text:
|Oracle® Database Backup and Recovery Basics
10g Release 1 (10.1)
Part Number B10735-01
|View PDF
This chapter provides a general overview of backup and recovery concepts, the files in an Oracle database related to backup and recovery, and the tools available for making backups of your database, recovering from data loss or other error, and maintaining records of your backups.
This chapter includes the following topics:
In general, backup and recovery refers to the various strategies and procedures involved in protecting your database against data loss and reconstructing the database after any kind of data loss.
A backup is a copy of data from your database that can be used to reconstruct that data. Backups can be divided into physical backups and logical backups.
Physical backups are backups of the physical files used in storing and recovering your database, such as datafiles, control files, and archived redo logs. Ultimately, every physical backup is a copy of files storing database information to some other location, whether on disk or some offline storage such as tape.
Logical backups contain logical data (for example, tables or stored procedures) exported from a database with an Oracle export utility and stored in a binary file, for later re-importing into a database using the corresponding Oracle import utility..
|See also:
Oracle Database Utilities for more details about importing and exporting data using Oracle export and import utilities.
Physical backups are the foundation of any sound backup and recovery strategy. Logical backups are a useful supplement to physical backups in many circumstances but are not sufficient protection against data loss without physical backups.
Unless otherwise specified, the term "backup" as used in the backup and recovery documentation refers to physical backups, and to backup part or all of your database is to take some kind of physcial backup. The focus in the backup and recovery documentation set will be almost exclusively on physical backups.
While there are several types of problem that can halt the normal operation of an Oracle database or affect database I/O operations, only two typically require DBA intervention and media recovery: media failure, and user errors.
Other failures may require DBA intervention to restart the database (after an instance failure) or allocate more disk space (after statement failure due to, for instance, a full datafile) but these situations will not generally cause data loss or require recovery from backup.
User errors occur when, either due to an error in application logic or a manual mis-step, data in your database is changed or deleted incorrectly. Data loss due to user error includes such missteps as dropping important tables or deleting or changing the contents of a table. While user training a nd careful management of privileges can prevent most user errors, your backup strategy determines how gracefully you recover the lost data when user error does cause data loss.
A media failure is the failure of a read or write of a disk file required to run the database, due to a physical problem with the disk such as a head crash. Any database file can be vulnerable to a media failure.
The appropriate recovery from a media failure depends on the files affected and the types of backup available.
For performing backup and recovery based on physical backups, you have two solutions available:
Both methods are supported by Oracle Corporation and are fully documented. Recovery Manager is, however, the preferred solution for database backup and recovery. It can perform the same types of backup and recovery available through user-managed methods more easily, provides a common interface for backup tasks across different host operating systems, and offers a number of backup techniques not available through user-managed methods.
Most of the backup and recovery documentation set will focus on RMAN-based backup and recovery. User-managed backup and recovery techniques are covered in the later chapters of Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide.
Whether you use RMAN or user-managed methods, you can supplement your physical backups with logical backups of schema objects made using data export utilities. Data thus saved can later be imported to re-create this data after restore and recovery. However, logical backups are for the most part beyond the scope of the backup and recovery documentation.
The physical structures of the database and the role each plays in the database recovery process are what determine the forms of backup and recovery available through user-managed techniques and through RMAN.
The files and other structures that make up an Oracle database store data and safeguard it against possible failures. This section introduces each of the physical structures that make up an Oracle database and their role in the reconstruction of a database from backup. This section contains these topics:
An Oracle database consists of one or more logical storage units called tablespaces. Each tablespace in an Oracle database consists of one or more files called datafiles, physical files under the host operating system in which the database is running.
A database's data is collectively stored in the datafiles that constitute each tablespace of the database. The simplest Oracle database would have one tablespace, stored in one datafile. The datbase manages the storage space in the datafiles of a database in units called data blocks. A data block is the smallest unit of data used by a database. Data blocks are the smallest units of storage that the database can use or allocate.
Modified or new data is not written to datafiles immediately. Updates are buffered in memory and written to datafiles at intervals. If a database has not gone through a normal shutdown (that is, if it is open, or exited abnormally, as in an instance failure or a
SHUTDOWN ABORT) then there are typically changes in memory that have not been written to the datafiles. Datafiles that were restored from backup, or were not closed during a consistent shutdown, are typically not completely up to date.
Copies of the datafiles of a database are a critical part of any backup.
|See also:
Oracle Database Concepts for more detail about the structure and contents of datafiles and data blocks.
Redo logs record all changes made to a database's data files. With a complete set of redo logs and an older copy of a datafile, the database can reapply the changes recorded in the redo logs to re-create the database at any point between the backup time and the end of the last redo log. Each time data is changed in the database, that change is recorded in the online redo log first, before it is applied to the datafiles. An Oracle database requires at least two online redo log groups, and in each group there is at least one online redo log member, an individual redo log file where the changes are recorded.
At intervals, the database rotates through the online redo log groups, storing changes in the current online redo log while the groups not in use can be copied to an archive location, where they are called archived redo logs (or, collectively, the archived redo log). You can run your database in ARCHIVELOG mode (in which this archiving of redo log files is enabled) or NOARCHIVELOG mode (in which redo log files are simply overwritten).
Preserving the archived redo log is a major part of most backup strategies, as they contain a record of all updates to datafiles. Backup strategies often involve copying the archived redo logs to disk or tape for longer-term storage. Running in NOARCHIVELOG mode limits your data recovery options.
|See also:
Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for more details about the online redo logs, Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for more details about archived redo logs, and "Deciding Between ARCHIVELOG and NOARCHIVELOG Mode" for a discussion of the implications of archiving or discarding your redo log files.
The control file contains a crucial record of the physical structures of the database and their status. Several types of information stored in the control file are related to backup and recovery:
The recovery process for datafiles is in part guided by status information in the control file, such as the database checkpoints, current online redo log file, and the datafile header checkpoints for the datafiles. Loss of the control file makes recovery from a data loss much more difficult.
|See also:
Oracle Database Concepts for more information about control files.
In general, when data in a datafile is updated, "before images" of that data are written into undo segments. If a transaction is rolled back, this undo information can be used to restore the original datafile contents.
In the context of recovery, the undo information is used to undo the effects of uncommitted transactions, once all the datafile changes from the redo logs have been applied to the datafiles. The database is actually opened before the undo is applied.
You should not have to concern yourself with undo segments or manage them directly as part of your backup and recovery process.
Reconstructing the contents of all or part of a database from a backup typically involves two phases: retrieving a copy of the datafile from a backup, and reapplying changes to the file since the backup from on the archived and online redo logs, to bring the database to the desired SCN (usually the most recent one).
To restore a datafile or control file from backup is to retrieve the file onto disk from a backup location on tape, disk or other media, and make it available to the database server.
To recover a datafile (also called performing recovery on a datafile), is to take a restored copy of the datafile and apply to it changes recorded in the database's redo logs. To recover a whole database is to perform recovery on each of its datafiles.
Figure 1-1 illustrates the basic principle of backing up, restoring, and recovering a database. Most of the data recovery procedures supported by the Oracle database are variations on the process described here.
Text description of the illustration brbsc002.gif
In this example a full backup of a database (copies of its datafiles and control file) is taken at SCN 100. Redo logs generated during the operation of the database capture all changes that occur between SCN 100 and SCN 500. Along the way, some logs fill and are archived. At SCN 500, the datafiles of the database are lost due to a media failure. The database is then returned to its transaction-consistent state at SCN 500, by restoring the datafiles from the backup taken at SCN 100, then applying the transactions captured in the archived and online redo logs and undoing the uncomitted transactions.
The preceding scenario outlined the basics of the restore-and-recovery process. Several variants on this scenario are important to your backup and recovery work.
This section contains the following topics:
Datafile media recovery (often simply called media recovery) is the most basic form of user-initiated data recovery. It can be used to recover from a lost or damaged current datafile, SPFILE or control file. It can also recover changes that were recorded in the redo logs but not in the datafiles for a tablespace that went offline without the
NORMAL option. Datafile media recovery can be performed whether you use Recovery Manager or user-managed backup and recovery. (For user-managed backup and recovery, it is in fact the main option available.)
Like crash recovery, datafile media recovery is intended to restore database integrity. However, there are a number of important differences between the two:
The need to restore a datafile from backup is not detected automatically. The first step in performing media recovery is to manually restore the datafile by copying it from a backup. Once a datafile has been copied from backup, however, the database does automatically detect that this datafile is out of date and must undergo media recovery.
Several situations force you to perform media recovery:
NORMAL option.
For a datafile to be available for media recovery, one of two things must be true:
A datafile that needs media recovery cannot be brought online until media recovery has been completed. A database cannot be opened if any of the online datafiles needs media recovery.
You can manage the expected duration of media recovery as part of your backup and recovery strategy. It is affected by, for example, the frequency of backups and parallel recovery parameters.
Complete recovery is recovering a database to the most recent point in time, without the loss of any committed transactions. Generally, the term "recovery" refers to complete recovery.
