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United States coins are most often graded with a scale created by the American Numismatic Association (ANA), a non-profit group created in 1891 and chartered by Congress since 1912. The lowest grade on this scale is About Good-3; the highest is Perfect Uncirculated-70.
Below is a brief summary of the ANA grading scale. For complete details and illustrations of all U.S. coins in each grade, see Official ANA Grading Standards for United States Coins.
A specially made coin distinguished by sharpness of detail and usually with a brilliant mirror-like surface. Proof refers to the method of manufacture and is not a condition, but normally the term implies perfect mint state unless otherwise noted and graded as below.
American Eagle 2015 One Ounce Gold Proof Coin
Uncirculated coins are struck using the same process as circulating coins, but with quality enhancements — which give it a satin finish — such as slightly higher coining force, early strikes from dies, special cleaning after stamping and special packaging.
American Eagle 2015 One Ounce Gold Uncirculated Coin
Uncirculated coins may vary to some degree because of blemishes, toning or slight imperfections as described in the following subdivisions:
Perfect Uncirculated (MS-70). Perfect new condition, showing no trace of wear. The finest quality possible, with no evidence of scratches, handling or contact with other coins. Very few regular issue coins are ever found in this condition.
Choice Uncirculated (MS-65). An above average Uncirculated coin which may be brilliant or lightly toned and has very few contact marks on the surface or rim. MS-67 through MS-62 indicate slightly higher or lower grades of preservation.
Uncirculated (MS-60). Has no trace of wear but may show a number of contact marks, and surface may be spotted or lack some luster.
Choice About Uncirculated (AU-55). Barest evidence of light wear on only the highest points of the design. Most of the mint luster remains.
About Uncirculated (AU-50). Has traces of light wear on many of the high points. At least half of the Mint luster is still present.
Choice Extremely Fine (EF-45). Light overall wear shows on highest points. All design details are very sharp. Some of the Mint luster is evident.
Extremely Fine (EF-40). Design is lightly worn throughout, but all features are sharp and well defined. Traces of luster may show.
Choice Very Fine (VF-30). Light even wear on the surface and highest parts of the design. All lettering and major features are sharp.
Very Fine (VF-20). A moderate amount of wear is noticeable on the high points of the coin's design. All major details are clear.
Fine (F-12). The coin shows moderate to considerable even wear throughout. Entire design is bold with an overall pleasing appearance.
Very Good (VG-8). Well worn with main features clear and bold although rather flat.
Good (G-4). Heavily worn with the design visible but faint in areas. Many details are flat. Common coins in "Good" condition are not particularly desirable pieces for collectors. Rare or valuable coins in this condition, however, are often saved when no others are available.
About Good (AG-3). Very heavily worn with portions of lettering date and legends worn smooth. The date may be barely readable.
https://ok-galleries.com Trussardi Casa all products.


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Why Do Companies Rely on Business Aviation?
While companies that rely on business aviation represent many different professions and locations, they all have one thing in common: the need for fast, flexible, safe, secure and cost-effective access to destinations across the country and around the world. In many instances, business aviation is the appropriate transportation solution, opening the door to global commerce for small-community and rural populations by linking them directly to population centers and manufacturing facilities. The benefits of business aviation are clear:
- Business aviation allows for efficient, flexible, safe, secure and cost-effective access to destinations across the country and around the world. Because employees can meet, plan and work with each other aboard business aircraft, productivity en route is greatly enhanced.
- In many instances, business aviation is the best or only transportation option available, opening the door to global commerce for small-community and rural populations by linking them directly to population centers and manufacturing facilities. Studies have also shown that business aviation contributes greatly to local economies across the country.
- Business aircraft allow employees to make a trip involving stops at several locations, then return to headquarters the same day. Hundreds or thousands of dollars can be saved on hotel rooms, rental cars, meals and other expenses that would be needed to make the same trip over several days via auto, train or airline transport.
Industry Studies
Business Aviation: An Enterprise Value Perspective – Small and Medium Size Enterpirses
This study, conducted by NEXA Advisors, examined whether the use of business aircraft provided benefits to small and medium businesses, measured in terms of shareholder and enterprise value. NEXA Advisors applied the same methodologies in its first volume "Business Aviation: An Enterprise Value Perspective," published in 2009. With this study, NEXA has extended its sample size to examine small and medium enterprises that used business aviation to better compete and grow their businesses. The analysis showed that small and medium companies in America that used business aviation consistently outperformed nonusers.
Download the study (3.7 MB, PDF)
Business Aviation: An Enterprise Value Perspective
This study, conducted by NEXA Advisors, shows that by a host of measurements, companies using business aviation outperform those without aircraft. According to the study, business aircraft users had a dominant presence, on average of 92 percent, among the most innovative, most admired, best brands, and best places to work, as well as dominating the list of companies strongest in corporate governance and responsibility. The report also finds that business aviation alone is the only asset capable of accelerating strategic transactions and therefore providing a competitive edge to top-performing companies.
Download the study (4 MB, PDF)

subset: commoncrawl


text: In computing, RAR is a proprietary file format for data compression and archiving, developed by Eugene Roshal (hence the name RAR: Roshal ARchive). The filename extension used by RAR is .rar. If a RAR-archive is broken into many smaller files (a multi-volume archive), as is often the case when it was distributed on Usenet, then those smaller files carry the extensions .rar, .r00, .r01, .r02 etc. and most unrar programs reconstruct the whole archive when provided with the .rar file.


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Stock #: NRH5447
3,308 mi.
Stock #: RRE06082B
3,871 mi.
Stock #: RLA51681A
2,564 mi.
Looking for quality used cars, trucks, or SUVs near North Richland Hills, TX? Look no further than Sam Pack's Five Star Ford. Our dealership offers a wide selection of reliable and affordable pre-owned vehicles to suit every budget and lifestyle.
Benefits Of Buying A Used Car, Truck, or SUV in North Richland Hills, TX
There are numerous benefits to buying a used vehicle, especially when you shop at Sam Pack's Five Star Ford. Firstly, used vehicles generally come with a lower price tag compared to their new counterparts, allowing you to save money without sacrificing quality. Additionally, used cars often have lower insurance premiums and depreciation rates, providing you with long-term savings. At our dealership, each used vehicle undergoes a thorough inspection to ensure it meets our high standards of quality and reliability, giving you peace of mind with your purchase.
Auto Financing Near North Richland Hills, TX
Securing financing for your used vehicle purchase is easy and hassle-free at Sam Pack's Five Star Ford. Our experienced finance team is here to assist you in finding the best financing options tailored to your needs and budget. Whether you have good credit, bad credit, or no credit at all, we work with trusted lenders to get you approved for a loan with competitive rates and flexible terms. Take advantage of our online financing application to get pre-approved from the comfort of your home, and let us help you drive home in the used vehicle of your dreams.
Value Your Trade-In Vehicle at Five Star Ford North Richland Hills
Looking to trade in your current vehicle? At Sam Pack's Five Star Ford, we make it easy to value your trade-in and put its worth towards your next purchase. Our team of experts will assess your vehicle's value based on its condition, mileage, and market demand, ensuring you get the best possible trade-in value. Use our online trade-in tool to get an instant appraisal, and visit our dealership to finalize the deal and drive home in your new-to-you vehicle.
Why Choose Sam Pack's Five Star Ford North Richland Hills for Your Next Used Vehicle?
When it comes to buying a used vehicle, there's no better choice than Sam Pack's Five Star Ford. Our dealership has earned a reputation for providing exceptional customer service and top-quality vehicles at competitive prices. With our extensive selection of used cars, trucks, and SUVs, you're sure to find the perfect vehicle to suit your needs and budget. Plus, as part of the Sam Pack Auto Group, we uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in everything we do, ensuring a positive and transparent buying experience for every customer.
Test Drive a Used Car, Truck, or SUV at Sam Pack's Five Star Ford North Richland Hills
Ready to find your next used vehicle? Schedule a test drive at Sam Pack's Five Star Ford North Richland Hills today. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales team will be happy to assist you in finding the perfect vehicle to suit your needs and budget. Experience the quality, reliability, and affordability of our used vehicles firsthand, and discover why Sam Pack's Five Star Ford is the premier destination for pre-owned vehicles near North Richland Hills, TX.
Certain specifications, prices and equipment data have been provided under license from Chrome Data Solutions (\'Chrome Data\'). © 2024 Chrome Data Solutions, LP. All Rights Reserved. This information is supplied for personal use only and may not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever without the express written consent of Chrome Data. Chrome Data makes no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any warranty of merchantability or fitness for particular purpose, with respect to the data presented here. All specifications, prices and equipment are subject to change without notice.
EPA mileage ratings are supplied by Chrome Data Solutions, LP for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid models only) and other factors.
Based on 2019 EPA mileage ratings. Your MPGe/MPG and driving range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery-pack age/condition, and other factors.
Vehicle pricing is believed to be accurate. Tax, title and registration are not included in prices shown unless otherwise stated. Manufacturer incentives may vary by region and are subject to change. Vehicle information & features are based upon standard equipment and may vary by vehicle. Monthly payments may be higher or lower based upon incentives, qualifying programs, credit qualifications, residency & fees. No claims, or warranties are made to guarantee the accuracy of vehicle pricing, payments or actual equipment. Call to confirm accuracy of any information.
Due to a shortage in inventory, we are currently unable to honor X-Plan pricing at this time.


