text: I've got our prototype cluster (8 nodes, expanding to 40 odd later) booted on RPL+DHCP/BOOTP on these PcChips M810 boards... Linux 2.4. Even with NFSv3 we're only getting about 3Mb/s at max xfer across to NFS. Not sure what the problem is (we're using a RAID but we're gonna go to a buncha raid 0 ATA-66 drives for scratch files - the raid maxes out at 6Mb/s for now). One thing we're gonna try is NBD. This allows remote mounting of a file on the server (via a server side daemon listening on a port, or via inetd) as a filesystem. There are many interesting possibilities with this which are quite useful to beowulf admins. (raid0 across a network! ;) However the NBD device just freezes whenever I write to it... cant even make a filesystem on it. Im using pavel's original nbd-client and server stuff, and the only other package that I can find that might do this stuff is the Enhanced NBD on Freshmeat, but the code wont compile. (I have a 2.4.2 kernel and my lots of header files seem to be totally incompatible with the code. I am not enough of a code guru to wade through all the fixes required). The Nbd-server stuff at SCYLD (ironically enough) doenst exist on their FTP server ('file not found'). I've asked the maintainer of the code for help (no reply yet, but then again I just emailed a few hours ago). So a couple things to ask here: 1) has someone got the nbd client and server code? not pavel's versions, I know they dont work for me. Perhaps alternate versions wont work either, but I dont know where to start to figure this out. 2) I need some other way to keep the scratch files off the network. I Have 256Mb in my prototype nodes, but we'll be increasing that to 512Mb. I found under FreeBSD the MFS filesystem (memory fs) works quite well because it writes to ram when needed (albeit via useland - costs about 1.5% cpu overall for my types of jobs), but when it goes beyond actual core, it will swap - in my case it would be to the NFS server, which is fine - only machines that have full MFS's would write at all, and we've calculated things to be such that this is rare. I Have the network setup to be able to handle the average load (which is about .25 to .5 Mbps average per node). Ie the scratch files generally fit into buffers/local core Aside: seems to me I should let g98 manage the ram itself and avoid needing to write scratch files anyway - but there will always be a situation where the scratch files may come out larger than local core and I;ll need a backup system to handle it, and I need more than 3Mb/s (or 600K/s which is what I see g98 getting in trafshow). There's no MFS in Linux unfortunately, but I need something like it. Ramdisk doesnt work because when its full, its full and there's catastrophic failure (unless g98 understands alternate scratch areas? I havent checked that now that i think of it). NFS or NBD could both work here - except NBD has the potential to run far faster I think - the key to the whole thing however is ensuring local buffers are used for r/w instead of syncing back to the server all the time for a read on a recently written file. To compound things Linux 2.4 is bitching about locking on the FreeBSD 4.3 NFSv3 raid server - I found things will only work with -o nolock on my Linux mounts - I think this may not allow me to use local buffers for rereading recently written scratch files from buffer and avoid abusing the network. I guess I can fix this in one of several ways: - get NFSv3 locking working to allow local buffers for writes/rewrites - get nbd working with extremely long sync/kupdate times so it almost never syncs back buffers across the net unless they're full Anyone got other suggestions? Im doing some bonnie tests here on the raid I see from one of the nodes and Im getting respectable speeds - 10MB/s for small files - which is higher than I get on local bonnies on the raid server itself (6MB/s max write speed of the disks) - with larger test volumes (larger than free mem/max possible buffers) I get slower speeds, which suggests some buffering is going on for writing/rewriting which is what I need. (slightly odd stats below, but... could be the raid was being used... others have access to it, Im only storing log/source files there, scratch soon moving as I said to raid 0 ata-66 or -100): rw,v3,rsize=16384,wsize=16384,hard,udp,nolock,addr=raid: -------Sequential Output-------- ---Sequential Input-- --Random-- -Per Char- --Block--- -Rewrite-- -Per Char- --Block--- --Seeks--- Machine MB K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU /sec %CPU n1 1* 5 10406 85.4 8857 3.5 910 0.2 11842 87.9 154421 90.5 623.4 5.5 n1 10* 5 1074 8.5 3527 1.6 837 0.6 11355 86.3 194485 87.4 693.0 5.9 n1 1* 100 3896 30.7 3800 2.2 835 0.6 11441 86.0 191955 84.4 459.5 3.4 and another try (hmm locking not an issue anymore?) lock,rw,nfsvers=3,rsize=16384,wsize=16384,udp,soft: -------Sequential Output-------- ---Sequential Input-- --Random-- -Per Char- --Block--- -Rewrite-- -Per Char- --Block--- --Seeks--- Machine MB K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU K/sec %CPU /sec %CPU n1 1* 5 10199 85.7 8833 6.9 906 0.7 11811 90.0 154012 60.2 587.2 5.3 n1 1* 100 2255 17.7 3447 2.0 834 0.6 11531 86.0 192423 86.4 474.0 3.9 /kc -- Ken Chase, math at velocet.ca * Velocet Communications Inc. * Toronto, CANADA


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Voices: Food Safety
Renew Your Facility Registration Now
A fairly new requirement of the 2011 FSMA requires food facility registrations by this Dec. 31.
Oct 30, 2014
Every food facility that registered with the U.S. FDA before this Oct. 1 is required to renew its FDA registration by Dec. 31, 2014. FDA will consider registrations that are not renewed by this date to be expired, making it a prohibited act for that facility to distribute food in the United States. FDA will hold any food shipped from a foreign facility with an expired registration at its U.S. port of entry until the facility is properly renewed.Read More
More from this author...
New Rule Bans Most Omega-3 ClaimsOct 22, 2014With no 'reference level' established, FDA cracks down; ALA is the exception.
The Supreme Court's Lesson on LabelingJun 24, 2014In Pom Wonderful v. Coca-Cola, the court encourages 'policing' of labels by competitors.
Allergen Proteins: Plant Sanitation's Biggest ChallengeMay 6, 2014Keeping allergen proteins out of products that shouldn't contain them stretches sanitation protocols above and beyond microbe control.
When it Comes to Food, Is Nano Next for a Definition?Apr 17, 2014One of the greatest dangers for the food industry is that consumers will develop their own conclusions about the safety of nano before the science is there.
How the FDA's Landmark Labeling Changes Affect Food ManufacturersMar 26, 2014American's needs and eating habits have changed; so must the Nutrition Facts panel.
GFSI Extends its ReachMar 6, 2014New North American representative named, local groups being formed.
Report: Recall Sprawl Attributed to Geographic Expansion, Large Scale EventsFeb 19, 2014Expert Recall Index identifies geographic expansion and large-scale events among factors contributing to complexity.
Controlling the Pest Problem At Food and Beverage Manufacturing PlantsFeb 12, 2014A food illness outbreak may not shut down a plant, but woe to the processor who fails to maintain a rigorous pest control program.
Whole-Chain Traceability via Bar CodeJan 30, 2014Using GS1 standards and the Global Trade Item Number, a global organization can locate a potentially harmful product in minutes anywhere in the supply chain.
FSMA, GFSI Turn Small Processors Into CompetitorsJan 27, 2014The food and beverage industry's proactive initiatives lead the way in food safety implementation.
2014 Manufacturing Trends Survey: The Swagger's BackJan 13, 2014Economic recovery remains anemic in much of the economy, but food processing professionals are more confident about 2014 than they've felt in recent years.
Is Ozone The Next Sanitation Superstar?Jan 8, 2014As processors gain greater understanding of the efficacy and proper application of ozone for equipment cleaning and direct contact with food, this oxidative molecule's use in food processing will soar.
How Food Manufacturers Can Prepare for a Trans-FormationNov 20, 2013What to do about FDA's tentative determination that partially hydrogenated oils are not safe.
Unprecedented Number of Trade Regulations To Take Effect in 2014Oct 28, 2013Prepare your company for an onslaught of new trade regulations, many of which center around food import quality and safety.
Continuous Improvement in Metal DetectionOct 9, 2013Industrial metal detectors may be old technology, but greater sensitivity, fewer false rejects and ease of use are helping them maintain their relevance in food and beverage inspection.
Will the FDA Kill the Caffeine Buzz?Sep 27, 2013If not the agency, then the courts may, as scrutiny of the ingredient ramps up.
Inspection Systems Now Faster, Cheaper And More VersatileSep 10, 2013Machine vision breakthroughs are ushering in a new generation of food inspection systems that do more for less than previous solutions.
