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Key word is "Ordination", not Ordination. Women can not have valid Orders, ever.
I support it. And I don't think that will surprise many people here. ÂÂ
Tom,Would you want to be the priest's husband?
Thank you for your opinion...why?
The canons say only men can be ordained.
CANON XLIV of the 60 CANONS:That women must not enter the sacrificial Altar.
(I am interested in a serious discussion of this issue. I hope it will not descend into fighting and name-calling.)
I wouldn't want to confess to a woman!
Some thoughts of Father Alexander Schmemann on the subject...
Women play an important role in the Church.  Being a priest isn't the only way to serve.
Although the ordained order of deaconesses vanished in the Byzantine Church, some women continued to fulfill, either informally or formally, various liturgical functions in public church life. The author examines the art-historical and textual evidence of three groups of women: noblewomen who participated as incense-bearers in a weekly procession in Constantinople; matrons who helped organize and keep order in a monastic church open to the public in Constantinople; and the possibly ordained order of myrrhbearers in the Church of Jerusalem.
The doors of the church are immediately opened and the patriarch together with the clergy enter the church, chanting the 'Christ is risen'. And the patriarch and the archdeacon immediately enter into the Holy Sepulcher, those two alone, with the myrophorot standing before the Holy Sepulcher. Then the patriarch shall come out to them and say to them [the myrophoroi]: "Rejoice! [ or "Greetings!"] Christ is risen." The myrophoroi then fall down at his feet, and, after rising up, they cense the patriarch and sing the polychronion to him. They [then] withdraw to the place where they customarily stand.
The post from Bishop Kallistos doesn't really say anything. It is quite vague.
I am against it for various reasons.
Our priest's son was ordained a priest at our parish recently. Bishop ANTOUN told us about another priest's son whose hand his father kissed after his ordination. When the son protested, the father told him that he was not kissing his hand but the hand of Christ. Since Christ was a male, priests should be male.
What if a young woman was ordained and then became pregnant? How could the baby who is not ordained do priestly things (e.g., go through the Royal Doors)? I know the baby has to go where the mother goes, but that is kind of my point! And those who argue that she could be too old or celebate, let me remind them of Sarah, Elizabeth, and the Theotokos!
What about the "monthly cycle and uncleanness" issue? That would certainly throw a monkey wrench into the service schedule!
What would we call her: Father, Mother, Fatheress?
What about the "women shouldn't pray with their heads uncovered" issue?
I would be scared of a female priest who could grow a beard!
Women play an important role in the Church. Being a priest isn't the only way to serve.
But that doesn't answer the points Father Alexander, of blessed memory, makes:1. A question extrinsic to the Church.
2. A radical and irreparable mutilation of the entire faith.3. The rejection of the whole Scripture.The post from Bishop Kallistos doesn't really say anything. It is quite vague.
I'm sorry, but I really dont see how any of these considerations are (or even imply) compelling theological arguments the ordination of women. But the fact that these arguments are used does illustrate one important point, when this is the best the Church can put forth to defend a position which is contrary to social mores and egalitarian decency is it any surprise that the Church is quickly becomming irrelevant to the masses and especially the youth even in traditionally Orthodox societies?
(The only groups with a female presbyterate in the early centuries were gnostic in orientation.)
[Pendant's Hat] Actually, I think the most well-documented group with a robust female presbyterate was the Montanists. We have a number of good inscriptions from Phyrigia (and other Montanist hot-beds) that attest to different kinds of female clergy members and prophetesses. [/Pendant's Hat] But Montanists were often just as crazy as "gnostics."
Thank you for the clarification.
They can wear a kalimafi...KAKOS Grin ...nevermind that, it's an inside HCHC joke. Elsewhere I have discussed this issue and have argued that this is an outdated Judaizing custom. It certainly should not be expected of anyone and the fact of the matter is that, at least within the Greek Archdiocese, women who wear headscarves are very few and far between (and almost always get funny looks and are avoided at coffee hour unless they're over 70). Of course vestments could always be designed to include some sort of a head covering (such as a kalimafi), but, really, such a consideration would be nothing short of absurd.
Well, obviously the strongest argument is none of these, but, rather, the argument ex traditione -- which is, of course, a very powerful one for an Orthodox Christian (but not, of course, for an egalitarian, postmodern society).
That said, there are so many well known, historic ecclesial offices for women that are no longer extant. Why not just look at these, instead of overhauling the system?
If you read the entire article, you will find that he does make these points. He also develops the question further. I suspect that this isn't the only discussion of the subject Father Alexander engaged in. This is the one I found handy.
IMO, the Church doesn't have the authority to make such a change 2000 years on. (The only groups with a female presbyterate in the early centuries were gnostic in orientation.)If so, then why not throw out the Icons and the Liturgy while we are at it.
Also, you fail to understand that the only places that the Church is thriving are those where the Tradition is adhered to. My GOA parish has a low to moderate turnout among its youth and young adults. The local ROCOR communities are packed to the rafters with young people every Sunday. Insert women priests into this mix (or any other gross capitulation to modernism) and the place would empty out. Guaranteed.[/b]
Now, wait a second there.  Didn't St. Paul give some sort of spiritual reason for the head covering?  There is no clear proof that he ordered head coverings because of societal pressures.
