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Laser Etched Celtic Knot 4MM Womens Tungsten Wedding Ring
Laser Etched Celtic Knot 4MM Womens Tungsten Wedding Ring
Pictures simply do not do this ring justice. Our Laser Etched Celtic Knot 4MM Tungsten Wedding Ring features a laser etched 'Celtic Knot' pattern in a petite domed ring. This thinner ring is ideal for a man or a woman, and we sell an 8MM and 6MM version of this with stepped edges in our store, or paired together as a set as well. This particular ring makes for an incredible wedding band. A great piece of jewelry indeed. Tungsten Carbide is extremely scratch resistant and the shine will last a lifetime!
Like all of our Tungsten Rings this ring is Comfort Fit and is 100% cobalt free (we use a nickel binder to make a 100% hypo allergenic ring). This ring is engravable, please check our custom engraving page for font samples.
Buy with confidence as the Laser Etched Celtic Knot 4MM Tungsten Wedding Ring comes with our 21-day satisfaction guarantee and is backed by our Lifetime Warranty.
** Please note that while engraved rings cannot be exchanged or returned under the 21 day satisfaction guarantee, a claim can be made under the lifetime warranty. Therefore, we encourage our customers to ensure proper fit before having their rings personalized or engraved. You can select 'Try Rings On First' to receive your rings without engraving, and receive a return shipper to send them back for engraving and size changes (USA only for return shipper, engraving must be pre paid for return shipper option) **
Retail Price: $249.99
Our Price: $49.99
Retail Price: $249.99
Our Price: $49.99
Retail Price: $249.99
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Retail Price: $399.99
Our Price: $99.99
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jo Ann Emerson to retire in Feb.
Less than one month after winning reelection to a 10th term to Congress, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) said Monday that she will resign in February to become president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
"I am not leaving Congress because I have lost my heart for service — to the contrary — I see a new way to serve," Emerson said in a statement. "I did not go seeking this opportunity, but I am excited about the new challenge it offers to find ways to promote strong rural policy."
Emerson, whose exit marks another departure of a moderate in the House Republican ranks, holds a senior position on the powerful Appropriations Committee. She is the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, giving her a key role in funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association represents more than 900 not-for-profit rural electric cooperatives and public power districts, according to its website. In her new role, Emerson's office said she will "continue her advocacy for rural communities in Missouri and throughout the country."
By law, Emerson herself cannot directly lobby her congressional colleagues for a year after leaving office, although nothing prevents her from serving in an executive and leadership capacity. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is a massive lobby, spending at least $2.9 million on federally reportable lobbying efforts each year since 2003, according to federal records.
Emerson received $8,000 from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's political action committee this election cycle, federal records show. During 2010, Emerson received $12,000 from the people and the PAC associated with the association, according to the Center for Responsive Politics — more money than any other federal-level Republican candidate that cycle.
The first Republican woman to represent Missouri in Congress, Emerson succeeded her husband, former Rep. Bill Emerson, after his death in 1996. She first won a special election, then subsequently won nine full terms to Congress.
Her rural southeastern Missouri seat is safely Republican; President Barack Obama lost the seat by 20 points in 2008. Emerson trounced Democratic challenger Jack Rushin on Nov. 6, winning nearly 72 percent of the vote.
Republicans mentioned as potential replacements include Lloyd Smith, the director of the Missouri Republican Party who is Emerson's former chief of staff, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, state Reps. Jason Smith and Todd Richardson, and Sarah Steelman, the former state treasurer who lost in the state's August GOP Senate primary to Rep. Todd Akin.
Emerson is the second member of Congress who won reelection on Nov. 6 to announce plans to step down. Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), who had battled personal health problems and is facing a Justice Department investigation, resigned from the House just before Thanksgiving.
Dave Levinthal contributed to this report.


text: 0001-soldiers-rmj.jpg "Birth of a Warrior: Ten Weeks in Basic Training" is the second monograph by Raymond McCrea Jones. It was published by University Press of New England imprint ForeEdge in September 2015. From the publisher: "The stunning photographs in "Birth of a Warrior" chronicles the transformation of 162 young men from across the country into U.S. Army Delta Company 2/47. From four in the morning until late at night, through arrival, processing, outfitting, marching, inspection, drill, physical training, combat training, and live-fire exercises, Jones documents an astonishing metamorphosis. Granted unprecedented access to the lives of these recruits and the NCOs responsible for their basic training, he photographs everything from their first haircuts to the tossing of their caps at graduation. "Birth of a Warrior" is both their story and our story: a profound look at the culture and humanity of those who go off to war." Recent press: School of Visual Arts lecture NPR: WUNC NPR: WABE Politico Mashable Atlanta Celebrates Photography Arts ATL You can order the book at any one of the following locations: UPNE, Amazon or Indie Bound. Here, Army recruits sit silent and still as they wait to depart the bus and set foot at Fort Benning for the first time.


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New AT&T cell phone
It's called Local Number Portability or LNP. LNP simply means you can transfer your wireless or wireline phone number to AT&T and keep your number.
Q. Can I switch to AT&T but keep the phone number I already have from another carrier?
A. Yes, it is possible to keep the number you already have from another wireless or wireline carrier. First, check to see if your existing number is eligible for transfer to AT&T. If it is, then all you have to do is follow the instructions to authorize the transfer. We'll do the rest.
Q. How do I know if my number is eligible to transfer?
A. It's easy! All you need is the phone number you wish to transfer and the ZIP code for your local service area. Check number transfer eligibility now to get started.
Q. Will checking eligibility affect my current/existing phone service?
A. No. Checking eligibility has no effect on your current/existing phone service. Basically, nothing will happen until you authorize us to transfer your number to AT&T and the transfer is completed.
Q. What information do I need to transfer my number?
A. You must provide the following account information as it appears on record with your current service provider:
- Account number
- Name of the account holder
- Billing address
- PIN or password (if applicable)
AT&T will contact your current service provider to complete the transfer. The information you provide must exactly match your current service provider's records. If there is a mismatch in the data, the transfer will be delayed.
Q. Where can I find this information?
A. You can refer to a recent bill or call your current service provider to verify your information. This is especially important if you have a PIN or password on your account that you can't remember.
Q. How does a number transfer work?
A. The transfer process varies slightly depending on how you decide to purchase and receive your new AT&T phone. You may choose to visit an AT&T retail store or you can order online and have it shipped directly to you. The processes for both options are outlined below:
- AT&T retail store: AT&T will send a number transfer request to your current service provider and wait for confirmation to transfer the number. Meanwhile, your AT&T handset will be activated into mixed service. You will be able to make calls on your new AT&T handset but will continue to receive calls on your old handset until the number transfer is complete. Once AT&T receives confirmation, your activation will be complete, allowing you to make and receive calls on your AT&T handset. Your old service provider will be notified that you have activated service with AT&T and will automatically cancel your account.
- Order online: AT&T will send a number transfer request to your current service provider and wait for confirmation to transfer the number. Once transfer confirmation is received your AT&T phone will be shipped. Your existing phone will continue to work until you receive your AT&T phone and activate it. Once your AT&T account is activated, your old service provider will be notified of your new service with AT&T and will cancel your account.
Q. How do I check the status of my current number transfer?
A. Visit to check your transfer status.
Q. Do I need to cancel my current service?
A. No. The number must be in active service in order to be transferred. Your old service will be canceled automatically as part of the transfer process.
Q. What is mixed service?
A. When obtaining your new AT&T handset at an AT&T retail store, the sales representative can immediately activate the phone for outbound calls. However, you will continue to receive calls on your old handset until the transfer is complete. For more information, see How does a number transfer work? listed above.
Q. Can I use my current phone or do I have to buy a new one?
A. An AT&T SIM card is required. However, the purchase of a new AT&T handset is not required as long as you have one that is compatible with the AT&T network.
Q. If I order a new AT&T phone, how quickly will I receive it?
A. AT&T will overnight ship your new cell phone once a "confirmed" transfer response from your current service provider has been received. For a wireless transfer, you will typically receive your equipment within 3 to 5 business days from the date the transfer process started. If you are transferring a wireline number, it will take a minimum of 5 business days.
Q. What is a confirmed response?
A. A "confirmed" transfer response means that your current service provider has received the request and verified that all of the transfer request information matched their records. This confirmation serves as permission to transfer your number. Your number transfer cannot proceed and your AT&T handset cannot be shipped until AT&T receives a confirmed response.
Q. How long does it take to complete a number transfer?
A. A Wireless number transfer initiated through a physical AT&T sales location typically completes within 1 to 3 business hours if there are no issues. If equipment has been ordered, the process typically takes 3 to 5 business days to allow time for shipment. Transferring a wireline number takes a minimum of 5 business days.
Q. If I change my mind, what do I need to do to cancel the number transfer?
A. Call the Port Activation Center at 888-898-7685 for assistance.
Q. How will I know if there is an issue with my number transfer?
A. In most cases, if there is an issue you will receive a phone call from the AT&T Port Activation Center requesting additional information. If you receive a message from AT&T, it is very important that you respond as quickly as possible. AT&T cannot continue the transfer process until the issue is resolved. If you do not hear anything within 24 hours, you can check your number transfer status online. If further assistance is needed, you may call 866-895-1097 to check the status of your number transfer.
Source: www.att.com
USA Cell Phones Parts For Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N900A AT&T New Housing part front Chassis Fascia Frame Cover Bezel (White)
Wireless (Cell Phones Parts)
Indigi NEW 5in 4G Unlocked Android 6.0 Smartphone Cell Phone GPS WiFi AT&T StraightTalk
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LG G3 D850 - 32GB - 4G LTE (AT&T - Unlocked) Android Smartphone, Metallic Black (Certified Refurbished)
Wireless (LG)
Samsung Galaxy S5 Active, Titanium Gray 16GB (AT&T)
Wireless Phone (Samsung)
BLU Advance 5.0 HD -Unlocked Dual Sim Smartphone - US GSM - Rose Gold
Wireless (BLU)


text:
The Belstaff Pure motorcycle t-shirt .
Another fine motorcycle accessory brought to you by British Motorcycle Gear.
The Belstaff Myth T-Shirt is a great motorcycle conversation piece. Belstaff has been a part of motorcycle history since 1924 and you and Steve McQueen are cool enough to Know it.
Part of the Belstaff Pure Motorcycle Clothing Collection.
British Motorcycle Gear Protecting The Cafe Racer in all of us.