How Food Processors Can Insure Themselves Against Allergen ClaimsSep 6, 2013Even naturally gluten-free products can become tainted with gluten. Employ risk management strategies to protect your business.
FDA Paints Itself Into a Corner with FSMAAug 14, 2013A federal judge orders the agency to issue overdue food safety rules by November which looks unrealistic.
Using Technology to Aid the FSMA ImplementationJun 19, 2013Leavitt Partners' David Acheson attests managing the requirements of FSMA will require leveraging technology.
Food Packaging's Role in Food SafetyMay 29, 2013How malfunctioning packages and the supply chain - things you might think are out of your control - can greatly impact the safety of your products.
Caffeine Under Siege by the FDAMay 15, 2013FDA investigation could be just the beginning of regulatory and litigation battles.
Global Meat And Feed Industry Executives Discuss Food Safety At Asian ShowApr 18, 2013Food safety and security issues were discussed at VIV Asia, a trade show for the international feed to meat industry, held March 13-15 in Bangkok.
Refuting Myths About CarrageenanApr 4, 2013Recent resurrection of a link between carrageenan and poligeenan (and the latter's connection to cancer) are unfounded.
Do you know your HACCP from your HARPC?Mar 13, 2013FDA's FSMA ruling requires food processors to create risk-based preventive control plans.
Food Safety Regulatory Outlook for 2013Jan 3, 2013Similar to 2012, the FDA will continue to evolve and enact the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Where Are We Headed With Supply Chain Traceability And Food Safety?Dec 19, 2012As more consumers want transparency with their food ingredients, the food and beverage industry must wrestle with what that means for the supply chain and the costs passed back on to consumers.
How To Prepare for a GFSI AuditNov 26, 2012This is the shape of things to come, so pick a standard and commit your company.
How Concerned Are Consumers about Food Safety?Oct 31, 2012Shoppers are only somewhat or slightly concerned about the safety of the U.S. food supply despite frequent food safety outbreaks, reports NPD.
Focus on Food Safety: China's New Food Safety InitiativesAug 2, 2012Five-year plan lacks specific regulations but shows signs of progress.
Inside the Latest U.S. Case of Mad Cow DiseaseMay 29, 2012The April discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy only proves safeguards are working.
Human Behavior's Role in Food SafetyMay 21, 2012Looking out for those who misunderstand their training but have confidence in their knowledge.
Food Safety Case History: Keeping on Eye on the CranberriesMay 14, 2012Optical sorter helps L&S Cranberry pack quality fruit with no foreign material.
Improved Metal Detection Technologies Play a Role in New Food Safety SystemsMay 9, 2012Experts advise a comprehensive approach to metal detection for keeping solid, foreign material out of foods.
Dairy Plants Ready for Food Safety Modernization ActMay 7, 2012With HACCP plans already in place, dairies are on top of hazard control.
FDA Affirms Safety of BPAApr 16, 2012Agency finally rules negatively on 2008 petition from Natural Resource Defense Council.
Food Safety Starts on the Ground FloorApr 10, 2012Proper flooring provides no safe harbor for bacteria.
California's Proposition 65 Applies to All Food ProcessorsApr 9, 2012Any food and beverage manufacturer who sells products in California can be sued.
The FDA's Food Safety Outlook for 2012Jan 24, 2012The FDA will be consumed with implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act, with July as a particularly important month.
Focus on Food Safety: A Busy Year for Food SafetyJan 5, 2012Introducing a monthly column devoted to everyone's No. 1 concern.
How Advance Planning Can Help Food Processors During A Food Safety CrisisDec 12, 2011How a food processing company responds to a product contamination or recall crisis within the first 24 hours can define itself to its customers and consumers. A crisis communications manager explains how advance planning can make a difference.
MRO Q&A: Linking Health and Safety to ProductivityDec 7, 2011MRO Q&A is a Food Processing series addressing maintenance, repair and operational issues in food plants.
MRO Q&A: Building a Safety ProgramDec 7, 2011MRO Q&A is a Food Processing series addressing maintenance, repair and operational issues in food plants.
PepsiCo's Machine Safety ApproachJul 12, 2011Don't settle for the status quo, and plan for machines to move to different countries.
7 Things You Should Know About The New Food Safety LawJan 28, 2011Considered a win for consumers, the new law will have varying effects on food and beverage processors.
Food Safety Bills Differ on TraceabilityJan 3, 2011The House and Senate differ on food safety traceability approaches.
Congress Scrambles to Pass Food Safety LegislationSep 7, 2010As Congress has argued over health care reform, financial reform, two wars, a mortgage crisis and unemployment, amending the U.S. food safety system was put on the back burner. In Part 1 of our series on food safety in the food processing industry, we investigate the legislative issues behind food safety.
Contrite Maple Leaf Vaults to Forefront of Food SafetySep 7, 2010After a 2008 outbreak of listeria killed 22 consumers, Maple Leaf Foods promised it would become a leader In food safety and would share any knowledge it had on the subject with other processors. In Part 3 of our series on food safety in the food processing industry, we talk about food safety best practices from a processor that has been through a processor's worst nightmare.
Food Safety: The Next Generation of Track and TraceSep 7, 2010Does the government's track and trace system work when it comes to recalls and safety? In Part 2 of our series on food safety in the food processing industry, we investigate the regulatory issues behind food safety.
Cracks in Our Food Safety SystemsSep 7, 2010A 3-Part Series on one of the most important topics facing food processors today: Food Safety.
Floor to Ceiling Problems Cause Product RecallsSep 3, 2009Recent product recalls have pointed a liability-filled finger at problems with floors, drains, roofs and other physical pieces of the plant.
Renovate for Food SafetyJun 3, 2009It is do or die time for your business. From leaky roofs to corroded underground pipes, old plants are slow-motion accidents waiting to happen.
Salmonella Scare Prompting More Food Companies To Pull Peanut Butter ProductsJan 19, 2009Food processors, manufacturers and stores are pulling potentially-tainted peanut butter products from their shelves.
Hygiene Vital for Food ProcessorsNov 6, 2008Recent food scares remind processors: Pay attention to the basics of personnel hygiene.
Food Safety Online ResourcesJul 10, 2008FoodProcessing.com knows how important food safety is to your business. Check out the food safety articles we've put together for you.
Ensuring Safe IngredientsJun 2, 2008The supply chain is in the capable hands of processors
Pros And Cons Of Food Recall AuthorityMar 12, 2008There are reasons why giving FDA recall powers may not have a positive impact on food safety.
Beef Recall Raises Tempers Over Animal CrueltyMar 5, 2008Editor David Feder hopes this adjunct editorial about the nations biggest food recall over suspect beef and animal cruelty will make you as angry as he is.
Are Clones In The Food Supply Really A Good Idea?Feb 19, 2008The food industry should fund a forum to assess the advisability of clones in the food supply.
2008 Annual Manufacturing Survey: Safety Main Priority, But Green Catching UpJan 23, 2008Food safety is still the chief concern of processors, but the green trend shot up the charts too; 77 percent see growth this year.
Food Safety Doesn't Have to be ProtectionistOct 4, 2007Even with recent Chinese food safety problems, we must distinguish between prudence and protectionism.
Chinese Food Safety Lapses Sign of Bigger ProblemsAug 8, 2007It will be a long time before what Im calling "the China Syndrome" ceases to be a newsworthy issue in food processing.
Detecting Foreign MatterJul 16, 2007Advances in detection technologies are helping to make the food supply safer than ever. Plus, these machines can do other things, as well.
Zero-Tolerance Measures for Food SafetyJun 28, 2007No matter what branch of the food and beverage industry you're in, the types of products you manufacture, or the size of your company -- product safety is every producers' first priority. Eliminating food-borne illness and preventing product contamination is a complex, multi-faceted process that requires strict adherence to food safety rules and cooperation from your employees, your suppliers and your customers.
Pests Are a Constant Challenge to Plant HygieneMay 7, 2007They're not a regular part of plant clean-up chores, but pests are a constant challenge to plant hygiene and obviously are a critical component to keeping any plant truly hygienic.
New Sanitation TechnologiesMay 7, 2007New and improved means of keeping your plant safe and clean - at lower cost.
Food Safety Plan Needs to Extend Beyond HACCPJan 5, 2006Food plants are fertile ground for product contamination from tiny microbes to terrorists. You need a plan that extends beyond HACCP.
