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Using WebLogic Server Clusters
The following sections contain guidelines and instructions for configuring a WebLogic Server cluster:
This section summarizes prerequisite tasks and information for setting up a WebLogic Server Cluster.
Installations for clustered WebLogic Server instances must have a valid cluster license. If you do not have a cluster license, contact your BEA sales representative.
The information in this section will be most useful to you if you have a basic understanding of the cluster configuration process and how configuration tasks are accomplished.
For information about the configuration facilities available in WebLogic Server and the tasks they support, see Understanding Cluster Configuration.
Determine what cluster architecture best suits your needs. Key architectural decisions include:
To guide these decisions, see Cluster Architectures, and Load Balancing in a Cluster.
The architecture you choose affects how you set up your cluster. The cluster architecture may also require that you install or configure other resources, such as load balancers, HTTP servers, and proxy plug-ins.
Your security requirements form the basis for designing the appropriate security topology. For a discussion of several alternative architectures that provide varying levels of application security, see Security Options for Cluster Architectures.
Notes: Some network topologies can interfere with multicast communication. If you are deploying a cluster across a WAN, see If Your Cluster Spans Multiple Subnets in a WAN.
Avoid deploying server instances in a cluster across a firewall. For a discussion of the impact of tunneling multicast traffic through a firewall, see Firewalls Can Break Multicast Communication.
Identify the machine or machines where you plan to install WebLogic Server—throughout this section we refer to such machines as "hosts"—and ensure that they have the resources required. System and software prerequisites are listed in Preparing to Install WebLogic Platform in Installing BEA WebLogic Platform.
WebLogic Server allows you to set up a cluster on a single, non-multihomed machine. This new capability is useful for demonstration or development environments.
Do not install WebLogic Server on machines that have dynamically assigned IP addresses.
BEA WebLogic Server has no built-in limit for the number of server instances that can reside in a cluster. Large, multi-processor servers such as Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun Enterprise 10000 can host very large clusters or multiple clusters.
In most cases, WebLogic Server clusters scale best when deployed with one WebLogic Server instance for every two CPUs. However, as with all capacity planning, you should test the actual deployment with your target Web applications to determine the optimal number and distribution of server instances. See Performance Considerations for Multi-CPU Machines in BEA WebLogic Server Performance and Tuning for additional information.
For best socket performance, configure the WebLogic Server host machine to use the native socket reader implementation for your operating system, rather than the pure-Java implementation. To understand why, and for instructions for configuring native sockets or optimizing pure-Java socket communications, see Peer-to-Peer Communication Using IP Sockets.
If you want to demonstrate a WebLogic Server cluster on a single, disconnected Windows machine, you must force Windows to load the TCP/IP stack. By default, Windows does not load the TCP/IP stack if it does not detect a physical network connection.
To force Windows to load the TCP/IP stack, disable the Windows media sensing feature using the instructions in "How to Disable Media Sense for TCP/IP in Windows" at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;239924.
During the cluster configuration process, you supply addressing information—IP addresses or DNS names, and port numbers—for the server instances in the cluster.
For information on intra-cluster communication, and how it enables load balancing and failover, see WebLogic Server Communication in a Cluster.
When you set up your cluster, you must provide location information for:
Read the sections that follow for an explanation of the information you must provide, and factors that influence the method you use to identify resources.
As you configure a cluster, you can specify address information using either IP addresses or DNS names.
Consider the purpose of the cluster when deciding whether to use DNS names or IP addresses. For production environments, the use of DNS names is generally recommended. The use of IP addresses can result in translation errors if:
You can avoid translation errors by binding the address of an individual server instance to a DNS name. Make sure that a server instance's DNS name is identical on each side of firewalls in your environment, and do not use a DNS name that is also the name of an NT system on your network.
For more information about using DNS names instead of IP addresses, see Firewall Considerations.
If the internal and external DNS names of a WebLogic Server instance are not identical, use the
ExternalDNSName attribute for the server instance to define the server's external DNS name. Outside the firewall the
ExternalDNSName should translate to external IP address of the server. If clients are accessing WebLogic Server over the default channel and T3, do not set the
ExternalDNSName attribute, even if the internal and external DNS names of a WebLogic Server instance are not identical.
If you identify a server instance's Listen Address as localhost, non-local processes will not be able to connect to the server instance. Only processes on the machine that hosts the server instance will be able to connect to the server instance. If the server instance must be accessible as localhost (for instance, if you have administrative scripts that connect to localhost), and must also be accessible by remote processes, leave the Listen Address blank. The server instance will determine the address of the machine and listen on it.
Make sure that each configurable resource in your WebLogic Server environment has a unique name. Each, domain, server, machine, cluster, JDBC data source, virtual host, or other resource must have a unique name.
Identify the DNS name or IP address and Listen Port of the Administration Server you will use for the cluster.
The Administration Server is the WebLogic Server instance used to configure and manage all the Managed Servers in its domain. When you start a Managed Server, you identify the host and port of its Administration Server.
Identify the DNS name or IP address of each Managed Server planned for your cluster.
Each Managed Server in a cluster must have a unique combination of address and Listen Port number. Clustered server instances on a single non-multihomed machine can have the same address, but must use a different Listen Port.
Identify the address and port you will dedicate to multicast communications for your cluster. A multicast address is an IP address between 220.127.116.11 and 184.108.40.206.
Note: The default multicast value used by WebLogic Server is 184.108.40.206. You should not use any multicast address with the value x.0.0.1.
Server instances in a cluster communicate with each other using multicast—they use multicast to announce their services, and to issue periodic heartbeats that indicate continued availability.
The multicast address for a cluster should not be used for any purpose other than cluster communications. If the machine where the cluster multicast address exists hosts or is accessed by cluster-external programs that use multicast communication, make sure that those multicast communications use a different port than the cluster multicast port.
Multiple clusters on a network may share a multicast address and multicast port combination if necessary.
If you are setting up the Recommended Multi-Tier Architecture, described in Cluster Architectures, with a firewall between the clusters, you will need two dedicated multicast addresses: one for the presentation (servlet) cluster and one for the object cluster. Using two multicast addresses ensures that the firewall does not interfere with cluster communication.
In WebLogic Server cluster, the cluster address is used in entity and stateless beans to construct the host name portion of request URLs.
You can explicitly define the cluster address when you configure the a cluster; otherwise, WebLogic Server dynamically generates the cluster address for each new request. Allowing WebLogic Server to dynamically generate the cluster address is simplest, in terms of system administration, and is suitable for both development and production environments.
If you do not explicitly define a cluster address when you configure a cluster, when a clustered server instance receives a remote request, WebLogic Server generates the cluster address, in the form:
listen address:listen port combination in the cluster address corresponds to Managed Server and network channel that received the request.
listen address:listen port combinations in the cluster address reflect the
ListenAddress and
ListenPort values from the associated
ServerMBean and
SSLMBean instances. For more information, see The Default Network Channel in Configuring WebLogic Server Environments.
listen address:listen port in the cluster address reflect the
ListenAddress and
ListenPort values from
NetworkAccessPointMBean that defines the channel. For more information about network channels in a cluster, see Configuring Network Channels For a Cluster in Configuring WebLogic Server Environments.
The number of
ListenAddress:ListenPort combinations included in the cluster address is governed by the value of the
NumberOfServersInClusterAddress attribute on the
ClusterMBean, which is 3 by default.
You can modify the value of
NumberOfServersInClusterAddress on the Environments—>Clusters—>ClusterName->Configuration->General page of the Administration Console.
NumberOfServersInClusterAddress, the dynamically generated cluster address contains a
ListenAddress:ListenPort combination for each of the running Managed Servers.
NumberOfServersInClusterAddress, WebLogic Server randomly selects a subset of the available instances—equal to the value of
NumberOfServersInClusterAddress—and uses the
ListenAddress:ListenPort combination for those instances to form the cluster address.
The order in which the
ListenAddress:ListenPort combinations appear in the cluster address is random—from request to request, the order will vary.
If you explicitly define a cluster address for a cluster in a production environment, specify the cluster address as a DNS name that maps to the IP addresses or DNS names of each WebLogic Server instance in the cluster.
If you define the cluster address as a DNS name, the Listen Ports for the cluster members are not specified in the cluster address—it is assumed that each Managed Server in the cluster has the same Listen Port number. Because each server instance in a cluster must have a unique combination of address and Listen Port, if a cluster address is a DNS name, each server instance in the cluster must have:
When clients obtain an initial JNDI context by supplying the cluster DNS name,
weblogic.jndi.WLInitialContextFactory obtains the list of all addresses that are mapped to the DNS name. This list is cached by WebLogic Server instances, and new initial context requests are fulfilled using addresses in the cached list with a round-robin algorithm. If a server instance in the cached list is unavailable, it is removed from the list. The address list is refreshed from the DNS service only if the server instance is unable to reach any address in its cache.
Using a cached list of addresses avoids certain problems with relying on DNS round-robin alone. For example, DNS round-robin continues using all addresses that have been mapped to the domain name, regardless of whether or not the addresses are reachable. By caching the address list, WebLogic Server can remove addresses that are unreachable, so that connection failures aren't repeated with new initial context requests.
Note: The Administration Server should not participate in a cluster. Ensure that the Administration Server's IP address is not included in the cluster-wide DNS name. For more information, see Administration Server Considerations.
If you explicitly define a cluster address for use in development environments, you can use a cluster DNS name for the cluster address, as described in the previous section.
Alternatively, you can define the cluster address as a list that contains the DNS name (or IP address) and Listen Port of each Managed Server in the cluster, as shown in the examples below:
Note that each cluster member has a unique address and port combination.
If your cluster runs on a single, multihomed machine, and each server instance in the cluster uses a different IP address, define the cluster address using a DNS name that maps to the IP addresses of the server instances in the cluster. If you define the cluster address as a DNS name, specify the same Listen Port number for each of the Managed Servers in the cluster.
This section describes how to get a clustered application up and running, from installation of WebLogic Server through initial deployment of application components.
This section lists typical cluster implementation tasks, and highlights key configuration considerations. The exact process you follow is driven by the unique characteristics of your environment and the nature of your application. These tasks are described:
Not every step is required for every cluster implementation. Additional steps may be necessary in some cases.
If you have not already done so, install WebLogic Server. For instructions, see Installing WebLogic Platform.
/bea directory to use for all clustered instances.
Note: Do not use a shared filesystem and a single installation to run multiple WebLogic Server instances on separate machines. Using a shared filesystem introduces a single point of contention for the cluster. All server instances must compete to access the filesystem (and possibly to write individual log files). Moreover, should the shared filesystem fail, you might be unable to start clustered server instances.
The are multiple methods of creating a clustered domain. For a list, see Methods of Configuring Clusters.
For instructions to create a cluster using the:
There are multiple methods of starting a cluster—available options include the command line interface, scripts that contain the necessary commands, and Node Manager.
Note: Node Manager eases the process of starting servers, and restarting them after failure.
To use Node Manager, you must first configure a Node Manager process on each machine that hosts Managed Servers in the cluster. See Configure Node Manager.
Regardless of the method you use to start a cluster, start the Administration Server first, then start the Managed Servers in the cluster.
Follow the instructions below to start the cluster from a command shell. Note that each server instance is started in a separate command shell.
StartManagedWebLogic server_name
server_name is the name of the Managed Server you wish to start
address is the IP address or DNS name for the Administration Server for the domain
port is the listen port for the Administration Server for the domain
The command shell displays messages that report the status of the startup process.
Note: After you start a Managed Server, it listens for heartbeats from other running server instances in the cluster. The Managed Server builds its local copy of the cluster-wide JNDI tree, as described in How WebLogic Server Updates the JNDI Tree, and displays status messages when it has synchronized with each running Managed Server in the cluster. The synchronization process can take a minute or so.
Node Manager is a standalone Java program provided with WebLogic Server that is useful for starting a Managed Server that resides on a different machine than its Administration Server. Node Manager also provides features that help increase the availability of Managed Servers in your cluster. For more information, and for instructions to configure and use Node Manager, see Using Node Manager to Control Servers in Designing and Configuring WebLogic Server Environments.
Follow the instructions in this section to select the load balancing algorithm for EJBs and RMI objects.
Unless you explicitly specify otherwise, WebLogic Server uses the round-robin algorithm as the default load balancing strategy for clustered object stubs. To understand alternative load balancing algorithms, see Load Balancing for EJBs and RMI Objects. To change the default load balancing algorithm:
To understand the server affinity support provided by WebLogic Server for JMS, see Load Balancing for JMS.
Load balancers that support passive cookie persistence can use information from the WebLogic Server session cookie to associate a client with the WebLogic Server instance that hosts the session. The session cookie contains a string that the load balancer uses to identify the primary server instance for the session.
For a discussion of external load balancers, session cookie persistence, and the WebLogic Server session cookie, see Load Balancing HTTP Sessions with an External Load Balancer
To configure the load balancer to work with your cluster, use the facilities of the load balancer to define the offset and length of the string constant.
Assuming that the Session ID portion of the session cookie is the default length of 52 bytes, on the load balancer, set:
If your application or environmental requirements dictate that you change the length of the Random Session ID from its default value of 52 bytes, set the string offset on the load balancer accordingly. The string offset must equal the length of the Session ID plus 1 byte for the delimiter character.
Notes: For vendor-specific instructions for configuring Big-IP load balancers, see Configuring BIG-IPTM Hardware with Clusters.
Refer to the instructions in this section if you wish to load balance servlets and JSPs using a proxy plug-in. A proxy plug-in proxies requests from a web server to WebLogic Server instances in a cluster, and provides load balancing and failover for the proxied HTTP requests.
For information about load balancing using proxy plug-ins, see Load Balancing with a Proxy Plug-in. For information about connection and failover using proxy plug-ins, see Replication and Failover for Servlets and JSPs, and Accessing Clustered Servlets and JSPs Using a Proxy.
HttpClusterServlet using the instructions in Set Up the HttpClusterServlet.
Note: Each web server that proxies requests to a cluster must have an identically configured plug-in.
To use the HTTP cluster servlet, configure it as the default web application on your proxy server machine, as described in the steps below. For an introduction to web applications, see Overview of Web Applications in Developing Web Applications for WebLogic Server.
web.xml deployment descriptor file for the servlet. This file must reside in the
\WEB-INF subdirectory of the web application directory. A sample deployment descriptor for the proxy servlet is provided in Sample web.xml. For more information on
web.xml, see Understanding Web Applications, Servlets, and JSPs in Developing Web Applications, Servlets, and JSPs for WebLogic Server.
<servlet> element in
web.xml. The servlet name is
HttpClusterServlet. The servlet class is
<servlet> element in
web.xml, by defining the
WebLogicCluster parameter.
