[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
Sandy beaches, hydrocarbon reservoirs, tectonic tilting: It's all about geologyPublic release date: 29-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kea Giles kgiles@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
New Geology articles posted online ahead of print 29 June 2012
Boulder, Colo., USA Topics in this new batch of Geology papers posted online 29 June include ecospace utilization; Little Bahama Bank; climatic asynchrony; oceanic crust; sand budgets; the Alpine fault's seismic hazard to New Zealand; volcano behavior; gravity oscillations; chemical weathering in the Critical Zone; giant wave ripples; the location of high peaks as a function of drainage network; and soils as ledgers recording transactions of energy and material between Earth's plants, rocks, water, and atmosphere.
Highlights are provided below. Geology articles published ahead of print can be accessed online at http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/recent. All abstracts are open-access at http://geology.gsapubs.org/; representatives of the media may obtain complimentary Geology articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above.
Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to Geology in articles published. Contact Kea Giles for additional information or assistance.
Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.
Long-term origination rates are reset only at mass extinctions
Andrew Z. Krug and David Jablonski, Dept. of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. Posted online 15 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33091.1.
Diversification during recovery intervals is rapid relative to background rates, but the impact of recovery dynamics on long-term evolutionary patterns is poorly understood. Age distributions for cohorts of marine bivalves show that intrinsic origination rates tend to remain constant, shifting only during intervals of high biotic turnover, particularly mass extinction events. Genera originating in high-turnover intervals have longer stratigraphic durations than genera arising at other intervals, and drive the magnitude of the shift following the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction. Species richness and geographic range promote survivorship and potentially control rates through ecospace utilization, and both richness and range have been observed to expand more rapidly in recovery versus background states. Post-Paleozoic origination rates, then, are directly tied to recovery dynamics following each mass extinction event.
Canyon morphology on a modern carbonate slope of the Bahamas: Evidence of regional tectonic tilting
T. Mulder et al., Universit de Bordeaux, UMR 5805 EPOC, 33405 Talence cedex, France. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33327.1.
New high-quality bathymetry data collected in November 2010 during an international cruise led by the University of Bordeaux on the French Oceanographic research vessel Le Surot depict the morphology of the northern slope of the Little Bahama Bank (North of Gran Bahama). The survey reveals the details of large and small-scale morphologies, including slope failure scars and canyons. The slope shows true turbidite systems extending over approx. 40 km and built by mass-flow events and turbidity currents. Slope failures show sinuous head scarps, most of them being filled with recent sediment. Canyons have amphitheater-shaped heads resulting from these coalescing slump scars. Canyons rapidly open on a short channel and a depositional lobe. Detailed analyses of bathymetric data show that the canyon and failure-scar morphology and geometry vary following a W-E trend along the bank slope, consistently with a westward tectonic tilt of the bank during the Cenozoic. The study of such carbonate turbidite systems could lead of the discovery of new types of rock-bearing hydrocarbon reservoirs in similar systems located in ancient carbonate-dominated depositional systems.
New Zealand and UK Holocene flooding demonstrates interhemispheric climate asynchrony
Mark G. Macklin et al., Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion SY23 3DB, UK. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33364.1.
More than 1,000 radiocarbon ages sourced from floodplains in the UK and New Zealand have been used to detect the timing of large-scale flooding during the past ~10,000 years in these temperate maritime regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Probability and statistical analyses of these datasets shows that flood-rich centuries in New Zealand and the UK were largely asynchronous during this time period. Since these major periods of flooding, or "wet centuries," are controlled by large-scale shifts in atmospheric circulation, these findings demonstrate that short-term climate change was out of phase in the temperate maritime regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This supports recent research that has suggested that Holocene climate changes may have been antiphased between the polar regions, possibly related to variation in the strength of deep water formation. Reconstructing and interrogating flood histories in the UK and New Zealand provides a novel means of addressing one of the grand challenges in Holocene paleoclimate research, namely establishing whether centennial-scale climate change between the Hemispheres has been synchronous. These data strongly suggest climatic asynchrony.
Oxidation state of subarc mantle
K.A. Evans et al., School of Applied Geology, Curtin University, GPO Box 1987, WA 6845, Australia. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33037.1.
Ocean crust forms from mantle-derived magmas at mid-ocean ridges, travels across the ocean floor as Earth's tectonic plates move, and descends down subduction zones to be recycled into the Earth. This cycling of material from Earth's interior to exterior and back again forms one of the planet's primary geochemical cycles. Oceanic crust reacts chemically with the ocean, and this process changes the composition of that crust. Thus, when oceanic crust is recycled back into the interior of the Earth, it adds components that were not present when it was first formed. One of the most interesting and least well known changes in the composition of ocean crust is its oxidation by the ocean. It has been proposed that subduction of this oxidized ocean crust, and release of the oxidized components within the Earth, cause portions of Earth's mantle to oxidize, and that this oxidation is a necessary prerequisite to the formation of some types of ore deposits that include copper, gold, and molybdenum. However, this conclusion is controversial. In this paper, K.A. Evans and colleagues used new analyses of mantle-derived material in oceanic crust and model calculations to explore the plausibility of different proposed fates for subducted oxidized material.
The offshore export of sand during exceptional discharge from California rivers
Jonathan A. Warrick and Patrick L. Barnard, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 400 Natural Bridges Drive, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33115.1.
Having an accurate accounting of how much sand is available to build beaches is important for understanding and dealing with coastal erosion. Coastal rivers on the U.S. west coast are the primary sources of sand to this region's popular beaches, and the majority of this sand is discharged during floods on these rivers. Warrick and Barnard found that rivers with high rates of sediment discharge, like the Santa Clara River of southern California, discharge sand far offshore of the littoral cell -- the nearshore area that provides sand for beaches. Thus, a significant amount of the sand discharged by rivers such as these is deposited on the inner continental shelf, beyond the reach of waves that would otherwise move it up onto beaches. This suggests that a portion of the sand supplied to the southern California coastal regions by rivers will not resupply sand budgets of the coastal littoral cells.
New on-fault evidence for a great earthquake in A.D. 1717, central Alpine fault, New Zealand
G.P. De Pascale and R.M. Langridge, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33363.1.
