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Category Archives: Technology
Better Health, Delivered by Phone: Q&A with Stan Berkow
Recently NewPublicHealth shared an interview from AlleyWatch, a Silicon Valley technology blog about SenseHealth, a new medical technology firm that has created a text message platform that health care providers can use to communicate with patients. In May, SenseHealth was picked to be part of the New York Digital Health Accelerator, which gives up to $100,000 in funding to companies developing digital health solutions for patients and providers. The accelerator is run by the Partnership Fund for New York City and the New York eHealth Collaborative. SenseHealth engaged in a clinical trial last year that used the technology to help providers engage with patients who are Medicaid beneficiaries.
Health conditions supported by the SenseHealth platform range from diabetes to mental health diagnoses, while the messaging options include more than 20 customizable care plans, such as medicine or blood pressure monitoring reminders. There are also more than 1,000 supportive messages, such as a congratulatory text when a patient lets the provider know they've filled a prescription or completed lab work. The platform couples the content with a built-in algorithm that can sense when a user has logged information or responded to a provider, and providers are able to set specific messages for specific patients. Early assessments show that the technology has helped patient manage their conditions, with data showing more SenseHealth patients adhered to treatment plans and showed up for appointments than patients who didn't receive the text program.
We received strong feedback on the post, including a question from a reader about whether Medicaid beneficiaries lose contact with their providers if they disconnect their cell phones or change their numbers, a common occurrence among low-income individuals who often have to prioritize monthly bills. To learn more about SenseHealth and its texting platform, NewPublicHealth recently spoke with the company's CEO and founder, Stan Berkow.
NewPublicHealth: How did SenseHealth get its start?
Stan Berkow: We got started about two to two-and-a-half years ago. I met one of the other founders while I was working at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. We were both clinical trial coordinators and were seeing—first hand—the difficulties in getting participants in our studies to actually follow through on all the exercise and nutritional changes they needed to make in order to complete the research project. That led us to step back and look at the bigger health care picture and recognize the challenges for providers to help patients manage chronic conditions, and recognizing that there's a huge time limitation on the providers. That pushed us toward finding a way through technology to help those providers help the patients they work with more effectively to prevent and manage chronic conditions.
Public Health News Roundup: August 13
EBOLA UPDATE: Canada to Donate Experimental Drug for Ebola Treatment
(NewPublicHealth is monitoring the public health crisis in West Africa.)
Canada announced late yesterday that it will donate 800 to 1,000 doses of its experimental Ebola vaccine for the World Health Organization (WHO) to use in West Africa. WHO declared yesterday that it was ethical to use untested drugs to combat the Ebola outbreak. "We see this as a global resource, something we need to put on the global table to say...how can we make best use of this asset? We're looking to do that as fast as we can," said Greg Taylor, MD, deputy chief public health officer of the Public Health Agency of Canada, according to Reuters. Read more on Ebola.
CDC: 40 Percent of Americans Will Develop Diabetes
An estimated 40 percent of Americans will develop diabetes at some point in their lives, according to a new study in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data on 598,216 adults from 1985 to 2011, finding that the increase in the diagnosis of diabetes and overall declining mortality means that people are also living longer with diabetes; years spent with diabetes increased by 156 percent in men and 70 percent in women. Researchers said the findings demonstrate a need for effective interventions to reduce the incidence of diabetes. Read more on diabetes.
FDA Approves Device that Could Increase the Number of Transplantable Lungs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new device to preserve donated lungs that do not initially meet the standards for transplantation, but that might be transplantable given more time to evaluate their viability. Only approximately one in five donated lungs meet transplantation criteria. There were 1,754 lung transplants in the United States in 2012, with 1,616 potential patients remaining on the recipient list at the end of the year. "This innovative device addresses a critical public health need," said Christy Foreman, director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "With this approval, there may be more lungs available for transplant, which could allow more people with end stage lung disease who have exhausted all other treatment options to be able to receive a lung transplant." Read more on technology.
Public Health News Roundup: August 7
EBOLA UPDATE: CDC Increases Deployments to West Africa
(NewPublicHealth is monitoring the public health crisis in West Africa.)
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced an increase in its deployments and efforts in West Africa in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, which is the largest in the history of the disease. The public health agency has activated its Emergency Operations Center to its highest response level and plans on adding 50 disease control experts to the region within the next month.
As of Monday, CDC deployments are:
- Guinea: 6 currently deployed,
- Liberia: 12 currently deployed
- Nigeria: 4 currently deployed
- Sierra Leone: 9 currently deployed
"The bottom line with Ebola is we know how to stop it: traditional public health. Find patients, isolate and care for them; find their contacts; educate people; and strictly follow infection control in hospitals. Do those things with meticulous care and Ebola goes away," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, in a release. "To keep America safe, health care workers should isolate and evaluate people who have returned from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in the past 21 days and have fever or other symptoms suggestive of Ebola. We will save lives in West Africa and protect ourselves at home by stopping Ebola at the source." Read more on Ebola.
Study: About Half of All Physicians Utilize EHRs
Electronic health records (EHRs) are increasingly being utilized by physicians and hospitals, according to two new studies in the journal Health Affairs. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology determined that in 2013 approximately 78 percent of office-based physicians used some form of EHRs and about 48 percent of all physicians used an EHR system with advanced functionalities. They also found that 59 percent of hospitals in 2013 were using an EHR system with certain advanced functionalities. "Patients are seeing the benefits of health IT as a result of the significant strides that have been made in the adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records," said Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, national coordinator for health information technology. "We look forward to working with our partners to ensure that people's digital health information follows them across the care continuum so it will be there when it matters most." Read more on technology.
Number of Suicide Attempts Using Prescription Drugs Up Dramatically
Suicide attempts involving prescription medications and other drugs climbed 51 percent among people ages 12 and older from 2005 to 2011, according to two new reports from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The greatest increase was seen in people between the ages of 45 and 64, with a 104 percent increase, followed by adults younger than 30, with a 58 percent increase. "We probably are seeing an increase in overall suicide attempts, and along with that we are also seeing an increase in drug-related suicide attempts," said Peter Delany, director of the agency's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, in a release. "People have access to medications, and they are using both prescription and over-the-counter meds. It is clear that there are more drugs out there." Read more on prescription drugs.
Public Health News Roundup: July 28
Study: EHRs Don't Increase the Risk for Medicare Fraud
The use of electronic health records (EHRs) does not increase the risk of Medicare fraud, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Schools of Information and Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health. In the study, scheduled to be published in the journal Health Affairs, researchers analyzed longitudinal data to determine whether U.S. hospitals that recently adopted EHRs also saw increases in the severity of patients' conditions and payments from Medicare; they determined that adopters and non-adopters saw rates increase approximately equally. "There have been a lot of anecdotes and individual cases of hospitals using electronic health records in fraudulent ways. Therefore there was an assumption that this was happening systematically, but we find that it isn't," said Julia Adler-Milstein, U-M assistant professor of information, as well as an assistant professor of health management and policy in the U-M School of Public Health. Read more on technology.
Fist Bumps May Be the Best Greeting for Reducing Germ Transmission
Want to meet society's hand-to-hand greeting expectation while also reducing the transmission of germs? Try a fist bump. Researchers from the Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom used a germ-covered glove test to determine that handshakes transmit nearly twice as many bacteria as high-fives, which in turn transmit more bacteria than fist bumps. The study in the American Journal of Infection Control determined that duration and grip of a physical greeting also increased the number of bacteria transmitted. "Adoption of the fist bump as a greeting could substantially reduce the transmission of infectious diseases between individuals," said author, David Whitworth, PhD. "It is unlikely that a no-contact greeting could supplant the handshake; however, for the sake of improving public health we encourage further adoption of the fist bump as a simple, free, and more hygienic alternative to the handshake." Read more on infectious disease.
Fear a Greater Motivator than Data When it Comes to Using Sunscreen
Fear over developing skin cancer is a larger motivator for people's usesof sunscreen than actual data that quantifies their risk, according to a new study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Researchers analyzed data on approximately 1,500 people with no history of skin cancer, finding that for people who reported "never" using it and those who reported "always" using it, worry was a greater factor than education about risk, and the greater the worry, the more likely the use. "Most health behavior studies don't account for the more visceral, emotional reactions that lead people to do risky behaviors, like eat junk food or ignore the protective benefits of sunscreen," says Marc Kiviniemi, MD, lead researcher and assistant professor of community health and health behavior in the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions. "This study is important because most of what we do in public health communications focuses on spreading knowledge and information. By not addressing emotions, we are potentially missing a rich influence on behavior when interventions do not address feelings." Read more on cancer.
Back to the Future for Medical Schools: New Ideas Aim to Revolutionize a Doctor's Education
During this week's Spotlight: Health at the annual Aspen Ideas Festival, Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove, MD, will be talking about the future of academic medicine. The topic has received a great deal of attention recently, including a white paper from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and a pilot program from the American Medical Association (AMA) to give $1 million each to eleven medical schools redesigning their teaching programs—many of which include a focus on prevention, wellness and population health.
Teamwork is a recent and critical emphasis at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, said Cosgrove in a conversation with NewPublicHealth ahead of the Aspen conference.
"When a lot of us went to medical school we were all taught to be rugged individuals, and so [now] we're trying to teach teamwork...at the very beginning of health care education," he said. To that end, instruction at the medical school now emphasizes team-based learning and the students will begin doing some of their work with nursing and dental students in the same physical facility "so we begin to break down the silos that are going on right now and encourage team play."
The 11 medical schools that received the recent AMA grants were chosen from among 119 schools that submitted proposals. "Their bold, transformative proposals [are] designed to close the gaps between how medical students are trained and how health care is delivered," said former AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, when the AMA awarded the grants last year. Among the winners:
- The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, which has proposed establishing a dual MD-MS degree program in primary care and population health. A clerkship during the third year of medical school will integrate care of the individual patient and population health, and the fourth year will include population health course content and require a Master's thesis. The admissions process will include required interviews with stakeholders and patients.
- The University of California-Davis School of Medicine is partnering with Kaiser Permanente to create the Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC) program, which will require all students to work in the Kaiser Health system so that they can learn by experiencing the patient-centered medical home model. Changes to curriculum include population management, chronic disease management, quality improvement, patient safety, team-based care and preventive health skills, with a special emphasis on diverse and underserved populations.
The eleven schools won't be working in silos, either. Susan Skochelak, MD, the AMA's group vice president for medical education, told NewPublicHealth that the initiative was designed "very specifically to bring the schools together in a consortium, because we wanted to disseminate the best practices rapidly."
Public Health News Roundup: June 9
NIH Researchers Publish Review of Key Marijuana Adverse Health Effects
As more states consider legalizing marijuana, researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—a division of the National Institutes of Health—have published a review of adverse health effects of the drug, including impaired driving. The review was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine and the study authors consider a number of key concerns including:
