Information and Technology

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch driven to rebuild Detroit

2012-04-15T09:31:00.001-07:00

DETROIT – Michael Prather walks unevenly down Montcalm Street past Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers will play in a few hours. He holds a whiskey bottle, clumsily covered by a brown paper bag, in his right hand. He requests handouts with his left.

Prather, 54, who says he's an unemployed general laborer, is wearing a stained black sweatshirt. His gray paints are torn. The reek of alcohol is overpowered only by the stench of his clothing.

"I know I don't look so good, and the city don't look good, either," Prather says. "But things will be better. They got to. There are good people trying to make this city better. The man over there, the one that runs the Tigers and our hockey team, he's trying. He's trying real hard. You got to admire that man."

That man is 82-year-old pizza baron Mike Ilitch, owner of the Tigers and Red Wings. He is fervently trying to resurrect life in his hometown of Detroit.

His downtown office might be surrounded by poverty and despair on the streets, but when Ilitch looks outside all he sees is resurrection and revival. Once the fourth-largest city in the country, Detroit lost 25% of its residents in the last decade, and nearly one-quarter of its homes are unoccupied. But he thinks his city will return to prominence.

Ilitch and his wife, Marian, are worth about $2 billion, but he realizes it will take more than money for the city to fully recover. It will likely take more years than he has left. Yet he has a baseball team ready to jump-start the movement.

The Tigers, off to a 5-1 start and loaded with superstars Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, might just be the entity to help repair a city's self-esteem.

"I want to win the World Series," Ilitch, the son of Macedonian immigrants, tells USA TODAY Sports in a rare interview. "But not for me. For our community. Baseball has such a tremendous effect on a city. It would bring so much joy. It would mean everything."

Ilitch is synonymous with Detroit. He owns Little Caesars Pizza. The Fox Theatre. Motor City Casino. The family holdings alone are responsible for bringing 10 million people into downtown every year, and his sports teams are worth an annual economic impact of $443 million, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber.

"If not for Mike Ilitch," says Emmett Moten, director of economic development for late Detroit Mayor Coleman Young, "there may not be a Detroit.

"He believed in us at a time when the city was fighting for survival. He brought the Tigers downtown and got the Lions to come along with him. He brought Fox Theatre back to life. If we didn't have all of that, what would Detroit have? I'm afraid we'd have nothing."

Says Bud Selig, Major League Baseball commissioner: "What Mike Ilitch has done for that city, sociologically, is stunning. Here is an owner that understood the social responsibilities as well as anybody could. Not everything might have been in his best interest, but it was in the best interest of Detroit and Michigan.

"It's hard to articulate just how much the Tigers mean to Detroit."

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After amassing a fortune, winning four Stanley Cup championships and qualifying for the NHL playoffs in 21 consecutive years, Ilitch is desperate to win a World Series. He's paying the price. The Tigers' payroll of $132.3 million ranks fifth in baseball. And he stunned the industry when he invested $214 million on free agent first baseman Prince Fielder in January despite already having an MVP-caliber first baseman, Miguel Cabrera, who will make $21 million in 2012.

"Fans want to see the stars," Ilitch says. "And if you want stars, you have to pay the price."

It might defy accounting logic, but Ilitch thinks the Tigers' first title since 1984 could lead the way to reinventing Detroit, returning vibrancy and faith to the city.

"I'm up in years, as you know, so it would really be special," Ilitch says. "It's been a great life.

"But winning a World Series, it would be like a banana split with a cherry on top."

The parking lot at Elizabeth and Witherell, across the street from the Fox Theatre, is nearly deserted at 8 in the morning. The only vehicle is a white Ford F-150 pickup.

It is the truck where seven men are tailgating eight hours before game time, cooking breakfast burritos and drinking Fireball liquor.

"This is what it's all about to be a Tiger fan," says Brad Henderson, 32, an electrician wearing a Brandon Inge jersey.

A city's self-esteem

Chris Chelios, the oldest NHL player to ever win a Stanley Cup, walks by and takes pictures with the tailgaters before heading back to his bar, Cheli's. The Hockeytown Café, featuring five floors and a rooftop, is soon packed. This is a big day. The Red Wings are playing the Chicago Blackhawks at 1 p.m., the Tigers are at 4, and Flashdance is playing at 7 at the Fox Theatre.

At night, just a few blocks away at the historic Cliff Bell's jazz club, the tables are jammed. This is where New York businessman Anthony Haralson, 44, and Detroit coffee shop owner Josh Greenberg, 40, are sitting. They are talking politics. They are talking Tigers. And they are talking Detroit, which soon will have its first downtown grocery store in generations, Whole Foods.

"I call myself a Detroit refugee," said Haralson, who traveled to Detroit to take his four nephews to the Tigers' home-opener. "My heart is here. It will always be here. But when you're living in your folks' basement, and can't find work, you've got to leave."

Said Greenberg, who has lived downtown for 19 years: "People are saying so much stuff about us, they want to us to die. They want us to crumble. We refuse."

Brian Johnson, 44, a former Stanford catcher who played for eight years in the major leagues, has lived in an affluent downtown neighborhood for 13 years. He bought his home for $485,000 and had it appraised a few years later at $650,000. Three years later, when he tried to refinance, the appraisal staggered him: $36,000.

"Our collective self-esteem is pretty low," says Johnson, who played for the Tigers in 1997. "Our city leadership is pretty bad. Our last mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick (charged with 38 felony counts, including perjury, obstruction of justice and corruption) was like a black Al Capone.

"But it's kind of a bunker mentality here. You don't want to leave. There's a lot of good people here. And sports provide a backbone for the city.

"It's like people are saying, 'We may live in a city that's (expletive), but our sports teams can kick your (expletive).' "

This is the strength and passion Ilitch envisions. Last Saturday morning the city was eerily vacant, but by nightfall the Red Wings had their 69th consecutive sellout, the Tigers sold out and had their largest crowd for a second game of a season since at least 1947 and the 5,000-seat Fox Theatre also was sold out.

"You're so appreciative, because the dollars are not easy around here," Ilitch said. "To draw 3 million people here (for the Tigers), wow. You put two and two together here, and it doesn't make sense. But it does here in Detroit."

Another auto bailout

Ilitch, relying on his own instincts, has made plenty of decisions that initially made little financial sense.

He moved his family headquarters' offices into downtown when everyone else was fleeing the city. He moved the Tigers downtown when he could have made more money moving to Ann Arbor or suburban Dearborn. He purposely limited stadium parking spots, forcing fans to park in neighborhoods and on downtown streets. He could make a fortune moving his Red Wings out of Joe Louis Arena. He vows to soon move, but they will be downtown and not in the affluent suburbs.

Ilitch cost himself perhaps $1 million in 2009 when the struggling automakers could no longer afford their lucrative advertising signage in center field at Comerica. Ilitch says he had plenty of companies offering to buy the spot. He told the Big Three automakers they could have the advertising for free.

"We were going though our darkest hours there," says Joel Ewanick, chief marketing officer for General Motors. "We told Mr. Ilitch, 'We've got to pull down our sign because we can't make the payments.' He said, 'You pay us when you can.' "

The spot now has two Chevrolet cars sitting proudly in center field, a symbol for the automakers' resurgence.

"I told Mr. Ilitch on opening day," Ewanick says, " 'I will never, ever, let anybody forget what you did for our company.' "

Ilitch's commitment is no different for his baseball team. Dave Dombrowski, Tigers president, broke the news to Ilitch on Jan. 17 that DH Victor Martinez was out for the season with a torn knee ligament. Ilitch listened quietly, conceded it was a cruel blow and said they'd talk contingencies the next day.