Can we also say the same to Christ who ordained men as Apostles and disciples, that is, He also gave in to societal pressures as well, or can we have a prophetic/spiritual reason to it?
Such a course of action would do nothing to correct the negative view of the Church within Orthodox societies and would only reinforce the already existing injustice.
Reading 1 Corinthians 11 it is difficult to not interpret it in anything other than a cultural context, it talks so often of things being proper or shameful, clearly appeals to social customs.
Who, in their right mind, would want to be a priest?
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
I would not say that our Lord succumbed to societal pressures, but rather that he chose for his ministry those who would be most effective and in the misogynistic society of the day the most effective people happened to be men.
Yes, tradition is certainly the strongest of all arguments, but this argument presents fundamental difficulities on two levels. First, it is an argument from silence; while the ordination of women was never strongly supported in the history of the Church, neither was it strongly opposed. The reasonable conclusion is not a condemnation of the practice, but rather the that this is an issue that the Church has never had to address. The reason that it never had to address the issue is obvious, culture and society were such as to make women second-class citizens, culture prejudices against the equality of women were so strong as to not even allow a consideration of the issue from a theological perspective.
Real Orthodox (not converts who have not had time to learn with new age ideas and thier male groopies) have not concern over this. I spoke to a women who is a non-practicing Catholic as she refers to herself (as do so many Catholics) she laughed.....and said "people need to get their priorities in order"
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subset: commoncrawl


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Sarasota Police costs account for more than 50 percent of the city's general fund budget.
As city leaders prepare next year's budget and consider the hundreds of millions of dollars in unfunded pensions and benefits promised to retired employees, several mention Detroit's recent bankruptcy filing.
News stories since the Chapter 9 filing have noted how other cities are poised to follow in the Motor City's financial footsteps and the role of pension obligations in Detroit's problems.
Most officials here are quick to focus on the differences and positives in Sarasota's situation: Sarasota has a partially funded pension system instead of pay-as-you-go, and it did not dip into its reserves to balance the budget this year.
Then there was the mayor.
"Make no mistake, we are Detroit. We are just 10 years out," Mayor Shannon Snyder said. "It's not a question of if we go bankrupt — it's just a question of when and how."
Other commissioners have called Snyder's "we are broke" refrain irresponsible and an exaggeration.
"When you can't afford to pay your payroll, when you're in the situation Detroit's in, when you can't afford to turn your streetlights on — then you're broke," Commissioner Paul Caragiulo said. "Are we there? No. But you can't coast."
The elected officials agree the mounting cost of the city's unfunded pension liability, estimated between $295 million and $376 million, is shocking and must be addressed to afford the promises — many of which were made to police officers.
The question remains, how?
The city is negotiating with the police union. Commissioners and police anticipate another round of contentious pension debates.
A diminished tax base and investments slammed by the Great Recession have left Sarasota struggling to cover expenditures, which have grown by $14.9 million since last year and now total $191 million.
Pension costs account for about $3 million of the increase.
Other significant expenses include $3.4 million for new police cars and radios, $3 million for shoreline repair from Tropical Storm Debbie and $4.3 million for water and sewer upgrades and a new garage transfer station.
While property tax revenue is projected to increase almost $17 million — up from $16.2 million this year — and revenue from red light cameras is expected to nearly double to $1.9 million, the city was still left with a $3.4 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year.
To fill the gap, commissioners have proposed increasing property taxes by 8.5 percent and using some one-time funding sources.
They also plan to cut 11 staff positions through attrition, including nine police jobs.
City budget documents show police costs make up more than 50 percent of the city's general fund expenditures.
For every dollar the city pays an officer, 81 cents goes toward pension plans, Finance Director John Lege said.
"It's higher than I've seen at other places," Lege said.
Snyder said retirees have called him, scared, wondering what would happen to their pension and benefits if the city were to go bankrupt. He said he has told them they would lose 25 to 30 percent of what they were promised.
Snyder said that the thought of people spending decades working for the city, and then not getting what they counted on plagues him more than anything else.
He favors disbanding the Sarasota Police Department and having the Sheriff's Office oversee the city. The other commissioners do not support the idea.
It would still leave the city on the hook for what it has promised employees and retirees, Commissioner Susan Chapman said.
Chapman was elected in May. During her campaign she suggested moving police from the current pension plan to a 401(k)-style plan, an idea she still supports.
"What we have to do as a city is decide: Do we want city services or do we want to become a pension plan?" Chapman said.
The local union rejected Chapman's suggestion.
"The idea of asking men and women to sacrifice their life in return for a 401(k) is completely unacceptable," said Sgt. Mick McHale, president of the Sarasota Police Benevolent Association.
Sarasota residents are accustomed to a certain level of protection and are willing to pay for it, he said.
During the last pension battle, which lasted three years, ending in 2012, police and their supporters filled the commission chambers to protest the commission's consideration of major cuts to their pensions.
"It was very intimidating, and to stand up to that is really hard. And of course all of us want to be generous with our employees. But we also have stewardship to the public," Chapman said. "It comes down to: Do you have the political will to do what is necessary?"