text: Maria Aguirre Rosales De Bañuelos (por el julano) Maria Aguirre Rosales De Bañuelos Maria one of the founding members of the organization Lideres Campesinas. Born in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico in 1930, she first came to the U.S in 1977 to work in the fields. In the early 1980s she began working at the Coachella Peter Rabbit packing plant, a seasonal job she held for 20 years. Maria was in an abusive relationship for most of her life. She realized this early in her marriage but family and tradition demanded that she stay with her husband. At the age of sixty she attended one of the first meetings of an organization that would eventually become Lideres Campesinas. During that meeting she heard other women speak of their experience of domestic abuse and for the first time she saw herself from the outside, she gained self-awareness. She had never thought that she did not have to live with violence. This was a turning point in her life and she started the slow process of freeing herself from that relationship. The first step she took was to establish her financial independence. In time she became more involved with Lideres Campesinas and has remained active with the organization because of what it did for her and because she knows that there are many people who need the services that Lideres Campesinas provides "...people who are, like I was, ignorant of their rights, the many people who come from small towns and villages in Mexico…Now I have seen the fruit of the work that the organization has done over the years. I suffered and I learned and my eyes were opened and I am not ignorant like I used to be…I realize that I am not important, what is important is the people that have the needs that I used to have". Maria has traveled throughout the Southwest United States to educate women about their rights.


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The issue of women in combat has long been a thorny one for the military. While laws forbidding women from serving in combat were repealed 20 years ago, there have been Pentagon regulations that have essentially done the same thing since then, and women have been relegated to support roles rather than combat positions. But now, given the changing nature of combat, the Marine Corps has realized that is essentially a stupid policy to have in place. And so they've decided to finally take steps to involve women in combat roles by allowing them to volunteer for infantry training. While we won't be allowed to serve in frontline combat units just yet, this latest move is certainly a major step toward that.
For more than a year, the Marine Corps has been doing extensive research on additional jobs that could be opened to women, and, according to General Joseph Dunford, they've decided based on that to enroll some female volunteers in the Infantry Officers Course in Quantico, Virginia. He told the Military Times, "We are in the process right now of soliciting volunteers." While specifics have yet to be announced, there apparently is also a plan in the works to allow enlisted women to be assigned to Infantry Training Battalions as well. It's not known how many women total, either officer or enlisted, will be involved in this initial effort, since it's really up to how many people volunteer—though one imagines there are plenty of brave, capable women who've been waiting for just such an opportunity to open up.
This move is a big deal, and one that is sure to cause plenty of hand-wringing and pearl clutching from those opposed to the "weaker sex" fighting in combat. It's not clear for the moment what will happen to the women once they've completed the training. Details have apparently been finalized by Marine officials, but they won't be made public just yet—though one presumes women will be allowed in combat in infantry roles if they're going to the trouble to train them.
This change is one piece of a larger mission to expand the role of women in the Corps. In February, the Marines announced that company-grade officers and staff noncommissioned officers would be allowed to be assigned to a number of jobs that had previously been closed to women, though that did not include infantry or anything for which ground combat was a primary mission.
As part of the push to fully integrate women, the Corps is developing new "functional fitness tests" which are used to gauge how soldiers perform in various combat tasks. They're attempting to establish a gender-neutral approach to testing—which had previously been weighted based on a soldier's sex. As the Military Times puts it, the ramifications of this are huge:
This suggests that women wanting to serve in ground combat units will be given the shot to do so only if they can keep pace with their male counterparts. Standards would likely evaluate Marines not as women and men, but simply as infantrymen, tank crewmen or artillerymen, for example.
Whoa. Imagine that. Though it'd probably be better to call them simply infantrypersons and tank crew members, but baby steps. While this change has been the goal of many women who've long been fighting to be considered for positions that were closed to female soldiers, the shift appears to have finally come about after experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan have redefined the way wars are being fought.
In most of the recent conflicts America has been involved in, there really has not been a traditional "frontline" that women can avoid in order to remain safe from harm and also to keep from tempting busy men with their amazingly sensual bodies. In many cases, women working in supporting roles have been in the mix with combat troops and just as much in danger as the men technically assigned to combat roles. So much so that 144 women have been killed in action, and 865 have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. And, as the thinking goes, if you're able to die for your country, you should be able to fight for it. Being allowed to rack up combat experience is also crucial for women who choose to make a career in the military because without it, it's very difficult to get promoted into the senior ranks.
Of course, this is a highly charged issue, and plenty of people oppose these changes. Elaine Donnelly, who runs an organization called the Center for Military Readiness and has basically made a career out of loudly proclaiming that women and gay people will destroy the institution of the American military, has objected to these changes—shocker! She said back in February,
Direct ground combat missions, with physical demands beyond the capability of almost all women, have not changed. If a soldier is wounded in battle—what we saw many times in Baghdad in 2003 or Fallujah in November 2004—a co-located support soldier may be the only person in a position to evacuate the wounded soldier on his own back. In this environment, women do not have an equal opportunity to survive, or to help fellow soldiers survive.
Ahh, yes, it's only fair to keep the wussy women of the Marines out of combat-related danger… Except, dear Elaine, maybe you missed the part about gender-neutral physical fitness assessments? People, that's women AND men, won't be allowed into these types of situation unless they've been deemed capable of performing in them. Of course, these arguments—Women and their weakness! Women and their emotions! Women and the sexy sex feelings and ill-advised chivalry they arouse in men!—are not new, and the list of them goes on and on. However, many of these same lines of "logic" were used to oppose gays serving openly in the military, and since that's been allowed, things have gone quite smoothly. So, one imagines the same exact thing will happen when women are finally given the opportunity to fill combat roles. There's even a very good chance that these trailblazing women won't cry all over their fellow infantrymen or menstruate on their guns.
USMC 4-star: Women to attend infantry school [Military Times]
Brass Ceiling Cracking? [Time]


text:
Welcome to SWITCHengines!
SWITCHengines provides compute and storage services in the form of virtual machines to researchers, lecturers and IT-services of Swiss universities and related institutions.
Custom-tailored for academic use cases
SWITCHengines was created to expand the boundaries of local infrastructures for research, education and IT-services under maximal considerations of your needs. Check out the following three flavors.
Great flexibility and advanced scalability
SWITCHengines allows you to use the computing and storage infrastructure
- according to your needs
- when you need them and
- as long as you need them.
SWITCH provides both pay-as-you go for dynamic workload as well as longer-term usage models – with varying levels of discounts according to the volume and duration. For an overview of the available storage and compute resources click here.
Simple application and full integration
SWITCHengines are built in a way that fully integrates into the local infrastructures of your institution. Institutions can choose various levels of integration – according to their current and future needs. This includes:
- direct integration into the SWITCHlan network
- console for the integrated management of projects and users
- transparent resource usage and cost monitoring
SWITCHengines is created together with Swiss universities and related institutions (such as spin-offs, research institutions or hospitals) to create the best "integrated solution" for your needs.
Since 2018 SWITCHengines also runs Microsoft Windows. Download Factsheet.
We welcome you on SWITCHengines.
Next Event
IT for Research Day September 2019, Fribourg
Please find the details on the details page.
Past Events
IT for Research Day September 2018, Berne
Please find the details on the details page.
Research IT day June 2017, Lausanne
Please find the details on the details page.
Event for Big Data & Faster Research April 2017
Please find the details on the details page.
Event for IT services and Researchers October 2016
Please find the details on the details page.
Events for IT services in May 2015
For more information see this page.
Events for Researchers and Lecturers in June 2015
For more information see this page.
Basic infrastructure for funded projects
Projects funded by swissuniversities' program "P-5 Scientific information" can use the compute and storage services created by this project free of charge. Projects can be accommodated within the limits of available capacity until August 2018 (subject to agreement with SWITCH).
Data lifecycle management (DLCM)
Currently the University of Geneva, which is responsible for the national long-term preservation infrastructure, is working on the architecture and its proof of concept (POC) of an Open Archival Information System (OAIS) compliant system. For that, there is a need to benefit from cloud services such as proposed by SWITCHengines. The POC of that system is realized on SWITCHengines.
For more information about the DLCM project, see: http://www.dlcm.ch
e-Science Coordination Team Project, University of Zurich (formerly eSCT, now EnhanceR)
University of Zurich, a partner in the e-Science Coordination Team (formerly eSCT, now EnhanceR) project has been using SWITCHengines for several data analysis tasks in a Cloud bursting setup:
- Biochemistry: Docking Ligands to Proteins with rDock
- Business: Process social network data through Natural Language Processing tools
- Geography: Process GPS data in an RData file
The SWITCHengines service helped the Science IT team of the University of Zurich to satisfy peak requests for computing resources.
For more information about the EnhanceR project, see https://www.enhancer.ch/
National e-Infrastructure link for Switzerland (NeI-CH)
The NeI-CH project has started to run physics related computations on the cloud infrastructure. The simulations are tested for their fitness to the cloud infrastructure also with regard to particularities and new possibilities compared to the traditional HPC environments.
For more information about the DLCM project, see: http://lhep.unibe.ch/neich/
-> Subproject TmLQCD (Twisted Mass Lattice QCD)
TmLQCD is a Hybrid Monte Carlo implementation for Wilson and Wilson twisted mass fermions and inverter for different versions of the Dirac operators, is fully parallelised and tested successfully on various modern architectures.The goal of this exercise is to make some exploratory studies on the features of particles on low-energy regions.
-> Subproject GEANT
Geant4 (Geometry and Tracking) is a platform for simulation of passage of particles through matter. It is a standard tool for design and simulation of particle physics detectors, also used in medical and space physics applications. The outcome of this exercise will be a master thesis on muon background simulation for a neutrino experiment. The general Geant4 image created, can in the future be used in other applications.
-> Subproject ATLAS Simulation
The ATLAS Simulation is also based on Geant4. The detector geometry is described and the interactions of the particles with the different layers of the detector is simulated. This is included in the general ATLAS software framework (Athena). The outcome of the exercise is to produce real simulated events as part of the general ATLAS Monte Carlo simulation campaign. This requires the transparent integration of the ATLAS framework with the cloud infrastructure.
SWISSUbase is a national cross-disciplinary solution for Swiss universities and other research organisations in need of local institutional data repositories for their researchers. The platform relies on international archiving standards and processes to ensure that data are preserved and accessible in the long-term. SWISSUbase is a collaboration by FORS, University of Lausanne, University of Zurich and SWITCH.