"I told him, 'There are some names that will appeal to you, but a lot are past the prime of their careers,' " Dombrowski recalls. "I said, 'There's only one difference-maker out there: Prince Fielder.' "

Says Ilitch: "I didn't get that (gut) feel initially. I'm thinking, 'It's going to be very, very expensive.' But all of a sudden I got that message, that gut instinct. I called Dave back and said, 'Let's see what we can do.' "

Fielder signed within a week. He received the largest contract in Detroit sports history, returning to where his dad, Cecil, became a star and ate barbeque after games with Ilitch.

"It means so much to me to be here," Fielder says. "It just shows you that we have an owner that will do whatever it takes. That means a lot to players. You just don't find that in the game."

Ilitch has never cared about bucking the trend, whether paying exorbitant salaries for his hockey players, taking on high-risk baseball players or even overpaying in the amateur draft when the Tigers gave Verlander a five-year, $4.5 million major league contract. Look who's laughing now, with Verlander winning the 2011 MVP and Cy Young awards and dominant again this year.

"I got balled out, we got wailed at by the commissioner (Selig)," Ilitch says. "But, hey, we got another star."

The right people

Ilitch, a former minor league shortstop for the Tigers, doesn't wear any of his Stanley Cup rings. He wears an NHL Hall of Fame ring on his left hand and a commemorative 2006 All-Star ring on his right.

He did have a Stanley Cup ring in his pocket once. It was during All-Star outfielder Magglio Ordonez's negotiations. Ordonez asked Ilitch just what he expected out of his team.

"I dug into my picket, and I pulled a Stanley Cup ring out," Ilitch says. "I told him, 'I want one of these in baseball.' "

If the Tigers do win the World Series, Ilitch vows, that championship ring will indeed be worn.

"Right in my nose," Ilitch says.

Says Ken Holland, general manager of the Red Wings: "I know he's proud of what we've done with the Red Wings. But after everything he's already accomplished in his life, winning a World Series would be bigger to him than anything. And I understand that."

Ilitch, who says he hates that the NHL collective bargaining agreement imposes a salary cap, ending his days of buying the game's greatest stars, is ecstatic that there are no restrictions in baseball.

MLB never had a salary cap; but until catcher Ivan Rodriguez signed a four-year, $40 million contract in 2004 with the Tigers, they couldn't get stars to Detroit. All-Star outfielder Juan Gonzalez was so eager to flee town after the 2000 season that he actually rejected an eight-year, $140 million extension.

The Tigers were dreadful, losing a combined 225 games in 2002 and 2003, and Ilitch blames himself. He didn't have the right front-office people, he says.

He changed that when he hired Dombrowski and then manager Jim Leyland. They won the American League pennant in 2006, one year after Illitch lured Ordonez.

Last year they won their first division title since 1987. Now they're among the favorites to win the World Series.

"You've got to have the right people in place," Ilitch says, pounding the table for effect, "or it's not going to work. It took me 10 years to figure that out here. If you bring in someone who's not qualified, you're in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

"I've got good people now."

Ilitch brought back Tigers great Willie Horton, the only one he regularly permits to sit with him during games. He couldn't convince Hall of Famer Al Kaline to play on his professional softball team but persuaded him to be one of his special assistants.

He employs a highly diverse front office, with 50% (58 of 116) of the employees minorities or women.

He says he'd like to see a similarly robust leadership group within the city of Detroit; last week the city agreed to a state-guided debt-restructuring plan.

"We've got the business groups here, the government there, and everyone has their opinions," Ilitch says. "They're confused what to do. It just hasn't been run well. I like (Mayor) Dave Bing. A great guy. But stepping in cold, there's not many people who could handle something like this.

"Once this all gets settled, we're going to surprise people. "

It will be a proud, vibrant city again, one Ilitch will forever cherish, he says, alongside the memories of the man who symbolized its prominence.

"When this city was great, it had Joe Louis," Ilitch says of the late heavyweight boxer. "He was a great champion. And a very humble man. Forget the auto industry. He had this city.

"He rubbed off on me. Try to be humble, be a good listener, and I think you'll have a happy life.

"I've had a wonderful life. It would be nice to have that final piece, but in sports anything can happen. Just like in life. There are no guarantees.

"We found that out, right here in Detroit."

Prayers and silence mark Titanic centenary

2012-04-15T09:28:00.001-07:00

Cruise ship passengers and crew said prayers Sunday at the spot in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank 100 years ago with the loss of more than 1,500 lives, while the city that built the vessel looked back with a mixture of sorrow and pride.

Exactly a century after the ship went down, passengers lined the decks of MS Balmoral, which has been retracing the route of the doomed voyage. After a moment of silence, three floral wreaths were cast onto the waves as the ship's whistle sounded in the dark.

Jane Allen from Devon in southwest England, whose great-uncle perished on the Titanic, said the moment vividly reminded her of the horror of the disaster.

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"All you could hear was the swell splashing against the side of the ship. You could see the white breakers stretching out to sea," she told the BBC. "You are in the middle of nowhere. And then you look down over the side of the ship and you realize that every man and every woman who didn't make it into a lifeboat had to make that decision, of when to jump or stay on the ship as the lights went out."

Another cruise ship, Journey, which has traveled from New York, also held a service at the site of the disaster, 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Titanic, the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner, was traveling from England to New York when it struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912. It sank less than three hours later, with the loss of all but 700 of the 2,208 passengers and crew.

A century on, events around the globe are marking a tragedy that retains its grip on the world's imagination.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was built, a memorial monument was unveiled Sunday at a ceremony attended by local dignitaries, relatives of the dead and explorer Robert Ballard, who discovered the wreck of the Titanic on the ocean floor in 1985.

A brass band played as the granite plinth bearing bronze plaques was uncovered beside Belfast City Hall. Officials say it is the first Titanic memorial to list all victims alphabetically, with no distinction between passengers and crew members, or between first-, second- and third-class travelers.

"We remember all those who perished and whose names are herein inscribed — men, women and children who loved and we loved, their loss still poignantly felt by their descendants," the Rev. Ian Gilpin told the crowd.

After a minute's silence, a choir sang Nearer My God To Thee— the hymn Titanic's band is reported to have played as the ship went down.

Belfast spent decades scarred by its link to the disaster, but has come to take pride in the feats of engineering and industry involved in building the ship. Last month, a gleaming new visitor attraction, Titanic Belfast, opened on the site of the shipyard where the doomed vessel was built.

"The focus of the world is on Belfast and we are doing her proud," said Una Reilly, chair of the Belfast Titanic Society. "We are all proud of this ship. What happened was a disaster; she was not."

On Saturday, thousands attended a memorial concert in Belfast featuring performances by Bryan Ferry and soul singer Joss Stone. At St. Anne's Cathedral in the city, a performance of composer Philip Hammond's The Requiem for the Lost Souls of the Titanic was followed by a torch-lit procession to the Titanic memorial garden in the grounds of city hall.

The requiem — performed by male choristers dressed as ship's crew and female performers in black — also included words by Belfast novelist Glenn Patterson, who imagined the victims reflecting on all they had missed in the last 100 years.

"We passed instead into myth, launched a library full of books, enough film to cross the Atlantic three times over, more conspiracy theories than Kennedy, 97 million web pages, a tourist industry, a requiem or two," Patterson said. "We will live longer than every one of you."

Remembrance ceremonies also were being held in the ship's departure port of Southampton, southern England — home to hundreds of Titanic crew who perished — and in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where more than 100 victims of the tragedy are buried.

The most famous maritime disaster in history was being marked even in places without direct links to it.

Venues in Las Vegas, San Diego, Houston and Singapore are hosting Titanic exhibitions that include artifacts recovered from the site of the wreck. Among the items: bottles of perfume, porcelain dishes, and a 17-foot piece of hull.

Helen Edwards, one of 1,309 passengers on the Balmoral memorial cruise who have spent the past week steeped in the Titanic's history and symbolism, said the story's continuing appeal was due to its strong mixture of romance and tragedy, history and fate.