The Alpine fault is the major onshore plate-boundary structure between the Australian and Pacific plates on the South Island of New Zealand. No previous study of the central portion of the high-uplift central segment has provided on-fault evidence for the most recent earthquake (MRE). Using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data and field mapping, G.P. De Pascale and R.M. Landridge discovered the main trace of the fault in the rainforest north of Gaunt Creek (Westland) as a north-trending fault -- a major deviation from the generally northeast-trending fault. They enhanced a natural exposure that revealed evidence for repeated thrust fault movement with a thick clay fault gouge layer juxtaposing hanging-wall (Pacific Plate) bedrock thrust over young footwall (Australian Plate) stream deposits and dated a buried peat on the fault scarp that correlates with the postulated A.D. 1717 earthquake. By comparing other records for the 1717 earthquake with recent research along the fault, De Pascale and Landridge calculate a moment magnitude (Mw) of between Mw 8.0 to 8.2 in 1717, a great earthquake that is larger than any previous estimate. Because the Alpine fault has not ruptured for ~300 years, it is likely approaching the end of its seismic cycle and poses a significant seismic hazard to New Zealand.
Disequilibrium dihedral angles in dolerite sills: A new proxy for cooling rate
Marian B. Holness et al., Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33119.1.
Working out how long bodies of magma take to solidify is important if we want to understand how volcanoes behave. Until now this has been done using theoretical cooling models or by looking at how big the individual crystals are (the bigger the crystals the longer time they had to grow). Here we show that the way the grain fit together gives us an accurate picture of how long magma took to solidify: the geometry of three-grain junctions is a highly sensitive speedometer for crystallization times between 10 and 1000 years.
Gravity fluctuations induced by magma convection at Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i
Daniele Carbone and Michael P. Poland, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania, Osservatorio Etneo, Catania 95125, Italy. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33060.1.
This paper reports on the first continuous gravity measurements accomplished at Kilauea volcano in Hawai'i. Daniele Carbone and Michael Poland recorded the shortest-period gravity oscillations related to volcanic activity that have ever been detected, which they associate with convection in a shallow magma chamber. Rapid magma convection has long been hypothesized at persistently active volcanoes based on numerical simulations, but supporting data are largely absent from the literature. Carbone and Poland interpret their gravity data to be the first geophysical fingerprint of convection occurring over a time scale on the order of minutes in a shallow magma reservoir. The implications of the paper are twofold: (1) the results provide a new perspective on how magma circulates at Kilauea and other persistently active volcanoes, which can impact the understanding of gas emissions, seismic activity, and eruptions; and (2) Carbone and Poland highlight the great potential of a continuous gravity, a relatively new technique, as a tool to study (and monitor) active volcanoes.
Thickness of the chemical weathering zone and implications for erosional and climatic drivers of weathering and for carbon-cycle feedbacks
A. Joshua West, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 3651 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33041.1.
The thin veneer at Earth's surface, known as the Critical Zone, plays host to a range of chemical reactions that are critical for generating and sustaining the resources that support life and shape the natural environment. The chemical breakdown of minerals, known as chemical weathering, is one of the most important of these chemical reactions. Until now, little has been known about where chemical weathering takes place, with soils typically thought to define the most important interface across which rocks break down chemically and physically. The analysis presented here challenges this assumption, indicating that chemical weathering takes place across a distributed zone that is often at least partly hosted in soils, but may also include bedrock, for example along fractures at depth. As a result, even landscapes with minimal soil may generate significant weathering fluxes. Moreover, because the total flux of material associated with erosion is high in these settings, they may play disproportionately important roles in global geochemical cycles. The ultimate message is that just because landscapes don't have soils doesn't mean that they aren't significant players in the global exchange between the solid rock that makes up the bulk of the Earth and the life-sustaining surface.
Origin of giant wave ripples in snowball Earth cap carbonate
Michael P. Lamb et al., Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33093.1.
The most extreme climate transitions in Earth history are recorded by Neoproterozoic glacial deposits with overlying "cap" carbonate rocks indicating a potential snowball, or ice-entombed, Earth. Giant symmetrical wave ripples preserved within these rocks are often interpreted to form under extreme wave conditions. Using a new model for ripple formation, we show that the first-order control on forming this type of ripple is sediment size, not wave climate. New measurements of ripple wavelengths and particle sizes from the approx. 635 million-year-old Nuccaleena Formation, Australia, indicate that the giant ripples are generally composed of coarse to very coarse sand, indicating that they likely formed under normal wave conditions. Numerical simulations of flow over ripples suggest that the ripples may have formed over long time periods with variable wave climates in conjunction with rapid seabed cementation. Together our analysis indicates that, rather than extreme wave conditions, the giant wave ripples are a consequence of the unusual mode of carbonate precipitation during this unusual period of Earth history.
Influence of drainage divide structure on the distribution of mountain peaks
James A. Spotila, Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33338.1.
People have long been fascinated by mountainous topography, yet peaks and ridges have been left at the periphery of scientific investigation of landscape evolution, which traditionally has focused on valley-shaping processes. Author James Spotila shows that the distribution of mountain peaks conforms closely with drainage divide structure. Specifically, peaks occur along the intersection of drainage divides, and are not randomly distributed throughout the landscape. This is likely because drainage divide intersections are more stable and more difficult to erode, thus leading to the formation of pyramid-shaped peaks. This observation implies that the location of high peaks is a function of drainage network. For example, Mount Everest occurs where it does because major divides intersect there; there may be nothing else special about the rocks or tectonics of that location. The association of peaks and drainage divide intersections also implies that mountain peaks are anchor points in the landscape. Peaks may exert a previously unrecognized feedback on long-term landscape evolution, which limits the migration of drainage divides and valleys and thus stabilizes the topography. As a result, the drainage divide structure and the distribution of elevation along ridges are relevant characteristics that both influence and record how mountain landscapes evolve.
Coupling meteoric 10Be with pedogenic losses of 9Be to improve soil residence time estimates on an ancient North American interfluve
Allan R. Bacon et al., University Program in Ecology, and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33449.1.
Soils are like ledgers -- while residing on Earth's surface, they record transactions of energy and material between Earth's plants, rocks, water, and atmosphere. Deciphering these records and estimating how far back in time they go is not only a challenge, it is also important because understanding how plants, rocks, water, and our atmosphere have interacted in the past (under different climatic conditions) may help us predict how they will interact in the future. To take a step toward deciphering the records stored in the soils of the Southeastern United States, Allan R. Bacon and colleagues asked a simple question: How long have these soils been residing at Earth's surface? To answer this question, they combined analyses and interpretations from soil science and geology. What they found was that soils in this region are much older than previously thought. In fact, they estimate that, at minimum, the soils of the Southeastern United States may have been residing at Earth's surface for nearly 4 million years.