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'Luca' Trailer: Pixar's Voyage to Italy
Pixar's last movie fused jazz music and the afterlife, two very different topics that wound up working together perfectly in the context of Soul. Their next project is Luca, and this time they've brought together Italy and sea monsters, for a coming-of-age story set in a beautiful seaside town.
The studio just unveiled the first teaser trailer for the movie, watch it below:
The full voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay as Luca, "a bright and inventive 13-year-old sea monster with endless curiosity—especially when it comes to the mysterious world above the sea," and Jack Dylan Grazer as Scorfano, "an independent, free-spirited teenage sea monster with unbridled enthusiasm for the human world." Luca also stars Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli, and Jim Gaffigan as Lorenzo, the title character's father.
Here's the film's official synopsis:
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar's original feature film "Luca" is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water's surface.
There's also a brand new poster for the film as well:
Luca is scheduled to premiere in theaters this summer.
Gallery — Every Pixar Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best:


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Edit Menu
Language: |
English |
The Edit menu has the following options:
- Undo
Undo - Undo the last thing (action) you did (CtrlZ). Mainly all actions are undo-able.
- Redo
Redo - Undo the last thing you undid (CtrlR)
- Cut
Cut - Cuts (copy and delete) the selection (CtrlX)
- Copy
Copy - Copy the selection (CtrlC)
- Paste
Paste - Paste the selection (CtrlV)
All of these actions are global. They not only work on the Canvas, but also in the Layers Palette, Parameters Palette, etc...
- Select all layers
Select all layers - (Ctrl⇧ ShiftA) - selects all layers
- Deselect all layers
Deselect all layers - (Ctrl⇧ ShiftD) - deselects any selected layer(s)
- Select all handles
Select all handles - (CtrlA) - selects all of the handles on the selected layer(s)
- Deselect all handles
Deselect all handles - (CtrlD) - deselects all of the handles on the selected layer(s)
- Input Devices
Input Devices - Open the Input Devices dialog that allows the user to setup custom values related to the input devices, generally the mouse but also for graphical tablets and other pointer systems.
- Preferences
Preferences - Open the Preferences dialog that allows to set certain properties and preferences that are globally adopted by the application and used by all the Documents opened or to be opened.
Language: |
English |
Pages in category "Edit Menu"
The following 10 pages are in this category, out of 10 total.


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We Took Andy Black Shopping for His Top 5 Graphic Novels at Forbidden Planet
It's no secret that Andy Black is a big fan of comics, and during a recent visit to New York City, we took the singer-songwriter shopping at the acclaimed Forbidden Planet to pick out his top five graphic novels.
You'll have to check out the video above if you want to find out his faves and hear the stories behind why.
Today (April 12) marks the release of Black's latest solo endeavor, The Ghost Of Ohio, which serves as a soundtrack to its accompanying graphic novel. The novel tells the tale of someone who died young whose spirit then inhabits an area for a hundred years, looking for ways to connect while feeling forgotten.
It pulls from the haunted history of Black's hometown while exploring his childhood anxieties and obsessions to tell the character's story.
"I've always liked the idea of building worlds, making a character for myself, in very heightened and stylized dimensions I could live in," he says. "It's about expressing myself creatively, while making something that didn't exist before."
The album debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Rock Album Chart. You can check it out for yourself here. Black is currently on tour in support of the new record and you can see all upcoming dates below.
April 12 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ Vinyl
April 13 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ El Rey Theatre
April 14 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ The Nile Theatre
April 16 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Depot
April 17 - Denver, Colo. @ The Gothic
April 19 - Dallas, Texas @ Gas Monkey
April 20 - San Antonio, Texas @ The Rock Box
April 22 - Atlanta, Ga. @ The Masquerade
April 23 - Orlando, Fla. @ Plaza Live
April 25 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogarts
April 26 - Greensboro, N.C. @ The Blind Tiger
April 29 - Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Mr. Smalls
April 30 - Baltimore, Md. @ Baltimore Soundstage
May 01 - New York, N.Y. @ Gramercy Theatre
May 03 - Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium
May 04 - Asbury Park, N.J. @ Asbury Lanes
May 06 - Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Elevation
May 07 - Chicago, Ill. @ Metro
May 08 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Varsity Theater
May 10 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Phantasy Nightclub
May 11 - Detroit, Mich. @ The Majestic
May 13 - Toronto, Ontario @ The Opera House
May 15 - Montreal, Quebec @ L'Astral
May 16 - Philadelphia, Pa. @ Underground Arts
May 17 - Virginia Beach, Va. @ Elevation 27
2019's Most Anticipated Hard Rock + Metal Albums


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Europe Eyes Funding for Miniature Robotic Space Plane
A European-built robot space plane could be soaring in orbit before the end of the decade if the program to develop it gains funding approval next month.
The Innovative Space Vehicle (ISV) would be Europe's civilian equivalent of the U.S. Air Force's unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, a robotic miniature space shuttle that has flown on two missions since 2010. The unmanned space plane would be much smaller than the Air Force vehicle, however.
Its fate rests with the European Space Agency's ministers, who are scheduled to meet Nov. 20-21 in Italy. The ESA ministerial meeting is conducted every three years to decide programs and funding for the period until the next meeting. PRIDE (the Program for Reusable In-orbit Demonstrator in Europe) will be seeking funding there for the ISV, which would be a follow-up to its Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (or IXV), currently being built after months of delays.
The PRIDE-ISV would carry modular payloads in its multipurpose cargo bay, operate in orbit as a test bed and return to Earth in the manner of a NASA space shuttle, landing on a runway. It could be used to monitor the Earth or to service satellites, its planners say. The vehicle would be "refurbished" in between launches. [Space Plane Evolution: History of Winged Spaceships (Infographic)]
Europe's space plane PRIDE
The PRIDE-ISV would launch from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, aboard an Arianespace Vega rocket. Vega is the smallest of the ESA launchers, which would force PRIDE-ISV to be small, too. The rocket can put 3,300 pounds (1,500 kilograms) into a 434-mile (700 kilometers) circular polar orbit.
"We started from our current IXV but went from suborbital to orbital and modular payloads and a multipurpose cargo bay for different orbital applications," Giorgio Tumino, the IXV program manager, said.
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Tumino acknowledged that reusability and reliability would both be challenges for the PRIDE program. "The idea is to have a small system, which is affordable to be refurbished and can use the smallest launcher, to have a cost-effective scenario."
The 3,970-pound (1,800 kg) IXV, which is due to fly a suborbital mission in 2014 as a re-entry test vehicle, is smaller than the U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane. It is heavier than the Vega's 434-mile orbital lift capacity, thus requiring suborbital tests or a potential lower target orbit.
The IXV is 14.4 feet long and 7.2 feet wide (4.4 meters by 2.2 meters). The X-37B, which is launched by the more capable United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, weighs 11,000 pounds (nearly 5,000 kg) and is about 29 feet long (nearly 9 m) with a wingspan of 14 feet (4.2 m). [U.S. Military's X-37B Robot Space Plane (Video)]
Because of Vega rocket requirements, the ISV will be of a similar size to IXV.
Tumino's team investigated the feasibility of PRIDE-ISV and assessed various configurations while working with the ESA's Concurrent Design Facility. "We carried out a parametric assessment of what is doable, and that is what our proposal is based on," Tumino said.
Where to fly?
Among the assessments was the mass constraints of the small European launcher and whether the robot space plane could reach a range of orbits. One constraint is the Vega's fairing volume.
"We have to think whether we have fully deployed wings or foldable" inside the fairing, Tumino explained. "It's a trade-off against cost."
The work determined that the small launcher could put the PRIDE-ISV in orbit, and with future planned developments of Vega, the space plane could be launched to orbits from zero degrees (a polar orbit) to 90 degrees in inclination with respect to the equator.
Tumino said he is open to international development for PRIDE-ISV, adding that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is one possible partner. CIRA, an aerospace agency in Tumino's home country of Italy, also could become involved. A robotic space plane called Unmanned Space Vehicle-X has been proposed at CIRA but has not been funded.
Europe's IXV prototype first to launch
While Tumino hopes for PRIDE-ISV to be funded, his IXV industrial team is now building the flight vehicle. While manufacturing and assembly contracts were signed at the 2011 Paris Air Show, the lengthy negotiations between the contractors and their subcontractors led to the flight being put back from 2013 to mid-2014. The IXV program has more than 30 contractors.
The IXV mini-shuttle vehicle has four thrusters and two body flaps at the rear to provide flight control. It is described as a lifting body because its shape produces lift without the need for wings. The flaps are used for pitch control, which determines whether the nose of the shuttle goes up or down, during re-entry.
When the IXV launches on its first test flight, it is expected to soar into orbit from French Guiana and splash down in the Pacific Ocean 2 1/2 hours later using parachutes. The robotic spacecraft is expected to re-enter the atmosphere at more than 20 times the speed of sound.
By performing maneuvers in the atmosphere during descent, the spacecraft should be able to slow itself considerably, to about Mach 2. Parachutes should then be open to slow the craft even further for a water landing. The parachutes already have been tested successfully.
The IXV will carry 600 sensors to record the effects of its atmospheric re-entry and descent on its heat shield and other systems, ESA officials have said.
This story was provided by SPACE.com, sister site to LiveScience. Follow SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+.