January 2006 Equipment Roundup - Food SafetyJan 4, 2006Maintaining outstanding food safety can be a moving target, but as this showcase demonstrates, suppliers are constantly coming up with new ammunition.
New Ingredient Tools Put Safety in FoodserviceJul 26, 2004Processors must step up sanitation efforts when providing minimally processed foods.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Escaping childhood orphanage is possible only with the help of adoption. One is allowed to have unlimited love and affection from his / her adoptive parents in accordance to law. Adoption records also provide invaluable data and compelling clues related to the family tree through widespread exploration
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These Adorable Blazers Are To DIY For!
Everyone should tap into their creative side every once in a while, and what better way to do it than with fashion. I came across some really cute blazers that can be replicated by anyone who is feeling artsy, and it can save you the big bucks. Whether you use studds, patches or lace, you can turn a bland blazer into a one of a kind, to die for piece to add to your wardrobe.
What one is YOUR favorite?


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President Obama's stridently anti-Israel policies have drawn criticism from some of his key Jewish political allies. Among the most prominent are Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Anthony Weiner.
Such criticism poses a serious threat to Obama's popularity among American Jews. Most mainstream Jews would rather silently suffer Obama's shabby, and dangerous, treatment of Israel than risk deviating from liberal orthodoxy. But once liberal giants like Schumer refuse to suffer silently, liberal Jews can feel free to criticize Obama without feeling that they have betrayed liberalism. The result could be quite liberating.
Unfortunately, it's far from clear that either Schumer's criticism or a steep decline in Obama's popularity among Jews in general will cause the president to back off from his hostile approach to Israel. Indeed, to Caroline Glick it seems clear that Obama will not back off.
She may well be right. President Johnson was willing to jeopardize the support of white southerners in the name of doing the right thing for southern blacks. Since Jews are far less valuable to the Democrats than white southerners, there's little reason to doubt that Obama is prepared to risk losing the Jewish vote in the name of doing right (as he conceives it) for the Palestinians.
President Johnson's decision was made easier by the part of him that (in my opinion) held the south in contempt. I have no reason to believe that Obama holds American Jews in contempt, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's a substantial part of him that is contempuous of Israel. Indeed, if Obama believes (as I think he does) that Israel has been unjust towards the Palestinians for decades, then it is quite natural for at least part of him to feel such contempt.
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text:
Best 4-door, AWD Cars for the Snow and Cold
Continue Reading Below
Whether driving in the rain, snow or mud, any of Bankrate's five best all-wheel-drive, four-door cars for winter driving are foul-weather champs.
In putting this list together, Bankrate weighed price, safety and overall reliability.
All-wheel-drive systems aren't cheap. Consequently, there are only a handful of AWD cars that cost less than this list's $35,000 price ceiling. From those, Bankrate weeded out any car that didn't earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's top score of "good" in front-offset and side-impact crash tests.
Finally, each car had to post an overall score of 70 or higher out of a possible 100 in tests performed by Consumer Reports, measuring a car's safety, reliability, maintenance costs, ride quality, performance and owner satisfaction.
In each case, the AWD is a system that operates without driver input, making its own decisions regarding when to redistribute some amount of torque from the front wheels to the rear wheels.
Every car on this list has power windows, door locks and outboard mirrors as well as air conditioning and at least six air bags.
Prices are before destination charges, and the fuel-economy numbers are Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Pick the one that best suits your taste and budget, and prepare to thumb your nose at Old Man Winter.
- Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium
- Consumer Reports score: 81
- Price: $22,495
- Mileage: City - 24 mpg Highway - 32 mpg
- City - 24 mpg
- Highway - 32 mpg
Notable as the most affordable of our AWD cars and the only one with AWD as standard equipment, the Subaru Legacy also generated the highest Consumer Report score. Until it released the all-new BRZ for 2013, Subaru had made nothing but AWD cars for the previous 15 years. In other words, it knows a little something about all-wheel drive.
Legacy's other unique feature is that its engine cylinders lie flat rather than in a "V," contributing to the car's low center of gravity and added control. It's a 173-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers output to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission, as priced here.
A midsize sedan, the Legacy is roomy inside with more passenger space and a larger trunk than a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan.
With the 2.5i Premium model, you get such goodies as Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry, auto-on headlights, power-adjustable driver's seat and a four-speaker audio system with iPod interface CD player.
- Toyota Venza LE AWD
- Consumer Reports score: 77
- Price: $30,970
- Mileage: City - 18 mpg Highway - 25 mpg
- City - 18 mpg
- Highway - 25 mpg
Some might quibble about whether the Venza is a hatchback, a wagon or a crossover, but it does have four doors, and for our purposes here, we're going to call it a hatchback.
Sharing some DNA with the Highlander crossover, Venza is well-suited for an AWD car.
As priced here, it comes armed with a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a six-speed driver-shiftable automatic transmission. It can tow up to 3,500 pounds -- the most of any car on our list.
Venza is smaller inside than the Highlander, but not by a lot. Yet, with its reclining second-row seat, it offers plenty of comfort all around.
When not bragging to your friends about Venza's aptitude for plowing through the white stuff, you can point out its grocery list of standard features. The entry-level LE comes with keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated outside mirrors with puddle lights, power eight-way driver's seat Bluetooth connectivity, and a six-speaker audio system with touch-screen interface, CD player and iPod interface.
- Dodge Charger SXT AWD
- Consumer Reports score: 75
- Price: $31,295
- Mileage: City - 18 mpg Highway - 27 mpg
- City - 18 mpg
- Highway - 27 mpg
Dodge takes its role as the performance arm of Chrysler very seriously, as its Charger flagship sedan proves. From the top of its head to its 19-inch alloy wheels and tires, the Charger looks agile and mean.
Although the tamer SXT with its 292-horsepower V-6 appears as one of our AWD cars because that's the vehicle Consumer Reports tested, the more potent Charger R/T with its 370-horsepower V-8 would slide in under the price ceiling.
Even with the V-6, the Charger is fun to drive. Fuel economy is decent, thanks in part to an eight-speed driver-shiftable automatic transmission. Charger has the roominess most of us expect in a full-size sedan, with a fair amount of luggage space.
The Charger isn't typically lumped in with luxury sedans, but it does provide a number of high-end bits of comfort and technology. It comes standard with keyless/remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror and an 8.4-inch color touch-screen interface. These are in addition to other standard equipment, such as Bluetooth connectivity, heated front seats and outboard mirrors, and a six-speaker audio system with iPod interface.
- Audi A4 Premium quattro
- Consumer Reports score: 76
- Price:$34,600
- Mileage: City - 26 mpg Highway - 30 mpg
- City - 26 mpg
- Highway - 30 mpg
Although not the most expensive four-door on this list, the A4 is the only luxury model here. Like Subaru, Audi has a rich heritage with the AWD car that it calls "quattro." Audi gave the A4 a makeover for 2013.
Unique to our winter four-door list is turbocharging. The A4 uses a 211-horsepower 2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine for its giddy up. As priced here, it is bolted to a driver-shiftable eight-speed automatic transmission.
Spacious, with a healthy amount of leather, the cabin reflects the A4's luxury pedigree. Standard is a multimedia interface that oversees the automatic climate control and 10-speaker audio systems.
Unfortunately, you have to opt for the $1,100 convenience package to get Bluetooth and iPod integration. That puts the A4 over the price ceiling. However, a power sunroof, eight-way power front seats, rain-sensing automatic wipers, auxiliary input jack for personal listening devices and satellite radio with 90-day free subscription are standard.
- Honda Crosstour 4WD EX-L
- Consumer Reports score: 73
- Price:$34,990
- Mileage: City - 18 mpg Highway - 28 mpg
- City - 18 mpg
- Highway - 28 mpg
Think of the Crosstour as an Accord with attitude. It's what an Accord would look like at the end of six months after working out in a gym for five hours a day. Although it is arguably a crossover, Crosstour contains so much Accord DNA that Honda originally called it the Accord Crosstour. Moreover, if you want an Accord with AWD, the Crosstour is as close as you're going to get.
To get AWD -- Honda calls its system Real Time 4WD -- Crosstour must be armed with the 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine. It uses a driver-shiftable six-speed automatic transmission to deliver output to all the wheels.
Included on the standard-equipment list are dual-zone automatic climate control, backup camera, Bluetooth connectivity, leather seating, heated front seats and a seven-speaker audio system.


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'Jocasta! Darling it's me! I can't get through the tunnel to the supermarket. There's been an accident. I could go the long way!'
