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Hands On Review: Sonos PLAY:3 Multiroom Wireless Speaker
Stream music wirelessly to any room in your house.
It's amazing what a bugaboo multiroom audio can be, especially when products like Sonos have existed now for several years. If you don't already know, Sonos sells a system which uses your home's IP network (wired or wireless) to distribute music around to any room in your house. This system has proved itself reliable and easy to use, and now, Sonos has made it even easier.
A few weeks ago Sonos launched the PLAY:3, a single cabinet wireless speaker that can function as a stand-alone stereo unit or as part of a left/right pair. At $299, it's relatively cheap too, at least in terms of adding a multiroom option to your house.
The PLAY:3 itself looks and feels like a fairly robust bookshelf speaker. Inside are two midrange drivers, a tweeter and a bass radiator, all powered by three class D amplifiers. On the back you get a power cord and an Ethernet cable port (which most people won't use). To turn the speaker from a stereo unit to half of a two-speaker system, just stand it up vertically and an internal sensor makes the switch. Pretty simple huh?
While you can plug a PLAY:3 into your router, most people will want to use the Sonos Bridge as the center point of their system because it makes it all wireless (Note, as of Fall 2014, you no longer need the Bridge for a Sonos wireless system). The Bridge ($49) plugs into your router via Ethernet, then transmits a proprietary wireless signal feeding the PLAY:3s scattered around the house.
I first plugged the Bridge into my router, which is centered in the house. Then I loaded the Sonos software to begin setting up the system. Here's where I ran into a snag– the firewall from Norton Internet Security wasn't letting the Sonos Bridge through. Luckily, the setup software tells you exactly how to fix that, and a minute or so later the Bridge was registered in the application.
After that I plugged the two PLAY:3 units into the walls of two separate rooms and pressed a couple of buttons to connect them wirelessly to the Bridge. Again, simple.
Once that was done, all that was left was to go into the software on my PC and configure it for the music services I wanted to use. Pandora, Spotify, last.fm, SiriusXM, Napster, Rhapsody … plus ten thousand or so internet radio stations were all at my fingertips.
You can also set it up to grab tunes from your iTunes account or computer's music folder, but that requires leaving another computer on at all times unless you use a networked attached storage drive. Just to see how it worked, I set up the system to pull from my main music folder.
Finally, while you can control any aspect of the system from the Sonos desktop software, it's a lot easier to use the free apps for iDevices or Android. I downloaded the iPhone app, let it connect to my system, and right away both PLAY:3 speakers (which I named Office and Living Room) showed up as zones. After that it was just a matter of deciding what I wanted to listen to.
Like the Autonomic music server I reviewed recently, the ability to browse through a nearly unlimited music library is a thrill, and Sonos makes the process easy. With either the iPhone app or the desktop software, I could quickly move between various music services, individual channels and even create new ones on the fly. Browsing my personal music collection on the app wasn't quite as friendly, due mostly to the fact that sorting through 10,000 tracks on a tiny screen is kind of a pain.
You can control the volume (or mute) with buttons on the top of each PLAY:3 or through the control app. I found there was a slight delay when using the volume control on the app, but most people will probably rely on that ninety percent of the time unless they're sitting right next to the unit.
Each PLAY:3 speaker can play independently or you can group them to play the same music at the same time.
Playing streaming music was easy and very responsive. I did notice that music played from my computer was a little buggier–sometimes with delays or hiccups. Music streaming stations come straight from the router to the Bridge, while my local music had to come first off my computer, then to the router and then the Bridge.
The sound quality was surprisingly rich for such small speakers. Even when using just a single speaker, you can still easily fill a room with dynamic sound. When blasted the bass got a bit cloudy, but remember, this is a speaker the size of a loaf of bread.
That said, the PLAY:3 is a small speaker with built-in digital amplifiers. It's on par with a quality iPod speaker dock (not quite as good as the B & W Zeppelin), but not a dedicated hi-fi system. On the other hand, if you want to incorporate Sonos into your existing audio gear, you can use a Zoneplayer 90 to stream all the music to your home theater setup, and then a couple of PLAY:3s to add music to additional rooms.
Sonos PLAY:3
Bridge: $49


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Radar Cross Section
Application ID: 8613
This tutorial model demonstrates the use of a background field in an electromagnetic scattering problem. Although this example is a boat hit by a radar, this same technique can be used in any situation where an isolated object meets electromagnetic waves from a distant source. For example, several orders of magnitude smaller, an equally common application is plasmon resonant nanoparticles. Besides setting up the background field and sweeping it over a range of angles of incidence, this model also shows you how to compute the far-field and the radar cross section.

subset: commoncrawl


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We have added a Zimbra server to our infrastructure using the FOSS version. We already have an in-house scalix server that we are currently using. We are using the Zimbra webmail client mapped to the sclix datastore (pop).
I am having a very intersting problem. One domain name is on the scalix server. we have a temporary but non-existent domain on the zimbra server. each user is (pop) mapped from the old mail server that dumps into their inbox. When they send email out, it needs to relfect that it came from the origional domain. The email sends out BOTH addresses, which can get very confusing. We are using the compose menu's drop down window to select the origional domain, which is pop'd in. that email then shows both email addresses to the receiver. We only want it to show the secondary email address, and not the zimbra adress.
We cannot purchase technical support for the FOSS version. They wont sell it to us. Is there anyone out there willing to contact me to arrange for help on this issue ?


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Video: Bus Shooting Suspect May Be Suicide In Long Island
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) - DC police confirmed Tuesday night that the man who committed suicide on Long Island is the bus shooting suspect Javon Steven Foster.
9News received video from WCBS in New York of the scene in Long Island where authorities believed Javon Foster killed himself on Monday.
Foster was the suspect in the shooting death of a mother who was boarding a bus on Sunday evening. Selina Brown, 20, was getting on the bus near Minnesota Ave. and 19th St when she was fatally shot. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brown, of Northeast D.C., was with her 2-year-old daughter who was also injured in the attack, grazed by a bullet. The child was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
The bus driver also suffered non life-threatening injuries.
Police issued a warrant on Monday for Javon Steven Foster in the death of Brown. Foster was believed to be the boyfriend of the victim and the father of her child.


text: The G-DRIVE is a single drive product, while the G-RAID contains two drives. The benefit of a single drive unit is smaller size and reduced heat, so no fan is required. The G-RAID uses two drives hardwired as Raid 0 so the computer will see the unit as a single larger drive. The paired drives can increase performance up to 50% over a single drive unit. This increase varies based on connection type and the system's capabilities.


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Need Help? Call 1.866.472.4001
Greek Ultimate Makeup Travel Pouch, Mini Dot
- New
- Overview
Show off your sorority spirit wherever you go with a personalized pouch that makes beauty supplies travel-ready. Makeup brushes are tucked into sleeves at top, and makeup is stored a spacious spot below – plus, there's a pocket underneath the lid and a handle for easy toting.
- 8.5" wide x 3.5" deep x 4.5" high
- Features a matching handle.
- Expertly crafted of durable and wipeable 600-denier polyester.
- Includes four makeup brushes.
- Zip closure.
- Dimensions + Care
- 8.5" wide x 3.5" deep x 4.5" high
- Wipe with a soft, damp cloth.
- Shipping Info
Please allow approximately 5-7 business days for delivery of in-stock items. Delivery estimate includes monogrammed and gift-wrapped items.


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Hi all, my calendar is sincronized with my mobile by funambol and zimbra connector.
Right now I have several month of appointments. I wish to keep only the last 1 or 2 months.
Ho do I remove all the events from a calendar in zimbra older than a month?
Thank you.


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Cable and PBS: They make TV worth watching
(Page 3 of 3)
Tony is a killer and thug to the end, and he doesn't evolve as a human being, even after six seasons. Still, his humanity shines through from time to time. Those glimmers fix us to the screen. That moral complexity sets the tone for all the fine, golden-age cable programs we enjoy today.
Copyright © 2013 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
KeywordsRandi Kreiss
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Dear All,
I am facing these problems after trying to install SSL certificate in Zimbra. I am currently using zcs-6.0.0_GA_1802.RHEL5 edition.
zmprov getMailboxInfo firstname.lastname@example.com
ERROR: zclient.IO_ERROR (invoke sun.security.validator.ValidatorException: PKIX path validation failed: java.security.cert.CertPathValidatorException: signature check failed, server: localhost) (cause: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException sun.security.validator.ValidatorException: PKIX path validation failed: java.security.cert.CertPathValidatorException: signature check failed)
Also after installing certificate it gives this error, even showing certicate installed sucessfully.Although servrice is running but webpages(neither admin console nor webmail) can not be acccessed.
[zimbra@mail ~]$ zmcontrol start
Host mail.example.com
Starting ldap...Done.
Unable to determine enabled services from ldap.
Enabled services read from cache. Service list may be inaccurate.
Starting logger...Done.
Starting mailbox...Done.
Starting antispam...Done.
Starting antivirus...Done.
Starting snmp...Done.
Starting spell...Done.
Starting mta...Done.
Starting stats...Done.
Pls help me.Its very urgent to me to continue the job.........
Thanks in Advance........


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It appears that investigators in Portland, Oregon are not focusing on rampage shooter Erik Ayala's fondness for violent video games.
The Portland Mercury spoke with Detective Mark Slater of Portland P.D., who commented on reports that linked linked the 24-year-old Ayala to Left 4 Dead and Resistance: Fall of Man:
[Local newspaper] The Oregonian prompted controversy on Monday, January 26, when it reported that "one of the things that bought Ayala joy" was playing violent videogames. Slater said a copy of the videogame Grand Theft Auto III was found at Ayala's apartment, but said police were not pursuing a link between videogames and the shooting.
"There were a lot of videogames in the apartment," said Slater. "Of a wide variety of the kind you might find in any 24-year-old's apartment."
In regard to the video game angle, GamePolitics has learned that anti-game violence activist Jack Thompson unsuccessfully attempted to involve himself in the Ayala case. Thompson forwarded GP a copy of a January 26th e-mail in which the disbarred attorney complained to Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer that detectives weren't acting on his theory that video games prompted the rampage:
Dear Chief Sizer:
I have information that would be useful to establish further the apparent causal link between the violent video game play of alleged killer Ayala and the recent incident at the teen club.
Some detective in the Bureau with whom I spoke has been compromised by the video game industry, and he was anticipating my call.
I think your Bureau and you put public safety ahead of the pro-video game bias and gaming activities of this detective.
Please have some responsible detective contact me on this, as these incidents tied to games are popping up all over the place. Thanks.
As GamePolitics has documented over the years, Thompson characteristically makes contact with law enforcement personnel in the wake of shooting rampages to suggest that violent video games played a role.
Those contacts between Thompson and law enforcement officials have at times become contentious.
In 2007, for example, Thompson sued the Omaha Police Department for information concerning a troubled 18-year-old who opened fire at a local mall. Last year, Thompson threatened to sue the Public Safety Department of Northern Illinois University following a campus shooting spree committed by a 27-year-old man with a history of mental health problems. In both cases, the disbarred attorney sought evidence of video game play on the part of the shooters.
GP: Thanks to GP reader Cabel Sasser for the link to the Mercury story!


