Thursday, May 16, 2013

Race for Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District board seat grows ...

Debt, a flood of dollars, an unexpected endorsement and a Facebook fumble have all factored into a race for a seat on the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District board.

Greg Cody and Jerry Jones Jr. are facing off in the May 21 special election.

Cody, 59, is on the district's budget, parks and sports advisory committees and ran unsuccessfully for the board in 2007. He is a credit manager for The Commercial Agency.

Jones, 36, is on the park district's sports advisory committee. He is vice president of Lanphere Construction and Development and chair of the Beaverton Urban Redevelopment Agency Board.

Fundraising vs. Debt

As of May 10, Jones had raised $13,680 in cash contributions, according to his campaign finance report. Jones' largest contributor is Precision Holdings LP, affiliated with Precision Body & Paint of Beaverton, which donated $2,500. Jones also received $750 from Friends to Re-elect Mayor Denny Doyle.

Cody told The Oregonian in March he didn't plan to raise $750, the state minimum for reporting campaign finance transactions. But he had raised $975 in cash contributions as of May 10 and registered his campaign with the state in late March.

May 21 election

More on the May 21, 2013, election:

Cody's largest contributor was himself: He put $1,384 toward his campaign. His son, Aaron Cody, has contributed $1,048.13. The campaign is driving Cody and his son into debt, he said.

Cody reported his first several campaign transactions after the state's due date, but he said this was a misunderstanding. Other transactions were reported on time.

"We're not politically savvy," he said.

Jones said of the mistakes: "I think it's imperative that the chairman of our budget committee can get the campaign finances correctly."

Cody said he's angered by the amount of money spent by Jones' campaign.

"This is crazy, what's happening," he said. "I cannot match a political machine."

Cody also said his opponent views the seat on the board as a r?sum?-builder.

"I will never use this election as a springboard," Cody said. "I hate politics."

Jones said he was surprised by the amount supporters contributed to his campaign.

"I'm not a political machine," he said. "I care so much about our community. I've lived here, grown up here, and this is the only service that I want to do.

"This is no launching pad to anything future; I don't care about anything like that."

Surprise Endorsement

At the park district's May 6 board meeting, board member Bill Kanable, between apologies to fellow members, said, "I've been trying to stay out of the race, but I want you all to know that I'm giving my endorsement to Greg Cody for my seat."

"I don't want to see our races become politicized, and I think it sends a bad message that we have certain expenses that are taking place now that make our races almost political," he said.

Kanable was referring to the amount of money raised in the campaign, he said.

Jones said while he was surprised that Kanable publicly endorsed Cody, he knew Kanable supported Cody.

"I think it's more of a friendship thing," he said.

Kanable said Cody isn't a friend; he simply thinks Cody has spent more time and effort to understand the park district.

"He's shown more grit," Kanable said.

Cody said he didn't know Kanable was planning on endorsing him but appreciates the help.

Jones said the development doesn't hurt his chances for winning. According to his website, Jones has more than 70 endorsements from local organizations and leaders, including the mayors of Beaverton, Hillsboro and Tigard, two state representatives and two county commissioners. Four of Jones' supporters have ties to the park district.

Cody has endorsements from park district board member Larry Pelatt and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, according to his campaign website. It also lists 12 other endorsements from people involved with the park district, including former General Manager Howard Terpenning.

Though Kanable said he endorsed Cody because he didn't want the race to become politicized, Jones said the result was the opposite.

Jones said a politicized race raises awareness of the park district. "What's wrong with that?" he asked.

Kanable said spending thousands of dollars campaigning sends the wrong message to park patrons. Kanable said he would rather people donate to the park foundation than campaigns.

Parks shouldn't be political, Kanable said. He fears the race has devolved to a name-recognition contest and that this race will set new standards for future park district races. It also changes how and why people run for the seat, he said.

Facebook Fumble

On May 5, the Oregon secretary of state's office and members of the media received an anonymous email contending that Jones violated Oregon election law by posting a photo of himself with his ballot on his campaign's Facebook page.

The photo showed Jones holding his ballot with the bubble next to his name filled in. A separate post called for supporters to share pictures of themselves with their ballots marked for Jones.

ORS 260.695(7) states that "a person may not show the person's own marked ballot to another person to reveal how it was marked."