text:
EarLuminators are Storytellers.
Whether they tell it with a music keyboard, or a computer keyboard, a guitar, a voice, or pictures in motion. The writer tells the story to the director, the director to the actors, the actors to the director of photography, the director of photography to the editor, and the editor to the audience.
EarLuminator Videos Online
Now Playing: SPIDER
from jimmylee smith on Vimeo.


text:
Top 10 Distance Trails
Top 10 Distance Trails from National Geographic.
From the National Geographic book Journeys of a Lifetime
The Wind River Mountains, Wyoming
The mountains climb over 13,00 feet (4,000 meters) into the skies southwest of Dubois in Wyoming. Native American tribes hunted here, and their rock drawings and paintings are visible from the trails. In late September, moose chase each other through snow willows, and the hillsides are ablaze with orange and yellow cottonwood. There are more than 155 miles (249 kilometers) of trails. www.wind-river.org
The Milford Track, New Zealand
Described by hiking aficionados as the finest walk in the world, the track—from Glade Wharf on the northern shores of Lake Te Anau to Sandfly Point near Milford Sound on the west coast of the South Island—takes four days. The track starts by meandering through the beech-tree forests of the Clinton Valley, climbs to the Mackinnon Pass through subalpine tussock and alpine herbs, and then descends into the more diverse forest of the Arthur Valley with its ferns, mosses, and lichens. www.milfordtrack.net, www.doc.govt.nz
Concordia Trek, Pakistan
Situated on the border of Pakistan and China, Concordia is a remote and isolated place. Huge glaciers spilling from the mountains of K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum meet here and melt to form tributaries of the Indus River. It is a 14-day trek from Askole to K2 base camp. At the end of the trip, refresh your tired body in the hot springs in the Braldu Gorge near Askole. www.concordiaexpeditions.com
The Pindos Traverse, Greece
The mountains of the Pindos stretch 180 miles (290 kilometers) from the Gulf of Corinth to the border of Albania. The highest of these mountains are over 6,500 feet (2,000 meters), and even on the sunniest days the air is cool. In springtime the wildflowers are among the loveliest and rarest in Europe. www.sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk
Haute Route, Corsica, France
This 124-mile (200-kilometer) trail crosses the spine of mountains that run the length of the island, from Conca in the southeast to Calenzana in the northwest. The walk will take you through high mountains and pine forests frequently punctuated by clear streams and pools. There is the occasional snowfield to cross early in the summer. corsica.forhikers.com
Haute Route, France/Switzerland
The Haute Route, from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland, is a demanding two-week trek through some of Europe's highest peaks, linking Mont Blanc with the Matterhorn. The paths are not heavily used, and there is a superb variety of Alpine flowers. Wildlife includes ibex and chamois as well as the marmot with its shrill alarm call. www.exodus.co.uk
Pyrenean Haute Route, France/Andorra/Spain
For the purist, the Pyrenean Haute Route starts on the shores of the Mediterranean and finishes 44 days later on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. However, most people tend to walk the middle section, taking about 24 days from Lescun in France to El Serrat in Andorra. Many of the mountains in the Pyrenees are over 9,800 feet (3,000 meters), and the Haute Route often crosses the tops of them. www.pyreneesguide.com
- Nat Geo Expeditions
The Southern Upland Way, Scotland
Scotland's longest trek stretches 211 miles (340 kilometers) west to east from the old fishing village of Portpatrick to the dramatic North Sea cliffs of Cockburnspath. The trail is varied, sometimes plunging deep into dense fir forest, at other times crossing high moorland. www.southernuplandway.com
The Pennine Way, England/Scotland
The Pennines, a range of high moorland hills, form the backbone of England. The Pennine Way is a long-distance footpath running the length of these hills from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland, 250 miles (402 kilometers) to the north. www.thepennineway.co.uk
South West Coastal Path, England
The longest National Trail in the U.K. stretches 630 miles (1,014 kilometers) from Minehead in Somerset, west along the Bristol Channel, through north Devon, around Cornwall, then east to Poole Harbour in Dorset. The path is rich in archaeological history, from the dinosaurs of the Jurassic Coast (Dorset) to the tin mines of Cornwall. www.swcp.org.uk


text:
United Nations Follow up audit of ECA projects funded by the Comission of the European Communities, 18 Jan 2008
From WikiLeaks
Unless otherwise specified, the document described here:
- Was first publicly revealed by WikiLeaks working with our source.
- Was classified, confidential, censored or otherwise withheld from the public before release.
- Is of political, diplomatic, ethical or historical significance.
Any questions about this document's veracity are noted.
The summary is approved by the editorial board.
See here for a detailed explanation of the information on this page.
If you have similar or updated material, see our submission instructions.
- Release date
- January 12, 2009
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (UN OIOS) 18 Jan 2008 report titled "Follow up audit of ECA projects funded by the Comission of the European Communities" relating to the Audit Reports Jan-Sept 2008. The report runs to 6 printed pages.Note
Further information


text:
A Spin-off Story with Jacob Wild (Ren and Della's Son).
Can be read with The Ribbon Duet or separately.
A Sweeping Standalone by New York Times Bestseller Pepper Winters
"Things you should know about me from the very beginning:
I was born to true love, witnessed the destruction it causes, and vowed never to let such agony happen to me. I am not a story-teller like my father. I am not a writer like my mother. I am just a son—their son.
I am happy being alone.
And that is all I ever want to be."
The day he was born, Jacob learned his hardest and longest lesson.
It wasn't a lesson a boy should learn so young, but from his earliest memories he knew where happiness lives, so does tragedy. Where love exists, so does heartbreak. And where hope resides, so does sorrow.
That lesson carved him from the kid to the teen to the man.
And nothing and no one could change his mind.
I first met him when he was fourteen at a movie premiere of all places. A movie based on his parent's life.
He was stoic, strong, suspicious, and secretive.
I was only ten, but I felt something for him. A strange kind of sorrow that made me want to hug and heal him.
I was the daughter of the actor hired to play his father.
We shared similarities.
I recognised parts of him because they were parts of me.
But no matter how many times we met. No matter how many times I tried.
He stayed true to his vow to never fall.
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text:
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
"Hans Christian Andersen" was Sam Goldwyn's final production for RKO Radio release, and also the producer's last Danny Kaye vehicle. The Moss Hart-Myles Connolly screenplay largely disregards the facts concerning Denmark's great storyteller, opting for a fanciful blend of comedy, fantasy, romance and music. Hans Christian Andersen, played by Kaye, starts out as a small-town cobbler whose gift for spinning fairy tales is keeping the local kids from attending school. After being asked to leave town, Hans heads to Copenhagen to seek his fortune as a writer. Although his heart has been broken by the beautiful ballerina Doro (Jeanmaire), Hans finds comfort and joy in the knowledge that hundreds of thousands of children all over the world are devoted to his enchanting fantasy stories.
Director Charles Vidor