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Hello Kitty Stickers: Monogram
Item # 18501-201109
Stick on some cuteness and fun with this Hello Kitty monogram sticker. This sticker packet... more details
Stick on some cuteness and fun with this Hello Kitty monogram sticker. This sticker packet features Hello Kitty with a glittery outline and some flowers. See safety message.
- packet size measures: 1.5" x 1.5"
Safety Message:
Important Message
A Recommended Age is provided as a guideline to suggest the age range children would most likely enjoy and derive creative play value from the product. The age range is based on safety considerations in the design and contents of the product as well as a child's developmental abilities and skill level. Products which are not appropriate for your child's age group may pose safety hazards.
The following warning cautionary safety statement indicates products with small parts that could pose a choking hazard to children under age three:
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD-Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
This warning statement alerts parents to keep the article away from children under 3 years old.
Please review our terms of use for posting.


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Dayton Moore and Ned Yost discuss roster moves
Dayton Moore and Ned Yost met with the media today about the roster moves. Jonathan Sanchez was designated for assignment and Jason Bourgeois was optioned to Omaha. Moore discussed the move with Sanchez. "We felt that right before the All-Star break he was throwing the ball much better, yesterday actually we thought he turned the ball loose as good as he has before, but the results just weren't very good. We just felt that change was required at this point in time. It was evident that we needed to deflate the situation and move forward," said Moore. Yost said, "He still has the stuff to be successful, but for whatever reason he just wasn't successful here."
Bourgeois wasn't playing much up here and that was a main reason they optioned him to Omaha. Yost said, "We didn't want him here as a pinch runner and we needed pitching. We had to have a spot for pitching and if something happens to one of our outfielders we want him down there playing and he can come back up here fresh and ready to go."
Ryan Verdugo will be making his first Major League start in tonight's game against the Seattle Mariners. The reason why Yost chose him to be a part of the pitching roster was because "Number one, he was available to pitch, and number two, he's got pretty good numbers. We are just going to go and just let him pitch. He has good stuff and we are anxious to see him pitch."


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If there was to be one name associated with the world of American fragrance, Calvin Klein would undoubtedly be that name. Since 1981, the American house of fashion has released one best-selling fragrance after another, introducing the world to scents that are now institutions in the worlds of men's cologne and women's perfume. Over the years, the collection has expanded to include scents for every style and taste. Whether you prefer a light, fresh scent; something exotic and spicy; or a sweet, flirty finish, there is a fragrance in the range that will please your senses.
Because of their long history and incredible reputation, Calvin Klein fragrances make excellent gifts for any occasion. The fragrance collection includes light eau de toilette formulas and longer-lasting, more potent eau de parfum selections. You'll also find gift sets that pair a popular fragrance with scented skin care products, all artfully arranged in a tasteful gift box. Start shopping the Calvin Klein fragrance collection to find something to give as a gift to yourself or to a special man or woman in your life.
The name has become synonymous with fashion and style, but Calvin Klein does more than produce clothes that transition from red carpet to everyday life with ease. Calvin Klein fragrances are an extension of this already popular brand, allowing you to enjoy the high-quality beauty products that have made the brand famous. As one of the top fashion design and market studios in the world, Calvin Klein has an extensive product offering, and its fragrances are just one of the lines that has made the brand famous. Fragrances are available for both men and women, allowing you to find a delightful scent for either you or someone you love--or both. A variety of fragrances can delight your senses, but no matter your personal preference, you can find Calvin Klein fragrances that suit your tastes. SkinStore offers women's fragrances in light floral scents or exotic botanicals as well as men's fragrances that are aquatic, woodsy, and fresh.
At SkinStore, you can find Calvin Klein fragrances in several styles, whether you want a 3.4-ounce bottle or a gift set for that special someone. If you're new to the Calvin Klein brand and aren't sure which fragrance is right for you, consider a set that features smaller bottles of several fragrances. You can mix and match these aromatic scents depending on your mood or the occasion, allowing you to enjoy everything that Calvin Klein has to offer. Calvin Klein is an internationally recognized brand for fashion and beauty. Now, bring the luxury into your home with a Calvin Klein fragrance of your own.