Across the nation, municipalities are reworking their retirement benefits for employees. Organizations such as the Center for State and Local Government Excellence and the Florida League of Cities have focused on the topic in presentations and reports.
Sarasota has at least $296 million in unfunded liabilities.
Those are the pension, health care and other benefits promised to retired employees — including firefighters, general employees and police — that the city does not have money to cover.
Depending on the assumed rate of return on investments used when calculating the unfunded liabilities, the city could be responsible for much more — around $376.5 million, according to the city's most recent financial report from last September.
Some commissioners said the second estimate, which uses a 6 percent rate of return on investments, is closest to the truth.
McHale said the calculation change makes the situation look more dire.
He pointed to the police pension reforms that took effect in October, when numerous changes were made to save the city money at law enforcement's expense.
"We think modifications were made and the system, the fund, is starting to enjoy a positive rate of return," McHale said, adding the group is willing to work more with the city on the issue.
Former commissioner Terry Turner, whose term ended in May, was a driving force behind the changes to police benefits last year.
The former bank executive previously taught economics and finance at the University of California, Berkeley. Before he left the commission he gave a half-hour speech on the city's options for the coming year's budget — which commissioners have since referenced several times.
Turner identified how to cover expenses, including managing police and services more efficiently, modest increases to the millage rate and consolidating services. In the end, he warned the city must restructure employee benefits.
"There's no other way to go other than trying to fix it," he said. "It's a serious conversation, and all of your policy decisions ought to reflect the seriousness of that issue."


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George Chernikov necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 216 diseños de 40 diseñadores freelance.
FFT (First Fidelity Trust) - http://www.FidelityTrust.ch
We are a provider of financial services to global affluent customers, and we would like the logo to reflect traditional values associated with Swiss entities, such as excellence in customer service, discretion, privacy and affluence.
Our target audience consists of high net-worth individuals, business owners and legal entities almost exclusively in the financial sector. As the company offers worldwide reach, the audience is necessarily global. The vast majority of our customers are male.
The winning logo should meet the following requirements:
• The logo should combine the "old money" (to appeal to high net-worth individuals) and a certain element of sleekness typically associated with Web 2.0 sites. If unsure, ask yourself – what would the logo of a modern financial company looking for high net worth online clients look like?
• The logo should be of suitable quality and design for web sites (in particular, the header) and printed issue (such as business cards, letterhead, etc)
• The logo must include the abbreviation of FFT (First Fidelity Trust), plus whatever decorations the designer finds appropriate to communicate the aforementioned values (for instance, a coat of arms signifying tradition and excellence, or a shield symbolizing trust, reliability and protection).
• The logo SHOULD NOT include the full text "First Fidelity Trust" anywhere
• The logo SHOULD NOT use stock images.
• The logo SHOULD NOT be based on the current design of the site (http://www.FidelityTrust.ch). The current look is strictly temporary and will be revised in the future, most likely in favor of a neutral beige/cream/silver/grey design.
• The "T" in the logo should be gold AND visible on white printed paper.
The logo needs to be provided in PSD files or editable Adobe equivalent (e.g., Illustrator). PSD is preferred. We MUST have the ability to edit the logo later if need be.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Atheist View is really hateful
Bill Donahue, …lying sack o' shit asshat (wait, was that hateful?), comment the fuck out of this one. He obviously wasn't there...
Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Saturday's "Reason Rally" in Washington, D.C. attended by atheists:
"It is impossible for atheists to have a rally without bashing people of faith. They especially loathe Christians, and no group gets them jacked up more than Roman Catholics. Saturday's rally was no exception.
Although atheists claim that people of faith brainwash kids, it is they who are the masters. "Hey Kids," one of the signs read, "It's Okay—GOD is PRETEND." Being vulgar comes natural to them: "Religion is Like a Penis," one sign read, "It's OK to have one…But it is NOT OK to whip it out in public, shove it in my face, or tell me what to do because you have one…." Then there was the gal who held a sign demanding that adherents of the three monotheistic religions "Get Out of My Panties."…"
Views: 296
Bunch of pretty typical BS from ol' Bill ... but one thing: did he at any point in his diatribe find a single argument against what those at the Rally were saying? He complains a whole lot ... but hasn't a single counter to offer.
Wonder why....
My comment's in...
BTW, once registered and logged into that site, there's a veritable dance floor of stomp, …just waiting.
Christians think atheists shouldn't have a sense of humor for some reason, but it's okay for them. My boyfriend and I were in our DC hotel room on Sunday morning and he paused for a moment on a sermon. The pastor opened his sermon with a joke:
He said:
God created Adam and Eve, and Adam asked, "God, why did you make her hair so soft?"
God replied, "So you would love her."
Adam replied, "Why did you make her so shapely?"
God replied, "So you would love her."
Adam replied, "Why did you make her so stupid?"
God replied, "So she would love you."
I think my boyfriend was more offended than I was. I really don't care if the idiot thinks I'm stupid.
- But why can they have a sense of humor and we can't?
Eg. "So many Christians, so few lions." --That's not only funny, but is also TRUE!
I wonder how a man can tell this joke and think he is funny? Well, there is no accounting for funny bones. It says more about him than about Adam and Eve.
