Science & Technology

Hi-Tech Farming and Food Production Seen in the Future

National Geographic recently featured alternative methods in farming and food production proposed by scientists and agriculturists in order to address food security and global warming, which is expected to reduce crop yields, worsen food shortages and increase food prices.

Global warming will revolutionize the way we farm and grow food, according to several biotechnologists and agriculture experts.

It will trigger the diversification of crops and force farmers all around the world to adjust from the traditional homogenized crop farming. Because global warming changes rainfall patterns, temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations in the air, farmers must adapt to these changes.

Plant geneticist Stephen Jones of Washington State University is a proponent of diversification. He indicated that while homogenization has expedited the volume of food grown on larger tracts of land, it has also become difficult for farms that implement this strategy to adapt to the changes effected by global warming.

According to Jones, what is needed is a variation that the environment can work on.

There is a need to maximize land area in order to grow crops to feed an exponentially growing population. There are already existing hi-tech greenhouse gases that grow crops through hydroponics, a technique that uses nutrient-enriched water and minimal area. Basing on these concepts, some scientists are proposing the so-called “vertical farming,” which puts farming staple grains and greens at the heart of urban centers in high-rise buildings.

Dickson Despommier of New York’s Columbia University believes that vertical farming could grow enough food for billions while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that come from cross-continental shipping of agricultural produce.

Vertical farming as an idea has been criticized Bruce Bugbee, a crop physiologist at Logan’s Utah State University, who thinks it is too expensive since it can utilize gigawatts of power for growing the crops indoor. However, Despommier revealed that architects are currently creating buildings that can harvest natural light at the maximum level.

FDA: Alli Diet Pills Are Safe to Use

Rumors swirled around GlaxoSmithKline’s popular alli diet pill after the Food and Drug Administration announced it was investigating the possibility of liver damage. However, no clear evidence has emerged that alli can cause any liver damage. In fact, the FDA has recommended that users continue to use alli as directed by their primary physician.

Orlistat, the active ingriedient in the alli diet pills, has minimal absorption into the blood, and works mostly in the gastro-intestinal system. Because of where alli is active, there is no obvious connection between the alli diet plan and any effects on the liver.

Another aspect that must be taken into consideration is that many obese people already have preexisting liver conditions. According to the FDA, an estimated 15-20% of obese people have injured their liver due to excess fat in the liver. What’s more, the gradual weight loss that a person can attain from alli diet pills can help prevent liver injury and improve liver function.

Orlistat has been available to the general public since 1998. Out of the 40 million people who have used the drug, including the 6 million alli users, only two cases of liver damage have been reported. The orlistat in alli has been extensively studied and tested, with 100 clinical studies surveying more than 30,000 human test subjects.

Safety is priority number one for GSK, and the alli pills are no exception. GSK continues to test alli and orlistat, and closely monitors the drug’s effect on its patients. The August 24th announcement is just part of the FDA’s policy of publicly sharing information directly with consumers and healthcare professionals. As far as the FDA and GSK are concerned, alli’s track record speaks for itself. It’s a safe way to lose weight.

Anyone with concerns should talk to their doctor or pharmacist. For more information on the safety and efficacy of alli, please visit www.myalli.com and/or call 1-800-671-2554.

Lawyer Offers Pro Bono Services for Chronically Ill

Forbes.com featured a story on New Jersey-based attorney Marty Shenkman’s volunteer work in aid of persons with chronic illnesses. Shenkman’s wife, Patti Klein, had been diagnosed in 2006 with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS) characterized with mild or severe symptoms, from numbness to paralysis or vision loss.

From that time, Shenkman and wife had dedicated their time and energy to raising funds for the National MS Society, a national non-profit that focuses on research work and advocacy on MS.

Aided by their family and a group of friends, the couple has raised over $44,000 out of MS walkathons. Shenkman then thought of a more productive way to help not only MS patients, but all chronically ill individuals. He shifted his mode of giving to something he does best at – lawyering.

Shenkman has, for the past few years, volunteered hundreds of pro bono services to people with chronic illness. An estate planner who charges $500 an hour, he has devoted his time aiding people with chronic illness for free on how to plan their estate and manage their financial affairs.

Shenkman observed how his wife ran her professional life despite being afflicted with a chronic illness. As a result, he realized that people are wrong when they misjudge chronic illness as something that impairs ill patients cognitively, of which they must give up to a certain degree their control over their estate and finances to other people.

To supplement his free legal services, he published self-help estate planning books for the chronically ill, including Estate Planning for People with a Chronic Condition or Disability and Funding the Cure, with royalties on both going to charity. These books give helpful advice ranging from donations of household items, appreciate stock and retirement assets, trusts and bargains. He is currently writing a book for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Technology

To say that our lives are driven by technology is no overstatement. Information technology, particularly the Internet, has single-handedly expanded the horizon of possibilities for everyone. And that’s just one form of technology; there’s an entire industry full of them!

Communication technology, for instance, has brought people closer together. Distance has been rendered irrelevant with the advent of mobile, all-in-one phones. Then there are specific technologies for the myriad of professional work at present. In the medical field, breakthroughs in health and medicine are all made possible through research that makes use of modern technology. In actual medical operations, lasers, x-rays, prosthetics and microscopes have saved countless lives. Businesses are also heavily influenced by technology. Companies that manufacture goods rely on the production capacity of their equipment; the more advanced, the more efficient their processes become. Research and development in product innovation is recognized as a crucial department in the modern organization. The only way businesses with international divisions can thrive is with the use of technology for sales, accounting, marketing, etc.

