Forgot to add, Liz, since you mentioned ‘luxury’ segments, some Interesting factoids from the Wine Institute: “Wine is America’s #1 finished agricultural product in retail value. And California is America’s top wine producer, making 90% of all U.S. wine, and is the top exporter of US wines too. California is the fourth leading wine producer in the world behind the France, Italy and Spain. California’s high wine quality is tied directly to the state’s ideal climate, topography, and soil for winegrapes, so the industry will always be based in California. California wine is world renowned with sales increasing every year since 1993 and accounting for two-thirds of all wine sales in the U.S. California’s wineries are predominantly family owned and multi-generational. California wineries support their communities and are philanthropic. California wines produce $51.8B in economic value to the state, and $125.3B value to US. And create 309,000 CA jobs, and 875,000 in the US. Nearly 20 millions tourists are attracted to California wineries each year bringing $2B in tourist dollars.” Wine crops are vulnerable to climate change and therefore winemakers are at the forefront of the sustainability movement, and because many doctors recommend drinking one glass of red wine a day for health…..wine is also a healthy beverage too. What was interesting for me recently, not having driven down Interstate 5 between Northern and Southern California for at least a decade (use the coast route or fly) the increase in vineyards was mind-boggling. Once you leave San Luis Obispo—-a major wine producing area—and all the way up toward Monterey, are endless miles of rolling green vineyards. By Winery Lifestyle on 06/28/2008 1:48 am reply

Forgot to add, Liz, since you mentioned ‘luxury’ segments, some Interesting factoids from the Wine Institute: “Wine is America’s #1 finished agricultural product in retail value. And California is America’s top wine producer, making 90% of all U.S. wine, and is the top exporter of US wines too. California is the fourth leading wine producer in the world behind the France, Italy and Spain. California’s high wine quality is tied directly to the state’s ideal climate, topography, and soil for winegrapes, so the industry will always be based in California. California wine is world renowned with sales increasing every year since 1993 and accounting for two-thirds of all wine sales in the U.S. California’s wineries are predominantly family owned and multi-generational. California wineries support their communities and are philanthropic. California wines produce $51.8B in economic value to the state, and $125.3B value to US. And create 309,000 CA jobs, and 875,000 in the US. Nearly 20 millions tourists are attracted to California wineries each year bringing $2B in tourist dollars.” Wine crops are vulnerable to climate change and therefore winemakers are at the forefront of the sustainability movement, and because many doctors recommend drinking one glass of red wine a day for health…..wine is also a healthy beverage too. What was interesting for me recently, not having driven down Interstate 5 between Northern and Southern California for at least a decade (use the coast route or fly) the increase in vineyards was mind-boggling. Once you leave San Luis Obispo—-a major wine producing area—and all the way up toward Monterey, are endless miles of rolling green vineyards.

Interesting from two economic sector reports: “The Bay Area — San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland — had the highest concentration of technology workers — one in four workers were employed in the industry. A total of 386,200 technology workers were employed in the Bay Area in 2006. The highest salaries were reported in the Bay Area, with San Jose workers averaging $144,800, their counterparts in San Francisco averaging $118,500, and Oakland workers getting $96,900. The technology industry is on its way back to employment levels enjoyed in the “pre-bubble” levels of the late 1990s. Seattle and Silicon Valley — although currently adding workers at a rapid rate — still haven’t reached pre-bubble concentration levels.” “Real Estate Market Update for May 2008— Single Family Home sales increased for the fourth month in a row from the previous month in San Francisco Real Estate. The average selling price was just slightly over 100% of the average listing price. The average selling price was slightly higher than April but slightly lower than a year ago. The average days on the market decreased for the third month in a row to 38. “The number of Condominiums sold in May increased again from the previous month for the fourth month in a row in the San Francisco Real Estate Market. However, the average selling price was under 100% of the average listing price. The average selling price was lower than April, but higher than a year ago. The average days on the market increased to 58. “The number of homes in the Overall Sales category sold in May increased for the fourth month in a row over the previous month in the San Francisco Real Estate Market. The average selling price was slightly over 100% of the average listing price. The average selling price was higher than April as well as a year ago. The average days on the market increased slightly to 49. “Overall, the San Francisco real estate market is still strong.”