No, the atheist view is not hateful. Why on earth would anyone say such a thing! After all, it is the atheist that looks for evidence to back up claims, it is the atheist that admits errors when they occur, it is the atheist that catches the falling bodies thrown out of other groups for not being righteous enough, or obedient enough, or submissive enough.
Atheists don't have a god to rescue them from human folly;
Atheists don't have a god to whine to when things go wrong;
Atheists don't have a god to plead to for help, especially at games or other sporting events;
Atheists don't have a god to solve problems, particlarly when problems are made by human thought and action;
Atheists don't have a god that punishes or rewards, whatever an atheists does or does not do or does badly or does well is individual centered of the individual.
Atheists don't teach their children to believe in unseeable, unknowable, unloving beings;
Atheists don't teach their children to hate themselves or others;
Atheists don't have guide book based on Bronze Age, primitive tribal imperatives.
Atheists teach their children to observe, ask questions, experiment, explore, pay attention to patterns and consequences, to learn from mistakes and grow with each experience;
Atheist look at reality.
Oh boy... you may have already seen this one: Washington Post article.
"These people are lost; without God and, thus, without hope."
This reminds me of most christians I know who ask me from where I get my purpose, if not from god?
It doesn't surprise or offend me as much as it just makes me feel sad for them. All their hopes and their own sense of personal purpose is derived from an imaginary external source. It blows my mind.
Also, they always seem to be under the delusion that we're all miserable. I may be the happiest person I know! I think my friends would describe me as quite enthusiastic about life. There is SO much to learn! My only regret is that I'm halfway done already and I have at least 1000 years of things I'd like to do! Life is great! :o)
PS: The photo caption on the Washington Post article reads, ""
- "Those who oppose religion in government."???
--Seems I remember reading something about that in... I don't know... the Constitution?
At least there is a proper smack-down of Cal Thomas (the author of that benighted piece) by a healthy contingent of atheists and supporters. One can hope that Mr. Thomas actually bothers to READ his feedback ... so that maybe he might just get the idea that atheism is an idea whose time has not only come, but is here to stay for a considerable while.
You're quite right, Loren... poor Cal got hammered for his ridiculous article. I think we should take it as a compliment; he must be feeling that we're threatening the existence of his invisible friend. (I remember having resentment toward my older sister for revealing the real Santa to me one fateful December 24th... Damnit! Maybe I'm still a little angry 35 years later because it seemed he stopped coming at the same time I stopped believing!)
Richard, the gall of this guy, speaking of atheists as if their main purpose of the rally was to pay attention to a bunch on non-critical thinkers, wishful thinkers, pretending thinkers, and dominionists.
It was a REASON RALLY with no interest in their comments, and setting themselves up for ridicule. Why would one spend any time ridiculing something that didn't need to be ridiculed.
but instituting an official doctrine that all atheists and all the people of all other religions are going to burn in hell for eternity, that isn't hateful isn't it?
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Microsoft Business Solutions is setting the stage for big-time channel conflict among resellers
Everyone knows that Microsoft is moving aggressively to enter the enterprise applications market, with its acquisition of Great Plains and Navision earlier this year, as well as its development of its own enterprise CRM systems and other applications. This is old news.
But what is not generally recognized is that Microsoft is heading for trouble in how it is signing up resellers. Anecdotal evidence indicates that Microsoft is showing no restraint in how many resellers it signs up in a given geography, as if the more the merrier.
This was the mistake that Baan made in the late 1990s, when it signed up many resellers without considering that they might be competing against each other. During this period, I was doing a software vendor selection where three Baan resellers were attempting to sell to my one client, and none of them would back off. Apparently, even Baan couldn't control the situation because they eventually told me that I should make the decision on which reseller to use.
I see the same thing happening shortly with Microsoft, as its Great Plains, Navision, and Axapta resellers watch Microsoft merrily signing up additional resellers down the street.
Whoever is in charge in Redmond/Fargo needs to understand that selling enterprise applications is not the same as selling Win2000, Exchange, or SQL Server seats. These are complex sales with long lead times. One of the little secrets of selling enterprise applications in the mid-tier is that although the reseller channel is key, it is also limited. There are not many good or great reseller organizations. When you find good ones, you don't turn around and undercut them by creating competitors next door.
For more discussion, see my post on Axapta and my post on unintended consequences of Microsoft's move into enterprise systems.by Frank Scavo, 11/27/2002 09:02:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
Tuesday, November 26, 2002
ERP vendor consolidation continues, with MAPICS acquiring Frontstep
Frontstep (FSTP), formerly Symix, is the latest casualty of the downdraft in spending on enterprise systems, agreeing to a buyout by ERP vendor MAPICS (MAPX). MAPICS has been holding up better than many in this economic climate, profitable in the last three quarters on flat sales of $128 million in the trailing 12 months. The two vendors do have much in common. Both focus strongly on mid-tier discrete manufacturing firms, and each vendor has a significant client base. The combined entity will reportedly have something in the neighborhood of 10,000 customers, so on the surface the acquisition might seem like a good thing.
