The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in collaboration with The MITRE Corporation, recently released the Common Weakness Enumeration version 2.0, a best-practice guide for mitigating weaknesses in software based on the advice of experts from the government, software industry and academic thought leaders.
The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit agency that assists the government and other agencies with private sector issues, also released a list of the top 25 most dangerous software errors in order to point out areas developers need to be more aware of in future development projects.
MITRE cites missing authorization, use of hard-coded credentials and downloading code without integrity checks as among the most dangerous errors.
The DHS, in a blog post on June 27, said the project was completed under its National Cybersecurity Division under the Software Assurance Program, which works with the private sector “to spearhead the development of practical guidance and tools while promoting research and development of secure software engineering.”
The guidelines are meant to give software development teams a best-practice development guide in order to reduce the amount of vulnerabilities in their software. Some of the best practices include examples of known vulnerabilities, platforms that are most susceptible to them, and other examples of known malware threats, as well as a checklist for developing secure code with those weaknesses in mind.
Idappcom, an independent data traffic analytics and security firm, believed that these weaknesses can be attributed to the human element in software development, which was confirmed by the DHS in a recent survey.
DHS staff, according to Ray Bryant, Idappcom’s CEO, dropped data disks and USB sticks in the parking lots of government agencies in order to see who might find them and access the information. The DHS found, according to Idappcom’s release, that 60% of these data disks and USB sticks were inserted into government-owned computers.
“This observation—the proof of anecdotal evidence if you will—has ramifications in all aspects of IT security, and especially, I believe, when it comes to network security, as it also shows you cannot rely on staff installing IT security systems properly,” Bryant said.
He added that this is an indication that, in his opinion, the best way to combat these errors is to use “automated and effective auditing of the security appliance and allied systems, which then assists the IT security management about which areas of network/IT system security needs tightening up.”
2011年6月29日星期三
How Will Your Child Handle the Transition to A New Grade or School This Fall?
With many children starting in new grades or new schools in the fall, how do you expect your child to handle the transition? And how can parents help?
The Stoneham Patch Moms Council are weighing in on this topic and would love to hear your thoughts as well and that can be accomplished by posting a comment in the comments section below.
From Melisa Thorne:
For many kids, the transition to a new school or a new grade is an inevitable event. This will happen at least once in a child’s school career.
My kids are transitioning to a new elementary school in the fall. I don’t expect their transition to be seamless but they are young and younger children adapt relatively easy once they establish trust with their new teachers. I honestly feel for parents who have kids transitioning into the Stoneham Middle School this year. I think this transition is by far the most difficult.
For a parent it is a bittersweet milestone. We are proud of our child’s achievements yet we really hate that he or she is growing up so fast. I truly believe most kids look forward to these years, but that doesn’t mean it is always smooth sailing.
Middle school-age kids are already trying to accept the physical changes with their bodies and to add with that, everything about their school day is changing too. For instance, instead of the setting in elementary school where your child had just one teacher who challenged his or her strengths and understood his or her weaknesses, your child now has several teachers, each with his or her own teaching style and expectations.
Also, your child’s friendships may shift. I think this may be hardest for kids to cope with. Many of the friends your child saw everyday in elementary school will be on different schedules. For some, making new friends and finding their place in the social ladder is stressful.
While I think it is important for parents to let their children transition at their own pace, I think it’s equally important for parents to pay close attention for signs of distress.
Parents should remain approachable and don’t overreact. I remember Middle School being no picnic for me back in my day. So empathize. You have been there too.
Of course, chronic lateness or consistently low grades may also be a sign of a deeper learning or motivational issue. If your child continues to struggle, schedule a conference with the teacher so you can figure out what steps to take.
When the time comes for my kids to make this transition, I will let them know that I trust them to handle the transition on their own and remind them that I have their back. My goal is to keep the lines of communication open so my kids realize they can count on me.
From Pallavi Shastri:
The transition, which is going to happen for my daughter who is entering the third grade, is pretty big deal for her. Until now she was coming out of the school door with her friends, with me standing there to pick her up, or if she didn’t see me, she at least had her teacher to stand with her until I arrived. But from third grade the pick-up system is a little different and she is getting nervous about it. She is worried how she is going to find me from all those cars.
This is the big transition for her and all I can do is assure her that she will find me. For first few days, I will stand there when she comes out so that she will feel more secure and as she gets used to being a third grader, I will ask her about the live car parking pick-up.
Little kids by nature are like a sponge: They absorb and adapt to new situations easily.
All we can do as parents is to assure them that it is going to be ok and we are there for them. Having a good conversation between the parent and child helps a lot during this initial transition process. Kids can share all the changes happening in their life with the parents and parents can listen to that, offer any guidance, if needed, and just be friends with your kids. In this way you are aware of the transition and you can offer full support to them.
The Stoneham Patch Moms Council are weighing in on this topic and would love to hear your thoughts as well and that can be accomplished by posting a comment in the comments section below.
From Melisa Thorne:
For many kids, the transition to a new school or a new grade is an inevitable event. This will happen at least once in a child’s school career.
My kids are transitioning to a new elementary school in the fall. I don’t expect their transition to be seamless but they are young and younger children adapt relatively easy once they establish trust with their new teachers. I honestly feel for parents who have kids transitioning into the Stoneham Middle School this year. I think this transition is by far the most difficult.
For a parent it is a bittersweet milestone. We are proud of our child’s achievements yet we really hate that he or she is growing up so fast. I truly believe most kids look forward to these years, but that doesn’t mean it is always smooth sailing.
Middle school-age kids are already trying to accept the physical changes with their bodies and to add with that, everything about their school day is changing too. For instance, instead of the setting in elementary school where your child had just one teacher who challenged his or her strengths and understood his or her weaknesses, your child now has several teachers, each with his or her own teaching style and expectations.
Also, your child’s friendships may shift. I think this may be hardest for kids to cope with. Many of the friends your child saw everyday in elementary school will be on different schedules. For some, making new friends and finding their place in the social ladder is stressful.
While I think it is important for parents to let their children transition at their own pace, I think it’s equally important for parents to pay close attention for signs of distress.
Parents should remain approachable and don’t overreact. I remember Middle School being no picnic for me back in my day. So empathize. You have been there too.
Of course, chronic lateness or consistently low grades may also be a sign of a deeper learning or motivational issue. If your child continues to struggle, schedule a conference with the teacher so you can figure out what steps to take.
When the time comes for my kids to make this transition, I will let them know that I trust them to handle the transition on their own and remind them that I have their back. My goal is to keep the lines of communication open so my kids realize they can count on me.
From Pallavi Shastri:
The transition, which is going to happen for my daughter who is entering the third grade, is pretty big deal for her. Until now she was coming out of the school door with her friends, with me standing there to pick her up, or if she didn’t see me, she at least had her teacher to stand with her until I arrived. But from third grade the pick-up system is a little different and she is getting nervous about it. She is worried how she is going to find me from all those cars.
This is the big transition for her and all I can do is assure her that she will find me. For first few days, I will stand there when she comes out so that she will feel more secure and as she gets used to being a third grader, I will ask her about the live car parking pick-up.
Little kids by nature are like a sponge: They absorb and adapt to new situations easily.
All we can do as parents is to assure them that it is going to be ok and we are there for them. Having a good conversation between the parent and child helps a lot during this initial transition process. Kids can share all the changes happening in their life with the parents and parents can listen to that, offer any guidance, if needed, and just be friends with your kids. In this way you are aware of the transition and you can offer full support to them.
2011年6月26日星期日
Gettelfinger a teacher and preacher
In June 1988, the Rev. Gerald Gettelfinger was on a canoe trip in Canada when he got wind that he might be asked to fill a vacancy in the Diocese of Evansville.
Bishop Francis Shea was preparing to retire, but Gettelfinger didn't take the rumor too seriously. The rumor persisted, especially in Indianapolis where Gettelfinger had served the archdiocese most of his professional life in mostly educational administrative capacities. Nine months later, he got "the call."
"A funny-sounding man asked me if I was alone and could I talk. It was very simple," Gettelfinger recalled. "The voice said: 'Pope John Paul II invites you to be bishop. Do you accept?' I asked him how much time I had to think about it and his answer was 'Not much.'"
That was March 11, 1989. Gettelfinger was ordained and installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Evansville on April 11, 1989. And now, after serving for 22 years, he is retiring as the longest-serving bishop in the history of this diocese.
His successor, Charles C. Thompson, will be ordained and installed June 29.
"For college graduates and young married couples, and for all younger Catholics, (Gerald Gettelfinger) is the only bishop they have ever known," said Paul Leingang, director of communications for the Diocese of Evansville.
Humble beginning
Gettelfinger was born Oct 20, 1935, in Ramsey, Ind., a rural area about 30 miles northwest of Louisville, Ky. He was raised on the family farm there, a place one of his brothers still calls home.
Gettelfinger attended a public school that had 60 children and no indoor plumbing. His religious education was limited to Saturdays and two weeks every summer. But his father, Gerald Gettelfinger Sr., made sure his eight children received a Catholic education.
Farm life and chores were a constant. Gettelfinger was one of three cousins who expressed an early interest in the priesthood, "but I was the only one to be accepted, to pass the tests," he said, explaining that studying for the priesthood "is a fairly demanding course of study."
He entered St. Meinrad Seminary in 1949 at age 13. He graduated from high school there in 1953; received his bachelor's degree there in 1957 and continued four more years of theological studies.
"I was there for 12 years ... never left the hill," Gettelfinger said, allowing that it took about nine of those years before he knew, unequivocally, that he wanted to become an ordained priest. And so it came to pass that he was ordained on May 7, 1961, at the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. (In addition to retiring this year, Gettelfinger is celebrating 50 years in the priesthood).
In Indianapolis and in addition to parish work, he began teaching at Chatard Catholic High School. He added a master's degree in education (from Butler University) in 1965. In the ensuing years, Gettelfinger served the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as a guidance counselor, a high school principal, Superintendant of Catholic Schools and Superintendent of Catholic Education.
In 1980, he was honored by the National Catholic Education Association for his state and national work developing boards of education. He was named a domestic prelate, with the title of Reverend Monsignor, on Jan. 26, 1983. During his years in Indianapolis, Gettelfinger held leadership positions that included vicar general, chancellor ("The Bishop's right hand," Gettelfinger said), pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral and chairman of the cathedral renovation project.
"I never anticipated becoming a bishop," he said.
teacher, preacher
When Gettelfinger assumed the mantle of Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville, he was unfamiliar with the community.