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Government Investigation Uncovers Pattern of For-Profit Radiation Treatment
Officials with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) may have discovered a disturbing trend among doctors within the U.S. Medicare system who self-referred patients for radiation treatment and put a strain on the federal program.
After scrutinizing all claims made under the Medicare B system, GAO administrators saw a pattern among doctors who stood to gain financially from prescribing radiation for cancer patients: doctors who were able to self-refer intensity-modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT, did so at an alarming rate.
"One of our major concerns was for patients who rely on the advice of the doctor they are going to," said James C. Cosgrove, director of health care initiatives for the GAO. "If a doctor is recommending one treatment over another, we think it is important for the patient to know that their doctor has a financial interest in prescribing one treatment over another."
The report was the third in a four-part series examining issues surrounding physician self-referrals.
The first installment looked at doctors who were able to self-refer advanced diagnostic imaging, such as MRIs or CT Scans. That study was followed by a second investigation aimed at self-referrals of anatomic pathology, or treatments related to urology, dermatology, and gastroenterology.
The final report will look at self-referrals for physical therapy and is expected this fall, according to Cosgrove.
The GAO tested several theories to explain why radiation therapy prescriptions increased from 80,000 in 2006 to 366,000 in 2010.
Investigators attempted to find a pattern among patients' ages, health status and geographic location, even studying sub-sets of patient data from New York, where an advanced tracking system can even tell researchers what stage of cancer patients were at when they were prescribed IMRT. They turned up no reason for the increase.
Finally, they began tracking doctors with and without the ability to self-refer.
"One category was for physicians who didn't self-refer IMRT at all during the period. Another group was made up of physicians who did self-refer the entire period," he said. "The third group was for those who began the period not self-referring, but somewhere in the time period they became self- referring."
Those in the latter group were doctors who either acquired the capacity to do the treatment, or joined a group that was providing the treatment, during the period of the study.
"What we saw was that the 'switchers' increased the proportion of patients they were sending for IMRT by 47 percent," Cosgrove said. "What it came down to was that this is an expensive service and the doctors are getting paid for it."
Other treatments for prostate cancer include hormonal therapy or a prostatectomy, according to the National Cancer Institute.
According to the GAO, the increase in self-referrals has put an exorbitant strain on the Medicare system. The agency's earlier report on anatomic pathology self-referrals concluded that the practice cost Medicare roughly $69 million between 2004 and 2010.
However, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services disagreed with the GAO's findings, and its recommendation that doctors be required to indicate on Medicare forms whether they had self-referred patients for the radiation treatment.
"HHS does not concur," the department said in a response. "We do not believe this recommendation will address overutilization that occurs as a result of self-referral."
"We believe that adding self-referral a flag on the Medicare Part B claims form and requiring physicians to indicate whether the service is self-referred will be complex to administer and may have unintended consequences," department officials wrote. "We believe that other payment reforms will better address overutilization than a new checkbox on the claim form."
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Then last week I signed two settlement documents to conclude our 2008 lawsuit against Citizens for Community Values (CCV), the City of Cincinnati and dozens of other local government officials and conservative civic leaders. After a long year of fighting for our First Amendment right to publish CityBeat without government interference, I'm pleased and gratified to wrap up the legal proceedings on such a positive note.
As you might recall, CityBeat filed a federal lawsuit in July 2008 charging government officials in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Campbell and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky and Dearborn County in Indiana — along with a coalition of local religious and nonprofit leaders led by CCV — of violating our First Amendment rights, conspiracy to violate our First Amendment rights and tortious interference with our business relationships.
Our case was assigned to Judge S. Arthur Spiegel in U.S. District Court and wound through the legal system over the past year. Several defendants were released, some by us and some by Spiegel. We completed the written discovery phase and were about to prepare for depositions and the trial when CCV and the city approached us with offers to settle.
The City of Cincinnati agreed to pay CityBeat $2,500 to settle the lawsuit claims and cover any attendant costs. Terms of the CCV settlement agreement are confidential. We released all of the remaining individual defendants, and we're only awaiting Spiegel's signature before the case is officially dismissed.
I'm relieved to be finished with the legal battle, as it was distracting at times over the past year, but I remain convinced that standing up to the CCV coalition's threats and intimidation was the right thing to do. After all, the only reason bullies do what they do is because they think they can get away with it.
The bullying started on the morning of June 9, 2008, when ex-Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn — now running for council again — led a news conference at City Hall to ask CityBeat to stop running adult services advertisements in our paper and on our Web site. Winburn and the CCV coalition also delivered a letter to us to "appeal to your integrity as a corporate citizen" and "eliminate the adult services category and refuse to accept ads elsewhere for sexual services."
After ending the letter "Sincerely," a total of 39 individuals signed it, from CCV President Phil Burress and Bishop E.
Lynn Brown, 2nd Episcopal District CME Church, to Paula Westwood, executive director of Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati.
Among the 39 signees were several people identified in their official capacities as local government leaders and, in all but one case, as law enforcement officials: Kenton County Attorney Garry Edmondson, Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis, Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Monzel, Dearborn County Attorney Aaron Negangard, Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas H. Streicher Jr. and Campbell County Attorney Justin Verst.
The letter referenced recent prostitution arrests and raids in the Tristate by the Organized Crime Division of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, the Vice Control Section of the Cincinnati Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Indianapolis and connected them to CityBeat's adult ads.
In fact, the letter claimed, CityBeat and citybeat.com were "primary avenues through which the sex-for-sale industry in greater Cincinnati markets their destructive services."
The message to us was loud and clear: Stop running all adultoriented ads or the area's top cops and prosecutors would come down hard on CityBeat.
We initially chalked up this prostitution publicity stunt to CCV's desperate search for a relevant issue in a presidential election year. Then CCV's Web site posted an item about the news conference and letter titled "CityBeat newspaper accused of accepting prostitution ads."
The "accusation" quickly turned from a stunt to a threat — as in the top law enforcement officials in five local jurisdictions conspiring to hurt us and maybe even put us out of business.
It was preposterous to claim that CityBeat was solely responsible for the problem of prostitution in the Tristate, just as it was preposterous to demand that we ban legitimate businesses and individuals from advertising their goods and services in CityBeat because a few bad apples had been arrested.
So a few weeks later CityBeat staff rallied on Fountain Square to deliver a public rebuke to the CCV coalition's demands and to stand up for our integrity as corporate citizens. We listed the kinds of issues we support — tolerance, diversity, creativity, gay pride, city living, public transit, performing and visual arts, local music, environmental responsibility and holding public officials accountable — that have helped nudge stodgy Cincinnati into the 21st century.
Most importantly, we reminded people on the Square that CityBeat believes in and values freedom of speech and freedom of the press. And, at its heart, that's what this lawsuit was all about.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says, among other prohibitions, that government can't abridge the freedom of speech or of the press. That's the key relationship: government and the press.
CCV and the individuals we sued have their own freedom of speech rights to complain about CityBeat content and advertisers — that's not what our lawsuit was about. Once they conspired with the government officials to threaten us, however, they crossed the legal line.
There were plenty of mornings after the June 9 news conference when I wondered if I'd see police cars parked in front of our building, officers carrying out computers and file cabinets. A raid like that, shutting down the paper for an issue or two, would have seriously damaged CityBeat.
So we filed the lawsuit to keep the business running, to push back against government intimidation and to remind public officials that they can't use their official capacity and office to promote a private group's narrow moral agenda. With the lawsuit settled, I'm pleased that we accomplished all three goals.
A few months after we filed the lawsuit, in fact, the City of Cincinnati revised its policy regarding outside groups using City Hall for their own private or commercial purposes.
I'd like to thank Louis Sirkin, Jennifer Kinsley and Scott Nazzarine for their legal representation and guidance during this ordeal. Cincinnati is lucky to have such well-respected and tenacious First Amendment defenders in our midst.
As Sirkin and I discussed lessons learned from our lawsuit, he made a good point that's worth repeating: Government officials must remember that they serve all citizens in their jurisdiction and must stop kowtowing to pressure groups such as CCV that threaten to turn them out of office if they don't promote the group's agenda.
In other words, public officials serve and protect the Constitution, not their friends.
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With 2013 around the corner, it will soon be time to turn the page and focus more on the season to come than the season that concluded. But you never forget any of these seasons, really, and the championship years are infinitely more fun to revisit. The commemorative movies and box sets that follow a championship these days help, too.
I have one last San Francisco Giants Collector's Edition 8-disc Box Set left to give away, so you can watch individual moments from the postseason and prove to yourself that you weren't dreaming. That really happened. Buster Posey really did hit a grand slam off Mat Latos. Jeremy Affeldt really did fall down some stairs in the dugout. The Reds really did strand 214 runners over the last four innings.
And that was just Game 5 of the NLDS, which is included in this set.
Another disc holds the key to the magical Barry Zito start in Game 5 of the NLCS that got everyone believing in not just the Giants or redemption, but the absurdly sublime. Or the sublimely absurd, take your pick. It gave you the feeling that the postseason was going into another gear/realm/galaxy, and the best course of action was to sit back and enjoy the ride … man.
It's hard to get a handle on what the "#RallyZito" thing was all about if you weren't on Twitter. The Giants needed to listen to Hunter Pence yell things with his eyes reaching out and touching each player in the dugout. (I'm not kidding. I'm pretty sure Pence's eyes ate at least a bag of seeds during the playoffs, too.) The fans needed to spend their time between the Game 4 loss and Zito's start to wrap their heads around what would probably happen (Zito gets shelled, everyone comes home for a post-postseason press conference explaining how it all went wrong — in other words, an afternoon of chatter about Pablo Sandoval being too fat and Tim Lincecum being too skinny) and what could happen.
Actually, Zito succeeding was impossible to imagine. He'd be lucky to reach the fourth inning, right? So people invested in their Twitter avatars instead of potential baseball pain. Zito on a unicorn. Zito modeling. Shirtless Zito mugging for the camera in his own mirror after shaving (my avatar that day). ZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZitoZito.
Then Zito pitched, and it was as if the karma buildup from Twitter carried him to greatness. Weird, since he shut down his Twitter account years ago due to the abuse he was getting.
Now here's your contest question.
Be honest: before it happened, did you think Zito had a snowball's chance of pitching well Game 5 of the NLCS?
Feel free to add in any #RallyZito anecdotes, where you were when you watched the game, whether or not you played some Jack Johnson songs in the background to keep things extra mellow and Zito-y while the game was progressing. You can write something about the RBI bunt single. ("Zito dropped a pearl" is one of the select few radio calls from the 2012 postseason that'll be heard forever around here, so thanks to Mike Krukow for that.)
Just write something about that game, and on Monday I'll choose one lucky commenter at random and they'll get a copy of the Box Set on DVD or Blu-ray (winner's choice). Then they'll be able to watch this classic Zito game on a loop.
You know you have to do some last-minute shopping — why not give yourself a chance at a last-minute gift for yourself? Good luck!


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The following is an industry press release...
Lake George, NY: For the first time ever in its 30 year history, Americade's largest tradeshow location, TourExpo Beach, will be open for business from Saturday through the following Saturday. TourExpo Beach will now open June 1 and close 8 days later on June 8.
"We're very excited by this change," said Christian Dutcher, Americade's GM. "A sunny weekend is obviously very important to our attendees and our vendors, and we've just doubled our chances at having the perfect weekend. We expect our attendees will love this option, and know that our vendors will greatly benefit from an 8 day tradeshow."
Although TourExpo Beach will open 3 days early, TourExpo Forum will continue to open on the Tuesday of Americade Week. "The vast majority of our vendors are able to arrive 3 days earlier, but some weren't," said Debbie Beaudette, TourExpo's Manager. "So, they'll be open for business on what has been historically the opening day, Tuesday."
TourExpo also plans on introducing additional entertainment within the tradeshow, including stunt shows and musical entertainment, though details have yet to be announced.
The rest of Americade Week will proceed on the traditional schedule with demo rides, minitours, boat cruises, bike judging, seminars and all the other dozens of Americade activities starting on Tuesday and ending Saturday afternoon.


text:
Style #: NK2431-CHA
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Stay hip and warm this winter with the cool insulated protection of the Seattle boot from Kamik. The DriDefense waterproof bootie construction teams up with foam and fleece insulation to surround your feet with cozy warmth.
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Kinect Sensor Mount
Marc Killpack (http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~mkillpack3), Advisor: Prof. Charlie Kemp
After some basic steps to disassemble the base of the Kinect, we can use the mount described here to attach the Kinect sensor to a robot or other fixture (see examples below from HRL). If the intended purpose is for static use, there is a shaft that allows you to orient the Kinect plus or minus 30 degrees. If the purpose is to attach the Kinect to a moving part/robot, then we recommend the use of the supports as seen below in the instructions. We developed this as an alternative to having to open up the actual sensor casing and use its screw holes.
Making the Kinect Mount
We used a 3D printer to make our mount out of ABS plastic. The same parts could be machined out of metal if desired but would likely require some modifications to the tolerances and the thicknesses of some parts. The following explains the basic assembly of the mount from start to finish (see list of Solid Works files available for download following the assembly instructions below).
Steps to Disassemble Kinect Base and Attach New Mount
Holder place for how to thread the top and bottom of 3D printed mount (After printing the mount, it is helpful to assemble the top and bottom pieces and thread them with an M4 size tap. If you are using the supports for a more rigid mount, make sure to thread the holes in the top plate and the supports at the same time with an M3 tap).
The top_piece can now be slid into place over the stem.
Attach the shaft piece using the small philips screwdriver with the screw that held the original gear in place.
Solid Works Files
The main solid works files necessary for the mount are as follows:
The following files are examples of how we have modified the original to work for our robots:
- pr2_top, pr2_base, cody_top_side_mount, cody_base_side_mount, cody_top_under_mount, cody_base_under_mount, playpen_base
We didn't want to cause problems with the USB cable, so we cut the power cord below the split to USB and the Kinect connector. Being careful to verify polarity, we hooked the Kinect up to a 12V power supply that is loosely regulated and we have had no issues so far.


text:
WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- While the buzz in the District and the entire nation surrounds the so-called "Fiscal Cliff", some are still in the dark about how it could affect them.
The reality of the situation, though, is that if the country goes off the Cliff, taxes would rise by more than $500 billion in 2013 according to a report by the Tax Policy Center/Urban Institute and Brookings Institution.
The info-graphic above features data found in that report and shows how the Fiscal Cliff could potentially affect your wallet.
See the TPC full report here.


text:
USCA - United States Conference on AIDS
USCA - United States Conference on AIDS
Event Date: Sunday, September 8, 2013 (All day) to Wednesday, September 11, 2013 (All day)
Event Type: Meeting or Conference
The 2013 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), will take place September 8-11, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency, in New Orleans, LA. For nearly two decades, USCA has sought "to increase the strength and diversity of the community-based response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic through education, training, new partnerships, collaboration and networking. This year, USCA will continue to high-light the changes in our movement that have brought us closer than ever to ending the epidemic, while focusing on the challenges that we must overcome to achieve this vision. Our target population will be region-specific this year, focusing on the South.
USCA is the largest AIDS-related gathering in the U.S., bringing together over thousands of workers from all fronts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic—from case managers and physicians, to public health workers and advocates, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and policy-makers—to build national support networks, exchange the latest information and learn cutting-edge tools to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS. We hope you will be one of them.