Other technology fields include aerospace, agricultural, biotech, construction, environmental, process and chemical, transportation, geographic information systems and the ever-developing microtech and nanotech.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sums up the benefits of technology as something that empowers people to become productive and creative; something that allows people to learn things they didn’t think they could learn before. For Steve Ballmer, technology is all about potential. And many people have found success in harnessing that potential as a professional career choice.

Career choices in the technology field include:

Chief Information Officer, Management Information Systems worker, IT manage, Data Analyst: Recent years have seen the rise of information officers in a company, even in non-strictly technological ones. The position of CIO is a recognized board level position, the role upgrading the level of the IT Director. The much-valued MIS team handles the creation and maintenance of processes and practices supporting the flow of information. They are also consulted in the creation of company strategies, in order to integrate technology in improving the competitive advantage of a business.
Software and Application Developers/Analyst/Engineers: These are the people responsible for the creation of new programs that are meant to make our lives easier, whether it’s for school, work or fun. Involved in the software development process, they are involved in business problem analysis, writing/coding, testing, deployment and bug fixing. Beyond being technically competent, these are visionary employees who seek to provide the best business solutions they could think of.

Other less commonly-known jobs include that of information/data architect, enterprise project manager, desktop virtualization expert, storage directors, and statistical analysis system (SAS) managers.

More and more jobs are created to cope with the growing demand for technology across industries. To stay ahead of the curve, it pays to know more about the latest trends and developments in this field. This can easily be done through online sites such as:

For mobile technology updates, forum, rankings, glossary and a lot of other neat stuff : www.gsmarena.com
A wider range of gadget information as well as reviews can be found in: www.engadget.com, www.gizmodo.com
Useful downloads as well as online tricks of the trade: www.lifehacker.com, www.downloadsquad.com
Up-to-the-minute news on significant technology developments: www.allthingsd.com, www.silicon.com, www.gizmag.com , www.gizmag.com, www.technologyreview.com

Technology: Still the Key After All These Years

To say that our lives are driven by technology is no overstatement. Information technology, particularly the Internet, has single-handedly expanded the horizon of possibilities for everyone. And that’s just one form of technology; there’s an entire industry full of them!

Communication technology, for instance, has brought people closer together. Distance has been rendered irrelevant with the advent of mobile, all-in-one phones. Then there are specific technologies for the myriad of professional work at present. In the medical field, breakthroughs in health and medicine are all made possible through research that makes use of modern technology. In actual medical operations, lasers, x-rays, prosthetics and microscopes have saved countless lives. Businesses are also heavily influenced by technology. Companies that manufacture goods rely on the production capacity of their equipment; the more advanced, the more efficient their processes become. Research and development in product innovation is recognized as a crucial department in the modern organization. The only way businesses with international divisions can thrive is with the use of technology for sales, accounting, marketing, etc.

Other technology fields include aerospace, agricultural, biotech, construction, environmental, process and chemical, transportation, geographic information systems and the ever-developing microtech and nanotech.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sums up the benefits of technology as something that empowers people to become productive and creative; something that allows people to learn things they didn’t think they could learn before. For Steve Ballmer, technology is all about potential. And many people have found success in harnessing that potential as a professional career choice.

Career choices in the technology field include:

• Chief Information Officer, Management Information Systems worker, IT manage, Data Analyst: Recent years have seen the rise of information officers in a company, even in non-strictly technological ones. The position of CIO is a recognized board level position, the role upgrading the level of the IT Director. The much-valued MIS team handles the creation and maintenance of processes and practices supporting the flow of information. They are also consulted in the creation of company strategies, in order to integrate technology in improving the competitive advantage of a business.

• Software and Application Developers/Analyst/Engineers:
These are the people responsible for the creation of new programs that are meant to make our lives easier, whether it’s for school, work or fun. Involved in the software development process, they are involved in business problem analysis, writing/coding, testing, deployment and bug fixing. Beyond being technically competent, these are visionary employees who seek to provide the best business solutions they could think of.

Other less commonly-known jobs include that of information/data architect, enterprise project manager, desktop virtualization expert, storage directors, and statistical analysis system (SAS) managers.

More and more jobs are created to cope with the growing demand for technology across industries. To stay ahead of the curve, it pays to know more about the latest trends and developments in this field. This can easily be done through online sites such as:

• For mobile technology updates, forum, rankings, glossary and a lot of other neat stuff : www.gsmarena.com
• A wider range of gadget information as well as reviews can be found in: www.engadget.com, www.gizmodo.com
• Useful downloads as well as online tricks of the trade: www.lifehacker.com, www.downloadsquad.com
• Up-to-the-minute news on significant technology developments: www.allthingsd.com, www.silicon.com, www.gizmag.com , www.technologyreview.com.

Amgen Gives Back to Charities

An article from Longmont Times-Call titled “Amgen Hands Out $175K to Agencies” describes how the Thousand Oaks, California-based biotech company Amgen donated the sum of $175,000 to nonprofit organizations in Boulder County, Colo. It gave out $25,000 each to seven charitable organizations including The OUR Center, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, The Emergency Family Assistance Association, The Sister Carmen Community Center, Community Food Share, Aging Services Foundation of Boulder County, and HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties.