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While you should schedule a yearly maintenance visit with a qualified HVAC technician to check for any safety concerns, you can also reduce potential safety hazards in the heating system of your North Wales home. Whether you have a furnace, heat pump, or boiler, you can substantially decrease the chances of dangerous situations with a few minor routine tasks.
If you have any questions about how to better maintain your heating system, give Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling a call to speak with one of our expert HVAC technicians. Here are a few guidelines to get you started.
Ventilation in Forced-air Systems:
- Regularly vacuum and clean out your heating vents and fan blower.
- Check the condition of your chimney and vent pipe to make sure that none of the parts are damaged or show signs of deterioration.
- Test the thermostat occasionally to make sure your heating system is working at optimal levels. There could be a safety concern if your heater is not properly heating your home.
Heat Exchangers:
- Heat exchangers should be inspected often to prevent carbon monoxide leaks. Check for any obvious issues, such as rust or other damages.
- The heat exchanger for furnaces should be inspected by a professional once a year in case there are hidden problems with the equipment, or if any of the components need to be replaced.
- Check the pilot light in gas furnaces for any flickers or changes in color. Have someone turn up the thermostat while you watch the light, but turn off the system for five minutes first. If there are any changes, there could be a problem with the heat exchanger. Call a professional if you suspect issues with your heat exchanger.
Heating Equipment Inspections and Adjustments:
- Boilers should be drained regularly to reduce sediment buildup, in addition to testing the water level safety controls. It's best to have a North Wales professional perform these tasks if you aren't sure how to do them on your own.
- Adjust the temperature settings if you suspect that the heater isn't working properly, and if it doesn't work call a professional heating technician, or if you aren't sure how to locate or adjust the controls.
- Check the overall equipment for cracks, rust, or any other obvious signs of damage or deterioration that could create safety hazards.
In addition to performing these tasks, call a licensed heating contractor to inspect your heating system at least once a year.


