Archive for the ‘Personal Performance’ Category
Air Traffic Controller Takes Work Home, Builds Personal Flight Simulator
Posted: April 19, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Photo: Contra Costa Times.
James Price lives a relatively simple life as an air traffic controller and licensed pilot. Oh and he also built a flight simulator in his garage using a real Boeing 737 cockpit.
In the year 2000, Price bought himself the nosecone section and cockpit of a 1967 Boeing 737. Over the last 12-years Price retrofitted his partial fuselage into a personal flight simulator.
Price stripped the interior of the aircraft section and replaced everything with modern parts to make it function like a real cockpit. This included new seats, pedals, throttles, dual flight controls for the pilot and co-pilot, switches, and a new panel with completely modern instruments. Price and his friend Matt Ford also programmed the flight simulator themselves.
The rig sits inside of Prices three-car garage in Pleasanton, California surrounded by three projector screens that display computer-generated surroundings. The only drawback of the setup is it does not yaw or roll like some fancier rigs. Instead the cockpit only vibrates when the plane maneuvers or because of simulated turbulence.
Of course like any DIY project, Price is not done yet and says hell tinker with it for years to come. Be sure to check out the Mercury News for its full interview with James Price.
[Mercury News via Kyle Wiens via Make]
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Air Traffic Controller Takes Work Home, Builds Personal Flight Simulator
DHHS: Employee stole personal information of 288,435 SC Medicaid beneficiaries
Posted: at 9:15 pm
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - The personal information of more than 228,000 Medicaid recipients in South Carolina has been stolen by a former state Department of Health and Human Services employee, according to DHHS and the State Law Enforcement Division.
SLED says 36-year-old Christopher Lykes was able to make off with 228,435 Medicaid recipients' personal information by emailing the information to his personal Yahoo email account.
The information contained names, addresses, and Social Security numbers -- information the Lykes had access to and the agency trusted him with.
Most of the people impacted by the security breach live in Richland, Lexington, Barnwell, Orangeburg, Allendale, and Bamberg counties.
Lykes has been charged with five counts of Medically Indigent Act Confidentiality violations and one count of disclosure of confidential information.
DHHS Director Tony Keck says it started in January and ended three weeks ago. They found out about the scheme after conducting employee performance reviews.
"The information was not readily available, but it was available to him through a normal reporting process and that's where we've identified a security lapse that the department was not sufficiently requiring employees to justify their need for that information," Keck said. "That is fairly easy lapse to close and we've done that."
Keck says he called the employee in on April 10 and fired him, then turned the information over to SLED.
SLED has Lykes' home computer and is working to track down where the information went and hopefully why this employee wanted it in the first place.
"Agents have now taken possession of his work computer and also the employee's personal computer. At this time, we know of at least one other party who has received data from this former employee and this transfer is part of this ongoing investigation," SLED Director Mark Keel said.
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DHHS: Employee stole personal information of 288,435 SC Medicaid beneficiaries
For C.E.O.'s, Personal Conduct Does Matter
Posted: at 9:15 pm
Michael W. Peregrine, a partner at the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, advises corporations, officers and directors on issues related to corporate governance, fiduciary duties and internal investigations.
It's the traditional compact in corporate America: what C.E.O.'s do on their own time is their business, as long as they are not breaking any laws. And it's a compact that is rapidly going by the wayside, as boards concerned with the corporate reputation are increasingly making clear.
Last week, Brian Dunn resigned from his position as Best Buy chief while the board investigates his personal conduct. News reports stated that the investigation was focused on Mr. Dunn's misuse of company funds related to an inappropriate personal relationship with a female employee.
Mr. Dunn had served as chief executive of Best Buy since 2009 and was highly popular with employees, having advanced from a store floor sales position to senior leadership over a 28-year career. Best Buy issued a public statement that the investigation was unrelated to operations or financial controls, but a final report is not expected for months.
The Best Buy scandal is the latest in a string of prominent controversies in which boards have moved quickly to terminate executives over concerns with personal conduct rather than legal or financial impropriety. And these cases may mean boards will need to set up new guidelines for their leaders in order to resolve thorny issues involving personal rather than business ethics.