'Horatio, don't do that it will take an age. Jonquil and Dido will be here in two hours, and they've got Uncle Rupert with them. He's 96 and not written his will yet. Worth a squillion, so we have to impress him! Where are you?'
'On the road through that dreadful industrial estate!'
'You are going to have to go into that big supermarket on the left.'
'You mean the one the poor people go to! And the working classes!'
'It does well enough for that couple three doors down. They seem to find everything they need.'
'Those bloody teachers! Always got to be down with the people!'
'Well it's that or nothing Horatio, and if Christmas doesn't happen I will be making sure there is one little chipolata on a plate!'
'OK darling, what ever you say, but keep in the phone. You are going to have to guide me through this one.'
'Go to the parent and child spaces. You have got Spartacus with you haven't you?'
'Oh yes he is in the back! Hang on though. There are some real ruffians there with buckets and sponges. What are they up to?'
'They want to clean your windscreen for a ridiculous amount of money with dirty water that has been hanging around all day. Just walk past them!'
'Doing that darling. Oh they have the most ghastly Liverpudlian accents! I don't suppose they've seen a 4x4 where they come from unless it says 'Police' on the roof!'
'Keep your voice down Horatio! Unless you want your wheels stolen or something dreadful left on the back seat.'
'I'm going in now. It looks like the fruit and vegetables are straight ahead. They have no kumquats! Can you believe no kumquats!'
'Well look for mandarins, or clementines! Something vaguely orange coloured!'
'Like this woman in the shell suit in front of me! I think I can see most of the vegetables. What is that Spartacus? You need a pooh? Not now please! Oh too late, but at least it might mask the smell of the great unwashed!'
'Head for the butchery aisle next. We need veal cutlets! And lamb shanks.'
'Excuse me my good man! Can you tell me where I might find the veal? It is meat. No it's young cow! Never mind! Lamb shanks? No. I am unfamiliar with 90s gangsta rappers myself. More of a Mozart man if you see how I'm hanging!'
'Try the frozen section if you get desperate!'
'I'm heading to the drinks now. Oh Spartacus don't squirm! You are quite pungent aren't you. Have you been at mummy's lentil rissoles again? Is it unoaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc that Dido prefers?'
'Either! And some Chablis for Jonquil.'
'What's this? Blue Nun, Black Tower? We used to squirrel that away in the tuck box and hide it from matron. Do they still make that? Do you have Chablis? No I wouldn't like an orange WKD you pleb!'
'Plebian Horatio! Plebian! It sounds like a compliment!'
'Sorry! I wouldn't like an orange WKD you plebian! Yes it might be a Doctor Who monster!'
'For heaven's sake Horatio! At least get some bread!'
'Is this square shaped stuff bread! I've never seen this before! Hot dog buns! Finger rolls! Darling I am at a loss here! Oh thank heavens there is that awful teacher couple! I will just have to act nice for a change! Speak to you from the car park!'
'Hello Darling! Me again. John and Lesley were most helpful!'
'John and Lesley! The teachers from three doors down!'
'James and Liz! I know we don't mix in their circle but at least try to get their names right!'
'That's why they gave me funny looks. Thought it was Spartacus's deposits! They kept giggling as we were going around. He told me he knew that proletarians were those choux pastry balls with cream and chocolate. We don't give them enough credit! They really do have some class, despite what they do for a living! I had to substitute a few things off the list!'
'Do tell Horatio! This had better be good!'
'There was no Bleu d'Auvergne, not even Camembert, but I've got these delightful soft cheeses in little triangles and something interesting in a tube!'
'No! But apparently pickled onion Monster Munch is just as good!'
'Coffee? I must have my macchiato?'
'Own brand instant is all the rage it seems!'
'Pecan and Maple liqueur? Surely a Bailey's? At least I can disguise that with some cocoa and a dash of the Irish!'
'Apparently they do some great ones inside miniature chocolates!'
'Breaded scampi!'
'Dry roasted peanuts!'
'Scallops nestled in Prosecco-infused couscous?'
'Fingres de poisson en pain blanc avec coulis des tomates is something we must try!'
'Fishfinger sandwich in white bread with tomato ketchup is a dirty meal for dirty people! Now Horatio! I am going to read you five items from the list! You are going to tell me what you have instead! I may not be happy!'
'Go ahead!'
'Prosciutto, bruschetta, tapenade, prosecco, smoked eel!'
'I don't like the sound of that!'
'Ham in a tin! With a magic key! Mighty White! Cheese and Ham Toast Toppers! Babycham! Tin of pilchards! Happy!'
'Horatio! Put it this way! Guest room for you until new year!'


text: Patrick Boettcher wrote: > Hi Andrew and others > > What do you think about this patch? > > http://linuxtv.org/hg/~pb/v4l-dvb.ttusb2?cmd=changeset;node=3c09c702b3c5;style=gitweb > > I had to do it to this quick change to support the module identification > of the tda826x of the Pinnacle 400e. > > I have a better idea how to this in all dvb-usb-drivers, but I have no > time for doing it now. > > The problem is that you need a quite "intelligent" loop to determine > whether there is a write needed before a read or not to create the USB > message. I don't want to implement this intelligence for each USB-driver > again and again and for a good way I need time. > > Can you accept this work-around? It looks quite fine to me, other than that, it makes it look a bit more consistent. Manu


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Many South Dakota Attractions Are Still Open
The federal government shutdown has closed access to some popular Black Hills area tourist spots, but regional promoters are reminding tourists that they can still see some of the main attractions from the road.
And the South Dakota Department of Tourism wants you to know about all the other attractions that are unaffected.
True, the shutdown does affect such federal installations as Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave and the Minuteman Missile Site.
But the Tourism Department can quote you a long list of attractions throughout the state, starting with Custer State Park and the scenic highways in the Black Hills, including Needles Highway; fall foliage throughout the state including Newton Hills State Park and Sica Hollow; art galleries and museums along Interstate 29; wineries, glacial lakes and the shopping, arts and culture in Sioux Falls.
The complete list is available at TravelSD.com.


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Welcome, Partners
Promote the Benefits of Electronic Payments!
Although the U.S. Department of the Treasury's deadline to switch to electronic federal benefit payments has passed, you can still use the toolkits below to help people who receive paper checks comply with the law.
Treasury recognizes and appreciates the hundreds of partners that made the Go Direct® campaign a success for eight years. The active Go Direct campaign has concluded, but GoDirect.org remains a resource operated by Treasury's Financial Management Service. If you continue to get questions from beneficiaries, please consult this FAQ.


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Recently, the Beinecke Library at Yale purchased a copy of the short film Monkeys' Moon (1929), making it available for viewing on their website (link here). Richard Deming — who read in the UMaine New Writing Series Fall 2008 — has written a brief article about the film for Artforum (.pdf here).
Monkeys' Moon was produced by the circle around H.D., a group associated with the cinema journal Close Up and film company POOL Productions. The key personnel were H.D., Bryher (Winifred Ellerman), and Kenneth Macpherson, but other creative participants included Oswell Blakeston, René Crevel, Dorothy Richardson, Paul Robeson, Hanns Sachs, and Gertrude Stein.
In 1930, POOL released the silent feature Borderline (65 minutes), directed by Macpherson and starring Robeson. The other actors included Robeson's wife, Eslanda; H.D. (credited as Helga Doorn); and Gavin Arthur, a gay rights pioneer and grandson of U.S. President Chester A. Arthur. In conjunction with the film's release H.D. wrote an essay on the production, published by Mercury Press in London. The pamphlet was reprinted by the NPF in 1987 as part of the first of several issues of Sagetrieb dedicated to H.D. The issue — guest-edited by Rachel Blau DuPlessis — is still available for sale ($8.95 plus shipping; ordering info here).The issue includes contributions by Anne Waldman, Beverly Dahlen, Robert Creeley, Bruce Boone, Fielding Dawson, Susan Stanford Friedman, Cassandra Laity, Eileen Gregory, Michael Boughn, S. Travis, and Burton Hatlen.
Monkeys' Moon sent us back to the Borderline pamphlet, prompting the following thoughts from NPF editorial assistant Alison Fraser.