That’s world’s most visited city is Paris. Most visited US city is NYC.

By measurement of per capita GDP, purchasing power, and wealth distribution the EU. The GDP of the EU is as strong as the US and the euro is stronger than the dollar. Europe has the most people, cultures and diversity…and outside of California…the best wines. Of the World Economic Forum’ Top Ten most business friendly and efficient countries, 7 are in the EU. That would make the EU the most influential: Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, United States, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Britain. The most influential language is English, but if add up the most influential list languages in the EU continent, they exceed English and most EU residents are multi-lingual: Which again would make it the EU. Languages spoken by % of world population: English 37% French 23% Spanish 20% Russian 16% Arabic 14% Chinese 13% German 12% Japanese 10% Brazilian (Portugese) 10% Hindi/Urdu 10% EU languages together (ie from the ‘most influential list’ French, Spanish, Russian,German=71%) If you take the Top 20 most educated countries add those together, the EU again dominates the list, as it does again if your add up all the countries of the seven continents. #1 Norway: 16.9 years #2 Finland: 16.7 years #3 Australia: 16.6 years #4 United Kingdom:16.4 years #5 New Zealand: 16.2 years #6 Sweden: 16 years #7 Netherlands:15.9 years #8 Iceland: 15.8 years #9 Belgium: 15.8 years #10 Denmark: 15.6 years #11 France: 15.4 years #12 Spain: 15.3 years #13 Germany: 15.3 years #14 United States: 15.2 years #15 Portugal: 15.2 years #16 Switzerland: 15 years #17 Ireland: 14.9 years #18 Canada: 14.8 years #19 Italy: 14.7 years #20 Austria: 14.7 year Of the 192 nations that are members of the UN; the US is # 48 in infant mortality, #55 in literacy, #44 in freedom of the press, #72 in overall health. I would say the most visited country has to exert great influence…otherwise people wouldn’t flock there. France though only 63M pop vs. US 300M is the most visited country by far, and the EU the most visited continent: 1 France 75,500,000 2 United States 50,900,000 3 Spain 48,200,000 4 Italy 41,200,000 5 China 31,200,000 6 United Kingdom 25,200,000 7 Russia 21,200,000 8 Mexico 20,600,000 9 Canada 20,400,000 10 Germany 19,000,000 The most visited world cities are France #1 in the world, and NYC #1 in US. The Top Ten cities with the most beautiful women according to the world famous magazine “Travelers Digest” : Amsterdam (the Netherlands) 2. Tel Aviv (Israel) 3. Montreal (Canada) 4. Caracas (Venezuela) 5. Moscow (Russia) 6. Los Angeles (California, the U.S.) 7. Varna (Bulgaria) 8. Buenos Aires (Argentina) 9. Copenhagen (Denmark) 10. Stockholm (Sweden)

I believe that a passionate interest and involvement in life are the best way to meet a man or anyone.

Google, Apple dictionary widget, vinification sites, wine blogs.

Eau de Pinot Noir is my favorite perfume. What do I associate with it? The best of times, festive dinners with family and friends, life!

“both sell photos” that’s they both sell vitamins….sorry.

Re Mary’s we’re all taking his (Dr. Ray Kurzweill’s) vitamins…they’re sold on the Internet. I looked at Dr. Ray Kurzweill’s photo on the Internet, and at Dr. Andrew Weil…both sell photos. Dr. Weil looks very healthy, the other doctor…not so much..although I like his ideas….red wine several times a week, green tea daily, alkaline water, no sodas (ugh, god forbid!). So if I were going to try Kurzweill’s I’d also compare them with Weil’s and try both…although personally I don’t believe in vitamins in tablet form. They are too hard to swallow and don’t get fully into the blood stream. And I think it’s crazy to take 200 vitamin tablets….very hard on the system. Liquid is better and could cut that dosage way down. Plus as smart and impressive as Kurzweill is, he eats meat, one of the worst things can do for health and the planet. Although I do agree with wild salmon.

She wants it public. Brinksmanship, me thinks. Turn up the heat so at the trial date threshold he’ll settle. Great some legal matters, but if it backfires and goes to trial, all comes out and lives forever. And as the saying goes; shame the father, shame the child.