"I remember coming here in 1957. Bishop Chartard High School was playing football against Bosse High School and we beat them! 27-to-6!
"The transition (to the role of bishop) was easy for me," Gettelfinger said. "Bishop Shea told me it would take five years to get to know the diocese, and it was true. He told me the secret to success was getting out to all the parishes and because it is a small diocese it was easy to do."
The Diocese of Evansville includes 69 parishes and 29 schools in 12 counties in Southwest Indiana, serving more than 85,000 Catholics.
Gettelfinger, who identified himself as a "teacher and a preacher, quickly focused his attention on the local school system and Catholic youth.
"I am a teacher and a preacher," he said. "(And) Catholic school is the best tool we have for passing on the faith. Our schools were good when I got here."
Gettelfinger's first act, two weeks after his ordination, was presiding as "chief teacher" over a celebration of the Catholic school tradition at Roberts Stadium that included 6,000 students, teachers and support staff.
Over the years, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to thousands of Catholic youth in parishes throughout the diocese, celebrated with them as they graduated from high school, and celebrated Mass with elementary school students during Catholic Schools Week every year. He helped develop "Teens Encounter Christ" and "Communion and Liberation," two organizations for youth in the diocese, and he remains active in Boy Scouting, locally and nationally.
Gettelfinger made his mark throughout the Diocese. Among his more tangible accomplishments was naming St. Benedict Cathedral on April 11, 1999, the 10th anniversary of his appointment as bishop.
"Evansville had not had a cathedral for 34 years," Gettelfinger said. He explained that when the Evansville Diocese was established in 1944, a Downtown church was named the Cathedral of the Assumption. That 1831 structure was razed in 1965 to make way for Downtown development. Another Downtown parish church, Holy Trinity was named "Pro-Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity" at that time.
Gettelfinger said he selected St. Ben's from a field of three parish churches selected by a committee, because of its size, ("St. Mary's Downtown was too small") its interior architecture ("Good Shepherd was too modern") and the reasonable availability of parking (arguably still a sticking point).
In 1991 Gettelfinger also oversaw the opening of a new parish in Santa Claus, Ind. ("St. Nicholas Church what else?" he said) that thrives today. His other accomplishments include "Synod '93" which engaged clergy, religious and lay leaders in setting the direction for the diocese; the establishment of parish councils ("There had been no pastoral council since 1973 and I wanted each parish to have one.") and the establishment of a Diocesan Pastoral Council. He also established diocesan task force in the mid-1990s to study parish staffing in light of the dwindling number of priests. He revived a program establishing a permanent deaconate, "which the Vatican II Council had called for, but Bishop Shea suppressed," he said. A deacon is ordained, Gettelfinger said, "and they can do it all except say Mass, hear confessions and anoint the sick."
Bishop Francis Shea was preparing to retire, but Gettelfinger didn't take the rumor too seriously. The rumor persisted, especially in Indianapolis where Gettelfinger had served the archdiocese most of his professional life in mostly educational administrative capacities. Nine months later, he got "the call."
"A funny-sounding man asked me if I was alone and could I talk. It was very simple," Gettelfinger recalled. "The voice said: 'Pope John Paul II invites you to be bishop. Do you accept?' I asked him how much time I had to think about it and his answer was 'Not much.'"
That was March 11, 1989. Gettelfinger was ordained and installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Evansville on April 11, 1989. And now, after serving for 22 years, he is retiring as the longest-serving bishop in the history of this diocese.
His successor, Charles C. Thompson, will be ordained and installed June 29.
"For college graduates and young married couples, and for all younger Catholics, (Gerald Gettelfinger) is the only bishop they have ever known," said Paul Leingang, director of communications for the Diocese of Evansville.
Humble beginning
Gettelfinger was born Oct 20, 1935, in Ramsey, Ind., a rural area about 30 miles northwest of Louisville, Ky. He was raised on the family farm there, a place one of his brothers still calls home.
Gettelfinger attended a public school that had 60 children and no indoor plumbing. His religious education was limited to Saturdays and two weeks every summer. But his father, Gerald Gettelfinger Sr., made sure his eight children received a Catholic education.
Farm life and chores were a constant. Gettelfinger was one of three cousins who expressed an early interest in the priesthood, "but I was the only one to be accepted, to pass the tests," he said, explaining that studying for the priesthood "is a fairly demanding course of study."
He entered St. Meinrad Seminary in 1949 at age 13. He graduated from high school there in 1953; received his bachelor's degree there in 1957 and continued four more years of theological studies.
"I was there for 12 years ... never left the hill," Gettelfinger said, allowing that it took about nine of those years before he knew, unequivocally, that he wanted to become an ordained priest. And so it came to pass that he was ordained on May 7, 1961, at the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. (In addition to retiring this year, Gettelfinger is celebrating 50 years in the priesthood).
In Indianapolis and in addition to parish work, he began teaching at Chatard Catholic High School. He added a master's degree in education (from Butler University) in 1965. In the ensuing years, Gettelfinger served the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as a guidance counselor, a high school principal, Superintendant of Catholic Schools and Superintendent of Catholic Education.
In 1980, he was honored by the National Catholic Education Association for his state and national work developing boards of education. He was named a domestic prelate, with the title of Reverend Monsignor, on Jan. 26, 1983. During his years in Indianapolis, Gettelfinger held leadership positions that included vicar general, chancellor ("The Bishop's right hand," Gettelfinger said), pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral and chairman of the cathedral renovation project.
"I never anticipated becoming a bishop," he said.
teacher, preacher
When Gettelfinger assumed the mantle of Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville, he was unfamiliar with the community.
"I remember coming here in 1957. Bishop Chartard High School was playing football against Bosse High School and we beat them! 27-to-6!
"The transition (to the role of bishop) was easy for me," Gettelfinger said. "Bishop Shea told me it would take five years to get to know the diocese, and it was true. He told me the secret to success was getting out to all the parishes and because it is a small diocese it was easy to do."
The Diocese of Evansville includes 69 parishes and 29 schools in 12 counties in Southwest Indiana, serving more than 85,000 Catholics.
Gettelfinger, who identified himself as a "teacher and a preacher, quickly focused his attention on the local school system and Catholic youth.
"I am a teacher and a preacher," he said. "(And) Catholic school is the best tool we have for passing on the faith. Our schools were good when I got here."
Gettelfinger's first act, two weeks after his ordination, was presiding as "chief teacher" over a celebration of the Catholic school tradition at Roberts Stadium that included 6,000 students, teachers and support staff.
Over the years, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to thousands of Catholic youth in parishes throughout the diocese, celebrated with them as they graduated from high school, and celebrated Mass with elementary school students during Catholic Schools Week every year. He helped develop "Teens Encounter Christ" and "Communion and Liberation," two organizations for youth in the diocese, and he remains active in Boy Scouting, locally and nationally.
Gettelfinger made his mark throughout the Diocese. Among his more tangible accomplishments was naming St. Benedict Cathedral on April 11, 1999, the 10th anniversary of his appointment as bishop.
"Evansville had not had a cathedral for 34 years," Gettelfinger said. He explained that when the Evansville Diocese was established in 1944, a Downtown church was named the Cathedral of the Assumption. That 1831 structure was razed in 1965 to make way for Downtown development. Another Downtown parish church, Holy Trinity was named "Pro-Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity" at that time.
Gettelfinger said he selected St. Ben's from a field of three parish churches selected by a committee, because of its size, ("St. Mary's Downtown was too small") its interior architecture ("Good Shepherd was too modern") and the reasonable availability of parking (arguably still a sticking point).
In 1991 Gettelfinger also oversaw the opening of a new parish in Santa Claus, Ind. ("St. Nicholas Church what else?" he said) that thrives today. His other accomplishments include "Synod '93" which engaged clergy, religious and lay leaders in setting the direction for the diocese; the establishment of parish councils ("There had been no pastoral council since 1973 and I wanted each parish to have one.") and the establishment of a Diocesan Pastoral Council. He also established diocesan task force in the mid-1990s to study parish staffing in light of the dwindling number of priests. He revived a program establishing a permanent deaconate, "which the Vatican II Council had called for, but Bishop Shea suppressed," he said. A deacon is ordained, Gettelfinger said, "and they can do it all except say Mass, hear confessions and anoint the sick."
Tough times, but The Star is adapting
Many of you are aware that last week The Star announced a workforce reduction of 82 positions, 28 of them in our information center (newsroom).
News staffs work crazy hours at an often hectic pace. More than many organizations, we bond with each other and lean on each other. We are passionate about what we do.
So the loss was difficult for my colleagues and me.
As is the case with all other organizations going through such an experience -- and in this economy there are many -- some people are questioning our future. So I'll get directly to the point.
We'll be around for a long, long time.
We are undergoing a major reorganization of our news operation, a process that began late last year. We recognized that a newsroom organized much like it was in the 1950s no longer meets the needs of readers served by a vast array of 21st century digital technology.
We are flattening our management structure, focusing more on topics than on the traditional sections, and committing more human resources to growing our already strong digital platforms.
We are emphasizing these things:
Stronger issues and people coverage. We will help you more than ever before sort out complex community issues, from Indianapolis' recent privatization of its parking systems to the financing of urban and suburban schools. When a person is in the news -- a political candidate or a business leader or an individual who overcame a huge obstacle -- we will tell you the story of that individual's life better than anyone else.
A continuation of our strong watchdog coverage and community leadership initiatives such as Our Children/Our City, and Beyond the Big Game.
Strong voices, on our opinion pages, including columnist Dan Carpenter and cartoonist Gary Varvel, and in other sections metro columnist Erika Smith, political columnist Matt Tully, and sports columnist Bob Kravitz.
The continued work of veteran journalists covering everything from politics to sports to the cultural arts.
Stronger "utility coverage" to help you decide everything from what to do with your family next weekend, to how to be a smarter shopper. Next month we will add more family content in our Sunday IndyLiving section to help parents and grandparents be more successful.
How will we do that with fewer people?
We'll cover fewer of those "middle" stories that don't advance issues significantly. We will adjust our product mix, including how we cover suburban communities. (We're doing that with the help of 4,300 subscribers who have given us incredibly good guidance.)
We're changing the process of copy editing, using a system already in place at several other good newspapers. Is it better? No, and it is inevitable that we'll have some hiccups as we figure it out. But figure it out we must.
Many people relish painting Star Media as a dying relic. They are flat wrong. Just ask anybody who has appeared recently on our front page.
