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The 75PS4 is a DC/DC Converter that plugs directly into a standard 3U cPCI chassis with a 0.8" slot. It is conduction-cooled through the card edge/wedgelock. This programmable, switching power supply accepts a +28 VDC input and is available in either a 75-Watt or 150-Watt-version.
With its dual microprocessor-controlled design and innovative architecture, the 75PS4 provides an exceptionally robust solution to the difficult problem of supplying clean power to upstream electronics, while operating over extreme conditions.
Standard features include continuous Background Built-in-Test (BIT); extensive monitoring capabilities; remote error sensing; and protection against transients, over-voltage, over-current, and short circuits. Options such as reverse polarity protection and holdup time are available.
This COTS converter is specifically designed with NAVMAT component derating for rugged defence and industrial applications. It is also designed to meet the many harsh environmental requirements of military applications.


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Polish heavyweight prospect Artur Szpilka (13-0, 10 KOs) will return on April 20th in Rzeszow, Poland. Last month the boxer was involved in a very exciting encounter in Chicago, where he was dropped two times before coming back in the sixth round to score a knockout over Mike Mollo. The fight was televised by ESPN's Friday Night Fights.
Szpilka is having some trouble finding an opponent for the April date. He says former champion Hasim Rahman, and contender Tor Hamer, have turned down offers. The Polish boxer also says former champ Sergei Liakhovich initially agreed to take the fight but then took a pass after noting that he wouldn't have enough time to get ready by the date.

subset: commoncrawl


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HP exits the PC biz; other vendors orbit on data center/PC positions
Well, revolutions are interesting at least, and we certainly have one now. HP is exiting the PC business, spinning off its PC unit and doing some M&A to boost itself as a player in the software and systems space. In fact, if you look at what seems the Plan of the Day, it seems as if HP wants to be Oracle; software-intensive and enterprise-focused. In its spring quarter, HP was hurt by the soft consumer PC market, where Dell (which had less consumer exposure) did better. Now with Dell taking an outlook hit and HP following suit (again), there was little the company could do except to admit that PCs were not now, nor ever in the future, what they used to be.
Tablets and smartphones aren't in HP's future either. HP is dumping the whole WebOS effort and all of the devices that came with it. The move is in some ways more dramatic than the decision to spin out PCs because it's a retreat from the client business completely, a sharp turn toward the center of the action that would seem to be irreversible. Are they abandoning the client world to Asia or to Apple, or both.
To round out the move, HP will (buy a British software specialist, Autonomy, which has strong credentials in database searching and business, as well as some expertise in content management. The price for the software company seems high to Wall Street; it's probably one reason why HP's shares have been off in pre-market. It's the price and not the concept. HP has been buying software companies for some time as a part of a transformation that started with the hiring of former SAP CEO Apotheker. Most IT players at this point realize that software is the key to establishing a direct connection to the users' business case, and HP is proving its commitment to that approach. But remember that HP is still a broad-based data center player, and a giant in enterprise computing.
Is the PC an endangered consumer species? If so, what about the enterprise?
So is the PC now chopped liver? There's no denying the declining interest in the PC as the primary consumer appliance. That's something that even Microsoft realizes, apparently. Its Windows 8 is obviously a transition product, something that would let it run the same basic OS across any suitable appliance. The announcement that Windows 8 will have its own app store seems to confirm a trend that's been developing in the consumer market for several years. Driven largely by Apple, we're seeing a transformation of "computing" into "appliancing," a shift from designing personal computers as small computers to designing them as information portals. It's not, at least not yet, as much about replacing the PC as about doing something the PC was never really needed for to begin with. The consumer wants entertainment, period. When PC games and PC browsers were their only conduit to that goal, they bought them. With game consoles, tablets and smartphones increasingly becoming the user's window on the world, the PC is old news for consumers. Can the enterprise be far behind?
HP's move puts pressure on the vendor pack
The HP move will certainly put pressure on a lot of players. To start off with, that means that Dell might find it necessary to do its own cut-and-run move. Their decision to get into networking with Force10 and their creation of a cloud-and-virtualization focus on the data center seems like it might be laying the groundwork. I think the loss of the PC would help Dell's overall financials and also help the company focus on the data center, where it's been showing most of its strength. In any event, it may have little choice at this point.
IBM, of course, shed its PC business by selling it to Lenovo. As a pure play on enterprise computing, it's had its ups and downs, but there is no question that IBM is still the big tech success story. IBM proved that making big moves to cut your losses is as important as making moves to cement gains. With IBM now seeing giant HP aiming at IBM's turf without being encumbered by PC baggage, what does IBM do? Networking? HP has networking products; rival Dell just picked up a line. Does IBM follow suit, and if it does who does it pick up?
Before we go there, let's look at an important point about enterprise networking. The only part of it that's strategic is data center networking, and data center networking is about (you guessed it) the DATA CENTER, which is where servers and software and IBM and HP and Oracle and Dell all live. If "computer companies" are going to say that "computer" doesn't include PCs then they're focused totally on the data center, and unlikely to ignore the fact that the data center network is a big part of that picture. Networking first collapses into data center networking and unimportant branch junk, and then data center networking collapses into the server/storage technology plans of the buyer. That's surely how the IT guys see it.
Two players (IBM and Oracle) might see themselves becoming a full-service data center companies and lack the network piece. Probably four network vendors might be acquisition targets—Brocade, Extreme, F5 and Juniper. Only two players max from this group could be acquired. If enterprise networking commoditizes and gets subducted, as the current moves suggest it will, then the rest of these, and other non-target players like Cisco, have to make it on their own. In the new market, is that possible? Who might be forced to find out?
Cisco might be feeling good; it seems to have accidentally occupied the space that everyone else wants to converge on. With servers, networking and a reduced consumer exposure, Cisco is a bit ahead of HP in terms of a transformation out of the business space, in a way. But Cisco isn't an IT player no matter what it wants to believe—at least not yet. Its understanding of IT is short of what's needed to compete with the big boys, and Cisco has nothing in software, despite continued efforts. In fact, Cisco may find itself under a bit more pressure as HP steps up the "we-do-all-the-data-center" story at the sales level.


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Divi Testimonial Module – 10th Day of Xmas
Watch product videoView demo here
Day Ten of Divi Den's Twelve Days of Freebie Xmas Cheer – a Free Divi Testimonial Module
What is a Divi Testimonial Module?
The Divi Testimonial Module is a great way to create credibility. The Divi Testimonial Module allows you to add persuasion to your sales page, mention what people say on case studies and portfolio items and in general show what customer say about you and your services or products.
Each testimonial in general has a name and a quote. Titles and company names can also be added if required as well as links to the website of the person providing the testimonial. Divi Testimonial Modules can be used anywhere to add value.
What This Free Divi Testimonial Module Has
This super selection of three Free Divi Testimonial Modules for the Tenth Day of Divi Den's Xmas Freebie Cheer has:
* Header, three testimonials with text, the name and an image in a circle of the person providing the testimonial
* 3 Testimonial blocks next to each other. Image of person in circle window, name and position underneath and text block for actual testimonial
* Slider with three testimonials. Header. Quotes and text block with Name and title of person providing testimonial underneath.
Why would you want this free Divi Testimonial layout?
This Freebie is a really attractive set of three Divi Testimonial Modules. Each one has different elements to it. Testimonials are really useful on the homepage but may also be dotted around on inner pages.
Testimonials are used to draw attention to the credibility of the business or individual of the website and to confirm to the user that they have landed on a website that they can trust. Watch our video to see how you can easily use the Divi Testimonial Module and how you can customise it to your purpose. This Freebie is right for any web designer using the Divi Theme. With three different layouts to choose from you are bound to be able to apply one on a website you are building.
For the Designers
This now makes it 33 free Divi Layouts ready for you to download off the Divi Den shop site. Divi Den's products are designed and developed to make the life of web designers who use the Divi Theme easier by saving them time and money.
Of course this Free Divi Testimonial Layout is responsive!
How to use it:
View our video and keep it simple. If you are new to Divi – Have fun with it but don't get too fancy until you feel more confident.
NB: You will need the Divi Theme for this layout. Get it here.
Licensing terms;
- Please read and take note of our Terms & Conditions
To review our full Terms & Conditions please click here.
Brief Terms & Conditions
You need the Divi Theme for this product. Get it here
Use in as many web design projects and as often as you wish
Images are for demo purposes only. Get your own copyright free images
What People Say
You can find a lot of so-called premium products on the web for Divi but Divi Den excels them all. My only complaint is that new layouts/bundles don't come up often enough 😉 Great customer service as well, very helpful and responsive team. What I like most is that the templates speed up my work and with some CSS and DIVI magic I can have 2 or more completely different websites based on the same template. Looking forward to your next design!
- Aleksandra H (Facebook review permalink)
Best layout packs out there! So easy to use, so versatile! Amazing support!
- David O (Facebook review permalink)
They create awesome layouts for non-CSS people and their support team is top-notch. VERY responsive and they have saved me on tough items I could not figure out. If you want to work with a winning team on anything DIVI, check Divi Den out. You will not be disappointed. Thank you so much, Divi Den for all your help and to Marko too!
- Sonia W
Amazing creativity and design. Clear and easily identifiable layouts and premium design elements with brilliant ideas. (I have all you made, so please keep produce them)
- Ferenc S (Facebook review permalink)
Love all the work you guys are putting into this - awesome work and great value! Thanks!
- Keith
LOVE LOVE LOVE your solutions and generosity with the fantastic layout packs. Your team is solid with it's solutions and creativity. Thanks! I have the unicorn bundle and 3D portfolio.
- Cr8tivmedia


