Discover modern amenities blended with old-fashioned hospitality aboard a paddle wheeler.
With her giant red paddle wheel, tall black stacks, and golden-piped calliope, the Delta Queen Steamboat Co.’s Mississippi Queen is a colorful reminder of one of America’s most romantic periods: the great era of majestic steamboats plying their way along our nation’s waterways.
While she offers many of the comforts and conveniences of a modern-day cruise vessel, the Mississippi Queen is a true steamboat. Powered by an authentic steam engine, her huge paddle wheel is not just for show – it propels her travels along America’s heartland rivers.
Commissioned on July 25, 1976, she is 382 feet long and 68 feet wide, the largest Mississippi River steamboat ever built. In design and construction, the Mississippi Queen is the result of a collaboration between the talents of this century and the last. In appearance, ambiance, and comfort, she reflects this merger of today and yesterday. Modern amenities include a gym, movie theater, library, gift shop, beauty salon, and two passenger elevators. On the uppermost Sun Deck, there’s a spa pool and a redwood sauna. Staterooms feature individual climate control and telephones for calling room-to-room.
Despite these modern comforts, there’s no mistaking this paddle wheel steamboat for a conventional cruise vessel.
Inside, she maintains the Victorian elegance of her steamboat ancestry with dramatic floral carpets and upholstery, ornate “gingerbread” fretwork, and glittering crystal chandeliers.
A steamboating day is filled with entertainment, movies, exercise programs, swimming, shuffleboard, kite flying, and games. On deck, lounge chairs and rockets invite river watching and relaxation. The boat’s daily newspaper is delivered to passenger cabins each evening and contains an outline of the next day’s activities and river stops.
On most days, the boat calls at a river town, where passengers can purchase guided shore tours of historic sites and other points of interest or simply explore and shop on their own. And the big paddle wheeler’s arrival is greeted with enthusiasm, just as the call “Steamboat-a-comin’” galvanized townsfolk a century ago.
The Mississippi Queen affords vacationers exciting cruise opportunities with various vacation themes such as: Big Band, Dixie Fest, Spring Pilgrimage, In the Good Old Summertime, Fall Foliage, and more.
Whichever cruise you choose, you’ll get a front-row view of America with plenty of modern amenities and old-fashioned hospitality.
What are Genetically Modified Foods?
Traditional plant breeding involves cross breeding with the same species, different varieties, but in the same family. For example, disease resistant varieties of wheat have been crossed with another species of wheat to combine these properties. This is a safe, natural gene exchange.
Genetic engineering involves the transfer of a select piece of genetic material from one organism to another. This means that unrelated species that cannot naturally exchange genes with each other are being brought together. Genetic food alert gives this example: "putting scorpion toxin genes into maize or fish antifreeze genes into tomatoes. It is possible that a scorpion toxin gene even when it is in maize (corn variety) DNA will still get the organism to produce scorpion toxin - but what other effects may it have in this alien environment? This problem is already happening - adding human growth hormone genes to pigs certainly makes them grow - but it also gives them arthritis and makes them cross-eyed (which was entirely unpredictable)."
To put two entirely different species together to create a whole new life form. This is what genetic engineering is all about. To produce a completely new species, that looks, smells and tastes just like the intended end result. This is not what nature had intended and is a man-made manipulation in the name of science. Everybody knows that evolution is a process that strengthens a species to adapt to its natural surroundings, and furthers its survival. This is not the case with GM foods. This type of food pushes all the boundaries and retards evolution and steps right in the middle of mother nature. Genetic engineering is truly playing God and changing our, naturally perfect food, into a scientific experiment.
The big question is whether or not GM foods are safe to eat? It is extremely hard to answer that question since adequate, long term testing, has not be done. Quite often the testing is carried out by the companies themselves to benefit financially. e.g.: Monsanto's soya beans were apparently fed to fish for 10 weeks before being approved. There was no required testing for long-term, on humans or testing for specific dangers to children or allergic people.
