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Texas - 9TXJoin this group
blog BY John Ross ON June 20 - 0 COMMENTS
100 Best: Guadalupe
Location: Central
Type of stream: Tailwater
Angling methods: Fly, spin
Species: Rainbow Trout
Access: Easy
Season: Year-round
Supporting Services: Gruene
Short take: Texas trout? No kidding!
Handicapped Access: No
Closest TU Chapter: Guadalupe River
A tailwater flowing out of Canyon Dam, the "... [ READ MORE... ]
blog BY MDillow ON April 6 - 2 COMMENTS
The Desperation of Ecology Posted in Guadalupe River, Guadalupe River - 066, Texas - 9TX, Outdoor Communicators, Stream Ambassadors, Stream Clean-up, The Front Porch, Trout Magazine, Trout Unlimited Council Chairs
blog BY MDillow ON January 20 - 4 COMMENTS
The Company You Keep Posted in Stream Ambassadors, Guadalupe River, Guadalupe River - 066, Texas - 9TX, The Front Porch, Trout Magazine, Trout Unlimited Council Chairs, Outdoor Communicators
video BY TexasFlyCaster ON November 15 - 2 COMMENTS
North Texas Fly Fishing Destination - Blue River Oklahoma Posted in Texas - 9TX
This is GoPro video from a trip to the Blue River in far South Oklahoma. The trip was 11/11/2013. Feel free to read all about it at http://www.texasflycaster.com .


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- news
Kirna Zabête's Collection for Nine West Is Now Shoppable
Last October, we told you that Beth Buccini and Sarah Easley, the retail masterminds behind NYC boutique Kirna Zabête, were hard at work on an affordable footwear collaboration with Nine West. Now, the shoes are finally available to shop at Ninewest.com, as well as at select Nine West brick-and-mortar stores and Kirna Zabête in Soho—and we've shared them all below for your browsing enjoyment.
Considering Buccini and Easley stock some of the footwear world's finest names at their shop—Tabitha Simmons, Charlotte Olympia and Nicholas Kirkwood, anyone?—it's no surprise that they know how to design a stellar pair of stilettos. The Kirna capsule, priced from $49 to $169, includes floral flat sandals, maribou-trimmed pumps and lace-up wedge booties. Plus, every month from now through July, new styles will be released. Click through to shop February's offerings now.
Photo: February's Kirna Zabête for Nine West campaign image shot by Garance Doré, courtesy of Nine West.
Keep up with the Lucky team on Twitter: Follow @LuckyMagazine
- news
- news

subset: commoncrawl


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Insaniac Gaming is Community where we play Custom Gamemodes made by the IG Team Including GTA V Zombie Apocalypse Roleplay---Real Life Roleplay--- Gang Land Roleplay and various other games on PC and Xbox
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A Bleach RP that takes place after the original show. By using skills and stats we try to prevent people from having overpowered characters. You may create a custom character
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Project D is an excellent forum that enables you to choose custom skins for your forumotion forum.
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text:
The biggest problem for Chicago food trucks used to be finding an open space. To secure a coveted lunchtime spot downtown, for example, Greg Burke would park the family Camry there overnight.
But last year, the city made it illegal to park within 200 feet of established restaurants, making nearly every lucrative spot downtown off limits.
Now, police often force Burke to drive off just as dozens of hungry customers gather around his Schnitzel King Food Truck. He used to sell 100 pork schnitzel sandwiches a day. Now it's more like 50. He estimates he's lost about $25,000 in profit since August.
"It's definitely hindering us from making a profit. We can't go where people want us to go," Burke said.
What's more, food trucks must now install GPS devices, so that city officials can track their movements.
"It feels like a criminal ankle bracelet," Burke said.
Jen Lipford, a city spokeswoman, said the law ensures public areas remain clear for people and traffic to move.
"We make sure we're not jumbling businesses on top of businesses," she said.
NEXT: Washington, D.C. tour guide


text:
Indicative Rate* $299.00 to $299.00 Tour - All Inclusive
Fly Me To The Moon balloon rides are ranked as one of Australia's most professional ballooning companies and have been widely recognised as amongst the best of Brisbane's tourist attractions. Read about their balloon flight experience and what many of their passengers have to say about enjoying their very first balloon ride with them.
... moreBallooning is one of the oldest forms of flight, breathe in the early morning fresh air as you float over Brisbane's hinterland with them. Their passengers are very important to them and they know that you want your ballooning experience to be safe, pleasurable and memorable. They have a team who are passionate about ballooning and who will go out of their way to make sure that your balloon ride exceeds your expectations. If you prefer to have your enquires answered personally then please call their office any day between 8am to 8pm.
Included in your morning's balloon experience is a hearty champagne breakfast and free wine tasting. Fly Me To The Moon are market leaders and innovators and we look forward to sharing the joys of ballooning with you.
... lessEnjoy flying for the very first time in a balloon, over the scenic Brisbane hinterland, with Brisbane City in the distance, just as the sun rises. Balloon rides are scheduled daily and return coach transfers from all Brisbane city accommodation is available. Enjoy a hearty hot breakfast with champagne and free wine tasting too. Each balloon ride is different, with every flight capturing the history of ballooning, a morning, that is always memorable.
Tour Departs From
From | To | Inclusions |
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Your little chef will have fun with this lifesize pretend play tomato. This tomato is made of hard plastic.
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The Global Intelligence Files,
files released so far...
Index pages
by Date of Document
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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
Re: [MESA] Fwd: [OS] SYRIA/CT/GV -11.19 - US official says Syrian sectarianism reminiscent of Yugoslavia
Released on 2012-10-11 16:00 GMT
Email-ID | 5155058 |
Date | 2011-11-21 00:27:52 |
From | email@example.com |
To | email@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
back to Hafez's grandfather; his original name was "Wahish" if I'm not
mistaken. However generally people can tell sect by family name.
From: "Reva Bhalla" <email@example.com>
To: "Middle East AOR" <email@example.com>
Cc: "CT AOR" <email@example.com>
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 1:05:38 AM
Subject: Re: [MESA] Fwd: [OS] SYRIA/CT/GV -11.19 - US official says Syrian
sectarianism reminiscent of Yugoslavia
Al Assad just means lion. it's not a sect-originated name
From: "Bayless Parsley" <email@example.com>
To: "Middle East AOR" <firstname.lastname@example.com>, "CT AOR" <email@example.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 5:04:31 PM
Subject: Re: [MESA] Fwd: [OS] SYRIA/CT/GV -11.19 - US official says Syrian
sectarianism reminiscent of Yugoslavia
Mohammed Saleh is a 54-year-old Alawite in Homs. A communist, he was a
political prisoner for 12 years and was released in 2000. In an interview,
he said that insurgents stopped a minivan carrying factory employees last
Sunday, asked the Christians and Sunnis to leave and then kidnapped 17
Alawites. Enraged, the families of the Alawites went into the streets,
randomly kidnapping Sunnis after demanding their identification.
a**They know your sect by your family name,a** he said.
If that is true than explain how Riyadh al-Assad is a Sunni?
On 11/20/11 4:50 PM, Michael Wilson wrote:
Sectarian Strife in City Bodes Ill for All of Syria
By ANTHONY SHADID
Published: November 19, 2011
BEIRUT, Lebanon a** A harrowing sectarian war has spread across the
Syrian city of Homs this month, with supporters and opponents of the
government blamed for beheadings, rival gangs carrying out tit-for-tat
kidnappings, minorities fleeing for their native villages, and taxi
drivers too fearful of drive-by shootings to ply the streets.
As it descends into sectarian hatred, Homs has emerged as a chilling
window on what civil war in Syria could look like, just as some of
Syriaa**s closest allies say the country appears to be heading in that
direction. A spokesman for the Syrian opposition last week called the
killings and kidnappings on both sides a**a perilous threat to the
revolution.a** An American official called the strife in Homs
a**reminiscent of the former Yugoslavia,a** where the very term
a**ethnic cleansinga** originated in the 1990s.
a**Over the past couple of weeks, wea**ve seen sectarian attacks on the
rise, and really ugly sectarian attacks,a** the Obama administration
official said in Washington. The longer President Bashar al-Assad
a**stays in power, what you see in Homs, youa**ll see across Syria.a**
Since the start of the uprising eight months ago, Homs has emerged as a
pivot in the greatest challenge to the 11-year rule of Mr. Assad. Some
of the earliest protests erupted there, and defectors soon sought refuge
in rebellious neighborhoods. This month, government security forces
tried to retake the city, in a bloody crackdown that continues.
Homs, Syriaa**s third-largest city, has a sectarian mix that mirrors the
nation. The majority is Sunni Muslim, with sizable minorities of
Christians and Alawites, a heterodox Muslim sect from which Mr. Assad
draws much of his top leadership. Though some Alawites support the
uprising, and some Sunnis still back the government, both communities
have overwhelmingly gathered on opposite sides in the revolt.
Here it is not so much a fight between armed defectors and government
security forces, or protesters defying a crackdown. Rather, the struggle
in Homs has dragged the communities themselves into a battle that
residents fear, even as they accuse the government of trying to incite
it as a way to divide and rule the diverse country.
Fear has become so pronounced that, residents say, Alawites wear
Christian crosses to avoid being abducted or killed when passing through
the most restive Sunni neighborhoods, where garbage has piled up in a
sign of the citya**s dysfunction.
a**It is so sad that we reached this point,a** said a Syrian priest who
lives in Lebanon but maintains close relations with people in Homs, in
particular the Christian community.
