text:
Town Square
Work rules emerge as key issue in strike decision
Original post made on Oct 18, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, October 17, 2013, 7:24 PM
Comments (36)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:33 am
When I read that a work rule allowing overtime for less than 40 hours is demanded, I come to the conclusion that the strikers should be fired and replaced by the people who would be pleased with the salary and benefit package currently offered. Most of these jobs are not skilled labor and could be replaced with relative ease.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:23 am
Bart would legally need 3 months to train a new workforce. Start today.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:32 am
Imagine that. BART workers demanding that they get overtime for working on the week-ends over and above their 40-hour shift.
Next thing you know they'll be demanding paid vacations, maternity leave, and the right to unionize.
You just can't trust union workers, anywhere.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:35 am
I'm trying to help the whining public and their Plutonian cheerleaders to get a grip, find a job, stop being lifers...duh...if you have deeply rooted desires of inequality for all...eat crow!
I'm so delighted that this STRIKE has give you all a taste of reality.
BART negotiators are not only dodo birds, they make civilized society smell.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 10:21 am
We Are The Spooky Men - Web Link
HAPPY Hallows Day FORMER BART COMMUTERS AND PALS!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
Joe kind of shows his ignorance on this thread. First, the BART union doesn't know what a 40 hour work week is, and secondly they can call in sick, then work a week end of overtime not even coming close to their 37.5 normal work week. Gee, perhaps eventually we, the general public, that is stuck with an out of control transit union, will muster up enough support to force our legislatures to pass legislation that bans strikes by public transit unions. Joe, take the time to read the following link and than come back and try to seriously support the union demands.
Web Link
on Oct 18, 2013 at 12:50 pm
The union requires BART workers to show up to a certain station to get their assignments and then to travel to where they are supposed to work. This takes a couple of hours out of each day per person. Allow the workers to start their work at the place of work.
Make overtime available only to those who have actually worked 40 hours in that week. Do not count sick or vacation time.
Workers should pay for their pensions like non-government workers have to pay for social security. Or better yet, stop this whole government pension system and put all government workers on social security. If it is good enough for the US citizen, it is good enough for the government worker.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 3:35 pm
(Comment deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
Ms. Cholo's ramblings continue with absolutely nothing of value added. If she wants to comment on the general manager, start a separate posting. Somehow her childish ranting's on this posting have nothing to do with the fact that work rules need to change to allow BART to operate with some semblance of efficiency.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 4:44 pm
daveg, you actually read cholo's postings and don't just skip to the next when you see his name like the rest of us?
on Oct 18, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
I know I should...........!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 4:52 pm
I thought "Cholo" meant "skip" in Spanish.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Dede reads ALL of my posts!
She asks questions to help her understand what I'm posting.
I'm willing to provide guidance to slow learners but not to hold her hand and eSplain my meaning...he doesn't always catch my drift not matter how many I esplain to her.
no no no, I'm don't wish to pamper any of my fans.
Missy Dede will not be treated any differently than any other fan!
After all, FAIR IS FAIR!
ps some folks are hard wired and understandably have problems catching my drift.. (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Como puede ser? How can it be?
Please esplain how come so many BART managers make so much money? How did they get away with it?
Por favor/please esplain it?
I'm waiting!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 6:22 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
From PBS, The Newshour this evening: Peter Castelli, SEIU, : We are very sorry. we understand that this strike, what it does to Bay Area riders, and we understand that it is a hardship. Our union represents a lot, thousands of folks; a lot of them are riders, and we know that this process is difficult." No mention that those "folks" ride for free or that they weren't scrambling to find ways to get to work today.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 6:36 pm
We need to bring in Donald Trump to negotiate on behalf of the taxpayers/residents. He would fix the problem in two words:
You're fired!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Good thinking Kathleen. I'm going to Xerox your comment and send to the Governor, the President, and Premiers/Kings/Dictators of countries that do not permit strikes. Doesn't this just frost your rear-end?
on Oct 18, 2013 at 6:47 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Knock yourself out, but only the Governor has any responsibility in this case.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Then why are you writing to us when only the Governor has responsibility? No, I think we need to share your illuminations with all the enlightened dictatorships around the world who don't allow their workers to unionize, strike, or ride public transportation for free. Please continue to do the valuable work you do!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Just pointing out some of your stellar leadership's nonsensical statements. Hundreds of thousands inconvenienced today, but he wants us to have empathy for a few thousand who ride for free and didn't go to work anyway.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Right you are, Little Miss Empathy. Because going a day without being paid is no inconvenience at all. But of course if all one can do is play the hate-laced victim card, it's probably pretty difficult to understand the inconveniences of a strike, especially for those who are striking.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
There are your true colors "Joe." So, you know these union members are on strike because their leadership said it was necessary for them to miss a day's pay (even though their leadership is getting paid, and from the dues the members pay, right?). Let the members work; let the Bay Area community work. And then realize it's a solid offer and sign.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
Hey Joe, did anybody "forced" those idiots to strike?!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 7:51 pm
(Post removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as innuendo, hearsay or specific accusatory information unsupported by facts.)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:01 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
Joe, your arguments ignore the facts. Has the union management put BART's most recent offer to a vote of the union membership? We all know the answer to that. And if you think only commuters are inconvenienced, you really need to look beyond (Word removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff) to see that such idiotic actions by the union has a much bigger impact on the entire Bay Area than only transit commuters.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
Union members don't vote to strike without leadership telling them it's necessary. And when a strike is called, members don't dare not cross the picket line no matter how much they may wish to or how much they need a day's pay. And in the case of BART, even if they could, what are they going to show up to do?
The union leader did not state the obvious - he left out the truth. I've said before that riding for free is a fair enough perk. Just don't try to equate your free ride to the inconvenience of hundreds of thousands of commuters. You neglected to respond -- how much are union leaders losing each day? Nothing.
The ego, fragile or otherwise, is all yours. And I'm still not aligned with the Tea Party. Sticks and stones, Joe.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
And let me get that for you, "don't dare cross" or "dare not cross"
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Union workers are not sheep, Kathleen. They are not easily cowed nor do they march in lockstep as do you and your Tea Party friends. I have seen no reports of internal strife in the union. I have seen no calls to have union leadership replaced. You're creating a tempest in a teapot because you really don't have anything to say of substance or fact.
And what about your expressed horror in response to a union leader saying union workers were inconvenienced? Oh, yeah, that. As per usual, your arguments spin into nowhere until you've succeeded in blowing up a site.
Now you and Da-Veg are trying to tell us all about how unions should conduct their affairs. Do you think anyone cannot see the humor in that? You're both two peas from the same pod, and you're both hilarious.
on Oct 18, 2013 at 8:44 pm
Daveg is a registered user.
Joe, easy question for you; has the union management put the BART management before their membership for a vote? Yes or No?