The American Food and Drug Administration is currently being prosecuted for covering up research that suggested possible risks from GM foods. We don't even know what this food source can do and we are eating it everyday. In addition, allergies to GM foods are emerging. It has become obvious that people with allergies could have reactions due to GM foods, and not even realize that they have eaten exactly what they are allergic to. In one study, Dupont soybeans spliced with genes from a Brazil nut caused allergic reactions in individuals allergic to nuts. As a result the product didn't make it to the supermarkets due to a recall. There are concerns that new allergens will be created as a result.
Even Prince Charles has called a press release to recommend a ban on GM products.
He is right to be worried.
New analysis published June 2, 2000, show that 13 out of 23 applications submitted to the European Union for approval of GM foods containing antibiotic resistant marker genes. Scientists are worried that antibiotics will become less effective in fighting off diseases such as meningitis, TB and gonorrhea. Health experts recommend a ban on the use of antibiotic resistant marker genes. The British Association believes that "the risk to human health from antibiotic resistance developing in micro-organisms is one of the major public health threats that will be faced in the 21st Century." Scientists do not fully understand what happens when they fuse genes into the DNA of another organism. More than one copy of the gene may be inserted, other genes may get 'switched off', genes vary in how they work. Therefore, we as consumers have no idea whether or not what we are eating is safe to consume. Are we ready to become guinea pigs for this new food source? Find out exactly what GM products you are consuming on a regular basis...you might be surprised! Greenpeace has everything from baby food, to salad dressings. They report on more than 1000 grocery store products and states which items are genetically modified and which ones are GM free. They also show which companies have made a commitment to changing from genetically engineered to GM free within the year.
Labelling Genetically Modified Foods in Canada
Right now, labelling is not required under the Food and Drugs Act for GM modified foods. Many companies choose to label their products, but it is strictly under the companies own voluntary policy to do so. In Canada, labelling will be required when the genetically engineered products present a health or safety concern, not before that. Canada's major trading partners include the U.S., and Japan, they support labelling on a case-by-case basis only in instances of health, safety and compositional changes as well.
Even after Health Canada conducted a study of the dangers of GM foods and found that "rigorous scientific assessments of their potential for causing harm" the Royal Society of Canada failed to recommend mandatory labelling. Guidelines Set for Labelling in Canada Requires mandatory labelling if there is a health or safety concern, i.e. from allergens or a significant nutrient or compositional change (these decisions will be made by Health Canada).
Ensure labelling is understandable, truthful and not misleading. Permit voluntary positive labeling on the condition that the claim is not misleading or deceptive and the clam itself is factual. Health Canada is concerned that the costs and difficulties may outweigh the benefits for Canadian consumers. It will be difficult and expensive to track foods to know whether or not they come from a genetically engineered crop, or contain any ingredients that may have been genetically engineered. This raises serious concerns about enforcement and the assurance that the labels were correct. There isn't any way to distinguish between traditional foods and GM products. The only way would be to track carefully, the food as it leaves the field to the store, otherwise the Government inspectors will not be able to identify between GM and natural food sources. Also, Health Canada is concerned that so many foods would have some ingredient or component that has been genetically engineered that the labels would become meaningless. Most processed foods would soon have to be labelled as "may contain" some product of genetic engineering.
The European Commission and UN Foods and Agricultural Organizations have called for mandatory labelling. Taiwan requires labelling and South Korea and Japan are following. Why is Canada so behind on this? In fact, organic food producers have started putting 'no GMO ingredients' on their packaging, yet they are being forced to remove it. Anarac would like to see ALL GM products labelled. It should be the consumers' choice whether or not we want to take the risk and purchase these products. This type of food needs to be monitored and tracked. Anarac vows to boycott these products until they are proven safe to consumers.
Into Wine
Since the beginning of civilization, wine has been a source of pleasure to mankind. Wine is one of the first things Man created. No one knows who made the first wine or enjoyed its effect, but it is woven through the tapestry of human history like few other products. It has played many roles— as part of religious ceremonies, as medicine and antiseptic, a water purifier, a transformer of meals into feasts, and as a comforting friend and a courageous partner.
