Food bank workers in the Seattle area are starting to learn about the food preferences of local immigrant populations. Some cultural preferences are quite prominent, with some obvious trends coming from religious constraints ("Muslims don't want hot dogs"), and others from unfamiliarity ("Latinos stare at fresh turnips, perplexed"). There's also a problem with the language barrier and packaged goods with long instructions, such as Bisquick and Rice-A-Roni. Some food banks are holding cooking demonstrations to introduce new ingredients to their clients. And when possible, they try to distribute goods to the locations where they will be most accepted.
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Research tells us that night owls have an internal clock with a 24.5 hour day while morning larks' clocks run at less than 24 hours. This genetic characteristic separates us midnight oil burners from the perky morning crew. According to sleep doctors you can reset your internal clock. Start by figuring out how much sleep you need exactly and get it. Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning. Start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night, using a melatonin supplement if you wish. Stick to your new schedule, even on weekends and holidays. The best advice, however, may come from KEXP morning DJ John Richards who advises getting your dream job because: "if you don't love where you are going, it will never be easy to wake up."
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Tuesday, March 30, 2004

In reading about the female-designed Volvo YCC all I wanted to know was: is there a place to put my purse? That's the automobile feature I've always wanted. Putting my purse on an empty chair only works when I don't have passengers, and although I've seen some women resort to sticking their purse by their feet, I don't consider that very safe when I'm driving. Invariably I have to ask a passenger to hold my handbag for me. In delving through the various news articles, I finally found a relevant description: "the center console area can be a place for storage -- or a resting place for a purse." From the photos it looks like it might be sized appropriately for a reasonably sized bag. I also discovered that in the 1950s, the pink Dodge La Femme had compartments built into the front seat backs which held matching accessories including a purse, and there is also mention of an option for a purse hook.
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Nature is the theme of the design for the California state quarter which depicts John Muir, Half Dome, and a California condor. It is based on one of the five designs which former Governor Davis chose from a group of twenty. However, Governor Schwarzenegger was given all twenty to choose from by State Librarian Kevin Starr. The original design was submitted by Los Angeles resident Garrett Burke. The quarter will be minted in January 2005.
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Monday, March 29, 2004

Google's new user interface places their different search-type links at the top of the results page instead of inside tabs lower down, and it's having a significant effect on me. I didn't realize how often I switched from Web to Groups to News until the new placement proved to me how application of Fitt's Law can make a difference. When I'm clicking through Google results my mouse cursor is moving in the area of the results links. The tabs used to be directly above those. Having to now move up that little extra distance to the top of the page and to a slightly smaller target, is a small annoyance that is building up into a big headache every time I try to change to another search type. I'll probably be used to it in a few days, but I currently don't view it as an improvement.
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Friday, March 26, 2004

Elvis Costello has a two book deal with Simon & Schuster, reportedly "high-six-figure to low-seven-figure." The first book sounds like a work of fiction with a description that claims it will take its cue from his lyrics. The second may be more autobiographical with the title ""How to Play the Guitar, Sing Loudly and Impress Girls ... or Boys."
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Musicians' unions continue to fight musical theater producers on both sides of the Atlantic. Use of Sinfonia, the virtual orchestra machine, continues for various reasons. Cameron Mackintosh Productions reached an agreement with the Musicians' Union in London to use the Sinfonia for "Les Misérables" as it had to move to a theater with a small orchestra pit. However, the settlement allows for the use of the machine in that production only, with the understanding that further negotiations will take place to regulate the use of playback devices. Back in New York, Local 802 protested the Opera Company of Brooklyn's use of the Sinfonia and won their agreement to hire musicians in the future. 802's latest Sinfonia complaint is against an Off Broadway production "The Joys of Sex" whose composer claims he wrote the music specifically for the device. Union president David Lennon responded "Claiming to have composed for the virtual orchestra is about as valid as claiming to have composed for a tape recorder." (sources: Backstage.com and The N.Y. Times)
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Thursday, March 25, 2004