- Rising marijuana potencies
- Possible health consequences of secondhand marijuana smoke
- Long-term impact of prenatal marijuana exposure
- According to the reviewers, research suggests that marijuana impairs critical thinking and memory functions during use and that these deficits persist for days after using
- A long-term study showed that regular marijuana use in the early teen years lowers IQ into adulthood, even if users stopped smoking marijuana as adults.
"It is important to alert the public that using marijuana in the teen years brings health, social, and academic risk," said lead author and NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, MD. NIDA offers additional information on the consequences of marijuana here. Read more on substance abuse.
Social Media is a Largely Untapped Communications Tool for Health Policy Researchers
As social media use continues to expand, it also presents a growing opportunity for health policy researchers to communicate with both the public and policy makers. However, few of these researchers appear to be using social media to the best of its potential in this field, according to a new study in the journal Health Affairs. The study, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examined 325 health policy researchers, finding that only 14 percent of participants reported tweeting and only 21 percent noted blogging about their research in the past year. Many cited fears that social media would not be compatible with their research, the creation of professional risks and the lack of respected it is given by their peers or their academic institutions as obstacles to social media use. "Historically, the communication gap between researchers and policy makers has been large," concluded the authors. "Social media are a new and relatively untested tool, but they have the potential to create new communication channels between researchers and policy makers to help narrow that gap." Read more on technology.
Study: Many Preschool-aged Children Spending Too Much Time in Front of TVs, Computers
Many three- and four-year-olds are spending more than twice the recommended amount of time—two hours—in front of computers and television screens, according to a new study in the journal Child Indicators Research. Utilizing data on 2,221 preschool-aged children from the 2007 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, researchers found that 55.7 percent of children had a television in their bedroom and 12.5 percent had high home screen time, defined as more than four hours each weekday. They also found that 56.6 percent of children had access to a computer at home and 37.5 percent had used it on the last typical weekday. In addition, 49.4 percent of children used a classroom computer for more than one hour each week and 14.2 percent played computer games at school for more than five hours each week. "This research should be used as a foundation for additional studies-- particularly those that look at educational screen time versus entertainment screen time," said Erica Fletcher, a PhD student at Ohio State's College of Public Health and lead on the project. "It's a critical time to dive deeper into that. Since the data were collected, devices with screens like tablets and smart phones have become more affordable and are increasingly being used in the classroom. That has helped narrow the economic 'digital divide' on accessibility." Read more on pediatrics.
Disaster Alerts at the Speed of Sound
Millions of people have now seen their phone shake and heard it wail with news of an impending tornado or other disaster. Two years ago the wireless industry rolled out a free service known as wireless emergency alerts, and wireless carriers representing more than 98 percent of subscribers agreed to participate.
People with older phones, however, may not be able to access the alerts. Brian Josef, general counsel for the CTIA—The Wireless Association in Washington, D.C., recommends checking for the capability when buying a new phone and. For your current phone you can check with your carrier's customer service office to see whether you automatically get the alerts.
People who can't receive the texts, or who want a double layer of information, can sign up with local emergency management offices and get alerts via phone, text, email and in some cases Twitter—although sessions at the recent Preparedness Summit in Atlanta indicated that while Twitter is growing, it is still not used by many local and state health departments. Check the bottom of your health department home page to find the Twitter handle, if there is one.
Josef also points out that you may find that a neighbor got an alert and you didn't—but that's because the alerts are geo-targeted. If you and your neighbor were a few miles away from each other when an alert went out, only the one in harm's way would get pinged.
And if you're in the market for preparedness apps, the American Red Cross and the National Hurricane Center have free apps that provide alerts and help you track storms.
But the apps won't do you much good if your phone loses its charge. Preparedness experts recommend keeping a charged extra battery and portable charger on hand, and some emergency radios also include phone/device chargers.
Other tips to conserve your smartphone battery, according to Mary Clark, Chief Marketing Officer of the mobile technology company Syniverse, include:
- Reduce the brightness of your screen
- Close unnecessary apps
- Use text messages to communicate with friends and family
- Send an initial text to those most important detailing your plans
- Turn off unneeded options such as Wi-fi and Bluetooth
Public Health News Roundup: June 3
FDA Initiative Gives Developers Easy Access to Public Health Data
A new online initiative from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), openFDA, will give mobile application creators, web developers, data visualization artists and researchers access to the agency's vast public health datasets in order to streamline the creation of their own applications. The structured, computer-readable format allows researchers to determine what types of data they want to search and how they want to present that data to end-users. "The openFDA initiative leverages new technologies and methods to unlock the tremendous public data and resources available from the FDA in a user-friendly way," said Walter S. Harris, the FDA's chief operating officer and acting chief information officer. "OpenFDA is a valuable resource that will help those in the private and public sectors use FDA public data to spur innovation, advance academic research, educate the public, and protect public health." Read more on technology.
Study: 24 Million U.S. Youth Exposed to E-cigarette Advertisements
Unlike with traditional cigarettes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the marketing of e-cigarettes unless they are advertised as a smoking cessation aid. As a result, e-cigarette companies currently market their products to an audience that includes 24 million youth, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers determined that, from 2011 to 2013, youth exposure to e-cigarette advertisements climbed 256 percent and young adult exposure climbed 321 percent. They also determined that approximately 76 percent of the youth exposure came from advertisements on cable networks. Read more on tobacco.
Study: Global Investment in Midwives Needed to Save the Lives of Mothers, Newborns
Investments in midwifery could save the lives of millions of mothers and newborns, according to a new report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The report determined that 73 African, Asian and Latin American countries experienced 96 percent of the world's maternal deaths, 91 percent of stillbirths and 93 percent of newborn deaths, with lack of access to midwives a significant contributing factor. Those countries have only 42 percent of the world's midwives, nurses and doctors.
- Among the report's recommendations:
- Increased access to preventive and supportive care from a collaborative midwifery team
- Immediate access to emergency services when needed
- Completing post-secondary education
- And, from a broader perspective, women should delay marriage, have access to healthy nutrition and receive four pre-birth care visits
"Midwives make enormous contributions to the health of mothers and newborns and the well-being of entire communities. Access to quality health care is a basic human right. Greater investment in midwifery is key to making this right a reality for women everywhere," said Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, in a release. Read more on maternal and infant health.
Future of Public Health: Q&A with Margo Klar, PhD Candidate at the University of Florida
Future of Public Health is an ongoing series focused on the emerging faces in the world of public health. We spoke with Margo Klar, MPH, a PhD candidate in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Florida's College of Public Health & Health Professions, about what helped lead her to the field, her Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded work in maternal health, and where she hopes to go from here.
NewPublicHealth: What encouraged you to pursue a degree and career in public health?
Margo Klar: As an undergraduate at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) I majored in Chemical Engineering and worked in an environmental engineering lab. My undergraduate research focused on the effects of urban runoff on water quality, which we tracked from inland California to the ocean. During my last quarter at UCI, I took a biomedical engineering course. As a part of the class, we were asked to invent a new sleep apnea device. I really enjoyed that creative process and it opened my eyes to the fields of biomedical engineering and medicine.
After graduating, I began looking at applying to medical schools. I went back to school and took anatomy and biology prerequisites. My anatomy teacher once said, "In the United States we worry about problems with our feet, in other countries people don't have feet." This really resonated with me. While researching medical school programs, I learned about Master of Public Health programs. I decided the MPH would be a great stepping-stone and improve my application to medical school. I was accepted into the Yale School of Public Health in the department of Environmental Health Science. Not only did I receive the training necessary to evaluate health and look for ways to improve global health, I was also able to direct my own thesis research project. I wrote my master's thesis on an indoor cookstove improvement project for Proyecto Mirador, LLC in rural Honduras. I collected health data and examined indoor air quality improvement and reduction of firewood use as a result of cookstove replacement. This was a terrific learning experience.
NPH: You've received a Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop ceramic umbilical cord scissors. What drove you to pursue maternal and child health coming from an environmental background?
Klar: My mentor at Yale, Catherine Weikart Yeckel, PhD thought I should take a look at the Grand Challenges Explorations grant through the Gates Foundation. Essentially this funding mechanism releases a set of topics every six months to which they fund somewhere between 80 to 100 grants to the amount of $100,000 for two years of work. After the first proof of concept phase is complete, a second phase application can be submitted for up to $1 million.
Dr. Yeckel encouraged me to take a look at the maternal and child health topic. Essentially, I Googled top reasons for neonatal mortality in developing countries- neonatal tetanus and infection as a result of poor birthing hygiene and the way the umbilical cord is cut, was among the top causes. I really did not, at the time, have a strong interest in maternal and child health. I had an interest in problem solving, mainly because it's been something, which has been a personal strength throughout my education. Thanks to my engineering background, I can look at a problem and come up with a solution to try to mitigate it. So, essentially I just applied my problem solving skills to the maternal and child health topic.
Faces of Public Health: Laura Howe, The American Red Cross
The American Red Cross recently announced the opening of its second Digital Operations Center—the first one outside of its national headquarters in Washington, D.C.—in the organization's North Texas Region. Both centers are funded by the Dell Computer Corporation. The new center, along with others to be opened in the next few years, expands the ability of the American Red Cross to engage in social media, especially during regional disasters.
The Center will "allow us to build a center of expertise through our digital volunteers who help provide social data for regional responses," said Laura Howe, vice president of public relations at the American Red Cross. NewPublicHealth recently spoke with Howe about the impact of using social media to respond during disasters.
NewPublicHealth: How did the Red Cross social listening program begin?
Laura Howe: We started a social listening program for emergencies and disaster in a fulsome way after the Haiti earthquake. I walked out of my office and I had a bunch of staff members who were in tears. They were getting Twitter and Facebook messages from members of the Haitian diaspora community here in the United States giving them the exact locations of where people were trapped under rubble and where people needed help in Port au Prince. We were able to move that information to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense to hopefully get people help on the ground. But, it showed us two things. It showed us the power of individuals to provide information that can help responders, but it also showed that there was a tremendous gap in the response system for being able to take in information and respond specifically to people who had an urgent emergency rescue need, and there really is no infrastructure to be able to do that.
But I do want to make clear that the Red Cross as an organization and Red Cross disaster workers are not going to be able to take in information off of social media and then send one of our people to come get you out of the rubble or to come rescue you. We are not acting as a 911 dispatch here. We are using social media platforms to provide people with preparedness information, emotional support and information that they can take action on. We're also listening for information that can help us in our disaster response generally and help us better hone where we're putting our resources during a disaster.
NPH: What are the criteria for an optimal American Red Cross digital volunteer?
Laura Howe: We want someone who is comfortable in a social space; understands social media platforms and how social communities work; and is comfortable engaging with the public, having done that previously. Volunteers don't necessarily have to have professional experience with social media, but do have to have a personal comfort level. Our training follows up on those prior skills about how to engage on behalf of the Red Cross. We train the digital volunteers about how we take in the information and then move it to our decision makers in order to make operational decisions.