text:
Sanrio.com e-Gift Card
Style #: GIFTCARDCheck my Gift Card balance
It's easy to give a supercute Sanrio e-gift card. Sanrio electronic gift certificates... more details
It's easy to give a supercute Sanrio e-gift card. Sanrio electronic gift certificates are the perfect online gift for any Hello Kitty and Friends fan. We have a great selection of Hello Kitty and Friends gifts, collectables and other supercute items they can choose from. Small gift, big smiles with a Sanrio.com e-gift card!
e-Gift Cards are final sale, and non-refundable cash amount.
Please allow up to 4-8 hours for electronic delivery.
e-Gift Card purchases are not eligible for promotions.
Sanrio.com e-Gift Cards are not redeemable in Sanrio stores.
Please review our terms of use for posting.


text: Hey all, this new forum rocks no? Hey I'm shooting a Bowtech Captain right now, I love it, but at the end of the day its HEAVY! I have shot the new Invasion and I love it, Its super fast and light, does anyone on here own one yet? How do you like it etc... Im leaning towards optifade forest or black ops, maybe treestand? Oh and my Captain is up for sale! Ha ha


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Biz briefs - Real estate rankings and Greek groceries
Published: Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 11:47 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 11:47 p.m.
Port City still affordable
Wilmington | Wilmington remains an affordable place to live, although Raleigh and Charlotte are a tad cheaper.
The Port City scored a 97.3 on the most recent ACCRA Cost-of-Living Index, with 100 considered the national average. Raleigh scored nearly 93, with Charlotte coming in at 95.
Of the 304 urban areas in the country rated, Manhattan was the most expensive at nearly 219 and Harlingen, Texas, the lowest with 81.
The survey, which comes out quarterly, aims to measure the difference in the cost of more than 90,000 consumer good and services between cities for a middle-class standard of living.
Realty firms form Ocean Isle alliance
Ocean Isle Beach | Wilmington-based Intracoastal Realty is teaming up with Williamson Realty in Ocean Isle Beach to help promote residential property sales on and off the Brunswick County island.
Intracoastal will lease the second floor of Williamson's 6,400-square-foot building in Ocean Isle to house its new sales office.
The company intends to add new agents after the office's Sept. 3 opening.
"By aligning Intracoastal's strength in sales with our expertise in vacation rentals, we can now provide customers with a full array of real estate services," said Frank Williamson, vice president and broker-in-charge of Williamson Realty, in a statement announcing the alliance. "This is a win-win for Intracoastal Realty and Williamson Realty, but the people who will benefit most are Ocean Isle buyers, sellers and tourists."
Hospitality group names new officials
Wilmington | The Wilmington Area Hospitality Association (WAHA) has announced its 2013-2014 board of directors and committee members.
Maureen Donovan, the director of sales and marketing for Holiday Inn Resort, was appointed president.
Heather Loftin, promotions director for the Battleship North Carolina, was appointed vice president. The new secretary is Holly Soucy, marketing manager for the Wilmington Convention Center, and Molly Johnson, director of group sales at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside, was appointed treasurer.
The association is a nonprofit that aims to promote the interest of the hospitality industry – including lodging, restaurants, and recreational attractions – in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender counties.
Grocer to stock Greek products
Wilmington | The Greeks Authentic Mediterranean Deli in downtown Wilmington is partnering with Carolina Farmin' to stock some of its branded products on the Port City grocer's shelves.
The initial deal is for four products – tzatziki dip, hummus, salad dressing and a Kalamata olive oil.
Greeks is located at 124 Princess St., while Carolina Farmin' is at 2101 Market St.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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1963 Pontiac Temptest LeMans - Overkill IncarnateWritten by on July 24, 2008 Contributors: Robert McGaffin Making Nearly 1,750 Lb-Ft Of Torque Is Half The Battle; Getting It All Hooked Up Is The Other Half
You don't do a killer car cheap. You can build it yourself, have someone do it for you, or buy something that's already rolling. Regardless of origin, the thing's naturally gonna be expensive. Did we mention turbochargers? Though not necessarily the most expensive power adder in the universe, its plumbing complexity, high-quality materials, and powerful adaptable electronics are mandates. To complete the package, the engine and drivetrain (the management of all that torque) must be able to respond accordingly. If you're stabbing an overkill engine, the rest of the car's systems have to withstand hellish abuse, even for a few seconds of bloodletting. Doing it all in an obscure but memorable suit makes it that much more deadly.
Then we have the case of Brad Hillebrand, a 43-year-old professional who is joined by a wife and two kids. None of this deterred him from his love of the Pontiac Momma. He's a Pontiac head, oh yeah, and has gone through a '74 GTO, a '79 Trans Am, and currently herds a '67 GTO. Brad got tied to this thug LeMans along the way that looks too much like a mass murderer. Actually, it was Brad.
"The quest for more power started when I was looking for more power than was in my '67 GTO. I restored and drove it for a couple of years with a 500hp engine. Sure, it hauled, but it didn't really haul. I thought twice that much power would be cool and just what I needed. I set the objective as a 1,200-1,300hp street/strip car, and was hunting for a body to build and researching what stuff to buy for it.
"Originally, I was going to do a supercharged Pontiac engine ... and was leaning toward a '74 GTO or early Firebird to put it in. I estimated build time at one to two years, depending on the car. I was dreading the build time. I'm a busy guy, and finding time to do another car would be tough, but I figured it was worth it."
Brad was looking for a motor combo when he came to the Nelson Supercars Web site. What he saw there got him thinking that turbocharging might be the shining path for a dual-purpose machine. On the Nelson site, he spied a '63 LeMans that was boosted by a twin-turbo 522-inch big-block with all the good stuff. There was one HUGE issue: The engine wasn't a Pontiac, and being a staunch Pontiac fan, that was akin to laying with the Devil. But didn't Ol' Scratchy perch on Brad's right shoulder and whisper in his ear: "C'mon man, you love the look of the car, it's a Pontiac, and the sheer meanness and madness of a streetable 2,000 hp is nothing if not insane. Sure, having a few extra horses lying around is a good thing." His job was done. Brad wrestled with it for some time before letting his good sense get the best of him.
Tom Nelson's Web site is energized by driving clips. "I just couldn't get enough of watching it," says Brad. "I was addicted and pictured myself driving it. I think that's the point where things changed for me. It went from nice to have, to must have. I had to have it. I started thinking the car was really cool and after all, it's done, I don't have to wait, and wouldn't be spending all those nights building one. After I got over the big-block versus Pontiac thing, I was good to go." Watch it, Brad, when the Poncho vigilantes see this they'll be wiring up to waste a heathen, even a misguided one like you.
The next hurdle was breaking the news to his better half. After hinting around for a few weeks, he leaked the scheme to her. Her first take on it was: "No way. It can't be safe." Don't ya hate that, when your wife is so intuitive, like she's already seen the damn movie so she knows what happens in the end? Kelly was no match for Brad's ego-driven persistence. He wore through her like a belt sander.
He went to Cali, huddled with Nelson, and looked the car over for a couple of hours. Then it was time for a testdrive, first as a passenger, then behind the throttle of the A-bomb with slicks. The front end didn't lift and the tires didn't spin. The LeMans just rocketed straight down the pike like it was drawn by a magnet.
"I have the boost set at 11 psi via the electronic controller, which leaks a paltry 1,244 hp and 1,054 lb-ft of twist-perfect for cruising around," cracked Brad. Yeah, boy. In a neighborhood crawling with thermonuclear devices, maybe. And there's so much more laying in wait. At the top of the 32-psi threshold, the 522 issues a sack-shriveling 1,960 hp at 6,300 rpm, and 1,750 lb-ft of locomotive-like grunt at 5,000 rpm. Yes, ready for all-out war.
Nelson Supercars built the entire project and refinished the body as well. Supercars' Scott Carpenter did the Viper Blue paint. The minimal fiberglass cowl hood features a pair of rectangular cutouts on either side to vent the big Rat. On the inside, it's all business. JAZ race seats, not lounges, and no creature comforts at all, save for that nostalgic AM radio. With more Auto Meter gauges than a fighter aircraft dash, the gut cohosts a master panel with switches for all the basic systems.
To the right of the steering wheel is the Innovative boost controller. The red switch is connected to the trans brake. Directly below it, on a fabbed portion of the transmission tunnel, the Winter Racing shifter sits up high, right in line with the driver's reach. Out back, the Tempest's trunk is gobbled by the big wheel tubs, the fuel cell, the Product Engineering fuel delivery system, and the twin Optima Red Tops standing sentinel on either side.
Brad admits: "The car is complete overkill, and I still can't get over the fact that with all that power it can cruise around in traffic, idle at 900 rpm, and stay at 190 degrees." But all is not sweet in the Land of Brad. "The suspension leaves a little to be desired for street use. It's OK, but bumps are a big concern as the downpipes from the turbochargers are only 4 inches from the ground. To accommodate, I'm going to use oval exhaust tubing and install an Air Ride system in place of the coilover shocks, so I can further change the stance." Sure, different mufflers will quiet the car down some, but stealthy is something it will never be. Brad still needs to quell the interior chat with sound deadener and new carpet.
If you were at all introverted, this fugitive from an Arnie Beswick nightmare would not appeal. People hear it long before they see it, and when they see it, they become completely wazzled, tongue-tied, and totally wrong about what they think their eyes are telling them. Says Brad: "As it turns out, I have items on the engine that I wasn't aware of. The fuel regulator becomes a nitrous solenoid and the oil lines for the turbo are the nitrous lines. The combination radiator/intercooler becomes two radiators, the turbochargers become superchargers, and there's a carburetor under the intake manifold cover. It takes a while to absorb it all. The item I get most questions on is the kill switch (above the righthand taillight). Most people think it turns the lights on!"
The Tempest has girth-considerable. At about 3,800 pounds with Brad behind the wheel with the 1,244hp tune-up, it has run 5.30s at 137 on Irwindale's eighth-mile (translation: about 8.30s in the quarter). Although he probably should be trailing a parachute, Brad takes some comfort in a tube-frame car that is certified to 7.50. So that his kidney disturber will be a scooch more acceptable in the real world, he's going to put skinny radials up front and humongous M/T radials on the drive axle. Probably do the aforementioned Air Ride system, too.
And still Brad will be pinned against the seat in a real hurry, listening to the twins boost up. He'll have both paws on that steering wheel as everything in the periphery blurs out when the LeMans pierces the exclusivity of the 2,000hp street-car universe. Brad cops to it: "I don't think God intended us to drive stuff like this-it's just not natural."
By The Numbers
'63 Pontiac Tempest Lemans
Brad Hillebrand * Elmhurst, IL
Vehicle weight w/driver: 3,800 pounds
|big-block Chevy displacing 522ci
|(4.560 bore x 4.00 stroke)
|Dart Big {{{M}}} low-deck
|Compression ratio:
|custom Billet Fabrications 7-quart oil pan
|and oiling system
|Rotating assembly:
|4.00-inch stroke Cola 4340 crank,
|Oliver billet rods, JE custom pistons,
|Hellfire rings
|Cylinder heads:
|Brodix Big Duke PB1802,
|oval intake ports,
|91cc combustion chamber volume,
|456cc intake ports,
|CNC-milled combustion chambers,
|"turbo" valve job
|COMP mechanical roller,
|252/256 degrees duration at .050-inch,
|.715-inch lift, 115-degree lobe separation,
|Jesel beltdrive timing gear
|2.400-inch titanium intake/1.{{{900}}}-inch
|Inconel exhaust valves,
|1.7:1 T&D Machine shaft rocker system,
|3/8-inch Smith Brothers pushrods,
|dual valvesprings
|Hogan individual-runner
|intake manifold, twin BBK 62mm throttle bodies,
|160lb/hr fuel injectors,
|S&B tapered-cone w/7x12-inch element,
|Product Engineering dual-stage fuel pump,
|Aeromotive pressure regulator,
|Moroso vacuum pump and tank
|Power adder:
|twin Innovative 76mm
|turbochargers (5-32 psi boost),
|Innovative Indy wastegates
|and electronic boost controller,
|Ron Davis air-to-air intercooler
|Electromotive Tec3R EMS,
|60-tooth crank-trigger ignition system,
|ACCEL 8.8mm primary wires
|Nelson custom-built turbo stands
|and manifolds, Lemons Headers,
|4-inch stainless exhaust system,
|Lemons collector mufflers
|Built by:
|Nelson Supercars, Chatsworth, CA
|A1 Turbo 400, 3,500-rpm stall speed,
|9-inch Winters Racing converter,
|B&M cooler, Winters Racing shifter
|chrome-moly steel
|Rear axle:
|Currie 9-inch, Strange third member,
|locker differential, 4.10:1 ring-and-pinion,
|built by Jim Cook at
|Performance Differential, Ontario, CA
|Front suspension:
|full tube frame
|(7.50 certification), tubular upper
|and lower control arms,
|Aldan {{{Eagle}}} coilover shock absorbers
|Rear suspension:
|4-link with Aldan Eagle
|coilover shock absorbers
|Wilwood 12-inch disc, front;
|Wilwood 12-inch disc, rear
|Wheels & Tires
|Centerline Convo Pro
|15x4.5, front; 15x14, rear
|M/T Sportsman 26x7.50-15, front;
|M/T ET Street 32x17.50-15, rear