<servlet-mapping> stanzas to specify the requests that the servlet will proxy to the cluster, using the
<url-pattern> element to identify specific file extensions, for example
*.jsp, or *
.html. Define each pattern in a separate
<servlet-mapping> stanza.
You can set the
<url-pattern> to "
/" to proxy any request that cannot be resolved by WebLogic Server to the remote server instance. If you do so, you must also specifically map the following extensions:
*.html, and
*.html, to proxy files ending with those extensions. For an example, see Sample web.xml.
weblogic.xml deployment descriptor file for the servlet. This file must reside in the
\WEB-INF subdirectory of the web application directory.
Assign the proxy servlet as the default web application for the Managed Server on the proxy machine by setting the
<context-root> element to a forward slash character (/) in the
<weblogic-web-app> stanza. For an example, see Sample weblogic.xml.
This section contains a sample deployment descriptor file (
web.xml) for
web.xml defines parameters that specify the location and behavior of the proxy servlet: both versions of the servlet:
DOCTYPE stanza specifies the DTD used by WebLogic Server to validate
servlet stanza:
weblogic.jar in your
WL_HOME/server/lib directory. You do not have to specify the servlet's full directory path in
web.xml because
weblogic.jar is put in your CLASSPATH when you start WebLogic Server.
WebLogicCluster parameter.
servlet-mapping stanzas specify that the servlet will proxy URLs that end in '/', 'htm', 'html', or 'jsp' to the cluster.
For parameter definitions see Proxy Servlet Deployment Parameters.
<!DOCTYPE web-app PUBLIC "-//Sun Microsystems, Inc.//DTD Web Application 2.3//EN" "http://java.sun.com/dtd/web-app_2_3.dtd";>
This section contains a sample
weblogic.xml file. The <context-root> deployment parameter is set to "/". This makes the proxy servlet the default web application for the proxy server.
<!DOCTYPE weblogic-web-app PUBLIC "-//BEA Systems, Inc.//DTD Web Application 9.0//EN" "http://www.bea.com/servers/wls810/dtd/weblogic
Key parameters for configuring the behavior of the proxy servlet in
web.xml are listed in Table 8-1.
The parameters for the proxy servlet are the same as those used to configure WebLogic Server plug-ins for Apache, Microsoft, and Netscape web servers. For a complete list of parameters for configuring the proxy servlet and the plug-ins for third-part web servers see Parameters for Web Server Plug-insin Using WebLogic Server with Plug-ins.
The syntax for specifying the parameters, and the file where they are specified, is different for the proxy servlet and for each of the plug-ins.
For the proxy servlet, specify the parameters in
web.xml, each in its own
<init-param> stanza within the
<servlet> stanza of
web.xml. For example:
<init-param> ParameterName
</param-name> ParameterValue
Table 8-1 Proxy Servlet Deployment Parameters
If you are using SSL between the plug-in and WebLogic Server, set the port number to the SSL listen port (see Configuring the Listen Port) and set the
If you are using SSL between the plug-in and WebLogic Server, set the port number to the SSL listen port (see Configuring the Listen Port) and set the
If set to ON, you can query the
Interval in seconds that the servlet will sleep between attempts to connect to a server instance. Assign a value less than
The number of connection attempts the servlet makes before returning an
Maximum time in seconds that the servlet will attempt to connect to a server instance. Assign a value greater than
String trimmed by the plug-in from the beginning of the original URL, before the request is forwarded to the cluster.
is passed to the plug-in for parsing and if
the URL forwarded to WebLogic Server is:
The file extension to be trimmed from the end of the URL.
Specifies to trust client certificates in the
Valid values are true and false. The default value is false.
This setting is useful if user authentication is performed on the proxy server—setting
For this reason, if you set
String that the servlet prepends to the original URL, after
Ensure that applications clients will access via the proxy server are deployed to your cluster. Address client requests to the listen address and listen port of the proxy server.
Each of the server instances in the configuration must have a unique combination of Listen Address and Listen Port.
If you get a page not found error when you try to your application, make sure that
weblogic.xml is in
\WEB-INF for the application and that it sets the
context-root deployment parameter to "/".
If you are having problems try rebooting all your servers, some of the changes you made while configuring your setup may not have been persisted to the configuration file.
myServer is the Managed Server on the proxy machine where
HttpClusterServlet runs,
port is the port number on that server that is listening for HTTP requests, and
placeholder.jsp is a file that does not exist on the server.
The plug-in gathers configuration information and run-time statistics and returns the information to the browser. For more information, see Parameters for Web Server Plug-insin Using WebLogic Server with Plug-ins.
To support automatic failover for servlets and JSPs, WebLogic Server replicates HTTP session states in memory. You can further control where secondary states are placed using replication groups. A replication group is a preferred list of clustered instances to be used for storing session state replicas.
If your cluster will host servlets or stateful session EJBs, you may want to create replication groups of WebLogic Server instances to host the session state replicas.
For instructions on how to determine which server instances should participate in each replication group, and to determine each server instance's preferred replication group, follow the instructions in Using Replication Groups.
Then follow these steps to configure replication groups for each WebLogic Server instance:
To configure replication groups for a WebLogic Server instance:
WebLogic Server enables you to configure an optional migratable target, which defines a list of server instances in the cluster that can potentially host a migratable service, such as a JMS server or the Java Transaction API (JTA) transaction recovery service. If you want to use a migratable target, configure the target server list before deploying or activating the service in the cluster.
If you do not configure a migratable target in the cluster, migratable services can be migrated to any WebLogic Server instance in the cluster. See Service Migration for more information.
For instructions on configuring migratable JMS targets, see Configuring Clustered WebLogic JMS Resources in Configuring and Managing WebLogic JMS.
This section provides instructions for configuring JDBC components using the Administration Console. The choices you make as you configure the JDBC components are reflected in the configuration files for the WebLogic Server domain that contains the cluster.
First you create the data sources and optionally create a multi data source.
Perform these steps to set up a basic data source in a cluster:
For instructions, see "Create JDBC data sources" in the Administration Console Online Help.
Perform these steps to create a clustered multi data source for increased availability, and optionally, load balancing.
Note: Multi data sources are typically used to provide increased availability and load balancing of connections to replicated, synchronized instances of a database. For more information, see JDBC Connections.
For instructions, see "Create JDBC data sources" in the Administration Console Online Help.
For instructions, see "Configure JDBC multi data sources" in the Administration Console Online Help.
You must package applications before you deploy them to WebLogic Server. For more information, see the packaging topic in Deploying the Application in Developing Applications for WebLogic Server.
Clustered objects in WebLogic Server should be deployed homogeneously. To ensure homogeneous deployment, when you select a target use the cluster name, rather than individual WebLogic Server instances in the cluster.
The console automates deploying replica-aware objects to clusters. When you deploy an application or object to a cluster, the console automatically deploys it to all members of the cluster (whether they are local to the Administration Server machine or they reside on remote machines.) For a discussion of application deployment in clustered environments see Methods of Configuring Clusters. For a broad discussion of deployment topics, see Deploying WebLogic Server Applications.
Note: All server instances in your cluster should be running when you deploy applications to the cluster using the Administration Console
Deploying a application to a server instance, rather than the all cluster members is called a pinned deployment. Although a pinned deployment targets a specific server instance, all server instances in the cluster must be running during the deployment process.
You can perform a pinned deployment using the Administration Console or from the command line, using
From a command shell, use the following syntax to target a server instance:
java weblogic.Deployer -activate -name ArchivedEarJar -source C:/MyApps/JarEar.ear -target server1
You can cancel a deployment using the Administration Console or from the command line, using
From a command shell, use the following syntax to cancel the deployment task ID:
java weblogic.Deployer -adminurl http://admin:7001 -cancel -id tag
In the Administration Console, open the Tasks node to view and to cancel any current deployment tasks.
To view a deployed application in the Administration Console:
To undeploy a deployed application from the WebLogic Server Administration Console:
The sections that follow provide guidelines and instructions for deploying, activating, and migrating migratable services. For a discussion of migratable services, see Service Migration
The migratable target that you create defines the scope of server instances in the cluster that can potentially host a migratable service. You must deploy or activate a pinned service on one of the server instances listed in the migratable target in order to migrate the service within the target server list at a later time. Use the instructions that follow to deploy a JMS server on a migratable target, or activate the JTA transaction recovery system so that you can migrate it later.
Note: If you did not configure a migratable target, simply deploy the JMS server to any WebLogic Server instance in the cluster; you can then migrate the JMS server to any other server instance in the cluster (no migratable target is used).
To deploy a JMS server to a migratable target using the Administration Console:
The JTA recovery service is automatically started on one of the server instances listed in the migratable target for the cluster; you do not have to deploy the service to a selected server instance.
If you did not configure a JTA migratable target, WebLogic Server activates the service on any available WebLogic Server instance in the cluster. To change the current server instance that hosts the JTA service, use the instructions in Migrating a Pinned Service to a Target Server Instance.
After you have deployed a migratable service, you can use the Administration Console to migrate the service to another server instance in the cluster. If you configured a migratable target for the service, you can migrate to any other server instance listed in the migratable target, even if that server instance is not currently running. If you did not configure a migratable target, you can migrate the service to any other server instance in the cluster.
If you migrate a service to a stopped server instance, the server instance will activate the service upon the next startup. If you migrate a service to a running WebLogic Server instance, the migration takes place immediately.
To migrate a pinned service using the Administration Console:
The Current Server field shows the WebLogic Server instance that currently hosts the pinned service. The Destination Server drop-down list displays server instances to which you can migrate the service.
Unable to contact server MyServer-1, the source server from which services are being migrated.
Please ensure that server MyServer-1 is NOT running! If the administration server cannot reach server MyServer-1 due to a network partition, inspect the server directly to verify that it is not running. Continue the migration only if MyServer-1 is not running. Cancel the migration if MyServer-1 is running, or if you do not know whether it is running.
Before bringing up MyServer-1 again after this migration, use the java weblogic.PurgeConfigCache utility to prevent redundant activation of the migrated service. See Help for more information
If this message is displayed, perform the procedure described in Migrating When the Currently Active Host is Unavailable.
Use this migration procedure if a clustered Managed Server that was the active server for the migratable service crashes or becomes unreachable.
This procedure purges the failed Managed Server's configuration cache. The purpose of purging the cache is to ensure that, when the failed server instance is once again available, it does not re-deploy a service that you have since migrated to another Managed Server. Purging the cache eliminates the risk that Managed Server which was previously the active host for the service uses local, out-of-date configuration data when it starts up again.
The migratable service is now available on a different Managed Server on a different machine. The following steps can be performed at leisure.
Node Manager will start as a service or daemon, and will attempt to start the Managed Servers on the machine.
java weblogic.PurgeConfigCache utility to disable all Managed Servers that host migratable services on the machine. Run the utility from the WebLogic Server home directory on the machine. If there are multiple installations on the machine, each with different root directories, participating in the cluster, run the utility from each WebLogic Server home directory.
config.xml from the Managed Server's root directory.
To support automatic failover for servlets and JSPs, WebLogic Server replicates HTTP session states in memory.
Note: WebLogic Server can also maintain the HTTP session state of a servlet or JSP using file-based or JDBC-based persistence. For more information on these persistence mechanisms, see Using Sessions and Session Persistence in Developing Web Applications, Servets, and JSPs for WebLogic Server.
In-memory HTTP Session state replication is controlled separately for each application you deploy. The parameter that controls it—
PersistentStoreType—appears within the session-descriptor element, in the WebLogic deployment descriptor file,
weblogic.xml, for the application.
To use in-memory HTTP session state replication across server instances in a cluster, set the
PersistentStoreType to
replicated. The fragment below shows the appropriate XML from
<param-name> PersistentStoreType </param-name>
<param-value> replicated </param-value>
The sections below contain useful tips for particular cluster configurations.
For best socket performance, BEA recommends that you use the native socket reader implementation, rather than the pure-Java implementation, on machines that host WebLogic Server instances.
If you must use the pure-Java socket reader implementation for host machines, you can still improve the performance of socket communication by configuring the proper number of socket reader threads for each server instance and client machine.
The sections that follow have instructions on how to configure native socket reader threads for host machines, and how to set the number of reader threads for host and client machines.
To configure a WebLogic Server instance to use the native socket reader threads implementation:
By default, a WebLogic Server instance creates three socket reader threads upon booting. If you determine that your cluster system may utilize more than three sockets during peak periods, increase the number of socket reader threads:
On client machines, you can configure the number socket reader threads in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that runs the client. Specify the socket readers by defining the
=value and
=value options in the Java command line for the client.
If your cluster spans multiple subnets in a WAN, the value of the Multicast Time-To-Live (TTL) parameter for the cluster must be high enough to ensure that routers do not discard multicast packets before they reach their final destination. The Multicast TTL parameter sets the number of network hops a multicast message makes before the packet can be discarded. Configuring the Multicast TTL parameter appropriately reduces the risk of losing the multicast messages that are transmitted among server instances in the cluster.
For more information about planning your network topology to ensure that multicast messages are reliably transmitted see If Your Cluster Spans Multiple Subnets in a WAN.
To configure the Multicast TTL for a cluster, change the Multicast TTL value in the Multicast tab for the cluster in the Administration Console. The
config.xml excerpt below shows a cluster with a Multicast TTL value of three. This value ensures that the cluster's multicast messages can pass through three routers before being discarded:
If multicast storms occur because server instances in a cluster are not processing incoming messages on a timely basis, you can increase the size of multicast buffers. For information on multicast storms, see If Multicast Storms Occur.
TCP/IP kernel parameters can be configured with the UNIX
ndd utility. The
udp_max_buf parameter controls the size of send and receive buffers (in bytes) for a UDP socket. The appropriate value for
udp_max_buf varies from deployment to deployment. If you are experiencing multicast storms, increase the value of
udp_max_buf by 32K, and evaluate the effect of this change.
Do not change
udp_max_buf unless necessary. Before changing
udp_max_buf, read the Sun warning in the "UDP Parameters with Additional Cautions" section in the "TCP/IP Tunable Parameters" chapter in Solaris Tunable Parameters Reference Manual at http://docs.sun.com/?p=/doc/806-6779/6jfmsfr7o&.
WebLogic Server uses configured machine names to determine whether or not two server instances reside on the same physical hardware. Machine names are generally used with machines that host multiple server instances. If you do not define machine names for such installations, each instance is treated as if it resides on separate physical hardware. This can negatively affect the selection of server instances to host secondary HTTP session state replicas, as described in Using Replication Groups.
If your cluster has a multi-tier architecture, see the configuration guidelines in Configuration Considerations for Multi-Tier Architecture.
In its default configuration, WebLogic Server uses client-side cookies to keep track of the primary and secondary server instance that host the client's servlet session state. If client browsers have disabled cookie usage, WebLogic Server can also keep track of primary and secondary server instances using URL rewriting. With URL rewriting, both locations of the client session state are embedded into the URLs passed between the client and proxy server. To support this feature, you must ensure that URL rewriting is enabled on the WebLogic Server cluster. For instructions on how to enable URL rewriting, see Using URL Rewriting in Developing Web Applications for WebLogic Server.