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A group of truck thieves tries to get away from police but they did not
get far. They crashed a car and did a lot of damage in Dearborn Heights
during a police chase. Turns out, one of the suspects is pregnant and
went into labor during the ordeal.
Click on the video player to watch Randy Wimbley's live report.
Thankfully, no one was hurt. It all came to an end at an auto parts show on Telegraph Rd. just south of Warren. In all, four suspects were arrested, two men and two women. During the chase and the crash, the pregnant suspect went into labor. She remains in police custody and after she delivers the baby we're told she will be taken into custody.
WHBQ-TV | Fox 13 485 S. Highland St.Memphis, TN 38111Main Station: (901) 320-1313Newsroom: (901) 320-1340

subset: commoncrawl


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Asus VivoTab Smart ME400C Tablet, Intel Atom, Windows 8, 10.1", Wi-Fi, 64GB, Black
Special offer
Product information
Take computing on the go into your own hands with the Asus VivoTab Smart Windows 8 tablet. Packing a sleek exterior and an Intel Atom processor, the VivoTab Smart is an elegant solution to taking the full Windows 8 experience on the road.
Key Features:
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Enjoy clear images thanks to the 10.1" HD display with IPS. A wide viewing angle of 178° makes it easier to share visual content with others. The multi-touch functions make navigating Windows 8 a breeze, too.
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This device can be upgraded to Windows 8.1 for free through the Windows Store.
- Battery life Information How long the battery lasts for (and if applicable) until it needs recharging
- Up to 9.5 hours
- Bluetooth Enabled Information Wireless way of transferring data between electronic devices over short distances
- Yes - 4.0
- Brand
- Computer Support Helpline Information We offer access to a 90 day helpline when you buy a new laptop or desktop computer from John Lewis. The service is available for a period of 90 days from the date you make your purchase.
- Free 90 day computer support
- Dimensions
- H171 x W262.5 x D9.7 mm
- Finish
- Black
- Graphics card Information Generate the images you see on your computer screen
- PowerVR SGX545
- Graphics card type Information A dedicated graphics card enables you to run advanced programmes such as games or design packages more smoothly. Computers without graphics cards run these programmes through their processors.
- Shared
- Hard drive Information Stores files and programmes. A portion of this may already be consumed by pre-installed data.
- Headphone socket
- Location Services
- Memory Card Slots Information A memory card slot allows you to transfer photos and files directly from a memory card.
- microSD (up to 32GB)
- Model name / number
- NFC enabled Information Devices with NFC can be tapped together to establish a wireless connection for sending or streaming files and other data
- Operating system Information Determines the interface you see on screen and the types of programmes you can run.
- Windows 8 (32 bit)
- Pixels Per Inch (PPI) Information The resolution of an image within a certain space. The more pixels per inch, the higher the detail on the screen.
- Ports Information Ports used to connect other devices, for example USB to connect peripherals or HDMI to connect to a high definition display.
- Micro USB, Micro HDMI
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- Dual-core Intel Atom Z2760
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- 1.8GHz
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- Gloss
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- 1366 x 768 pixels
- Screen size Information Measured diagonally.
- 10.1"
- Screen Type
- Multi-Touch Screen WXGA IPS Panel
- Sensors
- Accelerometer, gyroscope, Compass
- SIM Card Type Information The size of SIM card required
- Wi-Fi Only
- Sound
- Built-in Stereo Speakers
- Touch Screen
- Voice Recognition
- Webcam (front-facing) Information Used for making video calls
- 2 megapixels
- Webcam (rear-facing) Information A camera on the back of the device, typically used for taking photos and videos.
- 8M with LED Flash Light
- Weight
- 0.58kg
- Wireless Display Information Allows wireless data streaming to a WiDi-enabled TV.
- Wireless networking
- Wi-Fi- 802.11b/g/n
Click & collectFree Click & collect from John Lewis or Waitrose shops for collection tomorrow from 2pm
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Collect+ from a local shop from tomorrow - postcode exclusions apply for Collect+ deliveries5000+ participating Collect+ shops
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Current Articles
Asian Wetland Symposium 2005 The Asian Wetland Symposium 2005 - innovative approaches to sustainable livelihood, held between 6-9 February 2005, in Bhubaneswar and Chilika, Orissa state, India, has successfully concluded.
Final Statement Arising from the Wetlands International and Partners side event "Unseen Role of Wetlands" held at the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems "Make it Happen" on 1 February 2005 delivered by Prof Tekalign Mamo, State Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ethiopia.
Nong Bong Khai Non-Hunting Area Celebrated its 2nd World Wetlands Day Thailand became a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention on 13 May1997. Thailand's first Wetland of International Importance is Khuan Kee Sian, a swamp forest site adjacent to Thale Noi Non-Hunting Area, Pathhalung Province in the south of Thailand.
The second meeting of the Wetlands and Livelihoods Working Group is to be held on the 7th February 2005 with the kind cooperation of Novib in The Hague.
Read more news from our office on Our offices page.