According to Amgen spokeswoman Diana Sherman-Palmer, the company wanted to take the extra mile in giving assistance to those who need help in a time of financial crisis. Moreover, this gesture is just one of the many that the company gives through its foundation and its employees’ volunteer time.

Founded in 1980, Amgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company that is considered as the largest independent biotech firm with around 17,500 employees and revenues of $14.77 billion as of 2007. The company employs cellular biology and medicinal chemistry in curing inflammatory disorders, kidney ailments, metabolic diseases, and cancers. Its leading drugs include Epogen and Aranesp for anemia; and Enbrel — which has become one of the best-selling drugs in the market — for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Other drugs include Vectibix for colon cancer, Kepivance for oral mucositis, Neupogen and Neulasta for neutropenia, Sensipar for secondary hyperparathyroidism, Nplate for chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and Kineret for rheumatoid arthritis.

Amgen is a blending of the company’s original name, which was Applied Molecular Genetics.

Article Source: Amgen hands out $175K to agencies

More Amgen News:

Analysts maintain positive outlook for Amgen
Amgen leads employers in annual game

UNESCO Reveals 2,500 Endangered Languages

On Feb. 19, 2009, UNESCO released the online version of its Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, identifying some 2,500 endangered languages from around the world. The paper version of the atlas’ 2009 edition to be launched in May was funded by Norway, engaging a group of more than 30 linguists.

UNESCO has revealed around 2,500 languages in danger of extinction out of a total of 6,900 languages that are being used today. This sends out an alarming call to societies considering that the last atlas compiled back in 2001 listed 900 languages in danger of extinction.

Based on the degrees of endangerment designated by UNESCO, there are 538 languages that are critically endangered, 502 are severely endangered, and 632 are definitely endangered while 607 are unsafe.

Meanwhile, a significant number of languages have already journeyed down the road to extinction. In fact, over 200 languages have gone extinct over the last three generations. The Ubykh in Turkey has already been wiped out. Aasax in Tanzania has disappeared by now. The same can be said of Tefvic Esenc, the Alaskan native language Eyak, and Manx in the Isle of Man.

There are 199 languages in the world spoken by less than 10-12 people. The Indonesian language Lengilu now only has four speakers who remain alive while only six people use Karaim in Ukraine. There is now only one living native speaker of the Latvian language Livonian.

According to Christopher Moseley, Australian linguist and editor of the Atlas’ 3rd edition, the endangerment of language is a universal phenomenon. Linguists also said that an endangered language is not necessarily restricted to small or remote countries. India holds the most number of endangered languages with 196. United States is next with 192, followed by Indonesia with 147. Moreover, UNESCO predicted that languages in the Sub-Saharan Africa would reduce by at least 10% over the coming century.

In the United States, Wichita has merely 10 speakers in Oklahoma while no more than 35 people in northeast Wisconsin speak Menomonee. Gros Ventre of north-central Montana has fewer than 10 speakers and all of them are elderly with no one fully fluent.

For this reason, the UNESCO’s Endangered Languages Programme seeks to stimulate cooperation among countries so they can take heed of this disturbing situation. It also seeks to foster solutions from authorities, experts, and communities for the preservation of these languages.

UNESCO deputy director Francoise Riviere stressed the need for people to be proud of speaking their language in order for it to thrive. Efforts have been made by some societies to revive their languages. Cornish, for instance, is now being revived in Cornwall, southern England. Livonian in Latvia, Sishee in New Caledonia, and Hebrew are also being revived.

Related Sources:

UNESCO lists the degrees of endangerment categorized based on language transmission.
UNESCO provides an interactive atlas of the world’s languages in danger
UNESCO features an article on safeguarding languages in peril.

Affinion Security Center Ready to Guide Companies through New Security Regulations

Corporate data breaches are on the serious rise. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of reported data breaches reported grew 47% in 2008 over 2007. Experts believe that situation will only grow worse in 2009.

The problem has become so widespread that the Federal Trade Commission has now mandated that the data security of all financial institutions, creditors, and other related business become more stringent by May 1, 2009. These strict new requirements are called the Red Flag Rules, which orders all these businesses to create, document, and execute exact procedures how they will respond to and prevent identity theft.

In response to these new federal regulations, The Affinion Security Center has published the Data Breach Response Guide. This free-to-download publication provides case studies, best practices, and sample written plans to deal with identity theft and data breaches, and how companies can comply with the Red Flag Rules.

The Affinion Security Center is very experienced in the field of data security. The company helps companies with data security through its BreachShield program, an all-inclusive system that includes support services, drafting of notification letters, and list management. The Affinion Security Center has recently supplemented BreachShield with CardCorps, a service that monitors chat rooms for stolen data and issues Automated Fraud Alerts for suspicious credit activities.

Tim Lukens, Senior Vice President of Corporate Solutions at Affinion Security Center, believes every company should carefully study the Data Breach Response Guide. “The Data Breach Response Guide contains valuable information on how to respond to a breach, alert customers, choose resolution services and defend a company financially and from reputational damage due to the devastating effects of data loss,” he said. “The guide comes to market at a critical time, as law enforcement develops stricter laws for companies that handle consumer data and harsher penalties for corporations that mismanage data breaches.”

The cost to business can be devastating. According to the Ponemon Institute 2009 survey, customers are likely to stop doing business with banks, health care companies and large retailers when a data breach occurs. The same study determined that more than 68% of the $6.65 million lost due to a data breach come from customer attrition.