"(There are) all the factors that came together for the ship to be right there, then, to hit that iceberg. All the stories of the passengers who ended up on the ship," said Edwards, a 62-year-old retiree from Silver Spring, Md. "It's just a microcosm of social history, personal histories, nautical histories.

"Romance is an appropriate word right up until the time of the tragedy — the band playing, the clothes. And then there's the tragedy."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Toshiba Perkenalkan Tablet PC Terbesar di Dunia

2012-04-15T09:23:00.001-07:00

Toshiba baru saja meluncurkan komputer tablet baru dari keluarga Excite. Tablet baru ini diberi nama Excite 13 yang tentu saja memiliki bentang layar 13 inci, dan disebut sebagai tablet dengan ukuran terbesar.

Menurut Carl Pinto, Wakil Presiden Pengembangan Produk Divisi Produk Digital Toshiba, Excite 13 dibuat atas pertimbangan matang karena didesain untuk penggunaan di rumah. Sehingga, unsur mobilitasnya kurang diutamakan.

Meski ukurannya besar, namun Excite 13 cukup tipis dengan ketebalan hanya 0,4 inci. Spesifikasi hardware-nya pun cukup mumpuni, yakni prosesor quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 dengan grafis GeForce, RAM 1GB, layar dengan teknologi IPS beresolusi 1.600 x 900 piksel dan rasio 16:9.

Sistem operasi telah menggunakan Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), kamera 5MP dan kamera depan 2MP.

Untuk konektivitas, tersedia port MicroUSB, MicroSD, dan HDMI.

Hal unik lain dari Excite 13 ada pada kualitas audio, yang memiliki 4 buah speaker sound sistem. Uniknya, tablet ini juga mendukung sentuhan 10 jari. Toshiba pun mengklaim, daya tahan baterai tablet ini bisa bertahan hingga 13 jam.

Excite 13 akan dipasarkan secara global mulai Juni 2012. Excite 13 dengan kapasitas memori internal 32GB dibanderol 649,99 dollar AS, sedang yang 64GB dijual 749,99 dollar AS.

Selain Excite 13, Toshiba juga meluncurkan varian lain yakni Excite 7,7 dan Excite 10.

Iran nuclear talks to resume Saturday

2012-04-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Iran has been under pressure to accept international demands to restrict its nuclear

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Iranian nuclear negotiators arrived Friday and began consultations with Chinese and Russian counterparts on the eve of international talks on the country's nuclear program, state media reported.

Iran's top negotiator, Saeed Jalili, has said he intends to bring "new initiatives" to talks Saturday with delegates from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, France, Russia, China, and Britain -- and Germany.

That group has spearheaded diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to rein in its nuclear program, which Iran has said is purely peaceful but which U.N. and Western leaders suspect of having military aims, including a possible nuclear weapon.

On Friday, Iran's official Press TV cited a source close to the Iranian delegation in reporting that Iran sees little encouraging coming from the remarks of European and U.S. officials ahead of the talks.

Iran has been under increasing pressure to accept international demands to restrict its nuclear program, including a series of increasingly harsh economic sanctions imposed by European nations and the United States.
Iran nuke talks drawing closer
U.S. to Iran: America's firepower ready

Last month, Iranian officials signaled they were ready to engage with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, over the issue. The European Union said Monday that Iran had agreed to Saturday's talks in Istanbul.

Iran suggested last week that one proposal may be a reduction in the amount of uranium it enriches to 20%, but it was unclear Friday if such a proposal was still on the table.

While the enrichment isn't enough to create nuclear weapons, which require a uranium content of 90% or more, analysts and inspectors say it is step toward being able to create a nuclear weapon.

Last month, the IAEA noted what it called a sharp and troubling increase in Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities.

Iran says the enrichment is for research and medical needs.

As a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, Iran has the right, like other countries, to enrich uranium for commercial and research reactors. But the same facilities that are used for peaceful enrichment can be used to enrich uranium for a bomb, and inspectors say they have not been able to fully gauge Iran's intentions.

IAEA inspectors traveled to Iran in January and again in February to discuss the issue but said Iran refused to grant inspectors access to a military base the agency believes may have been used to test explosives that could be used to detonate a nuclear bomb.

Last month, IAEA director Yukiya Amano said the agency has credible information that Iran has engaged in "activities relevant to the development of nuclear explosive devices."

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admonished Iranian officials to come to Istanbul willing to make progress on international demands.

"This is a chance for Iran to credibly address the concerns of the international community," Clinton said. "Iran, coming to the table, needs to demonstrate that they are serious."

A top Iranian religious leader, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani, countered Friday that Western leaders should back off, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

They should, instead, "react to Iran's proposals logically and stop the current unconstructive accusations against the Islamic Republic," IRNA quoted him as saying.

Rossi tackles four-wheeled challenge at Monza

2012-04-13T12:18:00.002-07:00

Friday, 13 April 2012

The nine-times World Champion is taking part in the Monza round of the Blancpain Endurance Series, which got underway on Friday, at the controls of a Ferrari 458 Italia.

alentino Rossi will once again test his skills behind the steering wheel as the nine-times World Champion participates in this weekend's Blancpain Endurance Series round at Monza in Italy, which commences on Friday. Rossi will drive a Ferrari 458 Italia for the Kessel Racing team, as he starts his latest adventure on four wheels.

The Ducati Team rider will be joined by his friend and long-time assistant Uccio Salucci in the team, and will hope to match or even improve upon his last performance in an Endurance outing. Rossi finished third in his category and 11th overall at the Six Hours of Vallelunga in 2009, behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430 GT3 of the Kessel Racing team.

Others taking part in this weekend's Monza round will be Le Mans 24 winner David Brabham, former F1 drivers Mark Blundell and Karl Wendlinger, and a number of Endurance specialists.

Rossi and his fellow competitors will take part in Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying sessions on Friday, before the formal Qualifying session on Saturday and the three-hour race on Sunday.

Jerez test concludes with CRT improvements

2012-04-13T12:16:00.004-07:00

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

The private three-day test at the Circuito de Jerez concluded on Wednesday, with Randy De Puniet and Aleix Espargaró the fastest CRTs in the field on their Power Electronics Aspar bike. The Test also saw James Ellison and Danilo Petrucci wrapping up the first test on their respective machines.

Power Electronics Aspar riders De Puniet and Espargaró were the CRT pace men on the third and final day of private MotoGP™ testing , the Frenchman recording the best lap of 1'40.3. De Puniet’s time was three tenths off of the time set by the satellite GP12 of Héctor Barberá (Pramac Racing Team), who was in attendance for the last day of the test.
De Puniet spent the final day adjusting the electronics to improve suspension response and the rear grip of his ART, and reported being delighted with the potential of the bike overall. His pace set today was less than one second off the track lap record set by Pedrosa in 2010 (1’39.731), and with room for improvement still present, he expects the ART machines to continue their progress before the opening 2012 round at Qatar on April 8th.
Espargaró managed to lap within eight tenths of the top time set by his team-mate, declaring he didn't expect such a large improvement (1.5s) from day one. The Spaniard told motogp.com that additional room for improvement still remains with the bike’s set-up when using the hard compound Bridgestones, and that he was very satisfied with his final results of the three days.
Héctor Barberá concluded his one day test aboard the satellite GP12, the same test Ducati that caught fire as well as suffering significant additional damaged to the front end and chassis in Karel Abraham’s (Cardion AB Motoracing) crash yesterday. The Ducati technicians worked through the night and presented the Desmosedici to the Spaniard, who was then able to post a best time of 1’40.0 on the repaired machine.
James Ellison completed his first shakedown round on the Paul Bird Motorsport ART, concentrating on getting himself comfortable with the bike without pushing it to the limits. The Briton managed to lap just under two seconds faster than his best lap time yesterday and said that the bike will definitely further improve when the team receives additional parts they are waiting on.
In the Speed Master garage, Mattia Pasini concluded his second test on his team’s ART by shaving an additional seven tenths off his best run from Monday. The Italian told motogp.com that he is more than happy to have dropped nearly a second on each consecutive day of the test.
Danilo Petrucci was another rider to get his first taste of his 2012 race machine, concluding his first test on the Ioda Racing Project CRT with an improvement of 1.7 seconds over his time from yesterday. The Italian had a minor crash in the morning but was able to return to the track to resume working on electronic development of the Ioda bike.
The teams and riders now have one week to work with the data gathered before the next private test session on the 8th and 9th of March at Aragón.
Unofficial lap times Wednesday (recorded by teams):

