Newsletter

e-Marginalia :: Ski Stratton-Whistler
Issue #6, June 1, 2004
http://www.e-marginalia.com

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READ ONLINE: If you experience any trouble opening the links in your newsletter or you would prefer to read online, you may access this issue of e-Marginalia at http://www.e-margaux.com/en/e-marginalia/040601.htm. If you wish to SUBSCRIBE, please subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.e-margaux.com/en/contact/opt-in.htm.
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In this issue:

~ WELCOME e-MARGONAUTS :: Greetings from e-Margaux
~ MEANDERING MARGAUX :: Spring Skiing Stratton and Whistler, Pt. I
~ FEATURE STORIES :: Top Travel Tales
          Ethiopian Outback, by Kevin Brown
          Sydney’s Ghostly Past, by Susan Miles
          Valtournenche: An Italian Ski Adventure, by Mike Norman
~ VACATION RENTALS :: Check out the New Listings!
          Château de la Caillotière :: Loire Valley, France
          Spectacular Brussels Skyscraper :: Brussels, Belgium
          Sag Harbor Rental :: Hamptons, New York
~ AMAZING DEALS :: Check out these Travel Promotions
          Photo Prints :: 15 FREE 4x6 Prints from Shutterfly
          Summer Hotel Sale :: Great Rates at Over 50 Hot Spots
          Golf Putter :: Save Over 50% on Adams Putter from Pro Golf
          Discount Camera Lenses :: Up to 60% from Ritz Camera
~ e-MARGAUX LITE :: Quotations, Anecdotes and Humour

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~ WELCOME e-MARGONAUTS :: Greetings from e-Margaux

I've just returned from my first waterski of the season. And it was beautiful. Lake Champlain is still a little brisk, but our wetsuits kept us warm, and the strong sunshine revitalized us when we made our last cuts and jumped back in the boat. So that's the good news. Which isn't to say that you should expect any bad news, just a slightly longer, slightly "newsier" note than usual. Plenty to pass along, so here goes...

You'll notice that the Meandering Margaux story below (as well as two other travel stories currently featured) address mid-winter subjects. Why now? Good question. Here's the logic. Since many of you are going to be gathering together with your families soon for summer holidays, and since many appealing winter venues require months of lead time to reserve, we've decided to include a few excellent winter stories to jumpstart your plans for winter travel. Of course, most of the new stories are not focused on winter travel, but for those A types who are already working on where to go and what to do in January, you're in for some great travel ideas.

In news of a more technical nature, I want to give you a last minute "heads up" on a period of scheduled server maintenance that will effect e-Margaux.com on Saturday evening through Sunday morning, June 12 and 13. Our server will be undergoing a systemic spam scanner upgrade, installing additional backup/recovery systems, and performing routine maintenance between 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 12 and 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 13 (EST). During this window, e-Margaux.com will be fully or partially inaccessible or experience service interruptions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and assure you that downtime has been scheduled during the time when website traffic is lowest.

And the last but longest news update, also of a technical nature, involves spam filters. Recently we've discovered that some e-Marginalia subscribers aren't receiving their newsletters. Are you one of the unfortunate e-Marginalia faithful who've missed out on monthly subscriber-only specials and our zany prose? If you are, we're sorry. I'm going to explain a simple solution that should fix the problem for most everybody.

It turns out that e-Marginalia is sometimes getting caught in spam filters. What?!?! I know, it sounds practically barmy, sophisticated spam filtering software mistaking our sacred travel epistle for unsolicited, junk mail. Let me explain...

Are you familiar with the CAN-SPAM Act? You may visit the following link for more information: http://www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.html. The gist of it is that finally the folks who fill our email boxes with unsolicited (and often offensive and/or virus-laden) junk mail are being challenged by the US government. This is great news! And, I might add, it's long overdue.

The CAN-SPAM Act went into effect at the beginning of the year, and the e-universe has been scrambling to comply ever since. At e-Margaux.com we take painstaking measures to ensure that the e-Marginalia newsletter and all other correspondence comply with the new CAN-SPAM Act. Please notice that our newsletters include thorough instructions for subscribing and unsubscribing as well as contact information. You may also review our Privacy Policy at http://www.e-margaux.com/en/legal/privacy.htm.