Popular Science's How 2.0 puts aside technology for a bit and shows how you can put lead into a pencil.
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A tiger cub in Jakarta get a bath from mom while using its sibling as a pillow.
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The mint in San Francisco produces collectibles instead of cranking out our actual spending money, and that means it brings in big business for the U.S. Mint, as collectors are happily pay premium prices for perfect proofs and commemorative coins. Run under heavy security, the mint is closed to the public, but allowed a special tour for delegates to the XXIII Mint Directors conference and some news media on Tuesday. The last public tour was in 1993. Armed guards kept an eye on the visitors as they were shown stamping and packaging machines. The mint is celebrating 150 years in San Francisco.
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Wednesday, March 24, 2004

To promote their new What-A-Melon flavor, Snapple is holding a contest challenging Americans to beat the current world's record for largest watermelon. Grow one bigger than 262 pounds and you'll qualify for a chance to win $25,000 and a year's supply of What-A-Melon.
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That Ma Yan is a 16 year old published author from a northern Chinese village is noteworthy enough. But tack on the fact that Ma Yan was a 12 year old schoolgirl when she wrote her now published diary which has been translated into 9 languages and you've got the N.Y. Times taking notice. Ma Yan's diary was discovered by French reporter Pierre Haski when Ma's mother gave him her writings while he was visiting their village with a photographer. The girl wrote of her disappointment at having to stay at home to support her family while her brothers attended school. Haski published her story in the newspaper Libération and readers responded with their sympathy in the form of donations. Haski soon returned to visit Ma Yan and her family with money and a book contract. Ma has returned to school and her proceeds have funded the education of other local children. She now has ambitions to attend university and become a journalist herself.
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Tuesday, March 23, 2004

The Barcelona Perfume Museum looks to be a wonderful collection of scent history and modern commercial containers. As the site says in their translated English: it houses "an anthological and selective collection of representative pieces of (perfume) history, of its infinite variety, as well as of the waste of fantasy that the man has lavished, to display their aromatic creations. As if the eyesight sense wanted to pay tribute to the smell sense." (via Yahoo What's New)
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Here's a cute little news item about Peter Gabriel and his family. His daughter Anna's film about the "Growing Up" tour was screened along with a rare solo performance from her dad as a fundraiser ($500/ticket) for the Newport Film Festival in Rhode Island.
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Monday, March 22, 2004

Food Network is still running teaser ads without dates for Iron Chef America, but their web site states that the show will run April 23-25.
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NBC's reality show The Restaurant proved successful enough that they are bringing it back for six episodes in April. Contributing to the dramatic appeal, no doubt, is the fact that chef-owner Rocco DiSpirito is being sued by his financial partners for being at fault in the restaurant's lack of success.
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I'm intrigued by these artsy lights from Mathmos which have chip-controlled LEDs. Most are glass, but there are also other materials like plastic and silicon. They are available in the U.S. from ThinkGeek.
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Friday, March 19, 2004

The U.S. Forest Service rents out fire lookout towers and guard stations to those who would appreciate a rustic, or downright roughing-it (but with a roof) experience in the wilderness. The towers have few amenities, but the view can't be beat. Some of the guard station cabins are equipped with toilets and electricity. Getting to the location is sometimes a large part of the fun too.
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I have a barely used IBM PS/2 keyboard that I'm sort of saving for a rainy day, which I think means for a possible time in the future when all keyboards will be unbearably mushy or annoying in some fashion. Jonah pulled together a nice set of links on the IBM clacky keyboards (others may say "clicky" but I think "clacky" is closer). One site has helpful information if the keyboard doesn't work with your modern motherboard.
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From Rufo the cat comes the Meow Sound Library. Listen to Rufo's 9 "word" vocabulary and build your own phrase like "Me Sleep Now." (thanks salt and Tina!)
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Thursday, March 18, 2004

The humble medicine cabinet has been elevated to a storage cabinet that homeowners are willing to spend thousands on (N.Y. Times link). Our need to acquire all manner of personal grooming products and implements has pushed out, in many directions, the narrow shelves where the Band-Aids and aspirin live. Mirrored his and hers arrangements stretch the length of those double sinks. Customized shelving accomodates "a very tall can of professional hair spray." Neoprene gaskets prevent that characteristic click of the door. Oddly, one architect likes to keep his matchbox car collection in his cabinet alongside his vintage shaving gear. Ahh affluence... where to store away all that accumulation?
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I'd always heard that there was a round, revolving house in my hometown but I'd never, to my recollection, seen it. A real estate ad in the N.Y. Times caught my eye, however, and I discovered that that very same rotating home is up for sale. If you've got $1,995,000 and would like to see the world go by at a choice of ten speeds (from one revolution every 50 minutes to two per day), here's your big chance. An article in a local paper describes the genesis and construction of the round abode. Conceived by architect Richard Foster and his wife Eleanor, the house took shape when they could not choose from the spectacular views surrounding their site. Once Foster thought up the rotating idea, he went full speed ahead, solving logistical problems such as how to bring up water, run out sewage, and attach phone and electrical. The ball bearing rotation system and motor came from Germany and is expected to last 87 years, with 40 pounds of lubricant applied every 5-10 years. Now a widow, Eleanor Foster has settled in a new home and put the rotating house that was for her an "extraordinary experience" on the market.
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Wednesday, March 17, 2004