The purpose of Affinion’s Data Breach Response Guide is to assist companies in setting up an “Incident Response Plan” to prepare for a possible data breach. The Guide also addresses how to protect a business relationship after a breach occurs. As the Affinion Security Center stresses, how fast a company responds to a security breach is of paramount importance. Not only a fast response limits the amount of data stolen or lost, but it also shapes how customers feel about a company’s safety.

Article Source: Affinion Security Center Publishes Data Breach Response Guide

Additional news on data breaches:

Verizon Breach Report challenges preconceived notions
Chronicle of Data Breaches

Additional Affinion News:

Affinion is profiled on the Forbes Largest Private Companies.
Affinion Survey: Users Vulnerable To Tax and Employment Identity Theft
Trilegiant secures patent for loyalty program
Affinion Security Center Survey Finds Identity Theft Impacts Women More Than Men
Affinion Group offering a $125 million add-on to its senior notes via Bank of America and Deutsche Bank.

Old TVs are Toxic

In the United States, many people are getting up-to-date with their electronic devices and are cleaning their homes to make room for the more advanced TV sets and such. However, for the Environmental Protection Agency and activists who are concerned about soil, water and air pollution, careless ditching of old appliance is seen as something that must be hindered, if not stopped entirely.

EPA has made efforts to reduce pollution caused by careless waste management of electronic devices, such as TV sets and PC monitors, to name a few. Also called electronic waste, old appliance such as TVs contribute largely to pollution if not properly disposed of. EPA estimates that there about almost 100 million unused old TV sets sitting idly in millions of American households.

The call to surrender old TV sets to electronic waste recycling events has been quite effective, with many people coming out and lining to hand their decrepit electronic garbage to the EPA.

An old TV can be reduced to usable parts, as there are substantial amounts of cadmium, chromium, barium, and traces of gold and even mercury in the lamps of some flat screens.

For people who still own old types of television sets, EPA suggests that the best way to keep them is to use them. EPA is only after the unused ones to ensure that they are properly discarded and reduced to parts that are harmless to the environment.

TVs that are equipped with cathode-ray tubes, also known as the non-flat screen TVs, must not be disposed in landfills. There are already state-regulated laws that focus on TV disposal. According to Barbara Kyle of the San Francisco-based Electronics TakeBack Coalition, six states have already declared that improper disposal of TV sets is illegal. Five other states are slated to follow in 2010.

In a recycling event held in El Cerrito, California, TV sets were turned over for the recycling process.

The first step is dismantling the plastic case by removing the screws. Sometimes, a few medium taps with hammer is needed to loosen the really old ones. The cords are then taken out and put into a waiting bin. These are stripped of their copper. The fun part, according to the dismantlers, is the breaking of the vacuum seal on the cathode ray tube. Breaking this device is important since an intact cathode ray tube can “go off like a bomb” if it is accidentally dropped.

Using a hammer and an awl, methodical strikes are then made in the hole left in the tube when the air was sucked out of the tube when it was made. This helps fill in the vacuum safely.

Once the tube is broken, five to seven pounds worth of reusable lead can be collected from the funnel of the tube. However, the lead can only be extracted from recycling plants. Along with the funnel, the screens are also sent to the plants where they are melted down for reuse in new cathode-ray tubes.

In contrast, the old school method of dismantling a TV set is toxic not only to the environment but for the dismantlers as well. Recycling plants in Asia, according to the Basel Convention, follow hazardous processes that potentially poison the workers.

Additional Information:

Take Back Coalition’s The Problem with Electronics.

California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s analysis of e-waste.

This USAToday article warns to be very careful when you recycle e-waste.

The Role of IT Support Services in the Context of Any Business Environment

by Smit Mathur

Organizations and huge businesses completely rely on computers for accessing important information. Some major problems may arise in case of operator errors, user misunderstanding or system failures. These services provide Business IT support for the proper working of the whole system as well as individual workstations.

Network Support is all about understanding and applying the entire technical knowledge for the smooth working of an organization or business.

It is the responsibility of Computer Support Service to ensure the effortless running of all the computer systems. Business IT Support tasks may vary depending upon the infrastructure and size of the organization or business.

Some of the main responsibilities of IT Support service have been listed below:

• Providing proper PC support to all the email requests and telephone calls from the users regarding PC software, hardware and all the other associated peripherals.
• Logging IT support calls and documenting their detailed outcome in order to provide a basic solution for all the common queries.
• Escalating or redirecting Network Support requests to the concerned associate of the IT support centre.
• Providing pro-active information to the users about the progress of their outstanding Business IT Support calls.
• Contributing to ensure that all the software and the help desk systems are being kept up-to-date.
• Ensuring that all the messages are being passed on properly and a prompt feedback is being received.
• Taking care of the deployment and redeployment of PCs and their associated peripherals along with the existing equipments.
• Installing and configuring operating systems as per the agreed standards.
• Marinating the existing PCs and all the other associated peripherals by performing new installations, upgrades and routine procedures.
• Helping the Business IT Support assistants in developing their technical knowledge and skills in accordance with front-line Network Support.
• Assisting in maintenance and compilation of an appropriate inventory of software and hardware.
• Instantly establishing a healthy working rapport with all the other professionals for smooth running of the organization.
• Evaluating after testing the imminent technologies.
• Checking all the computer equipments for electrical safety.

