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Created on April 10, 2013
I have the pleasure of meeting frequently with business owners from across the country. They talk about where their challenges are in growing and sustaining their businesses, and they also talk about how locating production abroad hasn't always turned out as well as they had hoped. Not surprisingly, during our current economic recovery and expansion, news reports and private consultants have repeatedly echoed that thinking. Increasingly we hear that U.S. companies that previously took their operations or supply chains overseas are now reshoring or insourcingbringing operations and supply chains back home to America.
To help continue that momentum, the Department of Commerce today published a new tool to help inform manufacturing firms' location decisions. The Assess Costs Everywhere (ACE) tool outlines the wide range of costs and risks associated with offshore production, and provides links to important public and private resources, so that firms can more accurately assess the total cost of operating overseas. ACE also shares case studies of firms that reversed their decisions to locate offshore once the full range of costs became clear.
ACE counts as its sponsor and most ardent champion, U.S. Representative Frank R. Wolf (R-VA), who directed the Department of Commerce to build an online tool for businesses to use in assessing hidden costs to manufacturing offshore. Congressman Wolf saw ACE as a much-needed resource in the federal government's efforts to help achieve our goals of boosting U.S. economic growth and ensuring that America remains competitive in manufacturing.
ACE identifies and discusses 10 cost and risk factors that firms should weigh in their decision making, such as labor and shipping costs. Although some of these factors may seem obvious, companies may not always take all of them into full account. Over the coming weeks, the Commerce Department's blog will examine each of the areas, and although I hate to be a spoiler, it does turn out that the United States tends to compare quite favorably. Having said that, there are many areas in which the U.S. needs to make critical investments. The Competitiveness and Innovative Capacity of the United States, a report published by the Commerce Department's Economic and Statistics Administration in January 2012, examined three key components of our nation's competitiveness—research, education, and infrastructure. The report concludes that in the manufacturing sector, the federal government has historically played an important role in providing a level playing field and must do so with renewed vigor to ensure that U.S. manufacturing continues to thrive.
The ACE tool assists in those efforts by providing a framework to consider total costs. It serves as a portal to data that companies can use to start doing their own assessment; it includes an industry-developed calculator, and it presents a list of useful assets right here in the Department of Commerce. One example is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), which is part of the DOC's National Institute of Standards and Technology. Through its nationwide network of field centers and its 1,300-member technical field staff, MEP can help companies more accurately assess their total cost of offshoring. Furthermore, MEP educates small- and medium-sized manufacturers and provides tools, services and connections focused on five key areas: continuous improvement, technology acceleration, supply chain development, sustainability, and workforce.
In the current economic expansion, we have witnessed a welcome resurgence in the U.S. manufacturing sector. More than half a million manufacturing jobs have been created -- many undoubtedly because domestic and foreign firms have realized the low costs and risks associated with locating in the United States.
Guest blog post by Mark Doms, Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs
Originally posted at http://www.commerce.gov/blog/2013/04/09/ace-tool-helps-us-businesses-fully-assess-advantages-manufacturing-and-sourcing-amer
Posted at 6:30 AM


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As you may or may not have heard, former Tampa Bay Lightning player Fredrik Modin, in his native Sweden, officially announced his retirement. Clearly, the constant injuries he has endured finally took their toll.
Modin, 36, was one of the great players for the Lightning from 1999-2006, compiling 116 goals and 229 points in 363 games, including a 32 goals in 2000-01 and 29 during the 2003-04 Stanley Cup season. He also had eight goals and 19 points in 23 playoff games on the way to Tampa Bay's Cup title.
But Modin, acquired by then-GM Rick Dudley from the Maple Leafs for defenseman Corey Cross and a seventh-round draft choice, never seemed to get the recognition he deserved from the media that covered the Lightning or the fans. Perhaps it was his quiet demeanor. Perhaps because he was overshadowed by linemates Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis and teammate Vinny Lecavalier. Whatever the reason, Modin never got his due here and could be the most underrated player the Lightning has seen.
"For us, he wasn't underrated," Lecavalier said. "He was a huge part of our team. He was a great leader and great for us."
He also seemed constantly hurt. Maybe not enough to keep him off the ice but enough so that after games he would be visibly limping or favoring an appendage. Even so, in only one season (2001-02) did Modin play fewer than76 games. His standard line when you asked him how he was feeling? "I'm good." And he'd say it with a smile like everyone was in on the joke.
"He fought through a lot of injuries," Lecavalier said. "He was a guy who always tried to play through it. It was definitely tough for him."
Modin was traded to the Blue Jackets in June 2006 for goaltender Marc Denis, and he still has a house in the Tampa Bay area.
Other stuff from the morning skate: Forward Dana Tyrell skated for the first time without the red no-contact jersey. Tyrell said he is cleared to play and will take warm-ups for Game 3 but said he did not believe he would play. But we'll see. Coach Guy Boucher said Tyrell is a game-time decision. ... Defenseman Randy Jones is averaging only 6:58 in the five playoff games he has played since returning from a high ankle sprain. And Jones didn't sugar coat that he still is feeling some discomfort. "Has it affected me? I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to notice that," he said. But Jones also is not using the injury as an excuse. "If I'm good enough to be out there, then their are no restrictions or excuses." ... Defenseman Pavel Kubina did not skate Thursday. ... Boucher reiterated what the players said on Wednesday's conference call, that goalie Dwayne Roloson was not to blame for Tuesday's 6-5 loss and he was pulled only to try and give the team a spark. "I know he wanted to stay to battle, but he also understood changing something might change the outcome of the game, and it almost worked," Boucher said. "We certainly didn't lose confidence in Roloson. We left him alone on breakaways and two-on-ones and stuff. It was just about respecting him and seeing how we could turn that game around." ... On the Bruins side, the Patrice Bergeron watch continues. Coach Claude Julien said Bergeron likely will warm up, but would not say if he would play, though it sounded as if he doesn't play in Game 3, game 4 is almost guaranteed. ... Boston is 4-1 on the road in the playoffs. ... In an interesting exchange between the coaches, Boucher first complimented Boston rookie Tyler Seguin, saying, "I think everybody seriously underestimated his speed, and that's the main thing. His speed is obviously a weapon for him and for his team. And being a young guy, having success right away, certainly takes a lot of the nervousness away. We have to be able to keep on him." While Julien enjoyed the compliment, he said he understands what it was. "Well, Tampa has been very good of complimenting our team," he said. "They do a really good job of that. Tampa has got some pretty good speed themselves, St. Louis and those kind of guys, Stamkos. They've got the same kind of players. So, my answer to that would be I think they're pretty well-served on the other side. I don't think they're worried too much about Tyler more than they want to flatter him, and we know that there are mind games that teams play, and right now we're just focusing on what we have to do here. If anything, I would be more tempted to compliment my own players such as St. Louis and those guys that are just as good as Seguin when it comes to speed."
Posted by Damian Cristodero at 2:19:36 pm on May 19, 2011