In past weeks, Homs was buckling under a relentless crackdown as the
government tried to reimpose control over the city. Dozens were killed,
but the American official said the Obama administration believed the
government withdrew some forces in accordance with an Arab League plan
to end the violence. Residents offered a different version. Several said
the government had repainted tanks and armored vehicles blue and
redeployed them as a police force carrying out the same operations.
a**The regime wants to say to the Arab observers that the police are
confronting protesters, not the army or security men,a** said Abu
Hassan, a 40-year-old activist there.
On Friday, Syria tentatively agreed to an Arab League proposal to send
more than 500 monitors to oversee the faltering plan, but had asked for
changes to the plan, a request that Arab foreign ministers rejected on
a**They are trying to change what they already agreed,a** said Nabil
el-Araby, the leaguea**s secretary-general, saying that was unacceptable
to the Arab states. Damascus had tried to alter various conditions, such
as defining who could come as an independent observer.
If there is no sign on Sunday of Syria enacting the agreement, which
includes stopping the violence and withdrawing security forces from
civilian areas, then Arab foreign ministers will meet Tuesday evening to
decide the next step, the leaguea**s secretary-general said. That is
effectively the second extension of the original deadline of last
Wednesday. The league had said previously that it would weigh other
political and economic sanctions if there was no change in Syria.
Even as the death toll has dropped in Homs in recent days, the sectarian
strife seems to have gathered a relentless momentum that has defied the
attempts of both Sunni and Alawite residents to stanch it. One prominent
Sunni activist, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, used the
term shabeeha a** an Arabic word that refers to government
paramilitaries a** to describe the situation evolving inside Homs.
a**There are shabeeha on both sides now,a** he said.
He blamed the government for fomenting the sectarian tension, but added,
a**I feel disgusted at whata**s happening in Syria, and I am afraid of
what might happen next.a**
Mohammed Saleh is a 54-year-old Alawite in Homs. A communist, he was a
political prisoner for 12 years and was released in 2000. In an
interview, he said that insurgents stopped a minivan carrying factory
employees last Sunday, asked the Christians and Sunnis to leave and then
kidnapped 17 Alawites. Enraged, the families of the Alawites went into
the streets, randomly kidnapping Sunnis after demanding their
a**They know your sect by your family name,a** he said.
Families on both sides asked him to mediate, Mr. Saleh said, and after
days of negotiations, sometimes through calls to Syrian expatriates, he
secured the release of all 36 people kidnapped in the episode at 4 a.m.
Friday. He said many were still missing in other kidnappings.
a**Ia**m against the regime,a** he said. But, he added: a**Now I am
being critical of some of the revolutionaries. We are against the regime
and we want it to fall, but the revolutionaries need to present a better
and more beautiful alternative. And if the opposition is going to be
similar to the regime, ita**s going to be dangerous.a**
Mr. Saleh is not alone in trying to stop the tide. Others, Sunni and
Alawite, have joined him in a group in Homs called the Popular
Solidarity Committee, which has sought to defuse tension. Fadwa
Suleiman, an Alawite actress from Aleppo, visited Homs on Nov. 11 in a
gesture of solidarity with protesters in the besieged city.
The violence itself still pales before the governmenta**s crackdown,
which the United Nations says has killed more than 3,500 people. But in
a dozen interviews with residents in Homs, people spoke of the citya**s
fabric being torn apart. Paramilitaries on both sides have burned houses
and shops, they say. Alawite residents have been forced to flee to their
native villages. Kidnappings, many of them random, have accelerated.
Numbers are impossible to gauge, but scores have been abducted.
Residents say some captives are used as bargaining chips, but not
a**My cousin was kidnapped, and he was a civilian Alawite,a** said a
dissident activist from the Alawite neighborhood of Al Zahra in Homs,
where locales are often largely segregated by sect. a**He was found
killed and his head was chopped off.a**
The activist, who gave a pseudonym, Abu Ali, said his relatives text
message each other with the license plate of the taxis they take. They
call each other when they arrive. He said his brother, a taxi driver, no
longer dares to take to the streets.
Another Sunni activist in Homs played down the strife, saying Alawites
were kidnapped only in retaliation and denying that insurgents had
beheaded anyone. Like others, he insisted that the violence was minimal
compared with the ferocity of the governmenta**s crackdown.
Christians in Homs seem to have tried to stay neutral, an admittedly
difficult task.
a**Wea**d rather emigrate than hold weapons and be part of a civil
war,a** said a Christian in a telephone interview who gave his name as
Hisham and whose mother-in-law had already fled Homs.
He blamed the government for the greatest share of violence. But he
accused Sunni insurgents of killing Alawites to drive them from the
citya**s three predominantly Alawite neighborhoods, where support for
Mr. Assad runs strongest.
a**There is no room for us, or for the educated Sunnis, in a civil
war,a** said his wife, who gave her name as Hiyam, also speaking by
telephone. a**A civil war means emigrating.a**
Hwaida Saad and an employee of The New York Times contributed reporting.
Michael Wilson
Director of Watch Officer Group
221 W. 6th Street, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
T: +1 512 744 4300 ex 4112
Michael Wilson
Director of Watch Officer Group
221 W. 6th Street, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78701
T: +1 512 744 4300 ex 4112
Nick Grinstead
Regional Monitor
Beirut, Lebanon


text:
22 candidates files to fill ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat in Congress
BY NATASHA KORECKI Political Reporter Twitter @natashakorecki January 7, 2013 6:24PM
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson. File photo. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: February 9, 2013 6:27AM
The flood gates that opened after U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from his seat last November closed on Monday with 22 people filing to represent the 2nd Congressional District.
With the crowded field of 17 Democrats and five Republicans, some candidates were baring their fund-raising credentials to set themselves apart from the pack.
The cadre of candidates is competing in a special primary election set for Feb. 26.
On Monday, onetime state representative Robin Kelly, who resigned from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's staff last month, announced she already raised $200,000 just since December.
Last week, state Sen. Toi Hutchinson announced she raised $130,000 despite December being "traditionally the most difficult fundraising month of the year." Both Kelly and Hutchinson lauded their fund-raising prowess as a sign of widespread support within the sprawling district that includes the South Side of Chicago, south suburbs and runs down to Kankakee and Will counties.
One-term former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who lost against Jackson in a primary last year, didn't disclose her total, saying she hadn't added up the numbers yet. But Halvorson said she doesn't have to work as hard at raising money to run ads because she's already gone through the initial introduction to the district.
"People are very sick and tired of the amount of emails they're getting from all these candidates. I've got the luxury of not having to do that," Halvorson said on Monday. "We're able to go back and just shore up ... We don't have to start from scratch where a lot of candidates are in now."
The wave of candidates interested in the seat came after Jackson resigned from his position in Congress. In his resignation letter, Jackson for the first time admitted he was under federal scrutiny and was in plea negotiations with authorities. Jackson was absent from Congress beginning in June after he said he suffered from bipolar depression.
Longtime political analyst Don Rose said not only will money be important in the race to replace Jackson but how a candidate spends it will be critical.
"There's no question that fund-raising is important," he said. "Nobody has a district-wide reputation so they simply [have] to get their message out. Money is a substantial part of the ballgame."
Rose qualified that, however, pointing out that U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley was far outspent when he ran in a special election in 2009, and he won with about 22 percent of the vote.
Rose said Halvorson is the only candidate to have a district-wide name, having run in the primary and agreed she probably didn't need to fund raise as much as other candidates.
Campaign disclosures are not yet due so it is not yet known where every candidate stands with raising money.
At least two of the candidates, however, have some personal wealth. That includes Napoleon Harris, who was just elected to the Illinois Senate and Joyce Washington. When Washington ran for U.S. Senate in 20004, she estimated her net worth was between $946,188 and $4.4 million.
Five Republicans filed for the seat, including former WVON radio host Lenny McAllister, a TV and radio commentator and rare conservative African American.
McAllister said he was putting fund-raising together but said he already had years of working in the community he could point to.
"People understand that there can actually be a moderate Republican that can talk to black America, but can also feel comfortable on Capitol Hill," he said.
Other Democrats who have filed by the Monday deadline include Ald. Anthony Beale; ex-con and former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds, of Dolton, who was replaced by Jackson; Victor Jonathan (formerly Victor Onafuye), of Country Club Hills, a South Side pastor; Clifford Eagleton, of Harvey, Gregory Haynes, of Lynwood; Charles Rayburn of Dolton; Anthony W. Williams of Dolton; Fatimah Muhammad of Chicago; Ernest Fenton of Markham; John Blyth of Chicago; Larry Pickens of Chicago; Patrick Brutus of Chicago.
Republican candidates are: McAllister, James Taylor Sr. of Bradley; Eric Wallace of Flossmoor; Paul McKinley of Chicago and Beverly Reid of Chicago.


text:
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January 07, 2015
From Farm to Fork [e-Book]: The Complete Guide to Monitoring for Food Safety
Worldwide, refrigerated foods are one of the fastest growing segments for food service and food distribution companies every year. Temperature fluctuations at all stages of the cold chain, from production to transport, cost the food service industry hundreds of thousands of dollars in spoiled or compromised products. From profit loss to food-borne illness to spoilage, the people who work in the growth and production stages of the food industry understand very well the consequences that can come from not adhering to proper temperature standards.