◊ ◊ ◊
The Borderline Pamphlet is an exploration of the artistic and intellectual possibilities of experimental cinema. The film's title signifies the tension in polarity and the space that develops between polarized energies: the literal borderline location of the film's town; visual polarity of black and white film; the borderline social status of its main characters, who are "not out of life, not in life." But, most significantly to the Pamphlet, the director "Mr. Kenneth Macpherson is 'borderline.'" It is only in this in-between position that he can create this art:
There is beauty, there has always been beauty. The problem in every art period is to present that beauty in a form allied to its environment and its time. …
Light flows over a face. That means nothing or little to you. There is a bronze forehead and the eye sockets are gouged out just this way; there is a concentration of shadow here, a plane of light there. You see a face, perhaps at most you see a pleasing portrait. You may even murmur "Gauguin." You think, no doubt, that this is clever posing or perhaps delightful portraiture. You do not realize that that face has been moulded, modelled by an artist, that those lights have been arranged, re-arranged deliberately focussed. … Macpherson sculpts literally with light. He gouges, he reveals, he conceals.
In her 1931 poem "Red Roses for Bronze," H.D. casts her speaker as a sculptor fashioning an image of her lover from "dark bronze." Fantasizing on the completed project, the lover captured in bronze, H.D. writes that she might then
stroke at — something (stone, marble, intent, stable, materialized)
even magic sleep
might come again.
The same desire to approach the tangible is manifest in The Borderline Pamphlet even as the film itself defies capture by way of summary. The Borderline Pamphlet, written contemporaneously with "Red Roses for Bronze," demonstrates H.D.'s struggle to establish a working context for film criticism, something she does primarily through the re-appropriation of visual art and musical terminology. She is self-aware of her approach, and its inherent difficulties:
It is unusual to weld the idea of bronze with movement, but a head is sculptured, gouged out in planes and focus of light and shadow and inset with eyes like those Mena period Egyptian heads with amber glass, yet that head moves.
Despite connecting Borderline to music and various facets of visual art, H.D. makes no outright attempt to connect it with poetry or her own poetics, although the latter is implied. The contrast between her poem and her pamphlet — even while both operate with the same material of bronze — is clear: in the poem, bronze is static, and all the better for the speaker who wishes encase her lover within it. In her analysis of the film, H.D. invokes bronze not simply as a remolding of its possibilities but as a complete revisualization of the abilities and laws of the medium.
Borderline is a dream and perhaps when we say that we have said everything.
In "Red Roses for Bronze," the speaker hopes that with the completion of her art object, "magic sleep / might come again." The ability of both art forms to initiate mental transmutation between life and art is one understood through the experience of sleep and dreams. This is illuminating for H.D.:
The film is the art of dream portrayal and perhaps when we say that we have achieved the definition, the synthesis toward which we have been striving. Film is art of another dimension, including not only all art but including all life. Art and life walk hand in hand, drama and music, epic song and lyric rhythm, dance and the matter of science here again, as in some elaborate "allegory" of the Florentines, take hands, twine in sisterly embrace before their one God, here electrically incarnated, LIGHT.
A conclusion, found near the beginning of The Borderline Pamphlet, argues for the subjectivity of beauty and the possibilities inherent in any art form. Though the specific example of H.D.'s pamphlet — that film should be considered a valuable art — is no longer necessary, the general thrust of her sentiments is:
There is no such thing as any fixed art standard. This is beautiful, this was beautiful, this may be beautiful. There is one beauty, it is the beauty of belief, of faith, of hope. And if that beauty is allied to sheer grit and technical efficiency, you get a new sort of art creation.


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Rush Limbaugh continues to suffer fallout from his disparaging comments about Georgetown law student and contraception activist Sandra Fluke.
His syndicator, Premiere Networks, withdrew its national advertising spots from his and other talk shows for two weeks on Monday, the same day that Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem called for the Federal Communications Commission to yank the right-wing radio host's license.
Also read: Rush Limbaugh on Lost Advertisers: "Everything Is Cool"
"We are suspending the requirement to run barter spots for two weeks, March 12th and March 19th, for our News/Talk affiliates only," read an internal memo from Premiere Networks, obtained by radio-info.com, a site that covers the radio business.
Premiere, Limbaugh's syndicator, has the right to sell some national ads as "barter spots," ad inventory provided as part of their network-wide syndication deal. Radio insiders explained that giving up those paid spots was highly unusual.
But Limbaugh's spokesman denied to TheWrap that Premiere's decision was connected to the controversy over Limbaugh's remarks about Fluke. The host has apologized for several verbal attacks on the law student, who had appeared at a Democratic event on Capitol Hill at which she advocated for religion-affiliated institutions to cover contraception in health care plans.
"Premiere Networks announcement does not involve the cancellation of any advertising, local or national, purchased within The Rush Limbaugh Show," the statement said. "The advertisers using this contractual relationship are not buying program sponsorships, but rather a fixed number of audience impressions on those radio stations. Premiere's announcement today temporarily stops placing these spots on Premiere affiliated local news-talk radio stations for the next two weeks. It does not affect national advertising in The Rush Limbaugh Show."
Also read: Rush Limbaugh Apologizes for "Slut" Remarks
Over a three-day span, Limbaugh called Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" and at one point suggesting she and other recipients of subsidized contraception provide videos of their sexual encounters as a kind of pay back.
Meanwhile, an employee from Clear Channel — which owns Premiere Networks — told TheWrap that rather than blowing over, the advertiser exodus was growing. The latest advertiser to leave, he said, was Preparation H.
Also read: Obama Slams Rush Limbaugh's "Slut" Talk, JC Penney Pulls Its Ads (Updated)
Think Progress reported Monday that to date 141 companies have asked that their advertising not air on Limbaugh's show. The site claims to have obtained an internal memo from Premiere Networks listing 91 companies that have requested that their ads not run, in addition to the 50 advertisers that had already left the show.
These companies include 21st Century Insurance, Hotels.com, Ace Hardware, Honda and Advil.
Which is a pity for Limbaugh, as he could probably use some headache relief right now.
Premiere Networks also carries Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Jesse Jackson.
In another possible blow to Limbaugh's media empire, Ms. magazine founder Steinem, former Ms. editor Robin Morgan and actress Fonda called for the FCC to consider pulling Limbaugh off the air.
In an opinion piece penned for CNN.com, the trio asked, "If Clear Channel won't clean up its airways, then surely it's time for the public to ask the FCC a basic question: Are the stations carrying Limbaugh's show in fact using their licenses 'in the public interest?'"


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The TRIO programs at Cameron University are funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The programs identify youth or adults with potential for academic success who meet government income requirements and whose parents have not graduated from college. Services are provided to program participants which will enable them to succeed and graduate from postsecondary education.
TRIO at Cameron University is comprised of three programs:
- Open Doors [Talent Search]
- Upward Bound
- Student Support Services
The TRIO Programs work with the ultimate goal of assisting participants in reaching their dream of postsecondary education. Each program has its own goals, objectives and clientele. To see the specific details of one of the programs click on the appropriate link.


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Vicki Sauter wins UM President's Award for University Citizenship
Vicki Sauter is a professor of information systems at UMSL. (Photo by August Jennewein)
When Vicki Sauter was 18 years old, her father fell victim to an attempted armed robbery on the street outside her family's Chicago-area home. He fought back but during the struggle was shot once in the head and later died from the injury. Neighbors witnessed the attack, but did nothing. At the funeral, one neighbor told Sauter she was sorry, and if she'd known it was Sauter's father, she would've helped.
"That conversation set the stage for much of my life," said Sauter, professor of information systems at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. "That's why I get involved. I never want to give an apology to anyone for not helping out."
In late April, Sauter, of Creve Coeur, Mo., learned she's being honored by the four-campus University of Missouri System with the UM President's Award for University Citizenship (Service). The award recognizes Sauter's more than 30 years of leadership, mentoring and service to students, UMSL's College of Business Administration and the field of information systems.
"Vicki has been a leader in community outreach in many directions," Keith Womer, dean of the business college, wrote in a nomination letter for the award. "She inspires others to be involved, and the result is a web of outreach activities that captures students, business leaders and academics and has them working together for the betterment of all."
Sauter joined UMSL's College of Business Administration faculty in 1980 and became the first woman in the college to earn tenure. She has been a member of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences for more than 35 years, and she has held several elected positions and received numerous awards for her service to the institute.
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"Learning it the right way, right from the beginning"
Waterworks Aquatics offers the finest swimming lessons in San Diego County, Orange County, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and Denver. We have chosen to share our love of swimming with children and believe there is a swimmer in every child. At Waterworks Aquatics, we pride ourselves on teaching the necessary skills needed to become a comfortable, proficient swimmer right from the beginning.