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Sandy beaches, hydrocarbon reservoirs, tectonic tilting: It's all about geologyPublic release date: 29-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kea Giles kgiles@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
New Geology articles posted online ahead of print 29 June 2012
Boulder, Colo., USA Topics in this new batch of Geology papers posted online 29 June include ecospace utilization; Little Bahama Bank; climatic asynchrony; oceanic crust; sand budgets; the Alpine fault's seismic hazard to New Zealand; volcano behavior; gravity oscillations; chemical weathering in the Critical Zone; giant wave ripples; the location of high peaks as a function of drainage network; and soils as ledgers recording transactions of energy and material between Earth's plants, rocks, water, and atmosphere.
Highlights are provided below. Geology articles published ahead of print can be accessed online at http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/early/recent. All abstracts are open-access at http://geology.gsapubs.org/; representatives of the media may obtain complimentary Geology articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above.
Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to Geology in articles published. Contact Kea Giles for additional information or assistance.
Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.
Long-term origination rates are reset only at mass extinctions
Andrew Z. Krug and David Jablonski, Dept. of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. Posted online 15 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33091.1.
Diversification during recovery intervals is rapid relative to background rates, but the impact of recovery dynamics on long-term evolutionary patterns is poorly understood. Age distributions for cohorts of marine bivalves show that intrinsic origination rates tend to remain constant, shifting only during intervals of high biotic turnover, particularly mass extinction events. Genera originating in high-turnover intervals have longer stratigraphic durations than genera arising at other intervals, and drive the magnitude of the shift following the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction. Species richness and geographic range promote survivorship and potentially control rates through ecospace utilization, and both richness and range have been observed to expand more rapidly in recovery versus background states. Post-Paleozoic origination rates, then, are directly tied to recovery dynamics following each mass extinction event.
Canyon morphology on a modern carbonate slope of the Bahamas: Evidence of regional tectonic tilting
T. Mulder et al., Universit de Bordeaux, UMR 5805 EPOC, 33405 Talence cedex, France. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33327.1.
New high-quality bathymetry data collected in November 2010 during an international cruise led by the University of Bordeaux on the French Oceanographic research vessel Le Surot depict the morphology of the northern slope of the Little Bahama Bank (North of Gran Bahama). The survey reveals the details of large and small-scale morphologies, including slope failure scars and canyons. The slope shows true turbidite systems extending over approx. 40 km and built by mass-flow events and turbidity currents. Slope failures show sinuous head scarps, most of them being filled with recent sediment. Canyons have amphitheater-shaped heads resulting from these coalescing slump scars. Canyons rapidly open on a short channel and a depositional lobe. Detailed analyses of bathymetric data show that the canyon and failure-scar morphology and geometry vary following a W-E trend along the bank slope, consistently with a westward tectonic tilt of the bank during the Cenozoic. The study of such carbonate turbidite systems could lead of the discovery of new types of rock-bearing hydrocarbon reservoirs in similar systems located in ancient carbonate-dominated depositional systems.
New Zealand and UK Holocene flooding demonstrates interhemispheric climate asynchrony
Mark G. Macklin et al., Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion SY23 3DB, UK. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33364.1.
More than 1,000 radiocarbon ages sourced from floodplains in the UK and New Zealand have been used to detect the timing of large-scale flooding during the past ~10,000 years in these temperate maritime regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Probability and statistical analyses of these datasets shows that flood-rich centuries in New Zealand and the UK were largely asynchronous during this time period. Since these major periods of flooding, or "wet centuries," are controlled by large-scale shifts in atmospheric circulation, these findings demonstrate that short-term climate change was out of phase in the temperate maritime regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This supports recent research that has suggested that Holocene climate changes may have been antiphased between the polar regions, possibly related to variation in the strength of deep water formation. Reconstructing and interrogating flood histories in the UK and New Zealand provides a novel means of addressing one of the grand challenges in Holocene paleoclimate research, namely establishing whether centennial-scale climate change between the Hemispheres has been synchronous. These data strongly suggest climatic asynchrony.
Oxidation state of subarc mantle
K.A. Evans et al., School of Applied Geology, Curtin University, GPO Box 1987, WA 6845, Australia. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33037.1.
Ocean crust forms from mantle-derived magmas at mid-ocean ridges, travels across the ocean floor as Earth's tectonic plates move, and descends down subduction zones to be recycled into the Earth. This cycling of material from Earth's interior to exterior and back again forms one of the planet's primary geochemical cycles. Oceanic crust reacts chemically with the ocean, and this process changes the composition of that crust. Thus, when oceanic crust is recycled back into the interior of the Earth, it adds components that were not present when it was first formed. One of the most interesting and least well known changes in the composition of ocean crust is its oxidation by the ocean. It has been proposed that subduction of this oxidized ocean crust, and release of the oxidized components within the Earth, cause portions of Earth's mantle to oxidize, and that this oxidation is a necessary prerequisite to the formation of some types of ore deposits that include copper, gold, and molybdenum. However, this conclusion is controversial. In this paper, K.A. Evans and colleagues used new analyses of mantle-derived material in oceanic crust and model calculations to explore the plausibility of different proposed fates for subducted oxidized material.
The offshore export of sand during exceptional discharge from California rivers
Jonathan A. Warrick and Patrick L. Barnard, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 400 Natural Bridges Drive, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33115.1.
Having an accurate accounting of how much sand is available to build beaches is important for understanding and dealing with coastal erosion. Coastal rivers on the U.S. west coast are the primary sources of sand to this region's popular beaches, and the majority of this sand is discharged during floods on these rivers. Warrick and Barnard found that rivers with high rates of sediment discharge, like the Santa Clara River of southern California, discharge sand far offshore of the littoral cell -- the nearshore area that provides sand for beaches. Thus, a significant amount of the sand discharged by rivers such as these is deposited on the inner continental shelf, beyond the reach of waves that would otherwise move it up onto beaches. This suggests that a portion of the sand supplied to the southern California coastal regions by rivers will not resupply sand budgets of the coastal littoral cells.