They include the choir director at Manual High School. One column by our Matt Tully raised $100,000 to send the school's choir to Carnegie Hall in New York City and to create a piano lab.
They include the family of a kindergarten student at School 61, who had a bright Christmas after Bobby King reported about the parents and three children living in a motel room.
They include the second highest-paid official of the nation's largest utility company, forced to resign after The Star revealed e-mails he sent, illustrating a fox-in-the-henhouse relationship between the company and Indiana utility regulators.
Ask those who for years tried to get Indiana lawmakers to strengthen their ethics standards. Only after The Star's opinion pages led a coalition of Indiana newspapers to focus on the issue did lawmakers approve the most far-reaching ethics reform in decades.
Ask the people who flock to our online photo galleries, at times as many as hundreds of thousands of them, reliving the Indy 500 or other major sporting events.
That kind of work will continue. You can count on it.
We reach nearly 840,000 people in Central Indiana each week, including 50 percent of women ages 25 to 54. Our mobile sites are growing fast.
News staffs work crazy hours at an often hectic pace. More than many organizations, we bond with each other and lean on each other. We are passionate about what we do.
So the loss was difficult for my colleagues and me.
As is the case with all other organizations going through such an experience -- and in this economy there are many -- some people are questioning our future. So I'll get directly to the point.
We'll be around for a long, long time.
We are undergoing a major reorganization of our news operation, a process that began late last year. We recognized that a newsroom organized much like it was in the 1950s no longer meets the needs of readers served by a vast array of 21st century digital technology.
We are flattening our management structure, focusing more on topics than on the traditional sections, and committing more human resources to growing our already strong digital platforms.
We are emphasizing these things:
Stronger issues and people coverage. We will help you more than ever before sort out complex community issues, from Indianapolis' recent privatization of its parking systems to the financing of urban and suburban schools. When a person is in the news -- a political candidate or a business leader or an individual who overcame a huge obstacle -- we will tell you the story of that individual's life better than anyone else.
A continuation of our strong watchdog coverage and community leadership initiatives such as Our Children/Our City, and Beyond the Big Game.
Strong voices, on our opinion pages, including columnist Dan Carpenter and cartoonist Gary Varvel, and in other sections metro columnist Erika Smith, political columnist Matt Tully, and sports columnist Bob Kravitz.
The continued work of veteran journalists covering everything from politics to sports to the cultural arts.
Stronger "utility coverage" to help you decide everything from what to do with your family next weekend, to how to be a smarter shopper. Next month we will add more family content in our Sunday IndyLiving section to help parents and grandparents be more successful.
How will we do that with fewer people?
We'll cover fewer of those "middle" stories that don't advance issues significantly. We will adjust our product mix, including how we cover suburban communities. (We're doing that with the help of 4,300 subscribers who have given us incredibly good guidance.)
We're changing the process of copy editing, using a system already in place at several other good newspapers. Is it better? No, and it is inevitable that we'll have some hiccups as we figure it out. But figure it out we must.
Many people relish painting Star Media as a dying relic. They are flat wrong. Just ask anybody who has appeared recently on our front page.
They include the choir director at Manual High School. One column by our Matt Tully raised $100,000 to send the school's choir to Carnegie Hall in New York City and to create a piano lab.
They include the family of a kindergarten student at School 61, who had a bright Christmas after Bobby King reported about the parents and three children living in a motel room.
They include the second highest-paid official of the nation's largest utility company, forced to resign after The Star revealed e-mails he sent, illustrating a fox-in-the-henhouse relationship between the company and Indiana utility regulators.
Ask those who for years tried to get Indiana lawmakers to strengthen their ethics standards. Only after The Star's opinion pages led a coalition of Indiana newspapers to focus on the issue did lawmakers approve the most far-reaching ethics reform in decades.
Ask the people who flock to our online photo galleries, at times as many as hundreds of thousands of them, reliving the Indy 500 or other major sporting events.
That kind of work will continue. You can count on it.
We reach nearly 840,000 people in Central Indiana each week, including 50 percent of women ages 25 to 54. Our mobile sites are growing fast.
2011年6月22日星期三
Renault Fluence Z.E. Leads Electric Charge For Fleet And Family
Renault will be the first to offer Australian fleet and family car buyers a practical, feasible and viable all-electric option when the Fluence Z.E. five-seat sedan goes on sale here next year.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. (Zero Emission) is visually similar to the petrol-powered Fluence sedan launched in Australia late last year, and shares an identical interior architecture, but under the bonnet it is very different.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. is powered only by electricity stored on-board in a 48-module Lithium-ion battery mounted behind the rear seats, which can be recharged using a charge spot installed at home or work (6-8 hours for a full charge) or at a Better Place battery switch station where a depleted battery is exchanged for a fully charged one in less than four minutes.
The battery drives an advanced electric synchronous motor, which produces 70kW at 11,000rpm. Maximum torque is 226Nm. An energy recovery system enables the car to charge the battery under braking or deceleration. As with all electric motors, maximum torque is available almost instantly, giving the car excellent acceleration characteristics that are linear and satisfying. Top speed is electronically limited to 135km/h.
The electric motor is all but silent when running and, blessed with an almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution; the Renault Fluence Z.E. boasts neutral handling and exceptional ride comfort.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. runs on low rolling resistance Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres, which have special casings and sidewalls to help extend the driving range. The tread pattern is identical to that of a conventional tyre in order to ensure high-performance road holding and braking.
Compared with the petrol-powered Renault Fluence sedan, the 4748mm long Fluence Z.E. is 130mm longer to accommodate the battery, while the front and rear styling has been modified to provide enhanced cooling and aerodynamic efficiency, as well as present some visual differentiation and Z.E. identity.
Behind the wheel, drivers will notice the rev-counter is replaced by a gauge showing remaining range and battery charge, and a centre console display identifies the selected transmission mode: ‘forward’, ‘reverse’, ‘neutral’ and ‘parking’.
An ‘econo-meter’ uses a new colour-coded system to tell the driver how economically they are driving in terms of energy consumption: light blue for ‘normal’ vehicle use, dark blue for ‘optimal’ driving and red for ‘excessive’ energy consumption likely to reduce the vehicle's range.
Standard equipment will include Bluetooth telephony and automatic dual-zone climate control, plus automatic headlamp and windscreen wiper activation.
Also standard equipment is a smart Better Place designed navigation system, known as OSCAR, which not only offers traditional route guidance but can also pinpoint the closest charge spots and Battery Switch Stations. A range of 185km is promised, measured according to the NEDC industry standard for fuel efficiency, using the same methodology to measure consumption of internal combustion engine vehicles.
The Fluence Z.E. is a C segment vehicle that can comfortably accommodate a family and their luggage.
The first Renault Fluence Z.E. vehicles will arrive in Q2 2012, for select customers in Canberra. Vehicles will be available for general sale in Q4 2012 from selected Renault dealers.
Pricing and local specification will be confirmed closer to that date.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. (Zero Emission) is visually similar to the petrol-powered Fluence sedan launched in Australia late last year, and shares an identical interior architecture, but under the bonnet it is very different.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. is powered only by electricity stored on-board in a 48-module Lithium-ion battery mounted behind the rear seats, which can be recharged using a charge spot installed at home or work (6-8 hours for a full charge) or at a Better Place battery switch station where a depleted battery is exchanged for a fully charged one in less than four minutes.
The battery drives an advanced electric synchronous motor, which produces 70kW at 11,000rpm. Maximum torque is 226Nm. An energy recovery system enables the car to charge the battery under braking or deceleration. As with all electric motors, maximum torque is available almost instantly, giving the car excellent acceleration characteristics that are linear and satisfying. Top speed is electronically limited to 135km/h.
The electric motor is all but silent when running and, blessed with an almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution; the Renault Fluence Z.E. boasts neutral handling and exceptional ride comfort.
The Renault Fluence Z.E. runs on low rolling resistance Goodyear EfficientGrip tyres, which have special casings and sidewalls to help extend the driving range. The tread pattern is identical to that of a conventional tyre in order to ensure high-performance road holding and braking.
Compared with the petrol-powered Renault Fluence sedan, the 4748mm long Fluence Z.E. is 130mm longer to accommodate the battery, while the front and rear styling has been modified to provide enhanced cooling and aerodynamic efficiency, as well as present some visual differentiation and Z.E. identity.
Behind the wheel, drivers will notice the rev-counter is replaced by a gauge showing remaining range and battery charge, and a centre console display identifies the selected transmission mode: ‘forward’, ‘reverse’, ‘neutral’ and ‘parking’.
An ‘econo-meter’ uses a new colour-coded system to tell the driver how economically they are driving in terms of energy consumption: light blue for ‘normal’ vehicle use, dark blue for ‘optimal’ driving and red for ‘excessive’ energy consumption likely to reduce the vehicle's range.
Standard equipment will include Bluetooth telephony and automatic dual-zone climate control, plus automatic headlamp and windscreen wiper activation.
Also standard equipment is a smart Better Place designed navigation system, known as OSCAR, which not only offers traditional route guidance but can also pinpoint the closest charge spots and Battery Switch Stations. A range of 185km is promised, measured according to the NEDC industry standard for fuel efficiency, using the same methodology to measure consumption of internal combustion engine vehicles.
The Fluence Z.E. is a C segment vehicle that can comfortably accommodate a family and their luggage.
The first Renault Fluence Z.E. vehicles will arrive in Q2 2012, for select customers in Canberra. Vehicles will be available for general sale in Q4 2012 from selected Renault dealers.
Pricing and local specification will be confirmed closer to that date.
Intelligent and automated models drive car park management systems line
China suppliers of car park management systems are focusing development efforts on intelligent, automated versions to improve product efficiency. Toward this end, new technologies such as automatic vehicle identification and parking guidance, and advanced toll collection are introduced in current setups.
To enable these functions, recent models adopt
32-bit Arm 7 processors to accelerate the processing speed and integrate complex applications. The system bus is also upgraded, with makers employing CAN or TCP/IP instead of
EIA-485. These advanced variants are designed for large-scale car park management networks for their expandability, higher bandwidth and faster response time.
Upscale releases support vehicle plate recognition, vacant parking space guidance and auto-balance. Customized units or additional functions can be added on request. Shenzhen Fujica Intelligentized System Co. Ltd has developed an automatic parking guidance setup that comprises a parking space detector, lane and area controller, guidance screen and PC terminal. It can analyze parking space status in different areas and match this with vehicle entering/exiting information, and then send the data to the PC terminal and guidance screen.