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The Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce today announced the winners of its annual Star Awards, which recognize organizations and individuals whose outstanding accomplishments contribute to the revitalization of its five distinct neighborhoods: Washington Park, Mohawk, Central, Pendleton and Findlay Market.
This year's award winners:
Chairman's Award: Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3cdc.org)
Norma Petersen Award: Topic Design (www.topicdesign.com)
New Business of the Year: A Tavola (1220 Vine St.; here's a link to a recent CityBeat review of the modern and stylish pizza place.)
Business of the Year: dojo gelato (Findlay Market, dojogelato.com)
Non Profit Organization of the Year: Crossroad Health Center (crossroadhc.org)
Individual Contribution: Leslie Cook, First Lutheran/OTR Learning Center (www.firstlutherancincy.org/learning_center.html)
Special Recognition: Captain Douglas Wiesman, Cincinnati Police
Recipients will be honored at the OTR Chamber's annual meeting and luncheon March 20 at Music Hall.
Tuesdays will be market day at downtown's Fountain Square beginning in late spring and lasting until early fall. And to fill the market, the group that manages the plaza is accepting applications from interested vendors.
The Cincinnati City Center Development Corp. (3CDC) will operate the market for 21 weeks, from May 1 to Sept. 25. The midday, mini-market will be open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Streetcar proponents have spent considerably more on their campaign than the anti-streetcar people, probably because Issue 48 is so wide-reaching it has brought out people concerned with things way more important than the streetcar such as regional planning, commuter rail and making Cincinnati not look like it totally sucks.
Also being outspent are the SB 5 supporters, who have seen support decline dramatically in recent weeks as people look around their neighborhoods and see a bunch of regular people whose rights would be taken away. And Building a Better Ohio does unethical things like this, which makes people think they are meanies.
Here's a blog about City Council candidate Chris Smitherman arguing against all the legal experts who say Issue 48 will block all rail construction through 2020.
Occupy Cincinnati protesters have asked a judge to throw all charges against them, arguing that the park rules are unconstitutional which means their punishments shouldn't exist. The cases are expected to be delayed until the constitutional argument is figured out.
Two county commissioners say they want to help the county's Job and Family Services agency after an Enquirer analysis detailed massive funding, technology and staffing shortages that might have contributed to the deaths of three toddlers during the last 10 months. Republican Greg Hartmann and Democrat Todd Portune have suggested the agency use money from a reserve set aside for an expected bookkeeping penalty while they vote on a budget that will stay the same as last year.


text:
It's Your Business: Cottage Yarn
By Derek Lacey / Staff Writer
Lyn Millward first learned to knit as a teenager, an exchange student in Sweden between her junior and senior year in high school.
But as life happened, she drifted away from the art, until her daughter received yarn and knitting supplies for her eleventh birthday.
She relearned how to knit to help teach her daughter, and it wasn't long until she was knitting, crocheting, learning new skills and even teaching classes at her LYS (local yarn shop), Cottage Yarn in Mint Hill.
Her daughter, Chloe, worked at the shop on weekends, and one day,the previous owner called to let Chloe know she was retiring. Lyn was concerned about the future of the store, and would eventually take over as owner.


text:
'Genesis' | Slim Fit, Super 100 Virgin Wool Dress Pants by BOSS
Size & Fits
These slim fit dress pants by BOSS are crafted from Super 100 virgin wool, which ensures a soft and luxurious feel that distinguishes it from other dress pants. These pants feature a woven pattern and include two front slash pockets and two back welt pockets with button closure.
Model is 6'1" with a 32" waist, 32" inseam, and is wearing size 32R.
Bring these pants to a HUGO BOSS store near you for basic alterations at no charge. Alterations are complimentary on full price items only; charges will be applied for items purchased on sale.
Woven pattern
Zip fly
Hook closure
Two side slash pockets
Two back welt pockets
Pleated front and back
Slim, tapered leg
Foot width: 38 cm (15 in.)
Super 100 Virgin wool