A good swimmer is one who can move through the water in an efficient and almost effortless manner. Our swim school takes each student from one step to the next without skipping crucial skills or giving children a false sense of security in the water. To achieve the strength, endurance, and flawless technique of a true athlete, one must begin with a solid, foundational program that emphasizes buoyancy, breath control, and proper stroke development, coupled with basic water safety skills.
What is Waterworks Aquatics?
Waterworks Aquatics is a premier swim school that teaches children ages 3 months through adult how to swim. Our mission is to educate and motivate people of all ages to be safer and learn proper swimming technique. Waterworks Aquatics is a learning organization with a highly qualified team who creates a customized experience in every realm of aquatic programming as we feel swimming is a life-long skill.
With a supportive atmosphere and child-centered approach, our goal as a swim center is to encourage children to have fun in the water while improving their water skills. Our proven teaching methods and caring instructors will allow children to learn and grow within our program. By utilizing a specialized muscle memory technique, we are able to teach stroke technique at a very quick rate.
The service we provide you and your child extends beyond swim lessons. Lasting relationships are built through a "triangle of communication" between every parent, child, and instructor. We carefully match our students to an instructor who can best understand their capabilities and help them reach their full potential. Each lesson is structured yet flexible to meet the needs of each individual, which allows our students to steadily progress and thrive in a safe, comfortable environment.
Our Facility
Waterworks Aquatics in Carlsbad offers 2 heated indoor pools and is located at the Bressi Village Center off of Palomar Airport Road. Our indoor pools provide warmth, sun protection and are heated to a comfortable skin temperature. Our lap pool is 25 yards in length, consists of 4 lanes, and is heated up to 89 degrees year round. The second pool is our teaching pool, which offers the perfect setup for children learning to swim and is heated up to 93 degrees year round.
We service the communities of Carlsbad, Bressi Ranch, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, Vista, Rancho Santa Fe, San Elijo, Solano Beach, San Marcos, Cardiff By the Sea, and San Diego. Our Carlsbad location provides swim lessons, wellness programs, community activities and other aquatics programming year round.


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Special Section
Analytic Myopia, Data Disintegration and Homeland Insecurity
Lee S. Strickland is director, Center for Information Policy, in the College of Information Studies, University of Maryland. He recently retired from the Central Intelligence Agency as a Senior Intelligence Officer.
America remains a dangerous and conflicted environment dangerous given the increasingly virulent threat of terrorism as it becomes institutionalized in global and independently directed communities and conflicted given the diverse opinions and judgments regarding a response. The President asserts a lack of actionable intelligence, government critics allege that there was a systemic failure of intelligence, others debate the appropriate balance between civil liberties, and the 9/11 Commission recommendations may well lead to the creation of a separate department for domestic intelligence. This article examines perhaps the most critical topic in the debate intelligence performance and suggests that, although there has been a fundamental misunderstanding of intelligence, there is most significantly a dysfunctional information space in which to conduct effective analysis of the terrorism threat. In this article we identify two general problems: data disintegration and analytical capability. We discuss the problems in detail, including specific remediation efforts that could substantially improve our homeland security posture. We conclude by emphasizing the tight integration between technology and the academic discipline of analysis in the intelligence arena and suggesting that reorganization, without addressing the root cause of failure, will be unavailing.
Understanding Intelligence
The recurring demand for "actionable intelligence," a term that first emerged in the media in the context of the Somalia debacle some 10 years ago, is consistently offered as both a criticism and a rationale for inaction. Indeed it has even begun to invade the lexicon of competitive intelligence in the business environment. And while it is critical for intelligence to make its factual findings and conclusions as quantitatively and qualitatively explicit as possible, consumers must understand what the intelligence process can provide. Quite simply, the inputs (relevant factual data) may be limited and must be augmented by assumptions. Furthermore, the risk of denial and deception cannot be eliminated completely, and the question or issue posed must be capable of answer. All too often, the intelligence question cannot be resolved as a matter of logic because it depends on events yet to happen, such as human intentions that will unfold or factors that will converge by chance. In a cloud of mysteries our intelligence collection and analysis methodologies can inform us allow us to understand the threat and identify vulnerabilities but cannot provide an answer where none exists. In sum, the intelligence process, however rigorous, does not remove the obligation for difficult decision-making by the national leadership.
Recognizing the Dysfunctional Information Space
The information collection and analysis environment at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) clearly presents the conundrum facing certain elements of the intelligence community today critical demands placed upon a poor information working space characterized by disintegrated data and impaired analytical capabilities. Yet analysis is at the heart of an effective counter-terrorism effort. Such analysis first requires effective electronic record-keeping systems that ensure the availability of information over time. Secondly, there must be experienced professionals trained in the scientific discipline of analysis and supported by productive analytical tools that provide cross-platform access to relevant information and also augment the human endeavor of analysis. With such systems, training and tools, analysts can have far greater ability to search, collaborate, visualize data, perform entity and relationship extraction from full text and ultimately conduct data mining or knowledge discovery work for predictive information that could prevent another 9/11. Let us consider both of these issues in turn.
The Data Disintegration Problem
We begin with the argument that effective information management (IM) and information technology (IT) are key elements of the solution notwithstanding the suggestions by former Harvard Business Review editor Nicholas Carr that IT matters less today, that it is an undifferentiated commodity, that we should spend less and that we should follow not lead. I believe the issue is not whether IT is a commodity like the electric power industry; rather, the problem is that we have balkanized assets information and balkanized tools technology that don't work well together. It is as if the electrical system comprised a multitude of generators producing at different voltages and frequencies, trying to move through overlapping networks and powering electrical appliances of various electrical needs. The single most significant challenge facing IT in the intelligence community is this environment enterprises with hundreds of isolated, stove-piped applications that manage redundant data and don't communicate effectively, if at all, with each other.
What Does This Mean for Productivity and Homeland Security? This environment is the FBI's problem, and, although it is hardly unique, the consequences are substantial, including high costs since hardware, software and information common to all projects are redundantly procured or developed. And there is adverse impact to mission. A stove-piped environment is slow, ineffective, costly, complex and fragile. But most of all, from mission perspective, there is the assurance of inconsistent answers because there is no authoritative data source. Stated differently, this environment guarantees that the right people do not have the right information when required.
So Why Does This Environment Continue to Exist? In part it reflects the nature of IT development in government. Generally every department has an IT capability and/or funding that can address critical needs faster than centralized IT units, which are notoriously unresponsive. As a result, it's possible and relatively easy to build your own stove and stovepipe. In part the environment also continues to exist because of cost of re-engineering. That is, few mission directors can overcome bureaucratic inertia and push for a very significant investment that seemingly provides no new functionality. And lastly, part of the reason lies in the demands for data protection (national security classification and the "need-to-know" principle) that work against integrated solutions, including integrated data repositories.
However, the most significant reason is the complexity of the enterprise and that means generally that there is no comprehensive enterprise architecture (EA) an organizational blueprint that defines in business, technology and data terms how an organization operates now, how it will operate in the future and what technology and business process changes will be required to make that transition. For example, the data layer of this approach is known as the data architecture and is a model of all data maintained by an organization itemizing types, definitions, rules and relationships that support the business processes defined in the EA. Without such an architecture, an organization will not have effective information management, and modernization efforts will yield mixed results at best because requirements the software-engineering process that defines what the system should do and ensures that business and engineering are working on the same product will be poorly done by definition. In sum, an EA is critical to business success.
The FBI Revitalization Effort. Although the FBI's Trilogy program is intended to revitalize the IT environment, the effort remains significantly over budget and schedule. And the General Accounting Office (GAO) has had much to say on this subject, finding in October 2003 that the lack of an EA had adversely impacted the success of Trilogy and its two principal components a new infrastructure (a wide area network linking field offices) and a new investigative case management system, the Virtual Case File (VCF).
Specifically the GAO found that Trilogy was a good, albeit initial, step in the effort to bring the FBI's information management into the 21st century and to provide an information platform for analysts, but that it would integrate only a handful of the existing 234 nonintegrated, stove-piped applications. Moreover, it observed that without a detailed EA an agency cannot ensure systems requirements for any other development effort are consistent with the architecture and it further follows that program management will falter because it is impossible to produce an integrated project view (IPV) that details dependencies, linkages to other projects and how changes here as well as changes in resources or requirements will impact schedule, quality and/or costs. (See For Further Reading.)