text:
Faced with a computer glitch that delayed unemployment checks to more than 80,000 residents, the state of California will pay out all backlogged jobless claims, regardless of whether they are valid or not.
Staff at California's Employment Development Department had been working around the clock to manually process the claims, which have been piling up since the state switched to a new computer system over Labor Day weekend.
The pressure grew as desperate claimants had been jamming the agency's phone lines and filling its Facebook page with hundreds of complaints.
Related: The safety net failed me
Carol Malichky, 49, of Glendale, Calif. said she hasn't received five weeks of checks, totaling more than $1,000, and is at the point where she may not be able to pay rent next week. Christina Katcher, 46 of San Marcos, said she called EDD more than 400 times one day, just to get through to a real person.
Then late Tuesday, the head of California's state labor agency, Marty Morgenstern issued a letter directing the state's unemployment agency to pay out all backlogged claims as soon as possible, without even investigating their individual merit.
"Even with these actions and others, it is unlikely that the claims backlog will be reduced quickly enough to respond to the very real financial hardship now being experienced by too many of our residents relying on timely payment of their UI benefits," Morgenstern said in the letter. "Consequently, I am directing EDD to immediately begin the process of paying backlogged claims for continued UI benefits prior to a final determination of eligibility."
Undoubtedly, some people who are ineligible for benefits will end up receiving them anyway, and Morgenstern directed the EDD to try to recover those overpayments at a later date.
This means some people will receive a payment, but if they're later found to be ineligible, they'll be asked to pay it back to the state of California.
Why such desperate measures?
The EDD is short-staffed as a result of federal funding cuts. Whereas two years ago, the state had about 3,200 employees processing unemployment claims, it has cut more than a 1,000 of those positions since then.
The agency also recently upgraded its 30-year-old computer system with a new software program designed by Deloitte Consulting. The contract cost the state $62.4 million and aims to process new jobless claims more efficiently.
But the software had one key flaw: Some of the old records didn't transfer over to the new system correctly, and need to be processed by hand instead.
"This is not a system error or the result of a problem with the software developed by Deloitte," the company said in an emailed statement.
The company also said the problems represent a "small percentage of claimant accounts -- which is not unusual for new systems this large and complex."
Coincidentally, Massachusetts' unemployment agency also recently switched to Deloitte software in a contract valued at $46 million, and also encountered data conversion issues.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Monocle 100
99: Hit the road
00:00 / 00:00
4 May 2017
Episode 22
05 minutes
Photo: Flickr
We take to the road in this episode as we discuss why countries are best explored by car, including a drive from Osaka to Tokyo.
4 May 2017
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The Monocle 100 - latest episodes
100: Wanderlust
To conclude our Monocle 100 series we give the final word to Monocle's editor Andrew Tuck.
99: Hit the Road, part two
Travel writer Sarah Rowland and editor of Lodestars Anthology, Liz Schaffer, discuss the merits of the road trip.
99: Hit the road
We take to the road in this episode as we discuss why countries are best explored by car, including a drive from Osaka to Tokyo.
97-98: Pack and go
Tom Edwards is joined in the studio by Monocle writer Chiara Rimella to discuss the must-pack items, and the designers who make them, before you set off on a trip.
87-96: Get a room
We discuss the merits of a good hotel and how it can not only transform your trip but the area that it's built in with Monocle's travel editor Josh Fehnert and Avra Jain, a property developer in Miami and owner of the…
82-86: Streets to walk down
We stroll down Potsdamer Strasse in Berlin to find out why it's a promenade worth walking for a healthy dose of art and culture.
79-81: Good taste
We head to Singapore and Copenhagen to find out how some of our favourite coffee bars are brewing the best beverages and which countries they look to for taste and inspiration.
68-78: Food for thought
We head to one of London's best restaurants, The Palomar, to meet creative director Layo Paskin and find out how his DJ career sparked a love for food.
67: Dining out
We meet Uwe Opocensky, the German executive chef for The Greater China Restaurant Company in Hong Kong, to find out why home-style restaurants beat fine dining.
62-66: Making an exhibition
We hear from art dealer and adviser Kathlene Fox-Davies, and writer and editor Jane Morris, about the exhibitions worth making a trip for this year.
59–61: Join the festivities
Festivals are a great excuse to jump on a plane and head to warm and exciting places, whether you'`re into art, architecture, music or film. Tom Edwards is joined by Monocle's Culture editor Robert Bound to discuss why Asia…
54–58: at 30,000ft
Travelling by plane can be an excellent opportunity to get down ideas, come up with a business plan or start writing that novel. Author Cathy Rentzenbrink tells us how a long-haul flight was the perfect setting for penning…
51-53: Podcast playlist
With the podcast industry booming there's a raft of new shows to choose from. John Mitchinson, presenter of 'Backlisted' and Helen Zaltzman, presenter of 'The Allusionist' sit down to talk about what they listen to on their…
44-50: Listening in, switching off
Get some music tips for your next journey, whether you want the perfect pop playlist or something ambient with which to unwind.
43: Titles to travel with
Monocle's editor in chief, Tyler Brûlé, sits down with Tom Edwards to discuss the magazines that he won't board a plane without.