The main aim of Business IT support and Network Support services is to find solutions to all those problems that can hinder the smooth working of an organization or business. On searching, you can easily find a number of companies offering Computer Support and PC support but it is better to find an authentic It support service for the proper functioning of your organization.

Smit Mathur is an expert for writing Articles and currently working for SwiftComputers. For more information related to IT support, IT services, PC support, computer support, please visit: http://www.swiftcomputers.com.au/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Smit_Mathur

Additional Information:

Why you should outsource your Technical Services.

How to know you’re getting good technical support.

A collection of amusing anecdotes from the tech help support desk.

The Truth about Weight Loss Pill alli

As with any new medication, a lot of false rumors are flying around about GlaxoSmithKline’s weight loss pill alli. Some people have claimed that alli is responsible for their upset stomach, diarrhea, or excessive gas. Once these negative stories go around, people might think that everyone will get these symptoms if they try alli.

But here are the facts:

If you don’t follow the alli plan closely, you may experience the mentioned side effects. Alli is not a miracle drug that will magically make your weight loss disappear. You must follow alli’s sensible, healthy diet plan to enjoy its full benefits.
If you eat continue to eat foods high in fat, alli cannot be as effective as it can be.
If you do eat a sensible diet based on alli’s recommendations, alli can and will help you lose weight quickly, and keep it off.

How does alli work?

Alli decreases the absorption of fat from the food you eat. Within your stomach and intestines, enzymes called lipases break down fat into smaller parts, which your digestive tract then absorbs in turn. What alli does is binds itself to lipases and limits their activity. The result is a decrease in fat absorption. Alli does not have any effect on carbohydrates or protein.

Benefits of alli

If the user follows a sensible and healthy diet, alli can give remarkable results. On average, Alli stops the absorption of 25% of the fat in the diet. Alli can help people lose 50% more weight than if they only dieted. Of course, the weight loss depends on many factors, including your diet, exercise habits, and personal body chemistry, but the FDA says users can expect modest weight loss, which would be about 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Another important thing to remember is that if you skip a meal, you should also skip the dose of alli. Also, if you do miss a dose, DO NOT take a double dose. As stated before, alli must be accompanied by a sensible, low-fat meal. The FDA recommends that fat should account for no more than 30% of your diet.

If the user follows the directions carefully, and consults with their doctor, alli is a safe and effective way to keep off those pounds. Alli is more than just a pill to make you lose weight; it’s a comprehensive program to transform your lifestyle by helping you embrace healthy habits. What alli does, in effect, is make the healthy lifestyle easier by speeding up the effects of a good, sensible, and nutritious diet.

Sample press releases for alli:

alli™ – the OTC weight loss product – on shelves nationwide in the US later this week.
GSK receives positive opinion for new non-prescription weight loss treatment alli to help in the fight against obesity across Europe.
GSK addresses concerns about alli and its effects on the liver.

WTIA Reveals Finalists for the 14th IAA

The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) has announced the finalists for its 14th annual Industry Achievement Awards (IAA). The IAA recognizes the achievements and significant contributions of local companies, individuals, and students to the growing technologies, new applications and innovations, and the improvement of services within the information industry.

IAA’s selection panel of the finalists had a hard time sorting the entries which were comprised of promising startups, as well as some of the established individuals, companies, and organizations that have already made major innovations and breakthroughs. The total number of the entries for this year’s IAA has also broken previous records.

Ken Myer, President and CEO of the WTIA, said that the finalist panel spent countless hours determining who among the entries have made the most significant impact on the industry.

The winners, however, will not be chosen by a panel of handpicked jurors. Instead, those who will get the top recognition are to be chosen by the tech community through an online voting system. The voting will commence on February 23.

Here are the finalists for the 14th annual Industry Achievement Awards:

• Breakthrough Start-up of the Year: Apptio, LiquidPlanner, Ontela

• Commercial Product or Service of the Year: Visible Technologies, INRIX, Concur

• Service Provider of the Year: AdReady(TM), Inc., Azaleos Corporation, Cobalt;

• Technology Innovator of the Year: Don Ledford, VANTOS, Inc.; Darrin Massena, Picnik; Matthew Parks, Visto Corporation

• Best use of Technology in the Government, Non-profit or Educational Sector: Snohomish County Planning & Development Services, eCityGov Alliance, South Sound Health Communication Network

• Technology Leader of Tomorrow: Aaron Love, St. Therese School, 8th grade; Matthew McMillan, St. Therese School, 7th grade; Israel Zemeadim, Washington Middle School, 8th grade

• Consumer Product or Service of the Year: Pet Holdings, Inc., Picnik, Wetpaint

The winners will be announced during the 14th annual Industry Achievement Awards party on March 25. The 14th IAA also marks WTIA’s 25th anniversary. In an effort to make the event a grand celebration, the party will be held at The Paramount Theater. The party will showcase interactive gaming sections, a technology display, and a look at the history of the local technology community. Mr. Tom Douglas will be the event’s official caterer.

Among the presenting sponsors on the awards night are Intelius, AH&T Insurance, RealNetworks, Microsoft, Vertafore, Regence BlueShield, and Wells Fargo Insurance Services.

As part of WTIA’s 25th anniversary celebration, the party will be open to the tech community. Ken Myer said that the prices of the party tickets will be lowered to ensure that everyone who wants to celebrate with them can join and enjoy the party.