But what is curious about this transaction is the rationale. MAPICS is one of the oldest vendors selling on the IBM iSeries (AS/400) platform. Although its acquisition several years ago of another vendor, Pivotpoint, gave it offerings in the Unix/NT/Oracle markets, MAPICS is still strongly identified with IBM. Frontstep, on the other hand, just completed a major rewrite of its flagship product, Syteline, abandoning its Progress database roots in favor of 100% pure Microsoft technology.
With Frontstep rapidly running out of cash, it's easy to see why Frontstep would agree to be acquired. But the question is, what is MAPICS thinking? The first explanation might be that MAPICS wants Frontstep's client base for its maintenance revenues. But Frontstep's clients are vulnerable right now, having just been told they will need to migrate from Progress to Microsoft SQL Server at some point in the future. I've already received one call from a Frontstep client, asking for my opinion on this. So those maintenance revenues might not be so secure. The more likely explanation is that MAPICS wants to diversify its products to include a Microsoft-centric offering. Frontstep bet the farm on its migration to Microsoft technology and it looks like it lost the farm in the process. But if MAPICS was planning to develop a Microsoft-centric product anyway, it would be a lot cheaper and faster to simply buy it from Frontstep than to build it themselves. The question now is whether MAPICS can sell it, first to Frontstep's own installed base and then to the rest of the mid-market.
Generally, major software vendors that have tried to grow by acquisition frequently have found themselves with too many packages to support on too many platforms. Epicor is one example. Unless MAPICS has some grand scheme in mind that I haven't thought of, I don't see how this acquisition makes sense.by Frank Scavo, 11/26/2002 09:54:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Saturday, November 23, 2002
Buzzword alert: Web services
What are Web services? A Web service is a program that can be remotely invoked by another program means of an Internet protocol, such as HTTP. The term is unfortunately ambiguous, because the word "Web" does not refer to "Web sites" but to the Web transport protocol (HTTP) that is typically used by Web services to communicate with each other. Hence, Web services are a way of implementing a distributed computing model across heterogeneous computing platforms. If you've ever visited Amazon's Web site and entered a FedEx tracking number to retrieve delivery status, you've seen a Web service in operation. In this case, the Web service is provided by FedEx, which the Amazon's Web site invokes to retrieve your package tracking information. Another live example you can play with is Microsoft's MapPoint, which is actually Microsoft's first commercial Web service. If you have a Web site or other application that needs mapping information, you can sign up for MapPoint and pay Microsoft by the transaction. In both examples, you've got information delivered from remote systems on demand by means of Web services.
Web services are an innovation around which fierce competitors (e.g. IBM, Microsoft, Sun, H-P, Oracle) are cooperating to develop open standards for the common good. Some key standards include XML (Extensible Markup Language), SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), UDDI (Universal Discovery and Description Initiative), and WSDL (Web Services Description Language). Application development frameworks for Web services fall into two main categories: those that are based on the Microsoft .NET Framework, and those that are based on Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE). Nevertheless, because Web services are standards-based, those developed under Microsoft .NET should have no problem interoperating with those developed under J2EE.
Many enterprise system vendors (e.g. SAP, Siebel, Oracle, Peoplesoft, J.D. Edwards, Microsoft Business Solutions, Frontstep), are working to allow parts of their systems to operate as Web services, to some extent or another. For the enterprise system vendors, the big hope is that Web services will greatly reduce the difficulty of integrating systems internally and between trading partners. Integration in the past has been accomplished either by writing custom interfaces, implementing complex and costly enterprise application integration (EAI) software, or by setting up EDI or XML links. As Rodger Beard wrote me recently,
I view the emerging Web service application architecture as a paradigm shift within the IT industry, and a shift that ultimately will impact basic general business processes in a most fundamental way. I feel Web services is very significant, analogous and maybe even more significant than the movement from mainframes to client server computing in the late 80's....All hype aside, this new architecture permits, and indeed readily facilitates the inexpensive, incremental automation and integration of inter-company, cooperative business processes. The practical possibilities for further process automation, leveraging the cheap hardware now available, is truly mind boggling to me. Not only are Web services applications (and applets) quick to develop, a piece at a time, but they inherently incorporate Internet based data communication protocols--sort of like "EDI on steroids," and without all that startup baggage that EDI has always featured.It remains to be seen whether Web services will live up to these expectations. Thus far, most development of Web services has been taking place behind firewalls, as some IT departments are experimenting with the technology to build simple interfaces between internal systems. There is a general consensus that the standards are not yet fully developed to the extent needed to handle complex integration logic between business partners, specifically in providing security and multi-step transactional workflow.
For a more detailed discussion on the status of Web services adoption, see Ed Yourdan's article on the Cutter Consortium site.by Frank Scavo, 11/23/2002 01:24:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Friday, November 22, 2002
Time for a system refresh project? BusinessWeek has a short article on the trend away from large projects to implement completely new systems toward smaller projects to repair and improve existing systems. The article says, "Unlike the 1990s' craze of spending millions for new gear and armies of consultants who worked on extended contracts, the trend now is toward shorter, less expensive deals that make the most use out of existing IT resources."