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:18 pm
It's quite clear that the STRIKE has freaked out certain posters! I can't tell you how tickled I am...tee hee
Their anger is so very obvious, predictive.
Before I go to sleep I'll chant OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM for about 17 seconds, maybe that will help them chill.
Like they say, I'm in HIGH COTTON!
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:33 pm
(Post deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Does anybody know how come daveg is so caught up with the BART strike?
And, trying to control others...hmmmmmmmmmmm...
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:43 pm
(Post deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
on Oct 18, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
When you have already lost the support of your customer base prior to a strike; when you have injured every other person just trying to get to his/her own job, you do not stand in front of a microphone and try to align yourself with the very people you are inconveniencing. Mr. Castelli blundered.
If union membership can report to their jobs if they so desire, announce it and see what happens. No consequences, just say "you are free to choose."
Still you neglected to respond -- how much are union leaders losing each day?
on Oct 19, 2013 at 2:04 am
(Post deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
on Oct 19, 2013 at 8:30 am
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a registered user.
It's simple enough Joe. Are union leaders losing pay every day? Where is that kind of solidarity with the members?
My original comment was about Mr. Castelli's statement: "Our union represents a lot, thousands of folks; a lot of them are riders, and we know that this process is difficult." There is a difference between workers who chose/voted to walk off the job and those forced into untenable situations trying to get to their own jobs. I think what you really can't understand is I don't blame the membership for this; I blame their leadership. Members continued to work and would still be working had leadership not announced they were to walk out.
Care to discuss the "work rules" that are the sticking points causing this walk out? Going paperless for example.
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If you need this kind of help with your server issue, there are of course companies that specialize in this. The computer system is quite complicated to fix and attempting to recover the lost files might damage the entire thing. In order to avoid these complications from happening, it is important to get the right services. This means that you have to seek online or offline and weigh the pros and cons of availing such services to a particular technician. Do not be easily enticed with an offer that you are not sure of. As much as possible, you have to read several sources that can direct you to the right technician. If this is quite difficult to do, it's better to ask for referrals or recommendations from anyone who can help you with this.
Finding The Best Solution To G-Raid Logical Disk Issues
If you have accidentally encountered G-raid logical disk issues, either you find good information, or it will be necessary to find the best company that can fix this kind of computer problem. Although it can be a lot of help to use a software, sometimes you will have a hard time knowing the main concern and finding solution for it. Hence, you should make an extra effort of finding the best technician for the G-raid logical disk issues.
For sure, they have someone whom they can refer so take time to gather their feedbacks and suggestions. Moreover, if this does not work, you can always use the internet as your reference.
You can have the best technician for your needs quite easily. Hard Drive Recovery Group, in fact, not only specializes in Dell PowerEdge RAID problems, but also G-RAID disk issues (check them out here.)In fact, they can be reached online already, even if you are not familiar with their company. However, you should always make it sure to research the right person or company so that you can be assured of retrieving the lost files. Go over their accomplishments and compare their expertise from one company to the other. This will help you a lot, especially when your G-raid logical disk issues are severe and cannot be fixed with a simple action.
During the early centuries, women experiment with a lot of plants and mix it with various kinds of liquid to create a cream or anything that they can apply to their faces. These mixtures weren't named anti aging creams yet but they already know what the mixtures are supposed to do. Anti aging creams were already recognized as a beauty product in the early days. During daytime, women would put makeup and at nighttime, they soak their faces with creams or any mixture they think would help them hold back aging.
Not only women use anti aging creams but men as well. Especially some men that want to maintain their current looks. Most creams are actually effective and what's good about it is you don't have to start using these creams early to maintain your current looks. These creams can actually bring you back to your young days! Still not amazed? There are actually invented aging creams that remove wrinkles and worry lines like photo shop! Most women you see in the television play a younger character, thanks to their looks! There are many wonderful aging creams nowadays and because of women striving to look for the best cream, the competition in the market just gets hotter.
Do Research Before Buying An Anti Wrinkle Cream!
Researching online about anti wrinkle cream will give you results about what brand to buy and what is not safe to use. It's better to know what result other people are getting so that you know which one to get. But, people have different skin type and the person that got the negative result probably has a different skin type than you. Before you ask what is the best wrinkle cream? You should research around and you'll eventually find your answer.
Is it worth it buying an anti wrinkle cream? To some people it may be worth it but some people also want to pay for something that will work. For people who want the product to work, they should look for reviews from people telling whether or not the product actually worked for them. If you want an anti wrinkle cream that will work, it's good to get a doctor's appointment and ask them to prescribe one to you. Doctors know what is good for their patients and what is safe to use. After getting a prescribed cream from your doctor, you don't have to ask what is the best wrinkle cream?
Cheaper anti wrinkle creams have the same effects as the expensive creams. People just tend to buy the more expensive one because they think that it's the only one that will work. The companies only sell their product that low so that people would want to buy theirs instead of the more expensive one. You still find yourself asking what is the best wrinkle cream? Try out a product that seems to catch your interest and if it doesn't work you can always get another product.
Companies that have built successful e-commerce sites have usually adopted the mantra: "The customer is always right." That's because, if business-to-consumer enterprises have learned one lesson in the past year, it's that Web sites must offer superior customer service to capture and keep their buyers' attention.
Today, the same philosophy is true in the business-to-business arena, where executives and analysts say truly innovative e-businesses are learning that each partner's business goals are unique. As a result-now more than ever-customer service options must be personalized to meet those goals. Because what's at stake, experts say, is not just a company's ability to retain its hard-won customers but also to attract new business partners in the increasingly competitive B2B marketplace.
"We're now seeing the adoption within B2B of practices that were spawned in the consumer world," said Jim Monastero, an analyst with KPMG International, in McLean, Va. These include loyalty-building programs, one-to-one marketing plans and customer retention initiatives, as well as allowing business partners to access and manage account information on personalized portal sites, Monastero said.
"The customer expects the vendor to know all about them, and the bar gets raised higher," he said.
Although business customers are usually the ones demanding more personalized attention on B2B sites, the result can be beneficial to both buyers and sellers. In today's Internet economy, where companies must compete in real time, dot-coms and established brick-and-mortar businesses alike are finding that a personalized B2B portal can standardize buying patterns to eliminate redundancy, save money and enable both partners to react quickly to ever-changing business conditions.
Pampered partners
That business partners now expect more individual pampering is clear to San Francisco-based Unexplored Travel Network, a 9-month-old adventure travel e-business. The company helps users plan high-end vacations to exotic spots across the globe through its Unexplored.com Web site. The site uses a software suite from Luna Information Systems, of Oakland, Calif., to help it link its B2B partners-which range from hotels and restaurants to fly fishing gear makers-with each other as well as with consumers.
The site's value proposition to consumers is that it functions as a one-stop travel planner for exotic vacations, UTN officials said. To retain this edge, it's critical for the site's operators to effectively manage relationships among their B2B partners.