Occasionally, however, you need to return a database to its state at a past point in time. For example, to undo the effect of a user error, such as dropping or deleting the contents of a table, you may want to return the database to its contents before the delete occurred. In incomplete recovery, also known as point-in-time recovery, the goal is to restore the database to its state at some previous target SCN or time. Point-in-time recovery is one possible response to a data loss caused by, for instance, a user error or logical corruption that goes unnoticed for some time.
Point-in-time recovery is also your only option if you have to perform a recovery and discover that you are missing an archived log covering time between the backup you are restoring from and the target SCN for the recovery. Without the missing log, you have no record of the updates to your datafiles during that period. Your only choice is to recover the database from the point in time of the restored backup, as far as the unbroken series of archived logs permits, then perform an OPEN RESETLOGS and abandon all changes in or after the missing log. (If you discover that you have lost archived logs and your database is still up, you should do a full backup immediately.)
If only one tablespace is affected by the data loss, you have the option of performing point-in-time recovery on that tablespace instead of the entire database. Tablespace point-in-time recovery (often abbreviated TSPITR) is an advanced technique documented in Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Advanced User's Guide.
The crash recovery process is a special form of recovery, which happens the first time an Oracle database instance is started after a crash (or
SHUTDOWN ABORT). In crash recovery, the goal is to bring the datafiles to a transaction-consistent state, preserving all committed changes up to the point when the instance failed.
Unlike the forms of recovery performed manually after a data loss, crash recovery uses only the online redo log files and current online datafiles, as left on disk after the instance failure. Archived logs are never used during crash recovery, and datafiles are never restored from backup.
The database applies any pending updates in the online redo logs to the online datafiles of your database. The result is that, whenever the database is restarted after a crash, the datafiles reflect all committed changes up to the moment when the failure occurred. (After the database opens, any changes that were part of uncommitted transactions at the time of the crash are rolled back.)
The duration of crash recovery is a function of the number of instances needing recovery, amount of redo generated in the redo threads of crashed instances since the last checkpoint, and user-configurable factors such as the number and size of redo log files, checkpoint frequency, and the parallel recovery setting.You can set parameters in the database server that can tune the duration of crash recovery. You can also tune checkpointing to optimize recovery time.
Crash recovery in a Real Application Cluster (RAC) database takes place when all instances in the cluster have failed. The related process of instance recovery takes place when some but not all instances fail. For more information on crash and instance recovery in the context of RAC, refer to Real Application Clusters Quick Start.
As noted earlier, using RMAN gives you access to several data backup and recovery techniques and features not available at all with user-managed backup and recovery. The most noteworthy are:
A complete list of feature differences between RMAN and user-managed backup and recovery can be found in "Feature Comparison of Backup Methods".
RMAN also reduces the administration work associated with your backup strategy. RMAN keeps an extensive record of metadata about backups, archived logs, and its own activities, known as the RMAN repository. In restore operations, RMAN can use this information to eliminate the need for you to identify backup files for use in restores in most situations. You can also generate reports of backup activity using the information in the repository.
Primary storage for RMAN repository information is in the control file of the production database. You can also set up an independent recovery catalog, a schema that stores RMAN repository information for one or many databases in a separate recovery catalog database.
The remainder of this book, Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics, focuses on using RMAN to implement your backup and recovery strategy.
There are several ways of distinguishing among physical backups, according to the state the database was in when the backup was created, what parts of the database were actually backed up, and how the resulting backup was stored.
Physical backups can also be divided into consistent and inconsistent backups. Consistent backups are those created when the database is in a consistent state, that is, when all changes in the redo log have been applied to the datafiles. A database restored from a consistent backup can be opened immediately, without undergoing media recovery. However, a consistent backup can only be created after the database has been shut down normally, that is, not after a crash or a
For reasons of availability, the Oracle database is designed to work equally well with an inconsistent backup, a backup taken while the database is open. When a database is restored from an inconsistent backup, it must undergo media recovery, so that the database can apply any pending changes from the online and archived redo log before the database is opened again. Because archived logs are required, using inconsistent backups requires that your database be run in
ARCHIVELOG mode.
Full backups are backups which include datafiles in their entirety. Full backups can be created with Recovery Manager or with operating system-level file copy commands. Incremental backups are based on the idea of making copies only of changed data blocks in a data file. In recovery, extracting entire changed blocks from an incremental backup can substitute for applicationof redo for individual datafile updates during the time covered by the backup, shortening recovery times considerably. Incremental backups can only be created with RMAN.
|See Also:
"Full and Incremental Datafile Backups" for more details about the different ways to back up datafiles.
The results of an Oracle database backup created through RMAN can be either image copies or backup sets. An image copy is a bit-for-bit identical copy of a database file. These can be created using operating system commands such as
cp in Unix or
COPY in Windows. RMAN can also create image copy backups, although in the process, RMAN will check the contents for corruption, something that native operating-system file copy utilities cannot do. RMAN records image copies it creates in the RMAN repository, so that it can use them when restoring your database. If you create image copies outside of RMAN, you can catalog them manually into the RMAN repository.
RMAN can also store its backups in an RMAN-exclusive format called a backup set. A backup set is a collection of files called backup pieces, each of which may contain the backup of one or several database files. A backup task performed in RMAN can create one or more backup sets, which are recorded in the RMAN repository. Backup sets are also the only form in which RMAN can write backups to media manager devices like tape libraries. Backup sets are only created and accessed through Recovery Manager.
|See Also:
"RMAN Backup Formats: Image Copies and Backup Sets" for more details about image copies and backup sets.
In planning your database backup and recovery strategy, you must try to anticipate the errors that will arise, and put in place the backups needed to recover from them.While there are several types of problem that can halt the normal operation of an Oracle database or affect database I/O operations, only two typically require DBA intervention and media recovery: media failure, and user errors. Instance failures, network failures, failures of Oracle database background processes and failure of a statement to execute due to, for instance, exhaustion of some resource such as space in a datafile may require DBA intervention, and might even crash a database instance, but will not generally cause data loss or the need to recover from backup.
This section contains these topics:
Database operation after a media failure of online redo log files or control files depends on whether the online redo log or control file is protected by multiplexing, as recommended. When an online redo log or control file is multiplexed, multiple copies of the file are maintained on the system. Multiplexed files should be stored on separate disks.
If a media failure damages a disk containing one copy of a multiplexed online redo log, then the database can usually continue to operate without significant interruption. Damage to a nonmultiplexed online redo log causes database operation to halt and may cause permanent loss of data.
Damage to any control file, whether it is multiplexed or not, halts database operation when the database attempts to read or write to the damaged control file (which happens frequently, for example at every checkpoint and log switch).
Media failures that affect datafiles can be divided into two categories: read errors and write errors. In a read error, the instance cannot read a datafile and an operating system error is returned to the application, along with an error indicating that the file cannot be found, cannot be opened, or cannot be read. The database continues to run, but the error is returned each time an unsuccessful read occurs. At the next checkpoint, a write error will occur when the database attempts to write the file header as part of the standard checkpoint process.
The effect of a datafile write error depends upon which tablespace the datafile is in.
If the instance cannot write to a datafile in the SYSTEM tablespace, an undo tablespace (if the database is in automatic undo management mode, which is the preferred choice in Release 10g), or a datafile in a tablespace containing active rollback segments (if in manual undo management mode), then the database issues an error and shuts down the instance. All files in the
SYSTEM tablespace and all datafiles containing rollback segments must be online in order for the database to operate properly.
If the instance cannot write to a datafile other than those in the preceding list, then the result depends on whether the database is running in
ARCHIVELOG mode or not.
ARCHIVELOG mode, the database records an error in the database writer trace file and takes the affected datafile offline. (All other datafiles in the tablespace containing this datafile remain online.) You can then rectify the underlying problem and restore and recover the affected tablespace.
NOARCHIVELOG mode, the database writer background process DBWR fails, and the instance fails, the cause of the problem determines the required response. If the problem is temporary (for example, a disk controller was powered off), then crash recovery usually can be performed using the online redo log files. In such situations, the instance can be restarted without resorting to media recovery. However, if a datafile is permanently damaged, then you must restore a consistent backup of the database.
Recovery is not needed on any read-only tablespace during crash or instance recovery. During startup, recovery verifies that each online read-only datafile does not need media recovery. That is, the file was not restored from a backup taken before it was made read-only. If you restore a read-only tablespace from a backup taken before the tablespace was made read-only, then you cannot access the tablespace until you complete media recovery.
Typically, a user error like dropping a table or deleting rows from a table requires one of the following responses:
The recovery options available to you will be a function of your backup strategy. For example, if you are running in NOARCHIVELOG mode then you have limited point-in-time recovery options.
|See Also:
The components that creates different backup and recovery-related files have no knowledge of each other or of the size of the file systems where they store their data. With Automatic Disk-Based Backup and Recovery, you can create a flash recovery area, which automates management of backup-related files. Choose a location on disk and an upper bound for storage space, and set a retention policy that governs how long backup files are needed for recovery, and the database manages the storage used for backups, archived redo logs, and other recovery-related files for your database within that space. Files no longer needed are eligible for deletion when RMAN needs to reclaim space for new files. If you do not use a flash recovery area, you must manually manage disk space for your backup-related files and balance the use of space among the different types of files. Oracle Corporation recommends that you enable a flash recovery area to simplify your backup management.