Another product development trend points to electronic toll collection. Based on RFID technology, the application is offered as an optional function by most vendors. The CA-ZC0110 model from Shenzhen Carsafe Technology Development Co. Ltd, for instance, is a self-service toll station that works with different paper and coin currencies. The system supports changing and note printing functions and recharges monthly, yearly or temporary cards. It has a 17in LCD screen and runs on TCP/IP for remote management.
To enhance system reliability and stability, suppliers are optimizing hardware structure and software capability. Most initiatives in the latter aspect involve enabling user-friendly operation and highly flexible configurations to allow expansion and integration.
Under efforts to complement these improvements, aesthetics and user interface are likewise upgraded. Companies are incorporating LED or LCD screens to display data. Other releases have voice and text prompts, and intercom functions.
To enable these functions, recent models adopt
32-bit Arm 7 processors to accelerate the processing speed and integrate complex applications. The system bus is also upgraded, with makers employing CAN or TCP/IP instead of
EIA-485. These advanced variants are designed for large-scale car park management networks for their expandability, higher bandwidth and faster response time.
Upscale releases support vehicle plate recognition, vacant parking space guidance and auto-balance. Customized units or additional functions can be added on request. Shenzhen Fujica Intelligentized System Co. Ltd has developed an automatic parking guidance setup that comprises a parking space detector, lane and area controller, guidance screen and PC terminal. It can analyze parking space status in different areas and match this with vehicle entering/exiting information, and then send the data to the PC terminal and guidance screen.
Another product development trend points to electronic toll collection. Based on RFID technology, the application is offered as an optional function by most vendors. The CA-ZC0110 model from Shenzhen Carsafe Technology Development Co. Ltd, for instance, is a self-service toll station that works with different paper and coin currencies. The system supports changing and note printing functions and recharges monthly, yearly or temporary cards. It has a 17in LCD screen and runs on TCP/IP for remote management.
To enhance system reliability and stability, suppliers are optimizing hardware structure and software capability. Most initiatives in the latter aspect involve enabling user-friendly operation and highly flexible configurations to allow expansion and integration.
Under efforts to complement these improvements, aesthetics and user interface are likewise upgraded. Companies are incorporating LED or LCD screens to display data. Other releases have voice and text prompts, and intercom functions.
2011年6月20日星期一
When IBM ruled
“The B in IBM stands for business, not toys.”
Fred Goetz is 82 now, but he recalls vividly the IBM board’s reaction to his team’s proposal in 1979. For the world’s leading technology company, which was selling refrigerator-sized mainframe computers worth millions and developing shipboard systems for the space program, an affordable home computer for consumers was little more than a frivolous sidelight.
Despite the disdain, “the Dirty Dozen” – Goetz and 11 other engineers in Boca Raton – were ordered by the company’s lame duck CEO to push forward with developing the personal computer. Their work would go far beyond IBM’s early staples of adding machines, punch-card readers and typewriters, yet be far more flexible and user-friendly than the hefty cabinet and tabletop workstations that filled the office space of the day.
Less than two years later, on August 12, 1981, the first IBM PC was unveiled, leading the world into a new era of home-based computing. The invention put an obscure South Florida vacation town on the map as a business center.
And now, though IBM has abandoned the PC business and its presence in Boca has dwindled, its legacy remains in today’s robust South Florida tech sector, which owes its origins to the magnetic pull of what was then the world’s pioneering computer maker.
As International Business Machines celebrates its 100th birthday this month, former Boca Raton employees looked back with affection on their time at the cutting edge. Big Blue started its Boca operations in temporary offices set in snake-rich scrublands, and by the mid-1980s had come to define Boca Raton, with some 10,000 employees in 28 buildings and 4 million square feet of offices and manufacturing space.
Today’s IBM is a $100 billion vendor of services and behind-the-scenes technologies – none of them PCs, an industry now dominated by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Acer and Lenovo, which bought IBM’s PC business in 2004. So when the teams that created IBM’s first PCs gathered in Boca to celebrate the corporate centennial, it was a bittersweet moment.
“We were kind of disappointed that it all disappeared,” Goetz said. “But we really felt good about what we did.”
Early Days
IBM was born in upstate New York in 1911 as CTR, the Computing Tabulating and Recording Co., which specialized in punch cards, commercial scales and clocks. It took the name International Business Machines in 1924, focusing on large calculation and accounting projects, and later went on to invent the first magnetic hard drive in 1956 and the first computer-driven airline reservation system in 1962.
The company created the guidance system computers for the U.S. space program at Cape Canaveral, and Florida became familiar ground. When it sought a new location to develop a line of moderately priced computers, Big Blue set its sights on countryside near the newly opened Florida Atlantic University, land frequented by alligators, armadillos, walking catfish and poisonous snakes.
“They put a guy on the bulldozer with a shotgun because of all the water moccasins,” said IBM retiree Angelo Gasparri, who traveled a dirt road from Fort Lauderdale to get to work. “It was a little rural around here.”
Three years after the Boca branch opened in 1967, FAU approved creation of a college of engineering – a fitting complement to the growing local tech sector.
Fred Goetz is 82 now, but he recalls vividly the IBM board’s reaction to his team’s proposal in 1979. For the world’s leading technology company, which was selling refrigerator-sized mainframe computers worth millions and developing shipboard systems for the space program, an affordable home computer for consumers was little more than a frivolous sidelight.
Despite the disdain, “the Dirty Dozen” – Goetz and 11 other engineers in Boca Raton – were ordered by the company’s lame duck CEO to push forward with developing the personal computer. Their work would go far beyond IBM’s early staples of adding machines, punch-card readers and typewriters, yet be far more flexible and user-friendly than the hefty cabinet and tabletop workstations that filled the office space of the day.
Less than two years later, on August 12, 1981, the first IBM PC was unveiled, leading the world into a new era of home-based computing. The invention put an obscure South Florida vacation town on the map as a business center.
And now, though IBM has abandoned the PC business and its presence in Boca has dwindled, its legacy remains in today’s robust South Florida tech sector, which owes its origins to the magnetic pull of what was then the world’s pioneering computer maker.
As International Business Machines celebrates its 100th birthday this month, former Boca Raton employees looked back with affection on their time at the cutting edge. Big Blue started its Boca operations in temporary offices set in snake-rich scrublands, and by the mid-1980s had come to define Boca Raton, with some 10,000 employees in 28 buildings and 4 million square feet of offices and manufacturing space.
Today’s IBM is a $100 billion vendor of services and behind-the-scenes technologies – none of them PCs, an industry now dominated by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Acer and Lenovo, which bought IBM’s PC business in 2004. So when the teams that created IBM’s first PCs gathered in Boca to celebrate the corporate centennial, it was a bittersweet moment.
“We were kind of disappointed that it all disappeared,” Goetz said. “But we really felt good about what we did.”
Early Days
IBM was born in upstate New York in 1911 as CTR, the Computing Tabulating and Recording Co., which specialized in punch cards, commercial scales and clocks. It took the name International Business Machines in 1924, focusing on large calculation and accounting projects, and later went on to invent the first magnetic hard drive in 1956 and the first computer-driven airline reservation system in 1962.
The company created the guidance system computers for the U.S. space program at Cape Canaveral, and Florida became familiar ground. When it sought a new location to develop a line of moderately priced computers, Big Blue set its sights on countryside near the newly opened Florida Atlantic University, land frequented by alligators, armadillos, walking catfish and poisonous snakes.
“They put a guy on the bulldozer with a shotgun because of all the water moccasins,” said IBM retiree Angelo Gasparri, who traveled a dirt road from Fort Lauderdale to get to work. “It was a little rural around here.”
Three years after the Boca branch opened in 1967, FAU approved creation of a college of engineering – a fitting complement to the growing local tech sector.
Turkey develops domestic missile, rocket
Two Turkish state-run defense companies have reported major progress in what analysts view as crucial locally designed and developed missile and rocket programs.
Earlier in June, Tübitak Sage, the missile specialist operating under the state’s Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, or TÜBİTAK, exhibited the country’s first domestic cruise missile during an air show in İzmir marking the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Air Force’s foundation.
The missile, which has a range of 180 kilometers, was designed and developed by Turkish engineers, including its software, company officials said. The program was launched in 2006.
The missile carries guided stand-off munitions, or SOM, and targets mobile and immobile land and naval targets. It features a mixed light metal, composite body, and a GPS guidance system.
In the future, the missile could replace similar imported SOM-based missiles installed on F-16 Block 40 and F-4E 2020 fighter aircraft, company officials said. Tübitak Sage plans its first deliveries to the Turkish military by the end of 2011.
The company also plans to certify the missile for future use on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightening II; Turkey is a member of a U.S.-led multinational consortium producing the F-35. It eventually plans to buy about 100 aircraft worth around $14 billion.
New rocket
In a parallel effort, state-run missile maker Roketsan launched a domestic rocket in May, testing the weapon on AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. The 2.75-pound, semi-active, laser-guided rocket has a range of eight kilometers.
Roketsan officials have boasted about the rocket’s complete local design, development and engineering, as well as high accuracy, during field tests. The rocket, dubbed the Cirit (javelin in Turkish) has been designed to hit light armored targets.
The Cirit will be most extensively used on the T-129, the Turkish version of Italian AgustaWestland’s AW-129 Mangusta International attack helicopter. AgustaWestland, which won two contracts awarded in 2008 and 2010 totaling billions of dollars, is leading the manufacture of 60 T129s, whose deliveries should start next year.
Roketsan officials expect foreign demand for the Cirit once the company has met the Turkish military’s requirement, mainly for the T-129 program. The Cirit, which can carry two different warheads, could be installed on aerial and land platforms, they said.
One company official said design and development tests were completed in 2010 and that serial production would start this year. “This will mark the passing of a critical stage in our domestic rocket design and production ambitions.”
Analysts have said the indigenous missile and rocket programs are part of a broader policy to locally design, develop and produce various weapons systems, including helicopters, naval platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles and military satellites.
“It is by no means surprising that the Turkish government, among other systems, has ambitions to produce indigenous missiles and rockets,” an Ankara-based analyst said. “The policy was established to make advances in domestic missile technology and export equipment to foreign buyers in the future.”
Earlier in June, Tübitak Sage, the missile specialist operating under the state’s Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, or TÜBİTAK, exhibited the country’s first domestic cruise missile during an air show in İzmir marking the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Air Force’s foundation.