subset: commoncrawl


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That Was the Breach That Was
Sep 27, 2011 5:00 AM PT
A series of intrusions into the heart of the Linux Kernel.org servers in late August that went undetected for some 17 days is still shrouded in mystery. If Linux developers know how the breach occurred, they are not saying. They also are keeping mum on the extent of any damage the break-in caused.
The attackers apparently compromised the servers the Linux Kernel.org uses to maintain and distribute the Linux operating system. A second breach was discovered on Sept. 8 that compromised the servers for Linux Foundation infrastructure including LinuxFoundation.org, Linux.com and their subdomains.
Details about the cause and purpose of the Linux server breaches still are not available. But some security analysts suspect that the attackers grabbed Linux developers' usernames, email addresses, passwords and personal information stored with the accounts.
"This is a big deal. It is not wise to think of it otherwise. Over the last year, the bad guys have been increasingly targeting parts of the information and data foundation that can be penetrated through multiple attacks," Jeff Schmidt, CEO of JAS Global Advisors, told LinuxInsider.
More to It
Linux is a big part of the underpinnings of much of what we do on the Web. So by going after Linux.org, the attack struck at the heart of our computing processes, Schmidt agreed. But he felt the attack goes beyond that scenario.
Both Kernel.org and the related Linux Foundation.org servers were attacked separately, though it's likely the incidents are related. Both sites were still down reportedly for maintenance weeks after the attacks were discovered. The long delay in returning the multiple related Linux Web sites to service suggests that a more serious law enforcement investigation is taking place, he said.
Anybody who went through all that trouble to break into Kernel.org and modify the source code would have to expect they would soon be visited by the police, he explained.
"I do not think that the Linux source code was the intended target. I think the target was the credentials for the key kernel developers.
Reported Damage Sparse
Linux Foundation officials declined to provide direct responses about the break-ins. The official view suggested that the Linux organization was attacked by happenstance and not as an intended target.
"Unfortunately, all our resources are focused on restoring service right now. We'd be happy to answer any remaining questions after services are back up. It is important to note that this wasn't an attack on Linux. Unfortunately, servers are compromised all the time," Jennifer Cloer, director of communications and community for The Linux Foundation, told LinuxInsider.
The Linux Kernel.org staff found a Trojan on two critical servers that resulted from an intrusion no later than Aug. 12, according to an email that John Hawley, chief Kernel.org administrator, sent to users at Kernel.org.
"Files belonging to ssh (openssh, openssh-server and openssh-clients) were modified and running live. These have been uninstalled and removed, all processes were killed and known good copies were reinstalled," he wrote.
It remains unknown what vector was used to launch the attack. But the attackers had gained root access level privileges, he concluded. With root access, the attackers were able to gain entry system-wide.
Lucky Strike
"This is a big wake-up call. This breach could have been astronomically worse. If the attack had been carried out with more sophistication, the attackers could have done a lot worse damage than they did. The gut feeling is that it is more of an accidental intrusion," Joseph Steinberg, cybersecurity expert and CEO of Green Armor Solutions, told LinuxInsider.
Originally, it was a malware type of breach, according to Steinberg. Part of the danger is that now that people know the site can be breached, worse things could happen next time. That point was seconded by Lance James, director of intelligence at Vigilant, a security consultancy that provides strategic guidance across industries.
"I think a lot of these attacks are opportunistic. Once the bad guys find out that Linux.org is vulnerable, they continue to attack. Once you have an opportunity, you take advantage of that. I doubt that this was an intended targeted attack on Linux.org," James told LinuxInsider.
Expect Fallout
Steinberg likened the Kernel.org breach to a hypothetical similar attack on the Microsoft automatic update servers. Such a breach, if it happened with the Windows OS, would infect hundreds of thousands of Windows PCs worldwide.
"What happened with the Linux breach is not quite the same thing because the updates are not automatically being pushed out. But we were very lucky," he said. "But pushing out a phony kernel update could happen. We need to bolster the site's security to prevent that."
Once Pandora's Box is opened, you can never pull that modified kernel back in, warned Steinberg. The fact that the altered code is out there is a problem. The fact that it was out there for so long before being discovered is a problem. Hopefully the Linux community will be quick to fix it.
"The long-term message here is that if we are breached we can quickly put code back. The message has to be that this won't happen again," he said.
Linux Isn't broken
This was not the first and only attack to hit the Linux OS, James said. Over time, Linux servers and other Linux computers get hit.
The breach-- one or more of them -- will not scare enterprise or individual users away, asserted James. We don't see businesses and customers fleeing Microsoft software every time a breach happens to that platform, he said.
"You mitigate the problem, and then you carry on. I don't think it will affect major decisions not to use Linux or not. As an example, often people don't buy insurance until after a rock comes through the window. Typical Mac unsers don't invest in virus protection because there has been little need for it. Macbooks don't come with antivirus. The same holds true for how people view the security of Linux. You should always treat your computing environment with an eye towards better security," said James.
Linux Malware Exists
James has a good repository of Linux malware that he acquired in his role as a security expert. It is much smaller than what he has collected from attacks of Microsoft Windows. But Linux malware does exist, as do rootkits and everything else, he said.
"It is just a different agenda to attack Linux. The point of entry is different. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be using antivirus or rootkit checkers or integrity checkers, etc. In some ways you want to do that more because Linux is often being used as a server," explained James.
One theory is that Linux is safer than other OSes because it has so many different distros, so malware writers can't target them all universally. But James rejects that theory of security by obscurity. He does not see that as a fair assessment.
"Linux runs from the same Linux kernel. Distros use different windows managers, that's all. When you look at virus advisories for Linux, you see that they run across multiple Linux distros.
Early Warning
So is the latest round of attacks to the Linux heartland anything more than a bump in the road? That question has two sides to it, James believes.
"We've seen a lot of breaches this year. We are learning from them. On the other side, people become complacent that nothing is secure," he said.
As long as these breaches are manageable incidents, we do not have to view the breach as the worst thing in the world. The bigger concern is not the breach but what comes out of it. For instance, explained James, are passwords exposed?
"I think what scares most people today is the stuff that we don't know about these breeches. What worries me more is what are we not hearing about these breeches. What has been breached that we don't know about yet? There has to be a ton of them, I'm sure," he concluded.