My own observation is that many companies use less than half of the functionality available to them in their enterprise systems (e.g. ERP, supply chain, or CRM applications). There are many reasons for this: incomplete implementation the first time around, new users who are not as well trained as the original users, small changes in business processes, and creative users who develop their own little "side systems." I have often felt that companies would benefit greatly from organizing once every two or three years a small project to assess the use (or non-use) of their existing systems and to formulate corrective actions to improve their use. Such corrective actions can include additional education and training, business process redesign, custom report development, elimination of side systems, and implementation of unused functionality. My own experience in helping clients carry out such system refresh efforts indicates that the benefits are real. More companies should do this.by Frank Scavo, 11/22/2002 08:32:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Thursday, November 21, 2002
QAD acquires major international alliance partner
QAD, one of the better known Tier II ERP vendors, is acquiring one of its major alliance partners, TRW ISCS, for a mere $1 million in cash and transaction/integration costs of $4-5 million. According to the press release, QAD expects the unit to generate annual revenue in the range of $13-15 million and be accretive to earnings by the second half of fiscal 2004. If so, this appears to be a good deal for QAD. TRW ISCS was what was left of Largotim, one of the top QAD alliance partners. Largotim was acquired by BDM in the late 1990s. BDM, in turn, was acquired shortly thereafter by TRW. With QAD now acquiring the TRW unit, the cycle is complete.
QAD has traditionally focused on development of its flagship product, MFG/PRO, and left nearly all of the implementation services and much of the sales effort to its alliance partners. But with the slowdown in technology spending, QAD has been moving more and more into direct sales and services. With its large installed base, this is a wise move, and the acquisition of TRW ISCS just accelerates the trend. The same technology slowdown no doubt led to the fire-sale price QAD was able to negotiate. As the enterprise software sector begins to emerge from the doldrums, I expect to see other vendors acquire some of their more attractive yet weakened partners. This positions the surviving vendors to take a larger share of each new deal, instead of having to share it with a partner.by Frank Scavo, 11/21/2002 08:24:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Sunday, November 17, 2002
"Rich client" looks promising, but tools are still immature
I've gotten quite a bit of feedback on my post last month about the trend toward "rich client." David Harding, principal of FulcrumPoint Technologies, confirms that pure thin-client solutions leave something to be desired. With experience in developing fat-client, thin-client, and rich-client solutions, Dave says,
"I find it a marvel that people are finally coming to the conclusion that thin-client did not speed up development and that to really get a decent client/server application, the client had to be part of the equation. Besides, if you want to build any sophistication in the interface and distribute processing so as not to overload the servers, a "rich" client is the better, and sometimes only, choice. That is not to say that thin-client apps can't be a great way to create applications with limited functionality. However, javascript is not ready for primetime (in any flavor) and Java is a promise that Sun just can't seem to agree on how deliver. The arguable truth is that each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each should be used only when the individual strengths can be leveraged. Every time I hear that a single technology (e.g. thin client, Java, artificial intelligence, add your favorite technology de jour here…) is going to render all its predecessors useless, I have to laugh."However, even though the rich client architecture looks promising, some of the tools used to develop such applications are still rough around the edges. Commenting on his experience so far with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET using "managed code" and Webforms, Dave says,
.NET has some cool stuff, but the promise and the reality are still a good distance apart. Performance is an issue now more than ever. Having to download components (.NET components), marshal data across the network, deal with text based API's and re-learn all of the standard (and new) development tools (e.g. C++, C#, Visual Basic, etc.) make working with these great new technologies a chore… not to mention that they are still in their infancy (read that: filled with fun and interesting bugs that are difficult to determine if it's a bug or a design issue by the programmer). But still we press forward...What does all this mean for vendors of ERP, SCM, CRM, and other enterprise applications? If the trend toward rich client architecture continues to build, it means that vendors will have to face one more platform migration. Many of them have not yet fully made the transition from fat client to thin client. Unfortunately, once they get there they may find that the goal line has been moved once again.by Frank Scavo, 11/17/2002 08:29:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Saturday, November 16, 2002
Business success is more than regulatory compliance. I spent this past week in Chicago, leading a workshop on software validation for the medical device industry, and we had extensive discussion on FDA regulations for Quality Systems (21 CFR Part 820), as well as electronic records and electronic signatures (21 CFR Part 11). Participants included a group of software developers from Europe, as well as a group of senior ERP consultants from the US. As we worked our way through the regulations section by section, line by line, I realized once again the extent to which, from a business perspective, regulatory compliance is just one aspect of business success. To be successful, a medical device manufacturer, or a pharmaceutical manufacturer, must do a lot of things right. It must bring in revenue, manage costs, meet delivery commitments, maintain quality, and a host of other things. But FDA compliance only addresses one of those dimensions: quality. FDA doesn't care if you properly forecast demand, increase sales, control your costs, accurately plan material, or manage capacity--in fact, FDA doesn't even care if you stay in business. By law, FDA only cares about one thing--that as long as you are in business, you design and make product that is safe and effective.
Sometimes I think that companies lose sight of the fact that, although regulatory compliance is mission-critical, you are not in business to be compliant. You are compliant to be in business. But to be successful, you must do much more.by Frank Scavo, 11/16/2002 11:01:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Tuesday, November 05, 2002
Let's have a moratorium on vendor/package name changes.
