ObjectWeb defines middleware as: "The software layer that lies between the operating system and the applications on each side of a distributed computing system in a network."

Origins

Middleware is a relatively new addition to the computing landscape. It gained popularity in the 1980s as a solution to the problem of how to link new applications to older legacy systems, although the term had been in use since 1968.^[2] It also facilitated distributed processing – the connection of multiple applications to create a larger application, usually over a network.

Organizations

In addition to the existing vendors updating their wares to address the newly expanded vision, vendors such as Mercator, Crossflo, Vitria, Fiorano and webMethods were specifically founded to provide Web-oriented middleware tools. Groups such as the Apache Software Foundation and the ObjectWeb Consortium encourage the development of open source middleware.

Types of middleware

Hurwitz's classification system organizes the many types of middleware that are currently available.^{[citation needed]} These classifications are based on scalability and recoverability:

Remote Procedure Call (RPCs) — Client makes calls to procedures running on remote systems. Can be asynchronous or synchronous.
Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) — Messages sent to the client are collected and stored until they are acted upon, while the client continues with other processing.
Object Request Broker (ORB) — This type of middleware makes it possible for applications to send objects and request services in an object-oriented system.
SQL-oriented Data Access — middleware between applications and database servers.

Other sources include these additional classifications:

Transaction processing (TP) monitors — Provides tools and an environment for developing and deploying distributed applications.
Application servers — software installed on a computer to facilitate the serving (running) of other applications.
Enterprise Service Bus — An abstraction layer on top of an Enterprise Messaging System.

Oracle Corporation

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History

June 16, 1977: Oracle Corporation was incorporated in Redwood Shores, California^[1] as Software Development Laboratories (SDL) by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates.
June 1979: SDL is renamed to Relational Software Inc. (RSI), and relocates to Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California. Oracle 2, the first version of the Oracle database runs on PDP-11 and is sold to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The company decides to name the first version of its flagship product version 2 rather than version 1 because it believes companies may hesitate to buy the initial release of its product.
October 1979: RSI actively promotes Oracle on the VAX platform (the software runs on the VAX in PDP-11 emulator mode)
1981 Umang Gupta joined Oracle Corporation where he wrote the first business plan for the company, and served as Vice President and General Manager of the Microcomputer Products **
February 1981: RSI begins developing tools for Oracle, including the Interactive Application Facility (IAF), a predecessor to Oracle*Forms.
Bruce Scott was one of the first employees at Oracle (then Software Development Laboratories). He co-founded Gupta Technology (now known as Centura Software) in 1984 with Umang Gupta, and later became CEO and founder of PointBase, Inc. Bruce was co-author and co-architect of Oracle V1, V2 and V3. He created the sample schema "SCOTT" (containing tables like EMP and DEPT) with the password defaulted to TIGER (apparently named after his cat).
March 1983: RSI rewrites Oracle in C for portability and Oracle version 3 is released. RSI is renamed to Oracle to more closely align with its primary product. The word Oracle was the code name of a CIA project which the founders had all worked on while at the Ampex Corporation.
October 1984: Oracle version 4 released, introducing read consistency
November 1984: Oracle ports the Oracle database to the PC platform. The MS-DOS version (4.1.4) of Oracle runs in only 512K of memory. Oracle for MSDOS version 5 was released in 1986 running in Protected Mode on 286 machines using a technique invented by Mike Roberts, among the first products to do so.
April 1985: Oracle version 5 released. It is one of the first RDBMSs to operate in client/server mode.
1986: Oracle version 5.1 released with support for distributed queries. Investigations into clustering begin.
March 15, 1986: Oracle goes public with revenues of $55 million USD.
August 1987: Oracle founds its Applications division, building business management software closely integrated with its database software. Oracle acquires TCI for its project management software.
1988: Oracle version 6 is released with support for row-level locking and hot backups. The PL/SQL procedural language was not embedded in the database (this was added in v7), but was included in various client tools (SQL*Forms, Reports)
1989: Oracle moves world headquarters to Redwood Shores, California. Revenues reach US$584 million
1990: In the third quarter, Oracle reports its first ever loss, hundreds of employees are laid off. Ellison hires Jeffrey O. Henley as CFO and Raymond Lane as COO.
June 1992: Oracle 7 released with performance enhancements, administrative utilities, application development tools, security features, stored procedures, triggers, support for declarative referential integrity and the PL/SQL procedural language embedded in the database
1993: Releases Oracle's Cooperative Development Environment (CDE) which bundles Oracle Forms, Reports, Graphics, Book
1994: Oracle acquired the database-product DEC Rdb (now called Oracle Rdb) from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and development is still going on. Oracle Rdb is only available on the OpenVMS platform (also a former product of DEC).
June 21, 1995: Oracle announces new data warehousing facilities, including parallel queries.
November 1995: Oracle is one of the first large software companies to announce an internet strategy when Ellison introduces the network computer concept at an IDC conference in Paris
April 1997: Oracle releases the first version of Discoverer, an ad-hoc query tool for business intelligence.
June 1997: Oracle 8 is released with SQL object technology, internet technology and support for terabytes of data
September 1997: Oracle announces its commitment to the Java platform, and introduces Oracle's Java integrated development environment, which will come to be known as Oracle JDeveloper.
January 1998: Oracle releases Oracle Applications 10.7 NCA. All the applications in the business software now run across the web in a standard web browser.
May 1998: Oracle Applications 11 is released.
April 1998: Oracle announces that it will integrate a Java virtual machine with the Oracle database.
September 1998: Oracle 8i is released.
October 1998: Oracle 8 and Oracle Application Server 4.0 are released on the Linux platform.
May 1999: Oracle releases JDeveloper 2.0, showcasing Business Components for Java (BC4J), a set of libraries and development tools for building database aware applications.
2000: OracleMobile subsidiary founded. Oracle 9i released.
May 2000: Oracle announces the Internet File System (iFS), later rebranded as Oracle Content Management SDK.
June 2000: Oracle9i Application Server released with support for building portals.
2001: Ellison announces that Oracle saved $1 billion implementing and using its own business applications
2004: Oracle 10g released.
December 13, 2004: After a long battle over the control of PeopleSoft, Oracle announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire PeopleSoft for $26.50 per share (approximately $10.3 billion).
January 14, 2005: Oracle announces that it will reduce its combined workforce to 50,000, a reduction of approximately 5,000 following the PeopleSoft take over. 90% of PeopleSoft product development and product support staff will be retained.
March, 2005: Oracle extends its Middle East operations by opening a regional office in Amman, Jordan.
October 25, 2006: Oracle announces Unbreakable Linux
November 2, 2006: Oracles announces that it has agreed to acquire Stellent, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEL), a global provider of enterprise content management (ECM) software solutions, through a cash tender offer for $13.50 per share, or approximately $440 million.
March 1, 2007: Oracle announced that it has agreed to buy Hyperion Solutions Corporation (Nasdaq: HYSL), a leading global provider of performance management software solutions, through a cash tender offer for $52.00 per share, or approximately $3.3 billion. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in April 2007.
March 22, 2007: Oracle filed a court case against its major competitor SAP AG in the Californian courts for malpractice and unfair competition. The full text of the filing can be found on the claimants web site under the heading newsroom.

Technology timeline

1979: Offers the first commercial SQL RDBMS.
1983: Offers a VAX-mode database.
1984: Offers the first database with read consistency.
1986: Offers a client-server DBMS.
1987: Introduces UNIX-based applications.
1988: Introduces PL/SQL.
1992: Offers full apps implementation methodology.
1995: Offers the first 64-bit RDBMS.
1996: Moves to an open standards-based, web-enabled architecture.
1999: Offers its first DBMS with XML support.
2001: Becomes the first to complete 3 terabyte TPC-H world record.
2002: Offers the first database to pass 15 industry standard security evaluations.
2003: Introduces what it calls "Enterprise Grid Computing" with Oracle10g.
2005: Releases its first free database, Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (XE).

RDBMS release timeline

1978: Oracle version 1
1980: Oracle version 2
1982: Oracle version 3
1984: Oracle version 4
1986: Oracle version 5
1989: Oracle version 6
1993: Oracle version 7
1997: Oracle version 8
1999: Oracle version 8i
2001: Oracle version 9i
2003: Oracle version 10g
2007: Oracle version 11g Beta (tentative)^{[citation needed]}

Oracle acquisitions

Made obvious with Peoplesoft in January 2005, Oracle has made acquisitions an important component of its growth strategy.

Company	Month/Year	Industry	Valuation
Darwin	June 1999	Darwin, Datamining technology	NA
Steltor	June 2002	Enterprise calendaring system	NA
Collaxa	June 2004	Business Process Management	NA
PeopleSoft	January 2005	Enterprise Software	$10.3 billion
Oblix	March 2005	Identity Management Solutions	NA
Retek	April 2005	Retail Industry Solutions	$630 million
TripleHop	June 2005	Context-sensitive Enterprise Search	.
TimesTen	June 2005	Real-time Enterprise Solutions	.
ProfitLogic	July 2005	Retail Industry Solutions	NA
Context Media	July 2005	Enterprise Content Integration	.
i-flex	August 2005	Banking Industry Solutions	$900 million
G-Log	September 2005	Logistics Hib Solutions	.
Innobase	October 2005	Discrete Transactional Open Source Database Technology	NA
Thor Technologies	November 2005	Enterprise-wide User Provisioning Solutions.	.
OctetString	November 2005	Virtual Directory Solutions	.
Temposoft	December 2005	Workforce Management Applications	.
360Commerce	January 2006	Retail Industry Solutions	.
Siebel Systems	January 2006	Customer Relationship Management Solutions	$5.85 billion
Sleepycat	February 2006	Open Source Database Software for Embedded Applications	NA
HotSip	February 2006	Communications Infrastructure Solutions	.
Portal Software	April 2006	Software Suite for Communications Industry	.
Net4Call	April 2006	Service Delivery Platform for Communications Industry	.
Demantra	June 2006	Demand-driven Planning Solutions	.
Telephony@Work	June 2006	IP-based Contact Center Technology	.
Sigma Dynamics	August 2006	Real-time Predictive Analytics Software	.
Sunopsis	October 2006	Enterprise Integration Software	.
MetaSolv Software	October 2006	Solutions for Communications Service Providers	$219 million
Stellent	November 2006	Content Management Solutions	$440 million
SPL WorldGroup	November 2006	Revenue and Operations Management Software	.
Hyperion Solutions	March 1, 2007	Enterprise Performance Management	$3.3 billion
AppForge (intellectual assets only)	April 2007	Cross-platform handheld development
Agile Software Corporation	May 2007	Product Life Cycle Management Software	495 million (cash)

Products and services

Technology products

Oracle Databases

As of 2004, Oracle Corporation shipped release 10g (g: grid) as the latest version of the Oracle Database. Oracle Application Server 10g using Java EE comprises the server part of that version of the database, making it possible to deploy web technology applications. The application server is the first middle-tier software designed for grid computing. The strong interrelationship between Oracle 10g and Java has enabled the company to allow developers to set up stored procedures written in the Java language, as well as those written in the traditional Oracle database programming language, PL/SQL.

Oracle Rdb is a relational database system running on OpenVMS platforms. Oracle acquired Rdb in 1994 from Digital Equipment Corporation. Oracle has since made many enhancements to this product and development continues today.

Main article: Oracle Database

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Main article: Oracle Fusion Middleware

Oracle Enterprise Manager

Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) used by database administrators (DBAs) to manage the DBMS, and recently in version 10g, a web-based rewrite of OEM called "Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control". Oracle Corporation has dubbed the super Enterprise Manager used to manage a grid of multiple DBMS and Application Servers as "Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control".

Main article: Oracle Enterprise Manager

Oracle Secure Enterprise Search

Oracle Collaboration Suite contains messaging, groupware and collaboration applications.

Oracle Corporation's tools for developing applications include Oracle Designer, Oracle Developer - that consists of Oracle Forms, Oracle Discoverer and Oracle Reports, Oracle JDeveloper, and several more. Many external and third-party tools make the Oracle database administrator's tasks easier.

Application products

Besides databases, Oracle also sells a suite of business applications. The Oracle eBusiness Suite includes software to perform financial (Oracle Financials), manufacturing, enterprise resource planning and HR (Human Resource Management Systems) related functions (Oracle HR). User access to these facilities is provided through a browser interface over the internet or corporate intranet.

Consequent to a number of high-value acquisitions beginning in 2003, especially in the Applications domain, Oracle currently maintains a number of Product Lines:

Oracle eBusiness Suite

Main article: Oracle eBusiness Suite

PeopleSoft Enterprise

Main article: PeopleSoft

Siebel

Main article: Siebel Systems

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne

Main article: J.D. Edwards

JD Edwards World

Development of applications commonly takes place in Java (using Oracle JDeveloper) or through PL/SQL (using, for example, Oracle Forms and Oracle Reports). Oracle Corporation has started a drive toward 'wizard'-driven environments with a view to enabling non-programmers to produce simple data-driven applications.

Services

Oracle Consulting
Oracle University
Oracle On Demand
Oracle Support
Oracle Financing

Competition

In 1990, Oracle laid off 10% (about 400 people) of its work force because of a mismatch between cash and revenues. This crisis, which almost resulted in Oracle's bankruptcy, came about because of Oracle's "up-front" marketing strategy, in which sales people urged potential customers to buy the largest possible amount of software all at once. The sales people then booked the value of future license sales in the current quarter, thereby increasing their bonuses. This became a problem when the future sales subsequently failed to materialize. Oracle eventually had to restate its earnings twice, and also to settle out of court class action lawsuits arising from its having overstated its earnings. Ellison would later say that Oracle had made "an incredible business mistake."

Although IBM dominated the mainframe relational database market with its DB2 and SQL/DS database products, it delayed entering the market for a relational database on UNIX and Windows operating systems. This left the door open for Sybase, Oracle, and Informix (and eventually Microsoft) to dominate mid-range and microcomputers.

Around this time, Oracle fell behind technically to Sybase. In 1990-1993, Sybase was the fastest growing database company and the database industry's darling vendor, but soon fell victim to its merger mania. Sybase's 1993 merger with PowerSoft resulted in its losing its focus on its core database technology. In 1993, Sybase sold the rights to its database software running under the Windows operating system to Microsoft Corporation, which now markets it under the name "SQL Server."

In 1994, Informix Software overtook Sybase and became Oracle's most important rival. The intense war between Informix CEO Phil White and Ellison was front page Silicon Valley news for three years. Ultimately, Oracle defeated Informix in 1997. In November of 2005, a book detailing the war between Oracle and Informix was published. "The Real Story of Informix Software and Phil White" provides a detailed chronology of the battle of Informix against Oracle, and how Informix Software's CEO Phil White landed in jail because of his obsession to overtake Ellison. Later in 1997, Ellison was made a director of Apple Computer after Steve Jobs came back to the company. Ellison resigned in 2002, saying that he did not have the time to attend necessary formal board meetings.

Once Informix and Sybase were defeated, Oracle enjoyed years of industry dominance until the rise of Microsoft's SQL Server in the late 90s and IBM's acquisition of Informix Software in 2000 to complement their DB2 database. Today Oracle's main competition for new database licenses on UNIX, Linux, and Windows operating systems is with IBM's DB2 and with Microsoft SQL Server (which only runs on Windows). IBM's DB2 still dominates the mainframe database market.