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It's Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story [1] from a Mark's Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark's Daily Apple community please contact me here [2]. I'll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!
"You want to eat like a hunter-gatherer." These eight words marked the beginning of a new life for me. These eight words set into motion a change that would ultimately not only result in me achieving optimum health and fitness, they would greatly improve my relationships and day-to-day family life. I feel compelled to detail this journey in an effort to help others who, like me, were trapped by conventional wisdom into thinking they were making the right decisions for their health. This is for those of us who were convinced by advertising and marketing that we needed more of that essential "whole grain goodness". Food has become an ongoing story in our house. Here is mine.
When I was in my early adult years and engaged to be married, I struggled with a chronic sinusitis condition that resulted in frequent use of antibiotics. So much so that I ultimately needed sinus surgery, and was concerned about my ability to go on my honeymoon without needing or having access to an antibiotic. I saw a specialist in addition to my family physician, and was taking two different allergy medications, year round, and ultimately advancing to the need for an inhaler and a daily antacid. One of the allergy medicines caused a dry-eye condition resulting in the addition of re-wetting drops to the menu of pharmaceuticals I was not able to live without. I was also battling facial acne. I was tied to my medications and weighed down by these chronic ailments.
At one point I had my blood tested by my family physician for allergies. The test results identified an allergy to white ash trees (where are they?) and a "slight" allergy to wheat and peanuts. Wheat and peanuts? Don't people with this allergy have serious anaphylactic reactions to consuming them? I certainly had never experienced that. My family physician advised me that consuming those foods was probably contributing to my sinusitis and that it wasn't necessarily something I would sense an immediate reaction to. Ok, so in other words, no big deal to continue eating them if they are not causing me any real trouble. Or were they?
In addition to these conditions, I also believed I was suffering from hypoglycemia, commonly referred to as "low blood sugar". My mom and sister both seemed to experience similar symptoms and the idea that this was a hereditary condition made sense. For myself, I began to notice I could not go more than a few hours without food, or I would run the risk of feeling shaky and light headed, and not be able to think clearly. This feeling would be remedied by gaining access to any readily available food item – often these consisted of candy options in the checkout line at the grocery store. M&M's and the like became the saving grace.
In talking to my family physician about the instability of my blood sugar, his recommendation was to eat small, frequent meals, and to eat more protein. Well, ok, but what does eating "more protein" look like? I could never make practical sense of the recommendation. What was interesting about the blood sugar problem for me was that I never tested positive for the condition during glucose tolerance testing. How could this be? Surely I was experiencing all the symptoms, according to the internet. Both my mom and sister had the same symptoms as well.
In the final weeks of my second pregnancy, my blood sugar tested high and the recommendation from my obstetrician was to avoid carbohydrates. Hmmm. Ok, I am game and willing, motivated by my baby's health to make any changes necessary. I go to the grocery store with open eyes, reading labels and trying to make the best decisions. Should I still have Cheerios for breakfast? Plain rather than HoneyNut? I only found this more confusing and frustrating. I didn't find a single commercially available item that didn't have carbohydrates on the label.
I gained a total of 50 pounds with my second pregnancy. Admittedly, some of that is attributable to the idea that I was pregnant and that was my excuse to eat whatever I wanted. But some of it was also the paranoia I developed around drops in blood sugar. I learned to eat frequently to avoid those symptoms, but I was consumed by this problematic routine as well. It became difficult to get through a day without worrying about my blood sugar and I was fearful of becoming diabetic.
My husband and I went about our business being good parents however, I was not happy with myself both physically and emotionally, and had unsuccessfully attempted a few traditional weight loss methods. I had a number of friends who had seemed to do well on Weight Watchers and so I decided to join online. The low-fat emphasis didn't seem to work well with my blood sugar instability and I found myself consumed by the counting of points and food journaling that was suggested by the program. I became frustrated by dead ends with no results. I remained confident, however, I could not be the only person with this weight/blood sugar problem. I am a professional, a smart and educated person. I am determined I can figure this out, but why should this be so difficult?
I was about to consider Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem when the Discovery Health channel was airing their show the National Body Challenge – which I interpreted as their version of The Biggest Loser. The show had a website that offered exercise and dieting information after creating a free account. They also offered a free 7-day pass to a local gym. Interesting. I belonged to the gym many years ago and had let my membership expire. Could I start going to a gym again? I wondered if I would know what to do once in the gym to effect meaningful change. I could see others on their obligatory treadmills not loosing an inch and even gaining at times. I wondered if I would I be able to make the time for a gym between work and family and certainly knew I didn't have time to waste on treadmills and the like.
All it took was one click on the weblink on the National Body Challenge website and a representative from the gym was calling my house to schedule an appointment to visit. Once in the gym, a representative met with me to convince my why joining the gym that day, and forgoing the 7-day pass, was a better deal and reviewed the options available to me through the National Body Challenge special. While I recognize these attempts as the sales tactics they were, the representative said something to me that really connected. She asked about my outside commitments with caring for family, etc., and asked who would take care of them if I were unable to myself? If my health failed, who would care for my family? Her question made me realize that I needed to take the time to do this. I needed to get into the gym in a meaningful way and not feel guilty for taking time from my family to do it.
But part of my National Body Challenge benefits was a single session with a personal trainer. "You want to eat like a hunter-gatherer", he said when I asked if he could prescribe a diet that worked well for "low blood sugar". Like a what? Gordon was, by luck, the trainer assigned to me for an initial work out session. He took me through a challenging work out that was largely based on lifting weights. He said he could help me achieve my goal if I wanted to come back and work with him, which meant purchasing sessions through the gym. I had seen the light! I knew that this was the answer and that this could not fail.
I started dieting and training in January of 2008 after graduating from graduate school with a PhD in educational psychology. I weighed 180 lbs. and my BMI was 37%. Gordon gave me a written schedule of what foods to eat and how often to eat them. He had started me on a low-carbohydrate diet consisting of lean meats, sprouted grains, brown rice, nuts and nut butters. It was a drastic change from the processed foods I had become used to consuming. After all, I had studied behavioral psychology and was board certified in my specialization. If I couldn't change my own behavior, how effective was I going to be at helping others change theirs? This had implications for my confidence in my profession as well.
I did this on my own. I didn't know anyone else following this diet, or any low-carbohydrate diet for that matter at the time (I had friends that had also tried South Beach off and on for a while with similar short-term results to Weight Watchers). It was an initial adjustment but once getting a feel for the diet and food prep, following it became routine. During this time, my allergy symptoms seemed to improve and I decided to try not taking the medications. Following that, I also discontinued the antacid I had been taking for 10 years. While this was promising, after losing 35 pounds I seemed to plateau and had stopped losing.
Naturally I went to Gordon with my plateau problem. He then suggested a protein/fat diet and provided a similar "to do" list with food prep and eating. This diet eliminated the grains completely and focused on lean meats and healthy fats. I was motivated to achieve optimum health and dutifully followed the diet for 6 weeks. After going through additional symptoms of the "low carb flu", where your body attempts to convince you it needs carbohydrates from sugar and grains but is really an addiction withdrawal, I did then achieve my weight loss goal (and ultimately 17% BMI!).
By now I had a new addiction, my new-found strength from lifting weights and the intensity of my training sessions with Gordon, and at the end of the 6 weeks was faced with what to do with my diet. Go back to the low-carb version? Re-introduce the grains? Seemed reasonable at the time. Renew the sessions and continue training? I was in love with the results I had achieved (a side benefit was winning a "biggest loser" contest we had a work) but I wasn't sure I could replicate the intensity on my own. I was willing to give up a house cleaning service in exchange for renewed training sessions. I was also continuing to do great medication free.
The following year we started receiving Men's Journal magazine (a magazine dedicated to men's health and fitness), which I suspected was the result of an unsolicited promotion. I was flipping through the magazine when I came across an advertisement for something claiming to be a "diet for athletes". I could possibly be considered an athlete at this point, couldn't I? Certainly based on the intensity of my training sessions it was worth a look.
The diet was Loren Cordain's Paleo Diet for Athletes [3]. The article was brief, but intrigued, I quickly did a Google search to learn more. The information on the website outlined the philosophy of eating foods humans were genetically determined to eat, which meant the elimination of grains. Holy cow! I was practically here – already doing this to a large extent.
I continued reading as much as possible, first finding the site Mark's Daily Apple and purchasing Mark's book (The Primal Blueprint [4]) and cookbook [5]. I found his site and books to be easy to read and follow, and the cookbook a necessity for knowing which foods to eat and for recipe ideas. At this time, my husband Scott (who was in the vitamin business before becoming an elementary school teacher and who had read Life Extension) became dissatisfied with his own physical health and decided to also join the gym. Yeah! In the beginning he attempted to go "low-carb" but was still eating granola, oats, sugar-laden yogurt, and a few other processed foods. As a result, he wasn't losing the weight he had hoped. My only feedback to him was, "You are still eating grains and dairy". It was at that point that he got on board and committed to a grain-less and limited dairy existence. He is down 25 lbs. and has developed an amazing physique at age 48 (could he be looking better than I do?). On the same page, we can now focus on encouraging our children to limit their grains and sugar and make healthier food choices.
I remain working with Gordon (now in private business!), and read the daily Primal and paleo blogs to continue learning as much as I can about food and other potential environmental contributors to health problems. I have watched family and friends die from cancer. I know people with diabetes and heart disease. I look around in public and see most people carrying too much weight around their mid section. As a society, we aren't informed about the foods we eat. We don't understand about the role of fats in human health, the right fats to consume, the inflammatory effects of processed grains, etc. We eat blindly, wanting momentary pleasures, without concern for what our bodies biologically want or need.
Many of my friends think I deprive myself because I don't eat sweets or because I eat healthy all the time. It is hard to imagine all the wonderful food I have "found" since waking up to what nature has to offer. Healthy fats, spices, vegetables, grass-fed and organic meats, and wild seafood are incredibly satisfying. I no longer have allergies, acid reflux, or low blood sugar. I've learned to cook real food (rarely eat out) and willingly and routinely answer questions via text, email, and Facebook from friends and family who are trying to make healthier choices. If I can impact one decision, it is worth the effort. I don't miss any parts of the old diet or lifestyle and certainly have no regrets, only thankfulness for the resources, opportunity, and knowledge bestowed upon me.