The missile, which has a range of 180 kilometers, was designed and developed by Turkish engineers, including its software, company officials said. The program was launched in 2006.
The missile carries guided stand-off munitions, or SOM, and targets mobile and immobile land and naval targets. It features a mixed light metal, composite body, and a GPS guidance system.
In the future, the missile could replace similar imported SOM-based missiles installed on F-16 Block 40 and F-4E 2020 fighter aircraft, company officials said. Tübitak Sage plans its first deliveries to the Turkish military by the end of 2011.
The company also plans to certify the missile for future use on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightening II; Turkey is a member of a U.S.-led multinational consortium producing the F-35. It eventually plans to buy about 100 aircraft worth around $14 billion.
New rocket
In a parallel effort, state-run missile maker Roketsan launched a domestic rocket in May, testing the weapon on AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. The 2.75-pound, semi-active, laser-guided rocket has a range of eight kilometers.
Roketsan officials have boasted about the rocket’s complete local design, development and engineering, as well as high accuracy, during field tests. The rocket, dubbed the Cirit (javelin in Turkish) has been designed to hit light armored targets.
The Cirit will be most extensively used on the T-129, the Turkish version of Italian AgustaWestland’s AW-129 Mangusta International attack helicopter. AgustaWestland, which won two contracts awarded in 2008 and 2010 totaling billions of dollars, is leading the manufacture of 60 T129s, whose deliveries should start next year.
Roketsan officials expect foreign demand for the Cirit once the company has met the Turkish military’s requirement, mainly for the T-129 program. The Cirit, which can carry two different warheads, could be installed on aerial and land platforms, they said.
One company official said design and development tests were completed in 2010 and that serial production would start this year. “This will mark the passing of a critical stage in our domestic rocket design and production ambitions.”
Analysts have said the indigenous missile and rocket programs are part of a broader policy to locally design, develop and produce various weapons systems, including helicopters, naval platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles and military satellites.
“It is by no means surprising that the Turkish government, among other systems, has ambitions to produce indigenous missiles and rockets,” an Ankara-based analyst said. “The policy was established to make advances in domestic missile technology and export equipment to foreign buyers in the future.”
2011年6月15日星期三
City-GHI Stakeholder Meeting Tackles Tax Assessments, Power Outages and Crime Trends
In this economically challenging time, areas of common fiscal concern -- routine and controversial -- dominated the Greenbelt City Council’s joint work session with representatives of the 1,600-unit housing cooperative, Greenbelt Homes, Inc. (GHI), at Monday night’s city-GHI stakeholder meeting.
Seated around a large conference table, Mayor Judith “J” Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan and other City Council members engaged in an exchange with six of the nine members of the GHI Board of Directors and GHI general manager Gretchen Overdurff, who discussed topics as diverse as walkway lighting, the city’s 75th anniversary celebration, crime, right of ways, snow, water meters and piping.
Lighting
Several GHI board members expressed concern that the well-used inner walkway between 11 Court and 13 Court of Ridge Road that directly connects it to Crescent, near the community center, is poorly lit at night. While GHI normally responds directly to member requests for lighting improvements, the oval strip of land along the pathway is city property.
Overdurff stressed that GHI would share the results of assistant general manager Eldon Ralph’s consultations with a contractor and that GHI would consider helping to pay for improved lighting. Mayor Davis said that the City Council would study walkway usage; replacement of, repairs, or additions to existing lighting infrastructure; as well as survey neighbor opinions about lights.
75th Anniversary Celebration
Mayor Davis briefly listed events planned for the 75th anniversary of the founding of Greenbelt, including a three-day symposium, house and garden tours and a gala dinner. Anniversary committee member and GHI board member, Irv Wartell, reminded everyone about plans to sell commemorative T-shirts and hats.
Mayor Davis noted that the committee selected events from more than 500 suggestions, but she invited other Greenbelters to plan and staff events as well as come up with creative ideas, since volunteers are “what makes Greenbelt, Greenbelt," she said. The mayor also reminded council and GHI that the anniversary celebrates the entire city, not just GHI pioneers and the founding of historic Old Greenbelt, and that the events should include and involve all parts of the city.
GHI president Tokey Boswell stressed the need for volunteer-driven shuttles and parking enforcement during the celebration period to minimize the impact on the center of town.
Crime Trends
Greenbelt police officer Carl H. Schinner reported on the city crime statistics for GHI and Old Greenbelt. He praised the new crime mapping system for spotting trends and stated that this year, so far, there were only six burglaries and eight robberies, including the armed robbery at the Greenbelt Credit Union, which he suggested were relatively low figures compared to the rest of Prince George’s County.
Seated around a large conference table, Mayor Judith “J” Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan and other City Council members engaged in an exchange with six of the nine members of the GHI Board of Directors and GHI general manager Gretchen Overdurff, who discussed topics as diverse as walkway lighting, the city’s 75th anniversary celebration, crime, right of ways, snow, water meters and piping.
Lighting
Several GHI board members expressed concern that the well-used inner walkway between 11 Court and 13 Court of Ridge Road that directly connects it to Crescent, near the community center, is poorly lit at night. While GHI normally responds directly to member requests for lighting improvements, the oval strip of land along the pathway is city property.
Overdurff stressed that GHI would share the results of assistant general manager Eldon Ralph’s consultations with a contractor and that GHI would consider helping to pay for improved lighting. Mayor Davis said that the City Council would study walkway usage; replacement of, repairs, or additions to existing lighting infrastructure; as well as survey neighbor opinions about lights.
75th Anniversary Celebration
Mayor Davis briefly listed events planned for the 75th anniversary of the founding of Greenbelt, including a three-day symposium, house and garden tours and a gala dinner. Anniversary committee member and GHI board member, Irv Wartell, reminded everyone about plans to sell commemorative T-shirts and hats.
Mayor Davis noted that the committee selected events from more than 500 suggestions, but she invited other Greenbelters to plan and staff events as well as come up with creative ideas, since volunteers are “what makes Greenbelt, Greenbelt," she said. The mayor also reminded council and GHI that the anniversary celebrates the entire city, not just GHI pioneers and the founding of historic Old Greenbelt, and that the events should include and involve all parts of the city.
GHI president Tokey Boswell stressed the need for volunteer-driven shuttles and parking enforcement during the celebration period to minimize the impact on the center of town.
Crime Trends
Greenbelt police officer Carl H. Schinner reported on the city crime statistics for GHI and Old Greenbelt. He praised the new crime mapping system for spotting trends and stated that this year, so far, there were only six burglaries and eight robberies, including the armed robbery at the Greenbelt Credit Union, which he suggested were relatively low figures compared to the rest of Prince George’s County.
Parking guidance system
A NEW master plan has been devised for the construction and renovation of Mayo Hospitals’ historical buildings. New constructions will be made by replacing old dilapidated buildings in line with the existing and futuristic needs of the hospital. The historical background and architectural values will be conserved during the new construction of these buildings whereas buildings in good conditions will be rehabilitated and renovated accordingly.
This was disclosed during a meeting of the steering committee of Mayo Hospital headed by Secretary Health Jehanzeb Khan on Wednesday. Besides, Special Secretary Health Wasim Mukhtar, Deputy Secretary Admin Ms. Saleha Saeed, MS Dr. Zahid Pervez and members of the steering committee attended the meeting.
Dr. Zahid Pervez briefed the Secretary Health about the ongoing development works and completed projects. He said that the upgrade and modernisation of Accident and Emergency Department was near completion and the civil works at a cost of Rs. 35.950 million had been completed and the progress on the construction of ICUs was going headway. He further said that two new tube-wells had been installed at a cost of Rs. 6.281 million to provide clean drinking water to the patients at the hospital. Restoration of sewerage system around OPD block has also been completed and Rs. 2.20 million have been spent on this development work. Furthermore, pavement around OPD block (tuff tiling) is also near to be completed at a cost of Rs. 5.032 million.
He said that landscaping in Mayo Hospital to create a breathing space in its congested atmosphere and to improve its aesthetic value was also under progress and a green park on two acre piece of land was being developed and by now Rs. 3.768 million had been spent. He said that the creation of car parking area for the consultants was also near completion and Rs. 3.6 million had been spent on it.
The meeting was also informed that different development projects were being completed through donations of philanthropists which included renovation of central ICU, construction of HUB for the parking of wheelchairs and stretchers near A&E Department, construction of roads and pathways from A&E Department to Orthopaedic workshop and renovation of OPD Department and laboratory. These development works will be completed within next few weeks. He informed the Secretary Health that a PC-1 had been prepared for improvement of road network in the hospital, provision of main gate in Mayo Hospital at Nila Gumbad side and purchase of a 64-slice CT scanner machine. The total expenditure of these three items will be estimated Rs. 147.933 million.
The committee agreed to this proposal. The meeting was also informed that construction of five-storey nursing school building, extension and upgrade of Accidental & Emergency Department and development of Green Park will be completed within few weeks.
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif will be requested to inaugurate the newly completed development projects in the 3rd week of July 2012. Secretary Health, expressing satisfaction over the progress of development work, said that steering committee should also monitor the performance of hospital. TORs will be amended for this purpose. He directed that facility of Information Technology would be fully utilised for providing maximum assistance and guidance to the patients in their treatment.
This was disclosed during a meeting of the steering committee of Mayo Hospital headed by Secretary Health Jehanzeb Khan on Wednesday. Besides, Special Secretary Health Wasim Mukhtar, Deputy Secretary Admin Ms. Saleha Saeed, MS Dr. Zahid Pervez and members of the steering committee attended the meeting.
Dr. Zahid Pervez briefed the Secretary Health about the ongoing development works and completed projects. He said that the upgrade and modernisation of Accident and Emergency Department was near completion and the civil works at a cost of Rs. 35.950 million had been completed and the progress on the construction of ICUs was going headway. He further said that two new tube-wells had been installed at a cost of Rs. 6.281 million to provide clean drinking water to the patients at the hospital. Restoration of sewerage system around OPD block has also been completed and Rs. 2.20 million have been spent on this development work. Furthermore, pavement around OPD block (tuff tiling) is also near to be completed at a cost of Rs. 5.032 million.
He said that landscaping in Mayo Hospital to create a breathing space in its congested atmosphere and to improve its aesthetic value was also under progress and a green park on two acre piece of land was being developed and by now Rs. 3.768 million had been spent. He said that the creation of car parking area for the consultants was also near completion and Rs. 3.6 million had been spent on it.