Established in 1984, the Washington Technology Industry Association is the largest statewide IT organization in North America. Members of the WTIA include over 1000 individual technology professionals, IT departments, and technology companies based in the state of Washington. WTIA strives to improve and make major inputs for the betterment of the technology community of Washington by sharing expertise, nurturing collaboration, and providing key services.

Official announcement of the WTIA Finalists for 14th Annual Industrial Achievement.

Full account of the WTIA 14th Annual IAA.

Abita Brewery and Bacardi Ltd. Pitch In to Help Mother Earth

Believe it or not, the next time you quaff a mug of beer or take a sip of a rum and Coke, you can call yourself an environmentalist! Just be sure it’s Abita beer or Bacardi rum you’re drinking.

According to an article published by Biomass Magazine, The Abita Brewing Company and the Bacardi Company are on the forefront of using renewable energy in the manufacture of their famous beverages. Abita Brewing, located in Albita Spring, Louisiana, is famous for their premium beers, such as Turbodog, Abbey Ale, and Purple Haze. What’s not as well known is how they convert their brewery waste into renewable energy.

A portion of this waste is transformed into animal feed and sold to a local dairy farmer. But the unused waste does NOT just go down the drain. Instead, the rest of Abita’s waste goes to a 570,000-gallon anaerobic digester, which can convert 75,000 gallons of waste per day into biogas. The methane-rich gas is then sent to the brewery’s boiler, so the brewery does not have to rely totally on regular electricity to heat up its boiler. In operation since April 2008, the anaerobic digester processes 45,000 gallons of brewery waste per day, creating a red hot 490 million cubic feet of biogas each month!

Bacardi environmental policy also makes use of anaerobic digester technology, allowing Bacardi to be its own power plant. The maker of Grey Goose vodka, Dewer’s Scotch whisky, Bombay Sapphire Gin, and the famous Bacardi rum has patented an anaerobic digester system specially suited for distilleries.

The anaerobic digesters at Bacardi’s Cataño facility process a whopping 1.2 million gallons of still bottoms, unfermented molasses and water every day. The result is an average of 7 million cubic meters of biogas each year, which in turn is sent to heat up the boilers. Bacardi gets an impressive 30% of its energy from this biogas. In the process, Bacardi doesn’t need the 5 million liters of oil it would need to heat the boilers.

Bacardi also employs this cutting edge technology at its Martini and Rossi plant in Pessione, Italy. That particular facility gets 50% of its energy needs from anaerobic digestion, fueled by wastewater creating during blending, filtration, clarification, and bottling operations. Bacardi can be proud to say that more than 92% of their waste is recycled into renewable energy.

Bacardi has licensed their ingenious technology to other distilleries, such as Cervecería India Inc. in Puerto Rico and Brugal & Co., C. por A. in Santo Domingo. More and more breweries and distilleries are now seeing the economic sense of upgrading to anaerobic digesters to take advantage of biomass.

When it comes to shrinking their carbon footprints, Bacardi and Abita are hard to beat. So let’s make a toast to Mother Earth and the recycling campaign…with a pint of Abita and a shot of Bacardi Rum!

Article Source: Biomass Magazine

Additional Information on Abita and Bacardi:

Abita Brewery solves its corrosion problems.

Classic City Brew takes a fascinating tour of Abita Brewery plant.

Learn the amazing history of the Bacardi Family on the Funding Universe site.

The Bacardi Family Foundation is an educational, religious, and charitable trust located in Arlington, Virginia.

Bacardi Environmental initiative: Bacardi Foundation, Stockholm Water Foundation Establish MIT Professorship.

Bacardi seeks to raise the retail environment in the Bahamas with the opening of the new Bacardi store.

Apple Takes Advantage of Vista’s Unpopularity

The financial crisis spelled losses for everyone. However, Apple is not just “anyone.” Apple made good calls in the past, which had led to their stability and even growth opportunity despite the economic turmoil. Strategies implemented for marketing, position and sustainable growth have all proven to be extremely wise investments.

One of the prime examples of this is how Apple’s “perfectly timed negative ad campaign” secured for it the opportunity to conquer more of the market. Apple spent a staggering sum of $486 million on the “Get a Mac (definitely NOT a PC)” campaign. The negative campaign strategy is extremely potent, but equally risky. This double-edged sword can either turn off consumers with the crossfire, or if wielded properly, can render incapacitate the competitor. From where they are standing now, every cent of advertising was worth it.

In the campaign, the Mac was personified as a cool young guy who targeted the real, commonly-complained-about problems of a pudgy, middle-aged person who represented software giant Microsoft. The contrast was even highlighted with the release of Vista. All it took for the campaign to succeed was a few 30-second spots featuring the two characters.

Although no one factor can be used to peg the success of Apple, advertising would have due recognition. The company’s revenues for Q4 were $7.895 billion, 27% up from the previous year’s $6.22 billion. According to NPD, a renowned research group, Apple’s current market share of the retail market for computers (desktop and laptop, worth over $1,000) is at 60%. As one of Fortune’s Blue-Ribbon Companies, Apple ranked first in the Computers division of America’s most admired companies.

With Steve Jobs as the head, it comes as no small wonder that Apple has become an industry leader. He has constantly been used as a model leader when it comes to making things simpler when possible, developing an eye for innovation, and being truly passionate about the work one does.