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Learning to Work Smarter
by Fred D. BaldwinPhoto Gallery
Shakespeare's Hamlet reflects on coping with an ominous future like this:
". . . if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all."
Educators and local leaders in Allegany County, New York, might have had similar thoughts a few years ago, but they showed none of Hamlet's indecisiveness. They were living in an area where no one had hired skilled workers for nearly two decades. It was easy enough to see trouble—in the form of a skilled labor shortage—coming, but it took foresight, and even courage, to develop programs for preventing it. That, however, is what they did, and those programs are beginning to score points with both students and employers.
Allegany County and its neighbors, the other "Southern Tier" counties of New York State, have a strong industrial tradition. Many of the firms in the area rode out the recession that began in the early 1980s, but it was tough going. Some companies laid off skilled workers; those that didn't were unable to hire new ones. All of them scrambled to remain competitive by investing in sophisticated new machinery. The result: an almost-20-year period during which no entry-level workers were hired, followed by a period when the skill levels needed for industrial jobs rose.
"It used to be," says Jerry Garmong, director of the Allegany County Employment and Training Center, "that industry could hire mechanically inclined people who'd worked on a farm. In a couple of months they could become productive machinists. Now the job requirements are more sophisticated."
By the mid 1990s, Garmong and other local planners realized that nearly half of the area's machinists were over 50 years old and could be expected to retire within a few years. And it seemed unlikely that they could be replaced with local hires.
That realization suggested two scenarios—one bad, the other worse. The first was that area manufacturing firms, when they began replacing skilled workers, would have to go outside the area to find them. The still-worse prospect was that those firms would not be able to find skilled workers at all. The specter of plant closings because of skilled labor shortages in an area of relatively high unemployment was frightening.
Starting in 1997, the Allegany County leadership responded to this challenge with a business-education-government partnership that developed a training program in high-skill manufacturing work. The program, which has received three Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants at the recommendation of the New York State Department of State, includes welding, machining, and computer-related technologies; its goal is to preserve the county's existing manufacturing base and promote the area's future growth.
Educational leadership for the coalition came from the Alfred State College of Technology, a part of the State University of New York system. Alfred State is a comprehensive college of technology with over 70 program offerings, from certification to bachelor's-degree programs. It has two campuses: the main campus in Alfred and the School of Vocational Technology campus in Wellsville.
A number of manufacturing firms have plants located in Allegany County or nearby areas. For example, Steuben County (just east of Allegany County) is known for glass manufacturing and for railroad shops. Cattaraugus County (west of Allegany) is home to Cutco Cutlery Corporation. In Allegany County itself, Alstom Power Air Preheater makes heat exchangers for coal-fired power plants. Dresser-Rand has plants in all three counties, including a 750-employee operation in Allegany County that makes turbines for power plants and government naval applications.
In Allegany County, Dresser-Rand provided strong private-sector leadership to the coalition. A number of other industrial partners participated actively, including large firms like the Gleason Corporation, Lincoln Electric, Hardinge, Alstom Power Air Preheater, and Kodak; and smaller companies like Rotating Machinery Technology.
With the help of grants from ARC and advice from its industrial partners, Alfred State created the Applied Technology Training Center, associated with the vocational technology campus in Wellsville. The center's initial offerings included both certification and associate's-degree programs in welding and machine-tool technology, including a focus on CNC skills. (CNC stands for "computer numerical control," meaning that the machinists control mills and lathes through programming, rather than by hand.) Students can be tested at the campus for certification by the American Welding Society and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.
World-Class Facilities
The single largest initial contribution came from Dresser-Rand, which leased to Alfred State, for a dollar a year, laboratories configured as what Craig Clark, Alfred's dean of vocational technology, calls "world-class, full-production facilities" for machining and welding. These are fully equipped shop floors with the capacity to handle major projects, not just a collection of machines where students can turn out practice work. Clark notes that it's rare for vocational technology students to be able to work on all facets of a manufacturing project just as they would in industry. Alfred students perform "live" work, meaning work for area companies that provide expensive raw materials and pay for the labor involved.
"They [Dresser-Rand] have basically given us 12,000 square feet of a building," explains Steve Martinelli, chair of Alfred's computerized design and manufacturing department, where the machine-tool and welding programs reside. "They rewired the place and maintain the building for us. When we received a 6,000-pound machine, they were there to move it for us—and they wired it up. The week before that they moved and wired a 12,000-pound machine. When we ask, they do. It's great."
Further evidence of industry support for the Alfred State program came just this April when the Gleason Foundation, based in Rochester, awarded the program a grant of $1 million, payable over a five-year period, for upgrading equipment in the machine-tool program.
To understand why high-tech skills training is needed, visit Dresser-Rand's Wellsville operations. You'll see monster machines shaping blocks of steel into components whose flowing curves suggest abstract sculpture. Dale W. Beebee, vice president and general manager, explains that something like 30 percent of these machines are computer-controlled.
"We need to encourage our kids to stay in school and get some kind of skills set," Beebee says.
Executives from other area industries make similar comments.
"The days of the biggest, strongest job candidate doing a lot of manual labor are over," agrees David J. Koebelin, labor relations manager for the Alcas Corporation, parent company of Cutco. "We're shifting to people operating CNC and robotics that need a lot of programming."
The graduates of the Alfred State program will be able to do that and more. The first year of the machine-tool curriculum includes 90 hours of math, 90 hours of blueprint reading, and 720 hours of labs and hands-on training; the second year includes another 900 hours, primarily on CNC machines. Work is required to attain tolerances of 0.001 parts to the inch. Moreover, the experience of turning out "live" work for a specific customer is both more demanding and more satisfying than making only practice products that are scrapped after class.
As of this spring, the machine-tool and welding programs have produced over 40 graduates each, and there's nearly a full quota for next September's incoming freshman class.
Computer Technology Certifications
A third training program, this one involving computer technology, will be fully operational by the fall of 2001. This curriculum materialized because Alfred State's industry advisors said they wanted more vendor-specific certifications as proof that graduates would be proficient in software, network development, and technology service skills. During the fall of 2000, again with assistance from ARC, Alfred State purchased many of the tools and materials for the program. A number of instructors and students have completed certifications already, and about 130 students are enrolled in program coursework this spring.
"We had a lot of courses in place in computer programming and networking," Clark says, "but we'd never really moved into certification. This grant enables us to certify students in [applications and products] from Novell, Microsoft, and Cisco, and to provide CompTIA certification tests. We've become a testing center, so that our students can take all these certifications on either campus."
The two programs now fully operational already have what one instructor calls a "300-percent placement rate," meaning an average of three job offers per graduate. Typical starting salaries range from $12 to $15 per hour, plus benefits.
Richard Depue, professor of welding technology, says students' attitudes about jobs change 180 degrees between entrance and graduation. The first year, they're excited by reports, accurate enough, of high salaries in New York City, Florida, and California. By the end of the second year? "It's rare," Depue says, "that I have a student who wants to leave the area."
So far, not enough jobs have opened up in Allegany County and its adjoining Appalachian neighbors for all the program's graduates. Most graduates not placed locally have taken jobs as close to home as possible, mainly in Buffalo or Rochester, both approximately two hours away from Wellsville. Clark and his colleagues are busy letting small local firms know that skilled workers are becoming available, and the larger firms in the area anticipate hiring more Alfred graduates as their current workers retire.
"The people coming out of this program are wonderful candidates," Alcas's Koebelin says. "The president of our manufacturing division has told us that, even if we're not in a hiring mode, he wants us to meet these students. I know of no higher compliment we could pay the school and this program."
In addition to working with local employers, Clark and his staff are also meeting often with area public schools, parents, and young people to explain what skills training can mean for their own and the area's future. Prospective students and their parents often do not realize that welding and machining jobs are cleaner and safer than they were a generation or so ago. Even more important, students need to see these jobs as offering both high starting salaries and lifetime careers.
"Our students take courses in supervision, design, and inspection," Depue says. "Employers don't hire them to put on a helmet and weld all day. They hire them for the diverse backgrounds they have."
John Walchli, an Allegany County legislator who was a board member of the Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board at the time the Alfred State program was being planned, believes that the creation of the skills training programs has already helped the county retain existing industry. He also thinks that changing young people's image of skilled trades will help many people change the mindset that they live in an area in decline.
"We've done an excellent job of moving people off public assistance into their first jobs," Walchli says. "Now we're taking the next steps."
Beebee, speaking from the Dresser-Rand perspective, makes it clear that he and his counterparts at other area firms are deeply committed to their communities. "I really do believe," he says, "that making a community a viable place to live is a three-legged stool—government, education, and industry working together."
Fred D. Baldwin is a freelance writer based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.


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Winter 2016 A1 Division
If you are looking for a team send an email to email@example.com and you will be put in touch with captains who are looking for players.
Divisional Singles Championship
This year, we are introducing divisional singles championships. Each season, after the playoffs are over, this division's top ranked players will compete for the title of A1 singles champion. At the end of the year, all of the divisional champions will be invited to play in the Coopers Cup Yearly Singles Championship. For the TL;DR click here.
Click here for the player rankings spreadsheet.
Team Rankings
Captains and Pubs
Participating Pubs
Pub List


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SPRINGFIELD, Ill., July 1, 2019 -- Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE:HMN) announced today that it has closed the acquisition of supplemental insurance provider National Teachers Associates Life Insurance Company (NTA).
As a part of Horace Mann, NTA will continue to provide supplemental insurance products to the education market, building on nearly 50 years of experience in the sector. NTA specializes in developing, marketing and underwriting supplemental insurance products, including cancer and heart. The combined company will have an enhanced product set, additional points of distribution and expanded scale.
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A recital is an important public event. A student who gives a recital represents not only himself or herself but also Wagner College. For this reason the Music Department sponsors recitals only by students who it determines are ready and able to present public performances and have demonstrated sufficient responsibility by meeting all requirements and deadlines outlined in this document.
Recital requirements
Music majors at Wagner were formerly required to perform recitals in their junior and senior years. This is no longer the case for students declaring their Music major in 2002 or thereafter. Other students have the option of following either the older or the newer set of requirements.
Although the recital is no longer required, fourth-year Music majors carry out a Senior Project as part of the Senior Learning Community (LC). Many students choose to perform a recital in partial fulfillment of this requirement. Students contemplating this option must fulfill all of the requirements outlined in this document, as well as additional course requirements as determined by the instructor of the Senior Reflective Tutorial (MU 400). This course is normally taken in the spring semester of the senior year.
Recitals are not graded as such. However, at least two faculty members must attend and evaluate each recital, using a Recital Evaluation Form that can be obtained from the department office. An approved recital substitutes for a jury hearing in any semester in which a student is required to perform the latter.
Eligibility for presenting recitals
Any Wagner College student may perform a recital, provided that he or she has:
- passed a Music Department jury hearing during the previous semester
- completed an Event Request Form and submitted it to the department office by the deadline indicated on the form
- submitted an approved recital program no less than four weeks prior to the approved recital date
- arranged for at least two faculty members to attend the recital.
Students may collaborate in the performance of recitals, including those performed as Senior Projects, provided that each student has individually met requirements 1, 2, and 4 above.
Recital mechanics
Once scheduled, a recital cannot be cancelled or rescheduled except because of serious illness or other emergency. A recital can be rescheduled only after the student submits a new Event Request Form. A student who fails to perform a scheduled recital without an acceptable explanation will not be permitted to schedule any other recital in the Music Department.
Before a recital application is submitted it must be signed by a faculty member. In the case of a senior recital that is to be performed as part of the Senior LC, the application must be signed by the instructor of the Senior Reflective Tutorial. Otherwise it should be signed by the student's studio teacher or, if none, the academic adviser. At least two faculty members must attend the recital and complete a Recital Evaluation Form . The student is responsible for notifying faculty of his or her recital date, supplying them with copies of the form, and assuring that the form is submitted to the Music Department office.
Most recitals take place in the Music Performance Center in Campus Hall. The student is responsible for appointing a stage manager who will assist in presenting the recital. The following tasks are normally carried out by the stage manager, although they are ultimately the responsibility of the student giving the recital:
- assuring ahead of time that the recital hall will be open and accessible for the performance
- delivery of printed programs to the recital hall
- setup of stage, chairs, etc., in the hall prior to the performance
- control of lighting before and during the performance
- closing door(s) at the time the performance begins and admitting latecomers only during appropriate breaks in the program
- assuring that food and drink are not consumed during the performance or intermission(s)
- returning the hall to its previous setup and condition after the performance
It is essential that the hall be clean and neat after each recital. If there is a reception, food and drink must remain inaccessible until after the conclusion of the recital, and all waste must be disposed of. Any cleaning or repair costs arising from a recital will be charged to the student.
Recital programs
At least four weeks before the scheduled recital date, each student is responsible for submitting a program in the required format to the Music Department office. Students should prepare programs electronically, following as closely as possible the formats shown in the sample program. The program must be approved by the department chair before the department will print or distribute flyers and programs. Seniors performing recitals in conjunction with an RFT should be aware that the instructor of the RFT may impose additional requirements, such as inclusion of program notes.
The checklist below lists information that you need to provide when submitting a recital program. A sample program can be obtained from the Music Department office. Your actual program should follow the sample program in all respects, with careful attention paid to the use of boldface, italics, centering, and other special formats for certain parts of the program. Needless to say, correct spelling and grammar are also essential, as is the use of accents and diacriticals in foreign-language names and texts. Incomplete or incorrect programs will be returned for correction by you.
Information to provide:
- Names of principal performers, identified by instrument or voice (do not refer to anyone as "accompanist")
- When and where the performance takes place
- Name of principal teacher (optional)
- For each composition:
- full title of the complete work, including any opus number or other identifying notation
- list of specific movements performed (give tempo marks for instrumental movements; text incipits for arias and other vocal numbers)
- full name of composer, with dates
- name of arranger, if any
- names of additional performers not listed at the top of the program
- Texts (original language--required for vocal works; include the names and dates of librettists)
- Translations (in English--required for vocal works; set in "parallel" column to right of original language)
- Program notes (optional; see guidelines in sample program)
- Performer biographies (optional; see guidelines in sample program)
- Acknowledgments (optional; see guidelines in sample program)
Required information about composers, titles, and texts can often be found by examining the printed score or by consulting The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2d edition (in the library, REFERENCE ML100 .N48 2001). The Music Department office has an older edition of this work. Look up the name of the composer, then search for your selection in the list of works that comes at the end of most composer entries. Many song texts and translations can be found in Philip Miller, The Ring of Words (ML54.6 M5 R5 1963). You can also consult CD liner notes for translations of texts and plot summaries.