In 2004, Oracle's sales grew at a rate of 14.5% to $6.2 billion, giving it 41.3% and the top share of the relational-database market (InformationWeek - March, 2005), with market share estimated at up to 44.6% in 2005 by some sources [1]. Oracle's main competitors in the database arena are IBM DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server, and to a lesser extent Sybase and Teradata [2], with open-source databases such as PostgreSQL and MySQL also having a significant share of the market. EnterpriseDB, based on PostgreSQL, has recently made inroads[3] by proclaiming that their product delivers Oracle compatibility features at a much lower price point.

In the applications arena, their main competitor is SAP. On March 22, 2007 Oracle sued SAP, accusing them of fraud and unfair competition.^[2]

Oracle and SAP: Growing rivalry

Oracle Corporation and the German SAP AG have had a decade-long history of cooperation. This cooperation began in 1988, with the integration of SAP's R/3 enterprise application suite with Oracle's relational database products. Their products were considered to be complementary to one another, rather than substitutes. Despite the current SAP partnership with Microsoft, and the increasing integration of SAP applications with Microsoft products (such as SQL Server, a competitor to Oracle Database), Oracle and SAP continue their cooperation, and according to Oracle, the majority of SAP's customers uses Oracle databases.^[3]

In recent years, however, competition between Oracle and SAP has increased, and as a result, the rivalry between the two companies has grown, even developing into a feud between the co-founders of the two companies, where one party would frequently voice strong negative comments about the other company.

In 2004 Oracle began to increase its interest in the business of enterprise applications (in 1989, Oracle had already released Oracle Financials). A series of acquisitions began, the most notable being the acquisition of PeopleSoft and Siebel (and most currently, Hyperion).

SAP recognized that Oracle was becoming a competitor in a market where SAP had the leadership, and saw an opportunity to lure in customers from those companies that had been acquired by Oracle. It would offer those customers special discounts on the licenses for its enterprise applications (Safe Passage Program). Oracle would resort to a similar strategy, by advising SAP customers to get "OFF SAP" (a play on the words of the acronym for its middleware platform "Oracle Fusion for SAP"),^[4] and by also providing special discounts on licenses and services to SAP customers who chose Oracle.

Currently, Oracle and SAP are also competing in the third-party enterprise software maintenance and support market (the latter through its recently acquired subsidiary TomorrowNow). On March 22, Oracle filed a suit against SAP. The complaint alleged that TomorrowNow, which provides discount support for legacy Oracle product lines, used the accounts of former Oracle customers to systematically download patches and support documents from Oracle's website and appropriating them for SAP's use.[4] [5] Some ERP market analysts suggest the suit could be part of a strategy by Oracle to decrease competition by SAP in the third-party enterprise software maintenance and support market.[6][7]

Controversies

"Can't break it, can't break in"

Oracle markets many of its products using the slogan "Can't break it, can't break in", or "Unbreakable". This signifies the increasing demands on information safety. Oracle Corporation also stresses the reliability of networked databases and network access to databases as major selling points.

However, two weeks after its introduction in 2002, David Litchfield, Alexander Kornbrust, Cesar Cerrudo and others demonstrated a whole suite of successful attacks against Oracle products.^[5]^[6]. The slogan was widely criticized as unrealistic, and as an invitation to crackers. But Oracle chief security officer Mary Ann Davidson says the criticism is unfair. Rather than representing a literal claim that Oracle's products are impregnable, the campaign refers to fourteen independent security evaluations^[7] that Oracle's database server passed.

Relationship with John Ashcroft

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft sued Oracle in 2004 to prevent a contract acquisition. Then, in 2005, Oracle hired Ashcroft's recently created lobbying firm, The Ashcroft Group, LLC. Oracle, with Ashcroft's lobbying, then went on to acquire the contract, a multi-billion dollar intelligence application.^[8]

Headquarters

Oracle HQ, shown in Database-Symbol-Style Shape.

Oracle Corporation has its world headquarters on the San Francisco Peninsula in the Redwood Shores area of Redwood City, adjacent to Belmont, near San Carlos Airport (IATA airport code: SQL).

Oracle HQ stands on the former site of Marine World Africa USA, which moved from Redwood Shores to Vallejo in 1986. Oracle Corporation originally leased two buildings from the site, moving its finance and administration departments from the corporation's former headquarters in Davis Drive, Belmont, California. Eventually, Oracle purchased the complex and constructed a further four main buildings.

The Oracle Parkway buildings were prominently featured as the futuristic headquarters of fictional company "NorthAm Robotics" in the Robin Williams film Bicentennial Man (1999).^[9]

CRM

2007-05-31T22:37:00.001+08:00

What is CRM (customer relationship management)?
CRM (customer relationship management) is an information industry term for methodologies, software, and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that described relationships in sufficient detail so that management, salespeople, people providing service, and perhaps the customer directly could access information, match customer needs with product plans and offerings, remind customers of service requirements, know what other products a customer had purchased, and so forth.

According to one industry view, CRM consists of:

Helping an enterprise to enable its marketing departments to identify and target their best customers, manage marketing campaigns with clear goals and objectives, and generate quality leads for the sales team.
Assisting the organization to improve telesales, account, and sales management by optimizing information shared by multiple employees, and streamlining existing processes (for example, taking orders using mobile devices)
Allowing the formation of individualized relationships with customers, with the aim of improving customer satisfaction and maximizing profits; identifying the most profitable customers and providing them the highest level of service.
Providing employees with the information and processes necessary to know their customers, understand their needs, and effectively build relationships between the company, its customer base, and distribution partners.

Customer Relationship Management

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Aspects of CRM

There are three or more aspects of CRM, each of which can be implemented in isolation:

Operational CRM: The automation or support of customer processes involving sales or service representatives
Collaborative CRM: Direct communication with customers not involving sales or service representatives (“self service”)
Analytical CRM: The analysis of customer data for a broad range of purposes

Operational CRM

Operational CRM provides support to "front office" business processes / teams, including sales, marketing and service. Each interaction with a customer is generally added to a customer's contact history, and staff can retrieve and update information on customers from the database as necessary.

Data gathered on customers can be used to determine how a customer is handled. Data may include profitability, contact history and products purchased. Staff members are able to access this data when servicing customers or making a sales pitch.

Collaborative CRM

Collaborative CRM covers the direct interaction with customers. This can include a variety of channels, such as the Internet, whether through a website or e-mail, or automated telephone systems. It can generally be equated with “self service”. One of the latest trends in collaborative CRM is behavioral emarketing which is focused on building an ongoing relationship with customers through online mediums (emails, RSS Feeds, XML, Vlogs, Blogs, etc.).

The objectives of Collaborative CRM can be broad, including cost reduction and service improvements.

Analytical CRM

Analytical CRM analyzes customer data for a variety of purposes, including:

design and execution of targeted marketing campaigns to optimize marketing effectiveness
design and execution of specific customer campaigns, including customer acquisition, cross-selling, up-selling, retention
analysis of customer behavior to aid product and service decision making (e.g. pricing, new product development, etc)
management decisions, e.g. financial forecasting and customer profitability analysis
prediction of the probability of customer defection (churn).

Analytical CRM generally makes heavy use of Predictive analytics.

Technology considerations

The technology requirements of a CRM strategy can be very complex and far reaching. The basic building blocks include:

A database to store customer information. This can be a CRM specific database or an enterprise data warehouse.
Operational CRM requires customer agent support software.
Collaborative CRM requires customer interaction systems, eg an interactive website, automated phone systems etc.
Analytical CRM requires statistical analysis software, as well as software that manages any specific marketing campaigns.
Support CRM systems require interactive chat software to provide live help and support to web site visitors.

Privacy and Data Security

The data gathered as part of CRM must respect customer privacy and data security. Customers want the reassurance that their data will not be shared with third parties without their consent or accessed illegally by anyone.

Customers also want to benefit when their information is used by companies. For instance, an increase in unsolicited telemarketing calls is generally resented by customers while a small number of relevant offers is generally appreciated.

Customer relationship management software

Customer relationship management software is comprised of both business management and automation of the front-office divisions of an organization. CRM software is essentially meant to address the needs of Marketing, Sales and Distribution, and Customer Service and Support divisions within an organization and to allow the three to share data on prospects, customers, partners, competitors and employees. The purpose of CRM software is to manage the customer through the entire lifecycle, i.e. from prospect to qualified opportunity to order.

CRM software automates many of the needs of Marketing, Sales and Support users, such as Telephony, or the ability to conduct phone calls and manage call data, and tools to capture, share and manage automated alerts on lead data as it passes through the sales pipeline. CRM software provides a standard framework for pushing leads through a sales pipeline and managing it amongst many stakeholders in real time, in order to provide better customer relations and grow revenues by creating more sales, and losing fewer customers.

J W Marriott hotel Hong Kong Island Overview

2007-05-27T19:14:00.000+08:00

Pacific Place is a famous locality in Hong Kong dotted with some of the best shopping and dining options. The place is also well known for another reason- the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong. To call it only a hotel is less, it is the ultimate name that defines opulence and is considered as one of the best luxury hotels in Hong Kong. Their services surpass all in terms of quality and range and as such the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong enjoys the undivided loyalty of the business and leisure class travelers. Professionalism and perfection in all their departments has placed the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong on a high pedestal of popularity.

The J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong is ideally located atop the Pacific Place and thus all the 27 floors of the hotel comprising of the 577 rooms and 25 luxurious suites enjoy a breathtaking corner views of the Harbor. The rooms and suites replete with all the urban necessities of pleasure and soothing furnishings are cocoons of comfort. Other recreational amenities and facilities at the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong accounts for a well equipped health club, outdoor pool.

The dining facilities at the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong take you on an expedition and unravel the mysteries of Hong Kong’s culinary delights. The hotel treasures it’s six award wining restaurants with their varied menu and promises a great time dining at any one of them.

With the reputation of enjoying the Meeting’s and Conventions Magazine’s Gold Key Award for the past ten years, the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong has become a trusted name in the world of business. With their flawless services, the J W Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong promises you to turn all the business meetings and conferences into a grand success.

Island Shangri-la hotel Hong Kong Island Overview

2007-05-27T19:12:00.000+08:00

Island Shangri-la Hotel in Hong Kong is one of the well-known staying destinations for the tourists visiting the area. With 56 floors, Island Shangri-la Hotel offers spectacular view of the Victoria Harbor and leads you straight to Pacific Place, the most impressive shopping and entertainment complex in the island. With elaborate corporate facilities and luxurious services by the well-trained staff, this hotel today stands as a brand of hospitality. As soon as you land in Island Shangri-la Hotel in Hong Kong, you will be mesmerized by the sight of 700 Viennese chandeliers, Tai Ping carpets, artistic floral designs and numerous paintings and artworks. The display of a 16-story-high Chinese painting created by 40 artists from Beijing in the atrium, will grip your senses. This painting is claimed to be the largest landscape painting in the world.

In fact, while the lavishly designed rooms in Island Shangri-la Hotel in Hong Kong, will induce in you the mood of luxury, the internationally acclaimed restaurants dishing out Japanese, Cantonese, and French cuisine, will help you to have gala culinary adventures. You are bound to be impressed by the private lounge and an ancient library in the atrium. The central location of Island Shangri-la Hotel in Hong Kong also facilitates you access to the rest of the island.

Facilities of Island Shangri-la Hotel in Hong Kong

Accommodation: 565 guest rooms and suites

Dining: 5 restaurants

Heated pool in the outdoors

Health Club

Spa

Jacuzzi

Sauna and Steam bath

Complimentary tea and fruit for welcome.

Sheraton Cesme Hotel Resort & Spa

2007-05-26T15:59:00.000+08:00

The Spa

Combining traditional Middle Eastern treatments with European influences, the spa centre offers a staggering 41 à la carte treatments with an emphasis on anti-stress programmes. Popular anti-stress treatments include the Body Algae Wrap with seaweed paste, which is applied all over the body to nourish the body with vitamins and oligo elements.
The 2,400sq m spa centre, which is luxuriously decorated, provides guests with a truly comfortable atmosphere enhanced by soothing music and exotic plants.
For the ultimate in relaxation guests can enjoy a traditional Hammam soap massage in the Ottoman Turkish Bath, which is undoubtedly the highlight of the spa. Other features include the outdoor Thermal and Thalasso pools and the cosy treatment rooms.

Signature Treatments

Balneo Aromatherapy
Facial Special
Balneo Thalassobath
Alpha Spa
Facial Classic
Body Algae Treatment
Affusion Massage
Body Massage

About Sheraton Cesme Hotel, Resort & Spa

Please note the hotel will be closed for renovation from October 06 until 1st April 2007.

Cesme has a history dating back 3,000 years and is set on the most westerly tip of Turkey, surrounded on three sides by the Aegean Sea. Sheraton Cesme is located in Illica, just beside this idyllic town, famous for its natural thermal waters that have been curing people for generations. One of the most beautiful resorts in Turkey, Sheraton Cesme boasts 377 luxury rooms, 35 suites (most with stunning sea views) and three top-floor penthouses, each with its own swimming pool and large terrace. In addition it is the only international luxury hotel in Turkey with its own natural thermal spa.

Luxury Hotel Facilities

Sheraton Cesme offers the perfect location for a relaxing holiday with several first-class restaurants and the only luxury thermal spa in Turkey. The resort also boasts its own water sports centre and floodlit tennis courts, as well as children's facilities including a playground and a sports team during the summer months.
Other facilities include a cinema club, billiards, bowling, table tennis, valet and concierge services as well as a shopping arcade with several boutique-style shops.
Sheraton Cesme is the only international luxury hotel in Turkey with its own natural thermal spa, offering 41 treatments that combine traditional Middle Eastern treatments with European influences.

Room Options

Sheraton Cesme boasts 377 luxury rooms, 35 suites (most with stunning sea views) and three top-floor penthouses, each with its own swimming pool and large terrace.

Dining at Sheraton Cesme Hotel, Resort & Spa

Flavours from all the world blend in the kitchen of Sheraton Cesme: fusion specialities are offered at the rooftop Spices Restaurant, Mediterranean cuisine at the Olives Taverne and Terrace, international buffets at the Manzara Restaurant and seafood dishes at the fine dining restaurant on the beach, with magnificent views of the Aegean Sea.

Things to do in Cesme

Guests attending a conference or enjoying a summer break at the Sheraton Cesme will find a range of amenities to keep them entertained, including the onsite luxury thermal spa, with over 40 treatments combining traditional Middle Eastern therapies and European influences, and the private sandy beach.
Visitors with more time on their hands might like to try out some of the water sports available at the resort’s world-class centre, such as sailing, surfing and water-skiing.
Daily tours to Cesme city centre and to the nearby Greek island of Chios can be arranged. Groups can also book guided day tours to the world-famous Roman city of Ephesus, located 155 kilometres from the resort, or to Pamukkale’s natural chalk terraces with thermal water cascades.
Overnight trips to the ancient city of Troy are also possible.

Getting to Sheraton Cesme Hotel, Resort & Spa

Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport less than an hour away by car.