When choosing a backup and recovery solution, find one that is appropriate for the database environment. For example, if you manage only databases of release 8.0 or higher, then you can use RMAN to manage your backup and recovery requirements. Releases older than 8.0 will have to be managed using some method besides RMAN.
Table 1-1 describes the version and system requirements for different database backup and recovery methods.
|Backup Method
|Version Available
Recovery Manager (RMAN)
Oracle version 8.0 and higher
Third-party media manager (only if backing up to tape)
Operating System
All versions
Operating system backup utility (for example, UNIX
All versions
Besides being limited by system requirements, the backup and recovery solution you choose should be driven by the features that you want. Table 1-2 compares the features of the different backup methods.
|Recovery Manager
Closed database backups
Supported. Requires instance to be mounted.
Not supported.
Open database backups
Supported. No need to use
Supported. Must use
Requires rollback or undo segments to generate consistent backups.
Incremental backups
Not supported.
Not supported.
Corrupt block detection
Supported. Identifies corrupt blocks and logs in
Not supported.
Supported. Identifies corrupt blocks in the export log.
Automatic record keeping of files in backups
Supported. Establishes the name and locations of all files to be backed up (whole database, tablespace, datafile or control file backup).
Not supported. Files to be backed up must be specified manually.
Supported. Performs either full, user, or table backups.
Backup catalogs
Supported. Backups are recorded inthe RMAN repository, which is contained in the control file and optionally in the recovery catalog database.
Not supported.
Not supported.
Backups to media manager
Supported. Interfaces with a media manager. RMAN also supports proxy copy, a feature that allows the media manager to manage the transfer of data.
Supported. Backup to tape is manual or controlled by a media manager.
Backs up initialization parameter file
Not supported.
Backs up password and networking files
Not supported.
Not supported.
Platform-independent language for backups
Not supported.


text:
A recurring theme at this stronghold of boganic inquest has been the bogan's ability to ruin things. Be it music festivals, geographic regions, sport, even your favourite bar, the bogan's ability to belatedly adopt a trend then force it to bend to the bogan's unyielding demand for maxtremity remains unparalleled. In much more recent times, the desire of the bogan to travel at faster than the speed of internet has led to a capacity to destroy a new thing faster and more comprehensively than ever: internet memes.
From their shadowy origins in the pungent bowels of the intertubes, the dizzying array of memes is distilled by a process of moronic selection as it rises to the surface of the mainstream. By the time these fads reach the bogan, one can be assured of their absolute, refined idiocy. And, of course, shortly after the bogan touches them, they are irrevocably ruined. The book of faces is a principal conduit for this process. The bogan's habit of impulsively jumping on bandwagons it doesn't understand, and joining groups on Facebook as a means by which to brand itself with things it considers suitably maxtreme and totally celeb, makes it uniquely susceptible to the mesmerising siren song of the internet meme.
In the bogan mind, the internet is a megaphone to broadcast the mundane details of its life to a captive audience, and an endless receptacle of maxtreme pornography and cute pictures. This scenario is a perfect storm for fucking up memes. The bogan can discover, adopt, and broadcast any given meme in the few seconds it takes to re-post it on the book of faces, and the sheer volume of bogans clogging up the intertubes drives the meme from obscurity, into infamy, and back into obscurity at an ever-quickening rate. Remember Rebecca Black? That went from hipster in-joke to global phenomenon to dead story in four days, to the point that the original haters found themselves standing up for a thirteen year-old girl, in the face of a bogan-hate onslaught.
The internet meme begun, it is generally agreed, as a dancing baby gif, which, stretching the limits of contemporary technology as it did, eventually wound up on that paragon of 90s bogan feminism Ally McBeal. There have been hundreds of memes since, and many have fallen by the wayside, only to be recalled by the geekiest of internet neckbeards. But every so often, the maxtreme appeal of a particular meme prompts the bogan to thrust it into the national spotlight. For instance, LOLcats. Fuck you, LOLcats.
This all, naturally enough, results in the promulgation of said spent meme in the main media. Because there is an important pivot point for this transmogrification from meme to boring story: the trashmedia journalist. The formula for creating news on the websites of Fairfax and News Ltd in 2011 roughly follows this methodology:
- Receive email from friend with humorous meme
- Conduct research (read: Google three things) to verify its real-ness
- Paraphrase 300 words from the relevant internet source
- Upload as news
Once a meme has made into onto the trashmedia sites, the rate of bogans fucking it up reaches fever pitch. In the most recent instance, this was Sam Newman, happily demonstrating his maxtremity by 'planking' (a meme which set new land-speed records in its shift from niche cultural marker to meme to national joke, incidentally,) dangerously only days after a bloke died performing a similar act. Bogans the nation over chuckled and told the affogato belt to drink some concrete and harden up, as they continued their battle against the forces of insane political correctness.
Because the forces of political correctness are one thing the bogan won't take lying down.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Videos | May 29, 2013
Revealing Asteroids with Radar
When Asteroid 1998 QE2 makes its closest approach to Earth on May 31, 2013, it promises to be a bonanza for radar science.
Transcript:1998 QE 2 is going to make a relatively close approach to Earth on May 31st. The orbit for this object is very well known.
It'll be to the south, rising in the southeast setting in the southwest. In late May, especially early June, it'll reach a visual magnitude of about 10-1/2 to 11. And that means that amateur astronomers who have 4- or 6-inch telescopes could potentially see it.
It is going to come within 15 lunar distances.
About 15 times the distance between the Earth and the moon Although it is labeled as a potentially-hazardous asteroid, what that really means is that its orbit can approach within a certain distance of the Earth's orbit.
For the foreseeable future there's nothing to worry about. I mean, it's far more dangerous to walk across the street.
The asteroid is believed to be about 1.7 miles in diameter. That is about 9 QE2 cruise ships end to end.
It rotates within 5.3 hours and we know it's likely rounded.
Even the most powerful optical telescopes and I'm talking even, you know, Hubble telescope, they can only see this asteroid as a point of light. It is just too far and too small.
Radar is a very powerful instrument that we use to study near Earth asteroids Asteroid Toutatis was millions of kilometers away and we were able to resolve surface rocks, we could see boulders.
There are currently only two radar facilities in the world that have sufficient sensitivity for doing regular observations of near Earth objects: Arecibo and Goldstone.
It provides an extraordinary opportunity to get very detailed radar images. You are transmitting microwaves propagating at the speed of light towards the asteroid. It is bouncing back. And this radar echo is containing surface features of the asteroid, it's telling us about its rotation and it's very precisely pinpointing its distance from the radar.
This is a great opportunity because instead of sending a spacecraft to an asteroid, you are on Earth and an asteroid is coming to you.
We think we're going to see images that'll rival the caliber of what we can get from a spacecraft flyby mission. They really should be that detailed, and opportunities like that, they sometimes happen a few times a year but this is the best one we know of in 2013.


text:
In the US, the right to free speech is construed as also protecting the anonymity of the person doing the speaking. Provided that the content, be it spoken or written, violates no laws, citizens have the right to fulminate in public fora without said public being aware of their identity. Courts have also extended this protection to anonymous Internet communications, and are now being asked to weigh in on a related issue: when do accusations of wrongdoing justify the removal of anonymity from the sources of anonymous statements made via the Internet.
The precedents that have been set so far have been a bit mixed. In cases involving defamation, a Virginia court has determined that plaintiffs need only to show that they have a "good faith basis" for their accusations in order to have an otherwise anonymous defendant named. In contrast, New Jersey courts have decided that each claim against a defendant has to be supported by evidence. The latest to weigh in is the District of Columbia's Court of Appeals, which is tackling a case in which a John Doe defendant lodged anonymous accusations of software piracy against a company, which has sued him for defamation. The DC court ruled that the case may proceed, and provided guidelines that the trial judge should use in order to determine whether the defendant should be unmasked.
The case started with an anonymous complaint submitted to the Software & Information Industry Association, which (much like the Business Software Alliance), allows anyone to finger institutions for using pirated software. In this case, the person who submitted the complaint suggested that a company that makes software for the Defense Department, Solers, Inc., was engaged in piracy. The SIIA sent Solers a threatening letter, suggesting it undertake an audit of its compliance and return the results.
Solers argued that it was in compliance, and requested the identity of the John Doe who had turned it in. When the SIIA declined to identify him, the company filed a complaint, alleging that the anonymous tip amounted to defamation, and that it interfered with the company's ability to do business. As part of the suit, Solers subpoenaed the SIIA, demanding it turn over all the information it had on John Doe. The SIIA went to court in an attempt to quash the subpoena. The presiding judge agreed, but Solers appealed, leading to the current decision.