San Francisco-born Steve was adopted by Justin and Clara Jobs. He showed a marked interest for computers even when he was young. In college, he dropped out but continued to take auditing and calligraphy classes. The Apple company was founded in 1976, when with A.C. “Mike” Markkula’s funding, Steve and Stephen Wozniak’s legacy began.

Article Source: Bnet.com.

An example of a negative Mac ad.

This writer is wondering if Apple is eating into Vista.

Microsoft criticizes Apple Ads.

IBM CEO Sam Palmisano Still A Champion Entrepreneur

What differentiates a champion entrepreneur from an ordinary businessman? The list may be extensive, but there is one trait that proves itself invaluable during a crippling crisis like the one the U.S. is experiencing. The leader must have the vision to see opportunity amid the obstacles. No wonder Samuel J. Palmisano of International Business Machines (IBM) has been heralded as an exemplary CEO in this time of financial maelstrom.

Small companies and giant empires alike are all on the defensive: retrenching thousands of employees, preserving the cash, minimizing risks. Big Blue, however, is brimming with excitement in their anticipation of a stronger offense.

The confidence Palmisano exudes as a representative of IBM lies in the company’s core competencies. He believes that all the problems we find ourselves in are direct results of faulty underlying networks. Possibly not quite having gotten past the election high, he reiterates the need for change now more than ever. This is where IBM comes in.

Positioning the company as the go-to guy for infrastructure overhaul, Palmisano believes that IBM will make a bigger global difference in the coming years. This is evident in the endeavors he undertook in the past to prepare for the crucial role he believes the company is going to play. One such course was to make the difficult decisions to let go of their marginal businesses and reallocate the resources to research and development.

For instance, a considerable amount of $6 billion was budgeted for the R&D department’s “Smarter Planet” initiative. This technological breakthrough involves placing sensors into humongous networks (i.e. electricity grids) and analyzing the massive amount of data that flows through them. Other recent investments of IBM all involve data acquisition, analysis and consulting features.

In the more than 35 years of working with IBM in different corporate positions, Palmisano has been a constant figure of direction for the company. He has been shaping IBM’s future through strategies such as managing the shift from pure technology to outsourcing business. In March 2002 he became the CEO of IBM, and then assumed office as its chairman on January 1, 2003. In 2006, he became part of the board of directors of Exxon Mobil. His reputation earned him the title of Honorary Chairman for the 2008 National Engineers Week.

Article source: Money.cnn.com.

Official IBM biography of Sam Palisano.

Sam Palisano shares the best advice he ever got.

Geron Corporation Commences the World’s First Human Stem Cell Trials

On Jan. 23, 2009, Geron Corporation was granted clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start its human clinical trial of GRNOPC1, a human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury. This trial is said to be the first in the world.

Geron Corporation considers this development as one of its most significant accomplishments so far because through this, they are now able to conduct the world’s first federally approved study of hESC-based therapy for humans. If successful, this will be a major milestone not just for the company but also for the fields of embryonic stem cell research and medical therapeutics.

According to Geron Corporation president and CEO Dr. Thomas Okarma, the clearance of the GRNOPC1 trial serves as a gateway to a new level of healing wherein restoration of organs and tissues is achieved through the injection of healthy replacement cells. Dr. Thomas Okarma added that the goal for the use of GRNOPC1 is “to achieve restoration of spinal cord function by the injection of hESC-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells directly into the lesion site of the patient’s spinal cord.”

The initial phase I study will focus on the safety of the cell therapy, although researchers will also try to find signs whether the therapy works. The company has selected seven medical centers to participate in the trial, with the study subject to approval from their internal review boards.

Geron Corporation is an American biotechnology company that specializes in the development of biopharmaceuticals designed to treat cancer and chronic degenerative ailments including heart failure, diabetes, and spinal cord injury. Headquartered in Melo Park, California, Geron Corporation was founded by Dr. Michael D. West. It was incorporated in 1990 and began its operations in 1992. Geron Corporation is considered to be the leading embryonic stem cell developer in the world as it holds exclusive rights on several cell types. Since its incorporation, Geron Corporation has been granted more than 260 patents.

The corporation also helped fund the researchers at the University of Wisconsin when human embryonic stem cells were first isolated in 1998.

Geron Corporation has subsidiaries, namely: Geron Bio-Med Limited, which is wholly owned and located in Edinburgh, Scotland; and TA Therapeutics, Limited in Hong Kong, which is majority-owned.

Geron Corporation is centered on the creation of drugs based on telomere and stem cell research. Geron Corporation is currently advancing an anti-cancer drug (GRN163L) that inhibits the enzyme telomerase. Geron Corporation is also conducting multiple trials at Duke University Medical Center in its efforts to develop a telomerase vaccine (GRNVAC1) for the treatment of prostate cancer in patients. Additionally, Geron Corporation is developing cell-based therapeutics derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to treat different health conditions associated with cell aging, injury, and degenerative diseases. Moreover, Geron Corporation is engaged in the initial development of telomerase-based treatment for HIV named TAT0002 and taken from Astragalus plant.

Due to Geron Corporation’s advancement in telomerase drugs, the pharmaceutical company Merck invested considerably in the biotechnology corporation in 2005.

Official site of Genron Corporation.
Forbes profile of Dr. Thomas B. Okarma.
The National Institute of Health offers some basic facts on stem cell research.