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Christian Laettner and Brian Davis were excellent college basketball players. But they appear to be terrible businessmen. After winning two national championships at Duke, Laettner and Davis started a real estate company called Blue Devil Ventures. Things went well at first. By 2006, however, Laettner and Davis were in major money trouble. That's when the litigation started, as the Wall Street Journal reports.
First, Scottie Pippen sued Laettner and Davis after a bid by the former Duke players to buy the Memphis Grizzlies imploded because of insufficient funding. Pippen helped finance the bid but never got his money back. A judge ruled last August that Laettner and Davis owed Pippen $2.55 million. Pippen still hasn't gotten his money back.
Laettner and Davis were later sued by Fannie Mae, Chevron Inc., and a Duke law professor for the same reason—failure to repay loans. Laettner and Davis had by then expanded their business to other cities and without their original partner, Tom Niemann, a Duke business school grad who favored a conservative approach. At one point, this clash in philosophy led to a tense lunch meeting that ended, according to the Wall Street Journal, with "Davis lifting the 5-foot-8 Niemann off the ground."
Shawne Merriman was another lender who was never repaid. A federal judge ruled in January that Laettner and Davis had to pay Merriman $3.7 million. All told, Laettner and Davis are now fending off lawsuits seeking repayment of loans worth about $30 million. The saddest of all these might be the one brought by Johnny Dawkins, the former Duke captain. Last year, the judge in that case ordered Laettner, Davis, and a company of theirs to pay Dawkins $671,309.
Laettner and Davis say they don't have the scratch. But they could always borrow money from someone else to cover. Might I suggest Vinny Four Fingers at the clam house?