The appeals court, noting that DC courts had no precedent for this situation, examined the varied decisions handed down in other areas. It found the Virginia standard—a "good faith basis" for the accusations—far too lax, given the importance that anonymity has been granted in the US. Instead, the court laid out guidelines that are far closer to the New Jersey standard:
the court should: (1) ensure that the plaintiff has adequately pleaded the elements of the defamation claim, (2) require reasonable efforts to notify the anonymous defendant that the complaint has been filed and the subpoena has been served, (3) delay further action for a reasonable time to allow the defendant an opportunity to file a motion to quash, (4) require the plaintiff to proffer evidence creating a genuine issue of material fact on each element of the claim that is within its control, and (5) determine that the information sought is important to enable the plaintiff to proceed with his lawsuit.
In short, the plaintiff has to provide evidence that its claims are reasonable and the identity of the defendant is needed before the suit could continue. The defendant should also be given the opportunity to attempt to block his or her unmasking in court.
As for the case itself, the decision to throw out the initial subpoena was made in part because Solers hadn't bothered to provide evidential support for its charges; given that there was no precedent to suggest it needed to do so, the Appeals Court ruled that it could go back and try to demonstrate its need to have the subpoena executed to the trial court.
The Appeals Court, however, recognized that the mechanism for submitting an anonymous tip was substantially different from that involved in most other precedents, which involved publicly accessible blog and forum posts. "For all that we know at this point," the Court wrote, "the transmission of his accusations was not substantively different from dropping a letter into the mail, making a phone call, or slipping a note under the door." The implication clearly being that an equivalent action would not justify having the subpoena executed.


text:
Kylie Fowler got controversial when she spoke last month to an audience of asset management and configuration management professionals at the BCS CMSG Conference in London about the five constants she always encounters in her 10-plus years of working as an IT asset management consultant.
While these constants may always hold true, and her advice on how to deal with them held some surprises.
She counselled the audience always to listen to their data - "your data has a huge amount to tell you if you use it correctly," she said.
Home is where the data is
"All data has a natural home, so you need to take advantage of your existing data sources and not reinvent the wheel. It means that you must validate the data and pick and prod at it and understand how accurate it is," she said.
"Your data sets may start off as inaccurate but you can work to make them more accurate. The data owner will be more willing to keep it up to date if they know someone is relying on it to make decisions."
Fowler, a founder member of the Campaign for Clear Licensing and treasurer of the BCS Configuration Management Specialist Group, then pointed out that although the tools at an asset manager's disposal may not always be ideal, "near enough is good enough".
"Most of us are in a situation where either the tools we have are fine and maybe the people and processes are struggling, or alternatively the tools are rubbish but no one wants to make the investment in anything else."
If the tools are fine and the people and processes are struggling, she said, then it's important to recognise that IT asset management can be a low priority in many organisations, and therefore you need to automate as much as possible and give people specific tasks to complete.
Spreadsheet hell
Fowler: Near enough is good enough
"If the tools are rubbish and you're stuck in spreadsheet hell then demonstrate the business benefit from the existing tools," she said. "Then you can say look how good I am with the tools I've been given, imagine how good I could be with something that does the job better."
She advised the audience to work with their existing data sets and focus on producing benefits so that they can build the business case for the tools they need.
Her third constant is that hardware asset management is expensive, very time consuming and takes up resources. She said: "Do the minimum you can get away with – but be certain that a discovery agent is deployed. As the IT asset management processes mature you can do more as a clear benefits case emerges."
Her fourth constant is that software asset management is a team sport and that there is a huge range of stakeholders who need to work together effectively.
Just one IT-oriented software licence change needs to take in IT support, to discover how many desktops and laptops the change involves, HR, to find out how many employees and contractors are affected, IT management, who need to pay for it, procurement, who need to send the purchase order to the supplier and finance, who want to know why it costs so much - five different groups of people for one IT oriented piece of software.
Said Fowler: "The critical element is trust, these groups need to trust that you're not wasting their time, that your analysis is accurate and that you will help them when they need you to. I believe that with the right reciprocal relationships software asset management can be a fulcrum for information flows within an organisation."
Risky business
Her fifth constant is risk management. It's important that businesses identify the organisation's existing risks, keep an asset register and identify and communicate emerging risks. She said: "You don't have to do it all, you don't have to be 100 per cent compliant all the time. But risks need to be identified analysed prioritised and mitigated."
Fowler is passionate about the importance of aligning IT asset management to business needs and the importance of risk management to IT asset management professionals.
She had this final advice: "Insert yourself into the portfolio approval process read the project briefs understand the business strategy – is the business growing shrinking, centralising decentralising. You need to understand what he IT department is doing. Put yourself into the processes that govern change, get involved in strategy." ®


text:
Views: 898
It was my understanding that once was all anyone needed as for ever after one was in the fold as it were. All religions are rife with pointless symbolism and ceremony, all of which is ludicrous, laughable and just plain whacked-out screwy-silly. I remember one such affair at the "Christian Fellowship" to which my wife and kids dragged me for a year until I finally rebelled and made the final leap into full-blown atheism. It was at the outdoor, former gold fish pond for the estate that became a very regal home for the equally whacked-out bunch of Pentecostal mob and some of the younger crowd was going under.
One lass, quite lovely and well put together indeed was wearing her best, I suppose, dunking gear was taken backwards into the water as normal. As she was brought back up, her water-soaked dress and the flimsy garments thereunder were rendered almost transparent, even to her, obviously very cold nipples that were standing at attention in stark relief and quite visible through the material; quite the entertaining show it was.
I was baptized twice - sprinkled in the Moravian church, and dunked in the Church of Christ; then later confirmed/first communion in the Catholic church. All of the above were to be a member of a community.
Thought third time was a charm but it didn't stick. Oh well.
I was raised Catholic, so one baptism. You're baptized early (the first coupe of months), then you "re-affirm your belief" at Confirmation, which is just a baptism with oil instead of water (in about the sixth or seventh grade age or so). Confirmation for Catholics is like that, you have classes of 20+ children doing all the chants and you get blessed by the Bishop and BOOM! you're a full-fledged Catholic before you're in High School or formed your own opinion or thought. I think the classes are smaller if you convert as an adult. But the first baptism is usually just one or maybe two children, pretty individualized. At least here in Mobile it is.
Three times? I was so young the first time that I hardly remember it. The second time I MIGHT have been 9, at most. The third time, maybe 15? Right after I met my first husband, anyway. After that, I figured that if it was going to work, it would have by then.
Born and brought up in Georgia. Went to a baptist church from a young age. When I turned 13, I was visited by three or four men from the church and told that I needed to "walk soen the aisle" and accept Jesus. For various reasons I did so. The primary reason was not cause embarassment to my grandmother if I refused.
It didn't take. How I escaped the intense brainwashing I really don't know, but I did and have never looked back.
This was a repeat of the above so I deleted it.
I was never baptized. My parents "were religious but didn't follow organized religion." I went to church as a kid with a neighbor. I was saved once when I was around 12. A lot of good that did!
I was baptized once as a baby. I grew up in the Catholic faith so they only dip you once. lol
I recall as a preschooler being taken to the city pool and dunked. Never made any sense to me.
I was baptized once when I was 12 in a Disciples of Christ church in Memphis, TN. My grandparents were afraid for my immortal soul. And, we moved to another city shortly after that, so maybe they were worried that my parents wouldn't get me baptized once we moved. I did it because I didn't have much of a choice and they were very persistent - and they felt better afterwards. When I was younger, I was pretty easy going when it came to humoring the religious. Hey, if you provide the pool and the white gown, I'm taking a dip!
I'm 46 now and the older I get, the more outspoken I get about my atheism.


text:
we are a major news aggregator for world news
find Washington dc escorts online on our website or call us directly.
GreenTokri is a farm nestled amidst the picturesque foothills of the Sahayadris on the outskirts of Pune. Farming is our passion and we grow a variety of lettuce, fresh herbs, exotic fruits and vegetables.
We use our fresh produce to make delectable pestos, pickled vegetables, and delicious jams. Our intensely flavorful dressings make eating salads an enjoyable experience. The dressings are available in a variety of flavors to suit every palate.
We are dedicated to continuously creating exciting and delicious products to make everyday meals and entertaining healthy, fun, easy and stress free for you. Our products are made with the best quality ingredients and freshly harvested produce from our fields. do not contain any artificial flavors, colors or taste enhancers.
Currently we offer home delivery of our products once a week to areas in and around Pune. This is to ensure that you, our loyal customers, can get our freshest products on a regular basis. It is our constant endeavour to help you discover a healthy lifestyle while eating tasty zesty food. Our products are also available at many retail stores Pune and Mumbai. To start enjoying the benefits of a healthful living sign up now for Home delivery or pick up our products from a retail store nearest to you.
In an effort to become more "Green" we are trying to reduce the use of plastic bags as far as possible. We thank you for your cooperation.


text:
For those of you travelling to Wellington to attend the Conference we'd like to quote you one of our favourite local sayings "you can't beat Wellington on a good day". While you're here we hope you have time to take a stroll around the waterfront, ride the Cable Car and enjoy the dramatic views of our growing cityscape, visit the Carter Observatory, or simply enjoy Wellington's vibrant café scene.