Refrigeration plays a vital part in maintaining the health and safety of perishable food items like dairy, meat, poultry, seafood, and produce; if ideal temperatures aren't maintained throughout the cold chain, then the potential for bacterial growth and spoilage increase exponentially. In fact, according to the FDA, the Federal government estimates that there are roughly 48 million cases of food borne illness outbreaks annually. That's 1 in 6 Americans every year! Sure, it's true that not all food borne illnesses are a result of poor refrigeration practices, but they certainly don't help. Actually, according to the FDA, the number of bacteria that cause food borne sickness in consumers can double every 20 minutes on food stored at room temperature! Each year these illnesses cause an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
These statistics are just a sample of helpful and interesting facts that this e-book is jam packed with. So whether you're the manager of a hot new restaurant, a harvester of leafy greens, or an employee at a chicken processing plant, our book is full of facts that can help you more clearly understand the importance of keeping food at safe temperatures at every stage of the cold chain.
Download the e-book here:
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Food Service / Hospitality
food safety food transportation food spoilage food temperature farm to table farm food storage cold chain monitoring food born illness food service cold chain food safety tips farm to fork food distributor food processing food food distribution food production
December 16, 2014
Is wind power ready for data centers?
Like photovoltaics, wind power is essentially solar power. Winds are generated through the heating and cooling of the earth. The day night cycle has a lot to do with winds, heating makes the air less dense (low pressure) and cooling more dense (high pressure). The pressure difference causes air to move from high to low pressure areas generating the wind. So if there is little no difference, the winds are light, such as at sunrise and sunset which is why hot air balloons schedule their flights at these times.
Wind can be predictable such as in Buzzard's Bay (Massachusetts) and Nantucket Sound, ocean areas adjoining Cape Cod, MA, or unpredictable as in those lazy hazy days of summer. And wind power can be controversial which is why many Nantucket and Cape Cod residents are working to block the Cape Wind Project due to the fact the wind turbines will be visible from their beachfront homes. Data Centers using wind generators would likely face similar challenges of intermittent winds and NIMBY neighbors. But the real question is do the economics make sense for data centers?
Certainly intermittent power will mean the data center will need an alternative power source or a connection to the local grid. From a New York Times piece about a New Jersey data center (Link to Source), continuous electrical power use is between 25 MW to 32 MW, enough to power 15,000 US homes. The load could be supplied by 13, 2.5 MW GE 2.5-100 generators with a continuous wind speed of 12 m/s (27 mph or 42 kph), which is quite unrealistic in New Jersey. Link to Souce For reference, the Cape Wind Project puts the Nantucket Sound site at an average of 19.5 mph, well below the 27 mph needed but much higher than New Jersey. With 19.5 mph winds the NJ data center would require 20 wind turbines with a straight extrapolation. However, the output of GE's 2.5-100 is reduced at the lower wind speed to no more than 2.0 MW, meaning the 32 MW demand would require 16 wind turbines at a steady 19.5 mph, again an unlikely scenario in New Jersey.
One report http://www.electricitylocal.com/states/new-jersey/ puts New Jersey's average commerical rate at $0.1278/kWh, industrial at $0.1053/kWh. Assuming data centers negotiate among the lowest rates in the state, let's assume a rate of $0.10/kWh. Assume a 30 MW power need, in one hour a data center would use 30MWh x $0.10/kWh x 1000 kW/MW or $3,000.00 per hour of electricity. If we could get away with the minimum 16, 2.5MW wind turbines at a cost of $2.5 million each, the total cost would be $40 million. At $3,000 per hour, the breakeven period would be 80 weeks. Not bad, total power self sufficiency in a little more a year and a half. Of course the output from 16, 2.5 MW wind turbines will not be enough since there is not enough wind in Newark, for example to meet a steady demand of 19.5 mph. But there may be in another location that has steadier, stronger winds, say rural New York, Pennsylvania or Iowa. Then all we need is a really long extension cord called the grid.
Of course this cursory look at economics ignores costs such as site preparation, installation, operation and maintenance, so even a 19 month payback may not be attractive. And if a data center operator had to directly link a wind turbine array, a wind farm in today's lexicon, to their data center the cost would be extremely prohibitive. But what about the idea of joining forces with an existing or planned wind farm that is linked to the grid and purchasing grid power at wind farm rates. This is in fact what is going on for some. Wind farms have become big business in rural agricultural states where locating a wind farm along with cash crops can supplement a farmer's income, help pay for his/her power needs and help the enterprise to become profitable in poor growing years. And rural midwest wind farms are enjoying new respect with major data center players.
Recently Google entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy in Illinois to supply 114 MW of electrical power to its Council Bluffs, Iowa data center complex. In an entry into the wind power business, Google is not connected to the wind farm directly but instead the "power goes into the local grid. So Google Energy will sell the power on the regional spot market, where utilities and electricity retailers go to buy power when demand spikes and they have a shortfall. Google will use the revenue from spot market sales to buy renewable energy certificates (RECs) which will offset its greenhouse gas emissions. Many companies buy RECs in an attempt to be carbon neutral, obtaining them from third-party brokers. But by purchasing RECs directly tied to the renewable energy it is also buying, Google is getting a bigger bang for its buck." Link to Source
Map of Iowa Wind farms (Left: Link to Source) and average wind speeds for the state (Right:
Link to Source) show how rural agricultural areas with strong, steady winds can become green electrical power regions.
Google hopes such agreements will lead to producers building new projects, increasing renewable energy for other applications. And because Google is now an energy seller the company can better protect itself from future price spikes. Google's subsidiary Google Energy was launched to help the company explore renewable energy sources for future needs and reduce their carbon emissions, a possibly intangible benefit but one that can go a long way in the market place.
With 114 MW of power from NextEra Energy's Story County, IL wind farm (Left Image), Google's $1.5 billion, 1,000 acre Council Bluffs, Iowa data center (Right Image) utilizes green, renewable energy. Link to Source
Not every data center player has the resources to experiment with renewable energy at the scale of Google. And not every energy company wants to be in the wind farm business. Even Google lets those with the expertise and capital do that part. But every data center has the ability to purchase renewable energy. If other data centers can find partners like Google's the market for renewable energy would increase investment and lower costs for wind farm operators. This would translate to lower renewable energy prices with the bragging rights that come from reduced carbon footprint.
For data centers that only care about lowest price per kWh, renewable energy may not fit the bill, the RoI may be too long particularly when compared to fossil fuel sources. Certainly pure play data centers operating on low margins may find the cost extremely prohibitive. But as more companies using hosted sites specify low carbon footprint energy, wind power may fit the bill. At least it's worth a serious look. And the NIMBY crowd notwithstanding, I love to see modern wind turbines spinning in the wind' reminds me of multi-masted tall ships sailing on the ocean. But that's me.
Written By:
Dave Ruede, Well-Versed Wordsmith
Dave Ruede, a dyed in the wool Connecticut Yankee, has been involved with high tech companies for the past three decades. His background in chemistry and experience in a multitude of industries such as industrial chemicals and systems, pulp and paper, semiconductor fabrication, data centers, and test and assembly facilities informs his work daily. Well-versed in sales, marketing, management, and business development, Dave brings real world experience to Temperature@lert. When not crafting new Temperature@lert projects, Dave enjoys spending time with his young granddaughter, who keeps him grounded to the simple joys in life. Such joys for this wordsmith include reading prize winning fiction and non-fiction. Although a Connecticut Yankee, living for a decade in coastal California's not too hot, not too cold climate epitomizes Dave's favorite temperature, 75°F.
IT / Server Rooms / Data Centers
energy efficiency data center wind electricity IT wind power energy energy consumption IT trend wind energy
December 10, 2014
Keeping vaccines refrigerated when they're delivered to the most remote parts of the world is a critical challenge that many experts have been trying to solve for decades. Dr. Harvey Rubin is one of the experts who have crafted new alternatives to address the issue.
Energize the Chain
Dr. Rubin is the Director of the Institute of Strategic Thread Analysis and Response at the University of Pennsylvania. Motivated by the millions of children who die from vaccine-preventable diseases every year, he and his colleagues developed an idea that materialized into a non-profit. Energize the chain has revolutionized cold chain logistics in Zimbabwe (http://www.energizethechain.org/our-team/).
On September 27, 2014, Dr. Rubin was a speaker at an independently organized TED event (watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6STcFfKFVU). During his presentation, he pointed out that there are more cellphones in the world than toothbrushes; and the industry grows exponentially, specially in the developing world. Phones work with electricity from cell towers, and Dr. Rubin explained how excessive amounts of electrical power produced from cell towers is always available, even in the most remote areas of the world.
Screenshot taken from the organization's website homepage. Source (http://www.energizethechain.org/#)
Dr. Rubin believed if the private (mobile phone industry) and the public sector (health ministries) established partnerships, the power from cell towers could be used to sustain vaccine refrigerators. The refrigerators could be co-located in the cell towers. Back then he realized that it was doable; the technology worked and it was available. He established his refrigeration project in Zimbabwe and so far the non-profit has installed over 110 refrigeration sites in Zimbabwe and is expanding to other countries, like India. In one year Energize the Chain vaccinated over a quarter of a million children using refrigerators run by cell power. Dr. Rubin estimates that by 2016, the nonprofit will manage to vaccinate approximately one million children.
One of Energize the Chain's vaccine shelters in Zimbabwe where refrigerators have been co-located in cell towers. (Source: http://www.energizethechain.org/zimbabwe/)
Temperature monitoring technologies
The function of the cold chain is to keep vaccines properly refrigerated throughout their journey. With difficult climates, unreliable access to electricity and poor transportation infrastructures, temperature monitoring becomes critical to ensure the success or failure of any given cold chain.