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In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is hoping to wean jailed Al-Qaeda militants off religious extremism with counselling, spa treatments and plenty of exercise at a luxury rehabilitation centre.
In between sessions with counsellors and talks on religion, prisoners will be able to relax in the centre's facilities which include an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a gym and a television hall.
The new complex is the work of the Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Centre for Counselling and Care, a body set up seven years ago to rehabilitate extremists jailed during a Saudi crackdown on the local branch of Al-Qaeda.
Another centre has already opened in the western port city of Jeddah, and three more are planned for the north, east and south of the desert kingdom.
The new facility in Riyadh, however, is the first to offer inmates a taste of luxury as an incentive to moderate their beliefs.
The centres bear the name of the current interior minister, who spearheaded the government's crackdown on Al-Qaeda following deadly attacks by the group between 2003 and 2006 in which more than 150 Saudis and foreigners were killed.
Al-Qaeda jihadists, many of them trained in Afghanistan, had targeted Saudi Arabia for allowing US troops to set up bases in the kingdom during the Gulf War and to stay on afterwards, until they eventually withdrew in 2003.
During the crackdown, many militants fled from Saudi into Yemen's lawless southern and southeastern regions where the network formed Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in January 2009 -- classified by the United States as the jihadists' deadliest branch.
Prince Mohammed himself survived a suicide attack by a jihadist in August 2009 when a bomber managed to infiltrate the prince's security. The prince suffered only superficial injuries.
The Riyadh centre spreads over an area equivalent to around 10 football pitches and is designed to accommodate 228 prisoners from the "deviant group," the term used by Saudi authorities to refer to Al-Qaeda.
Each of the 12 buildings at the flagship facility will host 19 prisoners, who will have access to special suites where they can spend time with visiting family members.
Good behaviour could earn them a two-day break with their wives.
During the day, the prisoners will attend seminars on religious affairs, aimed at steering them away from thoughts of jihad.
"In order to fight terrorism, we must give them an intellectual and psychological balance... through dialogue and persuasion," said the director of the rehabilitation centres, Said al-Bishi.
He said a total of 2,336 Al-Qaeda prisoners have now been through Saudi rehabilitation schemes.
"The percentage of those who rejoin the deviant minority does not exceed 10 percent," Bishi said, a proportion he described as "encouraging".
AFP tried to speak to several former Al-Qaeda prisoners who had been released after going through rehabilitation but they declined to be interviewed about their experiences.
Not everyone is convinced, however. There have been some high-profile returns to the ranks of the jihad, such as Saeed al-Shehri, who became deputy leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula after supposedly being rehabilitated.
Liberals are particularly critical of the religious content of the programme which they say draws on an ultra-conservative version of Islam not so different from Al-Qaeda's own.
"We cannot know if the programme will succeed in eradicating terrorism and extremism," social scientist Khaled al-Dakheel told AFP.
"To treat the problem at its root, one should challenge jihadist thought with an enlightened philosophy, not just with other Salafist ideas that are only slightly less extreme," he said.
"There must be pluralism and an acknowledgement of the rights of others to be different."
Source: AFP


text:
Barrington and Myall Lakes 4WD camping tour
Embrace new challenges and explore stunning mountain and coastal scenery around Barrington Tops and Myall Lakes national parks with the safe and professional staff of Great Divide Tours.
- Price
- Fees apply. Free park entry.
- Where
- Barrington Tops National Park in North Coast, Country NSW
- Operated by


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Cloud Computing (6)
Intranets & Extranets (3)
Network Security (16)
Networks, Protocols & APIs (24)
Wireless Networks (12)
e-books in Networking category
by Seth Archer Brown , 2022
This book is a tour of the inner workings of the biggest computer network of them all -- the internet. We'll start from scratch assuming no prior networking knowledge. Each topic is explained in clear, easy to understand language.
(3159 views)
by Mark Burgess - Wiley , 2004
Network and system administration here refers to the skill of managing complexity. This book describes the science behind these complex systems, independent of the operating systems they work on. The book provides a unique approach to an old problem.
(6529 views)
- Wikibooks , 2013
This book intends to explain to you the overall utilization that P2P (Peer-to-Peer) technologies have in today's world, it goes deeper into as many implementations as it can and compares the benefits, problems even legal implications.
(5544 views)
by Alessandro Bassi, et al. - Springer , 2013
The Internet of Things is an emerging network superstructure that will connect physical resources and actual users. It will support an ecosystem of smart services bringing hyper-connectivity to our society by using augmented and rich interfaces.
(5500 views)
by Francis daCosta - Springer , 2013
'Rethinking the Internet of Things' describes reasons why we must rethink current approaches to the Internet of Things. Appropriate architectures that will coexist with existing networking protocols are described in detail ...
(5603 views)
by Charles Severance - net-intro.com , 2015
This book demystifies the amazing architecture and protocols of computers as they communicate over the Internet. The Internet operates on a few relatively simple concepts that anyone can understand. This book was written for everyone ...
(10276 views)
by Peter L Dordal - Loyola University Chicago , 2015
A free general-purpose textbook about computer networking, complete with diagrams and exercises. It is suitable as the primary text for an undergraduate or introductory graduate course in computer networking, or as a supplemental text ...
(16421 views)
by Alex Galis, Anastasius Gavras (eds) - Springer , 2013
The Internet is the most vital scientific, technical, economic and societal set of infrastructures. Continuing its developments would secure the upcoming innovation and prosperity and it would underpin the sustainable growth in economic values.
(7859 views)
by Jeffrey Needham - O'Reilly Media , 2013
Internet-scale computing (big data) has more disruptive potential than any information technology in the past. As author points out in this book, big data can provide unprecedented insight into user habits, giving enterprises a huge market advantage.
(9502 views)
by Craig Settles - Smashwords , 2013
Building the Gigabit City helps you: navigate past the hype about gigabit networks; understand what super-fast Internet access can and cannot do to improve your community; do effective needs analysis; and plan effective broadband strategy.
(8863 views)
by Matt Smith - MakeUseOf , 2012
Home networking doesn't always work as simply as it should, and while every company is making efforts to simplify it, not all attempts have been successful. This guide outlines everything you need to know to manage your own home network.
(16101 views)
by Jan-Piet Mens - UIT Cambridge Ltd. , 2009
Providing a complete survey of DNS servers, this reference outlines the most suitable types of servers for varying scenarios. Addressing performance and security issues, this resource describes in detail the ideal scenarios for each server.
(11386 views)
by Olivier Bonaventure , 2012
This open textbook aims to fill the gap between the open-source implementations and the open-source network specifications by providing a detailed but pedagogical description of the key principles that guide the operation of the Internet.
(11305 views)
by Harry G. Perros - Wiley , 2000
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) has become an integral part of the networking infrastructure. This introductory text on ATM networks describes their development, architecture, congestion control, deployment, and signaling in an accessible way.
(10679 views)
by Kathy Ivens, Clark Scheffy - USRobotics , 2011
We think that if you have more than one computer in your home, you should have a network. That belief has its roots in the fact that we're generally lazy, and we believe everyone should do everything in the easiest possible manner.
(13967 views)
by Ivan Marsic - Rutgers University , 2010
This book reviews modern computer networks with a focus on performance and quality of service. There is a need to look towards future, where wired and wireless/mobile networks will be mixed and where multimedia applications will play greater role.
(11808 views)
by James Messer - NetworkUptime.com , 2008
Different Nmap scans are profiled, with advantages, disadvantages, and usage guidelines for each one. Real world Nmap scenarios are presented from the perspective of the enterprise security manager, including spyware remnant identification.
(12522 views)
by Zeeshan-Ul-Hassan Usmani - InTech , 2010
This book presents research work ranging from controlling the activities in virtual world to optimization of productivity in games, from collaborative recommendations to populate a computational environment with autonomous hypothetical reasoning.
(12011 views)
by Diarmuid O'Briain - Free Technology Academy , 2015
This book explores the open technologies that are at the foundations of modern computer networks. The Internet is built on top of open protocols and open standards. Open networks use the devices made available by the members of the community.
(11867 views)
- Cisco Systems , 2003
This book provides a foundation for understanding modern networking. Topics include flow control, error checking, multiplexing, mapping the OSI model to networking / internetworking functions, addressing schemes within the OSI model, etc.
(15794 views)
by Katta G. Murty - Prentice Hall , 2006
This book covers the advances in network flow methods ranging across modeling, applications, algorithms, and computational complexity. It deals with the problems faced on network structures that can be handled by linear programming techniques.
(13774 views)
by M. E. J. Newman - arXiv , 2003
Inspired by empirical studies of networked systems such as the Internet, social and biological networks, researchers have in recent years developed a variety of techniques and models to help us understand or predict the behavior of these systems.
(10973 views)
by Brian Brown , 2000
Contents: Cables and Network Communication Systems; The Public Telephone Switched Network; The Internet; Standards Organizations; Data Codes; Asynchronous and Synchronous Protocols; Bit Orientated Protocols; Modems; TCP/IP and Inter-Networking; etc.
(12717 views)
by David Griffin - Crete University Press , 1996
This book addresses the technologies and methods required for the management of broadband networks and services. It introduces relevant background information and presents detailed technical descriptions, covering a range of topics.
(14443 views)
by Robert Horning, at al. - Wikibooks , 2005
This book explains different aspects of serial data communication. The focus will be around the implementation of RS-232 based serial data communication and will explore a wide range of implementations and uses for serial data transfer.
(13733 views)
by Eugene Blanchard , 2007
The book introduces the concepts of data communication, assuming no previous knowledge of networking and data communications. The text is at an introductory level, but it provides links to resources that provide indepth explanations.
(14298 views)
by Sharam Hekmat - PragSoft Corporation , 2005
This book is concerned with post-computer communication networks and two of its streams: data communication and telecommunication. It provides a coverage of the key concepts and techniques, so as to prepare readers for more advanced discussions.
(13949 views)
by Gordon Brebner - McGraw-Hill , 2002
The book is focused tightly on matters concerned with communication, it avoids excursions into other areas of computer science. The reader requires no background in computer communications, only a basic familiarity with computers in general.
(14360 views)
by Martin Dodge, Rob Kitchin - Pearson Education , 2002
The authors show off a wide range of possibilities in representing the data existing on the Internet. Since so many of these models were created to display never-before-charted territories, the book is largely devoted to analyzing their accuracy.
(14618 views)
by Rahul Banerjee - Prentice-Hall of India , 2004
Advanced text on internetworking technologies for senior undergraduate/graduate students of computer science. This unique book provides an introduction to the key concepts related to front line areas of interwork specific research and development.
(15002 views)
by Donna L. Harrington - Cisco Press , 2003
Hands-on practice for the CCNP Troubleshooting exam with TCP/IP, LAN, and WAN trouble tickets based on CIT (Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting) topics. Each chapter contains an overview of protocols, troubleshooting tools, and basic methods.
(17849 views)
by Olaf Kirch, Terry Dawson - O'Reilly , 2000
This is a comprehensive reference for Linux network administration for both beginners and experienced network administrators. The book provides enough information to help you get your Linux network up and running and get you ready to learn more.
(16239 views)
by The WNDW Production Team - Lulu.com , 2006
By applying wireless technology in areas that are in need of communications infrastructure, more people can be brought online than ever before. This book was created by a team of individuals participating in the ever-expanding Internet.
(21856 views)
by John Larmouth - Prentice Hall , 1995
Provides an intelligent beginner with an understanding of OSI (Open Systems Interconnection). It is not an exposition of the technical detail of the OSI Standards, it aims to explain why OSI is the shape it is, and a guide to computer protocols.
(20062 views)
by Christopher Hertel - Prentice Hall PTR , 2003
CIFS is Microsoft's standard for Internet file sharing. This book is a cross-platform guide to CIFS capabilities and behavior for developers who want to add CIFS compatibility to their products, and for network and system administrators.
(17575 views)
by Bruce Hajek , 2006
This text describes the most popular analytical techniques for design and analysis of computer communication networks, with an emphasis on performance issues. Written for the graduate course Communication Network Analysis.
(17788 views)
- IBM Redbooks , 1994
This tutorial describes a sampling of technologies of various types. It compares the technologies available in the three major technology areas: application support, transport networks, and subnetworking, with the applicability of these technologies.
(17104 views)