Alana Cox, a compliance specialist for the secretary of state's elections office, called Jones on May 6. By that time, Jones had removed the posts.

Jones said he had no idea the post showing him with his ballot was against the law.

The secretary of state's office could issue a fine for the violation, but Cox said the office prefers to educate candidates on election law.

-- Anna Marum

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.ssf/2013/05/race_for_tualatin_hills_park_r.html

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Jolie news sparks interest in cancer film

decodingannieparkerfilm.com

Helen Hunt stars as Mary-Clare King, a geneticist who spent years researching the breast-cancer gene, in the film "Decoding Annie Parker."

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, NBC News

Angelina Jolie's revelation in Tuesday's New York Times that she had a preventive double mastectomy stirred many to think about something they may be mostly unfamiliar with: The existence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that reveal an increased risk of breast cancer.

But a group of actors and filmmakers were already immersed in that realm. Oscar-winning actress Helen Hunt stars in "Decoding Annie Parker," an upcoming film about the discovery of BRCA1.?

Hunt plays geneticist Mary-Claire King, who spent years researching families with histories of cancer and identified BRCA1 in 1990.

The film's trailer shows that it wasn't an easy road for King. In its opening scene, King is asked, "You believe there may be a genetic link to some breast cancers?"

"I do," she says.

"Even though virtually no one else believes this to be true?"

"That's correct," King responds.

The film tells not only King's story, but that of Annie Parker (played by Samantha Morton) who lost her mother and sister to cancer before being diagnosed herself at age 29.

"Your family did have a bit of bad luck, but there are many complex factors--" a doctor in the film tells Parker.

"It's not bad luck," she responds from her hospital bed.

The film's topic may make it a hard sell for some when other screens are showing light entertainment such as "Iron Man 3" and "Fast and Furious 6," but the filmmakers knew that going in.

"We knew there were going to be serious obstacles to getting people to watch (the film)," director Steven Bernstein said at the Dallas International Film Festival. "People's first reaction would be 'Oh, it's a film about cancer, I don't want to see it.' So we had to get the word out the film was about something bigger than that -- although cancer's a very, very big thing indeed -- but it's something about the human condition that we were trying to express. Something that people could actually come and see and feel uplifted by rather than depressed by."

"Decoding Annie Parker" has been playing at film festivals around the nation and will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France this month, with a general release expected in the fall.?Aaron Paul, Rashida Jones, Bradley Whitford and Maggie Grace also star in the movie.

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/14/18253027-jolie-news-sparks-interest-in-film-about-breast-cancer-gene-researcher?lite

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Paris: 14 excellent budget hotels in the nearby suburbs - EuroCheapo

La Maison Bacana in Vitry Sur Seine.

Strictly speaking, the suburbs of Paris (?la banlieue?) are those communes that lie beyond Paris ?intramuros,? in other words, outside the Peripheral Boulevard, the highway that runs around the city. While the word ?banlieue? is meant to be a socially neutral term, the media often use it in a derogatory sense that is inexact and unfair.

There is a burgeoning hospitality industry going on in some of the suburban communities. Many of these are decidedly non-touristy districts in a state of post-industrial flux, many of them actively transforming into residential and commercial areas. The locations could be frequently characterless, but at least they are safe and fairly quiet.

Why sleep in the suburbs?

In general, property is less expensive in the outskirts than it is in Paris. For this reason, hotel rooms in the suburbs tend not only to be cheaper than their Parisian counterparts, but often a bit more spacious as well.

In la banlieue you?ll find no shortage of convenient and popular B&Bs and small independent properties aimed at the frugal traveler. The branches of some well-known budget hotel chains can also be found in Paris? suburbs. Many of the these cater to both business and leisure travelers, as well as to large families, for whom sojourning in downtown Paris can be very expensive.

This eclectic mix of budget options is very convenient for those committed Cheapos who wish to experience the countless attractions of Paris without having to pay extra for the privilege of a central location, some useless gadgets, or over-decoration.

Drawbacks

However, it should be noted that while travelers can save substantial sums by staying away from the center of Paris, in some cases their overall transportation costs could eventually become quite high. In addition, the time spent in commuting those extra distances represents a relative inconvenience, and may detract from the overall experience.