text:
|Home Bio Papers Patents Press Talks Recommended Videos Simulations Blog Photos Personal Contact
|Technical Papers Print Articles Blog Posts
Cloudonomics: The Business Value of Cloud Computing
is now available in hardcover from booksellers worldwide
and in all major eBook formats: Amazon Kindle, Barnes &
Noble NOOK, Apple iBooks, Google Play, and Sony eReader.
Excerpts at Entrepreneur and Forbes:
"Better Together: Quantifying the Benefits of the Smart Network" (PDF)
Working Paper, March 3, 2013
"Abstract—Three approaches to load balancing in a distributed computing network are evaluated analytically using statistics and via Monte Carlo simulation: 1) random selection; 2) selection based solely on identifying the server with the lowest response time; 3) selection based on identification of a combination of path and server with the lowest total response time. Analytical and simulation results show that the lowest expected response times occur via joint optimization. The exact improvement depends on the underlying distributions of path response times and server response times. An exemplary case where each path and server is an independent, identically distributed random variable with a continuous uniform distribution on [0,1] is assessed; then the improvement may be approximated by (1/2)+(1/(n+1))-√(π/2n), where n is the number of alternative combinations of path and server. Generally, when P is a random variable representing path response times, the value of a smart network in reducing response time is μ(P)-min(P) as n→∞. Such improvements support a philosophy of "smart" networks vs. "dumb pipes.""
"Network Implications of Cloud Computing" (PDF)
United Nations International Telecommunications Union World Technical Symposium
"Abstract—Cloud Computing is often described as "resources accessed via a browser over the Internet." However, this definition has become increasingly insufficient to characterize the breadth of applications and use cases for the cloud, and the networks that must support them.
A broadening range of endpoints are accessing the cloud: browser-free device apps, multimedia endpoints such as video and game consoles, sensor networks, servers, and storage. The wireline and wireless network requirements—e.g., jitter, latency, packet loss, protocol support—for these uses vary, and imply that a variety of network capabilities are sometimes necessary: e.g., MPLS for quality of service via class of service to support interactive high definition video in the cloud; optical transport for native protocols such as Fibre Channel for data integration in hybrid cloud scenarios; route control for country compliance issues. Also, distributed topologies and optimized routing are required due to application latency constraints.
Moreover, wireless sensor networks and hybrid cloud scenarios such as cloudbursting that require a variety of complex distributed data approaches are driving new transport requirements: guaranteed bandwidth, dynamic bandwidth on demand, and usage-sensitive pricing for fine-grained quantities and duration of bandwidth.
Cloud Computing, either as an integrated service or in support of pure-play customers must drive service providers' international telecommunications infrastructure evolution as well as BSS/OSS."
"Cloudonomics: A Rigorous Approach to Cloud Benefit Quantification"
The Journal of Software Technology, October, 2011, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 10-18.
"Cloud computing and cloud services consistently place at the top of surveys ranking IT trends and CIO interests. This is largely due to the position of the cloud at the nexus of macro trends such as social media, the Internet, Web 2.0, and mobility and broadband wireless, as well as the opportunity for benefits such as reduced cost and enhanced agility.
Traditional approaches to assessing cloud benefits largely fall into two categories: vague yet enticing words, such as "agility," and empirical data from case studies, which may or may not apply to the general case.
Cloudonomics—a term and discipline founded by the author (Weinman, 2008)—seeks to provide a rigorous foundation based on calculus, statistics, trigonometry, system dynamics, economics, and computational complexity theory, which can be used to interpret empirical results. We will provide an overview of these results together with references to more detailed analyses."
"Axiomatic Cloud Theory" (PDF)
Working Paper, July 29, 2011
"Today, cloud computing has become of great interest technically and as it relates to business strategy and competitiveness. However, while there are numerous informal (verbal) definitions of cloud computing, rigorous axiomatic, formal (mathematical) models of clouds appear to be in short supply: this paper is the first use of the term "Axiomatic Cloud Theory."
We define a cloud as a structure (S,T,G,Q,δ,q0) satisfying five formal axioms: it must be 1) Common, 2) Location-independent, 3) Online, 4) Utility, and 5) on-Demand. S is space, T is time; G=(V,E) is a directed graph; Q is a set of states, where each state combines assignments of resource capacity and demand, resource allocations, node location, and pricing; qo is an initial state; and δ is a transition function that determines state trajectories over time: mapping resources, allocations, locations, and pricing to a next state of resources, allocations, locations, and pricing. This captures the interrelationships in a real cloud: capacity relative to demand can drive pricing, pricing and resource location drive allocation, allocation patterns can drive new resource levels."
"As Time Goes By: The Law of Cloud Response Time" (PDF)
Working Paper, April 12, 2011
"We propose a Law of Cloud Response Time that combines network latency and parallel processing speed-up in a distributed, elastic, cloud computing environment. As the first supercomputing and parallel processing systems came into existence in the 1960s, Gene Amdahl proposed Amdahl's Law: the maximum possible speedup due to parallelization is 1/S, where S is the sequential percentage of the application. Thus, at least for somewhat parallelizable applications, more processors mean less elapsed time, but there is a limit to the gains as no acceleration can occur in the serial portion of the application.
However, today's geographically dispersed cloud environments comprising networked nodes of elastic resources are very different than the local, monolithic, centralized environments of a half century ago, so we propose a new law for interactive transactions over a network with parallelization." (Image at left courtesy Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility)
"Smooth Operator: The Value of Demand Aggregation" (PDF)
Working Paper, February 27, 2011
In industries such as cloud computing, lodging, and car rental services, demand from multiple customers is aggregated and served out of a common pool of resources managed by an operator. This approach can drive economies of scale and learning curve effects, but such benefits are offset by providers' needs to recover SG&A and achieve a return on invested capital. Does aggregation create value or are customers' costs just swept under a provider's rug and then charged back?
Under many circumstances, service providers—which one might call "smooth" operators—can take advantage of statistical effects that reduce variability in aggregate demand, creating true value vs. fixed, partitioned resources serving that demand.
"Cloud Computing is NP-Complete" (PDF)
Working Paper, February 21, 2011
We show that an abstract formulation of resource assignment in a distributed cloud computing environment, which we term the CLOUD COMPUTING demand satisfiability problem, is NP-complete, using transformations from the PARTITION problem and 3-SATISFIABILITY, two of the "core" NP-complete problems. Specifically, let there be a set of customers, each with a given level of demand for resources, and a set of servers, each with a given level of capacity, where each customer may be served by two or more of the servers. The general problem of determining whether there is an assignment of customers to servers such that each customer's demand may be satisfied by available resources is NP-complete.
The impact on Cloudonomics is that even if resources are available to meet demand, correctly matching a set of demands with a set of resources may be too complex to solve in useful time.
"Time Is Money: The Value of 'On-Demand'" (PDF)
Working Paper, January 7, 2011
"Cloud computing and related services offer resources and services "on demand." Examples include access to "video on demand" via IPTV or over-the-top streaming; servers and storage allocated on demand in "infrastructure as a service;" or "software as a service" such as customer relationship management or sales force automation. Services delivered "on demand" certainly sound better than ones provided "after an interminable wait," but how can we quantify the value of on-demand, and the scenarios in which it creates compelling value?
We show that the benefits of on-demand provisioning depend on the interplay of demand with forecasting, monitoring, and resource provisioning and de-provisioning processes and intervals, as well as likely asymmetries between excess capacity and unserved demand..."
"The Market for 'Melons': Quantity Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism" (PDF)
Working Paper, September 6, 2010
"Using agent-based simulation and analysis of an idealized model of a duopoly with one flat-rate and one usage-based provider, we demonstrate that flat-rate plans are unsustainable in a perfectly competitive market with independent, decentralized decision-making by active, self-selecting, rational utility maximizers engaged in a stochastic, multi-step decision process driving iterative price adjustment. In distinction to Nobel Laureate Dr. George Akerlof's quality uncertainty in "The Market for 'Lemons'", where the seller is advantaged by asymmetric information regarding the quality of the product or service being sold, in what we'll call "The Market for 'Melons'" (PDF) it is the buyer that may be advantaged by asymmetric information regarding the ex-ante quantity of planned consumption. Moreover, adverse selection and moral hazard have less to do with quality uncertainty, information asymmetry, or morality, than with rational choice by consumers with dispersed consumption under flat-rate pricing..."
"Mathematical Proof of the Inevitability of Cloud Computing" (PDF)
January 8, 2011
"Cloud computing represents a new model and underlying technology for IT. However, the value of cloud computing may be abstracted as the value of any on-demand utility: rental cars, taxi cabs, hotel rooms, or the like.
In a companion paper , the value of "on-demand" resource provisioning is quantified.
Here, the value of "utility"—i.e., pay-per-use with a linear tariff—is quantified, and three major conclusions are presented based on the nature of the offered demand and the relative cost—or "utility premium"—of the utility vs. fixed resources on a unit cost basis..."
"The Future of Cloud Computing"
IEEE Technology Time Machine Symposium on Technologies Beyond 2020 (TTM), 2011, ISBN 1-4577-0415-3, June, 2011.
"Easy Computer-Based Simulation to Solve Risk, Reliability, and Recoverability Problems"
Proceedings of the 2000 Contingency Planning and Management Conference, Witter Publishing Corporation, 2000.
"Dependability in the Cloud: Challenges and Opportunities" by Kaustabh Joshi, Guy Bunker, Farnham Jahanian, Aard van Moorsel, and Joe Weinman
IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks, 2009, DOI 10.1109/DSN.2009.5270350
"Analysis, Modeling, Simulation, and Metrics Tools for Business Process Reengineering"
Enterprise BPR Management Forum, Federal Open Systems Exhibition Conference Workbook, 1995.
"Will Reengineering Replace TQM?"
M. H. Fallah, J. Weinman
Proceedings, IEEE International Conference on Engineering Management, Singapore, 1995.
"Future Prospects for Reengineering"
E. Fuchs, J. Weinman
Second European Organization for Quality Forum on TQM Development: Process Reengineering as Part of the TQM Strategy, Munich, 1995.
"Enabling Technologies for World-class Business Operations"
J. Hsu, R. Kent, J. Weinman
AT&T Technical Journal, January/February 1994.
"A Distributed Applications Architecture for AT&T Manufacturing"
G. W. Arnold, J. Weinman
Computer Communication Technologies for the 90's, Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Computer Communication, J. Raviv, ed., Elsevier Science Publishers, ISBN 0-444-70539-2, 1988.
"Nestable bracketed comments"
ACM SIGPLAN (Special Interest Group on Programming Languages) Notices, Vol. 18, Num. 10, October 1983.
Cover Story: "Telcos: Getting A Head in the Clouds"
BillingOSS Magazine, February/March, 2010
"Telecommunications firms are at various stages of progress regarding the cloud. Some are exploring the strategic implications to their current network access and transport business or even beginning to deploy cloud services. Regardless of where a telco or integrated network and IT provider is on this spectrum, the accelerating transition to cloud computing has transformational ramifications for the industry..."
"Rising Above the Cloud"
BillingOSS Magazine, May/June, 2010
As network/cloud providers begin to pursue the brave new world of cloud computing with end-to-end solutions, billing and OSS systems must support this highly dynamic environment. Various quantities of real and virtualized resources will be allocated and de-allocated to any given customer, not just once a month, but potentially every minute..."
"The Network-Enabled Service Provider Cloud" by David Frattura and Joe Weinman
Enriching Communications: Alcatel-Lucent Business E-Zine: Explore the Cloud, August, 2011
"With the right infrastructure, service providers can deliver differentiated and profitable commercial cloud services from their data centers independently or as a complement to their internal private cloud. It's a logical step. Cloud services are a natural extension of the virtual private network (VPN) and hosting services service providers offer today. They're also a huge business opportunity...."
"From the Noughts to the Tens -- Another Decade of Transition"
Global Telecoms Business CEO and CFO Guide to Wholesale and IP Networks: January/February 2010
"Ten years ago, the world watched with concern as the clock struck midnight, ushering in Y2K. Fears were that critical computer systems would fail, bringing down telecommunications networks, power grids, and perhaps even nuclear power plant safety systems...."
"Cloud strategy for communications service providers"
Global Telecoms Business CEO and CFO Guide to Cloud: July/August 2011
"Cloud computing represents a sea change in IT and networks, on par with digital switching systems, the internet and other key developments, writes Joe Weinman. Senior executives must show strong leadership to develop and execute strategy..."
"View from the top: Joe Weinman of HP: How cloud impacts organisation and architecture"
Global Telecoms Business CEO and CFO Guide to Wholesale and IP Networks: September/October 2011
"Cloud is an exciting new technology that is pervasively impacting all aspects of global telecoms businesses: commercial services, internal IT, and network transformation. This is a mixed blessing, since many operators are treating these three areas separately, potentially missing out on opportunities for cost synergies and organisational optimisation. Commercial services offer intriguing potential in solving the perennial issue that carriers face: what will be the next driver of revenue growth? The growth of cloud services means that transport volumes are likely to increase, which holds out at least the possibility for monetisation...."
"What cloud computing means for network providers"
Capacity Yearbook 2010: Future Horizons in Telecommunications
"There is perhaps no topic of greater interest to CIOs today -- or telecommunications companies -- than cloud computing. Cloud computing is inherently network-centric, and represents the latest step in the ongoing evolution of computing architectures for global, network-enabled, large-scale distributed computing..."
"Is Metcalfe's Law Way Too Optimistic?" (PDF)
Business Communications Review, August, 2007
"Is the value of a network really proportional to the square of its size? Or does each new node add limited value?..."
"A New Approach to Search" (PDF)
Business Communications Review, October, 2007
"Search algorithms today are largely based on a common paradigm: link analysis. But they've ignored a mother lode of data: The network..."
"The Evolution of Networked Computing Utilities" (PDF)
Business Communications Review, November, 2007
"What's driving the emerging world of distributed utility computing, and where is it headed?..."
"Is Video Finally Ready for Prime Time?" (PDF)
Business Communications Review, December, 2007
"Bandwidth-hungry videoconferencing may finally be ready. What's on the program guide for the next few years?..."
"When Clouds Yield More Food for Thought" (PDF)
Communications and Media Insights, Spring, 2011
"For the CSP sector, a new game-changing technology - Cloud Computing - is set to rewrite market rules and fuel massive new sector growth at levels never seen before... It is evident that, together, mobility and Cloud Computing are disrupting and forcing change upon business models across a plethora of industry sectors..."
"Why the 'Stupid Network' Isn't Our Destiny After All"
GigaOM, December 15, 2012
"In the early days of the web, David Isenberg famously predicted the rise of a so-called stupid network with smart endpoints. Joe Weinman, of Telx, argues that instead the network has become "pervasively intelligent" and will only get smarter."
"Why Data Centers Have a Big Impact on the Economy"
GigaOM, October 27, 2012
"Data Centers have come under attack as terminally wasteful and "dirty" enterprises that offer little in the way of jobs Joe Weinman, senior VP at Telx, disputes that, and says in fact they indirectly employee countless thousands across many industries."
"The Power of IT (it's not all in energy consumption)"
GigaOM, September 26, 2012
"In its series on data centers and power the New York Times ignored many of the strides the industry is making toward energy efficiency, but it the bigger problem is that it ignored the potential of the web to reduce our energy consumption."
"If IT Doesn't Matter, Explain Google"
Cloud Connect Blog, July 24, 2012
"IT, in terms of both applications and the infrastructure to run them, is becoming increasingly pervasive in our society, with the cloud playing a larger and larger role. CIOs and business executives understandably need to consider how best to leverage this technology. Is IT just plumbing, as relevant to the strategic needs of the business as, say, parking lot design or lighting fixture selection? Or is it a strategic weapon that when wielded properly can win battles, or even wars, in today's hyper-competitive global marketplace?"
"Does Cloud Computing Matter?"
Forbes, May 1, 2012
"Cloud computing is top of mind for computer geeks, information technology (IT) providers, web and mobile start-ups, and most CIOs (chief information officers), but should other senior executives care? After all, can CxOs afford to take time out from global growth concerns, foreign corrupt practice allegations, dysfunction in D.C., and other business exigencies merely to immerse themselves in abstruse technology plumbing? To be a leadership priority, "computing" in general and the "cloud" in particular—a network-centric, pay-per-use, on-demand service model for IT—would have to be strategic..."
"Is the Internet Going Down the Tubes?"
GigaOM, June 26, 2012
"I had the good fortune to meet up with Andrew Blum at Structure 2012, who was in San Francisco on a tour for his recently published book, Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet. In this brief video, he addresses some of the things he discovered in his global tour of interconnection hubs, landing sites, and other physical components that are part of the vast, yet largely unseen infrastructure that are enabling you to read these words right now..."
"Back to the future at the IEEE TTM"
GigaOM, June 10, 2012
"I recently participated in the second annual IEEE Technology Time Machine symposium in Dresden, Germany, the chip-making center of Europe. In Hong Kong last year, the IEEE's (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) inaugural TTM event covered chips, devices, networks and systems. This year in "Silicon Saxony," there were discussions on everything from emerging nanotechnologies to application-layer services. Speakers included such industry leaders and academic luminaries as James Truchard, CEO of National Instruments, and UC Berkeley professor Leon Chua, who correctly postulated a fourth basic fundamental component: the memristor. Here are some highlights from the symposium..."
"2020 via time machine: chips, devices, & tech"
GigaOM, Jun 11, 2011
"I had the privilege of keynoting the inaugural IEEE Technology Time Machine Symposium last week in Hong Kong, where I listened to the world's leading academics, engineers, executives, and government officials project what the world will look like in 2020. Their predictions were based on revolutionary technologies for processing, sensors, and displays becoming integrated into global systems that can do everything from enhance the human experience to improve environmental sustainability."
"2020 via time machine: networks and systems"
GigaOM, Jun 12, 2011
"Last week's IEEE Technology Time Machine Symposium brought together leading academics, engineers, executives, and government officials from around the world, to engage in presentations and dialogue regarding the evolution of technology over the next decade. In yesterday's post, I reviewed some of the insights regarding devices and technologies. Today, we'll address networks and larger-scale systems such as smart grids."
"The Value of the Cloud"
HP Networking Blog, May 14, 2011
"The topic of cloud economics—or 'Cloudonomics'—continues to be a surprisingly complex one with a diverse set of viewpoints and inconsistent data. I believe that no topic in cloud computing is more important, because without a rock-solid business and financial rationale, no amount of technological sophistication will really matter."
"Cloud Economics and the Customer Experience"
InformationWeek, March 24, 2011
"Businesses must ensure that cloud-enabled applications are tuned for optimal performance by paying close attention to network latency and other details of cloud architecture.
I recently participated in a lively debate that revolved around three primary economic justifications for cloud computing: cost, revenue, and risk. But, there's a fourth that Web 2.0 firms know all about—the total customer experience..."
"Is Pay-Per-Use for Broadband Inevitable?"
GigaOM.com, December 11, 2010
"Exactly 20 years ago this month, Tim Berners-Lee invented the browser, HTML, and the World Wide Web, but things really took off six years later when America Online switched from pay-by-the minute dial-up to unlimited flat-rate plans, causing usage per sub to more than triple. Recently, however, wire-line and wireless providers are circling back, either trialing or instituting tiered or pay-per-use pricing, and in the world of cloud computing, pay-per-use is touted as a major benefit. Pricing plans may seem like an arcane topic for marketing professionals, but are driving fundamental questions regarding global capital expenditures and the sustainability of the current content and network ecosystem. If pay-per-use prevails, what are the implications on industry structure and new business opportunities?"
"Predictions 2011: If Pay-Per-Use Comes to Broadband, Then What?"
GigaOM.com, December 12, 2010
"In yesterday's post, I outlined arguments from a much lengthier analysis regarding recent carrier announcements concerning tiered pricing for broadband services. Not only is such pay-per-use a clear trend, but arguably the natural outcome of rational consumer decision-making, as light users actively choose not to subsidize heavy ones by paying for more capital-intensive resources than they use. However, if pricing plans are no longer "unlimited," but increasingly granular and usage-sensitive, one can predict massive disruptions in the current ecosystem and reversal of some trends of the last few years. However, as with all such shifts, this will create new opportunities and drive new technology breakthroughs. Here are some thoughts on such a future..."
"How Can Carriers Thrive?"
HP Telecom IQ, November, 2010
"In today's macroeconomic maelstrom complicated by rapid technology change, evolving customer needs, and a shifting regulatory environment, how can carriers grow and prosper? Where should they enhance strategic competitive differentiation via internal development of proprietary capabilities, and where should they rely on upstream partners who have a critical mass of expertise and can achieve scale economies by amortizing innovation investments across a wide base of customers? "
"Lazy, Hazy, Crazy: The 10 Laws of Behavioral Cloudonomics"
GigaOM.com, June, 2010
"A couple of years ago, I proposed the 10 Laws of Cloudonomics, an attempt to address the economics of cloud computing. Beyond the cloud, though, neo-classical economics has been augmented in recent years by behavioral economics, where psychological anomalies modulate pure rationality. Indeed, purchasing and adoption of clouds are no less subject to human behavior, hence I offer the 10 Laws of Behavioral Cloudonomics."
"Cloud Computing Could Boost IT Demand"
InformationWeek, May, 2010
"The cloud of ash from Iceland that disrupted travel recently is a sign of substantial, yet largely hidden activity in the Earth's infrastructure. Similarly, the emergence of cloud computing is concealing tectonic shifts in the IT infrastructure business, rearranging relationships between enterprises, service providers, and tech vendors....."
"The Cloud in the Enterprise: Big Switch or Little Niche?"
GigaOM.com, April, 2010
"Cloud computing — where mega-data centers serve up webmail, search results, unified communications, or computing and storage for a fee — is top of mind for enterprise CIOs these days. Ultimately, however, the future of cloud adoption will depend less on the technology involved and more on strategic and economic factors...."
"What If Metcalfe's Law Is Wrong?"
GigaOM.com, March, 2010
"Networks — be they telecom, social, transportation or otherwise — are the fabric of modern society. They provide immense value to consumers and businesses alike, enhancing mutual relationships and enabling the distribution of goods, services and information. But does this value grow as the size of the networks grow? And if so, how much?..."
"Time To Do The Math On Cloud Computing"
InformationWeek, March, 2010
"At the upcoming Cloud Connect conference, we will evaluate a variety of scenarios that determine where and when the move to cloud computing makes financial sense."
"Tuning In to the Big Picture on Video: How Falling Prices Have Created Video Ubiquity"
GigaOm, February, 2010
"With Super Bowl XLIV just hours away, it's a little late to run out and take advantage of the insane sales on big-screen TVs. But that doesn't matter as much as it would have a few years ago, as prices have been heading steadily lower not just for displays, but all elements in the video value chain..."
"Hedging Your Options for the Cloud"
GigaOm, December, 2009
"With the second decade of the millennium now just weeks away, I thought I'd offer up some possibilities for the cloud computing market as it continues to evolve. Cloud services — whether infrastructure, platform or software — share similarities with other on-demand, pay-per-use offerings such as airlines or car rentals. But what's past in those industries may be prologue for the cloud. Here are some key aspects of those services that could become integral to the cloud in the coming decade."
"The Cloud: It's Not Just About the Internet"
VON (Voice of Networks), December, 2009
"While there's no doubt that Internet access to cloud services such as apps, docs, mail, and CRM is a vital use-case, there are more types of endpoints than browsers, and there is more to networking than the Internet."
"Mathematical Proof of the Inevitability of Cloud Computing"
Cloudonomics.com, November, 2009
"In the emerging business model and technology known as cloud computing, there has been discussion regarding whether a private solution, a cloud-based utility service, or a mix of the two is optimal. My analysis examines the conditions under which dedicated capacity, on-demand capacity, or a hybrid of the two are lowest cost. The analysis applies not just to cloud computing, but also to similar decisions, e.g.: buy a house or rent it; rent a house or stay in a hotel; buy a car or rent it; rent a car or take a taxi; and so forth."
"Compelling Cases for Clouds"
GigaOm, November, 2009
"What are cloud services uniquely good for and why? After all, CIOs aren't going to leverage online services offered on demand just because they're available, but for compelling business reasons. There are helpful compilations of use cases (PDF) from a technical viewpoint; here I've identified key cloud rationales from a strategic perspective..." Deeper analysis
"Four and a Half Ways to Deal with Data During Cloudbursts"
GigaOm, July, 2009
"Cloudbursting is an approach to handling spikes in demand that overwhelm enterprise computing resources by acquiring additional resources from a cloud services provider. It's a little like having unexpected houseguests and not enough beds for them to sleep in; some of them will have to be put up in a hotel. While such "peaking through the clouds" promises to maximize agility while minimizing cost, there's the nagging question of what exactly to do about the data such distributed applications require or generate..."
"Peaking Through The Clouds"
New York Times, GigaOm, June, 2009
"Cloud infrastructure services are particularly good at supporting variable demand and peaks with unpredictable timing or amplitude. Peaks are a challenge for CIOs, because forecasting too low may lead to poor performance or service unavailability, and guessing too high means paying for unneeded capacity. Peaking through clouds, instead of handling peaks with your own resources, can minimize cost while enhancing flexibility..."
"How Clouds Can Complement Consolidation"
GigaOm, June, 2009
"As businesses struggle to remain viable, much less grow, cost management is an imperative. Massive data center consolidation, automation and virtualization can drastically reduce costs — reportedly up to a billion dollars annually, in at least one case. However, money isn't everything: CIOs need to balance what I'll call the Six FACETS of IT: Flexibility, Availability, Cost, Experience, Timeliness and Security..."
"McKinsey Cloud Report's Popularity Disproves Its Own Analysis"
Information Week, May, 2009
"The sudden spike of interest in McKinsey's cloud computing report, ironically, demonstrates why the consulting company got its cost analysis wrong. Since the report focused on Amazon EC2, I thought I'd use Amazon's own Alexa web monitoring service to provide data that proves why that's so..."
"Why McKinsey's Cloud Report Missed the Mark"
GigaOm, April, 2009
"Sixty years ago, the first Kinsey Report was released, challenging conventional beliefs and causing consternation in the community. Last week, a McKinsey report did more or less the same thing, showing that for most enterprise customers, moving applications to cloud infrastructure would more than double their total costs..."
"Another Half-Dozen Half-Truths About the Cloud"
GigaOm, April, 2009
"Last week, I reviewed six half-truths of the cloud. Here are six more commonly held views that, while not completely wrong, may not be entirely accurate..."
"Six Half-Truths About the Cloud"
GigaOm, April, 2009
"Is there any subject in IT today with more promise — or more confusion — than cloud computing? Current enthusiasm could have you believing that clouds will be taking over all IT, saving you boatloads of money, and saving the planet..."
"Ten Reasons Why Telcos Will Dominate Enterprise Cloud Computing" (Cached PDF)
On Demand Enterprise, November, 2008
Cloud conference regular and AT&T cloud evangelist Joe Weinman lays out 10 reasons why large, "global integrated service providers" (read: telcos) are better equipped than their Web-centric counterparts to power enterprise cloud computing and cloud services initiatives...
"The Ten Laws of Cloudonomics"
BusinessWeek, GigaOm, September, 2008
Here's what makes public utility cloud services different—and how they can give you a sustainable strategic advantage...
"Is the cloud right for you? Ask yourself these five questions"
GigaOm, August, 2008
"Is cloud computing right for you? For the fledgling startup, the appeal of the cloud is obvious. Given how easily an entrepreneur's vision can be stymied by a lack of technical and operations expertise, leveraging an Amazon EC2 or Google App Engine could provide the only viable option..."
AT&T and the Future of Convergence
CIO Canada, March 2007.
The Evolving Network
Next Generation Network Series
The Global Grid
Next Generation Network Series
Utility Computing and Business Value
Next Generation Network Series
Network Management
Next Generation Network Series