Contacts

For Hotel Bookings and Reservations:

UK: 0800 032 4254
US: 1888 222 8859
International: +1 972 894 1182

Sheraton Cesme Hotel, Resort & Spa

Sifne Caddies, 35 Ilica Cesme
Cesme, Ilica, Turkey

The Taj Mahal Hotel

2007-05-26T11:42:00.000+08:00



Hotel Information 272 rooms, 27 suites Hotel applies tax amount based on standard daily rate for corresponding room type and not discounted rate confirmed. Summer - April to September, Winter - October to March 24 kilometers from Indira Gandhi Airport Features Banquets Business Meetings Golf High-Speed Internet Access On-Site Fitness Center On-Site Pool Spa Cards Accepted American Express Diners Club MasterCard Visa	The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi is one of the most distinguished addresses in the national capital. It is located in the exclusive residential area of Lutyens’ Delhi, close to the seat of government and minutes away from the bustling city center.Graceful Mughal architecture blends aesthetically with modern facilities. The Taj Mahal Hotel,is a veritable showcase of artefacts of the Mughal era. The warm, pristine white lobby of The Taj is woven with intricate motifs, golden inlay work, niche’s from ‘Shahjahanabad’, the erstwhile mogul capital, all adding a sense of timelessness to the interiors. The art and design work are perfectly complimented with calm marble fountain streams reminiscent of those times. The hotel's most recent introduction has been the Grande Presidential Suite with hi-security, host to various Heads of State and CEO visits. The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi offers restaurants that are known as dining destinations of the capital. Machan-24-hour international eatery offering world cuisine. The House of Ming- Delhi’s original Cantonese and Sichuan restaurant. The Grill Room -Situated on the rooftop combines panoramic views of Lutyens’Delhi with the specialties of the French chef. "Haveli"- The Indian restaurant presents the rich heritage of north Indian cuisines. Ideal setting for a business lunch or dinner. Emperor’s Lounge -A lounge serving high tea and a selection of coffees. Ricks’ - The city's most eclectic lounge bar serving innovative cocktails and a novel wokkerie menu from the Orient. The hotel offers several options to unwind after that critical business meeting or a day out in the city. Tejas-the Wellness Spa at the hotel offers traditional Indian treatments, therapies and day packages based on Ayurveda and Aromatherapy. Indulge in specialty “Abhyangam” and “Shirodhara” treatments.Advance booking required. Fitness- An energizing session in the 24-hour gymnasium promises to refresh and tone the spirit. A dip in the pool or wet spa are other options.Golf or Tennis can be arranged on request. Salon-Choice of facials, hair styling and hand and foot treatment options. Arcade-‘Khazana’ for authentic Indian buys.Mont Blanc Showroom for leather items and accessories. Business center. Banquet and conference facilities. Club floors. Shopping arcade. Fully air-conditioned.

Hotel Information

272 rooms, 27 suites

Hotel applies tax amount based on standard daily rate for corresponding room type and not discounted rate confirmed.

Summer - April to September, Winter - October to March

24 kilometers from Indira Gandhi Airport

Features

Banquets
Business Meetings
Golf
High-Speed Internet Access
On-Site Fitness Center
On-Site Pool
Spa

Cards Accepted

American Express
Diners Club
MasterCard
Visa

The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi is one of the most distinguished addresses in the national capital. It is located in the exclusive residential area of Lutyens’ Delhi, close to the seat of government and minutes away from the bustling city center.Graceful Mughal architecture blends aesthetically with modern facilities. The Taj Mahal Hotel,is a veritable showcase of artefacts of the Mughal era. The warm, pristine white lobby of The Taj is woven with intricate motifs, golden inlay work, niche’s from ‘Shahjahanabad’, the erstwhile mogul capital, all adding a sense of timelessness to the interiors. The art and design work are perfectly complimented with calm marble fountain streams reminiscent of those times. The hotel's most recent introduction has been the Grande Presidential Suite with hi-security, host to various Heads of State and CEO visits.

The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi offers restaurants that are known as dining destinations of the capital. Machan-24-hour international eatery offering world cuisine. The House of Ming- Delhi’s original Cantonese and Sichuan restaurant. The Grill Room -Situated on the rooftop combines panoramic views of Lutyens’Delhi with the specialties of the French chef. "Haveli"- The Indian restaurant presents the rich heritage of north Indian cuisines. Ideal setting for a business lunch or dinner. Emperor’s Lounge -A lounge serving high tea and a selection of coffees. Ricks’ - The city's most eclectic lounge bar serving innovative cocktails and a novel wokkerie menu from the Orient.

The hotel offers several options to unwind after that critical business meeting or a day out in the city. Tejas-the Wellness Spa at the hotel offers traditional Indian treatments, therapies and day packages based on Ayurveda and Aromatherapy. Indulge in specialty “Abhyangam” and “Shirodhara” treatments.Advance booking required. Fitness- An energizing session in the 24-hour gymnasium promises to refresh and tone the spirit. A dip in the pool or wet spa are other options.Golf or Tennis can be arranged on request. Salon-Choice of facials, hair styling and hand and foot treatment options. Arcade-‘Khazana’ for authentic Indian buys.Mont Blanc Showroom for leather items and accessories.

Business center. Banquet and conference facilities. Club floors. Shopping arcade. Fully air-conditioned.

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok

2007-05-26T11:39:00.000+08:00

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok

Offering convenient facilities, the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok provides exquisite accommodation and gracious hospitality.

Location
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is strategically located in the corporate, diplomatic and shopping heart of Bangkok's bustling core.

Rooms
The hotel features 340 luxurious guestrooms, including suites and unique garden cabanas, equipped with a host of modern amenities.

Restaurant
The Madison is a tasteful, contemporary steak house, which is an addition to the hotel's dining options. Serving a diverse selection of innovative dishes, including fresh seafood, the steak house features an open kitchen, a charcoal grill and a private dining room for up to 16 people. In addition to this, it also provides a wide variety of fine wine and single-malt whiskey.

General
Traditional Thai architecture, intricate artwork, an impressively scaled lobby and glorious gardens further contribute to the hotel's beauty. Located on the mezzanine level in the Montathip Court, the business centre provides business support and services to ensure a productive stay and time best spent. Amongst other leisure facilities, the magnificent 25-metre outdoor swimming pool is a perfect place for you to relax and rejuvenate your body. In addition, the spa's traditional Thai architecture evokes spiritual tranquillity and a feeling of harmony with nature.

Room Facilities

•

Cable / Satellite TV

•

Hairdryer

•

In-room safe

•

Mini bar

•

Private bathroom / Ensuite

•

Radio

•

Refrigerator

•

Telephone

•

Voice mail

Hotel Facilities
•	Banquet facilities
•	Business centre
•	Cocktail bar
•	Conference facilities
•	Currency exchange
•	Disabled facilities
•	Faxing facilities
•	Gymnasium
•	Internet access
•	Jacuzzi / Whirlpool
•	Laundry facilities
•	Lounge
•	Parking facilities (at cost)
•	Photocopying facilities
•	Reception
•	Restaurant
•	Room service
•	Spa
•	Swimming pool

Hotel Address
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok
155 Rajadamri Road
Bangkok 10330
Thailand

Hotel Arts Barcelona

2007-05-21T23:41:00.001+08:00

For many visitors the Hotel Arts Barcelona is one of the most popular five Star Luxury Hotels in the city. Owned by the Ritz Carlton group (not to be confused with the Ritz hotel which is in another part of town) it offers modern and high quality accommodation in Barcelona.

The views from the four sides of The Arts Hotel

You will have one of three possible views from the hotel depending on which side of the hotel your room is situated.

The first is of Barceloneta beach if you are at the front or the left side of the hotel as you look at the hotel from the picture at the top of this page (Hotel Arts is the building on the left side in the picture above)

Click here to see a comprehensive photo guide of Barceloneta beach.

Or if your room is on the right hand side you will have a view of Port Olimpico marina. Click here for our photo guide of Port Olimpico

However if your room is at the back of the hotel you will have a view of Avenue Icaria - a road as shown in the photo below.

If you want to specify which view you can have when you book look for a hotel reservation company that specifies the view on the order form. One such firm is Spainbookers who also offer a price promise best rates guarantee. Spainbookers rates can be cheaper than the rates obtained by booking direct with the hotel itself. Lower rates are achieved because of bulk reservation deals that have been negotiated with the hotels. The best thing is to shop around and see if you can get a better rate - or even try to contact the hotel yourself for a price comparison. Click here for booking information on Hotel Arts Barcelona with Spainbookers

Hotel Arts Barcelona Location

Situated in the marina area of Port Olimpico the Hotel Arts is only a few minutes walk from the beach.

The hotel location, although in the city centre, is not in the very heart of the city centre. For many this is not a problem as the metro is only 5 mins walk away and you are only 4 stops (10 mins journey by metro) to Passeig de Gracia and the very centre of Barcelona. If you want to walk along the beach to the city centre you have about a 30 mins walk, or a 10 minute journey by taxi (Approximately 5 Euros)

Some people prefer their hotel to be situated only minutes walk away from where all the action is. If that is what you want you may need to consider another hotel closer to the Ramblas or Placa de Catalunya instead.

There are advantages to Hotel Arts Barcelona location apart from the beach and marina being close by. You will have a quiet room which means a peaceful night's sleep. Before I moved to Barcelona I came here on holiday at least once per year for the past 10 years ( I usually have 2 holidays per year so I always went somewhere else for the second break). As a result of those visits I stayed in hotels in many locations in Barcelona city centre. I can tell you that the very heart of the city centre is noisy - especially at night when the city comes alive. If you want to be guaranteed of a quiet night's sleep without noise from the street it's recommended you stay in a hotel outside of the very centre or at least away from busy roads. In which case the Arts hotel Barcelona is in a perfect location.

Many internet hotel reservation sites claim that city centre hotels are soundproofed however from my experience this is not always the case and you will have to take what they say with a pinch of salt. By choosing a hotel away from all the hustle and bustle you can be sure of a quiet night's sleep.

What Does Hotel Arts Barcelona Offer You?

If you are looking for style, beach location, and a guaranteed peaceful nights sleep Hotel Arts Barcelona is an excellent choice especially if you can afford the room rates! You will benefit from a modern hotel with rooms of a high standard. You can also be rest assured that the Barcelona Arts Hotel is worthy of its 5 star Luxury hotel rating - something that cannot be said about some other 5 star hotels in Barcelona.

If you are coming to Barcelona on a special occasion like a wedding anniversary or honeymoon then the Arts hotel is ideally located in one of the most romantic areas of Barcelona (after the Cathedral area -the top romance spot). You can walk along the sea front promenade at night with soft lights, palm trees, and the sound of the sea washing up on the sand.

In summary, if you choose to stay at the Hotel Arts you will benefit from a modern hotel worthy of the 5 Star luxury rating, in a quiet location of Barcelona near the beaches and marina area. Click here for booking information on Hotel Arts Barcelona

Click here to submit a review of a Barcelona hotel

Reviews of Other 5 Star Hotels in Barcelona

Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Barcelona based near the Port Vell area of Barcelona this hotel is ideally placed for easy access to the heart of Barcelona city centre and has great views of the marina area.

Claris Barcelona - based about 20 mins walk from Placa Catalunya and only 5 mins from Passeig de Gracia this hotel is in a great location. Hotel Claris is also host to the Stella restaurant which has become popular as a top restaurant in its own right.

Le Meridien based on the Ramblas you couldn't get more central a location in Barcelona.

Palace Hotel Barcelona, Spain The Palace Hotel is based only 10 mins walk to Placa Catalunya you will also be in an ideal location to explore the city.

Melia Barcelona based about 40 mins walk to Placa de Catalunya this 5 Star hotel is a little further out than the others however you do have a metro stop (hospital clinic see our Barcelona metro map) close by (10 mins walk) from the hotel.

Tenaya Lodge Yosemite

2007-05-21T23:23:00.000+08:00

Resort Overview

Size of Property	35 Forested Acres
Season	Tenaya Lodge is a year round resort with very distinct seasons that offer a mountain of outdoor recreation.
Price Range *	$129.00 ~ $700.00 Currency Converter
Accommodations	The elegant décor of Tenaya Lodge’s 244 guestrooms and suites offer an inviting retreat from a day spent exploring all Yosemite has to offer.
Location	Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is a classic mountain resort set two miles from Yosemite National Park’s southern gate, surrounded by noble evergreen forest and a rich range of Sierra recreation.
Meeting Facilities	The only full service conference facility in the Yosemite region, Tenaya Lodge offers nine conference rooms including a 6,000-square foot Grand Ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows and space for up to 500 people.
Recreation	Tours, Skiing, Hiking, Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, Fly Fishing, Boating, 4-Wheel Driving, Horseback Riding, Nature Walks and Geocaching
Additional Info	Tenaya Lodge surrounds guests with nature’s majesty, whether you’re exploring Yosemite or simply relaxing by the pool, you’ll have an incredible backdrop for all of your memories.

* Rates shown are in US Dollars. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice.

Description

A Resort for All Seasons

Tinsel at Tenaya Tops Yosemite's Winter Wonders
Sleigh bells in the snow, a High Sierra mountain lodge with roaring fireplaces, massive windows framing enchanted forest vistas - Tenaya Lodge knows how to ring in the holidays.

Tenaya Lodge features the largest Christmas Tree displayed in the Yosemite area, a 34-foot White Fir tree that is topped every year from neighboring forests under a program that helps thin groves that are overgrown. The tall Tannenbaum is replaced with a seedling from Tenaya Lodge's 35 acres.

Holiday activities at Tenaya Lodge feature festive Thanksgiving and Christmas day buffets, family portrait sessions in the hotel lobby, morning nature hikes and evening outdoor flashlight hikes, spa services, snowshoe, ice skate and cross country ski rentals. Located at an elevation of 5,288 feet, Tenaya Lodge is virtually assured of a "white Christmas", complemented by holiday sleigh rides, caroling in front of the hotel's majestic stone fireplace, holiday readings and live entertainment, a nightly visit from Santa (until the moment he reports for duty up north) and an expanded Camp Tenaya, the lodge's dedicated program for kids.

California's original ski area, Badger Pass has all the elements for a perfect ski getaway - the famous Sierra snowpack, an 8,000-foot summit, terrain that is ideal for beginners and families, superb ski school, and many bright blue-sky days to enjoy it all.

Located just inside Yosemite National Park, and minutes from Tenaya Lodge, Badger Pass offers nine groomed runs, miles of cross country ski trails and a separate area for snowboarding. Tenaya Lodge - the closest luxury hotel to Badger Pass -- sells lift passes and offers a shuttle to the ski area.

Those who prefer to enjoy the winter wonderland at their own pace can strap on a pair of superlight snowshoes and pad around the resort's 35 acres, go dashing through the snow in a two-horse open sleigh ride, or carve figure eights at Curry Village's outdoor skating rink in what may be the world's most dramatic setting for ice skating, with Half Dome and Glacier Point in full view.

Of course, there's always a good book enjoyed in front of a cozy fire or a dreamy massage and spa treatment to warm winter's chill.

Tenaya's Endless Spring
Yosemite National Park blossoms each spring with millions of wildflowers as the High Sierra snowpack melts, making Yosemite's falls thunder and quenching the Valley's thirst for color. Hundreds of species of wildflowers blossom in Yosemite's Sierra foothills, riverine canyons, forests and alpine meadows.