United Technologies: Reaping Healthy Profits but Seeing Order Deferrals

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) held its 4th quarter conference call on Jan. 21, 2009 wherein executives presented the company’s cash flow expectations and earnings for the quarter.

As articulated by Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Gregory Hayes, its 2008 revenues were just under $59 billion with earnings per share at $4.90, up 15% from 2007.

Additionally, the company generated a strong cash flow with 105% of net income and total restructuring expenditures of $357 million. In general, the company had a strong 2008 except for the U.S. residential market.

As for the 4th quarter, profits rose to 8%, with United Technologies accounting its growth to its aerospace business units, offsetting weakness in its air conditioner and elevator businesses. Profit for the 4th quarter was $1.15 billion from the previous $1.1 billion, with 4th quarter earnings per share at $1.23, which is up 14% over last year. Hayes particularly noted Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation as the quarter’s highlight, with an organic revenue growth of 25%, having delivered 204 large helicopters over the year (a 17% jump from 2007). Pratt & Whitney revenues were up 3% with organic growth of 6%.

Meanwhile, revenue eased around 1.5% to $14.5 billion, factored by the strengthening of the U.S. dollar.

Moreover, executives warned that the company might be expecting a faster rate of decline in the 1st half of 2009 as indicated by the weak 1st quarter order rates from emerging-market clients. Otis new equipment orders suffered from a global decline of 14% while the commercial HVAC equipment orders from Carrier declined by 7% worldwide.

Otis transport refrigeration orders declined by more than 50%. The company is also anticipating some holdbacks in emerging economies including China and Russia.

Executives of the Hartford, Connecticut-based firm remain positive and confident, and take pride in continuous product innovations and financial strategies. United Technologies drew its profit forecast for 2009 at $4.65 to $5.15 per share that ranges from a 5% decline to a 5% increase from the previous year.

United Technologies Corporation is a diversified multinational firm engaged in the development, research, and manufacture of high-technology products including Carrier heating and cooling; UTC Fire & Security systems; Otis elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; UTC Power fuel cells and power generation systems; industrial products; Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace systems and industrial products; Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines; and Sikorsky helicopters. The company has a centralized research facility that supports all of its business units in developing new equipment and processes. In addition, United Technologies Corporation is a large military contractor that produces missile systems and military helicopters.

United Aircraft and Transport Corporation was founded in 1929, through the merger of Hamilton Standard, Sikorsky Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney, Boeing Air Transport, Boeing Airplane Company, and Chance Vought. In 1934, the company was divided into three independent companies namely, United Aircraft, Boeing, and United Airlines. United Aircraft was later renamed as United Technologies, and then made a series of acquisitions over the years, thus becoming the conglomerate that it is now. Louis R. Chênevert is the company’s current CEO and president.

BusinessWeek’s profile of Louis R. Chênevert.
United Technologies is a good long-term stock investment.

Global Warming Strikes Antarctica

USA Today reports on Jan. 21, 2009 that the journal Nature has presented a new study showing that Antarctica is in fact warming.

The study suggests that Antarctica’s temperature, when measured wholly, has risen about 1°F since 1957. This is contrary to the long-time speculations of scientists that although certain parts of the continent had been warming, a greater portion of it had been cooling over the past 50 years.

Another alarming fact brought out by the study is that a large part of West Antarctica is warming. In fact, scientists warn that West Antarctica is prone to a possible collapse in the future primarily due to global warming. If this happened, sea levels across the globe would rise to catastrophic levels.

In making this study possible, researchers developed a new method that involved consolidating data from several satellites and automated weather stations in Antarctica thereby arriving at the best estimate of Antarctica’s temperature at this point.

However, some scientists are quite concerned over the said method considering that Antarctica only has a very small number of weather stations and that data obtained from satellite have only been available for the past 25 years.

The study presented above is just one among the several conducted by various scientists regarding Antarctica and climate change. Findings of a particular study may contradict with the findings of another, but one thing holds true: global warming is real and it is evident.

The increase in global temperature implicates serious effects to our environment, economy, and perhaps the future of human existence. Effects of climate change include rising sea levels; ocean acidification; change in the amount and pattern of precipitation; more extreme weather events; glacier melting and disappearance; extinction of species; changes in agricultural yields, and increase in the range of disease vectors.

Scientists are concerned over how global warming specifically impacts Antarctica because of studies that have proven that ice sheets are indeed thinning in particular regions of the continent. One example is the break-up of the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002 during a 35-day period, wherein the shelf lost about 3,250 sq. km. of ice into the ocean.

The shelf was 220m thick and was believed to have already existed 400 years ago or even probably since the end of the last ice age. Since 1974, it has been shown that seven ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula have decreased by around 13,500 sq. km.

True, the rise in global temperature will cause the disintegration of ice sheets; however, what primarily causes sea levels to rise is the melting glaciers.

According to Ted Pfeffer, professor of The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado, the largest contributors to the rising of sea levels around the world are the massive quantities of water that come from small glaciers and ice caps that are melting. Moreover, the breaking-up of ice sheets in the Antarctic region gives an even more alarming picture of the extent of impact of global warming.

Geron Corporation Commences the World’s First Human Stem Cell Trials

On Jan. 23, 2009, Geron Corporation was granted clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start its human clinical trial of GRNOPC1, a human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury. This trial is said to be the first in the world.