The Unexplored.com site "builds a bridge between 'one-off' destination service provider companies," such as those running exclusive cruise vacations, and consumers researching such vacations, explained J.P. Thieriot, UTN's CEO.
The bridge that Thieriot refers to is Luna's eRelationship suite, one of a new breed of customizable CRM (customer relationship management) solutions for managing B2B relationships. UTN deployed the Luna product to help track its wide variety of unique relationships.
"Our business partners are heterogeneous," said Sebastian Atucha, UTN's chief operating officer. "A guy running a bed and breakfast in Vermont is not looking for the same kind of services from us that a safari company is looking for."
However, one thing those business partners have in common is the need for "affinity group marketing" services, such as providing an online forum to swap ideas with others in the travel industry, Atucha said.
So when providers of value-added travel services-such as companies that run white-water rafting trips or rent mopeds-need to link with travelers booking vacations on UTN's site, Luna's software presents cross-selling opportunities, Atucha explained. For example, when a consumer books a week at a bed and breakfast a mile down the road from a company that runs canoe trips, the eRelationship system will present the canoe trip as an add-on option.
Deploying B2B portals such as eRelationship means investing more time and money into CRM. But companies are finding the return worth every penny. For instance, another Luna customer, FedEx Corp., saved $7 million in yearly expenses by using eRelationship to let B2B customers view, download and print customized rate books featuring real-time pricing, according to a March 29 report on Luna's technology by Forrester Research Inc.
In the report, Varda Lief, an analyst with Forrester, of Cambridge, Mass., said the eRelationship software captures contract terms and conditions as business rules, letting B2B companies apply those rules to data from applications such as inventory and general ledger to bring about greater efficiencies. The application also maintains tailored user profiles that streamline order processing and promote "self- service CRM" by enabling customers to find a variety of information without going through account representatives, as in the case of FedEx.
In another example, Datastream Systems Inc., a Greenville, S.C., maker of tools for procurement of main tenance parts by companies in industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, health care and telecommunications, is preparing to launch in September personalized customer portals on its iProcure online industrial parts supply marketplace.
In this initiative, iProcure is attempting to reach out to its disparate customers on a more extensive basis, said John Sterling, president of Data stream's iProcure division.
"There are going to be transaction-based parts of the portal along with custom content, including help-wanted ads and community features," Sterling said. But most important, the portal will allow customers such as Toyota Motor Corp. and AMR Corp., parent company of American Airlines Inc., to get a better handle on their spending on MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) parts, eliminating redundancies and saving money, he said.
"For our customers, the advantage will be that salespeople can see what's going on in the field" in terms of MRO purchases, Sterling said. "Ordering parts is a huge, time-consuming hassle, and they're looking for a way to make their lives easier."
On-the-fly customization
Online retailers, while they may not face the kind of MRO expenses found in the manufacturing space, are still in need of a way to streamline the procurement process.
Take Bluefly Inc., producer of the Bluefly.com clothing and housewares site. Bluefly is teaming with partners that are helping keep a real- time view of inventory and order processing. The retailer uses the Total Order Transport System, produced by Marketing Out of the Box Inc., in Niles, Ill., to get continually updated order and inventory information as it moves through Bluefly's Oracle Corp. enterprise resource planning system. The Java and Extensible Markup Language-based tool can be configured in a unique way by each user, explained Marketing Out of the Box CEO David Newberger.
"Each customer selects which information is most important" to track, and the software adjusts those parameters accordingly, Newberger said.
This, according to Forrester's Lief and other observers, is where personalized CRM is headed because the vendor needs to understand who B2B customers are-and recognize their needs-while involving the individual partner in a community of common interests.
Such services will also help boost sales for both B2B and B2C customers. For instance, last month, Sun Micro systems Inc. contracted with e-business personalization software maker Blaze Software Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., in a deal aimed at helping Sun's financial services customers, including Wells Fargo & Co., offer more customized services to its clients.
Sun, of Palo Alto, Calif., is using the Blaze Advisor Solutions Suite to apply the same business rules across its B2B financial service customers' call centers, voice-response systems and electronic kiosks. As in UTN's Luna implementation, where the company is using the back- end B2B bridge to help partners target customers, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo is using the Blaze tool to market new financial services to customers based on unique personal histories and real-time business conditions, said Sun officials.
The application makes much sense in the financial space. Regardless of the industry, however, every company will have to "get personal" with its partners to survive in e-business.
Benefits of personalized B2B
Promoting customer self-service When a B2B customer needs rapidly changing inventory, shipping and purchasing data in real time, it's quicker, easier and more efficient for them to have access to it automatically on a personalized portal site than to have to ask a call center rep for the information.
Getting a three-dimensional view of B2B customer needs
Business partners typically play several roles, each of which generates different information needs. First, for example, your customers are part of a company that has contracts with other parties. Second, they are part of a functional group, such as finance or purchasing, within their enterprise. Third, they are individuals with different information preferences and permissions. By tracking these aspects simultaneously, leading B2B vendors can help tailor information and business processes.
Providing a basis for data analytics Companies in e-business networks will be able to customize trading systems for business partners based on the analyses of historical performance. A parts manufacturer, for example, could develop distributor-specific pricing strategies that consider payment record, order volume and customer service costs.
Service providers looking for better ways to slice and sell server space have new options from two vendors offering comprehensive hosting management tools.
Sphera Corp., an Israeli developer, this week plans to unveil its service automation package for ISPs (Internet service providers) and ASPs (application service providers). The HostingDirector software lets service providers create virtual dedicated servers and offer customers advanced service provisioning, software installation, billing, reporting and security.
Ensim Corp., a pioneer in end-to-end service automation tools for service providers, is taking its flagship product, ServerXchange, beyond Web hosting. The Sunnyvale, Calif., company is forging alliances with network service providers, caching and content tool vendors, DSL (digital subscriber line) carriers, and even OEMs to expand the role of its management and provisioning tools.
HostingDirector and ServerXchange are based on the concept of virtual private servers. By using the tools to build virtual copies of an operating system kernel, service providers can segment any number of customers on a single physical server, with each partition running independently.
The reduced hardware and rack space, along with the provisioning tools, lets the service providers offer more services-and make more money-than in traditional hosting arrangements.
"We're trying not to decide for our customers how to run their businesses," said Sphera CEO Tamar Naor in Tel Aviv. "Everybody is trying to get into more managed services."
HostingDirector's features include user-deployed plug-ins for a variety of popular applications, such as bulletin boards, counters, e-mail forms and guest books.
The tool also automates billing and reporting and provides a firewall with each virtual server. "We did our best to cover all the major pains," said Sphera's CTO (chief technology officer), Raphael Salomon.
Features such as automated software upgrades, which will let Sphera push updates and patches to service providers, are set to begin beta testing in June.