text:
Looking for Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad?
Buy Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
Magic Keyboard is available with Touch ID, providing fast, easy, and secure authentication for logins and purchases.
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad delivers a remarkably comfortable and precise typing experience. It features an extended layout, with document navigation controls for quick scrolling and full-size arrow keys, which are great for gaming. The numeric keypad is also ideal for spreadsheets and finance applications. It's wireless and features a rechargeable battery that will power your keyboard for about a month or more between charges.¹ It pairs automatically with your Mac, so you can get to work right away. And it includes a woven USB-C to Lightning Cable that lets you pair and charge by connecting to a USB-C port on your Mac.
Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad
USB-C to Lightning Cable
Height: 0.16–0.43 inch (0.41–1.09 cm)
Width: 16.48 inches (41.87 cm)
Depth: 4.52 inches (11.49 cm)
Weight: 0.81 pound (0.369 kg)**
Multimedia keys
Lightning port
Mac with Apple silicon using macOS 11.4 or later
** Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
1. Testing conducted by Apple in March and April 2021 using preproduction Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad units, firmware, and software paired with preproduction 24-inch iMac systems with Apple M1 chip. Testing consisted of full battery discharge while engaging the device on a paired iMac using automated equipment. Battery life depends on device settings, usage, and other factors.


text:
Ex Libris H.E. McD, by Franz von Bayros
4 x 4.5″ brown/black ink, previously pasted as evident by top part of back
naked girl, animals, and child, presumably Ex libris for Horace E. McDonald
Franz von Bayros (1866 – 1924) was an Austrian commercial artist, illustrator, and painter, now he is best known for his erotic work. He belonged to the Decadent movement in art, often utilizing erotic themes and phantasmagoric imagery. At the age 17, Bayros passed the entrance exam for the Vienna Academy with Eduard von Engerth. Bayros mixed in elegant society and soon belonged to the circle of friends of Johann Straub, whose step daughter Alice he married on 1896. The next year, Bayros moved to Munich. In 1904, Bayros gave his first exhibition in Munich, which was a great success. From 1904 until 1908, Bayros traveled to Paris and Italy for his studies.
Typically, for an artist dealing with such imagery, von Bayros produced work under several pseudonyms, most notably Choisy Le Conin, and was hounded by authorities for much of his life for his "indecent" art often very imaginative, and including such taboo subjects as sadomasochism and bestiality. He became equally well-known for his masterly drawn figures of elegant modestly nude and non-nude women.


text:
Yuppie Babies Strangled by Fleece
Finally, someone has combined the most puzzling qualities of Snuggies and Park Slope Parenthood into one atrocious product: the "Peekaru."
For the mom and dad who harbor secret kangaroo fantasies. Or just love the stomach-bursting scene in Alien. [Peekaru via Daily Mail UK. Oh shoot Daily Intel had this earlier. Oh well.]


text:
John Brownlee call for duty to US Army service, 16 Jan 2003
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
- May 22, 2009
John Brownlee is a former United States Attorney running for Attorney General of Virginia. In 2003, while serving as US Attorney his Army Reserve unit was activated for one year to support the war. While on active duty Brownlee continued to act as United States Attorney, prosecuting a high profile case and signing an indictment. When the media inquired whether his actions were lawful, the Justice Department got him released from the Army early.
This file presents the letter calling for his duty as a reservist, issued on 16th of January 2003.
John Brownlee is up for nomination by the Republican Convention on May 30th.
Further information


text:
Beetle Warfare
What happens when an exotic bug is brought in to fight an exotic weed?
When Dan Bean and Tom Dudley were high school classmates in Southern California, their biology teacher offered extra credit for eating oddities of scientific interest. The duo dove into the challenge - Bean, a quiet man with a slow grin, allows that sea-urchin gonads were much tastier than he expected - and their combined score shamed all competitors. Which may partly explain why, on a clear fall day more than three decades later, Bean and Dudley are driving a rocky red dirt road on the Utah-Colorado border, on their way to watch a beetle kill some weeds.
"What about here, Doctor Bean?" teases Dudley, pointing out the truck window at a tangle of riverside trees and shrubs. Dudley, now a trim, sharp-featured ecologist from the University of California at Santa Barbara, is visiting his friend and colleague Bean, an entomologist at the Colorado Department of Agriculture insectary in nearby Palisade. Bean parks his white pickup and the pair clambers out, grabbing long, cone-shaped cloth nets as they head toward the trees.
After a few moments of net-swinging, Dudley shouts from the thicket. "Here's one ... one, two, three, four."
Bean and Dudley are searching for Diorhabda elongata, familiarly known as the tamarisk leaf beetle, newly arrived here from Kazakhstan by way of Utah, and, as it happens, stenciled in larger-than-life size on Dudley's T-shirt. First released in the United States in 2001, the beetles were set free in Utah, about 20 miles from this spot, in 2005, and recently began to march along the muddy waters of the Dolores River. Their target, as their name indicates, is the riverside shrub known as tamarisk or saltcedar, one of the most infamous invasive weeds in the West.
Six weeks ago, Bean says, there were no beetles in this particularly thick stand of tamarisk, cottonwood, and willow, but now, the tamarisk - which towers, treelike, over the scientists' heads - displays light brown tips, one of the first signs of beetle attack.
"The natives are already here," Dudley observes, looking at the native cottonwoods, some tall enough to form a canopy over the weeds. "They just need to be freed up." "And the beetles are going to free them," says Bean.
But their cheer is momentary. Though Diorhabda is a powerful weapon against tamarisk, it's a very complicated one. "Whenever anyone thinks they have a silver bullet," says Dudley, again diving into the brush, "it usually turns out to be a sort of off-gray color."
Tamarisk is one of the lessons in American West 101: About the time newcomers learn that the striking black-and-white bird on their porch is a common magpie, they find out that the feathery green riverside shrub with the pretty pink sprays of flowers is actually a nasty weed.
When and exactly how it arrived here is a matter of some debate, but the usual story is that tamarisk, a Eurasian species, was first planted in the West in the mid-1800s, both as an ornament and for erosion control on railroad beds and elsewhere. By the late 1800s, it had naturalized, and by the 1960s, it dominated vegetation along the Colorado, Rio Grande and Pecos rivers. Today, its Western range stretches from northern Mexico to Montana, and from Kansas to California, and covers over 1 million acres.
The conventional wisdom is that tamarisk, with its deep, tenacious root system, sucks up much more water than its native neighbors. Reality, as usual, is more complex: Recent analyses by researchers at the University of California at Santa Cruz show that in the drier areas atop riverbanks, tamarisk does use far more water than native plants. In wetter areas near streams, stands of cottonwoods and willows often use nearly as much water as their exotic competitor.
Yet there's no shortage of reasons to dislike tamarisk. Even though it offers some substitute food and shelter to native wildlife - a point we'll tackle later - research shows that in general, animals living in tamarisk are less diverse, fewer in number, and less healthy than their counterparts in native vegetation. The plant's trademark dense growth is thought to increase fire risk along riverbanks, and it resprouts quickly after burns. And as any boater can attest, the weed narrows streams and rivers, and chokes out campsites.
Since the 1960s, Westerners have worked to rid the region's rivers of tamarisk, hoping to salvage scarce water, protect wildlife, or fend off wildfire. Millions of dollars, and countless backbreaking hours, are spent each year on efforts to hack down and poison the plants. Perhaps the most ambitious project is headed by The Nature Conservancy, which has spent $600,000 removing tamarisk from the San Miguel River in southwestern Colorado. Over the past seven years, volunteers and contractors have used chainsaws, clippers, heavy equipment and herbicides to rid the watershed of the weed; they've covered 80 miles of the river and its tributaries so far, and organizers are happy to report a resurgence in native plants. They plan to complete the remaining 10 river miles in just over a year and use periodic, much less intensive retreatments to keep the watershed nearly tamarisk-free.
Along the Rio Grande and its tributaries in New Mexico, state-funded aerial herbicide spraying has killed tamarisk on thousands of acres, and on the Middle Rio Grande, heavy machinery has plucked the plant from the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. On a long-neglected stretch of the lower Colorado River near the Mexican border, the city of Yuma, Ariz., and the neighboring Quechan Tribe have collaborated on a campaign to clear tamarisk and other invasive plants from the banks.
Near Grand Junction, Colo., a nonprofit group called the Tamarisk Coalition recruits volunteers to cut the plants out of a wilderness area near Colorado National Monument. The wilderness designation limits workers to handsaws, "and sometimes you feel like you're out there with a toothpick," says coalition staffer Clark Tate. But there are advantages to the group outings, she adds: "We have matched up some very happy couples."
Despite their successes, these intensive efforts can be reversed with just a few years of subsequent neglect, and are difficult - if not impossible - to execute on a regional scale. "There's just not enough money to get rid of it all with chemicals and bulldozers," says Dudley. Broader, lasting success, say many, requires reinforcements, preferably numbering in the millions, preferably willing to work for free. That's where biological control, in the form of Diorhabda elongata, comes in.
"Biological control is very risky," acknowledges Ruth Hufbauer, an invasive-species researcher at Colorado State University. "Yet when it's done carefully, done well, it's an incredibly powerful tool. It shouldn't be dismissed out of hand."
For a decade, Jack DeLoach searched for a worthy tamarisk adversary. DeLoach, a U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist, has traveled to Israel, southern France, China, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, doing what is somewhat romantically known in the biocontrol business as "foreign exploration."
In his quest for a natural enemy for tamarisk, he teamed up with local entomologists to collect beetles from the weed's native range, sifting through the several hundred species known to attack the plant. He and other researchers tested about 20 species overseas, and brought about half back to his lab in Temple, Texas, for further research, finally whittling the possibilities down to one: Diorhabda.
Most important to biocontrol researchers - and their regulators - is that the insects they release have very particular tastes, proven to attack nothing but the weed in question (God forbid they eat food crops). Biocontrol researchers say that, in this respect, their profession has a clean record, and some dramatic successes to its credit. In the 1940s, when the introduced Klamath weed beetle decimated a rangeland weed in Northern California and southern Oregon, grateful ranchers and farmers in Humboldt County, Calif., even honored the insect with a commemorative plaque.
The most commonly cited biocontrol "mistake" in the United States, the 1960s introduction of a weevil that eats native as well as introduced species of thistles, was simply a product of its times: Researchers say that scientists and regulators knew the weevil's tastes, but thought native thistles weren't worth protecting. "Nobody would approve a release like that today," says Hufbauer.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, advised by representatives of other federal agencies, now authorizes biocontrol insects for both agricultural weeds and ecological plagues. The numerous targets include leafy spurge in the Northern Plains and elsewhere, the invasive evergreen melaleuca tree in Florida, and several species of knapweed.