Spring is a superlative-filled season to experience the Yosemite region. As famed conservationist and naturalist John Muir wrote of the season:

Now is the birth-time of leaves; the pines are retassled, and the oaks are sprayed with young purple. Spring is fully committed. Ferns are a foot high, willows are letting fly drifts of ripe seeds. Balm of Gilead poplars, after weeks of caution, have launched their buds full of red and leaves of tender glossy yellow. Cherries, honeysuckles, violets, bluets, buttercups, larkspurs, gilias, are full of bloom of leaf and flower. Plant-odor fills the valley in light floating clouds and mists; it covers the ground and trees … The scents and sounds and forms of Yosemite spring-time are as exquisitely compounded as her colors. El Capitan is softened with a most graceful little stream that steals confidingly over his massive brow in a clear fall of more than a thousand feet.

Tenaya Lodge offers a front-row seat on Yosemite's glorious springtime theater of waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife as the Park wakes from its winter's nap. What's more, the elevation gradient of Tenaya Lodge's surrounding Sierra home reaches from 3,000 feet through 13,000 feet, effectively extending the wonders of the season from March through July and even into August at the higher elevations.

Fall Into Yosemite
Yosemite's autumn is a feast for the senses. Nature spices the air and sends the sun slanting through forests filled with leaves of striking hues. Cool evenings are scented by crackling cedar and pine logs in the fireplace. The summer crowds have departed, leaving behind clear Sierra vistas and the best weather of the year.

Yosemite National Park is incomparable: meadows turn flaxen, wildlife returns to the valley and the air is crisp and pure. Trees sport their vibrant fall colors, which go aglow with an occasional late-season's dusting of snow. Mountain bikes, horseback rides or your own all-terrain shoes can carry you to the heart of fall's foliage and the wilderness beauty surrounding Tenaya Lodge. Add a box lunch of fresh fruit, sandwich and soda, or go with the Tenaya Deluxe - grilled chicken, tortellini pasta, fresh baguette with brie and more - and you have an outing that will be savored today, and for years to come.

Tenaya Lodge's fall packages are favorites of travelers who recognize the High Sierra's autumnal allure. Offering a bounty of added values like Yosemite National Park passes and reduced rates for two-night minimum stays, these attractive packages are typically offered from Labor Day to just before Thanksgiving.

Travel & Industry Awards

AAA Four Diamond Award
Smart Meetings Platinum Choice Award
Meeting's West Best of the West Award

Affiliations

Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove CA
The Ahwahnee, Yosemite National Park CA
Wuksachi Lodge, Sequoia National Park CA
Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa, Vancouver Canada
The Balsams, New Hampshire
Yellowstone General Stores, Montana
Old Town San Diego, California
Niagara Falls, New York
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio
Delaware North Companies, New York

Payments Accepted

American Express
Discover

MasterCard
Traveler's Checks

Visa
Personal Checks

Reservation Policy

Deposit - All reservations require payment of the first night rate as a deposit. Some packages and special events require full payment at the time you make your reservations. Daily rates do not include applicable state and county taxes for charges for any other services. Special Requests - Special requests, when allowed in Tenaya's sole discretion, are noted and maintained in the reservation system; however, they cannot guarantee any specific rooms or locations you request.

Third Party Reservations/Credit Card User - If you are making reservations on behalf of another person ("credit card holder"), you make the following representations and warranties and further agree to comply with the terms and conditions stated below:

(1) You have obtained legal authorization from the credit card holder to make reservations on behalf of the credit card holder, to pay all advanced deposit charge(s) using the credit card holder's credit card and agree to the terms and conditions on the credit card holder's behalf and thereby bind credit card holder to Tenaya's terms and conditions;

(2) The Guest Information you have provided above, e.g., name, phone number, and address, is that of the credit card holder;

(3) You have advised the credit card holder that Tenaya does not impose any third party booking charges and will accept reservations directly from the credit card holder; and

(4) You will inform the credit card holder of all Terms and Conditions, and provide the credit card holder with reservation confirmation(s) and any other information or correspondence pertaining to the credit card holder's reservations.

Group Reservation Policies
If you are booking a group reservation the following policies apply to you reservation:

All individual guest rooms must be canceled 7 days or more prior to arrival to receive a full refund. Cancellation within the 7-day period will result in forfeiture of your deposit.

All reductions to a guest’s length of stay must be received 48 hours or more prior to arrival. If a reduction in room nights is made within 48 hours of arrival, the guest will be required to pay for the length of stay.

No shows will be charged the contracted nightly rate for each night the room is not occupied by the individual, up to and including the entire length of stay.

Early departures and/or late arrivals will be charged the contracted nightly rate for each night the reserved room is not occupied by the individual, up to and including the entire length of stay.

Cancellation Policy

Requests for cancellation or changes may be made by calling the Central Reservation Office. Tenaya must receive requests for cancellation of your reservations at least seven (7) days prior to your scheduled arrival date for a refund of your deposit. All reductions to a guest’s length of stay must be received 48 hours or more prior to arrival.

If a reduction in room nights is made within 48 hours of arrival, you will be required to pay for the original length of stay. No shows and early departures will be charged the contracted nightly rate for each night the reserved room is not occupied by the individual, up to and including the entire length of stay. Tenaya strictly enforces this cancellation/change policy and does not allow any exceptions.

Descubre los 5 mejores hoteles del mundo

2007-05-21T23:00:00.000+08:00

Una vez en la vida merece la pena ‘tirar la casa por la ventana’. Nuestra propuesta es alojarte en alguno de los hoteles que te presentamos. Están calificados como los mejores del mundo, y no es para menos: lujo en esencia pura, arquitectura de vanguardia, ubicaciones de película, glamour a raudales... Déjate tentar.

Existen hoteles en el mundo que superan todos los conceptos de lujo, elegancia y placer imaginables, donde todo está pensado para que te sientas como un auténtico rey. Donde todo lo que te rodea es espectacular y único. Donde la arquitectura alcanza el grado de arte. Donde el entorno es absolutamente paradisíaco. Donde la gastronomía está a la altura de los dioses. Donde la tecnología supera la ciencia ficción. Donde encontrar todos los servicios que puedas imaginar para cuidar tu cuerpo y tu mente.

Entre la clientela de estos hoteles de súper lujo se encuentra la gente más rica, guapa, famosa e importante del planeta. Por supuesto, los precios están a la altura de lo que ofrecen, pero estamos seguros de que la experiencia merecerá la pena. La revista Travel & Leisure publica cada año su ránking de “los mejores hoteles del mundo”, repartidos por los cuatro principales continentes, y basándose en el criterio de ‘mejor calidad/precio’. El precio por noche en uno de estos hoteles de lujo varía en función del tipo de habitación: desde los 400 euros hasta casi los 4.500 €.

En los diez años en los que se ha elaborado la clasificación de los 100 mejores hoteles del mundo, hay ocho que han aparecido en todas sus ediciones: Four Seasons Resort Bali (en Jimbaran Bay), The Oriental (Bangkok), Halekulani (Honolulu), The Peninsula (Hong Kong), Four Seasons Resort Maui (Wailea), Ritz-Carlton (Cancún), Ritz-Carlton (Chicago) y Inn at Spanish Bay (California).

A la espera de que finalice el año 2006, estos son los cinco mejores hoteles de 2005 según Travel & Leisure.

1. Four Seansons Resorts Sayan
Es el número uno en Bali y siempre está entre los primeros puestos de las listas de los mejores hoteles del mundo. Y con todo el merecimiento. Este Four Seasons es un paraíso hecho realidad. Integrado en plena naturaleza y construido a orillas del río Ayung, este resort parece estar suspendido en el aire y convive en perfecta armonía en un entorno mágico. Las playas que lo rodean son las más apreciadas por los ‘surferos’ de medio mundo. El arquitecto británico que lo construyó, John Heah, trataba de jugar con la yuxtaposición de la naturaleza y los materiales hechos a mano para lograr que el edificio se disipara en el paisaje, que la magia del lugar quedara integrada en el entorno. En este hotel todo es sorprendente y especial: bajo el estanque de lotos se puede dar una clase de yoga o disfrutar de una romántica cena; en el maravilloso Jati Bar, frente a la selva y al sagrado río Ayung, podrás tomarte un cóctel mientras ves el atardecer más increíble de tu vida... La propia isla de Bali, con su encantadora gente, completa los encantos de este espectacular hotel incrustado en la montaña. El hotel cuenta con suites y villas privadas con piscina, con todas las comodidades del mundo: bañeras inmensas donde relajarte, porches adornados con cestas de fruta fresca, piscinas en varias alturas, últimas tecnologías… El personal del resort se desvive para hacer que la estancia de los clientes sea absolutamente feliz. La gastronomía del hotel es tan deliciosa como sus vistas y en los alrededores puedes hacer todo tipo de deportes acuáticos y terrestres.
-No te pierdas... Su spa, considerado uno de los mejores del mundo, donde las tradiciones del país se suman a los tratamientos de belleza más avanzados.
-Precio. La suite cuesta unos 380 euros por noche; la villa de una habitación 485 €, y la Royal villa, con tres habitaciones, 2.535 euros.
-Contacto. Sayan, Ubud, Gianyar 80571 Bali, Indonesia Tel. 62 (361) 977577. www.fourseasons.com

2. Singita Private Game Reserve
Este impresionante hotel colonial se encuentra en una impresionante reserva animal de 18.000 hectáreas. Junto al río Sand, este complejo, que parece sacado de una película, cuenta con 18 espléndidos apartamentos equipados con piscina individual que te servirán de descanso mientras disfrutas de un safari. De día o de noche, montado en un Land Rover descapotable, podrás observar leones, leopardos, rinocerontes, elefantes, búfalos y guepardos. En este espectacular resort te tratarán como en casa y podrás disfrutar de una cocina excelente, regada con los magníficos vinos sudafricanos. El hotel comprende cinco alojamientos distintos: Ebony Lodge (ejemplifica el safari tradicional y el lujo colonial), Boulders Lodge (el mayor refinamiento africano), Lebombo Lodge (un espacio lleno de luz y agua para descansar y meditar), Sweni Lodge (original decoración llena de color y diseño), Castleton Camp (una de las casas de la famlia Bailly, propietarios del hotel, perfecta para grupos).
-No te pierdas... Su piscina exterior, su hamman, su zona de fitness y actividades como la pesca o el tiro con arco.
-Precio. Entre 1.240 y 1.430 € la noche.
-Dónde. Claremont 7735. Sudáfrica. Tel. + 27 (0)21 683 3424. www.singita.com.

3. Oberoi Rajvilas
A 8 km del centro de la vibrante Jaipur se encuentra este oasis de lujo y refinamiento oriental. Sacado de ‘Las Mil y una Noches’, este hotel tiene habitaciones y villas, todas cuidadas hasta el último detalle. También dispone de un restaurante con cocina local, asiática y continental, piscina central, jacuzzis y spa. Las habitaciones son de tres clases: de lujo, agrupadas de cuatro en cuatro alrededor de un patio con una fuente, cada una de unos 42 m2; tiendas de campaña de lujo de unos 45 m2; y dos villas, cada una ellas de unos 355 m2, con aire acondicionado y jardín privado. Este oasis está rodeado de 32 acres de impresionantes jardines que te harán revivir los tiempos de las legendarias princesas del Rajastan. Las habitaciones, las tiendas de lujo y las villas con piscina privada se distribuyen en patios privados con una decoración exquisita.
-No te pierdas... El spa Oberoi Sa by Bnyan Tee, una experiencia de relajación total que combina las técnicas de la India de la época de los Marajás con los más modernos tratamientos de belleza y spa. No te vayas sin probar una sesión de yoga en el recinto de un antiguo templo de Shiva.
-Precio. Entre 600 y 3.000 € la noche.
-Dónde. Goner Road, 303012. Tel. (+91-141) 268 0101. Jaipur. India.

4. Four Seasons Resort Chiang May
Este increíble hotel, ubicado en el valle Mae Sa, es uno de los más elegantes de toda Tailandia. Entre montañas y bosques, en un antiguo poblado tailandés, cuenta con spa y ofrece a sus clientes originales actividades, como clases de cocina tailandesa o jardinería. Está decorado al estilo tailandés, con madera de teka y hermosas telas, pero con todas las comodidades y últimas tecnologías. El trato es absolutamente cálido y amable, para hacer que cada visitante se sienta especial. Las habitaciones se encuentran repartidas en 24 acres de terreno, construidas en madera, muy amplias y con terraza privada. También puedes alojarte en una de sus 16 magníficas residencias. Espectaculares jardines tropicales rodean el hotel. Todo está pensado para proporcionar comodidad y relajación. La cocina te ofrece platos de la gastronomía tradicional e internacional. Las puestas de sol en la Barra del Elefante son tan espectaculares como los baños en su increíble piscina al borde del valle de Mae.
-No te pierdas... Los tratamientos relajantes del spa Calet Tree-Storey Palatial, diseñado al estilo antiguo de los tradicionales templos tailandeses norteños. Te encantarán los masajes con tu pareja en las ‘camas tropicales’.
-Precio. Entre 465 y 1.100 € la noche.
-Dónde. Mae Rim, Samoeng Old Road, Chiang Mai 50180. Tailandia. www.fourseasons.com.

5. Château Les Craayères
Este castillo medieval, ubicado en el centro de Reims, fue en su día propiedad de la conocida aristócrata Madame Pommery y aún conserva el espíritu de la región de Champaña. Los jardines que lo rodean deslumbran por su cuidadísimo aspecto y sus caminos de piedra que serpentean entre los árboles que plantó hace años la mismísima Madame Pommery. Dentro del hotel, las paredes del hall han sido decoradas con retratos de época. Los dormitorios también están decorados al estilo francés de principios del s XX. El salón destaca por su altísimo techo y sus imponentes candelabros, mientras que el comedor es una obra maestra de finales del siglo pasado, con querubines, tapices y destellos dorados. Al frente del restaurante se encuentra Gérard Boyer, que ha recibido tres estrellas de la Guía Michelín, y convierte cada comida en un acto absolutamente delicioso. Durante el verano la cena se sirve en el jardín del castillo. El trato es absolutamente cálido y personal.
-No te pierdas... El espectacular champán, foie y hongos de la zona, que siempre encontrarás en la carta del restaurante. No te pierdas la visita guiada y gratuita, con cata incluida, por los viñedos Pommery.
-Precio. Entre 340 y 600 € la noche.
-Dónde. 64, Boulevard Henry Vasnier. Tel. +33 3 69 20 45 66. Reims, Champagne, Francia. www.lescrayeres.com.