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Productivity | Tip
Swimming has been my favorite sport which I practice since I was a young kid and it's the sport which I practice most regularly. Even as I get older and find other sports like soccer or tennis seem to be getting harder on my frame, I am still able to swim as agile and flexible as I was many years ago. It's the sport where I feel more refreshed and feeling better when I am done.
Here's how I made my swimming sessions more enjoyable and fun using these accessories:
Enjoy your swim.
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The other day the diagnostics warning light came on. I have 90k miles on my car, most of them driven by me. I figured something in the car needs to be checked out. A modern car has all kinds of sensors which monitor the different functions and devices in the car. A typical modern car has an OBD II output plug which one can attach an OBD II scanner to. The plug is usually in the car under the driver side console. The scanner can display a code which tells you the cause of the issue. The code by itself is not meaningful so you still need to do a code lookup to get the corresponding description. There are web sites and mobile apps which translate the code to a description.
I didn't have a scanner so I went to an AutoZone auto parts store. They can scan the code for you for free. Meanwhile I ordered a Bluetooth OBD II scanner for about $7 from eBay. Very cheap and it includes shipping from China. The scanner is a little unit which plugs into the car's OBD outlet and it communicates with your phone through Bluetooth. On my Android phone, I enabled Bluetooth, paired it with the scanner and installed an Android OBD app called Torque Lite. The screen shot above is from that app. You can configure it to display different gauges and readings and there are many readings you can choose from. There are tens of OBD apps in Google's app store and you can try some and choose the one you like the most. I am sure the iPhone has similar apps. The apps should at least be able to display the code for the issue which caused the warning light. My code was about the catalyst converter. Oddly, just before going to the dealer to have check the car, the warning light went off. I told the dealer what the code was and they told me there was nothing wrong with the converter. They explained that sometimes the real issue could be a different device. Luckily after doing a checkup, they couldn't find anything wrong.
After using the scanner, I was surprised about the amount of readings and feedback the car can give. Personally one interesting reading is the Miles Per Gallon (MPG). I like to know how my different driving styles can affect my fuel efficiency. What surprises me is why don't the car manufactures display the codes in the car's dashboard. The car already can output the codes. The dashboard can display information so why not connect the two? The MPG reading is pretty useful and I wish it was in the dashboard.
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Web Usability
When submitting the form at this DNNSofware user login page with wrong credentials, the return page jumps suddenly from its current position. It's an unnecessary jarring visual effect. For best usability effect, display a result message while keeping the page in its current position regardless of where the viewport is in relation to the page's length. This way the user's eye direction stays on the form in the same position without distraction.
This DNNSoftware user registration page has the whole form below the fold. At a glance, a user can't discern if this page has a form. There's too much unnecessary white space. The font size of the title "Create a DNN Site Account" is too big. The image is too big. These elements could be smaller and part of the form would rise to be visible in the page.
I have noticed some restaurants use links to pdf files as their only means for showing their food menu. The other day I went to a restaurant for brunch and the wait was over an hour. I decided that was too long a wait so I pulled out my phone looking for another nearby restaurant. I found one but I couldn't view the menu on their website. The menu was an image link to a pdf file. I clicked on the link and nothing happened. I clicked a few times. Then I noticed several download icons on the notification bar. The phone was downloading the same pdf file in multiple instances! I cancelled all but one download. When the download finished and the pdf file opened in a pdf reader, I saw mostly garbled text. Duh.. what a frustrating experience. I decided not to go to that restaurant. Their loss.
However this didn't end at this point. Later from home I emailed the restaurant and told them about my unfriendly mobile experience with their site. Their response was that the restaurant had several locations and the menu changes every week and differently for each location. So placing pdf files was the easiest solution and it was too much work to update the site.
Personally I find this a weak reason. The menu didn't have any graphics so whatever tool they used to create the pdf I am sure it had an option to export to a single formatted HTML file which could as easily be placed in the site. Just name the file the same original name. Word, Illustrator, Publisher or whatever tool was used surely has an export or Save As option to a single HTML file.
Make your site mobile friendly if it has a high chance for being used from a mobile device and your business gets significant customers on the go.
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Software | Tip
Instead of installing a LAMP environment by installing the different components separately in Windows, there's a simple one click install which works beautifully. Plus you can install PHP apps like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla using the same one click installs.
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Tip | Software
In my previous post I talked about how to view what SQL statements a PHP program sends to a MySQL database in real time. Coming from using Microsoft's development tools (Visual Studio, .NET & SQL Server) to using PHP and MySQL, I feel Microsoft has made me a spoiled developer with the tools I have on hand. Tools that are very powerful, yet easy to use and require very little or no setups. I came across a tool which enables me to code and debug PHP in my favorite IDE, Visual Studio (VS).
PHP Tools for Visual Studio from Devsense. It's a Visual Studio extension which enables you to code and debug PHP applications right from inside VS. It's very easy to set up including the set up for xdebug for debugging. It even showed the recommended xdebug settings and offered to apply the changes to php.ini instead of me doing them manually. As a PHP beginner, I like that PHP documentation is available inside VS. When hovering over any PHP method, a tooltip shows me the function description. It's a big time saver. I don't have to open a PHP site or book to learn what function does. A basic version is free and a Pro version is $79. A 30 day trial is available which has all the Pro features. The Basic version doesn't include debugging and other features. So for me the Basic version is of no use as the whole reason for me for using such a tool is for debugging. I just started evaluating the product yesterday and I am very impressed with the ease and quality of this software.
I am a full time .NET developer however I am working on a personal project which involves WordPress and converting a WordPress to .NET. That's why I am learning PHP because I need to know how WordPress and the plugin work in PHP. More...
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Productivity | Software | Tip
One application I find very useful is SQL Server Profiler which I often use for debugging Windows apps which connect to SQL Server. The profiler displays all the commands which were issued by the app. One of my personal projects I am working on is WordPress. WordPress uses PHP and MySQL for its database. WordPress interacts heavily with MySQL. I need to debug WordPress and find out it's sending to MySQL? I need a tool like SQL Server Profiler. I did some research and was disappointed to find out there's nothing as powerful and as easy to use as SQL Server Profiler. This is when I appreciate what Microsoft provides for its developers. I am a .NET developer and switching to PHP and MySQL is an less pleasant experience. I will blog about how to set up PHP debugging.
I tried different MySQL profilers or tracers, as some call them. I was getting annoyed by how clunky or how buggy or how time consuming these tools are to set up and use until I came across a tool which looked very promising, Neor Profile SQL. It's a free proxy app which sits between your client (WordPress in my case) and MySQL. It receives and captures the SQL commands from the client and then passes them to MySQL. Then it receives the response and passes them back to the client.
Easy Setup:
Neor was very simple to set up. All I had to do is tell WordPress to talk to Neor instead of to MySQL and this is done by changing the port it uses from port 3306 (MySQL's port) to Neor's port 4040 (can be changed). In WordPress this is done by changing the port number in the wp-config.php. Neor needs to be running during debugging.
Don't forget to change back the port number when you're done. This is as close SQL Server Profiler experience as I could get. Real time SQL logging with some useful statistics.
(Screen1): This screen shows the sessions WordPress used to load my home page. The home page has an image slider which issues its own SQL commands.
(Screen 2): Then double clicking the first session, shows the queries in this screen capture. The SQL code of the selected query is shown.
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Software | Tip
Today I came across an error message from Excel 2013. I was trying to open an .xlxs file and received this error:
I have gigs of free memory (system has 32G RAM) and gigs of free disk space on my c drive and the drive which holds the temp folder. So I know this error message is misleading and the issue is most probably something total unrelated to this message.
After searching the web, the simple solution was to right-click on the file and click the unblock button. It seems Windows (I am using Windows 8) didn't trust the file because it I downloaded it from the web.
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Tip | Software | Productivity
This is a quick tip. If you experience too much jaggies or pixelation when scaling a bitmap image up or down, try Perfect Resize from OnOneSoftware. It comes either as a stand alone program or as a plugin for Photoshop and other graphics software. In some instances, it does a much better job than Photoshop's resizing feature. The company offers a 30 day fully functional download.
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Out of Iraq: The Logic of Immediate Withdrawal and How to Resist the War
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
C. Walsh Theatre
55 Temple Street
Boston, MA 02114
Howard Zinn has authored 20 books including, A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present" He is a prominent figure from the 1960s Civil Rights and Vietnam Anti-War movements. He will argue for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Jim (surname withheld) is a member of the Iraq Veterans Against the War and a signator of the "Appeal for Redress." He will speak about what military veterans and enlisted personel are doing to combat the war. His organization has called for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. He will explain this position from the perspective of an enlisted soldier.
Patrick Resta is a founding member of the Iraq Veterans Against the War and a former Army medic deployed to Iraq during the initial invasiion. He will speak about his organization After the War, which is dedicated to assisting vetrans with the transition back to civilian life.
Bryan Nelson is a self identified "war-tax resiter." He will explain how the curtailment of tax information will prohibity the U.S.'s ability to carry-out aggressive warfare.
This event is co-sponsored by the Emerson Peace and Social Justice group and the Suffolk University Students for Peace and Justice.
This event is free and open to the public.Back to Events Listing »