text:
Members of the Academy, grab your ballots!
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the schedule for the final round of votes for this year's Oscars on Tuesday. The Academy also said that it had increased access to paper ballots in order to encourage engagement among Academy members.
Also read: Academy Extends Deadline to Request Paper Ballots for Oscar Voting
Final balloting for the Oscars begins Friday, Feb. 8 at 8 a.m. PT, and closes Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. PT. Academy members who voted online during the nominations round will also be given the option to use paper ballots in the final round, as will members who registered to vote for the final round online. (Those who registered to vote online have until Feb. 1 to request a paper ballot from the Academy's Membership Department.)
Voters will also be aided with the use of assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, as well as a 24-hour call center.
This marks the first Oscars that have allowed electronic voting, which has led to a period of adjustment for Academy members. Late last year, the Academy extended the deadline to request paper ballots for the nominations round by two weeks, from Nov. 30 to Dec.14, in order to give voters adequate time to familiarize themselves with the various voting options.
The outreach effort has apparently worked; the Academy's chief operating officer Ric Robertson said Tuesday that this year's nominations round drew an increased number of votes over previous years.
"One of our basic goals at the Academy is to increase member engagement. Despite some challenges, more members voted for this year's nominations than they have in the past several years," Robertson said. "We are looking forward to a continuation of that trend in the final voting."
The Oscars will air live on Feb. 24 from the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center on ABC. with Seth MacFarlane hosting the program.


text:
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The Apollo 24 in combination with 50 paper sensor inserts. This allows the user to train with their own underwear. Very effective and convenient!
The Apollo 24 is the smallest and most lightweight alarm for during the day! That is why it is also very practical for children. The Apollo 24 can be used very discreetly due to the different alarm possibilities: sound, vibration or a combination of both. The acoustic alarm has 3 levels: soft, medium and loud volume. And the vibration alarm is easily felt.
The Apollo 24 is battery-powered. It has a light to indicate that the battery needs to be replaced.
Dry-Mate: The paper sensor insert
For an effective training, it is important that the alarm is triggered upon the first drops of urine. The training is all about learning to sense this bathroom moment. The paper sensor insert "guards" about 200 cm² in the regular underwear. As soon as urine is detected anywhere in this area, an alarm is triggered. This effective approach allows for quick progress and allows accidents to be under control soon.
Other advantages of the Dry-Mate paper sensor insert are:
- Easy to insert into the regular underwear and easy to change
- The inserts don't leak, so if the user responds to the alarm quickly, there is no need to change the underwear
- Less laundry, because the wet insert is thrown out
- Very easy to use!
This pack contains 50 inserts. The inserts can be reordered in packs of 25.


text:
NEW YORK — Consumer data companies are selling lists of rape victims, seniors with dementia and even those suffering from HIV and AIDS to marketers, underscoring the need for tighter government regulations, a privacy group told Congress Wednesday.
The World Privacy Forum uncovered these lists, along with several others, while investigating how data brokers collect and sell consumer information. Marketers buy this data so they can target shoppers based on everything from their income to clothing size.
Other lists the nonprofit found included the home addresses of police officers, a mailing list for domestic violence shelters (which are typically kept secret by law) and a list of people with addictive behaviors towards drug and alcohol.
The mere existence of these lists highlights the need for increased government regulations, said World Privacy Forum executive director Pam Dixon.
"This is where I urge Congress to take action," she said Wednesday at a Senate committee hearing. "Highly sensitive data are the frayed and ugly ends of the bell curve of lists, far from the center. This is where lawmakers can work to remove unsafe, unfair and overall just deplorable lists from circulation."
Currently, data brokers are required by federal law to maintain the privacy of a consumer's data only if it is used for credit, employment, insurance or housing. And while medical privacy laws prohibit doctors from sharing patient information, medical information that data brokers get elsewhere, such as from the purchase of over-the-counter drugs and other health care items, is fair game.
In some cases, such lists could put people in harm's way. The list of more than 30,000 police officers' home addresses, for example, could put the lives of the officers and their families in danger, said Dixon. Meanwhile, a list of seniors suffering from dementia could open them up to predatory financial offers.
Linda Woolley, president of the Direct Marketing Association, said in a statement that such lists represent a "tiny minority" of marketing products.
"We recognize that there are situations in which lists are being used to disparage certain groups," she said. "That is not something that DMA supports."
She added that some names of lists may be misleading as to the information it contains and that most lists typically focus on a person's likely interests, such as whether someone is a "sports enthusiast" or "avid traveler."
Some data brokers offer ways to opt out, but many have unclear opt-out procedures or none at all. Plus, most consumers have no idea they're on the lists in the first place, said Dixon.
Wednesday's hearing came after a year-long Senate committee investigation into the $156 billion data brokerage industry. The Federal Trade Commission has also called on major data brokers to increase transparency into their data practices.
Committee chairman John "Jay" Rockefeller criticized several of the country's largest data brokers for resisting the oversight and said he would continue to push for information on how they get data and who they sell it to.
In his closing remarks, the senator said he was "revolted" by the lists Dixon had revealed and said the commission would continue to explore the issue.
"I think it's our job as government to… bring into sunlight what is going on," he said. "I think its serious, and I think it's a dark underside of American life, in which people make a lot of money and cause people to suffer even more."
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


text:
It's About Systems Not Just Products at Greenbuild
Lucas Hamilton
I've noticed a trend in trade show booth design incorporating computers that show visitors products via websites. This technique cuts down on the amount of materials being shipped to and from show sites. CertainTeed has tried that as well.
But as I watch and talk to people at trade shows, I've noticed that they want to see and more importantly, touch products. So CertainTeed has decided to go in a different direction with our booth (921) at Greenbuild, November 11-13, in Phoenix, AZ.
In our booth, we are constructing wall and roof systems from our materials, and instead of just having a panel that shows insulation systems or a panel that shows roofing systems, we are building the walls and roof to show those materials from the inside out and the outside in. We want visitors to see how high performing, very green materials can be used to assemble sustainable systems. CertainTeed is unique because we manufacture everything in these constructions but the 2 x 4 framing.
We've always had sustainable materials in construction but we were not using them to their maximum potential because we viewed them as individual components. It's not about materials alone. It's about creating systems and assemblies that not only come from sustainable resources but that perform in a manner which both reduces the energy consumption of a building and extends its life-cycle. As a manufacturer, we are conducting our research on performance and product interaction. We think about products in terms of systems and want to help design professionals and builders to put together products in a green or sustainable way?
That's what I like about our booth at Greenbuild: we enable visitors to not only feel the difference between an insulated backed vinyl siding product compared to a fiber cement siding but then show how they perform within an assembly.
Another aspect of sustainable systems is the indoor environmental issues like acoustics, ventilation/air quality, and durability. Depending upon where you live, you want to create systems with appropriate products to meet your maximum goals for R-value, moisture management, ventilation and other variables. Properly designed ceiling products are critical to controlling the acoustics and light reflectance which also contribute to indoor environmental quality, comfort, and visually pleasing aesthetics.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, retrofitting existing structures to make them more energy efficient is a major challenge. How do we go back and fix them and make them last longer and perform better? Dennis Wilde from Gerding Edlen Development Company will share the success they are having with their Sustainable Solutions program at our CertainTeed-sponsored luncheon at Greenbuild. They are mastering the process. The challenge with green and sustainable building is that everyone is afraid of the learning curve. Everybody wants to be on the leading edge but they don't want to be on the bleeding edge. Gerding Edlen has bled the blood and figured out how to do it. They have paid the price in pain and it is a great gift that they are willing to educate the rest of us.
The room is filling up fast so if you want to attend the luncheon at Greenbuild, email Kristen Harter, email@example.com.
Remember: a building that lasts twice as long is twice as green. Stop by and see us at Greenbuild Booth 921!
Lucas Hamilton is Manager, Building Science Applications, for CertainTeed Corporation