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Basic Boat Info
Engines / Speed
- Make: Yanmar
- Rope Cutter: true
- Model: 4JH4-TCE
- Drive Type: SailDrive
- Fuel: Diesel
- Engine Power: 75hp
- Type: Inboard
- Propeller Type: 3 Blade, Bronze, Folding
- Year: 2015
Stonington Yacht Sales is pleased to assist you in the purchase of this vessel. This boat is centrally listed by Lyman-Morse Yacht Brokerage.
The M52 is a composite boat; with hull and deck being vacuum infused. The hull is constructed of e-glass and balsa core, using Vinylester resin throughout. Composite longitudinal stringers and transverse floors were fabricated with additional layers of carbon fiber for additional stiffness. High density core replaces the standard balsa core in areas of deck hardware and thru-hull fittings. Structural bulkheads are constructed of marine grade plywood and fully glassed into the hull along their entire perimeter.
Decolite panels were used in the construction of the cabin sole and numerous small non-structural bulkheads, bunk tops, settee backrests and shelves to save weight.
Port lights in the deckhouse are 1/4" safety glass bonded to the deckhouse. The hull/deck joint is bonded with 3M 5200 and stainless steel bolts on 4" centers. The deck incorporates a custom extended cabin trunk and quarter sawn teak decking has been applied/glued over composite deck in all areas: Weather decks, cockpit sole and cabin top.
After producing the smaller M42 weekender, the M52 was the next logical design for Morris Yachts; providing a full-blown cruising interior without compromising her palatial cockpit so great for day-sailing. Like other M-series sizes, the M52 has all control lines led (below deck) to the helmsman so one person can safely and conveniently raise the mainsail, unfurl the jib, tend the mainsheet/self-tacking jib sheet, and adjust the backstay all while standing at the helm and steering the boat.
Windsock II, unlike hulls 1 & 2, has an extended cabin design forward of the mast. The extended cabin provides a design aesthetic that harkens back to the era of classic sailing yachts; eliminates the "step down" into the owner's cabin; provides a larger, more open owner's cabin and allows more natural lighting forward by virtue of the added windows.
Gloss-Varnished teak cladding (finished with Awlwood) covers her cabin sides and nearly all cockpit surfaces, while teak decking has been applied to the cockpit sole, seats, decks and cabin top. Every effort was made to match wood grain, pattern and color throughout the cladding process.
Her sail plan features a slightly taller than usual mast to accommodate her custom carbon in-boom full battened mainsail furling system. A high aspect ratio self-tacking jib makes maneuvering upwind a real joy and with her hoistable G-0 Gennaker & anti-torsion luff with Karver furler, light air sailing is redefined and exciting!
A high gloss varnished teak table with drop leaves mounted directly to the cockpit sole on stainless uprights sits on centerline in the cockpit. The table top incorporates custom teak fiddles on the top edges, (2) drink holders mounted on the underside of the teak lift-outs that provide access to drained storage inside the table. Additionally, LED cockpit sole lighting has been incorporated in the table bottom.
A deep cockpit locker to starboard provides great storage and access to many mechanical and electrical systems. Hatch hinges are highly polished stainless steel and flush-mounted.
Access to the rudder post is through a flush-mounted stainless steel cover in the cockpit sole. Once removed, the emergency tiller (stored in the locker) can be inserted into the rudder post as needed for back-up steering.
Primary winches are Lewmar 2-speed stainless steel electric, mounted on winch plinths; (port and stbd) the tops of which are clad in varnished teak. Outboard of the winches are rope clutches for main sheet, preventer, jib sheet and main halyard. Stainless steel trimmed line storage cubbys (with LED lighting) keep the cockpit neat and tidy. Secondary winches are stainless steel Lewmar electric 2-speed and are mounted on varnished teak plinths outboard of the cockpit combing. Winch buttons are conveniently located at the helm for ease of operation.
The custom teak helm wheel and pedestal are a work of art in themselves. Much thought and scrutiny went into the design and building of the pedestal to keep all elegant and functional. Also integrated into the pedestal are engine controls, compass, chart plotter, switches for mainsail up and down as well as jib in and out. (A clever system allows one button to control mainsail furler and main halyard winch.)
The cockpit features courtesy lights; two mounted on the cockpit walls, two under the table, and more in the line storage pockets. Additionally, the boom overhead features two dimmable LED lights.
A large canvas dodger with excellent visibility is mounted over the companionway and includes elk hide-covered grab rails on the aft end and sides. Viewing through the dodger when maneuvering around the docks is easy, and for those who need a little more "altitude", the helm seat provides viewing right over the dodger top. The isinglass is heavy duty and much less prone to crazing. Two flush opening hatches are located port and starboard of the companionway in the teak decking; adding more natural light in the aft cabin and aft head.
Large over-sized instrument displays are located above the companionway and mounted in the aft face of the teak clad dodger combing.
"Teak" is definitely the "theme" on this sailing yacht, with high gloss varnished teak cladding on every possible surface where raw teak decking does not already exist. Quarter sawn high quality teak decking covers the cockpit seats, cockpit sole, side decks, aft deck, foredeck and even the cabin top. No visible fasteners or bungs are seen on any of the teak deck areas. A gorgeous wrap-around bull nose teak eyebrow surrounds the cabin where the cladding transitions to the cabin top teak decking.
Forward of the dodger is the "garage" or high gloss varnished teak clad seahood. And forward of the seahood is a stunning custom, traditionally-styled opening butterfly hatch. Two more flush deck hatches, mounted to port and starboard of the seahood, bring even more light into the butternut wood interior.
The cabin top is further adorned with handsom custom made teak handrails with one-off stainless mounting hardware. Even the boathook is unique, having been made by Shaw & Tenney from ash wood and bronze, and cleverly mounted vertically along the starboard cap shroud in elk hide covered retainer caps!
Just aft and outboard of the mast are 2 sparkling stainless steel dorade vents mounted on high gloss varnished teak boxes. And just forward of the mast is the stainless self-tacking jib track; mounted on more teak, sculpted from a solid timber! Two more flush deck hatches complete the deckhouse layout.
One large flush hatch is centered over the master cabin, while two more teak covered foredeck hatches lay just ahead and provide tremendous storage for large items like a custom swim ladder, outboard motor and additional sails. Freshwater wash down is available and accessed through the foredeck for rinsing after a swim or washing the anchor/top sides. The anchor chain locker is separate from the foredeck lockers and has its own dedicated bilge pump and separation bulkhead.
A stunning varnished teak toerail surrounds the entire boat; only interrupted by custom stainless steel cast chocks.
Custom designed stainless bow and stern pushpit/pulpits include double lifelines and opening gates. Additionally, a custom varnished teak bow seat nestles just forward of the headstay; while two more custom seats are integrated into the stern pushpit.
And finally, a unique anchoring arrangement was designed in the starboard side of the bow hull to leave the classic S&S design lines of her bow clean and pure. A stainless steel Lewmar V3 electric windlass is mounted below deck in the starboard forepeak locker with wired remote for operation of the anchor.
Main Salon - Descending the custom companionway steps reveals the spacious and functional main salon finished in light Butternut veneered bulkheads. All interior bulkheads, with the exception of the inside of the head compartments are clad in satin varnished Butternut veneer. All passageway doors are constructed with panels to match the bulkhead styling. To port is a well equipped navigation station; complete with nav table and essential electronics. When in port, a clever stow-away Butternut wood door can be pulled out and folded down to hide all the electronics. Forward and to port of centerline is a beautifully crafted butternut wood salon table surrounded by an L-shaped settee upholstered in marine-grade tufted leather, by Edelman (all other interior fabrics are by Hermes.) The settee is long enough to double as an additional berth. Additional dining centerline seating faces the L-shaped settee and incorporates custom storage for wine and galley equipment. A handsome butternut wood handrail with custom stainless hardware above the seat's backrest is consistent with the theme of the custom teak handrails found on the exterior cabin top. The centerline settee also provides separation from the starboard galley which runs fore and aft.
A flat screen TV/monitor is mounted on the main salon's aft bulkhead and provides great viewing from all salon seating.
The overhead throughout the boat is classic white v-groove panels affixed between traditional "deck beams" that contrast nicely with the light Butternut wood interior. The unique modern Butterfly hatch also adds stunning contrast while also being functional with additional light and ventilation.
Aft of the dining table is a custom built swiveling "spindle" armchair by Thomas Moser, which serves as the Nav desk chair or swivels for additional salon seating. The Nav desk space doubles as an office and central control station for the Yachts main electrical breakers by Czone. Instrument repeaters, GPS Plotter, VHF radio, Blu-Ray player, stereo, Satellite phone, Apple TV are just some of the functions controlled in this area.
Immediately aft of the main salon area is the guest cabin with a generous double bunk and built-in hanging lockers, opening bureau drawers with more under the berth. The hull side is clad with painted white wood sheathing, keeping the bright and cheery theme in all areas. A clever cabin door system was designed to create separation from the main salon and provide privacy and dedicated access to the aft head at night. Both cabin and head doors open inboard and are secured to an overhead beam with stainless hardware when the aft suite is in use.
The aft head functions as a day head and features a stainless Elkay "hand-hammered" round chrome bowl, varnished Butternut countertop, Tecma toilet and lots of cabinet/locker space for toiletries and personal items.
Galley -
A fully-equipped modern galley is located to starboard of the main salon and features an electric cooktop and voluminous deep stainless steel sink, with storage lockers outboard. Pull out drawer-style refrigerator/freezers are mounted under the counters and offer more than enough storage for food and drinks. A stainless steel microwave oven and custom-mounted rotating Espresso machine complete the galley! A large cabinet/pantry area provides space for ample dishes and galley-ware. And an additional cabinet inboard of the pantry near the salon settee holds 6 or more liquor/wine bottles.
The cabin sole throughout the boat is teak with white strips between each plank, bonded to Decolite panels with cork backing and fastened with a panel mount system, except for areas that "lift-out." The main salon and primary bulkheads feature artfully detailed base board trim with toe-kicks at the galley. Custom stainless hardware (by Lowe) has been installed throughout the interior; adding to the contemporary feel of the galley.
And finally, a dedicated locker just forward of the galley and below the pantry cabinet houses the main breakers for all main AC and DC circuits as well as the Czone backup display. The interior of all lockers throughout the boat are lined with thin wood panels to conceal hoses, wires, backing plates and fasteners. Forward and aft hanging lockers are lined with additional aromatic cedar.
Located forward is a very elegant owner's cabin with centerline berth gracefully curved with built-in cabinets and book shelves outboard of the bunk. The aft face of the bunk includes large flush drawers. A custom layered foam mattress was fabricated for both owner's and guest cabins. Painted white wood sheathing strips cover the hull's interior surface; adding even more brightness and contrast to the Butternut wood interior. Highlighting the master cabin is the forward bulkhead, featuring a tufted leather headrest separated by a bullnose across the middle and large Butternut wood flat panel above. A large hanging locker and bureau are located to starboard, while additional lockers are located to port. There is a generous stall shower accessed through the head and includes a dorade vent, bench seat and water tight locker outboard. The separate head includes a Vacuflush toilet, varnished Butternut wood countertop and cabinet faces with flush drawers and lockers. All cabinet hardware is stainless steel and custom. The vertical furnature faces are also made of Butternut veneer and varnished Butternut wood trim. The head's sink is hand-hammered chrome and undermounted with mixing faucet by Waterworks. The overhead includes a small opening flush hatch for added light and ventilation along with one fixed cabin window. All white v-groove panels are blind fastened with "push-to-lock" system. Absolutely no screws or fasteners are visible through the entire boat.