"We're looking to do hosting in a way that's cost-effective but also that is on the leading edge of technology," said Richard Fren kel, general manager for Web hosting at Bizness Online Inc., of Wall, N.J. Bizness Online is evaluating Sphera's tools.
"We're still in testing, but I like Sphera's concept," said Frenkel, adding that customer trials using HostingDirector are set to begin at Bizness later this year.
Another benefit of Hosting Director, Frenkel said, is that it's largely open source, enabling service providers to alter the look and feel of the user interfaces.
Officials at Ensim, meanwhile, said the company is moving ServerXchange beyond simple hosting solutions in an effort to win over high-end ASPs offering bulky enterprise resource planning applications. Ensim is also making deals with network providers, such as Digital Island Inc., along with caching and content specialists, such as Inktomi Corp. and Akamai Technologies Inc.
The combination of content caching and on-the-fly virtual servers at the network edge will enhance performance of hosted applications and streaming media, among other things, Ensim officials said.
In addition, Ensim is negotiating with two hardware makers-officials would not specify which ones-to offer hosting appliances loaded with ServerXchange. The company also plans to market ServerXchange to DSL providers so they can offer outsourced intranet applications as an alternative to traditional-and expensive-dedicated servers with dedicated connections.
With ServerXchange and broadband access, the corporate applications "appear just as if they are in-house," said Ensim's CTO, Srinivasan Keshav. "This is unique. Nobody in the world can come close to it but us."
Sphera charges service pro viders $4 per month per virtual server on their system. Ensim still offers its original pricing model of around $30 per virtual server per month, but the company is exploring revenue- sharing agreements as it grows, company officials said.
HostingDirector runs on Unix and Linux. Support for Windows NT and Windows 2000 is due later this year. ServerXchange is available for Linux and Solaris; support for NT and Windows 2000 is due in the third quarter.
Most web site security software is designed to stop theft of data or denial-of-service attacks, but Lockstep Systems Inc.'s new security application attempts to minimize the embarrassing (or worse) effects of attacks that alter or deface company Web pages.
WebAgain 1.0, which was released last month, is a relatively simple program that essentially acts as a staging server for Web content. All approved content for a site is published to the WebAgain server, which then compares that content to the content in the site directories. If Web Again detects that a page has been altered, it replaces that page with the content in the Web Again server.
WebAgain monitors Web site directories directly via FTP or a network share. It can effectively monitor sites using dynamic content because it detects changes only in the scripts and not in the content being pulled by the scripts.
Although in tests eWeek Labs found Web Again to be an effective program for minimizing the damage of Web site defacement, we believe sites can easily build similar protection themselves. For example, administrators at many of the federal agencies whose Web sites were defaced last year have implemented simple automated scripts that regularly update the live site files with a secure site copy in another directory, making it difficult for any site defacement to stick around.
Nevertheless, WebAgain passes two critical tests for any product that provides a service that businesses could implement themselves: It's relatively simple to use; and, at $349, it's inexpensive enough to make it worthwhile as a time- and cost-saver relative to creating and implementing scripts.
Businesses should implement some form of site defacement protection, whether they purchase a product or do it themselves. The government site defacements were as obvious as graffiti, but more insidious site alterations, such as a changed support phone number or an altered price in a release, can be easily missed and can cause greater damage.
However, companies should not expect these types of applications to provide full protection against changed or stolen content –two common attacks that involve techniques about which security administrators can do little. The recent hijacking of the Nike Web site involved one of these, a redirection technique that exploited poor e-mail-based management policies at the domain registration company. The second technique, mimicking a Web site, recently caused major confusion at several high-profile sites, even though it was obvious the content wasn't located at the actual company's Web site.
The WebAgain server runs on Windows NT but can monitor any Web site that has FTP or directory access. Because WebAgain uses its own FTP server for regular, everyday Web site additions and edits, it should be installed on a system without an FTP server, or the port number used by one of the servers must be changed.
Initial installation was very simple, and we easily defined multiple sites to be monitored by WebAgain. A wizard stepped us through choosing whether users would publish to the WebAgain server using FTP or a directory share, and whether WebAgain would use FTP or a directory share to publish to the live Web servers.
WebAgain also includes the must-have ability to monitor and publish to several mirrored servers at the same time.
Double the publishing
Before webagain could begin monitoring a site, all the site content had to first be published to the WebAgain server –a needless hassle. This step was tedious, especially with large sites being published through FTP. We would prefer an initial setup option that automatically loads the entire site.
Plenty of other tools, including site management packages and development applications, have the ability to automatically harvest files from a site.
Once we had defined our sites, we could configure how often WebAgain would scan a site for changes. The default is every 15 minutes, and we could scan as often as once a minute. It is also possible to configure alerts to be sent through e-mail, SNMP or the NT event log whenever an altered file is detected.
When WebAgain detects a file that has been changed, it places the file in a quarantine directory. This was useful to actually see what types of defacements occurred after WebAgain had removed the files from the Web site (see screen, Page 57). However, we would also like to see WebAgain use the server information to list the location from which the file was loaded; this information would be useful for determining if an attack originated externally or internally.
WebAgain ignores some files for good reason, such as Web cam and database files that change constantly simply by their nature. However, Web Again's inability to deal with files that have been added to a site is a major weakness. The product can look for changes in files that should be on a site, but if an attacker adds a file through a compromised connection, WebAgain ignores it. This would enable an attacker to add a page and then send e-mail or newsgroup messages directing people to a fake file on the actual company site.
In addition, if a site is using default directory pages such as index.htm or default.htm, it's possible that an attacker could add a file that ranks higher on the default page hierarchy than does the actual default page.
To address this problem, WebAgain should implement some form of directory synchronization –any do-it-yourself solution could employ a directory synchronization tool for this capability.
Because the WebAgain server becomes a staging server for the Web site, it is possible that the server could become a target for "officially" adding altered files. However, We b Again makes it simple to define fairly strict IP-based access policies to its publishing interface. In addition, most attackers wouldn't know to look for the WebAgain server in the first place, and it can easily be placed behind a firewall. [acute accent]
Web sites that want to protect themselves against embarrassing and potentially costly Web page defacement should take a look at WebAgain, an inexpensive but effective tool for minimizing the damage of these attacks.
Short-term business Impact // WebAgain can quickly provide a layer of protection against Web site vandalism, although some content authors will have to adjust to different content publishing methods.
Long-term business Impact // As new technologies emerge and sites grow more complex, businesses will need to build or purchase more advanced tools, such as Web Again, that can look for a variety of changes in many different types of content.
Pros: Can monitor Web page content, including dynamic pages, for alterations and remove changes; easy to implement; publishes to multiple servers; inexpensive.
Cons: Can't monitor for files added illegitimately to a site; entire site must be republished before it can be monitored.