text:
Fender Introduces 2013 Select Series Models
Fender adds a Jazzmaster, Thinline Tele, HH Tele, SH Tele, and Active Jazz Bass to its Select Series.
Scottsdale, AZ (January 9, 2013) — The highly acclaimed Fender Select Series is proud to welcome an all-new lineup of instruments for 2013. These finely crafted models join seven previously released instruments, and put decades of Fender expertise on display with elegant features and design options for discerning musicians everywhere.
The all-new Fender Select Carved Maple Top Jazzmaster is a distinctive high-end version of a venerable Fender classic. It boasts a potent pair of new Wide Range Special humbucking pickups and a "channel-bound" rosewood fingerboard—a brand-new Fender innovation in which the compound-radius rosewood fingerboard is "inlaid" into the thick modern "C"-shaped maple neck. In addition to creating a stylish new look, it imparts an amazingly comfortable fretting-hand feel in which both edges are pleasingly rounded, with no side seam between neck and fingerboard.
Other features include a chambered alder body with a carved flame maple top in elegant hand-stained Cayenne Burst and Twilight Burst finishes with gloss-lacquer topcoat, hand-rubbed oil neck finish, 21 medium jumbo frets, Bi-Flex truss rod system, and Adjusto-Matic bridge with stop tailpiece.
The 2013 edition of the Fender Select Stratocaster HSS ups the ante on its 2012 predecessor with several striking new features. Among these is a channel-bound rosewood fingerboard, a beautiful flame maple-top with traditional contours, an elegant-stained Tobacco Sunburst finish with a gloss lacquer topcoat, neck with hand-rubbed oil finish, and a comfortable contoured heel.
The new Fender Select Telecaster HH is powerful, beautiful and light, with a potent pair of Wide Range Special humbucking pickups, chambered alder body, gorgeous Malaysian blackwood top, comfortable back contour and Natural gloss lacquer finish. Its modern "C"-shaped birdseye maple neck has a comfortable contoured heel, satin lacquer finish and Bi-Flex truss rod system; the compound radius birdseye maple fingerboard has 22 medium jumbo frets and a gloss lacquer finish.
The new Fender Select Carved Top Telecaster SH offers a chambered alder body, gorgeous carved Tasmanian blackwood top and hand-stained Black Cherry Burst finish with gloss lacquer topcoat. If offers a "C"-shaped flame maple neck with satin lacquer finish and Bi-Flex truss rod system, and a compound radius rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets.
The Fender Select Telecaster Thinline presents a finely crafted take on the popular semi-hollow version of our very first guitar model. Stylish and light, it has a semi-hollow ash body with a beautiful flame maple top and hand-stained Violin Burst finish with gloss lacquer topcoat. The Fender Select Telecaster Thinline with Gold Hardware offers the same specifications with the additional touch of gold hardware.
Like its passive-electronics 2012 predecessor, the Fender Select Active Jazz Bass takes Fender's most versatile bass to new heights of elegance and power. Premium features include an alder body with a flame maple top and a beautiful hand-stained Tobacco Sunburst finish with gloss-lacquer topcoat, modern "C"-shaped quartersawn maple neck with a comfortable contoured heel, satin lacquer finish and Postflex graphite support rods, and a compound-radius fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets.
Additional features include dual Fender Select Jazz Bass single-coil pickups, active/passive mini-toggle switch, master volume knob and pickup pan knob, and three-band active EQ (treble, mid and bass boost/cut knobs).
For more information:


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Conversion of the file from DAT to MPEG
It often happens that in spite of the appropriate software to support the file type, we cannot cope with it. File formats DAT and MPEG are similar and we can convert from the format DAT to MPEG. After performing this operation, we can use the programs that support file MPEG. Perhaps after the conversion, it will be easier for us to perform the intended activities.
Below is a list of programs that will convert the file DAT to MPEG.
In the following part of the article you will find additional information. Read it before you start the conversion process, you may find a simpler way to solve your problem.
- What exactly is data conversion?
- How to perform the DAT to MPEG conversion?
- Conversion through the intermediate format
Always check whether the applications that support the DAT file as default do not have built-in ways to save the data in a different format, such as MPEG. This situation often occurs and there is no need to download special software then.


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Update: AMD informed us that the ARM CPU Seattle actually supports up to 128GB RAM and provided us with an updated slide. Also they released updated roadmaps on their investor relations website, which we incorporated to give a better overview of the timeline of these products.
Today AMD is announcing an updated server roadmap for 2014, which will introduce a number of new products. AMD will attack the market with new multi-socket x86 CPUs, a HSA-enabled server APU and the debut of their first ARM-based chip. In the following paragraphs we will discuss each of the innovations AMD has in store.
Berlin CPU/APU ? Kaveri going into servers
While the client products of Kaveri are scheduled to enter the arena towards the end of 2013 as AMDs public roadmaps show, in the first half of 2014 the company moves their first HSA-enabled APU into the server space. The differences between the client and the server product will be marginal. The server variant called Berlin will support ECC memory, while Kaveri ? the client version will not. The other features are pretty much in line with the expectations on this product.
The two remarkable improvements are the next iteration of AMDs high-performance x86 cores called Steamroller which allegedly brings significant IPC gains to the table as well as the addition of the HSA. AMD claims a 7.8x improvement of GFlops per watt over the Opteron 6386SE (16 Piledriver cores, 2.8GHz) which is possible thanks to the GPU portion. The HSA will allow easier access to the GPU for programmers due to uniform memory access. Similar to the Opteron X-series, there seem to be different products SKUs with and without the GPU enabled. We expect AMD to position them at different clock speeds, TDPs and pricing.
Also, the chip will be the first from AMD to integrate PCI Express 3.0. We actually expect the client version to have the same functionality. During the briefing Andrew Feldman, who leads the Data Center Server Solutions team at AMD, pointed out that their current I/O hubs are connected via PCIe 2.0 but there is the possibility of an update in a future product. While the chipsets for Berlin were not detailed we expect AMD to come up with variations of the current FCHs. However this allows to interface with AMDs GPUs, which integrate PCIe 3.0 since the end of 2011 at a faster speed.
Warsaw ? updated Piledriver-based 2P/4P CPUs
Servers with 2P and 4P configurations get an update in the first quarter of 2014. AMD will introduce a successor to the current Opteron 4300/6300 series. While we initially believed this would introduce Steamroller to the server space and have some implications on a possible release date of desktop FX processors with Steamroller cores, unfortunately this is not the case. Andrew Feldman explained to us that the introduction of Steamroller would have moved this product further down the road, a decision the company didn't want to make.
Still AMD claims improved performance/watt over the existing families. What we expect here is efficiency optimizations similar to those we observed in the Richland client APUs, where AMD was able to significantly lower operating voltages. The effect of this is multiplied as the number of modules rises so the power savings and efficiency gains could be significant compared to the previous products.
Also the age of the platform we discussed in the Opteron 6300 launch article is not changed. We believe AMD should invest a little bit to update their chipsets to a more current featureset. Their northbridge could use a PCI-Express 3.0 update whereas their southbridge could use some SATA 6.0Gb/s and USB 3.0 treatment. Oddly enough their current server chipsets are not even linked from their product pages anymore.
The small amount of changes to the platform of course also has benefits. The Warsaw CPUs are socket-compatible with current offerings, so they are basically a drop-in replacement in current socket C32 and G34 platforms. Consequently any software certifications that might be important for some companies are retained. AMD also focuses on their Open 3.0 server designs where the server design is actually open source. The Open Compute Project is actually spearheaded by engineers at Facebook who wanted to optimize their servers in various ways.
Seattle ? AMDs 'no compromise' entry into ARM servers
The most exciting server product AMD is going to introduce in the next year is their first ARM-based product. Based on the rough list of specs, AMD aims at introducing a killer part which can be regarded as top of the line in many regards. For starters AMD bases it on the latest 64-bit Cortex-A57 cores and aims at clock frequencies of 2GHz and higher. The chip will be made using 28nm process techology. They will start off with 8 core SoCs with 16 core variants planned a little bit later. Those SoCs support up to 64GB of RAM. Interestingly AMD claims 2-4x the performance of their own Opteron X-series with improvements in compute per watt.
But the impressive specs don't stop at the cores, because the SoCs will integrate additional functionality. For compression and encryption AMD adds in offload engines that allow these operations to be performed more efficiently. AMD also integrates 10GbE for networking as well as their Freedom Fabric for dense systems. This allows flexible interconnection of many of these SoCs. While nothing concrete is announced at this time, you can also bet on these being used for some future system of AMDs SeaMicro division. Last but not least a high port-count storage interface is integrated as well. We wonder what AMD considers a high port count here.
AMD is actually very open about the fact that there are other companies out there who have some head start in terms of experience with client products based on the ARM architecture. However, AMD believes they have unique strengths in the server space where they can count on a lot of experience. Also they bring lots of IP blocks to the table that are currently not found in ARM designs. In the long run AMD is confident that their ARM strategy will pay off given the momentum around the technology. While sampling is scheduled to begin in the
first quarter of 2014, the actual product introduction will have to wait until the second half of next year.
The new roadmap also makes a clear distinction between the different segments AMD tries to address with their new products. While their recently launched Opteron X-Series and the upcoming 'Berlin' server APU and the 'Seattle' ARM CPU are aimed at web/enterprise services and cluster workloads, their big iron 2P/4P Opterons cater to traditional server markets. The former focuses on performance per watt per dollar and/or compute density per dollar, the latter on performance and/or throughput per dollar. It is important to realize that these are different dimensions to optimize silicon designs for and that each has strengths in different applications. Interestingly enough, AMD considers the ARM-based SoC the successor to the current Opteron X-series. The rough performance claims AMD gave us move Seattle and Berlin into a similar performance space. Needless to say that this will be interesting to watch.