The meeting was also informed that different development projects were being completed through donations of philanthropists which included renovation of central ICU, construction of HUB for the parking of wheelchairs and stretchers near A&E Department, construction of roads and pathways from A&E Department to Orthopaedic workshop and renovation of OPD Department and laboratory. These development works will be completed within next few weeks. He informed the Secretary Health that a PC-1 had been prepared for improvement of road network in the hospital, provision of main gate in Mayo Hospital at Nila Gumbad side and purchase of a 64-slice CT scanner machine. The total expenditure of these three items will be estimated Rs. 147.933 million.
The committee agreed to this proposal. The meeting was also informed that construction of five-storey nursing school building, extension and upgrade of Accidental & Emergency Department and development of Green Park will be completed within few weeks.
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif will be requested to inaugurate the newly completed development projects in the 3rd week of July 2012. Secretary Health, expressing satisfaction over the progress of development work, said that steering committee should also monitor the performance of hospital. TORs will be amended for this purpose. He directed that facility of Information Technology would be fully utilised for providing maximum assistance and guidance to the patients in their treatment.
2011年6月12日星期日
City school system, Filipino teachers facing immigration challenges
On Sunday, we ran a story that explored some of the challenges the city school system says it is having in retaining hundreds of Filipino teachers--whose three-or-six year work visas are expiring--as so many American teachers are looking for jobs in the district.
Federal immigration laws require the district to show a need for the teachers before it can apply to renew work visas, or help them obtain permanent residency.
"We're in a tough position now because we're currently operating with more applicants than we have positions," said Tisha Edwards, chief of staff for the school system.
As we've reported before, the city has a sizable surplus teacher pool (about 700 city educators attended a job fair last month. Meanwhile, the district has vowed to "exhaust all legal strategies" to keep international teachers in the U.S.--even calling around to other districts to find vacancies they could potentially fill.
In total, about 300 Filipino teachers are facing some deadline this year.
Federal immigration laws require the district to show a need for the teachers before it can apply to renew work visas, or help them obtain permanent residency.
"We're in a tough position now because we're currently operating with more applicants than we have positions," said Tisha Edwards, chief of staff for the school system.
As we've reported before, the city has a sizable surplus teacher pool (about 700 city educators attended a job fair last month. Meanwhile, the district has vowed to "exhaust all legal strategies" to keep international teachers in the U.S.--even calling around to other districts to find vacancies they could potentially fill.
In total, about 300 Filipino teachers are facing some deadline this year.
IMF Targeted in Sophisticated Cyber Attack
The International Monetary Fund has become the latest victim of a cyber attack believed to be carried out by hackers connected to a foreign government. The scope of the breach in the lender of last resort’s computer system is still unknown and the IMF has so far refused to release any details. But the New York Times, the first to break the story, talked to several senior officials who described it as serious. The breach occurred “over the last several months,” before Dominique Strauss-Kahn quit after being charged with attempted rape. The IMF’s board was apparently told of the attack on Wednesday and now the FBI is helping to investigate.
Reuters talks to a security expert who says the attack “was clearly designed to infiltrate the IMF with the intention of gaining sensitive ‘insider privileged information.’” Another expert says the hackers tried to install software that would give a government a “digital insider presence” on the IMF network that could give it access to sensitive, potentially market-moving data. It seems the code used in the attack was specifically developed for the IMF system. There is lots of information within the IMF that could be of interest to hackers, from detailed data about European bailout programs to confidential reports on countries that could be in economic trouble and even records of negotiations with international leaders.
Experts are particularly concerned about the IMF incident because it is the latest in a string of sophisticated attacks against large organizations, amounting to a stark reminder of how vulnerable sensitive computer systems are to hackers. The Washington Post notes this is the third recent attack against a major financial institution and points to “a pattern of cyber-espionage against key economic policymaking institutions” in recent years that some experts believe involves China. “Canada’s Treasury Board and Finance Ministry were targeted in January, and France’s Finance Ministry was hacked in December,” points out the Post. Over the past three months, Google, Sony, Lockheed Martin and Citigroup have all reported being the victims of cyber attacks, notes Bloomberg.
Reuters talks to a security expert who says the attack “was clearly designed to infiltrate the IMF with the intention of gaining sensitive ‘insider privileged information.’” Another expert says the hackers tried to install software that would give a government a “digital insider presence” on the IMF network that could give it access to sensitive, potentially market-moving data. It seems the code used in the attack was specifically developed for the IMF system. There is lots of information within the IMF that could be of interest to hackers, from detailed data about European bailout programs to confidential reports on countries that could be in economic trouble and even records of negotiations with international leaders.
Experts are particularly concerned about the IMF incident because it is the latest in a string of sophisticated attacks against large organizations, amounting to a stark reminder of how vulnerable sensitive computer systems are to hackers. The Washington Post notes this is the third recent attack against a major financial institution and points to “a pattern of cyber-espionage against key economic policymaking institutions” in recent years that some experts believe involves China. “Canada’s Treasury Board and Finance Ministry were targeted in January, and France’s Finance Ministry was hacked in December,” points out the Post. Over the past three months, Google, Sony, Lockheed Martin and Citigroup have all reported being the victims of cyber attacks, notes Bloomberg.
New Web address system can pinpoint locations of devices
Little known fact: Top Web sites around the world quietly tested a new Internet address system last week that will soon replace the way every connected device in the world communicates.
Think of it as renaming every house number and street name in the cyberworld. But instead of a mailing address, locations are marked by a sequence of numbers — IP, or Internet Protocol, addresses — and they’re running out.
Though most consumers have never noticed, the shortage in IP addresses has meant that all the computers and devices connected within a business or home network generally “share” an address. That makes remotely accessing any one of those devices difficult.
It’s like sending a mailman to a street but no house number. That’s why accessing your home computer from afar usually requires special software like the popular GotoMyPC.
But when the new protocol, nicknamed IPv6, becomes the norm in the coming months and years, every tablet, smart phone, computer and lamp post will have its own house number and street. And when that happens, the possibilities for innovation are endless.
“The ability to auto-sense a car in the driveway and turn the lights on and off, remote control of your thermostat and the connected home,” are just some of the technologies that will become easier when every device has an address, said Jennifer M. Pigg, vice president at the Hub-based Yankee Group. “There are a lot of those applications — especially light poles for some reason — that require that type of connection.”
Another likely effect is in demand for cloud-based storage services, which is all the rage right now. For instance, the ability to connect devices together with ease to stream music from your home computer onto your smartphone, means the demand for certain cloud storage services could shrink.
However, with more and more devices being used, there will be plenty of demand for cloud-based back-up systems, analysts say.
On Wednesday, Google, Yahoo, Facebook and the biggest Internet players along with Cambridge-based Akamai, Limelight and Comcast launched the first global trial of the new Internet protocol, dubbed World IPv6 day.
Gregory Wood, spokesman for the nonprofit Internet Society, an international organization that helps develop standards for the Web, said the test day was an overwhelming success.
“This was everyone joining hands at the edge of the pool and all jumping in together,” he sad. “The result was things worked pretty much as planned. Most people didn’t notice the difference.”
Think of it as renaming every house number and street name in the cyberworld. But instead of a mailing address, locations are marked by a sequence of numbers — IP, or Internet Protocol, addresses — and they’re running out.
Though most consumers have never noticed, the shortage in IP addresses has meant that all the computers and devices connected within a business or home network generally “share” an address. That makes remotely accessing any one of those devices difficult.
It’s like sending a mailman to a street but no house number. That’s why accessing your home computer from afar usually requires special software like the popular GotoMyPC.
But when the new protocol, nicknamed IPv6, becomes the norm in the coming months and years, every tablet, smart phone, computer and lamp post will have its own house number and street. And when that happens, the possibilities for innovation are endless.
“The ability to auto-sense a car in the driveway and turn the lights on and off, remote control of your thermostat and the connected home,” are just some of the technologies that will become easier when every device has an address, said Jennifer M. Pigg, vice president at the Hub-based Yankee Group. “There are a lot of those applications — especially light poles for some reason — that require that type of connection.”
Another likely effect is in demand for cloud-based storage services, which is all the rage right now. For instance, the ability to connect devices together with ease to stream music from your home computer onto your smartphone, means the demand for certain cloud storage services could shrink.
However, with more and more devices being used, there will be plenty of demand for cloud-based back-up systems, analysts say.
On Wednesday, Google, Yahoo, Facebook and the biggest Internet players along with Cambridge-based Akamai, Limelight and Comcast launched the first global trial of the new Internet protocol, dubbed World IPv6 day.
Gregory Wood, spokesman for the nonprofit Internet Society, an international organization that helps develop standards for the Web, said the test day was an overwhelming success.
“This was everyone joining hands at the edge of the pool and all jumping in together,” he sad. “The result was things worked pretty much as planned. Most people didn’t notice the difference.”
2011年6月8日星期三
Award Confirms SITA As Leading Airport IT Solutions Provider In Asia Pacific
SITA, the air transport IT specialist, was today named Airport IT Solutions Provider of the Year at the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace & Defense Awards ceremony in Singapore. It is the second time in three years that SITA has received a Frost & Sullivan Aerospace & Defense Award, highlighting the strength of SITA’s position as the preferred IT solutions provider for airports in the Asia Pacific region which handle over 1.2 billion passengers and are experiencing 4.9% annual growth.
The focus of the award is the use of integrated IT solutions, which play a crucial role in the optimisation of airport processes, in particular recognising the development of SITA’s ‘Intelligent Airport’ concept. Over the past year, SITA has secured a number of major contracts for integrated solutions with airports in the growing Asia Pacific region, including in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Thailand.
Damian Hickey, SITA Regional Vice President South Asia and India, said: “Improving the passenger journey is central to the SITA Intelligent Airport vision. By tracking, managing and sharing real-time information, we can help airports be proactive and predictive. It means passengers have access to better information, both through information display systems and their own smartphones. It also means the airport and airlines can manage staff more efficiently, to ensure they have the right resources in the right place, at the right time, which in turn means shorter queues, for example at check-in and security.”
The Intelligent Airport also involves a number of other elements, including further use of common-use self-service for check-in, bag drop and baggage tracing; the increased use of passengers’ mobile devices for a wide range of services, from car parking to special offer promotions in the retail areas, and guidance through the airport; and more sophisticated workforce mobility technology to ensure the entire workforce is used as efficiently as possible.