A successful user-centered project naturally begins with a clear picture of the user. Understanding your audience not only gives the selected vendor a headstart; it also provides a vital foundation for system requirements, which influences every area of the system. Leverage the expertise of your organization to gather consumer demographics and psychographics. Understand the user's domain knowledge, environment, background, and familiarity with the Internet and technology. If possible, conduct a user-needs analysis, which helps you develop a business case outlining user-centered requirements and measurable objectives.
Advisor Tip
A usability test of an existing system helps you better understand your current user base. It also identifies specific problems that must be rectified through the redesign, as well as provides a baseline for measuring the success of that redesign.
Develop a solid set of requirements
Whether you're creating a new product or enhancing an existing one, there's a reason to look for outside expertise. Maybe your site isn't getting enough repeat visitors, or maybe your internal staff can be more productive if technology carries more burden. Your perceived need is the foundation for your system requirements.
These suggestions help you: (a) maximize the probability that your needs are met; and (b) establish an appropriate level of specificity to provide the greatest value to the usability group.
1. Go beyond the features list. Don't let your requirements become simply a list of features the new system must contain. Such lists are built with an underlying assumption that if the new system has these features, it meets the perceived need. While a list of expected features is worthwhile, the assumptions behind them mustn't be lost. To let the vendor correctly assess the applicability of requirements (and provide strategic direction), you must expressly state the needs that the requirements are intended to satisfy.
2. Explicitly require the achievement of specific goals. For greatest impact, you must define success criteria that are performance-based and that implicitly tie the system's usability to specific business objectives. Here are some examples of criteria whose attainment is directly affected by a Web site's usability:
* The average number of repeat visitors per month must increase by 20 percent.
* Calls to the Help desk must decrease by 30 percent.
* First-time users must successfully complete checkout in an average of four minutes or less.
Distill success criteria down to two or three fundamental needs to keep the project focused and to prevent a lengthy assessment period at the project's end.
3. Express what must be done, not how it should be done. It's appropriate to have specific ideas about how you want the product to look and act, but don't become too constrained by your ideas, and prevent those ideas from leaking into the requirements. Instead of embedding design into requirements, keep the implementation purposely ambiguous to avoid implicitly dictating designs. Here are two examples:
Instead of: There must be a Chat Area link in the standard header of every page;
Use: The site's Chat Area must be readily accessible from any point in the site.
Instead of: Pressing the Add to Cart button must take the user to the Shopping Cart page;
Use: The user must have clear and immediate confirmation of success when he adds anything to the Shopping Cart.
Dictating what goes on what page, talking about links as "buttons," etc. are clear indications that designs have crept into your requirements. When you discover an implied design, ask yourself, "What am I trying to achieve here?" The answer is nearly always the actual requirement.
Develop a quality RFP
A request for proposal (RFP) is sometimes all consultants have to go on as they begin preparing the pitch. As such, your RFP must contain all the necessary information for a consultant to develop a proposal to meet your needs. Be prepared to invest some time developing the RFP. Here are some issues to consider:
1. Include the requirements and performance-based success criteria.
2. Define all unusual terms and use consistent terminology across the document.
3. Provide as much information about your target audience as you can.
4. Include the results of any usability tests you've conducted.
5. State the expected educational and experiential background of the vendor.
6. Include time and budget constraints.
7. Walk through your own requests to make sure the constraints are realistic.
Select the right vendor
There are three general classes of vendors that can provide usability outsourcing:
* General IT consulting firms, such as Andersen Consulting and KPMG
* Pure-play Internet consulting companies, such as marchFIRST and Sapient
* Usability consulting companies, such as the Nielson Norman Group and Cognetics
There are a wide variety of focuses and skills within each class of vendors. Some may solely provide usability testing, while others have a methodology that weaves usability throughout the lifecycle. Some vendors may have more experience with graphical user interfaces (GUIs), while others excel at Web design. Different projects necessitate different types of vendors, but here are a few general questions to ask before you make your choice:
1. Do they have a dedicated usability group (rather than developers or graphics designers doubling as usability specialists)?
2. Do they have a proven track record? Can they provide tangible evidence of their expertise, such as examples of Web sites they've designed?
3. Can they clearly articulate their usability methodology and describe the techniques they use?
4. Can they provide examples of the deliverables they're describing?
5. Does their methodology employ usability throughout the lifecycle (in contrast to "after-the-fact" testing)?
6. Will they follow up to ensure initial successes aren't just novel effects due to marketing?
7. Will they provide an original usability strategy, or does it seem they just create what you tell them to create?
Executing the project
Develop a user-centered project plan
A user-centered process doesn't typically adhere to the traditional waterfall method of development. Depending on the situation, there are many ways to approach a user-centered project. Here are a few broad guidelines whether you or the consultants actually create the plan.
1. Provide sufficient time in the analysis/discovery phase for the usability group to develop user profiles, analyze user tasks, evaluate the current Web site, etc.
2. Ensure usability begins up front and continues throughout the lifecycle; set up dependencies and arrange project tasks so that usability actually drives the process in many respects.
3. Plan to test achievement of stated success criteria at the end of the project.
4. Build iteration into the plan to (a) integrate evaluation into the design/development process; and (b) allow the evaluation to affect the user interface, as necessary.
5. Don't begin development of any underlying technology until the usability group has developed a strategy and has completed at least the first iteration of design.
Provide ongoing support
The right environment can make a big difference in the success of the user-centered design process. Here are some ideas to keep in mind:
1. Give the usability experts some creative license. Don't create a situation where the constraints are so stifling that the experts end up simply putting down what they expect you want. Let them know you support exploration within the project's boundaries.
2. Ensure they have all the tools. Provide any user information you have, such as demographic information, to the usability group, even if it's already stated in the RFP. (Sometimes those who actually do the work have never seen the RFP.)
3. Make the target audience available to the usability group. When developing public Web sites, assist in recruiting for usability tests directly and/or supply incentives (such as gift certificates) to participants. For intranet projects where internal employees are the target audience, eliminate negative impacts for assisting with system development (for example, higher workload because employees missed a day of work), and maximize rewards (such as bonus pay).
Watch for red flags
Since usability engineering is still relatively new for many people, there's potential for snags along the way. Here are a few things to watch for:
1. Developers complain that usability makes their lives harder. This is a fairly common complaint because the usability expert's job is essentially to shift the burden from the user to the underlying technology. This situation can be lessened throughout the project if management and the requirements place the emphasis on the user experience rather than on the technology, and developers have internalized the goal of a usable system.
Make sure the usability specialist's suggested designs are truly reasonable before placing all fault with developers.
2. Graphic designers feel their territory is being invaded. Usability professionals must be sensitive to roles–especially when they're outsiders working with in-house designers. The usability experts should establish site organization, navigation, and vocabulary, but they should purposely avoid dictating aspects of the screen that belong to the graphic designer.