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The one skill which entrepreneurs need is something they don't teach in business school—selling. Yes, I know that "selling" conjures up negative images of used-car salesmen peddling clunkers. But the ability to persuade people to believe in you is a necessity. That's because sales is not just about selling things for money. Selling is about life. Convincing the perfect soulmate to go out on a date is a sales job. Enticing your children to eat their vegetables is a sales job. Negotiating a raise with your boss is a sales job. And, yes, selling your company to Google is definitely a sales job. A sales job in that you are listening to others, finding out what they want or need, and giving it to them in a form that they appreciate. And guess who the best salespeople in tech companies are? Your developers.
Let me explain why I believe this.
I started my career as a geek. I ended up as Chief Technology Officer of Seer Technologies, a software startup which we grew from zero to $120 million in revenue and took public in a short five years. And then I became CEO of my own very successful startup called Relativity Technologies (until I burnt myself out and needed to shift gears). A number of skills helped me through this ascent. I learned a lot about motivating and managing people who were sometimes smarter than me, about understanding markets and communicating effectively, and also a few really boring things like accounting, finance and law. But if I had not learned how to sell then my company would never have made it past three guys in a room with a phone and some laptops.
I didn't believe this in my youth. I thought coding was the exact opposite of selling. I always associated "sales" with hustling and sleazy ways to convince customers to spend money on things they didn't need. And you had to work fast to get that check before the dupes backed away.
One day I was promoted to project manager. After thrashing through a few uncomfortable meetings, I quickly understood that running a good project required a form of selling to my peers and managers. I also realized that perhaps sales was not so simple. In fact, convincing my staff that the ideas I had made sense was far more difficult than writing clean code. And persuading management to supply sufficient staff and funding to implement my ideas was harder still.
Being a successful project manager meant learning to listen closely to what others thought, to make them feel included, and to give them what they wanted and needed to succeed. It meant constant communication that was honest yet finely nuanced. It was hard work but ultimately very rewarding. I could listen and focus on helping others to achieve their goals and at the same time advance myself quite easily. When I was able to focus on a global view of helping my company succeed, I found it much easier to avoid destructive departmental politics. I rose up the ranks to become a vice-president of technology at one of the world's five largest investment banks.
Then I got the chance to become CTO of a startup which would market technology which my team had built. Selling became an even more important skill. We all were living on borrowed time and the only thing that would give us more time was sales to put money into company coffers. We had a truly amazing product, much better than that of our competitors. But the stark reality was that unless we could really sell well, our competitors had a big advantage. They were a known quantity. They were not going out of business tomorrow. They played golf, went out for beers, and had lunch with our competitors.
My guru and mentor was my boss, Gene Bedell. One of the first things Gene did when we launched our company was to put everyone through a sales training boot camp. Gene had run billion-dollar businesses and reached the executive levels in investment banking. He had even convinced IBM to seed our company, a software spinoff from Credit Suisse First Boston. At first my technology team protested at being taught to learn about qualifying prospects and closing sales rather than the latest version-tracking software tools.
Within months, we were closing multimillion dollar sales with blue-chip customers across the globe. We did this with only two experienced sales reps and part-time sales support from our development staff. That's because developers with sales training are incredibly valuable as a part of the sales process. They have two essential ingredients that make people persuasive—credibility and trustworthiness (for the most part). So while a prospect may not really believe a salesperson, for example, when he says a system is reliable, they're far more likely to believe a developer they respect. This is a very powerful ingredient in the sales process, and one we used regularly. We would compete with some of the largest software companies in the world—and win the sale almost every time. As CTO, I also took it upon myself to sell strategic partners. My biggest catch was a deal with IBM-Japan worth $8.6 million.
With a culture that put customer support and sales above everything else, we grew into a profitable $120-million-a-year revenue machine. Our developers formed long-term bonds and friendships with our customers. They would go to great pains to understand customer requirements and build products that would sell. More often than not, new development projects would be funded directly by customers. Whenever there was a customer-service problem, our top engineers would voluntarily work around the clock and fly all over the globe to personally provide support.
So, how do you learn sales? It's easy. There are literally hundreds of books on selling. The methods vary, but in essence all of them teach you about the basics of understanding customer needs and honing your message. There are also hundreds of "selling seminars" conducted all over the world. Be wary of any which teach you to sell things a customer doesn't want. It is one thing to persuade someone to buy something which they need, it is another thing to con people. My personal favorite book (and I am a little biased here) is one by Gene Bedell himself, titled Three Steps to Yes: The Gentle Art of Getting Your Way.
By the way, I'm not the only guy saying this kind of stuff. The high priests of the Lean Startup Methodology, like Dave McClure, Brad Feld, and Eric Ries, all advocate a "get to sales ASAP" approach. "Recovering venture capitalist" Healy Jones blogged about how he was shortchanged with his Wharton MBA. Yet a quick conversation at any networking event in the Valley yields a simple observation that most technology workers don't think that selling is part of their job description. The smartest technology entrepreneurs realize that everyone in the company is in sales and the sooner they embrace that reality, the easier it will be for that startup to grow and prosper. Coder, biz dev, PR, QA—nope. You're all in sales. It's all about selling for survival.
Editor's note: Guest writer Vivek Wadhwa is an entrepreneur turned academic. He is a Visiting Scholar at UC-Berkeley, Senior Research Associate at Harvard Law School and Director of Research at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at Duke University. Follow him on Twitter at @vwadhwa.


text: Many of these games will run on mobile devices with the VocabularySpellingCity App. Teaching spelling and vocabulary is easy with VocabularySpellingCity! Students can study and learn their word lists using vocabulary and spelling learning activities and games. Students can take final or practice spelling and vocabulary tests right on this engaging site. Premium games and automated student record keeping are available to Premium Members. Crustacean Games & Videos Crustacean Word-O-Rama Crustacean Unscramble Crustacean Wordsearch Crustacean Hangmouse Crustacean Letterfall Crustacean Spelling Game Crustacean Line Match Baby Horseshoe Crab Jigsaw Japanese Spider Crab Jigsaw Blue Lobster Jigsaw Pistol Shrimp Jigsaw Baby Horseshoe Crab Video Japanese Spider Crab Video Blue Lobster Video Pistol Shrimp Video We'd like to thank VocabularySpellingCity for providing so many great games.


text:
Wade's Comments
"If we lose a couple in a row this season, it will be like the World Trade (Center) is coming down again.And here's his actual quote:
"there's going to be times when we lose 2-3 games in a row, and it seems like the world has crashed down. You all are going to make it seem like the World Trade is coming down again, but it's not going to be nothing but a couple basketball games."The backlash is already starting to build and this hasn't even been out for an hour. I don't think Dwyane Wade was comparing the Heat losing a couple games to the World Trade Center disaster. He could've said the "end of the world." But people will make this a bigger deal than it is.