MotoGP
- Héctor Barberá, Ducati 1’40.0
MotoGP (CRT)
1. Randy De Puniet, ART 1'40.3 (66 laps)
2. Aleix Espargaró, ART 1’41.1 (60 laps)
3. Mattia Pasini, ART 1'41.29 (47 laps)
4. Danilo Petrucci, IODA 1'41.6 (62 laps)
5. James Ellison, ART 1'42.526 (53 laps)

Earthquake from Indonesia 14 April 2012

2012-04-11T01:57:00.001-07:00

Earthquake centered in the sea area of the city of Banda Aceh
the islands berwilayahpotential tsunami earthquake is estimated to have a strength of up to 8.5 magnitude.
with a depth of 10 km , precisely in the area of Simeulue

panic occurs when an earthquake occurs
entire communities to flee to the highlands,
BMKG has issued a tsunami will issue

At time 15:45 WIB and earthquake is felt approximately 3 minutes

current potential for a tsunami warning will not pull the BMKG also in Indonesia

Malaysia also felt the earthquake in Aceh Indonesia

information is continuously updated

Gempa 11 April 2012 guncang ACEH

2012-04-11T01:53:00.002-07:00

Gempa yang di rasakan masyarakat besar pulau sumatera
yang berpusat di kelautan daerah Aceh yang berpotensi Tsunami
yang berkisar 8.5 SR di daerah simeulue
sekitar jam 15:45 WIB
kepanikan terjadi saat gempa terjadi
seluruh masyarakat mengungsi ke daerah dataran tinggi,
BMKG telah mengeluarkan isu akan terjadinya tsunami
Gempa yang dirasakan bersekitar 3 menit
bukan hanya Indonesia merasakan, Malaysia juga merasakan kekuatan gempa tersebut

bukan hanya pulau sumatera yang merasakan, sebagian masyarakat pulau Jawa juga merasakan dampak dari gempa tersebut. untuk wilayah bogor dan lainnya.

saat ini peringatan akan potensi tsunami belum juga di cabut oleh BMKG Indonesia

informasi masih terus diperbaharuit tiap menitnya

How a Hybrid Electric Water Heater is Useful in Your Home

2012-04-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Hybrid electric, or heat pump, water heaters supply hot water and do it more economically (and ecologically) than other types of water heaters.

Introduction

Water heating is a thermodynamic process in which water is heated from any external heat source that has a greater temperature than that of water. The development of the hybrid electrical water heater is an effort to make the water heating process eco-friendly and reduce power consumption.

This water heating system can be used in both space cooling and water heating. It extracts heat from the surroundings and transfers that heat to the water. In other words we can say that, it is a device that can transfer heat from air to water and this is its main principle.

As a heat pump, the system is better to use in warm places in order to get a higher quantity of heat. However, this does not mean that it cannot work properly in conditioned places. A hybrid electric water heater can work at temperature as low as 40 F. When used in a conditioned place, it works like an air conditioner- removing heat from the air and transferring it to the water. During the heating season, this means that the house's furnace is taking some of the load for heating water with these systems. (If not installed in the same position as an existing water heater, high voltage supply current will be need to provided.)

Care and Maintenance of Electric Cables

2012-04-08T09:10:00.004-07:00

Electric cables are designed and manufactured for specific applications, from small ones used in electronic circuits to strong ones with armored core. Each of them have to be handled carefully. The health of electric cables is measured by insulation resistance, which must be checked regularly.

Cables are constructed of several basic parts, but the construction finally depends on the application and the properties desired. For example, the thickness of cable insulation depends, among other factors, the system voltage rating. The current rating of the cable is the current that it can carry continuously without the conductor exceeding 80 degrees C when the ambient temperature is 45 degrees C. The voltage drop in the cables must not drop below 6 % but in practice should be about 2 %. Multi-core cables have the cores differently colored for identifying them.
As per the application and the need, electric cables must have the following properties:

Size: The area of the conductor decides the current it can carry. The more the area of the conductor the less are the transmission losses.
Strength: The strength depends on the application.
Cold temperature resistance: In climates where it is very cold, conventional insulation materials may fail.
Fire resistance: They must be fire retardant.
Weight: There is always a conflict between mechanical strength and weight. Weight depends upon the application as well. However the reduction in weight may reduce the mechanical strength.
Radiation resistance: The thickness of the insulation is dependent on the working voltage and the mechanical strength required.
Moisture resistance: Useful for high moisture applications like marine and coastal areas.
Chemical resistance: In chemical process plants.
Oil resistance: In oil process fields.
Electrical properties: Conductivity and the losses, etc. Thus depending on the application, the metal may be copper, aluminum, silver metal, copperweld, aluminoweld, tinsel, etc.
Mechanical strength and resistance to mechanical abrasion: It determines the construction of the protective sheathing.

Materials Used

Conductors are made of metals like copper, aluminum, or composites, again depending on the application. The conductor can be a single strand like a thin rod, stranding, bunch stranding, concentric strand, rope lay, etc.
The insulation material used are rubbers like neoprene and hypalon, PVC, Nylon, Styrene Butadiene, Ethylene-Propylene, Crosslink Polyethylene, Chlorinated Polyethylene, Silicone Rubbers, Polychloroprene, etc.

Maintenance of cables

In electric cables there is generally preventive maintenance, and we have to protect them from mechanical damage and ensure their correct handling. Wires, when stripped at the ends to connect to plugs or to cable connectors, must be cut properly. Using a dedicated wire stripper instead of hacksaw blades and pliers protects the cables from damage. Burning the end of the wire to remove the insulation is another bad practice. Not only does it damage the cable and alter the material properties, but the vapors and smoke that come out are highly toxic.
High voltage cables must be checked for insulation resistance, especially if they are the power cables of machines that work in aggressive environments like handlers, tunnel borers, etc. The cables in these applications may develop low insulation resistance, which can be due to mechanical damage or because of working in humid atmospheres. Therefore the cables must be periodically inspected and tested, especially when checking the connected appliances and machines.
Also remember that every wire insulation has a critical resistance, above which the heat transfer properties may differ. Therefore the cables must never be painted as it can lead to overheating and fire.

In high voltage cables the earthing of the cable armoring should be done to protect the personnel from harm.

Drying out of cables

In case the electric cable is showing a low insulation resistance because it has become wet or absorbed moisture, we can dry out the cable. The electric cables can be dried by injecting a heating current from a current injection set or a welding transformer.

In this procedure the only care is to not overheat the cables that could aggravate the damage. Prior to the drying work the cable should be disconnected from both the ends from the machine and removed to a safe place. The one end of the cable has to be shorted and from the other end the current must be injected. In case of multi core cable you have to short them in such a way to form a continuous conductor with two free ends for injecting current.
Care has to be taken that the injected current for heating must never exceed the rated current for the cable. The cable temperature must be measured with an infrared ray remote thermometer. After the temperature resistance becomes steady and comes between 20 megaohm to earth and 100 megaohm between cores then the procedure can be stopped.