For instance, Highmark's board dismissed its chief, Kenneth Milani, after he was charged with assault and trespassing. The charges arose from his fistfight with the husband of a female employee with whom Dr. Milani was said to be having an affair.
Also relevant was the decision of the University of Arkansas to dismiss its popular and highly successful football coach, Bobby Petrino, for multiple concerns arising from an inappropriate personal relationship with a female athletic department employee. And certainly, there was the highly publicized 2010 decision of Hewlett Packard to dismiss Mark V. Hurd as chief executive for expense account irregularities involving a female consultant on contract.
In each of these situations, the board sought to preserve the company's reputation. And in the era of corporate responsibility, that is increasingly what the law, and public policy, would expect from boards.
Evaluating reputation risk is a component of the board's oversight. Reputation risk can arise from the public disclosure of an event -- violation of prevailing law, professional ethics, or standards of business conduct, product quality, public safety or values. The theory is that an event can create a negative public impression, which in turn jeopardizes a company's value on a broad scale.
While reputation is difficult to monetize, it is equally difficult to restore once damaged. The ultimate governance lesson from Best Buy is that reputation risk can arise from untoward personal conduct of executive officers. Thus, the traditional compact may need to be amended.
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For C.E.O.'s, Personal Conduct Does Matter
Momentive Performance Materials Introduces Personal Care Products to Address Key Consumer Trends and Benefits
Posted: at 9:15 pm
ALBANY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Momentive Performance Materials Inc., a leading global provider of silicones and advanced materials, today announced the launch of seven new additives that can help formulators improve the performance of personal care products while addressing consumer trends. Developed for hair care, sun care, skin care and color cosmetics applications, these products were introduced at In-Cosmetics 2012 in Barcelona, Spain, April 17-19.
Innovation at Momentive is driven by our customers needs on two critical fronts, said David Cohon, Global Marketing Director, Personal Care, Momentive Performance Materials. The first is to provide continual improvements in benefits that consumers have come to expect in their personal care products. The second is to provide products that address ongoing consumer interest in issues ranging from protecting the environment to protection from the environment. Helping formulators meet these needs requires the in-depth knowledge and global capabilities across diverse technologies that only an industry leader such as Momentive, with more than 70 years of science-based innovation for enhancing everyday life, can offer year after year.
Momentive is expanding its comprehensive portfolio of specialty silicones for personal care products with the following new products featured at the In-Cosmetics show:
Hair Care
Three new ingredients not only offer greatly improved hair conditioning effectiveness, but are also manufactured without the use of parabens and are easy to use in formulations.
Sun Care, Skin Care and Color Cosmetics
Two new formulator-friendly emulsifiers for skin care and color cosmetics applications offer high silicone actives, among other sought-after benefits.
Two new additions to Momentives range of film formers leverage the companys leadership in silicone resin technology to enhance the SPF effectiveness of sunscreens while improving durability. The new additives also offer improved performance of sun care, skin care and color cosmetics products along with additional desired consumer benefits.
For more information about Momentives solutions for the personal care industry, please call 800.295.2392 in North America (+1 614 986 2495 everywhere else), email 4information@momentive.com or visit http://www.momentive.com.
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Momentive Performance Materials Introduces Personal Care Products to Address Key Consumer Trends and Benefits
Review: Midori and the Alexandria Symphony in concert
Posted: April 1, 2012 at 11:02 pm
The Alexandria Symphony scored a trifecta in its program at the Schlesinger Concert Hall on Saturday (repeated on Sunday).
The Stravinsky Firebird Suite that opened the evening was a showcase for the orchestras power and its sharp-edged responses. The world premiere of conductor Kin Allen Kluges Meibuki Regeneration, written to memorialize the victims of last years Japanese earthquake and tsunami, was the culmination of a week of violinist Midoris residency with the orchestra and five local high schools. It brought 40 young musicians to the stage (along with the Arlington Childrens Chorus) to perform alongside the ASO professionals. As if to further underscore Midoris increasing focus on working with young people, it featured her protege, violinist Simeon Simeonov, as soloist. Midori herself capped off the evening with a reading of the Mendelssohn Concerto that was, in the first movement, at least, more like her own personal conversation with the composer than a public performance.