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Sorry, another link to an external site. I will get some good hints and tips back on here soon, I promise.
In the meantime, here's a summary of bash keyboard shortcuts, for those of us who use Bash, be it under Linux or any other OS.
It seems interesting to me, that a few years ago, only Linux users used Bash (because it was the default, being a GNU shell), whilst now, most UNIX users I know, use Bash (because it's so flexible, particularly for interactive use), whilst Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distro, uses dash as /bin/sh. Dash is Posix compliant, but omits a few features that Bash enjoys. Debian notes that "'bash' is a better shell for most users, since it has some nice features absent from 'dash', and is a required part of the system."


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iMainGo XP iPad speaker case is good for watching video
Today's Best Tech Deals
Picked by TechHive's Editors
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Portable Sound Laboratories iMainGo XP
Though it protects your iPad, don't confuse Portable Sound Laboratories' $120 iMainGo XP with a traditional iPad case—it protects your iPad when closed, and forms a stand with speakers when open. But thanks to that built-in speaker system, the XP adds two pounds to your tablet, more than doubling its total weight, and your XP-encased iPad bulks up to 10.2 inches tall, 7.6 inches wide, and 1.5 inches thick (when closed). The XP sports a black finish that shows fingerprints a bit too well.
To open the case, you slide two switches, one on each side, unlocking the speakers so that you can fold them out. The original iPad fits in the iMainGo XP without any adapters; the iPad 2 requires a special tray (included). The tray snaps on and off simply enough, though it adds bulk to the iPad 2 so that its dimensions are more akin to the original iPad.
To get your iPad's audio to play through the XP, you connect the XP's audio cable to your iPad's headphone jack. This procedure is a bit of a challenge, as the cord isn't really long enough to plug into your iPad before you put your iPad in the case, and it's a tight squeeze with the case on.
When the case is closed, it leaves your iPad's volume buttons and side switch accessible—though, of course, you can't see your device's screen with the iMainGo XP closed. On the top-right edge of the left-speaker section sit three nearly-identical looking ports: One is for the included AC adapter, and the other two are dual headphone jacks. Placing the three so close together makes it difficult to figure out where to plug in your headphones or the adapter. It would also be nice if the headphone jacks were spread out—if two people happen to be listening via headphones at the same time, chances are they won't be sitting on top of each other. Next to these three connectors is an LED that indicates power or charging status, as well as a power switch.
The iMainGo also ships with a tiny stand. The case's trifold design means that it can stand on a tabletop without further assistance, but this slim stand allows you to angle the iPad back a bit for a better viewing position.
The company says it should take between eight and ten hours to charge the speakers fully, and a full charge should net you eight hours of playback. I didn't test these claims.
Since the iMainGo XP relies on your iPad's headphone jack, rather than its dock-connector port, for audio, the case sports no volume controls—any volume adjustments are performed using the iPad's own volume buttons. With the volume cranked up all the way, your iPad can sound impressively loud with the iMainGo XP—much louder than the tablet can manage with its tiny, built-in speaker. For music playback, though, the iMainGo XP doesn't impress. It's audio quality reminded me of SMK-Link's PadDock 10, which is similarly tinny and compressed, with little bass presence.
The iMainGo XP fares better as a speaker for movie watching. When watching The Larry Sanders Show on the Netflix app, I could much better appreciate Hank "Hey Now" Kingsley's basso profundo. Portable Sound Laboratories suggests the case is also good for gaming, but that will depend on the kinds of games you play. Game audio certainly sounds better through the XP than through the iPad's own speaker, but with the XP's speakers extended, you can't hold your iPad comfortably. Instead, you rotate the speakers all the way around, against the back of the case. This lets you grip the (bulky) system more like you'd hold a bare iPad. The speakers then project away from you, but the audio quality is still an improvement over the iPad alone.
Macworld's buying advice
The iMainGo XP is a clever concept, but it's much bulkier than I'd like my case to be, and it's not acoustically satisfying enough to use as a go-to speaker system. For movie and video watching, however, it's actually a decent option—I found it useful as a modern-day replacement for a portable DVD-playing system.
This story, "iMainGo XP iPad speaker case is good for watching video" was originally published by Macworld.
Portable Sound Laboratories iMainGo XP


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After their tour around Europe, The Heavy crossed the pond from their native lands of England and came back to California to put our aching blues-soul addictions at ease since their last appearance at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. Now, they are here in what they said was their "Favorite city to play in" of course…Los Angeles. With the bands unbelievably casual and humble attitudes they took the reins to start the evening in the best way possible, with their music!
As The Heavy walk onto the stage and prepare to unleash their crowd pleasing hits like Short Change Hero, Sixteen, What Makes A Good Man, Big Bad Wolf and none other than How You Like Me Now? it took only a matter of minutes before they had their loyal fans singing along to these hits as the intoxicating aroma of whiskey filled the jam-packed Fonda. Of course, the smell coming from the spilled drinks the audience dropped once they caught sight of the band, but who wouldn't blame them, right?
The English heartthrobs began their set at The Fonda Theatre after playing an exclusive acoustic concert for 10 lucky aficionados at Amoeba. Although their break before playing the Fonda wasn't long at all, this show was one for the books. And if you missed it because you couldn't call off work, well you might be lucky enough to see them! That is of course if you don't mind traveling throughout the U.S. or possibly even England.
The bands excitement was felt down to the very last near passed-out person that night. Lead singer Kevin Swaby's vocals were as great live or even better then hearing them through your earphones. What many really enjoyed, as many Angelinos joined together for this epic night, was the genuine experience everyone felt as they heard the choirs voices backing Dan Taylor's guitar to the blasting saxophones and Chris Ellul's beating drums.
By all means this was a performance you should have witnessed after the bands high rise to recognition for providing exceptional music is being constantly recognized and used in various films, TV shows and that one KIA commercial everyone subconsciously sings along too. There is no doubt about it that The Heavy know how to get the party started and as all good things must come to an end, they also know how to close in the utmost remarkable way, leaving you feeling heavily grateful for having been there!
Visit the offical website for The Heavy for information on upcoming events.