(1) 2-Burner Kenyon electric cooktop.
(2) Large Vitrifrigo stainless steel refrigerator and freezer drawer units with flush-mount frames and aircraft style latches custom built into Butternut wood cabinetry.
(1) Stainless Steel countertop with an integral single bowl sink and finished with Butternut wood fiddle rail trim.
(1) Grohe Concetto faucet in "super-steel" finish to match stainless countertop.
(All sails by North Sails)
* Mainsail is Marathon 3DL furling in boom
* Self-tacking jib is Marathon 3DL with UV protective cover on leach
* G-O package with hoistable Karver furler: components include sail with UV protection, Arimid fiber torsion line in luff, reinforced mast section, sheave box and 2:1 halyard terminal on mast, Karver KF furler, continuous furler line, reinforced deck in pad-eye area and upgraded tack point, halyard, rope clutch on mast, gennaker sheets, sheet lead blocks and misc hardware.
* Preparation for Asymetrical Gennaker includes: halyard exits, halyard, winch, sheets and tack point.
* Custom anchor roller system: The anchor has been upgraded to a SS Delta 44 lb plow and is mounted on a custom through-the-hull roller weldment. An electric windlass is mounted to the same anchor chute platform and in line with the anchor. A dedicated anchor rode compartment is directly below the windlass platform. A wired handheld remote controls the deployment and retrieval of the anchor and is stowed in the foredeck locker.
* Custom Sunbrella "Linen" canvas butterfly hatch and companionway cover for sun protection.
* Custom Sunbrella "Linen" cabin sole protective cover with non-slip material on underside.
* Custom Sunbrella "Linen" helm/pedestal cover (Extra large to cover custom wood clad pedestal base)
* Custom Elk hide covers were fabricated for dodger grab rails, backstay and side stay toggles.
* Custom 2 PC SS Midship folding removable swim ladder with cleanly styled mounting brackets that attach solidly to the deck. Ladder was lengthened to allow for (2) steps to be below water when deployed. Custom storage chocks are provided in the forepeak locker.
* A custom awning has been fabricated that attaches to the inside of the boom and ties outboard to the lifelines with adjustable straps. The awning covers the area forward of the dodger's aft grab rail and runs to the aft cockpit combing.
* Glendinning CRM50 shore power cord retrieval system. The reel is located in the centerline stern deck locker. Cord deploys manually and retracts electrically with RF remote control. A back up switch is located on the unit as well.
* All interior lighting has been upgraded to LED and controlled by CZone as well as a few manual rocker switches. All fixtures are high quality stainless steel. Custom lighting has also been added to the cockpit including (4) flush-mounted white LED; 2 mounted in the vertical cockpit walls and 2 in the underside of the custom teak cockpit table. Additional LED lighting is located in the cockpit winch pockets and 2 small soft white lights are mounted in the underside of the boom with dimmers.
* Stereo system has been upgraded to Garmin Meteor 300 and includes 4 Cambridge audio speakers below, a Fusion active subwoofer, 2 Minx Min 21 speakers in the main cabin and 2 Min 11 in the owner's cabin. Cockpit speakers have custom teak wood grilles and are waterproof and by Alpine.
* Lightweight interior: Decolite panels were used in the construction of the cabin sole and numerous small non-structural bulkheads, bunk tops, settee backrests and shelves to save weight. (A weight savings of nearly 350 lbs.)
* Custom fabric-covered window panel inserts are provided for all interior port lights. The panels are "press-fit" with small pull tabs for removal.
* Custom linens include; (2) bolstered pillows, (2) mattress pads and a set of coverlets and shams for both sleeping cabins. In addition, 2 upholstered mats were fabricated for lounging on deck.
* All faucets/fixtures and head hardware by "Waterworks."
CZone breaker panel:
A software driven 12 VDC / 110 VAC electronic breaker/control screen by CZone has been installed in lieu of a traditional manual Mastervolt breaker panel. All functions can be controlled via the Nav station screen, the helm screen or Ipad. Breakers have been organized into "suites of functions" for ease of use. These breaker modules allow crew to turn on "dining lighting" or "night sailing" or "sailing music" etc with one touch of the screen. The CZone system then energizes the appropriate circuits to turn on the requested functions. The CZone system can be further modified at any time to meet any owners specific needs.
Specific Electrical equipment:
* Optima 1000M amp engine start battery with 800 cold cranking amps
* (4) 12 VDC Victron AGM house batteries (660 Ah @ 12 VDC)
* (1) Electromaax 160 Amp/12 VDC alternator with multi-stage regulator for battery charging.
* Zinc saver galvanic isolator on AC system ground wire.
* (2) 12 VDC outlets, one at helm and second by main salon deck.
* (1) mastervolt Mass Combi unit with 2500 watt inverter and 100 amp smart charger
* (1) 110V shore power system with (6) outlets, SS power inlet and (2) 25' x 50 amp/110V cords. AC outlets in guest cabin, heads, galley and settee area.
* (1) Garmin 300 waterproof VHF Radio w/GHS 20 wireless remote handset.
* (2) Garmin GNX120 displays for speed and depth mounted in aft face of teak seahood.
* (1) Garmin GMI-20 for wind information mounted in aft face of teak seahood.
* (1) Garmin 7612 12" MFD mounted at the Nav station.
* (1) Garmin 7612 12" MFD Navigation/chart plotter display mounted at the helm pedestal.
* (1) Garmin GMR 18" 4KW HD digital radar mounted on stainless steel mast bracket.
* (1) Trilens radar reflector is mounted to the mast and below the radar platform; painted to match spar.
* (1) Garmin AIS 600 transceiver mounted on lower spreader, interfaced with MFD displays
* (1) Garmin GXM52 Sirius satellite weather receiver mounted on lower spreader interfaced with the MFD displays.
* (1) KVH V3-IP Satellite telephone/internet/WIFI system, mounted on lower spreader and painted to match spar.
* (1) Garmin GHP Reactor Autopilot with wireless remote.
* (1) Garmin Meteor 300 black box stereo interfaced with the MFD displays. Cambridge audio speakers in the main cabin and forward cabin.
* (2) Alpine waterproof speakers mounted on the helm seat vertical face with custom wood grilles.
* (1) Apple TV box in main salon.
* (1) 24" LCD monitor for TV/Video mounted in main salon in custom varnished Butternut wood frame on a fixed bracket.
* Blu Ray DVD player by Samsung - BD-F5900.
* (1) Richie 5" flush-mount compass with polished SS cover, 5-degree compass card and red night light.
* (1) set of anodized aluminum Lopolight LED side lights mounted on bow pulpit
* (1) Anodized aluminum Lopolight LED stern light mounted on stern rail.
* (1) Peters & Bey LED tri-color / anchor masthead light
* (1) Peters & Bey LED combination steaming light and deck flood light
* Spreader lights (LED) on upper and lower spreaders (facing up and down.)
Propulsion is provided by a Yanmar 4JH-TCE 4-cylinder, direct-injected, fresh water-cooled, turbo charged 75 HP marine diesel engine coupled to a SD60 Saildrive unit and 20" 3-blade Flex-o-fold propeller. All engine data is converted to NMEA 2000 and interfaced with the Garmin MFD plotter at the helm. Single lever throttle/gear shift is mounted on the pedestal side.
A 120v AC 6kW Genset by Northern Lights is installed aft of the main engine and accessed through the large cockpit locker to starboard. This Genset is large enough to supply power simultaneously for Air Conditioning, electric range and microwave, while also capable of running the watermaker and general boat electrical panel. Extensive sound insulation panels fabricated of Thinsulate, cork and aluminum are installed in the engine space minimizing noise levels when running. The genset has its own dedicated start battery.
An 8 HP Sidepower tunnel-style bow thruster is installed and assists with maneuvering in tight areas with Lewmar SS foot-style controls located on the cockpit sole just aft of the helm.
A 16,000 BTU Marine-Air air conditioning unit with upgraded control panel has been installed for main salon and owner's cabin. Very clever custom butternut wood grilles were fabricated to conceal the duct work. An additional 6,000 BTU unit has been installed in the guest cabin aft.
In addition to the "reverse cycle" heat provided by the Marine Air units, a dedicated ESPAR diesel heater has been installed for alternative heat when engine and Genset are off and the boat is away from the dock.
A Spectra Catalina 300 Mark II watermaker system provides fresh water when not using shore-side facilities. A selector valve allows one to choose which tank to direct the water.
* 100 gallons of fresh water in two tanks with stainless steel deck fills with levels being monitored via CZone control panel.
* (1) Spectra Catalina 300 Mark II watermaker system.
* (1) Shurflo pressure water system pump.
* 11 Gallon stainless steel water heater plumbed to engine heat exchanger and 110VAC
* (1) Whale water system filter
* (1) Hot/cold shower mixing valve and spigot in Bow locker
* (1) Johnson 2200 submersible electric bilge pump with removable strainer
* (2) Whale Gulper 220 12VDC diaphragm bilge pump with removable strainer
* (1) Whale Gusher 10 manual bilge pump.
* (2) Tecma marine toilets
* (2) 20-gallon Aluminum waste holding tanks with electronically controlled seacock valves for overboard discharge (controlled by CZone).
* (2) Snake River external tank level monitors
* (1) Racor model #230 spin-on fuel/water separator
* (1) 50-gallon aluminum fuel tank with stainless steel deck fill
* (1) 30-gallon aluminum fuel tank with stainless steel deck fill
* (1) Tank monitoring fully integrated with CZone panel
* Carbon fiber mast with fractional rig, back spreaders and Navtec SS rod rigging
* (6) LED spreader lights (4 on upper spreader facing up and down and 2 facing down on lower spreader.)
* Electric carbon fiber furling boom by Offshore Spars with internal boom preventer
* (2) Lewmar 48 SS self-tailing manual halyard winches
* Harken SS Self-tacking jib track on custom teak curved track
* Reckmann EF90 SS electric headsail furler system
* Welded SS chanplates with Navtec D550 turnbuckles and SS covers
* Hydraulic system includes SS control panel, SS backstay and SS cang cylinder. Hydraulic hoses on deck are covered in stainless steel sheathing.
* Running rigging is low-stretch Marlow rope
* Custom stainless bow and stern pulpits with high gloss varnished teak seats and double lifelines with boarding gates.
A Lewmar "Mamba" torque tube steering system has been integrated into the custom helm pedestal. Pedestal includes a 48" custom Edson teak-rimmed Bi-Spoke steering wheel.
Lewmar Mamba autopilot is drive direct and coupled to bevel box.
Rudder is composite and made with carbon fiber/epoxy and incorporates a carbon fiber rudder post. Two "Jefa" self-aligning rudder bearings provide fingertip steering.
An emergency tiller has been fabricated to fit in the top of the rudder post through a flush access plate in the cockpit sole. Tiller stores in cockpit locker if needed.
* (3) Kidde Mariner 110 portable dry chemical fire extinguishers
* Engine compartment has a "fire port" for extinguishers
* Boat is equipped with Carbon monoxide detectors
* Boat is equipped with High water bilge alarm
* (2) Lewmar 65 stainless steel electric self-tailing primary winches
* (2) Lewmar 50 stainless steel electric self-tailing secondary winches
* (4) Lewmar SX ss winches switches
* (3) Lewmar 10" aluminum lock-in winche handles
* (2) Lewmar rope clutch assemblies with stainless steel side plates
* Custom cast SS bow, midship and stern chocks that integrate beautifully with varnished teak toerail.
* (2) Custom teak handrails with stainless mounting hardware on cabin top
* (1) Varnished teak flagstaff & Gold leaf top with 48" x 60" US Flag with custom SS welded socket in Backstay chainplate.
* Raw Teak foot block for helmsman
* Varnished tak cockpit table with leaves, storage cover and optional fiddle rails on the underside of the table lift-outs.
* Stainless steel deck plates and latches
* Stainless steel cup holders in cockpit winch pods with drains
* Stainless steel deck fills for fuel and water flush-mounted in teak deck.
* Stainless steel rims on line bins in cockpit with built-in organizer to store remote controls.
* (9) SS cockpit and deck drains (1.5" dia)
* (4) SS folding padeyes in cockpit for harness clip-in.
* Winslow life raft has dedicated storage chocks in starboard cockpit locker and MOM 8 module is mounted on stern rail.
The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.