World's Largest Collection of World's Smallest Versions of World's Largest Things. It's a long title for a bunch of little representations of big attractions. (via snarkout)
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The Seattle Cinerama held its Cinerama Film Festival last week and we went to take in the glories of This Is Cinerama, which was created as an introduction to the three-projector technology that captivated movie-goers for a time in the 1950s. The film is a showcase of scenery from around the world, and a large portion of the second half is devoted to Cypress Gardens in Florida. I hadn't heard much about Cypress Gardens before, and when I looked it up, oddly enough it was just making news again on Monday as a new owner is attempting to rejuvenate the property. The Gardens had closed in April 2003 after succumbing finally to a slow economy and drop in tourism.

Originally opened in 1936, Cypress Gardens gained two of its famous attractions by twists of fate. Its "Southern Belles," girls in old-fashioned hoop skirts who are part of the scenery, originally were recruited to stand in front of a damaged vine at the entrance gate that was giving a misleading impression of the beautiful gardens inside. The park's water ski shows were established after visitors who had seen a photo of a water skier at the park arrived asking when the show was. Eventually the park changed hands a couple times, faced pressure from Floriday's Disney attractions, and became a destination for the older generation, before closing completely. The new owner is hoping to create a park for all ages with the inclusion of a water park with roller coasters. One of the Southern Belles is hard at work making new hoop dresses as the originals had been sold.

Other former Florida attractions of various (and some dubious) interest are chronicled in Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions. A relatively recent oddity is Florida Splendid China which opened in 1993 with scale models of China's architectural treasures. It closed in 2003 after an unsuccessful run. I can only imagine a small Great Wall and mini Terra Cotta Warriors keeping each other company as they crumble in the hot Florida weather, wondering if Shamu or Mickey are ever going to drop by to pay their respects.
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Tuesday, March 16, 2004

In the new world of Internet delivered music, all may not be over yet for Tower Records. Seemingly against the odds, it came out of a quick Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization this week. It is now owned mainly by a group of creditors, with 15 percent held by founder Russ Solomon and his family. The Sacramento Bee (Tower's first store opened in California's capital city) delved into court records and interviewed stakeholders to put together a short history of why the company has survived. Although Tower was about to default on its bonds, they were still keeping up with record and video supplier bills and bank loans. The record companies still believe it is a viable outlet for introducing new music. Tower's remaining 93 stores will mostly remain open. However, there is certainly potential for a dim future, and the company is looking for a buyer to take on the challenge of competing in the new and changing universe of the music industry. (via Follow Me Here)
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Insured for $10 million, a silver dollar from 1794 may be the first one ever struck by the U.S. Mint. European currencies circulated in the country at the time, and the government was eager to produce its own. The American Numismatic Association press release details the characteristics of the coin which has experts discussing its "first strike" potential. It was compared to a copper trial struck from the die, and carefully examined by several numismatic professionals. The "flat, smooth and glossy" surfaces and "minute die-preparation marks" contributed to its grading as a coin that was struck for presentation or as a specimen. Thus it is likely to have been one of, or the one, first silver dollar struck by the mint. Its exact pedigree is uncertain, but there is agreement that it is an important piece.
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Monday, March 15, 2004