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By FREDERIC J. FROMMERAssociated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department and a congressional committee are disagreeing on the pace of their talks to settle a lawsuit over the bungled gun-tracking program known as Operation Fast and Furious.
In a joint filing Friday night, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee told the judge in the case that the Justice Department's settlement offer was a "grave disappointment," adding it did not believe that Attorney General Eric Holder is serious about a settlement.
In the same filing, the Justice Department said it provided a "meaningful offer" to the committee and that a settlement is still possible.
Holder has been found in contempt of the House for refusing to turn over records related to the program. The department has already turned over 7,600 pages of documents on the operation itself.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
WJBK-TV | Fox 2 16550 West Nine Mile Rd.Southfield, MI 48075Main Station: (248) 557-2000Newsroom: (248) 552-5103


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Kennedy High School girls basketball player Lynette Johnson remembers the expansive venue, the screaming fans, the big stakes.
Most of all, she recalls the fatigue.
"On a scale of one to 10, that game was an 11," Johnson said of last year's Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game between Kennedy and Oak Ridge at Sleep Train Arena. "It's by far the most memorable game I've played in.
"But at the time, all I could think about was how tired I was. I kept telling my teammates, 'Let's not let this go into overtime because I don't know if I can make it.' "
Not only did the game go into overtime, it took two overtimes for Kennedy to beat the Trojans 62-58.
Johnson tied the score 54-54 with a buzzer-beating putback to force the second overtime. Then the 5-foot-10 guard-forward's three-pointer with 1:05 to go gave Kennedy the lead for good at 60-58. She finished with 24 points and nine rebounds.
Jenn Hoffman, then an unsung Oak Ridge sophomore, matched Johnson with 24 points, including six three-pointers. Her two free throws with 5.1 seconds left sent the game into the first overtime 49-49.
"Whenever you get a chance to win a championship, it's a special experience, even if losing leaves a bad taste in your mouth," Oak Ridge coach Steve White said. "What I remember most is that we were a half-second from victory and Lynette gets an offensive rebound and putback. I also remember how amazing it was watching Jenn try to will her team to victory."
The teams meet again at 7:30 tonight in another high-stakes game, the D-I semifinals at Pacific.
Many of those who played in last season's championship game are back, including the do-everything Johnson she's eight points shy of 200 career playoff points and the 5-4 Hoffman, still a dangerous outside scoring threat.
It's a matchup of two of the area's top girls programs and two longtime coaches, White and Kennedy's Dave Parsh, who got to know each other while commuting to master's degree classes at Saint Mary's more than a decade ago.
"That was back when I was considering pursuing a college coaching job," said Parsh, who has taught at Kennedy since 2000 and has been the girls head coach for four seasons. "That was before I decided family life took precedence, that I couldn't go around the country traveling and living that kind of lifestyle."
White's Oak Ridge teams have made the playoffs all 18 seasons he has coached at the El Dorado Hills school. His teams have won three section titles, and his 2010 team, led by Stanford's Sara James, upset nationally ranked Long Beach Poly for the CIF state championship.
Parsh also has won three section titles two at St. Francis and last year at Kennedy and coached a state championship team 20 years ago at St. Francis.
Both coaches say they are fortunate to work at schools with strong traditions and support staffs and smart and fundamentally sound players. And they often win without a plethora of players who go on to play at Division I colleges.
Johnson (Utah State) and Oak Ridge senior forward Haley Anderson (UC San Diego) are the only players from this season's teams who have signed NCAA letters of intent.
Oak Ridge has had eight consecutive 20-plus-win seasons, including 25-3 this year. The Trojans' only losses have been to national No. 1 Mater Dei of Santa Ana, national No. 6 Pflugerville of Texas and Bay Area power Heritage of Brentwood.
Kennedy, which has had six 20-plus-win seasons in the last eight years, is 23-5. The Cougars have lost to Division II section semifinalist Sacramento twice and NorCal powers St. Mary's of Stockton (top-seeded and opposite Oak Ridge and Kennedy in the D-I bracket) and Salesian of Richmond.
The Cougars also lost 55-50 to D-III finalist Christian Brothers in the Oak Ridge tournament in December, preventing an anticipated Kennedy-Oak Ridge championship finale.
That loss has made tonight's game even more intriguing.
Oak Ridge is led by Anderson, who had 23 points in the Trojans' 52-37 quarterfinal win over Monterey Trail, and Ali Bettencourt, a 5-10 junior guard who had 22 points in a 68-29 win over Bella Vista in the playoffs opener.
"It's going to be a tough game," Johnson said. "Steve White is an amazing coach. His teams are always so disciplined and fundamental. And the way they lost last year it was such a tough loss I know they want to beat us."
Johnson will get no argument from White.
"Lynette is an amazing player, but she also has great support, which makes them so tough," White said of Kennedy's team, which includes 6-1 Dalayna Tyler-Scott, Jessica Lauderdale, Katie Lee, Arica Ng and Sidney Owen. "They can shoot the lights out, they're fundamentally sound and play good defense. You can see Dave's stamp on everything they do."
Johnson, who has suffered three concussions during her prep career, just hopes it's not another double-overtime thriller.
"When that was all said and done, the fatigue, the pain, the injuries, it was all worth it," Johnson said of last year's game. "But I'd rather not do that again."
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.