New on-fault evidence for a great earthquake in A.D. 1717, central Alpine fault, New Zealand
G.P. De Pascale and R.M. Langridge, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33363.1.
The Alpine fault is the major onshore plate-boundary structure between the Australian and Pacific plates on the South Island of New Zealand. No previous study of the central portion of the high-uplift central segment has provided on-fault evidence for the most recent earthquake (MRE). Using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data and field mapping, G.P. De Pascale and R.M. Landridge discovered the main trace of the fault in the rainforest north of Gaunt Creek (Westland) as a north-trending fault -- a major deviation from the generally northeast-trending fault. They enhanced a natural exposure that revealed evidence for repeated thrust fault movement with a thick clay fault gouge layer juxtaposing hanging-wall (Pacific Plate) bedrock thrust over young footwall (Australian Plate) stream deposits and dated a buried peat on the fault scarp that correlates with the postulated A.D. 1717 earthquake. By comparing other records for the 1717 earthquake with recent research along the fault, De Pascale and Landridge calculate a moment magnitude (Mw) of between Mw 8.0 to 8.2 in 1717, a great earthquake that is larger than any previous estimate. Because the Alpine fault has not ruptured for ~300 years, it is likely approaching the end of its seismic cycle and poses a significant seismic hazard to New Zealand.
Disequilibrium dihedral angles in dolerite sills: A new proxy for cooling rate
Marian B. Holness et al., Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33119.1.
Working out how long bodies of magma take to solidify is important if we want to understand how volcanoes behave. Until now this has been done using theoretical cooling models or by looking at how big the individual crystals are (the bigger the crystals the longer time they had to grow). Here we show that the way the grain fit together gives us an accurate picture of how long magma took to solidify: the geometry of three-grain junctions is a highly sensitive speedometer for crystallization times between 10 and 1000 years.
Gravity fluctuations induced by magma convection at Kilauea volcano, Hawai'i
Daniele Carbone and Michael P. Poland, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania, Osservatorio Etneo, Catania 95125, Italy. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33060.1.
This paper reports on the first continuous gravity measurements accomplished at Kilauea volcano in Hawai'i. Daniele Carbone and Michael Poland recorded the shortest-period gravity oscillations related to volcanic activity that have ever been detected, which they associate with convection in a shallow magma chamber. Rapid magma convection has long been hypothesized at persistently active volcanoes based on numerical simulations, but supporting data are largely absent from the literature. Carbone and Poland interpret their gravity data to be the first geophysical fingerprint of convection occurring over a time scale on the order of minutes in a shallow magma reservoir. The implications of the paper are twofold: (1) the results provide a new perspective on how magma circulates at Kilauea and other persistently active volcanoes, which can impact the understanding of gas emissions, seismic activity, and eruptions; and (2) Carbone and Poland highlight the great potential of a continuous gravity, a relatively new technique, as a tool to study (and monitor) active volcanoes.
Thickness of the chemical weathering zone and implications for erosional and climatic drivers of weathering and for carbon-cycle feedbacks
A. Joshua West, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 3651 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33041.1.
The thin veneer at Earth's surface, known as the Critical Zone, plays host to a range of chemical reactions that are critical for generating and sustaining the resources that support life and shape the natural environment. The chemical breakdown of minerals, known as chemical weathering, is one of the most important of these chemical reactions. Until now, little has been known about where chemical weathering takes place, with soils typically thought to define the most important interface across which rocks break down chemically and physically. The analysis presented here challenges this assumption, indicating that chemical weathering takes place across a distributed zone that is often at least partly hosted in soils, but may also include bedrock, for example along fractures at depth. As a result, even landscapes with minimal soil may generate significant weathering fluxes. Moreover, because the total flux of material associated with erosion is high in these settings, they may play disproportionately important roles in global geochemical cycles. The ultimate message is that just because landscapes don't have soils doesn't mean that they aren't significant players in the global exchange between the solid rock that makes up the bulk of the Earth and the life-sustaining surface.
Origin of giant wave ripples in snowball Earth cap carbonate
Michael P. Lamb et al., Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33093.1.
The most extreme climate transitions in Earth history are recorded by Neoproterozoic glacial deposits with overlying "cap" carbonate rocks indicating a potential snowball, or ice-entombed, Earth. Giant symmetrical wave ripples preserved within these rocks are often interpreted to form under extreme wave conditions. Using a new model for ripple formation, we show that the first-order control on forming this type of ripple is sediment size, not wave climate. New measurements of ripple wavelengths and particle sizes from the approx. 635 million-year-old Nuccaleena Formation, Australia, indicate that the giant ripples are generally composed of coarse to very coarse sand, indicating that they likely formed under normal wave conditions. Numerical simulations of flow over ripples suggest that the ripples may have formed over long time periods with variable wave climates in conjunction with rapid seabed cementation. Together our analysis indicates that, rather than extreme wave conditions, the giant wave ripples are a consequence of the unusual mode of carbonate precipitation during this unusual period of Earth history.
Influence of drainage divide structure on the distribution of mountain peaks
James A. Spotila, Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33338.1.
People have long been fascinated by mountainous topography, yet peaks and ridges have been left at the periphery of scientific investigation of landscape evolution, which traditionally has focused on valley-shaping processes. Author James Spotila shows that the distribution of mountain peaks conforms closely with drainage divide structure. Specifically, peaks occur along the intersection of drainage divides, and are not randomly distributed throughout the landscape. This is likely because drainage divide intersections are more stable and more difficult to erode, thus leading to the formation of pyramid-shaped peaks. This observation implies that the location of high peaks is a function of drainage network. For example, Mount Everest occurs where it does because major divides intersect there; there may be nothing else special about the rocks or tectonics of that location. The association of peaks and drainage divide intersections also implies that mountain peaks are anchor points in the landscape. Peaks may exert a previously unrecognized feedback on long-term landscape evolution, which limits the migration of drainage divides and valleys and thus stabilizes the topography. As a result, the drainage divide structure and the distribution of elevation along ridges are relevant characteristics that both influence and record how mountain landscapes evolve.
Coupling meteoric 10Be with pedogenic losses of 9Be to improve soil residence time estimates on an ancient North American interfluve
Allan R. Bacon et al., University Program in Ecology, and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. Posted online 29 June 2012; doi: 10.1130/G33449.1.