In its first performance, Meibuki Regeneration came across as a modest and restrained evocation of sorrow and hope. In two movements,Lament and From Winter to Spring, Kluge plays more with colors and textures than with line. The modal feeling of the Lament and the icy harmonics of the second movement that warm up as Spring and Regeneration approach may be predictable stuff, but Kluge does it well. He might not have achieved some of the other effects he describes in his notes; the childrens chorus was more an agreeable hum than a mighty wind over the landscape, and the Spring round sounded more like an oscillating motif than a deceptively simple theme. In the spirit of Midoris residency, Kluge wrote this to be both accessible to student musicians and sophisticated enough for public performance, and he seems to have done a good job of it.
Reinthaler is a freelance writer.
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Review: Midori and the Alexandria Symphony in concert
Vegetable-Based Emollients target personal care industry.
Posted: at 1:43 am
March 30, 2012 - Providing TEWL performance comparable to petrolatum, SonneNatural H-203, S-205, and J-207 offer range of slip, gloss, and cushion to fit any formulation requirement. Each 100% natural emollient adds substantive feel and body to formulations without negative attributes associated with fillers, such as starch and clay.
Sonneborn believes the SonneNatural 200 Series is the best choice for 100% natural emollients. The three distinctive blends: SonneNatural H-203, S-205 and J-207 offer a range of slip, gloss and cushion to fit any formulation requirement, while providing the same exceptional TEWL performance, comparable to petrolatum. Each product adds substantive feel and body to formulations without the negative attributes associated with fillers, such as starch and clay. Often, "all natural" products can be inferior substitutes regarding color, odor, performance and consistent quality. Sonneborn utilizes solid expertise in petrolatum development, purification and manufacturing to make the finest natural alternatives imaginable. Along with progressive technical capabilities and outstanding service, Sonneborn delivers the very best value in the industry.
Visit us at Booth #1012 at SCC Suppliers Day, Edison, NJ, to experience pure, natural excellence.
For more than 100 years, Sonneborn has been setting industry standards the world over for the finest possible white oils, petrolatums and microcrystalline waxes in beauty, personal care and pharmaceutical products. The Sonneborn Scientists who have developed SonneNatural, SonneNatural Select and the newest SonneNatural 200 Series will be at SCC Suppliers Day to discuss your formulation needs.
Samples available after launch. Contact Jeff Picerno at 724.756.9582 or jeff.picerno@sonneborn.com
Alloys easily magnetized/demagnetized for specialized applications requiring high permeability, low losses, low residual magnetism - electro-magnetic shielding, transformer laminations/cores, transducers, chokes, relays, solenoids/oscillators, etc.
Visit Ed Fagan Inc.
A multi-purpose silicone lubricant, Food Grade Silicone prevents wear and corrosion on a variety of surfaces within bottling, dairy and food processing machinery. Ideal for use on: slides, O-rings, rubber seals and general lubrication.
Visit Blaster Corporation
Divelbiss Corporation provides nearly 40 years experience in the design and manufacture of OEM controls for mobile, industrial, rail, and electro-hydraulic applications demanding reliable, long lasting operation.
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Vegetable-Based Emollients target personal care industry.
STUD or DUD: A BMW That Looks As Good As A Ferrari But Is As Efficient As An Economy Car, Do YOU Dig It?
Posted: at 1:43 am
Well here's one surprise that *MAY* be coming to the 2012 New York Auto Show.
Following the presentation of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept, the BMW Group introduces the BMW i8 Concept Spyder to the mix. This third BMW i model embodies the future of cutting-edge and emotionally appealing mobility concepts. Its sporting design headlines the qualities of an open-top two-seater blending lightness, dynamic capability and efficiency with a very special aesthetic allure.
The combination of intelligent lightweight design and state-of-the-art hybrid technology imbues the BMW i8 Concept Spyder with genuine sports car performance, yet its fuel consumption is no higher than you would expect from a small car.
Among the most eye-catching features of the BMW i8 Concept Spyder are the upward-swivelling, windowless doors and a range of purpose-oriented on-board equipment including electric kickboards stowed under a transparent tailgate. The sports car is based around the innovative LifeDrive architecture, itself underpinned by a lightweight modular construction and the use of high-quality high-tech materials. The BMW i8 Concept Spyder is a plug-in hybrid powered by an eDrive drivetrain combining a high-performance electric motor and petrol combustion engine. The lithium-ion battery supplying the motor with power can be recharged in an extremely short space of time from any domestic power socket. Together, the cars minimised weight, low centre of gravity and finely judged balance, coupled with a combined system output of up to 260 kW (354 hp), promise unbeatable dynamic capability, exceptional efficiency and unbridled driving pleasure.