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Ada Blackjack : a true story of survival in the Arctic
Niven, Jennifer.
Adult Nonfiction E99.E7 B6563 2003
Niven, Jennifer.
Adult Nonfiction E99.E7 B6563 2003
What other readers are saying about this title:
Minnetonka Library Staff said:
Loved this book...high adventure.
posted Apr 11, 2009 at 4:28PM
Jennifer L. said:
The odds were stacked against her as things went from bad to worse for 23-year-old Ada Blackjack, the sole woman and Eskimo to take part in a five-person expedition to Wrangel Island in the high Arctic in 1921. She faced the men's ridicule, bitter cold, hunger, and starvation. A tremendous book about a true little-known heroine.
posted Jun 5, 2014 at 3:50PM
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When the Going Gets Tough …
Hawaii's No. 1 Realtor Worked Even Harder in Last Year's Weak Economy
(page 1 of 2)
Photo: Joshua Fletcher
When the real estate market was taking a beating last year along with the overall economy, Rob Kildow didn't back down.
"I like a challenge, and when the market got sketchy on us, I throttled up as much as I could go," Kildow says. "My wife, Barbara, and I have been together for 21 years, and she said last year might have been the hardest she's seen me go."
The effort paid off. Kildow ranks No. 1 this year on the Hawaii Business Top 100 Realtors, a list based on gross sales registered in MLS. His total sales in 2009 were $107.4 million.
His biggest sale last year was a "stunning" $26.25 million home that stretches over an acre of land at the Big Island's Hualalai Resort. "The only thing between it and the ocean is the signature 17th green on the Hualalai golf course," Kildow says. That was the second-most expensive sale in Hawaii last year, exceeded only by the sale of Kauai's "Tara Plantation" (see next page "2009's Biggest Deal").
Kildow and his company, Hualalai Realty, deal exclusively within the luxurious Hualalai Resort, a Four Seasons resort owned by computer magnate Michael Dell. The resort recently completed a $40-million renovation and is stacked with multimillion-dollar homes along 65 acres of the Big Island's Kohala Coast.
"You need a real solid foundation to weather the market we are currently experiencing … and, fortunately, we've got a lot of things we can sell off of here," Kildow says.
That includes six restaurants, two golf courses, two workout facilities, a spa, a pool, two beach clubs, a five-diamond Four Seasons Resort and an ocean-activity program at the nearby beach. "I get a lot of ammo to use," Kildow says.
He also attributes his success to a combination of other factors, including "great coverage" from national and global media that are attracted by Hualalai's luxurious amenities; the "prequalified prospects" he gets from the Four Seasons Resort; and the referrals he gets from previous clients.
"The referrals we get from our current owners are the most effective, because they've already done it, they've purchased here. So they are talking with their friends and colleagues, wherever their primary homes might be, saying, 'You should go to Hualalai. We think it's wonderful.' Those people have already voted with their checkbooks, and that's a more compelling story than some article in Spa Magazine."
Some Hawaii families have getaway homes at Hualalai, he says, but the majority of his customers are Mainlanders.
"In the beginning, it was heavily weighted to the West Coast, and within the West Coast to California, but in the last few years our range has really picked up," Kildow says. "I think we have 26 to 28 states represented here and five different countries."
Kildow was not even on last year's Top 100 Realtors list because the resort's sales were not previously reported to MLS, which is the basis for the rankings.
So far, he says, 2010's sales have been a continuation of a "very good last five months of 2009" for the resort and himself.
"We've now put eight very solid months together, and as long as we can keep that up, we're going to be very happy. And I don't see any outward signs of that diminishing, but you can rest assured we're not taking anything for granted."
Kildow says he doesn't expect real estate prices in general to shift very much over the next couple of years, in part because construction prices have decreased, which could keep prices down for people trying to resell homes.
"I think anyone who expects any real appreciation over the next few years is probably going to be disappointed," Kildow says. "I think there is still enough inventory out there, and we're just trying to get a real firm floor established, and I know others in other price groups are trying to do the same."
Kildow has come a long way since selling his first house – to a third cousin for $36,000 in 1976 in Olympia, Wash.
"I can barely remember it," Kildow says with a laugh. "It was a long time ago. But other times it feels like it was a few years ago, because my career has gone very quickly. I've done practically all the things one can do in the real estate business."
Though grateful to be recognized as Hawaii's No. 1 Realtor, he repeatedly gives credit to his team. When the initial figures for the Top 100 Realtors were compiled, MLS data listed Kildow with $210 million in sales, but he graciously told Hawaii Business that his colleagues were responsible for half of those sales.
"I am so fortunate to have a team that shows up every day," Kildow says. "Because this is like the World Series every day. People come in here and expect an extremely high level of service and information, and everybody delivers it."
Kildow also attributes his success to Hualalai itself. He and Barbara moved there in 2001 and he began working for the resort in December 2003.
"My wife and I have traveled a lot, and I meet people who are very well-traveled. I tell people, if they ever come across a place that you feel has Hualalai beat, you call because Barbara and I will be there in 48 hours. And guess what? The phone has never rung on that one."
Meeting Cher
When you have been in the real estate business as long as Rob Kildow, you have met a lot of interesting people and have great stories to tell. One of Kildow's favorites is how he helped Cher sell a home that she had bought and spent a lot of money upgrading.
"Meeting Cher was fun," Kildow says. "I'd swung by the home just to check how work was progressing because it wasn't yet complete. I hadn't met Cher, but I knew she was the investor behind it.
"There was a group of three people there and I recognized who I thought was her and she got up and said, 'Who are you?' And I said, 'My name is Rob. I'm the director of sales here.'
She said, 'Oh, my name is Cher,' and I said, 'Yeah, I figured that much out."
Link to list of Top 100 Realtors
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Hawaii Business magazine invites you to comment on our articles and the issues they raise. Comments are moderated for offensive language, commercial messages and off-topic posts and may be deleted. Some comments may be chosen for inclusion in the magazine on the Feedback page.