Soils are like ledgers -- while residing on Earth's surface, they record transactions of energy and material between Earth's plants, rocks, water, and atmosphere. Deciphering these records and estimating how far back in time they go is not only a challenge, it is also important because understanding how plants, rocks, water, and our atmosphere have interacted in the past (under different climatic conditions) may help us predict how they will interact in the future. To take a step toward deciphering the records stored in the soils of the Southeastern United States, Allan R. Bacon and colleagues asked a simple question: How long have these soils been residing at Earth's surface? To answer this question, they combined analyses and interpretations from soil science and geology. What they found was that soils in this region are much older than previously thought. In fact, they estimate that, at minimum, the soils of the Southeastern United States may have been residing at Earth's surface for nearly 4 million years.
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"We're missing a nut," says a bemused Matt Hershenson, former Danger founder and now Google's director of hardware for Android, pointing at a vacant spot on an exploded photo of the Nexus Q. Its parts are strewn out across a white background, perfectly arranged in a linear pattern that starkly contrasts with the spherical nature of the thing. "Wow, you're right," agrees Joe Britt, engineering director at Google and another former Danger founder. "It's like the illuminators, you know, the monks who used to draw up the codexes." Hershenson picks up the reference without missing a beat: "Everybody needs to make at least one mistake. Nothing can be perfect."
That goes against everything else we've been learning from the pair, who spend 45 minutes walking us through every detail of what went into the development of the new Nexus Q. They worked hand-in-hand with engineers and designers and materials experts, ensuring everything from the bearings to the LEDs were, well, perfect. But there is one thing, something larger, that many have said is a crucial flaw in this illuminated device: pricing. Will people pay $299 for a high-concept, low-functionality social media streamer? Join us after the break for how the Q came to be, and why Britt and Hershenson think it will be a success.
Over 80 percent of people seek health-related information online, on everything from insurance to help diagnosing aches and pains. As the world goes mobile, so too does health. Instead of using Google for your health queries or perusing WebMD, HealthTap launched last year to give people a way to connect with doctors in realtime via their mobile devices. Today, the startup is announcing a significant update to their interactive mobile health network, including a suite of new apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android and the Web, and a revamped, cleaner UI.
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Goodson on "Anger Management."
By Ree Hines
Just over a year ago, Charlie Sheen contemplated the future of "Two and a Half Men" without himself. In brief, he decided the hit sitcom had no future. ?"No Charlie Sheen, no show," he boasted at the time. Of course, another season of "Men" has come and gone since then, and while its appeal sans Sheen is debatable among fans, it was successful enough to merit yet another renewal.
So, it appears that without Sheen, there's still a show. Now the question is: Is there one with him? That's what viewers are about to decide as the actor makes his small-screen return in FX's new Sheen-centric offering, "Anger Management."
Will "Men" fans still missing that show's former leading man tune in to his new effort? And more importantly, will they stick around long enough to ensure that it's a success?
That all depends on what they're looking for.
Viewers eager to see Sheen break new sitcom ground and show audiences just what he can do outside of the "Men" mold will no doubt be disappointed. "Management" is, after all, another exercise in Charlie being Charlie -- literally.
Charlie Harper is long gone, and in his primetime place Sheen brings Charlie Goodson to life. Where Harper was a baseball fan, Goodson is a former player. Harper joked around with nephew Jake; Goodson shares his laughs with daughter Sam. Harper was known for enjoying the commitment-free company of women -- with the exception of a couple of engagements. Goodson, too, goes for women with no strings attached -- at least since separating from his ex-wife.
Yes, overall, the show that Sheen's already referring to as his "swan song" sounds like a tune fans have heard before.
Innuendo packed jokes? Check. Outrageous stories from back-in-the-day? Check. A wink and a nod to Sheen's real-life bad boy persona? Check and check.
Add to all of that a standard sitcom formula of setup-zinger-laugh track and you get the idea.
But while that been-there-done-that vibe might turn off those looking for something different -- and those hoping for a higher humor aim from sitcoms in general -- "Management" is bound to appeal to viewers who actually want more of the same. And don't count them out!
Often, known quantities are precisely what makes for TV magic -- at least ratings-wise. What better way to give audiences what they want than to give them what they wanted before -- with a twist?
"Anger Management's" twist -- which sees Sheen actually in charge of group-therapy sessions rather than sitting in on them as one might expect -- has the potential to offer plenty of comic fodder, even if it doesn't seem to reach that potential within the first couple of episodes. (And yes, we've seen them.) It's up to audiences to decide if that's enough.
"Anger Management" premieres June 28 at 9 p.m. on FX.
"Two and a Half Men" fans, will you give Sheen a shot on "Anger Management"? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.
Qantas has introduced the first of its 12 newly reconfigured A380s. The reconfiguration process will see the superjumbo modified to better suit long haul customer demand featuring 14 First suites, 64 Skybeds, 35 Premium Economy seats and 371 Economy seats ? a total of 484 seats. Additional capacity was made by reducing the Business cabin and reshuffling some interiors. All 12 of Qantas?s A380s are scheduled to be reconfigured by Apr 2013.
See the seating chart for revamped Qantas A380s here.
qantas surfs the net sky high
Qantas has been trialling OnAir Internet connectivity on selected A380 flights between Australia and the USA, as it evaluates its deployment across its fleet on an ongoing basis.
The trial launched in March, initially for an eight week period, but has now been extended, with Qantas continuing to invite feedback on the product from business and first class passengers. Six A380s have the system, and Qantas is the first carrier to offer connectivity on direct flights between Australia and the USA.? The connection is provided using global Inmarsat satellite based connections, and becomes live as soon as the aircraft leaves Australian airspace. Under the current trial, the system is free for First class passengers, while there is a sliding scale of costs in Business class depending on downloads and device type.
qantas expands upgrade options
Qantas says its new ?at the gate? upgrade functionality has been introduced following extensive feedback from Frequent Flyers who have been frustrated when their Flight Upgrade Award requests using points are denied, yet they see empty seats available when boarding. ?To increase the members? chances of obtaining an upgrade we have introduced an additional process where an upgrade request can be further processed at the airport prior to departure,? a spokesperson said. She said that members will still continue to receive notification of an upgrade confirmation prior to arriving at the airport, but there is now an additional opportunity to be advised at check-in. The carrier began trialling the new system this month on selected routes, with the aim of rolling it out across the entire international network by the end of July.
dry-cleaning by QF
Qantas has announced it now offers dry-cleaning services at its Sydney & Melbourne domestic terminals as part of its Qantas Valet experience. The service is also available to QantasLink and Jetstar passengers, along with valet parking, car cleaning and chauffeur limousine transfers. Customers drop dry-cleaning off at a dedicated counter when they leave their car and collect it upon their return, with customers receiving a free garment bag to use each time as well as three frequent-flyer points per $1 spent.
changes to qantas group services
Effective 23 August the number of flights between Sydney and Cairns will reduce from three daily services to two daily return services.