If graphic designers have traditionally handled all aspects of the user interface, try positioning the usability specialist as someone who can shoulder the burden of functionality to let the designers focus on what they do best: aesthetics.
3. There's a lot of redesign going on. Some redesign is natural because of the iterative design process, but substantial redesign can mean the vendor's methodology is broken. The usability process typically looks at the system as a whole, staying general as long as possible before beginning to design for specific areas of the system. When the design moves to the specific areas too quickly, rework is often the result–especially on large Web sites. That's because the usability group sees patterns as they move from one system area to the next and they need to create a general design that handles all the examples. The fix is to back up and spend time designing at the broad, general level before going deep and specific.
4. The usability vendor doesn't seem to need real users. Sometimes the situation calls for a simple, heuristic approach. Other times, budget and/or time constraints may prevent the inclusion of real users in the process. However, more often than not, the usability professionals must interview and evaluate designs with real users. (Feel free to challenge them if they say they don't.)
5. The usability designer is also doing the final usability test. There's a potential for biased results when the person conducting the final usability test is the same person who designed the screens. It's fine for the usability designer to design the usability test and be involved, but someone else should interact with users and interpret the results. This prevents the usability specialist from involuntarily making results come out as expected.
What to expect
Imagine you're writing a brochure to promote your company. If you invest the time and effort to thoroughly understand your audience and write and rewrite, your result effectively carries your company message to the reader. The brochure itself becomes an almost transparent vehicle to the underlying message.
Conversely, if you don't invest the necessary resources, readers get bogged down in the condescending tone, unfamiliar terms, poor grammar, etc., and never fully grasp your intended message. In fact, your company image can be tarnished because of the difficulty you caused the potential customer.
Usability is analogous to writing a brochure. Done right, usability is something most people won't notice; but done wrong, it's something that gets you bad ink in The Wall Street Journal.
If your system is truly usable, you can expect to meet your business goals, including:
* Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty
* Reduced support and maintenance costs
* Increased sales and productivity
Don't be fooled into thinking that "easy to use" implies "easy to create." If the usability team has done its job well, the result is a product that's extremely straightforward, clean, and usable. Therefore, while you meet your business goals, you may discover the vehicle for meeting those goals appears much simpler than you expected.
More ammunition is in the pipeline for companies that want to maximize their relationships with online customers, with a new suite of tools from Quadstone Inc. and a rash of acquisitions among developers that are pitching intelligent e-business.
Quadstone's Customer Conversion, rolled out last week, is designed to harvest Web clickstream data and integrate it with other sources to improve customer interactions and Web site effectiveness.
Customer Conversion provides software for transforming and moving data from Web servers and other sources into a database, where it may be viewed, analyzed and distributed by other Customer Conversion tools. The application includes four components-cc:Transform, cc:Insight, cc:Mining and cc:Action.
The software, which supports Windows NT, Solaris and HP-UX, is available now. Pricing starts at $50,000.
Quadstone's entry comes during a feeding frenzy of acquisitions. Since mid-November, industry watchers have observed six buyouts-some valued at more than $500 million-by developers looking to bolster e-business applications with data analysis software and third-party demographic data.
These newly wedded vendors claim their integrated offerings will help dot-coms close the loop on customer relationships by providing personalized marketing, which will fine-tune sales efforts by customer segmentation and profitability analysis derived from Web clickstream data.
"It's a whole effort to add intelligence to an e-commerce system to be able to optimize your sales and marketing efforts," said Joseph Marino, an analyst at Current Analysis Inc., in Sterling, Va.
The latest acquisition came on Jan. 17, when Net Perceptions Inc., a maker of software that provides personalized recommendations to consumers based on past activity, bought KD1 Inc., a data analysis vendor with a retail emphasis. The stock deal was valued at $126 million.
Net Perceptions is not alone in recognizing the synergies between e- commerce applications and data analysis: In mid-January, e-business software supplier Vignette Corp. said it would acquire data mining developer DataSage Inc. in a stock transaction valued at more than $500 million.
Also in mid-January, e-business analytic applications vendor Broadbase Software Inc. said it would acquire e-marketing automation vendor Rubric Inc. in a stock swap valued at $331 million. That came only several weeks after Broadbase competitor E.piphany Inc. acquired personalization software maker RightPoint Corp.
Sagent Technology Inc., a rival of Broadbase and E.piphany, took a somewhat different tack in December when it bought Qualitative Marketing Software Inc., a provider of consumer and demographic data and maker of a data cleansing tool.
Accrue Software Inc., a maker of systems to harvest and analyze clickstream data, deepened its lineup in November, buying data mining developer NeoVista Software Inc.
The market for such software is expected to be red-hot this year, as dot-coms begin to look for ways to analyze reams of clickstream data. For Seattle-based online drug store cvs.com, a subsidiary of CVS Pharmacy Inc., a means of analyzing Web logs was on the agenda as the company mapped out its e-business strategy last year.
"With an online presence, you have an additional source of data-the clickstream data-which is the equivalent of people walking through your stores," said David Zook, manager of strategic alliances for cvs.com. "I want to integrate clickstream, transactional and demographic data into one comprehensive whole that will allow us to model customer behavior and to target campaigns and response rates to figure [return on investment] on our marketing investments."
For that, cvs.com turned to Quadstone, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Its Customer Conversion software proved during a proof of concept to be "extremely impressive," Zook said.
"They took a slice of our data-Web logs, transactions, demographic data-and put it into their tool. We were able to slice and dice on command-it was absolutely breathtaking," he said.


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American Brown Ale - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
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Ratings: 23 | Reviews: 15 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by rfgetz:
New Jersey
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
07-06-2014 20:52:50 | More by rfgetz
More User Reviews:
3.93/5 rDev -0.3%
On tap at Iron Hill Lancaster on 4/3/09. Served in an oversized Mugger mug.
Pours a deep clear amber/nearly brown with a finger of foamy beige colored head. Retains with a thin fizzy look that flares up a bit when swirled, leaving foamy spotty lacing back. The aroma is HOLY HOPS! Sharply floral and citric smelling, with an underlying layer of sweetness and roast but damn, this bouquet is all about the hops.
The taste is once again an extremely sharp hop bite up front that flows in to some tangy citrus before ending with a huge flush of deeply burnt roasted grains. Roasted bitterness and hops linger linger for a bit. The mouthfeel is light-medium bodied (although if I had to pick, I'd say more toward the lighter side) with a sharp and prickly carbonation that goes right along with all of the hops and bitterness.
Well they certainly didn't skip on the "American" part of this American Brown Ale! Hops character just dominated this (maybe to the point of overkill) but I didn't mind too much. At times I wondered if I had been mistakenly given a mug of their equally overhopped Imperial Stout. I'm going to have to revisit this again.