Want to get your own face on a postage stamp without becoming famous (and dying first, in the case of the U.S.)? All you have to do is take a Panama Canal cruise on Holland America's ms Rotterdam. Onboard you can have a sheet of 10 stamps created with a photograph of your choice. The stamps can then be used as postage from any Netherland Antilles port or onboard ship to mail a letter anywhere in the world.
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I was surprised to discover recently from a tourist brochure that there is a Russian submarine on display in Seattle. The "Cobra" operated from 1974-1994 and its missions are still classified by the Russian Navy, though there is of course speculation about where she has patrolled. Veterans of U.S. Navy submarines act as docents aboard the sub. I haven't visited yet, but she's docked at Pier 48. If you enjoy learning about underwater military stuff, the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, WA, which I have visited (and previously noted here), is full of interesting diving equipment, exhibits on the ocean environment, submarines, and the requisite weaponry of naval warfare. During the Revolutionary War, butter churns and beer kegs were filled with gunpowder for use as mines.
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Friday, March 12, 2004

Although Eddie Bauer was never officially up for sale, L.L. Bean was kept informed of how parent company Spiegel's bankruptcy proceedings were progressing. It sounds like L.L. Bean is exploring ways to expand its retail presence and acquisition of Eddie Bauer, as a compatible outdoorsy kind of company, was a potential route to that end. But L.L. Bean decided last week to drop a potential pursuit of the not-yet-available Eddie Bauer.
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Got debtors? Hallmark Loyalty, a division of the greeting card company, has helped Discover create special greeting cards to serve as gentle reminders for card holders who have missed payments. Creating an emotional bond, making people feel guilty, playing up sentiment about the company, and relationship building are the marketing tools behind financial firms' caring enough to "Send the Very Best."
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Thursday, March 11, 2004

It's all about image. That's the premise behind Seattle's Jones Soda, according to founder Peter van Stolk. Take a look at Pepsi and Coca-Cola marketing and you can't disagree that image sells the sugar water. Jones Soda has made their young consumers feel attached to the brand with an irreverent, funky attitude. Neon colored flavors like Green Apple, Blue Bubblegum, Fufu Berry, and Crushed Melon were taste-tested by high schoolers. Customers can send in their own photos for a potential appearance on a bottle label, or submit quotes and fortunes for the bottle caps. As the head of a company selling to a lifestyle, van Stolk has big plans for his little company, and he hints that their future successes may not come just from soda sales.
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There's really a Trader Joe, and his name is Joe Coloumbe. At a talk given for the California Association of Winegrape Growers, the man behind Trader Joe's told how the Little Ice Age turned Northern Europeans into beer and liquor drinkers, which led to a culture of non-wine drinkers in the United States. He went onto discuss the effects of climate changes and the weak dollar on the wine industry. Finally he came to the topic of how Trader Joe's, the store, had its start. He originally targeted customers with college degrees, giving them a huge selection of alcoholic beverages ("100 Bourbons, 50 Scotches and the world's largest assortment of California wines"). The stores appealed particularly to the "over-educated and underpaid." Well-priced gourmet food items were added, but the store originally built itself on the sale of wine. (via eGullet weekend update)
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Wednesday, March 10, 2004

The list of 100 Most Often Mispronounced Words and Phrases in English includes this strange direction next to the entry for "whet" (not "wet"): "In the Northeastern US the sound [hw], spelled "wh," is vanishing and these two words are pronounced the same. Elsewhere they should be distinguished. " So if I'm from the Northeast, but don't live there anymore, do I get to say it "wrong" too? (via Yahoo's What's New)
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The latest on Thomas Keller's fire-damaged Per Se restaurant: the $85,000 Bonnet stove did survive the dousing; they still aren't taking reservations, but they hope to open by April 1.
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The world's most expensive metronome (actually, I'm just guessing on that), conducted the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in Beethoven's Fifth this week. The Sony QRIO, an advanced robot that can play putt putt golf and dance was programmed with the symphony's tempos for the performance. Here's a photo of the diminutive maestro. Oddly, a musician remarked that "it was amazing that (the robot) maintained the same tempo all the time." That's about all you'd expect from a robot conductor, isn't it?
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Tuesday, March 09, 2004