The following flights will cease operations: QF932 ? Sydney to Cairns QF921 ? Cairns to Sydney
Qantas will also reduce services between Ayers Rock (Uluru) and Perth from four return services per week to two return services per week effective 1 September.? This service will then be suspended from 28 October 2012.
Qantas will reduce services between Ayers Rock (Uluru) and Cairns from 14 return services per week to seven return services per week effective 1 September 2012.
Qantas has made these changes due to a decline in demand on the impacted services.
Qantas will re-accommodate all Qantas customers booked on cancelled flights including those customers travelling on Qantas Frequent Flyer Award tickets. If you have any questions please contact your dedicated consultant.
Meanwhile, Qantas Group has announced plans to increase capacity on east coast routes by up to 25,800 seats per week during 2012/13. A range of changes, including aircraft upgrades and additional frequencies will be made. - Qantas will add extra services during peak times on core east coast business routes between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. - The reintroduction of Boeing 747 services on the Sydney-Perth route and more Airbus A330 services on the Melbourne-Perth route will increase capacity in the east-west market and give more customers access to the award-winning Skybed product in business class. - Jetstar will increase capacity in its key leisure markets. - QantasLink will increase capacity across Queensland with the introduction of F100 jet services between Brisbane and Emerald, complementing Q400 services and providing cascaded growth in key regional markets.
The introduction of these services in 2012/13 will result in an increase of more than 496,000 additional Jetstar seats and 400,000 Qantas seats per year along the east coast.
qantas business class baggage allowance increased
Qantas have advised travel agents of an increased luggage allowance for domestic business class travellers, with the move effective from 02 May. The checked baggage allowance for travel in?? business on QF domestic flights will increase from one 32kg piece to two 32kg pieces.
new singapore changi lounge
By the end of 2012, First customers of Qantas and British Airways travelling to London via Singapore will be able to enjoy a new lounge in Singapore. Designed by Qantas Creative Director Marc Newson, the new First Lounge aims to deliver unsurpassed levels of comfort and luxury, building on the success of the Sydney and Melbourne lounges.
In the meantime Qantas are making a change to their current Singapore lounges.? The current Business Lounge has been temporarily switched to a First Lounge for access by Qantas, British Airways and oneworld customers travelling in First and Business, Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyers, British Airways Gold Executive members and oneworld Emerald members. The current First Lounge has been temporarily switched to a Business Lounge for access by Qantas Gold Frequent Flyers, British Airways Silver Executive Club members, Qantas Club members and oneworld Sapphire members travelling in Premium Economy and Economy and Jetstar customers travelling on a Business Max fare.
virgin news
virgin tasman meals
Virgin Australia has announced changes to meals offered along with its trans-Tasman Flexi Fares. Effective immediately, guests travelling on Flexi Fares will now receive a new hot meal in addition to complimentary beer, wine and other beverages, while those in Premium Economy will also receive the new meal plus complimentary menu selections.
changes to virgin services
On the 28 May Virgin Australia added two additional daily flights between Brisbane and Gladstone from, increasing? frequency to 58 per week. The services utilise the ATR turboprop fleet which now operates over 200 weekly flights within Qld, NSW and the ACT.
For the first time in 11 years, the north-west region will gain the benefit of a choice of two major airlines (Qantas and Virgin), with Virgin Australia announcing it will commence competitive services between Mount Isa and Brisbane on 13 August 2012.
virgin? lounge updates
Virgin Australia has opened its Lounge at Gold Coast Airport, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the Gold Coast hub and enhancing travel to this important destination for both leisure and corporate guests.
Virgin Australia & Etihad to open new Sydney Airport lounge in early 2013 with a Melbourne lounge to follow. Refurbishment work at Melbourne Airport?s Terminal 3 has been launched as part of the airline?s brand repositioning. The investment includes a new ?high-quality? corporate Lounge and the introduction of a Premium Valet service at T3. Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff said flights will operate as normal during the upgrade and that the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The Perth lounge has been updated with more space, more seats and more flat-screen TV?s.? It now features several ?zoned areas to offer choice and improved experience? for travellers, additional group seating and a self-service beverage area (in addition to the barista and bar service) plus three more HD TVs and two additional sets of flight information displays. The lounge is open to all business class travellers plus Gold and Platinum members of Virgin?s Velocity frequent flyer program.
virgin?atlantic gives the OK on in-flight calls
Virgin Atlantic says it will begin allowing passengers on transatlantic A330 flights from London to New York to use mobile phones to make calls as it begins rolling out new technology this year.? Smartphone users will be able to send & receive text messages, emails & web browse in-flight. The service is available for 02 or Vodaphone-compatible devices, charged at ?1 (AU$1.60)/min once airborne & outside US air space.
other airline news
hot deal from united airlines!
United Airlines has put business class companion fares on sale for travel from Australia to the US, with levels starting at $4200 ex Sydney/Melbourne to Los Angeles. New York is selling from $4800 and Las Vegas from $4400.
The fares are on sale till 16 July, with open seasonality. Hurry, call your dedicated consultants to book now.
hawaiian airlines adds second australian port
Hawaiian Airlines has announced the debut of nonstop flights between Brisbane and Honolulu, with the thrice weekly operation to commence from 28 November this year. The move will see HA become the only US carrier to fly to the Queensland capital, with the new flights connecting in Hawaii with same-carrier same-day services to other Hawaiian islands. The return service HA443 will depart Hawaii at 9.45am each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Brisbane at 4pm the following day in time for onward connections to destinations across Australia.
singapore airlines closes heathrow terminal 3 lounge for month-long ?aesthetic face lift?