Frost & Sullivan examined a wide range of criteria, including SITA’s product suite and innovation, the suitability of the products for the market, as well as SITA’s position in the market. Its wide product portfolios have enhanced its position at the forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions to its growing global customers. Community initiatives by SITA have also resulted in products and processes widely used by various air transport communities, such as WorldTracer, iBorders Gateway Services, Cargo Community System and AirportHub.
Cheong Chern Wai, Senior Consultant with Frost & Sullivan’s Aerospace & Defense practice, Asia Pacific, said: “As Asia Pacific’s leading technology solutions provider in the airport industry, SITA has assisted many of its customers to improve their business efficiency through the use of cost-effective technologies. Their industry experience and strategic know how makes them one of the most highly sought after IT partners.”
SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In Asia Pacific, SITA employs over 760 employees in 27 countries to provide services to the air transport industry.
The focus of the award is the use of integrated IT solutions, which play a crucial role in the optimisation of airport processes, in particular recognising the development of SITA’s ‘Intelligent Airport’ concept. Over the past year, SITA has secured a number of major contracts for integrated solutions with airports in the growing Asia Pacific region, including in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Thailand.
Damian Hickey, SITA Regional Vice President South Asia and India, said: “Improving the passenger journey is central to the SITA Intelligent Airport vision. By tracking, managing and sharing real-time information, we can help airports be proactive and predictive. It means passengers have access to better information, both through information display systems and their own smartphones. It also means the airport and airlines can manage staff more efficiently, to ensure they have the right resources in the right place, at the right time, which in turn means shorter queues, for example at check-in and security.”
The Intelligent Airport also involves a number of other elements, including further use of common-use self-service for check-in, bag drop and baggage tracing; the increased use of passengers’ mobile devices for a wide range of services, from car parking to special offer promotions in the retail areas, and guidance through the airport; and more sophisticated workforce mobility technology to ensure the entire workforce is used as efficiently as possible.
Frost & Sullivan examined a wide range of criteria, including SITA’s product suite and innovation, the suitability of the products for the market, as well as SITA’s position in the market. Its wide product portfolios have enhanced its position at the forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions to its growing global customers. Community initiatives by SITA have also resulted in products and processes widely used by various air transport communities, such as WorldTracer, iBorders Gateway Services, Cargo Community System and AirportHub.
Cheong Chern Wai, Senior Consultant with Frost & Sullivan’s Aerospace & Defense practice, Asia Pacific, said: “As Asia Pacific’s leading technology solutions provider in the airport industry, SITA has assisted many of its customers to improve their business efficiency through the use of cost-effective technologies. Their industry experience and strategic know how makes them one of the most highly sought after IT partners.”
SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In Asia Pacific, SITA employs over 760 employees in 27 countries to provide services to the air transport industry.
Ciena, Ulta Salon, Abercrombie & Fitch, Molycorp
U.S. stocks traded lower Wednesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 13 points to 12057, the Standard & Poor's 500 shed 2.2 points to 1282 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 13 points to 2688. Among the companies whose shares are actively trading in the session are Ciena Corp. (CIEN), Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF).
Ciena's ($21.05, -$3.17, -13.07%) fiscal second-quarter loss narrowed thanks to lower acquisition and integration-related costs as the networking-equipment company continued to post strong sales growth. However, the adjusted loss was more than analysts anticipated, and the company projected fiscal third-quarter revenue below expectations.
Ulta Salon's ($54.05, +$4.44, +8.95%) fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 71% as surging same-store sales and store growth boosted its top line and margins climbed. The results handily topped the company's expectations.
Abercrombie & Fitch ($67.15, -$2.75, -3.93%) Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Ramsden said Wednesday that the retailer's second-quarter results won't be as strong as the first quarter, but still in line with its guidance.
Molycorp Inc. (MCP, $54.72, -$3.98, -6.78%) detailed plans to sell 10 million shares of common stock and offer $200 million of convertible senior notes, with proceeds from the latter offering to be used to fund the rare-earth mining company's facility expansion. Molycorp has about 82 million shares outstanding.
Samsung Electronics Co. (SSNHY, $294.50, +$0.00, +0.00%) (005930.SE) has declined to comment on market speculation that it could be preparing a bid for ailing Finland-based handset maker Nokia Corp. (NOK, $6.30, -$0.25, -3.75%). The speculation comes a week after Nokia described as unfounded and baseless a report that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, $23.95, -$0.12, -0.48%) wanted to buy the Finnish company, which has been rocked by a recent profit warning and downgrades from ratings agencies. Nokia also declined to comment on what it called rumors.
Aaron's Inc.'s (AAN, $26.64, -$0.71, -2.60%) shares have surged 76% in the past year, but the company faces a period of "choppy demand trends," Northcoast Research says. Firm downgrades AAN to neutral from buy as it adopts a cautious, near-term outlook on the rent-to-own industry. Accelerating gasoline prices and food costs coupled with the anemic job market will limit the likelihood that AAN can boost same-store sales and EPS estimates during the next two to three quarters, Northcoast says.
ABM Industries Inc.'s (ABM, $23.15, +$0.74, +3.30%) fiscal second-quarter earnings jumped 65%, with adjusted results above analysts' expectations, as the company reported broad revenue gains across all segments, led by engineering and parking services.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services raised its rating on American Axle & manufacturing Holdings Inc. (AXL, $10.30, +$0.08, +0.78%) Tuesday, saying a recovery in light-vehicle demand in North America and a lower cost structure have aided the auto supplier's credit measures.
Analogic Corp.'s (ALOG, $51.95, +$1.62, +3.22%) fiscal third-quarter earnings fell 11% on higher compensation expenses, without which the imaging-systems company's bottom line would have risen on better-than-expected revenue growth.
Leonard Green & Partners LP has joined with CVC Capital Partners, and the buyout firms plan to make a joint bid next week for BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (BJ, $48.65, +$0.95, +1.99%) that will likely value the retailer at a minimum of $2.8 billion, the New York Post reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. No binding bids for BJ's have been submitted yet.
Ciena's ($21.05, -$3.17, -13.07%) fiscal second-quarter loss narrowed thanks to lower acquisition and integration-related costs as the networking-equipment company continued to post strong sales growth. However, the adjusted loss was more than analysts anticipated, and the company projected fiscal third-quarter revenue below expectations.
Ulta Salon's ($54.05, +$4.44, +8.95%) fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 71% as surging same-store sales and store growth boosted its top line and margins climbed. The results handily topped the company's expectations.
Abercrombie & Fitch ($67.15, -$2.75, -3.93%) Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Ramsden said Wednesday that the retailer's second-quarter results won't be as strong as the first quarter, but still in line with its guidance.
Molycorp Inc. (MCP, $54.72, -$3.98, -6.78%) detailed plans to sell 10 million shares of common stock and offer $200 million of convertible senior notes, with proceeds from the latter offering to be used to fund the rare-earth mining company's facility expansion. Molycorp has about 82 million shares outstanding.
Samsung Electronics Co. (SSNHY, $294.50, +$0.00, +0.00%) (005930.SE) has declined to comment on market speculation that it could be preparing a bid for ailing Finland-based handset maker Nokia Corp. (NOK, $6.30, -$0.25, -3.75%). The speculation comes a week after Nokia described as unfounded and baseless a report that Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, $23.95, -$0.12, -0.48%) wanted to buy the Finnish company, which has been rocked by a recent profit warning and downgrades from ratings agencies. Nokia also declined to comment on what it called rumors.
Aaron's Inc.'s (AAN, $26.64, -$0.71, -2.60%) shares have surged 76% in the past year, but the company faces a period of "choppy demand trends," Northcoast Research says. Firm downgrades AAN to neutral from buy as it adopts a cautious, near-term outlook on the rent-to-own industry. Accelerating gasoline prices and food costs coupled with the anemic job market will limit the likelihood that AAN can boost same-store sales and EPS estimates during the next two to three quarters, Northcoast says.
ABM Industries Inc.'s (ABM, $23.15, +$0.74, +3.30%) fiscal second-quarter earnings jumped 65%, with adjusted results above analysts' expectations, as the company reported broad revenue gains across all segments, led by engineering and parking services.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services raised its rating on American Axle & manufacturing Holdings Inc. (AXL, $10.30, +$0.08, +0.78%) Tuesday, saying a recovery in light-vehicle demand in North America and a lower cost structure have aided the auto supplier's credit measures.
Analogic Corp.'s (ALOG, $51.95, +$1.62, +3.22%) fiscal third-quarter earnings fell 11% on higher compensation expenses, without which the imaging-systems company's bottom line would have risen on better-than-expected revenue growth.
Leonard Green & Partners LP has joined with CVC Capital Partners, and the buyout firms plan to make a joint bid next week for BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (BJ, $48.65, +$0.95, +1.99%) that will likely value the retailer at a minimum of $2.8 billion, the New York Post reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. No binding bids for BJ's have been submitted yet.
2011年6月6日星期一
Meet the Ideas for Good winners
Last year Toyota officially announced the Ideas for Good Challenge. Participants in the challenge were tasked with taking one of five Toyota technologies and creating a new non-automotive application that would benefit society. More than 4,000 valid ideas were received and ultimately five winners were chosen, one in each of the technology areas. Last week, the winners gathered in Pittsburgh for a prototyping weekend at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
The five winners, who are mentioned only by first name, joined forces with engineers from Deeplocal, CMU staff, Toyota employees and others to take these ideas and turn them into working prototypes, all in a single weekend. I had the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh and watch these creative geniuses transform their ideas into something tangible.
Congratulations to all of the winners.
We all know that a bicycle helmet could save your life in the event of a fall, but what if that helmet could tell you whether or not you need to go to the hospital? That is what Stu (pictured second from left, below) wants the bicycle helmets of the future to do. Using T.H.U.M.S. (Total Human Model for Safety) technology, Stu envisions a bicycle helmet that can gather impact data and determine if the biker needs to seek medical attention based on this data. This same data could also be used to make better bicycle helmets.
Pure Air by Tim
A major health problem in developing nations is smoke-based illnesses caused when biomass is cooked indoors. If you’ve ever cooked over a live campfire, you know that if you are in the path of the smoke, you can end up a coughing mess. Millions of families deal with this issue daily because they have no choice but to use wood and other biomass fuels to cook indoors. Tim's idea (that's him pictured below) takes the solar panel used on the new Toyota Prius and converts it into a power-generating device for an exhaust fan. The fan can help pull the air out during the cooking process and improve the air quality inside the dwelling.