Wellington airport is a picturesque 18 minute drive to the conference venue (via Evans Bay and Oriental parade). There are direct daily flights between Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne.
Please click here for a map of downtown Wellington - showing attractions, accommodation, transport and amenities.
Information (including map) for parking at the venue can be found on this page:
Te Papa will offer a special day event attendees rate of $12.00. Day hourly parking rate is $3.50 and night hourly is $2.00 from 5pm to 2am the next day. Rates for parking are inclusive of GST. Car parking validation will be done within Oceania during conference hours prior to pay station departure where the flat $12.00 rate will apply.
Pre & Post conference activities
Wellington is a cosmopolitan city with an energetic personality and variety of activity. Check out the iSite website for ideas and activities below before you confirm your flights.The Wellington i-SITE Visitor Information Centre team are your local experts in all things Wellington. Come and have a chat to a friendly local who can provide you with tips and assistance so you can make the most of your stay in Wellington. For capital holiday information and bookings please contact the team by email or phone them on +64 4 802 4860.
City and activities: https://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/sights-activities/
Regional excursions: https://www.wellingtonnz.com/discover/explore-the-regions/
Suggested tour options:
Weta Workshop There and Back again tour - $65 per person includes return transfers and priority access. 2 ½ hours.
Hammonds City Sights & Coastlines tour - $55. 2 ½ hours.
Walk Wellington - $20 per person. 2 hours.Taxi companies
| Corporate Cabs
387 4600
| Green Cabs 0800 GO GREEN
| 384 4444
|Kiwi Cabs
464 7336
|Wellington Combined Cabs
|389 9999
|Super Shuttle 0800 SHUTTLE (0800 748885)
|472 9552
The Airport Flyer Bus service runs from Wellington Airport to Wellington CBD - every 10 minutes on weekdays from 6.30am to 9.00am and 2.00pm to 7.00pm. It runs every 20 minutes at all other times. It stops at various major stops throughout Wellington. Download the timetable here. Cost is $8 each way.
Venue - MUSEUM OF NEW ZEALAND TE PAPA TONGAREWA
Te Papa - New Zealand's iconic and innovative national museum located in the heart of Wellington's beautiful waterfront.
As well as being a six level museum, it is also a unique conference and functions venue that combines serious business with outstanding hospitality.
To find out what's on at Te Papa during the Conference visit their official website.
Click here to download a venue map
Historical averages for early October show daily range 9 - 15 degrees Celsius
The season dates for World of Wearable Art Awards Show (WOW) are 27 September - 14 October 2018.
Tickets will be available online from 1 February 2018.
The fine print
In the event of industrial disruption or other unforeseen circumstances, the conference organisers, ANZGOSA, ANZHPBA, Te Papa, Conference Innovators, DisplayWorks accept no responsibility for loss of monies incurred. The suppliers above accept no liability for injuries/losses of whatever nature incurred by delegates and/or accompanying persons, nor for loss or damage to their luggage and/or personal belongings. Delegates, sponsors and speakers should make their own arrangements with respect to personal insurance.


text:
Innovation generation
All industries have to continually innovate, whether its technology or retail. But how? Look no further than this edition of ISOfocus for more.
Our well-being issue provides wellness tips, looks into the benefits of sport and e-bike standards, discusses medical spas and thalassotherapy and provides you with loads of insights in the booming medical tourism industry.
Creating sustainable cities
As priorities are reassessed in the post-Covid era, this ISOfocus issue brings a renewed interest for sustainable cities.
The art of business
Standards are a set of powerful business tools for organizations. They inspire confidence, drive down costs, boost productivity and improve profits. Browse for business trends and read all about standardization successes.
The new wave of finance
Articles on digital currencies, financial messaging systems for the banking industry and universal access to financial services.
The age of artificial intelligence
In this issue, we debunk the AI myths, explore the opportunities and explain why globally relevant standards are key.
Trade, today and tomorrow
Need to keep pace with the trends in trade? This is a must-read to stay abreast of critical standards issues and trade trends, today and tomorrow.
Travel in depth
This issue highlights the fastest growing trends in travel and tourism, including sustainability and medical tourism.
Green tech
This issue features new sustainable technologies and practices in a wide area of topics such as electrically propelled cars, safely managed sanitation and environmental management.
The anatomy of healthcare
Whether you are being admitted to the hospital, getting medical treatment or simply doing your annual check-up, take a look at some of the specific ways ISO standards are changing healthcare for the better.
Want to reuse an article?
Articles may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. These may not be modified and must be properly referenced, with due credit to ISO being given. ISO may revoke this permission at its sole discretion.
For enquiries, please contact email@example.com.


text:
2008 Motor Trend Truck of the Year: Testing and Finalists
Love, American Style
Crisis? What crisis? Even though the price of gas has crashed through the $3-a-gallon barrier and looks hell-bent on nailing $4 a gallon before 2008 is out; even though the sub-prime mortgage fiasco has trashed the home market and sent the nervous nellies on Wall Street into a tailspin; even though the greenback is now worth about as much as Monopoly money, and the price of everything from plasma TVs to tuna sushi is going up, America still loves a pickup truck.
Although down 12 percent on 2005, pickup truck sales seemed to be running at close to 2006 levels. Even so, that still meant some 230,000 Americans drove a brand-new pickup off the dealer's lot every month last year. To put it another way, pickup trucks alone accounted for one in every five new vehicles sold across the U.S. That's big business, especially when you consider the entire pickup market is composed of fewer than 20 nameplates, compared with well over 200 for the cars and SUVs that make up the other two thirds.
There might be fewer nameplates -- and therefore larger volumes per nameplate over which to amortize costs for everything from tooling to marketing -- but the pickup-truck game is still a complex business. The ability to mix and match engines, transmissions, drivetrains, suspensions and axles, as well as cab and bed configurations, plus interior trim levels, makes for nightmarish manufacturing and sales scenarios, as Toyota discovered with its all-new, full-size Tundra.
Automotive News reported last April that buyers of Toyota's all-new full-size pickup were acting like buyers of Detroit-built versions, wanting their truck with particular features and preferably seeing the exact truck they had in mind before they bought it. It was a culture shock for Toyota dealers used to carrying lean inventories and having customers happy to drive away in pretty much whatever Camry they had in stock.
The launch of the all-new Tundra was a seismic event for the industry; with dimensions and performance that finally matched its Detroit rivals combined with Toyota's manufacturing and marketing muscle, here was a Japanese truck that finally looked a serious rival to F-150, Silverado, and Ram. Tundra's launch was more testing than Toyota perhaps expected, but by year's end it was making its presence felt in the recreational truck market.
Our other contenders -- Chevy Silverado HD, GMC Sierra HD, and Ford F-250, F-350 and F-450 -- are all heavy-duty models, a niche once the sole preserve of business users, but fast becoming sought after by recreational users for their ability to tow large horse floats and RV trailers. If the Silverado HD and Sierra HD hint at the emerging split personality of this market with their available lux-truck interiors from the GMT900 models, Ford hammered it home with its giant F-450 King Ranch, a leather-lined luxury dualie that could still tow your house. Ford initially thought it might sell 12,000 of the $62,000 F-450 King Ranch models a year. Demand is running at double that. Like we said: Crisis? What crisis?
We tested two versions of each contender, with different engines, transmissions, and body configurations in order to better evaluate the breadth of capability of each nameplate. Our testing began at Ford's former desert proving ground near Yucca, Arizona. This 3840-acre facility boasts an 18-acre "black lake," where we conducted the usual battery of Motor Trend performance tests, and more than 50 miles of test roads, ranging from smooth tarmac to rough gravel washes. The facility also enabled us to hook up the contenders to 7500 and 10,000-pound trailers to test their towing performance.
We followed up the demanding proving-ground tests with real-world driving on an eight-mile loop out of nearby Kingman, Arizona, where judges could evaluate each contender in stop/start traffic, on winding mountain blacktop, and on the freeway. Then we sat down to vote. It was a small field, but, in overall terms, a quality one. And the result wasn't as clear-cut as we thought it would be.
SUPERIORITY: We look at engineering excellence, advancement in design, utilization of resources and safety. Vehicle concept and execution are important, as are use or materials, packaging, dynamics, styling and fuel consumption.
SIGNIFICANCE: How well the vehicle does the job its maker intended it to do? And how does it impact or change its particular market segment, influence consumer perceptions, and transform product development trends?
VALUE: How does each truck compare against its direct rivals? A vehicle with a low sticker price might not be as good a value as a more expensive vehicle that delivers outstanding performance, quality, and functionality.
2008 FINALIST: CHEVROLET SILVERADO HDThe Heavy-Hauler's Dream Machine
WHAT THEY DID RIGHTJust about everything. Styling inside and out makes these the most handsome HDs yet, while the Duramax diesel and Allison transmission combo--660 pound-feet of torque and a shiftable six-speed--are a heavy-hauler's dream.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTClass-leading torque is great, but it's time for the General to lead the way on big-truck fuel economy. How about bringing the Tahoe's new all-aluminum 6.0-liter V-8-based two-mode hybrid system to the HD line?