One Spectator reader called yesterday to ask what I knew about MAS 500 from Best Software. Let's see, Best offers the MAS 90 and MAS 200 products, popular Tier III systems. One might assume that MAS 500 must be a new upgrade of MAS 200. Wrong. Here's the story. MAS 500 is the new name for Best Enterprise Suite. Best Enterprise Suite was acquired by Best when it bought Sage Software, which referred to the package as Sage Enterprise Suite. But Sage originally referred to the package as "Acuity," which is how most people still remember it. So here's the bottom line: MAS 500 is the old Acuity product that Best acquired from Sage. It has nothing in common with MAS 90 or MAS 200, except the similar name. With so many software vendors being acquired, and so many package names being "re-branded," it's becoming very difficult to keep them all straight, even for those of us who evaluate systems for a living.by Frank Scavo, 11/05/2002 06:42:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Saturday, November 02, 2002
Expect end of year deals on enterprise applications, but read the fine print. Paul Hamerman, a research director for Giga Information Group, has some good recommendations on making year-end deals for new software this year. Q4 is typically a good time for buyers to negotiate with vendors for new systems, because of the vendors' need to meet sales targets. However, because few vendors expect the market to roar back in 2003, it is going to be hard for them to convince prospects that favorable terms will disappear after December 31. Furthermore, watch out for deals where the vendor throws in several "free modules" that you "might need later." Such modules might be free in terms of upfront license costs, but they are frequently included at list price when calculating maintenance fees. Hamerman points out that in such cases the vendor has simply gotten you to agree to pay him an additional recurring revenue stream. I have often felt that companies frequently buy too much software up front. Structure the deal to only buy the modules that you plan to implement over the next 12-18 months. You'll save on maintenance fees, and you'll also have stronger leverage with the vendor during implementation, because he'll know that future purchases will depend on how well he delivers on the stuff you've already bought.by Frank Scavo, 11/02/2002 12:19:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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And, never pre-pay for implementation services. One more thought: if the vendor offers a discount on implementation services if you prepay for them, don't take it. You've lost all leverage if services are substandard. And since the vendor already has your money, guess which consultants he'll put on your project.by Frank Scavo, 11/02/2002 12:18:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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'Young English players are in awe of Pietersen's personality'
It's a huge compliment for someone who has probably got used to being criticized.
Kevin Pietersen, for once, would have felt content. For according to limited-overs coach Ashley Giles, the 33-year-old is setting a 'great example' to the novice players in England's one-day squad.
Just over a year ago Pietersen was briefly exiled from the national side after being accused of sending derogatory text messages regarding then England captain Andrew Strauss to South Africa players.
But following Strauss's retirement, former skipper Pietersen has been 'reintegrated' into the England set-up. He is now the one star name left in the squad for the ongoing one-day series against Australia, with England resting regular captain Alastair Cook, batsman Ian Bell and bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann ahead of their Ashes defence 'Down Under' starting in November.
Image: Kevin Pietersen
'Pietersen's one of the best players in the world'
Former England spinner Giles knows Pietersen well, having been alongside him for much of the South Africa-born shotmaker's maiden Test hundred, a superb 158 against Australia at The Oval that secured a draw which saw the Ashes regained in 2005.
"I've got a decent relationship with Kev, I've played a lot of cricket with him and he's one of the best players in the world," said Giles at Edgbaston, his old Warwickshire home ground.
Giles added Pietersen, who averages nearly 50 in Tests and 42 in ODIs, enjoyed the responsibility of being a senior figure in a largely inexperienced squad, having been excused duty from both the shared Twenty20 series with Australia and England's six-wicket ODI win away to Ireland in Malahide.
"Kev gets a bad rap a lot I think for some of the stuff he says and does, but for me in this group he has been great with these young guys," Giles said.
"There is a danger that when a size of personality like him comes back into the group that they are in awe, but he's been fully involved and been great."
'He clearly enjoys opening the innings'
In the absence of Cook and Bell, Pietersen found himself opening in the second ODI at Old Trafford on Sunday, where Australia won by 88 runs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series following Friday's washout in Leeds.
Set a daunting 316 for victory, Pietersen could only watch from the other end as England collapsed to 38 for three. But he still managed 60 at nearly a run-a-ball, including six fours and two sixes, to provide England with a rare highlight during an otherwise largely forgettable display.
Asked if Pietersen preferred opening, Giles insisted he was unconcerned as the decision to install him at the top of the order in Manchester had been his alone and not the batsman's.
"I didn't really ask him, I just told him he was opening. He clearly enjoys opening, he's got two hundreds and a 60 in his last three innings as an opener."
'It is not just about winning the next game'
England have been criticised by former captain Michael Vaughan for resting so many leading players during this one-day series, with Giles's friend suggesting spectators who bought tickets in advance deserved a partial refund.
Vaughan's comments looked all the more apt after England's crushing loss at Old Trafford, but Giles said there was more at stake than raw results as he tried to build a squad for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
"It is tough because you want to win every game but I'm not planning on being here just for the next couple of months, so in that respect I'm getting to look at some young players coming through.