The Analytical Capability Problem
Understanding intelligence, managing expectations and re-engineering the means by which IT is designed and managed are critical objectives if we are to improve our homeland security profile. But we must also address the discipline of analysis and the ability to provide quality analysis to the national leadership. As we shall see, this requires a foundation of training, sharing and automated tools.
Analytical training. As I suggest in classes at the University of Maryland, "Analysis doesn't just happen, and immersion in data is not an analytical technique." It follows that the human element in analysis is as critical as the information science and technology issues that we have considered. We begin with the recognition that there are critical informational and process differences between analysis for law enforcement and analysis for strategic or intelligence purposes. The former focuses on the collection of specific information in the context of an actual crime and individualized suspected wrongdoing while the latter focuses on the collection of generalized information that may prove relevant to future investigations often without any evidence of specific wrongdoing. Stated differently, the purpose of intelligence is to collect the totality of information relevant to mission and to develop knowledge of actions, events and/or threats that might affect domestic stability or national security. And this dichotomy is important because law enforcement tends to do the first well and the second less well as exemplified by the infamous FBI memo from its Phoenix, Arizona, office that was not acted upon prior to 9/11.
The FBI culture has focused on reacting to crime and has favored agents developing and tightly holding information about individual cases rather than utilizing it as part of a strategic intelligence effort. Indeed it was not until the 1993 World Trade Center (WTC) bombing that prevention, and hence intelligence, were viewed as important. However, personnel resources were not applied, and even a 1998 strategic plan that called for a professional cadre of analysts did not change the status quo a review in 2000 found that 66% of the analysts were not qualified. Although that review made recommendations for improvements, little changed and the effort was dissolved after the 9/11 attacks.
What is the science and profession of analysis? We begin by remembering the roots of analysis in the federal government when General William Donovan was made the Coordinator of Information (COI) and later the Director of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) by President Roosevelt. Donovan understood, based on consultations with British Intelligence, that research and analysis were the heart of any intelligence organization and accordingly enlisted Dr. William Langer, the noted diplomatic historian from Harvard and others trained in the academic paradigm of research, to create the forerunner of CIA's Directorate of Intelligence.
Through their efforts, intelligence analysis and the scientific method became synonymous. This means that judgments are developed through a rigorous, scientifically based human process of analysis of competing hypotheses. It proceeds from the identification of a full range of hypotheses (prospective answers to the research question), the evaluation of the evidence and assumptions for consistency or inconsistency with each hypothesis, and the identification of most likely outcomes. Without this approach, intelligence becomes an exercise in satisficing the selection of the first identified or most politically favored hypothesis that appears "good enough." Beyond recognizing that satisficing is little better than guessing, we should understand its three significant weaknesses:
Of course, even with this systematic approach, one must be cautious as to various cognitive biases mental errors caused by our simplified information processing strategies. These may include problems arising from vividness, absence of evidence, the desire for consistency, the cumulative effect of probabilities, the persistence of impression, the preference to see patterns, the preference to see centralized direction, the preference to overestimate internal factors and underestimate external factors, the overestimation of our own importance especially with respect to successes but less so with failures, and illusory correlation (relationships that are statistically significant but not causal). And of course there are other biases cultural, emotional, organizational or those of self-interest. But there is little doubt that a scientifically based process of analysis yields the best and most defensible intelligence.
Sharing. Information sharing, between peers as well as among federal, state and local homeland security agencies is a problem of legendary proportions and more complex than the security clearance and secure connectivity issues that tend to be our focus today. Early in 2004 the Markle Foundation released its second report (see For Further Reading) on national security in the information age urging that the handling of intelligence should be decentralized (networked and not hierarchical), that this network should include not only the federal government but also state and local governments and private industry, that policies should be adopted to empower and constrain the government (balance privacy and security interests) and that we should focus on prevention, thus contemplating the need for strategic homeland security intelligence.
However, several points follow from the Markle report. First, the problem from an individual analytical viewpoint just got much larger as did the problem for the individual organizational node on the network: What information is needed and how can it be integrated into a solution? And second, there is the cultural problem. Sharing is constrained today by the context of classification that developed in the Cold War where the leak of a single bit of information could have catastrophic consequences, where the primary users were the most senior policy makers in the federal government and where dissemination was limited by a rigid "need to know."
The picture today is vastly changed and the mindset must be changed to broad sharing. But the complexity is that we have thousands of nodes of information in this country and each, quite simply, doesn't know what they don't know or what they need to know. Although there are processes in place to allow the dissemination of even sensitive information while protecting sensitive sources and methods such as sanitizing or tear-line dissemination, they are cumbersome, tend to slow the flow of information and often don't include state and local agencies. One remedy would be to create the less sensitive dissemination versions up front, while another would be to designate responsibility for this function both individually and agency-wide. The bottom line is that our sharing model is dysfunctional and must be re-engineered.
The Tsunami of Information and the Need for Analytical Tools. Another key is addressing the volume of information a veritable tsunami and the need for tools. In short the totality of this information far exceeds the ability of any organization to effectively and completely analyze it and render judgments. And there are several aspects to this issue. One is that textual information must be captured and be retrievable in an effective electronic record-keeping system. Another is that the quantity of textual information or structured data quickly outstrips the working capability of the mind to retain and thus analyze discrete factual information. Yet another is the necessity to integrate that unstructured text information with structured data often many organizations tend to ignore free-form text because of the analytical difficulty presented. The last issue is the importance of tools both to work on the problems of entity and relationship extraction from text and to work on the analysis of the resulting data the discovery of trends or links that are quite simply not obvious to the human analyst. And the size of the problem? It is estimated that 80-90% of all government data is textual and not structured.
The complexity is highlighted if we consider the actual analytical process for a moment. The analyst attempts to identify relevant data and relationships in order to answer the intelligence (research) question presented typically through a process of creating and testing hypotheses. But we quickly reach the limits of human memory, thus necessitating the process of decomposition and externalization segregating and recording key evidence supported yesterday by the analyst's "shoe box." But the proliferation of data means that it is simply impossible manually to identify and record relevant data, much less to find the hidden or non-obvious relationships. The question is: Can the analyst take a body of documents, a special body of documents of interest to an analyst working on a specific issue, and visualize the subset that is of particular relevance, extract specific entities from it and identify their relationships?
The answer is part positive and part negative. There are tools that facilitate matching, such as the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), which is a nationwide data information center designed to collect, collate and analyze crimes of violence, especially murder. This FBI-supplied software is currently used by a number of cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas and Kansas City, and operates by continually comparing all entries in order to detect signature aspects and thus crimes with common offenders. And there are software products that provide much higher levels of analytical support, such as tools for visualization, identification and extraction of relevant entities, and link analysis from companies including Inxight, Attensity and Systems Research and Development that are useful for identifying non-obvious relationships. The negative is that none of these state-of-the-art products appear to be the "holy grail" of analytical tools and none integrate well with the massive data repositories familiar to the law enforcement and intelligence community. They may even encourage creation of additional stove-piped solutions.
Finally, Dr. Richard Restak suggests in his well received book, The New Brain, that our time of information overload and multitasking is resulting in behaviors in the population that were previously considered dysfunctional, such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness and easy distractibility, becoming the norm and bringing significant reductions in articulated thought and overall efficiency. This research could have profound impact on intelligence analysis where the problem of information overload has been addressed solely by the insertion of additional technology.
Concluding Thoughts
However the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission are ultimately implemented by a new domestic intelligence agency or the creation of an intelligence service with the FBI it is critical that the root causes of our intelligence failures be recognized and addressed with specificity. Reorganization is all too often a feckless response to system failures. If the United States is to be successful in its homeland security mission, it will require that we have trained analysts throughout the intelligence and law enforcement community, that stove-piped collections be broken down and sharing effected, and that these analysts look at the totality of the information space through different prisms, with different perspectives, attempting to solve the universe of threat and issues presented. We must recognize that analysis is a professional exercise, mirrored on the research processes in the university community, and provide the requisite national direction and funding.
For Further Reading
Box 1
A Note about the Definition and Categories of Intelligence
Intelligence can be defined as a process, a product or an organization but is best characterized as the following:
Box 2
A Note about Data Security
Traditional information systems have not generally allowed data to be separated into different sensitivities within a single database. However, commercial solutions today have reached a level of maturity that allows different levels of access within a given environment. Often termed data level security or label security, the concept is that a security appliance (computer code) mediates access to given elements of data in a database by comparing a security label attached to each data element with a security authorization assigned to a given user. Moreover, this approach easily supports the need for comprehensive role-based security within many organizations an approach that moves from general authentication to specific authorization predicated on position and hence need-to-know principles.