Power Plant Gym by Birken
Birken was the youngest winner in the contest and his idea has been brewing in his head since he was a teenager — taking the energy produced by gym equipment and converting it into usable power. Birken’s prototype used Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to convert energy into enough power to charge an iPod or even a laptop.
Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System by Fran
Fran can thank his 6-year-old for his winning submission. His children were playing fire rescue but there were no firemen around. Fran asked where the missing firefighters were and the children said it was too dangerous for them — and an idea was born. Fran’s idea uses Toyota’s Advanced Parking Guidance System to create a sensor pack that can provide firefighters with real-time data. The data provided helps firefighters make more informed decisions without putting them directly in harm’s way.
The five winners, who are mentioned only by first name, joined forces with engineers from Deeplocal, CMU staff, Toyota employees and others to take these ideas and turn them into working prototypes, all in a single weekend. I had the opportunity to travel to Pittsburgh and watch these creative geniuses transform their ideas into something tangible.
Congratulations to all of the winners.
We all know that a bicycle helmet could save your life in the event of a fall, but what if that helmet could tell you whether or not you need to go to the hospital? That is what Stu (pictured second from left, below) wants the bicycle helmets of the future to do. Using T.H.U.M.S. (Total Human Model for Safety) technology, Stu envisions a bicycle helmet that can gather impact data and determine if the biker needs to seek medical attention based on this data. This same data could also be used to make better bicycle helmets.
Pure Air by Tim
A major health problem in developing nations is smoke-based illnesses caused when biomass is cooked indoors. If you’ve ever cooked over a live campfire, you know that if you are in the path of the smoke, you can end up a coughing mess. Millions of families deal with this issue daily because they have no choice but to use wood and other biomass fuels to cook indoors. Tim's idea (that's him pictured below) takes the solar panel used on the new Toyota Prius and converts it into a power-generating device for an exhaust fan. The fan can help pull the air out during the cooking process and improve the air quality inside the dwelling.
Power Plant Gym by Birken
Birken was the youngest winner in the contest and his idea has been brewing in his head since he was a teenager — taking the energy produced by gym equipment and converting it into usable power. Birken’s prototype used Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to convert energy into enough power to charge an iPod or even a laptop.
Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System by Fran
Fran can thank his 6-year-old for his winning submission. His children were playing fire rescue but there were no firemen around. Fran asked where the missing firefighters were and the children said it was too dangerous for them — and an idea was born. Fran’s idea uses Toyota’s Advanced Parking Guidance System to create a sensor pack that can provide firefighters with real-time data. The data provided helps firefighters make more informed decisions without putting them directly in harm’s way.
SITA was named Airport IT Solutions Provider of the Year
SITA, the air transport IT specialist, was named Airport IT Solutions Provider of the Year at the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace & Defense Awards ceremony in Singapore. It is the second time in three years that SITA has received a Frost & Sullivan Aerospace & Defense Award, highlighting the strength of SITA’s position as the preferred IT solutions provider for airports in the Asia Pacific region which handle over 1.2 billion passengers and are experiencing 4.9% annual growth.
The focus of the award is the use of integrated IT solutions, which play a crucial role in the optimisation of airport processes, in particular recognising the development of SITA’s ‘Intelligent Airport’ concept. Over the past year, SITA has secured a number of major contracts for integrated solutions with airports in the growing Asia Pacific region, including in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Thailand.
Damian Hickey, SITA Regional Vice President South Asia and India, said: “Improving the passenger journey is central to the SITA Intelligent Airport vision. By tracking, managing and sharing real-time information, we can help airports be proactive and predictive. It means passengers have access to better information, both through information display systems and their own smartphones. It also means the airport and airlines can manage staff more efficiently, to ensure they have the right resources in the right place, at the right time, which in turn means shorter queues, for example at check-in and security.”
The Intelligent Airport also involves a number of other elements, including further use of common-use self-service for check-in, bag drop and baggage tracing; the increased use of passengers’ mobile devices for a wide range of services, from car parking to special offer promotions in the retail areas, and guidance through the airport; and more sophisticated workforce mobility technology to ensure the entire workforce is used as efficiently as possible.
Frost & Sullivan examined a wide range of criteria, including SITA’s product suite and innovation, the suitability of the products for the market, as well as SITA’s position in the market. Its wide product portfolios have enhanced its position at the forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions to its growing global customers. Community initiatives by SITA have also resulted in products and processes widely used by various air transport communities, such as WorldTracer, iBorders Gateway Services, Cargo Community System and AirportHub.
Cheong Chern Wai, Senior Consultant with Frost & Sullivan’s Aerospace & Defense practice, Asia Pacific, said: “As Asia Pacific’s leading technology solutions provider in the airport industry, SITA has assisted many of its customers to improve their business efficiency through the use of cost-effective technologies. Their industry experience and strategic know how makes them one of the most highly sought after IT partners.”
SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In Asia Pacific, SITA employs over 760 employees in 27 countries to provide services to the air transport industry.
The focus of the award is the use of integrated IT solutions, which play a crucial role in the optimisation of airport processes, in particular recognising the development of SITA’s ‘Intelligent Airport’ concept. Over the past year, SITA has secured a number of major contracts for integrated solutions with airports in the growing Asia Pacific region, including in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Thailand.
Damian Hickey, SITA Regional Vice President South Asia and India, said: “Improving the passenger journey is central to the SITA Intelligent Airport vision. By tracking, managing and sharing real-time information, we can help airports be proactive and predictive. It means passengers have access to better information, both through information display systems and their own smartphones. It also means the airport and airlines can manage staff more efficiently, to ensure they have the right resources in the right place, at the right time, which in turn means shorter queues, for example at check-in and security.”
The Intelligent Airport also involves a number of other elements, including further use of common-use self-service for check-in, bag drop and baggage tracing; the increased use of passengers’ mobile devices for a wide range of services, from car parking to special offer promotions in the retail areas, and guidance through the airport; and more sophisticated workforce mobility technology to ensure the entire workforce is used as efficiently as possible.
Frost & Sullivan examined a wide range of criteria, including SITA’s product suite and innovation, the suitability of the products for the market, as well as SITA’s position in the market. Its wide product portfolios have enhanced its position at the forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions to its growing global customers. Community initiatives by SITA have also resulted in products and processes widely used by various air transport communities, such as WorldTracer, iBorders Gateway Services, Cargo Community System and AirportHub.
Cheong Chern Wai, Senior Consultant with Frost & Sullivan’s Aerospace & Defense practice, Asia Pacific, said: “As Asia Pacific’s leading technology solutions provider in the airport industry, SITA has assisted many of its customers to improve their business efficiency through the use of cost-effective technologies. Their industry experience and strategic know how makes them one of the most highly sought after IT partners.”
SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In Asia Pacific, SITA employs over 760 employees in 27 countries to provide services to the air transport industry.
2011年6月1日星期三
Parental warnings to be introduced for online music
Parental warning logos are set to be introduced before songs and music videos on services such as Spotify and YouTube that contain explicit material, following recent concern about the amount of risqué music content too easily available to children online.
Music industry body BPI is to update its 15-year-old Parental Advisory Scheme – which is responsible for the well-known warning symbol appearing on CDs, DVDs and records with strong language, sex or violence – to "bring up to date what happens on the high street to the digital age".
The BPI is implementing an updated set of guidelines to expand the scheme for the logo to appear with songs and videos available to stream or download on UK digital music and music video services.
Most audio and video streaming services – including Google-owned YouTube, Spotify, Napster and Vevo, the music video website founded by Universal Music and Sony Music – do not yet have a uniform parental guidance system, according to the BPI.
"We think it is important for parents to get the same standards of guidance and information online as they get when buying CDs or DVDs on the high street," said Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI. "We are updating our... scheme for the digital age to ensure that explicit songs and videos are clearly labelled."
Apple's iTunes online store, which has an 80% share of the UK market for legal music downloads, already runs a warning system on its audio and video content.
The music industry has come in for criticism over explicit content recently with Ofcom, which enforces television regulations, calling in music TV broadcasters for a dressing down over several breaches of the broadcasting code.
Music industry body BPI is to update its 15-year-old Parental Advisory Scheme – which is responsible for the well-known warning symbol appearing on CDs, DVDs and records with strong language, sex or violence – to "bring up to date what happens on the high street to the digital age".
The BPI is implementing an updated set of guidelines to expand the scheme for the logo to appear with songs and videos available to stream or download on UK digital music and music video services.
Most audio and video streaming services – including Google-owned YouTube, Spotify, Napster and Vevo, the music video website founded by Universal Music and Sony Music – do not yet have a uniform parental guidance system, according to the BPI.
"We think it is important for parents to get the same standards of guidance and information online as they get when buying CDs or DVDs on the high street," said Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BPI. "We are updating our... scheme for the digital age to ensure that explicit songs and videos are clearly labelled."
Apple's iTunes online store, which has an 80% share of the UK market for legal music downloads, already runs a warning system on its audio and video content.
The music industry has come in for criticism over explicit content recently with Ofcom, which enforces television regulations, calling in music TV broadcasters for a dressing down over several breaches of the broadcasting code.
BMW Headlight Technologies: LED headlights, Dynamic Light Spot, Glare-free high beam assistant
World largest premium automaker, BMW Ag is pushing lightning technologies for more safety. The automaker unveiled two new lighting technologies.
First, the Dynamic Light Spot which is an enhancement of the already available Night Vision system. Currently, Night Vision can recognize pedestrians and animals on the road, and warn the driver if necessary.
With Dynamic Light Spot, BMW plans to take the technology a further step by working on a headlight that “can focus on that area and show directly where a pedestrian, who is possibly endangered, is.”
The is the Glare-free high beam assistant – a new tech that uses a camera to detect oncoming traffic and then “masks” the headlights to prevent glare.
Finally, BMW is introducing full LED headlights with the F13 6-series coupe as we knew already. Read the full press release below for more details.
First, the Dynamic Light Spot which is an enhancement of the already available Night Vision system. Currently, Night Vision can recognize pedestrians and animals on the road, and warn the driver if necessary.
With Dynamic Light Spot, BMW plans to take the technology a further step by working on a headlight that “can focus on that area and show directly where a pedestrian, who is possibly endangered, is.”
The is the Glare-free high beam assistant – a new tech that uses a camera to detect oncoming traffic and then “masks” the headlights to prevent glare.
Finally, BMW is introducing full LED headlights with the F13 6-series coupe as we knew already. Read the full press release below for more details.
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