References

Cable Dry Out Connections: Practical Marine Electrical Knowledge By Dennis T Hall

Battery Maintenance and Recharging Problem Analysis

2012-04-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Many battery problems are caused because of poor maintenance and recharging troubles. Battery life and performance depends on the preventive care taken as described in this article. Battery charging related questions are answered here.

Battery maintenance is essential in order to obtain the best reliability and performance from industrial and automobile batteries. A battery will survive longer and be more effective and reliable if proper care is taken by understanding the basics of battery maintenance explained in this article.
A battery is like a money box: if you keep taking out and deposit nothing back, then you soon will have nothing.

Basics of the battery:

Batteries store Direct Current (DC) electrical energy in the form of chemical energy.
The lead acid battery is made up of plates, lead, and lead oxide with a 35% sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and 65% water solution.
The solution, or electrolyte, triggers a chemical reaction that generates electrons. A hydrometer tests the amount of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte. (A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of liquids; i.e. comparing the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water.)
If electrons are less, then a hydrometer shows a low reading. When we recharge the battery, the sulfur returns to the electrolyte from the battery's positive plates.
Generally battery lifespan may be from 6 months to 48 months, but hardly 25% of all batteries actually achieve the 48 month point.

Battery Types

Starting (or cranking): Designed to supply a quick surge of energy (as in starting engines) and having a greater plate count. The plates shall be thinner (more surface area) and have rather different material composition.
Deep cycle battery: Designed to provide less instant energy, but greater long-term energy delivery. Deep cycle batteries have thicker plate design and can survive a greater number of deeper discharge cycles.

How can I decide if my battery is low and needs to be recharged?

When the engine starter does not turn the engine on or the lights are dim, that means you have low battery. Engine starting difficulty because of slow cranking is also an indication of a flat battery.
If the battery is low, it needs to be recharged to restore full power and to prevent possible damage to the battery. The cell plates become sulfated if the battery is low or the battery is left in a discharged condition for several days. As sulfate builds up on plates, it reduces battery performance.
The charge level depends on the concentration of battery acid. The charge level can be checked with a hydrometer.
A hydrometer has a float contained in a glass vessel with a rubber bulb to draw the electrolyte into the tube. Some hydrometers have a number of colored balls in place of the single float, but reading the device is the same. The colored floating balls indicate a fully charged battery status, and no floating balls at all indicate a fully discharged battery.

How SCRs Function

2012-04-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Unlike transistors, which may show an exponentially varying output current pattern, equivalent to the applied input switching current, SCRs have specific triggering levels below which they may not conduct properly. However, once the trigger level crosses the optimal value, an SCR may swing into full conduction.
Another typical property associated with SCRs is their “latching” behavior with DC operated loads, where the anode to cathode conduction through the load latches or “holds-on” even after the gate trigger is inhibited. However, with AC operated loads the above drawback, or rather benefit, is not available and the load is switched ON or OFF exactly in response to the switching of the SCR’s gate triggers.
The following few simple SCR circuits are based on the above properties of the device. Let’s learn how the discussed features can be exploited for some useful applications.

Simple Thyristor Circuits Explained

2012-04-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

The article relates the technical specifications of SCRs and their working principles through an easy to understand, step-wise explanation. The article also offers a few interesting SCR projects that can be easily built and used for the relevant purposes.

SCRs or Silicon Controlled Rectifiers are members of the electronic active component family. They are also called Thyristors.

The figure on the left shows the standard electronic symbol of an SCR. It shows the three lead pin outs of the part, the upper one being the anode, the lower one the cathode, and the central extension the gate. The symbol quite resembles an ordinary rectifier diode symbol having an extra lead from the cathode side. Though SCRs are much different from diodes, they too rectify AC in response to DC electrical triggers on their gate inputs.

As you can see in the actual picture of an SCR on the right, it looks like a transistor. Externally they may look exactly like transistors, but are entirely different as far as technical specifications are concerned.

Both act as switching devices, although SCRs comfortably handle high voltage AC, whereas transistors normally are dedicated for low voltage DC applications. The lead orientation specifies the first lead from the right to be the gate, the extreme left is the cathode, and the center pin is the anode. The gate and the anode leads always work with respect to the ground; the cathode lead is specified to be connected with the ground and serves as the common release terminal for the gate as well as the anode. The load that needs to be operated is connected across the AC input and the anode of the SCR.

How to Build an Inverter part 2 of 2

2012-04-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Circuit Description

To better understand how to build an inverter, it is important to learn how the circuit functions through nthe following steps:

Gates N1 and N2 of IC 4049 are configured as an oscillator. It performs the primary function of supplying square waves to the inverter section.

Gates N3... N6 are used as buffers so that the circuit is not load dependant.

Alternating voltage from the buffer stage is applied to the base of the current amplifier transistors T1 and T2. These transistors conduct in accordance with the applied alternating voltage and amplifies it to the base of the output transistors T3 and T4.

These output power transistors oscillate at a full swing, delivering the entire battery voltage into the each half of the secondary winding alternately.

This secondary voltage is induced in the primary winding of the transformer and is stepped-up into a powerful 230 volts (AC). This voltage is used to power the output load.

How to Build an Inverter part 1 of 2

2012-04-08T09:00:00.002-07:00

Charger: During power backups when the battery gets discharged to a considerable level, the charger section is used to charge the battery once the AC mains is restored.

How to Build an Inverter

To clearly understand how to build an inverter, let’s go through the following simple construction details:

As per the circuit schematic first complete the assembly of the oscillator section consisting of the smaller parts and the IC. It is best done by interconnecting the component leads itself and soldering the joints.

Next fit the power transistors into the appropriately drilled aluminum heat sinks. These are made by cutting an aluminum sheet into the given sizes and bending them at the edges so that it can be clamped.

Do not fit the transistors directly on to the heat sinks. Use mica isolation kit to avoid direct contact and short circuiting of the transistors with each other and the ground.

Clamp the heat sink assembly to the base of a well ventilated, sturdy, thick gauge metallic enclosure.

Also fix the power transformer beside the heat sinks using nuts and bolts.

Now connect the appropriate points of the assembled circuit board to the power transistors on the heat sinks.

inally join the power transistor’s outputs to the secondary winding of the power transformer.

Finish the construction by fitting and interconnecting the external electrical “fittings” like fuses, sockets, switches, mains cord and the battery inputs.

An optional separate power supply circuit using a 12V/3Amp. transformer may be added inside to charge the battery whenever required (see diagram).

How to Build a Low Cost, High-efficiency Inverter

2012-04-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

How to Build a Low Cost, High-efficiency Inverter
Whether indoors or outdoors this high-efficiency inverter can provide clean AC to power all your small appliances like fans, lights, soldering irons, etc.

Operating Principle of an Inverter

An inverter can be taken as a crude form of UPS. Obviously the main use of an inverter is only for powering common electrical appliances like lights and fans during a power failure.

As the name suggests the basic function of an inverter is to invert an input direct voltage (12VDC) into a much larger magnitude of alternating voltage (generally 110VAC or 220VAC).

Before learning how to build an inverter, let’s first understand the following fundamental elements of an inverter and its operating principle:

Oscillator: An oscillator converts the input DC (Direct Current) from a lead acid battery into an oscillating current or a square wave which is fed to the secondary winding of a power transformer. In the present circuit, IC 4049 has been used for the oscillator section.

Transformer: Here the applied oscillating voltage is stepped up as per the ratio of the windings of the transformer and an AC much higher than the input DC source becomes available at the primary winding or the output of the inverter.

Strengthening the Security Components

2012-04-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Errorists have become smart and they often make use of the weak links in our society. Strengthening the security components has become very important to avoid loss of life and property. Following are the four important aspects of our building security that need to be made foolproof to avoid terrorist activities and minimize blast injury and damage.