Box 3
A Note About Program Management and IPV
Many organizations manage by the "multiple-release timebox approach," which is characterized by a focus on a single team, a single product and a single resource allocation. This is a recipe for data and systems disintegration as well as cost and schedule slippage on individual projects. The IPV approach achieves two goals: first, it allows project managers to plan for contingencies and their effects and, second, it permits senior management to oversee completely disparate (separate) efforts but ones that must come together if they are to meet the demands of the EA. Also frequently ignored is the critical necessity for detailed requirements not only to ensure compliance with the EA but also to generate an adequate test plan for functional testing as well as integration and interoperability testing that is dependent on a complete data and systems architecture.
Box 4
Failure of the Analytical Base: Airplanes as Weapons
A classic result of the absence of an analytical base for homeland security issues is presented by the repeated testimony of government officials as to their lack of knowledge of "aircraft as weapons." In point of fact there were multiple warnings of such use that were never made central to our domestic counter-terrorism efforts. In January 1995 Ramzi Yousef, later convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, conspired with associates in the Philippines to blow up 11 U.S. airliners in a definitive strike against this country. Only incompetence (mixing water with sensitive chemicals that exploded) led to the disclosure of his plot. Based on this report, the FBI in the following year (1996) included this threat scenario in its counter-terrorism planning for the Atlanta Olympics. Three years later (1999), the CIA's National Intelligence Council widely circulated a report that highlighted the potential for terrorists to crash explosives-laden civilian aircraft into critical national targets including the Pentagon, the CIA and the White House. And two years later, the concern over airliner weapons again surfaces when Italian authorities in Genoa establish a no-fly zone for the spring 2001 G8 meeting. Yet six months later in September 2001, there was consternation throughout the American government that such an event could take place.
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Information Science and Technology


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- Details
Note: This bag ships directly from SandPiper. While they try to maintain adequate stock of this product, the availability may vary. Please be advised that there may be a delay in shipping.
This Bugout Toiletry Bag is constructed of 600 Denier Poly/Canvas in a simple, lightweight design. Nylon webbing carry handle; Rust-resistant zipper; External zipped pocket; Carry handle ; Zipper mesh compartment; External D-rings; Detachable accessories bag; Shatter-resistant mirror; Elastic "keepers"; Rust-resistant hardware.
Dimensions: 9 x 11 x 3 in.
Volume: 290in
Weight: 2
PLEASE NOTE: This product is not available for rush orders.
Sandpiper, the manufacturer of these great bags and packs, is the largest supplier of backpacks to the U.S. military. There are many backpack manufacturers out there and some are high quality, some are medium quality and some are low quality. The reason that these packs are such good sellers to our military personnel through us and through AAFES is they are one of the top quality manufacturers, but we offer the products at lower prices than the other top quality manufacturers. Just opening up one of these bags or packs and seeing the dividers and or pockets show the amount of time and thought that is put into these products.
The zippers and materials are of the highest quality also. Millions of dollars worth of these packs and bags are sold every year to the US military, we have been selling them for years and have never had a customer complain about any one of these bags.
- The Bugout Gear product line has recently become "Must have" items for our troops in every branch of the military
- Bugout Gear is the "Best value" leader by far giving our troops the biggest "Bang" for their dollar!
- Featured in Newsweek Magazine as the "Most requested" holiday gift by the U.S. Armed Forces! The following review is from one of our friends that we gave a Sandpiper "Bug Out Bag" to for evaluation. All the Sandpiper of California products are surprisingly well thought out and well made.
Review: Bug Out Bag
"My full name is Jeremy Glenwinkel.
I did work for Northern Management, a government contractor that performed contracts in Alaska and Hawaii for the Coast Guard, Military, USFS, AF&G, and various other state and federal contracts. Often in remote and difficult areas.
Weather was brutal to say the least and the terrain was unforgiving most of the time.If you want gear tested, take it to Alaska for a few months and see how it holds up.
Let's see. When Tom first sent me this bag for a trial run in the Alaskan bush country, I was looking for something considerably bigger in size. I agreed to give it a test run anyway and he sent the bag over for me to take into the outback and abuse it. When I opened the bag up, I wasn't expecting what I got. This backpack has been well thought out and designed. The material is a heavy weight canvas type of material that looks and feels tough. All the seams are double and triple stitched. There are handles everywhere, and you can carry the bag as a tote, backpack, or shoulder bag.
The first thing I did when I received the bag was to saturate it in a heavy duty waterproofing compound. Where I work it rains an average of 100 inches a year. It is always wet, so good waterproof gear is a must. I loaded the bag with my usual bush gear which consisted of a set of a heavy rain suit, military poncho, an extra jacket, several other articles of clothing including cold weather gear, ammo, maps, bug spray, emergency food, water purifier, a few assorted knives, some sharpeners, lots of 550 cord, Nalgene bottles and metal canteen cup, and a first aid kit for starters. There are other items like extra gloves, flashlights, batteries, and hand warmers and misc. other odds and ends.
The bag has a pouch designed for a water bladder.I used my Camelback 100oz bladder and it fit perfectly, allowing easy and convenient water storage and accessibility. When I am in the bush, I always keep a shotgun handy for bears. Whether working or playing, I never leave home without it. I carry a 12 gauge Mossberg 500a Entry with a pistol grip, overall length roughly 29 inches.It mounts nicely to the bag on the sides using the cinch/compression straps. When I am not in the bush, I can keep my shotgun secured nicely with my bag and out of the way.
The shoulder straps are wide and comfortable, even with lots of weight in the bag. There is a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps in place where you want them and prevents the bag from shifting around too much. This bag has quite a few pockets and compartments; almost too many. It is easy to stuff this thing full of whatever you want.
The only downside to all these compartments is that it gets hard to close the compartments when they are filled. Also, some compartments, when filled, interfere with other pockets. That is not a big deal though and only tells me that I should use smaller gear or take less with me. It is easy to get carried away with this bag. I use this bag everyday to carry my gear and protective clothing. It is great for keeping everything together.
I would recommend this bag to anyone."
NOTE:Shipment on Sandpiper items for APO addresses can take up to three weeks or more.
- Reviews


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In 1974, Gary Gordon and Richard Grant were good friends and sailing partners who often spent time with friends in an old wine vat used as a wooden hot tub on Mountain Drive. They decided they needed to have one of their own. Young, ambitious and looking to have a good time, they went ahead and drew up plans to build one. It was a success and they began building hot tubs for their friends. And more friends. And friends of friends. Both Gary and Richie suddenly looked around one day and realized they had a business going. Their business became a success and stayed successful. Today, Gary Gordon still runs Gordon & Grant Hot Tubs and Spas in Santa Barbara, California. A second Gordon & Grant location was established in 1990 in Old Town Goleta.
While Redwood hot tubs are continually built onsite in the downtown location and remain a popular option, vertical grain cedar has been added as a more affordable and readily available option for customers who still enjoy the traditional wood spa.
In addition to building and maintaining wooden hot tubs for customers, Gordon & Grant also sells and provides services for various brands of acrylic portable spas, including Jacuzzi®, Marquis®, Sundance® and TidalFit® swim spas. read more »


text: One of the most prolific passers in NCAA and Idaho history, John Friesz earned four letters for the Vandal football team. A three-time Big Sky Player of the Year, Friesz also holds NCAA D-1AA records for consecutive 300-yard passing games (10) and total 300-yard passing games in a season (10). Friesz ranks ninth in D-1AA history in career passing yards per game (305.6) and 12th in total passing yards (10,697). Friesz won the 1989 Walter Payton National Player of the Year Award after leading the nation in passing and earning First Team All-America honors for the second consecutive season. Friesz was voted team MVP in 1989 and the award has since been named after him. He holds Idaho's career record for passes completed (801), attempted (1,350) and average passing yards per game (305.6). Friesz had six 400-yard passing games in his career and his 98-yard toss to Lee Allen is the longest in school history. Friesz holds to the top two single-season passing totals in Idaho history, with 4,041 in 1989 and 3,677 in 1988. Friesz was enshrined in Idaho and NCAA history in 2006, when his number 17 was retired at Idaho and he was induced into the College Football Hall of Fame.