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A PET-CT head and neck cancer scan showing various image reconstructions. The top left image is the separate CT scan showing the anatomy. The top right scan shows the fused PET and CT scans with false color added to help interpret the image. The bottom left scan is an initial FDG PET image showing tracer hot spots in the neck and a lymph node in the right jaw due to cancer. The right bottom image is a delayed enhancement scan showing tracer uptake over time, with normal hot spots in the bladder, kidneys, testicles and brain, which normally have higher metabolic activity. The low-grade gray shading of the anatomy is due to the normal cellular metabolism uptake of the FDG throughout the body.
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear imaging technology (also referred to as molecular imaging) that enables visualization of metabolic processes in the body. The basics of PET imaging is that the technique detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide (also called radiopharmaceuticals, radionuclides or radiotracer). The tracer is injected into a vein on a biologically active molecule, usually a sugar that is used for cellular energy. PET systems have sensitive detector panels to capture gamma ray emissions from inside the body and use software to plot to triangulate the source of the emissions, creating 3-D computed tomography images of the tracer concentrations within the body.
Hybrid PET Imaging Systems
A common question from patients is what is a PET-CT scanner? Today, most standalone PET imaging systems have been replaced by hybrid PET-CT (positron emission tomography - computed tomography) scanners, which combine separate PET and CT imaging systems into one gantry to allow fused, simultaneous imaging using PET and X-ray CT. The CT system offers anatomical detail and helps with attenuation correction for the PET imaging for more accurate, clearer PET image reconstructions. The overlay of fused CT images on the PET scans can help pinpoint "hot spots" of tracer uptake, such as cancerous tumors. These can be used to help make a more accurate diagnosis, aid tumor monitoring or tracking during chemotherapy, and aid in either surgical or radiation therapy planning.
A newer trend in PET imaging technology introduced over the past few years are PET-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) systems. These hybrids use MR to eliminate additional radiation dose from CT and enable greatly improved soft tissue imaging clarity, which CT cannot provide. This improved soft tissue clarity aims to improve accurate localization of tracer hot spots in the anatomy for better diagnosis and treatment.
Read about PET-MRI's entry into the U.S. market.
Read more about advances in PET-CT systems.
PET vs. SPECT
PET is considered to have improved image clarity over SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography). However, advances in more sensitive detector technology, image reconstruction software and development of new radiotracers have lead to improvements in SPECT. Both technologies have advantages and disadvantages, including different radiation doses, variations in image quality, ease of use, access to tracers and cost.
Read more about limitations and comparison of PET and SPECT technologies.
What Are Radiotracers — How do Radiotracers Work
There are several biologically active molecules that can be labeled with a radioactive tracer element for PET imaging. These various tracers and biologically active molecules are tailored for enhancing specific disease states in the imaging, including a variety of cancers, brain ischemia due to stroke, cardiac ischemia due to heart attacks and inflammation.
Biologically active molecules are compounds normally used by the body, including glucose, water or ammonia. Other types of molecules can be targeted to bind with specific receptors found mainly on cancer cells or other disease markers. PET imaging traces the biologic pathway of these compounds or receptors inside the body.
The most common biologically active molecule used in PET is flurodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG), which is an analog of glucose. It is used in about 90 percent of PET scanning in the United States. Cells in the body metabolize this sugar for energy, so high concentrations of FDG seen on PET indicate areas of high metabolic activity (as in cancer). Areas of low or no metabolic activity can indicate areas of reduced blood flow or blockages due to stroke or heart attacks. Use of FDG in full body scans can help determine if a cancer has metastasized to other areas of the body. If so, the PET scan can help pinpoint the extent of the cancer's spread and help identify areas for further treatment or monitoring.
Short Half-lives of Radiotracers
One drawback of most PET tracer isotopes is that they have very short half-lives, which requires their creation using an on-site cyclotron near the PET scanner. The effective half-lives of some of the primary tracers include carbon-11 (about 20 min), nitrogen-13 (about 10 min), oxygen-15 (about 2 min), fluorine-18 (about 110 min), gallium-68 (about 67 min) and rubidium-82(about 1.27 min).
The half-life of F-18 is long enough that radiotracers can be manufactured commercially offsite and shipped to imaging centers for immediate use.
Most nuclear myocardial perfusion exams (which look for ischemia or infarcts in the heart muscle caused by heart attacks) use rubidium-82 (Rb-82). This is produced in a commercially available generator, where the active tracer can be produced on demand in the scanning room. The generator contains strontium-82, which decays into positron-emitting Rb-82. The use of these generators has made PET perfusion imaging feasible and more economical for imaging centers without cyclotrons.
What is a PET Scan Used For?
PET is a primary imaging modality for the detection and tracking of cancer. Nuclear imaging (PET and SPECT) are also considered a standard of care for myocardial perfusion exams to see if there is a lack of blood flow to the heart muscle due to a heart attack. PET scans can also help detect and track neurological disorders in the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease and evaluation of strokes.
Read about the development of tracers to image Alzheimer's disease.
FDA approval of the first Alzheimer's tracer.
Cancer Assessment Using PET
In general, radiologists assess PET imaging to locate cancers and identify any areas of metastasis. Follow up imaging is then conducted to monitor the effectiveness of radiation or chemotherapy treatments by measuring reductions in metabolism or tumor volume.
In nuclear imaging of metabolic tumor response, the standard used is assessment with F—18 FDG PET. Quantitative measurement is made using PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) reporting measures. However, cancer treatment is evolving, so while it is important to know these criteria, it is necessary to understand their limitations. This is especially true with the introduction of newer targeted chemotherapy agents, where tumors may continue to grow or maintain size for a long period before a reduction in tumor size is seen. There are other variables with PERCIST, including numerous ways in which the same image can be segmented to make the measurements. There also is no general consensus on the selection of a threshold level, which again can lead to variation depending on who reads the study.
There are also inherent limitations with anatomical response criteria, including when the imaging occurs, who is making the measurements and what is being measured. With nuclear imaging, assessing standardized uptake value (SUV) max may not show a correct assessment of a tumor because it only considers the maximum uptake in one part of a tumor. The uptake may have decreased elsewhere in the same tumor. For this reason it is important to try to assess tumors 2 cm or larger. Metabolic tumor volume is another measure that can be used.
Read more about the role of radiology and PET in assessing cancers and tumor response to therapy.
Managing Radiation Dose in Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with PET and SPECT have been the gold standard for noninvasive detection of coronary ischemia and infarcts. However, the high radiation doses patients receive are making some providers think twice before referring their patients for nuclear MPI. Public concern over radiation risks from medical imaging have been brought to the forefront with numerous mainstream media articles in recent years.
A Tc-99m SPECT scan averages about 12-16 mSv of radiation dose, and dual isotope studies can be as high as 25-30 mSv. PET scans are much lower dose than SPECT because the Rb-82 isotope has a much shorter half-life.
Newer dose lowering technologies have helped reduce radiation dose by more than 50 percent for cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans, making it much more attractive as a diagnostic imaging modality. New CT technology — including perfusion imaging with advanced visualization software and CT-fractional flow reserve (FFR) imaging — may lead to increased use of CT.
When 64-slice CT scanners were first introduced a decade ago, CTA dose was 20-30 mSv, but new reconstruction software, more sensitive detectors and other technologies have reduced this below 10 mSv. With the newest scanners and software, it is now possible to perform CTA with about 1 mSv of dose. This new dose profile has made CTA much more attractive, and nuclear imaging now finds itself in the position as the high radiation dose technology being called into question.
Read more about nuclear imaging dose reduction.
Comparison of PET Systems
To see a list of all the PET and SPECT systems currently available on the U.S. market, look at the following comparison chart links on ITN's website. To view the charts, new users will have to register, which is free and only takes a moment.
Key manufacturers of PET/CT systems include GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare and Toshiba. Vendors for PET/MRI systems include GE, Philips and Siemens. SPECT vendors include GE, Philips, Siemens and Digirad Corp.
How much is a PET scan?
Costs for PET scans vary based on region, healthcare system, and the type of scan and anatomy imaged. Insurance companies also pay different rates for various exams. While PET scans for cancer and cardiac perfusion are considered standard, some newer types of PET scans may be considered investigational and may not be covered under insurance.
New Choice Health (www. NewChoiceHealth.com) is a consumer website designed to help patients understand costs involved in healthcare to make more informed decisions. According to NewChoiceHealth.com, for patients not covered by health insurance, a PET scan typically costs an average of about $4,900 for a full-body scan, up to $6,700 for the brain and $6,800 for a cardiac perfusion exam.