Monitoring temperature has evolved from the process of vaccine vial monitoring (VVM) to the most recent monitoring technologies. Vaccine vial monitoring was developed in the 1980s and consisted of a sticker that changed colors when the vaccines had been exposed to temperatures out of their recommended range. Still today, VVMs are widely used in developing countries and most of their immunization programs. According to estimates from the PATH (http://sites.path.org/vpsse/cold-chain-innovations/temp-monitor/) "between 2002 and 2012, VVMs allowed health workers to recognize and replace more than 860 million doses of inactive vaccine and to deliver 1.45 billion more doses in remote settings—helping to save more than 150,000 lives and reduce morbidity for countless others."
The following graphics show how VVMs look like and how to read them correctly:
(Source: http://path.org/media/slideshow-vaccine-technologies/index.php)
(Source: https://extranet.who.int/aim_elearning/en/vaccines/hepb/implement/management/10.html)
Some of the most relevant innovations for monitoring temperature include:
Sending alerts to mobile phones
Monitoring devices nowadays allow users to select a specific temperature range; and the devices are programmed to send out alerts (whether it's a phone call, a text message or even an email) to one or many people who are in charge of supervising temperature-sensitive vaccines. Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition provides monitoring every 5, 15, or 60 minutes and sends out multiple and continuous alerts if the temperatures fall out of range. Continuous temperature reading makes it easier and more reliable to determine when and for how long vaccines have been exposed to unadvised temperatures. To learn more about the Cellular Edition visit http://www.temperaturealert.com/Wireless-Temperature-Store/ZPointCellular.aspx or call us at +1-866-524-3540.
Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition. (Source: http://www.temperaturealert.com/Wireless-Temperature-Store/Temperature-Alert-WiFi-Sensor.aspx)
Continuous monitoring without electrical power:
In places where power outages are very common, it becomes very difficult to figure out whether the integrity of the vaccines has been compromised or not, specially if the monitoring device stops working at the same time the refrigerator does. Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition keeps recording temperatures and sending alerts when the temperatures fall out of range for up to 24 hours after a power outage; however devices with expandable batteries are also available upon request. To learn more contact us at +1-866-524-3540 or visit: http://www.temperaturealert.com/Wireless-Temperature-Store/ZPointCellular.aspx
The key takeaway of this series is learning how cold chain logistics play a key role in determining the effectiveness of vaccination efforts. Knowing that the inequality in terms of access and use of electricity faced by many developing countries should be addressed; and more comprehensive, practical, low-cost, and accessible solutions should be sought to deal with the challenges they face.
Lorena Sifontes, Content Marketing Intern
Lorena is a senior international student at Endicott College, pursuing a degree on Integrated Marketing Communications with a minor in Psychology. Born in Venezuela and raised in Panama, she has helped companies manage their social media accounts and marketing. Currently, she's a content marketing intern at Temperature@lert, and her ideal temperature is 75°F for walking and hiking outdoors.
Medical & Bio-pharmaceuticals
2014 last mile solar-direct innovation cold box developing countries Energize the Chain power monitoring Cellular Sensor Cloud logistics refrigeration developing world monitoring storage diseases transportation electricity Sensor Cloud alert cold chain monitoring supply chain Temperature Alert cellular edition temperature monitor WHO power outage absorption refrigerator challenges cold chain ZPoint medical vaccines temperature best practice health care passive-cooled
December 09, 2014
Damn that fracking natural gas! With natural gas prices at levels last seen a decade ago thanks to fracking shale deposits, electrical utilities are building small natural gas fired generating plants to help with peak loads. This is also good news for consumers who use natural gas for heating and cooking, and for a reduction in greenhouse gas and air pollution (Sulfur Dioxide, Mercury) emissions since natural gas produces significantly less than coal or oil. However, because the cost of generating electricity has been reduced or stabilized, green generated electricity has to compete with a lower market price, making alternative and renewable energy return on investment (ROI) longer and projects less likely to be funded in the highly competitive, cost sensitive data centers.
US EIA graphs showing projected increases in shale gas production and increased use by electricity generators from 1990 to 2035. Increased supply and resulting low prices of shale generated natural gas coupled with relatively low emissions compared to coal or oil means higher consumption by electrical generators for the next two decades.
The longer ROI has not deferred leading companies like Google and Apple from using solar, geothermal generated electricity, or fuel cells to supply their flagship data centers. Many data centers contract for green sourced electricity from the local grid to reduce their carbon footprint, but the actual electrons going through their servers is likely to be produced by coal or natural gas fired generating plants. Earlier pieces in this series looked at these and other energy sources such as cogeneration, batteries and microturbines for data centers. It is now time to examine wind as a useful or not so useful source for data center power.
Wind energy has been around a long time, from propelling boats across the sea to the famous windmills we see in Holland. Modern adaptations of these technologies have led to modern, computer generated airfoils designs to generate electricity and power sailboats.
Dutch windmills take advantage of abundant winds in The Netherlands to mill grains. Fitted with sails, these structures could turn the wind's energy into rotary motion to power millstones during the grinding operation. Left Image Source Right Image Source
Windfarm on the coast of The Netherlands (Left Image Source) can generate enough power for 10,000 households. Interior (Right Image Source) shows mechanical and electrical components, most importantly the generator. Computer control of turbine blades for various wind conditions is crucial to safe and efficient operation.
Wind turbines employ airfoil designs in their blades along with modern materials to make them lightweight and strong. Thousands are in use built by major companies such as GE and Siemens as well as a host of others. Design, manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance are all well understood. Standing 80 meters (262 ft.) tall and fitted with 50 meter (164 ft.) rotor blades, these machines are made to pump out between 1.5 MW and 4.5 MW in a 45 km/hr (30 mph) wind and cost around $1 Million/MW (€0.8 Million/MW). These generators are able to power 2,500 US homes when the wind is blowing, and as parents wanting to take their kids kite flying know, a steady wind is the issue.
Part 2 of the promise of wind power will look at economics for data centers.
Apple data center wind ROI electricity IT wind power energy energy conservation Google wind energy
December 02, 2014
Sensor Cloud lets you know when site network or power outages stop communication.
Most readers will remember the Great Northeast Blackout of 2003 when New York City and a huge swath of the US and Canada lost power. It was a Thursday, August 14th when "a seemingly routine procedure enacted by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator set into motion a chain of events that would affect 55 million people in the Northeastern United States and Canada." Link to Source By the time the cascade of failures ended 55 million people in Northeast US and Canada lost power. The error caused the failure of 508 generating units in 265 power plants. Millions of people were stranded in NYC where traffic controls, subway and train service was shut down. The spread stopped a little after 4:00 PM and was restored to areas beginning late that evening. It wasn't until Saturday morning that most people had power but several customers had to wait several days for electricity to be restored.
Satellite image composite showing 2003 blackout area in Northeast US and Canada
I was not affected by the 2003 outage but I do remember the first significant US blackout on Tuesday, November 9th that affected almost all New England states, New York and New Jersey as well as the province of Ontario in Canada. Over 30 million people were without power for up to 13 hours was again caused by human error when a transmission line protective relay was set too low, tripped and caused overloads on trunk lines that were still operating, taking them down. (Link to Source) Urban legend that the blackout caused a surge in the birthrate in the affected area was debunked in 1970 when a statistical study by a demographer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed it to be untrue. Anecdotes continue to promote the idea and likely will for the next few decades as those who remember have passed into memory.
What does this have to do with a USB temperature monitoring and alerting device? Everything. Hopefully we won't see a swarm of widespread outages but discrete outages occur daily if not hourly. I recently had an unexplained outage at home that took out Verizon's FIOS circuitry and was without internet or cable for two days. (Horrors!) And business power failures always happen at the most inopportune times.
IT Professionals managing Small and MidSized Business (SMB) server, telecommunication and computer rooms have their hands full, and a small budget. Unlike commercial cloud data centers with their 24/7 staff monitoring and responding to the smallest problem with an army of maintenance and technical staff, they are often the only one or one of the few tasked with keeping things running. Even if the building has a security alarm system, most SMB's do not monitor network or electrical power status. And those who do will often not be monitoring environmental conditions.
In the event of an air conditioning failure, a runaway server acting like it's trying to heat the building, or a UPS backed server room that continues to operate when building power is interrupted, the former closet or storage room repurposed as a computer room can heat up fast, threatening, the electronics and data on these systems and business continuity. Fortunately the latest server technology is able to withstand higher temperatures than previous versions of the technology. Unfortunately these SMBs often have older, hotter running and often overstressed server, telecom and related IT equipment possibly mixed in with a few newer pieces. Hopefully the elevated temperatures will trigger an automatic shutdown before equipment or data is damaged. If not, there is a limited window before problems can occur.
Traditional USB temperature monitoring devices relying on the company network cannot send alert or alarm messages when the network is down. For such critical applications many customers choose Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition that features battery back-up operation and cellular communication that make allow it to operate during site power outages. For SMBs such capability would be very helpful, however both the price of the device as well as the monthly plan can be daunting for some companies. So what is the option when budgets are so limited but the need exists for a fault tolerant device.
Cellular Edition with Sensor Cloud enables fault tolerant phone call alert messages when IT equipment is endangered by elevated temperatures, Link to Left Image Link to Right Image
Temperature@lert's Sensor Cloud Business Plan for USB Edition meets the need. For less than $90 per year the USB Edition can be Sensor Cloud enabled. This plan provides the user with a 10 minute monitoring and reporting interval to Temperature@lert's secure, reliable Sensor Cloud service. More importantly, Sensor Cloud can be set up to provide not only email and SMS text alerts but also voice phone call alerts. After all, when was the last time an email or text message came in at 2:00 AM and you heard it? The fault tolerant aspect of this powerful tool is the Missed Report (a.k.a Asset Protection) feature. Because the Sensor Cloud server collects all data and provides a secure, user password protected web portal for access, the server can be set to let the user know when the device has not reported in when expected. For example, if the device reports in every 10 minutes, if a report is sent at 10:20 PM on a Saturday evening, the next data is expected at 10:30 PM. If the data is not received, the user can have their Sensor Cloud account send a Missed Report message letting the assigned IT contact know something is wrong. If a second report is missed, another message can be sent. By this time you have your pants and shoes on and are out the door.