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOWNew diesel technology ignites soot at temps over 900 degrees F before trapping it in a cleanable filter, making new Chevy trucks cleaner than ever.
The last time we did this, Chevy's completely redesigned Silverado 1500 walked away with the TOTY calipers. Now that the Silverado Heavy Duty versions have received a similar extreme makeover, is the General poised for a repeat?
Chevy makes a strong case with a broad and deep HD lineup, consisting of a three-quarter-ton 2500HD and one-ton 3500HD. Both are available in WT, LT, and LTZ trim and an impressive range of configurations, including three cab styles, three cargo box styles, and five wheelbase lengths. Inside, two interior styles are offered -- "Pure Pickup" and "Luxury Styled" -- as well as two seating configurations, front bucket seats or a 40/20/40 split bench.
The base engine is 6.0-liter gas V-8 making 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque, good enough to tow up to 12,900 pounds in a single rear-wheel configuration. Since manual transmissions are no longer offered for any of the HDs, the only transmission offered with the gas engine is the new 6L90 six-speed, manually selectable, automatic.
While the Blue Oval boys have the bigger dualie, nobody beats the General when it comes to overall engine output. Though the big-block Vortec 8.1-liter gas V-8 has been dropped, GM's optional Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel V-8 continues to lead the segment with 365 horsepower and a staggering 660 pound-feet of torque. With a fifth-wheel hitch and the Allison 1000 six-speed, manually shiftable automatic, that's good for a maximum towing capacity of 16,700 pounds.
While not new, the Duramax is substantially upgraded, with such features as a new filtration system that helps provide a 90-percent reduction in particulate matter and a 50-percent reduction in NOx compared with pre-2007 standards. In addition, 2008 fleet trucks with Duramax engines can fuel up with B20 biodiesel.
With wide chrome crossbar grilles and headlights pushed way out to the corners, it's clear the HDs maintain a visual link with the 1500 Silverado, while remaining distinct from the GMC Sierra line. Though mechanical bits are shared, lamps and trim vary as so do the fenders, boxes, and hoods.
Chiseled fenders and a broad stance, accentuate the HD's burliness-a look that goes more than skin deep. Mounted atop the cross-brace reinforced ladder frame are pickup boxes that feature a one-piece wheelhouse and inner box side for added strength and a smoother appearance. Dualies have a hydroformed steel boxes with integrated overfenders. About the only knock on the design is the massive gap between the fender and tire, particularly on the dualie rear wheels -- though it does show off the impressive girth of the HD frame rails.
For 2008, GM addresses this issue by giving dualies larger 17-inch wheels. In addition, all Silverado HDs feature standard XM Satellite Radio, an available power-adjustable driver's seat on regular cab models with a bench seat, and two new exterior colors: Dark Cherry Metallic and Deep Ruby Metallic.
For our testing, we borrowed two 4x4 Silverado HDs-one in single-rear-wheel configuration, the other a dualie. The former came in LT trim with the gas V-8 and Z71 suspension package, while the 3500 LT came powered by the Duramax turbodiesel. Consistent and compelling characterized both Silverados' performance at the test track-the 2500HD finished behind only the speedy Tundra in the dynamic tests, while the 3500HD's prowess with the 10,000-pound trailer was bested only by the massive Ford F-450. The Chevy also was considered one of the best dualies in the dirt, too. Massive torque and six churning wheels meant it was no problem hustling this wide hipper through the deep sand.
But where the Silverados scored the most points was out on the pavement-where the combination of a buttoned-down chassis, smooth-shifting six-speeds, and powerful engines drew strong praise. "Remarkably tight and free of rattles and squeaks," notes one juror. Our voters also rated the Silverado interiors highest-particularly the limo-like black on black cabin of 3500HD.
So why no calipers for the Chevy HDs? It isn't because they fall behind Ford in towing capacity. The Chevy (and GMC) HDs are so much more refined and fun to drive that they edge out the Fords for overall class superiority. Chevy also makes a strong value statement, with a regular cab Silverado HD starting in the low $20s. The issue boiled down to significance. It was close, but this year's winner makes stronger statement in its class and to the truck market as a whole.
- Edward Loh
|2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD
|Base price range
|Silverado 2500HD Z71 LT
|Silverado 3500HD LT DRW
|Price As Tested
|Vehicle Layout
|Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door pickup
|Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door pickup
|6.0L/353-hp*/373-lb-ft* OHV 16-valve V-8
|6.6L/365-hp/660-lb-ft turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8
|6-speed automatic
|6-speed automatic
|Curb weight (f/r dist)
|6068 lb (57/43%)
|7572 lb (57/43%)
|167.0 in
|167.0 in
|Length x width x height
|258.7 x 95.9 x 76.1 in
|258.7 x 95.9 x 76.1 in
|Actual payload capacity
|3132 lb
|3828 lb
|Max towing capacity
|9800/9800/9800 lb**
|13,000/13,000/15,900 lb**
|0-60 mph
|7.7/18.2*** sec
|8.5/20.2*** sec
|Quarter mile
|15.9 sec @ 88.0 mph/21.3 sec @ 64.2 mph***
|16.6 sec @ 82.8 mph/22.0 sec @ 62.3 mph***
|Braking, 60-0 mph
|160 ft
|156 ft
|EPA city/hwy econ
|CO2 emissions
|The Fords may be bigger, flashier, and able to tow more, but for work or play, Chevy's Silverado HDs are better lookers, drivers, and day-to-day trucks.
|* SAE Certified
|** Conventional hitch/weight distributing hitch/fifth-wheel
|*** Towing 7500-pound (2500) or 10,000-pound (3500) trailer
2008 FINALIST: GMC SIERRA HDTuner Numbers Straight From The Factory
WHAT THEY DID RIGHTImprovements to the diesel engine and Allison transmission are just what these trucks needed. No more neck-snapping shifts; instead, you get ultra-smooth, almost seamless shifts similar to what you'd find in a luxury sedan.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTNeeds more engine choices; two isn't much of a selection. A natural 8.0-liter would be welcome or even one of the smaller versions found in the Yukon; a hybrid would be interesting, too, and the first in this segment.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOWIf the truck were kept at a standstill when it vaporizes the diesel particulates, the surface underneath the truck would start to melt.
New looks and interior refinements made the all-new GMC Sierra Heavy Dutys serious contenders for our Truck of the Year competition-and they feature the most powerful diesels in this class.
All HDs come standard with a 6.0-liter gasoline V-8 putting out 353 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque mated to a Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission. The 6L90 has a 6.04:1 overall ratio spread with two overdrive gears helping the HD's performance and fuel economy, but the cleaner, more powerful Duramax 6.6-liter turbodiesel engine is the real story. Providing the biggest numbers in the field, the Duramax puts out 365 horsepower and a massive 660 pound-feet of torque. Weused to see numbers like those only after a tuner had his way, but now they come straight from the factory. A new particle-trap system helps provide a 90-percent reduction in exhaust particulates and a 50-percent reduction in NOX to meet the new mandates set in place early in 2007. Coupled to the diesel is the Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission, both of which now work in perfect harmony. The old school-bus transmission's hard, clunky shifts are replaced by quiet and smooth action.
The HD's ladder-frame configuration is reinforced by multiple cross braces in a segmented design that allows easy adaptation to the HDs' numerous lengths. Frame sections joined in overlapping segments bolster overall strength and rigidity. Because of this, Sierra HDs offer a larger 2.5-inch receiver hitch enabling the trucks to pull up to 13,000 pounds with a conventional trailer and 16,700 pounds with trucks properly equipped with a fifth wheel.
The HDs further offer two suspension packages: The Z85 suspension is standard on two- and four-wheel-drive models, while the optional Z71 off-road suspension provides additional chassis and suspension equipment, including skidplates. A high-capacity, four-wheel disc-brake system with Hydroboost and four-wheel ABS is standard across the range. All HDs are available with an integrated trailer-brake controller($200) that automatically increases trailer braking when the truck's antilock system engages to prevent wheel slippage on the truck. The system eliminates the need to add an external or aftermarket brake controller.
Sierra Heavy Dutys also come in a wide range of 2500HD (three-quarter ton) and 3500HD (one-ton) models in WT, SLE, and SLT trim, with three cab styles, three box styles, and five wheelbase lengths for a variety of configuration choices. You also get a vast menu of interiors: Base and midlevel trims get a pure pickup theme, while premium interiors borrow the distinctive instrument panel and leather appointments from the Yukon SUV.
We acquired a Sierra 2500HD diesel and a 3500HD SLT diesel dualie for our test program. The 2500 sprinted to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds, but we couldn't get a trailered run since this rig had no receiver hitch. The 3500 made the dash in 8.4 seconds unladen and in 19.3 with a 10,000-pound trailer. The 2500 stopped from 60 mph in 171 feet, the longest in the competition, while the six-tired 3500 only needed 152 feet.
In the off-road loop, the dualie felt great through the sand wash, never giving the impression it might bury itself, but the 2500 didn't show the same confidence. The paddle shifters worked great in these conditions, with quick response to any required gear selection. Over the frame twister, the dualie performed admirably, while the 2500 evidenced numerous squeaks and rattles.