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James Petras -
We live in a time of great destruction and grand economic opportunities and Latin America is no exception. In the global context, the US Empire is engaged in destructive wars ( Afghanistan , Iraq , Pakistan , Libya , Yemen , Somalia and Haiti ). In contrast China, India, Brazil, Argentina and other "emerging economies" are expanding trade, investments and reducing poverty. The European Union (EU) and the United States (USA) are in deep economic crises. The EU "periphery" ( Greece , Ireland , Portugal , Spain ) are totally bankrupt. The US "dependencies" in North America ( Mexico ), Central America and the Caribbean are virtual narco-states plagued by mass poverty, astronomical crime rates and economic stagnation. The US dependencies are plundered by foreign multi-nationals, local oligarchs and corrupt politicians.
Colombia stands at the crossroads: it can follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, narco-President Alvaro Uribe and remain a military dependency, a lone outpost of the US Empire in South America . Colombia can remain at the margin of the most dynamic world markets and at war with its people or via a new socio-political leadership it can effect a profound reorientation of policy and consummate a transition toward greater integration with the dynamic markets of the world.
Colombia has all the objective ingredients (material and human resources) to be part of the dynamic new order. But first and foremost it must shed its role as the militarized vassal of the United States and an object of exploitation by a rentier oligarchy. Colombia must cease backing US coups ( Honduras , Venezuela ) and threatening its neighbors ( Ecuador ).
Colombia cannot develop its productive forces and finance the modernization of higher education and upgrade technical training and expend billions on the hundreds of thousands of military, paramilitary, police and intelligence operatives. The military repressive apparatus is directed at repressing the most productive, creative e and motivated sectors of the labor force. Prosperity depends on civil peace which depends on the profound demilitarization of the Colombian state. The connection between economy and military is clear. China spends one tenth of the US military budget but grows five times faster. Brazil 's independent foreign policy and realignment with the Asian market has led to high growth, while Mexico , as a satellite of the North American Free Trade Treaty, is a stagnant, failed state.
De-Militarization: The Specificities of Colombia:
Colombia is the most militarized society in Latin America , with the highest number of civil society victims. "Militarism" in Colombia includes the largest active military force operating within state boundaries and being the largest recipient of military financing from the greatest militarist power in the world. As a subordinate client of the US Empire, Colombia has the worst human rights record, as far as the killing of journalists, trade unionists, peasant activists and human rights advocates.
State and para-state violence, however, is not random; over 4 million Colombian farmers, peasants and rural intermediaries have been forcibly dispossessed and their lands seized by big landowners, narco-traffickers, generals and businesspeople allied with the government. In other words State terror and mass dispossession is a peculiarly Colombian method of "capital accumulation". State violence is the method to secure the means of production to increase agro-exports at the expense of family farmers.
In Colombia , state and para-state extermination replaces the market and "contractual relations" in effecting economic transactions. The unequal relations between a militarist state and popular civil society movements has been the principal impediment to a transition from an oligarchical political regime to a pluralistic representative democratic electoral system.
Colombia combines 19th century forms of elite representation with highly developed 21st century means of military repression: a case of combined and uneven development. As a result we find 'unbalanced growth'; an overdeveloped military, police, paramilitary apparatus and underdeveloped social and political institutions willing and capably of engaging in negotiations through reciprocity and compromises within a civic framework.
The state culture of "permanent war" undermines the conditions of trust and reciprocity and raises unacceptable risks to any social and political interlocutors.
Within the militarized state – especially because of its deep-rooted links to regional US military institutions – only "negotiations" which reinforce the current socio-economic order and political institutional arrangement are acceptable. Even recognized "peace mediators" engage in one-sided "negotiations" demanding unilateral concessions from insurgents and rarely make demands for reciprocal concessions from the State.
Most Latin American countries which have gone through a transition from dictatorial rule to electoral politics have respected opponents; only Colombia has murdered the entire political leadership and activists – from the Patriotic Union – who converted from armed to electoral struggle. No other Latin American (or European or Asian)opposition has experience the state violence inflicted on the Union Patriotica (UP): the murder of 5,000 activists including Presidential and Congressional candidates.
South America 's current center-left regimes, their thriving economies and the free and open social movement struggles, are a product of social upheavals (between 1999-2005) which ended 'militarized politics'. Popular revolts in Bolivia , Argentina , Ecuador , and Venezuela cleared the way for the Center-Left. In Brazil , Uruguay and Chile social movements helped displace rightwing regimes.
As a result of mass struggles and popular uprisings, center-left regimes pursue relatively independent economic policies and progressive anti-poverty programs. They have raised living standards and provide political and social space for continued class struggle.
Colombia is one of the few countries which have failed to make the transition from a right-wing militarist regime to a center-left welfare and development model, because unlike the rest of Latin America it has yet to experience a popular uprising, resulting in a new political configuration.
Peace Settlements: Central America or Indo-China?
"Peace settlements" produce winners and losers and reflect the external and internal correlation of forces. The process of negotiation, including who is consulted in setting priorities and making concessions ,is central to the future trajectory of the "peace process".
Recent history provides us with two diametrically opposed 'peace processes' with dramatically different consequences: the Indo-Chinese peace settlement of 1973-75 and the Central American peace settlements of 1992-1993. In the case of Indo-China and more specifically the Vietnamese-US peace settlement, the National Liberation Front (NLF), secured the withdrawal of the US military forces, the dismantling of US military bases and the de-militarization of the state. The NLF agreed to a process of political integration based on the recognition of certain basic socio-economic and political reforms, including agrarian reform, the repossession of farms by millions of displaced peasants and the prosecution of civilian and military officials charged with crimes against humanity. The FLN negotiators made political concessions but were in close consultation with their mass base of peasants, workers and professionals. They upheld the principle of democratizing the state and demilitarizing society as essential conditions for ending the war.
Over the past 35 years, Vietnam has evolved from an independent socialist toward a mixed public-private capitalist economy, transiting toward higher growth and higher living standards but increasing inequalities and greater corruption.
In contrast, the Central American peace agreements signed by the guerrilla leaders led to the end of armed conflict and the incorporation of the insurgent elite into the electoral system. However, there were no basic changes in the military, economic and social system. None of the mass popular organizations were consulted. The bulk of the armed fighters, both popular insurgents and paramilitary mercenaries, were discharged and became an army of "armed" unemployed. Over the past 20 years, criminal gangs have taken over large swathes of Central America, while the ex-Farabundo Marti guerrilla elite and their Guatemalan/ Nicaraguan colleagues, have become affluent businesspeople and allied with conservative electoral politicians. They are protected by private bodyguards and oblivious of the conditions of 60% of the population living below the poverty-line. The "peace accords" in Central America served as a vehicle for social mobility for the guerrilla elite. They did not end the violence. Every year more people meet a violent death than were killed during the years of civil war.
The Vietnamese and Central American peace agreements took place during different international moments. In the 1970's the Soviet Union and China provided broad international material and political support to the Vietnamese. During the Central American peace negotiations, the Soviet Union disintegrated, China was turning to capitalism and Cuba was facing a "special period" of economic crises because of the loss of Soviet aid and trade.
Clearly the change in the international correlation of forces influenced but did not determine the unfavorable results in Central America . In less than a decade after the disastrous Central American peace accords, Venezuela , under President Chavez, proceeded to defeat a coup and advanced toward a socialist transformation. Popular revolts overthrew neo-liberal rulers in Argentina , Bolivia , Ecuador and elsewhere. The end of the USSR did not end successful class struggles in Latin America .
The reactionary political correlation of forces of the 1990's has changed dramatically. By 2011, only Central America , Mexico and Colombia remain as islands of reaction in a sea of resurgent leftism and popular struggles in South America, North Africa and South Asia .
The Central American peace settlement, with its acceptance of the militarized state, linked to agro-mineral export elites and narco-criminal gangs has become a monument for a failed "peace process". The Vietnamese peace settlement, while far from perfect, at least has provided peace, security, agrarian reform, and higher income for the peasantry and workers. No doubt Colombia has historical and structural differences with Central American and Indo-China.
The armed social movements in Colombia have a specific history which preceded the Central Americans insurgents by many years and has developed political ties with certain regions and social movements which have endured over time. Unlike Central American and Vietnam insurgents they are also not dependent on "external" supporters. Above all the failed experience with "political reconciliation" in Central America has caused Colombian insurgents to raise significant conditions regarding the peace process, namely demilitarization and socio-economic reforms (agrarian reform and land recovery for the dispossessed). "Peace at any price" will only lead to new and equally virulent forms of violence, as is the case today in Mexico with 10,000 killings a year 7,000 murders a year in El Salvador and an equal amount of homicides in Guatemala .
The Vietnam experience of peace via social justice and de-militarization seems to ensure a modicum of prosperty. Certainly the international correlation of forces has dramatically improved. Latin America has replaced neo-liberal puppet regimes. The Latin American economies have found dynamic Asian markets independent of the US . Popular revolts in the Middle East and Asia – from Tunisia to Afghanistan are forcing the US military to retreat. The international and regional context is very favorable if Colombia can take advantage of it. The method and modes of struggle ,those which unite popular movements without distinction, should be openly discussed and resolved without exclusions . The insurgency is part of the solution, not the problem. The key to a successful dialogue is the demilitarization of the state-ending the US military presence, terminating Plan Colombia and converting military spending to economic and social development.


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Eurekas reward patience and ingenuity
Eureka Awards The first image of mating humpback whales, computer software that depicts music graphically, and a Harry Potter-inspired breakthrough in blood typing have been recognised as some of the leading innovations in Australian science in the past 12 months.
These achievements are among the 19 winners announced last night in Sydney at the Australian Museum's annual Eureka Prizes, which recognise the work of Australian scientists, science educators and science journalists.
Fittingly for a career spent overcoming gender barriers, former Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research director Professor Suzanne Cory last night also became the first woman to receive the prestigious Leadership in Science Prize.
Cory, with husband Professor Jerry Adams, introduced gene-cloning technology to Australia, and their research on the encoding of antibody genes is credited with helping change the face of immunology.
However the honour highlights not only her scientific excellence, but credits her work in transforming WEHI, during her 13-year tenure, into one of the nation's leading medical research centres and her commitment to mentoring and educating the next generation of scientists.
Under Cory's leadership, WEHI's staff increased from 320 to more than 600 and annual research expenditure grew from $23 million to almost $60 million, with major capital works bringing new fields of research to the centre.
At a grassroots level, she also established the Gene Technology Access Centre in 2000 to enhance knowledge of DNA and genetics. Since its foundation, the centre has hosted more than 60,000 students and run training courses for 8000 teachers.
"Her achievements as a scientist and scientific leader place her in the highest rank globally, and not just among this generation of scientists," Australian Museum director Frank Howarth says.
Music software
The Eureka Prize for Innovation in Computer Science was awarded to Associate Professor Jon McCormack, Peter McIlwain, Aidan Lane and Dr Alan Dorin at the Centre for Electronic Media Art at the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University.
McCormack's team developed Nodal, a revolutionary software program that depicts music graphically and allows users to compose music via a form of visual programming.
The software was launched on Apple's App Store in May last year and quickly shot to number two in sales in the music category - an indication of the interest generated by this revolutionary composing tool.
Another Monash University success is the work of Associate Professor Wei Shen and his team in developing a paper-based diagnostic device for blood typing.
The new tool, which takes less than a minute to produce a result and uses a patient's blood to 'write' the blood type, has won the Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology.
Developed over four years, the device was inspired by the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's novel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in which answers magically appear on the page of a diary.
The new test is of particular benefit to the developing world where cheap, fast and unambiguous blood typing can mean the difference between life and death. It is now in the early stages of commercial production and has attracted interest from military sources and governments.
Whale of a pic
For the second-year running Victorian natural history photographer Jason Edwards has won the Eureka Prize for Science Photography.
His stunning photograph, First Documentation of a Humpback Whale Mating, was taken in waters off Tonga and represents the first time humpback whale mating has been visually documented.
Perseverance and patience are essential to capture such an event as it follows a competition known as a 'heat run' between male humpbacks that can take hours to complete.
Other prize-winners last night included:
- Dr Dana Cordell and Professor Stuart White of the Institute for Sustainable Futures for research on sustaining the world's dwindling global supply of phosphorous, which is an essential ingredient in fertiliser.
- Dr Mark Pellegrini and team from WEHI who have found a new way to fight off infectious diseases by boosting the immune system.
- A combined team from the University of New South Wales and Swinburne University, led by Dr John Webb, for their discovery that the forces of nature are not as constant throughout the universe as we thought they were.
A full list of the Eureka Prize winners can be found on its website.