text:
- 380Promote
Tote Bag
Mint Elephantby Sunkissed Laughter
Our quality crafted Tote Bags are hand sewn in America using durable, yet lightweight, poly poplin fabric. All seams and stress points are double stitched for durability. Available in 13" x 13", 16" x 16" and 18" x 18" variations, the tote bags are washable, feature original artwork on both sides and a sturdy 1" wide cotton webbing strap for comfortably carrying over your shoulder.
cute design sunkissed
good stuff :)
Thanks so much everyone!!!
Love the whole composition. Very Unique!
Love it!
Hi my name is Sarah Colbaugh. I live in Maui, Hawaii and am 18 years old. I was wondering if you have a review program? I have 10,330 on my tumblr (actinqs.tumblr(.)com), and I also can promote it to my 70,500 follower instagram (@sarahcolbaugh) . I am also friends with people on tumblr who have 100,000+ followers and they would reblog it from me too. I also belong to many promo groups on facebook as well. I receive many pageviews on my tumblr, and google adsense proves that as well, since you need to have many page views to get ads, I have ads on my blog. I am very interested in doing a review for you and your company and sponsoring it on my blogs by putting a review on my blog that would tell more people about it. So, if you are interested and would want a review let me know. I will be happy to send you any proof or information you may need.
Thank you!
Here are some reviews I have done in the past:
Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com(.)org if interested(:
Thank you!
Here are some reviews I have done in the past:
Please contact email@example.com(.)org if interested(:
Great work, love it :)
Great design. Especially love the background pattern!
Really amazing. The Mint Elephant is what really grasped my attention. I love the mint combo with the gray! Excellent, and really inspiring. :)
pretty work
I'm loving this elephant :)
I also found good message with the simple drawing is the best art ever!!! check out mine! you'll sync too!
Ordered this pillow, and the shipping took a while. But it was definitely worth the money and the wait. I love this pillow, the colors look slot more vibrant on here though.
Very pretty!
This is adorable!
Great design!
This is so lovely!
looks so fine on the products!
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text:
You are currently browsing the first page of the tag archives.
Looking for something specific? Try the search box at the top of the page.
Objective-C 2.0 offers some neat new features that make life easier for programmers. If you're familiar with Java programming you are used to declaring getter and setter functions to access the instance variables of a class, and similarly in C#, you have the ability to declare property functions, get and set, which do the same… Hankering to read the rest of "Objective-C Class Properties?" Use this link!