Singapore Airlines has closed its first and business class SilverKris lounges in London Heathrow?s Terminal 3 for a minor make-over and are expected to reopen by 15 July 2012 While the SilverKris lounges get their refurbishment, Singapore?s business and first class passengers and high-tier frequent flyers will have access to the No 1 Lounge, an independent lounge located on the second floor of Terminal 3 (airside).
south african airways increase frequency of perth-johannesburg flight
From 17 August South African Airways will increase the frequency between Perth and Johannesburg to daily services.
bid to upgrade on etihad
Etihad Airways has introduced a new online upgrade system that gives you the opportunity to upgrade to Diamond First or Pearl Business Class. The online upgrade system facilitated through PlusGrade.
If you have a confirmed Coral Economy or Pearl Business Class ticket and your flight has seats available for potential upgrade, you will receive an email 10 days prior to departure from Plusgrade.? If you wish to upgrade, you can click on the ?Upgrade Now? icon from the email which will lead you to the bidding platform managed by PlusGrade.??You then choose the amount you are willing to pay for the upgrade and submit your credit card details. The amount will be deducted only if your bid has been successful and you will receive a confirmation email two days prior to departure informing the status of your bid. To view more details on the offer, click here.
auckland?fees up & down
Auckland?Airport is raising airport charges by NZ$1.32 to NS$5.55 for domestic passengers? but dropping international charges by NZ$0.58 to NZ$21.55, effective 01 July.?
air new zealand perth?777 on sale
Air?New Zealand is promoting its new non-stop three-class Boeing 777-200 service which will operate non-stop between Perth and Auckland from 03 Sep. The carrier is offering an expanded ?seats to suit? fare structure including fully lie-flat business class beds as well as a premium economy? cabin.
etihad to sao paulo
Etihad?Airways chief James Hogan has revealed the carrier will add Sao Paulo, Brazil to its global network within 12 months. ?Brazil is a logical next step for us and we will mark the sixth continent we serve and our coming of age as a truly global airline,? Hogan said. EY will offer a daily non-stop service from Abu Dhabi to Sao Paul from 01 Jun 2013, using triple-class A340-600 aircraft.
print at home bag tag
Technology?firm Unisys has offered a new convenience for international? air travellers by introducing the world?s first home-printed luggage tags. The new system will be trialled at Denmark?s Billund Airport and goes hand-in-hand with established online check-in procedures. Users will be able to print tags for up to nine bags, with a unique code added to tags to enable bags to be tracked if they go missing. Tags are placed in a reusable plastic tag holder provided by the airport, with passengers dropping their luggage at designated counters prior to passing through security. The development is in line with an IATA directive as part of its ?Fast Travel Initiative?.
adina for sydney airport
Toga?Hospitality has announced the 2013 opening of a new hotel to be known as Adina Apartment Hotel Mascot, located within 1km of Sydney Airport on Bourke Road. Toga MD Allan Idor said it would be the fourth new Adina Apartment Hotel to be announced this year in Sydney, after Bondi Beach, Norwest & Royal Randwick.
rex links new routes
Regional?Express has unveiled a range of new services linking the towns of Mildura in Victoria and outback NSW town of Broken Hill with each other, as well as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. The new routes have been created in respective partnerships with Mildura Airport and Broken Hill City Council, set to commence from 09 Jul. Direct Sydney to Mildura flights will operate on weekdays with an additional flight on Sun, however the return leg will fly only on weekdays. The new schedule will see Broken Hill receive 17 weekly services to and from all ports.
hotel news
hotel charsfield and the crossley
Hotel Charsfield now has an on site gym and beauty room catering for guests exercise and pampering needs.?? Also, The Crossley has recently updated their TV?s and now have all rooms have digital TVs with FREE in-house movies and FREE Wifi.
langham observatory
Langham Hospitality Group has confirmed the acquisition of The Observatory Hotel in Sydney, effective 08 Aug. ?Strategically, this purchase signals the group?s plans for long term expansion in the Pacific region,? said LHG CEO Brett Butcher. Within the Pacific region, Langham has properties in both Melbourne and Auckland.
sydney marriott now the pullman
Accor has announced the settlement of its purchase of the Mirvac hotel portfolio, with the first phase of integration seeing the Sydney Marriott Hotel re-branded as the Pullman Sydney Hyde Park. The hotel will receive a $7 million refurbishment ?to align the hotel to Pullman?s five-star standards? with the work to include renovating all remaining rooms as well as significant upgrades to public areas.
london rates sliding
Despite?rates at London hotels surging around 93% year-on-year for travel during the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games, new data from Hotels.com suggests accommodation prices are now deflating. The online accommodation site says rates have fallen by nearly $20 a night since Mar this year.
country comfort perth revamp
Country Comfort Perth will undergo a $14million upgrade taking the hotel?s capacity from 99 to 161 rooms.? The upgrade is in direct response to demand from the mining and resource sector and comes as SilverNeedle announced the expansion of seven new properties to the group?s overall brand network including two properties in Townsville,? an area that is also experiencing room? shortages due to the mining boom.
park hyatt sydney?s transformation earns 2012 top awards
Park Hyatt Sydney?s recently revealed refurbishments have been noted with accolades and awards for the luxury hotel bestowed by two prestigious travel magazines.
Travel & Leisure magazine?s IT list names the Park Hyatt Sydney one of ?The Best New Hotels 2012? and in the 2012 Australian Gourmet Traveller Travel Awards Sydney?s harbourside jewel was awarded Best Capital City Hotel.
After 11 months of renovations, the Park Hyatt?s grand reopening in March 2012 showcased the extensive transformation and secured the hotel?s position as a world-class, luxury establishment. The awards represent a first for the Park Hyatt in the Gourmet Traveller Travel Awards and the fourth time the Park Hyatt Sydney has scooped a Travel & Leisure award.
other news
Interested in what Australian Business Traveller predict as 2012?s five top airline trends reshaping business travel?? Read the article here.
hertz nz mobile wifi
Hertz?New Zealand is claiming a first with the release of a new mobile Wi-Fi rental service, enabling car rental customers to stay connected during their New Zealand travels. Portable units giving nationwide coverage can now be rented at Hertz international airport locations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. They?re priced from NZ$12.95+GST per day including 150MB of daily data, and Hertz suggests they will cut global roaming data and call charges.
hertz ups suv range
Hertz?Australia has adapted its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) range to now offer a SUV Class and a Large SUV Class, to meet demand from the market for more options. Announced this morning at ATE, within the SUV Range are the Toyota Rav 4 & Nissan X Trail, while the Toyota Kluger & Ford Territory fall within the Large SUV category.
climate friendly and qantas visit a vietnamese carbon offsetting project.