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Outstanding review about Office Live on CNBC
I know I have posted a few Office Live links this week and some of you Access developers are getting tired of it. But, here is a video link on a review on what the team has done.
I also hear in addition to the U.S. market, we are launching beta versions of Office Live in France, Germany, U.K. and Japan on November 21st.
Another thing I learned this week is that you can create custom lists with the essentials package for $19.95 a month. The last couple of days I have been working with a non-profit group to build a donation tracking app using custom lists on Office Live with their essentials package. The non-profit group likes the ability to update the application from inside Access by different users that aren't on the same network. I will let you know how it works out as we get further into the project.


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TERRORISM is increasing. According to the Global Terrorism Database at the University of Maryland, groups connected with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State committed close to 200 attacks per year between 2007 and 2010, a number that grew by more than 200 percent, to about 600 attacks, in 2013. Since 9/11, the study of terrorism has also increased. Now, you might think that more study would lead to more effective antiterrorism policies and thus to less terrorism. But on the [lees verder]
Medewerkers van de Vrije Universiteit en het NSCR hebben in samenwerking met het Openbaar Ministerie ruim 2.000 personen geënquêteerd voor een onderzoek naar cybercriminaliteit. De respondenten is niet verteld dat zij benaderd zijn omdat zij als veroordeelden of verdachten te boek staan. In juni dit jaar zijn allerlei mensen benaderd voor een onderzoek van de Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam en het Nederlands Studiecentrum Criminaliteit en Rechtshandhaving (NSCR). Het betreft personen die door het ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie ervan [lees verder]
For American Psychological Association, National Security Trumped Torture Concerns
A new report disclosed by James Risen of the New York Times on Friday tells in greater detail than ever before the story of how members of the American Psychological Association colluded with the CIA when it came to the application of brutal interrogation techniques. The report describes how repeated expressions of concern from within the CIA itself that psychologists had no place in the abusive treatment of detainees were brushed asided by leaders of what was supposed to be [lees verder]
Three senior officials lose their jobs at APA after US torture scandal
American Psychological Association framed the departures of its chief executive officer, deputy CEO and communications chief as 'retirements' and resignations The torture scandal consuming the US's premiere professional association of psychologists has cost three senior officials their jobs, part of a reckoning that reformers hope will lead to criminal prosecutions. US torture doctors could face charges after report alleges post-9/11 'collusion' As the American Psychological Association copes with the damage reaped by an independent investigation that found it complicit in [lees verder]
Robert Jay Lifton, Author of "The Nazi Doctors": Psychologists Who Aided Torture Should Be Charged
Robert Jay Lifton, the prominent psychiatrist famous for his study of the doctors who aided Nazi war crimes, speaks out on the role of the American Psychological Association in aiding government-sanctioned torture under President George W. Bush. A new report alleges the APA, the world's largest group of psychologists, secretly coordinated with government officials to align its ethics policy with the operational needs of the CIA's torture program. "What the APA did was a scandal within a scandal," Lifton says. [lees verder]
Outside Psychologists Shielded U.S. Torture Program, Report Finds
WASHINGTON — The Central Intelligence Agency's health professionals repeatedly criticized the agency's post-Sept. 11 interrogation program, but their protests were rebuffed by prominent outside psychologists who lent credibility to the program, according to a new report. The 542-page report, which examines the involvement of the nation's psychologists and their largest professional organization, the American Psychological Association, with the harsh interrogation programs of the Bush era, raises repeated questions about the collaboration between psychologists and officials at both the C.I.A. and [lees verder]
Emails Show American Psychological Association Secretly Worked with Bush Admin to Enable Torture
New details have emerged on how the American Psychological Association, the world's largest group of psychologists, aided government-sanctioned torture under President George W. Bush. A group of dissident psychologists have just published a 60-page report alleging the APA secretly coordinated with officials from the CIA, White House and the Pentagon to change the APA ethics policy to align it with the operational needs of the CIA's torture program. Much of the report, "All the President's Psychologists: The American Psychological Association's [lees verder]
Psychologists met in secret with Bush officials to help justify torture – report
Newly disclosed emails reveal American Psychological Association coordinated with officials in CIA and White House to help ethically justify detainee program The leading American professional group for psychologists secretly worked with the Bush administration to help justify the post-9/11 US detainee torture program, according to a watchdog analysis released on Thursday. The report, written by six leading health professionals and human rights activists, is the first to examine the alleged complicity of the American Psychological Association (APA) in the "enhanced [lees verder]