Deception Be as smart as the terrorists; use deceptive cover techniques to protect your building from unwanted surveillance.
Intelligence means acting street smart in case any emergency situation arises. It not only means employing security guards, but it also includes organizing disaster mitigation workshops for the occupants of buildings so that they know about safe havens, how to use stairwells, and other safe practices.
Structural Hardening of vulnerable components of the building will also help in minimizing blast damage.
Operational Protection includes perimeter protection and equipping buildings with surveillance technology.

Designing Blast Containment Structures

2012-04-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

Designing Blast Containment Structures
The following factors should be taken into account while designing a safe building that can contain and minimize bomb hazards.

Space Design
The main building and any unsecured areas must be separated from each other to minimize damage. For example, the parking lot should be outside the main building area so that catastrophic damage is minimized. Functional and structural layout of the building need to be reworked to make it blast containing. Internal buffer zones, adding hard lines to the design, and including secondary staircases and elevator shafts in the main design of the building will ensure that the main and secondary portions of the building remain fully functional yet separate from each other.

The configuration of the building also plays a vital role in blast containment design. Convex shapes of buildings should be preferred over concave shapes as air blast pressure is minimized because shock waves travel at higher angles of incidence than in a rectangular building. Horizontal orientation of the building will reduce its profile and exposure. To avoid vehicle ramming or suicide vehicle bombing, ensure that ground floor elevation is at least 4 feet above the grade. Providing pitched roofs, avoiding exposed structural elements, and using earth sheltered design are some of the aspects of safe building design to avoid blast injuries.
Using Green roof technology ensures that the visual profile of your building is reduced. It also reduces the heat signature of your building. Use of vegetation across the building, especially on its front, helps a great deal to keep a check on hostile surveillance activities.
Safe havens must be designed within the building, and these should be accessible to the occupants of the buildings in less time than the attackers. This indirectly means that safe havens should not be placed near the entrance or possible infiltration zones like ventilation ducts and sewer pipes (in case of multistory buildings).
Stairwells should be practically far away from the main building area. In emergency situations like a terrorist attack, people use stairwells and not the lifts. If bombing has already occurred, only separated stairwells from the main building will enable people to escape.
The non-structural elements like lighting, false ceilings, and duct work should be minimized. If you are designing an office, keep it as simple as possible because in blast bombing scenarios, these aesthetically fascinating objects act as flying debris.
To avoid chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) threats, advanced HVAC and filtration technologies should be adopted because chemical warfare agents have far more dangerous consequences than physical injuries. Filter placement, sealing of open spaces in the ventilation chambers, monitoring and checking entry point of CBR agents are some of the other important aspects of avoiding CBR threats.
To avoid progressive collapses, cladding, exterior window systems, and redundant mechanical and electrical systems must be used.

Building Structures to Minimize Blast Injuries

2012-04-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Earlier blasts reminded us of demolitions of buildings in the US. But now, blasting reminds us of 9/11 and terrorist attacks. Post 9/11, governments have started emphasizing the need for blast containment designs that help in minimizing blast injuries.

Terrorism has threatened the internal security of many countries, including the US. In the last decade, Americans have seen numerous terror attacks in their country, among which 9/11 was the most devastating. The threat of terrorism has forced governments and construction companies to pay special attention to design buildings that are capable of absorbing blasts or at least minimizing and containing the destruction caused by the blasts so that loss of life can be brought under control.

Controlling the catastrophic collapse of a building by means of structural, architectural, and emergency envelope systems are among the best techniques to minimize blast effects. Terrorist organizations have become advanced and they may use the best materials available on the market, which means the governments and the designers have to be extra cautious while designing and testing blast containing buildings. In a terrorist attack, most of the fatalities occur because of sudden collapse. For instance, in the 1987 Oklahoma city bombing, more than 80 percent of the overall deaths were because of building collapse.

CAD Packages for Architectural Landscape Design

2012-04-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

The objective of this architect CAD software review is to provide insight about a few good architectural CAD packages out of the hugely crowded civil CAD market.

The cost of architectural CAD landscape design software may vary from free to several thousand dollars. However, I can say from my six years of CAD experience that professional users look for more than just the cost while purchasing such a package. They look for technical features and technical support equally, if not more, than the cost. On the basis of these three factors, the following packages stand out from the crowd.

1. ArchiCAD

Features:

- Virtual building: It allows the architects to create a 3D virtual building and all the necessary drawings and documentations (like BOM, etc.) are generated automatically from that.

- Renovation: The latest version of the application makes the partial or total “renovation” projects easier by adding the renovation status in all its BIM elements.

- Teamwork Technology: It allows the whole team to work on different aspects of the same project.

Suitable for:

- Large projects.

Drawbacks:

- This is not one of the easiest software package to operate; it requires training.

Cost:

- Around $6000-$9000.

2. Revit

Features:

- Construction modeling tool: Modeling tool to capture the design intent and generate various drawings and documents of the project later on.

- Point cloud tool: It allows getting the laser scan results of the old buildings to BIM. By this process, renovation projects become easier.

- Conceptual energy analysis tool: This cloud based tool helps architects estimate the energy consumption by the building they are designing.

- Citrix Ready: This tool helps collaborating remotely located team members working on the same projects.

Suitable for:

- Large projects.

Drawbacks:

- This is also not one of the easiest software applications to operate; requires training.

Cost:

- Around $6000-$9000.

3. Chief Architect

Features:

- Design tools: Roof tools, BOM tools, auto dimensioning tool, framing tool, kitchen & bath design tool, electrical and HVAC tool.

- 3D modeling tools: 3D modeling, rendering, and 3D virtual tour recording.

- CAD tools: Generating the drawings and layouts, allows import of AutoCAD drawings, can convert CAD object to architectural object.

- Terrain and landscaping tool: It can import GPS or terrain data and produce 2D or 3D model of the terrain; it also allows setting north pointer to define seasonal settings.

Suitable for:

- Large sized projects where a single person is working dedicatedly on single tasks.

Drawbacks:

- Not suitable for collaborating multiple team members on a same project.

- No resellers outside USA.

Cost:

- Around $3000-$3500.

4. Home Designer Pro

Features:

- Automatic 3D model creation: It can generate 3D model of the building from accurately sealed floor plans.

- Home wizard: This tool allows user to use the existing building style templates or create new ones.

- Design tools: It has automatic roof generation, foundation, and other advanced tools.

- Automated building tools: This tool allows you to create a building design by accepting default standard best practices.

- Quick start guide: This guide will guide the user to get step-by-step help for any type of building project.

- Design tools: Roof tools, BOM tools, auto dimensioning tool, framing tool, kitchen & bath design tool, electrical and HVAC tool.

- 3D modeling tools: 3D modeling, rendering and 3D virtual tour recording.

- CAD tools: Generating the drawings and layouts, allows import of AutoCAD drawings, can convert CAD object to architectural object.

- Terrain and landscaping tool: It can import GPS or terrain data and produce 2D or 3D model of the terrain; it also allows setting north pointer to define seasonal settings.

Suitable for:

- Mid-sized projects where single person working dedicatedly on single tasks and user is not an architect.

- DIY home enthusiast.

Drawbacks:

- It can open only limited numbers of drawing sheets.

- Not suitable for collaborating multiple team members on a same project.

- No resellers outside USA.

Cost:

- Around $900-$1200.

5. IntelliCAD

Features:

- DWG compatibility: It is compatible with Autodesk DWG files without any data loss. Not only DWG, it is compatible with all the Autodesk API and commands.

- Drawing productivity: This tool is capable of creating 2D and 3D models efficiently. Due to IntelliCAD ActiveX, the drawings and model can be integrated with other office documents.

- Affordability: It is a commercial grade CAD program with a very affordable price.

- Open Source: Source code is available for modification.

Suitable for:

- Users familiar with AUTOCAD.

Drawbacks:

- Lack of support.

- Advanced features like collaboration tools, scanning tools are missing.

Cost:

- Around $120-$600.