Burj al Arab: el único con 7 estrellas
Este famoso hotel árabe, construido en una isla artificial, es el único del mundo que ostenta el mérito de ser considerado un ‘siete estrellas’. Como sacado de una versión moderna de ‘las mil y una noches’, este resort encarna el máximo concepto de lujo asiático. Las tradiciones árabes y la hospitalidad más exquisita son pilares en el Burj al Arab, tan conocido en Dubai como la Torre Eiffel en París. Situado a 17 kilómetros al sur de Dubai, no sólo es el hotel más lujoso del mundo sino también el más alto: 321 metros en forma de vela, con unas vistas únicas sobre el desierto. Su propietario es el jeque de Dubai, uno de los hombres más ricos del mundo. 202 suites con todas las comodidades imaginables y más grandes que una casa: jacuzzis, salas de cine, ascensor privado, 27 líneas de teléfono, cinco personas a tu servicio... Los clientes pueden elegir entre siete restaurantes de lujo, uno de ellos submarino y otro que parece estar suspendido en el aire. Mármol y hojas de oro en la decoración.
-¿Cuánto cuesta? Una semana en este moderno ‘harén’ te costará más de 10.500 €. www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com

Windows Vista Ultimate

2007-05-08T19:05:00.000+08:00

Fondo para Windows Vista Ultimate

Mesothelioma

2007-04-06T15:12:00.000+08:00

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

chest wall pain
pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
shortness of breath
fatigue or anemia
wheezing, hoarseness, or cough

blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up

In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:

abdominal pain
ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
a mass in the abdomen
problems with bowel function
weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
low blood sugar level
pleural effusion
pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
severe ascites

A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid this is done by a pleural tap or chest drain, in ascites with an paracentesis or ascitic drain and in a pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure).

If cytology is positive or a plaque is regarded as suspicious, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples.

If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.

**Typical immunohistochemistry results**
Positive	Negative
EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) in a membranous distribution	CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen)
WT1 (Wilms' tumour 1)	B72.3
Calretinin	MOC-3 1
Mesothelin-1	CD15
Cytokeratin 5/6	Ber-EP4
HBME-1 (human mesothelial cell 1)	TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor-1)

Screening

There is no universally agreed protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that the serum osteopontin level might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis and it has been suggested that it may be useful for screening.

Staging

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor may need to assess the stage to help plan treatment.

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

Pathophysiology

The mesothelium consists of a single layer of flattened to cuboidal cells forming the epithelial lining of the serous cavities of the body including the peritoneal, pericardial and pleural cavities. Deposition of asbestos fibres in the parenchyma of the lung may result in the penetration of the visceral pleura from where the fibre can then be carried to the pleural surface, thus leading to the development of malignant mesothelial plaques. The processes leading to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma remain unresolved, although it has been proposed that asbestos fibres from the lung are transported to the abdomen and associated organs via the lymphatic system. Additionally, asbestos fibres may be deposited in the gut after ingestion of sputum contaminated with asbestos fibres.

Pleural contamination with asbestos or other mineral fibres has been shown to cause cancer. Long thin asbestos fibers (blue asbestos, amphibole fibers) are more potent carcinogens than "feathery fibers" (chrysotile or white asbestos fibers). However, there is now evidence that smaller particles may be more dangerous than the larger fibers. They remain suspended in the air where they can be inhaled, and may penetrate more easily and deeper into the lungs. "We probably will find out a lot more about the health aspects of asbestos from the World Trade Center attack], unfortunately," said Dr. Alan Fein, chief of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. Dr. Fein has treated several patients for "World Trade Center syndrome" or respiratory ailments from brief exposures of only a day or two near the collapsed buildings.

Mesothelioma development in rats has been demonstrated following intra-pleural inoculation of phosphorylated chrysotile fibres. It has been suggested that in humans, transport of fibres to the pleura is critical to the pathogenesis of mesothelioma. This is supported by the observed recruitment of significant numbers of macrophages and other cells of the immune system to localised lesions of accumulated asbestos fibres in the pleural and peritoneal cavities of rats. These lesions continued to attract and accumulate macrophages as the disease progressed, and cellular changes within the lesion culminated in a morphologically malignant tumour.

Experimental evidence suggests that asbestos acts as a complete carcinogen with the development of mesothelioma occurring in sequential stages of initiation and promotion. The molecular mechanisms underlying the malignant transformation of normal mesothelial cells by asbestos fibres remain unclear despite the demonstration of its oncogenic capabilities. However, complete in vitro transformation of normal human mesothelial cells to malignant phenotype following exposure to asbestos fibres has not yet been achieved. In general, asbestos fibres are thought to act through direct physical interactions with the cells of the mesothelium in conjunction with indirect effects following interaction with inflammatory cells such as macrophages.

Analysis of the interactions between asbestos fibres and DNA has shown that phagocytosed fibres are able to make contact with chromosomes, often adhering to the chromatin fibres or becoming entangled within the chromosome. This contact between the asbestos fibre and the chromosomes or structural proteins of the spindle apparatus can induce complex abnormalities. The most common abnormality is monosomy of chromosome 22. Other frequent abnormalities include structural rearrangement of 1p, 3p, 9p and 6q chromosome arms.

Common gene abnormalities in mesothelioma cell lines include deletion of the tumor suppressor genes:

Neurofibromatosis type 2 at 22q12
P16^INK4A
P14^ARF

Asbestos has also been shown to mediate the entry of foreign DNA into target cells. Incorporation of this foreign DNA may lead to mutations and oncogenesis by several possible mechanisms:

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes
Activation of oncogenes
Activation of proto-oncogenes due to incorporation of foreign DNA containing a promoter region
Activation of DNA repair enzymes, which may be prone to error
Activation of telomerase
Prevention of apoptosis

Asbestos fibres have been shown to alter the function and secretory properties of macrophages, ultimately creating conditions which favour the development of mesothelioma. Following asbestos phagocytosis, macrophages generate increased amounts of hydroxyl radicals, which are normal by-products of cellular anaerobic metabolism. However, these free radicals are also known clastogenic and membrane-active agents thought to promote asbestos carcinogenicity. These oxidants can participate in the oncogenic process by directly and indirectly interacting with DNA, modifying membrane-associated cellular events, including oncogene activation and perturbation of cellular antioxidant defences.

Asbestos also may possess immunosuppressive properties. For example, chrysotile fibres have been shown to depress the in vitro proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes, suppress natural killer cell lysis and significantly reduce lymphokine-activated killer cell viability and recovery. Furthermore, genetic alterations in asbestos-activated macrophages may result in the release of potent mesothelial cell mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) which in turn, may induce the chronic stimulation and proliferation of mesothelial cells after injury by asbestos fibres.

Epidemiology

Incidence

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. The incidence is approximately one per 1,000,000. For comparison, populations with high levels of smoking can have a lung cancer incidence of over 1,000 per 1,000,000. Incidence of malignant mesothelioma currently ranges from about 7 to 40 per 1,000,000 in industrialized Western nations, depending on the amount of asbestos exposure of the populations during the past several decades. It has been estimated that incidence may have peaked at 15 per 1,000,000 in the United States in 2004. Incidence is expected to continue increasing in other parts of the world. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Approximately one fifth to one third of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal.

Between 1940 and 1979, approximately 27.5 million people were occupationally exposed to asbestos in the United States . Between 1973 and 1984, there has been a threefold increase in the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma in Caucasian males. From 1980 to the late 1990s, the death rate from mesothelioma in the USA increased from 2,000 per year to 3,000, with men four times more likely to acquire it than women. These rates may not be accurate, since it is possible that many cases of mesothelioma are misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is difficult to differentiate from mesothelioma.

Risk factors

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure exists in almost all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the airways (lung cancer, bronchial carcinoma). The Kent brand of cigarettes used asbestos in its filters for the first few years of production in the 1950s and some cases of mesothelioma have resulted. Smoking modern cigarettes does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.

Some studies suggest that simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma.

Exposure

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not publicly known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace, and created guidelines for engineering controls and respirators, protective clothing, exposure monitoring, hygiene facilities and practices, warning signs, labeling, recordkeeping, and medical exams. By contrast, the British Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states formally that any threshold for mesothelioma must be at a very low level and it is widely agreed that if any such threshold does exist at all, then it cannot currently be quantified. For practical purposes, therefore, HSE does not assume that any such threshold exists. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.

Exposure to asbestos fibres has been recognised as an occupational health hazard since the early 1900s. Several epidemiological studies have associated exposure to asbestos with the development of lesions such as asbestos bodies in the sputum, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, carcinoma of the lung and larynx, gastrointestinal tumours, and diffuse mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum.

The documented presence of asbestos fibres in water supplies and food products has fostered concerns about the possible impact of long-term and, as yet, unknown exposure of the general population to these fibres. Although many authorities consider brief or transient exposure to asbestos fibres as inconsequential and an unlikely risk factor, some epidemiologists claim that there is no risk threshold. Cases of mesothelioma have been found in people whose only exposure was breathing the air through ventilation systems. Other cases had very minimal (3 months or less) direct exposure.

Commercial asbestos mining at Wittenoom, Western Australia, occurred between 1945 and 1966. A cohort study of miners employed at the mine reported that while no deaths occurred within the first 10 years after crocidolite exposure, 85 deaths attributable to mesothelioma had occurred by 1985. By 1994, 539 reported deaths due to mesothelioma had been reported in Western Australia.

Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibres, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.

Treatment

Treatment of MM using conventional therapies has not proved successful and patients have a median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentation. The clinical behaviour of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity which favours local metastasis via exfoliated cells, invasion to underlying tissue and other organs within the pleural cavity, and the extremely long latency period between asbestos exposure and development of the disease.

Surgery

Surgery, either by itself or used in combination with pre- and post-operative adjuvant therapies has proved disappointing with a 5 year survival rate of less than 10%. A pleurectomy/decortication is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the chest is removed. Less common is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which the lung, lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed. It is not possible to remove the entire mesothelium without killing the patient.

Radiation

Although the tumor is highly resistant to radiotherapy, these regimens are sometimes used to relieve symptoms arising from tumor growth, such as obstruction of a major blood vessel.

Radiotherapy is commonly applied to the sites of chest drain insertion, in order to prevent growth of the tumor along the track in the chest wall.

Chemotherapy

In February 2004, the Food and Drug Administration approved pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Pemetrexed is given in combination with cisplatin. Folic acid is also used to reduce the side-effects of pemetrexed.

Immunotherapy

Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. For example, intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in an attempt to boost the immune response, was found to be of no benefit to the patient (while it may benefit patients with bladder cancer). Mesothelioma cells proved susceptible to in vitro lysis by LAK cells following activation by interleukin-2 (IL-2), but patients undergoing this particular therapy experienced major side effects. Indeed, this trial was suspended in view of the unacceptably high levels of IL-2 toxicity and the severity of side effects such as fever and cachexia. Nonetheless, other trials involving interferon alpha have proved more encouraging with 20% of patients experiencing a greater than 50% reduction in tumor mass combined with minimal side effects.

Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

A procedure known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was developed by Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Institute. The surgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible followed by the direct administration of a chemotherapy agent, heated to between 40 and 48°C, in the abdomen. The fluid is perfused for 60 to 120 minutes and then drained.

This technique permits the administration of high concentrations of selected drugs into the abdominal and pelvic surfaces. Heating the chemotherapy treatment increases the penetration of the drugs into tissues. Also, heating itself damages the malignant cells more than the normal cells.

Prevention & Expectations

What can be done to prevent the disease? Since the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have regulated the asbestos industry in the U.S. In the past, asbestos was used as a fire retardant and an insulator. Other products are now used in its place. The controversy involving exposure to different forms of asbestos continues.

There are two major types of asbestos: chrysotile and amphibole. It is thought that exposure to the amphibole form is more likely to cause mesothelioma. However, chrysotile has been used more frequently, hence many mesotheliomas are caused by chrysotile.

Removal is taking place in schools and other public buildings throughout the U.S. The hope is that these measures will greatly reduce the occurrence of this cancer.

What are the long-term effects of the disease? A mesothelioma is a highly aggressive tumor that is generally deadly. Current treatment of malignant mesothelioma is designed to make the person with cancer comfortable. Although long-term survival cannot usually be expected, the case of famed paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould is a noted example.

What are the risks to others? Mesothelioma is not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another. The exposure to the asbestos that caused the cancer occurred many years to several decades before the disease appeared. People who live with asbestos workers have a higher risk of getting this cancer.

Notable people with mesothelioma

Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients. Australian anti-racism activist Bob Bellear died in 2005. British science fiction writer Michael G. Coney, responsible for nearly 100 works died in 2005. American film and television actor Paul Gleason, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Principal Richard Vernon in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, died in 2006. Mickie Most, an English record producer, died of mesothelioma in 2003. Paul Rudolph, an American architect known for his cubist building designs, died in 1997.

Steve McQueen was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma on December 22, 1979. He was not offered surgery or chemotherapy because doctors felt the cancer was too advanced. McQueen sought alternative treatments from clinics in Mexico. He died of a heart attack on November 7, 1980, in Juárez, Mexico, following cancer surgery. He may have been exposed to asbestos while serving with the US Marines as a young adult -- asbestos was then commonly used to insulate ships' piping -- or because of its use as an insulating material in car racing suits.

United States Congressman Bruce Vento died of mesothelioma in 2000. The Bruce Vento Hopebuilder is awarded yearly by his wife at the MARF symposium to persons or organizations who have done the most to support mesothelioma research and advocacy.

After a long period of untreated illness and pain, rock and roll musician and songwriter Warren Zevon was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma in the fall of 2002. Refusing treatments he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon focused his energies on recording his final album The Wind including the song Keep me in your heart which speaks of his failing breath. Zevon died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2003.

Although life expectancy with this disease is typically limited, there are notable survivors. In July 1982, Stephen Jay Gould was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. After his diagnosis, Gould wrote the "The Median Isn't the Message," for Discover magazine, in which he argued that statistics such as median survival are just useful abstractions, not destiny. Gould lived for another twenty years eventually succumbing to metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung, not mesothelioma.

Author Paul Kraus was diagnosed in June 1997 with peritoneal mesothelioma. He declined surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, and later wrote about the various lifestyle changes and alternative modalities he has used to successfully manage his cancer.

Legal issues

Main article: asbestos and the law

The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers were in 1929. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against asbestos manufacturers and employers, for neglecting to implement safety measures after the links between asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma became known (some reports seem to place this as early as 1898). The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars. The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases, and government attempts at resolution of existing and future cases.

History

The first lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers was brought in 1929. The parties settled that lawsuit, and as part of the agreement, the attorneys agreed not to pursue further cases. It was not until 1960 that an article published by Wagner et al first officially established mesothelioma as a disease arising from exposure to crocidolite asbestos. The article referred to over 30 case studies of people who had suffered from mesothelioma in South Africa. Some exposures were transient and some were mine workers. In 1962 McNulty reported the first diagnosed case of malignant mesothelioma in an Australian asbestos worker. The worker had worked in the mill at the asbestos mine in Wittenoom from 1948 to 1950.

In the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds. In 1965 an article in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine established that people who lived in the neighbourhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not work in them, had contracted mesothelioma.

Despite proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling causes asbestos related disease, mining began at Wittenoom in 1943 and continued until 1966. In 1974 the first public warnings of the dangers of blue asbestos were published in a cover story called "Is this Killer in Your Home?" in Australia's Bulletin magazine. In 1978 the Western Australian Government decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom, following the publication of a Health Dept. booklet, "The Health Hazard at Wittenoom", containing the results of air sampling and an appraisal of worldwide medical information.

By 1979 the first writs for negligence related to Wittenoom were issued against CSR and its subsidiary ABA, and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims.

Latest Research

1). Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2006 Jan;29(1):14-9. Epub 2005 Dec 15.

Multimodality approach in management of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Neragi-Miandoab S.