Barely a year after the unveiling of the 2+2-seater BMW i8 Concept, BMW i is presenting the second variant of this innovative hybrid sports car, a machine designed to light up the path to compelling and purpose-oriented mobility. Like its Coupe sibling, the emotionally charged BMW i8 Concept Spyder combines intelligent lightweight design with the leading-edge drivetrain technology eDrive, while its open-top two-seater construction delivers an even more intense driving experience. This is a car in which outstanding performance potential goes hand-in-hand with extremely low fuel consumption and emissions.
Compared with the Coupe variant of the BMW i8 Concept, the BMW i8 Concept Spyder has a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length. With its compact dimensions and distinctive exterior paintwork, the sports car exudes a feeling of dynamism before it so much as turns a wheel, while striking features of its design include upward-swivelling, windowless doors and a transparent glass panel at the rear. Underneath this cover two electric kickboards are stowed, providing a visual showcase for the fun factor in mobility and adding another layer to the cars recreational appeal. Inside, a revised material and colour concept provides an extra dose of sportiness. Like the Coupe, the BMW i8 Concept Spyder with eDrive is a high-performance plug-in hybrid, and it fuses the specific advantages of an electric motor and combustion engine to optimum effect. Exceptional efficiency and dynamic capability are the upshot.
Modular LifeDrive architecture offers a preview of the future. Like the Coupe, the BMW i8 Concept Spyder is also built around the innovative LifeDrive architecture, a fusion of independent functional units. For example, the carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module gives the car an extremely lightweight passenger cell, while the Drive modules made primarily from aluminium components bring together all the cars operational driving functions, such as the powertrain, chassis and safety structure. Impressively extensive use of high-tech materials allows this innovative concept to chart new territory in terms of weight minimisation, structural rigidity and crash safety. This is good news not only for the cars dynamic performance, but also for its range and fuel economy. Intelligent lightweight design, encompassing the use of innovative materials, has allowed the unavoidable additional weight of the high-output hybrid drivetrain to be cancelled out in full. Plus, the LifeDrive architecture has been carefully adapted to the sports car character of the BMW i8 Concept Spyder. The front and rear axle modules are connected by an energy tunnel, which houses the hybrid battery. This allows the engineers to give the car a low centre of gravity and ideal balance.
The distinctive two-way split of the LifeDrive concept is also reflected in the cars design, which renders the basic elements of the body clearly distinguishable. Expressive surfaces and precise lines create a harmonious transition from one module into another. This overlap and interlocking of surfaces and lines layering in BMW i speak is displayed both on the body and in the interior of the new car.
Latest interpretation of the BMW i design language. The BMW i8 Concept Spyders emotion-led design vividly spotlights the cars qualities, with lightness, dynamic capability and efficiency highlighted to particularly prominent effect. For example, the two-seater embodies the perfect synthesis of technology and aesthetic appeal, and exudes unbridled driving pleasure even when stationary. Key to creating this impression of sporty dynamics are large body panels, a hunkered-down stance and numerous aerodynamic elements such as contact surfaces, spoiler lips, AirCurtains and aeroflaps. These features substantially reduce the hybrid cars Cd and enhance both efficiency and range.
Dynamic front end. The front end offers a particularly revealing window into the open-top two-seaters dynamic talent. One defining element is the headlights with pioneering laser light technology, which follow the hallmark BMW i U-shaped design template. A semi-transparent V opens out from the front end of the flat bonnet towards the windscreen and beckons the eye to the electric motor below. A spoiler lip positioned on the windscreen frame guides the airflow over the heads of the passengers. And for journeys when the weather cannot quite be trusted, the planned two-section folding roof might well come in handy.
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STUD or DUD: A BMW That Looks As Good As A Ferrari But Is As Efficient As An Economy Car, Do YOU Dig It?