text:
"If one takes the definition of share taught in kindergarten," says Ed Schoonveld, principal of ZS Associates, in his book "The Price of Global Health," then "most deals share no risk at all." Schoonveld prefers the term "alternative pricing schemes" to cover the broad range of initiatives that attempt to overcome a particular nation's pricing and reimbursement hurdles. Under this heading, he identifies seven basic types of deals that account for all of pharma's current so-called risk-sharing activity.Among these are the agreements between Onyx and Pfizer and the Italian government regarding Nexavar and Sutent, respectively. Sutent and Nexavar have been approved in Italy for partial reimbursement for the first three months of use; after that, the Italian government only pays for patients showing an agreed-upon level of response to the treatment. Then there is Janssen Cilag's Velcade in the UK. Velcade was rejected by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2006 after being deemed not cost-effective. Janssen had NICE reverse that ruling by offering to pay for treatment in patients who had less than a 50 percent reduction in serum M-protein. These are examples, Schoonveld says, of the 'surrogate endpoint-based reimbursement deal.' But the problem with this type of deal, he told Pharm Exec, is its focus on short-term outcomes. "There's no risk there," he says. "You know after the trial program what the tumor response rate is."
A deal that in Schoonveld's view is a truer example of risk sharing is the agreement between Novartis and a number of German sickness funds, where the company refunds the cost of its osteoporosis treatment, Aclasta, for patients who suffer a fracture despite taking the drug. There is also the deal, established in the UK in 2002, between NICE and four manufacturers of MS drugs, which follows 9,000 MS patients for 10 years to see if the drugs' long-term targets in slowing the progression of the disease are being met.
Labeling the MS deal an example of 'the population-based performance guarantee deal,' Schoonveld champions this as, in many ways, the "ideal" agreement. "But no one seems to like it anymore," he says. "I don't like all elements of it. It was horribly executed and, unfortunately, the results weren't good either. But just because the clinical results were not good doesn't mean that the deal was bad."
The problems with the UK's MS risk sharing agreement controversially came to light in 2009 when it was revealed that the patient outcomes were much worse than predicted. The disease had progressed faster in patients who were taking the drugs than in those who were not. The British Medical Journal called the scheme "a costly failure," and estimated that if an assessment had been completed after the first two years of the deal, the NHS could have saved around£250 million ($412 million) for use on other patients. "It did take seven years to gather two years' data," concedes Schoonveld. "But the point is, there was uncertainty over a product with a very high need. This scheme was a way of bridging that uncertainty and bringing the drug to patients when there was no other way of doing it."
CBI's 3rd Annual Risk-Sharing and Innovative Contracting Models for Bio/Pharmaceuticals
Pay-for-Performance | Outcomes-Based Agreements Pricing | Reimbursement Approaches
March 22-23, 2012


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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox signed left-handed pitcher
Craig Breslow to a two-year contract on Thursday.
The deal includes a club option for 2015.
Breslow was acquired by Boston from Arizona at the trade deadline in 2012 and
went 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 23 games for the Red Sox. In 63 combined
appearances last season, Breslow went 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA.
The 32-year-old Breslow has a 15-17 record with a 3.00 ERA in 358 career games
with the Padres (2005), Red Sox (2006, 2012), Indians (2008), Twins (2008-09),
Athletics (2009-11), and Diamondbacks (2012). For his Red Sox career, he is
1-2 with a 3.09 ERA in 36 appearances.
The Sports Network