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Thomas Ferguson is the Research Director at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Boston and Senior Fellow at Better Markets. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University and taught formerly at MIT and the University of Texas, Austin. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Golden Rule (University of Chicago Press, 1995) and Right Turn (Hill & Wang, 1986). His articles have appeared in many scholarly journals, including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, and the Journal of Economic History. He is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Political Economy and a longtime Contributing Editor at The Nation.
Thomas Ferguson
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Thomas Ferguson is quoted in Truthout's interview with Chomsky
"The most recent study, using sophisticated AI techniques, dispels "notions that anyone's opinion about public policy outside of the top 10 percent of affluent Americans independently helps to explain policy." Thomas Ferguson, the leading academic scholar of the power of the "tools and tyrants" of government, concludes: "Knowing the policy area, the preferences of the top 10 percent, and the views of a handful of interest groups suffice to explain policy changes with impressive accuracy." — Jared Rodriguez, Truthout
Thomas Ferguson's research is cited in Noam Chomsky's interview with Jacobin
"Well, one place to look always is: "Where's the money? Who funds Congress?" Actually, there's a very fine, careful study of this by the leading scholar who deals with funding issues and politics, Thomas Ferguson. He and his colleagues did a study in which they investigated a simple question: "What's the correlation over many years between campaign funding and electability to Congress?" The correlation is almost a straight line. That's the kind of close correlation that you rarely get in the social sciences: greater the funding, higher the electability." — Noam Chomsky in an interview with Jacobin


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The Generic Provisioning Problem
- Business Environments
- High-Level Policies
- Low-Level Policies
- The Policy Management Tool
Chapter 2, "IP Architecture Overview," looked at some of the technologies and standards that are being developed within the Internet community. However, the deployment of these technologies is usually a complex and difficult undertaking. The rollout of the technology within a network requires configuring the different devices within the network that support those technologies. Policy-based techniques can help alleviate the management issues associated with the rollout of these technologies.
The configuration and provisioning of new technologies is complex for a variety of reasons. One of the challenges is that deployment requires configuring a large number of devices in a typical-sized network. Another challenge is that the technologies are often developed without adequate attention to the issues of management and deployment. As a result, there is often a mismatch between the technology specifications and the reason a network operator might want to deploy a given technology within the network.
The administrators and operators of most networks do not want to deploy technology for the sake of the technology. Very few enterprise CIOs would choose to deploy Differentiated Services within their network just because it has been standardized or because it is readily available from the different router/server vendors. The reason for deploying any technology is to satisfy a business need. For example, if a CIO determines that it needs to satisfy a network performance SLA put in place for an important customer, and Differentiated Services is the best approach to satisfy that SLA, the CIO might choose to deploy the relevant technology within the enterprise.
As described in Chapter 1, "Policy-Enabled Networking Architecture," there are two types of policies: high-level (operator view) and low-level (device view). The business needs of the deployers drive the high-level policy definitions, and the details of the technology drive the low-level policy definition. A policy management tool bridges the gap between the two views and simplifies the job of technology deployment. This chapter takes a closer look at the high-level and low-level policies that can be used in different types of network environments.
The organization of this chapter can be explained through the policy application matrix shown in Figure 3.1. The vertical axis of the matrix shows the different business needs that can arise in the various types of network environments. The horizontal axis shows the different technologies that can be used to satisfy these business needs. A shaded box indicates that the corresponding technology can be used to satisfy the matching business needs within a specific environment. Not all technologies are appropriate for each business need, and the ones that are not suitably matched have an X. An overview of the technologies shown on the horizontal axis is provided in Chapter 2.
The reader must keep in mind that the entries in Figure 3.1 are shown mainly for the purpose of illustration. In any organization, one may find business needs that are not captured by the items shown on the vertical axis. Similarly, in certain cases, some of the business needs may be better satisfied by mapping to a technology that is different from the one shown in Figure 3.1. As an example, an Application Service Provider (ASP) may want to have a business SLA covering privacy and security needs of its customers. In this case, SSL would be useful for satisfying these SLAs, even though it is not shown as an appropriate technology in the figure.
The next section of this chapter takes a closer look at three different types of network environments that are common in current IP-based networks. Then I will describe the two axes of the policy application matrix. Specifically, I will discuss the high-level policies that are most appropriate for the business needs of the different network environments. After that, I will describe the low-level policies that are appropriate for each of the technologies that can be used to satisfy those business needs. Finally, I will describe the structure of a generic policy management tool that can be used to map the policy representation along the vertical axis into the policy representation along the horizontal axis.
This chapter focuses on the generic principles that can be exploited to build a policy management tool. The details of how a technology can be used to satisfy the various business needs are described in Chapter 4, "Technology Support for Business Needs."
Business Environments
The high-level policies within the network reflect the business needs that motivate the deployment of a specific technology. An organization's business needs include items such as the services it provides to its customers, its internal requirements for smooth operation, or compliance with any regulatory or legal statutes that might apply to that organization.
The business needs of each organization depend on the organization's nature and characteristics. In order to study these business needs, we will look at three types of organizations, each with a different set of networking needs: an enterprise, a networking services provider, and an application hosting services provider. The enterprise environment is a corporation with its own network and computational infrastructure. The networking services provider, an Internet service provider (ISP), offers network connectivity services to its customers. The application hosting services provider hosts applications, such as Web sites or mail servers for its customers.
This section describes the different business environments in more detail. The following section examines their business needs.
The Enterprise Environment
The enterprise environment represents the typical network of a large corporation. Such a corporation typically has many branches that could be geographically separated by large distances. Depending on the size of the enterprise, the branches might be a few miles away, or they could be distributed across the globe.
Such an enterprise is typically managed by an IT department, which is responsible for the operation of the networking and computing infrastructure. The IT department needs to operate the network at required performance levels and enforce adequate security in networked communication. The management and operation of such a network can benefit tremendously from a policy-based approach.
A typical enterprise environment consists of several local campus networks that are connected by a WAN. Campus networks typically are based on LAN technologies, such as Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, FDDI, and token ring. Each LAN connects to the WAN by means of one or more access routers. The WAN typically consists of leased lines obtained by the enterprise from a telecommunications company or an ISP. Such an environment is shown in Figure 3.2.
In most cases, the enterprise has adequate bandwidth on the LANs for its purposes. Current LAN technologies are cheap enough to offer gigabits of local bandwidth at relatively low costs. Even at the relatively old technologies of ethernets operating at 10Mbps and token rings operating at 16Mbps, LAN bandwidth is an order of magnitude faster than access links to WAN, which are predominantly T1 (1.5Mbps) links. New technologies of Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet are significantly faster than T3 access links (45Mbps), which are becoming more widespread.
The reasons that deployed LANs are significantly faster than wide-area access links are most likely business-related rather than technical. There is no technical reason why a wide-area link can't be as fast as or faster than a LAN. Speeds in excess of 1Gbps can be achieved quite readily over optical fiber. However, the cost of operating a LAN is significantly different from the cost of operating a wide-area link.
The installation of a LAN is dominated by a one-time lump-sum cost associated with the purchase of equipment and any building infrastructure updates that might be needed. Although this cost might be a substantial one-time expense, relatively few recurring monthly costs are associated with LAN bandwidth. Amortized over the typical life span of a building LAN (which is usually a few years), the cost per unit of bandwidth per month of LAN is fairly small. However, wide-area access links are available only through the telecommunication companies and are priced on a monthly basis, which easily dwarfs the expenses associated with the one-time equipment installation costs over one year. Unless there are fundamental shifts in the way wide-area links are priced, it is safe to assume that the bottlenecks associated with network communications are more likely to be in the WAN rather than the LAN.
As far as security, different corporations vary widely in the trust model that exists among campuses in the enterprise network. Most companies tend to have an open internal access approach, whereby almost anyone can have network connectivity (such as being able to ping the computer) to any computer on the internal corporation network. This is not to say that access controls at the application layer are not needed. In most companies, files and documents should be given only to those employees who really need them. However, no firewalls or other network-layer security devices are commonly deployed between the different departments.
Enterprise networks do have to contend with a different type of security issue. There is an increasing need for employees to gain remote access to the company's network from external locations. In many cases, the external location is the residence of an employee working from home. However, there might be employees who are accessing the network from their hotel rooms or over the Internet. Their access needs to be supported as well.
It is in the backdrop of such an enterprise that we will look at the requirement for the high-level and low-level policies necessary to manage the performance and security of an enterprise network. The high-level policies need to be defined in terms of functions that are used in daily operations of the companies, and the low-level policies need to be defined in terms of the technology deployed within the network (such as configuration of access server and routers).
The Network Services Provider (ISP) Environment
The network services provider is an organization that operates a network on behalf of its customers. I refer to such an organization as an ISP because many Internet service providers essentially offer such a service to their customers. Examples of some companies that provide network connectivity are UUNET, Sprint, and AT&T Global Networks. These companies offer WAN connectivity to their customers.
A simplified view of the computer network environment for a typical network provider is shown in Figure 3.3.
The oval shown as the core network is the domain of a single network operator or ISP. An ISP would have multiple points of presence (POPs) at various cities. The POPs are sites that could be used to access the ISP network. Customers may connect to POPs using leased lines or dial-up lines. Dial-up access requires modem banks that terminate in a local office of the ISP and are connected to the POP using high-speed links (typically T1). For access to other customers, the ISP may place a router on the customer's premises (CSR: Customer Site Router) and connect it to the POP using a metropolitan-area network or a leased line. In addition to the POPs, the ISP needs to partner with other peer ISPs in order to connect to the Internet. These peering points are known as Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). An IXP can connect a regional ISP to a national ISP or act as conduit among several ISP networks. Different ISPs have peering agreements among themselves as to which traffic they will accept from other ISPs at an IXP. Very large service providers also have private peering arrangements with each other.
Note - An exchange point is also known by several names other than IXP. Common equivalent terms include NAP (Network Access Point), MAE (Metropolitan Area Exchange), and FIX (Federal Internet Exchange).
The POPs and IXPs supported by the ISP are interconnected by its core network. The ISP's core network consists of several routers connected by means of high-bandwidth circuits that may be owned by the ISP or leased from other bandwidth vendors.
Note - The public Internet consists of all the ISP networks and the different servers provided by the ISPs or their customers. The IXPs provide the gateways by which a user on an ISP network can access servers provided by a customer of a different ISP.
The Application Hosting Provider Environment
An application hosting provider is a company that hosts and supports different types of servers on behalf of their customers. Such companies are commonly referred to as Application Services Providers (ASP), which is the acronym I will use in this book. The most common of these providers are Web-hosting companies that provide servers to operate Web sites for individual companies. Examples of such companies are Exodus and IBM Global Services. Exodus primarily provides location services to its customers. For example, it offers space and power supplies to its customers close to one of the major ISP's exchange points. IBM Global Services offers a more comprehensive service, which includes ensuring that the applications and services are up and available. In addition to these major players, many small companies provide services for hosting Web sites as well as Lotus Notes database servers. In 1999, Intel announced a move into a similar business with a plan to open large application-hosting locations.
The most common type of servers outsourced for support and operations are Web servers. However, it is also common to find other types of application servers being hosted. Typical types of application services that are hosted are Web servers, electronic commerce transaction servers, mail servers, groupware servers, and directory servers.
Figure 3.4 shows a simplified configuration of a hosted site. It shows the service provider accessing the Internet through one access router. The access router is typically followed by a firewall that restricts public access from the Internet to only the servers that are intended for this access. The firewall also prevents denial-of-service attacks and otherwise validates access to the server farm. The figure shows two customers, of which Customer 2 has the simpler configuration. Each customer has its own separate LAN on the premises to which a number of servers are attached. Each customer might also have a back-end connection to this LAN through a firewall to one of the customer's intranet campuses. This connectivity is provided so that the customer can administer or update the applications running on its servers. Customer 1 has a somewhat more complex configuration that involves a load balancer. The load balancer is a device that can spray connection requests across multiple machines running the same applications. Several such types of load balancers are available on the market. This customer also has a back-end connection to its intranet for the sake of easy administration.
In this figure, many variations are possible. Instead of a dedicated connection to the customer's intranet campus, the connectivity might be via a secure VPN over the Internet connection. Similarly, the figure shows a firewall insulating the customers from the Internet as well as from each other. In practice, you might have multiple layers of firewalls. For example, one layer might protect the customers from the Internet, and the other layer protects the customers from each other. Layering firewalls in this manner simplifies the filtering rules to be configured at each layer and helps in checking inadvertent security loopholes. Other variations might include replicating many of the functions, such as access routers and firewalls, in order to ensure some level of tolerance of failures of individual boxes.