MAP testing begins Tuesday in area schools
Posted: March 31, 2012 at 12:54 am
Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) testing begins in April and Gratz Brown Elementary students and teachers are gearing up for this yearly event. Students in grades 3-5 have been preparing by setting performance goals for these tests as well as the NWEA testing; and setting personal performance goals in relation to school work. Study Island software is used by students to review grade level curriculum which also familiarizes a student with the use of computers and software. Literacy by Design is another tool that is used to expose students to research-based instruction to help the student demonstrate mastery of communication arts objectives. The GBE Spartans have also participated in daily math Response to Intervention (RtI) lessons and Spartan Time communication arts lessons twice a week. Both the RtI and Spartan Time lessons are based on meeting students needs and allows instructors to design lessons at remedial levels, on grade levels and enrichment leels. All of the students took part in two mock MAP practice sessions in addition to practicing released test items. During the practice for testing, students used the SUPER and GREAT strategies along with other strategies. MAP testing will be held from April 3-5 and April 10-13 each day from9-11 a.m. at GBE. Students are encouraged to be on time and at school each of these days. Free breakfast will be offered to all students on those days to ensure they have the brain food needed for optimal performance. Incentives are offered to students who put forth their best effort during testing as well. A MAP assembly will be held on April 2 during which GBE teachers and the Moberly High School cheerleaders will perform. Letters will be displayed from parents who wrote good luck messages as well as banners that were signed by parents and others wishing the GBE Spartans good luck and encouraging them to do their best in the testing. Students at North Park and South Park Elementary have also made cards and banners to wish the GBE Spartans good luck and to encourage them to do their very best. With the support of friends and family and all of the hard work and preparation by the students and teachers the students are prepared and ready to do a fantastic job. Go GBE Spartans!
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MAP testing begins Tuesday in area schools
Top 5 external drives: Backing up is a personal matter
Posted: at 12:54 am
CNET editor Dong Ngo rounds up five external hard drives that make the best backup drives.
The last Saturday of March is World Backup Day, and you'll see a lot of storage vendors taking this occasion to pitch their products for backup purposes. I am about to do a similar thing, but from a very different point of view: yours.
None of the vendors goes as far as guaranteeing the integrity of storage on their products. At most, a vendor would give you a new product to replace the broken one, or in the currently unique case of IoSafe, offer to pay up to a certain amount toward data recovery. I, on the other hand, promise, if not guarantee, that if you follow my advice, your data will be safe.
The truth is that backing up is a personal matter that needs to be taken care of on a regular basis -- even daily, if possible. The key thing is to store copies of data in multiple places and never rely on just one medium for your important, irreplaceable data.
Note that commercial movies, music, and other purchasable digital content are replaceable. It's great that you can back everything up, but most of the time, the personal information that you really need to safeguard takes up very little storage space.
Up-to-date backups of your data are like insurance; you need it and at the same time hope to never have to resort to it.
The second thing to note is that even a brand-new hard drive can die at any time, without any warning. You can always lose your portable drive, and your online storage service can go out of business all of sudden. You need to act when everything is in working order -- which can give you a false sense of safety -- because otherwise, most of the time, it's just too late. And let me say this once more time: never use just one medium to keep your important, irreplaceable data.
Up-to-date backups of your data are like insurance; you need it and at the same time hope to never have to resort to it. There are many ways to keep your data safe and you can find out about different types of backups here.
To make it easier, in this roundup, however, I'll focus on external hard drives, which are the most popular, affordable, and easiest way to back up (and restore) data. Even better: you only have to pay for them once. Here are my choices for the top five external hard drives that are great ways to keep your data safe. They are formatted for Windows but can be easily reformatted to work with Macs. They are listed in order of seriousness, with the most casual -- and affordable -- drives on top.
WD 2TB My Passport Western Digital's 2TB My Passport is the world's first portable drive that offers 2TB of storage space. This is about as large as you can get from a 2.5-inch-based external hard drive given the current perpendicular recording technology. Despite this top capacity, the drive is very compact and is bus-powered. All you need is the included standard Micro-USB 3.0 cable for it to work. (The drive works with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.)
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Top 5 external drives: Backing up is a personal matter
Be-Quest fwd_Spirit Science 1 – Thoughts.mp4 – Video
Posted: March 30, 2012 at 1:29 pm
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Be-Quest fwd_Spirit Science 1 - Thoughts.mp4 - Video