Not every SMB needs or wants such a feature. However, it's a low cost option that can be added at any time, so if the need arises, fault tolerant Sensor Cloud is available. When evaluating the options for simple temperature monitoring devices, Temperature@lert's USB Edition offers an easy to use, cost-effective, complete device. Adding Sensor Cloud enables fault tolerant operation and escalation plan implementation. Backed by a decade of reliable operation for thousands of customers the USB Edition makes perfect sense.
USB Edition SMB server Rooms server USB functionality Sensor Cloud IT air conditioning IT trend server room is too hot server room server temperature
November 20, 2014
What innovations have been developed to support cold chain logistics without relying on electrical access.
After reviewing some of the consequences caused by inadequate handling and fluctuations in vaccines' temperature in the previous article, we will now explore the new practices and innovations that have been developed to overcome different challenges, related to the transportation, monitoring, and storing of heat sensitive vaccines where the access to electricity is limited.
Part I of this article will focus on solar-direct refrigeration technology and passive-cooled cold boxes; Part II will review the Energize the Chain project and new monitoring technologies.
In some regions of the developing world, having access to refrigeration equipment and electricity can be seen as a luxury. Energy poverty is a great problem affecting 3 billion people around the world who lack access to adequate electricity (almost half of the world's population). Millions of children die every year from diseases that could have been easily prevented with vaccines that already exist, but remote rural areas might not have access to the technology and electricity required to keep those vaccines at controlled temperatures.
So therefore even when the supply of vaccines is readily available, and they get to rural villages in developing countries, the real challenge lies in keeping them from becoming inactive once they get there.
Coming next is a review of some of the most relevant technologies and innovations that so far have been developed to address the obstacle of developing countries without reliable access to electrical power. These technologies aim to maintain vaccines refrigerated within their temperature range without relying on electricity.
Solar-direct refrigeration technology
This technology evolved from electric refrigerators used in areas with insufficient power supply; electric refrigerators (a.k.a. absorption refrigerators) burn kerosene or liquid petroleum gas to keep a steady temperature range. Electric refrigerators have been around since the 80's but have proven to be inefficient because of interruptions due to poor planning, fuel shortages, limited ice-making capacity, poor temperature control, and theft among other reasons. Despite their limitations in providing appropriate storage for vaccines, absorption refrigerators are still used in over 60% of vaccine storage locations.
The solar refrigerators that came soon after were first generation refrigerators that contained an industrial battery for storing solar energy, and even though some solar refrigeration projects have been successful for years, many suffered from battery system failures. If a battery replacement was not anticipated or there was no funding available, the entire system failed.
The second generation of solar refrigerators counts with battery-free solar direct-drive technology and doesn't require any external batteries or backup generators; they use cool storage (an "ice battery") that's inside the refrigerator and is able to maintain acceptable temperatures for many days even at night or during cloudy and rainy weather. The WHO has pre-qualified six different solar direct-drive refrigerators since 2010.
Passive-cooled cold boxes
The most challenging part of cold chain operations, in terms of keeping temperatures steady, is probably what has been described as the "last mile"; which refers to the last stage of the delivery to its final destination. In countries like the U.S. the "last mile" usually involves trucks or vans and specific regulations, however, in developing countries the delivery of the last mile could be easily done by a person who rides a camel from town to town.
For over four decades, developing countries have heavily relied on containers/boxes with frozen water packs used for the "last mile" transportation of vaccines. According to the World Health Organization, these boxes can be carried by humans walking, bicycles, or motorbikes.
Regular cold boxes require ice packs or cold-water packs to keep vaccines cool; but if the temperature of the ice packs isn't stable (0°C), there's a great risk that vaccines will freeze; this has become a serious issue. The vaccines for tetanus toxoid, hepatitis B, pneumococcal conjugate, cholera, rotavirus, and human papillomavirus are among some of the most relevant freeze-sensitive vaccines.
New technologies have emerged with new designs for cold boxes. One of the most successful models of passive coolers for long-term vaccine storage without electricity has been the Nano-Q™. These boxes provide up to seven days of refrigeration at outside temperatures of 32°C before the ice needs to be replaced; it uses regular ice that's available for purchase nearby from health centers and provides easy monitoring. These passive-cooled cold boxes were part of a program in Vietnam, which yield great results: no freezing temperatures were recorded over more than 65 months of cumulative data. "Users appreciated having vaccine storage that was independent from the electrical grind, as electrical cuts are common".
Other models and designs of passive-cooled cold boxes have been designed, but their cold life varies between three to up to five days; the Nano-Q™ can keep vaccines refrigerated for the longest.
The second part of this article will look into other innovations and technologies being used to ensure the efficiency of cold chain logistics without reliable access to electricity.
When many outside factors, including efficient access to electricity, contributing to the struggle of maintaining the cold chain, the monitoring at every link of the process becomes critical and fundamental to achieving the desired results from using the vaccines. For more on monitoring temperatures even during power outages check out Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition here http://www.temperaturealert.com/Wireless-Temperature-Store/ZPointCellular.aspx or call us at +1-866-524-3540.
refrigeration electricity vaccine storage cold chain monitoring WHO biop cold chain medical vaccines health care
November 19, 2014
Whether your hotel is located on a remote tropical island, in the middle of a busy, bustling city, or nestled in the mountains, as a manager or owner, you've always got a full plate and a seemingly never ending list of chores, repairs and upkeep that need to get done in order to make sure that your guests are comfortable and carefree. On any given day, you've got a good percentage of your hundreds of rooms filled, crowded dinning rooms in your multiple restaurants at breakfast, lunch and dinner, a poolside packed with swimmers and sunbathers, leisurely lawn strollers traversing the grounds and fitness lovers pumping iron in the gym. It's an exhausting list to read, let alone manage, and perhaps, only a superhero with the ability to be in more one place at the same time would be able to take care of all the problems that can arise daily in a hotel without any help.
As the person in charge, you know that there's so much more that goes into the running of a successful hotel than the promise of clean sheets, free WiFi and continental breakfasts for guests. You've got to constantly be thinking about staff management, energy costs, grounds upkeep and guest relations and safety, is surely a modest list of things that are running through your mind on a daily basis. So it's not hard to imagine the instantaneous headache you'd get if your hotel's power went out or the refrigeration system of your biggest kitchen failed or your hot tub wouldn't heat.
Unfortunately, unforeseen disasters are something that people face in almost every industry, and not surprisingly, that includes the hospitality industry. The unprepared owner or manager will most likely spend more time reacting to problems, like the warm refrigerator or the cold hot tub, and troubleshooting complications that could have been easily avoided with the implementation of precautionary actions and aversion strategies. Critical maintenance and upkeep strategies should be no-brainer, standard practices for you and your staff, not back-up plans.
At this point in the series, you've probably come to realize how many of your hotel's amenities and attractions are dependent on the maintenance of ideal temperatures to function seamlessly and smoothly. But on top of everything else that you're dealing with, our guess is that monitoring the temperature of specific points in your hotel, hourly, is probably the last thing you have time for, and the task can seem daunting, if not impossible. And let's be honest. Hiring someone to manually monitor critical points at the hotel around the clock is an equally unrealistic, not to mention, a costly solution. But don't throw your hands in the air in defeat just yet. You're a smart manager and you'll be damned if there's not an equally smart solution out there for you and the critical points that need monitoring at your hotel.
Fortunately for you and your efforts to keep your hotel up and running and your guests happy, you don't have to look that far for a temperature monitoring solution that's affordable, easy-to-use and reliable. Imagine being able to save all the perishables in your kitchen's failed refrigerator because you received an alert before the food spoiled. You'd be saving yourself hundreds of dollars in product that would otherwise have to be tossed. Or think about being able to call in a spa repairman to fix the problem with your pool before you have to answer to all the angry guests who booked a room at your hotel because they wanted to spend a relaxing weekend poolside. The trouble, money, resources and headache you could save yourself with automatic, remote and continuous monitoring systems are well worth the investment.
At Temperature@lert we have a wide range of product offerings, such as WiFi, Cellular and ZPoint that are linked to the company's Sensor Cloud platform to provide you with a cost-effective solutions for your hotel, with minimum effort, whether it's a sprawling resort or a cozy inn. The Temperature@lert products and services can help to bring you peace of mind and you can rest a little easier knowing that you'll be alerted before a problem arises, not after. You want to be able to avert costly and avoidable disasters, not spend time cleaning them up. For more information about Temperature@lert's products and Sensor Cloud offerings, visit our website at http://www.temperaturealert.com/ or call us at 1-866-524-3540.
Kate Hofberg, Epicurean Essayist
Temperature@lert's resident foodie from sunny Santa Barbara, Kate Hofberg, creates weekly blog posts, manages the content database, and assists with the marketing team's projects. Balancing a love for both the west and east coast, Hofberg studied at University of California Santa Barbara, where she received a Bachelors in Communications, and Boston University, where she is currently a Masters candidate in Journalism. Before coming to Temperature@lert, Hofberg trained in her foodie ways through consumption of extremely spicy, authentic Mexican food with her three brothers and managing a popular Santa Barbara beachside restaurant. Through her training and love of great food, she brings fresh methods of cooking up content. When Hofberg is not working on Temperature@lert marketing endeavors, she serves as a weekly opinion columnist for the Boston University independent student-run newspaper, The Daily Free Press. If time permits, Hofberg enjoys long walks, reading, playing with her cat, and eating pizza. Her ideal temperature is 115°F because she loves temperatures as hot and spicy as her food.