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09 September 2009
A Pause...
We've been in Malta on holiday, eating good Gozitan cheese and bread and nougat and ice cream, going to the beach, sightseeing, and drinking good wine. We're now off to Seattle for a few days but I will get back to posting as soon as we're home!
13 comments:
- whitneyingram said...
Excellent pictures. Makes me realize I need a vacation. I can imagine my husband and I, no children, good food and great scenery. Someday soon.
- September 9, 2009 at 5:05 PM
- Rita said...
Oh, you are coming to my city! It's really nice here, hope you have a great time!
- September 9, 2009 at 9:54 PM
- rachel said...
Your photos of Malta make me want to be there now....they are wonderful. You should post your recommendations and travel tips when u return and settle in! (OK, I am just being selfish because I am planning a trip the middle east next year.) Have a wonderful rest of your...rest.
- September 10, 2009 at 1:35 AM
- figtree said...
Beautiful photos, I look forward to future posts.Figtreeapps
- September 11, 2009 at 4:27 AM
- Anna said...
Malta! Please tell me you tried the holey, chewy, delicious Maltese bread and that, even better, you got the recipe? :)You made me want to go back there. Hope you're enjoying your break.
- September 11, 2009 at 8:55 AM
- Rebecca said...
I have always wanted to visit Malta, even more now that I've ssen your photos, have a wonderful trip!
- September 11, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Susan said...
MMM, all looks good. Have a wonderful time.
- September 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM
- Kate said...
I love the pics! Malta is beautiful, I fell in love with it when I was there in January.
- September 11, 2009 at 11:15 PM
- minxish said...
Aaah Seattle, my home. If you have time, check out the Bamboo Garden which is right next to the Seattle Center, it's a 100% vegan restaurant that has an incredible selection of fake meat dishes. The only thing that has any animal product in it are the fortune cookies they give you at the end of your meal.
- September 12, 2009 at 8:04 AM
- daMawma said...
Mercedes, may I ask you about date harvests? I live in Pennsylvania and I have never seen fresh dates in any supermarket. If other fruits can be flown half-way around the world and marketed fresh, why not dates? My supply is always dried pitted dates.
- September 13, 2009 at 2:02 PM
- Bill Medifast said...
Busy bees you are. Hope you had a great time. Excellent pictures too, makes me want to go. :)
- September 15, 2009 at 3:22 PM
- Diana said...
We can be patient until you get back to blogging -- we know it will be worth the wait!
- September 15, 2009 at 4:54 PM
- Nabia said...
First time on your blog! really good stuff! lovely pics!
- September 15, 2009 at 10:50 PM