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Cordyceps CS-4
Latin Cordyceps sinensis
Chinese Dong Chong Xia Cao
Japanese Tochukas
Cordyceps CS-4 has a positive effect on conditions such as:
Detailed information
MycoMedica Cordyceps CS-4 is an extract from the mycelium and is about 20 times more concentrated than the dried powder of the hub, so its effect is more efficient! The content of polysaccharides in the extract MycoMedica Cordyceps CS-4 is at least 20% (200 mg / g).
case of health problems: 3-4 capsules daily to alleviate problems (it is advisable to consult with a physician or practitioner of Chinese Medicine)
the preventive use: 1-2 capsules a day (2-3 months a year) pocket Take on an empty stomach (min.20 minutes before or 30 minutes after a meal), glass of water or weak tea
Package Contents: 90 capsules and 500 mg extract
Characteristics from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine:
temperature - hot
taste - sweet
tropism - lungs, kidneys
Effects of a traditional Chinese medicine:
supplements kidney yang
strengthens lung yin
nourishing the kidney essence
transforms phlegm and stops cough
Cordyceps use in traditional Chinese medicine is very broad. The most radical feature is its complement kidney essence. Kidney, understood, according to Chinese medicine, the storehouse of prenatal and postnatal essence Jing. Essence is essentially materializovanější Qi. It is the finest body mass, which forms the basis of all tissues. It helps growth, development and reproduction. Part of the essence we receive from parents - say that the essence of prenatal and postnatal part of the essence of the body manufactures from the air and food. It is said that in the prenatal essence is directly reflected the essence of three generations. In essence it is a problem. Prenatal Jing essence (obtained from the parents), we can add very heavily. In fact, from birth we are steadily disappearing. It could be likened to a candle. When burnt, so life ends. A Cordyceps has the unique property that can complement the essence of Jing.
With the ability to supplement the kidney (mainly Jing essence, but thanks to its warm character and kidney Yang) cordyceps is used for sexual dysfunction with fertility problems, to increase libido in both men and women.
Another important function of Cordyceps is its ability to strengthen the lungs, which is used by dyspnea, asthma, cough.
Traditionally, to enhance the immunity enjoyed by repetitive external attack. Modern it is also called "natural antibiotic".
About Cordyceps
Cordyceps mushrooms medicinally between the specific position. His original home of the Tibetan plateau - grows in areas up to 4000 m above sea level. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, Tibetan shepherds noticed that animals spásající Cordyceps have amazing strength, vitality, and are extremely fruitful. Cordyceps have begun to collect and soon it became a highly prized medicine at the imperial court.
Cordyceps is essentially a combination of mushrooms and caterpillars. In winter Cordyceps dwells in the land like a sponge. In the summer grows from the ground and produces fruiting bodies. Its spores are fitted to the caterpillar and butterfly parasites on it. Infected caterpillar burrowing into the ground, where parasitic fungus consumes its institutions and fills all its chitinous body. The whole cycle takes up to six years. Therefore, as Cordyceps combining animal and plant kingdom, capable to effectively complement the yin and yang.
The Cordyceps is traditionally valued its ability to complement the essence of Jing in the kidney. Essence Jing, together with the energy and soul of Shen Qi three treasures of our body. Not much resources that could complement the essence of Jing. It is often compared to a candle that burns when, they end up running our lives. Every pregnancy (in women) or sexual intercourse (for men), each sáhnutí you into our reserves, reduce the level of essence. A Cordyceps is one of the few ways we can restore the essence of Jing.
Today, the wild Cordyceps very rare and expensive drug. Therefore, Chinese scientists spent many years searching for grown Cordyceps that would produce the same active ingredients as the original Cordyceps. The result of this research is Cordyceps CS-4.
According to traditional Chinese medicine and contemporary research Cordyceps acts favorably in conditions such as:
The product is not intended for children under 3 years of age, pregnant and nursing. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage. Keep out of reach of children. Product is not a substitute for a varied diet. It does not contain ephedrine, caffeine, gluten, preservatives, colorings or sugar.
The information provided on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified physician. For health information, consult your doctor.
Beautiful short video of the Bhutanese Cordyceps collectors gathering this most precious herb in Bhutan's breathtaking Himalayas