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'Tis the season of choices, no? We give you five (count 'em, 5!) bags to pick from this holiday season. From the super-chic and trendy Soho choice to a bag that couldn't be more Apple Pie America to another selection (after the cut) that you might want to buy alongside a pair of sunglasses. No, really… at least for the kids. Batter up: LAYERxlayer is catching our eye this year with their trendy, made-to-order approach of bags that you can really take anywhere. The Wayfarer pack, seen below, is $189 online and couldn't be better for a city dweller that wants a good, sturdy bag that can withstand a daily commute on the 6 Train. 100% denim body.
Say what you will about the simplicity of the Fila (or Ralph Lauren) color palette, sometime tennis (with it's bright yellow balls, purple courts and god-forsaken plaid shorts) needs a little grounding. That's why this year, we're digging this three-racquet bag from Fila, which is the perfect gift for any regular club or competitive player in your life. And serse, for $39.99, there just isn't anything better than red, white and blue. (Available on Tennis Warehouse.)
And while after the cut we have two somethings for the ladies, we figured we'd throw a bone for our dudes on this next choice. While we were drooling over Roger's RF bag earlier this fall, Nike has the next best thing in the small, classic duffel bag in black. The bag, just $60 on their web site, is the perfect carry-on, carry-to-the-court or carry-my-stuff-around-all-day selection for a sporty fella in your life.
After the cut: a look at a tennis bag that is (still) on our radar (and a nice surprise).
If you've spent any time at country clubs across the US where either little girls 8-13 or women 40-65 play tennis, chances are you've encountered the Whak Sak. These over-the-top bags are in-your-face and sometimes a bit gaudy (get the picture?) but we can't help but notice the different styles (there's 5 of them) and how useful they are to cram all of your stuff in (especially for the ladies). Plus, the things can look pretty dang good and don't cost an arm an a leg. Below, "Pennies From Heaven" the Small Whak Sak version, for $79.99 is available soon. Bags mostly range from $60 to $80.
Last year, too: We are an on-going fan of the Whak Sak and all its glamor
Tote-ally one more choice: we couldn't not give a thumbs-up to the Prince inspiration collection tennis tote, just $14.95 on Tennis Express:
(screen grabs via whak sak and tennis express)


text: Only a 10-minute walk from The Inn On First, a provider of romantic lodging in Napa, is a restaurant called Fish Story. They opened two years ago and chose to follow the Monterey Bay Aquarium lists for sustainable fish that are good for dining. It was good but I could make almost everything on the menu at home; and when I want to eat out I generally look for chefs that will teach me, or tantalize my palate, or offer me things I would never do at home.When the new chef came one month ago we were intrigued by the new menu. Celebrating our 20th anniversary of our first date we decided to give the restaurant a try. I texted a friend immediately after dinner: "Just go!" Everything we had was delicious.Jamie started with the tuna tartare with sourdough crisps and balsamic vinegar glee with a violet mustard. Every bite was incredibly wonderful with little bursts of the gelee that would shine through the tartare. I was tempted by the cold green garlic soup that was light, refreshing, and creamy goodness in a bowl. For a main course Jamie ordered the Lobster "pot au feu", a fish stew with a large lobster tail in the center, mussels, clams, and a luscious sauce to be sopped up with the hot bread they bring to table. I ordered the sturgeon and it was perfectly cooked, a bit meaty and every bite tender, with this bed of leeks underneath that was a great complement to the fish as well as wild escargot bites that were incredibly tender. I didn't want my meal to end.For dessert we enjoyed the soft vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and it was a perfect ending to a delightful meal. The wine list for March was 1/2 off (their version of March Madness) so we splurged on a Storybook Zinfandel that was perfect with our meal. First courses run $9 to $15, and entrees $17 to $38. If you're looking for some incredible flavors to go with fish, this is a great place to dine.One last note: on the menu they state that "many items can be prepared in a vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free fashion." That really impressed me as so many of our guests are looking for alternative cuisines due to dietary restrictions.


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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey
Ahmet Davutoğlu, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey.
Your Excellency,
Please Open the Theological School of Halki.We, the people who have signed this petition, wish to express our strong support for the reopening of the Eastern Orthodox School of Theology, in the island of Halki (Heybeliada).
The Halki School represents the spiritual, intellectual, and cultural life of the Eastern Orthodox community. As a place of education and learning, the School of Halki, until its closure in 1971, included international students from a wide array of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
It is a training center for clerics of one of the oldest Christian Ecclesiastical offices in the World, as well as a place of learning for laymen within the Greek Orthodox Church.
It is a historical center and treasure for the Christian world.
Rationale for the petition
The Modern Theological School of Halki was opened in 1844 at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Constantinople. It is the training center for hierarchs of the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, Turkey.
The forcible closure of Halki in 1971, after the infamous pogroms and deportations of Greek Orthodox Christians in 1955 and 1964, constitutes a violation of Articles 37-44 of the Treaty of Lausanne, the United Nations Charter, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the basic Principles on Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others.
Any time a Greek government has requested the reopening of the School, the Turkish government attempts to cover its discrimination by making demands‒in return‒on matters that are completely unrelated to the Halki issue and were nonexistent at the time of Halki's closure.
While the Halki School of Theology was closed, other private Colleges were permitted to function, indicating the discriminatory nature of Halki School's closure.
Both the American Congress and the European Parliament have adopted Resolutions demanding the reopening of Halki. At least two American Presidents and hundreds of other political and religious figures worldwide, including the Pope of Rome, have called on Turkish authorities to lift the discriminatory restrictions on the Halki School of Theology.
Please join our voice; sign the petition and share on Facebook, Twitter, email…everywhere.
International Hellenic Association


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Visiting Vietnam was a disquieting experience on many levels. It has been part of my emotional vocabulary since my college years; the center of so many arguments and social issues. I knew what we should be doing there and what we should not as there were always others who had deep emotional commitments to the opposite viewpoint. But until I went there, those ideas were just that: concepts not at all rooted in experience. Those ideas were something to think about, but not something with concrete reality.
I have wanted to visit Vietnam since it was "opened" for tourist travel. On some level I wanted to see what it was since I had thought about it for so long. I knew we saw the northern country as a threat to something that led us to many years of military intervention.
Arriving in Hanoi I felt slightly guilty about being there—this was the capital of a country that had supposedly threatened us to war. What did I see? I was deeply impressed as I saw pictures of the life and times of Ho Chi Minh, who looked and sounded more like Gandhi than the communist ogre he was portrayed as. His commitment was to values about people, personal humanism, and to the liberation of his people from a succession in influences—China, France and the U.S. It was hard to see him as evil. There was a huge memorial to him not unlike that we have for some of our noted presidents.
I saw a country that was in the shadow of China and the center of an ancient civilization two millennia old! They deeply wanted to be free and regain some of the stature they had in the early years of the common era, when the Khmer empire unified the whole of southeast Asia, trading and building templed like those of Angkor Wat. From the 19th century, Vietnam became a colony of France, fighting and finally winning their independence in 1954 only to find their country divided into North and South by the United Nations, leading them to have to fight another war to become unified, finally.
Since then, that same regime had evolved into a peaceful but highly centralized government that supports economic freedom and the well-being of all its citizens. A wonderful story, except that it is diametrically different than the narrative about which we argued for so many years. It was easy for us to have opinions about them even though we had almost no clear information about them. We now know that our leaders as well pursued their paths to war with very little idea of what the reality was of the country and its culture.
What were we doing there? I kept wondering about this as I visited cities and saw villages with vital agrarian economies that had learned to prosper in a land that was flooded for about 10 weeks each year. I thought about the specter of communism, still the governing model, that looked in practice no different from any other quickly developing country. The communism of China and Vietnam is no longer the threat that we now see in theocracies, like Iran. I visited museums of the war and went into the tunnels where the VietCong had hidden below the U.S. army bases, and wondered what we were doing when we went to war with them? Seeing the country, I had no idea what we could have meant by winning the war. I couldn't even imagine how we could distinguish who was for or against the U.S., which indeed was the problem when we were there fighting. While you could see people without limbs from time to time, it was hard to find any other visible signs of the war, which I know from accounts was horrible. As I went up the Mekong River by boat, where now more than two million people live, I remembered the trip portrayed in the movie Apocalypse Now.
We are now at war with other countries who remain concepts to us, not real people, and my visit served me up with some challenging insights. First, while in Vietnam I read how some pundits are calling for us to attack Iran. I could see how easy it is to have opinions of a far-off place because there is no way that we can really understand what we would actually be doing in that place. Who really knows what is happening to people in Iraq and Afghanistan as we intervene there? How would we know we had "won" if people can change their minds when we are gone?
I wonder if the fact that, because we have not a war on our shores since the Civil War, it is so easy for us to ask for and even conduct a war overseas. We can argue for geopolitical goals and outcomes that bear no relation to reality with emotional opinions about what we should do as loud as our experience is lacking. The media join the debates, listen to statements by candidates, and talk about foreign interventions as if they are video games. As Paul Krugman points out, the war in Iraq has cost us a trillion dollars and more to come, and we never really consider what other uses this money and effort could have been used for.
I have a deeper respect for the different perspectives of southeast Asia after spending several weeks there—the first time I have seen and experienced what the country is doing. Seeing people and experiencing the reality leads me to think about the war and ask questions that I did not ask at the time and that I could not have answered anyway. I think as students and representatives of the academy, one thing we can stand for is to make sure that our thinking is not simply conceptual, but is grounded in some way in direct understanding of what we are thinking about.
Read other posts by Dennis Jaffe
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As I an writing this post I think that it is almost two years that I started the blog. And when I checked the stats I see that the first post was 7-14-09. Two years and a day. Happy Blog–aversary. Thanks to all the readers who have followed my blog, written comments on the blog, written nice emails to me or told me about which photo they enjoyed seeing. And to the friends of friends who have shared the posts and photographs, whom I have met only online, I appreciate your good feedback, too. SO here is the today's post-
Stephanie cuts my hair. She asked me how the photography was going. I told her how I photograph and post a photo of the day on the blog. (Today is the #658 post.) She told Jack, her husband and he looked at my photos online and invited me down Thursday night when he plays Bocce. Here is his website.
It was a perfect summer evening and the men were gracious, allowing me to photograph the games. Tried to be unobtrusive and hung there for over two hours. One gentleman is 97 years old! I sat on a bench at the end of the court for a time, shooting intermittently. A little conversation here and there. And there was the moonrise over the bocce court.
Although I was invited to the mid-season party at the Pleasure Bar on Tuesday, I already have plans with the grandchildren….but I got to hear the menu! Mmmmmm. I am really missing out. Fortunately there is an end of season party in the fall!.
Thanks Jack and to the Bocce League, playing under the cars passing over the Bloomfield Bridge on a summer night.