What is wine? If put in sufficiently general terms, wine is the naturally fermented juice of fresh fruit or berries. Wine derived from the juice of grapes will be our focus here. Wine is foremost an agricultural product. With only minor assistance by man, grapes are converted by nature, in a chemical process, into an alcoholic beverage. Using a few skilled techniques, man can create wines of immense variety that can be bottled and transported around the world, and at their best, through time, develop an apparent soul of their own, creating an almost sublime experience.
Today, we know more about wines than ever before. We know how to cultivate the highest quality grapes to produce fine wines, and how to pair them with foods to show both at their very best. We have learned or perhaps rediscovered, wine as a principle source of nourishment and the benefits it can bring when consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. In enjoying wine we connect with history and with those before us who have participated in one of mankind’s earliest and simplest pleasures. Educating ourselves about wine and its proper use can only help us to enjoy it to the fullest, and to make it part of a gracious way of life.
Best Italian Wines
Italy is one the best wine countries, where you can find very good white, rose and, above all, red wines. In the country quality classification is quite difficult; according to Italian wine laws the best wines are DOCG, but this is not always true.
In fact behind DOCG there are both excellent and average wines, while sometimes behind the same DOCG, there is a large quality range, depending on the winery. Beside, a large part of the best Italian wines are classified only as Vino da tavola, this is the case, for instance, of Supertuscan. Among the best DOC and DOCG there are Amarone, Barbaresco, Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
AMARONE
Amarone (or better Amarone della Valpolicella) comes from Veneto in the North of Italy using a particular winemaking technique, where grapes are shrivelled on mats for a long period after harvest; for this reason wine is rich in alcohol (more than 14%). At the end of aging time (over two years) this red wine is dry, soft and is able to age a lot.
BARBARESCO
Barbaresco together with Barolo is the most important wine of Piedmont (in the Northern part of Italy). This wine come from Nebbiolo grape and, before the sale, ages at least two years (four years for the "riserva" version). Barbaresco is red in colour, its scent is about violet and vanilla, and tastes dry, warm and quite tannic. It is a good wine for game and seasoned cheese.
BAROLO
It is one of the greatest Italian red wines. Coming from Langhe area in Piedmont, it taste dry, full bodied, austere, tannic and quite sapid. Its scent, above all a long aging time, is powerful and recalls faded rose, violet, liquorice and goudron. The origin is Nebbiolo grape and need three years aging time (five years for "riserva" version) before the sale. This wine can age a lot.
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Brunello di Montalcino origin is only Montalcino village in Tuscany. It comes from a variety of Sangiovese grape (Sangiovese Grosso or Brunello), and ages over four years (five years for "riserva" version) in oak or chestnut barrels. The colour is dark red and the scent is of blackcurrant and liquorice. The taste is dry, warm (at least 12,5% alcohol), full bodied, tannic and sapid. It is one of the most long lived wine in the world.
CHIANTI
Chianti is one of the best well-known Italian wines in the world. It comes from a large area of Tuscany, shared in eight smaller: the best one is Chianti Classico (protected by special laws). This wine is made above all of Sangiovese and (in a little part) of Canaiolo Nero. Normally Chianti has fruity scent and taste dry and soft. The quality of this wine depends, above all, on winery.
VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany) comes form Sangiovese grape. It ages about two years (three for "riserva" version) in wood barrels. This red wine scent of blackberry and faded rose and taste full bodied and tannic.
Leader of the Pack
(cover story )
Fred Smith likes to quote Pogo the Possum, who once said in a cartoon strip, “If you want to be a great leader, find a big parade and run in front of it.”