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It sometimes feels as if money is your boss, doesn't it? You work as hard you can to earn it and to hold onto it at least until the end of the month. Yet money seems to have a mind of its own as it flies out of your account and your wallet. It doesn't have to be this way. In fact, it shouldn't be this way. Your money should work for you. It should give you peace of mind, help you achieve your goals and enable you to enjoy life. Let's see how this is possible.
Getting your money to work for you, does not depend on how much you earn; what you do with the money you have is what counts.
To get an idea of where you currently are, take this quick quiz (answer with a yes or a no):
Do you:
- Save?
- Spend money on impulse?
- Identify and cut out unnecessary expenses?
- Have insurance to protect your family and your property?
- Take on more debt than you can afford?
- Pay more than the minimum instalment whenever you can?
- Have plans in place to reach your goals?
- Have an emergency fund?
- Educate yourself about financial concepts?
- Pay yourself first? (If you earn a salary, this means putting money in your savings account before you start paying bills or other expenses.)
A "no" answer to questions 2 and 5, and "yes" answers to all the other questions is a good sign that you are on the right financial track. However, if your answers are the other way around, you have some work to do.
How to get your money to work for you
- Draw up a financial plan. Financial planning is not something you do once you have money; it's what helps you to get, keep and grow your money. A financial plan helps you to stop making money mistakes by helping you to decide how to spend your money. It helps you to understand the impact of your money decisions and, most importantly, helps you realise that YOU are in charge of your financial health.
- Get all your financial information together. This includes policies, contracts, bank accounts, and so on.
- Do a financial health check-up to determine where you are at the moment.
- Set goals for your life and agree on them with your partner and family.
- Come up with a plan for how you can achieve your goals.
- Keep track of your progress.
- Review your financial situation regularly and make changes to your plan if necessary.
You can do your financial planning on your own, or you can ask a professional person to help you. The important thing is to start. Make a promise to yourself that you will stick with your financial plan for at least one year – the results will be worth the effort.
- Set financial goals. These are money-related things you want to achieve. They can be short, medium or long term.
A sheet like this can be helpful:
|Pay off my short-term loan
|By the end of June
|How much?
|Pay R300 a month more than my minimum instalment
|Pay next year's school fees upfront so that I can get the discount
|December this year
|How much?
|Save R750 per month more by not buying takeaways twice a week
|Have savings to deal with emergencies
|By the end of November
|How much?
|Save R300 per month
It is unlikely that you can achieve all your goals at the same time, hence you need to decide where to focus first. If you have a long list of goals, choose only five to start with. Remember also that goals can change as your situation and priorities change. The important thing is to start somewhere.
- Draw up a budget and stick to it. People who spend according to a budget often have more money left over at the end of the month than people who spend without a plan.
- Keep track of all your expenses. Use that information to adapt your budget and identify more and more opportunities to save.
- Learn and use the tricks that grow your money:
- Pay yourself first. In other words, put money in your savings account (or stokvel, or kitchen jar) first, before you start paying for other things. Start with a small amount if you have to. Seeing your savings grow is a wonderful money motivator.
- Pay off your debt as soon as possible so that you can stop paying interest and can use the money for other things, including savings.
- Get the benefits of compound interest. Compound interest means that the interest earned on your money is added to the saved amount and then interest is calculated on the higher amount. In this way, your money grows while your monthly savings amount stays the same. You should, therefore, start saving as early as possible so that compound interest has a long time to work hard for you.


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Church Family, Friends, and Supporters-
If you wish to simply give a "one-time gift" enter the amount into the button below and follow the prompts. If you would like to set up a reoccurring gift, click "View Donor Portal" directly below the button. Through the Donor Portal you can set up an account and take advantage of the "Scheduled Giving" option.


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Steve Jobs Knew The End Was Near Weeks Ago, Says Coming Biography
Steve Jobs knew that he was dying weeks before the end, according to a coming biography.
Walter Isaacson's book "Steve Jobs" is due out Nov. 21 from Simon & Schuster. Jobs died Wednesday at the age of 56. [Update: The book's release date has been moved up to Oct. 24.]
According to a person familiar with the matter, Isaacson last interviewed Jobs four weeks ago, right before, and right after he stepped down from his post as the CEO of Apple.
Jobs indicated at that time that he knew he was going to die soon. The scene will appear at the end of the book.


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I recently watched an email discussion comparing object-oriented programming and procedural programming in PHP. I was very surprised to see how many people there are that don't understand the benefits of object-oriented programming and feel procedural is usually the best tool for the job.
Why Object-Oriented Programming?
The discussion began with a question, "why [do] folks like OOP so much in PHP?" Few of responses attempted to answer the question but most seemed to agree that perhaps OOP is over-rated and used in too many circumstances. I would like to answer that question for anyone interested and to explain why people like object-oriented programming.
In My Beginning
I began programming two years ago. It started with my brilliant idea to start my own ecommerce company selling computers and stuff related to that. I downloaded the latest version of osCommerce and got my store all set up. Of course, the default installation of osCommerce is never enough (especially if you want to brand your store nicely) and so I started hacking away at the code not knowing much HTML let alone any PHP. Soon I taught myself PHP. In fact, I loved making MY code work in the browser so much that I changed my career path and decided to be a programmer (it was a hard decision; I didn't want to become a geek). I got my first job doing PHP and became an excellent procedural programmer (I learned PHP from osCommerce after all, not saying that it is excellent though, just procedural). My father, a traditional C++ programmer (another reason the decision to become a programmer was hard; didn't want to be as geeky as him; sorry Dad) who has worked for companies such as Eyering, WordPerfect, and Novell told me about object-oriented programming and how it was just better. I assumed he knew best since he'd been around longer than I (much longer). So I learned as much as I could about OOP and started
programming that way. It was difficult at first. It was very hard for me to conceptualize how things were supposed to work as objects. But I felt it was exciting too. I was learning more about programming and how to be a better programmer. It is because it was difficult for me to start thinking in terms of objects that I am writing articles about such. The writing of classes and methods was easy. It was doing the whole system correctly that I struggled with. I guess what you would call OOP theory and design.
At Present
Since that weak start two years ago I've become proficient with OOP. I've learned Java (not by choice, but still, not bad huh?) and done a couple of large projects with that. Of course, PHP is still so nice to program in and I was very grateful when I was able to come back to it. I've done many projects that were OOP. I've gone back and worked on projects that were procedural. I know all sides of the fence intimately.
Object-oriented programming is easier. Once you know it, it becomes such a pain to work on a project that is procedural. It is just so very much easier. Everyone I know who knows how to program object-oriented, uses it in everything except for the smallest of applications or scripts. If it's a simple script, procedural all the way. But if it's an application of even small size, OOP just makes it easier. Some say it seems there needs to be a LOT of structure for an OOP program. Actually, it provides a lot of structure, and MAKES IT EASIER. There are concerns that the program runs slower. Are we seriously concerned about this? Class definitions are not heavy. This is not Java we're talking about, like a whale sitting in your memory. We probably have to measure the difference in clock cycles as opposed to milliseconds. Besides, web applications are a little slower anyway, that's why we use PHP, an interpreted language, in the first place. It speeds up development and the applications are never so robust that doing it in C would be desired (except for search engines and such, but they probably don't use C for generating the HTML pages). Object-oriented programming is just procedural code organized to another level. It makes things so much easier (yes, I keep saying that, but I think that's why people are scared of it, because the feel it makes things MORE complicated). The only time you wouldn't use it if you knew it would be when writing small scripts. I recently wrote a database transition script to move all the data from one database schema to another. It's like a baby who won't walk because they can crawl just fine. Sure, there are times when you need to get down and crawl, but you aren't going to make that your default mode of transportation. Object-oriented programming is an "oft overused methodology." Said by one who I'm sure has probably seen some really bad OOP code used as a hack. There is plenty of bad OOP code out there as there is bad procedural. Looking back for example, I would say osCommerce is bad procedural code. The database queries are scattered throughout the pages. Good procedural would centralize things and use functions to access them, so when there are changes you don't have to hit every single file. OOP is the same way. You can make it really, really bad. But OOP itself is still better. PHP is not true OOP at heart. Yes, true, but that does not mean that programming object-oriented in PHP will make things more difficult. It still makes things easier. Even in PHP 4. PHP 5 does make things a whole lot nicer, but PHP 4 applications are still easier to make when we use objects. I'm not saying every ounce of code should be an object or a class. But the general application will be easier to program (for those who know both procedural and OOP) if it is done object-oriented.
There can be great procedural programs. You don't need OOP. But it is the next step to becoming a greater developer and being able to write easier and more maintainable code. It is not a marketing scheme (like Java is) with someone trying to make a profit off of it. It is a way that helps us develop programs easier. I know this article may upset many people. I apologize if you are offended. There is a reason why so many folks like OOP. And it is that it makes programming easier, debugging easier, refactoring easier, upgrading easer, and expanding easier. There are no major drawbacks to programming web-apps OOP, just benefits (credit andrew). Only low-level drivers, operating systems, or search engines and like systems. But no one in PHP will be writing anything like that. I hope. I may not have been a developer for 20 years, but I do know that just because you have, you are not necessarily a great programmer. And I know that there are great programmers who have only been developers for a few years (I hope I can be one of them). But I have never met anyone or talked with anyone who has programmed object-oriented for years and felt it was over-used or that procedural was generally better. I was very supprised that people felt OOP was not a step up.


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Following the announcement in the Autumn Statement, the revised draft legislation relating to the new regime on the taxation of termination payments, due to apply from April 2018, was published on 5 December 2016. As presaged by the Chancellor, the legislation has greatly simplified the original proposals, removing the complexity (and the potential unfairness) inherent … Continue reading The new termination payments regime – draft legislation published
Category Archives: Finance Bill 2017
The UK's Substantial Shareholdings Exemption ("SSE") will be extended from April 2017. The main beneficiaries will be investment companies selling shareholdings of 10% or more in trading companies and companies owned by institutional investors which are themselves exempt from UK tax on capital gains The SSE was introduced in 2002 to permit trading groups to … Continue reading Substantial Shareholdings Exemption to be extended
Draft legislation published on Monday goes some way to address concerns raised during the consultation process. Importantly, the provisions have been limited to circumstances where there are abusive tax arrangements which are defeated. Whether there are abusive tax arrangements is determined in accordance with the familiar GAAR criteria, under FA 2013. For some reason the … Continue reading Penalties for tax avoidance enablers – Finance Bill provisions
In the Autumn Statement, the Government confirmed that it would remove the tax advantages of salary sacrifice for arrangements put in place after April 2017. Certain benefits provided through salary sacrifice (accommodation, cars and school fees) will be protected until 2021 and other benefits can still benefit from tax savings indefinitely (pensions, cycles, childcare, certain … Continue reading Salary sacrifice draft legislation now published
As expected, HMRC has published its response to the consultation on the remote gaming duty ("RGD") treatment of "freeplays". You can find it here. It has also published draft legislation (as part of the draft Finance Bill 2017) imposing the new RGD charge on freeplays, which has been amended as a result of the consultation (the … Continue reading Details of remote gaming duty charge on "freeplays"


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Del Canto Chambers is an International Law Firm with offices in London, Madrid and Doha.
Our knowledge and professional experience in English, Spanish and Qatari law make us the firm of choice for clients in need of global counsel.
Representing our clients and protecting their interests in relation to private or public matters, including negotiations, mediation and litigation.
Researching and assessing legal issues, and providing clear responses to complex matters.
Managing and structuring businesses and assets in several jurisdictions.
Please get in touch if you have any question regarding our service.
You can also call us on +44 207 043 0648 for a consultation with one of our representatives – this puts you under no obligation to use our services.