04-06-2009 17:16:11 | More by Kegatron
4/5 rDev +1.5%
05-27-2013 20:56:19 | More by Lanstrum
4.47/5 rDev +13.5%
A - the head flows up to the top like any good nito-fed beer. It takes a few minutes to settles and then hangs around from the entire beer tracing itself down to the bottom of the glass.
S - Rich nutty malt aroma with floral hops dancing around in the background.
T - The taste is almost identical to the aroma, rich nutty malts with a hint of burnt malt. The hop hangs at the back of of the beer.
M - Smooth and creamy, as it should be.
D - Hell yeah!
07-05-2009 23:21:32 | More by drcarver
New Jersey
4.33/5 rDev +9.9%
A: In the light appeared a deep mahogany, while in the glass was a dark chocolate coloring with a frothy, compact 1 finger light beige head that was well lasting while leaving a clingy spotty sheet coating down the glass walls. A good visual representation color and lacing wise while the head maintained nicely adding to the appeal.
S: The nose was strong with sweet burnt malty tones and hints of dried pine and citrus. A bit unusal per style but was very pleasant none the less.
T: The flavor opens up with a nice fresh roasty flavor that was deep with a dryness of pine and a burnt chocolate sweetness. A nice toasted nuttiness and lingering roasted malting hangs around for a bit with hints of earthy dried citrus tones. The beer finishes up dry, with hints of earthy peat moss, fresh charred wood and a lingering roasted malting well suited per style at medium strength that will keep you warm and cozy on a chilly autumn day. Flavor-wise iron hill seemed to up the ante a bit here exceeding expectations.
M: spot on, with a smooth texture providing for a good hold and feel here. A good bitterness coats the tongue upon the swallow.
D: Good drinkability and likewise enjoyment. A hearty brown that drinks like a porter with an earthy and roasty flavor that comes with a high recommend. Growler worthy by all means and my first A beer rating by iron hill that is rightfully so. At 5.4% abv just the right amount of abv to make this an American session.
10-05-2009 22:49:26 | More by beerthulhu
3.78/5 rDev -4.1%
Served on-tap at the Lancaster brewpub.
A: The brown ale is a dark copper color, still translucent despite the full color. The ale arrived with a half a finger of head but stiull managed to lace prodigiously.
S: The nose is weighed down by dark over-roasted malts. The burnt toast aspect is rather high, offset by a crisp citrus hoppiness.
T: As advertised, chocolate and roasted malts dominate the early part of each sip with burnt bread and baker's chocolate. The bitterness is in the same spirit as Kerplunk from Spring House, dialed back significantly though. Dripping citrus hops add a pleasantly bitter sweetness to the malts, a bitterness that is different from the malt bite.
M: I like the malt-forward flavor of this brown ale, it's not your run-of-the-mill toffee-flavored ale.
D: If not for the oak aged cherry quad, I probably would have had another glass of this beer.
12-12-2009 20:53:38 | More by akorsak
3.7/5 rDev -6.1%
Brown body with a nice white cap.Nice lacing also.Dark malts make up the majority of this fine brew with some bitterness thrown in for good measure.Chocolate malts in there also.Very smooth beer and easy to drink and could make for a great session beer.I havnt had a brown ale this good since ive had Troegs brown ale.I'll have this agsin for sure.
09-09-2007 12:51:49 | More by MmmIPA
New Jersey
4/5 rDev +1.5%
Pours a nice caramel brown colour with a bit of crispness to it and a mid sized wispy white head that leaves a marginal amount of residue on the glass.
The aroma is a mix of a touch of caramel, slight hop notes, some chocolate and a good amount of roasted malt. It's sweet but a touch rugged at the same time.
The flavour is essentially more of the same. Hop presence is well balanced with the malt flavour. I'd say the sweetness of the chocolate comes through a bit more here, with the roasted malt still present but set back a bit in terms of how much that particular flavour comes though. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with a touch of slickness to it and very much in line with what I like to see from a brown ale.
This is a nice one. It keeps itself simple but does everything well and does it with a subtle punch that makes for a tasty easy drinking beer.
10-12-2007 19:43:13 | More by SixpointJMH
4/5 rDev +1.5%
05-10-2013 22:10:19 | More by salthemonster
4.58/5 rDev +16.2%
This beer came a dark glowing brown, but faded to a red amber and then again to a lighter straw. The creamy irregular film of head left behind some nice lace.
Smells of smoky molasses, sweet barley and hazelnuts with hints of raisins and port.
Tastes of sweet red grapes and sweet, smoky honey with a nice woody campfire smokiness and wallnut that fades to a light, dry, woody hop.
The mouth feel is light to medium bodied and glassy smooth with a small bubbled easy carbonation.
This ones a pleasure for the senses for sure. One of Iron Hills finest.
09-12-2006 01:32:43 | More by DarkerTheBetter
3.63/5 rDev -7.9%
First had: on tap at Iron Hill, Media, PA
A decent brown ale here. Poured a translucent dark brown with a moderately sized cap of white head that laced well. Aroma is pretty much malt-driven, roasty, with tones of chocolate. Didn't get the hop aroma that many people seem to. More of the same in the taste: dark roasted malts, bakers' chocolate, toasted grains, and despite the lack of hops in the nose, there is definitely some fresh citrusy hops going on from the mid-palate onward. Medium body, pretty easily drinkable, decent overall.
05-13-2012 01:16:51 | More by Rifugium
4.08/5 rDev +3.6%
On tap at Iron Hill Media. One of what seems like a new breed of American brown ales being brewed this year that have a rich toasted malt quality as well as assertive and vivid hopping. This one was particularly fresh at the time of my tasting and lovely tropical fruit hop notes leapt from the glass on top of a full-bodied, chocolaty, toasty malt character.
This one poured a nearly clear brown/amber color with a two finger off-white head that settled slowly. Lacing is creamy and clings to the glass. Aroma leads with the fruity and floral hops, followed by a sweet chocolate note and some bready malt. The flavor is a bit more balanced but is certainly highly hoppy for the style; again the hops lend tropical fruit, citrus, and floral notes as well as prominent and lingering bitterness, but they are counter-balanced by the sweeter chocolate and toasted malt flavors. The finish is semi-dry.
Medium body and carbonation, quite smooth and a bit creamy in the mouth. A really tasty, interesting, and well-crafted contemporary brown, and another Bob Barrar creation I've really enjoyed this summer.
07-25-2012 04:05:44 | More by tobelerone
4.15/5 rDev +5.3%
Thanks for serving up this brown ale, Maple Shade! Very nice.
Fluffy moderately creamy white head atop a rich, murky, milk chocolate-toned liquid. Bands of lace - good.
Nice touch of bitter hops accenting some moderately thick chocolaty, biscuity malt aromas - fine ratio, hops-to-malt. Mellow, not weak. Inviting. Borderline Hersheyesque.