Property / Facility Management
hotels property management property owners monitoring hospitality industry management temperature
November 18, 2014
IT Professionals like to play: USB Edition offers technical hooks for customization.
IT professionals more than those in bio/pharma/lab and food service applications tend to want to customize temperature monitoring devices for their particular operation. After all, that's why they've chosen the profession, or were chosen by the profession. Whatever. Of particular interest are features that assist in messaging as well as integration into existing systems. For example, a temperature monitoring device may be viewed more favorably if it is capable of providing email and SMS text alerts; phone alerts may be even more desirable. Temperature@lert's USB Edition provides a suite of integration options that meet most any need.
The USB Edition data logging provides easy downloads in XML and text formats that can readily be turned into tables and graphs in reports for management review. Additionally, technically inclined IT professionals can query the temperature logs instantly by simply installing Microsoft's SQL Server Management Studio to access the raw temperature logs. The downloads section of our support site contains many useful resources for this product. You can download a complete running Visual Studio project that automatically reads the temperatures from the database and outputs them to a text log.
Left: Installing Microsoft's SQL Server Management Studio allows IT Professionals to query the raw temperature logs instantly. Right: Temperature@lert's support site offers downloads contains many useful resources including a complete running Visual Studio project that automatically reads the temperatures from the database and outputs them to a text log
The USB Edition can be readily integrated into Enterprise applications. Below are two screenshots showing tools that are ready to use for integration into company websites, etc. Users can run custom PowerShell scripts. The device operates on Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, Vista, 7, and 2008 Server. Contact Temperature@lert for Linux Drivers. The USB Edition includes SNMP capability for integration into Enterprise systems.
Left: MS SQL CE log file for easy integration into company websites and other applications. Right: Configuration screen shows integrate with your existing systems via SNMP.
Our website offers scores of customer reviews describing how customers like and use the product. Regarding integration, one customer notes, "Temperature@lert is our 24/7 guardian watching our CRAC units. Our implementation has saved us thousands of dollars in downtime all for a few hundred dollar investment. Iíve also build some additional support apps that read the T@ logs and import the information into a DB with a web front-end that allows facilities users and other IT users direct access to the temperature in any of our rooms over a website." (Bryan J. McMullan, Infrastructure Mgr, Litigation Management, Inc.)
Not all IT Professionals have the time or need to customize their USB Edition, and for them the ease of installation, setup and use is very important. For those with time and the need the USB Edition offers powerful tools for most purposes. The final piece in this series will discuss a way to add low cost fault tolerant operation for the most critical applications.
SNMP integrations data center server XML IT CRAC temperature monitor air conditioning IT trend server room
November 13, 2014
Millions of children die every year of preventable diseases because of the inefficient or inexistent refrigeration needed to get them vaccines that already exists.
If after reading the first piece of this series you still find yourself wondering about the relevance this issue might have, think about this: Imagine a scenario where there's an outbreak of a virus (like the Ebola virus disease) for which there's no cure or vaccine yet.
With the current outbreak of the Ebola virus, the more severely affected regions are developing countries in West Africa. According to the WHO, "The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only emerged from long periods of conflict and instability".
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/
Even though currently there are no licensed Ebola vaccines, there are 2 potential candidates undergoing evaluation according to the WHO. Imagine what might happen if the temperature during the transportation and/or storing of the experimental vaccines to treat the virus affected the results of the trials? Or more realistically, what if a cure is found and the temperature of the vaccine needs to be kept among a specific range? How would developing countries with weak health systems overcome their difficulties to control that the cold chain of the vaccines remains unbroken? What if the vaccines fall out of their recommended temperature range and are still administered to infected patients? According to a recent article from Forbes titled "The one simple but crucial technology overlooked in the fight against Ebola," the author stated, "Temperature control will matter for both vaccines and treatments, since many of the kinds of drugs being studied for Ebola are delicate biological compounds, vulnerable to irreversible chemical changes if allowed to get too warm or if frozen".
Currently, the Ebola epidemic has spread in Liberia to the point where "No free beds for Ebola treatment exist anywhere in the country". Healthcare workers are highly exposed to being infected and many have died. As of right now the country already faces the need for beds, supplies, and staff. What if on top of that we added the need for successful cold chain operations and refrigeration to treat the disease? The ultimate challenge will be getting refrigeration systems and power sources to maintain the cold chain unbroken until vaccines reach the patients.
Source: http://www.controversia.com.br/
This piece will explore past events where the mishandling or bad practices during the transportation, storage or monitoring of heat-sensitive vaccines have had tragic consequences in developing countries.
The Case of Polio in Pakistan
As of October 3, 2014, ABC News reported 194 cases of Pakistani patients affected by polio, which is very close to their national record number of 199 in 2001 (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/polio-cases-pakistan-edge-closer-record-25939306). Even though Polio can be easily prevented with a vaccine, Pakistanis face many challenges to prevent the disease. Besides geographical and economic barriers, many affected areas can't be accessed by anti-polio campaigns because of the threats of Taliban militants.
The family of a 2-year-old boy from a small village in North Waziristan shared their story with NBC News; since Taliban militants prevented the access of health workers to their village, the boy's father and uncle chose to put themselves at great risk by smuggling the vaccine from the largest nearby town into their village in order to keep the children in their family healthy. The 16-year-old uncle said, "I was afraid but wanted to vaccinate our children at any cost". Even though they managed to get the 2-year-old boy a few doses of the vaccine, he contracted Polio. The potency of the Polio vaccine can be weakened if the cold chain is broken, and it was difficult for the uncle to assess whether he'd managed to keep the vaccines at a constant temperature while he transported them. In 2012, 58 Pakistani children became infected with Polio despite having properly received all doses of the vaccine.
Faulty refrigeration in Honk Kong
On September 25, 2014 a nurse noticed a faulty refrigerator at the Tuen Mun Hospital. Between September 23 and September 25, 2014 over 40 children had received BCG and hepatitis B vaccines that were being kept at a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius, due to the faulty refrigerator. The hospital expressed its apologies and assured the vaccines wouldn't affect or harm the recipients, however, the event is still under investigation. On a press release the hospital committed to investigate the cause of the issue to prevent it from happening again.
Thread of epidemic in flooded Kashmir
The Indian region of Kashmir copes with a recent flooding that killed hundreds of people and affected hundreds of villages, leaving hundreds of thousands of people living in temporary shelters. The flooding (caused by days of rain and the swelling of two rivers) has raised many concerns from health-care practitioners. "There are pretty high chances of waterborne diseases and diseases due to overcrowding," said the specialist Dr. Javaid Naqishbandi.
The risk of water-borne diseases increase with a lack of access to clean water (or chlorine tablets), dead animals floating around the streets, and the unavailability of vaccines that protect against water-borne diseases at the medical camps where people are being treated.
Shahid Bhat is a volunteer who visited several private hospitals and medical camps looking for vaccines in response to the rising cases of gastro-enterological problems; he said, "All the hospitals said they did not have the vaccines due to lack of electricity. A vaccine needs to be refrigerated or it will get destroyed".
After reviewing these events, we can better understand how difficult it can be to maintain the effectiveness of vaccines when challenges arise. Whether it's the lack of electricity that prevents the access to heat-sensitive vaccines, an inaccurate monitoring of temperature during the storage of vaccines, or when the cold chain is broken during the transportation of vaccines, developing countries face many adversities to maintain vaccines between their recommended range of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
When many outside factors, including efficient access to electricity, contribute to the struggle of maintaining the cold chain, the monitoring at every link of the process becomes critical and fundamental to achieving the desired results from using the vaccines. For more on monitoring temperatures even during power outages check out Temperature@lert's Cellular Edition here http://www.temperaturealert.com/Wireless-Temperature-Store/ZPointCellular.aspx or call us at +1-866-524-3540.
2014 Ebola innovation developing countries monitoring storage transportation Libia electricity India alert Kashmir power outage Hong Kong Sierra Leone Guinea Polio vaccines biopharma Pakistan
November 12, 2014
It's not surprising that guests can form their first and usually lasting impressions of the quality of your hotel establishment from the upkeep of the grounds. Online, your hotel homepage features a photomontage of lush gardens, green grounds, and perfectly manicured landscaping. The photos that illustrate dreamy sunsets, bright sunny days, and quiet mornings with romantic lighting are enough to convince almost everyone that visits your website that your hotel rivals the beauty of the Garden of Eden. In fact, the grounds of your hotel are a huge selling point, and many people choose your hotel over others simply because of your supposed attention to grounds upkeep. The hotel grounds are where guests and visitors can relax, take leisurely strolls, picnic, and enjoy the flora and fauna of the flowering gardens. And there are even more benefits of having impeccably manicured grounds. How about providing shade in hot climates, protection from strong winds and if your hotel is in a city, a haven from traffic fumes and dusts?
You want people to step onto your grounds and be struck with the beauty of your hotel. So imagine when your guests arrive only to find that the pictures so profoundly featured on your website are nothing more than marked-up, photoshopped pictures that look nothing like the actual grounds of your hotel. Imagine the looks of disappointment when they realize that what they thought was going to be a romantic weekend getaway at your pictured equivalent of "Heaven on earth" was actually going to be little more than an overpriced stay at a glorified motel.