These are the few examples of Architect CAD landscape design software quite popular among a range of architectural users. Depending upon the size and nature of project, if you don't find what you need among these, you can find some other applications suitable for you.

References

Author's experience and expertise

Architecture in Civil Engineering

2012-04-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Architecture in Civil Engineering

Civil engineers and architects complement each other’s' work. An architect takes care of the design and shape of a building whereas a civil engineer takes care of the technical nitty-gritty like the strength of the building. Architecture is art; civil engineering is more about physics

The primary focus of an architect remains on the aesthetic appearance of a building. Architecture is closely related to Civil Engineering, and as recently as a few decades ago, there were no architects as a separate profession at all. Properly implemented concepts of architecture ensure that a building is not just strong, but that it looks good and takes care of the comfort of the inhabitants as well. A civil engineer need not bother about the looks, design, in-house lighting, greenery, and other things when an architect is around. That leaves him with the primary job of making a building stable and strong. Other than mastering the concepts of architecture, an architect is supposed to have a basic knowledge of structural engineering as well.

The World of Architecture: Functions of an Architect, Scope, and Advancements

An architect is just not a helping hand to the civil engineer, but much more than that. The planning and designing of any construction project is incomplete without the input of an architect. The establishment of buildings and land with reference to functional and aesthetic requirements is a primary function of an architect. Architectural science has become a vast subject, and today we have architecture styles of different kinds. Urban architecture, rural architecture, contemporary architecture, and modern architecture are some of the styles that are studied across the globe. The inclusion of software tools like 3D Max, Maya, CAD, and CAM has made things easier for both the civil engineers and architects because graphical representation of any kind of work always adds efficiency and better understanding.

A Cure for Melanoma Without Toxic/Acidic Treatments

2012-04-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Do you suffer from skin problems or even skin cancer?

Then read Richard Adgo's pH Miracle Story . . . .

I would like to share with you my story as to how I became involved with the pH Miracle Living Center in Valley Center, California, owned and operated by Dr. Robert O. Young and his wife, Shelley.

In January, 2003, my osteopath noticed a mole change on my back. It was bleeding so he suggested that I should see my GP as soon as possible, like the next day. This I did and my GP took the mole out and sent it away for a biopsy. Two days later I received a phone call from my GP asking me to come and see him as soon as possible. This I did. My GP told me that the biopsy proved malignant, suggesting that I should make an appointment to see a plastic surgeon.

My wife and I went to see the surgeon about three days later and I was told that I had melanoma - a very invasive form of cancer. Given a ratio of between one and three I had number two. The doctor recommended that I have surgery as soon as possible, which I did. After surgery I was told I would have to have three monthly checkups to make sure the cancer was not spreading. About four months later I felt a lump under my left armpit about the size of a marble, so I returned to the surgeon to find out that I would have to have my lymph nodes out. A week later I had the surgery and the doctor recommended me to the oncology department.

At this point I had met a lot of people with this condition and the outlook was not very bright. It was then that I decided to take charge of my own health.

I would like to share something with you at this point. My wife had bought Dr. Young's book Sick and Tired. I use to see it around a lot and it got to me so much that I would keep turning it over so that I could not see it. Strange as it may seem, that's how depressed I was. I couldn't see the wood for the trees. Very soon after that, Karen, my wife, booked both of us on a flight to the U.S where I attended a pH Miracle Living Retreat at the pH Miracle Living Center, in Valley Center, California.

It was a five day Retreat and it was full on from day one, learning and understanding the New Biology(R). After only a few days I started to feel a lot better, with more energy and a lot less tired. I had not fallen asleep at all during the day even through all the lectures. I was on my way up. What a great feeling. But a major change in diet and a complete lifestyle change was ahead of me. Dr. Young said that he had given me the tools to look after myself and it was up to me now to make it happen.

It has been over six years now and I have never felt so good in all my life. I very rarely get anything like a cold or a flu, aching joints, headaches, or feel depressed. The pH Miracle is exactly what it says it is, just that. Thank you Dr. Young and Shelley. I feel that with the help of all the people like my wife and my GP and my surgeon, Dr. Young and Shelley I am still around to share this story with you. So really do not close off any doors when you are in such a situation. Take all the avenues and most of all take charge of your own health.

Do not be told by anyone that you can go home and get things in order, which in other words means go home and die. Do what I have done and believe in the New Biology(R). Just get on with life. Make those lifestyle and dietary changes and just get on the Young pHorever pH Miracle program and give it your best and honest shot. Do not blame someone else for your condition, just get on with it. As I have. Become a pH Miracle all for the sake of trying. It's as simple as that. Get on the Doc Broc Greens and the pHour salts, and the pHlavor salts and the pHlush salts and the puripHy salts. It is called the COWS pack and you can order it at:

http://www.phmiracleliving.com/p-383-young-phorever-cows-starter-pack.aspx

All the best and have an alkaline pH Miracle day,

Richard Adgo
New Zealand

PS I would highly recommend you go to a pH Miracle Living Retreat. It will change your life and save your life. To sign up for the next Retreat in your area go to:

Como, Italy Retreat

http://phmiracleliving.com/p-593-ph-miracle-health-retreat-como-italy-event.aspx

Savar, Hungarian Retreat

http://phmiracleliving.com/p-602-ph-miracle-health-retreat-srvr-hungary.aspx

The pH Miracle Living Center

http://phmiracleliving.com/p-538-ph-miracle-private-retreats-at-rancho-del-sol.aspx

Sugar In All Forms Is Toxic To Humans, Animals and Plants

2012-04-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Sugars in all of their forms from honey, maple syrup, molasses, stevia, agave, fructose, maltrose, dextrose, sucrose, coconut sugar, root sugars, etc., are toxic and acidic to the alkaline design of the body. You need NO blood sugar to run the body! The body runs on electrons NOT sugar. The brain runs on electrons NOT sugar! The cells run on electrons NOT sugar! All life forms are electrical/chemical NOT just chemical. Sugar is a metabolic waste product or acid. It is poison in all of its forms. Plants, animals and humans run on electrons NOT sugar. When plants, animals and humans are sick, tired or dieing sugar goes up NOT down and energy goes down NOT up. Feed your body live electron rich alkaline foods that are absent or low in sugar and live longer and healthier. I have been saying this for over 30 years - Dr Robert O Young.

Hakekat Kewirausahaan

2012-04-07T23:04:00.004-07:00

Anda tentu sering mendengar tentang kata “Wirausaha”, “Kewirausahaan” maupun “Wirausahawan” Apakah yang dimaksud dengan “Wirausaha”, “Kewirausahaan” maupun “Wirausahawan” tersebut? Dan apakah beda ketiga kata tersebut?

Wirausaha adalah kemampuan yang dimiliki oleh seseorang untuk melihat dan menilai kesempatan-kesempatan bisnis; mengumpulkan sumber dayasumber daya yang dibutuhkan untuk mengambil tindakan yang tepat dan mengambil keuntungan dalam rangka meraih sukses.

Kewirausahaan pada hakekatnya adalah sifat, ciri dan watak seseorang yang memiliki kemauan dalam mewujudkan gagasan inovatif ke dalam dunia nyata secara kreatif.

Sedangkan yang dimaksudkan dengan seorang Wirausahawan adalah orang-orang yang memiliki kemampuan melihat dan menilai kesempatankesempatan bisnis; mengumpulkan sumber daya-sumber daya yang dibutuhkan untuk mengambil tindakan yang tepat, mengambil keuntungan serta memiliki sifat, watak dan kemauan untuk mewujudkan gagasan inovatif kedalam dunia nyata secara kreatif dalam rangka meraih sukses/meningkatkan pendapatan.

Intinya, seorang Wirausahawan adalah orang-orang yang memiliki jiwa Wirausaha dan mengaplikasikan hakekat Kewirausahaan dalam hidupnya.