It has enough of what I would like as far as flavor from a bolder American take on a brown. The biscuit-chocolate at the perfect intensity - not too thick and desserty, not too thin or weak. Touch of caramel. Soft bitterness accenting that tasty malt though not overtly hoppy.
Lip-smacking, delicately foamy feel. Clean but with some traces of brown-sugary malt sweetness sticking behind. The body will be found most appealing to casual beer drinkers and those like myself who often crave intense constitution. Whatever, had trouble expressing that thought - hope you understand.
Exceptional brown ale no doubt. Very pleased. Everyone around me felt the same.
03-02-2011 03:49:44 | More by Bouleboubier
4.22/5 rDev +7.1%
On tap at Iron Hill Media, 11/6/2010
Dark brown color with a thick off white head which created ample lacing. The aroma is heavy on roasted malts and a touch of chocolate. There is a bit of hops bouquet present as well.
This beer smells and tastes much hoppier than your traditional brown ale and I like it. The ever presence hops bitterness provides the roasted malt backbone of the beer with a worthy foil as you drink the beer.
It's medium bodied and definitely at 5.4% sessionable if you wanted to head in that direction. I could see myself picking up a growler of this for a cool, winter evening. An excellent version of the American Brown Ale.
11-07-2010 15:58:05 | More by pburland23
West Virginia
3.5/5 rDev -11.2%
05-15-2014 13:27:38 | More by spedprof
New Jersey
4.15/5 rDev +5.3%
It pours a slightly hazy latte brown that ambers up toward the edges. A full finger of off-white head dwells for a short while. Squiggles of lacing doodle the inside of the glass.
The aroma first grants a lightly sweet swath of caramel, some molasses, and a bite of chocolate, all speaking of roasted malt. The hops are well balanced with a touch of citrus.
Upon tasting, the malt is toasty and sweet, carrying forth caramel, light molasses, and milk chocolate. There's also a nutty touch. A little biscuit falls behind a mellow, dry hop line, itself reminiscent of grapefruit but far more subtle. The finish is nicely crisp but still with a trace of the grain that leads us here. It's impressively balanced and a smooth presence.
Between light and medium bodied, the malt has a slightly sticky character that helps flow like light cream across the palate.
The malt is the star, but the hops are blended in so well that even though their role is more of s supportive nature, they still carve out a nice niche as well. It's smooth and just a joy to drink. And the ABV ensures that this is an apt and ready session partner. There's no reason I wouldn't be willing to drink one of these, or two, or three.
03-06-2008 11:52:35 | More by Foxman
New Jersey
3.5/5 rDev -11.2%
08-01-2014 15:10:21 | More by tpacek
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
05-20-2013 21:56:20 | More by Slatetank
3.75/5 rDev -4.8%
04-23-2014 22:46:57 | More by Durandal_777
New Jersey
4/5 rDev +1.5%
06-08-2014 23:40:42 | More by gr0g
3.03/5 rDev -23.1%
a: This was a clear, fairly light brown. It was served to me with a thin, fizzy, light tan cap.
s: The website lists this as being 35 ibu's and 5.4% abv. I smelled a lot of hops here, sharply perfumed. I also thought I detected a decent amount of heat from this one. There was some molasses and brown sugar for sweetness.
t: Definitely an American Brown, maybe too much so. The dry perfumed hops and sweet toffee and brown sugar kind of clashed. This had a fairly sharp alcohol bite to it.
m: A little light bodied, with gently fizzy carbonation.
d: I'm a big of Paul and my local IH, but this was a miss for me. Time for some Kryptonite!
04-14-2009 10:46:53 | More by DIM
3.95/5 rDev +0.3%
On tap at Iron Hill Lancaster on 1/16/10.
A - Clear reddish brown body with moderate carbonation and a thin, creamy beige head that reduced to a bubbly patch and deposited some strands of sticky lace around the glass.
S - Citrus hops and chocolate malt comprise the initial aroma, although a sweet nutty character and some earthy, herbal notes are unearthed as well.
T - Flavor is quite hoppy for a brown ale, with citrusy American hops at the forefront and, to a lesser degree, some spicy notes. Sweet chocolate malt and a nutty character nudges in during the middle, offering some caramel notes as well. Finishes with moderate bitterness and lots of earthy, herbal notes, as well as a hint of spiciness.
M - Medium bodied and fairly robust, yet rather prickly and bristly. Finish is somewhat dry and bittersweet on the palate.
D - This is certainly one of the hoppiest brown ales I've ever come across in my travels. American Brown Ale almost drank like a dark IPA.
01-22-2010 13:30:33 | More by ffejherb
4.43/5 rDev +12.4%
A: Pours a nice clear brown color with a thin white head that leaves a lot of lacing.
S: Smells strongly of hops. If you closed your eyes and were asked to smell this beer, you'd definitely think it's an IPA, it's that hoppy. Slight background smells of chocolate add to a really nice rich complex aroma.
T: The flavor starts off with a smooth chocolaty taste that moves into a decent amount of hops. The flavor then bends back to a chocolaty finish/aftertaste. The flavor is very deep and very complex. There aren't many brown ales out there that taste like this.
M: Really thin beer. I would have liked a bit more chew to it, but it's sufficient.
O: Overall the beer was excellent. The unique blend of chocolate, malts, and hops makes this a beer that everyone should try. I loved the blend of flavors and was pleasantly surprised by how well they worked.
03-26-2011 22:53:10 | More by bgildea
American Brown Ale from Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
87 out of 100 based on 23 ratings.


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|The Ground Zero Mosque: A misconception built upon a lie
|Tuesday, September 07, 2010 6:56 AM
First I'm going to state the facts and then give my opinion on the matter. The mosque really isn't a mosque. It's a cultural center with one prayer room inside for accessibility for daily prayers. Secondly, the "mosque" isn't actually built on Ground Zero, but two blocks away (there is though, a mosque four blocks away from Ground Zero that actually pre-dates the World Trade Center).


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"Would someone please drive a stake through the heart of this recurring talk about the Penguins having any meaningful interest in signing Jaromir Jagr? People just won't let it die, even though it should have years ago. The speculation rose from the grave again Thursday, when a report surfaced in Detroit that one of Jagr's agents had contacted several NHL teams, with the Penguins being one of them, to gauge their interest in signing Jagr. Shero said last evening that he has not been contacted by anyone representing Jagr; what he didn't have to say was that none of Jagr's agents should waste their time making such a call, because the Penguins have no interest in buying what they have for sale. And they shouldn't. Jagr is a surefire Hall of Famer who could be a veritable force of nature earlier in his career, but he's also a 39-year-old who has the potential to be a disruptive force in a locker room that has developed a great synergy over the past few years." [ed. note: this, kids, is why you don't say anything unless you have a reason to believe it.]Dave Molinari - Foot In Mouth, June 17, 2011
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