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Since the day the first cave family hired someone to make them into a "hut family," contractors have been struggling with the tough operational questions that go hand in hand with growing or running a business:
• When can I hang up my toolbelt and get out of the field?
• Should my first employee be a secretary, a salesperson, or a project manager?
• How much can I afford to pay employees?
• When does it make sense to move off the kitchen table and open a real office?
• How many jobs should a salesperson sell and a project manager manage?
• Should I discount my prices to get more work? By how much?
• What about starting a couple of spec houses — good idea or not?
There's a way to take nearly all of the guesswork out of these and many other important business decisions. It's broadly referred to as "management accounting," and while it's similar to the GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) that your accountant would use to calculate your taxes or prepare financial statements when you need a loan from the bank, there are significant differences.
GAAP accounting — also known as financial accounting — is largely historical, a meticulous record of where you've been. Management accounting, by contrast, is forward-looking: It tells you not only where you've been, but where you're going — and it tells you far enough ahead of time that you can change course if you need to. Once you understand the principles of budgeting and tracking in management format, you'll have the closest thing to a crystal ball this side of Harry Potter. With a few key spreadsheets and reports, you'll be able to operate your business like never before, knowing beforehand that a decision to hire an employee, open an office, or take on a new type of work will be successful.
Note that I'm not an accountant and dislike tedious "bookkeeping" as much as the next guy. Management accounting is not a substitute for your CPA. If you don't already have a good accountant, please go find one who is expert in the issues surrounding a construction company: minimizing your taxes and managing your liability exposure (so you don't lose everything you've worked for if somebody is hurt or killed on your job site).
While many of the same concepts found in financial accounting still apply — gross profit margin, direct vs. indirect costs, and fixed vs. variable costs, for example — management accounting practices will sometimes differ from what your accountant does. That's perfectly okay. Just follow your CPA's advice to the letter when it comes to any financials you need to show to the outside world.
Over the next several months I'll cover the specifics of management accounting and show how it's used to make specific decisions that every contractor faces. This month I'll start with some basic principles and identify some of the key metrics. And if something doesn't make total sense, don't worry — I'll be revisiting specific topics in greater detail in future articles.
Most builders understand a project budget — planning how many 2x4s or how much labor will be required for a project. The foundation of working "by the numbers," though, is not just budgeting job costs but actually planning your sales and revenue based on some key factors: gross profit, break-even volume, and your personal income requirements. In other words, you're going to plan to succeed instead of just taking any job that shows up.
Gross profit. Builders tend to think about "profit" in terms of what's left over after all the bills are paid — that is, net profit. But in fact, gross profit margin is the primary business driver in a "by the numbers" approach, for reasons that will become clear as we go along.
The simple formula for gross profit margin is:
Total Sales ˆ' Cost of Goods Sold = Gross Profit
Gross profit (GP) is the difference between what you sell jobs for (total sales) and the cost of your "sticks and bricks" — the materials and labor required to produce the project. GP is what you have left before taking out any of your "overhead" (office expenses and utilities, for example) or any of your "indirect" job costs, such as supervision, warranty liability, or site costs like Porta-Johns and job trailers.
I'll leave the details for a future column; for now, just remember that most new-home builders need to have a gross profit of 25 percent or so, but for remodelers that number jumps to 40 percent to 50 percent of sales. Why the big difference? Because remodeling projects are smaller in dollar volume, there are higher sales and marketing costs, there's more supervision required, and there's greater warranty exposure (see illustration, facing page).
Why is it so important to focus on gross profit and not just on the bottom line? Well, which would you rather do — run yourself ragged, or earn the same money dealing with fewer projects? Adding or subtracting just a few percent to your gross profit on every job can change your entire outlook for the year. Of course it's important to keep your overhead under control, but it's even more important to plan for the highest gross profit possible on every job you do. This brings us to the next important metric, your break-even volume.
Break-even volume. In a "by the numbers" operation, your break-even volume is the minimum amount of work (in dollars or number of projects) required to "cover your nut" and keep your doors open for some period of time, typically a year. It comes before your net profit, which is the return on your investment, but after you've paid yourself for everything you contribute to the business. The doors couldn't stay open without you, so you deserve some percentage of sales as a salary for being the boss. If you sell the jobs, you're also due a reasonable sales commission for that, and if you supervise jobs or work with tools, you should be compensated for those activities as well.
Most contractors have never calculated their break-even volume; instead, they take whatever work walks in the door, for whatever price they can sell it for at the time. That's an inefficient way to operate, and it can lead to early burnout and business failure.
In a future column, we'll examine how to calculate your break-even volume and the "contribution margin" for each job — the amount a job contributes to covering the total cost of keeping you in business. For now, let's assume you've calculated your break-even point to be $120,000 in gross profit for the year, and your average job is an $80,000 addition that contributes $20,000 in GP. Your break-even volume is six of those projects (6 — $20,000 = 120,000), or $480,000 in total sales at a gross profit margin of 25 percent. To stay on track, you'd need to sell, start, and complete one of those jobs every two months.
Let's say the year starts out strong — you sell two jobs at full price in January, but February brings no leads. In March, you decide to offer a 10 percent discount (–$8,000) to sign a job. Meanwhile, your lead carpenter throws in a few "extras," giving away an additional $2,000 in upgrades to keep a customer happy. No big deal, right?
Consultant for the home improvement industry Dennis Schaefer discusses how builders are...
Construction Management
Joe Stoddard
Your contract requires written change orders, but for some reason you don't get one in...
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Akai makes a second big announcement for 2012: the MPC Fly for iPad. Merging unmatched Akai Professional technology with the power of the iPad 2, the MPC Fly has all the capabilities that have made the MPC an industry standard: real backlit MPC pads, MPC Note Repeat and MPC Swing. The double-hinged design gives you the flexibility to produce tracks anywhere, while also acting as a protective case and giving you total access to your iPad 2 for normal uses. Check out the intro video below:
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Motorola's second-generation Moto X phone has all the design-it-yourself charm of the first, but with up-to-date specs.
Ready to ditch some wires? This retro-styled bookshelf speaker (worth $150!) can pair with your phone or tablet for streaming goodness. And I'm giving away five of 'em!
A good budget frame for those who like the traditional look, the HP DF820 series offers more capabilities than competitors, without too much complexity.
It's the wood that makes it good, or at least better-sounding than plastic or metal housings, according to audiophiles.
BioLite's camping stove combines a fire pit, grill, and gadget-charging station for when you're far away from an outlet.
The Kisai Night Vision Wood watch from Tokyoflash may be one of the most sly timepieces ever invented, masquerading as a blank watch.
The $149.99 Fluance Fi30 is arguably the best wireless Bluetooth speaker we've heard for the money.
Limited-edition headphones made from Bushmills Whiskey casks? We'll drink to that.
Designer Nando Costa has created an experimental abstract stop-motion film by painstakingly laser cutting each frame onto a block of maple wood.
The 4.7-inch Moto X is the first smart phone from Google and Motorola -- and it's a bit wooden.


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Sneeze, cough and consult Dr. Google One in three Americans look to the Internet when trying to fix what ails them or someone else, according to a study recently released by the Pew Internet Project.
About half of those who do online triage follow up with a visit to the clinic. In 40 percent of those cases, a medical professional confirmed the diagnosis.
"Online health information is available day or night, at no cost, and the Internet has become a de facto second opinion for many people," said Susannah Fox, lead author of the Pew report.
While Fox and local experts caution that the Internet isn't the same as a visit to a medical professional — and can offer scary or misleading answers — it's a key resource for patients that health care providers are starting to embrace.
Allina Health in Minnesota, for example, recently encouraged non-emergency patients to use its MyChart system for e-visits rather than sit in clinic waiting rooms at the height of flu season.
"It's all about convenience," said Dr. Jane Herrmann, medical director of MyChart e-visits.
According to Pew, 80 percent of the people who seek health information online start at a general search engine, such as Google or Bing.
The Mayo Clinic's website for consumer health information, one of the most credible resources online, draws an average of 100 million page views a month.
But even there, doctors say, people shouldn't get too anxious about what they might find. They also should follow up with their doctor if they have questions.
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Four ways to live well this winter
Dreaming of spring? You're not the only one. Instead of sitting inside this winter, use these tips to "think spring" so you'll be ready for the season:
Try a smoothie
Nutrition has an incredible impact on wellness, and incorporating whole foods into your daily routine can help you stay fit through the winter months. A quick and easy way to begin incorporating more nutrient-packed foods into your diet is with fruit and vegetable smoothies. Simply toss whole fruits and vegetables into a blender, and you'll get a smooth, on-the-go treat that tastes great and gives you natural energy.
Get moving
Exercise is essential to staying healthy, especially during winter when it's tempting to hibernate. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control recommend that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, plus muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. Join a dance or fitness class with a friend, go hiking, cycling or cross-country skiing in a nearby park, orincorporate exercise into your regular winter routine. Play outside with your dog or kids, keeping dumbbells at your desk, or walk down the hall to deliver messages in-person versus via email.
Set a goal
Planning a vacation for springtime can give you something to look forward to and is great motivation for remaining committed to a healthy lifestyle. Organize an exciting adventure with your family or friends to take your mind off the dreary weather and keep you inspired to stay in shape.
Remember to laugh
Don't let the overcast skies bring you down. Smiling and laughing are good for your health any time of year. Recent Stanford University research suggests that a good giggle fit actually can lower stress and act as a mini-workout.
Local prostate cancer support group receives donation
The Greater Quad City Us Too Prostate Cancer Support Group recently received a $2,500 donation from Harcros Chemicals, Inc., of Davenport.
Us Too was one of four charitable organizations to receive a donation from Harcros Chemicals. According to a news release, Us Too received the donation because of a Harcros employee's experience with the group after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The employee contacted Us Too early in his diagnosis and was put in touch with the group leader, Bill Palos, according to the release.
Mr. Palos recommended he attend one of the group's monthly meetings for information on the variety of treatment options and how they impacted the men in the group who had received them.
Because of his experience, he nominated Us Too to receive the donation.
According to the release, Us Too will use the funds to establish a way to reach out into the local minority communities to provide free Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests to men who cannot afford them.
For more information about Us Too, visit ustoogqc.org.
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- Musician's Friend Best Selection, Price & Service. Guaranteed.
Need Help? Call our Gear Heads at 800-449-9128Private Reserve Guitars 866-926-1923
Need Help? Call our Gear Heads at 800-449-9128
Light and loud, great sound.
Imagine a keyboard amp that's been designed with the same passion, attention to detail, and enthusiasm as today's leading guitar and bass amplifiers. That's the Alto Kick12.
The Kick12 incorporates modern circuitry to give you 400 Watts of peak power in an astonishingly lightweight enclosure. It's been designed and tuned by passionate audio enthusiasts to give you the best audio quality and power output in its class. With the Kick12, none of that massive power gets wasted. Even the speaker baffle has been designed to direct your sound with precision, holding both the woofer and tweeter at a slight upward angle to accomplish the best throw.
At its heart the Kick15 is multifunctional. Its host of inputs and outputs, on-board four-channel mixer, and built-in effects allow you to use it as keyboard amp, drum monitor, electronic percussion amplifier or even as PA system for small to medium-sized gigs. With this much versatility, you need an amplifier that's going to run efficiently and sound great night after night. The Kick15 has a true bi-amped design, giving its 12" LF woofer and 1" HF driver each its own dedicated amplifier. Neither gets overworked and neither gets neglected. You hear every frequency, clean and crystal clear.
The Kick12 comes with 16 genuine Alesis effects, including delay, flanger, chorus and multiple reverbs. Each effect has 16 different variations, giving you a total of 256 effect presets to choose from. A footswitch input allows you to activate or bypass the effects channel instantly while you perform (footswitch not included). FX Level controls are located on all four channels, allowing you to dial in just the right amount of effect on each channel.
The Kick12 from Alto Professional is a reimagining of what a keyboard amp should be, built from the ground up. Massive power, essential capabilities, and precision-engineered components come together to give you an amplifier that sounds and performs better.
Order now and fall in love with playing all over again.
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Comments about Alto Kick12 400W Instrument Amplifier/PA:
Nice clear sound, good effects, portable, sounds good with guitar, piano, and bass.
Best Uses
Comments about Alto Kick12 400W Instrument Amplifier/PA:
There is no way this thing is 400 watts. My Harkte KM 15 blows this thing away and it is listed at only 200 watts.The Alto may be lighter than the Harkte but after that it's junk
Best Uses
Comments about Alto Kick12 400W Instrument Amplifier/PA:
This amp is not a real 400 Watts of power might be 100 max the 60 watt Roland Cube is just as loud. Do not expect it to blow the doors off. However, it has plenty volume for small venues like coffee shops or a small lounge where you are background music and people are eating and visiting. With four separate inputs for a mic and instruments or whatever it is perfect for a single solo act in small intimate situations.
Best Uses
Comments about Alto Kick12 400W Instrument Amplifier/PA:
I thought I'd try the new Alto Kick12 mixer/amp/speaker for small coffeehouse gigs. It arrived today and I have to say that I am very impressed with both the build quality, design and sound of this thing.
It has decent power, a 4-channel mixer plus one extra AUX input, Alesis digital effects, tilt-back stand and more. For the price, it's a really nice all-in-one unit for guys like me who just do small acoustic gigs once in a while.
I do find so far that the advertised "400-watts" is completely bogus. It comes close to my old Fishman Loudbox 100, but with much fuller sound. But 400 watts? No way. Also, the lack of a digital display and extremely small numbers for effects patches makes it difficult to see what patch you are using.
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Comments about Alto Kick12 400W Instrument Amplifier/PA:
I am a guitar player who has been playing for over 40 years. I have owned many amps, both lead and bass. The last dozen years, I have played guitar floor processors such as the Boss GT-100 directly through pa systems on stage as well as in band practice. This allows for maximum volume with very low hiss. About a year ago I decided to retire from playing out and with that decision sold my 10 cabinet mega-watt pa system as well. I have been since searching for a portable system that would allow me to jam along with backing tracks, etc. When I saw the Alto Kick-12, I felt this would be perfect.
Plugged it in, inserted my electric guitar and drum machine and it blew me away. The amp sounds amazing. The bass for a 12" speaker is deep and kickin, the mids are great and the highs are well balanced. The entire sound is very musical and not tiring to the ears. The volume is more than enough for my needs (I practice very loud) with not a hint on distortion and very low hiss. The 4 inputs allow me to jam with a friend or insert a mic, keyboard etc. The salesperson at Guitar Center highly recommended Alto products and he was right. The cloth covering makes the unit look 1st class. I have no need for the effects so I won't comment on them but I give the unit an A+ as it meets my expectations.
Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