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A Charmed Little Lie
Charmed in Texas #1
By: Sharla Lovelace
Releasing April 18, 2017
Lyrical Shine
Lanie Barrett didn't mean to lie. Spinning a story of a joyous marriage to make a dying woman happy is forgivable, isn't it? Lanie thinks so, especially since her beloved Aunt Ruby would have been heartbroken to know the truth of her niece's sadly loveless, short-of-sparkling existence. Trouble is, according to the will, Ruby didn't quite buy Lanie's tale. And to inherit the only house Lanie ever really considered a home, she'll have to bring her "husband" back to Charmed, Texas for three whole months—or watch Aunt Ruby's cozy nest go to her weasel cousin, who will sell it to a condo developer.
Nick McKane is out of work, out of luck, and the spitting image of the man Lanie described. He needs money for his daughter's art school tuition, and Lanie needs a convenient spouse. It's a match made . . . well, not quite in heaven, but for a temporary arrangement, it couldn't be better. Except the longer Lanie and Nick spend as husband and wife, the more the connection between them begins to seem real. Maybe this modern fairy tale really could come true . . .
At the end of last August (2016), I reviewed The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine (you can see that review here), which was a nice Halloween set of three novellas. The best of those novellas, in my opinion, was Sharla Lovelace's "Enchanted by You." It left such a huge impression on me that her name became a post-it in my brain. So when I saw A Charmed Little Lie by Sharla Lovelace with an opportunity to read and review, I did a little happy dance and then hoped I would indeed receive the ARC.
First, let me say that A Charmed Little Lie did not disappoint. I loved this freaking sweet, sexy novel. I loved Lanie and Nick and the assortment of characters who are part of the town of Charmed. Neither Lanie nor Nick were stereotypes. Both had depth and layers. And there was an element of crazy that went with their relationship that I loved.
I feel I should say that some of the less, shall we say, "kind," characters were a bit stereotypical, but I kind of shrugged that off because the rest of the elements of this novel were just so on the mark.
This is exactly what a romance novel should be. It should sweep you up, give you a few hours of smiles, of laughs, of sexy, of tears. It should make you feel. And on that final page, you might even want to hug the book because of the "feels." So, so many feels!
In case you couldn't guess, I highly recommend A Charmed Little Lie!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
rating: (5 out of 5 butterflies)
Buy Links: AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO
Author Info
Sharla Lovelace is the bestselling, award-winning author of sexy small-town love stories. Being a Texas girl through and through, she's proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her retired husband, a tricked-out golf cart, and two crazy dogs. She is the author of five stand-alone novels including the bestselling Don't Let Go, the exciting Heart Of The Storm series, and the fun and sexy new Charmed in Texas series.
For more about Sharla's books, visit http://www.sharlalovelace.com, and keep up with all her new book releases easily by subscribing to her newsletter. She loves keeping up with her readers, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
Rafflecopter Giveaway (a $25 Visa Gift Card)
I didn't look back, and I didn't care. Nick's hand was warm in mine, and when we reached the dance floor they'd cleared a space for, he tugged back gently to make me turn around. The look in those dark eyes nearly took out my knees. He pulled me into his arms, leaving no room for imagination, and I let my hands slide up his chest to his neck, and around back as his eyelids grew heavy.
Roberta Flack crooned softly, the first time…ever I saw your face… And something in me went warm from head to toe. Something besides whatever was in that punch. Something more real than that.
"Nice save."
"I tried."
"How was the punch?" he asked.
I wound my fingers into his hair and pulled his head down.
"See for yourself," I said, the last word finished against his lips.
Sparks ignited throughout my body as our lips met. Soft. Slow. Wet. Needing. Our bodies moved as one with the music, so close, so tightly pressed together I could feel his heart beating. My hands traveled slowly back down his chest and around his middle as his came up into my hair. When his tongue ran over my top lip, I knew he could feel my gasp. And when I pulled him in deeper to taste him, I felt the low growl in his chest rumbling against mine.
His fingers twisted in my hair as he dove deep and then pulled back, deep again and back, teasing me, pulling back to kiss my lips one at a time, as I kept clinging tighter. I was drunk on it. Breathing shallow. My fingers curling into his shirt with the need for more.
The first time…ever I kissed…your lips…
It was erotic, the way he kissed me. The way I kissed him. Slow, matching our movements. Intimate. Electric and emotional at the same time. And so full of desire and barely restrained need, that my body was trembling with it when he held my face and leaned his forehead against mine.
I wanted to keep my eyes closed. Absorb the feel of him, the song, the words, the taste. Just hold on to it a little longer. But I felt the heat of his gaze and my eyes fluttered open. And everything inside me turned to liquid fire. No one—ever—had looked at me like that. Had wanted me like that. The mirror image of what was churning inside me was all over him. In the desire mixed with the trouble haunting his eyes. This wasn't the game. That thought hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. This was—
His mouth covered mine again, hungrier, hotter, and I melted into it. The burn in my chest at the realization of just how fucking real this was, stole at my breath, and I didn't care. It was more than we were supposed to be doing but—God, it was so good. It was so good my heart felt like it was swelling to the size of the room. Wrapping around us as his hands cradled my face and he broke from the kiss, moving his lips along my face, my cheeks, back to my lips, both of us breathing fast. It was more. Nick was giving me the more. It wasn't just physical; it was bursting inside me.
When he pulled me to him, I buried my face in his neck and held him as tightly as I could as the words slowed to an end. I didn't want it to be over. I didn't want to let go.
I could hear my heart in my ears, pounding with every breath. He smelled like soap and something woodsy and Nick, and I always knew that but being up close enough to lick him made the smell intoxicating.
The music stopped.
The lighting was changing. I had to let go of him, and the second I moved he backed up too. Just a little. Just enough for me to see the mouth I'd just gotten to know intimately. His gaze fell to my lips as well, before dragging up to my eyes. Things had changed. In the course of time it took for that song to make its evolution, our reality had shifted. And the real kicker was that I think we both knew it already had.
Tasty Q&A with Sharla Lovelace
Describe yourself in five words or less.
- Snarky (Might be kind of scary that this was the first one that came to mind.)
- Introverted
- Sneaky
- People-watcher (notice how I hyphenated to get an extra word? Yeah, see #3)
- Dog-lover (it worked last time)
Can you tell us a little about your book?
It's about lying! LOL. Truly, it's about when all your little white lies catch up to you, and what the hell do you do then? You make up a gargantuan sized one to cover them, and then hope it doesn't swallow you whole. Unless it's in the form of a hot sexy get-under-your-skin man….then by all means swallow! (I did not just say that.)
Lanie and Nick's story was honestly one of my favorite books to write—EVER. It was so much fun, and such a runaway train ride with no hands! I loved literally watching them fall for each other, I loved Lanie's spunk! I loved every second of it, and it birthed the town of Charmed, so I hope you will love it as much as I do.
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
I Hope You Dance
Name one thing you won't leave home without.
My phone and a hair tie on my wrist. (That's 2. Damn I have trouble following rules.)
What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I adore writing intense scenes with either sexy-smexy chemistry burning up the page or fast snappy dialogue. Sex scenes before the sex…with the tease and the tension and the snarky back and forth talking…I love that. Also fights are a blast with all that emotion churning around. Dialogue is always the most fun. I groan to write description…
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Everyone says this, but seriously, never give up. I met Sandra Brown at a writer's conference, and she was behind a table signing for a line of hundreds, and when I got up there I said "Everyone in this line wants to be you one day." She looked at me and said, "You're here. You're already halfway there. Don't ever stop learning and don't ever stop writing. You'll get here. One day, maybe I'll be in your line." I never forgot that. It hasn't always been smooth sailing by any means, but my first book was published almost exactly 5 years ago, and now A CHARMED LITTLE LIE is my 10th published book, and I've just finished writing my 12th. Don't give up on your dream. Also, remember that you write about life, and to do that you have to live. There are times (deadline evil times) that you have to stay in a cave and pound out words, but outside of that, find a balance and enjoy your life. It will show in your writing when you do…and when you don't. If you write romance, kiss your husband every day. And if you are writing about hot sex and he is one of your readers, you'd better be prepared to give up the goods. Saying you aren't in the mood after penning being banged against a wall—doesn't cut it honey. 😉
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I wouldn't be here without you, and I love and adore you so much for taking the time to buy my books and give my stories a try. And when you email or message me to tell me about it…oh my God you just don't know the rainbows and unicorns that fill me up. Nothing is more important in this job than readers. When I make you happy…when I make you laugh or cry or feel something that you are moved enough to tell me about…my God, ice cream isn't even as good as that. It's close. But not quite. 😉


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The 77mm 5-Filter Starter Kit from Formatt contains a wide variety of filters that will help you create anything from a great landscape to a winning portrait.
Neutral Density 0.6
A neutral density filter has several uses and offers the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. It enables the shooter to adjust exposure without affecting color balance. ND filters appear gray and reduce the amount of light reaching the either the sensor of a digital camera or the film plane of a traditional film camera. Neutral Density filters are used to create some unusual special effects such as capturing the "blur" of the rippling water of a waterfall or the swirling effect of city traffic.
Graduated Neutral Density 0.6 (Soft Edge)
This filter has several uses and offers the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. It enables the shooter to adjust exposure without affecting color balance. A Graduated ND filter appears gray and reduces the amount of light reaching either the sensor of a digital camera or the film plane of a traditional film camera. It is clear at the bottom with a gradual transition to darker gray at the top. Primarily, this filter is used to control exposure when shooting bright landscapes where your horizon line displays a great exposure difference between sky and foreground and you need to balance them out for a pleasing exposure.
A Graduated Neutral Density filter is also used to create some unusual special effects such as capturing the "blur" of the rippling water of a waterfall or the swirling effect of city traffic. Since it allows the use of slower shutter speeds in bright light, it becomes possible to create these special effects that would normally not be possible to capture without the filter. And since it can also help to control your depth of field, it permits you to shoot at wider apertures. Ultimately, its value is in helping to prevent bright, overly washed out images shot in bright light. Soft/Hard designation indicates the degree of transition of the filter. Soft edge grads have a smooth transition from clear to ND. Hard edge grads have a more defined hard lined transition and should be used for longer lenses.
Circular Polarizer Filter
This filter is the most reliable way to make a blue sky bluer, enhance cloud formations or eliminate reflections from glass or water. By rotating the filter ring, you can increase or decrease the color saturation of the sky. When used in combination with other filters such as a Red 25, you can simulate the approach of a threatening storm.
Light rays which are reflected become polarized. Polarizing filters are used to select which light rays enter your camera lens. They can remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water or glass and also saturate colors providing better contrast. The effect can be seen through the viewfinder and changed by rotating the filter. The filter factor varies according to how the filter is rotated and its orientation to the sun. Generally, the filter works to maximum effect at a 90 degree angle to the sun.
Skin Tone Enhancer Filter
This filter is designed to improve skin tones on portrait subjects. It's also perfect for shooting outdoors when sunlight is clouded over and gray. This enhancer is especially useful for the digital and video market where subject appearance is critical.
By using this filter, your subject feels that he/she is looking their best, so your interview or presentation will come off at its best. The Skin Tone Enhancer is available is different grades which allow you to select the most flattering 'shade' for your subject.
Additionally, this filter is very effective for foliage, earth tones, or anything that seems 'too blue' in open shade. Portraits done outside on gray days take on a 'pasty' nature which does not necessarily compliment subjects. Adding a degree of warmth brings skin and other tones back to a normal look.
Full Frame Low Contrast 1 Filter
This is a valuable tool to have when you are shooting under very bright light i.e. mid-day, beach, etc. With the explosion of HD technology, using this filter will help when shooting on location (or studio) when a more balanced tone to the image is desired.
This filter distributes the ambient light all over the image area yielding a more even appearance. Shadows will be opened revealing more detail. However, the real benefit is that the highlights will not display any flair or halation.
Formatt square and rectangular filters are made from sheets of CR39 Resin sandwiched between two sheets of high-quality Schott glass. The reputation of Schott glass precedes itself and is world renowned. The dyes used are carefully manufactured and controlled and when sealed between the glass, become color consistent filter to filter. For the photographer/videographer/cinematographer, this means you can change filters from day to day or shot to shot knowing that your color consistency will be maintained.


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Facebook has acquired Hot Potato in a move that could help further its move into location-based services.
Hot Potato announced the deal on its blog Friday but did not reveal the purchase price.
Hot Potato aims to let people share what they're doing with friends and connect with other people doing the same thing. People visit the page and choose the beginning of a sentence like "I'm attending…" or "I'm listening to…" and then fill in the rest of the sentence. They then join a group of people who have posted similar ideas. The group can share photos and videos and ask each other questions.
Users can also create whole new categories by writing an entire sentence following "I'm."
Hot Potato has stopped signing up new users and its existing users will have to download any information and content they want to keep. In about a month, Hot Potato plans to delete all user data and won't transfer it to Facebook.
The service was already linked to Facebook in that Hot Potato can look for friends who use the service through their Facebook logins. People can also link their profiles to their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The acquisition follows an announcement by Facebook on Wednesday of its new Places feature. Places lets users reveal information about their locations to their friends.
Nancy Gohring covers mobile phones and cloud computing for The IDG News Service. Follow Nancy on Twitter at @idgnancy. Nancy's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com