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Global internet services company creates central team to tackle CRE tech
"Big 4" company worked with JLL to create program management office to manage project timelines and dependencies
This American-based multinational technology company specializes in internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is one of the "Big Four" technology companies and services users all over the globe.
The organization was undertaking a complex web of related corporate real estate (CRE) technology initiatives but lacked a centralized team to manage all components. Additionally, they lacked methodology for prioritizing projects, as well as a standardized implementation process to help ensure alignment with business outcomes. While the organization regularly implements new CRE technologies and its technology rollouts are technically successful, they knew they needed to increase user acceptance and adoption to optimize return on investment (ROI) for their new systems.
The organization recognized that a change management strategy could help address the challenges they faced but lacked the internal skillset to put into place the processes and programs that aligned with their current technology projects. It was important to address this need swiftly, as they were in the middle of an IBM TRIRIGA implementation, an IWMS solution, and needed strong user adoption for the project to be considered successful.
Having previously partnered with JLL on several projects, including occupancy planning and space utilization, as well as the current IBM TRIRIGA implementation, CRE leadership trusted JLL to implement programs and processes that would not only improve operations, but also support the core culture. With this trust established, the JLL Strategic Transformation Management team arrived to develop a technology transformation roadmap that would serve as the foundation for technology projects moving forward. As we worked together to assess the current state and create an inventory of current projects, we realized that a centralized program management office (PMO) was needed to manage the many project timelines and dependencies.
To address the previously mentioned challenges surrounding change management, user adoption, and ROI, JLL proposed a program team to speed up the technology transformation. This team, which included an overall program manager, business analyst, and change management lead, among others, managed and implemented the "soft" non-technical aspects of IBM TRIRIGA.
Key deliverables for this engagement included:
- SWOT analysis
- Organizational structure recommendations
- Documentation of opportunities and gaps with recommendations for next steps
- Detailed business process documentation
- Fully resourced PMO
The organization has established a PMO to manage its portfolio of CRE technology projects. JLL recommended the PMO structure and is leading the function. Together, we established a standard process for work intake, governance and reporting, along with standard documents and record-keeping for all CRE technology projects. We also helped build a communications and change management program as initiatives were implemented.
Key facts and figures
- Geographies: Global
- Revenue: 136 Billion US
- Employees: >98,700
- Customers: >500M
- Client relationship: Since 2013
- Recommended PMO structure
- Supported resolution of major roadblocks
- Established standard processes, governance, and reporting
- Built communication and change management program
- Detailed business process documentation
Scope of services
- Current state and future priorities assessment
- Business process mapping and analysis
- Resourcing review and recommendations
- Oversight of total CRE technology portfolio


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Start planning your visit: |
The Bodega Bay area embodies the powerful attractions of the Pacific Coast. Ocean breeze, the crashing of waves, stunning sunsets, great seafood, romantic accommodations, adventure, and relaxation.
Sections • Charter Fishing • Artists & Galleries • Ocean Kayaking • Surfing • Shopping • Golf • Scenic Drives • Parks & Beaches • First Time Visitor's Guide • Area Map • Photo Gallery • Weather Links |
Bodega Bay Lodge, Bodega Bay CA |
Sonoma Coast State Beach, Goat Rock Dining on the Bay |
Kortum Trail, 16 minutes north of Bodega Bay |
Spud Point Marina |
Candy & Kites |
View of Doran Regional Park |
Links at Bodega Harbour (public) |
Highway 1, 24 minutes north of Bodega Bay |
One of many view along the coast |
Surfing at Salmon Creek |
A scenic view along the California coastline near Bodega Bay. Beaches such as these abound for miles. The state park system maintains access trails and parking for each beach. Everything you see is public property. This means for any beach you see you will be able to park your car and walk to a secluded location. Spotlight - Dining -- Combine the fresh produce of Sonoma County, the daily catches coming in to Bodega Bay with the beauty of the coast - and you get the unique conditions that make for some incredible dining.Spotlight - Parks -- The approximately 8 miles of coast from the Bodega Bay Head to a little past Jenner is all Sonoma Coast State Beach property. Beach accesses trails and parking lots are regularly maintained. Many include a combination of restrooms, trash cans, RV and camping sites. You can stop and walk down to any beach you see from the road! Further up Highway 1 lie historic Fort Ross and Salt Point State Park. In the town of Bodega Bay there is the fun Doran County Park with its jetties (great for crabbing and fishing) and big sandy beaches. |
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The Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) describe their activities as "reducing violence by getting in the way".
I am all for reducing violence. But the CPT have a history of getting in the way of people, if they happen to be Israelis, defending themselves.
The point of view is perfectly illustrated by this fragment of an email written by a CPT member named Jan Benvie:
On 28 December, 2007, two armed, off-duty Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen killed each other… The Israelis were from the settlement of Kiryat Arba, near Hebron, the Palestinians from Hebron.
Both communities have their narratives of why their young men are dead. Their narratives are similar, although I doubt either would agree with me, such is their enmity towards each other.
Part of the narrative goes like this: both believe the other wants to kill them and steal their land; neither thinks the other wants peace…
I think of the bereaved families in both Kiryat Arba and Hebron. As a mother, I feel particularly for the parents mourning their dead sons. [my emphasis]
Now a few facts, independent of 'narratives': three Israelis were walking down a road. A car carrying Palestinians drove by and sprayed them with bullets. Because the Israelis were off-duty soldiers walking in a dangerous place, they were armed and fired back. Two Israelis and one, possibly two, Palestinians died.
The thrust of Ms. Benvie's email is that there is a symmetry here: both sides hate the other, both sides commit violence, both sides have grieving parents.
But this incident (which I wrote about in "The 35… and two more" ) is a perfect example of the asymmetry of the conflict.
Apologists for the Palestinians will say that the Israeli settlers had initiated the violence by living on 'Palestinian land'. But even if you ignore the history of the Jewish presence in and around Hebron, and even if you think that the penalty for a Jew living on 'Arab land' should be death, the terrorists did not know who they were shooting. There is no doubt in my mind that any Israeli hiking on that road would have been shot.
If the victims had been unarmed, the only difference would have been that none of the terrorists would have been hurt. In that case, would Benvie still blame the Israelis equally? For what?
The CPT distribute a brochure entitled "No way to the Inn" which includes the line "If the Christmas story were to happen today, Mary and Joseph would have a hard time getting to Bethlehem", because of the security fence.
The brochure suggests building a little wall around a nativity scene, and then calling the local media to explain why you are doing it. It compares the Jews of today to the Romans of Herod's time, and talks about the hardships faced by Palestinians living near the barrier.
But nowhere does it mention that the barrier is being built in order to stop Palestinian terrorists from attacking and killing Israelis. The CPT 'gets in the way' of self-defense, but doesn't seem to do much to get in the way of terrorism (although one CPT member did offer to ride the no. 18 bus in Jerusalem after it had been bombed twice in two weeks).
Technorati Tags: CPT, Christian Peacemaker Teams


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Blake Farmer
More and more hospitals are contracting with private companies to run their emergency departments. To save money, many are increasingly relying on nurses and physician assistants instead of doctors.
Increasingly, private equity firms shape staffing decisions at hospital emergency rooms, research shows. One apparent effect: Hiring fewer doctors and more health care practitioners who earn far less.
Clinics that care for long COVID patients are wrestling with how to handle a condition that is still poorly understood and has no widely accepted treatments.
When rural hospitals go out of business, they're frequently gone for good. But now, some comebacks are a welcome sign for communities that have been without easy access to health care.
Some rural hospitals are in such bad shape, they're selling for next to nothing. One company is snapping several distressed or closed hospitals in rural Tennessee, hoping to turn a profit.
Festival promoters are allowing lifesaving medication as fentanyl deaths surge, but volunteers are often left to distribute it, and more controversial forms of harm reduction aren't openly allowed.
Reproductive rights proponents worry about the risk of counseling those who seek medication abortions, though they've published online support techniques and guides for safe use of the drugs.
The Southern Baptist Convention offered commitments at its closely watched two-day annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., to address sexual abuse problems kept hidden for years.
For COVID patients, ECMO is a last-ditch respiratory treatment in which only about half survive. Yet a new small study suggests many lives would still have been saved if there had been more machines.
State medical boards have an obligation to investigate complaints about doctors, such as those who spread COVIC misinformation. But in Tennessee and other states, lawmakers are saying 'not so fast'


text: I've had been eyeing the Arc'teryx Beta LT Hybrid jacket for quite a while. I had been looking for a good "all around" rain/snow shell for some up and coming trips and just general use in normal activities and hiking, etc. And then it happened, I found it on sale for a price I couldn't pass up, so I ordered one.


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