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adjective; satisfied, contented, happy, pleased.
Due to a family emergency we will not be able to process your orders from our site for the foreseeable future. We sincerely apologise for this inconvenience.
New item
Refreshing white tea and mandarin will brighten your home with this delicious light fragrance opening with notes of lemon and green mandarin, with a lily and peach heart, and a woody musky base. Contains essential oils of lemon, mandarin, coriande, clary sage and spearmint. Simply put the rattan sticks into the oil bottle and wait for the fragrance to emerge. Diffusion time: Three to four months 195ml
Made in Wales
Vineyard Candles are created using luxury natural wax blended with
the finest fragrances from ar...
Fill your home with the gorgeous fragrances of Jasmine and Ylang Ylang. Our Fragrance Diffuser con...
All website content & copy: Bodlon 2012. Copying any part of the site or its content is strictly prohibited.
Contact us Bodlon Shop & Coffee Shop, 12 Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 7BQ Email: email@example.com | Telephone: 02920 650 564 | 07825 444 233


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Sunny Murray Still Misses That Girl
Early last week at Yoshi's Go Left Fest, drummer Sunny Murray—easily one of the most important stickmen in 1960s avant-garde jazz—came out on stage, sat down at his kit, and started calling out for a woman he once dated in San Francisco 40 years ago. No one answered.
"You're just hiding because you got remarried," he proposed, directing his next comments to the imaginary husband of the absent woman. "I was going to kill her first husband, you know. Sun Ra gave me a .38. I love guns, I'll shoot your ass, boy."
With this, he laughed. "I'm not gonna kill you," Murray added. "I'll just shoot your kneecaps off."
Murray, who established his career by drumming on famous sessions alongside Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Alan Silva, Archie Shepp and a host of other breakneck pioneers, then picked up his sticks. He is 73, and his drumming has slowed but not entirely abandoned propulsion. His trio, Positive Knowledge, played one steady stream of music for over a half hour, combining reeds, gongs, poetry and noise. For an avant-garde festival, it felt strangely behaved.
At the end, Murray was still thinking about that beautiful woman from 40 years ago who got away. He approached the microphone. "She was half Filipino, from San Francisco," he told the crowd. "My wife took one look at her and said 'Why'd you leave her for me?!'"
"I told her, 'Because I love you, motherfucker!'"
Then he walked off the stage.
Tags: 2009, Go Left Fest, June, Live Review, Positive Knowledge, Review, San Francisco, Sun Ra, Sunny Murray, Yoshi's


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Morales makes second Twins start, first vs. southpaw
TORONTO -- Kendrys Morales was back in the lineup Tuesday for a second straight day after making his season debut with the Twins on Monday.
Morales, who officially signed with the Twins on Sunday, started at designated hitter and batted fifth against Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ -- hitting from the right side for the first time this year in Minnesota's 4-0 win. He went 1-for-3 with a walk in his debut on Monday and 2-for-5 with a run scored on Tuesday.
Morales indicated he wants to be an everyday player moving forward, and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he'll continually check with Morales to see how he's feeling given his long layoff.
"He was out early for extra BP, and like he said yesterday, he's tired of sitting after not playing for four months," Gardenhire said. "He wants to play. I think you saw he can still turn on a fastball like he did last night. So we're going to just keep running him out there. I'll kinda let him dictate that and check on him every day to see how his legs and body are doing."


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What happens when you give three up-and-coming London bloggers disposable cameras to capture the launch of a historic, new vintage market right in the heart of Spitalfields?
The answer: The flash doesn't work [x 3] All together now everyone...a big fat 'D'oh!'
Nevertheless, what we were left with gave a seeming two-fingers to Alanis Morisette and that whole 'irony' thing she so famously crooned about; dimly lit, the resulting snaps are rather spectral and Dickensian [imagine Oliver goes to market and you're pretty much there] and as anyone with a TV license will tell you, Dickens + ghosts = so hot right now.
Spooky [well, not really, although that last shot of the uninhabited kids pump does make me want to lock my doors..] but beautiful nonetheless. Thanks to Becky [blah blach becky] Laura [the magpie musings] and Mel [tatty little boots] for their help!
Because it wouldn't be Christmas without a shameless plug, for any of you who missed out on Spitalfields, we're back the first Saturday of EVERY month [kicking off again with our huge January sale on Jan 7th - click here for details]
Dimlitted not dimwitted,


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This is one sizzling January.
"Mad Men" vixen January Jones, who dons barely-there duds for a sexy photo shoot, said ex-beau Ashton Kutcher tried to get her to drop her acting career.
"[He] was not supportive of my acting," the actress told GQ. "He was like, 'I don't think you're going to be good at this.' So, f--- you! He only has nice things to say now -- if anything, I should thank him.
U.S. & World
"Because the minute you tell me I can't do something, that's when I'm most motivated."
Point taken. The smoldering starlet with piercing blue eyes sizzles in blood red lipstick and a tinsy black leather jacket in a sultry cover shoot for GQ.
The 31-year-old actress ditched the squeaky clean housewife image projected by her character Mrs. Draper and dished on what led the model-turned-actress to begin getting in front of the camera in the first place.
"Showing all those b------ in high school who said I wasn't pretty enough," she confessed.
The starlet said she used to hang with the hippie crowd in high school and listened to the Dead, Zeppelin and Phish.


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Job Summary This position conducts heavy cleaning and floor care work such as carpet cleaning, stripping/refinishing hard floor surfaces, and special projects. Operates and maintains power cleaning equipment and responds to assigned service requests such as project cleaning, equipment removal, trash or linen removal. Sets an example of excellent customer service while maintaining a safe and clean environment and identifying safety issues related to housekeeping.
Essential Functions
Minimum Qualifications Requires the skills, knowledge and abilities normally acquired over one to two years of diversified environmental service work experience in a health care or institutional setting. Must have a working knowledge of how to operate typical industrial cleaning equipment and the use of cleaning techniques appropriate to the healthcare environment. Must have basic math skills. Must be able to communicate effectively orally and in writing to provide instructions and information to others. Must be able to interpret and respond appropriately to verbal and written instructions. Must accomplish assigned work despite frequent interruptions and changing priorities, and have the ability to multi-task in coordinating several projects simultaneously. Must serve as a role model to others in customer service skills, safe work practices, and infection control including hand hygiene.Employees working at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital or the Whole Health Clinic must possess an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card at the time of hire and maintain the card for the duration of their employment. For incumbents assigned to the Crisis Response Center (CRC), additional requirements apply: Must be able to learn food handling regulations and pass certification tests as required. Must obtain fingerprint card as defined in Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) 36-425.03 and state licensing rule R9-10-1011(A)(4). Preferred Qualifications Basic computer skills are helpful. Previous related experience and familiarity with environmental services equipment and cleaning techniques is preferred. Additional related education and/or experience preferred.
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29 September 2011 - Lucca - Italy
Tagetik Launches its New Tagetik 4.0 Software Platform at 2011 Global Conference
Over 500 participants worldwide will learn about the company's accomplishments and future developments at this two-day, annual event
Tagetik, a global provider of enterprise software solutions for Performance Management, Governance, Risk & Compliance and Business Intelligence, today opened "Tagetik in Touch", its fifth global conference at the historical Real Collegio in Lucca, Italy. The company welcomed over 500 customers, analysts, partners and industry experts to celebrate its latest accomplishments in delivering flexible, effective solutions for the Office of Finance. One highlight of the two-day event is the official launch of Tagetik 4.0, the latest release of its renowned software platform.
During the first-day general sessions, Manuel Vellutini, Chief Operating Officer, and Marco Pierallini, Chief Development Officer, gave a keynote speech reviewing key milestones for Tagetik in the past year as well as an outlook of the road ahead. The company's executives emphasized Tagetik's specialist vendor approach and ongoing focus on product innovation, customer satisfaction and partner collaboration.
- Vision Keynote – Tagetik: Global Reach, Worldwide Partners and Customers, Excellence in Innovation, Head to Head with Mega-Vendors
- Solution Value Keynote – Tagetik 4.0: Product Roadmap & New Functionality
"Our company has made a rapid, successful ascent into the Performance Management and Business Intelligence software markets in the past years," explains Vellutini. "Our undying determination and specialist vendor approach are the reasons why we have been winning against major global competitors. Tagetik is positioned among the top five worldwide vendors in the Magic Quadrant for Corporate Performance Management solutions. As market studies show, we have strengthened our position year after year through our proven track record for innovation and execution, high customer satisfaction rates and our complete focus on financial process excellence."
"Tagetik is both global and 'boutique' because we deliver our undivided attention to performance software – and not many different types of solutions like most other players on the market," adds Vellutini. "Our vast expertise in finance and performance management flows back into our technology to provide a unified, collaborative platform that simplifies and streamlines business processes throughout the Office of Finance. We believe we do it better than anyone else and we are pleased that Microsoft has awarded our efforts by naming Tagetik its 2011 Microsoft ISV/Software Line of Business Partner of the Year."
"In addition to exploring the brand-new functionality in Tagetik 4.0, attendees will learn about our upcoming developments," explains Marco Pierallini. "Tagetik has exciting new and upcoming features in the areas of mobile BI, in-memory technology and cloud computing." The session 'The Future of BI in Tagetik 4.0: Mobile BI with Roambi and SQL Server Denali' will include an introduction and demo of these new technologies and provide the roadmap for their integration within Tagetik 4.0. "Throughout the conference, we will also present case studies of customers who share Tagetik's vision for 'Collaborative' Performance Management which makes Business Intelligence and Performance Management processes as collaborative as possible," he continues.
Pierluigi Pierallini, President and CEO at Tagetik adds, "We have revamped the traditional format of our annual conference to promote even more dialog among our participants and truly 'get in touch' with peers, colleagues and experts around the globe." On both days of the conference, users can participate in five breakout sessions on a variety of topics including:
- Budgeting, planning and forecasting
- Disclosure management, consolidation and reporting
- Business intelligence and profitability analysis
- C-Level challenges
- Financial services (industry challenges and solutions)
Tagetik customers will share project experiences and best practices in informative case studies hosted by Keller Group, Platinum Administrative Services, KAR Auction Services, Talanx AG, Vinson & Elkins, Crif, ISAB, Dyckerhoff AG, Bolton Group, Oetker Group, Propex and Lombardini Group. Users can also preview the latest Tagetik 4.0 features in demo presentations and 1-hour, hands-on workshops with Tagetik product experts. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to liaise with conference partners and sponsors including Accenture, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Microsoft, Roambi, Excent, Twinergy, Aeonvis, Age Consulting, Altea, Blue Sof Consulting, Reply, ANDAF, Data Manager, Executive.it and ZeroUno.
Other highlights of the event include presentations from Gartner analysts as well as industry experts from Microsoft:
- 'Using Disclosure Management Solutions to Automate The Last Mile of Finance' by John Van Decker – VP Research, Gartner
- 'The New Era of BI: as Microsoft is Innovating through Self-Service BI' by Luca Venturelli – Business Group Lead Server, Tools & Cloud, Microsoft Italy
- 'The Evolving Importance of CPM in a BI, Analytics and PM Strategy' by John Van Decker – VP Research, Gartner
- 'How Can CPM Help Organizations Better Understand the Drivers of Cost and Profitability?' by Neil Chandler – Research Director, Gartner
- 'Optimize Your Business for the Digital Data Explosion Era Using Microsoft Technologies' by Persio Afonso – Partner Marketing Director, SQL Server Product Group, Microsoft Corporation
Day 2 will end with a panel discussion on "BI and Performance Management at the Core of Finance" hosted by Neil Chandler, Research Director at Gartner. Rounding out the panel are Bani Brandolini, President International at Tagetik; Achim Heidebrecht, Head of Group IT at Talanx AG; and Mike Willis, Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers, Global XBRL Leader and Chairman Emeritus XBRL International.
Prior to the conference, Tagetik partners and system integrators worldwide attended an exclusive partner summit bringing together leading consulting, software and technology professionals throughout the industry. In addition to Tagetik executives and senior consultants, speakers included prominent experts from Microsoft Corporation: Persio Afonso, Partner Marketing Director, SQL Server Product Group; Chris Dial, Director, ISV Partner Development, Western Europe; and Sanjay Jacob, Senior Manager. The agenda focused on the competitive landscape positioning Tagetik and Microsoft against mega-vendors as well as an array of Tagetik developments and partner experiences in new application areas such as Collaborative Disclosure Management (CDM). Strategic and Premiere Partners also met one-on-one with Tagetik management to discuss joint go-to-market opportunities and plans for the upcoming year. The 2011 conference presentations and videos will be published on the Tagetik Web site by mid-November.
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Chicken Dinners: Tomatillo Chicken Quesadillas
Get the Recipe
For over a month, I've had a big bag of fresh tomatillos that I froze from from my Mexican shopping excursion in the States in February, and I could not wait another minute to cook with them. Tomatillos, a common ingredient in Mexican cooking, taste fresh and tangy—perfect to go with the limes and cilantro that were hanging out in my fridge. Looking through recipes with tomatillos, I spotted a terrific looking fresh tomatillo salsa from Martha Stewart. I could have just settled for salsa with chips, but I really needed something for dinner. Quesadillas! Not just bar snack food, they can make for a quick, fun, and super easy dinner as well. The best thing about them (other than being fast) is the versatility. You can pretty much toss in whatever you've got on hand. This version has the tomatillo salsa, shreds of cilantro-simmered chicken, and Monterey Jack cheese. (As much as I wanted Mexican queso, I assumed it would be too crumbly to hold the quesadillas together).
While I knew that I'd be starting from scratch and cooking my own chicken, if you've got cooked chicken around, go for it. The meal will get on the table that much quicker. For the salsa, I tweaked Martha's recipe a little bit according to what I had on hand and it was still delicious. I mean, how can you really go wrong with cilantro, limes, and jalapenos? The salsa chops up in seconds with a food processor. My salsa was more watery than I expected, due to the thawed tomatillos, so I set it over a strainer. (This step may not be necessary if starting with the fresh fruit). The quesadillas take about 4 minutes each in a hot pan, cooked just long enough to melt the cheese and crisp up the tortillas. Sprinkled with hot bottled green sauce, these quesadillas gave me my much needed Mexican fix.
About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore working on her new baking cookbook, and as a recipe developer for HungryGoWhere Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.