While an attractive, clean and well-maintained outside appearance is usually a pretty good indicator of the commitment to high standards and cleanliness within, disregard and failure to upkeep gardens and grounds tells your guests that you aren't concerned with much other than swiping their credit card for payment. But if the upkeep of your grounds and gardens can influence whether or not a guest returns or recommends the hotel to others, it seems like a no-brainer that you would take the time to trim your shrubs and rake your leaves.
Perhaps the reason that your gardens have gone from thriving to shriveling is because of the astronomical amount of your water bill and the drain of energy that the maintenance of your garden requires. But what if you learned that smart landscaping designs could not only be maintained relatively inexpensively, but could also help curb the costs of energy in other realms of your hotel as well? It's a way to kill two birds with one stone, really. Not only are you able to impress your guests with the upkeep of the outside appearance of your hotel and maintain your reputation as an ideal getaway spot, but you'll also be able to save resources and energy that could, with no doubt, be used in smarter ways in your establishment.
In fact, according to Hotel Energy Solutions, well-designed landscaping can minimize summer heat gain in your hotel, reducing your cooling needs by 20-100 percent. It's true! How about an example? Try planting big leafy tree on the southwest or southeast side of the hotel property. Why? Because the shade that's cast by the tree will help reduce the cooling needs of the inside of your hotel and help you to maintain a comfortable temperature for your guests.
Or how about instead of planting trees, shrubs, and flowers that aren't native to your hotel climate and require extra care to bloom and blossom, consider planting indigenous shrubs that need less TLC to survive. Not only will you be able to cut maintenance costs, but you'll also be saving money on energy and water resources.
In the dead of summer when the weather is warm and the sun is bright, your guests will surely be thrilled with the shade cover that the landscaping of the hotel property offers. What else can help with summer heat? Installing open pools or fountains can help with cooling by evaporation. Also, choosing the right ground cover for the grounds can help play a role in keeping your summer guests cool and comfortable.
These are just simple shortcut solutions that can help you in the long run with the maintenance of your property, but they're tricks that won't solve all your problems. But don't worry. We have a suggested solution for you because we know that the combined realities of spring rainfall, summer heat and potentially brutal winter temperatures can be a significant concern for the upkeep of your property. With the installation of humidity sensors and/or flood sensors you can take a big sigh of relief because they are excellent safeguards for problematic weather. Using a sustainable approach for the planning and maintenance of gardens and grounds combined with the implementation of continuous, automatic and fault tolerant temperature, humidity and/or flood sensors will help you to reduce your maintenance costs, keep your gardens growing, and show your commitment to operating a hotel that guests will want to return to for many years to come.
energy efficiency hotels energy costs trees sustainable gardens flowers monitoring energy hotel energy consumption hotel grounds energy conservation plants


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(01-26-2012 01:33 AM)lrl7 Wrote: Dear Beckett site manager, First of, I have to admit that I prefer BGS grading to PSA for 80's and 90's cards (despite providing 9.5 and 10 preferentially to cards from uncut sheet). Indeed, BGS tends to be more consistent than PSA, particularly when it comes to determine centering and corners. Nonetheless, I find myself wondering why a top grading company that appears to display solid work ethic when it comes to grading, choose to hire members with less rigorous standards to manage their website (especially considering the current job market). Evidently, two of the main attractions for a graded card collector (your client) are updated population reports and graded card registry. The PSA grading company is aware of that and their card registry as well as their population reports are functional and adequate. Therefore, my simple question is: When will the "new" Beckett card registry be operational (an accurate date would be respectful to your clients)? Regards, LRL7
(01-31-2012 12:50 PM)coimbre 21 Wrote: +2 I don't know why but my similar and numerous requests have fallen on completely deaf ears. A target date, that's all I'm asking for.
(02-07-2012 09:56 AM)nolan5000 Wrote: Oh, ok. I didn't explain myself very well. What I meant by my comment was that there may be issues that we don't see that need to be done that take priority over the registry. There may be issues that need to be taken care of in order for the registry to even function. That's what I meant. Sorry for the misunderstanding that I've caused.
(02-07-2012 08:34 PM)tiger8mush2 Wrote: they can take 5 mins and tell us SOMETHING. "Hi valued customers, we want to get the registry going but we've got other problems and foresee a summer 2012 timeline for registry" They could hire ONE geeky database guy and have a BRAND NEW registry launched in a few months and then pay a high school kid $10/hr to key punch the legacy data into the new system and be done faster than this. This is pathetic.
(02-07-2012 09:58 PM)coimbre 21 Wrote: You're OK man and as you know my very high level of registry frustration is well documented. You are correct though, IT Guy explained in one of the threads that development of the new registry is the holdup, not really the migration of the database. The old registry is also sitting on their old storage and server platform that apparently has been decommissioned so that's why the old one is gone. Apologies if it sounded like I was hitting you with hard sarcasm.


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Burns Electric/ Ohio Logistics Mid-Season Championship Night Results |
Friday, 14 June 2013 | |
Reed Breaks Into Attica Victory Lane; Scott Nabs First Late Model Win; Dussel Again In 305 Sprints; Ivy Earns Truck VictoryBy Brian Liskai (Attica, OH) Byron Reed has been around sprint car racing long enough to know sometimes all you need is one good run to boost your confidence. The Monclova, Ohio driver started the year a little slow, but over the past month the team has picked up the pace and it paid off at Attica Raceway Park Friday as he took his first win of the season on Burns Electric/Ohio Logistics Mid-Season Championship Night. Brian Smith and Travis Phil would bring the 410 sprint field to the green for the 30 laps feature with Philo blasting to the lead while fourth starter Reed would slide into second with Smith, D.J. Foos, Caleb Griffith and Stuart Brubaker in tow. Foos would take third on lap three as Reed closed on Philo. With six laps in, Foos moved in to challenge the top two while Griffith ran third followed by Smith and 10th starter Craig Mintz. As they raced to the line to complete the 7th circuit, Foos tried to make it a three car battle for the lead but his car hooked up tight and he tumbled exiting turn four. On the ensuing restart Chris Andrews would get upside down. When the green reappeared, Philo slammed the door on Reed's repeated attempts to take the lead before the caution flew on lap 10 for debris. On the restart Reed once again hounded Philo with Griffith locked in a tight battle with Mintz for third while Smith gave chase. Philo and Reed would race side by side from lap 10 through lap 18 as Mintz closed to make it a three car battle. Reed would drive under Phil for the lead on lap 18 with Mintz taking second a lap later. When Reed caught the rear of the field with 10 laps to go, Mintz quickly closed as Phil rebounded to challenge. As they raced through lapped traffic, Griffith and 15th starter Brandon Martin would join the fun at the front. The caution would fly for Brandon Wimmer on lap 23 and when the green came back out Mintz drove back around Philo for second and closed quickly on Reed. As the laps ticked off Reed would regain his momentum and pulled away for the win over Mintz, Griffith, Philo and Martin. Tim Sabo and John Mayes Jr. would lead the late model field to the green for their 25 laps feature with Sabo gaining the advantage over Dave Hornikel, Ryan Missler, Ken Hahn and Mayes. Missler would take second on lap three just as the caution flew for a tangle involving Matt Irey and Jeff McCoy. On the restart Missler would drive around Sabo for the lead while Hahn moved into third with Scott, who started seventh, taking fourth. The caution would fly again on lap five for Ryan Eddleblute with the running order Missler, Sabo, Scott, Hahn and Devin Shiels. When the green flew, Missler pulled away from a terrific battle for second between Sabo, Scot and Hahn. With 10 laps in, the car on the move was Mike Bores who started 17th and had moved into fifth. Meanwhile Missler had built a five second lead as Scott took second on lap 12. A caution for debris on lap 13 wiped out Missler's huge advantage. On the restart Scott immediately pressured Missler for the lead as the two raced side by side until another caution debris on lap 17. On the ensuing restart Scott would drive under Missler to take the lead with Sabo and a charging Dusty Moore in pursuit. Missler kept driving to Scott's outside, but the second generation driver would not lose his cool and stayed glued to the bottom groove. When Chris Keller drove off the track on lap 21 to bring out the caution, Missler had one more shot at Scott. When the green waved Scott didn't panic when Missler blasted to his outside. Meanwhile Irey, who was involved in the early race skirmish, had worked his way to fourth and would take third on lap 23. Scott would drive to the win over Missler, Irey, Moore and Bores. Two-time feature winner Dustin Dinan and Jimmy Colvin brought the 305 sprints to the green for their 25-lap feature with Dinan using the low groove to power into the lead. Fourth starter Bobby Clark