Therefore, as we never get tired of repeating, we are thankful to those little hotel gems which, while boasting a prime Parisian location and good general quality, are still able to keep themselves within the beloved Cheapo league, thus allowing their guests to experience the best things of Paris without undue burden or cost ? a rare and wonderful achievement.

Budget hotel picks in Seine-St-Denis and Val-de-Marne

I will now review some of the most convenient budget hotels of the Departments of Seine-St-Denis and Val-de-Marne. Together, they cover the eastern inner suburbs of Paris.

Hotel Le Donjon
22, rue Donjon
Vincennes

Very well placed in the pleasant, leafy commune of Vincennes, this charming and cozy property is the virtual king of the quality affordable hotels of Paris? inner suburbs. It offers a flower-filled courtyard and a historic location, a short walk from the imposing Vincennes castle, Vincennes Park and two Metro (line 1) and one RER stations.

The hotel receives very high marks from previous guests, who always sing the praises of the staff, tidiness and location. Doubles start at ?95.

Le Ruisseau
137 Avenue Gallieni
Saint-Mand?

Saint-Mand? is a small ?rump? community situated east of Paris, and the home of a popular street market. It looks like a small piece of Paris detached from the mother town and transferred, as if by art of magic, to the east of the Peripheral Boulevard.

Le Ruisseau is a hotel-restaurant located in this gateway to Paris, between the 12th arrondissement and the commune de Vincennes, and close to the Metro (line 1). It offers 35 clean and spacious rooms with en-suite bathrooms also of good size, and free Wi-Fi access. Doubles start at ?91.

Le Figuier (?The Fig Tree?)
72, Bd de Brandebourg
Ivry-sur-Seine

Ivry is a resolutely non-touristic area, lying at the very southern gates of Paris. There, Le Figuier is like a cocoon of sophistication, quietness and comfort. This hotel-restaurant is another clear winner and one of those places that seem to leave an indelible imprint on visitors. It offers tastefully decorated rooms with private bathroom, TV, free Wi-Fi access, heating and a fan, at rates starting at just ?79.

The property is very close to Ivry-sur-Seine RER Station, which takes the visitor to the center of Paris in a few minutes. Perhaps the strongest asset of this hotel is its owner, a lady that figures prominently in almost every user review as being supremely charming, gentle and helpful.

La Maison Bacana
Vitry-sur-Seine

Its name evokes French and Brazilian influences, which seem perfectly well justified by the winning coexistence of a very professional management and a warm welcome and ambiance. Very few lodgings in the Parisian region can boast the nearly 100% approval rate by its clientele and the degree of wild enthusiasm that this friendly B&B brings about in its guests. Patrons declare that ?? they are the best hosts you can ask for? and ?go beyond all expectations to help.?

Meanwhile, guests also rave about the spaciousness and cleanness of rooms, and the hotel?s breakfast, atmosphere, decoration? you name it! Indeed, all in all, it?s hard to find a lodging in Paris or around with such high marks. Located in Vitry-sur-Seine, a commune with many similarities with Ivry, the B&B is very close to the Vitry-sur-Seine RER station. (Rooms with private bathrooms, for 2-3 persons at ?100, up to 4 persons at ?120, up to 5 at ?135, up to 6 at ?150.)

Ibis Budget
Vitry sur Seine (ex ETAP HOTEL)

Another Vitry property, this suburban branch of the well-known budget hotel chain sits midway between the Orly airport and Porte d?Italie to the south of Paris. It offers basic, clean rooms with flat-screen television, comfort shower and separate toilets rooms at very cheap rates. Doubles at ?45-50.

S?jours & Affaires
Paris-Vitry

Also located in the rather nondescript but quiet suburb of Vitry-sur-Seine, this S?jours & Affaires branch is a highly serviceable and inexpensive lodging. It provides studio apartments with free Wi-Fi internet access, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, kitchenette with fridge, microwave, electric stove and coffee maker as well as laundry facilities and luggage storage. It enjoys very positive reviews by users despite the fact of not being close to the Metro or RER public transportation type. Studios at ?52-65.

Ibis budget
Paris Porte d?Italie Est

This property, located near the Kremlin-Bic?tre community immediately south of the Peripheral Boulevard, offers cheap and comfortable rooms. It?s particularly suitable for families. Visitors often praise the helpful and courteous staff. Doubles at ?60-65.