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The difference between the 2012-13 season and the previous two in South Beach is the added hardware and bling. AmericanAirlines Arena is glittering with gold after the Heat's second title in seven years and first of their Big Three Era.
Other than that, little has changed. The Heat are geared to compete for another championship with the addition of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, and they looked impressive in their debut, a 120-107 pasting of the Celtics.


text: Be the first to put your peepers on the 1 Reel Film Festival. On Friday, September 2, SIFF will be giving a FREE sneak peek at some of the best in short film from around the world. This is a classy event, so an RSVP is required, but spots go fast.


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Uncanny X-Men By Kieron Gillen, Vol. 1
What is to become of Cyclops and the mutants who side with him after the big split? And what does it have to do with the resurrected Mr. Sinister? The hottest new writer in the business, Kieron Gillen (Thor), and superstar artist Carlos Pacheco (Ultimate Avengers) bring you the biggest and baddest X-Men you've ever seen. ~Marvel.com
Read the reviews on Goodreads.


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User Stories
"My expertise is in finance, not programming. To perform sophisticated analysis on vast amounts of data, I needed software that was easy to use and included many of the functions I needed. With MATLAB I can do everything in one environment, and that is a real benefit."
Omid Rezania, CalPERS
The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) manages pension and health benefits for approximately 1.5 million California public employees, retirees, and their families. Over the past five years, the CalPERS $236 billion investment portfolio has achieved an annual rate of return of 14.3%.
CalPERS financial managers are exploring the potential for generating profit in currency markets using high-frequency intraday trading, an emerging practice recently made possible by the availability of historical data, electronic trading platforms, and computing tools. CalPERS uses MATLAB® to analyze historical currency market data and better understand market dynamics such as volume, volatility, and market direction.
"By quantifying market dynamics and modeling market behavior, we can identify some very interesting opportunities," says Omid Rezania, Investment Officer at CalPERS. "We use MATLAB to analyze millions of rows of data and rapidly test out new hypotheses. This cannot be done as easily using any other software."
CalPERS intends to gain a deep understanding of intraday market dynamics, which may lead to developing an automated trading system that can make a decision and execute a trade within fractions of a second.
To develop the mathematical models that will drive such a system, CalPERS needed an integrated environment for analyzing vast amounts of data, visualizing results, and validating new hypotheses through backtesting.
"For each currency, we analyze about four years' worth of bid and ask prices—between 7 and 10 million rows of data. The analysis is further complicated because, unlike stocks, nobody knows how much of any currency changed hands on any given day," says Rezania. "Peers who have attempted similar analysis recommended a combination of custom C/C++ code, SQL, and spreadsheets, but we wanted to do the work in a single environment—with built-in functionality and visualization capabilities—that would make it easier to test ideas."
CalPERS used MATLAB and companion toolboxes to analyze foreign currency trading data and quantify market dynamics.
Working in MATLAB, Rezania parsed text files that contained millions of bid and ask prices and the time they occurred, sometimes recorded to the millisecond. He also used MATLAB to clean up and format the data, deleting erroneous entries and inserting missing values by interpolating as needed.
With the entire data set loaded into a MATLAB matrix, Rezania analyzed chunks of time to understand, for example, how market volatility was related to the spread between bid and ask prices.
He used Econometrics Toolbox™ and Financial Toolbox™ to forecast volatility in the market, analyze correlations, and examine various types of co-movement in data series. Once a hypothesis was developed, Rezania used Financial Toolbox to perform backtesting and validate the model.
Rezania saved time by repurposing many of the analyses and algorithms that he developed. "It was very helpful to have all the data in a matrix format within MATLAB," he explains. "When I ran an analysis on the bid column, for example, I could rerun the whole analysis on the ask price with a single click."
To develop an intraday trading model for currency markets
Use MATLAB and companion toolboxes to quantify market dynamics by analyzing millions of rows of historical market data


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Mika showed up late to Morning Joe today and upon her arrival, the producer read a letter from a fan concerned for Mika's well-being. Mika defends herself, but adds at the end, "and I like my vodka." Us, too.
Leave Mika Alone, She Just Likes Booze
Pending approval Sarah Prial


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I managed to crash (with advance approval) an exclusive event for Birthright Israel alumni at a sushi restaurant in Westwood this week. For Jews who live on another planet, Birthright Israel is program that gives Jews ages 18-26 a free educational trip to Israel. It's not my fault I... read on
Coming soon to a blog near you—VideoJew returns
July 15, 2008 | 7:16 pm
VideoJew Jay Firestone leaps out of hibernation with this teaser.


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This technical brief describes best practices that allow administrators to limit downtime in live migration of virtual servers across hardware nodes during maintenance and host operating system updates. Learn more
A unique product capability that contributes to the operational and management efficiency of the service provider infrastructure. Learn more
Here's your guide to properly plan, set up and monitor your virtual infrastructure to meet applications performance requirements and achieve high services availability. Learn more
Learn how workflow management features introduced in Parallels Virtuozzo 4.0 achieve a more automated datacenter. Learn more


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