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Come back soon to find out the common issues and problems with these Rolls-Royces are, and there are a few!
Come back soon to find out the common issues and problems with these Rolls-Royces are, and there are a few!
Restoring a classic car can be a challenge too far for even some of the most practical enthusiasts and technicians out there, so when the second Mechanix course announced its plan to revive a tired old MG Midget, it would be an experience they would never forget, which you can see in our gallery here.
Cue Autumn 2015, and the original Mechanix club run by Prospex Youth Club in North London, with the support of Hyde Housing Association, Haynes Manuals and Draper Tools, unveiled their finished article.
The 1969 MG originally arrived in British Racing Green and left the workshop adjoined to Ringcross Community Centre in Islington in Prospex Orange. It was just an inkling of the work, dedication and of course surprises this small sports car held for the seven young people.
J Haynes, Chairman of Haynes Publishing and Patron of the youth club, said: "It is a fabulous achievement and it takes dedication and commitment, and all the participants should be really proud of themselves. Whether or not they go on to be a mechanic or not, the experience, the dedication and the hard work that will stand them in good stead."
The young people faced a number of challenges including restoring and servicing the engine, removing, welding and fabricating new panels and finishing off with priming and painting the Midget. In return, the youngsters managed to give this classic car a new lease of life and picked up a couple of qualifications in recognition for their endeavours.
The seven participants received a certificate for their personal and social development and an EdExcel BTEC unit for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Operations, while two more young people undertook a four-week intensive course bringing a R-reg Ford Fiesta up to MOT standard.
Adam Ziani, one of the latest participants, said: "It was a good experience for me as I want to drive a car in the future and if anything was to go wrong I would know how to address that. The first time we saw the car we couldn't believe it. We were thinking how are we going to finish it, but we said yes we are going to finish this, we have to finish this and see it as a finished product."
Ubaida Ahmed said that it was a 'disturbing' sight seeing the car in the workshop the first time, but actually found the whole process enjoyable, adding:
"It was amazing, working with my friends on a car, and coming two to three times a week was fun. We have nothing to do, so coming to Mechanix was good fun after we got in it."
When CAT attended the grand unveiling of the MG Midget, there have been several bids for the car at around £2500, with Prospex keen to sell the car to fund future projects and equipment, while charity CEO Richard Frankland explained that the MG Midget had a closer affinity to him and the club than just a classic restoration.
"I was given the Midget by a friend who emigrated to Canada seven or eight years ago and it was sat in somebody's garage rusting away. After the success of the first project, we thought why don't we step it up and try something more difficult. We got the car here and it was a challenge, we thought it was never going to happen, especially within the ten weeks, but it offered everything we needed.
"You can do a complete service on the car, and you can take the whole bonnet off and get a whole group around the car so everyone can see what is going on, so for teaching it was really good.
"The bodywork was not so good, but it taught other skills, so they all had a go at welding and it really inspired them. They couldn't wait to get their hands on it, even making the cardboard templates and transferring that to the metal for cutting out, they enjoyed all of it. Some of the bits were quite complex, the bits we had to fabricate and weld, but they absolutely loved it. From putting the mask on and going for it and having a go and seeing the end result was fantastic."
For Lucy Abbott one of the first participants it was an opportunity to mentor the next group, and gain her Peer Mentoring ASDAN qualification, while Frankland is hoping to recruit another mentor from the current crop of trainees as well.
The Mechanix course, originally the brainchild of Haynes, is now entering its third iteration through Prospex, and there are plans to roll out the scheme nationwide with interest from Doncaster, the Midlands and Hampshire.
The race to produce autonomous vehicles is reaching fever pitch as on road tests and trials begin across the world. But the biggest indication that vehicle automation will become a reality sooner rather than later is the announcement of Bosch and TomTom's partnership, and the acquisition of Nokia's Here mapping service by a consortium consisting of Audi AG, BMW AG and Daimler AG.
Bosch and TomTom's announcement to focus on improving the mapping data available, is seen as the next step in Bosch's development of autonomous vehicles. The partnership between the German and Dutch firms is nothing new as TomTom played an active role in Bosch's Connect Horizon project, by providing real-time dynamic map information, showcased at the 2014 IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hanover.
However, this new project will see the two firms work together to create high precision mapping data for use by automated vehicles, with Bosch outlining the parameters that TomTom need to cater for. Jan Maarten de Vries, Vice President of Automotive at TomTom, said: "By the end of 2015, we want to have new high-precision maps for automated driving for all freeways and freeway-like roads in Germany."
High precision mapping is very different to the systems currently used on satellite navigation systems, and the maps will come with several layers of data. The improvements of 'localisation data' will allow self-driving vehicles to access info on speed limits, traffic lights, lane dividers, geometry of the road, traffic conditions and as a result allow it to decide more effectively with its range of sensors when it is appropriate to change lanes and pass through complex interchanges.
The purchase of Here hasn't affected planned projects and developments focussing on increasing the levels of detail available through its mapping service.
Originally known as Navteq, and being first installed on the 1994 BMW 7-Series, Here's mapping system is currently chosen by 80 percent of VMs. The Finnish based company has already rolled out its precision maps for autonomous testing with designated routes in the United States, France and Germany, with routes in Japan set to be made available later in the year.
Research firm IHS Automotive Analysis's Gerrit Schneemann sees the purchase as a move to lower research and development costs for automated vehicles for VMs in the long run.
"The acquisition poses an interesting opportunity of how an industry collective will share a strategic resource with competitors. The most likely answer is an industry consortium supported by an initial fee, as well as an annual fee for both membership and to support ongoing costs, collection and maintenance of high definition maps in exchange for open access to the maps provided by the consortium. Those not part of the consortium are expected to pay a normal licensing fee as they would today.
"The consortium model has many benefits for the industry, including the ability to combine resources to secure and continue developing a long-term strategic resource."
Another dilemma is providing an answer to dealing with the amount of data being transferred from the servers to the vehicles, and vice versa. Automotive technology research firm SBD forecasts 33 million vehicles will be sold with in-car connectivity by 2020, and will generate more than 163 terabytes of data each year, which will need to be stored and available to access by other vehicles in real-time.
Dietmar Rabel, Head of Product Management at Here, said: "Your car generates a wealth of data about road and traffic conditions which will be very helpful to other cars driving behind you. By uniting around a single data specification, we can improve our collective abilities to gain a better overall understanding from the data collected."
As high-precision mapping becomes reality, data storage and transfer will remain the final frontier but already the decision has been made to transmit data via 5G to allow seamless data transfer while they are on the move.
In line with this, the rumours that Apple is actively pursuing this sector have grown stronger, as it looks set to follow Google and other vehicle manufacturers in developing at least a connected car, with autonomous vehicles no doubt on the horizon.
Business Insider reports that Apple has been pushing ahead with 'Project Titan', with Ford veteran Steve Zadesky joining the development team, along with hundreds of employees the Cupertino firm has allocated to this project.
The biggest indication of an impending 'iCar' has been noted by German title Manager Magazin who revealed that Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, had been in negotiations with BMW and visited its Leipzig facility. It is believed that the meetings were to discuss Apple's desire to use the BMW i3 as the underpinning for its city car.
Whether this venture gets off the ground is one to keep an eye on but with TomTom and Here developing the intelligence that automated cars can utilise, autonomous vehicles appear to be just around the corner.
A business is often spawned from the opportunity presented by a new opening in the market. Infrequently though, such opportunities are created by coincidence as was the case for John Yarnell, Director of JY Classics. He was made redundant from his sales job in 1996, which also saw his company car being returned to his employers, and therefore he needed some wheels before getting on the job hunt. Yarnell picks up the story.
"I went out and got myself a Triumph Spitfire because I had one when I was 19. I did an awful job restoring it. I think I used 14 aerosol cans all of which were different colours of French blue.
"I wheeled it out after a month of putting it all back together again and sold it for a profit of £250. It wasn't very much, but I wasn't working for anybody else so I was perfectly happy to do another one, so I did another one, and another one, and in the end I upset the neighbours so much I had to go and get myself a workshop."
Yarnell moved to a workshop the size of a double length garage on an industrial estate and carried on repairing and restoring Triumphs, and it was here that he started building up a client base formed of people who bought the restored cars and returning to have their car maintained. Eventually, with the business bursting at the seams JY Classics expanded into seven other units on the site, but the location wasn't giving the professional image that the clients desired, as he explains:
"Where we were before we were suffering from a lack of room and disjointed working practices, because we had to go from one unit to the other, and you spent half the time walking between the buildings and not getting any work done. Now it is more civilised and the customers prefer it, and it is more professional and user friendly.
"When I was unable to get to my workshop when there was snow on the ground, I used to be able to park at our current site, so I got to know the guy who owned this farm and we did a deal to get the Romney building and the one next door.
"The ex-MoD super Romney building is where all the mechanical work is done. We also now have a bodyshop and spraybooth, which used to be a skateboarding halfpipe and a soundproofed music room, as a dedicated area where we can do priming, prepping, panel replacement and proper restoration work.
"The move has certainly helped us boost our image, and ensuring repeat business from people with the more high value models like the TR5s and TR6s. It has certainly raised our profile just being here."
JY Classics specialises in the restoration of Triumph Heralds, Vitesses, GT6s and TRs, with the demand for work on the latter continually growing. As a result Yarnell has had to develop a number of new skills including welding, panel fabrication, prepping, priming, painting and refinishing skills to ensure the cars leave his workshop looking factory fresh.
However, JY Classics aims to ensure each vehicle leaves in better condition than it did from the factory originally. One area that Yarnell has a keen eye for is the panel gaps on the Triumphs.
"We like to get things right, so having a decent paint finish, a nice panel gap, and you can get a bit fussy, but as the years have rolled by these tasks have become easier because we know where to go to get a panel gap right, we know where to attack.
"Some Triumphs had the most horrendous door gaps. There is one picture I have got where there are nine mid-60s Spitfires on the back of a transporter and you look at the ones on the top and you can see the panel gaps are hideous and noticeably atrocious."
As the Triumph TR work accounts for 50 percent of JY Classics work and the diary booked up until January 2016, the next step for the garage is to increase its output and expand its staff in the near future.
Ghai Distributors Ltd, also known as GDL, has been part of London's aftermarket parts scene for more than 25 years supplying accessory shops and small motor factors in and around the M25.
GDL was first started in 1989 when Rajesh Ghai, started the business with his father, but the decision to go into car parts was down to a chance meeting with a contact his father had in Japan, as Ghai explains:
"My father started GDL but his usual business was in Indian textiles and importing from Japan, India and Pakistan. His partner and he were the largest wholesalers of textiles selling to Indian shops across the country at the time. It was brilliant, but events led to the partnership ending. When it dissolved I was at an age when I was doing my A-Levels, and my dad asked me what I wanted to do.
"I said: 'Dad, my dream has always been to work with you', so he started looking around into various businesses and see what we could actually do. We looked at nursing homes, hotels, restaurants, and one evening he had a Sikh guy who supplied textiles from Japan come over and he brought his brother.
"His brother sold spare parts and said: 'If you are looking for another business, why not try a container from me?'. So dad got a list of part numbers and a rough list of prices and went around London across to various shops asking if they would be interested in buying certain parts and references from us. And loads of people said yes, so my dad thought this sounds brilliant, and there is margin to be made so let's go with it."
GDL began life in East Ham in a small shop owned by Ghai's father doing two delivery runs a day to East London and certain parts of West London, and Ghai himself joined the business nine months later after completing his A-Levels. By 1992, the business had outgrown the shop and moved to the warehouse in Neasden owned by the textile wholesaler that Ghai's father was a partner in. Previously, the unit was up for sale for five years but nobody bought it and has become the home to
GDL's operations.
Ghai has been at the helm of the business for 25 years and has seen a number of changes in both the industry and the way it does business, namely seeing profit margins get tighter and tighter on products. However, despite only operating from one site and delivering mainly within the M25 area. The business acts in competition to nationwide outfits such as FPS and Euro Car Parts.
A reason for this has been attributed to the multi-cultural make-up of the capital, Ghai explains:
"London still has a lot of one man bands and small businesses. The rest of the country is very different, and we wouldn't survive doing just what we do, but thankfully London is organic, so for every shop that closes another one opens.
"It is strange, even to this day, this year alone we have had no-one shutdown but two new shops have opened up. Where we were in East London in East Ham, which was predominantly a Hindu, Punjabi and Sikh community now has Somalian and Sri Lankan communities growing there too, so we have Sri Lankan customers now, and I suppose if you sell to
a community you are guaranteeing a certain level of income. It is all organic."
Despite the changes to the industry and business, margins are slowly on the increase again, and GDL stands by the mantra that the secret to successful business relationships are down to people dealing with people. All the staff at GDL have a wealth of aftermarket experience, dealing with customers needs and requirements and have been with the firm for at least five years, in some cases also as
long as the company has been
in existence.