It's time to check up on what DeBeers, errr, sorry, the Diamond Trading Company (DeBeers' marketing arm) has in store for the discriminating consumer in 2004. When we last looked in on the DTC, marketing efforts for the right-hand diamond ring, designed for women to buy for themselves, were in full swing (my DTC post from Nov 03). Plans have now been unveiled for year two of the right-hand ring push, and they are not letting up. "We're still working on making it a cultural imperative to own a right-hand ring," says the DTC. But the vertical ring styles, designed to differentiate "relationship" left hand rings from the "I'm independent enough to buy my own jewelry, thank you" rings, have not been selling as well as traditional styles. Designers will be encouraged to be creative with more differentiated styles. 25% of the DTC marketing budget will be devoted to the right-hand ring promotion. Another 25% will go towards a new campaign that will remind men to buy diamonds for anniversary gifts. Apparently two-thirds of married women have never received diamonds for their anniversaries (oh, the humanity! :-) Although retailers reminded them that diamond stud earrings and bands are popular anniversary gifts, DeBeers, errr, the DTC, chose to focus on three-stone rings for this campaign. Good thing our fingers aren't wider.
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It's too darn hot. The Walt Disney Concert Hall raised temperatures in neighboring condominiums by at least 15 degrees. Unplanned angles of glossy steel outside the Founders Room reflected the sun into the buildings, warming residences to uncomfortable temperatures. Netting has been put up as a temporary solution. The permanent plan is to sandblast the steel to reduce reflection.
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Monday, March 08, 2004

The Royal Opera House was straightforward about their reason for dropping soprano Deborah Voigt from an upcoming production of "Ariadne on Naxos." They wanted someone slimmer for the part. The casting director envisions Ariadne in an elegant, black evening gown, and also stated that it's not just a question of how a soprano looks but "how they move on stage." In the past Voigt told Opera magazine "Honey, if you can find someone who can sing over that orchestra and still wear that size 5 costume, more power to you!"
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The Food Network's Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters, airing in April, has lined up celebrity tasting judges, Iron Chefs from the original series (Masaharu Morimoto and Hiroyuki Sakai), Food Network chefs (Bobby Flay and Mario Batali), and, to ensure that I'll watch, Alton Brown as the play-by-play commentator. Unfortunately, Alton reported on his site that he collapsed during filming last week. He blamed a migraine which brought on vomiting which brought on stress, fatigue and dehydration which brought on arrhythmia. But he's doing fine now, and it sounds like he'll be watching his caffeine intake.
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Friday, March 05, 2004

"WELCOME NEWS MEDIA, FREE SLICE OF PIE W/ PRESS PASS." Thus the local businesses of Redwood City are welcoming the expected masses of journalists who've arrived in town to cover the Scott Peterson trial. In addition to the free Baker's Square pie, the press can enjoy a complimentary cruise on the bay, 10% off at El Torito, and reduced rental car and massage rates. However, parking a satellite truck in town for a month will set them back $7,500, despite the best efforts of a media attorney who made a plea for a reduced fee at a City Council meeting, only to be rebuked by a councilmember who told her "I'm embarrassed for you." Seems the City Council isn't feeling as generous as the business community.
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Firefly fans, if you haven't heard already, the hoped-for movie has been given the go ahead by Universal Studios. Production is scheduled to begin in June with a 2005 release.
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Food science may have given us the square watermelon and the round carrot, but can it provide us with the handy suicidal, self-mashing potato? Think of the time and guilt we'd all save.
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Thursday, March 04, 2004

I'm still getting accustomed to the different angles on business news coverage in the Seattle press. Silicon Valley has very straightforward press coverage for business: tech, more tech, and biotech. If variety is the spice of life, I suppose I've got a nicely piquant read each day with items such as the effect of aircraft makers on Alcoa's outlook (makers of aluminum), news that "a Seattle company wants to buy 70 million pounds of Alaska pink salmon for distribution in Russia," and reports on REI and Eddie Bauer's latest doings. Of course there's still plenty of tech coverage -- skewed of course in the direction of Redmond.
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Mmmmm whole milk yogurt is back on store shelves, holding its own next to the sugared, gelatinized, stabilized mass market varieties, in California at least. Although U.S. law does state that yogurt must be made with two specific cultures, yogurt does not have to have live cultures when it is sold. The additional bacteria often present in the naturally produced whole milk varieties may have immune system and digestive benefits. A higher percentage of milk solids give these yogurts their thick texture, often achieved with pectin, gelatin and gums in other brands. Of course you can make your own yogurt (a recipe is in the article), though you'll need to pick a starter yogurt to prime the process.
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Wednesday, March 03, 2004

The first 2004 nickel design has been released into the wild. The redesigned back commemorates the Louisiana Purchase. 900 million are to be minted, which is a good economic signal, as this is up from an original estimate of 500 million. Later this year, another design featuring Lewis and Clark's keelboat will be introduced. There's a possibility that a 2005 design may alter the front as well.
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In other recent coin news, an 1866 silver dollar stolen along with 7,000 other coins from millionaire Willis du Pont's home in 1967 was turned over by a librarian last week. Coin auction experts examined the coin and determined it was stolen property, apparently to the dismay of the unnamed librarian who received it as collateral for a loan. It is one of only two 1866 silver dollars missing the inscription "In God We Trust" that are believed to exist.