Read the latest blog post here at Climate Friendly?s website.
new partner in egypt
Our GSM Egypt office manages corporate travel for clients such as Honda, Care, Carrefour, General Motors and the American University in Cairo. Established in 1996, GSM Egypt employ 115 staff and specialise in Finance / Investment, Manufacturing, Government, Entertainment, Pharmaceutical, Oil and Gas. If you have an office in Egypt and are interested in consolidating your corporate travel program, contact your Client Relationship Manager.
It's not everyday a major publisher approaches you to write a book, unless you're Becky Carroll that is. It was Becky's blog, a blog she started writing in 2006, that captured a certain business publisher's attention. What was Becky writing about? Most of what she blogged about was what makes for outstanding customer service-- not rocket science even by Becky's confession but something so key to successful business that book publisher, Wiley took notice.
Social Planet had the privilege of meeting with Becky about her book, The Hidden Power of Your Customers, to uncover Becky's hidden power.
Spend Marketing Dollars on Existing Customers Observing that her Fortune 100 clients and most businesses spent the majority of their marketing efforts on the acquisition of new customers, it dawned on Becky that little was being done for the old customer and left her wondering why was it that only new customers get the special deals. What about those who have bought your product and continue to buy your product over and over again?
From Becky Carroll's experience, it's a shift in thinking in a core business model, to focusing effort on their existing customer base, that businesses begin to unleash the "hidden power" of their customers and create a backdrop for the kind of sought-after, word of mouth customer experience that gets shared over and over again. Businesses need to invest in the customers they already have. Value them, recognize them, thank them, reward them. Extend your best services to them. That all-too-common tendency to forget a customer once you have gained the sale is exactly what you should not do if you expect substantial and sustained growth in a thriving business, according to Becky.
Use Social Media Throughout the Entire Enterprise Customer service has never been so paramount for businesses today. With access to a worldwide publishing platform through social media and technology, the venting of bad customer experiences is only a few characters away. There's a renewed urgency for customer service to be amazing, and in fact if it's not, the whole world will hear about it.
Businesses can utilize social media to accomplish some very important marketing functions across the board: market research, thanking the customer, listening to the customer, resolving complaints and giving businesses the opportunity to make raving fans. According to Becky, social media strategy is really more about a having a relationship strategy in place. Businesses that do, will stand apart from the rest.
Rock Customer Service by Being Proactive To rock your customers' world, Becky offers 4 key strategies, which make up the acronym ROCK:?Relevant marketing, Orchestrated experience, Customer-Focused culture and Killer customer service.
And the only way to achieve a customer service model that rocks, you have to place your existing customers at the center of everything you do as a business. This kind of customer-centric focus is methodical, thought-out, well-intentioned, calculated even for the times when the unexpected arises. In Becky's words, "You can't leave a customer experience to chance."?From the first time your customers think of you to the time they recycle your product, the entire customer experience must meet the customer at every touch point in the customer's life cycle.
Treat Your Customers and Employees as Assets Companies that value and nurture their current customers get fans to talk and share, ?buy more, and infectiously influence others. Becky gives the example of Harley Davidson, an iconic company with cult-like status to motorcycle enthusiasts, that has seen its stock value increase over 120% over the last 3 years. What percentage of Harley Davidson's marketing budget is spent on its existing customer base? A recent figure says 88 percent.
It comes as no surprise that companies with a customer-focused culture, those that provide this kind of talked-about, remarkable customer service, also tend to be the very same companies that value their employees as assets, and it's this deep respect for people and relationships at the core of businesses that unlocks a customer's hidden power as brand advocates and turns them into raving fans.
Becky Carroll is founder of Petra Consulting Group, a keynote speaker and respected panelist at industry conferences. Some of her clients include Hewlett-Packard, Electronic Arts, Ford and Verizon. We happen to be partial to the fact that you can catch her on the local San Diego NBC news affiliate as a contributor and that she teaches Social Media at University of California, San Diego.?
Find her on the web: Becky Carroll Her book On Twitter On Facebook
There are different types of irrigation systems available. The most common is the sprinkler systems New Albany OH. This is where water is pumped through pipes and is distributed to the plants in the form of artificial rainfall. This is because the water is sprayed into mid air and later on lands on the plants and ground.
It is a very efficient method for most home owners and businesses alike. Sprinkler systems are not just for irrigating your landscape but also used in farms to grow food. It allows farmers to produce food even in the absence of rainfall. There are different types of sprinklers that are available to suit your needs. They are designed with the size of the landscape in mind.
There are two types of sprinklers- industrial and residential. The industrial sprinkler systems are controlled electrically and use hydraulic energy. This ensures that they cover a wide area over a short period of time. They can be located above the ground or buried depending on the use. The residential sprinklers are designed for a much smaller area and are available in different sizes depending on the acreage of your property. They are common in golf courses or in homes for watering lawns. In addition, the prices are reduced compared to the industrial ones.
Getting the right sprinkler systems New Albany OH is just the first step to getting a greener lawn. You also have to make sure that it is well installed. When planning the system, ensure that it is situated where each plant can get some water, thus even distribution and less water wastage. To determine the intervals of the sprinklers, you use the radius of the garden. If the garden has a radius 8 feet, then the sprinkler interval will be in 8 foot.
The pressure with which the water is distributed is a key factor. You want it to be high enough to reach all the plants but also such that water is not wasted. When you decide to get sprinkler systems for your lawn, ensure that you get advice from a landscape contractor on the brand that is long lasting. The installation should be done by a professional for best results.
After the installation, it should work as required. It is advisable to have regular maintenance checks. This will help correct any pipe blockages and irregularities in the sprinkler systems. The check ups are also important in prolonging the durability; any parts that need replacing are removed before they actually breakdown. You can do it yourself by checking the pipes and water supply system. Eventually, your plants and lawn are looking green and lively. This makes sprinkler systems New Albany OH a worthy investment.
About the Author: Whether you are looking to get advice on the various sprinkler systems methods or the purchase, visit oaklandnursery.com. Here you will find all the information for your landscaping need.
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Public release date: 29-Jun-2012
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Over 80 percent of people seek health-related information online, on everything from insurance to help diagnosing aches and pains. As the world goes mobile, so too does health. Instead of using Google for your health queries or perusing WebMD, 