The future for GDL will see the company sticking firm to its key principles that have stood it in good stead for the last 25 years, with the addition of a web store and inclusion on MAM for its own branded filters due in the near future.
Whilst the general business outlook appears to be on the up with, it appears, only Greece bucking the trend; there are some cautionary tales that should be borne in mind.
Rather than just wanting to rain on your parade by suggesting that all is doom, gloom and despondency (far from it) I suggest that you ride the current business thermals. You just need to use your innate good judgement and watch the signs.
It is a proven fact that businesses that have stayed afloat during recession often fail in the post recessionary climate. Why? Surviving the downturn is a case of battening down the hatches, keeping business tight and riding out the storm but the period following the storm calls for cash. Surprisingly businesses that fail during this period rarely go down for a lack of profit but are crippled by lack of cash flow.
The danger for businesses such as a motor factor, is that being one step removed from the car-repair coalface you will take the full force of an account failure caused by a garage running into trouble.
Certainly the composite detail on motor factors suggests that both debtor and creditor days are extending significantly and that sets the alarm bells ringing. The difficulty with agglomerated information is that you can see trends… but is this a general trend or another Finelist in the making?
One way for a garage business to extend its credit line a little further is to drop one factor in favour of their competitor. The breathing space thus created rarely, if ever, cures the ills that the garage is suffering, usually badly taken business decisions and imbalance of funding, and so the merry-go-round will continue.
The danger that stems from all of the above is that the parts distributor can be so locked-in that they in turn cannot get out – the problem is how to avoid getting drawn in in the first place. In a business all aspects need to be policed. Within my own businesses we never sent reminder letters, as they just go in the bin. A senior member of staff, most importantly always the same member of staff (reducing the likelihood of being fobbed-off) always phoned immediately the account went outside terms and asked the pertinent questions: When can we collect payment – at this point this is not a demand but a polite 'It's that time of the month again….' Just as you will pay attention to a customer who 'makes the most noise' your customers will pay those who ask first.
Just as with any other form of relationship there is a need for honesty and, surprisingly, people do business best with people that they can talk to. Just as important as gathering business information on a would-be customer is the need to explain clearly your trading terms – I have used standard terms for all customers with volume discounts, loyalty bonuses and other incentives dependent on the account being kept clean i.e. within the terms agreed. There is no advantage to you in offering the best terms and then not getting paid.
The objective is to keep your customer, the garage, on the rails rather than let them turn into a runaway-train. Let me make absolutely clear, you do not want to lose a customer, any customer, and the best way of achieving this is by keeping the relationship honest. Your terms and conditions of business need to be made clear and concise and remember that 'all goods remain the property of the company until paid for' isn't worth a candle when the motorist has paid the garage for them and they now form a fundamental part of his vehicle.
I was doing some work for a wholesaler a short time ago who was lamenting having to pay a claim on a part he hadn't yet been paid for. We reviewed and reworded their terms and conditions of business to include elements of accepted Service Level including warranty and withheld payments – as warranty is accepted on goods purchased and this does not take effect until, guess what, – they've been paid for.
I've heard all the excuses; the accountant's on holiday, the chequebook has run out, the cat's been run over and of course I'll love you in the morning; yada, yada, yada… You are a business not a bank, if you were a bank, I'd be a lot less polite to you (I hate banks) as a business you are involved in commerce, you sell things – they are not sold until payment is taken; if your customer needs money to pay you, they must go to the bank who will take out references and make them jump through hoops before they lend them a penny – are you as diligent as the banks before extending credit? You're one of the few if you are.
Now is the time to tighten up on payments. It is a high-risk time to be in business. Ensure that your credit terms are strictly adhered to and that 'good old Bob, who's been there for years' isn't running up a huge bill that, ultimately, you're going to pay for.
Leacy Classics in Birmingham is known for supplying classic car parts, but in 2011 the business was taken over by Richmond Design and Marketing Group and CEO David Keene.
The acquisition gave the classic car factor a new lease of life, as Keene implemented a number of changes including clearing all back orders held by Leacy, improving range coverage, increasing the speed the business worked at and exploiting the advantages of retailing online.
The regime change also saw the business source more parts from British manufacturers or distributors and made small production runs of commonly requested parts possible through parent company RDM.
The changes have made Leacy Classics an efficient operation. It now exports 50 percent of its sales. All of these decisions have their foundation in Keene's time at Rover as he explains:
"After attending a complete day of psychometric assessments, interviews and tests with 750 other people, I ended up getting taken on by Rover with eight other people.
"Rover were funding my education and bringing me into the fold, so every holiday I was spending a large amount of time in the business and going around the various departments. I finished my degree in 1986 and ended up getting a job in Canley, Coventry, where I worked my way up from junior engineer through to becoming a manager of one of the electrical departments."
He then headed up the electrical division of Rover Special Projects in Gaydon, which was a small team designing new vehicles as quickly as possible from existing parts. The team led projects such as the Metro and Mini cabriolets, MGF and the Rover 200 Coupé.
However, when Rover management decided to shut down the 'renegade' Special Projects team, the whole division was redistributed across the core business, at which point Keene had enough and wanted to pursue a gap in the market. This led to the birth of RDM and a technology business developing automotive products.
Throughout the 22 years the business has been operating, Keene has worked with a number of OEMs including Ferrari, Bentley, JLR and design firm Pininfarina from the its base in Tile Hill, Coventry. However ten years ago, he decided a parts company was needed to supply the classic parts to supplement all the latest OE work RDM was carrying out.
"I always thought why can't you take some of today's technology," he said, "such as low cost tooling, 3D printing, reverse engineering and apply it into the classic car industry?
"What you want is modern technology to create low volume parts at the right price, and since owning Leacy, we have brought hundreds of parts back into production. When I came here we were getting some parts from China, India, and all over the place. Some of those parts are now made and sourced using British suppliers and manufacturing, which proves there is a lot of skill left over from the old automotive world."
Keene adds that using British businesses to produce parts is not simply to prove the automotive industry is alive and well, but that there is demand for British engineered products especially with collectors of British sports cars:
"Most people went offshore simply because they could get it cheaper, but if you go to China now, their cost of living has caught up with us. So that gap is closing, and it gets to a point where sourcing it in the UK is just a lot easier. Also there is still that quality hallmark associated with getting it made in the UK."
Newsome Tools situated in Sheffield began life back in 1967 from hand tools and equipment sourced from across Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire from a van, in 1972 current Managing Director Martin Newsome joined his dad's company and joined him on the road selling tools, as he explains.
"I had six months to kill before turning 19 and taking up a job I had been offered, so we filled a van I had bought with stock and off I went North of Sheffield and that was it.
"At the end of the first week I knew that was what I wanted to do, and the attraction for me was a motor accessory shop owner I met at the end of my first week, who explained that he left school at 15 and now he had a business and a Jaguar XJ6.
"The point at which we broke even was very low, as you just had your stock and you sold it. We used to sell tonnes of jacks, so we used to go down and pick them up from this barn in Nottinghamshire. What happened was if you bought a second hand car, invariably there wasn't a jack in it. So a lot of motor shops would have a relationship with a car dealer and they would sell them by the box, we even got them into Asda, and it was good because you could get it turned over."
Over time the business grew with a dedicated sales team now on the road visiting motor accessory and other tool retailers across the country, and as with any company looking to grow and expand its operations importing and exporting goods becomes an important factor. Newsome Tools imports tools from the Far East and also exports them to a number of countries including Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland.
All this experience dealing with businesses and companies abroad means that Newsome Tools has expanded its offering to include providing additional services for other companies, such as allowing online resellers to use the firm as their stock room, as Newsome explains.
"What we do for them is dispatch the goods under their advice note, so it will say the name of an online company, but we have shipped it for them. Another part of the business is importing for other people. There is a certain type of buyer who is getting the best possible terms but then he doesn't want to go down the road of importing himself because of all the vagaries and the uncertainties, and so they let us do it.
"So we get the product to exactly the specification they want and if they are happy with it, I will give them a fixed price in sterling. After that they don't have to worry about anything as it is delivered to their door and invoiced in sterling just as if it has come from a UK supplier.
"It comes into the docks, and is then shipped straight to the customer. We don't really get too involved, and that makes us a bigger player in the Far East, and gives us more buying power than if we were a supplier buying in for our own requirements."
To offer a credit facility for others to use, doesn't come easily, as Newsome explains that due to the amount of sourcing that the company has done in the Far East means the business is in a position to receive credit from firms in China. He adds that having such an option to offer makes the business a bigger player and gives new importers the option to get 90-days credit.
Newsome adds that dealing with countries across the world and attending the Government's export missions means you get to grips with different business cultures and have the opportunity to meet local retailers and people from different industries.
"The first ever export I did was in 1990 to the Republic of Ireland and then I attended a Government scheme called Export Explorer, which gave you market research on Belgium, Norway and Iceland and four warm leads. We currently export to eight different countries and 20 percent of our turnover comes from exporting goods, and it is just that little bit of icing on top of the cake for us.
"Last month, we were just ticking over, and then a couple of nice exports came in and that was it – we were off and the whole thing changed. But it is a long-winded cycle from actually going there for the first time to getting the first order. People's buying decisions aren't as quick as the fluctuations in the currency, so they are not going to say 'we are going to drop that range today' because tomorrow it could be the other way around. In principal importers' and exporters' decisions are based on a range of factors over a period of time and that is very much the business today."
During Race Week in the build up to this year's British Grand Prix, ExxonMobil and McLaren Honda were keen to point out the alignment between the lubricants used for racing with those sold in retail packs.
The last couple of seasons have seen the FIA tighten regulations for the sport, with teams being constrained to 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged engines and 100kgs of fuel per car. While these changes haven't been universally welcomed, Bruce Crawley, Global Motorsport Technology Manager at ExxonMobil, can see the commercial advantages:
"The engine oil is also remarkably similar to what you would use in the UK. There are a lot of similarities between it and the additive packs and Mobil 1 off the shelf. Our objective for designing lubricants for road cars and for a F1 car is the same, and that is to keep your car running like new. We do it in a F1 engine because that maintains the performance of the engine, so you don't get any power degradation, and in a road car engine to extend the life of the engine.
"It is not completely the same, there are some differences, but if you compare it to the oils used in Mercedes engines in previous years, they are quite different to what you would use in your own vehicle."
Crawley added that the new FIA regulations mirror some of the changes in the retail car world, with engine sizes reduced, but power outputs and efficiency going up.
Jonathan Neale, Chief Operating Officer for McLaren Honda, said that the sport has always been a great place to showcase technology and engineering which pushes the boundaries for the benefit of creating tangible products for the commercial sector.
"Engine technology has changed enormously, we have gone from using six V10s engines in a weekend, to V8s and now V6s with a lot more hybrid technology," he adds.
"The fundamental change is towards looking after our environment and we are working with ExxonMobil on a molecular level designing products specific for our racing programme, but that can be further developed for our commercial programmes."
For retailers, stocking lubes that are associated with the highest level of motorsport can only be a good thing.
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Puppet shows are generally known for making kids and parents laugh, so hearing word that a beloved and historic puppet theater is going to close and be sold is jarring. It just doesn't fit the happy puppet milieu.
But that's exactly what fans of Bob Baker and his famous marionettes are grappling with this week. For after over a half century in the business, Mr. Baker has announced that he is shuttering and selling his downtown-close theater.
"Unfortunately the ticket sales just have not been enough to cover the overhead expenses of running the Marionette Theater," says Mr. Baker.
It's a shocker for people who grew up in Los Angeles going to the sweet, old-time venue, and for puppet fans the world over. The theater's founder has been written about with affection by no less than the New York Times, which doesn't surprise. After all, both his particular puppet flair and his admirable longevity in the business of marionette merrymaking has made him very much a star in certain circles.
There is a silver lining to this story, however; Mr. Baker and his marionettes will continue to perform, just not at the building so many Angelenos have laughed in over the decades.
The listing for the West 1st Street property is here (it not only includes the theater but adjacent lots and warehouse). Mr. Baker says he'd consider a "leaseback arrangement" and is open to keeping the theater going with a new owner.
For more information and to follow the campaign that has sprung up to save the theater, visit the Bob Baker Marionettes Facebook page. People adore the man, his puppets and their particular LA history, so the support has been as admirable and heartfelt as one would hope.
Check it out if you want to make a donation or book a visit to lend a hand. Sometimes pulling the strings on such things takes a whole community.
Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: iPhone/iPad App | Facebook; | Twitter; | Google+; | Instagram; | RSS; | Text Alerts | Email Alerts