would blast into second with sixth starter Dussel grabbing third over Colvin, T.J. Michael and Ivy. Dussel would take second on lap three while Clark and Ivy battled for third. Ivy would take third on lap five. As Dinan began to close in on the rear of the field, Dussel quickly narrowed the gap with Ivy also making up ground. Dinan raced into traffic on lap 11 and Dussel was there to challenge for the lead. Dan Hammond would spin on lap 12 to give Dinan a clear track. On the restart Hammond would spin again. When the green reappeared, Dinan pulled away from Dussel with Ivy, Clark, Michael, Colvin and Seth Schneider in pursuit. Ivy would pressure Dussel for second as they tried to stay close to Dinan. With five laps to go, Dinan was closing in on lapped traffic and again his lead would evaporate as Dussel and Ivy closed. Dinan and Dussel raced side by side over the next couple of laps and as they exited turn four with the white flag in the air, Dussel drove to the lead. Dussel would take the win over Dinan, Ivy, Michael and Clark. Brian Sorg and Art Ball paced the Bob's Machine Shop/BMS Engines Dirt Trucks for their 15 lap feature. Sorg would grab the lead over Ball as Tony Siferd, Dwight Waltermeier gave chase. The caution flew on lap two for a Siferd and Andy Keegan dust up. On the restart Dustin Keegan would drive into second and closed on Sorg as the caution flew on lap four for Jeff Warnick. When the green reappeared Keegan bolted to Sorg's outside to grab the lead. Meanwhile Ivy had worked his way from 12th to sixth. When the green came back out Keegan lead Sorg as Ivy blasted into third over Ball, Daniel Roepke and Waltermeier. Ivy drove into second on lap eight and quickly closed on Keegan. Ivy would take the lead with a low move on lap 11 as Keegan had his hands full with Roepke. Ivy would drive away fro the win over Keegan, Roepke, Sorg and Ball. Attica Raceway Park will be in action Friday, June 21 to kick off the 31st Ohio Sprint Speedweek with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. For more information go to www.atticaracewaypark.com Attica Raceway Park - 6/14/2013 Burns Electric \ Ohio Logistics Night O'Reilly Auto Parts 410 Sprints (25 Cars) [#]-Starting Position Heat 1 - Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[1] ; 2. 5T-Travis Philo[2] ; 3. 2+-Brian Smith[3] ; 4. 35-Stuart Brubaker[6] ; 5. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[8] ; 6. 9-Dean Jacobs[7] ; 7. 46AU-Stuart Williams[9] ; 8. 312-Mike Linder[5] ; 9. 97X-Rodney Hurst[4] Heat 2 - Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[4] ; 2. 39M-Matt Merrill[1] ; 3. 60-Jody Keegan[2] ; 4. 33M-Sheldon Haudenschild[3] ; 5. 9X-Rob Chaney[8] ; 6. 16-Chris Andrews[5] ; 7. 55-Brad Bowman[7] ; 8. 9W-Brandon Wimmer[6] Heat 3 - Ultra Shield Race Products (8 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. O9-Craig Mintz[2] ; 2. 5R-Byron Reed[3] ; 3. 2M-Dallas Hewitt[1] ; 4. 53-DJ Foos[5] ; 5. 11X-Brandon Martin[8] ; 6. 45L-Brian Lay[6] ; 7. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[7] ; 8. 98-Robert Robenalt[4] B-Main - Computer Man Inc. (12 Laps - Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. 16-Chris Andrews[2] ; 2. 45L-Brian Lay[3] ; 3. 46AU-Stuart Williams[4] ; 4. 9-Dean Jacobs[1] ; 5. 9W-Brandon Wimmer[8] ; 6. 55-Brad Bowman[5] ; 7. 312-Mike Linder[7] ; 8. 22T-Miranda Throckmorton[6] ; 9. 97X-Rodney Hurst[10] ; 10. 98-Robert Robenalt[9] A-Main - (30 Laps) 1. 5R-Byron Reed[4]; 2. O9-Craig Mintz[10]; 3. 40DD-Caleb Griffith[6]; 4. 5T-Travis Philo[2]; 5. 11X-Brandon Martin[15]; 6. 9X-Rob Chaney[14]; 7. 35-Stuart Brubaker[5]; 8. 9-Dean Jacobs[19]; 9. 46AU-Stuart Williams[18]; 10. 2+-Brian Smith[1]; 11. 60-Jody Keegan[12]; 12. 24H-Bryan Sebetto[9]; 13. 9Z-Duane Zablocki[13]; 14. 39M-Matt Merrill[8]; 15. 9W-Brandon Wimmer[20]; 16. 45L-Brian Lay[17]; 17. 2M-Dallas Hewitt[7]; 18. 33M-Sheldon Haudenschild[11]; 19. 16-Chris Andrews[16]; 20. 53-DJ Foos[3] Hard Charger: 9-Dean Jacobs[+11] Summit Racing Equipment Late Models (24 Cars) Bob Machine Shop Dirt Trucks (17 Trucks) [#]-Starting Position Heat 1 - Nitro Black Performance by Engine Pro (8 Laps - Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. D1-Dustin Keegan[8] ; 2. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[2] ; 3. 2-Brain Sorg[9] ; 4. O1-Art Ball[5] ; 5. 8KB-Kent Brewer[7] ; 6. 25S-Tony Siferd[4] ; 7. P51-Willie Keegan[1] ; 8. 69-Jeff Warnick[3] ; 9. 33C-Kyle Cline[6] Heat 2 - Summit Racing Equipment (8 Laps - Top 10 finishers transfer to the A-feature) 1. O-Andy Keegan[1] ; 2. OO-John Ivy[5] ; 3. 33-Brian Arnold[3] ; 4. 7-Dana Frey[4] ; 5. 39-Dwight Waltermier[2] ; 6. 37-Eric Devanna[8] ; 7. 95-Keith Sorg[6] ; 8. 9-Curt Inks[7] A-Main - (15 Laps) 1. OO-John Ivy[12]; 2. D1-Dustin Keegan[5]; 3. 88-Dan Roepke Jr.[10]; 4. 2-Brain Sorg[1]; 5. O1-Art Ball[2]; 6. 39-Dwight Waltermier[3]; 7. 8KB-Kent Brewer[8]; 8. 33C-Kyle Cline[17]; 9. 7-Dana Frey[6]; 10. 33-Brian Arnold[9]; 11. 37-Eric Devanna[7]; 12. 9-Curt Inks[16]; 13. 95-Keith Sorg[14]; 14. 69-Jeff Warnick[15]; 15. 25S-Tony Siferd[4]; 16. O-Andy Keegan[11]; 17. P51-Willie Keegan[13] Hard Charger: OO-John Ivy[+11] ©2013 - Results Provided by: Computer Man Inc. Fremont, OH |
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 18 June 2013 ) |


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"The movement that is now spreading from Japan across Europe"
This quote from the Norwegian artist Gerhard Munthe (1849–1929) refers to one of the main trends in European art from the mid-19th century through the early decades of the 20th century.
In 1853, Japan opened its borders to the outside world after 200 years of isolation. This lead to a cult of all things Japanese among European artists – a movement labelled as Japonism from the 1860s–70s onward. This Japanese-inspired art did not constitute a style as such, but greatly influenced a number of styles in European art. In the 1880s and 1890s, Japonism became a major ingredient of the Art Nouveau style. In Norway, Art Nouveau peaked in popularity in the years between 1890 and 1910.
This exhibition looks at the connections between the Art Nouveau style, the nation-building project in Norway, and the Japonism movement as expressed in Norwegian Art Nouveau. Starting with Gerhard Munthe, considered the leading proponent of Japonism in Norway, the exhibition highlights connections between Japonism and the distinct national character of Norwegian Art Nouveau in terms of technique, range of motifs, format, and choice of materials.
The Cultural Innovation International Prize is a biennial competition organised by the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) with the aim of incentivising projects that explore the potential cultural scenarios of the coming years through research and practice. The first edition of the Prize ties in with the 20th anniversary of the CCCB.
For this call for entries, corresponding to 2014-2015, the theme is "Audience/s".
With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union


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Hey Utah Anglers. Are you planning on attending one of the Utah's Water Future public meeting? TU's very own Tim Hawkes has been updating us about the opportunity to chime in on this important discussion. We can help by attending a meeting and by posting a comment on the website. Let's show Governor Herbert that we care about Utah watersheds.
Here is the Utah's Water Future website.


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Experience past Folger exhibitions again with these catalogs for "Elizabeth I: Then and Now," "Letterwriting in Renaissance England," and others.
Learn More
Folger Director Michael Witmore talks about the significance of the location of Shakespeare's Globe.
A surrealist frontispiece from the daring 1920s production of "Romeo and Juliet" in Paris is on display in Shakespeare's the Thing.


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Reviewed by Automobile Magazine on 8/4/2004
Back to the truck. The Jeep's 2.8-liter, four-cylinder, DOHC, sixteen-valve, direct-injection, common-rail turbo-diesel clatters at idle and lacks some refinement, but it provides mighty torque to make up for its modest power output. The Liberty makes 148 horsepower in Europe, an alarmingly small number for such a comely vehicle, but it also has 266 pound-feet of torque on hand, which turns the vehicle into a really good hauler. We know, as we used it to tow an old racing car at unseemly speeds. The engine's characteristics are as well matched to the five-speed automatic transmission as Michael Moore is to hip shots. U.S. diesels are rated at 160 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and have a tow rating of 5000 pounds.
Just before we drove the Liberty, we were testing a Kia Sorento, which proved that the U.S. industry needs to pay attention to the Koreans-and also that the Koreans will never really conquer world markets unless they wake up to what consumers demand. The Liberty scores over the Kia dynamically, because it has pretty nice steering allied to a firm, well-controlled ride, although it can get choppy on the poorest country lanes. It is actually wieldy and can be entertaining on the twisties. The Sorento, on the other hand, is a dynamic disaster. It rides OK on a freeway, if you don't mind floatiness, but falls to pieces as soon as you enter on off-ramp or try to drive in a sporting vein along a country road. The steering seems barely connected to the chassis, which, in turn, doesn't do anything you ask it to. Yikes.
But to give Kia credit, the interior is spectacular for the money, with lots of nice soft-touch plastics, Japanese-style panel gaps, and a really upscale feel. The Jeep, on the other hand, is all hard plastics, a Toys "R" Us special. There is nothing inside the Jeep that says quality to you; instead, it shouts, "We are making a profit at your expense!"
Which is a shame, because the Liberty is a nice vehicle in any form. We'd say that the diesel version, available in Sport and Limited editions only, is actually the nicest of the lot, sacrificing a bit of straight-line acceleration for better gas mileage-we averaged a little more than 21 mpg, driving hard-and hauling ability, as well as an easy cruising gait.
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