The final part of our evaluation was a real-world road loop, where again the dualie performed heroically throughout the drive-fun through the canyons, smooth on the freeway. One editor said he could see himself hauling his Ghibli to Monterey behind the dualie. The 2500, however, drove big and wasn't as much fun as the dualie and rode rougher on the highway.
All told, the GMCs were high on everyone's list, with distinctive looks, quality interiors, and incredible powertrains; in the end, they fell just short, as another manufacturers managed outdo most of the GMC's special talents.
- Scott Mortara
|2008 GMC Sierra HEAVY DUTY
|Base price range
|GMC Sierra 2500 HD SLT
|GMC Sierra 3500 HD SLT
|Price As Tested
|Vehicle Layout
|Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door pickup
|Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door pickup
|6.6L/365-hp/660-lb-ft twin-turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8
|6.6L/365-hp/660-lb-ft twin-turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8
|6-speed automatic
|6-speed automatic
|Curb weight (f/r dist)
|6844 lb (61/39%)
|7539 lb (57/43%)
|167.0 in
|167.0 in
|Length x width x height
|258.7 x 80.0 x 76.7 in
|258.7 x 95.9 x 76.1 in
|Actual payload capacity
|2356 lb
|3861 lb
|Max towing capacity
|13,000/13,000/15,900 lb
|13,000/13,000/15,900 lb
|0-60 mph
|8.3 sec
|8.4/19.3 ** sec
|Quarter mile
|16.4 sec @ 85.6 mph
|16.5 sec @ 83.5 mph; 21.3 sec @ 62.5 mph**
|Braking, 60-0 mph
|171 ft
|152 ft
|EPA city/hwy econ
|CO2 emissions
|GM has given us a fabulous new truck with improved styling, powertrains, interior in both fit/finish and material quality as well as a wide range of vehicle configurations -- all at a reasonable price.
|* Conventional hitch/weight-distributing hitch/fifth-wheel
|**Towing 10,000-pound trailer
2008 CONTENDER: FORD F-SERIES SUPER DUTYSlow Train Coming -- Still Tearing Up The Tracks
WHAT THEY DID RIGHTQuiet Steel firewall of sandwich construction and special sound-absorbing back panel combine with structural enhancements to make the new Super Duty cabin quiet and rattle-free, so occupants can converse easily and/or enjoy the Panasonic Audiophile stereo and DVD video.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTHeavy is as heavy does, and these trucks boast mighty impressive towing and payload capacities, but both model variants feel enormous and ponderous on the road, clomping over bumps like the medium-duty commercial vehicles they very nearly are.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOWThose perforations around the F-450 diesel's tailpipe draw in cold air to cool the ultra-hot exhaust during particle-filter regeneration.
"Mine's Bigger" moves the metal in the heavy-duty pickup world, so every detail of the restyled and revamped 2008 Ford Super Duty trucks has been tailored to enhance the impression of size. The Super Chief concept vehicle that presaged it was inspired by and named after a locomotive, and the hardware backs the image. An all new F-450 model -- the industry's first factory-available Class-4 pickup -- boasts class-leading payload and towing capacities of three and 12 tons respectively.
The F-450 rides atop a completely unique frame with special rear leaf springs and a wide-track, coil-sprung, leading-arm beam or live front axle that boasts the tightest turning radius in its class. The rest of the Super Duty lineup also gets major frame revisions like front rails that dip seven inches in front to meet the bumper height of other lighter-duty vehicles, and eight-inch longer rear leaf springs designed to improve handling balance. Other innovations aimed at achieving tow-vehicle superiority include TowCommand, an integrated electronic trailer-brake controller that increases trailer-braking intensity when the truck's anti-lock brakes engage, and PowerScope sideview mirrors that motor out to see around wide trailers.
Of course, the F-SD's biggest trailering enabler is its new 6.4-liter Power Stroke diesel option, which features high-tech piezo-electric injectors (instead of mechanical unit injectors), which can deliver up to five separate spritzes of fuel at up to 26,000 psi to reduce noise and particulate emissions and enable cold starting at -20 degrees F. Sequential twin turbochargers broaden the torque curve and pressurize the intake at up to 42 psi to deliver 350 peak horsepower and 650 pound-feet-impressive figures, except by comparison with GM's 6.6-liter Duramax (365/660).
Other highlights of the 2008 Super Duty include an optional tailgate-step and a collapsible bed extender that stows up against the sides of the pickup box. The new interior based on the light-duty F-series features a more efficient air distribution system and myriad noise abatement countermeasures. There's also a new FX4 series available on extended and crew-cab 4x4 models, featuring skid plates, Rancho-brand shocks, and a body-color grille.
Much of the rest of the 2008 Super Duty's hardware carries over, including the two Triton SOHC three-valve gasoline engines-a 5.4-liter V-8 good for 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet, and a 6.8-liter V-10 worth 362 horses and 457 pound-feet (the segment's most powerful gas engine) -- and the six-speed manual and five-speed Torqshift automatic transmissions. (The latter features new tow/haul mode programming.)
To shake down the Super Duty lineup we borrowed a V-10-powered F-250 Supercab FX4 and an F-450 4x4 dualie turned out in King Ranch finery. We started by measuring acceleration performance with and without a trailer, and braking performance sans trailer. Not surprisingly, the gigundous 8974-pound F-450 was the slowest drag racer, needing 10.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. But with 10,000 pounds hitched to its rear, that figure only doubled-all other contenders suffered considerably greater degradation in performance. The F-450 was the hardest worker, accelerating more mass almost as quickly as the other dualies. The F-250 V-10 needed 8.3 seconds for the 60-mph dash, trailing the rest of the gassers. Both Fords recorded impressive stops from 60 mph in just 144 and 145 feet (F-250/F-450). Only the hot-rod Tundra 5.7 bested those figures.
Next we took the trucks off-roading, where the six-wheel-drive dualie F-450 had ample floatation to plow through the deepest sand washes with ease, even at a crawl when pulling a stuck RWD Toyota. On the downside, the electric transfer-case shifter sometimes refused to engage 4L without moving the truck slightly and trying again-not easy if you're stuck when trying to engage 4L.
We ended our evaluation with a road loop on which both trucks felt considerably bulkier, heavier, and more ponderous than their closest GM rivals. Without a 12-ton gooseneck hitched up, the F-450's ride is brutally firm and the King Ranch interior trim struck most editors as gauche and excessively busy by comparison with the high-end GM cabins. The 250's V-10 moans unpleasantly under the whip, its steering is vague and the power assist occasionally falls behind when the driver saws at the wheel.
When it came time to vote, the high sales volumes and breadth of model offerings earned Ford big points in significance. Value also rated highly-the F-450 is the bargain in terms of dollars/pound of towing capacity. But the closely competing Chevy and GMC offerings ride, handle, and perform better than the Fords, if you can get by with towing six to eight tons. As a result, the Fords finished at the back of this tight pack.
- Frank Markus
|Base price range
|F-250 4x4 FX4
|F-450 4x4 King Ranch
|Price As Tested
|Vehicle Layout
|Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 2+2-door pickup
|Front engine, 4WD, 4-pass, 4-door pickup
|6.8L/362-hp/457-lb-ft SOHC 30-valve V-10
|6.4L/350-hp/650-lb-ft twin-turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8
|5-speed automatic
|5-speed automatic
|Curb weight (f/r dist)
|7023 lb (57/43%)
|8974 lb (58/42%)
|158.0 in
|172.4 in
|Length x width x height
|248.0 x 79.9 x 82.0 in
|262.4 x 95.5 x 79.0 in
|Actual payload capacity
|2977 lb
|5526 lb
|Max towing capacity
|5000/12,500/-- lb*
|6000/16,000/24,500 lb*
|0-60 mph
|8.3/19.5** sec
|10.5/21.1** sec
|Quarter mile
|16.4 sec @ 83.1 mph/22.0 sec @ 62.3 mph**
|17.8 sec @ 77.4 mph/21.9 sec @ 61.1 mph**
|Braking, 60-0 mph
|156 ft
|145 ft
|EPA city/hwy econ
|CO2 emissions
|Loads of great innovations advance the state of the heavy-hauling art, but Ford heavies lack the nimble demeanor of similarly capable competitors.
|* SAE Certified
|** Conventional hitch/weight distributing hitch/fifth-wheel
|*** Towing 7500-pound (F-250) or 10,000-pound (F-450) trailer
Carry That Weight
Legend:Brown: UnloadedBlue: Loaded
Comfort Zone (Right chart)
Each of the base versions of our TOTY contenders was tested for ride quality and interior noise on two road surfaces. The rough surface, which included cobblestones, a washboard segment, and simulated potholes, was taken at 30 mph. Our smooth-road testing occurred at 60 mph on mildly wavy concrete punctuated by minor seams. The ride quality scores were measured by a trio of accelerometers and the data crunched to take into account human sensitivity to certain vibration frequencies. Ride results are on a relative scale, the lower the better. The squiggly image suggests the sort of shaking your torso would experience.