Of course, the CAN-SPAM Act is only one part of a much broader, concerted effort to reduce the volume of spam that clogs up the web and inundates our email boxes. Most ISP's (Internet service providers) and email hosting services have implemented aggressive new filtering applications that attempt to intercept the unsolicited junk email that continues to be sent out despite the new federal legislations. By and large, these efforts have benefited the end user, grossly reducing the quantity of spam that we receive.

But (there's always a "but", right?) the solution has been imperfect so far. First of all, plenty of undesired email still manages to find its way into our accounts, and second, occasionally emails that we DO want to receive get filtered out before we ever see them.

So, while increasingly widespread use of spam filters is generally improving online communications, important messages are being mistakenly filtered, in some instances interrupting successful e-Marginalia distribution. But there's a solution. Add us to your "white list"!

What's a "white list"? Most ISPs and email hosting services permit you to manually create lists of email addresses that you want to accept or block. The email addresses you categorically block are often referred to as your "black list", and your "white list" is the list of email addresses which are always welcome to send you email. Many ISPs and email hosting services will simply use your Contact List as a "white list".

So, whether you've missed an issue of the e-Marginalia or not, please take a moment to update your contact list today. Add the following e-mail address to the contact list or address book of your primary e-mail account (the account that you've used to subscribe to e-Marginalia) and you'll never have to worry again that an important email from e-Margaux.com will be lost in transit:

e-marginalia@e-margaux.com (Note: If you can "turn on" a domain, you can simply authorize all email from e-margaux.com.)

By adding our e-mail addresses to your contacts, you'll receive the information you need. And, you don't have to worry about us abusing the privilege. We'll never spam you. And we'll never make your email address available to anyone else. Period.

In fact, as part of our ongoing initiative to improve the e-Margaux.com experience, we've even revised our newsletter signup process to prevent accidental subscriptions and spam. If you've joined us recently, you are familiar with this double opt-in procedure which enables us to further protect your privacy.

Well, that about covers it. Hope I haven't put you to sleep!

Best,
George Davis, e-Marginalia Editor
e-marginalia@e-margaux.com

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~ MEANDERING MARGAUX :: Spring Skiing Stratton and Whistler, Part I

When the telephone call came, I thought, You bet! Doubleheader… I mean, it seemed too good to be true. I was already headed out to Whistler Blackcomb for a short week of spring skiing during the third week in March. Jump start the adrenaline rush with a short week in Stratton before heading our west? No brainer! I was in.

My buddy, Chris, works in Burlington, Vermont for Burton, and each spring he heads off to Stratton Mountain Resort in southern Vermont for the US Open Snowboarding Championships. He invited my brother and me to join him as volunteers on the banner crew, responsible for installing advertising signage in the days leading up to and during the competition. We immediately accepted the invitation.

The 2004 Philips US Open (March 15-21) would be my first “up close and personal” experience with the unabashedly “up close and personal” sport of snowboarding. Sure, I’ve spent plenty of time skiing on the same slopes with snowboarders, and a fair share of my own friends opt for one board instead of two when swooshing down alpine pistes. I’ve even had a go at it myself, but the snowboarding lifestyle and philosophy – and to consider it anything less is to miss the point entirely – remained alien and impenetrable to me. My buddy was offering me not only the opportunity to attend what is unquestionably the premier international snowboarding event for the past two decades, he was also inviting me to discover snowboarding culture by immersing myself in the most authentic, grassroots, snowboarding event around...

          Click Here for Story:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/story/stratton-and-whistler-1/01.htm

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~ FEATURE STORIES :: Read these Inspiring Travel Stories

Ethiopian Outback, by Kevin Brown
          The sign in front of the African village’s barber shop actually read “abandon hope all ye who enter”. It is one of those strange anomalous fragments of Western culture that sometimes appears in third world countries, like an abandoned New York City taxi cab, a GAP tee-shirt, or a book of matches from the Ritz-Carlton, completely out of context and completely unaccounted for. It could well be a legacy of the missionary establishment or merely a piece of verse copied from a scrap of paper by a sign painter without a word of English. Whatever the case, I might have been well advised to think twice before choosing this particular barber...
          Click Here for Story:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/story/ethiopian-outback/01.htm

Sydney’s Ghostly Past, by Susan Miles
          If you were one of those kids whose favorite part of a campout was being scared out of your wits with campfire ghost stories, (and you haven’t quite grown out of it), have I got a tour for you!
          Click Here for Story:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/story/sydneys-ghostly-past/01.htm

Valtournenche: An Italian Ski Adventure, by Mike Norman
          If you were to hear the name Valtournenche without previously knowing of its existence, what would you think it was? The latest SUV offering from Volkswagen? A traditional Andorran chicken and ham dish? Although it certainly does not make you think of the Alps the way Zermatt or St. Moritz does, it should...
          Click Here for Story:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/story/valtournenche/01.htm

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~ NEW VACATION RENTALS :: Check out the New Listings!