There’s no question that Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer of FedEx, is running in front of a huge parade. FedEx, the company that Smith founded as a start-up in 1971, is now a $25 billion giant, soon to become even bigger because of its acquisition of Kinko’s. FedEx is at the heart of how the American manufacturing base is globalizing, allowing all manner of parts and products to arrive from mostly Asian destinations in a just-in-time way. “In the high-tech and high-value-added sectors in particular, but also in the lower-value-added sectors, the location of production is almost irrelevant,” Smith says. “It’s simply a cost/time trade-off. That’s all.”
Of course, he isn’t just running in front of the parade. His company has been a leading organizer of this transformation of the economy—a grand marshal, in fact.
In recognition of what Smith, his top management team and 240,000 employees and contractors have accomplished, Chief Executive’s panel of CEO judges has chosen Smith as the 2004 CEO of the Year. “Fred Smith is an outstanding executive and entrepreneur,” says AIG’s Hank Greenberg, 2003 CEO of the Year and chairman of the selection panel. “He took FedEx from being just an idea to being a great company.”
Smith, who turns 60 this year and has undergone heart bypass surgery, doesn’t show any signs of wanting to slow the parade down so that he can relax with his 10 children and assorted grandchildren. “I like what I’m doing at FedEx for a very fundamental reason,” he says in his office on South Shady Grove Street in Memphis. “It is an important industry that sits right at the middle of almost everything else that’s going on. It is vitally important to the commerce of the country and the world.”
And now Smith can concentrate on what he likes doing—thinking big thoughts.
Smith doesn’t like to talk about the past very much because he worries that it will perpetuate confusion about what FedEx is today. But the tale is one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial stories of the 20th and now the 21st century, and bears retelling in brief.
Smith graduated from Yale University in 1966 and thought about going to business or law school. But he’d been in the Marine Corps officer program and decided to join the Marines instead. He was sent to Vietnam, where he served as a platoon leader and then became a pilot. He returned home in 1971, profoundly changed by his experience there.
He says his vision for creating a company was the result of studying a mathematical discipline called topology in college. He was fascinated by the idea that if you connected all the points on a network through a central hub, much as a bank clearinghouse does, the resulting efficiencies could be huge.
Smith never doubted that the network concept would work with packages and letters. “I was always convinced that the market demand for what we were trying to do was just so profound,” he recalls. “So it was just a matter of time and money.”
He first located the company in Little Rock, Ark., in 1971. Smith used his own money and some from his family to get started. Investors put up $80 million. Smith faced a classic dilemma: he had to first spend the money to build an infrastructure before he could deliver the service and make money. But he did enough research to feel confident he’d be able to deliver a return. “I had it documented three different ways by three separate, independent consulting studies,” he says. “We had an awful lot of quantitative data showing that the demand for the service was very significant.”
The company, which was relocated to Memphis and bolstered by another $52 million in funding, “went live” in 1973 with 389 employees and 14 Dassault Falcon jets delivering a mere 186 packages overnight to 25 cities. Thus, Federal Express was born and, with it, the hub-and-spoke system that major airlines would soon adopt.
At each stage of expansion, Smith found new ways to apply technology to the mundane task of sorting and transporting documents and packages.
At the same time that the company was making big bets on technology, it was laying down a global infrastructure, long before doing that became fashionable. Smith’s decision in 1989 to purchase Flying Tigers, an Asian air-freight powerhouse, was controversial at the time because many analysts didn’t see how it could pay off. But FedEx’s corporate customers were beginning to shift their manufacturing strategies to take advantage of China’s emergence, in particular, and wanted the same kind of shipment predictability they had in the U.S.
Today, in order to accommodate the explosion of commerce across the Pacific, FedEx conducts sorts in Subic Bay in the Philippines; Tokyo and Osaka, Japan; and Anchorage, Alaska.
As a result of this vast infrastructure, it’s no surprise that the company’s international business is booming. The company is operating in 215 countries, including Afghanistan and Iraq.
Most of what Smith has built is invisible to the customer. But there’s little question that FedEx works. Perhaps the ultimate proof of the company’s impact on American life is that the term “FedEx it” has entered the language, just as Kleenex, Xerox and Google have.
And FedEx is one of the world’s most trusted brand names.