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Automakers are clearly shifting gears when it comes to SUVs. Steering away from off-road designs, the updated sport-utility vehicles are now all about amenities, which was made clear as General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and Subaru introduced their new and updated crossover SUVs at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. All of these SUVs are designed for comfortable, family-friendly on-road use.
Those still looking for something with more brawn than comfort should turn to today's Nissan Pathfinder. Mechanically related to the Nissan Frontier pickup truck, it has an available V8 engine, can go off-road, and is capable of towing a 7,000-pound trailer. In fact, it's one of the last midsize SUVs to hold out against the push for family-friendly crossovers. Here's a closer look at the SUVs that were unveiled.
2013 Nissan Pathfinder
The new, redesigned 2013 Pathfinder, on display in a preview concept form at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, is going the way of the Ford Explorer by switching from rear-wheel-drive architecture to a lighter-duty front-wheel-drive construction. These changes will allow for a smoother ride, better on-road handling, and a roomier interior. When a production version is unveiled later this year, it will face off against several newly unveiled crossover models: an all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe and updated versions of the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse, as well as the Explorer and such models as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
The new Santa Fe, which debuted at the auto show Wednesday, will be offered in two sizes: a five seat "Sport" model and a seven-seat model, which is a longer version with three rows of seats. The Sport model's four-cylinder engines will be music to the ears of many drivers, as it promises class-leading fuel economy of up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway. The Santa Fe Sport will slot directly above the smaller, less expensive Tucson. The seven-seat model has a powerful 290-horsepower V6, and it will replace the slow-selling Veracruz as Hyundai's largest SUV.
2013 Chevrolet Traverse
The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse, also unveiled Wednesday, sported a shiny new grille and a revised interior. A cool new safety feature was also added: The Traverse holds a first-of-its-kind airbag that deploys between the front seats to keep passengers from bouncing off each other in an accident. The 2013 Buick Enclave, shown earlier this week, and the 2013 GMC Acadia that debuted earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show, offer more of the same, but with more luxury touches. Though these models are old by automotive standards – their basic design dates to 2007 – GM hopes relatively minor tweaks will keep these cars competitive.
2013 Honda Crosstour
Another new crossover shown at the New York show is a concept car previewing the 2013 Honda Crosstour, a bigger, taller all-wheel-drive hatchback version of the popular midsize Accord. The Crosstour, formerly called the Accord Crosstour, has been something of a sales dud since it went on sale as a 2010 model. Honda hopes a new grille, a revised interior and more features will make the difference.
Subaru XV Crosstrek
Subaru is also showing a tall hatchback at the show: The compact Impreza-based XV Crosstrek is making its North American debut. It has a higher ride height than the Impreza and a few different styling touches, but it's nearly identical to that car – right down to its 36 mile-per-gallon highway mileage rating, better than any non-hybrid SUV.
Luxury SUVs Compete With More Affordable Options
Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz also each introduced updated premium crossover SUVs at the New York show. The 2013 Cadillac SRX has modified styling and new features; the 2013 Lexus RX made its North American debut sporting a new front end; and Mercedes-Benz showed a 2013 GLK and GL with revised interior and exterior styling, and a new fuel-efficient diesel engine on the GLK. Additionally, BMW debuted the first U.S.-specification of the X1 compact crossover, which was already on sale in other world markets and will start from a relatively affordable $30,650. Some even more affordable crossovers unveiled this week at the New York Auto Show include the updated 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, 2013 Subaru Outback and 2013 Toyota Venza, which each saw fairly minor design changes.
For more great, firsthand coverage of the
2012 New York International Auto Show,
visit CBSNewYork.com/Autos.
Brady Holt, a Washington D.C. newspaper reporter, has had a lifelong interest in cars in the automotive world, and he'll share his thoughts at every available opportunity. Brady has written for Examiner.com since 2008, and covered the '08 New York International Auto Show with Edmunds.com's Inside Line team as a student journalist. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
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Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Jon Whitcomb: Famous Artist
Above is one of four illustrations Robert Fawcett did for a story in that August '54 issue. Its epitomizes the kind of masterful care and attention to detail that was typical of Fawcett's work. No doubt Robert C. Atherton, the art director at Cosmopolitan, was incredibly pleased with this and Fawcett's other three pieces. I'll bet every illustrator, art student and just about anyone else with an appreciation for good illustration marvelled at the skill with which Fawcett executed this piece.
In spite of all that, I doubt Cosmo's mostly female readership gave it much more than a glance.
By contrast is Jon Whitcomb's contribution to that same issue of Cosmopolitan: a four page excerpt from the Famous Artists School course that was one of the lessons Whitcomb provided to the course; "How to Draw a Beautiful Face".
How concisely these two articles describe the work of these two artists!
Compared to Fawcett's moody, elborately detailed and structurally complex story illustration, Whitcomb's article on "how to draw a pretty girl's nose" seems incredibly shallow and facile.
Here's the thing: I'll bet it absolutely captivated it's audience - and probably sold more than few memberships to the Famous Artists Course.
To better facilitate that eventuality, this ad appeared in the same issue as the article.
Both Robert Fawcett and Jon Whitcomb were among the founding faculty of the Famous artists School. Whitcomb was one of the four public faces of the course, along with Norman Rockwell, Albert Dorne, and Al Parker - all of whom appeared in FAS ads regularly placed in most national publications back in the 50's.
I have never come across a single FAS ad featuring Robert Fawcett.
Whitcomb's celebrity extended beyond just his FAS ads. Besides his column in Cosmo, he appeared in several national ad campaigns.
I wonder how frustrating this situation might have been for both artists... Fawcett, with all the respect and admiration of his peers, but lacking the public popularity to attract the kind of wealth and fame that seems to have come so easily to Whitcomb -- and Whitcomb with all the financial success, status and public adoration... but considered a formulaic hack by "the illustrator's illustrator" (whose opinion no doubt carried a lot of weight among the best and most highly placed in the industry).
You know, I can't help but think that in another time and place, say, during the time of Praxiteles, Whitcomb's approach of using a formula for idealised realism, developed over years of study, practice and refinement would have been more than accepted - it would have been celebrated and emulated by every other artist.
Its an interesting example the complexity of the questions: "what is art?", "what is quality?" - and "what is quality art?"
Jon Whitcomb Flickr set
14 comments:
- Anonymous10:46 AM
You mention Whitcomb's Famous Artist School pages on how to paint a pretty girl, and they'd make an interesting post all to themselves. He gives the textbook on how to turn an eyebrow, shape a lip, and shade a cheekbone.ReplyDelete
The idealized look of the 50's glamour world was established as much by the illustrators as by the movie stars. This might be a good topic for historians and sociologists, too. It's an interesting comment on the zeitgeist of the 50s that people really wanted a single ideal look to aspire to.
Thanks for your comment, James - and you're absolutely correct - if you read through the article, Whitcomb references Hollywoood when he discusses the nuances of what a pretty girl's mouth should look like, or how an eyebrow is shaped, etc.ReplyDelete
From what I've heard and read, a lot of the top illustrators worked and socialized with tv and movie actors... so I guess both groups influenced the style and fashion of the time (along with many other factors, of course).
It's crazy how the idolization of movie stars has changed in some ways and not so much in others.ReplyDelete
The pedestal doesn't seem nearly as high and the fall from it not nearly as hard.
Still, I think a lot of illustrators find it easier to reference people of distinction...it's a lot easier if the reference is well known.
Makes you think a bit better of Rockwell, who like John Ford always seemed to cast exceptional characters rather than an idol facade.
Good stuff, Leif!
P.S. Sure would like to know what that green square is covering up in that Fatima cigarette ad.
Leif, I am sending this comment using my blackberry in the waiting area of the Atlanta airport because I am traveling on business today and didn't want to wait until I return to weigh in on your great posting. My apologies for any formatting or typo problems.ReplyDelete
I hadn't thought about it before, but you make an excellent case for Whitcomb and Fawcett as two archetypes with much significance for art in particular and life in general. I would love to see you go even deeper on this. Fawcett was an ardent socialist while Whitcomb was the consummate capitalist. Fawcett was arrogant and did not suffer fools lightly. Whitcomb, as far as I know, was a little vain but otherwise a pretty nice guy. But most importantly, their art reflected two different kinds of success.
You probably wouldn't find a better pair to frame up the issues presented by the difference between quality and success, or even the meaning of success.
Great posting, as always!
I found a Whitcomb original in my garage. Appears to be in good shape. How can I determine if anyone has a special interest in his works.ReplyDelete
If by 'special interest' you mean, 'does anybody want to buy it', I would suggest you contact the Illustration House. Their link is in my sidebar.ReplyDelete
Do you know who the girl is in most of Jon Whitcomb's illustrations (example The Community Silver ones) my mom mailed me an old scrap book she found in an antique store of all these old magazine clippings (circa 1943-1948 mostly) and a friend I discovered that the common link in the pictures seems to be that it is always the same girl. There are several by Jon Whitcomb and Al Parker one by Klett, Michael and several others I can't find a name for also a lucky strike ad. I am wondering if she is actually a model or just a common look that was used for the illustrations? Is the link in this scrapbook the model or is it that the person admired Whitcomb and Parker? I don't know! Help me please!ReplyDelete
Both Whitcomb and parker used models regularly. That being said, they both understood that there was a formula for that pretty girl 'look' that clients wanted to see. Whitcomb, especially, had a very formulaic approach to his faces.
But if you want to read about some of the models who worked for many of the big illustrators in New York, go to this post about another great 50's artist, Andy Virgil, and no doubt some of the models' names will sound familar to you ( or certainly to your mom):
(the section you're after is about half-way down)Replies
- Anonymous11:15 AM
I know for sure that Mr. Whitcomb used Phyllis Kirk exclusively for at least a year. She was the California girlDelete
- Anonymous2:49 AM
Susan Hayward, then Edythe Marrenger, was a New York model in her early days and was known to have posed for Whitcomb, John LaGata, Bradshaw Crandall and others. Susan had that turned up nose and wholesome look that Whitcomb liked. And Phyllis Kirk can be recognised over and over in his work.Delete
Quality art is something made by a person that makes you go 'WOW'(or otherwise affects you emotionally) - that's the art part, and that is executed with a level of skill possessed by only a gifted few - that's the quality part.ReplyDelete
It leaves you feeling better off for having experienced it.
I wasn't aware that Fawcett considered Whitcomb a hack. Or aware of any bad blood between them but again, it was so many years ago and a lot of the subtlety of their relationship hasReplyDelete
been lost to time. Any quotes from
RF about Whitcomb being well...not
such a good illustrator?
You do Whitcomb a disservice, I own one of his non-famous male portraits, and it has more mood than simple illustration has.ReplyDelete