~ Château de la Caillotière :: Loire Valley, France
          The "picture perfect" Loire Valley estate. A private 70 acre park with a jardin à la française sloping gently toward a pond and an arboretum of some 250 rare species of bushes and trees selected for their spectacular flowers. Built over 200 years ago by the present owner’s ancestor and named for the quail hunts once hosted on the estate, Château de la Caillotière invites you to become l'aristocratie française for a week. Or more…
          Click Here to Visit:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/vr/chateau-de-la-caillotiere/index.htm

~ Spectacular Brussels Skyscraper :: Brussels, Belgium
          Designed by a young but renowned Belgian architect in the latter nineties on an existing unit from 1968, this air conditioned apartment is equipped with countless luxury amenities and is ideally situated in the very center of Brussels in the European Quarter. Modish and super hip!
          Click Here to Visit:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/vr/brussels-skyscraper/index.htm

~ Sag Harbor Rental :: Hamptons, New York
          Sag Harbor. Lovely, spacious four bedroom, two bath home on a private acre. Clean & comfortable. Large deck, downstairs patio, two barbecues, separate apartment. Amenities include dishwasher, washer/dryer, fireplace, outdoor shower. One mile to bay beach, two miles to Sag Harbor town.
          Click Here to Visit:
          http://www.e-margaux.com/en/vr/sag-harbor-rental/index.htm

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~ AMAZING DEALS :: Check out these Travel Promotions

Photo Prints :: 15 FREE 4x6 Prints from Shutterfly
          Shutterfly's Start of Summer Sale which runs thru 6/14/04 is almost too good to be true! New members get 15 FREE prints (no obligations) and 15% off any additional orders. Free prints are limited to 4" x 6" print size only. To be eligible for this offer, simply complete the registration process at the link provided below. Your free prints will be credited as
soon as your account is opened. Offer expires 6/14/04.
          Price: FREE!
          Click Here:
          http://urltrak.com/?285:Shutterfly-15-FREE-Prints

Summer Hotel Sale :: Great Rates at Over 50 Hot Spots
          Planning to get away this summer? Wherever you want to go — the city, the mountains, the beach, the theme parks, even Europe — you can save on already low hotel rates. Plus, you'll save even more when you book your flight and hotel together! Travel now through September 6, 2004
          Price: Deep Discounts!
          Click Here:
          http://urltrak.com/?285:Expedia-Summer-Hotel-Sale

Golf Putter :: Save Over 50% on Adams Putter from Pro Golf
          Pro Golf is practically giving away this Adams Golf GT Spec 12 Putter. The patented graphite tip shaft and heavier head weight provide the perfect feel while eliminating all the negatives associated with putter face inserts. And it's marked down lower than you'll ever find it (or any comparable high-end putter) ever again.
          Price: $39.97
          Click Here:
          http://urltrak.com/?285:ProGolf-Adams-Putter

Discount Camera Lenses :: Up to 60% from Ritz Camera
          Save up to 60% off the original price that thousands paid for these lenses. For a limited time RitzCamera.com is offering cut-rate deals on reconditioned lenses which meet all factory specifications and are protected by a 30-day no questions asked return policy and warranty. Reconditioned products offer truly exceptional value and can be an excellent way for you to begin or expand your SLR camera system.
          Price: Starting at $39.95
          Click Here:
          http://urltrak.com/?285:RitzCamera-Lenses

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~ e-MARGAUX LITE :: Quotations, Anecdotes and Humour

"What gives value to travel is fear."
          --Albert Camus

"Reading old travel books or novels set in faraway places, spinning globes, unfolding maps, playing world music, eating in ethnic restaurants... all these things are part of never-ending travel practice, not unlike doing scales on a piano, shooting free-throws, or meditating"
          --Phil Cousineau, The Art of Pilgrimage
          http://urltrak.com/?285:Art-of-Pilgrimage

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