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA. sneragi@yahoo.com

2). Special Issue on mesothelioma: Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2005 Dec;19(6):

Several articles, e.g., Gene therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Antiangiogenic therapies for mesothelioma, An overview of chemotherapy for mesothelioma., Radiotherapy for mesothelioma, Multimodality treatments in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma: an update, Prognostic factors for mesothelioma. etc

Groundbreaking Mesothelioma Lawyers and Defendants

2007-04-02T22:11:00.001+08:00

Groundbreaking Mesothelioma Lawyers and Defendants

With dedicated attorneys and staff, lawyers have worked hard to ensure that clients receive high quality representation. The following are profiles of some well known mesothelioma lawyers that were instrumental in shaping mesothelioma litigation.

Fred Baron
Fred Baron, represented his first toxic tort client in the early 1970s. Then, he has built one of the largest toxic tort firms in the United States. Widely recognized as a trailblazer in the area of toxic tort law, one reporter noted,"[i]f the field of toxic torts were the frontier of the American West, Baron would have been driving the first wagon onto the plains." G. Taylor, "Outspoken Texan, Baron Establishes Toxic Tort Domain," Legal Times, Vol. VI, No. 25, at p. 10 (Nov. 21, 1983).

As a result of his work to protect the rights of victims of toxic substances, The National Law Journal has listed Fred as one of the "100 Most Influential Lawyers in the U.S." (The National Law Journal, June 8, 2000). He has been honored as a lawyer who helped shape Texas law during the 20th century in "Legal Legends: A Century of Texas Law and Lawyering" (Texas Lawyer commemorative publication, June 2000) and has been named one of Dallas' top lawyers by D Magazine (May 2001 and May 2005). The University of Texas School of Law has honored him by establishing the Frederick M. Baron Chair in Law, which is held by a senior professor of the law school engaged in original research on lawyering and the civil justice system.

A life-long advocate of the environment, the consumer, and working people, Fred Baron has served as lead attorney in complex tort cases involving MTBE and TCE water contamination, radiation contamination, community lead contamination, toxic waste, and pesticide exposure.

Fred Baron has also been credited for his efforts in defeating class action settlements whereby defendant corporations attempted to settle mass tort claims for a fraction of what individuals would otherwise be entitled to recover through the legal system. Fred has twice led successful battles to convince the United States Supreme Court to de-certify nationwide class action settlements involving the "future claims" of asbestos-related injuries, or claims that might someday be brought by people who develop asbestos-related illnesses in the future. As a result of the United States Supreme Court's opinions in Amchem Products v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591 (1997) and Ortiz v. Fibreboard Corp., 527 U.S. 815, 119 S.Ct. 2295, 144 L.Ed.2d 715 (1999), future victims of toxic injuries can no longer have their rights compromised by class action settlements in which they have no voice.

Lisa Blue, Ph.D.

Lisa Blue, a trial attorney and psychologist, has represented hundreds of victims of asbestos and other toxic substances since 1985. Her accomplishments in trial courts around the country earned her the honor of being named one of the top 50 women litigators in the U.S. by The National Law Journal (2002), and the honor of Trial Lawyer of the Year (1999) by the Texas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and recognition as one of Dallas' best lawyers by D Magazine (May 2001, May 2003, and May 2005.) Dallas Business Journal likewise named her one of hte top ten litigators in Dallas. She has also been named by Law & Politics Media as one of the top 100 lawyers in Texas, top 50 women lawyers, and top 100 lawyers in Dallas.

A licensed psychologist, Lisa is certified by the American Board of Forensic Psychology and the American Board of Professional Psychology. Well-known for her work in the area of jury selection, Ms. Blue has published a book and a number of articles on the issue as well as provided over 200 lectures on the topics of jury selection, trial psychology, and witness preparation through organizations such as the State Bar of Texas, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Trial Lawyers Associations of various states, and Harvard University.

Lisa Blue is a past president of the Dallas and Texas chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has served on the Board of Directors of Trial Lawyers for Public Justice and Public Citizen. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Dallas Bar Association. She has also served on the Executive Committee and as head of the Amicus Committee for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association; the Judiciary Task Force for the American Bar Association; the Texas Supreme Court Task Force on Judicial Reform; and as the Chair of the Dallas Bar Association CLE Committee. Lisa is a member of numerous other professional organizations, including American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists; American Psychological Association; Dallas Psychological Association; American Bar Association; Texas Psychological Association; and the American Thoracic Association. In addition, Lisa is very involved in supporting the work of Exodus Ministries, a non-profit organization which provides transitional housing and support services to ex-convicts and their families.

Prior to private practice in 1985, Lisa was an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas and prosecuted over 125 criminal cases to verdict. Lisa also maintains a small practice as a counseling and forensic psychologist and assists in selecting juries and preparing witnesses as part of her psychology practice. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys the study of French and Spanish.

Ronald L. Motley

Ronald L. Motley is a lawyer and founding member of Motley Rice, LLC, a Mount Pleasant, South Carolina law firm focusing on plaintiff's litigation involving asbestos, mesothelioma law, plane crashes, securities and consumer fraud.

Ronald Motley graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law, has over his three-decade career recovered significant compensation for his asbestos and mesothelioma clients. Mr. Motley was also involved in the tobacco litigation and was portrayed in the Insider by Bruce McGill in director Michael Mann's 1999 film which starred Russell Crowe.

Mr. Motley now represents over 6,500 survivors and their family members who where survivors of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mr. Motley is pursuing claims against the financier of the 9/11 terrorists.

Mr. Motley has received the Harry M. Philo Trial Lawyer of the Year by the 50,000-member of the American Association for Justice and received the President’s Award of the National Association of Attorneys General. In 1999, he received the Youth Advocates of the Year awared for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

In addition to trying some of the first asbestos and mesothelioma cases, Mr. Motley has published extensively on asbestos litigation. These include:

How to Handle an Asbestos Case," Chapter 21, A Guide to Toxic Torts, Matthew Bender Publication;

"Medicolegal Aspects of Asbestos-Related Diseases: A Plaintiff's Attorney's Perspective," Chapter 12, Pathology of Asbestos-Associated Diseases, Roggli, et al., eds., Little, Brown and Co., 1992

"Decades of Deception: Secrets of Lead, Asbestos and Tobacco," TRIAL Magazine, October 1999.

He has been dubbed the man who took on Manville. The National Law Journal has ranked Mr. Motley as one of the most influential lawyers in America.

Richard Scruggs

Richard "Dick" Scruggs is a well known lawyer in Mississippi. He has represented individuals diagnosed with asbestos related cancers and mesothelioma since 1980. Due to the Firm's success in representing those with asbestos related injuries, the Attorneys General of the State of Mississippi and Louisiana retained the Firm in connection with cost recovery litigation against the asbestos industry.

Scruggs attended law school at the University of Mississippi with Mike Moore. He practiced law in Jackson, Mississippi and New York before opening his own private practice in Pascagoula, Mississippi..

Scruggs' brother-in-law is Senator Trent Lott, former Majority Leader of the US Senate. Scruggs is currently representing Lott through the Scruggs Katrina Group in a lawsuit against insurance company State Farm because of damage stemming from Hurricane Katrina

Scruggs was also involved in the tobacco industry litigation. The law firm filed the first suit resulted in the first settlement of its kind with the tobacco industry. The Firm's successes and position made it instrumental in negotiating the $248 billion Master Settlement Agreement in 1998.

• A.P. Greene
• A.W. Chesterton
• Anchor Packing
• Armstrong Cork
• Asbestos Claims Management
• Babcock & Wilcox
• Bendix Corporation
• Blackman Supply
• Borg Warner
• Brown & Root
• Byron Church
• Certainteed Corporation
• C.J. McBride
• Cleaver Brooks
• Combustion Engineering
• Con Edison
• Crown Cork & Seal
• Davis & Warshow
• Duro Dyne
• F.M. Charlton
• Fibreboard Corporation
• Flexitallic Gasket
• Flintkote
• Foster Wheeler Energy
• Fuller Austin Insulation
• GAF Corporation
• Garlock
• Gasket Holding
• General Electric
• General Refractories
• George A. Fuller
• Georgia Pacific
• Glen Alden
• Grant Wilson
• H.B. Fuller
• H.K. Porter
• Harbison-Walker Refractories
• Henry Quentzel

• Indresco
• John Sore
• Joseph A. Hendel
• JT Thorpe
• Kasier Aluminum
• Kelly-Moore Paint
• Lykes Bros. Steamship
• Manville Corp.
• Metropolitan Life Insurance
• Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
• National Gypsum Company
• North American Refractories
• Owens Corning
• Parker Abex
• Pittsburgh Corning
• Plibrico Company
• Plymouth Products
• PPG Industries
• Pneumo Abex
• Proko Industries
• Rapid American
• Riley Stoker
• Robert A. Keasbey
• Ruberoid Corporation
• Sherwood Davis & Geck
• Smith-Sharpe
• Swan Transpiration
• Synkoloid
• Turner Newall
• U.S. Gypsum
• Unarco Industries
• Uniroyal Holding
• W.R. Grace
• W.S. Tyler
• Weil McLain
• Win Way
• Zurn Industries

Coco Lee - A love Before Time

2007-03-30T12:01:00.000+08:00

Best Online Car Insurance

2007-03-11T03:54:00.000+08:00

Online Car Insurance Sites for Quotes

Progressive Direct - Progressive Insurance provides free online car insurance quotes, based on your input of the following information: name, type and year of automobile, address, driving record, claims history. Progressive will also include quotes from other companies and let you see how they compare on insurance pricing.

GEICO - their ads feature the gecko, but they should trumpet the fact that GEICO is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, run by Warren Buffet, the 2nd richest man in the US. Talk about long track record and financial stability! They are famed for their low insurance rates, claiming to save drivers up to 15% or $500. To provide a free auto insurance quote, they require information about your driving record, other drivers in the house, coverage amounts, etc. All information is provided in a secure environment.

Esurance - they provide free car insurance rate quotes from GEICO, Unitrin, netQuote, and others, but availability varies state by state.

21st Century Insurance - they offer a toll-free number for 24 hour free insurance quotes and have a 90% renewal rate amongst their customers. They only insure safe drivers and collect the usual driver, vehicle, and household information before providing your car insurance rate quote.

Allstate Automobile Insurance - they offer both toll-free phone insurance quotes and web-based quotes and offer up to 20% discounts for safe drivers, multiple vehicles, etc.

Other online quotes are available from these insurance companies: NetQuote, American Family, AIG, InsWeb, State Farm, and The General.

Saving money on car insurance

Many factors affect your car insurance rates, from where you live, to how far you drive to work each day, to how many claims you have filed in the past, to how many tickets you have had, to how old you are. Most people stick with the same insurance company year after year without ever comparing rates - not a good idea. Car insurance is a very competitive market - Consumer Reports found many people were paying almost 2X what they should have been shelling out for their automobile insurance policy. Using the internet, you can compare 4 or 5 car insurance quotes within 20 or 30 minutes - no need to drive around town. Do a price comparison at least every 2 years, every year if you can remember. Raising your deductibles is another way to lower your premiums. If you are a safe driver and never make claims, why not set your deductible to $1000 instead of $500? Have an old car that is almost worthless? Many people eventually drop the collision portion of their policy (which covers damage and replacement of their OWN vehicle) to save on collision. Also, be sure to let your agent know if you have anti-lock brakes, airbags, anti-theft and alarm systems - all these things help to reduce your rates.

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Car Insurance

2007-03-11T03:41:00.000+08:00

Vehicle insurance (or Auto insurance, car insurance, motor insurance) is insurance consumers can purchase for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Its primary use is to provide protection against losses incurred as a result of traffic accidents. An insurance company may declare a vehicle totally destroyed ('totaled' or 'a write-off') if it appears replacement would be cheaper than repair.

Coverage levels

Insurance can cover some or all of the following items:

The insured party
The insured vehicle
Third parties

Different policies specify the circumstances under which each item is covered. For example, a vehicle can be insured against theft, fire damage, or accident damage independently.

Public policy

In many countries it is compulsory to purchase auto insurance before driving on public roads. In the United States, penalties for not purchasing auto insurance vary by state, but often involve a substantial fine, license and/or registration suspension or revocation, as well as possible jail time in some states. Usually the minimum required by law is third party insurance to protect third parties against the financial consequences of loss, damage or injury caused by a vehicle. Typically, coverage against loss of or damage to the driver's own vehicle is optional - one notable exception to this is in Saskatchewan, where SGI provides collision coverage (less a $700 deductible) (such as a collision damage waiver) as part of its basic insurance policy. In South Australia Third Party Personal insurance from the State Government Insurance Corporation (SGIC) is included in the license registration fee. South Africa allocates a percentage of the money from petrol into the Road Accidents Fund, which goes towards compensating third parties in accidents.^[1] Most countries relate insurance to both the car and the driver, however the degree of each varies greatly.

Basis of premium charges

Depending on the jurisdiction, the insurance premium can be either mandated by the government or determined by the insurance company in accordance to a framework of regulations set by the government. Often, the insurer will have more freedom to set the price on physical damage coverages than on mandatory liability coverages.

When the premium is not mandated by the government, it is usually derived from the calculations of an actuary based on statistical data. The premium can vary depending on many factors that are believed to have an impact on the expected cost of future claims.^[2] Those factors can include the car characteristics, the coverage selected (deductible, limit, covered perils), the profile of the driver (age, gender, driving history) and the usage of the car (commute to work or not, predicted annual distance driven).

Gender

Men average more miles driven per year than women do, and have a proportionally higher accident involvement at all ages. Insurance companies cite women's lower accident involvement in keeping the youth surcharge lower for young women drivers than for their male counterparts but adult rates are generally unisex. Mistaken reference to the lower rate for young women as "the women's discount" has caused confusion that was evident in news reports on a recently defeated EC proposal to make it illegal to consider gender in assessing insurance premiums.^[5] Ending the discount would have made no difference to most women's premiums.

Age

Teenage drivers who have no driving record will have higher car insurance premiums. However young drivers are often offered discounts if they undertake further driver training on recognised courses, such as the Pass Plus scheme in the UK. In the U.S. many insurers offer a good grade discount to students with a good academic record and resident student discounts to those who live away from home. Generally insurance premiums tend to become lower at the age of 25. Senior drivers are often eligible for retirement discounts reflecting lower average miles driven by this age group.

Distance

Some car insurance plans do not differentiate in regard to how much the car is used. However, methods of differentiation would include:

Reasonable estimation

Several car insurance plans rely on a reasonable estimation of the average annual distance expected to be driven which is provided by the insured. This discount benefits drivers who drive their cars infrequently but has no actuarial value since it is unverified.

Odometer-based systems

Cents Per Mile Now (1986) advocates classified odometer-mile rates. After the company's risk factors have been applied and the customer has accepted the per-mile rate offered, customers buy prepaid miles of insurance protection as needed, like buying gallons of gasoline. Insurance automatically ends when the odometer limit (recorded on the car’s insurance ID card) is reached unless more miles are bought. Customers keep track of miles on their own odometer to know when to buy more. The company does no after-the-fact billing of the customer, and the customer doesn't have to estimate a "future annual mileage" figure for the company to obtain a discount. In the event of a traffic stop, an officer could easily verify that the insurance is current by comparing the figure on the insurance card to that on the odometer.