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Milwaukee man sentenced in child's death
Corey Benson convicted of beating 2-year-old boy
A Milwaukee man convicted in the beating death of a 2-year-old boy will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Corey Benson, a former Washington High school valedictorian and Purdue University graduate, rose from poverty and foster homes. WISN 12 News reporter Mike Anderson said Benson showed no remorse during the sentencing Friday afternoon.
"It's the prosecutor's fault. They never did a real investigation," Benson said.
"You're blaming everyone but yourself," Milwaukee Circuit Judge David Borowski said.
According to police, Benson took the boy, who was not breathing, to a hospital in April 2011.
Investigators said Benson told them he was baby-sitting the child for his girlfriend.
Hospital workers and police said the child had bruises and injuries to his head consistent with abuse.
"He killed my grandson," Joseph Famolu said.
Benson, 27, was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in March.


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Kathy Trant attracted worldwide attention a few years ago by quickly spending the $4.7 million she received for the death of her husband, who was killed in the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack.
I'm not surprised about Trant's story. I have seen the same story played out hundreds of times with larger and smaller sums of money.
Trant called the money "blood money.†Her spending sprees are a subconscious and probably sometimes conscious effort to run through the money.
It is a common feeling amongst widows and widowers.
Some people use drugs and alcohol. These people use "blood money.â€
Many people think that if they get rid of the money their lives will go back to normal.
Often, I see a grief-ridden person influenced by family and friends.
I have seen a number of widows and widowers who remarry quickly and then turn all financial decisions over to the new spouse. Usually, the new spouse and the money run out at about the same time.
Many years ago, I had a client whose wife was killed in a car accident. He received a $500,000 settlement. I invested his money, but every month, the new wife would come to my office wanting to withdraw more. Each time, she was sporting new jewelry, a mink coat and other expensive items. I finally went to their house and told them they were going to run out of money.
They moved their money to another broker.
Within six months, she had spent the entire $500,000 and left town.
Putting money in a structured settlement and giving victims a monthly payment is the only real solution I have.
I started out using structured settlements as a financial planning tool and became a true believer.
It is hard for someone who has gone through hell to think clearly about their money. Someone who has just lost their spouse has no chance.
There is a small window of time before people actually receive money to set things up right. After that, pressures and people get in the way.
I feel sorry for everyone involved. I feel sorry for the widows and widowers. Not only have they lost their spouses, but after they run through the money they are worse off, financially, than ever.
I also feel bad about the spouses who died thinking that their families were taken care of. People buy life insurance because they want their loved ones to achieve life goals. They don't pay for life insurance so that someone can take six "friends†to the Super Bowl.
A lot of widow and widowers wake up every day asking, "how can I live without you?†I'm not sure how, but they eventually start to cope with their situation.
Kathy Trant has been through hell. If her attorneys, advisors or friends had insisted that she needed to put her money in a structured settlement or a trust, she would be able to live a comfortable life; now she won't.
She can't get the money back from the six leeches that she took to the Super Bowl. People who prey on grieving widows don't have the money or conscience to help her. I suspect she subconsciously thinks that getting rid of the money will bring back her husband and her old life.
Her husband is not coming back. She, and others like her, need to answer the question, "How do I live without you,†by answering, "With great memories and the money you left to help me through this.â€
Don McNay, who lives in Richmond, Ky., is an award-winning financial columnist for Huffington Post Contributor. You can learn more about him at www.donmcnay.com.