Orang-orang yang memiliki kreativitas dan inovasi yang tinggi dalam hidupnya. Secara epistimologis, sebenarnya kewirausahaan hakikatnya adalah suatu kemampuan dalam berpikir kreatif dan berperilaku inovatif yang dijadikan dasar, sumber daya, tenaga penggerak, tujuan, siasat dan kiat dalam menghadapi tantangan hidup. Seorang wirausahawan tidak hanya dapat berencana, berkata-kata tetapi juga berbuat, merealisasikan rencana-rencana dalam pikirannya ke dalam suatu tindakan yang berorientasi pada sukses. Maka dibutuhkan kreatifitas, yaitu pola pikir tentang sesuatu yang baru, serta inovasi, yaitu tindakan dalam melakukan sesuatu yang baru.

Beberapa konsep kewirausahaan seolah identik dengan kemampuan para wirausahawan dalam dunia usaha (business). Padahal, dalam kenyataannya, kewirausahaan tidak selalu identik dengan watak/ciri wirausahawan semata, karena sifat-sifat wirausahawan pun dimiliki oleh seorang yang bukan wirausahawan. Wirausaha mencakup semua aspek pekerjaan, baik karyawan swasta maupun pemerintahan (Soeparman Soemahamidjaja, 1980).

Wirausahawan adalah mereka yang melakukan upaya-upaya kreatif dan inovatif dengan jalan mengembangkan ide, dan meramu sumber daya untuk menemukan peluang (opportunity) dan perbaikan (preparation) hidup (Prawirokusumo, 1997) Kewirausahaan (entrepreneurship) muncul apabila seseorang individu berani mengembangkan usaha-usaha dan ide-ide barunya. Proses kewirausahaan meliputi semua fungsi, aktivitas dan tindakan yang berhubungan dengan perolehan peluang dan penciptaan organisasi usaha (Suryana, 2001).

Esensi dari kewirausahaan adalah menciptakan nilai tambah di pasar melalui proses pengkombinasian sumber daya dengan cara-cara baru dan berbeda agar dapat bersaing.

Menurut Zimmerer (1996:51), nilai tambah tersebut dapat diciptakan melalui cara-cara sebagai berikut:

Pengembangan teknologi baru (developing new technology)
Penemuan pengetahuan baru (discovering new knowledge)
Perbaikan produk (barang dan jasa) yang sudah ada (improving existing products or services)
Penemuan cara-cara yang berbeda untuk menghasilkan barang dan jasa yang lebih banyak dengan sumber daya yang lebih sedikit (finding different ways of providing more goods and services with fewer resources)

Walaupun di antara para ahli ada yang lebih menekankan kewirausahaan pada peran pengusaha kecil, namun sifat inipun sebenarnya dimiliki oleh orang-orang yang berprofesi di luar wirausahawan. Jiwa kewirausahaan ada pada setiap orang yang menyukai perubahan, pembaharuan, kemajuan dan tantangan, apapun profesinya.

Dengan demikian, ada enam hakekat pentingnya Kewirausahaan, yaitu:

Kewirausahaan adalah suatu nilai yang diwujudkan dalam perilaku yang dijadikan sumber daya, tenaga penggerak, tujuan, siasat, kiat, proses dan hasil bisnis (Ahmad Sanusi, 1994)
Kewirausahaan adalah suatu nilai yang dibutuhkan untuk memulai sebuah usaha dan mengembangkan usaha (Soeharto Prawiro, 1997)
Kewirausahaan adalah suatu proses dalam mengerjakan sesuatu yang baru (kreatif) dan berbeda (inovatif) yang bermanfaat dalam memberikan nilai lebih.
Kewirausahaan adalah kemampuan untuk menciptakan sesuatu yang baru dan berbeda (Drucker, 1959)
Kewirausahaan adalah suatu proses penerapan kreatifitas dan keinovasian dalam memecahkan persoalan dan menemukan peluang untuk memperbaiki kehidupan usaha (Zimmerer, 1996)
Kewirausahaan adalah usaha menciptakan nilai tambah dengan jalan mengkombinasikan sumber-sumber melalui cara-cara baru dan berbeda untuk memenangkan persaingan.

Demikian lah hakekatnya.

Jurnal Statistik Indonesia

2012-04-07T23:01:00.000-07:00

Sejak Maret 2005 Ikatan Perstatistikan Indonesia telah menerbitkan Jurnal Statistika. Jurnal Statistika memuat tulisan perancangan, pengumpulan, pengolahan dan analisis data baik yang merupakan pemikiran maupun yang konseptual maupun penerapannya. Jurnal terbit dengan siklus 4 (empat) kali dalam satu tahun yaitu setiap Maret, Juni, September dan Desember. Jurnal Statistika telah didaftarkan ke Lembaga Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI) dan mendapatkan nomor ISSN 0216-0617. Setiap terbitan akan menyajikan 6 (enam) tulisan.

Naskah diketik dengan spasi 1 pada kertas ukuran letter (21,59 cm x 27,94 cm dengan marjin atas-kiri 3 cm dan kananbawah 2 cm. Jenis huruf yang digunakan adalah Palatino dengan ukuran 14 poin untuk judul, 11 poin teks uraian dan 10 poin untuk tabel dan grafik. Naskah dapat ditulis menggunakan bahasa Indonesia atau Inggris. Panjang artikel antara 3.750 sampai dengan 7.500 kata atau 10 sampai 20 halaman. Setelah judul dibuatkan abstraksi kurang lebih 100 kata dalam bahasa Inggris serta kata kunci (key words) sekitar 5 kata yang menunjukkan isi artikel. Setiap kata tidak lebih dari 20 karakter. Naskah belum pernah dipublikasikan.

Pada setiap edisi memuat 6 (enam) karya tulis. Untuk edisi Maret 2005 telah menyajikan 3 (tiga) tulisan lulusan AIS dan ringkasan 3(tiga) thesis S-2. Edisi Juni 2005 disamping 4 (empat) tulisan lulusan AIS juga ada sumbangan pakar statistik IPB serta ringkasan desertasi Rusman Heriawan (AIS Angkatan ke-13). Edisi September 2005 menerbitkan 4 (empat) ringkasan beberapa thesis dan 2 (dua) tulisan alumni. Edisi Desember 2005 menyajikan 3 (tiga) ringkasan juara lomba skripsi strata satu jurusan statistik, disamping 2 (dua) ringkasan thesis dan 1 (satu) tulisan alumni AIS. Edisi Maret 2006 menyajikan 3 (tiga) ringkasan thesis, disamping mendapat 1 (satu) masukan dari universitas swasta lain dan 2 (dua) tulisan alumni. Edisi Juni 2006 menerbitkan ringkasan disertasi Subagio DW (AIS Angkatan ke-14) dan Bambang Heru Santosa (AIS Angkatan ke-20) disamping 2 (dua) ringkasan thesis, 2 (dua) tulisan alumni. Edisi September 2006 menyampaikan 3 (tiga) ringkasan tesis, 2 (tulisan) alumni dan 1 (satu) ringkasan skripsi STIS yang dianggap baik.

Tulisan-tulisan yang dimuat dalam jurnal tersebut segera akan di upload dalam web-site BPS dan atau Statistika Indonesia

Penanggung jawab Jurnal Statistika dipegang Suwandhi dengan Dewan Penyunting Mudjiandoko (ketua), Dedi Waluyadi (Wakil Ketua) dan Edi Prawoto (sekretaris). Penyunting ahli terdiri dari pakar statistik dari BPS, IPB, UGM, ITS dan Unibraw.

Perlu kiranya diketahui bahwa Jurnal Statistika sedang mengusahakan untuk mendapatkan akreditasi dari LIPI dan atau Direktorat Jenderal Perguruan Tinggi. Hal ini dimaksudkan agar kredit untuk penulisan dalam jurnal menjadi maksimal.