And hang onto those metal detectors. A man in Oxfordshire, England, found a pot of 5,000 Roman coins in a field last April. One of the coins depicts the head of Domitianus, a "mystery emporer" who historians say ruled for merely a few days. A similar coin, found 100 years ago, had been dismissed as a hoax. Now it appears possible that Domitianus declared himself emporer in 271 AD just long enough to have coins made with his image, though his reign faded into obscurity.
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Tuesday, March 02, 2004

The Power of the Post
Warning: This is not one of your usual GirlHacker's Random Log postings. This is, instead, one of those navel-gazing, self-promoting weblog posts that regular readers may find unpalatable, so I apologize in advance, and promise I will return tomorrow in better form.

Last Friday I composed my second annual Oscar Gift Bag list. My post last year was well-linked within the weblog circles, and I expected this year's to do similarly well, but instead it received more exposure than anticipated, thanks mainly to a link on Gawker (thanks!). On Monday I received a nice email from one of the artists I mentioned, Sherri Lindsay, thanking me for singling out her contribution to the "losers" gift basket which I unearthed from a Google news search that turned up a local news story on her handmade boxes (she also sent along the link to her website where you can see her amazing eggshell mosaics). In a follow-up email Ms. Lindsay mentioned that the N.Y. Post's Page Six had printed a "nearly identical" paragraph to mine on Sunday, which had been picked up by other media outlets. She echoed the sentiment found in many essays on "the power of weblogs," that one person with a PC and modem can indeed be powerful these days.

Here's a portion of my original paragraph. I gathered my information from the Wichita Eagle (last item).

...this bag of goodies valued at $32,000. The main feature is, of course, a trip to Caesars Palace with plenty of perks and gift certificates to smooth away the sorrow of losing the Oscar. A unique addition are one-of-a-kind mosaics made of painted eggshells placed on small wooden boxes, created by Kansas artist Sherri Lindsay.

Here's the N.Y. Post archive link and a portion of the paragraph they printed:

The bag, valued at $32,000, includes a trip to Caesars Palace with plenty of perks, gift certificates to Las Vegas malls, and one-of-a-kind mosaics made of painted eggshells placed on small wooden boxes created by Kansas artist Sherri Lindsay.

Interesting, isn't it? I don't think those last 17 or so words and a few above those are a coincidence. And in case you are wondering, no I'm not upset at the N.Y. Post. I am, however, very amused. Sentences are impossible to watermark, save for a writing style, and I'm not sure what to think about mine appearing on the gossip pages! But it's only a few words, and I'm glad I decided to feature an artist with a unique craft for that portion of the posting.
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Monday, March 01, 2004

Coca-Cola is shaking things up in their Sprite line. Along with their new commercials they have plans to reposition diet Sprite (one rumor claims they may rename it Sprite Zero) and introduce a new "berryclear" flavor of Sprite Remix. It appears they may phase out the original tropical flavor, but perhaps that's a misinterpretation of the statement "Tropical Sprite Remix will fade out and Berryclear will fade in." The company is also placing flavor packets in convenience stores for customers to mix their own Sprite flavors, trying to capitalize on research that showed that teens like to mix Sprite with juice and ... Skittles.
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It has been one year since the daring raid on 123 diamond vaults in Antwerp and a few clues have been uncovered, but it seems unlikely that any of the diamonds will turn up. DNA of the believed leader of the gang was found at the crime scene, but the man himself has not been found. One alleged conspirator, a diamond merchant familiar with the vaults, is facing a trial. A few diamonds were found by Italian police in a safe in Turin, however they disappeared before Antwerp police arrived two weeks later. Hopes are fading for recovering the bulk of the extensive haul.
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