"All we ask for is a bit of understanding about what we're trying to do," Giles added. "It is not just about winning the next game.
"We don't take losing games lightly. It is not about giving games away and it is not about robbing the public of the right to watch our best players.
"We've got to get the balance right and I think in this squad we've got some very exciting talent to watch and we're still very capable of winning games."


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The CLS63 AMG responsible for the record run recently cracked the 700 wheel horsepower barrier with a 725 wheel horsepower pull on 93 octane pump gas. With a 137 mile per hour trap that power is very real. Modifications to the car consist of the Renntech intercooler upgrade, upgraded turbos, transmission upgrades, downpipes, filters, and new plugs.
Timeslip below, hopefully a video will be posted soon. Congratulations to Renntech!


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|Blood Orange, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad
As Elise of Simply Recipes says, "Those of you who love blood oranges don't need to be told how exquisitely wonderful they are. You know that every bite is an explosion of sweet, deep orange flavour, with hints of raspberry. You will be delighted by them." Originally from Sicily and Spain the blood orange has gained in popularity and can be found fresh or in juice form in many local grocery stores. Blood oranges contain a pigment called anthocyanin which is not typically found in citrus but rather more common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only is the inside of the orange darkly pigmented but depending on the variety the outside may also have dark washes of red. The two most popular varieties are the dark-fleshed Moro and the delicately flavored Tarocco. The former is available from December to March, and the latter from January to May. Although some are grown in California, most blood oranges come from Mediterranean countries (Southern Italy in Sicily in particular) and are often considered to be among the finest dessert oranges in the world. Imagine picking one right from the tree!!!! On my last trip to Italy I did pick lemons and oranges but sadly no blood oranges.
When juicing your citrus to extract the maximum juice, either roll your citrus fruit around on a flat work surface, pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand (this method is particularly useful for limes, which can be hard to squeeze), or warm through gently by dropping into a pan of hot water, popping into the microwave for a few seconds, or even placing in a warm oven for a minute or two. I use the microwave method myself and there is never a drop of juice wasted.
One pound of fruit equals about three medium oranges and one cup of juice. Oranges are rich in antioxidants which are vital for healthy cells, including vitamin C, which aids in healing, boosts your immune system, helps your body absorb iron, and even helps reduce the risk of cancer. One tasty, medium-sized blood orange will provide you with 70 calories, 3.0 grams of fiber, 1.0 gram of protein, and no fat, sodium, or cholesterol.
I brought my first blood oranges of the season home from the store with the thoughts of making a salad I first tried at our local Italian grocers Valoroso. Since blood oranges are grown in Italy and Spain I thought this salad would be the perfect addition to bring bright, citrusy flavour and colour into an otherwise dreary winter day. Peppery arugula, tiny colourful pomegranate arils, lemon juice and olive oil take a backseat but marry well to recreate a simple freshness we crave in the winter months. The balance of flavours in this combination make this salad a keeper with each ingredient present and accounted for. This one is for you Dina and Nuria.
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, peeled and very thinly sliced ( a mandolin makes quick work of this/make sure to add the fennel fronds to your salad as well)
2 blood oranges
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoon olive oil
juice from one lemon or Meyer lemon
6 ounces baby arugula
1/3 cup pomegranate arils
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice your fennel bulb on the mandolin. For this salad I like to keep them a little thicker rather than paper thin. You can also do this with good knife skills. Drop the fennel slices into ice water to keep them crisp. I always look for fennel bulbs that have copious amounts of fennel fronds still attached. Snip these and save them to add to the salad.
Using a very sharp knife, peel the oranges. Make sure to remove all of the pith. Cut the oranges into cross-wise slices. Remove and discard any seeds.
Drain the fennel slices and pat dry on paper towels. Pile them in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and olive oil and allow to sit for a minute or two. Add arugula and sliced red onion and season lightly with salt and pepper; toss. Arrange salad on a platter. Top with with the orange segments, pomegranate arils, and sprinkle with fennel fronds and parsley.
Serve and enjoy.
You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.


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ICON Announces Production Funding
ICON Aircraft announced Thursday that it has completed a final round of equity funding that will bring its amphibious A5 aircraft through demonstrated regulatory compliance and into full-scale production, but questions remain. The company did not make an announcement regarding its effort to seek an exemption from the FAA that would allow the A5 to operate at 250 pounds over the 1430-pound limit for amphibious LSA aircraft. ICON sent the request for exemption in mid-2012 and this year asked the FAA to deliver a response by May 31. As of Thursday, the FAA had not offered a reply and ICON lists the A5's maximum takeoff weight at 1430 pounds. ICON says the final round of investing, completed in May, has secured "over $60 million" and "the company's order list has continued to grow."
ICON says it has collected "nearly 1,000 aircraft deposits" and production delays have so far been met with "continued patience and enthusiasm." ICON says the delays have allowed for additional developments that have resulted in improvements to the A5, including a spin-resistant airframe. That specific improvement is also the one cited by the company in seeking its weight exemption. The company's final round of financing was led by a "strategic investor from China," the company said. ICON remains a U.S.-based company intent on producing a U.S-built product. ICON is now backed by North American, European and Asian investors.