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Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Genres - Horror, Comedy | Sub-Genres - Horror Comedy, Parody/Spoof | Release Date - Mar 13, 1987 (USA) | Run Time - 85 min. | Countries - United States | MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Cavett Binion
This high-octane semi-sequel to Sam Raimi's cult hit The Evil Dead has nearly eclipsed its predecessor's reputation thanks to an endless barrage of hyperkinetic camera acrobatics, rapid-fire editing and "splatstick" gore effects ... not to mention a truly goofy performance by Bruce Campbell. Nearly the entire storyline of the previous film has been re-shot and presented in a drastically condensed form within the first few minutes: rock-jawed but clueless "hero" Ash (Campbell) now visits the mountain cabin only with girlfriend Linda (played here by Denise Bixler). Upon arrival at the cabin, Ash discovers the Sumerian Book of the Dead, the ritual dagger and a reel-to-reel tape containing the professor's translations of the book's hieroglyphics. The incantations summon an unseen, growling spirit from within the woods, which bursts into the cabin and takes possession of Linda's soul. Ash is forced to decapitate her with a shovel, after which he buries her in the forest. At first dawn, Ash tries to make his escape, but is promptly set upon by the spirits, given a solid thrashing and nearly possessed himself, saved only by the arrival of sunlight. Cut off from the outside world, Ash is forced to hole up in the cabin and wait for the next demonic onslaught -- which arrives sooner than expected, led by Linda's rotting corpse. After being bitten by Linda's chatty decapitated head, Ash's hand becomes independent of his body and begins pummeling him repeatedly. The story then jumps to a local airport, where the professor's daughter Annie (Sarah Berry) and her partner Ed Getley (Richard Domeier) have just arrived with the missing pages to the Necronomicon. They employ a cranky pair of local rednecks, Jake (Dan Hicks) and Bobbie Joe (Kassie Wesley), as guides to lead them through the dense woods to the cabin ... where, at that very moment, Ash is removing his belligerent hand with a chainsaw, creating yet another ambulatory foe. Driven to the brink of insanity, Ash fires blindly at a noise outside, unaware that the new arrivals are Annie and company. Bobbie Joe is injured by the gunshot, which incurs the wrath of Jake, who knocks Ash senseless and locks him in the fruit cellar. Believing her father was murdered by Ash, Annie plays the rest of the professor's recording to learn the truth, and discovers her possessed mother was buried in the same cellar -- and not exactly resting in peace. This touches off a string of unbelievably gruesome (and hysterically funny) events, including Henrietta's transformation into a stop-motion creature (reminiscent of a Ray Harryhausen creation), Ed's sudden metamorphosis into a toothy, levitating ghoul, and Ash's climactic confrontation with the forest demon itself. The obvious glee with which Raimi and company present this cavalcade of slime-drenched monstrosities and Three Stooges pratfalls makes it impossible to take seriously as a horror film, but Evil Dead 2 is nevertheless essential viewing among connoisseurs of truly demented cinema. The film's sardonic coda opened the way for a slightly less successful sequel, Army of Darkness.
cabin, chainsaw, demonic-possession, forest, gore, invocation, monster
Cult Film, High Production Values


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CAD Manager-Online Approaches to Archiving30 Sep, 2006 By: Robert Green
Protect data and projects against future loss.
Archiving continues to be an uninspiring topic for most engineering offices using CAD. Though we pay attention to our CAD tools, document management and generalized IT backups, the lowly archive continues to be ignored. Are you using current best practices for archiving and have you made those archives accessible to your users? These are good questions that need to be asked periodically.
This month, I'll give you some ideas for deploying your CAD archives more efficiently with an emphasis toward getting your archives online and in the hands of the users that need them.
In This Article
Archives Defined
Before I get into how to deploy your archives, I want to make sure everyone is clear about what archives are and how they differ from backups. The main points I want to make are:
- 1. Backups are not the same as archives.
- 2. IT controls backups, but CAD managers control archives.
- 3. Good archives are your company's searchable history of old projects.
- 4. Good archives protect you from data and labor loss more than backups do.
If you don't agree with these statements, please take the time to read "Document Archiving Strategies" from Cadalyst's October 2005 issue (www.cadalyst.com/1005CADManager/) to get up to speed on archiving terminology. Everything I'll cover in this article assumes that you have a working knowledge of these concepts.
Where Should Your Archives Be?
What a great question! And one that has many answers depending on your company circumstances, size and geographical layout. I'll try to answer all these topics concurrently by giving you options for where archives can be deployed, what technology components are required, what these options cost and what types of circumstances are best for each. In all cases, I'm going to assume that you are cost conscious and not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get the work done. Keep in mind that these are generalized recommendations intended as a starting point for your own independent analysis.
A document management application. If you already have a document management system, your archives really are a subset of all documents in the system. The advantage to this approach is that you're already done because you're constantly building archives as you go along. The downside is that document management systems can be expensive and time consuming to implement, and they can't be cost justified as an archive system. If you already have a document management system, try to administer it in a way that makes it easy to search and find archival documents and you'll be all set! Those who don't have a document management system, keep reading.
Your own network or WAN. The benefits of deploying your archives on your own network are security, speed and elimination of additional expenses for technology components or administration. Because your own network already enjoys the benefits of password protection, firewalls and other security features, you'll be protected from outside hacking and thus won't have to worry about your archives falling into enemy hands. Disadvantages are the lack of Internet access and remote file sharing with anyone outside your own network. These limitations can be onerous, even for small companies.
VPN with your own network. You can extend the reach of your network to the outside world using VPN (virtual private networking). The advantage of using VPN connections to your network is that anybody with a public-domain Internet connection can connect to your network via VPN client. The downside is that VPN clients must be maintained on all remote machines and administered at your server by your IT staff. Setting up a VPN is not something a CAD manager can casually do on a Friday afternoon; it's the IT equivalent of heavy lifting, so use this approach only if your IT staff can support you.
FTP drop boxes or folders. FTP (file transfer protocol) has been around forever and is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to make large volumes of files available to users over the public-domain Internet. Many utilities are available for free or at a very low cost (I personally use WS_FTP for my FTP management tasks), so cost is not a barrier. You can either maintain your own FTP server or use FTP drop boxes from a commercial Web-hosting service. In fact, if you use a hosted FTP site, you'll keep everyone who accesses your archives from hitting your servers and usurping your company's network bandwidth. You even can make your in-house users see an FTP site as a drive-by using the mapped network drive features in your operating system, as Figure 1 shows.
Figure 1. Map your FTP site to a drive letter for user convenience.
The disadvantages of using FTP are that you have to maintain a list of FTP accounts and passwords to protect your data and that externally hosted FTP sites are limited to your Internet connection speed. All in all, FTP deployment of archives via the Internet represents the best value in terms of bang for the buck and number of IT headaches. If you're on a tight budget but need to get your archives online in a hurry, start with FTP.
Third-party Internet sites. By maintaining your archives on a commercially hosted Web site, you no longer have to worry about maintaining your own Web server, backing it up or any of the other hassles that typically go with Web server maintenance or FTP maintenance, for that matter. You'll gain remote access for anyone, anywhere on the public-domain Internet without using your company's server and communications bandwidth. And you get an extra layer of redundancy because your archives are offsite and safe in case of fire, flood or other natural disaster. A disadvantage is that you don't own the remote server; therefore, you take some risk that the hosting company could go out of business. You'll want to work with a company that has a good track record.
Of course, total document management solutions that are delivered via the Internet (think Autodesk's Buzzsaw, for example) are available. For simple storage and retrieval of files on a virtual hard drive, simpler options (such as IBackup.com) offer good functionality for less than $100 per month.
To really get the feel for an Internet-deployed storage solution, try the site out using trial periods, which almost all vendors offer. The reason I find IBackup so usable is its combination of FTP support, Windows Explorer–mapped drive integration, automatic synchronization of archives via its scheduling application and free client software that lets collaborative partners work with you via IBackup at no cost to them.
I admit that I've been extremely skeptical of using third-party Internet file storage, but the declining costs of these services and their increasingly powerful software has won me over in the past year or so. Although these sorts of services cost more than straight FTP systems, you can't beat their ease of use.
The Archival Jigsaw Puzzle
I've given you a lot of technical information, and some of it may be outside your area of technical expertise. I believe strongly that the CAD management position is becoming more IT related and that all CAD managers should have a working knowledge of these sorts of techniques. So if you have to step outside your comfort zone to explore getting your archives online, that's not an entirely bad thing.
I suggest that you start solving the jigsaw puzzle by meeting with your IT department or Internet provider to find out what your options are. I'd also suggest trying some of the products and vendors I've outlined above on a trial basis, just so you can explore the possibilities. You may not buy anything, but you'll gain a lot more knowledge of what's out there and how you can apply it to your specific archival needs.
Putting the Pieces Together
If you're taking charge of your company's archives, you're already on track to provide a great service to your company. I hope this column has given you some ideas and resources for actually delivering your archives to others while solving some key CAD management and business problems at the same time.
Why not take this opportunity to evaluate your current archiving scheme or get started on one? Look at your options and adjust as required now before a data loss crises hits. Trust me when I say a little attention to archiving now will pay big dividends later. Good luck.
Robert Green performs CAD programming and consulting throughout the United States and Canada. Reach him at email@example.com.
About the Author: Robert Green
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