Graphics by Kim Reynolds and Mike Royer


text:
'Piracy' Stops Ghost Recon: Future Soldier PC
Is it Thanksgiving or Groundhog day? I could have sworn it was yesterday that news emerged of a Ubisoft title not being released on PC, with anguished claims about rampant piracy being blamed. Now it's the turn of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and although the quotes given to PC Gamer don't actually accuse us all of 'bitching', they do paint an unpleasant view of the PC gaming landscape. We're told that Ghost Recon Online is the PC's alternative to Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.
'Why', you ask? Senior producer Sebastien Arnoult has the answers. Or at least, some answers. "When we started Ghost Recon Online we were thinking about Ghost Recon: Future Solider; having something ported in the classical way without any deep development, because we know that 95 per cent of our consumers will pirate the game." Sigh.
There it is. A frank admission that 'classical' PC ports don't have 'any deep development' because PC consumers are mostly pirates. Thanks for that. Arnoult claims that Future Soldier was never intended to come out on PC, although the existence of PC-specific forums at the official website suggests there may well have been plans at some point. It's the reasoning given for not releasing the game that are so bothersome though.
What's particularly irksome is the seeming faith in the assumption that the vast majority of people who play games on a PC would rather pirate them than pay for them. That must be why Skyrim is selling so badly and why Steam has collapsed under the pressure of operating in an environment where nobody spends any money, ever, for any reason. It's a horrible place, the world he describes, so I'm glad that reality doesn't appear to contain it.
But in case you're thinking that you actually would like to pay for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, don't worry. You're wrong, you don't want that at all. This decision was made because they've listened to us! Mr Arnoult tells us how he's reacted to our demands, while also telling us what we said in the first place.
"We are giving away most of the content for free because there's no barrier to entry. To the users that are traditionally playing the game by getting it through Pirate Bay, we said, 'Okay, go ahead guys. This is what you're asking for. We've listened to you – we're giving you this experience. It's easy to download, there's no DRM that will pollute your experience.'"
The framing of that statement, arriving with the announcement that the game won't be on PC at all, does make it sound like all PC gamers traditionally acquire games through Pirate Bay. Is it a stretch to suggest that there's an admission that Ubisoft's DRM has polluted experiences in the past? If so, it seems an odd solution to remove the thing that was polluted rather than trying to clean it up. Perhaps we should drain the oceans.
What else?
"We have to adapt, we have to embrace this instead of pushing it away. That's the main reflection behind Ghost Recon Online and the choice we've made to go in this direction."
So they are embracing the pirate-ridden wasteland by only releasing free games into it? I'm not entirely sure I understand. Who wins in that situation? Not legitimate customers, that's for sure, who it seems will miss out on the entire single player campaign of Future Soldier, with only Ghost Recon: Online to play. That's not to say Ghost Recon: Online won't be a good game – we'll be writing about it very soon, having seen it and come away impressed. But the attitude as to why only a free game is possible on PC does rankle. It doesn't help that we've had comments like this two days in a row, of course.
There's a little more.
"I don't like to compare PC and Xbox boxed products because they have a model on that platform [Xbox] that is clearly meant to be €60's worth of super-Hollywood content. On PC, we're adapting our model to the demand."
You see, we don't want super-Hollywood content on the PC, or sixty Euro's worth of game. We just want the scraps. Except we also want the super-Hollywood content so much that we will steal it at the first possible opportunity.
I think I'll play Serious Sam 3 for a while, obviously spending the whole time wishing that it was more Hollywood.


text:
ESA's most advanced navigation satellite launched
ESA PR 25-2008. A further step towards the deployment of Europe's Galileo global navigation satellite system was made with the launch of ESA's second Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element
This 500 kg satellite was built by a European industrial team led by Astrium GmbH, with Thales Alenia Space performing integration and testing in Rome. Two years after the highly successful
Three high-accuracy space clocks aboard
Like its predecessor,
GIOVE-B also incorporates a radiation-monitoring payload to characterise the space environment at the altitude of the Galileo constellation, as well as a laser retroreflector for high-accuracy laser ranging.
Signal generation units will provide representative Galileo signals on three separate frequencies broadcast via an
The satellite is now under the control of Telespazio's spacecraft operations centre in Fucino, Italy, and in-orbit checking-out of the satellite has begun.
Final demonstration before Galileo
In addition to its technology-demonstration mission,
"With the successful launch of
Galileo will be Europe's very own global navigation satellite system, providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civil control. It will be interoperable with the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russia's GLONASS, the two other global satellite navigation systems. Galileo will deliver real-time positioning accuracy down to the metre range with unrivalled integrity.
Numerous applications are planned for Galileo, including positioning and derived value-added services for transport by road, rail, air and sea, fisheries and agriculture, oil-prospecting, civil protection, building, public works and telecommunications.
(*) Note for Editors: European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. EGNOS is a joint programme being carried out by the European Space Agency, the European Commission and Eurocontrol. It comprises a network of more than forty elements all over Europe that collect, record, correct and improve data from the US Global Positioning System. The modified signals are then relayed via geostationary satellites to user terminals, offering positional accuracy better than two metres, compared with 15 to 20 metres for GPS alone. In addition, EGNOS provides a guarantee of signal quality that GPS does not.
For further information:
ESA Media Relations Office
Communication and Knowledge Department
Phone + 33 1 53 68 72 99


text:
Fill 'er up with moonshine
- Name Chris Myles
- Age 51
- Vocation A chronic volunteer,
he's studying to become a paramedic and makes homemade
classic guitars.
- Known for Attempting to distill homebrewed ethanol
- On what
brought him to Silverton "The blue skies
here are like nothing I'd ever seen before. You get clear
days in the Midwest but there is always a little haze in the air.
This is the freshest air in the continuous 48. And, I can't
drink the water in St. Louis (his hometown) anymore; I may as well
be drinking ethanol. I've become a bit of a snob."
- He says "It never crossed my mind to try and save a lot of money off this project. In fact, I'll probably lose money and just chalk it up to a hobby. I think the first step is people making it in the backyard if we are going to do this. We can't depend on Exxon and ADM because they still have a lot of oil to sell."
Tucked up against a snow-covered hillside in a grove of aspen trees, Chris Myles' Silverton, Colo., home is a strange combination of mountain retreat and auto shop. The view from the front porch is dominated by 13,000-foot Kendall Mountain. Along the street are three Saab cars, a Dodge pickup, a BMW motorcycle and what looks like a taxi on steroids — a New York City cab made mountain-ready by putting it on a truck chassis.
Before winter's end, Myles hopes that at least some of these vehicles will be powered by ethanol, or grain alcohol. But he has no intention of relying on the 100 or so ethanol bio-refineries currently operating in the United States. A slender man with wispy grey hair poking out from under the edges of his cap, Myles plans to make his own ethanol, moonshine-style.
This self-described "sixties left-winger" first heard about ethanol during the oil crisis of the late '70s. But it wasn't until gasoline prices recently shot up again that he decided to try to brew ethanol himself. He ordered plans off the Internet for $20, then spent $350 on materials — mostly copper pipe. Then he spent some "$9 million worth of my own labor" fashioning the still.
For now, the almost-6-foot-tall still — a compact copper column with several protruding spouts — sits against a table in his workshop. Eventually, the mash — a mixture of corn, water and yeast — will be heated in a 50-gallon drum connected to the still by hoses. The final location of the contraption is still in doubt, however, thanks in part to Silverton's severe climate.
"I was dumb enough to think the hardest part would be putting the still together," says Myles, his voice picking up speed and volume. "But I overlooked the fact that I live in a place that — for months at a time — it doesn't get above freezing. When I was envisioning this in my mind, it was always me doing this out in my driveway."
But as winter set in, the search for a warmer location began. Myles is considering using one bay of his garage, where two partially disassembled cars now sit. He'd like to save energy and effort by cooking the mash in the same wood-burning stove that heats his house. But that would require upgrading his stove, which currently sits in the shop where he does woodworking and makes furniture and guitars.
Wherever the still ends up, Myles looks forward to using his first batch of the finished product: 198-proof ethanol. He hopes to make enough fuel to get him over the mountain roads to Durango for the weekly paramedic classes he's taking. That will require about 27 gallons per week, or about nine hours of distilling, although over time, he hopes to make the process more efficient. Myles adds that he has no intention of sampling anything from his still: "There is a reason moonshine was called rotgut whiskey."
Unwittingly, Myles has joined a sort of homegrown fuel-making revolution. It took three months for the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to process his distilling permit because the agency has been overwhelmed by similar applications — it has issued some 1,500 permits to small-production ethanol distillers. That's heartening to Myles, who hopes to inspire others not only to be independent from foreign oil, but also from giant ethanol-producing corporations.
"I've always been a compulsive volunteer," Myles says, scratching his white chin stubble. "Show me a good cause and I'll jump right in. I saw the oil crisis as a problem that wasn't going away. So I said to myself, 'OK, get off your ass.' So now I want to spread the word about how to do this."
The author, a former HCN intern, now writes from Denver, Colorado.