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October 4, 2012
Weekly jobless claims rose less than expected last week, to a seasonally adjusted 367,000, according to the Labor Department. Meanwhile, planned layoffs in September jumped, after hitting a 20-month low in August, according to the report from consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "In the absence of bad news, we'll drift higher and that's what's been going on," said Brian Battle, vice president of trading at Performance Trust Capital Partners. "The economic number that matters the most is the unemployment number."


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Time Warner Cable and Johnson & Wales University's (JWU) culinary program are teaming up to dish out unique and delicious recipes to Time Warner Cable customers. Beginning in July, "Let's Cook with Johnson & Wales," sponsored by Lowes Foods, will air on Time Warner Cable's Carolina On Demand (channel 1234). There will be two new segments each week through the end of the year.
Each week, a culinary or baking and pastry chef-instructor from JWU will be featured in a short cooking segment. The recipes will include local and regional favorite, chef specialties, and healthy and diabetic recipes. "The recipes will offer viewers a unique and different way to create dishes that will inspire [viewers] to get back into the kitchen and experiment," said JWU's dean of culinary education Mark Allison in a recent press release. JWU students will also participate in the programs.
Viewers will learn useful tips and secrets for success in the kitchen. "Time Warner Cable's Carolina On Demand technology gives its customers interactive services that work for their busy lifestyles. These segments offer one-on-one classes with top chefs at their side at a time [that's] convenient for them," Allison added.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
JWU to air TV cooking program on Time Warner Cable
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Ciencia e investigación agraria
versión On-line ISSN 0718-1620
MARTIN, Beatriz; SOSA, Oscar; MONTICO, Sergio y ZERPA, Gabriel. Relación entre las unidades de vegetación y la microtopografía en un pastizal ubicado en un sector mal drenado de Argentina. Cienc. Inv. Agr. [online]. 2007, vol.34, n.2, pp.103-113. ISSN 0718-1620. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-16202007000200003.
The spatial distribution of vegetable communities in depressed landscapes from Rolling Pampa (Pampa Ondulada), Argentina is frequently heterogeneous. The objective of this work was to study a possible relationship between topography and functional and structural characteristics of vegetation in a pasture located in a depressed and poorly drained area. The study was carried out in a sector next to a dell from the flowing Ludueña basin. The course of Ludueña extends between 32° 46' and 33° 07' S and 60° 39'and 61° 07'W in the Santa Fe province of Argentina. The identification of the plant communities and a topographical study allowed us to recognize three highly productive forage units. In each unit, primary production, abundance and cover were determined. Plant units were established accordingly. The results obtained suggest that vegetation cover and vegetation abundance from depressed landscapes are highly related with microtopography
Palabras clave : Communities; forage units; depressed landscapes; microtopography; vegetable.


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Back in 2009, software engineer Zac Vawter lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident. But today, unless he's wearing shorts you probably wouldn't be able to tell one of his legs isn't real. That's because he has been fitted with a bionic leg controlled by thought to produce a believable gait.
As you can see in the videos below, Vawter is able to bend and straighten his leg, as well as control the foot by thinking about what he wants it to do. That means he can walk normally, use stairs, and even handle slopes with ease.
The thought controlled bionic leg was developed at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and works by rewiring two nerves from what remained of Vawter's right leg to hamstring muscles. At the top of the bionic leg is a computer with sensors that interact with those nerves. When Vawter thinks the actions he wants the leg to perform, the nerves communicate that through the sensors to the computer controlling it, and it performs the desired movement.
The intelligent artificial leg took four years to get right, but isn't perfect yet. It currently produces a noticeable amount of noise (listen in the video below) when carrying out movements. However, the research team is already working to make it as close to silent as possible and hopefully it can be used on many more amputees in the future to offer them very much improved movement.