Critics point out the possibility of cheating the system by odometer tampering. Although the newer electronic odometers are difficult to roll back, they can still be defeated by disconnecting the odometer wires and reconnecting them later. However, as the Cents Per Mile Now website points out: "As a practical matter, resetting odometers requires equipment plus expertise that makes stealing insurance risky and uneconomical. For example, in order to steal 20,000 miles of continuous protection while paying for only the 2,000 miles from 35,000 miles to 37,000 miles on the odometer, the resetting would have to be done at least nine times to keep the odometer reading within the narrow 2,000-mile covered range. There are also powerful legal deterrents to this way of stealing insurance protection. Odometers have always served as the measuring device for resale value, rental and leasing charges, warranty limits, mechanical breakdown insurance, and cents-per-mile tax deductions or reimbursements for business or government travel. Odometer tampering—detected during claim processing—voids the insurance and, under decades-old state and federal law, is punishable by heavy fines and jail."

Under the cents-per-mile system, rewards for driving less are delivered automatically without need for administratively cumbersome and costly technology. Uniform per-mile exposure measurement for the first time provides the basis for statistically valid rate classes. Insurer premium income automatically keeps pace with increases or decreases in driving activity, cutting back on resulting insurer demand for rate increases and preventing today's windfalls to insurers when decreased driving activity lowers costs but not premiums.

GPS-based system

In 1998, Progressive Insurance started a pilot program in Texas in which volunteers installed a GPS-based technology called Autograph in exchange for a discount. The device tracked their driving behavior and reported the results via cellular phone to the company.^[7] Policyholders were reportedly more upset about having to pay for the expensive device than they were over privacy concerns.

In 1996, Progressive filed for and obtained a US patent (US patent 5,797134) on their process. Progressive has also filed corresponding patent applications in Europe and Japan. UK auto insurer, Norwich Union, has obtained an exclusive license to Progressive's European patent application. They have recently completed a successful pilot test of the technology and it is now available commercially under the tradename "Pay As You Drive™"

OBDII-based system

In 2004, Progressive launched another pilot program to allow policyholders to earn a discount on their premiums by consenting to use its TripSense device. TripSense connects to a car's OnBoard Diagnostic(OBD-II) port, which exists in all cars built after 1996. The discount is forfeited if the device is disconnected for a significant amount of time.^[10]

Auto Insurance in the United States

Coverage Available

The consumer may be protected with different coverage types depending on what coverage the insured purchases.

In the United States, liability insurance covers claims against the policy holder and generally, any other operator of the insured’s vehicle, provided they do not live at the same address as the policy holder and are not specifically excluded on the policy. In the case of those living at the same address, they must specifically be covered on the policy. Thus it is necessary for example, when a family member comes of driving age they must be added on to the policy. Liability insurance sometimes does not protect the policy holder if they operate any vehicles other than their own. When you drive a vehicle owned by another party, you are covered under that party’s policy. Non-owners policies may be offered that would cover an insured on any vehicle they drive. This coverage is available only to those who do not own their own vehicle and is sometimes required by the government for drivers who have previously been found at fault in an accident.

Generally, liability coverage does extend when you rent a car. Comprehensive policies ("full coverage") usually also apply to the rental vehicle, although this should be verified beforehand. Full coverage premiums are based on, among other factors, the value of the insured’s vehicle. This coverage may not apply to rental cars because the insurance company does not want to assume responsibility for a claim greater than the value of the insured’s vehicle, assuming that a rental car may be worth more than the insured’s vehicle. Most rental car companies offer insurance to cover damage to the rental vehicle. These policies may be unnecessary for many customers as credit card companies, such as Visa and MasterCard, now provide supplemental collision damage coverage to rental cars if the transaction is processed using one of their cards. These benefits are restrictive in terms of the types of vehicles covered.^[11]

Liability

Liability coverage provides a fixed dollar amount of coverage for damages that an insured becomes legally liable to pay due to an accident or other negligence. For example, if an insured drives into a telephone pole and damages the pole, liability coverage pays for the damage to the pole. In this example, the insured also may become liable for other expenses related to damaging the telephone pole, such as loss of service claims (by the telephone company).

Liability coverage is available either as a combined single limit policy or as a split limit policy:

Combined Single Limit

A combined single limit combines property damage liability coverage and bodily injury coverage under one single combined limit. For example, an insured with a combine single liability limit strikes another vehicle and injures the driver and the passenger. Payments for the damages to the other driver's car, as well as payments for injury claims for the driver and passenger, would be paid out under this same coverage.

Split Limits

A split limit liability coverage policy splits the coverages into property damage coverage and bodily injury coverage. In the example given above, payments for the other driver's vehicle would be paid out under property damage coverage, and payments for the injuries would be paid out under bodily injury coverage.

Note that bodily injury liability coverage is also usually split as well into a maximum payment per person and a maximum payment per accident.

Collision

Collision coverage provides coverage for an insured's vehicle that is involved in an accident, subject to a deductible. This coverage is designed to provide payments to repair the damaged vehicle, or payment of the cash value of the vehicle if it is not repairable. Collision coverage is optional. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is the term used by rental car companies for collision coverage.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive (a.k.a. - Other Than Collision) coverage provides coverage, subject to a deductible, for an insured's vehicle that is damaged by incidents that are not considered Collisions. For example, fire, theft (or attempted theft), vandalism, weather, or impacts with animals are just some types of Comprehensive losses.

Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured coverage, also known as UM/UIM, provides coverage if another at-fault party either does not have insurance, or does not have enough insurance. In effect, your insurance company acts as at fault party's insurance company.

In the United States, the definition of an uninsured/underinsured motorist, and corresponding coverages, are set by state laws.

Loss of Use

Loss of Use coverage, also known as rental coverage, provides reimbursement for rental expenses associated with having an insured vehicle repaired due to a covered loss.

Loan/Lease Payoff

Loan/Lease Payoff coverage, also known as GAP coverage or GAP insurance, ^[12] ^[13] was established in the early 1980's to provide protection to consumers based upon buying and market trends.

Due to the sharp decline in value immediately following purchase, there is generally a period in which the amount owed on the car loan exceeds the value of the vehicle, which is called "upside-down" or negative equity. Thus, if the vehicle is damaged beyond economical repair at this point, the owner will still owe potentially thousands of dollars on the loan. The escalating price of cars, longer-term auto loans, and the increasing popularity of leasing gave birth to GAP protection. GAP waivers provide protection for consumers when a "gap" exists between the actual value of their vehicle and the amount of money owed to the bank or leasing company. In many instances this insurance will also pay the deductible on the primary insurance policy. These policies are often offered at the auto dealership as a comparatively low cost add on that can be put into the car loan which provides coverage for the duration of the loan.

Consumers should be aware that a few states, including New York, require lenders of leased cars to include GAP insurance within the cost of the lease itself. This means that the monthly price quoted by the dealer must include GAP insurance, whether it is delineated or not. Nevertheless, unscrupulous dealers sometimes prey on unsuspecting individuals by offering them GAP insurance at an additional price, on top of the monthly payment, without mentioning the State's requirements.

In addition, some vendors and insurance companies offer what is called "Total Loss Coverage." This is similar to ordinary GAP insurance but differs in that instead of paying off the negative equity on a vehicle that is a total loss, the policy provides a certain amount, usually up to $5000, toward the purchase or lease of a new vehicle. Thus, to some extent the distinction makes no difference, i.e., in either case the owner receives a certain sum of money. However, in choosing which type of policy to purchase, the owner should consider whether, in case of a total loss, it is more advantageous for him or her to have the policy pay off the negative equity or provide a down payment on a new vehicle.

For example, assuming a total loss of a vehicle valued at $15,000, but on which the owner owes $20,000, the "gap" is $5000. If the owner has traditional GAP coverage, the "gap" will be wiped out and he or she may purchase or lease another vehicle or choose not to. If the owner has "Total Loss Coverage," he or she will have to personally cover the "gap" of $5000, and then receive $5000 toward the purchase or lease of a new vehicle, thereby either reducing monthly payments, in the case of financing or leasing, or the total purchase price in the case of outright purchasing. So the decision on which type of policy to purchase will, in most instances, be informed by whether the owner can pay off the negative equity in case of a total loss and/or whether he or she will definitively purchase a replacement vehicle.

Car Towing Insurance

Car Towing coverage is also known as Roadside Assistance coverage. Traditionally, automobile insurance companies have agreed to only pay for the cost of a tow that is related to an accident that is covered under the automobile policy of insurance. This had left a gap in coverage for tows that are related to mechanical breakdowns, flat tires and running out of gas. To fill that void, insurance companies started to offer the Car Towing coverage, which pays for non-accident related tows.

European Union and United Kingdom Laws regarding motor insurance

In 1930 the UK government introduced a law that required every person who used a vehicle on the road to have at least third party personal injury insurance. Today UK law is defined by the The Road Traffic Act which was last modified in 1991.

The Act requires all motorists to be insured against their liability for injuries to others (including passengers) and for damage to other persons' property resulting from use of a vehicle on a public road or in other public places. This is called Third Party Insurance. It is an offence to drive your car, or allow others to drive it, without at least Third Party insurance whilst on the public highway, on private land no such legislation applies.

The insurance certificate or cover note issued by the insurance company constitutes legal evidence that the vehicle specified on the document is indeed insured. The Law says that an authorised person, such as the police, may require a driver to produce an insurance certificate for inspection. If the driver cannot show the document immediately on request, then the driver will usually be issued a HORT/1 with seven days, as of midnight of the date of issue, to take a valid insurance certificate (and usually other driving documents as well) to a police station of the driver's choice. Failure to produce an insurance certificate is an offence.

Insurance is more expensive in Northern Ireland than in other parts of the UK.

Motorists in the UK are required to display a Vehicle excise duty disc in their car when it is kept or driven on public roads. This helps to ensure that most people have adequate insurance on their vehicles because you are required to produce an insurance certificate when you purchase the disc. However it is a known practice for some people to purchase insurance to gain the certificate and then to cancel the insurance and gain a full refund within the statutory 14 day cooling off period.

The Motor Insurers Bureau compensates the victims of road accidents caused by uninsured and untraced motorists. It also operates the Motor Insurance Database, which contains details of every insured vehicle in the country.

Omni Houston Hotel Texas USA

2007-03-10T17:39:00.000+08:00

Four Riverway, Houston, Texas 77056, USA
Hotel Rating :

LOCATION: The Omni Houston Hotel is a superior-class hotel located 30 miles from George Bush Airport. With a full array of amenities, this property situated on 25 acres of impeccably manicured grounds is the perfect stay for business and leisure travelers headed to the Lone Star state's largest city.

The prestigious Post Oak/Galleria area is home to the Omni Houston. This award-winning hotel offers luxurious accommodations.
378 guestrooms come with one king or two double beds, marble bathrooms, Web TV Internet access, and an in-room workout kit.
Manicured grounds feature pools, tennis courts, and jogging/biking trails. There is also a fitness center and business center onsite.

ACCOMMODATION: This hotel features 378 traditionally decorated guestrooms with in-room workout kits, individual climate control, and fully stocked refreshment centers. Bathrooms feature plush terry robes, lighted shaving/makeup mirrors, and scales. High-tech amenities include two phone lines with voicemail, WebTV, CD player, free high-speed wireless Internet access, and video-game consoles. Twice-daily housekeeping is included.

Climate control
Desk
Hair dryer
Iron/ironing board
Mini/honor bar
Modem Internet access
Multi-line phone
Video game consoles
Bathrobes
Cable/satellite TV
CD player

DINING

La Reserve - La Reserve offers superb French cuisine, creative regional specialties, an incomparable wine list, and impeccable service.
Cafe on the Green - This quintessential American bistro offers an enchanting view of the meadow.
The Black Swan - Stop by this English-style pub serving light snacks and cocktails, nightly.
Le Bar - Savor a variety of fine cigars and a large selection of cocktails, brandy, and cognacs.
24-hour guestroom dining is also available.

AMENITIES & SERVICES: The Omni Houston is a luxurious AAA Five-Diamond Mobil Four-Star hotel situated on 3.5 acres of impeccably manicured grounds. Centrally located in the prestigious Post Oak/Galleria area, it is just minutes to the downtown business district. The hotel offers two outdoor pools; one with underwater music. There is also a fitness center, four tennis courts, and basketball courts, as well as jogging and biking trails, onsite. Memorial Park's 18-hole golf course is adjacent to the hotel.

Maid service
Multilingual staff
Parking (fee)
Shoe shine
Fitness center
Gift shops or newsstand
24-hour room service
Business center
Meeting Facilities
Children's programs
Complimentary newspaper
Concierge
Swimming pool
Spa (massage)
Valet parking
Wheelchair accessible

Burj Al Arab

2007-03-10T16:56:00.000+08:00

Review our special offers and packages and 'check in' for a lifetime experience. From activity to romance, 5-star culinary choices to exclusive memberships - you never know what you might find!

The opulent Assawan Spa & Health Club at Burj Al Arab invites you to discover the four ancient wellness traditions, created to balance your mind and senses.

Embark on a voyage of ultimate rejuvenation, and experience unique massage disciplines from the four corners of the world in a calming and luxurious ambience.

Select your massage from a choice of the invigorating Kahuna massage, a toxin eliminating Abhayanga massage, the relaxing four-hand Purva Karma massage or a jet-set fusion of Around the World massage.

Priced at only AED 650 per person for one massage treatment, begin your own personal wellness tradition.

This offer includes use of the Assawan Spa & Health Club facilities (whirlpools, sauna, steam room, plunge pool and gymnasiums).

Contact Assawan Spa & Health Club to book your appointment
Telephone: +971 4 301 7338
FFax: +971 4 301 7318
Email: BAAassawan@jumeirah.com
Opening hours: 6.30am to 10.30pm
Treatment hours: 9.15am to 8.00pm

Validity: 1 to 31 March 2007

*In adherence to the local UAE law regarding massage and body treatments, male guests will be attended to by male therapists and female guests will be attended to by female therapists. Cancellation and no-show policies apply. Advance bookings are required and are subject to availability. The promotional price does not apply on Saturdays. Discounted rates do not apply to this promotion.

Kahuna Massage - 55 minutes

A traditional Lomi-Lomi massage that uses the palms, forearm, fingers, knuckles and elbows to aid in healing, digestion or restore harmony and balance in the body. Originating from a holistic healing tradition, the Kahuna massage should not be seen as a traditional massage, but rather restorative in nature.

Abhayanga Massage - 55 minutes

Originating from a very old holistic system of healing, this Indian massage is very soothing and designed to release congesting and restrictive toxins to free the flow of natural energy through the body and mind. It combines a polarity balancing technique, full body massage and is completed by a marma point massage.

Purva Karma - 70 minutes

A synchronized four-hand massage technique developed to ease muscle tension and induce full body relaxation. The ultimate body massage - two professional massage therapists work together in a choreographed manner to heighten your massage experience. You receive double the relaxation and tension relief in half the time!

Around the World Massage - 85 minutes

Carefully selected techniques from traditional Shiatsu, Thai, Swedish and Balinese massages are combined to form 85 minutes of sheer bliss. This signature treatment will melt away your physical and mental stresses in a single session through the healing power of touch. Certainly a treatment that you will never forget!

Sahn Eddar - Reception of the House

Sahn Eddar, a perfect meeting area befitting the splendour of Burj Al Arab, is located at the base of the world's tallest atrium.