Ibis Budget
Paris Porte d?Italie Ouest

Also in Kremlin-Bic?tre and very close to the Peripheral Boulevard, this inexpensive hotel with its clean rooms and friendly staff is another convenient option at the gates of Paris. Doubles at ?63.

Mister Bed City
Bagnolet

Located near the Porte de Bagnolet and the Metro station Gallieni, this cheap hotel features comfortable rooms with en suite facilities, TV and telephone as well as heating, (paid) Wi-Fi and parking. The area isn?t exactly a laugh riot but it?s very handy, close to public transport and caf?s, restaurants and shops. Doubles from ?64.

Campanile Paris Est
Porte de Bagnolet

In close proximity to the Mister Bed City, this budget hotel has comfortable air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi access and satellite TV. Doubles from ?72-78, triples at ?90.

Ibis Budget
Paris Porte de Bagnolet

Yet another lodging in the Porte de Bagnolet area, this serviceable Ibis property, a truly cheapo hotel, has clean and spacious rooms and bathrooms. Doubles at ?48-63, quads at ?70.

Adagio Access Paris
Porte de Charenton (ex Cit?a)

This pleasant apartment hotel, in a vintage position at the gates of Paris, is based on the southeastern suburb of Charenton, at walking distance from two Metro stations. Its studios and larger apartments are equipped with telephone, satellite TV, free Internet access and a kitchenette with various appliances. The multilingual staff is another bonus. Studios at ?70-73, larger apartments (quads) at ?103-113.

Villa Bellagio
Villejuif

Located some 3.5 km. south of the Paris limits, in the commune of Villejuif, this hotel offers free underground parking and has a bus station just outside, but is relatively far away from any metro or RER station. Visitors comment favorably on the polite and welcoming staff, the clean and spacious rooms and bathrooms and the availability of a kitchenette. The proximity of Villa Bellagio to some big hospitals of European stature, specialized in Oncology and organ transplantation, is a bonus for families of patients attending those leading Medical Centers. (Doubles start at ?79-81, triples at ?116 and family suites at ?140).

Park & Suites Elegance
Villejuif

This comfortable apartment hotel, located in a quiet neighborhood and close to supermarkets and to a Metro station, gets favorable reviews for its clean and roomy studios with kitchenette, (very convenient for families), free Wi-Fi and efficient housekeeping. ?Standard? Studios begin at ?99-109 and quads at ?130 (promotional rate, breakfast included).

Do you prefer the suburbs?

Have you stayed in Paris? suburbs? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.

About the author

Ernesto Guiraldes is a Chilean pediatrician and lives in Santiago. He graduated from the University of Chile and undertook postgraduate studies in the UK and Canada. He continues to travel extensively overseas, and always likes to do his homework before he goes. He believes that quality accommodation for the budget-conscious traveler has social and ethical value and should be nurtured and vigorously supported.

Source: http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/paris-head-to-the-nearby-suburbs-for-these-14-excellent-cheap-sleeps.html

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How Tesla Sales Stack Up Against Four Large ... - Business Insider

After smashing earnings and revenue expectations?and earning the best Consumer Reports score ever for its all-electric Model S sedan, Tesla Motors is riding high.

Sending it even higher is the fact that it looks like it is actually beating out the big dogs in the luxury auto segment, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

CNN Money looked at sales figures for the first quarter of 2012 ?for Tesla and the three German automakers in the large luxury segment. Tesla is way ahead:

But as CNN Money notes (and John Voelcker at Green Car Reports pointed out last month), these numbers provide an incomplete picture.

Because Tesla sells only one car, the Model S, it competes in only one category, large luxury sedans. It succeeds there, but does not even have entries to compete with the many other models offered by its larger competitors.

Tesla isn't outselling BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz. The Model S is outselling the BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Tesla is doing very well with the Model S, but it's still a small fish in a big pond.

We should also point out that Musk's car did not win even win the large luxury sedan segment: It was beaten by Cadillac, which sold more than 7,000 units of its new,?rather impressive XTS sedan?between January and March.

For a fuller picture of the luxury auto market, here are the U.S. luxury sales figures for the same brands in 2012. For Tesla, which does not report exact sales figures, we've used its 2013 sales goal, 21,000 vehicles. (Click to enlarge.)

Figures provided by Green Car Reports.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-is-not-really-outselling-bmw-audi-2013-5

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