Warm and welcoming tones, mosaic, marble flooring and torch lighting provide the perfect backdrop for guests wishing to linger over traditional Afternoon Tea, while watching the 32-metre water column leap skyward towards the peak of the atrium.

Skyview Bar
Situated on the top floor of Burj Al Arab, Skyview Bar instantly matches expectations with unrivalled views of the Palm Jumeirah and The World islands. Skyview Bar is inviting you to experience a magnificent offer of afternoon tea at leisure.

Afternoon Tea
Enjoy a selection of tea, coffee, sandwiches, pastries, cakes and scones served with a selection of our delicious homemade jams and the mouth-watering Devonshire clotted cream, priced at AED 250 per person.

Afternoon Tea is served in 3 stages. The first stage is savories with finger sandwiches, the second stage is warm scones, and third stage is a collection of cakes and pastries.

Alternatively, choose to enjoy our premium coffee selection including coffees from 8 different countries, with single-blends such as Costa Rica, Brazil and Columbia.

Premium coffees are served on a purpose-made tray which also holds vanilla strips, cinnamon sticks and chocolate flakes in order for our guests to be able to add different flavours to their coffee. To top it all, if you ask for a Premium cappuccino, you'll be surprised when it arrives sprinkled with edible 18-carat gold dust!

Indulgent Afternoon Tea
Spoil yourself with our Indulgent Afternoon Tea, which includes delicacies as well as an assortment of berries and whipped cream, and a glass of champagne, priced at AED 350.

This promotion is available daily from 3.00pm till 6.00pm.

Advance reservations are essential.
For further information and to make a reservation, please contact:
Tel: +971 4 301 7600
Fax: +971 4 301 6076
Email: BAArestaurants@jumeirah.com (Please include your contact number for confirmation purposes)
Operating hours: 9.00am until 11.00pm

The Peninsula Beverly Hills California USA

2007-03-10T16:30:00.000+08:00

9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, USA
Hotel Rating :

HOTEL DESCRIPTION

Located in one of the most prestigious, conveniently located areas of Los Angeles, with 196 elegantly appointed guest rooms, including 36 suites and 16 private villas nestled among lush tropical gardens, The Peninsula Beverly Hills offers the perfect oasis in the heart of Beverly Hills.

The hotel encompasses a full array of health and fitness facilities at the Peninsula Spa and a selection of restaurants and bars including The Belvedere, named the best hotel restaurant in Southern California by the 2001 Zagat survey.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills provides an intimate and luxurious atmosphere for your private meeting and social functions.

ROOM FEATURES

All guest rooms are decorated with sumptuous antiques and artwork. Each guest room and suite is equipped with a state-of-the-art electronic system that allows guests to control their environment with the touch of a fingertip. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are provided and facilities for the disabled are available.

Guest room facilities include: Welcome beverage, Choice of domestic newspaper (daily), Satellite television, VCR, Fax machine, High-speed Internet access via Ethernet, modem or TV, Electronic safe, Minibar, Executive writing desk, Italian linens, French doors, Sitting chair in bedroom, Custom-designed armoire, Three telephones (dual lines) with voicemail, Digital panel, Marble bathrooms with oversized bathtub and separate shower, Hairdryer, scale and bathrobes, Electronic bedside panel; controls lighting, fan, do-not-disturb and valet call buttons, 24-hour personal room valet, Twice-daily maid service, Turndown service, Computerized Marloc key system, 24-hour laundry and dry-cleaning service, Wake-up call, Complimentary fruit, CD players - for all Deluxe Rooms, Grand Deluxe Rooms, villas and suites. The Peninsula Beverly Hills provides a 24-hour check-in / check-out policy to provide the maximum flexibility for your needs and Express check-out.

HOTEL FACILITIES AND AMENITIES

The Peninsula Spa features a 60-foot rooftop lap pool, a Fitness Center offering a full array of the latest fitness equipment, as well as massages, facials and other beauty treatments needed for the complete pampering and maintenance of the body and mind. An extensive range of hairdressing services is provided at The Peninsula Hair Salon.

Our rooftop garden oasis provides the perfect spot in which to relax the body and soothe the soul. The 60-foot lap pool is surrounded by 10 private, fully equipped cabanas with breathtaking views of the city. The top of the line Peninsula Spa offers cutting edge treatments with state-of-the-art equipment.

Incorporating cutting edge treatments with the finest in therapists, equipment and products, The Peninsula Spa offers everything needed for the complete pampering and maintenance of the body and mind.

Facials Mini Treat, Back Beauty, Peninsula Alpha Lipoic Omega, Executive Escape, Foot And Scalp Rejuvenation, Peninsula Pleasure, Nature's Spice, Silver Ion Mask, Machine-Free Micro Dermabrasion, Silver Micro Dermabrasion, Oxygen Therapy, The Ultimate, Body Treatments, Journey Down The Nile (*New), Delice De Tahiti (*New), Rosemary Body Micro Dermabrasion (*New), Green Tea & Seaweed Body Wrap, Grape Seed Body Scrub, Citrus Herbal Body Scrub, Papaya-Pineapple Enzyme Scrub, Cellulite Body Scrub, Self Tan, Hydrotherapy Baths, Wines & Roses, Aroma Bath, Sea Algae Bath, Sea Salt Bath, Hydrotherapy Bath.

Our hydrotherapy bath consists of 150 air jets and 60 water jets which are fully adjustable so that we may customize treatment to suit the individual's needs and tastes. Salubrious effects of the bath include: relaxing the body, improving strength, strengthening the immune system, equalizing circulation, accelerating metabolism, improving digestion and relieving stiffness and pain.

Hydrotherapy Wine and Roses, Aroma Sea Salt Bath, Sea Algae Bath. Massages: Swedish, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Moisture Surge, Aromatherapy, Lymphatic Vitality, Pregnancy, Thai Table Massage, Ancient Ayurvedic Healing, Shiro Dhara "Third Eye Oil Drip", Shakti Karma "Energy Alignment", Ama Mokshah "Toxins Release", Dhanwantari "The Patron God Of Ayurveda".

Fitness Center Facilities include an outdoor, heated 60-foot lap pool, rooftop jacuzzi with a beautiful view of the city and a full range of fitness equipment. A private trainer, by appointment, is available for a customized fitness / nutrition program. Private yoga and tai chi classes can be arranged by appointment. Equipment can be provided in guest rooms for private training.

The Roof Garden The casual dining outlet at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Roof Garden specializes in lighter meals and now offers the finest in spa cuisine. Just a few steps from The Spa, with a beautiful view of the city, outdoor seating and a delicious menu, The Roof Garden offers the perfect spot to relax and refuel when visiting the Spa, and if you are interested, the caloric, salt and fat content for each dish on the menu is available.

MEETINGS & BANQUETS: The Peninsula Beverly Hills provides an intimate and luxurious atmosphere for your private meeting and social functions. The four custom-designed, elegant private rooms are suitable for any business or social event and have full audiovisual equipment available. Our personalized staff will attend to every need, so from the first moment you call until your event has concluded you will receive service beyond compare. With the same standard of quality and with the same food selections as our award-winning Belvedere Restaurant, our catering department can create affairs to remember, from simple board meetings to the most lavish wedding celebrations. Additionally, a variety of suites can conveniently accommodate conferences and meetings.

Business Center Secretarial assistance, Internet access, Computer use, Photocopying, Facsimile, Business cards, Gift wrapping, Messenger service, Monitor 27" / VHS player, Overhead projector, Slide projector / screen, Parcel packing, Portable phone, Translation, Transparencies, Typewriter rental and Typing.

DININGS & BARS:

The Belvedere
One of the few hot spots for Hollywood movers and shakers, where you can actually hear your companions and still enjoy a private conversation, The Belvedere has long been regarded as one of the finest restaurants in the city for its impeccable, friendly service, beautiful surroundings and fabulous food. Under the direction of Kansas-born Executive Chef, Bill Bracken, The Belvedere's eclectic west coast cuisine with heartland integrity features classic American staples with an international inventiveness. The Belvedere also offers a private dining room to accommodate gatherings of up to 20 people.

The Living Room
An open, elegant salon with the ambiance of a gracious home, complete with big comfortable sofas and two large fireplaces. Traditional afternoon tea is served daily to the accompaniment of a classical harpist. The Living Room provides an ideal atmosphere for cocktails and snacks during the early evening and an intimate setting later for dinner cognacs, wines, liquors, coffees and desserts. Tea reservations are recommended. Seating capacity: 30 persons.

The Roof Garden
A stylish rooftop patio, adjacent to the 60-foot lap pool and the cutting-edge Peninsula Spa, The Roof Garden offers breakfast and lunch in a secluded garden atmosphere. A slightly more casual dining setting, it also offers the finest in spa cuisine and specially imported herbal tonics and teas. Reservations recommended. Seating capacity: 40 persons.

The Club Bar
Reminiscent of a handsome den with beautiful California birch-paneled walls and gleaming brass details and sconces. The bar features museum quality paintings of six tranquil landscapes, reflecting scenes of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. A fully equipped bar offers premium brands and rare vintage wine, ports and cognacs. The full menu offers signature Peninsula cocktails and delicious light fare in an energetic atmosphere with very personable staff and nightly entertainment.

LOCATION MAP

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples Florida USA

2007-03-10T16:29:00.000+08:00

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples Florida USA
2600 Tiburón Drive Naples, FL, 34109
Hotel Rating :

LOCATION

30 minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport
Three miles from The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Waterside Shops, including Saks Fifth Avenue and more than 40 upscale specialty shops (10 minutes away)
Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South in Old Naples, offering shopping, dining, art galleries, entertainment and nightlife (20 minutes away)
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a nature preserve managed by the National Audubon Society (30 minutes away)

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodations at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples include: 295 guest rooms including 51 Club rooms, 37 suites and a Presidential Suite most with views of the Tiburón Golf Course. Our pet friendly rooms require advanced registration.

Room Features

CD and AM/FM clock radios.
Fully stocked mini refreshment bar.
Goose down comforters and pillows, or non-allergenic foam.
Plush terry or lightweight bathrobes.
Frette linens.
Spacious writing desk with high-speed internet access.
European toiletries.
Lighted make-up mirror, hair dryer and scale.
Suit, skirt and padded hangers.
In-room safe.
Private balconies with views of Tiburón.
Two-line telephones and voice mail.
Iron and ironing board.
On-demand video and viewing guide.
Individual heating and air conditioning controls.

DINING

Lemonia		Lemonía (Lemon EYE ah) brings together Italy's rustic flavors in the form of comfort foods. Enjoy classic Tuscan cuisine in a cozy Mediterranean atmosphere with superb service. Guests may dine indoors or alfresco on the terrace overlooking Tiburón Golf Course.

The Bella Vista, Lobby Lounge		This sophisticated setting, overlooking the 18th-hole of Tiburón Golf Club, is ideal for an afternoon relaxing over tea, a glass of vintage port or champagne. Guests of Bella Vista will enjoy nightly musical entertainment.

The Poolside Grill		Situated steps from the pool, guests may indulge in fresh salads, sirloin burgers, sandwiches, signature tropical cocktails or refreshing fruit smoothies without missing a minute of sun.

eXpress(o)		The perfect place to start off the day. Enjoy a selection of coffees, teas, fresh croissants, blueberry muffins and other fine pastries from our award wining pastry kitchen.

GOLF

Tiburón Golf Club

Tiburón Golf Course, located at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, is a 36-hole championship course designed by the legendary Greg Norman.

Marked by the use of stacked sod wall bunkers, coquina sand and no roughs, Tiburón offers players of all skill levels a serene setting and an unforgettable experience.

Home to the Franklin Templeton Shootout, Tiburón offers players a rare balance of breathtaking beauty and challenge.

The Royal Hawaiian

2007-03-10T16:23:00.000+08:00

2259 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu - Hawaii
Hotel Rating:

The Royal Hawaiian was once the playground of Hollywood celebs like Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. The book The Pink Palace describes that era of opulence, the "roaring twenties," when guests arrived in chauffeur driven Rolls Royces, with servants unloading their steamer trunks. Those fortunate travelers usually stayed for a month or more, unwinding after the long voyage by ship. Today, the hotel still carries the atmosphere of old movies and romantic ballads, black-tie dinners and Champagne toasts.

ACCOMMODATION : Rooms in the Historic Wing have soft pastel floral walls, plush carpets, and custom made furniture like canopied or four-poster beds, and Queen Anne-style writing desks and dressers. There are no lanais. Large Luxury Garden View and Ocean View rooms are very spacious, with separate sitting area. In the Royal Tower, each room has a private lanai with wonderful views of the Pacific and the tropical sunsets. The service is impeccable in every way... and isn't is nice to have a chocolate on your pillow and turn-down every evening?

RESTAURANT : Monarch Room : Your table will have a view of Diamond Head silhouette above the ocean, and the star-filled sky. Afterwards, there's a hard to resis the temptation to take a moonlit walk along the white sands of Waikiki Beach, warm surf licking at your ankles. The Surf Room : a popular meeting place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Special seafood buffet on Friday and sumptuous brunch on Sunday. Mai Tai Bar : one of the most "happening" places in Waikiki. Mai Tais supposedly originated here! Imagine drinking a perfect Mai Tai while looking at the beautiful Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head... that moment is alone is worth the trip! Royal Hawaiian Beach Club : relax by the beach for breakfast, light lunch or afternoon snacks. The Beach Club Cafe is located by the pool and serves soft drinks and cocktails. Afternoon Tea : enjoy a relaxed afternoon of tea and beautiful views of the Coconut Grove. Royal Tea is a 75-year old tradition at the Royal Hawaiian. Just like years ago, a kimono-clad server will present you with a delectable selection of signature tea blends, finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, and cookies. You can also enjoy live classic and etnic music by "Bamboo and Rosewood", a popular guitar-and-flute duo. Served 1-4pm. The Royal Hawaiian Luau : your evening begins with a traditional lei greetings, sound of Hawaiian melodies and refreshing Mai Tais on the Ocean Lawn. As the sun goes down, you are invited to taste food from the Islands, including specialties like Teriyaki Beef and Island Style fish, salads and desserts. Then you will be shown the spectacular Royal Polynesian Extravaganza, with pulsating authentic songs and dances. The luau is offered every Monday.

OTHER FACILITIES : Stop in on the third floor for a refreshing swim, enjoy a cool tropical beverage at the Ginger Terrace, experience the excitement of a Polynesian Revue at the Hawaiian Hut, or dance the night away at Rumours. It's a short walk to the Ala Moana Shopping Center, with over 200 stores and restaurants. Just beyond, lies beautiful Ala Moana Beach Park. The Hawai'i Convention Center made its debut across the street, Summer 1998. For some outdoors fun, enjoy our Wheels Deal and Beachside Dining.

Top 10 Hotels

2007-03-10T16:20:00.000+08:00

Burj Al Arab
Dubai, Emiratos Árabes Unidos

Cocoa Island
South Male Atoll, Islas Maldivas

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi
Chiang Mai, Tailandia

The Peninsula
Kowloon, Hong Kong

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
Tokyo, Japón

Cape Grace Hotel
Cape Town, Sudáfrica

Maroma Resort & Spa
Solidaridad, Cancun, México

Banyan Tree Phuket
Phuket, Tailandia

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Great Milton, Oxfordshire, Reino Unido

Hotel Bel Air
Los Angeles, CA, USA